Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

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RETH (A few minutes earlier)

Reth lay on his back in the grass of the meadow, hands in his hair, his breath tearing in his throat as every fiber of him fought not to hear Brant's words—not to see the path he painted. But Jayah had warned him… he'd seen Elia's face… heard her screams… and watched Aymora pale.

His mate was dying. Unless something changed, his mate was dying. And their daughter with her.

"Please…" he groaned to the Creator. "Please…"

"Don't give up hope, Reth," Brant said gently, one hand on Reth's arm that was bent up from where he gripped his own hair. "But be ready to face whatever the Creator would bring. Sometimes we can't see the good He's working until it happens."

Behryn sighed and squeezed Reth's other arm. "Reth, I know this is horrible, but don't—"

"You have never had an offspring, or lost your mate, Behryn, do not seek to advise me now," Reth snapped. "Leave me, both of you. You have been heard. Your care is appreciated. But I need a moment before I return to my mate. I need to… I need to be alone."

They both made further, muttered reassurances, but with a pointed look at  Behryn, Brant was the first to push to his feet and walk away to give Reth space.

Reth stared into the sky, his eyes clear, but his heart pounding in his ears. Behryn's hand was still on his arm, and for the first time that he could remember, Reth wanted to recoil from his brother's touch.

"I am still here, Reth," he said quietly, eyeing Brant who walked away. "I have not left you. I am still here if you… if you need anything."

"But for how long?" Reth said, finally meeting his best friend's eyes. "For how long, Behryn?"

Behryn's throat bobbed and he broke the eye-contact, submitting. Then he patted Reth's arm. "I'll leave you your space," he said quietly. "Just know that I remain here with you in heart, no matter where I might be. If you have need of me, just ask."

Reth didn't answer him as Behryn pushed to his feet as well.

And then he was alone.

There were guards nearby, he knew. But they were being discreet. He prayed none of them were close enough to hear the whimper that broke in his throat as another of Elia's screams, muffled by the cave, still managed to shrill through out into the meadow.

He shook his head. It couldn't be happening. He had to get in there, to see her. But… but he couldn't do anything to save her. He had to do something!

Pushing up to sit, then stand, Reth stood there a moment, gaping back towards the cave mouth.

"Help her, please," he rasped, his voice hoarse and ragged after all the shouting. "Please. I cannot… I cannot save her. But you can."

He took a step, then dropped to his knees, debasing himself before the Creator, everything with him trembling for this to change, for there to be another answer, another way through! But he couldn't see it. No matter which way he looked… he couldn't see it.

He had heard those screams before. He had seen that clammy gray flesh on others.

Elia was dying. And she couldn't shift.

Reth coughed, almost vomiting, but he swallowed it back as his body tried to repel every feeling that thought brought with it. He shook from head to foot, his entire body quivering with the fear and sick dread that thoughts of his mate, of what was happening to her, brought.

Another scream pierced the meadow, then another—on and on, as if she were being torn from the inside out, and Reth groaned praying and praying as the sound of his mate's pain eviscerated him as surely as any wolf's fang or claw.

And when, impossibly, her cries shrilled higher, he begged.

"If it's death you need, take me," he croaked. "Take me, instead. Leave her here—let her raise Elreth. A daughter needs her mother… please… don't take them from me, please!"

Elia's screams broke off and the meadow was quiet again.

Reth's breath came faster and he blinked.

Was that… was she…?

Battered by images of his mate quiet and lifeless, Reth roared again, shoving to his feet to run back to the cave. "No! ELIA!"

But as he turned towards the cave mouth, as his heart stuttered and screamed, there was a golden flash in the sun, a tawny hide, rippled and strong—running, but her steps rigid, obviously broken by pain—tearing across the meadow from the cave mouth towards the forest.

Reth's mouth dropped open as the wind hit him full in the face and her scent was blown towards him.

Elia. It was Elia. She had shifted!

His heart soared for a second, before plummeting back to his toes as her beast snarled and tore into the forest at a full sprint, despite her obvious discomfort. She'd kept herself low to the ground, moving her body as little as possible, and she still ran with remarkable speed.

Then she disappeared into the trees and Reth shook himself out of his shock.

Elia was here, and she had shifted. He had to bring her back. Her beast was probably looking for him! He had to bring her back to the cave, to safety!

"It's Elia!" he screamed to the sentries in the trees.

"What, Sire?" a call came back from a confused and rattled guard.

"IT'S YOUR QUEEN! It's ELIA! DO NOT SHOOT!"

He knew most of them were armed and would be greatly alarmed by an unrecognized lioness. They might assume she was a Silent One headed for the Tree City.

"Elia! ELIA!" he called, but the wind whipped his voice away. She'd lifted her head to scent it--looking for him, he was sure. Yet she wouldn't scent him behind her.

"Come back, Love. Come back to me," he rasped, sprinting after her--but unable, in his human form to move even as quickly as a lioness in pain. He had to pray she didn't run into anyone with a weapon before he could reach her. 

Continuing to call to any unseen guards that might be patrolling, warned by Aymora that their Queen was in Labor, telling them over and over not to call the alarm, he sprinted after her, staying in his human form to make sure he could instruct anyone along the path until he could get her attention and turn her back to the cave.

But as he ran, his heart skipped and he considered what must have happened. She'd been so frightened to shift, so resistant, Aymora said, that she was holding back even at pain of death. What could possibly have pushed her into this place that she was convinced was so dark? His heart fluttered. He shook his head.

She would be safe. Elia would be safe. He'd brought her back from the beast safely twice before, he could do it again. He was certain of it. But he couldn't let her shift back too soon--they needed to get Elreth delivered safely, then… then he would have his mate back.

He groaned with relief at the thought and pushed even harder into the run. As his heart slammed in his ribs, jabbing him with pain on every beat, he ignored it and ran on.

A niggling voice, reminding him of the offer he'd made to the Creator, rose in the back of his head, but he shook it off. It didn't matter.

Elia was back. She was here. She was in her beast. Elreth was safe. They were both safe! That was all he cared about.

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