Page 80 of Savage Beast

Iforcetheshiftand push Cairo back; I lock him away and grant him the small mercy of not being present to what is about to take place. The feeling of my fur billowing in the wind is what pulls me from my thoughts, I open the link between Zeke and I, issuing an alpha order.

Get my mate out of here now.

Alpha, we can’t move. If I try to take her from here, there might be a chance of injury.

I growl.

Guard her with your life.

Yes, alpha.

I close the mind link and use Cole and Creed as the distraction that I need. My paws sink into the dirt beneath my feet, I push with all my strength to get closer to her. I grind my teeth in frustration, the wind is picking up and if I don’t end this soon, we will all be crushed. I hear trees in the distance falling, two more near us drop to the ground with a deafening crack. I peer out the corner of my eye and see a naked, she is about to shift so she can get closer to Sky. Callie braces herself against the tree she hit, her gaze is focused on Sky and for a brief second something transpires between both of them, the wind dies down enough for me to make my move. I take off running as fast as my paws will carry me, and when I’m a foot out from her she spins around, surprise clouds her gaze as I launch through the air. She has no time to strike out or use her power, I clamp my jaws on the side of her neck, her shocked intake of breath has her blood oozing into my mouth through the puncture wounds. Not wanting her to suffer, I yank backward and spit her flesh from my mouth.

I meet her gaze and watch, as the black begins to recede from her eyes, the wind around us dies out completely. The choking sound she makes will haunt me for the rest of my days, blood splatters from her mouth and I wish I could look away, but I can’t. For a brief moment as her eyes return to their normal color, I see the real Sky before she is gone, and the scream that tears from Callie will haunt me. I release Cairo from his cage and shift back so he can deal with this as he sees fit, I’m prepared for his anger and hatred toward me when he sees the damage I have done.

Chapter thirty-six

Cairo

Myheartisshredded,a million tiny little pieces of that artery are floating throughout my body as I stare down at my best friend. I rush forward and drop down on my naked ass as I pull her onto my lap. Her muddy brown eyes are vacant, her soul has left her body. I throw my head back and scream! I never wanted it to end this way, I was supposed to stop this from happening, I promised her––I fucking promised her I wouldn’t let this come true! I run my hand over her lids and slide them closed, tears pour from my eyes as I brush her cheek, I can feel the warmth beginning to leave her body. I look around me and find a discarded cloak, I grab it with my free hand and pull it over her like a blanket.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you warm and then you’ll be back to normal in no time. You’re Skylar Cage, you were born to t-torment me forever, remember?” I fight back the sob that wants to break free, an idea hits me. “I’ll bring you back Sky, I’ll bring you back!” I lean down and smash my lips against hers, I wait for the feeling of tingles to spread throughout my body like it always did when she siphoned me, but it doesn’t happen. I pull back and then kiss her again…and again…and again. Frustrated that my efforts are proving futile I grip her face and shake her. “Wake the fuck up!” I scream.

“Babe.” I snap my gaze to the left and growl; this is all her fucking fault! If she had stayed the fuck away from me and never pulled me to her, Sky would still be alive. I turn away and focus back on Sky. “She’s gone Ro.” Her words are like a dagger to my already shattered heart.

“Shut the fuck up! She just needs time to recoup and then she will be fine. You take all the time you need Sky; I’m right here, promise I won’t leave you.” I whisper in her ear, I use the cloak to cover the gaping wound on her neck, I can’t stomach to see what I fucking did––no, what my fucking bastard of a wolf did!

I did it to save our mate, I’m sorry Cairo––.

Fuck off Bexley. I hate you.

And I will take all your rage and hate if it means you still live.

Bexley closes the link and I feel him shrink back giving me the space from him that I need, I hear footsteps approach me from behind and I stiffen when I catch their scents. A small delicate hand lands on my shoulder and I tense when she crouches down beside me, she reaches out and runs her hand through Sky’s blonde her, a gut-wrenching sob tears from her and I die a little more inside. Z moves to the opposite side of Callie and grabs Sky’s hand from under the cloak, I can feel both their emotions radiating off them.

“It was my honor and privilege to fight alongside you Skylar, you are the strongest fiercest warrior I have even known. Your fight is over now my friend, give them hell up there and hold nothing back.” Zeke’s words cause the lump in my throat to expand. He and Sky had their differences, but at the end of the day they both knew that when push came to shove, and shit hit the fan, their backs would always be covered by the other.

“I would trade places with you in heaven in a heartbeat, your time wasn’t now.” Callie leans down and places a kiss against Sky’s lips…like a goodbye! I growl, her gaze snaps to mine and I glare at her.

“She’s coming back! she just needs time to––to rejuvenate and then she will be back! Stop acting like she’s––like she’s––.”

“Like she’s dead?” I flinch, Callie squeezes my shoulder in support. She’s barely spoken to me since Sky was taken and I hate that I feel like I didn’t just…do what I did to Sky but also to Callie. She turns to Z and nods; he tries to pry Sky from me, and I growl.

“Touch her Zeke and I’ll rip your goddamn head off!” Callie cups my face and applies pressure until I reluctantly face her, tears stream down her cheeks like a broken faucet. The look of hollowness in her eyes kills me.

“Let her go, Z is going to take her back to the car and then we can go be with her again.” I open my mouth to argue but she pushes on. “I will not have mymateon this disgusting blood-soaked earth any longer, Zeke take Sky now!” Before I can argue or protest, I feel arms banding around my own and my neck, I’m yanked backward and roar when Z stands with Sky’s limp body in his arms. I fight with all I have and turn side to side to see, Cole, Creed, Cass and Hunter holding me back.

“I’ll fucking kill you all for this!” I scream, I fight harder than I ever have before when Zeke turns to walk away with Callie at his side and Sky in his arms. “Bring her back to me!” They ignore me as they continue to leave, the further they get the more reality begins to sink in, Sky is gone. I hear screams sound out around me, and it takes me a couple of minutes to realize the screams are my own, the four of them release their hold on me and I drop to my knees burying my face in my hands. I may have a mate, but I swear to the gods above that Skylar was my soulmate, she was me, but without a dick, she gave me my life back. She was with me through everything, she loved me when no one else did, stuck with me through all the lows and never once abandoned me. I feel her in front of me, but I can’t look at her, my eyes will say everything I’m feeling, and I’ll lash out. She needs to get away from me before I destroy her.

“She knew this was going to––.”

“Belle, I don’t think now is the right time.”

“I’m sorry Creed, but Sky told me it had to be now, and no offense but I think she knows him better than anyone.” I don’t lift my gaze as I ask.

“What did she say?” My voice doesn’t sound like my own, it’s broken and raspy.

“That you will lash out and blame me, that you would push me away because you would blame yourself for this––.” A dark chuckle escapes me, I feel all their eyes on me and relish in the way they are all on edge and scared of what the beast will do next. I lift my gaze slowly to hers and smile darkly, she tries to hide her fear, but I can see it, taste it even.

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