Asad’s muscled body pressed into his back, and his cock filled in response, rising up to press hard into the wall in front of him.
Asad kissed better than he had ever imagined. Of course, it was his first kiss, so he didn’t have much experience to compare it to. Strange that he had never been kissed when he had been… He stiffened when the memories came flooding into his head.
Asad immediately backed off, somehow knowing the small whimper that escaped his mouth was different, that it meant something else. He loosened his hold, keeping his arms around Catan, but allowing him room to escape if he needed it.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, ashamed that he couldn’t just let go of the fear.
“I’m here, kitten. I won’t leave you.”
“Promise?”
“My word, Catan. You have my word.”
Catan leaned into the warmth behind him, trusting that Asad wouldn’t let him fall.
Chapter One
“This seriously sucks. Tell me again why we have to be here?” Lev whispered.
Asad huffed out a breath, shifting in place to lean up against the wall behind him. At his side, Lev sniffed, hiding a grin when Laithe turned to glare at them both. Lev was a few years younger than Asad, but they looked enough alike to be mistaken for twins occasionally. Lacking the dark brown mane Laithe had, both middle Gatti brothers possessed a heavy, thick mane in shades of tawny gold. Asad was larger than his brother, standing mere inches taller than him, but it was a height difference that he liked to take advantage of whenever he could.
Asad shifted again, trying to keep his mind from wandering away from the discussion taking place in front of him. There were six pride leaders present, brought from all across Felid. This was their chance to talk to the Appaliunas, Asad’s father Haytham. He was the leader of the Felidae, and every clan owed him allegiance, from the Leo and the Pardus, to the Tigris and the Lynx. They might not all like it, but the Leo had always been the ruling class and they always would be.
“You know very well why we have to be here, Lev. The pride leaders have come to announce their grievances,” he muttered.
“Yeah, I get that, but why the hell do they have to be so damn boring. Blah, blah, blah. And how exactly did Usama manage to sneak his way out? Lucky bastard.”
Asad chuckled, quickly turning it into a cough when Laithe glared at them again. His eldest brother looked like he was ready to tear a piece off both of them. He waited until Laithe returned his attention to the men petitioning their father. Laithe would one day rule over the prides and the other clans. It was his duty to sit with Haytham and listen to the grievances being brought forward. He had always taken his duties seriously.
A flash of black caught his eye. Fahd shifted from where he stood behind Laithe. Fahd was a black Pardus, his entire body covered with short, black hair. Small, dark rosettes were interspersed throughout his fur, glinting in the light coming from the window to his right. At his side was his father, Pantheras. Both men acted as guards to Laithe and Haytham, although they took their duty to another level. Guarding one’s body was definitely easier when you had full access to said body. Asad snorted, secretly jealous that his brother had a mate and a guard to fuck while Asad was busy chasing after his shy little Lynx. His hand was starting to become a poor substitute for a warm body.
“You have been spending too much time with our newest pride member, brother. Rowan is becoming a bad influence on you. You are starting to sound like her,” Asad whispered, trying to keep his voice down.
“If you think that is bad, you should hear your little Catan. He is fast taking up her peculiarities,” Lev snorted.
“Leave Catan out of this,” he mock growled, trying to get a rise out of Lev.
He thought about the little Lynx. Honestly, it was hard not to think about him. Catan was covered in a sleek pelt of long, tan hair. He was leaner than the Leo, his head only coming up to Asad’s chest. His face was small, rounded where Asad’s was long. He had the most appealing tufts of white fur at either side of his face, drifting down into a patch of white on his chest. The rest of his body was lightly spotted, little markings a shade darker than his tan coat. His tail was short, smooth, capped with a splotch of black and tipped in white. His ears were large and pointed. Small tufts of black hair rose off the ends of his ears.
