 
# Tiger Time

### Alaskan Tigers: Book One

## Marissa Dobson

### Contents

Newsletter

Introduction

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Preview: The Tiger's Heart

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

About the Author

Also by Marissa Dobson
**eBooks cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.**

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Dobson Ink

Martinsburg, West Virginia

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Tiger Time

Copyright ©2012, Marissa Dobson

Revised Copyright ©2016, Marissa Dobson

ISBN: 978-0-9886684-1-6

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously and are not to be constructed as real. Any resemblance to actual person—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Dobson Ink. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

www.MarissaDobson.com

# Newsletter

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To my husband, Thomas who spent many hours listening to my ideas for the Alaskan Tigers series.

To my sister Jenifer who loves tigers as much as I do. She inspired me to write the Alaskan Tigers.

# Introduction

Tabitha Leigh has no idea her mundane life is about to change. Every day she gets up, goes to work, comes home—an average, almost drab existence. Lately she's been getting sick, and she can't figure out why. As fever and fatigue consume her, she has no idea she's being followed—and danger stalks her every step.

The Alpha of the Alaskan Tigers, Ty Reynolds, has been watching her from a distance to see if she will go through the change. When she finally does, he sees more in her than just the future of their kind. Now that she is embracing her tiger side, he must tell her she is the Queen of the Tigers—and she has a bounty on her head.

Tabitha must be protected at all costs; she must embrace her future and her mate. If she doesn't, it will mean the end of everything she's come to know and never realized she needed.

# Chapter One

Tabitha Leigh staggered up the steps to her cramped studio apartment. A plain white envelope was taped to her door, piquing her interest, but she was too exhausted and sore to care. Licking her dry lips, she realized the fever had taken a toll on her body; last she'd checked it was a hundred and one. Her weak muscles barely carried her up the steps.

Despite this, she couldn't sleep. Night after night, she lay in bed glaring at the ceiling, her thoughts filled with visions of a far off place. Deep inside she felt a desire to leave, to start over somewhere new. When she thought about where she wanted to go, the only place she could picture herself living was Alaska. Odd, since she hated cold weather and snow more than anything else. Beside her bed hung a beautiful picture of Alaska with the aurora borealis lighting up the sky. It was the last thing she saw before going to sleep at night. Her coffee table was littered with brochures and Alaskan travel books.

She grabbed the envelope from her door, planning to toss it on the table to deal with later, but the moment her hand wrapped around it, she felt lighter somehow—calmer.

_That's insane_.

The steaming hot bath she longed for could wait a few minutes. Plopping down on the sofa, she tore open the envelope. The stationary was soft, yet heavy. As she unfolded the page, the masculine scent of cologne assuaged her, rich and fragrant. _Not from the landlord then._

_Dear Tabitha,_

_I was a friend of your father's and I need to speak to you immediately._

_Please meet me at Tony's Bar & Grill tomorrow night at seven o'clock._

_It's important._

_Sincerely,_

_Ty_

A number of questions ran through her head. Had he really known her father? Maybe he could tell her about her parents and why she'd been left in the state's care.

_Even if Ty answers some of my questions, I don't know him or what he really wants._

Foster homes had made her cautious of others; it was hard to make friends when all she'd been surrounded with were people who were out for themselves.

She wouldn't go. She wasn't much of a risk-taker, and this was too big of a risk. As she laid aside the letter and went to take a bath, her brain told her she was doing the right thing.

But her heart wanted answers.

Relaxing in the blistering hot water with lavender bath salts and a touch of vanilla normally eased the tension from her body. But tonight she was on edge. The letter bugged her. She cursed its timing; why now, when she was at her worst? This sickness was awful. She didn't want to be bothered by anyone, least of all a stranger who might have known her family. The exhaustion in her body gave way to a miserable depression that took hold of her heart and wouldn't let go. She had so much darkness in her past, and she wanted answers. But now?

"What shitty timing," she mumbled, sinking into the water until her chin touched the surface of the foamy soap.

Saying he was a friend of her father's wasn't something that would make her want to meet him. She knew next to nothing about her parents. They could have been murderers for all she knew.

No, they weren't murderers. The caseworker said her parents died in a car accident when she was a year old. Not that she remembered any of it. Thanks to a very nice police officer, she had a picture of her parents that had been taken a month before the accident. It was the only treasure she had from her family as she moved from foster home to foster home. Even now, she kept it next to her bed.

A year ago, on her eighteenth birthday, she aged out of the system. Her caseworker, Bev, handed her five hundred dollars and told her to leave. The only constant in her life until that point was suddenly gone. Bev had only been doing her job and now that it was done, it was time for her to move on. There was certainly another child ready to take her place.

Tabitha dunked her head under the water as the memory of how exciting and scary that time had been came flooding back. All her life she had been tossed from home to home like some unwanted pet and she hated every minute of it. Until the day she was told to leave, and she had nowhere to go. Trying to save every dollar she could, she ended up in a fleabag motel, scared and alone. The worst part was not being able to find a job. It was an endless cycle. No one would hire her without an address, and she couldn't get an apartment without a job.

She had been desperate when a little mom-and-pop family restaurant hired her to clean tables and wash dishes. She didn't care what kind of work she did as long as it kept a roof over her head. The day after she was hired, she found a little rundown apartment two blocks from work. Thanks to Alice, her best friend and fellow foster child who lived in the building, she was able to rent it without a deposit. It wasn't much—only a studio—but it came furnished. The day she moved in, she had nothing but a suitcase full of clothes.

Alice had aged out of the foster care system a little more than a year before, and she suggested living across the hall from each would provide a sense of security. Their bond was strong, but Alice was preoccupied with her boyfriend, and only had time for Tabitha when Mike wasn't around. For the first time since they'd become friends, there was distance between them, and Tabitha worried about Alice all the time. She couldn't help it; both women were troubled and had their own unique issues, but Alice's worst downfall was that she always chose the wrong men.

Tabitha thought again about the letter. She and Alice often mused on how they wished they could learn something about their families, about where they came from. Now Tabitha had a chance. Whoever this Ty person was, he knew something about her origin.

_I don't know what to do_. She sighed heavily, torn by indecision.

The bubbles were gone and the water grew cold. Tabitha wasn't sure how long she'd been lost in her memories, but it was time to move on. Grabbing a towel off the rack, she wondered if she would ever find her place in the world.

_What is my purpose? Why Alaska?_

# Chapter Two

Tabitha woke when the sun shining between the curtains hit her eyes. The bedside clock showed it was just before six in the morning. Three hours of sleep—not much to the normal person, but she was grateful for any sleep at all. Maybe taking it easy would help her get over the flu or whatever she had. She wasn't sure how much longer she could go on in the condition she was in. She was constantly tired and her body ached all over. She struggled through the days, exhausted, but laid in bed unable to sleep.

Unlike most people, she wasn't a coffee drinker in the morning. She preferred a cold glass of iced tea to push away the fog of sleep. The bed was only ten steps from the refrigerator, not far to go, but she didn't make it before someone began pounding on her door. Whoever it was would put wrench in her plans for the day. It was too early for a social call, so it must mean something awful had happened or was about to happen.

"Tabitha, are you in there? Please, I need your help. Open up."

"Alice, what's...?"

As she yanked open the door, Alice fell into Tabitha's apartment and landed on the floor with a loud _thud._ Covered in blood, her face was marred with black and blue bruises. Her short brown hair looked black from blood.

Tabitha stood back, appalled, bile rising in her throat.

_How could someone do this to another person?_

Her hands trembled in anger as she examined Alice. She wanted to comfort her, but she couldn't see an unmarked spot where she could put her hands.

"I took your advice and told him I'm pregnant." She let out a pitiful sob before she could go on. "He beat the crap out of me and told me it couldn't be his. He doesn't have any children. None of his other girls got pregnant, so I must have cheated."

Tabitha listened to Alice ramble on as she grabbed her cell phone off the stand by the sofa. The phone was the only luxury she could afford. It was an expensive thing to keep up, but walking home late at night by herself in Pittsburgh—she needed it just in case. Tabitha dialed 911, hoping an ambulance could get there in time to save Alice and the baby, and maybe the police could arrest the creep.

"What's your emergency?"

Tabitha wished there was something she could do for Alice, but the only thing she could give her was comfort as she gently wrapped her arms around her. "My friend is in real bad shape. We need an ambulance. She's pregnant, and I think she might be having a miscarriage. She was beaten badly."

"What's your location?"

"Fifty-fifty East Liberty Street, apartment three on the second floor." She gulped, forcing the words out, panic rising in her chest.

"Okay, I have an ambulance on its way. Can you tell me what happened?"

Alice moaned in pain. Tabitha spoke louder so the dispatcher would hear her. "I...I don't know. She's my neighbor, she came banging on my door, screaming her boyfriend beat her."

"I am sending the police out also."

Alice must have overheard because she whispered, "No, please. He'll kill me."

_Not if I get to him first._

She wasn't sure where the thought came from; violence wasn't in her nature. But if Mike were there, she'd need an army to keep her off him. Alice was the only real friend Tabitha ever had, and even though they'd grown apart recently, she'd be damned if she'd let him get away with this. Fury ignited every cell in her body until she thought it might burn her alive.

"Shh, it's okay. You're going to press charges and he'll be in jail, he won't be able to do anything to you." Tabitha pushed Alice's hair off her face, holding her close. Her fingers came away with blood on them.

The dispatcher continued gathering information, and Tabitha answered every question as best she could but her mind was racing. _Could Mike have followed her to finish the job he started? Will he come back later looking for her?_ She wanted to believe she could handle him on her own, but she knew she couldn't. Especially not now with how sick she was.

Two paramedics rushed up the stairs, leaving no time to quiet Alice's fears.

Tabitha spoke into her cell phone again. "Thank you, the ambulance and fire department are here."

"You're in good hands now," the operator said before the line went dead.

Tabitha slipped her phone into her pocket and tried to step aside so the paramedics could take over, but Alice grabbed Tabitha's shirt.

"Please stay. Don't leave me."

The blond paramedic looked from Tabitha to Alice. "She's just going to move back a little so I can help you. She can go with you in the ambulance if you like."

Eyes wide, Alice looked like a scared child. "Please come with me. I don't want to be alone, he'll find me and finish it."

Tabitha brushed some hair off her friend's face. "Sure, I'll go, now let them look you over." After a slight hesitation, Alice nodded in agreement. While the paramedics examined her, Tabitha took the time to change out of her sweats and into a pair of jeans.

She'd just stepped out of the bathroom when the blond paramedic looked over his shoulder. "Miss, if you're going with us, we need to go now. She's lost a lot of blood."

While they loaded Alice onto the stretcher and prepared to move her, Tabitha grabbed her purse and keys. She followed them down the steps and out to the waiting ambulance. With speed and precision they loaded the stretcher. As the ambulance pulled away from the curb, Alice passed out.

"Josh, call it in. The victim is unconscious, and they need to have blood standing by. She's lost too much and will need a transfusion." Then he turned to Tabitha. "Do you know her blood type and if she's on any medication?"

_How could all this be happening?_ Tabitha sat there in shock until the blond paramedic reached over and touched her arm. Recalling his inquiry, she shook her head to clear her mind.

"No, I don't know her blood type, but she wasn't taking anything. Maybe prenatal vitamins. She was so happy she got pregnant and didn't want to do anything that might hurt the baby." She looked at her friend lying so still and pale on the gurney, blood soaking her jeans. _The baby._

Tears filled Tabitha's eyes as she quivered in terror and fury. "Did she...did she lose the baby?" She already knew the answer.

He nodded. "I believe so. I'm sorry."

The rest of the trip was a blur.

Upon arriving at the hospital, she tried to stay out of the way. It wasn't too hard since Alice was still unconscious and didn't need her. She stood against the wall away from everyone. Her thoughts and fears kept her company as she waited to find out about her friend.

_How could that good-for-nothing jerk do this?_

You didn't love someone if you beat them. _That_ wasn't love.

Lost in her thoughts, she barely noticed the blond paramedic come up to her with a police officer at his side. "Miss, Officer O'Malley would like to have a word with you, if that's all right."

"Yes, but I don't know if I can be of any help."

"Thank you, Jason. If you will excuse us." The officer led her over to the chairs in the hallway. "What's your name?"

"Tabitha Leigh." She perched on the chair, straightening and peering into Alice's room.

When Officer O'Malley looked up from his notebook, his face was stone-cold and blank. A true cop's face. "Miss Leigh, what happened this morning?"

She tried not to cry as she thought back to how she got dragged into this. "When I woke up, Alice was pounding on my door begging me to help her. She told me her boyfriend did this."

"What is her boyfriend's name? Why would her boyfriend do this?"

"I don't know him. Alice refers to him only as Mike. It was...it was because she's pregnant." Her voice broke, and she bit her lip to keep from breaking down. "He told her he doesn't want children and since he doesn't want them, he believes he can't have them, so she must have cheated." She looked down at the tissue in her hands, then rocked forward, taking a deep shuddering breath.

"Is she sure this is his baby?"

She couldn't control the tears running down her face. It was unbelievable he had the nerve to ask that when her friend was in there dying. "She said it was, but I wasn't there." She looked up, glaring at him. "I don't know who she's sleeping with, but I've known her for years. She's more honest and trustworthy than anyone I've met. She wouldn't tell him it was his child if she wasn't sure. She wouldn't cheat when she's in a committed relationship." Her voice rose with irritation. She wanted to be with her friend, not sitting here answering the officer's questions.

"We're going to have to question the boyfriend. Do you know where I might be able to find Mike?"

"No." With that, she was done with his interrogation. She stood and walked back to Alice's room. She wouldn't sit there listening to him. He was just like all the other people in her life—foster parents who put all the blame on her, people she couldn't trust, people who didn't trust her. Well, Alice wasn't going to take the blame this time. There was nothing she could do to make him believe the story if he wanted to doubt it.

"Miss Leigh, I might need to ask you a few more questions later," her interrogator called after her.

Without turning to look at him, Tabitha snapped a terse reply. "You know where to find me, but I don't think I'll be of any help."

Hours passed in a blur with Tabitha glued to Alice's bedside, not wanting to leave in case she woke up. When Alice woke she'd need the comfort of a friend, and someone to hold her hand as she cried over the child she'd lost. Darkness fell and her eyes were growing heavy when Alice finally woke.

"Thanks." Her voice was hoarse.

Tabitha jumped to her feet, a sudden surge of energy rushing through her, and poured a glass of ice water from the pitcher the nurse had brought in a little while ago. She carefully handed it to Alice, tenderly wrapping her fingers around the glass. Her hands were shaking.

"There's no need for thanks. If you need anything, I'm here. I'll stay as long as you need me."

Alice tried to sit up to take a drink. She winced from the pain but managed to force her body into a reclined position. "I feel awful. Tell me what you know. Will the baby be all right?"

"I better get the doctor." Tabitha stood and walked toward the door.

"That bastard killed my baby, didn't he?" Alice shrieked, shuddering, tears flowing down her bruised cheeks.

Her heart broke for her friend. She wanted to do something to make things better, but she couldn't. She went to her and held her close. With her arms wrapped around Alice, she reached for the call button, and it wasn't long before Doctor Roberts rushed in.

Alice was almost hysterical, leaving the doctor with no choice but to give her a sedative to help her sleep. As she closed her eyes, Tabitha laid her back down on the bed, gently squeezing her hand.

Doctor Roberts narrowed his eyes, frowning. "I thought I gave you instructions to page a doctor and _not_ to tell her she lost the baby."

She whipped her head around so fast, she couldn't believe it was still attached to her body. "I didn't tell her anything. When I wouldn't answer her question and I tried to get a doctor, she freaked out. There was nothing I could do. She just _knew_. Mothers know these things."

Doctor Roberts looked from her to the nurse. "Why is it the family and friends always think they know what's best for the patient and disregard the doctor's orders?" With that, he stormed out of the room.

_They're all the same. No one believes what I have to say._

Tabitha sank down into the chair by Alice's bed and wept.

The nurse who'd brought the pitcher hung back after the doctor left. "Miss, she's going to sleep through the night. Why don't you go home and get a good night's rest? We'll take care of her. When you come back in the morning, she'll be awake and she'll need you then."

"Maybe you're right. Could I leave my number and if anything changes, you can give me a call?"

The nurse nodded and handed her a pen and paper.

She wrote her number on it and handed it back. As the nurse walked out, Tabitha leaned over the bed. "Alice, I'm going home to sleep. I'll be back in the morning. You rest, and we'll figure something out tomorrow." Knowing there was nothing more she could do, she kissed her friend's forehead before grabbing her purse to leave.

Stepping out of the hospital, the cool evening air of October enveloped her with a sweet scent, foretelling rain was on the horizon. Freshly fallen leaves crunched under her steps, and danced along the pavement while the moon hung overhead lighting the way. To save some money, Tabitha decided to walk home. It was only a few blocks and Pittsburgh was a beautiful city with lots of different shops and so many lights. If the crime rate wasn't so high, it would be the perfect city to live in. As it was, a young woman walking on the streets at night alone had to worry about being mugged or raped. She kept her hand inside her coat where she kept her cell phone and a can of pepper spray.

The walk home gave her time to think about Alice and how things had turned out for her. Tabitha suspected Mike had hit her before, but when she'd confronted her, Alice denied it. Her friend wouldn't listen, and she was almost killed as a result.

_She could have died!_ Tabitha's anger boiled close to the surface and threatened to overtake her. She didn't understand it, but lately she was more emotional than usual. Could it be because of the flu she'd caught?

When she reached out to open the door to the apartment building, she found the lock broken. That was nothing new. Every time it was replaced, a few days later it was bashed in again. One day the landlord was going to get tired of fixing it and just leave it broken. Having that extra lock on the main door made her feel a little safer. With the lock, the only people who could get in were residents or someone buzzed in by a resident.

She was more tired than usual, so the fifteen stairs up to her apartment felt like climbing Mount Everest. At the top, she got her door open. Not bothering to turn on a light, she slumped, eyes closed, onto the sofa—and onto a man.

# Chapter Three

Tabitha shrieked and jumped up when she felt the solid body against hers. "Who the hell are you?"

"Don't scream, Tabitha." A deep voice called to her as the table lamp flicked on. "You didn't meet me tonight. I wanted to make sure you were all right. When I arrived, there was blood in the hall, your door was open, and when I stepped inside I found more blood in the entryway. I called the hospitals, and they had no listings under your name, so I stayed here to see if you would return."

While he spoke, she noticed his body. He was an imposing figure, even sitting. He must have been two hundred and twenty pounds, all of it muscle, with arms nearly the size of her thigh. He reminded her of one of the biker guys who came into the restaurant. His chin-length black hair and broad shoulders gave him a menacing look. The only thing that hinted he might have a softer side was his spectacular ocean blue eyes.

"Back up. How do you know my name?"

"Didn't you get the note I left on your door yesterday? My name is Ty Reynolds. I was a friend of your father's." He sat there on the sofa watching her, careful not to move as if worried he'd scare her.

Shock must have shown on her face, because before she could say anything, he added, "I'm not here to hurt you. If I wanted to hurt you, I would have done so already. I made a promise to your father that when you were old enough, I would tell you everything, and I would do everything I could to protect you."

"I don't care who you are. I want you out of my apartment!" She walked over to her door and opened it. "Please leave."

He frowned, glancing down at the blood stains on the floor. "You seem to be uninjured...but there's the question of the blood. What happened here?"

"Alice." A lump formed in her throat as she fought back tears. The single word came out softer than she intended, as if it was a reminder to herself of the terror that had played out only hours before. Alice—dear protective Alice—would've had a fit if she knew Tabitha was alone with a man who'd broken into her apartment. "She's a friend of mine. It's her blood, but that's none of your business. Now leave." Tears stung the back of her eyes. She refused to weep. She was tough, she'd been through awful things. But this sickness, whatever it was, heightened her emotions and made her want to fall apart. _What's happening to me?_ She'd been asking that a lot lately.

"Listen, Tabitha, I know you're scared, but you need to listen to me. Please just give me ten minutes."

"You broke into my apartment and now you want me to listen to you? I don't want anything to do with you."

He made no attempt to move toward the door. "I know you're not feeling like yourself. You're running a fever of a hundred and one. No matter what you take, it won't break. You can't sleep. Your body hurts and you're sore. You feel like your body's doing things it hasn't before. You're faster, you can smell and see better. If you read that note, just holding the paper would have eased the symptoms. I can help you if you will just listen to me."

His words shocked her enough to pause. "How do you know all of this?"

"Because you're a tiger shapeshifter."

_A what?_ A wave of lightheadedness fell over her as she dropped her hand away from the door handle.

He'd said it with such ease she almost thought she'd heard him wrong. Tabitha stared at him in disbelief for a moment as her vision narrowed and black dots danced before her eyes. Inky blackness consumed her as she collapsed.

When she came to, she was on her sofa with a wet wash rag on her forehead. This meant he'd placed her carefully on the cushions and tended to her—a total stranger. It wasn't something she expected from a man his size. He appeared more likely to throw someone across a bar than attend to a fainting woman.

She tried to scoot away from him but there was nowhere to go on the sofa. His very size made the place feel small. "I thought it might have been a nightmare," she muttered.

"Sorry, it's not. I'm real, and everything I have told you is the truth." He handed her a glass of water.

"How do you know about my fever and my other symptoms?"

"All shifters have the same symptoms when they're going through the change. If you were among your clan, it would be less intense but still there."

"This stuff is only in books and movies. It doesn't happen in real life." Tabitha took the glass with a shaky hand, struggling to steady it as she raised it to her parched lips.

He perched on the sofa next to her. The heat from his body warmed her even as the cool water slid down her throat.

He brushed a strand of her hair away from her face, leaving a trail of fire on her skin. "I know it's hard to believe. Trust me, I had a hard time believing it at first also, but when I needed someone to drill home what was happening to me it was your father who was there. I was a foster care child, just like you. So alone and scared...if it wasn't for your father I wouldn't have made it. Tabitha, you're going to need my help. I don't want to scare you, but if you don't have the help of an Elder during this time, the chance of your death is higher. I know you have no reason to trust me, but please let me help you."

"Were my parents' tigers too?" She began to wonder if that was why her eyes changed from hazel to fiery orange when she was angry, or why she purred when she slept as a child. __ It had gotten so bad she was sent home from a sleepover when she was seven for scaring the other children.

"I don't believe your mother was, though I never met her. But I know your father was. All the gene needs is for one parent to be a shifter." He knelt beside her, covering the cloth with his hand and pressing the coolness firmly against her skin.

"You said you promised my father you would help me and protect me. Why would he make you promise that? You don't even know me." Her hands were still shaking as she set the glass aside.

"Your father was receiving death threats. He knew there was a possibility he wouldn't live until you were old enough for him to explain your heritage. He asked me to take care of you if he didn't make it."

_Could this be real?_ She sat up fully, her heart racing, her palms sweaty. She might have forced him to leave if she wasn't interested in learning more about her parents. "Why would someone want to kill my father?"

"Your father was the leader of the tigers, his clan's Alpha. Someone from another clan wanted to take over our group, he challenged your father, but lost. Still, he wouldn't give up. After that challenge the death threats began, and before he could take care of the tiger behind the threats, he was killed."

"My parents were killed in a car crash." Her mind reeled.

"Tabitha, there's much you need to learn about the shifters, especially the tigers. Your parents didn't die in a car accident. A car accident might have killed your mother, but it wouldn't have killed your father. Your father was shot in the head with a silver bullet. They just made it look like a car accident. The police officer who investigated it wouldn't have been able to tell. It was a very gruesome scene."

"If what you say is true, wouldn't they have found the silver bullet?"

"There was no autopsy. The officers investigating the scene ruled it an accident and the case was closed."

Tears welled up in her eyes as her world came crashing down around her. _Why was everything I've been told a lie?_ She'd grown up thinking her father had slid behind the wheel drunk, resulting in the accident. She'd always assumed it was his fault she was in foster care. As she moved from house to house, she'd thought so many times, _if only my father hadn't been drinking that night_ , then she could have had a proper home like her classmates.

"I've blamed him my whole life." She placed an unsteady hand over her mouth as though a part of her wanted to keep the truth inside. To speak it aloud carried a stinging shame.

He leaned forward and clasped her hands in his as he stared at her intently. "I know what your caseworker told you. I wanted to step in and tell you the truth, but you couldn't find out about your heritage until you were ready. It would have put the whole clan at risk. There are so few of us now."

As she cried harder, she instinctively sought the comfort he offered, letting him hold her close. "Tabitha, your father was a great man, and he wanted the best for you. I will tell you all about him if you want."

Between the tears, she nodded. "Yes, that would be great. I never knew anything about him. I have a picture, but that's it."

They sat in silence for a long time, Tabitha lost in her thoughts while Ty quietly gave her the time she needed. All of this was a shock for her—his revelations, his presence, the unusual feelings he aroused within her.

Finally, she got the courage to ask, "What happens next?" Her heart skipped a beat as she pondered what his reply might be.

# Chapter Four

"What happens next is up to you. I must return to Alaska soon. You can stay here and continue on with your life. I can find a local tiger to help you through your transition. Or you can come to Alaska with me."

