“Captain Erman is in Reno meeting with a couple covens. He’ll be back before dawn, Justice. I want you two to talk. Come to a truce. Erman hasn’t even been with me a year, still, I don’t want to imply that my staff is completely replaceable if they don’t get along with my mate. It takes decades to get those positions on my escort.”

“It was a clear challenge. Didn’t you recognize that?” Justice asked, climbing over a split tree trunk.

“I did, and I didn’t say I liked it. I mean don’t kill him.”

Justice scoffed. “I make no promises I can’t keep.”

They’d been walking through the beautiful mountainside for hours. It was a clear night. Quiet. The perfect time to bond and get to know his Beloved. They asked more questions than Wick could count. He of course, had a lot more experiences to share than Justice.

“It’s interesting to hear you say that. I’m not sure where you stand on killing, Wick.”

Wick stopped walking and turned to face Justice. “Now, I’m picking up on a heavy feeling.”

“When we first met the police chief, he said you agreed to kill all the vampires involved in the feud. That you hardly asked questions. Is that true? Did you ordered them killed?”

“Technically no, but also yes, I did.”

“Wick.” Justice narrowed his eyes, not wanting to decode the puzzling answer.

Wick squatted and scooped a handful of soft earth into his hands, letting it sift through his slim fingers. “I’m not as ruthless as my father. He was fair but if you were guilty he wasn’t lenient. I know the vampires were defending themselves, but they could always have made another choice. They were decades older than your shifters, they knew better. They should’ve walked… well, run from the situation. The shifters wouldn’t’ve been able to keep up and therefore nothing would have happened and a vulnerable human wouldn’t’ve lost his life. A woman would still have her spouse and the father of her children. I made the right and final decision sending them away. They’ll never return to the States again. So technically, no I didn’t behead them and end their existence, but yes, I ensured that they are dead to this generation. I’ll awaken them in the next one.”

“Holy shit,” Justice murmured. “So they were put to sleep?”

“Not quite. They’re not rabid dogs. After not feeding for weeks, a vampire will go into a comatose-like state until their body is re-nourished. It’s not a pleasant state to be in and it teaches one hell of a lesson. It’s vampire prison, if you will.” Wick looked up at the dark sky. “I told that prejudiced cop what I needed to so I could get them out of his clutches… and your wolves’.”

 

 

Justice should’ve known Wick wasn’t that vicious. What he was, was strategic, bold, and a little bit cunning. That last trait was the one that made Justice’s lower half react. He linked his hand in Wick’s and tugged until he fell against his chest. “I wasn’t questioning your leadership, I’m only trying to know you politically, too. We will have to govern together, right?”

“Yes. I know. I’ll tell you anything you want. I’ll listen to your advice and accept your counsel as my alpha and Beloved, but I hope you will respect me and give equal weight to mine as well. I’ve been around a long time and I’ve spoken with a lot of great minds.”

Justice answered Wick with a sweet, honest kiss. Three words already danced on the tip of his tongue but he didn’t speak them. Not yet. Wick moaned and squeezed Justice tighter. Their tongues tangled, Wick giving Justice a fun fight. Gripping Wick in a bear hug that made a large bubble of satisfied laughter burst from Wick, Justice walked them backwards until Wick’s back hit the base of a tree. God, he couldn’t stop wanting his hands and mouth on Wick. If he’d thought the mate bite would ease his urges, he was sadly mistaken. He only wanted him more. Coveted him and his brilliance. A gorgeous man inside and out. His mate oozed so much charm and passion; Justice was helpless not to succumb.

A scampering sound several feet away made Wick yank his head away and look over Justice’s shoulder, his pupils shifting to dark narrow slits.

Justice beamed proudly. “You hear that, don’t you? The wild. It’s your instinct to detect, track, hunt, then… take down. You are an alpha too, babe. I don’t have to pull your animal from you, you’re powerful enough to call him all on your own.”

Wick knelt down to the earth and dug his fingers in, feeling the roots of nature.

“Take off all your clothes, Wick. Stay in the mind frame you’re in. Stay as focused as you are on me and the landscape around you. Inhale the different fragrances. The dark scent of night. The damp leaves. The perfume of honeysuckle. The pungent wild mushrooms. The sweetness of the chokecherries and desert peaches. Everything Wick, accept it all.”

Justice was removing his clothes as he spoke. His mate hung on his every word, trusting Justice to guide him. He lowered his voice when Wick got down on all fours and tucked his chin to his chest. The air was already radiating energy around him. Yes, mate. “The Mother chose the most fitting animal for your stature, King Bentley. She chose the ruler of the jungle. You are a stunning tiger, Wick. Your roar can paralyze. There’s another king inside you and you control him.” Justice stepped back, his voice stern. “Now call him forward.”

