Dead silence slammed down on the plaza.

Every male stared at Catherine as if she had just lost her mind. A fragile, precious female choosing a cursed snake shifter? It broke every rule of their reality.

Amon's hand flipped over. He gripped Catherine's hand back. His grip was almost painfully tight, his fingers trembling against her skin. The golden slits of his eyes dilated, swirling with a dark, obsessive heat.

Barrett's face turned the color of bruised plum. He slashed his hand through the air. "Absurd! You don't know what you are saying! You don't know how cold-blooded and selfish snake shifters are!"

He pointed a thick, accusing finger at Amon. "They have no emotions! Their rutting season makes them violent and insane! He doesn't know how to care for a fragile female. He will break you!"

The crowd of males roared in agreement, hurling vicious insults at Amon's bloodline.

Monster. Cold-blooded freak. Killer.

Amon's body went rigid. The air pressure around them dropped drastically. Black scales began to push through the skin on his neck, his beast form fighting to break free under the weight of his rage. The ground beneath his feet cracked.

Catherine felt the cold sweat on Amon's palm. She squeezed his hand harder, trying to anchor him.

She glared at Barrett, her chin tilted up. "All I know is that when I was about to die, he was the one who fought for me. Where were all of you?"

The words slapped the crowd into silence. Jett's face flushed red, and he awkwardly stepped back into the throng of men.

Barrett took a deep breath, his chest puffing out as he tried to regain control. He forced a sickeningly sweet smile onto his face. "Beautiful female, you are new here. You don't understand our laws. By tribal rule, a new, unbonded female must have her mates assigned by the Chief to ensure her safety."

He gestured to two massive men standing nearby, both covered in tribal tattoos. "These are tiger shifters. They are the strongest. They are the best choice to protect you and give you powerful cubs."

A terrifying, inhuman hiss ripped from Amon's throat.

His right arm completely transformed. Thick, black scales covered his skin, and his fingers elongated into razor-sharp, lethal claws. He threw himself in front of Catherine, his golden eyes burning with a suicidal fury.

"She said she chose me," Amon snarled. His voice sounded like it was scraping over broken glass. It was the sound of a man ready to burn the world down.

The two tiger shifters instantly dropped into a fighting stance. Their hands morphed into massive, fur-covered paws with unsheathed claws. Low growls vibrated in their chests.

Blood was about to be spilled. Catherine knew Amon was strong, but if he killed the Chief's men, they would never survive in this world.

Without thinking, Catherine stepped around Amon. She planted herself directly between his lethal claws and the two tiger shifters.

She stared dead into Barrett's eyes. Her hands were shaking, but she forced her voice to stay steady. "If your tribe's rule is forcing me to do something against my will, then I will leave this tribe right now."

The crowd gasped.

A female with no abilities leaving the safety of the tribe was a guaranteed death sentence. But to Barrett, losing a female was the ultimate failure. Females were the rarest, most vital resource for their survival and evolution.

Barrett's confident mask cracked. Panic flashed in his eyes.

"Don't be reckless!" Barrett quickly raised his hands in surrender. He gritted his teeth, swallowing his pride. "Fine. If you insist, you can stay in Amon's cave for now. But the rule stands: until you are marked, every male in this tribe has the right to court you."

Catherine knew that was the best deal she was going to get. She gave a curt, cold nod.

Amon didn't wait for another word. He turned, scooped Catherine up into his arms, and walked away. His long strides ate up the distance as he headed toward the steep cliff face at the edge of the settlement.

As they walked past the wooden cabins, female shifters peeked out from their doorways. Their eyes were filled with toxic jealousy.

A female with bright red hair, standing outside a cave near the cliff, sneered loudly. Catherine noticed the way the red-haired female's gaze lingered on Amon's broad back for a fraction of a second-a toxic mix of lingering obsession and bitter rejection-before she turned her venomous glare toward Catherine. "A pretty face means nothing if she's stupid. Choosing that cold-blooded freak... she'll be tortured to death during his rut."

Amon's steps faltered. His spine turned to steel. He didn't turn his head, but Catherine felt the violent shudder that wrecked his massive frame. He started walking faster.

Catherine rested her head against his hard chest. She reached up and lightly touched his jaw. "Don't listen to them. I trust you."

Amon's Adam's apple bobbed hard. He pulled her tighter against him, burying his face in her hair as he carried her up the rocky path.

They reached a large, natural cave carved into the cliffside. It was isolated from the rest of the tribe.

Amon walked inside and gently set Catherine down on a wide stone bed covered in thick, soft animal furs. He pulled his hands back immediately, as if her skin burned him.

He dropped to his knees beside the bed. The terrifying, lethal predator from the plaza was gone.

He looked up at her. His golden eyes were wide, swimming with a crippling, agonizing vulnerability. His jaw ticked as he struggled to force the words out.

"Do you..." Amon's voice broke. "Do you really not hate me?"

Catherine looked down at this massive, powerful man kneeling before her, looking at her like she was his entire world. Her chest ached. She reached out, placing her hand gently on his cheek, and nodded.

The moment Catherine nodded, the fragile control Amon was holding onto shattered.

