by Ally Summers
Case didn’t need to know what delayed me. One more night wasn’t going to hurt my quest. I’d still take my mate. But I wanted Penny. After one night under her roof, I’d never wanted anyone more.
There was a part of me that wanted to ball up the piece of paper Case had handed me and throw it in the trash bin near a pan of oil. But that list came from the council, and despite the raging hormones I was feeling now, my jaguar knew better than to defy the King or the council.
It wasn’t a good idea to make an enemy out of either one of them.
“Can I help you?” I man in dirty coveralls walked up to me, wiping the grease from his hands.
“Yeah. I ran out of gas a few miles back.” I pointed to the road leading up the mountain. “And I have a dead battery. Hoping you can help me out with both.”
He scratched the back of his head. “Reckon so. I’ve got both of those.” I was waiting for him to crack a smile.
“All right.” I waited for him to take the lead.
“But it’s going to be about an hour. There’s someone ahead of you.”
“I’ll wait.”
I pulled out my phone and sat on the wooden bench outside of the station. It didn’t feel as cold today. Most of the snow had melted and the ice patches were melting in the sunny spots.
It was time to check in with my counter part. “Hey man.”
“Hey, how’s it going. Find her yet?” Josh sounded like he was in a good mood.
The fact that we had started out at the same time and neither of us had found our mates yet, made it feel like this is how the search was supposed to go. We were in it together.
“No. She’s slightly elusive, but I guess that’s what’s supposed to make the hunt fun, right?”
“Oh yeah. It’s going to be worth every second we spent looking once we find them.”
“So, where are you now?” I asked.
“Southern part of Georgia. I’m rolling into her town right now.”
Part of me felt competitive. I didn’t want Josh to find his mate before I did. I knew Case would hold it against me, as if I had failed somehow. That wasn’t going to happen. My girl was just proving to be more difficult to find.
“I guess your hunt is about to be over.” I wondered what it would feel like when I saw her. Would it be like it was when I held Penny in my arms? Would it feel like it did when I crushed my lips against hers? Would she purr like Penny did? I shook my head. What the fuck was I thinking?
“With any luck. I’ve been driving for two weeks.”
“Me too. I’m broken down right now, but I’m close.”
“What did the King say?”
I rolled my eyes. I hated when Josh asked about Case. “He’s cool with it. He’s got his own quest. The rest of the Tribe made it into Sullen’s Grove last night.”
“Hard to believe there are four panthers in one place hanging out.”
I watched the cars roll lazily past the station. No one was in a hurry in this place. “Well, there’s a rumor they’ve gathered there together. Some kind of rebellion.”
Josh laughed. “I know Case will handle it.”
“Yeah, he’ll handle it. He always does.” I didn’t want to get into shifter politics anymore than I had to. That’s why I was a prince and not a king. I left the problems to my brother.
“Good luck, Josh.”
“Same to you. Keep me posted?”
“Sure.” I hung up and waited on the bench. I had this funny feeling that an hour didn’t really mean an hour in this town.
10
Francesca
“So do you think we should change the second half of the paper to focus on the setting as the major theme or should we leave the extra section on character development?” Alexa asked.
“Huh?” I stared at her blankly. I heard the words coming out of her mouth, but I couldn’t focus.
“What is going on with you?” She slammed the book shut.
“Nothing. Sorry. I’m just distracted.”
“Distracted?”
I nodded. “Yeah, just distracted. Ask me again.”
She twisted her lips together. “The last time I saw you act like this was when Derek Sampson asked you to the Holly Ball. So, if it’s about a guy you better tell me.”
Alexa was the closest thing I had to a friend in Mill Valley. She was my friend, but I also felt dishonest in our relationship. There was a part of me she would never know about—never understand. It was enough to create a wedge between us that only I knew existed.
“I can’t get caught up in a guy during finals week.”
“Doesn’t mean it can’t happen, though.” She raised an eyebrow at me.
I looked around at the other students. They were too worried about studying to care about my boy drama.
“I met someone.”
Her eyes lit up. “Really? Here? At the end of the semester?”
“He’s not from here.”
“I guess that makes sense. We know everyone in the senior class.” Mill Valley University was a small school. The perks were academic, not love-life related.
I whispered across the study table. “We met last night. He was out of gas and he needed a ride.”
“You picked up a hitchhiker?” Alexa covered her mouth.
“Keep your voice down.” I hushed her. “It’s not like that.”
“How do you know? He could be a serial killer or some kind of weirdo? You know nothing about him.”
I took a deep breath. This was a mistake. She didn’t know I could protect myself against someone like Drew, and she didn’t know how desperately I needed to talk to another cat shifter.
“He’s not a weirdo. If you met him, you’d know. You’d understand.”
“Then maybe I should meet him.” Her eyes perked up.
“He’s getting his car fixed and then he’s leaving.”
She frowned. “Maybe when he comes back into town then?”
“Maybe.”
I realized he could already be gone. There was nothing to say he hadn’t fixed his truck and left Mill Valley. There was nothing holding him here. Certainly, not me.
“Let’s just get back to the paper.” I looked at my copy.
