Tears swimming in her eyes, she obeyed him reluctantly. He bent his head toward her, shifting as he did so, until a male leopard in his prime held her pinned against the floor, his teeth sinking deep into her shoulder directly over the mark Conner had put there. At the same time, his back claw raked down her thigh. She felt the gash, the blood run free, and she also felt the burn spreading through her system. She could hear her own screams of anguish, but the leopard ignored her pleas, rolling her over so that she was on her back, her soft belly exposed to him.

His claws sank into her breasts, deep punctures that drew blood. She heard herself scream, but he wasn’t finished. His claws raked the insides of her thighs and then sank deep into her feminine mound. The pain was excruciating. She nearly passed out, the edges of her vision darkening, bile rising.

He lifted her onto her hands and knees, holding her head down to keep her from fainting. She was going to be sick, her stomach cramping and heaving in protest. He appeared just as patient, his hands stroking her hair, soothing her as if he hadn’t been the one to cause such damage in the first place.

Sobbing, Isabeau tried to crawl away from him, but he simply drew her into his arms and rocked her back and forth. She didn’t fight him. Any movement caused pain to rip through her body.

“We’re tied together, Isabeau,” he said softly, looking down at her shredded, bloody jeans. “You’ll need an antibiotic. He’s going to be so enraged he may forget, so you’ll have to be the one to remember.” Again he spoke matter-of-factly.

“Why?” she asked.

He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “When you think back on your wedding day, it will be me you remember, not him.” His hand stroked her hair, trying to soothe her when she was shaking uncontrollably. “And to prove a point. You’ll never be safe with him, neither will your children. I got to the kid right under the noses of his guards, and I got to you. I can do it again, anytime, anyplace. You need to think about what you want in a partner. We live by the law of the jungle, Isabeau, and if he can’t protect you, what use is he to you?”

“Did you kill Jeremiah?” She pressed her trembling fingers to her mouth. Any movement was painful and she desperately wanted to remove her jeans and top and press a cool cloth to the throbbing puncture wounds.