The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 26

I wasn't surprised when I was greeted by boo's and cussing when I walked onto the stage with Carter behind me.

My throat closed up as a wave of sadness washed over me because I could tell that the majority of the pack didn't accept me. However, I made sure to keep my face blank and head up as I walked onto the stage and stood beside my mate.

"STOP!" someone yelled, and the whole place stopped talking and looked in the direction of that voice. "STOP CUSSING!"

Katie got out of the arms of a person that was holding her and rushed up the steps. Tears filled her eyes, and she looked lost and hurt that it broke my heart.

I knelt down and pulled her close to me after she ran at me at full speed. I picked her up and clutched her tight, trying to soothe the broken girl.

Brody looked conflicted and hurt that Katie had run at me, but he smiled at me when I gave him a small smile. He didn't try to take her out of my arms but placed a comforting hand on her back.

"What is it, Little Bit?" I asked, hearing her mumbling and keep repeating something over and over again. "Why are you crying?"

"I am sorry that they are cussing at you and booing," she sniffled, and my heart broke. She squeezed me tighter as if she wanted to take away the hurt that I was feeling because of what they were doing.

My heart broke for her because I didn't think that she should have to deal with this. She shouldn't have to deal with them cussing at me, none of them should. "It's ok," I said, soothingly.

"No, it's not," Katie scolded. She pulled away and glared at me with watery eyes. Her bottom lip quivered, and my heart ached while she tried to stop herself from crying. "It is not ok."

I sighed and nodded my head. "I know," I consoled. "But, it happens sometimes. People think that I am evil just because of what that bastard I call uncle did. They are scared that I am like him and will just kill them all."

"But, you aren't," Katie whimpered, burying her face into my neck. "You are awesome and strong and nice."

"But, I am also mean, or that is what Trevor says," I replied, smiling. "Then again... I did slap him with a fish after he didn't kiss it."

Katie sniffled, but she let out a soft chuckle. "Why?"

"Because, he went back on his bet," I replied. I gave my mate a small smile before looking at the crowd of people standing there. I made sure that they wouldn't know how anxious and afraid that I was, wanting to feel the confidence that I was feigning. "I know why you are booing and cussing," I said, my voice clear and firm. "I know that you think I am just like him, a monster that will kill innocent children in their sleep."

I paused and looked at them, noticing someone with a hood covering their face and standing a bit farther than the rest. The tall person, a male, only had two people near him, both of them dressed in outfits that I had seen before. I was curious as to who the male was because it seemed like no one cared that he was there.

The hooded figure had his gaze on me and was staring at me with the same intensity as I was him. He did not move, did not made a signal as if to tell the two guards. He was... familiar in presence, and I couldn't help but wonder if Carver had contacted him, asked him to come to this meeting.

I pulled my gaze away from him and looked at the crowd. "I want to tell you that whatever you are thinking is false," I said, my voice still firm. "I am not like that. I am not like him," I spat that out in disgust and pursed my lips. "My job is to bring everyone up, Werewolves, and Cats alike."

"I know that you are afraid of the changes that are going to happen. Hell, I am afraid too. I have no siblings, no siblings to lean on if something gets tough." I paused and looked at the hooded figure again. "My name is Katherine Evelyn Fiona Viera, and I am the High Queen of the Cat species, Queen of the Tigers, and Luna of this pack."

"And, my former cat," Katie said, jumping out of my arms. She clutched my hand and leaned against me.

I looked down and offered her a small smile. "And a friend to Werewolf King and his son, if that is still true." Again, I looked at the man to see that he nodded his head.

"How do you know the King and his son?" someone asked. "You could be lying."

"My father had set up an alliance with them when I was younger," I said, tearing my gaze off of him as I looked at the pack. "My father's, now my, advisor was against it, but my father had persuaded the King to come. The King had come to the kingdom with many guards, and there was panic in my kingdom. My father had welcomed them with open arms, but everyone was uneasy because of this sudden change."

"Did you greet him then?" someone asked, and Carver snorted.

I glanced at my advisor, and he shrugged before I looked back at the person that had asked the question. I licked my lips and shook my head, my cheeks turning slightly red. "No..." I said. "I was very rebellious as a kid, and Trevor didn't help me much."

"Did you know Trevor when you were younger?" another one asked.

"Yes," I said, nodding my head. "He was my partner in crime and still is. He has been my Second before being the Beta of the pack."

"What happened with the King? Where were you?"

"In a river trying to catch a fish," I said, shrugging my shoulder. "Ignoring the calls of my mom and Carver as they tried to contact me." I shrugged my shoulder. "And trying to win a bet."

There was a murmur of chuckles.

"What was the bet?" someone asked.

"I could catch a fish with my bare hands," I replied. "Trevor thought that I couldn't, and I told him that I could. The bet was if I won, he had to kiss the fish. He never did."

"When she caught the fish, she looked at me with this Cheshire grin and told me to pucker up," Trevor said. "Instead of doing that, I ran with her following me with the fish in her hands and telling me to get back there."

"We ran past most of the Werewolf guards with me yelling for him to get back there and take it like a man." I smiled at the sweet memory, the memory that showed how much of a bond the two of us shared.

"We had stopped running when we entered the main part where everyone was gathered. Her father had used her full name, and she turned to look at him with big doe eyes," Trevor said.

"Ok, enough of the story," a member said, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. "How do we know that you are telling the truth? You could be making it up and poisoning our Beta's brain. It's bad enough that he is a half-breed with your kind."

I and the hooded male growled. I stayed silent as the male walked forward, the crowd just moving to the side as he came up. I felt Brody stiffen beside me and didn't move when he tried to pull me behind him.

"She is telling the truth," the male said speaking for the first time as he made his way onto the stage.

"Ya, and why should we care what you say, Rogue?" the person that had spoken asked.

"Because," the male said, pulling off his hood to show that it was the King. King Paul stood tall and proud as he looked at the pack members. He dominated in power, and everyone submitted.

Brody was about to kneel to but stopped when I pulled him to a standing position. He furrowed his brows and was about to ask me why I stopped him when I shook my head.

'We are the same rank as him,' I said, linking him for the first time. I bit back a smirk when he stared at me with his eyes huge. 'We don't need to bow.'

The King looked at the two of us and nodded his head, and I did the same. That was the only respect that we needed to show him because we were the same rank, even though we were different species.

He turned to look at the pack, making eye contact with everyone. "I was there. I know what had happened," he said, finishing what he was saying. "And, we still have an alliance with the true heir of the throne, your Luna and the High Queen of the Cat Species, and the Queen of the Tigers."