Page 37 of Rehabilitated

“You could have killed her!”

“If she had shifted sooner, none of it would’ve been necessary.”

The room shakes, or maybe that’s me. I can’t tell anymore.

My bear claws at my skin. Kill them.

Ever’s breathing becomes ragged. Her eyes don’t hold fear anymore. They burn, glowing bright as her bear pushes forward. I can feel her anger through our bond. Years of pain, years of loneliness, years of believing she wasn’t enough, all crashing together.

Margaret takes a step forward, reaching past me toward Ever. “Come here.”

Ever doesn’t move.

“I said, come here.”

“No,” Ever replies, her voice strong. “I’m done obeying you.”

Margaret’s expression hardens.

“You’ll always belong to us,” Thomas bellows.

“No,” Ever repeats, straightening her shoulders. “I won’t. I never did.”

Thomas raises the gun. “Enough.”

I move instinctively as he squeezes the trigger, slamming into him. The gun discharges, the bullet tearing through the ceiling before the weapon skids across the floor.

Then the world explodes.

Bones crack, and fur bursts across my skin. My bear surges free with a thunderous roar. Across the room, Ever shifts too. Her bear is smaller than mine, but just as mighty.

She reacts before I can, charging toward her parents.

Margaret screams.

My bear dives at Thomas, mauling him against the entryway floor as he scrambles to recover his gun. He tries to fight me, but it’s no use. Years in the Marines taught me how to end a fight. My bear makes it even easier. A second later, his struggling stops, and I look down to see the life leaving his eyes.

Across the room, Ever’s bear stands over Margaret as she grabs for a broken stair railing. Ever knocks her away with one powerful swipe. Margaret falls backward, staring up at Ever, her eyes wide with fear and anger.

“You owe us!” she screeches.

Ever’s bear lets out a furious roar that echoes through the cabin. Years of fear vanish in that sound.

When Margaret lunges one last time…

Ever defends herself.

It’s over quickly, and silence settles over the cabin. Heavy. Absolute. The scent of blood fills the air as I step toward my mate.

Ever shifts first, staring at the floor as if she’s in shock.

She probably is.

“I—” Her voice breaks. “I killed them.”

I shift back immediately. Ignoring everything else, I cross the room and wrap her in my arms.

She collapses against me, sobbing hard. “I didn’t want this.”