Cat's Wolf (A Shifter Romance Novella) (7 page)

Her eyelids growing heavy she dropped her
head back and moaned. Rhys’ hips picked up their pace and he dropped his head
into the crook of her neck, a low rumble vibrating in his chest as he nipped
and sucked at her throat.

Their breathing grew unsteady and a light
sweat broke out on their skin.

Raising his head, he said, “Look at me.” Kaitlin
forced open her eyes and looked into his. They were filled with emotion;
tenderness, passion, longing and fascination. “Come for me,” he said gruffly.

She felt herself tumble over the edge, her
body arching beneath him as her muscles clamped down on him. Rhys’ name left
her lips on a moan as pleasure shot through her. Rhys followed a few minutes
later, his face burrowed in her neck as he pulsed inside her and growled
against her throat.

Kaitlin held him close as they recovered,
idly stroking a hand up and down his muscled back. She glanced around the SUV
and smiled. “We really need to get a room,” she said with a smirk, then winced
as the seatbelt holder dug painfully into her rib, “Or a bigger car.”

Rhys laughed and pulled back, tugging her up
as he did. “Well I have a perfectly good suite back at the Bay…” he tempted.

Grabbing her thong from the floor she tugged
it up her legs. “To the Bay it is.”

Chapter 10

Her nerves were jangling as they reached the penthouse suite
of the Crescent Bay Hotel. She could sense all the wolves moving and talking
behind the closed door and it was playing havoc with her control.

Rhys finger brushed her cheek. “You
don’t have to be nervous, Cat. They’re going to love you.”

Kaitlin wished she had his
confidence. Her puma was itching to run away but as long as she didn’t panic
she would stay in control.

She watched as he placed the
electronic key card in the door slot and the light turned green. Silence fell
inside and she took a deep breath as the door released and he turned the
handle, pushing it open.

Her gaze landed on the ten or so
men in the room. Some she recognised from the night at the club, others she
didn’t. Her eyes landed on the one person she knew by name. Brent grinned at
her and she managed a small smile back.

Kaitlin’s puma was almost winning
as she shifted from foot to foot nervously.

Rhys’ large palm landed on her
waist and she felt his calming influence spread through her. “You okay?” He
whispered.

She nodded and gave him a grateful
smile.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you.” He
tugged gently on her hand to get her moving and then led her over to the
waiting shifters. “You already know Brent, he’s my Beta.” At that, Kaitlin saw
him in a new light. It explained why it was always Brent who was sent after
her; he trusted him to keep her safe.

They went down the line of men and
all were polite as they spoke to her.

“This is just a fraction of the men
who sided with me, Cat. The others are out, checking on things for me.”

Kaitlin smiled. “It’s lovely to
meet you.”

They all nodded and smiled back
apart from one at the far end. His face was set in a frown, his dark eyes hard
as he stared at her. She thought his name was Raoul but wasn’t sure. Her puma
became restless under his stare and she took a small step back.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket,
distracting her and she pulled it out to see who it was. Misha. Some moral
support would be nice right about now.

When she looked back up, Rhys was
watching her expectantly. She also noticed that everyone had dispersed from the
room sans Brent, who stood a little to the side.

“I could really use the toilet,”
she said.

Her lover frowned; obviously
sensing something was wrong but unable to tell what it was. Brent answered
instead, “It’s just at the end of the hall.”

She smiled at him, “Thanks.” Then
headed off in the direction he’d indicated and she found the bathroom where
he’d said and stepped inside. Resting her back against the door she brought the
phone up so she could see the display and dialled Misha.

Her best friend answered on the
second ring. “Kaitlin? Where are you? What’s happened? There are rumours that
you left the cat compound with the wolf and that your father’s furious.” Her
voice was breathless by the end from lack of oxygen.

Kaitlin grimaced. She hadn't
expected the news to spread so quickly but it was big news; a cat leaving with
the enemy.

But Rhys
wasn’t
the enemy.
Rhys didn’t want a war: didn’t want to lose more of his people incessantly.

