Fray

I see red, the brilliant color tinting everything in front of me. The rage burning in my gut is unquenchable. These males were about to commit a sin that is not forgivable.

The knife in one of the puny, human male's hand is dripping water from the rain. My mate's mouth is filled, her hands bound behind her back. It's obvious. They were about to kill a female. An innocent, helpless female. Three of them against one of her.

There is no honor in such a heinous act.

My teeth clench. My fists tighten. The urge to destroy is too overpowering for me to hold back. I have to deal out justice for this. It will not go unpunished.

Moving forward, I grab the first male by his slim neck. He drops the knife to the ground as I squeeze my fingers until a pop reverberates through the air. He's dead in moments. No drawing it out. No waiting. I want them all dead, now.

He falls, his small body limp. A few gasps ring out, but I don't let it deter me. I stalk forward slowly so, my brain frantic and pulsing in my skull, demanding revenge. I have to destroy them. I need to make them feel the pain that my Soleil would have felt.

The pain that I experience at the mere thought of her being taken from me. An unbearable notion. My heart aches at the awful idea.

Why would they even think to erase something so perfect? Soleil is everything. So sweet. So beautiful. It is blasphemy at the highest degree to harm her.

"You will die for this." I say to the male that was holding my female. He dared to touch her. He won't make the same mistake again.

Because I won't let him even try.

I grab him and slam him into the ground, he lets out a scream as his head cracks open easily.

I hadn't realized how incredibly delicate humans were until now. They easily crush under my strength, their skin and bone and muscle fragile beyond any species I've ever seen.

My brows furrow as I stop for a moment, wondering how I hadn't noticed before. I knew my precious Soleil was weak, but I had no idea how weak until now. Even these pathetically delicate males can overpower her.

If I'd known, I never would have let her out of my sight. Not even for a minute. She is too vulnerable.

When I turn, I pause in horror. My stall of thought has turned into a nightmare. The 3rd male, the one I saved for last, has my mate pinned to his chest, the knife from the ground is now held in his hand, and the blade is pointed at Soleil's pale throat.

The pair of them are soaked with rain, eyes wide with terror. The male is terrified of me, my Soleil terrified of him.

"No." I growl, my whole body tightening at the sight of her being threatened in any way.

She trembles, and I can tell she's trying to act as if she's not afraid. But her lip trembles, her eyes wide and alert. The males have shoved a dirty rag in her mouth to keep her from talking. She cannot even cry out.

My intuition brought me here. If it weren't for the bad feeling in my gut, I might not have found Soleil here. I might have been too late. I might have found her body instead.

A shiver runs down my spine at the obstructive thought.

Fate led me here, the Gods of Rytaria sent me to save my female. I owe everything to them.

I need to focus on the present, right now, this moment and what I can do to save her. One small move and my priceless female will be dead. I cannot let that happen.

"Stop where you are. I'll kill her, I swear I will." He seethes at me, fear contorting his motion and words as he presses the dagger deeper into Soleil's delicate flesh.

She flinches.

I hold my hands up, although all I want to do is snap his neck.

"Good. Stay where you are, giant freak." He instructs, pulling her back with himx the raging river eating at his heels.

Panic appears in my mate's eyes as the water licks her shoes. She's petrified, frozen. I cannot stand the pained look on her face. The scent of her fear. The tears in her eyes.

This male will die a painful death. I will see to it myself.

Without even thinking, I take one small step forward. Apparently the move is too intimidating for the human male, because he takes it as a threat. His reaction to my movement is not what I expect.

He lets Soleil go, but her body falls as he twists around, pulling her the opposite way and then pushing her into the raging rapids.

She tries to scream, but is silenced as she's dragged under the unforgiving water. I cry out as she washes away. My mind snaps, and I no longer think of the male. My priority is to save my female.

"Soleil!" I yell desperately, a broken cry of dispair. I find running alongside the river as the water rushes by. My legs have their own thoughts, they spring as fast as possible to catch up with her.

I don't think I've ever run so fast in all my years.

I see her body as she's rushed through the water. Her head only comes up once, her face pale as she desperately seeks air before she's pulled back under by the force of the water.

I yell out to her, I feel my heart sink, my eyes burning. I cannot lose her, I simply cannot.

My whole world flashes before me in an instant. I could not bear it if I were to lose her.

My precious Soleil.

I push myself harder than I ever have before, determined to dive into the water to save the female that means everything to me.