The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger by Ejiofor Dorcas

35 Shadows and whispers…

35 Shadows and whispers…

Lyla

At that moment… I would have gladly chosen the shifters but they seemed to shrink back at the sight of Mr Dupree, their cocky expressions fading into apprehension.

The alley fell into an eerie silence as Mr Dupree’s imposing figure loomed at the entrance. My eyes darted between him and the shifters, my body growing tense with surprise and wariness.

First of all, what was he doing e? Second, why were the shifters looking scared? He was a human, if anything he should be the one backing away from them. Why did it seem they were shrinking under his gaze, looking at him sheepishly?

“Why is no one answering my question?” Mr Dupree chuckled – even that sounded sinister. “Is there a problem here?”

The leader of the shifters, the one that had tried to flirt with me in the café shook his head. “None, we were just leaving,” he muttered.

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35 Shadows and whispers…

I watched as they turned and hurried away. As they disappeared from my line of vision, I found myself alone with Mr D. The relief I felt at the shifter’s departure was quickly overshadowed by a new kind of unease. I forced a nonchalant smile as I stepped back, trying to suppress the urge to run.

Swallowing hard, I murmured turning to Mr Dupree whose gaze was on me now. “They’re just lowlifes, I could have handled them.”

His lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “It didn’t look that way to me, Miss Lyla. Are you alright though? Did they try to attack you?” he asked, as his gaze flickered all over my body.

I felt exposed.

“No!” I shook my head eager to change the subject, I blurted out. “What are you doing here?” I winced internally at how accusatory it sounded.

If he was offended by my question he didn’t show it, instead, his expression softened, though it did little to ease my nerves. “I live in the neighbourhood,” he replied casually. “Xander and I were just taking an evening stroll. We were in the coffee shop a while ago

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35 Shadows and whispers…

when I overheard those men talking about teaching someone a lesson.” His eyes bore into mine. “When I saw you heading towards the back door and those men leaving shortly after, I put two and two together.”

I shifted uncomfortably under his intense gaze. There was something about the way he looked at me as if he could see right through me. “I didn’t realize I was followed. Thank you for helping me,” I said awkwardly, my fingers twitching as I resisted the urge to light another cigarette.

“You shouldn’t be in dark alleys at this hour,” he continued, his eyes straying to the cigarette pack peeking out of my pocket. “And sn woman. You should know better.”

g? You’re a

My cheeks burned at the condescending remark. I opened my mouth to retort but I thought better of it. Instead, I managed another tense, uncomfortable smile. “Yeah… I should probably head back inside,” I said taking a step towards the café’s back door. “Thank you for…intervening and saving me.”

།

As I moved to go, his voice stopped me. “Those men are panther shifters,” he said his tone as cold as ever. “They might come back; cats can be quite vengeful. So,

and whispers…

not to wander around alone again.”

door handle. How did he know

letting on? My brow furrowed slightly as I processed what he was saying. Panther shifters? Panthers are

and since they could mask their scent naturally and take up

access to almost any realm. What were

common to see shifters in this part

growing. “No,” I said slowly. “This is my

as if I had confirmed something for him. “Well, be careful, Miss Lyla. The world can be a dangerous place for a young woman… especially one

that, he

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Shadows and whispers…

the building. I stood there for a moment, watching him go, my skin prickling in a way it hadn’t

right, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Taking

the café.

little to soothe my frayed nerves. My eyes scanned the room, and they immediately landed on Xander. He was sitting at one of the tables, casually scring through his phone while sipping coffee and plain cake. He looked completely at ease

a slice of

shifters as if he knew I would understand what he meant. He didn’t treat

were–creature?

other

watched as he entered the café and made his way

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him. A casual observer might have seen nothing wrong in the

carry, the way he bowed his head as he spoke to Xander struck me as odd. It was almost as if, despite

the servant and

the master.

suddenly lifted his eyes and our gaze met.

and he raised his hand

mile spread across

manner. The moment our

apprehension returned in full force, sending a shiver down my spine.

hoping to avoid further interaction. I needed to focus, get back to work and ignore the growing sense of dread curling in my stomach. But before I could fully

and

—

women and a man.

scents hit me…

all werewolves. There was no way they

they from my pack? Were they here to find

my parents had been glad to let me go and it couldn’t possibly be my ex–mate. Nathan! My

any messages.

There was none.

attending to the newcomers?” I

she flashed me a smile and took the menus

their table.

werewolf scent from Xander or his dad…, now that I thought about it, I couldn’t detect any scent from them at all. My mind raced as I glanced at

done taking their orders and the

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