Tiger Mate (Silverlake Shifters Book 3) Read online

  He suddenly felt sorry for poor Sophia, being used as a pawn in her father’s bids for power and territory. She didn’t deserve to be dismissed so casually either.

  A limo pulled around the house and stopped in the driveway below him. The chauffeur got out and started opening the doors, and women piled out—all of them a few years younger than Jesse’s twenty-nine, all of them southern beauties. First came two nearly identical dark-haired ones, laughing, one talking nineteen to the dozen and gesturing animatedly with her hands.

  These must be Nash’s daughters, Jesse realized. He’d heard they’d been away on a shopping trip in Memphis. And he could see why alphas were vying for their attention. They were gorgeous, sexy, full of life and confidence. Not to mention rich and connected.

  A third woman got out of the car. She was smaller, with auburn hair and a gentle heart-shaped face. She didn’t have the bold beauty of the others, but she was just as lovely in a different way. That must be Sophia, Jesse thought. Nash’s “littlest one.” She looked sweet. She said something to the others, and they all laughed again.

  A couple of security guards started unloading the trunk of the car: suitcases, makeup kits, and mounds of shopping bags. The girls stood by and chattered like magpies. They were all dressed to the nines—short skirts and heels and full makeup—and didn’t attempt to soil their privileged hands by picking up any of the baggage. Jesse took another look at the auburn-haired one. Poor sweet thing—she’d never stand up to Kane. He’d eat her for lunch and spit out the bones.

  He watched in awe as pile after pile of shopping bags came out of the car. When these women shopped, they didn’t screw around. He started to grin. If this was the lifestyle Sophia expected, then she might give Kane more of a run for his money than he thought.

  One of the girls bent down and said something to someone in the car. She stepped back, and then one more woman got out.

  Jesse’s mouth fell open. She was stunning. Tall—probably almost as tall as Jesse, who was six-two—long, shapely legs, and curves for days. The sun lit up her burnished red-gold hair as she shook it back out of her face, showing mysterious green eyes. Jesse loved tall, curvy women, and this one was…wow. He watched her walk with the others towards the side door. Even when she stepped into the shadow of the garage, she still seemed to glow, like the sun shone from inside her. She looked more alive than the others, more vivid—more fuckin’ everything.

  Just before the group passed out of view beneath the balcony, she stopped and looked up, as if she could feel him watching her. He barely managed to close his mouth so he wouldn’t look like an idiot. Their eyes met and held, and something warm blossomed in Jesse’s chest. He gave her a slow smile.

  The sun goddess winked, blew him a kiss, and walked on into the house.

  Jesse leaned against the balcony railing and wondered if he had time for a cold shower before this afternoon’s meeting.

  Chapter 2

  Sophia stretched out on a chaise by the pool, a strawberry lemonade in her hand, wishing she’d put a shot of vodka in it.

  What a day. She’d barely been back from Memphis for fifteen minutes before her adopted father—her alpha—called her into his study and informed her that he’d offered her in a mating alliance to the Enforcer of the Silverlake pack.

  Wasn’t that just fucking awesome.

  She’d hidden her feelings behind her usual bravado, but underneath she was scared. Scared of being sent off somewhere she’d never been, to be mated with a man she’d never met.

  Scared he’d learn her secret. And scared of what he’d do if he did.

  It wasn’t that she hadn’t known this would happen someday. All the Jenkins daughters—natural and adopted—were mated off to gain advantages for the pack. Always had been. Always would be. But it had always been a vague “someday.” Now it was happening.

  The Silverlake alpha was insisting that she get a “choice” in the matter. He wanted a trial period—for her to go visit the pack for a few weeks and see how she fit in before making the contract final. See if she and this wolf—Kane—got along. If she’d be happy with him, with the pack.

  Which was sweet. Kind and thoughtful.

  Nash thought it was hilarious—like kids playing house. To Nash, mating was all business. Emotions were for suckers. Sophia was glad to know that the Silverlake alpha wasn’t a heartless tyrant, only thinking about power and money. Too bad it wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference in the end.

