Aurora's POV
"It is time to go."
The words rang out across the celestial room, breaking the thin layer of peace that had begun to envelop me.
My hackles rose and my heart leapt in my throat as I turned around and saw Solene, standing next to a spiraling tube of silver light.
Was that…a portal? Oh, no.
I watched the portal, my eyes opening wide in horror. Its winds howled like a ravenous beast, pulling at the air, beckoning to the unknown that lay beyond.
I stepped back, cautiously, my ears flat. "Go where?" My voice came out more sharp than I meant, panic curling in my chest.
Then Solene smiled. It was infuriatingly calm. "To where normal people go, of course."
A cold wind whipped about me, tugging at my sleek feline body.
My claws sank into the polished floor as I dug in my heels, dread slithering up my spine. "I don't want to go!" I protested, my tail lashing. "I didn't agree to this!"
Solene laughed, the sound warm and dark at the same time. "Oh, little one, you're going to love your new master. What you really need me to do is to be nice to Kael Blackwood. Help him."
My body stiffened. "Master?"
"Uh huh, your new master in the werewolf world.
My breath hitched. "Werewolf?! "
A further hard blast pulsed from the portal, yanking me forwards. I flailed, my claws scrambling against the velvet drapes beside me while I clung to them for dear life. The fabric strained beneath my weight, but it did not give.
Solene sighed as though I was being especially difficult. "Yes, a werewolf. You shouldn't worry. Kael is softer than he acts."
Her violet eyes shone with mischief as she cocked her head to the side. "But you will need to make your peace with his wolf, Fenrir. He is much more…vicious."
A shudder ran through me. "Vicious?!" My fist clenched the curtain tighter. "No! I've changed my mind! I don't want to go anywhere!" I pleaded, desperation causing my voice to rise.
Only Solene smiled, raising a pale hand. "It's too late."
She puckered her lips and sent me a kiss.
I slammed into a wave of some celestial wind, more forceful than before,tearing my paws from the fabric of the curtain.
"Noooo!" I screamed as I was thrown through the portal, tumbling wildly into the blaze of light. My final glimpse was Solene's radiant body, her laughter ringing like a tune in the tempest.
Then, the world vanished.
*******
I crashed into firm ground, my little cat body spread against the cold stone.
My kitty body coiled in reaction to the unfamiliar smells that pummeled my senses. I could smell the pungent pine, the raw musk of animals, and something grimmer.
A gust blew distant howls, sending chills down my spine. I wasn't in the heavenly space anymore.
I fell in the center of a courtyard. I was enclosed within massive stone walls that rose hundreds of feet into the night sky.
Ahead were a couple of massive wrought-iron gates, a solid barrier between me and the thick forest beyond it.
Great street lamps lined the stone walls, shooting long rays of light that nearly blinded me.
I stepped forward, ears twitching at heavy footsteps approaching.
My fur bristled. Deep, guttural, rough voices rang through the air, growing ever louder.
"Alpha, we found something."
A rush of movement. Their boots on the cobblestones. My tail pounced as a gaggle of men entered the courtyard.
Oh my good heavens! They were wolves, but their human form. I could smell the wildness on them, the scent of dense fur and dominance rolling off their bodies.
They dressed in black, their huge frames radiating raw strength, but my eyes were drawn to the one in the middle.
I could see my werewolf spirit because my animal eyes were able to see those kinds of spirits. He was big; wheres big with a strong aura. He must be Kael Blackstone.
His presence drained the air from the room. He was tall, a warrior's build, his black shirt pulled tight over a strong chest.
His pale face had sharp angles and hard lines that left him looking ruthless, unreadable.
But it was his eyes that entranced me. They were silver, like molten steel, alight with a cold fire that sent a tremor through my bones.
No man that looked like him tolerated weakness.
"What is this?" His voice was like a knife on rock, slashing through the night.
One of his men moved forward. "It was just…here, Alpha. It appeared out of nowhere."
Kael's eyes locked on me and I felt a cold shiver pass through me. I froze, resisting the impulse to flee.
Those silver eyes weren't just watching me; they were dissecting me, peeling back layers, seeking something deeper than my small feline body. It was unnerving.
I swished my tail in the manner I had learned to appear unconcerned, but my heart raced as he went into a crouch, which put him nearer.
His smell enveloped me, laced with danger. The corners of his lips curved slightly, in amusement.
"A cat?" He mumbled, yet there was a note beneath that, a slight frisson of something I could not locate. Suspicion? Recognition?
He heard a low growl next to him. I hadn't seen the giant black wolf that had been following him around.
Fenrir. It was Kael's wolf.
And he was nothing like the rest. Where the other wolves conveyed animalistic superiority, Fenrir was a threat.
His bright gold eyes burned into me with an intensity that made my small frame shudder. His muscles tightened, and his hackles stood straight up, as if he was sensing that something was…wrong with me.
I didn't dare move.
My body rigid and retreating as Kael lowered his hand to me and Fenrir growled.
"It's okay," Kael said, and I was surprised. He was smiling at me in a way that was really warm, and even though I felt the hostility of his wolf, I was going toward the kindness of his human.
I took another step while moving closer and I walked another step when I saw Fenrir was unable to harm me.
He leaned forward, his fingers raking across the top of my head. I tensed up and was ready to bolt, but as soon as his skin touched my fur, something weird happened.
The heat.
A burst of energy flowed between us, short but certain. My fur ruffled, Kael's eyes blazed silver, burning short and bright. His hand withdrew with a jerk, his eyes sharp and calculating.
Fenrir's growl deepened. "Did you feel that?"
Kael did not speak, but his eyes softened.
"You're a cute one," Kael said and I swooned.
I meowed and purred as he rubbed my neck.
Kael turned to the men at his back. "Let's go back inside. The pack grounds are stable."
Fenrir growled and I refrained from hissing. I had no intention of messing up the sweet deal I had going for myself due to his wolf spirit.
I settled into his hand as they walked and before long, the mansion let itself be seen. It was nothing like how I pictured it."
There are dark stone walls that rose up high, bright colourful lights and one very large gate.
Was this the sight of a full pack house?
The hallway went on forever, lined with doors on either side that led to unknown rooms. I hear voices from afar, the quiet conversation of one person whispering to another, their heavy footsteps on the floor echoing. This place was a fortress.
Kael entered a room and set me softly on the thick carpet. I immediately guessed that it was his study.
A gigantic desk lined the far wall, its surface littered with maps, portraits, weapons and papers.
The shelves were along the walls, filled with not only old books, but new ones as well and artifacts that looked to be centuries old.
Kael walked to the end of the room, and flipped a switch. There was heat in the room in which I felt hot.
He turned back to the door and shut it. That made me jump and I almost flipped.
Why did it all have to be so loud?
I sat up and curled my tail around my paws to make myself look as unnoticeable as I could.
Kael ducked low and leaned toward me, and I nearly coughed.
"What are you?" His voice was soft yet holding, commanding.
I stared back, knowing he needed no reply. The silver of his eyes cut through as though he could see through the layers of magic that kept me in this body, and he tilted his head just so.
Fenrir strode to his side, his large wolf form obscuring the room in darkness. His eyes never left me. "She's no ordinary cat."
"No," Kael said, maintaining eye contact. "She isn't."
He can speak to his wolf? Of course he can. It's a piece of him, you dumb girl.
I swallowed hard. I caught the slightest change in the air.
My ears twitched. The faintest hint of something more under Kael's surface.
He knew.