The Tiger's Heart Read online

  The Tiger’s Heart

  Alaskan Tigers Series: Book Two

  By Marissa Dobson

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  Smashwords Edition

  Sunshine Press

  Martinsburg, West Virginia

  The Tiger’s Heart

  Copyright ©2013, Marissa Dobson

  Edited by Em Petrova

  ISBN: 978-0-9886684-3-0

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  www.marissadobson.com

  Dedication

  To Thomas—my wonderful husband.

  Blurb:

  When the Lieutenant of the Alaskan Tigers Raja Harrison rescues Bethany from the hands of kidnappers he gets more than he bargains for. It was supposed to be an easy rescue, instead he finds the injured Bethany—and his mate. For years he’s avoided the mating topic, believing his job is too dangerous to risk another. But now Bethany threatens to risk that fragile control he’s once had.

  A rouge shifter wants Bethany Thompson and is determined to destroy all she holds dear, along with the tiger shifter population. When she’s kidnapped, beaten and forced into the world of shifters, her whole world is turned upside down. The shifter problems now are her problems as her family secret comes to light.

  Can Raja and Bethany join focuses with the other elders of the Alaskan Tigers to bring down the rouge shifter? Or will the rouge destroy all Raja serves to protect?

  Chapter One

  The table was cluttered with papers and maps, and their search for Pierce was underway. Information was slowly trickling in. They had men following up on leads, searching known vacations spots for Pierce and his gang. Most of the leads turned out to be dead ends, but still they followed up with everything, as the one lead they didn’t pursue would be the key to finding the rogue shifters.

  The anxiety of the situation ate away at Raja’s gut, while Ty’s shown on his face. They seemed no closer to finding Pierce, yet they could feel his men were in the mountains watching them. His assassin teams were stalking the area, waiting for them. With the danger surrounding rarely did anyone leave the compound, especially not the women and children.

  “Raja, stop pacing. You’re going to wear a hole in my favorite rug,” Tabitha teased, watching him over her coffee mug as he paced the study.

  He smiled, unable to help it. Tabitha always had a way of lightening the mood. When I find my mate I hope she is able to make me smile the way Tabitha can. This woman has been through so much, yet she still is more concerned about the people around her than herself.

  “You know I’m good for another one.” He couldn’t sit still. The hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention with the knowledge that something wasn’t right. He could feel in his soul that something was going to happen. Pierce would make a move before long, but what would that move be?

  “I received word before coming over that Leo and Connor arrived in California and were on their way to locate Pierce’s sister. It’s extremely unlikely that he’s there, but maybe she’ll be able to tell us something.” He ran his hand over the windowsill. Outside looked like a winter wonderland. Everything was covered in a thick, white snow, with even more snow forecast for the next few days.

  “Keep me apprised on the situation. I want them back within seventy-two hours, or we send in another team. We don’t have the time to waste on this,” Ty said, looking up from his e-tablet, where he was reading the reports from the teams trying to track Pierce and his clan. Teams were all over the country, yet no one had seen hide or hair of Pierce and his men. It wasn’t surprising that Pierce knew they were searching for him, but they didn’t expect Pierce to run and hide. Maybe the fact that his days were numbered, for the murder and attacks on other tiger shifters, had him scared.

  Raja nodded, still gazing out the window.

  “I need to go speak with some of the guards. Raja, could you look after Tabby until I get back? I don’t want to leave her alone in case there’s another attack.”

  “Sure.”

  “Thank you.” Ty rose, kissing her on the cheek as he did. “I shouldn’t be long, love.”

  Once they were alone Raja heard Tabitha’s chair push back from the table, her sock-covered feet padding toward him.

  “Raja, are you okay?” She laid her hand on his back as if she could give him the comfort she was able to give Ty. Unfortunately, it only worked on a mate, but the caring gesture touched him.

  “I’m fine. You have enough to worry about; there is no need to be concerned about me. I’m fine.” Even he could hear the uncertainty in his voice—there was no doubt she could.

  “I don’t believe you. If you ever need to talk, I’m here. It will go no further than us.”

  “Mates don’t keep things from each other.” The reservation was thick in his voice.

  “To help a friend in need I would do what needs to be done. Raja, I haven’t known you very long, but I consider you a part of my family and can see your pain.” She ran her hand over his back.

  “Thank you, but everything is fine with me. It’s you I’m worried about. I can feel something bad is coming.” He wasn’t being entirely honest. There was something bothering him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it, let alone put it into words to tell his Queen.

  “We’ll get through it. We know Pierce is still out there and after me. He has a larger following then we guessed. I know it’s your job as our Lieutenant to worry, but we’ll get through this.”

  The invisible ear bud allowing him contact with command central and the ground teams sprang to life. “Breach. We have a breach at the main gate. All available units respond.”

  “Shit. Where’s Felix?”

  “Ty gave him the morning off since we were meeting with you and wouldn’t be leaving our quarters.” Tabitha joined him at the window. “Go. I’ll be fine.”

