No one moved.
No one breathed.
The challenge circle stood frozen beneath the weight of Liam’s voice.
“Don’t touch her.”
The command echoed through stone and bone alike.
Denise felt it.
Not with her ears.
With the bond.
Power rolled through it in violent waves, crashing against every barrier she had built around herself.
For one terrifying second—
she understood exactly why the pack feared him.
Liam stood perfectly still.
That was the frightening part.
Not the anger.
Not the dominance.
The stillness.
The scarred wolf pushed himself upright slowly.
Blood stained the corner of his mouth.
His smile was gone.
Finally.
Gone.
He stared at Liam for several long seconds.
Evaluating.
Calculating.
For the first time all night, uncertainty appeared in his eyes.
The circle noti
