Page 110 of In Heat
For all he was the big bad Alpha of the Pride, Ryan rarely rushed anywhere, Shawn had noticed.The man seemed to take everything in with a glance, usually one loaded with disinterest, and he always seemed slow to react.But not in this.
Then, Shawn realized that Ryan’s reaction was actually a compliment.The other man trusted Shawn’s judgement, recognized that Shawn said that if shit had hit the fan, that crap was goingeverywhere.
“I don’t think El should see this,” Shawn said softly.“She won’t like it.She’s not the violent sort.”
Ryan’s grumble said otherwise, but though Shawn knew El was changing, that her cats were making her stronger, surely not bythismuch.He was feeling queasy himself.
“I’m by myself,” Ryan blurted into the phone as he ran.“I left the others behind at the party.It’s not like I can’t handle two grumbling Lionesses — I’m sure as shit not bringing my mate to a fight.”
Shawn snorted.“Sorry.It’s just, if this was a human compound, everyone would be out there watching the fight.”
“Yeah, well, we’re not human.”
“Like I needed a reminder, but I’ve got one anyway raging away in my front garden.”
A curse sounded over the line.“Shit, I see them.”Next, came a deep inhalation that sounded down the line.Ryan yelled then, “El, it’s me.What the hell are you doing?”
Stunned, Shawn froze as he saw one of the Lionesses freeze in front of him.What the hell?That was El?
As far as he was aware, she’d yet to transform into her Lioness, had only ever managed to take form in her Panther shape.But she was fighting like this in her first shift?When a first shift was incredibly painful?
In fact, as he watched the beast falter at Ryan’s call, he saw her dismiss the interruption and leap back into the fray.It was then he realized El was the Lioness who was fighting dirty, who had the other cat cowed.In fact, he realized then that the other beast was fighting for her life.
Urgency rushed through him, fear with it.
El had never been violent.It had been a nightmare trying to get her to attend the self-defense classes he insisted on for her safety.She didn’t like killing spiders, looked faint at the sight of blood.Where was that El and this El?Where did the two meet and crossover?
Then, all thoughts of who the real El was now disappeared as Ryan’s hoarse voice came down the line at the sight of their mate, who’d completely ignored his yell, and was pinning the other Lioness down with her fangs to the other beast’s throat.
“Mother!”
