Shifting Changes (The First Shift) (10 page)

“Not
chosen,” he said softly. His gentle tone went straight to the pit of her
stomach where it caused a pleasant tingle. “Recognised. I don’t understand it
either, but I just knew you were the one. You smelled…familiar. That’s when I
realised you must be the right one.”

“That’s
what finding your mate is about, Shayonn,” a female voice fell in. “You belong
together. You were created by nature to be one, but your souls and bodies got
separated. You are lucky to have found each other again. Together you will have
beautiful children and hopefully save our kind from extinction.”

Tarina
stopped dead and stared at the queen. She hadn’t even realised they had come
within hearing range. She glanced at her mate. He didn’t meet her eyes and she
had her suspicions confirmed. Time to start the games. “Children?”

“Yes,
of course. That’s the main purpose of the mating ritual. The wedding ceremony
will take place this weekend. You can start trying after that.”

Shayonn
squirmed and Tarina bit back a smile. He was too cute. “Um… I wasn’t planning
on having children just yet, Your Majesty.”

Prince
Shayonn looked up. “Weren’t you?”

“No.
I have a job and—”

“Your
job will be to look after your babies, dear woman!” the queen chided. “You won’t
need to worry about your
career
anymore.”

“But
I don’t want to be a breeding machine!” Tarina protested.

The
queen flicked her hand in anger. “Good grief, what is it with you young ones?
First Shayonn, now you, too. Doesn’t anyone appreciate the potential you have
anymore? You can contribute to keeping an entire species alive, don’t you
understand that?”

Tarina
lifted her chin. “That may be true, but I’m me. I’m not interested in our
species. I’m interested in leading my life the way I want it.”

Perplexed
silence followed her statement, then the queen got up. She stopped an inch or
so in front of Tarina and stared at her with narrowed eyes. “Is that what you
have to say in response to the great honour of being the future queen of Atraya?”

“I
suppose so,” Tarina replied. “You see, I was never raised to be a queen. I’m
just an ordinary girl. I was taught to look after myself and earn my own
living.”

The
queen rolled her eyes and huffed, then she turned to her son. “Well, my dear Shayonn,”
she said. It seems you got what you deserve. I wish you good luck with this one
and remember, I want my first grandchild in a year’s time or I am going to make
you regret it.”

Shayonn
looked flabbergasted. “Mother!” he protested but she ignored him and, brushing
past Tarina, marched off to her private chambers.

*
* * *

Shayonn
stared after his mother for a long time. This wasn’t going as he had been expecting
it to go. So he’d finally found his mate, but apparently the woman was even
more reluctant to have children than he was. Admittedly, he’d had months, years
actually, to accept his fate, but surely his country’s young tigresses were
brought up knowing about the problems of the rare white mutation? So why on
earth was, of all the female tigers that could have been his mate, Tarina the
one who possessed the right genes but preferred her job over family?

“What
now?” Tarina asked.

Shayonn
sighed and glanced at her. “Well, I guess I show you around and we get someone
to pick up your things.”

“Pick
up my things? Why?”

“So
you can make yourself at home.”

She
laughed. “Sweetie, I’m not moving in with you! If you want to give me a tour of
the palace that’s fine, but I’m going home to sleep in my own bed.”

Shayonn
rolled his eyes. “This is going to be very interesting,” he muttered under his
breath as he turned around and led his new mate down the long corridor to his
own room.

Faolan
caught up with them after about half of the way. Since he was a wolf and
technically not a member of the tiger shifter community, he hadn’t been allowed
to be present during the meeting, no matter how fiercely Shayonn had insisted
to keep his lover with him for support.

“Shayonn?”

Shayonn
stopped but hesitated before he turned around. Really, how much worse could it
get? “Yes?”

Faolan
jerked his head at Tarina who still had her back turned on him. “Looks like you
found her at last.”

Shayonn
watched the man he loved for several long, melancholic heartbeats. Things
between them were bound to change now that he had found his woman, but they had
come close during those past weeks—close enough to make him want to stay with
Faolan indefinitely, despite his upcoming marriage and fatherhood. He took a
breath and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I have found her. Tarina, meet my personal guard.
Faolan, this is Tarina.” He paused before he added, “My mate.”

A
slow smile spread across Faolan’s face as the brown-eyed blonde finally moved
to look at him. “Hello, Tara,” he said. “It’s good to see you again.”

Shayonn’s
eyebrows shot up. “You know each other?”

“Oh,
we’ve had the pleasure,” Faolan replied lightly. “I think the last time we met,
she suggested we have a threesome.”

Shayonn
looked gobsmacked but the sparkle in his eyes as he glanced first at Tara and
then at Faolan was a promise of interesting things to come.

THE END

Read more about
Faolan, Shayonn and Tarina as the story continues in

Shifting
Perspectives

(The Second
Shift)

About the author

Sage
Marlowe is a multi-published author of gay erotic romance and loves taking
romance to the edge. The edge of passion, the edge of pleasure, the edge of
propriety.

Hopelessly
in love with books from a very early age on, Sage has dreamt of writing one for
years while working on the day job instead. It took a very persistent character
in the company of a much-adored Muse to finally get the first novel going. The
fact that this gorgeous guy was gay came as a bit of a surprise, but it
explained a lot.

Ever
since, Sage has been the willing slave to all the fascinating guys who just
keep queuing up and want their stories told. This has resulted in several published
books and countless manuscripts at various stages of completion, so there's
always something to work on—preferably at night when the rest of the house is
asleep.

Sage’s
characters often have a dramatic and sometimes traumatic past and need to
battle some demons to be with the one they love. But don’t worry, they get
quite a lot of naughty action along the way to keep them happy and there will
always be a happy end!

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