"Things change."

"Not that fast. Not without—"

The door opened, cutting off whatever accusation he was about to level.

Pink hair appeared first through the doorway.

Then gradient blue eyes that went impossibly wide the second they found me standing in the center of the mat.

"SATORI!"

Soomin launched herself across the gym with the enthusiasm of a golden retriever seeing its owner after a week-long absence.

No warning.

No hesitation.

No consideration for the fact that I was covered in sweat and had just been beating the hell out of Raphael.

Just pure, unfiltered enthusiasm wrapped in a hundred and twenty pounds of country girl and supernatural fox spirit.

She hit me like a missile achieving target lock.

Arms wrapped around my neck.

Legs locked around my waist.

Face buried in my shoulder, her entire body pressing against mine with desperate affection.

"Missed you missed you missed you so much!" she said, the words tumbling out in a breathless rush.

The Fox was already surfacing, drawn out by proximity and scent and whatever primal recognition supernatural predators had for each other.

I could feel it in the way her body temperature spiked suddenly.

In how her grip tightened with strength that had nothing to do with her human form’s muscle mass.

In the shift of her breathing pattern from excited to predatory.

"Hey, Soomin," I said carefully, very aware that Raphael was watching this interaction with increasing alarm.

She pulled back just enough to look at my face, her hands still locked behind my neck.

Still clinging.

Her eyes were brighter than usual, the gradient blue bleeding out to consume more of her irises.

Glowing faintly at the edges with supernatural light.

She pressed her nose to the junction of my neck and shoulder.

Inhaled.

Deep and deliberate, drawing my scent into her lungs.

Her entire body went rigid against mine.

"Why," she said slowly, her voice already starting to drop into that dangerous register, "do I smell a cat on you?"

Oh shit.

Oh fuck.

The Fox spoke next, and Soomin’s voice transformed completely—dropped half an octave, became smoky and dangerous and possessive.

"Naughty Satori," she purred, the sound vibrating against my throat. "Getting a new pet just because I was gone on missions for a few days?"

Her nails extended slightly where they pressed against the back of my neck.

Not quite claws yet.

But getting there.

Transforming inch by inch.

"Trying to get stronger without me?" The Fox’s grin was all teeth when she pulled back to look at my face, predatory and sharp. "Trying to replace me?"

"It’s not like that," I said, keeping my voice level.

"No?" She sniffed again, more deliberately this time, analyzing the scent molecules with supernatural precision. "Smells like a two-tailed youkai. Powerful. Female." Her eyes flashed completely blue, human reason giving way to fox instinct. "And she’s been very, very close to you. In your room. In your bed. On your skin."

Raphael was backing toward the door with the survival instinct of someone who’d seen enough nature documentaries to know when a predator was about to strike.

Smart man.

"Soomin. Listen to me."

"The Fox is listening." She tilted her head, the gesture inhumanly precise. "Soomin is listening too. We’re both very interested in why Master smells like another predator. Another female predator who’s been marking her territory."

"She’s a pet. A familiar. It’s different."

"Like me?" The question was deceptively innocent.

"Different. You’re you. She’s a cat."

"But she’s been in your room." The Fox’s voice purred with dangerous curiosity. "In your bed. On your sheets. I can smell it all. Your soap. Your shampoo. The fabric softener Natalia uses. And her." Her tongue darted out, licked my jaw in one quick motion. "All over you."

This is going poorly, Nel observed with what sounded like amused concern.

No kidding.

"Soomin. I need you to breathe and think rationally."

"Don’t want to breathe. Don’t want to think." Her grip tightened. "Want to find the cat and establish territory. Show her who was here first."

"She’s upstairs. With Celeste right now."

"The ice princess?" Something shifted in the Fox’s expression—calculation replacing pure territorial aggression.

"Yeah."

"Hm." The Fox considered this, head tilting the other direction. "Ice and fire don’t mix well. Cat probably chose wrong ally. Wrong pack to join."

"Celeste won’t hurt her."

"Wasn’t worried about the cat." The Fox’s grin widened, showing too many teeth. "Was worried about what happens to the princess when she gets between a fox and her prey."

A single white tail manifested behind Soomin, ghostly and flickering with supernatural energy.

The temperature in the gym spiked immediately, rising ten degrees in as many seconds.

Raphael had successfully escaped into the hallway, the door swinging shut behind him.

Absolute coward.

Smart coward, but still.

"Soomin," I said firmly.

"Yes?" Both voices answered—human girl and fox spirit speaking in unison.

"Let me down."

"No."

"Please."

"Say I’m your favorite."

"You’re my favorite."

"Say it like you mean it." Her nails pressed harder against my neck, just shy of breaking skin.

I grabbed her face with both hands, forcing her to meet my eyes directly.

Made sure she could see I was serious.

"You’re my favorite scout," I said clearly. "My favorite early warning system. The only person I trust to tell me when something smells wrong or dangerous. Nobody else has your instincts. Nobody else can do what you do."

The Fox’s expression softened, the predatory edge bleeding away.

Just slightly.

Just enough.

"Really?" The question was vulnerable, uncertain—all Soomin, no Fox.

"Really."

She blinked rapidly, and the blue faded from her eyes like someone had dimmed a light switch.

Her nails retracted back into normal human fingernails.

The ghostly white tail flickered once, twice, then dissipated into nothing.

When she spoke again, it was purely Soomin—shy and sweet and absolutely mortified by her behavior.

"I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry!" she said, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I didn’t mean to get weird! The Fox just—she smelled another predator and thought—and I couldn’t—" She buried her face in my shoulder again, but this time from embarrassment rather than possessiveness. "I’m the worst. You probably think I’m crazy now."