The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 11

I took a deep shuddering breath as I took a step forward. My heart was pounding in my chest and I was trying not to cry out. It had been a while since I had last seen her, and it was good to see her again. "A-Amity?" I asked, my voice shaking. I cleared my throat, even though I knew that it wouldn't do anything. "I-Is it really you?"

Amity nodded her head and opened her arms. She closed them around me and hugged me tightly. "I am here, Princess," she crooned, rubbing my back as I sobbed. "You are safe." She placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, and I could sense a protection spell wash over me.

"Kat?" Brody asked. Pain filled his voice, and I was sure that it was because I was crying. He didn't like it that I was crying which was somewhat sweet.

Amity let go of me and pushed me gently to him. "Mate?" she asked, and I nodded when I hugged him.

"I'm safe," I whispered, and he nodded. "I just missed her. She had been a part of my life before everything that had happened." I cleared my throat and pulled away from my mate, wiping my eyes. "Um..." I cleared my throat and leaned back into my mate's touch. "Amity, this is Brody, my mate. Brody, this is Amity."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Your Majesty," Amity said, bowing her head in greeting. Respect filled her eyes, and I could tell that she would do anything to help him. "In person, of course."

Brody furrowed his brows in confusion and cocked his head. Recognition filled his eyes, and I couldn't help but wonder what had happened between them. "Was it you?" he asked, and she smiled and nodded.

"What was her?" I asked, feeling confused. My whole body grew tense when I felt someone watching me, but I made sure to relax quickly. I did not know where the person was, and I didn't want to make them aware that I knew that they were there.

"She was the one that put the idea of going to the animal shelter in my mind," Brody said, honestly. "I guess she was wanting me to go get you but..." He shrugged his shoulder and smiled at me apologetically.

"And yet, you wanted a dog," I scowled, shaking my head at him. I bit back an amused smile, causing Trevor to snort. "Don't worry, Butch would have been my first choice if we were in different positions."

Amity chuckled and shook her head. Knowledge filled her eyes as she studied me before looking into the direction that I had sensed someone. "You can come out, Carver," she said. "She has sensed you but is acting like she hadn't." She paused and watched the bushes. A scowl appeared on her face, and I could tell that she didn't like waiting. "Don't play any games," she warned. "I don't have time to wait for you."

The rustling in the bushes grew louder, and Brody shoved me behind him. A male, probably around the age of fifty walked out, his black hair turning gray. His brown eyes held the same old annoyance that I had known for years in them, but there was also relief as he saw me peeking over my mate's shoulder. "I am surprised that you are not pushing him out of the way, Princess," he said, bowing his head low.

"I'm humoring him and am mad at you," I replied, causing the older male to arch an eyebrow. "You could've let Ray and Ro know that you were alive." I pulled on my mate's shirt, and he looked at me. "He's good. He's my tutor."

Brody relaxed slightly and moved out of my way. He looked down at me before looking at the man. "Tutor for..?" Confusion filled his eyes, and I knew that he was confused as to why I needed a tutor.

"Anything that has to do with the history of the cat tribes, Your Majesty," Carver said. He opened up his arms and pulled me closer to him when I went over and hugged him. He placed a kiss to the side of my temple, his beard scratching me. "And mannerism and stuff like that," he added.

"And, I told him not to let them know that he was alive," Amity said. "I was worried that Romanov would be able to find them if he did."

I huffed and nodded my head in understanding. "Speaking of which," I said, pulling away from the male and turning my attention to the female. "Do you think you can give him the mark of the traitor? I want to get that done, so I can see how many people are still on my side, but... " I pointed to my eye, indicating the eye that was different from her normal one.

Amity scowled and folded her arms across her chest. She gave me a look, and I looked down feeling guilty. "Are you the rightful heir to the throne?" she asked, and I hesitantly nodded. "Didn't the king make a spell that has me follow the orders of the rightful heir?"

"Didn't my father have him take off the spell?" I shot back, folding my arms across my chest. I gave her a look, and she raised an eyebrow. "If I do recall... the last time King Ferdinand came over was the time that both of them got into a heated argument over you and the spell."

"So, you had been listening in to their conversation," Carver said, scowling at me. "I thought I had told you to read."

"The words were too small, and I couldn't really pay attention to what I was trying to read," I replied. "Be glad that I didn't get into any trouble for listening in to a conversation that I was not supposed to listen to."

"If I do recall, you did," Trevor said, and I scowled. He cleared his throat and nodded to both of them. He placed his arms behind his back and looked at Amity and Carver. "It is good to see you both again," he said.

"And, you as well," Amity said. She pouted, studying the male before her. "You aren't scrawny anymore. I don't like it."

Trevor shrugged his shoulder, a smile flickering on his lips. "And I am not single anymore either."

Amity pouted deeper. "And where is your blushing mate?" she asked, looking around only to see that we were the only three that had come out to meet her. She looked at him and scowled, and the older male shifted uncomfortably. "I don't see him."

"It's a she, Ams," Trevor said. He glared at me, and I snickered. "Remember, Kat forced me into those dresses."

"You could've had said no," Amity said, a smile flickering on her lips. "Then again, she is... rather scary when pissed off." She glanced at me and smirked. "I figure it is best to do what she wants."

I shrugged my shoulder. "Do you think you can put up protection so I can do the mark?" I asked. I paused and thought back to my lessons. "Also, do you have the dagger that I need to use for it?"

"Carver does," Amity replied. She gestured for him to hand me over the dagger. "Do you remember the symbol and the spell that goes along with it?"

"It's the only thing that she actually paid attention to the first time I had taught it," Carver said, and I shrugged. He handed me the dagger. Worry filled his eyes, and I could tell that it was because of what I had to actually do with the dagger. "Do you remember how to do it?" he asked as I took the dagger out of its sheath.

I took a deep breath and nodded my head. I placed the dagger to my arm, knowing that I was going to have to do it on myself so that it would appear on Romanov's back. "Of course," I said. I looked up at him and smirked. "It's the only thing that I had paid attention to."