Mating Brand: 3 (Mating Heat)

by Laurann Dohner

  She wondered if he’d mated. Of course he has. The image of his handsome face still haunted her. Women would have chased him in droves. Or in a pack, she corrected. It still hurt to imagine some woman curled against his side every night. Kissing him. Running her hands through his silky hair and— Stop! Don’t go there.

  “I’m sorry,” a new voice panted. “I tried to hold them back but there were too many. Thanks for coming so fast, man. Is she alive?”

  The male against the door shook his hands, blood flying off them, and his claws slowly retracted. “Yeah.” His voice still came out as a snarl. “I hear her breathing. I need to calm down for a minute.”

  “No shit. Wow. I thought only Rave could fight like that. It was impressive.”

  “Who do you think he learned to fight with growing up, Jeff?” The voice lowered a little, changing from snarly to gruff. “We are damn close and trained with each other as if we were brothers.”

  Jeff cleared his throat. “Do you think that’s Shannon’s mom? I figured that’s who’d come here when I smelled she-cat. She probably wants to meet her son-by-mate. I tried to call Anton but he didn’t pick up.”

  “Shannon’s mother is human. It was her father who was half shifter. He’s dead and she’s estranged from his family.” The voice toned down more. “How is my face? Still hairy? I don’t want to scare her.”

  “You’re good. I doubt after what just happened that anything is going to calm her.”

  “Drag the injured away before any humans happen along. It’s after nine. Most of the townspeople stay in after dark at this time of the year but it would be our luck if someone happened to run out of milk or something. I also heard we have some tourists parked outside of town. They tried to stay at the hotel but Marcy told them it was booked.”

  “Got it. Two of our enforcers just showed. We’ll clean up this mess and tend to the wounded. They are lucky you allowed them to live.”

  A loud sigh sounded. “Are my cousins on the way or did I just lie?”

  “Rave is coming. Von didn’t pick up but he’s patrolling the woods. I figured he didn’t get cell service. Grady didn’t pick up so I’m sure he’s having sex. Both he and Anton turn their phones off while they’re bonding with their mates. I didn’t bother calling Braden. At his age, he’s probably out of his head with the heat and I know he’s staying with you. I thought you’d bring him, though, if you needed help.”

  “It sounded urgent. I didn’t waste time to grab him. Go on. I’ll deal with this.”

  A rumbling sound fractured the evening and Charma swallowed hard. The distinctive noise grew louder until the motorcycle engine cut off. “Shit. Looks as though I missed some good times. Is any of that blood on the ground yours?”

  “Nope,” the guy in the sweater muttered.

  “I smell blood, lust, anger, and is that a she-cat? That’s not Shannon. I’ll never forget the scent of her in heat for as long as I live.” The new guy chuckled. “I doubt any of us ever will. Damn. I envy my big bro.”

  “Rave, not cool. He’d be seriously angry if he heard you say that.”

  “I don’t see him here, do you? Is she okay? Do you want to move and allow me to check on her? I’m cool with kittens.”

  “Go for it. I’m still trying to calm down.”

  “I can see and hear. Your voice is all screwed up. Snarl much lately to scare off the weaker?”

  “Shut the hell up and deal with her before more of them sniff her out. She probably took a wrong turn.”

  The car swayed when the guy pushed off it to walk away. Charma sat up on the seat to gaze out the busted window. Shattered glass slid to the floor when she moved. A big, leather-jacketed werewolf strode forward but paused a few feet away. He crouched down to peer back at her. His shaggy black hair brushed his jacket collar and a pair of dark-brown eyes met hers.

  “Hi, there. I’m Rave. I promise I’m not going to attack you.” He glanced at the car and back at her. “They really did a number on your wheels. I’m sorry about that but you’re in Harris Pack territory. It’s mating heat time for us and aggression levels are off the charts. May I open the door and check on you? Were you hurt?”

  She shook her head.

  “No, you’re not hurt or no, I can’t come closer? You’re safe. My cousin and I are cat friendly. My older brother is mated to a quarter-puma shifter.” He grinned. “For real. We’re cool with her.”

