Catlin shrugged. “Please yourself. As you’ve told me who they came from I don’t see the need.” For the life of her Catlin couldn’t take the frosty tone out of her voice. “But I guess if you were given express orders you better carry them out.” After all she couldn’t be compelled to read the damned thing. Sod it, did everyone expect her to accept him as her lover, her life, and let him walk all over her? If so they had a surprise coming to them. Not in a million years. And if this was Dylan’s idea of wooing, he’d better shape up quickly. The fact he’d sent her flowers might have softened her up, but not when the bringer nagged her on his behalf. Damn it, she’d thought everything had gone so well. Even watching his amazing shift hadn’t fazed her. Instead she’d been excited, eager to discuss it with him and ask what had set it off. Looked forward to hearing what the end of his message was. Instead she’d waited. And waited, until eventually she’d showered and taken herself to the spare room. To toss and turn all night. She doubted if she would ever feel able to sleep in her proper bed again. She’d ditched the bedding and intended to spend a fortune on new stuff. When she could do it without crying.
No wonder she’d been like a half shut knife all day.
Catlin waited until the soft pad of Lizzie’s footsteps faded away and burst into tears again. Dammit she loved flowers. It was the first time in years she hadn’t had to buy her own, such the perfect gesture, and now it was all spoiled by a few careless words.
Wearily she went into the tiny bathroom and washed her face until it glowed. As long as you didn’t look at her eyes—sad and cloudy—she reckoned she’d pass as fine and normal.
Chapter Four
Dylan stared from one member of the council to another and cursed them under his breath. Why now? Just as his campaign to learn what wooing actually meant was picking up, they hit him with this.
Shit, damn, bollocks and hellfire. A mixed bouquet wasn’t going to fix this crap. The flowers, sent to explain the rest of his daily postcards, had the remainder of the message in a sealed envelope.
How had everything gone to hell in a handbasket so bloody quickly? That strange shift, after their amazing lovemaking had got him thinking, and he’d spent an hour checking through the Dowt’s history books to reinforce what he understood about it. He hadn’t been wrong: if his cum touched his designated mate he’d have to shift, and she’d accept him in every way. Somehow he wasn’t certain about that last bit but he was desperate to explain it all to his lady.
Sadly, what transpired then hadn’t been the success he hoped. The half hour he’d spent choosing the flowers he’d intended to take to her ended in one urgent phone call from a family at the northernmost edge of the Dowt’s territory. He’d had to scribble a hasty note and enclose it in the card, which, along with the flowers, had explained everything. As he’d had no answer, evidently it wasn’t enough. Now, before he had been able to go and see Catlin face to face, this damned extraordinary meeting had been requested. And he hadn’t had the time to let her know. This was one time he wished she had all the abilities of a shifter and not just selective ones. He hoped against all the odds a bit of his quandary and thoughts filtered through, so she knew his absence wasn’t his fault.
“I will not demand she accept me as her designated one and makes it a legal fact,” he said in a controlled voice. His temper both wild cat and human was barely in check. “There is nothing in any of our rules that insists it must be done within a certain length of time.” He knew that. He’d worked his way up the ranks and earned his place in the Dowt. “There is no reason why now, all of a sudden, you demand such a thing. Or is there?” He looked around the eleven members of the council. “What are you not telling me?” A lump of unease stuck in his gut. “Dammit, if anything or anyone is threatening anything to do with the Dowt and I don’t know it, that is bad. Very bad.” And his abilities were way out of kilter.
It was that bloody condom and his cum on Catlin. It had to be. Dylan swallowed to try and dislodge the lump. It didn’t work. What next, yoga breathing exercises?
“What’s this all about?” he asked again. “It has to be more than just my lack of a designated mate.”
“The lack of a designated mate, or a date when the agreement is signed and you make it legal in whatever way you choose, means your role as leader of the Dowt can be challenged,” one of the elder council members said sympathetically. Bryce MacKinnon, a friend of his parents was, Dylan knew, on his side, but he would also be hemmed in by protocol. “If you just told us it will happen and soon, the challenge is null and void.”
“Dylan, can’t you appeal to her?” Gilly Malcolm, one of the lady members asked him quietly. “If you told her why it’s all so important and what’s going on, surely she’d understand and agree to it? Lord knows we can all see what you mean to each other. Even when you ignore the other one’s presence, your, oh I don’t know, call it what you will, your need, love, awareness shows.” She sat back in her chair.
‘We're on your side you know, but a challenge to your position as leader is a challenge and we have to go through the correct procedures. And the lack of a mate is a big negative to a lot of people.’ Gilly’s thoughts hit him loud and clear.
Dylan stood up and began to prowl round the room. So far no one had offered up the name of the wild cat who chose to challenge his authority. If he knew who it was he’d have a better base from which to proceed. Whatever and whoever it was, he refused to put any more pressure on his love. He wanted her in his life but not forced or coerced there. How the hell he was going to achieve that he had no idea.
I am not going to force her, coerce her or anything. I’ll resign if I have to.
