They stopped five-feet from them.Faith and her mate, Tack, both white tigers, were the closest.Next to them was Granger, an orange tiger and beside him was Bane, the panther who had draped himself on the hood.
"This is Lola," Callon introduced his mate."She's mine.Spread the word."
He started to pull her towards the door, but she wasn't on board with that idea."How offensive is it for me to ask to touch one of them?"she asked, shuffling from foot-to-foot as she rubbed her free hand up and down her jean-clad legs.
There were several huffing sounds that Callon knew were his pride mates laughing.They found her amusing.None would ever be offended by the future Prima of their kingdom asking to touch them, not in the capacity she was asking.To them it was a great honor.But Lola didn't know that yet.The problem wasn't her wanting to touch them.It was that Callon didnotlike the idea of her hands on another pride member, mated or not, female or not.She was his.Not even he had had the pleasure of feeling her hands run over his beast form.Granted he couldn't fully shift, yet.The animal inside of him stretching, getting ready to be let loose.
"Faith," Callon said, as he glanced at Tack.He made a rumbling sound in his chest and Tack responded with a similar sound.
"Did you guys just talk to each other?"Lola asked, her voice full of wonder.
"Yes," Callon said as he looked down at her, a smile tugging at his lips.He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and motioned towards the white tiger who'd stepped up to Lola."This is Faith."
"Whoa," Lola breathed out as Faith lowered her huge head."You're beautiful," she told the tigress.
"That's her mate," he nodded to Tack." I was making sure he was fine with me asking Faith to allow you to touch her."
"Isn't it up to Faith whether or not she's okay if I touch her?"Lola frowned."Anyone hearing this conversation without knowing the context would totally think we were a bunch of freaks."
More huffing sounds.
"They're laughing at me, aren't they?"Lola asked as she looked at the cats around them.
"They find both of us amusing," Callon told her.
Lola jumped when Faith nudged her stomach."So, it's not just domesticated cats that are demanding?"
She ran her hand over Faith's head and the massive tigress made a rumbling sound in her chest.
"That's the closest thing to a purr that a big cat can do," Lola said."At least ones from the human realm.None of the big cats can purr.They only roar and rumble and hiss."
"Why do you know that?"Callon asked her.
“I went through a brief obsession with Animal Planet,” she said, sounding a little embarrassed.“Back when I was in junior high.”
“Sounds like your love of animals didn’t start with shifter-romance books.”His hand twitched to pull her hand off of Faith who was beginning to rub her huge body against Lola.Marking her as a Kingdom of Claws member.Now to everyone she wouldn't only smell of Callon, she'd smell of their entire pride.Faith had just claimed Lola as her future Prima.
“Funny guy,” Lola said dryly, her attention focused on the white tiger.
"Faith," Callon said, trying to keep his voice gentle."Thank you."
She lowered her head to him and then turned, walking back to her mate's side.Tack nudged her with his head and blinked at him, then made another rumbling sound.
"Yes, my parents know," Callon answered using human words.
All four cats bowed their heads.They started to turn to go, but Callon called out to Bane."You owe my car a polish for the scratches and a wash."
The panther made a hissing sound.
"That will teach you to drape your heavy butt across my vehicle treating it like a scratching post," he told the panther as he took Lola's hand and turned her towards the door."Please have it ready by this evening."
As they entered the door Lola glared up at him."You're seriously going to make him wash your car just for laying on it?"
"And scratching it,” Callon added.“But no, not for those reasons," Callon shook his head as he continued to lead her deeper into the house."I'm making him wash it for draping himself out like a centerfold, and staring at you like you didn't belong to me."
She was silent for a heartbeat, then forcefully yanked his hand to make him stop."I thought you said that to fully shift you must have a mate," she challenged.
"Correct."His voice had gone steely.