  “Like hell I will. You have to be protected.” She had her own transmitter, allowing her to know what was happening, and he could feel her fear spilling off her.

  “Raja, stay where you are. Felix is on his way. I’m proceeding toward the main gate,” Ty’s voice came through the transmitter.

  “Be safe,” Tabitha whispered.

  “Tabitha, come away from the window. Everyone always forgets about the windows. You feel safe and secure inside the houses, while the sharpshooter is just waiting. Waiting for you to walk past the window.”

  He could feel her reluctance but his job was to keep her safe, not allow her to stand in front of the window for a glimpse of what might be happening. Unlike the other guards, his vow wasn’t made because she was their Female Alpha or because she was the Queen of the Tigers. No, his vow was made for Ty. Ty had saved his ass more than once, and the best way to show his appreciation for it was to keep Ty’s mate safe.

  Chapter Two

  Two knocks then a pause followed, but one more let him know Felix was on the other side of the door. He was the Captain of Tabitha’s guards and had a key to the quarters. The knock was a warning not to shoot him.

  “Things are contained now,” Felix said, sliding the lock back into place.

  “What was the breach?”

  “It sounds like a news crew.”

  “A what?” Tabitha questioned.

  “A news crew, here to interview you.”

  Tabitha continued to stare at him as if he’d grown two heads.

  He continued, “About your friend, Alice’s, murder.”

  “Oh just what we need, n
ews crews. Get rid of them. I want nothing to do with the whole mess.”

  “Ty’s working on it. He explained that this is private property and they have no right to step foot on it. He’ll get rid of them. In the meantime, just sit tight.”

  News crews, who would have guessed? He chuckled to himself as he watched the exchange.

  A roar shook the walls, echoing in the small space, jerking him out of his amusement. “Tabitha, calm yourself. Your body isn’t ready for this yet. Don’t force it.” The energy that she was putting off would make anyone in the room shift if they weren’t careful. It vibrated along one’s skin, sending a prickling sensation through a person.

  “Ty, we need you back here. Now!” Raja hollered hitting the button on his ear transmitter. “Tabitha, Ty’s on his way. Just keep it together a few more minutes. Come on. You can do this.” Roars echoed from the other side of the door, leaving them with the knowledge that any shifter not strong enough to fight was shifting. I hope that they got the reporters to leave before they saw tigers roaming the grounds.

  “I’m on my way. Situation?” Ty’s voice crackled through the ear bud.

  Raja’s answer was cut off by the growl coming from Tabitha.

  “Felix, unlock the door for Ty. We don’t need anything slowing him down. He’s the only one who can help her now. How did I not see this coming?”

  There was no time for Raja to question his actions but he filed it away for something he would need to deal with later. Now he had to deal with the situation at hand. If Tabitha shifted before the transition was complete, it would be painful and harder for her to control.

  Ty came running through the door. They exchanged a brief look as Ty slid to a halt next to his mate, and Felix closed and locked the door behind him.

  “Mate, you’re not ready for this.” She didn’t seem to hear him. Her body was shaking. Roaring, she sent another wave of magic through the area.

  “What the hell happened?” Ty eyed Raja.

  “Take her anger from her. We can deal with why this happened later. If you don’t stop her, this could kill her. I’ve seen this happen before. Without their mate there’s nothing that could be done. Help your mate.”

  Ty reached toward his mate, to bring her into his arms. Growls vibrated the room, causing pictures to fall off the wall. His arms tighten around Tabitha’s thin frame. His growls coursed with hers until they both fell into an exhausted heap on the floor.

  “Now what the hell happened?” Ty’s voice was hoarse from all the roaring.

  “We’re not really sure. I was explaining the situation at the main gate when she started…” Felix explained.

  “It wasn’t their fault,” Tabitha spoke softly, her eyes closed, leaning heavily on her mate. It was clear she was exhausted. “Felix mentioned the reporters and it brought back Alice’s murder and everything that happened in Pittsburgh. My emotions got out of control, and I couldn’t seem to do anything about it.”

  “Emotions are haywire when you go through the change.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m going to put my mate to bed, and then we need to discuss the reporters and keeping them away from the compound. Felix, deal with the guards that have shifted. Not all of them are strong enough to shift back, so find replacements.” With that he rose, lifted his mate in his arms and stalked out of the room.

  Chapter Three

  Raja helped himself to another mug of coffee while he waited for Ty. Felix was off dealing with the guards, giving him a moment of peace to evaluate the situation. I should have been paying more attention to Tabitha’s emotions. Allowing her to get that close to a shift without seeing it first was a fault I won’t overlook again.

  Ty strolled back into the kitchen, looking as if he should have been sleeping next to his mate. His body didn’t glide as it normally did. Instead it seemed sluggish. He ran a hand through his long, dark hair and yawned.

  Raja poured another cup of coffee and slid it across the counter.

  “Thanks.”

