Alaskan Tigers Box Set 1

by Marissa Dobson

  “Felix, if anything happens to her…” Ty growled.

  “She will be safe. I’ll protect her with my life.”

  The bedroom door opened, and everyone braced for action. There was a good chance whoever was on the other side of the door wasn’t friendly.

  “It’s Thomas,” came a whisper as the door inched open.

  “What the Hell are you doing, Thomas?”

  “I saw Lance leave his post, and I wanted to check it out.”

  “Shut the door. I’ll deal with Lance later. Where’s Marcus?”

  “He’s still on watch. They were heading this way.” Thomas closed the door behind him.

  “Then we better be ready,” Ty said, eyeing Felix, who nodded.

  Something tumbled to the floor in the living room. Tabitha stiffened as they readied for what was coming. Ty and Felix moved to stand in front of her, blocking her view of the door, while Raja stood at Ty’s side and Thomas next to Felix.

  If the time comes, will I be willing to shoot to kill and save myself? She wasn’t sure of the answer, but still, she held the gun to her side, while the men had theirs aimed at the door.

  The door splintered as the intruders kicked it in. So much for picking the lock.

  “Stop right there,” Ty hollered when shadowy figures entered the room.

  The faint light coming in the window allowed her a glimpse of the face of the youngest man in the back of the group before he turned as if to run. Instead he found Marcus and another guard blocking the door.

  Ty let out a deep growl as the two other intruders went for their weapons. “Raise those guns and you will die.”

  “Either way, we’ll die. It’s better at your hands than at our Alpha’s.” The two men in the front weren’t going to go down without a fight, while the one in the back looked terrified.

  She couldn’t take her gaze off the last guy. There was something about him, almost as if he wasn’t there willingly. Before she could question it further, all Hell broke loose.

  In a split second, she heard Felix click the safety off on his gun as two of the intruders shifted. The third one stood there, apparently not knowing what to do. Felix pushed her back against the wall as Raja and Thomas shifted to be on equal ground with the others.

  Ty braced himself, ready to protect her if they got past Raja and Thomas. Marcus already had the other man detained, cuffed, and on the ground outside the bedroom. He left the other guard to keep watch over the prisoner and came to assist with the others.

  Growls echoed around the small space. One of the men leaped toward them but Raja countered him, quickly slamming the smaller tiger to the ground. The eerie sound of teeth breaking bone made her stomach roil while blood and hair scattered around them. It was hard to know which shifter was who, the only one she recognized was Raja. There was a different energy around him she was able to distinguish from the others, and he was a good fifty pounds larger as well.

  Her heart skipped a beat as one of the tigers was thrown against the wall to land in a heap on the floor, where he didn’t move. She could see the tiger’s chest rise and fall with shallow breaths, but if he was not moving, he had to be seriously injured. Don’t let that be Thomas!

  The fighting went on for what seemed like hours, but only minutes had passed. Her heart was in her throat as she watched people fight for her, knowing that if it wasn’t for her, this wouldn’t be happening.

  A second tiger fell to the ground, his throat ripped open. As he died, he shifted back to human form. With one dead and one severely injured, Raja and Thomas shifted back, allowing her to breathe easy.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Tabitha stood there unsure what to do, everything had happened so fast. Was this what her life was always going to be like? How many times would she have to stand by and watch as people defended her?

  “Finish him,” Raja ordered, handing Thomas a gun before slipping on a pair of shorts Ty grabbed for him. The others pulled on clothes Ty had supplied and grabbed their weapons. Without hesitation, Thomas took the gun, walking toward the injured tiger. Tabitha tried to make herself call out, to tell Thomas not to do it, but she couldn’t. The tiger in her knew this had to be done.

  A shot pierced the night, and her breath caught in her throat. Tonight, as she’d embraced her tiger, she realized part of her human values had died.

  “It had to be done. He was here to kill you. There was no way we could have trusted him after that.” Ty put his arms around her, drawing her close.

  She nodded, resting her head on his chest, breathing in his smell. “I want to speak with the prisoner.”

  “Tabby, I think it can wait until morning.”

  “No, I need to do it now.”

  He nodded. “Raja, allow him to sit. She can talk to him before he’s taken to a cell.”

  Before Raja could react, his cell phone rang, and he tugged it out of his pocket to answer it.

  “I’ll deal with the prisoner,” Marcus said as Raja moved away from everyone to take the phone call.

  “The grounds secured?” Raja listened, staring downward in intense concentration. “No other intruders on the premises?” There were a few moments of silence. “Good. Send out a search party and follow his scent. I want to be notified if you find anything.” He ended the call.

  “Thomas, help Marcus and close the door behind you.” Raja slipped the phone back into his pocket.

  When the bedroom door was firmly closed behind him and only three remained, he explained the situation. “There was someone down in the cells. Chris is gone, and the guard is dead.”

  “Shit! I didn’t question him yet.”

  Tabitha decided to share her knowledge. “I don’t think he would have been any help, but I think the one in the living room has information.” The men eyed her their gazes full of questions.

