Page 38 of Her Rabid Beasts

Two more wolves bring out a wooden board with metal glinting on top. A small, concealable handgun sits there and is brought up to Scythe. The shark glances down at it before he nods.

“Use of arms in a fight is prohibited under our laws and is a punishable offence. Does the accused have anything to say in his defence?” Xander asks.

“Fuck all of you,” Brendan spits. “I didn’t do nothin’!”

Savage snarls softly and Brendan clenches his teeth but stares back at him in open defiance.

“S-stupid, stupid wolf,” Raquel mutters on my other side.

Then it’s Scythe who finally speaks. “Brendan Moonsayer.” His rasp filters around the entire hall. “You are found guilty of keeping an illegal weapon and using it in an assassination attempt. Your punishment is the same injury inflicted upon you in the honourable way.”

Brendan tries to wrench free of his captors but they hold firm.

When Savage grins, it’s not a nice one at all. He prowls forward with that confident saunter, spreading his arms out. “As your noble order leader, it is my duty to inflict your punishment.” He points at Troy. “Since the leopard was shot in the abdomen three times, you’ll get three bites from me. Not enough to kill, just enough to”—he bares his teeth—“hurt really bad.”

“And by the Old Laws,” Scythe rasps, “healing will be withheld for three days. You are only permitted stitches.”

“May the Wild Mother have mercy on you,” Xander grins, and it’s a truly cold thing. “Because we sure as hell won’t.”

Without warning, Savage bursts into his wolf form and lunges for the accused. We all flinch as Brendan’s guards scramble to get out of the way. Savage pummels into the wolf, sending them both crashing to the floor.

Brendan screams, and there’s blood, so much blood, as Savage gouges into his stomach with his canines, biting and gnawing. He punches Savage’s head with both fists, but it’s like a rabbit trying to fight off a wolf and I feel sorry for the guy. I’ve been under Savage before, I understand the weight; the sheer feeling of that powerful beast over you. I’ve also seen beasts gouging out abdomens before, but Savage is different in his approach. As wild and ferocious as the attack is, it’s precise and measured.

It’s over quickly. Savage steps off Brendan, completely in control of his bloodlust.

The maimed wolf is carried away by other wolves, sobbing and choking on his own spit. My stomach roils as Savage licks his bloody teeth clean. Even through my own nausea I stand transfixed at his wolf form. He’s massive, with a pelt that twinkles like the midnight sky and eyes that demand obedience.

“Punishment is concluded. Court is dismissed,” Xander announces. A command to leave. He’s smiling fondly at Savage.

A chill runs down my spine.

After a moment of stunned silence, everyone hurries to obey.

I don’t realise that Raquel is squeezing my hand so hard it’s cutting off my circulation, until everyone shuffles for the door. Raquel gives me an embarrassed grimace and drops my hand, but I give my friend a reassuring smile in return. I wonder where Minnie is. How she felt watching this. I’m trying to see a pink mop of hair in the audience when a husky, deep, feral voice rings out across the hall, making me freeze.

“Lia?Regina!” I turn to see Savage, in his naked human form, waving enthusiastically at me, his bloody face and mouth stretched into a huge smile. “You’re back!”

“I’ve n-never s-seen him so happy,” Raquel mutters.

“It’s a little creepy,” Connor mutters, but his tone is amused.

Even though Savage looks like a mad serial killer, I can’t help the way my sex twinges at the sight of him and that naked male body made by the Wild God himself.

“You’re so lucky,” a wolf I don’t know says as he passes me.

I look back at Savage to find him shoving his way through the crowd to get to me. My eyes dart to the others, but Xander is gone, and it’s only Scythe still sitting there. His eyes like a snare, holding me captive in their cold depths. I’m rooted to the spot. Stricken by him and the power that lies behind that powerful gaze. Goddess, were his eyes always the colour of the coldest sea?

But Savage is nearing us and Connor taps me on the shoulder in silent question. I grab his hand in two of mine and turn to see where Raquel is.

But my wolf friend indicates to Savage with their eyes and jerks their chin at us to leave. “Go. I n-need t-to stay.”

Before I can protest, Connor whips me, Stacey, and Sabrina out of the hall as fast as he can.

Chapter 19

Aurelia

We leg it out of there with Connor shoving slower animuses aside until we get out into the warm sun and fresh air.

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