She inhaled but there were so many angry wolves surrounding her car that she couldn’t smell anything other than overpowering werewolf scent. It nearly overwhelmed her and her heart raced faster. She almost screamed at the sheer horror of being completely surrounded by the enemy but another whimper escaped instead.
“Go into the woods,” the man leaning against the car demanded in a harsh growl. “Now. You’ll get worse than the ones on the ground if you stay. My cousins are on their way. If I could take down seven of you, think about what they can do. They’re more alpha-blooded than I am.”
Charma panted. The smell of the werewolves had become so dense she could taste it. Her gaze locked on the gray sweater of the male who had stopped the attack. She prayed he wasn’t sending the rest of his pack away to slaughter her himself. She just needed a chance to talk. She would warn them of the pride males who planned to declare war and hopefully they’d be grateful enough for the warning that they might spare her life.
Part of her longed to use Brand’s name but she didn’t want his pack to turn on him. She’d rather them not know they’d ever met. She’d come to save him, not put him in danger from his own kind. She’d let him down once but she’d make it right; owed him that and so much more.
She wondered if he’d mated…
Of course he has. The image of his handsome face still haunted her. Women would have chased him in droves. Or in a pack, she corrected. It still hurt to imagine some woman curled against his side every night. Kissing him. Running her hands through his silky hair and—
Stop! Don’t go there.
“I’m sorry,” a new voice panted. “I tried to hold them back but there were too many. Thanks for coming so fast, man. Is she alive?”
The male against the door shook his hands, blood flying off them, and his claws slowly retracted. “Yeah.” His voice still came out as a snarl. “I hear her breathing. I need to calm down for a minute.”
“No shit. Wow. I thought only Rave could fight like that. It was impressive.”
“Who do you think he learned to fight with growing up, Jeff?” The voice lowered a little, changing from snarly to gruff. “We’re damn close, and trained with each other as if we were brothers.”
Jeff cleared his throat. “Do you think that’s Shannon’s mom? I figured that’s who had come here when I smelled she-cat. She probably wants to meet her son-by-mate. I tried to call Anton but he didn’t pick up.”
“Shannon’s mother is human. It was her father who was half shifter. He’s dead and she’s estranged from his family.” The voice toned down more. “How’s my face? Still hairy? I don’t want to scare her.”
“You’re good. I doubt after what just happened that anything is going to calm her.”
“Drag the injured away before any humans happen along. It’s after nine. Most of the townspeople stay in after dark at this time of year but it would be our luck if someone happened to run out of milk or something. I also heard we have some tourists parked outside of town. They tried to stay at the hotel but Marcy told them it was booked.”
“Got it. A few more enforcers will be here at any second. We’ll clean up this mess and tend to the wounded. They’re lucky you allowed them to live.”
A loud sigh sounded. “Are my cousins on the way or did I just lie?”
“Rave is coming. Von didn’t pick up but he’s patrolling the woods. I figured he didn’t get cell service. Grady didn’t pick up, so I’m sure he’s having sex. Both he and Anton turn their phones off when they’re bonding with their mates. I didn’t bother calling Braden. At his age, he’s probably out of his head with the heat, and I know he’s staying with you. I thought you’d bring him, though, if you needed help.”
“It sounded urgent. I didn’t waste time to grab him. Go on. I’ll deal with this.”
A rumbling sound fractured the evening and Charma swallowed hard. The distinctive noise grew louder until the motorcycle engine cut off. “Shit. Looks as though I missed some good times. Is any of that blood on the ground yours?”
“Nope,” the guy in the sweater muttered.
“I smell blood, lust, anger…and is that a she-cat? That’s not Shannon. I’ll never forget the scent of her in heat for as long as I live.” The new guy chuckled. “I doubt any of us ever will. Damn. I envy my big bro.”
“Rave, not cool. He’d be seriously angry if he heard you say that.”
“I don’t see him here, do you? Is she okay? Do you want to move and allow me to check on her? I’m cool with kittens.”
