The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 4

The male, Trevor, cleared his throat and glanced down. His eyes were lowered to the ground, and I couldn't help but feel this proudness in my system. "My apologies," he said, showing a bit of his neck in submission. He lifted his head and studied me, making sure not to look me in the eyes. "You just... look like... your mother."

I frowned and cocked my head in confusion. "What do you mean?" I asked, curiously. Hope and dread filled my body. "Do you know my parents? Are they alright?" The hope died down as I studied the guilty look that Trevor gave me before he looked down again. "So, I take that as a no?"

Trevor moved a hand through his hair and gestured to the seats. "I am not allowed to say much," he said, honestly. "It is for your safety that I do not."

I glanced at the Alpha before walking over to the seats and sat down. "Why not?" I asked, feeling dread and grief in my body. I had always wanted to know where I had come from, but I didn't know who to ask, who would help. I could tell that he wanted to help, but something was holding him back.

Trevor sat down next to me. He looked like he wanted to grab my hand, but he didn't, even though his hand twitched a bit. He wanted to make sure that I was real, and that I was really there, sitting across from him. "What do you remember?" he asked.

I scrunched up my face and thought about it. "A fire," I said, finally. I could feel the heat on my skin, but I wasn't close to any fire. I could, also, feel this coolness on my skin, and I knew that it had been raining. "And, it was raining." I looked up at him and staring into his blue eyes. "I remember seeing your eyes standing over me." I shook my head and huffed. "I don't remember anything else."

Trevor nodded his head and pursed his lips. "I can not tell you anything until you remember some stuff," he said. He looked down guiltily. "I do not know when that will be."

"So, this is the girl that you have been talking to me about with your father?" the Alpha, Kaden, I think, asked, confused. He looked at Trevor then at me. There was this new respect in them that I hadn't seen, and I was confused as to why he was respecting me after he had been sort of rude.

Trevor nodded. He glanced at his hands and sighed before holding out his hand. "May I?" he asked, his hand shaking a bit. He was nervous, and I could tell that he was thinking I would say no.

I bit my lip but placed my hand in his. I gasped at a small spark went between us and pulled my hand back with a hiss. A small growl escaped my lips as I rubbed my hand.

"Are you ok?" Trevor asked, worriedly. "Did you feel that too?"

"Ya," I said, rubbing my hand. "What was that?"

"It's not a mate bond. I know that because I have met my mate." He took my hand again and turned it so that the palm was facing up. "Huh." He touched my wrist.

"What?" I asked, opening my eyes and looked at my wrist where there was a cat-eye staring at me. "What's that?"

"It's a protector bond," Trevor explained. He showed me his wrist where my eye stood on his skin. "I will be able to feel what you are feeling and can communicate with you. It's like the bond that you have with the youngest child."

I nodded my head and touched my collar. Right now, I knew that it looked like a choker than a collar, and I was glad that it kind of changed. I was still able to breathe, which was pretty good.

"What do you mean?" Kaden asked. He glanced at me and then at Trevor. "What do you mean by bonded?"

"Being bonded means that she will know if your daughter is in trouble. If your daughter orders her to do something, then she will do it." He scrunched up his face, and I knew that he wasn't going to like it if I was told to leave. "And, you can read her mind and emotions."

"Sweet," I said, wanting to help the child out as much as possible. I knew that she was still struggling with her mother's death, and I knew that there were some things that she hasn't told her father. I was going to keep it a secret until she was ready for her father to know.

Kaden frowned and studied me. "Will you leave?" he asked. "She would be heartbroken if you do."

I sighed and looked at my hands. "If I am ordered to, I will stay close. I might not be able to stay on the pack lands, but I will make sure that I find a place to hide in the woods around here." I held my hand, silencing Trevor. "I know that there might be Rogues around, but I don't care. I will try my best to survive."

Kaden smiled and nodded. "Then, you may stay. Would you like some human food?"

I grinned. My stomach growled from hunger, and I was ready to eat food that I have had in a while. "Yes, please."

***

The days flew by, and a week had passed since the meeting with Trevor and Kaden. I had been enjoying my time with both Kaden and Trevor, getting to know them and have them know me. They had taught me how to use a computer and other electronics as well. They, also, helped me with all subjects and got me caught up to twelfth grade if I ever go to school. Hopefully, I wouldn't because it sounded boring the higher that I went.

I knew that Brody, Kaden's son, was getting suspicious about us hiding something because sometimes he would go to his father's office when I was in there. I knew that he could smell my scent change, but he was never able to catch me shifting.

Saturday came around, and I had been feeling afraid and nervous for the past five minutes. I knew that it wasn't my feelings but Katie's, so I decided to walk past the door and yowl as loud as I could.

I knew that I could've just shifted and opened the door, but I wanted to keep my secret as long as possible. If someone was to walking by when I did open the door, then I knew that I would be questioned and maybe tortured.

"Would yo-" Brody was going to say, but I raced past him and going to the front door. "Stop cat!" he yelled frantically, trying to get my attention. "Stop running. Catch her!"

I ignored the commotion around me as I dodged people that seemed to come out of nowhere. I didn't even stop for Kaden when he tried to get me. All I did was yowl a warning before escaping past someone's feet that had opened the door to the outside world.

"Something is wrong with Katie. Message the Warriors," he yelled, running after me. He swore when he ran into the person but made it past safely "Tighten patrols. No one in nor out right now"

Something gently nudged me into the back of my mind, and I could feel my body start to lengthen and grow. I was no longer controlling my body, and yet, I was not freaked out.

"Well, shit," I heard someone say behind me. "Get that tiger!"

I, or the thing controlling me, growled out a warning, causing the attacker to stop trying to stop me from running.

We, I think, raced through the woods until we came upon a pack of "hungry" Rogues on six small children.

One of the children was Katie, and she stared at me with tears and shock in her eyes.