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Just as I leaped up to attack, North tackled it from the side.

Dammit. They wrestled in the shallow water, and I splashed toward them. The wraith lifted North and tossed him into the center of the river.

“North!” I snatched my blaster off my belt and aimed. I fired to keep the monster distracted.

“I’m all right.” North sloshed back to my side, water sluicing off him.

I shoved the blaster away. “I’m going to attack with?—”

It lunged at us.

I lifted my knife. “I’ve got this.” I took a step forward. This damn wraith was going down.

North suddenly shoved me aside and ran at it.

I hit the ground on my side.Dammit. I scowled and straightened, watching him ram his own knife between the creature’s armor plating.

It fell back, black blood running down its abdomen. It still made no sound.

It slumped into the river, and the current washed the body away.

North glanced back at me. I glared back at him.

CHAPTER SEVEN

North

She was safe.

Chest heaving, I cleaned my knife in the water and turned to Jess. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

Jess glared at me and sat up. There was blood on her face from a small graze. “I’mfine.”

I reached out, and she smacked my hand away. I frowned.

“What the hell was that?” There was acid in her voice as she shoved to her feet.

I frowned. I’d been so focused on getting her safe, and killing the wraith, I wasn’t sure what was going on.

“What?” I said. “A monster attacked you. I wasn’t going to stand by and watch. I helped you, saved you.”

“I had a plan, Connors. I’m a fucking soldier. I was about to attack it, and you pushed me out of the way like I was some damsel in distress.”

Shit. Had I?“Jess, we were in a fight for our lives, I?—”

She stepped forward. “You think because we fucked, you can choose what I do or don’t do? That I need a big strong man to protect me?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. I wasn’t dumb enough to walk into that. “No.”

“You didn’t treat me like a squad mate, North. Definitely not one you trust.”

I blew out a breath.Shit.

She whirled and stomped back up the bank.

Was she right?Hell, maybe my feelings had made me react and want to protect her.

I’d seen the dangerous monster that had just tried to drown her, and I’d reacted.