The Cat Shifter (Book 1 of Shifter Series)

Chapter 78

We stayed silent while we continued to walk to the edge of the barrier and saw them standing on the other side of the barrier, and King Philip stood taller when he saw me beside my mate while a look of relief flashed through his eyes.

"Oh, thank Gods," he said and bowed his head before he cleared his throat but didn't try to get closer to me. "You're alive, Princess. I thought you were a goner, and no one wanted to come get me because of it."

I bit back a small smile while I tucked my head closer to my chest, biting the inside of my lip. "I am alive, Your Majesty," I said before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "Derrick, go ahead and let the Warlock king and prince in, please," I said, and Derrick nodded and bowed before he did what I told him to do and let the Warlock king and prince into the secret area.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said and waved his hand with his eyes turning a different color. "You two may come in, Your Majesty and Your Highness," he said and bowed while his eyes stayed that different color. "It is safe for you both to do so."

They looked at each other before they looked at me, not saying a word and did not move into the area, and I had to hold back an eye roll while I pressed my lips into a thin line, amused.

"You two can come in, Your Majesty and Your Highness," I said and bowed while I stood before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet, feeling anxious and worried about the people we left behind in the tent. "I need to get back to the tent because I need to check on things back there."

King Philip raised an eyebrow in question while he studied me, but he entered the area and was followed by his son. "Oh?" he asked and cocked his head to the side while he continued to study me, biting back a small frown. "And what do you have to check at the tent?"

"My mom," I said instantly. "I have to check on my mom, aunt, uncle, and Amity."

King Philip raised an eyebrow higher in question, and a look of relief flashed through his eyes, and he studied me further as if he was trying to find answers to things that I did not say out loud. "Oh?" he asked, and I nodded in confirmation. "Are you saying that everyone is here?"

"Yes," I said and nodded in confirmation, pressing my lips into a thin line while my heart ached and became filled with pain and sadness. "Those that were under Romanov's control are here, even though my clan is still under his control."

"We'll help with that, Your Majesty," the Warlock Prince, Austin, said while he bowed, not looking at me and earning an annoyed look from his father. "You can count on us, a-"

"And I believe that is enough out of you, Austin," the Warlock King said, interrupting his son, and I couldn't help but bite my lip to bite back a small smirk, amused. He bit back a small scowl and tucked his head closer to his chest while he stared at him with a hard look on his face before he looked at me. "We will discuss that later, Your Majesty."

He didn't want to talk about this out loud where it wasn't safe...

I bit back a tired sigh and slowly nodded, pressing my lips into a thin line. "Ok," I said before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet, looking at Derrick to see that he still had the barrier open, and I couldn't help but grow still and a little nervous. "Derrick, go ahead and close the barrier. You are dismissed. I will contact you when everything is done, and we are ready to leave. Thank you."

Derrick nodded in confirmation. "Yes, Your Majesty," he said and closed the barrier, and I breathed a small sigh of relief, grateful that the barrier was closed and secured. He cleared his throat and bowed, putting his hands behind his back. "Excuse me, Your Majesties and Your Highness, I must take my leave," he said before he left, and we watched him leave to go do whatever it was that he needed to do.