was worse th

coursing through my system, and listened to nothing. The soundproof

r if Caspian

dyi

e a second heartbeat. His emotions bled through. Rage. Focus.

as a

r

The venom was still rewriting me, and every nerve ending felt raw and

to be ready to move if,

too big, a shirt that hung off one shoulder, boots I had to tie tight

melled li

stirred restlessly. She wanted our mate. Wanted to know he was safe. The

lf. "He's a lycan. He ca

ared with s

pian's agony lanced through me

athed. "No,

rob, replaced by cold fury

l fighting.

hu

the scanner David had used. Nothing happened. Of

against the steel, knowing

espo

on, violence, and satisfaction. He'd k

s still surrounding him, could feel his tactical assessme

oor h

ed, raising my hands in some p

His cold blue eyes took me in; the too-big clothes, the shakin

bserved. "Good.

's Cas

s head toward the stairs. "Come on. We ne

leaving w

to get you

s barely cooperating, the venom stil

se floor wa

ete. Weapons scattered like toys. The sme

ed seve

reading my expression. "Caspi

he

e room, the door ha

h. I stumbled across the warehouse floor, steppin

room wa

out. And Caspian, standing over a th

gasped. "Marcus force

is rage through the bond. "You chose money over morals. Chose to hunt my m

it.

ard the wet crack of a neck b

his silver ey

was his, I could see a deep gash across his ribs, anoth

in the safe r

you ge

s hand. "You'll feel everything for the first few days until

e blee

to me, leaving bloody fo

"You just killed ten people

pped my face with blood-slick hands. "But yes.

His complete lack of remorse. These males had t

ain floor. "I'm getting chatter on polic

my hand and pulled me b

de exit. "Safe house is forty minutes north. I

e?" Casp

. Before I have t

him, my body still weak from the venom, my mi

ay from the city. The night air was cold against my

between us with

ten peop

kill

urn the world dow

e. Let him mark me. Let

d that

aid over the engine noise. "I can

st... they're dead. All

e sent them. He put the bounty on you

f I ha

king a turn too fast. "You don't get to feel guilty for other people's choices. Marcus cho

't feel t

d once. "The bond will help. You'll start feeling what

onto an unmarked dirt road. Trees pressed close, blo

elt watched. Security cameras hidden in trees. Motion sensor

the bike and

ave out i

into his arms. "Venom's

g does i

hes integrating the changes." He carried me to the door, which opened with a palm scan. "Aft

terior suggested. Modern. Clean. Fully st

to the bedroom an

"I need to clean up an

his hand. "That wo

at on the edge of the bed anyw

ough to see bone was already closing, skin k

t normal,"

our body will do the same now. The bond shares more than emoti

gevi

And now..." His eyes met mine. "...so will you. The bond ext

hung be

re

n six hours. This male who'd killed f

give you time to process. But Marcus wasn't going to wait. The

hate you

ealing wound. "But you're alive. Safe. Mine. And I c

of it. He'd rather have me alive an

have ter

thing in my c

ate you,"

aced my knuckles.

." I paused. "And safe. For the f

ened. "Good. That's

utal claiming from before. Just a soft press of lips that som

k, both of us were

us. You smell like fear and venom,

d the shower, peeled off my borrowed

s own c

e washed the blood from my skin, the tears f

ainst my wet hair. "No matter

d claimed and bonded to a mo

ieved