Page 25 of Purrfectly Bound

Seven

“Where is she?”

“Excuse me?” Gerri Wilder practically barked over the phone.

Hell, she’d probably chew him out over his insolence, but Lance was beside himself. After the most explosive sex of his life, his mate had left. Walked out without a note. Without a trace. Fucking hell. He’d been in some post-claiming coma, and she’d up and headed out of Dodge!

Grrr.His Tiger yowled and chuffed unhappily. He wanted his mate, and so did his human half.

“Mrs. Wilder, I followed you both back to the cabin last night, and we, uh, that is-”

“You claimed her is what you did, you big pussy! And you forgot to tell her what it meant!”

“Do you know where she is?” his voice was hoarse.

“Of course, I know where she is, but I am not telling you,” she scoffed, “Not until you calm down and think this through like you should have from the beginning. I mean, I’ve told you all a million times! The women Fate chooses for you are to be cherished. They are smart, sassy, and deserve to know the truth up front. Honesty, you big fur ball, is always the best policy!”

“Mrs. Wilder,” his voice cracked as he spoke, but he was too distraught to even care, “Annalia is my fated mate. I will do anything to make her happy.”

“I know you mean that Lance, and that’s why I will say this. There is a luncheon reveal for Graves Enterprises new video game release. Fire Battles is being unveiled at the Villa in Maccon City. That’s why she came here, you know, to work on the sequel. She wanted to experience and study snow in real life,” the Wolf Shifter explained, “Are you writing this down?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lance grabbed a pencil and paper.

“That’s the Villa, the one on route 35. She was going to skip it, but after last night she needed some space.”

“If she needs space, why are you telling me this?”

“Because someone cleaned out her apartment and is tracking her down as we speak.”

“What?” he roared.

“Easy! My ears are sensitive too,” Mrs. Wilder huffed out a breath, “I suspect it’s her sister and her husband, Anna’s brother-in-law. She’s told you about them, right?”

“Yes,” he hissed angrily.

From what he knew, Annalia’s sister and her husband were more interested in putting down his sexy, sweet mate than in helping her.

Hell no. They probably had some scheme to get her to go back to Florida with them. He might only have known her for twenty-four hours, but he needed her like he needed air. There was no way he was going to go home and mope while Anna’s sister and husband told her how to live her life. That was so not happening on his watch.

“Then you better get a move on,” Gerri said, and for some reason he knew the woman was smiling, “Curtain goes up in ninety minutes.”

Lance knew better than to dally. Hauling ass to the shower, he went over the things he was going to say to his mate when he saw her. He was sorrier than he could ever apologize for. He’d fucked this thing up from the beginning, but he needed her to know last night was not a one-night stand.

Truth was he’d been burning with desire for her from the second he’d scented her through the door. Every fiber of his being, his animal included, knew she was his.

Anna looked so beautiful all dressed up, even better naked, he mused. What was it she’d said when they were dancing?

Oh yeah. She said it was like magic.

But magic had nothing on the way he felt about her. His true and fated mate, the one being in the universe who could tame his Tiger’s soul. He’d claimed her with his bite, and even now felt their bond calling him to her. Lance jumped out of the shower, ignoring the pounding on the door until he could grab a towel.

“Open up,” the command came from the one person in the world who could make him veer off course.

The fucking Neta with his Alpha voice. He didn’t have time for this, but he could not afford to piss off the leader of the Maverick Pride. Not when he intended to bring his very human mate into the fold. Still, Lance’s Tiger growled while he tightened his towel, and stalked towards the door.

“Hunter, I-” Lance stopped with his hand in the air.

The fuck was his Neta wearing? He blinked twice at the man who had one tiny precious bundle strapped to what looked like some kind of reverse backpack covered in pink bows to his chest, and the other chubby cherub was in a similar pack covered in pink and black tiger stripes.