Cougar

by Cougar (lit)

  Mine.

  The door rattled on in its frame.

  Mine!

  Was he out there? My Jackal? Angered beyond calming down from the euphoria?

  I should have obeyed him.

  Now he was pissed beyond measure.

  If the Guardian was even Jackal.

  Talk about being shit out of luck. I'd gone from living in isolation, to being forced into mating, to pissing off my Shifter so much he couldn't tame his Wolf. Hell, I had to know who growled outside my door. I shoved my bare feet to the cool earth and crossed the space to the slab of wood separating me from the werewolf standing in the moonlight.

  What the hell? Life was a joke these days anyway. I shoved the bar of wood up and pulled the door inward.

  A fully-furred Shifter filled the doorframe, staring at me. Absolutely nude save for his dark burly coat and enormous erection.

  "Jackal?"

  He gurgled a growl and moved faster than lightning.

  The wall stopped my shoulders where he pinned me against the hard gnawing surface. He stared me in the eye with those yellow eyes.

  Forget compassion. Intent glinted in those golden orbs.

  The door slapped shut with a clap.

  At least nobody would witness my end. What was next? "Jackal?"

  He roared.

  Chapter Eleven

  Sierra dared not breathe or utter another word with the massive werewolf's pointed teeth hovering inches from her face. The beast had to be Jackal. Or he would have already taken what he wanted. Savagely. If I didn't act fast, no telling what he might do. That wolf-like muzzle had some wicked teeth I just didn't want ripping into me. I lifted a hand to drape his shoulder and petted down his arm. "It's alright, baby. Let me help you calm down."

  He gurgled off a crackling snarl, sliding his gaze to my palm and back to me.

  "It's alright. I'm right here." I pressed the back of my hand to his cheek and rubbed thick wiry fur.

  He shoved me a fraction of an inch deeper into the hard wall and buried his muzzle against my neck to lick my skin with intoxicating friction.

  Way too nice.

  Need shivered through me.

  My nipples pearled as I squirmed against the amazing texture of his bristly fur.

  Only a fool would encourage a Shifter in Wolfskin to take what he wanted. But the man was too damned keyed up to think clearly enough to put me down. I'd have to suck him off to get him to relax. "Put me down, baby. Let me have your cock."

  He practically purred, letting me slide down to lodge upon his bent thigh where his enormous iron erection jabbed into my belly.

  If he'd wanted me to carry through on my promise, he wouldn't have held me against the wall though. What was he up to?

  He grabbed my shirt with both somewhat-human paws and ripped it down the front with an abrupt jerk.

  Clothes aren't cheap. "Jackal!"

  A shadow danced in his dark luminous eyes.

  He hauled me up by the armpits and tossed me on the soft bouncing bed where he ripped off my pants the same way he removed my shirt.

  "Dammit, Jackal! It's not easy finding clothes that fit."

  He dropped his palms besides my shoulders, leaned down until his black nose almost touched mine, close enough I could count individual hairs on his cheeks, and roared.

  My ears rang.

  Gods. And rang. "Alright. Alright." I tried to shove his hairy immobile chest off of me.

  He just snorted hot air in my face.

  Okay, I'm being punished. I closed my eyes. "I understand. You're in charge."

  He sucked down a few more breaths and exhaled on my cheek, then his bristly leg kneed my thighs apart.

  Fine. He could calm himself down fucking me if he wanted. But I did offer to do my share to reverse his condition.

  He ignored all but my body, planting the sharp edge of his teeth against my jugular, rubbing the head of his cock along my nether folds until locking it into the mouth of my sex.

  My inner channel clenched.

  With anticipation.

  He nibbled at my neck, then sucked my skin for so long I tingled all over with a rash of gooseflesh while his hand-paws curled around my breasts only to rake his rough claws across my nipples.

  Every cell in my body quivered.

  Gods-be-damned! I squirmed against his unyielding wiry fur. It was everywhere. Scraping and brushing me into a frenzy of wild need.

  He growled a low sound embedded deep within his chest.

  My heart liquefied, gushing, seeping toward his massive erection.

  Now.

  I wanted him inside me now.

  But dared not move my arms.

