He arrived like a storm, impossible to ignore.
The arena doors didn't open. They exploded.
Darius crashed through in a shower of metal and wood, his wolf half-shifted. Claws extended. Eyes pure gold. Face partially transformed. More beast than man.
The bond blazed between us. White-hot. Connecting us so completely I felt his rage as my own. Felt his terror at almost losing me. Felt his wolf's absolute certainty that anyone who threatened his mate would die.
"Get away from her," he snarled at Gideon. Voice more growl than human speech.
Gideon's pack members moved to intercept. Five of them. All Betas. All loyal to the Wicke family.
Darius tore through them like they weren't there.
Not killing. But brutal. Efficient. Decades of Alpha training and combat experience on full display. Within seconds, all five were on the ground. Unconscious or too injured to continue.
Then his eyes locked on Gideon.
"You're dead," Darius said simply.
