Chapter 4

Oz

My paws made soft thuds against the forest floor, a rhythmic sound that blended with the whisper of the wind through the towering trees. The wilderness before me was a vast expanse of untamed beauty that stretched far beyond where the eye could see. The forest underbelly was familiar terrain, yet the smells were different. There was no faint scent of sick here. No lingering whiff of madness.

Here, the leaves were smaller, the air crisp with the scent of pine and the distant roar of waterfalls. The towering trees of the Pacific Northwest cast long shadows that flickered in the failing light. Each snap of a twig, each rustle in the underbrush heightened my senses, a reminder that even in the role of the predator, one could easily become prey.

Though I was a panther in his prime, there were things out there hungry enough to hunt me. Safety was an illusion in any world, a fleeting comfort that nature could snatch away at a moment"s notice.

I cleared a fallen tree in a single, powerful leap, my muscles flexing with the effort. My body was a testament to survival, each scar a story, each mark a memory of battles fought, both within and without.

I pushed my limbs to their limits. The thrill of the chase coursed through my veins. The ground beneath my paws was a tapestry of fallen leaves and soft earth, each step propelling me forward with a burst of speed that only a fully grown panther could muster. The air was alive with the sounds of my pursuit, the rustle of foliage and the crack of branches breaking underfoot.

There was something exhilarating about being hunted, a primal excitement that awakened every sense, every instinct. I felt the presence of my pursuer. It was a creature that matched my pace with a persistence that was almost admirable. The scent of it filled my nostrils, a mix of musk and aggression, a clear signal that this was no ordinary predator.

My heart pounded in my chest. Not with fear, but with anticipation. I had long outgrown the vulnerability of my cubhood, the days when I was an easy target.

I darted through the underbrush, my sleek black coat blending seamlessly with the shadows cast by the towering trees. My ears twitched at every sound, my eyes scanning the environment for any sign of my adversary. The dense foliage offered cover, but it also obscured my view, adding an element of surprise to the chase.

As I raced across a clearing, the moonlight breaking through the canopy above, I caught a glimpse of my pursuer—a massive creature, its silhouette outlined against the night sky. Its size and shape suggested something wild, something not of this world.

I increased my speed, pushing myself to the edge of my abilities. The wind rushed past me, a cool caress against my fur. I heard the heavy footfalls of the creature behind me, its breathing a pulsing chorus of exertion and determination.

Then, without warning, the terrain shifted. The forest gave way to a rocky outcrop, the ground uneven and treacherous. I navigated the obstacles with ease, my agile body adapting to the sudden change. But it was here, amidst the stones and shadows, that I decided to confront my hunter.

I came to a sudden stop, my muscles coiled and ready. I turned to face the creature, my eyes glowing with an inner fire. The moment of truth had arrived, the culmination of this exhilarating chase.

The wolf stopped and howled. The howl was one of triumph. It thought I was cornered. It was wrong.

As it approached, I saw the intelligence in its eyes, a recognition of the challenge I presented. This was no mindless beast. It was a creature of power and purpose. The outcome of this confrontation would be determined by more than just strength and speed.

The wolf lunged. I met it head-on. Our forms collided with a force that shook the earth beneath us. The battle was on, a test of might and mettle under the watchful eyes of the moon and stars.

Our initial clash was a fierce clash of bodies. I swiped at the wolf with my powerful forepaws, my claws unsheathed and ready to strike. The wolf countered, its teeth bared as it aimed for my flank.

I twisted away, using my agility to my advantage. The forest around us became our arena. The sounds of our conflict echoed through the trees.

But as the fight wore on, a shift occurred. What started as a battle morphed into something else—something less deadly and more...playful. Our movements, still swift and powerful, carried a different energy. A swipe of my paw was met with a dodging leap, more akin to a dance than a duel. The wolf"s growls took on a teasing tone, and I found myself responding in kind, my own growls mingling with what could only be described as laughter, if such a sound could come from a panther.

We were evenly matched, each of us giving as good as we got, neither willing to back down, yet neither truly seeking to harm the other. It was a game, a way to test our skills and enjoy the pure physicality of the moment. We darted between trees, leaped over fallen logs, our movements a blur of fur and muscle.

Then, suddenly, the wolf paused. Its ears pricked up in a way that spoke of attention being called elsewhere. I halted too, watching as its stance shifted from playful to attentive. There was no sound that my ears could catch, but I knew instinctively what had happened—Queen Dani, the wolf"s other half, had called.

The wolf cocked its head back toward the House of Blood and Beryl. It was a very human move. Nova was more than the average wolf. A spell had separated the wolf from its human half, allowing the two to live as separate individuals but also intrinsically connected.

The twitch of Nova"s ear, the lift of her nose, signaled that it was time to return to the House. Each of us to our masters.

Last night, after King Elias and his consort Dani had formally received us and dinner had been dined, Dion set about crowding the lavish bedroom he"d been appointed with more than one willing woman of the House. He"d invited me in like always. Dion liked to share his women. He was a good friend like that. But I"d grown tired of the orgies at some point in the last year.

