Page 33 of Stripe Theory

“My tiger’s been certain since the moment we met her.” No point denying it now. “You felt it yourself when she first presented her research. The way she sees our world, the possibilities she envisions... she’s revolutionary.”

“She’s dangerous,” Franklin countered. “The old families will never accept?—”

“The old families are dying.” Jewel’s voice cracked like a whip. “Our children are sick, our bloodlines weakening from generations of forced selective breeding. And here comes this brilliant young woman with proof that we’ve been doing it wrong all along.”

She turned to Rehan, her expression softening. “Your tiger chose wisdom over tradition. I’m proud of you.”

“We’ll see what the leaders have to say after the conference and her presentation.” His father turned to him. “She still plans to show her work, yes?”

TWENTY-SIX

Rehan had almost forgotten about the upcoming conference. Pride, pack, and clan leaders were coming from all around to attend. This virus situation had everyone afraid. Alora’s results would not make anyone happy.

A commotion in the hallway interrupted whatever his father might have said. Maya burst in without knocking.

“Sorry to interrupt family drama, but you might want to rescue the security team. She’s trying to explain complex biochemistry to them, and I think their brains are melting.”

He’d have to thank Maya later for rescuing him from the argument that was bound to get nasty.

Rehan found Alora in her newly secured lab, enthusiastically gesturing at molecular diagrams while three battle-hardened shifter guards tried to look like they understood any of it.

“—so the compound targets specific protein markers in shifter DNA,” she was saying, “but the really fascinating part is how it interfaces with the neurological—oh, hey!” She brightened at his approach. “Perfect timing. I could use another brain on this.”

The guards shot him grateful looks as they hurried to their posts outside. His tiger preened at her automatic inclusion of him in her work.

She turned to face him fully, eyes bright with that particular intensity she got when unraveling a scientific puzzle. His tiger wanted to purr at how beautiful she looked in her element.

He stepped closer, letting his tiger’s warmth seep into his voice. “Alora” was all he said.

Her pulse jumped—his enhanced senses caught the slight acceleration. “Yeah?” A smile tugged at her lips.

Rehan couldn’t remember the last time someone had rendered him completely speechless. Alora had done so without trying, her passion for her work and her quiet strength slipping through his defenses with effortless precision. And now, here she was, standing inches away, her eyes wide with wonder and a touch of trepidation that mirrored his own.

The world faded. The hum of the lab equipment dulled into an indistinct murmur, as though the universe itself had pressed pause. The faint scent of vanilla from her lingered in the air, intertwining with the crisp sterility of the lab, grounding him in a way nothing else ever had. He could feel his tiger’s rumbling approval, a low vibration in his chest. It was almost unnerving how insistent the beast was in its silent declaration:She’s ours.

Rehan’s gaze dipped to her lips, soft and slightly parted, their natural blush as alluring as any sunset he’d ever witnessed. He couldn’t look away. Time stretched, but Alora didn’t pull back. Instead, her breath hitched, an invitation he wasn’t sure he deserved but couldn’t resist.

Tentatively, he leaned in, giving her a chance to stop him. She didn’t. Instead, her lashes fluttered closed, and the small surrender in her posture sent a jolt of heat through him. His lips brushed hers, the touch so light, it felt like a whisper, but it was enough to ignite every nerve in his body.

Electricity crackled between them, potent and undeniable. The kiss deepened as instinct overruled caution. Rehan’s hand cupped her cheek, his thumb grazing her skin, memorizing the warmth and the soft dip of her jawline. Her lips moved against his, hesitant at first but soon matching his rhythm with a tentative confidence that made his heart thunder.

For a moment, he wasn’t a CEO. He wasn’t a tiger shifter trying to balance two worlds. He was just a man, captivated by the woman in his arms. The strength and intellect she carried so effortlessly, the vulnerability she allowed him to see—it was intoxicating.

A faint sigh escaped her, a sound so small yet so full of trust that it sent his tiger prowling in triumph. He felt the animal’s instinct to protect, to claim, to treasure, but more than that, he felt himself falling. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding back until now. Until her.

When they finally pulled apart, the spell lingered, leaving the air heavy with unspoken words and a connection too profound to ignore. Rehan rested his forehead against hers, his breath mingling with hers in the narrow space between them. His voice was rough, unsteady.

“Alora…” he murmured, her name a vow and a plea all at once.

Her eyes fluttered open, her pupils wide and dark with emotion. For a fleeting second, she looked as vulnerable as he felt. Then she smiled—a small, hesitant curve of her lips that stole his breath anew.

“We’re in so much trouble,” she whispered, her voice tinged with a wry humor that tugged at his heart.

Rehan chuckled softly, the sound low and warm. “The best kind, I think.”

He didn’t know what would come next, but for the first time in years, he was willing to take the risk. As long as she was beside him.

TWENTY-SEVEN

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