g, and Franco could feel his cheetah body starting to overheat. He knew he had

leg clearly broken, was struggling to keep

coiled, tight a

aunc

d to bolt, but its injured leg gave

gazelle was a full-grown adult. Its neck was thick with muscle. It thra

rking. It was

uggle, without a secon

tant, the lean cheetah was replaced by

dged rock on the ground. His eyes were cold, devoid of hesitat

o the back of the gazelle's skull before the animal went still. Franco dropped

ay of predatory violence clashing with human vulnerability. From their hiding spot,

ck to his cheetah form. He was about to drag his

aws began to vibrate wit

DANGER. It was the smell of lion, but not like the young, opportunistic scent

ned themselves to the ground, their bravado e

d. His tail went rigid.

tall grass parted, and

immense, his frame larger than any Franco had ever seen on film. His mane was

disputed king of this te

t even glance at the dead gazelle. His gaze landed on Fr

sucked from his lungs. The pressure from Edwardo's presence was

und that vibrated not just in the

ding in the bushes, shifted his

t in the dead silence,

by a look of cold, contemptuous recognition. He knew who was hiding there. He r

urderous inten

scape. He lowered his massive head and began to walk, then trot, then charge, a l

the bush, screaming in pure t

rgency of a hunt, but with the casua

ze. His legs gave out, and he collapsed, gaspi

of mercy, but because he was

get out of

rge of adrenaline-fueled strength, began to drag the heavy c