Page 5 of The Purrfect Rival

“I agree,” Rust said, his voice commanding immediate attention. “The library is a cornerstone of Enchanted Falls. Its preservation must be prioritized.”

Kalyna glanced at him, surprised by the conviction in his tone. Their eyes met briefly, and another flicker of connection passed between them—less dramatic than the earlier spark, but undeniable.

“The question becomes one of logistics,” Ursula Stonepelt mused. “Who will oversee the allocation of funds and manage the renovation process?”

Jinli straightened in her seat. “Given the financial complexities involved, I move that Mayor Leonid take direct oversight of this project. His expertise in economic matters makes him uniquely qualified.”

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the chamber. Kalyna’s stomach tightened at the implication—she would need to work closely with Rust for months during the renovation. The fox within her practically purred at the prospect while herrational mind struggled to process the complications this would introduce.

“All in favor?” Jinli prompted.

One by one, the council members raised their hands in assent. Even Lysander Foxworthy nodded his approval, though his eyes darted curiously between Kalyna and Rust.

“The motion carries unanimously,” Jinli declared, bringing down the ceremonial gavel with a resonant click. “Mayor Leonid will oversee the library renovation project, including all necessary fundraising efforts.”

“Thank you, Council,” Kalyna said formally. “The library appreciates your support.”

As the meeting moved to other business, Kalyna gathered her materials, preparing to slip away. She risked one final glance at Rust, who still stood by the podium.

For a moment, the council chamber seemed to fall away, leaving only the two of them suspended in a private bubble of awareness. Something primal and undeniable arced between them—a recognition that transcended ordinary attraction.

A sound escaped Rust’s throat—part purr, part growl—low enough that only enhanced shifter hearing could detect it. But in the room full of supernatural beings, the sound might as well have been a shout.

Kalyna’s fox magic surged in automatic response, causing a brief crimson glow to illuminate her fingertips. She knew that sound—had read about it in ancient texts but never witnessed it personally. Lions only made that particular rumble in very specific circumstances. Circumstances that had nothing to do with professional collaboration and everything to do with primal, possessive interest.

Whispers immediately broke out among the elders. Jinli Leonid’s eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline while Lysander Foxworthy leaned forward with sudden interest. Even AlaricNightbourne, notorious for being unflappable, appeared startled.

Rust himself seemed shocked by the involuntary sound, his composed expression momentarily slipping to reveal something raw and unguarded. He recovered quickly, tugging on his impeccable suit jacket with a curt movement.

Kalyna’s heart thundered in her chest. Her fox—usually so cautious around larger predators—pushed against her control, urging her to move closer to him rather than retreat. The unprecedented reaction left her dizzy with confusion and something dangerously like yearning.

Whatever was happening between them went beyond ordinary attraction into something ancient and instinctual.

As Kalyna finally turned to leave, the weight of Rust’s golden gaze followed her, heavy as a physical touch. Her steps felt unsteady, her body still humming with awareness. The library’s future might now be more secure, but her own carefully ordered world had just been irrevocably shaken.

FIVE

Rust slammed the mayoral office door behind him, his pulse still racing from the council meeting. The carved lion motifs along the wooden paneling seemed to watch him with judgmental eyes—generations of Leonid ancestors who’d never lost control in public.

He loosened his tie with an impatient tug. The scent of fox magic clung to him like an intoxicating perfume. Kalyna Foxworthy. Even thinking her name sent a surge of heat through his body.

Those eyes. Brown one moment, flashing crimson the next when their fingers had touched. The memory made his lion spirit pace restlessly beneath his skin.

“Well, that was quite a performance,” Hezron announced, pushing through the door without knocking. “Two hundred years of dignified restraint, and you nearly shifted in the middle of the council chamber.”

Rust dropped into the leather chair behind his grandfather’s mahogany desk. “I didn’t almost shift.”

“No? Because that growl-purr thing suggested otherwise.” Hezron perched on the edge of the desk, grinning. “What wasit again?” He cleared his throat and produced an exaggerated rumbling sound.

“That sounds nothing like me.”

“Jinli’s face!” Hezron clutched his chest dramatically. “I thought she was going to fall right out of her chair. And old Lysander—did you see how his ears twitched? Classic fox suspicion response.”

Rust swiveled toward the window, hoping to hide the flush creeping up his neck. Outside, ancient trees framed a view of Enchanted Falls, the afternoon sun glinting off the mist-shrouded waterfall that gave the town its name.

“It was an involuntary reaction,” he muttered.

“Involuntary?” Hezron leaned forward. “Like breathing? Or like a lion responding to his mate?”

---