Colton's Kitty

by Lynn Howard

  “We’re fine, Fancy Pants.” Nova said, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes. “Maybe I need to change your name.”

  “Why?” Shawnee had grown kind of fond of Fancy Pants.

  “After seeing your big cat tear into your brother, you might need a name like Peyton’s got. But, you know, the feline version of Cujo.”

  Gray shook his head, smiled, then bent and pressed a kiss to the top of his mate’s head. “We need to get back to the pups,” he said.

  “Lola stay back with them?” Carter asked.

  Gray nodded and they started up another mini conversation.

  But Shawnee’s attention was back on her mate, who was sagging toward her, as if he was using her to hold himself up. “You sure you’re okay?” she whispered to Colton.

  He smiled wearily down at her. He looked like he was having a hard time holding his eyes open. The slashes crisscrossing his body had stopped bleeding, but they still looked raw and painful. The majority of them would be nothing more than pink scars by morning. Didn’t mean she hated her former Pride any less for what they’d done to her mate. For what they’d done to her Clan. To her family.

  “Call if you need us again. Although I doubt those fuckers will be around anytime soon,” Gray said, nodding his head once at Colton and Shawnee. He raised a hand before he disappeared into the woods, Nova hugged tight against his side. The rest of the wolves and lions followed. Shawnee wondered if they’d Shift to run back home or just amble through the woods. The girls were covered up top; the guys were all still naked as the day they were born.

  And then it was just the Blackwater Clan left standing around. Luke leaned against the side of the porch. His leg looked like it might be broken. If Carter had been human, he’d have been rushed to the hospital for stitches across his abdomen. Noah was bleeding from a wound to his scalp. They all looked like bloody patch work art. Yet, none of them were complaining or blaming her for what had happened.

  “You’ve got a pretty fierce cat,” Luke said before pushing from the railing and limping to his house.

  Noah smirked and nodded. “Take the day off tomorrow.” He turned and headed back to his cabin.

  “Are you?” Shawnee called after him.

  Noah stopped and turned his upper half. “Am I what?”

  “Are you taking the day off?” He shook his head. “Then I’ll ride in with you.”

  Colton glanced down at her. “Stay home with me tomorrow.” His eyes were pleading. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her to go to work. He would be home healing tomorrow. Colton, Carter, and Luke had physically demanding jobs. Their bodies might heal quickly, but they’d all taken quite a beating tonight. They’d need time to rest.

  “I’ll shut the fucking bar down tomorrow. Everyone’s staying home,” Noah said, throwing his hands in the air and shaking his head as he shuffled home. “One woman in the Clan and all of a sudden everyone has turned into pussies,” he muttered to himself before stepping inside.

  Carter shook his head with a grin and left Colton and Shawnee alone on the porch.

  “You think they’re mad at me?” Shawnee asked. They didn’t act like they were, but that didn’t mean they weren’t hiding it from her.

  “Nope,” Colton said, kissing her hair before standing and offering his hand.

  She slipped her hand into his. “Maybe I should carry you in tonight,” she said when Colton swayed on his feet.

  Ducking under his arm, she let him lean his weight on her and guided him into the house and straight to the bathroom. They both needed showers. “It’s going to sting,” she warned when she turned the water on, leaving it on the cooler side in hopes of reducing the discomfort she knew Colton would feel the second those drops hit his open cuts.

  Shawnee peeled off the clothes she’d donned while everyone was still there, helped Colton into the shower, then stepped in behind him. She gently ran her hands over the wounds, helping the water wash it away. Before long, the bottom of the tub was tinged pink with all the blood rinsing from Colton’s skin.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered when he hissed in pain. His muscles were tense, no matter how tenderly she touched him.

  “I’m fine,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “No, you’re not. You look like you’ve rolled through a crap ton of thorn bushes,” she said, shaking her head.

  Colton twitched with a held in laugh. Then he chuckled that deep sound she loved so much. After a few seconds, he was belly laughing.