Asad couldn’t help but be infatuated with every aspect of him. It was almost unheard of. No Leo had ever mated with one of the smaller Lynx before. The Lynx normally stayed away from the other members of the Felidae. They were very much solitary. He couldn’t stop thinking of him though. There was just something about the smaller man that called to him. He had never acted like this before, but from his first glimpse of the Lynx, he had fallen for him. He knew he wanted to look after him, to grow old with him.
He could still remember what he’d looked like when they’d found him. Responding to a distress call from Kanad, the planet where the Lynx chose to live, Laithe had sent his warship to them immediately, only to find the pride that had attacked them had already left, leaving only one survivor. They had meant to kill him -- that much was obvious from the wounds on the smaller man’s body.
It was pure luck that Asad had found the body. Their home had been torn apart and completely ransacked. The bodies of his parents and his relatives had been left where they fell, and it was obvious they had been there for a while. Catan had been dragged from his room, the blood trail leading them outside to the back of the abode. There, he had found a small, broken body, beaten and violated. His fur was matted with blood and come and a thick layer of dirt.
Laithe swore he was dead, but Asad knew better. He didn’t know how he could tell through all the filth, but he just knew that he couldn’t be dead. No one had wanted to touch him. They were all so horrified at his appearance, at possibly injuring him further. He had bent down and tenderly picked him up, carrying him back to their ship. He had stayed beside Catan the entire time until he had healed, refusing to leave his side for more than a few minutes at a time, before retreating to watch him from the shadows.
He shook his head, returning his attention to the meeting in front of him. Asad glanced at Laithe, waiting for him to turn again and chastise them for talking. This was starting to become fun. Anything to break up the monotony of the pride meeting.
Lev smirked at him, realizing what he was doing. Always game to pester their eldest sibling, Lev opened his mouth to retort.
Laithe’s head shot up, his eyes unfocused, like he was hearing something the rest of them weren’t. Suddenly, he let out a loud, snapping roar. “Rowan!”
Asad jerked upright. Laithe and his mate had a mind link that was able to connect them from any distance. It was the mark of a pride leader; the ability to link to his mate was one of the requirements for ruling. If Laithe was seeing something through his mate, it wasn’t good. The men in the room started, quickly gaining their feet and looking to the man who would one day rule them.
“Shyam is here with his pride. He has my mate cornered in the first clearing south of here,” Laithe managed to grunt out while running toward the opening of the abode.
He stared after his brother, before following him out the door, his roar joining those of the other men when his words sank in. Shyam on Felid? He had to protect Catan. Shyam was a purist, the worst form of Leo. He felt the Leo were better than the other clans, superior. But he had always taken it one step too far. He had been in hiding for years after he had killed the Lynxis family, leaving their only son a broken shell.
Ahead of him, he heard a piercing scream, loud enough to cause his sensitive ears to quiver from the noise. It was quickly followed by the sound of a very familiar voice crying out. No! Catan couldn’t be in the clearing with Shyam. He moved faster, desperate to get to the Lynx. His heart pounded in his chest, an uncharacteristic panic tensing his limbs.
An orange and black shape moved past him, distancing him easily. Rajiv hadn’t been with them in the pride meeting. As the lone Tigris i
n their pride, he wasn’t often invited to join in when the prides came together. Tigris were feared by the others, solitary by nature, fiercely territorial and incredibly aggressive. But they were also incredibly loyal, and he knew that Rajiv would give up much for the safety of the pride.
Rajiv reached the clearing before he did, releasing a terrible roar. Asad pounded into the clearing to see the large Tigris pounce on top of a Leo. He saw a glimpse of blood-soaked white fur under the man, and for a terrifying moment, his heart stopped. A scuffle across the clearing drew his gaze away from the unmoving arm of his youngest brother. Catan was being pulled toward a small shuttle just inside the tree line.
“No!” he cried, realizing that he was too late when the shuttle took off, skimming the surface of the ground.
He couldn’t stop running, couldn’t stop reaching for Catan. He had promised.
“We’ll get him, Asad. I promise you, we will get him back. No one comes into my pride and takes one of my family!” Laithe snarled.
