Chapter 51
For most of her youth her mother discouraged her from hanging out with other kids. Being a big girl didn’t help. Her only form of contact with the outside world had been volunteering at the local animal adoption center.
There, she’d hugged puppies and kittens. She’d fallen for the sweet helpless animals. It was there she realized she liked cats.
Though solitary, cats could be very loyal. She’d grown up to love cats and had adopted a few of her own the moment she’d moved out. Her cats were the only thing she had. Without a man or children, her hissy kitties took up her time. They gave her the attention she hadn’t gotten from her mother or her previous relationships.
Tynder smiled and pointed to the woods.
“I’m happy to help.”
She decided that she would trust Tynder. Not because he had a trusting type of face or personality, but because that tiger of his seemed to have switched sides and was not moving away from her. Instant protector.
They walked down a path in the woods, slowly coming up on a jeep. Tynder eyed the tiger that glanced up at her. She wasn’t sure what to do, but all of a sudden her protector took off in a sprint. There went her savior.
“Don’t worry, you’ll see him soon enough.”
She slid into the passenger side, wondering what her date would think of her being so late. At this rate, she wouldn’t get there until tomorrow.
They rode down a hill to a town. In less than ten minutes, she was at a mechanic’s shop. She glanced around, but the tiger wasn’t there. There was a woman by the entrance who stared at her as she neared.
Tynder stood next to Lyss and introduced her.
“Kat this is Alyssa.”
Kat sniffed, her brows rose and her gaze snapped to Tynder.
“Her?”
“I don’t make the rules,” he said. “I follow them.”
“But − ”
“No buts, Katherine. Call Stripes to come out here and look at her car.”
“But − ”
“Now!”
Kat huffed and threw Lyss a glare before marching off.
She’d tried to keep track of the conversation but it seemed there was something she missed at some point.
“Come,” he said. “I’ll take you to meet Gray.”
“And who is that?”
“Our pride leader.”
The way he said the other guy’s name made her a little wary.
Looking around, she noticed that the town was not so large. All the houses or cabins had the same look and feel. As if one person had designed them all.
They walked down a few streets until they went up a deserted road. Further in the woods, she finally saw it. A massive cabin sat in the middle of nowhere with no other structures surrounding it. It was as if it had just sprung up between the large trees.
Tynder pushed the front door open and waited for her to enter. She glanced around, her vision taking in the wooden furniture, the open space and the massive windows that brought the outdoors inside.
“Who are you?”
She squeaked for the second time that day, slapping a hand to her chest to stop her heart from popping out and then searching for the owner of the deep rumbling voice.
She’d been so taken with the surroundings, she hadn’t seen him standing in a corner, within the shadows. It was hard to make the guy out, but he was big. Like really big. And she wasn’t a small girl, so that made him huge. Her hand flew to her hair and she patted it to try and tame it.
“I’m Alyssa Moran. I was on my way to Green Edge when my car broke down.”
He stepped out of the shadows and her breath caught in her throat. He was gorgeous. He wasn’t even pretty boy gorgeous. He had a rugged look that made her girl parts sigh. With piercing golden eyes, that looked eerily familiar, he kept her captivated. The square jaw and that hint of beard made her thoughts scatter in her head. Her past experience with men left her ill-prepared for this hunk of man meat. She blinked repeatedly in case she’d imagined him. What a joke. She’d never imagined anyone that sinfully delicious before.
“What are you doing here?”
Dear god, that voice. She might just beg him to keep talking. He had a deep sexy rumble that most men just couldn’t achieve. In fact, his whole demeanor said rough and tough. His plain white T-shirt clung to his body like a second skin, showing off the muscles of his arms and abs. She swallowed hard. Then there were the jeans. The button was still undone. Holy crap. It was as if she’d walked in on him getting dressed.
She threw Tynder a side glare. If he’d brought her earlier, she might have gotten to see Gray with fewer clothes on. Now all she could do was imagine what he looked like under those jeans. Would he take his clothes off if she begged?
Grayson Green bit back a curse. He didn’t know who she was or why she was in his territory, but he wanted her. His tiger wanted her. And she definitely wanted him by the scent drifting off her.
She glanced over his body with her beautiful cinnamon-brown eyes, her gaze sliding down in a trail of heat. His cock hardened at her perusal of his body. When he’d first seen her standing in the middle of the road, instinct to mate had taken over. He’d had a hell of a time pulling the tiger back enough that he wouldn’t tear through her clothes. Her fear had helped keep the animal in check.
“What are you doing here?” he asked again.
If she kept staring at him with such open need he’d have to ask questions later and take her to bed now. Gray couldn’t help doing his own gazing of her luscious body. He’d always liked women with curves he could hold on to. Alyssa had more than enough. Her long, dark hair hung in a long ponytail of curls down her back. Her outfit, though clearly not meant to tempt, did exactly that. A yellow sparkly tank top displayed a large amount of her golden brown skin. The plunging neckline gave more than a hint of her breasts, while the cropped jeans clung to her wide hips showing off the curves he wanted.
It was nearing mating season and the tiger inside him was roaring with need. Alyssa appeared to have shown up as if sent from the gods. Now all he needed to do was figure out what she wanted in his pride.
He opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by one of his guards and best friend, Stripes.
“I need to speak with you, Gray.”
Stripes rushed forward, stopping only to throw a smile at Alyssa. She frowned and turned to Tynder.
His guard had brought her to his home. Exactly as he knew Gray wanted.
“Not now, Stripes. I’m busy.”
He continued to stare at his future mate. She shifted from foot to foot. Her discomfort was obvious and he didn’t like it.
“That’s why I need to talk to you.”
“Excuse me,” Alyssa broke in. “Could someone just tell me how to get to Green Edge? I sort of have a meeting with someone and I’m really late.”
“Gray—” Stripes started but stopped when he raised a hand.
Gray glanced her way.
“Who are you meeting there?”
She shoved a hand into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She pressed a few buttons and glanced up to meet his gaze.
“A Mr. Green?”
“She’s here for you,” Stripes whispered so she wouldn’t hear.
“What?” Gray hissed. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her; he just didn’t understand why Stripes went looking for a woman for him.
Gray watched as the largest of his guards shuffled from foot to foot, nervous.
“I signed you up on a matchmaking site,” he mumbled quietly under his breath. “You need cubs.”
Tynder broke into laughter but quickly stopped and cleared his throat when Gray glared his way.
“Do you think we should go?” she whispered to Tynder. “The big, sexy one is pretty pissed for some reason.”
This was one of those times Gray thanked his ability to hear even the furthest of sounds due to his sensitive shifter hearing.
Tynder choked on his laughter again.
“I don’t think we should move right now.”
Gray glanced at Stripes again.
“Explain. Now.”
“You’ve got to mate. You need someone by mating season, which is only a few days away. I spoke to one of our neighboring bear clans. He mentioned using the Paranormal Dating Agency and being matched with the love of his life.”
“I don’t believe in love,” he argued in a low voice so his guest wouldn’t hear him.
“But you believe in keeping your pride!” Stripes snapped quietly. “So you either mate and get some cubs born as soon as possible or fight to keep the pride for another few months until the next person wants to challenge. How long will you go on that way?”