Holy shit, there’s some fire in her.
Ryan put a minimal amount of space between him and the woman attached to him like a leach. “Man, you fuck up already? That has got to be a record.”
“Fuck you, dude. It isn’t my fault we both had the same idea when they walked in.”
“Yeah it is. No one but you could screw up finding your mate.” Ryan chuckled.
Austin flipped him off. His brain came out of the blindsided fog. For the first time since scenting his mate, he could think clearly, and he needed to figure out what to do. He took a step toward the doors, but the blonde, Blaire, stopped him with a giggle.
“Oh dear,” she exclaimed. “You didn’t think you were both my mate, did you?” Her voice came out soft and sweet—and filled with arousal. Exactly how his mate should be sounding at the moment. Instead, Red’s voice had been rough, bitter, and filled with pain he didn’t understand. He wanted to soothe her, protect her, and fix whatever the hell was wrong. Based on her reaction, her rejection couldn’t stem just from his missteps since she walked through the door.
The headlights of the car came on, and, with more strength than Austin thought she had, Blaire pushed Ryan aside, hopped off the machine, and rushed out the door. “Be right back,” she called out as the doors slid closed behind her.
When the car lights switched off, a glimmer of hope sparked in Austin’s chest. His heart pounded as anticipation surged through him. He should be the one out there. Be the one to bring her back inside. Too bad his feet wouldn’t budge.
Unlike their pure animal brethren, cheetah shifters mated for life. They stuck with the one who called to the beast within. Staying by their side through good times and bad. Austin was shoving the entire evening into the bad column.
Fuck this. Austin headed toward the door.
Ryan hopped on top of the washing machine, resting his elbows on his thighs. “You didn’t smell a dewy morning?”
The question stopped him. Some intangible force held him back from going to his mate. Fear of rejection? Already happened. His embarrassment at being walked out on? Best possibility. He didn’t know for sure, but he didn’t want to figure it out at the moment either.
“Nope. Peaches.” Austin thrust his hands into his pockets. The denim stretched, uncomfortable across his lean hips. She was wrong about him. Once he got close to her, he figured out damn fast how interested in her he was. If she had glanced down at his bulging jeans, she would have seen the evidence of his attraction. He bet he could come just from inhaling her…if she’d let him get close again. As it was, the lingering scent of peaches continued to caress his flesh, setting every nerve ending on fire.
The doors opened, and they both looked to see who was coming through them. The distinct sound of rock crunching under tire told Austin what he needed to know. His mate was on the run, and he was dumb enough, controlled by his ego enough, to let her go.
Chapter Two
Tess Flanagan sped away from the Wash & Wait as fast as she could. Her heart fluttered out of control, and her cheetah was royally pissed off at her. It wanted to go back to its mate. Rub along his side, covering her fur in his musky scent. She also wanted to nip him, refuse his advances until he made amends, letting him know she wasn’t pleased at being overlooked.
“Not happening, girlfriend. He didn’t know we were his mate until after sniffing around Blaire. Not that I blame him. She’s cute, perky, and not the least bit angry at the male species. Trust me, we don’t need a mate who considers us a second option.”
Running through a yellow light turning red, she eased off the gas. Looking behind her, she didn’t see anyone following her or any police lights flashing.
“Take it down a notch, Tess. You don’t want to get pulled over. It’ll give Austin time to catch up. That is if he bothers at all,” she mumbled. “Great, now I’m talking to myself. It’s official, I’ve lost it.”
Pinching her mouth shut to stem the flow of words, she drove on in silence. Unfortunately, squelching her voice had an adverse effect. Her mind whirled, the events of the evening playing over and over in her head. The implications of what happened in the Laundromat absorbing at last.
“Holy shit! I met my fucking mate!” Her heart stuttered, breath locked in her chest, and butterflies tried to make their escape from her tummy. Swallowing hard, she willed the bile rising in her throat away.
