The Tribe Boxed Set: A Shapeshifter Paranormal Romance

by Terra Wolf

  “What’s going on?”

  “What’s going on is you came here with a purpose and you got your purpose. I thought we decided together to change the system. I thought we were in this together.”

  “We are in it together. I swore that to you.” I wanted to pull her into my arms and drown her with my kisses.

  “Registering the garage to Case isn’t ‘in it together.’ And neither is declaring our territory to the king.”

  “So you just want to upend everything? Part of you in there wants to be a panther.” I touched her chest. “The part that begged me to take you the other night. The part that wanted to be my mate and evoked the bond. You are a she-panther, Tessa. Don’t act like you’re not a shifter. We have heritage to be proud of. We have lines and generations of history that matter. Don’t keep asking me to throw it all away because of some damn garage.”

  Her eyes glimmered, but it wasn’t lust I saw. It was rage. “Some damn garage? It’s not the shop. It’s what it symbolizes. It’s my mom. It’s about doing what’s right. It’s about doing what we want and not taking orders.” She sucked in a breath of air. “Of course I’m a panther. She wanted you. She still wants you. I’m so in love with you I can’t even think like myself anymore, but I know enough to know you and I can do whatever we want. My land doesn’t have to belong to the Tribe. It’s ours.”

  “Are you done?” I asked.

  She was out of breath from her tirade.

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “Then shut up and listen to me.”

  I grabbed her by the neck and pressed my lips against hers. She pushed against me, but my tongue strummed hers and she unleashed her panther as I peeled the dress from her body. I nudged her knee to the side as I planted kisses on her thigh. The kisses grew closer together until my tongue was against her center. I growled between her legs.

  “Ohh,” she whimpered.

  I didn’t let up. I kissed and sucked. I lapped and flicked my tongue until she came with violent thrusts, jolting her hips toward me.

  I lowered her waist to the couch, crawling toward her. “Did you hear any of that?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “No, what did you say?” She was breathless.

  “I said okay. I said we’re in this together.”

  She smiled. “Really?”

  “Case might hire a witch to throw me in a parallel universe, or maybe the Tribe will rip the limbs from my body. I don’t know, maybe the council will lock me in shifter prison. But I’m in this with you.”

  “None of those things will happen, Josh.”

  She didn’t know that. Neither of us knew the consequences for what we had started, but what I did know was there was merit in her words.

  “It doesn’t matter.” I brushed the hair from her face. “What matters is that we are a team. Partners. You’re my panther.”

  “Yes, I am.” She grinned. “And the list of mates?”

  It was the real reason I wanted to have dinner tonight. I had planned on giving her a grand speech about how I wanted to tear up the list and only have one mate. As long as she would have me. But I was an idiot and started with business first.

  “Gone. No list. No other mates.” I nuzzled against her neck.

  “I was wrong.”

  “About which thing?”

  “There is something better than a fairy tale. There is this.”

  “That’s me. Handing out fairy tales when I drive into town.”

  She giggled. “Yeah, about your carriage and white horses. We need to do something about that piece of junk you’re driving.”

  “Hey, I love that Jeep.”

  “Love it all you want. I need to fix it.”

  I sat up and unbuttoned my shirt. Her eyes flared and she worked the long sleeves off my arms. I loved how her palms flattened against my chest. I closed my eyes as she made a trail to my belt.

  “You can do whatever you want with it, baby.” I groaned as she lowered herself on me.

  She whispered in my ear, “I love you, Josh.”

  The growl was automatic. My mate was everything to me and more.

  16

  Tessa

  I wasn’t used to waking up with someone. And I wasn’t used to waking up blissfully happy. Lying next to Josh, I’d never felt so much peace and love all at once. It had been two weeks since we bonded, and each day felt more powerful than the one before.

  Our bond was only getting stronger.

  I made a pot of coffee while he showered. There was one in my office, but we liked having breakfast upstairs together before starting work.

  Sometimes we didn’t make it through breakfast. Josh wanted me all the time. And I loved every fucking second of it. Although, cleaning up dishes off the floor because he had to have me on the kitchen table wasn’t my favorite thing. But I wouldn’t trade it. I wouldn’t trade his passion or desire for me.

  I could feel it each time he held me. There was a sense of protection and strength in his body I couldn’t find anywhere else. And denying him was impossible. It didn’t matter if I was finishing up numbers in my office at night. It didn’t matter if I was trying to put on makeup to go to dinner. If he wanted me, I was his. One glimpse of his eyes and the sound of his growl made my knees weak and my core quiver with want for him.

  Shifter sex was like a constant wave of erotic pleasure and neither one of us wanted that wave to stop. We could give ourselves to each other and still find new ways to make it hot and exciting. This was by far the best sex of my life.

  “Good morning.” He appeared in the kitchen with wet hair.

  I rustled it through my fingers. “Good morning.” I reached up to kiss him.

  “So I was thinking maybe we could take a trip. Get out of town or something.”

  I almost dropped my hot cup of coffee. “What are you talking about?”

  “Again, we’re not your standard couple. So why not a honeymoon, even though we didn’t have a wedding?”

