Mating Instinct (The COMPLETE Ridgeville Series)

by Kyle, Celia

  “For me?”

  A finger below her chin had her tipping her head back to meet his gaze. “I told you: I’m gonna protect you with everything I’ve got. There will be no more scars on your body or your mind. I promise.”

  And, for the first time in her life, Tess allowed herself to hope.

  42

  “Sometimes, I wake up happy with the world and utterly in love. Then Alex leaves the toilet seat up. Answer: Make sure he doesn’t wake up. Unfortunately, that’d mean the loss of some kick ass bow-chicka-bow-bow. I’m so torn.” — Maya O’Connell, Prima of the Ridgeville Pride, who loves orgasms more than she hates annoying men.

  Getting Ben settled in at the pride house, even if he was an elephant, had been easy. Delivering the Mastin sisters and Millie to Gina, one of the pride’s single females, had been a piece of cake. Gina was a sweet lioness, and with no male sniffing around her, she’d been an ideal choice to house the women. Plus, there was the bonus of the pride’s Sensitives living a couple blocks over. Maddy and Elise could help the females he’d brought along, and he hoped they got through to the three ladies. At least enough for them to be able to eventually live on their own and interact with the public. Relocating everyone’s possessions and getting people settled? Yeah, all that had been easy.

  Having Tess in his home, Tess in the shower inside his home, was a whole ’nother ball of “Lord Help Me.”

  The water pattered against the tiled walls, the rhythmic tattoo of the liquid against the hard surface occasionally jarred by Tess’s shifting body. He imagined her in there: fluid sluicing over her curves followed by the bubbles of soap. Water would stick to her lashes and soak her hair so that it lay long and smooth against her back. The dark curls guarding the juncture of her thighs would beckon him, urging him to come closer for a taste. Well, he assumed they’d be dark, a deeper hue of red that would match her flowing hair.

  He’d been suffering her so close for two days, and he was ready to go insane.

  Harding growled and thumped his wayward cock. He wasn’t getting anywhere near her. He’d made a promise. He’d told her he wouldn’t rush her along, and he’d be damned if he went back on his word, no matter how much his beast snarled. The cat paced inside his mind, stalking back and forth with its fangs bared. It was pissed as hell at his decision to give Tess time. He wanted their mate now. Period.

  A soft moan reached him, the sound low and sweet. Part of him wondered if it was an invitation, his mate asking for him to come to her without saying the words. Then he remembered that they’d been on the go since their plane had touched down two days ago. Between the flight, getting their people settled and meeting some of the pride, they’d been busy. So, yeah, she may moan and groan in there, but it was probably due more to the relaxing heat of the water rather than her touching herself as she thought of him.

  Ah, he could always dream.

  Of course, his dreams made him harder than a rock.

  Another soft groan and he cursed his enhanced hearing, damned the lion inside him for its mere existence. He wouldn’t be so tormented if he were a normal man. No, he had the cat around to bolster him. Hell, torture him.

  But no matter how hard the pain in the ass shoved, Harding wasn’t closing the distance between him and the bathroom door. He wasn’t going to try the knob and pray that it was unlocked. And he definitely wasn’t going to step into the same room as a water-slicked Tess.

  Harding’s skin prickled, warning him that the cat was near the edge. He glanced at his arms, noting the cream-hued fur that emerged from his pores, and he bit back a curse. His beast was not taking “no” very well. Both halves of him knew that they’d agreed to time, to giving her the opportunity to realize she could trust them with her safety and that they wouldn’t turn on her at the drop of a hat.

  He needed to remember that he couldn’t be led around by his cock. His very hard, very demanding cock. He sighed and forced himself to move farther from the bathroom. There was nothing to be gained by lurking outside the door, inhaling her sweet scents and imagining her naked. Mmm…naked.

  Damn it. He stalked down the hall. He’d go to the kitchen and snare a beer or ten. Eight in the morning was early, but it had to be five o’clock somewhere. If he chugged ’em fast enough, he might even get a little buzzed. Yeah, that was a plan, he—

  “Harding?”

