The last man, Baron, looked my way when he was finished. He snorted, shook his head, and then walked clear down the aisle and left the town hall.
Happy celebrations and congratulations went back and forth. I stood up over bobbing heads to watch the two men I loved most shake hands.
Just then, they were really smiling. My tiger purred her approval, rolling on the ground like she'd dipped her face in catnip.
It was late. The town hall had largely cleared out after the reception. I watched the last stragglers leave, tiger officials from my father's group. They had a long drive through the forest to get home ahead of Daddy in the morning.
My father didn't linger a moment longer than necessary. He'd made plenty of enemies back home who'd try to usurp him if he wasn't there to lay down the law.
I watched from the rocky hill overlooking the building. It wasn't easy to climb up it on four legs, but I didn't dare go in human form and rip my nice dress.
The cool night wind blew, ruffling my orange fur.
Her scent was carried on it. Somewhere out there, she lurked, reeking danger and treason in her fragrance.
My lips curled up and suppressed a growl. I peered deep into the night, watching for James to come out the back entrance.
He finally did a few minutes later. He exchanged a few words with Jacob, and then the other man was gone, leaving him alone at the edge of forests and hills.
I saw his ears prick up just like mine when the crunching sound in the woods began. A hulking grizzly emerged beneath the moonlight, whining pitifully at Alpha.
She lowered herself to the ground and became a woman. It was good to have Hannah's back to me just now.
I knew the bitch wouldn't keep herself away from him too long. The treaty was advertised all across the village, and she certainly would've learned about it.
Hearing her was bad enough, but seeing her?
Even the Gods wouldn't have been able to stop me from racing through the trees and laying into her.
I couldn't do that, though. Not yet.
I crouched low behind the rocks, tuning my tiger senses to their voices.
“I had a feeling you'd show up sooner or later,” James said.
“James...can't we put all this behind us? You know I didn't mean any harm. She's a stupid cat, but I never meant to hurt her. I'm guessing she's okay if the treaty went off without any hitch.”
“Yeah, it did. All thanks to my skilled negotiating after you nearly killed the daughter of the man who rules Tiger Bay. You're damned lucky you didn't get us into an all out war. I'd slap you across the face right now if I thought it'd help. Too bad I don't hit females.”
“No, I deserve it.” More crunching on the ground. She was getting very close him, cautious, but unable to resist his scent. “I never should've disobeyed you. I just wanted what was best for the clan.”
James tensed up and stood stiff. His nostrils twitched, inhaling the strange fragrance on her.
“What the hell have you done? You smell just like–“
“We don't need to say her name,” Hannah growled. “All I need to know is that you like it. It's good, isn't it?”
James breathed deeply. He didn't deny it.
Steam hissed out my nose and I pressed my long tongue to sharp teeth. Jealousy ruffled my fur.
There was a rustling of fabric, obviously her fingernails gliding across his chest. James groaned loudly. Way more loudly than he should've into the night.
All the signal I'd been waiting for.
My tiger went mad. She guided me fluidly over the rocks and through the trees, like I was darting through the air instead of bounding over ground.
Hannah was too slow, too amazed she'd laid her filthy hand on James, to hear me coming. She barely turned around in time as he pulled back and I soared through the air.
I knocked her flat on her face. She screamed.
My claws went into her shoulders again and again, raking her tender flesh, stunning her into flopping and screaming. She was too stunned to summon her bear, and it would've been awkward with several hundred pounds of pure tiger on top of her.
“Help me!” she roared, pushing one arm toward James.
Several feet away, he smiled and shook his head. No. It's too late for that.
My teeth clamped down on her throat, perfectly poised to unleash blood and shatter bone.
“I'm not the one who can make that decision anymore, Hannah. You've fucked up one too many times to be part of this clan.”
“But I'm yours, James!” she shrieked, convulsing beneath me. I growled, holding her down.
“Please don't kill me. I didn't mean it...the Gods know! How can you turn me over to this beast when you smelled my scent?”
He crept forward. I followed James' big, dark, handsome shape as he kneeled. He cupped her chin and lifted it to face him in one hand.
“You're an idiot, Hannah. Probably a fucking lunatic too. You need magic to make love potions. I don't care where you got the idea, you're old enough to know there haven't been any witches among this clan for generations.”
“But you liked it, James! You want me...what happened?”
James smile grew wider. “I pretended.”
My teeth pulled at her head. I stopped just short of severing her spine and nipped at a fistful of hair instead. Hannah howled as it tore away from her head in clumps. I spat it back at her, hating the scratchy taste on my thick tongue.
There's only one bear you truly like to taste, after all...
For the first time since this bitch sucked my blood, I was feeling healthy again. I held her down fearlessly, even when thick brown fur sprouted. Hannah jerked, making sounds more like a stricken grizzly than a human female.
“I get it. You don't like tigers very much. That's not gonna fly here in Denali anymore, though...”
James stood. The dark shapes behind him stepped forward.
I looked up and let her go. Hannah ran forward in such a panic she dove right into their arms.
Two burly tigers held her, pressing their guns into her sides. She screamed again, whipping around to face. Her eyes rolled like mad.
