by Unknown
He closed his eyes and pictured her here in front of him, with that wicked grin on her face teasing him, taunting him. His cock grew and he shifted around trying to find some comfort from a need beyond his control. What would they do now? The tribunal would begin in a few hours and he would have to sacrifice his control to a group of men he’d always trusted but now wanted as far from his mate as he could get them.
While he was gone he had contacted his friend Nick to help him. First, to make sure two of the best hunters were sent to the house to stay with her, and second to lead him to the evidence he needed to save her life. In his world, justice for a wrongful death was not only acceptable but honorable, especially when a child avenged a parent. Not that he wanted Lara to kill anyone in his family, but like it or not, and he actually did like it, she was his family now.
Admitting that wasn’t as hard as he’d thought. She’d gotten under his skin the instant he’d seen her. His hatred of her had been from what he’d thought was an evil nature, which had directly conflicted with his instinctive recognition of her as his mate. His body had lit up from the moment she’d entered his world. Even now just the thought of her body gliding against his made him want to come in his jeans.
She’d make a good mate. Strong and independent. As a human it would be difficult to be accepted, but if anyone could it would be her because she would stand up to them. Aggressiveness was a valued trait among his people. But first they had to get through the tribunal and he had to reveal their status. He would have to leave the clan; they would do no less to him than they had with Lucas. Then what?
He needed to talk to his brother, decide what to do. Without the black cougar to protect them, the clan would be vulnerable to elimination by their rivals. He would have to insist on Malcolm’s reinstatement. He curled his lip at the last memory of his brother. For some reason he’d wanted Kane to doubt his mate, turn away from her. Why?
Luckily the clan had other relationships and resources to turn to when they needed. Already he’d chosen the right cougar for the job, the one who would bring Malcolm to him. He laughed at the image of that, thinking about what method would be used to lure him back. Good thing he wasn’t far.
The cool breeze whistled through Kane’s hair and his head jerked to the left, while his heart stopped in fear.
Lara.
Chapter Fifteen
Tired and worn out, Lara slowed her pace to a walk and then stopped completely, bending at the waist and grasping her thighs. Air sawed in and out of her lungs from the punishment she’d just inflicted on her body. She didn’t track how far she’d gone, but judging by the placement of the sun in the sky she’d guess she’d run-walked for at least an hour and the day was now solidly in the afternoon. Her time ticked away.
Lara’s head jerked up when a twig snapped behind her, the sound so loud to her ears it could have been a nearby gunshot. She whirled around and scanned the landscape around her. Nothing out of the ordinary jumped out, and as she focused from one sense to another she found nothing unusual.
Snap out of it, you’re just being paranoid.
She let out the breath she’d been holding and contemplated her next move. She’d been circling the property while she ran, but now she wasn’t sure how far she was from the house. Despite seeing nothing to upset her, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. It wouldn’t be surprising to her if someone else tried to attack her, but this time she was more prepared. She fingered the more powerful amulet she wore and worked to release the tension now buzzing through her.
She gauged the direction of the sun in the sky and the likely time of day, then turned in the direction of Kane’s home. She needed to get back and start preparing for tonight’s festivities. Oh boy, I can hardly wait.
A turn to the side and she came face to face with a blond man she’d never seen before.
“Hello, Lara.”
Instinctively she took a few steps backwards. The unease that had plagued her turned into full-blown fear at the very tall, handsome and broad man standing in front of her.
“Do I know you?” Her voice sounded clear except for a slight tremble that she hoped he didn’t pick up on.
“No, we haven’t officially met yet, but I’m Nick, the one Kane asked to watch over you while he was gone.”
“That’s nice of him, but last time I checked I’m a big girl and can take care of myself.”
Her hands rubbed at the amulet continuously, warming up its energy. She had a feeling she was going to need it.
“Of course you can, but you’re in the middle of a cougar clan filled with people that don’t hide how much they loathe what you’ve done to them.”
“I didn’t—”
He raised his hand to interrupt her. “You tried to kill our Enforcer, a family member, we all take that personally.”
“Why are you here? I already have two babysitters keeping an eye on me.”
“Since Kane hasn’t returned yet, I’ve been sent to bring you to the tribunal tonight. To personally escort you to the site.”
“But Kane—” She shut her mouth, not sure if she should tell this man that Kane, her mate, was not only back but was far more than just her protector now. “I have hours before I have to be there. In fact, I was headed back to the house now so I could get ready. I have no intention of being late.”
“You’re not going to have time for that. I’ve been sent to bring you in early, one of our council members would like to meet with you beforehand.”
“Why? Kane didn’t mention anything about a pre meeting, nor did either of the guys watching the house. I’m afraid I’m going to have to refuse that request, I’m not ready to leave yet.” She moved forward, skirting around Nick, but he stepped sideways and blocked her path.
“It wasn’t a request.”
Anger flared at the not so subtle threat. “Get out of my way, Nick. I don’t appreciate bullying and I’m sure Kane would want me to wait for him.”
