Her Lion Guard 2 (Paranormal Shifter Romance)

by Amira Rain

  Jonas thrust up, control disintegrating as pleasure overwhelmed his senses. When Mary-Lou only moaned, he let himself do it again and again – sat up to envelop her fully in his arms. The pressure was deep like this, his movements restricted to powerful grinding and searching caresses. Jonas snarled again, claws extending ever so slightly against his mate’s flesh as he nosed sweat-dampened curls away and opened his mouth against Mary-Lou’s soft neck. Mary-Lou choked on a scream as sharp teeth pierced her skin, senses overcome by painful pleasure. Jonas growled as his own body tensed, hips stilling with a last, powerful thrust that settled him fully within her. The bond that stretched between her and Jonas trembled with life, full and happy and complete.

  “Mary-Lou,” Jonas gasped, soft and wet against her throat. Mary-Lou nodded, laughed weakly and nodded again.

  “Welcome back, love.”

  Morning found Jonas and Mary-Lou wide-awake, naked bodies pressed together beneath thin sheets. They did not speak – had not spoken since those last, passion-filled words some hours ago. Instead, they shared comfort and love through touch – bodies and minds so attuned to the other’s they needed no words.

  Daylight spilled into the room, the transparent drapes doing nothing to contain the sun’s cheerful might. Mary-Lou sighed, the soft warmth in her chest receding as cold uncertainty once again weighted her mind.

  “We have to leave soon,” Jonas murmured beside her, words echoing her gloomy thoughts. Mary-Lou nodded and rolled out of bed –reluctant and clumsy and slow. Jonas rose to watch her go, mouth set in a tight frown.

  Mary-Lou paused by the bathroom door. “I won’t cover the mark,” she said, the corners of her mouth twisting up in a ghost of a smile. It was an old argument of theirs – one she kept up mostly for amusement. Mary-Lou had long grown fond of wearing a necklace of bruised skin about her throat. It was not the healthiest of things, she suspected.

  Jonas shook his head in response, unable to muster the will to engage in their usual banter. He moved up to join her at the bathroom door instead, large body hot and hard against hers.

  “Be careful today,” he growled. His eyes glowed a muted blue – twin flames in a face swathed by shadows. Mary-Lou nodded, moved closer to whisper the same words against his lips.

  Cara knocked on their door almost an hour later. Mary-Lou and Jonas stood ready to receive her, then followed her in the hallway and down the stairs without a word. Jonas wore a soft pair of pants and a tight, black shirt – clothing meant to allow movement and prevent undue grappling by his opponent. Mary-Lou’s outfit was similarly simple, with the addition of a sturdy leather jacket that was to protect both her skin as well as conceal the sharp, thin dagger secured along her left arm. The fight may be Jonas’, but only a fool would not take precautions when dealing with Wiley and his cowardly gang.

  The drive was silent, the air filled with anger and a kind of despondent misery. The whole thing was unfair – ridiculous, really! Wiley’s plan was beyond obvious, yet they were still forced into going along with the farce of a Challenge.

  “It is the Law,” Irma had growled over the phone the morning following Wiley’s message. Both she and Jonathon were currently away, miles from the city and any type of transportation – and was that not a lucky coincidence for Wiley. “An outdated rule, and one that needs to fall with the system that spawned it. As it is, however, it still stands – Jonas must fight,” Irma had sighed, ire softening in cold glee. “It will certainly be good to see the last of that sorry mongrel.”

  Mary-Lou did not share Irma’s amusement. The human woman had been terrified to learn the nature of the fight: One to the death, the victor inheriting the other’s pack and possessions, like so much cattle. It was a sickening arrangement, one that would torture her family no matter the outcome. How would Jonas live, with Wiley’s blood on his hands and his death on his consciousness? How will they welcome a pack of wild, merciless predators in their midst?

  Mary-Lou did not want to think about the other possible outcome. The idea that Jonas might be the one to lose, that Jonas could be the one to fall— it was too painful to consider. Thanks to a hushed conversation with Sasha during the few moments she had been able to escape Jonas’ possessive grip the day prior, Mary-Lou learned that it was also not as improbable as she’d hoped.

