You're Kitten Me (3 page)

Staring into Veronica’s pale eyes, watching them shift between blue and amber, he wasn’t sure.

And he didn’t want to risk finding out and losing her forever.

Ronnie refused to reveal any outward sign she was relieved by Braden’s arrival. It just wasn’t happening. She couldn’t give her feelings away, not when she wasn’t prepared to act on them. Ever. They needed to stick to the whole antagonistic, half-flirting, half-growling relationship they had.

It was safer.
Way
safer, no matter what her inner wolf said.

And it had a lot to say now that they were in the tiger second’s presence once more. A. Lot. And it didn’t just say things. It howled, it growled, and the stupid animal even whimpered when his hand enveloped hers.

Whimpered. The national wolf alpha’s daughter
whimpered
.

Maybe she was drugged. That could be the only reason her wolf reacted to the tiger in such a strong way.

Braden snatched her suitcase. Then they headed toward the massive doors, leaving the other two tigers to do as he ordered. She was happy to escape the oppressive space. She hadn’t realized how heavy the human’s desire weighed on her until she escaped the aroma. She’d scented it easily, the flavors battering her during the hours it took to travel from the Lakes to the Den. She thought she’d be free once they landed, but somehow they’d arrived early.

Which left her with the human.

The slimy-smelling, leering human. The wolf snarled its objection at his nearness, and she’d battled the animal to keep her fur and fangs at bay. Each time he got closer, it became a fiercer fight.

Braden’s grip tightened, and they slowed as they reached the hangar’s opening. He paused, peeking around the corner, and then led her to the waiting black SUV. Instead of heading to the passenger doors, they stopped at the front bumper. His scent transformed from one burning with anger and suppressed violence to the smoky edge of concern.

He released her suitcase and tugged her closer, capturing her other hand. “Are you okay?” he murmured.

Ronnie rolled her eyes and plastered a grin in place. “Of course. Tired of waiting, but I’m good, pussy-boy.”

If she insulted him, maybe he wouldn’t mention her rising terror moments ago.

“Uh-huh.” He released one hand and pulled her nearer as he cupped her cheek. “Try again.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m exhausted, that’s it.” She twitched and tried to jerk away from the tender touch, but he changed his hold until he gently gripped the back of her neck.

“You’re not gonna tell me what had you scared in there?”

No, she sure as hell wasn’t. She wasn’t going to reveal the truth about DoPE’s little visit to her house. She wouldn’t tell anyone about how she panicked and froze when they inched close. “Nope.”

“Veronica…”

She’d always hated her name. Until she met Braden and heard it falling from his lips. Now she knew why. The wolf wanted the tiger. She corrected him out of habit anyway. “Ronnie.”

“I mean it,
Veronica
. Do I need to go back in there and teach him not to touch what belongs to me?” Her heart picked up at the verbal claiming, but then he snatched the words back. “I mean, the pride.”

The action dashed whatever hint of hope sparked with his statement and she ignored her disappointment. She didn’t want to mate the tiger, remember?

“No,” she couldn’t resist touching him and laid her free hand over his heart. His warmth traveled through the thin fabric, and her animal practically purred—even if it was a wolf—with the connection. It enjoyed the contact way too much, especially since they weren't going to do anything about its mately leanings. The wolf actually snorted, practically calling her an idiot. “He only kept me company.”

“You were scared.”

Sometimes she hated being around shifters who could scent her emotions. Like, a lot. “Fine. I was annoyed, and I was afraid I’d have to kick the pilot’s ass if he got handsy. The public is pissy enough. We don’t need more bad press.” She rolled her eyes and gave him a rueful grin. “Ripping off the guy’s arm because he touched me would definitely qualify as bad press.”

“Uh-huh.” Braden eased backward until he rested against the vehicle’s bumper and drew her along with him until barely an inch separated their bodies. “You can tell me the truth.”

Ronnie swallowed hard and twitched against his hold once more. “I did.”

“You keep lying to yourself then.” He released her hand and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her even closer until her curves aligned with his hard muscles. She should push him away, wrench out of his hold and snarl at him for getting frisky.

