Fury

Stunned to Silence

Jed POV~~

Shannon shook me gently as I awoke from my deep sleep. The combination of the smoothing hands and my mates lilac with honey scent was more than I could process. My body hummed with a new energy and Fury was antsy for a run.

I thanked Shannon for her time and ask her to come to my office when her shift finished. Since I fell asleep in our session I couldn't ask her any questions on Mia. The word mate had my skin tingling and my heartbeat quickening. I sucked in another breathe and left the salon to find Jake already waiting with the car.

Jake was a shorter man with light auburn hair and freckles covering his exposed arms and face. He looked almost boyish and always wore a cheery smile no matter how much I wanted to punch him sometimes, his demeanor never failed. The consistency of his moods even though mine were mostly anger gave me a reason to respect to the young man for being so optimistic.

"Home please" I patted his shoulder before he closed my door. Walking around to get into the driver's seat I watched the nearby pedestrians carry on there day. The tall buildings and cramped streets where an annoyance but something I had to endure. Especially to find her again. Every fiber in my body screamed for me to tear the buildings down in case she was in one hiding from us. 

I shook my head at my already whipped self. She was no doubt the most beautiful creature I had ever seen, her smell was nothing but heavenly bliss and It was embarrassing to admit I was obsessed. I of course wouldn't tell anyone how she had already effected me, my mind conjured up constant images of her naked backside. 

All I wanted to do was sink my teeth into her lovely curved neck and taste her blood. No doubt it was more addicting than her scent. My pants began to tighten and I groaned in frustration, she was no where near me and already possessed my body. Bending it to her will, without even realizing her power over me. 

The car pulled out onto the highway as I sat back crossing one leg over my knee. The traffic moved at a steady pace signaling we would be home in a few hours time. The closer to the border we got, the more Fury pushed to be free. 

Once we crossed the line onto the narrow dirt road I stopped Jake. "This is far enough." He nodded to me as I opened the door stepping out. Taking a deep breath the sands and smell of my pride swirled thickly. Fury purred in our mind at being home. 

Our pride was stretched through few states outskirts, the main desert lands of the Mojave and Sonoran. Thousands of acres of sands and brush to blend our furs as we moved through the earth. I could smell the many bighorn sheep near by with Fury growling his hunger for a juicy kill.

I stripped down placing my clothes in the seat and slammed the door. Crouching down my arms balanced between my legs covering myself as I let Fury come forward. My muscles stretched bones rearranging to accommodate his size and strength. The pain from shifting over the centuries was completely gone. 

My transformation complete I let out a roar of content, letting my pride now the King was home. I pounced forward away from the dirt road as Jake sped away towards the main land. The humid air sticking to my fur like a blanket, I kept low the ground as I approached the small herd grazing. 

Most females did the hunting for the pride as they were our heart. The males did the heavier lifting pulling the kill home or quartering it up for distribution to the pride. We enjoyed the hunt but as it has been centuries our ideals rarely changed. The males protected the pride, warriors, carpenters and enforcers. We allowed women in our ranks but most opted to be our huntresses and raise the cubs.

Females always amazed me at the endurance and coordination in the kills. There dedication to their offspring, excluding my mother of course. When it came to me I was no more than a cub to be taught by her, my sister was her life.  Our cubs would have the females mentor them all in hunting before they would be trusted into groups of age to bring back their own kills for initiation ceremonies. Without the king having a mate, the females of age have lessened in their heat cycles. 

My pride was starting to suffer because of me. We lived for centuries, longer when our blood was more pure lined and without new growth, the old started to fade quicker. Shaking my head to clear my mind I allowed Fury to take over. He needed this outing to soothe him as much as my own anger was affecting us. 

He stayed low waiting for the right moment, the lead sheep keeping watch over his heard from the hilltop.  The breeze worked in my favor as it moved towards my back, keeping me downwind from them. A large older female passed by close enough to touch, I let her walk as I could smell the milk she produced. 

I set my eyes on a younger leaner male, he wasn't in his prime, his horns not yet thick and curved. I would be helping the heard by eliminating a threat to the leads position anyway. My tail thumped lightly behind me in annoyance as my patience started to wear thin. Another reason the females were more equipped to be hunters. 

The male moved forward nibbling on the bush to my left and I inched forward claws extending in anticipation. He turned his back to me, big mistake as I leaped from the sage and launched for him. He bellowed in panic but didn't make it far as my weight crushed his body to the earth. Sand flew in the breeze as he tried to kick free from my grip, my claws dug deeply into his side and teeth now moved to his neck. 

I layed down over his body while keeping his throat tightly between my teeth applying pressure to stop his breathing. His blood coated my fur and seeped from his neck as his started to slow his air intake. I waited another few seconds and crushed his windpipe under my teeth as his body jerked than stilled. 

His herd had long past disappeared and I let him go to admire my kill. After licking the blood from my mouth I dug into his side, pulling, tearing his skin to find my favorite organs to eat. I took my time enjoying the fresh meat until the carcass was barely bones left. Scavengers wouldn't get very much to their own stomachs tonight. 

Fury now sated gave back control as he moved to stretch in my mind. I stretched our large lean body, yawning and licking the blood from my whiskers. Moving back towards the pride at a steady jog, now the full belly not wanting to go faster.  The lights from the small homes started to come into view the daylight fading behind the hills. 

True forms met me along the way bowing in respect as I nodded to them padding by. A few cubs rolled around play fighting on a lawn with a mother lying nearby watching.  I smiled inwardly thinking how cute my own cubs would be one day. I hoped my mate wanted them soon as Fury was more impatient than myself. 

