Page 8 of Easy, Tiger

Decades of secrecy weigh heavily in the silence between us, protecting our enclave from human discovery. Exposing our nature to outsiders violates every protocol we've established, and it threatens the safety of every shifter calling these mountains home. Yet the memory of Halsey's hands gentle against my fur, her voice calm and firm while she worked to keep me alive, makes the thought of deception feel like betrayal.

"I'm unsure," I admit, the words bitter on my tongue. "But she risked everything to save a creature that should have terrified her. That has to count for something."

Owen scrubs a hand through his graying sandy-brown hair, the gesture indicative of an exhaustion that runs deeper than physical fatigue. "The hunter's still out there, Nolan. We can't afford complications right now."

"I know that better than anyone. But she's already involved, whether we like it or not."

Owen paces the length of the clinic room, teeth clenched before he turns to me fully. "She needs surveillance. Round-the-clock monitoring until we determine if she's a threat."

"A threat? The woman who spent her afternoon saving my life?" Pushing to my feet, I ignore the fire shooting through my shoulder.

"The woman who now knows tigers exist in these mountains." Owen's mouth hardens into that stubborn line I've known since childhood. "She could report the sighting to Fish and Wildlife, bring researchers crawling through our territory."

Sadie fidgets on the cot, her braid swinging as she shakes her head. "Have you met Halsey? When I’ve seen her around town, she's unlike the thrill-seeking tourists who usually come here seeking to make headlines. She's here to work."

"Exactly my point." Owen repositions his stance, channeling full ranger mode. "She's a professional wildlife illustrator. Discovering an apex predator that shouldn't exist here is career-making material."

Caught off guard by his incisive words, I flinch. Three days ago I might have agreed and might have seen the logic in Owen's caution. Now the thought of treating Halsey like a potential enemy makes my teeth ache.

"You're talking about the woman who knelt beside a wounded tiger for hours, alone in the wilderness, because she couldn't walk away from something in pain. She had every opportunity to document what she found. Instead, she packed up her supplies and left without taking a single photograph."

"This time," Owen counters. "What happens when she encounters another shifter? When she starts connecting patterns?"

"Then we deal with that situation when it arises." Sadie stands, arranging herself between Owen and me like she's done since we were children arguing over broken toys.

Amelia nods in agreement, hooking her fingers over the lip of the metal counter. "Owen, you can't stalk the woman. Right now, you're debating whether to spy on someone who literally saved Nolan's life."

Owen's features soften marginally, but his stance remains rigid. "We need information, Sadie. We require her background and her intentions, along with everything she plans for staying in Red Pine."

"I already know her background." That draws both of their attention. "Career destroyed by false accusations. Reputation in ruins. She came here to disappear, not to make discoveries."

"How do you—" Owen stops mid-question, realization dawning across his features. "You've been watching her."

"Protecting her." The distinction matters more than I can properly convey. "Someone targeted me yesterday, and they're still out there. If they realize she helped me..."

The temperature in the room chills several degrees as the implications sink in. Sadie sucks in a sharp breath while Owen's hand moves instinctively toward the radio clipped to his belt.

"The hunter could come after her," Sadie whispers.

"He will." Testing my shoulder again, I grimace at the persistent ache. "So this conversation is already pointless. Screw surveillance, she needs protection."

Owen straightens, activating the strategic mindset that's kept our enclave safe for decades. "What are you proposing?"

"I handle this. I get close to her and keep her safe, leaving the rest of the time to figure out how much she actually knows."

"And if she knows too much?" Owen's question echoes in the charged air between us.

The mating bond pulses beneath my skin, a constant reminder of the incredible situation fate has bestowed upon me. Halsey saved my life while remaining completely unaware of what she was actually pulling me from.

"Like I said, I'll handle it. We skip surveillance teams and committee decisions. This is my responsibility."

Owen opens his mouth to argue, but I raise my hand, stopping him mid-breath.

"She saved my life, Owen. That earns her more than being treated like a security threat. I know what I'm doing."

"Fine, but if this goes sideways⁠—"

"It won't."