  Because Nash would never let Sophia back out of this deal, not even if the whole Silverlake pack hated her and her mate was going to be Jack the Ripper.

  He wanted Silverlake. He wanted an alpha-bonded territory in the west, not too established, easily defensible. Over the last five years he’d tried to buy several different territories from the Wolf Council, including Silverlake, and they’d refused him. Nash was already powerful enough to make them nervous. There was no way they’d let him establish sub-territories. They knew if he did that, he’d make a play for their power.

  But there were ways around that. Nash had been alpha for a long time, and mated with every woman he could either sweet-talk, or force to crouch and put her naked ass in the air for him. His sons were pack lieutenants, and his older daughters’ matings had built his business empire.

  Now the younger ones were going to buy him enough territory and power to challenge the Council. And Sophia was the first to go.

  She thought about the man she’d seen on the balcony earlier—one of the Silverlake delegation. She wondered if he was the Enforcer who was supposed to be her mate. She didn’t know if she wanted him to be the one, or not. He was gorgeous—chestnut-brown hair with hints of auburn, lean muscular build, and an impressive package filling the front of his pants when he looked at her.

  But there had been a connection between them. His gaze had made her feel something, and she didn’t want that. She’d always known that true love was off the table for her. Now, knowing Nash’s plans, she realized she couldn’t afford to care about her mate at all.

  Not when she was going to betray him in the end.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by Emma Wilkes—no, Emma Monroe. Sophia was still trying to wrap her head around the idea that Emma—Alexander Grant’s girlfriend, who Sophia had hung out with at countless Nashville parties and clubs—was mated to the alpha of the Silverlake pack. Emma hadn’t even known about shifters when Sophia had known her before. And now she’d snagged herself an alpha. Not only that, by all accounts he was crazy in love with her.

  Emma leaned down and gave Sophia a hug. She smelled of sunscreen and happiness. Clearly that crazy in love thing went both ways.

  “Emma,” Sophia said. “Great to see you. Did not ever think that I’d see you under these circumstances, though.”

  Emma grinned at her, and arranged herself on the chaise next to Sophia’s. One of the servants brought her a cold drink.

  “I know, it’s crazy, right?” she said. “To think I was surrounded by shifters, and never knew it.”

  “And now you’re living in the wilds of Idaho with a wolf pack.”

  “Yeah.” Emma leaned back, smiling. “Not what I expected from my life, but I love it.”

  Sophia bit her lip. When Nash had talked to her about his plans for Silverlake, she hadn’t really thought about Emma. Emma, who had lost so much, and who clearly loved her mate and his pack with all her heart.

  How could she mess with Emma’s pack the way Nash wanted her to?

  But what choice did she have?

  She began casually, “Did you hear that your alpha is negotiating a mating contract for me? With your Enforcer. Kane? That’s his name, right?”

  Emma nodded.

  “What’s he like?” Sophia asked.

  Emma hesitated. Sophia’s heart sank, but she played it light.

  “Oh, honey, what is he? A bully? Not an abuser, your alpha wouldn’t put up with that. Frigid? Gay? A raging comic book geek? A little teeny weenie? What?”

&
nbsp; Emma was giggling by the end of her speech. “No, not that,” she said. “Kane is—he’s just so…” she sighed. “He’s very closed-off. He doesn’t talk or socialize much with anyone. He keeps all his feelings inside—I mean all his feelings, not just the typical male ‘what’s wrong honey? oh nothing’ conversation. Even the other guys never know what to make of him. They just say he has a major stick up his ass.”

  Sophia considered that. Apparently this Kane was a loner, isolated from the rest of the pack. Which was no doubt why Nash had chosen him for her. Easier to isolate further, to manipulate into causing rifts in the pack structure.

  “Yeah, but is he the kind of guy I’d like to have stick his stick in my you-know-where?” she asked, arching her eyebrow at Emma.

  Emma started giggling again. “Well, he is gorgeous. He’s huge, and—”

  Sophia raised both eyebrows suggestively. “Oho!”

