AARYN

He called for her, and she was coming, the bond between them sparkling and crackling with need, lighting in his veins and swirling through his bloodstream, tugging him towards her.

But then one female caught his wrist, yanking him to a halt and snapping him away from his mate. Before he could break her grip, she began to whisper. And this time it was not the call of temptation, or seduction.

She whispered his deepest fears. And those near her picked up the chorus.

"Useless."

"Spineless."

"Weak. You can't even shift, how would you protect one such as her?"

Aaryn shuddered to a halt, his heart pounding.

"You will bring down the most important leader our people have ever had—just by existing!"

"The people do not want you, do not deserve you!"

"The Queen needs a real anima, not a half-male like you!"

He felt himself shrink, his mind screaming that the voices were right and true and she didn't know what she was choosing for herself, that he shouldn't take her. Shouldn't have her. Shouldn't make her fight for her mate against her own people.

He clawed his hands into his hair, praying, desperate, confused and afraid.

Then he heard her snarl and his eyes snapped up to find her—fighting tooth and nail, spitting, snarling, shoving males aside, her eyes afire and locked on his.

And when he looked at her, pleading, she turned, her fingers flashing the signal for 'Mine.'

His heart erupted.

*****

ELRETH

Elreth roared when she saw the female rubbing her breasts on Aaryn. On her mate! She roared, and snarled, and the males before her began to shake. They still tried to keep her away, but their efforts were waning.

Then the females began to fight for Aaryn—not with eyes and breasts, but with words. She saw their word land—not to tempt him away, but to make him fear. To make him hate himself. She watched as his face fell and his gaze broke from hers.

No. NO.

She would not let these females do this to him!

A male hand landed on her arm and she broke the grip like breathing, calling for her mate, and snarling at those who stood between them, vowing pain to the females who were hurting him.

He looked up, startled and their eyes caught and she tugged at the bond between them, flashing the hand signal for 'Mine.'

Aaryn's mouth fell open and he went very still—then she made the mating call and he came alive. He huffed the call back to her and it twanged in her belly, tearing the response from her throat. And Aaryn became a whirlwind, slipping, turning, breaking grips, denying the eye-contact to the other females, letting himself stare only at Elreth, his teeth gritted and bared as he fought to reach her.

Elated, Elreth roared, demanding that everyone stand aside because this fight was over!

Many did, especially the males, drifting aside with their shoulders rolled forward and heads down. But a few strong souls continued to fight. Elreth snarled and pushed forward.

Aaryn snarled too, and though he was careful not to harm anyone, he used enough force to remove females that gripped him, to push between those that tried to slow him, or to block any that attempted to lay their hands on him.

Elreth was not going to be distracted, or delayed any longer. And her heart sang when her eyes landed on Aaryns and they locked on each other. She was shaking, trembling with the need to reach him. And she could feel him yearning just as desperately for her.

Aaryn fought, snarling, swiping and slapping hands away, checking bodies that sought to press between them.

They called to each other, each of them twisting, growling, and desperate, until Elreth took the final step, shaking off the last of the males and turning towards Aaryn who had only two more females contending for him.

Elreth's shoulders rose and fell quickly with the rage she felt at the sight of these females touching him. One had twisted her arms around his to keep him in a grip, the other held his wrist I both hands. He would be forced to hurt them to free himself and he was shaking, trembling, his eyes cutting between Elreth and them, torn by his need to be with her, and his desire not to hurt them.

Elreth had no such compunction.

She considered and discarded speaking with them in a heartbeat, instead stalking the few paces between them with a growl in her throat that echoed through the night and over the watching crowds.

The female holding Aaryn's wrist growled back, but Elreth didn't even give her a moment, just leapt on her, spitting, one hand in the female's hair, the other arm twisting around hers in a grip that would force her to let go, or risk having her arm broken.

The female yelped and let go, swearing as Elreth tossed her to the dirt by her hair, then whirled on the other female.

But Aaryn had a free arm and his own desperation had broken through. As Elreth turned and started for the second female, he twisted, snapping the woman's grip and reversing it in a move Reth had taught him years ago.

Then, as she hissed her frustration and was flung to the ground, he and Elreth threw themselves at each other, clinging, snarling to warn others off.

*****

AARYN

His heart sang when she thudded into him and he pulled her into his chest, twirling her around, away from the other females, his lips next to her ear.

"My mate, my mate," he whispered, squeezing her as hard as he dared.

"Mine," she whispered back, beaming, her arms wrapped around his neck as her feet dangled a foot above the ground. "I love you, Aaryn," she gasped. "Don't ever listen to them. You are exactly right. For me and for Anima."

He hadn't realized she'd heard, understood what had shaken him. His mouth dropped open as the hole in his heart, that deep, wounded spot that still wondered if he was enough for her, was filled by her words and the love in her eyes.

The mating call erupted from his throat, hoarse and desperate. Elreth threw her head back and responded. Then, her arms still wrapped around his neck, she whispered, "Mine," again as the crowd surged back in around them and drums picked up a new rhythm.

"I will fight for you, Aaryn. Every time." And her scent was the solid rock of the royal cave, the unshakeable certainty of forever.

"You amaze me," he whispered into her ear, then pulled back his head back far enough to meet her eyes as the people circled them, dancing, calling, weaving in and out of each other in lines by tribe, beginning the last part of the Rite that would see them finally bonded in the eyes of the Anima.

Traditionally, the dance was a recognition of the couple's belonging to the people, but even more so, each other. It was the first time Aaryn felt it, like a rock under his feet: They were made for each other—and everyone else recognized it, too.

Letting her slide down his body until she had her feet on the ground, Aaryn buried his hands in her hair and kissed her, open-mouthed and desperate.

And with the mating call resonating in her chest, Elreth kissed him back as the cheers and calls of the people rose around them.

*****

NOTICE ABOUT CONTENT THIS WEEK (Last Week of August): I know you're always eagerly awaiting updates (thank you!) Unfortunately, because I am on vacation this week and had to fit an entire month's content for two books into three weeks of writing, there will be mostly single-chapter days for QUEEN in the coming week, beginning tomorrow. On those single-chapter days, the chapter will post at 7pm, Pacific (Los Angeles time). Thank you for ALL your support, and don't fear, double daily updates will be consistent in September!