“Go for it. I’m still trying to calm down.”
“I can see and hear that. Your voice is all screwed up. Snarl much lately to scare off the weaker?”
“Shut the hell up and deal with her before more of them sniff her out. She probably took a wrong turn.”
The car swayed when the guy pushed off it to walk away. Charma sat up on the seat to gaze out the busted window. Shattered glass slid to the floor when she moved. A big leather-jacketed werewolf strode forward but paused a few feet away. He crouched down to peer back at her. His shaggy black hair was familiar and a pair of dark brown eyes met hers.
“Hi there. I’m Rave. I promise I’m not going to attack you.” He glanced at the car and back at her. “They really did a number on your wheels. I’m sorry about that, but you’re in Harris Pack territory. It’s mating heat time for us and aggression levels are off the charts. May I open the door and check on you? Were you hurt?”
She shook her head.
“No, you’re not hurt, or no, I can’t come closer? You’re safe. My cousin and I are cat-friendly. My older brother’s mate, Shannon, is a quarter puma shifter.” He grinned. “For real. We’re cool with her.”
Charma relaxed, willing to believe him, considering she’d fallen in love with a werewolf once. It was possible. “I came to warn you,” she managed to get out. “The council accused your pack of attacking one of the prides. They’ve sent out a joining call.”
The handsome guy’s smile faded. “They want to talk to us? Is a joining some kind of meeting to ask why we did it? That pride took my brother’s mate away from him and they were going to gang rape her to force her to birth a litter of kittens. They weren’t exactly willing to just hand her back. We had to kill them to save her. Tell your council that.”
It didn’t shock her that a pride would attack a female part-feline shifter. He’d said this Shannon was of mixed blood, a puma, according to him. It also didn’t surprise her that pride males would try to use her body that way. What did stun her was that werewolves would kill to retrieve her. He’d said “we”, implying a group of them. It was doubtful that a lone wolf could have taken out a pride leader’s sons and multiple pride males.
“They wouldn’t listen to me or care why you did it. A joining call is when—” Her voice broke and she had to clear her throat. “We have a council that represents all the prides. They ordered all the larger prides to send some of their best fighters to declare war on a common enemy. They plan to attack your pack tomorrow night. At least thirty enforcers will show up.”
His eyes widened as he growled softly. She jerked back, scooted on the seat and slid through more broken glass. Pain made her cry out and she jerked her hand up to her chest. The scent of her blood overpowered the odor of her fear and that of werewolf.
“Shit. Why don’t you come out? I swear on my life, nobody is going to hurt you. I don’t want you to get cut again on the glass. I’m not growling at you. I’m just irritated. Why would you warn us? I appreciate it, but I’m curious.”
She hesitated before inching toward the door. The guy slowly put his hand inside, popped the lock and swung it open. He backed away to give her room. Charma scooted out to stand. A slight breeze cooled her heated body. She’d broken out in a sweat from her terror.
The guy in the sweater stood about ten feet away with his back to her. He slowly turned around. “Me too,” the guy said. “Why would you…”
His voice died when his gaze met her
s.
Shock staggered Charma as she stared into the beautiful, sexy eyes that had haunted her for nine endlessly lonely years. Her knees buckled and she knew she would hit the pavement.
Someone stopped her before she impacted. Strong arms lifted her, held her around her waist, but her gaze never left Brand.
Brand couldn’t believe his eyes. He blinked a few times but the image didn’t change. The tiny woman had striped hair—shades of blonde and brown that fell to her hips. Her big exotic eyes widened. The yellow color within the irises overtook the blue before her body slumped.
Rave grabbed her, tugged her body upward to save her from hitting the street.
Brand lunged forward too. He fisted Rave’s jacket with one hand, felt his claws extend, and wrapped his other arm around her too-thin waist. He yanked her against him. A snarl tore from his throat as he realized Charma was actually in his arms.
He feared it was a dream. It was possible he was still at home in bed, suffering mating-heat fever, delirious.