  Smiling up at him, she shook her head. “What’s so funny?” she asked, stepping under the spray to rinse off the dirt and grass and any of Colton’s blood that had gotten on her.

  “You. Us. This. All of it.” Ignoring the pain Shawnee knew it had to cause him, Colton pulled her into his arms and held her, the spray hitting her back and rolling over her shoulders.

  “It’s over. You’re safe. And I don’t think they’ll come back anytime soon,” he said with a big sigh.

  “I told you I wasn’t going anywhere,” she said with her cheek against his chest.

  Shawnee stepped out of his embrace and pulled a towel hanging from the rack. She dried herself off, then, as gently as she possibly could, blotted at the moisture on Colton’s skin, trying to avoid any deep gashes.

  Neither of them bothered to get dressed. They just dropped heavily into the bed. Colton dragged her across the mattress until he was hugging her to his body tightly and fell asleep. And they slept until almost noon the next day.

  Rolling onto her side, Shawnee couldn’t help but stare at Colton. Last night had been terrifying. Of course, she’d been scared of being taken away from Colton and back to Horine Pride. But her biggest scare came from not knowing whether her mate would survive the night. And she was convinced the outcome would’ve been so different had the wolves not come to their aid.

  Colton didn’t rouse when she ran her finger along his cheek to his jaw. He hadn’t shaved in weeks and was developing quite a beard. The short stubble used to irritate her skin when they kissed. But the new facial hair was much softer and made him look like a sexy lumberjack.

  Pulling her hand away from his face, Shawnee folded both under her cheek and just stared at him, just watched him sleep and reveled in the fact that not only had they survived an attack by an entire Pride, but her lioness had come out to protect her mate. And now, they had the rest of their lives to explore. They could look toward the future. They could discuss cubs without fear or even doubts about her family’s reaction. She didn’t care. As far as she was concerned, they were nothing to her. She’d built a new family, a new Pride out of people who were so different from her, yet loved her just the way she was.

  After about twenty minutes of being a total creeper, Shawnee’s stomach growled. And Colton was still asleep. As quickly and quietly as she could, she scooted off the side of the bed, tiptoed from the room, and pulled the door closed with a barely audible click. She was totally making breakfast in bed for him this morning.

  Wincing with each sound she made as she set the skillet on the stovetop and pulled various ingredients from the refrigerator and cabinet, she got to making eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy. Shoot. Maybe she should’ve made sausage instead of bacon and she could’ve added it to the gravy. Whatever. She knew no matter what she made, Colton would be appreciative.

  The second everything was done, Shawnee loaded two plates, grabbed a couple of forks, then tiptoed back to the room.

  And then stood in front of the closed door with full hands. Great job, Shawnee. Okay. She was a waitress now. She could handle this. Balancing one of the plates on her left forearm, she slowly reached forward, her eyes on the plate in case she needed to play ninja and grab it before it hit the ground.

  Success. She was in the room and both plates had made it intact, food still perfectly in place. And Colton was sitting up against the headboard, his eyes crinkled at the corners as he held a hand over his mouth and tried not to laugh.

  “I was trying to surpri
se you,” Shawnee whined as she carried his plate to him.

  “You succeeded,” he said, uncovering his mouth to accept the plate. “I’m surprised you didn’t drop both plates.”

  “You heard me out there struggling?” she said, setting her own plate on the nightstand before crawling onto the bed beside him. “Were you just going to let me drop everything?” She jammed her elbow into his ribs and gave him an angry look. But there was no force behind it; she couldn’t be mad when he was smiling down at her like he was.

  “I would’ve helped you clean it up.”

  He shoved an entire strip of bacon into his mouth and chewed, winking down at her as she shook her head.

  “How long have you been awake?” She lifted her plate into her lap and joined Colton in breakfast.

  “You’re not exactly quiet in the kitchen,” he said with a shrug. “I woke up around the time you slammed the skillet onto the stove.”

  “I did not slam the skillet onto the stove,” she protested, shoving her shoulder against him.

