by Celia Kyle
With a snarl, she whirled to face him. “Don’t say that. Ever.” She bared her teeth to let him know she meant business. “You’re perfect. For me. For our future. For any cubs or pups we may have.” She didn’t give a damn which they ended up with as long as they had their father’s strength and her… Okay, she wasn’t sure about her positive qualities, but she definitely wanted kids who could persevere like him.
“There is no one better than you, Ryland Evans, and my family will feel the same.” She pressed her lips together, annoyance pumping through her body. “If you say different again, I’ll… do something horribad to you.”
His expression—serious and doubtful—slowly transformed to a sensual grin. One that had her heart rate picking up and pussy clenching. It was one of those panty-wetting grins that would make her need to change once more. If she didn’t know he wouldn’t follow through on the promise in that smile, she’d melt into a puddle at his feet.
But she did know, so all it did was annoy her.
“Quit it.” She gave him a narrow-eyed glare. “That’s not fair.”
He quirked his lips in a half-smile. That wasn’t fair either. “C’mon, baby. Let’s go to bed. Morning comes early.”
They’d just laid their heads down, night enclosing them and welcoming them with her dark embrace, when the first splinter of unease crept into her body. The tendril of worry and fear snaked through her blood, creeping along her veins until it filled her from head to toe. She had no explanation for the feeling, but it wouldn’t go away.
Hannah’s lioness reacted to the sudden tension, the continuous growl from her beast filling her mind. The sound rolled, shifting from growl to snarl and back again. Those threatening mumblings echoed around her, bringing her fully awake in an instant. Adrenaline slid into her, sending her heart racing while she sought the reason for her reaction.
She kept her body relaxed, but her beast remained ready, the animal lurking beneath the surface of her skin. It just waited to pounce. It waited to be needed and then she’d spring from the bed. She’d take on this new threat without missing a beat.
But she hadn’t realized Ryland, with his inner natures, was already awake and he squeezed her arm gently. Tension slipped from him to her, but on its heels came a wave of calm. He wasn’t worried by whatever woke them. He wasn’t concerned by the malevolent presence that crept nearer.
Malevolent. Yes, that’s what it was. Anger, fury, burned the air and filled her nose. The stench overrode all others, washing away the house’s natural aromas.
There was more there, though. More than stinging rage. More than hatred and disgust.
Beneath those scents came one other. One she should have expected yet never considered. And her disregard would get them both killed. She hadn’t thought he’d care, hadn’t thought he’d give a second consideration for her actions. But obviously, he objected. Greatly if his presence and emotions were any indication of his current state.
It seemed Jeremy Lachlan wasn’t taking her newfound happiness well. At all.
12
Hannah glanced at the bedside clock. Three in the morning and it took a good six hours to get to Deals Gap from his pride’s lands. He must have hopped in his car after speaking with Katie, his rage fueled by every passing mile and accumulating hour. He was well and truly pissed by the time he’d rolled into town, and it didn’t seem like the climb up the mountain had lessened that anger at all.
She closed her eyes and centered herself, allowing the cat to creep forward enough to scent the air. The A/C kicked on, bringing her more aromas from the house and beyond. There was no scent of Jeremy’s big assed diesel truck, but the stink of his fur did reach her. So, he must have left his vehicle at the base of the mountain and shifted to make his approach. Four legs instead of four wheels.
No matter. Ryland could take him.
And that’s what it’d come down to, really. The fury in the air told her more than human words ever could. Jeremy had violence—death—on his mind and his cat would be appeased with nothing less.
There was no doubt or uncertainty inside her. Ryland would succeed in his fight with the other lion. Her human mind and cat both had utter faith in her mate, the unwavering conviction he’d win in a battle between her ex-something and mate.
The snap of a twig reached her, followed by the crunch of leaves and then a low rumbling growl. Jeremy never was one to be careful during a hunt. He was always too ambitious, too anxious, to be careful.
She rolled over, meeting her mate’s gaze, and she was thankful for the moon’s glow that allowed her to see him with her cat’s vision. She mouthed the single word. “Jeremy.”