The situation was unbelievable and yet made perfect sense. Her life the last couple of months had been a complete mess. The hurt, embarrassment, and ridicule she’d endured made her want to run straight home, but she resisted. To be honest, she wouldn’t. All that waited for her in the house she grew up in was a bitter, angry shell of a man she called father on the rare occasion she made the trek to see him. She was determined to finish her senior year and make a fresh start. Live a life she created. A life outside the one she’d been given.
Yeah, but you aren’t alone now, her cheetah chimed in.
She stared into her own eyes in the rearview mirror. “We’re a mess. Do I really need to remind you? This is the absolute worst time to find our mate. We, well I, can’t handle it,” she said, hoping her cheetah listened but doubting it would. Tess’s animal was a strong-willed creature. She tended to do what she wanted when she got out. After years of being suppressed, the beast took advantage when she could.
And wasn’t that a kick in the gut? On the outside, Tess knew she appeared cool, calm, and collected. For months, she’d worked hard on keeping everything bottled inside, to not let anyone see the devastation her ex-boyfriend had wrought upon her. On the inside, she still felt broken. Not even close to sharing her heart and feelings again.
She didn’t miss the asshole or thought she loved him. Her problem stemmed from what he’d done by lying to her. How he had treated her over the last three years. And the fact she put up with it because she thought that was what people did in relationships. It was obvious he’d missed the class on compromise and being there for each other.
Looking back, she didn’t know how she could have missed the lust-filled gazes shared between Josh and his best friend, Steve. Or that he used her as a cover with his parents because he didn’t want to tell them he loved men. It should have been plain as day.
When they were with his parents, which happened more often than not since they worked at the university, he smiled and dished out loving embraces like they were a dime a dozen. He held her hand all the time and stroked her back, pretty much acting affectionate to convince his parents he was something he wasn’t. When around his friends, he turned cold and his words verged on the side of verbal abuse, much like her father. That should have been the biggest clue.
Josh never pushed her into having sex, which she was glad about—in the beginning. After dating for a year, she began to wonder, and when she confronted him about it, he gave in. The lackluster experience didn’t bear repeating. The best thing to come out of having sex was officially losing her virginity.
At the thought of sex, tall, muscular, she-wanted-to-lick-him-from-head-to-toe Austin freakin’ Shaw thrust back into her mind. Good gravy, just thinking about him with his confident grin and looking at her with undisguised lust made her panties melt.
She’d resisted him and his halfhearted apology—barely. It would have been too easy to fall for him, but she fought back the weakness in order to keep her sanity. If she allowed herself to get lost in him, allowed him to be her alpha, she would lose what little of herself she had gained back since her breakup.
Besides, as she reminded her cheetah, the guys didn’t even give her a second glance once they locked onto Blaire. Her improbable friend was hot as hell and nice beyond belief.
Still, it hurt to be overlooked, especially when the dark, musky scent tickled her nose and brought her cheetah to life. The beast demanded they find their mate and take him to the ground. The sex-starved girl had to be wrong about them. Maybe her cheetah’s excitement at encountering a tasty male had her losing her tiny cheetah mind.
Tess whipped her car into her spot behind the town house she lived in with Blaire and a couple of other girls. If there was a shining beacon of light to come from the year, it was losing her dorm room and having to move into the town house.
Escaping the awkwardness of living in the same dorm as Josh, Steve, and their mutual friends lifted a weight off her. She dealt with having to be civil during classes they shared and band practices. Thank the goddesses they didn’t play in the same section either. It eliminated so many things they would, otherwise, have to be in together.
Bounding from her car, she left her laundry behind and rushed into the house. She didn’t know if her mate would follow, or if he would take her advice and find someone else. She did know, at some point, Blaire would come home and want to know why she ran off. The blonde pixie didn’t believe for one second her lie about not feeling well.
As Tess pushed open the back door, she noticed the lights downstairs were all turned off. No one was up and about.
Perfect!
She could sneak to her room without anyone stopping her. Tess had no desire to explain the evening or Blaire’s brilliant idea to use the Wash & Wait late at night.
