He waited until I had unwrapped it and tucked it into my cheek, then got a new set of gloves before he started again. Now that I knew what to expect, I was better able to prepare myself. It still hurt, obviously, there were needles being repeatedly jammed into the skin, but I settled into the heat of it, focusing instead on North’s steady hand on my shoulder, the care he used to wipe the tender flesh.
I wondered why he had expected me to talk, when everyone had told me to stay silent. Kedi had said North was like a monk who’d taken a vow of silence, but I didn’t get that from him at all. There was a barely restrained predator lurking inside him, like he had the potential to be dangerous, but I instinctively knew he would never hurtme. But there was a small voice in my head that could admit I wouldn’t mind if he did hurt me… just a little.
The whole tattoo didn’t take longer than 20 minutes, and when he’d finished, North’s cheeks were flushed, his eyes back to that deep gold. His full lips stretched into not quite a smile, but a look of intense satisfaction. “All done.” It was like he was declaring world peace or something equally momentous, not just a tiny tattoo.
I craned my neck, trying to see what it was, but it was too far. Why wasn’t there a mirror in here? And it seemed North wasn’t about to tell me what it was either. He simply covered it in soothing cream then stuck a clear protective film over it.
“Can you stand?” he asked, peeling off his gloves and tossing them in the trash before offering me his hand. I didn’t hesitate before sliding my hand into his, the heat of his palm sinking into me like a warm bath.
He helped me up, keeping his hands on me to make sure I was steady. That sweet cotton-candy scent enveloped me as North crowded my space. Was it coming from him? It seemed an odd choice of cologne, though I found myself leaning closer to breathe him in.
I swayed on my feet and closed my eyes tight against the wave of vertigo, and it wasn’t until I pried my eyes open that I realized how close I was to him, my fingers tangledin North’s shirt. “Oh, shit. Sorry…” I forced my fists open and smoothed the wrinkles out, petting his muscular chest in broad lingering strokes.
North made a choking sound, his grip on my hips turned bruising. I looked up and had to bite back my own whimper.No flirting!I reminded myself. Gulping, I forced myself to step back, North’s hands dropping to his sides, in relief, no doubt. I opened my mouth to issue yet another apology.No talking!I berated myself. Gods, how short was my memory? So instead of thanking him, I nodded once and turned on a heel, grabbing my t-shirt from where I’d draped it over a chair, then marched straight out the door before I could screw this up even more.
As I left the room, it was like everything caught up to me at once, crashing down on my shoulders and making me weak in the knees. Without that sweet scent addling my senses, it was like I went into shock, the fresh tattoo throbbing in time with my pulse. I followed the sound of Kedi’s voice to the waiting room, where he was chatting with Mace and Sierra, another member of the pack. Kedi turned to me, a wide grin on his face. “That was fast. So, how’d it go?”
I tried to smile back, but it was wobbly. “I dunno. You tell me.” I turned to show them the tattoo I hadn’t even laid my own eyes on yet. All their playful banter died off,tension filling the empty spaces. Frowning, I glanced back to see them exchanging weird looks. “What? Is it bad?”
Kedi smiled tightly at me, shaking his head. “No… it’s great.” Sure, totally believable.
“What?” I sputtered, stomach clenching. “Tell me what it is. It isn’t a poo emoji, is it?”
“You’ll see when you get home.” Kedi took my arm. “Come on, let’s go.”
I hadn’t even put my shirt back on. “Wait, I still have to pay.”
Mace’s smile was softer, though no less cryptic. “This one’s on the house. We’ll see you later.” As if I would be coming back for another tattoo. Not likely.
They exchanged one more look before I was practically dragged out the door.
Chapter 3
North
Iwasstillsittingthere, stunned, when my brother stormed into the back and shoved the curtain aside. His eyes were wide, jaw clenched. “Dude. That was not one of your usual tattoos. A pawprint? You know he’s human, right? You marked him with a pawprint.”
Mypawprint, to be specific, but I wasn’t ready to tell him that.
I gave him a sharp nod. “You know how I work, Mace. That was the design he needed, whether he knows it or not.” I’d been blessed with this gift, with the ability to envision a design for my shifter clients that meant something, though I could admit, I might’ve veered a little off plan when it came to Joel. “Don’t worry, he’ll learn to love it.” I hoped so, anyway.
I stood up in a rush and stalked away from Mace, headed for the back door. My jaguar was riding me hard right now, claws tearing into my insides, and if I didn’t leave right now, there was a chance I’d shift right here in the shop. I grabbed my leather jacket from the hook and jerked it on. “I’m done for the day.”
“Are we seriously not going to talk about this? I know that design is the same as the one on your chest. Don’t bullshit me, North. What’s really going on?”
I shoved through the door into the back alley without answering him. I would’ve been worried the stubborn prick would follow me out, if he weren’t so dedicated to our business. He had a client in ten minutes, and he would never leave them waiting. I, however, had booked an entire afternoon for Joel, not knowing how much time I would need. And while the tat itself hadn’t taken long, I was about to dedicate far more time to him… A whole lifetime, in fact.
The stench wafting off the garbage bins had me holding my breath, but as soon as I was clear, I took a deep breath, searching for the scent I craved.Joel… The scent of his skin was like sunshine-dappled leaves. Like morning mist and rain-drenched bromeliad blossoms.
There!my beast snapped, detecting the faintest thread of his aroma on the breeze, and before I could make theconscious decision, I’d already turned left on the sidewalk, foregoing grace as I shoved past pedestrians. I was completely oblivious to their complaints as they shouted after me. My prey was getting away.
I’d never spent much time envisioning what my perfect man would look like; I’d trusted that Fate would know best, and she certainly hit the bullseye with Joel. His blond hair was a little too long, like he was overdue for a haircut, his shaggy curls falling into his eyes and wrapping around his ears. His eyes were on the green side of hazel, shifting to burnished bronze closer to the pupil. And those freckles lightly dusted across his cheeks… Fuck, I was a goner. There was something so pure about him. So innocent and fragile. So…human. The way he triggered every single one of my predator instincts, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to fuck him or eat him. Maybe both. Either way, I was going to make him scream.
My jaguar prowled back and forth inside me like a caged animal, the tip of his tail flicking in annoyance. He wanted out, determined he could do a better job of hunting Joel down. I tried to keep myself calm, but it was nearly impossible with the adrenaline surging through my veins. All this time—years, decades—I’d been waiting, and now… I didn’t want to wait even one second more.
Joel’s scent grew stronger, and I picked up my pace, jogging to catch up, legs moving in a graceful lope. He wasn’t alone. The wolf’s scent was strongest, but as soon as Joel had stepped into my domain, I could detect several other shifters on him—on his clothes and his skin. They’dtouchedhim. My mate. A feral kind of possessive rage began to simmer in my chest. He wasmine. How dare they think they had any kind of claim on him.
This gut-churning reaction was such a foreign thing to me. Was this jealousy? I’d heard people talk about it before, but it was so much more visceral than I’d imagined it could be. It was like a living thing inside me, and I hated the way it clung to me, like tar, viscous and suffocating. I was helpless to do anything but drown in it.
