"Orders were to kill the family but Dad said to spare you two. Chances were you wouldn't know what happened, he said." Ian snorted. "Obviously we were wrong if you're not surprised about this news."
"I saw everything." Julie felt sick. She needed to get out of there. "You tore my parents apart."
"Not me personally but I get the meaning. But your father should've kept his nose out of what he shouldn't know. It would have kept him safe and maybe he's be alive today for you and your brother."
Julie felt like she had been dropped into an alternate reality. This wasn't happening. She wasn't face to face with a wolf shifter who had obviously not come here for conversation judging by the look in his eyes.
She wished Ryan were here.
"So that's why you've come after me all this time?"
Ian rolled his eyes.
"Sorry to burst your bubble but this isn't a years-old vendetta. More like coincidence. You're fucking the tiger king and he's a danger to me. And I know, he'll be suspicious about his dad's death. I want him gone." He shrugged. "Whether he dies or leaves town, I don't care."
"But we haven't been intimate." Julie protested.
She hoped the lie would keep her alive a little longer.
"Don't lie to me. I know you have. Laura told me the two of you have been at it like rabbits at the office and everyone knew about it. After the hypocrite told Laura not to fuck people at work." Ian's eyes glowed but not from arousal.
"He's marked you as his mate and, as I'm sure you know, shifters are very protective when it comes to their mates. Go for his mate and you go for his weakness."
"Mate?" Julie was confused. "He hasn't marked me."
"Hasn't he?"
Ian pushed off the vanity and leant over the bath. Julie cried out as he grabbed her by the hair and checked her neck, running his finger over the smooth skin.
"You're right. No bites. Maybe he hasn't thought about it yet." Ian smirked. "Makes it easier for me."
Before Julie knew what was happening, Ian had lifted her out of the bath and was carrying her into the bedroom. She struggled but his grip was strong.
"Let me go!"
"You're not going anywhere."
Ian tossed her onto the bed and leapt on top of her, trapping her with his body. Julie gasped when she felt his erection shoved into her stomach, his hands pinning her wrists down. His eyes glowing brighter, Ian's smirked turned nasty.
"I'm going to have a sample before I send your body parts back to Lawrence. I'm sure I'll be able to see why Lawrence likes your fire."
Julie did the only thing she could do.
She screamed.
Suddenly, there was a loud snarl and Ian was pulled off her, flying across the room and hitting the dresser. Julie sat up and scrambled up the bed. What she saw in the doorway had her heart leaping into her mouth.
A huge white tiger prowled into the room. It was bigger than she expected tigers to be, its black stripes a stark contrast to its white fur. Amber eyes turned to her and they flared as the tiger snarled. But Julie saw the flash of brown in the amber and knew who it was.
Ian had moved to a crouch, his head bleeding. He howled and began to shift. Julie couldn't look away as his body contorted and changed, his clothes ripping until there was a huge wolf in Ian's place, his fangs on display as it snarled at the tiger.
The tiger pounced, knocking itself into the wolf. They fought, swiping at each other with their paws and snapping teeth. The tiger got a few good swipes in but the wolf was smaller and faster, sinking its teeth into the tiger's shoulder.
The tiger roared and shook itself, dislodging the wolf and flinging it across the room. Julie screamed as the wolf landed on the bed in front of her. It turned to her, saliva dripping from his jaws.
Then the tiger flew across the bed, knocking the wolf off, and they landed in a heap on the other side. The wolf landed one last swipe of its paw, cutting the tiger across the face, before scampering from the room. The tiger followed it, disappeared down the hall.
Julie didn't move. She couldn't move. What she had just seen was almost unbelievable. Two wild animals had just been fighting in her room. There was blood and fur everywhere to prove it. She felt like she was in a dream.
She could still hear the snarls and howls in the house. The fight was going on still. No way was she coming out until they were gone.
Suddenly, there was a pained whine and then silence. Julie felt as though she had suddenly gone deaf; it was too quiet.
