Chapter 10

Jayce

Once the girls lay tucked safely in their beds, Anjal and I have pent up anger to release. Frustrations that can only experience relief during a good training session.

With the moon high, the secluded clearing nestled deep within the labyrinth is our little sanctuary for preparing for battles.

Damian and Nikolaos are already there, lighting tiki torches to keep the mosquitoes away. I don’t know how the blood suckers manage to migrate into our portal away from the world, but they do.

The clearing resonates with the rhythmic thud of hooves against the earth as our entire herd of men gathers. Their powerful forms silhouetted against the night sky.

Anjal sent a text to the herd while I drove home. The call for help brings us all together.

The two of us stand as men before an army.

After I remove my clothes, I take comfort as my muscles prepare for the shift from man to bull.

Beneath my skin, my bones elongate and my muscles swell. Fur sprouts from every inch of my naked body in a bristling coat of midnight black.

Horns burst forth from my skull, curling upwards with razor-sharp points, glinting under the moonlight. I shake my head.

My face elongates into a fierce muzzle, and my teeth sharpen into deadly points. My eyes gleam with the ancient wisdom passed down through the ages. Raw power bursts from my chest.

With a primal roar from Anjal and I, our transformation is complete. In this primitive state, we’re no longer mere men but embodiments of an ancient might and untamed fury.

Anjal and I lock eyes. A silent understanding passes between us. No one will take our mates from us. In this moment, our hearts beat as one.

The air is thick with the sound of clashing horns and the echo of mighty blows.

My cousins, nephews, friends, patér, grandpatér, and friends won’t sleep tonight. Our muscles ripple with strength as we engage in a dance of combat. We practiced every evening until our movements were fluid and precise.

Each clash of horn and sinew is a testament to my people’s unyielding resolve to protect the ones we love from the encroaching threat.

As the sun rises, casting an ethereal glow upon the clearing, our training reaches its climax.

With a final, thunderous clash, they all lower their horns toward Anjal and me in a gesture of mutual respect.

While our bodies glisten with sweat and exertion, our spirits unite in the face of adversity.