Zain didn't just shift his attention to Maelra; he changed his entire stance. In a fraction of a second, the vulnerable, wounded mate vanished, replaced by the terrifying warlord who had ruled the northern territories with an iron fist. He didn't look at the three shifted wolves with fear; he looked at them like a man sizing up insects he was about to crush beneath his boot.
He stepped sideways, deliberately shifting his massive frame to completely shield me from the line of sight of Maelra and her guards.
The air between all of us felt like it could snap at any moment.
"Maelra…" I started, but she cut me off.
"Violet, move."
Her tone wasn't loud. It didn't need to be. It carried the kind of certainty that made the wolves behind her shift their weight, ready to lunge at the slightest command.
Zain let out a low, dangerous laugh.
"You brought backup," he said, voice calm in a way that made my skin prickle. "For me?"
"You're not welcome here," Maelra replied. "Not like this."
