by Celia Kyle
His long black hair still curled at the ends even if it looked wild and wind-blown. His brown eyes blazed, transitioning between the chocolate hue and the gold of his tiger. His chest heaved as he fought for breath, expanding and contracting, drawing her eyes to their breadth. She’d touched him there, stroked his pecs, and slid her fingers down his carved abdomen and farther to the rest of him. To his hardness, the proof of his desire for her.
Her. Zoe Reynolds. She still wasn’t sure what she’d done to catch this man’s eye, but she had, and then they’d enjoyed two weeks of passion, laughs, and… what she’d thought were the beginnings of love.
She hadn’t realized her work-provided cell phone was accessible by the newspaper she wrote for. She wasn’t sure why the thought never occurred to her, but it hadn’t, and here they were.
“Ares.” She swallowed hard, stomach fluttering with a sudden bout of nerves. She’d sorta thought she’d control the timing of their reunion, and she so wasn’t prepped for this moment. “Hi.”
“Who do you love?” he rasped, a growl filling the words.
A growl. Because he was a tiger. Right.
“I…” Zoe furrowed her brows. “Huh?”
“Who…” he bent at his waist and placed one hand on the bed to her right, looming above her, “do you love?”
Not a question she’d expected. Maybe, ‘what are you doing here?’ Or, ‘are you an idiot?’ Those answers she could provide. This though? Huh? “I don’t understand.”
“The question is a simple one, Zoe.”
He lowered farther and then some, slowly easing atop her until she was held captive by his presence. She instinctively spread her thighs, giving him space to get even closer.
She knew he was angry, could see the fury in his expression, but she still remembered the feel of him. The sensations of his heavy weight pinning her and crowding her in a way she loved. She resisted the urge to arch her back and press her breasts into his chest, to soothe the sudden ache his nearness caused.
Zoe acknowledged he was angry, but her body didn’t care. She recalled the feel of him sliding in and out of her pussy, of his mouth on her breasts, his fingers stroking her skin and exploring her curves.
Ares had worshiped her lush form, taking all she had and giving as much as he stole. They worked in complementary rhythm, trading snippets of pleasure until they reached their peaks, both coming with a shout or deep moan.
Yes, she remembered all that.
Ares breathed deeply, caressing her hardened nipples with his chest, and released a deep rumble. A purr. He purred for her. Then his dick hardened, filling and pressing against her pussy. She heated, center warming and aching with growing need. She knew he was angry—might even hate her—but there was no denying the attraction.
“Zoe,” he whispered against her lips, his hips pressing his cock against her cloth-covered slit.
“Ares,” she couldn’t resist letting his name roll off her tongue.
He brushed his mouth across hers, a gentle caress. Once. Twice. On the third, he lingered, tongue coming out to flick and tease her until she opened for him. He slipped past her lips, stroking her with a gentle wave and she did the same, tasting him for what could be the last time. She’d take advantage of this moment, cataloging every sensation so she could remember it forever. He’d realize he hated her in a minute, but she had a few seconds so she took them.
Zoe kissed him with abandon, throwing every ounce of emotion—love—that she carried in heart into the connection. Their tongues tangled, tasting each other as their passion rose. Their kisses ranged from desperate need to simmering desire, increasing in urgency and then slowly ebbing to a gentle meeting of mouths.
But the rest of their bodies burned hot and desperate. Ares continued the rolling flex of his hips, caressing her with his hardness, stoking the flames of her need. Tingles enveloped her body, the first hints of pleasure overtaking her in ever-increasing waves of sensation.
Her pussy ached and pulsed, her center knowing exactly what she desired, even as her mind knew it was impossible. She wanted to be filled by him, stretched taut around his hardness. He’d slide in and out of her wet pussy, caressing her inner walls with his thick shaft, the head of his dick rubbing that delicious spot inside her that would force deep moans from her chest.