I took a step forward, growling, showing my teeth. James' calming hand sifted through the fur on my neck. My growl became a purr as he rubbed my head.
“The girl's got a knack for chemistry. Maybe with some proper training, you can use her in the gold mines. She's yours now, Shane.”
I looked up and saw Daddy smiling at my love for the second time. He nodded, stroking his chin.
“You won't see her filthy hide around here again.” He leaned down to Hannah as she jerked and spat, wriggling in his men's arms. “Save your energy for the ride down to my territory, bear.”
“Why don't you just kill me!” she spat. Not a real question, but a plea.
“James?” Shane looked up, waiting for him to answer that question.
“The tigers do things differently than we do, Hannah. The only killing they do is during rivalries or when they need some fresh meat. They save their killer instinct for real threats. For naughty girls like you, Shane and his boys will be collecting the blood debt you owe to his clan for a long, long time.”
“No! I won't be a slave to these mangy felines! I won't–“
One of the men stuffed a cloth into her mouth. Shane nodded, signaling the men to load her to the SUV they had parked around back.
Daddy and I had already said our goodbyes. He stood for a second, giving me one last wink and a smile.
The trap James and I set had worked perfectly. I couldn't smile in tiger form, but I tried to anyway, knowing we'd been successful because I learned cunning from the very best.
After they were gone, I stood with James, rubbing his trousers beneath the moonlight.
“You gonna do that all night? Love your fur, baby, but we both know I like to feel bare skin a whole lot more.”
I flopped to the ground. My tiger was happy, satisfied, and she sank back into my flesh and bones willingly
as I grew a woman's curves once more.
James helped me up, pulling me tight to his chest. His hands wandered, cupping me close. He stopped at my ass and squeezed.
Moaning, I wiggled against him, loving the way my nipples brushed up against his flat hardness.
“Did Reed tell you it was okay to get down and dirty?” Concern flickered in his beautiful eyes.
“Would you really turn me down if he didn't?” I ran my long nails over his strong jaw line, tracing it, reminding myself this handsome man was really mine. “Just for the record, it's okay. I'm totally healthy. Everything with the cubs is normal.”
James didn't need to hear another word. He kissed me, parting my plush lips with his tongue.
Oh, yeah. I was healthy again, all right.
As long as I had his heat surrounding my flesh and crackling deep inside me, I'd always be well.
I looked up as he ran his fingers through my hair, smoothing away stray leaves.
“I love you, James. More than ever.”
“Love you too, baby. Gonna enjoy your heart and body until I'm dust.”
We jerked up in bed with a start. Someone was pounding at the door after we'd fallen asleep late into the night.
It was probably close to dawn. The room still smelled like sex and love, but now our mutual fear mingled all around us.
The last few unexpected calls at the cabin had ended in a nightmare.
“James!” I hissed, reaching for him as he threw on his robe and headed out of our room.
“Stay in here, baby. Let me see what this is all about.”
I kept my distance, but I followed several steps behind him. He took the stairs quickly, and ripped open the door when he was in the entryway.
“Jacob?” James sounded surprised. “This better be good.”
“It's not good, sir. You asked me to secure the archives after discharging the Elders. Well, everything's in order, but I found something you need to know about while I was going through them.”
“You really interrupted our beauty rest over some damned paperwork?”
James stepped aside. Jacob moved in. I hid behind the corner above the staircase, pulling my robe tight.
Gods. We don't need any more bad news. Please, lend us some mercy, just this once...
“It's about your marriage, Alpha.”
“What about it?” James growled, pacing his lieutenant like a bear deciding when to strike.
“Before they sent Laura off to the cabin, they voted to annul the wedding. Treason charge, of course.”
“Then un-annul it!” James said with a swipe of his arm. “Those greedy fuckers ought to have all their decisions made null and void. We're the ones in charge now!”
I jumped when his fist hit the wall. Jacob cleared his throat, speaking more soothingly.
My brain was turning into melancholy mush. I'd forgotten all about the final vote before they dragged me off to prison. It never occurred to me it would be a problem after they'd been deposed.
Surely, it wouldn't stick, would it?
“It's not that simple, sir. You know we can't start throwing out old mandates just because we want to.
If we ignore the annulment, then maybe Cuddy ignores Greg's rank, also issued by the Elders, or old Jeremiah Horn decides their zoning law governing his repair shop no longer applies...”
Jacob's words disappeared, swallowed in my lover's growl. Footsteps beat across the ground, and then the gentle scrape of two men scuffling.
“Please don't shoot the messenger, sir!” Jacob insisted. “I'm trying to help.”
“Then get the fuck out of my sight. I already know how to put this right. Fine, we'll do it your way, just as long as you don't forget who's in charge around here now.”
The door slammed. I peaked around the corner just in time to see Jacob's shocked, angry face disappearing behind the wooden slab.
James' bear must've sensed me. He was tense, all his muscles flexed, when he turned and looked up.
“Baby, I'm sorry about all that...”
“I heard everything. Are we really...” divorced? I couldn't bring myself to say the awful word. The very idea made my heart weep.
