Pleasure built, coiling deep inside her and yet just out of reach. A chaotic explosion that would be so good, so good, if she could just get there, reach it, find it, claim it. Every sense tightened—so close. Shana’s claws snapped out to full feline length and blooded themselves on Caleb’s shoulders. A predator’s teeth ripped like daggers through her gums as she threw back her head. Pleasure ripped through her body, her orgasm crashing through her in a destructive wave that was so damn good, wiping away every thought, every fear, every bit of her that was Shana and replacing it with bliss.
Caleb roared, his body pouring his need into hers in a bone-crushing rush. Shana felt her soul lock around his, holding on tight to this moment. She needed this moment. This goodness. He was the only thing in her life that had ever made her feel so good. She rode the wave of it, clinging hard.
Then she blacked out.
Chapter Six
The bed was cold when she woke up. She’d been alone for a while.
Shana rolled to a sitting position in the tangled sheets, grimacing at the sticky wetness on her thighs. What a gentleman. Let the lady sleep in the wet spot. He’d probably walked out the door as soon as he’d yanked on a pair of pants. If he’d even bothered. Shifting was faster than clothes any day when it came to immediate escape.
And he had escaped her. Abandoned her.
Bastard.
You give a man an earth-shattering fuck and he can’t even be bothered to stick around until you regain consciousness. That’s gratitude for you.
Shana kicked off the sheets, gathered her clothes, and padded to the bathroom. She quickly cleaned herself up and then took stock of what was left of her clothes. With the exception of her thong, everything she’d walked in with was in working order.
Pulling her jeans on commando, Shana winced a little at the tenderness between her legs. She hadn’t had sex in months—humans just didn’t have the same appeal—and she hadn’t had sex with someone hung like Caleb since…well, Caleb. And they hadn’t exactly eased back into the saddle. She’d been out for a rough ride and that’s exactly what she’d gotten—and the soreness to go with it.
The bra and tank top quickly followed. Shana started out of the bathroom, only to pause as her reflection caught her eye.
“Damn.”
Caleb had marked her all right. And not just with the purple bruises on her wrists. The skin where her shoulder met her neck was already turning a stunning shade of violet in the exact shape of Caleb’s teeth.
Of course, judging by the little flecks of blood on the sheets, she’d given at least as good as she got. She hoped any little lionesses who might be tempted to poach got a good look at the claw marks she’d left on Caleb’s shoulders.
Shana froze, frowning at the thought.
She was naturally possessive. Violently so. But Caleb wasn’t hers anymore. She didn’t want him. She wanted the Alpha. What’s-his-name. Landon. She wanted Landon.
Caleb was just a pit stop on the way to her destiny as the Alpha’s mate.
She was focused. She had goals. And they did not include mooning after a man she’d once been stupidly in love with just because he was strong and sexy and knew her inside and out.
Goddesses did not moon. Neither did queens. Queens kicked ass.
Shana kicked the door open and stepped out onto the porch. Dusk had fallen while she and Caleb were battling for supremacy in the Fuck-Olympics. The snow had long since melted, but the temperature had dropped again, leaving an icy chill in the air.
Shana sucked in the cold air, letting it cool any lingering heat Caleb had left in her. It was time to make herself a queen.
Caleb ran the outer perimeter, along the edge of the ranch property, but he didn’t fool himself that he was doing any good as a guard. A soldier’s best tool was his mind and Caleb’s was poisoned by the viper who was likely still sleeping off their excesses in his bed.
His animal scratched against the inside of his skull, but he kept his human form. A neighbor or a passing car could see him this far out, though hopefully no one would. He ran too fast to be strictly human, infected by Shana’s wildness. She had passed it to him and he couldn’t outrun it.
He knew what would happen now. She’d come to him before over the years, when her latest boy toy failed to defeat the Alpha and her mother lashed out at her. Shana always came running to him, wild and hungry. And he still hadn’t learned how to say no. Every time he tried. And every time he failed.
And every time, she sank her claws into another forgotten chamber of his heart and ripped it open. He was a goddamn medical miracle—his heart still beating after she’d demolished it piece by piece.
He didn’t fool himself that this time would be any different.
She hadn’t come back for him. She’d come back for fucking Landon. The fucking Alpha.
Caleb’s mouth pulled into a snarl as he ran.
She wouldn’t get him. Landon looked at Ava like the secrets of the universe could be found in her eyes. He wasn’t going to give that up, no matter what tricks the redheaded minx might try to pull.
Images of her tricks flashed through his mind in living color, a lurid montage.
Caleb staggered to a stop. He propped his hands on his knees and gulped down air, ignoring the stitch digging a knife into his side. How far had he run? Five miles? Ten? However many, it hadn’t been far enough. He could still taste Shana on his tongue. Feel her on his skin.
She was a virus he’d been infected with. Shouldn’t his body have built up the antibodies to fight her hold on him by now? How many times would he have to go through this? Why couldn’t he get her out of his blood?
He turned back to the ranch. Running wasn’t helping.
It was time—past time—for him to face the feral lioness he’d been running from for the last decade. Time for them to fight it out.
He wanted her—not wanting her never seemed to be an option—and this time he was going to fight for her. Even if she was the one he had to fight.
Shana found the Alpha and his miniature mateling in the dining hall. The hall was beginning to fill as the dinner hour approached, but they acted as if they were alone, billing and cooing at one another, wrapped in their own lovey-dovey world.
Shana folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot, waiting to be acknowledged. She had no intention of waiting long.
Around them, the rest of the pride trickled in. Seeing Shana standing there, her posture issuing the challenge she hadn’t yet voiced, several of her pridemates hesitated, watching her cautiously, curious to see whatever spectacle she’d prepared for them tonight.
Impatient with the turtledoves cooing privately to one another, Shana cleared her throat. Loudly.
Ava looked up and arched her brows questioningly. The look Landon shot her was far from questioning. Irritated, yes. Questioning, no.
Shana didn’t care if he was annoyed. She was annoyed too.
“I won’t allow you to issue a challenge just so you can get a nicer house, Shana,” Landon said, his clear, strong voice calling the attention of anyone who might have missed their little standoff.
Shana wasn’t intimidated. She did her best work in front of an audience. “I’m not here for a house, Landon,” she corrected. “I’m here for you.”
The Alpha frowned. “Me?”
Shana smiled, oh-so-sweetly, and flicked her eyes to the mini-mate. “Or don’t you think your little Ava is strong enough to keep you? Maybe she’d rather just forfeit her claim on you now and save us all the five seconds it would take me to wipe the floor with her ass.”