Page 12 of Eternal

They had entered the darkness of the forest of Goian with no more than an hour to spend before the full moon enslaved the night sky in its blistering silver gleam.

The forest, whose coordinates were nonexistent to the general human race, was also seemingly non-threatening to humans who happened to stumble upon the ancestral shifter land. But the moment a paranormal entity, particularly the instant an alpha wolf-shifter stepped into its deadly lair, the forest became alive and roused itself with everything lethal in its claws.

He and Duncan had fought their way through an array of unearthly creatures, poisonous and savage and fully capable of killing them both if they’d been any less strong or less motivated into getting to their mate. Farren would be tied to a tree as an offering to Brogan, the disfigured wolf-beast who had been condemned to the Goian forest since the earliest moment of time.

Not only did they have to fight and win against all the obstacles thrown in their path to get to her, but the true test would be whether they were able to defeat Brogan, save Farren, and then be rewarded with the blessings of the forest angels that Farren would fall pregnant soon.

It wasn’t a common undertaking. Not when only a meager one percent of alphas spread over a thousand years had been able to defeat Brogan and rescue their mate. And usually, their mates, being of human origin, were able to conceive within a full moon cycle. The rest who attempted the seeding ceremony were never seen again.

With the nervousness over their choice of mate already at a volatile point, impregnating Farren would go a long way in easing some of the tension. But it would also solidify her place in their world, which was on the throne of their lives, the love of their hearts, and light of their souls.

The news of Maximillian pups on their way would also be great for their pack’s morale. And with the war with the Remnants looming closer and closer each day, they needed to uplift their subordinates now more than ever.

Both Amanda and Rhiannon had informed them that Farren had strongly and vocally disproved of them undertaking the ceremony until she had gone pale.

But didn’t she realize that they would burn down the world for her?

They loved her and if they weren’t in full and logical control of their abilities, they would never put her in a situation that would end with her death. They were arrogant about their power, but they also weren’t stupid when it came to her life.

The last image of her wetness dripping down her thighs as they spanked her for falling for idle gossip and accusing them before they had a chance to explain themselves about her father, had remained fresh in both their minds the last seven days.

She was gorgeous, stunning, hot, so responsive to them, they had been grumpy and unapproachable the whole of the last week, stalking around with deep scowls on their faces and their cocks in agony for her.

And even the set of panties they had taken from her soaked with her essence, had lost some of her scent, her taste, and their yearning for her had now driven them into a frenzy of rage.

Shifting between man and wolf, depending on their opponent, they had already fought off an array of enemies. From basilisks to a group of Medusas, a cantankerous Cerberus, and even a Minotaur who couldn’t stop laughing as he waved his labrys at them with the intent to slice Ashton and his brother in half. Every creature they came across multiplied into two the instant they sensed that their intruders were a duo. Each intruder into the Goian Forest had to prove their worth separately.

Almost nearing the point of being battle-weary, Ashton glanced over at his brother as they waded through the thick, snake-infested swamp that would take them to the other side of the forest. The side where they would meet Brogan. They were so close they could smell her, but that her scent was littered with anxiety and terror made them roar with wrath.

They emerged from the muddy swamp, their fur heavy and their legs sluggish before they shook off the excess muddy water, and then taking one more glance at each other, they charged forward.

No one was going to touch their mate. No man, shifter, or demented beast. But seeing her tied to the tree, and Brogan standing over her with his fangs at the ready, ignited a kind of fear in them they didn’t think they were capable of experiencing: one they attributed only to Farren for having the ability to bring it out in them.

“Brogan,” Duncan growled, telepathically. The disfigured monster, once a regal wolf of excellent stature more than a thousand years ago, turned slowly to face them before he sprang into the air then skidded to a stop in front of them.

“Ah, so she is not an offering just for my taking,” Brogan laughed, slamming his metal paw into the earth, causing waves of vibrations around them. “She has defenders, of course. Then let’s get this started. She would make a tasty morsel and it’s been centuries since I last fed. I hope you will make this worth my time, young alphas.”

After a single snort and a tilt of his massive head, a perfect replica of Brogan, with a stone eye as well—equal in everything including strength—appeared next to him.

Ashton straightened out and stood to his full wolf height. His legs and tail were stiff and straight, as were his ears. His lips curled to display his fangs. Duncan had taken the same stance.

But despite the immediate danger they faced, they had taken precious moments to assure themselves of Farren’s safety. Terrified beyond reason, tears glimmering from her eyes and her face, she was more beautiful than they could have imagined. They had seen the light of relief at their presence replace her anxiety for a moment. As if she knew they would come but wasn’t sure.

Both he and Duncan exchanged the thought that they would need to remind her again that she was their world, their universe. Without her, they would be nothing, and that was something she had trouble believing.

They knew the internal battle she fought daily, wondering if they loved her because of who she was or what she had become? How could she not believe that they both had fallen in love with her at first sight, with no knowledge that the serum her father had injected her with would ever change her DNA enough to turn her into an omega? But they were prepared to spend the rest of their lives proving their love and loyalty to her if that’s what it took.

Their simultaneous thoughts spurred them on. They couldn’t wait to get to her. To take her in their arms and fill their nostrils with her scent and her body with their cocks.

They growled and stormed full into battle, each to his opponent.

Farren was the prize, and they would kill to win her.

~~~***~~~

Farren closed her eyes. She wasn’t going to beg for her life. The fact that her mates hadn’t arrived to rescue her meant they had met their demise in the many lethal barriers whose aim was to prevent them from getting to her.

They weren’t coming and she would rather die here than face any other alternative.

---