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“An incident?”

“My brother had two hired guns try to do some serious damage to my business. Striker had to handle them.”

“Handle them. You mean…?”

“Kill them,” Stephan said.

My stomach turned. The peaceful feeling I’d been enjoying was crushed, like the campfire embers doused with ice water.

“I spoke to Sean,” Stephan continued. “He’s unpredictable. And angry. And determined to try to take the clan from me.”

“But you won’t let that happen,” I said. My emotions were a confusing mix of fear, sadness, and anger.

“Not ever,” Stephan growled. “And I’m changing this clan, day-by-day, to get us out of the crime world that Sean’s wrapped up in. I’ll have to handle him if I want this clan to go legitimate.”

There was that word again.Handle.I said nothing.

“He’s going to escalate,” Stephan continued, “and I don’t want you and Dylan to get caught in the crossfire. I don’t know how long this will take. I don’t know when he will challenge me. I know he will, and I don’t want you or Dylan to be around to see that.”

“What’s going to happen?” I asked. “When he challenges you?”

Stephan turned and pressed a kiss to the crown of my head. “I don’t think I’ll be able to spare him this time.”

There was no anger in his voice, only deep resignation. I laced my fingers through his. At the same time, I wrapped my other arm around his waist, so we were tangled up as close as we could get.

“This isn’t how I wanted this to go,” Stephan said. “I’d hoped that one day, Hawk and I would be able to get through to Sean. To bring him back to us. I thought he’d accept that even though he wasn’t the alpha, he was still a part of this clan. This family.” Stephan heaved a sigh. “But he’s too far gone. There’s nothing left in his heart but hate.”

My heart shattered. I’d known it was bad, but I hadn’t known how much it was hurting Stephan. And there was nothing I could do but listen and hold him close.

“But I’m not going to let you, nor Dylan, get hurt because of this,” Stephan said. “You’ll be safe in Atlanta. I know some guys down there—I’ll make sure there’s someone around to keep an eye on you.”

“You don’t need to do that, Stephan, we’ll be okay.”

“It’ll make me feel better,” he said. “I can’t take care of Sean if I’m worried about you.”

I turned my head and pressed a kiss to the warm skin of his bare shoulder. “Okay.”

“Good,” he said. “Good. You’ll be safe in Atlanta.” It sounded like he was speaking to himself more than me. That resignation was back in his voice.

I pulled away enough to look up and catch his eyes. “It’s not forever, Stephan.”

That seemed to snap him out of his own head. His gaze dropped to mine. Gold still ringed his hazel irises. “It’s not forever,” he repeated in a low, serious voice. “I wouldn’t let it be, Harley. I’d follow you to the ends of the earth if that’s what it took. So no, it won’t be forever.”

“Just for now,” I said. “We’re taking it slow.”

He nodded. His eyes held a heavy sadness, like the losses he was envisioning had already happened. Brushing his thumb over my cheek, he leaned down and caught my lips in a kiss.

It was heated and slow. Stephan was savoring this kiss, like he was committing my lips and taste to memory. Like I was already halfway to Atlanta.

I felt his passion. His pain.

I wanted to be there for him. I wanted to tell him it’d all be okay in the end.

But part of me still quivered with fear. Striker had killed two men today. Stephan thought he might have to kill his brother.

What if something went wrong? What if he had to go back to prison? What if this time, it wasn’t for a few years, but for the rest of his life?

Breaking the kiss, I tucked my face into the crook of his neck and inhaled deeply. His skin was warm with sweat and still humming with shifter magic.