Page 33 of Pretty Little Kitty

Kia chewed fast and swallowed hard—mostly so he didn’t choke.

His mate had already pulled away, smirking as he turned back to finish breakfast. The man was lethal. Every move, every word. Dangerous.

“You still didn’t tell me what that transcendent moment was,” Kia said, recovering.

“A gorgeous kitty cat snuck into my bed and made me his,” Suero replied casually, like last night hadn’t been the best night of Kia’s entire damn life. “Brat showed his claws.”

Kia gasped dramatically. “What did you do?”

A wolfish grin curved Suero’s mouth, his eyes glowing faintly. “Fucked him into submission, elegido.” He pointed at the table. “Now sit, so I can feed my kitty cat.”

Kia moved automatically.

If his mate kept bossing him around in that voice? He was going to fall in love with his wolf. Hard.

* * * *

Suero needed to borrow a ride. He wasn’t used to walking the streets of Blackthorn, but honestly didn’t mind.

The morning was clear, the kind of early summer air that still held a trace of nighttime cool. Sunlight filtered through the trees lining the street, dappling the pavement in shifting patches of gold. A light breeze stirred the scent of cut grass and something sweet—honeysuckle, maybe—drifting in from a nearby yard. Somewhere, a lawnmower buzzed lazily, blending into birdsong and the soft shuffle of their footsteps.

For the first time in his life, Suero felt completely content. Like he could finally breathe as his elegido walked beside him, looking just as relaxed.

“I thought you said you were raised by your dad?” Kia reached up, plucking a leaf from a low-hanging branch as they passed.

“I was.” Suero’s gaze flicked to the fence ahead just as a dog rushed it, barking wildly, teeth bared. It raced back and forth like it was desperate to find a way out.

Kia’s eyes widened, moving to Suero’s other side like he was about to fuse with the tree next to him.

“Have you forgotten what I am?” Suero had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. The day a domesticated canine scared—

“Shit!” He yanked his hand back just in time, narrowly avoiding losing fingers to an overexcited jaw.

“See!” Kia spun around like he was searching for backup. He grabbed a stick, one that would snap under a stern look, and held it like a twigsaber. “Can we just go? She’s got killer written all over her crazy eyes.”

“You did not just try to bite me,” Suero snarled, letting his wolf rise dangerously to the surface. “Heel.”

Either the Lab didn’t understand the command or— He tilted his head. “Can you hear me, girl?”

She barked a few more times, nerves twitching through her limbs, then dropped to all four paws.

Suero crouched to meet her gaze, letting her get a full whiff of his wolf.

Slowly, she began to settle, inching closer with cautious steps. Suero reached through the fence, and as he did, his claws slid free.

“Suero!” Kia hissed. “She just tried to eat that hand. Now you’re offering it to her like a late-morning snack while in wolf-whisperer mode.”

Suero let her sniff him, then gently scratched under her muzzle, his claws sliding through soft fur. “She’s just scared, elegido. She’s deaf. Just trying to protect her family.”

Kia inched closer, still wielding his twig like it had magical properties. “How do you know she can’t hear?”

“Chase the cat!” Suero called out, loud and clear. “Get the kitty cat, pretty girl!”

“Really?” Kia squeaked, the twig cracking in his grip, knuckles white. “You did not just order an attack dog to eat me!”

Suero chuckled, his claws receding as he scratched behind the Lab’s ear. Her tongue lolled out, eyes rolling back in bliss.

“You think I’d let anyone hurt you, elegido?” he said, voice smooth. “I was just proving my point.”

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