Page 93 of Bitten Shifter

I’m exhausted and uncomfortably sweaty, the magic and atmosphere in here are taking their toll. Just as I’m about to sag with relief, Merrick speaks.

“We will be leaving now. There’s nothing further we need to discuss.”

“We haven’t covered Mrs Winters’s magic,” a man pipes up.

“We have covered enough,” Merrick says firmly, though there’s no mistaking the growl beneath his words.

“She will need to be assessed and trained,” a woman interjects, her lined face stern. “We can’t have someone untrained wandering the country and blowing things up. Laws exist for a reason. You are not above the law, Alpha Prime.”

“And I can’t believe you work in IT,” Lander Kane says with an infuriating grin. “That means your control must be impressive, but we need to ensure it’s sufficient. You have already passed small tests without knowing it. If this is your first time in the Magic Sector, the ambient power alone can drive an unprepared magic user mad—most cope only because they grew up here.”

Well, it would’ve been nice to know thatbeforestepping off the plane. Still, I keep my face blank.

“My assessment,” the same woman continues, her gaze boring into me, “is that Mrs Winters has good control. From what Councillor Kane told us, she is well-grounded—no doubt self-taught. But she is powerful.” Her eyes are sharp and probing, as though dissecting me.

I shrug, refusing to give her anything more.

“In our history,” a man chimes in, adjusting his glasses, “we have never had a magic shifter. Surviving being bitten, turning, and retaining powers is unprecedented. Theoretically, magic would be the first thing to go—along with their humanity.”

“Shifters are human,” I say, my voice tight with anger, the words snapping out before I can stop them.

“Of course they are. Of course,” he backpedals, waving a dismissive hand that makes me want to shove his chair over.

“So we agree Mrs Winters will stay for a few days to be assessed and trained,” the woman declares, as if it’s already decided and they don’t need my consent.

“I didn’t agree to anything,” Merrick snarls, every inch of him taut with fury.

“I’d prefer a couple of months,” the woman adds, ignoring him.

Tea!my mind screams as everything begins to spiral out of control. I want to shout, “You promised me! You promised they wouldn’t make me stay!”But I clamp my frustrated wordsbehind my teeth. This isn’t Merrick’s fault. Having a tantrum won’t help; it will only make things worse.

Sometimes, you can’t fight the current—you have to go with it.

It’s only two days.

I inhale, steadying the turbulence inside. It would be foolish to refuse the chance to learn more about my magic. Even a day or two with a real tutor could help me refine my control.

Merrick looks torn, guilt and devastation warring on his face. He promised me, but he can’t fix this. We’re not above the law, and both of us know it. It must be horrible to wield so much power yet have a mate who keeps landing in trouble—though, to be fair, it’s never intentional.

“I’ve managed my magic for over thirty years without anyone knowing what I am,” I say. “I think I can handle two days of training.” I rest a hand on his arm. “It’s okay. You said yourself, we don’t want to start a war.”

“Absolutely not,” Merrick growls, fury roughening his voice. He glares at the Council. “This is not what we discussed.”

Behind me, Riker rolls his shoulders and cracks his knuckles.

The tension in the room tightens like a noose. The other shifters bristle, poised for a fight.

Chapter Forty

My pulse races.Oh no. This is bad. They don’t understand what they are up against. These magic users aren’t merely bureaucrats; they are powerful and will defend their authority with lethal force. If a fight breaks out, someone on our side will die—maybe everyone.

I can’t let that happen. Two days isn’t worth anyone’s life.

Merrick moves as though he is about to stand, but before he can, I clamp my hand around his forearm. My grip is steady and firm, even though I’m trembling inside. “It’s okay,” I say again, forcing calm into my tone. “I can do two days.”

His jaw clenches, muscles flexing beneath my hand. “No.”

“Can you stay with me?” I ask, hoping for a compromise.

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