by Lori King
She seemed frozen, and although her chest moved as she breathed and he could hear her heart beating, she hadn’t moved a finger or opened her eyes. He held his breath, willing her to be able to handle the shift. Time seemed to stand still.
And then her eyes popped open and her bones cracked. Golden fur flowed over her skin as she screamed, her body twisting and morphing. The shift took over, forcing her body to change shape from human to tiger. Her spine bowed, each vertebra cracking like a gunshot. Her human hair receded, replaced by the silky fur of the tiger. Her hands curled, her screams of pain slicing right through him as claws emerged through her fingertips for the first time, her knuckles cracking and twisting.
He'd never witnessed a first-time shift. His own had been painful, but he’d expected it and had an idea of what would come. His parents had been with him every step of the way, encouraging him. Drawing on his memories, he coached his soulmate through her transformation.
“Don’t fight the shift, Valerie. Let it come. I know it hurts, sweetheart,” he said as he laid his hand on her stomach, brushing his fingers through the soft golden fur that covered her abdomen. “Breathe deeply and try to relax so your body can change. I can’t wait to see you shift. My cat wants to run and hunt with you.”
Her pain-filled cries ebbed as he spoke, as if she was listening to his reassurance and following his directions. Their gazes locked as her face changed from human to tiger. His heart pounded in his chest, and everything went quiet for a long moment. She blinked molten-gold eyes at him, her lips parted to reveal her gleaming fangs, and then she rolled to her stomach and shifted completely. Four paws sank into the hardwood floor and her tail swished angrily as she bellowed a roar at Zara.
“She’s the pack doctor,” Charisma said soothingly, wrapping an arm around her thick neck in case she tried to go after her.
“She can tell I’m not mated,” Zara said, smiling. “I’d say she’s out of the woods. She’ll probably sleep for the night. If she’s achy when she wakes up, I left some tea leaves for you to steep, which should help.”
“Thank you for your help,” Charisma said.
“Of course. We might be different beasts, but we’re all in this together. The guards will stay until midday. Solomon will be here at sunset tonight to go with you to the Wiccans.”
Nodding, Charisma waited until Zara had left and shut the door behind her. He moved quickly to the door and threw the deadbolt, glancing out the window to see her and one of the wolves get into the SUV and leave. The two other wolves were in their shifts and watched the SUV depart before they resumed their walk around the cabin in opposite directions.
Turning back to his mate, he saw her grimace and knew she was fighting exhaustion and lingering pain. He moved to her and knelt, picking up the necklace, which had broken when she shifted completely. The bra and panties she’d been wearing had torn apart with the change in her body. He’d forgotten about the necklace, or he would have removed it before she shifted.
She yowled sadly, nuzzling the chain and medallion in his hand. “We can get the chain fixed. The important thing is that you’re safe.” Shoving the jewelry into the front pocket of his jeans, he cupped her head. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
She purred and pressed her nose to his throat. Licking his skin, she gave a questioning rumble. He knew what she wanted. Tilting his head, he closed his eyes and said, “Mark me, Valerie. I’m already yours.”
She struck immediately, her jaws clamping around the crux of his neck as her fangs bit into his skin. The pain was incredible, but it lasted only a brief moment as the connection between them as soulmates re-solidified. He’d planned to ask her to mark him after she recovered from her first shift, but her new instincts must have demanded he wear the proof of their mating.
She wore many marks now because he’d been forced to change her, but he hoped she’d wear them with pride. Without the marks, she would’ve died, and that didn’t bear thinking about.
Lifting from his shoulder, Valerie roared and then collapsed, her breath gusting from her lungs as her eyes closed. He pressed his ear to her chest to listen to her heartbeat and deciding his mate made a wonderfully comfortable pillow, he curled around her and closed his eyes.
When he’d spelled for his soulmate, he’d expected to spend their first twenty-four hours together convincing her that they were meant to be together. Their time had been marred by a dangerous Wiccan, and the threat wasn’t over yet. They were secure for the moment, though, knowing their home was being watched over by the wolves. He would do whatever it took to ensure her safety, and the safety of other shifters and their soulmates in the future. For now, he would rest. Revenge could wait until sunset.
9
Opening her eyes, Valerie groaned. Everything inside her ached. She stretched, and realized she was on the floor. As she looked down, she could see that her skin was covered with golden fur, striped with a darker shade of gold. She closed her eyes again for a brief moment, wondering if she was dreaming, but when she reopened them, her skin hadn’t suddenly made an appearance. She was still furry.
Very furry.
She curled her fingers, which were now tipped with black claws. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Something moved, scraping over the floorboards, and her sensitive ears twitched. She swung her head around and found Charisma smiling, his eyes shining with happiness.
“Hi, sweetheart. You’re a tiger now, but I think you figured that out.”
She opened her mouth to answer him, but all that came out was a yowl of agreement.
Remembering how the strange woman had attacked her, she lumbered to her feet, worry streaking through her. Bumping her head against her mate’s shoulder, she purred in question and nipped at his jaw.
