Page 12 of Protected Promise

I looked at him solemnly. “Yeah, I’m aware.”

“Well, since you’re a wolf, you’re safe with me. Cats don’t play with dogs.”

I knew Kian was a black panther shifter, everyone on campus knew it. He may be the first male panther to attend the ARC but he wasn’t the first panther to cause the gossip train to go wild.

Jenna is a panther and when she found her true mate was Chase Westin, a wolf, all hell broke loose on campus. It was hard not to be skeptical of it, but anyone who knew them witnessed firsthand just how truly in love they are.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Look, Jenna’s an exception to the rule. I’ll admit that, but she’s definitely not the norm.”

“Nope, most of you panthers are quite purists who stick to your own kind. So what would you do if you felt the mating call and she wasn’t a cat?”

“A cat? I’d freak out if she wasn’t a panther. I mean my pops isn’t anywhere near as bad as Jenna’s, but he still fully expects me to have a panther mate by my side when I finally assume the throne.”

Panthers had a different set up than the pack hierarchy. They were ruled by a monarch with one king and one queen overseeing a territory. He was a prince and would one day be a panther King.

“Like I said, purist.”

“I didn’t say I’d turn my back on the mating call, but I would freak out and I probably wouldn’t be happy about it at first.”

“At first? So you are open to it?”

“I’m not blind. I see how happy Jenna and Chase are. You think those two caused hysteria aroundcampusby breaking the rules? You should have seen the reactions in the kingdoms. It was and still remains the biggest scandal of the century.”

“I can imagine. I mean it led to war between the cats and the dogs.”

“Were you there?” he asked. “As part of the royal line, I was not permitted to go.”

“Would you have?”

“I don’t know, but it’s getting late. We should get to the dance before we incite more rumors.”

I rolled my eyes, but I knew he was being honest. People would notice. They always noticed.

*****

I had no idea the party was going to be a masquerade. It was perfect and no one took any real notice that I had arrived with Kian.

He chose a classic solid black mask while I went with a gem studded one.

“Do you want a drink?” he asked.

“No, I want to dance.”

“That’s my girl. Let’s do this thing.”

He led me out to the center of the dance floor as we started moving to the beat of the music. I was having a blast and Kian was surprisingly a very good dancer.

The dance area was getting tight, leaving little room for people to walk through. Someone bumped into me sending me flying into Kian’s arms.

“Are you okay?”

My body was buzzing with excitement and my wolf was suddenly alive and trying to surge to the surface.

What the hell?I thought.

Mate.