“My parents were killed in a car crash.” Her mind reeled.
“Tabitha, there’s much you need to learn about the shifters, especially tigers. Your parents didn’t die in a car accident. A car accident might have killed your mother, but it wouldn’t have killed your father. Your father was shot in the head and heart. They just made it look like a car accident. The police officer who investigated it wouldn’t have been able to tell. It was a very gruesome scene.”
“If what you say is true, wouldn’t they have found the bullets?”
“There was no autopsy. The officers investigating the scene ruled it an accident and the case was closed.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as her world came crashing down around her. Why was everything I’ve been told a lie? She’d grown up thinking her father had slid behind the wheel drunk, resulting in the accident. She’d always assumed it was his fault she was in foster care. As she moved from house to house, she’d thought so many times, if only my father hadn’t been drinking that night, then she could have had a proper home like her classmates.
“I’ve blamed him my whole life.” She placed an unsteady hand over her mouth as though a part of her wanted to keep the truth inside. To speak it aloud carried a stinging shame.
He leaned forward and clasped her hands in his as he stared at her intently. “I know what your caseworker told you. I wanted to step in and tell you the truth, but you couldn’t find out about your heritage until you were ready. It would have put the whole clan at risk. There are so few of us now.”
As she cried harder, she instinctively sought the comfort he offered, letting him hold her close. “Tabitha, your father was a great man, and he wanted the best for you. I will tell you all about him if you want.”
Between the tears, she nodded. “Yes, that would be great. I never knew anything about him. I have a picture, but that’s it.”
They sat in silence for a long time, Tabitha lost in her thoughts while Ty quietly gave her the time she needed. All of this was a shock for her—his revelations, his presence, the unusual feelings he aroused within her.
Finally, she got the courage to ask, “What happens next?” Her heart skipped a beat as she pondered what his reply might be.
Chapter Four
“What happens next is up to you. I must return to Alaska soon. You can stay here and continue on with your life. I can find a local tiger to help you through your transition. Or you can come to Alaska with me.”
Tabitha sat up straight as he released her. “I can go to Alaska with you?” She tried to keep the excitement out of her voice.
“If you want to.” The twinkle in his eye made it clear he’d picked up on her eagerness. “You know, most people wouldn’t be so excited about relocating to Alaska and the cold weather.”
“Well, I’m not most people. I have always wanted to go there. I’m not sure why but something about it calls to me. I can’t explain it.”
“That’s not surprising, you would have the desire to go where your clan is. Even with closer clans, you’d have been drawn to the clan that held your legacy. Right now, our small clan is in Alaska, and not everyone is happy about that.”
“Why Alaska if the clan isn’t happy?” Despite her distrust in the situation, she was interested in learning about them. She didn’t know where to begin, but Ty had given her an opening.
“I took over the clan five years ago. Once I did, I assessed the situation here in Pittsburgh and realized staying here would only lead to more problems. At that time, there were a few tigers in Alaska and once their Alpha died they needed help organizing. My Lieutenant, Raja, and I talked and decided it was best to move there and form one clan.” Ty tossed the rag he used on her forehead into the kitchen sink with perfect accuracy. “We gave the other tigers a choice. They could either stay in Pittsburgh and be prey to others since they would be without a clan, or they could come to Alaska. All but two chose to come. The two who didn’t come were a husband and wife pair, and they needed to stay close to Pittsburgh due to an ill human family member. We found them a home with the Ohio clan, because of their special circumstances.”
Listening to him, Tabitha could hear the love in his voice. It was his family. Would going to Alaska give her the home and acceptance she longed for? Would they consider her part of their circle? She tried to put her worries into words without sounding scared or childish. “Will the clan accept me? I’m an outsider.”
Ty put his arm around her and gently pulled her close. “Tabitha, of course they will accept you. You’re part of us, and, everyone will be glad to have you back. Many of them wanted to get you out of the system and give you a home among us, but we were unsure if you would even go through the change. Children with one shifter parent have a fifty percent chance of shifting, whereas if both parents are shifters, the child will be too. Growing up, you would have been in danger, and if you didn’t change, you would be put at risk. No one wanted to risk your life. Since no one other than the clan knew of your existence, we knew you would be safe even if it meant being in the state’s care.”
“Ty, I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to go with you.” Before he could say a word, she was up and in the bathroom with the door locked. The tears ran down her face, sorrow tightening her chest, making it hard to breathe.
“I don’t know what I said to make you cry, but come out here and let’s talk about this. If you don’t want to go to Alaska, I understand. There’s still more you need to know before I can leave.” Ty’s voice came from outside the bathroom door.
She tried to pull herself together enough to speak. “Please leave me alone.” Her throat constricted and tears threatened to overtake her again.
“I can’t. Now come out here or I will break this door down if I have to.”
Not wanting his pity for the tears she shed, she stayed perched on the edge of the bathtub, hating the hand life had dealt her. It was cruel and there was nothing she could do about it.
“Just sit down and talk to me. If after that you wish me to leave, I will.”
