Lachlan’s head snapped toward me, and the werewolf on the other side of the barrier bared its teeth at me, drool dripping down its jaws.
I flinched back slightly, and Lachlan moved until his large body stood in front of me.
Tattooed hands circled my stomach and pulled me into Damien’s peppermint scented chest.
My heartbeat was erratic as I took comfort in this hold.
Kian stepped out of the shadows next to Damien with his eyes wide, before he ripped his shirt off and pushed it over my head. “Here, sweetheart.”
“Thank you,” I murmured, shoving my arms in the holes as it dropped down to cover all my bits.
“Lily,” Kian answered.
“Why now?”
“Not for good reason,” he said, rage simmering through his bond as fury flooded Damien's.
Damien nudged me into Kian’s arms, and I slipped my arms back around Kian as the scent of old books wafted into my nose.
“You had a vision.” I rested my head on his chest, and he nodded.
“Yes.”
A cruel smirk grew on Damien’s lips. “My time to shine.”
His shadows curled around Lachlan’s arm that was lifted and aimed to tear a hole in the wards with his magical energy. Damien tugged, and it sent Lachlan’s huge form flying into a tree.
I flinched into Kian as I heard the snap of bone when Lachlan hit the tree. “Damien, no!”
“Sweetheart, it's the only way,” Kian whispered in my ear.
I bit my tongue, trusting them, but it didn’t stop my worry for Lachlan.
“If you don't get out of here…” Damien pointed a finger at the werewolf on the other side of the wards. “I will cut off your head and stick it to the ground.”
Kian sighed. “I told him not to provoke him.”
A vicious snarl left Lachlan, and he threw himself up and screamed as the change overtook him back to his normal form.
Lily did not scream, but as I turned to look at her, tears rolled down her face. “Lachlan,” she cried. Her waist length brown curls tumbled around her, almost as a makeshift cover, and she had the same brown eyes as Lachlan’s.
Lachlan barreled toward Damien with a scream, absolute fury boiled through his bond.
Damien's face blanked as he sidestepped him and used a tendril to wrap around his ankle and jerk him up, hanging him upside down. Lachlan bent up and tried to pry the shadow off before another one gripped around his neck, holding him upside down. “If you come at me again, I won't hold back. I don't care if you’re Wren’s mate too.”
Lachlan’s expression turned menacing as he glowered at him. “Letting the human chop off your head really fucked you up.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “Stop! Damien isnotfucked up.” I shoved my hurt and anger through his bond, and his gaze snapped to mine as his eyes widened, realizing what he had just said.
“Fuck. I’m sorry.”
“No, you're right.” Damien tilted his head. “It did fuck me up because all I can think about right now is slicing your guts open and watching them fall out for putting my mate in danger.”
“What are you talking about?”
I slipped away from Kian and moved between Damien and Lachlan, slipping my hands around Damien’s neck and forcing him to look at me. “I love you, Damien. I know you’re protecting me, but he doesn’t know whatever you and Kian do. You know I love him. It would kill me if you hurt him. I love you both so much that it hurts me to see you fight.”
His jaw tightened as he brought Lachlan right side up but kept him bound by the shadows, unable to go toward his sister or the wards.