What used to be fun and pleasurable now left me unsatisfied and feeling… lonely.

So last night I"d left Dion"s quarters after assessing each woman to make sure she posed no serious threat. Then I went next door, falling into a lucid dream to a soundtrack of women climaxing on repeat. This morning, I"d left Dion to his diplomatic talks and taken the queen"s familiar and gone on a run. I knew there wasn"t much trouble my king could get into having discussions in a throne room. If he looked at Dani wrong, Elias would take his head. Or worse, the king would let his consort do the honors. And that would serve Dion right.

Together, Nova and I made our way out of the forest, skirting around what was termed as No Man"s Land. The border was clear. Nature looked as though she had taken back the land unclaimed by a House.

Like Arcadia, this world had been torn apart as well. The planet had been divided into Houses where supernaturals gathered for protection. Pureblood humans were near extinct. Those that lived outside of the Houses in No Man"s Land had little to no protection from the elements and the supernatural predators.

On our side of the border, where civilization held its grip, everything was meticulously arranged. Manicured pathways marked Blood and Beryl"s territory. The scent of cultivated flowers mixed with the earthy aroma of the trails, creating an ordered environment. On the other side, nature had reclaimed this untamed realm with a vengeance. Towering pine trees, their branches heavy with lush foliage, stood like guardians, casting deep shadows upon the forest floor below. The ground was a rugged carpet of fallen leaves and moss-covered rocks.

In No Man"s Land, where the raw forces of nature held dominion, the wilderness pulsed with untamed beauty. The air was thick with the scent of the forest—earthy, musky, and alive. It carried the symphony of the wild, with the calls of nocturnal creatures, the rustling of leaves, and the distant howls of coyotes.

I stepped a paw over the boundary, feeling the land call to me. The wild, untamed, lawless place was surely where I belonged. Not in the court of a king and his consort. But that"s where my king was.

When Pan had been in his madness, many of the shifters in Arcadia who were stuck in their shifter forms succumbed to madness. Panthera had avoided most of the darkness, being settled in the far regions of Arcadia with a strong king who had godling blood. Pan"s grip loosened when he found his queen. Now Arcadia was rebuilding and, with these negotiations, Panthera would grow in power.

Eventually, Nova and I made our way to the compound entrance of Blood and Beryl. With a silent understanding, we slowed our pace and made our way toward the grand entrance. Nova"s amber eyes met mine for a moment before she turned and trotted away into the darkness.

I shifted back into my human form, the transition smooth and familiar. I grabbed my clothing from where I"d left the articles. I tried to shield my naked body, not out of modesty—I wasn"t shy—but out of respect. Still, the women of Blood and Beryl were unapologetic as they craned their heads to get a good look.

I moved through the lavish gathering, my senses attuned to the opulent surroundings—the scent of perfumed air, the soft rustle of elegant garments, the flicker of candlelight casting shadows on the polished floors. Yet, amid the extravagance, I felt like an outsider.

Nova moved to stand by Dani"s side. Seeing the two of them together, they were like two halves to a whole that forged to make a complete unit. There was an uncanny intelligence in the wolf"s eyes, while there was a feral glint in the woman"s.

Dion approached me, a teasing smile on his lips and two women on his arms. One of the women dislodged from him and approached me. I turned away. Eventually, she got the hint. Dion sent the other one off and looked at me with a huff.

"Do you not understand the term wing man?"

"We"re here for diplomatic reasons."

"I can read a contract and fuck at the same time."

He could. More than one servant had made the mistake of going into his office without knocking first.

As I was deciding whether or not to open my mouth for a comeback, my king"s expression shifted. The humor faded as a spark ignited in his cobalt eyes.

Immediately, I used my body to block him from the sight of others. I spoke to him in a low voice, making nonsensical statements. My words didn"t matter. My position did. I needed to make our interaction look as normal as possible while a vision overtook him, leaving him momentarily vulnerable.

When Dion returned from the vision, his gaze locked on to mine. It was a silent acknowledgement that he was back in full control of his facilities and I could stand down. I didn"t move a muscle.

Dion"s gaze shifted from mine and found the vampire king"s.

"You saw it too?"

Elias nodded. "There"s a new portal about to open in No Man"s Land, in a place called the Crossroads. We"ll need to make an envoy there. But this won"t disrupt our dealings, King Dion."

"Of course not." Dion smiled his charming smile, but it didn"t reach his eyes. When the vampire turned his back, Dion turned back to me. "I need you to get there now."

I nodded, needing no reason, but the one he gave me had my brows raising.

"There"s a woman there. She"s in the midst of the chaos. She doesn"t belong there. She belongs in Panthera, on the throne."

Dion"s voice still had some of the awe of the vision, but one thing was clear to me: my king had sensed his mate.

"Bring her to me, Oz."

"I swear it will be done."