The Berserker Saga - Books 1-5 by Lee Savino

Author:Lee Savino [Savino, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silverwood Press
Published: 2017-04-04T16:00:00+00:00

I went home. The hut stank of old smoke and rushes, and was full of dried leaves. I spent the first few days cleaning it out, along with my garden. Most of my herbs were dead, as if it were my presence, not just the earth, sun, and rain, that made them thrive.

I avoided the village, and, though I foraged for food in the woods, I did not return to the grove.

On the third night, I returned from a long day searching for food and found gifts on my front stoop: three dead partridges and wood for the fire. I searched but couldn’t find any trace of a visitor until the next night, when I caught sight of a dark wolf slipping between the trees along the path.

“No,” I snapped and used my walking stick to shake the brush. “Maddox. Come out.”

A wind lifted my hair and sent prickles down my spine. Maddox stepped out, clad only in a loin cloth, his tattoos displayed to their full glory.

My body ached at the sight, before I remembered I couldn’t allow myself to want him.

“What are you doing here?” I made my voice harsh.

He stared at me a moment and I remembered it took a while for speech to return. He’d probably been living as a wolf for days.

“You need to leave,” I said. “I’ve made my choice. I don’t want you.”

When he finally could speak, I could barely understand his rasping voice, “You think you chose freedom. It’s not so simple.”

“Of course it is. You came and ruined my life. Now you leave and let me be.” My hands made a shooing motion and I squawked when he caught them in an iron grip. I fought but he drew me closer until I smelled his wild, perfect scent and stopped struggling.

“And what of the men that look at you? What about the priest that wants your death? He cannot control your power and cannot allow something stronger than his faith to exist.” Maddox shook me. “Who will protect you when they come with rope to bind you and torches for the fire? I will not stand by and see you raped by men who cannot possess you. Not to mention my own pack--” He broke off with a ragged whine.

“Your own pack...what?”

This time he took a step back, his head bowed. “They threatened to bring you back again. Ragnvald can control them, but I will stay with you, and kill any who tries to break our vow to set you free.”

“I’m sorry.” Could I ever say those words enough to atone for my selfishness? “I must be true to myself.”

“I understand.” He dropped my hands. “I renounced the pack and will watch over you for the rest of my life.”

“But you are a wolf. Without the pack...you will die.”

He still stood close to me and I couldn’t stop myself. I touched his jaw, finally noticing the deep shadows, the lines of strain in the cliffs and hollows of his perfect face. Maddox closed his eyes as if my touch both burned and soothed him,at the same time.

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