  He froze, foot hovering over the ground. Her voice was a caress, his name on her lips a physical touch. His lion roared, knowing that their mate was behind them clad in nothing but a towel since she hadn’t taken any clothes in with her. Towel-clad Tess. He imagined the droplets of water clinging to her skin, the way the wet strands of her hair would frame her face.

  Harding placed his foot on the ground and dropped his head forward with a groan. The mental image was burned into his brain, never to be erased.

  “Harding?”

  He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting the temptation to turn and take a peek. Because if he saw her, he’d pounce, promises be damned. “Yeah?”

  Was that his voice? Deep and rough until even he almost didn’t recognize the word.

  “Um…”

  It sounded like a moan, and his imagination went wild once again. The wet, the heat, those curves so close…

  He took a deep, cleansing breath, hoping to gain a little control over his body. His cock throbbed and begged him to turn around, press Tess against the wall and slide deep into her wetness.

  The past two days had been hell. He’d had his mate close, but couldn’t touch. Every sigh, whimper, and moan had reached him and yet there was nothing he could do. He didn’t want to push his luck. He had her in his home, mere feet from his bed, and he was determined not to scare her off.

  Harding wanted her to get to know him—him—and accept him for who he was. He wanted to be worthy and desired and wanted. Like he never had been in the past. He was slowly easing toward the base of Tess’s fears, but he still had his own demons lurking. Even if she’d been exposed to his past, it didn’t mean he’d fully processed all of it on his own. Nightmares still plagued him all too often.

  “Harding?”

  Damn, he’d been lost in his thoughts too long. He coughed, begging the cat to retreat so he sounded more human than beast. “Yeah?”

  He looked over his shoulder and damn his imagination hadn’t done her justice. There were the droplets clinging to the upper curve of her breasts and the mussed hair falling past her shoulders, but he hadn’t counted on the flush in her skin, the blush of red that teased him. She’d look like that when he got done with her, skin pinked with arousal and need as he trailed kisses over her body.

  Harding’s cock twitched, telling him it agreed with that idea. Ever since he’d met Tess, arousal hadn’t been far away. His body had always been ready, willing, and able to respond to her nearness. Learning about her, getting to know her, made him want her all the more.

  Did she want him just as much? He’d scented her desire here and there, but doubts lingered in his mind. Especially after what she’d seen.

  Tess stared at him with wide eyes that grew wider by the second, suddenly reminding him that: 1) he was staring rather intently and 2) he was pretty sure he’d missed the answer to his question.

  He cleared his throat. Again. “What?”

  Fortunately, the ringing of the doorbell saved him from looking like an idiot any further. He bolted and the second he exited the hallway and rounded the corner, the voices of his impending guests reached him.

  “This is a bad idea.” Alex’s long-suffering sigh followed his words.

  “It’s the best idea ever. In the universe even. God himself couldn’t think of a better idea. That whole Adam and Eve thing? That ain’t got nothing on this.” Harding felt Maya’s giddy enthusiasm.

  Giddy.

  He was reminded of the last time he’d been smacked with Maya feeling giddy, and groaned. Oh, it’d turned out for the best—he’d found his mate, after all—but there’d been a few not-so-great t
imes mixed in there.

  Another knock came, immediately followed by his doorbell being pushed rhythmically. Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong…

  “Maya.” Alex may be growling, but when it came to his mate, he was all snarl and no bite. Except for those times when he mounted his mate from behind and… Harding shuddered. He’d walked in on the couple one too many times. Hell, even worse, he’d heard them too many times. Listening to “give it to me, Daddy” while guarding Maya was not his idea of a good time.

  Two young voices overrode whatever else Alex may have said.

  “I wanna ding!”

  “Ding ding ding ding!”

  God save him, they’d brought their twin sons, Easton and Weston. While they were a bit over a year and a half old and short as hell, they still managed to get into everything.

  Taking a deep, soothing breath, he flicked the locks and opened the door to reveal what he’d expected. The Prime and Prima, complete with their twin cubs, stood on his front porch. Without waiting for an invite, Maya nudged him aside and sailed into his home, the rest of the family trailing in her wake. Well, a part of it at least. Alex passed by with an apologetic smile while the ankle biters wrapped around Harding’s legs.