Tabitha sat up straight as he released her. "I can go to Alaska with you?" She tried to keep the excitement out of her voice.

"If you want to." The twinkle in his eye made it clear he'd picked up on her eagerness. "You know, most people wouldn't be so excited about relocating to Alaska and the cold weather."

"Well, I'm not most people. I have always wanted to go there. I'm not sure why but something about it calls to me. I can't explain it."

"That's not surprising, you would have the desire to go where your clan is. Even with closer clans, you'd have been drawn to the clan that held your legacy. Right now, our small clan is in Alaska, and not everyone is happy about that."

"Why Alaska if the clan isn't happy?" Despite her distrust in the situation, she was interested in learning about them. She didn't know where to begin, but Ty had given her an opening.

"I took over the clan five years ago. Once I did, I assessed the situation here in Pittsburgh and realized staying here would only to lead to more problems. At that time, there were a few tigers in Alaska and once their Alpha died they needed help organizing. My Lieutenant, Raja, and I talked and decided it was best to move there and form one clan." Ty tossed the rag he used on her forehead into the kitchen sink with perfect accuracy. "We gave the other tigers a choice. They could either stay in Pittsburgh and be prey to others since they would be without a clan, or they could come to Alaska. All but two chose to come. The two who didn't come were a husband and wife pair, and they needed to stay close to the Pittsburgh due to an ill human family member. We found them a home with the Ohio clan, because of their special circumstances."

Listening to him, Tabitha could hear the love in his voice. It was his family. Would going to Alaska give her the home and acceptance she longed for? Would they consider her part of their circle? She tried to put her worries into words without sounding scared or childish. "Will the clan accept me? I'm an outsider."

Ty put his arm around her and gently pulled her close. "Tabitha, of course they will accept you. You're part of us, and, everyone will be glad to have you back. Many of them wanted to get you out of the system and give you a home among us, but we were unsure if you would even go through the change. Children with one shifter parent have a fifty percent chance of shifting, whereas if both parents are shifters, the child will be too. Growing up, you would have been in danger, because if you didn't change, you would be put at risk. No one wanted to risk your life. Since no one other than the clan knew of your existence, we knew you would be safe even if that meant being in the state's care."

"Ty, I'm sorry, but I won't be able to go with you." Before he could say a word, she was up and in the bathroom with the door locked. The tears ran coursed her face, sorrow tightening her chest, making it hard to breathe.

"I don't know what I said to make you cry, but come out here and let's talk about this. If you don't want to go to Alaska, I understand, but there's still more you need to know before I can leave." Ty's voice came from just outside the bathroom door.

She tried to pull herself together enough to speak. "Please just leave me alone." Her throat constricted and tears threatened to overtake her again.

"I can't leave you alone. Now come out here or I will break this door down if I have to."

Not wanting his pity for the tears she shed, she stayed perched on the edge of the bathtub, hating the hand life had dealt her. It was cruel and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Just sit down and talk to me. If after that you wish me to leave, I will."

Washing her face in the sink, she caught a glimpse of her reflection. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face was flushed from crying. Nothing would change that except time, and she'd didn't have enough of it. No matter how she felt, she knew she couldn't just leave him standing by the bathroom door. She did the only respectable thing, she opened the door and faced him. "There's nothing more to talk about, I can't go with you."

"Only moments ago you were thrilled to know the clan was in Alaska. What changed your mind? Are you still worried the clan won't accept you?" Ty must have noticed she looked unsteady on her feet. He wrapped his arm around her and led her to the sofa.

"No. I just can't go." Looking down at her hands, she continued but in a softer voice, "I can't afford it, I can barely make ends meet now." It came out in more of a whisper than she expected. She was hopeful he heard her because she didn't think she could say it again.

"Tabitha, you don't need money. All you need is to agree to it. The clan is ready to accept you and pay for your plane ticket back to Alaska with me. We're family. When your father found me, I had nothing to my name, I was living on the streets. He helped me get a place to stay and everything I needed. I want you to return to Alaska and stay with me."

Stunned that he would offer her this, she just stared at him. She couldn't understand why someone who didn't know her would want to help. All of her life, no one had wanted to help her with anything. She'd always had to deal with things on her own. If this guy wanted to help her because of what her father had done for him, then he must be very altruistic.

When she didn't respond, he tried again. "Tabitha, are you still with me?"

She shook her head to try to lift the fog that settled in her brain. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I asked you, will you return to Alaska with me?"

_I have nothing holding me here. Alice will do fine on her own. I've always wanted to go to Alaska and here's my chance. Maybe I can learn more about my parents._

"Yes. When do you want to leave?"

"As soon as you're ready. We'll be able to help you more in Alaska. Being around people of your own kind will help make the transition smoother. It should alleviate the soreness. You'll still feel tired because your body is working overtime trying to adjust to the changes."

While Ty spoke of leaving, she remembered the hospital, the attack, the death of the unborn baby. Her heart swelled with fear and pain. "What will I tell Alice? After all she's been through in the last twenty-four hours...and now I up and leave without much notice. We've been through so much together, and now I'm about to run off when she needs me the most."

He placed his hand over hers. "Alice? You mentioned her before when I asked about the blood. Who is she?"

"My neighbor. When I was seven I moved into a group home temporarily and that's when I met her. She's my best friend." She glanced toward the door as if she could see through the walls and across the hall to Alice's apartment. "This morning she showed up after her boyfriend beat her. That's what the blood is from. She was hurt so bad...and the miscarriage...she's been admitted to the hospital."

"I'm sorry." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You can't tell her the truth. She wouldn't understand. We'll come up with something."

"I know. She's been my only friend for so long, I'll have to tell her _something_ before I leave." Again, tears threatened to overcome her. _What's wrong with me?_ All the years in foster care had taught her that she had to have a hard outer shell. She knew better than to cry in front of people, otherwise it revealed a weakness they could take of advantage of later.

"I understand, we'll think of something to tell her. In the meantime, you need to rest. In the morning we can pack and then see your friend. If you don't mind, I'll spend the night on your sofa. Someone might have seen me come in. It could put you in danger. Until you go through the change, you should stick close to me or someone else in the clan. It's a risky time for you. There are those out there who hunt us. There are also rogue shifters, and if you come across one they'll smell the impending change. They'd exploit that weakness."

She grabbed her sweats from the corner of the bed where she'd dropped them that morning and headed to the bathroom. "I'm going to change. You can take the bed, I don't sleep much, so I can just curl up on the sofa with a book." She didn't wait for a reply before she slipped into the bathroom.

She needed the time it took her to change to get her mind wrapped around things. It was all moving so quickly that she wasn't sure she was doing the right thing. She was normally more cautious than this, but something told her she could trust him.

A few minutes later, when she stepped out of the bathroom, she noticed he hadn't moved. He picked up the conversation where they'd left off. "If you would allow, I can help you with your insomnia."

A snicker escaped her lips before she could stop it. "How would you manage that? I've been to the doctor, and there's nothing he can give me to help me sleep. He can't even give me something for my fever. All the tests say there's nothing wrong with me."

His gaze bore into her as he rose from the sofa and walked over to her. "That's because they don't understand your body as a tiger. Anything they give you, your body would metabolize before it could help. I can help you just by being near you. Being close to another tiger will help your symptoms." Tugging gently on her hand, he added, "Come lay on the bed with me."

Slight hesitation was overcome by exhaustion, and the fact that his presence was strangely comforting. She allowed him to lead her into the bedroom, trying to ignore the odd arousal rising within her.

Just having his hand on hers made the stomach cramps recede a little, and the tightness of her muscles began to fade. The biggest relief was that her heartbeat slowed, returning to normal. It was amazing how it felt to just feel normal. No erratic heartbeat, no tightness throughout her body.

"Lay down on your side facing the wall. I'm going to lay behind you with my body snuggled against yours," he told her.

She looked at him for a moment, wondering if this was some cheap trick to get her into bed...and would she mind? _It's plausible, right? His hand in mine does help._ Throwing caution to the wind, she climbed into bed as he'd instructed.

As their bodies came together, she felt a shock of energy course through her limbs, causing her to startle and try to move away. He held her close, keeping her tight against him. "It's all right. Relax. It's nothing to worry about, that sometimes happens with shapeshifters. Sleep."

When he lay with his full body touching her, she finally felt normal, whole, and secure. She wanted to hear more about her family, but her eyes wouldn't stay open. For the first time in weeks, she began to drift into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Before she fell completely asleep, she heard his voice whisper, "You will soon understand what the jolt was. We are mates. You're mine. I will protect you with my life."

# Chapter Five

Tabitha awoke to the screeching ring of her cell. By the time she rolled over to get out of bed, Ty had already grabbed her phone and was handing it to her. Before answering it she looked up at him, letting the memories of the night before wash over her. With him standing before her there was no chance she could deny what had happened.

"Are you going to answer that?"

Remembering the phone, she slid her finger over the screen and brought it to her ear. "Hello." Sitting on the edge of the bed, she realized the hospital calling her could only mean bad news.

"I'm calling for Tabitha Leigh, this is Doctor Roberts."

"This is she. How's Alice this morning?" Hoping for the best, she wondered if her friend had awoken early and asked for her.

"I'm sorry to be the one to inform you, but Alice died during the night." The doctor's voice remained unsympathetic, flat.

She clung to the blanket, her heart in her throat. "What? How?"

"She was attacked in her room..."

"How the hell did that happen, she's in a hospital?" Tabitha shrieked, cutting off the doctor. "You just let people stroll in after visiting hours?" She didn't want to believe what she was hearing. If only she had stayed, this wouldn't have happened, but she also wouldn't have met Ty or had the best rest of her life.

"I can't go into the details, but there's an Officer O'Malley here who wishes to speak with you. He'll be able to answer any questions you might have." He paused before adding, "I know it's not much, but I'm sorry for your loss."

She wanted to scream. Being _sorry_ couldn't bring Alice back. There was nothing that could be said, nothing anyone could do. She was gone. Hatred flooded Tabitha—hatred for the hospital, for the doctors, for the people who should've been watching over her best friend, keeping her safe.

"I understand. I'll be right over," she added tersely, hanging up before he could say anything else. Tears stained her cheeks. Not bothering to hide them, she looked at Ty. "What the hell! This can't be happening." She gasped, then began to sob.

"Tabitha, what is it?" He pulled her into his arms. He'd held her all night, and he held her as she cried now. He clasped his hands over her wrists to keep her from digging her nails into her arm.

"Ali..." Her voice cracked and she had to clear her throat before she could continue. "Somehow Mike found out she was at the hospital."

"But she's okay—"

She shook her head. "I don't know how but she's..." She couldn't get the words out.

"I'm sorry." He rubbed his hand over her back, giving her as much comfort as he could.

"Officer O'Malley is there and wants to...wants to speak to me," she stammered. "I have to...I have to go to the hospital." She felt disconnected, lost, as if she were living someone else's nightmare.

"Get dressed and I'll take you. My car is downstairs."

Her body moved in a daze, nothing registering yet. Her only friend for so many years had been murdered. Murder...the word stuck in her throat. _How does something like that happen in a hospital?_

Ty being there didn't even cross her mind. She slipped out of her sweats and into a pair of blue jeans and a black turtleneck sweater before heading to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her hair. She wanted to get this over with. From the brief time she'd spent with Officer O'Malley, she knew he wouldn't get more pleasant waiting for her.

She was stunned by her reflection. Her eyes no longer had dark circles around them; they were bloodshot from crying, but there'd been a remarkable change overnight. She walked out of the bathroom and found him standing by the end of the bed, grabbing a shirt from a bag she'd never noticed. He looked over his shoulder and stopped midway through putting his deep red dress shirt on.

"You look so much healthier after a good night's sleep."

"I...I feel like a new person. It's miraculous what sleep can do for you." Her throat closed as she realized while she slept, her best friend had been murdered. _I should have stayed with her._

Ty finished buttoning his shirt. "The change is close for you, and once you go through it, you'll feel better than you ever have. I'll teach you everything you'll need to know." His words conveyed more than he was letting on.

Despite the way her body trembled, the way her stomach tied itself in knots as she thought about Alice's death, Tabitha felt safe with him and she was glad he was there to help her through this. She barely knew him, but for some reason she knew she could trust him. Maybe it was their connection, the clan.

"Let's go get this over with. The sooner we can do this and pack, the sooner you can get back to your clan." Everywhere she looked she thought of Alice. _My whole life I've loved and lost people, maybe I'm meant to be alone. Or will going to Alaska change this?_

He took her hand. "It's _our_ clan. When I spoke to Raja this morning, he wanted you to know the clan is excited you're coming. They're going to have a party to welcome you home."

People she didn't know were happy she was coming home.

_I can't believe how much my life has changed in less than twenty-four hours. Oh Alice, I wish you were here to see this. Even if you would've thought I was crazy if I told you I was a tiger shifter._

Even with the promise of a new family out there, waiting for her, it didn't replace the one person who'd been a part of her life since she was a child.

_I miss you so much, Alice._

Tabitha walked up to the nurses' desk, and the kind woman who'd been on duty when she left the night before was still there.

"I'm so sorry about your friend. I don't know how he managed to get in." The nurse's voice was gentle, quiet.

Officer O'Malley came around the corner. "Thirty minutes." He neared them, looking unpleased. "You find out your friend was murdered and it takes you an awful long time to get here. Seems to me you might have been trying to avoid answering my questions. After all, you were the last visitor."

His words cut through her like a knife; she wanted to lash out at him, at anyone or anything to ease the pain within her. Before she could say anything, Ty spoke up. "Hey, we came as fast as we could. She was asleep when you called. There's no need to take that tone with her, she just lost her best friend. She came down here to answer your questions, to help you catch the killer, not be scolded."

Officer O'Malley took a step back, clearly shocked anyone would stand up to him. It seemed as if years of wearing the uniform had made him cocky, and obviously he enjoyed the power; yelling was his way of getting things done. He appeared to be sizing up Tabitha. "You're right. I'm sorry. I don't understand how he got in. The camera shows him just walking in past the nurses' desk. No one was paying attention. The cameras caught what happened, and I sent another officer to arrest him. I just have a few questions for you, if you could give me a few moments of your time."

"Yes, I want to do whatever I can to help. She was my best friend." Ty had already said it, but she'd say it again; she wanted to make it absolutely clear how much she cared for Alice, and how distasteful she found Officer O'Malley and his attitude. At least he seemed to care that Alice had died, and he wanted to catch the culprit.

"Good. Let's go into the staff break area. That's where we're set up right now." He led them down the hall and into a large room with sofas and tables. One of the large round tables was already set up with recording devices, files, and tablets. "Please have a seat there. Do you mind if I record this conversation?"

Shaking her head, she took a seat at the table. She maintained a firm grip on Ty's hand, needing his comfort. She didn't care if the officer recorded it, she just wanted to help Alice and put this whole thing behind her. Now more than ever, she wanted out of Pittsburgh. She wanted away from all these painful memories.

The officer sat at the table across from her and clicked on the tape recorder, stating the time, date, and who was present before directing his attention to her. "Ms. Leigh, what happened last night to cause the doctor to give Alice a sedative?"

"When Alice woke up last night, she wanted to know if the baby was all right." She tried to blink the tears away but they kept coming. Grabbing a tissue from the box in the middle of the table she mopped her cheeks and soldiered on. She needed to get this over with before the walls began to close in on her. For once, the cop appeared sympathetic as he listened. "The doctor told me to page him and not to tell her anything, but it didn't go as planned and Alice got emotional. She knew she lost her baby after that bastard beat her. Instead of getting the doctor I comforted her and hit the call button. When the doctor finally came, she was hysterical. The only way to calm her was to give her something."

"What happened next?"

"After she was sedated there was nothing I could do, the nurse suggested I go home and get some sleep. Alice would need me when she woke up in the morning and I needed to be ready for the emotional trauma she'd need someone to guide her through. I gave the nurse my number in case things changed, and I went home."

Officer O'Malley reached into one of the files and pulled out a picture of a man with black hair, about thirty-five, with a teardrop tattoo in black ink under his eye. "Have you ever seen this man before?"

She was startled as she stared at the picture. "Not in person. Alice had some pictures on her phone, she told me that was Mike. Though the last picture I saw of him he didn't have that tattoo. The video shows him?"

"Yes. He's shown going into Alice's room and coming out with a bloody knife in hand. He's also wanted for the murder of another pregnant girl."

She didn't want to think about how Alice was killed. Had she felt pain in her final moments? She started to shake as if she was cold, and Ty put his arm around her, pulling her close. As his strength and warmth penetrated her clothing, the tremors slowed before stopping all together. "She was my best friend. I want to see him pay for this." Anger replaced her grief and caused a stiffening in her spine.

Officer O'Malley nodded as he spoke. "With this evidence, I believe he'll never see the light of day again. If we need you to testify at a trial, where can I reach you?"

She looked to Ty, unsure what to tell the officer. Ty understood. "Tabitha is going to be joining me in Alaska. You'll be able to reach her at twenty eighty-seven Snowman Lane, North Pole, Alaska. We will be leaving as soon as possible."

"That's a big move." Officer O'Malley glanced from Tabitha to Ty, then back at her.

She smiled through the tears. "Will there be anything else? I do have a lot to do before we can leave."

As she started to stand, he spoke again. "One last thing. Did Alice have any family?"

"No, but I am sure you know that. We were raised in the foster care system together."

From the look on his face, she gathered he'd done his research on them and knew damn well they were raised by the state. He was just being rude by asking. Rather than continue that line of questioning, he switched tactics. "Are you going to be making arrangements for her body to be buried?"

"I don't have the money to make arrangements for her. I told her about my wishes a few weeks ago and she mentioned she wanted to be cremated." She tried not to think about the reason that topic of conversation had come up, or about the weeks she'd thought she was dying from some unknown illness. "I'm sure the state will take care of that. It's the least they can do when they gave us so little growing up." With that, she took Ty's hand and walked out of the room. She'd had enough of Officer O'Malley's rudeness, and most of all she'd had enough of the hospital.

# Chapter Six

Instead of going straight back to Tabitha's apartment from the hospital, they stopped by the restaurant she worked at. She wanted to break the news to Betty—her boss—that she wouldn't be returning to work. Entering the small restaurant, Ty directed her to one of the corner booths so he could watch the door. She didn't have much of an appetite but he insisted she eat something or the symptoms could worsen.

One of the younger waitresses had just stepped away from the booth to put their order in when Betty came around the corner.

"Betty," she called out.

"Tabitha, what are you doing here on your day off?" Betty's brown hair, graying at the temples, was pulled back in a tight bun.

"I was hoping you had a moment to talk."

Betty glanced back into the kitchen, where everything looked under control, before joining them.

"Betty, this is Ty Reynolds, an old friend of the family."

Betty eyed him cautiously.

"My parents were good friends with her family. It wasn't until recently that we were able to locate Tabitha. I've asked her to come home to Alaska with me. That's where my family and I live."

Tabitha watched Ty and Betty with a twinge of sadness. Betty had been the only person willing to give her a job when she was tossed into the world with only a few dollars and completely alone. __ She was a sweet lady who had taken Tabitha under her wing, slowly bringing her out of the shell she'd built around herself after being tossed around from foster home to foster home.

From across the table, Betty beamed at her. "You'll be missed, but I'm happy for you." She laid her hand over Tabitha's. "You've been so sad since you've come here. Maybe now that you'll have people around who love and care for you, that will change. You deserve a chance at happiness, my dear."

Betty was silent for a few moments, her gaze traveling between each of them before finally settling on Ty. "You will make sure she's happy, won't you?"

"You have my word on that." He gave her a brief nod. "She's very special to my family and it will be nice to have her with us." His words seemed to be hinting at something more but before she could ponder the hidden meaning, Betty stood up.

"While you eat, I'll get your final paycheck written out."

"Thank you." As Betty walked away, Tabitha turned her attention back to him. "Is there something..." Before she could continue, the waitress returned with their food.

"Now's not the time, wait until we get to your apartment," he whispered before picking up his fork and digging into his stack of pancakes.

During the meal they shared small talk, while she picked at her French toast. She only managed to force down a few bites before her stomach began to roil. For weeks it had been a constant battle between depriving her body of food and forcing herself to eat until she was almost sick. She had grown tired of the fight and just wanted it over.

"I can't stand this." She tossed her fork down on the plate where it landed with a clatter.

"Your appetite will return with a vengeance as the transition gets closer, but right now I think this has more to do with the loss of your friend than anything." He reached across the table and took her hand in his. "There's nothing I can do to ease the grief, I'm sorry."

"I just want to go." She glanced around the restaurant. "Being here reminds me of Alice and it's just too much."

He brought his coffee cup to his lips, polishing off what remained before reaching into his pocket for his wallet. "Then let's go." Within seconds he had the money for the bill and tip tossed on the table. Before they could make it to the door Betty called to them.

"Wait a moment, Tabitha." Betty hurried across the floor to them. "This is for you."

After an emotional goodbye, Betty handed Tabitha an envelope. Hugs were exchanged, and they promised if they were back in the area they would stop by the restaurant to see her.

"I'm sorry, Betty, but we really must be leaving. Tabitha and I have a plane to catch this afternoon." He rubbed the small of Tabitha's back as he made their excuses.

Betty pulled her in for one last hug before he could whisk her out the door.

"Thank you," Tabitha whispered as they strolled around the corner to his car.

"You're welcome." He waited as she got into the car before shutting the door and walking around to the driver's side.

As he pulled away from the curb she slid her finger under the envelope seal. Inside was her final paycheck with a nice bonus, along with a handwritten note containing Betty's number and the words: _If you ever need anything, I'm only a phone call away._

A single tear ran down her cheek.

Tabitha closed her apartment door, and the stress of the day hit her like a semi-truck. She tried to push the weariness away and focus on the things she needed to do. First she had to pack. She wasn't sure where to start, but when Ty took hold of her hand, all she wanted to do was fall against his body. She wanted to feel someone's arms around her as she cried all the tears that were left in her.

"Oh, Tabitha. I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend. I wish I could ease your pain," Ty murmured.

"Thank you. I just want to pack and get out of here...there are too many memories here." She glanced around the apartment and all she could see were ghosts of Alice. "There's also the fact that Mike knows where I live. If he thinks I could identify him, what's to stop him from coming after me? I want to get away from all of this." The words came between wracking sobs, and her body shook, a panic attack threatening to overtake her.

He pulled her into his embrace as the first tears fell. His body stiffened as he rested his head on top of hers. She calmed down as he held her. It was almost as if his energy wrapped around her and forced away the terror.

"I won't let him hurt you. I won't let anyone hurt you. Tabitha, before you pack, I want to talk to you. I don't know how to put this, but I feel you should know everything before we leave." He seemed at a loss for words as he let go of her and walked over to the sofa.

She tried to remain calm, but her knees felt weak with worry. She managed to walk to the other end of the sofa, keeping some distance between them as fears raced through her. _Did he change his mind? If so, why couldn't he have said so before I quit my job?_

"Remember the jolt you felt last night?" Without waiting for her to answer, he continued. "That's what you feel when you find your mate."

A nervous laugh escaped her, and she jeered at him.

"I'm being serious. I know this is all new to you, but I want you to understand what that means. You're my mate. If you accept me, it is my job to protect you, to please you. You will be my world."

She stared at him, too amazed to form words. There was a whole other world than the one she'd grown up in. It seemed unreal. "But...I want to marry and have children."

"Oh, Tabby." He scooted down the sofa until he was sitting next to her and slipped his arm around her shoulder. "We can do all of that, but maybe we should take it slow. After all, you just found out you're a tiger shifter."

She relaxed in his arms. In his embrace she found a comfort she'd never felt before. Everything was sinking in, but instead of being concerned about being a tiger shifter, Alice's death, or finding the man who was supposed to be her mate, the shock at the forefront in her mind was that he'd called her Tabby. "You called me Tabby. I've never had a nickname before."

For a brief moment, a hurt look crossed his face. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. "You don't like it?"

"That's not it at all. I love it. I've always believed nicknames meant you mattered to someone."

"You matter to me, you've always mattered and always will. I have watched over you since your parents died. You're my world. Come on, babe, you need to get some more sleep. You haven't been getting enough, and I know you're still tired. We'll pack when you get up." They hesitated, neither of them wanting the embrace to end, but sleep was best. He was right; she was tired. She wanted to curl up in bed and cuddle next to him.

"What about Mike? He might send someone after me."

She crawled into bed, and he pulled the blanket up from the bottom of the mattress and covered her. "Tabby, I won't let anything happen to you. I'm going to make us flight reservations, and then I'll lay down with you. Is leaving tomorrow fine with you?"

She nodded, snuggling deep beneath the blanket as she watched he move around her cramped apartment. Dodging the sofa, he stepped into the kitchen. He tried to speak quietly so not to disturb her, but she could still hear him making reservations for them to fly to Alaska.

_Home? I have a place I can finally call home, with people who care._ No matter how many times she told herself that, she couldn't believe it. Growing up in foster care, all she'd wanted was people who cared about her and a place to call home. Now she wasn't so sure. She'd been trained to be a loner, to not rely on anyone. Would that have to change now? Could she handle it?

