MasukThe others who came with us are dead. At least three were shot in the head by those arrows. I can't tell where the rest of our warriors are. These red furred Lycans jumped us the exact moment we were weakened by the trap.I look down again, watching them swing their knives as they walk in circles around Anya. I want to scream at her to just get down on her knees. They don’t look like they want to kill her right now, but they will hurt her if she doesn’t submit.‘Who are they?’ Grimm asks.Their clothes are practical, handmade from animal hides. It looks like they completely lost touch with the modern world, or they just refuse to use any new technology. Bright crimson moon symbols are stitched onto their clothes, and the way they grip their curved blades and bows makes it clear they live every day expecting a raid."Step back!" Anya screams. She throws her body over Jareth’s unmoving chest, using herself as a shield. "Don't touch him!"Two men in uniform step forward, completely igno
TheronShit.All I feel is pain—white-hot and burning. It radiates from my shoulder and spreads through every inch of my body. My head throbs like someone split it open with an axe, and that isn’t even the worst of it.Thick red vines hold me suspended against the rough bark of a massive tree. Blood trickles down my forehead and into my eyes, turning everything blurry and red.I try to move my arms to shake the ringing out of my ears, but my wrists are locked tight. Whatever these vines are made of, they’re nearly impossible to break.To make things worse, the vines are wrapped around my chest and thighs, holding me up vertically. There is silver in them. I can't see it, but I can feel it burning. This isn't cheap silver for normal wolves either; it is made specifically for Lycans.Blood drips from my jaw, tracing a warm, sticky path down my neck. My left shoulder screams in agony, hanging at a sickening angle.‘Grimm,’ I call out, searching for my Lycan in my mind. ‘Grimm, wake up.’
Khaisha reaches over and squeezes my hand. “That’s how he loves, Zephyra. All or nothing. He’d do anything, including hurt himself to save the ones he loves.”“That’s the problem. I don’t want him doing those kinds of things for me. It makes me feel… guilty,” I mutter. But as I lift my eyes, Khaisha’s jaw is clenched. Her gaze drifts past me, staring blankly out the window.Even though her hand still rests on mine, offering comfort, her mind is clearly somewhere else. I’m about to ask what’s wrong when a sharp knock sounds at the front door.Before either of us can say a word, Sky lets out a joyful squeal. “I’ll get it!” We hear her scramble up from the hallway floor and head for the entryway.“Fuck!” Khaisha jumps to her feet. “Sky, no! I’ve told you a hundred times not to open the door unless—”But Sky is already gone, her little feet pattering across the floor. I rise from my chair, heart skipping as I hurry after them, but I hear the door creak open.Reaching the living room, Sky
Jareth crosses his arms, stepping into my line of sight. “If we wait here, he gets the upper hand. If we move first, we at least stand a chance of controlling the fight.”“It’s suicide!” I yell. “How do none of you understand? He’s not like the rogue wolves we've faced. He’s been hurting people for centuries. He’s patient. He’s smart. He’s—”“Precisely why we cannot sit here and wait for him to choose his next target,” Anya interrupts. “He’s already deciding which village burns next, which innocents die, and when he'll step back into this very bedroom. If we use my tracking spell, we seize the initiative.”I look between Jareth and Theron, my heart sinking as I realize I’ve already lost this argument. I know they aren’t acting out of blind rage, but that only makes my words feel useless. I’m terrified. I still remember the danger I felt when Zhodin stood in this room, and I wish they would listen to me.Theron takes my hand, brushing his thumb over my knuckles. “You will never be ful
Zhodin brings his mouth close to my ear, his voice low and cold. “Two Lycans cannot mark the same female.” “Let me go!” “But with his demise… you become mine.” My eyes widen. A snarl rips from my throat as Scar surges forward and takes control of my limbs. My fist flies straight into his face, smashing into his nose. He barely reacts. Blood trickles from his nostrils, but he chuckles, baring his teeth at me. With a gentle push, he releases me and turns toward the open balcony. At the same moment, the door bursts open and a massive black Lycan skids into the room. My heart leaps when I recognize Theron. Smirking, Zhodin leaps onto the top rail and throws himself down just as Theron lunges to tear him apart. Khaisha rushes in right behind, raising a hand to stop the guards from following her inside. “Zephyra, goddess, tell me you’re okay.” Theron shifts back to his human form in a fluid motion and is already in front of me. His fingers sweep over my cheeks as he cradles my fac
He doesn’t move or speak. He holds one of the ancient books Anya brought back from Jareth’s study, calmly flipping a page with long, elegant fingers.Completely unbothered by me watching him, he doesn’t look up at first but he arches a single brow as his eyes scan the texts. Even in the dim light, I catch the faint glow in his grey eyes and the red moon tattoo on the side of his neck.Shit.What is he doing here?My fingers tighten into white knuckled grips on the blanket. His eyes finally lift from the page and settle on me and shit, I feel completely naked.Zhodin.“Hello, Zephyra,” he murmurs, his jaw flexing as he tilts his head to observe me. “It’s about time we spoke properly, don’t you think?” I yank the sheets tighter against my chest and scramble backward until my spine hits the headboard. My breathing is fast and it gets worse with every second that passes. I can’t feel Scar as much, she’s hiding somewhere deep inside of me and there’s something about him that terrifies bot







