---Lane's POV---

I was a bit surprised when Jethro lifted me up, blankets and all before carrying me out of the room when Zander motioned to follow him. However Zander was quick to explain, "Considering we don't really know what your tiger's reaction might be to the catnip, it is best to present it to you in a room that is safe for your shift."

"Plus we wouldn't want to be the kind of guests that destroy our host's room." Jethro amended with a grin as we entered a rather spacious room. This one had the same floor to ceiling windows but was much taller than the living room area we had visited before.

Motioning to our surroundings, Zander offered that disarming smile once more as he explained, "We designed this room to be capable of withstanding our shifts. Naturally there is a difference between instinctual behaviour and causing intentional harm to the building." He motioned towards the backwall and my eyes rose in surprise.

Because while they were certainly larger than any I had ever seen at the Pride lands, I could certainly recognize the scratchers that mapped the entire backwall. Already my tiger chuffed internally, wanting to check out the wall. Yet I felt it was rather impolite to do so, as using those walls would inherently leave my scent there, making it seem as if my shift was claiming the area.

The thought of scent marking made my nostrils flare, becoming more and more aware of the scents that filled the room. Naturally it was a mix of Faust, Zander and Charlie in equal amounts, along with a deeper, more feral scent of their shifts that laid underneath.

And that potent musk made my hackles raise, tiger flattening its ears warily. While it knew beforehand, it had been too distracted with the new surroundings and Jethro's scent. But now that it focused on the smells around us, it realized that all three of the shifters living here were powerful predators.

Yet it also knew Jethro would make sure nobody would ever harm us. Plus I was fairly certain that Zander didn't want to throw away his friendship with Jethro, nor risk the lives of everyone here if they dared attack me.

"Ah... of course." Zander chuckled, shaking his head as Charlie walked in carrying a box followed by a sheepish looking Faust. The woman chuckled, teeth bared in an eye blinding grin as she looked over her shoulder at her other partner.

Motioning with her chin towards the box she held, she giggled, "At least he had the wherewithal of calling for me and only touching the new toys. Otherwise the storage room would've been ruined, I'm afraid."

Oh... right. They did say it was Faust's toys...

"Here."

I blinked before catching the small ball, barely the size of a golf ball. As the fabric landed in my hand, it released a soft puff of odour that made me blink before humming curiously. "As a small test before we bring out the bigger stuff." Charlie grinned, winking cheekily while her master sighed and shook his head.

My tiger chuffed, just as intrigued by this new smell as I was. Bringing the small toy to my face, I sniffed it curiously while trying to place the scent.

Kinda minty... but also herbal. Maybe like thyme and oregano.... But it's a bit muskier....

A few chuckles drew my attention, making me realize with a blush that I was rolling the toy over my face! In fact I was pretty certain that if I hadn't snapped out of it, I might've tried to nibble on the fabric to determine if the catnip would taste the same as it smelled.

"Oh, this is gonna be fun." Jethro chuckled as he placed me down before nodding, "You can shift darling. I'm quite certain your tiger will be more than willing to investigate the larger toy." He added with a low chuckle that made me shiver before chuffing happily.

I didn't even have a chance to save the shorts as my tiger instantly shifted, stretching happily before bunting against Jethro's legs. "Go on, you." He chuckled, scratching through my fur before he glanced at Zander. "What would be the best thing? Straight up catnip or put it in a ball?"

The darker male hummed, chuckling as my tiger had already found the tiny toy and started swiping at it. Master quickly rushed to snatch it up before my shift could lean down and potentially swallow the choking hazard. Much to the tiger's protest as it made a complaintive sound, rubbing against Jethro's legs in the process.

It was clear that the heat was still affecting it, considering how the tiger kept pacing around Jethro, bunting into his legs and curling its tail around the man whenever it could.

"Let's put it in a ball, give him some exercise while he's out at the same time." Zander said, pressing a kiss against Faust's and Charlie's temples before reaching for the box himself. "Thank you for your willingness to share your toys darling. I was expecting your shift to be more possessive of them." He praised, making Faust smile shyly at his master.

