Page 11 of Catch a Tiger

Kimeya instantly obeyed her alpha’s command, eyes twinkling with mischief as she trotted over to her children.

Vix, get off the ground. You aren’t wearing fur.

“But I am,” she said as innocently as possible, spreading her arms wide to show him all the furs covering her from head to toe. “I’m okay, Alpha.”

He sighed, looking exasperated with her already.You know what I meant. Now get off the fucking ground, Vix.

The alpha command washed over her and she laughed when it tickled.

Rolling to her hands and knees was for his benefit, but not because she couldn’t resist that adorable little command. Rain wouldn’t like it if she challenged him. “Did you get what I asked for?”

Crouching before the alpha with her arms hanging over her knees put her head lower than his. It was the only acceptable position if she wanted to stare into his pretty blue eyes that glowed like stars.

I put it in the usual place, he told her, sniffing her hair and neck like he’d find traces of that nasty smell he hated so much.Did you bring whatIasked for?

“That tickles.” She pushed him off her and grinned when he huffed in annoyance but didn’t resist. “It’s right here, Alpha.”

Letting the pack slide to the ground, she opened it and took out the titanium chains she’d filled with magic. They dangled from her fingertips and the coyote licked her face affectionately when he smelled the ozone and chaos oozing from the metal.

Well done, Vix. He rubbed his face against hers and she closed her eyes, sinking her fingers into his fur.It’s a shame you’re not coyote-kin.

“As if you could ever get rid of me. You’re part of my pack even if I’m not coyote.” Her fingers dug into him, holding the alpha close to her body so she could feel the strange pulsing that told her he was a little different from the others.

The bass note of his wild alpha nature wove beautifully through the universe, tying his mate and children to himeffortlessly – born to keep less dominant creatures safe from harm. It soothed the aching loneliness in her chest just a little.

Rain had claimed her as if she were one of his own children, and Vix would be eternally grateful for that small kindness from another scavenger.

“Stay north for a while,” she whispered into his fur. “Stick to the raven’s territory until you hear from me.”

Rain stiffened, a low growl escaping him.Should we shift and head to the city?

The tree had saidstrangers,which meant they could be something the coyotes could handle, but if it was something that would recognize that these four weren’t mundane coyotes…

A scream tore through the evergreen ocean and she covered her ears as it tried to split her brain in two.

Then it ended as quickly as it began.

Take them to the city until I say otherwise, she urged, shoving him toward the rest of his pack.I’ll handle the infestation before winter ends.

Winter never ends for you, Vix. Rain eyed her for a moment when she stayed in a crouch, contemplating if he should order her to come along with him just like he always did.

Then he took off, knowing she would never go with him whencockroachesinfested her sea of green and white.

Vix tugged on her magic and closed her eyes as it spiderwebbed around her, ever outward until it pinged each of her traps that covered the entire Pacific Northwest and then some. It went as far north as the endless winter of Canada’s most northern shores all the way down to the ancient redwood trees that always spoke to her like she was an annoying termite.

Baring her teeth at the idea of more vermin in her trap, Vix knew it wasn’t chance it wassouthof all places.

It didn’t matter.

More would come and soon this forest would be bathed in so much blood he couldn’t ignore her anymore because she was hisdamnation.

She would drag that asshole into purgatory with her if it was the last thing she did.

Necklaces dangled from her fingers and she felt the chaos take hold of her as they tinkled against each other in the winter wind, whispering more secrets if she only had the time to listen.

Slipping them back in the pack, she hung it on one of the low-hanging branches of the tree with a curse that would obliterate anyone other than those four coyotes if they tried to take it.

Then she turned her body south, no longer able to fight the feral grin as she let go and ran asfastas she could.

---