CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX

Sitting on the motorhome’s sofa, Blair watched as Camden dragged Davis Regent into the vehicle. They’d reached the human’s house only to find it empty, so Luke had parked the motorhome out of sight while they waited for Davis to make an appearance. It had been no more than half an hour later that the human had pulled up in his driveway.

He hadn’t been hard to grab. Blair had observed from the window as Camden crept up behind Davis, slapped a hand over his mouth, and then dragged him away. Even now, the human struggled and yelled against Camden’s palm, but the tiger wasn’t whatsoever fazed.

Given that Davis’s closest neighbors were half a mile away, there’d been no great need to muffle his shouts. Blair suspected that Camden had done it merely to ramp up the fear factor.

Right then, the tiger unceremoniously dumped Davis on the floor, who quickly scrambled backwards until his back met a wall. The human’s eyes bounced from person to person. The Alphas, Aspen, Bailey, Alex, and Blair steadily stared back at him—all casually sprawled around the space, looking right at home.

The engine came to life, and then Luke drove away, muttering something to Farrell, who was riding shotgun. The plan was for her mate to drive around aimlessly. If the human was innocent, they’d let him live and ditch him somewhere. If he wasn’t innocent, well, his fate would not be a painless one.

The smell of fear permeated the vehicle as Davis gaped up at Camden, his face ashen, his breathing heavy.

The tiger glared down at him, looking so unnaturally calm it was eerie. “You know who I am.”

Swallowing, Davis wildly shook his head.

“Yes, you do,” said Camden, his voice flat. “You’ve been asking questions about me. I heard all about it. And, of course, I have to wonder just why you would have any interest in me.”

Davis’s panicked gaze again darted around the motorhome, examining every face, probably searching for a possible ally.

“If you’re wondering why they’re here, well, to be frank … they don’t trust that I won’t kill you. Don’t think that means you’re completely safe from me. They have no issue with me hurting you in order to get the info I want.” Camden took a lurching step toward the human, who promptly flinched. “Now, why don’t you tell me why you went around asking questions about me.”

Davis’s lips trembled. “I-I was just curious.”

“About?”

“Tiger shifters.”

“And why would that be?”

“I’ve always liked wild cats. Especially tigers. There’s so much that humans don’t really understand about them, though. I thought a tiger shifter might know things about full-blooded tigers that would help fill the gaps in our knowledge. So when I heard a local person was one of your kind, well, I thought maybe I could talk to you. I meant to, but then I was worried you might take offense or something.”

“You were just curious?”

Davis nodded twice, his eyes wide.

Blair saw Aspen grind her teeth, as if biting back words. It was clearly killing her to stay out of this.

Camden pursed his lips. “I suppose I can educate you on a thing or two. Do you know that, out of all the big cats, a tiger’s claws are the sharpest?” Lifting his hand, he squatted in front of Davis. “They can grow up to four inches long.” He sliced out his own claws, causing Davis to jerk in horror. “Mine are sharper. Longer. And I will drag them down your fucking face if you don’t tell me the truth.”

“I wasn’t lying, I—” Davis cried out as Camden lashed out wicked fast, leaving diagonal claw marks along his face.

The scent of blood laced the air, making Blair’s inner animal growl in approval. Her legs quivered with the urge to join in and sink her teeth into the human.

“Next time, I’ll slice deeper,” Camden warned him. “No more lies.”

Davis began to sob. “I told you, I didn’t lie.”

Camden sliced his claws down the other side of his face. “Yes, you did. I want the truth.”

“I gave you the truth!”

Camden struck again, clawing his chest this time, ripping cloth and mercilessly shredding skin. “The. Truth.”

“What I told you was true, I swear!” He choked on a pained breath as Camden buried his claws in Davis’s thigh. The human’s fists clenched as he stared down at the sight in disbelief.

“You can spout denials as many times as you want,” said Camden, still cool and composed. “But you’re mistaken if you think I’ll buy your bullshit.” Keeping his claws buried in the human’s thigh, Camden sharply twisted his hand.

Davis jerked with an agonizing cry. “Stop, stop, stop, please!”

Instead, Camden wiggled his claws. “If you want the pain to end, all you have to do is tell me what I want to know.”

“I did it for my friend!” the human burst out.

Camden withdrew his claws but kept his hand elevated over Davis’s thigh. “What friend?”

