Page 32 of Tiger Bitten

“Go fuck yourself,” he barked as he disappeared around the open sliding doors.

Dame hung his head. After a three count, he looked back at Mars.

“I’m not sick,” Mars defended himself. “It wasn’t some game, me trying to make her fall in love with me. I’m asking for help, aren’t I?”

Dame rested his arms on the bars and cocked his head. “What makes you think she’s your Rabbit?”

Mars swallowed audibly. Honesty was best with Cats. They could hear a lie. “I can’t stop thinking about her. I feel on edge, like something big is going to happen with me when I’m around her, but I can’t make myself stay away from her. I need to be around her. I’m agitated if I go more than a couple of hours without seeing her. I’m agitated now. It’s…” He inhaled deeply. “It feels like obsession. It gets bigger every time I see her.”

“Have you slept with her?”

“No!” he barked out, but Dame didn’t look like he was judging him or setting him up for an insult. He looked like he was trying to work this out. “No,” Mars said softer. “I don’t want to hurt her.”

“She’s a Cat though, right? That’s what Stellan said.”

“Yeah.”

“So, she won’t be as vulnerable as Misty was.”

“Yeah, but human or not, Ren is a lot smaller than me, and more submissive. I haven’t seen her Cat side, but I know mine.” He shook his head, hoping Dame would understand. “She’s not fragile. Not at all. But she’s not what I know is inside of me either.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

A sound brushed Mars’s sensitive ears, and he perked up. It was a car engine. Dame lived outside of the city, and no other homes were close.

His animal perked up and a long, low snarl rattled his chest.

That was Misty’s car. He would bet anything.

Relief was already washing through him. Relief and regret.

Ren was here.

Chapter Eleven

Mars had said to meet at the baggage claim, but Ren had been here for twenty minutes just standing here. She didn’t even have luggage to grab off the carousel. She’d just brought a small carry-on suitcase and her purse, so here she stood, awkwardly watching the people from her flight grab their suitcases and drift off. There was only one family left, who it seemed had lost one of their suitcases and were talking to someone who worked here.

She checked the time on her phone and blew out a nervous breath. Everything had gone so weird since last night. Mars had bounced early, and each text he’d been sending sounded strange. Her instincts were up to the moon, but she kept replaying that kiss at the wedding. She liked him. Sometimes boys freaked out. Maybe this was how he freaked out. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.

She chewed the side of her lip and looked up the hotel information. Technically she didn’t need him to get to her hotel. Technically she didn’t need him at all. Everything was paid for. She could get a ride-share to her hotel and check in and have a good cry out of sight of the public.

She grabbed the handle of her rolling suitcase and headed for the sliding glass doors.

“Ren?” a woman’s voice echoed through the nearly empty baggage claim area.

Ren froze and frowned at the woman who was jogging toward her. She had mouse brown hair flying behind her, and high waisted jeans, and a pink crop top. She looked to be about Ren’s age.

“It’s you!” she huffed breathlessly as she came to a stop five feet away from her. The stranger grabbed her knees and locked her arms, heaving breath. “I was…in the wrong…terminal. Stupid Stellan…he…” She straightened up and put her hands on her hips and smiled. “Hi.” She offered her hand for a shake.

Utterly confused, Ren shook her head. “Who are you?”

“Oh! I’m Misty.”

“Misty, Dame’s mate?”

“Yes!”

“Oh my gosh. Okay.” Ren shook her hand and reached into her purse to pull out a bottle of water. “Need this?”