DAWN OF FLAMES

TESSA HALE

CONTENTS

1.  Hayden

2.  Hayden

3.  Hayden

4.  Hayden

5.  Hayden

6.  Cillian

7.  Hayden

8.  Hayden

9.  Easton

10.  Hayden

11.  Maddox

12.  Knox

13.  Hayden

14.  Hayden

15.  Hayden

16.  Hayden

17.  Cáel

18.  Hayden

19.  Cillian

20.  Hayden

21.  Hayden

22.  Cillian

23.  Hayden

24.  Knox

25.  Hayden

26.  Hayden

27.  Hayden

28.  Hayden

29.  Maddox

30.  Hayden

31.  Hayden

32.  Hayden

33.  Maddox

34.  Cáel

35.  Easton

36.  Hayden

37.  Hayden

38.  Knox

39.  Hayden

40.  Cillian

41.  Hayden

42.  Cáel

43.  Hayden

44.  Hayden

45.  Maddox

46.  Hayden

47.  Hayden

48.  Cáel

49.  Hayden

50.  Hayden

51.  Hayden

52.  Hayden

53.  Cáel

54.  Hayden

55.  Hayden

56.  Easton

57.  Hayden

58.  Hayden

Epilogue

I.  Please Enjoy This Special Preview of Crescent Kingdom

Prologue

1.  Wren

2.  Wren

3.  Kingston

Also By Tessa Hale

Connect With Tessa

About Tessa Hale

1

HAYDEN

Soft strains of classical music pulled at me. But as beautiful as the haunting notes were, they hurt. Grating against my skull and intensifying the pounding there.

I rolled to my back, the movement making pain flare to life. Everywhere, from the tips of my toes to the ends of my hair. I felt as if I’d gotten trapped by a wave and bashed against some rocks.

That thought had a memory slamming into me. The drive home from campus with Easton, Maddox, and Cáel. The accident. Except it wasn’t an accident.

My eyes flew open. The action had more agony ripping through my skull. Because even though the light in the room was low, it still hurt. But it was nothing compared to the ache in my heart. A million questions flew through my mind. Were the guys all right? Were they looking for me? Who had me?

I knew it had to be the Corbetts. The thought had my stomach twisting as images of Dexter and Hal flashed in my mind. Nausea followed, and I wasn’t sure if it was due to thoughts of the alpha and his son or my head injury.

Slowly, I took in the room around me. Confusion swept through me. It was nice. Too nice. I was lying in a massive canopy bed that looked to be made of mahogany. The posts had scenes of dragons and other magical creatures carved into them. The sheets were just as nice as what was on my bed back home.

Home.

That’s what Cillian’s compound had come to mean to me. The place where I’d finally belonged. Where I’d found my family. God, I couldn’t imagine how scared he and Knox were. How furious.

I shoved up against the pillows, relieved that all my clothes were still in place. Taking in more of the room, my frown only deepened. The rich reds of the décor and ornate paintings didn’t match anything I knew.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and sat up. Dizziness swept over me as I placed a hand on the bed to steady myself. Crap. I definitely had a concussion. That would make defending myself against whoever had taken me more than a little difficult.

Giving myself time to adjust, I focused on my breathing. In for four. Out for four. I did it over and over until the worst of the dizziness faded away.

When it subsided, I took in more of the space. There were two open doors to the right of the bed. I got a brief glimpse at tile through one, which meant it was a bathroom, and the other was mostly dark, which made me think it was a closet.

There was a couch and a couple of chairs in one shadowy corner of the large room. And opposite them was a wall of windows. They had to be at least ten feet tall. They were rimmed in iron and were pointed at the top in a way that made them look medieval. In fact, the whole place felt like a castle from another time.

That had a shiver running through me. “One thing at a time,” I whispered to myself.

Unshed tears burned the backs of my eyes as I stood. I didn’t want to do this alone. I wanted my guys. All five of them. Even the two that might not truly want to be claimed by me. I would’ve given anything to have them by my side. But that would’ve put them at risk, too.

I took a shaky breath and started to round the bed. I stopped as I took in the one closed door in the room. Crossing to it, I pressed my ear to the thick wood. I couldn’t hear anything but that damned classical music. As much as the room I was in resembled a castle, there must have been modern accents like speakers embedded into the ceilings.

Pulling back, I rested a hand on the doorknob. My heart thudded against my ribs as I warred with myself. To open or not to open?

Finally, I tried twisting it. The knob stuck almost instantly. Locked.

A mixture of disappointment and relief coursed through me. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to meet whoever had me. Especially if it was Dexter or Hal from the Corbett clan.

I swallowed down the bile that crept up my throat and forced my legs to move toward the windows. There were three on the far wall. Each one was bracketed by thick velvet curtains. The color was a red so deep it reminded me of blood.

It was hard to see out of them because the light was low. Just before sunrise, I realized as I spied the sliver of sun peeking out over the horizon to my right. But I could barely make it out because everywhere I looked were mountains. So many craggy peaks all around me.

Blood roared in my ears as my pulse thrummed in my neck. There were mountains in Northern California, sure, but none of them looked like this. So, where the hell was I?

I stepped closer to the glass, and more of the building itself came into view. I’d been right about the castle vibe. The thing looked like it was right out of the 1400s, with its towers and spires made of stone.

I half-expected to see a moat below, but there were only sharp rocks. My stomach dropped. The ground was so far away. Even if I could get the damned window open, trying to crawl out would be a death sentence.

Worrying the inside of my cheek, I tried to see past the castle. Wherever I was, there had to be someone who could help. Someone who would do the right thing and call the police at least. Maybe if I could scream loud enough, they would hear me.

I climbed on top of the tufted bench in front of the center window to reach for the iron latch. The moment my fingers connected with the metal, a brutal shock zapped through me. I shrieked as I jerked back, jumping off the bench and clutching my hand to my chest.

A fresh wave of pain coursed through me. Whether it was from the shock or the remnants of the accident, I didn’t know.

A tsking sound cut through the soft classical music, and I whirled.

A figure, cloaked in shadow, stood from a chair in the corner. “I wouldn’t do that. It’s warded, Bana-phrionnsa.”

And as he stepped into the light, I gasped.

2

HAYDEN

I had to blink several times to bring his face into focus. He wasn’t wearing his usual suit. He wore some sort of slacks with a cashmere sweater and a collared shirt. His attempt at casual, I guessed. His dark hair with salt and pepper threaded through was still styled perfectly, and that tanned skin stood in opposition with his stark white teeth. Teeth that reminded me of a shark’s.

But it took me a few moments to put the face with the name. It had been weeks since we’d had any trouble with the council. I’d almost forgotten they were ever an issue to contend with. But here was Nolan, their de facto leader. The smarmiest of them all.

My left foot dropped back as my hands lifted, the fighting stance coming automatically.

Nolan chuckled, the sound low and coated in amusement. “I’m not going to hurt you, Bana-phrionnsa.”

I scowled at him. “You already have.”

My head still pounded from the accident, and I could tell my ribs were at least bruised by the fact that it hurt if I breathed too deeply. And that didn’t come close to touching the emotional pain. Pressure built behind my eyes as I pictured them. Cillian with his calculating stare and secret tenderness. Knox with his carefree charm and easy acceptance. Cáel with his brutal exterior but cocooning warmth when it came to me. Maddox with his cool distance that hid his broken heart. And even Easton with his cracking mask. God, I wanted them right now.

And Nolan had stolen me from them.

He held up his hands in a placating gesture. “My extraction team was overzealous. I apologize.”

“Overzealous?” I snarled. “You could’ve killed someone. Someone I love.”

Because I loved them all. Even Maddox and Easton who didn’t love me back. Because the emotion was an action word. It wasn’t payment for the feeling returned. I would love them even if they were never capable of returning it.

A look of disgust swept over Nolan’s face, but he quickly tried to hide it. “The team was supposed to minimize collateral damage. They’ve been reprimanded.”

My spine straightened as I took in the man opposite me. I hadn’t dropped out of my fighting stance because you couldn’t let down your guard for a second around a snake like Nolan. “Does reprimand mean you slaughtered them where they stood?”

His lips twitched. “Would you have a problem with that?”

“No,” I said honestly. “Because they’re the idiots that took a job from you and almost killed people.”

Nolan’s eyes flashed gold before returning to that murky brown. “I do like that fire.”

A sick feeling settled in my gut. Memories of Dexter’s threats about breeding me filled my mind. “If you even think about touching me, I will remove your dick from your body.”

Nolan barked out a laugh. “Sorry, Bana-phrionnsa. You’re not really my type.”

My shoulders relaxed a fraction. “Then what the hell do you want from me? Are you going to sell me to the highest bidder, like you tried to do before?”

He sighed, picking an invisible piece of lint off his sweater. “I want to help you.”

I snorted. “Over a cliff.”

“I do. You don’t understand what you are.”

My eyes narrowed on Nolan. What sort of game was he playing? “I know I’m a dragon. The guys explained everything.”

He rolled his eyes. “That measly excuse for a horde doesn’t have the first clue what landed in their laps.”

Anger surged through me. “Don’t insult my mates. They’re more man and dragon than you will ever be. They know that kindness doesn’t make you weak. And that forcing your will on someone makes you the biggest coward of them all.”

Redness crept up Nolan’s throat as he struggled to keep his breathing under control. “I am simply trying to tell you the truth. To give you the information you need to become who you are truly meant to be.”

“Enough with the cryptic warnings. Just tell me what you have to say, and then let me go back to my mates,” I snarled.

Nolan’s eyes flashed again. But it was more than gold that I saw there. It was darkness, an evil that had a shiver racking through me. And I knew then that he had no plans on letting me leave, no matter what he said.

“It’s not a short story, Bana-phrionnsa. And you need to eat. Come.”

Nolan’s voice was so calm I almost would’ve bought the casual air had I not seen what lay beneath. But I had.

He pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. “Come. You’re not a prisoner here.”

I scoffed. “Tell that to the window that tried to electrocute me.”

The corner of Nolan’s mouth kicked up. “A precaution. Wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“No, you want to do that job yourself,” I grumbled.

“Enough with the drama queen act,” he snapped. “I am showing you more kindness than I should after your disrespect.”

There was a hint of the truth. The real Nolan. The one who believed everyone should bow and kiss his feet. I stared at him for a long moment as he put the layers of his mask back in place.

“You aren’t a prisoner,” he said again. “You can go anywhere in the castle that you’d like. Most people would kill to live in a place like this. Everything you could dream of is at your fingertips. State-of-the-art gym and pool. Sauna and steam room. Movie theater. Game room. Library. Take your pick.”

I was still stuck on the word live. Nolan intended to keep me here. On at least a somewhat permanent basis. And where the hell was here, anyway?

My heart rate picked up speed as the panic truly set in. I tried to slow my breathing, to ease the anxiety. I had to play this smart. To escape, I needed information. And the only way to get it was to talk to Nolan.

“Where is this place?” I asked finally.

“You aren’t asking the right questions, Bana-phrionnsa. You’re smarter than this.”

I glared at Nolan.

He simply laughed and opened the door. “Come with me if you want the truth. It’s going to change everything.”

3

HAYDEN

I hovered in the doorway, glancing to the left and then the right. The hallway had a thick Persian rug lining the hardwood floor, and a man in a black suit stood sentry at either end. I could just make out what looked like radios in each of their ears. Security. Great.

“Come along, Bana-phrionnsa,” Nolan said, as if I were a child in his charge.

I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at his back but stepped into the hallway. I noticed he hadn’t offered me shoes, not even slippers. So, while Nolan kept saying I wasn’t a prisoner, I certainly was.

That thought had true fear sliding through me as I followed him at a distance. If we weren’t in California anymore, how would the guys find me? I tried to reassure myself that Cillian had more resources than I could ever imagine. And I knew he’d use them to find me. I just had to stay alive and unharmed until then.

I tried to take everything in as Nolan led me down the hall. There were countless rooms, most with the doors closed. Were they empty bedrooms? Or did they house more security guards? I needed to start memorizing faces and locations so that I could get an idea of numbers or possible points of escape.

Nolan came to a grand staircase and didn’t stop to wait for me; he simply descended it. Each floor we came to, I peeked down the halls. Each one was the same. A guard stood at either end of the hallway.

Two per floor, five floors. Ten so far. Ten to one were not great odds.

Those odds got worse as I reached the bottom floor. Two guards stood at the front door, and more milled around. None of them seemed at ease. And they should’ve been. I was no match for them, especially barefoot and without any sort of weapon. It was almost as if they were waiting for something.

My guys, I realized. They were bracing for them to come for me. And my guys would have no idea that an army waited for them inside.

Bile surged in my throat as I realized how outnumbered they would be. This only meant one thing. I had to find a way out before they realized where I was.

“Hayden,” Nolan snapped.

I realized I’d been staring up at one especially massive guard as my thoughts spiraled. I jerked out of my daze and hurried after Nolan.

“This is the dining room. You may utilize it at any time. Simply sit, and Antoine will take an order for whatever you’d like. This morning, I have taken the liberty of ordering on your behalf,” Nolan said, playing the consummate gentleman.

As we stepped into the ornate dining room, I gaped at the setup. There was more food than even an army could eat. Platters of fresh fruit accompanied bowls of yogurt and granola. A display of eggs, sausage, bacon, and sautéed vegetables. More platters with pancakes and waffles, with three kinds of syrup, whipped cream, and chocolate chips.

“Please, sit,” Nolan instructed.

It wasn’t a question, but I was too tired to fight him on it anyway, and my stomach rumbled at the sight of all that food. “How long was I out?” I asked as I began loading up on eggs and a waffle.

Nolan opted for fruit and yogurt. “A little less than twenty hours.”

My eyes went wide. “Twenty hours?”

Nolan poured himself some coffee. “At least you caught up on your rest.”

What an asshole. I could’ve had bleeding in my freaking brain.

“Coffee?” he asked nonchalantly.

“No,” I clipped. “I hate that stuff.”

Nolan arched an eyebrow, amusement sliding over his expression. “What is your morning beverage of choice?”

“Hot chocolate.” Just saying the words had an ache settling in my chest as I remembered all the times Knox and Cáel had brought it to me. And even worse, as I remembered Easton. How hard he was trying to make sure I knew he cared, that he was changing. God, I would’ve given everything just to tell Easton that I believed him.

“Antoine,” Nolan snapped.

A man in a butler’s uniform hurried into the room. “What can I get you, sir?”

“Hayden would like some hot chocolate.”

“Right away, sir.”

There was no please or thank you from Nolan, but that wasn’t surprising.

As I stared down at my plate of food, I suddenly couldn’t imagine eating. All I wanted was to go home.

“Would you like something else?” Nolan asked, strain wrapping around his tone.

I looked up to the head of the table, anger surging. “How do I know it’s not poisoned?”

Nolan rolled his eyes and pushed back his chair. “If I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead already. I’ve had infinite chances.”

I knew he was right, but eating anything this man was in charge of ordering seemed like a risk.

Nolan plucked up a spare fork and dug into my eggs, eating a bite. Then he went for the waffle. “Happy?”

“Not particularly,” I grumbled.

Nolan’s jaw worked back and forth as he went back to his seat. “What if I told you that I could tell you about your family? Your parents?”

I stilled, my gaze boring into him. “I’d say that I don’t believe a single thing that comes out of your mouth.”

His lips twitched. “Fair. But I’m not lying to you. Not about something as important as this. And I would have no reason to. I’m not asking for anything in return.”

I simply stared at him, waiting. There was nothing else to do.

“You’re right that Dexter Corbett wants you. He has since the moment you were born. He dreamed of you making his horde the most powerful in the world.”

Any flicker of appetite disappeared altogether.

“Once your family was on the run, he knew he had his chance. He tracked you. Slaughtered your parents when he knew they were weak. But he never found you.”

Memories assailed me. My mom’s fear-streaked face. Her pale skin as life faded from her altogether. “Why?” I croaked.

“Finally,” Nolan said. “She asks the right question.”

A million thoughts swirled in my mind. The guys had told me that other hordes were desperate for females, but they hadn’t even known if I could shift yet.

“It wasn’t simply because you’re a female dragon,” Nolan said, as if reading my thoughts. “You’re so much more.”

Fear dug in at the gleam in his eyes, the hunger. But the hunger wasn’t sexual. It was almost…envious.

“It’s because you’re from the most powerful line of dragons to have ever existed, Hayden. You’re royal. Our last Bana-phrionnsa. The final dragon of that bloodline. And the only chance for that line to continue.”

4

HAYDEN

I could only stare at Nolan, that perfectly coiffed hair and expertly styled outfit, as he ripped my world apart. So many different emotions warred inside me, each one battling for supremacy. I did my best to shove the grief down; it wouldn’t serve me here. But I let the anger stay, allowing it to bubble and fester so that it could make me stronger. Anger at Dexter, who’d stolen my parents from me, and at Nolan, for toying with my life now.

But the shock at his last piece of information wouldn’t budge. Royalty. It couldn’t be possible.

I tried my best to remember what I’d learned from the guys about their king and queen. There was something about them being forced out of power and sent on the run. My stomach dropped as I thought about where we’d lived growing up. A small town in the Middle-of-Nowhere, Maine. Far off the beaten path.

“It’s true,” Nolan said, his voice eerily calm. But there was still that gleam in his eyes, the hungry one.

“What do you want from me?” I put all the strength I could behind my voice. All the steel into it. I would not let him see me waver.

“I told you. I simply want to help.”

I struggled not to snort. The only thing Nolan wanted to help me with was going over the side of a cliff. Not unless I could give him something. But somehow, I believed that he had no plans of turning me into a broodmare. So, he had to want something else. I just had to figure out what.

“You said that line was powerful,” I began, unsure of what question I truly wanted to ask.

Nolan’s mouth curved into a wider smile. “Yes. Extraordinarily.”

“How so?” There was a question. If this wasn’t a massive lie to manipulate me into something, then I needed to find out about the people who had been my family.

Nolan picked up his cloth napkin and began folding it at precise angles. “Stronger, faster, often with extra…gifts.”

I frowned. “But some of my guys have extra abilities.” Cáel could control the weather in small increments. Knox had superspeed. And Cillian could cloak his dragon.

Nolan sent me a droll look. “Yes. Some of them have party tricks. But the Bohannan clan had it all.”

I stared at Nolan for a long moment, trying to put the pieces together. So what if I was powerful? It didn’t give him anything. He obviously had plenty of money and power. And it wasn’t as if I would help him with whatever nefarious deeds he was planning on executing next.

“I see those wheels turning,” he said with a grin.

I thought about playing innocent for a second but realized it would get me nowhere. So, instead, I gave him the truth. “I’m trying to figure out what you want to use me for.”

Nolan barked out a laugh. “Fair.” He shrugged then, his gaze shifting slightly away from me. “I don’t need to use you for anything. I just want to make sure you shift. That we don’t lose our royal line.”

Silence reigned around us as I tried to read between the lines. “I thought you were a part of the group who wanted non-royal leadership.”

“I was,” Nolan said easily. “I think power needs to be dispersed. But that doesn’t mean I thought our royals were unimportant. We needed them as a part of the structure but not the whole of it.”

What Nolan meant was that he wanted a piece of the pie. That power. But I didn’t read a lie in his words about the royals.

“Why does it matter if I shift or not?” I finally asked.

Nolan’s brows flew up. “That’s where your power comes from. If you don’t shift, you lose that power, and you are running out of time for your dragon to surface.”

“The guys didn’t say anything about that.” And they would’ve. If there was a risk to me because of it.

Nolan scoffed. “Because they’re lovesick fools. They wouldn’t care if you ever shifted or not because they don’t know who you truly are.”

Something about his words had a prickle of unease skating over me. Because it dug at the fear at the core of me. Did the guys truly know me, or were they just pulled to me by fate?

“I know who you are, Bana-phrionnsa. I will help you become who you were always meant to be.”

That unease shifted into a shiver because I didn’t believe a word that came out of Nolan’s mouth. But I wasn’t opposed to him helping me shift. Because if I succeeded at that, maybe I could get the hell out of here. Wherever here was.

“Tell me what we have to do.”

A grin spread across Nolan’s face. “That’s the kind of attitude I like to see.” He gestured at my plate with his chin. “First, you must eat. You need your strength for what’s to come.”

He wasn’t wrong. I needed strength to fight him. And for my brain to be firing on all cylinders so that I could figure out what he was up to. I picked up my fork, but as I did, my stomach cramped. The spasm was so vicious I dropped my cutlery, sending it clattering to my plate.

Nolan frowned. “What is it?”

“My stomach,” I gritted out. As I said the words, sweat broke out over my brow. But I was freezing cold.

My captor’s frown only deepened. “I didn’t expect this quite so soon.” He studied me as if I were a science experiment. “Your tie to them is strong, even though you haven’t bonded with them all. Interesting.”

The world swam around me, and I could just make out Nolan as he pressed a phone to his ear. The bond. I remembered vaguely the guys saying something about me needing physical touch from them or I would start to feel sick. Was that what was happening?

Footsteps sounded in the corridor, and a man with white hair appeared, a small leather case in hand. I shoved back my chair, doubling over in pain as a fresh wave of cramps swept through me.

“Oh, dear,” the older man said, retrieving a syringe from his bag.

Before I could say a word, he plunged the needle into my thigh. The moment the concoction hit my muscles, liquid fire spread through. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. I tumbled from the chair, the doctor barely keeping my head from hitting the floor.

I writhed in pain, twisting and turning, trying to escape the agony. I blinked up at the doctor and Nolan. “What. Is. It?”

Nolan grimaced. “What’s necessary. It weakens the bond. If you don’t take it, you’ll die in a matter of days.”

5

HAYDEN

Everything hurt as I pulled on a fresh set of workout clothes. I would’ve given anything to have stayed in bed, but when I did that, the guards came to roust me. And while I’d come to be sure that Nolan had zero interest in me sexually, I wasn’t so confident of that fact when it came to the guards. So, I did whatever I had to do to keep them out of my bedroom.

Fourteen days. That was how many had passed. I kept a tally inside the bedside table, carving one mark after another into the mahogany wood. Sometimes it felt like the only evidence I was even here. That and the pain.

Every day, there was a new injection that would leave me in agony for at least an hour. And while they kept me from keeling over, they didn’t stop the pain of being away from my bond. My body ached like I had some sort of supercharged flu. I would spike fevers randomly. And occasionally, I’d simply pass out altogether.

I was sure those injections had an expiration date where they were no longer effective. I just wondered how close we were getting to it.

A sharp knock sounded on my bedroom door.

“Coming,” I yelled as I pulled a sweatshirt over my head.

The door opened, and the mountain man of a guard glared at me. “He’s waiting, Princess.”

Some of the guards used the Gaelic Bana-phrionnsa, while others opted for English. But either way, they all referred to my royal status when they addressed me. It made me twitchy. Because who knew if it was actually the truth? And if it was, that was the thing that had gotten my parents killed.

The thought sent a new wave of pain coursing through me. Pressure built behind my eyes. I missed them. I missed my guys. And I was so damned tired that part of me wanted to simply give in to the pain and let it take me away.

“Hurry up,” he barked.

I jolted out of my spiraling thoughts and followed him out the door. The hallways and stairs got harder each day, and by the time I reached the foyer, I was breathing heavily.

Another guard opened the door, and mountain man led me out. I’d given up on counting them. There were too many to track. And I didn’t want to know their names.

“There she is,” Nolan greeted. “How are you feeling this morning, Bana-phrionnsa?”

I had no snappy retort for him. Those had died days ago. I simply stood there, waiting for whatever it was he wanted to try. There had been meditations, potions, and even battle training. Nolan had a different thought process behind each method that could possibly spur on the shift. None had worked.

He frowned at me. “Didn’t you sleep?”

I knew why he asked. My typically bright violet eyes had taken on a gray cast, and there were dark circles beneath them. “I did.”

Nolan’s mouth thinned into a hard line. “You aren’t feeling well.”

“I need my bond,” I answered honestly. They were the only ones that would make me feel better. The only ones who would give me strength. Without them, I didn’t think I’d ever shift.

Nolan shook his head quickly. “You don’t need anyone. You are a Bohannan. Stronger than everyone in this castle. You just have to access that power.”

The urge to cry was so strong. To simply lie on the ground and let the grief and pain swallow me whole. “I’ve tried. You know I have.”

His expression softened the barest amount. “I know you have. But we can’t give up.”

“Why don’t you take me home, and we can keep working there? If I was stronger, maybe it would happen.”

This was the part of things that didn’t make sense. Helping me learn how to shift wasn’t exactly a dastardly plan. Nolan hadn’t needed to kidnap me for that. He probably could’ve gotten the council involved and forced some lessons on me. But he had kidnapped me. And that meant there was a piece of the puzzle I was missing.

“No,” Nolan clipped. “You can go back to your mates after you shift. You know they won’t push you like you need. They’ll coddle you and distract you from your purpose.”

But it was more than that. There was some reason Nolan needed me in dragon form. I just had no idea what it was.

“Okay.” I sighed. “What do we do today?”

“We are going for hand-to-hand,” Nolan said, rolling his shoulders back.

I should’ve realized. He was wearing his athleisure, the kind he only wore if we were doing something physical. But even so, it was some fancy designer brand, I was sure.

“All right.” Arguing wasn’t of any use. I stretched one leg and then the other, my muscles protesting every movement.

“Our dragons will sometimes come to the surface if they feel they need to defend us.”

Nolan had explained this before, but my dragon had stayed sulkily silent. Sometimes I thought I felt her, the slight stirrings of something foreign beneath my skin, but she’d never come to the surface.

I moved into a sort of fight circle Nolan had set up in his courtyard, and before I could even raise my hand, he leveled a vicious punch at my ribs. The air flew right out of my lungs as I doubled over. I struggled to straighten, but Nolan was already sending a hook into my other side.

I scurried back. “What the hell?” I wheezed.

Nolan scowled at me. “You need to try harder. Fight back.”

“Your goddamned injections are killing me. I have no strength,” I shot back.

“Then find some,” he growled, advancing on me again.

I blocked two blows, but the third landed across my cheekbone and sent me flying backward. I hit the gravel hard. My ears rang, and my head thrummed. The entire world tilted sideways.

“Get up,” Nolan commanded.

But I couldn’t get there. Couldn’t get my limbs to obey.

“Get up, or I will get you up, and it won’t be pleasant.”

A wave of true fear coursed through me, and I struggled to my feet. But the dizziness didn’t abate. There were now two of Nolan, which made defending against his attacks almost impossible.

He leveled blow after blow at me, and I only deflected about half.

“Pathetic,” he spat. “Your dragon needs to be free.”

“I’m trying!” I said between labored breaths.

“Not hard enough,” Nolan shot back.

There was a flash of silver in my vision. I only registered knife a second before the blade plunged into my side. I cried out, white-hot pain coursing through me.

Nolan yanked the blade free. “If you can’t set your dragon free, I’ll force her out. And pain is the only way.”

6

CILLIAN

I paced the length of my office, canines pressing against my gums. I’d never had this little control over my dragon before. Not even during puberty, when the shift would sometimes come on without me calling it. My dragon wanted the reins, and he wanted them now.

Hayden had been gone for sixteen days now. Sixteen. And we didn’t have the first fucking clue where she was.

I prided myself on control. Of myself. Of my surroundings. Of every single thing in my orbit. But I’d never felt more powerless than I did right now.

And it didn’t help that we didn’t have the first clue who we could trust. There was a traitor in our midst. Someone had been feeding information to our enemies from within these walls. Someone who knew we’d ended that waste of space, Professor Brent. And someone who knew Easton, Cáel, Maddox, and Hayden were heading home that day.

The list wasn’t especially long, but each person on it had been someone I’d trusted. Now I wanted to slit the throat of each one just because there was a possibility they had betrayed me.

My phone buzzed, and I jerked it from my pocket to scan the incoming text message.

“Anything?” Knox asked, desperation bleeding into his voice. He hadn’t given up that hopeful bent to his words, though. Not like the rest of us.

I scowled at the device. I had everyone looking, putting out feelers to whomever they knew in underground circles. And I’d offered a twenty-million-dollar reward for Hayden’s safe return. It was dumb, showing that sort of vulnerability. Showing what she meant to me. But I didn’t give a damn. I’d do anything to get my Little Flame back. Even if it meant burning the world down to do it.

“It’s Declan,” I said, my voice more rasp than anything else. My half brothers were doing whatever they could to help us, but so far, they’d come up empty. “His patrols haven’t seen anything.”

Knox’s shoulders slumped, defeat finally taking him under. “She has to be so scared.”

His words were a knife to my gut. Knox and I could both feel our connection to Hayden fading. Whether it was the bond itself or her, we didn’t know. And I was sure whatever human part of Cáel remained, he could feel it, too. But gods knew where he was. His dragon had seized the reins and refused to give his human half back.

“Don’t go there,” Maddox snapped. “We need to keep our heads on straight. Think about this logically.”

Knox pushed up from his chair and shoved at Maddox’s chest. “Easy for you to say. You don’t give a damn about her. It’d probably be easier for you if she never came back.”

Horror streaked through Maddox’s eyes, followed quickly by fury. His fist lashed out before any of us could stop him, striking Knox right in the chin. Knox’s head jerked back in a vicious snap.

Easton dove for his brother before he could retaliate as I grabbed for Maddox. “Enough!” I barked. “Stop acting like hatchlings. You’re grown men. Act like it.”

Maddox shook me off, brushing at his shirt.

Knox rubbed at his jaw but glared at Maddox.

Easton studied his brother. “Is it broken? Do you need to shift?”

Knox worked his jaw back and forth. “Not broken.”

Thank fuck. Because if Knox needed to shift, there was a chance we wouldn’t get his human side back either. We were all too close to our beasts right now.

Not that they would’ve been any help. Whoever had taken Hayden hadn’t transformed into dragons. They’d taken her in a vehicle. We’d been able to track them to the highway, and then she’d simply disappeared.

My gut churned as I thought of my Little Flame in the clutches of the Corbetts. What they’d do to her. A cracking sound pierced the air, and I looked down. I hadn’t realized that I’d grabbed the back of one of the chairs opposite my desk. A chair that was now in pieces.

Easton gripped my shoulder. “We’re going to find her. We won’t stop until we do.”

But before long, it would be too late. Because there were only so many days Hayden could last without us. At least while the bond had yet to be cemented. And even if we succeeded in finding her, what state would she be in when we finally did?

My phone dinged again. All our eyes went to it. Our lawyer. Fuck.

What we didn’t need to deal with were the goddamned cops that hadn’t stopped nosing around. They wanted to speak to Hayden and Cáel. Our lawyer was giving them the runaround, but he wouldn’t be able to do it forever. We’d made some excuse to the cops and the university about needing to go visit a sick relative of Cáel’s, but that would only buy us so much time.

The walls were closing in everywhere. And for the first time, I didn’t have an answer.

My phone didn’t ding this time. It rang. All of us jumped.

“Yes?” I clipped.

“Alpha. One of the wolves is here. He says he has news,” Pete said over the line.

“Which one?”

“Brix.”

I could hear the doubt in my enforcer’s voice. He didn’t want to let him in, but he didn’t have a choice.

“Escort him to the house,” I ordered.

I was moving before I hung up the call, striding out of my office, my brothers on my heels.

“Who?” Maddox asked.

“Brix. He said he has information for us.”

A charged energy swept through the house, a house that had felt so empty and lifeless lately. I yanked open the front door and waited. A few minutes later, one of our SUVs pulled up.

Brix was out the door and striding toward us in a matter of seconds. Pete stayed in the vehicle. He knew I didn’t trust him right now. But he didn’t push, didn’t let the sting of that show.

“Tell us,” I clipped.

Brix didn’t wait. “We think we found her.”

Fear and blessed relief coursed through me.

“Where?” Easton demanded.

Brix didn’t have a flicker of reaction to East’s tone. “You won’t be able to get there.”

“The hell we won’t,” Knox snapped.

“You’ll be shot out of the sky before you have a chance,” Brix growled. “But we can.”

My eyes narrowed on him. “What will you ask in payment?”

“Nothing,” Brix said evenly.

I couldn’t help the flare of my eyes. The Diablos pack always required payment.

He shrugged, the movement making his long dark hair shift, revealing the knife tattoo by his eye. “Liked your girl. No one has a right to take a woman against her will. We’ll bring her back. Stay by the phone.”

My jaw worked back and forth as I battled to keep my fury in check. “Who. Has. Her?”

Brix studied me for a long moment before answering. “Nolan St. James.”

Fire shot through my veins as the rage burned me alive. “I will remove his organs one by one and feed them to him while everyone he has ever loved watches.”

Brix simply stared back at me. “Good.”

7

HAYDEN

The pain was everywhere. As if it were a part of the very fiber of my being. Not a single cell went unaffected.

My head thrummed in a steady beat as an especially vicious burn radiated from my stomach and back. But I knew better than to move now, not even to open my eyes. I lived for the moments they went too far, and I disappeared into unconsciousness. But the moment I was awake, it would start all over again.

At least today they’d moved the festivities into a massive gym because of the snow. That meant when I’d passed out, I’d landed on mats instead of the cold, hard ground. Small mercies.

Voices tickled my ear, but it took a moment for my brain to actually interpret the words.

“Alpha, I know her shift is important, but she’s lost too much blood lately. She needs time to recover.”

I recognized the voice of one of Nolan’s most trusted guards. I’d like to think that he was showing me a kindness. But he wasn’t. He simply didn’t want me to die because then they couldn’t use me for whatever it was that they wanted.

“We’re running out of time, Grady,” Nolan snarled.

“Maybe she’s latent,” another male voice said. “She could never shift.”

“Then her death won’t matter, will it?” Nolan snapped.

The cruelty in his words had me fighting any visible reaction. The times when I was awake, Nolan was still playing the this is for your own good card. As if he were some caring uncle and not my jailer and torturer. I’d always known he didn’t give a damn if I lived or died, as long as he got what he wanted.

“What about the potion our caster is working on?” Grady asked. “The one that forces the shift.”

Nolan was quiet for a moment, but I swore I could hear his teeth grinding. “It’s not perfected yet. The last test subject was stuck half-shifted and then later died.”

My stomach cramped as an image of what Nolan described filled my head. Your body would be ripped apart if you were stuck as both beings.

“You’d at least get her scales then. Isn’t that all you want?” the third man asked.

I stiffened, the action making the knife wounds on my stomach and back pull painfully. My scales? That’s what he was after?

“The scales lose all power if the dragon is dead, Mitchell.” Nolan spoke the words as if the man were an imbecile. “I need her alive, breathing but imprisoned. Her scales will give me all the power I need to seize control of the council and then the hordes as a whole. She’ll have enough to keep me alive for centuries.”

My heart pounded against my ribs. Each beat made fresh pain flare, but I didn’t make a sound. I’d never heard anything about power being gained from another dragon’s scales. And the guys had mentioned us living longer, but not for centuries.

“Is it true that the queen was purple?” Grady asked, true curiosity bleeding into his voice.

Nolan scoffed. “Purple isn’t the right word. There honestly isn’t one in the human language. I saw her in dragon form once. There was a pearlescence to her hide, but beneath it was purple root.”

“How long does a scale last when you implant it into your hide?” Mitchell asked.

“Unknown,” Nolan clipped. “And none of your business. If I get even a whiff that you’re thinking of taking a scale for yourself, I will remove your head from your body before you even blink.”

“N-n-never, alpha,” Mitchell said quickly. “I am loyal.”

But I could hear the lie in his voice. He wanted my scales, scales that might not even exist. And for what? Power? An even longer life?

It all made me sick. They were all desperately power hungry. And what would happen if I never shifted? They certainly wouldn’t keep me alive here.

A new burn lit behind my eyes. Tears would’ve spilled, but I was all cried out. I’d spent too many nights weeping into my pillow, my soul crying out for the guys. Missing the feel of their arms around me, their scents telling me I was safe.

“Rouse her. It’s time to go again,” Nolan barked.

I tried not to stiffen, not wanting to give away that I’d heard everything they’d said.

Footsteps sounded on the mat. There was no shake of my shoulders this time. Instead, a boot crashed into my ribs, sending a pained moan from my lips. My eyelids fluttered on instinct. The brutal light from the fluorescent overhead lights made the pounding in my head even worse. I definitely had a concussion.

“Wakey, wakey,” Mitchell taunted.

Nolan scowled at him. “Enough.” Mitchell instantly stepped back, and Nolan strode forward. When he reached me, he crouched down. I didn’t bother trying to sit up. It wouldn’t stop whatever pain he had planned for me. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

I wanted to snort at that but couldn’t drag up the sound.

“I’m doing what’s best for you, what’s best for dragonkind.”

I wondered if Nolan actually believed that. If his mind was truly warped enough to think that he was the answer to all our species’ problems.

His mouth thinned in a hard line as he stared down at me. “You have to try harder.”

Anger surged from somewhere deep. “You don’t think I am?” My voice didn’t sound anything like my own. It was more rasp than anything else. “You don’t think I’d do anything to stop this?”

There were days I prayed he’d go too far and end me, just to make the agony stop.

Nolan grabbed my arms and hauled me to my feet. The action was so abrupt that the wounds on my stomach and back opened again. I could feel the fresh flow of blood into my already stained shirt. They’d taken to dressing me in white T-shirts so that I had to see the blood. And it was everywhere.

“You are from the most powerful dragon line to ever exist. Start acting like it,” Nolan growled.

He was slipping. His hold on his control was wavering. As he slid his blade from the sheath on his belt, I wondered if this would be the time he’d go too far. Where I would finally slip away.

Nolan raised the knife, the silver glinting in the harsh fluorescents. But just as he was about to bring it down, the lights cut out altogether. And we were plunged into darkness.

8

HAYDEN

The moment darkness descended, shouts erupted, and not just from inside the gym. I could hear yelling from outside the room, as well. My head swirled with what-ifs. Had the snow cut the power lines? Had a circuit breaker been overpowered? Or had my guys come for me?

I was scared to even think the last question. Because I wasn’t sure if I could sustain the dashed hope if it wasn’t true. I wanted to be with them more than my next breath.

“Sector one, report,” Nolan barked.

I stepped back, away from his voice, his cruelty, and into the embrace of darkness.

“What the fuck is wrong with the radios?” he snarled.

There was just enough light from the crescent moon that I could make out Mitchell’s silhouette as he pressed a button over and over on the radio that connected to his earpiece. “It’s not working. But that shouldn’t be possible. They’re battery operated.”

Grady stiffened, his head snapping from one side of the room to the other. “Unless someone detonated a small EMP.”

Nolan’s spine snapped straight as he searched the room. “Hayden, come here right now.”

I didn’t answer; I just kept slipping further into the darkness.

“I said now,” he growled.

The fact that Nolan expected me to come running turned my stomach. Because at some point along the line, I’d stopped fighting him. I’d completely given up and simply braced for the pain. That ugly truth had shame sweeping over me. When had I become so weak?

“Come now, or I will make you wish for my blade.”

The twisted brutality in Nolan’s voice had a shiver coursing through me, but I still didn’t answer. I just kept taking one step and then another, further into the darkness.

“Search the room. Now!” Nolan ordered.

Grady and Mitchell immediately began moving in opposite directions. But it wouldn’t be long before they reached me. I tried to see deeper into the shadows and pair it with my memory of the room. There were punching bags behind me that might give me some cover, or at least a distraction.

The briefest scream sounded, then a gurgle, and finally, a thump as something hit the matted floor. I tried to see in the direction of where it came from, but it was darker in that corner of the gym, and the only thing I could discern was the slight movement of shadow.

“Grady, Mitchell, report,” Nolan clipped. But I could hear the slightest waver in his words, the barest hint of fear.

“Grady at your three o’clock, alpha.” He’d gotten closer to me. Maybe twenty feet away. My ribs tightened around my lungs, making it hard to take in a full breath.

“Mitchell, report,” Nolan ordered.

There was no answer. The only sound was the squeaking of a chain to my right. Had someone moved one of the punching bags? Hope filled my traitorous heart. Were they here?

Nolan stomped toward the door. “Find Hayden, now!”

“Yes, alpha,” Grady said instantly.

The moment Nolan yanked open the door, the sounds of fighting filled the room. Screams and shots and cries for help. My stomach twisted. It sounded like way more than five guys coming on a rescue mission. So, who was here?

Panic dug its claws in deep. Could the Corbetts have found me? God, I hoped not. Trading one prison for another was not going to be my future.

I closed my eyes for the briefest moment and tried to summon all the courage the guys had helped me find. I would fight. For them. For me. For us.

Nolan slammed the door closed. “No one knows about this stronghold. An attack shouldn’t be possible.”

Grady didn’t answer, but I saw his shadow moving closer. Each step put me more at risk.

Another door flew open, and a handful of guards poured in. “Alpha!” one called. “Are you safe?”

