by E A Price
He continued, “Especially with Lauren’s birthday so close.” He gave Carrick an interested look.
The beta smiled a hideously smug smile. “I can teach the girl.”
Carrick’s eyes flashed, and he felt his tiger escaping his tenuous grasp. This was it; he was going to kill again. It had been thirteen years since his last, and he doubted he could stop himself.
But Locke intervened. His eyes gleaming, the male waved his hand. “No need, since Carrick is concerned, I’m sure he can spare the time to help her.”
Carrick’s eyes shot to the alpha in surprise. This wasn’t exactly what he wanted. What did you want? asked his tiger. He wasn’t sure. Comfort knowing that one of his pride mates wasn’t being fondled by a complete and utter dickhead? He’d never cared about any of his other pride mates. Why was Lauren special?
“I, ah…”
The beta looked put out and was about to argue.
“Fine,” snapped Carrick.
Where was the harm? His beast flicked his tail nonchalantly. Where indeed.
*
Lauren gave Carrick a sidelong glance. The male shifted his huge form, his knees pressing against the dash, his head touching the roof and his arms bulging. He was not built for small cars. Why on earth was he teaching her how to drive?
Her tiger was all submissive and timid as a kitten, but Lauren was downright irritated. How on earth could she persuade Clay she’d make a good mate if she weren’t allowed near him?
She was thrilled when Clay called her up and offered her driving lessons. Less so when Carrick turned up in Clay’s place.
“Whose car is this?” she asked. It certainly wasn’t Carrick’s. He owned a nice SUV. The tiny compact looked like it had been hobbled together from three different cars.
Carrick frowned. “I don’t know.”
She canted her head, and his eyes darkened slightly. “Clay found the vehicle,” he explained.
“How come Clay isn’t here?” she asked, staring straight ahead.
“He’s busy,” muttered Carrick.
“Really,” she huffed under her breath.
“Yes,” he snapped, making her jump.
“This isn’t anything to do with what you said yesterday is it?” she demanded hotly.
Carrick growled a bone-shaking growl that shook the entire frame of the small car.
Her tiger warned her not to talk back, sensing that Carrick wasn’t exactly in the right mood, but Lauren didn’t care. When was he ever in the right mood? Her tiger cowered, but Lauren forced herself to look at Carrick. Not in the eye, she couldn’t quite manage that, but at one of his scars. The damaged white line flowed from the corner of his eye, landing on his cheek. It must have hurt when it happened, must have been bad if he couldn’t heal it. It takes a lot to scar shifters, but then she guessed he had been through a lot. For a second, his anger seemed to withdraw, and all she saw was pain.
He was about to shout at her, but her next question stopped him.
“How did you get that scar?”
Carrick scowled for a second before curiosity took over. “Which one?”
Lauren slowly raised her fingers to his cheek. He remained still as a statue as her fingers brushed over the scar. “This one,” she murmured.
“Lion,” he breathed.
“A shifter?”
His lips twitched. “Well, it wasn’t a wild one.”
Lauren gave him a small smile. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“That you were hurt. It looks like it was painful.” With her father, Lauren was hardly a stranger to pain and punishment, but he would never be harsh enough to leave marks.
“Could have been worse, he was trying to take my eye out.”
She inhaled sharply, and her tiger perked up in interest. “Why was he trying to do that?”
Carrick rolled his shoulders unconcernedly; his arm brushed against hers, and she shivered. “We were fighting.”
“Why were you fighting?”
His dark eyes suddenly shuttered. “It’s not important.”
“But…”
“I thought you wanted a fucking driving lesson!”
Lauren frowned at him. For a moment there, she almost might have thought they were getting to know one another - a very strange thing to happen with Carrick of all tigers. The moment between them had almost been friendly, and not unwelcome to her inner animal.
“You shouldn’t swear,” she muttered, and he gave her a look of disbelief.
