Tiger, Tiger

Tiger, Tiger: Chapter 21

Hello ello ello,

Once again I'm uploading on a Thursday as I'm out tomorrow. I've worked all week on this chapter and I'm pretty happy with it. I hope that you feel the same :)

Thanks so much for all the support! Enjoy! xxx

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Turning away from the trees to face the others, my gaze met Alexander’s crystalline sapphire eyes. As I took in the contours and angles of a face I had come to love more than I could comprehend, I realised with a jolt that he too had bowed down to me. Shame crept into and tightened around my chest with the thought that I had made him feel below me – Alexander was my equal, if not a far better leader for the pack than I would ever be. He should be at my side, not my feet.

‘I just need to speak with Alexander,’ I projected to the whole group, ‘I’ll only be a second, and then we can finally go home.’ They all nodded and then fell back into their own murmurs, smiling and hugging and relishing in a freedom that many had not tasted for years. Alexander’s eyes widened questioningly at my statement but I only nodded towards the trees.

I padded over to where my clothes had been abandoned during the fight, nipped them carefully between my teeth and continued over to the shade of the trees. As I stepped into the cooler air between the denser undergrowth, damp leaves squished between my giant paws. I ducked into the bushes, shifted and pulled on my clothes just as Alexander’s footfalls echoed through the area.

“You there?” he called, “Alexis?”

I pushed out through the leaves. “Here,” I replied, tugging at the branches to coax them into releasing my curls. With a grunt I finally freed myself and stood to face him. I could tell simply from the look in his eyes that something was troubling him.

“Is something wrong? Are you angry with me?” he asked, a knot forming between his dark brows.

“No! No of course not. Far from it.” I stepped forwards and took one of his hands between mine. His palm was rough under my touch as traced a finger along the lines that marked it. “You didn’t need to bow to me,” I whispered, not knowing how to broach the subject.

A small, sad smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Yes, I should have. You remind me of everything my father’s not, everything I never will be. Could I spare lives like you do? Save lives like you do? Alexis, I never have been, and never will be an Alpha.”

I froze, shocked by his words. His face was filled with such shame and pain that it cut me deeper than any claw, deeper than being torn from my home. Why should he feel like he should compare himself to me, when he was the most perfect creature I had ever encountered? We were mates because our differences and similarities complimented each other. We were mates because I loved him. I loved him.

The realisation of that lit a flame of anger in my chest at Marcus’ actions. Once again he had caused such pain to someone that I loved. He had always been so desperate to have power, to have his lineage cling to a title for as long as possible. He had trampled on whoever stood in his way, including my mother and father, and warped the life of his only son – hidden him away and tried to mould him into the perfect replica.

But he hadn’t counted on one thing: that Alexander would refuse to become the person he wanted him to be. That Alexander would have the backbone to be stronger, braver and kinder than he could ever dream of being.

Impulsively, I tugged him suddenly down by the hand and brought his lips to mine. For a second he seemed shocked and then pulled me closer, melting against me. The flame shot through my veins, setting my whole body alight. Feeling his hands in my hair, his lips on mine, I could barely breathe. His touch was gentle, but there was something desperate beneath it. It felt like he needed me. No one had ever needed me before.