Page 1 of Pretty Little Kitty

Chapter One

Xavier might actually kill him this time. It was bad enough his uncle discovered Kia had infiltrated the hyena pack. A pathetic excuse for a spy mission, if you could even call it that. He’d come too close to getting shot in that creepy old factory.

But this? Kia was going to claim temporary insanity. No doubt about it. Because how else do you explain standing on a deserted road, barely an inch away from enemy territory.

Kia nibbled on his lip, shifted his weight, then scratched his arm while glancing around. The earthy scent of trees and the faint whiff of exhaust from passing cars drifted through the air as a war waged on inside of him.

“You texted him and went on two dates,” he muttered in disbelief. “How in the world did you get so hooked?”

But they’d been two unforgettable dates Kia couldn’t get out of his mind, or those deep mocha eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the universe.

Time and again, Kia had daydreamed about kissing Suero, imagining the soft brush of his goatee against his skin.

By now, he’d reread those texts a million times, regretting every second he avoided the wolf.

Yet, no amount of guilt could change the fact that Suero was a wolf, and Kia was a cheetah trying to talk himself out of a reckless decision.

There wasn’t a snowball’s chance in the desert his uncle would ever approve of Suero. Xavier had a deep-seated disdain for the wolves, often dismissing them with derogatory remarks like “dirty mutts” whenever they were near the borders.

Yet, how could Kia resist when Suero made him feel so alive, as if he were the center of the universe?

“Don’t even think about it,” he scolded himself, his heart pounding like an overzealous drummer as he stepped over the invisible line. “You’re an idiot.” Naturally, there was no one around to contradict him. The silence was thick and heavy, disrupted only by the gentle whisper of leaves.

“You already crossed over, so you might as well keep going.” Hopefully, Suero didn’t take one look at him and tell him to piss off after Kia had ghosted the guy.

He kept to the woods like a nervous squirrel, terrified one of his coalition members would spot him. But if they did, he could always question their presence on wolf land. Still, he picked up the pace. With an hour-long trek ahead, his mid-morning start seemed perfectly reasonable.

Now all he needed was for his uncle not to bother him, a shifter not to catch a glimpse of him, Suero’s pack to refrain from using Kia as a chew toy once he reached Blackthorn, and everything would turn out… well, not catastrophic, at least.

Kia moved cautiously through the woods, trying his best to avoid detection. He knew this was complete insanity, but the need to see Suero was stronger than his common sense.

As he neared the town of Blackthorn, the air thickened with the unmistakable, musky scent of wolves. His cheetah, already feeling twitchy, took notice.

He paused, ears tuned for any hint of footsteps or growls. When he heard none, he moved on.

After what seemed like an eternity, the trees finally started to space out, revealing the first glimpses of Blackthorn. He was taken aback by the charming shops that dotted the street, each one boasting its own special appeal.

Some had sidewalk signs swaying lazily in the breeze, while oversized potted plants, lush and vibrant, dangled elegantly from every other lamppost.

The pavement in front of the store to Kia’s left shimmered, as if freshly hosed down, the droplets sparkling like tiny gemstones in the sunlight. The crisp, clean scent mingled with the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers and a subtle hint of coffee brewing from a nearby café.

There was no turning back now. He stepped out from the tree line, doing his best to appear nonchalant while he scanned for any sign of Suero.

“Maybe try calling him,” he said to himself, rolling his eyes as he pulled his phone from his back pocket. He’d obsessed over their text exchanges so often, it should have been his first thought.

Naturally, the call went straight to voicemail. It was as if the universe was telling him he should’ve kept his butt home.

Kia would have turned around and started back, but his empty stomach was growling loudly, making him instinctively press a hand over it.

There had to be a place nearby where he could grab a bite to eat for the walk home. Somewhere other than a cafe that probably only served pastries.

Skipping breakfast had been a terrible idea, second only to this entire plan.

He strode toward the nearest shop, intent on getting directions to a place to eat, when the deafening roar of motorcycles caught his attention.

The noise reminded him of Suero, with his domineering presence on that massive bike, his arms chiseled like granite, and flashing that wicked grin that could melt hearts. His flirtatious glances and the sparkle in his eyes when he laughed came to mind, causing Kia’s heart to ache.

“Stop being so pathetic,” he muttered to himself. “Just get some food and head home.”

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