As soon as Blaire proposed going off campus, her gut told her it was a bad idea, but the bubbly cheerleader had a way of getting people to do what she wanted. Her biggest selling points: they wouldn’t have to wait to use any of the machines, and no one would be around to bother them. Something Tess was all too thrilled to hear.
If only the damn washer in the town house hadn’t broken earlier in the week. Their house manager’s boyfriend, Declan, had tried fixing it with no luck. Partway into taking it apart, work called him in to help with a growing wolf situation in town, and he never made it back to finish the job.
Tess made her way to the second floor and heard a creak from above. Avery, the house manager, had to be pacing the floors again. Her boyfriend and mate, Declan, served as a River Rock police officer. He spent all of his free time at the house, and when he patrolled, Avery spent all of her time worrying.
A small bit of envy rolled through Tess at the thought of the couple. She wished she could have something like what Avery and Declan had. They were mates but looked to be well on their way to falling in love. From the outside, it seemed perfect. She couldn’t help but wonder if she could have such a loving mating with Austin…if she weren’t so damaged. It wasn’t meant to be, though. Nothing Austin could do would convince her otherwise.
Heading into her room, Tess closed the door and leaned back against it. “Jesus, I ran from my mate,” she whispered, her heart sinking with remorse. Did it set him on edge when she left? She had been taught in school like everyone else, that males, once they found their other half, tended to get a bit possessive. They needed to be around their mate to ensure their scent cloaked the female, warning other males away. Did he feel possessive of her even with so little contact? Did his cheetah ache to be with hers like hers was aching to be with his?
Minutes passed while she waited, pressed against her door. A small part of her expected Austin to barge into the house, heedless of the commotion he would cause. Visions of him, hunting her then staking his claim, flitted through her head unchecked. It should have happened if they truly were mates. And she didn’t believe for one minute that they were.
After tense minutes of complete and utter silence, she abandoned her place at the door. Letting out a stifled breath, she locked the door, stripped out of her jeans and T-shirt, and slipped into her favorite cat pajamas.
Not the least bit tired, she searched her room for something to occupy her mind. Watching television was out of the question since she didn’t own one and the community TV happened to be downstairs in the living room. Blaire would see her presence as an open invitation to grill her about her evening. How did you explain to a girl who believed in mating at first scent that you didn’t? Or how you didn’t trust the most primal side of your being to make the right decision for both of them.
Tess’s gaze landed on schoolwork. Music would soothe her and keep her busy. Snatching her staff paper journal and mp3 player, she figured working on transcribing one of the jazz piece assignments would provide plenty of distraction. She could tune everything out and concentrate on the notes.
“Nothing like getting ahead while I can,” she mumbled, settling on her bed.
An hour into her work, a loud thump from downstairs jolted her. Her pencil scratched a line across the page she worked on, ruining it. “Shit.”
Plucking the headphones off her head, she stopped the music and stretched her arms over her head. Vertebrae popped as she twisted left, then right.
Deep male voices echoed through the house, the sound increasing as whoever it was climbed the stairs. Panic rose in her throat, choking off her air supply. She forced herself to take a breath and relax. For all she knew, it could be Declan and his patrol partner Mark. It wouldn’t be unusual for them to come over when on break.
The urge to tiptoe to the door and listen was damn near overwhelming. Before she could scramble off her bed, the voices rose. Instead of fading off as the men made their way to the loft, they grew louder, stopping right outside her door.
The air in the room grew thick as she waited for something to happen. A knock. A rattling of the knob. A voice to call out. Her nerves ratcheted up a notch as the seconds ticked by. A shiver of unease grabbed hold. Tiny quakes led to a whole body shake.
Pulling a blanket over her lap, she tucked her knees into her chest. The ominous silence surrounding her led to scenes from her childhood flashing through her head. Hiding in the corner of her closet as her parents fought. The crashing of the door as her father burst through looking for her.
She cringed, expecting it to happen again. Not even her cheetah scratching at the surface attempting to get her attention could break the memory holding onto her tight.
