our mate by our sides.”
“Well, aren’t you the optimistic one,” I chuckle as my nose wrinkles with a scent that’s enchanting to my senses. Sandalwood, musk and chocolate! My three favorite things in the world. “Do you smell that, Jax?” He stops, lifts his face into the air, catching the breeze around us. He shakes his head negatively and looks at me as if I’ve grown a second head.
“What are you smelling, Glory? I smell the sunshine and fresh breeze in the air. Wait,” he sniffs again, “is that cotton candy?”
“Jax, there’s no cotton candy vendors here… I think your sense of smell is off,” I joke around with him. Other than the smells I indicated earlier; barbeque being grilled permeates the air around us. “No, it’s there,” he once again insists.
“Then you should follow your nose,” I direct him. “I’m gonna do the same.” I leave him to follow his own trail as I continue on the path that mine is leading me down. This would be so much easier in leopard form; but there is an unwritten rule about shifting in public; even at one of our own held events. The scent gets stronger the closer I get to the beer tent. I feel my skin prickle and my fangs elongate from my gums. Mine, my leopard whispers in my mind. That could only mean one thing, my mate is here!
Just then, I feel a warm breath scenting my neck from behind me. Then words are whispered that send a shockwave of emotions through my system, “Where’ve you been all of my life?”
“Waiting for you to find me.” I twirl around and stare into my mate’s eyes. They’re as green as emeralds sparkling in the rays of the sun. His hair is as blond as the driven snow. He’s built like a bodybuilder and has tattoos covering every square inch of his arms that’s visible outside of his tight, form framing T-shirt.
“Well, I’ve found you now. You’ll never get away from me now that I have.” His eyes blaze with lust as he states this to me. “What’s your name, mate?”
“Glory,” I all but whimper out, as my overzealous hormones surge out of control through my bloodstream. “You?”
“Blaze,” he huskily states, oblivious to how he’s profoundly affecting me. His voice causes my legs to quiver as I fight to keep them steady and hold my body in an upright position.
“How appropriate,” I stammer out, causing him to throw his head back in laughter. My eyes stay glued to his Adam’s apple as it bobs in his throat. My mouth salivates with the deepest desire to lick and strike that particular spot with my mating claim. My teeth are ready, my body is strung tightly, my saliva is forming in readiness to sink my essence into him. He’ll reek of me and no other female shifter will ever go near him. That’s the best thing about our kind, we don’t poach on other’s mates. It’s as if they’re put off by the scent of another’s pheromones combined with each other.
“Don’t worry, my Glory. We won’t be going down in any blazes of fire,” he assures me, as we each move a little closer to the other. I begin to chuckle at his words, yeah, I had that thought dancing around in my mind. How astute that we’d have the same sense of humor.
“You’ve got that title wrong, big guy,” I inform him as he lifts his hand to cup my cheek. “It’s Blaze of Glory.”
“Well, either way, the only thing that’ll be catching fire tonight, and the rest of our lives, is the linens that make up our mated bed.” I want to roll my eyes at his cliche’d words, but they’re too damn cute so I keep from outwardly displaying this.
“When?” I ask, swiping my tongue along my bottom lip.
“Not until our mating ceremony, Glory. We must respect our prides, and their beliefs. I will always hold you in the highest regards and only show you the respect you deserve as my mate, and old lady.”
“Old lady?” I inquire, confused. “And you did just now say tonight, or did I hear that wrong?” I’m only nineteen, nowhere near needing hair dye to cover the gray at the root of my head nor a cane for balance as I walk.
“I’m in line for presidency of the Dark Leopards MC. I’ve been in the club one way or another my entire life,” Blaze admits. I can see the trepidation in