LUCIEN
All hell broke loose as Lena’s terror rushed through our mate bond; nothing else seemed to matter. I was busy fighting three shifter commanders, in Lycan form so I had the strength to fend them off when her terror struck me like a physical blow. Not the free-floating anxiety of battle, but raw, primal terror focused on a singular threat.
Jubril.
“Lena,” I growled, ceding the fight without a second’s doubt.
And through the bond, I sensed Riven and Kael reacting to the very same surge of protective instinct. We were divided, fanned out across the fighting area, each holding crucial spots around our defensive perimeter…and none of that s**t meant anything anymore. Our mate was being threatened with death, and every one of our instincts demanded that we defend her.
“Alpha, no—” beg
