Page 86

A snarl had the mountain's teeth bared with the obvious expression that says...

Prey is here.

Prey will die.

Ismena heard the distinct animalistic roars and growls. It sounded so far away.

She wasn't scared. After all, she's in a changeling territory, it's only a given that she'll be hearing sounds like this.

It makes sense why everywhere looks so empty. Maybe they're in their animal forms training, running, or doing something at some part of the big tower.

"Wolfariane?" She called again, coming down the stairs of the third floor. She stepped into the long hallway, her eyes taking in the enlarged pictures and painting on the wall, fascinatingly. This place is so beautiful.

That roar came again. This time closer.

"Wolfariane? Where are you...?" She called again, "I need to talk to you."

Another ear-splitting roar filled the air. Then, she heard another one. And another. And another.

She turned towards another corridor. That was when she saw it.

Two animals were running towards her. Two lions. But the other one...? It was even bigger. A very bigger lion!

Fear gripped Ismena.

"OH MY GOD!!!!" She screamed so loud, whirled around, and took off in a dead run.

Footsteps sounded loudly behind her. They are gaining in on her!

"Somebody heeeeeeelp!!!!!!" She screamed even louder, running towards the stairs.

Behind her, the slightly smaller mountain lion caught up with the King-Cougar and threw itself at it. The King-Cougar growled angrily and with a strong shake of its body, he threw the other cougar away from his body and kept chasing after the human.

The other mountain lion gave it his all, catching up with the King-Cougar and throwing himself at its path in an effort to stop the King-Cougar. The delay from reaching his prey made King-Cougar roar and attack the leopard.

As they fought, the human ran as fast as her legs can carry her—in this circumstance, very fast—without a backward glance, screaming at the top of her voice.

The slightly-smaller cougar shifted.

Alphose stood before the huge mountain lion, "Don't do it! Don't do it!" He shouted.

At the scent of the human that whisked through Alphose's nose while he waited for the Alpha King to finish up with Nalaila told him that there'll be a problem. His suspicions was quickly confirmed when he heard the loud howl of a wolf and the roar of the cougar that followed.

The human female is in danger! That was his only thought as he quickly shifted forms, ran out of the room and went after the cougar.

Now, the King-Cougar clawed at his cheek, drawing blood instantly. But Alphose knows that the King-Cougar only wants to hurt him enough for him to clear from its path so that it can go after its prey, but it has no intentions of killing a changeling—his own people.

"Stop! Don't do it! She is your mate! You can't kill her!" He shouted in an effort to reach the man within.

The mountain lion let out an ear-splitting roar of rage and threw himself at Alphose.

Alphose made a half-shift, the only way he can protect himself a bit from the cougar's rage without taking his complete animal form because he is still trying to reach the man.

The King-Cougar clawed and bit and clawed him up some more. Under the huge weight of the cougar, he fell flat on the floor.

The cougar stood above him, raised a strong paw, and opened his mouth really wide...

For the first time, Alphose felt that fear...that uncertainty...that the cougar will really kill him.