  She’d thought she was being pretty quiet, tip toeing around the house and gently setting each thing she used down as quietly as she could. And she was a cat Shifter; she was naturally stealthy and quiet.

  Her lioness had finally made an appearance last night. And even after all the years of being beat back, she was as fierce as Shawnee remembered her as a child.

  Colton didn’t say anything else as she devoured the food Shawnee had made for him. He’d glance up periodically and wink at her, then tear right back into his meal. At least she knew he liked her cooking.

  Once they were both done, Colton kicked off the blanket, grabbed her empty plate, and stood.

  “Where are you going?” she asked as he rounded the bed.

  “To wash these. You cooked. I clean,” he said with a small shrug.

  She tilted her head and watched him leave the room in nothing but boxers. He was going to wash their breakfast dishes after she’d made the meal. Such a domestic thing to do. Such a normal thing to do.

  Normal. They could finally live a normal, mated life without worrying about her family interfering. And even if they decided to try again, she knew her lioness, her new Clan, and her friends would come to her aid again. She knew it without a doubt.

  The first quarter of her life was spent so lonely, so sad, so empty. And just in a month, she’d found everything she’d ever wanted. It was ironic in a way. Her family had forced her to find a mate, forced her to pair up with a male. And she’d found a family, a real life because of it.

  Jumping from the bed, she hurried into the kitchen where Colton was drying the plates he’d already washed.

  “Colton,” she said in a rush.

  “Yeah?” His frown was confused as he turned at the sound of his name.

  “I love you. So much. And I’m so glad my parents made me find a mate. Wait…that didn’t come out right. I’m glad…” She sighed heavily and dropped her head. When she’d been jogging down the hall, she’d had the perfect speech in her head. Now? Now she just sounded like a bumbling fool.

  Colton rounded the counter and lifted her face with a gentle touch under her chin. “I’m glad I found you, too,” he said so softly her heart fluttered.

  Wrapping her arms around his waist, Shawnee rested her head on his chest and sighed one of those girly sounds when his arms pulled her even tighter and his chin rested on top of her head. She loved the sound of his heart beating through his thick chest, the warmth from his body, the feeling of love rolling from him.

  He loved her. She knew that. Even if he had never said the actual words, she could feel it, knew it without a single doubt. Colton Barnes loved her.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Table three is trying to get your attention,” Noah grumbled as he stacked beers on her tray.

  “I know. I’m trying to ignore them,” Shawnee said with a shake of her head.

  Table three held her Clan – or her Pride as her lioness constantly declared them – and several of her friends from Big River. Even the Alpha from Morse Pack, Koda, was there. They were celebrating. And they were being ornery and obnoxious.

  Damn she loved her dysfunctional family.

  “Might as well clock out and head over. They’re not going to calm down until you sit with them,” Noah said, punching the order into the computer.

  “But it’s only six,” Shawnee whined.

  She’d finally returned to work after four days of being forbidden by Noah from coming into the bar. Colton, Luke, and Carter needed four whole days to fully heal from the injuries after the battle with Horine. In the past few days, she’d refused to think of them as her family Pride. Maybe that was the technical way to say it, but they weren’t her family. They never had been.

  She had a new family, and they were all catcalling her and waving her over.

  “You’ve worked eight hours. You’re off work. Go. I’m tired of listening to their shit,” Noah said, yanking the tray from Shawnee’s hands and raising his foot to gently boot her in the behind.

  She should have been excited to celebrate with her people. She was definitely excited to finally get to sit by Colton after being away from him all day. And she was definitely excited to feel his lips on hers after being away from him all freaking day.

  “It was supposed to be a secret,” she mumbled under her breath as she made her way to the table.

  “She’s here!” Nova yelled, throwing her hands in the air and spilling a little beer on Gray in the meantime.

  Gray wiped the puddle on his shirt and shook his head. But just like every other time he dealt with Nova’s silliness, there was a smile on his face.

  “Noah! Come party with us!” Nova called out when Shawnee sat in the empty chair beside Colton.

