Mine for Eternity [Council Enforcers] (Siren Publishing Classic)

mating bond to control her life. So far, she enjoyed being mated to Mitch, but she refused to lose herself to the bond.
     
    * * * *
     
    Mitch ran silently through the trees. He had Ken on his right and Ryan on his left as they tracked the rogue that dared enter his territory. He was so tired that all he wanted to do was find his mate and cub and curl up with them and sleep. He had been looking forward to doing just that. Instead he came home just to find his pride being threatened.
    Mitch padded softly to the edge of his property. The rogue had come through there, but the scent was fading. He had been gone almost as soon as he set foot on Mitch’s property. He had a feeling the rogue wasn’t quite ready to give up the chase. He was toying with Tessa, trying to get her to run again so he could continue chasing her. Too bad the rogue didn’t know he was marked for death. A growl rumbled through his chest at the thought of tearing the rogue’s throat out.
    He turned toward home then knowing Ken and Ry would run the rest of his territory to make sure there wasn’t anyone else waiting out there. Mitch just wanted to get back to his mate. He shifted as he climbed the front stairs and grabbed his pants lying by the door. When he was dressed, he headed straight for his office.
    He could feel Tessa’s worry, but it wasn’t like it had been earlier. As he drove closer to home, he knew Tessa had to have felt him coming through their bond. It was something he hadn’t had time to explain to her before he rushed out of town. When he had felt her panic slice through him, he knew something was wrong and he rushed home as fast as he could. His relief when he walked in his office and she had wrapped her legs around him safe and sound almost brought him to his knees.
    Walking into his office now, he saw his little mate sitting in his chair. He looked over at Ben and nodded, thanking the man. He would thank him properly for keeping his family safe later, but first, he did what he had wanted to do for days. Mitch stalked around his desk and pulled Tessa into his arms. He slanted his mouth over hers and traced her lips with his tongue. Tessa sighed, and he thrust his tongue in her mouth, taking advantage of her parted lips.
    Her sweet taste exploded on his tongue, and Mitch tried his best to taste every inch of her mouth. Tessa moaned, and he could feel her bury her fingers in his hair. He couldn’t stop the purr in his chest at having his mate back in his arms.
    “I love that you purr,” Tessa told him once they broke apart.
    “It’s my lion. He missed you just as much as I did. I had to put up with his smart-ass comments for three days while he pouted.”
    Mitch’s lion scoffed. I do not pout. I am a superior beast. I have more dignity than that.
    He also had a superior ego, but Mitch held his tongue. “Where is Nico?” He knew the cub was in the room, but he didn’t see him anywhere.
    Tessa laughed before bending over and ducking under his desk. Mitch moaned at the sight of her bottom turned up in the air. He wished it was bare instead of the jeans she had covering it. He was reaching out to caress one of her round cheeks before he even realized what he was doing, but Tessa stood all too soon, moving away from his grasp. She pulled a sleeping Nico from under his desk, and he frowned.
    Tessa waved off his question. “Don’t ask. He’s been playing with Ben all day and fell asleep. I didn’t want to move him until I could get him to a bed.”
    “Well come on. I could use a nap, too, but I want you with me. I want to hold both of you.”
    Mitch took Nico from Tessa and led them upstairs to his bedroom. He placed the cub in the bed, and Tessa climbed in behind him. “I’m going to take a fast shower, and I’ll be right back.”
    He took the fastest shower in his history, ignoring his aching hard-on. He got rid of dirt, blood, and other things he wouldn’t even mention, before dressing in a pair of shorts and joining his mate in the bed. Mitch relaxed for the first time in what seemed like forever.
    “God, I’ve missed you, baby,” he told Tessa, pulling her closer against him. “There is a lot we need to talk about, but first, I just want to sleep for a little while and hold you.”
    Tessa nodded, and he closed his eyes. Sleep didn’t come as fast as he wanted. Memories of everything he, Ry, and Ken had been through over the past three days flashed through his head. Mitch had no exact number of how many