“Jentzen. Jentzen Boudreaux, a Cajun from the Bayou but has no plans to head back that way anytime soon, he says.”
Thadd came to a stop behind Yarah’s Hennessey Venom GT. The Cheetah shifter was literally the fastest animal on the planet and drove a vehicle that he said was worthy of him in his human skin. The crazy male had taken Thadd for a ride once, shifting into second taking them from zero to sixty in two point five seconds. By the time their little spin had finished, the fucker had them at over two hundred miles per hour, laughing at Thadd’s roar. He wouldn’t have been laughing for long if he hadn’t have stopped because Thadd was within seconds of tossing his dinner onto the assholes leather interior, after which he would’ve beat the smaller cat to death.
“You are never to get in that vehicle with Yarah, ever.” He pointed at the shiny vehicle in front of him.
“Are you still whining about that?”
He looked at the tall whipcord lean male leaning against the porch next to Wynter, the other cat shifter who liked to fuck with Thadd when they were in their animal forms. Wynter, unlike Yarah, was more elusive in the fact he preferred big trucks over sleek cars. His snow leopard form was larger than normal ones, but he could take down prey twice his size.
“You are never to have my mate or brother in your vehicle. No, let me clarify. You are to never drive them in any vehicle unless their lives are at stake. Understood?” He put authority behind the order, alpha power rolling off of him.
Hollis straightened from his perch on the porch. “I see you’ve found your place as well as your mate.”
Thadd took a deep breath, giving Torrance’s hand a squeeze. “Come, it’s time for you to meet my Crew and my family, our family. You ready, goat?” He was a little shocked the proper speaking thing hadn’t said a word in the last couple hours.
“It’s Mr. Bixley, you oaf. I will not answer to you if you cannot speak to me properly.”
Oh, the snark was strong in the little familiar. “Heard and understood, Mr. Bixley. Come on, family. Let’s meet our crew.”
“Do you think they’ll like me?” Yaro asked.
Thadd wondered at the perfect English his brother spoke, knowing how hard it had been for him when he’d left their village. Yaro had explained that all the females died from famine, leaving the males no choice but to go in search of other mates in different countries. Thadd knew better. He knew the truth. The females’ deaths were due to their mates’ cruelty. The young lion couldn’t smell the taint like he did. The connection between alpha and pride was missing because their father didn’t hold that position any longer, because the goddess had stripped it from him as only she could do.
He looked over at Torrance, then back to Yaro. “They will love you both as I do.”
With a nod, he pushed his door open, turning to lift Yaro’s handle for him. “Come on.” He waited for Yaro to climb down. Together they went around to Torrance’s door. Thadd’s chest swelled with pride as she took his hand, letting him help her even though she was more than capable of doing it herself.
“Hello, a little help back here,” Mr. Bixley groused.
Torrance wiggled her fingers, making his door open without any of them having to move. Several gasps from his Crew, followed by whispers running together as they all saw with their own eyes Torrance’s powers, had him setting his shoulders straighter. Better to start as you mean to go on.
“Get your ass down here, Mr. Bixley. We got people to meet.” Thadd kissed Torrance’s forehead. “You ready?” he asked her.
She smiled and nodded.
With his brother to his left, his mate to his right, and the goat who insisted they call him by his name clacking next to Torrance, they walked as a unit up to his Crew.
“Well, shite, you leave for a few days on your Harley, then a truck pops out of the sky with said Harley in the back along with a bike that Yarah is coveting, only to show up in a badass truck with a”—Blitz sniffed before continuing—"a cat of something. Smells big but she wields magic and a talking goat, and a plus one. I do reckon you know how to get ‘r done, brother.” Blitz flipped his ball cap backward, rocking back on his cowboy boots.
“That I do. That I do. And for the record, she’s a witch and a panther. Lula has dubbed her a witchyanther I think.” He turned his eyes toward Hollis, who hadn’t moved from his station on the porch. “Come on, there’s someone I want you to meet.”
They moved around the crowd standing below Hollis and Annie.
“Thadd, it’s good to see you. Who you got with you?” Hollis asked.
He tilted his head to the side, wondering why his alpha was acting aloof. “We got a problem, Hollis? Are we not welcome here?”
“You smell different, Thadd. Can’t you feel it?” Hollis asked.
Annie put her hand on his arm. “Hollis, he’s always smelled like that.”
Hollis looked down at Annie, before facing Thadd. “Maybe a little, but he’s more now.”
She shook her head. “No, he’s just allowing you to see it. I always saw it, dear.”
“What?” Hollis whipped back and forth. “Is she saying the truth?”
Thadd inhaled, not wanting to deny the truth any longer. “Hollis, I didn’t want you to cast me aside. Everywhere I went, alphas feared me. Feared my beast. I learned to push him back. It wasn’t bad for either of us. We learned to coincide, and I let him out when he needed to be free, but only on a tether. I had to let him free to save Torrance and I from my old Pride. He’s agreed to be good, but I don’t think I’ll ever have