“You know you can talk to me anytime, Francesca. Anytime.”
“Thanks.” I smiled. “I appreciate it. But right now our paper is way more desperate than I am.”
We shared a quick giggle and got back to work.
I was nervous. Nervous his truck wouldn’t be sitting in my driveway when I got home. Nervous he didn’t think I was worth helping. Nervous he flirted for no reason. As I rounded the last bush past the mailbox, my stomach leapt and then flipped. His truck was there and he was sitting on my porch.
I sighed and then flashed him a smile. He hadn’t left.
“Still here?” I teased.
“I told you I wouldn’t leave.” He stood to greet me. The air instantly changed when I stepped within inches of him. There was electricity and fire. My skin was drawn to him. My blood started pumping faster and my heart beat erratically. What was happening?
I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself. Trying to stop the thumping in my head.
“Good day?” he asked, but his eyes were on my lips. They felt heavy and plump, ready to be kissed. Ready to be devoured.
I nodded, unable to speak. I tipped slightly closer and the distance in between us charged with heat. It was unbearable and I was tired of resisting it. I threw my arms around his neck as his mouth crashed over mine.
I felt like I was drowning in the kiss. Drowning in his arms as he kissed me breathless. I wanted to climb him and crawl him. I wanted to live in his skin and invite him in mine. I tasted and sucked at his mouth, thirsty for everything he had.
“Inside,” I whispered. “Inside.” It was almost an order as the growl surfaced in my throat.
He dragged me through the doors. His hands in my hair while we fumbled with our shirts. I shouldn’t’ be doing this, but I couldn’t stop.
There was an undeniable pull to him that my panther wasn’t going to push away.
He kissed the side of my neck and licked my throat. I threw my shirt on the floor. His eyes glowed green as he licked his lips. I pushed his head toward my breast, feeling the beast within me come to life. He pushed my bra off my shoulders and with a quick snap, the clasp was broken and on the floor.
“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” He lifted my breast in his hand, rolling my nipple between his fingers before sucking it into his mouth. My head reeled back, slamming against the front door.
My hips rocked uncontrollably as he sucked hard on one side and then the other. Every time he touched me I felt heat and fire. As if our skin would melt together from the friction. The flames flickered hotter the more kisses, the more skin, the more growls.
“This is insane,” I whispered.
“It is.” He pushed the jeans off my hips, until I was standing in front of him in my black lace panties.
I worked quickly on his belt buckle, and shoved the jeans off his legs. I could see the strain of his cock against his boxer briefs. I licked my lips, wanting it, needing it.
He wound his strong arms around my bare back and I sank into his chest, feeling the hard points of my nipples brush up and down his chest. He kissed me with delicious intensity. His tongue dipping in and out of my mouth before bowing to flick over one of my nipples. I writhed in his arms, barely able to stand, when he picked me up, draping my legs over his forearms.
It was only a few steps to the bedroom, but during that short walk down the hall I thought about what I was doing. I thought about why I couldn’t stop myself. I thought about him leaving in the morning. And I realized if Drew left and I didn’t experience this with him, I’d always regret it. I needed this as much as he did.
He laid me on the bed, his eyes scanning my body. He crawled on top of me kissing my hip, nipping at my navel.
“Penny, I want you. I fucking want you.” He shook his head, growling deeply.
“Oh God.” His fingers dipped between my legs and began to work the last piece of fabric separating my body from his. As soon as I kicked the lace off my ankles, he dove between my legs. I bucked at his tongue. I purred as it swirled and twisted in a glorious path.
“Penny,” he growled.
I clawed at the top of his shoulders. My orgasm was building to epic proportions, but I couldn’t take the lie. I wanted to hear my name on his lips. Especially when those lips were between my legs.
My body started to vibrate and shake as he pulsed in and out of me, kissing and sucking my nub.
My head rocked back and forth as I arched toward him, giving him my center. Clenching around his tongue. Showing him how powerful he made my orgasm. I screamed as it ripped through me, exploding from my center then rippling down my thighs and to my toes.
Drew kissed my inner thigh, sucking as I rocked and bucked at the sensations taking over my body. The soothing feeling settled in my limbs and then quickly turned to fire. I wanted more. I wanted him…every damn part of him.
He grinned, happy with what he accomplished. His lips moved up to my stomach to my breasts.
“There are so many things I want to tell you.” He stroked the top of my head.
“Me too.” I reached for the waistband on his boxer briefs and shoved them over his knees and off his feet.
I sighed when I felt his erection between my legs. He leaned down to the floor and grabbed something from his jeans pocket. I thought I heard the sound of a foil packet rip.
“Wait, Drew. I need to tell you something before we…before.”
He kissed me slowly. “What is it?”
“My name.”
He laughed. “I think it’s cute. What about it?”
He kissed my throat and I could feel the pressure of his tongue make a straight line between my breasts.
“I didn’t know who you were last night. I was scared.”
He nipped along my ribs. “And you’re not now?” he taunted.
“Maybe I should be. But I want you to know my name. My real name.”