Deciding to risk it, she slipped from the bed and slipped on her robe. Then she made her way through the house, following the trail of blood smeared across the floor.
She found them in the lounge. Ian had changed back to human and was in a bloody heap on the floor. One look at him and the gash across his throat and Julie knew he was dead. Swallowing back the bile, she turned to the tiger, which was crouched near the wall breathing heavily. Blood matted its fur and one eye was bleeding.
Julie watched in stunned amazement as the tiger began to shift and change. It was like watching Ian shift but in reverse. Moments later where the tiger had been, Ryan was lying, sweat beading his body. He was still bleeding.
#
"Ryan."
Julie ran to his side and knelt beside him. She touched his shoulder and jerked back as Ryan let out a hiss of pain. Then she saw the bloody bite marks on his back.
"Ryan, talk to me."
"I'm okay." Ryan sat up slowly. His face was pale and he was sweating. "It just stings."
It looked like it was doing more than stinging but Julie wasn't about to argue. He was in pain. She bit her lip, unsure whether to touch him or keep her distance.
"Do you need me to do anything?"
"I just need a few moments." Ryan rested his head against the wall. "The healing still hurts even as a born shifter but it's fast."
Julie watched him as he closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. Then she saw his wounds knitting together, the blood still matting his skin but now there were no marks. It was as if he hadn't been bitten by a huge wolf.
But she didn't feel repulsed. She didn't even feel scared. She was...fascinated.
"So you're a tiger shifter."
Ryan opened his eyes and looked at her. He looked pained and it wasn't from his wounds.
"I'm sorry I never told you."
"Was your father a tiger?"
"He was. The King." Ryan looked away. "I took over when he died."
"I thought shifters lived longer than humans." Her father's research had said shifters couldn't live centuries if they were careful. "How come Jonathan died?"
"Being a tiger shifter doesn't stop you from having a heart attack." Ryan tried to stand and slumped back again with a grimace. "Help me to the bathroom, will you? I'll shower and get myself sorted."
Julie took his hand and helped him to stand, slipping an arm round his waist. It was then that she realized he was naked, his cock on full display for her. Even when he wasn't erect, he was still big. She gulped and looked away. Now was not the time to be thinking about sex.
Their progress was slow but Julie got him to the bathroom.
"Where are your clothes?"
"In the car."
"I'll get them." Julie put the lid of the toilet down and made him sit. "Just stay there."
Leaving him staring at the wall, Julie hurried out to his car. She found a duffel bag on the passenger seat and snatched it up. Then she went back inside, trying not to look at the body in her lounge.
She would have to call the authorities about that unless someone had called the cops about a disturbance. She hoped Ryan had an idea how to deal with the body because Julie didn't want to deal with it.
Ryan was where she had left him when she got back to the bathroom, his face in his hands. His shoulders shook and Julie realized he was crying.
"Ryan?"
Julie dropped the bag and knelt in front of him, resting her hands on his knees. Ryan took a shuddering breath and lowered his h
ands, wiping at his eyes with his wrists.
"I'm sorry, Julie."
Julie smiled and took his hands, pressing a kiss to each palm.
"I forgive you."
Chapter Seven
Ryan stared at her. He had lied to her and made her do things she didn't want to do for her own safety and she forgave him?
"You forgive me for not telling you the truth?"
"You had your reasons." Julie smiled. "I'm not stupid as to hold a grudge when I now know it was for my safety. That's why you had me move into that apartment next to yours, wasn't it?"
Ryan cupped her cheek in his hand. The adrenaline was beginning to wear off. So was the fear when he saw Ian on top of his mate, preparing to harm her. She was okay. She was safe.
"I figured if they were after your workplace then they would go after you next. So I took the step to make sure you were protected."
Julie nuzzled his hand, pressing another kiss to his palm.
"Thank you."
Ryan slid off the seat to his knees and gathered her into his arms. Julie hugged him back, her head tucked against his neck. It was then that Ryan let himself completely relax. His tiger felt calmer now he had his mate in his arms.
