“I saw it in Victor’s thoughts. It didn’t make sense then. Hurry, Connor, I can’t explain why, but I know urgency is a must.” Tabitha squeezed her eyes shut.
“I will. I’ll get Lukas in here to look into Boston so I can focus on the house in Virginia. I’ll contact you as soon as I find anything.” Connor ended the call.
“Tabby, what is it?” Ty wrapped his arm around the back of his mate.
“I can’t put my finger on it. I just know we have to hurry. I need time to put all the pieces together. Everything I saw in Victor’s head is a jumbled mess in my head now.” She leaned her head against Ty’s shoulder.
“I’m going to take Tabitha back to our quarters.” Ty rose, holding Tabitha’s hand. “Robin, if you think of anything, please let us know. Adam, meet me in my quarters at eight tonight. If Connor finds information before then, we’ll contact you.” Ty and Tabitha left the room, Felix falling into step behind them.
Bethany rose from her chair and walked to Robin and Adam. “I’m not sure if you remember me or not. I’m Bethany Thompson, now Bethany Harrison. I was a few years ahead of you in school. I knew Bobby. I’m sorry for your loss and for everything you’re dealing with. I know you’re scared to be here, surrounded by so many shifters, but it is the safest place for you.”
“I remember seeing you around school. How did you end up here? Are you…?”
“No, I’m not a shifter. Raja rescued me from the clutches of one of Pierce’s men. I’m mated to Raja and this is my home now.” Bethany slid her arm around Raja’s waist, avoiding the gun sitting in his shoulder holster.
“What about your family? Surely they don’t approve of you being with a shifter. Or aren’t they allowed to know about his second nature?” The astonishment was clear in Robin’s voice.
“Pierce killed my parents and my younger sister, Jamie. If they were alive, they would want me happy, and Raja makes me happy. Being a shifter isn’t something to be ashamed of, or for others to think less of them. I’m proud to have a shifter mate. He stands up for those who can’t. It doesn’t matter if they are shifters or human, Raja and the rest of the Alaskan Tigers will fight for them. I couldn’t have asked for a better man to have by my side.” Bethany smiled at her mate. The love they shared was clear.
Remaining silent Adam watched his mate. He’d told her Bethany’s family was one of Pierce’s victims, her words had been heartless.
“What about your future? You’re willing to give up children? A normal life? Everything?”
With Robin’s questions, Adam’s body tensed. He quickly realized she wasn’t accepting their mating as he had hoped. She might only be accepting his touch because of the comfort it brought her, not because she was acknowledging their mating. “You don’t have to give up anything just because you’re mated to a shifter,” Adam explained. “You can still have children. With only one shifter parent, they’d have a fifty-fifty shot of being a shifter. Being mated to a shifter doesn’t mean you can’t have a normal life, or even better than what you consider normal.”
Robin turned to face him, anger coloring her green eyes. “Normal? How can you consider your world anywhere near normal? Normal isn’t living in a compound with fences and barbwire around the top, guards on patrol at all times, and you sure as Hell don’t have meetings to discuss murdering someone.”
“The barbwire and guards are not to keep us in, but to keep people out who would like to see us dead. There are humans who have discovered our kind and they would rather see us dead than to have us breathe the same air they do. As for murdering Pierce, that’s no different than what your government would do. Would you prefer we let him live? How much longer do you think you could have survived if I didn’t find you in Texas?” Adam’s own anger rose to match hers.
“The clan is allowed to leave as they see fit.” Raja explained. “Most prefer to stay on our land for the safety, but there are others who travel outside our gates daily. We’re not so different from humans. We just choose to live in the safety of the compound. We’re not here because we’re a danger to you or anyone else.” Raja glanced at Bethany. “Come love, Tora is expecting us.” He led Bethany to the door before turning back to Adam. “Good luck.” Raja winked.
When the door closed, and they were alone in the room, Robin stepped away from Adam. “What was that supposed to mean?”
