Page 187 of Her Rabid Beasts

“That was his dad, wasn’t it?” I ask. “The king of dragon court.”

Lyle nods silently. Scythe just stares at me. So I sigh and drag myself out of the bed. My lion is at my side in an instant.

“Do you need me to carry you?” he asks, almost sounding hopeful.

I smile up at him for a moment, then reach up to brush my lips against his. “I can walk.”

He takes my hand, and together we walk out of the medical clinic. The staff stare at us, so do the guards.

“They’ll get used to it,” Scythe rasps. “It’s just strange for them to see Lyle not being an asshole.”

To my surprise, Lyle snorts in amusement.

“You need to keep a firm hand on them, Lia,” comes a quiet familiar voice, “otherwise they’ll take full advantage.”

I wildly swing around. Rising from where she was waiting with Yeti, is Minnie, in a mauve maxi-dress that goes perfectly with her pink hair.

Her face crumples when she sees me bandaged up under my loaned crop top. “Oh Goddess,” she says.

I launch myself at her and we meet in the middle.

“You saved my life, Min,” I sob into her curls. “I’m so fucking sorry?—”

“None of that,” she scolds into my neck. “Not anymore. Not after everything.” She pulls away from me and reaches up to take my face in her hands. Her wide, doe-like brown eyes are brimming with tears and she takes a shaky breath. “I’vealways believed that things happen for a reason. And I think what happened”—she swallows—“was going to happen anyway. You’re my best friend. And I hope you will always be.”

I glance at Yeti, eyeing me warily from behind Minnie. Before I can say anything, his face splits into a grin. “We have a Boneweaver on the team now? I’d swap that for that fucker Titusanyday of the week.”

“You don’t blame me?” I gape at him, wiping my nose on my wrist as Lyle squeezes my shoulder possessively.

Yeti shrugs his broad shoulders as Minnie steps back into his body, his muscled arm coming around her as if she’s always been his. “Titus is a psychopath without anyone’s help. Always was.”

Chapter 80

Scythe

Striding back to the academy behind Lyle and Aurelia, my blood roars in awareness and anger. From what I’ve seen and heard today. Even the vision of my brother being taken away cannot supersede the purely ravenous joy I felt at seeing my bloodthirsty regina slaughter Frederick Ulman. It had broken the spell of vengeance over me. Because the only thing that could break the song of revenge saturating my mind was the vision of her. Primal. Raw. Beautiful.

Aurelia killed a man. Without hesitation. Without courtesy. It was a brutal thing to watch. And she’d done it for Lyle, as his regina.

She might not realise it now, but the impact of it will hit her like a heavy wave later.

And Lyle. With his animus fully integrated, now thrums with its overtly violent power. While his aura now roils with black, red and golden power, his eyes, and even his walk, have changed. That violent power now prowls after Aurelia, a mated male, possessive and dangerous.

Things are going to be different now, and Aurelia has no fucking idea. While Savage was bad enough with his regina, his energy was playful. Lyle’s energy is not. Mine is not.

There’s a storm coming, and a nasty one at that. There are preparations to be made. Calls to make.

I get out my phone, texting a quick message.

I’ve found a tigress who’s strong enough to be a match at the academy.

The reply comes back quick as the swipe of a claw.

I’m leaving now.

Dinner is in full swing, so we head outside to bypass the dining hall. As we do, Stacey runs out from the direction of the anima dorm, pulling at her dark hair, a panicked expression twisting her face.

Lia and Minnie break into a run, heading for their friend. “Everything’s okay, Stace!” Aurelia says. “Wait till?—”

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