To Tempt A Tiger(67)

“Ms. Callaghan is not a hybrid,” Qiang pointed out the obvious.

“Exactly. She has no relationship to our people, beyond her daughter. You didn’t ask Nila’s father, Leo, to consider taking a tiger mate.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Pavel snorted. “He’s unnecessary to us. Zoe’s mother, on the other hand, can help us.”

Rose narrowed her eyes at being referred to as “Zoe’s mother” and not by her own name. At least the other elders had the decency to refer to her by name.

“If she chooses to help us,” Vlad said. “But you have no jurisdiction over her or who she mates with. She holds no blood relationship to the tigers beyond her daughter.”

There was another pointed silence and then another round of debate.

“He’s right. She’s neither tiger, nor hybrid. She’s human, not a part of this community.”

“A valid point. We didn’t expect Nila’s father to try producing more hybrids.”

“Because we are not trying to produce a race of hybrids. Using them to stave off extinction is one thing. Allowing them to overtake full blooded tigers is abhorrent.”

“Even so, every female who can produce females capable of mating with tigers is significant and important to our hopes of survival.”

“Again, she is human. She’s not one of us—even partly one of the community, as she would be if she were hybrid.”

“Her daughter will be part of our community because she’s a shifter, hybrid or not. We must allow for her mother.”

“Not if we adopt her daughter.” This last came with a slight sneer from Pavel.

Rose stood then, cradling Zoe, her eyes narrowed. “No way under heaven or hell are you even contemplating taking my daughter,” she said. “I will kill anyone who tries.”

The entire room fell silent, except for a quiet shuffling of feet. The already electric atmosphere seemed to crackle with tension now. Rose didn’t back down. She glared at each and every elder, making sure they saw—and smelled—that she was deadly serious.

She would run away with Zoe before allowing these…people to consider trying to cut her out of her daughter’s life. They had no right. No legal ability to take Zoe. Which didn’t mean they wouldn’t try. So she wanted them to know what they’d face if they did.

A very vengeful momma.

As she glared them down, Vlad stood at her side. She could practically feel his tension. When she allowed a single glance at him, he was glaring at the elders, too, poised and ready to fight. She faced the bastards again with a snarling smirk.

Elder Two spoke into the silence. “Child, like it or not, there is very little you could do against us, if the vote turns against you. You might consider diplomacy.”

“This isn’t a diplomatic situation,” she said. “And if you think I couldn’t do anything to hurt you, try me.”

“You’re human,” Pavel said. “You aren’t strong enough, or fast enough, or…anything enough.”

She met his gaze without flinching. “A bullet to the brain will kill you. I’m a hunter. Don’t push me.”

“I could disarm you before you could shoot.”

“You threaten my daughter, you will see how fast I can shoot.”

“Enough,” Elizaveta said into the argument. “We are not going to take this woman’s child from her, you idiots.” She shook her head.

The “idiots” outburst was the most emotion Elizaveta had shown up to that point in the debates.

“Would you think to threaten the child of a tiger mother? No. You would not because she would kill you. Ms. Callaghan might be human, but she is defending her daughter. You would be fools indeed to underestimate that. Stop talking such nonsense, or you will send her and her precious daughter into hiding. And I would not blame her. In fact, I would help her. And you know well I can hide much from you. If I hear any more talk about taking this child from her mother, I will get violent. Are we clear on this point?”

There were a few grunts and one or two nods. The tension went out of the room with Elizaveta’s speech. The elders relaxed back into their seats and the surrounding audience settled again.

“Good,” Elizaveta said. “Now, my dear, please be seated. You are not under threat here.” She said this last with raised brows as she looked down the length of the table at the other elders. None of them made eye contact.

Rose hugged Zoe a little closer but didn’t take her seat.

For the first time since entering the room, Zoe looked at the elders. She stared with her huge dark eyes then said with that oh-so-familiar stubborn jut of her chin, “Staying with Mommy.”