Page 108 of The Lycans: Vol Four

“What is that?”

I had no fucking clue, but I was going to destroy it.

The big blob of whatever the fuck this thing was came closer. Its body looked gelatinous, and it had eight tentacles attached to the sides, four on either side, claws tipped on each one. Its mouth was formed in a sharp beak, and its black, beady eyes held an intelligence that told me this thing would put up one hell of a fight.

More chittering came from it as it slapped its tentacles on the ground and pulled itself forward.

“I’ll distract it and you attack.”

“W-wait. W-what?” I was so taken off guard by Ada’s words that I was momentarily frozen and didn’t stop her from darting off to the side. “Fuck. My mate is crazier than I am.”

She darted to the side and behind the closest tree. The creature turned its head toward her and screeched out, but I was charging forward, my nails now claws, the bloodthirst filling my body so all I could think about was killing.

“Hey, asshole, over here,” Ada shouted at the creature.

A screeching roar sounded from the beast, and he slithered toward my mate. But I was in front of it a second later, and grabbed each side of it.

My hands slid off its slimy body, and the fucker turned and lunged at me, the snap of its beak coming together just inches from my face pulling a growl of aggression from me.

I fell back, landing on my ass, and the piece of shit wasted no time racing along the ground toward me. I was up and reaching for it, prepared to snap its thick neck, when a stone flew out from the side and connected with its beak.

I heard Ada’s war cry and roared myself, shouting at her to stay back.

“Damn it, female. Stay the fuck back and let your mate protect you.”

She kicked out and slammed her little booted foot into the side of its body, but the creature wrapped a tentacle around her shoe and pulled her to the ground.

I heard her scream in pain, saw her head crack back and connect hard with the ground.

And I felt anger so potent, so intense I tasted it coating my tongue. “I’m going to fucking tear you apart,” I hissed at the creature and gripped the piece of shit, yanking it away from Ada. She kicked out, loosening her foot from its hold, and scrambled backward.

I had a tentacle in each hand, feeling the slimy creature fight me harder. Its beak-like jaw lunged toward my face, and I jerked backward as it snapped at me, the chittering sound growing louder.

“I’m going to give your mangled body to my mate as a prize,” I seethed.

Ada gave what could only be called a war cry and charged forward, a large branch in her hand as she swung.

“Fucking hell, Ada,” I gritted the words out when the stick hit the side of the creature, barely missing taking off my arm in the process.

“Sorry,” she yelled out. “You looked like you needed help.”

The creature turned its broad, flattened head toward Ada and snapped, and she screamed and jumped back, swinging the stick again and connecting with its skull this time.

It made a gods-awful screech and thrashed around even harder, two of its tentacles wrapping around my legs as it tried to take me down so I was on my back and it would have a better advantage.

My body grew bigger, my muscles thickening. With a deafening roar, I felt my body change into that of a lethal predator. The only thing I could think about was protecting my female.

With every single ounce of strength I possessed, I roared again as I ripped the creature in half, its body splitting in two, death sounds coming from it.

I was staring at the ground as I tossed both halves of the creature aside, my chest rising and falling as I felt all the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I wanted to kill something else. I wanted to offer up body parts to Ada so she’d know I’d be able to protect her.

When I felt myself start to calm to a more sane level—for me, anyway—I looked up at Ada only to see her staring at me with wide eyes and… creature gunk all over her.

Dark goo covered her from head to toe, the slime dripping down her dark red locks, over her face, and down her chest before making a slopping sound as it hit the forest ground.

For long moments we stood still, and all I could do was stare at my poor little mate who was covered in disgusting parallel-dimension-creature innards, knowing I shouldn’t do what was happening right now but unable to stop the smile that formed into a huge grin on my face.

“Even dirty as fuck,” I said, stifling a laugh, “you look hot, baby.”

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