Usually, Max relied on stealth, and on his enhanced sense of hearing, of smell, and of sight. Now he was on a levelplaying field and severely outnumbered. Despite having always preferred to work alone, Max was incredibly grateful for the friends he had made who were carrying out this mission with him. If they all made it out alive, he would spend the rest of his days trying to repay them for helping him rescue Mia.
The humidity in the air clung to Max’s skin as he and the team clambered out of the two dusty jeeps. The symphony of chirping cicadas and distant bird calls enveloped the group, signaling their entry into a new territory.
Ethan, looking out of place and uncomfortable, kept throwing wary glances around. Max could smell the man’s nervous sweat. It was strong, mixing with the thick scent of foliage and decayed leaves.
“Remember, you’re staying with us until Mia is safe,” Max whispered to Ethan, ensuring the man was in no doubt of his intentions.
Ethan glared at him, but remained silent, clearly aware of the danger of speaking too loudly which would have given away their location.
They all nodded to each other, a silent agreement passing between them then started to move forward through the trees. With weapons secured and senses on high alert, they began their trek, stepping cautiously on the rain-soaked ground. The surrounding jungle was a mesh of shadows and sounds, an ever-present reminder of the threats lurking in its depths. Max’s ears twitched at every rustle, every faint growl. His eyes scanned continuously, watching for any movement.
They were about five minutes into their walk when suddenly, the underbrush shook violently, and a massive jaguar lunged at them, its eyes wild and filled with predatory intent. Time seemedto slow as the creature leaped. Max’s reflexes took over. Without fully shifting into his feline form, his arm transformed into a powerful paw. With a swift, forceful swipe, his razor-sharp claws connected with the jaguar’s throat.
The jungle echoed with the jaguar’s final snarl. The jaguar fell to the ground before his body transformed back into that of a man. The group froze, breaths held, ears straining for any hint that the other cartel members had overheard. After what felt like an eternity, there was only silence and the distant murmurs of nature. They collectively exhaled, tension easing from their shoulders.
They continued, the cartel’s buildings gradually coming into view, a stark contrast against the dense green foliage. The path ahead promised danger, but for Max, the only thing that mattered was Mia. Every fiber of his being was focused on saving her.
From their concealed position behind a dense cluster of trees, the team surveyed the looming buildings. The buzzing of insects was momentarily drowned out by the murmur of conversations and the clinking of weapons. Guards, with varying degrees of attentiveness, patrolled the grounds, their footsteps crunching on the gravel beneath.
Logan, Sebastian, and Toby slid silently to the left, signaling their intent to scout the opposite side of the warehouses. Their departure was as silent as a shadow, blending seamlessly into the sounds of the forest. Max and the others were about to move forward when the metallic, unmistakable sound of a gunshot pierced the silence, the sharp echo bouncing off the warehouse walls. It was distant, but not distant enough. Max’s heart leaped into his throat, and every primal instinct surged to the forefront. Mia. The name pounded in his head, drowning out every ounceof caution and training.
Without thinking, he lunged forward, charging towards the sound’s source. The earthy scent of the jungle was replaced by the cold tang of metal and gunpowder.
Carter, realization dawning on his face, reached out, hissing, “Max! Wait!”
But Max’s focus was singular. The distant chatter of guards, the rustle of the wind in the trees, the scents of the jungle—none of it mattered. There was only the pounding of his heart and the desperate need to reach Mia and to discover if she had been the one shot. The very idea made a loud roar slip from his lips unbidden, and he charged toward the warehouse, consequences be damned. Of course, the sound of his roar drew attention and guards came running his way, weapons drawn. Max lifted his own gun and shot the two men without even slowing to take aim.
Max sprinted towards the warehouse, his shoes crunching over the uneven terrain. But as he neared the door, the unmistakable metallic tang of blood assaulted his senses, a scent all too familiar. Panic gripped him tighter. The weight of the gun in his hand now felt burdensome. The world around him seemed to blur, narrowing to a fine point—the entrance of the warehouse.
In a seamless motion, Max dropped the gun, and his body shifted. Bones crunched, muscles rippled, and fur sprouted, until a powerful tiger stood where Max once was. His heightened senses as the tiger took in every nuance, every scent, and every sound even more sharply.
Without hesitation, he leaped at the warehouse door with a fierce growl, smashing it open with sheer force ready for the fight of his life. Inside, the sight that met him was one of rawbrutality. A graceful, majestic leopard stood its ground, its snout stained with blood. Beneath it, the lifeless body of a man lay sprawled out, his throat torn open, a testament to the leopard’s lethal prowess.
Mia.
Max’s momentum skidded him to an abrupt stop, dust swirling around his paws. The warehouse echoed with their heavy breaths, and he blinked, struggling to process the scene before him. The leopard’s gaze shifted to him, and within its golden depths, a glint of recognition flashed. An excited yip broke the tense atmosphere as the leopard bounded toward him with unbridled joy.
Max’s heart swelled with relief and something else he couldn’t quite name. As they collided, Mia’s leopard form nuzzled against Max’s striped flank, the vibrations of her purr resonating in the cavernous space.
But the tender moment was shattered when the clank of boots and muffled voices approached. A guard entered, eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the two large felines. Without hesitation, his gun was raised, finger hovering over trigger. Mia’s loud snarl echoed, a clear threat to the man, but it was Max’s protective instinct that took over. He lunged in front of her, every fiber of his being focused on shielding her.
Time seemed to stretch and warp. The sharp sound of a gunshot echoed, and Max braced for impact. But before he could process what was happening, an additional shot rang out in. He watched as the guard crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Carter emerged from the shadows, his gun still smoking. He gave a brief nod, his gaze flicking between Max, Mia, and the fallen guards. There was a palpable mixture of tension and reliefin the air.
Max, quickly realized that he could better protect Mia in his human form, so he shifted again, but by the time he got outside the warehouse gun poised for action, most of the fighting had already ended. One by one his fellow CIA officers—his friends, arrived after having taken down the enemy. Max breathed a sigh of relief. The danger was over, and his mate was safe.
Epilogue
Mia
Mia stood in the heart of Max’s spacious kitchen, which was now also her kitchen. The aromatic scents of the food she prepared for their dinner party wafted through the air—roasted garlic, sizzling herbs, and the warm undertones of freshly baked bread. She had always wanted to learn to cook, but her father had always scoffed at the idea, thinking of the task as beneath her. Every so often while she worked, Mia would catch snippets of laughter and chatter from the living room where Max was entertaining their guests.
She glanced over at the wine rack, where an assortment of bottles gleamed under the ambient lighting. Selecting one, she noted the soft hum of the refrigerator, the distant clink of glasses, and the comforting warmth of the oven at her side. A smile graced her lips. This was what true contentment felt like.
Feeling a presence behind her, she turned to find Max, a soft smile playing on his lips. Their eyes met, and without a word, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close into his body. The feeling of his warm, solid chest against her back and the brush of his lips against her neck sent a gentle shiver down her spine.
When they returned to the living room, Mia glanced over Max’s colleagues. They were an eclectic bunch—funny, stoic, serious, but they all moved with the same lethal grace that spoke not only of their shifter genres, but of their many years of training and working for the CIA. Each had played a role in her rescue mission and for that, Mia felt a twinge of gratitude whenever she looked at them. Tonight was not only a dinner party—it was a celebration of their collective triumph, theirshared journey and above all, their friendship—something that Mia, like Max, had never truly experienced before, but now cherished above all. Well, all else except for her mate.
