Page 12 of Bear Love's Hidden Destiny
I stayed close, my senses sharp, the bond between us humming. “Be careful,” I said, my hand on her shoulder. “We don’t know what’s in there.”
She nodded, her fingers brushing the box, but before she could touch it, the air turned sharp, biting, like a sudden frost. A voice slithered from the shadows, low and cold. “You brought her here. You’ve already chosen a side.”
I froze, my bear roaring to life. I knew that voice, the one from Isabella’s vision, the one I’d hoped was dead. Marek.
Chapter Eleven
Isabella
The voice sliced through the air like a blade, and I froze, cold dread coiling down my spine. Marek stepped out from behind the altar, his presence flooding the chamber with a weight that made my chest tighten. He was taller than I’d imagined from the vision, his lean frame radiating menace, his skin etched with blackened runes that looked like they’d been carved with a knife. His eyes gleamed with an inhuman light, sharp and serpentine, pinning me in place. The air grew heavier, the runes on the chamber’s walls flickering erratically, as if the ancient magic was recoiling from him. The stone floor seemed to hum under my feet, the scent of moss and ozone thick in my nose. My heart pounded, but I gripped the journal, my eyes darting to Benedict, who was already moving.
He stepped in front of me, his body tensing, claws emerging from his hands as his bear stirred just beneath the surface. “Stay back, Isabella,” he said, his voice a low growl, his eyes locked on Marek.
Marek laughed, a cold, amused sound that echoed off the stone walls, bouncing through the chamber like a taunt. “Hiding behind your bear, Veilborn?” he said, his gaze fixed on me, his voice smooth but laced with venom. “You shouldn’t. You’re the last spark of Esoterra’s original line. You’re not meant to serve or run. You’re meant to rule.”
I swallowed, my throat tight, but I held his stare, refusing to flinch. “Rule? I don’t even know you,” I said, my voice sharper than I felt. “What do you want with me?”
Marek stepped closer, his boots silent on the stone, his movements fluid, almost unnatural. The runes on the walls pulsed, casting jagged shadows across his face. “Unlock the relic,” he said, nodding toward the sealed box on the altar, its claw-and-flame rune glowing faintly in the dim light. “Take your place as leader of the reborn forest. Stand beside me, and we can remake Esoterra, make it powerful, permanent, no longer cowering behind fragile borders. Your grandfather was a coward, sealing away what could’ve been ours. You can finish what was started centuries ago.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Benedict said, his voice rough, his claws lengthening as he shifted his stance, ready to strike. “He’s a liar, Isabella. He wants the Veil’s power for himself.”
Marek’s smile widened, but it was cold, his eyes glinting like a predator’s. “Your bear thinks he knows me. But he’s just a soldier, following orders. You’re more than that. You feel it, don’t you? The forest calling you.”
I glanced at the box, its surface carved with the same rune from my journal, from Benedict’s skin. My hand twitched, drawn to it, but I hesitated, looking at Benedict. His eyes were fixed on Marek, his body coiled like a spring, his breath steady but tense. The chamber felt alive, the walls humming, the air thick with the scent of ancient earth and something sharper, like a storm brewing. I stepped forward, my fingers brushing the box,and a pulse of energy shot through me, warm and sharp, making my skin tingle. Images flashed behind my eyes, my grandfather kneeling by a ceremonial stone, blood on his hands, Marek’s shadow lurking as flames devoured the forest, the choice to seal the Veil to save Esoterra. The vision faded, but the truth settled in my chest, heavy and clear. My grandfather had buried this power to stop men like Marek.
“I’m not here to rule,” I said, my voice steady as I faced him. “I’m here for the truth.”
Marek’s eyes narrowed, his smile fading. “Then open it. Claim what’s yours.”
“Isabella, don’t,” Benedict said, his hand reaching for me, his claws glinting in the faint light. But I was already moving, my palm pressing against the box. It clicked open, the lid sliding back with a soft groan, revealing a crystal pendant wrapped in living root, its surface pulsing with a faint, warm light. I reached for it, my fingers trembling, and the moment I touched it, a jolt slammed through my chest, like lightning racing through my veins. My bloodline awakened, a rush of power that made my skin hum, the chamber’s runes flaring bright, casting the room in a golden glow. I gasped, clutching the pendant, its warmth spreading through me, my heartbeat syncing with the pulse of the forest.
Marek lunged, his hand reaching for the pendant, his eyes wild with hunger. Benedict was faster, his body rippling as he shifted fully into his bear form, a massive black wall of fur and muscle that crashed into Marek with a bone-shaking roar. The chamber erupted in violence, the sound of claws and snarls filling the air, the stone walls trembling. I stumbled back, the pendant clutched in my hand, my eyes locked on the fight. Marek moved like a shadow, his body twisting, half-shifting into something serpentine, his arms elongating, claws gleaming with a sickly green light that left trails in the air. He slashed atBenedict, his claws raking across the bear’s shoulder, drawing blood that splattered the stones, dark and glistening. Benedict roared, his massive paw swinging, catching Marek’s side and sending him skidding across the floor, crashing into a shelf of scrolls that toppled with a thud.
