The Delta's Daughter Chapter 281

CRIMSON

A week later and though things seem to be getting better, there is still a long way to go. Our perfect lives had been turned upside down fully.

Things started to go belly up when Tawny arrived almost seven months ago, my attraction to her grew into a wildly unfounded protectiveness - then she claimed I was her mate. I was determined to stay loyal to Gillian, not only because of my love for her but due to our contract.

A contract I wish I could burn and stomp all over. Bury the ashes deep underground so it could never resurface. But my kitten didn’t want me. Even rejected me.

If that wasn’t bad enough when I made the conscious decision to choose Gillian, holding our friendship and love on a higher pedestal than it actually was, along comes her mate in the form of a prestigious and older werecat.

Leaving me empty-handed.

I was sure Tawny had moved on into the arms of her personal guard and now her second in command – Mason. Every time I thought of them together, my stomach would drop. A sickening taste crawled from the pit of my stomach up into my mouth.

Gillian was an easier pill to swallow. I knew she would not reject her mate for me. I didn’t really expect her to. No matter how much I loved Gillian, or how far back our friendship had started, I would never expect her to give up her one true mate for me.

I will admit, it hurts. Seeing Gillian happy – Smitten with Tristan ScarClaw, caused a flurry of jealousy to spike inside me.

It has taken me a week to figure out my feelings and to understand my own thoughts. Trying to make sense of how I could love one woman and at the same time deeply desire another. I had a longing for Tawny that couldn’t be explained.

A few days after everything came to a head, the five of us sat down, doing our best to sort through and talk about the wild turn our lives had taken. Tawny explained to Gillian that Tomislav was her brother, a bastard son of Lord Maydor. She took the news pretty well but made it clear that she didn’t trust him or her father and neither should the rest of us.

She didn’t have to tell me twice. I had never trusted her father. He has a greedy agenda and will do anything to meet his goals.

Due to mine and Gillian’s binding contract, which had less than six months to go before we could claim our engagement null and void, Tristan was a man about it and agreed to wait until the contract was up before, he laid claim to Gillian and marked her.

Unlike Tawny who thought waiting was a game. I thought she understood our way of doing things, our laws, but I guess that didn’t make a difference in her eyes. She wasn’t willing to wait for me. Her rejection never physically hurt me. Mentally though it had messed me up.

And despite trying to clear the air between all of us, not just for our sake but the for the sake of the kingdom, I was still left feeling empty. For the past several days, I had thrown myself into work, staying up late to finalize paperwork to reopen part of an existing mine. Going as far as personally handling the payroll of our warriors and the mine workers along with going over our trade agreements with MacTire and the Moon Kingdom.

I delegated training to Wyvern and Mason and Tawny, along with Gillian and Tristan saw to the day-to-day tasks and took meetings with a few of the councilors who had complaints or new ventures they wanted the kingdom to venture in.

So lost in my own head, I didn’t hear or scent the approaching presence, so it startled me when Mason waltzed into my office. His jovial voice and splitting grin grated on my nerves “Crimson, sir. The Alpha team is ready, what time do you want to head out in the morning?”

I swipe a hand down my face, the day-old stubble scratchy against my palm. I had forgotten that Tawny had put together a team-building exercise that I was meant to lead. She had suggested a camping and hunting trip to bring the elite team of warriors closer together.

Mason was actually the one who had invited me along and suggested I lead the excursion. I had decided to take them towards the southern part of the border, where the kingdom of Cambiador ended with an enormous ravine that split the ground for miles in either direction.

Not only was it a great hunting ground for hogs and goats, but also it was a beautiful view and was home to some of the most exotic plants in the kingdom. King Armand used to take me camping up there all the time.

At least four times a year we would disappear on a three-day trip to the ravine. He would teach me to hunt and track our food. Then once we had caught it, we would gut the animal and cook it over an open fire. The memories were so fresh I could almost smell the smoke of the campfire, the deep smell of the Angelim-Vermelho trees, and the scent of the river from far below, carried from the updraft of the ravine.

“We should leave an hour after dawn.” We had a full day’s hike ahead of us and I planned for us to switch back and forth between the team from feet to paws. Once we arrived at the campsite, we hunt, then cook. The next day, we would explore the ravine, which was great for climbing in both forms. On the third day, we would make our way east, following the ravines line, to a small village that housed mine workers. Stay the night and head home on the fourth day.

