Trusting A Tiger (Alaskan Tigers) (15 page)

“Which
one?” Felix asked, leaning over her shoulder.

“This
one.” She pointed to the red dot just outside of the main cluster, giving Felix
a chance to look at it before pointing it out to Connor.

“Interesting…”
There was a flash of something in Connor’s eyes.

“What
is?” Ty asked, coming closer to look at the laptop screen.

Typing
away at the keyboard, Connor didn’t bother to look up as he answered Ty. “The
spot she’s pointing at is where Henry was once he left the compound. He was
there for days before starting his journey to Harmony. Did Henry know that it
was your place?”

“Yes.
When I was given to him, all my possessions became his as well. He’d take me
there sometimes…” A shudder coursed through her body, cutting off her words.

“With
his death, the property is yours again.” She looked up to see that Raja had
joined them sometime during the mix of it all.

“I
don’t want it. Burn it, sell it—honestly, I don’t care. It holds too many bad
memories for me to see it again. Even if it didn’t, this is my home now.” She
placed her hand over Felix’s that was still on her shoulder.

“Very
well. I’ll have Korbin see to it, and the proceeds for selling the house will
be sent to you.” Raja nodded to the computer. “Do you think Randolph might be
there? Would there be enough room for the rogues to gather.”

“Not
in the house, no, but the security is top of the line. He’d know if someone was
coming from a quarter of a mile away. Wait…” She closed her eyes, trying to get
the memory back in full. With her eyes closed, she could see the clearing in
the woods and almost smell the lush trees and damp grass. The clan had once
gathered, but when they had to sell off part of the land, she now knew the
Alpha used the money to help Pierce. “I know where they are.”

Her
eyelids sprang open, and she found everyone staring at her, waiting for her to
explain. “A few years ago, the Alpha sold off land that had once been part of
the compound in Ohio. It allowed me to buy the house and the land surrounding
it. There’s a large clearing a good distance in the wood, it’s where the clan
would gather for celebrations and clan business.”

“I
don’t understand how any of this has anything to do with Randolph, he was never
a part of the clan.” Ty accepted the coffee Tabitha offered.

“Under
the celebration grounds there are living quarters. It’s where the Elders would
meet for private meetings. Randolph knows the area, he attended some of the
clan’s celebrations. If I’m supposed to know where they are, it has to be the
celebration grounds.” She tugged a hand through her hair, trying to get rid of
the unease of everyone watching her. “Instead of selling the house and land, I
think it should go back to the clan. Raja if you could make arrangements for
Korbin to regain control of the home and land for the clan I’d appreciate it.”

“I’ll
see to it.” Raja nodded.

“Raja
and I will get in touch with Korbin after the meeting and have a team check the
grounds to see if Randolph or any of the rogues are there. For now I believe
that’s all we have. Connor, I want you three seeing if you can find out
anything else on any of the rogues on the list you have. There’s three of you
now, divide and conquer the list. Also, continue to monitor the situation in
Texas. Felix, make sure Harmony is brought up to speed on all clan business. It
looks like Tabitha will be announcing herself as the Queen of Tigers soon. The
magical book that has helped her through everything so far has told her that
she would have to make the announcement before we take on the Texas Tigers for
the other clans to fall in line.” With the mention of his mate, Ty slid his arm
around Tabitha.

“What
happens if the clans don’t fall in line?” Harmony wasn’t sure she understood
everything, but she had to ask.

“We
are aware there’s going to be rebellion as I claim my place as the Queen of the
Tigers, which is why we have the guards. Felix, Adam, Thomas, Shadow, Styx, and
everyone else are excellent at what they do, I have no doubt they will keep everyone
safe. The Kodiak Bears, West Virginia Tigers, and now Carran are wonderful
additions that make us stronger. If anyone chooses to take us on, they will
have a strong fight on their hands. We will come out on top in the end, and
everything we went through to get there will be worth it.”

