Claiming Their Royal Mate: Part One Read Online Free PDF Page B

knowing that she was claimed.
    Mine .
    Colors flashed across his vision, and after a few moments, he slowly pulled himself out of her. She let out a small noise at the movement.
    Sudden realization hit him. He’d bitten her.
    Shit .
    But the effects were already fading. He lay down next to her on the bed and pulled her into his arms, and she half-heartedly batted at him.
    “What the hell was that?” she asked, voice small and distant. Propping herself up on an elbow she studied him. Her hand moved to rest on his bite mark, and she flinched when her fingers brushed against the small wounds.
    “I’m sorry,” he said, gruffly. “I should have warned you. But I wasn’t planning on biting you—not yet. But in the moment, I couldn’t control it.” He gave her a small smile. “You bring out the beast in me.”
    “I couldn’t move, but I could still feel you, moving inside me.” Her brows scrunched together adorably. “It was…different.”
    “Bad?”
    “I—I don’t know.” She sighed. “Okay, I’ll admit it was pretty good in the moment. But I’m not sure how I feel about it. I take it that was more weretiger BS?”
    His smile widened at her words. Weretiger BS . Oh, how that would make Erick’s blood boil. “It’s something we do—feel the need to do—when we mate. Especially when a woman is in heat. Some sort of biological imperative. There is a paralyzing toxin that comes out when we bite. Keeps the female from getting away I guess.”
    A very unfeminine snort. “How romantic.”
    “Handy in a fight, though.”
    Boneless, she released a sigh, and rested her head on his shoulder. “Well, whatever. Add this to the list of stuff I’m going to need more info on sooner rather than later.” A few short seconds later, a soft snore came from her.
    With the heat temporarily sated, she would sleep now, probably for several hours. And when she woke up, he would be there. Ready to take care of her however he could. However she needed.
    Complete and utter satisfaction hit him. It didn’t matter what they’d have to deal with going forward, because they’d face it together.
    Even if the challenge was his best friend, his prime, and up until the moment he’d laid eyes on Daniella, the most important person in the world to him.

Chapter Four
    E rick watched the road closely , his two best men silent in the cab with him, and squeezed the wheel. Driving wasn’t something he enjoyed; it was unnatural. The truck was too slow. But his feet would have been slower.
    He had driven as quickly as the truck would take him through the mountains his people ruled—despite the fact that the humans didn’t even know of their existence. But when he’d emerged onto well-used roads that were policed by officers who knew nothing of the clan, he had to slow down to near the speed limit. Dealing with humans would slow him down more than the speed limit.
    “Have you seen her?” Glenn asked from the passenger seat.
    Erick didn’t glance at him, the man who had acted as his second until Owen could return from his watch over Daniella.
    “Yes.”
    Glenn didn’t ask a follow-up question, and Erick didn’t invite one. Talking about the woman he was going to mate wasn’t going to happen.
    The first—and only—time he’d seen her was still fresh in his mind. No closer than twenty feet, and still his reaction had been visceral.
    Luscious, her form was exactly what he preferred in women. Curvy, yet sleek, ripe for fucking. Ripe for bearing his cubs.
    Owen had cursed him for leaving him behind to watch her, to wait until she couldn’t resist him, but Erick couldn’t let his friend’s opinions bother him. To approach her any other way would require time, and wooing. Time was in short supply because he couldn’t be away from the clan long. And Erick knew nothing of wooing women for anything more than a quick fuck.
    No. This way was simpler. It had required patience, but Erick had always been patient when stalking his prey.