The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

63. True Mates 

Savannah charged at him, and this time she was too fast for Bjorn to detect. That’s when she gave him another sla.sh of the divine 

dagger over his chest, making a clean cut. 

“We are mates!” He said bitterly, covering the new wound with his fingers. 

“No. We’re not!” She replied without hesitation. “I’d rather die than be your mate!” 

The words hurt him more than the dagger did, but it wasn’t enough for her. He could see it in her eyes as she lifted her hand to try to 

kill him again. He’d had enough of this. She had to be contained! 

He caught her wrist this time and overpowered her easily, bringing her closer. 

“It’s over!” he roared, shaking her roughly, hoping that she’d return to her senses. 

However, it only made the princess sneer. 

“Bjorn, Bjorn, Bjorn,” she whispered and clicked her tongue. “I am just getting started!” 

Savannah’s bones started snapping before his eyes at unnatural angles, and in a few moments, she was able to free her hand from 

his grasp. Bjorn stepped away, panting, and watching her turn into something else completely. He’d already seen this when he and Joran 

went to observe the battle with Castiel’s men a few months ago and also when Kai did it so effortlessly many times in the past. 

It was harder for Savannah, he could see it, but she was determined to go through with this. 

“Savvy, no!” Darius‘ voice broke. He knew what it meant to her. Other royals rarely used their feral third forms because they were 

next to impossible to control. If they didn’t shift back soon enough, they risked never being able to revert back to their human form again. 

The realisation that she was ready to die or stay a beast for the rest of her life just to kill him, hurt him more deeply than the divine weapon ever could. 

But the monster with glowing golden eyes already stood in front of him. Tall, mighty and deadly. And she was out for blood.  blood. 

His 

Savannah tried to keep control just like Kai had taught her. Lycans were primal beasts who were born at the beginning of times, but her Lycan wasn’t a separate entity; It was a part of her. The part she was taught to suppress, the part she was taught to hide. 

Today she was going to embrace it. 

Bjorn looked like he was suffocating, but she decided just to end him immediately. However, when she took the first step, something invisible stopped her. 

“Enough!” The Serpent said, looking as calm as if people weren’t killing each other left and right around them. He didn’t even spare the Lycaness a glance. He didn’t take part in the fighting. He just defended Bjorn once and that was it. 

Wolves that came with Ash were dying. One of the bears almost grabbed Petra, who was still in her human form. From the corner of her eye, Savvy saw how Chloe shifted into a golden–coloured wolf, and Claude was quickly tying something around her neck. 

She wanted so badly to kill Bjorn… but… her friends were more important. If the Serpent didn’t plan to act, and it looked like he had something else in mind, then they had a chance to survive. If she would help them, of course. 

Growling angrily, Savvy flipped the table and was down next to Petra and Ash in seconds, leaving Bjorn behind. 

“Shift!” she commanded in the beast’s voice, and, luckily, they understood her instantly, following her lead. Petra’s wolf was the smallest, but even in the middle of the chaos, Savvy paused, seeing her unusual colour. The wolf was black with soft pink waves of fur all over her in a beautiful pattern. No wonder everyone wanted her! Someone like her was rare indeed! 

Chloe was next to the group already and Claude shifted in one jump, joining them as well. 

Now all they had to do was get out of that castle. 

If only it was that easy… 

1/5 

The bears were shifting too and Savvy let out a roar so loud that the ground underneath their feet shook. 

and made a clean sweep, clearing the path for her friends. Thanks to that, they were able

now they were struggling

and everyone they met tried to attack them, slow them down… Yet, Savvy knew she only had minutes left of sanity, feeling how she was starting to enjoy the scent of blood and chaos she was leaving behind her. Each new kill was becoming easier and easier. Soon she wouldn’t care whom she was killing. By then, it would

from this place and

the marking ceremony, and there were plenty around the castle. She watched the flames catch onto the curtains

either killed or sacrificing themselves to delay the

when she turned into a small passage and then paused by an old wooden bear statue. One movement and the walls before them opened, revealing a dark staircase. This was something Savannah learned from the maps the day before, and something none of the bears could have

vision, they went all the way down while still in

to do

she would come back for the

is

growled and pushed the door

thick circle of bears guarding Aspen and

have to wait

like she had found a rhythm to

stop. She had to do it. While there

his gaze was unfocused. There were cuts and bruises all over him, and Savvy almost threw up when the smell coming from him hit her nostrils. What have they been

they were soaked in something that burned her fingers. Claude was surprisingly the nearest to him and offered his back

practically unconscious, and the princess was

it. They needed a beast now. They needed

helped Aspen to come back to reality.

asked, looking at her. His eyes barely opened from the swelling and damage. His vision was probably blurry so it wasn’t surprising he took her for a white bear in

name. “I knew

worry about how they were going to leave this place. She had

desire to sn.ap all those necks. There were more of them than she could handle, but at least she would die trying. She didn’t mind. If she died, maybe the Moon Goddess would be so kind as to bring her

halted, probably preparing themselves mentally for the m**** “e that was to follow, and Sawy closed her eyes just for a second, feeling how her mind was slipping

never asked you for anything,” she prayed silently, “but if there is at least the

the ancient stone were landing around them, hitting some of the white bears. But most importantly, it made them

their ears this time because it was so much closer. Ash growled

of it, but the bears believed that she did. Moreover, they didn’t know

ending as many of their

castle walls. She knew that Ash would have help somewhere nearby. She

her every move, and this was when she realised their order was to get her. Technically, they didn’t

and stood on all fours, charging into the darkness outside Bjorn’s home. She knew where her friends went; she could feel it. Thanks to that, she chose to

her and that none of them got lost on the way. Slowly, her priorities were changing. She couldn’t

her head, screeching, but she ignored it. Birds did not interest her anymore. She wanted to be killing bears. Her instincts were telling her to kill them all,

waited. The annoying bird was still circling over her head, and she was ready to

thoughts left her soon

the primal lycan inside of her couldn’t wait anymore. She pounced at the closest one,

feeling only

were so many of them that slowly, they started to overpower her, cornering her to a rocky hill. She wanted to kill them even more now, to taste their blood and to

were multiplying by the minute, and it didn’t look like there were fewer bears around her. She roared in frustration, realising that this could be her end. She would die here today, killed by some weaklings just because they

it was a sound of a dying, desperate animal, and she put everything in

her breathing turned into snowy mist, and for the first time, she felt cold. The ground under her feet was icy, the darkness was replaced by clouds of snow. Everything

strange pull that made her think

knowing that the enemies would finish her off now. However, each bear that was getting close

fast that none of them couldn’t detect it. Yet  there was no denying that someone else was

Or something else. 

roar emerged, and it became so cold that sharp pieces of ice flew in the air. Only

Savvy was going to complain. Her humanity was getting back to her against all odds, and she didn’t know what the reason  for

a strong desire to shift back into her human

one by one, she clawed her way to sanity until she was panting on the cold ground  covered with

back. She was alive

question on her mind

the red dress still hanging over her frame. Some parts of the gown were very stretchy, and

coverage. Even

she already knew there was nothing lethal. She would heal if no new battles