Free Feral Awakening (The Feral Series-Book 2) by Erin Ashley

scowl
on his face deepened.
     He folded his massive
arms across his dark t-shirt and spread his booted feet apart like he was
bracing himself for a fight.
     Kat could feel the
tension inside of her spike. This didn’t look good.
     “We have to talk.”
      Oh dear, he
actually wanted to talk. Nope, not good at all. She was positive she wasn’t
going to like what he had to say.
     Kat was unaware that
she instantly mimicked his posture. Folding her arms under her breasts and
bracing her feet apart.
     “The feral didn’t just
randomly attack you. He was drawn to you specifically.”
     “What? Why me? Why
would it do that?” Now Kat’s scowl matched his too.
     Ronan took a deep
breath and plowed ahead, ready to get the task over with.
     “Your scent called to
him. All male Lykan are attracted to the scent of a female Lykan, especially
when they come of age.”
     “I… I’m not sure I
understand.” None of this made sense.
     “Kat, you are not
human. You are Lykan.” Ronan tensed for her reaction.
     Kat stared at him
blankly for a moment before releasing an unladylike snort. “Oh, that’s a good
one. Very funny.”
     She had stuck around
for this? Unbelievable.
     Kat stood facing him
with the same expression on her face, unbelieving and waiting for what he would
throw at her next. She began to feel antsy while he just stared at her like he
was waiting for her to process everything.
     “Ronan that’s crazy. I
am not a Lykan! Don’t you think I would have noticed if I suddenly sprouted
hair and fangs with the full moon! Why would you say that to me?”
     “Our females do not
shift. They do not appear different than humans in anyway until they reach
sexual maturity at the age of twenty five. Then they begin to grow faster and
stronger among other things.”
     “There’s no way that I
am a Lykan.” Kat glared at Ronan defiantly but he could see a softening in her
expression. Something he said must have finally gotten through to her.
     “Why do you think the
feral targeted you? I chased him across four states and suddenly he stopped
here, in your valley. You are a Lykan and it wanted you. Pure-blooded female
Lykan are very rare and male Lykan will stop at nothing to get you. You
survived the attack because it wasn’t trying to kill you. He was trying to mark
you as his mate.”
     “Ronan, it’s just not
possible!”
     “There will be others.
Any unmated male Lykan that catches your scent will try to take you. There are
other beings besides Lykan that would try to take you too. Our enemies would
use you as a bargaining tool against us. You are no longer safe here. I am
going to take you somewhere you will be protected.”
     Kat looked at him for
a moment with her mouth hanging open. She could feel a wave of panic wash over
her at his words. “I’m not leaving.”
     “You have no choice. I
have to get you some place safe.”
     “I am not a Lykan and I
am not leaving! If you think someone is coming for me we can call Sheriff
Thomas or Joe Miller at the department of conservation or…”
     “And what exactly do
you think they will be able to do?” Ronan stormed closer to her. “The humans
don’t know we exist and they never will. It is against Council law to reveal
ourselves to the humans. Even if you told them they wouldn’t believe you. Tell
them you were attacked by a werewolf and they would find you a nice little room
with padded walls and pump you full of drugs. They won’t believe you and even
if they did you would be sending them to their deaths. The humans could never
protect you from a Lykan.”
     Kat could feel her
temper beginning to rise. She hated the way he said the word “humans” as if
they were beneath the mighty Lykans. “Well I was strong enough! I’m a human and
I somehow managed to put four bullets in a feral’s back.”
     Ronan suddenly became
very still and the look he gave her made the hairs in the back of her arms
stand up. “No… you’re