The slightly taller man scratched at his nape as he confessed, "I did take the new balls to avoid my shift taking over because it didn't like the idea of sharing my own." He chuckled awkwardly, eyes unmoving from the toy and bag that was being handed over to Zander.

Luckily my shift seemed to be still a hint wary of the man, even though the scent of catnip was coming from the toy Zander had in his hands. It was only when Faust backed up slightly and offered a simple smile that the tiger's ears perked the slightest bit from their formerly flattened position.

"I'm assuming that, considering Lane's heat was approaching, you haven't let him wander the territory all that much. Which would explain the tiger's restlessness and insistence at mating; it simply has far too much energy." Zander spoke before snorting when my tiger proved his words by batting at Jethro's ankle and proceeded to playfully mouth at his leg.

The look that our master send his way was enough for the beast to instantly flop on the floor, pretending to be a demure little kitten instead of an overly active and nippy brat. Thankfully for the tiger, Zander cleared his throat after a low chuckle and a shake of his head. "So, let's see if this catches his interest and allows him to blow off some steam."

With a shared look between the two Dominants, the ball was rolled closer to the tiger. Even I found myself pressing closer to our shared consciousness out of curiosity.

As the plastic of the ball hit the floor, a set of ears instantly swivelled before the tiger observed it closely. Eyes unwavering from their target as the ball approached and paused just short of reaching us.

"Go on. You can inspect it." Jethro murmured approvingly when my shift waited and observed from near Master's legs. However the second it got permission, it instantly wandered closer to the ball, nostrils flaring constantly to pick up the scent.

I didn't know why but the more he sniffed at the toy and thus, the catnip, the happier I started to feel. It was a rather sudden sensation that bubbled up, making me swat at toy and watch it roll away. Within seconds the tiger chuffed, trotting after the thing before swatting it back and forth, darting around the room and ignoring the growing laughter that followed.

After a particular forceful swipe, the ball rattled against the door across the room, cracking it open whilst the toy rolled inside.

"Uh oh." Charlie murmured, not sounding worried at all. "I do believe that leads to the pool, Sir." She chuckled as my tiger barely paused at the open door, tail flicking indecisively before it nudged it further open.

There was only a slight sigh as footsteps followed, my paws thudding on the floor as more joy and excitement filled me at the sight of the glistening surface of the pool. A chuff rolled through my chest at the sight, pace picking up as I completely ignored the ball and leapt through the air.

Even though this was the first time that my tiger swam, it felt completely natural to paddle through the pool, splashing water everywhere as it pulled itself onto the ledge only to dart around the pool and leap back in it with another resounding splash.

Zander chuckled as the tiger's head popped above the water surface, shaking off the excess water before flicking its ears. "I think you may need to get yourself a pool, Jethro. Looks like your kitten is absolutely smitten by it."

Jethro chuckled at that, watching as my tiger kept running around the pool and jumping back in it before pulling its waterlogged self out. Water splashing on the floor as it ran around soaking wet until it eventually slowed down and flopped on the smooth tiles tiredly.

By that time, the surroundings around the pool were absolutely drenched and I was quite sure the pool filtration system would be struggling from all the fur left behind. Yet it also seemed like Zander didn't mind, shaking his head in amusement. "This reminds me of when Faust first discovered the pool, though he was far more hesitant to get in it."

The tiger mewled tiredly as Jethro approached, distracted by his conversation with Zander as he reached down to collect the catnip toy. I could instantly tell what the tiger was thinking as it's eye lazily flicked from our Master to the pool and the toy on the floor.

Sir, I think you made a grave mistake...

The thought never fully registered with Jethro, my warning seconds to late as the tiger got to its paws with surprising swiftness, pouncing on our master. Normally he'd been able to maintain his balance due to the strength of his dragon.

But not on the drenched flooring and whilst he was distracted.

The simmering joy turned into euphoria, tiger chuffing happily even as it toppled both of us into the pool. Jethro's grumble of protest was smothered by the huge splash we both caused though the only thing that was shared over the link was his own amusement and happiness.

Probably because my tiger was so excited that he finally managed to properly ambush Jethro, it was acting like a kitten when it first met the outdoors. Leaping through the pool before skittering over the floor only to hop back in the water with pure excitement.

