Ezra's Second Chance

Mates

Ezra shifted as he ran through the crowd. He jumped onto a pillar in wolf form and sunk his claws into the pillar. He used his leg and chest muscles to climb the pillar. When he reached the top, he smashed his paw through the vent that he'd seen the rifle through. He wasted not even a second before jumping through and assessing the situation. Joran lay on the ground bleeding profusely. Bridgit was nowhere to be found. He shifted and grabbed the man by the front of his shirt. "Where is she?" he demanded.

Joran coughed and blood sprayed from his mouth. "I'll never tell you," he rasped.

"You'll tell me or I'll save your life only to torture you until she comes out of hiding, begging me to stop. The pain she'll feel through the bond will drive her to insanity!" Ezra threatened with a snarl.

Joran paled, but didn't speak. Ezra set to work saving him, but it was no use. So instead, he let him suffer. He increased his suffering until he heard a scream from somewhere outside. He left Joran where he lay and ran around to a ladder and flew down it. He followed the commotion and shifted once again. Out on the lawn, Bridgit behind Aria, who was on her knees. Bridgit had tears streaming down her face, she looked very unwell. She had Aria by the hair and a knife to her throat. The King stood just feet away.

"Give me the King or I'll slit her throat!" Bridgit rasped out. Her breathing was ragged.

Ezra knew he had to be careful, one wrong move and that knife would find its way home. Maybe he should've killed Joran to get Bridgit to fall... too late to go back now. He scanned the crowd, he could see his men moving in and caught the scent of many more. He was out of ideas...

His wolf went crazy inside of him when he saw a trickle of blood leak down Aria's neck. "That b***h cut our mate," his wolf snarled in the back of his mind. His mate? He met Aria's eyes. He knew then that she was his mate. With Bridgit marked and his bond violently severed he could feel the bond to Aria. She was still bonded to her own mate though, so he wasn't surprised that he didn't see recognition in her eyes.

"You're out of time!" Bridgit shrieked.

Ezra didn't think, he just bounded at Bridgit and clamped his mouth around her neck before she could react. He had her throat ripped out within seconds. She lay on the ground, dead. Her blood soaking the grass. He began to shift back to human form as he turned to Aria. She held her neck, blood oozing between her fingers. Her eyes were wide, but she kept her composure. Ezra ran to her and looked into her eyes. "Are you? Did I?" he asked as he peeled her hand away. It was just a superficial wound, it had already begun to heal.

"I'm okay, Ezra. Just shaken up," she smiled weakly at him.

"I apologize, princess," the king said and bowed before her. "I did not act as quickly as I should have. I feared a wrong move would cause the unstable woman to end your life."

"Oh my King, do not apologize," Aria stood and smiled at him. "You are not at fault for the actions of another."

"You are most gracious," the King bowed his head. "Now, please, come inside and let us see to your wound. Have some wine, for the nerves." He put his arm around her and lead her inside, like doting father. He turned to Ezra, "dress yourself and then meet in my office."

Ezra had just realized he was still naked from shifting. He didn't care about his men seeing him or those from the palace. Wolves had low standards of modesty, but Aria seeing him naked made him flush.

He dressed, washed himself and hurried to meet the King. His superior, Ransom, and a couple of his men were there waiting.

"Ezra, sit down," the King began. "You saved my life and the life of a visiting princess today. That is no small thing."

"While I thank you for that, your majesty, things got out of hand and lives were risk that did not need to be," Ezra replied.

"While that is true, the situation was handled with no losses on our side. And that is largely thanks to you," Ransom said. "Your colleagues took in a small number of men waiting to attack as soon as the King was killed."

"How can we be sure this is it?" Ezra asked.

"We're interrogating them as we speak. Ever member of that pack will be executed," Ransom said darkly.

Ezra sat back in relief. His part in this was done. Executions, legal matters and interrogations were not part of his job.

"You have my clearance to pursue the princess' mate," Ransom said. The King nodded in agreement. "She is looking more and more under the weather, it's time we put a stop to that."

"Thank you sir. I should inform you, she is my second chance mate. She is not aware yet though," Ezra said.

"A second chance mate? Those seem to surround you," the King chuckled. "Well then, you don't need our blessing to fight for her."

Ezra nodded and left the meeting. One last mission before he could settle down and begin the next phase of his life.