The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

63. True Mates

Savannah charged at him, and this time she was too fast for Bjorn to detect. That's when she gave him another sla.sh of the divine dagger over his chest, making a clean cut.

"We are mates!" He said bitterly, covering the new wound with his fingers.

"No. We're not!" She replied without hesitation. "I'd rather die than be your mate!"

The words hurt him more than the dagger did, but it wasn't enough for her. He could see it in her eyes as she lifted her hand to try to

kill him again. He'd had enough of this. She had to be contained!

He caught her wrist this time and overpowered her easily, bringing her closer.

"It's over!" he roared, shaking her roughly, hoping that she'd return to her senses.

However, it only made the princess sneer.

“Bjorn, Bjorn, Bjorn," she whispered and clicked her tongue. "I am just getting started!"

Savannah's bones started snapping before his eyes at unnatural angles, and in a few moments, she was able to free her hand from

his grasp. Bjorn stepped away, panting, and watching her turn into something else completely. He'd already seen this when he and Joran went to observe the battle with Castiel's men a few months ago and also when Kai did it so effortlessly many times in the past.

It was harder for Savannah, he could see it, but she was determined to go through with this.

"Savvy, no!" Darius' voice broke. He knew what it meant to her. Other royals rarely used their feral third forms because they were next to impossible to control. If they didn't shift back soon enough, they risked never being able to revert back to their human form again.

The realisation that she was ready to die or stay a beast for the rest of her life just to kill him, hurt him more deeply than the divine weapon ever could.

But the monster with glowing golden eyes already stood in front of him. Tall, mighty and deadly. And she was out for blood.

blood.

His

Savannah tried to keep control just like Kai had taught her. Lycans were primal beasts who were born at the beginning of times, but her Lycan wasn't a separate entity; It was a part of her. The part she was taught to suppress, the part she was taught to hide. Today she was going to embrace it.

Bjorn looked like he was suffocating, but she decided just to end him immediately. However, when she took the first step, something invisible stopped her.

"Enough!" The Serpent said, looking as calm as if people weren't killing each other left and right around them. He didn't even spare the Lycaness a glance. He didn't take part in the fighting. He just defended B Wolves that came with Ash were dying. One of the bears almost grabbed Petra, who was still in her human form. From the corner of her eye, Savvy saw how Chloe shifted into a golden- coloured wolf, and Claude was quickly tying something around her neck.

She wanted so badly to kill Bjorn... but... her friends were more important. If the Serpent didn't plan to act, and it looked like he had something else in mind, then they had a chance to survive. If she would help Growling angrily, Savvy flipped the table and was down next to Petra and Ash in seconds, leaving Bjorn behind.

"Shift!" she commanded in the beast's voice, and, luckily, they understood her instantly, following her lead. Petra's wolf was the smallest, but even in the middle of the chaos, Savvy paused, seeing her unusual Chloe was next to the group already and Claude shifted in one jump, joining them as well.

Now all they had to do was get out of that castle.

If only it was that easy...

1/5

The bears were shifting too and Savvy let out a roar so loud that the ground underneath their feet shook.

She threw herself into the crowd and made a clean sweep, clearing the path for her friends. Thanks to that, they were able to leave

the Hall behind them quickly, and now they were struggling to get through the corridors of the castle.

The

white bears were already alerted via their mindlink and everyone they met tried to attack them, slow them down... Yet, Savvy knew she only had minutes left of sanity, feeling how she was starting to enjoy the her friends were

as far away from this place and her - as possible.

She made sure to knock down every candle on her way past. Luckily, they were a major part of the decoration for the marking ceremony, and there were plenty around the castle. She watched the flames catch should distract them.

A few wolves from Ash's team were already missing, either killed or sacrificing themselves to delay the bears behind them.

Savvy led them in an unexpected direction and she could feel how distressed Petra, Ash, and the twins were. Fortunately for all of them, she knew exactly what she was doing when she turned into a small pas Using their night vision, they went all the way down while still in their wolf forms, and this got them several minutes to

breathe.

There was just one thing left to do now - get Aspen.

Savannah had no illusions about that. She knew that they would understand that she would come back for the Gamma. He was one of Kai's closest friends. She couldn't simply leave him behind. "Princess," Ash shifted behind her back. "There is something I need to tell you-"

"Shift!" she growled and pushed the door that led to the square outside.

She was right as there was a thick circle of bears guarding Aspen and waiting for her.