She lay lost in her own thoughts as he finished making reservations. She opened her eyes to find him standing next to the bed.

"I thought you would be sleeping. You've had a difficult day."

"I missed you. Won't you lay with me?"

Without answering, he took off his dress shirt and crawled into bed next to her, cuddling his body close to hers. He felt warm, and their bodies fit side by side like they belonged together. She couldn't get enough of his warmth and the sense of belonging she found in his embrace.

He slid his arm under her head, her cheek rested on his bicep, and their gazes met. He rolled onto his side to face her. He reached for her, drawing them together until their lips met. His touch made her body tingle. It felt as if the electromagnetic fields around their bodies pulsed, threatening to explode. It didn't hurt, just provided a strange sensation of pins and needles on her skin. She didn't let her mind talk her out of it. She wanted this. Her heart knew this was what she needed, no matter what her head was saying.

He was her mate.

Gently pulling back just a little, he looked at her. "My sweet Tabby, I'm sorry, I don't want to rush you. The tiger in me wants to claim you as my mate now. My beast is not very patient." As he said that, a smile crept over her face.

"You're not rushing me, I want this. I love feeling our bodies together. You're like my other half, and I need you next to me." She didn't wait for him. Instead, she leaned back in to kiss him, craving his hands on her body.

All of a sudden there was pounding on the door and someone yelling. "If you don't open this door now, I'll break it down."

He jumped off the bed and grabbed his duffle bag, expertly retrieving a gun and holding it ready. She opened her mouth to ask what was going on, but he put his finger to his lips, motioning her to remain silent.

Someone was screaming and pounding outside her door, and he wanted her to be quiet?

He stepped back toward her, lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered, "This could get bloody. We should head down the fire exit and get you somewhere out of danger. I'll come back and deal with them once you're safe."

She nodded, turning to grab the picture of her parents from the bedside table. If she didn't make it back to her apartment, she wanted to have the memento. Tossing it into her purse, she headed for the window. He already had his duffle bag slung across his chest, and he held his car keys out to her while motioning for her to go.

"Not without you," she hissed.

Ty kept his attention on the door. "I'll be right behind you, I won't leave you. Now go."

As they ran down the fire escape, her apartment door slammed to the floor, slowing her for a moment.

"Come on, we've got to go." He urged her on.

As they reached his car, which was right by the steps, someone leaned out the window and shouted, "You can't protect her forever. We'll find you!"

Adrenaline coupled with fright caused all the blood to rush to her head. Her breath caught in her throat.

Ty said nothing, just got into the car and sped away. Once they were out of immediate danger, outside the city, she turned in her seat. "Who were those men? What did they want?" She placed a hand over her still rapidly beating heart.

He didn't take his eyes off the road, giving her no sign he was listening. She wasn't sure if that was because of the speed they were traveling or because he couldn't look at her. "That was Pierce and his gang. Pierce is the tiger who killed your parents."

"What? You mean _that's_ him? He looks...like he's...like he's only in his twenties." She could barely find her voice. She wanted to vomit, but she held back.

He briefly looked away from the road and raised an eyebrow at her. "I tell you he's the one who killed your parents, and all you can think about is how old he looks? I thought you might want to go back and kill him yourself."

"Well, trust me, I'd love to, but I don't think I could do much harm to him. After all, he killed my parents. I haven't even gone through the change yet, so I'm still basically human. But he couldn't have been around when my father was alive." She shook her head in confusion. "That's impossible."

He reached for her hand, bringing it to his lips. "I'm glad you have some common sense and you don't let your emotions get in the way. Pierce isn't as young as he looks. Shifters age a lot slower than humans, he's really in his forties. Just so you know, the clan has been after him since he killed your father. The clan claimed their right to demand Pierce's death for killing one of our kind. He knows we want him dead, and he's been in hiding. I was on the original team sent to find him. We were on his trail for a while, only a day or two behind him when he disappeared. We've sent men out every time we get a hit, but this is the first real proof we've had that he's alive. I promise he'll pay for what he did to your father, but it wasn't worth it today. I couldn't put your life in danger to settle a debt."

"Once I go through the change, I want to go after him."

He gave her a look that let her know he wasn't for that idea. "We'll see after the change is complete." His tone told her he would fight her on the subject.

There was nothing she could do at that moment to change his mind, and it didn't really matter now. They had more important issues to deal with. She let it go and moved on to another subject.

"How old are you?"

He let out a slight laugh before answering. "The better question is how old do you _think_ I am? How old do I look?"

"Ty, don't play games. Just tell me." She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

He rubbed her hand. "Come on, babe. I want to know what you think. I promise to answer after you tell me how old you think I am."

"Okay fine." She looked him over, trying to guess the right age. He said tiger shifters looked younger, but she didn't want to guess too old. She took her time, looking at his features, searching his face for wrinkles, gray hair, mannerisms that would make him older than he appeared. "Umm...twenty-four?"

"Are you saying I look twenty-four, or that's how old you think I am?"

She turned even farther, rested her back on the car door, and propped her left leg on the seat, giving her a better view of him. Also, in turn, allowing him a clear view of the nasty look she was giving him. "I think you look younger than twenty-four, but you knew my father. I'm just now going through the change at nineteen. I would guess you went through the change when you were my age, which means you're a lot older than that, but if I guessed too high, it would be an insult. So please just tell me."

"Did anyone ever tell you you're cute when you're frustrated? Because you are." He grinned and looked back at the road. "I was one of the few people who went through the change at a very young age. Normally, the change happens in your mid-teens to early twenties. I went through it when I was nine. I believe the youngest person ever to go through the change and live was eight. That person was your father. I don't believe anyone has beat that record since. Therefore, I am twenty-eight. Does that bother you?"

Relief flooded her. "No, not at all. I was worried you would have said ninety or something." She settled back in the car seat. "Where are we going?"

"I thought it would be a good idea to get you out of here. I know this little place about an hour outside of the city. Once we're somewhere safe, I need to call Raja. I think it might be best for us to find a quiet place to stay until your change, before returning to Alaska."

She stared out the window as the guilt ate away at her. She didn't want to mess up Ty's life because people were after her. Plus, didn't the clan need their Alpha? "Ty, I would understand if you wanted someone else to stay with me until I go through the transition so you can go back to your clan. I'm sure you have someone you trust who can keep me safe. The clan _needs_ their Alpha."

He pulled the car to the side of the road and after putting the vehicle in park, turned his body to face her. The look on his face wasn't friendly. "First of all, no one can keep you as safe as I can. I'm one of the best. Second, you're my mate, and it's my number one priority to keep you safe. The clan has Raja, and just because I'm not there in person at the moment doesn't mean they don't have their Alpha. I will be in direct contact with Raja at all times, and if I'm needed, we can be there in a matter of hours. The clan will understand."

Her heart fluttered. She'd never had someone care for her like he did, so much he was willing to change his life for her. "I'm sorry. This is all new to me. I feel bad you're making this sacrifice. I'm no one special."

"Just let me care for you. You're someone special to me and the whole clan. Not only are you my mate, but you're Queen of the Tigers, our Alpha female. After you have changed, you will take your rightful place beside me. They'll respect you and love you the same as I do. Okay, maybe less than I do since I'm your mate. I don't want to hear you say you're no one special again." He leaned over in the seat to kiss her. "You're going to be fine. I promise."

# Chapter Seven

The rest of the car ride was quiet. Tabitha was lost in her thoughts, and Ty was giving her the time she needed to understand everything that had happened. Before long, she noticed they were driving in the middle of nowhere. On both sides of the car, all she saw were trees, trees, and more trees. No houses as far as the eye could see. "Where are we going?"

"Not much farther. When the clan was in Pittsburgh, Raja purchased a cabin in Wind Ridge, Pennsylvania, he's kept it because of the great location. It's right on the other side of Ryerson Station National Park, so when he shifts, he has a lot of free area to run and not draw attention to himself. He loves to come back here whenever he gets a chance. He gave me a key before I left, in case I needed it."

"Why are they trying to kill me?" _Could Alice's murder tie into this too? There's no way. How could it?_ She tried to shake the thoughts but they refused to go. They stayed in the back of her mind, nagging her.

Ty never flinched as if he were waiting for her to ask. "It's a long story, Tabby, but in short, your father's line of tigers have been given special gifts. No one knows why, but some say your father's line was among the first tigers, and you were royalty. You're the last tiger from any of the lines of royalty. You have to be protected at all costs." He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hands. "Without trying to be too insensitive, you must carry on the line. We're unsure what will happen if you don't. Some believe the tiger shifters will die off, never being able to have more children, and others believe that if you do not carry on the line, we'll die with you. Most tigers will do anything to protect you. Pierce is not one of them, he wants to see all tigers dead."

Thinking the whole tiger population depended on her was just too much to handle right then. She put it in the back of her mind to think on later. "You said he was a tiger shifter. If what you say is true, then why would he want to kill me? He would die if I die."

"Even if the tigers didn't die off with your death, he would be killed. I would not take it lightly that he killed my mate. Second, he's not a born tiger like you and me. He was bitten and therefore he cannot fully become a tiger. He can only change on the night of the full moon, and then he's a cross between a man and tiger. It's against everything we believe to bite a human, but once in a while, we have a rogue shifter who will bite a human. That's what happened to Pierce."

"You said he becomes a cross between a man and a tiger. What happens to us when we change?"

"You, my dear, will most likely be one of the rarest tigers alive. He looked at her with amazement in his eyes. "Your father's line was Golden Tabby tigers, also known as the Strawberry tigers. Seeing your beautiful strawberry-blonde hair makes me think you'll be a beautiful tiger. When you change, you'll take the body of a tiger completely."

Tabitha had never seen a tiger in real life, only in pictures. It would be amazing to see what she looked like when she was a tiger. "You said I would be a Golden Tabby, but what do you look like? Are you also a Golden Tabby?" Trying to picture Ty as any type of tiger was hard; he was such a handsome man with black hair and bright blue eyes.

"No, I'm not a Tabby. I was a born tiger like you, so I change into a full tiger, a Bengal tiger."

She leaned back into the car seat, picturing Ty as a Bengal tiger. It made her wonder. "Can we only change during the full moon?"

"Since we were born tigers, once we go through the change, we can change forms any time. However, most less dominate shifters have to stay in their animal form for a number of hours before they can shift back and once they shift back, they sleep for ten to twelve hours." Ty took his eyes away from the road to look at her. "You're taking this very well. When your father told me what was going on, I freaked. I thought he was crazy and wanted nothing to do with him. I thought he'd escaped the loony bin."

She looked down at her hands, wringing them, because she was scared to ask but wanted to know what it was like. "Ty, I hate to ask but..." She paused, figuring it was worth a shot. "Will you shift for me?"

His eyes widened slightly with shock. "I don't know, Tabby. If you get freaked out about what you see, it could scare you and make your shift harder. If you fight the change, it will hurt. You need to just go with it and let the tiger take over your body."

"I need to see it, I need to know what's going to happen to my body. Will I still be me inside of a tiger body or will the tiger take over and make me uncontrollable? You're the only one I can ask. Please." She reached a hand out and laid it on his well-muscled arm.

As she waited for him to answer her, they pulled onto what looked like a small, hidden side road. He sighed. "Okay. You need to remember it might look scary, but it's not as bad as it looks. Tomorrow night I will, okay?"

She leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Thank you. Just one question: how long until you think I will go through the change? Not before tomorrow night, I hope."

Turning his head slightly so he could meet her lips yet still keep an eye on the road, he kissed her back. "No, you won't go through the change before I can shift for you. You're close, but not that close."

# Chapter Eight

The cabin finally came into sight after what seemed like a two-mile drive on the dirt road. "Once you're settled, I'll call Raja. If there's still cell service out here. I'm going to tell him to send a few of my best guards to protect you. They should be here tomorrow sometime. I'll have Raja get them on a plane first thing."

Slowly getting out of the car, Tabitha had to admit she was disappointed he was calling in others to protect her. She enjoyed their time alone together and didn't want it to come to an end. She had hoped they could pick up what they started back at her apartment once they reached the cabin. _Are there other women in the clan fighting for his attention? Will they be jealous because I'm his mate? Will they treat me differently?_

"What's wrong? Your mood changed once we arrived here. I know it's not perfect, but it's the safest place right now. Very few people know Raja has this." Ty opened the cabin door.

It was small and cozy. A little kitchenette to the right of the door provided the basics. The king size bed with a red and black quilt was pushed up against the far wall with a trunk at the foot of the bed leaving the center of the room for the sofa and chair. There wasn't a television, just a small CD player on the coffee table. Whoever came here wouldn't be spending much time indoors.

_Maybe it's too small, if he is in a hurry to get away from me_. She eyed the bed and sofa, not sure which one she could make it to first. Her body was exhausted, and she felt downright awful.

She must have made the unconscious decision to lay on the bed, because next thing she knew she was on the mattress. She wanted to rest, but she could feel his gaze on her. Without opening her eyes, she knew he was in front of her. She could feel his presence the same way she could feel the sun on her skin.

"Come here, let me make you feel better."

"You should call Raja. He needs to know what's going on, and that way they can start making arrangements for your guards to be sent here." Her shoulders were slumped and her voice deflated.

"Oh, so that's why you're so upset?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She tried to make her voice sound sincere and kept her eyes closed, knowing they would deceive her.

"You think I'm calling in my men so I can leave, don't you?"

"Well, isn't that it?" She embraced her anger. Being angry was better than crying.

"Boy, Tabby, if you're going to be my Queen, you must learn how to read people better. No, that isn't why I would like guards for you. I want the added protection so I can concentrate on you. I don't want to run after someone who comes after you and leave you by yourself for someone else to harm. What if there was another attacker, waiting until I took off after the first one? I would feel better if I had a few more people close by in case we need them."

_Boy, did I read that one wrong._ "I'm sorry I doubted you. I just thought you were trying to find a way out without being rude. No one has ever stuck around, so why would you? Especially since people are trying to kill me."

"For this to work, I need you to trust me. I don't plan on going anywhere, but if I need to go anywhere, I want you to go with me. That means if the clan needs me back in Alaska, that's where you're going. Don't push me away, I'm not like everyone else. I'm your mate, and we'll be together always. Once I have officially claimed you, you'll understand. The tiger in you won't have doubts about me leaving. We fit together."

She knew he was right, but she couldn't stop the human part of her from wondering if it was crazy. Her brain was screaming at her that there wasn't even a small possibility she could really shift into a tiger, but her heart knew everything he told her was the truth. This was who she was and what she was meant to be, so she had to embrace it. She looked up at him and smiled. "I know you're right. I'm sorry. Please call Raja, then lay with me."

He kissed her forehead before taking out his cell from his jeans pocket and stepping away from the bed. A moment later, the cabin was filled with his rich voice, making her heart pitter-patter.

"There has been a small change in plans, Raja. Pierce attacked her apartment this evening."

A long pause while he listened to Raja. "Yes, we're at your cabin. I thought it was best to get her out of the city, and this was the first place I thought about. I need you to make arrangements for Leo, Thomas, and Felix to get over to Pittsburgh as soon as possible." He rubbed his neck as if out of anxiousness.

"Great. Get Felix here right away then. Have the other two fly into Pittsburgh. We'll pick them up at the airport when I exchange cars—with all of us we're going to need something much bigger—and then we can head there. Let me know when they're flying in."

There was another long pause, and he started pacing the small cabin. There wasn't much room for him. He was a large man in a small space, which meant he only had to take a few steps in any direction to be at the other side. A low growl came from deep in Ty's throat. "Keep me informed about the situation there. We can be back in a matter of hours."

With that, he ended the call and tossed the phone on the bed. "Were you serious when you asked me to shift for you?"

"Yes, have you changed your mind?"

"No, I was going to shift for you now if you still want to see it. It's a great way to relieve stress and anger. Tomorrow, we'll be driving, so I won't be able to." He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it on the back of the sofa. "I won't do it if you're not ready."

Butterflies swarmed in her stomach. His muscles were tense with anger, his hands balled into fists. Shifting would help him release whatever made him furious. "No, let's do it. I need to see what happens. You won't attack me or anything, will you?"

A mixture of a growl and laugh came from his throat. "No, love, I won't hurt you. Once I change, I'll still be me, just in a different form. A much bigger form. I have one request before I shift."

She cocked her head to the side, waiting for his request. "What would you like?"

"I want a kiss. If my shifting freaks you out, it might be my last one. Will you kiss me one last time, Tabby?"

She left the bed and eliminated the short distance between them. "You told me yourself this is natural and I'll have to go through it. Why would I be so freaked that I wouldn't want to be with you once you've shifted?" She stood on her tippy toes, and not waiting for an answer, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. What she thought would have been a sweet peck on the lips turned into a hungry and demanding kiss.

He broke the kiss but kept his arms around her waist, still holding her close. "If I don't do this now, I will take you. As much as I want that, I want our first time to be gentle. If I take you in the mood I'm in right now, I won't be gentle."

He slipped out of his clothes and stood in front of the sofa. Her breath caught in her throat as she stood in awe of his body. She wanted to run her hands through his hair to see if it was as soft as it looked. Then explore every inch of him.

"This is going to look painful, but I promise it's not as bad as you think. Just stay over there until I complete the change. I don't want to hurt you by accident."

He stood in front of the sofa and started to shake ever so slightly. Slowly, fur started to come through his skin. The reddish-orange and black hair looked so soft. She took a step forward, wanting to touch it, before remembering his words. She stayed where she was, never taking her eyes off him.

The air seemed to glimmer around him as the sounds of bones breaking filled the small cabin. She grimaced, her heart pounded. Before her very eyes he seemed to snap apart as he morphed into a different shape, forcing him to fall forward toward the floor. Just when it appeared he would hit the ground, his body completed the transition. There in front of her was a tiger, and four large paws supported his massive body. His mere size had her speechless. From head to tail, he had to be eight feet long and likely weighed over four hundred and fifty pounds.

He shook his body, fluffing his hair out, as he observed her. She watched, not moving from the bed until he lay on the floor softly purring. Taking that as a sign, she moved slowly, leaving the bed and gradually inching closer.

Even though she knew he wouldn't hurt her, she was a little hesitant about rushing up to him. Closing the space between them, she reached out to touch him before lowering herself to sit on the floor next to him.

He lifted his head from between his paws and laid it in her lap. She raised her hand and touched the top of his head. Velvety fur slid across her fingers. As she ran her palm over it, he let out a soft purr and when she rubbed behind his ears, his purring grew louder.

"I don't know if you can understand me, but you're picturesque. I have only seen tigers in photographs, but this is amazing."

He licked her cheek, as if to let her know he understood, and that's when she noticed his long, sharp teeth. Without thinking, she reached for them but then thought better of it. He must have understood she wanted to touch them because he opened his mouth and moved it closer to her hand. Inching her hand farther away, she closed her eyes, and she could have sworn she heard him say, _go ahead, baby, touch them_.

She froze in place. She would have bet her life she'd heard him, but she couldn't have, could she? "I must be crazy," she said more to herself than him.

_You heard me, didn't you?_ The voice was in her head, not out loud.

She shook her head. "No, I'm losing my mind. This must be some kind of dream, and I'm going to wake up any moment."

_Tabby, it's not a dream, you can really hear me. I think we just found out what your power from your father's line is_.

She wanted to turn this into something exciting and enjoyable, but she worried he might be able to hear everything she was thinking. "Does that mean you can hear my thoughts also?"

_No, you don't have to worry. I can't hear your thoughts now. I might be able to hear them when you're in tiger form if you project them to me. I don't have the gift to hear what others are thinking. But let me tell you you're amazing. You have taken this all so well. Most people would have run off screaming by now. We normally don't shift for newbies_.

She was still rubbing his head. "You're pretty amazing yourself, big guy. I needed to see the change. I was starting to freak myself out about how bad it would be. It doesn't look nearly as bad as I thought it would. The only thing I can't get over is how much of _you_ that you still are when you're in tiger form. I was thinking the animal would take over."

_You can feel the animal there, but it's not all-consuming unless you allow it to be, and that's when we get rogue shifters. Want to feel the teeth? I know you wanted to earlier but thought I might bite your hand off. Come on, darling, I only nibble_.

She chuckled. "Only nibble, huh?" She could have sworn the tiger smiled at her. "I didn't think you would bite me. I just thought it wasn't such a good idea. They're so long and look so sharp."

_Come on, I know you want to_.

He opened his mouth, and she hesitantly began to move her hand toward it. He wouldn't hurt her. He was gentle and loving, but another tiger could turn in a moment. "They _are_ sharp."

When she moved her hand away from his mouth, he looked up at her. His crystal clear blue eyes gazed at her with so much trust.

_Satisfied, love?_ she heard him say in her head.

"With you changing, yes." She chose to keep silent about other things she wanted him to satisfy. She wanted him to claim her as his mate. "Do you have to stay like that all nigh—" Before she could finish the sentence, he had changed back to human form. One moment he was a tiger and she was rubbing his head, and the next moment he was a naked man with his head resting in her lap.

"Oh my." She shivered from the magic in the air.

"Sorry, babe, didn't mean to frighten you. I was anxious to change back and continue what we started before I changed. That is if you're still in the mood?" He gave her a cocky grin, as if to say she wouldn't turn down a naked man in her lap. To wipe the smile off his face, she bent to kiss him.

Their lips met, drawing her in. She wanted, needed, more of him. He leaned up, taking the kiss that began sweet and innocent to an entirely different level. As their kisses grew deeper and more passionate, he slid her turtleneck up, parting their mouths only long enough to lift it over her head.

The sweater was discarded on the floor, and he kissed her neck before slowly working his way down to her breasts. He drew his tongue along the tops of her breasts where the cups of the bra hid the best part from view, then he slipped his hands around back to unhook her bra.

When the bra slid down to join her sweater, a purr filled the space between them, making her freeze.

"Did you just purr at my breasts?" Her voice held the disbelief she felt.

He glanced up at her and nodded slightly. Taking her nipple into his mouth, he rolled his tongue around it before gently placing it between his teeth and pulling. Her thoughts skittered over those huge tiger teeth, but his gentle nipping stole her control. Her back arched, leaving him no choice but to loosen his teeth or cause her pain. He removed them from her nipple and slowly kissed his way across to the other one.

He pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa and laid it behind her on the floor, and in a deep sexy drawl, he instructed her, "Lay down, and let me pleasure you." She stretched out on the blanket, watching him with wanting eyes. He was the only thing she could see.

He leaned over her, claiming her lips before taking his sweet time kissing a path down her body, spending extra time for each breast. As he kissed her abdomen, his fingers worked to unbutton her jeans before he pulled them down her legs. Using her toes, she kicked off her sneakers, allowing her jeans to slide completely off. Once they were out of the way, his teeth latched onto her red bikini panties, tugging until they broke free.

"What the hell?" she gasped as she propped herself up on her elbows.

"My patience wore thin." He cocked his head to the side, giving her a sly grin.

She had to agree with him there. He'd spent so much time and effort taking off her clothes, it was beginning to feel like torture. She'd never had anyone take her clothes off, and tonight all she wanted to do was be as naked as he was. She wanted every inch of their bare flesh touching.

She caressed his cheek, and he turned his head to kiss her wrist. Her face heated with awareness from the way he was staring down at her. "Let me make this time memorable for you. Mating is supposed to be special and all about the female. Lay back and enjoy this." She did as he asked, running her hands over his body, feeling the muscles on his skin contract as he moved and the warmth he gave off.

_Look at him. I could never get tired of his body. I want to run my tongue over his abs and have his arms wrapped around me as if I am his entire world. Now that would be the life._

She was jolted out of her thoughts by the heat of electricity sparking around their bodies. There was a beauty to it that whipped away any fears she might have had.

"Tabby, I need to ask, are you sure about this? Once I have claimed you as my mate, there's no going back. We're not like humans, instead we'll be mated forever. You won't be able to divorce me. If you have doubts, it's best to wait." His voice cracked. There was a gentle quality to him, not only during sex, which would have surprised many. Most would have seen him as menacing and intimidating because of his size. She was lucky enough to see another side of him, a side she was sure not many were afforded.

Propping herself up on her elbow, she kissed him. "I'm sure. As you said, I'm your mate. Why would I want to fight it? I want you." She kissed him again but this time, she let her desire race through her. She wanted to chase his worries away.

Her hand slid down his chest, letting her nails graze over the skin with just enough pressure. "I need you."

He leaned in closer, his shaft pressing tight against her thigh. She was captive underneath him, his fingers slid between her legs and teased her bundle of nerves, dragging pleasure from her in hard, hot waves. His mouth claimed her until she moaned around his unrelenting kiss, her fingers reaching up to cup the back of his head, keeping him there. He thrust his fingers into her as his thumb continued to wring more pleasure from her core. It took everything in her not to break away from his lips and scream as desire rushed forward; she was so close.

His teeth grazed her lower lip and he pulled back enough to let her cries of frustration escape. "Not yet," he whispered, withdrawing his fingers. He caressed every inch of her body, sending moans of ecstasy from between her lips. For such a big man, he was incredibly tender, as though trying to memorize every curve of her body with his hands and mouth.

