Chapter Text
"B00! Not another werewolf movie!" I loudly proclaimed tossing a hand full of popcorn at the screen. A couple of fellow movie patrons shush you with only caused your two girlfriends sitting on either side of you to burst out laughing. "Really you need silence in the previews!" You call over your shoulder. Some old guy clearly on a date behinds you say" yes" then calls you a bitch.
Bitch! That's a female dog! Normally you wouldn't let that kind of offense slide but you happened to be in a good mood today and not about to let this guy ruin it.
In fact, you were pretty much the opposite of a bitch, You are a cat! You hated the term werecat, it sounded too much like those loser dogs. You preferred to be called a shapeshifter. It sounds cooler right? What, you've never heard of us? Well, there is a good reason for that! Unlike the stupid dogs, the immortal crybaby vampire, and spell casting witches, you cats know how to stay off the human radar and lord don't get me started on humans, like that jerk back there demanding silence to please his sour-faced girlfriend, that's now giving you the stink eye.
So you give the woman a smile and turn back to watch the previews for yet another cheesy werewolf/ vampire movie. The human's obsession with werewolves has always annoyed you slightly, they aren't that magical!
It's simple, really, Were's change according to their clan line and, through history, clans fought to the death over territory, some clan to the break of extinction, until the great treaty was signed by your grandmother.
The North that went to the dog's and their alias area, vampires had the West and who are we kidding the bloodsucker have any alias! East was the witches, though the witches, for the most part, are neutral they remind you of a bunch of 60's hippies with there make love, not war, why can't we all get along attitudes and that left the South to the Cats.
Cat clans are not like wolves. Firstly there are hardly any males around. It's in their nature to roam, they only come around to mate and soon after leave. In fact, you don't even know who your father is, probably just some random Tom caught your mom at a weak moment and bingo bango You! It doesn't bother you not knowing who your father is. Males, who needs them! Besides it leave the women to lead. You were born into the largest female clan whose leader just so happens to be the most furious and admired shapeshifter in the south, your mother, Annabelle Crimson. To say you idolize your mother was an understatement she was the strongest, smartest person you knew. She was a skilled warrior, a brilliant negotiator and beautiful too boot. From the moment you could walk she was training you to be her replacement and you felt this trip was your first step, it had to be! She has never allowed you to leave the territory before.
Right now you were in the neutral zone, the yearly clan council was gathering. The representatives come together to deal with the current issue and from what you have been told everyone normally just sits around and argues. Which all sound completely boring and like a complete waste of time but according to mother, "Celeste you need to learn to lead our clan and to command the respect of the table," As much as you respect your mother, learning to lead just doesn't sound all that much fun to a 17 year old. So even though you were supposed to be in your hotel room reading your notes for tomorrow's meeting, you were actually out having fun with your friends, Kammy and Dania. A day spent shopping and now you were all resting your feet by watching a movie.
The smell hit you first but you notice your friends tense beside you, "There's a dog here." Dania whisper next to you. You inhale slowly, deeply.
"Three," You reply, you definitely smell at least three dogs. You turn your head slowly scanning the room until you lock on a group of young males making their way down the aisle. Two were likely your age but the one in the middle was older maybe 19ish. They froze too all six of you seemed to be caught in a staring competition.
"Hey, asshole sit down! The movies starting and I can't see throw you." The same jerk from earlier called out cause you to smile, but to your horror, that smile was somehow seen by the oldest male as an invitation because they move to sit directly behind you. Causing your friends to tease up. There was no way you were letting them intimidate you. You force your shoulders to relax and focus on the movie. Trying to appear uninterested as our spill on your soda, and snacking on the best movie snack ever, strawberry Twizzlers licorice!
Thankfully the movie was a comedy so you did your best to laugh loud, making sure those beasts behind you knew you could care less that they were there.
"I know you." The older boy leans forward whispering in your ear, his voice didn't hold any hostility it was more a statement of fact. You scoff unless he broke the treaty and came to the South then that was a lie. This is your first time in the neutral zones.
"Your mistaken Rover," you whisper back, you hear him release a scoffing laugh at being called Rover. It was a toss-up between Fido and Rover, you kinda regret not calling him Fido now giving yourself a mental kick.
"Whatever you say, Princess Kitty." Your breath caught. Did he know you? You weren't a princess by title, but your mother was that pack's Queen, but people don't call you Princess. Thankfully Rover seats back leaving you to munch on some more licorice. Poor Kammy and Dania couldn't seem to relax, this was their first time out of the territory as well, god you wish they would chill it was putting you an edge and you really wanted to have the air of indifference right now, besides it's not like the dogs can actually start a fight or anything, it would be death if they attacked us on neutral ground.
