Page 2 of Tucker's Strike

My little Lake would be chained to a man who is as vile as they come. For the past six years—more than six, closer to seven—we’ve done everything we’ve had to do to protect her. To ensure her safety. We never stay in one place too long. We do, we chance being found.

“Why do you believe we should head out tonight?” I ask. If he senses something that I don’t, then I’ll listen to what he has to say.

“There’s something in the air. I can’t identify it, but it’s there and doesn’t sit well with me,” Trace responds, eyes locking with mine.

“I feel it too,” Rohan states, nostrils flaring. “I can smell it. I just can’t figure out what it is.”

“Same,” Jair and Walker speak up at the same time.

I felt it as well, and we need to be getting out of here before it’s too late. If we don’t, I’ll lose the most important person in my life.

There’s no way in hell I’ll let the King of Drakon get his hands on my little girl. He’d have to kill me first.

I glance around the table and stand. “Gather everything we need, and I’ll get Lake. We leave now. If we’re all feeling the same, then they’re close. I refuse to allow Drakon beasts to get ahold of her.”

We all must run before it’s too late. We’re not enough to go against the beasts. Not alone. To take them all on, to ensure my daughter’s safety, it’s best to run. Run for now, until the time is right. Only then can we strike out and take on the evil King of Drakon and his beasts.

Prologue Part 2

Tucker

Things are certainly changing around the clubhouse. With our President finding his fated mate, more or less her finding him, or more precisely, Dane bringing her to the clubhouse and the two of them finding each other at the exact moment, it’s been interesting around here.

It’s been a couple months since Corbin and Karsyn found each other. After the hell they both went through, none of us complained about the changes made. Karsyn not only deserves the respect, but she’s also damn well earned it.

So, we didn’t get pissed when Corbin changed shit up at the clubhouse about the Friday night parties. Things could get rowdy, and nothing was wrong with it, but he’s declared fucking the doxies is to be behind closed doors. Karsyn didn’t need to see that shit, and we all agreed.

Hell, in all honesty, I think a few of us are jealous of the connection Corbin and Karsyn have. Personally, if I knew where to find my fated mate, I would be out there looking for her, but I highly doubt I have one.

Felines rarely, if ever, find their fated mates. I don’t think I’ve ever known a tiger shifter who has. It’s why I hold no hope of this. I could easily choose a mate. There are plenty of women I could choose from, but that’s not what I want. At least not right now.

Until I’m ready, I have no problem fucking my way through the doxies or random women or shifters that I pick out for whichever day of the week I want them.

“Tucker,” Karsyn calls my name, getting my attention as she makes her way toward where I’m manning the grill for the evening party.

Unlike the Friday parties, this one is for family and friends. Sage and her cousin, Jazmine, were running around here. Cyrus was even here with a few members of his club and his ol’ lady and mate, Harmony.

I’m sure Big Daddy is ecstatic to be able to enjoy something like this without the hostility between his sons. Corbin made it known that they weren’t enemies any longer, that the rivalry was in the past, but they weren’t going to be best buds either. Just as Corbin ran our club his way, Cyrus had his own way of doing things. It wasn’t any of my business as long as it didn’t affect the club.

“Yeah,” I yell out, seeing my Prez following behind his mate, eyes on her. I glance down to see her hand resting over her rounded stomach protectively. Or more like soothingly because she honestly doesn’t have anything to fear here. Each and every one of us would give our lives for her. “You need something?”

Karsyn stops and looks at me closely. “Something is coming, and you need to be prepared for it,” she announces and looks to Corbin, who nods at her.

“What do you mean I need to be prepared for it? What’s coming?”

“It’s not a what, it’s more of a who,” she answers, whispering. “The Moon Goddess came to me.” I knew this had happened once before. No one talks about it because, honestly, even in a world full of shifters and other supernaturals, it’s freaky as hell. “She had a message for you.”

“And that is?” I prompt.

“Your mate is coming, and on her tail is danger, something that if you don’t protect her from it, then it’ll take her from you forever,” Karsyn utters soft enough that no one else in the vicinity would be able to hear her. She’s definitely learning when it comes to shifters, we all have sharp hearing. She might be a hybrid, but she wasn’t raised among shifters, so there’s more for her to learn.

“Come again?” I balk and stare at her in disbelief.

“She’s in danger, Tucker. If you don’t strike now, you’ll lose her before you even have her.”

Well, shit.

This is not what I expected by a long shot.

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