Reclaimed (Shadow Beast Shifters, #2)(77)

He also changed into the true beast form when you were hit with the scourge, Midnight told me. You missed it.

I wasn’t actually surprised by that, even if I was a touch sad to have missed it.

It’s okay, I told my mist then, noticing it was still blocking the others. Let them through.

It did, and at the same time, the energy binding me to my wolf and creatures eased, and I was able to return to my human form. The bond between me and all the things remained, though.

Angel rushed through first, her gaze darting briefly toward Shadow, and I saw her sharp look at his Anubis form. Shadow didn’t give her much of a chance to see it, releasing the fire and returning to his gorgeous man version. It happened so quickly, I was fairly certain only Angel even saw anything.

Ixana, who arrived a few seconds later, rushed straight to his side, glaring at me all the way. “Are you okay?” she burst out, running her hands across his chest.

Shadow, eyes like burning fields, didn’t acknowledge her. He just stared at me over her head, and there was a chokehold of emotion in his expression that I didn’t understand.

“Mera! I should beat the crap out of you!” Angel shook me, and I gave her the attention she rightfully deserved.

“I’m so sorry,” I got out in a rush. “Instinct kind of took over.”

She shook me again, with a little less force, and the abervoqs reared up behind us, clearly not liking her handling of me.

“It’s okay,” I said to them, sending soothing energy along our connection. “This is my family. Tresorana.”

This was a word from Honor Meadows, but it apparently translated. The creatures calmed almost immediately, and when I returned my focus to Angel, she looked taken aback. Her face… The depth of feeling there tore through me, and I hugged her tightly. “Please don’t die,” she whispered to me. “I can’t lose another member of my family.”

Jesus. Fuck. I wasn’t strong enough to stop the single tear from escaping, and I felt her sorrow. “I promise to do everything in my power to never leave you.”

It was a promise I had to keep. No matter what.

Shadow finally brushed his fussing mate off, after way too long in my opinion, and crossed to me. This got the abervoqs riled up again, clearly none of them forgetting what he’d been a few moments ago.

“Calm,” I said, and like freaking magic, they all just settled. Although they did move closer to my back, forming a very tall line of defense.

“You are exactly what I expected,” Ixana said, looking at me with something akin to satisfaction before she examined the creatures. “The moment I felt your power enter the realm, I knew you were the one who could tame the creatures.”

How fucking convenient that she would just feel and know me. My evil bitch radar was in overdrive, and even though she was Shadow’s mate, it was time for me to remind her that no longer would she be able to spread her malignancy in this land.

My wolf broke free briefly, her howl aimed directly at the ice queen. Ixana saw me coming and her energy snapped out at me, an attack of sorts, but it slid off my skin like I was covered in magic-repelling oil.

“What is wrong with you?” she snarled, panic crossing her features when it was clear she had nothing to stop me. “We’re on the same side. Have you lost your damn mind?”

Another snarl and howl. “You have built your world on the blood of these creatures,” I said coldly, my words echoing like I had a megaphone. “I will no longer let their sacrifices fuel your success. No more.”

Ixana spluttered. “I had no choice. If I didn’t create my world here, the royals would have killed me.”

I snapped out with a burst of energy, but Shadow intercepted it, and when he winced, I knew that would have really hurt Ixana. Still, why the fuck had he gotten involved? Trying to save his damn mate.

“You should have died rather than use and abuse creatures just trying to survive.”

Ixana opened and closed her mouth. “I don’t… I promise if you help us build the army to best the royals, we will no longer use their power.”

Easy promise to make since she expected to be ruling The Concordes with Shadow.

Shadow side-eyed her, and he was lucky I still wanted his ass around, or I would have blasted him again. “Royals need the creatures,” he reminded her.

Ixana, fear still pulling at her features, choked out a reply. “We don’t. The way you have bonded with the mists is how we will continue to rule. That was the old way, at least according to all the research I’ve done over the years. The royal’s bond to the creatures became a quicker way to achieve it, since they are born directly from the Nexus. But it doesn’t have to be that way.”

I released my power, and she started to splutter. “This is my mission now,” I said. “To help you rebuild the power structure of this world, so there’s no need for the use and abuse of the shadow creatures. The Grey Lands will one day flourish again.”

And I would be keeping a very close eye on her until that came to fruition.

Wrapping my hand around Angel’s, I walked off, bringing a dozen creatures with us. “You were born to change this world,” my friend said with conviction. “It was that odd energy I felt about you from the start. It’s creation energy. Mist born.” She shook her head, like she couldn’t believe it. “If I hadn’t thought it impossible, as no one has been to this world for thousands of years, I would have seen it immediately.”