Cat of a Different Color

Halle Pumas - 3

by

Dana Marie Bell

Dedication

To Mom, who taught me the important things in life, like “That black doesn’t go with that black” and

“Never let your children know you aren’t psychic”.

To Dad, who grins whenever he hears about my work, even though he refuses to read it. For which I am eternally grateful, because that would just be… wrong, on so many levels.

To Memom, who encourages my madness and likes to know what I’m working on next.

To Stephanie, for pointing out some mistakes I’d made with Jerry and his responses, and gave me more insight into what it’s like to be legally blind.

And to my husband, Dusty. Happy tenth anniversary, sweetheart. “Every step I took since the moment I could walk was a step toward finding you.”

— Message in a Bottle

Chapter One

“God, I hate winter. If it wasn’t for the hurricanes I’d move to Florida.”

Adrian knocked on the hotel room door and sighed, rolling his eyes at the sight of his breath in the air.

He hoped the girl (Cheryl? Shelly? No, Sheri!) didn’t keep him waiting too long. Adrian shivered and wished desperately he was back in his own warm home, with a roaring fire and a good book.

He’d been volunteered by Max to pick up the newest Pride member. Tonight was supposed to be her formal introduction, though she’d already been approved by both the Alphas and the Betas. Only Max could get Adrian to stand outside in the cold like this, but that was okay. He planned on exacting his own kind of revenge. He grinned, thinking of all the ways he could encourage Emma’s pre-marital madness.

The Alpha’s mate had gone completely insane, post-it bombing the office with little notes and to-do lists.

She either kept forgetting that he shared desk space with Max or enjoyed tormenting him with wedding cake photos. It was enough to send a confirmed bachelor into sugar shock.

Adrian didn’t want a mate. He smiled to himself. His best friends had both become pussy-whipped, all in the space of weeks. Emma said “Jump!” and the big strong Alpha asked not only how high but which direction. As for Simon, if Becky so much as sighed he panicked. Watching the two strongest members of the Pride buckle under the Breast Brigade made him all the more determined to stay sanely single.

“Just a moment,” a soft voice called from inside. It sounded shy and sweet, and Adrian’s Puma raised its head curiously. He could feel his dick hardening slightly at the sound of her velvety voice.

“What the hell?” he muttered, frowning at the closed door. Shrugging, he tried to dismiss his body’s reaction.

“Who is it?”

That soft voice sent a shaft of pure lust through his veins. He twitched his shoulders and tried to dismiss the low growling sound of his Puma. “Adrian Giordano. I’m the friend Max said would be picking you up tonight.” Why the hell the woman couldn’t drive herself was a mystery, but he’d been so busy he’d forgotten to ask.

He could hear the locks disengage and tensed. His Puma let loose a low growl he’d never heard from it before, and he had to clamp his lips shut to keep it from emerging from his human lips. His eyes flashed, the colors of the setting sun turning from red to gold as he lost the red/green color spectrum. He forced them to change back, closing his eyes just as the door to the room swung open.

“Hi, Dr. Giordano. I’m Sheri Montgomery.”

He opened his eyes to find a snow princess staring back at him. She had the palest, softest-looking blonde hair he’d ever seen. The nearly white locks fell in delicate waves just past her shoulders. Pale, crystal blue eyes surrounded by equally pale lashes glowed in a face that could make the angels weep.

She was small and dainty, the top of her head barely reaching his shoulder. Her breasts were perfect for her slight frame. He had the inexplicable urge to pick her up, toss her over his shoulder and carry her off to his den where no one else would ever see her. Would ever want her.

Mine.

Adrian’s eyes widened as his Puma snarled in his mind. “Crap.”

She tilted her head to the side and sort of off center. She lowered the hand he hadn’t even realized she’d raised in greeting. “Excuse me? Is everything all right?”

“Uh, no, everything’s fine.” He hoped to God she couldn’t see the erection straining against his trousers.

“Would you like to come in for a moment while I get my coat?”

Adrian gulped as she smiled, sweetly uncertain.

Can I come in for a year? Or two? How about I just come? He did his best to bludgeon the voice of lust to death, but it refused to die. He wanted to throw her down on the ugly green carpet and fuck her until neither one of them could walk for a week. Maybe a month. Try years, his Puma purred. “Sure, thanks.”

It didn’t even occur to him that he was already thinking of her as his.

She opened the door wide, standing aside and waving him in with another shy smile. He stepped in quickly, grateful when she swung the door shut behind him. He took a look around her hotel room, her suitcases, anything to keep from looking at her, because the moment he did he wanted to strip her bare and sink into her. When she turned to grab her coat he nearly groaned at the sight of her perfect, heart-shaped ass.

She swiftly thrust her arms in the sleeves. The coat swirled around her, the off-white color only emphasizing her pale loveliness. Then she moved to the side of the bed. Carnal thoughts raced through his head as she bent to pick up something off the ground, really showcasing her ass. He couldn’t see what she was picking up because a) it was on the other side of the bed, b) the object of his sudden and total lust had just bent over near a bed, and c) that ass . Even hidden by the coat it had the power to make him hard. He tried not to picture her naked, but he wasn’t really trying all that hard. Another moan tried to escape, and the ugly green carpet turned yellowish brown, letting him know his eyes had shifted again.

“There you go,” her soft voice crooned. His cock twitched in response; the stupid thing thought she was talking to him. He was surprised to see what she was talking to, although with all of the visual clues he shouldn’t have been. She stepped out from around the edge of the bed holding the harness of a Seeing Eye dog. She bit her lip nervously. “It’s okay if I bring Jerry, right? I know how some people are about dogs in their cars.”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” he said, staring at the woman in front of him. OCA, probably type one. The white-blonde hair, pale blue eyes, nearly white skin…why hadn’t he put the clues together before? Most people with type one albinism were legally blind and required vision aids; as an optometrist he should have caught the signs, but he’d been so busy trying to ignore his dick (and her ass) that he’d missed the obvious. “Do you have your sunglasses?” Another commonality in albinism was sensitivity to light, but some chose wide-brimmed hats instead of sunglasses since sunglasses could impair what little vision they had.

She smiled again, this one sunny and warm with a tinge of relief. “Yes, they’re on the dresser.” She walked to the dresser, picked up a pair of black sunglasses with dark gray lenses and put them on.

“There. All ready.”

As she walked past him he inhaled as quietly as he could. God, she smells good ; all crisp and clean, like fresh snow, with an overlay of…coconut? Sunscreen, right . With the sun still in the sky she’d need the extra protection for all that pale skin. He cleared his throat and adjusted his pants; if his cock got any harder he’d be able to hammer nails with the damn thing.

He followed her out of the hotel room and waited while she locked her door. Taking a firm grip on Jerry’s lead she held out her free hand. Without thought he tucked it into his elbow, leading her to his car.

“So you share a practice with Max?”

He ignored the sudden surge of jealousy at the affection in her voice. “Yes, Max came home and partnered with me a little over three months ago.”

She smiled, her head tilted to the side again. “Simon and Becky took me to dinner a few days ago. I liked her. She suits him.”

Adrian shuddered. “Yes, I know.”

Sheri grinned up at him. “Why the shudder?”

“Becky’s…well, Simon once told me that he thought of her as ‘noisy, spiky and opinionated.’”

“She seems to have him well in hand.”

Adrian ignored the thread of humor running through her voice and chose to focus on her words. “Yes, she does.”

Her brows rose in surprise as he reached his black Mustang. “You have a problem with that?”

He opened the rear door and Jerry hopped right in. “It’s more a bachelor thing than a Becky thing.” He helped her in and shut her door, then moved to the driver’s side. He climbed in and started the car.

“Becky and Emma are both great women, and Simon and Max love them, but that whole ‘hop because I said so’ just doesn’t appeal.”

“So I gather you aren’t looking for a mate?”

Nope. Already found her. Once again that annoying little voice refused to stay silent. “Not really,” he hedged.

“Good,” she replied firmly. “Neither am I.”

His Puma screamed its protest. Adrian did his best to ignore it, but it wasn’t easy. The world changed color on him in that subtle way that let him know his eyes had changed. Damn. He forced them back to brown as he pulled onto the road and headed towards Max and Emma’s. “Rumor has it Becky and Emma offered you a job?”

She nodded. “Part-time, but right now I’ll take what I can get until I can get a place and get my other business up and running.”

“What do you do?” he asked as he took the turn to Max’s house.

“I’m a technical writer. I write documentation, specializing in voice recognition software for the blind.”

He slowly grinned. “Really?”

“Don’t sound so surprised. Technology has made things so much easier for those of us who have handicaps.”

“I never said it didn’t. I just think it’s awesome.” He paused, wondering if she’d be offended if he asked.

“How bad is your vision?”

She tilted her head down and off to one side again; he knew enough about her condition to know that she was making the best of her limited vision. “I’m twenty/two hundred.”

To see what one person could see from two hundred feet away, she had to be within twenty feet. That was the definition of legally blind. It explained why she didn’t drive. Most states would grant a limited license only if the person’s visual range was twenty/seventy with correction.

He did his best to ignore her stare as he parked in the street. Max’s driveway was full up; they were almost the last ones to arrive. He got out of the car and walked around to her side, letting her out first before he opened the door for Jerry. He stared at the dog, who stared back. “By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” He took her arm again and began walking.

“What?”

“Sheri and Jerry?”

“Shaddup.” She grinned, totally relaxed with him. That small sign of trust warmed him down to his toes despite the chill November air. “Dork.”

Chapter Two

Thank God for her dark glasses. She’d been told that with most Pumas their eyes flashed gold when upset ( or aroused, her inner kitty purred). Hers flashed red. These poor people would think she was some sort of demon if they saw that. They’d flashed red when she caught Adrian’s scent outside her motel room door. When she’d heard his voice for the first time her claws had damn near extended.

She’d managed to wrestle her Puma into submission, but every time the delicious Dr. Giordano spoke she could feel her inner kitty purring as if he’d petted her.

Oh, pet me, Dr. Adrian!

The mine her Puma had snarled hadn’t helped. Her declaration that she wasn’t looking for a mate sounded fake even to herself.

Although technically speaking, it was true. It seemed she’d found her mate, whether she wanted to or not.

She was going to have to figure out a way to keep him safe from Rudy; somehow she doubted that would be as easy as it sounded.

The front door to Max’s house opened. “Hi, Sheri!”

She braced herself as Simon’s enthusiastic mate embraced her like a long lost friend. “Hi, Becky.” She could see the Beta female’s ultra-curly hair and the paleness of her face. Becky’s features were clear because she was so close, the bright jade green of Becky’s eyes twinkling merrily. “Where’s Emma?”

Sheri was dying to meet the Curana. She’d spoken to her on the phone and Becky had heaped praise upon the woman’s head, but it didn’t change the fact that she had to meet the Curana face to face and get her approval before the other members of the Pride would accept her.

“Right here,” a husky female voice replied. Becky was pulled away and Sheri braced herself again. A small woman moved into her field of vision, and she tilted her head to see her better. She saw long dark hair and dark eyes in a golden-skinned face, but unless she came closer her features would remain a blur.

“Max,” that husky voice drawled.

“Yes?” Max’s familiar voice drawled back.

“Are you sure you never slept with her?”

“Emma.” Max laughed as he moved up behind the small woman. His familiar scent wafted over her.

“Blonde, gorgeous…explain to me how you didn’t sleep with her. Hell, I’m straight and I’d do her.”

“Emma!”

“We didn’t want to,” Sheri replied, somewhat startled by her welcome.

She could feel Emma’s attention swirl back to her. Damn, the Curana is strong.

“Oh?”

“Being chased by a rabid boyfriend out to force me into a mating meant men weren’t high on my priority list. Or women.” She grinned, relieved when the Curana chuckled. She felt Adrian’s arm stiffen under her hand. “Besides, Max was dating-”

“Emma, why don’t you let them through the door? It’s cold out there,” Max interrupted.

She could almost feel Emma’s amusement as the Curana stepped back. “Sure, Sheri, come on in.” The Curana leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Remind me that we need to talk later, okay?”

“Emma, come on.” Max laughed again. “Do you really want to know who I slept with in college?”

“Not really.” Sheri could hear the grin in Emma’s voice. “I just like making you squirm.”

There was the sound of a soft kiss. “I’ll make you squirm later,” Max purred softly in Emma’s ear. It was obvious he thought no one else would hear him, but her hearing was even more acute than a normal Puma’s.

She could feel her cheeks redden at the banked heat in his voice. Emma’s soft “Oh, boy” sounded too much like how she felt as Adrian slid an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. His hand landed possessively on her hip as they walked into the room.

“What was that about a rabid boyfriend?” Adrian asked. His voice sounded strained.

Strained or not, she loved listening to it. It was warm and rich like melted chocolate, running over her skin in a sexy slide that raised goose bumps on her arms. Her eyes flashed red behind their glasses. Darn it .

Melted chocolate described the good doctor perfectly. Rich chocolate brown eyes, dark brown hair and tanned skin over smooth muscle made the man a rich treat she was dying to eat up, especially since she was a devoted chocoholic.

Too bad it wouldn’t work out. Rudy would take one look at the good doctor and eat him for lunch.

Literally.

Max sighed. “Long story, buddy, and one we’ll be telling the entire pack. C’mon in, take your coats off and have a seat. Hey, Jerry.”

She gave Jerry the command that let him know he was off duty, so when Max bent down and petted him, he wagged his tail hard enough to nearly pull the harness out of her hand. She laughed, glad her dog and her Alpha liked one another. “He likes you.”

“Good, because he’ll be seeing a lot of me.” He took her coat and handed it to Emma. Adrian casually guided her to a large burgundy leather sofa. She could see people moving around, but couldn’t really make out faces. Scents, on the other hand…

There were several men and women in the group; thankfully none of them wore perfume or cologne, something Weres tended not to do anyway. Their sensitive noses wouldn’t allow it. None of their scents were familiar except for Max, the Betas and Adrian. Children squealed and laughed upstairs. She could make out the sounds of a video game running somewhere and figured the majority of the children were there.

The enticing scent of the luscious Dr. Yum drifted towards her. “Rabid boyfriend?” Adrian whispered in her ear as he settled in next to her.

She sighed. “I only want to tell it once, okay?”

Silence.

“Please?” She didn’t know why she was pleading with him, but the weight of his stare was beginning to make her uncomfortable. And uncomfortably hot, something she did not need to be in a room full of predators.

She could just make out his nod before she heard his “Okay.” He leaned in to whisper in her ear. “But we will talk about this later.”

The feel of his breath on her ear and neck sent a shiver down her spine even as his commanding tone got her hackles up.