You try to stay focused on the movie but sadly it's not funny as you had hoped, the hairs on the back of your neck are still standing on end because of the three dogs being so close, but you were doing better than your friends they were sitting with their backs straight as a board, their nail's digging into the armrests of their chairs, you felt bad this was supposed to be fun and those mutts were ruining everything.
Rover leans forward whispering in your ear again. "So Princess can I buy you a coffee after this?" What? You turn your head to see if he's trying to be funny, only to find Rover's face far too close to yours. It's not that he was unattractive it was actually not a bad-looking face. He had sandy blond hair that curled slightly, but what got your attention was his green eyes. They may have been the greenest eyes you have ever seen but regardless if he had nice eyes he was far too close to you.
"No thanks, Rover." You say turning your head back.
"Come on kitten, it could be fun? Hanging with the big dogs." He whispers in your ear.
"Will you shut up man?" The jerk calls out, "The girl isn't interested so can you let the rest of us enjoy the movie." You hear a low growl come from the guy sitting next to Rover. You glance back as Rover whispers to the guy to chill. You flip your hair to cover the ear Rover keeps whispering in, there now he can't do it.
Unfortunately, that chestnut of an idea didn't work, you head the guy leaning forward again, "It's almost 6 and you haven't eaten anything about licorice maybe some dinner?" He whispers into your hair, you choose to ignore him, pretending you couldn't hear him through your hair. Then he did it! He gently pulled your hair from your shoulder and all hell broke loose.
Dania was on her feet and with one swipe Rover lets out a cry of pain as the smell of blood filled the air. Rover's friends were on their feet, Kammy too is up, you jump up putting your arm out trying to calm your girls. You glance back, Rover has four claw marks across the back of his hand, his green eyes look like hard emeralds as he looks at Diana.
"You don't touch her." Dania hisses baring her teeth.
"Dania, I'm ok?" You whisper, "Let's just go?" You shove Dania to get her moving down the aisle your other hand on Kammy's wrist dragging her behind you.
"Thank you!" The jerk called as I pull my girls out.
"Oh god shut it asshole!" You snarl, you were so upset with your girls, you get them into the ladies room.
"What the actual fuck Dania!" You growl she backs against the wall. "You attacked a dog in the neutral zone!"
"He.....he......touched you," Dania sputtered trying to defend her action
"What if they report this?" You hiss, oh god the embarrassment it would cause your mother, that you are connected to this, you were starting to regret not staying in your room now. Dania just looked at you as if pleading for you to forgive her. You take a deep calming breath. "Come on, let's just go back to the room." The three of you leave the bathroom only to see the dogs waiting at the exit, great! Looks like it was time to pull out your diplomatic side.
"Let me deal with this." You step forward your girls reluctantly remain a few steps behind. Rover follows your example leaving his guys back. Damn, he's taller than you thought. Why are dogs always so big?
"My apologies," I gesture towards his hand you keep your head high, making eye contact, keep your tone firm and with no emotion. "I hope you don't want to make a case of this. In my friend's defense, you did touch me without permission."
"I too apologize," his voice has the same formal tone, good we are on the same page. "I forget that your kind requires a great deal of personal space. I meant no offense." Good, good it looked like Dania was going to escape charges.
"Well then," you move to step around him "Good day," You were almost at the door, your girls close behind you. The two guys were standing away from the door and you didn't like the way they were looking at Dania.
"Kitten!" Rover calls. "I would still like to take you to dinner." Now you were losing your patience.
"What is your deal Rover? One scratch not enough for one night! I am trying really hard to keep the peace right now but your starting to really push it." You push the girls towards the door. You really just need to get away from these guys.
"I am glad to see you inherited your mother's diplomacy skills, along with her beauty." These words stopped you dead in your tracks, who the hell was this guy? How did he know your mother?
"Lady Celeste!" The voice calls as two women walk towards the group. Shit busted! Mother's second, Gail and fourth, Mary materials out of nowhere. "The Queen wishes to see you." You were in so much trouble. On seeing the dogs they freeze.
"Alpha, you are aware that the meeting isn't to take place until tomorrow. The Queen will not be pleased to hear of this." Gail was now moving to stand between you and Rover.
"I just bumped into her! It's not my fault we have the same great taste in movies." An Alpha you should have guessed by his size and pushy nature. Mother told you the Alpha's are cocky and stubborn to high heaven. Gail's eyes linger on Rovers hand for a moment
"Very well! Good evening then." With that you are ushered away, each step is a step of doom, Mother was not going to be pleased with you.