‘Hell, you do not resign. We need you. You’re the right one for the Dowt. Work with us here. What’s the problem? You want her, she wants you.’
Oh I more than want her. Without her I’m only half a man…or a cat. But hell, it’s complicated. She can’t shift and insists that’s one of the reasons she’s not for me. I don’t agree. I love her for what she is, not what she isn’t. He thought over his words. Would that be an obstacle?
‘No, not when it’s Catlin. She’s one of us.’
“I can’t force her,” he said out loud again. Hell, he sounded like a broken record. “If she decides to be mine, it will be at a time and place of her choice.”
“You call yourself an alpha male?” A new voice broke in. “Some alpha, if you’re pussy whipped by a cat that can’t shift. I demand the chance to be leader of the Dowt. I’m an alpha. I won’t stand any nonsense.”
****
Cat sat upright and pressed her hand to her rapidly beating heart.
What on earth had happened? Where was she? She stared round the darkened room and breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar shapes and outlines. Thank goodness she’d fallen asleep in the lounge on the overlarge soft and squashy cushioned sofa and not at the wheel of her car or in her office at school. Mind you, she pondered as she yawned and stretched, it had been a close run thing. A sudden, heavy weariness had overwhelmed her and she’d hightailed it for home. It seemed she just made it in time.
Outside, the sky showed a tiny glimmer of light as day faded into evening. Catlin squinted at the clock and was relieved to see she’d only slept for an hour or so. Plenty of time to wake up before she went to bed. Wake up and go to bed. To do what? Toss and turn and cuss life, shifters, and all things feline?
What a stupid thought. Catlin found the shoes she’d toed off, slipped her feet into them and made her way into the cloakroom to splash water on her face.
‘We're on your side you know, but a challenge to your position as leader is a challenge and we have to go through the correct procedures. And the lack of a mate is a big negative to a lot of people.’
What the hell was that? Cat turned off the tap and dried her face. She’d long accepted she heard some people’s thoughts if they were around and she opened up her mind. But this wasn’t anyone she knew and it sounded strange. Like it was routed
through something. Or someone? She waited but there was nothing else.
Convinced now she’d imagined it, Cat explored the contents of the fridge and freezer. The remains of the previous day’s shepherd’s pie would have to do. She couldn’t be bothered to cook from scratch. Reheating would be enough exercise.
‘I am not going to force her, coerce her or anything. I’ll resign if I have to.’ What? The plate of food slipped between her fingers. That was Dylan’s voice. Who was he talking about? Her? But what was that about resigning? Catlin grabbed a wad of kitchen paper, scoped up the remains of what was going to be her dinner and strained to think, and think hard. Absently she picked up a chunk of cheese and nibbled on the edge.
Come on, come on, talk to me damn you. I want to know. The cheese almost followed the shepherd’s pie onto the floor as she realized she was hearing Dylan. The one person who had always been blocked to her before the other night. So was this now going to be part of their lives? If she didn’t become his, that might cause some problems. She didn’t much fancy hearing him in the throes of passion with someone else.
‘Hell, you do not resign. We need you. You’re the right one for the Dowt. Work with us here. What’s the problem? You want her, she wants you.’
True, so what now?
She didn’t have long to wait, but she was impatient. While she waited she finished the cheese and roamed restlessly around the kitchen. She’d have to do something, but what?
Oh I more than want her. Without her I’m only half a man…or a cat. But hell it’s complicated. She can’t shift and insists that’s one of the reasons she’s not for me. I don’t agree. I love her for what she is, not what she isn’t.
It was as if a light bulb had gone off. What the hell was she faffing around for? This gorgeous man, this alpha, this wild cat shifter person who lit up her life was baring his soul to whomever, and she’d refuse to listen when he did the same to her. Now he was in trouble and she could maybe help him. He was the best leader of the Dowt. No one was going to take that away from him if she could help it.
Where the hell was he?
The doorbell rang and she went to it in a hurry.
Lizzie stood there. “Hey here’s the card… Catlin what’s wrong?” She put her hand on Catlin’s shoulder. “You’re white as a sheet and shaking. Why not sit down for a sec, and I’ll make you a cup of tea.”
“No time. Where’s the council room? Where they meet for things the rest of you don’t have to know about?” Catlin asked urgently. “Lizzie, it’s important. I think someone is challenging Dylan and I’m the only one who can stop it. But I don’t know where they are.”
Lizzie blinked. “Ah. Shite. What day is it?”
“Eh? Wednesday. What does that matter?”
“Different places different day. So, yeah, the old school. Well, are you coming? You can read this on the way.” She thrust a tiny red envelope into Catlin’s unresisting grasp and dragged her across the lawn to a tiny silver sports car. “Get in, no way are you driving. You’d be a jam sandwich statistic before you got halfway.”
She had a point. Catlin snapped on her seatbelt and grabbed the dashboard as Lizzie set off down the drive and along the lane as if she were in a Ferrari. “Slow down or so will you,” she gasped as they took a corner on less than the recommended four wheels.
