He chuckled darkly, supporting my weight. “Well,thatwas interesting. How many are you collecting?”
I tilted my head to shoot him a glare, but Alic’s voice thundered closer.
“Aniyah.”
He stomped into the room, gun still raised, eyes scanning his surroundings. “Where are—” He froze mid-sentence, eyes locked on my arm.
I followed his gaze. The graze. Blood dripped steadily, the ruby red trail carving its way down my arm.
“Oh, this?” I laughed weakly. “It’s noth?—”
He moved faster than I expected, pulling me away from Lucus. Anyone else wouldn’t have been able to execute the maneuver that smoothly, that easily, but to him, I weighed nothing. His gaze burned into the other two.
“You were supposed toprotecther.”
Lucus’ eyes sharpened into silver slits. Ras’ nostrils flared, his pupils glowing like red embers about to burst.
“Hey!” I snapped, smacking Alic’s shoulder. “Theydid. Or do you not see the sea of corpses I handcrafted for you?”
He didn’t respond. His eyes stayed locked on the wound, hand trembling mid-air like he wanted to touch it but couldn’t.
“Alic?” I tried again, softer.
Still no response. Instead, he was mumbling, blaming himself, saying he should’ve stayed. I knew that, somewhere deep down, he understood his presence would’ve changed nothing, but I wouldn’t be able to get that through his head right now.
I looked over his shoulder, and my blood ran cold.
A male. No mask. Someone familiar to me, someone that meant something.
Morino. Maso Morino.
My breath caught. Bright blue eyes. Rain-soaked memories. A storm. The way his warmth had wrapped around me that night. It all came crashing back in one blinding surge.
Another wave of heat ripped through me. My wings trembled. My eyes blurred, but I couldn’t look away.
He smiled. Soft. Knowing.
My whole body tensed, then buckled.
“Maso?” I whispered, my knees giving out.
I’d barely braced for impact before strong, familiar arms wrapped around me, pulling me against a solid chest.
That scent. That warmth.
Him.
“Hi, my mate,” he whispered, his voice hitting me like a drug. “I’ve been looking for you.”
Mate?What the fuck?! My body was burning.Was I poisoned? Hit with a spell? My thoughts were scrambled.
Lucus’ voice was sharp with disbelief. “Mate?!I’mher fucking mate!”
Wait—what?!
I tried to speak, tried to shout,tried to breathe,but my lips wouldn’t move. My limbs turned to lead.
“Shut up!” Alic’s voice cracked. He cradled my face, rough hands trembling. “What’s happening to her?”
