The Beast And The Blessed

Fifty: Killian

Killian’s P.O.V.

The man grunted loudly as I gripped him by the neck, slamming his back against the truck of the large pine tree. Before tonight, I had nothing against his kind. The bear shifters kept to themselves in the forest. They didn't bother building cities or living in them. They preferred to be in the wild. They had cabins and huts. Some even lived in caves. 1

I wanted to scoff at that, but it was their choice.

Bears were known to be more instinctual and animalistic. They were also naturally more violent.

But tonight, I was ready to declare war against them if he caused any more delay in me getting back to my mate.

"Put him down!" Charlie screeched as she burst through the tree line, baring her teeth at me.

My head tilted to the side in my Lycan form as I watched her rush toward me. She stood at his side but made no move to forcefully remove my claw from the man. She knew if she did, I would just rip his throat out and be done with it.

But what pissed me off, even more, was that he didn't fight back. I was itching for a fight. For every second I was kept from my mate, I was getting more on edge.

"He attacked one of my men, Charlotte. You know the rules." The snarl behind my words made her eyes widen in fear, terrified for the fate of the man who carried her scent. Their intimacy was the only thing holding me back from ending his life.

"It was self-defense." His statement was void of emotion, but I could see the anger burning in his eyes. He wasn't submitting, but his animal was also not at the surface. He had an incredible amount of control. It would take a strong shifter to contain their beast when their life was being threatened. ’ He attacked me first as I was minding my own, turning in for the night."

I narrowed my eyes as I scanned his face, but there was no sign of deceit. Blood was thick in the air, and I smelled it as soon as I reached the edge of the city. My hand loosened from around his neck as I held his stare.

of my guards only reinforced my suspicion that the bear was speaking the truth. Xander was bleeding far more than the man before me, and I knew without a doubt that

that come with the title. Only he seemed to be oblivious to the fact that she

His father was a commander in my guard, one of my head warriors. But he fucking earned it. He was allowed to demand respect from

let

and a cocky attitude. He had gone on a few dates with Charlie, trying to hide what a

It had been my goal to let Charlie make her own mistakes and learn for herself. I knew she wouldn't listen to me if I told her that she could not see him anymore. That would have only pushed her closer to him. Instead,

as smart as I had hoped, and she saw right through

out, freeing my sister from the poisonous man, but losing her in the process. Even if she didn't die, she would have pulled away from

then as it currently stands, but if I had killed her chosen mate, it would have been the last time

would have

closed-minded, and fucking obnoxious. The pretentious prick. She deserved better than him, and I would stand by that opinion

stopping when the bear pressed further into my claw so he could

I still had the upper hand and could end him before he could blink. He

let my arm drop. Charlie looked at me suddenly as I took a step

when I turned to him, placing

the Princess?" My eyes burned, and I heard the

barreling through the trees made Xander's eyes widen, but I refused to turn and look as I had already known

a stop by his son, shifting back to his skin and dropping his head in

on him. He is just a young and ignorant boy!" Braxton begged, knowing

straighter, seeming to take offense to his father's statement of being a stupid boy even though he was

to show mercy, brought my mind back to my mate, and I grew angrier that I was not with her at the