The ground was moist beneath my paws as I made my way through and around the trees. I’d been doing this for weeks already and had gotten good at being discreet. Nearly a month had passed and I wouldn’t call myself a pro but I was pretty damn good at what I was doing. Sneaking around at night wasn’t something I liked but for him I’d do worse.

I knew what I was doing was forbidden but could I help the way I felt. He wasn’t part of us; he was from a different pack. From a pack with enemies of mine. But I loved him.

Our fathers would kill us if they knew what was going on between us. Well, I knew my father would kill him then kill me.

It was law. No fraternizing with the enemy. If you defied this law the punishment was death, even if I was the king’s daughter. Practically a princess. I’d have to die.

I couldn’t help but think about this constantly. It worried me.

Which is why we don’t get caught, a familiar voice said in my head.

Blaine. The king’s first son. And my secret lover.

Better be your only lover.

I smiled as best I could in my form. Blaine and I were shifters, able to shift our being from human to animal. We didn’t choose this; it was passed on through the lines.

Blaine and I both had the privilege of being jaguars, which ran in our families. Probably why our fathers feuded.

Is everything alright? He asked at my hesitation.

I shook myself. Yeah, fine.

Then let’s go.

I knew where we were going.

He’d taken me to his mothers old home numerous times and I knew the drill. When we got to the forest line, we shifted.

The change wasn’t painful anymore. I remembered when I had first shifted. The pain was…unpleasant. Feeling the bones rearrange and the flesh change to fur was all a bit unsettling.
But now it was different. My body shifted easily now. It was something that came with the power, my father had told me before. Only the higher ups, the powerful shifted without problems. Others changes was more painful. I’d heard the screams before and knew it to be true.

Blaine finished the shift first and dashed across the street.

When I was done I waited for him to enter the house and give me the okay.

At the signal I crossed the street quickly, my bare feet hitting the asphalt in low wet claps.
I never really understood why my shoes didn’t come back with my clothes though they always were in my closet when I returned home. My jeans and white T came back but not my sneakers. It was probably due to the fact the clothes were made from other shifters while the sneakers were not.

I hadn’t gotten fully in the house before I was pulled into a tight embrace.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered into my ear.

“It’s only been two days,” I said, though couldn’t hold back my smile.

“Two days are like two eternities. Coz missed you.”

My smile widened at the name he’d given his shift. Coz. He’d named his because unlike me, he and is shift were completely different. Two different minds. Only sometimes was Blaine able to control what Coz did, and Coz liked to act out. A lot. Most shifts were like that, uncontrollable.
“I missed you, too.” I could almost see Coz in his eyes. Sitting on the outskirts, yearning for freedom.

“No more trips, okay?”

I nodded though he and I both knew I couldn’t promise that.

Before I could tell him so his mouth met mine with fiery passion.

He pressed me against the wall and after that there was no more talking, only moans and laughter.
He’d gotten my shirt off and I was now in just a black bra and jeans. I worked to get his shirt off while trying not to break apart from him. It was difficult but when I was away from him it felt…wrong. More wrong than the fact we were together.

A bang on the door made us stop.

We broke apart from each other quickly. No one ever came here; no one else knew this place except Blaine and his father.

“Who’s that?” Blaine asked me, worried.

“I don’t know, not like I invited someone. Where you followed?”

We both knew that answer. No, he was never followed.

The door banged again though this time from wood hitting wall.

No one ever followed Blaine. But Blaine’s father wasn’t no one. He was skilled.

I smelt him before I actually saw him. Soon he’d be rounding the corner and catching the daughter of his enemy in a bra and his first son shirtless.

I took my shirt that had been carelessly flung over a lamp and fled to a back room.

“Where is she?!” Shouted James.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I heard Blaine mumble.

“So you expect me to believe you came here alone and just decided to get naked? No, Blaine. I’m not stupid.”

I knew it wouldn’t be long before he found me and I couldn’t let that happen. I searched for my escape but before I could find it the door to my hideaway was flung open.

I stared into eyes that bored into mine with such hatred. His hand clamped around my arm with great force and I couldn’t help the small whimper that escaped my lips.

“Stop! You’re hurting her!” Blaine shouted, though never made a move toward me.

“Why, Blaine? Here of all places?!” His father asked, shaking me towards him. “Your mother’s home? Really? Is this slut really worth it?”

Blaine clenched his fist at the mention of me being a slut. “Do not call her that. She is not a disgrace.”

“She might as well be. The daughter of Luke, really, Blaine? You know the law. You could be killed for this. Should be killed for this.”

Could? Should? Did this mean he wouldn’t? Don’t get me wrong, Blaine’s safety was number one on my list, but I was a little confused as to why his father would make the exception.

I tried to pull my arm free only to have his grip tighten. I winced as the pain shot throughout my arm.

“Let her go,” Blaine said stepping closer to his father. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“Come any closer and I will kill her myself,” he whispered fiercely.

Blaine stopped dead in his tracks, shock written across his face. He knew his father would follow through on his threat.

“She has as much to do with this as you do. You’ll be lucky if she dies quickly.”

In a matter of seconds Blaine’s face changed from shock to anger to sadness then to nothing. He had completely shut down, knowing nothing he could say would help.

“Please, father, I’m begging.”

James laughed a hard laugh. “Do not beg, son. It’s not becoming. We’ll deal with this when we get home.”

Two shifters entered the room and I wondered when they’d gotten here. They took both of my arms and tried to lead me to front of the house but Blaine intervened.

“Blaine, step out the way or-”

“Or what? You’re already taking away my reason for breathing, what else can you do to me?”
The shifters clutching my arms looked back at James a little concerned. He, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to hit something.

“Blaine, you can make this easy or-” His fist connecting with my side was the or.

I gasped and doubled over in pain though the shifters grips kept me from falling to my knees.
Blaine’s gasp was nearly as pain filled as mine.

“Do you understand?” His father asked.

I vaguely heard Blaine hiss out a yes.

“Take her.” James smirked, proud of himself. “I’d like to see her father beg before I kill her.”