“Hoped for by my father, but never expected,” she corrected.
“Why not?” he unexpectedly pressed. “Our mating would strengthen the Pack and give our people a reason to celebrate.” His charming expression briefly faltered, revealing the stark concern beneath. “Something they desperately need.”
She reached out to lightly touch his arm. Sometimes she let herself forget that he was as fiercely devoted as her father was to protecting their Pack.
“So you’re willing to martyr your future so our people can have a big party?” she lightly teased.
His fingers brushed down the side of her throat, tracing the collar that he intended to see removed from her neck before he died.
“Trust me, babe, I don’t feel like a martyr when I think about taking you as my mate.”
“No doubt because you have an entire harem to keep you happy.”
“Not quite a harem.”
Her lips twisted. She understood. She truly did. He was willing to do his best for the Pack. Even if it meant bonding his life with a female who wasn’t the love of his life.
She even admired him for it.
But she wasn’t going to enter into a relationship that would make them both miserable in the end.
“I’m like you, Max,” she said in soft tones. “I don’t share.”
“Say the word and they’re gone.”
She shook her head. “We both know…”
Her words trailed away, her head jerking to the side as she caught the distinct scent of wolf.
Shit.
Clenching her hands, she watched Soren walk around the edge of the house wearing nothing more than a pair of faded jeans.
Instant heat exploded through her. Christ, he was gorgeous with his dark curls tangled and a hint of whiskers darkening his strong jaw. He was raw, and primitive, and so uncompromisingly male her cat wanted to lick him from head to toe. And all the yummy places in between.
His eyes narrowed as he studied Max. “Am I interrupting?”
“Yes,” Max answered before Cora could speak. “Go away, dog.”
“Never.” Soren halted close enough to Cora that she could feel the heat of his body stroke her like an intimate caress. “Like it or not, I’m here to stay.”
“Ah.” Max offered a dimpled smile, his eyes glowing with the power of his cat. “Do you want to play?”
Aggression filled the air until it was so thick Cora could barely breathe. With a muttered curse, she moved to stand between the two males.
“Enough,” she snapped, sending Max a warning glare. “We’ll speak later.”
Max’s gaze never strayed from Soren. “I’ll be waiting.”
Soren tensed, but thankfully, Max turned to stroll away from the cabin, bringing an end to potential disaster. Once he was out of sight, Cora spun around to glare at the male who was the direct cause of her sleepless night.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Without warning, he was crowding into her personal space, herding her until her back was pressed against a shed, well out of sight of the kitchen window.
Then, lowering his head, he whispered directly in her ear.
“Don’t let him touch you again.”
She pressed her hands against his chest, wanting to be pissed off, but instead, shuddering with excitement at the feel of his thick erection pressing against her stomach.
She needed her head examined.
“Excuse me?” she forced herself to mutter.
“I won’t repeat myself.” He gave the lobe of her ear a sharp nip. “If you don’t want your kitty to get hurt then you’ll warn him to stay the hell away.”
A melting pleasure poured through her, pooling in the pit of her stomach with a delicious quiver of need.
Angered by her eager arousal, she released her claws, allowing the sharp tips to press against his skin. Just a warning that she wasn’t ruled by her treacherous desires.
“Careful, Soren,” she said in a husky voice.
He dragged his tongue down the length of her jaw, the musk of his wolf saturating the air with his scent.
“Too late for careful.”
Chapter 3
Soren had fully intended to return to Cora’s cabin and play the role of the perfect gentleman.
He would approach her like any other male interested in a female, and begin a slow, utterly irresistible seduction that would win her wary heart.
Instead, he’d approached the house only to discover the scent of a male cat. A red mist had clouded his mind as he stalked into the backyard, discovering the bastard standing only inches from Cora.
Any hope of playing the civilized lover was smashed by the explosive reaction of his wolf.
No male was allowed near his female.
Not unless he had a death wish.
Now he buried his face in Cora’s neck, ignoring the damn collar as he breathed deeply of her scent. Anything to try and ease his snarling beast.
He felt her revealing tremors even as her nails pressed into his skin, the kiss of pain nearly making his cock explode.
Shit. He’d already scratched being a gentleman off the list. It looked like the whole ‘going slow’ thing was fucked, as well.
“I thought we agreed that we would try to avoid each other?” she asked, her voice not entirely steady.
His hands slid down her arms, savoring the brush of cashmere beneath his palms. Not that he wouldn’t have preferred her bare skin.
One step at a time.
“Just think how disappointed you’d be if I gave you what you wanted,” he murmured, nuzzling the pulse that pounded at the base of her throat just below the collar.
“Disappointed?”
“How can you make me suffer for the past if we’re never together?”
“If I wanted you to suffer, I would have sliced off your dick,” she said.
He chuckled, as always delighted by her fierce spirit. His wolf needed a female who wasn’t afraid to stand up to him.
“I’m sincerely glad you resisted that particular form of retaliation,” he said, pressing his rock-hard erection against her hip.
