Lani screamed and jumped to the side. She hit the ground hard, panting and in pain. When she looked up, she saw Bryce collide with the bar exactly where she’d been just seconds before. Cash looked at her lying on the ground. His entire body rose as he took a giant breath. Then, he ran at Bryce with his claw raised.
Lani screamed again as Cash slashed as Bryce’s face. Bryce fought back just as hard. Soon, they were locked in a fight that could have ended both their lives. Lani watched, paralyzed with fear and unable to do anything to help. She wanted to stop the fight. She wanted to save Cash from Bryce’s wrath, but she also wanted to stop Cash before he killed Bryce. Lani didn’t know how, but her instinct was telling her Cash would win the fight, but what would that mean? Would Cash stop before he killed Bryce? Or, would Bryce shift back into his human form just in time to bleed to death?
In the few months that Lani had known Bryce, she’d felt nothing for him. He was a pest, an annoyance. He was the kind of boss that took pleasure in wielding his power over people, and Lani hated him for it. There were so many times that she found herself wanting to slap him, but now that he was in such a dangerous situation, she just wanted it to end. For his sake. For her sake. And most of all, for Cash’s sake. Even if Cash made it out without any real harm befalling him, how would he survive the knowledge that he’d killed a fellow shifter?
Lani couldn’t breathe as she lay on the floor watching them fight. The fight seemed to go on for hours. In reality, it was only a few seconds before a group of men came charging into the bar. All the other patrons and the bartender had run out of the bar long before. Lani was the only human left. As the men came to a stop, they took in the scene around them. Lani tried to push herself up. She wanted to run over to them, make them help her stop Cash and Bryce before someone died.
“No!” One of the men yelled. Lani was almost to her feet. Her eyes snapped up and saw that the man was pointing at her. “Stay right there!”
“Don’t move!” Another man shouted.
Lani wanted to disobey, but something told her that would be a mistake. She fell back down on the ground and resumed her earlier position. Instead of watching the bears, she now watched the men who were standing at the bar’s entrance. They whispered to each other, never taking their eyes off Cash and Bryce. Lani didn’t know what they were waiting for. Weren’t they shifters, too? Why weren’t they changing? Why weren’t they jumping in there and trying to help?
While Lani watched the men, the fight between Cash and Bryce escalated. Cash roared and slashed Bryce’s neck. It wasn’t deep, but the whimper that escaped Bryce’s mouth was enough to draw Lani’s attention back to them. She watched as Bryce collapsed to the floor. He was panting and rolling around in agony. Lani had never seen a bear up close and she’d certainly never seen one act so human.
The pain on Bryce’s face was evident to everyone but Cash. Lani’s eyes fell on Cash’s face, and she saw a relentless rage had settled into his eyes. He focused on Bryce and Bryce alone. Lani no longer existed to him. The men at the front of the bar weren’t there. No one else held a place in Cash’s mind except for Bryce. Lani could tell what Cash was about to do. As he slowly circled Bryce’s bleeding body, the muscles in Cash’s shoulder were larger than ever. He sniffed the air around them. Lani didn’t know why, but she thought he must have been smelling Bryce’s blood. The idea made her stomach roll with disgust.
She didn’t know how to stop it. She didn’t even know if she could. All she knew was that she couldn’t just lay there and watch while Cash murdered someone. Whether they were animals or not, it was still murder. Deep down, Bryce was a human just like the rest of them, and he didn’t deserve to die. Even if he had started the fight, Lani couldn’t let Cash end it this way.
Without thinking about the consequences, without pausing to doubt herself, Lani jumped to her feet and took a step toward the bears. She raised her hands defensively and moved quickly over to Cash. She ignored the men’s screams of protest while she moved. They didn’t understand. She knew what to do. She knew Cash would never hurt her.
“Cash!” Lani yelled just before she reached him. “Stop!”
Chapter 22
Cash
From the second Cash shifted, his mind was unbelievably clear. It was as if Cash and his bear were truly one working together to protect the one they loved. Cash looked over at Bryce, and his eyes were glazed over with rage, and his body shivered with powerful energy. Cash never felt so ready for a fight than he did at that moment. From the look on Bryce’s face, he felt the exact same way. The two bears circled each other hungrily, just waiting for the other to make a move.
