Chapter Eleven
Dame would never tire of touching her body.
His three o’clock alarm had gone off, but he’d hit the snooze and was putting off leaving her.
Misty lay soft and warm in his arms, pulled taut against his chest. He had his arms wrapped around her. In her sleep, she nuzzled back against him, and this was it. This was the feeling. This was the important moment when he knew he couldn’t go back to his old life, or his old self, ever again.
He had to care for her. He had to protect her. He had to love her and make sure she knew she was adored.
He hadn’t believed in pairing up before. Choosing a mate was for the weak. Choosing a human mate? That was for the insane.
They weren’t even supposed to be here.
Caring for each other in this way was forbidden.
And yet, he couldn’t find it in him to care. All he cared about was this. Her lying happily beside him, feeling safe enough to let her body slip into the vulnerable state of sleep, knowing she was protected.
He needed more of this feeling, and only she could provide it.
He’d thought his purpose was to be his brother’s keeper, but now things were different.
His purpose was to keep Misty safe and pledge his fealty to her body and soul. And the reward to him would be great.
It was a purpose with weight that could fulfill him instead of drain him.
He could make her happy, and in turn, he could be happy himself.
Dame inhaled deeply and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck, then to her cheek.
“Nooo,” she said in this cute, sleepy voice as he moved to release her from his embrace. She hugged his arms to her bare chest. Fuck, her tits felt so good. “Five more minutes.”
“I’ve got to give Mars a break. He’ll be right outside the room. I’ll be back when you wake up.”
Misty flipped over in his arms and snuggled against his chest, and for a few moments, he laid there frozen, absorbing all of the fuzzy feelings she was creating inside of him.
God, he loved her.
Slowly he wrapped his arms around her again and hugged her, rubbing her back. Her skin was so soft.
“I like you a lot,” she said in her sleepy voice.
He smiled in the dark of his room. “I like you a lot too.”
“But I mean I like you a lot a lot.”
His smile stretched his face more. He knew what she meant. “Well, say it then.”
“You first.”
He slid his hand to the back of her head and massaged her gently there. His heart was pounding so hard. Slowly, he eased his lips to her ear and whispered, “I love you.”
A cute little squeal escaped her, and she wiggled against him like she couldn’t contain her energy. “I knew it!”
He chuckled and kissed her lips, then eased back, and brushed a flyaway strand of hair out of her face. Her hair was a mess from what he’d done to her a few hours ago. He loved the way she looked after he fucked her.
“Guess what?” she asked softly.
“What?” he rumbled.
“I love you too.”
“I knew it,” he joked in a high-pitched voice and wiggled around like she had done.
She giggled and pressed her face against his chest, and he hugged her up tightly again. God, he could spend the rest of his life just like this.
“Do you want me to go with you?” she asked.
“No, I want you to get sleep. It was a long day. I’ll be back at dawn. Just rest.”
She pouted out her bottom lip. God she was cute. He loved that she just wanted to be with him too. He understood it.
Forcing himself, Dame got out of bed and pulled his jeans on, then tucked the covers all around her, and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll miss you,” she said softly.
“You won’t even know I’m gone. Go back to sleep, pretty girl.”
He tucked her in again and moved her hair off her cheek just to satisfy the tiger that he was taking care of his mate, and then he padded quietly out of the room.
Dame had one of those one-cup coffee makers that took just a couple minutes to brew a mug, so he made himself a coffee black and left the door unlocked as he left the house and walked to the path that led to the barn.
He could tell something was wrong before he could even see the barn.
“Stellan! Wake up!” Marsden’s voice was full of panic.
The mug of coffee hit the ground as Dame bolted for the barn.
What he saw there when he sprinted through the open sliding doors would haunt him for the rest of his life.
The cage door was open, and Mars was cradling Stellan’s head in his lap. Stellan’s eyes were the dark brown of his human, and he was foaming at the mouth.
“What happened?” Dame demanded as he ran into the cage.
“I don’t know!” Mars said in a panicked tone.
“He’s been himself all night, fighting off the tiger, trying to convince me to put him down while he has his mind.
I took a piss outside and came back in, and he had torn the place apart and was having a seizure or something. I think the tiger is killing Stellan!”
“Stellan,” Dame said, slapping his face gently. “Hey brother, we need you to come back to us.”
He wasn’t breathing, and Dame couldn’t hear a heartbeat.
“Shit,” he muttered, lowering down to press his ear to his chest. This couldn’t be happening. No heartbeat.
“CPR,” he gritted out, shoving Marsden back. He needed him flat on his back.
Dame did three chest compressions, and something happened that changed everything. Stellan’s dark, vacant eyes flashed gold. There was this awful smile that ghosted Stellan’s lips, and before Dame could react, he yanked his arm forward and threw him hard against the bars of the cage.
“What the hell?” Mars yelled out, but it was too late.
Stellan was out of the cage. Dame and Mars both bolted for the door, but Stellan slammed it shut and rammed the main lock up into place.
He backed out of their reach and wiped his mouth with his forearm.
“Please don’t,” Dame whispered in horror. “Please let us out.” He shook the cage doors hard. “Stellan, let us out.”
“Sure thing, brothers. After my unfinished business is taken care of.”
“Dude, you can’t do this. It’ll kill Dame,” Mars pleaded, testing the bars in his grasp. They weren’t moving.
“Stellan, don’t! She hasn’t done anything to you.”
Stellan was backing away slowly, his smile vacant. “She’s the Rabbit,” he said softly. “Someday when you find your Rabbit, you’ll understand. There’s no fighting the hunt. There is only the hunt.”
Dame rattled the bars of the door. “Stellan, get back here! I’ll fucking kill you. You will die. Do you hear the truth in my voice? If you touch her, I’ll kill you!”
Stellan stopped at the door and shook his head slowly. “You would have to catch me first, and we both know the only reason I’ve been hanging around this city is for her. Goodbye, brothers.”
And then he disappeared into the darkness as the roaring consumed Dame’s throat.