Excerpt: Puppy Love

Paws pound behind me, even as my own legs stretch into a gallop, my tail a white streak behind me. I’m out of the clearing and into the woods, the scent getting fainter with each passing stride, but the lurch of the others behind me keep me running. Shit, shit, SHIT. Laken will definitely find out now. Word travels fast and I’m not fast enough to stop it.

Suddenly the forest ends and I throw my weight against a fence. There’s a hole near the bottom, but I’m a big dog. I thrust my nose under it and my legs shove at the ground, tearing at the grass as I pull myself through the tense, tight space and leap out right in front of a coming car, which honks angrily at me. I give a scream of fear and scramble backwards. Reese has his large Rottweiler body halfway under the fence and his dark eyes scream murder.

I try the road again. A black car screeches to a halt and a pair of humans get out. I glance between them and the closeness of the High pack. The humans don’t have guns or ropes…

I barely make my decision when a sheet’s thrown over my head. I hadn’t seen the sheet! I growl, but it’s accidental. My tail curls between my legs as one of the men grab me and haul me off my legs. I struggle against his chest, but we’re soon enclosed in darkness. My heart’s racing about a thousand miles per second as I’m held against the human, who says nothing. The car lurches forwards again and I pray that we’re at least leaving High behind.

I don’t know when we stop. I know I’ve long since sagged against my captor, wondering if I’ll get out of this alive as the minutes pass painfully slow. Finally, the car door opens and dim sunsetting light dawns in on me. I feel the snap of a leash around my throat as I’m put on my feet and I take off running, only to be jerked back.

“Thank you, Wade,” a smooth voice purrs. It’s cool enough to send a chill down my spine and I’m unsure whether or not to trust the sound or be terrified of it. The sheet pulls away from my face and I gasp in the crisp air, waiting for my eyes to come back to me.

I’m sitting at the man’s side like a perfectly obedient house pet as the first man hands over the leash to the smooth voice. I pull against the leather, a whine rippling up my throat and against the metal tag.

The man bends down and it isn’t until he reaches out to check that tag that I smell it; Cat. He reeks of cat and not Realcats like Pery either! I jerk away. My amber gaze flickers up to his bright, vivid green one and I shudder. He’s a cat… And so is his partner, who heads back to the car.

What are they going to do? Use me as bait for something? Chain me to the porch and keep me as a pet? He knows what I am, just as much as I know what he is. We were once at war, after all.

But he drops the leash and sits down on the ground. I gaze around. We’re at a rest stop and it looks deserted. I have half a mind to run, but I don‘t think that’s a smart idea. Not to mention I don’t know where I am.

“We need to talk, Andi…” His voice is like velvet on my name, and I shiver. “Please change…”

I do. But I forget I’m not wearing any pants and I end up curled in front of him in my shirt and panties, looking up rather bashfully. He’s grinning.

“Thank you.”