“But I never said I’d be his mate,” Carly said, her throat tight. “We’re not even dating. Last night was . . .” She broke off, her face heating. “We’d been hurt and scared, and we were celebrating being alive.”

“Not in Tiger’s mind. He’s convinced you’re meant to be together—forever. Probably he’s reacting this way because his mate died, and his cub. The researchers threw them together, then dragged them apart, wouldn’t even let him say a proper good-bye when they died. I bet that’s why he’s clinging on to you, afraid that will happen again.”

“I know about his mate. He told me, the poor guy.”

They peeked through the open door to the kitchen where the “poor guy” was facing Dylan and Liam, his powerful hands clenched to fists, the snarling match still going on. No sign of sparks from any Collars, no signs of pain. Just Shifters facing each other down, violence hovering in the air.

“What can I do?” Carly asked, twining her fingers together in worry. “There has to be something.”

“You could reject the mate-claim,” Connor said. “If Tiger is told he’s no longer obligated to protect you, he might calm down.”

“Might calm down?”

“That’s all I’ve got.”

Carly drew a breath. “All right. What do I do?”

* * *

Dylan was going to kill him. Tiger scented that without doubt. The former Shiftertown leader had run out of patience, and now he was here to protect his son. To Dylan Tiger was a danger, an aberration. They could kill him, have Sean send his body to dust, then hack into the human databases again and wipe out his presence. No trouble at all.

Liam would be sorry, Tiger sensed, but relieved. Liam had never known what to do with Tiger, had been looking after him only as a favor to Eric and Iona. Dylan had never been happy with Tiger here at all.

“Tiger.” Carly was in the room again, with Connor behind her. The scent of his mate twined around him, giving him strength. Tiger knew he could defeat both Liam and Dylan, and protect her and Connor.

He scented Carly’s terror as well, which made him shift his stance slightly, making sure neither Dylan nor Liam could get past him to her.

Carly stepped closer to Tiger. She shouldn’t do that—Dylan was unpredictable, and Carly moving made her harder to guard.

Tiger was so focused on where Carly was and how to keep the other two Shifter males away from her that he was completely unprepared when Carly cleared her throat and then stated in a loud voice, “Tiger, I reject your mate-claim.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Liam blinked, and his growl cut off. He let his face return to human, rubbing it a little after the change.

Dylan had never shifted, but his eyes didn’t calm. He looked away from Tiger and pinned Carly, which Tiger didn’t like. Tiger renewed his growl and stepped more solidly in front of his mate.

“Thank you, lass,” Liam said, releasing a breath. “Tiger, let her go. I’ll have Sean go with her today to make sure Walker or the Bureau doesn’t try anything more with her. Yes, I heard already about you releasing Walker.”

They didn’t understand. These Shifters who thought they ruled with wisdom and experience had forgotten what it was to be Shifter. Tiger had never lived outside the basement in the place the humans called Area 51, and he’d lived only forty years, but he knew he was Shifter, wild, and different.

“The words she says mean nothing,” Tiger said. “She is my true mate.”

Carly made a noise of exasperation. “Oh, come on, Tiger. I’m only trying to help.”

“She rejected your claim in front of witnesses, son,” Liam said. “That makes her free of you.”

“She is free.” If Tiger explained carefully, maybe they’d get it. “But she is also my mate, and I will protect her from you.”

“Damn it.” Liam’s anger returned. “I’m the one trying to protect you. The other Shifter leaders are ready to get rid of you, the Shifter Bureau is delving into who you really are, you’re claiming a mate who doesn’t want to be claimed, and you’re threatening me. You don’t threaten a leader unless you’re challenging for dominance, and you don’t want to go down that road.”

“I don’t want to lead this Shiftertown.” Tiger couldn’t keep the disgust from his voice. “Shifters shouldn’t have leaders. I don’t want to live here either. I want out.”

“Too bad,” Liam said. “If you leave Shiftertown, you’ll be hunted down. Slaughtered. Not given a chance. At least here, I can give you a chance.”

“Then stay away from my mate.”

“Shite, Tiger. I don’t want your mate. And she’s not your mate. You scent-marked her, and you claimed her, but you can only complete the mating ceremonies with her consent. You know that.”

“Your words and rituals are not important. Carly is my mate. Doesn’t matter what words I say, or she says, doesn’t matter if she wants to run away and never see me again.” Tiger touched his fist to his chest. “The mating is real. She’s of my heart.”

Carly’s voice cut through Tiger’s words. “Damn, I knew you were a sweet-talker the minute I met you.”

Tiger turned his back on Liam and Dylan to face Carly. He heard Dylan’s growl, the man taking Tiger deliberately turning away as a slap. Tiger didn’t care. Hierarchy meant nothing to him. Protect the mate, protect the cubs—nothing else mattered.