Prey by cassanna dwight

from Africa
over eighteen years ago. I’ve claimed you as my mate, which now
makes you the highest ranking female in the pride. Everything else
is a formality that I’ll explain later. Right now, I have duties I
must attend too.” His smirk was wicked. “But since my woman
stripped me first, I have to get dressed. Later I’ll take you to
get your SUV.”
    “ But—”
    He pressed a finger to her lips.
“We’ll figure it out. You have my word.”
    Nae pushed his hand away, “I’m being
punked! That’s it right.”
    He shook his head, and his hair
brushed his shoulders. “Goddess, but I hope our cubs have your
sense of humor.” El bent and pulled his pants up before reaching
out and placed his finger under her chin to close her
mouth.

 
     
     
     
     

Chapter Six
     
    Ellory pushed the door completely open
and climbed out of the old car. He was accustomed to finer
establishments, but his clan was broke, so even he had to make
sacrifices. It was a means to an end, much like staying in the
decrepit room which wasn’t fit for the family of cockroaches that
resided there. He stuffed the fifth of whiskey in his back pocket
and stalked to his motel room. He glanced around at the discolored
paint and cracked glass in his window. The air conditioner kicked
on, and the pane rattled above it. He dug out the key attached to
the large triangle of plastic with the number nine on it and stuck
it in the keyhole.
    That was something else he held
against El. His brother was sitting on money, and lots of it, if he
wasn’t mistaken. While the other half of his people were barely
getting by, so many injustices. Eldridge had the pride fooled. He
sat on his ass and made all the members work and pay into the tribe
coffers. Hell, he wasn’t even an effective warrior. His only claim
to work and leadership was arranging lucrative contracts every
couple of months. He should know. He’d had people watching and
reporting Eldridge’s movements for about a year. The man would
leave for a few weeks and then reappear as if he’d never been
gone.
    Ellory stepped into the room and
glanced around looking for anything amiss.
    The lamp attached to the wall, between
the full size beds, gave off a dull amber glow. Outdated bedspreads
in washed out colors covered the mattresses. Bold striped wall
paper, which was slowly peeling down from the ceiling, gave the
place a circa seventies feel. Nothing appeared out of place. Ever
since his arrival a few weeks ago, he’d only allowed the maid in
when he was there. He stomped over to the desk and slid the half
empty bottle into a drawer along with his car keys. He tapped on
the button which would make the TV come on as he passed it on the
way to the bathroom; the evening news filled the room.
    He’d scouted the area and knew there
was only one payphone in the three mile radius. It was located next
to a dilapidated old corner store which had seen better days. The
place was boarded up, but surprisingly, the phone still worked.
Ellory washed his hands and grabbed a hand towel off the hook. He
threw the terry cloth on the vanity and grabbed his room key. There
was a diner on the route to the phone. He could stop there and get
a nice rare steak. Something he could tear into. All he’d had for
the last couple of days was the occasional rabbit. Those damn
things didn’t have any real meat on them. He didn’t dare take down
anything larger. El’s patrols would have spotted larger kills, and
more than once he was sure he spotted the eagle gliding in the
sky.
    Not much longer, having his son come
over as backup would be icing on the cake. Kaseo would be his
enforcer in case one of El’s orphans decided to try and take his
place. He could also romance the bird and keep her off her guard
until all the plans were in effect. Kaseo could slip right into the
Pride and be his eyes and ears; he was no longer sure he could
trust Reese. Ellory skulked down the busted and weed ridden
sidewalk.
    Perhaps it would be