Savage Awakenings

Chapter One


at vowed to himself that he wouldn’t tap out.

R No matter how much his arm screamed in agony thanks to the piece of shit puma shifter who had him in a classic wrestling pin. His other hand was pressed onto Rat’s head, his fingers biting into the scalp hard enough to leave bruises. Rat tried to push up, just enough to get some air that didn’t reek of vinyl, rubber, gym shoes and week-old sweat. That only made the Puma grunt as he smashed Rat’s head down harder. He seemed to take sadistic pleasure in making Rat eat the faded blue mat in the training room.

Even though Rat was built, this guy still had fifty pounds on him and he wasn’t shy about using it. He gave Rat’s arm another vicious twist.

It hurt like a mother fucker, but Rat held back the cry of agony. The Puma still must have sensed his pain though because he gave a mocking laugh even as his sweat dripped onto the back of Rat’s neck.

“Gross, I’ve always heard you were a slob, 1



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Antonio, but this is fucked up.” That comment earned him another arm wrenching, this one so vicious Rat heard the bone pop. He held his breath waiting for the telltale snap that would let him know it had broke, but it never came. Looked like Antonio wasn’t willing to take things that far. Public humiliation was one thing, actually breaking the limb of the feline leader’s favorite computer tech was another. That still didn’t mean that Antonio couldn’t hurt him, though, and he was doing a damn good job of it.

Rat, bit the inside of his cheek to hold back a yell as he tried to breathe through the pain.

No, Rat wouldn’t give and cry uncle not even if his arm was ripped off and shoved down his throat.

“Come on, Rat, just give it up,” the over two hundred pounds of idiot on top of him urged.

Not going to happen. He’d die first.

“Antonio, I’ve told you a million times, I’m not going to fuck you no matter how many times you beg me just to give it up. By the way, that’s a pretty lame pickup line, even for someone as desperate as you,” Rat goaded, knowing his mouth was the best weapon against this dumb-as-shit meat-head.

True to his norm, ol’ Tony had to pause, while his pea sized brain worked out Rat’s comment.

“That’s not what I meant,” he finally said, his voice uneasy and unsure.

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Savage Awakenings





Even though his arm felt like it was being torn in two, Rat rolled his eyes. God, this asshole took dumb to a whole new level. Rat raised his head enough to glance around the training room only to find they now had an audience. Several dozen feline shifters and a few Hawks were all standing around, watching the pathetic Cheetah getting his ass handed to him.

It may have been amusing had he not been said Cheetah.

“Besides, drooling all over me is not the way into my pants. I like dirty sex, not messy sex.

Believe me when I say there’s a big difference.” Rat realized that may have been one too many snarky comments when Antonio increased the pressure on the back of his head. He sucked in a breath as the mat ripped at the various piercings on his face. Soon the tangy, coppery scent of his own blood, slammed into his nostrils.

“Why are you even in here with the real soldiers?” Antonio sneered. “The last thing we need is to be wasting our time on a loser who can’t hold his shift. Shit, you even look like a pansy freak. That whole Goth look may make the girls wet with appreciation, but to everyone else it just shows what a nancy you are. Go back to your little office and those stupid computers you like to pretend are important.”

That comment stung even more than the beat 3



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down, but Rat would stop breathing before he let it show. Instead, he allowed his body to go slack, like he was accepting defeat. As soon as he heard Antonio’s triumphant chuckle, he knew he had him. The jerk let go of Rat’s head…actually let go like some idiot, which gave Rat the out he’d been waiting for. Snapping his head back, Rat connected with the man’s nose.

Even though the move made his arm hurt even more, as soon as he heard the Puma’s howl of pain Rat knew it’d been worth it. If Antonio had been human the blow would have broken his nose, instead it just caused him a whole bunch of hurt.

His grip let up enough for Rat to send his elbow back in a quick, hard jab.

This time something did break. A rib judging by the sounds of it. Rat followed it up with another head butt, surprised when he connected again since he didn’t think Antonio would fall for the same trick twice.

Yep, definitely one of the dumber assholes around.

As soon as Antonio rolled off him, Rat sprang to his feet and looked down at his opponent. Even though his upbringing had taught him to always kick prey when he had it down, Rat didn’t.