"I smell her on you. Even that d.a.m.n cologne can't camouflage it. You really marked a puma?

What the h.e.l.l is wrong with you? That's just..." he obviously grappled for words.

"Sick," a pack member hissed.

"Demented," another added.

"She must be a hot piece of p.u.s.s.y," someone snorted.

A few laughs sounded. Elroy snarled and shot a warning glower around the room before he glared at Anton.

"Why would you do that? Explain to me how you could do such a thing?" Anger boiled inside Anton when he took a threatening step toward the male who'd insulted Shannon with the p.u.s.s.y remark. He flashed sharp fangs at the man and allowed his claws to slide out.

He knew his face changed enough that fear etched on the other man's features.

"Anton!" Elroy snarled.

It halted him from going after the male to softly growl at his father. "You don't have to like it or agree to it. I don't need your permission to find a female to spend my mating heat with. Rave has agreed to take over the schedule you set in place with the females from other packs. If anyone goes after Shannon, threatens her, or insults her in front of me again," he shot the offender another murderous look, "there will be h.e.l.l to pay. She is under my protection and I'll kill anyone who poses a danger to her." He met his father's stunned gaze. "Anyone."

Elroy tensed. "I'm your alpha and your father. Are you threatening me?"

"She's under my protection." Anton didn't bother to try to mute the anger in his tone. "She's mine. That's all I'm saying. Anyone who attempts to harm her will deal with me." He took the time to meet every gaze in the room. "I'll kill for her."

"It looks like you were remiss in teaching your sons not to f.u.c.k the enemy," one of the pack members muttered.

Elroy moved before anyone could react. He took the male who'd spoken down to the floor, tore into his arms with his claws, and the man howled in pain. Elroy snarled, inches from his terrified face.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," the bleeding male whined. "I'm sorry, Alpha Elroy. It was just the shock." The male twisted his head to reveal his throat, the only sign of submission he could offer while pinned flat on his back. "My humble apologies."

Elroy released him and stood, wiping the blood from his claws on his jeans. He kept away from Anton. "Go. We'll discuss this later. I'm sure your mother will have some things to say as well." Anton flinched. His mother made his father seem as though he were a lovable little puppy. He fled the house he'd been reared in to go meet the pups at the woods. If they didn't show, he'd tear them up. The urge to harm something hummed through his veins. Mating heat was growing strong inside him, turning him more aggressive, and he'd even threatened his father. They both realized it.

An image of Shannon flashed through his mind as he started his motorcycle. She'd gotten under his skin, into his blood, and had become an obsession with him. He wasn't sure it was just because he'd marked her. There was just something about her that called to every part of him.

Would I really kill someone I love if it came down to protecting her? The question formed in his thoughts and so did the answer. In a heartbeat. He groaned, pulling away from the curb. I think I'm falling in love, d.a.m.n it.

Chapter Ten.

The blond werewolf, Yon, avoided her gaze when he walked into Anton's home with a tray of food for lunch. "Where do you want it?"

Shannon walked closer to him. "I'll take it."

He nearly stumbled backward to avoid her. "No! Stay back." She froze and then retreated. "Are you okay?"

"I won't be if my scent gets on you." He glanced at her then. "Anton threatened to skin me alive if I got close to you and he meant it. I've never seen him so nuts about a woman but I can't remember him ever marking one before either. Just tell me where you want this and I'm out of here." She pointed to the bar that divided the living room from the kitchen. He moved quickly, put it down, and fled. The door slammed behind him. Her eyebrows lifted. At least she didn't feel afraid. That had to be an improvement since she had been a little worried about being alone with the guy.

The smell of food drew her closer. The bar downstairs had an excellent cook. She sat and started to eat the burger and fries they'd sent her. She sniffed at the dark drink, recognized raspberry-flavored iced tea, and took a sip. She'd nearly finished all of her meal when something b.u.mped against the door.

Her spine stiffened, her attention fixed on it, and her heart started to race.

It suddenly opened, flung wide, and Anton stumbled inside. Seeing his torn shirt, blood on his cheek, and more smeared on his arms alarmed her. She shot to her feet so fast the stool crashed to the floor. She noticed more blood as her stunned gaze traveled down his body.

Dark red stains smeared his jeans on the legs, thighs, and down one ankle. His hair was a mess.

He met her gaze with wolf-shaped eyes. "It's fine. Don't be worried. I need to shower."

"What happened?"

"I met two of the rogues who broke in to your apartment." Broad shoulders shrugged. "They didn't want to listen to me. They aren't a threat anymore." Shannon gaped at him and the blood staining him. "You..." She couldn't say the words.

"Fought to the death? Yes," he answered softly. "I told you I'd kill to protect you. I'll be back." He limped toward the bathroom.