As they did, Cash let his anger slowly build. He remembered the way Bryce looked at Lani, the hungry desire in his eyes. Cash flexed his claws at the thought. Bryce was another shifter, another shifter who had been lying to everyone about his true form. Not only that, but he had positioned himself close to Lani. Cash couldn’t stand the idea of another shifter working side by side his mate. Lani was his. She belonged to him, and he belonged to her. No amount of confusion could have changed Cash’s mind on that. Bryce was just a jealous, angry shifter who needed to be taken care of.
Cash realized that was the first time he’d ever thought of Lani as his mate. At that moment, he knew for certain that she was. He had hoped that she might be, but he’d never let himself believe it. Not until then. Not until that moment. Cash paused for a split second while the realization washed over him. It was just a moment, barely long enough to blink, but Bryce took advantage of it.
Bryce lunged forward, and suddenly, the fight began.
The bears tore at each other with an alarming amount of strength. Cash was always a calculated fighter. He didn’t jump into a fight until he was absolutely certain he could win. He knew the second Bryce shifted, that he didn’t stand a chance against Cash. As the Beta of a clan, Cash was naturally stronger than most bear shifters. He could take on anyone in a fight and come out victorious. Even his own Alpha struggled to best Cash from time to time. Cash knew his strength. And as he fought Bryce, he’d never been prouder of it.
Bryce was also weak. Working here at the resort means that he was a lone bear. He had no clan as a family, and that would weaken his senses or make him go wild. It seems as the latter had happened, with the way Bryce growled at Cash.
Cash let himself feel the rage and tension of his bear. He let every negative emotion work its way through his body, fueling his muscles and joints. Cash knew how to use this kind of energy to his advantage. He was able to channel his emotions better than anyone he’d ever known. As he focused, he let every other thought drift from his mind. He forgot about the resort or even the bar they were standing in. He forgot about his clan members both back home and at the resort. Even Lani slipped out of his mind as he focused solely on the opponent before him.
Bryce’s claws were sharp against Cash’s skin. Every swipe made Cash wince, but he refused to let himself fall. If he hit the ground, it was over. Bryce would go in for the kill and Cash would be powerless to stop him. No, Cash thought, he wouldn’t let Bryce win. He wouldn’t give Bryce that satisfaction. Cash lunged forward and sliced his claws against Bryce’s face.
Bryce stumbled backward just enough for Cash to sense weakness. Cash advanced on him again and again, forcing Bryce to either fall or fight back. Bryce chose to fight back. He jerked forward, slicing the air around Cash’s face. He never connected, Cash wouldn’t let him. Cash continued to dance out of Bryce’s reach. He skipped to the left and then the right, avoiding Bryce’s razor sharp claws.
When Cash finally began to feel tired, he knew it was time to stop playing games. This fight was going to end one way and one way only: with Bryce’s death. The thought made Cash’s animal instincts flare up inside of him. He grinned to himself and ducked his head as he charged Bryce. Bryce growled and tried to fight back, but Cash was too fast. He collided with Bryce so hard that he could feel the breath leave Bryce’s lungs. Both bears flew to
the ground, Cash crushing Bryce beneath him. When Cash stood up, he saw that Bryce was almost finished. He was lying on the ground panting.
Cash slashed Bryce’s neck with his claws, reveling in the sight of Bryce’s blood being spilled. This was the side of Cash that he’d always tried to keep under control. The murderous, violent, animal inside of him that so often begged to be released. It was the part of him that attacked Reid that night, the side of him that he hated more than any other.
But at that moment, with Bryce lying on the ground before him, Cash no longer wanted to stifle his true nature. He wanted to let out the beast once and for all. He wanted to feel the joy of taking another life, the thrill of knowing he was stronger, more powerful than anyone who stood against him. Anger and power lust flooded Cash’s veins as he stepped closer to Bryce.
