ever flirted with any other males or, worse, allowed them to touch her.
Mitya drew in a deep breath. He knew his leopard, and there was more to it than what he had admitted to Mitya. What else? I want all of it right now, Dymka. He rarely used that tone with his leopard. Dymka had saved his life so many times. More, he’d taken countless beatings when Mitya was a child to save him.
I told her Ania would suffer even more, that you would beat her as well to pay for the things Jewel did. The admission came out in a rush, as if the leopard wanted to get it over with.
The images of Mitya standing over Ania, his fists poised and fury on his face, Ania on the ground, sickened him. He couldn’t imagine how young Jewel felt. No wonder she was desperate to protect her human counterpart. Fury burst through him to rival the rage of his cat.
I would never hit her. Or harm her in any way. I would remove any threat to my bonding with her, but no matter what she did, I wouldn’t hurt Ania. After living with Lazar, do you believe threats like that work?
They worked for Lazar.
Mitya forced calm. He shut off the blow-dryer, unplugged it and took it into the master bath, needing to move. Dymka had a point. Threats had worked for his father. He frequently beat his wife as well as his children. He tortured men into submission. Everyone fell in line with him because if they didn’t, it was worse for them.
Is that the kind of relationship you want with Jewel? For her to be afraid of you? He was cautious in his question, choosing his images carefully. Was his leopard that fucked-up? If he was, what kind of hope did he have for his own relationship with Ania? His leopard’s mood definitely affected him.
I want her to be mine.
For the first time, Mitya felt the desperation in the leopard. He took another calming breath, trying to understand what was going on in the cat’s mind. Explain.
I am angry all the time and I make you that way. You are happy with Ania. I feel it. I am at peace when Jewel is close. No anger. It is the first time I can remember I don’t want to kill. It is the first time I can remember you don’t want to hurt someone. Jewel and Ania make us better. But Jewel rose with other males close and she invited them even closer.
Anger and rage were back instantly at the memory. The leopard wanted to pace and Mitya gave him that, pacing the length of the master bedroom and back, over and over like a caged animal.
She risked what we had. She risked your happiness. Our peace.
How did one explain to an animal? As intelligent as Dymka was, the traits of the leopard were ingrained in Jewel. Nature drove her during a heat. He had to try to make the cat understand.
Jewel has never been through a heat at the same time as Ania. The drive is tremendous. All females can be very amorous and flirtatious during that time. She will draw you close and then rebuff you. That is their way. She had no idea those males were going to be in the bakery. She has no control over when she rises. Dymka, what you did, threatening her, was wrong. It only drove her away from you.
There was a long silence. He felt Dymka’s need to emerge stronger than ever, but knowing he had threatened Ania, even through Mitya, didn’t make him feel she was safe.
I would never hurt Ania.
She is fragile compared to you. One bite, one swipe of your paw, and you could kill her. If you kill her, you kill Jewel and you kill us. Mitya made that clear. If I lose Ania, I will not continue. He wanted that clear as well. If his leopard needed firm guidelines and boundaries, he was going to give them to the cat.
I am aware. The tone was conciliatory.
Jewel may well try to repress her heat to prevent the mating ritual, Dymka. That was no threat but a very real possibility.
Again, there was a long silence. I want Ania to bring Jewel close. I will talk to her.
Mitya wasn’t positive that was such a good idea. Ania was exhausted, but she was also still very wary of Mitya. She may have committed to him and was certain she would