Mated to the Warrior Beast
[COMPLETE] What life is left for a warrior when there is no more enemy to fight? ...He knelt before her in the posture of a soldier giving honor to their Queen. And she didn't even know it. “Harth," he rasped, "I come empty-handed. I bring no weapon. Because I swear to you, I will never choose to harm you. Never draw your blood—in anger, or in fear. I bring no shield. Because I vow I will never defend myself from your eyes, your hands, your mind. I am yours.” ***** After a year of peace in Anima, Tarkyn finds himself... lonely. As the Captain of the Queen's Guard and a lion-shifter, he has met every female in the tribes, but never found his mate. Certain he must have overlooked someone, Tarkyn undertakes a grueling ritual, pleading with the Creator to reveal her. But the ritual presses him to the end of even his formidable strength. Yet, the Creator heard his cry... Discovered on the brink of death by his mate, Harth, and nursed back to health, Tarkyn now faces the most difficult battle of his life. Because Harth isn’t just a stranger to the Anima, she is a weapon of the humans who tried to destroy them. Can the love of a warrior and his enemy bring peace to Anima? Or will they be torn apart forever by war between their peoples? ***** STANDALONE STORY: While Tarkyn's story is a part of the Anima world and fans will be reunited with some of their favorites as side-characters, Tarkyn and Harth are new POV characters and their story is a new plot arc, so their story can be enjoyed without reading the previous books! But please add Falling in Love with the King of Beasts, and Taming the Queen of Beasts to your library to enjoy later! Cover Art by artist: Aenaluck. Find more incredible art and support the artist on www.patreon.com/aenaluck
Prodigal Son Returns
If you like music while you read, try "We'll All Be Alright" by AG and Amy Stroup. It's what I was listening to while writing this chapter!
*****
~ TARKYN ~
Three days. Three days before they had news of those who'd gone to face the bears. It had been a horrific, tense time of increased grieving. Because if their friends were safe, why weren't they hearing anything?
But finally, finally the first hare arrived, buoyant, but exhausted.
They were safe. They were all safe. They had defeated the zealot bears—a faction of the Tribe who'd abandoned the rest and were pursuing a startling mission to cleanse Anima of anything or anyone associated with the human world. And they had, indeed, been joined by some of the tigers and a handful of other disgruntled Chimera.
But they were routed. Utterly destroyed.
What the messenger didn't tell them was why it had taken so long for anyone to return—even a messenger.