His Tiger Mate

Chapter 8

"How are your ribs and wrist?" Cole asks worriedly as he drives us toward the pack house.

"Healing, and I get my cast off in two weeks, and my ribs should be completely healed by then, too," I say, trying to assure him, to try and ease some of the guilt he might be feeling.

"That's good," he murmurs, and his voice doesn't sound as heavy as before. "I thought we can walk through the garden."

"That sounds fun!" I grin over at him. "Thanks for understanding about me not being able to play soccer."

"Of course," he murmurs with a brief smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

Arriving at the pack house, we climb from the truck once he has turned the engine off. We meet at the hood of the truck, he holds his left hand out for me which I take with my right with a small smile. Heading inside the house, it is absolute chaos with kids, teenagers and a few young people.

"What's going on in here?" Cole demands through gritted teeth after whistling loudly through two of his fingers.

Everyone instantly freezes with wide eyes at Cole and I as Cole growls lowly; "Everyone knew I was bringing my mate here to spend time in order to know us, and this is how you all behave? Yes, be yourselves, but acting like this when it isn't normal?"

Everyone in the room but one, hangs their heads in shame before the one lady who didn't seem fazed says; "Some of us don't like your mate. We decided to act out, so he won't start since he isn't worthy of being your mate. You need a female mate who can produce heirs for you, and isn't a worthless Tiger."

She sneers at me the entire time she speaks to Cole. I shrink into myself at her words and glare, and I feel as if she is correct- Cole does deserve someone who isn't a male Omega Tiger. He deserves a female Wolf.

I pull my hand from his, turn to leave the house without Cole noticing. I walk a few feet into the woods that face home, strip from my clothes, tie these to my left ankle after shifting into my white tiger.

Heading toward home with a heavy heart, and when I make it there, I shift back to my human form, redress and head inside. Walking past my brothers to my bedroom, I ignore the calls for me to come back and speak with them.

Closing the door behind me, I lock it, and slide under the covers of my bed to face the wall. I am not sure how long I lie there silently before one of my brothers pick the door lock and come insides. They lie on the bed with me, being the big spoon to hold me tightly. I realize it is Logan holding me tightly, and he is kind enough to try and get answers from me.

At some point, I fall asleep lying partially on Logan after I turned in his hold. I am jostled awake when electricity jolts through my entire body.

Gasping loudly, my eyes fly open as I jerk upright with wide eyes. Frantically looking around the room, my eyes land on an extremely sad yet angry Cole who is standing g next to the side of the bed.

"Why did you leave?" he quietly asks, but there the faintest hint of anger laced in his tone as his eyes intently search my face.

Swallowing thickly against my sudden dry throat to croak out; " The lady is right. You deserve someone who is a female wolf that can give you pups. I am neither, so it is best for you to reject me now, so you can move on."

Despite my attempt to hold back the tears, it doesn't work as these start falling down my cheeks silently. Cole immediately sits down next to me, and that is when I notice Logan isn't on the bed with me.

Cole swipes my hair from my eyes as his features soften as he gently asks; "Do you know why my grandparents started this pack?"

Blinking at him in confusion for a few seconds before shaking my head as I answer; "No, I don't. Why did they?"

"They started this pack for any Shifter who wasn't accepted in their own packs, or anyone who was the last of their pack to have a pack that accepted them no matter what. They wanted Shifters to live in harmony as one pack regardless of what their shifter animal is," he tells me seriously m, and I stare at him in awe as I sniffle.

When I can't figure out how to respond, he gently continues; "Larkin, the Moon Goddess chooses every mate or mates for every shifter. Every mate for an Alpha is able to birth pups, so you will be able to do this once we mate. If for some reason you cannot, there are orphaned Shifter children who need to be adopted, and that is something we can do."

Slowly nodding in acknowledgment while chewing on the inside of my left cheek for a few seconds before quietly saying; "I am sorry for doubting you, us, and the Moon Goddess."

Cole gives me a small smile, and a light peck on the cheek; "You are forgiven, my little mate. I just hope one day will work for won't doubt any of us soon."

"I promise to try really hard not too," I promise him as I carefully launch myself into his body with a soft thud.

"That is all I ask of you, my little tiger," he whispers into my hair as he gently yet tightly as he pulls back slightly to look me in the eyes hopefully.

"How about we watch a movie here?" He suggests lightly as he moves us around so I am between his parted thighs with my back against his chest, and his back against my headboard.

"As nice as that sounds, we should hangout at the pack house like originally planned," I reply with a forced smile at him, and I hope Cole doesn't call me out on this.

He notices, but after much reassurance from me, he reluctantly agrees, and that is where we head off too.