Page 58 of Tiger Bitten

“Yeah.” The word came out little more than a squeak. “I have a few days before it’ll be able to happen again.

“So, you get breaks?” he asked.

“Yeah.” And then there was a tear-filled smile that flashed across her face and disappeared, but it had existed for a split second. There she was. “I call it the honeymoon phase. I feel better for a little bit.”

“Hell yeah. Then you know what we’ll do?”

“What?” she asked in a shaky whisper.

“Plan date nights after you have an Almost-Change. We’ll get you through them and then will take the honeymoon phase serious.”

She blinked twice. “W-what?”

“We’ll get you through it. I’ll bring coasters, or whatever works best for keeping you from biting down too hard. I’ll ask Misty about supplies tomorrow, and then we will get through it and celebrate afterward.”

“Celebrate,” she murmured.

“Yeah. You’re still kickin’ woman. You’re still here. You’re a motherfucking Half-Cat. Do you know how rare you are?”

She shook her head.

“I don’t even know any Cats who have personally ever met a Half-Cat, and here you are, perfect body, eating s’mores and making me laugh, and drinking with my brother’s mate, and telling off my least favorite brother, and being awesome. I had no clue what you were. None.” He tipped his head toward the bathtub. “Want to get in? Let’s get your muscles loosened up before bed.”

Another two blinks from her wide eyes. “Yeah.”

He turned off the water now that the tub was nearly full and helped her get out of her dress. He did his best to pull her hair back into a messy bun with a hairband from her wrist, but he didn’t do the best job at it. A few curls escaped. She looked pretty like that.

And then that gorgeous Half-Cat…his Half-Cat, she slipped her petite hand against his palm and stepped into the warm water, then sighed a long, shuddering breath as she sank into the warmth. She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her cheek there, pretty gold eyes on him. The tears were gone, and relief had replaced the sadness in her face. He put soap on a washcloth and washed her back and arms gently, and as he did, he felt every muscle in her body relax. They didn’t say anything for minutes, just let her have some peace, and then when she was washed and rinsed and the water was cooling, he asked, “What do you want to do for our first honeymoon phase date?”

The smile that curved her full lips was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen. “I like surprises.”

“You want me to plan them?”

She nodded, her cheek still resting against her forearms folded over her knees.

“You got it,” he said around a chuckle. God, he loved her. This…seeing how strong she really was…what she dealt with in her normal everyday life…how she didn’t complain or act like a victim of her circumstances…how she was just this badass Half-Cat who had retained her kindness…oh she was his.

“I thought this would be a deal breaker,” she admitted low. “I didn’t ever want you to see me like that.”

“Well,” he said reaching for a towel, “All you did was make me even more interested, so it’s going to be hard to shake me now.”

“Do you know the fertility rate of a Half-Cat?” she asked suddenly.

He blew out a breath and shook his head.

“No, I’m really asking. I don’t know anything. I don’t even know what kind of Cat I would’ve been. I didn’t ever meet my dad. He was a one-night stand date for my mom, and she didn’t know what he was.”

“I don’t know the fertility rate for a Half-Cat, but I’m going to research. I’m going to find out as much as I can,” he promised. “I know the mortality rate of Half-Cats though.”

Ren frowned. “What?”

“Eighty percent mortality before they’re even born.” He pulled her out of the tub and wrapped the towel around her, then cupped her cheeks. “You’re kind of a miracle.”

She was searching his eyes in such an intense way. “I didn’t know that.”

“It’s insane that you’re even here. Dame and Misty have decided to maybe someday adopt, but they aren’t trying on their own because of the awful mortality rate, and then if they do have a baby survive, he or she would be a Half-Cat. There are so many rumors around Half-Cats that people avoid trying. You really are special. You were meant to be here.”

“I thought…” She swallowed hard. “I thought I was a mistake.”