Night With a Tiger by Marissa Dobson

longer, watching the afterglow on her face and the ecstasy glossing her eyes. He then collapsed beside her, cradling her body tight against his as his fingers caressed her side. For the first time since he had found her, fear didn’t course through her. He sensed contentment and love from her, making him want to hold her tighter.
    * * *
    Robin lay in Adam’s embrace, feeling suddenly overwhelmed. She was experiencing so many emotions, she couldn’t wrap her mind around it.
    “What is it, love?” Adam’s fingers teased her hip.
    “I don’t understand what’s happening to me. It’s like I’m in a funnel cloud and I can’t make heads or tails of my emotions.” Her panic rose. What did she get herself into?
    “Give it time, it will calm, I promise. You’re feeling me, my emotions, and my beast. Your body doesn’t understand and is on overload at the moment, but in a few minutes the confusion will pass and you’ll be able to comprehend the mating.”
    Minutes passed in a swirl of emotions until they finally died down as quickly as they came. Her muscles relaxed. “Will that come back?”
    “No, you’re human so the initial mating affects you differently at first. It overloads your body all at once, but now, if you focus, you’ll be able to feel me. In time our connection will be second nature to you. You’ll just know without focusing. You’ll also now know I’m okay or uninjured. When I get to Virginia, there will be no reason for you to worry.”
    The thought of him going to Virginia made her tense again. It didn’t matter how much he reassured her, she couldn’t stop from worrying about him when he was going to face Pierce head on.
    “I promise, I’ll be back.” He kissed the top of her forehead and snuggled her against his body.
    “How can you promise something you have no control over?”
    “Because I know the men I’m taking with me. We’re a good team. I trust them to guard my back, as they trust me to do the same. With Ty going, we are taking triple the guards.”
    “Why is Ty going? If he’s the Alpha, shouldn’t he stay here, especially since you said Tabitha and him have to carry on the line for your kind to continue? Isn’t it too much of a risk for him?”
    “He’s going to avenge the deaths of Tabitha’s parents and Bethany’s family. He sees it as his responsibility. Ty was living on the streets before Tabitha’s father found him, helped him adjust to being a shifter, got him a job, a roof over his head, and a tutor because he couldn’t attend school  without risking exposure.”
    “Exposure? What happens to the children?”
    “We have a school here at the compound, so our children are safe. If they shift, we don’t have to worry about them exposing our nature, and if they can’t shift, they can still attend the school here. You still okay with this?” He ruffled his fingers through her hair, drawing it away from her face.
    Being able to feel his worry about her second thoughts, she kissed him, and then nodded as her lips hovered over his. “Yes, but not that I have a choice now. If Ty’s going what about Raja?”
    “Raja will stay here, protecting the mates and clan. I worked my way up the guard chain of command as one of Ty’s guards, long before I became Tabitha’s guard. It’s another reason I have to be there to guard his back. I know it’s hard to understand, this is new to you and you haven’t seen us in a fight. We will be fine. I wouldn’t take my Alpha into a fight that I thought we couldn’t win. He’s too important.” His fingers slid down her body, exploring the curves of her hips.
    She valued his courage and willingness to guard his Alpha. It showed his commitment to his clan and the cause they were fighting against, but his departure would also leave her alone in a new place and possibly alone forever. How could she fight him when she could feel how much it meant to him? One night with my tiger isn’t enough, he better come home to