I roared, which sounded weak compared to any other cat, and padded over to stand in front of her. The three hadn’t even twitched or tried to make a move. Why not? What were they waiting for?
Crouching low, I got ready to spring. I couldn’t spare a glance at Verity, but I knew she was unhurt physically.
Before I leaped, in the distance, I could hear a low whistle, a string of notes. I jumped, but the shifters flew out the windows before I could touch them. When I shifted back into human form and peered out the window, they’d already disappeared. What the hell just happened?
Verity whimpered, and I spun around quickly to battle any enemy who might have appeared, only to find her passed out, lying slumped to the side. That was the second time tonight. I really wasn’t sure my mate could handle the life I lived.
“She’ll be fine,” Siam said as she came into the room, wearing a long T-shirt. “Put these on. No need to scare the poor girl with your small pecker. It’s a shame she has to be saddled with you for the rest of your life.”
I caught the black pair of sweats she threw at me, glaring at her, refusing to take the bait. Maybe not. “You can only dream of your mate having a dick as big and talented as mine.” Pulling them on, I scanned the room, looking for anything that would explain that weird behavior.
“What happened? Your prospects came in, and another wolf showed up. They were handling him, and all of the sudden, the wolf stopped fighting and ran away. Your boys went after him.”
“Kite, Dogg, get your asses back here,” I ordered. I honestly didn’t know what the hell that was, and I didn’t want the prospects to find themselves in the middle of something they couldn’t handle. Lifting Verity in my arms, I finally said, “I haven’t a fucking clue. I want you to pack a bag for yourself and for her. Can you do that? Do you need me to help?”
“Nah, I got it. Mine is already packed.”
I quirked an eyebrow in question, and she returned the gesture. “Why?”
“You telling me you don’t have a go-bag packed. Come on. How many times did we move before our shit parents finally left us behind? Foster care, it took me three homes before I found one that stuck. Always ready to go and move. I don’t think I’ll ever break the habit even though life has been stable for over a decade.”
She was right. We had a crappy start to life, but things got better for both of us. Stepping around me, Siam walked into Verity’s closet and brought out an armful of clothes to throw into the suitcase already lying open on the bed. To get out of her way, I carried my mate into the living room, setting her down on the couch. There was a blood trail leading to the kitchen where a dead wolf lay with a chunk taken out of its neck. I was certain this was Siam’s attempt at hiding it from Verity.
I was confused and angry, but I’d also been scared shitless tonight. Someone could have taken my mate and my sister from me. I didn’t take that lightly. But the way they acted…could a whistle do that to them? I thought hypnotizing a shifter was impossible. Hell, the whole notion that anyone could be hypnotized sounded like a crock to me. Maybe the whistle was a signal, and they were waiting on the right one to act? But if that was the case, why didn’t they twitch when I leaped into the room. The door was cracked open, and they didn’t flinch. That wasn’t normal behavior. When two animals that were enemies faced each other, a fight almost always happened, and many times shifters were more beast than human.
“Snow, we’re at the van, getting dressed. Didn’t figure you would want us coming back in freaking everyone out,” Dogg informed me.
“No. Go ahead and stay down there. Keep an eye out for anything unusual. We’ll be down in a few minutes. Siam is packing now,” I returned, staring down at Verity’s face. She looked so young, so innocent, and yet, she was mated to me. She felt the pull too, I saw it at the bar, but she fought it. Why? What happened in that split second? Was it my cut? Did she think I would hurt her because I belong to the Dark Leopards? Something else? Her reaction seemed a little more over the top than most people, but then again, she had fainted twice already. “Verity?” I spoke her name softly.
372
Verity
I heard someone calling to me. A deep, soothing voice that bathed me in warmth. Expressive silver eyes came to mind, and I opened mine, briefly smiling up at the man hovering over me. Snow.
And then everything else came crashing back. Dark Leopards MC. A snow leopard attacking Wes. Animals breaking into my house. A snow leopard shattering my door. The animals leaving. The snow leopard transforming into Snow. I had to be losing my mind and needed psychological help. Sure, I’d known there were people who could shift into animals, but I’d never seen it with my own eyes, never expected Snow to be one of them.
I sat up and pulled away from him, clutching my knees to my chest. He’d killed Wes, he was one of the men who killed my brother. But tonight, he’d saved me. Why? Why did I feel safe with him when he was one of the most dangerous men on this planet? Why did I want him to wrap his arms around me and never let go?
“Verity, listen to me. I won’t hurt you,” he whispered, and I believed him, but I couldn’t allow myself to react.
“Please go,” I asked quietly.
Shaking his head, Snow sighed. “I