He was patient. Too patient. The female began to entice the male rather than simply run from it. She extended her claws, spit and rebuffed him, taking off to leap over several fallen trees and then stopping to crouch in a beguiling pose. The male approached cautiously and she instantly was up, growling and spitting at him, swiping up a plume of dirt at him and then leaping away again.

The male followed her. Siena tried to induce her to head for the fence, but the male stayed firmly between the female and the fence line, turning her back every time. The more exhausted the female became, the more solicitous toward the male she was. Vocalizing her acceptance of him as her mate, the last thing Siena wanted, the female began to rub seductively along the tree trunks and occasionally roll and stretch.

The male watched over her, keeping her moving, not allowing her to stop. Siena knew shifters mated for life and she tried to keep the female away from the male, but he was persistent and the female had already begun to bond with him. Siena could feel the bond growing stronger and stronger with every dance the two leopards made around each other.

She couldn’t believe how patient Elijah and his male were. They kept following and turning her female away from the road for half the night. Finally, the female was so exhausted she crouched in submission. Instantly the male was on her, covering her, his teeth sinking into her neck to hold her in place.

Once Siena realized the female was accepting of the male, she disappeared as best she could, retreating to give her leopard the freedom to be a cat. The male kept at her, over and over, all through the night. He mounted her, holding her in place to ensure neither got hurt during their rough sex. Once finished, he lay beside her, panting and resting until he was ready to go again.

As dawn broke, Siena’s female curled up to sleep. The male refused to allow it, pushing at her with a hard shoulder to get her back on her feet. Siena knew exactly what Elijah was doing, and she tried to resist. Her female tried to resist. The male was much larger and his stamina was greater. He kept her moving until she was stumbling with fatigue, and he made certain to move her back in the direction of the house.

Siena cursed under her breath, despising the fact that Elijah had all the control. She didn’t want to shift back to human form, because he was bigger and stronger and she was far too humiliated to ever face him again. Her little female was so exhausted she couldn’t pick up her feet and actually dragged her paws in the dirt as she staggered back toward the house. She was so fatigued, she stopped directing herself and allowed Siena to take over completely.