by Leela Ash
Her mouth was gagged and she was struggling against her confines, certain she would find a way to get out of this mess. Rhett still hadn’t been able to shapeshift back into his human form, and resented the hell out of the elders. They had just been playing him from the start. He should have known. Why had he been so stupid?
“All right, you two,” Shenar said finally, fixing a cool smile on Gael who abruptly stopped struggling against her confines. “It is time for the ceremony to begin. Remember, there is no good to be had in trying to escape. You are vastly outnumbered and anybody who causes a disturbance here is going to face serious consequences. Is that understood?”
Rhett’s stomach sank as Gael was forced to nod to Shenar, who then clapped his hands together and laughed gleefully. “Oh, this is going to be so much fun! We have been waiting for our opportunity to do this for decades!”
Rhett growled deeply and Shenar chuckled again, shaking his head before stepping back from the cage as two young, buff bear shifters came inside, unlocking the cage and putting the leash onto the collar around Rhett’s neck.
Shenar released Gael, who was too afraid to move, and took her to the corner where he draped a gown of white silk upon her. When that was completed, he walked with her to the edge of the camp and Rhett begrudgingly followed along behind her, his hackles raised despite his lack of will. All he could do was follow. It was the angriest he had ever been in his life.
To Rhett’s horror, the entire town was out and the main street was decorated with multicolored lights. Everybody was cheering, even though it was clear that Rhett and Gael were prisoner. It dawned upon him suddenly that the entire town had actually always known just what their purpose for being in the ceremony was. In fact, they had treated him excessively like shit because of the supposed honor, when they had been playing them both all along.
The parade was beginning and Shenar pushed Gael toward him, having her mount him just as she had during their time in the forest on the way to the colosseum. If she could undo the clasp of the collar, maybe they would have half a chance. But there was no way to communicate this to her and even if she tried, it was possible she wouldn’t even be able to get it off.
The weight of Gael’s body on him brought the rage back to Rhett’s chest. He was going to have to find a way out of this, no matter what it took. He wouldn’t let the elders have their way. Not this time.
20.
The eerie feeling of all the bear shifters watching them as they made their somber descent down Tanka’s main street gave Gael goosebumps. She had no idea what was going to happen, but she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She needed to know that everything was going to be okay, but the way things were unfolding, that seemed unlikely. She was in real danger, and Rhett couldn’t help her.
The elders were lined up, half in front of them and half behind, followed by a small wheeled platform that had an old woman on it surrounded by candles and waving incense. The smells wafted to where she was perched on top of Rhett’s back and although it was sweet-smelling, it made her feel sick.
Shenar was heading the parade, being pulled forward by the two burly bear shifters that had come in to release Rhett from his cage. They had transformed and been hooked to the head float where Shenar was chanting in ancient bear language, as the bear shifters in the audience cheered and threw acorns and leaves in the air.
Gael’s heart trembled as the parade made its way further and further toward the end of the town line. It didn’t seem to be stopping, and soon they were walking through the forest in the eerie calm, the way lit only by candles that each of the elders were holding. It was a spooky procession, each man in a deep black robe, their faces grim and pale, with long shadows making them each appear even more unnerving than they looked during the day.
“And now, we shall proceed with the ceremony!” Shenar shouted in English. The bear shifters all the way at the edge of town hadn’t followed, but their distant cheers echoed through the forest, bringing a jolt of fear through Gael’s body. Why was this happening to her? Had her father known this was a possibility?
Gael’s blood ran cold when she saw the silhouette of the colosseum in the distance and she could feel Rhett tense up beneath her. He was clearly livid and he kept trying to crane his neck up at her, but couldn’t quite manage it with the elder in front of them pulling the leash he had in his grip. It was sadistic, and the whole situation was making her feel sick with fear and anger.
When they approached the entrance of the colosseum, Shenar and a few of the elders began singing and the ground started to tremble beneath their feet. A sinister energy filled the air and Shenar let out a sharp burst of laughter. “It is working! Come, bring the Maiden and the Guardian. It is time for the harvest!”
Gael and Rhett lurched forward as one of the strong elders forced them forward and into the colosseum. This time, the bleachers were crowded with bodies all wearing the same dark hoods as the elders were, and they stood up and let out a spooky humming noise when they saw that Rhett and Gael were coming forward.
A sudden burst of static crackled through the air and all the bear shifters became silent and alert, looking startled as they sought the source of the noise.
Gael was confused. She had assumed they had been the ones that had made the strange sound, but when she followed the eyes of the other shifters, she didn’t see what it was they seemed to see. Instead, there was a dark cloud that seemed to cause a commotion and she was soon knocked off Rhett’s back. She got to her feet, confused and startled, and then her eyes widened.
Rhett was standing before her in his human form, as handsome and as powerful as she had ever seen a man in her life. He was looking at Shenar, his face set with angry determination.
“You’re going to regret doing this,” he said darkly. Then as quickly as he had appeared, he was back in his wolf form charging full speed ahead into the chaos.
21.
