Her Tiger (Shifted Love 3)

“No, you’ll do,” he replied absently, causing Tabara and Trinity to roll their eyes. “If only we had some kind of animal or—” he broke off and let out a girlish scream, scrambling backward until he knocked into the snack table.

Everyone was suddenly staring behind me, though Brian was the only one who looked completely terrified as he tried to scramble under the table. Confused, I glanced to the side, and that’s when I noticed the huge shadow falling over the ground. My lips grew into a smile as my beast of a mate ambled up next to me. My tiger bumped his head into my thigh and purred, making me laugh as I stroked his soft head. I immediately felt one hundred percent calm and at peace. Like always, he’d known exactly what I needed, and he’d found a way to make it happen. Adding a tiger to the photo would be amazing, but it was the comfort of having him next to me that gave me the confidence to go through with the whole thing.

After a moment, I realized why Brian was the only one who was terrified of the situation. He was the only other human on set. Even Cree, the cameraman, was from a local pack. I’d met him in the industry a few times and was ecstatic when Salazar was able to book him for this shoot.

“Fucking perfect!” Cree shouted with a pump of his fist. “Brilliant!”

“What’s wrong with you people?” Brian screeched as he peeked out from under the table. “There’s a murderous monster about to kill us all, and you want to take pictures with it?”

“Hey!” I snapped as rage infused my blood. “He’s not a monster, and he wouldn’t hurt—” I broke off when I heard the threatening growl coming from the six-hundred-pound cat beside me. “I mean not unprovoked or anything.”

Tane took a step forward, and Brian let out another bloodcurdling scream before he disappeared under the table again. Then he popped up on the other side and took off toward his limo. Once his car had burned rubber—so to speak—and disappeared over the horizon, Cree burst out laughing. Trinity, Tabara and I began to giggle, and I even heard Tane’s amusement rumbling in his chest.

After a few minutes, we calmed ourselves and got down to business. The photoshoot was bound to be unbelievable with my stunning tiger by my side, and I couldn’t wait to see the proofs.

“Mommy! Mommy!!” Kyla, our nine-year-old, came running into the kitchen waving something around wildly in her hand. “It’s here!” She skidded to a halt in front of me and held up a copy of the Vogue that showcased my dress and my magnificent mate. “You look so beautiful, Mommy,” she gushed with a dreamy smile.

“How is that different from any other day?” Tane piped up as he strolled into the kitchen with our two-year-old son, Rush, on his hip. Azlyn, who was a year older, trailed after them, her thumb lodged in her mouth and her ever inquisitive eyes taking in everything around her.

“’Cause she’s on a magazine, Daddy,” Kyla informed him indignantly. With one hand propped on her small hip, she looked every bit the diva that she was.

“I think she’s even more beautiful right now,” he replied with a wink in my direction.

I snorted as I brushed some of my unruly hair away from my face. I’d been lost in my studio all day, and I looked a complete mess from the pencil holding up my hair, to the chalk residue on my fingers, to the ratty sweats I’d thrown on after hopping out of the shower this morning.

Kyla cocked her head to the side, squinted, and looked me up and down. Then she nodded matter-of-factly. “Yeah, you’re right, Daddy. Mommy is always beautiful.”

I laughed and pulled my baby girl in for a hug. “Thanks, sweetie. Right back atcha.”

“All my girls are gorgeous”—Tane sighed as he slid his free arm around me—“which is just one more reason to be grateful that we’re shifters. I don’t have to worry about any pups sniffing after my mate or my daughters.”

I laughed and turned my head to kiss his cheek. “Famous last words,” I teased.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Tane shouted at Kace. His hands clenched into fists, and a growl that warned how close he was to shifting emitted from his throat.

“Calm down, Tane,” Kace commanded. In just about any other circumstance, Kace’s tone would have Tane lowering his eyes and baring his neck in submission to his alpha. Tane was as loyal as they come, and normally, his allegiance to his alpha was unwavering. The only exception was when it concerned his mate and cubs. Something Kace understood, which was likely why he didn’t force Tane into submission…yet.

“You want me to calm the fuck down? When you just told me that your son is mated to my daughter? My sixteen-year-old daughter?” He roared the last words, and his canines elongated as his skin rippled. If I didn’t defuse the situation fast, Tane was going to shift and try to tear his alpha apart.