Page 98 of Forever My Siren Luna

I had never felt fear like that before. My focus was so consumed with that creature, I didn’t notice the other behind me until it was too late. I tried to shift the moment I felt icy hands like the touch of a ghost wrap around my throat, but then a piece of metal was thrust around my neck and I was unable to connect with my beast any longer.

“The master will want this one,” the bird-like creature who caught me hissed. “The master will like this one greatly,” it cackled as I kicked my legs out to try and land a blow to its deformed, bulbous chest. It seemed amused by my efforts, not threatened in the least.

Why would it be? I was caught and disarmed in every way. I was at their mercy, and mercy was something I knew I would not be receiving.

The tang of blood polluting the air made me sick, knowing it was the blood of those I had spent the entire day with. The men that had taken me in as one of them, who didn't let me stay alone in the stable to wallow in self-pity, which is what I would have done if not for the Beta’s invite.

Beta Nilo’s growls and snarls were the only indication I was not yet alone with the demonic creatures who had me in their grasp.

The bird-like demon carried me by the back of my neck to the place where the snarls were coming. As I suspected, all were dead but the Beta, who was fighting in his beast’s form against 2 demons that were just toying with him while a horde of other demons watched with frenzied excitement.

Tears burned my eyes watching Nilo not giving up the hopeless battle. He was never going to give up. Not until his dying breath.

A scorching hot, sandpaper tongue with the thick stench of sulfuric acid ran up the length of my body, causing me to scream.

My scream was all it took for Nilo to become distracted enough to receive a blow to the back of the head from behind. His beast’s body crumpled to the ground. I didn’t know whether to pray for him to be alive, or for him to be dead already, because a swift death was not in the cards for him if he wasn’t. The menacing cackles of laughter as the demons mocked his naked form when he shifted back to human was terrifying.

“Is he alive?” the bird-creature screeched, claws still gripping around my neck.

One of the beings touched Nilo with its foot. Nilo groaned loudly, confirming he was still alive.

I closed my eyes in relief, but also mortification. What would they want him alive for? Was it for the same reason I sense they wanted me?

“Collar him. Bring him alive. The master wanted one alive.” The demon then turned its red-beady eyes towards me. “The girl may soon lose the ability to speak.”

Twenty-Nine

Elelira

“Can I not convince you to stay here?”Lachlan asked me again, staring at me from across the stables as Cherum readied one of the spare horses for me.

I smiled softly from hearing his voice in my head, but shook my head no. We’ve been over this since Cherum interrupted us and told us of what happened to Nilo, Beretta and the rest of the team being attacked at the border. I am not going to just stay home and do nothing, no matter how much he begs.

“I love you,”I told him to soften the blow.

“Then stay home,”he growled.

“Ah, that’s not how love works.”

I understand his worries. His mother was killed in battle, and he doesn’t want to be left alone again. He doesn’t want to lose me.

I don’t want to lose him either.

I bet that was why his mother fought. She would rather die alongside her mate than have a life without him.

This sounds like a simple rescue mission, though. I'm not staying here and doing nothing.

“You can take charge of the pack in my stead.”

I chuckled to myself. He’s trying to offer me some form of control as compensation for staying. It won’t work.

“I love you,” I told him again.

He growled, but didn’t respond for a long period, then muttered a "You too,"in the newly formed link. His anxieties are great already. Nilo is his best friend. They grew up together. They battled and lived life together. Nilo has yet to even find his mate.

Then, his newly marked wife is marching into battle right alongside him.

If I were a kinder wife, I would stay. My kindness only goes so far, and the risks of not going with him far outweighs the inferior risks of going.