Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

ELIA

Huncer stared at Lucan. "The women recognize the King's natural bias and wish to remove it. We ask that judgement be removed from the throne, and held by the Tribe."

Lucan gaped. "She has no tribe! What Tribe calls for her justice?"

"Were you not at the Festival, Lucan?" Aymora asked, and to Elia's giddy pleasure, she had no sarcastic tone whatsoever.

Lucan frowned at her. "I left early."

"Well, you must have missed it. Elia gave her throat to Reth in a Pride tradition and we embraced her. Brant and I adopted her tonight—another reason the women believe judgment should be removed from the throne, and given our close ties to both of them I agree. However, regardless, she is one of us. She is Leonine."

Lucan's mouth dropped open and his eyes snapped to hers, widening even as the rest of his face twisted in rage.

Ignoring Lucan's trembling, Huncer turned to the men. "Are we in agreement for judgment to move to the Tribe?"

"SHE HAS NO TRIBE!" Lucan gave a guttural scream that raised the hair on the back of Elia's neck. Reth snarled and stepped between them. Elia caught herself from pushing him out of the way—Lucan was far too powerful for her new skills. Not to mention how it would appear to the others, as if she didn't trust him.

But she glared at Lucan over Reth's shoulder, biting her tongue to stop herself claiming her new tribe with pride.

All the men were on their feet, including Lerrin, whose face seemed to flicker between anger and despair—he shot a pleading look at Brant, but Brant, the only one who hadn't stood, kept his chin down and his eyes fixed on Lucan.

"You brought the traditions and we have taken your petition. We are in agreement. The Tribe needs to hear the charge, and measure—"

"The Leonine will never convict their precious King's mate! You planned this! This is treason against the people!" Elia jerked back as Lucan's skin… rippled and for a split second his nose looked long, and full of teeth.

Reth put a hand back to keep her behind him. "Lucan, calm down," he said, his voice as deep as she'd ever heard it.

"I will not be calm in the face of treason!" Lucan growled—really growled. If he wasn't so terrifying, if his skin didn't keep bubbling, she would have thought he was a cartoon character, or something from a movie. He sounded so surreal. "The Leonine conspire against the Anima people! Against the wolves! We. Will. Not. HAVE IT!" His teeth snapped closed on the last word and his chest heaved.

"No, father!" Lerrin leapt forward, but it was too late. Lucan had given over to the beast, and as Elia watched in horror, he shook his head and shifted, his entire body swelling and bristling until the largest wolf she'd ever seen stood before her and Reth. Even on all fours it almost looked her in the eye.

"Elia… Do. Not. Move," Reth breathed. "Lerrin, call him down."

"Father!"

"Take your beast form, Lerrin!" Reth hissed as the wolf stalked forward, its head low and eyes fixed on Reth. Otherwise—"

But it was too late. Lucan, the wolf, sank back on his haunches, then leaped for Reth.

Elia barely had time to suck in a breath to scream before Reth leapt forward, taking his beast form in the split second before they clashed, midair, both of them spitting guttural snarls that made the hair on Elia's neck stand up.

*****

RETH

He came for their mate.

He would not live.

The wolf moved quickly, but the King was stronger, blocking the leap and closing jaws on its neck. The wolf began a yelp, but it cut off as his jaws closed. Its back feet came up, scrabbling at his chest. But it was too little. He shook it once and the scratching stopped. Another wolf howled, and the other inside snarled caution, but this wolf came for the mate.

He would not live.

It was a thing of breaths to bear the wolf to the hard, flat earth of this strange place, to take its neck, and to cut off all air. He warned any that moved to come close that he would not accept interference. He did not wish to kill many, but he would. Any who came for their mate.

None came for the King's mate and lived.

None.

Then she was there, and his chest eased. She breathed and she called. He sniffed for blood, but found only the wolf's.

Then the wolf… shrank. His fur disappeared. But it was no matter. They still had his neck. It would be over soon.

His she made the strange sounds, the ones that called to the other inside—who fought, and growled and snarled, pulling at their insides. But the King did not—

Reth returned to himself with his teeth in Lucan's neck. It took a moment to realize what was happening, then he dropped the wolf and stepped back.

Aymora rushed forward, fingering the tears at Lucan's neck that were far larger than Reth's human bite.

Oh no. Oh shit.

Fuck.

"Reth!" Elia sounded near tears as she threw herself into his neck and clung. "I was so afraid that he had you."

"Shhhhhh, love, shhhhhh. It's okay. I'm fine. He never even got close." Reth swallowed, then muttered, "And it wasn't me he was aiming for."

"What?" she pulled back to stare at him, her hand to his face, wiping the blood away, checking for wounds. But he was fine. He had a scratch on his chest, but that was the extent of it.

"Are you okay," he asked her, taking her by the shoulders, his heart pounding.

"Reth, I'm fine! But—"

"He's dead," Aymora said, her voice heavy.

Three howls rose, low, mournful sounds that filled the hollow room and echoed, rising and falling like the wind on the grass.

Reth stared at Elia, whose face crumpled. "Oh, Reth… I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," he said. "I should have done it months ago."

"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "No."

The elders and wise-women began to move, circling the body, some coming alongside Lerrin and the others.

But Reth just held his mate and thanked the Creator that she was safe.