These cubs being the last litter from the previous year, I wanted my mate even more as I hung my head now entering the largest home. My home, the last place I wanted to be alone right now. I sighed shifting back to human skin, I picked up the clothes Jake left on the doorstep, slipping on the pants and opening the door. 

The open floor plan allowed me to see the three floors of cedar railing and beams along the ceiling. The four antlered chandeliers stretched across the room casting shadows along the cabins walls. Fur rugs from previous kills littered the floor making it feel more natural and cakelike, soothing my inner beast at his den. 

Moving to the kitchen my body screamed for water, the heat and exertion from the kill needing to be hydrated. Opening the fridge I grabbed the water bottle from a drawer taking the cap off and chugging it. I sighed with relief and closed the now empty bottle setting it on the counter, I turned to the table were a giggle came from. 

Shannon sat at my table in a small grey dress, the straps thin against her shoulders leaving them bare for males to know she was available. The fabric flowed over her bare legs and her hair pulled to one side as her smile was a mixture of lust and amusement as she studied my body.

"What are you doing here Shannon?" I ask a little more harshly than I intended. She flinched but didn't drop her eyes from my bare skin. 

"I have been waiting for you my lord. You requested me to meet you after my shift ended an hour ago." She looked away from me to her hands as she placed them in her lap, shielding her eyes from my own. 

Had I been out for longer than I thought? Hours had passed that only seemed like minutes. I sighed and nodded " Yes, well I lost track of time. Come let us discuss this in my office." 

She followed me across the living room the the office down the hallway. All the way I could feel her eyes burning my skin as she swept over my bare back. Her arousal clear in the air and I tried to breath through my mouth. The smell now having the opposite effect it used to carry to me. My mates scent is the only one I wanted to smell now. 

I unlocked the door holding it wide for her to walk in first, despite my annoyance, I was still going to be a gentleman. I cleared my throat as she brushed past me her hand slightly caressing my zipper. I swallowed down the growl and shut the door, motioning for her to have a seat as I leaned against my desk, now towering over her. 

She crossed her legs, the dress rising up to her mid thigh as she shifted in the seat. I rolled my eyes at her but didn't acknowledge her gesture. She was attempting to seduce me, the old king would have gladly taken her against the desk hard and fast. The new mated one wanted nothing but her to leave. 

"What did you want to talk with me about my king?" She ask in a low voice as she tucked her hair behind her shoulder exposing her neck and collar bone to me. 

"I wanted to speak about my mate. The one you massaged earlier today, Mia." I gruffed out as she continued to act coy. She was starting to peak my anger at her deliberate dismissal of my mate.

" Oh, yes her. Well what would you like to know." She huffed and crossed her arms pushing her chest up higher. I was unable to hold in my growl of annoyance at her. 

"Everything." I was unable to hold in my growl of annoyance at her. She knew damn well what I wanted and I was not going to play this game with her. The cat and mouse, she needed to remember who was in charge and I was having a hard time holding Fury in when he needed to know about Mia.

"I don't know that much about her. As I said before she's a client and I cannot tell you her personal details. She is an FBI agent and has a female partner that is also her lover. They have been together for at least half a century. She works as a special agent like, well she works with the s*x traffickers and stuff. Mia is a real hardass, and doesn't take any s**t from anyone, always has a gun and her beast Delilah is extremely aggressive. She dominates often with her scent when she is free to do so and enjoys watching others cower. I personally don't think she is a good match for you, Mia is to headstrong and stubborn. She will challenge you constantly and won't stand down even if she is wrong." Shannon's voice raised in the last sentence. 

"I did not ask for your opinions. I wanted to know about her." I growled in annoyance again Fury surfacing as she dared to down our mate. 

She whimpered "But I could be the best mate for you if you would just accept me. I know how to please you not just physically and I understand your need for control and power. I would never challenge you." 

Slamming my hand on the desk "Shannon enough. I have told you countless times I was not interested and you insist on keeping on. I will not continue to allow you continue this idea of us, especially now we have found our match. Do not test me or you will regret the consequences." My voice was rough and deadly as I moved toward her. 

She cowered in the chair before me whimpering as Fury released our lineage of power. Her shoulders shook with silent tears and the salt filled air pleased us. Her tears did nothing but annoy us now, after speaking harshly of Mia, she would be considered a threat. If need be I would kill her to keep our mate happy and safe. 

"Yes, my king." She whispered as he pushed further on her letting the weight feel like a snake constricting her chest. I eased up on her even though Fury growled to let him teach her a lesson. I couldn't always let him have his way or I may not have a pride left to manage. 

"You may leave." I said between growls. 

She jumped to her feet scurrying like a scared mouse to the door. "Shannon," I called before she closed the door. 

"What is Mia's full name." I watched as she debated telling me but as I growled again she gave in. 

" Her full name is Agent Taylmia Reaux." She slammed the door and I was stunned to silence as her footsteps left my home slamming the other door on her way out. I couldn't even scold her due to my shock. 

The b***h that hung up on me after insulting me was my mate. 

The door opened and Ben walked in " Dude what the hell did you do to Shannon? She looked more than pissed leaving. Normally they leave walking funny or crying from rejection. So much for that threesome you was dreaming on earlier."

 I only stared at him, my brain was not in functioning mode to tell him. I managed to whisper "I found my mate."

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Sorry for the long wait darlings! Enjoy!