The raw, desperate heat in his golden eyes flared into a raging inferno. His breathing turned ragged, his chest heaving as he stared at her. He leaned into the touch of her hand on his cheek, his eyes fluttering shut for a fraction of a second before snapping open again.

He reached up. His large, calloused fingers gently wrapped around her ankle, his thumb lightly stroking the sensitive skin above her heel.

"Then..." Amon's voice was a dark, gravelly whisper that sent a jolt straight to Catherine's core. "When can we mate? When can I give you my beast mark?"

Catherine's brain short-circuited.

Mate?

The blunt, biological brutality of the word hit her like a bucket of ice water. Her face burned hot. Panic, sharp and sudden, spiked in her chest. She instinctively jerked her leg back, pulling her ankle out of his grasp.

"M-mate? !" she stammered, scrambling backward on the fur bed until her spine hit the cold stone wall of the cave. She pulled her knees to her chest, her eyes wide with alarm.

Amon froze.

He saw the fear in her eyes. He saw her shrink away from him.

The fire in his eyes died instantly, replaced by a crushing, suffocating darkness. He snatched his hand back as if he had been burned. He dropped his gaze to the stone floor, his broad shoulders hunching forward.

"I apologize," Amon said. His voice was completely hollow. "I was too aggressive. I frightened you."

Seeing him look like a kicked dog made a sharp pang of guilt twist in Catherine's stomach. She quickly waved her hands. "No, it's not you. It's just... we literally just met. Mating is... it's too fast."

Amon looked up, confusion warring with the self-hatred in his eyes. "In the Shifter World, when a female chooses a male, they form the bond that night. But..." He swallowed hard, his jaw clenching. "I can wait. I will wait until you are willing."

He stood up abruptly, his movements stiff and jerky. He needed to get out of the cave before his instincts made him do something unforgivable.

"You must be starving," Amon said, not meeting her eyes. "I will go into the forest. I will hunt the most tender meat for you."

Before Catherine could say another word, he turned and practically fled the cave. A flash of silver light illuminated the entrance, and the giant black snake slithered rapidly down the cliff face.

Catherine let out a long, shaky breath. She was alone.

The adrenaline crash hit her hard. Her stomach let out a loud, painful rumble. She looked around the cave. It was clean but incredibly bare. There was a stone fire pit, a few clay pots, and the fur bed. No food.

Then, she remembered the mechanical voice in her head.

Eternal Space unlocked. Newcomer gift package delivered.

Catherine closed her eyes. She focused her mind and thought the words: Open Space.

Instantly, her consciousness was pulled into a massive, glowing white void. Floating in the center of the void was a golden package. She mentally reached out and touched it.

The package exploded into a shower of light.

Dozens of items materialized and stacked themselves neatly in the void. Cases of bottled water. Boxes of protein bars. First aid kits. A pile of modern, durable clothing. And right in the front, a large box of premium chocolate bars.

Catherine almost cried with relief. She mentally selected a bottle of water and a chocolate bar.

She opened her eyes. The items were sitting right in her lap.

She unscrewed the cap and chugged half the bottle, the cool, purified water soothing her raw throat. Then, she ripped open the chocolate wrapper and took a massive bite. The rich, sugary sweetness flooded her senses, melting away the terror and exhaustion of the past few hours. She let out a soft groan of pure bliss.

Just as she took another bite, the sound of crunching footsteps and hushed voices drifted into the cave from outside.

Catherine froze. She quickly shoved the remaining chocolate and the water bottle under the thick furs on the bed. She crept quietly toward the cave entrance and pressed herself against the shadows of the stone wall.

Outside, a group of females had gathered in the small clearing near Amon's cave. The red-haired female, Brooke, was standing in the center, her arms crossed.

"I bet that human female is in there crying her eyes out," Brooke sneered, her voice dripping with malice. "Amon is such a freak, he probably doesn't even know how to build a proper fire."

"Exactly," another female chimed in. "Without other males to provide for her, she's going to starve. Or worse, Amon's rut will hit and he'll tear her apart. She'll be begging the Chief to take her away by tomorrow."

Catherine listened to the venomous gossip. Her jaw tightened.

She looked down at her torn, muddy clothes and her dirt-streaked hands. She wasn't going to let these women think she was a victim.

She stepped back into the cave, opened her Eternal Space, and pulled out a pack of wet wipes and a clean, fitted black t-shirt and dark cargo pants from the gift package. She quickly stripped off her ruined clothes, wiped the blood and mud from her face and arms, and pulled on the fresh clothes. She used her fingers to comb the tangles out of her hair, letting it fall in soft waves over her shoulders.

She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders.

Catherine stepped out of the shadows of the cave and walked directly into the sunlight.

The sunlight caught the pale perfection of her skin and the fierce, confident spark in her eyes. She stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the gossiping females. A cool, condescending smile played on her lips.

The voices cut off instantly.

Brooke's mouth dropped open. The other females stared in stunned, horrified silence. Catherine didn't look like a broken, starving victim. She looked like a goddess who had just descended from the sky.

A group of single males walking past the clearing stopped dead. The dead animals they were carrying slipped from their hands, hitting the dirt with a heavy thud. They stared at Catherine, completely mesmerized.

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.