BK 2 - Chapter 63 - Changing Sides
"You're a caladrius?" Gina stood up. Cat could see the fire in her eyes as she stared at her. Gina suddenly had an interest in her son's mate. She could be extremely useful to them.
"Mom, if you come any closer, I will shift into Atlas. Leave her alone." Trey held Cat behind him as he watched his family. They were looking at her like she was their next meal.
"Son, why didn't you tell us that she was a caladrius? We would have accepted her immediately." Thomas tried to ease the tension in the room in an attempt to get Trey to let his guard down. However, his eldest son glared at him.
"It's none of your business what she is or isn't. She's my mate, and that's all that matters. I'm warning you right now this is not a fight you can win. We are prepared, and I doubt any of you can say the same." Atlas was growling, letting them know he didn't care if they were his family. He was ready to tear them all apart for threatening his mate.
Kitty and Aiden stayed back, watching the scene unfold. Gina, Thomas, and Sonya were making their way to the left, while Reece, Twila, Daniella, and Chip were going toward the right. Aiden held Kitty to his side as he mindlinked her.
"If you see anyone start to shift, don't hesitate to do the same. Let Zola take over. She'll know what to do." Aiden glanced toward Kitty, who was watching his family in fear. They had literally brought their mates to the lion's den.
"I won't hesitate. Zola's ready to go." Kitty didn't like fighting his family. However, they were threatening her family, and she would do anything to protect them.
"What makes you think we want to fight? We only want to get to know your mate better. Why don't you come and sit next to me, dear?" Gina asked with a snakelike smile that allowed Cat to see her evil intentions.
"No, thank you. I'm happy standing here with my mate. Trey, I think we've worn out our welcome. We've already told them what we wanted. If we leave and they come after us, they will have no one to blame but themselves." Cat smiled as she projected calmness around the room, making most of the lions hesitate.
"You're not going anywhere. As Trey's mate, you belong to this pride, and therefore you belong to us." Gina motioned for the others to surround the two couples. Cat looked at her with her eyes narrowed.
"I belong to no one. Trey and I are partners. If you choose this path, you'll lose." Cat stood firm, not backing down. Trey had never been so proud of her. She was facing seven lions, but that didn't phase her.
Thatcher watching from the window, knew it was time to make his entrance. With the speed of light, he ran around the house and entered the front door. Everyone stopped in surprise when they saw the vampire sitting at the table as though he had been there all along.
"Well, fine lions, what do we have here?" He sat back, putting his feet on the table like he was relaxing and couldn't feel the tension in the room. Gina looked at him with a smirk. She had hoped he would come to his senses and help get the human from her son. Now maybe he would help her get the caladrius.
"Thank you for coming, Thatcher. Please take Caterina from my son's side and bring her to me. Trey is not prepared to guard such a treasure." Gina spoke with satisfaction, thinking she had it all figured out. She missed when Thatcher looked toward Trey and Cat giving them a little wink. He stood up and leisurely walked to Cat's side.
"I can't do that, Gina. You see, I warned Trey of what your plans were for his mate, which I'm sure have changed now that you know her secret. They took me in and befriended me, making me feel like I belonged when no one ever had. I owe these two couples more than I could ever repay. So I have agreed to come and stand beside them as they face their family. Cat is a loving young woman with a heart purer than all of you. She is a treasure not because of her abilities. She's special because of her kindness. You will not hurt her or any of my friends." Thatcher let them see his fangs, so they knew he meant business.
Gina's face went white, looking at the vampire standing with her two sons and their mates. Lions and vampires had different abilities. Even if they could kill him, they wouldn't get away unscathed. Werelions were fast, but vampires were faster.
"We don't care if you help them. She's ours to use as we want. You can't stop us, bloodsucker. There's more of us than there is of you." Sonya wanted to kill Cat for maiming Derrick, but she would rather drain her of her abilities and then kill her. She wasn't going to let a leech stand in the way.
"Trey, I think you better speak to your mate and tell her how beneficial her abilities could be for us. Young lady, it's time you came to us, or are you willing to sacrifice Trey?" Thomas was done playing around. He could feel the energy from Cat. If they found the right person to harvest the power, they would be the most powerful pride in the state, maybe even the entire continent.
Cat looked each person in the eye with no fear. She could tell they were not ready to fight from their apparent reluctance. She saw the shock on their faces when she began laughing.
