Page 27 of Elusive Mate

She nodded, her posture stiff. “That’s really kind of you Zaiden. Thank you. While I am not happy about any of this, I do appreciate your kindness.”

Lucian escorted her to the stairs but let her go to her room without him. Zaiden joined him.

“Well, I’m not sure about you, but I think you still breathing and Zenya actually being halfway nice to me is better than I thought it would be.”

“Give her space, Zaiden. She’s home; she’s safe. As you were always trying to tell me, she needs time to adjust.”

“Who are you, and what have you done with my surly alpha?”

“Oh, he’s here. He’s just finding that having her close and feeling her unease is making him far more patient and temperate than he’s ever been in his life. Is the clinic set up?”

Zaiden nodded. “As far as we could get it without knowing exactly what she wants. Would you care to see the bill?”

“No. I think I’ll remain happy in my ignorance.”

Zaiden grinned at him but said nothing. Lucian knew he’d spent a small fortune on her clinic, but he’d done it not just for her, but for the clan.

“If you’d like I can have an enclosure built for her pet off her office as well,” added Zaiden.

“Good thinking. And thank you for doing what you’ve done so far. I think reminding your sister that she was happy here once and that we are her people could make all of this easier for her.”

Zaiden chuckled and Lucian growled at him. Zaiden left him as Zenya came down the stairs with Lucky.

“I’m going to need to make up some food for him.”

“If you’ll give me a list of what you need, I’ll see that it’s brought to your clinic.”

“My clinic? What clinic?”

“The clinic that I’m going to take you to see while you walk Lucky. He seems fairly tame. Is he dangerous?”

“To a bunch of tiger shifters? Probably not, but I wouldn’t advise others trying to handle him at the moment. He’s used to me.”

They walked down to one of the old carriage houses within the fortress. It had been a favorite place of Zenya’s as a child—a place she would go when she was upset. Lucian had had the building restored, leaving the outer shell close to what it had been. On the inside, they had created a modern veterinary practice. Oftentimes it was easier to treat an injured shifter in their animal form. There was a surgery, x-ray and CAT scan area, a lab, several rooms for beds and any number of crates, a records room, a waiting area, an office and a kind of staff lounge and kitchen.

“You did all of this for me?”

He nodded. “I never expected you to follow the traditional role of first lady. There are some responsibilities that you and you alone will have to fulfill, but you put in a lot of hard work to become a vet, and we can use one. I suspect the upcoming fight with the Shadow League will require even more of your services. If we’ve left anything out, or you want something different or additional, just let me know.”

“This is really too much. I haven’t changed my mind about staying but thank you. As you said, you’ll probably have need of it.”

Lucian chose to ignore the mild threat. “Your brother thought he could build an outdoor enclosure off your office with a door leading back inside so you can have Lucky with you.”

“Again, I think you’re going to a lot of trouble for a woman who is only here because you gave her no choice, and not because she has changed her mind about you or believes there is anything of substance between us.”

He’d finally had enough. She could tell him she didn’t want to be here and be angry he had forced her to return with him, but he would make her admit, at least to herself, that there was something of ‘substance’ between them.

“Substance be damned,” he said, hauling her close and pressing her back against the wall.

He pulled her arms behind her back, holding her wrists with one hand. Lowering his head, he brushed her lips with his and she moaned and instead of fighting him and trying to push him away, she arched into him, pressing her body into his and lighting his up with a fiery passion.

He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue as he tangled his fingers in her hair and gave it a gentle tug. She gasped, giving him all the opening he needed to let his tongue surge past her lips, stroking hers. He released her hands and smiled inwardly as her hands came up to grasp his waist. His now free hand roamed down her body, tracing the curve of her ass before cupping it and pulling her close. He could feel the heat radiating between them and the bonding link beginning to blossom.

“No,” she growled. Her growl was echoed by her pet. Zenya broke away from him and turned away. “Don’t. Just don’t.”

He turned and walked away, leaving her and Lucky in the clinic. The stronghold was well-fortified and guarded. She wasn’t going anywhere. He could leave her to stew in her own juices, and his sense of smell—and everything else—had told him she was wildly aroused. He could feel his whole body shaking. He wanted to roar, put that damn bobcat someplace safe so he could toss the beast’s mistress over his shoulder and take her to their bed where she belonged.

One step at a time, Lucian. One step at a time. At least he knew the passion wasn’t one-sided. In fact, it wasn’t even lopsided. For some reason that made him far happier than he should have been, and he was inclined to see it as a step forward and go with it.

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