If she knew how to purr, she would have. Shaelan lay there with her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat under her ear. “Calum?”
“Hmm?” He ran his hand gently up and down her back.
“Will you shift for me?” She leaned up on her elbow and looked up at him. “I’ve seen cats around here all my life but didn’t know they weren’t wild animals.” She smiled at him. “I’d like to see it happen.”
Rolling onto his side, he pulled her up against him and looked at her. She loved the way his eyes connected with hers so much, so she could see he was paying attention to her. “I just want to know.”
He smiled. “I get that.” Kissing her mouth softly, he sighed. “Give me a few minutes more to just hold you.”
Leaning closer, he licked over the mark on her neck, bursts of heat went through her whole body, making her hiss out a sigh of contentment.
“Let me replenish my oxygen deprivation first,” he said with a lazy smile. “Whoever came up with that no touching thing, never had to go through it personally.”
“Poor man.” she teased.
He chuckled, then sobered, and played with her hair between his fingers. “Actually, it was so women have the control. It ended the practice of forced mating.”
“Forced mating is how I ended up coming to you,” she said softly. His eyes caressed her face, and she honestly could say she felt loved just from that look.
“That’s very true. Let’s hope yours is the last everywhere then.” His eyes hardened briefly.
Leaning closer, she inhaled deeply, then smiled. “You do smell different now.”
“As soon as you go through your first change, I think we should renew it,” he said with a soft laugh.
“Yeah? Just once?” If he felt like she did when he bit her, the two of them were going to be walking around with bites all over their bodies.
“Often.” He gave her a lazy grin.
She went to snuggle into him, and he tensed and pulled her closer into the shelter of his arms, then froze. Moving slowly, he sat up and held a finger over his lips so she wouldn’t speak. Shae tried to focus to see if she could hear anything, but her heart was beating too loud to hear anything outside.
“Hellooo,” someone called out.
“Brock?” She looked at the door.
Calum’s face expression turned serious in an instant. “Something must be wrong.”
She nodded and got up, looking around for her clothes. Giving up, she grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around her, as Calum pulled his jeans on. Picking it up so she wouldn’t trip, she went to the door.
Putting his hand against the door, he gave her an odd look. “He would have shifted to run here, so he’s going to be naked.”
“Oh.” She jerked her hand back and held it against her chest. Pulling the blanket off, she held it out to him “I’ll be out in a second.”
Stepping outside, she saw them talking quietly. “What’s wrong?”
Brock turned and huffed out a breath. “I am so sorry to disturb you. Like, really sorry.” He pouted. “But we need your brain and Calum’s tracking skills.”
“What happened?”
Calum came over and put his arm around her.
“Billie ran off into the night. We’ve looked everywhere we could without raising alarms.” He waved the arm not trapped under the blanket around. “She was afraid they were going to find out and kill…” He glanced to Calum.
“Dale,” Calum supplied for him.
“Find out what?” She gasped. “She’s pregnant?”
Brock nodded vigorously. “Yes. Nona said no one would notice in the next days, but Billie panicked.” He held his hand to his forehead for a second. “We think she was trying to get to the cave but got lost and just kept going. You and she used to be attached to each other, is there another place she would go?”
“Let me get our stuff.” Turning, she went back inside and looked around for her shoes. Calum came in and hugged her from behind.
“We’ll find her. Devin is already out looking, as a wolf he can scent just about anyone.” He released her and picked up her jacket and handed it to her.
She stuffed her bra into his pack and looked around for her other shoe. Calum took the bag and tied his boots to it. “What are you doing?”
He smirked at her. “Looks like you get to see me shift. I’ll feel better escorting you back on four feet rather than two.” He tapped a finger to the side of his nose. “And I can pick up scents better.”
She nodded. “Oh, okay.”
He pulled his phone out of his pack and did something with a button, then held it out to her. “Do you know how to use it? In case we need backup,” he assured her.
She took it and looked at it. “Slide my hand across the screen to unlock it?”
He nodded. “Then just hit that red button on the bottom of the screen and a list of names will come up. Hit Gage or Devin, it will call them.”
“Okay.” She tucked it into the back pocket of her jeans. She scowled and pointed a finger at him. “We better not need backup.”
Sighing, he came over and grabbed her chin and kissed her hard on the mouth. “You look so sexy right now, my fierce kitty.”
Smacking him on the arm, she grinned. “Get the key for the lock and put the candles out.”
“Yes, love.” He pulled the key out of his pocket and handed it to her, then took off his jeans. “There’s a flashlight on the phone too, slide the top of the screen down.”
Shae hadn’t seen a lot of naked men in her life, but if she were to guess, she’d say she’d gotten really lucky in that area with him.
“Stop looking at me like that,” he growled.
Blushing, she shrugged and took the jeans he handed her. “I can’t help it. You look really good naked.”
“Can I look?” Brock called from outside.
“No,” Shae answered, shaking her head.
