Page 47 of Stray Cat

“I think she is, yeah. I do care for her. A lot.”

Tiger regarded him steadily. “Humans never want to say exactly what they are feeling. Even Carly.”

Xav huffed a laugh. “Because we’d all kill each other if we did. Look at what kind of shit goes on in social media. Not to mention face-to-face fights when people get drunk and lose their inhibitions. I was a cop for a while and saw it every day. The best thing humans can do, most of the time, is shut the fuck up.”

Tiger listened without changing expression. “You are speaking about anger and fear. I mean the deepest emotion of all, the tightest bond. It embarrasses you, so you pretend it doesn’t matter.” His eyes turned dark golden. “It does matter, and it should be talked about more than anything else. Shifters know this.”

“Lindsay is Shifter, and she never mentioned the mate bond, or anything else regarding mating, until Graham more or less forced her to.” Xav folded his arms, trying not to let her confusion at his mate-claim hurt him. “She didn’t exactly leap to accept my offer in there.”

“She did not expect it,” Tiger said. “Lindsay is more guarded than most Shifters, because she grew up mostly alone. Not as alone as I did, but it takes a while to understand how to have a conversation.”

“You’re doing pretty well,” Xav observed. “When you first came here, you had a hard time forming sentences.”

Tiger nodded, again without offense. “I never had to speak much before. Iona and Cassidy helped me. Then Liam and Kim and their family did. Carly has helped me most of all. When I realized that she’d been there waiting for me, all the time I was in the cage, it made the darkness go away.”

Xav blinked as moisture crept into his eyes. “I’m glad she was, big guy.”

“She didn’t know it. Neither did I. Shifters would say the Goddess knew, but I think it’s even beyond that. We were made to be together.” He focused his acute gaze on Xav once more. “So are you and Lindsay.”

“I’m not sure she wants that,” Xav said with regret. “She’s being forced into this choice, but I think she’d prefer it if I vanished, so she can go back to her carefree life.”

Tiger shook his head. “She does not understand or believe, but you are mates. You must make her believe it.”

Xav grimaced. “Sure, like I can convince Lindsay do anything she doesn’t want to. Growing up an only cub has made her more independent than anyone I know.”

“Iam independent. I need no one, can survive in impossible places all alone. That does not mean I want to.”

“You have ties now,” Xav pointed out. “You have Carly, Seth—who gets cuter every time I see him—and your daughter. Now your son-in-law and a grand-cub on the way.”

“Yes.” Pride surged in Tiger’s eyes. “But I could survive physically if they were not here, as can you without Lindsay. You are very strong, for a human. That does not mean you should, or that Lindsay should survive withoutyou. Carly likes to say we are two halves of a whole, better together than we are separately.”

“Good way to put it.” Xav felt a twinge of envy. He’d sensed that connection between Diego and Cassidy, Leah and Martin, and the other Shifters and their mates. He understood why Shifters sought the mate bond, but Lindsay had never seemed to.

“You and Lindsay are two halves,” Tiger stated. “Make them whole.”

Xav raised his brows. “Is that an order?”

Tiger considered, then gave him a nod. “It is a good order, so yes.”

“The thing is, I agree with you.” Xav heaved a sigh. “But how do I convince Lindsay?”

“She already knows. You need to persuade her acknowledge it.”

“I think that’s what I just said,” Xav growled in exasperation. “Any tips on how? From an expert?”

Tiger regarded Xav for a long moment before he shook his head. “You need to figure it out for yourselves. Now, I must return to my mate.”

Without another word, Tiger turned around and marched toward the house.

Xav imagined gossamer tethers that surrounded him and Carly, pulling them together whenever they were too far apart.

“Some pep talk,” Xav muttered to himself. “I have exactly the same information as when I started out.”

“No, you don’t.” Tiger’s voice floated back to him. Xav forgot the big man had amazing hearing.

And also, Tiger was correct. Maybe Xav did have more information. If Lindsay really wanted to be with Xav but for some reason feared to let herself, he could work with that.

Xav knew one thing for certain—he hadn’t made the mate-claim lightly. He’d meant it. He wanted Lindsay in his life, for real and forever.

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