She frowned at him and started to say something, only to be interrupted by Max. “Okay, people, listen up. We have a new Pride member to meet tonight. She’s someone Simon and I knew in college, someone I changed when she needed help. Her name is Sheridan Montgomery. She’s a good person who’s had a hard time. She’s come to us for help, so please listen up.”

Sheri could hear the Alpha in Max’s voice, felt his power reach into the room. All of the conversations died down immediately as she stood and stepped forward. She could smell Max and his mate standing next to the fireplace, with Simon and Becky on Max’s right. She turned reluctantly to face the room. The moment of truth. Will they help me, or not?

“Hello,” she began, her fingers tightening on Jerry’s lead. He reacted by going back on duty, settling down next to her in an alert posture. “I’m Sheri.”

Adrian sat back as casually as he could and tried to get his tense muscles to relax. His mate had been threatened, and from the way Max and Simon were acting she was still under threat. His Puma was practically vibrating. If he’d had a tail it would have been swishing rapidly back and forth. Hell, even as a human he had the urge to stand up and pace, but he forced himself to stay still and listen to what Sheri had to say.

“Back in college, I dated a man named Rudy Parker. I was in my third year of the Comp Sci program, he was in the graduate program. Mechanical Engineering. He wanted to work with robots.” She smiled sadly as she said it. “He seemed like the answer to every dream I’d ever had.”

Adrian nearly growled. The thought of her caring about someone else that much set his teeth on edge, and he’d only known the woman for about an hour. Every possessive instinct he had began stretching, like a cat waking in the morning light, all of its attention centered on the slender blonde in front of him.

“In my senior year little things started to happen that had me worried. He’d tell me to wear a skirt, because he loved me in skirts, then he’d get upset if I wore jeans. He’d buy me hot chocolate to drink and pout if I wasn’t properly grateful. Things began escalating right before I graduated.”

Her voice was strong, but her hands began to shake. He had the urge to get up and put his arms around her, to let her know she’d be safe with him. Did this Parker guy hurt her? If he’d laid a hand on her he was a dead man. Adrian would hunt him down and gut him personally.

He felt someone’s eyes on him and turned. It was Simon. The man looked at him as if he knew exactly what he was thinking. And if anyone in this room did, it would be the big artist. His mate had been attacked and badly injured by a Pride member before she’d been turned, and Adrian knew Simon still wished he’d killed the bitch. Becky leaned into Simon and stroked his arm soothingly, but her eyes were glued to Sheri.

Adrian turned his attention back to his snow princess.

“Rudy knew I couldn’t see very well. I’m legally blind. I used a cane when I went places at college and at home. I knew my way around fairly well, so it wasn’t difficult, and the cane came in most useful when doing things like crossing the street. He took my cane, told me it had been stolen by some kids playing a prank, and then offered to help me around campus. He started missing his own classes to get me to mine, which seemed really sweet at the time. But if I didn’t go into the building, or if he checked on me and I wasn’t there, he would freak.

“That year I met Max.” Her smile wasn’t sad anymore; it was mischievous. “He was dating a girl who was getting too clingy and he was trying to get out of the relationship without hurting her feelings. And, no, there wasn’t another woman involved; he just felt pressured and wanted out. So we wound up comparing notes and some of the things I told him triggered alarm bells for him. He said he wanted to meet Rudy and I said sure.”

Adrian could feel her tension. Everyone, with the exception of the children upstairs, was completely still.

“Needless to say, Rudy wasn’t happy to meet Max. That night we went on a date and he took me out into the woods. I didn’t think anything of it at the time because we’d gone there before. It was his favorite place to be, someplace where we could talk about our dreams, how we wanted our lives to go, that sort of thing.”

She sighed, her head dipping down and off to one side. Adrian had the impression she was looking at him. He caught a flash of red from her eyes before she tilted her head back up, hiding her eyes behind those glasses. “He attacked me that night. I didn’t believe in Werewolves or Werepumas before that night.”

“Werewolves?” Belinda asked. She’d taken up a position near Becky, as was her habit since the attack on the female Beta. Becky’s eyes narrowed; Emma looked thoughtful. The Pride leaders both looked cold and emotionless, putting Adrian on guard. He turned his attention once again to Sheri.

“Yes. Werewolves. Rudy transformed right in front of me and attacked me. He held me on the ground and tried to mount me. My injuries were…bad.” She took a deep breath, obviously rattled by the memories, and Adrian couldn’t hold himself back any longer. He stood and went to her, standing next to her, holding the hand that wasn’t holding Jerry’s harness. She seemed to steady at his touch, her voice calming and growing stronger, and his Puma purred in satisfaction. “I managed to get away from him but I was bleeding pretty badly. Sometimes I think he wanted me to get away, that he wanted the thrill of the hunt, but I don’t think he expected me to get to the road.” She smiled slightly. “My guardian angel finally woke up when I reached the road, because I was nearly hit by Simon, who was coming home from a party.” Simon nodded grimly, confirming her story. “I begged him to take me to the hospital. He took me to Max instead. I don’t remember much of what happened after that, but when I woke up I was completely healed, other than a bite mark.” She pulled aside the edge of her white sweater to reveal a scar. Out of the corner of his eye Adrian saw Becky rub a similar mark. Simon’s hand covered his mate’s and he looked down at her with a fierce protectiveness that, for once, Adrian completely understood because he was battling the urge to look down at Sheri the same way.

Sheri let the edge of her shirt go and took his hand again. He wasn’t certain she noticed she’d done it.

“Max bit me and changed me. If he hadn’t I would have died. When Rudy tried to hurt me again I was able to defend myself. I was forced to run when he tried to hurt me with his Pack backing him up.”

Max took over before Adrian could ask some questions, like, why aren’t you a Wolf? “At this point I was pretty sure Parker was rogue. I contacted the local Pack, and they knew nothing about him or his small band of friends. They promised me they’d deal with him. When Parker tried to get back at me for changing Sheri, Simon and I managed to fight him and his ‘Pack’ off. He’s been chasing Sheri ever since.

She’s been forced to move around a lot and not have anyone close, like a Pride, for fear Parker would use them against her. She’s petitioned to join our Pride, which means she’s no longer alone.” Max’s hard gaze swept the room. “We deal with this threat now.”

The Alpha smiled when his Pride members murmured their consent. Adrian felt Sheri’s hand tremble in his.

“Now, for those of you with kits, keep in mind that Parker is a sick man who won’t stop at anything to get Sheri back. Keep them safe, know where they are at all times. I’ll e-mail everyone with a photo of Parker so that if you see him you know what to do. Contact me or Simon—”

“Or me,” Adrian piped up, squeezing Sheri’s hand reassuringly. He let up immediately when he saw her wince, but refused to let go.

“Or Adrian.” Max nodded. “Under no circumstances, other than threat to your kits, are you to approach Parker in any way. He runs with about three other wolves. That may or may not have changed. I’ll contact the Pack in the Pocono’s and see if they’ll help. Last I heard the Pack leader was isolationist, so we may be on our own on this.”

“I’ll help,” Belinda said. “There are places she may need to go to that a man can’t go. I’ll go with her.”

“Well, she’s not the Curana so she should be safe,” one of the females muttered.

“Excuse me?”

Adrian shuddered at the ice in Emma’s voice as the Pride’s Curana took offense at the woman’s tone. A thin mist surrounded her, a serious indication of just how pissed off she was. “Do you doubt my word that Belinda Campbell had nothing to do with the attack on Rebecca Yaeger?”

Uh-oh, them’s fightin’ words. If the woman knew what was good for her she’d back down and apologize immediately. Adrian watched as several of the women winced and drew away from the offending member of the Pride.

“No, Curana.” The woman bowed her head in submission.

“Good.” Emma looked around at the other members of the Pride. “I expect this nonsense to stop.

Belinda has proven to both Rebecca and me that she had absolutely nothing to do with Olivia’s attack on Rebecca. Punishing her for Olivia’s actions is wrong, and I expect better of my Pridemates.

Understood?”

Adrian watched as Max positioned himself squarely next to his mate, a cool warning in his eyes for anyone who would challenge her. To challenge Emma was to challenge Max, and not a single male in the room believed himself capable of defeating the Alpha. When the Betas ranged themselves right next to the Alphas and added their glares the argument was pretty much over.

Murmurs of assent drifted through the room and the Alphas relaxed. “Sheri will be working part-time at Wallflowers, starting tomorrow,” Emma added in a warmer tone of voice.

“She can move into Becky’s apartment, it’s right above the store,” Simon said, his arm going once more around his mate.

Becky looked up at him. “She can? What about the person who’s currently living there?”

“I thought she could move in with me. You don’t mind, do you?” Simon grinned down at his mate, and Adrian had to hide a smile. The rest of the people in the room didn’t even bother. A few went so far as to chuckle as Becky grunted in response.

“I like my apartment.”

“It would be easier on Sheri and you’d be doing a very nice thing for a new friend.”

Becky sighed. “That was a low blow, Simon.”

“Plus my feet get cold at night.”

“Oh, well, we can’t have your feet getting cold, can we, Garfield?”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Simon grinned as the room exploded into laughter.

That little bit of laughter helped ease the tensions in the room. People settled in comfortably to discuss how best to help Sheri while getting to know the newest Pride member. Adrian was never very far from her side, and surprisingly neither was Belinda. The two women seemed to hit it off. He sat back and watched as they laughed together over something, then made plans to go to lunch the following day after Sheri got off work. He felt some of his own tension ease; his mate would be safe with Belinda. He’d hit Max up for the full story tomorrow.

Chapter Three

“Go ahead. Ask.” Sheri tried not to grin as Belinda put her sandwich down and leaned in on both elbows, looking both curious and guilty.

“What’s it like being an albino?” Belinda asked quietly.

She sighed as she put her sandwich down. She wasn’t offended. She’d gotten used to correcting people, but it still bothered her that people asked. “I really hate that word.”

“Why?”

She’d been waiting for someone to ask her that question since yesterday at the Pride meeting, but Belinda was the first one to work up the courage. The two women were sitting in Kelly’s Diner eating hamburgers and fries and totally blowing their diets. It was one of the nicest afternoons she’d had in a long time. It was nice to have a friend again. She hoped they weren’t about to ruin that.

“I’m a person with albinism. Saying I’m an albino is like saying I have a communicable disease, like calling someone a leper. It’s a condition I live with, not who I am.”

“But it’s no worse than calling me a blonde or blondie.”

“I doubt that.” She laughed. “Think about the stereotype of the ‘albino’. We’re always the evil one who’s out to do some nasty stuff to some poor innocent who doesn’t know that the albino is evil. And nobody stares at you just because you’re blonde.”

There was a moment of silence. “Okay,” Belinda finally drawled. “Tell me a blonde joke.”

Sheri paused with the burger halfway to her mouth, her head tilted as she tried to catch the other woman’s expression.

“How about this one? A redhead walks into the doctor’s office and says, ‘Doc, it hurts wherever I touch myself.’ The doc has her touch everywhere on her body, and sure enough, she screams every time she does. The doc asks if she’s a natural blonde; stop me if you know the punch line?”

She blushed; she had heard this one before, and had laughed as loudly as her friends had.

“The doc says, ‘I thought so; your finger is broken.’”

Sheri could hear Belinda take a sip of her soda. “A blonde was playing Trivial Pursuit one night with some friends. When it was her turn, she rolled the dice and landed on Science and Nature. Her question was, ‘If you’re in a vacuum and someone calls your name, can you hear it?’ The blonde thought for a moment and asked, ‘Is it on or off?’”

Sheri bit her lip to keep from laughing, but she had the feeling the other woman saw it.

“Or my personal favorite, what do you call three blondes in a Volkswagen? Farfromthinken.”

Sheri lost the battle against laughing, and was relieved when Belinda chuckled too.

“I have a Bachelor’s degree in Management with a minor in Finance, but because I look like a Kewpie doll people who have known me all my life treat me like I’m an idiot.”

Sheri could just make out the other woman’s shrug. “Sometimes that’s what life does to you, and sometimes it’s what you do to yourself. So I know some blonde jokes, and I laugh at blonde jokes, and I try to make the best of things by not letting other people’s opinions matter to me. It doesn’t always work, but I try.”

“Wow. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t let the label bother you. If you do, you just wind up expending energy on something that doesn’t really matter in the long run. If I got mad at every blonde joke I heard I’d be mad an awful lot of the time.” Belinda leaned in close so Sheri could see her grin and whispered, “Or I’d be a redhead, worshiping at the shrine of Ms. Clairol.”

They were quiet as each of them ate a little. “Do you own your own business?”

“No,” Belinda answered with a sigh. “I worked at Noah’s as the hostess, and I planned on applying for the manager’s position…but that didn’t pan out. I’m pretty sure I can afford to open my own place, but I wanted to be able to put down experience in a management position on my loan papers. I don’t think I can qualify without it.”

Sheri could hear the pain in the other woman’s voice. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. The market sucks right now for opening the kind of business I want to run anyway.”

“What kind of business would that be?”

“Livia and I…we used to joke that we’d open up our own place. I wanted to open a bar and grill, and call it Blondie’s or something; she wanted a day spa.” Belinda shrugged. “It was one of the reasons I loved working at Noah’s. I love the restaurant business.”

“What happened with your job there?”

“I got fired.”

“Why?”

“Because people thought I was in league with Livia. She attacked Becky, injuring her pretty badly, during this year’s masquerade. Livia used the threat to Becky to try and get Emma to give her the Curana’s ring.”

“What?” Sheri couldn’t believe her ears. “Someone tried to use Becky to get to Emma?”

“Yup. I didn’t know anything about it until Simon carried Becky off to heal her and change her.”

“And claim her.”

“And claim her.” She could hear a different kind of pain in Belinda’s voice and wondered if the other woman had feelings for Simon. If she did, it was too bad; Simon was obviously devoted to his mate.

“But the ring—”

“Doesn’t make you the Curana, right? But if Emma handed it over—”

“She’d be seen as weak,” Sheri finished thoughtfully.

“Exactly. She’d be cat chow.”

Sheri laughed. She was going to like it here.

Adrian waited outside the diner and watched as the two women talked and laughed. Something in his heart eased as he watched her truly relax for the first time since he’d met her.

“Maybe if you stare hard enough her clothes will fall off by themselves.” Simon stepped into view and stared at the two women.

Adrian rolled his eyes. “She’s my mate.”

Simon grinned. “And if anyone is going to use their amazing cloth-ripping stare powers on her it’s going to be you?”

“Asshole.”

Simon flipped him off, and Adrian grinned.

“She seems to be settling right in,” Simon said, leaning against the brick wall of the diner.

“Yup.”

“Becky trusts Belinda.”

“And you don’t?” Adrian kept his eyes on the two women but his attention was on Simon.

“To a point, yes.”

“Do you trust Becky and Emma?”