It’d be slow at first, a stoking of her desire that increased in speed and force as their mutual passion rose. It wouldn’t be long before careful thrusts turned into rough slams, their hips meeting in powerful slaps of skin on skin. They’d be sweating, bodies glistening as they fought to reach the ultimate pleasure. And then…
Ares wrenched his mouth from hers, but he didn’t retreat. No, his hips continued their mind-blowing movements. Zoe found herself matching his tempo, sliding her pussy along his length, meeting him thrust for thrust. Her body didn’t care there was cloth separating them. It knew pleasure, and it wanted more.
And now the incessant itching was gone.
Gone.
Because Ares had come to her.
God, what had he done to her?
She didn’t have a chance to worry about the results of their relationship. Not when he whispered against her lips, his voice so seductive she was ready to agree to anything he asked if he’d kiss her again.
“Who do you love?” he whispered.
She pried her eyes open, working past the overwhelming passion that clouded her mind. “Huh?”
Smooth, Zoe, real smooth.
“Who do you—”
Heavy pounding on the room’s door cut him off, and she didn’t miss the fury that crossed Ares’s features. It was more than annoyance. It was rage. At being interrupted? She’d never seen him like this. Then again, she hadn’t known he was a tiger either. Maybe he’d been pretending before, and this was the real him. The one whose eyes flashed yellow and orange and white fur peppered his cheeks when angry.
“Al…” the male on the other side of the door coughed. “Ares?”
Noah, the inn owner. She wondered if he was a tiger, too. Then again, she imagined many—if not all—of the town’s occupants were tigers. It’d make sense. A lot of wolves and bears had cities filled with their own kind. Her house was right next to Veronica’s in the great lakes area and that place teemed with wolves.
A growl rumbled past his lips, his mouth parting to release the sound. A bolt of fear speared her. Not for herself—she was beneath a snarling tiger, if he was gonna kill her, he was gonna kill her. No, her worry was for Noah and Emma and their unborn baby. Cub? Zoe had seen the little baby bump on the woman, and she’d congratulated Emma even while Emma glared at her.
Noah either didn’t hear Ares’s growl or ignored it all together because the man kept speaking. “Ares, I—”
More fur slid through Ares’s skin, and what should have scared her merely turned her on.
She never said she was normal. Besides, she couldn’t get too freaked out. Not when the pain and itchiness she’d experienced since leaving Wilden completely vanished with his nearness.
When she saw a hint of fang—weird—peek past Ares’s lips, she decided she’d step in. “Noah, now’s not the time.”
A rumble came from the other side of the door, Noah voicing his displeasure at her voice, and Ares answered with his own snarl. What was sexy—a six-foot plus, hunky man atop her—quickly turned scary as his anger rose.
“Noah. Leave us alone.” She didn’t care if she was ordering a tiger around. She was saving his life dammit.
“You—” Noah hissed. “Fine.”
Zoe expected a growl directed at her. Or some yelling. Or physical removal from town without having a chance to explain herself.
She got none of that. She did get Ares abandoning her, his weight suddenly gone as he popped from the bed. She thought she’d been left, that he’d stride from the room to go to Noah. Nope again. He snatched her hand and yanked her upright before dragging her from the room, remaining silent the entire time. She should have questioned him, asked him what
the hell he thought he was doing, but she didn’t want to break the spell that’d wrapped around them.
Not yet.
They thumped down the stairs, her hand still enveloped by Ares’s. Then they were delving through the inn, bypassing the common areas, and pushing through a swinging door which opened to the kitchen. That’s where they found both Noah and Emma sitting at a granite bar. Noah was the first to notice them, the male jumping to his feet and moving slightly in front of his wife. His mate?
“Alph— Ares, is there something you needed? I couldn’t ignore her…” Noah’s gaze flicked to her and immediately to the ground.
“Zoe,” Ares’s voice was a harsh rasp. “Do it again.”