"I'd do anything for you, Julie." He nuzzled her hair. "I wasn't going to lose you."
Julie drew back a little and looked up at him, her green eyes sucking him in.
"Am I really your mate?" She whispered.
"My beast says yes." Ryan kissed her nose. "And I say yes."
Julie grinned. She touched his jaw.
"You know, I've always been fascinated by big cats." She whispered. "And the tiger was always my favourite animal."
"Nice to know." Ryan chuckled. "I'm still amazed you didn't ask."
"I was trying to take in you were a shifter first. I don't think I was yet prepared to know what you were."
Ryan grinned and kissed her, pulling back when Julie tugged him closer. He laughed at her pout and tapped her nose.
"That's going to have to wait until I'm not covered in blood. I'm going to have a shower and then we're going back to the ranch. I have something for you."
"What is it?"
Ryan grinned and winked.
"It's a surprise."
#
"What are you doing to do about Laura?" Julie asked.
It was an hour later. Ryan, now showered and dressed, was driving Julie back to the ranch. Julie had also dressed in an old pair of jeans and a baggy black t-shirt of Charlie's. Greg and some of his men had arrived when they were about to leave, Greg promising to clean the place up and move the body. Julie worried what the authorities would say but Greg assured her he would make sure nothing was left to implicate her or Ryan.
"I've already reassigned her work and cleared out her desk." Ryan glanced at her. "I've also notified the police. She should be in the cells by now."
Julie stared out the window.
"I still can't believe she did this."
Ryan laid a hand over hers in her lap.
"Don't beat yourself up. You didn't know."
"I'd still like to get my hands on her."
Ryan grunted his agreement and they drove in silence until they got to the ranch. Ryan pulled up outside his apartment and helped Julie out. He held her hand as they went up to the door and Ryan let them in.
Julie stepped inside and gasped. The whole place was lit with candles. Small ones were dotted around the room with two larger candles situated on the coffee table. The whole room smelt of cherry blossom, her favourite scented candle.
"Wow. When did you do this?"
Ryan stepped up behind her and put his arms round her waist.
"I called Greg just before I left to follow you and asked him to set them up."
He pressed a kiss to her cheek and led Julie to the couch, urging her to sit before sitting beside her. Julie looked around her, wondering what the special occasion was.
"What's all this for?"
Ryan sat back and pulled her to him. Julie squealed and fell across his lap. Ryan turned her so her bottom was snug against his erection, which twitched when she wriggled. Ryan groaned and held onto her.
"Stop it or I won't be able to tell you what I want to say."
"Sorry."
Julie stopped. Ryan rubbed his hand up her back, his other hand on her thigh.
"I was going to tell you all about me tonight. What I really was. You'd guessed half of it but I wanted you to know the other half. Because I had something big I wanted to talk to you about."
"Ryan?"
Ryan kissed her gently, pulling away when Julie started to kiss him back. He smiled, his eyes glowing warm amber.
"I love you, Julie." He said. "My beast knew as soon as it saw you that you were my mate. I wasn't going to let you walk away. Seeing you with Ian..." He let out a shuddering breath. "That scared me."
"It scared me, too." Julie laid her palm against his roughened cheek. "I'm glad you got there in time."
"I wouldn't leave you alone." Ryan kissed her palm and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small square box. "I know it's early and we haven't really gone on any proper dates but I wanted to give you this."
Julie took the box. Her heart rate picked up. She knew what this was but her brain was taking a while to process it.
"What's this?"
Ryan chuckled.
"Open it and find out."
Julie opened it. And gasped. It was a simple silver band, encrusted with tiny diamonds that sparkled in the candlelight.
"Like it?"
"It's beautiful."
Ryan nuzzled her neck, pressing a kiss to her ear.
"I was going to ask you to marry me tonight." He said against her jaw. "Be my wife and my mate. I always thought I'd never settle down before I was thirty, that I'd be my dad's age before I found my one and only but you blew that out of the water. I'm not letting his pass me by."