“Here’s the key, just get the… fudging car started.” He passed it to her, shaking his head.
She fumbled trying to put it in, and his large hand covered hers. She stilled and may or may not have let out a little eep. The warmth of his skin on hers was... nice. Strangely nice, and her tiger let out a plaintive meow. She had never really been touched by a male, never even held a male’s hand before - which is another thing that made her upcoming mating worrying. But this actually felt nice. Carrick touching her felt nice. Lauren sucked in a breath, surprised at that.
“Just take your time,” he murmured. “No rush.”
“Okay,” she mumbled, nervous, but not because she was scared of Carrick or because she didn’t want to be there. She was nervous because she was starting to find the huge male attractive. Her tiger was purring, but Lauren was shocked at herself. Carrick? Attractive? Since when?!
Six
“The fuck were you thinking, cub?” the male sneered.
The next blow came to his ribs. They were wasting their time – all his ribs were already broken. His tiger fought and howled against the silver restraints, but it was no good. He doubled over, spitting blood to the floor.
He was chained, surrounded by males he didn’t know, and being beaten to a pulp.
The male in front of him – the lion shifter - pulled him up by his hair, spitting in his face with the force of his words. “You think you can take her from me?”
A punch to the gut followed, and he dropped to the ground again.
“You think you can make me look like a fool?!”
The next kick came at his head.
“You will never see her again!”
Wearily, he lifted his head. How much more could he take? Through the sweat and blood trickling down his eyes, he watched as a grinning, fat man came to stand next to the male.
Carrick awoke with a start, his tiger roaring and his eyes darting around the room. Where was he? Where the fuck was he?! His living room. He was in his living room, in his house, on pride land in August Springs, and that… that was a memory. It had to be. He’d remembered something. The fat guy he knew, but he didn’t recognize the other one – the male wanting to kick his insides onto the outside.
A new memory… not a good one, but it was new. After all this time… A million questions thundered through his mind about just what it meant, who those guys were – what exactly he had done to make them treat him that way.
He rubbed his eyes. Yep, this right here was why he hated sleeping.
He shook his head and made his way outside, walking swiftly through the pride grounds. Maybe he should shift and go for a run. No, his tiger didn’t actually want out for once.
Damn contrary beast, why the hell wouldn’t he… Carrick groaned as he found himself at the edge of Lauren’s garden.
Asshole beast.
He stiffened as Lauren bounced out of the house carrying a bag of garbage. Of course, trash day is tomorrow. Something Carrick forgot, but the beast remembered. Wasn’t being trapped in a car with her exquisite scent and soft skin brushing up against him for a two-hour driving lesson enough? Apparently not for the tiger.
She halted when she saw him, standing like an idiot at the edge of her family’s property. “Carrick?”
He grunted and shifted from foot to foot.
She crossed the lawn to him. “What are you… I mean… can I help you with something?”
“No.”
Lauren chewed on her cheek, fid
dling with the bag in her hands. “I’m just putting out the garbage,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Trash day tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
She fidgeted, becoming increasingly uncomfortable under his gaze. He knew she wouldn’t leave until he told her she could. But he didn’t want her to leave.
That dream was a memory – the first he’d had in a long time, and it bothered him. Not so much what was actually going on in the memory – the abuse was nothing new or unexpected, but having the memory now was troubling. He wanted something real, something he could hold onto now, something to comfort him.
Lauren. He didn’t know why but she was the only person he wanted to see at that moment – or ever really. He took a couple of steps toward her and carefully took the bag from her, depositing it in the can.
“Are you okay?” she asked gently.
His eyes snapped to hers, and despite the discomfort he saw there, she forced herself not to look away. His tiger practically purred at her.
“Not sure,” he admitted grimly.
Lauren pushed her hands into her pockets. “What’s going on?”
“I just remembered something… not sure what it means.”
“I’m sorry if you’re in pain.”
“Are you?” he asked in interest.