  Raja just nodded and took a sip of his coffee. “You should be sleeping with her. I can deal with the reporters.”

  “I know you can. I have no doubts about that. But I needed to discuss something else with you.” Ty took a drink of his coffee and ran his hand through his hair again.

  Raja could feel his body tense. His friend wasn’t just tired—there was something else weighing on his shoulders. Something that had him troubled.

  “What’s going on, Ty? We’ve always been straight with each other.”

  “I know I told you Tabitha’s friend Alice was murdered. Well it seems as though the suspect is out on bond. The team I sent to keep an eye on him has been unable to locate him. It would seem as if he went into hiding.”

  “Bond? You’re shitting me. He murdered two girls.” Raja couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  “Seems as though the justice system is fucked up. Jails are overcrowded. If you have the money for bond or can pull the right strings, they let you out while you’re awaiting trial. From what I can tell, it looks like someone pulled the right strings to get him out, and only one person who would do something like that springs to mind.”

  “She’s safe as long as she’s in the compound. We’ll double her security to ensure that.”

  “It gets worse.” Ty finished the last of his coffee. “It appears he has mob connections and has teamed up with Pierce.”

  “How the hell did they find each other?” Raja could feel the tension in the air. This made things more dangerous. The sooner Tabitha could go through the change, the better. It would allow her to protect herself more if the worst situation arose.

  “I’m guessing through the mob connection. We knew that Pierce had limited connections there. The mob likes shifters in the ranks for extra protection.”

  “How much longer do you think until she goes through the change?”

  “A week, two at most. She’s close. Today proved it.” Ty stood and put his coffee mug in the dishwasher.

  “Are you going to tell her?”

  “Sooner or later, yes. But not yet. She’s too close, and I don’t want to push her into the change too early.”

  “Then rest with her. You both need each other now. Let me fill Felix in, and we’ll get a plan together. We’ll stay on guard while you rest.”

  Ty nodded, slipping away to be with his mate.

  Raja poured himself another coffee. It was going to be a long day. Raja could see the stress of not being able to make his mate safe was eating at Ty. “If that’s what it’s like to be mated, I don’t want any part of it,” he mumbled to himself as he carried his coffee over to the table.

  He sat in front of the laptop, trying to put his finger on Pierce’s next move. With all of this information, we should have some kind of lead.

  His cell phone dinged, letting him know that he had a new text message.

  She agreed to meet us this evening. Will let you know how it goes.

  Leo was always a short and to the point sort of person. With a little luck, Pierce’s sister would be willing to help. Not that it will save his ass. There was no way they could allow him to live after all of the people that had died at his hand, and especially not for the attacks on Tabitha. Raja would kill him with his own hands if he had the chance.

  * * *

  Bethany danced around the hotel room. Coming to Alaska was a dream come true for her. She was only here for five days, and she planned to see and do as much as she could jam into that time. When she won the trip she couldn’t believe her luck—she didn’t even remember entering the contest. She’d never won anything in her life.

  She grabbed her cell from her purse and called her baby sister. When she didn’t answer, she left a message. “I can’t believe Mom almost talked me out of coming. It’s beautiful here. Mom’s bad feelings are off. Nothing can go wrong. Tomorrow a day on the slopes, snowboarding. Tonight I plan to check out the nightclub the door attendant recommended. My cell reception is spotty, but I’ll call you soon. L
ove ya, sis.”

  Tossing the phone on the bed, she glanced at the bedside clock. Twenty minutes before the cab arrives. I have time to freshen up.

  * * *

  “With Leo gone, I’d like Adam to be temporarily reassigned to Tabitha’s guards. We need the expanded manpower,” Felix said when they gathered in Ty’s office that evening.

  While Tabitha was in the shower, they put together a quiet meeting to discuss the plans to double her guards without making her aware of any danger. Raja wasn’t convinced that it was the best way to deal with the situation, but it was what Ty wanted.

  “As long as he’s teamed with a more experienced guard. He’s used to guarding the grounds, not the Queen. If she has another episode like this afternoon, he won’t stand a chance against the magic she was putting off. We need someone who will still be able to fight if danger arises.”

  “Understood, Raja. I’ll team him with Thomas.”

  “Very well then. We have the guards teamed up and scheduled. I don’t want Tabitha to know about this just yet,” Ty said as the door opened.

  Tabitha stood before them with a look of anger on her face. Her face spelled out the truth—she’d overheard them and they were about to pay. “You don’t want me to know about what?”

  “It’s nothing, darling.” Ty rose from behind his desk to go to his mate.

  “Nothing, my ass. You have been acting suspiciously all day, and I want to know what’s up.” The anger in her voice was as clear as an Alaskan Tiger’s stripes.

  Raja inched toward the door. He didn’t want to get involved in an argument between mates, especially his Alphas.

  “Raja, I never took you as a coward,” her words startled him. Any intentions of slipping out the door without her knowing quickly vanished.

  “My Queen, I’m not a coward, but it’s not my place to get between two mates.”