Rising from the cedar chest, she did her best to convince herself that it was something else. The idea of Korbin out there facing an untamed, escaped beast was too much for her to handle. She couldn’t bring herself to go near the window. If they were all being torn apart by an angry beast she didn’t want to see it; her brain was doing fine on its own, producing images of their bloody demise.
Exhausted, she was overwhelmed by the temptation of crawling into bed yet still, she resisted. Sleep left her vulnerable. Needing to stay awake, she paced next to the bed, focusing on the pain. Every ounce of her hurt though it was nothing like the pain radiating through her midsection. She was lucky that the bullet had passed through, but the way she felt was enough to remind her how close she had come to Donald killing her.
Going back would be the signature on her death certificate, as would leaving him. He’d never let her go. As sheriff, he had resources others didn’t to help him locate her. Her only hope was to get as far away from him as possible. She had to leave behind every trace that Layla Cole existed. Run and hide. If he found her, there wasn’t a doubt in her mind he’d kill her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement through the window. The green of Korbin’s t-shirt caught her attention. Before she could stop herself, she went to stand next to the window, staring at a four-hundred-pound white tiger. If she wasn’t so terrified of what was about to happen, she would have been in awe of the beautiful creature.
“Korbin, no, get away!” she screamed at the window, begging him to hear her. “That tiger will rip you apart!” It wasn’t logical but she placed the blame on herself. If she hadn’t been there, if he hadn’t been treating her wounds, he’d have known about this escaped feline. Maybe then, the people here could have done something to protect themselves.
Korbin turned toward the building, the same amber eyes she’d seen moments before focused on her. His lips moved but she couldn’t make out what he was saying. She fixed her attention on his gaze. There was something in his eyes—it wasn’t fear but before she could make it out, he turned back to the tiger before him.
“Shoo, tiger.”
“He’ll be fine.” A deep male voice came from behind her, forcing her attention away from Korbin.
“Help him. Don’t let him die because of me!” she pleaded with the stranger.
“Because of you?” Sparks stepped into the bedroom behind the other man.
“If I hadn’t come here you’d have known a tiger escaped the zoo, circus, or whatever.” She stepped away from the window, toward Sparks. “How can you stay in here safely when he’s out there, facing that thing? Fuck it. I’ll do it.”
“You’re not going out there.” The other man stepped in between her and the door.
“Get out of my way. I can’t just sit by and do nothing.” She debated if she could take him on. Where Korbin’s muscles were tight and toned, this man was buff. His shoulders were wide, nearly filling the doorway, making it impossible for her to slip past him. The darkness in his eyes made him seem dangerous but his stance was relaxed. He didn’t even appear bothered by the fact a tiger was about to tear Korbin apart.
“We have our orders.” Sparks dropped into the accent chair next to the dresser. “Doll, it’s best if you get comfortable and wait for Korbin to come back.”
“The Alpha gave you orders and they were not to sit there and flirt with his…” His gaze darted toward her. “Go, Sparks.”
“I wasn’t flirting.” Sparks huffed as he rose. He glanced at her before moving toward the door. “Everything’s going to be fine. Korbin will be back in a few. Watch from the window if you don’t believe me.”
“Back? Are you insane? There’s a flipping tiger out there!” she screamed at him, unable to understand why no one else was freaking out. They were going to die and these idiots were treating the whole situation like an everyday event.
She’d lived through hell with Donald, fearful of anything that might have had him raising his fists at her. Now, this was how her life was going to end. Not at Donald’s hands but between the tiger’s teeth. Fuck my luck!
Just when Korbin had come close to having Layla tell him what she was running from, everything went off the deep end. Rather than learning about what his mate feared, he’d ended up standing in front of another terrified female—Merrie. Only, she was a tigress instead of human.
The clan had come a long way since he had taken over but she was the one he was most concerned about. Her feelings of pain and betrayal permeated the air, bringing his tiger forward. He didn’t know how but she had found out his plans.
