At the bedroom door, there was a gentle knock.
“Come in,” Ty said, not bothering to get up. There were locks on the door to his compound, but he never bothered to lock them. The only ones who would dare enter the area were the guards.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but the meeting is arranged for noon.” Raja carried a tray full of food.
“Thank you, Raja. Please leave us to eat and get ready. Arrive back here promptly at eleven forty-five.” Ty sat up in bed and took the tray from Raja.
With a nod, Raja was gone.
The food had Tabitha’s mouth watering. Waffles were one of her favorite foods.
“We have some of the best chefs here. You’d be hard-pressed to find anything as good as they make. Dig in.” Ty laid the tray on her legs.
The first bite had her forgetting how to breathe. The waffles melted in her mouth, and the syrup was sweet yet bold and full of maple flavor. Gaining control of herself, she remembered what she wanted to ask Ty before being sidetracked by the aroma. “Why did you ask Raja to join us before the clan meeting?”
“It’s normal procedure. It gives us a few moments to make sure everything is in order. Also when we enter the clan meeting, having the three of us together will give us a stronger presence.”
* * *
Tabitha was just slipping on the emerald green sweater she’d picked up on their shopping spree when she heard Raja’s voice. Ty had already discussed the meeting with her, and he was just going over the same things with Raja. Knowing there was no reason to rush, she did a double-check of her makeup.
There is no reason to be so nervous. These people want me here, or they wouldn’t be going through so much to make me feel at home. Ty wouldn’t have come across the country if I didn’t belong here. The pep talk was doing nothing to calm her knotted stomach. Biting the bullet, she joined the men, hoping she could keep her nerves a secret.
“Tabby, we need…”
Ty’s words stopped as she strolled into the living room. “Sorry.”
“You’re fine. They can’t start without us. I just wanted to get a move on.” He placed her hand in his. “Tabby, there is nothing to worry about. They’re happy to have you home, but you won't have time to mingle with them now. We need to take care of business, and the clan can get back to preparing for tonight's festivities. If you want to be nervous about something, be nervous about the party. With everyone demanding the Queen’s attention, you might end up with a jealous mate.” He laughed before kissing her.
* * *
The conference room was a large, open room with a slightly higher platform that dominated the area. It was nothing like she’d expected. In the conference rooms she had been in before, there was normally a large table with chairs surrounding it. I guess when you have forty members, it would be hard to find a table large enough.
In front of the platform, the chairs were set up in two rows of five with a walkway between them. The members were already there chatting amongst themselves when Tabitha, Ty and Raja entered.
Already on the platform was a man, looking worse for wear, wearing only jeans and heavy iron chains on his wrists and ankles. Two guards stood on either side of him. She assumed it was Hunter.
Tabitha’s stomach went from knots to doing flip-flops as Ty, still holding her hand, led them toward the microphone. “The first order of business is to introduce you to your Queen. After too many years, Tabitha has returned home as my mate.”
Everyone dropped to their knees. “Welcome home, Queen Tabitha,” the audience chorused.
Ty stepped back, allowing Tabitha to access the microphone. “Thank you, I’m pleased to be among you. I look forward to speaking to as many of you as I can tonight. Those I don't get to tonight, I promise you will have your turn. I want to get to know each and every one of you.”
“Now we have other business to attend to.” Ty turned toward the guards. “Please bring Hunter forward and have him take his place.”
The guards brought the prisoner in front of Ty and Tabitha, and Hunter kneeled in front of them. “Hunter, you have been charged with changing in front of a human and murder. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
Hunter looked at them with such hatred in his eyes, causing Tabitha to suck in a harsh breath. “I don't know what happened. I think she drugged me. I never would have done this otherwise. I…”
Before he could continue, Ty brought up his hand, silencing the man before them. “Raja thought you might say something like that. There were alcohol and drug tests done on you after your capture. They were clean. You were not drugged. You just let your emotions take hold of you, and this is not the first time. Therefore, as punishment for this crime, you will be unable to change for the next six months, and you will be confined to the cell downstairs until the collar is removed. After that, you will have no contact with humans or leave the compound for five years.” Ty gave a nod to Raja.
In an instant, everything changed. Raja stepped forward with the collar. Hunter, knowing his fate, didn’t want to go down without a fight. He went after Ty, attacking in human form, because with the chains, he couldn’t shift. Ty pushed Tabitha out of arm’s reach, toward the guards.
One guard moved in front of her to keep her out of the way as the other one took her arm, trying to drag her away from the scene. She wanted to help Ty, but she couldn’t shift yet.
“I won’t leave him!” she told the guards, watching as Ty and Raja became tigers, leaving their clothes torn to shreds.
“My Queen, there is nothing you can do. You need to be somewhere safe.” Felix came from the crowd to her rescue.