  “Unca’ Harding!” Their voices came in chorus, two identical, beaming faces turned toward him, happiness in every bit of their expressions.

  “Hey guys.” He couldn’t suppress the joy that buoyed him when in their presence. Reaching down, he lifted one and then the other into his arms. “How you doin’?” He shot a glare to Alex who merely rolled his eyes. That told him all he needed to know: It was all Maya’s idea.

  Then the kids were off, Easton going on and on about “esplosions” while Weston told him how he was knocked down, went boom, and then bared his teeth. Harding hoped no one had been injured. Their chitter-chatter filled his ears as he followed Alex, who followed Maya, deeper into his home.

  At hearing about being knocked down, Alex stilled and slowly turned around. “What about ‘boom’?”

  Two identical mouths snapped shut for the barest of moments before the cubs pointed at each other. “He did it.”

  Alex narrowed his eyes. “Maya!”

  The click clack of the Prima’s heels reached him, telling Harding that the woman was raiding his kitchen. Maya stuck her head into the doorway, silver spoon in hand. “Huh? What?” Her attention briefly landed on her mate before turning to Harding. “Did you know you’re out of ice cream? Like, all out? What’s up with that? You totally should have stocked up before you brought her here. How can I torture your new ma— M-A-T-E without ice cream? It’s beyond comprehension.”

  “Whatsa M-A—”

  “Duh, stupid. It’s a-It’s a-It’s a. You’re a dummy-head and I hate your face.”

  That brought on a shoving match, and Harding unceremoniously plopped them onto the ground before they got to what was to come. The minute four little feet touched the ground, they almost instantly became eight. Adorable little faces shifted and transformed into golden muzzles while pale fur emerged to coat their skin. Clothes and shoes weren’t a concern as the two lion cubs tussled and tangled in his entryway.

  Somehow a soft gasp filtered through the growls and snarls and pulled his attention to the hallway. A fresh-faced—now dressed—Tess stood there, eyes wide and shock plainly written across her features. Part of him figured she deserved some sort of explanation, but he and his inner-beast couldn’t get past how beautiful she looked, and how right it felt to have her in his home.

  The twins continued their fight, oblivious to the world around them. At least until their father grabbed and lifted them by the scruff until he could look them in the eyes. Little claws still reached for each other, the children unmindful of their new position, but they couldn’t ignore their father’s roar.

  Even the steel reinforced walls—which had cost him an arm and a leg in order to get them completed before bringing Tess home—trembled with Alex’s volume. The cubs immediately stilled. Their golden eyes were wide as they first focused on one another and then their father.

  Another look to Tess revealed that his sweet mate was now shaking, body trembling while she wrapped her arms around her stomach. Without hesitation, he left his Prime behind and strode to his woman. He tugged her into his arms, hugging her close while gently rubbing her back. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

  Tess melted into him and the world outside the two of them vanished. It was just him and his mate that mattered. Not his Prime or Prima or their cubs. His entire future was wrapped up in this woman, and the rest could go to hell.

  He nuzzled her, rubbing his cheek over the top of her head and brushing his lips over her temple. Her tremors eased, slowing until they came at sporadic intervals. She leaned into him, and he gladly took her weight. He might not be able to mate her and make her his, but he’d always take care of her. Always.

  The click clack of Maya’s heels signaled the woman’s movement through his kitchen, and then the carpet muted her steps. Not long after, the thunk, thwack, and thump of her striking three heads reached him. First it was two whimpers and then a moan followed by an indignant “hey!”

  Smiling, he turned, bringing Tess around with him. As he’d suspected, he found three O’Connell males all rubbing their heads. The cubs were using their paws, of course, but the move was unmistakable.

  The Prima waved a spoon at Harding. “You hid the ice cream behind the rump roasts. Sneaky.” She slipped the spoon into her mouth and moaned around the bite. Once divested of the cold dessert, she pulled it from her mouth with a pop.

  “Maya!”

