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shoved off his jeans and began shifting. His
tendons popped, muscles contorted, and bones
slid beneath his newly growing fur. His ass
tingled as his short tail sprouted and his head felt
the push and pull as his skull turned feline.
Once done, Chip blinked and looked around.
He spotted Grimes, who d turned around and
started back toward him. He also saw the lioness
leap at his confused and concerned mate.
Yowling, Chip lunged, intercepting the much
larger cat.
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Chapter Eight
rimes watched in shocked horror as Chip
G
engaged Theresa, the lioness who d been
taunting his mate earlier.  Son of a bitch! he
snarled. As soon as he kicked off his shoes, Grimes
shifted, unmindful of the tearing of his clothes.
About halfway through his change, pain
erupted through Grimes back. He flopped
sideway, hoping to dislodge whoever had latched
onto him. Seconds later, the feline by scent he
recognized as Tory, Theresa s sister toppled
from his back. Grateful for the reprieve, his shift
complete, Grimes crouched and peered around the
room.
Grimes snarled at what he saw. Tory swiped at
Chip, her large paw connecting with his haunch,
sending him sprawling. Scratched and bloody,
Chip slid and rolled across the hardwood floor.
While Chip lifted his head and shook it, the bigger
cat went after him again.
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Catting Around
Tuning out the snarls, roars, screams, and
shouts of others, Grimes pounced the short
distance. He focused on taking down the lioness
who d dared to lay a paw on his bobcat. Grimes
landed on the lioness, wrapped his paws around
Tory s torso, and used his momentum to flip her.
She hissed in surprise and probably a little
pain as Grimes tossed her sideways, scraping his
claws down her body as he released her.
Quickly getting back to his feet, Grimes peered
around for Chip. Instead, all Grimes saw was
chaos. On the far side of the room, Carlton and
Patrick fought with Amy and Gina while Samson
helped a wailing Helena to a chair. Eli and his
mate clustered close to the woman, and a sickly
sweet scent suddenly hit Grimes senses.
Helena had gone into premature labor.
A few feet away, a massive grizzly bear that
Grimes recognized as Kontra stood
over& something cream, orange, and black. A
lioness Theresa circled the bear, her ears
pinned and her canines exposed. Kontra rumbled
in clear warning. Just as she crouched to leap, a
large black lion bounded across the room and
bowled into the smaller cat.
A flash of movement redirected Grimes
attention. Seeing Chip safe beneath the paws of his
alpha even though it rankled some that it was
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Charlie Richards
another who guarded his mate Grimes turned to
face the cat s resumed attack.
Tory stretched out a paw, aiming for his face.
To many, it would appear an almost playful move,
batting at his head. However, Grimes knew as a
lioness the natural hunter of a pride she
gauged his attitude. Would he attack, defend, or
break? Grimes crouched low and turned his head,
snarling in warning as he waited for her
impatience to get the better of her.
It didn t take long.
Lunging at him, Tory reached her claws toward
him, probably intending to sink them into Grimes
shoulders. Grimes rolled to his back and counter-
attacked, kicking out with his powerful hind legs.
He raked his claws across her belly as he used his
front legs to grip her shoulders. Using Tory s
momentum, he rolled them, finally kicking her
away.
Grimes instantly back on his feet pressed his
advantage. Pouncing swiftly, he landed on her
back and wrapped his forelegs around her
shoulders. He sank his teeth into her neck. She
yowled and twisted under him, but he hung on,
using his larger mass and greater weight to keep
her pinned.
Just as Grimes tightened his jaws around the
lioness s throat, a black human hand settled on his
shoulder and the scent of his alpha wafted over
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Catting Around
his senses. Grimes paused in his actions, waiting
for his alpha to say something.
 If you wish to kill her, by all means, do so,
Perrin stated gruffly. He lowered to his knee
beside the pair, looking Grimes in the eye, his gaze
hard.  Hell, if someone touched Terence, I
wouldn t show any mercy.
Although Grimes knew he had his alpha s
blessing, now that the heat of the battle had
passed, he couldn t do it. Instead, his gaze sought
Chip. Relief flooded him upon seeing his mate
rising slowly, aided by a couple of his friends, one
of which whispered in his ear and pushed a pair
of jeans into his hands.
Smart friend.
Wanting only to get to Chip, Grimes eased his
hold on the other shifter s neck. He loosened his
claws. Slowly, Grimes backed away from the
lioness. He growled low in his throat, warning
her. She lowered her gaze in deference and
mewled.
Although he wanted to question her, he wanted
to hold his lover more. He needed to reassure
himself that Chip was truly well. He d watched
his lover take quite the tumble. Before long,
Grimes crouched on the floor in human form.
 No, Alpha. I ll leave her fate in your hands,
Grimes stated gruffly.
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Charlie Richards
Perrin actually sighed.  Just what I need, he
replied dryly, his lips twitching.
Grimes glared at Tory.  If you ever come near
my mate again, I won t be nearly as forgiving.
Turning away, Grimes peered around the room
again. He noted Patrick sitting in lion form next to
Samson s mother. The lioness lay still and from
the odd angle her neck rested at, she wouldn t be
getting back up. Next to them, back in human
form, Gina sat with her arms around her naked
knees, her head bowed. With the way her
shoulders shook, Grimes guessed she wept.
Carlton also in lion form sat nearby
watching Theresa and Tory. Perrin ordered those
two lionesses to shift. Grimes guessed the three
living lionesses would be banished, but as he was
leaving the pride, too, it was no longer his
concern.
Samson, Helena, Eli, and Sam were nowhere in
sight. He hoped the human and the cub would be
okay, but couldn t worry about that now.
At that moment, the only thing that mattered to
Grimes was getting to Chip. He needed to hold his
mate, confirm that he was alive and well. Grimes
dismissed everything and strode past Kontra,
murmuring his thanks as he did so. Kontra
grunted in response, but didn t move from where
he had one arm around his own mate while
glaring at the shifting lionesses.
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Catting Around
As soon as Grimes stepped in range of Chip, he
grabbed him. With one hand, he cupped the back
of his bobcat s head. With the other, he circled his
lover s waist. Using his hold, Grimes pulled Chip
flush against him and tucked his mate s head
beneath his chin. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]