Heat soared through her blood, impatient and demanding. It had been too long since she had been intimate with another, and she wanted him hard and fast. "I need you."

He gently eased her legs open farther, giving him just enough room to position himself between them. He slipped on top of her, his bulky frame hovering above her as he stared down at her, desire burning in his eyes. His shaft teased along her entrance without entering as he watched her.

"Ty!" She reached up and grabbed his hips, determined to have him inside her.

As if calling his name tore away the last shred of control he had, he drove into her with one powerful thrust. With it came a moan of both pleasure and pain. Even with the foreplay she was still tight, her body wasn't ready for hard and fast yet, but he'd get her there. He gave her no time to catch her breath before he began rocking in and out, slow enough not to cause pain.

She could feel the cord that reined in his desperation to touch her fraying. He pushed her arms above her head, his mouth claiming hers as his pace quickened. With each pump his hips increased speed, driving the force deeper and faster. Finding a perfect rhythm, their bodies rocked back and forth, tension stretching her tighter as she fought for the release she longed for.

She cried out as her orgasm tore through her. Her nails clawed at his back as she pulled herself tight against him, meeting his thrusts. He pumped twice more and growled her name, his own climax finding him. Eternity stretched on until he collapsed beside her.

Her breath slowly returned to normal and she lay cradled beside him. Now that the act had been completed, the mating energy was pouring through them, connecting them through their thoughts and needs. These urges, intense desires, were like extensions of her own body.

She finally felt like she belonged somewhere. She belonged with him, in his arms. They snuggled together, their hands interlocked. All of a sudden a burning sensation coursed through her right hand.

Whimpering, she pulled away from him as he hissed, and the smell of burning flesh filled the room. In the light she could see there was a moon design burned into the tops of their hands.

Cringing as the pain subsided, she asked, "Did you know it would happen?"

"No, Tabby, I didn't..." He couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from their hands as if he couldn't believe it. "Not really."

"What do you mean not really? Either you did or you didn't. Which is it?"

"I'm sorry. I guess I knew there was a chance."

"How could you? You knew there was a chance of this and you didn't tell me?" This time she couldn't keep the pain from her voice. The searing sting from her hand made her testy, leaving him the unfortunate outlet for her discomfort. She was hurt he'd tried to hide something like this from her.

"Let me explain." He must have taken her silence as a sign she would listen, because he continued. "There hasn't been a tiger of your line to mate with another tiger in the last eighty-five years. There were rumors it would happen if someone from your line mated with another tiger and not a human, but no one could be sure. It was just information the Elders passed down from generation to generation. I never believed it until now. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I honestly didn't think of it."

She could feel the truth of his words through the mating connection. "So what does this mean?"

"If I remember the story right, it means we're the highest ranking tigers. Once you mated with me, it brought me into the line. It means we can claim our rightful titles as King and Queen of _all_ the tigers and not just the Alaskan Tigers." He paused as if gathering his thoughts. "If this is a fact, then I would say everything in the book is true."

She could feel her eyes widen, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know but she had to ask. "What book? What does it say?"

"Your father gave me a book to give to you once we were sure you were going to go through the change. No one can open it other than your line, but since I was entrusted with helping you through the change, your father opened it one evening and we read it together. If I remember correctly, it says there will be a female tiger who claims her place as Queen of _all_ tigers and unites us."

"Where's this book now?"

He leaned over to kiss her cheek before he shot up onto his feet and grabbed his discarded jeans. "I brought it with me. It's in my bag in the car."

# Chapter Nine

By the time Ty returned from the car, Tabitha was dressed again and digging around to see if there was anything in the cabinets to make coffee or tea. There was a slight chill in the cabin, causing her to shiver.

He must not have spotted her when he opened the cabin door because there was a slight edge of panic in his voice. "Tabby?"

"I'm over here. It's chilly in here." She closed the cabinet door.

He gave her a smug little grin. "Come here, I'll warm you up."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't we just do that?" Grabbing the book from his hands, she gave him a rewarding kiss.

"Honest, I was just going to offer to have you sit on my lap while we looked at the book. You would be warm in a matter of moments. Once you go through the transition, your body temperature always runs at one hundred and one. But I do plan to do what you were thinking again later. Come on, we need to find out what's in store for us...and if there are any more little surprises coming up." He led her to the sofa. Once there, he grabbed the blanket and set it next to him. "On my lap and I promise to be good."

She _was_ pretty chilly, and he was right; his body was like her own personal heating blanket. She sat on his lap, and he threw the blanket over them. The heat coming from him made her want to curl into him. He seemed to know what she was thinking and put his big arms around her, pulling her closer. She rested her head against his chest and opened the book.

There was a lock on the side of the book, but when she went to unlock it, it seemed to spring apart.

"It did that for your father too."

She turned to the first page, and there was a handwritten note addressed to her.

_Tabitha,_

_If you're reading this letter, I didn't get to see you grow up, and I'm sorry for that. I'm sure you're an amazing woman. Hopefully you took after your mother more than you did me. Though if you're able to open this book, you must be on the brink of going through the change. I always knew you would follow in my footsteps. I'm just sorry I won't be there to help you through it. But I know you're in good hands. (Ty, you better take care of my baby.)_

_Everything you read in this book is true and has been passed down through our family for generations. Now it goes to you. Everything you'll need to know lies within these pages. I have faith that you'll be able to accomplish much. I'm honored that it's my daughter who will bring the tigers together._

_In case you didn't guess, my gift was to know the future. I love you, Tabitha._

_Love,_

_Your father_

_P.S. Ty, welcome to the family. Glad to have you as my son-in-law. If you were wondering, it's why I picked you. I wanted someone who cared as much about her as I do, even if you didn't know it at that time._

Tears were flowing freely down her face and she didn't bother to wipe them away.

"He _knew_? He never let on." Ty shook his head, as if he couldn't believe what he read. He took a moment, gathering his thoughts before he tugged her tighter against him. "Are you all right? You don't have to do this now."

She wiped the moisture away with the sleeve of her shirt. "Yes, I'm fine. He loved me."

He hugged her tighter to his body. "Yes, baby, he did, and he wanted the best for you."

They spent hours going over the book. It consisted of spells, names of enemies, important dates in shifter history, and pretty much anything the Elders of Tabitha's line thought might someday be useful to the tigress who would bring together all tigers. They wanted to pass on things they thought might be important.

When they got to what they believed was the end of the book, another hundred pages or so magically appeared. The first page read:

_Tabitha and Ty have been chosen. Everything you read in the following pages has been sealed since the beginning of time and will only open for the chosen ones. It will walk you through bringing tiger shifters from around the world together. Whenever you need advice or think you're missing something, come back to the book. It will know what you need and will show it to you._

_Your first step is to return to Alaska. The safest place for you right now is with your clan. Tabitha, you need to meet and get to know your clan. From them you will choose three other tiger shifters to help you on your journey. We've chosen a number of good tigers you can select from. You'll be able to tell them apart from the others by the gold aura around them. Other than the two of you, only Raja may know about any of this. Raja is your Lieutenant now and will remain once you unite the tigers. Once you're in Alaska and have decided who you want as part of the chosen team, you'll be told what to do next._

"I guess I should call Raja and inform him there's no need to send Leo and Thomas. We'll leave for Alaska tomorrow if that's all right with you. Getting you among your own kind before your transition will make things easier on you. I'll have Raja make us reservations so we can rest."

She nodded in agreement, still shocked. _This is just too much. I went from being no one to someone pretty freaking special in such a short period._

Before he could call Raja, his cell started ringing from the side of the sofa. "Raja?" He answered, pausing to listen. "About that, I was just about to call you. There has been a change in plans. I can't explain on the phone, but it's safer if we come back to Alaska. I'll explain everything when we get in." He still had his arm wrapped around her back, holding her close.

"We'll wait for Felix and catch a flight out of Cincinnati tomorrow night. Just to be safe, since we're flying home, I don't want to go back to Pittsburgh. Will you arrange for us to have three tickets waiting at the airport?"

There was a short pause. "I will deal with him when I get home. Confine him to the one of the cells until I return. Thanks. We'll see you tomorrow night at the airport." With that, he hung up. "Everything is taken care of. But I'm starving. You?"

"Surprisingly, yes."

"Raja says there's a nearby town where we can get something to eat. There has to be some stores there where we can pick you up a few things you might need over the next few days. We can get everything else in Alaska. Want to go? Or do you want me to have Felix pick us up some dinner?"

"Let's go. We should take the book with us. I don't want to leave it here, just in case." She went to grab her purse from the nightstand, and he placed the book back in his bag to put it in the trunk.

# Chapter Ten

With night completely upon them, Tabitha stared out the window watching the world pass by on their way to the strip mall they'd passed on their way into town. She couldn't help but wonder what might be lurking in the dark. Was Pierce out there waiting for their guard to fall? Or did they leave him behind in the city? Either way she knew it wouldn't be the last time she saw him.

A deer stood just off the side of the road, having no care of the passing cars but it brought new wonders. How many other creatures were there that she hadn't known existed, waiting for her? She tried to push the thought from her mind because it was just too much for her at the moment. Instead she turned to look at Ty.

"Dinner was delicious. Thank you."

He took his gaze of the road just for a moment to look her way. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"I can't remember the last time something tasted so enchanting. I haven't been hungry the last few weeks, and whenever I ate, nothing tasted right."

"I remember that part of the change. It was one of the worst things for me."

"But the raspberry cheesecake with chocolate sauce drizzled over the top..." She let out a moan as she remembered the flavor.

"I enjoyed watching you eat that. You savored every bite like it might be your last." He slid the car into a parking spot and turned off the engine.

"What's this place...Gibs?"

"Raja said it should have everything we need." He grabbed the door handle. "Come on."

When he grabbed a cart, she gave him a questioning look. "You're going to need at least a few outfits to get you through until we're settled in Alaska. We also need a suitcase, unless you wish to carry everything in your arms."

"I don't need much."

"I can see you're worried about money again. Don't be."

She'd always worried about money, having grown up the way she did. She wanted to make her money last, and she intended to get another job when she arrived in Alaska. She didn't want to rely on the clan or the money her father had left her.

"Are you sure you can't read minds?" She frowned, disconcerted.

"I think if I had that gift, I would know. You're just easy to read sometimes. Like I told you before, there's no need to worry about it. Everything your father had went to the clan, and now it's yours. Even if you didn't go through the change, there's still a bank account set up in your name from him. You'll have everything you need. Your father's investments did very well, but why wouldn't they since he could see into the future? Let's get what you need. I'd like to have you to myself for a little while longer if we can make it back before Felix gets there."

She looked at the vast selection of clothes in dismay. _No wonder I hate shopping. There's just too much to choose from._ For a moment, she almost wished she was back in her apartment.

"You better get warm things. Alaska isn't the wet cold you're used to, but it's still downright frigid."

She grabbed a couple of sweaters and turtlenecks before moving over to the jeans.

"Just a suggestion, because I have heard women like to know what to dress for when packing. The clan knows their Queen will be arriving tomorrow, and they're planning a party for the next evening. You might want something dressy to wear. I saw a beautiful dress around this display that you might like." He disappeared, leaving her no choice but to follow.

"Why are they having a party so soon? Why not later, once I'm settled?"

"We should be thankful it's the next night and not tomorrow after we arrive. The clan is full of excitement to meet you. They want to welcome their Queen home in style, it's our way. Only because Raja explained the time difference and what has happened was the clan swayed to move the celebration to the following night. When we arrive home, you'll still have to come with me to greet our Guards and Raja."

He held up the dress he'd mentioned. It was beautiful, a white sweetheart-cut dress, form-fitting to the waist, then billowing out to be free-flowing. It had a red and black belt design at the hips. As he turned it around, she realized it was backless. "What do you think?"

"It's beautiful, but isn't it a bit much?"

"Not for the welcome home party. Trust me, you need something like this." He tossed it in the cart. "What else do you need?"

_Crap, I'm going to need to get bras and underwear. It's crazy to be self-conscious about it when he just saw me naked. I guess it's either buy them or go without. I can't go without a bra._

While silently praying he wouldn't follow her, she crossed the aisle to the intimate section to grab what she needed. She grabbed the first few matching bra and panties sets she saw that weren't something a grandma would wear. _If someone is going to see me naked, I want to look good._

"You would look great in this." Ty held up a sexy, black, baby doll negligee with pink lace trim.

_I always wanted someone I was in sync with, someone who could finish my thoughts. Ty seems to be just that._

She could feel her cheeks heat with embarrassment. "You can't be serious?"

"Come on, babe, let's get it. I want to see you in it."

Alice always wore fancy lingerie, even when she slept alone, but Tabitha had never been that way. Her best friend had joked with her about it, but she just couldn't see herself in such fancy stuff. Thinking of Alice made her eyes water, and she quickly wiped it away, pretending she'd gotten something in her eye.

"I don't know, Ty." It was just too much.

"You'll look great in it I promise. Once you try it on, if you don't like it, you don't have to wear it. Give it a try for me, okay?"

"Okay."

Knowing she wasn't likely to wear the negligee often, she also tossed in a pair of red and black plaid pajama bottoms and a black tank top.

"Now you need a duffel bag or some type of suitcase for this. You know, I always hated shopping, but you're adorable when you're shopping," he said, leaning over to kiss her.

_Maybe wearing lingerie isn't such a bad idea after all._

Twenty minutes later, when they were loading the car with their purchases, she came to the realization she had more than enough stuff to last her a week. He insisted she get everything she would need, reminding her of the party. She'd ended up buying more makeup and hair products than she'd ever had in her apartment. Not a wearer of much makeup, she hadn't known what to buy. His solution was to buy one of anything that caught her eye.

"Now maybe we can go back to the cabin. I have a few ideas about how we can spend the time before Felix gets in." He pushed the trunk lid closed.

_I wish we could meet Felix tomorrow. I want Ty all to myself._

As Tabitha thought about ways they could spend the evening together, Ty sped the car up the driveway, only to have their hopes dashed when they saw a car in the driveway. Someone was waiting for them.

"Shit!" He hit the steering wheel to emphasize he wasn't too happy Felix was already there. "Do you think we could send him into town for something or to a hotel room?"

She placed her hand on his leg, rubbing small circles. "I'm sure we'll have a lot of time together in our future. Remember what the book said? I must meet the members of the clan."

He let out a soft purr as she continued massaging his thigh. "I know, but I wanted you all to myself. Am I selfish?"

"From what I hear, no. Even so, it's all right, because I want you all to myself too."

He pulled to a stop behind the car as they watched Felix step out of his vehicle.

"Ty..." She nodded to the gold aura around Felix.

"I see it, but remember they can't, so don't act strangely. We can't let anyone know about any of this yet. You have to decide for yourself if Felix should be one we choose. After you get to know him, we'll discuss how I feel about him and what I know about it. You need to make your own judgments about him first." He opened his door and was around to her side before she could grab the handle on her own.

"Thank you." She stepped out of the car as Felix joined them.

Felix dropped to his knees in front of them and reached for her hand. "My Queen. My name is Felix, and I am at your service now and always."

_What? He makes it sound as if I'm the Queen of England_. She shot Ty a desperate glance for help.

"Felix, we didn't expect you to arrive this soon. I have yet to go over this with her. Bear with us as I walk her through it." Without missing a beat, Ty gained control of the situation, and the awkwardness fell away. "When a lesser shifter greets an Elder, or in your case a Queen, they are to offer their neck to show they're subservient to you. In return the Elder will bend and sniff the offered neck."

"Are you serious?" She felt her face burn with embarrassment. Couldn't she just shake his hand?

"Yes." Ty frowned at her as if to let her know she'd better get used to it, because this would be the norm in the future. He nodded toward Felix, who was waiting patiently.

More than a little uncomfortable, she bent and sniffed Felix's neck. When she was close enough to breathe in his scent, she smelled dried leaves, pine trees, and damp loam. It was strong enough to almost convince her she was there. A rush of pleasure coursed through her body. The pain and soreness in her joints dissipated.

She felt Ty's hand on her arm as if he were grounding her.

"You smell the clan...home. Everyone from our clan will smell the same while other clans will have other smells. If you mean Felix no harm, then you kiss his neck. If you find him a threat and wish him harm, then you would bite his neck, at least until you drew blood, depending on the situation and the punishment."

She had no reason to harm the tiger shifter, and he was one of the chosen ones the book mentioned. So she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his neck.

"You have now accepted him as subservient to you. This is how the clan greets the Elders when they have been away for a while or they are coming for judgment over a crime. Felix, you may rise and sweep the cabin and grounds. Tabby, once he checks the cabin, go in. There's no use standing in the cold. I'll bring in the bags and then start a fire."

Ty grab the last bag from the trunk as Felix came around the side of the cabin.

"All clear."

He nodded as Felix reached up to close the trunk.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," Ty said. "I'm sorry to tear you away from your family."

"It's fine. I'm glad I was close. We need to do everything we can to protect our Queen from Pierce. She is your mate, the Queen of the Alaskan Tigers. I will protect her with my life." Felix paused a second, as if he wasn't sure if he wanted to ask. "You believe the legends, don't you? She's the one who will unite all tigers, isn't she? If you believe that, you must believe if she dies, our line dies also."

He decided to confide in the man who had been a trusted guard for years. "I don't just believe. I _know_. The last meeting I had with her father, he told me it was true. That's why it's so important I watch over her and help her with the transition. If she dies before she can bring another tiger into this world, all tigers will cease to exist."

Felix looked toward the cabin with sadness in his eyes. "Does she know?"

"I told her that's what everyone believes, but no, I haven't told her I know for certain. She has enough pressure on her right now. I don't want the change to be any more stressful for her. She will make it, her father said as much in his letter to her."

Tabitha might be special to the tiger population, but she was even more so to him. His mate. Unlike other shifters who had to search for a mate, he hadn't. The clan kept him busy and he knew when he was destined to find the woman he was supposed to be with they'd come together. Now he understood why mated shifters were happier, why they sought out this special connection. Tabitha was everything to him; he adored her, and with his life he would protect her.

# Chapter Eleven

The men already had a nice fire going, and it was beginning to warm up the cabin, when Tabitha carried a tray with three cups of hot chocolate over to the sofa. She'd always had a soft spot for hot chocolate on a cold night, especially when it was snowing. The ease with which the men communicated gave her the impression they'd known each other for years and were old friends. First impressions told a lot about a person, and she liked Felix.

"Felix, if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing that you were so close when Ty called?" Snuggled into Ty's warm embrace, she felt every muscle within him tense. Glancing between them, she was sure she'd seen a flash of fear cross Felix's dark eyes, but he hid it quickly.

"I didn't think to tell her. Tabby, leave it be," Ty said.

Whatever it was, Felix didn't want to talk about it, she needed to know before she could make a decision about him as one of their chosen team members. She would have to talk to Ty about it when they were alone, but for now, she didn't want to put Felix on the spot. After all, they'd just met. "I'm sorry, I can tell it's personal. Just forget it."

"No, you have every reason to know. It's just not something I like to talk about." Felix set his mug on the coffee table.

"I understand. There's a lot from my past I keep private. So just forget I asked and tell me about the adventure you and Ty had. I love hearing things about him," she added, smiling.

"My Queen, I shall tell you..." Felix appeared to be gathering his courage for a moment. "I have a twin brother, Henry. Growing up, the whole family thought we would both shift. Both of us had all the symptoms: the fever, body aches and pains, stomach cramps, everything. When the time came to shift...I shifted. My brother's body wanted to shift; he could feel the tiger clawing at his insides, but the shift wouldn't happen. We tried taking him to doctors of our kind, but no one could find a reason for it. The agony was just too much for him. He went through a number of treatments to try to bring the tiger out. Nothing worked and eventually he let the tiger take over his mind. The vibrant twin I grew up with is no longer there. He's insane. He tries to fight anyone that gets close and has to be heavily drugged. Even though he's not in tiger form, he's still deadly. He has the strength and speed of a tiger. The Ohio Tigers have a doctor who works with mentally ill patients. He has been looking after Henry for some time. My brother isn't allowed to live among the clan, he's by himself and treated by the clan's doctor. I tried to bring him to our clan, but we don't have the necessary means to take care of him. I try to get back and visit him as much as I can. Most times, he doesn't know who I am, but since my parents have left the country he's the only family I have here."

Felix spit it out as if it was a bad drink but the pain of having to say it aloud was clear to her. Leaning forward, she took his large hand in hers.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you any discomfort. This must be difficult for you. After my change, please take as much time as you need to be with your brother. I'm sorry we interrupted your visit with him."

"My Queen, you're most generous. Thank you."

Mentally she placed Felix on the short list of guards to choose from.

_He has the compassion and commitment that's needed. Instead of being with his brother, enjoying his vacation, he rushed to our call. Tonight he proved himself to me._

He was one she could trust to stand by her side and protect her when things got rough. With a few guards like him, their enemies and Pierce would think twice before coming after them.

# Chapter Twelve

"With three hours ahead of us, I think you should answer any questions I have. I don't want any more speed bumps like last night," Tabitha said as Ty pulled out on the main road. Felix was following them to Columbus, Ohio, in his rental car, and then they would continue to the Cincinnati airport together. There, they would catch their red-eye flight to Fairbanks.

"Sounds fair enough."

_I have a feeling he'll regret this decision,_ she fretted, wringing her hands in her lap.

"Let's start with easy questions. What's your favorite color?"

"Deep red. Especially the red in the sun as it's setting."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"I don't believe I do. Like you, I was a foster child. My mother, who was a tiger shifter, was killed by a hunter shortly after I was born."

She understood how the foster system worked and hadn't had a good experience with it. "Did you have a foster family, or were you in a group foster home?"

"Until the age of nine, I was in a group home. I was a problem child, always acting out. My caseworker couldn't find a home to place me in. No one wanted to deal with me. Shortly after my ninth birthday, I got fed up with the system and took off. When your father found me, I had been living on the streets for three weeks. He got me a place to stay among the other tigers and helped me through the transition. After my change, he secured a job for me with one of the other tigers who owned a little market, and there was an apartment above the store that I could live in. He had an elderly lady who used to be a high school English teacher tutor me twice a week so I could graduate. Without that, I never would have finished school. I couldn't attend regular classes because I still had problems controlling my shifts. It's why most shifter children attend special schools or are homeschooled."

"Will I be dangerous once I shift?"

He laid his hand over hers and gave a little squeeze. "No, love, you won't be dangerous. You'll be fine. When you first go through the shift, you're likely to shift to animal without meaning to when you're upset. Your emotions play a huge part in shifting. When you're young and go through it, your body is still changing."

"I don't want to change and get stuck like that for hours." She heard her own trepidation in her voice.

"You're Queen of the Tigers. You'll be able to change at will. If you shift because of emotions, once you calm down you'll be able to shift back. I promise I'll teach you everything you need to know. Don't worry." He brought her hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on it. "You'll be fine."

_There's something comforting about having someone believe in you. When he says it will be fine, I believe him, and my doubts fall away._

A smile formed on her face as she realized for the first time she had someone who cared about her and would always be there for her. "You always make me feel better. Thank you."

The time flew by as she continued to question him. No matter what the question was, he kept his end of the deal and answered. With some questions, she really put him on the spot.

"Last night I noticed you have a scar from your ribcage to your belly button. What's that from?"

Unconsciously, he moved his hand away from hers and rubbed the scar as if it hurt. "Before we left Pittsburgh, some men from Pierce's gang found our location and attacked. I believe they were trying to scare us into leaving Pierce alone. There were only a few there when the attack happened, and I was protecting Tora, Raja's sister, who was pregnant at the time. One of the men attacked with a large dagger while I was fighting off one of his gang members, and he got me there."

"Tora?"

"She survived. Her daughter, Scarlet, is a little over a year old."

"Have you ever killed someone?"

He took his eyes off the road for a second to look at her. "Yes, but only either to protect myself or someone else. It's not something I take lightly or wish to do, but it's my job as Alpha. I must determine the punishments for tigers who disobey the rules. I, or someone I dictate it to, must hunt down and kill any rogue tigers from our clan. This is something we'll have to do once you take over as Queen of all Tigers also. I've never hurt or killed someone who didn't deserve it. Are you okay with this?"

"I understand this is something that happens and as long as you're not killing innocents, that's fine. We're tigers. I accept that. Which means things are different for us than normal people."

_This should bother me, shouldn't it? But it doesn't. I understand this has to happen. Eye for an eye kind of thing, I guess. Funny until now I didn't realize I supported the death penalty. Will Mike get the death penalty for murdering Alice? I hope so._

"I'm still amazed you have taken all of this so well. Your father would have been pleased."

The rest of the trip to Columbus passed quickly. She was able to find out a lot about the clan. At only thirty-seven members, not including Raja, Ty or herself, it was like a large family...and it was now hers.

# Chapter Thirteen

It was just before nine o'clock in the evening when they arrived at the clan's complex ten miles outside of North Pole, Alaska. Ty resided in a wing of the main compound, allowing him to be available while he still had some privacy. Tabitha took in her new home while Ty dismissed Felix by explaining they were tired from the long journey and the time change. There were things they would need to discuss with Raja before they could turn in.

