Chapter 9 #2
“We’ll do the dishes, Little Cat,” Wyatt said gently.
It was as if he was apologizing for Callon’s harshness.
“Go easy on him,” he continued. “Every mated male's first instinct is to protect their mate at all costs. You’re asking him to go against that. It’s not an easy thing for him to capitulate to. ”
“Oh, nice word,” Katy said as she entered the kitchen. “I’m impressed with your linguistics, Wyatt.”
“Don’t be,” Gage growled as he grabbed his mate's hand and pulled her towards another doorway that Lola knew was their bedroom.
“Where are we going?” Katy asked. She looked over her shoulder at Lola and mouthed “save me.”
“To bed,” Gage said, his tone no less grumpy than it had been from the moment everyone invaded his home.
“It’s not time for bed,” Katy argued.
The door closed, but not before Lola heard Gage respond. “I think I can change your mind.”
Lola chuckled as she shook her head. It was totally unfair that these supernatural men were so hot and actually very sweet and romantic. Until they weren’t. Then they were just growling buttheads.
“Lo?” Callon said, his voice soft as he stuck his head in the kitchen.
“Let me guess,” Lola narrowed her eyes on him. “You’ve decided it’s bedtime, too?”
Callon shook his head. “I need to run.”
Lola’s eyes widened, surprised by his response. But then it made sense. They were in a pretty remote location, and Callon was stressed. Letting his beast out to burn off some energy would help. Callon was always in a better mood after he went on a run in his animal form.
“Okay,” she agreed, hoping maybe afterwards he’d be more agreeable to her coming with him on his mission to find Roan and her best friend.
Katy lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
She could hear the panthers outside, their voices drifting through the open window, Wyatt and Rafe still trading jokes.
Lola and Callon were in the guest room, probably making out or bickering or both.
Otto was, mercifully, not on her shoulder for once. The house was as quiet as it ever got.
She tried to relax, but her skin tingled with the need for her mate.
They’d spent the better part of a couple of hours arguing about the rescue mission.
Neither was willing to budge. Katy understood.
She could feel his need to protect her, his worry for her that something would happen to her.
But she also trusted him to take care of her.
She believed in his ability a hundred percent–which, she happily noticed, softened him a bit.
Finally, they’d both just gotten exhausted.
Gage had gone to shower, and Katy had sat on the bed brooding.
But as she sat there, her temper lessened and something else started to take over.
It was like the mate bond had its own heartbeat, drumming loud and wild through her veins.
Gage’s wolf prowled under her skin, restless and possessive, his energy like a live wire humming in her body.
The bathroom door opened and he walked out, steam following him. Katy took in his shirtless body and swallowed hard. Gage prowled towards her, his eyes looking every bit as hungry as she felt. He joined her silently, sliding into bed, his warmth immediately wrapping around her.
“Can’t sleep?” he murmured, brushing her hair back. “Still mad?”
She shook her head, rolling to face him. “No and sort of. Too much going on. And you . . . you’re not helping.”
He grinned, all wolf and teeth. “What, this?” He pressed closer, hand sliding under her shirt, thumb brushing over her hip. “Or this?” His mouth trailed along her jaw, down her neck, sending sparks through her.
She shivered, arching into him. “All of it. Especially that. But I want to be mad at you. It’s not fair that you can simply touch me, and I become a purring kitten.
” He’d tried to hold her when they’d been arguing, but Katy hadn’t let him touch her because she knew the minute he did, her anger would dissipate and it would be replaced by the raging desire that was always there.
“Don’t be mad at me,” he murmured against her lips.
“I just want you safe, because I love you.” He didn’t allow her to respond.
He kissed her, slow at first, then hungry, like he was starving for her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged him on top of her, giggling when the force of his movement caused the bed to hit the bedside table and knock the lamp off.
Gage paused, glancing at the shattered lamp on the floor. “Oops.”
She grinned. “Don’t care. Keep going.”
He growled, the sound vibrating through her. He kissed her again, rougher now, hands everywhere, making her breathless. She ran her fingers through his hair, tugging gently until he groaned.
“Mine,” he growled, voice rough and low.
“Yours,” she whispered, legs wrapping around his waist.
He kissed down her throat, nipping at her collarbone, and she gasped, arching into him.
Suddenly, in a whoosh of movement, he rolled, holding onto her, off the bed and onto his feet.
His legs moved quickly as he cupped the back of her head, protecting it as he pressed her against the wall, the plaster cracking with a muffled thud.
“Gage!” she hissed, but she was laughing, high and wild, as he kissed her hard, hands gripping her thighs.
He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “Sorry about the wall.”
She smirked. “Maybe the wall isn’t such a good idea.”
He grinned, “Fine, another time, when I’m not so worked up, perhaps.” He promptly tossed her onto the mattress, following her down, mouth and hands everywhere—heat and need and laughter tangling together until she was shaking with it.
She didn’t point out that there was never a time that he didn’t get “so” worked up when he was pursuing her. Not that she was complaining. She totally wasn’t. At all.
“Still hungry,” he teased, kissing a trail down her stomach.
“Gage,” she panted, grabbing his shoulders and rolling him over. “My turn.”
They wrestled, tumbling off the bed and onto the floor, sheets tangled around their legs. She straddled him, hair wild, eyes bright, and he looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered.
“Damn, you’re perfect,” he breathed, hands splayed on her hips.
She leaned down, kissing him, slow and deep, until he flipped them again, pinning her gently, wolf in his eyes.
