Page 2 of Beast

I lowered the knife and let a wicked grin stretch across my face, my jaws inching up and out at the corners to give a full display of teeth.It was the kind of smile that would make most people piss their pants.

“I’m improving,” I said proudly.

Beck laughed, a sound that had become more frequent lately.“Yeah, you can kick all our asses, while teaching us a thing or two.That stab to my thigh came close to guaranteeing I never father children or keep Missy satisfied.”

I covered one ear with my good hand, keeping my claws in check so I didn’t poke out an eyeball.I did not want to hear about Beck satisfying Missy again.It was simply too much.He got the hint and snapped his jaws closed.

King stood, holding the slice I’d opened on his hip together as best he could with his own clawed hands.He turned to Beck.“If there were ten of you, that woman would still never be satisfied.Add the Hellspawn, and you’ve got monsters worse than hellhounds.”

I shot King a glare and shook my head in exasperation.“Don’t call Ruth ‘Hellspawn.’She only lives up to the name when you do.We need to figure out how to unplug that child’s monster.”I raised my mangled hand, showing King my shredded fingers.“I think they’re still attached enough to sew back on, but thankfully Axel is away right now.He’s still mad at me for the last time I needed his help.”

King wrapped his bloody arm around my shoulders and pulled me close.“I’ll treat you like a tiger with a hangnail,” he said with a smirk.

I rubbed my jaws against his, sinking into the delicious warmth of his body.“You always know exactly what to say to a girl.”King’s claws lightly scraped across the leather straps at my chest, sending a tremble through me that I refused to acknowledge.

“I’m out of here,” Beck muttered, disappearing into the night.

“How bad are those fingers?”King asked huskily.

“Bad,” I admitted.

“Figures,” he whispered.

“I’ll be as good as new in a few hours.”I flicked a glob of mud from my face.“And cleaner too.”

“How did Ms.Beast handle the double attack?”His hold on me tightened as he searched my eyes, looking for a glimpse of my lunatic Warrior side.

I blinked slowly, letting him see just a piece of her in my eyes.“She still insists I kill you.Though, this time, she wanted Beck’s blood too.”

He laughed, a deep sound that rumbled through his chest.King argued with his beast side constantly, so he understood the duality I faced.Our beasts were relentless, their solution to any fight being death to the opponent.Ms.Beast complicated things further by sometimes directing her bloodlust toward my mate.I didn’t truly think she would kill him, but she loved the chase more than anything.

“What about the mating frenzy and Beck attacking me?”I asked.

Normally, the men were careful not to get close enough for accidental contact.The last thing they wanted was King tearing them apart.

His expression darkened, his jaws tightening into a frown.“I’ll avoid Beck for the rest of the day so I don’t end up killing him.”

“You do that.”

King took my mangled hand in his massive paw, examining it with a careful precision that belied his size.“You’ll heal, but stitches will help it go faster, and that way, we can do this again tomorrow night.”

I inhaled deeply, letting his scent fill my lungs.It was the scent of the man who held my heart.“You love the hunt as much as Ms.Beast.”

He tipped my head back, his gaze piercing mine.“I love hunting you.”

“Wicked man,” I murmured.

“Would you have it any other way?”he asked with a devilish grin.

“Never.”

Chapter Two

Marinah

“A little gentleness goes a long way,” I ground out between my very human teeth.

I had shifted from Warrior form as soon as we entered the citadel.I couldn’t stand the sensation of walking across the tile floor with three-inch claws jutting from my feet.King always laughed at me whenever I grumbled about it.Of course, he’d had more time to grow accustomed to his Beast form, which stood three feet taller than our human one.And then there was the whole jaw situation.His looked like an alligator’s.Mine just looked monstrous.Add the stiff bristles of inch-long hair that covered my body, and I wasn’t exactly anyone’s idea of pretty in Beast form.

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