She shook her head in disbelief with a bitter laugh and glossy eyes.

"It figures."

"What is it ma belle ?"

"My body is somewhere right now in a coma isn't it?

" What?

Kitten, what are you talking about? "

" Well that's the only thing that makes sense. I've read countless fantasy romantic books, so my overactive imagination have created this world for me with you in order to cope with the fact that I'm probably somewhere dying right now. "

" Goddess... Natalia, i know it all may be hard to... "

" Hard to what? Hard to believe?" Another humorless laugh escaped her lips.

Besides when he was watching her bleeding to death, Henri has never been more afraid before in his life. He was losing her.

"Kitten please let me..."

"Nope... Nope nope nope nope. You've said enough mister or should i call you, your highness?"

Henri groaned and passed his hands on his face.

"Tell me my African Prince, are you the one plaguing my emails asking for money, because from the looks of things you've got enough." She exclaimed her arms waving around.

He growled a warning and the hair stood in the back of her neck, knowing this wasn't a happy one. Anyone else would have probably backed down but she went on harder.

" Oh no! Don't you growl at me sir... And what's with all the growling anyway, shouldn't you be roaring at me or something?"

He was sitting on the edge of the bed watching her pace back and forth in front of him, but she may as well has been a thousand miles away.

Her body was tense, fists clutched on her sides, cheeks reddened out of anger and she flinched everytime he tried to reach out to her which hurt him more than he'll ever admit.

She saw the sadness in his eyes when she flinched away from him, and her heart sank. She couldn't bear to see him sad even if this was all probably a dream.

"I can't think with your arms around me Henri... And right now i need to able to think."

"I understand... But baby this is all real."

She stopped pacing and looked at him dead on, head slightly cocked to the side.

"Henri Beausejour..."

Shit

From all the women he's grown up around with, he knew hearing his full name coming out of her lips would not be a good thing.

So before she went on he quickly tried to diffuse the tension. "Ok, how about we get something to eat first mmm? Then you will have some time to digest all of this info."

" You have told me that you are a prince soon to be officially the king of your people which just so happened to be a pride because everyone here are shifters.... SHIFTERS HENRI! CATS! and if that's not a doozy enough, I AM ONE OF THEM NOW because that was only way you could saved my life hence why my stomach is looking as smooth a baby's bottom right now instead of with two bullet holes, and you expect me to be able to eat??? "

As soon as she finished her rant, her stomach growled loudly. She blushed furiously. Henri smiled. He couldn't help it. She was adorable even furious.

" Well that said it all. Do you want to go down with me? Everyone been dying to meet you. "

" I... I um... I don't think I'm ready for that yet. If you don't mind I'd rather stay in here for now."

He stood up, about to reach out to her his fingers aching to touch her, his instincts going haywire to protect and comfort her. But she needed her space right now.

Walking towards the door he turns back to look at her as he reached the doorknob behind him. She was standing still, eyes cast down like her toes were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"Ok baby girl I'll go get us something to eat, ok."

She winced at his words.

"Don't call me that... He called me that."

His jaw clenched and his fingers almost broke the knob, but he stayed in control.

"... And... I want to eat alone."

She still couldn't look at him, and that was worrisome. He didn't want to leave her alone.

"Maybe it would be best if i stayed close and..."

"I need time Henri... You... Your scent and everything you around me right now is making things really hard." She said finally sitting down her back facing him, head on her hands.

He sighed and left the room.

As soon as he left she started hitting her head with her hands.

" Shut up shut up shut up! " The tears sprang free and she quickly got up and headed to the en suite.

Henri whipped up a quick breakfast for them both and brought the plates up to the room. If she didn't want him to stay in the room then he'll sit behind the door.

There... Space.

He had an uneasy feeling he couldn't quite put his fingers on, so he hurried up.

She had just woken up and feeling overwhelmed by everything is probably an understatement. So... No way he was going to leave her alone.

He reached in front of his bedroom door, and dread filled him up.

Blood.

Shit.

He could smell blood.

He hurried into the room and she wasn't in there.

He dashed for the bathroom but the door was locked.

Natalia was laid down in the tub watching it slowly turning red from her slashed wrists on both side of the tub.

Pain she knew.

Pain she understood.

None of this made sense.

The blood lost had already slowed down. She was healing, but the voice in her head wouldn't stop.

