by Ally Summers
“Call it what you want. But you’re not fighting him. I am.”
I put my hands on my hips. “You can’t tell me that. He’s my mate.” My mouth snapped shut as soon as I said it. “I didn’t mean that. He’s not… shit.” I stared at the floor.
“I know what you meant.” Donovan walked past me. “Doesn’t matter. You’re not fighting. It’s not a seize if you’re a part of it. I don’t want you anywhere near here tonight.”
“Tonight? This is happening tonight?” I ran after him trying to catch up. “You didn’t say it would be tonight. It’s too soon. We’re not ready.”
“It has to be now.” He turned in the sunlight. “I know you’re a strong panther. I know you’re a badass, Caroline. You’re gorgeous and sexy and you’re everything to me. My entire world. But tonight is between Bennett and me. It’s about you, but it’s about me too. I have to put an end to his line having any claim on you. I need to prove this to myself. For my family and for you. I need to show Case what I’m capable of. This has to be done my way. Can you understand that?”
Suddenly I realized this fight was about more than keeping us together. Donovan was trying to heal the wounds from his past. Wounds his father had created when he lost to the Maddox line. When he won, he would show the king that he was a prince hidden in a warrior’s body.
I nodded. “I do. I get it.”
He sighed. “All right. Now I have to deliver the message.”
I sat in the car as Donovan drove us home. It wouldn’t be long before I knew the outcome and I wasn’t sure whether to let time drag on, or rush it.
The mate I had chosen was preparing to kill the mate chosen for me. My heart ached and I knew it was for both of them.
15
Donovan
It wasn’t as hard to find Bennett as I thought. In a town without shifters, picking up his scent happened pretty quickly. He was staying at a hotel on the boardwalk. I knocked on the door and waited for him to answer.
The door whipped open.
“You again. You have a message for me?”
I smirked. “Sure do.”
“What did she say?”
“First, she said you can kiss her ass. And second, she said to meet here tonight.” I shoved a piece of paper in his hand with the address of the abandoned warehouse.
He glared at me. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
I smiled. “Oh, I know exactly what I’m doing. I’m declaring it tonight. You better be there.”
He didn’t know Caroline like I did. To him she was only a name on a list given to him by the Council. He didn’t know how she liked her coffee, or how she loved to take thirty-minute hot showers. He didn’t know she made cute little purring sounds in her sleep or no matter how many times she saw the ocean, she smiled every morning when she opened the blinds. No, he didn’t know shit about her. He’d never touched her. Never kissed her. Never loved her.
But I had. And it gave me the fire I needed to fight for her. He had a name on a list. I had her heart.
“You realize you’re pitting our lines against each other.”
I folded my arms. “No, I’m taking what’s rightfully mine. And after tonight, there won’t be any arguments about it.” I walked backward. “See you there.”
Bennett slammed the door and I could hear him growl on the other side of the paneling.
I slid my sunglasses over my eyes and climbed behind the wheel of my Jeep. I grinned.
He didn’t have a chance.
The warehouse was dark and I could hear a leak coming from the roof. I looked at my phone. I still had ten more minutes until Bennett was supposed to show. I wasn’t nervous. I wasn’t scared. I had confidence running through my veins.
I was meant for this. I had the backing of the king. I had the love of my mate. And I had the blood of royalty coursing through my body. I was going to kill this jaguar and finally claim my own future.
I looked through the broken windows, keeping an eye out for his headlights. I kept checking my clock. Where in the hell was he?
16
Caroline
It was the hardest promise I ever had to make, but I swore to Donovan I wouldn’t go to the warehouse. When he kissed me before he left I wanted him to feel my strength, my belief in him, not the fear I had that something terrible could happen.
I kissed him as if I’d see him in an hour, not as if it was our last kiss on this earth. The more I thought about it, the more I regretted it. I should have breathed him in. I should have let him taste my tears. I should have held him with all the force in my panther body. But I didn’t.
I let him walk out the door with a smile on my face.
I had paced for twenty minutes then finally collapsed on the couch. I picked up the remote and started flipping through channels. It was a wasted effort, but maybe I could find something to distract me for five minutes. Okay, maybe thirty seconds.
I raced up and down the channels and heard a knock on the door.
I should have checked. I should have looked in the damn peephole, but I was on edge and just pulled the handle.
He had a smile as wide as the beach. “Well, aren’t you beautiful?”
My chest tightened. My eyes slanted. I knew exactly who he was without proper introductions.
“What are you doing here?” I hissed.
“Is that anyway to greet your betrothed?”
He crossed over the doorway before I could block him. He was slightly taller than me, with a husky build. I’d give him his good looks, but he had nothing on Donovan. Nothing.
“It’s a stupid piece of paper. I don’t belong to you, Bennett.”
He turned slowly. “But you do, kitty. That’s how it works. You have since you were born.”
I wanted to claw his eyes out. “I don’t. And if you were the jaguar you claim to be, you’d be at the warehouse now with Donovan.”
He laughed. “Oh, so he can enact the Seize Order?”
