Chapter 4
Seneca was standing outside of the petting zoo, leaning against the split-rail fence and staring into the park but not really looking at anything.
His bear was unsettled still and he couldn’t put his finger on what was bothering him.
He’d been wandering for almost an hour and wasn’t any closer to figuring things out.
He wondered if he might just need to shift, but he’d been out in the paddocks the previous weekend for the VIP tours, so it wasn’t like he hadn’t been in the fur recently.
What was going on?
He rubbed the space over his heart and straightened, turning away from the front of the park and toward the apartment complex at the back.
But he didn’t take more than a couple steps before his bear growled and he decided to go the other way.
Something was drawing him that way, but he didn’t know what.
It was super annoying that he couldn’t talk to his bear and get anything more than grumbles and growls.
If only he knew what was up with his furry subconscious.
He walked toward the front, but instead of the big gates, he hung a right and walked toward the security office.
He caught the scent of something in the air that made him stop short.
Sweet like honey and warm like sunshine, with a hint of…jungle? Of rain and trees and earth.
His bear sat up in his head, letting out a curious chuff.
What the heck was he smelling?
He moved forward, inhaling and sorting through the other scents around him, and found himself heading toward the security office.
Jupiter was standing outside, holding the door open.
A female Seneca didn’t recognize stepped out of the building, and as she turned underneath the security lights, he saw long, dark blond hair and a petite, curvy frame, and the most beautiful female he’d ever seen in his life.
She had a heart-shaped face with a perfectly plump mouth, and he swore her eyes flashed to gold.
Instantly, he could see she was in distress and panicking, and there were humans walking by on their way out of the park. He rushed to her and without even saying a word, he put his arms around her and drew her against him.
The moment she rested her head on his chest, her hands curling into his shirt and holding tightly, he knew she was his soulmate.
“Hey,” he whispered. “I’ve got you. It’ll be okay.”
She tilted her head to look at him, her golden eyes filled with tears.
“Who are you?” she whispered.
“Seneca. You?”
Tears spilled over her cheeks, and she sniffled. “Sunny. I’m in trouble. Something’s wrong with me.”
“Let’s get to the cafeteria,” Jupiter said. “Now.”
Seneca glanced at his friend and nodded. “Come on, sweetheart. The cafeteria is just across the way, you can make it.”
“Don’t let go.”
“I promise I won’t.”
Jupiter unlocked the employee cafeteria and let them in. Once they were inside and protected from view by the one-way glass of the windows, Sunny dug her nails into his skin through his shirt, hanging on for dear life. “My tigress,” she whispered hoarsely.
“What about your tigress?” Seneca asked.
“I thought you were only half-tiger?” Jupiter asked, brow arched.
Sunny nodded, pressing her lips into a thin line to stifle a whimper as her whole body shuddered. Seneca held her a little tighter and she shivered.
“I am,” she whispered. “I’ve never felt my tigress like this. I feel like I could shift, but I’ve never shifted before.”
“I think things have changed,” Jupiter said.
“Because we’re soulmates,” Seneca said. “Is that possible? That her tigress is awakening because she met me?”
“Sure seems like it,” Jupiter said.
The door at the back of the cafeteria opened and the alphas walked up, including his dad, who gave Seneca a curious look, his gaze darting between him and the female in his arms.
“We’ve got an issue,” Jupiter said. “Well, a few of them, actually. Sunny, these are the park alphas: Caesar, Joss, Marcus, Alistair, and Atticus. Alphas, this is Sunny Kittridge from Tennessee, seeking sanctuary. Sunny is a half-tigress, but since coming here seems to be feeling her tigress more.”
The alphas stared at them in silent surprise, and then Caesar cleared his throat. “There’s something else going on here?” he asked, his gaze on Seneca.
“Sunny is my soulmate.”
Marcus gave him a quick thumbs-up, which made him smile.
“Do you want to sit down?” Seneca asked Sunny.
“No. Can we just stand here? My tigress is still prowling in my head.”
“That’s fine,” he said. “No worries.”
“Tell us what brought you here,” Joss said.
The alphas took a seat at the tables and Jupiter sat next to his dad, Caesar.
Sunny explained what brought her to New Jersey, from losing her parents at a young age to joining the prowl, to the recent change in leadership and being exiled that morning by the new alpha.
She relaxed as she talked, seeming to find comfort in his arms, which he was thankful for.
“I came here hoping to find shifters who would give me sanctuary until I can get back on my feet and figure out what to do.” She tilted her head and looked up at Seneca, her eyes a beautiful bright blue.
