Free A Jaguar's Kiss by Katie Reus Page B

fault,” Israel said quietly, surprising Owen. “It’s
    no one’s fault except the jaguar that did this to her. Owen
    saved her.”
    Patricia stil glared at him with dark eyes similar to
    Gabriela’s. Owen knew where she got that angry stare from
    now. “She’s stil not going home with you,” Patricia said, her
    voice a deep growl.
    Owen clenched his jaw, biting back his annoyance. It
    wouldn’t do any good to argue with Gabriela’s parents,
    especial y since he planned to ask her to mate with him as
    soon as she was healed.
    Skyler took a step forward and dropped her arm from
    Owen’s waist. “Patricia, I think it might be a better option if
    Gabriela goes home with Owen. There are no humans on
    pack land and there’s less risk of anyone seeing us
    carrying a jaguar inside Owen’s house. It’l be pretty hard to
    hide her in the state she’s in now…” As Skyler’s voice
    trailed off she made a soft moaning sound as if she was in
    pain and clutched her stomach.
    Before Owen or anyone could move, Patricia hurried
    forward and looped her arm around Skyler’s shoulders.
    “Honey, don’t let this stress you out. We’l let your brother
    take Gabriela, but we’l be going over there with them.”
    Patricia shot him a death glare, but Skyler winked at him
    over her shoulder.
    Owen blinked in surprise at his sister. She was devious.
    God help Skyler if she had a little girl just like her. As Owen
    moved to Gabriela’s stil form, he focused on the doctor.
    “When can we move her?”
    “Now, as long as you’re careful. I have a couple
    prescriptions to give you and I’d like to talk to you in
    private.” She motioned that they should step into the waiting
    room and though he was loathe to leave Gabriela for even
    a second, he knew she was safe. And that was al that
    mattered.

Chapter 7
One Week Later
    Gabriela opened her eyes to the smel of food.
    Hamburgers? Her stomach growled at the scent of cooking
    meat. She threw the covers off and inhaled deeply. Before
    going in search of the source of the smel , she stripped off
    her clothes and hurried to Owen’s guest bathroom.
    Ever since she’d woken up about a week ago,
    completely healed from her injuries, she’d been sleeping in
    Owen’s guest room. She didn’t remember being taken to
    Dr. Shahi’s or directly afterward, but he’d told her that
    they’d brought her back to his house so she could heal
    without worrying about any humans seeing her.
    In al that time Owen hadn’t touched her intimately, much
    less kissed her. He’d been perfectly kind and overly
    watchful, like a mother hen, but it was al so clinical and
    distant. It was as if he felt guilty about what had happened
    to her. That thought was worse than anything. He was
    watching after her because of guilt . Absently she rubbed
    the middle of her chest, embarrassed she’d stayed so long
    at his house when she wasn’t sure he wanted her anymore.
    Part of her wondered if he saw her as an obligation now.
    Ethan had been scarce and Skyler was living with Israel
    now—though the she-wolf had cal ed Gabriela every day
    this week. So had her parents, who were insisting she
    move back home immediately. Wel , her mom was
    insisting. Her father had a surprisingly different opinion.
    She was pretty sure she’d outstayed her welcome with
    Owen and after dinner tonight, it was time to return to her
    parents’ house. Though it was embarrassing to admit it
    even to herself, she’d been hanging around Owen’s house
    hoping against hope that things between them might turn
    physical again. After that night in the cave, she knew she
    didn’t want just one night with him. She wanted a heck of a
    lot more. But he’d been impossibly distant and so freaking
    polite it grated on her nerves. Strangers were polite to each
    other and they were anything but that. But maybe he wanted
    to pretend that night had never happened. Normal y she’d
    have no problem going after what she wanted. But the
    thought of