Hunted (8 page)

“Let’s just say she wants to talk to you very soon.” He looked at me and grinned. “In fact, she’ll be here tomorrow, along with several others, to witness our announcement to the pride. Unless I miss my guess, she’ll stay through the weekend and the clan announcement.”

I shook my head, not at all surprised. Well, I was surprised Matt would be presenting me to the pride so soon. I’d figured he’d do it at the same time he presented me to the clan.

“I’m a little surprised she isn’t already on her way.”

“Well--”

Matt grinned again as he stepped into his jeans. A fresh wave of lust washed over me and I pushed it back. There would be plenty of time for that later. I’d make sure of it. But right now, I needed to know exactly what had him grinning like a loon and what, if anything, I needed to know about tomorrow night.

“She said she’d be on the road by early evening, but that we aren’t to expect her until morning.”

Excitement to see her and actually not worry about being discovered filled me. Then it was gone, just as quickly as it had come. If she came here, if Michael knew about it . . .

“Matt!”

Hush, Finn. It’s all right.” He pulled me close. His embrace was comforting, his hands gentle. “We talked about how this might tip Jennings off. But you have to trust us. There is a very legitimate reason for her to be coming here, especially after yesterday. You see, I was worried, and more than a bit angry, to find out someone had sent trackers into my territory without permission. No, I don’t know who they were after. But, worried that it might signal trouble for neighboring clans, I called those I have the closest relationships with. Most of them felt I was overreacting but have promised to keep a look out for trouble. Irene Walkinghorse, on the other hand, is as worried as I am and wants to meet to see if, together, we might not find some answers.”

I looked up at him, relieved to see nothing but confidence reflected on his face. With it was determination. I smiled and relaxed. He was right. That was the sort of explanation that would satisfy almost anyone who might wonder why my grandmother suddenly decided to make a trip to Dallas. It might even satisfy Michael. I didn’t really think so, but I was willing to hope.

“And tomorrow?” Nerves knotted my stomach.

“You’ll be introduced to the pride as my mate.” His hand stroked my cheek and he bent to brush his lips against mine. “Don’t look so worried. You’ve met my inner circle already. More than that, you’ve won over my sister. The rest will be a piece of cake.”

“I hope so.”

God, I hoped so.

“Now, let’s get you properly marked as a member of the pride and clan and as my mate. Then CJ can add to my markings. I want no one to doubt or question your place at my side.”

Knowing he was right, I nodded. Finally, hopefully, I had found a home, one safe from the demons of my past.

*     *     *

I stared at my reflection, a bemused expression on my face. I had to admit CJ was more than good. She was a master tattooist. She’d taken my sketch and brought it to life. I twisted slightly so I could see the entire image on my upper arm and shoulder. It was more than proof I was now a member of the Dallas pride and Texas clan. I was Matt’s mate.

And this was a work of art.

One that right now felt like a bunch of ants were biting me. Not exactly painful, but annoying as hell. But it was worth it, especially when I remembered how Matt had asked CJ to add to his tattoo. A second jaguar--smaller, of course, as females of our kind are and with my green eyes--and my birth date had been carefully worked into his tattoo. She’d promised to add his birth date to my own tat after I’d healed up some.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, a grin touched my lips. Leaning against the wall, doing her best to look nonchalant, was Sharon. Despite her expression, I could see the excitement in her eyes and scent it in the air. Well, I guess I couldn’t blame her. I was just relieved she so obviously approved not only of me joining the pride and clan but of becoming her brother’s mate as well.

Without a word, she grabbed my hand and pulled me into the den. I could hear Matt and CJ talking in the kitchen. Another voice joined theirs, soft but definitely male. Curious, I lifted my head and breathed deeply. Gillespie. Hopefully his presence didn’t mean trouble had already found us.

“Don’t worry, Finn. He’s just reporting in,” Sharon reassured me before I could ask. She drew me under the light and then moved so she could get a good look at my tattoo. “Damn, CJ was right. This is beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her do better and she said that’s because of your drawing.”

A blush warmed my face. It’s silly, but that drawing had been so much a part of me for so long that it meant a lot to know others appreciated it.