"You're hurt."

"I'll be fine. I heal fast."

He didn't spare her another look but instead entered the other room, closed the door firmly behind him, and in less than a minute the shower came on. The food inside her stomach churned. Anton had killed someone for her. The fact that he'd said rogues-plural-made her feel even sicker. He might have had to kill more than one werewolf. She yearned to go after him to make sure he wasn't really hurt but the closed bathroom door a.s.sured her she wouldn't be welcome. Indecision left her standing there with a feeling of helplessness.

The front door suddenly flung open again but this time it was a woman who stormed inside. She drew to a jerking halt when she spotted Shannon. They stared at each other. The woman appeared to be in her late thirties, had long dark hair to her waist and brown eyes. Her lips parted, fangs flashed, and a snarl came from her mouth.

"You!"

Fear gripped Shannon. "Who are you?"

"I'm Eve." The woman's face started to transform enough for there to be no doubt of her werewolf heritage. "I'm going to kill you." The woman lunged.

Instinct took over and panic struck Shannon. She bolted for safety-that being Anton. She hit the bathroom door with enough force to break the flimsy door handle securing it to the wall and she grabbed the shower door without thought, flung it open, and jumped.

Anton twisted his body her way and barely caught her, his shock apparent. The vicious growl from Eve made him spin again to trap Shannon's body against the wall and one of his hands shot out to strike the advancing woman in the chest. He shoved her and sent her flying out the bathroom doorway.

Shannon wrapped tighter around Anton, her body soaked from the water pouring down on them as well as from his slick, wet body. She buried her nose against his throat and shook from terror.

She couldn't think beyond her need to cling to him, her instincts overriding rational thought. One of his strong arms wrapped tighter around her waist.

"What the h.e.l.l is going on?" Anton yelled. "s.h.i.t! I just knocked my mother on her a.s.s." He awkwardly bent, turned off the water, and stepped over the rim of the shower to glare down at the woman sprawled on the floor. "Mom? What are you doing here?" Shannon turned her face just enough to watch the tall woman ungraciously get up from the floor. She staggered when she stood and then slowly turned to glare at her son.

"I came to kill that."

Anton reacted instantly. He snarled, his fangs growing, and sharp points slid against Shannon's side where he gripped her. She looked down at the sharp claws on his hands. He tried to gently pry Shannon off him but she wrapped around him more securely.

"s.h.i.t. You've terrified her." The anger in his tone made him growl the words. "You had no authority to come into my home after someone under my protection." His other hand lifted and he rubbed his palm down Shannon's back in an attempt to soothe her fear. "I don't care if you're my mother."

His mother wanted her dead. Shannon digested that, her mind starting to work beyond the panic. Her heart rate slowed and she eased her hold on him but her body wasn't willing to release him entirely yet. She began to hate the way she lost control around werewolves. It was embarra.s.sing. She clung to a wet, naked guy in front of his mother as if she were a terrified child and Anton was a big teddy bear. A s.e.xy, wet one. But I bet I look pathetic.

"That's what you've chosen to share your heat with?" Eve curled her lip in disgust. "Look how weak she is."

"Actually, she's pretty strong. Her thighs aren't clamped around your waist so take my word for it." His anger eased. "She's mostly human but when she's threatened or scared, her puma instincts. .h.i.t.

You obviously terrified her. Not cool, Mom."

"You humiliated me in front of our entire pack and you're chastising me?" Eve's eyes darkened to black. "They are all talking about my son and his cat." Anton turned, grabbed a towel, and then sighed. "It's okay, kitten. Want to let me go? Stand behind me but I feel weird talking to my mom naked for this long. It's one thing to remove my clothes to shift but we don't just hang out talking to each other while naked." Shannon nodded and took a deep breath. She forced her body to listen when she demanded her hold on him ease. She slid on his slippery body to her feet but instantly took his suggestion. She moved behind him while he wrapped the towel around his waist. She pressed against his back as soon as he had it secured snug around his hips and peered around him at the tall werewolf female.

Eve growled low at her. Anton growled back louder. "Enough, Mom. I just got her down. Look at me."

Eve jerked her glare away from Shannon to give him the full measure of her anger. "I won't have it. You get rid of her or I will."

"You don't give me orders in my own home."

"I'm the alpha b.i.t.c.h and your mother."

"I respect you for both but I go with her if you want her gone from the territory."

"Unacceptable. You're my son. I raised you better." Eve moved closer. "You will kill her or I will.

That will end the rumors immediately. We'll say you were just using her to get information about those nasty rodent chasers. I can still spin this nightmare to save face." Anton crossed his arms over his chest, watching his mother with narrowed eyes. "Not happening. No one is going to hurt Shannon and I don't give a d.a.m.n what the pack thinks. I understand you're unhappy but that's not my problem. You can leave now." Eve paled. "I'm giving you an order. Kill the cat or I'll do it."

