I couldn’t agree or disagree. “Thanks, Adam. For all of your help and for staying.” As I said the words, a tendril of fear curled through my stomach, like a snake in search of its prey, it slithered inside. My heart raced. “You’ll still be here in the morning?” I asked, timidly.

Adam opened the door. “I’m exactly where I want to be.”

His words made me smile. I stared after him a few moments, thinking about how happy I was to have him in my life. I didn’t have my parents, and while I missed them, which was weird and wonderful, but I had him. Adam. It seemed overly lucky that he’d come just after I was cursed. I didn’t think Eva, Ashley, Cassidy or even Will would’ve handled the situation as well as he was.

I set the box on my nightstand, changed into some PJs and went over to the bed. I tried to sleep, but as tired as I was, I couldn’t. So I climbed out of bed and walked over to the window seat, pulling open the curtains. The moon was nearly full. I curled up with a blanket and a pillow and fell asleep.

I sniffed the air. Another hunter was nearby. It was hungry, like me. And it needed to eat. But this was my territory. I roared, shaking my head.

In response the hunter howled. A wolf?

My ears pricked as I ran. Its large paws padded the dirt softly, making its movements barely perceivable. It was heading up the mountain, same as me.

Though it was summer the air this high up was chilly, especially at night. I found the temperature enjoyable and lifted my face toward the night sky. The moon shone brightly and the stars twinkled against the blackness. It reminded me of a map, the stars plotting points, telling me where to go. I stared at the stars more intently, as though seeing them for what they truly were.

Where should I go? I thought, searching for an answer.

To the right I heard the snap of a fallen tree branch. Instinctively I turned toward the sound, crouching low, preparing for the unknown. I’d been too caught up in the stars to listen to what was going on around me.

Whatever it was moved closer. I waited, shifting my body so that I was in the perfect position. Twin pools of blue glowed as it stepped into view.

I peered closer, trying to discover what it was.

“I wondered when you would finally shift.” The voice came from the area where the eyes glowed. It was male. He stepped out of the trees and into the moonlight. It was a large black cat, but bigger than any wildcat I’d seen in my mountains, or at the zoo for that matter. Thick black fur covered his body. He was on all fours, but his back legs had more of a bend at the knee, like a human rather than a wildcat. His paws were long and shaped like human hands and feet. Thick claws extended from them. They were sharp and pointed. His face held the shape of a cat but it somehow looked human too.

“What are you talking about?” I backed up the way I’d come, the prey I’d been hunting long forgotten.

In answer he lifted one of his front paws and a ball of light came out. It headed right at me. For a single second I froze, unsure what to do. In the next second instinct took over and I dove out of the way. The light hit the tree to my right. It made a sizzling and crackling sound and then the light went out. By the light of the moon I could see the tree had been charred and there was a hole deep within the trunk.

“Found out what your ability is yet?” He growled and sent another ball of light my direction.

I dove the other way, baring my teeth and making a hissing sound. That scared me almost more than the big cat and the ball of light.

“Please, what do you want? I can get you anything.” I hoped to reason with him.

“Can you?” He paused, tilting his head, as though he were mulling over my offer.

“Of course.”

The male cat roared and it felt like the whole Earth shook. I wanted to lower my head, to cower before him, but something inside told me not to. So I lifted my chin. “What do you want?” I was so scared, but I forced those feelings away, and stepped toward him. “Either tell me or leave.”

The male cat laughed and his long tail flicked back and forth randomly.

“Your family no longer has the right to give orders.” He snorted and his whiskers quaked. “Your father doesn’t even have his abilities any longer. They were stripped from him.” He seemed to know more about my family than I did.

“You know who I am? What I am?” My chin started to tremble.

He laughed harder. “Of course.” Something about the way he said the words sounded familiar but I couldn’t place his voice.

I realized for all my feigned toughness, if he attacked, I’d be dead. He probably weighed five hundred pounds.

“It’s time the Cavanaughs were destroyed and a new royal line took your place.” He charged.

I stood my ground, not knowing what else to do. As he got closer, he opened his mouth. Drool dribbled from his sharp teeth. He was so close I could smell his putrid breath. At the last second I closed my eyes, preparing for the inevitable.

But it didn’t come. There was a rush of wind and a loud thump.

I peered through my lashes and was surprised to find that the male cat had been knocked on its side. He rolled to his feet and shook his head. Standing between the cat and me was a gigantic blond wolf. His body was a similar shape to the cat, though he was bigger. His tail was fluffier, his ears were bigger, and his face was different. He was every bit as scary, especially as he bent low, baring his teeth.

“Leave now and I’ll let you live,” the wolf said. His voice was so deep I felt it in my bones.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come. Your fight isn’t with me. In fact I’m on your side with the rest of your kind, Locanis. We can kill her together.” The cat tried to move around the wolf, but the wolf blocked him from passing.

“No.”

The cat growled and sent a ball of light at the wolf. The wolf chuckled, batting the light away. “How does it feel to know you have the lamest of Vaktare abilities?” The wolf gargled laughter. “I mean, it’s a ball of light.”

“Shut up!” The cat shot another ball of light.

The wolf caught it. “Here kitty, kitty.” He threw the ball of light back.

The cat yowled, diving at the wolf.

They rammed into each other, their teeth snapping and tearing into the other’s fur. They rolled on the ground. Dirt kicked up around them, making their fight harder to see.

I watched the battle in amazement. Too stunned to do anything else. The creatures were like none I’d ever seen. Certain features made them obviously a cat or a dog, but they were much too big, their limbs too long. Plus they spoke English, like me, which was stranger still.

It suddenly occurred to me that I was in the presence of horrid beasts, and that I should run.

The cat roared in pain and the combatants broke apart. Panting, the cat said, “Look at her. She’s weak. Your mission is to kill her. Now’s your chance.”

The wolf barked once. “My orders are none of your business. Now either you leave or I kill you.”

The cat laughed. “You’ve gone soft. What happened to the fearless Locanis I heard stories about? You’re supposed to be a cold-blooded killer, not a simpering pup.”

The wolf was on the cat before he had a chance to defend himself.

In the distance I heard another howl and then several more. The blond wolf’s nose came up. He shook his head. “Get out of here!” He yelled those words at me.

“What? I—”

The cat took off down the hill.

The wolf perked his ears. They twitched and turned, listening.

“Hey,” I called after the wolf. “What’s going on?”

He wouldn’t look at me.

“Hey,” I yelled again, feeling a strong need to see his face. I knew if I did everything would be okay.

“Shut up. Get out of here. You don’t know what you’re doing and you’re going to get yourself killed.” He ran in the opposite direction of the cat.