“Yes,” Nolan barked. “Who the hell is here? And find the princess!”

“We’re not sure. They’re masked. They know our layout and have disabled all security measures.”

The moon hit Nolan’s face, and I could see the fury there. “Where are reinforcements?”

“Still thirty minutes out,” the guard said.

Thirty minutes.

That was how long I had to make my escape. Even if I had to wade out into the snow, with no jacket, I would take that risk. Anything that gave me hope of getting away from these monsters and back to my guys.

A hand grabbed at my hair and yanked hard, pulling me back into a hard body.

“Got her!” Grady yelled.

My elbow came back on instinct, the sharp end landing in his gut. Grady let out an oomph as his hold on me loosened. It was just enough for me to spin. My knee came up and connected with his groin. He cried out as he fell.

I didn’t wait. I ran for the side door, having memorized its location.

“She’s running!” a guard yelled.

Just as my hand reached for the doorknob, someone grabbed my arm and yanked me back. Pain flared in my back and stomach, but I lashed out with a palm strike to the man’s nose. He stumbled back but didn’t release me.

I tried the knee kick again, but he blocked it. My vision flickered, and I knew I was losing too much blood.

Just as I thought my fight might be in vain, a masked figure stepped behind the man. There was a flash of silver across the guard’s neck, and then he was falling, his throat slit.

I opened my mouth to scream, but a hand clamped over my mouth from behind. I struggled against the person behind me, trying to get free, but I was so weak. A voice rasped low in my ear. “It’s Brix. Cillian sent me. We’re going to get you out of here.”

Relief filled me, but quick on its heels, doubt. An image of Brix with his cruel stare and knife tattoo by his eye filled my mind. He didn’t seem like someone I should especially trust, but I didn’t have any choice.

Because a new darkness was descending, and this time, I was powerless to stop it.

9

EASTON

The wind whipped around us, stirring up a fresh gust of snow, but I didn’t feel a flicker of cold. It wasn’t just my shifter blood keeping me warm. The guilt pulsing in my veins had me numb to anything and everything other than the pain that Hayden might be feeling at this moment.

I had failed her. Again.

And gods knew what she was experiencing at this very moment. The possibilities had been playing on a brutal slideshow across my brain since she’d been gone. Each image was worse than the one before. A torture I more than deserved.

A hand clamped down on my shoulder and squeezed. I looked up into the face that was a mirror image of my own. Everything but the eyes.

“She’s going to be okay,” Knox said.

But I heard the strain in his voice. My twin had no idea if she was okay. All he knew was that Hayden was alive. He could still feel the weakened link. Because he was bonded to our mate, and I wasn’t. And there was only one person at fault for that…me.

A fresh wave of shame crashed into me. That at a time like this, I was jealous of my brother. I would’ve given anything to feel Hayden right then. Even just a flicker of her essence. But I couldn’t. Because I’d fucked everything up, just like I always did.

Knox gripped my shoulder tighter. “Don’t. This isn’t your fault.”

I didn’t answer, didn’t meet his eyes. Instead, I scanned the small airport in Bumfuck, Montana, as if I would find some new piece of information that would distract me from my agony. But all I saw was the same thing I’d seen for the past three hours.

A crew continually clearing snow so that we could take off as soon as Hayden was in our possession. Cillian’s private jet he’d spent an exorbitant amount of money on to have painted black. The man himself, pacing and checking his phone every two point five seconds. Maddox, unmoving and staring at the mountains as if he could will Hayden back to us.

The only one missing was Cáel. We hadn’t been able to reach him. Not while he was in dragon form. His beast had the reins and wasn’t giving them back. Maybe never would.

“East,” Knox said, breaking into my thoughts.

There was a pleading in my twin’s voice that had me turning back to him. I couldn’t stand to hurt another person I loved. “I was conscious. I should’ve gotten to her.”

The car crash had played over and over in my head, the only reprieve from the what-ifs of what Hayden might be facing. Each time I saw it, I felt it as if I were experiencing it all over again. The SUV that slammed into us. Our vehicle rolling. Hayden’s screams.

Knox got into my space, anger slicing across his typically easygoing expression. “You were impaled by a fucking windshield. Nolan sent goddamned mercenaries to take her. If you had gotten free, you’d be dead.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. But at least I would’ve fought for her.” I wouldn’t have had to see her lifeless form dragged away. I’d had no idea if she was alive or dead. Because I hadn’t been able to feel her. It was only after I’d gotten Cillian on the line that I knew for sure. And fuck, that hurt.

Knox gave me a hard shove. “Don’t be stupid. We need all our heads in the game.”

“He’s right,” Cillian said, moving closer to us and checking the temperature of our disagreement.

It seemed like all he did lately was pull us out of explosions of temper. Because without Hayden, we were falling apart. It suddenly seemed like a miracle that we’d stayed together all these years without her.

“Anything?” I asked him, already knowing the answer.

Cillian shook his head, pain streaking across his face. The master of control was slipping with her, and it was just more evidence that we needed Hayden to keep anything together.

“We should’ve heard from them by now,” Maddox said.

He was the opposite of Cillian. He’d locked everything down so that it was hard to tell if he cared at all. Everything was clinical, detached. And it made me want to break Mad’s nose just to make him feel something.

Cillian glanced at his phone for the millionth time. “Brix said there were several possible approaches. Two of them would take significantly longer.”

A muscle in Maddox’s jaw twitched. “We’re past that longer window now.”

“They still had to extricate her,” Knox argued, always trying to see the positive. But even he was struggling with that.

“We should’ve gone with them,” Maddox spat. “For all we know, they could take her for ransom.”

Cillian glared at his beta. Under normal circumstances, Mad’s words would’ve been considered a challenge. “Brix has our back. But even if he didn’t, you know I’d pay that ransom in a heartbeat.”

“Nolan has an army at his disposal,” Maddox argued. “Brix and the Diablos could be swimming in a pool of their own blood right now.”

“Which is exactly what we would be doing if we’d gone with them,” Cillian shot back.

And he was right. Brix had told us that Nolan employed anti-aircraft missiles at his property, which meant that any approach by air would’ve gotten us killed in a matter of seconds. It was a betrayal to our kind to even own weapons like those, but Nolan didn’t give a damn.

“I still don’t understand why he took her,” Knox said, his voice pained.

Cillian’s jaw worked back and forth. “To either force us into submission or get something from another horde who wants her.”

I would’ve given Nolan anything in my power to get Hayden back, and he knew that. He should’ve already given us those demands. And the fact that he hadn’t already given her to another horde meant there was something else that he was after. I just had no idea what.

“Look,” Maddox barked.

All three of our heads jerked in the direction where Maddox was focused. A blacked-out SUV barreled down the winding mountain road at a speed that should’ve been reckless, unless you had shifter speed when it came to reflexes.

Cillian moved first, running to the plane and yelling for the pilot to get ready for takeoff. Maddox called to the airport crew to make a fresh path on the runway so we wouldn’t have to wait for them to clear the pavement. And Knox paced back and forth.

I didn’t move an inch. Some part of me feared that if I took my eyes off that SUV for even a moment, it would disappear altogether. I watched as it took each hairpin turn and then raced toward the airport. The gates opened as it approached, and I wondered how much Cillian had paid this tiny airport’s staff.

The SUV screeched to a halt, sending snow flying. A second later, Brix climbed out of the back and reached in to pull something out. The first thought was something because whatever it was, it wasn’t moving.

Blonde hair was matted and streaked with something dark. Her head lolled against Brix in an unnatural way. And that was when I saw it.

At first, I thought she’d worn a dark shirt. It wasn’t. At some point, the tee had been white because one sleeve was still that color. But the rest of it was varied shades of red. From bright crimson to a dark, almost brown.

Blood. Hayden was covered in blood. And she wasn’t moving at all.

10

HAYDEN

I was in that space between conscious and unconscious states. Not awake, but not asleep either. Certain things punched through my unconsciousness just long enough for me to grab hold. The pain always made it through. Each jostle of the vehicle or when someone lifted me into their arms. Each step the person took. So much pain.

“Who. Did. This?” a voice snarled. Some part of me recognized Cillian as the owner of the words, but the timbre was so much angrier than I’d ever heard it before.

“Nolan. He was trying to get her to shift.”

“Shift?” Knox asked, his voice barely audible.

“That’s barbaric,” Easton said, so much agony in his voice.

“She needs a blood transfusion,” Brix told them.

I wanted to open my eyes. Wanted so badly to see them. To believe they were really here. That I was safe. But I couldn’t get my eyelids to obey.

“I’ll do it.” A deep voice cut through the silence. I knew it was Maddox. But there was no emotion in his words. There was nothing at all.

“Give her to me,” Knox said. “She needs our touch.”

But there was hesitation in his tone. Fear maybe?

Arms slid under my back, sending a fresh wave of pain through me. I couldn’t help the moan that slipped free.

Knox cursed. “I’m hurting her. I don’t—I can’t cause her more pain.”

My eyelids fluttered for a moment, bringing Knox’s and Brix’s expressions into focus. I swore I saw pity on Brix’s face before he handed me over to Knox.

“We have to get her on the plane,” Cillian said, voice tight as he moved closer.

Knox shifted me into his arms, and I tried not to cry out.

“Hayden,” he croaked, a tear falling from his eye and landing on my cheek.

“Okay,” I rasped. It was all I could manage to get out.

Knox leaned down, pressing his cheek to mine. “I’m so sorry, baby. So fucking sorry.”

“Get her on the plane,” Maddox ordered. “I’ll treat her there.”

“Wait,” Brix called.

Knox stilled.

“We managed to take down most of Nolan’s guards, but two were enough of a distraction to let him slip away.”

Cillian let out a low, rumbling growl. “Where?”

Brix didn’t show any reaction to Cillian’s fury. “Don’t know. A helicopter took off from the landing pad, and I’m guessing he was on it.”

A series of curses and snarls filled the air, and I shook in Knox’s arms. As if my body couldn’t handle their anger.

Knox instantly quieted, pulling me gently against him. “It’s okay. You’re safe now, Hayden. I promise.”

But that wasn’t true. Not if Nolan was free. I wouldn’t be until he was six feet under.

“We’ll be hunting him,” Brix said, voice low. “His men injured one of my pack. There is no escape for him now.”

Cillian’s dark gaze bored into Brix. “We need a hand in his end.”

Brix was silent for a long moment and then jerked his head in a nod before turning to the vehicle.

“We can fly you back,” Cillian offered.

Brix didn’t turn around. “We make our own way.”

No one moved for a moment, and then finally, Easton spoke. His tone was gentler than I’d ever heard it. “We need to move. Hayden needs to get warm, and we’re sitting ducks here.”

It was then I realized I was still shaking. But I didn’t know if it was from cold or terror. Because I couldn’t truly feel any of it.

Knox moved then, but he did it slowly, trying to keep from jostling me as much as possible. Cillian hurried ahead of us, helping to guide our way. Each step of the plane stairs was agony on my abused flesh. I could feel fresh blood flowing from my wounds and wondered how there was any left in my body to give.

Light and shadow danced in front of my vision as Knox kept climbing. And then finally, we were inside. The plane felt too hot. Like I was burning up.

“Let’s get her to the bedroom in the back,” Cillian ordered.

A bedroom? On a plane? None of that made sense.

But a few seconds later, Knox was lowering me to a mattress. The transfer hurt, his arms pulling at my wounds. I couldn’t help the whimper that escaped me.

I could feel the fury in the room more than I could see or hear it. The bonds I had with Cillian and Knox told me how they felt. But somehow, I felt Easton’s, too. The only one I felt nothing from was Maddox.

He stood as far from me as possible, only staring on in clinical detachment. There was nothing on his face at all.

“We need the caster,” Easton whispered.

“Maddox,” Cillian clipped. “We need to treat her as best we can until Marcus can see to her.”

Maddox didn’t move. But a hand slid into mine, then lips ghosted across my skin. Knox. I knew it without looking, and more, I felt it. It was like a specific thread of pain eased at that skin-to-skin contact.

There was still a sea of agony, but that soul pain lessened. The thread that was crying out because I’d been parted from my bond.

“Maddox!” Cillian barked, stalking across the small room as the plane began to taxi. “Help her.”

Maddox’s eyes went wide, and I saw it then, true fear. “I don’t know if I can.”

11

MADDOX

Blood. So much that I didn’t understand how Hayden was still breathing. The red seeped out onto the white sheets, making it even more obvious just how much she’d lost. The image in front of me mixed and swirled with one from so long ago. One of Niecy, my first everything, broken and battered and lifeless.

Cillian shoved me again, this time slamming me into the wall as the plane picked up speed. “Pull your head out of your ass and help our mate.”

The word mate had me snapping back to the here and now. I took in Hayden in a new light, truly seeing the pain lacing her face. My back teeth ground together as I dodged Cillian and slipped out into the main cabin in search of my medical bag.

Mate.

I didn’t deserve a fucking mate. And for the first time, I realized everything I’d told myself about not being able to touch Hayden because of my role at the university was utter bullshit. It was the shield I’d put up so that she wasn’t at risk because of her tie to me, and I wasn’t at risk for the pain that came with losing someone you cared about.

But all of that had been smashed to hell. Because Hayden had destroyed those walls with her kind curiosity, her fiery spirit, and everything that was her. Mo Ghràidh. She’d become everything to me without me wanting it. And now, I knew that if I lost her, I wouldn’t survive.

Grabbing the leather medical bag, I strode back into the bedroom just as the plane lifted off the ground. I tried to steel myself for the image that I knew would greet me. But none of it worked.

Hayden with blood-matted hair and blood-soaked clothes. Her face twisted in pain.

Knox looked up at me from his spot on the floor at her side. He hadn’t let go of her hand. “Help her.”

I gave him the slightest nod and set my bag on the bed. Riffling through it, I found my pair of medical scissors. Moving closer to Hayden, I forced myself to meet her eyes. “I need to remove your T-shirt so that I can treat your wounds. Is that okay?”

My voice sounded so calm, almost reassuring. The opposite of the emotions rioting inside me. I had no idea what Hayden had been through in the past few weeks. No idea if Nolan and his men had violated her in more ways than what I could see. She needed to feel in control right now, and I would give that to her.

“Okay,” Hayden whispered.

The word was raw and scratchy, as if she’d been chain-smoking cigarettes. But it was thanks to the ordeal she’d been through.

“Can’t you give her something for the pain first?” Easton asked.

I’d barely noticed him in his spot against the wall on the other side of the bed. But even as he spoke, he didn’t take his eyes off her. As though if he did, she might disappear.

“I need to assess her wounds first,” I said carefully. What I didn’t say was that we could give Hayden something that would send her into unconsciousness if she was too close to death. We could lose her altogether.

“We should’ve brought the caster,” Knox mumbled.

“It was too much of a risk,” Cillian clipped. But I knew he was beating himself up for not putting Marcus on the plane with us.

I moved quickly then, knowing my brothers were about to devolve. We needed a common purpose now, and that was caring for Hayden. I leaned over, taking the hem of her T-shirt and lifting it. Slowly, I cut into the cotton. Each swish of the scissors revealed more and more abuse to her body.

Angry slices in various stages of healing or rawness appeared all over her torso and upper chest. As I made one last snip, Knox sucked in a sharp breath.

The wound on her side was especially vicious and deep. Hayden trembled. “There are more on my back.”

A series of curses and snarls filled the air, but I struggled to keep my rage inside, not wanting to scare her. “Knox, please help me turn her.”

He stood, releasing Hayden’s hand and gripping her shoulder as gently as possible. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered as he shifted her.

Hayden let out a whimper that sliced me to my core. I worked as quickly as possible, cutting the cotton away there, too. Easton moved in, carefully pulling the torn fabric free. When I got a full view of her back, I wanted to gut every man who’d been at Nolan’s compound.

Countless wounds crisscrossed her back. Like her front, they were in various stages of healing, and there were more that had to have been inflicted today.

“You can lay her back down,” I told Knox.

He did so instantly, and Hayden let out a soft moan. Knox pressed his head to Hayden’s temple as he slid his hand into hers. “I’ve got you. You’re not alone.”

“Love. You,” Hayden rasped.

“More than you’ll ever know.”

Their tender words slayed me. God, I wanted that. Yet at the same time, I was fucking terrified of it.

I shook off the thought and pawed through the medical bag. There was no way I could treat these wounds with Hayden being awake. It would be barbaric. I’d just have to risk giving her a strong painkiller.

As I readied the syringe, Cillian moved in closer to me. “Are you sure?” he asked. “Can she take it?”

I looked over at him. “We don’t have a choice. The wounds are too deep. They’ll require more than one layer of sutures.”

A muscle ticked wildly along his jaw. “What about a transfusion?”

“I don’t have the supplies here. We need to do it once we’re home.”

Just another thing for me to beat myself up for. I should’ve known that we might need more extensive medical supplies.

“Fuck,” Cillian ground out.

“I’ll do everything I can.” I moved to the bed, gently taking the arm that Knox wasn’t holding. “There will be a small pinch, and within a few minutes, you’ll feel less pain.” Hopefully, she wouldn’t feel anything at all.

“K,” Hayden mumbled, already hazy.

I slid the needle into her vein and injected the painkiller. Hayden’s eyelids began to flutter.

“Wait,” she said, fighting the pull of the drug. “Forgot to tell you. Nolan. He said I’m the princess. Dex killed my parents. My scales… they’d make him powerful. He wants them. But I didn’t shift.”

And then she was gone, pulled into unconsciousness as the rest of us stared at each other in a mix of horror and shock.

If Hayden was the last of the royal line, the supernatural world would never stop hunting her.

12

KNOX

A deadly silence swirled as Hayden’s words hung in the air. They weren’t altogether sensical, but we could gather enough to take her meaning. I stared down at her, the woman who’d stolen my heart, my soul, and my life. Could she truly be the last of our royal line?

It was Cillian who finally spoke. “I heard rumblings about the queen being pregnant at one time. But when she disappeared, everyone just assumed it was a rumor.”

Maddox shook himself out of his stupor. “We’ll discuss this later. I need to treat her wounds now. The drug isn’t long lasting.”

He moved quickly, snapping on gloves and preparing a tray with the instruments he needed. I just kept hold of Hayden’s hand. It lay limp in mine. The lifelessness made my gut churn. Everything about it was wrong. So opposite to the woman I’d grown to know and love.

“What can I do?” Easton asked quietly.

There was so much pain in my twin’s voice, true agony. But I didn’t need to hear it to know it was there. I’d always been able to feel an echo of what he did. It was one of the things that made living with his anger and bitterness these past years so difficult.

“You can all help me clean her torso,” Mad said. “You need gloves. We can’t expose her to any germs. Infection would end her.”

Each word was a carefully placed blow, but I stood, donning gloves like the rest of my brothers. We accepted the large swaths of gauze and waited as Maddox poured what looked like hydrogen peroxide onto them. We surrounded Hayden, all staring down at her, unable to take that first step. Her flesh was torn and abused; bruises in varying colors bloomed around the wounds. What the hell had they done to her?

Maddox moved first, swiping the gauze across her stomach.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to begin. I worked from the top of her left shoulder downward. Within seconds, the gauze pad was soaked with blood. I quickly got a new one and returned to my task. I tried to disassociate from what was actually happening in front of my eyes, trying to see the figure in front of me as simply a body and not Hayden. But I couldn’t.

Every gash and bruise had sickness stewing somewhere deep. Every patch of drying blood had rage burning brighter. But I didn’t stop. I wanted every speck of blood gone from the woman I loved.

One gauze pad after another, we all kept cleaning until her torso was completely clear, aside from the wounds still oozing. Pressure built behind my eyes, a burn lighting there. Our Hayden. She’d been through a hell that would haunt me for the rest of my days.

Removing my gloves, I slid my hand into hers as Maddox began to work on her. I wasn’t sure how long it took. Minutes? Hours? By the time he was done, his eyes were bloodshot, and lines of strain were carved into his face.

Cillian’s hard gaze bored into him. “She’ll be okay.”

It wasn’t really a question; it was more of a command. But Maddox answered him anyway. “She’ll live. But unless she shifts, she’ll be weak for some time. She lost way too much blood, and I’m not sure if some of the wounds will have nerve damage.”

A fresh wave of fury ripped through me, and I struggled not to grip Hayden’s hand too tightly. “We need to find Nolan,” I snarled.

Cillian’s jaw worked back and forth. “Brix and the Diablos will find him. It’s personal for them now.”

Easton shoved off the wall. “We need to discuss what Hayden said.”

All our gazes met and held.

“Do you honestly think it’s possible?” I asked. Our world had to have known if there were more royals. My parents had spoken of the queen and king. Their unique powers and unparalleled strength. The queen especially.

Cillian scrubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw as he stared down at Hayden’s unconscious form, which was now covered with a blanket. “She looks like the queen. The same violet eyes and blonde hair.”

“It would explain why Dex has been so focused on her,” Maddox said, a bite to his words. “She wouldn’t just be a broodmare to them. She would be the means to more power than he could ever dream of.”

Easton’s brow furrowed. “Because her children have the potential to carry those same powers.”

Maddox nodded. “But I didn’t understand what she said about Nolan wanting her scales.”

Cillian paced the small space, his breathing growing more ragged with each step.

I muttered a curse low. He knew something. Something that none of us were going to like.

“What?” Maddox demanded.

Cillian didn’t stop moving, and scales rippled over his forearms. His control was tenuous at best. And for the shifter who had more control than anyone I knew, that scared the shit out of me.

“You know that the underground fights are tied to the dark market,” he began, his words strained.

Cillian had made his way by battling for every penny he could scrounge together, and the underground fights were the only way he could do that.

“Dark magic,” Easton muttered.

Cillian jerked his head in a nod. “I heard about things I never want to think of.”

I could only imagine. There were casters and other supernaturals who would do anything for money and power. But those things always had a price.

“There was an old caster who I thought was half-crazy, but her stories were always amusing. She told me once that there was a spell you could do that would give you the powers of another dragon. You just needed one of their scales,” Cillian continued.

He looked down at Hayden with a mixture of fear and fury on his face. “But each scale takes more of their life force, weakening them, draining them. And if you take too many at once…”

“What?” Easton demanded.

But we already knew. We just didn’t want to admit it.

Cillian’s throat worked as he struggled to swallow. “It will end the dragon altogether.”

13

HAYDEN

I was floating again. In that sea of nothingness. But this time, there was no pain. There was nothing but heat and comfort and…rightness.

I wanted to roll around in it all and never leave. Was I dreaming? I had to be. I never wanted to stop. Didn’t want to go back to Nolan and his never-ending stream of torture.

“Open your eyes, Little Flame.”

There was a gentle command in that deep, gritty voice. But command, nonetheless. And it was an order I somehow wanted to listen to.

I frowned at that. I didn’t want to open my eyes. I wanted to stay in the nothingness.

A chuckle sounded, skating over my skin in a pleasant shiver. “She’s stubborn even in her sleep.”

Some part of me recognized Knox’s voice.

That had my heart speeding up. Was I really hearing him? Was he here? I was too scared to open my eyes and see for myself.

Someone nuzzled my neck, and the scent of pine after a hard rain filled my nose. Knox’s scent.

My eyes flew open just as Knox pulled back. My gaze swept around the room so fast it made me dizzy. Not just any room. My room. Home. Knox was propped up next to me on one side of the bed while Cillian sat on the edge opposite him. Easton was perched on the end of the mattress, and Maddox stood next to the bed, adjusting something on an IV. An IV that connected to my arm.

I blinked a few times, trying to clear the cobwebs in my mind and think back to the last thing I remembered. Nolan’s torture chamber. The lights going out. Brix. The plane.

Tears filled my eyes. “I’m home?”

“Little Flame,” Cillian croaked. But he didn’t hesitate. He scooped me into his arms and deposited me in his lap, being careful not to dislodge my IV.

He nuzzled my neck, breathing deeply. “You’re home. You’re safe. No one will ever hurt you again.”

His last words vibrated with furious promise, but they didn’t scare me. I burrowed deeper into his hold, soaking up his warmth.

A hand skated up and down my back, and I could feel Knox’s energy seeping into me. “Are you hurting?”

“No,” I murmured, the word barely audible as I spoke against Cillian’s T-shirt-covered chest. I didn’t know how that was possible, not with everything Nolan had put me through. I pulled back slightly, looking up at Cillian. “How?”

He inclined his head toward Maddox. “Mad and Marcus worked around the clock to try to help as much as they could.”

My gaze shifted to Maddox. A flicker of a memory sparked in my mind. A tortured-looking Maddox staring down at me on the plane. But the Maddox staring back at me now had that complete clinical detachment back in place. As if I were a science experiment.

“You lost a lot of blood,” he said coolly. “I stitched your wounds, and when we got you home, we were able to do a transfusion. Marcus was able to speed the healing of your injuries, but you will still be weak for some time.” His gaze hardened a fraction. “You will need to take it easy.”

Cillian pinned me with his own alpha stare. “That is not optional.”

“I feel okay,” I began, but Knox cut me off.

“Don’t even think about it. You’re resting for the foreseeable future. I’ll tie you to the bed if I have to.”

My cheeks flushed as I stole a look at him. “Don’t know that I’d mind that.”

I expected laughter from Knox or Cillian at least. But there wasn’t a sound to be heard. I frowned at them. “It was a joke.”

Cillian pulled me tighter against him. “We’re not quite ready for those. You scared a century off our lives.”

I looked up into those swirling green eyes and lifted a hand to press against his cheek. Cillian’s stubble was thicker now, and dark circles rimmed his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have a thing to be sorry for,” he growled. “But we all need to assure ourselves that you’re safe and healed.”

Nolan had scarred us all. And that knowledge had fury spiking somewhere deep. Hot on its heels was a flash of fear. “Did they kill him?”

Shadows gathered in Cillian’s eyes, and I could feel his struggle to keep his hold on me gentle. But it was Easton who spoke. “Nolan escaped. But the Diablos are hunting him now.”

My mouth went dry. Nolan was still free. And that meant I was at risk. That he could try to take me at any moment.

“His resources have been greatly diminished,” Cillian assured me. “His army cut down and financial reserves…tied up.”

“What Cill means is that he had all of Nolan’s bank accounts drained,” Knox explained.

I straightened on Cillian’s lap. “How?”

Cillian shrugged. “I know people who can help with that sort of thing. Nolan will find it very hard to access help of any sort. It won’t be long before Brix and his team will find him.”

I shifted, remembering the darkness in the wolf shifter’s eyes. “I need to thank him.”

A series of rumbling growls filled the room.

Knox moved in closer, pressing his face to my neck and inhaling deeply. “It’s going to be a while before any of our beasts can handle having a predator male in your vicinity.”

I eased back into him, understanding sweeping through me. “I could just write him a note, maybe.”

Easton’s lips twitched at that. “You think no-soul Brix has ever gotten a thank-you note?”

Cillian let out a soft scoff. “Pretty sure that’ll be a first for him.”

My mouth curved. “It’s the thought that counts.”

Easton just shook his head, but the amusement on his face was a welcome sight.

As I glanced around the room again, I frowned. “Where’s Cáel?”

Anxiety bloomed as I realized I didn’t remember seeing him at the airport or on the plane. “Is he okay? The crash—he didn’t—is he—”

“He’s alive,” Maddox said. But there wasn’t a whole lot of gentleness in his tone.

Cillian glared at Mad, his hand sweeping up and down my arm in an attempt to soothe me. “His injuries from the crash are minimal now.”

But there was something they weren’t telling me. “Where is he?” I demanded. There was no way Cáel would be anywhere but at my side after an ordeal like this.

Knox’s hand stroked up and down my back. “He was a mess after the crash, unstable. His dragon half took over.”

Warnings about what that could mean filled my head. “He can’t shift back?”

No one spoke for a long moment. Finally, Easton met my gaze. “Cáel went feral. His dragon has complete control and won’t let his human half surface.”

Fear stabbed deep. I remembered what the guys had said before, that their dragons could take hold and never let go.

Knox kept stroking his hand along my spine. “Maybe he’ll come back now that you’re here. He has to be able to sense you.”

I struggled to stand, extricating myself from Cillian’s hold and trying to unhook my IV. “Let’s go now. We can find him. Tell him I’m back.”

Maddox’s hand landed on top of mine. “No.”

I scowled up at him. “If you think I’m going to leave him in this state—”

Maddox’s face hardened. “You have no idea what a feral dragon is capable of.”

“She might be able to help,” Knox argued.

Maddox’s glare turned to him. “Or he’ll rip her to shreds in a single breath.”

14

HAYDEN

Cillian studied me from his spot at the head of the table. No, he studied my plate. Then he frowned. “That’s all you’re going to eat?”

I stared down at my still-half-full lunch. Easton had loaded me up with homemade lasagna, garlic bread smothered in mozzarella and parmesan, and Caesar salad with croutons made from scratch. It was all delicious. But I hadn’t managed to eat much while I was in Nolan’s clutches, and I swore my stomach had shrunk thanks to the experience.

It didn’t help that my mind was constantly on Cáel. I pictured his silvery white dragon flying through the night all alone or curling up in a cave in the mountains, freezing. I hated it. And more than that, I missed him so much there was a deep ache in my chest.

“Little Flame?” Cillian prodded.

I gave my head a little shake. “I’m just pacing myself.”

I made a show of cutting another piece of the lasagna with heirloom tomatoes, sausage, and more kinds of cheese than I could count. I slid it into my mouth but barely tasted the deliciousness.

As I lifted my gaze to Easton and Maddox opposite me, I found them both staring. Maddox quickly averted his gaze the same way he always did. But Easton didn’t look away. He let me see the agony in his eyes.

Easton had been so damned careful with me the past two days. They all had, but Easton the most. He treated me like I was made of the most delicate glass, one that had already been fractured and was at risk of shattering altogether.

Guilt swamped me. Because while I couldn’t feel Easton’s or Maddox’s emotions like I could Knox’s and Cillian’s, I got little flickers of Easton’s occasionally. I’d finally realized that it was because the twins were tied on a fundamental level. So I got brief flashes of Easton’s tortured emotions and knew that he blamed himself for this, too.

I swallowed my bite of lasagna but didn’t move my gaze from East’s. “It wasn’t your fault.”

He jerked back slightly, then dropped his fork. “I should’ve gotten to you.”

“And what good would that have done? I saw at least a dozen attackers. If you got free, they would’ve killed you.” I knew that for certain. Because there was nothing a dragon shifter could do against twelve weapons designed to end him.

Easton shook his head. “You don’t know that. I could’ve—”

“You couldn’t,” I cut in. “They ran us off the road and flipped our SUV. We’re lucky they didn’t put bullets in all three of you just because they could.” I shuddered at the thought. “I don’t blame you, and it’s starting to piss me off that you’re blaming yourself. I’m okay. Alive, breathing. You’re helping me heal. But all of us swimming in guilt isn’t going to help.”

Easton sighed, tugging a hand through his long, light brown hair. It was down today, skimming across his broad shoulders, the few blond strands catching the light. “I can’t turn it off.”

I shoved my chair back and stood. The guys all watched me as if they thought I might have a breakdown. And it was a fair worry. My nightmares last night had been brutal. But instead, I rounded the table to Easton’s chair.

He looked up at me, a bit bewildered, but I didn’t let that stop me. I grabbed his tee and tugged him up. Easton looked confused but stood. The moment he was on his feet, I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tight.

Easton hadn’t touched me since I’d been rescued. Not once. But I could feel through my bond with Knox that it was because he felt he didn’t deserve to. I was so over that martyr bullshit.

I pressed my cheek to his pec, feeling the beat of his heart radiate through me. I couldn’t help the sigh that slipped free. God, I’d needed this. To have that contact with all of my bond. But only two had been willing to give it to me.

Slowly, Easton’s arms came around me. One hand slipped under my tangle of blonde hair and began kneading my neck. “I’m so sorry, Hayden.”

“If you apologize one more—”

“Not for the crash,” he cut me off. “I’ll always carry guilt for that. But I’m sorry I haven’t hugged you.”

The burn of tears lit behind my eyes. “I missed you and your Grumpy Cat self.”

Easton chuckled, and the sound vibrated through me. “I missed you more than you’ll ever know.”

His lips skimmed over my temple, and another piece of that soul pain slipped away. A riot of emotions warred within me. There were parts of me that wanted to completely give myself over to East. And there were parts that remembered how deeply he’d hurt me and wanted to run fast and far. But still, I held on, clinging to the fact that we were both trying. It was all we could do.

I felt heat at my back, and my hair was swept away. Cillian’s lips skimmed the skin just below my ear. “We’d do anything for you, Little Flame. Just tell us what you need.”

More warmth pressed in at my side, and I knew Knox was there. He kissed the top of my head. “We just want to make sure you’re okay.”

I straightened, soaking in the love and care of three of my bond mates and trying not to feel the lack of Maddox’s presence. I licked my lips and looked around at all of them. “I need to find Cáel.”

15

HAYDEN

The guys got instantly closer at my words. Even Maddox stood from his chair. But it was Cillian who spoke, the alpha in full effect. “No.” It wasn’t harsh or loud, but it was final.

I simply arched a brow at him. “No?”

He stared right back at me, but I didn’t miss the way his eyes shifted the slightest amount.

Knox snickered. “She’s scary when she’s mad.”

“It would be idiotic. Completely reckless,” Maddox said, annoyance flitting across his face.

I turned my glare on him. “Seeing as you’ve barely said a word to me since I’ve been back, I’m pretty sure you don’t have a say in the matter.”

“Burn,” Knox muttered.

Cillian smacked him upside the head. “Not helping.” He shifted his focus to me, moving in closer, his heat enveloping me. “Little Flame.”

“Don’t,” I clipped. “Don’t you use that sweet, soothing tone. It’s not going to work.”

He lifted a hand, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, and then moved it to my neck and squeezed lightly. “You don’t understand. A feral dragon is dangerous at best.”

“Murderous at worst,” Maddox mumbled.

A shiver skated over my spine. I knew that Cáel could be vicious when he needed to be, when the people he loved were at risk. But I also knew that he was incredibly gentle when it came to me.

“He won’t hurt me,” I said softly. “And I have to do whatever I can to help him. Just like he’s always done for me.”

Knox squeezed my waist. “He’s not himself right now. He could take you, fly you to wherever he’s been staying. He won’t have what you need to live, but his dragon half won’t completely understand that.”

I shook my head. “He won’t.”

I wasn’t completely sure of that. But I was sure that if Cáel did take me, I’d be able to reach him when we were alone.

“I’m not scared of him,” I pressed.

“You should be,” Maddox snapped.

The urge to junk punch the professor was growing by the moment. But it fell away when Easton spoke.

“She’s right. I think Hayden is the only one who’ll be able to reach him. She’s his only chance.”

I turned then, back to the man I’d built a tenuous connection with. And what I saw in his eyes healed a little more of the hurt he’d inflicted. I saw certainty there, belief in me. I couldn’t look away from those pale green eyes flecked with gold. “Thank you.”

“You aren’t seriously going to allow this?” Maddox demanded, looking at Cillian.

Cillian was quiet for a moment before speaking. “She needs to try. We’ll be with her every moment.”

“Until he fries us all,” Maddox shot back.

I scowled at him. “You’re welcome to stay here.”

I moved then, not wanting to wait a single moment longer. Partially because I didn’t want to risk Cillian changing his mind, but mostly because I missed Cáel with every fiber of my being. And more than that, I was worried about him. About what he’d been through. I needed to see him. To touch him. And I needed it now.

Extricating myself from the huddle of overprotective alpha males, I headed for the front door. I opened it and stepped out into the bright sunlight. Breathing deep, I took in the scents of home. The pine smell that was unique to right here. While it was cold, it wasn’t gray like it had been at Nolan’s fortress.

I shivered at the memory, and something slid over my shoulders. I looked up to see Easton covering me with the puffy coat Cáel had bought me.

“No reason to freeze while you’re hunting dragons,” he murmured.

My mouth curved. “Thank you. For everything.”

Easton stared down at me. “I may not have had your back before, but I do now. And I promise I’ll never fail you again.”

Something told me he meant more than the time he’d simply been an ass. That he blamed himself for things out of his control. I wanted to dig into that, to make sure he wasn’t carrying the weight of what had happened to me on his shoulders, but now wasn’t the time.

Instead, I slid my hand into his and squeezed. “Where do you think we should start?”

Easton laced his fingers through mine. “He’ll scent you once you’re outside long enough. We need to find a spot where he doesn’t feel ambushed.”

I frowned but knew it was the animal half of Cáel that we were dealing with right now. And animals didn’t like to be cornered. “What about the clearing? The place you all first showed me your dragons?”

“That’s a good idea,” Knox said. “It’s a big enough space that he won’t feel like we’re surrounding him.”

“Everyone needs to stay in their human forms,” Cillian ordered.

Maddox hung back, but it was clear he intended to follow. I simply ignored him and started for the clearing.

It took us a good fifteen minutes to get there, and by the time we arrived, I was out of breath and my muscles ached. Cillian sent me a worried look. “This was too much.”

“I’m fine,” I argued.

He exchanged a glance with Knox that called bullshit. It was just another time I wished I could shift. If I could take my dragon form, then all my injuries would be healed in a matter of seconds. Instead, I’d have to heal like all humans did, with a little help from the potions Marcus had made.

Releasing Easton’s hand, I moved deeper into the clearing. I tipped my face up to the sky and exhaled, waiting. The sun shone brightly, and I slipped off my jacket, Easton taking it from me. There was nothing except the occasional call of a bird.

I kept my eyes skyward, sending up a silent message that begged Cáel to come back. To come home. To come to me.

A shadow flickered in the sky, and Knox sucked in a breath. “He’s here.”

My heart hammered against my ribs as the shadow swept over us again. Iridescent wings caught the light, so beautiful it stole my breath. Then Cáel was swooping down.

He landed so hard that the ground shook. His silvery white scales rippled as he shook himself. But those pale blue eyes were locked on me.

“Cáel,” I whispered, tears springing to my eyes.

Cillian shifted to my right, and Cáel’s gaze snapped to him. His mouth opened, and a silver fire shot out. A scream tore from my lips, but Cillian stopped the blaze with his own blue flames.

I gaped at him.

Cáel let out a roar that had the trees around us trembling. He stalked forward, one step and then another. Slow and practiced.

Without warning, all measured movement vanished. Cáel charged forward, and then his face was inches from mine, teeth bared in an angry snarl.

Oh, shit.

Maybe I’d underestimated a feral dragon.

16

HAYDEN

No one moved. No one breathed. One wrong step and Cáel could snap me like a twig.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, steeling my nerves. As I breathed deeply, his scent hit me. Snow with that hint of campfire. Cáel.

It was him. Even in this form. And that knowledge gave me the courage to open my eyes.

Cáel’s snarl was still in place. That angry accusation. But I realized it wasn’t directed at me. It was aimed at the men behind me. Cáel’s dragon must’ve thought they were keeping me from him. And in a way, they had been.

“It’s okay,” I whispered. “I’m back. They found me. They brought me back to you.”

Cáel’s gaze flicked down to me as if trying to make sense of my words.

“I missed you.”

He let out a huff of air as if to say no shit.

The action had a small laugh escaping me.

Cáel tilted his head from one side to another, trying to understand the bizarre human in front of him.

The movement was so him my chest ached.

I lifted my hand slowly, waiting to see if Cáel reacted in any sort of bad way.

“Hayden…” Maddox warned.

Cáel’s head jerked in his direction, more silver fire streaming out in a roar.

Maddox cursed, throwing himself to the side so he didn’t end up as grumpy barbecue. He glared at Cáel as he sat back up. His pristine sweater was covered in mud.

I couldn’t help it. I laughed.

That glare turned in my direction. “Seriously?”

I just kept right on laughing. “Sorry, but you kind of deserved a face of mud.”

“He could’ve killed me,” Maddox spat back.

I shrugged. “He didn’t, though.”

I turned back to Cáel to find him studying us both. His pale blue gaze went back and forth between the two of us as if trying to figure out the dynamic.

“No trying to kill him,” I chastised. “But feel free to send him flying into the mud anytime.”

Knox chuckled, and Cáel’s gaze snapped to him. But Cáel didn’t try to shoot fire at him. Progress.

I moved closer to the dragon, even though I could feel Cillian’s and Knox’s panic at my movement. Some part of me knew I needed to connect with him, to reach him in a way that only my touch could do.

Taking a deep breath, I lifted my hand again. It hovered just over his cheek as I waited for any reaction. There was none.

My palm finally connected with Cáel. His scales were warm and soft, and the moment we touched, another part of that soul pain eased. Cáel pressed his head against my palm, seeking more contact. I laughed as he all but purred.

Something stirred inside me. A foreign energy flipping and twisting.

Cáel’s pale blue eyes widened as he pulled back.

That energy shifted into a buzzing sensation. It started at the very center of my chest and spread out in crashing waves. I pressed a palm to my sternum, trying to get it to stop, but it didn’t do a damned thing.

