Page 72 of Warrior

“I can fight,” Harris whispered, defiance glimmering faintly in his voice.

I didn’t bother to argue.His injuries were severe, and I couldn’t count on him in this state.

“Were you planning on telling us about your new affinity for facial hair?”Landan asked as we moved down the corridor.

I glanced back at him, feigning innocence.“I have no idea what you’re talking about.My barber shaved me this morning.”

“That’s not bad,” Mila said.“It’s actually super cool.I need to book an appointment with your barber.”

The chuckles rippled through our group, lightening the oppressive weight of our circumstances for just a moment.

Faint footsteps echoed in the distance, and I raised my hand, silencing everyone instantly.

Turning to Landan, I shifted Harris into his arms.

I moved toward the sound.

The faint scent in the air struck Ms.Beast first, and she froze.

Mate.

The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning.

King.

He’d found me.

Chapter Twenty-Six

King

If I thought Beast was irrational before, it was nothing compared to the unhinged monster he was now.Single-minded, he was driven by a primal need that I couldn’t fight.

Mate.

Find,I replied, surrendering to his will because we were on the exact same fucking page.

The first hour was spent avoiding the few humans I encountered.There should have been hundreds of people moving around during the day, but the streets were eerily empty, making it easier to avoid detection.

What unsettled me more was the high-frequency noise gnawing at Beast’s sensitive ears.It was electronic and piercing.I knew what it was for.Hellhounds.The Federation was drawing them in.

Shaking my head did little to alleviate the irritating hum, and my frustration grew with each step.

The door Marinah had shown me the last time I saw her was propped open with a small piece of wood.It screamedtrap, but ignoring it wasn’t an option.

I entered quickly, moving straight toward the opposite wall, bracing for gunfire but there was nothing.No sounds besides the persistent hum.No humans in sight.

Relying on scent, I tracked Marinah to her room, then followed the trail she’d left behind.It led me to the Shadow Warriors’ quarters, now empty, and then to an interrogation room.

Her scent lingered there, along with that of a male human.

Beast stilled as the unmistakable smell of her blood hit me like a punch to the gut.

Even before Beast growled the word, the need burned through me.

Kill.

Gladly.

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