Julie stared at him. Had he really done what she thought he'd done?
"So this is a proposal?"
"Yes." Ryan looked at her anxiously. "Do you accept?"
Julie grinned. She slipped off his lap and held out the box, laughing at Ryan's confusion.
"Propose to me properly and I'll think about it."
#
Ryan laughed, his heart slowing down. For a moment, he had thought Julie was turning him down. He took the box and slid onto one knee on the floor, taking Julie's hand.
"Julie Fowler, will you marry an arrogant tiger? This arrogant tiger, to be exact?"
Julie laughed.
"Yes." She leant forward and took his face in her hands. "Because you're my arrogant tiger."
She took the box from him and extracted the ring. Ryan took the ring and slid it onto her finger, pressing a kiss to it when it was firmly on. Then he looked up at Julie, who ran her fingers across his jaw.
"Will you make me yours now?" She whispered.
Ryan growled.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
Ryan stood and lifted Julie into his arms. Then he carried her to his bedroom and laid her down, following her down. Pinning her to the bed, he kissed her slowly, remembering every inch of her mouth before he drove his tongue inside and tangled with hers in such an erotic dance Ryan felt dizzy.
Julie clutched onto him, rolling her hips against his cock. Her legs wrapped around his waist and held on tight, pulling Ryan against her soft body. Ryan knew he was going to come soon but he held himself back.
He needed to be inside her when he came. When he marked her.
His hands bunched the oversized t-shirt in his fists and Julie helped him take it off. Her bra followed it onto the floor and then Ryan was fumbling for the button on her jeans. Julie rolled away and wrestled off her jeans and panties, tossing them onto the floor with the rest of her clothes.
Ryan wasn't going to wait. One look at her naked body, lying across his bed like a beautiful nymph, he knew this wasn't going to go slow as he had planned it. He wasn't going t
o waste time with foreplay. From the smell filling his nostrils, Julie was more than ready for him.
His hands shaking, Ryan sat up and shucked off his clothes. Julie helped him take off his sneakers, lying back as he came down over her to devour her mouth. He settled easily between her thighs, thrusting into her as her hips came up to meet him.
Julie gasped and her inner muscles clenched around his cock. Ryan growled as she wrapped her legs round his waist and pulled him in even deeper.
Then he let lose. He fucked her hard and deep, pushing them up the bed until Julie was partially folded against the headboard. But she didn't complain. If anything, she clutched onto him tighter.
"More, Ryan." She cried out in his ear. "I need more."
Ryan obliged, clutching onto her hips as he jackhammered into her. Julie's cries were getting louder. She was very close. So was Ryan, his balls tightening as he pounded into her. His fangs lengthened and he licked a long line over her shoulder to her neck.
That had Julie tumbling over the edge. She screamed moments before Ryan sank his fangs into her shoulder. He felt her blood flood his mouth and that had him tumbling after her. He held on tight with his teeth and his hands as he thrust his cock one last time and released his seed, Julie's pussy still contracting around him.
Julie's body was still trembling as Ryan withdrew his fangs and licked the wounds clean. These marks wouldn't fade. They would be a permanent reminder to her and others who she belonged to.
Fingers touched his face. Ryan looked up and saw Julie smiling at him, her green eyes shining.
"I love you." She whispered.
Ryan grinned and sat up, taking her with him. His cock was hard again and he was ready for another round. Julie laughed and pushed him onto his back.
"Are you never satisfied?"
Ryan purred and thrust up, meeting Julie as she came down. He sighed at the feel of her pussy around his cock.
"Never."
***
PREVIEW OF ‘THE LION’S CHOSEN MATE’ (HUNKY SHIFTERS BOOK 1) BY ASHLEY HUNTER
Chapter 1: The New Boss
The Tiger's Reluctant Mate: BBW Paranormal Tiger Shifter Romance Standalone (Hunky Shifters Book 2) Page 7