I was confused. Why did he think this was funny? He had been challenged to a death match.
“Fine. Don’t go.” I put my hands on my hips. “But you’ll never get me to evoke the bond between us.”
He stepped toward me, his eyes furious. “You will.”
“As long as I’m breathing, as long as Donovan is breathing, it will never happen,” I snarled. “I don’t want to be your mate.”
For a second I wondered how things would have gone if Bennett had shown up weeks ago instead of yesterday. Was there any way I would have fallen for him? Would I have gone to him out of obligation? Staring at him now, neither seemed possible. I detested him. I hated him. I wanted him out of my life. I wanted Donovan to take care of this before I did.
If I killed him, the line he came from wouldn’t recognize it as a final act. Instead, they’d hunt me down. But in the sexist shifter world I lived in, if Donovan did it, they would respect his ability to seize me from my fated mate and the feud would be settled.
I had to get him to that warehouse.
His hand squeezed my chin. “You can’t defy me, kitty.”
“It’s not defiance if you’ve been challenged.” I spit. “It’s between you and the other jaguar now. You know that.”
He released me and I could feel the sting of his grip, but I didn’t rub my chin.
“The Maddox line thinks they can keep this territory, but they’re wrong. The Crestviews are moving in here.”
I kept my mouth shut. He was talking, and for the first time I was getting actual information about the shifter war.
He pointed a finger at me. “That king, Case, yeah, I know about him. He thinks he can take the entire southern part of the country. But we’re moving this direction. Coming from Florida and heading north.”
“You’re a Florida jaguar?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yeah, sweetheart, I am.”
I realized just how far from his territory he was. It somewhat explained why it took him so long to get to me. And if he had gone to my ho
metown first, it was quite a detour.
“The Crestview line is strong. And we’re not afraid of the Maddox Tribe. It’s only a matter of time.”
I listened as he spewed his hatred for my mate’s family.
“Time until what?” I dared a question.
“Until they’re gone.” He smiled. “So whose side do you want to be on? Theirs or ours?”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not up to me.” I thought of one way to get him to the warehouse. “I’ll go with you, Bennett. I’ll drive with you. I’ll walk in there as your fated mate. I’ll even stand on your side.”
His eyes grew wide and he grinned.
I held up my hand. “But I’m walking out with the jaguar who survives.”
“So you’ll be my mate?”
I could barely stand to look at him. “You won’t survive,” I said through clenched teeth. “But if for some reason you do win, yes. I’ll evoke the bond.”
He winked. “Now, we’re talking, kitty.”
“You won’t win,” I hissed.
He put an arm around my shoulder and guided me out of the door. “I guess you’ll get to see for yourself.”
The door closed behind us and I felt my stomach roll with each step we took.
17
Donovan
I was just about to leave. The coward wasn’t going to show up. I’d have to challenge him another way. But I heard the wheels of a car outside of the warehouse and the headlights flashed on the wall over my head.
He was here.
I had been in war before. I had proven I was a warrior. And tonight, I would prove it again.
I held my breath, clenching my jaw, glaring at the door when he walked through the rusted entrance. And then I saw her.
“Caroline?”
I charged toward them, but she jumped in front of him.
“Stop, Donovan.”
“I told you not to be here.”
She stood tall and her voice was calm. “I’m here with my fated mate.” She glanced over at Bennett.
“What?” I looked at the bastard. He was grinning too widely.
“I agreed to stand on his side until the end,” she stated. I could see the quiver in her throat. I didn’t know what he had done or said to get her here. She stared at me. “Just as the Seize Order states, I’ll be the mate of the winner.”
Her eyes flickered and her gaze softened toward me. And then I heard it. I heard her voice. The channel we shared as mates was open.
It was the only way to get him here, I swear. He wanted to run. I brought him to you the only way I could.
I nodded at her.
She blinked lightly again. Don’t be mad I did this. Just kill him. Survive for me. End it for us.
“What are we waiting for?” Bennett’s voice echoed in the dark warehouse. “I’m ready to take my mate home.” He wrapped a hand around Caroline’s waist and I felt my claws extend.
She jumped back as my jaguar stretched through my skin and my fangs protruded. The fur felt good after all these weeks as a human. I felt the power in my legs. I felt the resolve in my claws. Bennett wasn’t walking out of here with the love of my life.
He pounced forward, shedding his clothes and skin in an instant. His growl rumbled low as he took to all fours.
We circled each other, gauging who should take the first swipe. I tried to read his expression and predict his next move. He was bulkier than me, but I had a size advantage over him. Our tails swished as we continued to rotate around the center of the room.
I tried to ignore Caroline, but every time I made another pivot I could see her. I could hear her in my head. God, she was distracting. Exactly why I didn’t want her here.
Bennett hissed and jumped toward me, trying to lunge at my neck with his teeth. I was faster and darted to the side, letting him tumble. I quickly spun to face him, striking his ribs with my claws. He howled and leapt at me again. This time, his teeth sank into my ear, but I scooted away with a jab at his open gash.
We separated and hissed, each swearing we would kill the other.
