“Liger?” Her revelation hit Quinn like a ton of bricks, and he stopped pacing to stare at her.

“Yes, liger. As in lion and tiger mix. It can only happen between a male lion and a female tiger. If the male is a tiger and the female is a lion, it’s called a tigon, but those are even rarer because female lions are so dominant. But it’s worse than that. I’m a white tiger, and Alex is a white lion. We will have the only white liger baby in history.”

“So, you’re telling me, he impregnated you on purpose and then kept you as a prisoner like he was incubating an egg?” Anger curdled in Quinn’s gut. He couldn’t believe a man would do such a thing to any woman, much less one who was the mother of his child.

“That’s exactly what happened. He never physically harmed me, but he threatened to all the time. I know if he gets his hands on me, I’ll never see the light of day again, literally.”

“That’s not going to happen.” Quinn’s rage had softened his tone, but Aubrey still flinched. He hated seeing her scared of him in any way, so he closed his eyes and counted to ten, forcing his bear to calm. “You’re going to stay here with me until we figure out how to protect you from him. This is a private estate with a security system. If anyone comes on the property without permission, I get a notification on my phone. We’ll know he’s coming before he gets here, and we’ll be able to stop him.”

“I truly, truly appreciate that, Quinn,” Aubrey’s eyes met his, and the sorrow in their depths tore at him, “but I can’t put you in the middle of this. Well, any more than you already are. It’s not fair.”

“You’re not putting me anywhere. I’m putting myself in the middle. I’ve spent my career trying to protect pregnant mothers and their children through science, and I’ll be damned if the one time I can physically protect one, I fail.” He’d never really thought of himself as a superhero, but the advances he’d made in the world of obstetrics were monumental in saving hundreds of lives each year. While it was easy for him to speak about, it was more difficult for him to accept his own role in the big scheme of things. In Aubrey’s case, he was the only thing standing between her and imminent danger. “Let me help you, Aubrey. For your son’s sake if nothing else.”

Unable to resist when tears of relief began to flow down her cheeks, Quinn found himself wrapping her tightly in his arms, pressing her wet face to his chest. Her soft scent flooded his senses, and he let his eyes drift shut, focused only on providing comfort to the small, frightened woman.

Her hair was downy soft, and he palmed the back of her head, petting her gently like his mother used to do to him and his sister when they were young. The whole time, he was all too aware that Aubrey was not a child. Her full breasts grazed his chest, unable to press against him completely because of her extended abdomen. Said abdomen suddenly began to dance against his belly and he pulled back.

“Was that?”

“Junior here seems to approve of you,” she giggled. “Honestly, Quinn, I can’t thank you enough. When I saw the guard had left the door unlocked, I didn’t think past getting out. I didn’t consider the weather or how I was going to escape the best tracker in Colorado. I just knew I had to go.”

“The best tracker in Colorado?” Quinn snorted in disbelief and rolled his eyes, “He certainly thinks highly of himself, huh?”

“We both know lions have an extremely keen sense of smell…”

“No better than polar bears,” he said, hearing his own voice get a little growly. “Try scenting prey hundreds of miles away in a blizzard. Bet that pansy-ass lion would freeze to death before he’d starve.”

“One can only hope,” Aubrey giggled and stepped completely free of his arms.

Already missing her sweet body against him, Quinn took a seat on the stool right next to her and propped his chin on his hand.

“So, how big is the Grisom pack these days?”

“I’m not really sure.” Frowning as she took another drink of her milk, Aubrey looked thoughtful. “There were at least a hundred people at the barbecue, but most were guests. In truth, I think I’ve only seen a dozen or so actual pack members.”

“So, the likelihood of an army storming my castle is slim. I’ll refrain from calling on the dragon.”

Her laughter rang through the kitchen, echoing back to his ears a couple of times and making him grin. Inside his bear reacted like a small cub, rolling and preening with pleasure. It was the strangest reaction Quinn had ever experienced. Why was this woman so different? What made her so special to his bear?

* * *

Aubrey felt the weight lift from her shoulders, and for the first time in months, she relaxed and laughed from pure pleasure. Quinn was intelligent, witty, and built like a god. She had no business enjoying his company so much, but since she also had no other choice, she was going to relish it.

“Can we talk about something else for a bit? I haven’t really had anyone to talk to in so long. It would be nice to pretend life is normal for a minute.” She arched her back, reaching around to rub at the aching muscles which held her bulging belly up.