“A guy I know,” replied Davis, his breaths sawing in and out of him. “He wanted to be sure you were really the tiger shifter that recently fought with another tiger shifter. He wanted to know …”

“What?”

“Your habits, your address, if you were a loner.”

“Why? Why would he want to know?”

Davis squeezed his eyes shut. “He’s a poacher.”

Blair’s spine snapped straight, and her inner animal went very still.

“Poacher?” Camden ever so quietly echoed.

“He snatches shifters,” said Davis, shaking. “Sells fur or tusks or teeth or whatever. Sometimes even heads or full bodies.”

“Go on.”

“He wants your head and fur. He said there’s someone who’ll pay good money for them, but he didn’t say who. I-I think he works for some kind of company.”

The shifters in the vehicle all exchanged grim looks, and Blair knew they were about to drop the human act. Because this waste of skin here wasn’t going to live through this night.

Tate leaned forward, pinning Davis with a fierce glare. “And you, what, find information for him on any shifter he might like to capture?”

Davis licked his lips. “Yes, but that’s all. I never do anything but report information.”

“That makes it okay, does it?” Aspen clipped, rising from her seat. “His name.” It was a demand.

“Chester Wilkins.” The confession spilled out of him.

Havana hummed. “Where will we find dear old Chester?”

His shoulders hunched up, Davis reluctantly reeled off an address. “You won’t find him there for at least a week. His wife doesn’t know that he does poaching on the side. So when he needs a few days to capture a shifter and deliver body parts to a client, he tells her he’s going on a business trip.”

“What about his buddies?” asked Alex.

Davis’s brow creased. “Buddies?”

“Fellow poachers,” the wolverine elaborated.

“I don’t know anything about them,” said Davis. “I only know he sometimes works with a group of three other guys, depending on how big the game is.”

Aspen flexed her fingers. “The game, huh?”

Bailey cricked her neck. “Can I hurt him now?”

“Oh, we can all hurt him,” said Havana, standing. “But let’s be careful not to let him die too quickly.”

Davis’s eyes went wide and bright with panic as everyone began to gather around him. His gaze slammed back on Camden. “Y-you, you said—”

“That they were here to ensure I didn’t kill you.” Camden shrugged. “I lied.”

Just then, the vehicle slowed to a halt.

Davis once more scanned the faces around him and then settled his attention on Blair. “You can’t let him kill me!”

What, he thought her “sweet” appearance meant she was his hope of getting out of here? Wrong. “Why not? It should be fun.”

“So, Davis, you’re some kind of animal lover.” Bailey twisted her mouth. “How do you feel about snakes?” And then she shifted into her mamba form.

Davis whimpered, huddling against the wall in fright.

Tate scratched his cheek. “What you failed to realize, Davis, is that you’re the only person here who’s actually human.”

Blair glanced around. “Anyone have a problem with me lighting him on fire at some point?”

Luke’s mouth twitched. “What is it with you and fire?”

“It’s so pretty,” she said.

“People will notice I’m missing!” Davis yelled, a shake in his voice. “The police will look for me; they’ll find out you did this!”

Alex snorted. “How will they find you when there’ll be nothing of you left to find?”

Blair wouldn’t have thought it was possible for the human’s face to go any paler, but she’d been wrong.

He threw up his hands, as if to fend off the shifters glaring down at him. “I only reported information!”

“There’s no ‘only’ about it,” snapped Aspen. “The fact that you see yourself as innocent just makes me want to hurt you more.”

“Let’s take him into the woods outside,” said Luke. “There’s no need to make a mess in here.”

A short time later, once the human was well and truly dead, Alex raised a brow at Tate. “Want me to have my uncles get rid of the body?”

Tate’s brow wrinkled. “They’re visiting? When did they get here?”

“Last night,” replied Alex. “Well, should I call them or not?”

Blair almost snorted at his gruff tone. No one ever took it personally—the surly wolverine possessed few people skills. The only person he made any real effort for was his mate, Bree, who also happened to be the pride’s Primary omega.

“Yes, call them,” Tate told Alex. “But it disturbs me to know that they’ll probably eat the body.”

Alex shrugged. “Wolverines don’t like to waste their food, you know that.”

Tate turned to Farrell. “Go scope out Chester’s address. I know Davis claimed that Chester won’t be there, but I want to be certain. Don’t enter the residence; just check out the situation. Call me when you get there and let me know what you find.”

“Sure thing.” Farrell shifted into his avian form, gripped his cell phone with his talons, and then took to the sky.

