by Misty Malloy
“What? I was not sulking. Anyways, let’s find Rob.”
Mia stayed close to her roommate, weaving through the crowded room and keeping a lookout for her cousin. The party was a mix of humans and shifters, although she couldn’t identify which kind specifically by smell. The scents from the close-knit bodies mingled with other smells—alcohol, perfume, and, yes, arousal, as there was quite a bit of flirting going on. Mia’s sensitive feline nose took in all of the scents surrounding her, making her feel a bit lightheaded. She finally found Rob in the kitchen, a red plastic beer cup in each hand, standing amidst a group of girls and guys.
“Heeeyyy, ladies!” Rob set the beers down temporarily to give Mia an exuberant hug. “How’s it going, cuz? And this must be the roommate. Welcome to my casa.”
“Hi. I’m Drea,” she said, assessing Rob from head to toe. She murmured in appreciation and unabashedly took in his handsome physique.
Rob grinned and ran his fingers through his disheveled, chick-magnet hair.
“Okay, do you ladies want a drink? The keg’s in the yard, there’re Jello shots in the fridge, or…” Rob pointed to the countertop behind him, covered with every imaginable type of liquor and mixer. “I can make you something special from here.”
“I’ll have a beer, thanks,” said Mia.
“Good call. Here, have this one.” He grabbed one of the two he was holding earlier. “Fresh from the keg.”
A raucous cheer erupted from the living room, and everyone stopped mid-conversation.
“Ha! We had a bit of a lull there with the body shots,” said Rob. “I think they’re back and at ’em.”
“Well, in that case, I think I’m going to join them and have what they’re having. Catch up with you guys in a bit.” Drea winked at Rob before turning to head out to the living room.
Rob raised an eyebrow once Drea had walked out of earshot.
“Arctic fox,” said Mia.
“Ahh. Gotcha. Makes sense.”
“Yup. Pretty foxy, huh?”
Rob nodded. “Hell yeah. Well, hey, that reminds me. I want you to meet someone.”
“Oh? Who? You told me yourself I’m not allowed to get involved with any guys.”
“Uh…just a good friend. A lion shifter, like us. Doesn’t know a lot of people here, so I thought I’d introduce the two of you. You can never have too many friends, right?” Rob shrugged. “Come on, he was in the backyard a few minutes ago.”
He opened the door to the small yard. Mia stared in surprise for a second—it was even more crowded than the inside of the house. She had no idea how so many people could fit into such a small space. Rob easily navigated through the throng of bodies and led her to a small group sitting around the fire pit.
“Yo, Asher. This is my cousin, Mia.”
A muscular guy stood. Blond-haired and golden-toned, he was clearly lion. Most definitely attractive. And quite tall, Mia discovered, as she stood next to him.
“Hey. Asher Sewell. Nice to finally meet you.” He smiled, revealing a perfect set of white teeth. He pulled up an empty chair next to his. “Here, have a seat.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Mia sat down and tried to make herself comfortable in the rickety folding chair. “Rob, are you staying?”
“Nope,” said Rob. “I gotta go mingle with my guests, ya know? Keep the drinks and juices flowing. See you guys in a bit!”
Rob sauntered away, and Mia laughed. “Rob’s having a blast, I can tell. I’ve never been to one of his parties before.”
“Oh, man. Rob’s the king of parties.” Asher leaned back in his chair. “I’ve never missed one in the last two years.”
Mia swallowed a sip of beer. “So, you’ve been going to school at Mountain Ridge for a while?” Two years? That sounded like a long time to not make any friends….
“Since I was a freshman. Love it here. I have two more years to go. So do you, right?”
“Yeah.” Mia raised an eyebrow. “How do you know?”
Asher opened his mouth to speak then closed it and waited a moment. His body portrayed a sense of ease, but Mia didn’t miss the momentary discomfort that flickered across his face. “Oh, Rob’s just said a lot about you. He couldn’t wait for you to move down here.”
“Okay.” Mia laughed. “Well, hopefully, he’s said lots of good things about me! We used to gang up on each other when we were kids. He always let me win.”
