Free Rebel Pax (Shifters of the Primus Book 2) by Elyssa Ebbott Page B

waiting for during my exile. The only creature I have ever encountered that I know could bring me to an end. And it has Mira. My Mira.
    My blood runs cold. Without giving the panther within too much control, I shift. The transformation is nearly instant, and I am speeding across the leaves, paws digging into the leaves as my legs piston beneath me. The beast turns toward me. Mira is as small as a doll in its claw as she struggles to free herself.
    I do not know if I can defeat the creature whose hand alone is larger than me, even though I am nearly ten feet long in my panther form. But I realize any doubts I had about my new purpose in life have been eradicated. Just a few days ago, I would have gladly died fighting this beast to be free of the shame that sent me into exile. Now. . . I have a reason to fight on. Mira. And the child she says grows within her stomach. She screams for me.
    I growl and use my claws to tear up the beast’s leg. One of his massive hands swipes for me but I manage to evade it, causing him to hit himself hard enough to make his legs buckle. He throws his head back and bellows in anger, the sound so deep and loud that it actually shakes my body. In a desperate attempt to distract him from Mira, I sink my teeth into his thigh. He swats at me again. I dodge, but he doesn’t make the same mistake of hitting himself this time.
    He finally seems to realize that I will require his full attention and flings Mira aside. I see her spinning end over end. I feel as though each second stretches for minutes as I use my claws to gain traction, running across the behemoth’s stomach and then pressing with all my strength to leap toward Mira. She’s about to land on a patch of jagged sticks when I collide with her in the air, gently catching her in my teeth and propelling her over the sticks to a safer patch of ground.
    I put myself between her and the behemoth, baring my teeth. I will bring the fury of hell upon you if you think to touch her. She is mine. Mine to mate, and mine to protect.
    The beast shambles toward us, using its huge arms to grab branches and support its weight to keep from falling in the leaves. My eyes follow as it grabs branch after branch, instincts driving it to grab the thicker areas capable of supporting its weight. An idea strikes me.
    I charge beneath its legs and lead it away from Mira. I hear the sound of Loris trees groaning as it swings from branch to branch behind me, gaining speed and building momentum. I try to get enough of a lead to climb above it but it’s too fast. I need to change direction to slow it down, so I wait until it’s nearly upon me and dart to the left, slowly working my way back toward Mira for fear that the other creatures might come out of hiding if I draw the beast too far from her.
    It follows, losing speed as it changes direction. This is the key, I think. But my four legs are tiring quickly. My top speed is incredible, but predators are not built for extended chases. If I’m going to do it, it needs to be now. I climb up the nearest tree when I see a sparse enough area and shift back to my human form, knowing I have only seconds before it is upon me. With all the might I can muster, I kneel and pull up on the branch. My muscles scream in protest. The branch is so wide that I cannot even fully wrap my arms around it but I hear it straining against my power. I scream with the effort, knowing any second—
    My vision blurs and I experience the sensation of flying. No. Falling. I collide with the base of a tree and roll to a large leaf. Though blood clouds my vision and my body feels numb, I lift my head to look for Mira. When I see her in the distance and see the beast still coming toward me, I am glad at least that it is not yet focused on her. But I fear my time may be at an end. Sapped of strength, I allow myself to relax and await the beast that will finally kill me.
    No.
    I will not let this beast defeat me. I will not let the shame of my past dictate