I didn’t want to draw this out. The longer we circled, the more time he had to plan a strategy. I needed to pin him down and go for the jugular. But I couldn’t do it facing Caroline. I didn’t want to see the look in her eye as I drained the life from the man who was supposed to be her mate.
I waited until my back was to her and then leapt with the force in my hind legs. I caught Bennett off guard. He roared as my claws dug deeper into his side. He scrambled under me, but I was bigger. I held him to the concrete floor. Our teeth gnashed and chomped. He swiped at my nose and I saw the blood pour onto his face. It smeared against his cheek as he struggled to free himself from my grasp, but I didn’t let up. Even when I heard Caroline start to whimper. I didn’t let up. Even when he begged for his life. I didn’t let up. I reared back, throwing my head into the air before clamping down on his neck. Caroline screamed and Bennett roared as I cut through his neck with my fangs.
I felt the blood fill my mouth with a metallic taste. I spit it out and rolled to the floor, panting from the struggle. Bennett was lifeless. Caroline ran toward us, but I growled at her. She backed up.
“Please,” she begged. “Let me help you.”
I didn’t want her to see this. I didn’t want her to see me. I ran out of the warehouse, leaving her with Bennett’s body.
18
Caroline
I touched his fur. He didn’t move. He didn’t inhale. He was dead. I pulled my hand back and recoiled at the amount of blood on my skin. I wiped it on my shorts and backed away. I had to find Donovan.
I could feel the pain he was in. He wouldn’t let me talk to him. I tried to send him messages, but his mind was closed to me and I didn’t know what that meant.
It was a long walk to the apartment, but I didn’t want to use Bennett’s car. As the rain started to fall, I realized I needed the time to think. I had watched the man I loved tear out the throat of the man I was supposed to love.
I had seen someone lose his life because of me. The walk in the rain wasn’t going to change any of that, but it made my thoughts more clear. I kept walking until I ended up at the pavilion across the street from the restaurant where Donovan and I went on our first date.
I sat on one of the picnic tables and listened to the sounds of the waves roll on shore and the rain pelt the wooden roof.
When I couldn’t sit in silence any longer, I walked back to the apartment, praying Donovan would be there.
I let myself in, but it was quiet. He hadn’t been home yet. Had it only been a few hours ago I stood here arguing with Bennett? And now he was dead. He was lying on a cold concrete floor. I reminded myself of the alternative. If he hadn’t died, Donovan would have, and that grief would have killed me. I could never be another jaguar’s mate.
I shivered either from the rain soaked in my clothes, or the memory of seeing Bennett take his last breath.
The room moved past me in slow motion as I walked toward the shower. I had to get out of these clothes and wash the rest of the blood off my skin. I threw my shorts and tank top in the trash and stepped into a steaming shower.
I washed my hair and scrubbed my arms and legs. Thirty minutes later, I felt almost normal. Normal except for most of my heart was missing. There were no calls from Donovan and he was still blocking me from our shifter connection.
I curled up onto our bed, pulling the quilt to my chin. I didn’t know when or how it happened, but somehow I fell asleep.
The next morning, I felt the sun’s rays on my face and I stretched my arms overhead. My eyes opened and I sat forward.
“Donovan.”
“Hey.” He sat on the edge of the bed.
I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I was so worried. Where did you go? Why did you go? Are you okay?” I searched him for scratches or cuts.
He pulled me tightly to his chest. “I needed time. Not from you. Not because of you.” He
stroked my hair from my face. “I needed it for myself.”
He pressed his forehead to mine. “I understand,” I whispered. “I did too. I walked to the beach and I sat. I listened to the rain and the waves and I wandered back here. I needed it too.” I couldn’t hold him any closer.
He pulled me into his lap. “We need to talk.”
“I don’t want to talk about it. I want us to be the way we were.”
“And we will. But after I left last night I had to call Case. And it turned into a meeting.”
“You saw him?”
“I did. It was necessary. I know what’s going on here. I know about the underground shifter network in this area. Caroline.” He paused. “I have my next mission.”
My eyes widened. I didn’t expect that.
“And what is it?” I was scared. Scared it would take him away from me. Scared that everything that happened last night was for nothing. Scared that killing Bennett had severed something between us that could never be repaired. All of the fears came bubbling up as the silence grew.
“Caroline, last night everything changed.”
I nodded. “I know. I know what you did. What it must have done to you.” I wanted to comfort and soothe him.
He shook his head. “No. Not what you’re thinking.”
“Then what? What is it?”
He held my face between his palms. “What would you think about staying here?”
“I don’t understand.”
“You love the beach, don’t you?”
“Yes, but what does that have to do with Case?” I was starting to feel lightness in my chest. His eyes were giving him away.
“Everything.” He grinned.
“Tell me. Tell me what’s going on.”
“Now that I have officially ended the Crestviews’ claim on you and your offspring, you are part of the Maddox line.” I nodded, knowing how the laws worked. “And the king feels that this region needs a protector. Not just a sentry or a bodyguard, but its own ruler.”