Stolen and Forgiven (Branded Packs #1)(41)

It only knew that her mate had returned, and was purring with a contentment that scared the hell out of Cora.

Time seemed to stand still as they simply stared at one another.

Heat. Need. And something far more dangerous smoldered in the air, threatening to stir old feelings that Cora had thought she’d banished years ago.

“Why aren’t you at the ceremony?” She abruptly broke the silence, wrapping her arms around her waist as she battled the urge to flee into the house and slam the door shut.

She wasn’t going to give the son of a bitch the satisfaction of knowing he could still disturb her.

Soren strolled forward, his gaze skimming over her scantily clad body with blatant appreciation. Briefly, she considered the pleasure of kicking him in the nads.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he said, at last turning his attention to her flushed face.

She shrugged. “I don’t have a formal position among the Pack.”

He gave a short laugh. “No one familiar with the tigers would ever underestimate your power, princess.”

“Power?”

He halted directly in front of her, wrapping her in his warm musk.

“Your father and brothers adore you. It’s well known that they listen to your council,” he murmured. “It’s also known that your father isn’t above using your beauty to dazzle unsuspecting males during difficult negotiations.”

It actually wasn’t well known. Her father laughingly called her his ‘secret weapon.’ But Soren had covertly traveled to the tiger compound as Holden’s prime diplomat, seeking to build an open channel of communication between the Packs. Which meant he knew far more about them than any other wolf.

“As charming as ever, Soren.” She offered a meaningless smile. “Unfortunately, it’s a wasted effort on me. Why don’t you run along to the ceremony? I’m sure there are a lot of females eager to hear your sweet lies.”

Soren went predatory still, his eyes narrowing. “Are you claiming that I lied to you, princess?”

Of course, he hadn’t. He was too cunning to make promises he couldn’t keep.

Which only pissed her off more.

“I’m not claiming anything, I’m telling you that I want you to go away,” she said.

Something that might have been regret flared through his eyes. “We need to talk.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so.”

“Cora.”

He reached out as if he intended to grab her arm. Instinctively, she slapped his hand away.

“Don’t. Touch. Me,” she said between clenched teeth.

He studied her with shadowed eyes, the air so thick it was difficult to breathe.

“Whether you like it or not, we’re about to become one big, messy Pack,” he finally said.

“I don’t like it.”

His lips flattened. “Peace is going to be difficult enough without open tension between the Tiger Princess and the Beta of River Pack.”

“There doesn’t need to be any tension.” She nodded her head toward the nearby trees that ringed the area designated for the felines. “Just stay the hell away from me.”

He made a sound of frustration. “The space is too small for us to completely avoid one another.”

“Not if we both make an effort.”

“Princess-”

Once again, he stretched his hand toward her, and once again, she smacked it away.

“I told you not to touch me,” she snapped.

Cognac eyes suddenly smoldered with the heat of his wolf, his musk teasing at her senses as he took a deliberate step forward.

“That’s not what you used to say,” he growled, leaning down until they were nose to nose. “Once you begged for my touch. My kisses.”

She didn’t think…she just reacted. Spectacularly.

Lifting her hand, she slapped him across his too-handsome face.

“You bastard.”

****

Soren flinched. Not from the pain of her slap. But with the realization that he was behaving like a bastard.

Which was the last thing he wanted.

When he’d seen her standing in the moonlight, his entire being had ignited with pleasure.

It was like he’d been sleepwalking through his life for the past seven years, only to be reawakened by the sight of the female with the glorious mane of reddish-gold curls and stunning emerald eyes.

Everything was more acute. The crisp breeze. The tang of the autumn air. The silver of the moonlight as it glided over Cora’s half-naked body.

A longing so urgent it’d nearly sent him to his knees blasted through him, even as he watched Cora’s expression harden with dislike.

Shit. He desperately wanted to erase that look of loathing. To see her features soften with delight at the mere sight of him.

Which was why he was bungling this first meeting on an epic scale.

Forcing himself to take a step back, he drew in a deep, steadying breath.

“My mother would argue with the term bastard, but I’ll agree, I deserved the slap,” he said in rueful tones.

“Good.” She pointed toward the trees. “Now, go away.”

He leashed his wolf that snarled with impatience. His animal wasn’t politically correct.

It wanted this woman beneath him as he pounded them both to paradise.