by Celia Kyle
“Amazingly enough, I have a whole forest outside my back door.”
Carter clutched his chest and gasped. “You’re kicking me out? Me? Your mate? The one man destined to be your love slave until the end of time.”
“Hmm…” The love slave idea had merit.
Which was fine with the bunny.
She mentally sighed. Right when she was getting along with the animal, it had to dive into the gutter.
“I see how it is. I gotta hunt for my own lunch.”
Bethany quirked her lips. “If you were a lion and I was a lioness, I’d be doing the hunting because those bastards are lazy. But I’m not so…”
He slid off the stool and rounded the counter, closing in on her and she backed herself into a corner. “Even if I was a pussy lion and you were a carnivore, I would never let my mate hunt for me.” He cupped her cheek and she turned her head into the touch, nuzzling his palm. “You’re mine to take care of, not the other way around.”
That was a nice thought.
“Bethie?”
Oh, he expected a response. She opened her eyes—when had she closed them?—and met his stare. “I understand.”
“I’m so fucking lucky to have found you. You realize that, right? Not everyone is blessed to find their fated mate and me… I’m feeling fucking blessed right now.” He murmured the last few words low, voice softening as he lowered his head and…
Carter’s lips were soft when he brushed them across her mouth, the touch a feather-light caress. It was a gentle press, followed by another, then a third. On the fourth he lapped at the seam of her lips. She gasped with the pleasure of that small stroke and her rabbit nudged forward, unwilling to be shoved aside for this first connection with their mate. When he teased her with his tongue once more, she parted for him, granting him access.
But instead of rushing and shoving into her mouth, it was a subtle invitation to explore him as well. She slid into his mouth, tasting him, stroking him, giving him as much pleasure as she could with long, drugging kiss. He moved against her with sensual strokes, the torment intoxicating her with each touch.
Bethany inched closer, hands easing around his waist as she pulled him forward until they were fused chest to chest. Her nipples pebbled and hardened to pointed nubs within her bra, her breasts growing heavy and aching for his hands. She wanted him to roll and pinch her nipples, take one into his mouth and torment it with his teeth. She wanted…
He moaned into her mouth and fisted her hair, tilting her head slightly before assaulting her with a deeper connection. Then it was her turn to moan… and groan… and whimper…
Her pussy clenched and moistened, growing slick with evidence of her desire. She wanted him inside her, plunging in and out of her heat, giving her so much pleasure until she’d scream his name and, and, and…
And Carter wrenched his mouth from hers with a growl, ripping her out of the sensual haze he’d created. It squashed her burgeoning arousal and sent her desire spiraling down. She breathed heavily, air heaving in and out of her lungs while she attempted to calm her racing heart.
“Carter,” she sighed and pressed her forehead to his chest, still fighting for control.
“Bethie, that…” he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and rested his cheek on her. “Was more amazing than I ever imagined. It also made me harder than a rock and I can’t figure out how I can focus enough to shift and hunt when all I wanna do is claim you.”
Her rabbit wanted to be claimed as well, but her human half was still torn between the past and present.
“But I won’t. Not yet. So do me a favor and stay put while I head out the back.”
“I don’t get to see your animal?”
He chuckled, the vibrations going straight to her clit.
“Not yet. Maybe when I come back.”
He stepped away and she swallowed the whimper that leapt to her lips. Disappointment at the loss of his warmth snaked into her, but she reminded her animal she’d have him close once again. “What do you shift into? Can you become both?”
Carter shook his head. “Not both. The tiger wins out when I shift, but the wolf adds his own characteristics. Sense of smell, the dominance. Possessiveness.” The glint in his eyes told her the last word was directed at her and his feelings. “Best of both worlds.” He leaned down and gave her one last lingering kiss. “I’ll be back. Do you want me to butcher what I find and we can store the excess for later.”
Bethany raised her eyebrows. “What makes you think there will be a later?”
“Because I refuse to accept defeat.” His eyes turned serious, gaze intent. “I don’t want to rush you, but whether we’re mated or not, I’ll always be where you are. You don’t want me in the house? That’s fine. I’ll shift and sleep on the porch.”
“You think my bunny would let you get that far away?” She snorted. “We’ll figure out details, but you won’t be going far. So, yeah, if there’s anything left after your cat has a snack, we can store it in the freezer or fridge. Wherever you think is best.”
Since, really, it depended on how much the cat ate. Freezing could be pointless if he was going to inhale the leftovers for a midnight snack.
That got her another kiss, this one slower, longer, lingering and sweet while it still had her blood pumping and filling with desire. “I’ll see you in a few.”
He didn’t stick around, instead choosing to stride through the back door. She tried not to watch him strip on the porch—sorta—but he tore off his clothes in front of a window. How could he not expect her to peek?
Especially when Carter reached behind his head and snared his t-shirt, tugging it up and off his body before tossing it aside. The move exposed his wide, tanned back, his broad shoulders appearing as if they could carry the weight of the world. She couldn’t get over the way his muscles bunched and shifted beneath his skin, the strength that remained hidden within him.