  “Are you crazy?”

  “What? I thought you’d be happy. Don’t girls like romantic trips?”

  I realized he was trying to be sweet, not draw my claws out. “Of course we do, but I have responsibilities here.”

  “If the shop is closed for two weeks, it won’t go under. I have money.”

  I shook my head. “Oh no. No way.”

  “What? You said we’re partners. What’s yours is mine and what’s mine is yours. So let’s use the money. Let’s take a trip and go do something fun together. When’s the last time you left Four Corners?”

  I was silent.

  “Thought so.”

  “And what about my mom?”

  “I already talked to her.”

  “What?” Now I felt the betrayal. They had conspired against me.

  “She and I both agree you deserve some time off and she is going to have your aunt come stay with her. All settled.”

  “All settled?” I stared at him in disbelief.

  “She needs me. What if something happens?”

  He grabbed me by the shoulders. “If something happens, your aunt will be at the house and she’ll call you.”

  “I’ve never closed the shop. Never.”

  He smiled. “I know. That’s why this is important.”

  “Can I at least think about it?”

  “Sure. Think about it. But not too long because we have a flight in the morning.” He ducked out of the kitchen before I had a chance to grab him.

  “Josh!” I called, but he was running down the apartment stairs.

  I’d call Mom today. There was no way I was leaving town without knowing for sure this was okay with her.

  Ever since her accident, she had done everything she could to prove to me she was independent and didn’t need me. But I would carry the guilt with me no matter how well she managed on her own. If it had been up to me, I’d be living in the house with her, not above the shop, but it was part of her proving her independence. She thought we needed our own places.


  I refilled my coffee and walked down the stairs. I’d call her from the office. I needed to make sure she was completely on board with this trip before I went anywhere with Josh. I was starting to think they had formed a little club and had forgotten to invite me in.

  I reached the last step and looked up.

  Josh’s back was to me, and facing us were four men I’d never seen before. They were shifters. One whiff of the air and I could tell they were jaguars like him.

  “Josh…” I eked out.

  “Tessa, these are my friends from the Tribe. My brothers, really.”

  I took the last step to the concrete floor. They might be brothers, but nothing looked brotherly about the glares they were casting at us.

  “Hi.” I waved.

  Not a single one of them cracked a smile. They were tall, broad-shouldered, and built like walls. If I didn’t have a pit of fear in my stomach, I’d also add sexy, but that didn’t seem appropriate as they stared us down.

  “We need to talk, Josh.” One of the jaguars stepped forward.

  Josh moved in front of me slightly, and I felt his protection wrap around me.

  “Sure. You guys want some coffee? And I need to do full introductions.”

  “We can do that later.” They cut him off.

  “Come on, Noah. Just because Case sent you here doesn’t mean you have to be a dick. We can talk.”

  “C-Case? As in the king?” I stammered. Holy shit. And then it hit me. I knew why they were here. And I knew why the guys Josh had called best friends his entire life had the look of murder in their eyes.

  They were here because of me.

  17

  Josh

  If I could have kept Tessa upstairs, I would have. Or maybe just found a way to sneak her out the back door. But it was too late. She was facing the same lineup I was.

  I had to act casual, like nothing was wrong. At this point, I didn’t know what Case knew. Maybe he sent the guys for an updated report. He must have decided another phone call wouldn’t suffice. His army was here instead.

  “Tessa, what about getting the guys some coffee?” I suggested.

  She looked at me, her eyes narrowing. I had seen that look before. It was her warrior stance. She didn’t want to leave me alone with them.

  “Please.” I nudged her.

  “Sure. Any of you take cream and sugar?” she asked.

  “Oh yeah, I do.” Trev raised his hand.

  Noah hissed in his direction. “Shut up, Trev.”

  Tessa was in the office working on a new pot of coffee. “Why don’t we walk outside?” I nodded in her direction. They had to know she could hear every word we spoke unless we put a barrier between us.

  They followed me out to my Jeep.

  Ronan kicked at my back tire. “The king is pissed.”

  “About what?” I snapped back.

  “We know the bond was evoked,” Noah answered. “And no one has gotten a wedding invitation. What’s holding things up?”

  I tried not to let my shoulders sag with relief too much. I puffed out my chest. “You came down here for wedding invites? Wow.”

  “It’s serious, Josh. The council is coming down on this kind of thing,” Eli spoke for the first time. “You don’t understand.”

  “And do I have an invitation to the king’s wedding?” I eyed them.

  Ronan growled and started for my throat, but the others held him back. “Don’t talk about him like that. We’re facing a rebellion in Sullen’s Grove. You are not.” His finger almost touched my nose. He was seething with anger.

  “I don’t know what your problem is, Ronan, but you can tell Case that I’m doing fine. My mate is fine. And yes, she has evoked the bond, so when we set the date for the wedding, we’ll have it sent by a beautiful white dove with gold tipped feathers right to his doorstep.”

  “There’s nothing funny about this.” Eli’s eyes hardened. “We know you’re living here. You’re playing house with this girl.”

  “So?” I shrugged my shoulders.

