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cursed. She pushed herself delicately into a sitting position.
    Somehow, he’d made a big mistake, but she still hadn’t told him what was going on. A wave of magic sparked in the air. Angelique gently lay on her stomach on the hardwood floor.
    The big cat stepped to her, placing one paw and then the other on her back.
    Connor got to his feet. The cat had to weigh at least a hundred pounds. No, he wouldn’t stand by and watch it step on her like that. He couldn’t. He moved forward, but another surge of magic pushed him back.
    The panther’s paws melted into Angelique’s skin one at a time, until her back had a large panther protruding from it.
    Soft whimpers of pain came from her, and she pressed her face into the hardwood floor.
    The panther slowly shrunk until it was just a picture on her skin. Albeit a moving picture that stared like it didn’t trust him one bit. He touched the scratch on his arm. It made sense now. Somehow, the big cat had attacked him.
    Angelique lay naked on the floor panting and holding her side. “Shit.”
    He knelt next to her, unsure what to do. “What was that?”
    Her pained eyes turned on him. “I told you I was different.” Averting her gaze, she grabbed the end table, her grip unsteady.
    “I’ll help you up.” He placed his hand on her arm, but she shrugged him off.
    She pulled herself to her feet and stood on shaky legs. A deep, purple bruise sliced across the pale skin of her side. At least it wasn’t bleeding.
    “Do you need someone to look at that?” he asked.
    Angelique narrowed her eyes at him. “And tell them what?” Her accusatory stare lowered to his hands. “What did you do to her? With your hands…?” Her eyes squeezed shut, and her lips thinned in pain as she moved to sit on the couch.
    He balled his hands into fists. His Alpha forbade the Pack to tell others about themselves. While he would take her as a mate, he didn’t feel comfortable explaining to her what he was, yet he had to. Somehow or another, he’d hurt her, and she’d shown him what she was capable of. “I’m a shapeshifter.” Her frown deepened. “A…werewolf.”
    “A werewolf?” Her skin paled, and she licked her lips. His gaze followed that small gesture with longing. Her kisses earlier had brought him to new heights of pleasure. When he met her wide-eyed stare, all thoughts of their lovemaking evaporated. He took a deep breath, and his nose caught the subtle scent of fear. Damn it.
    He finally nodded. From the looks of it, she wasn’t taking this very well. This couldn’t be happening. Not when he’d been so close.
    “I need to go to bed. I’m not feeling too well. It’s best if you leave.” She grabbed a velvet throw blanket from the back of the couch, wrapped it around her, and stood. Instead of the anger he’d seen before, sadness hunched her shoulders forward, and her confused gaze remained low.
    Connor opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He couldn’t just leave now and let what they’d shared tonight be for naught. Not with the risk of losing her—again—so high. He strode across the room to her and took her hand. “Don’t push me away. You said a relationship between us wouldn’t work because you’re different. I’m different too. Shouldn’t that make you feel better about us?”
    She stared up at him, a hollow look in her eyes. “I really don’t know. I warned you about my…problem, but you didn’t say anything of the sort. If our relationship had progressed over the years, would you have ever said anything? Ever told me?”
    He grimaced. She had a point. Because really, he wouldn’t have. He couldn’t have. Not with his Alpha breathing down his neck. He shook his head. “I couldn’t have come out with it. Just like you couldn’t have told me. How would I have known how you would react?”
    Sighing, she shook her head. “I’m way too tired to have this discussion right now.”
    He lightly squeezed her arm. “But—” The