A groan was wrenched from his throat. Oh…hell. He needed to be inside of her.
Deep, deep inside.
“Why are you here?”
He licked her pulse point, delighted when he felt her heart skip a beat.
“Do you love the cat?”
She stilled, no doubt considering whether or not she could use the other male as a way to keep him at a distance. But Cora wasn’t a female who needed to hide behind lies and deceit. If she decided she didn’t want him around, she’d kick his ass out the door.
“No, but he’s a sensible choice for a partner,” she at last muttered.
“Don’t.” He lifted his head to study her with a pained expression. “Never settle for less than a true mate.”
Their gazes locked, her body softening against him as she briefly allowed herself to forget he was the enemy. But even as his hands spanned her waist, intending to haul her against his aching body, she was giving him a rough shove so she could step away.
“What I decide about my mate is none of your business,” she told him, bristling with annoyance.
With him? Or herself for nearly giving in to temptation?
His wolf snarled, pressing against his skin. His beast didn’t understand man-games. It didn’t want to deny the mutual arousal that simmered between them. Not when he’d waited so long to claim this female.
Thankfully, his wolf did comprehend the need for patience when hunting his prey.
“Fine.” He managed to leash his raging lust. Barely. “Then perhaps I can interest you in something that is my business.”
She eyed him with a frown. “What?”
He held out his hand. “Come with me.”
“Where?”
“I need to show you.” He deliberately held her gaze, silently challenging her.
Tension hummed around her. He got it. She didn’t trust him.
Th
at didn’t mean he liked it.
Not. At. All.
At last, she heaved a resigned sigh and placed her hand in his. No doubt she sensed he wasn’t leaving until she’d given in to his request.
Smart enough not to give her time to change her mind, Soren tugged her toward the trees and across the compound to his secluded home.
He’d moved into the four-room cabin shortly after Leah’s death, giving up his larger house to a mated couple with children. As long as he had a bed and a roof over his head, he was content.
Now, as he pulled a reluctant Cora through the front door, he didn’t miss her quick glance around the small living room that held a worn sofa and matching chair. There were no pictures on the wall, no shelves or pretty doo-dads that women loved to clutter up a space.
It was starkly masculine, with books stacked haphazardly on the floor, and a backpack filled with his dirty laundry tossed in the corner.
Seeming to realize the intimacy of being alone in his home, she gave a tug of her hand, trying to free her fingers.
“Soren.”
“I genuinely need your advice,” he overrode her protest, continuing to pull her through a doorway on the other side of the living room into the narrow kitchen at the back of the cabin.
“If this is a trick,” she muttered.
“Have a seat,” he softly commanded, urging her into one of the high bar chairs set next to the island in the center of the room.
The space was too small for a dining table, but it did have a row of windows that overlooked the garden. And, thankfully, he’d cleaned the night before. His fastidious cat could be a little whacko when it came to his casual approach to neatness.
His lips twitched as he moved to the refrigerator. He vividly remembered having Cora constantly tidying whenever he’d stayed the night.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Pulling out the necessary ingredients, Soren moved to the stove. He may not be a neat freak, but he was one hell of a chef.
“Cooking you breakfast.”
“What makes you think I’m hungry?”
“I heard your stomach growling earlier,” he said, moving with ease to the counter to slice the bread he’d baked the day before. “Do you still like your eggs over easy and strawberry jam on your toast?”
He heard her tiny sound of surprise. Did she think he’d forgotten? That he didn’t remember every single thing about her?
“Is that why you brought me here?” she asked in a husky voice. “To make me breakfast?”
“Not entirely.” With the bacon and eggs cooking, and the bread being toasted, he turned to study his companion. Instantly, his heart clenched with a sharp-edged longing. Christ. She looked so perfect sitting in his house. It didn’t matter that her gorgeous hair was tied back, or that her face was scrubbed free of makeup. There was a sense of ‘rightness’ that settled deep inside of him. “I have a favor to ask.”
She regarded him with a wary scowl. “What favor?”
He grimaced. Someday she was going to look at him with joy, not that aggravating suspicion.
“Despite the efforts of our two Alphas, the melding of our Packs is bound to be difficult.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, understatement of the year.”
“I hoped you would help me keep the peace.”
“Peace?”
He gave a lift of his shoulder. During his long nighttime run, he’d given considerable thought to how he could ease the burden carried by his Alpha. There were some duties only Holden could deal with, but it was possible Soren could help prevent the brewing battle between the two Packs.
“Right now, we’re all on edge and waiting for an opportunity to strike out,” he said, watching as she gave a small shiver. He didn’t blame her. The very air in the enclosed compound seethed with the promise of violence. “I hoped we could find a casual means to provide interaction.”
“What sort of interaction?” she asked.
“Casual competitions.”
“Competitions?” She blinked in confusion. “Wouldn’t that just ramp up the sense of wolf versus cat?”
