35. Aurora

CHAPTER 35

Aurora

The sudden burst of adrenaline that sets my blood on fire is unlike anything I have ever felt before. One minute I get to appreciate the beautiful sunset with Dom, the next, I'm running as fast as my wolven form can carry me. My shift came so quickly, the fear for my mate overtook any sense of self-preservation I had. Anger begins to flood my thoughts. The fucking bears, they had to have set this up as a last-ditch effort to please the Strigoi. As I get closer, I see the Strigoi and bears circling Jayce. Oh yes, all those fuckers are going to die. Quickly, I break through their ranks, using my talons to rend flesh from their bones as I pass. Blackened blood and fur from the bear's pelts fly through the air as I battle my way through their ranks to get to Jayce. I am of a singular focus, destroy anything that comes between Jayce and me.

Dom, Elena, and several other Lycans are in the distance. I lay a taloned hand on Jayce's side before I start freezing the ground around us. Jayce leaps up onto the hood of the car as the ice spreads, rooting some of the Strigoi in place. Through the bond, I warn Dom not to get too close. He obeys and steers Elena and the other Lycans to fight on the edge of the group. After I make sure Jayce is safe, I systematically shred and rip the heads off the Strigoi closest to me. I'm in a rage, betrayed by the bear clan after swearing a blood bond. There would be no bears left standing after tonight. This I swear on the blood of my mother. I know Jayce is injured from the accident; his jerky movements are a dead giveaway.

With most of the Strigoi dead, I move on to the bears. The largest Black Bear charges at me—a fatal mistake on his part. I know this particular one is the leader, but if he's here, where is Sebastian? When the leader gets close enough, I sink my talons into his pelt and encase him in ice. I need him alive for now. Once he's neutralized, I move on to the next bear. He charges as well, yet another idiot in the group. I show no mercy and sink my talons deep into his chest and wrap my fingers around his beating heart. The bear is clawing at me, fighting for his life as I stare into his eyes. Slowly, I tighten my grip on his heart, making it harder for the muscle to beat. Blood pumps out around my arm and down to my elbow before dropping onto the ground. The light in his eyes slowly fades away as the blood pumps out of the hole in his chest. Violently, I rip the still-beating heart from his chest and drop it to the ground.

Several bears still live, but not for long. Jayce is off the car now and fighting a bear with his brother, Dom. It's interesting to watch the two of them fight together. A second bear joins their fight, and now I see the change in Jayce: toxin drips yellow-green from his canines as he charges the bear. Because I'm distracted from watching the twins, I get blindsided by another bear. This fucker is going to die.

I roll onto my feet and remain low with my hands flat on the ground. The bear attempts to circle me, but I mirror his movements easily. I watch how he favors his one foreleg, and I realize he has a weakness on his right side. He goes to charge, and I leap out of the way only to land on his back. I sink my talons deep into his pelt until I feel his ribs. One by one, I start snapping them. I feel no remorse as it becomes harder for him to breathe. My wolven muzzle comes down and clamps onto the back of the bear's neck, applying as much pressure as I can. I listen to the tendons snap, and bones crack under the pressure I'm exerting. A quick twist of my head snaps the bear's neck. I call it a mercy killing.

My eyes turn back to the leader, who—in his only smart move—has shifted back to his human form. Jayce, Dom, and Elena have him surrounded. I shift back to my human form with every step in his direction. I leave only my hands and forearms shifted, so my gauntlets and talons are at my disposal.

"Where is Sebastian?" I practically growl in his face as I press the tip of my talon into the soft flesh under his chin.

"He's safe, I swear! I have him knocked out and tied up in a cave near our den." The leader of the bears looks at me, fear radiating off of him like a bad cologne. I tilt my head left and right, studying him. I know my silence is only frightening him more.

"You swear? That's fucking funny. You swore a blood oath, yet here we are!" I dramatically throw my arms out to encompass the remnants of the battle. "You attack two of my mates and one you actually tried to kill. If Sebastian is dead..." I laugh; it's a borderline unhinged kind of laugh. Am I crazy? Maybe just a touch. "If Sebastian is dead, you will know exactly what Hell on Earth is. You will be begging for me to take your life by the time I am done with you." I pull my hand toward me, slicing my talons through the soft flesh under his chin. His ice prison starts melting around him. "Start walking. If there's even the slightest hint of a trap, you die. And know this: at the end of tonight, none of your clan will be left alive. I cannot take the chance of them betraying me again." The color drains from his face as he finally realizes he just caused the extinction of his people. I'm not joking, nor am I one to play games or make empty threats. Betrayal isn't something to be overlooked. It's not something to be forgotten or forgiven.

The walk through the woods is in relative silence. I had shifted back to my Lycan form before we entered the forest. I don't want to be vulnerable, just in case this is a trap. Jayce and Dom flank my sides as we move deeper into unfamiliar territory. Part of me wants to call my Lycan pack to join in the hunt for Sebastian. The other part doesn't want the pack to watch what I feel I need to do.