“I promised him,” Asad whispered. “I promised him I wouldn’t leave him.”
“We hunt, brothers!” Laithe snapped out.
Asad turned his head to the snarling visage of his eldest brother. He felt curiously empty. There was a numbing, sucking sensation in his chest.
“Asad, we’ll get him back,” Laithe said, finally releasing his trembling mate to approach him. Rowan was quickly enfolded in Fahd’s arms, held tight to him. Her hairless body was wrapped in strips of deep violet cloth around her hips and breasts. The cloth was torn at her side, showing off a glimpse of creamy breast. Small droplets of blood misted her. The remains of the Leo that had attacked her lay broken behind her.
He turned his head away, his gaze caught by the still form of Shyam. Snarling, he paced toward him, ignoring the glint of bone peeking out of his neck and the pool of blood growing around his lifeless body.
He looked for Usama, finally glimpsing him in the arms of Rajiv. Rajiv was bent low, curling his face protectively around his brother. Usama wasn’t moving. Asad shook himself, tearing his gaze away from them. He couldn’t afford to be distracted right now.
Bending down, he inhaled deeply, separating the scents until he caught a trace of the two Leos that had come with Shyam. They were unfamiliar to him, but he wouldn’t lose their scent now that he had it. He would track them down, and he would kill them for taking what was his.
He disregarded the hand Laithe held out to him. Instead he gracefully stood, leading his brother to the edge of the clearing where the small ship had rested.
“They won’t leave the planet right away,” he said, his voice hard. “They’ll be scattered, unsure of their next move now that their pride leader is dead.”
“It should be easy enough to sneak up on them then,” Laithe observed.
“Usama?”
“Will be fine. Rajiv took him to Mother. She is going to patch him up. Broken arm and a few scrapes, nothing major,” Laithe commented, his voice flat.
Asad breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t let himself consider the worst case scenario, but now his mind replayed images of his brother’s lifeless body when he’d first come into the clearing. “Rowan?” he asked, unable to form a full sentence.
“Is with Fahd. She is scared, but unharmed.” Laithe huffed, crowding closer to him. Asad turned, rubbing his shoulder against his brother in comfort. “I don’t know how long it is going to take me to get over the sight of that bastard crouched over top of her. I couldn’t think. I just saw red.”
“She is fine, brother. You said it yourself. You got to her in time, so let it go.”
Laithe bumped against him, slinging his arm around his shoulder. He tucked his head, curling into Laithe briefly. His vision was suddenly filled with the deep brown of his brother’s mane. He inhaled, the familiar scent of his pride calming him. He needed to clear his head or he would be no good to Catan. He released Laithe, shrugging his shoulders to release his tension.
“We’ll get your mate back, Asad.”
Asad smiled, baring his sharp canines. “I know, and they will dearly regret taking him from me.”
Squatting down, he surveyed the ground, studying the tracks they had left. His mind was slowly clearing from the panic that had ruled it only moments ago. He blinked, the broken blades of grass becoming clear as day to his trained eye. He was lucky they were in a shuttle. Because it hovered above the ground, the aircraft left a trail that was a dead giveaway to anyone who knew how to trace it. Grass displaced by the force of its passing would lead them straight to Catan.
He moved off, conscious of his pride surrounding him. A streak of orange captured his attention off to his left. Glancing to the side, he nodded at Rajiv, glad the other man had left his brother long enough to join them. Rajiv had recently been paying more attention to Usama. He hoped the cub knew what he was doing. Rajiv wasn’t someone he would ever want to mess with. But the Tigris would protect Usama with his life, he knew that now.
Behind him, he scented Laithe and Lev. His brothers were followed by Fahd and Morgan, the two Pardus joining the hunt. They were at a slight disadvantage here in the grasslands. Although there were trees interspersed in the grass, there wasn’t enough cover for the two Pardus to hunt as they felt most comfortable. They didn’t like stalking prey on the ground. They much preferred the advantage the trees gave them. The rest of the pride leaders moved soundlessly at their rear. They would track the men on foot. There was no way he wanted them to know death was coming for them.