Robin obviously took offense to Raja’s last comment. Adam thought it best not to get into that conversation, knowing it would only irritate her further. Instead, he moved to the door. “We should get back to my cabin. I have work I need to attend do.” He walked to the door, hoping she’d follow. He wanted to pack a bag in case word came down he was one of the men going to Virginia or Boston to take down Pierce. To guarantee he was on the list, he whipped out his cell and sent Ty a quick text message. He didn’t want to mention it to Robin. Her fears were already escalated.
Chapter Eight
Robin stood in the doorway of Adam’s bedroom, completely shocked he was stuffing a duffle bag with clothes. “Where are you going?”
He opened the bedside table and pulled out magazine cartridges for his gun. “I’m heading the team that goes after Pierce. Once his location is confirmed, my orders are to fly out with some of the guards. I need to be ready.”
“You’re what?” She shook her head. “What about me?”
Placing his weapons on top of his clothes, he turned to her. “You’re going to stay with Bethany while I’m gone. You’ll be safe with her and her guards, but no more comments about how shifters don’t live up to your standards, or that we are less because we have two forms.”
“No. I want to be taken to the airport.”
“Damn it, Robin, I’m trying to protect you. Bethany and Tabitha will have double the guards on them until we’ve taken down Pierce. You’ll be safe with them, safer than on your own. I don’t want to hear anymore about it. If you want to leave when this is over, fine. It’s not happening until then.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling like a child being scolded. “I just want this to be over.”
He stepped toward her, close enough to touch. “That’s what we’re trying to do.”
“Why does it have to be you?”
“It’s my job. With Ty going, I need to be there to watch his back, and Felix needs to stay behind to protect Tabitha. Ty is my Alpha, not to mention my Queen’s mate. She needs him to carry on our line. Without them, all tigers will cease to exist. I won’t let Ty go alone. I’m sorry, I just can’t. Please try to understand, these people gave me a home and the opportunity to prove myself as a guard. I won’t let them down, not when I’m needed the most.” Pulling off his shirt, he stepped away from her. “I’m going for a run.”
Robin stayed where she was as he stripped down and walked out the front door. A large Bengal tiger then ran past the windows. She sank to the floor, cradling her head in her hands and cried. Honestly, she had nothing against shifters, at least not the Alaskan Tigers and especially not Adam. She used her fight as an excuse to avoid getting close to him. She was tired of being hurt and of being abandoned. If Adam went after Pierce he might not come back. She couldn’t run the risk of getting attached to him. Everyone she cared about was being picked off one-by-one by Pierce and his gang, leaving her alone and scared. She wasn’t sure she had the will to stay alive if Adam wasn’t by her side. Damn him, for making me care about him.
Adam ran until his lungs begged for oxygen and his paws cried from exhaustion. It still didn’t clear his mind or remove the need to claim Robin. If anything, being in his tiger form added to the mating desire. He wanted Robin with every ounce of his body.
Sneaking in the backdoor, by the master bedroom, he hoped to avoid her. Seeing her while naked from a run would do little to keep his remaining control in check, especially with his beast so close to the surface. He, like most shifters, had very little problem with being naked, but nudity led to only one thing when the mating desire was fully upon a shifter. He
stepped into the master bathroom without considering the possibility Robin could have been there.
“Ahhh!” She slid under the water, covering herself with bubbles before surfacing. “I’m sorry. You were gone so long and the garden tub called to me. I thought it would be okay.”
“It’s fine. I’ll shower in the guest bath.” He longed for the mating to be complete—to slip in the tub next to her.
“Wait. I’m sorry about before. I’m just tired of seeing everyone I care for die. I don’t want you to be next. Will you reconsider?”
He tried to stop staring, because in that moment to claim her body, he would have sold his soul. The mating desire rode him hard, leaving his body aching for her touch. “For you, I’d do almost anything, but not this. I’ll be back, I promise.”