  Wiley Turbo was an alpha to a pack – had been for many years. He was a born leader, bigger and stronger and faster that all around him even when he had nothing to his name save bravado. Years in a position of authority had only encouraged his natural tendency toward aggression, enhanced his power as his pack grew.

  That, and the man was built like a tank.

  Jonas was no weakling, but he was not a natural alpha either. Jonas had been a beta in his small pack, then an unwilling omega following his parents’ death. It was only after he met Mary-Lou – after he fought by her side, joined their souls and pronounced his devotion to her and her family – that he had gained the status that Wiley had possessed since birth.

  The result was extraordinary to observe. Nicholas had explained Shifter biology to her during one of their early sessions together – had stressed the very real differences between alphas, betas, and omegas. Mary-Lou came to view the three Shifter ranks as she did gender: Physiologically separate, yet diverse within their own selves. Moving from one to the other was not always possible; changes from beta to alpha, or omega to beta, were usually preceded by great turmoil or incited by live necessity. The transition itself took time and a great deal of mental resilience. Death was not uncommon in extreme situations, when both support and strength were lacking.

  Jonas’ shift from beta to alpha had been rather painless, all things considered. He did not have to fight for the position, nor had to overpower another for the right to pair with the female alpha of the pack. Even so, the change had hardly been without its costs: Jonas had become more aggressive, territorial – exponentially more possessive over Mary-Lou and the rest of their pack. The mental strain of rapidly-shifting hormone levels, combined with the sudden increase in metabolism and associated changes of diet had the Lion Shifter on the edge for a solid six weeks. Now, four months and a whole lot of training later, Jonas was likely more stable as an alpha than Wiley would ever be.

  Stability, however, had nothing to do with winning a fight.

  It did not take them long to reach their destination. The empty fields, and walled-off gardens that stretched at the outskirts of the city were familiar to Mary-Lou – depressingly so, given their association with certain assholes of Shifters.

  Sasha guided the car to the side of the road. They were to walk the rest of the way, along a narrow path half-hidden among tall, sturdy stalks of corn. They did so quickly; Jonas and Mary-Lou in the front, Sasha and Cara directly behind. Jenna and Katy were noticeably absent, and not by choice: Jonas had instructed the bonded Shifters to watch over Mary-Lou’s adoptive parents. No chances were to be taken today.

  A crowd had already gathered about the deserted house. Hooded figures in dark clothing stood at attention beside the half-collapsed walls, faces hidden in shadows or behind pale, plastic masks. Mary-Lou shuddered to see so many empty faces turn toward her and her family – Shifters were certainly given to melodrama.

  “About time you showed up!” An amused voice boomed in the still air. Mary-Lou lifted her gaze from the silent crowd, rolling her eyes as she found the source of the noise. Speaking of dramatic.

  Wiley stood atop one of the three walls, black boots planted firmly into the crumbling stone. He had his hands crossed over his bare chest, legs spread apart to brace the weight of his body upon the makeshift stage. Mary-Lou suspected both the pose and the pants – a tight, dark-blue outfit that clung to Wiley’s body like spandex – had been chosen for their ability to showcase Wiley’s impressive muscles rather than any practical reason. Had the situation been any different, Mary-Lou would have found the dark-haired man’s posturing pathetic. As it was, she simply wanted it to end.

  Of c
ourse, there was no reason not to bring some perspective to the show.

  “Jonas, remind me,” Mary-Lou said, eyes still firmly on Wiley’s towering figure even as she gestured toward the wall beneath his feet. She spoke normally, knowing that every Shifter in the vicinity could hear her as clearly as if she had been shouting, “Is this where you smashed the Wolf’s fool head?”

  Cara did not bother to stifle her laughter as Jonas answered, voice flat, “I believe it is.”

  “I knew I recognized the dent,” Mary-Lou smiled sweetly, “Matches his ugly mug perfectly.”

  Wiley’s expression turned thunderous. Jonas stepped in front of Mary-Lou, recognizing the slight tremble in the other man’s arms as the restrained desire for violence that it was. But the Wolf Shifter recovered quickly – quicker than one would expect, given his enormous ego and even greater love for confrontation. He flashed a thin, silver smirk at Mary-Lou, eyes glinting with a dark promise.