“Of course.” Asher grinned. “I’m glad to finally get to meet you in person.”
Mia frowned. This guy was a ten on the yum-o-meter, but a weird feeling nagged at her. Why did he know so much about her? It was starting to creep her out. Rob and Mia had always been close, but it seemed strange that her cousin would be so chatty about her with another guy, even if he was a lion shifter. It wasn’t Rob’s style.
“Hey, Mia. Do you know that guy over there?” Asher nodded toward the house. “He’s been staring over here for the past few minutes. I think he wants to rip my guts out. Do you want me to go tell him to fuck off?”
Mia turned to look over her shoulder. It was Tristan, and Asher was right—he looked pissed as all hell.
***
Tristan’s cat paced and snapped under his skin. He rubbed his knuckles, resisting the urge to unsheath his claws. Claim her. She’s yours. Who the fuck is she talking to? He willed his inner beast to calm, but an indescribable sense of possession came over him. His blood pounded in his temples. He wanted to walk over to the other dude, punch his fucking face in, and take Mia home with him.
He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling suffocated. There were so many people at this party. Mia laughed at something the guy said, and Tristan growled low in his chest. His canines pushed against his lower lip, and he ran his tongue across them, alarmed.
Mia turned in his direction. Go over there now. Take her. The hairs on his forearms tingled, growing longer, covering his skin with a light fuzz. His eyes blurred for a moment, and he knew they had gone cat.
Oh, fuck. He’d always had good control of his jaguar. What the hell was happening?
Dane, standing next to him, looked at him with concern. “Hey, man, are you okay?”
“I need to get the fuck out of here,” said Tristan. He didn’t wait to see if Dane was following him. He pushed his way through the crowd around to the side of the house. A few people said hello and tried to stop him to talk, but he kept moving forward. His breath stuck in his chest. He used every ounce of his energy to keep his cat under control. Even though a lot of people here were shifters, there were a lot of humans, too. The last thing he wanted was to shift into his jaguar form in the middle of a party.
He didn’t even bother to open the gate to the yard. He hopped over the fence, landed with a thump, and crouched for a few minutes in the dark. He attempted to get his heart rate back to normal. A deep breath in. A deep breath out. His blood still thundered through his veins, but he relaxed as his eyesight normalized, no longer the acute night-vision of a predator. He could barely see in front of him in the pitch black. He ran his hands across his forearms, relieved to discover his arm hair had returned to its regular length.
Holy shit.
Another, much louder thump, and an “Ow!” a second later let him know Dane was right behind him. Tristan stood, and, without talking, he walked with Dane over to where his friend had parked his car. He climbed into the passenger seat, happy he didn’t have to drive—he just wanted to get the hell out of there.
“Well. That was some crazy shit,” said Dane as he pulled away from the curb. “You okay now?”
“Yeah. I think so.” Except for the fact I almost turned into a large cat and gouged out some random dude’s face.
What the hell was wrong with him? The blond guy was only talking to Mia—it wasn’t like he’d been balls deep inside her or anything. And even if that was what she wanted to do with him, why should Tristan care? He had never been possessive over the girls he hung out with. If they wanted to see other gu
ys, even better. Less pressure on him.
Yet he’d almost lost complete control over his jaguar, something that had never happened before. His cat, although docile for the moment, still lurked near the surface, irked it hadn’t gotten what it wanted. You and I are going to need to have a talk. You don’t get to call the shots by yourself.
His cat sulked, and Tristan started to chuckle. “I honestly don’t know what came over me.”
Dane started to laugh, too. “Well, I’m not gonna lie. That was intense. You were about to become the life of the party.” His voice lowered an octave to match Tristan’s. “Hey, guys, what’s up? Watch me turn into a motherfucking jaguar! Rawr!”
By now, Tristan was laughing so hard his shoulders were shaking, despite the harsh reality of the situation. Dane reached over to slap him on the back and added a few big belly laughs of his own. Tristan inhaled deeply, allowing some tension to dissipate, not realizing until then how tightly wound he had been.
