Page 11 of Beast in the Badlands
Renn appears, his tall frame awkwardly supported by a half-working exo harness. The thing sputters and groans like it’s more rust than metal, but he’s somehow managed to drag himself upright, getting his legs to work with a little assistance from ancient tech.
He lunges at the scout, muscles taut and fury igniting his every movement. I watch in frozen shock as Renn rips into the man, tearing him apart with a speed that’s brutal yet precise. It’s not a messy attack; it’s surgical. Each motion screams power and intent.
I stare at the display of raw strength and brutality unfolding before me. My heart thunders in my chest as I witness something primal awaken within Renn—a force unleashed in defense of me.
The scout’s body crumples to the ground with a thud, lifeless. My breath catches in my throat. I’ve seen violence before—hell, I deal with it daily—but this… this is something else.
Renn stands over the body, chest heaving as if the act of saving me drains him further. Blood drips from his claws, pooling on the cracked earth beneath us.
He turns to me, eyes blazing with a mix of primal instinct and something deeper—something fierce.
It hits me hard—both terrifying and oddly comforting.
The exo harness sparks violently from exposed wires before it gives out completely with a groan of metal under strain.
Renn collapses onto his knees beside the scout’s body; pain flashes across his features as he grits his teeth against it—fury mixes with agony etched into every line on his face.
“Renn…” My voice trembles as I rush to him, fear lacing my words even as relief floods through me.
I kneel beside him, pulse racing, trying to process what just happened. The lifeless scout sprawls on the ground like a discarded doll, and Renn's presence looms large over me, primal and fierce.
“Why did you follow me?” I snap, voice dripping with disapproval. “You should’ve stayed put.”
He growls low in his throat. “Because you didn’t come back. And that’s not allowed.”
A jolt of something unnameable flares in my chest at his words—something warm and protective that I haven’t felt in ages. It rattles me; I shake my head, willing myself to dismiss it. I wasn’t even gone that long, but still…
My eyes dart down to his legs, blood soaking through the bandages. The exo harness lies crumpled beneath him—damaged beyond repair, wires exposed like entrails.
“Look at this,” I mutter as I assess the wreckage of metal and circuitry. “It’s toast. You shouldn't have been walking at all, who knows how much you've fucked up your healing process.”
He scoffs, amusement dancing in his red eyes despite the pain etched across his face. “I just saved your ass. Say thank you and stop bitching.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes at him, frustration bubbling to the surface. “Yeah, well…you shouldn’t have followed me,” I counter, though it lacks conviction.
With a resigned sigh, I start pulling apart the pieces of the exo harness—tossing them aside like yesterday's news. Nothing here is salvageable.
Renn grunts as he shifts beside me, struggling against his injuries. He needs to get up; we need to move before more scavengers come looking for trouble.
“Let’s get you on your feet,” I say reluctantly as I position myself under one arm and hoist him up. He leans heavily against me; every muscle strains under his weight as we make our way to the solar cart.
I drop him onto the seat with a thud that sends a ripple of pain across his face.
“Thank you,” I mutter stiffly as I turn away before he can respond—a small concession for all he’s done.
The cart groans beneath him as I scavenge around the wreckage one last time, tossing pieces into the back with a practiced hand. Metal clangs against metal with each throw until there’s little left but debris and echoes of destruction.
As I push him along through the gray terrain, a frown settles on my brow. “Next time you leave this outpost,” I say over my shoulder without looking back at him, “you better be prepared to limp your ass all the way back on your own.”
He doesn't respond. But I swear I see a smirk on that arrogant mouth of his.
CHAPTER 9
RENN
Ihate being carted around like some insolent child. Each bump and dip sends jolts of pain through my legs, the agony clawing at my focus. I grit my teeth against the searing discomfort, willing myself to remain stoic. Uselessness gnaws at me—an itch I can’t scratch.
But I don’t regret putting that damn harness on and going after her. If I hadn’t been there, that pathetic human male might’ve gotten away with something unspeakable.
