Page 67 of The Mating Frenzy
With the grace of his jaguar, Kieran approached, his long-legged stride eating up the space between them. He stopped a few feet away, saying nothing, only watchingAdrian.
Kieran and Adrian regarded each other for a long moment. Both their gazes narrowed. Amused, Ella waited. It was like two wrestlers sizing each otherup.
“Wolf,” Kierangrowled.
“Jaguar,” Adrian responded. “State your reason for beinghere.”
“I am present to ask permission for the shifting rite for Ella, mycharge.”
Adrian inclined his head. “She is welcome to participate in the ritual. You are as well…cat…as long as you leave my females alone. If you dare to sniff any out, there will beconsequences.”
The alpha narrowed his gaze. “I will not hesitate to invokeviolence.”
“I will not be the one to initiate it, wolf. But I will protect what ismine.”
Circling each other, they fisted their hands, dark gaze locked to dark gaze. Any minute now they would attack eachother.
Someparty.
“Okay, enough with the posturing.” She held up a hand. “No cat and wolf fights here, tonight. Let’s playnice.”
Kieran gave a slow smile. “I am not nice, Ella-mine. But for you, I will stand down. Know this, wolf. I can rip your throat out if you turn against me ormine.”
“Try,” Adrian said softly. “You even attempt to interfere between myself and Darcy, I will tear you toshreds.”
“Darcy can handleherself.”
“I claim a formal mating with her.” Adrian bunched his fists. “You leave her alone. Find your own kind tofuck.”
Kieran blinked, and then laughed. “Is that what this about? I have no desire for Darcy. She is a friend. Fucking her would be like fucking my sister. We are working together forElla.”
Judging from the way Adrian relaxed, Darcy had been his primary concern. “Very well. Ella is welcome, as areyou.”
“Fuck youwolf.”
Adrian flipped the finger and smiled. “Back at you,cat.”
The alpha strode off. Ella shook her head. “Boys will be boys. Butseriously?”
Kieran took her elbow. “We are not boys, but males protecting our own. Come, Ella. It’s time to prepare for theceremony.”
If things had beennormal before, they were totally bizarrenow.
Dressed in identical dark blue robes, each guest was required to wear a half face mask. Most of the guests wore masks replicating a wolf. Darcy had opted for the owl mask, while Kieran donned a jaguarmask.
Ella chose a wolfmask.
Wearing a dark blue robe, she joined the others on the grass outside the pool enclosure. The silk underside of the robe caressed her naked skin. She felt wild and free, her inhibitions slowlyvanishing.
Kieran and Darcy both assured her no harm would come to her during theceremony.
Maybe there was some odd ritual Adrian would conduct. She hoped she wouldn’t be required to do anythingembarrassing.
They gathered around in a circle. Adrian lifted his hands to the sky. “Honored Danu, creator of us all, bless us shifters as we gather tonight to celebrate our wildness. We bare our true selves beforeyou.”
They disrobed and dropped the masks. A little shy, she did the same, fumbling with the laces on the heavy velvetrobe.
A tingle rushed down her spine. Ella closed her eyes, letting the night wind whisper against her bare flesh. She felt the robe puddle at her feet, heard Kieran’s reassuring whisper to relax and open herself to the possibility of theunreal.
