The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 41

I opened my mouth to say something, but I closed it when Carver interjected with a look. I bit my lip to bite back a huff and waited to see what my advisor wanted to say. Silently, I walked back to my seat and looked at my advisor, waiting to see what he needed to say.

"Have you felt it?" Carver asked and looked at the two people gathered with us. He leaned back in his seat and folded his hands across his lap.

The twins looked at each other and then at me. "We have," they said in unison. "Do you know what it is from?"

I sighed and moved a hand through my hair. "Dominic is trying to get supporters so that he can be the next high king," I replied. "He wants that throne."

Ro scoffed and rolled his eyes. He scowled, and his face grew darker while he leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. "We all know that he wanted," he said, his voice dark. "That is why he's being such a dick and trying to turn the clans against you."

"He's succeeded just a bit," Carver said, and the twins looked at each other and then at him. "That is why there has been a shift, and this one hasn't been caused by Kat's uncle."

"Why?" Ro asked and looked between my advisor and me. He furrowed his brows and cocked his head, his eyes a darker color because he did not like it that I had been threatened by a male that was just as power hungry as my uncle.

"He's power hungry," Adrian said, and Ro looked at him. "He also doesn't like it that the high king will be a wolf. He believes that a cat should stay with a cat."

"Even if they are mates?" Ray asked, and Adrian nodded in confirmation. She nodded and pursed her lips, annoyed. "Well, that explains why he doesn't like you, Ro," she said while she looked at her twin, and her brother rolled his eyes and scowled.

"It explains why he doesn't like you either, Ro," he shot back, and I had to bite my lip to keep myself from snorting, amused. "I mean, we are twins. You know that, right?"

"It's safe to assume that he doesn't like half-breeds," Adrian said, interrupting Ray from talking. His face was blank, but I could tell that he was a little amused by the twins fighting.

I nodded in agreement. "Then it goes to show that I need to be super prepared," I said. I sighed and moved a hand through my hair. I felt the weight of the world appear on my shoulders because I knew what would happen if Dominic became king. "So, should I call him now?" I asked and looked at Carver.

Carver cocked his head and studied me. "Are you ready to call him?" he asked, instead, and I scowled because I wasn't ready to give him a call and see what he wanted.

I was nervous about him, for I had no idea how he would react or what he would say when I called. I knew that there would be people that would believe he would be the best fit to lead the clans and prayed that I could prove them wrong.

"You'll be fine," Carver consoled. "Even if he does say anything negative to you, he won't threaten you over the phone."

"How do you know for sure?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I stared at my hands and watched them start to shake, not able to meet their gazes any longer.

My heart pounded hard in my throat, and it almost felt as if it wanted to burst out. Panic ensued and dug its nails into my brain. It didn't let me think about anything else except for the fact that I had to call Dominic, and there was a chance he knew that I knew he had created that shift.

Brody pulled me into his lap and buried my face into the space between his shoulder and his neck. He tried to say something, but I couldn't hear because of the blood rushing through my head and ringing in my ears that blocked any and all sound.

I closed my eyes and bit my lip until I tasted blood. I had no idea why I was acting like this, and a small part of me hated myself for it because I was showing two kings, a queen, and a princess, that I was weak.

I could hear no one speak and had a slight feeling that they were worried about me, for my mate moved me away from him and placed his lips onto mine. I immediately started to kiss back, focusing on his lips and not on my surroundings.

After a few minutes of making out, the feeling left as soon as it had come. It felt as if there was a small click, and I wasn't as scared as I was to call Dominic as I had been. My thoughts were clearer, and my tiger stopped pacing my mind.

Brody pulled his lips away from mine and looked at me. Concern filled his eyes, and his brows were furrowed, creating lines across his forehead. "Are you ok?" he asked, concerned for my well being. His voice was barely above a whisper while he studied me, making sure that I was fine.

I licked my lips and nodded while I took a deep breath. "Ya, ya," I replied and cleared my throat. "I'm fine." I cleared my throat again and licked my lips before I slipped off of my mate's lap, and he let me but kept me close to him.

"Are you sure?" Carver asked, and the concern in his voice had me almost flinching because it sounded fake. "That was strange even for you."

Shit...

"It was very strange," Ro said, and he looked at his sister with narrowed eyes. He had picked up on the fake concern in Carver's voice, and I knew that he sensed something going on between the three of us that we were not telling him.

Ray looked down and didn't say a word. Her whole body was tense, and I knew that she didn't like her brother being suspicious of her for doing something that wasn't normal for her. She set her jaw, and I could tell that she had no way of knowing how she was going to get out of this.

"What happened?" Brody asked, unaware of the comment that was made. He rubbed my arm and looked at me, and I looked at him. Concern filled his eyes, and I hated making him feel so concerned about me when I didn't want to.

I shook my head and cleared my throat. "I don't know," I said honestly, even though a part of me did know. I moved my hands together and licked my lips while I cleared my throat again. "It felt... as if there was something wrong with me, and I was panicking over making a stupid phone call."

"Which you'll still need to do," Carver reminded me. He looked at me and studied me with eyes that were filled with knowledge and wisdom. "You need to make sure that everything is right with him before you do anything else."

I pursed my lips. "Do I have to?" I asked, not able to hide the small whine in my voice. All I wanted to do was go to bed and get some rest. I was tired, feeling exhausted from the emotions that ran high and dry.

"Yes," Carver replied. "You have to, Your Majesty." He gave me a pointed look when I met his gaze, and I groaned and buried my face into my mate's shoulder.

"Fine," I grumbled. "Just know that I don't like it."