Kent ran on pure rage. The man he’d respected for so long was nothing more than an asshole. And he’d frightened Crystal. For that alone, he should kill him. The only reason he let them go was the man held out a detonator and said his truck was wired, one push and no more Cee Cee.
The second he left, Kent shifted and went out the back. He ran hard, having to rest as cheetahs couldn’t keep up their top speed for long. As a shifter, he could do longer than some but even he couldn’t run down a truck doing eighty on the African savannah. He did have the scent though, so the moment he caught his breath, he was off again.
Dawn was about an hour away when he came upon the old tin building by an airstrip. A plane was warming up and he knew exactly where this was going. It was the plane to take Cee Cee away from him.
A feral snarl ripped from deep in his chest as he scouted the area. They actually had guards on the outside. For him? He wasn’t sure but it didn’t matter. They would die, as would anyone else who got in the way and threatened his woman. His mate.
He paused at the edge of the tall grass. After this, there was no more cover for him to utilize. The guards would see him and sure, a cheetah was wicked fast but bullets were still faster.
His chance came when one of the men decided he needed to piss on a bush. He walked off a bit and seconds after he unzipped his pants, Kent took him down in cat form then shifted. He stripped the man and shrugged into his uniform. Weapon in hand, he tugged the cap low over his eyes and went back to the post he’d been on.
The other guard looked in his direction and gave a nod.
Kent returned it.
The large side doors opened and out poured more men. Ones in lab coats and some in uniform.
He hissed and waited. A bed was wheeled out and he found himself locking eyes with Cee Cee. Recognition flashed before she lowered her lids.
Good girl.
Kent waited until the general exited and he snuck up behind him, snagged him and put the muzzle to his temple. “Let her go.”
“How the fuck did you find us so fast?” The general recovered from his shock quick however. “You can’t get away from all of us.”
“Don’t have to. Let her go.”
Cee Cee opened her eyes again but couldn’t sit up because she was strapped to the table.
“No way. You bit her. I’m hoping some of your perverse shifter genes will be in her and we can use them to make super soldiers. There was so much potential in you but you refused any and all tests. Although it will be interesting to see what she turns into as we ran her blood and I see wolf in there.”
He knew it. More rage pulsed at the thought of her being a science experiment. “I’m not a military weapon and neither is she. Let. Her. Go.”
He shook his head. “No. They’ll kill you.”
“Not before I kill you and like all good soldiers, they know they aren’t supposed to risk your life for theirs. So, to keep you alive, they will lower their weapons and release her. Now!”
Two men jumped to do his bidding. The general barked a refusal but they ignored it.
Cee Cee got off the gurney and stood there, unsure of what to do.
From the tall grasses strolled a large group of cheetah. Each one stood before a human, growling and ready to attack. The two young males wove around her, pushing her back away from the danger. The men were all pushed into the large building and the general was the last to go.
Before he released him, Kent put the device he’d pulled off the truck on him. “Run,” he ordered.
Cee Cee and the other cats took off.
Kent secured the door. He didn’t want to do this but the man knew his secret and he wasn’t about to risk his mate’s life further. He shifted and bounded after them. To his sensitive ears, he picked up on the whine of the impending explosion and lunged for her, shifting to human as he took them down, rolling so he landed first, then pushing so she was beneath him.
The area was rocked by the explosion and he could feel the heat from the blast as the wave blew over them. He didn’t move until the world had settled around them. Only then, did he draw back and stare at the woman beneath him.
She blinked and watched him with those amazing green eyes.
He nearly held his breath as he waited for her to say something. Anything.
“I suppose you’re going to tell me you’re the king cheetah from the trap?”
Gods, he loved this woman. Nodding, he lowered his head until their lips were a hairsbreadth apart. “I am.”
“And what’s happening to me?” She moved her gaze to his lips and back up. “They talked about you and what you are a lot.”
“You’re changing into a shifter like me.”
“Will I be a king cheetah? Or a wolf?”
“I’m not sure but you will be beautiful and my mate for the rest of our lives.”
“But my uncle knew.”
He nodded. “He did. For a long time, I had trusted him with my secret. Now, I find he was planning to use me but when you were bit, he figured you would be an easier target.”
“What if he told someone?”
“His secret died with him. If it didn’t, we will face it when the time comes. Together.”
The two young males showed back up, butted their heads against both of them and lay down a distance away.
“Family.”
Pride filled him at her word. He claimed her mouth, allowing their souls to reunite and become one, once more. He didn’t care at all what she would shift into, wolf or cheetah, she was his and he, hers. This was the beginning of the rest of their lives.
About the Author:
Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached . She can also be found on , , , and . You can follow her on her , , or at .
She is married to a career military man. They are owned by four Borzoi. She spends her days sharing time between work, writing, and dog training.
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