  He was right on my jugular. A dangerously powerful position with his razor-sharp canines. Why was he torturing me? "Please, Jackal," I whined for a pity angle.

  He thrust his engorged rod inside my slick channel and groaned, shoving his hard shaft in and out, wedging me open, all the blessed way to his rock-hard balls.

  I gasped for breath.

  His cock was so much larger after the shift. And rough. Massaging. Something made it different. Incredible. I wanted to wrap my legs around his pumping hips. Would he allow me to? I snaked my feet up his thighs.

  He jerked his leathery black nose to mine and flashed his teeth with a threatening growl.

  Okay. He's in charge. I dropped my legs back to the bedding.

  He pounded in and out of me, causing a strange marvelous raking sensation inside my core that defied all facets of normal sex shy of homemade ribbed condoms and over-sized sex toys. I just had to lie back, grip the headboard, and try not to scream too loudly as one wave of an orgasm after another shook me.

  He suddenly stopped, withdrew, rose, heaved my grip free of the headboard, tossed me over onto my knees to hike my ass up into the air, and thrust that astounding hard-on inside me.

  To plug me up again. And again. I braced myself against the amazing sensation of Wolf cock rubbing me senseless with another grip on the headboard.

  Nothing could have prepared me for the next wave of friction driven by the concentric ridges of his erection. Beyond rapturous couldn't define the sensation. He was mine. All mine. And I didn't want him to stop. But conveying that when incapable of doing anything but screaming is kind of tough.

  The door burst open.

  "Jackal!" Tornado yelled.

  Jackal roared, popped his thick hard-on from my body, and turned to face Tornado.

  "Enough!" Tornado yelled. "You'll kill your mate if you don't stop."

  Kill me? With what? Astonishing sex? But I was too damned winded to tell off the yet-again annoying clan leader. I just sank my face into the bedding and gasped for breath.

  Jackal leapt toward the intruder.

  Tornado ducked out the doorway. "Lock the door, Sierra," he shouted.

  Jackal pursued him.

  Like I could even get off the bed. And Tornado saw my nude ass. My body! The whole package. And I was supposed to do as instructed? Right. Men. I managed to flop my exhausted aching body over onto my side.

  Jackal probably wasn't returning to finish the job.

  Maybe I would die.

  And the Gods know I couldn't even lift my head off the bed. Who cared? Life would never be the same after sex with my werewolf.

  Movement blurred in the shadows at the doorway.

  Not another male. "Shit, go away."

  The door slapped shut. "It's me," Sue said. The sound of the two by four locking into place noted Sue was following Tornado's orders. "You okay, honey?" She hustled toward me.

  "I would be better." If Jackal had finished with me.

  Sue plopped down on the mattress. "Oh my. You can't move. Can you?"

  "Like I'd lie around with my bare ass pointed at my open door for the hell of it. He's worked off every ounce of energy I had."

  "You sleep it off. At least try to heal while asleep."

  I wouldn't be cured until Jackal returned and finished me off while strummi
ng a tune inside me as he bathed my soul with his seed. "What's Tornado doing with my mate?"

  "Making certain he leaves you alone until he comes down from his euphoria."

  Oh that wouldn't be happening without me on the other end of his erection.

  "Don't worry, honey. Tornado won't let Jackal hurt you."

  * * * *

  By the time the sun climbed halfway to midday, I began to fear my mate was dead while playing a round of solitaire at the table in his lodge. Why would Tornado have killed Jackal? Why not? He could torture me in the process too. And the Gods know Tornado loves to torture me. I turned over three cards and found nothing fit with any of the series of cards I had piled on the table.

  A knock rattled at the door.

  Sue had left a while ago. Apparently, there was no peace for me today. I rose to move the lock and pull the door inward.

  Keezia's blank milky stare found my gaze.

  Not today. I shut the door.

  "If you would speak with me, Sierra, I have much to say."

  Like I trusted her. She's only here because she knows Tornado has done something with Jackal. "I can't talk today. I'm waiting for Tornado." That wasn't really a lie.

  The old priestess' thump thump faded away.

  I reclaimed my seat and turned three more cards up.