Bailey set her hands on her hips. “How absolutely messed up is it that there are actually poachers who go after shifters? Animal poaching is bad enough. For people to look upon us as animals to the extent that they want our body parts as trophies or whatever … it’s sick.”

“Don’t worry, the bastards will pay,” said Tate. It wasn’t a statement of assurance, it was a menacing promise. “Once we have Chester, we can find out who his friends are and just who exactly hired him. In the meantime, let’s get a little more information on him.”

“I’ll get River right on it,” said Luke before then turning to Blair. “You all right?” he asked, his voice so low it wouldn’t carry to the others.

She couldn’t resist rolling her eyes. “I’m not shocked or disgusted by anything that went on here tonight, if that’s your worry. But it’s ever so cute, albeit confusing, that you’d mistake me for queasy.”

“Not sure I like that condescending tone, but fine.” Luke pulled out his phone. “I need to make this call to River, and then we’ll head home.” His eyes glinted with promise, reminding her of his earlier vow to claim her tonight.

Blair smiled and lowered her voice as she said, “I hope you don’t mind biting and scratching, because me and my animal want you all marked up.”

His eyes blazed. “Right back at you, baby.”

Having had years to plan how the day of their claiming would go, Luke had had it all planned out in his head—beginning with driving to Sylvan territory on Blair’s nineteenth birthday, handing over her birthday gifts, helping her move her things to his place, and then cooking her a romantic meal before he finally took her to bed.

Of course, that plan had been upended by the mere fact that he brought her here early.

Enter the new plan. Which he hadn’t properly laid out in his mind. What he’d most wanted was to ensure that the day was special. As such, spending time interrogating a human on the very evening that he finally claimed his mate had been nowhere on Luke’s wish list.

He thought about delaying the claiming until tomorrow, but his cat would never stand for it. He doubted Blair or her inner female would either. And with so much currently happening around them, there was no guarantee that tomorrow would be any calmer.

At the very least, he wanted her to be able to wash the day away. So Luke didn’t pounce on her the moment they returned to what was now their apartment. Ignoring his cat’s protests, Luke resisted the urge to take and dominate. He gently herded her into the bathroom, slowly stripped each item of clothing from her body, shed his own clothes, and then ushered her into the shower stall.

Squinting slightly in what appeared to be confusion, she went along with it. But there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that she’d attempt to take over if things didn’t eventually move fast enough for her liking. His girl had little patience.

As they stood under the hot spray, Luke stroked and soaped her down, every touch reverent with a sensual undertone. He wanted to kindle small flames of arousal inside her; wanted a slow burn to steadily wind her tight until her body was primed for what would come next.

His own body was ready to roll—his blood hot, his skin tight, his dick aggressively hard. The drive to claim her beat at him with a fierce intensity, fueled by the knowledge that he’d very soon answer that drive, rendering his hold on his control a brittle thing.

He’d dreamed of this, of making her officially his, for months. Craved it. Burned for it. Obsessed over it. Until it felt like it was all he lived for.

He massaged her scalp as he shampooed and then conditioned her hair. He spent most of that time gritting his teeth, because her soft hands slid over his body as she washed him down. Each caress was lazy yet still undeniably erotic.

She teasingly skimmed her palm over his cock and then ever so gently whispered her fingers over his balls. He nearly lost it right then. Something he couldn’t afford to do. He’d hurt her if he wasn’t mindful of her inexperience. Her first time, their first time together, wasn’t going to be a quick fuck against the shower wall.

Out of the stall, he looped a thick, soft towel around his hips before then holding up a towel for her. Once her feet met the floor mat, he dried her off, gently batting away her hand when she attempted to take over.

She stared up at him, a slight glaze in her eyes, a flush of arousal staining her cheeks, and the scent of her need lacing the air. He couldn’t resist dropping his head to swipe his tongue over her lower lip. She slyly captured his tongue and suckled, the teasing little witch.

Luke fisted his hand against the urge to snap it around her throat. “Behave.” He kissed her slow and deep, wrestling back the need to ravish her mouth. She palmed the back of his head as she met him kiss for kiss, her free hand yanking the towel from his hips. Her soft fingers curled around his cock and squeezed tight.

He growled. “I said, behave.” He tugged her hand away. “You can play with my dick all you want another time. But not here and now.” It would eat at what control he had left, and he couldn’t afford to lose it.

Once they’d dried off, he lifted her, carried her into the bedroom, and sat her on the edge of the mattress. “Lay back.”