The immediate and simultaneous realigning of Wick’s bones made the transformation sound like a bolt of lightning striking concrete. A sharp crack resounded, then a vicious roar. Justice fell back on his ass as Wick towered over him on four strong legs, his large head held high. A heavy shake fluffed out the stark, white fur, sporadically streaked with long black stripes.

Justice stared with his mouth open, the sight amazing him all over again. “I’m speechless. How do you feel?”

“Amazing. Untouchable.” Wick walked stealthily over to Justice.

“Damn. How can you be sexy as a tiger too?”

Wick chuffed and pushed his head against Justice’s chest, rubbing the thick fur on his cheeks up and down his body. Justice wrapped his arms around Wick’s neck – most of it. “I’m so fascinated with this animal. Did you know that you’re the largest cat in the world? But you have less stripes than any other tiger breed. Your kind usually weighs about five to six hundred pounds, but you’re clearly more than that. I’d say you’re about eight. You’re huge.”

“I don’t feel big.” Wick swished his tail.

“Nope. Your weight doesn’t slow you down at all. You’re fast as hell.” Justice grazed his fingers along Wick’s long whiskers. “But let’s see how easily you adapt.”

Justice shifted quickly, stretching his own animal. He was almost standing eye level with Wick’s massive beast. “Are you still feeling untouchable?”

Wick hissed loudly, playfully stalking around him. His back muscles moved in perfect harmony, a song Wick sang only for him. It was the most beautiful act Justice had ever seen. Wick pulled his dark lips up to reveal his impressive canines.

“Oh, bad kitty.”

Wick’s fur rose over his back and his ears flattened to his head. It seemed he didn’t like that comment too much, but Justice laughed it off through their link. “If you don’t like it, do something about it.” Justice barked and snarled, letting Wick know he wasn’t fazed by the posturing. “I’ll give you a head start, mate. I suggest you use it.”

Wick stood for a long time like he wasn’t going to take the bait. As soon as Justice dropped his guard and trotted over to him, Wick spun and bumped Justice with his wide flank, sending him sliding several feet across the ground. Justice growled, jumping back up, ready to go at his clever mate. “You little cheater. I should’ve known.”

“You’re the fair one… not me.” Wick sent back, mocking him. He was full of joyful energy.

His mate was nowhere in sight but Justice could hear him moving away from him, fast. He was taking advantage of his head start. “I’m coming, baby. Should I show you what I’m going to do to you when I catch you?” Justice sent Wick a vivid image of him against a tree, being pounded by Justice until he submitted to him. Wick would always submit.

Justice could feel Wick’s excitement and arousal at being chased and caught as he tore through the woods running at an unfathomable speed. Justice took off, pushing himself to catch up. It was a challenge he liked since there was usually no competition when he ran. Justice’s tongue was lolling out of his mouth as the scenery flew by, the night breeze ruffling through his thick fur. He was in heaven.

Justice didn’t hear Wick’s footsteps anymore. He hunched down and closed his eyes, connecting with everything around him. Wick’s snarl could be heard a way’s off, but it wouldn’t take him any time to sneak up on Justice’s back. He knew how tigers hunted. They were stealthy and liked surprise attacks from behind or the side. Justice was mindful of his periphery. It was obvious his mate was standing downwind trying to alleviate Justice’s ability to use his scent. Smart, mate. Justice kept his nose low to the ground, smelling where Wick’s tail brushed foliage and tree trunks as he passed. Justice refused to use their link to pinpoint Wick’s location, he was enjoying the thrill of the chase too much.

Justice heard the intimidating roar at the same time Wick came barreling towards him. Justice leaped out of the way a second before Wick’s large body flew past him in a blur of black and white.

“Sneaky little thing, aren’t you?”

“Nothing is little about me.” Wick taunted. “And you didn’t catch me. I caught you.”

“We’ll agree to disagree, then.” Justice let Wick rub along his heaving body. He was winded, sweaty, his mate having given his wolf a damn good workout. “Come here. I want to show you something.”

Wick’s gait was easy, relaxed as he moved alongside Justice, the two of them languidly bumping into each other or nipping and tugging at each other’s thick scruff. When they got closer to Justice’s destination, Wick caught Justice off guard again by leaping onto his back and taking him down to the ground.

Justice umphed and rolled across the ground with Wick, letting him enjoy the freeness of his animal. He kept letting Wick pin him down, but it was all an act. Justice didn’t have to flex his muscles with his mate.

“Come on, I’m hungry now and I don’t think you’re ready to see me hunt and eat game.”

“I don’t feel like I should do that. Is that wrong? I don’t want to eat any creatures.”