  “You will learn to adore me, baby,” Wiley laughed, the sound hard and ugly, “once I claim you as mine.”

  It took both Mary-Lou and Sasha to hold Jonas back as the Lion Shifter lunged forward, teeth snapping toward the smug wolf. Wiley only laughed harder, not bothering to hide his pleasure at Jonas’ ire.

  “When do we begin?” Jonas growled once his voice returned, teeth receding back into an even row behind human lips.

  “Whenever you are ready, pussy-cat,” Wiley purred, back-flipping off the wall and into the enclosed garden.

  Mary-Lou understood, then, the nature of the spectacle. Jonas and Wiley were to fight within the walled space, and they – to watch them in a sea of hooting strangers, as depraved humans do dog or cock-fights. She shivered in disgust, more certain than ever that she would do whatever she could to ensure the death of the Old Laws. This was not fit for animals, was so inhuman and grotesque she could barely stand it.

  “Mary-Lou.”

  Mary-Lou turned to lean in Jonas’ embrace, rose on her tip-toes to offer him a soft kiss. “End it fast,” she told him, “Do not hesitate – it will only prolong the inevitable.”

  Jonas nodded against her, held her a moment longer before pushing away and walking through the rusty gate without a backward glance .

  The walls, Mary-Lou realized, were just for show. As soon as Jonas walked into the enclosed space, the gathered crowd surged against the crumbling façade, embedding strong claws into the aged stone. The walls were demolished in the matter of moments, leaving rows of uneven rubble about what was to be the stage for the day’s entertainment. Sasha and Cara flanked Mary-Lou on each side, guiding her into the crowd and near the front as Jonas and Wiley faced each other off. It was too close and not close enough; still, Mary-Lou found it fortunate that she was able to hear the short conversation that occurred between the two Shifters.

  “So it has come to this,” Jonas murmured. His eyes were bright blue beneath the morning sun’s light, face tight with anger and trepidation.

  “It has,” Wiley spat out in return. The man had not shaved in at least a few days: The black stubble that usually surrounded Wiley’s thin lips had filled out, spread along his jaw and cheeks. It made him look wild, untamed – dangerously unstable.

  “Why?” Jonas’ voice was low, plaintive. Mary-Lou stifled a gasp as she grasped the true nature of the situation: This was not to be a fight between strangers, between enemies. Jonas and Wiley had known each other – had been friends.

  “A lot has changed since me and you ran together,” Wiley threw back. Oh, Jonas, Mary-Lou averted her eyes from her mate’s drawn face. Victory would cost the Lion Shifter – much more than any of them could even begin to understand.

  “What happened to you, Wiley?” Jonas asked, “Do you think that Harry would’ve wanted—”

  Jonas did not get to finish, as Wiley tackled him with a howl. The Wolf was already-half shifted, claws out and jaws open as he lunged for Jonas’ throat. Cara gripped Mary-Lou’s arm in silent support even as Jonas bucked up and twisted away, turning to face the enraged Wolf. His claws were out, a growl rumbling in a throat that was rapidly losing its humanity. When Mary-Lou got a good look at his eyes, she found his pupils thin in cold pools of blue.

  The two men lunged and retreated, bit and snarled and tore at each other. Blood quickly slicked their bodies, jagged lines of red running down arms and across sweaty chests. They came together faster and faster each time – collided harder and with greater brutality as their human consciousness was buried beneath animalistic aggression. They spoke in howls and snarls, taunted each other with snapping jaws and blood-stained teeth. They had each other’s flesh beneath their nails, trails of the other’s blood on their bodies – and still they came back and back again, the dance building up in a violent frenzy.

  It was horrific. Mary-Lou did her best to see without seeing, to watch Jonas without allowing the reality of the situation to pervade her thoughts and sicken her body. The Shifters around her were no longer quiet, cheering and shoving and howling right along with the enraged combatants. Some had discarded their masks, pushed the hoods of their clothing down as to better see the show. Mary-Lou cringed to see the faces of young men and women twisted in bestial blood-lust. She stepped back, needing to distance herself from the horror of it all – if just for a moment. Sasha and Cara did not notice, not until it was too late.

