hailed as heroes who helped to free our people from servitude to the human monkeys. Michael has foreseen it.”
“God, you sound like a bad B movie,” Caleb drawled. “And Michael hasn’t seen shit. He made up that drivel about being able to see visions. You’ll be remembered as traitors to our people, and fools for following Michael.”
The next instant, Caleb’s body blurred and reformed. Her hiding place afforded her a full view of his body but only a partial view of his face, but it was enough to cause her to stare, mouth agape. Long, razor-sharp teeth protruded from a snouted face, claws gleaming like steel tipped each finger, and coarse black hair covered eight feet plus of jacked-up muscle. Damn, he was one badass werewolf! And Max said a silent prayer of thanks that the anger reflected in his glowing red eyes was directed at the mages, not her.
Max noted the two weaker mages seemed to be having a similar reaction to hers, as both men wore a look of abject horror on their faces. Renault, however, looked triumphant.
“You are of the royal line!” Renault cried. “It is as Michael claimed. There are others born with the pure seed of the Watchers. We can take back what is ours.”
“Idiot,” Caleb growled, his voice distorted by his changed form. “Whatever happens, you won’t live to see it. Michael’s sent you to your death. The only question is why .”
“This is why,” Renault shouted, and he aimed his staff at the boulders behind Caleb. A blood-red blast of energy shot from the tip, and Max ducked, praying she didn’t end up looking like burnt toast.
Caleb had anticipated the action, knowing as the mage did that both women watched from their hiding place. But he didn’t bother to block the blast. He knew Kayla could protect herself and Max with her magic. He’d personally trained her and had confidence in her abilities. What worried him was the risk a protracted battle posed to Max.
His woman had the heart of a warrior and would, if she thought it necessary, join the fight. That he couldn’t allow; his heart would never survive it. Once he’d trained her, however, and she came fully into her powers, things would be different. He would never stand in the way of her fulfilling her destiny. But for now, she was his to protect. And protect her he would, even if it meant tying her to his side until she learned the discipline of a warrior.
Determined to dispatch the threat posed to his mate, he moved with swiftness, his clawed hand neatly severing Renault’s head from his shoulders with a single swipe. Each mage died before the scream of terror could rise from their throats, their mouths open, and their eyes bulging in disbelief.
Caleb looked down at their decapitated corpses and felt no regret. They were traitors. And although they deserved a hard death, to ensure Max’s safety he’d ended their lives quickly. Now there was only his mate to deal with, and he intended to give the matter of her disobedience his full attention.
Fully aware of how fierce he looked with his body covered in hair and his face more beast than man, he met the eyes of his mate across the clearing and bared his teeth in a low growl of disapproval. When Max’s eyes widened and the scent of her fear filled his nostrils, Caleb grunted in satisfaction.
It was good she was afraid. He’d told her to stay in the cabin, and she’d disobeyed him. She could have been injured, or worse yet, killed. The thought was unbearable, unacceptable, and it filled him anew with rage. Her safety came first, above everything else, and before the night was out, he would make sure she understood that.
Max didn’t scare easily. Being different had made her grow a spine, and a stiff one at that. Else she would’ve ended up dog meat for every bully who crossed her path. But Caleb was the scariest thing she’d ever seen. Not because she thought he would hurt her—the big guy would never do that—but because even in his were form she
“God, you sound like a bad B movie,” Caleb drawled. “And Michael hasn’t seen shit. He made up that drivel about being able to see visions. You’ll be remembered as traitors to our people, and fools for following Michael.”
The next instant, Caleb’s body blurred and reformed. Her hiding place afforded her a full view of his body but only a partial view of his face, but it was enough to cause her to stare, mouth agape. Long, razor-sharp teeth protruded from a snouted face, claws gleaming like steel tipped each finger, and coarse black hair covered eight feet plus of jacked-up muscle. Damn, he was one badass werewolf! And Max said a silent prayer of thanks that the anger reflected in his glowing red eyes was directed at the mages, not her.
Max noted the two weaker mages seemed to be having a similar reaction to hers, as both men wore a look of abject horror on their faces. Renault, however, looked triumphant.
“You are of the royal line!” Renault cried. “It is as Michael claimed. There are others born with the pure seed of the Watchers. We can take back what is ours.”
“Idiot,” Caleb growled, his voice distorted by his changed form. “Whatever happens, you won’t live to see it. Michael’s sent you to your death. The only question is why .”
“This is why,” Renault shouted, and he aimed his staff at the boulders behind Caleb. A blood-red blast of energy shot from the tip, and Max ducked, praying she didn’t end up looking like burnt toast.
Caleb had anticipated the action, knowing as the mage did that both women watched from their hiding place. But he didn’t bother to block the blast. He knew Kayla could protect herself and Max with her magic. He’d personally trained her and had confidence in her abilities. What worried him was the risk a protracted battle posed to Max.
His woman had the heart of a warrior and would, if she thought it necessary, join the fight. That he couldn’t allow; his heart would never survive it. Once he’d trained her, however, and she came fully into her powers, things would be different. He would never stand in the way of her fulfilling her destiny. But for now, she was his to protect. And protect her he would, even if it meant tying her to his side until she learned the discipline of a warrior.
Determined to dispatch the threat posed to his mate, he moved with swiftness, his clawed hand neatly severing Renault’s head from his shoulders with a single swipe. Each mage died before the scream of terror could rise from their throats, their mouths open, and their eyes bulging in disbelief.
Caleb looked down at their decapitated corpses and felt no regret. They were traitors. And although they deserved a hard death, to ensure Max’s safety he’d ended their lives quickly. Now there was only his mate to deal with, and he intended to give the matter of her disobedience his full attention.
Fully aware of how fierce he looked with his body covered in hair and his face more beast than man, he met the eyes of his mate across the clearing and bared his teeth in a low growl of disapproval. When Max’s eyes widened and the scent of her fear filled his nostrils, Caleb grunted in satisfaction.
It was good she was afraid. He’d told her to stay in the cabin, and she’d disobeyed him. She could have been injured, or worse yet, killed. The thought was unbearable, unacceptable, and it filled him anew with rage. Her safety came first, above everything else, and before the night was out, he would make sure she understood that.
Max didn’t scare easily. Being different had made her grow a spine, and a stiff one at that. Else she would’ve ended up dog meat for every bully who crossed her path. But Caleb was the scariest thing she’d ever seen. Not because she thought he would hurt her—the big guy would never do that—but because even in his were form she
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