Ryland quirked a brow as if to say “you think?”
Annoying bastard.
He placed a single finger against his lips, telling her to remain silent.
It was her turn to quirk a brow. “You think?”
When he glared at her, she had the overwhelming urge to stick her tongue out. But that would be bad because they were in a serious situation, right? She should be nervous or concerned. Should she be trembling in a corner? She wasn’t sure and she didn’t think she could even feign those feelings. Not when her faith in Ryland remained strong and sure. He’d go kick Jeremy’s ass back to his pride and then they’d live happily ever after.
Ryland carefully brushed the blankets aside and slipped from the bed, feet silent on the carpet. He padded to the bedroom door and Hannah refused to be left behind. She was just as quiet in his wake, softly touching him when they came to a board that always creaked and then a stair that always groaned when stepped on. Her lioness’ ears picked up Jeremy’s low rumbles and growls, the cat readily assisting her. The animal hated having Jeremy here just as much as Hannah’s human half. The man just did not know how to lose gracefully.
They reached the base of the stairs and a shadow at the front of the house drew her attention. Jeremy had climbed the porch steps and now paced the deck, his bulk blocking light with each pass across the massive front window. His nails dug into the newly refinished wood, no doubt gouging the surface with his claws. If Ryland didn’t kill the male, Carter would.
Kill Jeremy?
No. Ryland couldn’t… He would just subdue…
But there was no mistaking her ex’s fury, anger, and resentment. He’d spent six hours driving here and still those emotions clouded him.
Deadly nails scraped the house’s siding, the scratch of claws on wood grating the air, and Hannah flinched with the sound. Jeremy wasn’t trying to be quiet now. Nope, he wanted their attention.
Based on the ripple of silver fur gracing Ryland’s arms, her ex would get exactly what he desired. Her mate tugged on his shirt and then pushed his pants past his hips, stripping with hardly any effort. His transition was smooth and seamless—completed before she had a moment to think. It was quicker than what he’d shown her earlier, the shift making hardly a single sound as he adopted his new shape.
Jeremy’s path was predictable, the rhythmic pacing from one side of the porch to the other falling into a steady cadence. Her ex traveled left, then right, and le—
Ryland took the next three steps in flying leaps and then he crashed through the front window with an echoing roar. His silver body sliced the air and landed atop Jeremy, their momentum taking them through the wooden railing to crash onto the grass below.
His bellow continued to vibrate the air even though he’d vanished from sight. The sound shook her from inside out, his fury palpable. Almost like a living, writhing mass that consumed the air around her.
Hannah didn’t wait to see who’d rise from the tangle of feline bodies. No, she dashed to the front door, unlocking it quickly before throwing it wide. Ryland may want her to get to safety, but she refused to leave him.
The two lions rolled across the front yard, gold and silver twined together while splatters of bright red marred their fur. Jaws snapped and bit, searching out their opponent’s flesh in an effort to destroy. Ryland flexed his cla
ws, nails sinking into Jeremy’s fur, skin, and flesh until another wave of red bubbled from the wounds.
Jeremy brought his back legs up and managed to wedge them between his and Ryland’s bodies. No. No. That couldn’t happen. One heave and Jeremy would gut her mate. Hannah wrenched at her clothes, fighting the fabric while she called the cat forward. It leapt at the chance to be free. Fur rippled over her skin, covering her exposed flesh in a thin layer of pale gold. Her gums ached, fangs pressing hard as they fought free. Her fingers twitched and throbbed as lion’s nails attempted to burst forward.
Two against one wasn’t an honorable fight, but she wasn’t going to worry about honor. Honor wouldn’t keep her warm at night.
She dropped to her knees, the transition fully upon her now, racing forward in an ever-increasing rush. Jeremy flexed his back legs, tightening muscles in preparation for his disabling strike. No, it couldn’t happen. No. No. No.