“You can’t keep a promise like that. I’ll sit around here waiting for you to come back with no way of knowing if you’re okay or not.”
He couldn’t keep his gaze adverted any longer. Her head rested against the back of the tub, her long brown hair lay in wet strands surrounding her shoulders, the curls were gone from the weight of the water, and tears streamed down her cheeks. “There’s a way for you to know.” He shook his head. No, he wouldn’t use the benefits of mating to claim her before she was ready. “Never mind. I need to shower.”
She sat up straight, water cascaded down her body, making him want to lick each drop. “Tell me.”
“Mating allows you to feel your mate, to know what they’re going through even when miles separate you. If our mating was consummated, you would be able to sense me, to know if I was okay and uninjured. It would also make it impossible for you to leave at the end, if you choose this life isn’t for you.” He held onto the door handle, denting the metal in his hand while forcing his feet to stay put.
“Why impossible?”
“The yearnings you feel from mating would be uncontrollable without your mate to sustain them. If you were a shifter, you would already feel them to some extent, but once we mate, you’ll have the connection even as a human. It’s a give and take when it comes to mating. There are advantages to it. The tradeoff is, you must deal with the demands of your body as well.” He glanced down to find the door handle in his hand. Adam stepped toward her and held up the door handle. “I need a cold shower before I can’t keep my desire in check anymore. My tiger wants you and it’s tired of waiting.”
“What happens to these yearnings if you die?”
“They would cease. When one mate dies, the mating is no longer active. The Elders say you will eventually find another mate. I prefer not to test their findings. Mating is an honor, we cherish and protect each other. Our numbers are lower, so mated couples are very important in order for our kind to continue.”
She stood from the tub. Water flowed over her naked body and back down into the tub. “It’s not very romantic, but we don’t have a lot of time. Mate me. Make me yours.”
“Do you know what you’re asking?” He took a deep breath, breathing in her scent to see if her words were truly what she wanted. “I have control that many wish they had, and even I don’t know if I can stop once we start. There’s no going back. You need to be sure this is what you want.”
She stepped out of the tub, not bothering to grab a towel. His shaft instantly hardened and he fought every instinct not to go to her, to bury his shaft deep within her until she screamed his name.
Robin smiled. “I’ve ignored my desire for you since you found me in Texas because I don’t want to lose someone else I care about. I’m tired of running and living in fear. I want to enjoy life and being with you while I have you. I want you, this mating, and everything that goes with it…as long as you come back. Please don’t go dying on me.”
“Oh, I’ll return to you.” He scooped her up into his arms, his beast growling with anticipation as he turned to the bedroom. His beast craved her touch, as did he. Adam wanted to take advantage of each moment they had together before he had to leave. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her wet body to his chest.
Laying her on the bed, he leaned over her, pressing his lips to hers. The warmth of her lips and the sweet scent of lavender from her bath mixed together to draw his tiger closer to the surface. He dragged his mouth from hers and kissed a path down her neck, breathing in her scent, imprinting it in his mind. Sensations collided and threatened to overwhelm him, but he pushed his beast away, savoring the moment—to have it last longer for her.
With his weight supported by his arms, inches above her, he met her gaze. “Are you sure? We will be connected in more ways than you imagine.”
She stared at him while her hand slid down his side until she found his shaft. Her fingers wrapped around it and rubbed down the length, painstakingly slow. “I’m sure. Why fight what my body and heart want? I’ve only been bitchy about the whole situation, making the fact I’m surrounded by shifters an issue because I’m scared and tired of being alone. I don’t want to lose anyone else I care about.”
“You won’t lose me.” He dragged his tongue in lazy circles around her nipple. Teasing her nipples gently, he pulled them between his teeth until they stood at attention. He rested his weight on his elbow and used his other hand to explore the length of her body, memorizing every curve that would get him through the miles soon to separate them.
