A Tiger's Tale

by Lisa Oliver

  Simon moved restlessly under his jacket and Ra wondered how his friend was coping. Did snakes get too hot? Were they bothered by it? Hot or not, Simon obviously wanted to see the proceedings because he slid out from the neck of Ra’s jacket and draped himself over his shoulders. Ra looked around and winked at Seth, who looked deathly pale. The sheriff, accompanied by the mayor, brought in Gareth and Simpson.

  I fucking knew it, Ra tensed, well aware he was the last to know that pertinent piece of information. No one else was surprised. Simon hissed in his ear, and Ra resisted the urge to shake him off.

  Climbing the stage, the mayor took his place behind the podium. “Good people of Arrowtown, can we have some quiet, please, I’m sure we’ve all got things we’d rather be doing,” he said in a loud voice.

  Ra frowned. Gareth’s head was down and he wasn’t looking at anyone. Simpson, on the other hand, had his head high and a smirk on his face.

  “Marianne, take the minutes please,” the mayor said sharply. “Now, we’re here today to discuss possible punishments for Alpha Simpson of our successful and peaceful rabbit herd and his son Gareth, in relation to a minor attack on the outcast Seth Carmichael.”

  Ninety percent of the crowd jumped to their feet in an uproar, but it was Doctor Farriday’s voice that carried the loudest. “Minor attack? Did you read my report on the injuries Seth sustained? They broke three of his ribs for fuck's sake.”

  “Doctor, people, please.” The mayor was wearing his ‘we’re all friends here’ expression. “Alpha Simpson pointed out, quite rightly I might add, that the altercation only involved rabbits. There’s no need for this meeting at all. However, as the minor tiff did take place in a public building, I allowed this meeting on that basis, as prescribed by our laws, in case any mothers of young children might have seen the ruckus and wanted to complain about it. From what I’ve heard, no one witnessed this at all and I can’t see what everyone is getting upset about.”

  Ra opened his mouth and Simon hissed long and loud in his ear. A shiver ran down his back as he snapped it shut again. It was Seth surprisingly, who answered; pale, shaky Seth who stood up and said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “They could have killed my baby. Is that reason enough?”

  You could have heard a pin drop. The herd elders were huddled whispering among themselves and the mayor’s mouth was wide open.

  “I’m only half rabbit,” Seth continued in a softer voice. “Neither me nor Ra knew this could happen, but ask Doc. He confirmed I was pregnant four days before I was attacked. Say what you like about this just being something between rabbits, but my baby won’t be a pure rabbit and I’m not a pure rabbit. So it’s not about rabbits at all. It’s about bullies who are bigger and meaner and who have a chip on their shoulder because their archaic laws are wrong and hurt people and they got found out. It’s about them taking it out on me when they knew Ra wasn’t around and Simon and Barney who’d been keeping an eye on me thought I’d be safe in public. I wasn’t, and neither was my baby and that needs to be everyone’s concern because it happened right here in town.”

  All eyes were on the mayor and it was his turn to shuffle his feet. At least the smirk dropped off Simpson’s face and Gareth looked like he was going to cry.

  “Yes, erm, well,” the mayor said, his face the same red as his shirt. “I didn’t know that.”

  “It was in my report if you bothered to read it,” Doctor Farriday shouted. Then he turned to Seth and sounded concerned. “Do you need to sit down? Some water?”

  “I’m fine,” Seth said. “I have to speak. My poor mate came to town with a snake around his neck today simply so he could stand by my side and be supportive. I’d been told by Deputy Joe that under no circumstances was my mate allowed to speak at this meeting. But that’s something else you overlooked, Mayor Quincy when you were busy making deals with Alpha Simpson. This baby is Ra’s too. He should have a say in what happens to my attackers. They threatened his baby.”

  The crowd roared with anger this time, covering the sound of chairs crashing on the floor as the herd elders scurried out of the hall. Ra didn’t know if it was because a predator was now involved, or maybe even the herd elders drew the line at endangering the life of an unborn child. Children were sacred among paranormals even if they weren’t always looked after properly. Ra shook the thoughts of his mother from his mind. Seth was watching him, his pale blue eyes filled with an emotion he didn’t understand, but Ra would respond as best he could.

