Ryker’s blood hit the stone floor in dark red drops; Mira froze, and for a heartbeat the entire council chamber went silent, and even the guards stopped breathing; then chaos erupted.
“Alpha!”
Two warriors rushed forward, but Ryker raised a shaking hand to stop them. His other hand pressed against his chest as if trying to hold his heart together.
“I’m… fine,” he said.
He was not fine, the bond screamed. Pain ripped through Mira's chest – not her pain, but Ryker's. It spread through her body like fire under skin. Her knees buckled, and she caught herself on the wall.
The seer watched them calmly. “You don’t have enough time,” she said.
Ryker forced himself to stand. “Enough,” he growled. “Leave us.”
No one moved.
“That is an order.”
The council slowly backed away, and guards follo
