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
Mine, Only Mine*
If you like music while you read, try "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol. It's what I listened to while writing this chapter.
*****
~ TARKYN ~
When Harth twined their hands and their twin wounds aligned, Tarkyn's body was rocked by the roar of the bond—flames in his blood, cold comets dancing on his skin, disbelief and awe mingled and echoing in his head until it felt like the top of his skull might burst.
"Harth, can you feel that?" His voice was little more than a gutteral rasp.
"Yes!"
A sound gathered in his chest like a coming storm, and for the first time, Tarkyn fought, wrestling against the tidal wave of emotion and desire, suddenly terrified of losing control. But his tongue named her anyway.
"Love... my love."
"I love you, Tarkyn," she whimpered.
"You own me to my soul." Then there were no words left. He scrambled to his feet and pulled her in, plunging his free hand into her hair to hold her to him.