Well, they wouldn't have to wait anymore.

Channelling everything she had, Savannah threw herself at the enemy, tearing, snapping, breaking, destroying... At some point, she felt like she had found a rhythm to all this. It became a part of her and felt so natural that she scared herself.

However, she couldn't stop. She had to do it. While there was still sanity left in her.

When

she reached the wall where Aspen was chained, he didn't look good. He was barely conscious and his gaze was unfocused. There were cuts and bruises all over him, and Savvy almost threw up when the sme She broke the silver chains with ease, although they were soaked in something that burned her fingers. Claude was surprisingly the nearest to him and offered his back for the Gamma.

Savvy threw him on top of the golden wolf. She couldn't do anything gently in this form. But it was better than the people beating Aspen up. He was practically unconscious, and the princess was worried that he Not that she regretted it. They needed a beast now. They needed a monster.

"Hold!" Savvy roared, and surprisingly, that helped Aspen to come back to reality. Even if temporarily.

"Brigit?" he asked, looking at her. His eyes barely opened from the swelling and damage. His vision was probably blurry so it wasn't surprising he took her for a white bear in this form. Just like her wolf, her Lycan was white in colour, with black fur decorating her

ears.

"Brigit-" Aspen repeated his mate's name. "I knew you'd come."

There were more and more bears in the square, and Savvy was starting to worry about how they were going to leave this place. She had to get her friends out. Nothing else mattered. They were surrounded from each side, and Savannah could already feel the

desire to sn.ap all those necks. There were more of them than she could handle, but at least she would die trying. She didn't mind. If she died, maybe the Moon Goddess would be so kind as to bring her back t

children.

The bears halted, probably preparing themselves mentally for the m**** "e that was to follow, and Sawy closed her eyes just for a second, feeling how her mind was slipping away.

"I never asked you for anything," she prayed silently, "but if there is at least the tiniest chance of me saving them and reuniting with Kai, let it happen."

Just then, one of the castle towers exploded. Pieces of the ancient stone were landing around them, hitting some of the white bears. But most importantly, it made them panic. Another explosion sounded, piercing their ears this time because it was so much closer. Ash growled excitedly, knowing that his little gift worked.

Savannah had nothing to do with any of it, but the bears believed that she did. Moreover, they didn't know what to expect from her

anymore.

She didn't hesitate and unleashed herself

on the startled enemies, tearing their flesh off and ending as many of their lives as she could. She pounced, and she dodged. She ignored the pain when they managed to hurt her. "Run!" she managed to command her friends when she created a safe corridor for them through one of the broken castle

walls. She knew that Ash would have help somewhere nearby. She just needed to give them a chance to get there.

Savannah noticed that the bears did not follow her friends. All their eyes were on her, tracing her every move, and this was when she realised their order was to get her. Technically, they didn't need her friends. She decided not to miss that wonderful opportunity and stood on all fours, charging into the darkness outside Bjorn's home. She knew where her friends went; she could feel it. Thanks to that, she chose to run This time she did not use her full speed. She had to make sure that the bears followed her and that none of them got lost on the way. Slowly, her priorities were changing. She couldn't wait to be left alone with A black hawk flew over her head, screeching, but she ignored it. Birds did not interest her anymore. She wanted to be killing bears. Her instincts were telling her to kill them all, and each roar she heard from the weren't the ones hunting this time. She was.

She stopped in the middle of a clearing and waited. The annoying bird was still circling over her head, and she was ready to kill her if that hawk got close.

However, these thoughts left her soon because the bears finally arrived.

She could see their white fur between the dark, ancient trees as they approached, but the primal lycan inside of her couldn't wait anymore. She pounced at the closest one, tearing him to pieces on the spot and One after another, she was killing them all, feeling only pure rage running through her veins.

But there were so many of them that slowly, they started to overpower her, cornering her to a rocky hill. She wanted to kill them even more now, to taste their blood and to see life leave their eyes, so she kept fi However, her wounds were multiplying by the minute, and it didn't look like there were fewer bears around her. She roared in frustration, realising that this could be her end. She would die here today, killed by s bigger numbers.

A howl escaped her. This time it was a sound of a dying, desperate animal, and she put everything in that sound.

By the end of the howl, her breathing turned into snowy

mist, and for the first time, she felt cold. The ground under her feet was icy, the darkness was replaced by clouds of snow. Everything happened so fast that she couldn't tell what was going on.