Her forehead furrowed for a second. “Of course. Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
He turned to leave before pausing. “But thanks,” he grumbled as his tiger growled at him.
“You’re welcome,” she muttered.
Carrick strode away from her, the tightness of his chest easing slightly. The beast roared wanting his freedom.
Oh right, now he wants out thought Carrick sourly. He pulled at his clothes wondering whether Lauren truly thought he was a lunatic now. Nah, she probably already thought he was one before tonight. Not exactly a comforting thought.
Seven
“Lauren will be nineteen in less than two months time; she’ll be needing a mate. Is anyone interested?”
Carrick stilled as he looked at the amassed males. The alpha had called a pride meeting, and most of the males were in attendance. Not Lauren’s father he noted. The low-ranked male was probably at work. Or more likely getting drunk. No females were ever in attendance; they were never invited, except for Nita, who somehow weaseled her way in.
The female had looked bored while Locke went through all the usual business but now perked up, looking around the room with malicious glee.
His tiger snarled as he eyed the beta. Patrick was leaning back in his chair, looking horrifyingly self-satisfied. The male ran a tongue over his sharp teeth. He had a creepily long tongue. The females in the pride couldn’t stand him, and nor could half the women in the nearby town. Not when the male wouldn’t take no for an answer. The local chief of police had been paid off more than once to make allegations against Patrick disappear. Carrick could only imagine what Patrick would do if he managed to make Lauren his mate and get her down to his sex dungeon.
There would always be interest in any female. There were so few females that there would always be some male willing to take her on, even if no one could stand her.
His stomach clenched as he saw the males muttering and their thoughtful glances, and his tiger really did start to worry.
He thought of Lauren. Thought of her soft, generous curves. The way she stuck her tongue out when concentrating – something he noted while on their driving lesson. Thought of her delicate honey-like scent.
The males were weighing up the likelihood of taking her as a mate against finding someone better.
Nita smiled venomously as seconds ticked by and no one stood up. Why Nita would hate Lauren was unclear – why would she be jealous of Lauren? Compared to her, Nita seemed to have everything.
A young tiger stood, and Carrick felt the stirrings of his beast. Asshole, he thought. He couldn’t think of a particular issue he had against the male, but there was bound to be something.
Another male stood. Fucking asshole breathed the beast.
Nita whispered the words ‘chubby chasers’ loud enough so everyone could hear. Both of the males sat down again, and he felt a wash of relief and gratefulness to the evil female – he still couldn’t stand her, but her irrational hatred was actually working in his favor. However, his elation didn’t last long. Undeterred, another two males stood up. Including Patrick the beta.
The other males looked uncertain on seeing Patrick rise. They would back down; of course they would, leaving the door open for the disgusting male. He would be the only one to claim her, and if she were half as docile as Carrick suspected, she would say yes, she wouldn’t have the backbone to say no.
His tiger snapped unhappily. The mutterings of the men, the spiteful giggles of Nita and the beta’s smirk weighed on him. He couldn’t allow this.
Carrick didn’t even realize it was happening until he was on his feet.
He stood up and the room went silent. Everyone gaped at him in stunned silence. Carrick had lived in the pride for over thirteen years and never shown any interest in the tigresses until now.
Well, this was it, he’d thrown his paw into the ring.
“What is he doing?” hissed Nita, her face blooming red in a fury.
The alpha recovered from the shock first, and a slow smile spread across his face.
*
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” demanded Nita.
She was waiting for Carrick on his porch. Waiting to ambush him. Even if she weren’t pregnant, she wouldn’t have managed to sneak up on him. He could scent her fury a mile away and damn it must have been bad if she was willing to confront him about it.
He hadn’t even thought about what he was doing when he stood up. Now he was racked with remorse. How could he even think to try and tie Lauren to him? He thought of Lauren - that sweet, young creature. Would she even want to be anywhere near an ugly, old male like him?
