Rise Of The Beast Queen: Elizabeth

Ch 43 Surprise!

"What's going on? Jin stop! Why are you fighting?" Liz yelled but didn't think Jin could hear her because he was so far away, of course he could hear, beastman hearing is amazing, he was just unintentionally ignoring her in his fit of rage.

Liz demanded Tairen to release her, which he didn't because he had a feeling she would get too close and he wouldn't let her risk her safety like that. But her tear filled eyes made him react in a way he didn't expect, when those glistening orbs met his dark ones he felt as if someone reached inside his chest and grabbed ahold of his heart. Anything she wanted he wanted to give her, anything to make her not look so sad and distressed. Even though he didn't want her anywhere near danger, Tairen was confident he could protect her, so he carried her closer to the fighting chaos.

"Isn't that Hank?" Liz asked in confusion. "Jin! Stop! Stop it right now!" She screamed as she watched his huge white tiger viciously attacking a male whom she couldn't recognize past the severe injuries covering his whole body, which were only getting worse because of Jin. Unfortunately Jin still didn't listen until he had the male pinned to the ground and hesitated only a moment to consider if he should rip this males throat out, but that moment was enough time for Tairen... He moved much faster than his cumbersome body should have allowed, in the blink of an eye he'd gently set Liz down on the ground and appeared behind Jin, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and threw him through the air into the river.

Liz, Beau, Dylan, Hank and all the other tribesmen who were watching gaped in shocked surprise, until Tairen suddenly appeared back beside Liz and wordlessly scooped her into his arms like it was natural and nothing just happened. Liz was still shook, Beau regained composure first and hobbled to Liz's side. Jin crawled out of the water dripping wet and seething with anger, his dangerous eyes flashed from Tairen then to the injured male and back to Tairen, before he finally looked at Liz and his expression froze then softened with love and a little shame, because instead of fear, anger or disgust, Liz just looked confused and concerned.

"What's going on? Who is that? Hank, what are you doing here? Where's Serena?" Liz asked her questions as she looked from Jin to the severely injured male, then to Hank who looked down to the ground for a moment to compose himself before he locked eyes with her and Liz could see the heartache in his expression.

"Tabby took her." He said on a rugged painful exhale. "Her males won't let any of us see our mate either. We found one of their tunnels and tried to rescue her... We couldn't get to her but we found him." Hank explained and indicated Kephyr. "He said he saved you."

"I thought the feral turtle saved you?" Jin questioned and glared at Tairen.

"He did." Liz stated a little sharply in response to Jin's attitude. "Tairen saved me from drowning in the underground river and brought me here." She explained then looked back at the unconscious male  laying on the ground and was barely able to recognize him past his extensive injuries. She remembered the first time she saw him on that tower at the choosing ceremony and how she'd seen him lurking around after that or from time to time being chased off by Jin and when he saved her from his brother in her own cave.

When she was kidnapped, it was too dark in the tunnels so she never actually saw his face and she was pretty disoriented, but his voice is very distinctive, she remembered it. Before Liz even realized that she moved she had already reached Kephyr's side and was looking straight down at his bruised, cut and swollen face. Most of his injuries looked like they were already a week or so into the healing process, while others looked like they were recently reopened and treated, probably due to infection.

Liz was pulled from her assessment as she felt a large warm body radiating heat close in behind her and she felt a strange flurry of emotions pass through her heart, but it was also soft like a whisper, she really had to concentrate to identify them; worry and regret were the most identifiable, that followed closely by anger and a twinge of jealousy. It was a crazy thing to be able to feel someone else's emotions, though she only felt a small sliver of its intensity, Liz couldn't bring herself to stay mad at Jin, after all he was only trying to protect her.

Liz leaned back against Jin and resisted the urge to smile as she instantly felt his negative emotions begin to fade until only a sweet warm feeling was left... That is until she started speaking.

"Beau, will you check on him and treat his injuries." Liz asked, Beau kind of made a sour face but nod and started assessing Kephyr's wounds. Jin tensed up behind her hearing her concern for yet another male, again he knows he has to share her, but that doesn't mean he has to like it. And Tairen stayed standing back where Liz had left him, simply watching everything with a neutral blank expression. Finally Liz turned her attention to the weary ape male who had brought Kephyr all this way. "Thank you Hank, for saving him, taking care of him and bring him here..." She began then a lightbulb lit up in her head. "How did you know I was here anyway?"

"Well I followed their trail." Hank said indicating Beau and Jin, this answer seemed to satisfy Liz as she nod in understanding, but Beau on the other hand took exception to his response.

"How could you follow our trail? I covered it myself." Beau asked with harsh disbelief.

"Wh... I..." Hank blanched, unlike humans beastmen don't typically lie, usually they really don't have a need for it, besides most beastmen with at least descent hearing would be able to hear the elevation in his heartbeat as he became nervous, just like it is now. "I lied." He quickly admitted seeing the growing suspicion in everyone around him. "You were seen coming here... By a terra marked tiger beastman." He elaborated and saw a look of realization from Beau and Jin, but also one of fear from Liz.

"A t... Terra marked.... Tiger..." Liz stuttered breathlessly as her face paled with fear, gaining her every male's attention.

"Love?" Jin called with worry as his hands tightened on her waist.

"Liz?" Beau questioned, immediately abandoning his injured patient. Even Tairen moved closer to her, with angry tension lines creasing his brow.

Hank watched for a few moments as all three males tried to comfort her, when suddenly something seemed to click in his mind. Jin's possessive growl brought Hank out of a sort of trance he'd slipped into, he didn't even realize that he'd moved closer to Liz. Just two more steps and he'd be within striking distance of her males, who were all glaring at him with murderous intent and poor Liz simply looked distraught and confused.

"You shouldn't worry yourself so much, it isn't good for you..." Hank said with a look of concern. "Or the cubs."