His hand reached out and grabbed her arm, his grip like a vise. “You are going with me, and whether it’s painful or not is totally up to you, so don’t be a bitch and do what you’re told.”
She pulled at her arm but he was as strong as he looked, and it wasn’t going to be that easy to get away from him. She closed her eyes and concentrated inward, drawing on the power of her amulets. Where she should have felt a familiar warmth and energy buzz, she found only cold emptiness.
“You really are that stupid, aren’t you? Thinking you’re going to use those useless amulets against me? I know exactly what you are and both of your witch’s tools have been neutralized.”
He was right. There was no magic in either one of her necklaces. What the hell? I charged these myself. Her gaze darted around the wooded area as she considered her options, though there weren’t many.
“No one is out here, but if you don’t believe me feel free to scream your pretty little head off if it makes you feel any better. Either way, you are going with me.” His head tilted upward and his nose flared suddenly. He yanked her closer to him and leaned into her neck and sniffed her.
Having a stranger invade her personal space and sniff her freaked her out, it had to stop. She lifted her leg and slammed it into his groin so hard even she winced when her knee connected. He howled in pain and momentarily released her arm, giving her the opening she needed to run.
Her feet pounded the packed dirt as she ran down the narrow path, certain he wasn’t far behind, and if he shifted she could forget it. Quickly she decided to abandon the easy path and instead make a more direct approach to the cabin through the brush and trees.
Blood roared in her ears and sweat broke out over her whole body. She did her best to push the fear away, but she couldn’t believe this is how things would work out. Kane, where the fuck are you? What’s the point of being mated to a powerful shapeshifter if he isn’t around when you need him the most?
She stole a glance behind her and watched in horror as the guy chasing her shifted s
moothly to a buff colored cougar. He wasn’t black like Kane, but he was nearly as large and really fast crashing through the brush. She turned to look forward before she ended up face first into a tree. That wouldn’t help her a damn bit. This is not what she expected to happen today. No, she’d have rather faced her accuser head on so she could at least have her peace before she went down fighting to the death. Something more honorable than this.
From somewhere in the distance she heard a scream, the harrowing sound of someone or something crying out in agony. It haunted her as she ran, seeking some place to hide or get away. The cabin was her only chance and she was too far away. Lara’s vision narrowed and sharpened as her panic escalated. She heard every grunt, snarl, and hiss of the cat behind her and her body ached as the urge to jump right out of her skin washed over her. On the verge of a full-blown panic attack, she had to concentrate on saving herself.
She knew the minute she could no longer outrun. The air swirled around her and the whoosh of air expelled from lungs thundered in her ears. When her brain processed the cougar’s leap, she twisted to the left and jumped out of the way. Not quite fast enough, as a sharp claw tore into the flesh of her arm, drawing blood and creating excruciating pain she pushed at, doing her best to keep going.
The gut wrenching screams drew closer as she shifted directions. Thinking she might make it out of here in one piece, she was suddenly pushed to the ground by the paws digging into the skin of her back, even through the thin jacket she wore.
She fell to the ground, pinned by the furred body of her pursuer. His teeth grabbed onto her shoulder and dug into her skin, enough to paralyze her on the spot. Pain reeled through her head as the taste of blood coated her tongue.
“What the—?”
Her heart raced in her body along with the adrenalin, forcing her to react with more strength that she thought possible. She managed to push her body and roll, forcing the cougar underneath her. She needed to move away but he had a solid grip on her shoulder with sharp ass teeth.
This is gonna hurt.
With her eyes squeezed shut, she gritted her teeth against the coming pain as she surged forward, getting away from Nick, but not without a chunk of her flesh tearing from her body.
The cougar snarled as she moved. Her scream filled the air, sounding foreign and disconnected to her own ears, but when it was met by another one of those head splitting banshee screams from the woods she knew Kane was searching for her.
Unfortunately she was out of time. Nick flipped to his feet and lunged for her, tackling her once more. Underneath him again, she’d had enough, and snarled at him and bared her teeth just like he did, except his golden cat eyes bulged in his head in surprise. He reared his head back and she reacted instinctively; it was either him or her, and she wasn’t about to die like this. Her forearms flexed so her fingers could grab his throat and claws burst from her fingers, slicing across his throat. Blood spattered onto her face and clothes, but it was the frozen look of disbelief on the cougar’s face that freaked her out. Scrambling to move as the big cat fell, Lara jumped to her feet and stared down at the blood on her hands. Not just blood.
The blood from Nick coated the layer of hair on her hands and claws.
Oh, Jesus, No! I have fucking claws and fur. Before she could process what it all meant, a black cougar burst through the brush at full speed, barely stopping before he plowed her over. His head swiveled between her and the dead cougar on the ground.
Kane’s body shimmered and made a few popping sounds as she watched him shift from cougar to man. If she wasn’t trembling with fear over the changes in her own body she might have taken the time to admire the science behind what an impossible thing it should be.
“What have you done?” His anger hit her like a slap in the face.
