The first number hit like a blade dragged over exposed nerves.
“One.”
My entire body jerked as if pulled by invisible strings. A tremor raced down my spine and my knees buckled. The panic slammed into me so hard my vision smeared at the edges.
Jack reached me instantly. His hands caught my face, warm and steady, thumbs brushing the frantic pulse beneath my skin. "Don't listen to him,” he said, voice low and fierce.
I tried. I really did. But the command threaded through my skull like barbed wire.
Behind me, Beau pressed his chest to my back, his warmth enveloping me. His wolf energy rose in a thick, protective aura that cut through the cold terror inch by inch. The vibration of the handler’s voice shook the walls, and Beau physically shielded me from it, molding his body around mine.