"No." His arms dropped and he reached back to nudge Shannon a little farther behind him.

"Don't make me pick you up and carry you out, Mom. How would that look to the pack? You aren't welcome here while Shannon is with me. If you ever threaten her again you won't enjoy the reaction you get."

"Anton," the woman snarled, "I won't permit this embarra.s.sment to continue. You will not do this to me."

"I'm not doing anything to you." He stepped closer, his body tense, and his voice deepened.

"You're the one who invaded my home to threaten the woman I marked." Dark eyes widened with horror and Eve stumbled back. "What?"

"Marked. Made mine." He advanced another step. "As in 'I sank my teeth into her, shared my scent, my bed, my home'. I couldn't care less if your b.i.t.c.h friends snicker over it. I don't give a f.u.c.k if the males make jokes." He kept advancing, forcing his mother to retreat into the living room. "Shannon means more to me than that. Now leave!" He yelled the last words.

Eve fled but not before she shot a lethal glare toward Shannon where she stood at the bathroom door, watching the scene unfold. Anton's mother slammed his door when she stormed out.

He stared at it until Shannon walked up behind him to place a trembling hand on the middle of his back.

"I'm so sorry."

He twisted to stare down at her. "For what?"

"You just argued with your mother over me."

He took a deep breath, his temper cooling. "She came here to start trouble. It's what she does best. You're not to blame. I should have locked the door."

"I'm still sorry."

His voice softened. "Don't be. I'm not. It's about time I stood up to her."

"What can I do?"

A black eyebrow arched. "Get naked? That would improve my mood."

"You're hurt." She'd seen the marks on his chest, one on his back, and on the side of his thigh when he'd stood naked in front of her. "You're still limping. Do you have a first-aid kit?"

"Strip for me. That will make everything better."

"But"

"It's starting." He growled the words, then his tone softened. "Between the stress I've been under, the fighting, and now my mother p.i.s.sing me off, it's sped up the process. The mating heat is affecting me. I need you."

She noticed that his towel tented. She gazed at the rigid length of his c.o.c.k pressed against the wet, thick material. "Oh."

"It's going to get bad." A hand lifted to his hair, shook some of the wet strands, and he bit his lower lip. "I'm almost afraid I'm going to hurt you. I don't want that." Frustration crossed his handsome features.

Shannon reached for her shirt. "You won't."

"Do you understand how much I'm going to need you? I've always been with other werewolves during this time. They are affected by it too. I don't want to frighten you but s.e.x is all I'm going to think about and want when it's gripping me."

She tore the shirt over her head. "Okay."

His gaze lowered to her bared chest and he tore at his towel. "We have to use condoms."

"I know. You explained. Get them." She started to remove the rest of her clothes.

He nearly lunged for the drawer of the dresser. Her breath caught when he grabbed two boxes.

She didn't say anything, instead headed for the pullout bed, which was still out, and climbed onto the middle of the mattress to stretch out on her back.

The hunger on Anton's face turned her on while he admired every inch of her body. His c.o.c.k swelled to an impressive size. She lifted her hand, crooked a finger at him and smiled while she bent her legs up. She spread them wide apart.

That was all it took. Anton threw the boxes on the bed next to where she waited and came after her. He didn't climb over her but instead stretched out on his belly between her spread legs and just buried his face there. The shock of his mouth on her p.u.s.s.y only lasted a second. He frantically nuzzled her, his tongue seeking and finding her c.l.i.t, while his hands pushed her thighs wider to make room for him.

Shannon threw her head back in pleasure from the strong, quick flicks of his tongue lashing her sensitive bud. He growled. The sound made her hotter and she knew she wouldn't last long. Her belly quivered, her nipples puckered, and Anton grew bolder by pressing his mouth firmer against her folds.

His soft growls turned into snarls as if he were losing control. She understood since her own need skyrocketed. She blindly grabbed for the condoms, tore at the box, and used her teeth to rip open one of the foil packets.

He jerked his mouth away. "I need you." He didn't sound human anymore.

One look at his face should have terrified her. Anton's fangs had slid out and his eyes had darkened. She shoved the condom at him. He lifted his hands, showed his fingernails had grown into sharp claws, and she sat up. She had never put a condom on a man before. How hard could it be?

She gripped him with one hand at the base of his shaft, tried to steady the center of the condom over the thick crown, and started to roll it down. Anton growled at her. She hoped that didn't mean she had done it wrong. She released him, threw her body back, and reached for him.

"I'm ready." She knew she was soaked with need. She could feel the dampness against her thighs. She ached to come.