The buzz shifted again, this time into a burning sensation. Like hot lava was erupting inside me, spilling over and burning every nerve ending.

I gasped, dropping to my knees as white dots danced in front of my vision.

I heard shouts behind me as the rest of the guys tried to get to me. But Cáel let out a thunderous roar, his head and long neck curving over me and keeping them out.

“What the hell did he do to her?” Knox demanded.

“I told you,” Maddox accused.

But their words barely penetrated. It was all I could do to focus on my breathing. Each inhale burned my lungs, and each exhale felt like I was spewing acid. I thought I’d felt agony before, at the hands of Nolan and when Hal Corbett had shot me with his fire, but it was nothing compared to this. I felt like I was being burned alive.

My chest heaved in ragged pants as the guys yelled and Cáel roared. And then the world went silent around me. Blissful quiet as my entire body vibrated.

Then there was nothing but pure black for a moment. A nothingness that erupted into Technicolor as everything changed around me. I was in the same place, but everything looked different. The colors were made of a different prism, and everything almost shimmered.

Slowly, I lifted my head. It felt…different, heavier somehow. My center of gravity was off. And as I took in my surroundings, it was to find Knox, Easton, Cillian, and Maddox gaping at me. All four of the guys were masters at hiding their reactions, but not now.

I moved to lift a hand to my face. Was I bleeding or something? But when I shifted, it was to reveal a purple limb. Purple?

My heart rate picked up speed. It wasn’t a human hand I saw but more of a reptile foot. My head snapped around, trying to see the rest of my body.

My breaths came quicker and quicker as I took in the rest of me. I was an iridescent yet purple…dragon. My ribs constricted around my lungs, making my breaths even shallower.

I had wings. And a tail. And—this wasn’t real.

Oh, God. I’d shifted.

What if I couldn’t shift back? What if I was stuck like this forever? Was I going to have to hunt cute little deer to eat? I couldn’t do that. I liked chocolate and potato chips and—

“Breathe, Little One.”

The sound of Cáel’s voice had me whipping around and almost falling over. Only the words weren’t spoken out loud. They were in my freaking head.

“How are you in my brain?”

A laugh sounded there. “Mind speak in dragon form, remember?”

I stared up into Cáel’s pale blue eyes, and I knew there was panic all over my face. “I’m a freaking dragon?”

17

CÁEL

Gods, she was beautiful. I’d never seen a dragon more stunning than Hayden. And my nickname for her had almost been a prophecy. She was smaller than the rest of us. Almost half our size. But her color…

There was no way to describe it other than a purple rainbow. Her purple scales had an iridescent shimmer to them. I hadn’t heard of any purple dragons since our royal line had been hunted to extinction. But here she was.

Only I could feel her panic setting in. It made sense. Shifting for the first time was painful and terrifying. No matter how many times you were told what it would be like, nothing prepared you for the actual experience.

As her fear intensified, I felt my own feralness slipping away. My more human side returning, even from within my dragon form. I curled my neck around Hayden, pulling her into my body.

“Just breathe, Little One. I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

I could feel wounds and injuries healing within her, the magic of her dragon half working away. Just the knowledge that she’d been hurt had my dragon wanting to take the reins again. But I couldn’t let him. He’d take off with Hayden, never to return again.

She’s safe, I told him. We’ve got her now. It was the feel of her smaller form against us that eased him most.

“I’m scared.”

Hayden’s words in my mind were almost a whisper, yet they slayed something inside me. I wanted to shield her. To protect her. To destroy anything that might cause her pain.

“I know.” I did my best to keep my voice in her mind calm. It wasn’t something I was particularly good at. Emotions weren’t my strong suit. But for Hayden, I’d try. “This is a good thing. Feel your body healing?”

She was quiet for a moment and then nodded against me. “I’m not tired anymore. Nothing hurts.”

I couldn’t help the low growl that emanated from my throat. I would not let anyone hurt Hayden ever again.

She nuzzled into me, and my growl shifted to a purr. “I’m okay,” she promised.

I pulled her tighter against me. “You are, and you’re going to stay that way.”

Hayden moved slightly, trying to look into my eyes. “Are you okay?”

I thought about it for a long moment. I hadn’t been. Not for weeks. That broken beastly part of me had taken over. I’d only wanted to hunt. To search for Hayden and burn everyone who may have had a part in taking her from me.

“I am now.”

It was the truth. With Hayden in my embrace, everything else simply melted away.

We stayed like that for several minutes, just relishing the feel of one another, before Hayden finally shifted slightly. “How do we turn back?”

I chuckled, the sound bleeding out into her mind.

Hayden huffed at me. “You don’t have to be rude about it.”

“Sorry, Little One. I’ll help you.” What I didn’t tell her was that I worried my own dragon wouldn’t release my human side quite as easily. We need to make the shift with her, I told him. He simply grunted in response. But I felt the slight easing of his control.

“Picture yourself as your human half. Think about what it feels like,” I told her.

Hayden’s eyes closed, and she stayed very still for several moments. “It’s not working.”

“Patience, Little One. Keep breathing.”

Hayden’s scales rippled in the sunlight, a vibration taking root in them. Then her whole body trembled. In another moment, her dragon disappeared, and Hayden crumpled to the ground.

Seeing her in that moment of weakness was all my dragon needed to cede control to my human half. I made the shift much more quickly than she had, my body used to the transition. I moved in a flash, scooping her up in my arms and cradling her to my chest.

I didn’t give a damn that I was bare-ass naked or that Hayden was covered in mud. I had her in my arms. She was safe. She was healed. She was mine.

It was at that thought of mine that my gaze lifted to the four men behind her. My brothers. I could see in their eyes just how worried they’d been for both of us. So, while Hayden was mine, she was more than that. She was ours. And that was a weight that I welcomed.

Hayden burrowed into me, as naturally as if we’d been together for centuries. I nuzzled her hair in answer. “How do you feel? Are you hurting?” My voice felt rusty since I hadn’t used it in over a month, grittier than normal.

She hummed into my chest. “Good. But kind of sore.” Her nose scrunched adorably. “And dirty.”

I chuckled, the sound releasing the pressure in my chest. “Let’s get you into the shower.”

I began walking toward the house, the rest of the guys giving us some distance, even though I knew they were dying to ask a million questions. I had the same urge. There was so much I didn’t know. Who’d taken Hayden, what had happened to her, and how had they gotten her back?

But I did everything in my power to shove down those questions. Right now, only one thing mattered. Taking care of my Little One.

My long strides made the trek back to the house take half the time, even with Hayden in my arms. She’d tried to get down at multiple points, but I’d just grunted and held her tighter. There was nothing like the feel of her small form against me. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to let her go.

I didn’t take Hayden to her room like I probably should’ve. I took her to mine, needing her scent filling my space, needing to know I had her back. The pale blue walls and serene beauty of the space usually helped calm me, but I knew that Hayden was the only thing bringing that calm now.

I strode into the bathroom, shutting the door behind us with my foot. Slowly, I set Hayden down, making sure she was steady before I dipped into the shower to start the water. It was warm within a matter of seconds, and I turned back to my mate.

Hayden stood with her arms clasped in front of her chest and her legs crossed, a hint of red tingeing her cheeks.

I prowled toward her, my hands sinking into her blonde waves and tipping her head back. “Don’t hide from me. I want to see every inch of you. Always.”

Her lips twitched. “Somehow, I don’t think you’d be down with me walking around campus naked.” A growl left my throat on instinct, and Hayden laughed. “Told you.”

“Okay, but you could walk around the house naked.”

One corner of her mouth pulled up. “Might make for an interesting Saturday.”

A different sort of growl left my throat then, one of desperate need. I tried to battle it back, to remind myself she needed tender care, not me pawing at her.

I pulled Hayden into my arms and moved into the shower. “Let’s get you clean.”

I stepped into the spray, crouching and taking my time as I washed every speck of dirt and mud from her legs. As I reached her torso, I stilled, a burning fury ripping through me. Scars, too many to count, crisscrossed her torso and traveled up her chest.

My thumb traced one that looked especially deep, and tears filled my eyes. Someone had hurt her. My mate. My heart. My life.

Hayden pressed a hand to my cheek. “I’m okay. I promise.”

I looked up at her, the image in front of me blurring. “They hurt you.”

Her fingers stroked my cheek. “Not hurt anymore.”

It wasn’t enough. I wanted to erase every ounce of pain she’d ever felt, paint over every scar with new, beautiful memories. I pushed to my feet, my hands gripping her face and pulling her to me as I struggled to keep my hold gentle.

I took her mouth with a desperate need that had fire licking through my veins. The moment her taste exploded on my tongue, I knew I’d never get enough. I wanted to drown in Hayden. To submerge myself and never come up for air.

I drank her in over and over until I finally grasped enough control to rip my mouth away. I stood in the spray, staring down at Hayden. Her lips swollen from my touch, hair mussed, and eyes wild.

“I’m sorry,” I rasped.

Hayden simply pressed herself closer to me. She slid a hand between us and stroked my cock. My eyes fell closed, reveling in the touch I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel again. I wanted to lose myself in all of her. To sink into her tight heat and thrust so deep I’d always be a part of her.

“It’s not a good idea,” I gritted out.

“Why?” Her voice was pure tempting innocence.

“Because I’m still not fully in control.”

Hayden leaned forward, her tongue circling my nipple. “I don’t need control. I just need you.”

Those words broke whatever tendrils of restraint I’d been holding on to. I snapped, hauling her into my arms. “You have me. Beast and all.”

18

HAYDEN

My heart hammered against my ribs. It was what I’d always wanted from all my men. To know I had them, every piece, even the ones they tended to hide from the light. But now that Cáel was offering it all up to me, I knew I was playing with fire. But I didn’t give a damn.

My fingers curled tighter around his cock, stroking up and down. I relished the feel of him, taking my time to read every reaction of his body. His head fell backward as a groan slipped free.

The sound and feel made me feel powerful, a sensation I hadn’t experienced in weeks. A sensation I desperately needed.

I continued my ministrations. Up. Down. A slight twist. My thumb grazed the head of his dick, and a bead of precum slipped free. Just more power rushing in.

“Little One,” Cáel breathed. “You’re heaven and hell all wrapped in one tiny package.”

I grinned at him, stroking the tiny gemstone claiming mark on his pec with my free hand.

He let out another groan. “You like that, don’t you? Knowing you ruin me with the barest touch.”

I nodded, licking my lips.

Cáel caught my wrist, stopping my movements, and I pouted. He nipped my bottom lip. “You don’t get to have all the fun.”

He gripped my wrist tighter, forcing me to release him, and then dropped to his knees. The sight was something to behold. The naked man was covered in tattoos, his pale blond braids and dreads soaking up the spray of the water like a Viking warrior heading into battle in the rain. His head tipped back, and his pale blue eyes locked with mine.

“So beautiful.” He didn’t look away from my body as his hands ran up my legs.

Higher and higher, my breath caught as they reached the apex of my thighs. But it was more than his touch. It was the reverence that he was looking at me with. As if I were the answer to all his prayers.

Cáel’s thumb grazed over the tiny dusting of hair over my core. The ghosting move made me shudder with the promise of what was to come.

“So perfect.” His thumb parted me, teasing and toying. But his eyes were locked on my center, studying me like I was the most riveting work of art he’d ever seen as the water streamed over us.

Cáel’s tongue flicked out then, lashing my clit in a quick stroke. My hands moved on instinct, one bracing against the shower wall and the other landing on Cáel’s broad shoulder. The muscles bunched and flexed beneath my grip, reminding me just how powerful he was.

I wanted more of that power, that raw strength. I wanted to remember what it was like to have Cáel moving inside me. To have all of him.

Cáel slid two fingers inside me as his tongue circled that bundle of nerves. A moan slid free, echoing against the tile. I arched into him. Needing more.

Cáel slid a third finger in, curling them in a come-hither motion. But it wasn’t enough. I needed the pressure of his body against mine. To lose myself in him. To remember that we were both still here. Alive. Together.

I whispered his name, and Cáel’s head jerked back, his eyes sparking silver. But his fingers didn’t stop moving. Those slow, almost painful thrusts. In and out. In and out.

“What do you need, Little One?”

I saw it then. Just how much Cáel was holding back. He had those darker parts of himself on a tight leash. But I didn’t want him to hide those pieces of himself.

My hand dropped from the shower wall to his cheek. I stroked his smooth skin, and he shuddered.

“Barely holding on,” he gritted out.

“I told you. I want all of you. Man and beast.” Because both were beautiful in my eyes. “You don’t have to hide from me, Cáel.”

It was all he needed. In a flash, he pulled his fingers from my body, one arm coming around me as he rose. And then Cáel was slamming into me. My eyes watered with the force of it. The bite of pain with the rush of pleasure.

My mouth fell open on a trembling gasp. It was everything I needed. Because it was the presence of pleasure and pain that reminded us we were still alive.

Cáel pulled out and thrust back in, pressing me against the shower wall. The riot of temperatures only drove me higher. Cold tile, warm water, and the fire that was Cáel. I loved it all.

One of my arms looped around his neck, holding on with everything I had because I never wanted any of this to end. The bond we shared told Cáel as much, that I was with him for every step of this ride.

He slammed into me again, making light dance in front of my vision.

“More,” I begged.

I wanted him to take me to the brink. I didn’t care how dangerous it was.

Cáel gave me exactly what I needed. My heels dug into his muscled ass as he took me. Over and over, with more power behind each thrust.

“Need. To. Mark. You.” He rasped the words into my ear, and the desperation in them had my inner walls pulsing around him.

Cáel cursed.

“Bite me.” My body craved it as much as he was desperate for that connection.

Cáel didn’t wait. His canines elongated, and then he plunged them into my shoulder. White-hot pleasure ripped through me without warning. So intense, the world faded around me for a moment.

But my mate didn’t let go. He growled against my skin as he thrust impossibly deeper. So deep, I knew I’d carry this mark in a different way. I shattered, milking every ounce of him I could get. Over and over, my head braced against the shower wall.

As Cáel’s teeth pulled from my shoulder, my vision began to return to me, the world coming into focus again. But it was to find we weren’t alone.

I sucked in a breath as I saw Maddox standing in the open bathroom doorway. My gaze collided with his, eyes that were pure gold, not a hint of amber in sight.

Neither of us moved. I didn’t breathe. But Maddox’s breaths came in ragged pants. He gripped the frame of the door, the wood fracturing there.

Then he let loose a litany of curses, turned, and left.

My gaze snapped to Cáel, who was staring at me, studying my reaction. “Mad?”

I blinked a few times. “How’d you know?”

“I could scent him a few minutes ago.”

I gaped at Cáel. “And you just kept going?”

Cáel shrugged. “He should know what he’s missing.”

I simply stared at him in shocked silence. Fucking dragons.

19

CILLIAN

Footsteps thundered down the stairs, and all three of us looked up. Knox and Easton shared a knowing look. Knox simply took a sip of his whiskey; we’d all needed it after what we’d seen in the clearing. “What do you think the chances are Mad didn’t like what he saw up there?”

I didn’t dignify that with a response. Instead, I simply pushed out of my leather club chair and strode toward the entryway. I made it there just as Maddox reached the space. I shifted on instinct, stepping in front of the door so he couldn’t simply storm out.

His eyes blazed pure gold. “Move.”

“Mad.”

Sparks flew as he struggled to keep his breathing under control.

Hell. This was worse than I’d thought. I gentled my voice, not something I was all that good at. “You can’t keep doing this. You’re hurting yourself and Hayden.”

Holding himself back from her was an exercise in futility and torture. Absolutely ridiculous. But more than that, dangerous. It put Maddox on edge, with a shorter fuse than was safe for a dragon shifter.

“I need to fly,” he gritted out.

That was fair. All of us needed to be reunited with our dragons because, other than Cáel, none of us had risked shifting these past three weeks. We knew that with Hayden kidnapped, our dragons would likely seize control and refuse to give it back.

“Fine,” I said, stepping back. “But we will be talking about this later.”

The fury that swept through Maddox’s expression told me that if our bond was any weaker, he would’ve challenged me for alpha then and there. But the role of alpha of a horde was so much more than simple power.

I might be the most dominant dragon, but I also had to be willing to have the hard conversations. Like the one I was going to have with Maddox later. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to do real damage to himself.

I sighed and headed back into the living room. I eased back into my chair and took a long drink of my favorite whiskey. Closing my eyes, I let the rich burn ease some of the worries eating at me.

“Are we going to talk about it?” Easton asked.

My eyes opened, taking in the twins’ worried faces. Hayden’s shift should’ve brought with it relief. She could heal herself now, defend herself. But the color of her scales meant one thing. Nolan had been right. Hayden was from our royal line.

Just thinking his name had a fresh wave of fury slicing through me. I wanted to peel his skin from his flesh and burn every inch of him at a torturously slow speed. I wanted him to feel every ounce of pain he’d inflicted on Hayden a hundred times over.

A different cadence of footsteps sounded before I could answer Easton. The heavy, solid ones I knew belonged to Cáel. And the lighter, almost whimsical ones I knew were Hayden’s.

East had been right. Hayden had brought Cáel back to us. Of course, she had. My Little Flame was a living, breathing miracle among us. I never should’ve doubted her.

All of us turned our focus to the door. Like Pavlov’s dogs, who’d heard the bell ring.

In a matter of seconds, Hayden appeared, Cáel towering behind her. She was dressed in oversized sweats, her hair damp from the shower. Yet, she still managed to be the most stunning creature I’d ever seen.

That foreign feeling shifted through my chest. The one I couldn’t help but wonder if it was love. But I hadn’t grown up with those sorts of emotions. I’d grown up fighting for my life.

Hayden’s gaze flicked around the room, and my head cocked to one side. She rocked back and forth on her feet, cheeks heating.

I took a deep breath, letting her scent and the feel of the bond fill me. She was…nervous. With maybe a tinge of embarrassment. “Come here, Little Flame.”

She bit her bottom lip.

Fuck. My dick twitched. I didn’t need her temptation right now. We had too much to deal with.

“Little Flame…” I warned.

She stuck her tongue out at me but trudged in my direction.

I chuckled. God, I loved seeing that fire return. Even her determination to find Cáel had sent relief rushing through me. Nolan had scarred her, but he hadn’t broken her.

The moment Hayden was within arm’s reach, I grabbed her wrist and tugged her onto my lap. She landed with a muffled oomph and glared at me. I only grinned back, pressing my face into her neck.

I breathed deeply, taking in the scents of her soap, jasmine, and sex. I grinned against her skin. “You and Cáel made good use of that shower.”

Hayden squirmed in my lap. “Freaking dragon supersmell.”

Her squirming didn’t help my already hardening cock. I pulled back, trying to get myself under control. Since when was I a horny teen again?

I slid a hand under Hayden’s damp hair and gently squeezed the back of her neck. “I like that you connected with Cáel, that he gave you what you needed.”

That pretty pink deepened on her cheek. “I’m not sure Maddox felt the same.”

Easton choked on a sip of whiskey, and Knox thumped him on the back, grinning at us. “Mad is going to be a cranky fucker for the foreseeable future, so I think it’s best we all get used to that.”

Cáel grunted in agreement as he lowered himself to the chair opposite me and Hayden.

“How are you feeling?” I asked him.

He shifted slightly. “Good. In control. I’m sorry I—”

“You never have to apologize,” I cut him off. “Our beasts have a mind of their own. Especially when their mate is at risk.”

I kneaded the back of Hayden’s neck, and she melted into me. The ease she felt with me was a gift I’d never take for granted. “How do you feel?”

“I’m good, too,” she said, burrowing deeper.

“Sore?” I pressed.

Hayden thought about it for a moment. “Not really. My muscles are a little tired. Like I had a good workout. But that could be from…”

Her words trailed off, and Knox chuckled as he shot Cáel an amused look. “Good job, brother.”

Cáel simply flipped him off.

I kept massaging Hayden’s neck. “The first shift takes a lot out of all of us. You may be tired for the next few days.”

Hayden straightened in my lap. “Will that happen a lot? My shifting?”

Easton leaned back on the couch. “You’re in charge, for the most part.”

“The most part?” she asked.

I let my hand slip from Hayden’s neck to her back, tracing nonsensical designs. “You can bring on the shift whenever you want. With practice, it’ll come faster and easier. But if you’re threatened or angry, your dragon may want to surface to protect you.”

“That’s what Nolan was trying to do,” Hayden whispered. “Hurt me so that my dragon would come to my rescue.”

My hand stilled, and every male in the room froze. We knew some of what had happened to Hayden and had seen the evidence of it on her body. But this was the first she’d spoken of it out loud.

Rage swept around the room like a living, breathing thing. And all of us struggled for control.

But it was Cáel who nearly ripped his chair apart. “Nolan?” he demanded.

Knox muttered a curse. “The Diablos are hunting him. They’ll find him.”

“They’ll bring him to me,” Cáel growled. “I’ll make his torture last for weeks. And then I’ll send him to the fiery pits of hell.”

It was what we all wanted, what we all needed. I took a long sip of my drink. “We need to play this carefully,” I warned.

“Who gives a fuck about careful?” Cáel snarled.

I tried to tighten the reins on my beast. “If we aren’t careful, the rest of the council could come for us. And if they have proof we ended Nolan, they could execute us on sight.”

20

HAYDEN

My heart hammered against my ribs. Just the mention of Nolan’s name over and over had my anxiety spiking and my mouth growing dry. But the idea that he could manage to remain free? It was almost more than I could take.

“Guys.” Easton’s voice was soft, but there was a quiet command in it that had all their gazes going to him. “Let’s dial it back a notch.” His head inclined slightly toward me.

There were times when that might’ve pissed me off. That I might feel annoyed at his overstepping. But not now. At this moment, I was beyond grateful.

My eyes locked with his, taking in the unique gold pattern within the green irises. Since I’d returned, Easton seemed to know what I needed better than anyone. Knew when I needed someone to have my back and when I needed a little protecting. How had that happened?

Cillian’s hand moved back to my neck, and he picked up his kneading again. He nuzzled the side of my face, his smoky cedar scent wrapping around me. “Sorry, Little Flame.”

I swallowed, trying to clear the dryness in my mouth and throat. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not,” Knox said, setting down his glass. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll keep you safe.”

Cáel let out a low growl of agreement.

I scanned the room, taking in all their faces. “I was purple, like Nolan said I would be. Does that mean he was telling the truth?”

It seemed so far-fetched that I was some sort of princess. That Dexter had killed my family in an attempt to steal me. That second thought had a shiver running through me.

Cillian pulled me tighter against him, wrapping me in his embrace. “I saw the queen in her dragon form once. I was at a meeting at her stronghold for dragon leadership. She was smaller, like you, and there is no denying that your coloring is almost identical.” His thumb brushed across my cheek. “And she had violet eyes like yours.”

The burn of tears built behind my eyes. “And Dexter killed her.”

A series of growls lit the air. I understood their anger. Someone had betrayed their own. And that someone had tried to steal me away before I’d ever even met them. I shuddered to think of what my life would’ve been like had I been raised in the Corbett clan.

Cillian cuddled me even closer. “He’s not going to get you. And neither is Nolan.”

“Damned straight,” Knox echoed.

“Other people have to know, right?” I asked the question I’d been too scared to ask before. “All the guards at Nolan’s castle knew. They called me princess or Bana-phrionnsa.” I struggled over the foreign word.

“It’s the Gaelic word for princess,” Cillian said gruffly.

Easton’s thumb traced circles in the condensation on his glass. “We’ll need to take extra precautions.”

I thought about the world of enforcers they’d likely have accompanying me now. But none of it seemed like it was enough. Not if Nolan or Dexter or anyone else who knew my secret was determined enough.

“We’re Hayden’s only security,” Cillian said, that alpha energy bleeding into his words.

I straightened at that, brows furrowing. “Why?” It wasn’t that I minded having the guys close, but there was such determination in his words.

A muscle in Cillian’s jaw popped. “We still haven’t figured out which one of our own reported the location of Brent’s body.”

“Or who might’ve told Nolan or his sources when you guys were leaving campus so they could attack,” Knox added.

My stomach flipped. I couldn’t imagine any of the kind people I’d met here throwing us under the bus that way. The thought had nausea racing through me. “Couldn’t Nolan’s people have simply lay in wait?”

Cillian’s thumb dug into my neck, attempting to loosen the knots there. “It’s possible, but they likely wouldn’t have attempted it if we were all traveling together.”

“And waiting around for days in the forest would’ve gotten them discovered by our patrols,” Easton added. “They had a narrow window of opportunity.”

Flickers of anger lit somewhere deep inside me. At whoever had sold us out. At Nolan’s greed. At Dexter’s and the Corbetts’ power-hungry machinations. All we wanted was to be left alone. To live our lives in peace.

Tears of frustration spilled out of my eyes. Cillian’s thumb swept across the apple of my cheek. “You’re killing me, Little Flame.”

“We just want to be free to be happy. Why can’t they leave us alone?” I whispered.

Knox rose then, unable to take the sight of my tears. He sank to his knees next to me and Cillian. “We are going to be free,” he vowed. “It may take some time. But we’ll get there.”

He brushed his lips across mine. The action felt so natural. Cillian holding me as Knox kissed me. It should’ve felt wrong or taboo, but it felt like coming home. Knox pressed his forehead to mine. “And I’m happy right now. Tasting your lips. Feeling your skin against mine. Knowing you’re safe.”

I reached out, threading my fingers through his hair. “We have to hold on to those moments of happiness.”

“Damn straight,” Cillian muttered.

The ringing of a phone cut through the tender moment, and Cillian cursed, reaching for the device. “It’s Pete.”

Easton and Cáel shared a look, but it was East who spoke. “Maybe it’s Brix again.”

I stiffened at that. Had the Diablos found Nolan? Had they ended him?

Cillian tapped the screen and pressed the phone to his ear. “Yes.”

I jolted as Pete’s voice rang out as clearly as if he were in the room next to us. “A girl’s here. She wants a word with you.”

“I can hear him,” I whispered to Knox.

He grinned. “Dragon hearing. Now that you’ve shifted, you’ll have intensified senses. It just takes time for them to calibrate.”

Supersenses. I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about that.

“Who?” Cillian demanded, sitting up and handing me over to Knox.

Normally, I might’ve protested being handed around like a football or something equally ridiculous. But the truth was that right now, the only place I wanted to be was in one of the guys’ arms.

Pete’s voice cut through the room again. “Says her name is Wren.”

That had me struggling to get free of Knox’s hold. “Wren?”

What the hell was my only friend from Evergreen doing here?

Cillian sent me a wary look. “Send her up, but accompany her with two other guards. It could be a trap.”

21

HAYDEN

I hurried to follow Cillian to the foyer. “She’s my friend.”

He pinned me with a stare that should’ve had me cowering back. “We can’t trust anyone right now. Every single person we know could be the one giving information to our enemies.”

The thought had me shuddering.

Knox wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into his side. “Chill, Cill. You don’t need to freak her out.”

Cillian turned that icy stare on Knox, the brutal alpha in full effect. “We all need to be taking this seriously.”

Easton stepped forward, flanking my other side. “We are, but I hardly doubt that wisp of a girl is going to try to take us all out.”

Wren was actually a couple of inches taller than me, but while I had curves rounding my body, she was willowy and slight. Her sleek form made it look like a strong gust of wind could knock her over.

Cillian’s eyes flashed gold. “Information can be just as deadly as a bullet.” His gaze shot to me. “Stay here.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but Knox squeezed my shoulder to quiet me. I knew he was right. There was no arguing with Cillian when he was in a state like this one. It was better to wait and play my cards carefully.

The moment the door shut behind him, I rushed to the slender window next to it. Gauzy fabric covered it in a way that would hide me, but if I pulled it back just slightly, I’d be able to see out.

“Little One,” Cáel warned.

I simply waved him off with a hand. “I’m just watching. Something has to be wrong if Wren came all the way out here.”

My stomach twisted at the thought as an image of Wren flashed in my mind. Her dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. The angry scar that ran the length of her face. The way she avoided every other person in our classes.

That dread intensified. What if she was in trouble? What if she needed help? I would kick Cillian’s ass if he wasn’t nice to her.

Tires sounded, but I couldn’t see any sign of one of the horde’s SUVs. It must’ve been that superhearing kicking in. I guessed it could come in handy.

After a few moments, the blacked-out SUV appeared, rounding the bend of the gravel road. It made its way toward the house before coming to a stop in front of Cillian. His hands rested casually at his sides, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. But I saw the way his dark shirt pulled taut across his muscled back. He was ready for anything.

Pete climbed out from behind the wheel and opened the back passenger door. Wren slid out of the SUV, her gaze darting around her surroundings. It took me less than a breath to see that she was terrified.

I moved on instinct, darting for the door, but Cáel stopped me. “Wait. We need to see what she wants.”

“She’s scared,” I argued.

His expression softened. “That doesn’t mean she isn’t here to do harm.”

I scowled at him but returned to my window perch.

Wren stood in front of Cillian, flanked by Pete and Terry, the enforcer who always wore a scowl. She steeled her shoulders and looked up at Cillian.

“What do you want, little girl?” Cillian growled.

Wren sent him a defiant look. “Where’s Hayden?”

He simply arched a brow in response. “What right do you have to that information?”

God, my mate could be an asshole when he wanted to be.

“She’s my—my friend. And if you don’t let me talk to her, then I’m going to send the police, fire department, and the freaking FBI here to find her. I’ll tell the most elaborate lie imaginable if it gets them here. She wouldn’t just bail on school.”

Cillian’s lips twitched, and I thought I saw a hint of respect bleed into his expression. “Would you, now?”

“Damned straight. She’s a good person. She’s—” Wren’s words cut off as her nose twitched. It almost looked as if she was…sniffing?

Wren’s head jerked up. “She’s here. Where is she? I want to talk to her right now.”

“Oh, shit,” Knox muttered.

I spun around. “What?”

Easton and Cáel shared a look.

“She smells you, Hayden,” Knox said.

Easton glanced toward the door. “She wouldn’t be able to do that unless she was a supernatural.”

22

CILLIAN

My body strung tight as the pieces clicked into place. The animalistic way her head tilted from side to side. The way her nose had scrunched. Wren was a shifter.

I moved so fast she didn’t have a prayer of bracing or defending. I shoved her against the side of the SUV, my forearm pressed against her neck. “Who are you? What are you?”

Both incredibly important questions. Ones that I needed answers to. But there were others, as well. One like if she knew the Corbetts, Nolan, or the rest of the council.

Wren coughed and sputtered, her eyes going wide. She trembled as she squirmed, trying to escape my hold. But I didn’t yield. I couldn’t.

She could work for anyone in the supernatural world. Could be reporting back to someone who wanted to take Hayden, who wanted to hurt her. I inhaled deeply but didn’t scent anything other than a normal human. “Answer. Me,” I growled.

“Stop it!” Hayden yelled from behind me.

A snarl left my lips. Of course, my little mate had made her way past my brothers. “Go back inside,” I ordered.

But she didn’t listen. “She’s my friend, and you’re scaring her.”

Wren’s eyes flicked from Hayden to me and back again. She relaxed a fraction at seeing that Hayden was unharmed. So, she did care about my mate.

I eased the pressure against Wren’s neck the slightest amount. “What are you?”

Wren huffed out a breath and closed her eyes. For the briefest moment, some sort of shield dropped, and I could smell exactly what she was.

“Wolf,” I growled.

And then the shields were back up, and Wren was staring at me, unease filling her expression. “Yes.”

“Let her go, Cill, or I will give you blue balls from hell for the next month,” Hayden shouted.

I heard Knox snicker at that.

I released my hold on Wren but didn’t take my focus from her. “You keep your distance from Hayden. You get within five feet of her, and I’ll snap your neck.”

Cáel sent out a growl of agreement.

A hint of fear slid through Wren’s eyes, but she quickly masked it. “I’m not here to harm Hayden.”

“I told you,” Hayden snapped.

“We’re not taking any risks,” I clipped. We couldn’t afford to.

“What happened?” Wren asked, looking past me to where I assumed Hayden stood.

Footsteps sounded on gravel, and then Hayden was at my side. “Someone kidnapped me.”

Wren sucked in a breath, her gaze roaming over Hayden again and looking for any signs of injury.

“I’m okay,” Hayden assured her.

“You know what she is,” I said coolly.

Wren’s gaze flicked to me. “I have from the moment she sat next to me in bio.”

Hayden’s lips parted on a quiet exhale. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“That would kind of defeat the purpose of hiding that I’m a wolf shifter,” Wren mumbled.

Easton moved in closer, his eyes narrowing on Wren. “How do you hide your scent? That shouldn’t be possible.”

Wren’s eyes jumped from one person to another, as if looking for a path of escape.

“No one here is going to hurt you,” Hayden said softly.

As I took in the scar on Wren’s cheek, I knew someone had.

“As long as she doesn’t make a move against you,” Cáel growled.

Hayden smacked his stomach. “Stop it. Wren isn’t going to hurt anyone.”

“But she is going to tell us how she’s hiding her identity,” Easton pressed.

Wren swallowed hard. “My mom was a caster; my father was a wolf. She taught me a spell that conceals my scent.”

A hybrid. Interesting. “Do you shift?”

I hadn’t met many hybrids but knew that they had varying levels of abilities from both their halves.

Wren nodded. “Yes.”

“If you’re trying to hide who you are, why did you come to Ember Hollow?” Knox asked.

It was a great question. It was well known in the supernatural community that I ran the area and that the Corbetts had the land to the south. If I’d really been trying to hide, I would’ve moved somewhere with minimal supernaturals.

Wren licked her lips nervously as she looked around at me and my brothers. “I heard that you give sanctuary to people who need it. That you were fair.”

Oh, hell. This girl was running from something. I could read it all over her.

“Why didn’t you approach one of us for sanctuary, then?” I asked, my voice losing a bit of its edge.

Wren shifted her weight from one foot to another as if she might bolt. “It’s safer if no one knows who I am.”

“What are you running from, Wren?” There was a soft command in my words, the alpha tone bleeding through.

Her head dropped on instinct. The action told me she was a beta wolf at most, possibly even an omega. “The pack I was a part of…they weren’t good people.”

Hayden pressed into my side, her fingers curling in my tee. “I’m so sorry, Wren. How can we help?”

I felt Hayden’s worry for her friend, her sadness, and I knew we’d be giving Wren whatever she asked for.

One corner of Wren’s mouth kicked up. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

“Of course, I do,” Hayden answered instantly. “Who’s going to snicker at Delaney’s ridiculousness with me if I don’t have you? Or suffer through those boring English lectures.”

Wren let out a soft chuckle. “Fair enough.” Her gaze flicked to me. “I don’t need anything other than the freedom to stay in your territory.”

My eyes narrowed. “Granted. But I need to know the name of your old pack.” I’d be looking into them and taking action if they’d abused the girl.

Wren instantly stiffened as she shook her head back and forth. “N-no. You can’t know. No one can.”

“Wren,” Hayden began softly.

“No,” she snapped. “If you look into me, if you tell anyone what I am…you’ll be signing my death warrant.”

23

HAYDEN

I sighed as the door closed behind me. I’d tried to get Wren to stay, to spend at least a few weeks in our house, but she’d refused. I’d known that something bad had happened to her, but now I was almost certain it was a someone that had happened to her.

Knox slid an arm around my shoulders, pulling me gently into him. “Wolves are territorial. She wouldn’t be able to relax, surrounded by a bunch of dragons.”

I looked up into his empathetic expression. “But you have wolves here. Ones that are a part of the horde.”

“They have their own cabins and space to roam. Plus, they trust us,” Easton explained.

I melted deeper into Knox’s hold. Wren definitely didn’t trust the guys. But she wouldn’t have been here to check on me if she didn’t trust me. There had to be a way to help her.

“I’m going to see if there’s anything I can find out about her,” Cillian said, a hard set to his jaw. “There has to be a trail I can follow.”

I pushed out of Knox’s hold. “No. You can’t. You heard what she said.”

“Little Flame—”

“No,” I snapped. “You won’t put my friend at risk because you’re curious.”

Cillian’s face hardened. “It’s not just because I’m curious. We need to know who Wren is running from in case they come looking for her here. We need to prepare.”

My hands went to my hips as I glared at him. “You aren’t prepared now? You have enforcers and weapons and constant patrols.”

“She has a point,” Knox said. “We are already on alert.”

Cillian sent him a look that would’ve had me peeing my pants. “Knowledge is power.”

“Unless it hurts an innocent,” Cáel said softly.

That had Cillian muttering a curse. “Fine.” He scrubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw. “I need to make some calls. The council still hasn’t responded to my petition for sanctions against Nolan.”

Easton stiffened. “Still?”

Cillian jerked his head in a nod, but the action revealed dark circles rimming his green eyes. “I’m not sure what they’re playing at, but I have a few sources who might be able to help.”

I moved into his space, laying a hand on his chest. “Maybe you should save that for tomorrow. You need a good night’s rest.”

Cillian shook his head, moving away from my touch. “I’ll sleep after my calls.”

He retreated down the hallway before I could say a word.

I tried not to let his actions sting, but tiny barbs still burrowed beneath my skin at his rejection. At the way he could simply cut me off, cut us all off.

Arms slid around me. “It’s not you, Little One.”

Easton nodded. “Cill…he struggles with when to be lenient. He’s had to watch his own back for so long, and he’s taken on watching all of ours, too.”

My stomach cramped as I remembered all Cillian had been through. His monster of a father who had held him and his mother captive. How he’d grown up on the streets all alone once he’d broken free. How he’d had to literally fight for his life in those underground battles.

I sighed, leaning back into Cáel. I wanted to do something to help, but it was clear I wasn’t wanted.

“Give him a little time to get his head on straight,” Knox said. “East and I’ll talk to him.”

“Okay,” I whispered. But I wanted to be the one who could comfort Cillian, and it hurt that I wasn’t.

“You and I can make some hot chocolate,” Cáel said hopefully.

I wanted to just go to bed, but I didn’t want to hurt Cáel. And I’d missed him. “Only if you have whipped cream.”

Cáel grunted. “Do I look like an amateur?”

That had my lips twitching. “Let’s put your skills to the test.”

Cáel led me toward the kitchen as the twins headed for Cillian’s office. At least I knew he wouldn’t be alone, and the twins knew all about Cill’s history, including any tender spots. I knew the broad strokes, but it would take time to know every detail.

Cáel’s rough hand curved around mine, his fingers lacing through. I squeezed them, looking up at him. “I missed you.”

He glanced down at me, tenderness in those ice-blue eyes. “I missed you, too.”

I studied him for a moment as we walked. “Are you okay? I mean, after going, uh…”

Cáel smiled at me. “Feral. You can say it. It’s not a bad word.”

“Are you okay after that?” I still couldn’t say it. It was as if the word had some sort of power and speaking it out loud might bring it back again.

“I’ll have to be cautious for a few weeks. My dragon’s still on edge. No shifting or getting into situations where my temper could be triggered.”

I bit my bottom lip at that. We were under attack from multiple angles, and Cáel needed to worry about his temper. Seemed like a recipe for disaster.

He pressed a kiss to my temple. “I’ll be okay, Little One. It helps to have you here. It grounds me.”

I looked up at him, warmth spreading through me. “Really?”

Cáel nodded as he released my hand and began rustling through the kitchen in search of hot cocoa ingredients. “You’ve calmed me since the moment we met. My dragon needs that.”

I took the milk from Cáel and poured it into a saucepan, turning on one of the gas burners. I hadn’t spent much time in the space, thanks to whatever phantom chef prepared all our meals. But being in here now helped somehow, just like it helped when I felt as though I’d done something to help one of the men I cared so deeply about.

“I wish I could help Cill the same way,” I murmured as I stirred the slowly heating milk.

Cáel leaned a hip against the counter. “You do.”

“Doesn’t feel like it right now.”

“Cill has always protected us by being ruthless. It’s going to take time for him to realize there are other ways,” Cáel said quietly.

I stirred the milk again, making sure nothing stuck to the sides of the pan. “I hate everything he went through.”

“We all carry scars. But they’re what makes us who we are. What brought us here. I wouldn’t change a thing knowing I got all of you in the end.”

My eyes burned at Cáel’s words, and I stopped whisking to turn to him. “I love you.”

Cáel’s throat worked as he swallowed. “Love you with every piece of me. Even the fucked-up ones.”

I hugged him tight. “You aren’t fucked-up. You’re perfect.”

He chuckled. “I like that you see me that way.”

I gazed up into Cáel’s beautiful eyes. “Maybe I’ll bring Cill some hot cocoa.”

Cáel grinned down at me. “I think that’s a great idea.”

24

KNOX

“Dude, you need to dial back the intensity,” I told Cillian as he slammed down the phone on his desk.

It was the wrong thing to say.