Simon sighed. “Yes, damn it.” It sounded like he’d had, and lost, this argument already. Probably Becky had gotten to him and given him an earful. He decided to help reassure Simon. There were things he knew about Belinda that would shock Simon to his core.

Adrian nodded. “Have you ever been in Kelly’s when Belle’s in there?”

Simon looked at Adrian, one brow raised. “Belle?”

Adrian nodded. “That’s what they call Belinda in there. Belle.”

“No, I haven’t been in there when Belle’s been in there. Why?”

“She might surprise you.”

Simon snorted. “I dated the woman off and on for years; nothing she does would surprise me, unless it was to grow a second brain cell.”

“Really? Let’s go in.”

Adrian opened the door and pushed Simon in. Simon, surprisingly, allowed it.

“Hey, Belle!”

Simon’s eyebrows rose into his hair as Frank Kelly called Belinda’s name. Adrian grinned and waited.

He already knew what was coming.

“Yes, Frank?”

“What do you do when a blonde throws a pin at you?”

“Run like hell, she’s got a grenade in her mouth.”

The entire diner laughed. “Hey, Belle,” one of the patrons called out. “He ever throw one at you that you didn’t know the punch line to?”

“Nope,” Belle replied proudly.

“I’ll get you one day, Belle!” Frank laughed.

“And my little dog, too?”

More laughter. Adrian could see Simon’s shock as he pushed the man back out the door. “See?”

“The only time I ever saw her was with her upper-crust friends,” Simon said. “She didn’t act like that around them.”

“Of course not, they would have kicked her out of the country club,” Adrian replied. He set up against the wall again and stared into the diner, watching Sheri and Belle eat. “Besides, everyone knew why you went out with Belinda, and it wasn’t for her conversation.”

Simon winced. “She didn’t act that way around me, either.”

Adrian nodded. “She gave you what she thought you wanted.”

“A blonde bimbo,” Simon said thoughtfully.

“I hate to make you feel even worse, but as far as I can tell she never dated anyone but you.”

Simon winced again. “Gee, thanks.”

Adrian shrugged. “I don’t know if she thought you were her mate or what, but when she finds him she’ll know. Until then, I think Sheri’s safe with Belle.”

“Okay,” Simon agreed with a sigh. “I’ll trust her.”

* * *

“Spill.” Adrian stared hard at his friend and partner, crossing his arms as he blocked the way out of the office. They’d just finished closing for the day and were the only ones left in the practice.

“Excuse me?” Max’s blue eyes glittered gold for a moment, sensing Adrian’s challenge.

Adrian sighed. “She’s my mate, Max. How would you feel if Emma was threatened?” Max’s low growl answered that question. “So tell me. What am I facing here?”

Max sighed and pushed his hand through his hair. “Rudy Parker is a sick fuck. He tried to mount her as a wolf. When that didn’t work, he bit her. If she hadn’t torn free she’d be Pack now instead of Pride.”

“That kind of thing happens pretty fast, I thought. How did she get away before he managed it?”

Max shrugged. “I have no idea. All I remember is her shoulder was torn all to hell and gone, and a chunk was missing.”

Adrian’s growl slipped out. “He took a chunk of her shoulder?”

Max nodded. “It’s why the scarring is pretty bad there. Even the Magic Puma Potion couldn’t heal it.”

Adrian snorted a laugh, his eyes returning to their normal dark brown. “Magic Puma Potion?”

“Becky’s words, not mine.”

“She would know.” Adrian started to pace. “Okay, he tried to rape her, she managed to get away before he changed her, and he’s been chasing her ever since. That about sum it up?”

Max nodded slowly.

“What are you leaving out?”

“She got away intact because she left before the abuse got too bad. She knows how dangerous he is now, though, and if he finds out the two of you are mates he’ll do everything he can to take you down.”

“I can handle him.”

Max shook his head. “He won’t come at you alone. He’ll use his Pack, and Puma versus a Wolf Pack…”

“Puma loses.” Adrian stopped pacing and stared blankly at the wall, his mind racing. “We need to keep the Pride around us, then.”

“Sheri won’t be alone; Simon’s been detailed to watch over her when she’s out and about. Belinda, Becky and Emma will stick with her whenever possible.”

“And I’ll be with her at night.”

“If you can convince her of that.”

“You doubt me?” Adrian grinned at Max, confident in his ability to seduce his mate.

“She’ll try to push you away in order to protect you. To be honest, I was surprised when she finally contacted us again and asked to join our Pride. The invitation’s been open since I bit her.”

“Which means things are probably worse than she’s telling,” Adrian muttered, every protective instinct flaring to life. The urge to go to her, pick her pretty ass up and cart her home to his den where she’d be safe was nearly overwhelming.

“Yup.”

“You okay with Emma doing guard duty?”

Max’s grin was feral, and his eyes flashed to gold. “That son of a bitch touches my mate—hell, breathes on her wrong—I’ll force-feed him his balls.”

Adrian nodded, muscles tensed as Max’s power rolled through the room. The need to protect was even stronger in the face of his Alpha’s unconscious call. “If Emma doesn’t do it first?”

Max’s grin relaxed, and Adrian relaxed with him. “She broke a man’s nose once.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Yeah, the whole town knew.”

Max blinked. “So why didn’t I know?”

Adrian shrugged. “Why would you? You weren’t in town when it happened, and no one knew she’d turn out to be your mate.”

Max blew out a breath. “The argument I had with that woman to get the story out of her… Okay. Never mind,” he snarled as Adrian grinned. “You see if you can get Sheri to spill the rest of the story.”

“No problem.” Adrian turned to leave the office and saw one of the wedding gown pictures Emma had pinned to the bulletin board. He stopped with a grin. “By the way, can you pass on a message to Emma?”

“Sure, what is it?”

The curiosity in Max’s voice nearly caused him to laugh. “Can you tell her that there aren’t enough swimsuit pictures in here? If you guys are going to the Caribbean for your honeymoon, she’ll need to pick out a bikini.”

“Are you trying to get me maimed?”

“Can you get pictures of her modeling them? That would be cool.”

“Out! Asshole.”

Adrian left the office with a laugh. It was time to go claim his mate.

Chapter Four

Sheri very carefully lifted the sun-catcher out of the box Simon had packed it in. The big artist stood over her, watching her every move like a hawk. She made sure she was extra careful with the delicate piece.

She’d been working at Wallflowers for two days now, and she hadn’t been left alone for a moment. If Becky and Emma were absent, some other member of the Pride “just stopped by to do some shopping”.

As if even a woman like Marie Howard could shop in one store for three hours . Thank God for Belinda. At least she made no pretense of why she was there, and the two women had become fast friends. And maybe if Rudy was gone from her life she’d be able to help Belinda get her dream off the ground.

“Please don’t break it.”

“I’m being careful,” she replied, starting to get pissed off.

“No offense, but you’re taking forever to do that.”

“Would you like to do this?”

“Nah, looks like you’ve got it covered.” He began to pace, moving restlessly around the delicate furniture like a caged…well, mountain lion. “Becky’s officially moving in with me this week.”

“I know. I’m helping her pack.” She gently laid the sun-catcher in the white gift box bearing the store’s name and logo printed in gold lettering. “She said I should be able to move in by the end of the week since she’s not taking any of the furniture.” Which was pretty fast work considering it was only Tuesday.

“So she’s already taken you up and shown you around?”

“Yeah, I know the layout and everything.”

“Cool. Not that you’ll live there for very long if Adrian has anything to say about it.”

“Simon?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell me about Adrian.” She could have bitten off her tongue for letting the words slip out, but curiosity was eating away at her like mad.

“He’s the same age as me, so a year younger than Max. He went to school locally, his parents still live here and have been happily mated for nearly thirty years. He’s born, not made. He has a sister and a brother, both younger, both still in college, both out of town. He owns his own home and car, shares a practice with Max, and has never been in trouble with the law.”

“Women?”

“None serious.”

“As bad as you?”

Simon growled. “I wasn’t that bad.”

“No, of course not. Revolving doors belong in everyone’s bedroom.”

“Pain in my ass,” he grumbled.

Sheri grinned. “So he’s a player?”

“Not so much. He didn’t date very seriously, but Sheri? He told me you’re his mate, which means now he doesn’t date at all.”

“He’s mistaken,” she lied.

“So when he approaches you about it, you treat him right, okay? He’s one of my best friends.”

“I’ll bang him on the head with a baseball bat if he tries,” she replied calmly.

“He’s a good man, and he’ll take good care of you.”

“I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”

“His mother’s going to love you.”

“She’s never going to meet me.”

“She’s Pride, she already has, and knock it the hell off.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she sniffed as she finished tying a pretty gold bow to the box.

Her hands were lifted away from the bow. She looked up into Simon’s dark eyes. “You’re mates. Trust me, there’s no denying it. I fought my pull towards Becky for six months…hell, if I’m honest it was probably longer than that, and it was pure agony.”

“So?”

“So if you fight it, the dreams will start. Hot, sweaty dreams. The kind that leave you aching. And it gets worse. You’ll feel no desire for anyone else, because if your body can’t have the real thing it’ll take the dreams. There is no denying your mate .”

She pulled her dark glasses down and tried not to squint in the light. She allowed her eyes to flash red.

“Rudy will kill him. If my denying him protects him—”

“Bullshit.”

Sheri winced; she hadn’t noticed the bell over the door jingling. She pushed her glasses back up her nose and pulled back into herself. “Hello, Dr. Giordano.”

“Call Becky,” Adrian said to Simon.

“Why?” Simon asked.

For an answer, Adrian vaulted over the glass countertop and slung Sheri over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold. He ignored her squeak of protest, picked up Jerry’s harness. Jerry, the traitor, immediately obeyed as Adrian carted them calmly out of the building. “Bye, Simon!”

Simon’s laughter boomed out behind her. “Bye, guys.”

“Put me down,” Sheri growled.

“Nope.”

“Put me down now, doofus!”

He huffed out a laugh. “You’re not the first person to call me that.”

She stilled, an unreasonable jealousy causing her to see red. “Who?”

“Simon and Max.”

She relaxed. “Oh.”

“You bite me and I’ll paddle you. Just so you know.”

His cheerful tone of voice was really beginning to grate on her nerves. That and her upside down position was beginning to give her a headache. “You and what army, bud?”

“You think I need help handling you, princess?”

She grunted as he put her in his car with a loud smacking kiss on the top of her head. She felt three years old. “You know, they have some pretty good drugs for people with your condition. Have you considered taking some?”

“Don’t even think of getting out of the car.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. You have my dog,” she muttered and folded her arms over her chest as he shut the car door with a laugh. At least her sunglasses hadn’t fallen off. Of course, Dr. Doofus hadn’t bothered to grab her jacket, so she was sitting there freezing her ass off in her thin black blouse and pants. The dork.

He grinned, opened the driver’s side door and put Jerry in the back. The traitor settled in happily, waving his tail as Adrian petted him. Then Adrian got in behind the wheel and started the car.

“Where are we going?”

She could hear the smile in his voice. “My place.”

“No.”

“No what?”

“No, I’m not going to your place.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“Good. Take me back.”

“Nope.”

“Then what are you sorry for?”

“For disappointing you. You are going to my place.”

“Dr. Giordano,” she started to say.

He put his hand over her mouth. “My name is Adrian.”

“Mph rr hmph.”

“What?” Adrian took his hand off her mouth.

“Thank you.”

“Uh, you’re welcome?”

“Now take me back to the store.” She folded her arms across her chest again and glared at him, trying desperately not to shiver with cold. He noticed it anyway and put the heater on.

“No.”

“Now.”

“No.”

“I mean it!”

“No.”

She growled. She freaking growled at him. “Adrian.”

“Sorry, mate, not happening, stop asking.” They pulled into a driveway. Just as he hit the garage door remote she opened her car door and got out, intent on walking back to Wallflowers. She’d only gotten about ten steps before he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

He patted her butt soothingly as she growled at him.

“Oh, no you don’t. I have your dog, remember?” The laughter in his voice merely caused her to snarl.

She could feel her eyes turning red with aggravation.

“Good morning, Dr. Giordano.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Anderson.” She felt him lift a hand off her butt to wave at someone.

“Isn’t that the newest Pride member?” the elderly lady asked in a scandalized whisper.

“Yes, and she’s my mate,” Adrian whispered back with wicked humor.

Sheri snarled again.

“Oh, good for you! Welcome to the neighborhood, young lady!”

“I’m being kidnapped against my will,” she called out calmly. One of them needed to remain sane.

“That’s nice, dear. Have a good day.”

She could feel him chuckling under her stomach and punched his ass as hard as she could. Double dork .

“Ow.” The slap he landed on her butt stung like hell. “Stop that.”

“Put me down!”

“Just let me get the dog…there you go,” he said as Jerry got out of his car and fell into step beside him.

He slammed the car door shut with his foot and carried her into the garage.

She glared at her dog and considered making him cat chow. “I want to go back.”

“Sorry, darlin’. No can do. Welcome home,” he purred as the garage door shut.

“Your car is still outside,” she pointed out, her teeth chattering a little in the cold air.

“But my mate is inside.” He ran his hand over her bottom. “Hmm, a thong? I love thongs.” He sighed happily.

“Pig,” she muttered, amused despite herself.

“Where you’re concerned? Oink oink.”

She choked back an outraged laugh as he carried her into the house. He didn’t put her down until they reached the living room. She could see dark brown hardwood floors, the burnt sienna walls and the beige furniture with chocolate and burnt sienna patterned cushions on it. The coffee table was a carved piece of dark wood, but she couldn’t bring the carvings into focus. It looked so rich she longed to run her fingers over it and examine it more closely. She’d be able to see it if she got close enough, but she didn’t want him to know she was interested in anything in his house. His furniture was modern and comfortable. She found out how comfortable when he unceremoniously dumped her on the sofa. The fabric had the soft feel of velvet under her fingertips, which meant it was probably microfiber. She damn near purred as her hand stroked over it once, then twice before she remembered she was pissed. She decided to go on the attack.

“You’re not my mate.”

“Yes I am. Soda or juice?”

She opened her mouth to reply juice , then shook her head in disgust. “I’m leaving now.”

“Take one step towards that front door and you won’t sit down for a week,” he called back in the same cheerful tone of voice he’d used to ask her drink preferences.

“I’ll call the cops and claim you kidnapped me!”

“Go ahead. The sheriff is one of us and Mrs. Anderson’s grandson to boot.”

“Ugh!”

“Yes, dear.” He handed her the juice with a grin, and she stifled the urge to throw it in his smug face.

She tried a different tack. “You don’t want a mate. You told me so.”

“True, I told you that.”

“I don’t want one either,” she growled.

“Too bad, so sad. You’re stuck with me.”

She bared her teeth at him as he sat down next to her, can of soda cradled in one big hand. “Not if I kill you first.”

