The Lion’s Mate

A minute later she hung up. “We have to go to my house. Now.” Leah was already headed for the door as she spoke.

“Wait a second. What’s going on?” Mark hurried after her and grabbed her hand.

“Someone threw rocks at the house and broke some windows. Annie was home and she’s freaking out. We have to get there. What if they come back?” Leah’s voice had risen an octave; she wasn’t panicked yet, but she was close.

“Ok, ok. Calm down.” Mark began to undress.

Leah gaped at him. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I don’t want to ruin these clothes,” he explained as his pants dropped to the floor and he stepped out of them. “I’m going to shift, you’re going to climb onto my back, and I’ll run to your house.”

“Are you out of your mind?” she screeched. “Just drive me!”

He was completely naked. He put his hand on his shoulders. “Think about this. If we drive, it takes almost fifteen minutes because of the route we have to take around the forest. I can run with you on my back and be there in less than ten.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive. Now do what I say so we can get to your friend. Hold on to my mane for dear life.” Mark shifted. He hurried out the door and motioned for her to shut it. He turned his side to her so she could climb on as if he were a horse.

Leah hesitated only a moment before climbing on. She had known he was tall, but her feet didn’t touch the ground once she’d adjusted on his back. She clenched her thighs around him, grabbed his mane, and told him she was ready. The speed with which he ran rivaled a racehorse; she had no idea the actual speed, but she felt as if they were flying. The muscles of his lion body bunched and released under her legs, and briefly she thought about how she’d like to ride him again when she wasn’t scared out of her mind with worry.

As promised, less than ten minutes later they were at her front door. Leah leapt off his back and sprinted for the door, calling Annie’s name loudly so she’d come open the door. Annie appeared almost immediately, Jenny right behind her barking like mad. She jerked the door open and flew into Leah’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Leah comforted her as Mark slipped by and walked to the bathroom to find a towel to wrap himself in.

“Calm down, sweetie, calm down,” Leah comforted quietly, holding her tightly.

“Oh, Leah, it scared me so badly. The car drove right up to the porch! The rocks crashed through three windows, and they were yelling and saying awful things!”

“Ok. Let’s get you calmed down, then we’ll talk about it,” Leah said. Mark walked back into the room with a towel around his waist.

Annie looked up and saw him. A watery smile crossed her face. “Nice outfit.”

“This old thing?” She laughed softly, and he walked over and wrapped an arm around her.

She leaned into him briefly, and Leah said, “Let’s go to the kitchen and sit down. I’ll make some coffee and we’ll call the police.”

They trooped to the kitchen, Jenny wagging her tail as she sat down next to Mark. Leah glared at her. “Jenny, you are such a traitor.”

Mark rubbed Jenny’s head. “She knows a kindred spirit when she meets one.”

“Whatever,” Leah mumbled. “Ok, coffee’s on. I’m going to go get the rocks. Mark, will you please call the police.”

“I left them on the floor.”

Leah retrieved the rocks from the living room floor, mentally cursing the idiots who had scared Annie and broken her windows. She glanced down at one of the rock, which had a note attached. Her eyes narrowed and her face reddened at the absolute bigotry written on the paper in black letters. She actually growled.

“Police are called and coffee is ready,” Mark said as she walked back into the kitchen. She put the rock with the note on the table with a loud thud in front of him. The other two she held onto. He read the note, his jaw clenching. “What sh*theads.”

“Are the police on the way?” Leah asked.

“Yes, but I’ll tell you now, there’s not much they can do unless Annie saw the license plate or the bas*ards who threw the rocks.”

Annie shook her head. “I was in the living room, but I didn’t see anything. I just ducked.”

Leah patted her hand. “That’s exactly what you should have done, sweetie.”

An hour later, the police had come and gone, saying exactly what Mark had told them they would. Leah was frustrated, but there was really nothing they could do. She did, however, plan to build a fence around the house, and possibly put up a fence and gate at the end of the lengthy driveway. Wouldn’t stop everybody, but most people wouldn’t trespass on property guarded by a gate and fence.

“Why don’t the two of you stay at my place tonight?” Mark offered. “We can cover the windows and have them repaired tomorrow.”

“I’m really not comfortable leaving the house open like that. Anyone could put their hand through, unlock the window, and come in.”

“Exactly. That’s why you should stay with me,” Mark insisted, but Leah was shaking her head before he finished. He sighed. “Ok, I’ll stay here.”

“You don’t have to,” Leah said.

“I know, but I want to.”

“Leah, I’d like it if he stayed. I’m not sure I’m going to sleep at all, but I might if he were here,” Annie said.

Leah sighed. “Yeah, ok.” She looked at Mark. “It’s not that I don’t want you to, Mark. I just don’t want to put you out.”

“You aren’t putting me out.” He squirmed in his chair. “I do wish I had some clothes, though.”

*****

Three weeks later, Mark had built a case against the university. A strong one considering he’d found three other shifters who had been denied admission to Glenrose University without cause. He and Annie were sitting at the table in Leah’s kitchen, looking at the statements from the other students, all of whom had agreed to go to court.