The door suddenly bursts open flying off the hinges and flashback of the attack flooded back into her mind.

"Natalia! NO!

Oh my god baby what have you done?"

He quickly grab a hold of her, carried and sat her down on the vanity. Got the first aid kit cleaned her up and bandaged her wrists.

He was positively fuming and doing his best not to make things worse. So he chose to stay silent while he took care of her, put a robe on her and carried her back in the bedroom.

He couldn't look at her because if he did, for the first time in his life someone other than his mother was going to see him breakdown in tears.

So he busied himself and started feeding her the breakfast he made. It was toast, bacon and eggs with orange juice and coffee.

After what seemed to be an eternity in silence with only the sounds of the fork hitting the plate echoing in the room, she finally spoke up.

"I wasn't trying....

It's not what it looked like."

"I've just got you back and you..."

His words trailed off, swallowed up by the surge of emotions building up in his throat.

"The voice... I was trying to quiet the voice in my head. I know it doesn't make sense....

It's either I'm in a coma and I'm hearing someone talking or I've gone completely nuts because I'M HEARING VOICES!"

His head snapped up to look at her.

She was sitting criss-cross in the middle of the bed with him in front of her, the half eaten plate in his hand, the fork stopped halfway midair.

" Voices? "

" A voice...Just one. "

" What is it saying. "

" I don't know... I just want her to shut up! She gets more vocal whenever you aren't near. Whispering a bunch of nonsense... She seems to think you are her mate." she said mumbling.

He put the plate down next to them, and cupped her face between his hands and the sparks went flying, her eyes widened also feeling them.

" Kitten... There's so much for you to understand. I'm so sorry for dumping it all out on you like this... But that voice you are hearing doesn't make you crazy... It's your cat sweetheart talking to you."

"My pussy is not talking to me Henri, what are you talking about?"

Goddess help.

"No no, *chuckles* your lion sweetie."

"All right, I'll play along for a minute and let's say i believe you.. Is there a cure?"

He lets go of her face groaning at her question.

"It's not a disease love, it's just who you are now so... Sorry, no cure.

He got up and went to his closet and gave her another shirt of his to wear.

" I want to go home. " She spat out while disrobing and putting on the shirt.

A moment of silence stretched between them with Henri watching her so intensely, it started making her squirm a little.

"That's a no"

"You can't keep me here!"

"I'm afraid that... Yes i can."

"HENRI !"

"Yes, kitten?"

She took a couple of deep breaths and he could tell she was counting to keep calm.

Goddess she was beautiful.

"You can't stop me from going home, i need space to breathe and think." she muttered through her gritted teeth.

He sighs and sat back down next to her, snaking his arm around her waist.

She tried to shake him off, but his grip got tighter and he growled a warning. Instinctively she stopped squirming immediately, as if she could sense that now was not the right time to try and get away.

He needed to be near her and touching her, making sure she was ok.

He looked at both of her wrists still bandaged and placed a soft kiss on both.

"How are you feeling?"

She knew he was trying to change the subject but.... Sigh.. "I'm ok. The pain is almost gone now."

"Kitten... You are never to do this again." he said nuzzling at her neck holding her as tight as possible.

"i won't."

"Promise"

"I promise handsome... Now stop trying to change the topic."

He started kissing her neck and bites a earlobe gently teasing her.

"It's for your own safety and those around you that i can't let you leave yet. Strong emotions can trigger a change, and the last thing you need is to turn in the middle of Manhattan stuck in traffic."

"...... Ok.... Then

I want my own room"

"NOPE!" he answered without hesitation.

"You are going to stay here... In my room... OUR room.

Your cat is correct, you are my mate and I'm yours and..."

"YOU DON'T OWN ME!"

"But I'm 100% yours and you've already claimed me."

He whispered to her then showed her the bite mark on his neck.

She was gobsmacked. She traced her fingers on the mark and he shivered at the contact.

"I'm so sorry Henri, i didn't mean to."

"Shhhh it's ok. I wanted you to. I love wearing your mark letting everyone knows that I'm taken."

She looked at him in awe, got lost in his evergreen globes and for a moment all traced of anger dissipated. And that's exactly why she needed him to stay away for awhile.

