Chapter 8 – *Shifter Romance*

“What is he talking about, Paul?”

Her father shook his head, raising a hand to wave away her question as his gaze narrowed on Rhys. “Nothing. He’s just trying to cause trouble.”

Her mum’s gaze moved between their three faces, trying to find the truth. Her gaze eventually stalled on Kaitlin, eyes searching.

She gave her mum a slight nod to tell her that what Rhys had said was true and watched as she transferred her attention to her husband.

“Why can’t she control her puma, Paul?”

Kaitlin saw the anger flush her father’s face. “She can, Ruth! You can, can’t you, Kaitlin?” His eyes dared her to say no and she swallowed nervously.

Rhys’ hand clasped hers and it gave her the strength to tell the truth. “No. I can’t,” then added, “no thanks to you.”

Power was suddenly flowing through the room and her father took a threatening step towards her. Rhys instantly blocked his forward motion, moving Kaitlin behind him, and stared the older man down. More power rolled through the room as the two Alpha’s squared off.

Kaitlin struggled to breathe as it pushed against the restraints of the room. Forcing her hand up, she clawed at her throat where she was beginning to burn from lack of oxygen.

“Kaitlin? Kaitlin!” Her mother’s worried voice barely registered.

The power let up suddenly and she found herself clasped against Rhys’ hard body, his arms holding her against his chest as she gasped for air.

Turning, he glared over his shoulder at her father.

A loud smacking sound filled the room and Kaitlin glanced up to see a red blotchy hand print on her father’s cheek where her mother must have slapped him. “How dare you! She is our daughter, Paul!”

A tic pulsed under his right eye as he glared at her mum. “And I am head of this family, Ruth, as well as the council. What I say goes.”

Her mum’s chin rose defiantly. “I won’t let you use our daughter as a pawn in whatever game you’re playing.”

Paul snorted and brushed past his wife to sit down at his desk once more. He indicated with his hand that they too should return to their seats. Rhys sat reluctantly as did her mum and then she settled on the arm of Rhys’ chair.

“Tito,” he called.

Kaitlin tensed as the door opened and she held her breath as her on/off lover walked into the room. She felt his attention on her like a laser beam; his anger almost burning her skin. She felt his attention shift from her and let out a soft, unsteady breath.

He came around the desk and stood beside her father.

At nearly seven feet tall Tito was an imposing figure and one you wouldn’t necessarily want as an enemy. His dark hair was messy as usual and his usually twinkling brown eyes were hard and flat as he watched her. It had her wondering if he had cared about her.

The muscles in his arms bulged as he crossed them over his chest and she couldn’t help but admire him. He was a magnificent specimen of man. He was toned everywhere from hours in the gym and the sparring he did with his brethren. A small part of her wept at the loss of him from her life.

A low rumble from her right had her glancing across at Rhys. He was tense, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice—probably in Tito’s direction judging from the glare.

Kaitlin placed a hand on his and he quietened almost immediately. Turning his hand over, he linked their fingers together and rested their joined hands on his thigh.

Hearing a snort she glanced up just in time to watch Tito look away, a sneer on his face. Anger burned through her. “Get over it already, you didn’t want me,” she growled. Rhys’ fingers tightened around hers but she didn’t take her gaze from Tito.

“You have no idea what I wanted,” his eyes flared hot when he glanced at her and she had a moment of doubt.

“Silence!” Her father roared, his gaze on Tito. The other man’s jaw tightened but he kept his mouth shut and blanked his face of all emotion.

“Kaitlin,” he father began and she turned to face him, “I really think you should think about what you’re doing. Going off with a wolf will start all-out-war between us and them,” he spat, his head nodding to Rhys.

“Why?” She asked, confused. “I went willingly yesterday and will be doing so again when I leave today.”

“Only the five of us know that and three of us,” he indicated himself, Tito and looked pointedly across at his wife, “saying you didn’t go willingly with the wolf,” he said wolf like it left a bad taste in his mouth, “against two saying you did will fall in our favour and start a war; a war which we will win.”

Kaitlin stared at her father in abject horror. Was he trying to blackmail her into staying by claiming he’d start a war in some sort of misguided attempt to get her back? Was this just another way of trying to control her?

Definitely.

She glanced at her mother to see she looked distressed. Ruth wasn’t strong enough to stand against her husband, as much as she might want to. Her mother looked up and Kaitlin saw the anguish in her gaze. She mouthed the words, “I’m sorry.”

As bad as she felt for her mother she knew she couldn’t give in to her fathers demands. “So be it. I leave with him today.”

She stood. “Right now. Start a war, it will only make me more determined to stay with Rhys.”

Her father’s power cloaked the room in the next second, causing the fine hairs on her arms to stand on end. “People you know and care about will likely die as a result of your decision, Kaitlin.”

She turned a bewildered face to her fathers. Rhys tightened his fingers around hers as he stood and urged her back against his chest. The contact instantly soothed her. “We’ll be going now.”

No-one moved to stop them but she felt the anger and disapproval as she walked away from her family and her clan.

“What do you think he meant about people I know and care about getting hurt?” She asked, her voice slightly shaky.

Rhys watched her for a second. “It was probably one last ditch attempt to stop you. I doubt he’d do anything to them.”

Kaitlin snorted. “You don’t know my dad very well, do you?”

“I’ve heard rumours about him. The tortures he performs on prisoners; the bribes he takes to overlook certain things. He’s not as clean cut as he likes to make out.” He tilted his head slightly as he thought on something. “Do you think the rest of the council know what he’s been up to? Or do you think they’re as corrupt as your father?”

Kaitlin went thought the other seven members in her mind. Her mother was nothing like her dad. She weighed both sides of the argument before deciding on her verdict. She would never take a bribe.

Anastasia, a Russian swan shifter, was regal and exceptionally beautiful. She also had the heart to match and had a good sense of right and wrong and judged fairly.

Nelson, an African hyena shifter, was very big on making things fair, hearing both sides before he came to a decision

.

Sanjit, an Indian Bengal tiger, was very wise to the world. As the oldest and longest running member of the council he’d seen a lot over the past forty years or so he’d been on the council.

Li, a Chinese Asian Golden Cat shifter, was the youngest of the council at a mere twenty-three taking over from her father who was killed by a group of rogue shifters two years ago. It had hardened the once care-free girl into an excellent judge of character who told the truth about her feelings about people and situations.

Katherine, an English red fox shifter, was a rather stuffy aristocrat. Kaitlin couldn’t see her taking a bribe considering she had more than her fair share of money and power.

Brandon, the eighth and final member, was an Australian crocodile shifter with a bad temperament. He glared and snapped at everyone and though people were never happy to see him it was her father they were more afraid and wary of. Even Brandon was afraid of him.

Kaitlin bit her bottom lip for a moment before shaking her head. “I’m not sure. I’m sure some of them suspect he’s up to something but as head of the council, they’d have to be crazy to go against him alone.”

Rhys nodded before reaching out and taking her hand in his, his thumb brushing gently against the sensitive skin of her inner wrist. Her heart raced unapologetically in her chest as she stepped closer to his side. Raising their joined hands over her head, he pulled her against him and pressed his face into her dark blonde hair. “We’ll figure this out, Cat.”

Kaitlin leant into him with a sigh.

She only hoped he was right.