He reached out and took her juice out of her hand. “You know,” he said, putting his can down next her juice, “I haven’t marked you yet.”

She jumped up just as he leaned in. “Don’t even think about it!”

He sighed, lounging back against the cushions. “You’re my mate. I’m your mate. I’ll bite you, you’ll probably bite me-”

“But not where you’d want me to.”

He glared at her, finally losing some of that cheer. “Is this because I said I didn’t want a mate?”

She rolled her eyes. “Dork.”

“Because if you say it’s to protect me from Parker I’m really going to paddle your ass.”

She shook her finger at him. “You’ve had as much touchy-feely on my butt as you’re going to get. Eep!”

He’d pounced up from the sofa and grabbed her, both hands landing on her ass and pulling her tightly into his body. He ground his hips against hers, letting her feel the erection under his slacks. “Oh, my,” she gasped.

He took her sunglasses off, his dark eyes flaring gold as they caught the bright red of hers. “You are so fucking beautiful, you know that?”

“I’m not,” she muttered.

His smile was slow and sensuous. He looked at her like she was a bowl of cream and he wanted to lap her up. “Oh yes, you are.” One hand continued to hold her against him; the other dropped her glasses on the sofa and lifted to caress her hair. “Do you know what I thought when I first saw you?”

“Crap?”

He huffed a laugh. “No. I thought you looked like a snow princess.”

“Snow princess. How original,” she sneered, trying not to let his nearness (and his erection) distract her.

It would have worked if her voice hadn’t been trembling.

“I wanted to throw you down on the floor and fuck you until we both passed out.”

Her knees wobbled.

“Then I wanted to mark you and hide you away so no one would ever see you again, want you again.

Do you know why?”

“Pheromones?” she replied weakly. Her nipples were beading beneath her bra, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

His hand began to caress her ass again. “Because you’re mine.”

She frowned. If it wasn’t for his damn scent she’d be kicking him in the nuts for that one. “I belong to no one.”

“It’s okay. Because I’m yours,” he whispered before he took her mouth in a kiss that nearly dropped her to the floor. This was no gentle persuasion, no first-date kiss. This was a warrior staking a claim to his woman, invading her mouth roughly, no quarter given, forcing her lips and teeth to part for him with all the finesse of a raging, hormonal bull. And she loved it. His hand on her ass tightened to the point of pain, and the one in her hair clenched and pulled until her mouth was exactly where he wanted it.

He plundered her, claimed her even without his bite, and she reveled in it. In the past lovers had treated her like spun glass, with delicate care, almost as if they were afraid they’d break her. They’d ignored her strength. Adrian not only acknowledged it, he savored it. She practically climbed his body, burying both hands in his short dark hair and placing his mouth where she wanted it. He helped by cradling her ass in both hands, pulling her in tighter against him. She wrapped both legs around his waist and moaned as they continued to orally assault one another.

When he reared back and bit her, marking her, she came so hard she saw stars. He hadn’t even bothered to push the cloth of her shirt aside. He’d bitten her right through it, the savagery of the act heightening her arousal to a peak she hadn’t even known was possible.

“Bed. Now,” he muttered.

“Mm-hmm.”

He laughed huskily at her weak, breathy reply, carrying her up the stairs. Everything was a blur of burnt sienna and dark wood as he moved at top speed, practically banging them both into the wall as he banked to make the turn into his bedroom. “Naked. Naked’s good.”

“Um,” she replied, biting down on his neck.

He stopped dead in the middle of the room and shivered all over. He arched his neck up to give her better access, which she greedily took advantage of as she marked her mate the way he’d marked her.

The sound of ripping cloth was her first indication that perhaps she’d pushed him just a bit too far with the bite. His claws raked her pants away from her body, their cool touch sending shivers down her spine as she felt them hook her panties and rip them off, too.

When his claws shredded his own pants she moaned; the good, respectable doctor went commando under his chinos. She barely felt him kick them off as he entered her still standing. It was the most wonderful thing she’d ever felt in her life. He filled her almost to the point of pain.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

“Please do,” she gasped.

Gold eyes gleamed at her. “Don’t make me laugh, princess.”

She rotated her hips slowly, the sensation making his eyes close on a pleasured groan. “Spoilsport.”

He walked them to the bed, each step driving him further into her. With gentle strength he laid her down on the edge of the bed, his cock never leaving her body. “You ready for me?”

She stared up at him. “Nope. I thought I’d lay here and contemplate ceiling colors. Dork.”

He pulled back and slammed into her hard, making her gasp. “You were saying?”

“If I repeat it will you do that again?” she asked, eyes wide.

He used his claws to shred her shirt and bra, pulling the tattered edges open and revealing her breasts to his hungry gaze. “I want to watch them move,” he whispered. His fangs had extended, his eyes gleamed gold and his hands were tipped by claws that gently kneaded her soft flesh. The slight pain only heightened her awareness of him. He gripped her hips and began fucking her, hard, fast and furious, pumping in and out of her body, his eyes glued to her breasts.

“C’mere,” she gasped, pulling at his arms. She needed to see his face clearly, wanted to watch as the orgasm took them both.

He allowed her to pull him down. She knew now that his Puma was stronger than hers. They were both too close to the surface as their humans made love, his strength obvious to her as he bent over her pale body. The knowledge that she could bring such a strong male to his knees heightened her arousal. Only when his forehead was flush with hers did he stop, staring directly into her bright red eyes as he pounded into her with all his strength. She knew she’d be bruised, sore from his rough handling, but damn it nothing had ever felt so good.

His hands glided along her arms until they reached her wrists, pulling with gentle strength until they were stretched out above her head. She was literally covered by him from head to toe. His eyes remained open, glued to hers, full of possessive passion, and she groaned, coming again.

“Mine,” he growled, spilling inside her, his teeth clamping down on his mark once more. The sight and scent of his pleasure mixed with his bite triggered her own climax once more. Her hands clenched in his hair as her orgasm robbed her of breath, her back bowing off the bed, her mouth opening in a silent scream.

Chapter Five

Holy shit, Adrian thought, staring down at the woman sleeping on her stomach beside him. If he’d known sex with a mate would be like that he would have gone looking for her a hell of a lot sooner. He’d never come so hard in his entire. Fucking. Life. And there were so many more things he wanted to do to her luscious, creamy body. For instance, he still hadn’t sucked those peach-colored nipples, or grazed her belly with his teeth. He hadn’t lapped up her cream, something he planned to do as soon as she was conscious again. He wanted to leave the mark of his teeth on one of those perfect ass cheeks, or maybe on the inside of her thigh just before he ate her until she screamed his name. There was no way in hell she could deny the mating.

If she left him in some misguided attempt to protect him he’d either die or go insane.

No. He’d hunt her down and bring her back to his den where she belonged. Then he’d tie her down and fuck her until she couldn’t move.

A thought that had some appeal even if she didn’t try to leave him.

He’d left bruises on those pretty ass cheeks and scratches on her hips from his claws. He resisted the urge to kiss those marks better, knowing by the way she breathed that she was exhausted. That bastard who’d been chasing her would pay for making her so afraid she couldn’t sleep. He’d pay double for hurting her, leaving a mark on that perfect skin.

He resisted the urge to throw up his head and snarl his challenge to the world as thoughts of Parker intruded on his lovely afterglow. He wondered if the bastard was in town yet, and what he’d try to do if he found out Sheri was mated.

He thought of his Mustang out in the driveway and decided it might not be a bad idea to move it into the garage. He got up carefully, not wanting to disturb Sheri. His princess needed the sleep. He had plans for her once she was awake again. Going to his closet he pulled out a worn pair of jeans and slipped them on, then threw on his oldest sneakers and his warmest flannel shirt. He picked up his shredded pants and carried them down to the living room, pulling his keys out as quietly as he could, then went to the closet and pulled down his father’s old service revolver. He’d checked the gun carefully the day before, taking it out to the shooting range to make sure everything still worked properly. It did. He tucked it into the back of his jeans, covering it with his shirt. He went into the garage and opened the garage door.

Fuck. Looks like Parker’s been here, he thought as he stared at the four flat, obviously shredded tires.

He pulled out his gun and closed the garage door, eyes peeled to see if the bastard was still out there.

When nothing happened he tucked the gun away and went back inside to call Gabriel Anderson, Max, and Simon.

He looked up just as he hung up with Simon to see Sheri wrapped in one of his shirts standing at the top of the stairs, her pretty blue eyes full of regret.

And that pissed him off.

“Don’t even fucking think it,” he growled, bounding up the stairs two at a time.

“Adrian…”

“No.” He took her in his arms, her head resting in the cradle of his shoulder. Compared to him she was so small and delicate he felt like a caveman. The urge to protect his mate was so strong he trembled with it. “You’re not going anywhere.”

“I have no clothes,” she said, smiling softly. “I have to go and at least get those.”

He pulled back and looked down at her. “I think you look beautiful.”

She rolled her eyes. “What happened to your car?”

“Someone decided to sharpen their claws on my tires.”

Her jaw clenched, her eyes flashed red and her back stiffened in anger. He could feel her claws digging into his back.

“That is so fucking hot.”

She frowned. “What is?”

“Watching you go all Xena on me. Makes me want to dress you in leather and bend you over a tree trunk.”

She raised one brow, the regret gone from her eyes as she glared up at him. “Pig.”

“Didn’t we already have this discussion? Oink oink, baby.”

Her lips twitched.

“Go on upstairs. I have a long robe you can wear. It’s hanging inside the bathroom door. You’ll have to come down and talk to Gabe and the others, but then we should be able to get some sleep.”

“What about your car?”

“Max and Simon can help me replace the tires first thing in the morning. Belle can walk with you to work.”

“I repeat: in what clothes?”

He frowned thoughtfully. “Good point. Let me call Max back. Emma can get some of your clothes from your hotel room.”

“If Rudy knows I’m here, that might not be safe for Emma.”

“Another good point.” He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Max’s number. “Hey, Max? I need you to bring Emma with you. Sheri needs some clothes from her hotel room.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Max replied. “If he’s already been to your place odds are he knows where she’s staying. He might have the place staked out.”

“Yeah, she mentioned that. I was going to ask you to go with her. If Parker can take on both of you we’re in more trouble than I thought.” He tried to ignore the nagging thought that he should be there, as well. His place was beside his mate, protecting her, not his Alpha. That was Gabe’s job.

“I can pick out stuff for her. I think I know what to grab. Shirt, pants, underwear, right?”

“And makeup,” Sheri said, knowing Max would hear her.

“Makeup?”

“And Jerry’s dog food, and his bowls,” she added.

“Anything else she needs?”

“Probably, that’s why I said to take Emma.” He put his hand over the receiver, knowing Max would hear him anyway. “Emma’s the smart one in that relationship.”

“Asshole,” Max grumbled.

Adrian could hear Emma in the background. “Give me the phone, Lion-O. Hi, Adrian. Everyone okay over there?”

“Other than my poor Mustang, everyone’s fine.”

“Ouch. Did he scratch the paint?”

“If he did, it just ups the level of hurt he’s gonna feel.”

Emma snickered. “We’re on our way. I’ll find out what Sheri needs once I get there, okay?”

“Okay. Bye.”

“Bye.”

He hung up the phone and tugged her into his arms, then rubbed his hands soothingly down her back.

“See? All taken care of.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips before stepping back. “Go grab that robe, sweetheart. Gabe should be here any minute, and he doesn’t need to see you looking so damn sexy.”

He could see the worry was back in her eyes just before she turned away and headed back into the bedroom.

Oh, yeah. Parker was in for a world of hurt.

“So are you and Adrian mated?” Belinda asked as they walked to Wallflowers the next morning.

Sheri tried not to grin smugly. Leaving him, denying the mating, no longer seemed to be an option. He’d made it clear, after everyone had gone the night before, that if she left he’d just follow her, muttering something about handcuffs and bedposts as he’d carried her back to bed. “He bit me right through my shirt.”

Belinda whistled. “Rumor has it he carted you right out of the store, threw you in his car and took off into the sunset.”

“Pretty much. The dork.”

Belinda laughed. “What?”

“It’s freezing out, and he left my coat and my purse behind.”

“He left your purse?” She shook her head in disbelief. “Men are idiots.”

“You said it.”

“So whose coat are you wearing?” The laughing, knowing look on Belinda’s face said she already knew the answer.

Sheri stroked the dark leather jacket Adrian had draped over her before kissing her goodbye, the smug smile she’d been fighting firmly fixed to her face. “His.”

“It’s his favorite.”

“I know. He threatened me with severe bodily harm if I let anything happen to his jacket.”

Belinda put her hand under her elbow as they approached the intersection. Just as the two women began crossing the street a black car screeched around the corner and barreled towards them at top speed.

Belinda gasped, pushing Sheri back to the sidewalk just as Jerry began backing up, the signal for an oncoming car. She lost her balance and fell, banging her head on the pavement as the car clipped Belinda, throwing her a good ten feet.

Sheri’s glasses flew off her face, blinding her in the harsh sunlight. Jerry was whining and licking her hand as the car, a dark sedan, hurtled down the street, narrowly missing another car before it turned another corner and was lost to sight.

“Belle?” she slurred. She was surprised at how hard it was to speak.

No answer. Or if there was one, she didn’t hear it. The pain in her head blossomed as she tried to lift her head to find the other woman, and the world went black.

Adrian stared down at his mate and felt a depth of rage he’d never before experienced. He literally trembled with it. He had no doubt who was responsible for his mate’s condition.

Rudy Parker was a dead man.

“Belinda’s going to be okay. They’ve had to operate on her broken hip, and she has a broken arm and a concussion. The docs say she’s lucky, it could have been a lot worse. But she’ll be okay,” Simon said quietly as he entered hospital room. He sounded both shaken and furious. “Gabe interviewed the eyewitnesses, and he’ll be in to talk to Sheri as soon as she wakes up.”

“I’m going to kill him.” The lethal softness of his voice echoed oddly in the darkened room.

Simon looked at him strangely but nodded. “Max and I will be there.”

Meaning that, if for some reason or another Adrian couldn’t finish off Parker, one of them would do it for him. He already knew there wouldn’t be a need for that.

Adrian could feel his Puma growling and pacing underneath his skin. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from his mate. “I want protection here twenty-four seven until I get her home.” The command in his voice was unmistakable.

Simon frowned. “Already taken care of, but you might want to watch your tone.”

Adrian looked at his Beta and knew his eyes were gold with rage. He could feel himself straining against an unseen barrier as he and Simon stared each other down.

He’d never pushed the boundaries, never once tried to see which of them was the stronger Puma. He’d been perfectly happy with the status quo. He’d never felt the desire to lead, only to protect. But if the only way to ensure his mate’s protection was to face down Simon, possibly losing his best friends in the process…

No contest.

