Page 32 of Stormbinder King
The shifters cleared a wide, flat area just outside the village, cutting down some of the tangled underbrush in a way that made me catch my breath.
But why?
A forest couldn’t fight back. Could it?
“Can I have one of those?” I asked a shifter named Carlotta, pointing to the light, diaphanous head scarves she and the other female shifters wore. They seemed almost to have a magical quality, since they weren’t nearly as affected by the heat as I was.
Or maybe that was just an unfortunate side effect of being the only Human here.
She was about to hand it to me, when Aurelia snatched it out of her hand.
“Shifters only,” Aurelia said, her mouth creased up in a little smirk.
“How can that be?” I asked. “It’s just a piece of fabric.”
She shook her head.
“I don’t care, I’m taking one,” I said resentfully, turning away from her.
But she whipped me around, digging her sharp nails into my skin. I was startled to see her shifting back and forth to dull theeffects of the magic, flipping back and forth into her wolfish form and digging her claws into my flesh.
“You will not be getting one, you trashy little slut. Pack members only. And you aren’t a member of the Pack.”
“How—dare you talk to me like that!” I protested. “I’m Jack’s mate!”
“You’re Jack’s temporary interest,” she snarled, her lip curling up.
I wished he was here to defend me. Aurelia was so much bigger and angrier than me.
And it wasn’t true. It wasn’t.
My tattoo was evidence that he was going to love me forever.
“Are you just jealous?” I asked boldly.
“Jealous? Of a weak little brat with no skills or powers or the ability to shift? No.”
“Maybe you wishyouwere Jack’s fated mate, too,” I shot back as my arm stung.
She dropped my arm and for a moment I thought it was over. Then her sleek hand was coming up, slapping me across the face as my head rocked back.
“Shut your mouth. I’m not jealous of anything.”
She stalked away, the cool wispy scarves tucked in her arm.
Carlotta shrugged almost apologetically and followed her.
The midday sun burned down on me in the clearing.
I looked down to see blood streaked up and down my arm where her claws had scoured my skin.
Wiping my arm hastily, I smeared the hand with the blood on my dark skirt so no one would know what happened.
My legs trembled, and I felt weak all over.
How long would she bully me because she had been rejected by Jack?
In the center of the clearing, the Alpha prince sparred lazily with his cousin Leo, parrying his cousin’s attacks easily with his lithe moves.