Cillian let out a rumbling growl that had the windows vibrating right along with his fury. “Intense is exactly how I need to be. We need to be alert, not sitting around with our thumbs up our asses.”

Easton eyed him carefully. “That’s fine, but you also need to be aware of Hayden. You hurt her back there.”

Cillian’s angry gaze cut to my twin. “That’s rich, coming from you.”

Easton reared back as if he’d been struck, and my own fury surged. The last thing East needed was his mistakes thrown in his face when he was still coming to terms with them.

I gave Cillian a hard shove. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Cill shoved me back, nearly sending me crashing into a mahogany bookcase. “Have you forgotten that our mate was kidnapped right under our noses? That she was fucking tortured?”

“Of course, I haven’t. But that isn’t an excuse to be an asshole of epic proportions,” I snapped back.

“It’s something else,” East said quietly. “Something he’s not telling us.”

I straightened then, looking back and forth between the two before settling on Cill. “What’s going on?”

Cillian squeezed the back of his neck and collapsed against his desk. “I’m worried we won’t be able to protect her.”

The room went eerily quiet. Cillian had never voiced a fear of weakness once in the entire time I’d known him. Not once.

“We will. She won’t be alone—ever. We’ll—”

“We have people coming at us from all angles. If Nolan hadn’t given Hayden that fucked-up drug, she would’ve died simply because our bond wasn’t complete and she was away from us. Any of that torture could’ve killed her. The Corbetts could’ve taken her. We had no idea where the fuck she was.”

For the first time, I realized just how much Cillian was holding inside. I’d always known he’d carried a tremendous amount on his shoulders as alpha, but this was more. He hadn’t come to terms with everything that had happened to Hayden, and now it was coming out in the need for extreme control.

“Cillian,” I started.

But he cut me off with a shake of his head. “We need a plan. If Easton and Maddox would bond with her, then at least we’d have an early warning system.”

I understood what Cillian meant. While he, Cáel, and I could feel echoes of what Hayden felt, once the entire bond was complete, that would be even stronger. We’d even be able to feel when she was close. But that wasn’t a reason to force a bond. Bonding was sacred.

“Cillian,” Easton croaked.

Cillian’s gaze snapped to him. “You don’t have to love her. You don’t even have to fuck her. Just cement the bond so we can keep her safe.”

Easton’s jaw went granite hard. “She has to want it. And she doesn’t trust me. Not yet. Not fully. And trying to force her into this will just hurt her more.”

I could feel the hurt and regret through my bond with my twin, and I wanted to break Cillian’s nose for bringing it all up again.

I opened my mouth to say something that might get me gutted when Maddox stepped into the room, fury etched into his expression.

“You might be alpha, but you have no right to command us to bond with someone. To try to take away our free will. Unless you want to become the monster your father always wanted you to be,” Maddox snarled.

Cillian’s breaths came quicker and quicker as he struggled for dominance over his beast. Smoke seeped from his nostrils, and I knew Maddox was fucked. “Say that again.”

“You heard me, alpha,” Maddox growled. “I’m not bonding with Hayden just because it’ll make you feel like she’s safer. It’s an insult to the gods. And for fuck’s sake, you commanding that of me and East is an insult to us.”

“I’m looking out for us all,” Cillian roared.

“No,” a soft voice cut in. “You’re not.”

Hayden stepped into the room, Cáel at her back, looking like he was about to murder us all. There was so much hurt in those violet eyes, and I knew it was thanks to us all. But beneath that pain was rage, and it burned brighter as she turned her gaze to Cillian.

“Thank you for trying to control my life like I’m still a prisoner.”

A muscle in his jaw fluttered. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“You’re trying to protect yourself,” she snapped. “But no matter how much you try to control everything, there’s still risk. That’s life. And I won’t bond with anyone unless we both want it and we both love each other.”

Hayden’s gaze flicked to Maddox. “So don’t you worry, Mad. You won’t have to touch me.”

And with that, she turned on her heel and fled.

Cáel glared at all of us, his teeth bared. “Good job. Like she hasn’t been hurt enough already.”

25

HAYDEN

I shuffled into my closet as the early morning sun filtered through the skylight. My eyes burned as I tried to survey the options I had for what to wear. The brand from Cáel’s and my shower fun yesterday meant I needed something where my shoulder was completely covered. But since we’d gotten a dusting of snow last night, that wouldn’t be a problem.

Scrubbing at my eyes, I tried to clear away the sting that came from lack of sleep. Even with Cáel sleeping next to me, I’d tossed and turned. I hadn’t even been back a week, and everything was already a mess.

I pulled a pair of jeans from the stack and set them on the dresser in the center of the room. Then I moved for a long-sleeved T-shirt and sweater. I didn’t even have it in me to go in search of a punny tee in the hopes of turning my mood around.

A throat cleared, and I stilled. Breathing deeply, I went in search of a scent that would tell me who the intruder was. I knew it wasn’t Cáel because he’d gone to his room to shower and get ready. The hint of pine had me relaxing a little.

Of all the guys in Cillian’s office last night, Knox was the least of my worries. I hadn’t heard him say a word. But that was part of the problem. His silence in the face of so much wrong.

“Can I come in?” he asked, a hesitance in his voice I hadn’t heard before.

I kept on with my task, opening a drawer in search of underwear and a bra. “Sure.”

Knox moved further into the space, coming to stand next to the dresser. “How do you feel this morning?”

I shrugged. “I’m alive. Isn’t that all that matters? Who gives a damn what I feel?”

Because that was what Cillian had made me feel like. As if I was a commodity. A rare diamond that needed protection, not a person with a mind and heart of her own.

“That’s not fair,” Knox said quietly.

My gaze snapped to him. “Isn’t it?”

He sighed. “I’m sorry. Cillian was an ass. Both Easton and I told him as much.”

That soothed a little of the hurt. I had only heard a snippet of the conversation.

Knox read his opening and moved in closer, brushing my hair out of my face. “I love you, Hayden. The only thing I want is for you to be happy and safe. And I know Cillian wants the same, even if he has a crappy way of showing it.”

But Cillian had never given me those three little words. I’d thought he’d felt them, but now I wasn’t so sure. Was he confusing love with possession? And I couldn’t help but notice that Knox hadn’t even mentioned Maddox.

Maddox had been absolutely livid at the idea of being linked to me. That knowledge had grief and nausea hitting me hard.

“You’re killing me,” Knox whispered, pulling me into his embrace. “I can feel how much you’re hurting. What can I do?”

“Nothing,” I mumbled into his chest. Because there was nothing anyone could do to fix this.

Knox pulled back a fraction and lifted my hand to his chest. “Feel me, Hayden. Sense into me. You have a window into every emotion I have about you.”

My brows pulled together.

“The bond gives you that tiny flicker of insight. Use it. Sense how I feel about being bonded to you.”

I’d felt glimmers of emotion from Knox, Cillian, and Cáel before, but usually only when they were extremely heightened. I hadn’t ever tried it on purpose.

I stared at my hand resting over Knox’s heart and focused. At first, there was nothing, but then I caught a brief snatch of something. Worry, maybe? Then deep devotion. Warmth and desire. And then an overwhelming sense of love.

Tears burned the backs of my eyes. “You want me.”

Knox framed my face. “More than anything.” His lips brushed against mine. “And I’d do anything for you, too. Not just to protect you, but to make you happy.”

For the first time, I truly believed that.

I stared up into Knox’s green-gold gaze. “I love you.”

“Never heard sweeter words,” he rasped.

Knox’s roughened hands slid from my cheeks, down my neck, and to the straps of my sleep tank. His fingers twisted in them as his gaze locked on my lips. “I need to apologize.”

“I’m pretty sure you just did.”

One corner of Knox’s mouth kicked up. “I gave you words. I need to give you actions.”

My heart hammered against my ribs. “What kind of actions?”

That grin widened, taking on a devilish edge. “Do you trust me, Hayden?”

It didn’t take me long to answer, not when I’d felt everything inside Knox.

“Yes,” I breathed.

“Good.” And he sank to his knees.

26

HAYDEN

There was something about seeing Knox on his knees, gazing up at me with sheer reverence that had everything inside me heating and turning liquid. “What are you doing?”

“Apologizing to my girl.” He reached over, opening one of the bottom drawers of the dresser. I’d assumed it was empty because it wasn’t one Knox had opened when he’d given me a tour of the space. But now I could see an array of leather boxes inside.

Knox removed a long, rectangular box and sat back on his heels. He stared up at me, that gold in his eyes turning molten as he unfastened a snap. The sound ricocheted around the room like a shot.

My breaths came quicker, not even knowing what was inside. Maybe it was that unknowing that turned everything up a notch.

Slowly, Knox removed a long, golden object. A sleek cylinder with a rounded head that could only be one thing. Knox set the leather box on the floor. “Are you going to let me apologize properly?”

I stared down at Knox, that mischievous grin making my heart pound harder. He arched a brow, as if echoing his question.

I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly dry. “You can apologize properly.”

Knox’s grin only widened. He laid the vibrator on the carpeted floor and reached up, his fingers hooking into the band of my sleep shorts. He didn’t yank them off or even rip them like I knew he could.

He tugged them down so slowly it was almost painful. Knox’s knuckles grazed over my thighs as his eyes fixed right on the apex of my thighs. “No underwear?”

Blood roared in my ears as he dropped my shorts to the floor. “I don’t like sleeping in them.”

A low growl filled the air. “Just another fucking reason I hate sleeping apart from you.”

Knox lifted one leg out of my shorts and then the other, but his gaze never moved from my core. “Could stare at you forever. So damned pretty.”

He trailed his fingers up one leg, taking his time to explore every inch. “Skin like silk.” He leaned forward, running his nose over my leg. “You smell like heaven.” He kissed my inner thigh, his tongue flicking out. “But you taste like sin.”

My breath caught, and I had to lean back against the tall dresser. All it took was a few whispered words and teasing touches, and my body came alive. Because it knew what was coming. Not necessarily how we would get there. But the end result. Pure pleasure.

Knox’s lips worked their way up my thigh, kissing and nipping. “You love that you torture us, don’t you?”

My mouth curved. In that moment, I did. It made me feel powerful.

Knox bit down a little harder, and I gasped. He looked up, his eyes locking with mine. “A little punishment for the temptation.”

I arched a brow. “I thought I was supposed to be getting an apology.”

He chuckled, the sound cascading over my skin and to my very core. “True enough.”

Knox’s hand lifted, gliding over my thigh to my center. His fingers parted me. “Fuck,” he growled. “Already wet for me?”

“Yes.” It was the only answer I could give. Everything else would be a bald-faced lie.

His fingers slid through that wetness, stroking. Each swipe turned an invisible cord in me tighter. Slow and easy, like Knox had all the time in the world. But I needed more.

“Knox,” I whispered. “Please.”

“That’s my girl. So beautiful when she begs.”

His thumb grazed over my clit, and I whimpered. It wasn’t enough.

“Tell me what you need,” Knox demanded.

“I want you filling me. Stretching me. I want to come so hard I see stars.”

Knox grinned against my thigh. “Let’s see what we can do about that.”

His hand disappeared, and a second later, I heard a faint buzzing. Then the cool metal was parting me, and I gasped. Knox ran the vibrator over my slit, letting the hum bring every nerve ending to life.

I gripped the edge of the dresser, the wood biting into my palms. “More,” I begged.

Knox shifted, bringing his face closer. His tongue lashed out, circling my clit as he moved the vibrator lower. He teased my opening with it, circling. My mouth fell open as my hips began to move of their own free will.

Fingers tightened on my thigh as Knox growled against that bundle of nerves. “Don’t rush my apology.”

The vibrator shifted, penetrating me, but only a frustrating inch. In and out, over and over, as Knox teased my clit but didn’t give me nearly what I needed. Then it finally thrust deeper. The vibrations seeped into me, making me moan.

“That’s it,” Knox praised. “Let me know how you feel it. How I’m fucking you nice and slow while I lap up every drop.”

His words sent a fresh rush of wetness between my thighs.

The toy thrust deeper. The only sounds in the room were the buzz and the sounds of Knox thrusting the vibrator into me, punctuated by my moans. Over and over, each thrust drove me higher, spinning that cord tighter.

Then the vibration intensified. “Oh, God,” I whispered.

“Don’t come,” Knox ordered. “Not yet.”

“Can’t stop it,” I groaned.

“You can take it, Hayden. Gonna make you see stars.”

I gripped the dresser harder, that flicker of pain helping me hold my orgasm back.

Knox thrust the vibrator deeper, picking up speed. My breaths came faster and faster as dark spots flickered in front of my vision. Knox’s lips closed around my clit as he sucked deep.

The vibrator hit my G-spot, and I fractured. My walls clamped down around the toy as I saw stars. But the vibrations only intensified as Knox’s tongue worked that bundle of nerves. Wave after wave of nothing but pure pleasure hit me.

I struggled for breath as white dots flickered across my vision. My legs started to give way, but Knox caught me around the waist, keeping me upright. And he didn’t stop. Every wave of pleasure. One right after another.

Until finally, they slowed. My legs shook as Knox pulled the toy from me and leaned back on his heels. “So fucking beautiful.”

I was still trying to find words as a throat cleared from the doorway.

My head jerked to see Cáel leaning against the frame, a smug smile on his face. “I take it this means the two of you made up.”

Understatement of the century.

27

HAYDEN

Every time I looked at Knox during the car ride to school, I blushed. I couldn’t help it. Images of what he’d done to me in the closet earlier were playing in my mind on repeat. If Cáel had been in Easton’s SUV, it would’ve been even worse. But it had been decided that Cáel needed a bit more of a handle on his beast before returning to campus.

Cillian and Maddox hadn’t even been at the house this morning. I tried not to let that sting. But there was no stopping the flicker of pain. I did my best to shove the reason why out of my mind.

Easton swung into a parking spot in the student lot closest to the math and science building. I didn’t miss how his gaze flicked to the rearview mirror and me before he cut the engine, uncertainty written all over his face.

Guilt pricked at me. East had been trying so hard. And I’d lumped him in with Cillian and Maddox last night, so sure he’d be on that bandwagon. But he hadn’t been.

I worried the corner of my lip as I slid toward the door on Easton’s side. I wasn’t going to be a chicken. My relationship with Knox was so much easier. It had always been the easiest of the five, to be honest. Maybe because Knox was so open with his feelings, I never had to guess. He’d made me feel wanted from day one.

But all of the guys had been through incredible trauma, and you couldn’t control how you dealt with or processed trauma. Easton’s path forward might’ve had an asshole bent to it at times, but he’d come around. And he was trying.

Opening the door, I came face-to-face with the man-bunned god himself. Surprise lit his eyes, then unease. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and then he cleared his throat. “Is everything—are we okay?”

I could feel the fear in those words. Maybe it was the echo of his feelings through my bond with Knox, or maybe I was starting to scent emotions like a true shifter, but it slayed something inside me. “I’m sorry.”

Easton’s brows rose.

“I shouldn’t have assumed you were jumping on the bite Hayden, and she’ll be safe, or I won’t touch Hayden with a ten-foot pole bandwagons. It was a real dick move. I just—it’s been a lot since I got back.”

The gold in Easton’s eyes sparked and swirled. “Hayden.”

There was something about the way he said my name. Gruff, like the syllables were coated in sandpaper.

“I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give. But I know it’ll take time.” Easton’s hand hovered just a breath away from me. “Whatever you need from me, you just have to say the word.”

I closed the distance then, linking our fingers together. “Thank you.”

It was all I could give him in the moment. I wanted to let my guard down, to let myself really fall, but I was still scared to put my heart fully into Easton’s hands.

He squeezed my fingers, something that looked a lot like hope in his eyes.

A throat cleared behind us, and we turned quickly, Easton dropping his hold on me.

The two detectives I’d nearly forgotten about stared back at us. The woman, Detective Brower, had a completely blank expression in place. But the man, Detective Alwyn, glared daggers at me, his gaze focused on my hand.

“Who exactly is it that you’re dating, Ms. Parrish?” Alwyn asked. “I thought it was the football player, but then you take off with the Viking-looking one, and now you’re holding hands in the parking lot with yet another of the group.”

Knox moved to my side, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “You were told that all communication with my brothers and Hayden needs to go through our attorney.”

A fresh flare of anger surged in Alwyn’s eyes, and I had no doubt that if he could’ve arrested me on the spot, he would’ve. Between Nolan and the Corbetts, I’d almost forgotten about the police and what had happened with Professor Brent.

I shivered as I remembered his attack. The feel of his hands clamped around my neck. The rage in Cáel’s eyes when he’d broken into the room.

Knox pulled me tighter against him, sensing my unease.

I wasn’t about to let any of the guys go down for something they’d done to protect me. And the world was a better place without Professor Brent in it.

Detective Alwyn sneered at Knox. “You don’t let the girl speak for herself?”

Anger surged from somewhere deep. It wasn’t just about this detective. It was so much more. Nolan. Hal and Dexter Corbett. Men who thought they could push me around, use me, manipulate me. I was beyond done with them all.

“The girl isn’t an idiot, and, after your lack of professionalism, she would like you to contact her through her lawyer. Unless you’d like her to file a report with your precinct about how you have continually harassed her despite her requests that you contact her counsel.”

Alwyn’s face turned the shade of a tomato. “You—”

A hand clamped down on his shoulder, and Detective Brower’s cool eyes met mine. “Understood, Ms. Parrish. But we’d appreciate it if you didn’t leave town again.”

I didn’t answer either way. I simply turned and headed toward the math and science building. Knox and Easton jogged to catch up. Knox slid his arm around my shoulders again, dipping his head so he could whisper in my ear. “That’s my girl.”

My mouth curved. There was just something about Knox calling me his that I’d never get tired of. Because I knew he meant it as a mutual claiming, not ownership. It made me feel cocooned in warmth.

A scoff sounded to our left. “And what are you under arrest for now? Murder a nun? Steal from a grandma?” Delaney asked snidely.

Of course, I couldn’t make it five minutes on campus without running into her. “Just alerting law enforcement to your stalking of Knox. I’m sure they’ll be serving your restraining order shortly.”

Her jaw went slack as she gaped at me, pink hitting her cheeks.

But I ignored it and kept right on walking. Easton, however, held out his hand for a high-five. “Brilliant.”

I chuckled, but any hint of laughter died on my lips as Dean Robinson stepped into our path, a serious look on her face. “Ms. Parrish. We need to talk.”

28

HAYDEN

My mouth went dry as I stared up at the dean’s face. There was no sign of warmth in her expression. It wasn’t angry, but it wasn’t warm and fuzzy either.

My heart picked up speed, feeling like it was pinballing around my rib cage. I hated being in trouble. I’d avoided it like the plague for as long as I could remember. And Dean Robinson’s pursed lips said I was in trouble now.

I swallowed hard. “Of course. I have statistics in a few minutes, but I can come by afterward?”

She shook her head, dark brown hair swaying around her. “I’ll let your professor know you were with me.”

“Maybe we should come, too,” Knox suggested.

Dean Robinson pinned him with a stare that would’ve made lesser men shrivel. When he didn’t, she sighed. “Mr. Gallagher, you have class, and so does your brother. And as close as you may be to Ms. Parrish, this is a private meeting.”

The word private made my stomach cramp.

I turned to Knox. “I’ll be okay. I’ll text you after.”

His jaw went hard, but there was no argument Knox could make. What would he say? Sorry, Dean, we can’t let Hayden out of our sight because she was just kidnapped by a crazy, power-hungry dragon shifter? I didn’t see that going over well.

Knox leaned in and brushed his lips across my temple. “Text me right after. My classroom is only two doors down from her office, and East’s is on the other side of the hall.”

I nodded. They’d be close. Nothing would happen. I was good.

Taking a deep breath, I followed the dean toward her office, feeling like I was about to walk the plank. I didn’t miss the snicker from Delaney’s direction. At least that served as a spark of anger to keep the fear from setting in.

We made our way inside and down the hall crowded with students heading toward their first classes of the day. I didn’t miss the stares and whispers. I wished I’d worn a hoodie today instead of a sweater so I could pull up my hood.

Dean Robinson slowed at a doorway. I hadn’t even known her office was in this building. She sent me a curious look as she welcomed me inside. “You look confused.”

I gave my head a small shake. “I just would’ve thought your office would be near the president of the university or something.” There was a main building that housed those sorts of offices, but I hadn’t stepped foot inside it.

The dean closed the door behind her. “I like being closer to the students. Gives me a better feel of things.” She gestured to a small sitting area next to her desk. “Please, sit.”

Her reasoning made sense, and it eased the tension in my shoulders a bit. She obviously cared for her students.

I took a seat on the couch, dropping my backpack to the floor as I waited for Dean Robinson to sit. She didn’t, though. She moved to a small setup against the wall and hit a button on an electric kettle.

My nerves ratcheted up again. If she was making tea, this was going to be a heavy conversation.

I forced my gaze away from the dean and to the rest of her office. The décor was vast and varied. Wood carvings from origins unknown, old maps in antique frames, and even some retro prints that looked as if they were from Cuba.

“I love to travel every chance I get,” Dean Robinson said softly as she handed me a cup of tea.

“Looks like you’ve been to a lot of places.”

“I have.” She sat in the chair opposite me, setting her tea on a small cocktail table. “What about you, Hayden? Can I call you Hayden?”

My mouth was suddenly too dry to speak. I took a sip of the tea, not caring if it was too hot. But it was the perfect temperature, and the taste was exquisite. A hint of orange maybe? “Of course.” I glanced down at my cup. “This is delicious.”

The dean’s expression softened. “I’m partial to tea. There’s an amazing shop downtown that carries all the best blends.” She sat back. “So? Where is it that you see your life headed?”

That dryness in my mouth was back. What a loaded question. And with all the discoveries I’d made in the last couple of months, it was one I wasn’t sure I could answer. But I knew one thing: I still wanted to become a doctor, even if I was a dragon on the side.

“I want to become a doctor, an emergency room physician, specifically.”

Dean Robinson tapped a finger on the side of her cup. “That’s a lofty goal.”

“It’s important to me.”

She didn’t give any reaction. “I know you’ve had a rough start to school. Your mugging, your advisor turning up dead. But I’m concerned about how much school you’ve missed. Taking off to accompany a friend home wasn’t exactly wise at this juncture.”

I swallowed hard. She wasn’t wrong. If that was the truth, I would’ve been an idiot. “I’ve already emailed all my professors and arranged to make up tests and get my homework to them as quickly as possible.”

“That’s good. But I’m afraid I’m going to require more frequent check-ins until you’re on steadier ground. I don’t want you to lose your scholarship at Evergreen.” Dean Robinson folded her hands in her lap. “Has Professor Kavanaugh informed you that he’s your new advisor?”

My heart slowed, my blood going cold. “Yes.”

“Good. I just sent him an email this morning informing him that you’re to have weekly meetings to check in on your progress. I’d like you to head to his office now so that you can chart a plan for getting back on track. With your academic record, I have no doubt you can do it.”

Normally, Dean Robinson’s actions would’ve been kind and thorough. She had no idea she was throwing me into the sphere of a person who wanted nothing to do with me. It didn’t matter that I’d thought we’d come to an understanding, a friendship even; all of that had changed when I’d been kidnapped.

Now, Maddox would’ve rather chewed off his own arm than be in my vicinity. And Dean Robinson was forcing us together every single week.

There was only one word to say.

Shit.

29

MADDOX

I cracked my neck as I tried to focus on the test I was supposed to be grading. But the letters of the sloppy scrawl were blurring together. I rubbed at my burning eyes. They felt as if someone had poured sand in them overnight.

It certainly hadn’t been Mr. Sandman, because sleep had been elusive at best. At some point, I’d given up and simply paced the small mountain cabin that was my escape. Back and forth across the living room as images of Niecy and Hayden played on the movie screen of my mind.

None of them had been good.

Ones of Niecy’s broken and battered body. And more of Hayden’s oozing wounds as I’d stitched her up. Two women I was supposed to protect. Two women I’d failed horrifically.

A knock sounded on my open door, and I looked up. It was as if just thinking about Hayden had conjured her up. She stood in the entryway to my office, face carefully blank. But the way she shifted her weight from foot to foot gave her nerves away.

I cleared my throat. “Yes, Ms. Parrish? Can I do something for you?”

Her nose scrunched at the use of her last name instead of her first, almost as if she smelled something bad. “Dean Robinson sent me. She said she emailed you…”

Hayden’s words trailed off as she waited. I turned away from the papers that clearly weren’t getting graded and toward my desktop. Clicking on my email icon, I pulled up my inbox.

Dean Robinson’s name taunted me, and I clicked the subject line. Each sentence was a punch to the gut, a sentence of torture I had no way out of. I swallowed down the panic setting in and motioned Hayden forward. “Come in.”

She hesitated for a moment, but then stepped inside and closed the door behind her. I almost told her not to, to leave it open, but it would’ve given me away. Instead, I waited for the scent of jasmine and dew to hit my nostrils.

The moment it did, my canines pressed against my gums, wanting to lengthen. My beast wanted nothing more than to bite our little mate. To claim her and keep her safe. And I had to fight him tooth and claw. It was part of why I’d only shifted when I was far away from her. I didn’t trust him not to bond us while in dragon form.

Hayden lowered herself to a chair opposite my desk and slid her backpack to the floor. She didn’t say a word, simply waited.

I cleared my throat. “Dean Robinson would like us to meet once a week until you’re back on track with your studies.”

“She told me.” Hayden’s voice wasn’t loud or soft, but I heard strains of pain beneath the three words.

Hell.

Last night had been bad enough. She’d misunderstood what I’d said to Cillian, but I understood why. We were fucking this up left, right, and center, but there wasn’t anything I could do to fix it. Not without giving myself away or putting us at risk.

I shoved back from my desk. I needed to move, to get some distance from the scent that was a dream and nightmare all rolled into one. I paced the small length of my office. “Have you spoken with your professors yet? I could email them to help set up a plan to get you caught up.”

“I’ve emailed them all,” Hayden said, voice void of all emotion.

I stilled, turning to face her. “You’re in two of my classes, and I didn’t receive an email.”

Her chin lifted, defiance lighting those violet eyes. “I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me.”

My jaw hardened. “You can always email me about your coursework.”

“Okay, so it’s just the personal stuff we’ll never talk about. Got it.”

My back teeth ground together. The urge to take her over my knee and spank the sass out of her was strong. Too strong. “Hayden, let’s leave the personal issues at home.”

Her shoulders slumped, and defeat filled her expression as her eyes dropped to the floor. “I’ve made arrangements with all my professors to get caught up. I’ve got makeup tests scheduled. If you’d just let me know when I need to have things completed for your classes, I’ll make it work.”

She sucked in a breath and kept going. “I can lie to the dean and tell her we’ve met even though we didn’t. You don’t have to meet with me. And if there’s a way we can break the bond between the two of us, I’ll do it. I don’t want you to be chained to me.”

I reared back as if someone had slapped me. Break the bond? My beast roared inside me, and scales rippled across my forearms. “Hayden,” I choked out.

But she didn’t look at me. “I know what it’s like to be held prisoner. I don’t want the same for you.”

“Fuck,” I swore, like it was an oath.

I moved before I could consider the wisdom of it. I hauled her up and into my arms, pulling her against me. “Mo Ghràidh, it’s not that I don’t want to be near you. That I don’t want to touch you. I’d love nothing more than to strip you bare and fuck you over my desk. To sink my teeth into that pretty little neck and bind you to me for all eternity. But I can’t. I won’t.”

30

HAYDEN

Maddox was so much taller than me that my cheek pressed against his pec, right over his heart. I could hear each beat as if I had a stethoscope helping me amplify the sound. That shifter hearing.

But it was the cadence of the beats that kept me rapt. The staccato, jumbled rhythm that told me Maddox wasn’t completely unaffected by me even before he gave me those words. Words that echoed in my ears on repeat.

“I’d love nothing more than to strip you bare and fuck you over my desk. To sink my teeth into that pretty little neck and bind you to me for all eternity.”

I clenched my thighs together at the thought. God, I wanted that. No matter how angry I’d been at him these past few days, my body wanted him. And the rest of me did, too.

I shifted, tipping my head back so that I could look into those amber eyes. They were more gold now, those magical flecks sparking and swirling. I could’ve stared at them for all eternity.

“What if I want that, too?” I asked. Forget the part about saying he couldn’t or wouldn’t. I was focused on the fact that the desire was there.

More gold bled into Maddox’s eyes as they hooded. “Mo Ghràidh,” he growled.

“Please,” I whispered. “Touch me.”

I was begging, and it was more than a little desperate. But I couldn’t seem to stop myself because I wanted Maddox with a ferocity that stole my breath.

A muscle in his cheek fluttered wildly, but he lifted a hand, brushing blonde strands out of my face. “You don’t know what you ask.”

But I did. I understood that I was risking my heart. Because there were a million and one reasons why Maddox was holding himself back from me. Ones that he’d shared and ones that he’d only given me the barest glimpse of.

He was close now. So close I swore I could taste him in the air between us.

“Maddox,” I breathed.

It was as if my utterance of his name wrapped a spell around him, pulling him in. He closed the distance. The moment his lips touched mine, I was lost.

His mouth was heat and comfort, with a flicker of spice. His taste flooded me, and I wanted to drink down every drop.

Maddox’s tongue swept in, gentle at first and then demanding. Each stroke dominated, taking more and more. A heady buzz swept through me as I pushed my body against his, needing to get closer.

A hard length pressed against my stomach, sending a rush of wetness between my thighs. I wanted to know what that length would feel like, how it would taste. I wanted to know what it would be like to have Maddox moving inside me, thrusting deep—

A sharp knock sounded on the door.

One second, I was in Mad’s arms, and the next, I’d been sat down in a chair. The only evidence of the movement was the feel of a cool breeze, so opposite of Maddox’s heat. I blinked rapidly, trying to get my bearings as Maddox came into focus behind his desk.

There was panic in those amber eyes now, maybe even terror. “That will never happen again,” he swore. And then the mask was back in place. “Come in.”

The door opened. “Maddox—oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were in a meeting.”

“It’s okay,” I said, pushing to my feet and barely recognizing my own voice. “We were done.”

I didn’t look in Maddox’s direction as I rose, barely taking in the other professor as I moved toward the door. I told myself over and over not to run, not to give away the fact that Maddox had just crushed me again.

A buzzing sound lit in my ears as I pulled my backpack on. Then heat hit my cheeks. I’d begged him. Made a fool of myself. But then I stopped, coming up short in the hallway as I remembered the desire in Mad’s eyes.

He’d wanted me, too. He’d been the one to close the distance between us, not me. I couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if that professor hadn’t knocked, if we were still in his office now.

A tsking noise sounded to my right, and I turned to see Delaney leaning against the wall.

“In trouble again, are we?” she singsonged.

I sighed. “Doesn’t it ever get old?”

“The fact that the school allows delinquents and murderers in our midst? Yes, it does.”

I tried not to flinch at the word murderers. “No, your obsession with me. Waiting for me while I park, hovering outside my meetings. It’s getting a little creepy, Delaney.”

Redness crept up her throat as her hands clenched. “I’m waiting for Bella.”

I just scoffed. “From what I’ve heard, Bella and Maggie dropped your crazy ass.”

I hadn’t heard a damned thing. I was taking a gamble based on their reactions to Delaney during our last run-in. Delaney’s so-called friends seemed to have grown tired of her antics. And I just had to hope I was right about their abandonment.

That redness spread to Delaney’s face, and I knew I was right. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” she spat.

I smiled. Ding, ding, ding. “Keep lying to yourself if you want to. Or you could grow up and leave me and my friends alone.”

“Friends?” Delaney scoffed. “You’re whoring yourself out to all of them. I bet you were in that office sucking Professor Kavanaugh’s dick in the hopes of getting a better grade.”

Everything in me stilled. The last thing we needed was Delaney starting a rumor about me and Maddox. It could ruin his career.

“Not everyone has to bribe professors for a decent grade, Delaney. Some of us know how to study.”

But she seemed to read my unease and smiled. “It’d be a real shame if someone reported an inappropriate relationship to the university. I’ve heard they suspend professors while they’re conducting the investigations. And even if they’re cleared, it’s a stain on them for the rest of their career.”

Delaney had been like an annoying fly up until now, maybe a wasp that occasionally stung at worst. But this? This had the power to ruin Maddox. And for that, I wanted to gut her in the middle of the hallway.

31

HAYDEN

I finally understood the way Cáel struggled against his dragon surfacing, the way the others did, too. Because my dragon had wanted to surface and slice open at least a dozen people with her claws today.

It had taken everything in me not to snap Delaney’s neck in the hallway this morning, and things had only gotten worse from there. Apparently, she’d already been hard at work with her continued efforts to ruin my reputation. Thankfully, the rumors she’d started while I was away didn’t involve Maddox.

According to the whispers my dragon hearing had forced me to listen to all day, I was knocked up. Supposedly, Cáel and I had run off to get married after he’d impregnated me, but then he’d had second thoughts and ditched me in Idaho. Great.

Wren leaned over toward me from her seat in the back of our English class. “Are you okay?” she whispered low enough that only I could hear.

Now that I knew she was a shifter, too, I knew I could answer her in an equally soft tone, and she would hear every word. “Just dandy. The morning sickness isn’t bad at all.”

Wren’s lips twitched. “On the upside, you and Cáel would make some seriously gorgeous babies.”

That thought had a whole new set of images swirling in my mind. White-blonde little ones running around the yard with bluish-purple eyes.

“God, you really are gone for them, aren’t you?”

Wren’s words brought me out of my haze. “It’s a little embarrassing,” I muttered.

“Not if they’re good to you.”

My gaze flicked toward her, and I saw deep grief in her startling blue eyes. “Wren—”

She shook her head, cutting me off. “Just wanted to make sure they were treating you right. I got worried when you and Cáel were gone for so long. I wasn’t sure if…”

Her words trailed off, as if she didn’t want to give too much away by telling me what she’d thought. I didn’t force it.

“They are really good to me. The best. Most of the time, anyway,” I mumbled.

Wren’s brow arched, making her scar pull. “Most of the time?”

“East and Maddox have both had their asshole moments. Maddox is still having them. And Cill, he has control issues.”

Wren let out a soft snort. “He’s an alpha. Of course, he does.”

My brows rose in surprise at that.

“An alpha’s love language is control. That’s how they care for the people around them. Even if it can be overbearing at times,” she explained.

I thought about that for a long moment. It made me see Cillian’s actions in a slightly different light. It didn’t mean that I wasn’t still upset with him for taking it too far, but I could see more of where he was coming from.

“But I can’t give you any reasoning behind Easton and Maddox being assholes,” Wren continued. “You’re on your own for that.”

My lips twitched. “I was afraid of that. I need an anti-asshole pill or something.”

Wren grinned. “You’d make millions.”

That I would.

I turned my focus back to the teacher, who was droning on and on about Jane Eyre. I’d liked the book all right, but trying to pick apart the double meaning of every single word wasn’t on my list of favorite things. Maybe there wasn’t some secret coded message and the author just wanted to tell a good story.

The bell rang, and our professor stopped her ramblings, writing an assignment on the board. Thankfully, I was a quick reader, so I’d caught up in this class before I’d even returned to campus. My other classes, however, I wasn’t so lucky.

I closed my notebook and slid it into my backpack as Wren and I waited for the classroom to clear. We both had our reasons. I didn’t know Wren’s, exactly, but I’d begun to notice that she didn’t like being boxed in. I just wanted to avoid the gossipy, rude remarks.

Wren glanced at me as we made our way toward the door of the classroom. “You going to be okay?”

I nodded. “You?”

“I always am.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. But I didn’t say a word as Wren disappeared down the hall, keeping to one wall as she went.

I turned the other way, looking for Knox and Easton, who were supposed to meet me after class. I spotted them a ways down and headed in that direction.

Someone slammed into my shoulder in the hallway, nearly sending my backpack flying off me. It was a guy I’d seen around but whose name I didn’t know. His friend snickered as he slowed. “Careful, I heard she’s preggers. Wouldn’t want to damage the bastard.”

Guy number one just wrinkled his nose like he’d smelled something bad. “Probably be doing Cáel a favor if we did. I’m sure they’re about to throw her away like the trash she is.”

“What. Did. You. Say?” a voice snarled.

Guy one whirled to face a furious Easton. “D-dude, I’m just saying, you guys can’t be cool with this. She cheated on your brother with his best friend. She’s a fucking slut.”

Easton moved so fast the guy didn’t have a prayer. It was only my shifter vision that let me see East’s fist connect with the guy’s face before he crumpled to the ground.

There were a series of hoots, hollers, and oh, damns. The second guy held up both hands. “I-I didn’t say anything.”

“Sure, you didn’t,” I growled.

Easton prowled toward him as the guy went stark white.

“Mr. Gallagher,” a sharp voice rang out, making everyone in the hallway freeze.

Knox moved to my side as the sea of students parted, and Dean Robinson walked down the hallway, glaring at Easton.

“In my office,” she snapped. “Now.”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

32

HAYDEN

I paced the now mostly empty parking lot as we waited for Easton. I’d been exhausted leaving English class, the weight of the day bearing down on me, but now I couldn’t stop moving. It wasn’t just my worry about East, but also the fact that Maddox was waiting with me and Knox. Studiously ignoring me.

I had the sudden urge to punch him just to get a reaction.

“He’ll be okay,” Knox assured me.

I just kept right on pacing, away from where Mad stood, leaning against the hood of Easton’s G-Wagon. “You don’t know that.”

And if Easton was in serious trouble, it would be on my shoulders. Because he’d been defending me.

A beep sounded, and I turned in the direction of the noise. Maddox slid his phone out of his pocket and stared down at the screen. “Dennis Coopman has a broken jaw.”

Knox cursed. “He deserved more than that.”

Maddox sent Knox a withering stare. “It doesn’t matter what he deserved; we have to be more careful than this. That sort of show of strength could give us away.”

“Humans break each other’s jaws all the time,” Knox argued.

“It’s still not worth the risk. East needs to keep himself in check, and Hayden needs to not egg on her classmates.”

I stiffened, both at the accusation and at the fact Maddox was speaking about me like I wasn’t there. “Excuse me, Professor. But I wasn’t doing a thing to egg on those asswipes. I was walking down the goddamned hallway. Or maybe the outfit I’m wearing meant I was asking to be called a home-wrecking slut?”

Maddox’s jaw went hard. “I didn’t say—”

“You did,” I snapped. “And if you keep talking, I’ll actually shove your foot into your mouth like you’re so determined to do.”

A whistle sounded, and we both glared at Knox. “If you two want to stop being dicks to each other, East’s out.”

We turned to see Easton striding across the parking lot, his expression a wall of pissed-off fury. Oh, hell.

My stomach churned as he reached us. I wanted to hug him or do something to fix it, but I knew that would be far from welcome at this juncture.

“What’s the verdict?” Knox asked his twin.

“Suspended,” Easton growled.

Knox and Maddox cursed.

I felt the blood drain from my face. “I’m so sorry, East.”

His gaze cut to me. “Don’t you dare apologize,” he snapped.

I reared back at the bite in his words.

Easton moved then, prowling into my space and pulling me into his arms. “No one talks about you that way and gets away with it.”

I melted into him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “But you shouldn’t be punished for it.”

His lips brushed over my hair. “I’d pay that price anytime.”

“Except with Cáel out of commission, your antics mean that it’s just me and Knox watching Hayden,” Maddox gritted out.

I stepped out of Easton’s hold and scowled at Maddox. “You mean it’s just Knox watching out for me.”

Maddox opened his mouth to retort, but something cut him off.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Trouble in paradise for our little princess?”

We whirled, Knox and Easton immediately placing themselves in front of me as we took in Hal Corbett. His red hair had way too much gel in it, and as he grinned, I took in a gold-capped tooth. He looked like some ridiculous caricature of an Irish mobster. But even with that, he still had the power to turn my stomach.

“Such a shame that she’ll be down a bodyguard. Anything could happen to her on a campus as big as this one.”

Easton let out a low growl as scales rippled over his forearms.

Knox’s hands clenched into fists as I saw hints of claws elongating from his fingertips. “What the fuck are you doing here, Corbett?”

Hal shrugged carelessly. “I was thinking about enrolling.” His gaze shifted to me, a lascivious air bleeding into it. “That might be fun. We could be study buddies, Bana-phrionnsa.”

Easton charged him. The only thing saving Hal from a full-on attack was Knox tackling his brother to the side.

But my mind was still trapped in a loop of a single word. Bana-phrionnsa. The same word Hal’s father had spoken over and over as he’d slaughtered my parents. Rage engulfed me like an inferno, and I moved without thought.

I surged forward, my fist lashing out and connecting directly with Hal’s nose. There was a satisfying crunch beneath my knuckles. And then he was doubled over, howling in pain.

