His Purrfect Mate Read online

  Anton tried to break the lock on the door again, his muscles straining. “If anything happens to her, I’ll hold you accountable, you vicious bitch!”

  “That hurts.” She pouted. “Sometimes, as a mother, it’s my job to do what’s best for my children. I won’t allow you to screw up your life or your position as future alpha of this pack. I’ve waited a long time to see my son take his rightful place and I’ve suffered a loveless mating that will end soon—when your father has an accident.”

  Horror jolted Anton. “What?”

  “I only mated Elroy to be the mother of a future alpha. He never loved me, and he’s so stupid he doesn’t even realize how much I’ve grown to hate him over the years. He’s too soft. He allowed that half-breed bastard of his into our territory when he should have killed Grady the second his pathetic human mother dumped him on us! Even she knew trash should be thrown away. Then Elroy allowed that bastard to mate a human! It’s not right, and my mate doesn’t bother to consider what I want or how it made me feel to know he would never kill that bastard to make me happy!”

  “Grady is my brother.” Anton started to pant, fighting the urge to transform. His wolf wanted to tear his mother apart. It didn’t understand the bars would contain it but he did. “And my father…you’re planning to kill him too?”

  “Both of them are useless to me.” She shrugged. “They are weak. You’ll be a better alpha for the lessons I’m about to teach you. Never show your enemy mercy. It’s kill or be killed. We’re werewolves, not puppies.”

  “You’re sick and demented.”

  She shrugged. “But I’m cunning. You’re locked up, your father is out in the woods waiting to fuck me, and at this moment, that pest you fucked is about to be removed from our territory.”

  Anton’s gut twisted. “What have you done? Who’s going after Shannon?”

  “I called the local pride leader. He was very interested to learn about her.” Eve smiled coldly. “It seems they had no idea of her existence. He was more than happy to come tag and bag your pet.”

  “No!”

  “Yes.” She backed up into another cell, bent, and withdrew a weapon from underneath a pillow on the cot. “I’d love to stick around to watch you suffer a little longer after what you’ve put me through recently, but your stupid father will get impatient if I don’t show up soon. He’s always demanding sex.” She lifted the tranquilizer gun to point at Anton’s chest. “The doctor will arrive tonight before this wears off. I’ll have cleaned up your cage by then and your father believes I want a romantic vacation at our cabin by the lake. He won’t find you. I’ll keep him there.” She winked. “’Night, sweetheart.”

  Anton leapt away from the bars but he had nowhere to hide. Pain stabbed his shoulder. He grabbed the dart and jerked it out. Dizziness struck him, despite how quickly he’d removed it, and his knees collapsed under him. He crashed painfully to the concrete floor, his mother’s laugher filling his ears.

  Shannon would be helpless, unprotected, and in danger. He fought the drugs but everything turned black.

  * * * * *

  Shannon had just taken a soda from the fridge when a knock sounded on the door. She started a little and stared but didn’t go near it. Anton would just walk in. Yon also could enter the apartment. Whoever stood on the other side of the door could be dangerous.

  It could be another woman sniffing after Anton, she thought. She remained still, held her breath, and hoped they’d just go away.

  They knocked again.

  She didn’t move until something hit the door. She saw the frame shake. Another loud blow made wood snap as the door buckled. Terror gripped her and she dropped the soda, her gaze darting around the room, searching for a weapon or a way to escape.

  The door gave completely under the third assault. Two large men entered, both of them just over six feet tall, blonds, with tanned skin. Their matching green eyes and features assured her they had to be brothers or closely related. Both men examined her while her heart hammered. Fear kept her immobile.

  The one on the right sniffed and smiled. “Hello, little red. Don’t bolt on us. We’re not werewolves. Smell.”

  She just stared at them, terrified. They obviously believed she could tell what they were if she sniffed the air. Her mouth opened but nothing came out.

  The one on the left frowned. “I don’t think she can. Smell the humanness of her?”

  “I mostly can’t get over the stink of dog, Mark.”

  The other one snorted. “Damn. They do reek.”

  Mark cocked his head, other holding very still while he regarded Shannon. “I’m Mark and this is my brother Adam. We’re puma shifters, and we’ve come to save you from the mangy mutt holding you hostage.”

  “Please leave,” she managed to get out. “I don’t need to be saved.”

  Adam made a face. “Brainwashed maybe?”

  “Or stupid. Maybe she’s so human she’s useless to us.”

  “No. Try to get past the reek of dog. Smell that? She’s in heat. She’s coming with us if she’s blooded enough to have that trait.”

  The other brother laughed. “And cute.”

  “She is good-looking. That’s a plus.” Adam took a cautious step forward. “We’re not going to hurt you. We’re taking you home with us.”

  Shannon backed up, trapped inside the kitchen, and shook her head frantically. “No. Leave me alone.”

  Her instincts were failing her. The urge to climb didn’t hit her and when she tried to rush at the counter to get over it, speed didn’t kick in, the way it usually did. One of them grabbed her as she struggled to scramble over the top. His hold around her waist hurt when he shook her and hissed.

  “Don’t fight me.”

  “Let me go!” She kicked at his legs and clawed at the skin of the arm securing her.

  He turned with her suspended in his arms. “She’s going to fight. Do it.”

  Mark moved in front of her and she watched in horror as he drew back his fist. She tried to twist in Adam’s arms to avoid the blow but pain exploded into the side of her head. She didn’t even get the chance to scream.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Anton? Wake up, damn it!”

  The familiar voice had him struggling to fight off the groggy haze that engulfed him. A hand slapped his cheek and his eyes opened. He stared into his cousin’s face, inches above his own.

  Brand frowned. “What happened? Why did you kill a human?”

  Anton tried to think around the fog inside his head. A dead human? What the hell?

  He realized he lay sprawled naked on a cold, firm surface, and when he turned his head a little, he recognized one of the holding cells in his father’s basement.

  “I…what happened?”

  “Fuck if I know.” Brand gripped his arm and shoulder, forcing him to sit up. “I came here to talk to Uncle Elroy, found the front door locked, which was weird since it’s always open, and tried the basement door to make sure everything was cool. Instead I only smelled blood and death when I came inside. I found you passed out cold, locked in this cell. Did you go nuts? There’s a dead human two feet from us. Did you two fight?”

  A face surfaced in his memory. A woman, a pretty one, with long, curly red hair and bright blue eyes…

  His heart raced and he suddenly remembered everything as it clicked into place.

  “Help me up.”

  “I’m trying. I’m not sure if I should have unlocked the door or not. Are you nuts? Did you have some kind of breakdown?”

  “My mother is going to kill my father and Grady. She’s gone after my woman, too.”

  “Shit!” Brand gasped, struggling to help Anton up. “So you killed the human trapped in here with you?”

  “My mother did it. She used the blood scent to lure me inside the cell.” He got to his unsteady feet, swayed, and knew he’d have fallen on his ass if his cousin’s arms weren’t supporting him. “She drugged me.”

  “I can tell.” Brand had to half dra