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Chapter 62

Kaiya

Wolf-Tye leaned down and rubbed his head against my cheek, and I desperately wanted to let myself sink into him. But we didn't have time.

I reached out through the bond and tried to send Tye my thoughts as we'd done in the cave. But something felt … different.

I waited for his storm of emotions to wash over me. But there wasn't even a flicker.

And he hadn't spoken when he arrived …

Why?!

A painful sense of loss stabbed through me. Was it that fucking metal again?

"Gods, Tye. I —"

Shaking his head, he nuzzled me again, as if trying to tell me hewas fine.

Before I could object, he looked to Jaiel and began to growl.

"No. That's Jaiel. We need to get him out of here."

Wolf-Tye snapped at the Fae prince turned monster.

"Stop!" I moved between them, holding my hands up. "We don't have time! Just trust me. Please?"

Tye's gold-yellow eyes drank me in, but finally he nodded.

"Fascinating!" Frexin said, obviously tired of waiting for her minions to do her dirty work. "Just what did you two get up to on that little trip of yours? Japhire mentioned smelling the completed bond on you, girl. But this — it's something different, isn't it? Whatareyou, boy?"

Tye's growl vibrated through me, and together we glared at the woman. She stepped closer, eyeing Tye the same way she had all those rare relics she'd collected over the years.

Nausea churned in my gut at the memory, and I moved into a fighting stance, pulling on Tye's shifter strength once more.

Like HELLS she will take any of my mates from me!

Tye, ever protective, moved in front of me and Jaiel, lips lifted in a warning snarl.

Frexin's smile faltered.

"All of you," she yelled, gesturing to the mechs and soldiers. "Stop hiding and do your fucking jobs! Take the wolf and the shadow monster, andkillthe girl!"

"Tye, we need to —"

With a loud growl, Tye leaped at the wall of mechs and soldiers.

His massive teeth crunched down on the chest of one as he picked it up, pilot and all, and with a powerful yank, threw it into another. The machines collided with a metallic crunch, breaking into a hundred pieces.

Another mech charged in, swinging at Tye, but he dodged it without even looking. Before the swing finished, Tye had dashed back in and bit through the pilot cage, crushing the human inside.

Fuck — he's fast!

He destroyed mech after mech without slowing … but there were so many.

"Fire!" Frexin screamed. "It doesn't matter if you hit the mechs. Just stop that wolf!"

I looked from Tye to the dozen ballistas surrounding us, hidden in the forest. He wouldn't be able to dodge themandthe mechs! Fear and panic threatened to suffocate me.