“She tried asking Matt to see if you’d let her have the drawing--I think she offered to tattoo all your children and grandchildren for free--but he simply smiled and said no one got to keep it but the two of you.”

If possible, my blush deepened.

“Now, before we join the others, let me welcome you not only to pride and clan, but to the family. I saw how Matt was drawn to you the moment I arrived yesterday. More importantly, he felt stronger, more in control than ever before. Let me tell you, that’s saying something.” She grinned, her affection for her brother clear. “As his sister, I want to see him happy. As a member of his pride and clan, I’m glad he’s finally found a mate worthy of him and one who is strong enough to keep him from doing anything foolish.”

“Sharon.” How could I tell her I felt the same way about Matt? It still seemed odd to me. Maybe because she hadn’t been apart from our kind like I had, she understood, where it still felt like an odd dream to me--or one of those sappy movies where the heroine and hero fall in love the moment their eyes lock. Except what I felt for Matt wasn’t love. At least I didn’t think so. That might come later. What I felt was a kind of completion, of being whole for the first time.

Hell, what did I know? This was all so new to me. Maybe it was love.

“Sharon,” I said again. “I meant what I said earlier. I feel complete with your brother. I know we belong together. Does being with him, being part of the clan and being his mate help protect me from Michael? It does and I won’t deny it. But that isn’t what matters. Not now. All that does is that I help protect and nurture the pride and clan, that I do what I can to make Matt happy.”

“Well,” she began, her head cocked to one side, a slight smile tugging at her lips. “There is one more thing you need to do.”

“What?” Suddenly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

“Be my friend and, at least sometimes, make common cause with me against my brother.” Now she grinned gaily. “After all, we do have to keep him humble.”

 Laughing, I draped an arm across her shoulders. Damn but I’d forgotten what it was like not to be alone.

The chirping of birds woke me. I swear, if anyone ever needed proof God has a warped sense of humor, all they’d have to do is think about how sadistic it is to create something so happy to greet the morning and then let it sing and chirp and who knows what outside the bedroom window of someone like me. I buried my head deeper into the pillow, wishing for all I was worth for the birds to go away. Unfortunately, they’d accomplished their dastardly mission. I was awake.

As I rolled onto my side, an arm reached across my waist, pulling me back. For a moment, panic flared. My heart thudded and my breath caught. The first thought my sleep-fogged brain formed was that Michael had finally found me. But that couldn’t be right. If he had, there was no way I’d have gone willingly to bed with him and, since I wasn’t bound in any way and the only aches I felt most definitely hadn’t come from a beating, the only explanation for me being in bed with anyone was that I’d wanted to be.

Matt
.

Memory of how he’d almost shyly escorted me into his bedroom the night before returned. Gone was the confident man who’d joined me in the shower that afternoon. That was probably a good thing because, once alone in the house with him, I’d turned tongue-tied and shy. I’d wanted him just as much as ever, maybe even more. But now, for the first time, it was real. My days of running, God willing, were gone and I was home.

“Don’t get up,” Matt murmured, his breath warm against my neck.

“I have to.” My bladder was reminding that I had things needing to be taken care of now that I was awake. Even so, I rolled over and rested my head against his chest. His heart beat slowly, reassuringly beneath my cheek. “Be right back.”

As I slid out of bed, he sighed and threw an arm over his eyes. When he growled as the birds once more started their morning song, I chuckled softly. For some reason, it thrilled me to know he was no more of a morning person that was I.

When I emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, a pang of guilt stabbed at me, followed quickly by frustration. The bed was empty and Matt was nowhere to be seen. So much for spending the morning in bed. Still, I should have realized he couldn’t lounge around all day. He had taken most of yesterday off so he could be with me. It only made sense that he had to make up for it today.

I found him in the kitchen, putting on the coffee. Dressed in only a pair of jeans, his hair sleep-tousled, he still managed to look as appealing as he had the night before. Desire flared. But, just then, I needed coffee more than I needed him. Still, he might be a great accompaniment to coffee.