Someone tugged me backward as Hal cursed me to high heaven. I caught mumbled oaths of retribution as blood streamed from his broken nose. But I barely heard any of it. Because I was pretty sure I’d broken my fucking hand.

33

MADDOX

I watched as Knox cradled Hayden against him, and Easton cocooned her on the other side. Her pained whimpers were like a jagged blade slicing against my skin. Hal had booked it out of the parking lot because, as much as he was a psychopath, he wasn’t an idiot. He’d inflicted pain on another dragon’s mate, even if it had been her own doing, and that meant the dragons would be rabid for his blood.

Another whimper sounded as Hayden tried to move her wrist.

“Don’t,” Knox ordered softly, keeping it still.

I moved then, unable to stay away, even if the events of the past few hours were just more evidence of why I needed to stay the hell away.

Easton glared up at me, baring his teeth as I approached.

That stung, too. His willingness to attack me in an effort to protect Hayden, even just her feelings. But I didn’t begrudge him that either.

“Give me your keys,” I said, voice void of all emotion.

Easton shifted, tugging his keys from his back pocket and tossing them to me. I caught them easily and hit a button on the key fob, opening the back hatch. I crossed to the trunk and grabbed the leather bag. “Bring her over here.”

No one moved.

“I need to examine her hand,” I pressed. I could scent Hayden’s pain. It made the air around me reek with a rotten smell, and I’d do anything to get rid of it.

“No,” she said softly. “I can have Marcus examine me when we’re home. I’ll be fine until then.”

Knox sent a scowl my way that held countless silent accusations. They all hit true.

I just kept fucking things up. I set the bag down and moved back toward their huddle, meeting Hayden’s gaze. “Please. Let me examine your hand.”

Her chin jutted out in defiance. “Why?”

I knew she’d read any untruths I gave her, so I didn’t lie. “I can’t stand you being in pain.”

Uncertainty passed through Hayden’s eyes for a moment before she finally nodded.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized had been stuck in my lungs. Easton shifted slightly so that I could have access to Hayden, but his green-gold gaze held a warning.

Hayden lifted her arm, but even that small movement made her wince.

“Can you straighten it?” I asked.

Her hand was still half-fisted—not a good sign. She tried but cried out.

Knox growled. “Enough.”

I reached out, running a gentle finger across Hayden’s knuckles, and her gaze flew to mine. But there wasn’t pain in her eyes. My finger moved lower, tracing each of her digits gently and then pressing down slightly. When I reached her pointer, she bit back another cry.

Easton shoved me back. “Enough. We’ll get Marcus to treat her, or she’ll shift.”

I shook my head. “She needs to shift. Her hand is broken. My best guess is the metacarpal bone on her pointer finger.”

“Fine,” he gritted out. “Let’s get her home so we can fucking fix it.”

“Pain meds first,” I clipped, having had enough of East’s attitude. It wasn’t like he hadn’t done his fair share of keeping Hayden at a distance.

I crossed back to the medical bag and pulled out a syringe along with a bottle of a painkiller typically used to treat large livestock or bears. It would be enough to make sure Hayden didn’t feel agony as she shifted. Now that her dragon half had surfaced, normal human drugs would do nothing for her.

I slid the needle into the bottle and pulled out the plunger to the exact right dosage. Hayden eyed me warily. “What is it?”

“A painkiller. One that your shifter system won’t burn off in less than two minutes.”

She bit her bottom lip. I had the urge to tug it free, not wanting her to cause herself any more pain on top of what she was already experiencing.

“I don’t know,” she mumbled.

“The car ride and your shift will be extraordinarily painful without it,” I gritted out.

Easton nuzzled her neck. “Please.”

She melted into him. “Okay.”

The surge of jealousy hit me by surprise. I’d never been truly envious of one of my brothers. But right now, I wanted to rip Easton’s head clean off.

I bit back the urge and moved in closer. “Your uninjured arm, please.” I’d gone cold. I knew it without hearing my own voice. I could feel it.

Hayden extended her other arm, and I took it as gently as possible. Her skin was so soft. Like petals of a rose that had been baked in the sun for hours. “A little pinch,” I warned as I slid the needle into her vein.

Hayden didn’t make a sound at the intrusion or as I injected the medicine, and not when I withdrew the needle. I pressed a cotton ball down, turning to Easton. “Hold this in place for a few seconds.”

He immediately took over, and I retreated, hiding in the minutia of putting my medical supplies away and disposing of the needle in the sharps container. By the time I’d shut the back hatch, Hayden was wavering on her feet.

Knox scooped her up in his arms as Easton opened the back passenger door. Knox slid inside, not letting go of Hayden. She looked so tiny and vulnerable. Just another reminder of why I needed to stay the hell away.

Easton pinned me with a stare. “You can drive.”

He didn’t wait for an answer, simply got into the back seat and slammed the door behind himself.

It was good. That was what I told myself. Everything was better this way. If they all hated me, Hayden would keep her distance. And then if I lost her, maybe it wouldn’t rip my still-beating heart from my chest.

34

CÁEL

I paced back and forth across the drive at the front of the house, my beast pressing against my skin. He wanted freedom, wanted to get to Hayden. But I couldn’t let him. There was no doubt that my feral side would take over, and it would be nearly impossible to get control again.

The knowledge that I had those tendencies, that I was more beast than man, made me feel weak or twisted. Now was one of those times. Because if I didn’t have those struggles, I would’ve been on campus with Hayden. Would’ve sensed that piece of shit, Hal, before he ever got close to her.

My dragon hearing picked up on the faint crunch of gravel under tires. They were here. I tried to soothe my beast by the fact that Hayden was close, she was safe now, but he wasn’t having any of it. And, if I was honest, neither was I.

My body was strung so tight it was a miracle I didn’t tear a muscle. Each sound the vehicle made pulled them tauter. There was a flicker of black through the trees. East’s G-Wagon.

I didn’t breathe as it made the turn toward the house, rounding the drive and coming to a complete stop. But it wasn’t East behind the wheel; it was Maddox. I frowned at that. Easton rarely let other people drive his SUV.

The back door opened, and Easton jumped out, hurrying to guide someone else.

My lungs convulsed as Hayden came into view. Knox cradled her against his chest as he slid out of the vehicle. Hayden’s face was far paler than normal, and she held one arm close to her body. But her eyes were slightly unfocused, head lolling to the side.

“What. The. Hell. Happened?” I snarled.

Easton’s gaze flicked to me. “She broke Hal’s nose. But also fractured her hand in the process.”

A growl started low in my chest and exploded out of me, making the ground shake around us.

East moved into my space, laying his hands on my shoulders and squeezing hard. “Rein it in. We need to help Hayden shift so that she can heal.”

The hint of pain helped me pull back my beast, but he wasn’t happy about it. “Let’s go. Now.”

Maddox hung back. “I’ll get her a fresh set of clothes.”

It made sense. She wouldn’t be able to change out of the ones she wore now, not with a broken hand. Whatever she wore would be ripped to shreds.

I struggled to keep my breathing in check as we moved in the direction of the clearing, the closest space with enough room to shift. But I couldn’t take my eyes off Hayden. I watched her chest rise and fall as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

“What’d you give her?” I gritted out. “She smells…wrong.”

There was a hint of a chemical smell interwoven with her usual jasmine and dew scent. I hated it, and so did my dragon.

Knox’s focus flicked to me for a moment. “Maddox gave her a painkiller so she wasn’t in agony for the ride home and shift.”

I was glad for that, but I hated how out of it Hayden was.

“I’m okay,” she whispered, but her words were slightly slurred.

“Fuck,” I ground out.

“I know,” Easton echoed. “I wanted to slit Hal’s throat right there in the parking lot.”

Knox shot him a warning look. “You’re already suspended. Let’s not add a murder charge to that, okay?”

My brows flew up. “Suspended?”

Easton glared at the ground. “Dennis Coopman was being a prick of epic proportions.”

“So East broke his jaw,” Knox filled me in.

“Good,” I grunted.

We reached the clearing, and Knox moved to the center of it. “I’m going to lay you down, all right? We’ll talk you through the shift.”

“K,” Hayden mumbled, smacking her lips.

Knox bent, gently lowering her to the ground. She looked so tiny, so goddamned vulnerable. It made me want to rip one of the trees from the ground and hurl it at something. Preferably Hal Corbett.

Hayden tried to lift her head but couldn’t, instead resting it on the thick grass. It was way too fucking cold for her to be on the ground.

I stalked forward, knowing that my beast might call to hers. I crouched low, my hand stroking her cheek. The rough calluses on my fingers so different from her smooth skin. “Call her forward.”

Hayden looked up at me, confusion in her violet eyes. “How?”

“Remember what it felt like the first time. How the world looked around you, what your body felt like.”

“Sparkly,” she muttered. “The world was sparkly.”

My lips wanted to twitch but couldn’t quite get there. “Hold on to that sparkle.”

Hayden’s eyes went unfocused, and I knew she was calling up the memory. Nothing happened at first, and I worried that she wouldn’t be able to bring on the shift. I glanced at Knox. “We may need Cillian.”

As alpha, he could command the shift for any of his dragons. He could also command their shift back. Unless they’d gone feral, of course. Then no one had a prayer of controlling the beast.

Purple, shimmery scales rippled over Hayden’s arms.

“That’s it, Little One. Let us see your dragon,” I cooed.

The praise took root, and Hayden’s body began to vibrate. I took a step back as she trembled. Then, in the blink of an eye, Hayden’s human form was gone, and her dragon was in her place.

God, the creature was beautiful. So breathtaking it almost hurt to look at her.

I couldn’t help but take a step closer as Hayden took in her surroundings. She lifted her front right leg and stretched it out. I knew she could feel the healing taking root. She flexed her foot, twisting it.

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Better?”

Hayden looked down at me, those violet eyes perfectly matching her scales. She dipped her head, sniffing. I couldn’t help the chuckle that left me. I lifted a hand. “Come here.”

I stroked her face, still miraculously smooth, even in this form. “Come back to me now. Let’s get you inside.”

The dragon huffed, not wanting to shift back yet.

“We’ll have plenty of time for shifting practice later,” I assured her. But right now, we needed to make sure her hand had healed correctly.

She let out a rumbling growl, but her body began to vibrate again, and then Hayden’s human form was back. Standing before me, completely naked but without any hint of embarrassment.

She beamed up at me, the drug having been burned off in her dragon form. “That was freaking awesome!”

I laughed, my hands reaching up to brush the hair out of her face. “How do you feel?”

Hayden flexed her fingers. “Completely fine. Better than fine, honestly.”

I brushed my mouth against hers. “Good.”

A throat cleared. “I brought you clothes.”

Mad’s voice was tight. As if he were desperately trying to hold on to control. His gaze was averted from Hayden as he held out a stack of clothing.

East took it from him, glaring at our brother.

What the hell had happened today?

Easton strode toward us and handed Hayden the clothes. “You sure you’re okay?”

She nodded. “Swear,” Hayden said as she pulled on a pair of leggings and a sports bra before pulling a shirt and sweatshirt over her head. “Sorry I let my temper get the best of me. But I’m not sorry for breaking that asshole’s nose.”

Knox chuckled as he moved forward to give Hayden a quick kiss. “You are definitely a badass.”

Hayden’s mouth pulled down in a frown. “I’m not. But I’d like to be.”

Easton looked at her in question.

She gazed at the three of us. “I want you to teach me to fight.”

35

EASTON

Fuck. Hayden wanted to learn to fight. I’d only just reined my dragon in after this last little escapade, and now she was trying to give me and my beast a heart attack.

Knox and I shared a sidelong look. Neither of us wanted Hayden to have to fight, not ever. If we were doing our jobs, she’d never need to. But that didn’t mean I didn’t understand her desire to want to learn. I just fucking hated it.

“We can do that,” Knox began. “Maybe next week, after you’ve had a chance to fully recover.”

Hayden pinned him with a stare. “I shifted. I’m healed. I feel fine. More than fine, actually.” She shook out her arms. “I actually have energy to burn.”

It was the residual high from the transformation. She was buzzing with the newness of it all. That phantom energy that clung to you for a few hours at least.

“I just think—”

Hayden cut Knox off with a hard look. “I know myself and my body. I can do this.”

“I’ll teach you.” My voice rang out before I could stop myself. Because the last thing I wanted was for Hayden to believe we thought she was weak when nothing could be further from the truth. She was one of the strongest people I’d ever had the privilege of knowing.

Hayden’s violet gaze jumped to me. “You will?”

The surprise stung, but I brushed it off. “Yes.”

Cáel’s expression closed down. “I would help, but—I can’t. My dragon. He’s not ready to see you fighting. He could take control. Or hurt East for battling you.”

Empathy washed over Hayden’s face. She moved instantly into Cáel’s space, reaching up and framing his face in her hands. “It’s okay. I know you have my back. I’ll just show you my super sweet moves later.”

Cáel chuckled at that. God, Hayden really was a miracle worker. I’d heard my broody brother laugh more in the past few months than in the entire time we’d known each other. He dipped his head, brushing his lips across hers. “Deal.” He straightened then. “Gonna go for a run.”

I knew why. He needed to burn off some of that dragon energy, but he couldn’t transform and fly. Not yet.

“Be safe,” Hayden ordered.

“Always, Little One.” Cáel kissed her again and then took off for the trees.

“I’ve got tests to grade,” Maddox mumbled and headed for the house.

Hayden didn’t bother to reply; he was already almost past earshot anyway.

“I wasn’t trying to be a dick,” Knox said softly.

Hayden turned to him. “I know.” She moved closer, placing a hand on his chest. “But I need to feel like I can defend myself. I want to learn.”

Knox’s jaw worked back and forth, and then he finally nodded. “Let’s work in the gym. It’s too fucking cold out here.”

Hayden grinned, doing a little hop. “Thank you.”

I just hoped this wasn’t a massive fucking mistake.

STRANDS OF HAIR, damp with sweat, stuck to Hayden’s face as she circled me on the mat. We were two hours into our lesson, and she was now in just her leggings and sports bra. She was a quick study. But I shouldn’t have been surprised. A-plus student through and through.

I struck out with a jab at about half speed. Hayden deflected easily with a downward strike, her other arm shifting to guard against any other possible attacks.

Watching her move was a thing of beauty. The way her muscles bunched and flexed, the graceful way her body shifted through the air. It was almost as if she’d been a dancer in another life.

Hayden’s leg came up on a snap kick. I could’ve blocked it with little effort, but instead, I just twisted my body so I didn’t catch the full brunt of it.

She stopped then, no longer hovering on her tiptoes with her hands guarding her face.

“Hands up, Hayden,” Knox called from the side of the mat.

“Why?” she asked. “It’s not like East is actually going to hit me.”

My brows rose at that. “You want me to hit you?”

“I want you to try,” Hayden shot back. “I can’t learn if you’re pulling punches all the time.”

My back teeth clenched, grinding together. “This is your first lesson.”

“So? I’ll never improve if I don’t have someone who’s actually trying to make contact opposite of me.”

I knew Hayden had a point. Knew it more than I ever wanted to. But I still couldn’t give her what she wanted. Didn’t think I was physically capable of it.

Uncertainty filled those beautiful eyes. “Are you afraid I’ll break?”

“No,” I said quickly.

That uncertainty morphed into confusion. “Then why won’t you fight back? I’m not asking that you give 100 percent. But you’ve gotta give me a little bit of a challenge. I need to feel the sting of the hits.”

“I can’t,” I rasped.

Hayden frowned at me, a slew of emotions playing across her face. Hurt and concern dominated the mix, which just made me feel more like shit.

“I can’t hurt you.” The words were out before I could stop them. Words I knew I owed Hayden. So, I just kept on spilling my guts. “I’ve already hurt you so fucking much. And it kills me. Haunts my goddamned dreams. So, please, don’t ask me to cause you any more pain.”

Hayden’s face went completely slack as shock settled in. “East.”

I shook my head. “I can’t do it.”

She moved then, coming in close and placing a hand on my bare chest, over my heart. “I’m okay now.”

I only gave my head another shake. “You almost weren’t. And you still doubt me. I don’t blame you, but I just—I can’t fucking hit you.”

Hayden’s other hand came up to my cheek and rested over my thick stubble. “I forgive you.”

I sucked in a breath. “You can’t just say that.”

She arched a brow. “Can’t I?” She stretched up on her tiptoes. “I forgive you, Easton.” Her lips brushed against mine, featherlight. But they still ignited a spark that instantly turned to flame. “I forgive you.” She kissed me again.

My arm went around her waist, pulling her flush against me. My heart hammered against my ribs, Hayden’s scent swirling around me, making my cock jerk. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

Hayden stared back at me, determination in those violet eyes. “I know exactly what I’m saying. You were a dick of epic proportions. I won’t deny that you hurt me. But I also understand why. And I know that you’ve been doing everything you can to make things right. You see me. See my strength and trust my intuition. You have my back.”

Her thumb traced over my bottom lip. “I don’t want to hold myself back from you anymore. I want you. All of you.”

My breaths came in ragged pants now as I struggled to keep my hold on Hayden loose. I lifted her slowly, her legs wrapping around my waist. “Be sure. Because once my dragon has a taste of you, he’ll never give you up. And neither will I.”

Hayden’s eyes flashed, sparks of silver appearing in the violet depths. “Good, because I’m not going to give you up either.”

Soft footsteps sounded on the mats, and my gaze shot to Knox, who was trying to make a stealthy exit to give us our moment. But I didn’t want him to go. Maybe because there was a part of me that didn’t trust myself to be alone with Hayden for this first time. Maybe because it made sense to have the other half of me here for this. But I found myself calling out to Knox.

“Stay.”

36

HAYDEN

Energy crackled through the room. Need and desire swirled, and for the first time, I could scent it. It was a heady aroma that only stroked my senses, sending a fresh rush of wetness between my thighs.

“Are you sure about that?” Knox asked, his voice thick.

Easton’s gaze switched to me, as if in question. I appreciated the deference, allowing me to guide the ship if I wanted. I nodded slowly as my heart rate sped up. My core clenched, demanding what it wanted. To be filled. To know what it would be like to have both my twins at once.

“Fuck,” Easton swore, likely scenting my arousal. He looked at his brother then. “I’m sure.”

Knox didn’t hesitate any longer. He moved in behind me, his heat nearly burning me alive. “Been dreaming of sharing her with you, brother. Knowing what it would be like to share that bond with all three of us.”

I let out a little whimper, rocking against East.

Knox swept my ponytail away from my neck, running his lips along the skin there. “Don’t worry, we’re going to give our little mate what she needs.”

I leaned my head back, resting it on Knox’s shoulder as my legs stayed locked around Easton’s waist. Knox’s finger trailed down my throat to my chest. I felt a claw elongate from a single finger. The feeling of the talon against me made me shiver deliciously.

In one fluid motion, Knox sliced it down the middle of my bra, making my breasts spring free.

“Hey,” I protested. “Stop ruining my wardrobe. I liked that—”

The words died on my tongue when Easton leaned forward and took a nipple into his mouth, sucking deep. I arched harder against him, letting out a moan.

Knox chuckled as his hand dropped to my other breast, kneading it. “What was that?”

“I hate you a little bit,” I mumbled.

His fingers twisted my nipple, and I cried out, that mixture of pleasure and pain. “Don’t make me punish you, Little Mate.”

My breaths came quicker as I rocked against Easton. “Maybe I want to be punished.”

Easton’s teeth grazed the peak of my breast, and I shuddered against the twins. God, I am going to come before we even get to the main event.

Knox’s hand came down hard on my ass. The stinging slap made my core spasm and breaths come fast.

“Feet on the ground,” he ordered, his voice dropping lower.

I obeyed instantly.

Easton released my nipple, his eyes having gone pure gold. “So fucking beautiful. So responsive.”

Knox’s fingers hooked into my leggings. “Wait till you see all of her, brother.”

With that, he jerked my leggings down. He lifted one foot out and then the other as Easton watched, eyes hooded. There was something about East watching as his brother undressed me that had need pulsing deeper.

Knox’s hand trailed up my leg and then into my folds. He groaned. “Fucking soaked.”

“I have to taste her,” Easton growled.

My thighs squeezed involuntarily, strangling Knox’s fingers.

“Fuck,” he muttered. “So needy.”

Easton dropped to his knees, gazing up at me as though he were memorizing every inch. Then he leaned forward, running his nose along my thigh and breathing deeply. “Never smelled anything as good as your need.”

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but it was cut off as East’s tongue struck out. It lashed against my clit in an almost stinging slap that nearly made me come on the spot.

I couldn’t help the cry that left me as Easton’s lips closed around the bundle of nerves while Knox’s fingers worked my opening. But it wasn’t enough. I wanted both of them filling me. Stretching me. To know what it would be like to have my twins moving in perfect synchronicity.

“More,” I pleaded.

Easton’s head moved from between my thighs, leaning back, eyes pure gold. “You’re sure.”

“Please.”

Easton stood in a flash, shucking his shorts and kicking them off. Then he began stroking himself. That length. Thick and long, the head already swelling. I couldn’t hold in my whimper.

“She needs us, brother.” Knox took some of that wetness and pulled it back to my ass, circling the tight hole there. “Both of us.”

Easton’s eyes blazed. “Tell me we can have you,” he growled.

“Yes,” I breathed.

Easton moved so fast he was only a blur. He moved low, thrusting up, taking me with no pretense or warning. And, fuck, it was amazing. Dark spots danced in front of my vision at the ferocity of his thrust. That desperation just told me how much Easton needed me, how much he’d been holding back. I only wanted more.

Knox moved in closer behind me, grounding me as his twin took me. “That’s it. Make her moan.”

His cock nestled between my ass cheeks as he got a sense of Easton’s rhythm. Then he began slowly, shallowly pushing in as East retreated. Each thrust took them both deeper.

I whimpered at the assault on my senses. There was no reprieve, no break. Just feeling at every moment. My inner walls trembled, making my ass tighten. Both men cursed.

“Not. Gonna. Last,” Easton croaked. “Too. Good.”

Knox cursed again as he thrust deeper.

Easton’s golden eyes locked with mine. “Are you ready?” he panted.

I tightened around him. “Please.”

He didn’t hesitate. His canines lengthened, and they came down on the curve of my shoulder. The moment they sank into my flesh, a new wave of pleasure zinged through me, hotter and higher than anything I’d ever experienced before.

My own teeth lengthened as the twins arced into me at a frantic pace. My head shot forward, and I bit down on Easton’s pec. The moment I did, I shattered. Everything was awash in color and light, that same shimmery haze as when I was in dragon form. It was all too much.

I couldn’t take any more. They came on a shout in unison. And as they emptied into me, I couldn’t hold on any longer. I passed right the hell out.

37

HAYDEN

“Are you sure you’re feeling up to dinner?” Easton asked, little furrows of worry between his brows. “We could bring you dinner.”

“I like the idea of dinner in bed…” Knox said, a smug smile tugging at his lips.

Easton smacked him upside the head. “I think passing out once today was enough.”

Heat hit my cheeks as I remembered coming to as Easton carried me toward my bedroom. Both of the twins had been so tender. East ran me a bath with essential oils, and Knox got me some juice and crackers.

“I feel fine,” I assured them. The truth was, I felt better than fine. A warm haze had taken over me, and I wasn’t in any hurry for it to fade.

I slipped my hand beneath the wide neck of my long-sleeved tee, stroking the new mark there. The tattoo-like image looked like delicate waves. The moment my fingers connected with the mark, Easton’s eyes went pure gold. “Careful, Little Mate.”

My stomach flipped. I didn’t want to be careful. I wanted another round with the twins.

Reading my intention, Easton caught my wrist and tugged my hand free. “First, we feed you.” He kissed me quickly and then released his hold on me.

I let out a huff of protest, and Knox chuckled. “What does the water symbol mean? You do smell like sea air and citrus to me.”

Easton wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we headed downstairs. “My gift is that I can breathe underwater.”

I gaped up at him. “Seriously?” He nodded. “I want to go swimming with you.”

Knox shot his brother a grin. “He was always freaking out our parents by staying under for a ridiculously long time.”

Easton chuckled. “You would’ve done the same.”

That warmth swirling inside intensified. It was the first time the twins had talked about their family to me with anything other than grief and pain. Maybe this meant healing was on the way.

My footsteps faltered as we reached the dining room. Maddox and Cáel were already seated. Cáel looked more relaxed, as he was freshly showered after a long run. Maddox looked like he was fighting being pissed off. I struggled not to sigh as I wondered what he had to be pissed off about now.

One corner of Cáel’s mouth kicked up. “Been busy, I see.” My flush deepened, but Cáel’s expression gentled as he looked at me. “So happy for you.”

Easton’s arm dropped from around me as Cáel stood and rounded the table to congratulate us. The action made the shirt I was wearing slip off my shoulder, revealing the bite mark and delicate waves.

Maddox’s eyes locked on my shoulder, his fingers tightening around his glass of whiskey. He lifted it to his lips and knocked the entire thing back.

I tried not to let that hurt. The fact that he was so angry about another of his brothers bonding with me.

Cáel’s lips brushed across my temple. “Congratulations, Little One. Love you.”

I looked up into those pale blue eyes, relief rushing through me. “I love you, too.”

“What’s going on?” a deep voice asked. Cillian strode into the dining room, gaze roaming the space.

My stomach twisted. I hadn’t seen him since our one-sided fight the night before. It had stung, the fact that he’d kept his distance. But as I looked up at him, I saw that the distance hadn’t been easy.

Cillian’s scruff was thicker than it normally was, and dark circles rimmed his green eyes. His gaze cut to me as Cáel spoke.

“East and Hayden bonded.”

Cillian’s eyes flashed gold for a moment, but then a hint of uncertainty filled those beautiful eyes. “Congratulations. Both of you.” He shook Easton’s hand and then moved slowly toward me. He hesitated as he reached me, but only for a moment. Then he wrapped his arms around me and hauled me against him.

He pressed his face in the crook of my neck, breathing deeply. “Happy for you.”

“Thank you,” I croaked.

“I’m sorry I was an ass,” Cillian went on. “It’s just—the thought of you in pain, of anything happening to you again… I can’t take it. But I never should’ve tried to twist something that is so important. To steal a moment like what you and Easton just had.”

I pulled back, looking into his face. I reached a hand up and pressed it to his cheek. “Thank you. We’re doing everything we can to keep me safe. It’s going to be all right.”

But the shadows that passed over Cillian’s eyes at my words had me doubting his belief in that.

He kissed me quickly, then released me. “Let’s eat. Food’s getting cold.”

Cillian took the head of the table while I sat between the twins and opposite Cáel and Maddox. I couldn’t help but steal glances at the surly professor as we ate. But he studiously avoided my gaze.

Knox set down his glass as he leaned back in his chair and glanced at Cillian. “Any updates?”

If I hadn’t grown to know Cillian so well, I would’ve missed the slight tensing of his mouth at the question. Cillian cleared his throat. “The council is still refusing to answer my appeal about Nolan. They said that they need to do their own investigation.”

“What about Hal’s threats today?” Easton pressed.

The scene in the parking lot felt like a lifetime ago. With my hand completely healed, I’d almost forgotten about it.

Cillian’s jaw worked back and forth. “They said without concrete proof, it’s all hearsay.”

“Fuck them,” Cáel growled.

“I don’t disagree,” Cillian said. “I’ve got my sources working overtime, and I’d like to ready our horde for battle in case the Corbetts attack, but…”

“But you don’t know who the traitor is, and any information you give our people could make it back to Dexter and Hal,” Easton finished for him.

Cillian nodded. “Any way I move feels like the wrong one.”

I could feel the weight on Cillian’s shoulders pressing down. My heart ached for him and the pressure he was under.

“So, we wait,” Knox said. “We’re as ready as we can be otherwise.”

Cillian lifted his head in assent and turned to Maddox. “Have you found out anything more about Hayden’s scales?”

I stiffened at the question. “My scales?”

Cillian’s gaze flicked to me. “I asked Mad to do some more research into just what all your scales can do and how widespread that information is. We need to make sure it’s guarded the best we can.”

I remembered what he’d said weeks ago. That if anyone took too many of my scales too close together, it would be the end of me. I shivered at the thought.

Maddox shifted in his seat. “Haven’t found much yet.”

Cillian’s eyes narrowed on him. “Have you been looking?”

A muscle fluttered in the professor’s cheek, and we all had our answer.

“Goddamn it, Mad. This is important,” Cill snapped.

Maddox shoved back from the table and stood. “Then I better get on that right now, alpha.” With that, he stalked out of the room.

I might have bonded with Easton and smoothed things over with Cillian, but coming to an understanding with Maddox felt as far away as flying to the moon. And maybe it always would.

38

KNOX

Easton came striding out of the dining room, to-go cup and something else clutched in his hands. I sent him a pointed stare as the early morning sunlight cast rainbows over the entryway. “You know you can’t come to campus.”

East just grunted. “I know. I wanted to get Hayden breakfast. She shouldn’t go hungry.”

We’d let her sleep in after she’d tossed and turned half the night.

“I’m going to kill Mad,” I muttered.

“Take a number,” Easton shot back.

It was one thing to want to keep his distance; it was another altogether not to do the work to keep her safe. Not only did it make me want to rip his spine out through his nose, but it made Hayden feel like he’d rather have her dead than anything else.

“Cill needs to take a stronger hand with him,” I gritted out.

He and Mad had been friends for longer than the rest of us, and Cill had seen all the agony Maddox had been through. It was good for understanding but not necessarily when a firmer touch was needed.

Easton shook his head. “Not sure I’d trust him to do the necessary work now anyway. I’m going to dig into the research today and see what I can find.”

“Good.”

“You don’t have to carry me,” Hayden called from halfway up the stairs. “My legs are working perfectly fine.”

“You’re tired, Little One,” Cáel’s deep voice answered. “You could trip and fall.”

Hayden let out a huff. “No carrying me once we get to campus.”

Cáel just grunted in response.

When they reached the entryway, Hayden wriggled out of Cáel’s arms. “This is ridiculous.”

Easton just strode forward and gave her a deep kiss. “Hot chocolate and a chocolate chip scone.”

Hayden’s eyes lit at that, her mouth curving. “Thank you.”

“Be careful today. Call if you need anything,” he instructed.

“I will,” Hayden promised.

“We better go, or we’ll be late,” I said.

Hayden nodded and glanced up at Cáel. “You’re sure you’re ready to go back to classes?”

He nodded quickly. “I went for a long run this morning. I’ll be good.”

But I wasn’t sure that running back-to-back marathons would be enough to keep Cáel’s temper and dragon at bay. I just hoped we didn’t run into any problems like yesterday. Because there was no question that Cáel would’ve gutted Hal right in the university parking lot.

As we headed outside, Hayden made a dash for Easton’s SUV, which he’d let me take since it had bulletproof glass. As she opened the front passenger side door, she smirked at Cáel. “You snooze, you lose.”

He just shook his head but did it grinning.

Something about the carefree playfulness eased the tension that had been running through me since dinner last night. It was good to see that side of Hayden again, to be assured that she hadn’t lost it amidst everything that was going on.

When I climbed behind the wheel, Hayden grabbed my sweatshirt and tugged me toward her. Her lips met mine, tongue sweeping in. In a matter of seconds, I was lost. Her scent, her taste, the energy that was only Hayden.

As I pulled back, I knew my eyes were pure gold. “What was that for?”

She shrugged. “You never said good morning.”

I chuckled. “I’ll be sure never to make that mistake again, Little Mate.”

We made our way to campus in record time, thanks to my lead foot, but just as we pulled onto the university’s main road, lights flashed in my rearview mirror.

I muttered a curse as I saw an unmarked police car behind us.

Hayden’s face had gone pale, and her eyes were wide. “Are they going to arrest me?”

“No, they fucking aren’t,” Cáel snarled.

Hell. Between trying to protect Hayden and keeping Cáel from shifting and killing everyone, I was screwed. “Everyone, take a deep breath. They are probably just screwing with us.” I really should’ve kept my speed in check with everything we had going on.

Rolling down the window, I watched as two familiar figures climbed out of the unmarked vehicle. Detectives Alwyn and Brower. Fuck.

I kept my hands on the wheel, not wanting to give them a reason to shoot my ass. I gave them both my best charming smile. “Detectives, fancy seeing you again.”

“Please step out of the vehicle,” Detective Brower said. “We have a warrant to search this SUV.”

I sent Cáel a quick glance through the rearview mirror. This wasn’t fucking good. “Of course.”

We all got out as Brower and Alwyn donned gloves and began the search. I kept an arm around Hayden as Cáel and I sent silent messages back and forth.

Alwyn rounded the vehicle and opened the back hatch. “So interesting that we received an anonymous tip that you might be hiding evidence of a crime in this SUV.”

I stiffened. Anonymous tip? A million possibilities flew through my head. I wouldn’t have put it past Alwyn himself to call in a fake tip just so he could search our SUV. Hal would do it, too, just to fuck with us. But then panic sliced through me. What if one of them had planted something in the vehicle?

I dropped my voice so that only Cáel and Hayden could hear me with their shifter senses. “There could be something in the SUV. I’m going to distract them. Then we check the trunk as fast as possible.”

A few students had begun to watch from campus above, and it wouldn’t be long before they got bold and made their way down here. It was now or never.

“Cáel, can you open their gas tank?” I whispered.

His eyes flared, but he nodded. A second later, there was a gust of wind, popping the tank door and then twisting the cap.

I turned, holding a hand over the side of my mouth as if warming my fingers but instead sent an array of sparks flying toward the gas tank. A second later, flames burst out of the side of the car.

Hayden shrieked, sending both detectives whirling in her direction. “Your car!”

She should’ve gotten an Oscar for her performance. The officers cursed, and Alwyn dashed toward the vehicle. “What the fuck?”

Brower raced after him, trying to stop him.

I didn’t waste a second. Using my increased speed, I dashed for the back of the SUV, hoping everyone’s focus would be on the burning car behind us. I pawed through the contents of the trunk until my gaze caught on something wrapped in a white rag.

Not hesitating, I grabbed it and stuffed it into Cáel’s backpack. But not before I felt the edge of a blade. Some fucker had tried to plant evidence in the back of Easton’s SUV.

When I zipped the backpack closed, I checked to see if anyone had been watching. All the students were focused on the burning cop car. All except for one.

Delaney was staring right at me, and there was an evil knowing in those amber eyes.

39

HAYDEN

To say that everyone had been on edge for the past week was an understatement. Easton, Cáel, and Knox had been sticking to me like white on rice. Cill had been working himself to the bone. And Maddox had been avoiding me like the plague.

I set down my fork, staring at my half-eaten dinner plate.

“Not hungry?” Easton asked gently.

I shook my head and glanced at my watch. Half past seven. “Cill’s not coming home for dinner?”

I’d gotten used to Maddox’s absence over the week, but this wasn’t like Cillian. He always prioritized his family.

The three guys shared a look.

“What?” I pressed.

Knox sighed. “He’s trying to find the traitor. He thinks the only way someone could’ve slipped that knife into the back of the SUV was here, on our property.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. The knife that was stained with flecks of dried blood. Blood I couldn’t help but wonder if matched Professor Brent’s.

“It was sitting in a parking lot all day on campus, too,” I argued. I didn’t want to believe that someone in Cillian’s horde would try to hurt us like this.

“He’ll figure it out either way,” Cáel vowed.

I worked that tender spot on the inside of my cheek. I was worried about Cillian. He wasn’t sleeping, probably wasn’t eating enough, and he hadn’t had a second to relax in weeks. With that thought, I shoved back from the table.

Easton frowned at me. “Where are you going?”

“To Ashes & Emeralds,” I said, turning to stride out of the room.

A litany of curses sounded beside me, but I didn’t stop. I took the stairs two at a time, heading for my bedroom. I made it to my closet before the guys caught up.

“Hayden,” Knox began. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

Maybe not, but I didn’t give a damn. I wasn’t letting Cillian lock me out any longer. I tugged my tee and sweatshirt over my head, dropping them to the floor.

Easton muttered another curse.

“Little One,” Cáel tried.

But I just yanked open the drawer that held all my lingerie. The bras and panties that were made of silk and delicate lace. I went for a set that reminded me of Cillian’s eyes. Dark emerald green with little gemstones woven through it.

Tugging it out of the drawer, I set it on the top of the dresser and then shucked my bra. I heard audible intakes of breath behind me but ignored them. I pulled on the new bra. It wasn’t padded but still somehow managed to do incredible things for my breasts, pushing them up and making them look larger than they were.

The lace came down low, covering half my rib cage. But it was so delicate you could easily see my skin through it, which meant you could also see my nipples. That seemed like a good move.

I slid down my sweats and underwear, which led to groans echoing in the room. But I ignored that, too, sliding on the thong with a tiny bow above my pubic bone. Then I went in search of a dress.

Pawing through the offerings, I finally found one I thought was perfect. Black lace. The tag read Jason Wu. It was dangerously short but had long sleeves and a high neck. The lace was layered, which meant the important parts would be covered, but everything else would be seen through that haze of black flowers.

As I turned around, three growls filled the air. I narrowed my eyes at them. “No.”

They all let out huffs of protest as I slid the dress over my head, but when I was dressed, Easton crossed to me, carrying a pair of strappy stilettos. “Cill will love these.”

I smiled at him. “Thank you.”

“We’re escorting you,” Knox demanded.

“That’s fine,” I agreed.

“And we’re killing anyone who looks at you twice,” Cáel gritted out.

I sent him a scolding look. “No murder tonight. It would be a real shame to get blood on this outfit.”

AS KNOX PULLED up in front of Ashes & Emeralds, I took in the line already wrapped around the building. All these people were so eager for a taste of what was inside. Two men dressed in black, with earpieces, hurried toward the vehicle.

As the first one opened Knox’s door, he ducked his head slightly. “We didn’t know you were coming tonight, sir.”

“Spur-of-the-moment sort of thing,” Knox answered.

The man’s eyes bugged slightly as he caught sight of me in the back seat. “Uh, should I inform Mr. McCarthy that Ms. Parrish is here?”

Knox quickly shook his head. “It’s a surprise.”

The man cast a panicked look at his coworker as he opened Easton’s door.

“Don’t worry,” Knox assured him. “If Cill gets pissed, we’ll take the heat.”

The man’s shoulders eased a fraction.

The second bouncer opened my door and greeted me without making any sort of eye contact. “Welcome to Ashes & Emeralds, Ms. Parrish.”

“Thank you,” I said, sliding out of the SUV, Cáel right behind me.

In a matter of seconds, the guys surrounded me, guiding me toward the door. Another bouncer lifted the red velvet rope as protests sounded down the line of those waiting to get in. But one look from Cáel and they all shut up.

Yet another bouncer opened the door as we walked up, the music hitting us like a wall of sound. “Have a good evening.”

We moved inside, instantly surrounded by people already in various stages of inebriation. The guys guided me through the throng of people and toward the back stairs.

A guy in his early twenties stumbled into our path, his eyes glassy but locked on me. “Hey, beautiful,” he slurred. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Cáel shoved him hard, making him land on his ass. “She’s taken, asshole.”

I winced as the man paled but just kept moving. I didn’t want more of a chance of a scene. A guard at the bottom of the stairs saw us coming and immediately moved out of the way. We took the stairs quickly, reaching a second level with another guard. This level had a lounge that must’ve served as a waiting room for those here to see Cillian.

The guard’s brows rose. “He know you’re here?”

“Surprise,” Easton said.

The guard’s gaze swept quickly over me. “Don’t think he’s going to mind that.”

Cáel moved quickly into the man’s space. “You look at her like that again and I’ll remove your eyes with a rusty spoon.”

“Shit, Cáel,” the guy said. “Not moving in on your mate.”

Cáel just let out a low growl.

I placed a hand on his chest. “It’s okay, Big Guy.”

He glanced down at me. “You better go inside before I kill someone, since you don’t want blood on that dress.”

Oh, hell.

40

CILLIAN

Not even a flicker of sound made its way through my office walls, yet sometimes, I swore I could still feel it. Maybe though the noise was silenced, the vibration of the sound still made its way through and into my office. Just like I could sense the need and desire pulsing up from the club beneath.

All of it grated, making the headache pulsing behind my eyes that much worse. I pinched the bridge of my nose as the phone rang on the other end of the line. Tonight had been a perpetual string of phone calls. All of which had gotten me nowhere.

Stonewalled by the council again. My scouts who’d been nosing around the Corbetts’ business had come back with nothing. Everything was quiet. Too quiet.

“Brix,” a gruff voice sounded across the line.

“It’s Cillian.”

Brix said nothing in response. Of course, he didn’t. He simply waited for my question. So, I got straight to the point.

“You find anything?”

“Told you I’d call when I had him.”

My back teeth ground together. “He kidnapped my fucking mate. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of reason to ask for an update now and then.”

A sigh came across the line. “Feelings. Fucking liabilities.”

