CHAPTER 35
A drenaline surged through Saar, feeding his muscles with a spurt of energy. Kaelyn stood on the beach in front of Mauree, surrounded by Gossum. His need to protect his mate drove him forward.
One of the Gossum met him halfway. Saar didn’t waste any time. He slashed his sword through the air. The blade sliced through flesh and bone.
A garbled noise emitted from the creature’s mouth before the head hit a nearby piece of deadwood with a loud whack. Its body stiffened then slid to the sand in a pile of black goo.
A grunt and the wet snap of a tongue caught his attention. The next opponent approached.
Over the creature’s shoulder, a surge of Gossum and Ursus rushed forward, one after another, more than Saar could count.
Dread skated over Saar’s nerves, coiling like a snake in his gut. Despite his skill as a warrior, his odds of surviving against so many were slim. He didn’t care. He’d defeat them all to protect Kaelyn.
Deep inside, his inner beast growled. Let me free.
Saar glanced at Kaelyn. She stood over Mauree, her mace dangling at her side.
Love for her washed over him like a soothing wave, solidifying his decision.
Even as the coil in his stomach tightened, a feeling of weightlessness lightened his chest. On his shoulder, the marking for loyalty burned hot, darkening at his commitment.
“My love, my mate. Survive for me!” He relaxed his fingers.
His favorite weapon slipped to the soft sand. There was only one option left to him, so he released the restraints he’d held on to for centuries, freeing his inner beast.
Aware of its newfound freedom, the beast took hold of his mind. Primal thoughts, dark and hungry, blocked all reason.
Bones elongated. Hair grew over his skin. His pants and boots disappeared beneath the thick mat of fur. He howled, the eerie cry unfamiliar even to his ears. Heavy and hot, his breath heaved from his lungs.
The overpowering astringent smell of his enemy filtered into his nose. A low growl burst from his lips.
“Saar!” Sweet and feminine, Kaelyn’s voice broke through the beast’s fogged mind.
His beast halted for a brief moment, turning to look at her. Deep pools of hazel, her eyes held tears for him.
Mine. A deep, protective snarl eased from his throat. Nothing would stop him from protecting his female…nothing.
A Gossum jumped on his back. Claws dug into his shoulder, but didn’t penetrate through the thick fur covering his hide.
Wet and slimy, the creature’s tongue stung him on the ear. Pain rippled down his neck, but that only fueled his beast.
He reached behind him, seized his fingers around the creature’s neck and yanked.
The Gossum sailed through the air. It hit a nearby tree trunk at the edge of the forest. The crack of its back snapping echoed into the night.
Another replaced the first, latching onto him like a leech. A third rammed him from the side.
Out of the corner of his eye, a large bear sprinted toward him, teeth bared.
They attacked him from all sides.
He lashed out with his claws, nails ripping into flesh.
He howled, a constant roar bursting from his throat.
Pain in his shoulder flared, then in his knee, as his enemies continued their assault.
He gripped a Gossum’s tongue, yanking the organ free from its owner. The creature staggered away.
A bear’s claws ripped across his face, opening old wounds.
He punched the beast, a strange sense that the creature was more friend than foe. His opponent shook his head, as if dazed.
Sharp teeth clamped on to his shoulder, tearing into the tissue.
Even as he fought, he searched for Kaelyn. Fear that she was dead seized him, chilling his blood.
There…he spotted her.
She stood over Mauree, her mace twirling in the air.
Relief flooded his veins. She was alive.
He moved toward her, but the opponents kept coming, a relentless tide keeping Saar from her.
A roar of sheer frustration ripped from him.
She glanced his way, and their gazes met. What he’d longed for all his life—love—shone in the depths of her beautiful hazel eyes. His heart swelled even as the crushing blows continued, but she wasn’t safe, not yet. He pushed his way toward her, ever relentless, ever determined.
Saar’s in trouble. Kaelyn’s mouth went dry. In a matter of moments, he’d morphed into his beast. Tall with long, shaggy brown hair and large protruding tusks, power, strength, and fortitude emanated in his every move. Standing on the beach not far from the forest’s edge, he battled several Gossum and a few of her Tribe.
She desperately wanted to go to him, but the need to kill Mauree clawed at her insides.
The evil bitch held one hand over her empty eye socket and scrambled across the sand, putting distance between them. She looked like a deformed crab.
Kaelyn twirled her mace. “Stop!”
Mauree didn’t.
