Page 70 of Wrath

Monarch.

Family unit.

Hive mind.

I slowly lifted my gaze from the book, intent on studying the creatures once more, only to find one of the goblins turned in my direction, its head canted to the side. It stared at me, its abnormally wide eyes as red as blood, before it opened its mouth wide. There weren’t merely two rows of teeth in its mouth, but four, maybe five. Row after row of deadly looking teeth.

The goblin released a high-pitched scream that shook the forest.

The rest of the goblins froze in mid-step—literally froze, one of their feet lifted as they prepared to take a step. Then, as one, they all repeated that same eerie scream. The trees began to shake, a bird cawed, and stone-cold fear instilled itself deep in my chest.

“Fucking hell,” Ryland whispered.

Fucking hell indeed.

Because every goblin in the army had turned to stare at the two of us.

I shoved the book into Ryland’s hands.

“Run,” I rasped out. “We need to run.”

Even as I thought that, my body shifted and distorted, a fur pelt sprouting on my arms.

Now as a bear, I pushed myself onto my hind legs and roared.

The goblins continued to stare at me.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Then the one near the very front of the army opened its mouth and released a husky series of sounds.

The goblins rushed towards Ryland and me without a second thought.

Oh fuck…

Z was going to kill me.

If the goblins didn’t kill me themselves.

TWENTY-THREE

Z

Pleasure overloaded my body and brain so much that it took me a second to realize that something was wrong.

Slowly, I came down from the post-bliss high I found myself in and immediately reached for Killian.

Only to realize that he was no longer in the bed with me.

What…?

I blinked, desperately trying to clear my thoughts, and rubbed at my face with a shaky hand.

It almost felt like I was waking up from a dream—a beautiful, erotic dream that left me aching and wet. It took me a moment too long to orient myself, to plant my feet firmly in reality.

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