Page 38 of The Purrfect Rival (Enchanted Falls #1)
THIRTY-EIGHT
A urelia Leonid waited in her private study at the ancestral estate. Though she spent most of her time traveling now, the manor remained her official residence—and the seat of lion clan power in Enchanted Falls.
She rose as Rust entered, her graceful movements belying her centuries. Unlike many elders who embraced their apparent age, Aurelia maintained the appearance of a regal woman in her prime, her golden-blonde hair caught in an elegant chignon, her amber eyes sharp as ever.
“Mother.” Rust bent to kiss her cheek, catching the familiar scent of cedar and lion magic that had comforted him since childhood.
“My son.” She cupped his face briefly, a gesture she’d performed since he was a cub. Her gaze dropped to his fox-patterned tie, one eyebrow arching elegantly. “Making statements, I see.”
He didn’t flinch. “I’ve never lied to you. I won’t start now.”
A smile ghosted across her lips. “Sit. We have much to discuss.”
The study remained as he remembered—leather-bound books lining mahogany shelves, the massive desk where his father had conducted clan business, the portrait of his parents above the fireplace.
“The lion council is divided on your... connection with the Foxworthy girl,” Aurelia began, pouring amber liquid into crystal glasses. She handed one to Rust. “Some support it as strengthening our political position. Others see it as diluting our magical lineage.”
Rust accepted the drink but didn’t taste it. “And you?”
“I see how she watches you,” Aurelia replied carefully. “I recognize that look. I once wore it myself.”
The reference to his father hung between them. Augustus Leonid had been dead for decades—a blink in their extended lifespans, yet still a raw wound for both of them.
“The connection between you isn’t merely attraction,” his mother continued. “Either she knows something significant... or she feels something profound. Something bigger than pride politics.”
“She’s my mate.” The words emerged with quiet certainty.
Aurelia’s eyes widened fractionally—the closest she came to showing surprise. “You’re certain?”
“My lion recognized her instantly. The human part of me took longer to accept it.”
She studied him for a long moment, then nodded once. “I suspected as much when Jinli described the magical resonance between you at council.”
“You’re not... opposed?”
A genuine laugh escaped her. “Opposed to my son finding his mate? What kind of mother would that make me?” Her expression softened. “Your father would have liked her, I think. She has spirit.”
Relief flooded through him, though he’d meant what he told Hezron—he didn’t need approval. Still, his mother’s support mattered more than he cared to admit.
“Boz won’t accept it,” Rust said, finally sipping the liquor. It burned pleasantly down his throat, warming him from within.
“Boz has never accepted anything that didn’t put him at the center.” Aurelia’s voice cooled. “He’s always resented that your father’s line held the mayoral seat, believed it should have gone to his branch of the family.”
“This goes beyond jealousy, Mother. The bank transfers from my office, the stolen charm—he’s attempting something dangerous.”
She nodded gravely. “Jinli suspects as much. That’s why she invoked the Concordat today.”
“There’s more to this than pride politics, isn’t there?” Rust pressed. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Aurelia moved to the window, gazing out at the manicured grounds. “There’s an old prophecy about a lion and fox joining magics. Most dismissed it as folklore, but some believe it predicts a power strong enough to challenge the natural order.”
“What kind of power?”
“The kind that makes the impossible possible.” She turned back to him, her expression grave. “The magic between you is rare, Rust. Guard it carefully—there are those who would destroy what they cannot possess.”
The warning hung in the air between them.
“Follow your heart,” she added softly. “But watch your back. Boz has always been dangerous. Now he’s desperate too.”
Rust left as evening shadows lengthened across the lawn. His mother’s warning echoed in his mind, underlining the stakes of what they faced.
His phone buzzed with an automated security alert: someone had accessed the sealed evidence room using his credentials.
He raced toward the council building. A chill of premonition raised the hair on his neck. Somehow he managed to call the sheriff and Hezron without crashing. Unfortunately, neither was close to that side of town. He might get there before they did.
In town, as he veered around a corner, the building came into view.
He glimpsed Kalyna walking along the sidewalk, unaware of the hooded figure trailing her at a distance. Her brassy hair caught the fading sunlight, her slender form moving with the unconscious grace that always captivated him. Oblivious to the threat stalking her steps.
His lion exploded forward, a roar building in his chest. No one threatened what was his.
He slammed the car into park only a second before his lion burst from his skin. Fear and fury propelled him out the door, his body already shifting as he ran. Claws extended from his fingertips, his muscles coiling with predatory strength, his vision sharpening with golden clarity.