by JoAnna Grace
“You can’t run from this. Didn’t you learn anything from Vivian and Kasey’s situation?”
“Oh, I sure did.” She laughed, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms. “I learned that this Pack is full of bat-shit crazy bastards who don’t want us felines around. I learned that you have traitors among your people and I learned that they don’t take kindly to women who work what God gave them. Vivian might be able to turn from her past and not look back, but I can’t. It’s a part of me. Unlike Vivian, I don’t give a flying fuck what people think of me.”
“That’s a lie. You care about my brothers. They told me about what you said in the hos—”
“They’re kids. They’re ignorant to the realities of life.”
Ezekiel’s lips curled up. Not a smile; more of a snarl. “Deny it all you want. You know you care about them.”
Ami didn’t have any problem belittling the relationship she had with Nate and Tom. She might love them so deeply it hurt, but she wasn’t about to let someone use that against her. She gave a one-shouldered shrug and looked off. “Leopards are protective creatures by nature.”
“Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better. You care.”
“Do you have a point to this conversation or are you simply trying to waste my time?” She examined her cuticles. “Because honestly, this whole creepy stalker thing you’ve got going is old. Seriously, leave me alone.”
Ami pushed off the table and turned from him. Z made the mistake of grabbing her shoulder and spinning her to face him. She plucked two knives from her belt and stuck one under his chin, the other at his crotch.
Z sucked in a quick breath. “You wouldn’t.” His chest vibrated with a rumbling growl.
“Get your paws off me.” The leopard surfaced enough to change her eyes and her vision became split. The cat bristled when a male tried to challenge her, even the mate.
“You can’t run from this.”
Ami broke free from his grip. “I’m not running. I’m facing you head on, telling you to get this ridiculous notion out of your head. You’re a fool if you think I’d mate you or anyone else.”
“Nah, you just screw around with every male who comes along. That’s why you had the word ‘whore’ written on your walls.”
“You little bastard.” She huffed and shook her head. He couldn’t have cut her deeper if he’d used her own knives. He’d seen the destruction, known how much it hurt Melissa and angered Vivian. What did she expect from a spoiled little rich kid like him? Ezekiel had no clue what the reality of their situation was like. How could he?
Ezekiel closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath, his shoulders crumpled inward, completely deflated. “I didn’t mean that.” He gripped his hair and clasped his hands behind in his neck. “Ami, I’m sorry—”
“You have no idea what we’ve been through, what I’ve been through. Maybe I am a whore. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to take shit about it from you.” She stormed out and shifted back into her leopard.
Amilynn ran until her paws were raw. She stayed away from the alpha house all day, not returning until sunset. She had to get out. There was no way she wanted to live under the same roof as Ezekiel. The alpha house had provided her with luxuries she’d never known. As much as she treasured Kasey’s generosity, knowing what Ezekiel and the rest of the Pack thought of her dulled the shine of her fancy bedroom suite.
The alpha house was designed to accommodate those on two legs and four. Ami had no problems getting in as a cat. She was relieved to find only Ty sitting in the television room, watching football. He shook his head when the offense practically handed the other team the ball.
Ami shifted and conjured a comfy pair of gray yoga pants and a fitted cotton shirt. “They’re playing terrible this year. I don’t know how you stand to watch.”
Tyrone shrugged and took a swig of his beer. “There’s not much else on. Where you been?” His eyes scanned her quickly. Ty was far too close to his animal at any given moment. Some might call him unstable because his cat had such control, but Ami knew better. Her brother had nearly died when they escaped Nevada. They’d gone straight to their great-grandfather, a medicine man of unknown age, who had mastered the magic and energy of their shapeshifting blood. He summoned the spirit of Ty’s leopard to take over his body and sustain his life until Ty’s human side could. Since then, her brother’s leopard had always been closer to the surface. During times of intense emotion, his eyes glowed yellow and he couldn’t stop it. He kept his eyes shaded with hats and covered with glasses when he was in public. As he looked at her now, there was a faint yellow tint to those eerie eyes.
