The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 13

I tumbled out of bed as I woke up from that "nightmare." I bit back a groan as Tigress roared out in anger at what we had just witnessed and tried to force me to shift into our Tiger form.

'Let me take control,' she snarled, gnashing her teeth and growling out in pure anger. She tried to take control, but I wouldn't let her. 'Let me kill him.'

'Not yet,' I groaned out, hissing in pain. I bit my lip, tasting blood as I tried to make sure that I didn't wake up Katie. 'We can get killed if we attack now. He is right. We aren't ready.' I tried to stay quiet with my force shift, but the soft growls caused Katie to stir and wake up.

"Kat?" Katie asked, fear in her voice. She sat up to look at me on the ground, and I couldn't help but wonder how I looked. Her heart pounded in her chest in fear, and I could smell it coming off of her in waves. "Are you ok? What is happening?"

"Get... Brody," I all but growled out, my vocal cords turning to those of a tiger. "Hurry." I shoved Tigress back again and tried to make a mental cage that would block her from taking control. However, this didn't work because she instantly broke out of it, and our struggle for dominance continued.

"Brody!" Katie yelled, flying out of bed and out of the room. "Help!"

I turned my head this way and that, feeling my body grow longer as Tigress started to get the upper hand. I bit back a cry of pain as my hands turned into claws, the process happening so slow that I was able to watch as my bones broke to form claws before breaking again to form human fingers.

'Let me take control, and you will not feel this pain,' Tigress all but purred. She gnashed her teeth, and I could tell that she wouldn't give up. 'We can kill him without our gifts.'

I bit back a scoff, knowing full well that we wouldn't be able to. I knew that the first thing we would have to do was figure out who had put a spell on Amity because we were going to have to break that if we wanted her help.

"Kat?" Brody asked, storming into the room. Worry filled his voice as he moved towards me, cautiously. "What happened? Why are you shifting?"

"Spell," was all I said, my teeth growing larger in my mouth. I turned my head this way and that, trying to stop her from forcing me to shift and gain control. I knew that it would be bad for all of us if I did.

"Spell? What spell?" Brody asked, confused.

"I guess the spell that marked Romanov a traitor made her appear in his body for some time," Carver said. "It happened once before this, but it is a very rare occurrence." He looked at me and then looked at hopefully, Katie. "I am going to need you to order her not to shift, Young One," he said, soothingly. "Tigress will not listen to her mate nor Kat. Whatever had happened pissed her off too much for common sense thinking."

"But what can I do?" Katie asked. Fear was evident in her voice, but she moved next to my mate. "I-I don't want to get hurt."

"She won't hurt you," Trevor said softly, knowing full well that I wouldn't do it. "Please, do it. I hate seeing her like this, and I know that it is painful for her."

Katie took a deep breath and nodded her head. "How do I do it?"

"Just order her," Carver said. "You are an Alpha. Use your Alpha voice."

Katie took a deep breath and nodded. "Ok," she whispered. She cleared her throat and stood in front of me, away from the protection of my mate. "Look at me," she said, her voice soft and fearful.

"Stronger than that," Carver said when I didn't look at her. "Put that fear to use. Let that fear give you strength. Get her to look at you."

Katie nodded her head and gulped. She took a deep breath, and I could feel this power coming off of her in waves. "Look at me," she said, her voice firm and leaving me no room to ignore it.

I looked up at Katie and saw her hard look. I bit back a sob of relief because I knew that she would do what Carver had said. I wouldn't have to commit a suicide mission because that was what was going to happen if Tigress took control.

"Tigress, stop trying to force Kat to shift," Katie said, and Tigress growled out in defiance. She narrowed her eyes and gave me a 'do as I say' look. "Go back into your human form, and go to the corner of Kat's mind. You are in time out."

Tigress growled out again but did as she was told to do, leaving me sweaty and exhausted.

I fell to the ground, panting. My heart thundered in my chest as I closed my eyes, feeling weak from what I had endured. "I'm fine," I panted out, feeling worn out. I lifted my head when I felt better and looked at Katie to see tears in her eyes. "Thanks, Kid," I said, giving a small smile as I sat up.

Katie's lip trembled as she came over to me. She hugged me, and I held her close. "You scared me," she whispered. "You woke me up with your grunting and cursing before that happened. What was going on?"

I closed my eyes, a tear falling out of my eye. I looked up at Trevor and Carver to see them staring at me with worried filled eyes. "They're alive," I said. "I don't know how, but they are alive."