Page 94 of Catch a Tiger

This wasdangerous.

She hadn’t decided what she was going to do about the mate bond yet, and if things went badly…

But the tension all around her was easing and she shook her head, wishing he’d left after giving her permission instead of sticking his nose in her business.

Kenji worried too much.

“I shouldn’t have called you here. I should have run…”

Strong arms wrapped around her and held her tight. Vix dropped her hands from his mouth and rested her forehead against his chest as she tried to calm down.

There was a glyph that would let her take them through time and space, far away from here so no one could find him and steal him from her.

Should she use it?

“The reason my hatchling is making such a fuss about this is because that raven is a danger to you whether you think she is or not. It could very easily be a non-issue, but ravens without a flock have allegiance tono one. She could slit your throat in your sleep if she felt like it with no collective to take responsibility for the death,” Kenji explained. “That one doesn’t feel anything at alleither, which may or may not work to your benefit. Hard to say, really.”

“Technically, he’s right,” Valentina begrudgingly admitted. “I paid off my contract, but I still honor my oath to my partner and we swore to serve Morgan. If that witch told me to kill you, I would without hesitation, but since she loves you, I doubt she will.”

That was better than nothing, but Vix didn’t exactly trust the witchling either after seeing her withhold such important information.

“Interesting,” Mylo murmured. “And yet,Vixenis not a raven.”

“She is.” Kenji sounded so indignant it was adorable. “Even if she doesn’t have wings.”

“Not yet,” she murmured.

Vix took a deep breath and stepped away from Kenji. Each step toward Rune reminded her she wasn’t wearing her boots and she couldn’t shift into paws, but it didn’t matter when her autumn tiger was watching her with so much wild hope in his eyes.

Kneeling down beside him, she took his face in her hands and eased some of the agony she’d given him the moment he’d thought she’d leave and never return. “Your eyes terrify me. They remind me of someone I can’t remember, but…they’re not quite the same.”

She searched the green that was definitely a shade or two brighter than the evergreen that haunted her.

“I can make them gold all the time,” Rune offered, the green disappearing to that warm golden glow. “If that doesn’t work, you can just give me new ones, right? They’ll heal.”

Vix couldn’t help but grin at such a lovely, thoughtful offer. “I’ll get used to it. Just don’t surprise me with them, okay? I don’t want to accidentally hurt you.”

The way he grinned back at her erased some of the shame and Vix pressed her forehead to his, breathing in his scent to wash away some of her nerves and fear.

“Can you let me up?” Valentina grumbled. “I might puke if I have to keep watching this.”

“Maybe I should take your eyes then,” Rune snarled, his gaze sliding to the raven still pinned to the snow under his massive hand. “My mate likes red eyes and you’ve still got two.”

“No,” the alpha snapped. “Leave her fucking eyes where they are, Rune.”

“Comeon, Sammy…”

Oh, she liked that name.

Vix laughed and kissed Rune’s cheek for giving her so many wonderful gifts.

The massive smile on his face made her feel like she’d made the right choice even if it had been more trouble than she preferred.

“Vixen.”

She looked up to see the alpha standing beside Kenji now, but he wasn’t trying to get any closer like he knew her raven wouldn’t like it.

“Why did you attack Valentina?”

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