The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 67- Brody's POV

We walked toward the tent that had the cots with my mate in my arms and Amity beside us doing whatever it was that she could do for my mate, even though nothing seemed to be working.

Ray was at her side and gently led her, making sure that she stayed safe with tears still going down her cheeks. She didn't say a word, but a part of me knew that she kept apologizing over and over again as if whatever this was was her fault in some shape and form.

But what happened..?

Derrick kept glancing around to make sure that we were alone and left unbothered while we walked. His whole body was tense, and I could tell that he was nervous, worried even, as if he was afraid that my mate was going to pass away and leave us with nothing and no heir to the throne...

My heart ached when that thought crossed my mind, and I couldn't help but squeeze my mate a little tighter but not tight enough to hurt her. I had the same fears as him because I had no idea what was going to happen and if she would even be alive after all was said and done.

"How close is King Philip, Amity?" I asked, breaking the tense silence that had fallen on us while we continued to walk toward the tents. "Is he nearby? Is he almost here?"

Amoth shook her head and pressed her lips into a thin line while her eyes flashed with pain and sadness. "He's still too far, Your Majesty," she said, honestly, her voice barely above a whisper. "He can't transport himself here or close by so that he can get here quickly."

"And why not?" I asked, feeling very annoyed and angry that he wasn't able to get here as fast as I would have liked. "He is the king. He should be able to get here because this place is magic."

"Unfortunately, we've made it that way, Your Majesty," Amity said with a shake of her head before she cleared her throat and licked her lips, "even if there is an emergency such as this."

"Why?"

"For the half-breeds protection," Carver replied, interrupting Amity. "We had set it up that way so that they would have a place to live for at least the time being while we tried to take care of the threats that threatened their lives."

"We were worried that there could be another way for Romanov to control King Philip with a Dark Warlock or Witch or someone else for that matter. We didn't want that to happen or anything else to happen to them besides being displaced," Amity said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Then how did you get here?" Trevor asked from behind us, asking what I was thinking. "You basically transported yourself here and then to wherever my parents and the late queen were at and then transported back here with them later on."

Amity licked her lips and bowed her head, not looking at us and only focused her attention on my mate. "I created a portal to get her and then back here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, "to get us away from the tiger kingdom. I did not transport myself and us out of there."

"Kat also ordered her to," Ray said, her voice barely above a whisper. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "She used the power that she has over Amity to do it."

I furrowed my brows and pressed my lips into a thinner line. "Then can you be ordered to heal her?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question. "You do know what is wrong with her and can help heal her... right?"

Another set of tears burst from her eyes, and Amifh shook her head while she took a deep, shuddering breath and released it with a small whoosh. "I do not know what's wrong with her, Your Majesty," she said, her voice steady and not breaking like I thought it would. "And even if I did know, I wouldn't be able to heal her because I was ordered to. It has to be an order from her."

"Why?" I asked, annoyance and anger bubbling in my chest until it boiled over. I growled and bared my teeth, narrowing my eyes. "I am the H-"

"Yes, you are the High King, but she is the throne, Alpha," Amity said, interrupting me, and I growled in warning. She flinched and bowed her head, clearing her throat. "Only she has the power to do so." She paused and took a deep breath before she released it with a small whoosh. "Even the late queen can't order me to heal her daughter."

I pursed my lips in annoyance and narrowed my eyes further. "And why not?" I asked and pulled my mate closer to my chest, my voice turning darker. "S-"

"She does not have claims to either throne, Brody," Carver said, interrupting me with a shake of his head. "She had given the thrones up as soon as all of this had begun so long ago to keep the thrones safe. And unfortunately, this is not something that we should be discussing in front of others, for this is a high royal family matter and no one else's."

Derrick bowed his head lower while he continued to walk toward the tent. "I have sworn to protect the throne and the patron that sits on it, Carver. I will not say a word about what I have heard to anyone; I give you my word."

"Unfortunately, that does not work in this case, Derrick," Carver said with a small hum in his voice before he cleared his throat. "It is better left unsaid in front of others."

"Hmph." Derrick paused and cleared his throat. "Are you worried that someone will do something to me to get it out of me, Carver?" he asked and looked our way before he looked back to where we were going.

"There is a chance," Carver replied with a small hum in his voice while he nodded, "and it is a chance that I am not willing to take, especially because of what you had done."

"What has he done?" a female voice, Diane, I think, asked, her voice barely above a whisper while shaking in fear. She shifted in Trevor's arms and cleared her throat. "Oh, Goddess, please tell me that he hasn't turned against the throne and is lying about swearing to protect it."

"I haven't, Second Diane," Derrick said soothingly while he shook his head and cleared his throat. "I have sworn with the stone that I would protect the throne. I know what I have done and have not been forced to do it. Queen Katherine wasn't too pleased with me when I wanted to do it."

I wonder why... I thought and bit the inside of my lip. I looked down at my mate to see that she looked very pale and dead, even though a part of me knew that she wasn't.

I knew that she was close to dying and prayed that something or someone would get here soon so that I could get my mate checked out and brought back to life. I hated seeing her like this and was mad that it wasn't me but her.

I wasn't even mad at Raylyn...

She was my responsibility and no one else's, and I had failed her when she needed me the most. She was my mate, my Luna, and now she was as good as dead because of a mistake that I made.

We stayed silent and made it the rest of the way to a large tent that was far away from the other tents of the compound.

Derrick pushed open the tent flap and bowed, gesturing for us to enter, not meeting our gaze. "This is where you will be staying until you are able to get help for Her Majesty," he said. "Was there anything else I needed to do?" He looked at me when he asked that and raised an eyebrow in question.

I entered the tent with the others following me and shook my head, biting back a small sigh. "No, that is all, Derrick. You are dismissed. Thank you."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Derrick said and bowed before he cleared his throat. "I will let you know when the Warlock King arrives. Excuse me."

He bowed again and let the tent flap fall after we all entered before he bounded away into the setting sun without another word or single glance back.

Oh Goddess, save her...