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A horn sounds, and I raise my head. A cheer goes up. The bears scatter under the thunderous passage of orcs as reinforcements arrive. The battle tide turns, and the bear bastards flee into the forests—those that survive—while those that have not lay in their human form upon the ground.
The rain has slowed to a heavy drizzle that pelts down upon the ruined tents and bodies. I take a moment to check myself, finding only minor cuts and bruises, which will all heal naturally. Orcs are tough, but my shifter lineage makes me heal faster still. With the arrival of reinforcements from the guardpost, we have safety and respite.
My beast prowls inside me, lifting his snout and sniffing vainly for her. In this we are aligned. We must ensure she is safe, and my heart quickens as I take off at a jog toward where the bondservants will be found.
As I make my way through the camp, I sense a different battle coming between me and my inner beast. Strangely, he does not feel like a wolf. What he feels like isme. This makes no sense, but perhaps that is the same for all shifters. Maybe inner beasts are not tangible as a specific creature.
I am untutored in my heritage and worry about what may happen should he push through. How does any shifter control the other being inside them? These fears ought to be unfounded, for I know his thoughts as well as I know my own. My instincts tell me I need to trust him, just as he has trusted me this far, yet letting go is hard when I fear I may find myself the one who is trapped.
As I reach the bondservants and see the decimation, these internal worries leave me, and stronger, more urgent ones take their place. My beast snarls. We have been negligent. He warned me, and I paid him no heed. Sickness roils in my gut. My eyes pass over broken human bodies and scan the huddled people, searching for her.
I spot Penny, the woman who has befriended Jasmine.
Only Jasmine is not at her side.
My beast growls and thrashes. The bones of my hands pop and ripple beneath the surface of my skin. I stare at them in horror—evidence of my inner monster threatening to break out.
I win,just—my eyes scanning the crowds and relieved when I find no witnesses.
I need answers. I need to knowsheis safe.
Penny glances up as I stalk toward her.
Where?I wish I had words enough to ask this simple question, but I can only grunt and point to the empty space beside her.Where is she?
“She is not here,” she says quietly, stepping close to me and drawing me apart from the rest of the bondservants. “She fled. Perhaps frightened. Perhaps trying to avoid the fighting.” Her voice lowers to a whisper. “Or perhaps she just sought an opportunity to run.” Her eyes are wide and fearful as they search mine, yet they hold trust. “Please find her, Doug. I dare not go to look for her, lest I court the wrath of the overseers. A few of the lasses were carried off by the bears, but Jasmine ran of her own free will into the forest. Tomorrow, they will begin searching for signs of runaways, and if they find her thus, it will not end well for her. Do you understand me, Doug?”
Sweat dampens my brow. I pat the club at my side and nod.
“Find her, Doug, I beg you. Find the sweet lass and bring her back safe.”
ChapterFive
Jasmine
Fear and instincts to survive take command of my body. I run, fleeing the destruction in the camp, my destination unknown. I am mindless in my terror, my feet fast, my body pumped with the potent cocktail of my emotions that drive me ever on. My stumbling path takes me deeper into the forest. Distantly, I’m aware that there are risks in what I do, but my thoughts cannot stretch that far—I need only to be away.
A great crash comes from the trees to my right. I cower against the base of a tree as a giant bear lopes past. He runs on three legs. Within the other huge front paw, a woman hangs limp, unconscious perhaps or made docile by fear.
My heart pounds furiously, and my eyes feel unnaturally wide. They have taken a bondservant or orc mate—they are taking her away.
Too busy watching their passage, I’m not mindful of my own predicament until too late. Another crash erupts behind me and I spin around to see a bear rise up onto his hind legs before me.
His eyes are bright and blue—he is twice the size of a normal bear. Ashifter.
Lips curled back, he growls, a deep, menacing rumble that I feel throughout my body. I shrink back. He sniffs and stalks closer, then surges forward in a rush and snatches me up.
I scream as he tosses me over his shoulder and runs through the forest on his hind legs.
Each heavy step rattles my skull and shakes me like a ragdoll.
I wanted away, but not like this.
As I bounce around, jolted, and juddered against his thick, meaty shoulder, clinging to consciousness by a thread, a great roar and flash of white charges us from the side.
Instinctively, I know.
Doug!
