lose both her white tigers, and one of us had to stay. I wanted you to have a better life, Mel. I didn’t want you to stay for me or die trying to get free. It was best this way.”
Sorrow dug at Melo. He hadn’t known. For the last three years, he thought his brother was just being honorable to the ambush. He hadn’t realized that he’d made a sacrifice.
Tahlon’s voice dropped low so that it was almost a whisper. “Two weeks ago, two she-tigers came from an ambush in London to visit. They were young, still in their eighteenth year. They were traveling from ambush to ambush around the world, hoping to find their truemates. The moment they came into our territory, the queen went ballistic. She said that they were trying to usurp her position and steal her harem. She kicked them out, threatening to kill them if they stepped foot inside our territory again. It wasn’t until later, when I heard her tell the king her outlandish version of events, that included the females plotting to kill her, that I understood why our ambush had remained entirely male for so long. “
Tera looked up at him. “She chased them all away?”
Tahlon nodded. “A few days later, I found the queen trying to force one of her harem males into her bed.”
At Tera’s confused look, Melo said, “The harem is only for the heat. They’re not supposed to have sex with her any other time.”
Tahlon continued, “So I stepped in and told the queen that she was overstepping. That I wouldn’t allow her to drag a male into bed with her against his will, which would most certainly get him killed. She attacked us. I held her at bay until the male could get away, and she scratched me on the back as I was leaving her chambers. I went straight to the king and told him that I was coming here to check out the ambush and that I would be back in a few weeks and leave officially.”
“You have to go back?” Tera asked. “Can’t you just send for your things and leave the ambush with a phone call or a letter, like quitting a job?”
“I wish it were that simple, love.” Tahlon laid his hand against the side of her neck and stroked her jaw with his thumb. “If I don’t return, the king will send warriors here to bring me back, and then I won’t have a chance to leave on my own. I’ll be imprisoned as a traitor, possibly killed. Next weekend, I have to go back.”
“Then we’re coming,” Tera said. She reached out her hand towards Melo and turned her head to look at him. Her gaze was fierce and determined. “Tell him, Melo. Tell him that he’s not going down there alone. We’re a family now, and family sticks together.”
Pride swelled in his heart as he gazed into his mate’s lavender eyes. She was not going to sit idly by in Ohio while Tahlon fought for his freedom in Florida, and Melo couldn’t have been more impressed.
“She’s right, brother.” Melo stepped close and picked up her offered hand, placing it on his cheek. “We’re in this together. I’ll watch your back, you watch mine, and both of us will keep Tera safe from harm.”
She tilted her head back and kissed Tahlon, and then went on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Melo’s neck. “Thank you.”
“For what, sweetheart?”
She smiled, and her eyes crinkled at the corners. “For being a good brother and a good mate. I’m lucky to have you in my life. Both of you.”
“We’re the lucky ones, Tera,” Melo said and brushed his lips across hers. Everything in his body tightened as she opened her mouth and swiped her tongue across the seam of his mouth. Lifting his mouth from hers, he groaned, “It’s not nice to tease a horny tiger when he has to go to work.”
Sighing miserably, he released Tera and dumped his cold coffee down the sink, fixing himself another cup.
“I wasn’t teasing, exactly. Just reminding.”
He snapped the lid down on the cup and tweaked her
Sorrow dug at Melo. He hadn’t known. For the last three years, he thought his brother was just being honorable to the ambush. He hadn’t realized that he’d made a sacrifice.
Tahlon’s voice dropped low so that it was almost a whisper. “Two weeks ago, two she-tigers came from an ambush in London to visit. They were young, still in their eighteenth year. They were traveling from ambush to ambush around the world, hoping to find their truemates. The moment they came into our territory, the queen went ballistic. She said that they were trying to usurp her position and steal her harem. She kicked them out, threatening to kill them if they stepped foot inside our territory again. It wasn’t until later, when I heard her tell the king her outlandish version of events, that included the females plotting to kill her, that I understood why our ambush had remained entirely male for so long. “
Tera looked up at him. “She chased them all away?”
Tahlon nodded. “A few days later, I found the queen trying to force one of her harem males into her bed.”
At Tera’s confused look, Melo said, “The harem is only for the heat. They’re not supposed to have sex with her any other time.”
Tahlon continued, “So I stepped in and told the queen that she was overstepping. That I wouldn’t allow her to drag a male into bed with her against his will, which would most certainly get him killed. She attacked us. I held her at bay until the male could get away, and she scratched me on the back as I was leaving her chambers. I went straight to the king and told him that I was coming here to check out the ambush and that I would be back in a few weeks and leave officially.”
“You have to go back?” Tera asked. “Can’t you just send for your things and leave the ambush with a phone call or a letter, like quitting a job?”
“I wish it were that simple, love.” Tahlon laid his hand against the side of her neck and stroked her jaw with his thumb. “If I don’t return, the king will send warriors here to bring me back, and then I won’t have a chance to leave on my own. I’ll be imprisoned as a traitor, possibly killed. Next weekend, I have to go back.”
“Then we’re coming,” Tera said. She reached out her hand towards Melo and turned her head to look at him. Her gaze was fierce and determined. “Tell him, Melo. Tell him that he’s not going down there alone. We’re a family now, and family sticks together.”
Pride swelled in his heart as he gazed into his mate’s lavender eyes. She was not going to sit idly by in Ohio while Tahlon fought for his freedom in Florida, and Melo couldn’t have been more impressed.
“She’s right, brother.” Melo stepped close and picked up her offered hand, placing it on his cheek. “We’re in this together. I’ll watch your back, you watch mine, and both of us will keep Tera safe from harm.”
She tilted her head back and kissed Tahlon, and then went on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Melo’s neck. “Thank you.”
“For what, sweetheart?”
She smiled, and her eyes crinkled at the corners. “For being a good brother and a good mate. I’m lucky to have you in my life. Both of you.”
“We’re the lucky ones, Tera,” Melo said and brushed his lips across hers. Everything in his body tightened as she opened her mouth and swiped her tongue across the seam of his mouth. Lifting his mouth from hers, he groaned, “It’s not nice to tease a horny tiger when he has to go to work.”
Sighing miserably, he released Tera and dumped his cold coffee down the sink, fixing himself another cup.
“I wasn’t teasing, exactly. Just reminding.”
He snapped the lid down on the cup and tweaked her
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