Heads or Tails (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Werelion Romance) (Quick & Furry Book 4) (4 page)

But he also wanted to get his mate back healthy and whole.

So he waited until he got the signal, the brief motion from his alpha that would put them all into action.

Nine men, nine fierce lions ready to kill and die for one of their own, waited. It was as if the world held its breath, none of them daring to make a movement until given permission, and then they received it.

Each of them took an entrance—some entry points being attacked by more than one male. As one, they raced over the ground, some on four feet others on two. Adrenaline pushed them on and added strength as some kicked down doors while others smashed through windows.

Oscar had one particular window, one particular portal as his goal. When he’d spied Hillary at the glass from a distance, no one had argued with his choice of entry. They could enjoy tearing the others limb from limb, but Oscar’s first priority was ensuring his mate was safe. He’d failed once, but he was going to care for her now. He just had to bust through the bars on the window first.

Oscar remained in his human form, needing his hands to tear those bars away. He knew they’d be bolted in, secure so Hillary couldn’t escape, but they would be nothing against an enraged, fully grown male lion who wanted his other half.

When he reached the side of the house, he wrapped his fingers around those metal bars and ripped them away. Hell, he was almost let down by how easy he accomplished the task. It was even easier to demolish the glass that was the final barrier between them. He bolted through the opening and quickly scanned the interior of the room, anxious to snatch Hillary and carry her to safety.

However, things don’t always go according to plan. Because he didn’t find his mouthy omega mate crouched in the corner, waiting for him. He discovered a massive male holding two things: his mate in one arm and a gun in the other hand. A gun pointed directly at him.

A bright light blinded him for a moment, the flare followed by the unmistakable pop of a gun firing, and then an agonizing pain consumed his chest. It was a gunshot, he’d experienced them before, but those hadn’t been to his heart.

Oscar blinked and found himself kneeling on the floor hands limp at his side. He looked down his body and spied the large hole in the center of his chest.

He shifted his attention from his body and back to his attacker. Pure evil consumed the man’s gaze, and uncontrolled hate filled Hillary’s. Golden fur slid over her skin, sliding free of her pores, and he couldn’t stop himself from marveling at her beauty.

Then he didn’t really marvel at anything because the darkness was creeping in, and weakness replaced his strength. He felt himself slumping, muscles no longer listening to his desires, and his eyes flitted closed.

But not before he caught sight of his luscious mate shifting, her lioness’ fangs emerging and golden fur bursting through her pores.

God damn she was beautiful. And if he wasn’t dying, he’d be hard.

*

Oh. Hell. No.

Hillary could deal with being manhandled. She’d tolerated it all her life. Tony and Niccolo’s guys had never learned the word please, so getting hauled here and there was no bigs.

Having the guy holding her shoot her mate in the chest was a problem. A deadly one. Because while she spent her life with them being docile—if annoying—she was anything but now. Her lioness rushed forward, abandoning her constant post in the back of her mind and it burst through her skin in a roaring wave. One moment she had human hands and feet and the next she was a whirling mass of pale fur, flashing claws and shining teeth.

Anger, no not anger but rage. It overflowed and consumed her. Sweetness and light? Hardly. Not anymore.

It took one look at Oscar, one glance at his slumped form and steadily bleeding wound, to make her next decision. Her jailer released her with her shift, and now she was going to capture
him
. She’d never truly enjoyed pouncing and killing prey, but she was so making an exception for this guy. She tackled him, taking his heavy weight down with her smaller size.

Hillary dug her claws into his chest, three-inch nails sinking through flesh and scraping bone as she held him down. Pain etched his features and she felt his fists colliding with her body, but it was nothing compared to the pain of her mate’s injuries. She flexed one of her back legs, pressed it against his flailing body and sank in there as well. More flesh, more bone, and this time the male released a scream.

That’s right fucker, scream like a little bitch.

Her mouth watered with the thought of ripping out his throat, and she licked her whiskers in anticipation. The scent of his blood teased her lioness and she could practically taste him on her tongue. Coppery sweetness with a sour tang of pain and fear. She hated the flavors of fear, but their presence pleased her animal. She lowered her head, jaws wide and ready, only to be yanked away from her prey.

