Holy moly! Is it going to happen or isn't it??? And what of poor Gillian? Though I think Tawny is right to try and stay away when he is committed to someone else. It shows her strength.
TAWNY “Shit, shit” I mumble as I stumble to the bedside table. Pulling my shorts up and almost tripping over my own feet in the process. I rip the drawer open and grab the bottle of pills, opening it with shaky hands and dumping two of the pills into my clammy palm. “What the fuck are those?” Mason’s agitated and harsh voice cuts through the air as I pop the pills into my mouth. He reaches me and snatches the bottle from my hand inspecting it. His eyes widen and his mouth forms an ‘O’ as realization dawns on him. “Fuck Tawny,” he sighs “He’s your mate, isn’t he?” I nod swallowing the pills. “Why didn’t you tell me?” His voice has lost all the anger and now holds sympathy. “How long have you been taking these?” He refers to the heat reducing pills. Pills that are meant to hide the scent of a werecats heat and reduce the symptoms, keeping the heat at bay. Pills that don’t seem to work when around Crimson, evidently, if tonight is anything to go by. “A few months,” I admit “A week
TAWNY PRESENT DAY For the past few months, Crimson and I have been able to, for the most part, avoid each other. We were getting really good at it by now. Both of us spent more time outside the palace when the other is there. Mason and I had been traveling back and forth, visiting Clowders and small Prides outside the kingdom as we searched for the missing King of the werewolf kingdom. Kellen Moon had been abducted and shipped to the second continent and we had spent several months searching the werecat kingdom in case he had been brought here. Eventually, and thankfully, he was discovered to be in a faraway kingdom of Bhakhil and they managed to get him out of there. With his newfound mate, who I couldn’t wait to meet. Hopefully soon. I was due to visit up north. That, and Lamia gave birth to triplets. I missed not being there for their birth because of my commitment to help search for Kellen, then life happens, and we had things that needed to be dealt with here. I was thankfu
CRIMSON As the weeks went by, I had become more agitated. Even Gillian’s presence gnawed at my nerves, and I didn’t know why. Lie. I knew exactly why. Ever since Tawny rejected me, it hadn’t sat right with me. The scene from that night - playing over and over in my mind drove me insane as to why I should even care. She rejected me, so what? It’s not as if I felt the mate bond anyway. Gillian was upset with me. I could tell. Last night while staying in the hotel room she tried to be intimate with me and I pushed her away. I just couldn’t. I couldn't even get hard the last few times she stroked me or took my cock between her lips. Her scent was beginning to repulse me. She knew something was wrong. And there was. Is. Tawny. I played it off that I was just stressed and wasn’t feeling it. To her credit she let it go, but I almost wish she hadn’t. I wish she has yelled and screamed at me. Demanded to know what my problem was. I wish she had gotten so angry that she lashed out at me
TAWNY Tapping my pen on the paper rapidly, I scrub my face for the thousandth time and blow huff out a deep breath, also for the thousandth time. I drop my pen onto the pile of paperwork I was working through, unable to concentrate. My thoughts flit back to yesterday. More specifically last night when Crimson showed up at my room looking forlorn and regretful. He was trying to tell me something. But whatever it was he wanted to say – he didn’t. Now it was bugging me. What was it he couldn’t say? I had the sickening feeling he was going to reject me. Why that thought made my stomach churn with tension, I have no idea. Isn’t that what I would want, wouldn’t that break the bond completely? I hadn’t even thought that he would need to reject me to sever the bond. It sure does explain a lot though. Why I didn’t feel the pain of a broken bond like so many have told me exists. Why my feline was content and seemingly not bothered that I had rejected her mate. However, that doesn’t explai
GILLIAN The tears came as soon as Tawny left the guest room, which I had holed myself up in for the past two days. I couldn’t stay here. I knew that. I just needed some time and space. Goddess forbid word reached my father’s ears that Kolby and I were having problems and were sleeping in different rooms. He would have a field day and I’m positive he would use the information for self-gain. Twisting it to suit his own agenda. I couldn’t hate Tawny. If I were in her shoes and had found my true mate, the way she had, engaged and promised by a binding contract – I’m not sure I would have acted the same way. Sure, I have always been a lover, not a fighter but I would fight for my mate. A rare gift in this kingdom from the moon goddess. ‘Too kind’ is what King Armand had said to me on many occasions, following it up with, ‘your kindness will be your downfall one day, young lady.’ I missed that old man; he was more of a father figure to me than my own. Eventually, I would have to forgiv
TAWNY “…And I missed this?” I stand, crossing the room knowing that the presence of shock on my face is still fully on display, and hug Tristan. “I’m happy for you, truly, but…” “I understand your hesitation, princess. I’m sure you are wondering what this means for you and Sir Crimson,” Tristan says while returning my hug. I let go of him and take a step back, my hands wiping down my pants. I shake my head, “No,” I say slowly “actually, I was wondering what this meant for you.” I sit back down on the couch in the parlor room where I met up with Tristan who had just confessed that Gillian was his mate. His second chance mate. He had already told me how he lost his wife and children many moons ago to a boating accident. My heart had bled for him and now my heart leaped for him. He was a kind man, in so many ways he reminded me of Hunji, smart, patient, and wise. What was really plaguing my mind was the contract between Gillian and Crimson. I didn’t want Tristan to miss his chance at
CRIMSON A week later and though things seem to be getting better, there is still a long way to go. Our perfect lives had been turned upside down fully. Things started to go belly up when Tawny arrived almost seven months ago, my attraction to her grew into a wildly unfounded protectiveness - then she claimed I was her mate. I was determined to stay loyal to Gillian, not only because of my love for her but due to our contract. A contract I wish I could burn and stomp all over. Bury the ashes deep underground so it could never resurface. But my kitten didn’t want me. Even rejected me. If that wasn’t bad enough when I made the conscious decision to choose Gillian, holding our friendship and love on a higher pedestal than it actually was, along comes her mate in the form of a prestigious and older werecat. Leaving me empty-handed. I was sure Tawny had moved on into the arms of her personal guard and now her second in command – Mason. Every time I thought of them together, my stomach
TAWNY Caught in the heat of the moment, with his large and thick erection pushing into my back, Juniper lets out a purr that rumbles through my chest. She relishes in the feel of her male’s hard muscle and masculinity. Crimson’s whispered words vibrate through me, making my sex pulse at the thought of being filled by him. I want to forgive him, should I forgive him? ‘Yes’, my feline’s thoughts tumble through my mind, her energy pushing me to couple with my mate. ‘We want him, claim him’ I feel her encouragement. The sound of the Alpha team approaching has me coming to my senses and I break away from Crimson. Embarrassment replaces the tingling shivers of where his hands touched me - heated my skin. The scent of my arousal lingers thickly in the air, and I know the team can smell it when Mason emerges from the line of trees, casting me a disappointed look. I look away, glancing at Crimson who is now covered up much my disappointment. I clear my throat, and head, of the lustful th