The Beast And The Blessed

Sixty-Five: Natalie

Natalie's P.O.V.

Killian shifted back to his Lycan, his joints popping loudly at the sudden change as he stood tall in front of me.

"Come out!" He demanded. The Alpha command was thick, and even I felt the need to step toward him at his order. His body shook with anger, and while I was excited to have shifted, I was in no way ready for a fight in this form. I had no training in my fur... I had barely learned how to walk.

My gaze moved to the mouth of the cave, wondering if our guards would come to assist, but there was only silence.

The magic in the air grew thicker.

I shifted, not worried about my lack of clothing. My training had all been in my human form, and I wanted to be ready to fight.

My fingertips touched Killian's back, and his fur bristled as a female peaked her head around the corner of the cave above us before transporting down to stand only twenty feet away.

We both took a step back at the action. The only person that we had known who was strong enough to do that was Joselin. Even then, her ability wasn't as clear. She flickered in and out, while the stranger before us popped from one place to the other.

The power she must have had to master that skill was terrifying.

She was breathtaking. Her long ebony hair was curly and wild. Her eyes were a pale, sea-green. I shivered when I met them and found them locked on me. "You have grown so beautiful, my dear."

seemed to echo through the cavern, and the hair on Killian's hackles rose. For me to have grown meant that she had seen me when I was little. But I had no

rumble behind his words. The underlying threat made me anxious. While he had been doing better to control his anger and reactions, pissing off a witch with no backup, especially one as powerful as she

She laughed as she pulled her gaze away from me and landed on my mate. "You seem to have a habit of bringing women

in our coloring. While she had black hair, I had brown. Her lips and eyes were bigger than mine were. We both had green

eyes at her in disbelief as I failed to find

not possible." My denial caused a flash of hurt to go over her face,

is. I birthed you myself. Right here in this very cave, as a matter of fact." She lifted her arms, palms up, to gesture toward her surroundings. But I refused to take my eyes off her as she spouted her lies. "I knew

could you be my mother? Prove it." I whispered, feeling my confidence fade. I felt desperate to know if she was a threat to our safety or just a threat to my mind and heart. Either way, I would come out damaged

taken me in. If the wrong person learned that fact, they could use it

are connected by our blood. If you try, you can feel it. You may have shifted, but the other part of you hasn't gone anywhere.

side as he eyed her with distrust. He shifted to place his shoulder ahead of mine to shield me in case anything should happen,

wasn't wrong. I could feel the magic in the air with every ounce of my being. Having her here, someone to connect it to, was like fine-tuning an instrument. The pull of

to know that I could, in fact, feel the connection between us. It helped to reassure me that she was

and nothing will ever be able to mute

is insane," I whispered as I turned to look at my mate. Killian growled as the woman took a step closer, and my head shot back up to glare at

beast was not proof enough? That in itself should tell you how rare you are. Your father's wolf was a pale, golden color. When you first walked in here, and I saw that you had his eyes and hair, I figured that your wolf would be the same. I'm glad that you share at least that with me." Aurora smiled warmly at me before the magic in the air began to thin as if she were

arm moving in front of my torso to protect me as Aurora walked around us to take a seat on a thick section

are my mother, where were you?" My voice

as she continued to

you