“Sucks to be the gay one,” Brock grumbled.
Shaking his head, Calum winked at her. “Don’t forget to put the candles out.”
Before she could answer, the sexy naked man turned into a very large, black jaguar. The snapping sounds his bones made seemed painful, but if it were, he wouldn’t have done it so quickly, she figured. She stood there with her mouth open as the last of the fur appeared on his body. He stretched and then nudged her with his nose. She ran her hand down across his face. He was so soft. “Oh, Calum…”
Brock leaned in the door. “You’re just a sexy beast in every form, aren’t you?” He tossed the blanket in the door. “My turn.”
Shae grinned and picked up the blanket. “I can’t wait to do that too.” She looked at her feet. “It’s going to be a long run back.” Calum nudged her hip with his shoulder and went out the door.
She was exhausted but refused to slow down or complain. Brock was ten feet in front of her and Calum ran alongside her, briefly moving out, around, or weaving behind her to the other side.
He made a soft noise and Brock answered in kind, then both stopped. Huffing out a breath, she stopped and stood there panting. He rubbed his shoulder against her leg, almost pushing her over in the process. When he did it again, she realized he wanted her to sit down. “I’m fine,” she gasped.
He made a low yowl and bumped her again.
“Fine. For a few minutes, only.” She leaned her head against his side as he stood beside her. “We have to find Billie.”
Brock turned and lay down, his sides heaving as he looked out into the night.
“There’s a river.” She blew out a breath. “We used to hide under a ledge and talk for hours…” She shook her head. “I don’t know the direction from here though.” Looking around, it dawned on her how dark it really was, and wondered how she hadn’t been falling over her own feet this whole time.
Brock sprung to his feet and made a soft noise in his throat.
“You know where I’m talking about.” He made another noise and pranced on the spot. She nodded and used the body of her mate to pull herself to her feet. “Let’s go.” Calum looked up at her. “Please,” she whispered. He shook his large head but moved out of the way. She ran her hand down over his coat and started after Brock again.
By the time they reached the river, she was falling over her feet more than she was walking. She’d had to stop running a few minutes before, her entire body was numb. Brock stopped suddenly and sat down, facing the other side of the river. Turning, Shae looked around, he was pointing out the ledge. “That’s it.” She looked from one large body to the other. “Let me go. Seeing you guys might spook her.”
Calum rubbed against her but moved so she could pass. Finding the best place to cross, she used rocks that weren’t completely immersed in water and was honestly surprised Calum hadn’t splashed in after her when her footing slipped a few times.
Getting both feet on the dry bank, she looked at the area under the overhanging rock. “Billie?” she called out quietly. “It’s Shae.”
“Shae?” Billie stumbled out of the darkness and toward her. She almost knocked Shae into the river as she landed into her arms and sobbed against her shoulder. “I don’t want him to die because of me.”
Shae squeezed her. “He’s not going to die.” She ran her hands up and down her back, she was cold. “Come on, Calum and Brock are on the other side. We’ll go to the cave.”
Billie nodded, her teeth chattering together.
It was a long slow walk back to the caves. Calum knew Shaelan was exhausted, but she refused to stop and rest until her friend was returned to the cave and warm. As they neared the entrance, Nona and Marilyn came charging out of it. He stopped and looked at them, he had to wonder for a moment how intimidating that duo must have been in their youth. They put the fear into him more than once since he’d met them, and that made him pause and think of what Shaelan was going to be like by their age. He was going to have his hands full, something told him.
Devin came out of the trees in his jeans and bare feet and gave him a relieved look as both girls went by him.
He realized Shaelan was standing at the entrance looking back at him and holding up his jeans. What he wanted to do was go hunting and find someone to kill, he had several options in that department, but the look on her face had his paws slapping the earth in her direction instead.
Nona handed him a hot cup of tea as she looked at his neck to the mark his mate had left. “You want some salve for that wound?” Her lips twitched as she tried not to grin.
It had been the first thing he’d done when he’d shifted back. Checked to see that it hadn’t healed over and disappeared. Seems that fate knew it wasn’t an injury, and left is as raw as it had been before he’d changed. “No ma’am.”
“Heh.” She chortled. “Smart man, after all.”
He motioned to Billie. “She going to be okay?”
Nona nodded. “Her health is fine. The mental stuff, is not too steady.”
He blew on the hot liquid. “My clanmate will look after her, if she’ll let him.” He knew Dale would, knew that any one of his clansmen would step up. If not, the women in their clan would beat them ten different ways from Tuesday.
She looked at him for a long moment. “It almost brings me to tears how noble your men are.” She shook her head sadly. “Been a long damn time since we’ve had any of the likes of that around here.”
Pausing, he looked over to Shaelan to see her talking a mile a minute to Billie and Rayne. Glancing back to Nona, he shrugged. “I think your men will step up once the noose isn’t around their necks.” He couldn’t imagine what the males had gone through in all of this. Yes, the women withstood the worst of the treatment, but to stand back and tolerate it to survive, and then look after them through it, he doubted he would be that strong.