He’d spent the first four years after she’d left searching for her, hoping she’d return to him. It hadn’t happened. Part of him had refused to completely let her go but as the years wore on, it had just left him feeling foolish. He’d loved her but she’d chosen to abandon him.
She felt too real in his arms, though, to be a fantasy. He buried his face against her hair, tugging her higher, trying to remember not to crush her frail body. He breathed her in. Her scent was wrong and something about it offended him.
The reason behind it hit as hard as a hammer nailing him in the chest.
He snarled loudly, pain tearing at his heart. He couldn’t prevent his fangs from ripping through his gums.
“No!” he snarled. The scent of another male’s mark on her nearly drove him insane.
It was faint. Maybe he’d been wrong. He sniffed at her again.
He was just trying to fool his broken heart. The scent was there, she’d really mated someone else. The truth wouldn’t be denied. Though weak, the stranger’s odor lingered to warn off other males.
It doesn’t matter, he decided. She’s mine! I’ll hunt the fucker down and tear him limb from limb. I’ll rip off his head. No. I’ll tear out his heart and feed it to him for taking what’s mine. Yeah. That’s a good plan.
“Brand!” His cousin punched his shoulders. “Put her down! Damn it,” Rave snarled. “Release. I know you’re horny but fuck. Control yourself.”
Brand shook off Rave and stumbled, still holding Charma. He nuzzled her neck, hoping to soothe her in case he’d frightened her, something he didn’t want to do. Her weight was also wrong. She’d lost a lot of it. He turned to lean heavily against the hood of the car and adjusted his grip on her. He kept his nose buried against her hair in the crook of her neck, taking deep breaths to pull more of her scent into his lungs.
She was real. It wasn’t a dream or a fever-induced fantasy. Charma was in his arms, frail and bleeding. The smell of her blood had him battling to keep his skin. The animal inside wanted out to hunt and kill every male whose stench still hung in the air. They’d attacked her car, could have killed her.
He snarled, resisting the urge but only because it meant he’d have to put her down. It wasn’t happening. He’d kill them later.
She wiggled her arms against his chest where he’d pinned them but she managed to get them free.
He feared he’d go insane if she fought to get away from him. He prayed she wouldn’t do it. He couldn’t stand the thought of letting go after he’d finally found her again.
Her thin arms wrapped around his neck instead. She didn’t resist, didn’t speak, but just clung to him.
“Brand,” Rave snarled. “Let her go. I gave my word we wouldn’t harm her. She’s a little thing and could get hurt if I have to force you to release her.”
“Go away,” Brand ground out. He really feared he might kill anyone who tried to get between him and Charma, even the cousin he loved as a brother. “Leave us alone.”
“I know the heat is bad but damn, you can’t go around grabbing stray cats and forcing them to allow you to rub against them. This is embarrassing. I told her she’d be safe.”
Brand adjusted her in his arms just to verify that she’d definitely lost weight. His Charma had been curvy and lush. Most she-cats kept a fuller figure than werewolf bitches. He’d loved that about her. She currently could have passed for a lean bitch by the feel of her.
A horrible thought struck. He’d once heard that pride males shunned a mate if she was dying or gravely ill.
“Are you sick, hon?” He was afraid to hear the answer.
“No.”
He could breathe again. “You’re with me, and this is where you belong. I’m going to take care of you.”
She sniffed, wiping her face against him. Wetness seeped through his sweater to his skin, assuring him she’d done it to hide her tears. Her pain, and the possible reason behind it, tore him apart. It didn’t matter though. Nothing did, except the fact that she was real. All the bitterness and anger he’d suffered at her loss paled in comparison to having her back in his life. He wouldn’t allow her to take off on him again. Once had been bad enough.
“Is he dead?”
She shook her head, clearly knowing what he asked, and pulled back a little. He lifted his gaze to stare into her eyes—the most beautiful he’d ever seen. The love he felt remained strong, tightening his chest. Time had passed but his feelings hadn’t changed. She was “the one” and always would be. He knew that deep in his soul, without doubt.