The alphas were quiet, but Marcus finally spoke up.
“I’m thankful you got here safely. I want to say that while it’s not our people’s policy to interfere in other shifter groups’ way of life, we would definitely want to ensure you’re safe.
We’re going to speak privately, and then we’ll come back to let you know our decision. ”
The alphas got up and left, returning down to the private living areas to talk.
He couldn’t believe how much his mate had endured. He was thankful she’d been taken in by Sera, but damn that new alpha was an asshole. He doubted she’d ever really felt like she belonged in the jaguar prowl as a half-shifter, or ever really felt safe.
“If you hadn’t come here, I wouldn’t have met you,” he said with a low voice. “I’m so sorry for everything you went through, but I swear you’re safe here in the park with me.”
“You’re so warm,” she said, rubbing her cheek on his chest. “Your heartbeat is my favorite sound.”
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.
“How’s your tigress feeling?”
“Better. Less insane.”
“That’s good.” He eased his hold on her, and she took a small step away but kept her hands twisted in his shirt like he was a lifeline and she was adrift at sea.
“Damn,” she said, “you’re sexy.” Her cheeks turned pink and she whispered, “I can’t believe I said that out loud.”
“You’re damn sexy too,” he said.
She grinned. “This is the first time I feel like smiling since I left the prowl. I’ve never been so stressed in my life.”
He squeezed her shoulders gently. “It’s okay. It’s going to be okay, I promise.”
“Will the alphas let me stay?”
His bear let out a challenging snarl. “You’re definitely staying, Sunny.
You’re my soulmate. But they’re probably discussing where to house you while they get to know you.
As you can imagine, the truth of the park is a very closely held secret and there are places you won’t be able to go alone until they get to know you. ”
“I understand. It’s a relief to be here and to meet you. I felt so lost, but now I feel more hopeful.”
He could tell that she was relaxing more as they talked, and he was glad she was feeling better. If she hadn’t shifted by now, it was unlikely that she would, but something about meeting him had triggered a response from her tigress. He was just glad he’d been there to help her.
“Your tigress woke up a bit because of me,” he said.
“Yeah. She’s settled back down again. I was really overwhelmed there for a bit.” She smiled. “Thank you for helping me when I didn’t know what I needed.”
“Anytime.”
The alphas returned and Alistair said, “First, welcome to the park, and congratulations on finding each other. While we don’t really need to extend sanctuary to you, Sunny, because you have a soulmate here and that means you’re welcome to stay no matter what extenuating circumstances there are, we do want to ensure that you know you’re safe here and welcomed. ”
“Since you’re not allowed to talk to your former prowl or adopted family,” Joss said, “we can’t ask how Sera knew about us, but you’re the first to come here from Tennessee, so I think it’s safe to say she’s kept it a close secret as well.”
“She never mentioned it until this morning.”
Marcus said, “You can stay in an apartment at the back of the park, it’s very secure. You have a car?”
“It’s in the lot,” she said.
“I’ll pull it around to the employee lot. Do you have a bag? I can bring it to you,” Atticus said.
She fished keys out of her pocket and tossed them to the alpha gorilla. “Yes, I do. Thank you.”
The alphas shook her hand and left. His dad called him aside, and while he didn’t want to leave Sunny’s side, he gave her a smile and walked over to his dad.
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks.”
He lowered his voice. “If she wants you to stay with her, you can, just send me a text. I’ll cover the burger stall tomorrow so you can spend time with her.
We’ll have food and toiletries brought up to the apartment.
Obviously, we don’t know her, and even though she’s your soulmate, you literally just met her so she can’t know about our living area or have any of the door codes. ”
“Got it.”
“See you tomorrow,” Marcus said.
Seneca moved back to his mate and she took his hand, breathing out a little sigh of relief like she hadn’t been able to breathe right without touching him.
He felt the same way.
“Let’s go to the apartments,” Seneca said.
“I’ll lead the way,” Jupiter said. “The park is officially closed and there aren’t any humans around any longer, so we’re free to chat. And I’ve got the entry code for an apartment that was cleaned recently.”
“Thank you,” Sunny said.
“You’re welcome.”
They left the security office and headed to the apartment complex. No one said anything for a little while, and Seneca wasn’t sure what to say anyway. He was grateful Sunny was there, but sorry for what she’d endured.
He finally said, “I’m glad you’re here and you’re safe, Sunny.”
“Me too.”