The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 42

The phone rang and rang while we waited for Dominic to answer it so that we could talk to him.

Not a word was spoken between us while it rang for what felt like forever, even though it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. However, that didn't stop my anxiety from starting to build because I had a feeling that we wouldn't be able to reach him.

Finally, someone picked up the phone and answered with a short and sharp, "hello?"

I licked my lips and looked at my mate to see him nod in encouragement. I cleared my throat, shifted in my seat nervously, and licked my lips again. "Hi, this is Katherine Viera, and I am looking for Dominic Nelson," I said. "Is he available?"

There was a pause at the other end of the phone, and I was sure that it was because they didn't expect me to call them so soon. Their heart had skipped a beat, and I looked at my advisor, who only shrugged.

"Uhhhh... hello?" I asked, not knowing what else to say because I blanked. I ignored Carver's eye roll and stared at the phone, waiting for them to say something or to give the phone to Dominic. "Are you still there?"

"Oh, yes, yes, of course," the male on the other end of the line said. Again, they cleared their throat, and I rolled my eyes and scowled because I had no idea what was wrong with this person. "My apologies, Your Majesty."

"To whom am I speaking with?" I asked, making sure that I didn't sound as sharp as I wanted to. I didn't want to scare them away, but I wanted to get answers so that I could better prepare myself for whatever Dominic had planned.

Carver cleared his throat softly so that the male on the other end couldn't hear him, and I looked at him with a raised eyebrow in question. He gave me a pointed look and told me to be nice, and I shrugged in response and rolled my eyes while I scowled because I didn't want to be nice if it meant I had to wait so long to get answers.

"Oh, right, right," the person on the other end of the phone said. He cleared his throat, and I had a feeling that he shifted in his seat because I heard the squeak of some leather. "I am Cornelius," he said. "I am Dominic's second."

He sounded nervous when he told me that he was Dominic's second, and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in question, confused out of my mind.

Did he not like my mate or me either because he was following his king's lead, or was he nervous that he thought I would think that he had something to do with whatever the king had done?

"It's nice to speak with you, Cornelius," I said, praying that he wanted to follow me and not his king, even though he was the second to him. "Is Dominic in? I was wondering if I could speak to him in private." Even though I have a group of people with me, I added silently.

"Unfortunately, not, Your Majesty," he said apologetically. He cleared his throat, and I had a feeling that he shifted on his seat. "He is not in at the moment, and I do not know when he will be back. Shall I leave him a message if it pleases you, Your Majesty?"

I wrinkled my nose at the number of times he had called me "Your Majesty" and almost felt like throwing up. "You can call me Kat, Cornelius," I said, making sure that he couldn't hear the disgust in my voice. "You don't have to keep calling me, "Your Majesty," when you talk to me. I do prefer it if you use my name."

Cornelius stayed silent on the other end of the line before he cleared his throat and shifted on his seat again. "I would much rather call you "Your Majesty," Your Majesty," he said slowly. "I apologize for going against what you prefer, and I hope you forgive me, Your Majesty."