Bear and Lucas exchanged blows hard enough to topple trees. They struck and grappled, kicked and pounded. A long cut was visible along Bear's temple and skull, while his neck was a bloody mess.
Lucas punched Bear in the throat, and Bear stumbled back. He roared and leaped for his former friend, throwing them both over the table to crash on the other side.
Garrett and Logan rushed from the hidden staircase and headed for Nessa. Garrett bent and used both hands on a wrist shackle. "Logan," he muttered. Logan hustled over and grabbed the same iron band. "Now," Garrett said. The boys pulled in opposite directions, and the iron released.
Bear looked her way, his gaze running over the bruises on her face. Then he turned and lifted Lucas up and beat him against the screen of the world. The screen shattered with a deafening clash, and pieces of it rained down. Lucas dropped but reared up again, his knife shining.
"Bear," Nessa screamed, trying to move.
Garrett stopped her, he and Logan grabbing her other shackle.
The knife pierced the side of Bear's neck. He howled in pain, the sound furious.
The other shackle gave.
Nessa jumped up, and the boys both pivoted at the same time, putting her behind them. Damn it. She struggled to get between them, but they held fast. "Let me past," she hissed. "I'm the commissioner."
"Exactly," Garrett said grimly. "We'd cover the king the same way."
Fine. He had a point. She peered around Logan's body.
Bear yanked the knife out of his neck, his eyes blazing, his chin down. He threw the weapon across the room, and it struck the far wall with a loud twang.
Lucas gasped for air, his chest panting. "You mated a fucking witch. How could you?"
Bear's nostrils flared. Blood poured from beneath his jaw, and he sucked in air. The blood flow ebbed. "You lied to me and created a poison to kill people. Witches and humans."
Lucas reached behind his back and brought out another blade. "They all deserve to die."
Hurt and fury mingled in Bear's eyes. "You set me up to be killed."
"I didn't want to," Lucas said, one leg sliding back. He spit blood onto the floor. "You gave me no choice."
"I understand no choice," Bear said, also taking a fighting stance.
Nessa couldn't move. She could barely breathe. Even Grace was motionless on the floor, watching the battle.
Lucas tilted his torso, obviously preparing to strike.
Bear settled himself. "You've done a lot of wrong, Luke."
"Yeah? So what? I'm just getting started."
"But you're going to die for one reason and one reason only," Bear continued, as if Lucas hadn't spoken. "You harmed my mate."
Lucas bellowed a battle cry and struck. Bear turned at the last moment, his hand sweeping out and morphing-the paw and claws of a bear slashing through Lucas's neck. Following him down, Bear punched his claws through to the floor, and Lucas's head rolled under the table.
Bear's arm and hand returned to normal.
"Whoa," Garrett whispered to Logan. "Did you know he could do that?"
"Fuck, no," Logan said, moving to the side.
Nessa leaped for her mate.
He caught her, holding tight, pushing back her hair. "Are you okay?" he asked, his tone guttural.
"Yes," she said, gingerly touching the still-red wounds on his neck. "Are you?"
"I am now." He leaned down and gently placed a kiss on her mouth. "I love you, Nessa. Should've said so earlier."
Her heart filled along with her eyes. "I love you, too." She kissed him back, her body singing. Alive-they were both somehow alive.
The shouts of soldiers running closer brought her out of her momentary dream. Her arms felt just right wrapped around his neck. "I guess we have some work to do."
He held her tighter. "Yeah. I guess we do."
* * *
Bear watched his mate as she addressed her nation from his war room, the camera in front of her and the map of the world behind her. Her hair was up, her shoulders straight, and her face still bruised. But she stood in her Guard uniform, the buttons polished, her medals impressive.
"In conclusion, the combined forces protected all witch targets this evening and have taken multiple enemies into custody." Intelligence and determination filled her violet-blue eyes. "It has been my sincere honor to serve as your commissioner these last few decades, and I shall look forward to seeing what your next commissioner will accomplish," she said.
Simone slipped into camera range.
Nessa leaned down and signed a piece of paper. "I hereby resign from my position of Guard Commissioner," she said, standing straight again.