Ami tried not to fidget under his scrutiny. “Out letting the leopard run. Why?”
“All damned day? It’s almost dinner time.”
“Yeah.” She sat down beside him and snagged a sip of his beer. They watched the game in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again.
“Anything in particular that made you hide all day?”
“I wasn’t hiding.” Amilynn was shocked at her own defensive tone. Ty gave her a dry look that said don’t bullshit me. If there was one person she didn’t want to talk to about this, it was her brother. Vivian would understand better than anyone, and she wouldn’t threaten Ezekiel.
“Let’s have it,” he said, putting his arm on the back of the couch and rubbing her neck. Her cat sought out the comfort of family, of blood.
“I had a fight with Ezekiel.”
“About what happened at the hospital? ‘Cause the way he growled at me was pretty stupid on his part.” Ty’s sandpaper-deep voice held a warning.
“You startled him, that’s all.” Why was she defending Ezekiel? Wouldn’t it be easier if Ty didn’t like him? It would add weight to her case against their mating. However, her leopardess bristled when Tyrone spoke against Z. Ugh. “Anyway, he’s followed me around for a couple days and I got tired of it.”
Ty leaned his head backwards on the couch. “Shit. Did you draw blood? We just got here Ami. You can’t maim the alpha’s nephew.”
“He’s fine.” Ami waved him off.
“He’s also gone.”
“What?”
Ty took another slow, deliberate drink of his beer, staring at her with unblinking eyes. “He left with some of the younger soldiers for a perimeter run. They’re checking the motion detectors with that nerdy Brooks guy. They’ll be gone a week.”
Amilynn let out an involuntary sigh of relief. “Good.”
Her brother’s face showed no reaction. The guy had a perfect poker face. It could have been carved in stone. “Did you fuck him?”
“No, and that’s half of his problem.”
“Don’t mess with him, Ami. I mean it. It would be too devastating for Melissa to leave. And if he hurt you, we’d never be allowed to stay once I got done with him.”
“He won’t hurt me, Ty.”
“Don’t test that theory.”
“It’s not a theory.” Ami closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. “He’s trying to claim me.”
Again, Ty’s face gave away nothing. But his beer bottle stopped millimeters from his lips. He set it on his knee. Deep, dark eyes glowed bright yellow and his pupils narrowed to vertical slits. “And how do you feel about that?” His voice was nothing more than a whisper.
She looked him in the eyes and felt that God-awful emotional shit building in her chest. “I can’t let it happen. I’ll never be anyone’s wife, Ty.” She sniffed and blinked back the moisture from her eyes. “That’s not what I was created for.”
“Says who?”
Ami didn’t answer.
“You deserve a chance to be happy.” The pressure of Ty’s hand increased on her neck.
Ami smiled at her brother, loving him with every beat of her heart. “After everything I’ve done, I think that chance has passed.”
“Amilynn—”
“I’ll be fine, Ty. I always land on my feet.” She leaned in to kiss his cheek and then escap
ed to her room.
What the hell was with her? She’d nearly cried a dozen times in the last few days after years of suppressing the reaction. Damned wolves. Maybe she was allergic to them? Yeah, let’s go with that.
Ami flopped down on her bed and thought about what Ty had said. One week. She had one week to get her shit together before she had to face Ezekiel again. Could she force herself to fall for Martin in a week? If her cat developed a desire for the other man, Ezekiel couldn’t argue with that.
Fat chance, her cat hissed.
“Watch me.” Ami took out her phone and sent a text. You free tonight? Can’t wait.
Be ready in fifteen. Martin’s reply came quickly. She only took ten minutes. Ami wore a skimpy purple sleeve of a dress that cut off right below her ass and barely covered her boobs. The silver heels made her legs look amazing. She left her long hair down and curled, her eyes and lips painted up to accentuate her features.
She walked through the alpha house to meet Martin at the front door. Sampson and the Mirrors, his twin sons, were on the couch playing video games. They all three looked up when she passed. Sampson realized his sons were all but drooling and diverted their attention back to the game. But Ami caught the disapproval in his eyes. What-the-fuck-ever. Like he was the first man to look down on her. Please.