“I did leave with Rhys so I’m
guessing it undoubtedly pissed off my dad but I refuse to be used as a pawn in
whatever game he’s playing. Rhys has a room at the Crescent Bay and that’s
where we are.” She paused for a second, listening for any sounds outside the
door, before continuing, “I could really do with some moral support right now,
Misha. My puma is starting to freak out from being in such close proximity to
all these wolves; I don’t suppose you could come over, could you?”

There was a long silence on the
other end of the line and then a sigh, “Okay, I’ll be there in about fifteen
minutes.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s the least I can do. What room
are you in?”

Kaitlin smiled as she said, “The
penthouse.”

“You’re kidding? What’s it like? As
posh as the rest of the hotel, I bet.”

For the first time since she’d
entered the bathroom she took it all in.

Black marble with grey veins
running through it lined both the floor and the walls. There was a large white
bath against one wall with two sinks against the opposite one. At the far end
there was a floor to ceiling window with a stunning view of the city.

“It’s certainly something,” Kaitlin
said, voice slightly awed.

Misha laughed. “I’ll be there as
soon as possible. Let them know I’m coming, alright?”

“Of course,” with that she ended
the call and flushed the toilet to go with her earlier story of needing it.
Then she left the bathroom and went back down the hallway to the main room.
Rhys and Brent were talking quietly at the wrap around bar but cut off their
discussion when they saw her.

“Is everything okay?” He asked.

She nodded and wiggled her phone in
her fingers. “It was Misha. She wanted to check to see if I was okay so I
invited her over. You don’t mind, do you?”

“No, of course not, but we’ll have
to let everyone know whose out patrolling so they don’t go territorial about a
cat being in the area,” he glanced at Brent and the other man nodded before
moving away to make the necessary calls. When he’d gone Rhys returned his gaze
to her, “
Are
you okay?”

“A bit overwhelmed,” she admitted.

“It’s been a lot to take in,” he
agreed. “Would you rather be alone with your friend?”

Kaitlin shrugged. “Misha’s about as
scared of wolves as I was. It might be better if it’s just you and Brent; at
least she knows you by sight.”

Rhys nodded like he understood.
“Okay, I’ll get the guys out of here for you.”

She couldn't quite believe he was
being so accommodating. Sure, he believed her to be his mate but really? Did he
believe she was worth all this trouble?

It didn’t seem to matter what she
thought though. It was Rhys’ decision and he was getting rid of everyone so she
and Misha would be more comfortable.

“Brent, can you ask everyone to
leave before Cat’s friend arrives?”

“Sure. Are we giving them a night
off?”

Rhys thought it over for a minute
and then nodded slowly. “It’ll be their last for a while.”

Minutes later weres were filing
from the adjoining rooms, their mood light as they relaxed for the first time
in—well, she’d guess at weeks, but maybe it had been longer than that; months?

That urge to flee began to build in
her again as the wolves passed her. When they were alone again, a huge breath
left her as her puma relaxed; the urge to get out leaving her in a rush. She
swayed a little at the sudden regaining of her control and Rhys reached out a
hand to steady her.

Minutes later there was a tentative
knock on the door and Kaitlin knew it was Misha. When neither of them moved to
answer it, she crossed to the door herself and flung it open. Misha looked
nervous and glanced up and down the small corridor like she expected various
wolves to ambush her any second.

“Hey.”

Misha gave her a small smile, “Hey
yourself.”

Stepping back she beckoned her
friend inside, “Rhys got rid of everyone so don’t look so nervous.”

A look of relief crossed her face
and she visibly relaxed. That was until she caught sight of Rhys and Brent
stood there, discussing something quietly. In a whisper she said, “I thought
you said he’d gotten rid of everyone?”

With a slight grimace she conceded,
“Everyone but himself and Brent, as you can see.”

When she glanced back, Kaitlin
realised her friends gaze was locked on Brent and as she cast a quick glance at
him, she saw he was watching Misha with the same intensity. It was all very
steamy and overtly sexual; she was surprised the temperature in the room wasn’t
rising. What was going on there? She wondered.

Maybe she should just ask.