He knew it was because of Mia. But what was it about her that made his energy coil into a tight ball of primal desire, pushing him toward losing the self-control he’d always been so good at? The other night he’d left her house early, not because he didn’t want to hang out with her and her friends, but because he couldn’t stand being near her without having her. He wanted to touch her, to taste her—to bury himself in her. And he didn’t want to just take her home with him and fuck her—this was something more. He wanted it to feel right.
“So,” said Dane, pulling into the driveway of Tristan’s house. “I’m not going to say I told you so.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Um…you know. The mate thing. I guess I was joking about it when I texted you, but I’m not now. I think Mia’s your mate, and that’s why you went batshit crazy when you saw her with another guy tonight.”
Mate.
Tristan’s inner beast piped up, suddenly very intrigued. Yes. Mate.
“Nooooo. No way.”
That was ridiculous. Jaguars didn’t have mates. But Tristan couldn’t deny it—he liked her. Wanted her more than he could remember wanting anyone.
Whatever she was, he needed to see her. Tonight.
***
What had Tristan been so pissed about? A second ago, he was glowering at her then, suddenly, he’d disappeared. Mia craned her neck to get a better view. She could no longer see him and couldn’t tell if he was walking in her direction.
If he was upset about the fact she was talking to another guy…well, he could go jump off a cliff. Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh. But still—he didn’t get to decide whom she talked to and whom she didn’t. She sighed and stood. If he wasn’t coming her way, then she’d simply have to go find him and figure out why he was giving her dirty looks at a party she’d invited him to.
“Nice to meet you, Asher,” she said. “Hope to see you around.”
“Oh…you’re leaving?” Asher frowned. Confusion crossed his face. “Seriously, do you want me to go deal with that guy?” He peered into the crowd. “I don’t see him, but if he’s bothering you….”
“No, please. Everything is fine.” She gave him the most reassuring smile she could muster. She could take care of herself, thank you very much, Lion Boy. “I’m going to find my roommate.”
“Okay. Maybe we can get together later? I was hoping we could finally get to know each other, you know?”
“Um, sure,” said Mia. “See you later.”
She backed away into the noisy crowd. Finally get to know each other? Asher was dripping with sexy, but something was off.
The truth of the situation hit her smack in the face. She growled in annoyance. Rob—someone she had always trusted—was setting her up! Why couldn’t he be honest and say he wanted her to meet Asher? Instead, he’d made a big deal about her not getting serious with anyone and had put the blame on her dad.
Her dad—all the way on the other side of the country—didn’t have anything to do with this.
Ohh. Hell. No.
She fumed as she walked through the back door of the house. It didn’t take her long to find Rob, who was mixing a drink for a girl in the kitchen.
“Excuse us, please,” she said to the girl.
Rob’s goofy grin melted off his face when he saw her. “Don’t be mad, Mia. Please.”
“How can I not be upset?”
“I didn’t really have a choice. I’m sorry.”
“What do you mean? Of course you had a choice.” Mia’s lioness snarled under her skin. “You could have easily told me you wanted to play matchmaker. But, instead, you lied to me! I don’t mind being set up, but I don’t like being lied to. He already knows all about me, and now, I’m the one that feels like an idiot!”
“Mia. I don’t think you get it.” Rob paused and bit his lip. He ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. “This matchmaking thing…or whatever you call it…isn’t my idea. It’s your dad’s.”
“My dad?” Mia’s breath stuck in her chest. Tremaine Carmichael was back in New York. What the hell did he have to do with this?
“Yeah. Asher’s part of the Sewell pride. You know, from North Carolina?”
Mia nodded. The Sewell pride was powerful and influential, one of the oldest families.
“Well, your dad and the alpha of the Sewell pride have already gone through negotiations. For you…and Asher.” Rob tried to put his arm around her, but she pushed him away. “Shit. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t supposed to say anything. It was…you know…my job to introduce the two of you. Argghh. It was supposed to go a bit more smoothly.”
“You knew about Asher this whole time?”
