Page 11 of Finding my Shifter Soulmate

After passing over a small creek, I find the source of the scent standing casually at a fork in the path, his body still partly hidden in the shadows of the night.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Come now, I know you're an orphan, but surely your parents taught you how to properly greet someone?" Rama smirks.

His green eyes flash in the moonlight, and when he smiles, his canines elongate, giving him the predatory look of a tiger even in his human form.

"Cut the crap, Rama." I grit my teeth and scowl. "Why are you here? Isn't preying on tourists a bit low, even for you?"

Rama takes a step forward until he's towering over me. He stands a good four inches taller than me and where I'm leanand cut, he's bulky and hard. Rama's body looks like it's been stuffed into the clothes he wears, every vein, sinew, and muscle visible under the fabric. A drop of sweat snakes its way down his temple, and I curse myself. Did he follow me to the resort? Did he see Sabrina? Has he threatened her, too?

The thought of him even looking at her sends heat through my body and, without thinking, I rush forward and grab him by the collar of his shirt. He takes a step back, surprised, and stumbles into a rock wall.

Rama recovers quickly. He smacks my hands away with surprising strength and sneers down at me. His eyes never leaves mine as he dusts himself off.

"Keep your filthy hands off me," he snaps. "There's a rumor going around the jungle. Something about you mating a human. Is it true, Gede? Have you found your mate after all this time?"

Dread fills my gut, and I take a step back. Rama has been trying to take my place in the jungle for years. He believes it's his to rule, and he'll stop at nothing to fulfill his aspirations. If he knows about Sabrina, that means she's in danger. And it's all my fault.

I can feel the urge to fight, the challenge burning through my veins. I want to shred him open with my fangs, and when the change starts, I do nothing to stop it. My skin peels back as my human body fades away. Red and gold fur sprouts in thick patches, starting in the center of my back, down my limbs, and ending in sharp points on my feet, which transform into clawed paws. My head morphs into my Barong head—feline and bestial, with pointed ears that can hear for miles and a sharpened tail that lashes through the air.

Rama follows suit, and in a blur, a powerful orange and black striped tiger stands in front of me. Red rings cover his jade-colored eyes, and his jaw snaps open to a long, powerful growl. Saliva drips from his exposed fangs and his ears press flat against his head. My adrenaline surges and though we can communicate in our animal forms, I don't feel like talking. I flex my paws and launch into the air, swiping with my claws.

Rama rears his head and dodges, pushing up with his haunches. "You know she'll run when she finds out what you are," Rama says.

I swipe again, my paw barely missing his face. In an instant, Rama turns and presses his bulk against me, knocking me off my feet and to the dirt below. My tail circles behind me, curling into the handle of a whip, and slashes at him. With a pained yowl, he jumps backward.

"She'll run when she realizes you're nothing more than a dirty jungle beast," he hisses, crouching low and baring his fangs. "I'll make this simple. Leave, and she lives. Stay, and I'll kill her."

"Never!" I roar. Rama jumps forward and we collide in a mess of claws and fangs. We dance around each other, lunging and biting. Sweat and soil tangle with my fur, and in the heat of the moment, my foot catches and I stumble to the ground. Rama leaps at me, his claws sharp and eager, but just before he closes in, a projectile smacks him in the side of the head, causing him to lurch sideways. Rama whips his head around in the direction the rock came from. Another stone hits him in the back, and I realize it's coming from the trees.

Hibiscus, one of the monkeys from earlier, waves, and then an entire troop of monkeys appears behind her, throwing stonesand sticks at Rama's head. Cursing, he stumbles out of the way, his tail tucked between his legs as he slinks back.

"This isn't over, Gede," he growls. "I'll take this jungle, and I'll take your mate along with it. And you will watch while I do."

I crouch low, as if to attack. "And I said I'm not going anywhere. Nothing will force me from this jungle, nor will I allow you to hurt her," I snarl.

At my words, Rama's eyes narrow. He scoffs, and his lips curl to reveal the sharp edges of his teeth. He scans his eyes behind me at the monkeys, still chattering in the trees, and he turns tail and stalks away, disappearing into the inky depths of the forest.

Once he's gone, the monkeys descend from the canopy. Hibiscus shrieks as she lands, running and jumping on my back. I grunt as she clings on and flicks her tail in my face. She bobs her head, laughing with the other monkeys around us.

"Thank you, my friend," I murmur. Hibiscus taps me on the snout affectionately. Then she dropping to her feet before reaching up and swinging away with the other monkeys. They depart, their retreat echoing down the path. Silence settles around me, the rustling leaves and whistling wind the only sounds left.

Silently, I move through the jungle back towards my home. Without my clothes, which are now shredded on the ground where I just shifted, I can't go back for my bike. So I'll have to take a cab in the morning to get back. But at least for the night, Sabrina is safe inside the resort.

Chapter Seven - Sabrina

In the shower, Gede is the only thing on my mind. Hot needles of water pelt against my bare skin as I trail my fingers along the marks left by his mouth on my chest, over my breasts, and I finally reach my thighs. Desire builds as I replay what he did to me with his tongue. The sensual experience was explosive, unlike anything I've ever felt before.

I'm not inexperienced when it comes to men. There've been boyfriends and flings, and I've had some amazing sex, but never anything like this. I didn't want to hide my body from him. I wasn't embarrassed about the parts that may or may not jiggle, and I wasn't afraid to put myself out there.

But it was more than the raw, sexual energy that sizzled between us. I felt safe with him, secure. As amazing as yesterday was, I'm still surprised by how much I crave a second chance with him. It feels like a need. I want him to see me right now, all wet and wrapped in a towel, and I want him to claim my mouth like I belong to him.

Maybe I'm crazy to want a man I just met so badly. None of my logical thoughts account for how amazing he makes me feel. Nothing on this planet has ever made me experience the kind of magic I felt with him.

When I get out, I find a purple sundress in my luggage and put it on over a swimsuit. Taking my time, I apply a soft gloss to my full lips and enough mascara to amplify my naturally dark lashes. When my phone pings. It’s Gede telling me he's running late. So I decide to go out and explore on my own until he getshere. My body is restless, and I have to find some way to fill the time until I see him again.

Stepping out into the muggy Indonesian air, I follow the path around the side of the building that leads to a hiking trail through the jungle. Birds chirp in the distance, and a faint buzzing hums in the air as insects echo through the jungle. This is such a contrast from the city—completely untamed and natural. The grass crunches underneath my feet as I continue through the woods. Eventually, the trees grow sparse and a mountain appears in the distance.

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