“Me? Are you kidding me? You—him—everyone...” she stuttered, unable to form a complete sentence.
***
He looked at her then...really looked at her. How is this possible? Despite the blood of the kill covering her he could see the subtle changes. Her eyes were gold instead of their normal color, and there were two tiny teeth points poking at her lip. She probably didn’t even realize she’d cut her lip on them several times.
Those two differences were nothing compared to the thin layer of tawny colored hair on her arms, parts of her face, and even her neck. At least, what he could see through the blood. She’d managed to kill one of his clan by severing his neck, which is the instinctive kill pattern of a big cat. She’s not a cat. She’s human.
“What is wrong with me? Why do I look like this?”
How could he explain something he couldn’t comprehend himself? Did he somehow do this to her by mating? Lucas hadn’t mentioned anything about his mate doing anything like this.
“I—I don’t know. You look like you started to shift but it stopped.”
“How do I make it go away?” The panic rose along with the volume of her voice.
“Stay calm.”
“Stay calm! Are you kidding me? I’m covered in blood and fur and the fur is not his!” She waved her hands as she ranted, the stench of her fear scaring even him. The instinct to protect and shelter his mate rode him hard, a feeling he had to react to.
“We’ve got to get you back to the house. We’ll get you cleaned up and together we’ll figure this thing out.”
“What about him.”
“Don’t worry about it. It will be taken care of.” He steered her away from the bloody death scene in the direction of the cabin. “Are you okay to walk? I could carry you.” She shook her head, then lifted it to meet his gaze. The sheen of tears in her eyes broke through the crack she’d created around his heart, and he knew then that he wanted to spend the rest of his life protecting her.
Chapter Sixteen
Kane led Lara into the bathroom of the master suite, careful to avoid her sharp and lethal claws. He could hear her heart still racing in her chest and knew he needed to get her calm. He turned on both the shower and the tub. First he would get the blood off in the shower, and then together they would bathe in the lake-sized tub he’d known would come in handy one day.
One by one he took off her soiled clothes until she stood nude and trembling before him.
“It’s going to be okay, Lara, I promise.” She looked at him with such sad eyes he wondered if he could live up to his promise. If he had changed her somehow and it couldn’t be fixed, things would never be the same between them. “Come on, babe, you’ll feel a lot better when you’re clean again and I will help you any way that I can as soon as your body calms down. You’ve put it through a lot today, and while I don’t know anything about partial shifts, I do know that if you don’t have control of your body and mind teaching you to shift back will be near impossible.”
“I’m fine.” She stepped into the spray and let the water sluice over her; it turned pink as it washed away the violence of what she’d done. It had only taken a glance at the dead cougar to know who it was...Nick. Already Kane mourned for his childhood friend and needed her to make him understand what had happened out there, but the bond of a mate was an even greater pull, and right now making sure she was safe and secure was his top priority.
“I’m going to let you clean up for a minute and go and talk to the guards out front. Until we understand the facts of today I think we should all remain on alert.”
“He wanted to kill me.”
Her sudden confession speared through him as he considered just how close he’d come to losing her. It disgusted him that he hadn’t been able to protect her.
“Soon, baby. I’ll be right back and we can talk about it.” He left her then, even though it gave him actual physical pain to do so while knowing his mate needed him.
Back in the kitchen he found Carl propped against the counter waiting for him, the tension clearly evident in his expression and bunched muscles of his shoulders and arms.
“Where’s Lee?”
“Don’t know. Right after
Lara left he said he was going to the head and that was the last time I saw him.”
“That was hours ago. You search the house?”
“Yes, nothing here.” A growl came up before he could think to control it.
“Then we have to operate on the assumption that he had something to do with the attack on Lara and has fled. He’s mine now.”
“Kane—”
He held up his hand to stop his friend’s protest. “Like it or not she’s my mate, and an unauthorized attack of one of us falls under my jurisdiction and you damn well know it.”
“But this is Lee we’re talking about.”
“Yeah, and it was Nick who tried to kill her.”
“What? Is he okay?”
“Is he okay? What do you think? Call the council and tell them we need another clean up out here. I’m sure they will have no trouble finding it. Oh, and you can let them know that we won’t be showing up for their damned tribunal, either. I have to take care of Lara and I need to know the house is secure so decide now, are you in or out?”
Carl’s hesitation only lasted a few heartbeats. “I’m in. Take care of your mate. No one is getting past me.”
Kane nodded his head and headed back to Lara—just in time, too. She stood in the bathroom looking bewildered and lost as she dried herself with a bath towel. He noticed her claws had retracted but he could still see glimpses of the extended canines, and when she ruffled the towel across her limbs the light layer of fur stood on end. Admittedly it was the strangest sight he’d seen, but when she shook her hair and looked at him he would swear he’d never seen a more beautiful and glowing woman in his life.
“No need for that quite yet, baby.” He took the towel from her and scooped her into his arms. The soft, downy fur slid against his skin and it felt so damn good he started to get hard. “You still need to relax and I need to teach you.”