Page 15 of Warrior

I gave my beast the lead and felt his satisfied rumble as he took over.

Marinah trailed behind, her body shaking as she grunted loudly, the sound turning into a sharp yelp before her transformation completed.

The red haze of Beast’s aggravation swelled around me as I stepped through the outside doors and trotted down the stone stairs, stopping about fifty feet from the water’s edge.

Marinah followed; her movements steady despite the obvious strain of her change.

When we reached firm ground, I took off running.

Find enemy.Kill.

I ran faster, pushing myself harder to balance the chemicals coursing through my body.

Years of training had taught me to overcome the rage quickly, though nothing compared to what Marinah had managed earlier with Beck.

Marinah kept pace with me effortlessly, her beast showing no signs of weakness.

Beast grumbled with approval, then added a surge of speed, pushing us faster.

She was stunning, her thick brown hair fanning out behind her in the ocean breeze as her strong legs carried her over the wet sand.

When I increased my pace, she matched it, staying right beside me.We ran for miles, K-5 pumping through our veins, the cool air clearing my mind of war and violence.

We rounded a bend in the inlet and stopped at a large, weathered boat that had washed ashore long before the Shadow Warriors arrived.Its structure had held together remarkably well despite a gaping hole in the starboard side.Dried barnacles covered most of its surface, a clear sign it had spent years submerged before the ocean finally released it.

Marinah studied the boat intensely, her sharp eyes taking in every detail.

“Break or run back?”I asked after a few moments.

Her lips curled into a feral grin, her large, gleaming teeth catching the fading sunlight.

“Run,” she said.

I nodded, and together, we set off again, racing back toward the house.

The thought of spending the night alone with Marinah settled into my mind as Beast stirred within me.

Mate.

I clenched my jaw, knowing Beast would be a handful throughout the night.

Chapter Five

Marinah

I stared at the apparition in the mirror.

It wasn’t a monster, not really.It was just me in Warrior form.

My eyes were the same, familiar and human, but everything else was unrecognizable.My snout was the most unattractive thing I’d ever seen.I forced a smile, and the sight of my teeth gleaming with saliva almost made me recoil.

Lifting my arms, I ran my fingers over my chest.My breasts weren’t hanging anymore; they were part of the chest bone, hard, almost like they were metal-plated.The short hairs covering my face and chest weren’t flattering either, though I supposed they could be more revolting.

I took a few steps back to see the full picture.

I was Marinah the Warrior, and for the first time in my life, this body felt… perfect.

“Okay, Ms.Beast,” I said respectfully, addressing the reflection.“It’s time for you to go back inside and stay there until you’re needed again.”

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