~ NEW ~ EXCERPT BELOW ~
As alpha of the feline shifters, Demir is in charge or so he thinks. He didn’t anticipate his second-in-command would press him to the limit while pushing all his buttons with her hot, fiery temper. Not only must he battle the enemy, but also his desire to claim her as his mate.
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With the quickness born of her species, Aramie shifted into her panther and headed deeper into the forest. Lithe and strong, her muscles moved in a graceful rhythm as she prowled. Her sense of time and place fell away, and the raw instincts of the animal took over.
Forest scents infiltrated her senses—rabbit, deer, pine, ferns, moss, dampness—she enjoyed every one. The bitter tang of astringent burned her nose, the first sign of Gossum. Turning toward the smell, she doubled her efforts.
So focused on her goal, she didn’t hear the snap of a twig until it was too late. A heavy weight landed on her back. She hit the ground face-first, damp soil cushioning her fall. Air whooshed from her lungs. Panic welled in her mind, sending a flush of adrenaline through her veins.
Her attacker pinned her to the forest floor, his body covering her in an instant. Instinct kicked in and she lashed out with her feet. Her claws raked down skin.
The pressure in her lungs finally relented, and she took a large breath. Musk and incense. The familiar essence made her heart skip a beat. Demir.
A deep male growl reverberated into her chest.
She froze.
His feline nose nuzzled against her ear, his breath tickling the fine hairs. With a low growl, he nipped the back of her neck. The dominant display was his right as Pride leader, but the sensual nature of it sent tendrils of excitement through her body. She responded against her will, secreting her unique strawberry scent.
His muscles tensed, becoming rigid. His own pheromones filled the air in response to hers. The growl he emitted was deep and sensuous.
With deliberate movements, he rubbed his whiskers against her cheek, marking her with his scent.
Her pulse raced. She didn’t want this. The urge to break free, to get away from him drove all her thoughts, and she changed into human form. Adrenaline surged through her body, and she pushed against him with all her might, but she couldn’t break his hold.
When she’d changed, he’d done the same. “Stop. I won’t hurt you.”
She fought him all the more. Twisting and turning, she managed to get her knees underneath her. He used her momentum to flip her over, and then engulfed her in his arms.
She pushed against his biceps bulging beneath his black T-shirt. His strength overwhelmed her, and she had a conflicting desire to bite him on the shoulder, both to cause him pain and to mark him in her own way. The contradictory yearning made her cry out in frustration.
He pulled her tighter, closing the distance between them. “Relax, Aramie, relax.” He practically purred her name.
The vibration rattled over the skin on her back, tickling her bottom. She couldn’t stop her body’s natural shiver.
“Please, let me go.” Even as she said the words, the deepest part of her didn’t want him to ever let her go.
He glanced at her mouth, and his pupils dilated. The memory of his kiss raced through her mind. Unbidden, her tongue slid over her bottom lip, moistening it.
The muscles in his jaw tightened, but his hold on her remained gentle in its control. “Did you really think you could escape me?”
Yes. She’d left the Keep intent on her mission—to kill Ram. Had she intended on returning? Even she didn’t know the answer.
He raised an eyebrow. “Indeed, your expression says it all.”
She squirmed under him and awareness of his desire caused her to still once again. A warm wetness dampened her panties, and the scent of strawberries thickened. Her body’s betrayal made her angry, and heat rose to her cheeks.
Demir was the epitome of an alpha male. Her desire for him grated against her independent and willful nature. Most Panthera didn’t mind casual sex, but she couldn’t—not with him. Even as much as she cared for Demir, she wouldn’t allow any male to get that close. Her chest tightened as adrenaline born of frustration raced through her body.
She bit him on the lower lip, as much a warning as a need to taste him again.
Forest scents infiltrated her senses—rabbit, deer, pine, ferns, moss, dampness—she enjoyed every one. The bitter tang of astringent burned her nose, the first sign of Gossum. Turning toward the smell, she doubled her efforts.
So focused on her goal, she didn’t hear the snap of a twig until it was too late. A heavy weight landed on her back. She hit the ground face-first, damp soil cushioning her fall. Air whooshed from her lungs. Panic welled in her mind, sending a flush of adrenaline through her veins.
Her attacker pinned her to the forest floor, his body covering her in an instant. Instinct kicked in and she lashed out with her feet. Her claws raked down skin.
The pressure in her lungs finally relented, and she took a large breath. Musk and incense. The familiar essence made her heart skip a beat. Demir.
A deep male growl reverberated into her chest.
She froze.
His feline nose nuzzled against her ear, his breath tickling the fine hairs. With a low growl, he nipped the back of her neck. The dominant display was his right as Pride leader, but the sensual nature of it sent tendrils of excitement through her body. She responded against her will, secreting her unique strawberry scent.
His muscles tensed, becoming rigid. His own pheromones filled the air in response to hers. The growl he emitted was deep and sensuous.
With deliberate movements, he rubbed his whiskers against her cheek, marking her with his scent.
Her pulse raced. She didn’t want this. The urge to break free, to get away from him drove all her thoughts, and she changed into human form. Adrenaline surged through her body, and she pushed against him with all her might, but she couldn’t break his hold.
When she’d changed, he’d done the same. “Stop. I won’t hurt you.”
She fought him all the more. Twisting and turning, she managed to get her knees underneath her. He used her momentum to flip her over, and then engulfed her in his arms.
She pushed against his biceps bulging beneath his black T-shirt. His strength overwhelmed her, and she had a conflicting desire to bite him on the shoulder, both to cause him pain and to mark him in her own way. The contradictory yearning made her cry out in frustration.
He pulled her tighter, closing the distance between them. “Relax, Aramie, relax.” He practically purred her name.
The vibration rattled over the skin on her back, tickling her bottom. She couldn’t stop her body’s natural shiver.
“Please, let me go.” Even as she said the words, the deepest part of her didn’t want him to ever let her go.
He glanced at her mouth, and his pupils dilated. The memory of his kiss raced through her mind. Unbidden, her tongue slid over her bottom lip, moistening it.
The muscles in his jaw tightened, but his hold on her remained gentle in its control. “Did you really think you could escape me?”
Yes. She’d left the Keep intent on her mission—to kill Ram. Had she intended on returning? Even she didn’t know the answer.
He raised an eyebrow. “Indeed, your expression says it all.”
She squirmed under him and awareness of his desire caused her to still once again. A warm wetness dampened her panties, and the scent of strawberries thickened. Her body’s betrayal made her angry, and heat rose to her cheeks.
Demir was the epitome of an alpha male. Her desire for him grated against her independent and willful nature. Most Panthera didn’t mind casual sex, but she couldn’t—not with him. Even as much as she cared for Demir, she wouldn’t allow any male to get that close. Her chest tightened as adrenaline born of frustration raced through her body.
She bit him on the lower lip, as much a warning as a need to taste him again.