Kael’s POV
I was losing control.
Not completely.
Not yet.
But enough to feel it slipping through my grip in ways I hadn’t allowed in years. The pressure under my skin built with every second the intruder remained in front of us, with every breath Elara took behind me, with every pulse of the bond that refused to quiet.
This wasn’t just about him.
It was her.
Her presence here, in this place, with the bond fully active, stripped away layers of control I had relied on for too long. It sharpened everything, intensified everything, and made it harder to separate instinct from decision.
“Leave,” I said again.
My voice came out lower this time, rougher, the edges of it carrying something I could feel but not fully suppress. A warning, yes—but also something closer to a threat that no lo
