The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 37

I nipped at Brody's throat when I was on top of him, defeating him a second time. Pride filled my body while I stared down at my mate and cocked my head, ready to sit down if he had the nerve to say something. 'Well?' I asked, raising an eyebrow, and a sly smile appeared on my lips while I cocked my head. 'What are you going to say now?'

Brody scoffed teasingly and rolled his eyes. He laid flat on his back and was relaxed, even though I was on top of him. 'Nothing,' he replied. He narrowed his eyes playfully, and I raised an eyebrow. 'I know that you aren't going to move, so I'm not going to bother asking.'

I nuzzled my mate's cheek. 'Good,' I said. I flicked my tail and felt pleased with myself because it had been an easier time becoming one with my tiger than it had been the first time I had done it.

A squeal sounded throughout the forest, and it caused my mate and me to look in that direction to see Aunt Arie having Adrian's arm in her grasp and jumping up and down in excitement with Adrian looking at us unamused.

"You two are so perfect for each other," Aunt Arie squealed, still jumping up and down. Her happiness was contagious, and I couldn't help but smile with her.

Adrian bit back a scowl and let her jump up and down while she clutched his arm. He knew better than to remove her because she would attack him; we both knew it. He caught me staring at him and bowed his head in respect. "Your Majesty," he said, calling me by my title for the first time since we had first met.

Pride filled my body when he called me my title, even though I still didn't like being called that and queen. 'Adrian,' I said, nodding my head in greeting. I narrowed my eyes teasingly at him, and he raised an eyebrow. 'You know that I don't like being called that, so don't call me that.' I bared my teeth and flicked my tail, still on my mate, and he raised his eyebrow higher. 'Or else we'll fight before we are supposed to.' I winked, and he rolled his eyes, but a smile appeared on his lips.

Aunt Arie scowled and looked at Carver, who looked at her with a blank look on his face. She placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "Did you have to tell her?" she asked, and he ducked his head so that he didn't have to meet her gaze. "I thought we agreed that we weren't."

I got off of my mate and shifted into my human form. "I was freaking out, Aunt Arie," I said and placed my hands behind my back. I ducked my head, feeling ashamed of myself for thinking any different than them trying to help me. "That is why he had told me. He didn't want me to panic so badly or feel betrayed."

My voice grew softer with each passing word, and I didn't meet either of their gazes. My heart pounded in my chest, and I knew that a couple of tears appeared in my eyes. "Forgive me," I said, "for it is my fault that he had told me when you didn't want him to."

Aunt Arie sighed and shook her head. "No," she said, her voice becoming soft. "Forgive me." She offered me a small smile; concern and guilt filled her blue eyes, making them appear darker than they were. She placed her hands behind her back and cleared her throat. "It was my idea. I wanted to help you become one with your tiger easier. I thought that you having your position threatened would help, but I forgot that you were already anxious about this."

I shrugged and smiled. "It did help," I consoled. "It was easier to become one with my tiger the second time that I had fought with my mate." I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet, growing serious. "I would still like to continue the training that you two had set up if it pleases you two."

Adrian nodded. "I am here to help," he promised. "That means that I am willing to participate in the fight." He paused and cocked his head while he studied me. "I want to see if all of the hard work had paid off." He winked, and a teasing smile appeared on his face. "I want to see how the king of the rock helped you."

I shrugged and smiled. My heart skipped a beat before it pounded a little faster in anticipation. I had no idea how this would work, but I was ready to try it out. I hoped that Adrian would be proud of me with the work that I had put in because he knew more than anyone how difficult it had been for me to be one with my tiger.

Aunt Arie shrugged and looked relieved that I was not mad at her for not having Carver telling me the full truth in the beginning. "Well, I don't have anything else to do today," she said. "I made sure that the rest of my day was free to help you out." She smiled and bounced, her eyes dancing with happiness. "And maybe convince you to give me a great-niece or nephew to spoil." She winked, and my cheeks grew red.

"Aunt Arie," I groaned and covered my cheeks with my hands to stop anyone from seeing them. I shook my head and sighed, knowing full well that she would keep pushing me into giving her a child before I cleared my throat. "Let's not talk about great-nieces or nephews yet, please?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Let's worry about this battle first, and then we will decide about children, ok?"

Aunt Arie sighed teasingly but nodded, ceasing her fight for now. "Ok," she replied. "But I want two from both genders. Do you understand?" She held up the number four. "I want four great children. Ok? So, I hope you don't keep waiting too long." She winked at Brody, who had been watching the whole thing, amused. "You have a lot of work cut out for you, Buddy," she said, and he raised an eyebrow. "I hope you have some good swimmers."

I groaned, and my cheeks turned a darker shade of red when she said that. "Aunt Arie," I moaned, and she just laughed, not caring that she had embarrassed me in front of the male that I was still trying to convince to follow my lead without a spell placed on him.