Ryland dug his fangs into his opponent’s foreleg, sinking so deep she could have sworn she heard a bone snap. Good. He had to get the upper hand on this guy. More blood flowed, staining the grass a deep maroon. The moon’s light glinted off the puddles, showing her the path their battle took. Another snap, another bite, Jeremy’s teeth finding purchase in Ryland’s shoulder. Her mate snarled and hissed with the injury before returning the attack.
Hannah’s cat finally completed her transition, the beast settling into place with a final shudder and shake. Her claws sank into the soft earth, dirt beneath the pads of her feet. Nature—the goddess—welcomed her home. And now, she had to help destroy one of nature’s secrets. A twinge of regret suffused her. The Lachlans and Buchanans had been friends of a sort before this incident, but she imagined any attempt at reconciliation was doomed.
She hissed and stalked forward, muscles bunched and ready to spring into action. She would take Jeremy down—eliminate him as a threat.
Her hiss grabbed Jeremy’s attention just long enough for Ryland to react. Her mate quickly flipped their positioning and then jumped aside, putting space between him and Jeremy. Now the two stalked each other while Hannah kept pace with Ryland. The last thing she wanted was to get too close to their shared enemy. What would Jeremy do to her?
Kill her. Destroy her. It’s why he’d come to Deals Gap in the middle of the night, intent on violence.
The two massive males rushed forward, clashing in a flash of silver and gold. They performed a bloody dance while their roars echoed through the tall trees that surrounded the house.
She stayed back, still intent on the battle while fighting to hold her cat back. She’d almost jumped into the fray when it looked like Jeremy would become victorious. She shouldn’t interfere in a challenge, but she also shouldn’t lose her mate before she’d even claimed him.
Jeremy broke away from Ryland’s hold, blood pouring from his mouth, and a flap of fur dangled from his shoulder, exposing the muscle beneath. Her lioness salivated at the thought of tearing into the male, sinking her fangs deep and tearing at his flesh.
But she had to leave him to Ryland.
The men clashed again. And again. And again.
More blood stained the crisp grass, the lions’ paws slipping on the slick surface. Jeremy huffed and puffed while Ryland wheezed, both males losing strength. Yet her ex was the worse for wear. He stumbled on a crushed foreleg. His chest was laid open. His snout was sliced and bitten.
Now it was a matter of Ryland searching for submission rather than defeat. She sensed that in her mate. Ryland had initially been a bloodthirsty male intent on defending his claim, but the longer this dragged on, the more tired he became. He wanted the business done and he battled to obtain Jeremy’s submission—not death.
But no matter how many times he flipped the male to his back and wrapped his fangs around Jeremy’s throat, the male broke free to attack again.
Both men were coated in red, the silver and gold of their coats no longer visible through the sticky liquid.
Hannah paced, stalking the tree line. She was no longer worried over her mate, he’d proven his strength. But now it became a question of how the rest of the fight would play out. Death or subjugation.
Her cat sought Jeremy’s death for every injury he’d given Ryland—for his intentions when he’d arrived.
The human… the human hated the sight of blood and was ready to wrap everyone in bandages and call it a night.
In the end, the cat got her way. Jeremy must have seen something in Ryland’s gaze, read something in his body language that spoke of his intent. Because rather than submit, rather than attack Ryland once more, Jeremy changed the focus of his anger.
He came at Hannah.
She’d wandered too close, hadn’t paid attention as the men circled and paced. It didn’t take much for Jeremy to wheel around and dash toward her, a glistening lion of stained fur, wounded pride, and pure fury. He raced across the ground, deadly claws throwing up clumps of earth in his wake as he barreled forward. She danced back, lioness faltering at facing the male. She didn’t doubt her strength, but a lioness wasn’t much against a fully grown male.
Unease joined panic and her heart rate doubled, the organ racing and pounding against her ribs. She would die. He would kill her before Ryland stopped him. She would—
Ryland wasn’t too slow. Nope, he was plenty fast. In one giant leap, her silver lion pounced atop Jeremy, his much heavier weight slamming the male to the ground. Yellow eyes met hers, the orbs filled with pain and… acceptance. The rage no longer dogged his heels and instead, he was ready for what was to come. He’d arrived an enraged lion. He’d leave…
Jeremy didn’t struggle beneath Ryland’s weight. He lay there, exhausted and prepared, and it took one bone-crunching bite to end it.