His hands went to his jeans, their task obscured and she mentally whined at not getting a look at what they covered. She did get a nice view of his ass though. The hard, round globes seemed to call for her mouth and she wanted to nibble and bite them before he turned and gave her his cock.
His cock… Another sad sigh. At least she’d get to see it when he came back.
Even more impressive was Carter’s shift. In general, they didn’t take long, the body gliding from one form to another in a wave of reshaping bone, muscle, and skin. But her mate’s… was breathtaking. He leapt from the top porch step, arms outstretched and the transition rippled through him like a pebble hitting the surface of a smooth pond.
Beginning at his fingers, slipping to his hands, then arms and straight along his spine and on, so by the time he hit the grass, his cat was firmly in place. Like a house cat, he stretched his forelegs, large claws digging into the earth before he pushed his weight forward and did the same with his back paws. He flicked his black and orange striped tail, glancing over his shoulder and met her gaze through the window. With a flash of fang—a tiger smile?—he tore toward the forest, racing to the tree line, and then he was gone, swallowed by the foliage.
But hopefully for not too long.
Bethany snared her forgotten salad and quickly poured dressing over the bowl before taking her meal to the back deck. She’d settle in, eat, and wait for her mate to return with his prize.
Then… she wasn’t sure what they’d do, but she hoped it involved a few kisses. Or ten.
Chapter Six
It wasn’t Carter, but her rabbit that yanked her from her nap. After she’d finished her salad, she’d set the bowl aside and settled into the deck chair, getting comfortable for her wait. And she must have fallen asleep because now her bunny had her up and panicked.
She needed to run.
Now.
She needed to shift.
Now.
She needed to hide.
Now. Now. Now.
Bethany jumped from the chair, adrenaline spurring her on, and turned toward the
back door. She could cut through the house and—
The rabbit clawed at her, scraping her skin from inside out as it screamed its objection. No. They had to go to the trees. They had to disappear into the forest and find a burrow. Get safe while they waited for their mate to track them.
But why?
Her animal told her not to ask questions, to just do.
It came to her in a rush, a push from the beast that she’d felt often in her past. She’d gotten used to not being afraid, but now fear shoved her into motion. Danger was near. Someone hunted them and looked to cause harm.
Like the males in her past.
Was it a male from her past?
Something inside the house fell, immediately followed by a low, unfamiliar growl, and Bethany took off like a shot. She abandoned any attempts at silence and simply raced across the grass, as her mate had not so long ago. She whipped her shirt over her head, bra quickly following. With each step her rabbit added strength and urged her on. She tore at her skirt, undoing the button and shoving it down her legs. She stumbled as she fought to kick it and her panties free, her sandals immediately after, and she didn’t care that she no longer wore a stitch of clothing.
A roar pushed her to move faster, the slam of the house’s back door telling her whoever came to get her watched her fleeing. She held onto her two legs until she hit the forest, the one place she could lose him. Wolf, cat, or bear, she’d escape.
Then she could find a place to hide. There had to be natural rabbits somewhere in the forest. Dens they’d abandoned.
Four feet hit the dead, dried leaves with a crunch and then she was gone, small claws digging into the upper layers of the dirt, sending it flying. She skittered under low bushes, leapt over fallen logs, and dodged tree trunks.
Left, right, left, left. Like a skier she slipped past obstacles.
All the while she scented the air, drawing in the flavors that filled the forest.
Right, jump, left, cut right.
Her lungs heaved, fighting for oxygen to keep her moving, keeping her out of her pursuer’s grasp. The wind changed direction, bringing a new scent to her. Angry. Hot. Burnt wood. Lion.
It almost tasted like someone from her pride yet not.
A roar reached for her, scaring her into running faster, into hunting up aromas that could save her.
Natural rabbits or Carter. Either would be a welcome sight.
A crash came behind her, branches breaking and trees collapsing beneath the lion as he chased. Faster and faster she ran, pushing her body harder than she ever had. She’d experienced fear in the past—her home clan males coming after her during a run—but it was nothing like the sheer terror that assaulted her now.
If she was caught, she would die. There would be no males looking to take what wasn’t offered from her body. This cat wanted her blood and nothing else. It was evident in the aroma coming from him, the way it chased her as much as the physical lion.
Jump, duck, skid, right, cut left.
She still sought safety, still hunted for her salvation.
Dandelions or the musk of another rabbit.
Dandelions.
Rabbit.
Dande…
There.
There it was. There it was. There it was.
The next spinning turn wasn’t about losing her pursuer but seeking a specific target. She didn’t see him, didn’t hear him creeping through the forest, but he was a cat.
A cat on the hunt.
She prayed he wouldn’t turn her into prey.
But there was no other choice, no other way to save herself from whomever chased her.
So she pushed and pushed, drew in more and more air as she flew over dead foliage and downed branches. She ignored any other tempting scents that called to her, places where others had hidden safely from shifters. A den could hide her. Carter could protect her.
Go, go, go, go…
Her heart raced, adrenaline pumping and pulsing in her veins, giving her strength she’d never experienced.