In the distance, the cave in question comes into view. Elena prepares to bolt toward the cave, but Dom and Jayce move to block her path at my command. I give her a short growl to warn her of the possible danger that lies within the cave. As we get closer, the first scent I pick up is blood and Sebastian. A menacing growl escapes my lips, and my hackles stand on end as I stare at the bear's leader. My lips are curled back, exposing my long canines and sharp teeth. I motion for the guys to investigate the cavern since Dire Wolves can see in the dark better than Lycans.

Dom's voice appears in my head through the bond. He's ok. He's bound and gagged, and it seems like he's been drugged. The blood isn't his; he must have killed the three bears in here before the drugs kicked in. Jayce and I will get him out of here. I'm relieved that Sebastian is safe and sound. I am, however, still royally pissed off at the bear's leader. He knows he's in deep shit.

I shift back to my human form to address my mother-in-law. "Elena, I need you and Jayce to take Sebastian home and make sure he's really okay. Dom and I have matters that need attending to." My voice is as cold as ice and as harsh as a hurricane. There will be no mercy; only women and children will survive this. Any threat to my people is a direct threat to the throne, and I must deal with it as such.

Dom and Jayce walk out with Sebastian in their arms. I quickly create an ice prison for the bear's leader before I look Sebastian over. Slowly, I walk around the guys, looking at every inch of him. There's barely a bruise on his body; in that sense, I'm pleased.

"Lay him down and elevate his head." Carefully, Dom and Jayce lay Sebastian down with his head on Jayce's lap. My beast is out for blood after seeing her mate defenseless. "Tilt his head back and open his mouth." I watch as Jayce does as I've instructed. When Sebastian is positioned correctly, I bite my forearm, allowing my canines to elongate and pierce my own flesh and muscle. Rich, sanguine fluid drops slowly into Sebastian's mouth. My theory is since I heal faster than the guys, perhaps my blood will help remove the sedative from Sebastian's system.

I watch the rivulets of blood slowly drip onto my mate's tongue, turning it vermillion. I observe as he slowly swallows the first gulp of my blood. My hand tightens its grip on the other to squeeze more blood out and into his mouth. Sebastian's color slowly improves, and eventually, his eyes open. He reaches up with shaky hands and grips my bleeding arm. He gently licks my self-inflicted wounds, healing me. A soft thank you echoes in my head from Sebastian. I kiss his lips softly and lock eyes with Jayce.

"Get him and Elena home safely. Your word is my law. Anyone questions it, fucking bite them and let the toxins take them." Jayce simply nods; no words are needed at this point. My eyes move to Dom, he knows what I have planned, and he's completely on board. Without warning, I partially shift my arms. Thick, sharp, white dragon scales create gauntlets on my forearms and down my fingers to the long, hooked talons on my fingertips. I look over my weapons as I defrost the ice prison that's holding the bear's leader. He's begging for his life, begging for mercy. His pleas are falling on deaf ears, and I'm past the point of accepting any sorry from him.

I stand directly in front of him, my eyes turning the liquid mercury of my beast. My left-hand grips his throat, and both of his hands fly up, trying to loosen my hold on him. What he doesn't notice is that my right hand is aimed at his upper stomach. I slowly press my talons to his flesh about five inches above his navel. The skin bends and flexes only so much before my talons pierce through his flesh, then through the thick muscle layer of his abdomen. His eyes lock with mine, shock starting to set in. I continue to press deeper, feeling his intestines slide along the back of my hand. I sense Sebastian shuffling behind me. I keep pushing until my talons touch the muscle of his diaphragm. His blood is slowly running down my forearm, leaving streaks of crimson along my scales.

I pause in my forward movement to watch the blood trickle along the various scale plates. It's almost a work of art. Then again, death can be beautiful if done properly. I look over my shoulder at Sebastian and smile at him. I'm happy to see him standing up. His hand grips my right forearm as he presses his chest to my back. Quickly, he thrusts my right arm up and through the diaphragm. I literally have the man's heart in my hand. Sebastian places his left hand lightly around my throat and brings his full lips to my ear. His voice is low and sultry; it drips of raw, sexual power, hitting a tone that sets my blood on fire. Sebastian utters four words, and I honestly can't help myself. "I want his heart."

I comply immediately. The man's eyes go wide as I suddenly grip his heart tight and rip down. The wet, sucking noise fills the air as my arm comes free of his body. The bear's leader drops like a ton of bricks on the forest floor before me. Slowly, I turn and offer the heart to Sebastian. He kisses me softly and takes my offering, giving me that cocky smirk of his. If he wasn't so panty-melting hot, I'd probably be pissed at him. Jayce comes up alongside Sebastian, and they begin to walk home. My gaze lands on Elena next. She looks at the man's body and begins removing his skull to add to my collection. She knows me too well. Dom places his hand on my lower back and tilts his head to the side, silently questioning what was next.

"The bear's main camp is to the north over this ridge. We shift and go in hot. Only sow's with children live." I may be heartless at times, but I refuse to kill children or leave them as orphans. We shift and take off in the direction of the bear's compound.

It's not as big as I initially thought it would be. We see Strigoi moving about the compound, but no bears out in the open. Part of what the leader said was true. He didn't, however, admit to the Strigoi using his compound as a base. I motion for Dom and I to retreat. We need to plan this as a team, and a night-time strike is not the smartest move for us to make.