“I wouldn’t worry with that. You won’t want to chase anything unless you’re going to kill it and eat it. You don’t hunt for sport. You’re too distinguished for that.” Justice informed him, licking at Wick’s dark muzzle, marveling at his majesty’s radiant blue eyes.

“Am I that amazing? I think you’re a tad biased.” Wick said.

“Follow me.” Justice led them down a worn path that ended at the base of a large man-made lake. “The Humboldt pack built this. It’s scarce when they have heatwaves, but it’s usually enough of a water source for them.”

The water was so still it looked like a perfect picture of the sky on the ground. The stars and moon beamed down on their magical oasis, illuminating the vast field cleared of trees. “Look.” Justice pointed to the water but he didn’t disturb it. “See for yourself.”

Wick inched forward until he was at the very edge of the bank. He tilted his head down to see his reflection. To get his first look at his beast. It was overwhelming enough to make him lurch back and fall back on his hip. He really was a tiger. Looking again, he couldn’t help but preen. His coat was so white and his eyes so blue that even in the dark it was blinding. A huge head and an exceptionally large muzzle with long pointy whiskers jutting out.

“What are whiskers for? In all my years, I never inquired.” Wick said reverently, inching closer.

“They’re for a variety of things. Mostly sensory.”

“This is unbelievable. I’ve waited all this time to see him. Over one hundred and seventy years. Multiple lifetimes. This feels surreal. I think that’s the word. It’s not a common feeling for a vampire, things seldom surprise us.” Wick was staring at himself so closely his face touched the water. He started at the rush of water up his nose, making him sneeze and snort comically. His mate drank nosily beside him, letting Wick look his feel.

“We better head back, feels like it’s almost midnight. You’re hungry and so am I.”

“I am a bit famished.” Wick said, slapping Justice across his cheek with his long tail when he passed.

“Real cute. Shift, so you can feed.”

Wick whipped his big body around and head-butted Justice’s flank hard enough to knock him off balance and ran off in the direction of the cabin. “Catch me and make me.”

Justice felt like he had a damn pup on his hands, his mate was so giddy enjoying his animal. He wondered if Wick realized how happy he was about playing a game of tag. The man may not have the most playful side but his beast certainly did. Justice’s wolf went crazy when it was ready to feed his mate. Justice growled and chased after a still-laughing Wick. Justice was about to show him exactly what kind of mate he had. A taste of what the Alpha Zenith could do. 

Justice was running at breakneck speed. It’d been a while since he burned this much energy. He’d be able to eat half a cow when he got back. He finally heard Wick up ahead, and Justice was closing in fast, pumping his strong legs. He zeroed in on his mate, zipping through the forest at a lightning-fast pace. If that was the measure of Wick’s speed, then Justice was at terminal velocity.

His eyes darted back and forth, clocking Wick’s flash movements. He went up high, then he came down, zig-zagged, then went up again. Did this repeatedly. He was humoring himself, while Justice was on a mission. He calculated the moment Wick would come back down when he shot through the air again, crossing over three trees. Justice leaped up and pushed off a towering Spruce and caught his mate in the air. They crashed back to the ground in a rush of adrenaline spiked breaths and a whirlwind of white fur and seductive snarls.

When the momentum died and they finally stopped tumbling, Justice made sure he was on top of Wick’s back, bearing all his delicious weight down on him. Justice may not be an eight-hundred-pound animal but he possessed enough strength to control one. He bit down on the juncture between Wick’s neck and shoulder, right above his clavicle. His mate immediately begin to writhe and mewl under him. A sound that made him hard enough to drill through wood. Justice didn’t break the skin, but his mate knew exactly what this was and so did the tiger. It was a display of power by the true alpha.

“Submit.” Justice gave Wick a lover’s shake, pressing his pelvis down on Wick’s hind. His arousal spiking exponentially the more Wick calmed under him willingly, satisfying him like nothing else. The moment Wick was completely limp, Justice’s bite loosened. He nuzzled into the back of Wick’s scruff and bathed the dense white mane with his tongue. “Shift.”

The transformation was smooth and effortless now for Wick. Justice did the same.

“You passed shifter training with flying colors.” Justice kissed Wick’s sweat-dampened lips. He was breathing heavy but it wasn’t from the run anymore.

“Alpha,” Wick whispered worshipfully.

Justice’s chest swelled. Without further thought, he sated his animal and drew Wick towards his throat.

“Mmm. Goddamn. Each time feels better than the last.” Justice reflexively thrust his leaking dick into Wick’s slick abs. He was too revved up and it felt like Wick was putting some extra feel good into his bite this time, the sensual sucking making Justice’s toes curl. He squeezed his eyes tight. “Fuck, babe. You’re gonna make me come.”