Marek recovered fast, his eyes glowing brighter as he dodged Benedict’s next swing, his claws slicing into Benedict’s flank, tearing through fur and flesh. Blood sprayed, and I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat, echoing in the chamber. Benedict didn’t falter, his bear charging again, teeth snapping as he tackled Marek against the altar. The stone cracked under the impact, a jagged split running through the rune, and the chamber shook, dust falling from the ceiling. Marek hissed, his body twisting, his arm lashing out to slash deep into Benedict’s shoulder, the wound gushing blood. The bear staggered, but he swung again, his claws catching Marek’s chest, tearing through his shirt and leaving deep red gashes. Marek snarled, his form flickering between human and snake, his movements too fast, too fluid, as he ducked under Benedict’s next strike, slashing at his leg, drawing more blood.
I couldn’t just stand there. My hand tightened around the pendant, its warmth pulsing like a heartbeat against my palm. The chamber was shaking harder now, stones cracking, roots stirring along the walls. I ran toward them, dodging a falling chunk of stone, my voice cutting through the chaos. “Marek, stop!” I shouted, my words echoing off the walls. He turned, his eyes locking on me, and for a moment, I saw his desperation, his need for the pendant’s power. I didn’t think, just acted, pressing the pendant to his chest. Light burst from the contact, blinding and hot, a wave of energy that burned through the air. Marek howled, a sound of pure agony, his body convulsing as the roots lining the chamber walls came alive, twisting and writhing like living chains. They wrapped around his limbs, tightening aroundhis arms, his legs, pulling him down as he thrashed, his claws slashing uselessly at the air.
The chamber rumbled, stones falling, the runes flickering wildly as the roots dragged Marek into the shadows, his screams fading into a guttural hiss. I stumbled back, my heart pounding, the pendant still warm in my hand, its light dimming as the roots stilled. The chamber was collapsing, dust and debris filling the air, but I turned to Benedict, my breath catching. He was back in human form, naked and bleeding, slumped against the cracked altar. His shoulder was torn, blood streaming down his arm, pooling on the stone floor. A deep gash ran across his ribs, another on his thigh, his chest heaving with shallow, ragged breaths. I ran to him, dropping to my knees, my hands shaking as I touched his face, his skin clammy under my fingers. “Benedict,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Wake up. Please.”
His body was still, his eyes closed, and he didn’t answer.
Chapter Twelve
Benedict
I woke in a haze, pain pulsing through my shoulder like a steady drumbeat, sharp and unyielding. My vision blurred, but light filtered through the high canopy of the archive’s exit, casting dappled patterns across the stone floor. Isabella knelt beside me, her eyes red, her hands bloodstained but steady, the crystal pendant glowing faintly at her neck. Her face was a mix of relief and worry, her breath catching as she saw my eyes open. I tried to sit up, my body protesting, the gash on my shoulder burning with every movement. She moved quickly, her hands gentle but firm, helping me upright. Before I could speak, she buried herself in my arms, her body trembling against mine. “I thought I lost you,” she said, her voice shaking, muffled against my chest.
I didn’t say anything, just held her tighter, my hand resting on the back of her head, her hair soft under my fingers. The pain in my shoulder faded to a dull ache, nothing compared to the warmth of her against me. She’d saved me, chosen me, stood against Marek with that pendant and the forest’s power. The bond between us hummed, stronger than ever, a steady pulsethat anchored me. I pressed my lips to her forehead, breathing her in, cedar smoke and sunlight, and for a moment, the world was just us.
“We need to get out of here,” I said, my voice rough from the fight. “The chamber’s not stable.”
She nodded, pulling back to look at me, her eyes still wet but determined. “Can you walk?”
“Yeah,” I said, gritting my teeth as I stood, her arm around my waist to steady me. The chamber was a wreck, cracked stones scattered across the floor, roots still twisted where they’d dragged Marek away. The air felt lighter, though, the runes on the walls glowing softly, no longer flickering with distress. We moved toward the stairs, my steps slow but sure, Isabella’s hand never leaving mine. The tunnel was cool, the runes guiding our way, and when we emerged into the forest, the air was different, alive, aware. The Veil was stabilizing, its hum steady again, the roots no longer groaning with unrest. Isabella’s bloodline had awakened something ancient, anchored it, and Marek’s power was broken, his threat gone, at least for now.
We walked until we found a quiet stream, its water glinting under a sky full of stars. The forest was calm, the trees standing tall, their branches swaying gently in the night breeze. We set up camp, building a small fire from dry wood, its warmth cutting through the chill. I sat on the grass, my back against a log, my body still aching but healing fast, the shifter blood knitting my wounds together. Isabella sat in front of me, watching the flames, her knees pulled up, the pendant resting against her chest, its faint glow catching the firelight. I slid behind her, my arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her back against me. She leaned into me, her head resting on my shoulder, her warmth grounding me in a way nothing else could.
“You scared me back there,” she said, her voice low, her fingers tracing my arm where the gash was already fading. “Don’t do that again.”