But the wolf remembered the last time he’d tugged her this close, the last time he’d whispered in her ear, his lips brushing the shell and then lowering to nuzzle her neck. “
I’ll see you next time, baby.
”

She’d tried to snarl and growl at him then, too, but her inner animal hadn’t complied. It’d whimpered and whined, wanting to remain in Wilden no matter her father’s orders. It enjoyed the quiet breakfasts too much—the time before the rest of the house woke—and it was just her and Braden in the kitchen.

Or the late nights when her best friend, Zoe and her mate, Ares, found their beds and her family retreated to their rooms at the Wilden Inn. When she’d quietly wiggle closer to him and then lean into his side when he lifted his arm for her. They didn’t talk, merely snuggled close, and she told herself she allowed it because wolves needed the touch of others. They were pack animals.

Puppy piles were actually a thing.

They’d stay that way, scents and bodies twining in the darkness until it grew late, and then he’d quietly walk her to the inn. There’d only been one time they hadn’t followed the same ritual—the night before she’d left. They’d remained on the couch except this time he wasn’t passive—neither were. Hands stroked, legs entwined, and mouths… she still remembered the taste of his skin, and those thoughts had her pussy dampening and clenching with need.

Braden ran his nose along the column of her throat and then nipped her, sending a bolt of arousal down her spine. Her clit twitched, silently begging to be stroked, and Ronnie swallowed the whimper that threatened to surface.

“It’s good to see you again.” His voice rumbled through her.

It was damn good to be seen. And touched. And comforted. The tension she’d carried from the Lakes to the Den slowly ebbed, and she allowed herself to lean into his embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder and breathed deeply, allowing his scent to fill her lungs.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into him. Relief was a welcome emotion, and for every second she remained in his hold, she tried to convince herself that her comfort with the tiger definitely wasn’t because her animal thought of the male as her mate.

At all.

Ever.

He is
, the wolf confirmed.

Didn’t it remember what happened last time they tried to do the mate thing? Ronnie’s human half would never forget.

The beast fell silent, leaving her human mind alone like it had since they’d left Wilden two days ago.

Braden captured her flesh between his teeth and bit down with purpose, the pain forcing a shudder to overtake her form. It piqued the animal’s interest once again, the wolf spinning and racing back to the front of her thoughts. It craved his bite, a physical manifestation she belonged to him.

God, would her entire visit be a battle of wills? Human versus animal?

She had a feeling it would.

Ronnie whined and tilted her head to the side, giving the tiger more room. This was what should have happened on the last night. Amidst the soft touches and passionate kisses, he should have bitten her.

He released her and laved a gentle brush of his tongue over the throbbing spot. That gentle touch aroused her further, and she rocked her hips against him, trying to soothe the ache between her thighs. His cock was hard against her hip, proof she still aroused him and he desired her. She writhed, unable to stop herself. His dick twitched and seemed to grow more. They hadn’t gone far past kissing, and her hands tingled with the desire to stroke him. She wanted to caress him everywhere, explore each carved muscle with her fingers… with her mouth.

Now. Now would be good.

Except a low cough snuck into her ears, reminding her they weren’t alone. Nope, they were outside, in full view of damn near everyone. Sure, the SUV was between them and the road, but that didn’t mean a cameraman couldn’t find an angle that would capture them.

Great. Just what her father would
love
to see—Ronnie’s name in the papers, along with a picture of her wrapped around a pussy.

Ronnie pulled against his hold, intending to step away, but his firm grip held her in place as Braden lifted his head.

“Yeah?” There was no missing the deep growl in his voice. The man’s tiger was out in full force.

“Gannon is escorting the pilot off our land and will meet us at the road. We ready to head out?”

Right. The pilot. Gannon. Murphy.

Braden took a deep breath, his chest pressing more firmly against her hardened nipples and then released it slowly. “Yeah, we’re ready. You’re up front. We’ll have Gannon in the back with Veronica.”

“Ronnie.” Correcting everyone had become a habit.

