Chapter 6

Catherine's confident smile acted like a lit match dropped into a pool of gasoline.

The stunned silence of the single males shattered. The primal, biological urge to claim the most beautiful, vibrant female in sight overrode all logic. They surged forward, a tidal wave of muscle and desperation, swarming the base of the cliff leading up to Amon's cave.

A massive man with short, coarse brown hair shoved his way to the front. It was Gus, a bear shifter.

He dropped heavily onto one knee, the impact kicking up a cloud of dust. He held up both hands. Resting in his massive palms was a jagged, glowing red crystal. It was dripping with fresh, foul-smelling monster blood.

"Beautiful female!" Gus roared, his voice booming across the clearing. "I am Gus! A five-star warrior! Take my core! Let me be your mate!"

The metallic stench of the blood hit Catherine's nose. Her stomach violently lurched. She took a quick step back, pressing her hand over her mouth and nose to block the smell.

Her retreat only fueled the frenzy.

"Choose me! I can hunt the fattest beasts for you every day!" another male screamed, flexing his arms until his veins popped.

"My beast form is the warmest! You'll never be cold in the winter!" yelled another, half of his face covered in thick wolf fur.

The noise was a physical assault. The air grew thick and suffocating with the aggressive heat of dozens of males competing for dominance. Catherine felt a wave of claustrophobia crash over her. Her hands started to tremble again. She hated this. She hated being treated like a piece of meat on an auction block.

Brooke and the other females watched from the sidelines, their faces twisted in ugly masks of jealousy, but they couldn't intervene. This was the law of the Shifter World.

Catherine dropped her hand from her mouth. She opened her mouth to scream at them to leave her alone.

Before she could make a sound, the sky above them suddenly darkened.

A terrifying, high-pitched screech tore through the air. A massive shadow plummeted from the sky, accompanied by a crushing wave of energy that made the air heavy and hard to breathe.

BOOM.

The impact shook the entire cliffside. Dust and loose rocks exploded outward, forcing Gus and the other males to throw their arms up and stagger backward.

When the dust cleared, Amon stood between Catherine and the mob.

He looked like a god of war. In his left hand, he held the massive, bloody carcass of a seven-star flying beast by its neck. His right hand had completely transformed into a lethal, black-scaled claw.

His golden eyes were pure, slitted lines of murderous intent. The energy radiating from him was so cold and violent it formed a visible black mist around his boots.

"Get away from my female," Amon snarled. His voice was a demonic rumble that vibrated in the marrow of everyone's bones.

Gus was pale, sweating under the oppressive weight of a seven-star aura. But the intoxicating scent of Catherine gave him a suicidal burst of courage.

"She doesn't have your beast mark!" Gus yelled, pointing a trembling finger at Catherine. "The Chief said we all have the right to court her!"

"Yeah! She's not yours yet!" the crowd echoed, feeding off each other's bravery.

Amon's sanity snapped.

He tossed the massive dead beast aside like a ragdoll. The black scales on his hand began to rapidly spread up his forearm, crawling toward his neck. His breathing turned into ragged hisses. He was going to slaughter every single one of them.

Gus roared, his torso expanding as thick brown fur erupted from his skin, preparing for a fight he couldn't win.

Catherine saw the black scales creeping up Amon's neck. Her mind raced, calculating the terrifying odds. If he slaughtered these men to protect her, he would become a hunted outcast, and she would lose her only true ally in this brutal world. She knew what mating meant-the absolute, terrifying surrender of her body and future-but looking at the desperate, suicidal fury in his golden eyes, she realized he was already willing to throw his life away for hers. It was a massive gamble, but in this savage realm, it was the only play she had left. She took a deep, steadying breath, burying her modern sensibilities beneath a layer of sheer survival instinct.

Catherine lunged forward and threw her arms around Amon's solid waist from behind. She pressed her cheek flat against the center of his broad back.

Amon's entire body went rigid. The violent black mist swirling around him froze instantly. He jerked his head around, his lethal eyes wide with shock as he looked over his shoulder at her.

Catherine didn't let go. She stepped out slightly from behind him, keeping one arm wrapped tightly around his waist. She locked her eyes on Gus, her gaze cold and unyielding.

She took a deep breath, projecting her voice so every single person in the clearing could hear her.

"Who said I haven't chosen him?" Catherine declared, her voice ringing clear and absolute. "I, Catherine Mays, will mate with Amon Peterson and take his beast mark today!"

The words hit the crowd like a physical shockwave.

Gus's jaw dropped. The aggressive energy drained out of the mob, replaced by stunned, bitter defeat.

Brooke let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "You're insane! Mating with a snake shifter? His rut will tear you to pieces! You're signing your own death warrant!"

Catherine narrowed her eyes at Brooke. She tilted her chin up, her expression pure, modern defiance.

"None of your damn business," Catherine snapped.

Brooke choked on her next words, her face turning a violent shade of purple.

Catherine didn't give anyone another second of her time. She slid her hand down from Amon's waist and grabbed his large, rough hand. His fingers were still trembling slightly from the adrenaline.

"We're going home," Catherine said softly, looking up at Amon. She gave him a reassuring smile, turned, and pulled him toward the dark entrance of the cave, leaving the stunned tribe behind.