  “Someone has to keep you idiots drunk. The bar ain’t gonna tend itself,” Noah grumbled with his back turned to the group.

  “I tried to get him to let me stay on the clock,” Shawnee said with a shrug.

  “This is your reception, Fancy Pants. You have to hang out with us and get drunk and act like a fool. Although, it would’ve been way cooler if we could’ve had a bachelorette party,” Nova whined.

  Emory winked at Shawnee when she turned a pleading look on her.

  Two days after the Horine Pride had tried to kill her mate and drag her back to their territory, Colton had woken in a panic and begged her to marry him. He’d said he wanted more than just the marks on their bodies. He wanted it as legal as possible. So, they’d gone before the Council and asked them to act in the place of a human judge. Shawnee Baker was now officially Shawnee Barnes.

  They’d tried to keep it a secret. It had been something just for them. But apparently, Colton had been too excited and let it slip to Reed. Who’d let it slip to Nova. Who’d then made sure every single person they knew was aware that Shawnee and Colton had eloped.

  And tonight was their reception. It wasn’t fancy. Hell, she’d worked all day and was wearing a pair of cutoff shorts and a tank top. Her hair was more than likely frizzy and some of her makeup had probably worn off by now. But she was with her mate. Her husband. And everyone she loved had shown up to celebrate with them.

  “You need to hire a waitress or another bartender so you can actually hang out with us sometime,” Reed called to Noah.

  “I did. You stole her,” Noah said, cocking a brow at Reed.

  Reed raised his hands in surrender with a wide smile. Lola snuggled into his side when he sat back. All the couples around the table were touching one another in some way or the other. Just like Colton, who draped an arm over the back of her chair and trailed his fingers up and down her back. She loved the feeling of his fingers. She loved the feeling of his touch. She loved Colton.

  “So?” Callie said, leaning forward with her elbows on the table.

  “What?” Shawnee asked when Callie’s smile widened.

  “When are you due?” she asked with raised brows and a grin as if the question were obvious.
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br />   “For what?” Shawnee asked, turning to look at Colton, checking to see if he knew the answer Callie was looking for.

  “She thinks you’re pregnant,” Micah said, his bright eyes roaming the room as if watching for a threat.

  “I’m not pregnant,” Shawnee said.

  “That’s the first thing I thought, too,” Carter said with a wink at Shawnee. “Don’t look at me like that. The only time people usually run off to elope is if their knocked up.”

  “Humans do that. There’s no reason a Shifter would need to get married just because she got pregnant,” Lola corrected.

  Luke sat silently like he usually did. He watched as people spoke, seemed to be paying attention, but he always looked sad, or haunted, or broken somehow. Shawnee knew it had something to do with Emory’s attack last year, but no one blamed him but himself.

  “Luke,” Shawnee said, and waited for him to glance at her. “Did you think I was pregnant, too?”

  Luke stared at her for so long she thought he wouldn’t answer. A muscle ticked below his eye. He finally dropped his eyes from her face and shrugged. “Hoped you were.”

  Huh. Definitely not an answer Shawnee had expected from her Clan brother. She really hoped he’d learn to forgive himself and soon. And really, really hoped the rest of the Clan would find their mates. Now that she had Colton and knew how good it could feel, she wanted all of her family to find love, too.

  The conversation and celebration flowed around them. A few people made toasts, including Reed, who was hilarious and silly as usual. Gray and Carter both made sweet, heartfelt toasts, welcoming Shawnee to the family and reminding her that she’d been family even before she’d carried Colton’s name.

  And then Colton kissed her bare shoulder and stood. The whole bar seemed to go silent in anticipation of what the big bear Shifter had to say about his crazy, broken lioness bride.

  Colton’s eyes stayed on Shawnee, a sweet smile pulling one corner of his mouth up. “I was supposed to keep our union a secret. I’d promised Shawnee,” he said, his brows raising as he shrugged lightly. “But there was no way I could keep something like this a secret. And, it will be the one and only promise I ever break to you, mate. Wife. Love of my life.”