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“Ugh! I didn’t want to say anything, but I’ve bonded to her,” Jax said.

Bonded? I’d only heard that term in reference to...

“You what?” Tannin growled.

“I know,” Jax shot at him. “I tried to deny it, and I’m trying very hard to fight it. We don’t get to choose who the mate bond connects with, okay?”

“That’s not possible,” Tannin said, shaking his head.

“Why? Because she’s a Wielder? Or because she’s the Varinyan princess? Trust me, I’m aware of the irony.”

Tannin pushed away from the bed post. “No, becauseI’vebonded to her. She’s mine.”

Jax immediately stopped his pacing and stared at Tannin. “No, you didn’t,” he seethed.

“Yes, I did,” Tannin asserted. “I felt the stirrings of it last night, before you even knew she existed.”

Jax shook his head, tapping his foot. “That’s not possible. Two men can’t bond to the same woman.”

“I know, and yet here we are,” Tannin said. “So, what do we do about this?”

Jax shrugged arrogantly. “Well, as Alpha, I have right of first choice.”

“Bullshit!” Tannin barked, stomping up to within inches of him. “That right doesn’t apply when a mate bond is present.”

“But if you’re saying that we’re both meant to be with her, then we have to settle this.” Jax argued, puffing up his chest. “And the way to settle the dispute of who gets to claim her is to defer to hierarchy. I’m the Alpha, you’re my beta, and youwillrelinquish her to me.”

Alpha? Beta?

“The fuck I will!” Tannin rebuked. “I saw her first. And she likes me better anyway. You’ve done nothing but treat her like shit since you woke up!”

I nodded and frowned in agreement as I hovered above the doorknob, spying. Tannin had a point there.

“You’re only nice to her because you want to fuck her and can’t control yourself,” Jax snarled. “I’m the one who saved her life from that cusith, so I should be the one who gets to have her.”

“You would have killed that cusith whether she’d been there or not, so don’t pull that chivalry bullshit with me,” Tannin said. “I have just as much right to claim her as you do, and you know it.”

“Then I guess there’s only one way to settle this.” Without warning, Jax swung a punch at the side of Tannin’s face.

I gasped and pressed my hands over my mouth.

Tannin spat blood off to the side. “Bring it on, asshole.” Then he lunged at Jax, tackling him to the floor and out of sight.

I moved my head all around the space in front of the keyhole, trying to get a better angle to see them, but they were too far away.

They were fighting over me. Two drop-dead gorgeous men were fighting over me and beating the shit out of each other from the sounds of the bangs, grunts, and slaps.

I couldn’t remember ever being this excited about anything in my whole life, and I was desperate to see this play out. Who would win? Not that their stupid fight would prove anything, because I was a fucking princess and not some voiceless trinket. I would choose my suitor, and silly as it may sound, I didn’t know who I’d pick, given the chance.

Tannin was sweet and gentle, and Jax could be snide and callous. But he’d risked his life to protect me, and I’d caught small glimpses of his caring heart.

What if I didn’t have to choose? I could stop this fight right now and tell them I wanted both of them. Oh gods, I wanted to do that so bad!

I lifted my hand toward the knob, but a loud crash from inside made me jump back. What the hell were they doing in there?

I leaned closer, peering through the keyhole again. Tannin was in sight, taking off his shirt and pants. My insides tightened at the sight of his naked body, and I didn’t even care why he was stripping for a fight.

But then thick black fur sprouted all over his body, which grew and stretched and mutated, and in the next instant, he was no longer my handsome, kind Tannin, but a massive black wolf.