Washing her face in the sink, she caught a glimpse of her reflection. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face was flushed from crying. Nothing would change that except time, and she’d didn’t have enough of it. No matter how she felt, she knew she couldn’t leave him standing by the bathroom door. She did the only respectable thing, she opened the door and faced him. “There’s nothing more to talk about, I can’t go with you.”
“Only moments ago you were thrilled to know the clan was in Alaska. What changed your mind? Are you still worried they won’t accept you?” Ty must have noticed she looked unsteady on her feet. He wrapped his arm around her and led her to the sofa.
“No. I just can’t go.” Looking down at her hands, she continued but in a softer voice, “I can’t afford it, I can barely make ends meet now.” It came out in more of a whisper than she expected. She was hopeful he heard her because she didn’t think she could say it again.
“Tabitha, you don’t need money. All you need is to agree to it. The clan is ready to accept you and pay for your plane ticket back to Alaska with me. We’re family. When your father found me, I had nothing to my name, I was living on the streets. He helped me get a place to stay and everything I needed. I want you to return to Alaska and stay with me.”
Stunned he would offer her this, she stared at him. She couldn’t understand why someone who didn’t know her would want to help. All of her life, no one had wanted to help her with anything. She’d always had to deal with things on her own. If this guy wanted to help her because of what her father had done for him, then he must be very altruistic.
When she didn’t respond, he tried again. “Tabitha, are you still with me?”
She shook her head to try to lift the fog that settled in her brain. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I asked you, will you return to Alaska with me?”
I have nothing holding me here. Alice won’t understand but she’ll do fine on her own. I’ve always wanted
to go to Alaska and here’s my chance. Maybe I can learn more about my parents.
“Yes. When do you want to leave?”
“As soon as you’re ready. We’ll be able to help you more in Alaska. Being around people of your own kind will help make the transition smoother. It should alleviate the soreness. You’ll still feel tired because your body is working overtime trying to adjust to the changes.”
While Ty spoke of leaving, she remembered the hospital, the attack, the death of the unborn baby. Her heart swelled with fear and pain. “What will I tell Alice? After all she’s been through in the last twenty-four hours, and now I up and leave without much notice. We’ve been through so much together, and now I’m about to run off when she needs me the most.”
He placed his hand over hers. “Alice? You mentioned her before when I asked about the blood. Who is she?”
“My neighbor. When I was seven I moved into a group home temporarily and that’s when I met her. She’s my best friend.” She glanced toward the door as if she could see through the walls and across the hall to Alice’s apartment. “This morning she showed up after her boyfriend beat her. That’s what the blood is from. She was hurt so bad and has been admitted to the hospital.”
“I’m sorry.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “You can’t tell her the truth. She wouldn’t understand. We’ll come up with something.”
“I know. She’s been my only friend for so long, I’ll have to tell her something before I leave.” Again, tears threatened to overcome her. What’s wrong with me? All the years in foster care had taught her that she had to have a hard outer shell. She knew better than to cry in front of people, otherwise it revealed a weakness they could take advantage of later.
“I understand, we’ll think of something to tell her. In the meantime, you need to rest. In the morning we can pack and visit your friend. If you don’t mind, I’ll spend the night on your sofa. Someone might have seen me come in. It could put you in danger. Until you go through the change, you should stick close to me or someone else in the clan. It’s a risky time for you. There are those out there who hunt us. There are also rogue shifters, and if you come across one they’ll smell the impending change. They’d exploit that weakness.”
She grabbed her sweats from the corner of the bed where she’d dropped them earlier and headed to the bathroom. “I’m going to change. You can take the bed, I don’t sleep much, so I can curl up on the sofa with a book.” She didn’t wait for a reply before she slipped into the bathroom.
She needed the time it took her to change to get her mind wrapped around things. It was all moving so quickly that she wasn’t sure she was doing the right thing. She was normally more cautious than this, but something told her she could trust him.
A few minutes later, when she stepped out of the bathroom, she noticed he hadn’t moved. He picked up the conversation where they’d left off. “If you would allow, I can help you with your insomnia.”
A snicker escaped her lips before she could stop it. “How would you manage that? I’ve been to the doctor, and there’s nothing he can give me to help me sleep. He can’t even give me something for my fever. All the tests say there’s nothing wrong with me.”
His gaze bore into her as he rose from the sofa and walked over to her. “That’s because they don’t understand your body as a tiger. Anything they give you, your body would metabolize before it could help. I can help you just by being near you. Being close to another tiger will help ease your symptoms.” Tugging gently on her hand, he added, “Come lay on the bed with me.”
Slight hesitation was overcome by exhaustion, and the fact that his presence was strangely comforting. She allowed him to lead her into the bed, as she tried to ignore the odd arousal rising within her.
Just having his hand on hers made the stomach cramps recede a little, and the tightness of her muscles began to fade. The biggest relief was that her heartbeat slowed, returning to normal. It was amazing how it felt to just feel normal. No erratic heartbeat, no tightness throughout her body.