  A rattling clatter pounded at my door.

  "Go away, Keezia." The old bat.

  "It's Tornado, Sierra."

  * * * *

  Jackal stood in Tornado's meeting lodge, waiting for Tornado to decide what to do about his loss of control in the euphoria. Demon, Badger, and Steel stood in the shadows. Why just them? Shouldn't the entire clan witness my failure? And why weren't they concerned about who in the hell opened the Gods-be-damned gate last night?

  Sierra was alright. Had to be. That's what was important. But how could I have jeopardized her life? I needed Sierra. My kitten. A future without her didn't exist. She was my sanctuary in the alien-induced insanity of life. My mate. My entire world.

  Was my torment a sign of love then? Or the lust of bonding caused by the marking? Since I didn't have a hard-on, love had to be the answer. And if I found the one thing I feared possessing the most, why had I hurt her? Or frightened her?

  Shit. I didn't deserve a mate if I had terrified her.

  Tornado was damned-sure right to keep her away from me. But I couldn't recall a thing that happened before waking this midmorning. I'd heard the attack last night, gone outside, shifted, and awoke tied down in Tornado's lodge. From what Tornado had reported, I lost it and practically fucked my mate in two. But he told me an angered Wolf recalled nothing. I shouldn't have gotten angry. I should have remained in control. I should have been stronger.

  I didn't deserve a mate.

  The door shoved open allowing bright light to shaft through the dark round room with closed windows. Movement set the beam of light fluttering. Tornado entered the space and crossed toward where he stood to deal with village issues. More movement followed in his wake.

  The bright light birthed a slim curvaceous female.

  My mate.

  Her pale-blue omniscient gaze found mine.

  But revealed nothing. Why when she obviously knew what I'd done?

  She approached and halted two steps from me, flicking a stern gaze from mine to Tornado, ultimately focusing on him. She dragged Black Betty along, slung over her shoulder. And wore both pistols at her hips.

  I'd plant a bullet between my eyes if I were her. Spare her from being hurt by me again.

  "Alright," Tornado began, "we've come here to decide what to do about your mating."

  Tornado wasn't taking my kitten away.

  I could control myself.

  Fuck. What had I done last night? I studied the delicate detail of her silhouette.

  She wouldn't look at me.

  Had I done what Tornado said?

  "Sierra, your safety rests in my hands. And maybe I was a little hasty to make you choose a mate upon your arrival. But my policy has always worked in the past."

  "What do you mean?" she blurted. "How dare you think you can make choices for me! I'm not a child. I've lived most of my life with a clan leader who taught me to make choices. I don't know what you deal with here at Death Summit, but I don't need you to continually interfere with my life."

  Tornado's gaze pinched. He nodded slowly and slid his gaze to mine. "I waste my breath confronting you, Jackal. Just answer the question. How do you explain losing control last night?"

  Sierra turned her soul-piercing gaze to me.

  Thanks for the moral support, boss. "You know I don't remember."

  Her brow furrowed and her eyes rounded as if she struggled with understanding, not wanting to hear more.

  "We can't allow you to injure a female," Tornado droned.

  She snapped her nose toward Tornado. "He didn't hurt me."

  Tornado snorted. "And females are known to lie for their men."

  She fisted her hands at her sides. "How dare you, you bastard! I've beaten off males your size. I can put a bullet between your eyes at three hundred meters if you're standing still, and I don't feel like trying to slit your throat. So, don't patronize me, asshole. My sire was The Black. And if he were here, he'd have me prove I could take care of you."

  Tornado's eyebrows arched. "I just might have you try when I'm bored." He studied both her and I. "But I'm trying to decide if I need to give Jackal another chance or keep you under my protection."

  "For yourself?" she hissed. "Think again, genius. Because you have to sleep sometime."

  Tornado chuckled a few times and riveted a tolerant stare on my mate.

  My mate. My gods-be-damned Sierra. The bastard. I stepped into his line of vision.

  "I warned you to stand near the wall and not move, Jackal. Am I to believe you can no longer take orders in human form because of your mating?"