So not fair.

The rip of her nails from his body made a satisfying squelching sound, but the collision of her side against the wall was anything but. For the second time in as many hours, drywall and plaster rained down on her, unfortunately this time it stuck. Blech. She wasn’t about to clean herself of blood if she was going to end up with all that crap in her mouth as well.

Hillary shook her head, clearing her mind, and swung her attention toward her prey only to find a new male towering above the man she’d downed. One booted foot on the male’s chest kept him immobile and despite the wounded man’s attempt at throwing him off, it so wasn’t happening.

This guy was strong.
Strong
. She opened her mouth slightly, tasting the air, and there was no doubting the newcomer was an alpha. The North American Alpha, Marcus? Yes, it could be no one else.

Hillary pushed to her feet, staggering the slightest bit and she shook her body, tossing off the dizziness and pain in her ribs. Then she glared at Marcus, curling her lip in a clear threat. The fucker had shot Oscar.

The alpha simply shook his head and jerked his chin toward her mate. She swung her attention to Oscar. What the fuck did the guy want? Did he want her to cry over Oscar’s body? She’d much rather tear the responsible party into teeny tiny pieces. But then she saw what the alpha was trying to show her.

Oscar wasn’t dead. His breathing was labored, but he
was
breathing. Except she knew where the wound was located, the entry point right above his heart. Other than a headshot, it was a sure way to kill a shifter. When they were whole and healthy, there wasn’t much else that would take them down.

It looked as if not even a bullet to the chest was taking her mate out of the game. She took one last look at Marcus, confirming he had the other male under control, and then she rushed to Oscar’s side. It was as if she and her lioness worked as one, the animal retreating in an instant and leaving the human shape in its wake. It took her no more than three steps before she had human hands and arms, human feet and legs. It was easy to lay him onto his back. She ran her hands over him, yanking at his shirt and tearing it in two to get a look at his wound. It was already heeling over, the flesh at the edges pinking with newly grown skin.

“Oscar?” The hole was still bleeding, but even that slowed beneath her gaze.

He groaned and opened his eyes, focusing on her as he lifted a hand and prodded at his chest. “Hillary?” His voice was deep yet soft. “Wha—” He looked around the room, taking it all in, and it was as if the last several minutes struck his mind at once because fur was coating his skin and his fangs were peeking past his lower lip. He snarled and reached for her. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and yanked as he fought to stand. “Get back.”

“I’m fine, Oscar. I’m fine.” She tugged against his hold. “Marcus is here. I’m more worried about you.” She grasped his shoulder and shoved him back to the ground. “You got shot in the damn heart. How are you still alive?”

He grunted once his back collided with the ground. “I didn’t get shot in the fucking heart.”

Hillary raised her eyebrows, not believing him, and she flicked her gaze to his chest and then refocused on his face.

Oscar rolled his eyes. “So I got shot
near
my fucking heart. Bastard got close, but he nicked a bone I think.” Oscar reached across his body and rubbed at a spot on his ribs. “Bullet is right here.” Her mate peeked around her. “Marcus, everything good? Guys got everyone?”

She focused on the alpha as well, waiting for the man to answer. The last thing she’d ever want was others getting hurt on her behalf. Then two things happened at once. Marcus nodded and it seemed her mate had finally realized Hillary was a little less then clothed. As in, naked. Her mate didn’t go for her wrist this time, but instead her whole shoulder. He grasped it and yanked her aside and to her feet while he rose along with her, effectively blocking her with his body so she was no longer exposed to the alpha’s gaze.

Oscar roared, Marcus sighed, and Hillary rolled her eyes.

The swift movements did give her a chance to do something though. While her mate was occupied with threatening his alpha, Hillary transformed a single finger to a sharp claw and went after that small piece of metal that remained. So preoccupied, he didn’t realize what she was up to until she held the slug in her hand.

Lift. Cut. Squeeze. And done.

By the time he was releasing a low grunt from the pain, it was over.

