Chapter Twelve

Kian

“Kill her.”

The words made my heart stop, made every inch of me vibrate with hatred for the man so callously speaking of killing my mate. I ran into the cave as fast as my four paws would carry me, aiming for the speaker, needing to show him who the real killer was. As I knocked the fucker to the ground, Whit ran past. I didn’t worry about where he was going; I already knew he’d do anything he could to protect my mate. To save Nyla.

I slashed and snarled at the man on the ground, batting him around like a toy, demonstrating his place in the food chain. I wouldn’t kill him, but I’d make sure he remembered not to fuck with a polar bear or his mate. His screams cut off as I swatted him against the rock wall, so I left him there and moved on to the humans threatening my mate. Eight men stood in the dark hallway, all staring at me, smelling of urine and fear and weakness. I growled and crept forward, forcing them down the hall, herding them to an open cell at the end. They stumbled backward, scrambling away from the beast before them. Which was good—my bear’s temper had been let loose and I wasn’t going to stop him from enacting his revenge again.

I roared and rose to my back legs as they balked at entering the cage. All eight yelled and raced inside, much to my amusement. Let them experience what they’d put my Nyla through, what they’d put countless other women like her through. If it were up to me, I’d lock them inside and throw the key away for a good long time. But they were not my focus, at least not for long. Nyla needed me, and I needed to make sure she was safe and unharmed. These fuckers were nothing more than a distraction.

Audrey ran past me once the men were in the cell, slamming the door and locking them in. She gave me a wink as I dropped to four feet, before running toward the entrance to where Whit could see her. He’d been growling and hissing since she followed me, making sure I knew he didn’t like her being out of his sight. But he’d stayed in the cell with Nyla, knowing I’d take care of Audrey if need be. Something I’d owe him for when all was said and done. My rage at the fucker sentencing my mate to death had been too strong to stifle. I’d needed a few moments to get it back under control so I didn’t terrify the poor girl, and to teach all these men a serious lesson.

Once I knew the threat to Nyla was contained, I hurried back to her cell. Whit left as soon as I chuffed, knowing it was time to let me take over. I walked in, eyes on the ground, trying my best not to scare Nyla or the woman beside her. This was it, the moment of truth. I needed to shift to talk to her, so there would be no doubt in her mind my bear and I were one. Would she run? Turn away from me in fear? God, would she scream?

Close enough to smell her fear, to crave the warmth of her touch, I raised my head and looked into her eyes. Instantly, my heart broke for her. She looked so frail, so lost. She was the only spot of color in the carved out nook they’d stuck her in, but the days had obviously not been easy for her. The woman had lost weight, and dark circles lay as shadows under her beautiful eyes. They’d tried to break her, and though they’d failed, their cruelty had left its marks. I growled at the thought, wanting to head back down to those Council members and pound them into dust. But Nyla was afraid and had been alone for too long. I couldn’t leave her side, not for a single second. Not even to avenge her. Plus, deep down under all the anger, I needed to be close to her as much as I hoped she needed to be close to me.

Taking a deep breath and throwing up a prayer to whoever might be listening, I reached deep inside myself and pulled my human side forward. When I stood on two feet instead of four, naked both emotionally and physically, I kept my eyes on hers. Waiting. Afraid to move even a muscle. She didn’t run, didn’t scream, so I signed the only words I could think of. The only ones that mattered.

“I told you I’d come for you, and I’m a man of my word.”

And then I waited some more. Terrified that I’d screwed this up. I hadn’t told her about my bear, too consumed with the mystery of her to think about the long-term effects of keeping that fact to myself. I hadn’t intended on shifting in front of her either, afraid my bear would scare her too much, but when I heard that scream, I panicked.

Standing, praying that she was willing to at least think about accepting both my bear and me, I was still panicking.

My gut dropped when the first tear fell down her dirty cheek, but then she made a noise like a sob and raced for me. I caught her as she jumped, holding her against me in a crushing hug, too relieved to let her go. Thanking the universe for being able to touch her again, for the fact that she hadn’t run away. I whispered against her cheek, knowing she couldn’t hear me but hoping to soothe her anyway. Words of comfort, of caring, of hope for us. Of thanks for her. Running a hand down her back, I moved us backward, out of the nasty, disgusting cage and into the hallway. I couldn’t let her stay in there, not for another second. My mate would never be behind bars again.

As we passed Whit and Audrey, Nyla kissed my chest, clinging to me, shaking in my arms. God, four days in this place. It had to be hell for her. I couldn’t even imagine how scared she must have been, how lonely. How heartbroken when I didn’t come for her right away.

Unknowingly reinforcing my thought, Nyla pulled out of my arms, just enough to sign to me.

“What took you so long?”

I wanted to answer her, wanted to beg for her forgiveness and prostrate myself at her feet, but I was struck dumb by how beautiful she was. I held her in my arms, unable to think or speak. She was mine, and she always would be if she let me claim her. If she would agree to forgive me and accept all that came with being my mate. Seeing her in person, being in the same reality as her, made me very aware of the fact that I was the luckiest fucker on the planet. I also knew I was the dumbest.

Squeezing her with my left arm so I could bring my right one up, I shook my head and signed each letter.

“My bear’s afraid of flying.”

