As we moved down the hall, Nikki was waiting by the door to my room. She’s a bobcat shifter, a little bigger than my mate’s fox, but I’d put money on Twistie any day from the sounds she was producing, letting her displeasure at the other woman’s presence be known.
“Easy, Twistie, Nikki is here to help. She has a plant mixture that helps with pain without making us loopy and out of control. That’s why she’s waiting.”
Papa Cat took me to my door but didn’t move to enter my room. Nikki didn’t dare enter either. The only one that didn’t hesitate to walk into my cat’s den was Twistie. Everyone in the club knew my cat hated people in our den, so nobody ever stepped foot in there. Not until the other night. Not until I met Twistie.
The shock of my mate moving into the room without any hesitation registered on both Papa and Nikki’s faces.
“Thanks, y’all. Twistie will handle it from here.” I dismissed them and slammed the door in their faces, locking it. As soon as I turned around, Twistie’s fox started to phase back into her beautiful naked human form.
I didn’t see her body the other night, not like this. She was slim, but her breasts were just enough, her hips slightly curved, and I wanted to lick every fucking tanned inch of her. Especially the dewy, fragrant center of her. I could smell her arousal in the air.
“Six,” she said softly, drawing my attention away from the apex of her thighs. “Let me fix your back.”
“No more running, Camilla.”
“No more running. I have nothing left to run to.” Her voice was saddened, and I hated hearing the note of despair in her voice.
“I’ll let you fix my back as long as you explain what you mean.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I’ll call Nikki in here to fix me up.” I said the lie easily, but it wouldn’t happen. Neither of us wanted her in this space. It was ours.
“I’ll tell you but come lay down first.” She moved toward the bathroom as I moved to the bed. I fell across the mattress, knowing that I’d have to change the sheets before we were able to sleep tonight because, by the end of this, they’d likely be soaked with blood.
She came back in carrying a wet washcloth and a cup of water. There was no way the water would be enough to clean the scratches my body was now sporting, but I didn’t say anything. I just wanted her near me—touching me.
“You came back.” It wasn’t a question. I didn’t care why she came back. My cat was finally calm, knowing she was here and safe.
“Yes. Things changed.” She swallowed hard. I heard her fighting back the tears as she worked to clean my wounds.
“What changed, Twistie?” I used my power as alpha to wash over her. The steel in my voice wasn’t to be dismissed.
“You’re hurt, Six. There’s nothing you can do about it now.”
I rolled over, ignoring the pain that radiated up my back with the quick move. I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her beneath me. Her naked flesh against mine felt like heaven.
Her thighs cuddled against my hips, and my cock was hard as a rock, ready to thrust inside her. It took everything in me not to thrust into her wet heat. I ignored the need in my body and focused on what was important—my mate had too many secrets and not enough trust in me. Both of which I wanted to rectify.
“What can’t I do anything about? Are you in danger?” She shook her head no, but her eyes clouded with tears. “Someone you love is in danger.” Her eyes flashed, and I knew I hit the nail on the head.
“My mother,” she said softly. Her heart was breaking in front of my eyes, and it was tearing me apart inside.
“Who’s got her?”
“My stepfather. He’ll kill her when he realizes I’m gone. She’ll be of no use to him anymore.” She swallowed audibly.
“Have you both tried to leave before?”
“Yes. He caught us and beat my mom to teach me a lesson.”
“Why did you leave without her this time?”
“He knew. He knew I’d found my mate. I don’t know how he knew, but he knew and...” She looked toward the window, avoiding eye contact as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“And what?”
“He was going to let his second claim me. I’d have been trapped there like my mom is. She begged me to go.” Her voice trailed off, and I could hear the pain and guilt she was trying to hide.
My blood boiled, and rage burned through my body. Inside, my leopard was chomping at the bit to get out and destroy the man who thought he could give my mate to another. The man who kept his wife held prisoner to control his stepdaughter and her gifts.
This man didn’t know it yet, but the minute he’d started hurting her—using her, he signed his fucking death warrant.
“Names, Twistie. Give me the names of your stepfather and his second.”
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Camilla
“After you’re healed,” I said. “Let me finish bandaging your back, then I’ll tell you everything from the beginning.”
Six moved off me, and I went back to cleaning his wounds. I straddled his hips as I meticulously cleaned each scratch. The heat of his skin below my wet pussy was distracting. I know he could feel my warmth and smell my arousal.
I put the salve that
