Page 123 of Mercury's War (Breeds 12)

His hand jerked out, fingers wrapping around Alaiya’s neck as he jerked open his office door and all but threw her inside before turning to Mercury.

“Get your mate back to her office,” he ordered. “I’ll let you know when this has been dealt with.”

“I could have dealt with it fine,” Ria announced, bored, the animal inside her retreating in disappointment as Jonas glowered back at her.

“I gave an order,” he told her softly.

Ria stepped from behind Mercury, ignoring Jonas’s surprise at how she was dressed.

“But I’m not one of your enforcers, Mr. Wyatt. You are not my pride leader, and you have no control over me, unless I dare to challenge you directly,” she reminded him, strolling past Mercury as he snarled in warning. “And never doubt, I will deal with her if she challenges me again.”

Jonas stared back at her broodingly. “What the hell happened to you?”

She smiled. “Your enforcer, my mate. Perhaps you should discuss the problem with him. But before you attempt to give me any more orders where that feline clawing at your door is concerned, then I’d talk to the Leo if I were you. Because you’re going to lose an enforcer if she challenges me again.”

“And how will I do that?” he bit out. “Alaiya is well trained, Ria. She’s not city raised,” he told her with a hint of censure.

“And she’s not Leo trained,” she told him softly, confidently. “Ask him, Jonas. See what you’re facing before you allow that woman to challenge me again. Because I’ll kill her.”

“Shall I tell him, love?” Dane joined the party. He leaned against the corner of the wall and arched his brows, his tawny hair falling rakishly over his brow as he clenched a thin cigar between his teeth.

“This place is turning into a fucking menagerie.” Jonas grimaced before cracking the door and roaring, “Stand the fuck down before I have you confined.”

The snarls, feminine feline roars and clawing at wood were beginning to get on all their nerves.

Dane watched her, his lips kicking up in a grin as all the sensual female power Ria possessed was displayed in her smooth walk, her long legs, clothes that showed off her exceptional Breed conditioning and training.

Here was the niece he had longed to see return. The one who had driven him crazy as he tried to keep her out of trouble when she was a teenager. She was mature now, and that maturity looked damned good on her.

“Jonas, my friend,” he sighed. “Since when does the Leo employ ineffectual employees?”

“I don’t care if they employ robot clones designed to scalp and skin,” Jonas snapped. “I expect her to obey my commands while she’s within Sanctuary. Period, Dane. Hierarchy here has been established, and your rules don’t mean jack shit to me, any more than the Leo’s do. She will stand down.”

“She will not,” Ria informed him calmly. “She’s an enforcer, and a Breed. She understands the challenge she’s making. I may have been a wallflower, Uncle Jonas,” she snarled softly, “but I’ve never been frightened of a fight. Inform your enforcer of your rules and your hierarchy. Not me.”

Mercury blew out a soundless breath, fierce, overwhelming pride rushing through him as he glanced at Jonas, lifted his brows and grinned. Hell yeah. This was his mate.

“Someone should shoot you,” Jonas growled at him.

“Give me time,” Ria said as she moved past him. “I may take care of it.”

But the glance she shot Mercury was anything but murderous. Unless she intended to kill him with sex. Could a Breed die of happiness? In that case, he thought, hell yeah.

Ria entered the office, held the door as her mate stalked in, then slammed it closed.

She attacked him. She was burning, blistering with need, and he met her, kiss for kiss, giving her the wild taste of his hunger as they tore at each other’s clothes.

Nothing was ripped this time, thankfully, but within seconds she found herself bent over the file table, her mate’s erection pushing demandingly inside her.

; “Take it,” he snarled at her ear. “Damn you to hell. You hot little cat. Challenge me, Ria. I dare you.”

She bucked against him. He didn’t have to dare her; she could feel it rising inside her as his hips slammed against hers, burying his cock fully within her as her head turned and she nipped his chin.

First chance, she was letting those canines regrow and sharpen. It was natural. They had to be ground down monthly. She had nice canines. She knew she did. Perfect for biting, nails perfect for scratching.

“Take me.” He was buried in her to the hilt, grinding against her as her arm curled around his neck, her body twisting against him to take his kiss again. To burn brighter, hotter.