The dark energy surrounding the colosseum was so powerful and disorienting it was almost like being drunk. He’d been able to sense the other wolf shifters off in the distance and had worried they might not realize he’d been trapped by the powerful forces of the bear’s magic. Soon he had been able to feel them chipping away at the power, bit by bit, until he had managed to break the rest of it himself through sheer force of will.
He had felt bad about throwing Gael off his back like that, but he had to be sure when he was able to strike he would have his best advantage. If he didn’t protect her now, then there would never be another day with her, and that thought was unacceptable.
It had been a relief to know the other wolf shifters were nearby. He’d needed an ally and for once in his life, he’d been able to count on Axel to do his part.
Soon, the elders were scrambling around, the arena in chaos as Gael tried to weave through the crowd to escape. Shenar managed to grab her and carried her into the darker recesses of the arena as Rhett began to tear into every fleshy humanoid body he could find.
He managed to slaughter about six of the elders and two of the strange men in the bleacher area before he realized that Gael was missing. He set his sights on Shenar, who was dragging her as she flailed and struggled with all her might for freedom.
Rhett froze. He could feel a powerful force that was beginning to collide with the dark energy around the colosseum. A force that was making his own skin tingle.
It was the magic of the wolf shifters working slowly to combat the dark forces that had taken a hold of Rhett and Gael in order to initiate the ceremony. As soon as the wicked pull was gone from his body, Rhett felt empowered with a surge of strength unlike anything he had ever known. The wolf shifters were helping him somehow, providing him with the power he needed to win this fight on his own.
As the elders continued to fight off the opposing powers, Rhett took off through the crowd after Shenar and Gael. He was intercepted by the two brutish bears who had apparently been appointed as guards to the entrance. Rhett let out a tremendous howl and
they hesitated for a moment before baring their teeth and getting ready for the attack.
Rhett dodged the first attack and found himself flying through the air, a disarming blow throwing his body backward with a shocking force. Still, it didn’t hurt the same way it would have if the elders had not imbued him with the fighting spirit of the ancients.
Rhett sprang to his feet and attacked again, sinking his teeth into the meaty flesh of the bear shifter who had attacked him. The bear let out a howl of agony and Rhett felt himself being clawed by the other bear. He panicked and let go of the first bear’s neck, but only for a moment. He sank his teeth in a different spot as his feet clawed at the second bear’s eyes as it attacked him from behind.
Finally, the first bear began to lose all strength and sank down to the ground, his eyes fluttering closed as a yelp of pain and a heavy sigh ended its life.
Rhett turned to the other bear, who was swinging at him again. This time, the blow struck true and Rhett found himself on the ground in agony. He could hardly move.
“Rhett!”
Gael’s voice brought him back to the urgency of the fight and he struggled to his feet, swaying slightly as he tried to face off with the bear who had attacked him. The bear was furious now after witnessing the death of its partner and another blow came swiftly to knock Rhett back down.
He growled. That was enough of that.
The bear shifter yelped in pain and surprise when Rhett lunged forward despite having just been on the ground and circled behind him. The bear was too slow to follow, and Rhett took the opportunity to use to his advantage.
He tackled the bear shifter while he was off-balance and knocked him to the ground, biting hard in the tough flesh of its neck and shaking his head viciously, trying to rupture the beast’s jugular. A pained gargling sound filled the air as the bear took its final breaths and Rhett turned away, victorious.
Gael and Shenar were at the end of the colosseum, Shenar holding Gael under the moonlight and chanting viciously. A silver blade glinted in the moonlight as Shenar held it high above his head, ready to plunge it deep within her heart at any moment.
Rhett howled furiously and charged for the man at full force, his head bowed so he could use the lack of wind resistance to his advantage. Gael was frozen by the spell Shenar was uttering and he leapt to the platform where he was standing. Shenar kept speaking, seemingly oblivious to the danger he was in, and Rhett attacked. It almost felt too easy after the bear fight, but as an elder, his only true power was magic, and his magic was busy attempting to keep Gael still and compliant as he prepared her to accept the desecration of her body and sacrifice.
Shenar flailed beneath the weight of Rhett’s wolf form and a panicked yell brought the attention of all the elders to the place where Rhett tore into the man’s body. He would regret ever having dared to lay a hand on Gael.
When Shenar’s cries died out, Rhett finally looked away and stood in front of the other elders who were frozen in place after witnessing the spectacle. Rhett knelt, silently inviting Gael to get back on his back. She looked at him for a moment, her beautiful eyes wide and an aura of awe and admiration surrounding her.
She finally nodded slightly and mounted him, holding on tightly as he made his way through the crowd of elders. They would not go after them. They had already lost too many and had seen what he was capable of. Without Shenar to lead the ceremony, and with their own Guardian’s dead, their plan had failed, and everybody there knew it.
Rhett sighed in relief. He had succeeded.
***
“I knew you would make the right choice,” Axel exclaimed, leaping forward from the bushes once Rhett and Gael had made it safely out of the colosseum. Rhett had followed his nose back to his own kind and had found a startling number of wolf shifters in wait.