Instead, she ran the tip of her finger down his shaft.

He cuffed her wrist, fighting a snarl. “Blair.”

“Yup?”

Yup? “Do not fucking test me right now.”

“Whyever not?” She leaned forward, as if to lap at his dick.

Hissing, Luke fisted her hair and yanked back her head.

She winced, but her lips curled. “Ah, there you are.”

He frowned. “What?”

“Here’s the thing. I don’t want to get claimed by a diluted version of you. I don’t want you to only show me the parts you thinkI can handle. You don’t get to hold back from me—it’s the one thing I won’t ever tolerate. You wouldn’t let me pull that crap either. Take this slow if that’s what you want, but don’t go all omega on me. Give me you.”

Blair metaphorically held her breath, meeting his gaze steadily, unwilling to back down. This was too important. What would be the point in him claiming her if a part of him was locked away the whole time?

Yes, she understood why he’d wish to tone down his natural intensity. An alpha’s need for control often became more pronounced in the bedroom—especially when it came to their mates. Given her inexperience, it was natural that he’d worry she’d find it too much.

It was a dumb worry, though.

Blair had been prepared for how he’d be in bed. She knew what she was getting herself into. She was fine with letting him lead so long as he understood she’d never be a passive or full-on submissive participant.

Her inner animal was no less inclined to allow him to hold back. The female wanted to bite him hard and lightly claw him—goad him, poke at him, remind him she wasn’t fragile.

Blair raised a brow, daring him to rise to her challenge, knowing it would prick at his dominant instincts.

His eyes momentarily flashed cat. “I’m going to need to take the edge off,” said Luke, his voice different now. Not soft and soothing as if she were a skittish animal. It was now low and deep and oozed authority. “I want to be looking at your beautiful ass while I do. I want to mark it with my come. Lie on your stomach.”

Not an order she’d expected. Or one she had a problem with. Blair did as he asked, her skin breaking out in goosebumps as he rumbled a low guttural growl.

A hand stroked first one globe of her ass and then the other. She could hear him jacking off. Hear his low grunts. Smell his pre-come.

Her pulse quickened. Her mouth went dry. Her inner animal rolled amorously.

Fingertips skimmed along Blair’s slit. She moaned, scraping her nails over the bedsheet, as one thick finger slid inside her. He played with her pussy just as expertly as he had that morning, sure and possessive. She was soon damp and aching, bucking back to meet his touch.

Another finger entered her. Oh, God. She began pushing back harder, all but fucking herself on his fingers. Her tight nipples repeatedly rubbed against the mattress, sending little streaks of pleasure to her clit. He added a third finger, her pussy spasmed—

A rough groan wrenched out of him as ropes of hot come spurted over her back and ass. “Damn, that’s a pretty sight.”

She panted, resisting the urge to curse him for not getting her off. He rubbed his come into her skin, writing … something. She wasn’t sure what.

“Now I want you flat on your back with your legs spread. Make it happen.”

Again with the dominant tone. She couldn’t lie, she kind of liked it. “In case you didn’t notice, I’m kind of sticky right now. If I roll over, I’ll make a mess of the bed.”

“Not gonna tell you again.”

She bit back a smile and, her nerve-endings raw with anticipation, rolled onto her back. Her breath caught at the look on his face. So cold and carnal and hungry.

He knelt between her spread legs, slid his hands under her thighs, and pulled her closer. “I’ve been wanting to do this all day.” Snaking his rough palms down her inner thighs, he nuzzled her slick folds and then zigzagged his tongue from her clit to her entrance. “This pussy is going to look so good on my cock.”

Blair closed her eyes as his tongue swiped through her folds. A tongue that went on to lick and delve and lap like a master—branding her as surely as his teeth had once done. She arched and moaned, scratching at his scalp. Her thighs trembled as her release crept toward her. Then he sank his tongue inside her once more, and Blair imploded right there.

Luke licked his lips. “Move further up the bed.” The order vibrated with an urgency that warned her not to mess around. It made her bristle, but she’d asked for this, so she couldn’t even complain.

Still a little jittery from her orgasm, Blair blinked hard and did as he asked. He draped himself over her, his eyes dark and ravenous. The feel of every inch of his skin aligned to hers electrified her nerve-endings.

His mouth unexpectedly latched onto her nipple just as his hand palmed her breast. No, she couldn’t handle anymore foreplay. She couldn’t.

