That was the signal. Using all the strength of her legs, she jumped up from her position, attacking the closest one with a vicious snarl. She opened her jaws wide before she snapped down on the wolf’s neck.
Claws from another attacker dug into her side as she killed the first wolf.
Kicking out, she rolled to the forest floor, tossing her attacker off. Her fighter’s instinct had set in, her animal taking over almost completely.
Out of the corner of her eye, she was aware of Eli battling two wolves as well. Knowing he was fighting for his life, she fought for her own. Fought for a chance at a future with him. One that hopefully included many years together.
A new surge of rage pummeled through her as she turned fully on her attacker, not bothering to circle him or play games. She swiped out with her claws, slashing across the face, hard and deep.
He yelped in pain even as she jumped on his back, opening her jaws wide and taking him out with one swift, killing blow. Male wolves might be tough, but she-wolves were just as vicious.
As she tossed him to the ground, another wolf raced out of the forest, heading straight for Eli.
Hell no.
Eli flung the wolf he’d just killed to the side like a ragdoll before turning to face the newcomer.
Before she had a chance to make a move, he attacked, every inch the lethal predator.
He moved so fast she barely saw him even with her supernatural vision. He had the wolf pinned underneath him in a second, finishing him off quickly and mercifully.
Which was more than any of these males deserved after virtually keeping Leslie prisoner, and then attacking them here.
Inhaling deeply, she looked around even as she scented the air. It was hard to detect anyone else over the scent of all the blood.
As Eli stepped toward her, the bodies started shifting back to human. Yep, the wolves were definitely dead now.
Which left them with a whole other problem. Disposing of bodies.
At the sound of a soft rustling against the leaves, they both tensed, ready for another attack until two familiar wolves in human form stepped into the small clearing.
She recognized the wolves from Malcolm’s pack.
The one on the left lifted his hands up in a gesture that meant they were there in peace as the other one let out a low whistle and looked at the carnage. The one on the left spoke. “Malcolm sent us to tail you guys just in case things went sideways. We’ll help you guys get rid of…this,” he murmured, looking around.
“We need to take pictures of the faces before we dispose of them. The she-wolf will want to identify her ex-mate if he’s here,” the other said.
Since they couldn’t talk in animal form Sapphire shifted back to human form, just as Eli did.
Then he did a very male, very mated thing and stood in front of her, blocking her nakedness even though nudity was totally a shifter thing.
That was when she realized he was bleeding pretty badly on his side and shoulder. She reached out, trailing a hand down his non-bloody shoulder and arm, touching him gently. Before she could ask if he was okay, he said, “We can help you get rid of the bodies. I don’t think there are any more but we need to do a perimeter check.
“There aren’t any more. We saw these guys arrive and then disperse. By the time we saw them it was too late to warn you—you’d both already shifted. I’m sorry we didn’t get here in time to help you fight them. We’ll get rid of their vehicle as well.”
“Eli, you’re bleeding,” Sapphire murmured, trying to keep her fear at bay. He was a shifter and would heal quickly, but she didn’t like the scent of his blood, didn’t like that he was injured at all. Her wolf was clawing at her, demanding she make things right.
He completely ignored her. “Before we do anything else, were going to shift, head back and grab some clothes.”
She wanted to make sure he was truly okay, but she’d been around male wolves her entire life. He might be a jaguar, but in her experience all males acted the same in certain situations, and all shifters healed fast. She wasn’t sure if he was just being macho or wanted to get shit done, so was ignoring her concern, but that strange new part of her desperately wanted to make sure that he was okay.
For now, she shifted with him and raced back to the campsite.
As soon as they made it back to the campsite and shifted back to human form, she scanned him from head to foot. Before she could say a word, he frowned, trailing his hand down her hips. You’re bleeding,” he said, anger clear in his gaze and tone.
“So are you! You okay?”
“This is just a scratch.”
“So is this.” Her side would be healed within the hour.
In that moment the weight of her emotions and feelings for him crashed in on her like a tidal wave. She threw her arms around him, holding him close, uncaring about the twinge of pain in her side. Just for a moment, she needed to know that he was okay. That they were going to be okay.
He didn’t seem to care about his own wound because he held her tight in return, his strong arms enveloping her.
They had a lot to deal with and she knew they wouldn’t be headed on their road trip anytime soon. They’d be headed back to Kendrick territory for now. She wanted to be there when they told Leslie and Luna that Leslie’s mate was dead.
But for this stolen moment, it was just her and Eli as they held each other in front of his bullet-riddled truck and camper.
There was no other place in the world she wanted to be.
