Cougar Needs [Cougarlicious 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Cooper McKenzie Page B

the way he was swaying, he had had quite a few before showing up at Stacy’s house.
    Turning his attention to his mate, he noticed her chest was moving. She was breathing, but barely. Her face was red and puffy. He wondered what other injuries she had suffered in his absence. He watched as the man pulled his leg back and kicked her in the shoulder. Thankfully there was no power behind the move, and the man almost fell over in the effort.
    “No bitch is gonna tell me when we’re through. That’s my call. Got it?” His words were slurred, and he was spitting as he pointed his finger at the unconscious woman.
    Stepping back out of sight, KJ stripped as fast as he could. Shifting to his cougar form ripped clothes, and it was going to be hard enough to explain this situation without having to add a torn and tattered uniform to the list.
    As soon as he was naked, he released the iron-tight control he normally held over his cougar and shifted. As soon as all four paws hit the floor, he stalked into the living room, giving a snarling growl when he saw the man was about to kick his mate again.
    “What the fuck are you?” the man yelled, lifting his hands to rub his eyes before looking at KJ again.
    KJ gave a snarling roar for an answer and began to stalk the man who had hurt his mate. From what Stacy had told him and the man’s own words on the phone, he had hurt at least two women tonight. After tonight, he would hurt no one else.
    As KJ crossed the living room, he never took his eyes from the man who began to back away. When he reached his mate, he took a moment and nuzzled her face. She opened her eyes and said, “KJ,” before her eyes rolled back in her head and she went limp. This time she was unconscious.
    Jumping over her body, KJ continued after the man who seemed to be quickly sobering up. Of course, the sight of a two-hundred-pound cougar on the hunt in his ex-girlfriend’s living room might have something to do with it.
    “Good kitty. Go away now. I was just leaving,” the man said as he took several more steps. “Good kitty. Shoo, go away.”
    Yes you are, and you won’t be back again, ever, KJ thought to himself, his pace quickening so that he was almost on the man when he reached the door.
    But he could not attack while they were in the house. He did not want Stacy to have any reminders of this part of the evening. He wanted her to focus on earlier, on him, on their mating. So, he would drive this man out of the house and yard and into the woods that bordered the development.
    The man was drunk enough not to realize where KJ was herding him to. All he saw was a big reddish-gold cougar coming at him. Trying to keep himself and his cat under control so they did not attack too soon, KJ continued stalking until he successfully drove the man into the woods behind Stacy’s house.
    Once there, he allowed his cougar to take complete control and deal with this animal who walked on two feet and had hurt his mate. When the man stumbled and fell over a log that crossed the trail, the cougar sprang, determined to avenge and protect his mate and whoever else this scum of a man had hurt.

Chapter 7
     
    Stacy woke in pain, but it did not feel like the pain of fresh injuries. It took her a few minutes of closed-eyes thinking to remember what had happened. KJ left without saying good-bye. Wayne drunk and in a rage. Running and trying to call KJ. Pain.
    She also vaguely remembered a big cat nuzzling her gently.
    Then nothing but pain.
    Opening her eyes, she blinked several times before her eyes could adjust to the dim light of the room. Looking around, she did not recognize the room. The walls were a light blue-gray and devoid of any decoration except for a couple of red signs she did not bother to read. Across the room, a television hung high on the wall with a clock below it. The time was nine thirty-four, making her wonder if it was morning or night.
    Turning her head caused her to suck a breath at the pain that ran