Once the guards exited, leaving them alone with Raja in Ty's quarters, Raja dropped to his knee. "My Queen, it's a pleasure to serve you. I'm glad you're among us again. You have been missed."

She remembered Ty telling her they would greet her like this since she had been away for a while. This time, she didn't feel awkward bending to kiss Raja's neck.

Raja rose, turning to leave, but Ty stopped him.

"Raja, there's much to discuss."

"I assumed you would like to be alone." He stopped halfway to the door.

"That's true, but we must deal with the business first. There will be plenty of time after. Tabby, it's up to you if you wish to lie down or join us. I know you must be tired, and you didn't sleep long on the plane." Ty came to stand next to her, draping his arm across her shoulders, drawing her against him.

"No, I'll stay. If I'm to be Queen, then I must deal with this business as well."

He laid a kiss on her cheek before leading her toward the kitchen table. "Come, Raja, tell us about Hunter."

"As you know, Hunter isn't a new shifter and knows the rules. My understanding is he was arguing with his girlfriend. Instead of controlling his anger, he shifted in front of her. She was unaware she was dating a shifter, and most likely for good reason, because she freaked out. When she ran, he chased her." Raja paused, looking from Ty to her before continuing. "She was killed."

"Witnesses?" Tabitha asked, causing both men to look at her before Ty smirked his approval at her forwardness.

"None."

"Hunter has been confined to the compound since we spoke?"

Raja nodded. "He has been confined in one of our cells below. He's very agitated."

"Tomorrow afternoon we'll have a clan meeting to announce his punishment. He'll be unable to shift for six months and will have no contact with humans for an additional five years. I'll place the collar around his neck at the meeting," Ty decided.

"I'll inform the members of the meeting. Tomorrow night is also the welcome home party unless you wish us to move it to another night."

She didn't wait for Ty to answer. "No, that's fine, Raja. I'm sure the clan meeting can be held earlier in the day. I look forward to meeting everyone. I've never had a party thrown for me before. It's an honor."

Raja nodded. "I know you've had a long trip and must be tired. If that's all, I'll leave you to your rest."

"Raja, there's more we need to discuss." Ty went to retrieve his duffle bag from the entryway where they'd left their stuff when they'd arrived. Returning, he handed the book to her. "Tabitha's father asked me to protect this book and hand it over to her when we were sure she was going to go through the change. The legends you have heard about her line are true. She's the last of the first line of tigers. If she is killed before she can continue the line, the tiger shifters will die with her."

Raja looked stunned. "I thought those were all legends."

"Even after her father told me, that's what I thought too, until I saw the book come alive in her hands." Ty nodded toward her.

Her eyes widened and she gasped. "A heir? You didn't mention the legend said I must have a child or the tiger shifters will die. Why?"

"I felt you had enough on your plate. Getting you home was our top priority."

She leaned forward, setting the book on the table before touching the lock. As her fingers came in contact with the metal, it sprang open and flipped right to where the book started writing for them last time. The words that had come alive for them were still there. If she was in Raja's position, she would have wanted proof. She turned the book toward him, allowing him to read it for himself.

"Let's say for just one moment that I believe all of this, and it's not some joke. Why are you showing it to me?" Raja looked from one to the other, a dubious expression on his face, as though he'd just read that aliens existed.

"We're showing you this because we need you on board." She looked him directly in the eye, realizing she needed him to be a part of this. "If you can't be of help, then we need to know now. There are a lot that will have to change if I'm going to unite the tiger shifters. I need to make sure I have a strong group of supporters and people who want the same thing."

"I'm sorry, my Queen. This is all just a shock. What can I do to help?"

"Nothing at the moment. I need to get to know the members of the clan. I need to know who is part of the chosen tigers, then I can make my choices. Once I have gotten to know them better, hopefully in the next week or so, we can sit down and discuss them. I want to know Ty's and your opinions on these people, since you have known them longer than I have. However, the final decision will be mine and Ty's. We just needed you to know."

"I understand, my Queen. Thank you for including me in this. Is that all, then?"

"That will be all for tonight." Ty rose from his chair. "We need to get some rest. We'll discuss this again soon."

"Okay. Welcome home again." Raja bowed before he left.

When the door closed behind him, Ty grabbed the book from the coffee table and said, "Let's go to bed." His tone made it clear sleep was the last thing on his mind.

He didn't need to ask her twice.

# Chapter Fourteen

The sun had been spilling through the curtains for hours, but Tabitha and Ty were still in bed, enjoying their time together. Her head rested in the crook of his shoulder while he rubbed his hand up and down her arm in lazy circles.

At the bedroom door, there was a gentle knock.

"Come in." He didn't bother to get up. There were locks on the door to his compound, but he never bothered to use them. The only ones who would dare enter the area were the guards and Raja.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but the meeting is arranged for noon." Raja carried a tray full of food.

"Thank you, Raja. Please leave us to eat and get ready. Arrive back here promptly at eleven forty-five." He sat up in bed and took the tray from Raja.

With a nod, he was gone.

The food had her mouth watering. Waffles were one of her favorites.

"We have some of the best chefs here. You'd be hard-pressed to find anything as good as they make. Dig in." Ty set the tray in front of her.

The first bite had her forgetting how to breathe. The waffles melted in her mouth, the syrup was sweet yet bold and full of maple flavor. Gaining control of herself, she remembered what she wanted to ask him before being sidetracked by the aroma. "Why did you ask Raja to join us before the clan meeting?"

"It's normal procedure. It gives us a few moments to make sure everything is in order. Also when we enter the clan meeting, having the three of us together will give us a stronger presence."

Tabitha was just slipping on the emerald green sweater she'd picked up on their shopping spree when she heard Raja's voice. Ty had already discussed the meeting with her, and he was just going over the same things with Raja. Knowing there was no reason to rush, she did a double-check of her makeup.

_There's no reason to be so nervous. These people want me here, or they wouldn't be going through so much to make me feel at home. Ty wouldn't have come across the country if I didn't belong here._ The pep talk was doing nothing to calm her knotted stomach. Biting the bullet, she joined the men, hoping she could keep her nerves a secret.

"Tabby, we need..."

Ty stopped as she strolled into the living room. "Sorry."

"You're fine. They can't start without us, I just wanted to get a move on." He placed her hand in his. "There's nothing to worry about. They're happy to have you home, but you won't have time to mingle with them now. We need to take care of business, then the clan can get back to preparing for tonight's festivities. If you want to be nervous about something, be nervous about the party. With everyone demanding the Queen's attention, you might end up with a jealous mate." He laughed before kissing her.

The conference room was large and open with a slightly higher platform that dominated the area. It was nothing like she'd expected. In the conference rooms she had been in before, there was normally a large table with chairs surrounding it. _I guess when you have forty members, it would be hard to find a table large enough._

In front of the platform, the chairs were set up in rows of five with a walkway between them. The members were already there chatting amongst themselves when Tabitha, Ty, and Raja entered.

Already on the platform was a bedraggled man wearing only jeans and heavy iron chains on his wrists and ankles. Two guards stood on either side of the man she assumed was Hunter.

Her stomach went from knots to doing flip-flops as Ty, still holding her hand, led them toward the microphone. "The first order of business is to introduce you to your Queen. After too many years, Tabitha has returned home as my mate."

Everyone dropped to their knees. "Welcome home, Queen Tabitha," the audience chorused.

He stepped back, allowing her to access the microphone. "Thank you, I'm pleased to be among you. I look forward to speaking to as many of you as I can tonight. Those I don't get to tonight, I promise you'll have your turn. I want to get to know each and every one of you."

"Now we have other business to attend to." Ty turned toward the guards. "Please bring Hunter forward and have him take his place."

The guards brought the prisoner in front of Ty and Tabitha, and Hunter kneeled before them. "Hunter, you have been charged with changing in front of a human and murder. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Hunter looked at them with such hatred in his eyes causing Tabitha to suck in a harsh breath. "I don't know what happened...I think she drugged me. I never would have done this otherwise. I—"

Before he could continue, Ty brought up his hand, silencing the man. "Raja thought you might say something like that. There were alcohol and drug tests done on you after your capture. They were clean. You were not drugged. You just let your emotions take hold of you, and this is not the first time. Therefore, as punishment for this crime, you'll be unable to shift for the next six months, and you will be confined to the cell downstairs until the collar is removed. After that, you will have no contact with humans or leave the compound for five years." Ty gave a nod to Raja.

Raja stepped forward with the collar but Hunter didn't want to go down without a fight. He went after Ty, attacking in human form, because he couldn't shift with the chains. Ty pushed her out of Hunter's reach, toward the guards.

One guard moved in front of her to keep her out of the way as the other one took her arm, trying to drag her away from the scene. She wanted to help Ty, but she couldn't shift yet.

"I won't leave him!" she cried out, watching as Ty and Raja became tigers, their clothes torn to shreds.

"My Queen, there's nothing you can do." Felix placed his hand on her shoulder as he moved her back. "You need to be somewhere safe."

She shook her head, and Felix didn't fight her. He stood in front of her, ready to protect his Queen if the fight shifted their way.

She stood there, utterly helpless as the action unfolded before her. Claws ripped through flesh, sending blood splattering across the stage. Hunter was powerless to fight off two shifted tigers. Ty had Raja helping him, but her heart was in her throat. As they took Hunter to the ground, he went after Ty's neck, leaving him no choice but to end it.

Hunter went limp, and they changed back. Ty quickly scanned the room until he found her next to Felix. His shoulders relaxed, his relief obvious.

Knowing she was safe he turned to the clan. "Don't make Hunter's mistake. I have never put up with this kind of behavior, and I will _not_ start now. Behavior like that is showing no respect for your Queen. Now we will retire to our quarters, and we'll see you tonight at the party."

Neither man seemed bothered by their nudity as they crossed the room toward her.

Coming to stand in front of her, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him. "Are you all right?" he whispered.

She nodded, not trusting her voice. She held on to him as though he were the last life raft in a turbulent sea.

"Felix, I would like to see you in my quarters in twenty minutes." Ty stepped past them, leading her down the hall to their quarters. Raja followed behind, waiting until they were away from the other members before speaking. "If it's all right with you, I would like to shower and put on some clothes."

"That's fine. Felix is on his way. I would like you there before he arrives, if possible."

Raja nodded, and she followed Ty down a side hall.

As the door closed, he wrapped his arms around her again, squeezing her so tightly she could barely breathe. "Ty..."

"I'm sorry, Tabby. I just needed to feel you in my arms." He lessened his grip slightly. "These emotions that come with having a mate are all new to me. I wanted to make sure you were safe, but I had to take care of Hunter before he hurt someone else. My emotions were torn, but I had to do what was right for us and the clan. You didn't get hurt, did you?" He held her at arm's length for a moment, looking her up and down.

"No, I'm fine. Felix and the other guards tried to get me out of there, but I didn't want to leave you."

"Next time, promise me when there's danger, you'll let the guards defend you or get you out of there. Don't be hard-headed."

"I was in no danger. You and Raja had Hunter under control."

He took a step back from her, allowing her to see his face and his grave expression. "I'm serious. Things could have gotten out of control today. You're the Queen of all Tigers and the _only_ true bloodline left. You need to be protected."

"I might still be human, but I'm not helpless. I know when to get out of the way. Stop worrying about me so much," she huffed.

Still he refused to back down. "You don't know how vulnerable you are to the clan and to me. You're irreplaceable. You don't understand what lengths people like Pierce will go to, to kill you."

"I do understand. I know if I'm killed, the tiger shifters will die. Trust me, that scares me. I have never been responsible for something so big. I might not have gone through the change yet, but I'm not just a normal human either." She heaved a sigh, raking her fingers through her hair. Then she slipped her hand around his. "Come on, you need a shower before they arrive."

"Won't you join me?" Ty kissed her neck.

"Oh, what the heck."

# Chapter Fifteen

When Tabitha and Ty entered the room, Raja was sitting on a chair speaking to someone on the phone. Cutting off whoever was on the other end, he said, "I'll call you back." He stood, slipping the cell phone in his pocket. "I apologize. There was a problem with Hunter's sister."

Ty lowered himself to the chair and brought Tabitha to his side. "Do you need to go deal with her?"

"Thomas is taking care of it. She's distraught over what happened to her brother and is in a state of grief. They were very close. After he was arrested, she confided in me that Hunter had changed. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something different about him. They were growing apart. She asked me to help her brother. I explained to her it would be up to you and most likely, he would get the help he needed. She thinks I betrayed her."

"I expected her to be upset, but Hunter left us no choice. You don't attack your Alpha and get away with it. The punishment for attacking your Alpha and losing is death. There's no way around that."

Raja nodded. "Everyone knows this, and if she were thinking clearly, she would understand, but grief does strange things to people. I had the doctor give her something to calm her. She needs to rest. I'll speak with her soon, but this is not why we're here."

"Very well. I asked you here because after today's incident, I've decided to assign around-the-clock guards. One of those guards I have chosen is Felix, he'll be promoted to Captain of Tabitha's Guards. He's done a great job as one of my guards, and I trust him to keep her safe." He gently squeezed her hand. "Today he came from the back of the conference room, where he was stationed, to get her out of the way. He understands she must be kept safe. Even though she's a stubborn, hard-headed woman and refused to leave," he paused, giving her a pointed look, "he kept her out of danger and was ready to protect her if needed."

"I think he would be perfect for the job. Felix is one of the few I would trust with my life. Who else do you have in mind?"

"I haven't decided on anyone else yet. I wanted her to meet the rest of the clan. We'll see who fits well with her, who seems like they would be a good match. I would like four guards assigned to her, at least two at any given time. Most of the time, I'll be around her, but if something happens like it just did and I have to take care of it, I want to know she'll be safe. I won't have her put in danger. I want the guards to protect her when I can't."

She didn't bother to hide her annoyance as she leaned away from Ty to look at him. "Don't I get a say in this?"

He rubbed the top of her hand that was resting on his leg. "Baby, I'm doing this to protect you. You can have some say on _who_ will protect you. But you are my mate, and I would rather risk you being mad at me for who I choose than have you in harm's way."

"I'm safe. I don't need or want guards protecting me. I'll be fine." _I'm not a possession,_ she wanted to add, but she said nothing. Instead she crossed her arms over her chest and bit her lip.

He looked away from her, toward Raja. "Could you excuse us for a moment?" He grabbed her hand and stood, pulling her along with him. He led them into a room off the living room that appeared to be an office, with deep burgundy walls and the same hardwood floors as the rest of the quarters. A large L-shaped desk, as neat as the rest of the house, dominated the center of the space.

"Tabby, I know you don't want this—you've made that clear—but it's something you need. I will not have you in danger, and there will be times I won't be able to protect you like I want to. You need this, and it's normal for the Alpha and his mate to have guards. I have my own guards. Stop being stubborn and accept it."

"I _don't_ want people following me around all the time," she snapped, not caring if she appeared petulant.

"They won't be. While we're in our quarters together, they'll either be off on their own or outside the door if the threat level is high. If you come into our quarters alone, they'll have to do a walk-through to make sure no one is here, but they won't stay here unless you're in immediate danger. They will only be with you when you're outside our quarters. If we need to, we can set up more boundaries later, after you go through the change. I just want to make sure you have the guards you need when we need them."

"Okay, you win on this one for now." She frowned, glaring at him. "But once I go through the change, we'll discuss it again."

"Thank you." He leaned down to kiss her. "Now let's finish this."

When they walked out of Ty's office, Felix had joined them.

"Felix, thank you for coming." After they took their seats again, Felix and Raja also sat.

"Tabitha and I have decided we would like you to be the Captain of her Guards. Are you interested in this promotion?"

"That's such an honor." Felix's mouth twitched up into a handsome smile. "Thank you both. I would be honored to accept."

"Thank you. We'll let you know soon who the other guards will be. We haven't finalized those yet. Until then, you'll be protecting her along with Thomas, from my guards. Before I assigned any long-term guards, I wanted her to meet the clan. Within the next few days, you'll know and can start training them. You can explain the new changes to Thomas, and I want both of you to meet us here at six o'clock tonight to attend the party."

"Yes, sir." Felix rose and appeared to be awaiting dismissal.

"That's all for now." When the door firmly closed behind Felix, Ty turned his attention back to Raja. "Until she goes through the change, I want you and the rest of the guards on call twenty-four hours a day. I want the compound security on alert. If anyone comes on the grounds, I want to know, and if that person is not permitted to be here, then I'll hold whoever is on guard at fault. I won't have her at risk, no matter how small. Things are dangerous now."

"I'll inform the clan. If there's anything you need, please let me know." Raja rose, understanding the conversation was over.

"I still don't think I need guards. I can protect myself."

When they were alone once again, Ty growled. "I have never felt this way about anyone before. I want you safe, even if that means you're mad at me. You mean everything to me."

"You're the first person who has ever really cared about me. I—" Her voice broke, all the blood rushing to her head. "I love you." She couldn't believe she'd said it, but she meant it. She was giving her heart to him. "If you want guards for me, then that's what I'll have. I...I was just upset you didn't talk to me about it first. Please understand, I should have a say in this kind of stuff."

He leaned down, put one arm behind her legs and one behind her back, lifted her easily from where she stood, and carried her to the bedroom. He kissed her neck as he walked. "You're my mate. It's my job to protect you."

"I'm not a china doll. I don't want to be protected." She let out a frustrated sigh.

"I want you safe."

Tired of fighting, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm not used to someone wanting to protect me. I'll try, but I'm not some little school girl who can't stand up for herself. I might not have the physical strength and speed you have, but I'm not a dainty human either."

He laid her gently on the bed. With her arms still around his neck, she leaned up into his body, kissing him deeply, drinking from his lips, as she gently pulled him onto the bed. Gliding her hands down his tight, toned chest, she stopped for a moment to feel his biceps, and she was glad to have him all to herself—at least for a little while.

He tugged off her shirt before slipping his hand behind her back to unhook her bra as she explored his chest and arms. Tossing the discarded clothes to the floor, he kissed her neck and made his way down her chest. He gently took each nipple into his mouth one at a time and sucked ever so softly, then released it and rolled his tongue over it. He looked up at her with so much devotion in his eyes, her heart fluttered.

The fire between their bodies was like a sweltering summer night. Their hearts threatened to pound out of their chests; their palms were sweating. He caressed every inch of her body, forcing a moan of ecstasy from her. He was tender as he memorized every curve with his hands and mouth. He took his time tasting every inch of her, sending shivers throughout her body.

He gently and lovingly kissed down her stomach as he stroked her thighs. With every touch, her body cried out for more. She couldn't get enough of him. His hands sought out the central core of her body, while the heat and wetness drove her crazy.

He took his time caressing and kissing her, she could feel their tigers calling to each other, urging her to hurry, while the human part of her wanted to take this slow and cherish every moment.

His fingers delved inside her, and her body moved with the motion. He kissed the inside of her thighs. The passion drove the fire through her, fire like she'd never felt before. He made his way to her core, licking lightly over her sweet spot, flicking over and over, nearly driving her to the edge. She ran her hands through his hair and moaned with intense pleasure.

She rolled him over, laying him on his back. She placed another deep kiss on his lips while she caressed his chest, taking care to feel every chiseled muscle, licking and kissing as he writhed in pleasure beneath her.

She knelt on the bed in front of him, wanting to show him the love she felt for him. As she stroked him, she stoked the fire inside him. She licked the length of him and slowly took him into her mouth, making him throw his head back in pleasure.

She enjoyed the feel of his hands running through her hair.

"Come here." He tugged on her, pulling her up.

Moving up the bed, she angled herself to allow him access. As he entered, she cried out with pleasure. His thrusts were deeper and faster, but not too fast. Their bodies rocked back and forth until they exploded together in unison.

Breathless, they laid there hot and sweaty, cuddling, not wanting to move, their legs still entwined.

He lifted his head enough to kiss her. "I love you, Tabby."

"I love you, Ty."

# Chapter Sixteen

Tabitha was in the middle of the custom-made bed that dominated the bedroom, snuggled deep beneath the warm comforter, still trying to wake up. She wanted nothing more than to stay cuddled with Ty until they were ready for more sex.

"I didn't think we would sleep that long. We should get ready for the party." He tossed back the covers before slipping out of bed. He turned around to find she hadn't moved. "Come on, you can't be late for your own party." He smiled down at her.

With a moan, she scooted to the edge of the bed. The floor was littered with red, black, and silver throw pillows they'd tossed off earlier. Grabbing one, she threw it at the back of his head. "If it's my party, they can't start without me."

"Love, you don't know these tigers. They love to party."

"Are you sure everything will be fine tonight? Maybe with what happened today, we should postpone it." She bent to pick up the pillows.

"This is something the clan has been preparing for since I told them I was going to try to bring you home. We cannot deprive them of something they worked so hard on. This means a lot to them." As he spoke, he walked around the bed to where she was and took her hands. "Everything will be fine. I promise."

"I know. I just worry they won't like me."

"How could they not like you? You're amazing in every way." He tilted her head up with his large hands and before she could respond, he kissed her.

Standing in front of the mirror, Tabitha admired the dress they'd bought in Pennsylvania. She pulled her hair into a French twist, allowing a few curls to escape and hang down. She was adjusting the black and red beaded belt when she heard Ty talking to Raja and the other guards in the living room.

_I never had a reason to dress up before. I feel like a princess...I guess I should feel like a Queen instead._ She chuckled as she glanced at herself once more before stepping out of the bedroom.

As she came into view, everyone quieted. She could have sworn she could hear the air sizzle with shifter magic. The men were dressed in black tuxedos and looked as if they could be on the cover of a magazine. No one moved for a moment, then Ty came forward. "My mate, you look marvelous, absolutely mind-blowing. Let me introduce you to our guards for tonight."

They walked over to the men standing in the front entryway. Three of the men where kneeling, while the other two, Raja and Felix, stood a step behind. "This is Thomas, Leo, and Korbin. They are our guards for this evening."

_Our guards? Or did he really mean_ my _guards? I'm leaning toward mine. Quick catch of the tongue there, mate._

He gave her a slight nod, letting her know she was to smell each of their necks. They smelled the same way Felix had when she'd first met him, but it wasn't as overwhelming anymore, because the smell was all around her now that she was in Alaska.

_Weird, but now that I think of it, my body isn't sore, and I have felt fine since arriving. Ty mentioned I would feel better once I was around my own kind, but he didn't mention it would just go away._

"Welcome home, my Queen," each of the men said as she kissed their necks before they stood. Inside their tailored jackets, she could see the butt of the guns they wore. The shock must have showed on her face, because Raja stepped in front of the other men, took her hand in his, and kissed it.

"If I may, my Queen, you look stunning."

"Thank you, Raja. You look pretty good yourself."

"Men, she's to be protected at all costs," Ty announced. "If anything goes wrong, get her out of there and somewhere safe. Felix, I'm placing you in charge of keeping her safe. If anything happens to her, I will hold you personally responsible. I don't care if it is so much as a paper cut, your ass is mine." He laid a hand on the small of her back, directing his attention at her. "I want you to listen to them. If they feel the area is unsafe, go with them."

She didn't fight him, only nodded. He wasn't doing this to make her appear weak. There was too much at risk, and she had to think of the livelihood of the tiger shifters as a whole. "Shall we get this over with?"

"It won't be that bad. Come on." He took her hand as they left the quarters, surrounded by their guards.

# Chapter Seventeen

The dome was normally used for training when the weather outside was nasty, but tonight every inch of it was party central. The clan had constructed a ballroom floor in the middle, complete with a DJ playing tunes. The entryway had a large arch that was covered in black and gold balloons. On the far right wall, it said _Welcome Home, Tabitha_ in big gold sparkly letters. Everything was done in black and gold. The tablecloths were black with white and gold plates; the wine glasses had a gold rim around the top. The lights were low and on every table, candles glowed, lending a romantic flare to the gathering. There were buffet tables stretching all the way down the left wall and a large white and gold cake at the end of the buffet. Waiters walked around with glasses of champagne and other drinks.

"This is amazing." She gawked, trying to take it all in.

"It's all for you. They're ecstatic to have you home with us again. Come, let's get a drink and mingle with everyone."

Ty stopped one of the waiters and took two glasses of champagne from the tray he was carrying. Raising the glass to take a drink, she became aware they were starting to draw a crowd. Raja and the guards tried to surround them to keep the clan back a little, but they were on them before the guards could close the circle.

A loud growl exploded next to her before she heard Ty yell, "Stop this right now!" Everyone went still around them. "I don't know what has gotten into everyone, but it needs to stop now. I know you're excited to meet Tabitha. So here is what we will do. I want everyone to go sit at their tables. We will come around to each table and spend a few minutes with you. Later, after we're settled, she will have more time to meet with everyone. But tonight, we'll take some time out to meet with you, and then we would like to enjoy this wonderful party you have been so generous to throw in her honor."

People spread out, moving to find seats at one of the six tables around the dome. The guards went to their predetermined spots, except Raja, who stayed with them.

They began with the table to the left, allowing them to make a complete circle and end up at their table by the dance floor. Everyone was eager to talk with her, making her want to stay with them as long as she could. It was Ty who kept her moving from one person to another, promising they would have more time with her soon, and that she wasn't going anywhere.

