ELIA

Elia was about to protest, to tell Aymora that it wasn't her fault, but Aymora plowed on, and Elia didn't want to break her stride now that she'd begun.

"I told you that the wounded were a trickle, a line of men, almost as if they rotated. But always the battles had come in groups and fists—ten males here, twenty there. We did lose some, but only a few—the bears as well. It was as if we spent months learning each other's strengths and approaches.

"For the three months prior to that day, we had kept wise women and healers in a building in shifts to tend to those who came in, and to help those who needed days to heal before they could fight again.

"That morning when I attended, it was at first like every other day. There had been skirmishes during the night. We had some show up early in the morning, and more still before lunch. But then… nothing. For several hours. And with every passing moment that there were no new wounded, no news of those returning for help… nothing… I became more and more convinced that Drhake had reached them and was doing the work he'd set out to do.

"I worked with a smile on my face that day. I was ecstatic. Then… then the King himself came to the building and asked for me. And I knew. I knew he was coming to congratulate me, to share his amazement at what Drhake had achieved. I cleaned my hands before going to him, I was so certain I wouldn't be working further that day.

"I walked to the door with a smile on my face, but when I saw the King's face—layers of fear, and sickness, and deep rage… I wavered.

"He took me aside, away from the building so none of the wise women would hear. He asked me where Dhrake was and why he hadn't attended the council that morning. They were walking to battle. The bears had taken a prisoner. Dhrake was needed. Where was he?

"Inside I rallied. He was doing his work, but he must not have achieved it fully yet. That was all.

" She gave a bitter laugh.

"I was convinced that he was negotiating for the release of the prisoner. So I was proud to tell the King—with respectful acknowledgement that Dhrake had gone against orders. I told him Dhrake's plan and belief and… and I watched the horror dawn on his face. I kept rushing in to tell him more, to convince him, to reassure him.

"But his eyes turned from wrath to grief.

"Oh, Aymora,

" he said to me.

"Please tell me he didn't.

" I was offended and began to fight for Drhake, for his good heart. But the King roared, calling the warriors. He shifted and ran without speaking another word to me.

"I didn't even think, just shifted and ran after him. Abandoned my post to follow him all the way to the river, to the front line, to the gathered troops.

"It was… mayhem,

" she rasped.

"The bears were demonstrating, while our males roared and called and… the warriors were beginning to wade the waters. Arrows flew. There was… it was the beginning of a battle.

"When I shifted back to myself, we were circled by the Security Council and many of the guards. No one made me leave because I'd arrived with the King. They assumed he'd called me in to the front lines to help. But I stayed behind him. He didn't know I was there. He didn't know I was watching when…when the bears…. The bears…

" She broke off with and covered her face. Elia clung to her as sobs wracked her body and she cried her mate's name, huffed the mating call between her tears, and begged the Creator to do the impossible and return him to her.

Elia cried with her, horrified and heartbroken, chastising herself for letting Aymora fall into this story that obviously still broke her, even all these years later.

But as Aymora cried, in broken and tortured sentences, she finished the story.

"They'd taken him,

" she croaked through her tears.

"They'd clearly convinced him they would deal with him honorably… but once they had him, they'd taken him. They were ruthless and empowered, they… they displayed him.

"I stood there, frozen, and watched as they called to our warriors, to our King, and from behind their line, they raised a frame. They'd… displayed him on it. Tied him by… by his ankles and his… his testicles.

" Her voice cracked on the word.

"He'd been beaten almost unrecognizable and he was moaning. I couldn't hear him over all the calls and shouts, but I could see his mouth moving.

"I screamed his name and tried to go to him, but the Warriors held me back. The King demanded that I be returned to the City, but I wouldn't leave him. He was still alive! I wanted to fight for him, to cross the line myself and tear him off that torture rack.

"But everything was going to hell. The warriors held me while the bears taunted the King and when he roared his rage at them someone… someone… someone eviscerated my mate. They tumbled his guts like children's toys. And when he screamed…

"

Aymora covered her face again and her entire body shuddered.

"I have never heard a sound like it before,

" she sobbed, her breath tearing in and out of her throat.

"I have dreams of that to this day and wake screaming for him.

"

"Oh, Aymora,

" Elia sobbed.

"I'm so sorry.

"

Aymora turned into her, and they clung to each other, both crying for the loss of love, for the loss of innocence, and for the pain of her mate. Elia was overwhelmed, how had Aymora carried this for so many years? How had she given Elia her scarf for the offering?

Then Aymora pulled her head out of Elia's neck and met her eyes, both of them red and teary.

"Reth is right to be ruthless,

" Aymora hissed through her teeth.

"He cannot let the enemy take ground. He cannot let anyone believe he will take mercy. You cannot encourage him to do anything that would put him in further danger, Elia, you have to listen to me!

"

*****

NEW BOOK, NEW WORLD, NEW HERO! And it's OUT NOW! My entirely new character and world is now live! Add

"Rise of the Dark Alpha

" to your library today!

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 hooted 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.

(SEE THE FULL SUMMARY IN THE AUTHOR NOTE BELOW)