And during all its splashing and leaping, drenching anyone who wasn't wary of the splash zone, it didn't stop chuffing once! The deep, rolling purrs that rolled though my chest only paused when the tiger finally gave back control as I flopped on my side with a tired groan.

Everything is sore...

"I think the catnip was a success." Jethro duly remarked, draping a towel over my tired body before I was lifted into his arms. I hummed tiredly, chuckling wryly as my tiger managed to force through a chuff before it passed out in my mind, sated and no longer pushing for more matings.

"Thank god. I don't know how much I could take from its insistence." I mentally sighed. While I loved and adored Jethro, there was a big difference between having sex on the regular or having the instinctual need to breed every hour or so.

Yet I couldn't bring myself to be angry at my shift. It was extremely new to the world and could only act on what it was taught. And sadly enough, most it could do was to rely on its instincts because the knowledge it had relied heavily on memories from when I was at the pride lands.

And I was overjoyed that even my shift curled its nose at how the Felines had acted, how they treated others and even their own kind with nothing but envy, hatred and prejudice. What little knowledge I had from feline shifters was merely what I had picked up from my own observations and later on what I read from the Council's and Jethro's books.

It left me with a tiger who didn't quite know how to act yet was eager to learn more, to follow the guidance provided by Jethro and his friends. A tiger who was now snoozing away with a few lazy chuffs, twitching in its sleep.

"How are you, darling? You feel anything besides that happiness?" Jethro mused, brushing his lips against my forehead as I wrapped my arms around his neck and nuzzled against his mark. A low hum rumbled through my chest as ever so slowly, the joy and happiness made way for tiredness.

Lapping at his skin, I chuckled when Jethro playfully pinched my nose before I sighed. "Not anything in specific. My muscles are a bit sore but I think that might be due to my tiger's enthusiasm. Didn't know it liked swimming that much."

After all, I was quite certain that if given the chance, the tiger would've taken a nap whilst partially submerged into the pool. It had even intended to do so but had been too tired to retain control and had opted to shift back and rest.

"How's the hip?" Jethro's voice pulled me out of my thoughts before I stretched my leg with a curious frown. After the tiger's romping about and the extended swimming session, I would've assumed my hip would've been in tremendous pain.

I smiled, nuzzling further into my master's throat. "Never better. I don't feel a hint of pain." As if to underline my words, I playfully nipped at his mark, making Jethro jump slightly before he chuckled.

"You cheeky brat." He rasped, fingers finding my nape with ease before I was pulled away from his mark and brought closer to his face. "It's a good thing I know you're still under the influence of that catnip or I'd think you were looking for a spanking."

I mean... I wouldn't oppose it.

Just the memory of my very first spanking made my face heat up and Jethro's eyes glowed vibrantly as a puff of my pheromones escaped.

"Alright, calm down you two before you mount the poor boy on these wet floor." Zander intervened, patting Jethro on the shoulder when he groaned in frustration. "We'll get this place cleaned up again. Lane, you're most welcome to swim here during your stay just please make sure your tiger doesn't roam into the common areas while soaking wet." The dominant made a face as he pointed out, "I'd hate to see my Persian carpet ruined because of a soggy cat rubbing all over it."

I nodded cautiously, especially when Jethro nudged me over the link. "Please do keep an eye out for that. The rug was handmade and treasured by Zander as it has been in his family for years. Last evaluation was a few millions worth."

"I'll make sure he doesn't leave the pool area." I swore, swallowing nervously at the idea of my tiger ruining the carpet, as I certainly didn't have the funds to pay for any damages caused to it. Jethro pulled me a bit higher in response with another gentle kiss against my temple, silently reassuring me everything would be alright.

Zander motioned us out of the room with a grin. "Right, I'll get started on some food to recover everyone's energy. After that you and Lane should rest properly and we'll pick the seminar back up from where we left off. Hopefully we can finish it before the inhibitors stop working on Lane's heat, otherwise you may be in for a stay of a few weeks."

"I guess we'll have to find out." Jethro agreed before sending a slow smirk my way, informing me that he wouldn't mind at all if our stay was prolonged.

Maybe I need to look into getting a wheelchair... just in case.