When she opened the door, Martin’s jaw hung loose like a broken porch swing. “Wow, Amilynn, you look, wow.”
“Thanks. Ready to go?”
She took one step across the threshold of the house before Sampson’s hand clamped over the door. “Why, hello, Martin. You kids going out tonight?”
“Yes, sir.” Martin addressed his superior officer with nothing but respect, even though he slipped his arm around Amilynn’s waist.
“Don’t you start the early morning shifts tomorrow?” Sampson tilted his head in a canine manner. If he were sporting his wolf ears, they would’ve perked up.
“Yes, sir.”
“Seems like you would want to get some extra sleep tonight, soldier.”
Ami huffed and nudged Martin one step backwards. “I won’t keep him out late. Bye, Sampson.”
“Four in the morning comes awful quick when a man doesn’t get much rest.” Sampson’s tone held enough reprimand to make Martin hesitate and cause her leopard to snarl.
“Then I’ll make sure we get to bed early.” Ami gave Martin one final push to the car. His face blushed bright red.
“I can’t believe you said that,” Martin said once they were in the car. He shook his head and laughed. “You’ve got balls, Amilynn.”
She flashed her most seductive smile and leaned over so her chest brushed his arm. “I was only trying to let him know I’d take good care of you.”
Martin’s breath caught. “You’re going to drive me wild, aren’t you?”
“I plan on it.” Even as she whispered the promise, her stomach churned.
The sick feeling stayed in her belly all night. They went out dancing and drinking and ended up in the back of his car like a couple of reckless teenagers. Martin dropped her off with a glowing smile on his face, agreeing to see her again the next night.
Ami stood in her shower for an hour. But she couldn’t wash or cry away the filth that dwelled inside her.
THERE WAS A sense of relief in the house when Vivian joined the family for breakfast on the back patio. After taking a bullet to the gut and losing a couple of internal organs, she could barely walk. Thankfully, their race healed much faster than humans. The current state of her progress was incredible, comparatively. But her jaws still tensed every time she sat down. If anyone acknowledged her pain or the fact that her dumb ass didn’t take the meds for it, they were met with a growl.
“She’s so stubborn,” Conall said to Ami after breakfast when Kasey helped V from her chair and to their suite. The alpha’s private quarters of the alpha house were on the main floor—no stairs. Conall handed Ami the dirty dishes from the table. “If I were Kasey—”
“Don’t go there.” Ami hushed him, meeting his light blue eyes. He’d been the first on the scene when Vivian was shot and he killed the cowardly wolf that had ambushed her. Conall’s other form was a lion; a big sonofabitch too. Even in human form, getting hit by Conall was like playing chicken with a semi. Vivian’s shooter never had a chance.
Conall’s nostrils flared and his shoulders moved as he sucked in a deep breath. His eyes had permanent red rings, his neck stuck in a strained position. It had been difficult for Conall to turn over Vivian’s care to Kasey. The toll it had taken on her Pride-mate was obvious.
“Hey.” Ami set down her dishes in the sink and took the cups from Conall’s hands and pointed him to a stool to sit. She wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzled into his chest. “It’s okay, dude. She’ll be fine. You heard the doctors. And Kasey is her mate; he’s not going let her suffer.”
Conall’s big body relaxed and his wide arms encircled her, making her feel tiny. His lips touched her temple. After two or three deep breaths, her leopard could sense the calming effects of their touch. Their animals needed the sense of family and stability.
“You good, big man?” Ami leaned back and put her hands on his shadowed cheek. He was so good-looking with his blond hair and boxed jaw, those soft blue eyes that could convey both affection and domination.
He held her hips and leaned his forehead against hers. “Yeah. Got to get my shit together. That’s all.”
“Change is hard. I know.” Ami kissed his cheek and hugged his neck, needing some comforting of her own.
“I’m always here, you know that,” he said before pressing a kiss to the curve of her shoulder.
“I know. I’m glad.” She sighed, wishing the male who claimed her was half as wonderful as Conall. Too bad the lion wasn’t her type—been there, done that.