“Stand down. Both of you.” Max’s voice was filled with quiet authority. Adrian and Simon both turned to find the Alpha standing in the doorway, the light from the hallway filtering through that strange mist that enveloped him whenever he needed to enforce his will.

Adrian felt strangely detached as that mist touched him. Simon flinched slightly and backed off.

“Sorry, man. I know you’re worried about her. Christ, we all are.”

Adrian nodded, his eyes glued to Max’s. The strange smile the blonde man wore was beginning to grate on his nerves. “Protection?”

“That’s for you to decide. What do you suggest?”

Max’s tone was bland, the mist still surrounding him. It was clearly an order.

Adrian frowned, surprised, but answered anyway. “Twenty-four seven protection while she’s in the hospital. Two Pumas on the door, two down the hall. Move her to an end room, have at least one of the Pumas keep an eye on the stairwell at all times. Males only, don’t risk the females. No one enters this room without you, Simon or me approving it. One of the women stays in here with her while she’s unconscious, in case of emergency. One we trust.”

“I’d suggest putting the same precautions around Ms. Campbell,” Gabe Anderson said from behind the Alpha. “If Parker decides her interference cost him his shot at Ms. Montgomery he might decide to retaliate.”

Adrian’s frown tightened. “There’s no one in the Pride I trust with Belle’s safety right now.”

“I’ll deal with it.”

Gabe’s determined voice held a note similar to his own; he wondered briefly if the other man realized it.

Max nodded. “Good. Take care of it. Assign who you trust, both of you. Work together on it. Before they leave the hospital, I want suggestions for the protection of both women once they’re back home.

Simon, I need you and Becky to head up to the Poconos and talk to the new Alpha of the Pack there.

His name’s Richard Lowell. He’s agreed to give us a hand with Parker. It’ll take you about two hours to get there, barring changes in the weather. Emma’s got the store covered; Marie agreed to fill in for a few days while Sheri and Belinda get back on their feet.”

“I’m on it.” Simon clapped Adrian on the shoulder, then did the same to Max in passing. He left without a backward glance.

“Maybe we can gather a hunting party, find this son of a bitch and end this.” Gabe’s low growl echoed the one Adrian could feel building inside of him.

“Do you have his scent?”

“I got a whiff, yeah, but not enough of one to track well. I’ve got partial plates and a description of the vehicle that I’m running through channels.”

“Then we wait.”

Gabe nodded, accepting Adrian’s pronouncement without a fight.

Max’s odd smile was still in place as he listened to the conversation between Gabe and Adrian. “Your mate’s starting to wake up.”

Adrian turned, all of his attention focused once again on Sheri. He bent low over her so that she’d get a clear look at him. “Hey, princess.”

She opened bleary blue eyes and stared up at him. “Sorry.”

“For what? Nearly getting run over?” He forced his tone to be gentle when he felt anything but.

“Scratched your jacket.”

A slow grin crossed his face. “Fine. I’ll spank you for it later.”

“Belle?”

Her pained whisper was driving him insane. It was intolerable to him that she felt any discomfort. “She’ll be okay. Don’t you worry about her.”

“Alive?”

“Yeah, baby, she’s alive. She has a broken hip and arm, and a concussion, but she’s alive.”

“Saved me.”

“I know, baby. I know.” And she’d earned his undying loyalty with that one act of self-sacrifice.

He couldn’t resist touching her for one more second, brushing her platinum blonde hair back from her face as gently, as lovingly as he could. “Sleep, sweetheart. I’m here. I’ll keep you safe.”

When she nuzzled her cheek so trustingly into his hand and fell instantly asleep, two things happened. His heart broke in half, reforming with her as its core.

And his resolve to kill Parker before he could lay another finger on her blossomed into something more.

The man hadn’t just hurt his mate, he’d hurt his Pride. Looking into the dark blue eyes of the sheriff, Adrian finally understood what had driven his father to be a cop. Because the same fierce need to protect that haunted him burned in Gabe’s eyes, too.

Chapter Six

Max had implemented every one of his safety suggestions. Surprisingly, Adrian had found he and Gabe made a good team, each one bouncing ideas off the other until they had working plans they both approved of. Gabe had managed to get the hospital’s agreement on the guards, the room changes, everything they’d wanted.

And through it all Max had watched, silent, that odd smile on his face more often than not.

“Will you fucking tell me what you’re smiling over?” Adrian finally demanded the next morning. It was just before they opened. Max had arrived at the practice with that damn smile on his face and it hadn’t left. It was driving Adrian nuts.

For the first time ever Adrian felt Max’s full power. The golden haired man drew up to his full height, his power whipping about him, filling Adrian’s senses until he should have fallen to the ground, groveling.

Why he didn’t surprised him. He should have been down on the floor kissing cheap carpet. Instead he was standing upright, eyes locked on Max, every sense alert to some unknown threat. He didn’t even realize he’d taken a battle stance until Max relented, the power withdrawing into him with a suddenness that sent Adrian stumbling, like he’d been leaning against a wall and that wall suddenly disappeared.

“Do you understand what’s happening to you?”

Max’s voice was gentle.

“No,” Adrian said, horrified. Did I nearly challenge the Alpha ?

Max grinned. “Knock it the hell off.”

I nearly challenged the Alpha, and he’s smiling about it? He bared throat in a submissive gesture that, despite his earlier posturing, felt perfectly natural.

“Don’t bare your throat to me.”

The command in Max’s voice, the near anger there, surprised him. His head snapped up. “Why not? I nearly challenged you, for fuck’s sake.”

Max laughed. “Asshole.”

Somehow, hearing his friend call him that made everything all right. “Fine, Lion-O, why don’t you tell me what’s going on with me?”

“Only Emma gets to call me that,” Max groused, flopping down into an office chair. He stretched his long legs out before him, his feet crossed at the ankles, and folded his hands over his stomach. He was the picture of ease, and it didn’t fool Adrian for a moment. Those sky blue eyes were too sharp for him to be truly relaxed.

“Fine. Oh Great and Exalted Leader, impart your wisdom unto me. And hurry it up, I’ve got a patient due in an hour.”

Max rolled his eyes. “Do you remember the position your father held within the Pride?”

Adrian nodded; it was no secret. “Yeah. He was Marshal.”

“And what does the Marshal do?”

Adrian frowned. Max was being a pain in the ass. “The Marshal protects the Alphas and the Pride from threats,” he parroted. “Do I get a cookie now?”

“And when was the last time the Pride was threatened?” Max raised one brow and stared at him demandingly.

Adrian blew out a breath. “My father killed an Outcast who was hurting Pride members. Females, to be specific,” he added with a little growl.

“Uh-huh. And that was, what? Twenty-five years ago?”

“Yeah. So?”

“So your dad is no longer Marshal.”

Adrian shrugged. “I know. I figured Gabe was. That’s why he came back to the area.” Adrian gulped as his eyes went wide. “Are you telling me I’m Gabe’s Second?”

Max rolled his eyes. “No. Idiot. Gabe is your Second. You’re Marshal.”

Adrian blinked. “No fucking way.”

“Yes fucking way.”

“I’m an eye doctor. I’m not a cop.”

Max grinned. “So? Are you saying I can’t kick ass with the best of them?”

Adrian’s eyes widened. “No! Hell, no. Do I look stupid?”

“I’m not going to answer that.”

“Asshole.”

Max grinned. “What about Simon? Do you consider him a wimp?”

“No,” Adrian agreed thoughtfully.

“Okay then. Didn’t you notice how Gabe listened to you, followed your directions, added on only after he’d gotten your approval?”

Adrian blinked again, startled. The other man had done that, hadn’t he?

“That’s because he knew instinctively who you are, and who he is. And he’s fine with it.”

Hell, maybe Max was right. He blew out a breath as all the odd sensations he’d been feeling recently suddenly made sense. All males felt the need to protect their mate, it was bred into them. A male who wasn’t willing to lay down his life in defense of his mate and kits didn’t deserve either. But his reaction to Belle’s pain had been almost as strong as his reaction to Sheri’s. His need to ensure his Alpha’s safety and the safety of his Pride had been eating at him for the past two days, ever since his tires had been slashed. Adrian was both horrified and fascinated. “Marshal?”

Max sighed. “You know how the hierarchy goes, Adrian. Why are you surprised you’d be right at the top? You’re damn near as powerful as I am, and you are as powerful as Simon. And, hell, the three of us have been best friends for years. I just had to make sure you accepted it before confirming it.”

Alpha, Beta, Marshal, Omega; that’s the way the hierarchy went. Alpha was the ruler of the Pride, the Marshal was its paw, and the Omega was its heart. All were positions you were born to, not made into.

The Alpha could tell you how the Pride was as a whole, but had trouble seeing the details, so the Marshal filled in the physical aspects for the Alpha while the Omega filled in the emotional ones. Without all three the Pride would falter and eventually die.

He looked into Max’s eyes and saw the understanding there. Max had a similar burden, but his, as Alpha, was even greater. There was no sympathy in his gaze. Like him, Adrian was what he was.

He nodded his acceptance.

He felt the mantle of the Marshal settle on his shoulders with surprising ease as Max’s power subtly surrounded him. It felt comfortable, like a part of him had been missing and then given back to him. His Puma purred its approval. He now had the authority necessary to ensure not only the safety of his mate, but that of his Alphas and his Pride. Although he knew it was still incomplete; they had no Omega, but unless he missed his guess Max already knew who it was and was just waiting for the right moment to clue the person in.

“Can I ask you something?”

Max shrugged. “Sure.”

“Why didn’t I feel this when Becky was attacked?”

Max raised one eyebrow and waited.

And it hit him. “She wasn’t Pride yet.” And because Livia hadn’t endangered a Pride member, his

“spider sense” hadn’t tingled.

“And since she challenged Emma rather than just attacking her, it wouldn’t have set you off, either.”

“But Emma was in danger, wasn’t she?”

Max shrugged. “Not really. It was a dominance challenge. Trust me, if Livia had gone after Emma without challenge, you would have activated.”

“Okay, now you make me sound like a Wonder Twin.” Adrian shuddered.

Max huffed out a laugh and leaned forward. “Yeah, I can just see you in purple tights. Do you want to know how this works or not?”

“I suppose I’d better. I wouldn’t want to be so lame I could be beaten by a mop.”

Max grinned. “Okay, relax. Think about the Pride as a whole. Who’s in pain right now, and is it natural or something inflicted?”

He frowned. How the hell was he supposed to know that?

Only, he did know. Becky had a toothache; he’d have to let Simon know. Sarah Parker had cut her finger, probably trying to cook. She was a bit clumsy with the kitchen knives, and just about anything else she laid her hands on. Marie Howard had a skinned knee from a fall. Emma also had a cut finger…and she was…

He turned to Max, horrified. “Emma!”

Max was up and out the door before he’d finished. Adrian was right behind him. It was only a few blocks to Wallflowers but they both ran the whole way, jackets left behind in their hurry to get to Emma.

Max stopped outside the door. “Mother fucker.”

Adrian growled low in his throat at what had been the glass front of the store. Emma held up a piece of the glass that had been her picture window, some of the old-fashioned gold lettering still visible, blood dripping down her hand from where she’d cut herself. Her eyes glistened with tears as she stared at it.

“Max?”

Max was through the door and holding his mate before the first tear fell.

The gold eyes that locked on Adrian’s were fierce. “Find him.”

Unspoken were the words, kill him .

Sheri woke up with the worst headache she’d ever felt in her life. Her head pounded in time to her heartbeat, and nausea danced a tango in her stomach. It felt like something was trying to pry its way out of the top of her head using a jackhammer. “Kill me,” she whispered, groaning.

Even that slight sound made her skin crawl.

“Hey, princess. Head hurt?”

She opened her eyes. Adrian leaned down, nose to nose so she could see him clearly. His deep brown eyes were full of concern.

“Owie,” she whimpered.

He kissed her forehead, reaching above her to press the call button. “I’ll get you some medicine for the pain. Okay?”

She would have nodded but that might have made the top of her head fall off. So she chose not to. She closed her eyes against the minute glare coming through the windows. Adrian must have shut the curtains.

Bless the man.

“Okay, sweetheart, the nurse is coming.”

She could hear the squeaky shoes of the nurse in the overly waxed hallways before he did, but she didn’t say anything. Speaking hurt too much. Even grunting was beyond her at the moment.

If he’d just kill her the pain would stop. She’d be forever grateful to him.

She closed her eyes as he began stroking her hair, careful of the large lump on the side of her head. She heard the nurse enter quietly, and Adrian explaining what was wrong. A few minutes later the nurse injected something into her IV.

“You’ll feel better in a few moments, sweetheart.”

She couldn’t even nod. She sighed, and he seemed to understand.

He left her for a moment. She could hear water running in the bathroom, and a moment later a cool washcloth was draped over her forehead and over her eyes. She moaned as the cold took some of the pain away.

“I don’t want you to worry about anything, princess. I have it all under control. Relax and go to sleep.”

“Jerry?”

“The vet checked him out. He’s fine, just a little banged up. They kept him overnight for observation.

He’s at my place now.”

Her lips twitched up. It wasn’t a smile, she hurt too much for that, but it was the beginnings of one.

“Belinda’s awake and talking. She’s in pain, and she’ll need physical therapy, but she’ll be okay.” His hand moved back to her hair, stroking softly. “Gabe’s looking into who hit her, and we’ve set up security measures for the both of you. Someone will be with you at all times.”

She stirred, frowning. Just as she opened her mouth, his finger pressed against her lips.

“No. I need this, sweetheart. Don’t fight me on it. I can’t be with you all the time, but I need to know you’re protected or I’ll lose my fucking mind.”

She kissed his finger in answer.

“Thank you.” His lips gently touched hers, a barely felt caress that didn’t jar her head. “I put the same security measures on Belle, just in case.”

She bit her lip and tried not to cry. She knew it wasn’t her fault, but she couldn’t help feeling it was. The medicine the nurse had given her began to work, making her drowsy. She felt herself slipping away again as his lips brushed hers once more.

“Sleep, princess. I’ll guard you.”

She wasn’t sure, but just as she drifted off she thought she heard him whisper, “Love you.”

That was good. Because she loved him, too.

“Good morning, sleepyhead!”

Sheri considered keeping her eyes closed just a little bit longer. Maybe four or five hours. Just until Mrs.

Anderson left.

“I know you’re awake, Missy McFaker! Open those eyes! It’s a beautiful day out!”

Oh, dear God, please don’t let her have opened the blinds. Sheri cracked her eyes open and shut them with a squeak as ice picks in the form of sunlight jabbed themselves into her eyeballs. “Please close the curtains!”

“Dear, you need more sunlight. You’re way too pale.”