“Shift and we can talk about this.” Keeping his pace slow, he approached Merrie. He didn’t want to spook her. The last thing he wanted was to have to hurt her because her beast was too much in control. Rather than listen to his command, she tipped her head back and roared.
“Korbin, no, get away!” Even through the closed window, he could hear Layla’s voice. The fear coating her words made his tiger want to lash out at the person causing her such terror. He had to find a way to tell her about shifters but this wasn’t how he wanted her to find out.
Sensing that Zaz and Sparks had reached Layla, he was free to take care of Merrie. He could face Layla’s reaction to the tiger later. Another rage-filled roar from the tiger in front of him snapped his focus back to the issue at hand.
“Shift. Now.” The order from her Alpha left no room for negotiation, forcing her transition.
One minute a snarling white tigress stood before him, the next a naked female crouched on the ground. Her energy snapped from the sudden forced transition, and she bowed her head in submission. Her long white blonde hair hid her face from view, while her emotions were streaming through their connection. Through the rage there was a trace of remorse for her display.
“Rachel.”
At the sound of her name, Rachel went to the woman and wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.
“Come with me.” Rachel coaxed.
“I must speak with our Alpha,” Merrie pleaded.
“I gave you that option and you snarled at me. Now go with Rachel and I’ll be there to speak with you shortly.” He kept his voice flat, allowing no emotion to seep through. He wasn’t an uncaring Alpha, but her display could have been disastrous. Not only because there was a human on the grounds but also because her tiger had been so close to the surface.
“You’re sending me—”
“Enough,” he hollered, cutting her off before she could spark fear in the others who had gathered. “Now go.”
He wasn’t ashamed of his decision and would gladly announce it to the rest of their small clan, but he wanted to speak with Merrie before it became public knowledge. Only one person besides Zaz knew of the plans. Kasar. It was time he had a conversation with the guard. The man was good at his job but he wasn’t always cautious of who might be lurking, overhearing him giving out orders to the guards under his watch. This was the second time such a thing happened. So far, they had been minor incidents but the next time, it could lead to a major security breach.
First, though, he had to check on Layla. The terror she felt at seeing the tiger reached out to him and tightened his chest. It was time to relieve her fears. If she’d witnessed Merrie’s transformation back to human he’d have some explaining to do as well.
Mating—it’s never easy, but always worth it. His father had repeated those words many times when he was a kid. Until now, he hadn’t realized how true they were. Mating with a human would make things harder, though if he could turn the clan around, he could make her understand his tiger wasn’t something to be feared. Whatever she was running from, his tiger would provide protection for her. She was his mate.
“Korbin.” Larry jogged across the lawn toward him. “I just heard Merrie had a meltdown. Need help?”
“She’s on ice for now. I gave her the opportunity to shift and talk but she refused. Now she’ll wait and I’ll deal with her in a bit. Until then, Rachel is with her
. She knows my plan to send her to Alaska.” He continued toward his quarters, Larry falling into step beside him. “I could use your help with something else.”
He paused outside the door that would lead him back to his mate and turned toward the other man. Larry was one of the members from the West Virginia Tigers that Jinx had loaned him. While the others were helping with security and training the guards he acquired, Larry was there as an electrician. He was the reason why they were so close to getting the new building complete. He had his work cut out for him, but Larry had the connections to obtain the information he needed.
“I need to know when to expect Raja and the others. More importantly, when Galen arrives, I need him in my quarters immediately.” He rested his hand on the door handle but didn’t twist it to open the door yet.
“This is concerning the human who arrived earlier, isn’t it? Rumors are circulating she’s injured.” When Korbin nodded, Larry continued, “Did Rachel tell you the whole story? Did she tell you who the man involved in the incident is?”
“No, but it wouldn’t change anything. She’s my mate.”
“Might not change anything but it matters.” Larry tipped his head toward the door. “Step inside. Trust me, it’s not something you want overheard.”
Knowing the man well enough, he did as he suggested. Opening the door, he stepped into the long hallway leading toward his quarters. At the other end of the hall stood the dining area. No one would be in there; they’d be completely alone. “So, who do I get to kill for terrorizing my mate?”