He blazed a hot, wet trail of kisses across her stomach, and stroked her thighs with his fingertips. With every touch, she arched her hips to him, demanding more. His desire soared to new heights, until he couldn’t hold back any longer. Nudging her legs further apart with his knee, he cupped her hips, and delved his finger inside her. She met the teasing thrusts. He moved his hand and replaced it with his mouth. He pleased her with tiny nips and gentle licks over her sweet spot. She grabbed his hair with a mixture of pressing him closer and dragging him up.
“Adam, I need you.”
Even with sexual haze driving him, he had enough control to take a moment to feel through her emotions, to make sure she would have no doubts later once their lovemaking had completed their mating. “Your wish is my command, mate.” He spread her legs further, giving him the access he needed. His control nearly maxed and he was thankful she was wet because he had no resistance left to go slow. He slid into her warm, wet core before sliding out and thrusting back in, his manhood filling her completely. The first few strokes were slow, but with each new stroke the tempo intensified another level until his hips were driving the force with each pump. His thrusts became deeper and faster, falling into a perfect rhythm. Their bodies rocked back and forth, tension stretching him tighter than a rubber band as he fought for the release he longed for.
She arched her body into his, her nails dug into his chest, and she screamed his name as her release arrived. He pumped twice more and growled her name as his release followed.
He stayed on top of her for a moment longer, watching the afterglow on her face and the ecstasy glossing her eyes. He then collapsed beside her, cradling her body tight against his as his fingers caressed her side. For the first time since he had found her, fear didn’t course through her. He sensed contentment and love from her, making him want to hold her tighter.
Robin lay in Adam’s embrace, feeling suddenly overwhelmed. She was experiencing so many emotions, she couldn’t wrap her mind around it.
“What is it, love?” Adam’s fingers teased her hip.
“I don’t understand what’s happening to me. It’s like I’m in a funnel cloud and I can’t make heads or tails of my emotions.” Her panic rose. What did she get herself into?
“Give it time, it will calm, I promise. You’re feeling me, my emotions, and my beast. Your body doesn’t understand and is on overload at the moment, but in a few minutes the confusion will pass and you’ll be able to comprehend the mating.”
Minutes passed in a swirl of emotions until they finally died down as quickly as they came. Her muscles relaxed. “Will that come back?”
“No, you’re human so the
initial mating affects you differently at first. It overloads your body all at once, but now, if you focus, you’ll be able to feel me. In time our connection will be second nature to you. You’ll just know without focusing. You’ll also now know I’m okay and uninjured. When I get to Virginia, there will be no reason for you to worry.”
The thought of him leaving made her tense again. It didn’t matter how much he reassured her, she couldn’t stop from worrying about him when he was going to face Pierce head on.
“I promise, I’ll be back.” He kissed the top of her forehead and snuggled her against his body.
“How can you promise something you have no control over?”
“Because I know the men I’m taking with me. We’re a good team. I trust them to guard my back, as they trust me to do the same. With Ty going, we’re taking triple the guards.”
“Why is Ty going? If he’s the Alpha, shouldn’t he stay here, especially since you said Tabitha and him have to carry on the line for your kind to continue? Isn’t it too much of a risk for him?”
“He’s going to avenge the deaths of Tabitha’s parents and Bethany’s family. He sees it as his responsibility. Ty was living on the streets before Tabitha’s father found him. He helped Ty adjust to being a shifter, got him a job, a roof over his head, and a tutor because he couldn’t attend school without risking exposure.”
“Exposure? What happens to the children?”
“We have a school here at the compound, so our children are safe. If they shift, we don’t have to worry about them exposing our nature, and if they can’t shift, they can still attend the school here. Are you still okay with this?” He ruffled his fingers through her hair, drawing it away from her face.
Being able to feel his worry about her second thoughts, she kissed him, and then nodded as her lips hovered over his. “Yes, but it’s not as if I have a choice now. If Ty’s going what about Raja?”
Alaskan Tigers Box Set 1 Page 48
