Chapter 4

She screamed.

A cold gun barrel pressed against the back of my head.

“Let her go.”

Lucian.

Rival wolves had aimed silver bullets at me more times than I could count.

This was the first time the gun had belonged to someone on my side.

“Lucian. Are you really going to kill me?”

“Try me.”

I laughed.

“All right.”

I plunged the dagger into Vivienne’s shoulder.

The gunshot came almost at the same instant.

A silver bullet tore through my chest from behind. I opened my mouth, and blood spilled out.

In battle, Lucian had always put himself in front of me, taking the bullets meant to kill me.

Now the gunshot wound in my chest was his doing.

As I fell, I saw Vivienne scramble into his arms in terror.

Lucian picked her up and pressed his earpiece.

“Medical team. Get to the range.”

Lucian had spared my life.

The bullet had passed close to my heart without hitting a lung, but my recovery was still a long one.

When I woke, he was beside the bed.

He reached for my face. I turned away.

“Angry with me?”

He withdrew his hand and tucked the blanket around me instead.

“I’ve been worried about you.”

I closed my eyes and said nothing.

“Sweetheart, I was wrong this time. Tell me what you want. It’s yours.”

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

“All right.”

I pushed myself upright.

“Cover your eyes first.”

He obediently lowered his head and let me tie a ribbon over his eyes.

I took his hand and cut his fingertip.

Lucian raised an eyebrow.

“A blood pact? Want some of my territory?”

“Would you miss it?”

“Of course not. Take as much as you want, Nova. All of it, if you like.”

“Good.”

I cut my own fingertip.

“Let me guess. Five hundred square miles? A thousand?”

I didn’t answer.

Our palms met. Just as the blood seal began to form, he went still.

Lucian ripped off the ribbon and stared at the unfinished seal that would dissolve our bond.

“I knew it.”

He shattered it with a sweep of his hand.

“Don’t play games with me.”

“Lucian!”

I lurched to my feet, but he caught me in his arms.

“Isn’t there anything else you want? You’re that determined to sever our bond?”

“Yes! Let go!”

I struggled. He gripped my shoulders and forced me to face him.

“Sever our bond, and you’ll die horribly!”

I froze for a moment.

“You think I don’t know what the fourth prophecy says?”

Lucian gave a bitter smile.

“Your mother was trying to protect you. She doesn’t want you dead. Neither do I.”

“That’s none of your business!”

I shoved him away. The next instant, he dragged me back.

His mouth crushed against mine.

“Lu—mmph!”

I kicked and hit him, but he wouldn’t budge. As I fought, I tore open his shirt, exposing the scars across his chest.

Old bullet wounds and knife scars. Injuries that had never fully healed after he’d taken them for me.

My hands faltered for a second. Then I bit down hard on his lip.