Page 25

CHAPTER 25

B ella’s heart pounded as the armed villagers poured into the clearing. They were led by the miller, George Hendry—a burly man with a heavy black beard who had taken over as mayor after Mrs. Jacobson left the town in disgrace. She’d never seen him look so righteous, his face flushed with indignation as he led the small mob toward them. The rifles in their hands glinted in the sunlight, cold and threatening.

“We’ve come for the Fletcher girl,” the mayor announced. “Release her at once, beasts!”

Malrik’s body tensed against hers, a low growl building in his chest. His arm moved protectively in front of her, blocking her from stepping forward. She felt the vibration of his growing rage, the way his muscles bunched beneath her fingers.

“I told you she was in danger,” one of the villagers called out—Tomas, the butcher’s son. The same man who’d once tried to court her, only to be offended when she’d shown more interest in his delivery wagon than in him.

“I’m not in danger,” she called, trying to step around Malrik’s arm but he wouldn’t allow her to pass.

“Stay back,” he snarled, his voice roughening.

“See how it controls her?” Tomas shouted. “It’s bewitched her!”

“Nobody controls me,” she snapped, but her voice was lost in the growing tension.

“This is our land. You come armed into Vultor territory and dare to make demands?” Seren asked coldly.

“We come for one of our own,” Mayor Hendry replied. “The girl doesn’t belong with your kind.”

A younger man pushed forward, his rifle raised. Bella recognized him as Jared, whose sister had been killed years ago in an accident blamed on the Vultor. “My sister was killed by one of you beasts ten years ago,” he spat. “I won’t let another girl die!”

“No one is dying today,” she insisted, but her words were drowned by angry shouts from both sides.

Under her hand, Malrik’s arm began to change. The transformation was happening faster than she’d ever seen before—muscles expanding, skin giving way to thick fur. His pants ripped at the seams.

Bella could feel him slipping away, the rational part of him receding as the beast took control. His breathing grew heavier, more ragged.

“Malrik,” she whispered urgently. “Malrik, stay with me.”

The villagers gasped as he grew larger, his transformation accelerating. Someone shouted “Monster!” and another voice called to shoot him.

“No!” she screamed, her voice finally cutting through the chaos.

Malrik dropped to a crouch, a terrifying growl tearing from his throat as he gave the armed humans a predatory glare. All of the Vultor tensed, preparing to intervene, though whether to protect the humans or join Malrik wasn’t clear.

Korrin’s voice rang out. “It was Malrik who saved Tessa’s life. The beast you fear protected a human when he had no reason to.”

The revelation caused a brief hesitation among the villagers, but their weapons remained raised. She could see the fear in their eyes—the same fear that had driven humans and Vultor apart for generations.

Jared stepped forward, his rifle aimed directly at Malrik.

“Stay back, Bella,” he called. “We’re here to save you.”

Malrik’s control shattered completely. His massive body tensed, muscles coiling to spring.

In that suspended moment before violence erupted, she made her choice.

She slipped around Malrik before he could stop her and placed herself directly between him and the rifles. Her hand found his arm—now completely transformed, massive and covered in dark silver fur.

“Stop,” she commanded, her voice steady despite her racing heart. “All of you, stop this right now.”

The beast snarled, trying to move her aside, but she held firm, turning to face him directly. His yellow eyes blazed with rage and fear—fear for her, she realized. The same protective instinct that had driven him to challenge the armed villagers now warred with his need to keep her safe.

“Malrik,” she said softly, holding his gaze. “I’m not afraid of you. I never have been.”

The beast growled, but he didn’t try to push her aside.

“Look at her,” the mayor called. “She’s trying to calm it like some wild animal!”

“He’s not an animal,” she shot back without turning around. “And I’m not your prisoner to rescue.”

She kept her eyes on Malrik, speaking only to him now. “I know you’re in there. I’ve seen you fight this. I’ve watched you come back to yourself, over and over.”

His breathing slowed slightly, the yellow eyes focusing more intently on her face.

“Get away from that thing, Bella,” Jared called, his voice shaking. “It’ll tear you apart!”

“He could have done that a hundred times,” she replied calmly, still not looking away from Malrik. “He’s had me in his keep for over a week. If he wanted to hurt me, he would have.”

She placed her other hand on his chest, feeling the thundering heartbeat beneath the fur and muscle. “Remember the library? Remember how you listened while I read to you? Remember the garden you cleared for me?”

Something flickered in his eyes—recognition, memory.

“That’s right,” she encouraged. “You’re more than this rage. You always have been.”

Behind her, she heard movement—someone approaching. Malrik’s growl deepened, his muscles tensing again.

“Bella,” her father said softly.

She felt a flood of relief but didn’t turn. “Stay back, Papa. I’ve got this.”

“I know you do,” he said, his voice closer now. “But I’m standing with you.”

She felt him come to a stop beside her, his familiar presence steady and calm. His hand came to rest on her shoulder.

“My daughter knows her own mind,” he announced to everyone present. “Always has. If she says she’s not in danger, then she isn’t.”

Malrik’s eyes flicked to her father, confusion visible in their depths. The beast recognized him—the male who shared Bella’s scent, the one he’d once imprisoned.

“It’s all right,” Bella murmured, her thumb moving in small circles against Malrik’s fur. “He understands now. He’s not here to take me away.”

