Within minutes, the warm glow of the town square came into view, filled with the shapes of clan members gathered for their traditional vigil. Tess could see Kael and Orric rushing toward them even before Korran rolled down his window all the way.
“The clan knows,” Orric called out, his usually steady voice tight with barely controlled rage. “Kael showed them the proof. They’re furious and shocked that their king was slowly poisoned for ten years. And now they’re panicking about the queen.”
Korran was out of the SUV in seconds, his powerful frame commanding immediate attention from the gathered crowd. Tess followed, her boots crunching in the snow as she took in the sea of angry, frightened faces surrounding them.
“The queen is missing!” Korran’s voice boomed across the square, cutting through the murmur of voices. “The last person to be with her was Malvek. We need to shift and split up—search every inch of this territory before another tragedy happens.”
The response was immediate and overwhelming. A hundred voices rose in agreement, the sound almost feral in its intensity. Tess watched in fascination and terror as the clan members began removing their outer clothing, preparing for the transformation that would turn them into an army of massive, powerful bears.
Korran turned to her, his eyes blazing with protective intensity. “After I shift, climb on my back. Can you do that?”
Tess’s mouth went dry at the thought of riding a bear—even one that was her mate—but she nodded firmly. “I trust you.”
The transformation was unlike anything she’d ever witnessed. Korran’s human form seemed to blur and expand,muscles rippling and reshaping as dark brown fur sprouted across his skin. Within moments, a massive bear stood before her, easily twice the size of any bear she’d seen in nature documentaries. His deep brown eyes remained the same though, filled with the same fierce intelligence and protective love she’d come to recognize.
The bear lowered his massive body, and Tess approached on trembling legs. Her hands sank into his thick, warm fur as she climbed onto his back, her thighs gripping his powerful shoulders. The moment she was secure, they were running, his massive paws eating up the snow-covered ground as he followed some scent trail only he could detect. The forest flew past them in a blur of white and purple, and Tess held on for dear life as her mate carried her toward whatever fate awaited them.
The massive bear beneath her moved with lethal purpose through the snow-laden forest, each powerful stride carrying them deeper into the wilderness. Tess gripped Korran’s thick fur with trembling fingers, her thighs aching from maintaining her precarious position on his broad back. The winter air bit at her exposed skin, but she barely noticed the cold—her entire focus consumed by the emotional storm radiating from her mate.
Through their bond, she could feel everything: his barely leashed fury, the terror clawing at his chest, the primal need to find and protect his mother. It was overwhelming and intimate. She’d never experienced anything like this connection—feeling another person’s emotions as if they were her own.
“Easy,” she whispered against his ear, her voice barely audible over the sound of his heavy breathing and the crunch of snow beneath his massive paws. “We’ll find her. Stay focused.”
The bear’s ears flicked back at her words, and she felt his acknowledgment ripple through the bond. Even in his shifted form, he understood her perfectly. The realization should have been scientific fascination—the incredible neural pathways thatallowed such communication between species—but there was no time for wonder. Not when Queen Lysia’s life hung in the balance.
Behind them, Orric’s bear form moved like a deadly shadow, his rich brown fur barely visible against the darkening forest. The loyalty radiating from Korran’s second-in-command was palpable, his determination to protect the royal family absolute.
Suddenly, Korran’s massive head lifted, his nostrils flaring as he caught something on the wind. His entire body went rigid beneath her, his muscles coiling with predatory tension. Through the mate bond, she felt his recognition—a scent trail that sent his protective instincts into overdrive.
The forest blurred past as he changed direction, following some invisible path that only his enhanced senses could detect. Tess held on desperately, her scientific mind trying to process the incredible speed and agility of such a massive creature while her heart hammered with anticipation and dread.
Within minutes, a small rustic cabin materialized through the trees, its weathered wood and dim windows looking ominous against the pristine snow. Korran slowed his approach, his movements becoming predatory and silent as he and Orric flanked the structure.
Tess leaned forward, squinting through the frost-covered window as they drew closer. Her breath caught in her throat as she made out two male figures inside—and there, tied to a wooden chair, sat Queen Lysia.
Relief flooded through her so powerfully she nearly slipped from Korran’s back. The queen was alive. Even from this distance, Tess could see the regal composure Lysia maintained despite her circumstances, her chin lifted with the same quiet strength she’d always displayed.
Through the bond, she felt Korran’s rage spike to dangerous levels. His bear wanted blood, wanted to tear through that cabinand destroy anyone who dared threaten his family. The fury was so intense it made her dizzy.
“Wait,” she whispered urgently, sliding down from his back before he could charge forward. “If you go in there like this, they’ll kill her before you can reach her.”
Both bears turned toward her, their massive forms radiating barely controlled violence. But she could see the intelligence in Korran’s dark eyes, the part of him that understood strategy even through his animal fury.
“I need to create a distraction,” she continued, her voice steadier than she felt. “Something to draw their attention away from the queen. When you hear it, then you charge in. But I have to get to her first—make sure she’s safe during the chaos.”
Korran’s bear form moved closer, his massive head lowering until his muzzle nearly touched her face. Through the bond, she felt his reluctance, his desperate need to keep her away from danger. The protective instinct was so strong it nearly overwhelmed her own determination.
“I know you don’t want me at risk,” she said softly, reaching up to touch his fur. “But this is the only way. You know it is.”
After a long moment, both bears stepped back, positioning themselves on either side of the cabin. The acceptance she felt through the bond was grudging but absolute—Korran trusted her judgment, even when every instinct screamed against it.
Tess circled around to the back of the cabin, her boots crunching softly in the snow. Her heart pounded as she tested the back door, nearly crying with relief when the handle turned easily. The wood was old and warped, allowing her to slip inside without so much as a creak.
The interior was sparse and cold, clearly a hunting cabin that had been abandoned for years. She crept forward on silent feet, following the sound of voices toward the main room where she’d seen the queen.
“—killed my mate?” Lysia’s voice was steady despite her circumstances, and Tess felt a surge of admiration for the woman’s courage.
“You and Korran left us no other choice,” Malvek’s cold voice replied. “The moment you brought that human scientist here, started letting her poke her nose into matters that didn’t concern her, you sealed Voran’s fate.”