“Nah, I do rally cross as a hobby. Almost there.” With a screech of tires and a smell of burning rubber Lizzie stopped the car outside the long, low, whitewashed old school building. “Go slay ’em, tiger.” She rolled her eyes. “Yeah okay, go slay ’em human. I’ll shift and stay around in case you need backup. Holler and I’ll come loping.”
Catlin laughed shakily. “Cheers. Right, I’m off to kick ass.” I might as well start as I mean to go on. She pushed open the door and strode into the one-roomed building.
Every wildcat swiveled to look at her. Including Dylan who took one step toward her and stopped. “Cat?” he said incredulously. “How did you get here?”
She nodded. “Yep it’s me,” and looked around at the gathered cats. Even shifted she discovered she now recognized some of them. Some expressions were wary, some speculative and one downright annoyed. She might have guessed. “I heard you,” she said quietly. “I heard you say what you felt for me and I realized I felt the same for you, and I was punishing you, us, for no reason except I was arsy.”
A collective gasp ran around the room. “What else did you hear?” one female asked her curiously.
“Does it matter? Actually nothing else except someone, presumably spiteful Shuggie here is trying to challenge for leader. I came here like a bat out of hell to ask why. You see, what my beloved hasn’t told you, because he is a gentleman through and through,” not like some others, her tone inferred, “is that we hand fasted the other night. I pledged myself to him and him to me. So if that was the only sticking point it’s no longer there.”
And I can understand the lot of you.
One grey-whiskered cat stood up and padded to where she and Dylan stood almost side-by-side. “Avert your eyes, human.”
Catlin shrugged. “Manners. ‘Please’ goes a long way to ensure my cooperation.” She sensed Dylan held back laughter. Did cats laugh? Goodness knows, but as all this part of the shifter lifestyle was so new to her, she wouldn’t be surprised at anything that happened.
“Please,” the cat said stiffly. “Would you close your eyes so we can shift and dress?”
‘Well of course I will.” She shut her eyes and for good measure put her palms over them as well.
Damn, she would have loved to see so many cats shift. But she guessed some of the older members would be uncomfortable at showing themselves mid shift and then naked to a human.
“You can open your eyes now,” Dylan said to her. “Everyone is decent.” He moved so his mouth was level with her ear and kissed it before whispering. “Do not open your mind and let anyone in. Did you read your note?”
“Nope, I didn’t need to. I love you regardless.”
“But did you mean it? We’re a couple now?”
“Yes,” she whispered back. “I love you and I’m not going to let you go, ever.”
“It said I love you and want to marry you when you want it.” He kissed her again and squeezed her hand.
She sighed in pleasure. “Soon.”
“What now?” Catlin asked in a normal voice. “I mean I know what we’re going to do, but...”
A tall elegant lady chuckled and Catlin rolled her eyes.
“Apart from that.”
“Can you prove it though?” Shuggie asked with a sneer. “We’ve only got your word for it.”
“And mine,” Dylan said evenly. “Are you saying you don’t believe me?”
“That apart, can you prove we didn’t?” Catlin asked. “I don’t remember seeing you in the bedroom or anywhere else. Two is company, three is not my scene.”
A collective laugh followed that statement. She inclined her head. “I accept I’m only human, but as you’ve all told me ad nauseam, I’m Dylan’s designated mate. So why not let us do the designated bit ceremony now and do all the other bits later.”
“You ned a female to stand up with you,” Dylan said. “One not on the council.”
“That’s okay then.” Lizzie had entered silently as her cat self would have done. Still, Catlin noted as a human. “I’ll do it.” She glared at Shuggie. “You thought I’d be yours, did you? Well, you sod, you never said so as you could challenge Dylan. Not a feckin’ chance. Any ideas you might have thought about an understanding between us in the future, is not on anymore, you bastard.”
Oh-oh… Dylan sent that thought winging to Catlin, who bit back her grin. He does have his problems, doesn’t he?
So it seems. Good.
“Right, so, if my lady agrees we’ll become designated mates,” Dylan said as he looked at Catlin with such love she hardly noticed Lizzie slap Shuggie, who stormed out.
“Oh I agree. After all, we’d better reg
ularize it all eh?” She hesitated. It was no good, she had to know. “Except I have to ask. Does the fact I can’t shift matter?”
The tall woman laughed. “If you’d carried on listening you’d have heard this conversation as well. Ready?”
Catlin nodded as the word filled her mind.
Would that be an obstacle?
‘No, not when it’s Catlin. She’s one of us.’
One of us. Dylan said softly. My one of us.
That had the perfect ring to it.
And you’re my hot as hell, wild cat alpha shifter.
The laughter that followed made her hide her head in Dylan’s chest. Oh God I really do need to watch my mind.
Never with me my love…never with me.
Thank goodness, and I don’t care who hears this, Dylan MacSween, I love you.
And I love you, my Cat. Shall we go and pledge that love and commitment?
She blocked her thoughts to everyone but him. Hold hands and make the hand fast truth as well eh?
He chuckled. And that, my love, and that.
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Cat with the Blue Eyes (The Cats of Craig Mhor Book 1) Page 3