“Lay down on your side facing the wall. I’m going to lay behind you with my body snuggled against yours,” he told her.
She looked at him for a moment, wondering if this was some cheap trick to get her into bed. It’s plausible, right? His hand in mine does help. Throwing caution to the wind, she climbed onto the bed as he’d instructed.
As their bodies came together, she felt a shock of energy course through her limbs, causing her to startle and try to move away. He held her close, keeping her tight against him. “It’s all right. Relax. It’s nothing to worry about, that sometimes happens with shifters. Sleep.”
With his full body touching her, she finally felt normal, whole, and secure. She wanted to hear more about her family, but her eyes wouldn’t stay open. For the first time in weeks, she began to drift into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Before she fell completely asleep, she heard his voice whisper, “You will soon understand what the jolt was. We’re mates. You’re mine. I will protect you with my life.”
Chapter Five
Tabitha awoke to the screeching ring of her cell. By the time she rolled over to get out of bed, Ty had already grabbed her phone and was handing it to her. Before answering it she looked up at him, letting the memories of the night before wash over her. With him standing before her there was no chance she could deny what had happened.
“Are you going to answer that?”
Remembering the phone, she slid her finger over the screen and brought it to her ear. “Hello.” Sitting on the edge of the bed, she realized the hospital calling her could only mean bad news.
“I’m calling for Tabitha Leigh, this is Doctor Roberts.”
“This is she. How’s Alice this morning?” Hoping for the best, she wondered if her friend had awoken early and asked for her.
“I’m sorry to be the one to inform you, but Alice died during the night.” The doctor’s voice remained unsympathetic, flat.
She clung to the blanket, her heart in her throat. “What? How?”
“She was attacked in her room—”
“How the hell did that happen, she’s in a hospital?” Tabitha shrieked, cutting off the doctor. “You just let people stroll in after visiting hours?” She didn’t want to believe what she was hearing. If only she had stayed, this wouldn’t have happened, but she also wouldn’t have met Ty or had the best rest of her life.
“I can’t go into the details, but there’s an Officer O’Malley here who wishes to speak with you. He’ll be able to answer any questions you might have.” He paused before adding, “I know it’s not much, but I’m sorry for your loss.”
She wanted to scream. Being sorry couldn’t bring Alice back. There was nothing that could be said, nothing anyone could do. She was gone. Hatred flooded Tabitha—hatred for the hospital, for the doctors, for the people who should’ve been watching over her best friend, keeping her safe.
“I understand. I’ll be right over,” she added tersely, hanging up before he could say anything else. Tears stained her cheeks. Not bothering to hide them, she looked at Ty. “What the hell! This can’t be happening.” She gasped, then began to sob.
“Tabitha, what is it?” He pulled her into his arms. He’d held her all night, and he held her as she cried now. He clasped his hands over her wrists to keep her from digging her nails into her arm.
“Ali…” Her voice cracked and she had to clear her throat before she could continue. “Somehow Mike found out she was at the hospital.”
“But she’s okay—”
She shook her head. “I don’t know how but she’s…” She couldn’t get the words out.
“I’m sorry.” He rubbed his hand over her back, giving her as much comfort as he could.
“Officer O’Malley is there and wants to…wants to speak to me,” she stammered. “I have to…I have to go to the hospital.” She felt disconnected, lost, as if she were living someone else’s nightmare.
“Get dressed and I’l
l take you. My car is downstairs.”
Her body moved in a daze, nothing registering yet. Her only friend for so many years had been murdered. Murder…the word stuck in her throat. How does something like that happen in a hospital?
Ty being there didn’t even cross her mind. She slipped out of her sweats and into a pair of blue jeans and a black turtleneck sweater before heading to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her hair. She wanted to get this over with. From the brief time she’d spent with Officer O’Malley, she knew he wouldn’t get more pleasant waiting for her.
She was stunned by her reflection. Her eyes no longer had dark circles around them. They were bloodshot from crying, but there’d been a remarkable change overnight. She walked out of the bathroom and found him standing by the end of the bed, grabbing a shirt from a bag she’d never noticed. He looked over his shoulder and stopped midway through putting his deep red dress shirt on.
“You look healthier after a good night’s sleep.”
“I…I feel like a new person. It’s miraculous what sleep can do for you.” Her throat closed as she realized while she slept, her best friend had been murdered. I should have stayed with her.
Ty finished buttoning his shirt. “The change is close for you, and once you go through it, you’ll feel better than you ever have. I’ll teach you everything you’ll need to know.” His words conveyed more than he was letting on.
Despite the way her body trembled, the way her stomach tied itself in knots as she thought about Alice’s death, Tabitha felt safe with him. She was thankful he was there to help her through this. She barely knew him, but for some reason she knew she could trust him. Maybe it was their connection, the clan.
“Let’s go get this over with. The sooner we can do this and pack, the sooner you can get back to your clan.” Everywhere she looked she thought of Alice. My whole life I’ve loved and lost people, maybe I’m meant to be alone. Or will going to Alaska change this?
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