With him this close, she is not going to process it all the way she should, because all she wants is to have him break this bed while fucking her senseless. But that can't be healthy... Right?

He catfished her big time. She fell in love with him hard and fast, but there was that huge part of him that she wasn't aware of. How could she possibly really love him, if she didn't really know him.

But how could she deny the way her heart was thundering in her chest right now?

"And don't worry ma belle. I will only mark you when you are ready. But for now you are to stay here, with me, in our room, together, preferably naked but clothing is acceptable as well."

A small giggle escaped her, so quick he thought he might have imagined it. He took her chin in his fingers, tilting her face to meet her eyes. Their lips mere inches apart.

"I love you kitten. Take all the time you need to deal with all of this, but please... Please stop trying to get away from me, because i can't let you go."

She cupped his cheek with her palm, and he closed his eyes leaning in to the warmth of her hand. She brushed his lips with hers softly.

His eyes flew open. That kiss felt different, almond like she was trying to say goodbye.

" Henri... "

He gulped waiting for her to finish, his hand keeping hers against his cheek not letting go.

"You saved me.. You were there for me when i thought all was lost and you saved my life. I will forever be grateful..." he was watching her intently with all the emotions he would never say out loud dancing in his eyes. He was almost pleading her not to continue. She hated to be the one to make him feel this way. " But... " he whimpered and let go of her hand and grabbed her waist again pulling her closer to him, burying his face in the crook of her neck inhaling deeply, suddenly overwhelmed with the need to be as close as possible to her, begging her silently not to continue her monologue. But she had to.

"But... What happened to me was not a small incident. You lied about who and what you were." He winced at her words and held her tighter. " I am sorry that i scared you earlier in the tub, and i promise that i will never do something like that again, but Henri i need to find a way to cope with all of this and i can't do it with you around all the time... I need to sort things out. And since you won't let me go home at least please.... Stay away for awhile? "

A low growl rumbled his chest, and the grip on her tightened even more with his face buried in her hair nuzzling her neck.

" Mine"

"Henri! Let go..." she said struggling to shimmy herself out of his tight hold on her.

"Henri please, you are hurting me!"

He quickly let her go and muttered a quick sorry and looked away but not before she was able to see his eyes changing back to their regular emerald green.

He stood from the bed, took back the empty plates and hesitantly looked at her.

She was not used to this Henri. Unsure of himself and battling whether to speak up or not.

"Are you going to be thinking about us as well during this time?"

Her whole being wanted to reassure him and wipe that grim look in his eyes, and it didn't help that she could literally feel her cat move underneath her skin letting her know she was uneasy and angry by this conversation.

But she couldn't lie to him.

She needed the time to do her research. Did she really love him or because of what he is, was he able to influence her emotions in anyways? Was anything real, or was it the mate bond fabricating it all? After all, who falls so deeply in love in such a short amount of times?

So no, she couldn't reassure him that she wasn't going to think about their relationship. There were too many unanswered questions.... And she was still mad about him not telling her who he was. Even if she could understand why he didn't. He probably thought she'd thought he was crazy, but still...

She took too long to answer him, but that was an answer in and of itself.

He nodded solemnly, looking down at the plates in his hands and muttered. "Very well... I will send you a personal maid if you need anything. Get some rest please."

Before she could protest about the maid he opened the door and disappeared, closing it softly behind him.

A wave of sadness stabbed at her chest taking her breath away. She clutched her heart and curled in the middle of the bed wetting the sheets underneath her head with her silently shed tears.

After sobbing for an unknown amount of time, she was more tired than she thought. The bed was comfortable, but more importantly, it smelled just like him. She took his pillow and hugged it against her. "Stubborn human" the voice in her head hissed but she ignored it.

Her eyelids grew heavy and she drifted asleep.

Maybe when she woke up she'll be back in the real world and out of this nightmare?

Henri stood behind the door shaking and fighting himself not to go back in there and hold her tight against him and make love to her over and over again and make her forget and let her know that everything will be ok.

He only left once he heard her soft snores and sniffles, then he sprinted towards the exit ignoring everyone on his path who tried to get a hold of him.

He needed to shift and go for a run. As he reached the front door of the palace, he didn't even bother to undress and in a blink of an eye his lion stood on two legs and made a bee line for the forest.

A few moments later, an incredibly loud roar was heard from a distance tearing through the forest.