  “What do you need, little one?” He murmured as Quincy tried to silence the crowd.

  “I want you to speak,” Seth said softly. “You have a right to be heard. This is your baby too.”

  Ra cleared his throat. No pressure then.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “People of Arrowtown,” Ra started, knowing that he couldn’t look at Simpson or Gareth or he’d lose his fraying temper. “My amazingly smart mate raises a valid point when he refers to his attackers as bullies. I don’t know how long the rabbits’ herd has been established in this town. Me and my friends have only been here a year. The relationship Simpson has with our good friend the mayor suggests the rabbits have been here a long time if our elected official can dismiss the doctors report on Seth’s injuries so readily.”

  There were whispered mutterings in the crowd and Quincy edged away from Simpson and Gareth.

  “The purpose of these shifter towns, as I understand it, is to create a safe space for paranormals of all kinds to live together and have the freedom to be themselves. Tolerance towns, I like to call them, where we all accept that even if the animal sides of our natures might look at some of our neighbors and think lunch,” this time he did look over at Seth’s attackers and show his teeth, before turning back, “we are human enough to control those urges.” The crowd laughed and Ra shifted his shoulders. Simon was heavy.

  “When I knew Seth had been attacked, my tiger wanted to find the men responsible, and rip their throats out.” Everyone roared. Ra held up his hand, “But, that is my animal side and any other mated person will understand how I feel,” he added. “My mate needs me with him right now and that is the only reason these two men are sitting here smirking because they think they’ll get off lightly.”

  Actually, Gareth’s hands were covering his face and they were wet. Ra noticed Barney watching the younger rabbit intently. Simpson had adopted a stoic expression.

  “Male pregnancies are not common,” he went on. “I admit I freaked out when I found out I was about to be a father. We tigers aren’t known for our parental skills, but I know Seth will teach me all I need to know. The thought of bringing new life into the world, a sweet precious little tibit,” Ra broke off, his eyes filling.

  “I don’t have to tell any of you how precious that is,” he said when he pulled himself together. “But even if Seth hadn’t been carrying our dear children, this attack is still your concern. Simpson lost control of his temper and took it out on a lot smaller, considerably younger person. It might’ve been understandable if he’d done it the day we met up and he called off the hunt. It might have even been tolerable the next day if Simpson had dragged his son around to my house and confronted Seth there.”

  “But Simpson didn’t do that!” Ra knew he had everyone’s complete attention. “He’s a bully, which equates to a coward in my book. He waited. He waited almost three weeks until he was absolutely sure Seth was on his own. He brought his son in for backup even though he’s twice the size of Seth and could easily kill him on his own. And that was his intention people, make no mistake about that. I saw my mate an hour after the attack; covered in bruises, broken ribs, stitches. The only reason the baby is still alive is because Seth’s first instinct was to crouch over and protect his belly. If Barney hadn’t come back when he did, my mate and my precious baby would be dead. They’d be dead.”

  Ra’s throat wouldn’t work. He was trying to swallow a lump the size of Texas. Seth was there, right in front of him, his eyes shining an
d his lips trembling as he tried to smile. “It’s okay,” Seth said. “I’m safe. We’re safe. You’ve said enough.”

  “I have one more thing to say,” Ra whispered, swallowing hard. Staring over his mate’s blond curls, Ra yelled, “The behavior of Simpson and Gareth has crossed the tolerance line. Is this town a home for bullies and people who think by throwing money at certain officials they can walk out of here without any punishment at all? Is this a town where people see a bully picking on a smaller person and turn the other way? Well, is it? Because if it is, if Simpson walks away from this with nothing more than a slap on the wrist and a puny fine, I swear, me, my mate, my family, we won’t stay. I will not raise my child in a town where bullies can get away with their crimes. I won’t. I just won’t.”

