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."

me to have grown meant that she had seen me when I

her with a low rumble behind his words. The underlying threat made me anxious. While he had been doing better to control his anger and reactions,

You are trespassing in my home, but if my memory serves me correctly, this is not the first time." She laughed as she

was little to no resemblance in our coloring. While she had black hair, I had brown. Her lips and eyes were

narrowed my eyes at her in disbelief as I failed to find a matching feature,

My denial caused a flash of hurt to go over her face, but she quickly masked it with

her surroundings. But I refused to take my eyes off her as she spouted her lies. "I knew you would be beautiful and strong. I am glad to

be my mother? Prove it." I whispered, feeling my confidence fade. I felt desperate to know if she was a threat to

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

side, not bothered by my being nude. "We 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. If anything,

whispered, my hand staying on Killian's side as he eyed her with distrust. He shifted to place his shoulder ahead of mine to

being. Having her here, someone to connect it to, was like fine-tuning an instrument. The pull of the

know that I could, in fact, feel the connection between us. It helped to reassure me that she was not lying.

Her gift runs through our blood, and nothing will ever be able to mute or turn that part of you off." The witch

mate. Killian growled as the woman took a step closer,

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 calling a truce. "Please,

arm moving in front of my torso to protect me as Aurora walked around

mother, where were you?" My voice cracked as she

here." She smiled sadly as she continued

did you