Page 49 of The Purrfect Rival

Whispers erupted around them—“lion fever” and “pride protection”—terms usually reserved for mate defense. Despite her disorientation, Kalyna registered the implication. Her fox preened even as her human mind reeled.

Then her mind registered what had happened. Foxbane had been released in the air over her. That was bad. If she didn’t get magical healing quickly, her magic and shifting abilities could be damaged beyond repair.

“I can help,” Rust told her, voice low and urgent. “But it requires sharing magic across clan boundaries. Do you trust me?”

Despite her weakening state, Kalyna’s fox recognized the solution instantly. “Yes,” she whispered without hesitation. “Whatever you need.”

Rust pressed his forehead to hers—an intimate gesture that drew gasps from onlookers. The contact sent sparks cascading through her system, a pleasure so acute it bordered on pain. Golden light flowed from his skin to hers, his lion magic acting as a stabilizing force around her chaotic fox energy.

The sensation overwhelmed her senses. Warmth flooded magical pathways usually accessible only to her fox nature, strength reinforcing areas weakened by the toxin. The world shifted into heightened focus—Rust’s golden energy visible as an aura, other shifters’ magical signatures apparent in ways she’d never perceived.

More potent than the magical connection was the emotional one. For a breathtaking moment, she sensed his feelings—fierce protectiveness, yes, but beneath that lay tenderness, admiration, and something deeper she dared not name. Did he sense her emotions too? The thought both terrified and exhilarated her.

“I felt you inside my magic,” she murmured, hand rising to cup his cheek. The stubble beneath her palm sent delicious shivers through her fingertips. “Like our essences merged.”

“I know,” Rust responded, golden eyes intense. His voice dropped to a whisper meant only for her. “That’s because my lion recognizes your fox as its other half. Always has, from that first moment.”

The declaration—so plain, so certain—stole her breath. Her fox practically danced with joy, yippingYes, yes, exactly this!while her human side struggled to process the implications.

Around them, their combined magical aura shifted into discrete patterns—ghostly images of a twin-tailed fox and golden lion circling each other in perfect harmony.

“The Concordance is just a myth,” Lysander protested, pushing through the crowd. “A children’s story.”

“Sometimes, Elder,” Lucella remarked with unusual wisdom, “children’s stories contain the truths adults prefer to forget.”

Medical attention arrived, breaking the moment. As the crowd dispersed, Echo approached, concern evident in his expression.

“This is what Boz was talking about,” he said quietly. “The Twinned-Tail Charm—he didn’t take it just to play a trick on everyone.”

“What do you mean?” Kalyna asked, still leaning against Rust’s supportive frame. His arm around her waist felt right in ways she couldn’t articulate, like finding a piece of herself she hadn’t known was missing.

“He took it to prevent this,” Echo gestured to their blended magical aura. “He said the Concordance would be impossible without the charm. But you two—you’re doing it anyway.”

Hurt lanced through Kalyna’s heart. “You knew about this?” The betrayal by her own brother cut deeper than any physical attack.

Echo’s expression mirrored her pain. “I didn’t understand what Boz was doing until now.” He swallowed hard. “We need to get it back before the blood moon.”

“Why?” Rust demanded, arm tightening around Kalyna. The possessive gesture sent a contradictory response through her body—her independence bristled even as her fox melted with pleasure.

“I-I’m not sure. I heard him talk about a severance something,” Echo said, lowering his head in shame.

“The Severance Ritual,” Elder Willow said, stepping up to them. “The ritual will permanently break whatever bond is forming between you two—even if it kills you both in the process.”

Kalyna’s fingers laced with Rust’s, their joined hands steady despite the revelation. The thought of severing this newly discovered connection filled her with visceral dread. Whatever this was—this magical resonance, this inexplicable pull—she wanted to explore it, not extinguish it.

FORTY-FIVE

Dawn painted gold streaks across the worn floorboards of Kalyna’s apartment next to the library. Rust stood sentinel at the window, muscles coiled beneath his rumpled shirt, scanning the grounds below for any sign of threat. The third perimeter check in as many hours had revealed nothing, yet his lion remained restless.

From here, he could see the library’s side entrance across the street. Kalyna had the shortest commute he’d ever seen. But the short distance gave him some peace of mind that she didn’t have to go far at night to get home.

But he knew anyone wanting to get to her, still could. The thought made his animal emit a low growl.

Behind him, Kalyna’s dark hair spilled across the pillows of the antique four-poster bed. Her scent—old books and fox magic, now tinged with the bitter remnants of foxbane—filled the small room. Rust inhaled deeply, cataloging the subtle changes in her condition through the night. The poison’s sharp notes had faded, but not enough.

A soft murmur drew him to her side. Without hesitation, he sat on the edge of the bed, his weight causing the ancient frame to creak in protest. He brushed his knuckles across her cheek,allowing himself the luxury of this touch now that she slept. Her skin burned warm beneath his fingers, the sensation sending a surge of possessive pleasure through his core.

Kalyna’s eyelashes fluttered, then parted to reveal warm brown irises. “You’re here.”

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