Carrick could still back out. He hadn’t made a claim yet. He wasn’t bound to mate with her. She deserved better than him. He couldn’t give her what she needed – a real mate.
His tiger howled – he was a real mate!
“Are you seriously going to mate that… that…” Nita looked like she was going to explode.
Carrick glared at her as she fell silent and walked past her into his house leaving her to stamp her foot and flounce away – as best she could given the extra weight she was carrying.
He thought of those other fucking males that also wanted Lauren and fur bristled against his skin. No, he wouldn’t let them have her. He wouldn’t let any of them have her.
Eight
Carrick felt his hands sweating. Why, though? What did he have to be afraid of? Lauren was a quiet, young woman. She wasn’t going to laugh in his face. She wouldn’t dare. That thought didn’t make him feel better.
If Lauren did agree to mate him, he guessed it would be because she dare not say no. The thought didn’t sit very well with him, but it didn’t matter.
Other than Clay, he hadn’t seen Lauren with any males over the past few months. She worked diligently, taking orders from the mated females, and the alpha, taking care of her younger brothers and sister for uncaring parents. She never complained. Everyone treated her like a doormat, and she just took it with a vague smile.
At least she wasn’t partial to any other male. Or at least, not that he knew.
Apart maybe from Clay groused his beast. But she must recognize that his flirting was not interest. He’d certainly tried to tell her as much.
Carrick may not be the best option for her, but at least he knew he wasn’t going to hurt her, not physically anyway. Hell only knows the pain Patrick would put her through.
He’d not wanted a female before, finding the idea of living with a female invasive. He couldn’t stand to be around the other females in the pride, finding them simpering and irritating. But the more he thought about it, the more he do
ubted he’d have that problem with Lauren.
It wasn’t just a way to save her from the other males; perhaps it was something that could benefit him, too. It wasn’t just a physical attraction; she had a quiet dignity about her that was appealing. She could just fit into his life. He probably wouldn’t have to change anything, well, probably not much.
They would live together; they would share the chores – he didn’t expect her to wait on him hand and foot, they would sleep together… No, they would have sex, and they would have their own bedrooms. Yes, that before now had been the only thing that had tempted him to mate. But then he came to his senses and just went to brothels to satisfy his urges.
He wouldn’t deny that he found Lauren attractive – extremely attractive. He was closed off, he wasn’t dead, and Lauren was… well, she was a very pretty female. Her golden hair, enormous blue eyes, and curves were nice. In fact, he liked the way she looked – liked her more than any other female he’d ever met. He liked the thought of holding her in his arms, cupping her ass, suckling her breasts. His growing arousal over the last month was a testament to that. Yes, she was a little young but… he didn’t know what to say about that. She was young, and he was a lecherous old tiger…
Man up barked his tiger.
Carrick banged his fist on the door. The belligerent face of Lauren’s father appeared moments later, ready to harangue whoever had interrupted his hangover, but his annoyance quickly turned to surprise.
*
Lauren snuggled deeper into her sheets, enjoying the mountain lodge scent. She may have borrowed a little bit of Nita’s washing powder for her own laundry - and by borrow she meant stole. It just smelled so good. Much better than the generic, metallic smell of the powder her mom insisted on buying.
Also smells a lot like a certain male gloated her tiger.
Maybe admitted Lauren grumpily, but it’s just a nice smell.
It had been a few days since she saw Carrick – since the encounter by the trashcans. He was a hard guy to read, but she couldn’t fail to detect his unhappiness, and she had been a little worried for him. She’d walked past his house a few times, hoping to catch him, to make sure he was okay, but he hadn’t been there. She wasn’t sure what she should do. Perhaps she could bring it up with the alpha… except he was hardly the most sympathetic creature. Plus, she’d probably have to go through the beta first, and she hated being anywhere near him. Lauren felt dirty just being under his lascivious gaze. Talking to him would be excruciating.