Page 10 of Catch a Tiger

Maybe we wouldn’t be so cold, it whispered.

“Maybe,” she soothed, letting the breath containing that wild language skitter over the bark and it almost felt like the tree was trying to get away from her. “Tell me what I want to know, and I’ll take it all away.”

Icicles shattered as they fell around her, dislodged from the violent way the tree started to shake.

Strangers, it warned. The brittleness eased as she took more of its pain.South of here.

“Heading in what direction?”

North.

That made her pause and the tree whined like the pathetic thing it was.

“Shh.” Running her hand down the bark, her claws tore the dead layer away to reveal soft strength beneath. Vix pressed herhand to it and took a sip more, feeling the wildness skittering through her body like a drug. “Anything else?”

They’re coming.

Chapter 4

Vix

The warning came just in time.

Vix stole the rest of its pain and pushed off just as a coyote slammed into the trunk where she’d had her ear pressed to it a split second before.

Laughing, she dodged the second attack and pounced on the third, rolling in the snow with the girl like they were pups again.

Yips tore through the silence of winter, and it almost felt like the world wasaliveas she played with them. Vix dodged the alpha and landed behind him in a crouch, grinning when he whipped around with a snarl.

Too slow, she teased.

Vix ducked as his mate attacked from behind until she was low enough to the ground that snow tickled her chin.

Four coyotes stared back at her, their tails wagging as they waited to see what she would do.

She took off, snow flying as she ran, glancing back as her laughter made the icicles shatter around them.

Come and get me, she taunted, ducking behind another tree when Tiva almost nipped her heels.

Calian closed in on the other side and Vix dug her claws into the tree, lifting herself up at the perfect moment to make those two smash into each other.

Dropping down, she tapped them both on the nose and took off again, dancing around the trees as they followed her north and away from the danger of strange eyes until they were back in raven territory.

Kimeya caught her first this time and Vix rolled with her, laughing as snow managed to trickle down her back to melt with cold little kisses. She looked up at the massive alpha female who had her pinned, tongue lolling in silent laughter as Vix was forced to endure aggressive licking from Rain.

Alpha, I think it’s gone. She reached up and took his face in her hands, tilting it from side to side, which made him huff in her face.

That awful smell never leaves you, child. His mind voice was deep and soothing, like she imagined a father’s would be – like Kenji’s.But it’s better than having no scent at all.

Not my fault I don’t have a scent. Shoving his face away from her did nothing because Kimeya lay down on top of Vix, crushing her.I’m not cold, Kimi.

You’re always cold, my little winter child. Kimeya licked her face just once before looking at Calian and Tiva as they trotted up.You two need to run more if she can outrun you on only two legs.

Both of them huffed a sigh and glared at her.

Vix stuck her tongue out at them, which earned her a growl from the alpha.

Let her up.

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