Conall smiled down at her. “So are you going to tell me what’s up with that lovely aroma Ezekiel shared at the hospital?”
“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
“Ezekiel’s mating scent permeated the hallway. Nearly knocked me over.”
“Permeated? That’s a big word for you, dude. Don’t strain your brain.” Amilynn tried to blow it off, but he knew. While Ezekiel’s spice- and honey-scented claim probably made Conall want to yack, it had caressed her senses like a soft, warm blanket in winter.
“Don’t change the subject. Is that why he left? Did you guys have a fight? You drew blood, didn’t you?”
“Why is everyone assuming I drew blood?”
“Really? Do you not know yourself?”
“Yes, I do, and I’m not mate material. If I was, I’d be with you, right? My cat won’t accept a claim.” That was a bold-faced lie and, judging by the high eyebrows on Conall’s forehead, he didn’t buy it.
“Holy hell, the pup claimed you.” Conall shook his head and wiped a hand down his face. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”
“All he sees when he looks at me is a piece of ass. I’m not submitting my life to anyone, much less him.” Ami tried to walk away, but he didn’t let her, taking her arm in his grip.
These damned men have to quit grabbing me like this.
“Amilynn, you need to handle that.” He was dead serious; his nostrils flared. “That’s Kasey’s nephew. You can’t fu—”
“You think I don’t know that?” she hissed, her eyes taking on split vision of her cat. “You think I invited this? I don’t want a mate. Period. Much less some twenty-year-old spoiled brat whose wolf doesn’t know how to off-switch the hormone factory.” She took a deep breath and blew it out her mouth when Conall dropped her arm. “Besides, we have bigger issues. You know damn well that Trace knows where we are by now. It’s only a matter of time before he invades or worse.”
Conall’s face grew even graver, if that were possible. He didn’t need reminding about how his first cousin would kill them all. Or, at least, he’d try.
“We need to get these wolves ready to fight cats.” Conall let out
a heavy breath. “Trace won’t fight fair. He’s a master at getting in our heads. He knows our fears, our weaknesses. That’s what he’ll exploit first. He’s not stupid enough to openly attack.”
“Paper cuts,” Ami agreed. Trace wasn’t the kind of military man who ordered a mass invasion. He slowly took chunks out of his prey, just like he did with Vivian’s attack. The first round went to Trace and he knew it.
Ami’s first thought was of the three, yes three, brothers that had wiggled their way into her heart over the last weeks. Nate, Tom, and Ezekiel didn’t deserve to have to deal with her issues. Even if the oldest brother was one creepy love note away from being a stalker, she didn’t want any harm coming to Z. Besides her immediate family, those three were her weakness.
“Let’s do it,” Ami said. “Talk to Sampson about setting up a class in the sentinel rotation so they have to train with us at least once. I know Ty will be more than happy to help.”
Tyrone, her fraternal twin, was one of the best snipers in the world. Conall specialized in hand-to-hand combat; Ami and Vivian were taught how to do both. In their old Pride, dominant and deadly females were prized possessions. After rigorous exercises to sift the most dominant females from the classes, their military leaders took these girls to train like the men. They were taught to use their femininity as a weapon, to get close to a mark, then take him out without hesitation. Ami was young enough that she’d never actually done the wet work before they left. But Vivian, well, she wasn’t so lucky.
The first time Amilynn had ever shot a man was when she rescued Vivian, Melissa, and Ty from their old alpha. With her friends’ lives in the balance, she never hesitated to pull the trigger. And she never regretted killing multiple times that day. In the five years since, she’d honed her skills. No one was going to hurt her family again.
“I pity those wolves who work with you.” Conall chuckled.
“Why? I’m a good teacher. Vivian’s even said so.”
“Yeah, but you’re like the hot teacher in high school all the boys wanted to nail.” He laughed as Ami slapped his chest. “Maybe we should get Tyrone to head this up. You’ll distract the soldiers. Just like you did Martin. That fool won’t leave me alone about you. It’s getting old.”