The tension in the air was palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife. Alys’s laugh rang out, sharp and mocking, as she stepped further out of the shadows. Her piercing gaze locked onto mine, her smirk only widening as the murmurs among Lucas’s pack grew louder.
“You tried so hard to save him, didn’t you?” Alys sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.
Instinctively, I moved in front of Lucas, shielding him with my body. My heart was pounding, but I wouldn’t let her harm anyone—especially not Lucas.
Derek, however, had other ideas. In a flash, he stepped in front of me, his broad frame a wall of protection. His icy glare was fixed on Alys, his muscles taut and ready for a fight.
Alys’s smirk didn’t waver. “Ah, look at this. The mighty protector,” she mocked, her tone almost playful. “A