  Charma relaxed, willing to believe him, considering she’d fallen in love with a werewolf once. It was possible. “I came to warn you,” she managed to get out. “The council accused your pack of attacking one of the prides. They’ve sent out a joining call.”

  The handsome guy’s smile faded. “They want to talk to us? Is a joining some kind of meeting to ask why we did it? That pride took my brother’s mate away from him and they were going to gang-rape her to force her to birth a litter of kittens for them. They weren’t exactly willing to just hand her back. We had to kill them to save her. Tell your council that.”

  It didn’t shock her that a pride would attack a female part-feline shifter. He’d said that Shannon was of mixed blood, a puma, according to him. It also didn’t surprise her that pride males would try to use her body that way. What did stun her was that werewolves would kill to retrieve her. They’d obviously worked together. He’d said “we”, implying a group of them. It was doubtful that a lone wolf could have taken out two pride leaders’ sons and multiple pride males.

  “They wouldn’t listen to me or care why you did it. A joining call is when—” Her voice broke and she had to clear her throat. “We have a council that represents all the prides. They ordered all the larger prides to send some of the best fighters from each one to declare war on a common enemy. They plan to attack your pack tomorrow night. At least thirty enforcers will show up.”

  His eyes widened as he growled softly. She jerked back, scooted on the seat and slid through broken glass. Pain made her cry out and she jerked her hand up to her chest. The scent of her blood overpowered the odor of her fear and that of werewolf.

  “Shit. Why don’t you come out? I swear on my life nobody is going to hurt you. I don’t want you to get cut again on the glass. I’m not growling at you. I’m just irritated. Why would you warn us? I appreciate it but I’m curious.”

  She hesitated before inching toward the door. The guy slowly put his hand inside, popped the lock and swung it open. He backed away to give her room. Charma scooted out to stand. A slight breeze cooled her heated body. She’d broken out in a sweat from her terror.

  The guy in the sweater stood about ten feet away with his back to her. He slowly turned around. “Me too,” the guy sighed. “Why would you…” His voice died when his gaze met hers.

  Shock staggered Charma as she stared into the beautiful, sexy eyes that had haunted her for nine endlessly lonely years. Her knees buckled and she knew she would hit the pavement. Someone stopped her before she impacted. Strong arms lifted her, held her around her waist, but her gaze never left Brand.

  Brand couldn’t believe his eyes. He blinked a few times but the image didn’t change. The tiny woman had striped hair—shades of blonde and brown that fell to her hips. Her big exotic eyes widened. The yellow color within the irises overtook the blue before her body slumped.

  Rave grabbed her, tugged her body upward to save her from hitting the street. Brand lunged forward too. He fisted Rave’s jacket with one hand, felt his claws extend and wrapped his other arm around her too-thin waist. He yanked her against him. A snarl tore from his throat as he realized Charma was in his arms.

  He feared it was a dream. It was possible he was still at home in bed, suffering mating heat fever, delirious. He’d spent the first four years after she’d left searching for her, hoping she’d return to him. It hadn’t happened. Part of him had refused to completely let her go but as the years wore on it had just left him feeling foolish. He’d loved her but she’d chosen to abandon him.

  She felt too real in his arms, t
hough, to be a fantasy. He buried his face against her hair, tugging her higher, trying to remember not to crush her frail body. He breathed her in. Her scent was wrong and something about it offended him. The reason behind it hit as hard as a hammer, nailing him in the chest. He snarled loudly, pain tearing at his heart. He couldn’t prevent his fangs from ripping through his gums.

  “No!” he snarled. The scent of another male’s mark on her nearly drove him insane. It was faint. Maybe he’d been wrong. He sniffed at her again. He’d just been trying to fool his broken heart. The scent was there, she’d really mated someone else. Of course, the truth wouldn’t be denied. Though weak, the stranger’s odor lingered to warn off other males.

  It doesn’t matter, he decided. She’s mine! I’ll hunt the fucker down and tear him limb from limb. I’ll rip off his head. No. I’ll tear out his heart and feed it to him for taking what is mine. Yeah. That’s a good plan.

