Page 51 of Stripe Theory

Right. World-saving science. Not flirting with the overprotective tiger shifter. Even if he did look unfairly attractive when he was being all protective...

The lights flickered. All humor vanished as Hunter moved to the door, weapon ready.

“Power fluctuation in sector three,” Hunter reported. “Could be nothing...”

“When is it ever nothing?” Maya muttered.

Alora felt Rehan tense beside her. His tiger was close to the surface – she could almost see stripes rippling beneath his skin.

“Stay here,” he ordered, moving toward the door.

“But—”

“Please.” The raw emotion in his voice stopped her protest. “I can’t focus if I’m worried about you.”

Their eyes met. In that moment, all the unspoken things between them seemed to crystallize. The way he tracked her movements. How she always knew where he was in a room. The electricity that sparked whenever they touched.

“Fine,” she conceded. “But be careful. And take this.” She pressed a small vial into his hand. “It’s an emergency dose of the new treatment. Just in case.”

His fingers closed around hers. “I’ll come back.”

“You better. We still haven’t had our first real date.”

His lips bowed. “Don’t secret lab meetings count?”

“Definitely not. I expect proper romance. Dinner, dancing, the works.”

“In that case...” He leaned close, his breath warm against her ear. “Don’t get kidnapped while I’m gone.”

FORTY

Then he was moving, Hunter falling in behind him as they headed toward the disturbance. Alora watched them go, her heart racing for reasons that had nothing to do with danger.

“You two are adorable,” Maya declared. “In a scary-hot kind of way.”

“Shut up and help me save the world.”

“Yes, boss. But for the record? The sexual tension is getting ridiculous.”

Alora threw a pen at her, but couldn’t quite hide her smile. Even with danger closing in, her heart felt lighter. They had science, they had family, and they had each other.

Now they just had to survive long enough to enjoy it.

The power stabilized, but Alora’s nerves didn’t. She tried to focus on the treatment protocols, but her eyes kept darting to the door. What was taking so long? She’d checked her phone six times in two minutes when Maya finally spoke up.

“They’re fine. Hunter’s with him, and Hunter is monitoring everything from security.”

“I know.” Alora adjusted her microscope unnecessarily. “I’m not worried.”

“Sure. And that pen you’re strangling did something to deserve it?”

Alora looked down at her white-knuckled grip and forced herself to relax. She opened her mouth to respond when the lab door hissed open.

Rehan strode in, looking deliciously rumpled. His tie was loose, hair slightly mussed, and there was a small tear in his sleeve. Her heart did a complicated gymnastics routine.

“Status?” Jewel asked from Sierra’s bedside.

“Handled.” His eyes found Alora’s. “Someone tried to breach the secondary server room. They didn’t succeed.”

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