Easy for Brix to say. He had no feelings. They’d been burned out of him somewhere along the line. And maybe life would be easier that way. But I wouldn’t trade Hayden for anything, not even a completely pain-free existence.

“You have anything or not?” I clipped.

“Followed his trail up to Canada but lost it.”

I cursed.

“You did a good job of cutting off his resources,” Brix continued. “Might even give Locke a run for his money.”

I knew from the email dossiers I’d received from the Diablos that Locke was their pack’s tech guru. Most likely, he delved into more illegal shit than I could ever dream of.

“Where are you now?” I pressed.

“Nolan’s running out of places to go. We think he’ll hole up with a friend.”

“That piece of shit doesn’t have any friends,” I snapped.

“Okay, with someone stupid enough to do him a favor. We’ve split up, and we’re running down possibles,” Brix said.

I grunted in response, then sat back in my chair. I needed more information than this. Needed anything to take the edge off the terror that I was going to lose Hayden again.

“We’ll find him,” Brix assured me, voice pitching low.

“I know you will. I just don’t want it to be too fucking late.”

“It won’t be. Just keep your head on a swivel.”

It was. I was looking for potential attacks everywhere, and without some decent rest, I knew I was going to crack.

Brix was quiet for a moment and then asked, “What do you know about that friend of your mate’s? Wren.”

I stiffened, everything in me going wired. “Why?”

“Something was off about her. Her scent. It was human, but…wrong.”

My molars ground together for a whole different reason. I wasn’t about to share Wren’s true identity with a man who had a price, even if they were known for not standing for violence against women. “You don’t need to worry about her. She’s good.”

“That’s not an answer,” he growled.

A knock sounded on the door.

“I need to go. Call me with any updates.” I hung up before waiting for an answer but heard a snarl come across the line as I did.

“Come in,” I barked. I should’ve been grateful to whoever this was for ending the call with Brix before he could question me any further, but I knew I was in too foul a mood. Whoever was about to walk through my door was more likely to get their neck snapped than be welcomed.

The door swung open, and everything in me stilled.

Hayden stepped inside, closing the door behind her. While tiny, her tanned legs somehow seemed to go on forever. Feet wrapped in strappy shoes I wanted her to keep on while I fucked her fast and hard. A lace dress that left little to the imagination but rose up in the front, that lace collaring her throat the way my fingers itched to do.

“What are you doing here?” I growled.

Hayden didn’t show an ounce of fear. “Apparently, here is the only place I can see you.”

God, I’d missed that fire. “Little Flame,” I warned.

She arched a brow as she stalked slowly toward my desk. “Tell me that’s not true.”

But she knew I couldn’t. I’d barely been home the past week. And fuck, I’d missed her.

Hayden slowed to a stop a few feet from my desk. “You’re going to work yourself into an early grave.”

“There are a lot of irons in the fire right now.”

“That may be, but it doesn’t mean you stop taking care of yourself. You need rest, food, time to unwind.”

Those things seemed so unimportant, given everything we were facing. But I couldn’t think about that right now; I was too lost in the beauty in front of me.

“Come home with me,” Hayden pleaded.

“I still have to—”

“Cillian,” she chastised, shaking her head. “I didn’t want to play with fire, but…”

Hayden’s words fell off as she took a step back. Her hand reached behind her, unzipping the dress. Then she let it fall.

My cock jerked against my zipper. Nothing but barely-there emerald lace covered her breasts and pussy. My mouth watered, and I swore I could already taste her on my tongue.

“Fuck,” I ground out on a ragged breath as she kicked the dress to the side.

Hayden bent, reaching for one stiletto.

“Stop.” My voice lashed out like a whip.

Hayden’s eyes cut to me.

“Leave the shoes on. I want to feel them digging into my ass while I fuck you.”

41

HAYDEN

My pulse thrummed in my neck, the erratic beat matching the need pulsing through me. My fingers released the strap on my stiletto, and I straightened but didn’t move. I was frozen in Cillian’s emerald stare, like prey caught in a predator’s sights.

I’d never felt more vulnerable. In nothing but barely-there lace and fuck-me heels. The cool air from the AC had goose bumps rising on my flesh. Or maybe it was the intensity in Cillian’s eyes.

He pushed back from his desk, the move slow and graceful. As he stood, I could see the thick line of his cock pressed against his dress pants. The image made my mouth water. He rounded the desk with that same measured ease, never taking his eyes off me.

I swallowed hard as Cillian neared, circling me. That smoky cedar scent teased my nose, making me want to lean in and sniff him. Hell. These shifter urges were beyond bizarre.

Cillian reached out a finger, trailing it down my spine. “So fucking pretty. Perfect.” The finger went lower, tracing the globe of my ass. “You were born for delicate lace.”

“It matches your eyes,” I whispered.

He moved in closer, my back to his front. The contact brought a riot of sensations, of oppositions. His clothes against my bare skin. His heat to my chilled flesh. Cillian’s cock pressed against my backside, and I couldn’t help the small whimper that slipped free.

“So, you wore this just for me?” he rasped.

“Yes,” I breathed.

Cillian’s hand circled my waist, then trailed lower, cupping me. He let out a groan. “Fucking soaked.”

My hips rocked against his hold, needing more friction, pressure.

Cillian’s lips found my neck, teasing the flesh there. “My greedy girl.”

I was always greedy for him, and I didn’t think that would ever end.

His other hand came around, pulling the lace cup of my bra down and squeezing my breast. My nipples tightened, straining for more. His finger circled one bud, then twisted.

I let out some sort of nonsensical sound as I pressed my ass back into him.

“Have I been falling down on my duties, Little Flame? Not giving you what you need?”

“Yes,” I croaked.

He nipped the side of my neck. “Gonna have to apologize for that.”

A fresh wave of heat and wetness bloomed between my legs. “Please.”

Cillian pinched my nipple as if to say pay attention. “Want to play, Little Flame?”

My core spasmed. With Cill, playing could mean so many delicious things. “I want to play.”

“Safe word?”

“Red,” I rasped.

“Slow down?”

“Yellow.”

“Good girl,” he cooed, the praise washing over me like a heady drug.

My thighs pressed together, trying to relieve some of the ache there and pushing his hand harder against my heat.

Cillian made a tsking noise. “You’re not running this show.”

His other hand left my breast and came down hard on the curve of my ass.

I cried out, but the sharp sting of pain quickly melted into nothing but heat.

Cillian tugged his hand from between my thighs, and I whimpered at the loss.

“I’m in charge of your pleasure. When you come. How you come. But only if you trust me.”

I nodded, my tongue sticking to the roof of my suddenly dry mouth.

“Good girl. Now step forward, bend over, and grab the edge of the desk.”

My breath hitched as the order cascaded over me. There was something drugging about being at this man’s mercy and my choice to be there. I took one step, then another, and bent, gripping the edge of the thick desk.

“What a pretty picture you make. Ass in the air, legs spread,” Cillian growled. “Keep your eyes on the desk, nowhere else.”

I obeyed, biting the corner of my lip as I heard rustling behind me. Something opened and closed. A door or chest maybe?

A second later, the softest black silk wrapped around my eyes and pulled tight. I couldn’t help the slight stiffening of my muscles.

“Trust me,” Cillian urged.

I did. With everything I had. Remembering that helped my muscles ease, and I adjusted to the dark.

“Want to turn this ass the prettiest shade of pink,” Cillian said, voice low and gritty.

Something trailed over my backside. Strands of something heavier than ribbon, but it felt similar. My mind flashed back to the image of months ago, when we’d stood in the downstairs of his club and watched as two men took that woman. Of how one had spanked her with something Cill had called a flogger.

I shifted, clenching my thighs at the memory.

The strands were gone, and then they came down hard on my ass with a sharp sting. I cried out at the shock, at the bloom of pain. And then wetness gathered in my core, pooling.

“Thighs apart,” Cillian rasped. “Don’t move.”

My breaths came faster.

He stepped in, rubbing the globe of my ass. Then his fingers twisted in my thong and ripped it clean from my body. “Keeping this to mark the memory.”

My mouth fell open, and I gripped the desk harder but didn’t move.

Cillian ran a finger through my slit as he pressed his cock against my ass. “You liked that.”

It wasn’t a question, but I answered anyway. “Yes.”

“So wet. But not enough. I want to see it dripping down your thighs.”

I sucked in a sharp breath, and Cillian was gone. Then the flogger came down hard on my backside. Over and over, in a pattern I couldn’t predict. Each contact made my core spasm, trying to grab onto something, anything, but there was nothing there.

Wetness dripped. I could feel it trailing out of me and down my thighs.

“Look at that beautiful cunt glistening for me. So ready to be fucked,” Cillian growled. “Such a good girl, waiting for me to fill you.”

Another whimper slid free, and I heard tiny clicks of metal against metal behind me. I sent up a silent prayer it was Cillian’s zipper.

“Hold tight,” he warned. But it was the only warning I got. He slammed into me with a force that had me crying out.

Each thrust made light dance across my covered eyes. Cillian’s hand fisted in my hair, pulling it back. The sharp sting only drove the pleasure of him hitting my G-spot higher.

Over and over, he took me. My legs shook as he dominated me, but I only wanted more. I moaned as his dick hit deeper.

“That’s it. Take my cock. Milk it.”

My walls fluttered in promise.

Cill reached for something on the desk, and a buzzing lit the air. Then something was pressed to my clit. My brain short-circuited. Too many sensations at once.

I clamped down on Cillian’s cock, making him curse as he thrust deeper, over and over. He growled as he came, and the feeling of his cum filling me only made my orgasm build. Pleasure crashed in around me, and then it took me under, and Cillian caught me as I fell.

42

CÁEL

I watched as Cillian lifted Hayden from the back of Knox’s SUV. The fact that she was dressed in a T-shirt and shorts of Cillian’s that he kept at the office for when he needed to run off some steam only made her look tinier, more vulnerable. She burrowed into him, muttering something that didn’t really make sense.

Cillian’s lips twitched, and he cradled her closer to his chest. Just that hint of a smile on his lips told me that Hayden’s instinct to go to him was right. But she always seemed to know what we needed.

Easton jogged ahead to open the door as Knox beeped the locks on the vehicle. Cillian gave East a chin lift. “I’m going to settle her in bed, and then I want a family meeting.”

I stiffened, my beast pushing at my skin and wanting free. Had Cill found something? Was Hayden at risk? A million and one questions flew through my brain. But I bit them all back.

“What about Mad?” Knox asked.

“Mad clearly doesn’t want to be a part of this family, so why would he be at a family meeting?” Easton shot back.

“I texted him already,” Cillian said, sending Easton a warning glance. “He’ll be here in ten.”

We all filed into the entryway, Cill heading for the stairs while the rest of us moved in the direction of the kitchen.

“Mad’s going to come around,” Knox said as he moved to the pantry and retrieved bags of chips.

Easton shook his head. “He’s being a dipshit.”

Knox arched a brow as he opened the fridge and got some fancy homemade dip our cook had created. “And you weren’t?”

Redness crept into Easton’s face. “But I got it together.”

“And Mad will, too,” Knox assured him.

I didn’t weigh in. I hoped like hell that Maddox pulled his head out of his ass, but I knew that wasn’t guaranteed. So, I avoided the subject altogether and grabbed some sodas from the fridge, leaving them on the kitchen island.

The twins each grabbed one and dug into the dip. I took a Coke but didn’t go for the food. I was still unsettled. Something had me on edge. Maybe it was all the assholes staring at Hayden as we moved through the club. Maybe it was Cill’s need for a family meeting. Either way, I was twitchy and so was my dragon.

Footsteps sounded in the hall, and a second later, Cillian appeared, Maddox following behind him. Cill looked more relaxed than he had in weeks, but Hayden had that drugging effect. Maddox looked worse. I was sure part of it was that he could scent Hayden and sex on Cill. But I was also fairly certain he’d stopped sleeping at some point. My guess was that Hayden was haunting his thoughts, both awake and asleep.

Cillian grabbed a ginger ale from the island and popped the top. “Spoke to Brix.”

Everyone stilled, waiting for more.

“Nolan is still in the wind.”

Several groans and sounds of frustration filled the air.

“Brix thinks he’s hiding out with a friend.”

“Nolan doesn’t have friends,” I snarled.

“That’s what I told Brix,” Cillian said. “But he does have people who owe him favors. Brix is following several trails.”

I grunted. My dragon hated that the threats to Hayden hadn’t already been decimated, and I didn’t disagree. It was a nightly battle not to let him free to go after the Corbetts at least.

“Mad, any updates on the scales research?” Cillian asked.

Maddox’s head jerked up as if he’d been in another world. “What?”

Cill’s eyes narrowed on him. “The scales. What have you found out?”

Maddox’s throat worked as he swallowed. “Nothing you don’t already know.”

The room went deathly silent before Easton spoke up.

“I worked on that project today. Went through the books and journals we have in the library. There are a few accounts of dragons from that lineage giving scales to their mates to help them in battle. Increased strength and ability. But there was also talk that they were immortal and gave their bonded mates the same gift.”

Well, shit. “Immortality?” I croaked.

Easton shook his head. “That might be the wrong word. The dragons were still susceptible to the same things we are, but their natural lives go on forever.”

“Hell,” Knox muttered. “So as long as we don’t get shot, we live forever?”

East shrugged. “I couldn’t find it corroborated, but this account seems to think so.”

Cillian’s gaze moved from Easton to Maddox. “Do you want to tell me why Easton found this much out in a day, and you’ve been working on this for weeks and have come back with shit?”

I winced. The alpha tone had bled into Cillian’s voice, and that didn’t spell good things.

Maddox stiffened. “I have other priorities, as well. I’m a professor. I’m trying to keep the university off all our backs.”

“We all have other responsibilities,” Cillian growled. “But this was your number one priority, and you failed.”

Something pricked in the back of my brain. A foreign feeling. Fear, I realized. But it didn’t feel like my own. I frowned as our alpha and beta continued fighting.

“Your number one priority,” Mad snapped.

“And I’m the alpha of this horde. Unless you wish to challenge me?” Cillian snarled.

That fear spread, turning into panic, and I shifted on my stool. What the hell was going on?

“You know I have no desire to lead this horde.”

Cillian glared at him. “Then maybe I need to relieve you of your beta duties and give them to someone who’s willing to actually do the work.”

The twins sucked in audible breaths next to me, but I couldn’t focus on the argument happening around me. The terror and anxiety had taken over my mind, almost as if I was feeling someone else’s emotions. My spine snapped straight.

“Hayden.” Her name was a whisper on my tongue, but I was already moving, jumping up and running for the stairs.

Questions shouted behind me, but I didn’t stop. I took the stairs three at a time, nearly flying up them. When I reached the third floor, I caught a whimper on the air. I ran faster, throwing Hayden’s bedroom door open.

She thrashed in the sheets, clearly in the throes of a nightmare. I rushed to the bed, my hands going to her shoulders. She only fought harder, crying out. The desperation sliced at my chest.

“It’s me, Little One. You’re safe. It’s just me.”

My voice seemed to cut back on the terror, and Hayden’s eyes flew open. “Cáel?” she croaked.

“I’ve got you.” I hauled her into my arms as the rest of my brothers charged into the room.

“What the hell happened?” Cillian barked.

I settled Hayden and me back against the pillows as I sent him a dirty look. “Nightmare.”

Easton moved to the bed, climbing in on the other side and nuzzling Hayden’s neck. “You okay?”

She nodded but didn’t speak.

Knox studied me for a moment. “You felt it, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” I murmured, pulling her close.

Cillian strode to the bed, taking the other side of me and framing Hayden’s cheek with his hand. “What was it?”

Hayden’s eyes glistened as they locked with Cillian’s. “Nolan had me again.”

We all cursed.

Knox moved to the end of the bed, taking her feet and depositing them in his lap. “You’re safe. No one’s going to hurt you.”

Easton pressed a kiss to her temple. “We’ll all stay with you tonight.”

Hayden burrowed in between us, letting out a long breath. “Thank you.”

I looked up as I held her, seeing Maddox hovering in the doorway. His amber eyes were locked on Hayden’s pale face. And I thought for a moment that he would step forward, that he would choose this family. But instead, he turned and walked away.

43

HAYDEN

I yawned, stretching to the side as Easton placed a steaming mug of hot cocoa on the dresser in front of me. He kissed the top of my head as if he’d been making the move for years. “How do you feel this morning?”

The rest of the guys littered around my closet looked on expectantly. He’d asked the question they’d all wanted to but had been too worried to voice.

“I’m good, promise. I didn’t have any more bad dreams.” And I hadn’t. Sleeping cocooned by my mates had kept any and all nightmares at bay.

“Good,” Cáel said with a grunt, as if he would beat up any bad dreams that might try to come my way.

I crossed to where he was sitting next to Cillian in the two chairs flanking the window at the back of the closet. The chairs themselves were upholstered in a beautiful lavender velvet, but they were on the smaller side. Both he and Cillian looked slightly ridiculous sitting in them.

I bent, placing my hands on his knees, and brushed a kiss across his lips. “Are you okay?”

It freaked me out that Cáel had been able to feel the emotions from my dream through our bond. I was grateful he’d woken me up, but I didn’t want him to have to face the effect, too. But Cillian had explained that with four of the five having bonded to me, those tethers were strengthening, and the gifts that came with it, as well.

Cáel stared up at me, his callused hand brushing the hair away from my face. “I’m fine, Little One. I just hate that you went through that.”

I knew he did. The fact that he felt so deeply brought with it a mixture of pleasure and pain. “I love you,” I whispered.

Cáel closed the distance between us again and took my mouth slowly. The kiss was deeper than mine, his tongue stroking in. But it wasn’t about sexual need. It was comfort, reminding each other that we’d always be right here.

When he pulled back, a small smile played on his lips. “I love you, too.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s still freaky when he smiles,” Knox said, shuddering.

Cillian choked on a laugh. “Those cheek muscles probably don’t know what to do with the sudden workout.”

“Like you’re any better,” Easton shot back. “I don’t think I’ve seen you grin unless you were about to execute a hostile takeover.”

A giggle slipped past my lips. I loved this. My guys teasing each other. Showing a bit of that carefree side they all desperately needed.

Cillian’s eyes narrowed on my face. “Are you laughing at me?”

“Maaaaybe.”

He shot out of the chair, catching me around the waist and tickling my sides. I shrieked, twisting in his arms, but Cill was far too strong for me to have any hope of escape. “I surrender! I surrender!” I cried.

Cillian nipped the side of my neck, setting me on my feet. “That’s better.”

I let out a huff, blowing strands of blonde hair around my face. “Animal.”

He bared his teeth at me. “And don’t you forget it.”

A pleasant shiver raced down my spine at the memory of last night’s escapades in Cill’s office. I wanted to do that again. Soon.

I crossed back to the dresser, taking a sip of the rich hot chocolate. The flavors played on my tongue, and I closed my eyes to take it all in.

“You hear anything from Mad this morning?” Knox asked.

The question killed my chocolate buzz in an instant as my eyes opened to get Cillian’s answer.

He shook his head. “I think he stayed at the cabin last night.”

My stomach twisted. Moments like this one made me feel like a greedy bitch. I had four amazing men who were dedicated to making me the happiest I could be. We all balanced one another out so perfectly. So why was I still focused on the one who didn’t return my feelings?

I felt heat at my side. Easton trailed a hand down my back. “You all right?”

I bit the corner of my lip. “Sometimes I worry about my sanity.”

His brows lifted at that.

“We have these amazing relationships, and I’m still longing for the guy who has honestly been treating me like shit.”

Sympathy washed over Easton’s expression. “It’s natural to still feel a pull toward him. He’s your mate.”

“My asshole mate,” I grumbled.

Easton’s lips twitched. “I thought that was me.”

A small chuckle left my lips. “Now you’re the hot cocoa mate.”

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into him. “I think I like that one better.”

Knox leaned against the far wall, studying us both. “Maybe you need to take the Cillian approach to Mad.”

The alpha’s brows rose. “And what is the Cillian approach?”

Knox grinned. “One that involved lingerie and breaking through a dragon’s stubborn streak.”

Cillian choked on a laugh as his gaze moved to me, heating. “It did get through my thick skull when I was being an ass.”

My stomach flipped at the idea of pulling a similar stunt with Maddox. He was so damned serious. “I don’t know.”

Easton released me. “It might shock him out of that prickish state.” He bent, opening a drawer and pawing through it. “And I happen to know he favors things like this.”

Easton laid a series of garments on top of the dresser. Every piece of underwear was made solely of crisscrossing straps. My mouth went dry as I ran a finger across one of the buckles on what looked like a garter. “You want me to wear this to school?” I squeaked.

Knox grinned at me. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

44

HAYDEN

I worried the corner of my lip as I walked down the hallway, my fingers twisting the strap on my backpack. I could feel eyes on me. Most of them were morbidly curious. Wondering if I’d killed Professor Brent, maybe. Or if I’d cheated on my boyfriend with Cáel and had gotten knocked up.

We’d really confused the student body by all of us being as close as ever. And now that Cáel was back on campus, they were extra puzzled. Whatever. Let them wonder.

But I could feel other eyes on me. Warm ones. I was never alone now. Not even on the short walk between classes. While Easton rode out his punishment from Dean Robinson, Knox and Cáel were on guard duty. Usually, they accompanied me from place to place but not right now. They knew I needed to make this walk alone. But their eyes on me were the gentle reassurance I needed.

“Slut,” someone cough-whispered.

My gaze flicked to the side to see Delaney standing there. She was alone. Her two so-called friends really had dropped her psycho ass. And the strain of all Delaney’s hatred had really started to show. There were dark circles under her eyes. Her typically impeccable clothes were rumpled.

It wasn’t even worth a response. Delaney could think whatever she wanted. She could obsess until her brain short-circuited and she flunked out of college, for all I cared.

So, I just kept walking. There was freedom in that. Because I knew who I was. People might not understand my relationship with the guys, but they didn’t have to. It was ours, not theirs.

As I moved down the hallway, tension wrapped around my muscles. It wove tighter and tighter with each step I took. I could feel the straps of the garters I wore. The bra with too many cords to count.

This was a horrible idea.

But I lifted my hand to knock on Maddox’s slightly open door.

“Come in.” His deep voice was muffled. But even at that lower volume, I could hear the tiredness in it.

I bit the inside of my cheek as I stepped inside, closing the door behind me.

Maddox’s head lifted, looking up from a stack of papers. Everything about him stilled as those amber eyes locked with mine. My breath hitched as they traveled down my body. Nothing about my outfit was risqué, not that he could see anyway.

I wore a high-waisted silk skirt in deep maroon that fell just below mid-thigh. It was paired with a cropped cashmere sweater in the palest pink that revealed only a slight sliver of skin. Tights peeked out from under the skirt in an opaque black, but he’d have no idea they were thigh highs. And the knee-high boots were similar to the ones countless other students wore.

Maddox’s sweep of my body felt like a physical caress. Maybe because he’d barely touched me in the months I’d known him, and my body was starving for any contact.

He cleared his throat. “Ms. Parrish. How can I help you?”

The mask was back in place. The one I would’ve given anything to rip from his face. But instead, I kept my own expression in that same blank state. “I’m here for my advisor meeting, Professor Kavanaugh.”

His fingers tightened around the pen in his hand. “Of course.”

I moved to the chair opposite his desk and dropped my backpack to the floor as I sat. I crossed my legs, and Maddox’s gaze flicked to the movement and held. I watched as his throat worked, struggling to swallow.

I got a little thrill out of that. Maybe Knox was right, not so immune after all.

Maddox jerked his focus away from my legs and tapped a few things on his computer keyboard. “I’ve heard from most of your other professors that you’re caught up on classwork. Looks like there’s one test and one paper outstanding.”

“I handed in the paper this afternoon, so all I have left is to make up that bio test. It needs to be proctored.”

I let that last piece hang in the air. He was my biology teacher. He’d have to proctor it. Which would mean being alone with me for at least an hour.

Maddox cleared his throat. “I can have my TA do that. Just let me know when you’d like to schedule it.”

Chicken shit.

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from saying as much. Instead, I bent and grabbed my planner. When I straightened, I found those amber eyes locked on me again.

It should’ve been a thrill, a triumphant win. But it wasn’t. Because what I saw in those eyes was tortured pain. “Maddox,” I whispered.

He looked away. “Don’t.”

I’d never felt more defeated than I did in that moment. Not when I thought I was dying after Hal had hit me with his dragon fire. Not when I’d woken up in Nolan’s clutches. Because even if Maddox did eventually give in, it wouldn’t be because he wanted to.

“I’m sorry,” I choked out. “I’ll find a way to unlink us. I won’t force this on you. I promise.”

I moved before he could say another word. Something else that would cut me to the core. I snatched my backpack up and ran for the door.

I heard him call after me, but I didn’t stop. I just kept running. Right up until someone caught my arm.

Lashing out on instinct, my hand jerked out in a punch, but Knox caught it before it hit his face. “Easy there, slugger.” His expression fell as he took in my face. “That bad, huh?”

“It’s never going to work,” I whispered.

“Fucking prick,” Knox muttered, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into him.

“He’s not.” I shuddered against Knox. “But I can’t keep doing this with him. It’s not fair to Maddox, and it’s not fair to me.”

Knox’s lips ghosted over my hair. “Come on. Let’s go get you some ice cream. Ice cream solves all.”

I wanted to revel in Knox’s tender care, his kindness. But I couldn’t stop thinking about the pain in Maddox’s eyes.

Knox’s hand slipped into mine, and we headed out of the building. “Have you been to 89 Flavors yet?”

I shook my head. I hadn’t had much time for things like ice cream since I’d gotten to campus. And there was something wrong with that. I needed to create space for the simple pleasures so I didn’t get so caught up in the drama of everything else.

“So fucking good. The mint Oreo? To die for.”

My mouth curved at that. “I like mint Oreo.”

“Prepare for a mouthgasm,” Knox said as we made our way to the edge of campus.

“Yo, Gallagher,” a guy called, making Knox stop and turn, releasing my hand.

“Hey, Frank.”

The guy threw up both hands. “You don’t call. You don’t write.” He sent me a smile. “He gets one hot girlfriend and ditches us.”

Knox moved forward to playfully punch his teammate. “You’d do the same if you ever got a girlfriend.”

“Burn,” another guy called.

The sound of squealing tires had me looking up and trying to find the source of the sound. A blacked-out SUV barreled down the street. What the hell? The driver has to be drunk.

Knox shouted my name.

But it was too late. The SUV jumped the curb and headed straight for me.

45

MADDOX

I sank down into my desk chair, my head dropping to my hands. “Fuck.”

I’d done it this time. Messed things up so badly that Hayden was going to try to sever our bond. Just the thought had me jerking upright and out of my chair again, grabbing a paperweight from my desk and hurtling it at the wall. “Fuck!”

Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and my door swung open. A harried-looking Mrs. Tennyson eyed me. “What in tarnation is going on in here?”

The science staff receptionist didn’t put up with much, and I was at the end of my rope. My beast raked its claws against my skin. He wanted out, wanted to go after his mate he knew was hurting. And he wanted to cause me far worse pain.

“Sorry,” I croaked.

Worry flashed in Mrs. Tennyson’s eyes. “Are you all right, Maddox?”

I shook my head. “It’s been…a rough few weeks. I’ll clean this up.”

Her lips pursed as she took me in. “I know that there’s been quite a lot happening with your family. If you need anything, just ask.”

She was out the door before I could say anything, but from Mrs. Tennyson, that might as well have been a hug.

I stared down at the shards of glass on the floor. What a fucking mess. Just like the rest of my life.

Hayden’s face flashed in my mind, almost as if reflecting on the pieces of broken glass. There’d been hurt there, for me. Then her agony. And then finally, true betrayal.

Hell.

My jaw clamped shut, back molars grinding. She was too good. Too tempting. Everything about her drew me in. And when I’d seen those fucking garters? Imagined what she’d look like in nothing else? I’d snapped.

And maybe I’d broken things for good. Broken her for good.

The thought had me moving without thought. Needed to find Hayden, to make things right. What I thought I was going to say to fix my fuck-up, I had no idea. All I knew was that I had to find her before it was too late.

I strode down the hallway to the front doors of the science building. Stepping outside, the cool winter air hit me full blast. The chill in such opposition to my overheated skin, that internal fire burning bright from my dragon’s anger.

I stalked down the campus path, my gaze searching for Hayden. I knew she didn’t have class for another hour. She usually found a table outside or went to the library. But my eyes caught a glimpse of blonde hair.

Picking up my pace, I hurried in her direction. Her blonde hair caught on the wind, lips tipping up in a smile as she watched Knox and his friends goof off.

The sound of screeching tires had my head snapping toward where it was coming from. Everything stopped, the world seizing as I watched in horror as a darkened SUV hopped the curb and headed straight for Hayden.

My beast roared, but we were too far away. There was nothing we could do.

Shouts pierced the air, and then Knox was running, taking Hayden down in some sort of football tackle. The SUV tore past them, keeping right on going. But it had all happened too fast for me to tell if they’d been hit.

I was running before I even realized it. My muscles burning to get to my mate and my brother. Fear wrapped around my throat, cutting off all my air.

Knox rolled them both just as I reached the street. His hands hovered over her, searching for injury.

“Don’t move her,” I clipped, dropping to their sides.

Hayden blinked up at us, confusion swirling. “What…happened?”

“Where are you in pain?” I asked, my hands skimming over her, checking for any obvious signs of broken bones.

“My head, a little.” She moved then, struggling to sit up.

“Don’t,” I snapped. We didn’t know if she had a spinal injury or a serious head wound.

Those violet eyes flashed. “Don’t bark at me.”

A little piece of the terror I’d been feeling slipped away. Hayden was yelling at me. That had to be a good sign.

“You could be seriously hurt,” I said more gently.

She glared back at me. “And wouldn’t that be lucky for you.”

All the blood drained from my head. “Hayden.”

“I’m fine,” she clipped, struggling to her feet. But the moment she stood, she listed sideways.

I cursed, hurrying to catch her before she hit the pavement again. I hauled her against me as her eyelids fluttered. “Fucking hell,” I muttered. We needed to get her home. To Marcus or to shift.

The crowd of students was getting larger, and the last thing we needed was an ambulance trying to treat Hayden. I sent Knox a look that communicated just that. “We need to move.”

He jerked his head in a nod. “I’ve got my keys.”

Hayden’s eyelids fluttered again, those violet irises making contact with my gaze for a split second. “Why do you hate me?” she mumbled, and then her eyes closed again.

I didn’t hate her. Not for one second. But I hated myself. I’d never forgive myself for what I’d done to Hayden, and if Cillian wanted to slit my carotid, I’d let him.

46

HAYDEN

I gazed down at the slowly dying bubbles in the tub as the water began to turn cold. I ran my pruny fingers through them, staring down as if they might have the answers. They wouldn’t, of course.

Not to who had tried to run me over and not to what the hell was going on with Maddox. I’d come to in the back of Knox’s SUV with my head in Maddox’s lap. I’d seen real worry in his eyes, too.

It hadn’t left as he’d carried me into the house or as Marcus had treated me with his latest batch of potions. Marcus had informed us I had a mild concussion, but thanks to his magic, I wouldn’t feel any of the effects. The only thing he couldn’t cure was the massive bruise I’d likely have on my side.

Cillian, Cáel, and Easton had gone to try to hunt down the vehicle and the assailant, but Knox and Maddox had stayed behind. I’d heard their muffled conversation coming from my bedroom as I soaked in the tub, but it had stopped altogether about thirty minutes ago. I hoped that meant I was finally alone.

I needed that solitude. That silence. My head hurt, not from the fall but from the whiplash that was Maddox. I was so beyond done with it. With him. I was exhausted to the bone from his back-and-forth. If he wanted to go, I just wished he would get it over with.

Bending forward, I pulled the plug from the tub and stood. Bubbles clung to my skin as I stepped out and grabbed for a towel. I took my time drying off and slathering lotion across my skin. A little self-care to try to soothe away the ache in my chest.

It didn’t work.

Sighing, I grabbed my sweats and pulled them on. The soft fleece brushed against my skin in a soothing embrace. I wove my hair into two pigtail braids. Tonight, I was doing nothing but crawling beneath the sheets and watching some ridiculous comedy. Something that would distract me from all that was swirling around me.

My bare feet padded across the floor, and I opened the door to my bedroom. My steps hitched and then halted altogether as I saw Maddox sitting on my bed, his head in his hands. He wore the same outfit from earlier; it was just slightly more rumpled now.

Slowly, he looked up, his gaze colliding with mine. His amber eyes were bloodshot, and he looked so damned tired. A small, traitorous part of me wanted to soothe him, to fix it.

I told that tiny part of me to shut the hell up.

“How do you feel?” Maddox asked, his voice coated in sandpaper.

“Fine. Just tired. I’m going to call it a night.”

Maddox didn’t move. He just stared at me. His gaze swept over different parts of me. Not in a sexual way, but as if he was assuring himself I was still there.

“Hayden—”

“I’m sorry,” I cut him off.

He blinked a few times. “You’re sorry?”

I nodded quickly, heat filling my cheeks. “I was playing games. Knox had this idea that if I tempted you, everything would miraculously work out. East picked out some ridiculous lingerie. And I just got caught up. But I shouldn’t have. I meant what I said. I’ll find a way to untie you from me. I swear.”

Maddox stared at me for a moment and then pushed off the bed. He stalked slowly toward me. “You think I don’t want you every moment of every day?” His fingers closed around the end of my braid, toying with it. “I want you just as much in pigtails, no makeup, and sweats, as I do in those hot-as-fuck garters. Because either way, it’s you.”

My breath hitched as anger surged. “Don’t.”

“Hayden—”

“No,” I said, batting his hand away. “You don’t get to keep doing this. You like me, you hate me, you want me, you’re disgusted by me. Pick a fucking lane.”

“I don’t deserve you.” The words sounded as if they’d been torn from Maddox’s throat. That he hadn’t wanted to say them but hadn’t had any choice.

We stared at each other in some sort of silent standoff.

“Why?” I finally asked. It was such a simple question.

“I’ve failed everyone I’ve ever cared about,” he whispered.

My chest constricted. “You haven’t.”

“I failed Niecy. Got her killed. Failed my brothers. Haven’t been able to be what they needed. Failed you. So many fucking times. Nearly gotten you killed more times than I can count.”

“Mad.”

His eyes flashed gold. “I don’t trust myself. I didn’t want to care because I knew I could lose you. That I could be the cause of that loss.”

I started shaking my head, but he just kept on going. “I didn’t want to love you because I knew that I wouldn’t survive life without you. But it’s too damned late. That’s what I realized today. Watching that SUV almost hit you. I knew it. Down to my bones. Even if I never touched you, I’d still fucking love you.”

He let out a shuddered breath, his hand raking through his hair and pulling on the ends of the strands. “You came in and smashed my world apart. Took my ordered existence and turned it on its head. But I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

My heart beat faster and faster as Maddox started to pace.

“Just getting to be in your orbit makes my life better. Seeing the color you paint our world with. How you care for everyone. How you’ve healed all my brothers. Made them whole again. How could I not fall in love with you?”

Tears brimmed in my eyes. “Then stop.”

Maddox’s gaze cut to me. “Stop?”

“Stop fighting it so fucking hard!” I yelled. “Stop fighting me. Stop fighting us. Sometimes the worst happens. Sometimes we lose the people we love most. But that doesn’t make it our fault. Stop putting the world on your shoulders.”

His chest rose and fell in ragged pants. “Mo Ghràidh.”

“Why do you call me that?” I finally asked the question I’d always wanted to.

Maddox stared at me for a long moment. “It means my heart or my soul. That’s what you’ve always been to me.”

My own heart pinballed around my rib cage. When had he first used that term? I thought I remembered it from that day I’d gotten sick in his office. So early on. “Why? Why haven’t you let me see?” Let me see him, see his heart, see that he cared.

“Because I was fucking terrified,” Maddox admitted, his head dipping in shame.

I went to him then, my hands framing his stubbled cheeks. “Love is fucking terrifying. But let’s be terrified together.”

He sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes searching mine, looking for something. Maddox must’ve seen it because then he moved. His mouth was on mine, and I was lost.

47

HAYDEN

Maddox pulled me flush against him, his heat wrapping around us like a blazing inferno. It was as if I could feel him and his dragon all at once, could sense the dragon almost purr. I sank into the kiss, relief sweeping through me at the rightness of it all.

Maddox’s tongue parted my lips and stroked inside. I couldn’t help but moan as his taste filled my mouth. He’d always smelled like smoky burnt orange to me, but now I could taste it. Everything about it was a heady buzz, my senses on overload.

My hands slipped beneath Maddox’s crisp shirt, now wrinkled, feeling his bare skin for the first time. He growled into my mouth, urging me on. My fingers traced over his muscled back, trying to memorize the feel and not wanting to miss a moment.

Maddox pulled back, his eyes pure gold. “Tell me you’re sure.”

I blinked up at him, still in the haze of lust.

“You’ve been through a lot today. I don’t want to take advantage—”

My hands flew to the front of his shirt, grabbing him and pulling him down until his lips were a breath away. “I’m not going to break, Mad. I want this. I want you. It’s felt wrong not to have you be a part of this, of me, of us.”

His eyes blazed, the gold flickering and swirling as if it were real fire. And then he sank to his knees. That fire looked up at me, ready to consume me. “Going to worship you. Every inch of you. But first, I have to taste you. Been dreaming of feeling you on my tongue.”

My breath hitched, shuddering in my lungs.

Maddox’s fingers hooked into my sweats, pulling them slowly down. But he didn’t take his eyes off mine until my sweats dropped to the floor. Then his gaze moved to the apex of my thighs. He stared transfixed, a hand lifting slowly.

“Been dying to know what you looked like.” He leaned forward, inhaling deeply. “What you smelled like.” His finger traced my slit, and I shuddered. “What you felt like.”

“Maddox,” I whispered, his name a plea and a prayer.

He didn’t make me wait, didn’t make me beg. His tongue lashed out, circling my clit as his fingers parted me. Two of them slid inside, stroking. My legs trembled as he worked me up, taking his time.

But I didn’t want to come this way. I wanted to shatter with Mad inside me, filling me, taking me. My fingers dug into his shoulders, and he looked up at me, fingers still inside, still stroking. “Mo Ghràidh, tell me what you need.”

“You.” It was that simple. “I don’t want to come on your fingers. I want to come with you inside me.”

His eyes flashed brighter, and those fingers inside me were gone. If I wasn’t a puddle of need, I would’ve laughed at the blur of dragon speed. The room swirled around me, and all of a sudden, I was on the bed, my sweatshirt gone.

Maddox hovered at the edge of the bed, staring down at me almost reverently as he slipped out of his shoes and unbuttoned his shirt. Each one revealed more of a tanned, muscled chest. I wanted to trace every divot with my tongue.

His shirt dropped to the floor, and he shucked his pants. My lips parted as I took in all of him. His body was a work of art I’d never get tired of staring at.

Maddox climbed onto the bed, his body hovering over mine. “Mo Ghràidh.”

I hooked my legs around him as his hands slid up my stomach to my breasts. He cupped them, thumbs circling my nipples. “So beautiful,” he whispered.

“Please.”

He didn’t need any more. Maddox’s eyes didn’t lose mine as he slid inside.

My eyes fell closed, soaking up the feel of him. The stretch just shy of pain, the rightness of his body in mine. My dragon sighed, easing now that she had all her mates but hungry to mark him, to claim him.

My hips rose up to meet Maddox. He quickly answered in turn, thrusting deeper. I moaned as my eyes opened to find his still on my face.

“Take me,” I begged.

Finally, Maddox gave me what I wanted, what I needed. He let the beast bleed into him. He powered into me, arcing in perfect thrusts that hit just where I needed him most. Over and over until tears filled my eyes, my inner walls trembling.

Tears of all the pent-up need, how much I’d wanted Maddox, and how much I knew he’d wanted me but had been too scared.

“Can’t. Hold. Back,” Mad growled. “Come with me.”

His hand left my breast and found my clit, circling, working back the hood and finding that most tender spot. Then he pressed down at the same time his canines lengthened. He bit down on my neck.

The sensations came from everywhere. Too much all at once. But perfection just the same. I clamped down on Maddox as he came, my body milking him, craving every ounce that he could give me. Wave after wave, painful pleasure hit me as Maddox thrust through it all.

The moment his teeth left my neck, I went for his. Just below the chin. My dragon demanded it, wanted the most public of marks to show this man was hers.

Maddox snarled in pure pleasure as my teeth retracted and I licked the mark.

His thrusts slowed, and his hand cupped my cheek, eyes glimmering. “You’re everything to me, Mo Ghràidh.”

He dropped his forehead to mine, and I held him to me, not ever wanting to lose this moment. We stayed like that, breathing each other in. The rocky road to here made us appreciate the now all that more. Then a phone rang out.

