His Purrfect Mate Read online

  “Shannon,” he rasped, her blood on his lips, all he could still taste as he reached out to her. The second his hand brushed her back she collapsed to her side, panting. He froze. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bite you.”

  She didn’t respond. Her hair hid her face from him but she remained curled on her side, blood smeared on his bed from her shoulder, and he didn’t know what to do. It shocked him that sex had turned into violence. He touched her again but she didn’t react. He saw her chest rise and fall but the sounds had stopped coming from her. He crawled toward her to brush her hair back from her face to see that her eyes were closed.

  “Shannon?”

  She didn’t respond. Panic gripped him. Had he hurt her that bad?

  “Shannon!” He yelled her name.

  She jerked, her eyes opened, and she did the last thing he expected.

  She smiled at him.

  “Wow. That’s the first time someone has made me pass out.”

  He gaped at her until he could form words. “You were crying.”

  She stretched her legs a little and reached for him as she rolled to her back. Her fingers brushed his cheek. “No. I don’t know what sound that was but it sure wasn’t pain. Can we do that again?”

  “No. I bit you.”

  She used her other hand to reach up, touched the spot, and then winced. “Ouch.” She glanced at her hand, saw the blood and paled. “I just thought you nipped me. I didn’t know you drew blood. Is it bad?”

  “I don’t know. Don’t move.”

  He jumped from the bed to rush inside the bathroom and grab a wet washcloth. He rushed back into the bedroom to find her seated on the middle of the bed with a curious expression. It stunned him that she wasn’t afraid of him after his attack.

  “It only hurts when I touch it. And it feels warm. Don’t look so upset. I’m fine.”

  She tried to comfort him and it made him feel worse as he circled the bed and sat down behind her. Her red hair had touched the blood sliding down her back from the bite. He’d really tagged her good. He gently lifted her hair out of the way to press the cloth against her delicate skin. She winced and he felt worse.

  “I’m so sorry,” he rasped.

  “It’s okay.”

  “No. It’s not. I really got you good.”

  “Why did you do it?” She peered at him with pure innocence.

  Anton had to clear his throat. “I lost control.” He couldn’t meet her gaze anymore so he tended to her bite.

  “Do you need a muzzle from now on when we have sex?”

  He jerked his gaze up, astonished when she grinned at him, making a joke. He wasn’t in the mood to laugh. “No. I tried to mate you, kitten. My wolf tried to, anyway, and I didn’t stop him.” He looked down at his lap, examined the condom, and blew out a breath. “It didn’t break. We’re okay.”

  “Oh.” Her gaze skittered away to stare at something to the left of him. She looked back. “What do you mean, your wolf wanted to mate me?”

  “My wolf wanted to keep you for good. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “It’s okay. I just thought you were marking me again.”

  “I did.”

  He tried to mask his emotions. He’d definitely made sure she’d carry his scent, and he’d tied her to him even stronger. No way would his wolf settle for any other female during the mating heat. If she left him, his wolf would go insane, track her down, and could hurt her. He didn’t want to share those facts, afraid he’d scare her, and now he really needed her to want to stay. Worse, that mark would last longer than mating heat. He could feel her blood changing him already, forming a deeper bond—and he could sense his inner beast’s contentment with that.

  “No harm done.” She gave him a brave smile. “I’m fine.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s really doesn’t hurt,” she assured him.

  He lifted the damp cloth and hid a wince. It wasn’t some love bite just to mark her. No, he’d scarred her so she’d always carry his teeth impressions on her pale skin. He may as well have just become engaged to Shannon. Bites that deep implied a pending mating. It was a sure sign of commitment when a male scarred a female with his bite.

  Calm down, he ordered his wolf when it pressed against his skin, wanting Shannon again. He got the bleeding to stop and bit his tongue enough to draw blood. He hovered over her and licked her wound. She startled a little but then relaxed.

  “It will help it heal faster,” he murmured between licks.