Instead of leaving after I gave him his answer like I thought he would, Mason took up residence in a chair across from my desk. Throwing his long legs up, and propping his feet on my desk, he slouched back and stared at me with an impassive look.

“What?” I asked after a few minutes of strange and uncomfortable silence and the werecat sitting there, just staring – contemplating me.

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” He asks me in a coy way. I assume he is speaking of the princess. “She’s smart, sweet, kind. Not to mention funny. Strong-willed, sexy as fuck-“

“What are you getting at Mason?” I growl out, becoming agitated with the way he is throwing my kitten in my face. As if I didn’t know any of this.

“Only a fool would not want her.” Mason drops his feet from the desk and leans forward. Arms braced on his knees; his eyes narrowed on me. “If she was mine…”

“She’s not yours.” I hiss at him, rising from the seat slightly, fingers tingling from keeping my claws in.

“I’m just saying if she was… I would never let her go.” I say nothing in reply. What can I say? She let me go first. And I was going to let her go too. “I see the way you look at her Crimson.”

“I see the way you look at her too” I glare back at him. I see the protective fire in his eyes.

“If I ever had a chance, I want you to know that I would take it. And I wouldn’t hold anything back for her.” My lips curl into a snarl when I see the truth in his eyes.

“She. Is. Mine!” The words slip out before they have the chance to register.

Mason stands, a smug look replacing the glare, and he smirks at me “That remains to be seen, rumor has it she rejected you. It’s gonna be tough getting her to rescind that rejection - Sir.” Mason crosses the room but stops at the door entrance, turns “Good luck with that” He winks and leaves.

“Mother fucker” I curse under my breath. I’m not sure if he was goading me, challenging me, or telling me to go after her. Mason was a smart fucker, and he knew it too.

Over my dead body would he have a chance with my kitten. I would be keeping a closer eye on their friendship. My brain started working, coming up with all kinds of ideas on how to keep those two apart and how I could get Tawny to rescind her rejection. Thanks for the idea, Mason. Not knowing if he had meant to give that little tidbit away or not.

*****

The morning was crisp, the sun already shining brightly, and the air was warm. Not a cloud in the sky. Today was going to be scorching and muggy as shit.

I had been looking forward to this hike - still am, even if the jungle and the heat of the day were not going to be our friends.

Leading the team through the jungle, I was hyperaware of Tawny, every second and every step. Every now and then I would turn to look back, just to catch a glimpse of her.

She had been avoiding me for the past week, unless it had to do with the kingdom, and rightly so.

I may not be able to feel the mate bond, but I do understand the importance of it and in truth, I was beginning to think this fated mate stuff was a failure. More of a hindrance than anything else when I think of the destruction it has caused in the palace.

“Princess,” I call back to Tawny and motion with my head for her to move up the line next to me, “You should walk with me. You will need to know this kingdom as well as I do.” I tell her once she is walking in step with me. Her short legs stretched with hurried steps to keep up with my long strides. “Do you need me to slow down?” I ask noticing she takes two steps to my one.

“Nah,” She waves her hand “I’m used to it, everyone is taller than me,” She laughs, light and airy, genuine and musical, and the sound goes straight to my cock.

A bead of sweat trickles from her hairline, she’s smiling despite the heat and sticky air. I must have been blind to not notice the simple beauty of this woman, and stupid for it to have taken me this long to realize how attracted I was to her. I had mistaken my protectiveness over her as something else.

The realization only just dawning on me now, I’m protective because I care for her – deeply. I want to make her mine, only mine.

A few hours later, I have the team stop for a water break. We are halfway to the campground and I’m itching to run in fur form. “Stay close to me, don’t lose me. If you do, follow my scent.” I tell Tawny as we prepare to shift.

Tawny goes behind a large tree, to remove her clothes. As the only female and the princess, whether being seen nude is a normal thing for shifters or not, I appreciate her modesty because I don’t think I could handle the other males eying her up.

I wanted her body to be for my eyes only. If she ever allowed me to touch her again.

I shift into fur form, one that is recognized. A large Jaguar with deep markings over a mustard yellow coat. Very few have seen the true color of fur form, ad if they have nobody has said anything.

