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My hand touched his, and I felt the emotions storming again — so different from the emptiness he'dgiven off that morning. If those tattoos had been helping, the effect had obviously worn off.

"I knew you two wouldn't agree to help her without a solid reason," Liam rushed to add. "She needed our help, and we needed her intel. Plus, it was the right thing to do. I knowI'ddo anything to go back to say goodbye to my parents once more. How could I deny her that?"

Liam's smile dropped at the end and his voice went quiet, and for the briefest moment, I saw into that pit of pain he stubbornly clung to. Before I could respond, though, he was smiling again — a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

A part of me wanted to see more of that vulnerable Liam — so much more like the Eli I once knew…

But another part of me, the bigger part, felt a mix of fury … and shame.

Liamknew— the bastard had the intel the ENTIRE time — and he kept it from us.Because he thought we wouldn't do the right thing?

Would Ireallyhave said no to her?

If she'd just come up to me and said what the problem was …wouldwe have turned her down?

I wanted to say I wouldn't, but I also couldn't risk angering Frexin …

And the fucking lump in my throat told me Liam was right.

"You little shit!" Tye snapped, leaping at Liam who jumped with a yelp, then took off into the forest as Tye chased after him.

"I swear — when I catch up to you, I'm going to rip your arms off!" Tye yelled. "Just you wait. Come here you slippery bastard. I'm gonna —"

Liam ducked and dodged, arms clutching across his ribs, as Tye tried to catch him. He was avoiding capture surprisingly well.

"Come on now!" I yelled out. "Stop messing around."

They paid me no heed.

"Stop — moving!" Tye yelled. "Get back here! What the hells? I thought you were injured! How are you moving so fast?"

"You're too slow, Wolf-Boy!" Liam yelled as he cut through the clearing, Tye on his heels.

Those bright gold eyes widened in surprise and his lips lifted into a snarl as Liam stumbled and fell over a protruding root.

Tye leaped atop him, pinning him to the ground. "You're strong for a lanky fellow!"

"Okay, okay!!" Liam yelled, bucking and trying to get free.

"Stop squirming!"

Despite myself, my lips quirked. I'd never seen Tye so animated and vocal …

Of courseit was Liam who brought that out in him.

Finally, Tye stood up, dangling Liam by an ankle as he walked back to me — lookingfartoo pleased with himself.

I wanted to finish being irritated,but a chuckle burst out of my lips at the ridiculous sight. Then another. And then I was full-on laughing.

"What the hell?!" Liam called out, dangling from Tye's hand. "I'm injured. Remember?"

Fuck.I sucked in air, trying to calm my laughter. But it just kept coming. All the stress was obviously getting to me.

"Put him down, Tye!" I said between laughs. "You've made your point,andwe got the intel."

Tye's delighted expression fell into a scowl, and he glared at Liam for another second before dropping him on his head.

Liam landed with a grunt.