She tapped him on the arm lightly. “I do hope you’re right.” With that, she went toward the entrance.
Before he could go to Shaelan, Marilyn appeared in his face, blocking his way.
“I brought some clothes and shoes for your men tomorrow.”
Dressing them hadn’t even occurred to him. “Appreciate that.” He’d wondered more than once where their cars and other belongings had gone. He was going to make a point of being present when they caught up to those helping Leroy and Jerome.
She rubbed her hands together in an anxious way. “All hells going to break loose when they find them gone.”
He nodded. “I know.”
“Earl and Morris won’t be safe. I’m going to hide them once they get your men out the back.” She looked over to where Billie and Shae were sitting. “I’ll find somewhere in the village or near enough to, leave Billie in some peace staying here.”
He hadn’t thought what it must be like for Billie and other women to see the guards after what happened, he suspected that the shame and fury would follow them for years. “We’ll do what we can for the guards when this is over.” He took a quick sip. “It’s good they’re helping.” He left unspoken what would happen to those that didn’t.
She laughed. “Earl has a thing for pink.” She winked at him. “And Morris, he would have left the village years ago, if there had been a way.” She wrung her hands together. “After his folks vanished.” Clapping her hands together, she gave him an excited look. “I won’t see you tomorrow during all the action, I’m the distraction inside the village that will give them time to get gone.”
Sucking in a breath, he debated on asking for details, then decided it might be better for his sanity if he didn’t. “I wish you luck.”
“Ha, they’re gonna need it, not me.” Turning, she went to where Nona waited for her by the entrance.
Blowing out a long breath, he watched them leave.
“That woman scares the hell out of me,” Jesse said as he stood up beside him.
“Agreed.” Calum gave him a nod. “You heading out at first light to meet up with the alliance?”
“Yeah. Can’t tell you how happy I was to find out there’s a road on the other side of the mountain. Dev sent his father the details.” He ran a hand through his curly hair. “That walk in the other way gave me the creeps, felt like insects crawling all over me the whole time.”
Nodding, Calum wondered if Devin’s father would be able to get to the truth of who was helping Leroy for all these years. If they disappeared, they’d always be wondering if it was happening somewhere else. “Just get there safe and back again.”
“Count on it.” He looked around. “I’m going to try and find a quiet spot to grab a quick nap. Never been in so much commotion for so long in my life.”
“I’ll see you in the morning.” For the fourth time, he turned to Shaelan but found her walking toward him.
“Billie’s going to go try to rest.” Her eyes moved from his neck to his eyes a few times. “I’m exhausted.”
He studied her eyes as they stroked over his neck again, he felt his body stir. “Most of me is as well.”
She blushed. “Well, with this many people in here, most of you is going to have to behave.”
Nodding slowly, he winked. “Most of.”
He looked back at his sleeping mate one more time, then gave Gage a shove to get moving.
Once out in the opening and far enough away to not be heard, he looked back again. Shaelan wasn’t going to be happy they had left this early without waking her. He didn’t know how he knew that; he just did.
“I’ll be lucky if Kelsey doesn’t stab me later,” Gage murmured.
Devin nodded. “I’ll be doing penance for this too, now.”
Running his hands through his hair, Calum huffed out a breath. “We have no idea if this is going to go smoothly. We may have to think fast and adjust…” He looked from one to the other. “We can’t be blamed for trying to keep our mates safe.”
Devin and Gage exchanged a knowing look.
“Keep telling yourself that,” Gage told him as he started walking.
Devin shrugged, then turned to follow. “This mating stuff is complicated.”
Calum caught up to them, checking over his shoulder ever few feet. “I barely survived the mating part, so I’ll take your word for it.”
Gage made a point of looking at his neck in an obvious manner. “I think your throat took the brunt.” He whistled. “So glad Kelsey bit me after her first change.”
Calum ran his hand over the tender area of his neck. “I’m not talking about this.” He grinned briefly remembering how he felt when she did it. “I meant that bullshit of no touching…what the hell is that about?”
Both men nodded.
“Right there with you. I’m just glad we only have to go through it once,” Devin said quietly.
“Longest wait in my life,” Gage mumbled.
Shaking it off, Calum pointed to their right. “We have to go in that way to be in the forbidden area.”
“Where the grave is?” Devin asked, his tone serious again.
“Yeah.” Calum clenched his jaw, thinking of Gene.
“They’ll pay for it,” Gage said, his tone lethal.
Calum flexed his hands a few times, feeling his fingers vibrate with claws that wanted to emerge. “Nothing done to them could ever make up for the years of despotic treatment they’ve put their own people through.”
Devin clasped his shoulder lightly. “The alliance…we’ll heal what we can.”
Nodding, Calum exhaled the flash of emotion riding him. “Let’s just get those men out. Then I’m free to kill the bastards who are responsible.”