The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 40

I bit my lip and chewed it while the phone rang for Ronan and Ray. My whole body was tense by my mate, for they were taking too long to answer, especially since it normally didn't take them this long.

Hesitantly, I looked at Carver and let him see the worry on my face.

Carver offered me a small smile, but it didn't stop the concern on his face. His whole body was tense while he waited for them to answer.

"Sally's Pizza Bakery," the all familiar voice of Ronan said, and it felt as if a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. "You kill them; we bake them. This is Sally speaking. How may I help you?"

I let out a small breath of relief and leaned against my mate. I was relieved to hear from him and was grateful that they were alive and well. "Very funny, Ro," I said, dryly. "What took you two so long to answer?"

There was silence on the other end of the line, and I had a feeling that he was looking at his sister and debating on whether or not to tell me something. "Well..." he began, "we were just coming up with a line," he said, and I could tell that he was lying straight through his teeth. "We didn't want you to think anything was wrong."

"I already know that something is wrong," I said. "You two don't normally take that long to answer a call, so it is in your best interest to tell me what is wrong."

"We got this," Ray said. "There is nothing for you to worry about."

I rolled my eyes. "Does this have to deal with Dominic?" I asked, and there was a long paused silence on the other end.

"Maybe?" Ro asked. "Why are you asking?"

I looked at Carver, and he looked at me. "What happened?" I asked with a warning in my tone.

Ro and Ray stayed silent, and I could tell that they were communicating with each other. They did not want me to know whatever had happened to them, and I was starting to get annoyed with them.

"Ronan, Raylan," I warned. "Don't make me order you two to tell me."

"Why are you wondering about Dominic, anyway?" Ro asked, changing the subject. "Why are you even calling us?"

"I am checking in on other clans," I said. "I want to make sure that everyone is safe and nothing is wrong." Even though I know that something is up, especially since there was a shift.

There was silence on the other end of the line, and I had a feeling that they were looking at each other.

"We're close," Ronan said. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Wh-" I said but stopped when I heard the dial tone. I stared at my phone with an opened mouth before I looked at Carver. "Do you know what's happening?" I asked, and he shook his head, no.

"I guess it means that they will be here soon," Carver said. He shrugged and pursed his lips, annoyed. "Those two are going to get themselves killed if they keep running off like this."

Aunt Arie chuckled. "Those two have always been like that," she said and leaned back in her seat. "They tried to find you multiple times, you know. They were close multiple times, but you always seemed to disappear before they could find you."

I shrugged. "I think something pushed me to leave," I said. I furrowed my brows and looked down at my hands. "Whenever I felt like someone was close, who might have known what I was, I left town. Sometimes it'd be like an hour I had gotten there that'd I have to leave again."

Aunt Arie nodded and looked at Carver. "You've crossed paths with her multiple times, haven't you?"

Carver set his jaw and gave her a warning look. He sighed and moved a hand through his hair before he nodded, deciding that it would be safe for me to know. "I have," he confirmed. "I have crossed paths with her multiple times."

I looked at my advisor and studied him. "But... I never had the urge to leave if you were nearby. I know that I've sensed you a couple of times. Why not?"

Carver cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "Amity made sure that I was able to make sure that you were safe while you moved around and not stay in one place."

I nodded and leaned back in my seat, and my mate put his arm across my shoulder and pulled me close to him. "No one else tried to find me?" I asked, and Carver shook his head, no.

"They weren't allowed to," Carver said. He nodded towards my aunt, and I glanced at her before I looked at him. "She wanted to have you in the area where she lived, but she knew that it wasn't safe for you."

"I kept giving him earfuls when he wouldn't update me about you." Aunt Arie chuckled and shook her head. She smiled at me, her eyes sad and holding a lot of pain. "It felt like I was not doing my job," she said, her voice cracking, and my heart broke for her.

I squeezed my mate's knee before I walked over to my aunt and hugged her. I didn't say a word, and I didn't have to say one because she knew that I didn't blame her for not trying to find me.

My aunt took a deep, shuddering breath and cleared her throat. She smiled and pulled away before she placed a hand on my cheek. "Thank you," she said, and I smiled and nodded. She stroked it, her eyes shining with tears and pride. "Your mother would be so proud of you," she whispered.

I looked down, not meeting her gaze. I bit my lip and stayed silent. I had no idea if she would be proud of me, but I prayed that she was. I wanted to make sure that what I did helped not only her but the groups that I was to save.

My aunt tapped my chin, and I met her gaze. She scowled, and I knew that she knew what I was thinking. "Don't think like that, Katherine Evelyn," she warned, and I cringed at my full name. "She is."

The door to the office opened, and two Vampire hybrids scrambled in, startling some of the people in the room.

"Oooh," one of them said, and I scowled and rolled my eyes while I turned to look at them. Ro grinned and closed the door behind him and his sister. "Someone got the middle name."

"Shut up," I said, and he shrugged. I scowled, and the twins' grin grew wider, knowing that I wouldn't do anything to them. "What are you two doing here?" I asked.

"Well, you can't have some fun without us," Ro said innocently, and Ray nodded her head. "And it seems to me that you are about to have some fun." He walked over to one of the couches, followed by his sister. "So," he said and leaned forward, resting his arms against his legs.

There was something in his eyes, something that I didn't know if I liked or not. He was anxious, nervous about something, and I had a feeling that it had to do with his sister because she wasn't meeting my gaze.

"What are we discussing?"