“It’s not that simple.” Larry adjusted his toolbelt and leaned back against the wall. “Your mate is tangled up with the sheriff.”
“Fuck!” He ran his hand over his face and up into his hair.
“My sentiments as well. It won’t be long until he comes looking for her and trust me when I say he’s a real asshole. You need to keep everyone on alert and keep those shifting away from the gate.”
“Why didn’t Rachel or Sparks tell me?” It wouldn’t have changed anything but this was information he needed to know and they’d withheld it from him. Mentally, he added another thing to his list. He’d have to speak with them after he put extra guards on duty and spoke to his mate.
“I don’t believe Sparks knows. Rachel let it slip when we were talking. That’s how I learned the man’s identity.”
“Well, she’s not going anywhere, so when you contact Raja, fill him in. The team might not want to stay, but I need Galen to heal her.” He shook his head as the pieces started to fall into place. “No wonder she didn’t want to go to the hospital, and I can understand the stench of fear that came off her when I mentioned they’d report a gunshot wound to the authorities. Shit.”
“Go explain things to your mate and get the full story. I’ll contact Raja and check with Rachel to make sure she has Merrie under control.” Larry pushed off the wall and rose to his full height. “We’ll protect her.”
After Larry left, Korbin stood there for a moment, allowing the new development to sink in. Without Larry and the others from the West Virginia Tigers there, he might have been more concerned for Layla’s safety. He needed to find a way to protect all of those around him, especially his mate. This threat was human but the next one might not be. He was prepared for what would come. Layla on the other hand had no idea that she stood in the middle of the tigers’ lair with danger around every corner.
Chapter Four
Unable to tear herself away from the window, Layla stood there, looking for any sign of Korbin or the tiger. Where had they gone? Her attention had only been diverted for a couple of minutes and when she turned back to the window, they were gone. No blood stained the ground and while that should have been a good sign, it did little to put her mind at ease. Somewhere out there the tiger still lurked, waiting to tear someone limb from limb.
“Come on, Korbin, where are you?” Her gaze landed on Rachel who had her arm wrapped around a woman wrapped in a blanket. Had she been attacked? She wanted to pound on the window to warn Rachel to get into a building, but they were too far away for them to hear her.
“I assure you, he’s fine.” The man holding her prisoner in the bedroom remained standing by the door.
“How would you know? You’re safe indoors while he’s out there somewhere fighting a wild tiger on his own.” She didn’t need to look at him to know he had the same knowing grin he’d sported for a while. Bastard. Who the hell was he? She had only just met Korbin and she seemed to care more about him being ripped apart than someone from his own family.
“Trust me. I’d know if he was hurt.”
With the cockiness in his tone, she embraced the rage burning within her and spun around to face him. His lack of care for his own leader infuriated her. How could anyone be so heartless? Was he trying to take over Korbin’s position? She didn’t understand his easygoing personality, especially considering the crisis they were facing.
“You’d—” Her words were cut off as she caught sight of Korbin step into the doorway behind the man. His black hair looked as though he’d raked his fingers through it a hundred times since he’d rushed from the room. Her gaze slid down his body, looking for any injuries. With every inch she scanned she expected blood, instead she found nothing. “You’re alive.”
“Zaz, I need you to wait in the living room for me.” Korbin strolled past the other man, coming directly to her. “I told you I’d be back.”
“But the escaped tiger…how?” Alone with him, she reached out and placed her hand on his chest, to reassure herself he was truly there. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
“Shh, baby.” Wrapping his arm around her waist, he carefully brought her close. “You need to rest. The blood loss and stress are taking their toll on your body. Your heart is beating so fast.”
“The tiger…it’s my fault. If I wasn’t here you would have known.” She sank onto the bed and shook her head. “What are the chances of me showing up here and there being a loose tiger running through the woods? How did it even get here? The zoo? Circus? We’ve got to do something.”
