[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
~ HARTH ~
When Tarkyn had told her that the Anima shared their bodies freely, that he'd taken many females before, she'd been terrified at first—to her, that had meant his heart might have bonded to another, or others might have bonded with him, as had happened in the past for her Alpha, Zev. She'd seen the females waste away after learning the male that held their souls was bonded to another.
But Tarkyn had quickly helped her see that the bond didn't work that way for his people. And she'd been so relieved. In the moment she'd thought only about how relieved she was to have found him, and buried herself in that joy.
Buried her head, apparently.
Because it wasn't until this moment, right now, when the healer—who Harth had immediately liked and wanted to befriend—looked at him with that understanding in her gaze…