Chapter Eleven
One month later
“You sure you’re ready for this?” Sapphire asked as they pulled into the parking lot of the Crescent Moon Bar and Grill. After a month of traveling they’d decided to head back to Gulf Shores.
“Yep.” Eli was so relaxed about being officially accepted into her pack, as if it wasn’t a big deal. But it was for her.
The last month had been incredible—and Leslie was finally free of her dead ex-mate. And Sapphire had heard through the grapevine that Leslie’s former pack was no more. The pack had either dispersed or its members been taken out. And Sapphire wasn’t losing a bit of sleep over that fact. They’d also discovered a very hidden tracker placed in one of the rear lights of the camper. It had blended well with the wiring, which was why they had missed it. The best they could gather was that Leslie’s ex had tracked them to the Kendrick pack via the tracker and then followed the tracker to the campsite. Maybe he’d thought Leslie was there too, or maybe he’d wanted Sapphire and Eli dead because they’d helped her. Didn’t matter now.
Eli was out of the driver’s side and had moved around to the passenger side before she’d even unstrapped.
“Why are you so relaxed?”
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t be?” As she stepped out, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her close.
“No, I guess not. But…aren’t you excited?” And that was the crux of her worry. He’d agreed to come back here, to see how living with her pack was after a month on the road, but part of her worried that he’d resent her. That he wouldn’t like this static life when he was so used to constant travel.
Frowning, Eli stopped on the gravel parking lot and tugged her until she faced him. “What’s going on?”
“I’m worried this life will be boring for you.” Ugh. Saying her fears out loud felt like she was giving them life.
He blinked, clearly surprised by her admission. “I could never be bored with you.”
“Not me, I mean…not traveling constantly.”
“I loved my job but I was fucking lonely, Sapphire. I hope we get to travel some because I do enjoy it, but I love you. I know your pack matters to you, and knowing that you’d give it up to travel with me is enough. We’re older shifters. Who says we’ll be doing this a decade from now? I don’t care if we’re traveling or if we stay put. I just want to be with you every single day. I’ve spent a lifetime without you, and now that I have you I’m not letting you go. I promise that doing
this isn’t a sacrifice for me.”
Her throat tightened as tears welled up. “How do you always say the perfect thing?” she sniffled.
“Because I’m perfect,” he deadpanned.
That got the tears to dry up. Laughing, she buried her face in his chest for a moment, inhaling his scent, letting it invade and comfort her. “You’re certainly not lacking in ego. But that’s part of why I love you.” This wonderful, sometimes maddening jaguar who’d stolen her heart.
He tightened his grip around her. “We better get inside now or I’m tossing you over my shoulder and we’re headed back to our place.”
Our place. Those two words punched her right in the heart. “Okay, let’s do this.” They’d settled in earlier in the morning and her alpha had insisted they come down to the bar and grill for a party.
It wasn’t as if wolves needed an excuse to party but this was a great reason as far as she was concerned.
When they stepped inside the crowded bar, she grinned when she saw a huge sign stretched up over the main bar top that read: Welcome home, Sapphire and Eli!
They were immediately surrounded by packmates, including Ella, who high-fived Eli and told him that jaguars would soon outnumber wolves if she had any say about it.
An hour later, Sapphire looked at the new shot glass in her hand. Talia, Grant’s mate—and Sapphire’s former coworker—had given it to her. “Why am I doing shots again?”
“Because commitment scaredy-cat Sapphire is now mated, that’s why!” Talia tossed her head back and did a shot herself, clearly unwinding tonight. Her inky black hair was pulled up into a ponytail and little stars glittered all over her head.
“Scaredy-cat?”
Talia shrugged. “Scaredy-wolf sounds weird.”
Sapphire rolled her eyes but took the shot anyway. As a shifter she had a much higher metabolism than humans, but her packmates had been plying her with a crazy amount of shots over the last hour.
“We’ve missed you,” she continued.
“I’ve missed you guys too.”
“Yeah, right! You stink of sex. Did you two even travel or did you just hole up somewhere and go at it like bunnies?”
Sapphire snorted but didn’t answer. They might have traveled, but there had been a whole lot of sex involved. A lot. And she still craved him. Automatically, she scanned the crowd for Eli and found him talking to Grant, Max and Asher. Probably about his new job helping out with security at the casino and hotel.
As if he sensed her gaze on him, those dark eyes with the intoxicating amber flecks found hers. He grinned widely and she found herself grinning right back. She wasn’t sure how she’d landed the sexy feline, but she was damn glad she had.
