“You’re going to need to crash at the station for a while,” Diskant told Cade. His irises stabilized, returning to their usual golden hue. “Trey’ll have to stay here until we sort things out. After we talk to the pack and find out how many are willing to stand in the line of fire, I’ll make sure to give you as many guards as I can.”
“And the information you promised?” Cade asked.
Diskant growled, lips drawn back. “You’ll get it.”
“You need to call Kinsley.” Everyone’s eyes turned to Ava when she addressed the room, reiterating her earlier concern. “We’ll need the prides with us on this. He’s the only one who can convince them to help us.”
Kinsley—a rare and respected sixth generation black panther—was one of the scarcest of the feline shifter races. The prides trusted him enough to listen to whatever the male had to say. The male was almost never wrong, seeing every curve before anyone else.
Ava was right.
Without the Alpha’s assistance, the pack would have to guard the city alone. As it was, the few felines who’d agreed to monitor the station and guard Diskant’s domicile did so grudgingly. Cats always looked out for their own best interests. Kinsley would have to flex some serious muscle to convince them to assist Trey. While Diskant could shift into any feline form—and remained their Omega—members of the pride didn’t feel his approval warranted their inconvenience.
They turned to Kinsley in all matters.
He’d be the only one who could sway them on this.
“I have to warn the guards they’ll be pulling double shifts.” Diskant went to his female’s side and took a knee. He was so large—and she was so fucking small—he dwarfed both his mate and the piece of furniture. “We have to make sure everything is secure here before we worry about anything else.”
“Shit,” Sadie whispered and pivoted so that she faced Trey. “I’ll have to talk to Leigh. We’re the only ones who can make sure magic won’t penetrate the house.” She peered over his shoulder, looking around the room. “You don’t have any safety nets.” She appeared exasperated. “Anyone with magic can get inside. Aldon took my blood, he might be able to track me.”
Panic etched over her face as she closed her eyes and magic burst from her, the energy a sharp throb against his skin. She whispered something in Latin, evoking what could only be a spell. Her anxiety became his. His female was worried about something, so much so she was draining her already dwindling reserves. Her thoughts weren’t clear but he could sense them.
She was worried about Aldon and something else she perceived as a threat.
“There,” she sighed, opening her eyes. “It’ll hold, but only for so long.” Her gaze darted to Leigh. “We’ll have to take care of the rest of the residence. No one can know where we are.”
“Can you do that?”
Sadie had to turn her body to see Leigh. When she did, a frown marred the beauty of her face. “We can do it,” Sadie replied softly, “but we’ll have to be strong.” With a sigh, she shook her head. “I’ll have to talk to Leigh too. Shielding spells take up a lot of energy. She’s too weak to help right now, so more than likely I’ll have to provide for her. If I do, it’ll take more time.”
“Provide for her?”
Sadie’s breasts teased his chest as she rotated around. She lifted onto her tiptoes, her mouth caressing the ridge of his ear. “Feed her.”
His dick, already partially erect from the feel of her plush ass, hardened substantially. “Does that mean…”
“I’ll need to recover.” Fuck a duck, she didn’t move, her lithe form flush against his. “Giving blood means taking blood.”
It felt like all of the blood in his body went directly to his cock.
He’d give her all she needed to recover.
“You’re already mine,” he warned in a low growl, “but once I’ve put my mark on you it’s a done deal. You won’t be able to run, darlin’.”
“Even if it means coming clean with your pack? I won’t be swept away to a private place for you to fuck, Trey.” The misery he’d caused had never been more apparent, her despair visible in her gaze. “I won’t let you hurt me again.”
“Diskant,” he called out, keeping his eyes locked with the heartbroken female. He had a lot of damage to undo and a helluva lot of healing to start. “I’m taking my mate to our room. We’ve got unfinished business.”
The Omega didn’t fuss—not that Trey expected him to. Diskant knew the score, being mated himself. Shifters understood how it went. Once you found the one intended for you, nothing else mattered. The fighting, Aldon and all the rest could keep. Priorities went in a particular order. In this case, it was time he made his status in Sadie’s life known.
She didn’t trust him.
He didn’t blame her.
But goddamn it, he was about to show her he wasn’t the man she believed him to be.
Once he’d crossed this barrier, no one in the pack could argue the mating. They could resent it, demand he step down or try to make him leave the city. But they couldn’t prevent what had already transpired. With or without their backing, he had to do what was best for him for a change. If he didn’t he’d become the jaded, bitter and unfeeling asshole who existed but had stopped living, unaware of the beauty and grandeur around him.
“W-wait.” She looked back as he dragged her from the room. “I haven’t had time to talk to Leigh. She’s scared. I need to explain…”
“It’ll keep. Trust me. She’s fine here. She’s with Nathan. He won’t let anyone hurt her.” He waited until they vanished around the corner before he spun around and pinned her to the nearest wall. “I’ve waited too long for you.”
“The shields, we need them—”
Thrusting his hips against her, he growled, “You need blood and I’m going to give it to you. But first I’m going to devour you, baby. I’m going to strike the match that makes you burn.”
She lifted her mouth to his but he ripped his head away. His nose piloted him, directing him to where Mary had wandered through the gargantuan house. The female wasn’t far away, just a few doors down. When he arrived at his destination he found Mary tossing additional pillows onto a bed. Emory’s female stilled when she saw them in the entranceway, her chocolate-brown eyes becoming wide as saucers.
“I guess this’ll be your room,” Mary murmured and rushed toward them, her cheeks turning red. “I’ll go see if anyone needs anything.”
Trey moved aside to let Mary pass. The skittish woman didn’t miss a step, fleeing from the area. With an arm around Sadie’s middle, he carried his mate over the threshold and closed the door.
Finally, his wolf thrilled in his head, the wait is over.
It’s time.
Chapter Seven
Sadie’d envisioned this moment—in so many different ways—but she’d never thought it would happen. Yet here she stood, caged in Trey’s embrace. He dipped his head, dark strands of hair loose around his face. The desire in his eyes made her insides wilt. He looked like he wanted to eat her up and, given her sexual frustration, she was more than willing to let him.
“We don’t have a lot of time.” Although she hadn’t forgotten how much he’d hurt her, she wanted this. “We have to hurry.”
“That pisses me off, you know.” He dipped his head and nuzzled her neck. “I don’t want to rush. I want to explore every inch of your body. I’m going to find out what turns you on and gets you hot.”
An electric pulse zinged down her spine. She wanted the same thing—to lick every crevice of his body, to see how he reacted when her tongue darted over his smooth skin. His temperature was much warmer than hers, his body like a miniature furnace. When she nibbled at his flesh her lips would be cool and soft. On the other hand, when his hard, wet tongue slid over her clit it would burn her up in all the right ways.