With
Tabitha’s words, Harmony couldn’t help but wonder if it would be worth the cost
at the end. Would they lose too many of those they cared for before they reached
the end? Her poor Felix had already been forced to kill his twin to keep her
and the clan safe. For some, that would have already been too much of a cost.

The
sun was already sinking low into the sky, and dusk was beginning to fall upon
the compound when Felix finally woke. Harmony’s body pressed tightly against
his side, her arm draped over him, holding him securely. Teasing his finger
along her shoulder, he woke her gently. “Love.”

“Ummm.”
She snuggled in closer to him and deeper under the covers. “Too early.”

“It’s
nearly dinner time.” He tucked her hair behind her ear.

“It
also means I have another two hours until we’re supposed to report. Tabitha
isn’t expecting you yet…can’t you just go back to sleep?”

“Work
isn’t what’s on my mind. I was thinking there’s another way we can spend the
next two hours.” His hand travel down her body, his mouth finding hers just
before his cell phone rang, stealing the moment away.

“Duty
calls,” she whispered, her voice fully awake.

“Forget
it…” The tug of his duty to his clan weighed on him and made his voice tight.

“No,
you know you can’t do that. Answer it. I know you’ll make up for it later.”

Knowing
she was right, he rolled over and snatched his cell from the nightstand. Sliding
his finger over the screen to answer, he brought it to his ear and growled. “Hello.”

“Robin’s
just returned from her session with Daisy. Things are going better than expected
there.” Felix could here Ty sitting behind his desk, shuffling papers.

“You
didn’t call to give me the update on Robin’s session, so with all due respect,
could we get to the point? I was about to use my last two-hour break for some
recreational activities.”

Ty
sighed. It was almost as if the Alpha was trying to work up to it, which was
completely against Ty’s nature. “Daisy has asked that Harmony visit her. She’d
like to see the only family she has left.”

“Absolutely
not!”

“I had
a feeling you’d say that, but, Felix, if Daisy commits to the clan, the women
will see each other. They are the only true blood family either of them have.”
Ty leaned back, the chair squeaking as he did. “I’m not asking you to let her
go alone. Hell, I don’t even allow Robin to do her sessions without Adam or
another guard to protect her.”

Felix
tried not to let his anger taint the words to his Alpha, but it wasn’t working
as he expected. “I don’t care if there’s a dozen guards armed to the teeth,
she’s not going. Daisy is unpredictable right now, especially with what she’s
been through and why she was chosen. You wouldn’t allow Tabitha to go either,
so don’t ask me to do this.”

“I’m
only asking that you speak with your mate on the subject. Keeping her from
Daisy could cause backlash for you. When all is said and done, it’s your
decision. Either way, I’ll expect to see you both at work in two hours. Call if
you need more guards to go with you.” Ty laughed and clicked off.

Was
his Alpha trying to hint that Felix would take Harmony to visit her cousin? If
so it wasn’t working. He’d stand firm to keep his mate safe. Laying the phone
aside, he had every intention of picking up where he left off.

“What about
Daisy? Is she okay?” Harmony was no longer snuggled next to him. She lay a few
inches away, propped up on her elbow glaring at him.

“She’s
fine. Now where were we?” He leaned into her only to be pushed back.

“You’re
not telling me something.” She raised an eyebrow at him, waiting.

“I
take it I won’t be enjoying your beautiful body before we get to work?” he
asked only to have her continue to stare at him. “It’s a crying shame.” Rolling
onto his back, he closed his eyes, hoping her tigress couldn’t resist another romp
in the hay before a night of work.

“What
the hell are you doing?” Rising to sit, she tugged the sheet with her to keep
her body covered.

He
refused to open his eyes, not giving in to her demand for information on Daisy,
she’d find out soon enough, and then he’d have a fight on his hand with his
high-spirited mate. “If I can’t make love to my beautiful mate, I might as well
use this time to sleep.”

“There’s
no way in hell you’re going to sleep until you tell me what’s happening with
Daisy. As her cousin, don’t I have a right to know if there’s something wrong
with her?”