There was no screaming, though. No breaking of doors. Just the sound of hushed voices followed by footsteps of people leaving. A door closed and then a soft, polite knock sounded.
“Tess? It’s me, Austin.” His deep voice penetrated the wood separating them. A shudder, not related to the previous convulsions and everything to do with her name coming from his lips, ran down her spine. All at once she was turned on and ticked off.
Damn Blaire for telling him my name.
“Open the door, Red. I want to talk.”
Talk, as if. Talking would lead to her opening the door, stupid manners, which would lead to him coming inside, and her changing her mind. Her cheetah nodded its approval, very much on board with that idea. As Tess’s initial panic ebbed, she was cognizant of the animal prowling inside. Aware her mate stood on the other side of the door. She scented leather, sweat, and man. The cheetah flicked her tail and whined to be near him. She forgave him with no effort on his part.
“Come on, Tess. I know you’re in there. Blaire had me park next to your car.” The door handle jiggled.
Panic gripped her chest. She was about to tell him to go away when someone beat her to it. Another male’s voice boomed loud, full of authority.
“River Rock PD, turn around slowly, hands where I can see them.”
Jumping from her bed, she rushed to the door, her hand on the knob, but she stopped herself from ripping it open. The instinct to run to Austin’s side shocked her. The strength of her desire to protect him caught her off guard. She didn’t want him here, but then she didn’t want him hurt or in trouble either. She didn’t know what to do.
Pounding on the stairs above broke her indecision. Avery had to be flying down them to see what was happening. Tess unlocked and opened her door as the hall light flickered on. She peeked around Austin, who stood with his back to her, hands in the air. Avery stood on the landing to her left. Declan stood, weapon raised, facing her and Austin. Blaire and her guy came out of the room to her right. They were surrounded.
“What the hell is going on here?” Avery demanded, hands balled on her hips.
Declan inched toward her, placing his body in front of his mate, eyes and weapon trained on Austin.
“Oh, my goodness,” Blaire squeaked. The man she locked lips with earlier shifted in front of her. Blaire pushed him aside. “Declan, put the gun away. It’s Austin.” Blaire gave Tess a pointed look…like Tess should say something. She had no idea what she should say, so she kept her lips sealed.
“I know who Austin is,” Declan said without lowering his weapon.
Blaire huffed and rolled her eyes. “Austin is Tess’s mate. Isn’t he, Tess?”
She shot Blaire her best I’m-going-to-kill-you look. “I told him I was going rogue. I don’t want someone who doesn’t want me. Been there. Done that. Burned the T-shirt.”
“Come on, Tess. Give me a couple minutes. Let’s talk about it.” Austin looked at her over his shoulder. His eyes glittered with something resembling regret mixed with anger. It could have been frustration or annoyance. She didn’t know but was more than used to seeing anger and pity when people looked at her.
“You aren’t talking tonight, Austin.” Avery crossed her arms over her chest and gave them all her best “Mom” look. “It’s past midnight, which means it’s past the time they’re allowed to have men in the house during the week. Tomorrow is Friday, well technically today, but you know what I mean. After classes, you can see her all you want over the weekend. That goes for your friend, too, Blaire.”
“But—” Blaire tried to object.
“No. We have rules for a reason,” Avery stated. “Procedures to follow. I’ll give you guys fifteen minutes, and then they need to go.”
Blaire sighed, “Thanks, Avery. This is Ryan by the way. He’s my mate.”
A dreamy look passed over Blaire’s face when she looked at Ryan. The guy grinned like an idiot, grabbed her around the waist, and took her back into her room, shutting the door behind them.
Austin turned toward Tess, a look of hope stamped across his features. She stepped back. He was too close, but she realized it might look like an invitation if she moved farther inside. Indecision tore at her. She needed to be away from him, but at the same time, she couldn’t slam the door in his face. Manners beat into her over time won out. She shored her nerves, stepped out of her room, and shut the door behind her.
Changing Her Tune Page 2