  “It’s turning me on,” she whispered. “I don’t know how you do this to me but I want you again. I almost hurt from the need…”

  He muffled a groan. It seemed his sexy little kitten was going into heat with him. How he’d make it through mating heat without forever binding them seemed a daunting task at best. He just needed to keep control.

  Yeah, good luck with that. His dick stiffened painfully.

  He removed the used condom and reached for another.

  Chapter Eleven

  I really purr, Shannon thought, digesting that concept as her throat hummed, her chest vibrated, and Anton continued to stroke her back. She’d woken up sprawled on top of his large body and to the strange noise she hadn’t identified until her foggy brain cleared.

  “I love that sound and your reaction to me touching you.”

  She lifted her head and the noise stopped. Anton smiled at her. She couldn’t help but return it.

  “Morning.”

  “Sore?”

  She assessed her body. “No. I’m…” Heat warmed her cheeks. “I’m turned on again.”

  “You’re definitely in heat too.”

  “I don’t understand this. I’ve never gone into it before.”

  Anton continued to rub her back, brushing his fingers and palms over the curve of her ass and then up her spine. “I’ve been thinking about that. I believe I know why.”

  “Good. Clue me in because it’s freaking me out a little.” She didn’t want to lie to him and she really wanted an explanation. “I’m a little frightened too. It’s as though I don’t know my own body anymore.”

  “You’ve lived around humans entirely since your father died. After you met me, your puma instincts have reacted more than they probably ever needed to before.”

  “Yeah. It’s humiliating.”

  That drew a frown from him and his hand paused. “Why?”

  “I always thought I was pretty tough. Now I leap on you or climb trees whenever I get really scared. Think about it. Your mother, as an example, probably thinks I’m pathetic. A werewolf would have growled at her or something. Not me. I ran to you and practically knocked you down in the shower.”

  His body bounced her as he chuckled. “I think it’s adorable.”

  “You’re not the one always trembling and so scared you can’t think. It’s like a switch gets hit, my brain shuts down, and next thing I know I’m off the ground clutching you or on top of something. I tell myself to stop it, to get down and be brave, but my body doesn’t listen.”

  “You’re part puma and I’m a werewolf. My kind usually kills yours. It’s natural for you to flee and seek higher ground. It’s a strong instinct, ingrained in your genes.” His hand rubbed her back again. “Hell, sometimes I see rabbits and take a few steps before I’m able to stop myself. I want to chase the things down and eat them. I’ve been dealing with what I am all my life and still fight those impulses.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. I could share all kinds of embarrassing things I’ve done while I adjusted to being a werewolf.”

  “Like what?”

  “In high school, I decided to date this cute human. I liked her and she was hot. I was fifteen and hormonal. I asked her out, bought flowers, and was really nervous because I wasn’t sure how humans interacted on dates. She answered the door holding her pet cat. That thing went insane, hissed at me, panicked, and it bolted out the door. I was after it faster than you can imagine. It ran up a tree and there
I stood under it, trying to think of a way to get it, when Sally rushed out to see what was going on. I had to hide my face. I’d started to change. I couldn’t talk because our voices deepen. She thought I was a freak and mean for scaring her cat somehow. I just walked away, so add rude on top of all that. She avoided me and glared daggers at me every time we crossed paths in the hallways until she moved away two years later.”

  Shannon smiled. “Sorry.”

  “Then there was the first pack run I attended after I started to become a man—as in noticed women and knew what a sex drive was.” He paused. “You probably don’t want to hear this one.”

  “Go ahead.”

  He actually blushed. “Imagine a hormonal teen on his first run with the pack. We strip down by the meeting tree to shift and there were all these naked women. I got a boner from hell and realized everyone would notice. I couldn’t take off my pants. It’s considered rude to react that way unless it’s mating heat. This was just a pack run, which we do monthly to celebrate the full moon. It’s kind of our version of a holiday and a way for the pack to do something together. My father knew why I stood there, not stripping down, and ordered me to go home. As I was walking away, my father yelled out for me to jack off before I came to the next one. I wanted to die on the spot.”