“Sure, but first, let’s move to the family room. I have a massage chair in there which will do wonders for your back and legs.” He stood and held his hand out to her like a dutiful gentleman.

Placing her palm on his, she experienced a tingle that zipped from their connected skin all the way through her body. Inhaling sharply, she was keenly aware of his masculine scent her tiger liked so much. “Now, you’re speaking my language. I’d kill for a good massage.”

“A real massage could be dangerous for the baby unless done by a professional, but this is just a vibrating chair. I’m sure it’s safe.” He led her back to the family room and pointed at a large leather chair in the corner. “Settle in, and I’ll grab the blanket for you. Once you’re comfy, we can talk more.”

The chair was built for a big man. It seemed to swallow her up, but once Quinn draped the soft blanket over her, she sighed with pleasure.

“I’m not even sure I need more than this. Forgive me if I fall asleep on you.”

“Have you been able to sleep? Women in the last month of pregnancy generally don’t sleep much.”

“Am I really almost there?” Aubrey recalled his words from earlier at the hospital. “If I’m really thirty-eight weeks, then that would mean I got pregnant almost a month earlier than I thought.”

“I’m sure of it. I’ve been doing this a long time.”

“Wow.” She stroked her belly through the blanket and her son kicked and squirmed. “Hard to believe I’ll be holding you so soon, Peanut.”

“Peanut?” Quinn’s face broke into a smile, and Aubrey nodded.

“It’s what I’ve been calling him since day one. I didn’t know what I was having, so Peanut fit either sex.”

“My mom used to call me Peanut when I was little because I was smaller than all the other cubs. I didn’t really start growing until I was eleven, and then I didn’t seem to stop. In one year, she had to buy me three different sizes of clothes.”

“Wow,” Aubrey gaped at him, “I can’t even imagine. I’m having a hard enough time coming to grips with the idea of being a mother, much less the mother of a son. I don’t know anything about how to raise a child.”

“Do you have anyone who could help you? Your mom? A grandmother? Sister?”

“No, sadly, there’s just me. My mom had me young, and we struggled all of my childhood. She worked two and three jobs sometimes, just to make ends meet. I’ve actually lived all over the country because we were always looking for something better.”

“Sounds like you two were close though.” Quinn frowned, “What happened to her?”

“Heart attack about three years ago. I think she worked herself to death. I miss her a lot.” Aubrey found herself crying again, and she giggled when Quinn passed her a box of tissues. “Thanks, I’m sure the last thing you wanted to do tonight was comfort a sobbing, pregnant woman.” To her surprise, Quinn reached for her hand and kissed her knuckles.

“While it wasn’t in my original plans, Aubrey, I wouldn’t be anywhere else for any amount of money.”

Her face flushed with heat, and she couldn’t tear her gaze away from his intense stare. The way his ice-blue eyes sucked her in was incredibly unsettling. Her tiger chuffed inside, and she heard a purr ripple from her chest. Quinn chuckled and the moment was broken.

“Here’s the remote for the chair.” He passed her a small black control. “Press here to turn it on, and then here to—”

“Oh! Oh, my God!”

* * *

Quinn’s cock was rock hard from the sounds coming out of Aubrey. She smelled like a sweet treat, but her moans and gasps of pleasure made him want to sin. She was thoroughly enjoying his massage chair, and he was kicking himself. While he wanted to make her comfortable and happy, he’d also managed to put himself in a very uncomfortable position. The horny and hard position.

Adjusting his dick in his jeans, he turned away from the beauty in the chair and rested his back against the sofa next to her. “I was born and raised just north of here in Wyoming. My family still lives there, but I had to move into the city when I started med school. I never left.”

“I know doctors tend to make a good living, but you live like a king,” Aubrey said, gesturing to the massive room they were in.

“I’ve always liked the research side of medicine better than the actual treatment side. Several years ago, I created a new system for finding and treating cancer cells in a fetus. The money I made from it has allowed me to be more than comfortable and stop regularly practicing medicine. Since then, I’ve devoted most of my time to continuing my research. I’m hoping to be the one to find a way to eradicate cancer completely.”

“Wow. That’s incredible,” Aubrey said, looking at him like he’d just appeared in a puff of smoke to grant her three wishes. “I can’t imagine how many children’s lives you’ve saved with your research.”

“Every child is precious,” he murmured, noting the way she absently stroked her hand over her tummy. He wasn’t sure if she was doing it to comfort herself or the child within.