“Come on, sit down and we’ll chat.”
Grabbing her friend’s hand, she drew her into the sitting area, off to one
side, and they took seats on the plush chocolate brown sofa.

Misha glanced around the room,
avoiding looking in Brent’s direction at all costs. “This place is really
something,” she remarked.

“What’s going on between you and a
certain Beta?” She asked without preamble. Her gaze locked on Misha’s face for
any signs of a lie.

Colour flooded into her friends
cheeks and her mouth opened and closed several times before she said, “I don’t
know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, come on, Misha. I’m not blind.
We’ve been friends for years and I have never seen a look more intimate than
the one between you and Brent a moment ago. What’s happened?”

Her friend sucked in a quick breath.
“Like Rhys with you, Brent believes I’m his mate.”

A smile split Kaitlin’s face,
“That’s gre—”

“No!” Misha growled, “It’s terrible
because unlike you, I’m not brave enough to tell my family; to leave everyone I
love behind!”

Kaitlin watched her friend’s face,
picking up on the unhappiness and anger she felt about it all. She wished there
was something she could do to help but at the moment, there was nothing. “I’m
sorry, Misha.”

A snort was the only response she
got. “It’s not your fault fate’s being so cruel to us—
me
,” she amended.

Someone moved up behind them and
Kaitlin noticed how Misha tensed up. Brent. Turning to face him she raised a
brow.

“Do either of you want a drink?”

Misha jerked to her feet and ran
her hands down her jeans almost nervously. “No, I should be going actually. My
family will want to know where I’ve been.”

A soft growl emerged from Brent and
her friends head shot up to glare at him. Once again they faced off in a battle
of wills and Kaitlin was surprised when Brent was the one to look away first.

“I’ll call you later, Kaitlin.”

She stood and pulled her friend
into a tight hug. “Yeah. Do that.”

Then without another glance at
Brent she left the hotel room.

Chapter 11

“Are you trying to scare her off?”
She accused Brent.

His lips curled a little, “No, but
I’m running out of patience.”

Kaitlin cocked her hip and glared
at him. “Leave her alone until she’s gotten more used to the idea.”

“If you think that’ll work, that’s
what I’ll do.”

“I do.”

He held up his hands, palms out,
“Okay. I’ll give her a few weeks to get used to it.” And with that, he headed
over to the bar and poured himself a fair measure of some dark liquor and
downed it in one before pouring some more and walking out of sight.

“Huh,” she muttered.

Hands landed on her waist lightly
and she jumped at the sudden touch. Looking over her shoulder she saw Rhys
looking at the spot his second had just disappeared. “Everything okay?”

Kaitlin nodded absently, “Yeah. He
just needs to realise Misha isn’t like me. At all.”

He chuckled and nuzzled her neck,
“I think he’s starting to realise that. But if I remember correctly, you put up
a pretty good fight before giving in.”

“Hey,” she slapped one of the hands
at her waist and narrowed her eyes at him.

Rhys laughed again and pressed a soft
kiss to her jaw.

“Seriously though, she isn’t. She
didn’t have a domineering father breathing down her neck wanting her to be the
best she could; pushing her to learn everything he thought she should know.”
She sighed softly, “She wasn’t taught to fight, to defend herself. Her family
really are old school and didn’t want their daughter to be anything but a
pretty face. They think men should do the fighting and the women should stay
home and keep house. It’s archaic, especially for a shifter!” She cried
angrily.

He turned her in his arms and
cupped her face with his palms. “Calm down, we’ll figure something out. But it
will have to wait until we sort this business with your father.”

Kaitlin nodded understandingly.

Paul Mahone was going to cause hell
for Rhys pack because of
her
decision to leave with him. He’d already
set a bounty on Rhys head and God knows who else. Anyone could turn into a
possible murderer.

“Who’s going to come after you?”

Rhys’ eyes glowed amber for a
second as he stared over her shoulder at an unknown and invisible enemy.
“Anyone and everyone.”

Oh, God!
“What are we going
to do?” She asked, her voice wavering the tiniest bit.