“Goodnight,
my mate.”

A
growl echoed through the small room that they took over in the main compound
building. “Felix, do I look like I’m playing? You’re not going to get any sleep
or sex until you tell me what’s going on. I’ll go find out for myself if I have
to.”

Harmony
waited while he continued to pretend to sleep until she had enough and moved to
let her legs fall over the edge of the bed. The beast within refused to let her
go away angry. “I’m sorry.”

Pausing
at the edge of the bed, she turned back to look at him. “If that’s the truth,
then tell me what’s happening with Daisy.”

“She
wants to see you.” He barely got the words out when she pushed off the bed, the
sheet going with her in one clean movement.

“What?”

“I’m
not sure how much clearer I can make it. Your cousin wants to see you.”
Forgetting sleep, he sat up in the bed. “It’s not happening so come back to
bed.”

“What?”

Smirking,
he couldn’t help but tease her. “My dear Harmony, what happened to your
vocabulary that you’re now limited to only one word?”

“What
I don’t understand is why you’re telling me what I am and am not going to do.”
She snatched her robe off the edge of the bed and wrapped it around her body,
tossing the sheet back onto the bed.

He
suppressed a snarl as she covered up her beautiful body. “We don’t know what
she is capable of yet, and I won’t risk you. She needs time to adjust, to work
through her issues. Seeing you now could only serve as a reminder of why she
was taken by Pierce in the first place. I won’t risk you.”

“Risk
me? What the hell do you think this is? Just because we’re mated doesn’t give
you the right to decide what’s right for me.”

So
this is what Ty was hinting at? Harmony would wear him down to take her to see
Daisy. How did mates deal with this? “Harmony, I’m only protecting you.”

“I
don’t need protection.” Collapsing on the bed as if the air went out of her,
the spark of fight that was in her eyes had gone.

“What
is it, mate?” He leaned forward, clasping her hand. The comforter fell past his
hips, revealing his naked body.

A sigh
escaped between her lips, her shoulders sinking. “I hate to admit it, but maybe
your right. No matter, we’re family, and I should see her.”

“Well,
if I’m not getting sex and can’t sleep, then I’m going to shower. We can
discuss this once we’re dressed.” He threw off the blanket and stepped out of
the bed. Anything to put off fighting with his mate when he wasn’t allowing her
to go to Daisy’s.

* * *

Harmony
smoothed her hair, trying to repair the damage the wind did. She wanted to make
a good impression on Daisy, not look like a wind-blown mess, it was bad enough
she only had twenty minutes before she and Felix had to report to duty.

“I
would like to make my objections known that this is a bad idea. You could do
more harm to her, walking through this door. Is that what you really want?”
Felix stood beside her, his hand on the gun nestled in the shoulder holster.

“I
have to agree. Daisy is in a very delicate state right now.” Styx stood just
behind them. He was armed as well, but his hand wasn’t touching his gun, not
that it made him any less intimidating. There was something about him that
screamed danger.

“Yet,
if I refuse her request, it could erect the wall to divide me from the only
blood family I have left. Now we’re going in, if you two want to wait here, be
my guest. Scared of a little tigress.” She turned the handle, letting herself
in.

“In
your dream, mate,” Felix whispered before pushing his way in front of her.
“Remember, you’re mated. Women are protected.”

The
Alaskan Tigers concept that the mated females and children should be protected
was a new concept to her. In Ohio it didn’t matter your sex—if you were of
fighting age, you fought for the clan. Not that she had to do much of that.
Having her house off the compound had kept her from most of the clan’s
politics. It was that final fight that proved she was weak and was the
invitation for her former Alpha to give her to Henry. She shook her head,
refusing to think about the past. After all, things had come full circle for
her, and she had found her mate and an extended family within the clan.

