Mating Brand: 3 (Mating Heat) Read online

  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 are 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’d 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 is 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 the 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. Two of our enforcers just showed. We’ll clean up this mess and tend to the wounded. They are 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 while 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. 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 brushed his jacket collar 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 is mated to 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 for them. 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 that 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. They’d obviously worked together. He’d said “we”, implying a group of them. It was doubtful that a lone wolf could have taken out two pride leaders’ 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 the best fighters from each one 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 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 sighed. “Why would you…” His voice died when his gaze met hers.

  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 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, t