The Bear's Surrender (A Wild Rites Short Story - Wild Rites Saga Book 5.5) by Anna McIlwraith

Author:Anna McIlwraith [McIlwraith, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-05-08T04:00:00+00:00

Red Sun watched Emma walk away from him.

That left knee must’ve been giving her hell, because her limp was obvious, but her shoulders were squared and her spine was ramrod straight. She’d locked her shields down tight, nothing but a whisper of her power singing to Red like incense on the cold night air, but he didn’t need the bond between them to tell him what she thought of him.

He felt like his chest was caving in.

It didn’t matter. He’d done the right thing. Em was tough, and scary smart, but her one blind spot was the people she cared about — which was why she couldn’t see it had to be this way.

If that’s true, why are you terrified?

Red shot Alexi a look. Get out of my head, priest.

Alexi lifted his lip in a snarl and took a step closer, hair whipping in the rising wind. Everything that scares you so much is walking away from you right now. So why aren’t you relieved? Why is your heartbeat punching in your ears, why is your stomach trying to crawl free of your ribs?

Because it hurt. Oh, it hurt like a sonofabitch.

If your mental shields weren’t as thick as your idiot skull, Alexi said, you’d know your pain is nothing compared to hers.

Check yourself, Alexi. Red clenched his fists. She’ll be fine. She’s hurting now, and I hate that, but she’ll survive.

Of course she will, Alexi said flatly. She is good at surviving.

Red’s beast bristled at that tone. I know. I was there for her after Russia, remember? While you —

Freezing power lashed the air. You have no idea what it took to keep her safe from the serpent priesthood, Alexi hissed against the inside of Red’s head. What it took to buy her time to heal. I’d have given anything to be there for her the way you were — anything, that is, except her life, which would have been forfeit if I so much as thought about her too hard, let alone rushed to her side.

Then you understand why I can’t do this. The risk —

Don’t bore me, Alexi said, his mental voice dripping cold fire. The only thing at stake now is your heart.

Red got right up in Alexi’s face, and his next words were unfair, so unfair, but he couldn’t stop them. Why the fuck can’t you just quit? You have her. She’s yours, you smug sonofabitch, and you’re hers. Any other man would take that, but somehow that’s not enough for you — somehow you want to share her, bad enough that you’re here, still trying to convince me when I just trashed her goddamn heart. What the hell is it with you?

Alexi forced a harsh exhale, just as jacked up with potential violence as Red was. I don’t want to share her.

Red popped his brows up in surprise.

But I will, Alexi continued, because she never deserved to be bound to us. She never deserved this fate. She is a wild thing, a force of nature, far more so than we poor shadows who can change our shape but not our destiny.

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