Blair was about to snippily demand he get moving,but then he settled his hips more snugly between her own. Better. She slid her hands up the sleek, defined muscles of his chest and gripped his broad shoulders. “In me.”

“But that’s the thing.” Gritting his teeth against the urge to slam deep, Luke lodged the head of his dick in her pussy—so slick and scalding hot. “I don’t just want to be in you.” He breezed his mouth along the side of her face to her ear. “I want to fucking consume you. Take you over. Use you all up. Make you feel so possessed you’ll never forget who you belong to.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

Luke returned his gaze to hers. “For you to convince me that you want it.” He bit her lower lip hard. “Make me believe it.”

She swallowed, pricking his shoulders with the tips of her claws. “I want you to fuck me. Claim me. Mark me inside, where no one else has ever been.”

The latter words shot straight to his cock. His territorialism at an all-time high, he slowly sank into her. A groan got snagged in his throat. Christ, she was tight. If she hadn’t been so goddamn wet, he’d have struggled to push any deeper.

His pulse racing, Luke paused when he met the barrier inside her. “Look at me.”

Her eyelids lifted, revealing a gaze filled with need and frustration. There was a twinge of discomfort, but he trusted she’d tell him if it was too much.

“Keep your eyes on mine.” He reared back slightly and then thrust hard, driving his cock deep, a fierce satisfaction filling him from head to toe. She flinched beneath him with a hiss. He nuzzled her and pressed a kiss to her throat. “Shh, you’re good.”

It killed him, but he didn’t move other than to use his lips, tongue, and teeth on her highly sensitive neck. Little by little, the tension left her body as she adjusted to his size. His cat nudged him, wanting him to move, bite, claim.

She arched, making Luke slide a little deeper inside her. They both groaned. “Well, you gonna make me yours or what?” she challenged.

He snarled. “You’re already mine.”

Blair gripped his shoulders tighter as he began to move. Jesus, she’d seriously underestimated just how big he’d feel when inside her. She felt stuffed full, her pussy overstretched. Pain and pleasure blended as his throbbing cock rasped along her supersensitive inner walls. He repeatedly nibbled on her neck, leaving her to wonder when he’d finally bite down.

Each plunge of his dick was slow and sensuous. But not sweet. The thrusts held the bold, dominant, dangerous edge of a warrior staking his claim.

Curling her legs tight around him, she lifted her hips to meet each punch of his own. And, as he gripped her breast while sucking on her pulse, Blair felt her orgasm approaching fast.

She lurched up and sank her teeth into his neck, branding him, claiming him.

He swore, going rigid above her. Then he lost it. Every forward roll of his hips was fast, hard, and heavy as he pounded into her like an animal.

She clawed at his shoulders. “Luke …” His teeth clamped around a fleshy spot on her neck and sank deep. Her release slammed into her, stealing her breath. Blair dug her heels into the base of his spine and raked her nails over his back as she came hard, barely feeling the brief flash of pain in her head.

A pain that preceded the mating bond snapping into place.

She sucked in a breath as her world tilted, altering forever. The link was fierce in its strength and intensity. The ball of emotions on the other end of it made her eyes sting. Pride, protectiveness, unconditional adoration, and a possessiveness so deep and wild it was a force all on its own.

Opening her eyes, she found Luke braced on his elbows as he looked down at her. Still panting, she smiled. She was sore and all hollowed out, but … “I want to do that again. Soon. We need to make that happen.”

His lips hitched up. “Oh, we will.” He dabbed a soft kiss on her mouth. “Our scents have mixed already,” he added, his voice velvety with pure male satisfaction.

The combining of scents didn’t always happen immediately. It often took certain “steps” for the bond to form.

It didn’t surprise her that their bond wasn’t yet fully formed. They might have known each other a long time and developed a deep emotional connection, but Luke hadn’t been completely open with her on certain matters—always seeking to protect her from the ugliness of the world. Of his world, in particular … as if he’d feared that sharing them would make Blair feel inclined to take Noelle’s advice and choose another mate. Idiot. Until those secrets were gone, the frequency of the bond would be jammed.

She wasn’t going to hound him about it tonight, though. She wasn’t going to ruin the mood by asking him to rip open old wounds. That could wait. For now, she was just going to marvel in the bond, in the joy of what he felt for her, in the fact that she was finally irrevocably bound to Luke. And she had the fleeting thought that if anyone tried to part them, the fucker wouldn’t live to tell the tale.