  “Brand!” His cousin punched his shoulders. “Put her down! Damn it,” Rave snarled. “Release. I know you’re horny but fuck! Control yourself.”

  Brand shook off Rave and stumbled, still holding Charma. He nuzzled her neck, hoping to soothe her in case he’d frightened her, something he didn’t want to do. Her weight was even wrong. She’d lost a lot of it. He turned to lean heavily against the hood of the car and adjusted his grip on her. He kept his nose buried against her hair in the crook of her neck, taking deep breaths to pull more of her scent into his lungs.

  She was real. It wasn’t a dream or a mating heat, fever-induced fantasy. Charma was in his arms, frail and bleeding. The smell of her blood had him battling to keep his skin. The animal inside wanted out to hunt and kill every male whose stench still hung in the air. They’d attacked her car, could have killed her. He snarled, resisting the urge but only because it meant he’d have to put her down. It wasn’t happening. He’d kill them later.

  She wiggled her arms against his chest where he’d pinned them but she managed to get them free. He feared he’d go insane if she fought to get away from him. He prayed she wouldn’t do it. He couldn’t stand the thought of letting go after he’d finally found her again. Her thin arms wrapped around his neck instead. She didn’t resist, didn’t speak, but just clung to him.

  “Brand,” Rave snarled. “Let her go. I gave my word we wouldn’t hurt her. She’s a little thing and could get hurt if I have to force you to release her.”

  “Go away,” Brand ground out. He really feared he might kill anyone who tried to get between him and Charma, even the cousin he loved as a brother. “Leave us alone.”

  “I know the heat is bad but damn, you can’t go around grabbing stray cats and forcing them to allow you to rub up against them. This is embarrassing. I told her she’d be safe.”

  Brand adjusted her in his arms just to verify that she’d definitely lost weight. His Charma had been curvy and lush. Most she-cats kept a fuller figure than werewolf bitches. He’d loved that about her. She currently could have passed for a lean bitch by the feel of her. A horrible thought struck. He’d once heard that pride males shunned a mate if she was dying or gravely ill.

  “Are you sick, hon?” He was afraid to hear the answer.

  “No.”

  He could breathe again. “It doesn’t matter. You’re with me and this is where you belong. I’m going to take care of you.”

  She sniffed, wiping her face against him. Wetness seeped through his sweater to his skin, assuring him she’d done it to hide her tears. Her pain, and the possible reason behind it, tore him apart. It didn’t matter though. Nothing did, except the fact that she was real. All the bitterness and anger he’d suffered at her loss paled in comparison to having her back in his life. He wouldn’t allow her to take off on him again. Once had been bad enough.

  “Is he dead?”

  She shook her head, clearly knowing what he asked. He lifted his gaze to stare into her eyes—the most beautiful he’d ever seen. The love he felt remained strong, tightening his chest. Time had passed but his feelings hadn’t changed. She was “the one” and always would be. He knew that deep in his soul, without doubt.

  “Brand?” Rave stepped closer. “You know you’re acting insane, right? Did you take drugs, trying to ease the heat? Talk to me, man.” He glanced at Charma. “Don’t be alarmed, she-cat. I’ll talk him down. He might be a little out of his head. Please don’t claw or bite the crazy wolf. He’s harmless.”

  Brand glared at his cousin. “This is Charma, Rave. My ‘I-fell-in-love-with-a-half-human-spotted-leopard-shifter’ Charma.”

  “Shit.” Rave gawked, studying her. “She’s tiny, man.”

  “She’s five foot one. Leopards are small. She used to weigh a lot more.” He peered at her, noticing the change in her thin face. “Where’s my love handles? You know how much I enjoyed them.” His mood darkened, though, when he inhaled that stench coming off her. “I’m going to kill your mate when he comes after you. You’re never going to leave me. I’ll chain you to my bed, dig a big-ass moat around my house and fill it with alligators to eat any damn cats who show up. And barricade every door and window.”

  She appeared a little stunned. “Brand—”

  “Did you say mate? She’s mated?” Rave coughed. “I’m sure I heard you say that.”