  Shannon’s mouth dropped open. “He didn’t!”

  “He totally did. I will never forget the laughter and how I ran all the way home. I didn’t speak to him for two days. It embarrassed me enough that I never wanted to go to another one.”

  “Your dad sounds like an ass.”

  “He believes it’s toughening us up to do shit like that.” He sighed. “There’s no shame in your fear of werewolves, Shannon. On the food chain, we’re something to be afraid of.” He suddenly grinned. “I bet you’ve never had a mouse problem.”

  “No.” She suddenly laughed. “I never thought about it, but in my first apartment, all the neighbors complained about field mice during the summer but I never had any inside my place.”

  Anton grinned. “You scent faintly of puma. Those mice would have avoided you at all costs.”

  “So you think being around you is helping my shifter blood kind of come forth?”

  “Yes.”

  She closed her eyes and tried to imagine a large cat. She pictured claws and a tail.

  “What are you doing?”

  She sighed and opened her eyes. “I can’t shift. I just tried.”

  “Do you know how?”

  “My mom asked my dad how he did it. She told me to imagine changing, to picture a large cat, and it would happen the way it did for him. It never worked though.”

  “Honey, if you could shift, you would have when you were terrified. Just because you’re displaying some traits doesn’t mean you can transform. The fact that you’re only a quarter shifter pretty much guarantees you won’t be able to.”

  “Oh.” She wasn’t sure if she should feel disappointed or not.

  “It doesn’t matter, and hell, I’m kind of happy you can’t. If you had claws and shifted into a cat when you jumped on me the way you do…” He chuckled. “You’d probably tear me up every time a werewolf gets close enough to trigger your fear.”

  “I’m not afraid of you.”

  He suddenly rolled them over to pin her under him. “Your scent is driving me crazy.” He scooted down a little and dipped his head to open his mouth over her breast.

  Shannon arched her back to lift the tip more firmly against his face. When he started to suckle, she moaned. Her stomach fluttered and she knew moisture instantly dampened her thighs, which she tried to spread apart to make room for his hips.

  “Please don’t tease. I ache.”

  He released her nipple with a drag of his teeth. “You’re so responsive.”

  “I’m dying for you.”

  He threw a hand toward the edge of the bed and searched for one of the condoms that had been dumped there during the night, but he cursed instead and looked away from her. “Where are the rubbers?”

  “I think we knocked them off the bed before we passed out after that last round.”

  He moved off her and peered over the edge of the sofa bed. “Found them!”

  “Hurry up.” Shannon rolled over and got on her hands and knees. “Take me this way. You have no idea how good it feels when you take me from behind.”

  “I know.” His voice deepened as he retrieved a few packets and turned to face her. A snarl tore from his mouth at seeing her waiting for him. “I―”

  Someone pounded on the door. “Anton! Come quick! Your father has been hurt!”

  Anton dropped the condoms and leapt from the bed to rush for the door. Shannon grabbed at the tangled covers and had barely wrapped them around her when he threw the door open to reveal a tall man she’d never seen before. The stranger panted, out of breath, and looked as though he’d run some distance.

  “What happened?”

  “I don’t know.” The guy leaned against the doorframe heavily. “Your mother called, said you weren’t answering your phone, and said you were needed. Your father has been seriously injured. They’re at their house.”

  Anton spun around, fear etched on his face, and looked at Shannon. “I have to go. I’ll be back.”

  “Of course.” She nodded. “Go.”

  He just threw on clothes, didn’t even bother to put on shoes, and ran out the door with the other man. It slammed behind him but she heard it beep, assuring her he’d at least remembered to lock it.

  Her body ached for him, burned, and guilt ate at her for it. His father had been hurt and she still wanted to have sex with Anton.

