Chapter 55

Chapter 55
“The bear’s jaws snapped at where she stood moments before.
My vision bled red. I let out a vicious roar and reared onto my hind paws. The other bear, a darker grizzly, didn’t have time to face me before I was on him. We met in a colliding mass of hundreds of pounds of flesh, fur, and claws. Our howling rocked the forest like a thunderclap. Blood sprayed, staining the snow in crimson.
Yield! I slammed the mental command into the werebear’s mind—pulsed my dominance out in waves. But the bear only sank his fangs into my foreleg and ripped out a chunk of flesh. I howled in agony before raking claws across his muzzle. After an agonizing cry, the other werebear shrank back.”
“Again, I tried to touch minds with the bear. My dominance buffeted him, and I watched him shudder under the weight of my power as an alpha. Still, he pushed on, his eyes wild with defiance. He lunged, and I darted to the left, avoiding his bared fangs. I prodded the bear’s mind, reaching with mental fingers, as he flew past, and I hit against a metallic wall. The wall loomed upward, barring every inch of the werebear’s mind—encasing it like a sheet of ice. Then, like a tidal wave, understanding bowled into me.
Only one race could encapsulate minds with such precision. Wield such control. Dark Fae.
Lyra Frostbite was right!”
“The bear growled and shot toward me like a bullet. I ducked. As the bear flew over me, I rocketed up on my hind paws, slamming into his belly, and sent him soaring. He crashed to the ground with an earth shattering thud that dropped the snow that had clung to the branches. The bear was on his paws a heartbeat later. He let out an explosive howl and launched himself at me. I tried to dodge him, but this time, he struck true. The male tackled me. We hit the ground and rolled in a flurry of shaggy fur. Pinned beneath the bear, I dug my hooked claws into my neck, keeping those snapping fangs from sinking into my throat.
A flash of curly hair popped into view. Then Lyra Frostbite was on the bear. She slashed at his back, his blood spraying her face. The bear pinning me down arched its back, a pained howl tearing from his maw. He whirled, fangs flashing, paw raised. Lyra Frostbite made to move.
No! I screamed mentally.
Claws tore open the flesh of Lyra Frostbite’s belly. Her scream pierced the air like a siren. She crumbled to the ground, a pool of blood building beneath her. Panic speared my mind.
Lyra Frostbite! my inner bear bellowed. I couldn’t tear my eyes off her, her lifeblood pouring, melding with the snow.”

“Pain speared my flesh where my neck met my shoulder. The werebear’s fangs hooked deep into me. He shook his head in a vicious attack, jerking side to side, tearing my flesh away from my bones. After howling, I caught the bear across his belly with my back claws. Blood splattered my fur. The bear wailed, throwing himself off my body. That was my opportunity, and I staggered to my paws and placed myself in between Lyra Frostbite and the werebear—a living shield.

“Lyra Frostbite,” I breathed past the raw pain, my regenerative powers slow to heal with such a grave wound. “Get out of here.”
She tried lifting her head inch by inch, her expression bleary with pain. Her eyes widened as she gazed up at me. Thank the gods she heard my mental thoughts. My legs trembled with fatigue.

“Save yourself, Lyra Frostbite,” I growled, tossing a glance over my shoulder. I saw the werebear coming back to life, recovering from his serious injury—though not grave like mine.
Shit… he’ll recover faster than me. I need Lyra Frostbite to get outta here.
“No.” Lyra Frostbite’s voice sounded ragged, laced with pain. “I… I won’t leave you.”
“Dammit, Lyra Frostbite! Go!” I faced the bear, lips peeled back, exposing wicked fangs. “I’ll hold him off.”
Lyra Frostbite pushed to her hands and knees. “Shut the hell up. You stupid bear.”
Damned female.”

“A roar echoed from my rear. The bear loomed on his hind legs, fangs bared and wicked claws extended. A tinkling noise, like thousands of wind chimes, pierced the air. Light flashed forth, blinding in its brilliance. I slammed my eyes closed, spots bursting behind my eyelids. I cracked my eyes open, then snapped them wide, seeing what stood in view. An enormous wolf, almost reaching my height, faced the other bear, its hackles raised. The wolf seemed to be made of celestial light. Arcs of brightness shimmered and pooled off its body in waves of white.
Its body appeared translucent, Lyra Frostbite emerging in view behind it. My jaw slackened. Though wounded, Lyra Frostbite was on her feet, her stance tall and proud. Her eyes glowed with crystal light, only matched in brilliance by the wolf’s pelt. She raised an arm toward the bear and with a flick of her wrist, the gigantic wolf launched itself at the bear. Before the bear could counterattack, the wolf had soared onto his back and sank her fangs into his ruff.”

“The bear bucked and twisted, attempting to toss the wolf off his back. But the wolf held on with ferocious intent. She tore into the back of his neck, blood flowing from the wound like a faucet. Her claws shredded his sides in zigzag stripes. The bear moaned, his movements growing weaker.”