Page 67 of Shadow

There is more than one,Beast growled within me.Kill. Must kill. Stay safe. Woman.

Beast’s eyes shifted to Marinah. She sat with her head lowered, avoiding his gaze as I had instructed.

Woman must die,Beast snarled.

No. Protect the woman,I pushed back, wrestling for more control than I had ever had so close to a shift.

Beast didn’t respond but squatted low, scanning the cave’s entrance. His ears twitched at a faint sound behind him, and he turned sharply.

“We need to stop the bleeding,” Marinah said, her voice soft. “I’m using the scarf to wrap your wound. Bite my head off if you need to.”

Her words made Beast rumble, his body tensing, ready to pounce. She was ignoring every warning I had given her.

She pulled the scarf from her hair and stepped closer, undeterred. Beast raised his snout, nostrils flaring as he inhaled her scent.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” she said gently. “I just need to stop the bleeding. It’ll help you feel better.”

She moved to the side cautiously, within easy reach. My claws instinctively wrapped around her upper thigh, the softness of her skin a distraction Beast hadn’t expected. He dipped his head, inhaling her scent; wild, sweet, and laced with something dangerous.

She knelt slightly, her fingers brushing against my skin as she wrapped the wide scarf tightly around the wound. Pain shot through me, and Beast snarled, his instincts battling mine.

Kill.

No,I countered fiercely.

“There,” she said. “I’ll just go back to my corner now and let you adjust or whatever it is you need to do.”

She retreated a step, then another, giving Beast no reason to attack. Her bravery, or recklessness, was staggering. Beast’s growl faded, but his eyes remained locked on her, his intent unpredictable.

I breathed deeply, trying to push the chaos within me into something resembling calm.

“No,” Beast growled, pulling her leg closer, his claws gently pressing into her skin.

Marinah didn’t panic. Instead, she sat down beside him and leaned into his massive side. The unexpected gesture made Beast exhale a deep, rumbling breath, his body slowly relaxing.

Safe. Woman safe.

Marinah patted his chest, unfazed by the deep rumble vibrating through it. “You’re not as scary as I thought you’d be,” she said, tilting her head to rub her cheek against his fur. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call you a big baby, but you need to know I probably couldn’t hurt you even if I tried.”

Stupid woman.

“My, what big teeth you have,” she teased with a laugh, clearly testing her limits. Beast answered with a low rumble that almost sounded like a laugh.

What the hell is going on with him?I wondered, watching the absurd scene unfold. He had wanted her dead, and now he was, what, cuddling?

Beast’s massive hand shifted around her leg, pulling her closer until the top of her head rested under his snout. His clawed fingers trailed over her shoulder and then started to move lower, circling toward…

“Stop that! Behave yourself,” Marinah snapped, slapping his hand just as it brushed her breast.

The sharp contact made Beast roar in her ear, a deafening sound that shook the cave walls. Marinah didn’t flinch; instead, she scooted away and raised her fist.

“You’re making way too much noise,” she said, utterly fearless. “Quiet down, or it’ll be more than a tap next time, and I’ll aim for your big nose.”

What happened next left me completely stunned.

Beast, of all things, leaned back against the wall, his glowing eyes fixed on her. With deliberate slowness, he circled his massive arm around Marinah’s shoulder and pulled her close, settling her against him like she belonged there.

Chapter Twenty-Three

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