Page 48 of Her Tortured Beasts (Her Vicious Beasts #4)

Chapter 47

Xander

8 years ago

W hoever these people are, they keep bothering me.

“I keep telling you to fuck off and you keep not listening,” I snarl at the new, forever darkness that plagues me.

The wolf, from his scent, pats me on the head. “Calm down, brother. You need to listen to us.”

I shove away from him. “Stop calling me that. I don’t know you.”

“Well, it’s not my fault you can’t see the mating mark!” he exclaims. “But I can see yours, mate, and I promise you, I’m your brother!”

“It’s not possible,” I snarl, waving off the hand I feel coming.

“Xander.” This voice belongs to the shark. He smells of brine and darkness and I quieten to listen to his damaged voice. “Do you want to see again?”

The burn in my eye sockets hasn’t gone away. Despite my dragon healing, despite the weeks that have passed, there is a permanent fiery buzz inside my head that makes me?—

“I want to die,” I say firmly. The shark says nothing. Blessedly, neither does the wolf. I sigh. “Okay, fine, I don’t actually want to die, but I’ll probably be killed soon enough. How many blind beasts do you know that live until old age? I’m a dead beast walking.”

“I know one,” Scythe says. “But you’ll have to trust us enough to help you.”

“Why are you helping me?”

The wolf sighs loudly, and I hear him dramatically move away. The shark, however, goes still. There’s a knock in my mind, a request for communication I’ve only ever received from other dragons.

I frown, letting it in. “ You’re our bond-brother, Xander. ” The shark’s voice is in my mind now. “ I know it may be hard to believe, but for some reason only the Wild Goddess knows, you share our mating mark.”

“You believe in the Wild Goddess?” I grumble.

“Everyone believes in something. And I also believe you can see again… I have a friend who might be able to teach you.”

“Who?” I ask suspiciously.

The shark moves closer to me, and for some reason, I don’t get the urge to cringe away. “His name is Eko. He’s a Greenland shark who sees with magic.”