“Huh?” she raised her eyebrows and met Ares’s gaze, ignoring the fact that Noah eased away from them as if he wanted to bolt from the room. She couldn’t blame the guy. Ares pissed off was damned scary. “Do what?”
“Noah, stand still. Don’t move.” Ares looked to her. “Give Noah an order.”
She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“Anything. Tell him to do anything.”
“Alpha…” Emma whispered, concern in her gaze, and she cupped the small bulge of her stomach.
Zoe rolled her eyes. “If this is some kind of weird tiger punishment, I don’t get it.”
“Just…” Ares gritted his teeth and glared at her.
“Fine,” she grumbled and stared at the couple. Poor Noah remained frozen in place—probably because of Ares’s order—and could only stare at his trembling wife. “Noah, comfort Emma already. It’s not healthy for her or the baby to be that scared.” At least she didn’t think so. Didn’t all the TV shows say that? Well, true or false, Noah actually listened to her and went to his mate’s side. He listened to her. Huh.
“If I hadn’t seen it for myself…” Ares whispered and shook his head as if to clear it before speaking again. “Have Zoe’s things packed up. I’m taking her with me. Are you two coming up tonight or are you staying here?”
Noah flicked his attention to Zoe and then settled on Ares. “We’re staying here. We won’t go outside and Emma’s comfortable here.”
“Have her stuff delivered tomorrow, then.” Ares ordered Noah before dragging Zoe out the door.
She tugged against his hold, digging her heels into the soft grass when he wouldn’t slow. “Delivered where? Did you forget you hate me? Because of what I did?” She sighed. “Well, I didn’t do anything exactly. That’s why I came to see you.” Ares ignored her. “Hey!” She yanked. “What’s going on?”
He stopped and slowly turned to face her. “I am taking you home.”
“Home?” She’d hoped they could talk about things before he kicked her out of town, but apparently not. She should have given him more time. They’d had a whirlwind two-week courtship, closely followed by a media frenzy. It’d only been four days since his world imploded.
Yes, she should have given him more time.
She gestured at the parking lot with her free hand. “My, uh, my car is over there.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m taking you home. To the den.”
Chapter Five
Ares refused to let her leave. Not when she’d returned to him. One look, one whisper of her love for another, one taste… he would not let her go.
And then she’d issued an order Noah could not deny.
She hadn’t been this way during the time they’d been together. That was something he would have remembered. Though she’d been pleasant, happy in his company, and he hadn’t exposed her to many of the pride members. Perhaps she’d always had a dominant personality that drew out his pride’s submissiveness. But a human with that strength? No, it couldn’t be.
“Ares, you can’t drag me to your den. You can’t issue orders and expect—”
He loved it when she argued with him. Instead of answering her, he lowered his head and pressed a fast, harsh kiss to her lips, immediately silencing her. “Yes, I can. I’m the alpha, and you’re in my town, baby. I can do whatever I want.”
He grinned, knowing how much his smirks affected her. He breathed deeply, drawing her scent into his lungs, and his cock reacted to the flavors. Even knowing she’d betrayed his pride, he wanted her. He’d held onto his anger as long as he could and then he’d seen her, heard her, watched her smile, and heard her laugh.
His fury still simmered in the background, but he and his cat were too preoccupied with tasting her again to worry over his rage. He’d get back to being angry at some point. Right now, he had her hand in his and that was enough.
“You’re the,” she swallowed hard, “alpha?”
“Yes.” He pulled her closer, needing her scent on him. Even more, he needed his scent on her.
He nuzzled her neck, scraping his fangs along the column of her throat and smiling when she shuddered. Not in fear, but continued arousal. The flavors of her need, the musky aroma of her cream, enveloped them and he breathed deeply. The strawberries and cream, mixed with the scents of forest and moonlight, called to him. His cat purred at the descriptions, accepting his human thoughts as truth.
