Chapter 550: No White Hoods Here
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*****
LERRIN
"You weren't at the encampment," he said. "Not a part of the rebellion. Yet you called me Sire?"
"You are of the royal line—whether I despise you or not," she said simply, shrugging. "I respect the hierarchy."
He snorted and looked pointedly at the males spread out behind her. "Interesting definition of respect." Then he met her gaze. "If you plan to kill me, do not expect me to go quietly," he growled.
Her smile got sharp. "Death? Perhaps. We will see what the Creator has planned. I know only that we are for vengeance. We will see what form it takes."
"Vengeance for the rebellion?" he asked carefully, loosening his muscles and breathing deeply to prepare his body for the battle.
"Vengeance for your betrayal of the wolves," she spat. "Generations on generations have held the secret of the mind link and protected our tribe from interference. Your arrogance in revealing is… unprecedented."
Lerrin felt sick, but he forced himself to scoff. "You might find our secrets have not been held as tightly as you would believe. However, yes, you are right. I did reveal something of our link to the people. For the good of all. If you remained behind the Lion King, surely that is your goal? Peace? Harmony? Yet, you find the melding… restrictive?"
"I find the arrogance you displayed in revealing it to the tribes, disgusting," she snarled. "We will take vengeance on your hide. It is up to the Creator if you will die from it. I will not grieve you, if so," she said.
He was about to respond, to keep her talking so he had longer to measure everyone, but his only warning was a small twitch of her hand, and suddenly all six of them descended on him at once.
He tried to back away, cursing himself for coming so far forward into the space as the males flowed to the sides, to head? him off and he wasn't able to get his back to a wall before they surrounded him.
He snarled. As one, they all shifted—wolves with honor would only do battle in animal form—but even his beast knew the dread of foreseeable defeat. His blood rushing with oxygen and adrenaline, he moved like lightning to meet the first attacks, the first open jaws. But he hadn't eaten yet that day, and hadn't eaten well for weeks now. His strength had limits now that he hadn't experienced before.
He fended off the first two attacks, but it was only moments before there were simply too many bodies, too many teeth, too many claws, from too many angles.
He was born to the floor within a minute, snapping and snarling, rending flesh and opening the shoulder of one of the males who yelped and flipped himself away from Lerrin's reach. But before he could even turn to protect his back, another latched on.
He curled to defend his tender belly and throat.
And even within the beast, he prayed.
Perhaps his time had finally come. It would be a relief if it had. He couldn't see his way forward anymore, couldn't see a hope for the future. After what he'd done and the ways he'd failed, perhaps it was only right that he die at the jaws of his own tribe. Perhaps that was justice. Whether they understood the truth of his betrayal, or not.
They were misguided about his sins, but not about the appropriate punishment for them. So, he fought, and he defended, but he did not grieve his own approaching death.
Until the image of Suhle flashed in his head right before he was knocked out.
*****
At some point, laying in a spreading pool of his own blood—and some of his enemies—his body stopped responding to his calls for defense. His teeth no longer snapped, his feet paddled uselessly, without strength.
Then, without intention, his beast began to fade and he shifted back to human form.
That's when he knew he was dying.
He'd seen it when his father fought Reth and lost his lifeblood.
He'd seen it in the crumpled form of his sister, her neck snapped by Reth's knife.
Before an Anima met their maker, they returned to their true form.
A foot connected with his ribs at the back and he felt them give, grunting at the splash of pain that overwhelmed the rest for a flash, spreading lights behind his eyes and making his body shake.
Curling his head inside the cage of his own arms, he tried to pull his legs up to protect his stomach and genitals, but the pain made him slow.
Someone connected with his gut before he got them there and he groaned, his body shuddering.
He heard a voice, but couldn't make sense of the words. Then laughter and words spoken with the edge of bloodlust.
Images of Suhle slammed into his head then—her smile, her eyes staring up at him, her chin when she was certain of her path and standing in strength. Her shoulders, rounded in fear, but turned towards him, seeking comfort.
Her soft skin. The pillow of her lip.
The shine of her tears in eyes filled with emotion. With love.
He groaned again, knowing his time was short, and sent for her, praying she hadn't closed her mind off.
But he didn't even have to scratched at her—found her waiting and felt her light up when she heard him.
Watch your back, he sent, his voice heavy with warning. Even in his head, he strained against the pain. The wolves are taking revenge for my betrayal. They believe you are… are my preferred bedmate. They may come for you. Be safe, Suhle. Do not travel alone in the City. These are not rebel wolves.
Lerrin?! Lerrin, what's wrong?
Be safe, my heart. Don't let them take you. They don't understand.
Lerrin? I'm coming!
It's okay, Suhle. Just… be safe. Get out of the City. Don't let them take you.
Lerrin! Don't—please! I'm com—
A noise outside of himself registered. But before he could open his eyes, something connected with the back of his skull and his entire existence flared in light and sound, like an inflated bladder, bounced against a wall.
Then everything went dark.
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Zev prowled towards her, all shining, brutal beauty, his chin low and those incredible, piercing eyes fixed on her. He didn't stop until they were toe-to-toe and he blocked her view of every other male in the circle.
His eyes dipped to her mouth as he leaned in, his whisper playing on her skin.
"You. Are. Mine."
His deep voice twanged in her belly as the howls of the wolf pack rose from behind him to echo across the mountains of Thana, while the other Chimera protested his claim.
Fighting the urge to stroke his broad, bare chest with her shaking hands, Sasha forced herself to tilt her head and raise an eyebrow. "So bold for a pup who just found his fangs."
The other males roared with laughter.
Ignoring their taunts, Zev's eyes sparked and he leaned even closer, the scruff on his jaw tickling her cheek as he smiled. "So bold for a human who already knows the pleasure of gasping my name."
She shivered when his teeth grazed her ear.
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