  Later, Mary-Lou would blame the noise – the chaos of it all for not noticing the man before he stood before her, before he had sliced sharp claws over her stomach.

  The pain was hot and immediate, wrenched a scream out of Mary-Lou before the understanding of what had happened fully materialized in her mind. A roar answered her but moments later, the unknown assailant disappearing into the crowd as all turned toward the unexpected noise, Mary-Lou felt Sasha and Cara press close against her, heard them snarl as others attempted to draw near. Another roar, this one much closer, quieted the unruly crowd.

  “Jonas,” Mary-Lou whispered, pain-glazed eyes blinking the figure towering above her into focus.

  It was Jonas, and it wasn’t: A feral, wild-eyed mirror image of the gentle man stared down at Mary-Lou’s crumbled form, lips parted to let out low, terrifying growls. His face was painted red, his hands covered in blood up to the elbows – the very picture of monstrous beauty. Mary-Lou lifted a trembling hand toward him, meaning to calm her mate. As the motion revealed the gaping wound in her torso, the blood soaking the pale blue of her tank top into indigo, it had a rather opposite effect.

  Jonas’ eyes narrowed to slits, fists so tight his own blood seeped through his clenched fingers as his claws sliced into the flesh of his palms. “Who?” he roared through a mouthful of jagged teeth, “Who dared?”

  No one answered.

  When Mary-Lou blinked again, she saw Wiley standing at Jonas’ back: An inverted image of Jonas’ blonde hair and golden skin. The dark-haired man was pale with the loss of blood, covered in wounds and bites and sweat. He, too, frowned with anger, dark eyes flat and lifeless as he stared down at Mary-Lou.

  “C-careful,” Mary-Lou gasped, pointing unsteadily toward Wiley’s hovering figure. If he were to attack Jonas now—

  Wiley, noticing the gesture and reading its intent, shook his head with a hard glare.

  “I’m not a coward,” the Wolf Shifter spat out. He then bumped against Jonas, trying to call the other Shifter’s attention back to himself, “We aren’t done yet.”

  “It’s over,” Jonas said firmly. He seemed to have come back to himself; his eyes were human once again, at least, even if the rest of him still thrummed with animalistic violence. He tore the remnants of his tattered shirt off his body and kneeled by Mary-Lou, gently moving his mate’s hands so he could bind the wound. “Stay awake,” he implored. Mary-Lou nodded back, not daring close her eyes as another wave of pain and nausea washed through her. Shadows numbed her mind, drew a veil of darkness over her thoughts – she gasped, suddenly short of breath.

  “What do you mean?” Wiley demanded, voic
e changing to a growl as no one paid him any mind, “This was to be a fight to the death, Edwards! Are you truly gonna forfeit?”

  “I am not forfeiting!” Jonas snarled back, voice echoed by Cara and Sasha. He turned to level Wiley with a pointed glare, “My mate’s health takes precedence. Since you are here to claim Mary-Lou as your mate, I would think you’d agree!”

  Wiley’s lips tightened in an angry frown. He could not disagree – not without nullifying the Challenge. Jonas nodded sharply in response, then turned back to the only deserving object of his attention.

  “We will get you home, Mary-Lou,” he promised, “We’ll get you home, and everything is going to be okay.”

  Mary-Lou wondered if Jonas was trying to lie to her, or himself.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Mary-Lou lay in bed, tired and aching extremely, indescribably frustrated. She did not care much about being the victim – which was all she had been over the past few days, no, the past month. It was…upsetting, to say the least.

  “Are you alright?”

  Jonas’ hovering was starting to get pretty old, too. The fact that it was warranted grated like nothing else.

  “I’m fine,” Mary-Lou sighed. Jonas resumed his nervous pacing, eyes flickering from Mary-Lou’s prone form to the door and back.

  They were waiting for Rowfer; the old man had been the first person Jonas contacted after getting Mary-Lou to safety and regaining the ability to think. “He will heal you,” Jonas had told her when Mary-Lou made a token of protest, “He will tell us what happened. What will happen.”