  “Tell us you have someone on the side, because that’s the only way this makes sense.”

  I glared at Noah. “Excuse me?”

  “Yeah, a girl on the side so you’re not screwing this one.”

  I balled my hands into fists. I didn’t want to slug my shifter brothers, but I felt the feeling coming on. I’d punch every one of them to the ground. Suddenly, it didn’t seem to matter that I grew up with them. It didn’t matter we had trained together. Or that we followed the same leader. They were threatening Tessa, and I’d protect her no matter where the threat came from. She came first. She always would.

  Eli added, “That’s the only way this makes sense. The bond has been evoked, and you’re living with your fated mate, and you haven’t taken her yet? A girl on the side would be shitty, but we could forgive that. She might not, but we would understand the frustration of being side by side every day with a girl that hot you can’t sleep with.”

  I told Tessa I would do anything for her. I would lie for her. I would protect her. Save her. I’d fucking die for her if I had to.

  “Tell his majesty that the wedding is being planned.” I had to hide the resentment in my voice.

  Noah slapped me on the back. “That’s good to hear. I love weddings.”

  I looked from one of them to the other. I tried not to judge them. They didn’t know how I felt. They didn’t know what Tessa and I had experienced together. But right now I knew they didn’t care. They were here on the king’s orders.

  “Why don’t you come in and have that coffee? Meet Tessa?” I offered. I wanted things to appear normal, but inside, I was boiling with rage. I didn’t think I could spend another second with my Tribe brothers.

  “That’s all right.” Noah waved the group behind him. “Next time.”

  “But she’s gettin’ me cream and sugar,” Trev whined.

  I wasn’t sure why he was part of this recon trip. Maybe they brought him to boost his ego. It didn’t matter. They were leaving.

  “I’ll tell the king we’ll expect an announcement soon.”

  I stuck my hands in my front pockets. “Yep. And don’t forget the part about the dove.” I gritted my teeth together.

  I waited until they were loaded up in the black SUV before I returned inside.

  Tessa was in the office, pouring cups of coffee.

  I closed the door. “About that trip…”

  18

  Tessa

  The tears welled. I couldn’t stop them. My hands shook and I cried into Josh’s shoulder. “But when? When can we come back?”

  He tipped my chin toward him. “I don’t know. When it’s safe.”

  “And how are we supposed to know that?”

  He hung his head. “You shouldn’t have to go through this. I told you I’d make the sacrifices. Not the other way around.”

  “No. No. I’m the one who asked you to break the laws. I should make them too.” I had an urgent need to console him. I could see the weight of our decisions pressing on him.

  We didn’t know exactly how they knew the bond had been evoked by my words, other than the hunch that when we saw the wisps of light and glitter, it must have alerted a magical agent or someone who reported it to the council. We were stupid to think none of this would get out.

  What they didn’t know was that we were already bonded. At least for now, we had that going for us, but Josh told me the guys were suspicious. They didn’t believe we could live together, evoke the bond, and not rip each other’s clothes off. I had to agree. It would have been completely impossible.

  “I don’t want to offer a life on the run. I’m not asking you to be a fugitive with me.” Josh stared in my eyes. “But we need to get away from here just for a little while until we can come up with a plan.”

  I nodded. “We do need a plan.”

  “We are fighters, Tessa. We’re going to fight through this.”

  “The Tribe doesn’t scare me.”

&nb
sp; He grinned. “Nothing scares you.” He chuckled. “Except spiders.”

  I slapped him on the shoulder. “That one spider was incredibly hairy and it could jump.”

  “Spiders or not, I don’t want to fight my brothers. I grew up with those guys. And they don’t see it now, but the old ways are wrong.”

  I touched the side of his face. “God, I love you.”

  He closed his eyes, then opened them. “I drove into this town, thinking I’d sweep you off your feet, marry you, start the next line, and leave for my next wife.” It made me sick hearing him say those words. “But then I saw you. I heard your voice. I touched you.” He brushed my hair away from my neck and kissed my throat. “And that’s when you changed me. You showed me what this should be. What a bond should mean.”

  “I wasn’t trying to start a revolution.”

  “I know. But you bring me to my knees. I would give up everything I’ve known to have this bond with you. Everything.”

  It would be easy for us to plan a wedding and invite the council and enough shifter friends to witness the ceremony. We could take a honeymoon and come home, announcing I was already expecting a cub. We could do all the traditional things that we were taught to do, but that wasn’t who we were anymore.

  In our bond, we had found power and strength in each other. The kind that solidified our union. Strong enough to go against the king or the council. We didn’t want to cave because we had to.

  We wanted to be together because our souls were meant to be together. We were one.

  I kissed Josh, tugging gently on his lips until he lifted me in his arms.

  I felt the upward motion as he climbed the stairs.

  “We have to pack. We have to get a lot of things ready,” he whispered. “But first, I need to make you mine again.”

  “And maybe again.” I pressed into the kiss, knowing time was lost to us when we were together, but I didn’t care.

  I needed his arms around me and his skin heating my body. I needed his tongue tasting me, and his cock buried so deep inside me we would scream from the intensity. I needed all of that with my mate. Now.