Page 7 of Corbin
The grizzly had been on the ground, defending himself. He lifted his head and shoulders as Ares came at him, then swung another humongous leg, hitting Ares like a tree limb gone mad. Corbin’s wolf went flying into a jarring roll.
Corbin saw stars. This was it.
Ares could hardly breathe and fought to stand. He would not die lying down.
Corbin clenched against the pain they suffered.
They’d survived the worst life imaginable growing up. Daily inhumane treatment at the hands of their Romanian captor, while forced to kill other shifters who murdered for fun had savaged his soul. No innocent humans or shifters were killed, but even a justified death cut deeply into Corbin’s soul.
Was this how it all ended? He’d gotten his hopes up for a new life. A real life where maybe they could mend the damage done over so many years.
Ares pissed him off every waking minute, but Corbin didn’t want him to die this way. His wolf had reason to hate everyone, including Corbin.
Through blurred vision, he watched the bear struggle until he lifted all that weight off the ground. He took a step forwardand went down on his front legs. Blood oozed from his jaws with every snarl.
He shoved up again and came like a drunken elephant for Ares.
When the grizzly got within two feet of striking, Corbin prepared to feel the final blow. He told Ares,You did your best.
I am not done.
Corbin would have laughed if he’d been in human form. Arrogant son of a bitch.
Standing still, the grizzly stared down at Ares. The skin around his bloody mouth pulled back to a vicious grin. Blood soaked the coat below his throat. How was that bear still moving?
The bear’s uninjured rear leg gave out, dropping him into a lopsided sit.
Ares returned the grin by pulling the skin back along his jaws and showing off his own bloody fangs. He acted as if his life fluid did not flow from the wound on his side.
Grin gone, the grizzly lifted a paw and pulled it to the side to swing with all his might for the killing blow.
Ares tried to move backward, but he couldn’t. His legs started to buckle. He widened his open jaws, ready to bite that claw.
The bear’s arm hung in the air, then moved forward. Halfway to Ares, that mountain of brown fur crashed over on its side.
Hell. Corbin told his wolf,Damn good fight.
I know.
Hard to compliment an egotistical wolf. Corbin said,Give me the body.
Safer with me.
Miserable wolf! Corbin suffered the physical hurt along with Ares and had run out of patience long ago. Whimpers near the tree reminded him that the woman he’d come to rescue had to beeven more traumatized after that battle. Ares glanced over. She hugged her legs against her chest and sobbed.
Corbin couldn’t take much more of this.You can’t help her, but I can. Give me the body!
Ares snarled.We will not shift again soon. You kill us both.
Yes, they’d pushed too many changes too quickly. They’d have to wait an hour or more to shift again or risk not completing the change.
Corbin had no choice. He had to take that woman to safety, anywhere but here.I didn’t question you when I handed you the body.
Because I am superior.
Right now, the only superior skill that wolf had over Corbin’s human body was faster healing. Ares could not carry the woman anywhere. The cut on his wolf’s right side had stopped bleeding and begun to close enough for them to shift without adding even more damage to what they suffered.
Corbin and the woman could move out as soon as he returned to human form and determined if she could walk at all.
