Lance loped toward the cliff, his large hands in faded jeans, tight muscles shifting beneath a Saints T-shirt. “I can smell Pride on you.”
The ocean churned gray and restless far below, spraying against jagged rocks. Embarrassment clogged her throat. Katie hunched her shoulders. “We didn’t mate.”
“I know.” Lance eyed her from the corner of his eye, the blue darker than usual. “There’s a good chance you’ll turn into a werewolf if you mate. The idea of my having to hunt you down makes me sick to my stomach.”
She closed her eyes. “I know. But what if mating saves him?”
“Mate me.”
Her eyes flipped open. Surprise had her facing the tiger. “What?”
“You have the virus, but for some reason, just can’t shift. I think if you mated a healthy shifter, you’d regain your ability.” He pivoted toward her, both hands clasping her arms. “When you left, I realized how much I enjoy being around you. I don’t want to lose you, Kate.”
“But”—shock froze her in place—“you’ve never, I mean, we’ve never—”
“Baye and I talked about saving you. He sees you as a kid still. I’ve only known you as an adult.” Lance’s sharp cheekbones created interesting hollows below them, giving him the look of a tiger. His gaze wandered her face. A masculine scent of sweet grass and spruce wafted from him. His voice lowered. “I see you as all woman.”
Warmth slid down her spine. The guy was still in love with a psychologist and refused to take a chance after everyone he’d lost. She sighed. “I appreciate you and Baye trying to save me, possibly sacrificing yourselves for me, but how is that any different from my trying to help Jordan?” Belonging had her lips lifting in a smile. Lance and Baye were good friends ... willing to do anything for her. Even mate for life. But they didn’t love her.
Lance shook his head. “The virus is different in males, and you know it. I can save you. You mating Jordan will kill you.” His hands tightened. “We could be really good together.”
God spare her from sweet shifters trying to save her for her own good. “You’re still hurting from losing Linda.” Katie forced a gentle smile. “You and I don’t love each other.”
“Love’s overrated.” Lance’s gaze dropped to her lips. “We have friendship, trust, and we’re both sexy as hell.” His grin lightened his face.
She chuckled. “If you so modestly say so.”
“I do.” Pain vibrated from him. “When I lost my squad, I almost went crazy. You know that.” The breeze lifted his hair, highlighting his feline bone structure. “I can’t lose you, too.”
She nodded. The war had been hell for them all. “Mating isn’t the answer for us, Lance.”
“We’re a match.” He cocked his head to the side. “Haven’t you wondered? I mean, even a little?”
Her cheeks heated. Of course she’d wondered. After hunts, after the guys shifted back to human, she’d seen them nude. Powerful and strong ... and yeah, sexy. “I’m flattered.” She spoke the truth. Lance’s thick hair slid around his shoulders, making those blue eyes stand out. Tall, broad, and so male, a woman couldn’t help but look.
But her heart had belonged to Jordan Pride since he’d rescued her as a cub.
She shook her head. “I’m on my path.” Right or wrong, she’d chosen to risk all for the lion leader.
“I can’t accept that.” Emotion echoed in the tiger’s tone. “The world is a better place with you causing havoc in it.” He yanked her into a granite-hard body, his mouth sliding down atop hers.
Shock kept her immobile.
Warm, seductive, he wandered his lips across hers. One hand released her arm to slide around her waist, tugging her even closer.
For one second, temptation flirted with her to dive in, to kiss him back. But curiosity wasn’t a good enough reason to screw up her future, or to hurt him. So she pushed both hands against his chest, turning her face to the side.
He fought her for two heartbeats, trying to press the issue. Finally, he paused, exhaling loudly. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She kept her gaze on the grass.
A warm knuckle lifted her chin to face him. He released her arm and grimaced. “Fine. Just promise me you won’t turn into a beast.”
“I won’t.” Hopefully. But now she needed to make arrangements for someone else to take her out if she did end up a werewolf. The job couldn’t fall to anyone in her family or squad. Especially Lance or Baye. “You kiss well.”
“Shut up.” His grin banished the rest of her worries. “I’m even better at the other stuff, but now you’ve blown your chance.”
She bit the inside of her lip. “I have no doubt you’re amazing at the other stuff.” With any luck, she’d still be around when Lance found a mate and had his world rocked for the right reasons and not to erase the pain of the past. Or not because he wanted to sacrifice himself for a friend.
Sure, she was doing the same thing. Love made the difference. It had to.
Lance tucked a friendly arm around her shoulder. “Come on. I’ll kick your butt at pool while we wait for Baye to finish his meeting.” He cleared his throat. “This didn’t happen.”
“What didn’t?” She grinned, allowing him to lead her back inside.
Jordan had the oddest sense of bringing his prom date home an hour late as he faced the three enforcers across the polished conference table. His three enforcers. The Chance brothers had protected Jordan’s back since day one of his becoming leader of the feline clans. All at least a hundred years older than him, they’d followed orders and defended their people using any means necessary. Right now they looked at him with varying degrees of irritation.
He cleared his throat. “I’ve publicly endorsed Noah as the next leader.” Hopefully he wasn’t signing the cougar’s death warrant. “Though I can guarantee you’ll be challenged. At least once.”
Noah shrugged.
The enforcers continued to stare.
On all that was holy. He so didn’t need this crap. “Fine. I didn’t mate her. What the hell do you want?”
“Why not?” Baye snarled.
Jordan frowned. They were pissed he hadn’t mated Katie? “Come on. If I mate her, I could kill her. I mean, the virus might kill her.”
“Or save you both,” Noah muttered.
Mac pursed his lips. The middle brother, he had lighter hair and darker eyes than the other two—and was by far the wildest lion in history. “Though, I get you not wanting to sacrifice her. I mean, it’s Katie.”
“She can make her own decisions.” Baye shoved back in his chair. “Little Katie is all grown up. I’ve seen her fight ... even with the virus slowing her down, she’s tough. Strong mentally. You’re lucky to have her.”
“I know she’s strong.” Jordan took a deep breath. “Listen, tomorrow night isn’t going to be good. And I wanted to say ... I mean ... well—”
“Jesus, Jordan. We love you, too.” Noah snarled more than said the words. “You’re not going to die. I haven’t followed you for three centuries just to watch you turn into a beast.”
“Why have you?” Shit. It was the absolute last question Jordan thought he’d ever ask. Deep down, he’d always wondered. After the way he’d gained leadership, he figured one day Noah would challenge him. Not stick by him to the end.
Noah growled. Mac frowned. Baye stared. “You’re family,” they said in unison, the different timbers of their voices melding deep.
Air coughed out of his lungs in disbelief. “No, I’m not.” He’d lost all his family the day he’d killed Brent Bomant.
Noah got the look he had right before he punched his fist through someone’s face.