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…but then Brennan steps menacingly forwarding, growling:

“Don’t pretend to know the dealings of the universe, little one. You’ve had not a tenth of my lifetime, and barely seen beyond the walls of your father’s estate…”

“Yourprison,” Lazar hisses, and his words are enough to cause me to wince. The only thing that hurts is the truth, right?

Brennan looks down at me, and his slate-grey eyes soften slightly.

“I speak the truth, Natali. We all do. The end of times are near.”

What does he even mean by that?

“The end times are near,” Brennan repeats, “and that means it’s time to focus on what’s truly important.” He takes another step forward – towering over me. I shiver, feeling so tiny in his shadow.

If only he wasn’t shirtless! I’m eye-level with his shredded abs, and I can feel my pulse throbbing between my thighs.

“What’s important isyou, Natali,” Brennan continues. “I tasted your scent the moment we entered your home – and Iknew.”

Knew? Knewwhat?

As if reading my mind, Brennan growls:

“I knew that I’d be willing to risk throwing away the last shreds of my honor to be near you. Weallwould.” He snorts bitterly. “Of all the things to be worried about, your safety is not one of them. None of us willlet you be harmed under our protection.” He pauses. “But we can only promise that if youremainin our protection.”

He ends that speech standing about five feet in front of me, looming over me. I’m trembling as he stands before me, drinking in the sight of his magnificent, shirtless physique.

I can see every muscle in his body, highlighted in defined perfection. The ice-cold whiteness of his flawless skin contrasts with the sharp, red heat in his voice – a heat that’s overcome any attempt to remain cool and dispassionate.

I’m rocked for a moment. This isn’t the Brennan I’ve come to know during the last day, or so.

It makes me suspect that he’s telling the truth – but what does that imply?

Maybe Brennandidsmell something special in my scent – but what does that mean? That he wants to mate with me – like Aurelians want to mate with every human woman of childbearing age?

He might believe his words, but I think he’s lying to himself. I can tell what these three Aurelians truly value more than me, or my safety.

Brennan and his battle-brotherstrulybelieve something horrible is going to happen to the universe – and that the Aurelian Empire will be at the epicenter of it.

If Brennan’s entire species is at risk, surely he’d doanythingto protect it – including breaking the most sacred law of the Aurelians, and kidnapping a girl to use as leverage in negotiations.

I mean, that’s the only explanation, right?

That’s the only answer that makes sense?

Now I’m the one lying to myself. There’s another explanation.

Maybe Brennan is telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Maybe he really did smell something in my scent – something that made him and his battle-brothers turn their back on everything they were raised to hold sacred.

“I tasted your scent the moment we entered your home,” Brennan told me, “and Iknew.”

Knew?

Does he mean he thinks I’m his Fated Mate?

The thought slams in my mind like a Reaver at full speed. I literally stagger, as if I’ve been physically slapped.

Gods!