"I know you want to meet the needs of each member, but don't wear yourself out tonight. You have plenty of time," he whispered in her ear as they headed to the next table.

She nodded. _That is easier said than done. How can I rush through everyone when they're so kind and threw this party for me?_

As they went around the room meeting the members, she noticed a number of men with golden auras. There were two that impressed her the most. One of them was Marcus, Tora's husband, and the other was Lance.

Lance was at the first table, and he seemed on alert and ready to take action if something happened. His deep forest green eyes seemed to take everything in while he relaxed in his seat.

Maybe choosing guards would be easier than she'd thought.

After going from table to table, they were finally able to sit down and enjoy their dinner. He had mentioned earlier they had some of the best chefs as part of the clan, and she wasn't disappointed with the meal. The salmon was delicious.

"Are you having a good time?" He asked as they finished dessert.

"The best time of my life." A huge smile spread across her face. She leaned in closely and whispered, "There are a few people I'd like to talk to you about later." She had questions about the people with the golden auras around them, but it wasn't something they could discuss at the party.

"You met Lance tonight." He motioned toward the first table. "He's one of my guards. I gave him the night off to spend with his new mate. This allowed him to enjoy the party and for us to have guards who would devote their full attention to any problems that might arise this evening. He's a good guard, but the mating bug is hard on everyone."

She loved how he was able to slide in the information she wanted without it seeming out of place or raising questions from anyone who might have overheard.

A young girl who couldn't have been older than fourteen months came running toward them, startling Tabitha. Her wobbly legs barely held her up; her long hair was the color of rubies bouncing behind her as she ran, until she tripped, falling down hard. Before the first tear fell, Tabitha was on her feet, heading toward her.

"It's all right, sweetie." Wrapping the little girl in her arms, she wiped the child's tears away.

The little girl's knee was bleeding. Without wondering where the parents were, Tabitha balanced the child on her hip as she grabbed a napkin from the table to wipe the blood. All of a sudden she realized when she'd jumped up to help the little girl, she'd spooked the guards. Felix and Thomas were the first to respond, at her side before the rest realized what the commotion was. While Ty watched from the table, a smile on his face.

"I'm fine," she told Felix and Thomas before bringing her attention back to the girl.

Raja must have also come to her aid, because he was standing behind her. "Here, Tabitha, I can take her."

The child was clinging to her neck and wouldn't let go.

"Can you believe that's my niece, and she won't come to me? I'll get her mother." Raja let out a soft laugh before strolling off into the crowd, shaking his head.

Ty stepped up beside her, grinning. "This is Tora and Marcus's little girl, Scarlet. I've never seen her go to someone she didn't know, and she loves being with Raja. She's just full of surprises tonight."

"Is that true? Do you like me, Scarlet?"

Ty led Tabitha back to their table, and she sat down with Scarlet on her lap. The little girl merely bounced up and down, as happy as could be.

"She must, because she never goes to anyone. Hi, I'm Marcus. Uh, we kind of met when you came around the room, but I know you've seen so many people..."

"I remember you." Tabitha smiled softly as she ran her fingers through Scarlet's hair.

"We had to have our babysitter in a dozen times before we could leave them alone together, because she would throw a fit something terrible. Tonight the babysitter is sick, so she had to come along with us. I'm sorry if she's been any trouble."

"She's been no trouble at all. She's a darling little girl." Tabitha gave her a kiss on the forehead and the child giggled, her eyes wide as she took in the sights around her.

Marcus tried to pick her up, but she held strong to Tabitha's neck.

"She's fine here if you want to leave her for a bit," Tabitha assured him. "I don't mind."

Marcus looked to Ty, seemingly unsure of what to do. Ty gave Marcus a slight nod, which he accepted and went to rejoin his wife.

"You're amazing. Everyone is so taken with you, just like I promised they would be." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I guess I had nothing to worry about. Everyone is so friendly and accepting. I can't help wondering what it would be like to grow up with a group like this, people to call family."

As they talked, Scarlet curled up in her lap as though she were going to take a nap.

"May I have this dance?" Ty stood, taking her hand.

Tabitha nodded, rose, and placed the still sleeping Scarlet on the chair.

"I'll watch her. Go dance and mingle," Raja said when she caught his eye.

There were only a few people dancing, leaving them with most of the floor to themselves.

After the song ended, one of the tigresses she'd met earlier stepped up to the microphone.

"If I could please have everyone's attention." She waited for everyone to quiet down. "Ty would like to say a few words."

Felix came to stand next to her as Ty moved to the front of the room. "First, I would like to thank you for this wonderful party you put together for Tabitha's homecoming. I'm ecstatic to have such a wonderful woman as my mate. We're blessed to have her back among us and as our Queen." He turned and looked lovingly at her. "Thank you, Tabitha, for coming home and for trusting us. I love you."

Before she realized it, she was heading toward him, tears clouding her vision. As he stepped up to her, she wrapped her arms around him.

"I love you too," she said and kissed him.

Everyone in the room clapped and cheered. For the first time in her life, she felt like a part of something, not out in the cold watching. This was where she was supposed to be...with her family and her mate.

# Chapter Eighteen

Tabitha and Ty were dancing around the room when Raja came up to them. "Excuse me, but may I cut in?"

Ty nodded and stepped back, allowing Raja to take over dancing with her, and he strolled off the floor toward Felix. As they danced, Raja leaned into her body and whispered, "Ty is a whole new man with you in his life. I have never seen him in such high spirits. He loves you more than he could ever put into words. Never doubt that."

Her felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. "Everything changed in just a matter of days. Everything feels so overwhelming, except when it comes to Ty. I love him, he has been my rock though all of this. Discovering we're mates was more than I could have hoped for."

When the song ended, he stepped back and still holding her hand, he kissed the top of it. "Thank you for this dance, it was a pleasure."

"I thought you could use this." Just as Raja stepped away Ty came up to her and held out two glasses of champagne.

"Thank you."

He handed her the glass as they walked off the dance floor. "What bad things did he tell you about me?"

"Wouldn't you be interested in knowing?" She laughed before taking a sip of bubbly champagne and gave him a sexy but innocent smile. He frowned with serious implications, which she returned with another laugh. "Come on, it was nothing. Would he honestly say anything bad about you behind your back? You two seem so close."

"We're close, but I'm sure he would tell you some dark secret if he thought he could get away with it."

Before she could tease him for worrying, a large tiger limped onto the dance floor covered in blood, whimpering in terrible pain.

"Oh my God." She dropped her glass and it shattered on the floor. She took a step toward the tiger, sidestepping the broken glass, wanting to help. A hush had fallen over those still in attendance.

"Tabby, stay back." His fingers closed around her forearm, stopping her. "His scent is different, he's not of our clan."

The guards gathered around her, keeping her away from the tiger.

"I can help him. You know I can."

"No, Tabby."

"Ty, please! I can _speak_ to him. You know I have that gift. Let me try."

Ty growled under his breath. "This is against my better judgment. But...okay. You may try." Upon his signal, the guards allowed her to approach. "Form a protective circle around her," he ordered.

Ty and Felix stood in front of her, closest to the tiger, leaving her only a small view between their shoulders.

Her power was still new to her, but she knew she would be able to hear the tiger if she could concentrate. She took a deep breath, trying to relax. "Can you tell me your name?"

Before the tiger could answer, someone from the clan yelled out, "What does she think she's doing? How is this going to help us? He's in tiger form. He can't answer her."

He turned, shooting the man a look that could kill. "Did you forget you don't contradict your Alpha? She's of her father's line. Her gift is telepathy. Now shut up and allow her to help him."

She could hear the rustle of people moving around, trying to get a better look. It was breaking her focus, and she could barely hear the tiger's thoughts.

"Okay, Lukas, why are you here?"

_You can really read my thoughts?_

Not wanting to explain, she nodded.

_I mean no harm to you or your clan. I came to warn you. There's a traitor in your midst. My clan intercepted a message that was meant for Pierce. I need to speak with you and Ty alone in order to show you proof you need. You can't mention this to Ty in front of everyone or risk the traitor hearing you. Tell everyone except Ty I was traveling through the area when I was attacked, which is mostly true. You should be able to concentrate and send the message to Ty._

She did as he asked and focused on conveying her thoughts to her mate. _Ty, can you hear me? Please hear me._ Wanting to leave the impression she was still speaking with Lukas, she kept her gaze on him but focused her attention on her mate.

He looked at her as if he were about to say something but was hesitant.

Tabitha tried again. _Ty, can you hear me?_

Finally, a response. _Tabby, I can hear you but I don't know if you can hear me._

_I can hear you. Damn, this is so freaky. Listen, I'm going to tell the clan that he was hurt passing through but he has information about a traitor within our clan. We need to speak with him alone, without the clan watching us._

_Okay, but explain to him our guards will be in the room._

Before giving the cover story to the clan, she focused back on Lukas. _Ty, has agreed to speak with you, but our guards will be in the room._

Without turning her back on the injured tiger shifter, she raised her voice, allowing everyone to hear her. "Clan, he was passing through the area when he was attacked by a hunter. He managed to get away but is badly injured. My guards will escort him to the infirmary, where our doctor will look him over. Ty and I will make sure he gets the best treatment and is settled in. Enjoy the rest of the party."

She let out a sigh as the tension from the telepathy fell away, only to be replaced by fears of a traitor watching them. So much for a peaceful evening getting to know the clan. Now she had to deal with her first problem as the Queen of the Tigers, but surely it wouldn't be her last.

# Chapter Nineteen

For the doctor to properly care for Lukas's injuries, he had to shift back. This also made it easier for them to speak to him. He shifted into a boy no older than seventeen; his boyish looks gave his age away. His short red hair had a slight curl to it, and his face showed signs he'd only recently started to shave. His voice was soft and crackling, just like it had been in her head.

"Boy, where are you parents?" Doc asked as he stitched his wound.

"I'm alone."

"We'll speak with the boy when you're finished," Ty explained when the doctor didn't seem happy about the answer.

After he was finished examining Lukas and had gotten him settled into a bed in the infirmary wing, Ty turned to Doc. "You will not speak of this to anyone. They're not to know the boy's age or injuries. If you're asked about him, tell them to speak to me. Understand?"

Doc looked back at the boy and nodded.

"Korbin, please escort Doc back to the party. Except Raja, I want the rest of you to wait outside the infirmary. We'll speak to the boy alone."

Leo and Thomas started toward the door, but Felix didn't move. "With all due respect, I don't think you should be alone with him. He may not be safe."

"Are you choosing to disobey a direct order?" Ty gave Felix a threatening look, as if to let him know it wasn't a good idea to push him at this time.

Felix looked between them. Tabitha slowly shook her head, nervously biting her bottom lip.

"I apologize. I mean no disrespect, but as Captain of the Queen's Guards, I'm in charge of keeping her safe. I don't know how safe this situation is."

"Not only are you disobeying an order, you're suggesting your Alpha cannot protect his mate." Ty's face was red with fury. She could see his body beginning to vibrate with the magic that brought on the change.

Felix stood in front of Ty, not willing to back down, but visibly shaken. It was written on his face that he knew this might not end well. If it came down to a fight, he knew he wouldn't win against his Alpha. "That's not what I meant. I just—"

He interrupted Felix. "Get out of my sight _now!_ "

Felix didn't try to explain or make Ty understand, he just turned on his heels and walked out the door to join the other guards.

"I can't believe that boy!" Ty turned to her, anger still clear on his face.

"Remember, you did tell him earlier that if anything happened to me, it was his ass. He just wants to make you proud of him." She touched his arm.

The touch of her hand was enough to calm him, and he nodded. She turned to look at Lukas, who appeared so small and fragile in the large hospital bed. "Please explain to us how you got this information and who the traitor is."

"When my father was killed by Pierce's gang, my brother took over as Alpha of our clan, and since then we have been after them. We intercepted a message that was sent from your clan to him, saying that you had finally joined the clan and mated with the Alpha here." Lukas tried to sit up straighter in bed, but he was clearly in pain.

"Who sent the message?" Anger returned to Ty's voice.

"The name was Chris."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I have the proof with me." The boy looked at her and then back at Ty.

"What do you mean you have it? You were in tiger form, and you didn't have a bag with you." She eyed him questioningly.

"I hid my bag before I got here in case something happened and I was searched. I didn't want anyone to find it before I had a chance to speak with you. On my way here, I was attacked and had to change into tiger form to get away. I'm sorry I forgot to explain that. If you could send someone you trust for my bag, you'll have all the proof you need. I can tell you where I placed it, but I don't think I could make it there in this condition."

"Where is the bag?" Ty asked, already forming a plan, judging by the thoughtful expression on his face.

"It's in the basement of the North Pole apartment building in the rafters to the left of the heater. It's a black backpack."

"Raja, take Thomas and see if you can find this bag. I want to settle this."

When the door shut behind Raja, she turned her attention back to the boy. "What clan are you from, Lukas?"

"My brother, Jinx, took over the West Virginia Tigers. Our numbers are small, but we're a tight group. My father was friends with your father. After he was killed and then my father was killed, we felt it was our duty to keep an eye on Pierce whenever we could. Hopefully, this would allow some warning if he was planning an attack."

"We have been trying to keep an eye on Pierce as well," Ty agreed. He glanced at the time, anxious to see the contents of Lukas's bag.

They sat, and they waited while Ty questioned Lukas over and over about everything. Finally, a knock sounded from behind them and he turned toward the door. "Yes?"

"We found it." Raja entered with a black bag draped over his shoulder.

Ty took the bag and set it on the bedside table. Unzipping it, he pulled out a laptop.

"We found a way to hack into his cell phone and record his conversations," Lukas explained excitedly. "On there is a message that went to his voicemail. Luckily, we were able to intercept it, deleting it before he received it. Since I've been traveling, I can't be sure he hasn't been contacted again."

"Bring the message up." Ty handed the laptop to the boy.

He flipped it open and hit the power button. The laptop booted up quickly, and he clicked a few buttons before the message started playing.

_It's Chris. Tabitha is on the red-eye plane back tonight. The clan is planning a celebration for her homecoming. You want her dead, then I need backup to take her down. I did what you asked. Now you better pay up_.

Goosebumps covered her arms, and her stomach sank. He put his arm around her, drawing her against him.

"We'll handle this. Lukas, you have to understand our situation. Until this is under control, we're going to have a guard with you. No cell, computer, nothing. You brought this to our attention, and we appreciate it, but we have to be cautious this isn't a trap."

"I understand." Lukas looked down at his laptop in sadness and nodded. "If you could contact my brother to let him know I'm here, I'm sure he would appreciate it. I'll cooperate in any way I can."

Ty nodded, turning to Raja. "Gather the guards including Marcus, Lance, and Milo. I know they had the night off, but we need them. We meet in our quarters in ten minutes."

# Chapter Twenty

Tabitha paced the bedroom, trying to calm down. Sure, she knew Pierce was after her, but hearing that message still sent a jolt through her. Pierce was _seriously_ after her and wanted her dead. _How do you handle someone wanting you dead who you've never even met?_

"Tabby?" Ty came into the bedroom.

"I'm fine. I just need a moment."

"Come here, baby." He wrapped his arms around her. "We'll take care of this. I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know." His face was full of doubt, making her tremble against him. "It's just sinking in. I've never even met this guy, and he wants to kill me." She was still having a hard time wrapping her mind around it.

"I know, but it's going to be fine." There was a knock on the door to their quarters, meaning the guards had arrived. "Felix, get the door. We'll be out in a moment."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to gather all the courage she could. She wouldn't break down. "Let's do this."

"I can handle it myself if you want a few minutes."

"I'm fine. I just want it over with."

He ran his hand down her back one last time as they went to face the guards. "Please have a seat. This is going to take some time." He led her toward a chair that was angled between the two sofas, giving her a good view of everyone.

Even with the crowd in the living area, it didn't seem confining. There was still room to move around, as if when building it, they knew there would be a dozen people here waiting for their orders.

"Most of this won't come as a shock to you. Pierce knows Tabitha is here and is most likely on his way." He gave them a moment as if he wanted to let it sink in. "I want everyone on high alert. I want the compound locked down like Fort Knox. No one on or off without my knowledge. Felix, I want guards around the clock on Tabitha. You can arrange that, but as Captain of her Guards, I want you in the main compound. You can take the guest quarters."

Felix nodded.

"Next order of business: Thomas and Leo, I want you to find Chris Knight and escort him to one of the cells. I'll deal with him shortly."

"Yes, sir. Charges?" Thomas asked.

"Treason. Conspiracy to commit murder."

Thomas and Leo left without another word. The rest of the men watched their sovereigns, waiting for orders.

"Marcus, Lance, you have first guard duty. The rest of you, we'll be discussing your shifts and get back with you shortly. In the meantime, keep this to yourself. You're dismissed."

As the guards filed out, Marcus and Lance rose to take their posts at the entryway. "Lance, I want you to inform the guards at the gate we're on lockdown. They're to call me if anyone tries to enter or leave. Then change out of your tuxedo and return here."

"Yes, sir."

"Marcus, wait a moment. Felix, you need to hear this also. Raja, unless you have something pressing, I'd like you to stay."

The men didn't move. They waited patiently for whatever Ty was going to throw at them. Tabitha, on the other hand, shifted nervously in her chair. She knew what he was going to tell them, and she couldn't help but wonder if they would feel differently toward her.

"Some of you know about the legends, the ones surrounding Tabitha. I trust you to keep this between us. It is true that she must carry on her line or tiger shifters will cease to exist. She has to be kept alive at all costs."

"Understood," Felix said.

"There is more...she will unite all tigers."

"What?"

"Marcus, I know Tora has told you the legend that a tigress will come along and unite the tiger shifter population."

"Sure, but it's just a story."

"This proves it isn't." Ty grabbed the book from the shelf they'd laid it on and handed it to her.

"You already know I have the gifts from my father's line. Why is it so hard to believe?" She touched the book, and it sprang to life. "I'm supposed to choose three more guards to stand at my side through this. Ty and I have already discussed that we would like the two of you to be a part of it."

"Raja is our Lieutenant and while he remains, we still need three others. We would like the two of you to be a part of that. Felix, as the Captain of the Guards, you needed to know the complete situation. Marcus, I'll be up front with you. This will be dangerous and will put not only you but your family in danger. But being Raja's family, the danger will already be there. It's up to you if you wish to pass on this position. However, no matter your decision, you'll not be allowed to speak of this."

Ty laid his hand on Tabitha's shoulder, gently rubbing it.

"I'm honored to be a part of this and will do whatever I can," Felix said.

"Marcus?"

"I'll do it. Who will be the third?"

"We haven't decided yet. I wanted her to get to know each of the guards a little more. At this time we're leaning toward Lance. Since he'll have first shift, I'm hoping Tabitha can talk to him a little longer and get her own feel for him."

The men seemed satisfied with the answer. She yawned, the excitement was taking its toll on her.

"Felix, why don't you work up a schedule for the guards and then you can finish enjoying the party if you wish. Plan another meeting with the guards for tomorrow morning after breakfast. We need to go over a plan for dealing with Pierce."

"Yes, sir." He stood, ready to leave.

Marcus and Raja didn't move, as if they understood Ty wasn't finished with them.

"Ty, I know it's against the protocol, but I think Tora should be informed." Raja rubbed his hand over his head.

"He's right." She turned to face Ty, who was still standing behind her. "With both Raja and Marcus standing with us, she'll be in danger. It's not just her that we have to worry about, but Scarlet also."

"Okay. Marcus, retrieve her from the party and return here."

# Chapter Twenty-One

Tabitha had changed into her plaid pajama pants and tank top and was stretched out on the sofa when Tora came in, carrying a sleeping Scarlet.

"I was wondering where the party went."

"Have a seat, sweetie." Marcus took the sleeping child from her, giving her arms a break.

"Tora, come sit with me." Tabitha patted the cushion beside her. "We just want to talk to you." She slipped her legs under her, giving Tora room to sit.

"What's going on?" Tora eyed everyone suspiciously, lowering herself beside Tabitha. Marcus still stood, softly rocking Scarlet.

When no one else took the lead, Tabitha took over. "Tora, we asked for you to join us so we can explain what happened tonight, and some changes in the future."

Ty leaned against the armrest beside Tabitha. "We're telling you this because Raja and Marcus have both agreed to be a part of the operation, and there's danger involved. We want you aware so you can take precautions for you and Scarlet."

"What danger could we be in?"

"Marcus and Raja have taken a new position..." Tabitha took a deep breath before continuing. "They tell me you know the legends of the tigress who will come from my line and unite the tigers."

"Yes, it's a legend my parents passed down to us." Tora nodded.

"It's not a legend. It's true. Tabitha is the one." Raja spoke from the window he stood by.

"How do you know this?"

"She can open the book of her line. She has her father's gift, and it's what our parents always told us."

Tora took a moment to think about it before finally nodding. "Why does this place us in danger? Dad never made it sound dangerous."

"Tora, he told it to us as a bedtime story. If he made it sound scary, do you think you would have been able to sleep?" Raja ran his hand through his hair. "Pierce won't be the only one gunning for her. Once this is out...sorry, Tabitha, but it is true."

"I know, Raja. Tora, this will also place you in danger. With both your brother and husband as part of the chosen guards, it could make you a target." Tabitha watched Tora closely.

"Chosen guards?"

"The book said I must choose three guards to help with the tasks. Raja, as our Lieutenant, will stay in that position. I have chosen Marcus and Felix, and we're considering a few others for the final position."

Tora nodded, taking it all in.

"No matter the situation, you're always in danger being my sister." Raja moved closer to her.

That very statement reminded Tabitha of how Ty ended up with his scar, but it didn't seem to faze Tora. She just nodded. "True. What can I do?"

"There's nothing to do at the moment," Ty assured her. "But we wanted you to understand the situation and be on your guard. If there's ever a time we feel the danger level for you is high, we will assign you guards. We'll do everything we can to protect you and Scarlet."

"Thank you. Scarlet is my main concern."

"We understand." Tabitha laid a hand on her knee.

"He has been detained." Lance strolled through the door before he realized they were not alone. Tora still sat on the sofa.

"Who?" Tora asked.

"I'm sorry, sir."

"You know better than that, Lance. However, Tora has been informed of some of the situation. Being Raja's sister, she is in more danger than most of the clan." Ty turned to Tora before continuing. "Chris Knight. He's charged with treason and conspiracy to commit murder."

The shock she felt was written clearly across her face. "Chris..." She murmured under her breath. Tabitha wouldn't have heard it had she not been sitting next to her.

"Were you close?"

When Tora didn't answer, Raja spoke up. "They used to be close, before Marcus came to the clan."

"We drifted apart once Marcus and I were mated, but I always hoped he would get his life together and find his mate."

"Would it be all right if I walk my wife back home and put Scarlet to bed?" Marcus asked.

"Just don't be long." Ty nodded. "When you return, take your position at the door."

Marcus reached for Tora's hand and pulled her up. He wrapped his free arm around her and they left.

"Lance, take your position outside the door until Marcus returns. When he does, we would like to speak with you privately."

"Yes, sir." He nodded before taking his post.

The three of them were quiet for a few minutes before Ty broke the silence. "Raja, if you ever wanted to step down from your position as Lieutenant and start your own clan, now is the time to do it."

"I have no desire to leave. This is my home."

"Good. I wanted to get that out of the way before things were set in motion." He rubbed her shoulders gently. "I've been giving this some thought while Tora was here. Pierce's men are stupid enough to attack us here, so I want to be ready. I think they'll attack tonight after the party when everyone is exhausted. If I'm wrong, tomorrow we'll see if we can stage something."

"I agree. Which is why I think you need more than two guards."

"Fine. After the party, gather up some of the men and station them around the compound. I want them to be ready at a moment's notice, but I want the place to appear as if everyone is in bed. I don't want them to know we are expecting them."

Raja nodded at the same moment Lance opened the door.

"If this is a bad time, I can come back."

"No, Raja and I were just leaving. Keep Tabitha company until I return." He kissed his mate's cheek. "I'll be back soon."

# Chapter Twenty-Two

Tabitha ran her hand down Ty's chest, her head resting in the crook of his arm, as the compound began to settle around them. She knew there were guards ready to defend them, but her heart was still in her throat as the possible outcomes ran through her mind.

She felt powerless, and doing nothing was driving her crazy. These people were after her, not the clan, but her clan was ready to fight to their deaths for her. She'd never had that before—so many people caring about her. It was almost too overwhelming.

"What did you think of Lance?"

"I liked him. He seems to always be on guard. As if he's picturing the worst case scenario and is ready for whatever comes his way."

"Being ready for the worst makes you prepared for whatever happens. He's a good guard, and I believe he would make our core group stronger. He takes orders well and thinks outside the box."

Tabitha nodded.

"Then we agree on Lance?"

"What about his mate? Does she get a say in this?"

"Each mated pair is different. Some consider their spouse in the decision, and some do not. Marcus knows Tora well and knew he didn't need to seek her opinion before accepting. It isn't normal for the guards to be able to discuss situations with their mates. Assignments are normally on a need-to-know only basis. If Lance wishes to decline the position, that is his right, however with the current situation, he will not be able to discuss it with his mate until it is made public."

