Page 60 of Brandon’s Mate

And he never spent the whole night with her. Not even close.

They’d start out in Brandon’s bed, making crazy intense love, and she’d fall asleep in his arms. But when she woke up, he was never there.

And he’d come back with cuts and bruises that Colt and Remy swore they weren’t responsible for.

On the third night she’d had enough. She made sure to stay awake, lying quietly and breathing evenly as Brandon gently disentangled himself and slipped out of bed. She heard the catch of his breath and the strangled growls of his panther before he climbed out the window.

She went after him, following his scent but staying far enough behind that he wouldn’t notice her. She wanted to see where he was going.

He made his way up the hill, back into the woods to a small cabin with all kinds of haunting stone sculptures around it. A little shiver went down her spine at how creepy they looked in the darkness.

Kitty crept closer, until she could see Brandon.

He was in front of the cabin, talking to Sasquatch—the creature who she’d met the first night she came to Brandon’s. She could tell by their body language that it wasn’t a friendly talk—there was a lot of dominant posturing going on.

Before she got close enough to hear what they were saying, Sasquatch pulled a knife and Brandon went panther. The next moment, they were grappling on the ground and fur was flying.

Kitty stifled a gasp, but she stayed where she was. Sasquatch hadn’t killed Brandon yet—hadn’t even come close. So he probably wasn’t going to do it tonight either.

But it was brutal enough. Deep slashes, lots of blood, bodies thudding to the ground and coming back for another attack.

She could feel Brandon’s dominance rolling out over the surrounding area, making her wolf want to crouch in submission. Damn, he was strong! She’d never realized how strong. It seemed he’d never really let his full alpha nature loose around her and the twins.

He was trying to force Sasquatch to submit to him.

Why didn’t Sasquatch Change? Brandon’s panther was a match for his human form, but she suspected his animal form was huge, whatever it was.

He didn’t Change, though. He fought for a bit longer, slower and slower, and finally Brandon’s panther wrestled him to the ground in a choke hold, the pressure of his dominance almost unbearable.

Sasquatch dropped his knife and beat his flat palm on the ground twice, tapping out.

Submitting.

Brandon’s panther backed off, giving a triumphant roar. Sasquatch got up. Instead of bending his head and exposing his neck, though, he gave Brandon an odd little bow, and went back into the cabin.

Brandon licked the worst of his wounds, and then, after a long look back at the cabin, limped into the woods.

Kitty melted into the forest, backing away so that Brandon wouldn’t scent her. Did he come up here and fight that giant every night? Why? And why did Sasquatch agree to do it, if he lost every night? And why didn’t he Change?

She waited until she was sure Brandon was gone, and then went back to Sasquatch’s cabin, running past the creepy sculptures and knocking at the door before she had the chance to talk herself out of it.

Sasquatch answered, holding a damp bloody towel in one hand and a roll of gauze in the other. He looked surprised. Make that shocked.

“Hey,” Kitty said. She suddenly realized that making a call on an unknown shifter in his territory in the middle of the night was probably not the best idea, especially after he’d just lost a fight. Although, she had given him cupcakes, so maybe they were sort-of friends?

Sasquatch just looked at her.

“Um. I know it’s the middle of the night, but I saw you fighting with Br—um, Ray—and, well…” He was still staring at her with those crazy eyes. Oh, what the hell. “Why?”

The silence stretched out, and then he said, “Maybe you should ask him.”

Kitty snorted. “He doesn’t tell me shit. So I figured I’d ask you.”

There was another of those long, long silences, broken only by the sound of blood dripping on the floor.

Kitty said, “That bite on your back looks pretty bad. Do you want me to bandage it up for you?”

Another silence. Sasquatch cocked his head. Then he walked out on the porch and sat down, making the steps creak under his weight. Brandon had given him a nasty bite in the back muscles just below his armpit.