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“Dani Byron, If there wasn’t a crowd outside, I would make you my mate in every sense of the word if you’d let me.” Uuka’s cat eyes held a predatory gleam that tantalized her senses.
Dani pounced on him, kissing him with all the passion and zest for life she could muster. Uuka pulled her close, and when he broke the kiss, they were both panting, arousal surging through their bodies.
“Is that a yes?” Uuka ran his hands over her athletic curves.
“It is,” she purred, delighted by the turn of events. “I almost don’t care about the audience.”
Uuka kissed her forehead, resisting his primal urge to claim her where everyone would know. “You would. When I get you alone, I don’t intend for it to be fast. I want to savor every inch of you and your body with the awe and attention to detail appropriate to discovering a wonderous new landscape.”
As he spoke, Uuka pressed soft kisses across her jaw and neck, sending shivers of pleasure through her.
Dani shook herself and stepped away. “If you keep talking like that and touching me, my inhibitions will go out the door real fast. I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows it. We need to preserve your virtue, though.” She grinned.
“It’s not my virtue I’m worried about, woman.” Uuka swatted her ass as they turned toward the door.
Dani laughed. “Oh, that ship has sailed, my love.” She glanced at him, concerned. “Is that a problem? Do Therians need to mate with virgins?”
Uuka grinned. “Gods, I hope not. It isn’t a problem for me, though I intend to wipe the memory of your previous partners from your mind with waves of unimaginable pleasure.”
“Likewise, buddy. I know you weren’t a monk before we met. With your golden eyes, charm, and incredible body, I’m sure you were swimming in women, but you’re mine now, and I don’t share.”
He nipped her earlobe. “Neither do I.”
When Dani opened the door, the crowd cheered, with the panthers front and center. Uuka’s sister whistled and made jokes, but her pleasure at Dani’s safety and relationship with Uuka was evident.
The panthers supported their alpha no matter what, but they’d all come to like and respect Dani. They thought she would make an excellent mate for Uuka. They were cats and liked to play, so the prowl teased the happy couple mercilessly.
When Ash and Luca walked into the throne room arm in arm, Luca caught sight of Dani and Uuka, who stood side by side, arms around each other’s waists.
They finally made it official? he asked Ash through their bond.
Yes. He was bursting with the need to claim her as his mate when we came home. I sent them somewhere quiet to talk it over and came to get you.
There’s something I need to make official.
Luca cleared his throat to draw everyone’s attention to him. He sought out Niletean and Remy, who were the best equipped to manage his request. “It is long past time for a royal proclamation. For thousands of years, we have remained separate from the other races and been told that mingling our bloodlines would lead to disaster.
“I have long believed otherwise, so from this day forward, there is no longer a law against interspecies love.” He smiled at Ash. “I should have done it already.”
She shrugged. “Eh, you’ve been busy.”
“Finding your mate is incredible, and I would not deny that experience to any of my people simply because the other half of their soul is a human, a witch, or a vampire.”
Ash grinned at her sister smugly. Told you he was your panther.
The king turned to Uuka and the other panthers, “There’s one more thing, Uuka. Your prowl has served my mate and me beyond all expectations, so I want to make you the Queen’s Guard. Since Ash can defend herself, it falls to us to protect her family while she goes to battle, usually on our behalf. The royal family will be in your debt if you accept. We will also make changes to the palace’s security to prevent anything like today’s events from happening again.”
Uuka looked at each member of his prowl. They all nodded and beamed. They were proud to have earned such respected positions in the Therian court. Uuka responded for them all. “We accept, Your Majesty, and we will protect your queen’s family with our lives.”
All the panthers bowed their heads. Ash pulled away from Luca to cup both hands together. Her palms glowed with golden light for a moment, and when she opened her hands, she held small metal pins for each guard shaped like the royal family’s crest, with a wisteria-vine border.
Ash offered Uuka the first pin. “You have my eternal gratitude for everything you’ve done to protect my family. This symbol reflects my commitment to answer your call should you ever need anything in return. More than that, this makes you family, and there are no lengths I won’t go to for your defense.”
If you hurt my sister, we will have an entirely different discussion, she added silently and privately.
Understood, Your Majesty. He smiled. There were many things he wanted to do to Dani, but hurting her was not among them.
Each panther accepted his or her pin with a smile and responded warmly when Ash sealed the agreement with a hug.
