I felt him recoil from it. Felt the wolf inside him snarl and snap, trying to stay in the darkness where nothing could hurt him.
I didn't let go.
Come back to me.
Not words. Just feeling. Raw and desperate and refusing to give up.
Stone shuddered.
The gold in his eyes flickered. Dimmed.
His body spasmed. The grotesque half-shift began to reverse—bones cracking back into place, fur receding, claws shrinking into fingers. It looked agonizing. He screamed through the change, a sound that was half-howl and half-sob.
I didn't look away.
When it was over, he collapsed.
Human. Covered in blood—his own and more. His whole body shook with tremors so violent I could see them from three feet away.
"Stone."
His head came up. His eyes met mine.
Full of so much horror that it stole my breath.
"Lumi." His voice was destroyed. Raw. "Did I—Cal—"
"He's alive." I could feel him. "You stopped. You came back."
"I almost—" He looked at his hands. Saw the blood. "Oh God. Oh God, I almost—"
"But you didn't."
"I could have killed him." He was hyperventilating now. Spiraling. "I could have killed you. I didn't know—I didn't recognize—"
"Stone, breathe."
"You need to leave. Now!"
The words hit like a slap.
"What?"
"I mean it." He scrambled backward, putting distance between us. His back hit the destroyed bed frame and he flinched but didn't stop. "You have to stay away. I can't—I won't survive hurting you."
"You didn't hurt me."
"I almost did!" His voice cracked. "I saw you standing there and I didn't know you. I would have—if you hadn't—"
He couldn't finish.
Behind me, I heard movement. Neal rushing to Cal's side. Cole lowering his rifle. Staff murmuring, radios crackling, the chaos of aftermath beginning to unfold.
I didn't turn around.
"Stone." I moved toward him.
He pressed harder against the bed frame. "Don't. Please."