  "I told you he didn't hurt me." Sierra shoved past my elbow and planted both of her boots wide like her shoulders between Tornado and I. "I don't lie, asshole. If he'd hurt me, I'd have defended myself." She whirled to me, inches away, and stared up into my eyes. "It's alright, Jackal. You didn't hurt me. He's lost his mind."

  Dare I believe her? Would she lie to save herself for whatever reason? For me? Hell, if she felt the same way I did… If she loved me, I'd never be able to get off my knees again.

  She reached out and slowly snaked her arms around my waist. "Jackal?" She pressed her curves into my chest and rose on her tiptoes.

  To my ear. I leaned down to help her reach the ear.

  She wound a hand around my neck and pulled my ear against the velvet of her mouth. "You couldn't have hurt me," she whispered. "It was the most incredible feeling I've ever experienced."

  She liked having sex with my Wolf?

  The world almost spun.

  Gods, if I could just kiss her. Tell her how I felt. But Tornado watched us. And the others. I pulled her lower back until her body pressed against mine so I could hold her more carefully. Protect her from their stares.

  "What do you think, boys?" Tornado began. "Do you see two bound mates desperate enough to be together to defy their clan head? Or two fools?"

  "They're at least in lust," Badger replied.

  "I'm thinking love," Demon said.

  "You always had a soft spot for romance," Steel accused.

  She ignored them and clutched my neck tightly. "Make them stop."

  I chuckled myself. "I can't, Kitten. Tornado's family is all fucked up."

  "Hey, speak for yourself," Badger snapped.

  I planted a kiss on Sierra's cheek. "I don't know what happened, Kitten. But I swear I'll never hurt you."

  She leaned her head back to look me in the eye. "I know. Especially after last night. I learned my lesson. I won't push your buttons again. Well, for the wrong reasons." She winked.

  "Spare us. Go home." Tornado waved us off.

  * * * *

  Within minutes, we were back
behind our closed door. Safe. Sierra smiled to herself. Maybe. I'd know soon enough what was on my mate's mind.

  Jackal seated me in my chair next to the cards where I'd left them stacked in the solitaire game I'd been playing.

  He just wore camouflage pants.

  No boots or shirt. Tornado must not have seen clothing Jackal from head to toe as a priority. Like the clan leader just wanted to dress Jackal to ream his tail. But had Tornado really been angry with Jackal? I wasn't about to put it past Tornado to have instigated the entire meeting between Jackal and I simply to feel out our emotions as he'd done.

  Jackal dropped on bent knee, between my thighs. "Tell me," he said with the help of a heart-melting compassionate gaze. He placed a palm against my cheek. "What did I do?" His thumb softly brushed across my lips. "Don't lie. How did it happen and what happened?"

  My heart would never stop fluttering if he didn't withhold his touch until we'd spoken. And taking responsibility for setting off his tirade would be the mature thing to do. "It was my fault. I should have listened to you. Instead, I got it in my head that I could stop the Bounders. And I went out shooting. You told me to stay here. Lock the door. You get the picture." Even though I left out the part I feared losing him and being mated off to another Shifter male.

  "How bad did things get when you were shooting?" He caressed my cheek with short movements of his fingertips.

  And he was giving me all the credit for my poor choice. Talk about generous. I'd caused whatever set off his Wolf after I left our lodge though. His anger. Or rush of adrenaline to protect me. Whatever had pushed him up to the level of uncontrollable. I shook my head. "I just picked the Bounders off quickly. Then everyone stood around staring at me. Including you."

  He nodded in understanding, his gaze clouded in deep thought. "I really can't remember." He sighed. "Did I throw you around? Do you have any bruises?" He leaned his head, sliding his hand down to my pulse to study my neck. "Did I bite you?"

  "No. Nothing is sore. Well, maybe just a little where you rammed that big-ass erection." Gods, let's do that again.

  His head stilled as he tenderly studied my gaze. "Kitten?"

  If only he would kiss me. "I mean it. When Tornado burst in here and got you to chase him, I was feeling really good. He's a moron. Like I'm going to get you to shape shift again and abuse me to all ends and back after he chewed your ass out. And I'm sorry. But I wasn't going to announce that to your relatives back during Tornado's little interrogation."