  “Yes, Oh Glorious Donor of Baby Making Material?”

  Harding fought to remove his smile. Hard. He even kept quiet.

  Tess did not. A low peep of laughter escaped her lips, and then she slapped her palm over her mouth, eyes wide and face stricken with fear. The trembles returned and he rubbed his palm along her arm.

  Maya turned to them with a smile. “It used to be ‘Oh Glorious S-P-E-R-M Donor,’ but the twins started talking. Had to clean the language up.” The Prima stuck her spoon in her ice cream and came toward them, hand outstretched. “Heya, I’m Maya. Those three belong to me and at the moment, they’re Tweedle-Dum, Tweedle-Dee, and Tweedle-Not-Getting-Any.”

  “Aw, baby…”

  “Or Easton Benjamin O’Connell, Weston Jeremiah O’Connell and my mate Alex.” Maya leaned forward and whispered. “I call the kids Ben and Jerry when Alex isn’t around.”

  “Maya!”

  Maya rolled her eyes but didn’t slow. “All I asked for was one visit to meet my new best friend forevah without a fight and what happened?” She shook her head. “Anyway, welcome to the pride, yada yada,” Maya kept talking, despite Alex’s warning growl. The Prima had been skipping over Alex and accepting way too many shifters into the pride lately. Shifters who definitely were not lions. “So, you’re adorable and I think we should have a girl’s night out and you’re coming.” Maya looked to him. “I’m thinking Carly. I mean, how scary are bunnies?” The Prima’s attention shifted to Tess. “You’re not afraid of and-or eat bunnies, right? Little Bunny Foo-Foo?”

  God, Harding could have kissed the Prima. Could have, but wouldn’t. He respectfully feared the Prime too much to push his luck. That, and his lion refused to get anywhere near another woman until he had Tess well and truly mated. Tess responded to Maya’s outstretched hand and shook her head, but the Prima apparently wasn’t settling for a mere handshake. Nope, she snared Tess in a big hug, squeezing her tight before releasing his mate back into his care.

  “So, yeah,” Maya turned her attention to him. It was that giddy grin. Damn it. Had he mentioned he hated the woman when she was giddy? “You’re our chauffeur by the way. Wyatt’s, uh, visiting with his new friend, and I doubt you wanna be away from cuteness here. No weenies but your weenie. You can pick us up tonight at nine.” With that, she spun on her heal and waved toward her cubs and Alex with her spoon. “Le
t’s go, boys. Two of you are due for a time-out and one of you gets to spend some time on his knees.” She looked back and gave him a wink. “Begging, of course.”

  Yeah, Harding just bet.

  In a whirlwind, the O’Connell clan was gone, leaving a blessed silence in their wake.

  “So, that was our Prime and Prima and their cubs.” Harding wasn’t sure what else to say. Other than a major case of the shakes, she seemed to have taken it all well.

  “They’re so…nice. And I’m…” Awe tinged his mate’s voice. The idea that she was so surprised by the fact that Alex and Maya were nice made his heart break for her. He only imagined what her life had been like with dominant shifters who were a lot less than “nice.” Her burgeoning smile, blinding in its intensity, made him decide that no matter what, Tess’s life would be filled with “nice” from this moment forward.

  “You’re my mate, and that’s all they care about.” He hugged her close once again.

  “But, I’m—”

  “My mate.” He cupped her cheek and forced her to tilt her head back so that he looked into her eyes. “I told them about Alistair, and Maya’s only gripe was that he was already dead so she couldn’t kill him for you. Then she bitched because Alex still hasn’t found a witch to bring people back from the dead. She would have taken a secondary murder as a consolation prize, but it’s not possible yet.” Alex had paled at Maya’s “yet.” More than anyone, Alex knew what kind of trouble his mate could get into when “yet” was tossed around.

  “Really?” So much hope shone in her gaze.

  “Really. You’re mine, Tess. This is our home. You’re safe.” He leaned down and brushed a chaste kiss across her lips. His lion battered at him, urged him to take it further, but he held onto his control. “And someday, I’ll tell you how much you’re loved.”