Chapter Two
Catan sighed, crouched in the corner of the shuttle. The two men who had taken him bickered back and forth about what to do now.
He didn’t know what to think. The Other One hadn’t joined them. They didn’t know what had happened to him. In their panic, they had scattered upon hearing the hunting cries of the pride leaders, leaving their own pride leader behind.
He was secretly hoping the bastard had met his fate and had his throat torn out by one of the men in his pride. He couldn’t say The Other One’s name -- he wouldn’t say his name.
Shifting, he tried to move his feet. They had tied him once they reached the craft, stringing thick rope around his ankles. His wrists were imprisoned in front of him, but he couldn’t get loose, no matter how much he tried. The rope was pulled too tightly. Calming his breathing, he brought up an image of Asad. He couldn’t afford to panic, not now. He needed to keep his wits about him. Panting softly, he avoided looking at the two men with him. He thought he recognized them.
They would have been with The Other One when he landed on Catan’s home world. It was rare for the prides to change members, which meant these men had been with The Other One for a while. If they had been there, it was pretty likely they had also violated him. He couldn’t remember much about that night. His mind shied away from it whenever he tried to bring it up. Maybe it was better he not remember the entire thing.
“They can’t hurt me,” he whispered softly. “I’ve been there before. I managed to get past it once. I can heal myself again.”
He would heal if something bad happened. He wasn’t a victim anymore. He wouldn’t let them control his mind. His body would heal.
Fortunately for him, it didn’t look like they were going to do anything just yet. After they’d taken off, they hadn’t made a move toward him. The waiting was starting to drive him crazy though. He could deal with anything as long as he knew what was going to happen. Right now, his mind kept jumping to worst case scenarios.
Asad would come for him. He just knew it. It would only be a matter of time. He puffed out a breath of air, relaxing into his bindings. They were slowing down now. The shuttle was coming to a stop. He whimpered, closing his eyes tight. Breathing slowly through his mouth, he tried to ignore the panting sounds of his own breath. He was calm, he would be calm.
“Get up, you lazy mongrel,” growled one of the men. He roughly grabbed him around the arm, twisting it and pulling him to his feet.
&nbs
p; Catan couldn’t stop the gasp of pain when his wrists rubbed painfully together. The man smiled evilly, laughing when he met his gaze. “Did that hurt, precious? Don’t you worry, there is more where that came from. You’ll be begging us soon enough.”
He snarled softly. He wasn’t a victim. This man couldn’t hurt him. Asad would come in time. He peered around, conscious not to make eye contact again when the man dragged him outside. They were in some kind of camp. There were four more men standing around, all Leos. One stepped forward, a man that he remembered clearly.
He had a scar running the length of his face, cut from his forehead down to below his chin. He sneered at Catan, exposing his canines. One had been broken in half, something that should have made him less of a man, but he made up for it with his cruelty. He had been The Other One’s right hand. He was the one who had made the blow that had killed his mother. His name was Seth, that much he remembered.
“So, the rumors were true. The little abomination has been brought back to Felid. Tell me, Abomination, why has Laithe returned to Felid when he should be patrolling his precious skies? Does he now have a mate?” Seth asked, twisting his lips to expose his broken canine again.
Catan turned his head, looking to the ground. The Leo who had brought him out hit him hard on the back of the head, knocking him to the ground. Catan gasped when he landed on his bruised hands.
“You will answer him, Abomination,” the man sneered.
“Where is Shyam?” Seth questioned, ignoring him for the moment.
“He did not make it. We came across the abomination with a hairless female and the white Gatti. Shyam was battling the white one when we were attacked.”
“And you just left him there,” Seth snarled, reaching forward and grabbing the man around his neck. His mane puffed out in agitation.
The Felidae 2: Asad’s Mate Page 2