  “What gives you that impression?” Raja wondered.

  “I watched him. He knows something. He didn’t want to be here but had to be. If I can speak with him, I think I might be able to find out whatever he’s hiding.” She took Ty’s hand. “Raja, go ahead out there. We will be there in a moment. I want to speak with my mate first.”

  After Raja left Tabitha sat on the corner of the bed, Ty kneeling before her. “Explain to me this feeling you’re getting.” He took her hand in his and gently caressed it.

  “It’s hard to describe. There’s a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. Sometimes I can just tell something.” She tried her best to explain.

  “I think you might be coming into another gift.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “As mates, we’re able to sense each other’s emotions. You shouldn’t be able to pick up on the feelings of others unless their in our clan, but I think you are. This is one of the abilities some of the members in your line have.” He stood, raking his hands through his dark hair.

  “I already have my ability.”

  “It’s possible to have more than one. Maybe you’ll have whatever ones you need to bring the tigers together.”

  “We don’t have time to question this now. Let’s deal with the situation at hand, and then maybe we can consult the book. Maybe there’s some kind of answer in it.” She took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure how many of these abilities she could handle without it becoming overwhelming.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Tabitha stepped into the living room with Ty by her side, to find the man slouched on the sofa. His head hung, and tears glistened in his eyes. The guards standing beside and behind were ready to leap into action if the situation called for it.

  “I don’t think we need everyone here,” she whispered to Ty.

  “Everyone except Raja, Felix, and Marcus, resume your duties. We have this under control now.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured.

  Marcus stood behind the sofa, while Felix watched from the side; Raja and Ty stood on either side of her.

  For the first time, she was able to get a good look at the man befo
re her. He was in his early twenties, young, and if her impression was right, he was a new shifter. There was an odd smell to him. It wasn’t as if he’d just come from another clan, but as if he was entirely different.

  “What is your name?” she inquired.

  “Connor, ma’am.”

  “Why?” she said simply.

  The sorrow poured off him, almost drowning her in it.

  “Why what?”

  “Let’s start with, why are you here? What led you to this point? You didn’t act like the others.”

  “I’m here because I was ordered.”

  “Ordered by whom? If you were ordered, why didn’t you attack like the others?”

  “You already know by whom. I didn’t attack because none of this is about me. I didn’t have anything to do with it and didn’t want to be a part of it. I have nothing against you and see no reason you should be killed. Yes, I know his reason for it, but then he should be doing the dirty work, not sending others out to do it.”

  “If you don’t believe in the cause, then why are you out here fighting for him?”

  “I have no choice.”

  “Everyone has a choice.” She could feel his sorrow mix with resentment.

  “I didn’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “She’s trying to save your life, and you don’t even have the decency to answer her questions.” Ty growled, his patience growing short. “Answer her or the guards will escort you to your cell while we decide your fate.”

  “One of his…Pierce’s followers murdered my mother a few years ago. He took me under his wing and gave me a place to live. I knew someday there would be a price to pay for it, but I never expected he would want me to kill someone for him.”

  “What about your clan?”

  “Mom was sort of a lone wolf.”

  She realized what she smelled. “You’re a wolf.”

  It was more of a statement than a question, but he still answered it with a nod.

  Ty took a step forward, earning him a glare from her.

  “Wolves are a dangerous breed,” he said as if that explained the move.

  “Some find my kind to be unstable, but I mean no harm to anyone. I tried to find a way out of the situation, but they were under orders to kill me if I didn’t complete the assignment. I thought I could find a way to get away from them, but up until we entered the bedroom, I was smashed between them.”

  His words vibrated the truth through the room, touching her core. Ty didn’t seem convinced, or maybe he wasn’t taking any chances, but he still had his body angled in front of her, ready to protect her.

  “You had to know Pierce was dangerous before now. Why stick around him all these years?”

  “Dangerous, yes, but all shifters are dangerous to a point. Certifiably insane is a whole different ball game.”

  “Why did you stay?”

  “It wasn’t until recently I understood how crazy he is. I had a job offer and was supposed to leave a few weeks ago. I thought I would have been done with him then.”

  “Then why are you here?” Ty snarled.

  “When I told him about the job, he nearly killed me. I just recovered.”

  “What can you tell us about Pierce’s plans?” She touched her mate’s arm, trying to calm him.

  “I don’t know what you did to him, ma’am, but he will stop at nothing to see you dead.” Sorrow shone in his eyes.

  “I didn’t do anything to him personally. It’s more about who I am.” Ty shot her a warning look, and she knew better than to go into details. “What are his plans? Where’s he staying?”

  “He didn’t tell me his plans. Only that he wanted you dead. They’re staying in a cabin on the mountain.”

  “Give us directions. We need to locate him.” Ty motioned to Raja, who seemed to understand the silent communication.

  Raja grabbed a pad and pen from the desk and handed them to Connor. “If you make any attempt to escape or to place any of us in danger, we will kill you. There will be no questions.” He uncuffed his hands, allowing him to write the directions down.

