Page 49 of Courting the Tiger King

Ah. Suddenly, it all made sense. But why hadn’t anyone retrieved him?

“Dad—Jamison,” Zennon corrected, “told me to tell you that he’d speak with you in the morning. He didn’t want to interrupt your night. I guess I understand why now. Was she with you the whole time?”

Wren nodded. “Tell me more about this attack.”

Zennon recounted the events and Wren kept his face impassive despite his rage growing with every word. They had been targetedagain.He had never considered himself to be much of a wrathful person before now, but he’d been wrong. When he found whoever was responsible…

Neah’s ears flattened to her skull, likely scenting his rage, and Wren took a few deep breaths. “We need to fix this.” He’d meant the words for Neah but Zennon was the one who answered.

“How?”

“They’re coming for you because they think you’re my mate.” Wren’s eyes slid from Zennon to Neah and found keenunderstanding in her eyes. “So we’ll show them that you’re not.” It would mean painting a target on Neah, and announcing their bond, and he could only hope that she remembered what he’d said to her the night before.

Doing this would help Zennon, and it would help him too. But he didn’t want her to do this unless she was absolutely certain it was what she wanted.

Neah’s head dipped and Wren loosed a sigh of relief. They could discuss the bonding ceremony and whether it was what she wanted later, but for now this was their best option to ensure Zennon’s safety at least.

“Are you ready to try shifting back?”

Neah growled, as if to say,what the Hel do you think I’ve been trying to do?

“A lot of people saw her shift last night, so the rumour mill has already been fed,” Zennon offered and Wren snorted. Of course it had.

“Well then, let’s show them the rumours are true.” Wren pushed to standing and Zennon’s brows pinched together.

“What are you going to do?”

Wren smirked. “We’re going to run.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

NEAH

Things felt different. Clearer than yesterday, when her thoughts had felt like a jumble of scents and sensations driven more by instinct than logic. And Wren had been… surprisingly sweet.

Now though, he was firmly in kingly plotting mode. He stood, towering over Zennon in a way Neah didn’t much like, and then a shimmer of light rippled over him and in his place stood a tiger that was a larger but identical version to her own form. She’d caught sight of herself in the mirror and could hardly believe this washer. After all this time, she’d finally fucking shifted. Her eyes, though, looked the same. Anchoring her into this new reality.

Wren turned to her, nudging at her face with his as he sniffed at her and Zennon’s laughter drew Neah’s attention.

“Well, that’s one way to get them talking.” Zennon walked them to the door just as Romi appeared from the bed chamber, eyes widening at the two wild beasts in the foyer. “Go. Have fun. Be safe.”

Neah brushed against her sister as she left and Zennon nodded, understanding what Neah couldn’t say.You too.

If the reactions to one tiger stalking the halls while being chased by the king were shocked, then the court was downright flabbergasted to see the two of them.

Neah caught hints of conversation as they stalked through the halls, more than she was used to being able to hear. She’d thought her senses in her human form had been sharp, but this was another level altogether.

“You see? I told you it wasn’t the wine! She shifted in the middle of the ball?—”

“Pack up our things, Esmerelda. The king’s found himself a mate and there’s certainly no other men of status worth your time here?—”

“The king has been blessed by the Goddess! Praise Selene! Long live the king!”

The last speaker had Neah’s eyes rolling skyward as they descended the stairs that would lead them to the palace’s entry way and, finally, to the forest.

Fresh air drifted in toward her on the breeze and Neah raised her head, inhaling deeply, amazed by the layers to the wind in this form. Her pace picked up, eager to see what else was different about the forest on four paws, and Wren gave a little yip that seemed ridiculous coming from an animal so large.

Before she knew it, they’d cleared the last of the stairs and were out the small side door that led to the forest, rather than the stone entryway where the carriages came and went as they ferried nobles.

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