She shook her head no, and Felix didn’t fight her. He stood in front of her, ready to protect his Queen if the fight shifted their way.
Tabitha felt helpless as the action unfolded before her. Claws ripped through flesh, sending blood splattering across the stage. Hunter was powerless to fight off two shifted tigers. Ty had Raja helping him, but her heart was in her throat. As they took Hunter to the ground, he went after Ty’s neck, leaving him no choice but to take a fatal bite from Hunter's neck.
Hunter stopped moving, and they changed back. Ty quickly scanned the room until he found Tabitha next to Felix. His shoulders relaxed, clearly relieved when he found her standing with Felix.
Ty turned to the clan. “Don't make Hunter's mistake. I have never put up with this kind of behavior, and I will not start now. That is showing no respect for your Queen. Now we will retire to our quarters, and we’ll see you tonight at the party.”
Neither man seemed bothered by their nudity as they crossed the room toward Tabitha.
Coming to stand in front of her, Ty wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him. “Are you all right?” he whispered.
She nodded, not trusting her voice. She held on to him as though he were the last life raft in a turbulent sea.
“I would like to see you in my quarters in twenty minutes,” he said to Felix before he excused the man.
As they headed toward their quarters, Raja followed behind, waiting until they were away from the other members before speaking, “If it’s all right with you, I would like to shower and put on some clothes.”
“That's fine. I have Felix coming in twenty minutes. I would like you there before he arrives, if possible.” Raja nodded, and Tabitha followed Ty down a side hall.
As the door closed, Ty wrapped his arms around her again, squeezing her so tightly she could barely breathe. “Ty…”
“I'm sorry, Tabby. I just needed to feel you in my arms.” He lessened his grip slightly. “These new feelings that come with having a mate are all new to me. I wanted to make sure you were safe, but I had to take care of Hunter before he hurt someone else. My emotions were torn, but I had to do what was right for us and the clan. You didn't get hurt, did you?”
“No, Ty. I'm fine. Felix and the other guards tried to get me out of there, but I didn't want to leave you.”
“Next time, promise me when the
re is danger, you’ll let the guards defend you or get you out of there. Don't be hard-headed.”
“I was in no danger. You and Raja had Hunter under control.”
Ty took a step back from her, allowing her to see his face and the grave expression upon it. “I’m serious. Things could have gotten out of control today. You’re the Queen of all Tigers and the only true bloodline left. You need to be protected.”
“I might still be human, but I’m not helpless. I know when to get out of the way. Stop worrying about me so much.”
Ty refused to back down. “You don't know how vulnerable you are to the clan, and to me. You are irreplaceable. You don’t understand what lengths people like Pierce will go to, to kill you.”
“I do understand. I know if I’m killed, the tiger shifters will die. Trust me, that scares me. I have never been responsible for something so big. I might not have gone through the change yet, but I’m not just a normal human either. Come on, you need a shower before they arrive.”
“Won't you join me?” Ty kissed her neck.
“Oh, what the heck.”
Chapter Fifteen
Raja sat on a chair speaking to someone on the phone when they entered. Cutting off whoever was on the other end, he said, “I’ll call you back.”
He stood, slipping the cell phone in his pocket. “I apologize. There was a problem with Hunter's sister.”
Ty lowered himself to the chair and brought her with him. “Are you needed to deal with her?”
“Thomas is taking care of it. She’s distraught over what happened to her brother and is in a state of grief. They were very close. After he was arrested, she confided in me that Hunter had changed. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something different about him. They were growing apart. She asked me to help her brother. I explained to her it would be up to you what happened and most likely, he would get the help he needed. She thinks I betrayed her.”
“I expected her to be upset, but Hunter left us no choice. You don't attack your Alpha and get away with it. The punishment for attacking your Alpha and losing is death. There is no way around that.”
Raja nodded. “Everyone knows this, and if she were thinking clearly, she would understand, but grief does strange things to people. I had the doctor give her something to calm her. She needs to rest. I’ll speak with her soon, but this is not why we’re here.”
“Very well. I asked you here because after today's incident, I’ve decided to assign around-the-clock guards. One of those guards I have chosen is Felix. I’m planning to promote Felix to Captain of Tabitha’s Guards. Felix has done a great job as one of my guards, and I trust him to keep Tabitha safe. Today he came from the back of the conference room, where he was stationed, to get her out of the way. He understands she must be kept safe. Even though Tabitha is a stubborn, hard-headed woman and refused to leave the room,” he paused giving Tabitha a pointed look, “he kept her out of danger and was ready to protect her if needed.”
“I think he would be perfect for the job. Felix is one of the few I would trust with my life. Who else do you have in mind?”
“I haven't decided on anyone else yet. I wanted Tabitha to meet the rest of the clan. We’ll see who fits well with her, who seems like they would be a good match. I would like four guards assigned to her, at least two at any given time. Most of the time, I’ll be around her, but if something happens like it just did and I have to take care of it, I want to know she’ll be safe. I won’t have her put in danger. I want the guards to keep her safe when I can't.”
