Marie Harte - By the Tail

Cougar Falls, Montana

Running fast and furious through the snow-covered mountains of Glacier National Park in freaking September— God, I miss Miami —Joy Bermin screeched a warning to any and all who thought to stand in her way. Currently outracing a black panther in her own four-footed cougar form, she reminded herself that being Ac-taw—a shapeshifter—truly was a blessing, and not the huge pain in the ass she’d been feeling lately.

She stopped in her tracks and listened, then sniffed at a familiar scent in the air. More feral canines. The woods seemed to be filled with wild female wolves lately. Maybe if the Gray Wolf Order would get itself together, the females might take a chance on dealing with the men in Cougar Falls instead of hiding out in the mountains.

As she thought about it, she considered her own circumstances and sighed. Her pride back in Miami had finally “gotten itself together”, yet she ran for her freedom from a stubborn cat determined to take her as mate. Quince . That idiot. That tall, dark, smoking-hot idiot.

She fumed as her libido again lit up over the arrogant cat. If he caught her out here, she’d never hear the end of his superiority. And knowing her shoddy willpower, she’d cave if he kissed her again. God, he had kissing down to an art. Just once, months ago, he’d planted one on her. But she still had dreams about his firm lips, his arousing scent, the feel of his rock-hard body…

A warning growl echoed way too close, and she hurried, swearing at herself for losing her focus. Crap. Quince sounded more than annoyed.

With a leap, she easily crested a five-foot gap and landed with sure feet on a large boulder. Then she clawed her way up a steep incline and caught her breath when she reached the top. Good timing, because she glanced over the edge of the ridge to see Quince glaring up at her.

“Get your ass down here. Right. Now.” He spoke telepathically, as familiar Ac-taw did in animal form. She’d passed wolves during her run but hadn’t allowed them to connect with her that way. Too bad she couldn’t close Quince off as well.

He flashed his fangs, flattened his ears and swished his tail, then added an unnecessary hiss, apparently through playing. Well, too damn bad.

“Screw off. I’m taking a vacation.”

“You’re running from me, the way you’ve been running for months.”

“Hel-lo? Get the message already. I’m not interested.” She paused. “And I’m not running from you . I’m exercising my cat. Get over yourself.”

He had the audacity to smirk at her. It bothered her to no end that she found his feline as fascinating as his human form. He was something of a cross between a cougar and jaguar. The only Florida feline she knew who could roar, and he had a silky black coat. Because black panthers were rare, she could be forgiven her interest in his lethal cat. But even when shifted, Quince mesmerized her with his caramel skin, bright golden eyes and dark good looks. She could stare at him for hours and not look away.

And then he’d open his mouth and ruin the mood.

“Honey, I can smell your heat from here.” Bingo. Quince at his finest.

“Liar.”

He opened his mouth, showcasing pretty white canines, and stuck his tongue out, tasting her scent on the air. Then he closed his mouth and chuckled, a chirp from deep in his throat. “I can’t wait to prove you wrong. Now come home where you belong, Joy. I have shit to do in Miami, and you’re proving a real distraction.”

“You’re smelling anger, not desire, you bully. And I never asked you to follow me. My family is here, anyway. Go home.” You’re not the boss of me was on the tip of her tongue, but she wasn’t five years old anymore. With three of her four siblings in Cougar Falls, Quince had to know she had more than enough reason to stay in Montana. Even if she did miss the warmth of Miami like crazy.

“I’m your pride leader.” Somehow he didn’t sound arrogant, but as if he found the notion distasteful. “You have to do what I say.”

“Oh? Is that right… Lex ? I mean, Quince?”

He stopped grinning. Now he looked downright enraged. Their last pride leader, Lex Gates, had been a murdering thug. He’d killed his own father to take over the pride, then used any and everyone to try to get at Joy’s younger sister Stacey. Her older brother Miles had grabbed Joy and her sisters and fled for Montana, needing the space and the time to think of how to handle Lex and his goons. Fortunately, the pride in Cougar Falls had helped take him out. Joy had happily done her fair share of mauling in the cleanup as well.

Quince had supposedly been pretending to work for Lex while he did his best to oust the bastard from the pride. But she wasn’t sure whether she believed him or not…about a lot of things.

“Say what you want, but you know I protected you and your sisters,” he said as if reading her mind.

“You used Stacey as bait!”

“And we took Lex out for good. The pride is stable for the first time in months. Hey, I saved your skin more than once too, if you remember.”

She recalled him taking her aside just last month to save her from falling into an ambush. Again. During Lex’s time as pride leader, Quince had actually managed to show up and whisk her from trouble at the oddest times. Which led her once more to recall that too-brief, bone-melting kiss they’d shared. It wasn’t a big deal. He surprised me is all. But her cat would have none of it. Her animal spirit rolled in the remembrance, loving the stronger male’s take-charge attitude, no matter his reasons for trying to seduce her.

“I think you want me up there with you,” Quince continued when she remained silent. “And God knows I want to be with you.”

She flushed. Why did he have to make that sound as if he wanted to do her? Sure she had a healthy social life. But she usually liked the guys she slept with. Quince…she didn’t know how she felt about him. Especially because she couldn’t be sure he wanted her as anything more than a stepping-stone to get to her family.

Before she could respond, movement flashed to her left, and she turned with a hiss. To her shock, a naked woman with long, tangled hair, smelling like wolf, put a finger to her lips. The woman held out a small dart that looked like a tiny tranquilizer. She mimicked stabbing herself in the throat with it, then mimed sleep. The woman held it out again then motioned to Quince below the ridge.

Joy nodded, narrowed her mental path to the woman and sent out a tentative, “Thanks. That would help.”

“Good. This guy is annoying me too. Men in my woods? Uh-uh. Not acceptable.”

Her woods? No matter. Anything to get Quince off her tail. “I’m Joy. My sisters live in Cougar Falls with the pride.”

“Jenna.” Jenna paused, peering at the edge. Joy didn’t think the woman could see Quince from that angle, but Jenna grinned. “Leave this to me.” She collapsed to the ground and started moaning.

“Joy?” Quince roared.

“Something weird here,” she yelled back.

“I’m coming. Hold on.”

She might have found his protective instincts flattering if they hadn’t been so cloying. She’d been taking care of herself for years. Joy was the independent, snarky Bermin. Miles the rich playboy. Amy and Melissa, twin beauties who got along with everyone and sewed like a dream. Stacey, the stunning designer with supermodel good looks. Take away Joy’s independence and who was she? Just the untalented Bermin sister.