“Brand?” Rave stepped closer. “You know you’re acting insane, right? Did you take drugs, trying to ease the heat? Talk to me, man.” He glanced at Charma. “Don’t be alarmed, she-cat. I’ll talk him down. He might be a little out of his head. Please don’t claw or bite the crazy wolf. He’s harmless.”
Brand glared at his cousin. “This is Charma, Rave. My I-fell-in-love-with-a-half-human-spotted-leopard-shifter Charma.”
“Shit.” Rave gawked, studying her. “She’s tiny, man.”
“She’s five-one. Leopards are small. She used to weigh more.” He peered at her, noticing the change in her thin face. “Where are my love handles? You know how much I enjoyed them.” His mood darkened, though, when he inhaled that stench coming off her. “I’m going to kill your mate when he comes after you. You’re never going to leave me again. I’ll chain you to my bed, dig a big-ass moat around my house and fill it with alligators to eat any damn cats who show up. And barricade every door and window.”
She appeared a little stunned. “Brand—”
“Did you say mate? She’s mated?” Rave coughed. “I’m sure I heard you say that.”
A snarl tore from Brand’s throat that he couldn’t hold back. Fury gripped him but he tried to regain control. His fangs wouldn’t retract for anything but his claws remained sheathed while he stared into Charma’s eyes.
“He doesn’t matter. You still love me, don’t you? I want you to kill me if you say no. That’s what you’d be doing anyway.”
“I love you, Brand. I always have.” Fresh tears filled her eyes. “I never stopped. I had to warn your pack about the joining call. You’re in danger.”
“I never stopped loving you either.” He blinked back his own tears. “You came here and risked your life to save mine, didn’t you, hon?”
She nodded. “The prides are going to attack your pack tomorrow night. I couldn’t let you die.”
Dozens of questions filled his head. How had she known it was his pack that was in danger? Did that mean she’d always known where to find him, yet stayed away? The stabbing sensation to his heart hurt but as he stared into her eyes, it eased. She said she loved him, and she’d left the creep she’d mated to warn him when she thought he was in danger.
She picked me over her mate. That soothed him somewhat.
“Cluster-fuck,” Rave growled. “That’s what this is.”
Brand turned his gaze on his cousin. “It’s not
that big of a deal. I’ll kill the pussy if he comes after her. She’s always been mine.”
Rave ran his fingers through his hair, gave him a frustrated look and clenched his teeth. “I’m not talking about you and her. We’ve got to warn the pack and prepare for the arrival of the pride. They obviously don’t know this is the absolute worst time for them to attack us. It’s going to be a slaughter with all the aggression going on during the heat.”
Charma couldn’t believe that Brand held her once again. His wonderful scent had changed slightly from what she remembered but it had been nine years. Memories could fade and obviously had. He seemed bigger than she remembered, bulkier, beefier, and stronger. She dangled from his arms, where he kept her face level with his. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and she didn’t ever want to let go. She even fought the urge to wrap her legs around his waist, regardless of her skirt, just to press even tighter against him.
“At least thirty pride males will come,” she informed them, not sure if she’d mentioned that already after her shock of seeing Brand. “You need to flee the area if that’s too many and the mating heat has weakened your pack. They can’t really stay for more than a week. Your people can safely return after that time. I’ve never heard of a joining call lasting longer than that. The males will clash amongst themselves. We don’t have a pack mentality. Pride males keep a wide berth of each other unless they’re family. They kill each other after extended contact, especially when they aren’t in the same pride. There’s no sense of hierarchy so they fight for dominance.”
Brand stared into her eyes. “The slaughter wouldn’t be ours. It will be the pride males. We’re really aggressive right now, more so than any other time of the year, and our hold on our humanity is barely there. The only fleeing that will be going on is from the pride that shows up here.”
She accepted that. Werewolves were known for fighting more fiercely than pride males. Cats could be flat-out lazy. She knew that from living with one. She relaxed. “You would have been fine if I hadn’t come to warn you?”