Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 129756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 649(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 649(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
“No, but anyone watching would see me bite you.” Her pupils swallowed the color in her eyes, and Dominic smiled. “You like that idea.”
She just shrugged one shoulder, nonchalant.
“Hmm. Maybe I should bite you right here and now. Just because.”
“That’s really not—” She hissed as his teeth sank down on her neck. There wasn’t just territorialism in that move. There was an assertion of dominance that made her cat buck. His teeth bit harder, as if to hold her still, and he ground his cock against her.
Gasping, Mila pricked his nape with her claws. And as a mix of possessiveness, defiance, and pleasure whipped through her, she involuntarily raked his nape hard enough to draw blood—hard enough to leave a permanent mark. Oh shit.
As he pulled back to meet her gaze, Mila said, “I am so, so sorry. I didn’t mean—”
Snapping his hand on her throat, he took her mouth with a growl. The kiss was hard and hungry and out of control. “Now we leave. I need to be in you.”
She licked her lips. “Yeah, now we leave.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
As Dominic drove his SUV up the rocky trail, Mila drank in the scenic views around them. His territory seemed to go and on—an endless stretch of land that was all majestic trees, steep mountains, and rocky terrain. “This place is huge.”
“The forest goes on for miles,” said Dominic. “Your cat would probably love exploring it.”
Oh, the feline definitely would—she was currently enthralled by the vast amount of territory. Mila couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have this as her backyard. When her pride mates wanted to shift and let their cats play, they either used the rooftop garden of the apartment building or the massive communal yard behind it. The backyard looked neglected to the human eye with its tall grass, thick bushes, nonsensical rockeries, and clusters of mossy trees. But it was a perfect playground for one of Mila’s kind.
Pallas cats were highly territorial and didn’t like sharing their space. But since her pride mates had been forced to do so since they were kits, they were used to it. Her cat would love having this kind of territory to run in.
“See that mountain up ahead?” he asked, pointing. “Look closely.”
Squinting, Mila leaned forward a little in her seat. Surprise had her lips parting. “No way. Am I seeing windows and balcony doors?” There were also narrow stairways carved into the face of the mountain. “You live in an actual mountain?”
He nodded, his mouth hitching up. “It has several floors and a huge maze of tunnels that can be hard to navigate at first, but you get used to it.”
Fascinated, she twisted in her seat to face him. “How set in the Stone Age is it?”
“If you mean, do we go without electricity and running water, no. The dwelling is as modern as your apartment building.”
“Wow.”
“I’ll take you on a tour, but that will come later. I know your cat doesn’t like being in crowded rooms, so I suggested to the pack that we all meet outside. We’ve just finished building a tree house for the kids at the spot where we sometimes camp for the night, so everyone has gathered there.”
Warmed by that, she said, “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“I don’t want you or your cat uncomfortable here.” Dominic wanted both of them to love it, wanted them to come back again and again—which was why he’d warned his pack to be nice and not run Mila through a gauntlet. Honestly, though, he didn’t believe they’d be anything less than welcoming, especially since they were so excited to be finally meeting her.
He drove into the concealed parking lot at the base of the mountain and whipped the SUV into a free space. “Come on. They’ll be waiting.”
As they walked hand in hand through the expansive forest, Dominic took her down the most scenic route. They crossed the river, meandered through a pretty meadow, and passed a frothy waterfall. He watched her carefully, absorbing every reaction, loving it whenever her face lit up. “So you like it then?”
“Yeah, I like it,” Mila replied. Her cat liked it even more. The feline’s excitement built as she drank in every scent, every sight, every sound.
Her stomach fluttering, Mila blew out a breath. She wasn’t nervous. Aside from the moments before a performance, she was never, ever—
Okay, she was nervous. Not about meeting the pack itself but because she knew it was important to Dominic that they like her. Madisyn and Harley had assured Mila that the Phoenix Pack were good people and that they would like Mila for the simple reason that Dominic mattered to her. Still, that didn’t chase her nerves away. And the stomach fluttering intensified when she heard voices and laughter up ahead.
Dominic gave her hand a supportive squeeze. “They’ll be nice, just like your pride mates have been nice to me. Well, most of them have.”