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Going on a whim, I nod. “I am.”
He sniffs the air, then his eyes shimmer like the stars. “Alterum dimidium animae.”
I stare at him stupidly. “Come again?”
“If you don’t know what the words mean, I probably shouldn’t be the one to tell you.” He draws down his hood, and my jaw practically ninja kicks the ground as I take in his orangish-yellow spotted skin, his cat-shaped ears, and the whiskers willowing out from the sides of his button nose.
“You’re a cat?” I bite down on my tongue. Jesus, I need to stop spewing out every thought that pops into my head.
“Cat shapeshifter,” he corrects, lucky for me, sounding amused. “We’re a very rare species, so I’m not surprised you haven’t seen one of my kind before. But I am a little surprised you don’t know what I am. Most wolves know of our kind.” He starts to circle me with his hands tucked behind his back. “Tell me, little wolf, why is it that you seem so nervous and confused? You barely remembered the name of your pack. And your scent”—he leans in and sniffs my hair—“is very faint. As faint as a wolf cub.”
He can smell my scent? Why couldn’t anyone else?
“Probably because I used a little bit too much perfume,” I say with a shrug. “Sometimes I get a little carried away.”
“Sorry, little wolf, but that’s not how scents work.” He stops in front of me. “That was a good effort, though.” His entire demeanor alters, darkens. “Tell me Elora, Princess of the Violet Mountain pack, where have you been for the last decade?”
Princess of the Violet Mountain pack? What the fuck?
Sure, Jules said I was royalty, but never once did the title princess cross my mind.
I can’t be a princess. I know nothing about this realm or werewolves or ruling!
Now is not the time to freak out, Lake. Not with a big-ass cat man looming in front of you.
I mentally go over what I learned in the self-defense class I took after the werewolves attacked me, but I highly doubt any of the moves will be able to bring a paranormal down, unless my werewolf strength suddenly manifests.
“My name isn’t Elora,” I tell him, curling my hands into fists.
The air electrifies, prickles, as he leans in. “Don’t you dare lie to me, little wolf. I’m bigger than you, stronger than you, more powerful than you.” His gaze flicks to my clenched fists. “You’ll never stand a chance.”
A growl reverberates in my chest. Seriously, what is wrong with me? Ever since Jules declared I was a wolf, my body has been trying to agree with him. Talk about the power of suggestion.
“My name isn’t little wolf, either,” I bite out, sounding way braver than I feel.
“You think you’re brave?” His brow elevates. “Because there’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity.”
I raise my fist, refusing to back down, refusing to let another paranormal break me. “Maybe I’m a little bit of both, then. But you know what? I don’t care.”
His yellow eyes dim to a bleeding orange. “Fine, if that’s how you want to play, then let’s play.” He elevates his hands, sharp claws coiling from his fingertips. His lips lift, revealing a mouthful of razor sharp teeth. “I know in the Common Realm, dogs are stronger than cats, but things work a little differently here.” He begins to circle me again, every step calculated, a predator preparing to strike his prey. “Cat-shifters possess more power than a werewolf could ever dream of. We own this realm. The creatures here worship us.”
I turn around, keeping my gaze glued to him, my fist ready to strike. “If that’s the case, then why are you so rare?”
He hisses, getting in my face. “Because your kind betrayed us. Hunted us down when we were at our most vulnerable.”
I start to step back, but he lines the tip of a claw to the base of my throat. “Do you want to know which pack did the most damage to our kind? I’ll give you two guesses, but you’ll probably only need one.”
My pulse races against the tip of his claw. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t even been in this realm for a decade.”
“No, you haven’t.” He cuts my skin. “And from what I was told, you were in the Soul Realm. Or, at least your soul was. Yet, here you are, completely intact.” He slants closer to me, his foul breath heating my cheek. “Completely alive.” He drags his claw along my neck, cutting a thin layer of skin open. Blood trickles out and slips down the front of my shirt. “For now, anyway.”
As murderous rage consumes his expression, I don’t give myself time to think. I react out of pure survival instinct, an instinct I didn’t know I possessed.
Lifting my foot up, I kick him between the legs.
As his face bunches in pain, his claw lowering from my throat, I reel around and move to run, but he snags ahold of my hair.
“Not so fast, little wolf. I’m not finished with you yet.” He drags me back toward him, dodging my fist as I take a swing. “It’s not every day that a princess of the Violet Mountain pack runs straight into me. I’m surprised you’re not more protected.”
