Page 79 of Savage Mates

He’d lost someone a hundred plus years before.

Both Zeus and Titus remained as quiet as Thor.

They would do whatever they felt necessary to keep me safe. I only hoped they understood if push came to shove, one or all of them could lose their lives.

No beast, no matter their incredible attributes, could survive a strategically placed bullet.

The jungle was ominous, every sound from the wind rustling the thick foliage to the cawing of birds and slithering of snakes seemed exacerbated. I sensed the approaching storm. That added another layer of fear that I hated. There was far too much uncertainty with what we were doing.

Smells were entirely different, stronger than before. Every brush of a leaf against my skin tingled more than it should. There was a deep burning inside, something even stronger than the grasp of raging desire.

It was as if my molecular structure was being altered by the length of time I spent around the lions. My… mates.

Up to this point, they’d remained human while guiding me through the trees, but I was completely aware they were hyper-vigilant of the surroundings. Heat resonated from their bodies, the same current I’d felt before keeping me trembling.

“We’ll need to shift soon, little mate,” Titus said quietly from beside me.

“Why?”

“Because of rough terrain. One of us will carry you.”

Carry me. As in riding on one of their backs? Was he kidding me?

Seconds later, I heard rushing water. When we broke through a dense patch of trees, I realized why Titus had insisted. The river was raging, water tumbling over rocks. No wonder the lions felt mostly safe where they were. The encampment was protected. Then who’d lived there?

“A road leading from the military compound was washed out long before we arrived.” Zeus answered my question.

“Don’t keep doing that,” I said in return.

“Doing what?” He grinned, another rarity.

“Reading my mind. I like to keep a few things private.”

Thor shot me a look. “Being able to know what you’re thinking just might save your life.”

His words reminded me of how difficult the next couple of days would be.

I had no idea how I was going to pull off pretending that I gave a damn about whatever experiments the scientists were here to perform. From the equipment I’d seen, the various instruments could be used to test DNA components and molecular strands, isolating weaknesses that led to disease. By using samples obtained in a noninvasive way. Just like I’d done with cutting fur from the cub.

Nothing I’d hoped to accomplish would permanently injure or cause death.

But the single crate that had yet to be unboxed troubled me more than anything.

I’d need to get Abbott and Douglas to trust me enough to view the contents.

“It will be alright, little mate,” Thor said, although I’d sensed every minute we’d drawn closer to the makeshift laboratory their rage was matching mine.

The earth beneath my feet began to vibrate and I knew they were shifting.

Seeing it before had blown my mind.

Seeing it a second time, I wasn’t nearly as caught off guard or surprised. I was even more in awe. I wouldn’t suggest the transformation was beautiful, but it was a gift nonetheless. I hated Blackwell and everything he’d done, but the lifeforms used in the experiments had certainly provided them with beautiful bodies.

Zeus pawed the ground, issuing a slight growl. Maybe someday I’d be able to read their minds as clearly as they did mine, but right now, I certainly didn’t need to.

He wanted me on his back.

Moving toward him, I realized my actions were tentative and I stood a couple of feet away. All three were huge men, but in their lion forms, they were even more impressive.