Mad cursed. “That’s Cill’s ringtone.”

It meant one thing. He had to answer.

Maddox pulled from my body, and I winced at the loss of him, the loss of the moment. He rolled off me, feeling around the floor until he found his phone.

“Yes?” he clipped.

I could hear Cillian’s voice on the other end of the line. “We found the SUV.”

“Tell me you got the bastard,” Maddox snarled.

“No. But it reeks of Corbetts.”

Maddox’s growl filled the air, making it vibrate around us.

I could hear Cillian’s labored breathing across the line. “If they can’t have her, they don’t want anyone else to either.”

48

CÁEL

The scent of the Corbetts still lingered. Clinging to me. It didn’t matter that I had the window down in East’s SUV or how many cleansing breaths I took, I couldn’t clear it.

I let out a low, rumbling growl.

Easton’s gaze flicked to the rearview mirror, making contact with me. “Rein it in.”

“I need to see Hayden,” I gritted out.

I needed to touch her, to smell her, to feel her heart beat against me so that I knew she was safe.

Cillian twisted in the front passenger seat. “She’s okay. Mad was with her.”

My eyes widened at that, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this latest incident had been the wake-up call Maddox had needed to pull his head out of his ass. I wasn’t holding my breath. Even Hayden being taken hadn’t done the trick before.

That thought had my dragon pushing against my skin, wanting free, wanting to hunt and kill. It was time to let him. The Corbetts had crossed a line they couldn’t go back on. Their scent being all over the vehicle that had almost run down Hayden was the nail in their coffin.

“Breathe,” Cillian ordered. “You can’t shift.”

I knew I couldn’t. I was still too close to my feral state. If I shifted, my dragon would take hold for sure. That was why I needed Hayden. Being near her always calmed me and my beast.

Easton slowed the SUV as we approached the gates. The enforcers quickly opened them, but I could feel the strain. Everyone was on edge, not knowing if there was a traitor in our midst. Not knowing who we could trust. It was a mindfuck of epic proportions.

The SUV picked up speed again, Easton taking the gravel roads as quickly as possible. The moment he slowed, my door was open, and I was out of the vehicle. Just as I was striding toward the house, the front door opened.

Hayden was there, blonde hair in pigtails and dressed in violet sweats covered in atoms. Everything about her was a breath of fresh air. I stalked toward her but pulled up short as I sensed something different. Scented it.

It wasn’t just the faint aroma of sex; it was more. My gaze locked on a healing bite mark on the base of her neck and a flame below it. A mark that could only mean the extreme heat of Maddox’s fire. My eyes flared as they jumped to the man behind her. And then I laughed.

Never in a million years did I think that sound would leave my mouth with how furious I’d been just moments ago. But Hayden had basically marked Mad’s jugular. The intricate gemstone stood out below the bite mark. How the buttoned-up professor was going to explain a neck tat to his colleagues, I didn’t know.

Hayden’s cheeks flamed. “My dragon was feeling a little vindictive, I think.”

Maddox’s arms came around her from behind, and he pressed a kiss to his own mark, which was much lower on her neck and easily hidden by the collar of a shirt. “I like being marked by you. It could be on my forehead if that’s what you need.”

Cillian strode up to our little huddle, his mouth curved. “I’ll be damned.”

“He finally pulled his head out of his ass,” Knox called from inside.

“Shut up,” Mad yelled back.

Knox stuck his head out of the open doorway. “Did I lie?”

Maddox shot him an annoyed look.

Knox just grinned. “Notice he didn’t answer that one.”

Easton moved to Hayden and Maddox, a genuine smile on his face. “Happy for you.”

“Thank you,” Hayden whispered.

Maddox released Hayden and pulled Easton into a hug. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve let you down lately. All of you. I just—I had to work some things out.”

Cillian hugged Mad next. “We all go through those times. You don’t have to apologize.”

I moved to Hayden, pulling her into me and breathing her in. My dragon eased further.

She pulled back, looking up at me. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head. “I needed you.”

Hayden slid her hand under my tee, and I relaxed further at the skin-to-skin contact.

I shuddered, letting out a long breath. “Thank you.” I dropped my forehead to hers, staying there.

“I’m right here. We’re good. All of us,” she assured me.

No one echoed her sentiments, and after a moment, Hayden realized it. She pulled back from me but wove her fingers through mine, knowing I needed the contact. “You’re sure it was the Corbetts?”

Cillian jerked his head in a nod. “We know their scent. It wasn’t Dexter or Hal. I’m guessing it was an enforcer, maybe a cousin.”

“We need to strike now,” I gritted out.

Maddox sent a concerned look in my direction, knowing that I could snap at any moment and take off on a vengeance mission on my own. “We need to play it smart. They have greater numbers than us. And if we have to go alone…”

His words trailed off, but I knew what Mad meant. If we didn’t know who’d been feeding information to our enemies, we could only trust the people in this huddle. That left us seriously outgunned.

“We need to get their leadership alone,” Knox said.

Easton nodded. “Not all their dragons are bad. Many have been poisoned by their leadership.”

Cillian’s throat worked as he swallowed. “That’s how it was with my father. He warped many minds and threatened the others to stay in line. Now that he’s gone, my brothers have been able to clean up the horde. It’s a healthy community now.”

An ache settled in my chest for all Cillian had been through, but I knew helping his half brothers end their bastard of a father had helped. The fact that good had come out of so much evil had helped, too. I just hoped we could do the same with the Corbetts.

Maddox scanned our group. “Then we come up with a plan to lure out Dexter and Hal.”

“I need to be the bait,” Hayden said softly.

“No!” The word was shouted in unison by all five of us.

Hayden scowled. “Nothing else will tempt them.”

Cillian shook his head. “Not true. Money. A chance to take one of us out. All of that would work.”

She let out a huff. “Fine.”

My dragon eased, but I still gripped her hand tighter.

A ring sounded, and Cillian pulled out his phone and put it to his ear. “Yes?”

Pete’s voice came across the line, and there were undisguised nerves beneath the words. “Alpha? The council is here. They want to talk to you. All of you.”

49

HAYDEN

My pulse thrummed in my neck like hummingbird wings beating against the muscles there. The guys surrounded me like a wall of pissed-off protection. Each of them was strung tight, ready to shift and fight at a moment’s notice.

My ears perked up at the rumbling sounds of an engine in the distance. No, more than one engine. The noise grew until I finally saw a row of three SUVs. One of ours at the front and back in blacked-out darkness. But the one in the middle was silvery gray.

All three slowed, and people poured out. Eight enforcers in total flanked only two council members. Cillian nodded at the guards, silently telling them they could remain at their vehicles as the council members walked toward us. I knew it was because he wasn’t sure what they’d say and whether it was something he’d need to keep from getting out. But I also knew it cut Cillian that he couldn’t openly trust his people.

My gaze moved from the enforcers to the two council members, studying them. Mona was dressed more casually today. She wore jeans and a nice sweater, her hair piled up in a bun. Fionn wore khakis and a button-down, and his dark skin crinkled around his eyes as he smiled at me.

“Don’t look at her,” Cillian barked.

Fionn’s brows rose. “I see the mate bond has formed.”

“It has,” Cillian growled as he prowled toward the two. “So, you’ll understand why I’m not thrilled at the council’s lack of help in the matter of Hayden’s safety.”

Mona held up a hand to stop him, and for the first time, I saw the true fatigue lining her face. “Cillian. Give us a moment.”

“Like you gave me one?” he barked.

“Listen to her,” I said softly. Some sixth sense, my dragon maybe, was telling me we needed to hear Mona out.

She looked at me, giving me a gentle smile. “I’m sorry for all you’ve been through.”

“You mean you’re sorry for letting a monster run free and unchecked for centuries?” Cillian bit out.

A muscle ticked along Fionn’s jaw. “Trust me when I say we wish we could’ve taken him out decades ago.”

That prickle of awareness intensified as I studied the duo. I remembered the guys telling me that these two had been on the council for the least amount of time. Newer placements than Arthur and Nolan, but Nolan had been seated the longest.

Easton’s eyes narrowed on Fionn. “And why the hell should we believe that?”

I waited for them to blast East for insolence or something, but instead, the two shared a look. It was Mona who finally spoke, but not before waving a hand and sending up a shimmering wall between us and the enforcers, like some sort of barely visible force field. And I swore the enforcers didn’t see it at all.

“What the hell did you just do?” Cillian snarled, taking up a fighting stance.

Mona held up a hand, trying to placate him. “We’re members of Incantare.”

The air around me went electric as all five of my men braced.

“I’m sorry,” Maddox began. “You want us to believe that you are a member of the most secretive society in the world, the one responsible for correcting supernatural misdeeds, and you’re just now telling us?”

“Yes,” Fionn said. But then his hand lifted, swirling through the air. Colorful smoke appeared in all colors of the rainbow, and slowly, an insignia formed. It looked like an intricate tangle of knots, stunning in its complexity.

Knox sucked in a sharp breath. “Holy shit.”

My fingers tangled in the back of his tee. “What are they talking about?”

Knox turned, putting me under his arm. “The Incantare is like a badass supernatural police force. They’re supposed to make sure no one species takes too much power or that there aren’t people getting out of line within each species.”

“But they only get involved in extreme cases,” Easton added. “Supernaturals’ actions basically have to threaten exposure to humans.”

“And I’d say that Nolan’s actions qualify,” Mona said, her face twisting in disgust. “Not to mention his manipulation of his own people.”

Cáel’s eyes narrowed. “The bribes.”

“Yes,” Mona spat. “The fact that Nolan was requiring money in exchange for a chance to meet female dragons is tantamount to trafficking.”

“Then why the hell didn’t you arrest him?” Cillian growled.

She turned to my mate. “Would you want him in prison for five years or the rest of his life?” Cillian was silent. “That’s what I thought. We needed more. But we didn’t have proof. Thanks to your friend, Brix, we do.”

Cillian straightened. “What did he do?”

“He sent us video footage of Hayden’s rescue,” Fionn said, his gaze cutting to me. “I’m so sorry for what Nolan did to you. He will pay. We have a warrant out for his arrest, and every single Incantare agent is looking for him.”

For the first time in weeks, I truly exhaled. Some part of me knew these people would help. That they would find Nolan and end his reign of terror.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“What about the Corbetts?” Maddox gritted out.

I reached out a hand, weaving my fingers through his and squeezing. The council had let Maddox down before when he’d needed them. And their dealings with the Corbetts had been a huge part of that.

Sympathy swept across Mona’s face. “I’m so sorry we couldn’t help you years ago, Maddox. If we’d taken your back in that instance, Nolan would’ve instantly known something was up. We had to play a part.”

I understood it. She and Fionn were basically working undercover, and to do that successfully, they’d had to do some awful things.

I looked up at Maddox. A million emotions passed through his eyes before he finally jerked his head in a nod. “Tell me you’ll make it right now.”

“We will,” Mona vowed.

“We have a strike team assembling currently,” Fionn said. “The moment we have Nolan, we’ll take out Dexter and Hal Corbett. We’re unsure if they are in communication currently, but we don’t want to risk spooking either of them and sending them underground.”

A wave of heat swept through me. Relief, I realized. We would get justice, and my guys wouldn’t be at risk to achieve it.

Cillian looked at all of us as if asking if their plan was okay with us. It was one of the things I admired most about Cill. He didn’t rule with an iron fist. He knew we were a team, a family. Everyone nodded.

Cillian turned to the council. “We want to be kept in the loop.”

“Of course,” Mona agreed quickly.

Another wave of heat swept through me. But this one didn’t lessen. It only intensified.

I wobbled on my feet, and Knox quickly steadied me, a furrow between his brows. “Are you okay?”

“I—I’m hot,” I mumbled, the world going slightly hazy around me.

Knox’s hand went to my forehead instantly. “She’s burning up.”

Then Maddox’s hands were there, feeling my face. Then his nose was at my neck, and he breathed deeply. “Fuck,” he whispered. “She’s going into heat.”

50

HAYDEN

Fire. It felt like every part of me was burning up. Completely engulfed in flames. Only the flames were coming from within me.

“Inside, now,” Cillian clipped.

I caught snippets of conversation with Mona and Fionn, but they didn’t fully land. Even the revelations they’d shared couldn’t hold my attention. Everything hurt too much.

“Little One,” Cáel said softly, his hand going to my face.

He stroked my cheek, and it might as well have been a flick of my clit. I let out a moan, leaning into the touch.

“Fuck,” Knox muttered.

Pleasure and pain. So much of it that I was going to drown in sensory overload.

“We need to get her into a cold shower,” Maddox said. “It’s the only hope of bringing down the heat.”

Cáel bent, lifting me into his arms. I burrowed into his hold, rubbing my face against his neck. He let out a low growl as he carried me inside.

“This is going to be fucking torture,” Knox muttered.

Easton glanced at him, shaking his head. “I can’t believe we missed the signs.”

“You know the first heat can come on fast,” Knox replied.

“It’s because we bonded,” Maddox said softly. “Her dragon is responding to the final bond being in place.”

Cillian dropped a hand on Mad’s shoulder, squeezing. “It was bound to happen eventually. This first one will be rough, but we’ll have Marcus prepare the tinctures for the next. We’ll get her through it.” He scanned the group. “Just remember, keep your dicks to yourselves.”

I scowled at that, letting out a sound of displeasure.

Cillian’s face filled my slightly blurry vision. He framed my face with his hands. “I know, Little Flame. But you’re fertile right now. If we took you, there’s a good chance you’d get pregnant, and I’m not sure you’re ready for that.”

A mixture of panic and want surged through me.

He pressed his forehead to mine. “One day. I can’t wait to see your stomach swollen with our baby.”

My lips reached up for his as Cáel held me tight. Cillian’s tongue stroked in, teasing and soothing. I moaned into his mouth as a fresh wave of fire ripped through me.

Cill tore his mouth from mine, cursing. “The shower.”

Cáel took the stairs two at a time with me in his arms. Knox had run ahead and already had the water going and had stripped down. Cáel set me gently on my feet, and Easton was there, gingerly lifting my sweatshirt over my head.

Just the brush of the cotton against my skin had another moan slipping free. Maddox dropped to his knees, sliding my sweatpants down my legs. In a matter of seconds, I was being ushered into the massive shower.

The second the water hit me, I cried out. It felt like ice against my burning skin.

Knox held me tight. “It’s okay, Little Mate. I’ve got you. Just hold on.”

The water pelted against my back like shards of ice. But soon, that tempo felt like strokes to my senses. I pressed myself against Knox, rocking into him. While still in his boxer briefs, I could feel his cock pushing against them.

“Please,” I whimpered. I needed him, needed all of them. My core pulsed, crying out to be filled.

Then Cillian was behind me, boxing me in. “We’ve got you. We’ll help.”

He took me to the wide bench and positioned me so that I was sitting in front of him, but he was holding me up. If not for that, I would’ve been a puddle on the tile. Easton moved in on one side of me, his head dropping to my breast. The moment his lips closed around my nipple, I nearly bowed off the bench. But Cillian held me tight around my waist.

“Easy, Mo Ghràidh,” Maddox soothed. “Try to relax.”

But I couldn’t. My body wanted them so badly it was torture.

Mad’s head dropped to my other breast, his tongue working my nipple. Their rhythms were so different that it only drove me higher.

Knox kneeled between my legs, spreading me wide. “Fuck. She’s drenched.”

My core pulsed as my hips tilted toward him, needing to be filled.

Knox slid two fingers inside me, and my head fell back on Cillian’s shoulder as my breaths came in short pants.

Cillian stroked my face. “Such a good girl. So beautiful. Just hold on.”

“Cáel,” Knox clipped as his fingers moved in and out, twisting on a glide. “She needs you, too. It has to be all of us.”

Cáel moved then, dropping to his knees next to Knox. He didn’t hesitate. His tongue circled my clit, working in tighter and tighter circles. I cried out as Knox added a third finger.

“Please,” I whimpered.

Cáel’s lips closed around that bundle of nerves, the tip of his tongue revealing that most sensitive part of me. As Cillian took my mouth, the circle completed. All of my men. All of us connected. My body was on fire.

Everything fractured, coming apart in pieces, tiny shards, and I knew when it came back together, it would be something completely different. But maybe that something would be better. For all of us.

51

HAYDEN

I groaned as I rolled over, hitting a solid wall of muscle. I blinked a few times, my eyes scratchy. Slowly, Easton’s face came into focus. His long hair was down, hanging to his shoulders, and his golden, muscled chest was on display.

“You’re beautiful,” I croaked.

His lips twitched. “I thought you were done with your heat, but maybe not.”

I frowned, and then it all came rushing back. The intense need. The burning flames. The guys making me come over and over.

A different sort of heat hit my cheeks, and I buried my face in a pillow. “Oh, hell.”

Easton chuckled and pulled me to him. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Little Mate.”

“I’m pretty sure I demanded you all fuck me.”

They hadn’t literally, of course. But they’d gotten creative with their fingers, tongues, and toys. But the memories all blurred out at some point. I pulled back. “Did I finally pass out?”

Easton nodded. “You’ve been out for almost twenty hours.”

“Twenty?” I squeaked, whirling to look at the clock. “How many days has it been?”

Easton winced. “Three.”

“Three?” I shrieked, jumping out of bed. Someone must’ve dressed me at some point because I wore an oversized T-shirt. I sniffed it. Cáel. He would be the one to make sure I was comfortable in all ways. “I need to get dressed. I can’t believe you guys let me miss more classes.”

Easton arched a brow as he slid out of my bed. “And how would you have explained trying to jump us in the middle of class to the students and teachers?”

Well, he had a point there. I huffed out a breath and headed for the bathroom. The moment I saw my reflection, my eyes bugged. My hair looked like I’d stuck my finger into a light socket.

Easton moved in behind me, ruffling the tresses. “I kind of like the new style.”

I pinched his side and reached for my toothbrush. I brushed my teeth as quickly as possible, East doing the same in the sink next to mine. There was something so normal about it that my heart clenched.

“Where are the rest of the guys?” I mumbled around my toothbrush.

“Knox and Cáel are making breakfast. Cill had a meeting with Mona and Fionn. And Mad had a class this morning.”

A class I should’ve been in. Shit. “What was the excuse this time?”

“Flu, we all supposedly got it,” East explained.

I guessed if we were all out, it might be more believable.

“Breakfast is served,” Knox called from the bedroom.

I grabbed my brush and walked out, trying to detangle my hair as I went.

Knox grinned at me. “How do you feel?”

I did a mental inventory. My muscles were sore, like I’d done an especially vicious workout. “I’m not sure.”

He crossed to me in three long strides and pulled me into his arms. “Missed you.”

“You mean, while I was in my sex-possessed state?”

Knox chuckled and kissed me long and slow. “Never going to be sad to have my hands on you, but I hated that you were hurting.”

I burrowed into him. “I think I prefer the normal sexual haze you all put me under.”

Knox pulled the hair back from my neck, and his lips skimmed the column of my throat. “Good to know.”

“I brought hot chocolate,” Cáel called from the doorway.

I pulled back from Knox’s hold and turned toward him.

He frowned. “You need to be resting. It was a long couple of days.”

Hell. What had I put my guys through?

“I need to get back to classes.”

Cáel pinned me with a stare. “You need to eat and get your strength back up.”

I sighed. “How about a deal?”

Cáel’s brow lifted in question.

“We pack up breakfast to go and eat on the way to campus.”

“Do you promise to come straight home after? No library or meetings?” Cáel pressed.

“Promise,” I said, doing some incorrect version of the Boy Scout salute.

Knox snorted. “You saluting in nothing but a T-shirt is something I could get used to.”

Easton smacked the back of his head. “I think we’ve had enough of a sex-crazed few days.”

“Speak for yourself,” Knox said, smacking my ass as he jogged out the door.

I DOWNED the last few drops of my hot chocolate and held up the empty cup for Cáel to see from the front seat. He just grunted. “You should’ve had more of your breakfast sandwich.”

“You mean my second breakfast sandwich?” I challenged. “I ate one and a half. I think that’ll hold me over for three hours.”

Easton leaned forward, patting Cáel’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, you can hand feed her in between classes if she looks peckish.”

I scowled at him. “You know, I think I liked it better when you refused to speak to me.”

Easton burst out laughing. “So happy I’m done with suspension.”

Knox just shook his head as he pulled into a parking spot. “Remember the cover story?”

“We got the flu. Sore throats, fever, puking. All better now,” I answered.

“The miracles of modern medicine,” Easton said with a grin as he opened his door and took my hand.

We scooted across the seat and slid out into the wintry sunshine. But Easton didn’t drop my hand. He pulled me into him and dipped his head so that his lips hovered just above mine. “I don’t want to hide this anymore. You cool with that?”

My breath hitched, but I nodded. “I’m cool with that.”

Easton grinned and then brushed his lips across mine. “Love you, Hayden.”

I’d never get tired of hearing that. “Love you, too.”

“Come on,” Knox called. “Let’s go give the student body a coronary.”

Cáel’s lips twitched, and he took my hand so that he was holding one while Easton had his arm around my shoulders. “I love giving people coronaries.”

Of course, he did.

The whispers started before we even made it to the science building. By the time we stepped inside, people were flat-out staring. It wasn’t that we didn’t have them talking before. The way I’d comforted Cáel months ago had them wondering. But this was a concrete admission. I didn’t give a fuck. These men were mine, and I was theirs. And no one was going to steal our happiness.

A throat cleared, and I stiffened as Dean Robinson stepped into our path. “Ms. Parrish, a word?”

52

HAYDEN

My mouth went dry as anxiety set in. “I have class in a few minutes,” I pointed out half-heartedly.

“This is important,” Dean Robinson said. There was a finality in those words that I knew I wouldn’t have any argument against.

I dropped Cáel’s hand and stepped out from under Easton’s hold. Knox sent me a worried look. “Want me to go with you?”

“Mr. Gallagher,” Dean Robinson said sternly. “We’ve been over this before.”

A muscle in Knox’s jaw ticked, and I reached out to squeeze his hand. “I’m good. I’ll text you after.”

He jerked his head in a nod, but none of the guys moved. They simply watched as I followed Dean Robinson into her office. She closed the door behind us, and I hovered in the center of the room for a moment.

“Please, sit.” She gestured to the same small sitting area we’d sat in not long ago.

I crossed to the couch, slipped off my backpack, and lowered myself to the cushions. Dean Robinson didn’t speak at first, simply set about making two cups of tea. I picked at a thread on the couch. The longer she stayed silent, the more nervous I was.

“Here you go,” she said, handing me an ornate floral cup and saucer.

I took it, the cup rattling against the plate. “Thank you.”

Dean Robinson lowered herself to the chair opposite me, taking me in for a long moment. “Hayden, I’m concerned about you.”

I took a long drink of tea, trying to buy myself some time. “I’m feeling much better, really.”

“I think you know that I mean I’m concerned with more than this latest illness.”

The way she stressed the word illness told me she thought the whole story was bullshit. And she was right, so how could I blame her? But still, I stayed silent. What could I say?

Dean Robinson stirred her tea as I took another sip of my own. “Typically, when students miss this much school, there is an issue with drugs or alcohol.”

“I don’t use either,” I said quickly. “I swear. I’ll do a test. Whatever you need.”

The dean’s lips pursed. “I wonder what else you’ve gotten yourself caught up in, then.”

My stomach cramped. I didn’t know what to say. How to explain without giving her everything.

“You know,” she said, leaning back in her chair. “I keep my ear to the ground. There’s always been something off about Maddox and his brothers.”

My skin began to prickle as a cold sweat broke out over it.

Dean Robinson traced a finger over the rim of her cup. “Did you know that I have two daughters who attend school here?”

The sharp turn in conversation had my brows pulling together. “Uh, no.” As I spoke, my tongue felt heavy in my mouth, like it was difficult to get just those two words out.

“Yes. They’ve both shared quite a bit about them. So, I did some digging.” Dean Robinson’s eyes narrowed on me. “I didn’t like what I found. I won’t stand for gangsters in my school, Hayden. I won’t stand for students who torment my daughter, either.”

The room around me went slightly blurry as I heard a door open. I had to blink a few times to make out the figure in front of me. Delaney grinned.

My gaze snapped back and forth between the two. The same hair. Same eyes. “Y-you have different last names.”

Dean Robinson tapped her spoon on the side of her cup. “I kept my maiden name for professional purposes.”

My stomach cramped again, and I doubled over in pain, spilling my tea onto the floor.

“Oh, no,” Delaney cooed. “Not feeling well?”

Panic flared as that cold sweat intensified, and dark spots danced in front of my vision.

“We tried everything to get rid of you,” she spat. “But you just wouldn’t get gone.”

Dean Robinson stood. “You have to understand, Hayden. I’m just trying to clean up my school. When a concerned citizen offered up some information about these gangsters, I had to listen. And when he offered to pay us to keep an eye on you all, of course, I was willing to help.”

My stomach cramped again, trying to rid itself of whatever the dean had given me. Someone had paid her? It had to be Nolan or Dexter. Neither was a good option.

She moved in closer, glaring down at me. “I won’t have my campus turned into the turf of some gang warfare.” A smile spread across her face, but there was nothing warm about it. “And there’s a nice little price on your head. But that’s what happens when you get involved with criminals.”

I opened my mouth to scream, but another vicious cramp tore through me, and I stumbled to the floor. Pain wracked my body, but I tried to crawl toward the door. A brutal kick landed on my ribs, and I went flying to my back.

Delaney’s face filled my blurry vision. “You should’ve just stayed away from what was mine. But you’ll learn your lesson now.”

And then my world went completely black.

53

CÁEL

My professor droned on about shit I really didn’t care about. It wasn’t how I absorbed information anyway. I needed to see it written out on the page or in action. Lectures didn’t do a damned thing for me.

But it was more than that today. My mind was on Hayden. When wasn’t it lately? The way her face had gone pale when Dean Robinson had approached, the fear wafting off her.

My back teeth ground together as my hold on my pen tightened. The dean had no idea what Hayden had been through and how much extra stress she was putting her under. My pen cracked, splitting in two, and I cursed under my breath, shoving it into my backpack.

As I bent, there was a faint cramping in my gut. I frowned. Odd. Dragons didn’t get sick the way humans did. Our immune systems were stronger.

The faint pain came again, and I swore I felt a wave of anxiety with it. I stilled, everything in me going on alert. I didn’t wait, not caring that my professor was in the middle of a lecture. I stood, grabbed my notebook, and shoved it into my backpack.

“Mr. McKenna,” the professor snapped. “What do you think you’re doing?”

I didn’t stop moving. “Sorry, professor. I’m not feeling well.”

He scowled at me, the old prick. “Make sure you get the notes from a classmate.”

I jerked my head in a nod and hurried toward the door. Hopefully, he thought I was about to puke. The urge to do just that echoed through my body as I ran down the stairs and out into the sunlight.

I was a few buildings away from the science and math building that held the dean’s office and Hayden’s current class. I ran down the path, struggling to keep to a human speed. Something was wrong. I knew it in my gut.

Hayden was scared and in pain. As I reached for the tether between us, my dragon raged. There was nothing. As if Hayden was just…gone.

I picked up my speed, yanking the door open to the science building. The hallway was empty; everyone was still in class. My shoes squeaked on the floor as I ran down the corridor. The moment I rounded the corner, I nearly collided with East and Knox.

Skidding to a stop, my gaze jerked between the two of them. “Have you seen her?”

Both shook their heads.

“You feel something off, right?” Knox asked.

“She was scared. In pain,” I growled.

Footsteps sounded behind us, and Maddox appeared. “Something’s wrong,” he gritted out.

But I was already moving again, striding toward Dean Robinson’s office. I didn’t give a damn if they were in a private meeting. Hayden had been hurting, and now she’d gone completely silent.

The guys followed behind me, Mad calling out my name. But I didn’t listen. The moment I reached Dean Robinson’s office, I ripped the door open.

The woman startled, her dark hair flying around her face. “Mr. McKenna. You need to knock.”

I swept the space, looking for any sign of her. Even Hayden’s scent was more muted now. “Where’s Hayden?”

Surprise and maybe a hint of wariness filled the dean’s expression. “Class, I’m assuming. She left here fifteen minutes ago.”

Maddox moved in behind me. “She didn’t make it to my class.” His eyes narrowed on Dean Robinson. “Was she upset when she left here?”

The dean stiffened. “We discussed her great number of absences, so that’s possible. Her scholarship is at risk.”

I muttered a curse and stalked out of the room. No wonder Hayden had been scared and in pain, but none of that told me why I couldn’t feel a connection to her now.

As I stepped into the hallway, I inhaled deeply. I could just catch a flicker of jasmine still clinging to the air. I followed it, the guys in my wake. It went in the opposite direction I’d come from.

“The scent’s not that strong,” East said, confusion lacing his tone.

I understood why. If Hayden had only left fifteen minutes ago and the halls weren’t full of people, her scent would have been stronger.

“Just follow it,” Maddox clipped.

We stalked down the hallway, heading for the back door. The moment we stepped outside, the scent was even fainter, diluted by the swirl of fresh air. But it seemed to lead toward the faculty parking lot behind the building.

What had Hayden been thinking? Coming out here all alone was reckless. I scanned the surrounding area, looking for any hint of her.

That’s when I saw it. Scuffed-up sneakers peeking out from a bush.

I was running before my brain could even have a conscious thought. The shrubs that lined the parking lot were thick but not all that high. I jumped over one in an easy leap and crouched down. Only it wasn’t Hayden I’d found. It was Wren.

A faint trickle of blood dripped from her temple, and fear gripped me. Had she been with Hayden? What the hell had happened?

Knox cursed as he joined me, crouching down and pressing two fingers to Wren’s neck. “She’s got a pulse.”

A low moan sounded, and Wren’s eyes flickered. The moment her vision came into focus, she skittered back, away from us. Terror filled her eyes.

Knox held up both hands. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

“We just want to help,” Maddox said soothingly. “What happened?”

Wren’s mouth opened and closed. “He took her,” she whispered.

Panic ripped through me like hot lava. “Who?” I demanded.

“I-I don’t know,” Wren stammered. “I was heading inside. I have calculus next. And there were these two guys. One had a huge duffel bag. And—and—” Fear streaked through her eyes. “I scented her—Hayden. I yelled at them to stop, and the one with dark hair lunged for me.” The fear turned to tears. “I tried to stop him. But he hit me with something.”

Bile surged up my throat, but I forced it down as I struggled to keep my dragon down.

“What did he look like?” Maddox pressed.

“Suit. Dark hair with some silver in it. Tan. Brown eyes,” Wren said quickly.

The guys shared a look. We only knew one person who matched that description.

“Nolan,” I snarled.

54

HAYDEN

Awareness came in bits and pieces. Pulsing pain behind my eyes. Mouth so dry it felt like cotton had been shoved in it. A deep ache in my muscles.

My eyelids fluttered, even that slight movement hurting. My surroundings slowly came into focus. A cabin. Walls made of logs. But the space was cozy.

My face was pressed against a mattress, one that was covered with a quilt, and as I inhaled deeply, I scented…Maddox. I jerked upright, and my entire world swam. I struggled not to vomit.

Apparently, sitting up had been a dumb move. I squeezed my eyes closed and breathed through the nausea. When it finally passed, I opened my eyes again.

Breathing deep, I still smelled Maddox. His cabin. The place that he escaped to when the world got to be too much. Had he brought me here?

Memories hit me like bullets from a machine gun. Dean Robinson taking me to her office. Making me tea. Delaney. The dean’s revelation that she was selling me.

My stomach cramped at the images playing in my mind. It wasn’t Maddox who had me. But if it wasn’t, why the hell had they brought me here?

I slid my legs over the side of the bed and slowly stood. My vision went a little blurry, but it quickly righted itself. I scanned the space. If I hadn’t been fucking kidnapped, I would’ve been charmed by it.

The cabin was only one room, with a bathroom off to one side. A fireplace took up most of the opposite wall, with a small couch and chair surrounding it. The bed was off to the other side, and there was a small kitchen in the corner.

I strained to listen. I could make out voices in the distance, but they were so muted I couldn’t discern what they were saying or who they were. Moving as quietly as possible, I crossed to the kitchen. A knife could come in handy when trying to fight off whoever had me.

Opening drawer after drawer, I came up with nothing. The silverware holder was completely empty.

A tsking noise sounded behind me, and I whirled. A man with a too-white smile grinned at me. “Now, Hayden, I don’t look like a moron, do I?”

Nolan.

“You look like a kidnapping asshole,” I snarled.

His face went hard as he stalked toward me. The slap came out of nowhere. His palm hit my cheek so hard I tasted blood. “Show some goddamned respect,” Nolan snapped. “You’ve made my life a living hell. All I wanted to do was help you, and you nearly got me killed.”

I rubbed a hand against my cheek, trying to ease my pain. “You mean you wanted to steal my scales and slowly bleed me dry.”

Nolan stiffened, a muscle along his jaw fluttering wildly. “I see those men of yours aren’t morons after all. Too bad it was all a waste. You’re obviously latent.”

“Latent?” I parroted.

He brushed invisible lint from his suit. “A dud. A waste of dragon blood. You’ll never shift.”

I tried to keep the reaction from my face. Nolan didn’t know that I had shifted. And how would he? Only my guys knew. But that secret was the one thing that might just keep me safe.

My dragon snarled from within me, ready to taste Nolan’s blood. The only problem was, I’d never defended myself in dragon form. I didn’t know how to blow fire or fly. I’d only have a moment of surprise when I shifted, if I could even do that on command.

It had taken the guys walking me through it when I’d wanted to bring on the shift. I wasn’t sure I could do it alone, without their help. And I certainly couldn’t do it in this tiny space. I’d need to be outside.

“The only thing you’ll be good for now is breeding,” Nolan said with disgust.

Nausea rolled through me as I took a step back.

Nolan laughed. “Please, you know you’re not my type. But I know someone who will be happy to pay a handsome price for you. A price that will set up my new life.”

The chain of payoffs made my dragon rage. Nolan paying Dean Robinson, someone else paying him. The whole thing made me want to rip Nolan’s head from his body.

“Who?” I asked, voice low and void of all emotions.

A grin stretched across Nolan’s face as tires crunched on the gravel outside. “There they are now. Dexter has been working to get his hands on you for decades. Just imagine how grateful he’ll be to finally have you.”

Nolan shook his head. “I would’ve taken care of you. I hear the Corbetts lock their women in cages. Too bad. I could’ve given you a halfway decent life. Remember, this was your doing.”

And then he stalked toward the door.

55

HAYDEN

Nausea rolled through me as Nolan’s words echoed in my head. Breeding. Cages. Your doing.

He opened the door wide, gesturing me out. But I didn’t want to move. I wanted to stay right here. Where it smelled of Maddox. My heart clenched. My guys. Images of all of them filled my mind as tears burned the backs of my eyes.

“Outside,” Nolan snarled, pulling a gun from a holster at his hip. “Now.”

I knew I didn’t have a choice. I told myself I wanted to go outside anyway. I needed to play the terrified little girl until I could shift and get the hell out of here. Or kill them all.

Killing them all sounded pretty damn good right about now.

I walked slowly toward the door, not saying a word, as I heard muted voices from outside. The moment I reached the threshold, Nolan grabbed me by the hair, yanking me hard. “You do what I say, or I’ll make sure you get a beating from hell before I give you over to them.”

I couldn’t help the whimper that left my lips. I didn’t want to give Nolan that power, the knowledge that he was hurting me, but I couldn’t help it.

“Now, Nols,” a deep voice said. “I don’t think this is necessary, do you?”

Dexter Corbett would’ve sounded charming if you didn’t know what a cruel bastard he truly was. But I did. I knew what he’d done to innocents. I knew what he’d done to my parents.

Fury surged as I struggled not to fight Nolan. Fighting right now wouldn’t get me anywhere.

Nolan loosened his hold slightly on my hair. “You know this one needs to be taught some manners,” he said, shoving me out the door.

Hal’s eyes gleamed as he stepped forward, his focus zeroing in on my face. “I think that’s our job now, don’t you?”

Nolan’s grip tightened again, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out. “That depends. Have you made the transfer?”

Dexter leaned against the SUV he and Hal had arrived in. “You know, Nolan, I really don’t appreciate how you’ve been playing us.”

Nolan stiffened behind me. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Dexter ran a thumb across his lower lip. “You promised us the girl if we backed you. Said we’d have her the night of the official introductions. But you failed.”

Nolan let out a low growl. “It was out of my hands. Those pieces of trash wouldn’t let her out of their sight.”

“That’s not my problem. You’re the one who promised her,” Dexter said casually. “But what really pisses me off is that you tried to take her for yourself.”

Nolan shifted behind me, and I could scent a trickle of fear. “I-I was trying to make sure you were getting your money’s worth. That she could actually shift.”

Dexter shoved off the vehicle and stalked toward us. “Bullshit. You were going to use her for her scales. You were taking from us and trying to fuck us over. You know how I feel about that, Nols.”

I heard footsteps behind us, but that was the only warning. Nolan shouted, his hold on me vanishing. I scrambled away, turning just in time to see the man who worked with Nolan draw a blade across his throat.

I watched in horror as Nolan’s eyes went wide. He made a sickening gurgling sound as blood spilled from his neck. Then he crumpled to the ground.

Dexter prowled toward us, spitting on his fallen form. Then he straightened, holding out a hand to the man who had done the deed. “Welcome to the Corbett Clan.”

The man ducked his head. “Thank you, alpha.”

The nausea was back, surging through me in waves. But I fought it back. Now was the time. I had to shift. To get out of here.

I did what the guys told me, pictured myself in dragon form, but nothing happened. I tried again, squeezing my eyes closed. Still nothing.

“Bana-phrionnsa,” Dexter growled.

My eyes flew open.

He grinned at me, but there was nothing warm about it. “Finally. We are reunited.”

“You killed my family,” I whispered.

Dexter’s brows arched. “Ah, the memories come back now. I saved you from a life of nothingness. Your parents wanted to hide who you were, who you could be. I want you to come into your full power.”

“You want to use me,” I snapped.

His lips twitched. “You’ll have a purpose with us. Filling our armies with powerful dragons.”

Bile surged again. I’d never be that. I tried to call my dragon again, to shift. But it was as if we couldn’t reach each other.

As Dexter took another step toward me, I knew I didn’t have any choice. I had to run.

I bolted for the trees, my muscles pushing as hard as they could. Even though I couldn’t shift, I still had that extra dose of shifter speed. The only problem was Dexter and Hal had it, too.

Curses sounded behind me, but I kept right on going. Adrenaline coursed through me, helping to spur me on. But it wasn’t enough.

The moment I reached the trees, someone grabbed my shirt, yanking me back against a hard body. Hal collared my throat, closing off my air supply. His grip only tightened as his rank breath filled my nose.

“You insolent little bitch. I’m going to teach you some manners. You’ll kneel before me, begging for mercy when I’m done with you.”

56

EASTON

As voices shouted around me, I closed my eyes and tried to feel. The tether to Hayden had gone quiet an hour ago. None of us were able to feel her. It wasn’t the kind of quiet that meant death; we’d have felt that soul-shredding pain. But it was the kind of quiet that put my dragon on edge.

I reached out through the ether and tried to find her. I couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not after everything we’d been through. The moments I’d shared with Hayden were the first times I’d felt truly alive since Knox’s and my family had been killed. She’d healed us.

And now she was gone.

Pain ripped through me. The agony of not knowing where Hayden was. If she was in pain. What Nolan was doing to her.

A prickle of something teased that sixth sense of mine. The one that connected me to Hayden. My entire body froze. The echo of her feelings swept through me. Head pulsing. Dry mouth.

Fury blazed through me. Drugged. Hayden had been drugged.

“Shut the fuck up!” I snarled at my brothers.

They all whirled on me. Rage pulsed in Cillian’s eyes. “What. Did. You. Say?”

They’d all been going in circles about what the plan should be. Calls had been made to Fionn and Mona, to Brix and the Diablos. But all of it had been useless.

“Quiet and feel,” I gritted.

They all stilled. I watched as realization hit them one by one.

“Someone fucking drugged her,” Cáel growled.

“But she’s awake now,” Knox said, hope cresting his expression. “I feel her.”

I thanked the gods that Maddox had pulled his head out of his ass and bonded with her because now we had an idea of where Hayden was. And whoever had her obviously didn’t know that the bonds had been completed.

The location pull wasn’t an exact science. It was more of a gentle tugging. And I could already feel it taking root.

My head snapped toward Cillian. “The mountains.”

He jerked his head, and we were all running toward the SUV. Maddox halted at the vehicle. “Should we shift?”

Cill shook his head. “We need a quiet approach. To do some recon before we make a plan of attack.”

I knew he was right, but I didn’t want to waste any time. We needed to get Hayden out of there and now.