His forehead furrowed. He propped himself up on his palms. “What is it? What aren’t you telling me?”
“Francesca. My name is Francesca. I lied to you last night.”
“Holy shit.” Drew sat back on his heels.
“What? What’s wrong? I know it was wrong to lie, but I didn’t know if I could trust you. And if you’re going to say my name, I want to hear my real name.”
“Darlin’, you have no idea what you almost just did.” He looked serious and there was a hard line between his eyes.
“What? I don’t understand?” My body was heated to the core from his touch and his tongue. I knew revealing my name was a surprise, but I wanted to get back to what we were doing. I wanted him inside me. I wanted to feel what it was like when two shifters were together.
“I’ve been looking for you, Francesca.” His eyes hadn’t left mine.
“You have?” It didn’t sound like a pick up line. He was trying to tell me something.
He ran his hands through his black hair. “I can’t fucking believe this.” He sat on the edge of the bed.
“What? What’s wrong? What happened?” My hands touched his shoulders, almost searing to his skin.
He tilted his face. That beautiful, sexy, strong face. “Francesca, you’re my mate.”
11
Drew
Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. I didn’t know what she expected. Fuck, I didn’t know what to expect. But we almost ruined everything. Everything.
I picked up my jeans from the floor and stepped into them.
“What are you doing? What did I do?”
“Nothing, darlin’.” I kissed the top of her head. “But all of a sudden a lot of things make a lot of sense.”
She quickly wrapped a sheet around her naked body. “I’m glad it makes sense to you, because I feel like I’m completely in the dark. What is this mate stuff?”
I would have dressed her, but I had discarded her clothes somewhere near the front door.
“We need to talk.”
“You think?” Her eyes blazed.
“Yeah, but I can’t talk to you like this.” I pointed to her shoulder as the sheet fell, exposing her skin. Skin I had tasted and licked. God, she was everything I wanted her to be, and I had to get out of her bed and talk. I had to walk out of her bedroom and talk to her about our duty. About our responsibilities.
She looked embarrassed and angry. “None of this makes sense,” she growled. “Don’t walk out of this room.”
I stopped in the doorway. “I have to.” I couldn’t look at her again. If I did, I would pounce and I wouldn’t stop. And that couldn’t happen. There was an order to this. There were laws and we almost broke them.
“Drew,” she pleaded.
“I’ll meet you in the living room. I promise I’ll explain everything.” I shuffled down the hall in my bare feet and picked up my T-shirt off the couch. I pulled it over my head, remembering how she had torn it off of me. God, she was incredible. Sexy as hell. Unpredictable. Everything I wanted in a mate, and now I had to wait.
Francesca appeared a few minutes later. I could see where she had tried to dry tears on her cheeks.
“Hey, don’t be upset.” I wanted to pull her into my arms, but I wasn’t sure she’d let me.
“Don’t be upset? We were about to do something I’ve dreamed of doing. Something I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since last night. Something you have seduced me into since I let you in my car and you don’t want me to be upset? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Sit,” I ordered.
She glared at me before taking a seat.
“You are my mate, damn it.” I hadn’t meant to start off harsh. “I’ve been looking for you for weeks. But you’re hard to find, especially when your parents lied about you.”
“They did?” She looked devastated again. “You saw my parents?”
“Yes,” I a
dmitted. I looked at the floor, remembering what had revealed about her childhood. “It only made my hunt last longer.”
“Hunt? I’m not a wild animal.”
“Aren’t you?”
“No,” she snarled.
“Doesn’t matter. The council betrothed us from birth. The king sent me to find you before your birthday. Now that we’ve found each other we can start the ceremony. Get married, bond, the whole thing.”
“Married?”
I nodded. I had the ring somewhere, but I wasn’t expecting things to play out like this. I wasn’t supposed to meet my mate while my head was between her legs. The plan was fucked.
“We’re supposed to get married?”
“Yeah, that’s how it works. You become a Maddox. We add to the Maddox line and our families our joined.”
“But I don’t have a family.”
“You do, Francesca. And now that I know who you are, I can help you figure that part out.”
“Oh.” She looked blankly at the coffee table. “But married?”
“You seem hung up on that part.”
“And you’re not? We barely know each other.”
“You were getting ready to have sex with me.”
She glared. “Sex is not marriage.”
“Depends on how you do it.” He winked. “And when we do it, it will be both.”
“Oh God.” She doubled over. “I can’t listen to anymore of this.”
I rushed to her side. “Breathe, darlin’, breathe.”
“I can’t. This can’t be happening. We’re supposed to get married and bond? What is bond code for?” She searched my eyes. How did I end up with the one panther who didn’t know what her responsibility was to her line? I got the one who was a novice when it came to this stuff.
“Bonding is when we give each other ourselves. And hopefully, you give me a cub.”
“Shit.” Her eyes watered. “Cub? As in a baby? A baby shifter? Like you and me?”
“Yep.” I smiled widely. Just talking about it, made me want her more. But there was a process to this. If she had been anyone else. If she had been just a Penny, I could have taken her all night, but that’s not how the bonding rituals worked. First, we had to have a wedding.
