Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
He unsheathes his sword as the others spread out. For a paramilitary force, these four do not dress the part. They’re all in jeans and t-shirts, probably clothes they picked up in that rural town after our last fight days ago.
“Gus,” Jackson says as he carefully approaches. “I know you’re in there. If you still got any control over your bear, you gotta let us know.”
My bear lunges forward with a warning snarl. His black lip is curled up over his sharp powerful canines as he glares at my older brother.
“He’s past saving, Jackson,” Ryker says as he rolls his tattooed shoulders, looking excited for the battle that’s about to start any second now. “Look at the crazed look in his eyes. He’s full-on feral.”
“You saw what he did in the last town,” Grayson says as he unbuckles his belt and pulls off his jeans. “I know he’s your brother, but he’s already gone.”
“Hold up,” Jackson says as he puts up a hand to Grayson, stopping him from phasing. “You’re right. He’s my brother. Which means I have to give him a chance.”
“We gave him a chance on the last time,” Remy says in a thick French accent. “And la savage nearly ripped my throat out.”
My bear growls at him as if to warn that next time he won’t miss.
Jackson ignores them all as he steps a little closer. His eyes are on me.
“Are you in there, Gus?”
My own brother has come to take me out. I should feel betrayed, but I don’t. I just feel shame. And anger. At myself, at my bear, at the world for being so cruel.
I just want it to end. If it were up to me, I’d let them do what they came here to do, but all my bear wants to do is fight.
With a grunt, I try to pull him in as hard as I can, gripping and yanking down as I try to force my way up. It’s useless. He’s become way too strong. I sink back down inside with a sigh as he snarls at my brother.
“We tried,” Grayson says as he lets his polar bear come forward. My nasty bear watches with adrenaline pumping through his veins as Grayson explodes into a roaring white polar bear.
“Sorry, mon ami,” Remy says to Jackson as he swings his sword, cutting eights into the air. “Dis is de only way.”
Ryker stays in his human form as he circles behind my bear. He foolishly gets too close and my bear spins around in a murderous rage.
Noooo!
He swipes his deadly paw at Ryker and slices his long black claws across his chest, tearing through flesh. Blood flies into the air, splattering the ground, the trees, and my grizzly’s snarling face.
“What the… fuck?” Ryker mutters in horror as he stumbles back, face pale, open mouth, bulging eyes staring down at the deep lacerations in his chest. Dark red blood pours out of the four thick claw marks now carved into his skin. He covers it with his hands as he stumbles and falls onto his ass. He’s desperately trying to keep the blood in but it’s pouring through his fingers.
“Calisse,” Remy says with a gasp.
The polar bear growls with the scent of blood in the air.
Ryker is a Kodiak bear shifter and he’s got enhanced healing like the rest of us. He’ll survive. The wounds will heal slowly and he’s in for a painful forty-eight hours, but he’ll survive.
“Fuck,” Jackson mutters when he sees his bloody friend hollering in pain on the ground. “Alright, guys. He’s a goner. Let’s take him out.” He looks my bear in the eyes with a sad look on his face. “Sorry, Gus. I tried.”
I know you did.
I urge my bear to lay down and take what’s coming to us, but of course, the fucker ignores me. He charges right at the polar bear and slams into his ribs with a roar. The two bears lunge on each other with gnashing teeth and hacking claws.
Grayson’s polar bear puts up a good fight, but there’s no competition between a sane bear and a feral one. It only takes a few seconds before the enormous polar bear is on the ground with his neck in my grizzly’s jaws.
Jackson’s grizzly slams into mine and we get thrown off of Grayson, rolling through the dirt and dry leaves as he attacks again. This time, my bear is ready and slices at his face. His claws miss by a hair.
The polar bear and grizzly regroup and come at my feral bear side-by-side while Ryker writhes on the ground, grunting and cursing as he bleeds into the dirt.
My savage grizzly faces them with a snarl. The fucker is actually having fun. He’s enjoying this.
The two bears stomp forward on their massive paws while my—
Fuck!!
My grizzly roars in outrage and agony as hot searing pain slices through our back leg. He whips his head around in time to see Remy pulling his long bloody sword out of our flesh. Blood pours out, hot and slick, covering the long thick fur on our hind leg.