The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 36

Confusion filled both my tiger and myself, and I cocked my head and studied my advisor. "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice becoming void of any emotion, while I tried to come up with a reason for his plan. "What do you mean that they want me to prove myself to myself?"

"Exactly that," Carver replied. He cleared his throat and gestured to where Brody sat, watching us with a quizzical look in his eyes. "That is why I want you to fight him again. I know that there are times where you think that you can't connect with your tiger, and I want to make sure that doesn't happen in the battle with them."

I bit my lip and studied him further. "But... what if I don't prove myself to myself?" I asked. My voice grew soft, softer than it, and Carver's gaze softened because he knew what I was thinking. "Will I lose the clans?" My voice shook when I asked the question because that was the one thing that I did not want to do.

I did not want to lose the clans that had been in my family for generations and generations. I did not want to lose my title as High Queen, even though I had no idea if I would be a good queen or not, not knowing what the future held.

Carver shook his head, no. "I do not think so," he replied. He cleared his throat and shifted on his feet while he glanced away from me before looking at me again. "However, I do suggest practicing again with Brody. Push those thoughts out of your mind and focus on him. You can worry about them later."

"But they "want" my clans," I said. I moved a hand through my hair and grimaced before I shook my head. My heart pounded in my chest, and I could feel this fear at the thought of losing the fight between them, even though I had a feeling that nothing would change. "How the hell am I supposed to focus on any fight when the thought of losing them on my mind?"

'That wasn't good planning on your part, Carver,' Brody said, and Carver nodded in agreement. My mate walked over to me, still in wolf form, and laid down in front of me because he towered over me. He nuzzled my cheek and licked it, licking away a few stray tears that fell from my eyes. Concern filled his eyes, and I knew that he was worried about me. 'Kat?' he asked gently.

I took a deep breath and shook my head. "I'm fine," I mumbled, even though I wasn't fine, and they both knew it. I cleared my throat and rubbed my eyes, wiping away the tears that he didn't get. "Do you think I'm ready for this?" I asked, looking at Carver.

Carver nodded. "I am sure," he said. He cleared his throat and placed his hands behind his back. "I wouldn't have given them my permission if I didn't think that you are ready for it."

I took another deep breath and let it out. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, trying to relax my body for the fight to come with Brody. I knew that I had to focus and couldn't let my thoughts stray to the fight with both Aunt Arie and Adrian.

Carver was right; I needed to prove to myself that I could do this. He knew that we were running out of time until we went to Romanov or if he came to us. He knew that I needed to focus on getting ready to claim the throne because it was the only way to keep the clans together.

"Well?" Carver asked gently, and he raised an eyebrow while he studied me. "Are you going to do it? You can say that you don't want to. No one other than Arie and Adrain knows about this besides me."

I took a third deep breath and let it out, my body becoming relaxed. I licked my lips and cleared my throat before I opened my eyes. A fierce determination filled my body, and I knew that this had to be done, if only not for my sake. I knew that they would put me through my paces, and I needed that.

I felt that I would face my "uncle" sooner or later, and the more prepared I was before then would be very helpful and beneficial for myself against him. I knew that he wasn't going to be easy, especially if my tiger and I didn't work together like I knew he would be with his, even if his tiger disagreed with what he was doing.

Carver studied me and nodded his head. A relieved smile appeared on his face, and I knew that he knew what I was thinking. He knew that I would do the mock battle with Aunt Arie and Adrian after taking another turn at this. "Good," he said. He moved out of the way and gestured for us to get into our spots. "Shift, and you may begin."

Brody nuzzled me one last time before he walked over to the other side of the circle. He didn't need to say a word or ask what was happening because my block was down for him. He knew my thoughts and knew what I wanted to do, without question. Pride for me filled our link, and my heart grew warm. He was proud of me and of the work that I had accomplished so far, especially since I hadn't been a tiger for long.

I smiled at my mate before I shifted into my tiger form, the shifting feeling as if it was second nature. I looked at Carver to see that he was staring at me and nodded. My whole body was relaxed when I turned to look at my mate, my tiger, and I have this agreement that we were in this together, and nothing could separate us, no matter what.

So, when Brody made the first attack on me, my tiger and I became one and started to play a cat and mouse game with our mate in which the mouse would be the one on top.