“I need you,” he whispered, voice shaking with it.
“Then take me,” she whispered back.
He did, and it was everything—wild and sweet, desperate and perfect. They lost themselves in each other, laughter and soft curses and a few more things knocked off the nightstand.
When they finally made it to the bathroom, it was because Katy insisted they needed water.
They barely made it through the door before Gage had her pressed against the sink, bottles clattering to the floor as he kissed her breathless.
She tried to shush him, but he just grinned, lifting her onto the counter, hands sliding under her thighs as he pulled her closer.
“Gage, we’re going to wake everyone up,” she giggled, wrapping her legs around his waist.
“Let them wake,” he growled, nipping at her jaw. “Let them know you’re mine.”
“I’m totally going to regret this tomorrow,” she muttered, giving up on silencing him. It wasn’t like she could force the brute to do anything.
He carried her to the tile, lowering her to the floor, and they tangled together, heat and laughter, until they were both gasping, spent and satisfied.
Katy lay there, hair fanned out on the cool tile, panting. Gage grinned down at her, completely unrepentant.
She punched his arm. “You owe me a new lamp, I liked that one. And a wall repair.”
He kissed her, slow and sweet. “Worth it.”
She rolled her eyes, but the smile wouldn’t leave her face.
Callon lay on the guest bed, one arm behind his head, the other curled around Lola, who was reading something on her phone and occasionally glancing at him with that look that said she was about to start trouble.
“You know I’m not going to give up, right?” she said, not looking up.
He sighed. “I know. It’s part of why I love you. Your stubborn strength. But it also annoys the hell out of me.”
She poked his side. “You don’t get to keep me locked up, lion. That’s not how relationships work.”
He rolled onto his side, pulling her close. “I can try.”
She grinned, poking his chest. “You can keep trying, I’ll just keep escaping.”
He growled, kissing her nose. “You’re incorrigible.”
A muffled thump at the door, then Otto’s plaintive voice: “End me. Mistress . . . mistressing. They loud. Why Katy make Otto suffer?”
Lola burst out laughing. “Come in, Otto,” she said at the same time Callon said, “Go away.”
“Be nice,” Lola warned him, pointing a finger, which he promptly attempted to bite.
Otto scurried across the floor, crawling under the pillow with a dramatic sigh. “No mores. Otto not take it.”
Lola shifted over to make room for the little guy. “Sounds like Katy’s the one taking—”
“Female,” Callon growled, cutting her words off and giving her a warning look.
“Prude,” she muttered and slumped back onto the bed.
Otto made another groaning sound. “All the awlfuls. So many awlfuls.
Callon snorted. “Go sleep in the kitchen.”
Otto’s tail flicked. “No.”
Lola patted his back. “It will be okay, Otto. You’ll just be scarred for life. I’m sure you’ll get the sounds of Katy out of your head one day, a thousand years from now. Unless, of course, you plan to keep living with them, in which case, this could be a frequent occurrence.”
He pulled his head out and looked at her, his little eyes widened. “Otto goes away when they in room. I not thinking Katy be so boldness with males all the places.”
Callon grinned, pulling Lola closer. “Gage is making a point.”
“Shameless wolf,” Lola said, shaking her head, though she was fighting back laughter. Katy was going to be mortified tomorrow. Or, maybe she wouldn’t. It was hard to say with her bold bff.
“Maybe we should give you something else to listen to, while also making a point,” her mate said, reaching for her.
Otto yelped and vanished deeper under the pillow. “I bite you.”
Lola’s laughter was muffled by Callon’s chest. “Behave. You’re going to traumatize him even more.”
He shrugged, kissing her hair. “With you? Never. And he’ll survive. Seems like he always does.”
Wyatt lounged on a thick branch, moonlight glinting off the tree leaves. Rafe was a few limbs up, feet swinging lazily. Drystan and Kian were sprawled on the grass below, while Bane, the only one with a panther form, prowled in the shadows, silent and watchful. He was always restless.
Wyatt stretched, grinning. “At least somebody’s getting their tension worked out tonight. I swear, if Gage howls one more time, I’m gonna start taking bets on how many walls he breaks.”
Rafe snickered. “You know, Callon’s not much better. If he and Lola start up, we might have to evacuate.”
Kian yawned. “I just want a mate so I can shift. And maybe not have to listen to everyone else’s mating drama because I’d be too busy with my own.”
Drystan rolled his eyes. “When you meet her, I’m going to tell your mate you said that.”
Bane padded by, tail flicking. He glared at them, his unspoken message clear. He was done with their banter and wanted them all to go to sleep. He was just as grumpy as Callon.
Wyatt’s smile fell as he met the older panther’s gaze.
Bane hadn’t always been so serious. Once he’d actually been fun and light-hearted like the rest of them.
But losing his mate had changed him. Wyatt gave Bane a nod, letting him know he “heard” him loud and clear and settled further into the trunk.
His head tilted back, and he looked up at the expanse of the night sky.
The stars were stunning out here in the middle of nowhere, so very different from the night sky of New York.
Wyatt felt a pang of yearning, something that was familiar to him because it hit him every night when he went to bed.
His mate. His heart and his beast were restless for her.
He found himself even more melancholy than usual with the sound of distant laughter coming from the house.
As much as he wanted to hear from Nico that Roan and Maddie were okay, a part of him hoped they wouldn’t because he suddenly had a very strong urge to tear into an enemy. If he couldn’t have his mate, maybe at least he could distract himself with some good old-fashioned bloodshed.