Page 57 of The Purrfect Rival (Enchanted Falls #1)

FIFTY-SEVEN

K alyna crouched in the underbrush, her auburn fur blending with fallen pine needles surrounding Boz’s compound. Her fox nose twitched, cataloging each scent—gun oil, leather boots, the acrid tang of fear from the prisoners inside. The breeze shifted, carrying a new scent that made her ears prick forward: Echo. Faint but unmistakable.

She inched closer to the chain-link fence, whiskers quivering as she assessed the guard positions. Six at the north entrance, rotating in predictable patterns. Two more patrolling the eastern perimeter, rifles slung carelessly over their shoulders.

North entrance heavily guarded. Eastern wall might be vulnerable in three minutes when the patrol reaches the far corner.

The thought projected naturally toward Rust, whose golden form remained hidden in the deeper shadows twenty yards to her right. His response flowed into her awareness without sound.

South has three humans, one wolf-shifter. Drainage pipe on the west side?

Kalyna’s attention snapped to the concrete pipe he’d spotted. Perfect for fox passage. She signaled to the fox shifters spread throughout the underbrush.

I’ll check the pipe. Cover the eastern distraction in two minutes.

She crept forward, belly low to the ground, her twin tails—the mark of her exceptional magical heritage—pressed flat against the earth. The cold concrete pipe stretched before her, mossy and damp. Her whiskers reached forward, measuring the space. Tight, but navigable.

Her sensitive ears caught a low growl from where Rust waited with the lion contingent. Not threatening—concerned. Her fox heart quickened at the sound, responding to her mate’s worry before her human mind could process it.

A soft huff escaped her as she wriggled into the drainage pipe. The lion would just have to trust her fox instincts. The concrete scraped against her fur as she navigated the narrow passage, emerging into a shadowed corner of the compound.

The inner courtyard spread before her—concrete barriers, hastily erected guard posts, and a central building with reinforced doors. Her fox senses tingled. The charm was inside; she could feel its magic pulling at her own.

One by one, the fox scouts emerged from various entry points—squeezing through fence gaps, scaling low sections of wall, sliding through ventilation shafts. Each found cover, awaiting the signal. Kalyna spotted a familiar ruddy tail beneath a truck—Lucella, her best friend had insisted on joining despite the danger.

In position. Count of three.

The collective anticipation built through their shared awareness until Rust’s command resonated through every shifter present.

NOW!

The eastern fence erupted in a blaze of light as fox illusions created the impression of a major assault. Guards shouted, racing toward the distraction while the lions launched their true attack from the south.

The golden forms cleared the fence in powerful leaps, roars splitting the night air. Guards scattered—some firing wildly, others dropping weapons at the primal terror of facing apex predators.

Kalyna darted between shadows, leading her fox contingent toward the main building. Her ears swiveled constantly, tracking each sound—boots on gravel, frightened shouts, the distinctive roar of one particular lion that made her fox instincts stir with recognition.

A guard appeared around the corner, radio raised to call for backup. Kalyna reacted without hesitation, her fox form blurring with speed as she darted between his legs, causing him to stumble. Two other foxes created illusions that disoriented him further while a third knocked the radio from his hand.

The guard reached for his sidearm but froze as a massive shadow fell across him. Kalyna’s heart leaped into her throat as Rust’s lion form padded silently into view, golden eyes fixed on the human with predatory focus. The guard’s hand trembled, then slowly moved away from his weapon.

Kalyna’s fox couldn’t help the small yip of satisfaction as the guard backed away, hands raised. Her eyes met Rust’s across the distance—amber to gold—and something wordless passed between them.

East corridor clear. I smell Echo this way.

She led them toward a service entrance, pausing at each intersection to scout ahead. The hunting party moved with unprecedented coordination—fox shifters darting ahead to locate dangers, lion shifters providing the strength to overcome obstacles. The elders among them exchanged stunned glances as centuries of separate hunting traditions merged seamlessly through Kalyna and Rust’s example.

“Look at them,” whispered a gray-muzzled fox who had partially shifted to speak. “Moving like they’ve hunted together for centuries.”

A lioness with silver threading her coat rumbled in agreement. “The red and gold united.”