Dayne’s POV
The wraith’s howl rips through the farmhouse, a sound like death itself, and Talis’s hand in mine is the only thing keeping my wolf from tearing through the walls to face it. Her silver-blue eyes burn with defiance, her alpha strength pulsing through the mate bond, but the blood seeping through her bandages makes my chest tight. She’s fierce, my mate, my step-sister, but the wraith, whatever cursed thing it is, wants her, and I’ll burn the world down before I let it touch her.
“Stay behind me,” I growl, pulling her toward the living room, where Luka’s barking orders, the pack scrambling to barricade the shattered windows. Her scent, wild and fierce, fills my lungs, and the bond hums with her refusal to back down.
“I’m not hiding, Dayne,” she says, her voice sharp, her claws
