Page 44 of Catch a Tiger

The slight tang of jealousy seemed harder for him to shove down.

More pulling on her hair, but this time the comb slid through smoothly as she waited for him to respond to that swift change of subject.

There was a sudden flare of lust that made her wonder what he’d thought about – if he would tease her about the fact that it wasn’t the size but thewayhe used it…

Samuel mercilessly smothered that lovely scent until it was completely gone, and only icy red ginger was left.

How infuriating.

Somehow, this one was even more difficult than Mylo.

“So, are you a raven then?” the alpha asked, changing the subject completely.

“Yes.”

Vix bit back a sigh, disappointed he had no plans to take her bait.

“One more time,” he murmured, easing her into the water.

Vix slid completely under and sat on the bottom of the giant bowl made of rock, letting him wash the junk out. Holding her breath wasn’t hard, and sometimes she was convinced she didn’t need to breathe.

Most likely.

Her chest didn’t burn, and the soft silence of the water surrounding her reminded Vix of the gentle quiet right after a snowstorm. Insulated from the harsh world in snow or water, she felt some of the pain behind her eyes fade away.

The alpha was trying to figure out what she was –whoshe was. He had expectations of who and what she should be, but Vix couldn’t bear that weight for him. His expectations might have some value to her if he was one of her mates, because she’d be able to use him to help her piece her picture together.

But he was an outsider.

Tigers didn’t understand ravens, not really. They weren’t scavengers or one of the smaller predators. They lived in a completely different world, as different as a high-society witch to one who possessed no coven or clan.

Samuel pulled her out of the water and turned her around to face him, both eyebrows raised as if he were surprised. “You can hold your breath for a long time.”

“Forever if I need to.” Vix kept her gaze on his chest, not letting her eyes wander or her hands explore.

“I had no plans on drowning you in the bath,” the alpha muttered, combing her hair back as he put something else in it.

“A shame.” She grinned when he growled at her. “It might have been fun to see you try. I’d be even more impressed if you could manage it.”

“Mylo was right,” he grumbled, eyes back on her hair.

She wished she knew what Mylo had said about her, but Vix felt her gaze creeping upward until it was on his throat, right where his neck met his shoulder.

The scent she needed would be there. How could she convince him to let her close enough to breathe it in?

Well, he’d asked if she was a raven. Was he hoping she couldn’t scent the mate bond? That would be…annoying.

“You’re good at this,” she murmured, shifting her voice to make it sound sleepy. “Vanya did it for me last time, and she was a lot meaner about it.”

“I’m used to it,” he admitted as he wrapped a small towel made of microfiber around her head. “Rune’s hair isn’t as long as yours, but it’s close.”

Ah, the tiger who preferred to walk on four legs instead of two – his agony so intense it had taken her breath away.Rune, a name that meant secrets. Her autumn tiger. She wondered what he looked like in his human body with long hair.

Wait.

“You wash his hair?” Not unusual for packmates, but these three lived steeped in humanity, wrapping it around them like blankets until it suffocated the wildness of their tigers. “Why?”

They were also both male, but that didn’t always mean anything, especially if they were also bond mates.

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