Zandia's laughter sliced the tension in the room, a sound that seemed rare and haunting. Her eyes gleamed with wicked amusement, and the corners of her mouth twitched.
"Most shifters don't have the faintest clue about the mating process," she said, her voice smooth and unsettling. "Every pack, every clan, they've spun their own tales, creating elaborate rituals out of whispers and misconceptions." She leaned in until she was only an inch from my face, and I suddenly became hyperaware of her hand still holding my jaw, dangerously close to my neck. "So grandiose, so unnecessary."
I swallowed hard. The air felt thick around us, charged with a primal energy that Zandia wore like a second skin.
"Answers," I began, my voice steadier than I felt, "what would it take to get them from you?" My stomach knotted at the thought of bargaining with this predator, yet desperation clawed at me. I needed to know my mates would be okay.
Her gaze pinned me with the precision of a hunter sighting prey. "A trade," she purred, her lips parting to reveal the hint of sharp teeth. "Information for information. Let's not pretend we don't have things to offer each other, Parker."
Heat flushed my cheeks, a flare of anger mixing with the fear snaking through my veins. I knew the stakes were high, too high to let pride dictate my next move. What could she want from me? And more importantly, what was I willing to risk? Every instinct screamed caution, but Trux's darkening mood, Seph's silent pleas… they hammered against my resolve.
"Speak your terms, Zandia," I said, forcing steel into my tone. "What is it you want?"
A glint of triumph flickered across her features, the thrill of the hunt alive in her ancient eyes. She leaned forward; the distance between us evaporated, her presence enveloping me, suffocating and intoxicating all at once.
"Let's find out how much your answers are worth to you, shall we?" Her words were a velvet caress, a promise wrapped in a threat. The game had begun, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to play. But for Trux, for Seph, and the rest of my mates, I'd walk through fire. Or, in this case, stare into the eyes of the big bad wolf.
"Under no circumstances will you bind yourself to her terms, Parker!" Trux's voice thundered through the room, each word a crack of alpha power splitting the tension.
My temper flared. I whirled on him, my eyes blazing with more than just the flicker of my half-demon heritage. "You don't get to control every facet of my existence, Trux. This isn't just about me… it's about all of us!"
Trux glowered, muscles tensing, hair bristling at the nape of his neck. His nostrils flared, scenting the challenge I'd thrown down between us. The atmosphere crackled, the undercurrent of our connection pulling taut, ready to snap.
"Every decision you make affects the pack. It's not yours alone to bear," he ground out, each word a jagged stone hurled at my feet.
"Sure, but when does it stop being about your command and start being about our choice?" I shot back. This was a newer, surly side of Trux I wasn't as thrilled to see. Though it made more sense now that I realized it was the impending Hesolga driving his irrationally protective and confrontational behavior.
The room pulsed with an energy that felt like a prelude to a storm. Trux stood there stoic, yet his eyes betrayed a flicker of something raw and unsettling. I watched him approach, his heavy boots silent on the stone floor, the usual air of command that surrounded him as strong as ever.
"Tell me, Parker," he said, his voice low and gravelly, "what is this team without you?"
His question hit me like a physical blow, leaving a mark deeper than any bruise. In that moment, the power dynamic shifted. The Alpha, the leader who commanded teams with a look, appeared before me as something else entirely… a man driven by the same primal need to protect his own as any shifter of their kind. Without the commanding presence he always showed, he's left behind a tsunami of emotion and vulnerability. I had never seen Trux without his armor of authority.
"Without you," he continued, his hands clenched at his sides as if holding onto control by a thread, "there is no team. No us." Trux, the man who seemed to wield control as easily as he breathed, now stood before me unguarded, his vulnerability laid bare. "Of course, we are going to protect you with everything we have." His words were not a promise but a vow.
CHAPTER 3
AH, THERE IT IS—THE QUESTION THAT'S BEEN BURNING INSIDE YOU SINCE WE MET
His words hit me like a sledgehammer, striking at the core of my fears. Being half-human, half-demon, or a cambion as others called it, I often doubted my worth to the group and struggled to control the chaotic force within me.
"Trux, I..." My voice faltered, unable to find the right response.
"Listen to me," he insisted with a growl, the sound vibrating through me like a thousand tiny electric shocks. "We will protect you with every fiber of our beings. If something happens to you... we'll be lost."
I couldn't help but shiver at the intensity of his words. His usual Alpha demeanor had morphed into a rare moment of vulnerability, showing just how important I was to him and the team. My heart raced, a mix of fear and desire coursing through my veins.
Why now? Why did he choose to reveal his softer side in front of everyone, including Zandia? He must have known it would only make me more vulnerable, but I couldn't deny the thrill of seeing Trux so exposed.
"Trux, I appreciate your concern, but I can't promise that I won't put myself in danger," I replied, the truth of my statement weighing heavily on my shoulders. "My powers are unpredictable, and besides, sometimes the risk might be worth it..."
He closed the gap between us, his chest brushing against mine, sending an involuntary shudder through my body. The heat of his touch seared through me, igniting a fire deep within my soul. His fingers sank into my hair, gripping the strands as he maneuvered me closer.
"Promise me, Parker," he whispered, his breath hot on my ear. "Promise me you'll do everything in your power to stay out of harm's way. We can't… I can't lose you."
He punctuated his statement with a bruising kiss. It was one of love and desperation. I felt it clearly through the mate bond as he opened himself fully to me. Then he pulled back, releasing me. I almost fell over from the sudden loss of his touch.
I glanced around, suddenly aware of the eyes of our team and Zandia on us. Trux reached out, his rough fingers gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. The tenderness of his touch sent a shiver down my spine.