13
The moment the battle ceased, Hannah was at his side, nose nudging every part of him she could reach. She explored his face, his mane, and on to the sharp lines of his lean body. She sought each wound, each bit of damage from his fight with Jeremy. Deep gouges peppered his ribs and shallow cuts marred his haunches. More than one set of bite marks marred his hind legs.
Her mate was bruised, battered, and bleeding all over the grass.
But he was alive. Alive.
She nudged him away from Jeremy’s lifeless body, intent on getting him into the house and away from the male who’d attempted to separate them. There were things to do now. Actions and steps to be taken. Calls to be made. She didn’t know many others in Deals Gap, but she did know Greer would have to be called since Bhric was once again out of town. Greer, the leader’s right hand and the one who made the final calls while their leader was gone.
Greer, who’d pardoned Carter when he’d killed to defend Bethany. Would he do the same for Ryland?
Well, he wouldn’t have a choice because Hannah would be damned if anyone was gonna touch a hair on her mate’s head.
His steps were slow and she kept the same easy pace, standing at his side and ready to take his weight if necessary. Together they padded up the front steps and she urged him through the front door, the wood panel still swung wide after her hasty exit. As soon as they were together once more, she had him heading toward the tiled nook beside the kitchen. Bathing him would be easier in a shower, but she wasn’t about to attempt to get him upstairs. For now, she’d have to rinse off the worst of the blood and replace the baseboards and drywall if they got ruined.
It was better than re-carpeting the first floor.
Once they entered the kitchen nook, she realized she wasn’t in any condition to care for Ryland. Mainly because she still had paws instead of hands. She needed to shove the wood table aside, but she couldn’t exactly do that on four legs.
Taking a deep breath, she called her human forward, surprised at how quickly her lioness released her hold. Then again, the beast knew Ryland needed help—her help.
Skin quickly replaced fur, bones reshaping and breaking, muscles stretching and contracting as needed. In seconds, she was upright, st
umbling into the counter and grasping the edge before she tumbled to the ground. She shouldn’t have shifted to cat in the first place, but the moment he’d entered the fight with another lion, she’d wanted to be prepared to defend him if necessary.
Ryland growled low, voicing his displeasure.
“I’m fine,” she whispered. She wasn’t, but she could pretend with the best of them.
He simply grunted. Liar. She practically heard his voice in her head.
Well, she’d be fine.
Hannah pushed away from the counter, gripping the edge to ensure she could hold her own weight. On unsteady legs, she padded to a nearby cabinet and began grabbing supplies. Two bowls and a few kitchen towels to start. Plenty of water to use when rinsing away the red liquid.
She slowly turned, careful of her burden, when shock suffused her. Pure, unadulterated surprise and awe had her dropping everything to the counter. The fur on Ryland’s body trembled and then… then the first bone in his foreleg snapped. Followed by another. And another.
It wasn’t the rapid transition she’d watched before. This was slow and obviously painful, yet he pushed through that agony. Hind legs lengthened as forelegs transitioned to human hands. His snout receded to reveal a mouth and his mane returned to the dark hair she loved.
Soon she stared at a listing Ryland, blood staining his skin, yet the wounds she’d seen before were… Hannah padded around the counter and went to him, stopping when two feet separated them. She was unsure where to touch him, where she could lay her hands and not injure him further.
“Ryland?” The rest of his injuries pulled closed beneath her gaze, the ragged bites on his calves turning into pale scars that contrasted against his tanned skin.
Her mate gave her a small smile, a hint of a curling at the corner of his lips. He continued to sway, his lids sliding down and half-concealing his golden eyes from her gaze. With one hard heave to the right, he lost his balance and stumbled against the wood table, the piece of furniture sliding across the tile before finally colliding with the cream-colored wall. He managed to catch his weight on the smooth surface while snatching at one of the nearby, displaced chairs. She rushed to help him, pulling it away and then pushing it closer to him.
