Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
“He hasn’t challenged you yet,” she pointed out. “He’s still far out. He has no idea you’re aware of him. We need to see what the other two men are doing. I believe they mean to harm you if you win.”
He shrugged, uncaring. “They want to continue with what they were doing before I came into leadership and shut down their largest moneymaker. They don’t like the changes. They keep coming at me, Maya, and they aren’t going to stop.”
She lifted her chin at him. “They don’t get to have two snipers in position when you’ve been challenged to fight for leadership.”
He framed her face between her palms and looked into her eyes, knowing Rogue was looking as well, that she could see both. “I’m declaring that you’re mine, Maya. And Wraith belongs to Rogue. If they have shooters, Meiling and Matvei will take them out.” He poured confidence into his voice and mind so she would believe him. He had confidence in his security team. “Gedeon will be with me. There is no way this leopard will win.”
“I’m not in the least bit concerned that he will, only that if they spot you and they’re in a position to take the shot before our people are ready to take them out, I won’t be too happy with you.”
Gorya liked that she was already calling his security our people. He smiled at her. “We wouldn’t want that.”
She shook her head. “You know how I can get.”
“How does she get?” Ashe asked curiously.
“My woman has a little bit of a temper,” Gorya answered without taking his gaze from Maya’s.
Meiling touched Maya’s shoulder. “No one will shoot him. I give you my word. I don’t miss.”
Matvei didn’t touch her, but he gave her a small salute. “Got your man covered.”
“I appreciate you watching out for him,” Maya said, breaking the eye contact with Gorya, but she reached for his hand, keeping him from shifting and rushing out into the swamp.
I’m still uneasy, Gorya. Even knowing they have this setup, there’s something else.
As Meiling and Matvei slipped into the night shadows, Gorya did his best to reach beyond the chaos of the leopard’s rage at another male entering his territory, daring to challenge him for his female. It was difficult to process anything else when the need to confront the other leopard was so strong.
Timur came up to stand beside his cousin. “How did your leopards feel the approach so quickly? Or scent them? I’m just now getting a faint warning, and it comes and goes. They’re very far away and staying downwind as best they can.”
Standing beside his cousin, another powerful male, increased the difficulty for Gorya. Disapproval of Maya came off Timur in subtle waves, but it was there. Both Rogue and he reacted despite every effort not to. Maya had to be aware of it. She was even more empathic than he was. Gedeon and even Meiling would know what Timur thought of Gorya’s chosen mate. It was one thing not to care what his cousin thought of him—that he was weaker and needed looking after—but he didn’t like that Timur had a poor opinion of Maya.
We are deceiving him. How is that his fault?
Maya’s gentle calm flowed into him, pouring serenity into his mind over the heat-influenced male rage building against his cousin. Gorya took a deep breath and hung on to his discipline and years of developing who he was.
“You’ve always known I could find other leopards fast, Timur, unless they were masking their scent. These leopards aren’t. Gedeon and Meiling have the same ability.”
Timur glanced over at Maya. “Your woman seemed to be the one to catch them first, yet her female appears to be sleeping at the moment. None of the males are reacting to her.”
Gorya inhaled Maya’s unique fragrance. “She’s much more sensitive to her surroundings than the rest of us.”
Timur looked as if he was pleased with that news. “At least she’ll be a help to you with your warning system.”
The wind shifted, bringing the offending scent of the approaching male leopard. It mattered little to Rogue how far away he was. The leopard fought to emerge, to meet the challenge of the other daring to enter his exclusive territory.
Wait, Gorya whispered, stripping away his shirt altogether. He will issue his challenge for leadership. He’ll issue his challenge for Wraith. We will be on him before he is prepared.
He crouched low, leapt over the wall, kicked off his shoes and stripped away his trousers. Shifting, he allowed Rogue the freedom to hunt, but in absolute silence.
9
Rogue streaked through the swamp toward the intruder. The leopard had familiarized himself with the entire area and knew every shortcut, every trail, every branch that took him through the trees above their heads to make the route faster. Even Gedeon found it difficult to keep up with the leopard, and he’d run these trails hundreds of times in preparation.