Chapter 6
SIX
R ehan’s carefully ordered world tilted on its axis. As Alora launched into an explanation that somehow combined brilliant genetics and terrible wordplay, Rehan faced an uncomfortable truth: Dr. Sky would either revolutionize shifter medicine or drive him completely mad.
His tiger, traitorously, seemed perfectly fine with either outcome. In fact, as her hands danced through the air describing molecular structures, his inner beast made its preference clear: both. It wanted both her brilliant mind and her playful heart, her scientific genius and her terrible puns.
For the first time in his life, Rehan’s legendary control faced a serious challenge. And she wore a lab coat covered in cartoon tigers.
“The protein structure shifts like this,” Alora demonstrated, pulling up a 3D molecular model on her holoscreen. Her enthusiasm made the scientific jargon sound like poetry. “See how it dances? Though I suppose you’re not much of a dancer, Mr. Kedi.”
“I dance.” The defensive response slipped out before he could stop it. His tiger preened at her surprised look.
“Really?” She tilted her head, studying him with those bright eyes. “Let me guess – very proper ballroom dancing. All rules and counted steps.”
Hunter snorted. “He’s actually pretty good at?—”
“That’s not relevant to the research,” Rehan cut in, shooting his friend a warning look. The last thing he needed was Hunter sharing stories about the traditional shifter dances he’d learned as pride leader. Especially the one where he’d had to perform shirtless under the full moon. “The protein binding sequence?—”
“Oh no, this is definitely relevant.” Alora’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Understanding shifter culture helps me understand shifter biology. For instance, did you know that tiger shifters’ dance rituals actually influence their molecular structures? The rhythmic movement creates fascinating changes in their genetic expression.”
His tiger perked up at her knowledge of shifter biology. She understood them – understood him – on both a scientific and cultural level. The urge to show her his own dance, to demonstrate his strength and grace, rose powerfully.
Rehan forced his attention back to the holoscreen where molecules spun in complex patterns. “Your understanding of shifter genetics is... impressive.” The admission cost him something, but her brilliant smile made it worth it.
“Coming from you, that’s practically a marriage proposal,” Hunter muttered, too low for human ears.
Rehan’s tiger rumbled in agreement before he could squash the response. Across the lab, Stripes the cat looked up at the sound, ears twitching.
“Did you say something?” Alora asked, glancing between them.
“He’s admiring your organizational system,” Hunter said innocently, gesturing to a wall covered in color-coded sticky notes arranged in what appeared to be a giant DNA helix pattern.
“Oh, that’s my idea wall!” She bounced over to it, lab coat swishing. “Each color represents a different aspect of the research. Pink for protein markers, blue for genetic sequences, yellow for successful trials...” She pointed to a lone green note near the bottom. “And that one’s my reminder to feed Stripes because he gets very dramatic when he’s hungry. Don’t you, baby?”
The cat yawned, showing impressive fangs.
“You document breakthrough genetic research... on sticky notes?” Rehan asked, pained.
“Don’t worry, it’s all backed up digitally.” She patted his arm sympathetically. The casual touch sent electricity racing through him. “The notes help me think. Science needs room to breathe, Mr. Kedi. To play. To make terrible puns about amino acids.”
“Please don’t.”
“Would you say that request is... purr-emptive?”
His tiger actually laughed – a warm rumble in his chest that he barely contained. This woman would be the death of his dignity.
“Doctor Sky?—”
“Alora,” she corrected. “If we’re going to cure this virus together, you should probably use my first name. Unless you’d prefer I call you Mr. Big Bad Alpha Tiger?”
Hunter didn’t even try to hide his laughter this time.
“Rehan,” he ground out, wondering how this tiny scientist had managed to demolish his carefully constructed walls in less than ten minutes. “My name is Rehan.”
“Well, Rehan,” she said, his name in her accent doing dangerous things to his control, “want to see what else I’ve discovered? I promise to keep the cat puns to a minimum. Well, a meow-nimum.”
His tiger purred. His human side contemplated jumping out the window. Somewhere in between, Rehan found himself nodding.
“Show me everything.”
Her brilliant smile hit him like sunlight, warming places in his soul he’d thought long frozen. As she launched into another explanation, hands dancing through the air like she was conducting a symphony of science, Rehan accepted three undeniable truths:
One: Dr. Alora Sky was the most brilliant scientist he’d ever met. Two: She would either save his pride or drive him insane with her chaos. And three: His tiger had already decided she was their mate, and no amount of human denial would change that fact.
He was, quite simply, doomed.