She stared at me, blank-faced, as I waited for her anger. But then she laughed, bright and loud and perfect, even in this hellish place. I pulled her closer, laughing as well, kicking myself mentally for not just jumping on a plane and trusting my bear to deal with his fear. Never again. I would never put anything ahead of my mate again.

I didn’t want to let go of her, but the woman who looked just like an older version of Nyla physically pulled us apart, earning an unhappy snap of my jaws.

“I wouldn’t interrupt a shifter with his mate normally, but you need to go,” she whispered, signing the words for Nyla. “You’ve angered the Council. They’ll kill you for trespassing on MacDonald land and murder my daughter for endangering the secret of the MacDonald clan by allowing her mating call to go so long unchecked. They won’t care that you are her true mate and can calm the psychic storm with a completed mating ritual. This has gone too far to go back.”

Nyla signed a response to her mother, fingers too fast and unreadable for me. Her mother translated, though.

“She doesn’t want to leave me here to deal with the aftermath.” The lady smiled, a wicked glint in her eye. “Honey, I’ve dealt with this Council for fifty years. As long as you’re safe, I can handle them. I’m not afraid of their little temper tantrums. Besides, I have places I can run if I fear they’ll try to punish me for this. My bigger concern is you; everything has always been about keeping you safe.”

Her mother continued to sign, keeping her eyes on her daughter even as she spoke to me. “Her mating call is giving her false visions. They’ll make her doubt you, doubt reality. Without a strong mate to help her balance the power, she’ll go insane. That’s the price we pay for access to our gift. She’s already gone too long—weaker women would have fallen catatonic by now. My daughter may be the strongest woman in the clan, but she’s still beholden to the Tallan. You must claim her tonight, as soon as you’re safely away from MacDonald territory, if you want her to survive. The full ritual for your kind, shifter.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I nodded once, showing my respect for what this woman was about to give up. Nyla tucked her head against my chest, seeming to hide. Not that I blamed her. As open as shifters were about sex, I couldn’t imagine it was easy to watch your mother tell a man you’d technically just met to make sure he bit you while you were having sex later. Even to me, the situation felt a little awkward. Especially since I was still naked with only her daughter’s body covering me.

Untangling herself from my arms, Nyla dropped to her feet, leaving me naked in front of her mother but giving me a look that said so much. Fear and joy, anxiety and relief all danced in those green eyes. I lifted her hand to my mouth and kissed the palm, keeping our gazes locked, keeping us connected for an extra second. Nyla smiled and stepped away, hugging the other woman tightly, the two seeming to need that moment. Needing to say goodbye. When they separated, the older woman shot me a sharp look, eagle-eyed and direct. Not missing a trick.

“You take care of her.”

I put my hand over my heart, knowing I was making a vow to this woman who loved my mate completely. Who’d birthed her, raised her, and made her the woman she’d become.

“I will.”

“Promise me.” Her voice was little more than a whisper, but the emotion behind it, the threat, was perfectly clear.

“I promise. I will do everything I can to make Nyla happy. She’ll be safe and loved with me. You have my solemn oath.”

She looked from me to Nyla, eyes growing red and teary. And then she choked on a sob. “Go. Get her out of here. Take my baby and show her how good life can be when you find the other half to your soul.”

Nyla clung to her mother’s hand, her other arm wrapped around my waist. And though I wanted to grab her and run, to escape this place and ask questions later, there was one that had to be answered first.

I crouched down, eyes level with Nyla’s as I mouthed, “Come home with me?”

Nyla nodded, biting her lip, glancing at her mother as my heart broke for them both.

“Go, baby,” she said and signed, smiling through her tears. “Go live the life you deserve with your mate. This won’t be the last time we speak.”

With a final hug, her mother rushed out of the cave, hurried footsteps echoing through the chamber. I felt for her, but there was no way we could stay. Not with a ruling group so backward as to kill their young women instead of finding a way to help them. And especially if I wanted to keep my bear from going mad. This climate didn’t suit him one bit.

Nyla watched her mother go, then turned to me, eyes raking over my naked body, face flushing. I grew hard in an instant, wanting her to look at me like that again, forever, just not at that moment.

I gave her a grin and signed, “Want to hop on?”

Her eyes went wide, and she glanced toward where Audrey and Whit, in full bear form, waited. I shook my head and held up one finger, making sure Nyla understood. And then I called my bear.

White fur sprouted, my skin darkening and my body growing until I stood on all fours. Pure polar bear, lethal predator of the North. I crept toward Nyla, almost eye level with her, trying not to scare her. But my bear needed this moment of introduction, and I was hell-bent that he’d get it. When I stood directly in front of my mate, I chuffed and pressed my nose to hers. Rubbing, nuzzling, but doing my best to keep it gentle. The act a welcome of sorts from my bear. She watched me, eyes wide, bringing a hand up to pet my muzzle. Not afraid.

And then she hugged me.

I huffed, curling my neck to snuggle her close. Thrilled that she accepted me.

“We’d better go,” Audrey said, glancing down the hall toward where the Council members were making a hell of a lot of noise all of a sudden. Audrey hopped onto Whit’s back, motioning to Nyla to climb on me the same way. Nyla did, pulling herself onto my back and gripping the fur on my neck without delay.

With my mate clinging to my back and a roar to remind those fuckers what they’d get if they tried coming after us, we took off, running out of the cave and up through the woods. Heading back to grab the truck and drive north. Ready to leave Deals Gap and the MacDonald clan forever.