The sense of rightness spread through Tiger, weaving around him as strongly as the mate bond. Yes, his entire body said. I was made to protect.
Carly’s surprised look fled. “Of course,” she said to Tiger. “That’s why you’re so adamant about the cubs.”
“All Shifters protect the cubs,” Kim said.
“Yes, but Tiger goes above and beyond,” Carly said. “He looks out for every cub in Shiftertown. Anyone who’s vulnerable, actually, like the clerk in the convenience store.”
“She does have a point,” Liam said. He sipped coffee, looking the least surprised of everyone.
“And the cubs aren’t afraid of him,” Carly said. “They all adore you, Tiger. The adult Shifters look at you like you’re some sort of Frankenstein’s monster, but the cubs are always thrilled to see you.”
“That’s true,” Connor said. “I’m still a cub, and I like Tiger.”
“So do the little kids, like Olaf and Jordan,” Carly said. “They trust Tiger completely, no matter how much the adults try to say that Tiger needs to be controlled and contained.”
“That’s because cubs are smart,” Connor said, his expression serious.
Katriona laughed and held out her hands toward Tiger. “Tigger.”
Tiger couldn’t stop himself from rising, going to Katriona, and lifting her from Kim. He touched a light kiss to the little girl’s forehead, sat down again next to Carly, and balanced Katriona on her little feet on his knee. In about a year, he’d be holding his own cub, with Carly at his side.
The conversation around him dimmed and became unimportant.
“See?” Walker was saying. “There’s something inside Tiger that makes the kids seek him out and trust him. Makes sense if his mission is to find them and get them to safety. They’d need to trust him completely.”
Liam nodded in silence. Sean had gone back to making pancakes, and Connor, after one more long, thoughtful look at Tiger, turned to help him.
“One thing I don’t like about your explanation,” Carly said to Walker. “You say the kids trust Tiger because there’s something programmed into him, some genetics thing.”
“Probably having to do with pheromones,” Liam put in. “And scent and so forth.”
Carly waved that away. “Maybe, but could you consider that cubs trust him because they can see he’s just a wonderful guy? Caring, protective, amazing?”Liam chuckled, lifted his coffee, and patted Kim’s knee. “Spoken like a true mate.”
Carly frowned at him. “I refuse to believe that Tiger’s the way he is because a scientist mixed something in a test tube. People don’t work that way. A lot of what makes Tiger Tiger is . . . Tiger.”
“Exactly,” Kim said. “Well said.”
“All of us are a bunch of chemicals stuck together,” Liam argued. “Even you, love,” he finished, with a warm look at Kim.
“I don’t believe that entirely,” Carly said. “My sisters and I share the same genetic makeup and we’re all very different. So even if people were created in test tubes, even clones, what would come out of each test tube would be different.” Carly looked at Walker, sudden concern in her expression. “Wait, you didn’t mean you wanted to make clones of Tiger, did you?”
“Sheldon did,” Walker said. “I’m of the mind that we don’t have the technology yet to get cloning exactly right. But studying you could tell us a lot, Tiger. And you could do your rescue thing and train others in search and rescue. We could sure use you.”
“Wait a minute,” Carly said. “You are not going to do experiments on him and torture him and treat him like a guinea pig. Tiger’s a person. And I’m going to marry him. Or mate with him, as Shifters call it. I accepted his mate-claim.”
Her announcement fell into stunned silence, and Tiger looked up. Carly had already declared to Tiger that she was his mate, but he hadn’t expected her to state it to other Shifters, in terms they’d waited to hear.
Connor let out a wild whoop from across the room. He threw his spatula into the air, scattering droplets of batter, rushed to Carly, and dragged her up and into a hug.
“Another mating,” he shouted as he released her. “Sun and moon. Time to par-tay. Get on with it, Liam.”
“Give us a chance, Connor.” Liam was out of his seat too, waiting while Kim crushed Carly in an enthusiastic embrace.
Carly had tears on her cheeks when she emerged. “I didn’t realize y’all would be so happy.”
“Of course we’re happy.” Liam caught Carly in a hard hug, ruffling her hair. “Tiger needs a mate, and you’re perfect for him. Another mating means more cubs, more Shifters.”
“There will be more cubs,” Carly said, and she smiled. “Sooner rather than later.”
Connor let out another whoop, and this time five pancakes went to the floor. Instead of scolding him, Sean shoved Connor out of the way and came to hug Carly himself.
“Now, that’s a fine thing,” Sean said, wrapping his arms around her.
“I thought you were up the spout,” Liam said to Carly, still holding on. “I scented the change. But I was waiting for you to say.”
“You waited more patiently than Tiger did.” Carly laughed from within their embrace. “He blabbed to my whole family.”