Page 42 of King of Forest and Fur

Rehn was trying to regulate his emotions and think logically about the next step. But with his mate in danger, his bear was losing control.

“Ready?”

“Let me go first. It’s my duty,” Idris protested.

Rehn shook his head.

“Not today, friend. We'll go together and bring my mate back.” Without another word, Rehn stepped into the glamoured wall.

The other side was dark with descending stairs.

The bear’s eyes aren’t the strongest, but its nose made up for it.

Once Idris was through, they walked the steps together, going deeper into the darkness sniffing for the fresh break of air or even an opening.

“They must have just been here,” Idris whispered. “I can smell the torches along the walls. They were lit only moments ago.”

“Would have been nice if they waited for us,” Rehn said sarcastically as he stubbed his toe on a jutted rock.

“Wait. Stop.” Idris’s arm halted Rehn mid-step. They stood in the darkness straining to see.

“What is it?”

“Do you smell that? It smells like… like shifters? Bear shifters.”

Rehn took a deep inhale.

There it was. A faint, musky smell that to any shifter was recognizable. Their own kind.

“Why in the hell would bear shifters be here?”

“What a dumb fucking question. I’ll never understand how you became king” came a gruff voice from the darkness.

Suddenly, light filled the corridor. There were no more steps, just one torch lit and it showed four of the ugliest faces Rehn could recall.

He scoffed upon seeing the four traitors as they smiled dangerously at him and Idris.

“What are you doing here? You all were banished when Drystan was taken prisoner.”

“Yes,” said one of the smaller but burlier men, “but this isn’t your realm now, is it?”

“Drystan’s dead,” Rehn stated.

He and Idris had put their backs together the moment the four had begun closing in.

“Yeah? And hardly by your hands from what we heard. That little sow of yours had to damn near make him unconscious for you to get your hands on him. But don’t worry,” he snickered. “She’s in good hands now.”

“Where is she?” he bellowed.

Idris had to keep a hand on Rehn to stop him from attacking the other right there. It wasn’t the smart thing and they’d be easily overthrown. Rehn had to think, but his bear wasn’t allowing it.

He felt himself begin to shift, but if he did, Idris and Leila would be finished.

“What’s in this for you?” Idris asked. He had slowly been rotating his and Rehn’s movements with Drystan’s followers.

Rehn caught on.

“Not having you as king is good enough for me,” the one closest to Rehn brayed.

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