One, apparently, Braden wanted to fix. He lowered his head until his mouth brushed her ear. “Veronica,” he whispered. “You can pretend to be someone different with everyone else, but you’re always Veronica to me.”

Pretend? She nearly snorted. She wasn’t pretending to be anything other than what she was—alpha’s daughter and occasionally badass werewolf.

She hadn’t been badass the other night. When humans attempted to creep into her home. When they spoke of taking her.

When they talked about forcing a mating on her.

They didn’t realize someone had tried once before, and the male was buried deep on pack lands. Dead… at Ronnie’s hands.

No matter his anti-wolf pep talks, his tiger managed to take over. It’d forced him to bring her close to taste her skin, and his cock reacted to her presence. He ached for her, his dick rock hard in an instant as memories of their quiet time together rushed forward. Fuck, he craved her. Even if it was a bad idea, his feline wanted the wolf as his mate.

He’d suppressed his snarl at being interrupted by Murphy—but there was still the matter of their ride back to the den, which meant snuggle time was over.

“Second?” Murphy interrupted once more.

“Yeah, let’s go. Stow her bag in the back.” He pushed himself to release Veronica and she quickly shuffled out of reach.

He tried to pretend her rapid retreat didn’t hurt him. Tried, and failed, but at least he kept his expression clear. He hoped. Braden pushed away from the bumper, ignoring the way his jeans pinched his cock. Fuck, that hurt.

He glared at Murphy when the male smirked and then spun and headed toward the driver’s door. Veronica trailed after him, and when the direction of the wind changed, it brought with it an invisible cloud of her scent. The flavors were like a punch to the gut and he nearly groaned aloud.
Damn
. He waited for her to move around him and climb into the SUV. He would have liked to hold her door open, treat her with the care and respect she deserved.

Except the first time he’d done so, she’d given him a glare and a snarl, telling him it was the twenty-first century. Women didn’t need men to do things for them.

He didn’t tell her the growl made his dick hard. He’d been tempted to hold open the next door they came to just to hear the sound.

He really was a masochist, apparently.

Braden climbed behind the wheel and started the SUV. It took no time to pop it into drive and make a U-turn. They drove toward the large gates, and he did his best to ignore the flashing lights and shouted questions as they passed the two human guards. The men were readily armed with non-lethal weapons, though they did have heavier firepower locked within their small guard shack.

The pride wanted the men to appear approachable yet protective. Or rather, the secondary firm they’d hired to work with Zoe and Darcy, their usual PR rep, wanted the men to appear approachable.

He personally thought safety was more important than looking harmless to the humans. Tigers were fierce predators, not fluffy kittens, no matter how hard they tried to make them appear innocuous.

Yes, little humans, look at our twitchy tails while I rip out your throat for staring at me too long.

Right. He wasn’t allowed to do that. He forgot for a second. Especially when an overzealous photographer jogged alongside them, camera raised and constantly snapping shots, the flash nearly blinding him. He gritted his teeth and fought the urge to forcibly remove the male. He didn’t think Ares would be happy with him if he drove over a human.

He kept their pace slow while the press continued to surround them, chasing them. His tiger roared its objection at being pursued. Not much he could do about it with his hands tied by public opinion.

He spied Gannon at the corner, glaring at the group that enveloped the SUV. Yeah, he wasn’t happy about it, either. He hadn’t realized Gannon would be so close to the press nor that the reporters would be so persistent. They’d lost a few over the last hundred yards, but a couple of cameramen were tenacious.

Braden slowed when he drew even with Gannon, not willing to stop completely and give the human men a chance to jump in front of the truck. Without conscious thought, he pushed the unlock button to grant the tiger entrance.

Then things happened quickly, events blurring into one another in a wave of anger, panic and fur.

The moment he pressed the control to unlock the passenger door, he’d known he made a mistake. Not in picking up his pride-mate, but in the way he granted him access to the interior.

That one flick didn’t just unlock Gannon’s door. It unlocked them all.

Stupid.

The two males on Braden’s side and the one on Gannon’s took advantage. He wasn’t too worried about Gannon; Murphy would get out and assist the tiger. Plus it was a single human male against two shifters.