Page 105 of Wedding the Werepanther

I can’t wait to tell Mother and the other cat sith. Venturing out of Alarria will allow my people to find their fated mates, as it used to be in times past. As it was always meant to be.

My keen hearing picks up the softest of growls. I press one last kiss to her lips and murmur, “What was that?”

The silver moonlight washes away most colors, but I still see her cheeks darken as she bites her kiss-swollen lip. “I think it was my stomach. We missed dinner.”

“That we did.” I roll up to sitting and pull her along with me. “Let’s fix that.”

“It’s the middle of the night.”

“So?”

“So that means snacks. No proper food.” She wags a finger and offers me a mischievous smile, and my heart leaps to see her play. “It’s a rule.”

“You know me.” I grin. “Always happy to play by the rules.”

“You? Rules?” A bark of laughter explodes from her. “You wouldn’t know a rule if it bit you on the butt.”

“I follow rules. Rules I agree with, that is,” I clarify. “But if you want to bite my butt…” I wink and turn to present her with my ass, which is, of course, magnificent.

And my mate—my playful, joyful mate—accepts my dare and bites it.

I’m ready to pounce on her when her stomach rumbles again, and mine makes a louder growl of its own.

Right. Food.

I yank on my jeans and toss her my T-shirt.

She stands holding it instead of putting it on. “Shouldn’t we take a shower first?”

“No. You smell like me, likemine.” I pull her to me, burying my nose in her neck. “I need you to smell like this for a bit longer after our mating. It’s a shifter thing.” Or perhaps it’s a me thing. I don’t care. I can’t bear the thought of her skin without my scent mark.

“Okay,” it comes out a little breathless, and happiness hums along our mate bond.

My shirt hits her mid-thigh, barely covering her. It’s perfect. I vow then and there to buy her several more of those short, short dresses like she wore to the waterfall.

When I scoop her into my arms in a bridal carry, she says, “I can walk, you know.”

“Humor me.”

She settles against me, her head on my shoulder as I carry her downstairs to the kitchen.

Victoria turns on the light for us, and the green dress shirt scoots across the floor, headed for the hallway.

“What do you think it was doing in here?” Kayla’s head turns to keep it in sight.

“It could be lonely. Maybe it was trying to talk to the dishtowel.” I smirk as I set her on her feet, my hand dropping to the waist of my jeans. “Maybe you should use your magic to undress me again. Make it a friend.”

“There you go.” She bats me with the back of her hand. “Only in clothes for two seconds and already trying to get naked again.”

Victoria opens the cabinets as Kayla gets close, and my mate pulls out every snack we have in the house.

I open a bag of cheese puffs and feed her several before taking one for myself.

Dewdrop flies into the room, chirping a hello as he lands on Kayla’s shoulder.

“Oh, no!” Kayla says. “Are you hungry? You missed dinner, too.”

“No, I didn’t! I ate bananas.” He holds up his little hands and mimes peeling.