In Love With The King Of Beasts

ag

irst to take a kill which had the Lupines howling their pleasure and excitement. A

be strutti

Avaline sacrifice-an unnecessary reminder of the merciless nature of the wolves. But he turned quickly

ief he realized she w

ored his strange behavior, and instead simply shared his love for animals. Had made herself his friend. Defended hi

ormed in front of them. His control

ht his heart had ever recognized. He allowed himself one keen of mourning, knowing the gathered audience would assume he grieved all the sacrifices. B

cle, so he could return later to bury her himself...but instead his senses tingled

where w

he continued to scent until he'd identified her scent mixed with

idden h

his predator-ancestors, growled and shook itself. It had nothing but contempt for the prey-behavior.

she was still alive. Then he blinked, and turned away

in the dirt, far to his left, straddling the Equine sacrifice, strangling the life o

ldn't

at play, he would be force

uttered unde

y were very... visceral. And no doubt he'd

shed her to feet, obviously exhausted, but smiling

him and bowed, th

packs, apparently-weren't aware o

enemies. It was a fatal mistake and one he prayed she'd correct before she reache

s of her people, howling for the moon as she stumbl

nt of him and swept a bow, he was forced to sp

one left, Luci

ing behind her. It took her only a few more seconds than it had taken Aragon himself to locate Elia. Su

o, Lucine tracked the scent straight to the tree. Without hesitating she leaped

kness, and grief for the girl she'd been to

om her-but one of Elia's feet kicked out as she attempted to stop herself being pulled fro

ke a cat, flinching and

ond later, even as Lucine held her eye with one hand, Elia lost her g

expression to an unfeeling mask, knowing even a tire

fting uneasily. Aragon's heart raced, but he forced himself to stillness as a Elia

and right at the people surrounding the cleari

th. She was still alive, but apparently unconscious. Yet, Elia continue

ead," Aragon grow

lled away from him. "

f the crowd-all the tribes in agreement on th

s were pacing, all the herds stamped their fee

Lucan, must be quivering with shame. His daughter was already humiliated by this loss-but to be declared too weak to be killed

force him to be the one to end this! He started toward her, the tribes c

" he snarled. "Just

ng and vibrant child she had been. She straightened and turned to face him ful