  “Understood,” Conner said as he rubbed his wrist before picking up the pen.

  She had adopted a façade of grim determination and confidence, but inside she was frightened. Will going after Pierce and his team threaten the family I found? Will someone die in my place?

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “The men are on their way to the location. They’ll call when they have the suspect in custody. Connor, if this lead is the truth, you might have earned your freedom,” Ty said as he and Raja returned from the debriefing in the conference room.

  Connor stayed silent as if he were considering his fate. Tabitha knew he was wondering if he was going to die that night. He didn’t have family or friends who would miss him, but he had dreams he wanted to accomplish before it was his time.

  “Connor, I want you to shift into your wolf—” She didn’t get to finish, Ty cut her off.

  “Absolutely not!” he shouted.

  “Ty—”

  “There’s no way it’s going to happen. He’s more dangerous in animal form. I will not have it, not with my mate in jeopardy.”

  She moved closer to him so they could discuss it calmly between themselves. “I might be able to sense more than he could tell us. Something only his subconscious knows.”

  “It’s too dangerous.” His eyes flashed with anger.

  “He won’t harm us.”

  “You don’t know that. This could all be a trap.” He stood with his arms across his broad chest, staring down at her.

  “I can feel he’s telling the truth, he means me no harm. You know this could help us. Let me do it before it’s too late, before Pierce has a chance to escape or make a move.”

  “You’re my mate. I’m supposed to protect you. This isn’t protecting you.”

  “You trusted me with Lukas, so trust me now. We can take precautions if that makes you feel safer.” She laid her hand on his arm still crossed over his chest. “I wouldn’t put myself in danger for the hell of it.”

  “Raja, Felix.”

  The men came to stand next to them.

  “Against my better judgment, I’m allowing this. We’ll stand in front of her. If he makes a move, kill him.” The men nodded, and Ty turned around to face Conner. “Go over to the corner. I want you far enough away from her. When you shift, lay on the floor. If you make a move, you will die.”

  Connor moved into place, removing his clothing when he reached the corner. Ty touched her cheek. “My mate, I love you.”

  “I love you too.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him as he wrapped his arms around her.

  “We’re ready,” Raja said from behind them.

  “Let’s do this before I change my mind.”

  “Shift when you’re ready.” She stood protected by the men. She had a spot between Raja and Ty that she could see through, but it was like being behind a wall and only being able to see through a small window.

  The magic gathered in the air as the young man transformed in front of them. A gasp escaped her lips as she saw Connor’s life play out before her. Ty watched her from the corner of his eye but when she nodded, he turned his attention back to the wolf.

  She closed her eyes, giving full attention to the memories of his life. It wasn’t until the recent memories of Pierce that she could feel his anger. Not at her and her men, but at Pierce. Pierce tortured Connor at every turn, making his life Hell. She finally understood why he’d stayed. No other pack would allow him in now that he was associated with Pierce, for fear of problems.

  She saw his memories of what happened before he came to the compound. Everything he’d said to them was true, but seeing them, she was able to realize things he didn’t. There was a suitcase sitting by the door in his memory.

  Any idea where he’s going? she mentally asked the wolf.

  She didn’t get a sense he understood what she meant. His
memories continued to play out before her, leaving her the impression he hadn’t seen the suitcase.

  “Pierce is gone. You won’t find him at the cabin. He left some of the others behind but took his key people with him.”

  “How do you know this?” Ty asked.

  “There’s a suitcase in his memory, next to the door. When Connor walked in, there were bits and pieces caught. I don’t think he put them together, but I did.”

  “So he told us the truth about his involvement?”

  She didn’t answer, just nodded as she saw another house in his memories. This house had bad memories, and she could tell he didn’t want to go back there.

  “Whose house is that?” Then she saw both his mother and Pierce. “You can shift back.”

  But nothing happened. Connor laid there in wolf form, not moving.

  “He can’t,” Raja said as she began to wonder what had happened.

  “Oh,” Tabitha exclaimed. “I forgot you mentioned weaker shifters aren’t able to shift back. Why was he so willing when he knew this would happen?”

  “I don’t think he thought he had a choice. You’re an Alpha Female. Even outside his pack, he understands authority.” Ty moved to give her a little more room to see between him and Raja. “I’m sure if he didn’t know it before, once Pierce came into his life, he knew it.”

  “But I have questions I want him to answer.” She sighed. “It’s different than with us. He has to think of the image or memory.”

  Ty gave a little squeeze to her hand, letting her know she shouldn’t go on. “It’s the best we can do right now. He won’t be able to shift for at least another few hours.”

  She sat down on the sofa and ran her hand through her hair. She was drained, and it was going to take time and patience to get the answers she wanted.

  “Connor, you showed me a picture of Pierce and your mother. I don’t understand how they owned the house. Was there something between them?”

  He shook his wolf head and showed her his mom, a coffin, and then Pierce.