He wrapped an arm around her neck and exhaled deeply. “She was a Wiccan, sweetheart. She’s the one who helped me cast the spell for you. She’s dead, but until I know for sure that the threat against you is gone, we need to be careful.”
The cat, now part of her subconscious, wanted to go for a run in the woods and stretch her new body out. She wanted to pounce on Charisma and bite him again, to make sure he wore enough marks that no female would ever look at him again. Lifting a large paw, she put it on his shoulder and pushed. He chuckled and wrapped his hand around her forearm.
“Would you like to go for a walk? We can circle around the cabin a few times. You need to get back into your human form so we can talk. Sometimes being active in the shift can help make it easier to change back.”
He rose to his knees and grabbed her head with his hands, pressing his forehead against hers. “I thought I was going to lose you. I wasn’t sure you’d be able to survive the transition. But you did, and now you’re a beautiful golden tiger and I’m not the last one anymore.” She could scent saltwater and knew he was struggling with his emotions. Her cat liked that he cared for her so much. Hell, Valerie liked it too.
She purred, her chest vibrating with the sound. He chuckled. “You’re getting very good at that, sweetheart.” He stood and ran his fingertips through the fur on the top of her head, scratching lightly, which made her purr louder.
She followed him to the door, and watched as he unlocked and opened it. She hesitated, wondering if the woman had friends who would come for revenge.
“It’s okay,” Charisma said. “The wolves have been patrolling since you were attacked and they haven’t seen anything. It’s possible the Wiccan was acting alone, but if she wasn’t, her friends haven’t made an appearance.”
She stepped with him out onto the porch. Two wolves appeared, their fur a mixture of grays and browns. She lifted her nose and inhaled, sorting through the scents. They smelled like a combination of animal and human.
“I’m going to take her for a walk around the cabin a few times to let her explore for a bit.”
The wolves both nodded and took off in opposite directions. She could hear them circle around the house, their paws nearly silent save for the s
crape of their claws on the hard ground.
Charisma shoved his jeans down his legs and she yowled in question.
He looked at her with a smile as he stepped from his pants. “I’m going to shift with you. You didn’t think I’d let you take your first run without me joining in the fun, did you?”
She sat on her haunches and watched him as he crouched and exhaled. He winked at her, then closed his eyes. His shift flowed over him like water, golden fur sprouting from his skin as his body twisted and reformed into a large tiger. She’d seen him shift into his human form, but she hadn’t witnessed the opposite transformation. It was a stunning sight. One moment, the sexiest guy she’d ever seen was standing in front of her, naked and aroused, and the next moment he was a big tiger with the same coloring as her new fur.
He shook himself out and pressed his nose to her throat with a purr. Through their connection as soulmates she could feel how much he cared for her, how happy he was that she was okay and that they could start their lives together. Following his movements, she scented him, too, drawing her nose slowly up his throat to his ear, which she bit lightly.
He chuffed at her, jerking his head to the side to encourage her to move. They both leaped down the steps. Being so low to the ground would take some getting used to, but she couldn’t believe how amazing everything looked. Her eyesight was much sharper, and her hearing was off the charts. Her whiskers twitched as she inhaled, sorting through the smells. The sun was shining, but it was still low in the sky so she knew it was early morning.
They padded to the edge of the woods, but Charisma growled softly and she knew he didn’t want her to go further. She could still smell the woman. She’d never actually met a Wiccan before, but her first time hadn’t gone well. Like shifters, Valerie thought that witches and other supernatural beings weren’t based in reality. It was hard to fathom that an entire world of paranormal creatures was operating under the nose of humans.
Side by side, they walked around the cabin. She inspected everything, her cat anxious to discover the details of their new home. They passed the wolves with every circuit, but didn’t acknowledge them. They were busy keeping an eye out for danger while she and her soulmate walked in circles.
The beast inside her now was ready to take a backseat to her human side. She felt the moment when the cat had enough, secure in the knowledge that their sexy tiger mate would keep them safe. And she happened to be a badass tiger shifter herself, complete with fangs and claws, so she could help keep him and their kids safe. Lifting her paw, she turned it over and inspected the deadly tips. With a flex, they unsheathed, gleaming in the sunlight. She would learn how to hunt and fight in her shift, so she’d never be vulnerable again.
Climbing the porch steps, she watched as Charisma shifted into his human form as easily as if he were changing clothes, and opened the front door. She passed by him and walked to the center of the family room.
The door shut and locked behind her and she turned to face him.
“Damn, you’re so pretty. My parents would have loved you. I wish you could have met them.”
She let out a sad yowl, wishing she could have met them too.
He tugged on his jeans and she wrinkled her nose. She liked him naked. He had the sexiest body. All hard muscles and warm skin.
“Your turn,” he said, falling to his knees in front of her. “Just relax and let your body go. Even though it’s new to you, your instincts will help you do what needs to be done. Trust this new part of yourself. Your cat will never steer you wrong.”
