Sergei leaned forward, his eyes narrowed on Alec. “This is not one of those permanent bonds, is it?”
Alec paused, considering Sergei for a long moment. “No, it's not permanent, but it's not something that's done casually either.” He gave Sergei a pointed look and added, “Ari needs to be protected, and only one of our kind can offer that to her.”
“So you claim,” Sergei said and leaned back, holding Alec's gaze in a silent challenge. Alec glared at him but didn't respond.
A moment later the caravan came to a jarring halt, and a loud beep signaled it was safe to remove their protective gear. While Lars retrieved another hydrating pack, Ariana removed her helmet and slipped off her gloves. Once she pulled off her jacket, Alec turned on the cool misting fan and sat back down beside her.
He
