The Choice

I looked at Jackson’s tense profile and then back to my beer. Nope. I had not touched it yet.

How are Jackson’s eyes yellow?

They did not even look human anymore. They were way too round and filled his eyes completely, with a huge black pupil in the middle.

“What’s wrong with your eyes?” I asked without thinking.

I felt Adam’s arm wind around my shoulders to draw me closer to him.

Seriously, what is going on?

He was acting as if Jackson was going to jump me and rip my throat out.

“Yes, Jackson,” Adam said, growling low as well. “What’s wrong with your eyes?”

“She needs to know, Adam,” Jackson growled right back.

“It’s not your call to make.”

“Hey, guys. I’m right here,” I snapped. “What’s this all about?”

“Yeah, Adam,” Jackson snarled. “What’s this all about?”

Adam threw a cold, dark glare at Jackson.

I had never seen him like this before. He was beyond pissed.

I turned my gaze to his green eyes—and they were slowly bleeding to gold.

What the fuck?

I put a hand to his cheek to force his gaze to mine, and his eyes were the normal green I knew again as he turned to look at me.

“What didn’t you tell me, Adam?” I asked.

“I always knew you wanted her for yourself,” Jackson spat. “If you truly do, you have to tell her.”

“That’s none of your business, Jackson,” Adam said. “You didn’t tell her either, and I wanted to take her out to tell her everything.”

“We’ve known each other for years, Adam. You can tell me everything anytime.” I chided.

He looked at me. I could see that he was anxious. What did he need to tell me that was so hard? We had a great relationship and he knew I would always listen.

“Come with me,” he said simply, unfolding his huge frame from the chair.

I followed suit and noticed that Jackson and Haven were also following.

What is up with the men in my life?

If it was something big and Jackson did not tell me, I would be pissed. I could excuse Adam and Haven since they were never intimate with me, but Jackson…?

I would be really pissed.

We stepped outside. Adam kept walking until we reached the woods behind the bar, and the rest of us followed. We were completely hidden from sight.

He held my hand. I did not know if it was to reassure me or him, but I did not really care right then. Saying that I was puzzled was putting it lightly.

“Will you fucking tell me what’s going on?” I asked. I was getting antsy.

Why do we need to be so far out of sight? What are they going to do?

“Do you trust me?” Adam asked, looking deeply into my eyes.

“Of course,” I said. “You know that I do, Adam.”

He smiled and nodded.

I could feel the tension in the air. The three tall men were all looking attentively at me, but I was focusing on Adam.

“You know those novels you’re so fond of?” he asked.

I was stunned. I was not expecting him to talk about my passion for fantasy romance novels. I read it all. From Laurell K. Hamilton to Charlaine Harris and Patricia Briggs, I loved paranormal romance above all.

I’d always had a soft spot for werewolves in particular and shifters in general. Yeah, I know. Pretty weird when I did not believe in true love.

I nodded slowly at my boss, ignoring the two other men behind me.

“Yeah,” I said. “My werewolf romances. What does that have to do with anything?”

“What if they’re real?” he asked.

“What if they’re real who? Werewolves?” I asked. “We talked about it before. I said that I would love to meet one if they were real.”

“I know we did. Well… They’re real.” Adam finally said, and he looked really uncomfortable.

I knew Adam was not one to beat around the bush but, wow. That was abrupt even for him.

I was stunned for a few seconds and I blinked.

He was looking at me anxiously.

I burst into laughter. I laughed so hard I was crying.

Even Adam could not help but crack a smile.

“Are you kidding me?” I asked between whoops. “Are vampires real as well?”

“Of course,” he said. “It’s not a laughing matter, Mia.”

“Why?” I said my chest still heaving. “Are you a werewolf, Adam?”

“No,” he said. “I’m a weretiger.”

I looked into his eyes and that stopped the laughter right away.

He looked serious, and his eyes were steely.

Okay. Could it be?

“Really?” I asked again.

He nodded and let go of my hand.

I heard a sound of something snapping and cracking and suddenly where Adam’s hand had been… was a paw.

A tiger’s paw.

With stripes, claws, and all.

“Oh putain,” I said, forgetting my English there for a second.

“Oh, fuck.” I translated right away. “It’s real.”

“Yes,” Adam said. “It’s very real.”

I turned to Haven and Jackson. Jackson looked pissed and slightly embarrassed. Haven was smiling.

“You guys are tigers too?” I asked.

“I’m a lion,” Haven said.

“Makes sense.” I smiled at my friend before turning to Jackson.

“Wolf,” he said.

All right, now I’m fucking pissed.

He knew better than anyone how much I loved werewolves. I could not help but slap him right across his bastard face.

“We slept together. We lived together. We shared everything for five fucking years, Jackson! Not once did you tell me what you were. How could you?” I snapped.

“I wanted to tell you, babe. I did. But we can’t. We live in secret so the humans won’t know what we are. I couldn’t betray my people no matter how much I love you. Adam was supposed to tell you—”

“Don’t bring Adam into this. I said I loved you and you didn’t even tell me who you truly are.”

I felt the tears swell in my eyes and I could see that he was trying to avoid looking at me. I could see his shame and pain at seeing me like this.

“I trusted you, but I see that you didn’t feel the same.”

I managed to say that without my voice breaking, and I felt damn proud of myself.

I walked away, and none of them followed me. I needed to be alone and they seemed to understand that.

I walked until I reached the bus stop. I hoped it would come soon. I could not stay there.

I felt hurt, betrayed, and, above all, sad. The man I thought I knew and loved was not sincere with me. That hurt the most.

I had told him everything about me and my family. I always was honest with him.

My family was fucked up, to say the least—that was one of the reasons I left France.

My father was in jail for murder and my mother was an alcoholic. She never beat me up, at least, but I would often find her passed out on the couch and covered in vomit.

Not really fun. Especially when you had been doing it since you were twelve.

He knew all that. He even knew who my dad murdered. He did not want to tell me because they had to stay secret?

Fuck him.

I was fucking mad.

I heard a car and lifted my gaze to see that it was Adam.

He rolled down the window and gestured for me to get in the car.

I sighed. I did not really want to wait for the bus, so I stood up and walked to the car. I sat there in silence and looked through the window, hoping that he would not open his damn mouth.

“Don’t be too hard on Jackson. I should have told you sooner. I’m responsible for you since you work for me.”

“He was my boyfriend. I think if someone should have told me, it should have been him.

“I wouldn’t have rejected him, you know. I meant it when I said that I truly wanted to meet a werewolf. I didn’t know I was fucking one,” I said bitterly.

“Although you should have told me too. That wouldn’t have changed anything between us.”

“As Jackson said, we’re not supposed to talk about our true nature. We don’t want humans involved in our affairs. I trust you, you know that I do, but I never found the right time to mention that.”

“You had several opportunities to tell me. I’m hurt that it took so long.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. Our clans don’t really like humans, and all three of us are next in line to be heads. That’s why it’s so touchy talking about us to you. The clan might not like it.”

“You’re an alpha?” I asked.

“Yes. We’re all alphas.” He nodded. “Although we all have different names for our leaders. Haven will be King, Jackson the Alpha, and as for me…I will be Tsar. I’m a Siberian tiger.”

“The biggest tigers in the world,” I whispered.

“Yes.” He smiled. “The biggest tigers.”

I had so many questions, but I did not know if it was the right time to ask. Would he even answer it all anyway?