Cash circled Bryce slowly. Bryce was lying on the ground, writhing in pain. The more he moved, the more his wound bled. There were soft whimpers coming from Bryce’s throat and did nothing to quell Cash’s desire for more blood. Cash lifted his nose and sniffed the air around him. If bears could smile, Cash would have. He bared his teeth and felt his mouth fill with saliva as he imagined what Bryce’s blood would taste like.
There were men at the entrance of the bar. Cash heard them enter, but he’d forgotten all about them in his haste to end Bryce. Just as he was about to take a step toward the fallen bear, one of the men stepped forward. Cash jerked his head around and growled at the man. The warning was enough. The man stumbled backward and rejoined the crowd. Cash wouldn’t have hurt him, but he didn’t want anyone or anything interfering with his plans for Bryce.
Cash stepped even closer to Bryce, readying himself for the moment he would attack again. This time, Cash would go in for the kill. He would watch while Bryce struggled to take his last breath. The thought made Cash even hungrier.
“Cash!” A voice yelled from behind him. Cash would have recognized Lani’s voice anywhere. He froze where he stood, feeling her presence all around him. Forgetting about Lani during the fight had been easy. After all, wasn’t she the reason he shifted in the first place? Hadn’t he changed to protect her from Bryce?
“Stop!”
Lani’s voice was firm, but Cash could hear the fear hidden beneath it. She wasn’t just afraid for Bryce’s life; she was afraid for Cash. Cash knew Lani wouldn’t have been able to stand watching him kill someone who, beneath the surface, was just as human as everyone else. In an instant, Cash lowered his claws and changed his mind.
He couldn’t kill Bryce. Not in front of Lani. Not with her eyes boring into his back. She meant too much to him for him to put her through that. Cash let all the rage fade from his body as he turned around to face Lani.
Chapter 23
Cash
Cash stared at Lani’s face and tried to regain his control. Behind him, Bryce jumped to his feet and ran out of the bar. Cash turned and watched him disappear outside and run toward the nearest trees. Part of Cash wanted to chase after him, but he knew it was no use. Bryce was long gone, and Lani was still standing there. When Cash looked back at her, her eyes were wide and fearful.
In an instant, Cash shifted back to his human form and moved toward Lani. His motions were slow so he wouldn’t scare her any more than he already had. When he finally reached her, she was trembling. He touched her arm tentatively and waited to see if she would pull away. When she didn’t, Cash stepped even closer and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly, burying his face in her hair.
As he breathed in her scent, Cash let it calm him. The way she felt in his arms was like a sedative, forcing him back to his true self. He no longer felt any desire to chase after Bryce. He didn’t want to taste his blood or watch the life leave his eyes. All thoughts of Bryce were driven from his mind while he stood there and held Lani against his chest. The only thing he wanted to do was make her feel safe. He couldn’t stand the idea of Lani seeing him that. He immediately regretted everything he’d done during his fight with Bryce.
“Cash,” a soft voice said from behind him. When Cash turned around, he saw Jackson walking toward him. Behind him were Asher and Zander. They were all looking at him hesitantly.
“Everything’s fine,” Cash promised. “Now. Everything’s fine now.”
“What was that about?” Zander demanded. “What the hell did we miss?” Zander thankfully carried and an extra pair of gym shorts and threw them at Cash. He quickly grabbed them out of the air and put them on.
“Now isn’t the time,” Cash said with a pointed look down at Lani. He tightened his hold her again. “Do me a favor, okay? Go into the woods and make sure Bryce’s okay. The last thing we need is for him to die out there.”
“He’ll be fine,” Asher said. “The bleeding was already slowing down by the time he left.”
“Still,” Cash said. “I would feel better if I knew he was going to make it.”
“Okay,” Jackson nodded. “You got it.”
“And Cash?” Zander said.
“Yeah?” Cash asked.
“We gotta get out of here soon,” Zander said. “After that… we won’t be welcome here much longer.”
“I know,” Cash sighed. “I’m sorry. I’ll explain everything to you when I can. It was just… That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“We know, man,” Asher smiled. He glanced at Lani, and his smile grew. They all recognized the look in Cash’s eyes. Lani was his mate. She was the piece of him that had been missing for so long. They understood why Cash had to shift and why he had to fight Bryce. They would have done the same thing if their mates had been in danger.
