Mason gave a low whistle.“Pride’s always spoken of them with respect.And maybe a touch of fear.But more respect.Because when the ESE arrive, justice follows.”
Violet leaned back in her chair, purple eyes bright.“I ran into a pair of them a few years ago.Wolves.Names were Rafe and Dorian.Scary as hell, but brilliant fighters.Put down a rogue in front of me like it was just another day at the office.”
Rune’s mouth curved faintly.“Rafe and Dorian.Yeah, we know them very well.Best trackers in the ranks, and, yep, they are very good at putting rogues down.”
Klarissa frowned.“What’s a rogue?”
Kamon answered, voice grim.“A shifter who’s lost control.To bloodlust, power, or madness.They stop being part of the world and start preying on it.Rogues can’t be reasoned with.They can only be stopped.”
Rune’s tiger stirred at the memories, the hunts, the kills.Rogues had faces he still saw in dreams.But he kept his tone steady for Klarissa’s sake.“That’s what the ESE does.We stop them.And we make sure shifters remember—our strength doesn’t put us above justice.”
Jacob added quietly, “At the helm of the Enforcers are two bear shifter brothers.Legends in their own right.Built the group out of blood and necessity.”
Liam nodded.“Rumor says their funding comes from a government branch so secret it doesn’t even have a name.”
Violet grinned.“Shadow budget stuff.Makes for great bedtime stories.But they’re not myths.They’re the blade in the dark, judgment you never see coming.”
Rune’s gut twisted, his tiger roaring to be unleashed.Kamon’s growl rumbled deep in his chest beside him.The truth of her words wrapped chains of rage around them both.This wasn’t just science—it was slaughter.
“I need access to a lab,” Klarissa said, her voice urgent now, fierce.“And I need a way into Caruso’s systems.If I can see what his people are building—what mutations they’re splicing—I can begin to craft a cure.Without that, I’m fighting blind.”
Violet smirked, practically vibrating with anticipation.“Hack into Caruso’s systems?Darling, you really know how to make a girl swoon.Between your virus codes and my tech skills, we could make his firewalls weep.”
Jacob shot her a sharp look, but Violet only grinned wider, the grim edge of determination burning in her purple gaze.“Don’t worry, baby.She’s right.If they’re even close to cracking her work, we’re on the clock.”
Rune let the chatter swirl for a moment, then he rose to his full height.“Enough.”His voice cut through the room like a blade.“She needs rest.Sleep.This can wait until tomorrow.”
The others shifted uneasily, but no one argued.Violet rolled her eyes dramatically, Jacob muttered something under his breath, and Liam gave a curt nod, but they all filed out.Kieran was last to move, his stare heavy on Klarissa until she dropped her gaze.Then he turned and strode out without another word.
When the door closed, silence fell again.Rune exhaled slowly, then lowered himself back to the edge of the bed.Kamon took the opposite side, the twins bracketing their mate like two halves of a single whole.
Klarissa’s lashes fluttered as she peered at them.“Why are you staying?”she whispered.“You don’t have to—”
Rune brushed his thumb over the back of her hand.“We stay because you’re ours.Because that’s what a mate means.”
Her eyes widened, confusion and disbelief flashing there.“Mate?”she breathed.“No ...you must be mistaken.”
Kamon leaned in, his voice steady and sure.“Why would we be mistaken?”
Tears welled again, and her whisper cut deep.“Because I am the daughter of the devil.And the daughter of the devil does not deserve love.”
Rune felt the words strike him like claws, but he didn’t flinch.He shared a look with his brother, a vow unspoken but absolute passing between them.Then Rune bent closer, his voice a low promise.“Then we’ll show you,suuway.Show you that you are worthy.That you are capable of love, no matter whose blood runs in your veins.”
Kamon nodded, his hand tightening on her other one.“And for the record, we’re just fine with our woman having a little devil to go with her angel.”
Klarissa let out a shuddering breath, her eyelids heavy.Rune watched as sleep pulled her under, her lips still parted as if she might protest further.But she didn’t.Her grip on their hands slackened, and she surrendered to rest.
Rune sat back, his tiger finally stilling within him.He and Kamon remained on either side of her, twin sentinels, bound not just by fate but by a vow.Whatever devils hunted her past, whatever death she believed she carried—they would be the wall between her and the world.And they would never let her go.
