Could Pierce be so daft he wouldn’t have seen Victor’s true motivation? That was the question haunting not only Taber, but the Elders of the Alaskan Tigers as well. If they could see through Victor, surely Pierce had as well.
The papers cluttering the table detailed Victor’s plans to bring Bratva—the brotherhood, a Russian shifter terrorist group—to the states. Over the years, it appeared Victor had been gathering followers from different shifter groups with like-minded beliefs.
Taber pushed papers aside, searching for his squeeze bottle of honey buried somewhere under the clutter. With hours left, before the day’s end, he needed his honey to see him through. Where did that damn bottle go?
“Bear.” Adam growled when Taber shoved more papers out of the way. “You finished your honey an hour ago.”
“Shit.”
“We stocked some for you in the compound’s kitchen. Go get a refill and then get some damn sleep. You’re grumpy when you’re tired.”
“I’m a bear, damn it.” He rose, stretching his long legs. To him being a bear explained everything, but to the tigers well it might have been another story, especially after Adam raised an eyebrow. At that moment, Taber didn’t care.
He’d swing by the kitchen for another bottle of honey before checking in with the men guarding Victor. He also hoped to find Ty or Raja before hitting the sack, to see if any progress was made gaining information from Victor.
The kitchen was on the far side of the main compound building, away from the private quarters of the Alpha and Lieutenant, giving them both seclusion and security. He slipped his hand into the front pocket of his sweatshirt, his fingers wrapping around his cell phone. As he turned the last corner, leading to the long hallway toward the kitchen, he collided with a woman.
“Shit,” she said. Coffee covered the front of her shirt.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect anyone to be around here this time of the night.” Being nearly seven foot, he stared down at her. The white stripes sprinkled through her long, curly brown hair caught his attention. Did she do those on purpose? According to his cousin, they were highlights, but Taber couldn’t fathom why anyone would want such stripes painting their hair.
“You’re a damn shifter. You should have sensed me coming!” She growled at him, blotting the coffee stain with a napkin, but it only served to make matters worse.
“I said I was sorry, what more do you want woman?”
“Obviously nothing.” She snarled, shoving the napkins in her nearly emp
ty coffee cup. She released a heavy sigh and moved to pass him.
He reached out, wrapping his hand around her small arm. She winced as if expecting him to cause her pain. He hated seeing fear resonating in her eyes. What happened to cause her such distress? “You’re right, I should have sensed you, but I wasn’t paying attention. Let me get you another cup.”
A sudden shot of electricity vibrated through their contact. He couldn’t tear his gaze from her.
This can’t be happening. My mate can’t be a tigress. I won’t have it. Especially a tigress with haunting in her eyes.