CHAPTER FIVE

Lucius follows me out of the carriage.

I see the way he looks at me, his eyes hungry. It makes my skin crawl.

I can tell Tanner hates it too. His jaw is clenched with revulsion. It looks like he is holding back the urge to punch Lucius in the face. Part of me wishes he would.

"This is your new home," Lucius says with a grin.

I already hate that grin. It is arrogant. Domineering. It makes me shudder.

I take a step away from him.

But he grabs my hand, tight.

"You are mine now, Kayla," he says.

Tanner steps forward. He is clearly angry and fighting himself to hold back.

"Perhaps we should show Kayla to her room?" he says, stiffly. "It has been a long journey."

Lucius regards him for a moment. Then he drops my hand. "Yes. Okay."

I am grateful for Tanner's intervention.

We begin to walk toward the doors of the mansion.

I have never seen a place so foreboding. My old pack lived humble lives. This seems so extravagant.

Inside, the hall is elegant. Marble floors. A sweeping staircase.

"The bed chamber is this way," Lucius says.

He points up the staircase.

I gulp.

There is no way Tanner can follow me up there.

I will be all alone with Lucius.

Tanner looks just as worried as I feel.

I take the first step.

My legs are shaking.

I take another step.

Suddenly, I feel a smack on my behind.

I gasp. Stunned. Shocked. Insulted.

Lucius has smacked my behind...

I whirl around, offended.

Then everything happens at once.

The wolf in Tanner bursts out of him.

Lucius growls, turning into a wolf as well.

They begin to fight.

Tanner bites Lucius on the shoulder. There is blood. Lucius cries out.

Then I realize what I'm seeing.

A strange feeling welling up inside of me.

My man...

My true mate... is fighting for me.

For my honor.

And for his life.

I can't stand by and watch anymore.

I move on instinct.

I throw myself in front of Tanner.

"No!" I cry.

Lucius looks at me through his wolf eyes.

He is furious.

He looks at me like I am insane.

Maybe I am.

But the instinct to protect my mate is strong. Stronger than anything I have ever felt before. I will turn into a wolf if I have to. I will rip Lucius throat out with my teeth.

Suddenly, Lucius' eyes flash with knowing. He has worked out why his footman attacked him. He understands we are true mates.

And he is furious.

He lunges. Teeth bared.

Tanner jumps in front of me. He takes the brunt of the attack.

Lucius gets him hard in the face.

I wince. I feel it. It's as if Lucius hit me.

Tanner is knocked back. He falls, sliding against the marble.

Blood streaks behind him on the floor.

I start to move toward him, but Lucius grabs me by the hair. I whimper, frightened.

He pulls me back, away from Tanner.

Tanner is getting to his feet.

There's blood on him.

I try to struggle out of Lucius' grasp.

"Let me go!" I shout.

Lucius throws me back against the wall.

I whimper as I hit the wall hard.

I can hear Tanner crying out in pain on the other side. He has felt my pain just as much as I have felt his.

Lucius advances on Tanner, growling.

My heart is pounding.

But Tanner won't give up.

I watch in amazement as he bites Lucius' leg, hard.

Lucius howls out in rage.

I can see his red eyes, full of fury.

Tanner is helpless.

Then Lucius has Tanner's furry body pinned to the floor.

I watch in horror as Lucius takes pleasure in this.

He begins to bite.

I can hear the crunch. I feel it.

Tanner cries out in pain. I cry out too, feeling his pain like my own.

My heart is pounding.

Lucius bites harder.

I know he is trying to kill my mate.

This can't be happening.

I know what I have to do.

I step toward Lucius.

"No!" Tanner shouts.

But I am responding only to the instinct.

The instinct inside of me.

I lunge forward at Lucius and punch in his muzzle with all my strength.

He falls backward against the floor, shifting back to human form.

Lucius rolls over, his nose bleeding profusely.

"You disobedient brat!" he roars. "How dare you strike me! I am your master!"

He rears up and barks out a laugh.

I can see the hatred in his eyes. The red of fury in them.

I am repulsed.

I run to Tanner.

He is lying on his side.

Blood pours from a wound in his neck.

Suddenly I realize. Lucius got him in the neck. Bit him.

It is a fatal bite.

"Tanner!" I cry, falling to my knees beside him.

He is still in wolf form.

I take his head in my lap. I rock him back and forth. Blood stains my clothes.

"He's dying!" I cry at Lucius. "He is dying... because of you!"

Lucius stares down at Tanner.

I can tell he is savoring this.

He is taking pleasure in his revenge.

This will teach me a lesson.

I am enraged.

"He is your servant!" I cry. "How can you kill him?"

Lucius says nothing.

He just grabs me and pulls me away.

"You are not my Alpha," I say. "You never will be."

But I am suddenly woozy.

And I realize why.

As my mate lays dying, I am losing my own strength.

My mind swirls.

I feel myself floating away.

Falling.

In a daze.

I see Tanner change back to human form.

I see Lucius kneel by his side.

I see Tanner try to speak.

I see Lucius pull a knife.

I see Tanner's eyes widen with fear.

I see Lucius plunge the knife into his heart.

I feel the pain deep inside of me.

I see Tanner's mouth move in a last word.

My name.

Then I see nothing.