Page 29

“What are you doing?” she whispers, suddenly wary.

Tilting my head up, I puff my chest out with pride. “I'm going to get your dinner.”

“What?” she blurts. “Ren, no!”

I freeze mid-step, bewildered. “Why not?”

“You can’t kill that poor deer,” she says incredulously. “Why would you even do such a thing?”

Well, this is certainly not going as planned. I arch a brow. “Rapunzel, just where exactly do you think that dried meat in your satchel comes from?”

She grimaces. “I… prefer not to think about it.”

My mate has a tender heart. I shift back into my human form. “All right. No fresh meat then.” I give her an indulgent smile. “Let’s just rest for a bit and eat some of our travel rations. We need to find shelter before nightfall.”

Rapunzel tilts her head curiously. “Why before dark?”

“Because ogres roam these woods, and they’re more active at night.”

Fierce protectiveness surges through me as she visibly shudders, and I move closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “It’s all right. We’re not very far from an empty cottage I stayed in when I passed through here before. We’ll make it before the sun sets.”

Movement catches my eye as the stag races away into the woods. When I turn to where he was standing, I freeze. Another stag steps into the clearing—huge, majestic, and much larger than any ordinary deer.

“Ren,” Rapunzel whispers, eyes wide, “why is that one so big?”

My ears twitch forward, my muscles tense and coiled tight in silent readiness as more emerge from the trees, their massive bodies dwarfing even the largest horses and their pointed antlers razor-sharp.

“Those aren't regular deer,” I say in hushed whisper. They are far more dangerous. “They're Stag Shifters.”

Grasping her elbow, I pull her back toward the hidden shelter of the trees. But Rapunzel suddenly stops, urgently tapping my shoulder. I glance where she points and dread twists deep in my gut.

Finik is busily stuffing his cheeks with berries, entirely oblivious to the Stags looming around him.

Worry ripples down my spine.They may appear like large deer, but Stag Shifters are anything but prey.

“Seven hells,” I mutter under my breath before I call out to him as quietly as I can, hoping and praying the shifters don’t hear me. “Finik, come back here!”

The little traitor pauses and looks directly at us, before he deliberately continues eating, defiantly ignoring my urgent pleas.

Gods above, I’m going to strangle him.

My breath freezes in my chest as one of the Stags steps forward, lowering his head curiously toward the squirrel. Stag Shifters are predators—they hunt and catch prey like any Fox or Wolf Shifter.

Oblivious to the danger he’s in, Finik immediately goes on the defense, chittering loudly and flicking his tail as he defends his berry bush.

The Stag emits a deep growl, baring two rows of gleaming white fangs.

Finik lets out a terrified squeak and bolts back to us.

Rapunzel gasps, and five large heads whip in our direction. I step in front of her as the terrified squirrel scrambles back to her pocket, blocking her from their view.

There are five Stag Shifters and only one of me.I’m not sure I like those odds. So, I decide to use my charm.

“Hello, gentlemen.” I flash what I hope is a friendly grin. “Lovely weather today, is it not?”

The closest one pointedly glances up at the dark clouds blanketing the sky and then looks at me as if I’ve gone soft in the head before narrowing his eyes.

Not one to be deterred, I force a smile to my face and continue. “Perfect for a casual stroll in these beautiful woods that are obviously”—I swallow hard—“home to a herd of Deer Shifters. And everyone knows that Deer Shifters and Fox Shifters have nothing but respect for one another. Don’t you agree?”