Her cousin looked at her sheepishly. “Yeah. It’s been in the works for about six months now. Your family thought if you met him on your own…you might like him. Then, after both of you graduated, you could plan the wedding. He seems like a nice guy, cuz. You like him, yeah?”
A big lump plonked down into her stomach. Tears welled up, but she angrily blinked them away. “You didn’t have to help him, Robbie. That’s the part I don’t get. I thought you were my friend.”
She didn’t wait for him to answer but bolted out of the kitchen, weaving through the drunken hordes of kids on her way toward the front door. She knew what he was going to say. He’s the alpha. I had to do it. Now she was expected to do what the alpha wanted, too.
She knew there wasn’t any point in getting upset about it. The pairing had been bound to happen. And Asher didn’t seem like a bad guy at all—she could have done a lot worse.
Mia wished she wasn’t the only one that had been kept in the dark. Did her dad really think she’d fall for this? He’d relented and let her go away to school, not because of her freedom or education, but because of his agenda. He’d been quick to suggest Mountain Ridge, explaining how Rob was already there. And, of course, Asher was, too. Mia, so ecstatic at being given permission to leave, hadn’t thought twice about her destination.
Instead of being granted her freedom, she’d been sent off to meet her mate. She’d never dreamed that, even thousands of miles away, she’d still be under the complete control of her father and the pride.
Mia pulled out her phone from her purse, planning to text Drea to let her know she would be waiting for her outside. She was ready to get the hell out of there.
The text from Tristan stood out on her phone like a beacon. Her belly fluttered, and her pulse quickened.
Tristan: Mia. I really want to see you tonight. Want to go for a run with me?
Chapter Six
Mia padded softly along the rocky, moonlit trail. Her cat eyes were well-adjusted to the darkness, and she carefully took in all of her surroundings. The large, craggy boulders and tall saguaro cacti loomed high above her in the canyon, and the sounds of small animals rustling in the bushes called to the hunter in her. Mmm. Yum. She’d love to do some hunting…but it would have to wait for another time. For now, she had something a little ta
stier in mind.
Her paws barely made a sound as she traveled down the path. She stepped delicately around a particularly spiky plant—she’d learned the hard way a few nights ago when she’d had to end her run early due to a pawful of cactus stickers. On high alert, she scanned the trail for other prickly invaders.
She nimbly jumped onto a large boulder and sat back on her haunches. She sniffed the air. Her whiskers twitched. The smells of the desert filled her nostrils—pungent and crisp, scents of earth and life. Mia was learning to love the way the desert smelled after a rain.
It also smelled of him. Mia had picked up his scent several minutes ago, and she knew he was close. But where was he? He had suggested they meet on this trail, and, now, he wanted to play hard to get. That damn sneaky cat.
It was a good thing she wanted to play, too. She didn’t even care why he had been so pissed off earlier—she just wanted to see him. To touch him. To taste him. She’d gone off to college to have fun, and she sure as hell was determined to do so. She wanted to forget about Asher, Rob, and most of all, her father’s meddling in shit that didn’t concern him. Tonight, amidst the wide-open spaces of the canyon and the cool night air, she was going to do whatever the fuck she pleased.
She scanned the canyon walls. A flicker of movement on a rocky ledge nearby caught her attention. A flick of a tail. The soft glint of moonlight reflecting off keen, predatory eyes. Tristan. He knew she saw him, and he inched slowly out of the shadows, his belly low to the ground. A low rumble emanated from deep within his chest.
He walked out to the edge of the outcropping. The strength of his jaguar emanated from him, his sleek spotted body accentuated with powerful shoulders and legs. He was the biggest feline shifter she’d ever seen. The rumbling purr in his chest turned into a fierce roar, vibrating across the canyon walls.
Oh, yes. A shudder went down Mia’s spine, electrifying all the nerves in her body. She wanted nothing more than to rub herself all over him. She purred, her insides turning into delightfully liquid goo as she thought about how his beautiful fur would feel against hers. His gaze penetrated her, ready to devour her. He was the predator…and she was his prey tonight.