Saar’s roar echoed through the air. Kaelyn’s pulse rose.
Gossum attacked him from all sides, the bears getting a claw swipe in here and there. A large cut on his forehead glistened in the moonlight. Blood dribbled down his face. Additional blood on his arms and torso matted his fur.
The ground shook with the pounding of heavy feet. Loud shouts and war cries filled the air. Visible between the trees, males dressed in battle gear dashed toward the fray, swords lifted in the air. An army.
The enemy.
One after another, the warriors emerged on the scene, battling the Gossum and her Tribe.
There were too many. Saar wouldn’t survive.
The urge to morph rippled over Kaelyn’s skin.
“You better go to Saar. If the Gossum and Ursus don’t kill him, his own kind will.” Mauree continued to gain ground, moving farther away.
Fear wrapped its cold, icy fingers around Kaelyn’s heart. Go after Mauree or help Saar? Indecision tore at her insides, shredding her from the inside out.
She wanted to take her anger out on Mauree for this deadly war that had stolen her brother, her parents, her uncle. Yet, her love for Saar tugged at her, encouraging her to release her hatred and go to him.
Home is with Saar.
Her heart constricted and deep inside, the words rang true.
In an instant, she made her decision. Like a pot boiling over, her anger dissipated into the night.
She lowered her mace and glared at Mauree. “You have a reprieve, at least for tonight.”
Before Mauree could reply, Kaelyn morphed into her bear and bolted. She wouldn’t let Saar die.
Screeee! The familiar ring of Stiyaha swords slicing through flesh and bone bolstered Saar’s determination. His kind was here. Whether they attacked him along with the Gossum remained to be seen.
He slashed his large claws across an oncoming Gossum, gutting the thing with one fell swoop. Hot and steamy, the creature’s intestines dribbled to the ground. He finished it off with a quick punch to the head. Bones crunched beneath his knuckles.
Saar turned his head. A bear launched itself toward him, its knife-like canines bared. The fighter barreled into him, knocking Saar over. They careened to the ground.
Saar’s back hit a rock buried in the dirt.
Air burst from his lungs, and he couldn’t breathe.
The animal’s sharp teeth punctured the skin at his throat. A gush of blood matted his fur.
He gripped the animal by the neck, but he couldn’t get any leverage.
A growl of pure rage and the pounding of running feet reverberated in the air.
The weight lifted from him. A smaller bear tackled Saar’s opponent, bringing him down. They rolled across the sand until the larger bear’s back crashed into a piece of deadwood. The smaller bear glanced at him.
Kaelyn… He’d recognize her hazel eyes anywhere.
One of his own warriors, Quentin, approached the battling pair. Unwavering intent lined his features. He raised his sword.
Saar’s gut tightened.
No! The sound came out a growl.
With one swift move, he leapt to his feet and jumped in the sword’s path. The blade pierced through his thick hide and slid between a couple of ribs.
He stilled. Pain burst inside, stealing his breath.
Quentin withdrew his blade, but the movement only amplified the agony.
A loud whistle pierced the air. The bear Kaelyn battled retreated into the forest, along with the other Ursus and any able-bodied Gossum. Mauree and her troops were gone.
Blood coated Kaelyn’s fur on her face, her shoulder, her leg.
Red colored Saar’s vision, anger and pain fueling the beast’s need for vengeance. A loud roar ripped from his throat.
With a swift backhand, he hit Quentin in the chest. The male flew through the air and landed in a heap at the base of a nearby rock.
Unleashed, his inner beast wanted to race after the bear, tear him to shreds for injuring his mate, but the need to tend to her overrode his need for vengeance. Blood dribbled from his wound, stealing his strength, but he rose to his feet.
She was alive, and that was all that mattered. Deep inside, relief filled his soul, his love for her overriding the pain.
She morphed into her human form, her clothes covering the wounds on her shoulder and leg. Instead of anger and regret—love and acceptance reflected in her eyes.
Even as his lifeblood drained from him, he kept his focus on her.
She hobbled to her feet, and his chest ached to see her in such pain. If she hurried, she still had time to escape.
Saar pointed to the forest. Run.
Her eyes widened, and her lips moved, as if she’d shouted at him, but the ringing in his ears was so loud, he couldn’t hear anything other than the constant buzz.
Out of the corner of his eye, a flash of light caught his attention. His gaze tracked there. The edge of a blade whooshed toward his head. His last thought—at least she has a chance.