  A snarl tore from Brand’s throat that he couldn’t hold back. Fury gripped him but he tried to regain control. His fangs wouldn’t retract for anything but his claws remained sheathed while he stared into Charma’s eyes.

  “He doesn’t matter. You still love me, don’t you? I want you to kill me if you say no. That’s what you’d be doing anyway.”

  “I love you, Brand. I always have.” Fresh tears filled her eyes. “I never stopped. I had to warn your pack about the joining call. You’re in danger.”

  “I never stopped loving you either.” He blinked back his own tears. “You came here and risked your life to save mine, didn’t you, hon?”

  She nodded. “The prides are going to attack your pack tomorrow night. I couldn’t let you die.”

  Dozens of questions filled his head. How had she known it was his pack that was in danger? Did that mean she’d always known where to find him, yet stayed away? The stabbing sensation to his heart hurt but as he stared into her eyes it eased. She said she loved him and she’d left the creep she’d mated to warn him when she thought he was in danger.

  She picked me over her mate. That soothed him somewhat.

  “Clusterfuck,” Rave growled. “That’s what this is.”

  Brand turned his gaze on his cousin. “It’s not that big of a deal. I’ll kill the pussy if he comes after her. She’s always been mine.”

  Rave ran his fingers through his hair, gave him a frustrated look and clenched his teeth. “I’m not talking about you and her. We’ve got to warn the pack and prepare for the arrival of the pride. They obviously don’t know this is the absolute worst time for them to attack us. It’s going to be a slaughter with all the aggression going on during the heat.”

  Charma couldn’t believe that Brand held her once again. His wonderful scent had changed slightly from what she remembered but it had been nine years. Memories could fade and obviously had. He seemed bigger than she remembered, bulkier, beefier and even stronger. She dangled from his arms where he kept her face level with his. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and she didn’t ever want to let go. She even fought the urge to wrap her legs around his waist, regardless of her skirt, just to press even tighter against him.

  “At least thirty pride males will come,” she informed them, not sure if she’d mentioned that already after her shock of seeing Brand. “You need to flee the area if that’s too many and the mating heat has weakened your pack. They can’t stay for more than a week. Your people can safely return after that time. I’ve never heard of a joining call lasting longer than that. The males will clash amongst themselves. We don’t have a pack mentality. Pride males keep a wide berth of each other unless they are family. They kill each other after extended
contact, especially when they aren’t in the same pride. There’s no sense of hierarchy so they will fight for dominance.”

  Brand stared into her eyes. “The slaughter wouldn’t be ours. It will be the pride males. We’re really aggressive right now, more so than any other time of the year, and our hold on our humanity is barely there. The only fleeing that will be going on is from the pride that shows up here.”

  She accepted that. Werewolves were known for fighting more fiercely than pride males. Cats could be flat-out lazy. She knew that from living with one. She relaxed. “You would have been fine if I hadn’t come to warn you?”

  “No. They could have attacked and taken out many of us if we weren’t expecting them. A lone wolf against a large group of cats would assure his death. We’re under orders to stay in twos right now but even then, two against thirty would be grim odds,” Rave answered.

  “A lot of us are ignoring the order too.” Brand shot the other male a raised eyebrow. “I don’t see you with your shadow.”

  “He stopped to check on the bar. I don’t see you with yours either. Where is my youngest brother?” Rave arched an eyebrow.

  “Hanging out in my basement. I didn’t want to bring him along since I knew something bad had happened. Jeff called.” Brand stared at Charma and sighed. “You could have been killed coming here.”

  “I knew the risk. I even expected that might happen. I just hoped your pack would allow me to warn them first.” She wouldn’t lie to him.

  He opened his mouth as if to speak but quickly closed it. His harsh features softened as he stared at her. “You’re safe, Charma. Nobody is ever going to hurt you.”

  She believed him.

  “I’m never letting you go. Deal with that. You ran out on me once but don’t try to do it again. I want you to swear that you won’t leave me. You’re mine and always have been. You don’t belong to that pussy.” He snarled the last word. “I looked for you.”