As the guys turned to leave, Cash watched them go with a smile. He appreciated them more than he ever had. They were his clan, his family. All the times he thought about leaving the compound, he never truly let himself think about what that would mean. He would have to leave everyone behind. Jackson. Zander. Asher. Kurt…
The idea made Cash shudder, but he forced himself to not think about it right then. The only thing that mattered at that moment was making sure Lani would be okay. After everything she saw that night, Cash wouldn’t have blamed her for running away. He imagined she would scream at him and call him a monster, that she would never want him near her again.
Instead, Lani stepped closer to him and buried her face in his chest. She let him hold her close until her trembling finally stopped. Even then, Lani didn’t want Cash to let her go. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him. Cash kissed the top of her head and smoothed down her beautiful strawberry blonde hair. He already knew he loved her, but as he held her, his conviction solidified. She was the one for him. And she always would be.
“I’m so sorry,” Cash whispered. “I never wanted you to see that. To see me like that…”
Lani pulled away just enough to look into his eyes. She stared at him softly. There was no longer any fear in her expression. She just searched his face, almost as if she were checking to make sure he was okay.
“Are you okay?” Lani asked, verifying Cash’s suspicions.
“What?” Cash laughed. “You’re asking if I’m okay?”
“Well,” Lani said. “Yeah. Of course, I am. That was really intense. Bryce could have hurt you.”
“He did,” Cash admitted. “But I heal fast. I’ll be okay.”
“Still,” Lani said. She shook her head sadly. “I was so afraid he might really hurt you.”
“I’m pretty good at what I do,” Cash said casually. “Bryce wasn’t going to hurt me. Not really.”
“I thought you might kill him,” Lani admitted softly. Cash tensed and Lani looked down, not wanting to meet his gaze. Cash swallowed hard, hating himself for ever putting her in that position.
“Lani,” Cash began. “You never should have seen that. When I shifted, I wasn’t thinking about what it might mean. I just saw Bryce turn and I knew I needed to protect you. I never thought the fight would become so… So, awful. I just lost my head. It may be hard for you to und
erstand, but when I’m in my bear form, I lose track of my human nature. It doesn’t always happen that way, but sometimes it is tough to remember who I am. While I was fighting Bryce, I forgot where I was. I forgot who I was. The only thing I could think about was how angry I was that he’d put you in danger. I wanted to kill him for that.”
Cash shook as he remembered the fight from just moments before. He could have killed Bryce so easily. It would have been natural to end it right then. Cash shuddered to think how Lani would have felt about it if he had finished the job.
“But you didn’t,” Lani said. “You didn’t kill him, Cash. You didn’t.”
“Only because you stopped me,” Cash said. “When you spoke to me, it woke me up. It was like I came out of a horrible dream and there you were, standing beside me, reminding me who I am. If you hadn’t stepped in, I don’t know what I would have done.”
“I don’t think you would have killed him,” Lani said with confidence.
“You don’t?” Cash asked.
“No,” Lani shook her head. “I can’t explain it, but there was something in your eyes that made me think you didn’t really want to do it. When I stopped it, I felt I had to. I could see the anger in your eyes and the violence in your body. I knew you were poised to kill him, but when I called your name… You turned around, and I could tell. You wouldn’t have killed him. You don’t have it in you.”
“I hope you’re right,” Cash shook his head. “Sometimes I really think I do. Violence is part of our nature as shifters. We can’t always control ourselves and often times, we have no control at all.”
Part of Cash wanted to stop talking. He didn’t want to scare Lani away. He knew the more he told her about his animal nature, the worse she would feel about being with him. He hated the idea of her leaving him for good, but he also wanted her to know the truth. If she were going to be with him, really be with him, she needed to be prepared. Cash wasn’t just a shifter, he was a Beta and that meant he was stronger, faster, and angrier than most of his fellow bears. Lani needed to know that.
Furever Always (Furever Series) Page 20