“Layla, listen to me, everyone is safe. I don’t know where you got this crazy idea but there’s no escaped tiger.”
“No, I saw it.” She pulled away from him so she could get a better look at him. “Wait, what? A pet tiger is illegal.”
“Sweet Layla, you have no idea what you’ve walked into.” He took her hand in his. “I’ll explain but I need to know something first. The man you’re running from, the one who shot you, is he the sheriff?”
“How…” Her mouth dropped open as she stared at him. “Rachel told you, didn’t she?”
“She’ll wish she did, but no. He is, isn’t he?” With her silence, he squeezed her hand, reassuring her. “Baby, I need to know.”
“I should go. He’ll find me and with a pet tiger it’s only going to cause more problems with me here.” She tried to pull her hand back but he held tight. “Please…”
“Layla, I’ll protect you. Trust me.”
“Trust you? You won’t even tell me about the tiger. You say it didn’t escape from the zoo and you had no comment on whether it’s your pet. What am I supposed to think when you live out here in the woods in secret?”
“Fine—you want the truth, I’ll give it to you. The tiger isn’t an it; her name is Merrie and Rachel is with her right now.”
“No, I saw Rachel, she was helping a woman—”
“White blonde hair, about five foot tall? That was Merrie, same person. I know you saw it because, even though you couldn’t see me, I could see you.”
“What are you talking about? How could that be the same person?” This time, when she pulled her hand out of his, he didn’t fight her. She scooted back from him, bringing her leg up on the bed, under her and putting space between them. “That’s the thing of movies. It doesn’t actually happen.”
“Tell that to my tiger.” He chuckled. “Do you need me to shift to prove it to you?”
“You’re a tiger?” She tried to keep her emotions hidden, but she could do nothing to keep the shakiness out of her voice. Her stomach churned as she tried to make sense of everything he was saying. A tiger and a human in one. That wasn’t possible. He didn’t look crazy, but the words coming out of his mouth would have him locked up in a padded cell if the wrong person overheard him. “Does that make you like a weretiger? No, werewolves can only shift during a full moon. It’s the middle of the day.”
“Nah, that’s Hollywood for you—fiction. We’re shifters. We can change from human to our animal and back at any time. Day or night. It doesn’t matter. The stronger we are, the easier the transition will be. Merrie is weak, so she’ll be resting most of the day. Tomorrow she’ll have her strength back. My friend, the healer, he’s one of us too—that’s why he can help you.” His lips curled into a half smile. “I know this is a lot to take in but it’s the truth.”
“If so, that’s more reason for me to leave.” She wasn’t sure if she believed him or not, either way she knew she couldn’t stay. There was no doubt in her mind Donald would have a field day exposing them for what they were as he brought them down for helping her. To him she was just a belonging. His belonging. He would see them harboring her as the ultimate betrayal. “If Donald finds out—”
“He already knows who we are. Trust me, he’s not going to cause problems.” He leaned across the space she had put between them and placed his hand on her leg. “You can feel the truth of my words if you focus.”
“Why? Donald lied to me so many times, and I never knew until it was too late.”
“The reasoning might be more than you can handle at the moment.” He let out a light chuckle. “Who is he to you?”
“My fian—” She shook her head. “No. I’m tired of lying.”
“Then tell me the truth.” He reached up and cupped the side of her face. “Trust me so I can help you.”
“Donald always had a thing for me, but I would never give him the time of day. There was something about his attitude that got under my skin, a look in his eyes that chilled me to the core. I knew he wasn’t the man he presented to everyone else. I’m not sure what happened but a couple of years ago my father and Donald’s paths crossed. Whatever happened, my father was in trouble. Donald made an offer: to marry me on my twentieth birthday and Dad could live.” The words slipped out before she could stop them and there was a freedom to the reveal that she hadn’t expected. “It was either see my father die or marry a man I despised. Who knows what he might have done to my sister and me after he killed our father? My sister is all I have left, especially since Dad is…”
Alpha Claimed (Alaskan Tigers Book 13) Page 3