The trees slowly thinned, not allowing her to weave through obstacles. It gave the lion a straight shot to her, nothing hindering his path. Which meant she needed more power, needed her body to perform better, to make her go faster.
She hit the clearing, still following Carter’s scent and she hoped she found him soon. Her body was slowly giving out, adrenaline only carrying her so far, and she was desperate for the protection he could provide.
And there he was, head bowed as he tugged and bit into a downed deer. His profile was strong, the sleek line of his cat projecting the power that lived inside him. He was eight hundred pounds of muscle, fur, and fang.
Bethany needed all three. Desperately.
Carter swung his head toward her, a growl rumbling from his chest and fangs bared. Recognition hit him in an instant, his cat realizing who raced closer. His gaze flicked behind her. The cat’s eyes didn’t widen in surprise but darkened with anger. His body tensed, legs bunching, and he leapt through the air. As he went high, she stayed low, sliding beneath him until he thumped to the ground between her and the lion. She continued her slide over the slick grass until she collided with a nearby tree, a small grunt leaving her rabbit-shaped mouth.
That sound was enough to distract her mate, his massive head turning in her direction. Concern was etched across his feline features, but it looked like his inattention would kill him. The lion chose that moment to rush Carter, rising to his back legs, claws unsheathed and headed for her mate. The rabbit released a high-pitched screech, trying to warn her mate in any way possible. She couldn’t lose him. Not after she’d just found him.
Her mate spun and easily ducked the strike before returning the hit with one of his own, releasing a hiss as he danced out of reach. Carter took a deep breath, his striped ribs expanding and contracting.
That was when the battle began.
It wasn’t pretty or graceful. It wasn’t awe inspiring.
It was bloody. Painful. Deadly.
Roars echoed through the air, claws flashing as the lion swung and the tiger struck. Claws. Fangs. Then claws again. Blood coated both males, sinking into the earth with every new wound.
Wounds on the lion.
Carter remained untouched, coated in red but not his own, his opponent’s.
They danced around one another, ducking and dodging, searching for weaknesses. The lion had many. Carter had none.
Except her.
Because the fight involved them circling one another, keeping their gazes locked until… Until the lion got near her. She should have paid better attention. She should have raced home.
She shouldn’t have stayed in place like a frightened rabbit. It put her at risk.
The next circle brought the lion close once more, and the beast snapped his attention from Carter to her. He abandoned his fight with her mate, turning it on her. Ten feet still separated them, but that was nothing for a cat.
A roar left his mouth as his feet pushed from the earth. He flew over the land, jaws wide and eyes filled with blood lust.
She was going to die. Here. Now. Before she’d claimed her mate or lived her life. Before—
Carter’s roar was twice as loud as the lion’s, twice as ferocious and twice as deadly. He, too, launched himself across the space, but he was stronger, faster, and fiercer. He had emotion fueling him. He slammed into the lion’s back, the cat’s claws extended and reaching for her, but her mate was there. Killing him. Protecting her.
It took one bite, one closing of his jaws, to end the fight. Permanently.
With the lion’s blood dripping from his fangs and staining the white fur on his chest, he lifted his gaze to her. She should have been afraid, worried he’d be lost to the beast and turn on her. But she was so damned happy, so damned grateful he’d been there when she needed him most.
Bethany trembled, the terror slowly ebbing, adrenaline fleeing her form and leaving her with the last remnants of her fear. She slumped against the tree, al
l strength disappearing in one final full-body shake, and she released a soft whimper.
That had Carter abandoning his kill and leaping from the body. As before, he shifted during the jump, the transition like a dive into water, rippling across his skin until he knelt beside her. He reached for her, large hands cradling her against his chest and she breathed deeply, letting his scent soothe her further.
“I have you. I have you,” he murmured against her head and she closed her eyes, welcoming the comfort. “I won’t ever let anything happen to you.”
Another whimper sneaked free and she slowly relaxed in his arms.
A crack of branches and a low curse announced a newcomer and the scared feelings she’d banished reared their head. She tensed and dug her claws into Carter’s skin, preparing to launch herself off him to the ground. She’d run and hide. She wouldn’t be a distraction. She wouldn’t—
“Hush, I have you. I’ll protect you.” His voice remained low and gentle and she watched him lift his head slightly, nose in the air as he breathed deeply. Then he grimaced and announced their visitor as he stepped into sight. “Greer.”
The large male stopped at the edge of the clearing and crossed his arms over his chest. “Carter.” Greer’s attention went to the lion. “And Jaxson.” He sighed. “Did you have to kill him?”
Bethany looked to the lion that laid broken on the forest floor. Remembering the pure, unadulterated fear that thrummed in her veins and the certainty that she’d be dead if she was caught… Even her rabbit half with its vegetarian tendencies and passive outlook thought the lion deserved what he got.
“Yes.”
And that was that.
Chapter Seven
Bethany wasn’t sure what was going down. Who was speaking to whom and who called whomever… She knew Carter’s heat warmed her back, his body caging her in as they sat at the bar in Dark Moon. He’d selected a stool near one end, a wall to their left and the open room to their right. Then he’d crowded her, creating a physical barrier between her and the rest of the customers.