Tabitha leaned away from Ty to look at him. “Don’t I get a say in this?”
Ty rubbed the top of her hand that was resting on his leg. “Baby, I’m doing this to protect you. You can have some say on who will protect you. But you are my mate, and I would rather risk you being mad at me for who I choose than not have the guards that can keep you safe when I can't.”
“I’m safe. I don't need or want guards protecting me. I’ll be fine.” I’m not a possession he must keep under lock and key.
Ty looked away from her, toward Raja. “Could you excuse us for a moment?” Ty grabbed her hand and stood, pulling her along with him. He led them into a room off the living room that appeared to be an office, with deep burgundy walls and the same hardwood floors as the rest of the quarters. A large L-shaped desk, as neat as the rest of the house, dominated the center of the space.
“Tabby, I know you don't want this—you’ve made that clear—but it’s something you need. I will not have you in danger, and there will be times I won’t be able to protect you like I want to. You need this, and it’s normal for the Alpha and his mate to have guards. I have my own guards. Stop being stubborn and accept this.”
“I don't want people following me around all the time.” She crossed her arms, not caring if she appeared petulant.
“They won't be. While we’re in our quarters together, they’ll either be off on their own or outside the door if the threat level is high. If you come into our quarters alone, they’ll have to do a walk-through to make sure no one is here, but they won't stay in here unless you’re in immediate danger. They will only be with you when you’re outside our quarters. If we need to, we can set up more boundaries later, after you go through the change. I just want to make sure you have the guards you need when we need them.”
“Okay, you win on this one for right now. But once I go through the change, we’ll discuss this again.”
“Thank you.” Ty leaned down to kiss her. “Now let’s finish this.”
They walked out of Ty's office. Felix was now in attendance.
“Felix, thank you for coming.” After they took their seat again, Felix and Raja also sat.
“Felix, Tabitha and I have decided we would like you to be the Captain of her Guards. Are you interested in this promotion?”
“That’s such an honor. Thank you both. I would be honored to accept.”
“Thank you. We’ll let you know soon who the other guards will be. We haven't finalized those yet. Until then, you’ll be protecting her along with Thomas, from my guards. Before I assigned any long-term guards, I wanted her to meet the clan. Within the next few days, you’ll know and can start training them. You can explain the new changes to Thomas, and I want both of you to meet us here at six o’clock tonight to attend the party.”
“Yes, sir.” Felix rose and appeared to be awaiting dismissal.
“That’s all for now.” When the door firmly closed behind Felix, Ty turned his attention back to Raja. “Until Tabitha goes through the change, I want you and the rest of the guards on call twenty-four hours a day. I want the compound security on alert. If anyone comes on the grounds, I want to know, and if that person is not permitted to be here, then I’ll hold whoever is on guard at fault. I won’t have Tabitha at risk, no matter how small. Things are dangerous now.”
“I’ll inform the clan. If there is anything you need, please let me know.” Raja rose, understanding the conversation was over.
“I still don’t think I need guards. I can protect myself.”
When they were alone once again, Ty growled. “Tabitha, I have never felt this way about anyone before. I want you safe, even if that means you’re mad at me. You mean everything to me.”
“Ty, you’re the first person who has ever really cared about me. I…” her voice broke, all the blood rushed to her head. “I love you. If you want guards for me, then that’s what I’ll have. I was just upset that you didn't talk to me about it first. I should have a say in this kind of stuff.”
Ty leaned down, put one arm behind her legs and one behind her back, and carried her off to the bedroom. He kissed her neck as he walked. “You’re my mate. It's my job to protect you.”
“I’m not a china doll. I don’t want to be protected.” She let out a frustrated sigh.
“I want you safe.”
Tired of fighting, Tabitha wrapped her arms around Ty's neck. “I’m not used to someone wanting to protect me. I’l
l try, but I’m not some little school girl who can't stand up for herself. I might not have the physical strength and speed you have, but I'm not a dainty human either.”
Ty laid her gently on the bed. With her arms still around his neck, she leaned up into his body, kissing him deeply, drinking from his lips, as she gently pulled him onto the bed. Gliding her hands down his tight, toned chest, she stopped for a moment to feel his biceps, and she was glad to have him all to herself…at least for a little while.
Ty tugged off her shirt before slipping his hand behind her back to unhook her bra as she explored his chest and arms. Tossing the discarded clothes to the floor, he kissed her neck and made his way down her chest, taking extra time at each nipple. He gently took the nipples into his mouth one at a time and sucked ever so softly, then released it and rolled his tongue over it. He looked up at her with so much devotion shining in his eyes, making her heart flutter.
Tiger Time Page 8