The raw, desperate heat in his golden eyes flared into a raging inferno. His breathing turned ragged, his chest heaving as he stared at her. He leaned into the touch of her hand on his cheek, his eyes fluttering shut for a fraction of a second before snapping open again.

He reached up. His large, calloused fingers gently wrapped around her ankle, his thumb lightly stroking the sensitive skin above her heel.

"Then..." Amon's voice was a dark, gravelly whisper that sent a jolt straight to Catherine's core. "When can we mate? When can I give you my beast mark?"

Catherine's brain short-circuited.

Mate?

The blunt, biological brutality of the word hit her like a bucket of ice water. Her face burned hot. Panic, sharp and sudden, spiked in her chest. She instinctively jerked her leg back, pulling her ankle out of his grasp.

"M-mate? !" she stammered, scrambling backward on the fur bed until her spine hit the cold stone wall of the cave. She pulled her knees to her chest, her eyes wide with alarm.

Amon froze.

He saw the fear in her eyes. He saw her shrink away from him.

The fire in his eyes died instantly, replaced by a crushing, suffocating darkness. He snatched his hand back as if he had been burned. He dropped his gaze to the stone floor, his broad shoulders hunching forward.

"I apologize," Amon said. His voice was completely hollow. "I was too aggressive. I frightened you."

Seeing him look like a kicked dog made a sharp pang of guilt twist in Catherine's stomach. She quickly waved her hands. "No, it's not you. It's just... we literally just met. Mating is... it's too fast."

Amon looked up, confusion warring with the self-hatred in his eyes. "In the Shifter World, when a female chooses a male, they form the bond that night. But..." He swallowed hard, his jaw clenching. "I can wait. I will wait until you are willing."

He stood up abruptly, his movements stiff and jerky. He needed to get out of the cave before his instincts made him do something unforgivable.

"You must be starving," Amon said, not meeting her eyes. "I will go into the forest. I will hunt the most tender meat for you."

Before Catherine could say another word, he turned and practically fled the cave. A flash of silver light illuminated the entrance, and the giant black snake slithered rapidly down the cliff face.

Catherine let out a long, shaky breath. She was alone.

The adrenaline crash hit her hard. Her stomach let out a loud, painful rumble. She looked around the cave. It was clean but incredibly bare. There was a stone fire pit, a few clay pots, and the fur bed. No food.

Then, she remembered the mechanical voice in her head.

Eternal Space unlocked. Newcomer gift package delivered.

Catherine closed her eyes. She focused her mind and thought the words: Open Space.

Instantly, her consciousness was pulled into a massive, glowing white void. Floating in the center of the void was a golden package. She mentally reached out and touched it.

The package exploded into a shower of light.

Dozens of items materialized and stacked themselves neatly in the void. Cases of bottled water. Boxes of protein bars. First aid kits. A pile of modern, durable clothing. And right in the front, a large box of premium chocolate bars.

Catherine almost cried with relief. She mentally selected a bottle of water and a chocolate bar.

She opened her eyes. The items were sitting right in her lap.

She unscrewed the cap and chugged half the bottle, the cool, purified water soothing her raw throat. Then, she ripped open the chocolate wrapper and took a massive bite. The rich, sugary sweetness flooded her senses, melting away the terror and exhaustion of the past few hours. She let out a soft groan of pure bliss.

Just as she took another bite, the sound of crunching footsteps and hushed voices drifted into the cave from outside.

Catherine froze. She quickly shoved the remaining chocolate and the water bottle under the thick furs on the bed. She crept quietly toward the cave entrance and pressed herself against the shadows of the stone wall.

Outside, a group of females had gathered in the small clearing near Amon's cave. The red-haired female, Brooke, was standing in the center, her arms crossed.

"I bet that human female is in there crying her eyes out," Brooke sneered, her voice dripping with malice. "Amon is such a freak, he probably doesn't even know how to build a proper fire."

"Exactly," another female chimed in. "Without other males to provide for her, she's going to starve. Or worse, Amon's rut will hit and he'll tear her apart. She'll be begging the Chief to take her away by tomorrow."

Catherine listened to the venomous gossip. Her jaw tightened.

She looked down at her torn, muddy clothes and her dirt-streaked hands. She wasn't going to let these women think she was a victim.

She stepped back into the cave, opened her Eternal Space, and pulled out a pack of wet wipes and a clean, fitted black t-shirt and dark cargo pants from the gift package. She quickly stripped off her ruined clothes, wiped the blood and mud from her face and arms, and pulled on the fresh clothes. She used her fingers to comb the tangles out of her hair, letting it fall in soft waves over her shoulders.

She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders.

Catherine stepped out of the shadows of the cave and walked directly into the sunlight.

The sunlight caught the pale perfection of her skin and the fierce, confident spark in her eyes. She stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the gossiping females. A cool, condescending smile played on her lips.

The voices cut off instantly.

Brooke's mouth dropped open. The other females stared in stunned, horrified silence. Catherine didn't look like a broken, starving victim. She looked like a goddess who had just descended from the sky.

A group of single males walking past the clearing stopped dead. The dead animals they were carrying slipped from their hands, hitting the dirt with a heavy thud. They stared at Catherine, completely mesmerized.

Chapter 5

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