“So, if you don’t practice anymore, why were you working in the ER today?”

“A favor for a friend. They’ve been short staffed, and I was available. I do it every now and again just to keep from getting rusty and for the excitement. You never know what you’re going to get in the ER. It could be an old man with pneumonia, a child with a broken arm, or—”

“A pregnant tiger shifter on the run from her crazy ex-boyfriend?” Aubrey filled in with a laugh.

“Exactly,” Quinn grinned. “Of course, it’s rare for a shifter to come into the human hospital. You only ended up there because you were unconscious when the paramedics arrived, and they had to bring you in for an examination.”

“Yeah, if not for the car accident, I’d have kept driving until I either ran out of gas or came up with a plan.”

“That was both brave and incredibly stupid,” he replied, making her frown. “What if you’d run out of gas on a dark highway? With temps like these, you and your child could have died before someone found you.”

She looked away before she spoke, “Even death would be better than being held captive for breeding purposes for the rest of my life. Alex planned on keeping me pregnant as much as was physically possible, so he could build a pack of liger shifters. His legacy to the world. I couldn’t live like that. And what would he do with my children? Force them to interbreed to keep the species alive? That’s just…” she shuddered violently and shook her head.

Quinn surged to his knees and reached for her, pulling her from the chair as her emotions once against bested her. “Shh… you’re safe now Aubrey. You and your Peanut are safe with me.”

She curled her fingers into the front of his shirt and nuzzled his throat. He wasn’t sure if she was even conscious of the move, but it had a distinct effect on his already heightened libido. The fragrance of arousal filled the air, and Quinn groaned.

“I’m sorry!” she hiccupped, wiping tears from her cheeks. “I can’t stop crying these days. Everything makes me emotional.” Her movements rocked her soft ass against his hard dick, and he groaned again, this time letting his eyes close as he fought for control.

“Quinn?”

His eyes shot open to find her staring up at him with confusion in her wide, golden eyes. She’d frozen, and he knew it was because she could feel his erection beneath her.

“Ignore it. It will go away. It’s just a natural reaction to holding a beautiful woman. It’s been… a long time since I’ve done that,” he said through gritted teeth.

When her palm came up to cup his cheek, his control broke, and he leaned in to capture her lips. She tasted like sweet cherries and ambrosia. She was addictive, and he couldn’t seem to consume enough of her. When she purred with pleasure and opened her mouth, granting him full access, he took it without a second thought.

There was something absolutely incredibly perfect about the kiss. Need filled his veins, making his entire body throb as he imprinted every minute detail of the moment in his brain. When she turned into him, and her belly pressed against his ribs, reality slammed into his brain.

She was nine months pregnant with another man’s baby, and she was currently under his protection. He couldn’t take advantage of her like this. It wasn’t right. Pulling back, he panted for air, and refused to meet her questioning gaze.

“I think it’s time to show you to your room for the night. Tomorrow morning, we’ll regroup and decide what to do.”

Aubrey was silent as she climbed from his lap and stood next to him. The movement put her pussy level with his face, and he inhaled deeply, his bear unable to resist the call of her sweet nectar. God, what he wouldn’t give to bury his face between her thighs and not come up for air for a month.

“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. My emotions are all over the place,” she said, pulling his attention away from the heaven he craved.

“You have nothing to apologize for. If anything, I should apologize to you for that kiss. That was completely inappropriate.” He pushed to his feet and stood in front of her. He liked the difference in their sizes. It made him feel like ten times the man to tower over her tiny frame and know he could wrap her in his arms to keep her safe.

“Inappropriate? Um… okay. Which way is my room?” She took several steps away from him, and it took everything he had not to reach out and pull her back.

“I’ll show you.” Leading her down the hallway, he pointed out her room, “You’re here, there’s a bathroom attached, and if you need anything, I’m next door. Just call out, I’ll hear you.”

She paused before going into the guest bedroom, “Thank you, Quinn.” The door shut between them, and Quinn instantly felt the loss of her warm presence.

He’d been avoiding the truth until this moment, but now that he’d tasted her, it was impossible to ignore. Aubrey Celine was his fated mate. His destiny. The other half of his soul. He didn’t know why fate would bring her to him now instead of a year ago before she’d been with someone else, and he didn’t have the first clue how they’d make things work, but he’d be damned if he’d let her go now.

She was his.