Kieran POV
Fighting without alpha power was like fighting with one arm tied behind my back.
Every instinct I'd relied on for years, the enhanced strength, the commanding presence, the pack bonds that let me coordinate with other wolves, all gone. Severed when I'd chosen Aria over my position. I was just a wolf now. Powerful, yes, but not the unstoppable force I'd been as alpha.
Sebastian Thornwick was older, more experienced, and fighting with the desperate fury of a man with nothing left to lose. His claws raked across my shoulder, drawing blood, and pain exploded through my nerves. Through the mate bond, I felt Aria's answering distress, her desperate wish to help despite her own injuries.
Stay back, I sent through the bond. You're hurt. Let me handle this.
Her response was immediat