After all we'd been through, wasn't there any justice in this world? I prayed he wouldn't let the Elders take away what we'd fought for the most.
“It's bullshit with a capital fucking B. Don't listen to him. Doesn't know what he's talking about.”
I folded my arms. “I beg to differ. He sounded pretty sincere. You can't just throw out their stupid law if it would screw with everything else...”
“I'm not going to. We're living in sin, baby, and it never felt better.” He wrapped me in his big arms, pulling me close.
What the hell? Is that you talking, James, or the bear?
I jerked away from him, beyond mortified. “What are you talking about? This is a disaster. You're not my husband.”
I choked on the tears. He grabbed me close, this time refusing to let me break away a second time.
Husband or not, I loved him with all my heart. Finding comfort against his powerful tattooed chest wasn't as hard as I feared.
“What're we going to do? We can't let them get away with this. Tell me we can't!” I pulled on his robe, looking up into his face.
Gods, why was he smiling? If he knew something I didn't, I swore I'd –
“You've got nothing to worry about. This is a chance to make a clean start.”
“I don't want clean,” I spat. “I want dirty, messy, messed up...just as long as it's with you. I want you to tell me I'm yours – right now!”
He grabbed at my hand, surprisingly fierce, shoving my fist to my face. My fingers twitched, and I eyed the ring he'd given me.
“Did slipping that thing on your finger give me your heart?” He shook his head before I did. “Fuck no, baby. It was blood and sweat that brought us together. That's what really made us love – not some sham wedding and not some stupid treaty.”
“But–“ His finger across my lips cut me off.
“Quiet. You want to see how much I love you? Fine. It's right here.” He lowered his head, brushing his stubble on my soft wet cheek. The warm prickle billowed through me, warming the chill left by this ugly situation.
“This is our chance to have a real wedding. Our chance to do it right. Clan law says a couple can get remarried in two seasons if they're really meant to be.”
“Two seasons! Reed tells me the cubs will be here by then.”
He took both my hands and squeezed, pouring more sweet whispers into my ear. “Perfect timing, then. You'll look damn fine to me in a wedding dress no matter how pregnant you are. But I doubt you want to walk down the aisle with our kids kicking in your belly.”
One hand curled around to my lower abdomen and settled there. Our kids. His words were just the kick I needed to see how right he was.
The legal crap didn't matter. Ring or no ring, we'd been properly mated, and if I couldn't wear the pretty loop on my finger legitimately for a few months, then so be it.
I'd rather have his love, his flesh, and his blood mingled with mine any day. Those were the makings of fated mates. Not some blessing from priests and courts.
“Maybe you're right,” I whispered softly. “I'm not a patient girl. You know that. But maybe waiting for this wedding will be okay...our love's enough, isn't it?”
“Yeah, it is, baby. Love is always enough.”
My tiger purred her approval, rolling on the ground. I brushed against him like a friendly cat, but beneath the gesture, I was all fragile woman, grateful to belong to this bear of a man.
VIII: Practice Makes Perfect Love (James)
I watched Laura coming down the aisle, the long wedding veil dragging behind her.
Gods, she looked beautiful. And how the hell did my girl get her plush, full figure back so soon after squeezing out a couple kids?
My eyes flitted over to the front row. Both rambunctious cubs bounced on their keeper's knee, an aide Shane t
rusted to watch over his grandkids while we got the show on the road.
It was a cold day for a wedding outside. Didn't fucking matter, though.
My mate and I wouldn't have it a day later, not when there were still a few leaves left on the trees before winter set in. Across the grassy field, instruments chimed, flutes and drum notes tuned to serenade a traditional wedding tune.
The altar was different too. Not just because it was happening in Denali, but because the black box underneath the old altar contained Old Spark's ashes. The Shaman had been found dead during the high summer, one with the spirits at last.
Laura stopped in front of me. Took everything I had to keep my bear under control. He whined his approval at what he saw, standing on both legs with a raging desire to unwrap the sweet curvy tiger before me and savor every inch of her.
Later, boy. There'll be plenty of time for that. Just gotta get through this damned ceremony first.
Really, it wasn't that bad. I'd never been much for pomp and shine, but this felt right. Besides, a man only gets to see his smoking hot bride in her wedding veil once.
Twice, in my case. Though this time was better because she wanted it.
The music stopped and there was total silence as Shane took his place next to the tigers. He watched us through narrowed eyes, still coming to terms with giving his daughter away to an Alpha bear, this time for real.
The priest opened his mouth to speak, but a loud rattle from the front row cut him off. The boys were at it again, Dean and Logan, hopping across their keeper's lap to play fight. Laura gave me a knowing smile as granddad took over, pulling them onto his lap instead, where they'd be much calmer.
Couldn't believe how fast they grew. Only a couple months old and they already had the size and strength of human toddlers. Wouldn't be long before they learned to control their animals, or so Reed said.
Better enjoy today and the big night coming up, I thought. Only a matter of time until we have two crazy boys who can turn into little bears with tiger's stripes.
“Friends, you all know why we're gathered here today,” the priest finally began. “This is a renewal, an honest exchange of vows, a rare love between very different hearts specially sanctioned by the Gods.”
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