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I dashed across the room, suddenly glad I wasn’t dressed up, because I could move a heck of a lot faster in sneakers than heels. My best friend squealed when she saw me. We threw our arms around each other, me being careful not to squeeze hertoohard with my newfound dragon strength. Not that Kylie was any lightweight. She was small, yeah, but full of wirytoughness.
When I let her go, she looked around the room, her eyes sparkling. “This is freaking amazing, Ren. And I thought Marco’s place in New York was posh. So this is, like, the capital of catshifters?”
I grinned. “Something like that. I can’t believe you’re here! How long can youstay?”
“I’m supposed to be back at work on Tuesday, but I can always call in. I haven’t used any sick days yet. Oh my God! I’m going to get to see you be a dragon.” She grasped my hands, and we spun around in an excited little dance. “Where are those hunks of yours,anyway?”
I looked up and realized we’d become the center of attention. The shifters all around the room were staring at me and my bestie—well, mostly at my bestie. One woman’s nostril’sflared.
“Why has ahumanbeen allowed into our estate?” shedemanded.
I stepped closer to Kylie automatically, my hackles rising. Marco strode over with an air of authority I’d rarely seen him emit. But then, this was the first time I’d seen him among so many of hiskin.
“The human is your dragon shifter’s ally,” he said, pitching his voice loud enough for the whole room to hear. “And you will treat her with the same respect you would a dragon. Any arguments?” He offered a sharpsmile.
Several heads turned away. The other stares lowered. The woman who’d complained muttered something, and Marco said, in a soft, clear voice, “What was that,Livia?”
Her lips pressed flat, her face paling slightly. “Nothing,sir.”
Marco didn’t look convinced, but he let it slide. “A surprise visit, but a welcome one,” he said to Kylie as he joinedus.
Kylie’s expression had gone a bit tight. “It’s not going to be a big deal that I’m here, is it? Everyone seemed so chill in the other shifter village, I didn’t think they’d getupset.”
“They’ll get over it. We felines are very adaptable.” The smile he gave her was a lot warmer than the one he’d offered thecrowd.
“Come on,” I said, grabbing Kylie’s arm. “You’ve got to be hungry. They’ve goteverythingto eat here.” I kept my tone chipper even though my heart was thudding. Alice caught my eye from across the room, and I nodded. I was definitely going to want her to have my best friend’s back around thisbunch.
We’d only made it partway to the tables when a new voice boomed across the room. “Alpha! If you even deserve thattitle.”
Bristling, I pivoted on my feet. A hulking tiger shifter was stalking toward Marco, his head high and eyes lit with menace. The guy must have had at least half a foot and fifty pounds on my jaguarshifter.
A prickle ran over my skin as my body instinctively readied to shift. I held myself back. It wasn’t going to help Marco’s case if his mate fought his battles forhim.
“Julius,” Marco said blandly. “What are you nattering aboutnow?”
The tiger shifter came to a halt a few feet from his alpha and scowled. “I say you’re not strong enough to lead us all. I say a real alpha would have consummated his bond with the dragon, not stepped aside while other kin’s leaders did, leaving all of us still waiting. I say I could crush you with one blow of mypaws.”
My skin went cold. The other shifters had fallen completely silent, even more still than when Kylie had arrived. Marco folded his arms over his chest and cocked his head. “Is that a formal challenge, or justbluster?”
“Consider yourself challenged,” Julius growled. “Tonight, unless you’re going to try to weasel your way out ofit.”
“No weaseling necessary,” Marco said lightly. “I’ll be happy to settle this tonight. May the best kinwin.”
Chapter 14
Ren
Kylie loopedher arm around mine as an attendant led us down the hall to our rooms. She pitched her voice low. “So... this whole challenge thing. What exactly does that mean forMarco?”
I swallowed hard. My pulse hadn’t stopped racing since the tiger shifter had swaggered out of the ballroom. I wished I had a better idea what the challenge had meantmyself.
“I’m not sure,” I said. “The other guy wants the alpha position. I guess they fight it out. Tonight.” In, what, just a few hours? Marco couldn’t have been prepared forthat.
Wasthiswhat being alpha had been like for him all along? Random challenges at every turn, not even being able to spend an hour back on his estate without some asshole confronting him? That would get old awfully quick. Suddenly I didn’t find it hard to believe he’d meant the comment he’d made about giving up theposition.
Only he couldn’t do that and still be my mate. If he forfeited his position as alpha, my bond would shift to whoever was named in hisplace.
And the same if he lost thischallenge.