  Emma smacked her arm playfully. “That’s not what I meant. I meant tall, and…” she gestured to show Kane was totally ripped. “Although,” she cocked her head, considering. “I’ve seen him naked after shifting. You probably won’t be disappointed there. Except that he seems like a ‘wham-bam-thankyou-ma’am’ type. Not exactly cuddly. Or…passionate.”

  Probably not the guy on the balcony, then. His face had been anything but closed-off—plenty of passion there. And that sexy smile did not speak of “wham-bam-thankyou-ma’am.” Sophia wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed or relieved.

  Emma’s face clouded. She hesitated for a moment, and then said, “Look, you obviously know I’m new to shifter customs and culture. But this whole arranged mating thing—it seems kind of medieval to me. Is this something you’re really okay with?”

  Sophia sipped her drink slowly, debating what to say. She couldn’t tell Emma the truth. That Nash was marrying her into the Silverlake pack so that she could talk them into accepting some of his own loyal followers. Lots of them, in fact. People who worshiped Nash, or were in debt to him in ways they couldn’t get out of.

  Or whose secrets he held. Like Sophia.

  Then he’d make Sophia turn the Enforcer—or force her tiger to take him out. Nash’s other people would take out the alpha. They’d eliminate any resistance—including Emma. And just like that, Silverlake would be Nash’s.

  He’d get the pack—and their territory. Sophia would get to not be hunted down by Council Enforcers as a rogue tiger shifter, and executed.

  Everybody wins.

  She gave Emma her brightest smile. “Of course, honey. Think of all the fun we’re gonna have, out there in Idaho together. And I always had a thing for sexy lumberjacks.”

  Chapter 3

  It was two a.m. and Jesse still couldn’t sleep. He’d finally tugged on a pair of shorts and gone down to the pool. At this time of night it was deserted, the chaises and cabanas wreathed in shadow, just a few safety lights sending wavery beams up through the deep blue water.

  He sat on the edge of the pool with a beer that he’d snagged from one of the outdoor fridges. Servants kept them stocked, sneaking around like little invisible gremlins. Convenient, but Jesse missed wrangling with the other guys at Silverlake about whose turn it was to buy the beer, and then sitting around the fire pit shooting the shit while they drank it.

  This afternoon’s meeting had been just as exhausting as the morning. More so, because they hadn’t even broken for dinner—just had food sent in. It was nearly midnight by the time they hammered out the terms of Sophia and Kane’s mating contract, and the treaty to allow Silverlake access to Nashville’s territory. It all seemed legit, but Jesse couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something they were missing.

  That Nash had something up his sleeve.

  Ah, well. That “choice clause” wasn’t only there for Sophia’s benefit. It was there to protect the pack, too—to give Jace a chance to back out before the mating and the alliance went through. Dealing with Nash was always going to be a risk, but at least this way Silverlake stood to gain something by it.

  He couldn’t help but feel sorry for the sweet little auburn-haired wolf, though. He felt sorry for any woman who got stuck with icy-hearted Kane.

  And he couldn’t stop thinking about the sun goddess, wondering who she was. He’d been hoping to meet her at dinner, but then he hadn’t had the chance. But if she wasn’t mated, and they allied with the Nashville pack—well, maybe there’d be a chance to get to know her better. See if that spark could turn into anything.

  She was probably out of his league, he admitted to himself. But it couldn’t hurt to just meet her, right? They’d be here one more day. Maybe he could track her down tomorrow and introduce himself.

  He took a pull on his beer, and then lowered it slowly, his wolf instincts making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Someone was watching him. Another wolf—an angry one.

  He raised his head slowly, scanning the area. “Who’s there?” he called.

  A large brown wolf with a cream-colored face walked out of the forest. She stood in the middle of the lawn, staring at him, chest heaving as if she’d been running.

  She was definitely angry—but not at him. Something else had upset her, something churning inside her that she couldn’t shake. He could feel her emotional energy, swirling feverishly with no way out.