Looking
around the small cabin, she was surprised that it was bigger than the room her
and Felix currently shared in the main building. Ty had put Daisy in one of the
clan guest cabins on the far side of the compound, offering her a chance to
adjust to her newfound freedom. It was completely open, a one-room cabin, but it
still didn’t feel cramped. The small kitchenette was just to the right of the
doorway, with the living area and bedroom space taking up the back portion.

Daisy
sat in the middle of the bed, the blankets twisted up, making a nest around
her, and a bound journal lay open in her lap. She had long red hair just a
shade or two lighter than Harmony’s. Her thin frame was covered with a bulky
turtleneck sweater and jeans. The sweater struck Harmony as odd. Even with the
cool Alaska weather at this time, it was still too warm for a turtleneck.

Styx
closed the door behind them, and suddenly she felt trapped. This was a bad idea
and too late to turn around. Taking a deep breath, she stepped around Felix.
“Daisy, you asked to see me?”

Daisy
sat her journal aside, watching them intently. “We do look alike, don’t we? No
wonder Pierce made the mistake.”

“Time
is limited, Daisy. What is it you wanted to see her about?” Felix inquired, his
hand still resting on his weapon.

“I
wanted to see the woman that caused the months of torture I suffered.” Daisy
shot off the bed with such speed, Harmony fought not to take a step back.
“After your Alpha rescued me, you’d still shoot me?”

Until
Daisy spoke, Harmony didn’t even realize that Felix and Styx both drew their
weapons. She didn’t tell the men to put their weapons up, because the way this
was going, they might have no choice but to use them. Instead she focused on
her cousin. “You wanted to see me to make me feel guilty? If that’s your motive,
you’re too late, but I’m not directly responsible for what happened to you, nor
did I know anything about it until we both ended up here. I’m sorry for what
happened to you.”

“You’re
sorry!” Daisy screamed, dashing around the bed, heading straight for them.
“That doesn’t change a bloody thing! It doesn’t take away the scars on my body,
the brand he burned into my right hip.”

“If
you come any closer, you will leave me no choice.” Felix stepped forward,
cutting off Daisy’s access to Harmony.

“There’s
nothing more to say then. I’m sorry, but you’re not the only one that suffered.
I’m not making light of what happened to you, but you have your whole life
ahead of you. Let Robin help you so that you can have a life now that you’re
free.” She knew it was harsh, but Daisy needed someone to say it. Everyone was
moving around her as if she was going to break down any moment. She couldn’t
continue to live hidden in this small cabin indefinitely. If she had to say the
harsh words to get Daisy to pull herself up by her bootstraps and put the
pieces back together, then so be it.

Daisy
lunged at her, and in that instant, Styx pushed her aside and fired. “No!”
Harmony cried as she stumbled out of the way, but it was too late. The trigger
was pulled, and the bullet had exited the chamber.

Felix
wrapped his arm around her, his gun still in hand. “It’s okay, it’s only a
tranquilizer gun. She’ll be knocked out for a few hours and one mighty pissed
off tigress when she wakes, but you’re safe.”

Daisy crumpled
onto the floor in a heap, her eyes glazed over as the drugs hit her system. The
look on her face was pure hatred. Harmony couldn’t believe the hatred that was
coming over Daisy in waves. They’d never be able to move past something that
beyond their control. It had been the cement of the relationship that could
never be.

“You
okay? I need to help Styx get her onto the bed.” Felix stood in front of her
watching her, his hands on either shoulder.

She
took a moment to realize that they had moved while she was lost in her
thoughts. “Go, I’m fine.” He lingered for a moment, not sure if he believed her
before stepping away to help Styx but leaving her to grieve the last piece of
her family.

Today
Styx had shown her why Felix trusted him to keep her safe. He was a warrior
with heart and character beyond many others. Felix didn’t work together as
smoothly with Styx as he did with Adam, but there was still a strong connection
between the guards—one that went back many years.

The
two men lifted Daisy onto the bed before coming across the room to her again.
Felix wrapped his arm around her, securing her tightly against his body. “I’ll
get another guard for the door, one is no longer enough.”