Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

And that's when she saw some movement behind the tiger. She thought she saw a piece of clothing sometime before, but she dismissed it.

But now, that piece of clothing moved.

Is that a child?

All of a sudden, she could move. She saw Jeremy pointing the weapon at the tiger and there were some tens of the volunteers pointing their weapons.

"Don't shoot!!!" Jerlina waved her hand and walked towards the tiger.

She wasn't thinking about anything but that child. They might shoot at the tiger but the child is bound to get hurt.

Jeremy was stunned.

Is she really walking towards the tiger? Is she trying to protect the tiger? She was scared of the huskies and now she is walking towards a....

Is she stupid?

He signaled others not to shoot but his weapon was trained on the tiger.

"Reckless idiot!" he mumbled seeing the tiger crouching a bit as if it was going to lunge.

Is that second, he felt his heart slipping to the pit of his stomach. He heard a ringing noise in his ear and his eyes darkened.

The tiger won't live if it hurt her, but he wouldn't be able to live if she gets hurt.

He looked at her. From his position, he couldn't see her face, but it seemed like she was meeting eyes with the tiger.

It's a frigging predator and it might consider her a threat if she walks straight towards it.

He wanted to shout, but he didn't want to push the tiger to act. For now, the tiger seemed to be just following her with its eyes. She was waving her hand behind her back, trying to tell him something.

What are you doing, Jerlina?

But he was ready. The moment its feet get off the ground is the moment it dies. He might have to empty his magazine and it still might not be enough but if he keeps on shooting at its head, there is a probability the tiger will die sooner.

Jerlina's heart was pounding, but she kept on moving. But the closer she got to the tiger, she became more courageous. Her brain malfunctioned at odd times and her flight response had entirely numbed.

For some reason, she thought the tiger is friendly?

Yeah, that thought crossed her mind as the tiger bowed her head as she walked closer.

Or is it preparing to lunge at me?

But she was not willing to back off. She took a curved line to get to the bush, but the tiger stepped closer the more she moved away from it.

The tiger held its position and kept a constant distance. She just wished no one startles the tiger by pulling the trigger of their weapon.

She really didn't want to be torn off by a tiger.

"Hello," she spoke and she saw the beautiful child peeking from behind the bush.

"A child?" Jeremy only then realized it. The tiger then met his eyes and he gripped his weapon tighter.

By now Jerlina had passed the tiger and got to the bush.

"KHAN?" he spoke in a tone he uses on his dogs.

*Grrr*

The tiger growled at him.

"Hello, child," Jerlina picked up the boy who was in his PJs. He was certainly not dressed for the cold weather and had snot dripping from his nose.

At that moment the tiger growled and it made the insides of her stomach twist.

"Oh dear," She hugged the boy who seemed to be three to four years old tightly and turned. The boy was cold as ice and shivered at her warmth.

Jeremy didn't dare to move. He now understood that it is Wyatt's pet tiger. But he couldn't understand why it was here. He looked at the boy in Jerlina's embrace.

It can't be Wyatt's son, can it?

Seeing the tiger, not in attack mode, Jeremy tried to get closer but it growled at him.

Jerlina gestured to Jeremy to stay and from that slightly high altitude, she could see that the entire crowd is stunned beyond measure. Bobby and Charlie were at ta distance and they were speaking to someone through the phone.

"Easy, tiger," she spoke in a soft tone as she feared it would attack Jeremy.

She didn't know where she got the courage to directly engage with the tiger, but she did.

The tiger turned at her and then lied on the ground. She could see it was alert, but it didn't move.

"Is the tiger your pet?" she asked the boy and he didn't answer.

"What's your name," she asked the boy.

She had no hopes that the boy would say his full name. But she had a feeling that the tiger is trying to protect the boy. And for some reason, it allows her near the boy but no one else.

She knew one wrong move would make the protective tiger snap and who knows what might happen then?

"Do you know your father's name?" she asked. "Don't you want to go home? If you tell me your dad's name, you can go home," she spoke in a soothing voice rubbing his back.

She wanted to get a blanket for the boy or at least cover him with her jacket, but she feared if the tiger would consider it a threat.

Jeremy tried to get closer but the tiger wouldn't let him move. And every time he tried to get close to Jerlina, it got closer to her.

"Wyte..." the boy spoke after some time and his voice was soft as a mosquito.

"White?" Jerlina thought it was his surname.

"Wyatt," Jeremy mumbled and pulled out his phone.

"You f*cking t*rd, what the hell is this?" Jeremy spoke in a soft tone.

He knew animals don't understand language much, but just the tone.

He pointed his camera at them and Jerlina realized he is making a video call to the boy's father.

"Benny?"

-----

Half an hour later...

Jerlina was holding the boy. Covered with a blanket, he refused to get away from Jerlina. She was provided a chair to sit and for some reason, the tiger curled up beside her feet.

Wyatt – the boy's father and the leader of The Tiger's gang was on his way.

Well, he was here already, but Jeremy's people were frisking him before letting him meet their leader.

"Your name is Benny?" she asked and the boy kept his silence.

"You came here with the tiger?" She asked.

No answer.

"You rode the tiger here?" Jerlina was curious how a boy traveled more than five miles in the cold with a tiger.

"Like He-Man?" she asked.

She rubbed her nose and took a peek at the tiger. It was lying quietly.

"What's He-Man?" the boy asked.

Jerlina was happy the boy started talking.

"You don't know who He-Man is?" she asked.

The boy shook his head.

"He's a superhero," she said. She wondered what kids these days watch.

"Like Everest?" he asked.

"Who is Everest?" Jerlina didn't know.

"Everest is the coolest pup in Paw Patrol. She..."

The boy started to speak. And he didn't stop talking about this cartoon dog.