My mate. What a time to find my freaking mate, and if finding my mate wasn’t bad enough, I couldn’t wipe myself from his mind. I had no trouble with the lion, but the man guarding me, shielding me unnecessarily from the one on the verge of a change, was another story. He’d been unaffected by my ability. I’d been trying to wipe myself from his memory when he was holding onto me, but he just continued to look at me like he was hungry, and I was his prey. My body responded to his nearness, and as much as I wanted him, I couldn’t have him. Not until my mother and I were free from our skulk.
King moved on with muttered curses, knowing he was outnumbered in the Dark Leopards’ game room. I’d come in with a job to do. Malcolm wanted the signet ring of the Demon Pride, and he’d sent me to get it. The flashy piece of precious metal was in my boot, biting into my skin. What Malcolm wanted with the ring; I didn’t know. All I knew was if I didn’t get it for him, my mother was dead. It’s how he controlled me—threatening Mom. I hated him for everything he’s done to my family.
“Kitty,” my mate said, watching the back of the lion as he was stalking toward the front doors.
“Yeah, Pres?” A younger guy about my age stepped forward. Kitty? An unusual name for a man. It was laughable, since the guy was as big as a brick shit house, with tattoos covering his arms that also curled up the side of his neck. He was intimidating and the complete opposite of what a kitty would be.
“Make sure he leaves and don’t let him back in.”
The younger guy followed behind King without question. When they were gone, I figured I’d have a pissed off leopard mate to deal with. One angry leopard that wouldn’t forget who I was or that I’d caused trouble in his place of business. Great.
I was in uncharted waters. Nobody’s ever seen me before unless I allowed it, and they sure as shit didn’t remember me if I wanted them to forget. I’ve made myself invisible to Malcolm more times than I can count, but he always threatens Mom’s life to make me reveal myself. If I made him forget—I shivered at the thought of what he would do.
“Yes,” he finally turned around to address me. “You’re my mate.”
The air seemed to pull from my lungs as the sound of his low timbered voice washed over me. He wasn’t angry with me. His eyes weren’t full of anger or frustration; they were filled with a fire of a different kind. The golden-green eyes staring back at me were like those of the cat he had inside him. His square jaw was covered by his full beard, and I resisted the urge to reach up to see if it was as soft as it looked.
“Did you know who he was when you stole from him?” He broke the silent stare down that we were locked in.
“Yes.” I didn’t bother to lie; he’d have heard it in my voice.
“Yet you did it anyway?” He quirked a brow at me.
I straightened my shoulders and squared off with him. If he was expecting me to cower, he had another think coming. The only reason I had to do Malcolm’s bidding was because he had my mom under his thumb, and I wasn’t strong enough to get her out, yet. I was working on a plan to get us both out safely. Together.
“I did.” I shrugged like it was nothing because it was nothing. King wouldn’t have remembered he caught me, but my mate was apparently immune to what I could do. He’s the one that caught me.
“Come with me.”
He didn’t give me a choice. Instead, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me across the room, weaving me around the different machines until we were over by the bar. He gestured for me to take a seat on one of the stools. He took the one beside me but turned his back to the wall and his open legs toward me. My nerves were humming. I felt like there were a million butterflies in my stomach. Inside my chest, my heart raced, and my fox stared at our mate in rapt adoration. I sighed and silently told her no. She didn’t like that.
“What’s your name, mate?” he asked after getting us both something to drink from the guy working the bar. He had a matching leather vest on, only the name on it was OZ where my mate’s patch said Six. He also had a patch that said Vice President, where Six’s identified him as the President. All alpha. I almost rolled my eyes at seeing the patch. I would be mated to an alpha animal.
Thanks a lot, fate. Want to fuck with me a little more? I silently cursed whatever deity that paired the two of us. My father was an alpha who was murdered by his second, who wanted to be alpha. My stepfather’s an alpha asshole, evil as the day is long. Of course, I’d be the fated mate of an alpha leopard who was immune to my abilities.
“What’s yours?” I countered. I didn’t want to give him my name, not yet. There were too many things in the way of us being together. Malcolm, first and foremost, and the signet ring I just stole for another. The last thing I’d want to do is bring trouble to my mate and his people.
“Six.”
“Six? Why, Six?”
“Answer my question, and I’ll answer another of yours. What’s your name?”
“Cara,” I said the first name that popped in my head. It was close enough to my own