“Not if we mix the teams,” he explained. “We could divide up the more aggressive members of the River and Golden Packs and add in the submissives to tone down the urge for violence.”
He sensed her wariness fade as she leaned her elbows on the island, her expression one of feline curiosity.
“What would the competitions entail?”
Ah. He knew she wouldn’t be able to resist the idea of helping ease the tension between the Packs. She might be a princess, but she was utterly devoted to her people.
“We should switch them up so everyone can be involved,” he said. “Some could be organized sports like softball and football. And others would be less structured. Maybe races or an obstacle course.”
Cora’s emerald eyes sparkled with anticipation. The cats were bound to excel at anything that included climbing.
“Like American Ninja Warriors?”
“Exactly.” His fingers itched to reach up and stroke the hint of color that bloomed beneath the satin softness of her cheek. Would she purr or scratch? The fact he couldn’t be sure kept him from trying. “Afterward, we could have a picnic to celebrate the winners.”
She gave a nod, clearly approving his suggestion even as she hesitated to agree. No doubt she understood they’d have to spend a considerable amount of time together planning the various events.
“Isn’t this a discussion you should be having with Max?” she asked. “He’s our Beta.”
Soren shook his head. “As soon as I go to him, any suggestions I make will become a part of formal mediations that have to go straight to your father.”
She instantly bristled. She was overly protective of her father since her mother’s death.
“Would that be a bad thing?”
“It’s not a bad thing,” he instantly assured her, “but I don’t want the Alphas making this a mandatory get-together. No one’s more bullheaded than a shifter, and once it gets turned into a duty, everyone will resent having to do it. If we keep it spontaneous, then it has a better chance of getting people involved.”
She considered his words before giving a slow nod. “True.”
“Then you’ll help?” he asked.
She bit her bottom lip. “I’m not sure.”
“Cora, you know that your people adore you.” He shamelessly manipulated her by bringing up her loyalty to her Pack. “If you put your full energy into the events, then the cats will come.”
No doubt sensing she’d just been lured into a well-planned trap, Cora narrowed her gaze. She wanted to tell him to go to hell. He could read it in her eyes. But even as he prepared himself for a fight, she heaved a small sigh of resignation.
“Fine. I’ll help.”
His wolf howled in silent triumph.
****
A week later, Cora stood at the edge of the communal gathering area and tried to look interested in the assorted activities that were spread around the large opening.
The “Pack Games,” as Soren had labeled them, had been a roaring success.
Around the edges of the clearing, Soren had constructed an obstacle course that consisted of narrow tunnels built of barbed wire, six-foot-high walls that had to be jumped, a mud pit, and a three-hundred-pound weight that had to be carried over a narrow bridge.
Cora had been in charge of the cats, designing a devilish course that consisted of thin ropes they had to balance on to cross from tree to tree, and massive leaps over wide pools of water. At the end was a fifty-foot pole they had to climb to ring a bell at the top.
Beyond the obstacle courses, there were volleyball courts, and a grassy area that was reserved for flag football—that more often than not turned into a full contact sport.
And a central sandpit where two combatants could beat the crap out of each other without using claws or fangs.
Currently, a gorgeous male panther, Cole, was battling Theo, a
dominant wolf. Theo was brutally strong with fighting skills that made him a formidable warrior. But Cole was wicked quick with a cunning ability to avoid a direct blow from Theo’s massive fist.
Even as she watched, the agile panther dodged a punch that would have broken his jaw. Then, with a liquid grace, he leaped high into the air and did a spinning kick that connected squarely with the side of Theo’s head and dropped him to the sand.
There was a roar of cheers—not only from the felines—and more than one female crowded forward, anxious to congratulate Cole in a more private setting.
The Pack Games didn’t ease all the tension between the two predatory shifter groups, or even avoid the occasional bloodshed. But it had helped to build a sense of community that might eventually lead to the ability to work together against the humans.
Cora should feel delighted.
They’d done the impossible.
Unfortunately, there was a restless itch deep inside of her that refused to be eased.
An itch that was directly related to the gorgeous male wolf, who was slowly and methodically breaking down her defenses.
Her lips twitched as she glanced down at the box of her favorite chocolates that Soren had covertly pressed into her hands before he’d headed off to get the afternoon contests organized.
It was more than the fact that he’d remembered she loved cashews in her chocolates, it was the knowledge that he must have used an appalling amount of his limited rations to acquire them.
And this wasn’t the first gift. Not even close.
He’d left her flowers on her doorstep, a lovely painted scarf tied to a branch outside her window, and her favorite banana bread he’d baked and wrapped with a bow.
Then there’d been the touches.
Nothing blatant.
A warm hand at the base of her spine when they were walking together. A brush of his fingers across her cheek, gone before she could protest…
It had all combined to stir her to a fever pitch that was making it increasingly difficult to think of anything but getting the damned male in the nearest bed.
“From Soren?”
Lost in her seething frustration, Cora gave a small jerk when Max abruptly appeared at her side, a wry smile on his lips.