Smiling, I moved across the cool tile floor until I stood behind him. He chuckled softly as I slid my arms around his waist and leaned into him.

“Thank you.”

He carefully turned, not quite breaking my hold on him. Then he cupped my chin in one hand and tilted my head up so I looked into his incredible blue eyes. I didn’t try to look away as he bent to lightly kiss me. Who gives a damn about morning breath when you have someone like Matt to wake up to?

“For what?” His thumb gently rubbed my cheek.

“Coffee.” I grinned when he cocked an eyebrow. “And yesterday and last night and everything.” Tongue-tied again, I swallowed. I had to explain. “Matt, you’ve offered me a home, one I feel safe in. You didn’t have to and you sure didn’t have to agree to my offer to be your mate. I know that could put you at odds with some of the others in the clan.” Funny, after talking with Sharon, and even Gillespie, last night, I didn’t worry about the pride.

“I want you to know I did not make the offer lightly. I will do everything I can to help you be a stronger leader and to help keep pride and clan safe. I don’t know any other way to say it except this: you saved me and I will always thank you for that.”

For several long moments he looked at me. Then he took my hand and led me to the table. The way he held a chair out for me reminded me of how my mother used to tell me gentlemen should behave. I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat as memory and reality collided. He left me sitting there long enough to pour us each a mug of coffee. Then he was back, sitting next to me.

“Finn, we need to talk.” He ran a hand over the tabletop and it dawned on me he was nervous. “I know you think, at least on some level, that I believe you made your offer only so I’d protect you from Jennings. But you’re wrong.

“I will admit, when I first offered you protection, it was because I couldn’t stand by and let any of our kind be hunted as you were. Even without knowing why the trackers were after you, I knew what they were doing was wrong. They’d violated my territory which was bad enough. Worse, they’d used a taser that had somehow been adapted to cause the most pain and damage possible without killing you.”

I shuddered and pushed my coffee back. Suddenly even the smell of it turned my stomach as realization of what could have happened if Matt hadn’t shown up when he did struck. He must have realized what I was thinking because he shifted slightly in his chair. Then he reached for me, pulling me onto his lap and wrapping his arms protectively around me.

“But things changed as my anger cooled some. That’s when I realized there was something about you that called to me. I couldn’t believe you didn’t know you were an alpha. It didn’t make any sense and I didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was that you were here.” He paused and I waited, barely daring to breathe.

“It didn’t make any sense. I had never felt that way before, and never had my cat reacted to another like that.”

I had to see him, to look into his eyes as he spoke. Carefully, I shifted until I straddled him and we were eye-to-eye.

“After Stefan treated you and you’d passed out, I told him what I’d been feeling. He’s sort of filled in for my father the last eight years or so, ever since my folks moved to Ireland for Dad’s job. Anyway, Stefan listened, a funny smile on his face. Then he poured me a whiskey and congratulated me, telling me I’d finally found my mate. That’s when I remembered my dad telling me a long time ago that, if I was very lucky, I’d one day find my life mate. Too often we don’t. And here, out of the blue, you appeared and my world suddenly seemed complete.”

My hand trembled as I reached out to touch his cheek. The stubble of his beard tickled my palm. Then a distant memory of my mother telling me much the same thing came. Could this really be happening?

“So I guess you’re saying I’m stuck with you.” I grinned and then squealed in protest as his fingers found the ticklish spots at my ribs.

Before it could turn into full-fledged horseplay, the doorbell rang. I scrambled off Matt’s lap, suddenly aware of the fact I wore nothing but the shirt he’d discarded the night before. Snatching my mug of coffee off the table, I hurried out of the kitchen. My life might have turned upside down--or right side up, depending on how you looked at it--but I wasn’t ready to greet the world half-dressed. I’d leave that to Matt.

Five minutes later, dressed in jeans and red tank top, my teeth and hair brushed, I made my way to the den. I’m not sure what I expected to find, but it certainly wasn’t this. Matt wasn’t alone. A tall, thin man with long black hair pulled back in a braid stood near the door to the kitchen. To the casual observer, he might look relaxed. But I saw the tension in the way he stood, the alertness in his gaze.