  “Here, here,” Rocky said, standing up and clapping loudly, Liam, Lucien, Mal and even Brutus following suit. Ra saw Seth’s parents standing in the front row, clapping loudly, although Ella threw him a dirty look. Shit. They didn’t know about the baby yet. Well, they do now. Standing with Seth in his arms, Ra listened as one by one every single person in the crowd stood up and cheered. He patted Simon on the head. Maybe he was more diplomatic than he thought. He could run for mayor. The furtive look on Quincy’s face as the crowd started chanting for Simpson’s banishment suggested that come election day, someone new might have to step up for the job.

  /~/~/~/~/

  My parents, why didn’t I call my parents before I opened my big mouth and told everyone else the news? Seth smiled hopefully at his mom and dad and rubbed his stomach for good measure.

  The town meeting was over; Simpson was given two hours to vacate the area with the warning never to return. Gareth was originally going to suffer the same fate, but Seth couldn’t let his best friend from childhood leave the home he’d been in all his life and surprisingly Barney intervened and offered Gareth a place to stay and agreed to vouch for his future behavior. Quincy stalled and waffled, making all sorts of other suggestions for Simpson’s fate, but the townspeople were adamant. They had taken Ra’s statements to heart and all declared Arrowtown was no place for bullies.

  Now he and Ra were sitting with Ella and Charles at Cam’s, ostensibly to eat lunch, but Ella wasn’t going to let a little thing like a public setting stop her from having her say.

  “I am appalled and shocked at you Seth Carmichael. Your pregnancy is the biggest news this family has had since Grandpa George thought he’d found that gold nugget in the well and I had to find out about it in a town meeting?”

  “Er…Ella,” Ra said hesitantly but a glare from Ella shut him up pretty quick.

  “I will get to you in a minute young man,” she said firmly. “One son at a time. Now, Seth, what have you got to say for yourself?”

  “I wasn’t sure how you were going to take it,” Seth said, wincing a little as the glare intensified. “You took me in because you thought I was a pure rabbit and clearly I’m not, and then there was the whole business with the attack at the library. I haven’t been feeling very well.”

  “Don’t give me that,” Ella said crossly. “More like you’ve been busy wasting hormones on that smug-looking tiger of yours. Now fess up. Is this mate of yours happy about becoming a father, because if he isn’t then you can come home with us.”

  “Ella,” Charles said quickly. “You can’t split them up, they’re true mates. Didn’t you hear what this fine young man said at the meeting? Hell, he didn’t care if anyone saw his tears when he was explaining about how he felt when he knew Seth had been attacked. It takes a real man to express his feelings so publicly. How can you doubt for one minute Ra’s not as excited about the baby as Seth?”

  Seth looked sideways at Ra who was blushing furiously and quickly slipped his hand under the table, resting it on Ra’s knee.

  “He might have said all the right things at the meeting, but it’s not all been rainbows and cupcakes has it, boys?” Ella’s eyes were like lasers. “Mrs. Hooper made a point of stopping me outside the hall, letting me know how thrilled she was Seth didn’t need her flat after all because that tiger of his had finally come to his senses.”

  “That’s private, Mom,” Seth said. “Mate stuff and you know if I’d needed you, I would have got in touch.”

  “Would you? Would you really?” To Seth’s horror, Ella started to cry. “You were hunted by the herd and we never heard one peep from you. You and Ra have mating problems and you didn’t call me. And now I had to hear about my new grandbaby at a town meeting, oooh.” Ella was crying in earnest now and Seth cast a worried look around the room. Cam’s regulars were steadfastly looking the other way but a couple of rabbits, friends of his parents, were watching the scene with avid curiosity.

  “Mom,” he hissed, leaning across the table. “Mom, people are going to think you’re unhappy with a pregnant son.”

  “Who would think that?” Ella’s head popped up from Charles’s shoulder and she glared at the rabbits across the room, before turning back to the table. “I’m thrilled to bits you’re pregnant. We’ve got so much to do. Have you got a room prepared for the nursery? Do you know how many you’re carrying? Are you taking vitamins, getting enough greens?”

  “We haven’t really done anything,” Seth admitted. “It’s only been, what, not even ten days yet and we had the town meeting coming up….”