“Rhett, my boy, we couldn’t be prouder of you than we are today,” Retik, one of the highest in the council said, stepping forward to bow at Rhett’s wolf form. “I would like to ask you formally if you would like to rejoin the pack. I trust at this point you are reformed from your former ways?”
Rhett knew instinctively just how to answer and bowed his head down to the elder, who anointed it with a sweet-smelling oil and smiled at him.
“Welcome back. Come discuss your new assignment in the morning. We would love to have a new member join the council.”
The elders and their Guardians began to head down the winding pathway back to Stonybrooke and Rhett stared behind them, unsure of what to do.
“Come on,” Axel said, nudging him forward. “You can’t stay here. All the bear shifters in Tanka would crucify you two!”
Rhett’s heart hammered hard in his chest. He was going to be allowed to return to his true home, and not only that, but he was returning with honor. It was hard to believe and yet he was thrilled. He was finally part of a pack again.
He strode purposefully into the night after his pack with Gael upon him, feeling better about the world than he had in years.
22.
“It’s so different here,” Gael said, stroking the soft linens of the house the elders had assigned for Rhett once they had returned back to Stonybrooke. It was a shockingly beautiful place, almost more luxurious than her estate back home.
“I could get used to it,” Rhett said, beaming at her and sinking into a fancy looking armchair at the end of the bed.
She smiled. “You’re going to have to.”
They were quiet for a few moments, and then Gael looked up at him, a question burning in her mind. It was one she had wondered many times, but now that the issue was resolved, it finally felt okay to ask it.
“Why were you exiled?”
Rhett sighed heavily and stood from the chair as if the burden of the question was something he needed his full strength for.
“The council had been considering training me to join them for a while. I was just a kid, and a stupid kid, really. I thought I had it all figured out. So when I was going to be on trial for my position on the council, they had me guarding something really precious to the shifters, something called the Vesna. It’s thought to be really powerful. But instead of guarding it, I let my buddies talk me into stealing it. They sold it and kept the money, then turned me in about it and I was exiled.”
“Some buddies,” Gael scoffed.
Rhett sighed again and sat down on the bed near her. “Not really.”
Gael chuckled quietly. “Well, I’m glad that it happened.”
Rhett looked at her, puzzled. “Why would you be glad of that?”
“If it hadn’t happened, I would never have met you. In fact, I would probably be dead right now.”
Rhett seemed startled, and then touched her hand, gripping it firmly in his. It sent a wave of heat coursing through her body and she shivered. He seemed to sense what she felt, and his eyes flashed.
“I will never let anything happen to you. Not as long as I live.”
Gael swallowed. “I believe you,” she whispered.
They gazed at each other. A long tender look that made Gael’s entire body melt for him. His handsome face was suddenly near hers, and she hesitated a moment, knowing instinctively somehow that if she kissed him now, it would not stop there… and yet, she was ready.
After all they’d been through together, she knew now she wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. She would sell the estate, probably never speak again to her father, who had probably known all along what the bear shifters had been planning, so that was fine with her.
She met Rhett’s lips gingerly, her mouth pressed against his with a tender urgency that mad a deep growl rise in his throat. He lifted her by the waist and laid her down on the bed, burying his mouth in the nape of her neck and filling her body with sweet ecstasy.
They inhaled sharply together as he slowly removed her clothes, relishing in every little bit of skin he uncovered and sending wave after wave of excitement crashing down upon her.
Rhett stared at her, his eyes
dark as he removed his clothes and she inhaled sharply at the sight of his body; raw and powerful and hers alone. They hesitated a moment before he was on top of her again, their sexes touching and filling her with a deep fire she had never experienced. Never in her life had she wanted something more than this, and Rhett was so careful as he gifted her with it.
“It might hurt at first,” he whispered, his voice deep in her ear. It sent a thrill through her as he dropped tender kissed down her clavicle and all the way to her breast. He dropped his lips over her nipple and his hot tongue sent electricity charging down, down, to her middle where her hips bucked against Rhett’s hard member.
They both moaned at the contact, and he ran the length of himself along her, sending a shiver down her spine. She gasped quietly as he began to push gently against her, dipping himself in slowly, until he was partly enveloped by her heat.
She hissed. It both hurt and felt unbearably good at the same time and he stopped, his eyes wide with concern.
“It’s okay,” she breathed. “Don’t stop.”
A deep growl resonated in his throat as he heeded her words and suddenly, the fullness of his body was inside of her and she found herself closer to the ceiling of her desire than she had ever been before.
Rhett rocked his hips slowly, showering her in kisses as the pleasure crashed over her in waves. He knew exactly what to do with his body to please her, almost as if he could sense exactly what worked and what didn’t. She lost herself in the movement of their bodies becoming one, tides of pleasure sweeping over her and keeping her enrapt by the rapture of his body.
Soon, she couldn’t keep herself from fighting a sweeping, tingling burst of pleasure that nearly caused her to cry out loud in passion. Her climax was coming, and it was coming fiercely.