"You think you can threaten me with Trey? I know he is stronger than all of you, and you can't defeat him. I'm not weak, either. I have a lion, and she's ruthless. I've seen Aiden and Kitty's lions, and they're just as brutal. Thatcher has become dear to us, and we consider him family. Our love for each other will beat your hate. You don't even love each other. All you think about is what someone can do for you. I don't know if you've heard this statement before, but love will conquer all."
The seven lions looked at Cat as she spoke and felt unsure about her statement. She no longer looked sweet and innocent. The rage they saw in her eyes made her seem like a warrior.
"Stop listening to her. It's time to end this bitch." Twila lunged for Cat, shifting into her lioness as she jumped. However, she didn't get far. Thatcher jumped when she did, and he wrapped his arms around her lion, breaking a few ribs. He didn't do enough to kill her, but it would take her some time to heal. The lion fell to the ground, whimpering as Reece ran to her side. Thatcher returned to Cat, looking at the others with a chilling smile.
"You're making this too easy if you come one by one. I won't even break a sweat. So who's next?" Thatcher rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
"How dare you injure my mate?" Reece was getting ready to shift, but his sister Daniella stopped him.
"Don't get yourself killed, Reece." Of all the siblings, she was the least interested in Cat being a caladrius. Daniella and Chip pretended to be like their family, but they couldn't stand most of them. She thought maybe this was their opportunity to join Trey and Aiden.
"How do you feel about joining my brother's side? I think this may be our best opportunity to get out from under my family?"
Chip thought about what Daniella said, and he agreed. He hated her family because they had also looked down on him when he mated to their daughter. He was born a werelion, but he was from a small family with little money. They struggled for everything they had. He had always admired Trey and Aiden for being able to leave the family that treated others so horribly.
"I agree, but mindlink Trey so he doesn't think we're being aggressive." He took his mate's hand in his and waited.
"Chip and I want to come to your side. We're tired of putting up with our family. It's exhausting. Can we please stand with you, Aiden, and your mates?" Trey looked at his sister in surprise, and she gave him a small smile. He honestly didn't know her well because she had always kept to herself, even when they were younger. He gave her a slight nod and saw her squeeze Chip's hand. They walked over and stood in front of Cat.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Daniella, and this is my mate Chip. Please accept our apologies for making you feel unwelcome. We will have your back if anyone attacks." Cat stared wide-eyed as the pretty blonde smiled at her. She remembered how she had looked at her with disgust just a few minutes ago. However, she felt nothing from either of them that gave her concern, so she smiled back.
"It's nice to meet you both. I'm sorry we showed up like this. I don't want to divide your family. I just want to live in peace." Daniella felt tears in her eyes looking at the beautiful woman in front of her, only asking to be left alone. She felt a warmth wash over her being near Cat.
"If any of them come for you, Chip and I will help you stop them. We only want to live in peace as well, but we were sucked into this constant chaos and didn't know how to get out. I'm not like the rest of them. Chip is nothing like them and hates it whenever we come here." Cat couldn't believe it when Daniella started crying. She reached out, wrapping her arms around her. She felt her sister-in-law begin to relax and return her hug.
Daniella had never felt anything more comforting than the feel of the small woman next to her giving her a hug. It seemed as though all the heartache she had felt not being able to stand up to her family left her.
"Daniella, get back over here. You are not to align with them." Gina was screeching at the sight of her daughter hugging Cat. She was losing her children one by one, and she refused to allow it. Daniella stepped away from Cat and took Chip's hand as she turned toward her mother.
"I will not, mother. I should have done this a long time ago. You can't tell us what to do any longer. You are a manipulative bitch that has gotten her way for far too long. After today don't expect to see me, Chip, or the cubs anymore. We will be moving away from here." Daniella felt free, thanks to Cat and Trey. She and her mate could finally live their own lives.
Gina looked around in a fury. She was no fool. The numbers were no longer on her side. It was now six lions and a vampire versus four lions. Derrick couldn't fight with a missing leg, and Twila's lion was still on the floor whimpering. She cackled in delight when she saw a movement behind her rogue children.
"Maybe this will change your minds." She pointed behind them, and everyone turned to look. Cat's heart sank when she saw a large man pulling a crying Janel and carrying Theo. Who was this man?