She felt something. Something she couldn't explain, some kind of strange pull that made her think that she did want to survive

after all.

Savannah fell to her knees, knowing that the enemies would finish her off now. However, each bear that was getting close to her was disappearing right in front of her eyes. Something moved in between all the warriors so fast that none of them couldn't detect it. Yet there was no denying that someone else was here.

Or something else.

A mighty menacing roar emerged, and it became so cold that sharp pieces of ice flew in the air. Only that the trajectory seemed off.

Unnatural.

Not that Savvy was going to complain. Her humanity was getting back to her against all odds, and she didn't know what the reason

for it could be.

The bears weren't her problem anymore, and she felt a strong desire to shift back into her human form.

Screaming as her bones were slowly breaking one by one, she clawed her way to sanity until she was panting on the cold ground

covered with frost.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she was back. She was alive and she didn't turn into a lycan beast forever. There was only one question on her mind now. Why? How?

She had bits of the red dress still hanging over her frame. Some parts of the gown were very stretchy, and now she was happy that she had some kind of coverage. Even if it was questionable.

Her wounds made her hiss from the pain, but she already knew there was nothing lethal. She would heal if no new battles occurred

now.

That strange feeling overwhelmed her again, and she tried to stand up, looking around, but only dead bears were scattered around

her. She took a few steps with her bare feet, trying to adjust the red rags on her, when she saw some movement in the snowy mist.

At first, it looked like a giant wolf. Bigger than any other she had seen.

The mist got thicker, and when it dissipated slowly, she saw a shadow of a naked man walking towards her.

She froze, unable to move. Unable to breathe...

Tears were burning her eyes, and she wanted to say something, but only a weak, broken noise left her chest. It wasn't even a

whimper.

Their eyes locked, and so did their souls. A forever unbreakable bond that no one ever would be able to erase. Two halves of the same whole united at last.

Savvy placed her hand on her chest, trying to steady her heart, which was racing so fast she was afraid it would fail her.

All the pain she had felt for the past few days found a way out now in one despairing painful sob.

"Mate," she whispered with her trembling lips. The word that she hated. The word that only brought her pain and suffering. She was afraid that it was a dream, a cruel hallucination, and none of this was real.

"Mate," Kai replied while a single tear fell on the ground from his chin, shattering the world and everything they had known...

63 True Mates

after all.

Savannah fell to her knees, knowing that the enemies would finish her off now. However, each bear that was getting close to her was disappearing right in front of her eyes. Something moved in between all the couldn't detect it. Yet there was no denying that someone else was here.

Or something else.

A mighty menacing roar emerged, and it became so cold that sharp pieces of ice flew in the air. Only that the trajectory seemed off.

Unnatural.

Not that Savvy was going to complain. Her humanity was getting back to her against all odds, and she didn't know what the reason

for it could be.

The bears weren't her problem anymore, and she felt a strong desire to shift back into her human form.

Screaming as her bones were slowly breaking one by one, she clawed her way to sanity until she was panting on the cold ground

covered with frost.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she was back. She was alive and she didn't turn into a lycan beast forever.

There was only one question on her mind now. Why? How?

She had bits of the red dress still hanging over her frame. Some parts of the gown were very stretchy, and now she was happy that she had some kind of coverage. Even if it was questionable.

Her wounds made her hiss from the pain, but she already knew there was nothing lethal. She would heal if no new battles occurred

now.

That strange feeling overwhelmed her again, and she tried to stand up, looking around, but only dead bears were scattered around her. She took a few steps with her bare feet, trying to adjust the red rags on h At first, it looked like a giant wolf. Bigger than any other she had seen.

The mist got thicker, and when it dissipated slowly, she saw a shadow of a naked man walking towards her.

She froze, unable to move. Unable to breathe...

Tears were burning her eyes, and she wanted to say something, but only a weak, broken noise left her chest. It wasn't even a

whimper.

Their eyes locked, and so did their souls. A forever unbreakable bond that no one ever would be able to erase. Two halves of the

same whole united at last.

Savvy placed her hand on her chest, trying to steady her heart, which was racing so fast she was afraid it would fail her.

All the pain she had felt for the past few days found a way out now in one despairing painful sob.

"Mate," she whispered with her trembling lips. The word that she hated. The word that only brought her pain and suffering. She was afraid that it was a dream, a cruel hallucination, and none of this was real.

"Mate," Kai replied while a single tear fell on the ground from his chin, shattering the world and everything they had known...