Declan - Heart of a Tiger (Royal Taiga Streak #1) - J.R. Loveless Page 0,6

Sean would tie them together irrevocably. If one of them died, the other would, too. It wasn't the same as being mated. It would mean if something were to happen to Declan, if some other alpha were to ever challenge him and he were to lose, Sean would die, too. Declan hesitated, but only for a breath of a second, and then he struck, sinking his teeth into the junction of Sean's shoulder and neck, drinking only long enough to get the taste of his mate's blood, one which set his body on fire and his cock swelling beneath the gentle curve of Sean's backside. He broke free, gasping, and allowed one claw free to slice at the same juncture on his own body.

Lifting Sean, he forced Sean's mouth against the cut. "Drink, baby," he murmured, "drink."

At first, he worried Sean would not be able to do so in his unconscious state, but his animal side must have sensed the importance of the moment for Sean's mouth latched onto his shoulder and began sucking, drawing weakly, but enough to imbibe the necessary blood. Under the guidance of his long dead ancestors, Declan closed his eyes and chanted the words to bind their life force as one. "Hear my words, hear my cry, take my soul and split asunder. Half remains, half be gone, two halves as one, until one is no longer."

Declan felt something rip inside of himself and bit back a cry, hands tightening momentarily on his mate's broken body. He slumped over Sean slightly and breathed, deep and even, trying to get a hold of himself. He could never regret what he'd just done, but something felt different, and he didn't feel right inside his skin, his tiger prowled beneath his human form, yowling unhappily. One thing he did notice, Sean's heartbeat had grown stronger and his lungs were no longer labored. Declan smiled, sweat running down his face. He brushed the blood-soaked hair back from Sean's face and pressed a kiss to Sean's forehead. His mate would survive.

Victor sighed. "Alpha."

Declan shook his head. "It's done."

"You know you can never tell anyone. Not even him."

"I know."

"Alpha-"

"Enough. It's done, Victor. Now please... go back upstairs and wait for the others to arrive. We'll transport the cubs back to the compound and decide what to do about them there."

Victor bowed his head. "As you wish, Alpha."

When Declan lifted Sean's still laboring, but recovering, body from the floor and ascended the stairs, Ronnie approached him cautiously. "I-is Sean going to be okay, Uncle Dec?"

"Yes, Ronnie, Sean is going to be okay," Declan replied, smiling at his nephew and holding his mate as gently as he could.

3

Sean

Sean felt like he was floating, enveloped in warmth and softness, as though on a giant cloud. Death had claimed him and he rode along on a fog of happiness. Until he moved and pain slid along his nerves. Sean's good eye flew open, the other swollen shut from the severe beating, and he gasped, loud and sharp into the stillness. When he could breathe again, he found himself lying in the middle of a huge four poster bed surrounded by plush white pillows and covered by a stark white down comforter. Panic set in. Where was he? Where were the others? Sean struggled to sit up, sweat popping out along his forehead and upper lip as his body protested the movements.

Shh, lay still, love. Everyone is fine. If you keep moving around like that, you'll hurt yourself further. Shock held Sean immobile. What the hell... no... who the hell was that? The door of the bedroom Sean lay in opened and Sean's eyes widened, his breath catching. At first, he couldn't make out the features of the man standing there, but the sheer size reminded him of his father and he thought Carl had returned to finish the job. Sean bit back a whimper and once more attempted to get away.

A whispered oath came from the doorway and then warm, strong hands gripped Sean's shoulders. "Stay still, Sean. No one here will hurt you. I promise."

The voice, the hands, they didn't belong to his father. Sean stilled and blinked up into the face, the gorgeous face, of a man who definitely wasn't Carl. Golden blond hair hung down around the man's features, jagged, but neatly so. Sean's fingers itched to stroke them and he gripped the sheets to keep from doing so. Strong, high cheekbones gave the stranger a regal, almost royal look, and reminded