Nodding, she focused on the tiger in her mind and relaxed. The first time she’d shifted had been painful. Everything had happened in slow motion, and she couldn’t speed up the process, until Charisma had told her to stop fighting it. The pain had been so great that she couldn’t think of anything but the pain. Purposely embracing it had seemed like a terrible idea at the time, but once she’d let go of the fight to shift, it had happened quickly.
The burst of agony had been followed by delicious relief.
Now her body changed again, her human form returning to the forefront as the cat settled into her subconscious, ready for whenever Valerie needed her.
Her senses felt heightened still, even in her human form. Her voice cracked when she tried to say Charisma’s name. He pulled her onto his lap on the floor, and pressed his lips to hers. “You just went from tiger to human, and you might need some time for your body to adjust to the changes. I’m so proud of you. You’re amazing.”
She hugged him, grateful for the safety of his arms.
“Thank you for saving me,” she whispered, her throat aching with the words.
“Oh, love, I’ll always come for you. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.” His voice was full of determination, a promise and a threat rolled together that made her want to purr. So she did.
“Make love to me,” she murmured in his ear.
Without a word, he stood with her in his arms and carried her back to the bedroom.
* * *
After celebrating her safely changing into a tiger, he’d offered her his cell phone for her to call her mom and friend. She’d opted not to call them, but had left a message on her boss’s voicemail to explain that she’d had a family emergency and been unable to come to work, promising to call the following day with more details.
What he wanted to do was take her to her apartment so she could pack up her life, but what he needed to do instead was go with the alpha wolf to visit the Wiccans. His cat was happy that Valerie was one of them now, but fury rode close to the surface because she’d been forced into the shift so painfully. What she’d suffered was cruel. Although the Wiccan who had harmed her was dead, he wouldn’t relax until he knew for sure she was safe. Hell, he might never relax.
She came out of the bedroom wearing her jeans and one of his long-sleeved shirts. She joined him at the front window, sliding her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
“I want to come with you.”
His cat grumbled, but he’d been arguing back and forth with the beast about whether it was better for her to be with him or in the cabin.
“I don’t know,” he answered.
“I feel like it’s better for me to be with you than for us to be apart. My cat doesn’t want to let you out of our sight.”
She tipped her head until she was gazing at him, her brows furrowed in worry as she chewed on her lower lip. “I love how you talk about your cat,” he whispered, brushing his lips across hers.
“Are you trying to distract me?”
“No. You’re just very kissable.”
She giggled and kissed him back, sliding her hands up his back and gripping his shoulders. “You’re tempting.”
He gazed down at her green eyes as they swirled with the gold of her beast. “If you come, you have to promise to stay by my side and do whatever I say.”
“I promise. You killed the Wiccan who hurt me, but I know that there could be others. Even though we’ve only known each other for such a short time, I feel in my heart like we’ve known each other forever. I trust you.”
He was humbled by her trust in him. The sound of gravel crunching under tires and an engine revving alerted him to visitors. They walked to the front door together, and as he opened it he saw three vehicles, one being driven by the alpha.
Charisma and Valerie stepped out on the porch, shutting the front door behind them. The alpha rolled down his window as they approached. Charisma said, “This is my soulmate, Valerie. Sweetheart, this is Solomon, alpha of the wolf pack.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” she said. “Thank you for your help.”
“Shifters, regardless of their beasts, should stick together. I have several wolves who will be coming into their twenty-fifth year in the near future and I need to be assured that no one will try to come between them and their soulmates during the seeking spell.”
Valerie grimaced. She’d
read a lot of fictional romances about Wiccans, and they were almost always portrayed in a favorable light. Charisma would think she was silly for relying on romance novels for her supernatural knowledge, but she was working with what she had at her disposal. “I thought Wiccans were supposed to be good.”
Solomon’s brow rose. “There’s balance to everything in nature – good and bad. Although most Wiccans would be categorized as good, there are those who study dark arts or who are prejudiced against others for one reason or another. Regardless, Littlewood is a shifter town, and the Wiccans will not be allowed to harm another soulmate again.”
Charisma said, “Let’s get on the way.”
* * *
The Wiccan coven was outside of the small town of Littlewood. Charisma said they were going to the Wiccan coven headquarters, which turned out to be a modest cottage in the woods. It was hard to believe that something so sweet and innocent-looking could harbor an individual who hated shifters.
“What else is out there?” she asked Charisma as he opened her door.
“Out where?”
“I didn’t know that shifters were real, or magic. And now I’m going to meet a Wiccan. What other kinds of magical beings are out there?”
Solomon joined them, his wolves surrounding them in a loose circle. There were six wolves with them, and they looked ready to fight.
“Aside from shifters and witches, there are fairies, and humans with supernatural powers such as clairvoyance and telekinesis. All of us live in secret from ordinary humans, though. For one of us to be exposed means that all of us are at risk.”
She nodded. “I understand what that means. I want our family to be safe, and I want that for others, too.”
“You’re a lucky male to have found such a fierce soulmate,” Solomon said.
Charisma grasped her hands in his and faced her. “Whatever happens, remember that we’re completely bonded. Nothing can change that. No one can take your cat from you or erase our connection as soulmates.”