“Because sniveling, fucking cowards should be put down and out of their misery,” she yelled over the increasing wind.
The animal shimmered under his skin. Anger, deep and primal, harnessed and rode the breeze.
She took a step back. Water from her bill dropped onto her nose. This was more than Jordan. Fear caught in her throat. “Jordan, I—”
“One chance, Kathryn.” His voice didn’t even sound like him. “Turn and go back to headquarters. Now.”
Doing so would end any chance she had of mating him. Of saving him. But did she have the courage to face whatever he was becoming? Moonlight slithered down, and he bared his teeth. His tight muscles seemed to vibrate in place as he held himself in check. Barely.
She took a deep breath, fear buzzing in her ears. All or nothing. “Fuck you.” Pivoting, she ran in the opposite direction of headquarters.
The howl he gave was much more wolf than lion.
Desperation had her really running, turning, seeking safety. Instinct took over and she forgot her plan. Run, damnit, run.
He caught her by the nape, sending them both sprawling across the drenched trail. She bit her tongue as she landed, hands sliding in the mud. Pain flared along her skin. Flipping over, she slammed her heels into his hips, sending him flying over her head. Leaping to her feet, she bunched to run.
A thick hand banded around her ankle, yanking her down, ripping her shoe off. Panting, nearly sobbing, she kicked him in the face with her other foot. That shoe and both socks sailed through the air to join the first one.
Thick claws shot out of his hands to shred her jeans. She yelped as he nicked her knee. Swinging wildly, she punched him in the nose. He bellowed, grabbing his face.
Rolling over, she levered to her knees and stood. Claws tore the back of her shirt. Shrugging free, she ran in her bra and underwear, the mud soaking her bare feet.
Oh God, what had she been thinking? Panting, she dodged left and right, trying to keep trees between her and the lumbering force bearing down on her. Sticks and pebbles cut into her feet. Rain beat at her face. Sure, she’d heard true claimings were bloody and brutal. Those damaged shoulders she’d seen on other mates had seemed romantic. Crazy and romantic.
This was neither. But it was real. Desire slammed through her along with fear. An odd combination, animalistic and true. They were animals, and this would happen in the wild.
She ran harder, arms pumping.
Jordan stepped onto the path before her.
She halted, sliding two feet before stopping. The rain battered down on her hat. Panting, she put both filthy hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.
“This what you wanted, Katie?” His chest seemed broader, the tight muscles in his arms and legs more powerful. The animal shifted beneath his skin, morphing back and forth from something dark to the lion. But the man remained upright, topaz eyes blazing and a red flush high on his face.
Deep inside her, a lioness stretched awake again. Katie stood to her full height, forcing a sneer. Her knees trembled with the instinctive need to flee. Her heart pounded with the storm. But this was their only chance. She wanted all of him, even if some of that was now werewolf. “Is this all you’ve got?”
“You’re about to see what I’ve got.” Silky, low, the husky threat shot straight to her clit.
She edged to the side of the path, her breath panting out.
He stalked nearer, his eyes unblinking and focused solely on her face. Primitive and deadly, hunger shone in his gaze. The edge of darkness that had been shadowing him curled his lip in a snarl of determination. A preternatural stillness surrounded him, screaming predator.
Katie trembled. She might only be half a lion, but she deserved it all. “You want me, you take me, Jordan. You fucking earn me.” Feinting, she lunged the other direction, pivoting to run.
He caught her by the arm, jerking her off her feet. A smack had the hat falling to the ground. Her hair tumbled down around her wet shoulders. He sucked in air. “Stop this.”
She truly had no clue which one of them he was talking to. “No.”
His mouth slammed down. Hard—forceful—desperate. As if he could kiss the defiance, the challenge out of her. His tongue penetrated her mouth, all male, accepting no resistance. He controlled his fangs, but their sharp points, their deadly ability remained right there.
She groaned, fire boiling through her blood. Locking her hands into his hair, she met his kiss, slamming up against his hard body. His fully clothed body. Decadence and the sense of vulnerability had her head swimming.
Then she bit his bottom lip until she tasted blood.
He shoved her away. Wiping his lip, his eyes morphed to gold. The animal inside him took precedence, rising to the surface. A casual observer wouldn’t have noticed the change.
Katie was anything but casual.
She turned and ran, knowing there was no way she was getting out of the forest. Heart racing, adrenaline zipping through her blood, she fled like her life depended on it. Which it probably did. The inevitable sound of him pursuing spurred her to flee faster.
He took her down hard.
The breath whooshed from her lungs. She stilled, hands sliding, mud splattering her neck. Sucking in air, she tried to lever up on hands and knees just as her bra went flying into the trees. Her underwear followed. Panicking, bucking against him, she fought with the intense training she’d learned over the years.
Countering every move, keeping her on her hands and knees, somehow his pants and shirt flew over her head.
A whisper of warning sounded before he grabbed her hips. His hands were rough, his hold unbreakable, his intention absolute. She struggled, fighting him, fighting the future ... fighting herself. Tightening his hold, he roughly plunged inside her and yanked her back. Shock filled her at not only the sudden pain, but with awareness that she had been wet and ready. The lioness within roared.
The man behind her slammed into her hard, fast, and relentless. Nothing could stop him. The knowledge, the certainty of that fact had her screaming through an orgasm so powerful her heart may have stopped for a moment. Yet he continued to pound, his hands digging into her hips, his body strong and full. The storm, the pelting rain, all ceased to exist.
Leaning over, his lips enclosed her shoulder.
She tensed, closing her eyes, heart galloping. Finally. Jordan was finally going to mark her.
He struck fast, fangs digging past muscle and tendons to embed in bone.
Agony consumed her. Her cry echoed through the storm. She bowed her back, struggling, fighting against the incredible pain. He held on tighter, pounding harder.
Oh God. The shared, secret, twisted smiles of the female felines who had mated became clear to her. It wasn’t the fact that they’d found their mates—it was the fact that they’d survived the damn mating that they wore like a badge of honor. Katie coughed out a sob.
Jordan released her hips, sliding both hands beneath her to cup her breasts. Fire flashed past the pain to her core. She moaned.
He tweaked her nipples, shooting electricity to her sex, his pumping somehow increasing in force. Then he pinched. She exploded. The forest receded as waves of raw pleasure shot through every nerve in her body.
Inside her, he swelled even more. The hold on her shoulder tightened. She closed her eyes, unable to fight the whimper that escaped.
Jordan paid no heed, a lion claiming his mate unequivocally. No mercy, no second thoughts ... no turning back. Ever.
With his jaw only, he shoved her upper body down on her hands, those sharp fangs remaining locked in place. His strong legs braced hers, keeping her open to him as he gave her everything.
Katie’s heart swelled. Humans would never understand it, but the harder he thrust, the more he cemented his claim, the more she loved him. He’d do everything in his power to stay with her, to protect her, to kill and even die for her. A lion mating was absolute.