“I thought that maybe you… But…”
“I’m the alpha. And you’re…” He swallowed the last word. Mine, he wanted to say. The cat roared its agreement. It wanted to take and claim Zoe despite the trouble and anguish she’d caused. The problems he faced, the chaos of his life, could be laid at her feet.
Yet he didn’t care.
His body rippled, a gentle wave that slid from his head to toes. His skin tingled, tightening and stinging, telling him what lurked near. As much as he’d love to stand in the inn’s yard and cover her in his scent, they had to get moving. It wasn’t a short walk back to the den.
He pulled away, swallowing his tiger’s whimper at the distance. But Zoe didn’t have that level of control. She did whimper at the loss. She whined, too, and that gratified his animal. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. Problems aside, there was no lying when it came to their bodies. Their heads just had to catch up with what their hearts desired.
Hearts desired?
Dammit.
Ares tilted his head back and stared at the sky, combining the level of the waning light with the incessant tug on his flesh. “C’mon, the moon is near.”
Way too near. It’d be at its strongest at midnight, but his weakest tigers would begin their shifts at sunset. He needed to get home, to focus on organizing the run and protecting his pride.
“But…”
Ares released her hand and cupped her cheeks, making sure her attention was on him. “We have a lot of things to talk about, but right now I have to focus on the pride. The humans out there…”
Zoe winced. “I understand, but you could leave me here.”
“No.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond, not when she’d ask questions he couldn’t answer. Not because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn’t. He didn’t have the answers.
She stayed silent when he turned back to the forest and pulled her between the trees. The walk wouldn’t take long, a straight shot through the forest that would have taken at least thirty minutes of back road driving. It was what he liked about his mountain home. No matter who approached, there was always plenty of notice and even more time to gather everyone if needed. Humans didn’t know the forest, and when it came to facing shifters, they preferred coming in their cars.
Lazy humans. He admitted there were plenty who weren’t, but the super crazy shifter hunters tended to have a screw or two loose.
Or ten.
“Ares…” She pulled against him, but they didn’t have time to have an argument.
The moon was coming and it waited for no shifter.
He glanced over his shoulder. “We’re almost there.”
“Do you think taking me to the den is smart?”
“No, but I’ll protect you.”
Zoe squeaked. “I’ll need protection?”
He wanted to be able to say “of course
not,” but he had to be honest. She needed protection from some of his more… zealous tigers. His local pride was made up of the strongest felines on the continent, but there was a reason he surrounded himself with the best. The others were some of the weakest. Whether it was because they were more submissive than others or their shifts were on a hair trigger along with their anger, those men and women needed his support.
So, instead of answering, he kept his mouth shut and they continued their trek.
At least, until a woman came out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground, tearing Zoe’s hand from his grip as he tumbled.
Him.
Ares Jones, National Tiger Alpha.
Him.
“I’ve got you! Where’s your tail!” The female screeched, her hands crawling all over him as she yanked on his jeans. Her scent filled his nose as her words finally filtered through his mind. At the same time, his tiger processed the syllables.
His human half didn’t like being manhandled, but his tiger… Well, it liked the situation even less. Female or not, she’d attacked him, jumping atop him like a cat searching for vulnerable flesh. That’s how his tiger filtered the events. An attack. A woman who wanted to tug his tail. A woman challenging for a position that truly belonged to his mate.
His mate Zoe.
Of all the times to realize the truth.
The stranger pulled even harder, attempting to roll him to his stomach, and the tiger had enough. It was done playing nice, pretending he was a human who incidentally had a tiger within his skin.
The description was so far from the truth.
He was a tiger who donned human flesh. He was an animal playing human. He was a beast from nose to hidden tail.
“Where is it?” she shouted.
Enough.
With a booming snarl, he threw her from his body in one smooth move. He went from lying half on his stomach to upright in a single breath, the female flying through the air until she finally tumbled to the ground in a grunting, rolling heap. She didn’t stop until her back struck a tree, and she lifted her head, shaking it and blinking at him with wide eyes.
“Hey, you can’t do that.”
