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OfcourseRaf would be at the fights. This is his territory.

“Elena?” My brother’s voice booms over the crowd as he cuts through the horde of shifters to reach me.

If we were at home and it was just the two of us, I’d be ready with the sass. But here, surrounded by multiple species of shifters, Raf’s asshole-alpha mask is firmly in place, and dominant energy oozes off him.

“What are youdoinghere?” he demands as soon as he’s close enough not to shout.

“Hey, Raf. Good to see you, too!” I gush, only half sarcastically. Itisgood to see my brother — even if he is an overbearing ass.

Raf’s scowl flickers as though I short-circuited his alpha-ness, and he rolls his eyes before tugging me into a rough embrace. I smash my face into his chest and breathe in the scent of home. I’m barely five foot five, and Raf towers over me.

He plants a quick peck on the top of my head before pulling back to look at me. I blink at him in defiance, hoping he can’t tell that I’m on the verge of one of my “episodes.”

Raf slides an accusatory gaze to Carmen. “You know she shouldn’t be here,” he says in a low, dangerous tone. “The noise alone —”

“Oh, take a trip to the ladies’ room and untwist your panties, Raf. I’vegother.”

I swallow. The long history between my best friend and my brother is the only reason Carmen can talk to her alpha that way. Judging by the way my brother’s jaw twitches, it’s taking all his self-restraint not to ream Carmen for dragging me to the fights.

“No offense, Car, but you’re no match for these people.” His eyes dart around to encompass the room. “This place is a powder keg ready to explode, and I don’t wantheranywhere near it.”

“Chill out, big bro,” says Carmen with an eye roll. “We’ll sneak out before the last fight.”

“I didn’t even know you were coming home,” says Raf, directing this at me. His tone is accusatory, and I catch the flicker of hurt in his eyes.

Guilt twists my stomach, and I pray that Carmen canread the room. “Yeah, sorry I —”

“She didn’t tell you I’m gettingmarried?” Carmen butts in. “Elle’s my maid of honor!”

Crap.

Rafael’s eyes snap back to me, and I have to suppress a grimace. There’s a reason I didn’t tell my brother I was flying in from Boston — or about the wedding.

“You’re not going,” he says, his response automatic.

Indignation and annoyance flare in my gut. I’m so glad I left Colorado. “Yes, I am.”

“Don’t worry,” says Carmen. “I’ll make sure she gets a quality lay.”

I wince. Leave it to Carmen to throw gasoline on the fire.

My brother looks as though he might be sick. “That’s not my concern,” he growls, each word hitting like a shard of ice. “There are going to be wolves from eight different packs at that wedding, and I can’t be there to protect you.” His chilly gaze slides back to Carmen. “It would be seen as an overstep.”

“Andyou’re not invited,” she reminds him. “No one wants Lord Buzzkill at —”

“I don’t need your protection,” I tell Raf, drawing myself up to my full meager height. “I’m twenty-two years old, and I’ve been around wolves my entire life.”

“Not without me, you haven’t,” he shoots back. “And things are . . . different now.”

I suck in a breath through my nose at the implication in Raf’s tone, shame and fury churning in my gut.

My brother has always been an overprotective, overbearing ass, but he became borderline insufferable after the accident.

“Take a chill pill, Raffy. I’ll be there,” says Carmen. “I mean, obvs. It’smywedding. Besides, these are all our friends. Nothing is going to happen to Elena.”

“Oh yeah?” Raf growls, his tone acidic. “When have I heardthatbefore?”

Carmen’s eyes crinkle with hurt and rage. Even for Raf, it’s a low blow.