Tawny’s feline emerges from behind the tree. Her feline’s size never ceases to amaze me, bigger than one would expect with deep black, velvety fur. A long tail that bushes at the end with a spray of orange. Her ears are large and more pointed than a normal werecat’s, also tipped with orange fur. Her paws a big and wide with sharp claws, perfect for climbing with.

She was different and beautiful, unique and exquisite.

I couldn’t help but brush up against her. Feeling her satin fur against mine ruffled the hairs across my frame causing my fur to ripple. The feline in front of me cocks her head, cat eyes narrowing, inspecting me. I know she saw my fur change color, and I know she wants to know how.

I playfully growl and paw at her, before turning and bounding into the jungle. I take a quick look behind me, to make sure my kitten is there. She’s right on my tail keeping up the pace, so I pick up speed, breaking away from the rest of the team.

I feel the warmth of her pants, she’s right on my tail. I push forward leaping over a fallen tree. Testing her agility and speed as I weave between the dense greenery of the jungle.

Tawny’s feline, Juniper, comes up beside me, easily keeping with my pace. With a huge push, she takes over, vaulting up and over a stump ahead of me.

Game on! I think as I chase after her feline. If a cat would grin, mine would be wide Cheshire-like.

I come up on Juniper’s flank, letting our sides brush together in an intimate way. A soft playful growl sounds from the feline and she nips at me in a kittenish way.

I trill at her, letting her know I enjoy her flirtatiousness.

All too soon we have reached the ravine, both of us coming to a halt at the wide and deep cavernous gorge. I let out a series of high-pitched Chirrups, alerting the rest of the team where we were and that we had arrived at the campsite. Chirruping was an effective way for me to communicate with werecats, seeing as I lacked the ability to mind-link.

“Shift,” I command Juniper, who gives me a look of surprise when she realizes I can speak in my fur form. Another trait - amongst many more, that sets me apart from the werecats.

I shift back to feet first, followed by Tawny. My eyes traveled, committing the perfect lines of her naked body to memory. Lines that my fingers ache to trace.

“Wow,” She exclaims, unaware of what her nakedness was doing to me. And unfazed by how close we were to each other. Nothing in between us.

Not a stitch of fabric, not a table, not even an inch.

“It’s beautiful Crimson! I was hesitating on leaving this week, but then I see something as magical as this place and I don’t want to leave.” She breathes the confession with a sigh, and my heart drops. She was planning on leaving me.

I can’t help but move closer behind her.

“I don’t want you to leave, Tawny,” I husk out, my chest almost flush with her back. My heart pounding in panic at the thought of her leaving.

No, not now. I can’t lose her now. “Please… Tawny,” I look at her with begging eyes.

Lifting a shaking hand, I trace down her bare arm with the back of my fingers. The touch, simple and light, causes her flesh to pebble despite the heat, and a barely audible moan escapes her lips. “Don’t leave,” I say again.

My body feels the heat of hers and all my blood rushes south to my cock. My fingers graze down the length of her arm, brushing over her bare hips, gently stroking her soft skin. I breathe in her scent and shudder from its intoxicating sweetness.

My erection digs into her back, but she doesn’t move away. No, my little vixen leans into me - her body craving what should be hers.

I am hers.

I’ve been an idiot. Blinded by doing the right thing, when the right thing has been in front of me this whole time. There’s nothing I want more at this moment than my princess. My kitten.

My mate.

I hold myself back. When all I want to do is take her and lay claim to her. To taste her lips on mine and watch her come apart in my arms.

“I’m so sorry,” I say instead.

Apologizing for everything. For the way that I dismissed our bond. For the way I ignored her. “I’m sorry for all the hurt and suffering I have caused you my little kitten. I’m an idiot.” My hand travels around the front of her, my palm splaying wide over her tight stomach muscles, and I pull her back tightly against me. I lean down and whisper, my lips grazing her ear, “I am a fool, a misguided fool who has pushed you away. I won’t make that mistake again.”

“Crimson,” she purrs and my hips flex, my cock jutting into her, wanting nothing more than to bury himself deep inside her. The coiled tension between my shoulder blades ebbs just slightly.

Voices of the Alpha team have us reluctantly breaking apart and Tawny grabs her bag to shuck on her clothes.

The lustful moment was completely broken, leaving an awkward tension in its wake. I wanted to tell her she belonged here… in Cambiador. With me.

That I want her.

All of her.