Unexpected Mate(20)

“It wasn’t too bad, although Nicholas wasn’t happy.”

Damon walked around to the rear of the vehicle and opened the double doors. An angry yowl drew his attention, and Adam joined the other man. The beautiful animal paced around, desperate to get out of the cage that housed him. Adam could see the pain in his mate’s eyes. He didn’t like being locked up.

“Get him out of that cage,” he ordered.

“He’s more aggressive than usual, Adam,” Damon said. “He’s not acting like himself.”

Adam shook his head, rejecting the other man’s claim. “Nicholas won’t hurt me. His jaguar has been searching for me. Trust me. He’s not going to attack.”

“Are there any other shifters nearby?”

“No, I told the pack to stay away from the area.”

“Okay.”

Damon unlocked the cage. The metal door swung open, and the jaguar jumped out, landing gracefully on the ground. He stretched open his large jaw, showing off his razor-sharp teeth as he roared. Damon quickly disappeared around the side of the van. Adam, on the other hand, held his ground.

The jaguar stalked toward him. He rubbed his body along Adam’s legs, purring in approval. Squatting down, Adam remained unmoving as his mate nuzzled him. Scent glands located on the jaguar’s cheeks marked Adam with strongly scented pheromones. Slowly lifting his arms, he pushed his fingers through Nicholas’s spotted coat, petting him.

“I’ve missed you so much, my mate.”

The cat grumbled in response. He pressed the top of his head against Adam’s chest and rubbed back and forth. He hummed, his body practically vibrating. His mate seemed happy to see him.

“Will you shift for me?”

The jaguar stepped back. He stared at Adam for several moments before turning his head and looking toward the house. Adam wasn’t sure why his mate wasn’t shifting. They were together. That should be enough for the jaguar, but for some reason, the beast wasn’t appeased.

Nicholas walked toward the house, and Adam followed. The sleek, powerful animal padded up the stairs. He scented the air as he went, as if he was searching for something. He strolled past Adam’s bedroom, his tail waving in the air. When he reached Kaden’s room, Nicholas went inside.

The jaguar jumped onto the bed. He lowered his head, sniffing the bedding. Nicholas growled, the sound vibrating through his body. He started scuffing the blanket with his hind legs, shredding the sheets while marking his territory and staking a claim.

To Adam, it appeared as though the jaguar didn’t appreciate the scent of another man near his mate.

“Nicholas, please don’t be upset. There’s no competition. I don’t want anyone else but you. I’m yours, and you’re mine. We’re mates,” Adam told the jaguar.

“You and Kaden…” Rory gasped in surprise. “I never knew.”

“We didn’t tell anyone.”

Adam and Kaden had kept their relationship a secret. The only reason Rory didn’t know was because his younger brother’s senses weren’t as sharp as other shifters.

“He’s not upset,” Damon stated.

“What?” Adam glanced over his shoulder at Damon, his brows drawn together in confusion. He might not know much about jaguars, but he knew when a predator was marking their territory.

“Is Kaden your mate?” he asked.

“No, of course not.” Adam shook his head. “I admit that we were lovers for a while, but we aren’t mates. Nicholas is my mate.”

“I don’t know this Kaden person, but it looks as though Nicholas’s jaguar is claiming him as a mate. When a cat scuffs with his hind legs like that, they’re marking their territory. He’s saying that Kaden is his. He’s not upset with you. He’s telling you that he wants the man that belongs to the scent.”

“Impossible.”

Damon shrugged. “I’m just trying to explain the jaguar’s behavior.”

“But,” he scoffed, “that doesn’t make any sense.”

“I really don’t know what else to tell you. But like I said before, he hasn’t been acting like himself. So maybe I’m wrong.”

Adam turned his attention back to the jaguar. “Nicholas, shift,” he ordered. The animal looked at him, the black depths of his eyes unreadable. “We need to talk.”

The jaguar flashed his teeth in a show of aggression. He leaped off Kaden’s bed and shot past Adam, running out the door.

“Nicholas!” Adam shouted. “Where the hell is he going?” he muttered under his breath.

Adam chased after the jaguar. When he realized the door was open, Adam cursed. “Damn it! Who left the front door open?”