RETH

He'd come forward to meet the battle, but the scent was all wrong.

He met the female in mid-pounce, paws wide and claws out, mouth open and aiming for her throat. But the call of the familiar prey, out of reach, lit up the other inside.

"It's Elia! It's my mate!

"

As they crashed together, then to the ground, he rolled, took the brunt of the fall, but she groaned anyway, rolling from him with a huffing sigh.

He scrambled to his feet and sniffed her, then again.

His mate. His mate was here.

His mate was here..

The mating call erupted from him and he nudged her neck with his broad muzzle, greeting her, calling.

Why wasn't she answering?

He fought with the other inside, wrestling for control—the mate needed help! But the other was too strong and he gave way…

Reth came back to himself crouched over the massive lioness who was sprawled on her side, her eyes almost closed, her mouth open as she panted.

"Elia?

" His voice cracked.

"Love?

"

Her breath was too fast, to deep, her skin stretched over her ribs when she exhaled, then distended when she breathed in. When he spoke her front paw paddled the air for a moment and she groaned, but other than tossing her head, she slumped back to the dirt, still panting. Tiny whines searing through her chest. He could feel the vibration of her under his hands as he buried his hands in her fur, inhaling her scent, memorizing it.

This was his mate. His mate. His glorious, strong, massive mate. And something was very, very wrong.

"What did you give her?

" he snarled at Aymora without taking his eyes off her.

"What was on that dart?

"

"I'm sorry, Reth,

" Aymora gasped.

"I didn't hear him in time. I wouldn't have shot her—

" she dropped to the ground next to Elia's head, lifting her eyelids and leaning down to listen to her breathing.

"WHAT WAS IT?!

" Reth roared.

"It's a paralytic. She won't be able to walk for a few minutes, that's all. Just in case… I didn't want you getting harmed before you were going to make the traverse. That's all. She'll be fine.

"

"Will it hurt the cub?!

"

"N-no. I don't think so? I don't know, Reth. I'm sorry. I wouldn't have—

"

Pounding feet reached them and Gahrye sprinted into view, sliding to the dirt at Reth's side, his hands immediately going to Elia's back and the side of her belly.

"What did you do? How did you hurt her?!

"

"I didn't,

" Reth snarled.

"She's in pain already. Something's wrong. She was barely walking, it's why it took us so long to get here—

"

"She was more than walking when she arrived here!

"

"She took off when she smelled you, but she wasn't moving freely. She's in pain.

"

Aymora hurried to her feet, then around Elia to her side to lay her head on Elia's stomach, pressing on her belly in different spots as she listened. Then moving her hands to press again, her ear still to the beast's belly.

Elia's beast groaned and her entire body tightened, but she didn't move.

"Shit,

" Aymora spat.

"Shit!

"

"What is it?

" Reth asked, his voice heavy with dread.

"The baby. She's having contractions.

"

"WHAT?!

" Reth and Gahrye both cried.

"It's far too early!

" Reth gasped.

"She's been developing fast, Reth,

" Gahrye warned.

"Too fast. But I didn't think she was that far—

"

"She's not,

" Aymora said, her voice low and efficient, most of her attention on Elia as she palpated her stomach and checked her eyes again.

"But she's having contractions anyway. I'm guessing the baby is in human form and her beast's body is trying to get rid of it. We have to get her back.

"

Reth turned to Gahrye whose mouth was opening and closing like a fish's.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he registered the haggard face, the dirty clothing and skin, and the wide-eyed fear on the male's face. But nothing could overshadow his mind screaming at him that Elia was here. She was here! But she was hurting. He had to help her!

"Spit it out!

" he snarled at Gahrye.

"What's going on? Why is she still in beast form. Why—

"

"She's been in her beast form most of the past two weeks. She struggled with it for weeks, always struggled to come back. But the last two times she's shifted it's been for only a minute or two. Seconds. She's… she said she can't fight it anymore. And Shaw told me she's going Silent—you have to help her Aymora!

"

"Shaw?

" Reth croaked.

"The Guardian?

"

Gahrye growled like a predator as Aymora cursed again, then started digging in her little bag.

"Shaw tried to cross and the voices got him,

" Gahrye snarled.

"He's been trying to trap us. We just learned… I think he was going to kill Elia. I don't know. But he was up to something.

"

"WHAT?!

" Reth's head spun and he grabbed Gahrye's arm.

"What are—you can't be serious? Shaw?!

"

"She ate him,

" Gahrye said breathlessly.

"He attacked us when we were leaving. Stabbed me, and she took him. She killed him. Or her beast did, anyway.

"

Aymora and Reth both gaped at Gahrye who looked back and forth between them.

"There's so much you don't know. You have to help her. She doesn't know how to shift back. She's struggled with it since the first time. She tried to just keep herself from shifting, but it didn't work and I didn't know how to help her and…

" He trailed off, hands in his hair, his eyes so wide they showed the whites all the way around.

Reth realized the male was on the edge of his limits. He'd clearly had a helluva visit to the human world. And, Reth realized, his own stress over Elia wasn't going to help Gahrye tell them everything. He had to calm down. Gahrye had been protecting her. Watching her for him these past months. He was grateful to the male. He was. Even if he did put his hands on Reth's mate without thought.

Reth growled and Gahrye's eyes pulls wider.

**** Privilege Warning & Mass Release ****

1. Don't forget: DO NOT buy expensive privilege tiers this late in the month, because privilege resets on 1 October (30 September for the USA) and you would have to pay again! Wait until the monthly reset and enjoy your privilege access for the full calendar month for a single charge! (And if you buy in October you'll be entered into the draw for a limited edition paperback of Volume 1!)

2. Your Golden Ticket support has earned an additional mass release chapter! But because I've been so touched by all your support--reading, commenting, gifts, and summoning pens--I'm going to release FOUR chapters on the last day of the month to say THANK YOU! (that's 30 September on NovelFull, 29 September in the USA.)

Thank you again for everything you do to help me and Reth & Elia continue to thrive. You are a gift to me!