Sheri groped the nightstand, trying to find her sunglasses. “Can you hand me my sunglasses, please, if you won’t shut the curtain?”

“Those old things? They’re way too dark. You should try using blue blockers. You’ll see much better that way.”

That would turn the ice picks into broadswords. No, thank you. “I have albinism, Mrs. Anderson.

Sunlight is dangerous for me,” she explained as patiently as she could.

“Oh? OH!” Sheri heard the rattling of the curtains being drawn. As the light dimmed she sighed in relief.

She cautiously opened her eyes.

The room was comfortably dim again. Mrs. Anderson stood at her bedside holding her sunglasses.

“Sorry, dear. I didn’t realize.”

Sheri stared at her, totally dumbfounded.

“Yes, I know. I’m not the world’s most observant person. Are you hungry?”

“Ah…yes?”

Mrs. Anderson beamed down at her, dark blue eyes twinkling. “Good. I’ll just get you your lunch then.”

She marched over to the door and pulled it open. “The young lady is awake and we’re hungry.” She shut the door and marched back over to the bed. “There. Your food should be here shortly.”

Sheri tried, and failed, to stifle a giggle. “Door to door service, huh?”

Mrs. Anderson nodded decisively. “Of course. It pays to be the grandmother of the sheriff and the mate of the Marshal, you know.” She plopped down into the chair next to the hospital bed, grinning. “So, what is it you want to know?”

Sheri thought about it for a moment. “The secret of immortality?”

One salt-and-pepper eyebrow rose into the air. “When you learn that one make sure you share with the rest of the class.”

“How’s Belle?”

The smile left her face. “They had to put a pin in her hip.”

Sheri winced. “She won’t be able to change unless they remove it.”

“Which won’t be for quite a while, unfortunately. And don’t feel guilty, either. Belle said she wants to see you as soon as you feel up to it. She’s worried about you.”

“Okay. As soon as I’m allowed I’ll take a walk and go see her.”

“Not without the guards.”

Sheri grinned. “Of course not.”

“Let’s see, what else.” Mrs. Anderson tapped her finger against her chin. “Oh! Someone vandalized Wallflowers.”

“What?”

“Yup. Threw a brick through the front window. I don’t know why they didn’t do any other damage, but Emma arrived to find the window totally smashed. Luckily whoever did it wasn’t there any longer and no one got hurt.”

Sheri knew why no other damage had been done. That was next. If Emma and Becky continued to harbor her, things would only get worse for them.

The older woman chattered, giving her all the Pride gossip. Most of the people she mentioned Sheri didn’t know, and she felt her mind beginning to drift back into sleep.

“Lunch!” a male voice announced from the doorway.

“It’s about time.” Mrs. Anderson got up and got the meal, two nice big bags full of fast food burgers, fries and milk shakes. “I know this isn’t exactly the healthiest thing on the planet to eat, but frankly, my dear, I never could resist a Big Mac,” she shared with a guilty grin as she handed Sheri her food.

Biting into her own burger, Sheri could only nod in agreement. Yum .

Chapter Seven

She had a bruise the size of his fucking head on her hip. The sight of it made him furious again as he gently helped her into the tub. He’d bought several large candles in glass jars, placed them on the counters and the edges of the tub and lit them so she’d have soft lighting for her sensitive eyes. She’d smiled when she’d seen it, and that made the extra trip to the store worthwhile.

“God, that feels so good,” she moaned as the hot, bubbly water covered her creamy skin.

She’d been home for maybe an hour, and he couldn’t stop touching her. Two days in the hospital; two days of pain Parker needed to pay for. Every bruise, every mark on her was etched into his brain, a visual reminder of the payback he meant to exact. “You need help scrubbing your back, princess?”

She smiled up at him, soft and sweet, her blue eyes languid. “Maybe later. Right now I just want to soak out the aches.”

He knelt down and, careful of her injuries, gently pulled her mouth to his. It was the first time since the attack he’d been able to really kiss her, and he took full advantage. He persuaded her lips apart, tasting her mouth like it was fine chocolate, slowly and with exquisite care. He loved the way she tasted, sweet as honey, tart as apples. He could sit there and kiss her all day long.

When he reluctantly pulled way she was panting and her eyes were glazed. She licked her lips and swallowed. “You know, I feel much better now.”

“Do you?”

“Mm-hmm.” Wet arms encircled his neck as she tried to pull him back down to her mouth.

“Well, then, if you’re a good girl maybe I’ll tuck you into bed after your bath,” he purred.

Her eyes flashed red as his fingers tweaked one bubble-covered nipple. “What if I’m a bad girl?”

He growled, his eyes flashing gold. “Then I’ll just have to punish you.” He stood abruptly, lips twitching as she gasped in surprise. “Now be a good girl and take your bath.”

“Pig,” she pouted.

He laughed all the way down the stairs, his heart lighter than it had been in days as he heard her amused sigh.

As soon as her muscles were all nice and warmly relaxed from her bath he had every intention of seeing his princess safely ensconced in his bed. He then had every intention of licking every inch of her body.

And once she was boneless he’d curl up around her and finally get his first night’s sleep in days.

He heard the phone ringing and decided to answer it in his office. “Hello?”

Silence.

“Hello?”

Nothing.

That stupid danger sense of his was tingling again. “What the hell do you want, Parker?”

“I think you know the answer to that, Giordano.”

Adrian leaned one hip against his desk, every sense alert. He could hear Sheri splashing gently in the tub.

Outside the house was silent. He could hear Parker’s breath over the phone, and the sounds of traffic in the background. “She’s my mate, Parker.”

Parker laughed. “Sure she is.”

“She bears my mark.”

“She bears my mark,” Parker snarled.

“Sorry, Muttley, but you need to back the fuck off. She’s all mine.”

He could almost feel the other man smile. “Sheridan has the sweetest pussy I’ve ever fucked.” Adrian’s Puma growled possessively and his eyes flashed gold. “And she loves taking it up the ass. I bet I’m still the only man who’s ever taken her there. She screams so loudly and clamps down so hard around your cock you feel like she’s going to squeeze it off.”

Adrian snarled silently, his mind racing. There might just be a way to get Parker focused on him and not Sheri. He smiled coldly. “I know,” he purred. He could hear the other man’s breathing accelerate. “I love it when those sweet lips of hers wrap around my cock. Did you know I was inside her when she marked me?” Adrian laughed softly at Parker’s growl. “That’s right, Parker. I bear her mark.”

“I’ll fucking kill you,” Parker panted.

“She’s upstairs, naked, wet, and waiting for me, Parker. As soon as I hang up this phone I’m going to go upstairs and fuck her until neither one of us can see straight.”

“You’re a dead man!” Parker screamed.

“Then I’m going to curl up around her and sleep with her in my arms. My arms, Parker.” Parker’s growl wasn’t even human anymore. He hoped the man had control of his change, or things could get really ugly really fast. “And do you know what I’m going to do tomorrow night?”

“What?”

The gravelly voice on the other end of the line let Adrian know it was time to end this. “The same damn thing I’m going to do tonight. Fuck my woman.”

“I know where you live.”

If Parker thought that would scare him, he had another thing coming. “Bring it on. In the end it’ll be my cock in her tight little pussy.”

He hung up the phone and took a deep breath. It had taken every ounce of his self-control to play that little game with Parker; talking about his princess like that with her fuckhead ex was the hardest thing he’d ever done. He didn’t even want the other man thinking her name, let alone spewing his filth about her body.

“You sure that was wise?”

He turned, not surprised to see Gabe standing in the doorway. The other man had volunteered to spend the next few nights with them. He was supposed to be out front in an unmarked car, though, not inside the house where Sheri could see him.

“I want him focused on me. Not Sheri or the Pride.”

Gabe nodded. “Yup. Telling him how you like to fuck the woman he’s obsessed with definitely grabbed his attention.” He shifted uncomfortably. “Hell, it grabbed my attention,” he muttered, smiling slyly.

Adrian rolled his eyes. “You have a better idea?”

Gabe shrugged. “Even if I did it’s too late now. Odds are good he’ll be here before morning.”

“When is Richard due?”

“He’s already here. He’s staying with Mr. Friedelinde.”

The Friedelinde mansion was probably the most comfortable place for the visiting Pack Alpha and his entourage. “Give them a call and let them know what happened. I’ll call Max.”

Gabe nodded and pulled out his cell phone on his way back towards the front door.

Adrian shook his head, still somewhat uncertain how he’d wound up the Marshal and Gabe his Second.

The other man radiated authority from every pore. His loose limbed stride and relaxed posture fooled no one. Those dark blue eyes could be cold as an arctic breeze in an instant. That large frame, almost as big as Simon’s, moved with a grace and agility only professional athletes could mimic.

But when the other man looked back at him, a question in his eyes, something in Adrian immediately responded. “What’s the problem?”

“Richard wants in.”

Adrian sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He’d planned on meeting with Ben, the Pack Marshal, in the morning over coffee to discuss strategy. Apparently that plan was now in the crapper. “Fuck.”

“Yeah. I told him I’d call him back.”

“How many does he have with him?”

“Four. His Marshal, the Second and two others.”

Adrian stared at a painting on his wall without really seeing it. Plans were busy whirling through his mind.

“Van?”

Gabe nodded and grinned. “I’ll park them at the corner.”

“Get Simon to bring them. I want you here.”

“Will do.”

He shook his head and picked up the phone. He dialed Max, quickly filling him in on what was going down. Max agreed to have Simon play liaison with Richard, since there was no Omega to do the job.

Then he climbed the stairs to his wet, willing princess.

Sheri was already out of the tub when she heard him coming up the stairs. She’d heard his entire conversation with Rudy, and was ready to kill Adrian herself. She wrapped the robe closer around herself and waited, tapping one foot impatiently.

She wasn’t stupid. She knew why he’d said what he’d said. She hadn’t needed to hear him explain it to Gabe. But the fact that he was making himself a target for her sake had driven her out of the tub. She wanted to scream at him, rant and rave until he gave up his idiotic plan. But it was too late for that. Rudy would have him in his sights now, and if Adrian died because of her she’d never survive it. Just the thought of Rudy sinking his teeth into Adrian, pulling away flesh, making him bleed, had her seeing red.

She’d kill Rudy herself before letting him hurt her mate.

The man himself stepped into the bathroom, took one look at her out of the tub and frowned. “Why aren’t you soaking?”

“I got out because I didn’t think there’d be enough room for both me and your fat head.”

“Huh?”

The man looked totally clueless. “I heard your conversation with Rudy, Adrian.”

He sighed wearily. “Princess—”

“Don’t you princess me, Adrian Giordano! How could you put yourself in danger like that?”

He rolled his eyes and took her hand, gently leading her from the room. “I can handle Parker.”

“Sure you can. But can you handle him and five of his best friends?”

He led her into the bedroom and stripped the robe off her before she could blink. “Into bed with you.”

He gently picked her up and laid her down on the bed, careful of her injuries. He snarled when she gasped anyway. “I will be facing Parker. His best friends will be facing Max, Simon, Gabe and Richard Lowell, plus the wolves Richard brought with him.”

“Then why don’t you leave Rudy to the Pack?”

She watched him strip silently. “Because,” he said as he finally climbed between the sheets, “he’s mine.”

“Adrian.”

He put his finger over her lips. “Don’t try to talk me out of this. I am personally going to gut him for what he did to you. Every bruise on your skin, every bite mark he placed on you, I’m going to give back to him. And when I’m done making him hurt, I’m going to make him scream. Then I’m going to kill him.”

The calm tone of his voice, the factual way he stated everything he had planned for Rudy, made it that much more frightening. “This isn’t what I wanted.” She sighed.

He rubbed his cheek against hers gently in a gesture meant to comfort her. “I know. You were hoping he’d see you here, safe and surrounded by people, and leave you alone.” He looked deep into her eyes, his nose touching hers so she could read every nuance of his expression. “But that’s not what’s going to happen. He’ll hound you, day and night. He knows where you live, what your dog looks like, who your friends are—and you’ve been here only a week. Once he knows your routine he won’t hesitate to use it, or your friends, against you. He’ll lure you out into the open where he can grab you. And if he does that, he’ll be a dead man anyway. If Max and Simon don’t get to him first and hand him over to Richard, who, by the way, plans on killing him, I’ll kill him.”

“It’s not your job to stop him, Adrian.”

“Yes, it is.” He slid one arm around her carefully. “Max confirmed me as Marshal a few days ago.”

She frowned. “Marshal?”

“I keep forgetting you’ve never been part of a Pride before. The Marshal is the one who sees to the safety of the Pride. Gabe’s my Second, like Simon is Max’s.”

“I thought Mrs. Anderson was mated to the Marshal?”

“Why would you think that?”

“When she sent the guards for McDonald’s…uh-oh,” she whispered as his furious expression registered.

“She sent the guards out for McDonald’s? ” he growled through clenched teeth.

“We were hungry.” He glared at her. “Besides, I don’t think both guards went.”

“Oh, well that’s all right then. Not.”

She frowned at his sarcastic tone. “Give them a break, Adrian. It’s not like you were dealing with soldiers or cops. You’re dealing with people who have been asked to guard someone, almost a complete stranger, against a threat they’ve never faced before.”

“So?”

“So, take it easy on them because I really like McDonald’s?”

He sat up and glared down at her, holding both hands in front of him as if he was weighting something.

“Hmm, let me think. Your life, a Big Mac. Your life, a Big Mac.” Both hands waved in the air. “Hey, no contest, right?”

She bit her lip to keep from laughing. “It was a really good Big Mac. And we are talking McDonald’s French fries.”

He growled, and she quickly decided to change the subject. He looked ready to climb out of bed, get dressed and hunt down her “guards” to give them the sharp end of his teeth.

“So explain to me again why it’s your responsibility to go after Rudy.”

He sighed. “It’s the job of the Marshal to remove threats to the Pride.”

“And Rudy is a threat to the Pride.”

“Yes. The moment he went after you and Belle, he became a threat to the Pride.”

She’d known her decision to join the Pride could have consequences. The price Belle had paid was, in her mind, too high. She closed her eyes as the guilt threatened to choke her.

“Hey.”

She opened her eyes and saw the anger in his.

“You better not be blaming yourself.”

“And what if I am?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “You are not responsible for the actions of Parker.”

“If Belle hadn’t volunteered to protect me she wouldn’t have been hurt.” Relief lit his eyes at her tone of voice, and she knew he understood that she wasn’t upset.

She was pissed.

“Belle is going to be fine. I promise you that.”

Sheri shook her head. “How can she be? Mrs. Anderson told me they had to put a pin in her hip! If they did she won’t be able to change, you know that.”

He sighed. “That woman talks too much,” he muttered.

“Tell me about it.”

His lips twitched, the rest of the anger leeching away. “We’re trying to figure that one out.”