"You mentioned mating hormones before. Do you think Lance's head is on straight enough for this?"

"That is a concern. I think he would be perfect for the position without the mating. Now that he is newly mated, his thoughts are on other things." To show what he meant, he kissed her neck. "Then what do you think of Thomas?"

"He takes orders well." She let out a soft moan as he continued to kiss her neck. "I can't think if you keep doing that."

"That's the whole point."

He slipped his hand under her shirt, ready to tear it off, when his cell buzzed. "Damn it!" He reached for the phone, growling. "This better be good." He snarled. "Okay. Stand by until they make their move. Don't let them escape." He, glanced at the phone, hit a button, and was silent for a moment. "Raja, they're approaching. Get Felix. I want you both over here." He slid the phone back into his pocket as he turned to her. "Ready for this?"

"Not in the least bit, but what choice do we have?"

"Have you ever handled one of these?" he asked, pulling out a gun from the nightstand drawer.

"I've never shot a gun before."

Ty had just finished showing her how to work the gun when the soft creak of their door being opened echoed through the room. He had instructed everyone to leave the lights off, giving the impression they were asleep.

"It's just Raja and Felix," he whispered. "You're going to be fine. Just remember to stay behind us, and if Felix tells you it's time to move, you move, no questions asked. I don't care what's happening to me, you go with him. I'll find you when it's safe." He leaned down until their foreheads were touching. "I love you." He kissed her.

"Felix, if anything happens to her..." Ty growled.

"She will be safe. I'll protect her with my life."

The bedroom door opened, and everyone braced for action. There was a good chance whoever was on the other side of the door wasn't friendly.

"It's Thomas," came a whisper as the door inched open.

"What the hell are you doing, Thomas?"

"I saw Lance leave his post, and I wanted to check it out."

"Shut the door. I'll deal with Lance later. Where's Marcus?"

"He's still on watch. They were heading this way." Thomas closed the door behind him.

"Then we better be ready," Ty said, eyeing Felix, who nodded.

Something tumbled to the floor in the living room. Tabitha stiffened as they readied for what was coming. Ty and Felix moved to stand in front of her, blocking her view of the door, while Raja stood at Ty's side and Thomas next to Felix.

_If the time comes, will I be willing to shoot to kill and save myself?_ She wasn't sure of the answer, but still, she held the gun to her side, while the men had theirs aimed at the door.

The door splintered as the intruders kicked it in. So much for picking the lock.

"Stop right there," Ty hollered when shadowy figures entered the room.

The faint light coming in the window allowed her a glimpse of the face of the youngest man in the back of the group before he turned as if to run but found Marcus and another guard blocking the door.

Ty let out a deep growl as the two other intruders went for their weapons. "Raise those guns and you will die."

"Either way, we will die. It is better at your hands than at our Alpha's." The two men in the front weren't going to go down without a fight, while the one in the back looked terrified.

She couldn't take her gaze off the last guy. There was something about him, almost as if he wasn't there willingly. Before she could question it further, all hell broke loose.

In a split second, she heard Felix click the safety off on his gun as two of the intruders shifted. The third one stood there, apparently not knowing what to do. Felix pushed her back against the wall as Raja and Thomas shifted to be on equal ground with the others.

Ty braced himself, ready to protect her if they got past Raja and Thomas. Marcus already had the other man detained, cuffed, and on the ground outside the bedroom. He left the other guard to keep watch over the prisoner and came to assist with the others.

Growls echoed around the small space; one of the men leaped toward them but Raja countered him, quickly slamming the smaller tiger to the ground. The eerie sound of teeth breaking bone made her stomach roil while blood and hair scattered around them. It was hard to know which shifter was who, the only one she recognized was Raja. There was a different energy around him she was able to distinguish from the others, and he was a good fifty pounds larger as well.

Her heart skipped a beat as one of the tigers was thrown against the wall to land in a heap on the floor, where he didn't move. She could see the tiger's chest rise and fall with shallow breaths, but if he was not moving, he had to be seriously injured. _Don't let that be Thomas!_

The fighting went on for what seemed like hours, but only minutes had passed. Her heart was in her throat as she watched people fight for her, knowing that if it wasn't for her, this wouldn't be happening.

A second tiger fell to the ground, his throat ripped open. As he died, he shifted back to human form. With one dead and one severely injured, Raja and Thomas shifted back, allowing her to breathe easy.

# Chapter Twenty-Three

Tabitha stood there unsure what to do, everything had happened so fast. Was this what her life was always going to be like? How many times would she have to stand by and watch as people defended her?

"Finish him," Raja ordered, handing Thomas a gun before slipping on a pair of shorts Ty grabbed for him. The others pulled on clothes Ty had supplied and grabbed their weapons. Without hesitation, Thomas took the gun, walking toward the injured tiger. Tabitha tried to make herself call out, to tell Thomas not to do it, but she couldn't. The tiger in her knew this had to be done.

A shot pierced the night, and her breath caught in her throat. Tonight, as she'd embraced her tiger, she realized part of her human values had died.

"It had to be done. He was here to kill you. There was no way we could have trusted him after that." Ty put his arms around her, drawing her close.

She nodded, resting her head on his chest, breathing in his smell. "I want to speak with the prisoner."

"Tabby, I think that can wait until morning."

"No, I need to do it now."

He nodded. "Raja, allow him to sit. She can talk to him before he's taken to a cell."

Before Raja could react, his cell phone rang, and he tugged it out of his pocket to answer it.

"I'll deal with the prisoner," Marcus said as Raja moved away from everyone to take the phone call.

"The grounds secured?" Raja listened, staring downward in intense concentration. "No other intruders on the premises?" There were a few moments silence. "Good. Send out a search party and follow his scent. I want to be notified if you find anything." He ended the call.

"Thomas, help Marcus and close the door behind you." Raja slipped the phone back into his pocket.

When the bedroom door was firmly closed behind him and only three remained, he explained the situation. "There was someone down in the cells. Chris is gone, and the guard is dead."

"Shit! I didn't question him yet."

Tabitha decided to share her knowledge. "I don't think he would have been any help, but I think the one in the living room has information." The men eyed her inquisitorially.

"What gives you that impression?" Raja wondered.

"I watched him. He knows something. He didn't want to be here but had to be. If I can speak with him, I think I might be able to find out whatever he's hiding." She took Ty's hand. "Raja, go ahead out there. We will be there in a moment. I want to speak with my mate first."

Tabitha sat on the corner of the bed, Ty kneeling before her. "Explain to me this feeling you're getting." He took her hand in his and gently caressed it.

"It's hard to describe. There's a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. Sometimes I can just _tell_ something." She tried her best to explain.

"I think you might be coming into another gift."

"What do you mean?"

"As mates, we're able to sense each other's emotions. You shouldn't be able to pick up on the feelings of others, but I think you are. This is one of the abilities some of the members in your line have." He stood, raking his hands through his dark hair.

"I already have my ability."

"It's possible to have more than one. Maybe you'll have whatever ones you need to bring the tigers together."

"We don't have time to question this now. Let's deal with the situation at hand, and then maybe we can consult the book. Maybe there's some kind of answer in it." She took a deep breath. She wasn't sure how many of these abilities she could handle without it becoming overwhelming.

# Chapter Twenty-Four

Tabitha stepped into the living room with Ty by her side, to find the man slouched on the sofa. His head hung, and tears glistened in his eyes. The guards standing beside and behind were ready to leap into action if the situation called for it.

"I don't think we need everyone here," she whispered to Ty.

"Everyone except Raja, Felix, and Marcus, resume your duties. We have this under control now."

"Thank you," she murmured.

Marcus stood behind the sofa, while Felix watched from the side; Raja and Ty stood beside her.

For the first time, she was able to get a good look at the man before her. He was in his early twenties, young, and if her impression was right, he was a new shifter. There was an odd smell to him. It wasn't as if he'd just come from another clan, but as if he was entirely different.

"What is your name?" she inquired.

"Connor, ma'am."

"Why?" she said simply.

The sorrow poured off him, almost drowning her in it.

"Why what?"

"Let's start with, why are you here? What led you to this point? You didn't act like the others."

"I'm here because I was ordered."

"Ordered by whom? If you were ordered, why didn't you attack like the others?"

"You already know by whom. I didn't attack because none of this is about me. I didn't have anything to do with it and didn't want to be a part of it. I have nothing against you and see no reason you should be killed. Yes, I know his reason for it, but then he should be doing the dirty work, not sending others out to do it."

"If you don't believe in the cause, then why are you out here fighting for him?"

"I have no choice."

"Everyone has a choice." She could feel his sorrow mix with resentment.

"I didn't."

"Why not?"

"It's a long story."

"She's trying to save your life, and you don't even have the decency to answer her questions." Ty growled, his patience growing short. "Answer her or the guards will escort you to your cell while we decide your fate."

"One of his...Pierce's followers murdered my mother a few years ago. He took me under his wing and gave me a place to live. I knew someday there would be a price to pay for it, but I never expected he would want me to kill someone for him."

"What about your clan?"

"Mom was sort of a lone wolf."

She finalized realized what she smelled. "You're a wolf."

It was more of a statement than a question, but he still answered it with a nod.

Ty took a step forward, earning him a glare from her.

"Wolves are a dangerous breed," he said as if that explained the move.

"I know some find my kind to be unstable, but I mean no harm to anyone. I tried to find a way out of the situation, but they were under orders to kill me if I didn't complete the assignment. I thought I could find a way to get away from them, but up until we entered the bedroom, I was smashed between them."

His words vibrated the truth through the room, touching her core. Ty didn't seem convinced, or maybe he wasn't taking any chances, but he still had his body angled in front of her, ready to protect her.

"You had to know Pierce was dangerous before now. Why stick around him all these years?"

"Dangerous, yes, but all shifters are dangerous to a point. Certifiably insane is a whole different ball game."

"Why did you stay?"

"It wasn't until recently I understood how crazy he is. I had a job offer and was supposed to leave a few weeks ago. I thought I would have been done with him then."

"Then why are you here?" Ty snarled.

"When I told him about the job, he nearly killed me. I just recovered."

"What can you tell us about Pierce's plans?" She touched her mate's arm, trying to calm him.

"I don't know what you did to him, ma'am, but he will stop at nothing to see you dead." Sorrow shone in his eyes.

"I didn't do anything to him personally. It's more about who I am." Ty shot her a warning look, and she knew better than to go into details. "What are his plans? Where is he staying?"

"He didn't tell me his plans. Only that he wanted you dead. They're staying in a cabin on the mountain."

"Give us directions. We need to locate him." Ty motioned to Raja, who seemed to understand the silent communication.

Raja grabbed a pad and pen from the desk and handed them to Connor. "If you make any attempt to escape or to place any of us in danger, we will kill you. There will be no questions." He un-cuffed his hands, allowing him to write the directions down.

"Understood," Conner said as he rubbed his wrist before picking up the pen.

She had adopted a façade of grim determination and confidence, but inside she was frightened. _Will going after Pierce and his team threaten the family I found? Will someone die in my place?_

# Chapter Twenty-Five

"The men are on their way to the location. They'll call when they have the suspect in custody. Connor, if this lead is the truth, you might have earned your freedom," Ty said as he and Raja returned from the debriefing conference room.

Connor stayed silent as if he were considering his fate. Tabitha knew he was wondering if he was going to die that night. He didn't have family or friends who would miss him, but he had dreams he wanted to accomplish before it was his time.

"Connor, I want you to shift into your wolf..." She didn't get to finish; Ty cut her off.

"Absolutely not!" he shouted.

"Ty—"

"There's no way that's going to happen. He's more dangerous in animal form. I will not have it, not with my mate in jeopardy."

She moved closer to him so they could discuss it calmly between themselves. "I might be able to sense more than he could tell us. Something only his subconscious knows."

"It's too dangerous." His eyes flashed with anger.

"He won't harm us."

"You don't know that. This could all be a trap." He stood with his arms across his broad chest, staring down at her.

"I can feel he's telling the truth, he means me no harm. You know this could help us. Let me do it before it's too late, before Pierce has a chance to escape or make a move."

"You're my mate. I'm supposed to protect you. This _isn't_ protecting you."

"You trusted me with Lukas, so trust me now. We can take precautions if that makes you feel safer." She laid her hand on his arm still crossed over his chest. "I wouldn't put myself in danger for the hell of it."

"Raja, Felix."

The men came to stand next to them.

"Against my better judgment, I'm allowing this. We'll stand in front of her. If he makes a move, kill him." The men nodded, and Ty turned around to face Conner. "Go over to the corner over there. I want you far enough away from her. When you shift, lay on the floor. If you make a move, you will die."

Connor moved into place, removing his clothing when he reached the corner. Ty touched her cheek. "My mate, I love you."

"I love you too." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"We're ready," Raja said from behind them.

"Let's do this before I change my mind."

"Shift when you're ready." She stood protected by the men. She had a spot between Raja and Ty that she could see through, but it was like being behind a wall and only being able to see through a small window.

The magic gathered in the air as the boy transformed in front of them. A gasp escaped her lips as she saw Connor's life play out before her. Ty watched her from the corner of his eye but when she nodded, he turned his attention back to the wolf.

She closed her eyes, giving full attention to the memories of his life. It wasn't until the recent memories of Pierce that she could feel his anger. Not at her and her men, but at Pierce. Pierce tortured the boy at every turn, making his life hell. She finally understood why he'd stayed. No other pack would allow him in now that he was associated with Pierce, for fear of problems.

She saw his memories of what happened before he came to the compound. Everything he'd said to them was true, but seeing them, she was able to realize things he didn't. There was a suitcase sitting by the door in his memory.

_Any idea where he's going?_ she mentally asked the wolf.

She didn't get a sense he understood what she meant. His memories continued to play out before her, leaving her the impression he hadn't seen the suitcase.

"Pierce is gone. You won't find him at the cabin. He left some of the others behind but took his key people with him."

"How do you know this?" Ty asked.

"There's a suitcase in his memory, next to the door. When Connor walked in, there were bits and pieces caught. I don't think he put them together, but I did."

"So he told us the truth about his involvement?"

She didn't answer, just nodded as she saw another house in his memories. This house had bad memories, and she could tell he didn't want to go back there.

"Whose house is that?" Then she saw both his mother and Pierce. "You can shift back."

But nothing happened. Connor laid there in wolf form, not moving.

"He can't," Raja said as she began to wonder what had happened.

"Oh, hell," Tabitha exclaimed. "I forgot you mentioned weaker shifters aren't able to shift back. Why was he so willing when he knew this would happen?"

"I don't think he thought he had a choice. You're an Alpha. Even outside his pack, he understands authority." Ty moved to give her a little more room to see between him and Raja. "I'm sure if he didn't know it before, once Pierce came into his life, he knew it."

"But I have questions I want him to answer." She sighed. "It's different than with us. He has to think of the image or memory."

Ty gave a little squeeze to her hand, letting her know she shouldn't go on. "It's the best we can do right now. He won't be able to shift for at least another few hours."

She sat down on the sofa and ran her hand through her hair. She was drained, and it was going to take time and patience to get the answers she wanted.

"Connor, you showed me a picture of Pierce and your mother. I don't understand how they owned the house. Was there something between them?"

He shook his wolf head and showed her his mom, a coffin, and then Pierce.

"Pierce took it over when your mother died."

He let out a howl, as if to tell her yes.

"How did your mother know Pierce? She had to know him to leave him the house, and for him to take you in."

She wanted direct answers, but all she was getting were bits and pieces of things. Her brain was too tired to put the puzzle into a whole. She rubbed her temples, trying to figure out how everything went together.

"Tabby, why don't you get some sleep? You can question him more when he changes back."

"What will happen to him while I sleep?"

"He'll be made comfortable. Once he shifts back, he'll be tired and need to rest also. When he wakes, you can continue this. Right now there's nothing more that can be done, you're only going to stress yourself out." Ty sat down next to her.

"I don't want him in the cells," she whispered.

"Tabby..."

"No, they know where the cells are. I won't risk losing him back to their hands."

"He isn't a stray dog you can find a new home for," Ty said roughly.

"I never said he was. He needs help to get out of this situation, and I want to help him. He's giving us information. It's the least we can do."

"Least we can do." He snarled. "Did you forget he was on the team that came here to kill you?"

"No, I didn't forget, but he didn't kill me and he didn't want to. He surrendered to Marcus."

He let out a deep growl. "Woman, you're going to be the death of me."

"Just put him up in one of the guest rooms with guards, then we'll both be happy. He'll be secure and comfortable."

He just stared at her before nodding. "Raja, arrange it."

"You won't do anything stupid that makes me regret this decision, will you, Connor?" His mind told her his thoughts were already on a nice, comfortable bed. "Connor, focus one more time. There was another man with you tonight. Who was it?"

She saw a picture of an older man with gray hair and a limp. The man lived a hard life, and if the memory was correct, didn't look as though he had long to live.

"Any idea who it was?" Ty asked.

"I see the man, but I don't know who he is. I'll ask him about it later."

"They're ready for him," Raja said, getting off the phone.

"One last thing. Did you know Chris?"

Nothing came to his mind. "Ty, do you have a picture of Chris? Maybe he doesn't know him by name but by face."

He grabbed the picture of the clan from a nearby shelf. "Last one, second row on the right, but you're not getting near him to show him."

She grabbed the picture out of his hands and set it on the floor, halfway between Connor and the door.

"On your way out, look at the picture." She moved to Ty's side.

The wolf trotted toward the door, stopping at the picture. Memories flooded her mind, of him and different people, but she couldn't make sense of it.

"Think about it and we'll talk about him and everything else when you wake." The wolf howled in frustration. She could tell there was something he wanted her to know, but he couldn't get it across to her.

# Chapter Twenty-Six

The next morning, Connor woke feeling refreshed. He hadn't slept that well in ages. For the first time in a while, he didn't have to worry about someone coming in to kill him while he slept. He wasn't constantly checking over his shoulder for Pierce. There was a weight lifted from his shoulders, allowing him to breathe easier, even if it was only for a bit.

He wasn't an Alpha and never had the desire to be. After his mother's death, he'd wanted the comfort and security of a pack but because of Pierce, no one would accept him. He was a lone wolf, and lone wolves didn't survive long.

Pierce took him in, gave him a place to sleep and put food in his stomach, but Connor never was a part of the pack; he did it out of loyalty to his mother. _Loyalty. What does Pierce know about loyalty? More like guilt. Guilt over getting her killed._

He lay in bed, knowing there was a guard just outside his open door to make sure he didn't try to escape. _Whatever they do to me, it's better than what Pierce would do if he found out I was still alive. How will I ever get myself out of this situation? Maybe if I can help them..._ He racked his brain, trying to figure out a way.

The man in the picture from last night, he recognized him. Chris. He got wrapped up in this mess to save his stupid sister. _Didn't they say he was taken from one of the prison cells?_

Knowing Pierce that meant Chris was dead. He wouldn't let someone survive who could hold something over him. Without Chris, his sister didn't stand a chance.

_Chris? Maybe he's the key to all of this. If he was anything like his sister, he would have kept records._

Jumping out of bed, he slipped into his jeans that someone had remembered to grab. Zipping up, he found the guard standing in the doorway. "I need to speak with your Alpha and his mate."

"They will speak with you when they're ready."

"Trust me. I have information they need. Please, just tell her I asked to speak with her."

The guard unclipped his phone from his belt and hit a button. "It's Adam. He's awake and demanding to speak with her." He ended the call. "She will get the message. Just hang tight. There's a television out here if you wish to watch some while you're waiting."

He hated waiting. It made him want to climb the walls, but he knew there was nothing he could do. Forcing the situation wouldn't help.

"He's awake and wishes to speak with you," Felix said, pouring coffee into a mug for Tabitha.

"Finally." She let out a sigh of relief.

"Finish your brunch, mate, and then we'll have him brought in." Ty eyed her over his e-tablet as he read the reports from the guards.

She was still in her plaid pajama bottoms and tank top as they enjoyed their brunch. Ty had kept her in bed long after they woke. She'd enjoyed the early morning sex and cuddling, but she wanted answers. Rolling her eyes, she popped another strawberry in her mouth. "I'm done."

"Mate, you're the most impatient woman I know." He shook his head. "Have Raja escort him in."

She stood from the kitchen barstool and moved closer to him. With his attention still on the reports, she kissed his neck. "We have a few minutes," she whispered after getting the soft purr she loved.

"I need more than a few minutes. You'll get your answers, and then you're mine for the rest of the day."

"Maybe I have other plans." She took his earlobe into her mouth, gently sucking on it.

"You'll forget all about them. Remember what I told you about mating heat. I can't get enough of you. You're always on my mind, I walk around with a constant hard-on. I need you."

She could smell them coming down the hallway. "Soon, baby, soon." She leaned down and kissed him.

"Not soon enough for me," he rumbled.

After a quick knock of warning, the door opened. Raja ushered Connor to the sofa.

"Morning, Connor. I hope you were able to sleep well," Ty said as they joined him, sitting on the opposite sofa.

"Very well. Thank you." He ran his hand over his knee. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to convey the message you wanted last night, ma'am."

"Jumping right in, I see. Good. The man in the picture...from your reaction, I assume you know who that is."

"Chris. Yes, I know of him."

"Of him?" she questioned.

"To be clearer, I met him only once, but I knew him through his sister."

"When he joined our clan, he told us he had no siblings," Ty stated, his brow furrowing.

"Then he lied to you. His sister got wrapped up in some bad stuff a few years ago: drugs and stuff like that, but then she got with Pierce."

" _Got_ with Pierce? What do you mean?"

"It's unusual for shifters, but you could say she's his girlfriend."

"Shifters don't really date like humans do," Ty said, turning to Tabitha. "They might go out on a date or two while waiting to find their mate, but it isn't the same as when humans date. Born shifters have mates. When we find our mate, we know it and pursue it. But before that, there's no reason for a relationship. We can get our needs met or go out, but relationships are something that is rare, since we'd know there's no future there."

"But Pierce isn't a born shifter." She tried to understand how that would relate to Pierce.

"True. There are very few bitten shifters, so it isn't a proven fact, but it's believed that they do not have mates. They're just like the rest of the human population. They have to find the one they want to be with."

"Okay, but what does this have to do with anything? We're after Chris."

Connor leaned forward in his seat. "I think the reason Chris betrayed you is for his sister. She mentioned to me before that she wanted to get away from Pierce but couldn't. I believe Chris and his brother, Mike, thought he could exchange the information about you for his sister."

"Mike?" Tabitha squealed, feeling queasy at the sound of the name.

"He could have come to me. We would have helped him with his sister." Ty growled.

"Mike lives in Pittsburgh, from what I hear. He visits his sister monthly. They're close."

_Could it be the same guy? It can't be a coincidence that Alice was dating a man name Mike._

Ty obviously was thinking the same thing she was. He pulled out his cell phone, hit a few buttons and pulled up Mike's wanted picture before showing it to Connor. "Is this Mike?"

"Yes. What's he wanted for?"

"Murder. He killed my best friend, Alice. When the police went to arrest him, they found his apartment vacated. If he knew who I was, why not turn me into Pierce? My life should have gained his sister's freedom."

Connor shrugged, leaving the silence hang heavily in the room.

She pushed it aside to deal with later. "Why lie about siblings when he joined the clan? You said he has been here for years." She pointed out, trying to get the complete picture.

"They lost touch for many years. He thought she was dead until last year, when she reached out to him for help."

"I'm not an asshole, he could have come to me," Ty snapped. "There was no reason to betray me and my mate."

She laid her hand on his leg. "I'm sure he didn't see a way out of his situation, and when he traded the information, he didn't know I was your mate."

"He knew who and what you were," Ty hollered. "I'll see him dead for this."

"I'm sure Pierce already did that." When they both just stared at Connor, he continued, "You said the cell was empty. There's no way Pierce would have let him live. He would have assumed he knew too much. I'm sure he's dead."

"Then what information do you have?"

"His sister keeps a record of everything. I know she sent him letters and things. I think if you search his personal belongings, you'll find something that might be useful."

"Why do you think any of it would be useful?" Tabitha asked.

"If anyone knew anything, it would be her. She's the closest person to him. If he trusted anyone, it would be her without a doubt. Let me help search the room. I know her smell. I might be able to find anything that's there quickly."

# Chapter Twenty-Seven

Tabitha was stuck in the compound with Felix while Ty and the others went to search Chris's cabin. Time dragged, like watching paint peel. She understood why Ty wanted her to stay here, away from the danger. There was no telling what they would find in the cabin. It might be booby-trapped for all they knew.

"I can't take this." She growled and walked to the window again to see if she could see anything.

"Relax. They'll call when they find something."

"I hate waiting."

"I'd never guess." His words were laced heavily with sarcasm.

She gave him a look to let him know she wasn't amused, but he just chuckled. She could hear a faint ring. _What is that? My phone._ She raced to the bedroom, where her purse was, and pulled the cell from it.

"Don't!" He yelled at her.

Not listening, she hit the talk button and put it on speaker. She had a feeling she knew who it was, since the only person who ever called her was dead. "Hello?"

"You escaped my grasp again, but know this: Ty can't protect you forever. When I catch you, you'll suffer all the more for making me chase you."