  She took a few deep breaths and then decided a cold shower would help. Worry followed her into the bathroom. She prayed his father wouldn’t die or that Anton wasn’t in some kind of danger. Something or someone had severely hurt his father. She didn’t know much about werewolves or what threatened them. Whatever happened, whatever the outcome, she knew she’d be there for him when he returned.

  * * * * *

  Anton shifted in the parking lot with Paul. They both ran toward the woods half a block down the road to reach his parents’ house faster. He wasn’t in any condition to drive. Worry and fear drove him to push past his usual endurance. He ran for miles and finally spotted the house. The door stood wide open and he just rushed inside.

  “He’s downstairs,” his mother yelled from the back of the house. “Something attacked him. Hurry up! I think he’s dying.”

  His wolf howled out in rage. Whoever had hurt his father would die. He nearly knocked his mother over when he raced through the hallway and skidded down the stairs. The smell of his father’s blood filled his nose, leading him through the basement apartment to one of the holding cells they kept there. He saw a bloodied, partially covered figure curled into a ball on one of the cots. He wasn’t thinking, just reacted, and rushed inside.

  He shifted fast, panting, and reached for his father, but the second his hand touched the blanket, other scents filled his head.

  Human and death.

  He tore the covering off to stare in shock at an elderly human. The guy’s throat had been torn open and unseeing green eyes stared at the wall.

  The metal cell door slammed closed behind him and Anton turned.

  His mother glared at him from the other side of the bars, backing up to remain out of his reach.

  “You really thought I’d allow this to happen? That I’d let you to do this to me?” She bared her teeth at him. “You brought our enemy into our territory.”

  Understanding dawned. “Let me out of here.” He grabbed the cell door and shook it. Metal rattled but the lock held. They’d been reinforced to contain werewolves who needed to be caged. “What have you done to Dad?”

  “You mean the blood?” She gave him a cold smile. “I tore up his back during sex and rolled him to let his blood seep into the blanket while I kept him occupied. I knew the scent of it would make you rush into the cell. You males are
so stupid, single-minded, always think with your noses or dicks.”

  “You killed this human? Why?”

  “I needed a body.” She shrugged. “It’s just some homeless guy. No one will miss him.”

  Anton gaped at her. “It’s against our laws.”

  “So is fucking the enemy!” she yelled, rage distorting her features. “So is humiliating your parents and your entire pack! I raised you to be a leader. Instead you betray me—and for what? A little cat whore?”

  “She’s under my protection. If you harm Shannon, I’ll kill you.”

  Eve paled. “I’m your mother. Don’t you ever threaten me again.”

  “She’s mine.”

  “She’s the enemy!”

  “Not to me.” He rattled the door. “Let me out of here. Where is Dad?”

  She waved her hand. “He’s in the woods, waiting for me. He has no clue. Sometimes a mate has to do tough things for her pack.”

  “If you harm Shannon,” he snarled, “I will kill you. You’ll stop being my mother and you’ll become my enemy.”

  “She’s no longer your concern.”

  “I’ve marked her.” His mind started to work around his fear for Shannon’s safety and his rage at being tricked by his mother. “I’ll go insane without her. You’ll have to kill me. Are you willing to go that far? Your mate and other children will never forgive you.”

  “I’ve thought of that. You haven’t hit full heat yet. I’m going to have you drugged.” She shot a distasteful glance at the dead body dumped on the cot. “I plan to shoot you with sedatives and once you’re unconscious, I’ll return to take it away. I’ve hired an outside doctor from another pack to come in. We’ll keep you in a coma until the heat passes and he’ll hook up a feeding tube and fluids. I told him you marked a bitch who died—which is partially true. She won’t be alive much longer. By the time you wake up, she’ll be out of your system.”

  “I swear to you, if you harm Shannon, I’ll kill you!”

  “I’m not going to lay a claw or fang on her.” She chuckled. “I realized when your father said you’d threatened him that you’d feel obligated to kill whoever snuffed out that little rodent eater. “I’m just having her removed from our territory. No werewolf will harm your precious pussycat.”