“And what about Emma’s store?”

His eyes widened in shock before dark lashes dropped over them, hiding his expression. “What about Emma’s store?”

“I know about the window, Doc Obvious.”

He laughed. “That’s a new one.”

She rolled her eyes. “Stick with me, kid, I’ve got a million of them.”

“I plan on it,” he purred, gently cradling her body against his. He reached up with one hand and gently tweaked one of her pale nipples.

“Uh…”

“I know just which part I’d like to stick to, too.”

She thought about bopping him on the head, but it hurt too much to move. “First off, I’m in way too much pain for what you have in mind. Secondly, I will not be distracted by sex.”

“No?” He pouted down at her, eyes twinkling with mischief.

“No.”

“You’re sure?” he asked as his hot tongue swiped quickly across her puckered nipple.

“Sure,” she gasped, not sure anymore what she was agreeing too.

“Marry me?” he whispered just before he kissed her with mind-bending thoroughness.

“Sure…wait, what?”

“Too late,” he grinned triumphantly.

“Hold on there, weren’t we fighting a minute ago?”

“Nope.”

“But—”

“Hey, no take-backs!”

“Adrian!” She laughed, loving the look in his eyes as they twinkled down at her.

He shook his head, clucking his tongue. “That wasn’t the kind of screaming I was going for tonight, sweetheart. Guess I’ll just have to try harder.” He sighed happily.

“Dork.” She laughed breathlessly as his mouth landed on her breast again.

He laved her nipple gently, barely sucking it between his lips. “Hey, studies show that orgasms are very good for pain management. It has to do with all those lovely endorphins crashing through your body.

Hold very still, sweetheart.”

“Not…sure…I can,” she panted, desperate to get closer to him. The pain in her body seemed to recede when he touched her like that, so maybe there was something to that endorphin thing, after all.

Or maybe it was just his touch. Everything seemed better when he touched her.

“If you don’t hold still I’ll have to figure out some other way to help you sleep,” he whispered, grinning his wicked grin. He kissed the tip of her nose when she whimpered and froze. “Good girl.”

He nibbled his way down her neck to his mark, but didn’t bite. She wanted him to, oh, so desperately, but he merely shushed her and moved on.

Butterfly-light kisses worked their way down her body, stopping at each breast to lovingly pay homage.

Lips, teeth and tongue came out to play as he did his best to make her forget her pain. He kept his body away from hers, hovering over her as he moved down, almost as if he was afraid to touch her. He lingered on the bruise on her hip, barely breathing on it as he growled over it. The barely there kisses soothed the ache in her heart more than the ache in her hip. She closed her eyes and shivered as he worked his way down one leg. He kissed both of her feet reverently before working his way back up the other leg. He spread her legs apart, softly kissing up the inside of her thigh. She waited for him to nip her there, wanting to feel the bite of his teeth, but again he refused. Instead, he began a long, languid, wet lapping at her pussy that had her drenched in seconds. It took everything in her not to follow that hot tongue as he methodically worked her over, slit to clit, never stopping, speeding or slowing.

Her breath was coming in pants, her hips undulating despite her efforts to hold them still. “So good,” she whispered just before the orgasm rolled through her, hot and sweet as candy.

Her eyes opened as he slid inside her. She could feel every rock hard inch of him straining against her as he held himself back. “I love you,” he whispered just before he took her mouth with a dominance that left her feeling weak and shaken.

He fucked her slowly, careful not to jar her. She could see the promise in his eyes. As soon as the pain was gone he planned on giving her what they both wanted, a good, hard pounding that would leave them breathless, sweaty and very, very happy.

For tonight, he gave them what they both needed.

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, barely hiding the wince the movement caused.

“I love you, too.”

His eyes went wide and, as if the words were a trigger she’d pulled, he came with a groan.

He lay there as she slept in his arms and tried to go to sleep, but every little noise in the house had his eyes flying wide open. The creak of the front porch swing had him nearly leaping out of the bed. He knew Gabe was guarding them, but a part of him just couldn’t relax. Not after his conversation with Parker earlier. There was no way in hell he was sleeping tonight, and he knew it. He’d be lucky if he dozed.

Sheri snuffled in her sleep and curled in tighter around him. Sighing, she settled back down, one arm draped across his stomach, one leg thrown across both of his.

If they didn’t catch Rudy soon he was going to be one massively tired kitty. He kissed his princess on the forehead and resigned himself to guarding her sleep.

Chapter Eight

Richard Lowell was huge and intimidating. The man easily reached six-foot-four. Broad, powerful shoulders matched the massively muscled arms crossed over his chest. Pale blue eyes stared coldly at Adrian from a face that had seen hard times. There was a scar that ran the length of his left cheek, an angry red one that let Adrian know it was still new, probably within the last few weeks. Since he was the new Pack Alpha, odds were he’d received it during a dominance challenge. Long bright red hair was tightly bound by a braid that went all the way to his waist. He wore black jeans and a dark blue sweater that strained against his massive chest. “What do you mean you’re leaving to bring back the other female?”

Belinda was being discharged from the hospital. She’d been in a full day longer than Sheri. She’d refused to go to a halfway house, opting instead for physical therapy on an outpatient basis. “Both women are at risk, Belle because she pushed Sheri out of the way of the car. I think it’s best to have them both under the same roof, especially since Belle can’t protect herself right now. Gabriel will guard Sheri while I fetch Belle.”

“I don’t think that’s wise.”

Adrian stared at the huge Pack Alpha. “You’re here. Are you telling me that Parker will be able to get through you, your Marshal, his second, my second, and two other wolves to get to my mate?”

“I’ll send one of my wolves to fetch the female.”

Adrian rolled his eyes. “Sure, right. Belle would take one look at your guys and scream her head off. No offense but she doesn’t know any of you guys from Adam, and she has reason to be cautious of Wolves right now.”

“But she trusts you, since you’re Pride.” Richard still stared at him coldly. “Then have one of my men go with you, or send your Second.”

Gabe flushed. “She won’t go with me, either.”

Richard looked at the sheriff briefly before returning those cold eyes to Adrian. “Meaning that the female can’t trust the peacekeepers of her Pride?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose; the headache he’d woken up with that morning was only getting worse. “Look, there were some issues between Belle and the rest of the Pride that we’re still resolving, and none of them are her fault. She trusts very few people right now. I just happen to be one of them.”

He looked around the room at the five Wolves and three Pumas. “Sheri isn’t leaving this house, and she’s one of the few Belle trusts. Emma and Becky are dealing with the vandalism of their store. Max and Simon will be going with me to get Belle, and, no, I will not send them alone; the threat is to both of them as well. Gabe will protect my mate. I’m asking you to stay here and help him with that. If you can’t I’ll make other arrangements.”

The power rolling off of Richard was different from the power that Max exuded with such ease. The man was incredibly strong, but the difference between the independent, strong-willed power of the Pride Alpha and the dominant hammer the Pack Alpha wielded as he tried to bludgeon Adrian into submission were completely different. Richard didn’t give a fuck what Adrian wanted. He demanded obedience with his force of will. He probably always got it, too.

But not today.

Adrian knew he was right. He was acting on his instincts as his Pride’s Marshal, not as a Puma with a mate in danger. The thought of sending Max and Simon to the hospital alone gave him a major case of the panics. He stared the Alpha down, not budging an inch as Gabe clutched his head and groaned. Sheri curled up in a ball, whimpering at the power rolling through the room.

“Let it go, Rick, he’s not going to budge,” the Pack Marshal said with a smile as his second joined in with some head clutching and groaning of his own. The other wolves were all cowering on the floor at their Alpha’s display of temper.

The power Richard had been wielding abruptly cut off. “You are a stubborn man,” Richard said softly.

“I’m my Pride’s Marshal, and every instinct I have says it’s dangerous to send Max after Belle without me.”

Richard stared at him for a long moment before nodding once. He turned to his Marshal. “Secure the area, Ben. Let me know when the Pride Alpha and Beta arrive.”

The man nodded once and motioned to the other wolves. They left the house, presumably to “secure the area” to their Alpha’s satisfaction.

“Thank you.”

The other man finally smiled. “No problem.”

Adrian shook his head and sat next to Sheri. He gathered her close, not surprised when she tucked her face into his shoulder. “As soon as the others get here I’ll leave. Belle will sleep here, with us, until Parker’s dealt with. You’ll be able to fuss over each other to your heart’s content. Okay?”

She nodded.

“Head hurt, princess?”

She shook her head.

Richard knelt in front of them, his ice blue eyes soft as he looked at the trembling woman. “I promise you, Parker will not lay a finger on you while you are under my protection.”

Sheri looked up at the huge man. She bit her lip, uncertainty in her eyes as she stared at him. “May I see you?”

Adrian started, his Puma snarling. “Seeing” Richard meant nose to nose, not something he felt comfortable with.

Richard looked at Adrian, then looked back at Sheri. “I can understand your nervousness, considering it was Wolves who attacked you. If it will make you feel more comfortable, by all means, um,” he frowned, slightly confused, “see me.”

Adrian sat back and forced himself to allow his mate to get close to the big, bad Wolf.

Sheri stared at the large red-headed man in front of her and tried to remember that he was there to help.

The fact that he smelled of Wolf didn’t help much. His coldness and his power only made her more afraid.

But when he’d knelt in front of her and tried to reassure her she’d known he understood. He only seemed cold. Every instinct she had told her that this man would sooner gnaw off his own paw than hurt a woman. She didn’t know how she knew that, she just did.

Maybe it was in his scent, or the way he immediately grasped her problem and tried to fix it in the only way he knew how. By opening himself up to her examination he allowed her teeth and claws dangerously close to his unprotected eyes and neck, something he would never do if he felt threatened in any way. It reassured her in a way nothing else could have.

She leaned in close and allowed their noses to almost touch. She felt Adrian’s tension and knew he wouldn’t appreciate it if she actually made contact with the other man.

Pale blue eyes stared at her from a battle-worn face. The initial layer of frost hid a nature more deeply compassionate and caring than any she’d ever seen before, mixed with a fierce determination to protect those he considered under his care. It was easy to see. She’d seen it in Adrian’s eyes once too often to mistake it.

But it was different in this man. Where Adrian was content to slide through until his special abilities were called for, this man was always “on”, always aware of what was happening with and to those people he considered his. If her mate hadn’t had the threat of Parker to fuel his power, he’d have been groaning right alongside Gabe.

“I can see why she is your mate now,” he said, staring into her eyes. What he saw there, she had no idea, but it seemed to reassure him just as much as what she saw reassured her. “She sees deeply, more deeply than anyone I’ve ever met.”

“But I was still fooled by Rudy.”

He went cold again, hiding himself behind icy eyes. “Just because you can see deeply doesn’t mean you always think to look.”

He stood up, towering over them, and stared at their joined hands. “She’ll be safe with us. Go get the other female.”

And he turned and walked into the kitchen without a backward glance.

Sheri tapped her fingers nervously on her legs. She was watching television, trying to distract herself until the others returned. Richard’s utter stillness wasn’t helping, either; it wasn’t relaxed at all. It was the stillness of a predator waiting for his prey to come within striking distance. He stayed away from windows and doors, making sure she did the same, and he kept between her and the doors and windows the few times she moved. He inspected every room she went into before she entered it. He’d detailed his Marshal and men to outside guard duty. His Marshal had agreed, as he felt it was his job to guard them both. In short, he acted the perfect bodyguard. Gabe was outside with the other Wolves, since he was familiar with the wooded territory behind Adrian’s house and they weren’t.

Her cell phone rang. An amused chuckle came from over her shoulder as he heard her ring tone.

“Where did you find that?”

“On a website that had Looney Tunes sound waves,” she answered as she dug her phone out of her purse.

He chuckled some more as Sylvester the Cat’s voice said once again, “You’re darn tootin’, Buster. You did see a pussycat!”

“Hello?”

“Hello, Sheridan.”

She felt her blood run cold as Rudy’s soft, growling voice filled her ears. She looked up at Richard, hoping he could see the expression on her face, but his back was to her. “Hello, Rudy.”

“I hear you’ve been a busy, busy girl, Sheridan.”

She licked her lips as Richard moved to look out one of the kitchen windows. “Yes, I have.”

“I’d love to get together, discuss what you’ve been up to. Do lunch, maybe.”

“Sorry, my social calendar is booked full through two thousand sixty. Maybe some other time.”

“Really? Because Giordano would just love it if you joined us.”

She froze. “Adrian’s not with you.”

“No? Have you spoken to him since he left for the hospital?”

Richard turned back to stare at her but was too far away for her to see his expression. “No, I haven’t.”

“Tell you what, Sheridan. I’m a generous guy. You get on the phone and call him, see how he’s doing.

I’ll call back in five. Just to see if you’ve been able to get a hold of him.”

The connection cut off.

With shaking hands and voice she filled Richard in as she dialed Adrian’s cell. No answer. She tried Max’s, and then Simon’s.

No answer.

Her heart pounding with fear, she started to dial Emma’s number. When the cell phone rang again she jumped. She fumbled it open. “Hello?”

“Well, Sheridan? Were you able to get in touch with any of them?”

“No,” she whispered, terrified beyond belief.

“That’s odd, because I could have sworn I heard his cell phone ringing.”

The gloating triumph in his voice sent shards of terror straight down her spine.

“What do you want?”

“Hmm. Well, my men are getting hungry. Are you sure you won’t join us for lunch?”

She whimpered. Wolf packs in the wild had been known to eat lone pumas.

“I tell you what, sweetheart. I’ll arrange it so you can get away from the Neanderthal who thinks he’s guarding you. You leave the house, come quietly with me, and maybe I won’t feed Giordano to my packmates. Deal?”

Before she could answer Rudy disconnected.

“Don’t even think about it.”

She looked up at the large Pack Alpha. Menace rolled off him in waves. “I have no choice.”

“Then don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re leaving this house without me.”

The sound of a gunshot cut off anything else she might have said. A cry of agony was swiftly followed by another gunshot.

“Shit! Wait,” Richard said. “This must be what he was talking about. Move to the front door, I’m right behind you.”

She saw him pull something out from behind his back and figured it must be a gun. At least she hoped it was a gun.

She moved around the couch to grab Jerry’s harness but Richard’s hand stopped her. “Leave him. He’ll be safer.” She nodded her agreement and moved to the front door, opening it slowly.

A third shot rang out before it was open all the way, startling her. She heard Richard groan just before the large man fell, knocking her to the ground.

“Get up, Sheridan, let’s go.”

Rudy grabbed her arm and dragged her to a car. “Be grateful I don’t have much time,” he said as he shoved her in the car, “or I’d have made sure the big fucker was dead.” He got in behind her, crowding in close to her. “Drive,” he snarled to the man in the driver’s seat.

