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“Markis, no,” I plead. “I’ll do it. No complaint. I’ll give you the fey key and then you can put me to ground. Isn’t that what you want?”

He turns to glare at me.

“I won’t fight you. I’ll give you what you want. Don’t kill him.”

He looks back at Enzo, before turning back to me. He then laughs.

“You love him?”

I don’t respond because the answer is obvious.

“Okay,” Markis says. “We’re not waiting until midnight. We make the bond right now.” The blade disappears into his cuff. I’m grabbed up from the floor by Talon and another vampire I don’t know. They shove me up against a wall.

I keep my eyes on Enzo.

“This is the only way.”

“No,” he growls as he tries to stand.

“Stay the fuck down,” Markis shouts. Enzo collapses back to the ground. This time his wolf writhes.

“Markis, please,” I plead.

He marches over to me and backhands me so hard I spin in a full damn circle before collapsing to the ground.

Enzo

Seeing him put his hands on my mate has a snarl coming from deep within me.

“When a sifter is manipulating your mind, it is the memories that are most important to you that will be your weapon. You have to find that powerful memory. One that stays with you,something that brings you peace and happiness. Lock on to it and it will always be your defense against a sifter.”

Her words that day in the kitchen play back in my thoughts. I think of the memory of Ana that first popped into my head that day. However, I have newer memories—better ones. I think back to the first time I saw Michaela. The first moment she spoke to me and I was rude to her. I think back to the time I found her on that step cleaning the blood. Her sadness caused me to see her for the first time.

I think of the night we mated and our ceremony. Seeing her in that white gown. I think of the week we spent with her in heat. The laughs, the battles, the orgasms. Of course, my mind goes to the night of the camping trip. The memory he tried to steal from me. I think of her face and hearing her tell me she loved me for the first time.

The moment I lock onto that memory, I can feel his hold on me slipping away. It’s as if his grip slowly loosens.

“Find a memory,”I send out to the pack. “A memory so strong that it brings you peace and happiness. Focus on it.”

Slowly, I can tell the others are regaining their control. Chayton’s the first to free himself. Alarick is next, and then Torak and the others. When I finally climb to my feet, I’m not in wolf form anymore. I stand up and face Markis as a man.

Markis turns to me and glares.

“How did you do that?”

I grin. “My mate taught me.”

He snarls, grabbing Michaela off the floor by the neck. I take a step toward him.

“No,”Alarick stops me.“You cannot beat him in human form. Don’t risk yourself.”

He’s right, my human is no match for that vampire. Hell, I’m not even sure if my wolf could defeat him, but I know who can.

“It’s your time, Baby Girl,”I say into Michaela’s head. Now that she’s too tired, she can’t block me like she had been doing. I had to fight like hell to get that first message to her.

“I can’t,”she replies.“You saw what happens when I try.”

“What did you tell me about my gift?”