“What the fuck was that?” Oscar spun toward her and she held out her hand, metal resting in her palm.

“This.”

He glared at the offending bit and then turned that glare on her. Then that glare turned into a wide-eyed stare because he was reminded of her nakedness. It was as if he’d never seen a nude woman before. She must have said those words aloud because he responded.

“I’ve never seen
my
woman naked before, and I sure as hell don’t want anyone else seeing you.” Then she was staring at Oscar’s back again while he spoke with the alpha. “Gimme your shirt.”

An order, not a request. He ordered an
alpha
around. Ballsy.

In a rush of movement, Hillary suddenly found herself covered from neck to knee in a large t-shirt. Her lioness was pleased that they were covered—only Oscar should ever see her unclothed—but it loathed having another male’s scent on their skin. She shuddered and fought the beast’s natural inclination to rip the fabric from her body.

He must have sensed or scented her disgust. He ran a single finger down her cheek before cupping her face. “We’ll be home soon, kitty, and then you can wash all this stink off you.”

The alpha grumbled but remained quiet otherwise as her mate swung her into his arms.

“Then what?”

“Then I can put my scent all over you.”

She could deal with that.

The murmurs reached Oscar before anyone came in sight. It was easy to make out the different voices, the two men bickering and arguing as they approached the master bedroom. He couldn’t fault them for the back-and-forth snarling. He’d be afraid of himself too.

“Fuck that, you’re going. You met her already.” Grant’s voice was firm.

“Oh hell, no, I’m not. I met her and was with her when she was kidnapped. I’m not letting him take that frustration out on me.” Colton was quick to respond.

“I outrank you, so you’re gonna—”

“Amazingly, I’m not.”

The tinkle and clink of silverware was interspersed with their words, and he realized what they were bitching about. On one hand he appreciated that someone was bringing food. On the other, he didn’t want another male anywhere near Hillary. Especially when she was naked.
Naked…

They’d managed to make it back to Pride Tower and up to Oscar’s apartment. The only reason Marcus gave them peace was because they promised to meet with him after they’d rested and cleaned up. The whole tower was on lockdown while they figured out how to proceed with this new information from Tony.

Oscar told Marcus not to expect them until tomorrow morning and the alpha’s only response was a knowing grin and a quick, “Well, everyone will enjoy a day off while we wait for your lazy asses.”

The rain of water on tile continued to filter from the bathroom, a continuous reminder that his mate was washing away the scents of others… Naked.

The argument between Grant and Colton grew louder as they neared and he sensed them pausing mere feet from the master bedroom door.

“I will straight up challenge you right here and now for your position as my superior just so I don’t have to knock on that door.” Damn, Colton was really dedicated to not delivering the food.

“You wish,” Grant grumbled. “How about this? We’ll do a round of Rock Paper Scissor Lizard Spock.”

What the…
Oscar’s thought was echoed by Colton.

“What the… You’re watching way too much
Big Bang Theory
. How about regular old heads or tails?” Colton returned.

Now a new voice cut off the bickering. A voice that no one in the pride could deny. “I have never met a bigger bunch of pussies in my life.” Penelope, the Alpha Mate, snarled at them. “Give me the damn tray and get out. You’re acting as if he’d rip your head off for knocking on the door.”

Oscar was tempted to tell her that was exactly what he would’ve done. Unmated males so close to his wet, naked unmated mate? Hell yeah, he would’ve taken them out. Brett would be down two enforcers and he wouldn’t have felt an ounce of remorse.

When Penelope finally knocked on his door and he swung it open to receive her, he made sure he kept that to himself.

“Here, the men were big babies and refused to deliver this, but I’m sure you know that already.”

“Yeah, thanks, Alpha Mate.” He took the tray from her.

The moment her hands were free, she patted his hand and smiled widely. “No problem, I’m really happy for you two. I hope—”

An echoing snarl shot toward them and that was followed by a streak of peach and white as he was pushed back a few feet. It was only his lion’s reflexes that kept him from spilling the food.

“Mine,” Hillary hissed.