Looked like that stupid curse had been all in her head. Luna had never been so happy to be right and had said, “I told you so” far too many times in the last month.
“Did you hear anything I said?”
Sapphire looked over to find Talia watching her intently. “What?”
“Oh, you are so smitten.”
“Well, yeah.”
“I’m glad. You deserve it.” Talia threw her arms around her and squeezed tight. “Of all the packmates, I always hoped you’d find your other half,” she whispered.
Oh hell, now she was going to cry for real. Before that could happen, Eli was suddenly there, wrapping his own arms around her after Talia had stepped back.
Then everyone else faded away. The music pumping over the speakers disappeared and all she saw was Eli. Her jaguar. Her mate.
“I think an hour is good. We’ve put in our time,” he murmured.
“It’s our party. We can’t leave.” There wasn’t much conviction in her voice.
“No one will notice if we’re gone.” His eyes went all heated and sensual and she knew they’d be leaving in less than thirty seconds.
“I don’t know,” she hedged, knowing he’d take the bait.
Laughing, he tossed her over his shoulder and smacked her butt once. As she expected, a chorus of shouts went up from their packmates as they hurried from the bar.
She had a feeling they weren’t even going to make it back to their place before they got naked. She smacked his butt once and a rush of heat flooded through her when he growled again.
Oh yeah, they definitely weren’t making it home just yet.
Dear Readers,
Thank you for reading Jaguar’s Mate. I hope you enjoyed it! If you’d like to stay in touch with me and be the first to learn about new releases, I’m including all my social media links.
• Check out Savannah’s website at: www.savannahstuart.com
• Sign up for my monthly newsletter at: www.katiereus.com
• Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katiereusauthor
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Also, please consider leaving a review at one of your favorite online retailers. It’s a great way to help other readers discover new books and I appreciate all reviews.
Happy reading,
Katie
Savannah’s Complete Booklist
Crescent Moon Series
Taming the Alpha
Claiming His Mate
Tempting His Mate
Saving His Mate
To Catch His Mate
Falling for His Mate
Wolf’s Mate
Jaguar’s Mate
Miami Scorcher Series
Unleashed Temptation
Worth the Risk
Power Unleashed
Dangerous Craving
Desire Unleashed
Futuristic Romance
Heated Mating
Claiming Her Warriors
Claimed by the Warrior
Contemporary Romance
Adrianna’s Cowboy
Dangerous Deception
Everything to Lose
Tempting Alibi
Tempting Target
Tempting Trouble
Katie’s Complete Booklist
Red Stone Security Series
No One to Trust
Danger Next Door
Fatal Deception
Miami, Mistletoe & Murder
His to Protect
Breaking Her Rules
Protecting His Witness
Sinful Seduction
Under His Protection
Deadly Fallout
Sworn to Protect
Secret Obsession
Love Thy Enemy
Dangerous Protector
Lethal Game
Redemption Harbor Series
Resurrection
Savage Rising
Dangerous Witness
Innocent Target
Hunting Danger
Covert Games
Chasing Vengeance
Deadly Ops Series
Targeted
Bound to Danger
Chasing Danger (novella)
Shattered Duty
Edge of Danger
A Covert Affair
O’Connor Family Series
Merry Christmas, Baby
Tease Me, Baby
It’s Me Again, Baby
Mistletoe Me, Baby
The Serafina: Sin City Series
First Surrender
Sensual Surrender
Sweetest Surrender
Dangerous Surrender
Non-series Romantic Suspense
Running From the Past
Dangerous Secrets
Killer Secrets
Deadly Obsession
Danger in Paradise
His Secret Past
Linked books
Retribution
Tempting Danger
Paranormal Romance
Destined Mate
Protector’s Mate
A Jaguar’s Kiss
Tempting the Jaguar
Enemy Mine
Heart of the Jaguar
/> Darkness Series
Darkness Awakened
Taste of Darkness
Beyond the Darkness
Hunted by Darkness
Into the Darkness
Saved by Darkness
Guardian of Darkness
Sentinel of Darkness
Darkness Rising
Moon Shifter Series
Alpha Instinct
Lover’s Instinct
Primal Possession
Mating Instinct
His Untamed Desire
Avenger’s Heat
Hunter Reborn
Protective Instinct
Dark Protector
A Mate for Christmas
About the Author
Katie Reus is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Redemption Harbor series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it.
However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. For more information on Katie find her on twitter @katiereus or visit her on facebook at: www.facebook.com/katiereusauthor. If you would like to be notified of future releases, please visit her website: www.katiereus.com and join her newsletter.
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