A rustle of fabric announced another presence. Agatha stepped forward, standing on Bella’s other side.

“Look at what you’ve all done,” the old woman scolded the villagers. “Charging in here with weapons drawn, making demands. Is this how we build peace?”

Mayor Hendry lowered his rifle slightly. “Agatha, you can’t possibly approve of… of this.”

“Of what? A Vultor finding his mate? Do I need to remind you that my own granddaughter is mated to a Vultor? It’s happened before. It will happen again.” She fixed him with a stern look. “Put those weapons down before someone gets hurt.”

The mayor hesitated, looking from Agatha to Bella to Malrik’s imposing form.

“But Finnar is not like that,” he protested weakly.

“He can be,” Agatha said calmly. “And I assure you he would be if you dared to point a gun at Scarlett. In fact, I suspect you would be dead by now.”

“Bella,” Jared called, his voice pleading. “You can’t want to stay with this… creature.”

She finally turned to face the villagers, keeping one hand firmly on Malrik’s arm. “This ‘creature’ has a name. He was once a Vultor noble. He protected your Tessa when she was in danger. He’s shown me nothing but kindness.”

“Kindness?” Tomas scoffed. “He kidnapped you!”

“He made a bargain with me,” she corrected. “I stayed willingly to repair his keep. And then I stayed because I wanted to.”

She felt Malrik shift behind her, his breathing changing. She glanced back to see his features flickering, the beast form struggling against something else—his Vultor side fighting to emerge.

“Look,” she said, gesturing toward him. “He’s changing. The curse is breaking.”

The transformation wasn’t complete—his form remained massive, still covered in fur, but his features were shifting, becoming more Vultor than beast. His eyes cleared, intelligence replacing blind rage.

“Impossible,” Lena whispered. “The curse of the unmated cannot be broken once it’s taken hold.”

“Apparently it can,” Agatha replied with a small smile. “With the right mate.”

Malrik’s voice emerged, rough but unmistakably his. “Bella.” Just her name, filled with wonder and gratitude.

She smiled up at him. “There you are.”

He straightened, still towering over everyone present but no longer crouched to attack. His eyes swept over the armed villagers, then back to her.

“Never left,” he rumbled, glancing meaningfully at the villagers. “Just… protected.”

Understanding dawned on her. “You were in control? The whole time?”

He shook his head. “Not… complete. Beast strong. But heard you.” His massive hand gently touched her cheek. “Always hear you.”

He looked over at the group of villagers and frowned.

“They came for you,” he said, the words a question.

“They thought they needed to rescue me,” she explained. “They were wrong.”

The mayor lowered his rifle completely, confusion evident on his face. “Bella, you can’t mean to stay with… with him.”

“That’s exactly what I mean to do,” she said firmly.

Seren stepped forward, studying Malrik with intense curiosity. “I’ve never seen someone so lost to his beast brought back like that.”

“Perhaps you’ve never seen true mates before,” Agatha suggested, her eyes twinkling.

Malrik’s hand—still clawed but more controlled—came to rest on her shoulder. The touch was gentle, reverent.

“Is this truly what you want, child?” Mayor Hendry asked, his bluster fading into genuine concern.

She nodded. “I’ve never been more certain of anything.”

Jared shook his head, his rifle now pointed at the ground. “I don’t understand.”

“You don’t need to understand,” Agatha told him firmly. “You just need to respect her choice and go home.”

The young man looked as though he might argue, but then his shoulders slumped. One by one, the villagers lowered their weapons completely.

“The negotiations,” the mayor said after an awkward silence. “The trade agreement. We still want that.”

Seren inclined his head slightly. “Then perhaps we should discuss it without weapons next time.”

The tension in the air gradually dissipated as the two groups regarded each other warily. The immediate threat of violence had passed, but years of mistrust couldn’t be erased in a moment.

She turned back to Malrik, reaching up to touch his face. The fur was receding further, revealing more of his Vultor features.

“Are you all right?” she asked softly.

He nodded, his yellow eyes bright with emotion. “You stood between me and danger.”

“Of course I did.”

“You could have been hurt.”

She smiled. “I knew you wouldn’t hurt me. And I wasn’t going to let them hurt you either.”

His arms encircled her, drawing her against his chest in a careful embrace. “My brave mate,” he murmured, the words vibrating through her.

Over Malrik’s shoulder, she saw the Council members watching them. Lena still looked disapproving, but Varro actually had a small smile on his face.

“It appears we have much to discuss,” Seren said, addressing both Malrik and the Council. “And perhaps much to reconsider about what we thought we knew.”

Malrik nodded, keeping one arm around her as he turned to face the Alpha. “I am ready to answer for my past.”

“And I’ll be right beside you,” she added, her hand finding his.

The villagers began to retreat, urged along by Agatha’s stern gaze. Her father came to join them, his expression a mixture of worry and pride.

“You’re sure about this?” he asked quietly.

She nodded. “I love him, Papa. In any form.”

Her father sighed, then managed a small smile. “Then I suppose I’d better get used to having a Vultor son-in-law.”

Malrik looked down at her, his expression softening into something that made her heart skip. The beast was still there—she could see it in the wildness of his eyes, the power in his stance—but now it was balanced with the intelligence and nobility of the Vultor.

“What happens now?” she asked, looking between Malrik and Seren.

“Now we make peace,” Seren said, and she realized he wasn’t just talking about the villagers.