  Instinctively, Jesse reached out with his mind the way he did when he was calming a fight or a tough negotiation. He tried to cool and soothe her energy, straightening its path, helping it dissipate. Their eyes held and locked, and he could see her breathing gradually slowing.

  She shook herself once, vigorously, as if she were shaking water out of her fur, and then shifted to human.

  He should have known. It was his goddess.

  Naked and magnificent, she walked across the lawn as if his thoughts had conjured her out of the night.

  Jesse knew he should say something, but he was too stunned to think of any words. Even in the moonlight, she still had that sunlit glow about her. Her lush, curvy body made his mouth go dry, and her hair trailed over her shoulder like a river of precious metal, leading Jesse’s eyes down to her generous breasts, small waist, and the kind of full, rounded hips and thighs that made Jesse want to bury himself in their softness.

  His cock began to tighten and swell, and he looked quickly away from her. It wasn’t usually a big deal to see other shifters naked after they’d changed form, but basic shifter etiquette said you didn’t stare at naked women with your mouth hanging open and a big old boner.

  Unless you were already on boner-sharing terms. Which they weren’t.

  The goddess disappeared into one of the cabanas and came out wearing a bathing suit. Sort of. It was a small white bikini that made her look sexier than ever.

  And her energy had completely changed. It was like she’d put on a different personality with the bathing suit. Underneath he still felt faint traces of the swirling anger, but she’d bottled it up completely.

  She sauntered over and gazed down at him, looking utterly confident.

  “Well, I do declare, it’s the man from the balcony,” she said. Her southern accent was sweet as honey, even though he suspected she was exaggerating it for his benefit.

  She lowered herself to sit next to him at the edge of the pool, just a little bit closer than was comfortable. It seemed not quite calculated—more instinctive, as if she were so used to knowing how to attract men and keep them off-balance that she did it automatically.

  He could feel a magnetic pull between them; he’d never wanted a woman this much at first sight. He sensed that she used her beauty as a wall between her and other people, maybe so they didn’t see the real emotions churning underneath. But she couldn’t hide them from him, from whatever that extra sense was that made him a successful negotiator.

  “And you’re the mystery woman from the limo,” he said. “I’ve been wondering all day who you are.”

  She laughed, and the husky sound sent goosebumps up his spine. “I’m an intern
ational spy, sugar,” she said. “If I tell you who I am, I’ll have to kill you.”

  Jesse held her gaze deliberately. Two could play at this game. He smiled slowly. “Excellent,” he said. “I love dangerous women.”

  She smiled back, lowering her lashes flirtatiously. “So you’re from that pack in Idaho,” she said. “Silverlake, right?”

  Jesse nodded. “Jesse Travis,” he said. “I’m the Negotiator.” He held out his hand.

  She reached for it, a strange expression flashing through her eyes. Disappointment, maybe? Or relief? It was so brief he couldn’t tell.

  And then their hands touched, and he forgot everything else. A jolt of electricity went up his arm, and he saw her green eyes go wide for a moment.

  She felt it too.

  He didn’t release her hand immediately. Instead, he moved his thumb gently across her knuckles in a caress.

  “I have to call you something,” he said. “Let me think.” He went silent for a moment, waiting for her to withdraw her hand, but she didn’t. “You look like a sun goddess,” he said. “I just have to figure out which one you are.”

  She gave him a strange look. “A goddess,” she said. “That’s real sweet.” Then she added, more quietly, “Nobody’s ever said anything like that to me before.”

  Jesse said, “I can’t believe that. Men must be falling at your feet every day.”

  She shrugged, looking down at her feet, moving them up to the surface of the water and then back down. Her earlier bravado seemed to have faded—but she was still holding on to Jesse’s hand.

  It felt so right.

  “So…let’s see,” he said. “There’s Bastet, the Egyptian sun goddess, who takes the form of a cat. Or there’s always Athena.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Not Bastet,” she said. “A cat goddess in the middle of a wolf pack? There’s a recipe for disaster.”

  He laughed. “True. I guess you’re a Greek goddess, then. It can be your spy identity. Code name Athena.”