Page 75 of Ember's Claim

My wings flap and, without Anders’s added weight, I fly through the air, picking up speed. My eyes glow yellowy-green as my dragon tries to pick out any movement. Without Andersspotting that guy, I wouldn’t have any confirmation I’m even heading in the right direction.

Well, outside of the gut instinct that pulls me this way because the bond says my mate is in distress.

I exhale heavily at the sound of Ember’s snarls filling the air. Saying a silent prayer to several higher powers I don’t actually believe in, I tuck my wings as the edge of the forest comes into view.

I scan, desperately searching for Ember’s wolf as I lower into the clearing, but my eyes land on Lorcan with a spear through his chest. It’s a gruesome sight, even worse than the sounds coming from the nearby wolf fight.

Everything in me aches to aim for the trees, where Ember fights against two wolves. At the same time, I’m not sure she would ever forgive me if I didn’t immediately move to offer Lorcan aid.

A string of vile curses slips from my lips as I zero in on the druid. Dirt flies up around my feet as I land in a crouch.

“Bag.” He tries to point, but his arm listlessly falls to the ground. “Calyx.”

Scrambling over, I tug the bag open, digging around inside. I’m not expecting him to have an arsenal of daggers, and I damn near cut off my fucking hand before I wise up and look before continuing to dig.

I grab the phone, preparing to pull it over to unlock the screen using Lorcan’s thumb, but a cascade of heavy feet hitting the ground draws my attention.

At the same moment, a portal opens to my right. Rogue stumbles out with the blond warlock, Cohen. Behind him is a slender man who has to be at least as tall as I am. He has black hair and sharp cheekbones.

“The rest are coming,” Rogue says with that faraway look in her eyes.

“I’ll tend to Lorcan,” the man who must be Calyx says.

My head flies up just in time to see the additional fifteen or twenty wolves that head in our direction.

Dropping the phone, I spread my wings and allow my hands to transform into my claws. It’s a lovely night to slaughter a few traitorous wolves, and I have some fury to work off.

Chapter Thirty

Anders

Three Minutes Earlier

Veryn drops me, and I will my lion to come forward. He was already hovering dangerously close to taking over, so transforming midair isn’t a problem, but my clothing ends up shredded.

Not just from being ripped apart as my body grows and expands, but also from the branches that catch against the material as I plummet.

The ground approaches fast, and my entire body braces for impact. My lion’s paws hit the ground, and he shakes out his tail and scents the air all at once. He spins at a ninety-degree angle and takes off, loping through the trees.

It only takes another minute to spot Clive, chest heaving and leaning against a giant oak tree.

His hands shake as he texts.

Don’t let him call in backup, I snap, urging my lion to act. He lunges, and Clive’s head whips up. He takes off with his phone in his hand, but I’m baffled why he hasn’t already shifted. He dropsthe phone, falling to all fours as he finally attempts to transform into his wolf.

It doesn’t matter.

My lion lands on his back, trapping the partially formed wolf to the forest floor before wrapping his mouth around Clive’s head. His teeth dig in, and Clive’s skull pops with the force of his bite.

There’s no mercy to be had when my lion is in control. He doesn’t want to risk Clive healing and coming back as a later problem. He doesn’t stop until he’s removed the wolf’s head from his body. He drops it several feet away and bounds off toward where the bond indicates Ember will be.

Her sorrow and fury fill him with determination.

There will be pain and death for anyone involved in this mess.

My lion guides us through the trees at a rapid pace with utter conviction that he won’t face-plant into an unexpected tree trunk. He comes to the edge of the woods right as Ember tackles the smaller of two wolves. She viciously tears into his side as her paws rake over the wolf’s face and flank.

The larger wolf stalks closer to Ember from behind. He’s planning to use her distraction as his chance to attack. My lion takes off and jumps, clearing more space than I knew possible.

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