worked up a wobbly smile and led the way to the room. Worry churned in her belly, but she tried to focus. She needed to be doing something. If not, she was going to obsess and make herself and Linc crazy.
* * * * *
Cami walked slowly down the hallway. It felt a little weird to be alone after having either Colm or Linc with her almost all day for the last two days. Without their constant scrutiny and overprotectiveness, some of the tension eased from her body. Danger didn’t lurk in her normal daily activities. They knew it. Considering she was still trying to settle in here, they didn’t help her cause much. Their presence definitely put a distance between her and everyone else.
She headed toward the kitchen to get something to drink. After the attack by Laed, most of the women had relaxed around her. Most. One or two of them still glared at her and blatantly avoided talking to her. She suspected there might be a few more women hiding a grudge.
Still, she wasn’t all that surprised to find one of them standing in the hall. Surprisingly, she didn’t recognize the blonde. Not even from her dreams. She didn’t know the woman’s name. Cami thought she might have spoken a time or two to the other female, but couldn’t be sure.
The blond-haired woman started forward purposefully. “I’m not attacking you from the back.”
“Lucky for you.” Cami tilted her head and looked at the woman. She didn’t want to fight. She would if she had to, but this was senseless.
“You don’t belong here.” The other woman snarled, the expression twisting her pretty face.
The woman knew this wouldn’t work. She had to know. Cami already dreaded the trouble this was going to cause. The woman seemed reticent. She hadn’t immediately attacked. That gave Cami a little hope that they could end this without making it physical.
“This isn’t going to make me go away. I’ll still be here. All that’s going to happen is we’ll fight. Someone’s going to hear or see something. You’ll get their attention, but not in any way you ever wanted.” Cami sighed and rolled her shoulders.
The blonde jumped at her. Cami’s mouth dropped open. The petite female had looked tense, but not ready to attack. The woman’s fist swung toward her. Going on the defensive, Cami stumbled back. Her arm rose to block the blow. The impact jolted up her arm, making it go numb.
Cami thrust her other hand forward. Her palm landed squarely against the blonde’s chest, shoving the woman back. Anger rushed through Cami’s blood. Her canines lengthened as the tiron inside pounced for control. The animal wanted to rip and tear in response to the threat. Both to her life and her claim on Linc and Colm.
Cami swung her fist. Her knuckles connected with the woman’s jaw. The other woman staggered into the wall. Cami barely managed to keep herself from using her claws on the blonde. The petite female’s hand grabbed at Cami’s arm. Cami heard the ripping sound of fabric and then felt a dragging pull across her skin. Fiery tingles erupted over her arm as air hit the claw marks.
Cami shoved again, forcing the woman into the wall. Grabbing a handful of hair, she slammed the blonde’s head into the stone twice. Cami roughly spun the woman and shoved her face first into the wall. At least the bitch was less of a threat that way. The woman’s hand reached back, clawing at her. Cami caught it and twisted it up against the middle of her back, forcing the woman onto her toes.
“They’re mine. My mates!” Cami hissed as she leaned close. The tiron inside roared and raged, wanting to rip the woman open for daring to attack and dispute her claim.
“They haven’t claimed you. Maybe you’re nothing more than we were.” The woman’s voice was a little muffled and she sounded a little dazed.
Cami hoped the disorientation didn’t lessen the impact of the position. She didn’t know if she’d be able to hold back again if the woman didn’t learn her lesson from this fight.
“Don’t try to lie to yourself.” Cami growled low in her throat, a rumbling warning that the tiron was close to the surface. The urge to make sure her rival never again dared try this ripped at her, but she held back. She was more than her animal. “This time I’m not tearing you open and leaving you bleeding as an example. It’s not