Page 73 of Stray Cat

“Did you mean it?” she whispered.

“Which part?” Xav breathed into her ear. “That I love you? Or that we needed better witnesses? I admit, these are pretty good ones.”

In addition to Diego, Neal, Tiger, and Reid, Cassidy was there, along with Leah, who watched the two of them, enraptured, tears on her face.

“The first part.” Lindsay touched her forehead to Xav’s. “I love you too, Xav.” Her voice was quiet, pitched only so Xav would hear.

Xav’s body heated, something inside him complete for the first time in his life.

“You meant it about the mate-claim?” Xav asked. “You weren’t just trying to distract Dean?”

“Couldn’t it be both?” Lindsay smiled at him. “But, in case we didn’t make it, I wanted to be your mate when I went to the Summerland. I want that evenmoreif we’re staying right here on Earth. Mate bond or no mate bond, I don’t care.”

“Linds.” Xav cupped her face and kissed her, a slow, hot, promising kiss. She sank into him, her returning kiss full of sultry fire.

Small claws on his back jerked Xav from the bliss of Lindsay. One of the wolf cubs—Matt or Kyle—scrambled up onto Xav’s shoulder and began a high-pitched, ear-splitting howl.

Xav put a hand on the little guy’s furry back. “I love you too,lobito.”

“He’s congratulating you on the mate bond,” Neal translated. “I am too.”

Lindsay’s eyes were starry with hope. “I feel it.” She laid her hand on Xav’s chest, right over his heart. “I think you might too. Do you?”

The hot tingle inside Xav flared at her touch. It quickly became searing need that made him wish everyone else would evaporate while he took Lindsay on this cold loading bay floor.

“I think so.” Xav slid his hands to her hips. “I don’t really understand it, but I’m willing to let you teach me all about it.”

“That sounds fun.” Lindsay’s answer was shy but her touch promised wonderful things to come.

“The mate bond is there.” Tiger’s resonant voice came to them. He sounded as though it should be obvious. “It is easy to see.”

Matt, or Kyle, on Xav’s shoulder, howled his agreement, while his twin dashed around their feet, yipping.

Lindsay ignored them all and tugged Xav to her for another kiss, this one filled with deep desire. Xav felt himself reacting, his body not caring that they stood in the middle of a crowd.

He remembered his talk with Lindsay about scent marking, mating, and the mate bond, and knew the mate bond was important to her—one of the most important things in a Shifter’s life. Lindsay had just tossed out that she didn’t care whether it formed, but Xav knew she did.

The burning in his chest told Xav Tiger was right. Somehow, the mate bond had found him, and now was making him want Lindsay with an intensity he couldn’t fight.

Talking and bonding could come later. For now, Xav needed Lindsay, the mate of his heart. The kiss turned even more fervent.

Behind them Brody guffawed. “Get a room.”

Lindsay broke from Xav with a laugh, but her eyes held the same burning need Xav felt. Xav cupped her face.

“I feel it,” he assured Lindsay. The hope in Lindsay’s eyes seared him, and he traced her silken cheek. “Mate of my heart.”

Amid the continuing laughter and Emma’s admonishingLeave them alone, Bear,Xav gathered Lindsay close and kissed her again.

The two who’d danced around each other, in and out, back and forth, with the occasional connection were now whole. One.

Mates.

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

It took far longer to get out the warehouse than Xav liked.

He wanted to stay buried in his kiss with Lindsay and then run out of there with her to his place—or maybe to the back of an SUV on the side of the road if they couldn’t make it that far—but Shifters surged around them, full of congratulations or more teasing.

---