  “We were hoping you could help us, Ella,” Ra cut in smoothly with a hopeful smile. “Honestly, we’ve got no idea what a baby will need. We’ve been looking at stuff online but there are just masses of it. Do babies really need a monitor with our shifter hearing and what’s your opinion on diapers? Do we buy cloth or disposable?”

  Seth watched in amazement as Ella dropped her hurt and anger and went into helpful mode. Pulling a notebook and pen from her handbag, she started talking, writing, covering the page with list after list, Ra listening avidly, nodding every now and then.

  “Your tiger’s smarter than he looks,” Charles whispered, winking at Seth. “Your mom’s completely forgotten the lecture she was giving you and the one she had planned for Ra. I can give you the gist if you like.”

  “Nah,” Seth muttered. “I’ll just wait for the next one. Are you okay about all this? Did I really hurt you and Mom? I just never wanted you to get into trouble.”

  “Son,” Charles said softly, “We will always support you if you need us to. But I’m proud of how independent you’re becoming and I fully expect you and Ra to be exceptional parents. I understood why you didn’t call us when you were hunted, but herds aren’t as tight-knit say as a pride or wolf pack so there was never any worry on that score. But I don’t imagine you were thinking clearly at the time. Our concern has always been for the safety of our children and no matter what you think, you’re our youngest and always will be.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” Seth felt his cheeks heating and he was grateful Cam came over with two large trays of food.

  “That said,” Charles whispered above the clatter of plates and cutlery, “if you get pregnant again, you’d better be damn sure you take a leaf out of your sister’s book and call your mother from the clinic. This diversion won’t work with your mom a second time.”

  Seth gulped and eyed his food cautiously. He was hungry, but the thought of being pregnant more than once was more than his mind could cope with. He made a mental note to speak to Doctor Farriday about how often he might be fertile and if there was anything he could do about it. Short of celibacy, of course. Ra deserved a damn long blowjob for his intervention with his mom. Seth wondered when Ra had bothered to look for baby stuff online as he quietly munched on his salad greens under his mom’s watchful eye. She was still talking and was well onto the second page of her list.

  Chapter Twenty

  “We have to talk.” Ra stayed by the bedroom door, his arms crossed, his features firm. He was not going to be swayed by Seth’s gorgeous body, sprawled out among his pillows. He was not going to be tempted by that slender cock hardening under his gaze. Nope. Seth said go
od relationships came from communicating and he had things he had to say.

  “Can’t you at least cuddle me while you lecture me?” Seth asked and oh, those blue eyes of his were so soft and warm and….

  “Properly talk,” Ra held himself back through sheer force of will. “You said we needed to communicate. If I get on that bed, then you’ll kiss me and your arms will be around me….” Fuck this is harder than I thought it would be. Because Ra could see it in his mind’s eye, could already feel Seth’s lithe body draped over his and damn, his cock tried to point out it’d been a long day.

  “I don’t think you were very fair to me with this whole Simpson affair,” he continued, ignoring his persistent body part. “You lied by omission, you deliberately set out to divert my attention every time I mentioned your attack. You clouded my brain with sex those few times I tried to have a meaningful conversation with you, and that’s not the way to treat a true mate. You should’ve talked to me; been honest with me.”

  A kaleidoscope of emotions flew across Seth’s face. Hurt, Ra could recognize, and anger, but there was a myriad of others that passed too fast for Ra to identify. Settling for nothing more than a bland mask, Seth grabbed his robe from the edge of the bed and slipped it over his shoulders. “What do you suggest I do about it?” He said, tying the belt roughly around his middle and crossing his arms.

  “Er….” Ra hadn’t got that far in his thinking process. In his head, he’d firmly state the ways he felt he’d been mistreated, Seth would say sorry and promise never to do it again and then they’d fall into bed together and exchange bodily fluids. Seth wasn’t following the script. “Well,” he huffed. “I’m very hurt that you don’t trust me. You didn’t know for sure my tiger would hunt down Simpson and Gareth if I knew they were the attackers.”