“Get off me,” Sheri said, trying to push him away from her. Another shot rang out, and this time Rudy cursed.

“Not on your life. You’re mine again, and there is no way in hell I’m letting you go.”

When he began ripping at her clothes she began fighting. A vicious slap stunned her long enough for him to rip away her sweater. She thought briefly about shifting but she was still mostly clothed. Getting tangled in her jeans would merely make her more vulnerable.

So she fought him with teeth and claws as he bit and snarled over her, praying that Adrian would arrive before Rudy got to finish what he’d started.

Max pulled up outside of Adrian’s house and snarled. “Problems.”

“No shit, Sherlock, what was your first clue?” Simon snarled back, climbing out of the Durango. “What the hell happened here?”

Gabe stepped out onto the porch, gun in hand. “Two shots out back, one out front. Richard’s down but not out. One dead, one wounded, both ours.”

“Sheri?” Adrian growled.

Gabe shook his head. “Not quite sure what happened but as soon as the shots rang out she took off for the front door. One of Rick’s men saw her go but wasn’t close enough to get to her. Rick tried to stop her but got taken out. We’ve got a license plate, and a Wolf followed the car for as long as he could before he had to double back.”

“Where the hell were you?”

“Trying to get to the sniper.”

“And?”

“He got away when I heard the shots out front. I shot at the car just as they took off, but missed the damn tire.”

“FUCK!” Adrian shouted. Both hands clenched in his hair. “What the hell was she thinking?”

A pained growl erupted from the Pack Alpha where he sat on the porch floor. “Rudy told her he had you. She couldn’t reach you, so she believed it. Is your cell phone on?” A dish towel was pressed against his shoulder and soaked through with blood.

“She is in so much trouble when I find her,” Adrian growled as he checked his cell. “Yes, it is.”

“Yours too?” Richard pointed with his chin to Max and Simon.

“Yup.”

“After what happened at Wallflowers? Damn straight it’s on.”

“Check in the car, see if there’s an RF jammer somewhere,” Gabe said to one of the Wolves. The man nodded and went to look.

“What the hell is an RF jammer?” Simon asked.

“Radio frequency jammer. Really illegal just about anywhere, but something a mechanical engineer would know how to build,” Gabe answered.

The Wolf came back quickly with a small yellow device the size of a deck of cards. “This is why no one could reach you.”

“Okay, Adrian, think! Where is she?” Max demanded.

“How the fuck should I know?”

Max glared at him as Simon went to the Durango and helped Belinda out. “You’re the Marshal. She’s pride. Where is she? ”

He concentrated on his mate, his eyes turning gold as he felt where Rudy’s hands were on her body.

“I’m going to fucking kill him.”

“Good. Where are they?”

“In a car, still moving. He’s…” Adrian snarled, holding back the primal scream of his Puma with difficulty. “I think he’s trying to rape her, and she’s fighting him.” She’d lost her sunglasses somewhere along the way and the pain of the sunlight in the car was excruciating. He felt like both of his eyes were being stabbed with knives.

“Can you smell anything?”

Adrian found himself belted into the front seat of the Durango. A large red Wolf leaped into the back seat, a shoulder wound bleeding sluggishly all over Max’s leather upholstery. Another Wolf, this one smaller and a lighter red ( Ben, the Marshal his Puma whispered) joined the larger, wounded one. He sniffed, but the smell of blood and Wolf nearly overwhelmed him.

“You have to use her senses, not yours. What does she smell?”

“Why don’t you try this?” Adrian growled.

“I would if I could but I can’t. I’m not the Marshal.”

He took a deep breath and tried once again to reach his mate. She could smell Parker, the driver, and her own blood as Parker’s claws ripped into her soft flesh…

And the smell of the Susquehanna River.

“Shit. She’s about fifteen minutes away, somewhere near the Susquehanna.”

Max took off in a squeal of tires. “Think he’s heading for Harrisburg?”

“Not sure. If he picks up I76 he could move into Ohio or further east towards Philly.”

“Then we have to catch him before he hits the highway.”

His cell phone rang. “Gabe.”

“I’m on my way, following an alternate route. Consider yourselves escorted by the police.”

“Thanks, dude.”

“No problem. I can fucking feel what he’s doing to her. The son of a bitch.”

“We’re cutting him off before he gets to the highway.”

Gabe sucked in a breath. “We’ll never find them if he takes her out of state.”

“No shit.”

“He heads east and he can pick up I95.”

“I know.”

“I’m calling in a few favors. Trust me, he won’t get much further.”

Adrian stared at the dead phone in his hands and wondered what his Second was up to.

“God damn it! Stay on the fucking road, Steve!”

“I’m trying, Rudy, but there’s a bunch of fucking yahoos with trucks blocking it!”

Rudy lifted his head from her breasts with a growl. He’d just succeeded in getting her jeans off her, leaving her completely naked. “Go around.”

“What the hell do you think I’m doing?”

Sheri squealed as shots were fired.

“What the fuck?”

“They’re shooting at us!”

Rudy sat up and pulled out his gun. He peeked over the top of the bench seat and stared out the windshield, and the scent of Puma came through. Those “yahoos” were her Pridemates.

Sheri could barely see, so she stayed down. She recognized the sounds of rifles being fired, and did the only thing she could think of. She hit the floor of the car and covered her head with her arms.

Bullets shattered the windshield, raining glass down on top of her. Rudy cursed again and fired back as Steve tried desperately to go around the roadblock.

“Fuck!”

“What?” Rudy snarled at his driver.

“Tire’s blown.”

She could feel the car fishtail as the driver tried desperately to bring it back under control. “Adrian!” she screamed as loud as she could, firmly convinced he was responsible for this and praying he would hear her over the noise of the gun battle.

Because if he didn’t get her out of there, her Puma would. And then hell would really break loose.

The sound of his mate screaming broke something inside Adrian. “Up there,” he snarled, already ripping his clothes off. He knew the men on the road block were Pumas; Gabe had called him back as soon as he’d set it up. They would do their best to hold Rudy in place until Adrian could arrive and kill his ass.

He shifted right there in the front seat, uncaring that his claws ripped Max’s leather seat. Max reached around him and opened his door and he leapt out, making a beeline for the car Rudy had his mate in.

The snow-white puma came soaring out of the back window with an effortless grace that burned through him. Her bright red eyes were fixed on him with fear, love, relief and hope. She was almost safe.

A gunshot fired.

She stumbled, and went down.

And his heart, missing its core, stopped beating.

He looked from his fallen mate to the man in the car, the Wolf with his mate’s scent all over him, the smoking gun still held in his hands, and realized he had one more task to complete before he joined his mate in death. But even that was denied him as the huge red Wolf sailed past him, leapt into the car and in one strike ripped out the throat of the rogue.

Adrian crawled to his mate and nuzzled at her wound. To his relief she grumbled, and his heart started beating once more.

She lived.

He curled up around her and allowed the Wolves to deal with the remaining rogues. He had more important things to do.

Epilogue

“Your heart stopped.”

“I thought my mate was dead. Of course my heart stopped.”

“What happened to those wonderful Marshal powers? You’d think they would have told you I was mostly stunned.”

Adrian cuddled her closer. “Yeah, well, I wasn’t exactly thinking at that point in time.”

He hadn’t been able to let her go in hours. They sat on the front porch, curled up in his swing, enjoying the night air. He barely felt the chill. He had his snow princess safe and in his arms, keeping him warm.

The four blankets he’d wrapped around them didn’t hurt either. She’d mentioned something about buying a chiminea for the front porch. She’d had to explain what that was to him, since he didn’t have a clue.

When she told him it was an outdoor Mexican-style fireplace, his Puma had purred its approval of that idea.

After all, his snow princess only liked to come out at night, and he had to keep her warm. He couldn’t wait until summer, when she said she’d show him the joys of “moon bathing”.

She nuzzled his neck, planting a tiny kiss. “I’m fine. Once I shifted back to human the bleeding stopped.

It was just a flesh wound. Although I admit it stung like hell.”

He pulled her even closer with a low growl.

“Can’t. Breathe.”

He loosened his hold on her with a huffed laugh. “I don’t think I’ll be able to let you out of my sight for a good long while, sweetheart.” Hell, if he could he’d rig a papoose and carry her everywhere.

“What happened to the rest of Rudy’s Pack?”

Adrian snarled. “Dead.” And a good thing, too. Adrian had been damn near feral by the time they got Sheri back home. If any of the rogues had been alive, he’d have eaten them. Literally.

“You shouldn’t be walking,” a deep, cold voice said. They turned to look and realized the window behind them had been left cracked open, probably in an effort to remove the blood scent. They looked at each other, pretty sure they knew who Richard was growling at.

“I’m sorry, do you have a medical degree? No? Shut up.” Belinda’s voice panted, pained and pissed at the same time.

“You’re in pain.”

Belinda gasped mockingly. “I am? Really? I never would have guessed.”

“Then you shouldn’t be walking.”

“My doctors told me to move around as much as possible, as it will speed the healing process.”

“Heart-stopping agony speeds the healing process? In that case I’ll break out the red hot pokers. You’ll be better in no time.”

“Look, Dick , I’d much rather be riding the morphine train right now, but if I ever want to shift again then I need to get the goddamn pins out of my hip. If I ever want the pins out, I need to heal. My doctors told me to walk in order to heal. So sit. Stay. Good dog. Arf.”

Adrian and Sheri shared a wide-eyed glance. Belle was giving the huge Pack Alpha grief?

“She must be in an awful lot of pain,” Sheri whispered.

“Sit down before you fall down!” Richard bellowed.

“You lay one single paw on me and I will bite it off! Got it, Dick? ”

“Stop calling me that!”

“Then stop acting like one! I hate to tell you this, Dick, but you ain’t the boss of me!”

“Oh, really?” There was a brief silence, and then Richard howled. “Ow! You bit me!”

Adrian started to laugh, his shoulders shaking silently. Sheri had one hand over her mouth, her eyes filled with horrified amusement.

“Back off, Fido. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

When the big Alpha growled, Adrian found himself in the house before he could blink. “Back off, Richard.”

The Pack Alpha glared at him. “I’m not threatening her! Not much, anyway,” he muttered as he glared at the blonde trying to walk around Adrian’s living room. She was using the wheeled walker the hospital had recommended. Pain etched fine lines next to her lush mouth and her green eyes glared right back at the big redhead. She was dressed in the rattiest blue robe he’d ever seen, with blue bunny slippers on her feet.

Ben, the Pack Marshal, was standing near his Alpha, one hand over his mouth as he tried to stifle his own laugh.

“Isn’t it time for you to toddle on back to your den, Dick?”

Richard’s smile was coldly sensual. “Not without my mate.”

Belle narrowed her eyes at him. “Someone actually has the misfortune of being mated to you? Poor bitch. Give her my condolences.”

The smile slipped off his face. Sheri made her way into the room and to Adrian’s side, her lips quivering.

“Belle?” she said. It sounded like she was choking on a laugh.

“What?” Belle snarled, her eyes turning gold as her Puma surfaced.

“I think he means you.”

Belle’s eyes widened as the big Pack Alpha nodded once.

“Look on the bright side, Belle,” Adrian choked as he tried not to laugh. Belinda looked like she’d swallowed a live fish. “This should solve your Pride problems.”

“You’ll be telling me all about those. Won’t you .” The Alpha crossed his massive arms over his chest and glared at Belle.

It wasn’t a request, it was a demand, one that had Belle stiffening in outrage. Adrian decided it was time to get out of the line of fire. Shaking his head, he grabbed Sheri’s hand and began tugging her up the stairs to their bedroom.

“Where are we going?” she whispered as the argument erupted downstairs once more.

“Bed. Duh,” he whispered back.

“Are you sure it’s safe to leave them alone together?”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he said as he shut the door, “I’m pretty sure Belle can hold her own.” He began undressing her. “Besides, I have more important things to worry about.”

“Like what?” She was trying not to smile, but her eyes had gone red.

“Petting my kitty.”

“Pig,” she sighed.

He cupped her cheek. “I love you,” he whispered, totally serious. He’d nearly lost her today and though he hid it well he was still shaken.

With a small sigh she wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled close. She buried her face in his neck, and Adrian closed his eyes, enjoying her scent and softness so close to his own. He began stroking her back, trying to soothe her, knowing that after her ordeal she had to be just as shaken as he was.

Just as his hand reached her ass his eyes flew wide. A startled laugh boomed out of him as, very softly, she began snuffling his neck and oinking.

“Oh baby,” he said as he swung her giggling form into his arms, “You are in trouble now.”

“Oh goody,” she replied as he fell on top of her and began nuzzling her neck, “because I’ve been a very bad kitty.”

As he stilled above her, his cock throbbing between them even through both their jeans, she sighed.

Arching up into him, she purred, “A very bad kitty.”

He stared down at her, eyes wide and gold as she raked her claws down his sides. When they dug into his ass he bit her again, right through her shirt as his own claws came out and ripped her jeans away. His jeans were quickly opened and his cock rammed home, both of them groaning at the sensation of hot steel encased in wet velvet. He held her down with his teeth as he fucked her, pounding into her with enough force to rock the oak headboard. It banged rhythmically against the wall, letting everyone in the house know what they were up to, but she couldn’t muster the energy to care.

He was snarling against her shoulder, his teeth still deeply imbedded into her. The combination of pain and pleasure was too much, and she came screaming around him. He stiffened above her, his own orgasm tearing a groan from him as he poured himself into her.

“Vegas sound good to you? I have a yen to visit the Elvis chapel there,” he panted a few minutes later.

She pried open one sleepy eye and glared at his dark head where it rested against her breast. “I am not going to be married by a fat man in sequins. Dork.”

He sighed and snuggled closer, a happy grin on his lips. “God, I love it when you talk dirty.” He opened his eyes and watched in satisfaction as she collapsed into giggles again. Not even the ongoing argument between Richard and Belle could dampen his mood. With the threat to the Pride eliminated, and his mate happy and in his arms, Adrian finally allowed himself to sleep.

About the Author

Dana Marie Bell wrote her first short story when she was thirteen years old. She attended the High School for Creative and Performing Arts for creative writing, where freedom of expression was the order of the day. When her parents moved out of the city and placed her in a Catholic high school for her senior year she tried desperately to get away, but the nuns held fast, and she graduated with honors despite herself.

Dana has lived primarily in the Northeast (Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, to be precise), with a brief stint on the US Virgin Island of St. Croix. She lives with her soul-mate and husband Dusty, their two maniacal children, two evil ice-cream stealing cats, and a bull terrier that thinks it’s a Pekinese.

You can learn more about Dana at:www.danamariebell.com

Content

Cat of a Different Color
Halle Pumas - 3
by
Dana Marie Bell

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Epilogue

About the Author