Cillian jumped behind the wheel of my G-Wagon, and I tossed him the keys from the front passenger seat. Everyone else piled into the back.

Cill guided the SUV to the gravel road that would take us deeper into national forest land and toward the mountains. We were quiet, all trying to listen to the pull of Hayden.

A flicker of fear surged, echoing in our minds, and Cáel let out a growl.

Knox gripped his arm tight. “Keep it in check. We’re getting closer.”

Knox was right. The pull of Hayden was getting stronger as we rounded a bend in the gravel road.

Maddox leaned forward between the front seats. “It’s my cabin. He took her to my fucking cabin.”

Cillian’s gaze flicked to the rearview mirror. “Fucking smart,” Cill cursed. “He probably thought we wouldn’t search our own territory.”

“But I know the land up there like the back of my hand,” Maddox spat.

“Good,” Cillian grunted. “We’ll need that.”

“Take that off-shoot on the left. It’ll give us a place to park and sneak up on them.”

Pain flared in my scalp and then in my side. It was only a glimmer of what Hayden was feeling, and it had nausea and fury rolling through me. “Hurry,” I whispered.

Cillian pressed his foot down on the gas. In a matter of seconds, he was jerking to a stop at the end of a road. We were all out in a flash, Maddox leading the way. He put a finger to his lips.

Quiet and surprise were our best assets today.

We picked our way through the forest, careful to avoid snapping twigs or anything else that would make noise. Voices sounded in the distance. Deep and angry.

That rage had us all moving quicker as terror spiked. In Hayden. In us. It was hard to differentiate the strands of it. I tried to send her a silent message that we were coming. That she wasn’t alone.

Maddox slowed in front, holding up a hand as Hal Corbett’s voice rang out.

“On your fucking knees, bitch. It’s time to learn your place.”

White-hot fury blazed through me as Hayden came into view. Three men surrounded her, her eyes wild, jumping between them all. When Hayden didn’t obey, Hal backhanded her, sending her crashing to the ground.

Scales rippled over my arms. I would end them all. And I would not make it easy.

“Divide and conquer,” Cillian growled.

The wind shifted, and Dexter froze. Then, in a flash, he was hauling Hayden up by her hair, gun to her head. “I smell trash. Come out, come out wherever you are, or your little Bana-phrionnsa gets it.”

57

HAYDEN

The barrel of the gun pressed harder against my temple, making the pain there flare. The sting in my scalp burned brighter as Dexter pulled me against him like a shield. He shook me like a rag doll. “I said come out!”

He punctuated each word with another shake. Pain lanced through me with each move, and I struggled not to let the darkness swallow me whole.

Slowly, my guys stepped out of the forest. They were beautiful. Each and every one of them. And they were also fucking pissed.

Cillian stepped forward. “It’s done. You have no idea what you’ve stepped into, but you harm one hair on her head, and the punishment will be so much worse than you could ever dream.”

Dexter laughed low, the sound ugly and twisted. “It’s just beginning.” He let out a low whistle. And from the forest on either side, over a dozen men poured out of the trees. It wasn’t as many as had been a part of Dexter’s attack before, but it was far from an even fight. And the weapons they held had a sickening feeling taking over me.

Cillian’s green eyes flashed gold. “It’s a death warrant.”

Dexter grinned. “For you. For us, it’s a new beginning. Do you know the army she’ll grow us? No one will be able to stop us.”

Bile surged up my throat and fast on its heels, fury. I was not about to be some sick psycho’s breeding station.

Hal moved in next to us, licking his lips. “I’m going to enjoy that part. But I don’t think you will.”

Growls sounded from my guys as I felt the force of their anger. That rage made my dragon surge, rushing to the surface, demanding to be free.

“Now!” Dexter shouted.

The pops of bullets tore through the air as my guys dove for cover. Knox cried out in pain as a bullet ripped through his chest. Fear and fury melded together as a voice spoke into my mind.

“I will end them all. Give me the reins.”

It was my dragon. I closed my eyes as Dexter tried to drag me to his SUV. The pain of bones cracking swept through me.

“What the hell?” he snarled. “I thought she was latent!”

My spine snapped, the world blinking out in front of me. And then it was back but in Technicolor. That shimmery rainbow hue.

Dexter and Hal gaped up at me. Hal reached out a hand, almost in reverence. “She’s purple.”

I didn’t wait; my dragon knew exactly what to do. I opened my mouth and breathed pure fire. The fire itself was purple, and it had a mind of its own. Like a living, breathing thing, its tentacles wrapped around Dexter and Hal as their screams pierced the air.

That terror and pain only fueled my dragon. I whipped my head around as someone shouted. A large weapon I couldn’t identify was pointed straight at my head.

I watched as the man moved for the trigger, but he wasn’t fast enough. Silver fire wrapped around him and swallowed him whole.

Cáel. He hadn’t even shifted. He’d simply let his fire free.

Dexter’s followers shouted and began to run. But it was too late for them.

“Breathe.” It was my dragon again. My mouth opened, and purple fire unleashed.

But it was just one stream. It broke off into a dozen different flames. Each one of them seemed to have heat-seeking radar, finding its target and taking it down. Screams of agony lit the air as each soldier hit the ground.

In a matter of seconds, all sound ceased. And the only evidence of the evil sent to capture me was ash. But the ash had a purple shimmer to it, as if warning anyone else who might come to harm those I loved.

My chest heaved, rage still pulsing through me. My dragon wanted to kill them all over again.

Cáel approached me slowly, his hand outstretched in a placating gesture. “You’re safe, Little One. You got them.”

But it didn’t ease my anger.

Movement caught my eye as Easton and Maddox rushed to Knox, who lay on the ground, blood blooming on his chest.

A new terror ripped through me, and I raced toward them. The ground shook as I awkwardly lumbered, still not used to this form. I skidded to a stop, Cillian and Cáel on my heels.

“You have to shift,” Easton commanded to Knox, his voice pained.

Knox was pale. Too pale. His breathing was labored as Maddox pressed a hand to his wound. Mad shook his head. “He’s too weak.”

“Knox,” Easton croaked, tears falling from his eyes onto his twin. “Don’t leave me.”

Pain pierced my chest. I couldn’t lose him.

“Your scales.” My dragon’s voice filled my mind, and I let her take over yet again.

My head whipped around, teeth plucking a shimmering purple scale from my back. I felt the flicker of pain, the power and life force it pulled from me, but I didn’t care.

I let out a growl at Maddox, whose eyes flared in surprise.

“She’s trying to heal him,” Cáel whispered.

Maddox’s hands slipped away from Knox’s chest. The gaping hole there had that fear rushing back. But I let my dragon do her work. We dipped our head, and she gently dropped the scale onto the wound.

There was a flash of light and then a puff of smoke. The scale melded to Knox’s body, and before my eyes, the flesh began to knit back together. Muscle and sinew wove together a new tapestry, shimmering purple strands threaded through it all.

I didn’t know if it was seconds or minutes, but we all stood transfixed as the wound completely healed. Knox was still pale, but his eyes fluttered, then finally opened. He gazed up at me in wonder.

“Little Mate.”

58

HAYDEN

I burrowed deeper into Knox’s side, his arm around me as Cáel held my legs and Easton my feet. I breathed them all in, their scents wrapping around me. There had barely been a moment in the past twenty-four hours when I wasn’t touching one of them. It was as if I needed to reassure myself they were all okay.

Reaching up, I stroked Knox’s jaw. “How are you feeling?”

He grinned down at me, then bent and brushed his lips across mine. “The same as the last dozen times you asked. Good.”

Easton shook his head. “You scared the hell out of us. We’re gonna need some check-ins for a while.”

The smile slipped from Knox’s lips. “I’m sorry, man. I’m good. I swear.”

I pressed my face against Knox’s chest, listening to his heartbeat. “I love you.”

He kissed the top of my head. “I love you, too.”

Footsteps sounded in the hallway. I looked up to see Cillian and Maddox leading Fionn and Mona into the living room. Since they were some fancy magical law enforcement, I probably should’ve gotten up to greet them, but I wasn’t moving from my huddle.

Mona smiled as she took us all in. “How are you doing?”

“Good, since Hayden wiped the scum from the earth,” Cáel said, his voice low and gritty.

I was still coming to terms with that fact. It wasn’t that I didn’t think the Corbetts didn’t deserve what they got, but there was still a weight to it. I’d ended over a dozen lives, and I would carry that mark forever.

As if reading my mind, Easton squeezed my foot. “You saved us and yourself. You did what you had to.”

Fionn nodded, his expression solemn. “You took out abusers and terrorists. When we made it to Corbett territory, we found women locked in cages and men in chains. Dexter and Hal have been torturing their people for years. Now that they are no longer a threat, those people can begin to heal.”

I shuddered, knowing what I would’ve faced if Dexter and Hal had successfully gotten me back to their compound.

Mona moved deeper into the living room. “We have cleanup successfully in motion. Incantare will provide resources and support to those who were hurt by the Corbetts.”

“What about Dean Robinson and Delaney?” Maddox growled.

When I’d shared their part in Nolan’s plan, Maddox had lost it. It had taken three of the guys to hold him back from flying to campus and ripping them apart.

A smile spread across Fionn’s face. “Two birds, one stone.”

My brows pulled together in confusion.

“We had a conversation with those two. It’s amazing what you can discover with a little truth serum.”

Mona’s lips pursed. “It was Delaney and Ms. Robinson who were supplying Nolan with information on your whereabouts. Delaney saw your people cleaning Professor Brent’s office after he was taken, and she passed that information along to Nolan.”

Cillian frowned. “But how did they know the location we left his body at? That had to be someone with inside information.”

Fionn shook his head. “Check the G-Wagon and X5. Delaney fessed up to placing trackers on the vehicles at Nolan’s request.”

“Bitch,” Knox muttered.

“Indeed,” Fionn agreed. “But she and her mother will be paying for their crimes.”

“How?” Maddox demanded. “They’re humans. Out of our reach.”

Mona grinned. “It just so happens that blood and hair were found in their car. It was searched after a witness came forward, saying they saw the two dragging a heavy duffel to the vehicle around the time Brent went missing. They are both going to jail for the rest of their lives.”

It was fitting. They may not have actually killed someone, but they’d tried to, repeatedly. They’d shared information with Nolan, who had inflicted untold pain on us all. And likely, they had fed pieces to the Corbetts for payment, too.

“It’s over,” Fionn said gently. “Every person who knows about your royal status, other than those in this room, is dead. You’re safe now. Just be careful who you reveal your dragon to.”

That was an understatement. I wouldn’t be able to fly, other than at night, for fear of someone seeing my purple scales and figuring out the truth. But that was a small price to pay for freedom.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “Both of you.”

Cillian turned to them. “What about the future of the council?”

Mona nodded. “Dismantled. Arthur will serve a prison term for his role in the blackmail and bribery scams. The truth is, any sort of royal structure, even a council, isn’t needed. Incantare is putting in place a reporting system. If any hordes or individuals are abusing their power, people will be able to report it.”

That sounded a hell of a lot better than a few people with far too much power. When Cillian had asked me if I wanted to come forward with my royal lineage, to make a bid at leadership, I’d had only one thing to say.

No.

The last thing I wanted was to lead a species of people I still knew little about. All I wanted was a life with my guys. To be at peace, together.

“Finally,” Cillian breathed. “Maybe we can end the abuses of the past.”

I stood then, moving to him and wrapping my arms around his waist. He’d seen so much of that abuse, lived it, and now, he could have the full healing he deserved. “Love you, Cill.”

His dark green eyes blazed, saying the words I’d never grow tired of hearing. “Love you, too, Little Flame.”

A knock sounded on the front door, and Maddox strode over to open it. He returned quickly with Pete, who held something in his hand.

There was no tension in Cillian as his enforcer approached, because now we knew there had been no betrayal from within the horde. It had been Delaney all along. It would take our community time to heal, but I knew we would.

Pete sent me a hesitant smile. “A messenger dropped this off for you.”

I took the envelope from him, my name scrawled across it. I slid a finger under the seal and tugged the paper free.

Hayden,

I’m so glad you’re safe. I wanted to do this in person, but it’s too risky. I have to leave Ember Hollow. There are too many eyes on it now, and my old pack, they could find me. But I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.

You are the first true friend I’ve ever had. Thank you for that gift. For reminding me that there is good in this supernatural world. Maybe one day, I’ll be able to return and thank you in person.

Stay safe and enjoy those mates of yours.

Love,

Wren

My chest constricted as I looked up at Cillian. “She’s gone.”

His jaw got tight as he scanned the letter. “I can find her for you—”

“No,” I said quickly. Wren was doing what she had to in the quest to stay safe. I wouldn’t threaten that, even if I’d miss her like crazy. “I don’t want to put her at risk.”

Cillian sighed, pulling me into him. “We’ll always be a safe place for her to land. She knows that.”

Just like they’d been for me. A home when I’d been without one for so long. A family when I didn’t think I’d ever have one again. They were my everything. And we were finally going to get a chance to truly live, free and together.

EPILOGUE

HAYDEN

TWELVE YEARS LATER

The air slid over my body as I flipped through it. There was nothing like the feel of the sun and wind against my scales. Cillian dove under me, turning over on his back so that he could watch me fly.

It never got old, flying with my mates. It was thanks to Cillian that I could fly in daylight at all. As our bond had deepened, I’d begun to take on hints of my mates’ gifts. With time and endless training, I’d been able to master Cill’s gift for blending in with the elements around him.

I couldn’t disappear altogether like he could. It was more like I camouflaged myself. But what mattered was that my purple scales were not on display. I could fly wherever I wanted without exposing my royal lineage.

Cillian and I dipped down lower to the treetops, and giggles and shouts sounded from below.

“Mama!” a little blonde girl cheered.

“I wanna fly!” a boy a few years older than her with amber eyes cheered.

“Ma!” a toddler in Knox’s arms shouted.

A laugh rumbled through me as I eased down to the forest floor. The moment my feet touched the ground, I shifted back into my human form. It came with ease now, second nature.

Easton moved in, kissing me as he handed me a pile of clothes. “How was it?”

“Heaven,” I breathed as I pulled on shorts and a tank.

Lilian Wren ran toward me, blonde hair flying all around. “Mama!” She launched herself at me, and I caught her easily, laughing at the force of her leap.

I nuzzled her to me. “What did you think?”

“Wanna fly,” she sighed.

“You will, my little warrior.”

She was fierce, just like her namesake, who had battled through her own demons and come out the other side.

“High!” Lily demanded, pointing to the sky.

Cáel chuckled, lifting her from my arms and raising her into the air.

Lily squealed and cheered as Cáel flew her through the air above his head. “Faster, Dada!”

Ryan ran over, pressing into my side. “You flipped three times in a row!”

I ran my hands through his hair, smiling down at him. Our firstborn held the name of the brother Easton and Knox had lost. His birth had brought with it a healing I hadn’t known they’d still needed. The bond that wove through our family had deepened and created something even more precious.

“The flips are pretty fun,” I admitted.

Knox strode over to us, little Avery in his arms. “You smoked Cill.”

Cillian moved in behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “I took it easy on her.”

I scoffed. “Sure, you did.”

“I’m gonna do ten flips in a row!” Ryan informed us.

Maddox laughed. “I think he gets his competitive streak from Cill.”

Cillian’s hand glided over my stomach, only a slight swell there. “And what traits will this one have?”

I melted back into him as my mates and children surrounded me. “He’ll be happy,” I said softly.

It was the only thing I knew with complete certainty. Maybe he would have Knox’s charm or Easton’s steadfast devotion. Perhaps it would be Maddox’s genius or Cillian’s cunning or Cáel’s protectiveness. Maybe it would be all of the above.

But I knew without a shadow of a doubt, because of all we had built, that this child would be loved, and he would be happy. Because none of us would rest until it was so.

Ryan glared at my stomach. “Finally, a brother. One more sister and I was gonna start puking pink.”

Knox burst out laughing as Avery smacked his cheek. “Need a little testosterone, huh?”

Lily leaned down from Cáel’s hold and pulled Ryan’s hair. “Girls!”

Ryan screeched and tried to bat her away. Cáel tickled Lily’s sides. “Come on, vicious one.”

She squealed in delight, rolling into him as Ryan begged Maddox to ground her. It was chaos around here these days. I didn’t know how I’d made it through medical school and residency along with bringing these three into the world.

It’d taken me a little longer than most, but now I had my own family practice in the heart of Ember Hollow. I’d discovered my love of that one-on-one care in school and it allowed me to treat supernaturals and humans alike. A job that brought purpose and sense of worth to my days, along with my growing family here at home.

Cillian nuzzled the side of my neck. “Happy?”

He asked me this on a daily basis, and even in the hard moments, my answer was always the same. “Do I have you all?”

“Yes,” he whispered against my skin.

“Then I couldn’t be happier.”

Thank you so much for reading Dawn of Flames! I hope that you loved reading about Hayden and her mates!

Curious what’s in store for Hayden’s friend, Wren?

Crescent Kingdom, book one in The Wolves of Crescent Creek series is available for purchase HERE.

And turn the page for a special preview.

PART I

PLEASE ENJOY THIS SPECIAL PREVIEW OF CRESCENT KINGDOM

PROLOGUE

AGE NINE

Billy was sad. The teacher should’ve known just by looking at him. The way his head was bent, eyes focused on his hands. How he kept sniffling as he tried to keep the tears at bay. I’d learned to match the way people looked with their feelings. Because if I saw it before I felt it, I could sometimes make my shields stronger. But others, I wasn’t fast enough.

Like now.

I’d been listening to Ms. Meyer talk about molecules, watching her draw them in a rainbow of colors on the whiteboard, and I hadn’t seen it in time. Billy’s sadness reached out with icy claws that tried to shred my chest. His hurt wanted to make a home in me, like I’d called to it in some way.

But my mom always said I couldn’t let it in. That if I took on the world’s pain, it would drown me. So, instead, I hid that I could feel it all.

We hid a lot, Mom and me. Like what our real names were and who we were running from. Like the fact that I was half wolf and half caster. But most of all, that I couldn’t just take on the world’s feelings. I could heal them. Only if I wasn’t careful, that healing might make it so I never woke up again.

“Sarah,” Ms. Meyer began, pulling me out of my thoughts—thoughts that weren’t on her lessons at all. “Can you tell me what part of the atom electrons circle?”

I clenched my hands, my fingernails digging into my palms. The pain helped sometimes. If I could give myself that, it would distract me from the hurt hitting my shields.

But Billy was so sad. I didn’t know why. I never got the why. I just knew the emotion. Sometimes, I could even name it before the person experiencing it did.

My head started to pound, like it always did when there was too much.

“Sarah?” Ms. Meyer asked, crossing to my desk. “Do you have a headache?”

My mom told her I got them, just like she told every teacher I’d ever had. If it got to be too much, I was supposed to ask to go to the nurse. But I’d already missed half a day this week. I didn’t want to miss another.

I took a deep breath and focused on my heartbeat the way Mom had taught me. “My Little Wren, listen to the song inside you. As long as you hear your voice, you’ll always be able to come back to yourself.”

I heard the bah-bump, bah-bump, bah-bump of my heart. I listened to the song that was mine alone. And then the headache and pain in my chest began to ease.

Slowly, I opened my eyes. “The electrons circle the nuclei.”

Ms. Meyer’s lips twitched. “Sometimes, I need to close my eyes to think of the answer, too.”

“Weirdo,” Tara muttered from behind me and to the right.

My shields were already up, so I couldn’t feel her anger and hate. I was used to that coming from her. Knew that I needed to guard and block because ugly feelings lived in her—not just toward others but for herself.

“Tara,” Ms. Meyer warned. “We don’t name-call in this class.”

Tara just let out a huff of air in response.

“All right. Now, who can tell me—?” A knock cut off Ms. Meyer’s words. “Come in.”

The door opened tentatively, and Ms. Alder, the school receptionist, stood in the entryway. Her face was pale, and her eyes were wide. The image said fear, even with my shields up. She swallowed, her throat struggling with the action. “We need Sarah in the office.” Her gaze darted to me and then quickly away again.

Sarah. That was me.

I had to remind myself of the name I was supposed to answer to. It changed so often—every time my mom decided we’d been someplace too long. It was hard to keep up with.

Ms. Meyer nodded, a hint of worry passing over her expression. “Of course. Go on.”

Tara made a snickering sound behind me, but I ignored it. All I could think about was the look on Ms. Alder’s face. Fear. Shock. Those weren’t good emotions. They were the kind that clawed and sliced when I let them in.

I did what I always did. I searched for the reason. I was always trying to find the source. Because if I found that, maybe I could fix the feelings in another way—some way that wouldn’t end with me never waking up.

My worn sneakers squeaked against the linoleum as I wove through the desks to get to Ms. Alder. The moment I reached her, she put a hand on my shoulder.

Comfort.

That was what she was trying to give to me. That knowledge only made me more nervous, my stomach doing dips and whirls. I swallowed, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth.

I glanced up at her as she guided me down the hall. “What’s wrong?”

It took everything inside me to ask the question. Because I knew the answer could be bad. Had someone figured out one of my secrets? My supernatural side?

Mom had worked with me not only on my shields but also on how to hide my scent. The one that told other supes I was a hybrid. Because if they knew that, there was a chance they could tell my father.

The person we were running from.

Ms. Alder’s jaw clenched so hard it looked like it might pop right out of the socket. “There are some people here who need to talk to you.”

My stomach sank. I pictured humans in lab coats ready to drag me away. To experiment on me because I was different.

But as we rounded the corner, I saw something else. There were two police officers dressed in their typical blue uniforms, guns on their belts. And a woman in a suit who didn’t quite fit right, her frizzy hair pulled back into a bun.

My stomach twisted again, my mind trying to put the pieces together. But before I could, that woman was striding forward. She had a gentle smile on her lips. “Hi, Sarah.”

I didn’t say a word. I couldn’t.

The woman’s smile wavered a bit. “Why don’t we sit down?”

Ms. Alder’s hand left my shoulder, replaced by the woman’s as she guided me toward a bench outside the school office. The one you sat on when you were in trouble and waiting to see the principal. I’d never sat on it before.

As I lowered myself to the seat, the cold from the metal seeped through my jeans. I didn’t look at the woman or the police officers speaking in hushed tones. I stared straight ahead, focused on the second graders’ art projects lining the walls above the blue lockers. They were self-portraits. All different shapes and shades.

I tried to examine each and every one, to see the feelings in them. To understand them.

“Sarah,” the woman cut into my thoughts. “I’m Maggie.”

It was rare that adults gave me their first names. The use of hers now made me wary and on edge.

“I work with the police when children are involved in a case.”

My gaze snapped to her, but still, no words came.

“I’m so sorry, Sarah, but your mom passed away this morning. She’s with the angels.”

A buzzing sound lit in my ears. It intensified with each second that passed, making my whole body vibrate with it. “No.”

The word wasn’t a whisper, but it wasn’t a shout either. It was a demand. An order for this woman to tell me she was lying.

“I’m so sorry, Sarah.”

I hated her saying the words over again. I hated her sorries. And I despised her use of a name that wasn’t even mine.

“We were able to locate your father. We know you haven’t seen him for some time, but he wants to be here for you now.”

My spine snapped straight. Fear, thick and black, spread through me as I heard the soles of someone’s dress shoes clicking on the linoleum.

No. No. No.

I barely remembered my father. Quick snapshots. I mostly remembered my mother’s screams—the ones she let loose as he hit her.

But Mom showed me his photo once a month. That, along with pictures of his closest enforcers. All the people I needed to know so I could run if I saw them.

Only now, there was no option to run.

The man stepped into the artificial glow of one of the overhead lights. His sad look was just as fake as the light above him. I knew it just by looking, but I could feel it, too—the sliminess pushing against my shields.

Some part of me knew that if I let my protections down around this man, he would end me.

His dark, almost-black hair gleamed under the false light. It was perfectly arranged, just like the suit he wore. Too perfect. His dark eyes cut to me. “Fleur.”

My stomach cramped. I hadn’t heard that name in years. There were times I longed for it, craved to simply be myself again. But hearing it now? It didn’t fit. Not anymore.

The man took a step closer. “Don’t worry, Little Flower. I’ve got you now. And I’m going to take you home where you belong.”

Icy dread coursed through me as my wolf pushed to the surface. She wanted to be free, to run fast and far from Bastian Boudreaux, my so-called father.

I should’ve listened to her.

1

WREN

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

“Order up,” Gary called across the pass-through window as he slid two plates piled high with burgers and fries onto the counter.

Arcane was one of only two bars in the small town of Crescent Creek, Colorado. And by small, I meant minuscule. The population sat right around sixteen hundred. It made sense when the location, nestled between the mountains, meant you could be locked in by snow for weeks at a time.

But I liked the isolated feeling. And the fact that you knew almost everyone. Just like every local knew that while Arcane was known for its booze, it also had the best burgers in town.

I grabbed the two plates, not bothering with a tray. “Thanks, Gar.”

He simply gave me a chin lift in response, making the silver in his beard catch the light. Gary wasn’t big on unnecessary conversation, and it was one of the things I loved most about the big, burly grandpa biker. He never prodded into my life.

It meant I didn’t have to lie to him. I’d lived in at least a dozen different places in the eight years since I’d broken free of my father’s reign of terror. I’d painted elaborate lies for my past. But they added weight every time I told them.

That could be part of the reason Crescent Creek had felt like home the minute I passed through its town limits. No one pushed. Maybe because those with secrets came here to hide.

There were a handful of supernaturals: a couple of fox shifters, a witch, and even a griffin. But with my scent shields in place, none even gave me a second look.

I tried telling myself that flying under the radar was good. Necessary. But at the thought, my wolf half pressed against my skin, letting loose a keening sound inside me. She missed the contact of her kind, the feeling of being in a pack. And she was getting more than restless at the lack of both.

Weaving through tables, I came to a stop at a two-top. Sliding the plates in front of the two out-of-towners, I glanced at their cups. “Need any refills?”

I felt the brown-haired one’s eyes on me. His scrutiny slithered across my emotional shields like oily tentacles. “I think we’re good. Any recs for a dinner spot tonight? We’re in town on a fishing trip. Here for a couple of days.”

I knew the game—the subtle tossing out that he was available for me to warm his bed for a night or two. It probably wouldn’t have been a bad idea. He was decent-looking and could maybe satiate my wolf for a few weeks. Give her the touch she so desperately needed.

She bared her teeth in disagreement, scoffing at the idea of this human being even close to what she needed.

My shoulders slumped. So much for that idea. “I recommend Gino’s down the block. Great pizza and pasta.”

The blond one leaned forward, his cologne invading my senses. “You could always meet us there.”

I stepped back, trying to take a breath free of his sickly sweet scent. “Sorry, got plans. Flag me down if you need a refill or anything else.”

My tip might suffer for my abrupt departure, but better that than breaking one of their arms because they put a hand on my ass. As I turned and walked away, the brown-haired one’s voice caught my shifter hearing.

He let out a low whistle. “The body on that one.”

“Fucking perfect,” Blondie agreed. “It’s too bad about her face.”

Brown Hair chuckled. “I’d just take her from behind.”

Anger coursed through me, the kind of rage I knew would take hours of sparring to work through. My fingers itched to move, to trace the scar running from the top of my forehead down my cheek.

Even now, all these years later, I could still feel the bite of the blade, the white-hot pain as I screamed and begged for mercy. But there was none. Never at the hands of Bastian Boudreaux.

It didn’t matter how far I ran or how much time passed. I could still hear his voice in my head, taunting me in wakefulness and sleep.

“My daughter will not be a weakling. A submissive. She will be strong. Even if I have to scar every inch of her body to make her so.”

2

WREN

“I can’t believe you’re heading to the gym after working a double,” Dina said, counting out cash behind the bar.

The manager of Arcane had worked in these kinds of places since she was eighteen. Now, at fifty-five, she wore that experience like armor. Locals rarely attempted to cross her, and if they did, they met the other end of her bat.

As she stood there in her black cowboy boots and salt-and-pepper hair woven into a braid that hung halfway down her back, I envied Dina. The way she was so sure of herself. How she knew exactly who she was and made no apologies for it.

I hoisted my duffel over my shoulder. “You know I’m always twitchy after a shift. Gotta work that out.”

I’d only been in Crescent Creek for a little over a month, but Dina was observant. And her keen eye meant that even though she didn’t ask questions, she saw more than I likely wanted her to. Her gaze flicked to me, and then she went back to the money. “Give ‘em hell.”

I chuckled and headed for the back door. “Thanks, D. Get home safe.”

As I slipped outside, I glanced at where my beat-up navy hatchback was parked. Not that anyone would want to steal it—its condition was too crappy. But I liked knowing it was still there. Just in case I needed to escape.

But I didn’t need to use the vehicle daily, thanks to Dina renting me the studio apartment above the bar for a steal. I could walk everywhere I needed to go. It wasn’t as if I went many places: the tiny grocery store a few blocks down, the woods behind the bar for a run in wolf form, and the gym.

Crescent Kingdom.

The name had called to me the moment I stopped in town, checking out what it had to offer and knowing I didn’t have the cash to make it much farther. But Crescent Creek had been exactly what I needed. And the gym was, too.

As I pushed open the door, the familiar sound of gloved hands striking bags and mitts hit my ears. It created the most soothing symphony—the sound of home.

The place was humming, even at ten o’clock at night, largely because Crescent Kingdom’s clientele worked long hours at other jobs. Fitting in fight training came after dinners with family or working double shifts at jobs like I did.

“Hey there, girlie. Thought you might be bailing tonight.” Clyde ambled over in that stiff, limping walk he had—the gait of a fighter who’d reached his senior years.

I couldn’t help the smile that pulled at my lips as I took in his grizzled face. “Never. Just took longer to close up tonight.”

Clyde pinned me with a stare. “Rowdy customers?”

I’d never had a father. Not a real one, anyway—someone who cared about my well-being, happiness, and safety. I hadn’t had grandparents either. As far as I knew, Bastian’s parents were dead. And my mom never thought it would be safe for us to be in contact with hers.

But there was something about Clyde’s gruff care and grandfatherly demeanor that made my chest ache in the most beautiful way.

“Nothing and no one I can’t handle,” I assured him.

Clyde chuckled. “I don’t doubt that, girlie.” He inclined his head toward a man in his late twenties, hitting a heavy bag. “Franco wants to spar if you’re up for it. Getting ready for that bout in three weeks.”

I watched the shirtless man connect with the bag, sweat glistening on his tan skin. He was fit, attractive, and moved with grace, but I felt nothing but respect for him. No tingling attraction or anything else. Maybe that part of me was broken.

“No problem,” I agreed quickly. “Just need to warm up.”

“I’ll get the ring clear in thirty,” Clyde said.

I gave him a quick nod and moved to the far wall, where I tucked my bag. Clyde had a small locker room for the handful of women who frequented the gym, but I didn’t want my bag anywhere I couldn’t see it, where it might be difficult to get to if I needed to bolt.

I’d learned the hard way to carry everything I needed with me: my current fake ID, along with at least two others, enough cash to get me through a couple of weeks, and a spare set of clothes.

Everything had to be ready so I could flee at a moment’s notice and transform. I’d had every hair and eye color under the sun but was currently back to my natural dark brown with blue eyes that almost looked turquoise in certain light. There was only one thing I never changed.

My first name.

It was an homage to my mother—the only piece of her I still carried with me. Because each time I heard someone call my name, I heard my mom’s voice in my head. “My Little Wren, listen to the song inside you. As long as you hear your voice, you’ll always be able to come back to yourself.”

I held tightly to that reminder, using my heart to ground me every time the pain got to be too much—other people’s or mine.

Letting my duffel drop to the floor by the wall, I hopped onto a treadmill and turned up the speed to an easy jog. Many female fighters sparred in shorts and bra tops. I didn’t have that option if I didn’t want to answer questions about the scars riddling my body, so I opted for leggings and a long-sleeved workout shirt.

You could see a couple of the scars on my hands, but most people assumed I had been in a car accident of some sort. Because that made sense. No one would think my own father had inflicted the wounds.

I punched up the speed as the memories tried to take hold. The burn of my muscles always helped, as did my refusal to be a victim any longer.

If my father came for me again, he wouldn’t find a trembling little girl.

“Wren,” Clyde shouted over the music and the sounds of punches and kicks. “We’re ready for you.”

I slowed the treadmill’s speed, easing back into a jog and then a walk. I didn’t rush the process. That was how you ended up with a pulled or torn muscle, and I didn’t have time for that.

Stopping the treadmill altogether, I hopped off and did a quick set of stretches. An exaggerated groan sounded to my right.

“Wren, you are killing me,” Juan muttered. “When are you going to give in and marry me?”

My lips twitched as I glanced over at him from my forward bend. “When you can best me in the ring.”

Franco chuckled and slapped Juan on the shoulder. “That’s a no-chance-in-hell, my man.”

Juan just grinned at him. “Never say never, just like the Biebs says.”

Franco scowled. “Jesus.”

I laughed. This sort of shit talking made me feel like one of the guys, even if I was sort of being hit on. I knew Juan wasn’t serious, just like he wasn’t serious about fighting. He did it for fun, to stay in shape, and to spend time with his friends.

If I really thought about it, he was probably the healthiest of us all. Because you often found people with demons in these sorts of gyms—those trying to beat them into submission. And it only worked for small snippets of time.

I straightened, testing my limbs to make sure they were loose and warm. “Let’s do this.”

Franco nodded, took a swig of water, and then tossed the bottle to Juan. “Don’t hold back.”

Clyde snickered. “Not sure you want to give her that kind of permission.”

Warmth spread through me at Clyde’s words and his belief in me. He had no idea what sort of gift that was.

I climbed into the practice ring, ducking between the ropes. Crescent Kingdom was a mixed martial arts gym on the whole, but people here generally specialized in boxing or jiujitsu. I wanted to learn it all. To know everything I could use to defeat my opponent.

Franco was training for a local MMA match a few towns over and was one of the fighters at the gym who could give me the best run for my money. He sauntered toward the center of the ring, holding out his knuckles covered by fingerless practice gloves.

Tugging mine on, I met him in the middle to touch fists.

“Ready?” Clyde called, backing away from the ring.

I liked the way Clyde coached. He moved around the ring, sometimes getting right up next to it for a closer view, other times backing off so he could see the full picture. He said it gave him perspective.

Franco lifted his chin in assent, and I did the same.

A whistle sounded in the distance.

Franco immediately rose to the tips of his toes, and we started the dance. Our movements came in testing jabs and kicks. Though we’d sparred countless times before, every day was different. You never knew what a person might be carrying with them in those moments.

Franco’s fist shot out, trying to get my ribs. I blocked the worst of it, answering with a kick to his side, instantly rebuking myself. I should’ve gone for his legs, kicking them out from under him.

Too late now.

I moved quickly, darting in for an uppercut to Franco’s jaw. His head snapped back, but he quickly righted himself. Neither of us was sparring at full strength. If we had been, that punch would have packed a hell of a lot more heat.

We dodged and wove, each landing the occasional hit. I had to admit, Franco was getting better.

“Stop holding back,” he growled.

I should’ve known he’d realize what I was doing. He was too smart not to. I could never fight with my full shifter strength or speed in here, but I was holding back even the human part of me.

Giving Franco what he wanted, I lunged forward. Using my petite size, I ducked under his swing and swept his legs out from under him. Franco hit the mat with a loud thud as a collective series of oooohs sounded around us.

I moved in to pounce, to get him into an armbar or some other hold, but Franco was fast. He leapt to his feet before I got there, hands up by his face. We traded punches, and then the air shifted, something catching on it—a scent I hadn’t smelled in weeks.

Wolf.

The shock was enough to have my guard slipping, my hands lowering. And then a fist connected hard with my jaw.

3

KINGSTON

The moment I stepped into the gym, I finally felt like I was home, unlike when I’d gotten to our pack lands or even our house. Crescent Kingdom had truly become my grounding place.

Six weeks away from it was way too fucking long. It didn’t matter if it was for a mission to bring justice to countless souls. Or that we’d walked away with a whole new pile of cash lining our pockets. I hated being away for so long. Especially in the mountains of Siberia. It might be spring in Colorado, but it was the dead of winter there. And I was pretty sure the cold still lived in my bones.

The sound of gloves hitting bags was less than I would’ve expected given the number of vehicles in the parking lot. But the moment I scanned the room, I saw why.

She was captivating.

Everything in me stilled as I took in the female. My wolf instantly rose, pressing against my skin, dying to break free. I took in a deep breath, letting her scent fill my lungs.

Human.

But somehow…different.

That second thought had my wolf going on high alert. There was something about it. A wrongness.

Was she sick? Injured?

As I watched the woman circle the ring, I knew neither of those could be true. She moved like a ballerina but her hits had the force of someone five times her size. Franco was one of our top human fighters, and she was giving him a run for his money.

I took a few steps deeper into the gym, coming to stand next to my manager, Clyde. “Who is she?”

His gaze flicked to me for a beat before returning to the ring. “Gets in an hour ago, and he’s already back at work.”

“You know I can’t stay away.”

Clyde chuckled. “You know what they say about all work and no play.”

“This is my play.” That much was true. Creating a safe space for people to learn how to protect themselves and work through the worst things they’d been through had given me a purpose in my darkest hour.

Clyde simply scoffed.

“So,” I pressed, feeling my wolf’s impatience. My human half felt the emotion, too, but my wolf was the part of me I needed to worry about.

One corner of Clyde’s mouth kicked up. “Got to town about a month ago. Name’s Wren. I have to admit, I didn’t think a little thing like her should even be in this gym. But damn if she didn’t prove me wrong.”

I watched her move, darting forward and sweeping Franco’s legs out from under him. It was a thing of beauty. But as he leapt back up, and they circled one another, I couldn’t help but notice that she was holding back.

“Can’t even have her truly sparring with any of our women. It’s too unfair. Hell, I wouldn’t even put her in the ring with half our men. She’d level them.”

I mulled over Clyde’s words as I moved closer to the ring as if the woman had cast some sort of spell over me.

Wren stiffened, something grabbing her attention just long enough for her gloves to drop. Franco hit her in the jaw—way too fucking hard for a sparring practice.

As the woman hit the mat, Franco cursed, already crouching down. “Shit, Wren. I’m sorry. Just got caught up in the moment.”

My strides ate up the distance in no time, and as I reached the edge of the practice ring, I leveled a glare at Franco. I knew my eyes had to be flashing, the silver that warned others I was a predator.

Franco stumbled back a few steps. “I didn’t mean to get her so hard. I thought she was gonna block me.”

Wren struggled to sit up, blinking away what I was sure was some blurriness in her vision. “I’m fine. I’m an idiot, but I’m fine.”

Seeing her like this made her name seem to fit. Wren. Delicate, just like the bird.

“Come on,” I said, my voice going gruff. “Let’s get some ice on that.”

“I’m okay,” she argued instantly. “Really.”

My wolf bristled. He was already on edge, wanting to rake his claws down the chest of the man who’d hurt his Little Warrior.

His?

Fuck. Was this a mating call? I’d felt them a time or two, the pull of attraction that meant someone could possibly be your mate. It wasn’t a guarantee, only a sign that you were compatible.

The only certainty came from a true mating bond—the kind that showed itself the second you had skin-to-skin contact. It was said the bond sang through every nerve ending, and images of your future would flash.

I reached for Wren’s elbow as she slid under the rope, trying to steady her. She stiffened instantly. I braced, waiting to feel the certainty, to see those images. But there was nothing.

My wolf growled at the lack of it all. He wanted her to be his. And I sure as hell understood the disappointment.

I shook it off, trying to pull myself together. “Come on. Let’s get you to my office.”

“I’m good. Really—”

“Girlie, you don’t gotta listen to him, but you do gotta listen to me if you wanna keep fighting around here. His office so we can take a peek at you.”

Wren’s head lifted, revealing the full side of her face for the first time. I knew wounds. My brothers and I had received more than a few, so I knew how to recognize what had inflicted them. And this scar hadn’t been caused by shattered glass or some freak accident. It was from a blade.

My wolf went rabid.

Crescent Kingdom, book one in The Wolves of Crescent Creek series is available for purchase HERE.

ALSO BY TESSA HALE

The Shifting Fate Series

Fated Visions: A Shifting Fate Prequel Novella

Spark of Fate

Mark of Stars

Bond of Destiny

Royals of Kingwood Academy

The Lost Elemental

The Last Aether

The Queen of Quintessence

Supernaturals of Castle Academy

Legacy of Shadows

Anchor of Secrets

Destiny of Ashes

Dragons of Ember Hollow

Twilight of Embers

Midnight of Ashes

Dawn of Flames

The Wolves of Crescent Creek

Crescent Kingdom

For up-to-date information on all Tessa Hale titles please visit tessahale.com.

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ABOUT TESSA HALE

Author of love stories with magic, usually with more than one love interest. Constant daydreamer.