"Then let's put an end to the games. Where are you?"

"You don't think I'm that stupid, do you? I know you would bring your guard dogs. Don't worry, we'll meet again and soon." With that, he hung up. She tossed the phone back in her purse.

"Shit!" He stood behind her, growling. "We should have put a trace on your cell, but we never thought he would call it."

"I'm not sure he'll call it again but to be safe, do whatever has to be done so we can trace it next time."

"We should let Ty know." He reached for his own cell.

"There's nothing he can do about it. It can wait until he's finished. He needs to concentrate on what he's doing. We can't allow them to be distracted and miss something."

"You're making a great Alpha Female and you'll be an even better Queen of the Tigers." He smirked.

"He what?" The anger rolling off Ty nearly buckled her knees.

"Just as she said, he called her cell phone while you were gone," Felix told him again, helping her to the window seat. "Control your anger. Look at what it's doing to your mate."

She could feel him trying, but his rage was out of control. "Come here," she bit out.

Ty sat beside her, and she wrapped her arms around his body. As they touched, the anger started to subside.

"Her phone should have been set up for us to trace the call."

"No one thought he would call, but I'll have it set up right away. Either way, she handled it well. You should be proud of your mate," Felix explained.

"I am, but I want her safe." He pulled her into his lap.

She didn't fight, because she wanted to touch as much of him as possible. "I'm safe. Did you find anything?"

"Connor and some of the guards are going through what we found. There were many letters from his sister and what appears to be a notebook in which he kept records of his contacts with Pierce. I came over here to get you. Pierce must have never considered there would be evidence, or he would have destroyed them."

"Well, let's go. I want to see what we can find."

After spending hours going through the letters and other things that were recovered from Chris's cabin, they still had no idea what Pierce's plans were. They knew where they might be able to find him, different houses and locations he'd used in the past, places he preferred, contacts he had, and a number of the people in his clan, but they were still no closer to stopping him.

"Wait, what about this Jessica?" Tabitha asked from her position on the sofa as she read through one of the notebooks.

"Jessica?" There was surprise in Connor's voice.

"You know her?" Ty asked, catching the disbelief in his voice also.

"Not really know her but know _of_ her. It's his sister. She's human, but she knows about shifters and Pierce's condition. If anyone would know his plans or where he is, it's her. She isn't supportive of his decisions, but still, he confides everything to her. He wants her to accept his life and approve of him."

"Thomas, see what you can find out about her—location, habits, spouse. I want to know everything you can find."

"I can help. I'm a master at computers and finding things people want to stay hidden," Connor stated, somewhat quietly.

Ty didn't answer right away but looked at her, who gave a small nod. "Okay, go with Thomas. If you two find anything, I want to be notified immediately."

Connor followed Thomas out of the conference room with a look of determination on his face.

"Now the rest of you, I want you to finish going through this stuff. Same thing stands. I want to know if you find anything. Tabitha and I will check in later." He reached for her hand. "Come on, mate."

She laid her hand in his, and he smoothly pulled her to her feet. She eyed him uncertainly. He led her out the door, Felix following behind them.

"I want you and I'm tired of waiting," he whispered, nuzzling against her neck.

# Chapter Twenty-Eight

They made it to the bedroom in record speed. Tabitha was ready for him. The heat and need vibrated through their bodies.

He slipped his hand under her shirt and pulled it over her head. "Mine."

She ran her hands through his hair, moving it away from his eyes. She loved to look into his eyes. It was like looking into his soul. There was so much love and compassion there.

"You have too many clothes on." She pulled at the gun shoulder-holster he wore, sliding it down his arms.

"Too slow." He jumped out of bed and stripped out of his clothes before she could blink. "Now _you_ have too many clothes on."

She slipped out of her pants. "Better?"

Running his hands over her body, he purred with satisfaction. The heat between them was growing, becoming overwhelming. "We waited too long."

Beyond words, she let out a hum.

"With the mating heat, if you wait too long, it's harder to control the beast within. It will be rough."

"I don't care. Just take me."

"I won't be able to control myself." Ty snarled, his body tense next to her, letting her know he was trying to control his own beast.

"I love you for who you are. Man, tiger and all. Nothing will change that. Please, don't make me beg. I want you."

Without hesitation, he slid into her, making her moan with pleasure. He roared, shaking the walls. This time, there was no exploring of each other's bodies. Their need had full control over them. Her lips touched his, and a spicy taste drew her in. Their kiss was fast and furious as if matching the pace as he slid in and out of her core.

A moan of desire escaped her lips, and her eyes closed as she soaked in the pleasure that surrounded her.

"Open your eyes, I want to watch your desire build."

She opened her eyes as her body arched. Her lusty needs came forward to match his urgency.

Her nails dug into his back as ecstasy found them. His release was announced with a roar.

He slipped out, rolling to lie next to her, their legs still tangled. She curled into him, her head on his chest, and listened to his heavy breaths. Her leg draped over his as they enjoyed the after-bliss.

"I didn't realize it before, but our marks come alive when we're together," he said, raising his hand so she could see.

The brand glowed a faint gold light, as if there were a light bulb beneath the skin.

_Interesting._ "Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know, but it's fine with me as long as more don't keep appearing," he stated with a laugh.

"One is enough for me."

"Tabby, before you sleep..."

Opening her eyes just a crack, she looked up at him.

"I think Thomas should be the third chosen guard. I know you liked Lance also, but after last night, he isn't trustworthy. I still need to deal with him running off to be with his mate."

"I agree about Thomas. We'll tell him later. Why did Lance go to his mate? Did he think she was in danger?" She ran her hand over his chest, feeling the tight abs under her fingers.

"I wouldn't be so upset about it if that was why, but that isn't the case. He was horny. Since it was quiet, he thought he had time to get his needs met without anyone noticing him. He didn't see Thomas coming as he was sneaking away."

"What will you do to him?"

"He will be suspended from our guards and required to work the perimeter. He'll also have to work with a partner to keep an eye on him until we can trust him again. If he screws up, the punishments will be more severe. Or if things would have gotten out of control last night and you were injured, he would have been at fault. I don't think he realizes that if last night you would have been injured or killed, I could have demanded his death."

"His death because someone else harmed me?"

"Yes. Guards have the duty to protect their charge, or you, in this case. If they fail, then they will be held accountable. It's the way of shifters."

# Chapter Twenty-Nine

They were spending so much time in the conference room, it was starting to feel like a second home. Whoever designed the place should have had it connected to Ty's quarters instead of in a space down the hall. At least the walls were a cheerful yellow, giving a light and airy feel even if there were no windows.

Thomas and Connor sat across from them in the debriefing room. Raja and Felix stood close to the door.

"Connor found the sister. It was buried, but Jessica is living in California. She's attending college there for her PhD—you'll never believe this—for animal psychology." Ty looked over the notes on Jessica as he debriefed the guards.

"Very good. With any luck, she'll be of some assistance to us. We'll have to get someone to go check her out," He rested his hand on her leg.

"If possible I would like to assist whoever goes," Connor stated. "I have met her and might be able to help. She knew my situation and felt sorry for me. She tried to tell me to get away from Pierce before it was too late. If she's going to open up to anyone, I think I have the best shot."

"We'll discuss it and let you know. You have been a great asset to us, and we appreciate it. My mate believes you mean us no harm and will not betray us. If you're inclined to stay on, we would gladly provide you with a cabin of your own."

"Thank you." Relief washed over Connor's face. "I'd like to do what I can to help you and your clan take down Pierce."

"We appreciate that. I think your computer skills might be of great use to us." Ty took a sip of coffee. "Connor, if you could give us a few minutes to speak with Thomas, then he can show you to Guest Cabin One."

Connor rose and walked toward the door. She could feel his emotions playing havoc on him. He was thankful for the chance Ty was giving him, but she could also feel his fear that he was placing more danger on them.

"Connor, I'm really glad you will be staying with us. There's no need to worry any longer. You're safer here than anywhere else," she told him as his hand closed around the door handle.

He nodded and closed the door behind him.

"Thomas, last night you proved yourself worthy of protecting Tabitha. I'm sure you know the legends that a female tiger will come and unite all tiger shifters." Ty didn't wait for an answer. He just dove in head first. "They're true. Tabitha comes from a long line of strong tigers, and she will be the one."

"I suspected she was the one. My understanding is there hasn't been a female from her line in generations."

"Great, then we don't have to drag this out. We've been tasked with finding three guards to help us with this transition, and we would like you to be a part of the team. There's no use lying. It will be dangerous, but there will also be rewards."

"I'm flattered. May I ask who the others are?" Thomas placed his hands on the table and leaned forward.

"Marcus and Felix are the other two choice guards. Raja will remain our Lieutenant throughout and once the transition is complete. The next step will be put into motion soon...but for now, this must go no further than this room."

"I understand. If there's nothing else, I'll show Connor to his cabin." Thomas pushed back his chair and rose.

"That will be all. Once you're done, you may have the night off. Get some rest. You have guard duty in the morning." Ty stood as well.

"One last thing. I think you made the wise decision in allowing him to stay. His technological skills will be a great advantage for us." Without another word, Thomas was gone, leaving a heavy silence in the room. Raja and Felix stood, waiting for Ty to make a move.

"Could you give us a moment?" She asked as Ty paced.

The men opened the door, stepping through before shutting it again.

"What's wrong? I can feel your uncertainty racing through you." She went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, hoping to bring him some comfort.

"I'm questioning who to send to speak with Jessica. Raja is the most convincing and most likely our best shot of getting information out of her. But he is also my right-hand man, the one I would trust to keep you safe if something happened to me."

"Nothing is going to happen to you, love. I was thinking you should send Leo. At such a critical time, I don't think any of the key people should be far apart. Keeping Raja, Felix, Thomas, and Marcus near for the next stage is what I was thinking. If we need to send in reinforcements, then send Raja. Let Leo and Connor go scope out the situation, and we'll go from there."

He lifted her, making her wrap her legs around his waist, then kissed her—long, deep, passionate kisses that made her want to rip his clothes off. A moan escaped her mouth.

"Soon, my love. First, we must finish business." Without letting her go, he hollered, "Raja!"

Raja opened the door and peeked in. "Yes."

"Find Leo and tell him he and Connor will be leaving tomorrow night to speak with Jessica. Fill him in on the situation and then make the arrangements. He has seventy-two hours to find her and get the answers we need from her."

"Yes, sir."

"Also let Felix know to stand guard, and we do not want to be disturbed unless there's an emergency."

Raja closed the door, and Ty continued where he left off. He tugged her sweater over her head, growling. "Mine. All mine."

" _Always_ yours. I love you, Ty."

# Preview: The Tiger's Heart

When Raja Harrison, Lieutenant of the Alaskan Tigers, rescues Bethany from kidnappers, nothing will ever the same. It should've been an easy rescue, instead he finds she's not only injured— _she's his mate_. He'd always believed his job was too dangerous to risk having a woman in his life. Now Bethany threatens what's left of his fragile control.

A rogue shifter wants Bethany Thompson and is determined to destroy all she holds dear, along with the tiger shifter population. When she's kidnapped and beaten, her whole world tilts on its axis. The shifter problems now are her problems as her family secret comes to light.

Can Raja and Bethany join forces with the other Elders of the Alaskan Tigers to bring down the rogue shifter—or will the rogue destroy all Raja seeks to protect?

# Chapter One

There was no way they'd let the rogues get away; most of the leads turned into dead ends, but they had to explore every avenue regardless. Papers and maps cluttered the table. The search for Pierce filled every hour. The flow of viable information trickled, some of it useless.

The situation ate away at Raja's gut, while Ty's agitation shown on his face. They seemed no closer to finding Pierce, yet they sensed his men were in the mountains watching them. His teams of assassins stalked the area, waiting for them. Rarely did anyone leave the compound, especially not the women and children—not with the danger surrounding them.

"Raja, stop pacing. You're going to wear a hole in my favorite rug," Ty's mate Tabitha teased. She watched him over her coffee mug. "We've got enough men out there searching all the spots Pierce and his gang frequent. It won't do you any good worrying now."

He smiled, unable to help it. Tabitha had a way of lightening the mood. Raja hoped his future mate—whoever she was—would be gifted with the ability to make those around her smile the way Tabitha could. She'd been through so much, yet always seemed more concerned about others than she was herself.

He couldn't sit still. The hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention. Something wasn't right. Something was about to break; he could feel it in his soul. He ran his hand over the windowsill. Outside looked like a winter wonderland. Thick, white snow weighed down the tree limbs and the weather reports forecasted more snow over the next few days.

He stopped his pacing to update Ty and Tabitha. "Leo and Connor arrived in California and are on their way to locate Pierce's sister. It's extremely unlikely he's there, but maybe she'll be able to tell us something."

"Keep me apprised of the situation. I want them back within seventy-two hours, or we send another team. We don't have time to waste." Ty sat reading the reports from the teams spread out all over the country; not one of them had spotted the rogues. Pierce knew they were searching for him, but they didn't expect him to hide. He had murder on his hands, he'd attacked other tiger shifters; maybe he finally knew his days were numbered.

Raja nodded, still gazing out the window.

"I need to go speak with some of the guards. Raja, could you look after Tabby until I get back? I don't want to leave her alone in case there's another attack."

"Sure."

"Thank you." Ty rose, kissing his mate's cheek. "I shouldn't be long, love."

Once they were alone Raja heard Tabitha push her chair back from the table, and listened to her approach in sock-covered feet.

"Raja, are you okay?" She laid her hand on his back, offering comfort. Unfortunately, it only worked on a mate, but the caring gesture touched him.

"I'm fine. You have enough to worry about. Don't concern yourself with me."

"I don't believe you. If you ever need to talk, I'm here. It will go no further than us."

"Mates don't keep things from each other." Reservation thickened his voice.

"To help a friend in need I would do what needs to be done. Raja, I haven't known you very long, but I consider you a part of my family and can see your pain." She rubbed his back.

"Thank you, but everything is fine with me. It's you I'm worried about. I can feel something bad is coming." He wasn't being entirely honest. Something else bothered him, but he couldn't put his finger on it, let alone put it into words to tell his Queen.

"We'll get through it. We know Pierce is still out there and after me. He has a larger following then we guessed. I know it's your job as our Lieutenant to worry, but we'll survive."

The invisible ear bud allowing him contact with command central and the ground teams sprang to life. _"Breach. We have a breach at the main gate. All available units respond."_

"Shit. Where's Felix?" Raja turned to look at Tabitha.

"Ty gave him the morning off since we were meeting with you and wouldn't be leaving our quarters. Go. I'll be fine."

"Like hell. You have to be protected." She had her own transmitter, allowing her to hear the same alerts, and fear spilled off her.

_"Raja, stay where you are. Felix is on his way. I'm proceeding toward the main gate,"_ Ty's order came through the transmitter, further cementing Raja's decision to stay put.

"Tabitha, come away from the window." He could feel her reluctance, but his job was to keep her safe. "Everyone always forgets about the windows. You feel safe and secure inside the houses, while the sharpshooter is waiting. Waiting for you to walk past the window."

The words seemed to frighten her, and she stepped back, visibly paling.

Unlike the other guards, Raja hadn't vowed to protect her because she was their Alpha Female and Queen of the Tigers. No, his vow had been made to her mate. Ty had saved his ass more than once and the best way to show his appreciation was by keeping Tabitha safe.

# Chapter Two

Two knocks then a pause followed, but one more let him know Felix was on the other side of the door. Felix, Captain of Tabitha's Guards, had a key to the quarters. The knock was a warning not to shoot him.

"Things are contained now," Felix said, sliding the lock back into place.

"What was the breach?"

"It sounds like a news crew."

"A what?" Tabitha frowned.

"A news crew, here to interview you."

Tabitha continued to stare at him as if he'd grown two heads.

"About your friend Alice's murder," he explained.

"Oh, just what we need, news crews. Get rid of them. I want nothing to do with the whole mess."

"Ty's working on it. He explained this is private property and they have no right to step foot on it. He'll get rid of them. In the meantime, sit tight."

_News crews, who would have guessed?_ Raja chuckled to himself as he watched the exchange. After Tabitha's human friend had been killed, it was only natural they'd want to talk to her.

A roar shook the walls, echoing in the small space, jerking him out of his amusement. "Tabitha, calm yourself. Your body isn't ready for this yet. Don't force it." The energy she radiated would make anyone in the room shift if they weren't careful. It vibrated along his skin, prickling every nerve.

"Ty, we need you back here. Now!" Raja hollered, hitting the button on his ear transmitter. "Tabitha, Ty's on his way. Keep it together a few more minutes. Come on. You can do this." Roars echoed from the other side of the door as Tabitha's primal energy caused other tigers in the vicinity to shift; not everyone was strong enough to fight the primitive command.

_I hope they got the reporters to leave before tigers started roaming the grounds._

_"I'm on my way. Situation?"_ Ty's voice crackled through the ear bud.

# Chapter Three

_I should have been paying more attention to Tabitha's emotions. Allowing her to get that close to a shift without my noticing was something I won't let happen again. _Raja helped himself to another mug of coffee while he waited for Ty. Felix had left to deal with the guards.

Ty re-entered the kitchen, shoulders slouched and steps dragging as if he should've been asleep. His body didn't appear to glide as it normally did. He ran a hand through his long, dark hair and yawned. Raja poured another cup of coffee and slid it across the counter.

"Thanks."

Raja nodded and sipped his coffee. "You should be sleeping. I can deal with the reporters."

"I have no doubts about that. I needed to discuss something with you." Ty took a drink of his coffee and raked his hand through his hair again.

Raja tensed. His friend wasn't tired; something else weighed on his shoulders. Something troubled him.

"What's going on, Ty? We've always been straight with each other."

"I know I told you Tabitha's friend Alice was murdered. Well, it seems as though the suspect is out on bond. The team I sent to keep an eye on him has been unable to locate him. He's disappeared."

"Bond? You're shitting me. He murdered two girls." Raja couldn't believe what he heard.

"Seems as though the justice system is fucked up. Jails are overcrowded. From what I can tell, it looks like someone pulled the right strings to get him out and there's only one person I can think of who'd do that."

"Tabitha's safe as long as she's in the compound. We'll double her security to ensure that."

"It gets worse." Ty finished the last of his coffee. "He's teamed up with his mob connections and Pierce."

"How the hell did they find each other?" Apprehension thickened the air. This made things so much more dangerous. The sooner Tabitha could go through the change, the better; she'd be able to protect herself easier once she changed.

"I'm guessing through the mob connection. We knew Pierce had some limited connections. The mob likes shifters on their payroll for extra protection."

"How much longer until the change?"

"A week, two at most. She's close. Today proved it." Ty stood and put his coffee mug in the dishwasher.

"Are you going to tell her?"

"Sooner or later, yes. But not yet. I don't want to push her into the change too early."

It was the reasonable choice. "Then rest with her. You both need each other now. Let me fill Felix in, we'll get a plan together and keep an eye on things."

Ty nodded, slipping away to be with his mate.

Raja poured himself another coffee. The day promised to be long. He could tell the stress of not being able to make Tabitha safe ate at Ty.

_If that's what it's like to be mated, I don't want any part of it._

He sat in front of the laptop, trying to put his finger on Pierce's next move. With all the information they had, there was no reason why they shouldn't have a new lead.

His cell phone dinged, letting him know that he had a new text message. It read, _She agreed to meet us this evening. Will let you know how it goes._

Leo was always short and to the point. With a little luck, Pierce's sister would be willing to help, not that it would protect him. No way could they allow him to live after so many had died at his hands, especially not after the attacks on Tabitha. Raja would kill him with his own hands if he had the chance.

While Tabitha showered, they put together a quiet meeting to discuss the plans to double her guards without making her aware of any danger. Raja wasn't convinced it was the best way to deal with the situation, but it was what Ty wanted.

"With Leo gone, I'd like Adam to be temporarily reassigned to Tabitha's guards. We _need_ the expanded manpower," Felix stressed when they reconvened in Ty's office.

"As long as he's teamed with a more experienced guard. He's used to guarding the grounds, not the Queen," Raja cut in. "If she has another episode like this afternoon, he won't stand a chance against the magic she exudes. We need someone who will still be able to fight if danger arises."

"Understood, Raja. I'll team him with Thomas."

"Very well then." Ty tapped the desk with his fingers. "We have the guards teamed up and scheduled. Remember, Tabitha doesn't need to know about—"

The door opened and silence fell.

Tabitha glared. Her face spelled out the truth; she'd overheard them and they were about to pay. "You don't want me to know about _what?"_

"It's nothing, darling." Ty rose from behind his desk to go to his mate.

"Nothing, my ass. You have been acting suspiciously all day and I want to know what's up." Anger threaded her voice, as clear as an Alaskan Tiger's stripes.

Raja inched toward the door. The last place he wanted to be was in the middle of an argument between mates—especially his Alphas.

"I never took you as a coward, Raja." Her words startled him. Any chance of slipping out the door without her knowing vanished.

"My Queen, I'm not a coward, but it's not my place to get between mates."

"Then tell me what's going on, since my mate would prefer to keep me in the dark." She fixed her irritation on him.

He could see Ty's position, but he was stuck. His Alphas wanted different things. "Tabitha, I think this is something you need to discuss with him. The only thing I can tell you is we're increasing your protection. We were meeting to discuss the guard schedule."

" _Doubling_ my guards?"

Ty dropped onto his desktop in defeat. He didn't want to go up against his mate. "Tabby, things have become more dangerous. We're only trying to protect you."

"Keeping me in the dark isn't protecting me, Ty."

"With all due respect, she cannot afford the stress this is putting on her. Tell her," Raja murmured. It might not be his place, but he couldn't stand to see them both so torn up.

"Oh, that'll be less stressful for her, will it? Now you think you know what's better for my mate than I do!" Ty snapped.

"This is ridiculous," Tabitha snapped. "You can't keep it from me and we can't take our anger out on Raja. Don't shelter me. If I'm truly the Queen of the Tigers, then I have a right to know what the danger is."

"Leave. I'll fill her in." Ty growled.

Raja wasn't sure if Ty had given in out of defeat or because he realized they were right, but it didn't matter. Tabitha needed to know.

Once he'd departed, Raja paced his quarters, unable to calm himself. He couldn't put his finger on it. There was something in the pit of his stomach that left him feeling ill. He checked the surveillance of the compound and everything appeared calm. Too calm.

_The calm before the storm. Oh, I hope I'm wrong._

Nothing to do but wait—wait until the other shoe dropped. He'd never been good at waiting. He needed to run. Stripping off his clothes, he shifted.

# About the Author

Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, Marissa Dobson now resides about an hour from Washington, D.C. She's a lady who likes to keep busy, and is always busy doing something. With two different college degrees, she believes you're never done learning.

Being the first daughter to an avid reader, this gave her the advantage of learning to read at a young age. Since learning to read she has always had her nose in a book. It wasn't until she was a teenager that she started writing down the stories she came up with.

Marissa is blessed with a wonderful supportive husband, Thomas. He's her other half and allows her to stay home and pursue her writing. He puts up with all her quirks and listens to her brainstorm in the middle of the night.

Her writing buddy Pup Cameron, a cocker spaniel, who is always around to listen to her bounce ideas off him. He might not be able to answer, but he's helpful in his own ways.

**Don't miss a new release, sign up for my** **newsletter** **.**

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# Also by Marissa Dobson

**Alaskan Tigers:**

Tiger Time

The Tiger's Heart

Tigress for Two

Night with a Tiger

Trusting a Tiger

Alaskan Tigers Box Set Volume One

Jinx's Mate

Two for Protection

Bearing Secrets

Tiger Tracks

Healing the Clan

Alaskan Tigers Box Set Volume Two

Her Black Tiger

Tiger Trouble

* * *

**Forever Creek Shifters:**

Forever's Fight

* * *

**Crimson Hollow:**

Romancing the Fox

Loving the Bears

A Lion's Chance

Swift Move

Purrable Lion

Bearly Alive

Saved by a Lion

Furever Mated Box Set

* * *

**Stormkin:**

Storm Queen

* * *

**Reaper:**

A Touch of Death

* * *

**Beyond Monogamy:**

Theirs to Treasure

* * *

**SEALed for You:**

Ace in the Hole

Explosive Passion

Operation Family

* * *

**Marine for You:**

Lucky Chance

Back from Hell

A Marines Second Chance

* * *

**Tanner Cycles:**

Until Sydney

* * *

**Phantom Security:**

Different Sides

* * *

**Cedar Grove Medical:**

Hope's Toy Chest

Destiny's Wish

Leena's Dream

* * *

**Fate Series:**

Snowy Fate

Sarah's Fate

Mason's Fate

As Fate Would Have It

* * *

**Half Moon Harbor Resort:**

Learning to Live

Learning What Love Is

Her Cowboy's Heart

Half Moon Harbor Resort Volume One

* * *

**Clearwater:**

Winterbloom

Unexpected Forever

Losing to Win

Christmas Countdown

The Surrogate

Clearwater Romance Volume One

Small Town Doctor

* * *

**Stand Alone:**

SEALed Rescue

SEALed in Texas

Through Smoke

Starting Over

Secret Valentine

Restoring Love
