Chapter 71: My Lover's Mate

“Noel!” she heard her mother cry out, but Noel couldn’t do anything about it, her body already shifting, bones popping and transforming. Pain rippled through her as her bear replaced her body, anger and fear fueling the shift. She heard their captors cry out, screaming obscenities and curses at her as they shoved themselves out of her way.

Once completely shifted, she reared up on her hind legs, roaring as she sought out the one who had stabbed her mate. The bear’s instincts were stronger than hers, overpowering her and setting her course of action.

“I thought you said she was human,” Noel heard one of the men ask, his voice trembling with his fear. She turned her head to face him, and locked eyes onto Jake, his hand over the blood that seeped from his side, his eyes strained with his pain. She wanted to run to him, to make sure he was all right, but her bear only wanted to kill the one who had stabbed him.