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LINCOLN

I know who I am.

I know what I’m capable of.

Generally, I know most things because my pride won’t settle for anything less.

But I can’t fucking fathom what the hell my life is right this second.

My limbs tingle with the erratic thunder of my pulse as I blink at the doorway. It was empty a moment ago, barely even ajar as the nurse explained the complications they’re facing with Polaris. I wish that was still the case now.

Polaris.

Midnight.

My Midnight.

We should never have left for the job The Crow set out, but we’re puppets on a string, ready to perform at his every command.

Well, Asher is, but we’re family, which means if he’s a puppet, then we all are.

Especially when he’s dangling things over his head that benefit all of us.

If we want to put an end to this fucking curse, we have to take his bait.

I thought we were winning. Midnight smashed the hell out of the trap set up in the room with all of the keys, and the sound of the lock as it turned at her command was music to my ears. Until an arrow was protruding from her chest and she was falling to the floor.

She shouldn’t have been there.

We should have gone without her.

I thought it was possible to let her in, like the others.

I’d been so against it, refusing at every step, but in that room, before it all went to shit, I could visualize it.

I could see exactly what we all are to one another, I could see the prospect of…

more. Wolf or not, I could see it, despite my better judgment, but if being a part of our family only brings her pain, then she doesn’t deserve it. We don’t deserve her.

Now, after spending what feels like an eternity pacing back and forth in this tiny-ass medical room, praying with all that I am that everything’s going to be okay, I’m met with the complete opposite.

Instead of my prayers being answered, I’m consumed by the thick tendrils of a nightmare as I stare at the intruder.

That’s what they are. An intrusion. And if the words from their lips are true, they’ll be a dead one soon enough.

“What did you say?” Asher snarls, his anger rippling through me as my hands ball into fists at my sides.

“We all know I didn’t stutter, motherfucker.”

I bare my teeth, taking a step toward the sole focus of my rage, ready to leave carnage in my wake, but then a hand clamps down on my shoulder, silently pleading for me to stay put.

Tatum.

Anyone else and I’d launch them across the room for getting in my way, but not him. Never him. That’s probably why he’s always the one to stop me in my tracks before I do something stupid. Although, right now I really can’t see a single issue with what I have planned.

“Start talking before Tatum releases the fucking mad hound,” Wylder grunts, aiming his thumb in my direction as his gaze remains set on the enemy in the room.

His words do nothing to our unwanted guest. They actually seem to encourage them more. But it’s not us they’re directed at, it’s the nurse.

“Polaris Beauchamp is bound… to me. We can continue to waste time here or we can do something about it.”

“You’re going nowhere fucking near her,” I snap, dropping my shoulder out of Tatum’s hold before I bolt across the room. Slamming my hands against their chest, they don’t fight back, moving willingly as they smile at me with a sense of pride… of achievement… like they’re still winning.

Fuck. That.

My chest heaves and nostrils flare as I fight to contain the rage igniting in my bones.

The desire to slam my fist into their face is raw and more real than anything I’ve ever felt.

I rear my arm back, curling my lips in excitement, but they make no effort to move and the nurse’s soft voice cuts through the air.

“If what he says is true, we need to act now.”

“ He shouldn’t even be here,” I snarl, lost to the impulsive emotions holding me captive.

Instead of answering me, he tilts his head to make eye contact with the nurse. “What do you need from me to confirm it so the rest of these cunts can see themselves out.”

“Cute, but I sure as hell am not going anywhere,” Minnie spits from behind me, but once again, our protests go unheard and the nurse retrieves a small device from her pocket, waving it in the air as she eliminates the distance between us.

She pays me no mind as she sidesteps me, nodding at the fucker trapped between me and the wall.

“Please,” she breathes, holding the device out, and this asshole lifts his finger without a single care.

I’m frozen in place, unable to move as I watch the nurse prick the tip of his finger, drawing a single drop of blood before capturing it on the device.

She presses a few buttons as silence descends over the room, my pulse ringing in my ears the only noise I can capture as we all wait on baited breath.

For what, I’m not entirely sure, but my answer never comes from the machines, it’s a hiss from the vampire sucking the energy from the room.

He yanks at his t-shirt, lifting it up to reveal a glowing symbol at the center of his chest. It’s white, slightly raised, and shaped like a knotted infinity band. Before I can question what the fuck it is, another nurse comes barreling into the room, panic in her eyes.

“S-she’s glowing with a bound symbol… oh.

” She exhales as she stares at Blaze, blinking twice to make sure she’s not seeing things before she nods.

“Yeah, just like that.” She hurries back out of the door without a backward glance, and everyone’s attention shifts to the nurse who holds our world in her hands.

The first nurse smiles wide, and I hate that it’s aimed at the vampire. “Perfect, you are our patient’s blood bound. I need you to come with me right now.”

The sadistic smile that contorts his face is unbearable. My fist slams into his cheek before I even think about it. The nurse leaps back in shock, while the man on the receiving end of my attack snickers, rubbing at his jaw as his narrowed eyes latch on to mine.

“Can we see to it that the wolves are gone before Polaris returns? I don’t think she’s going to want to see the people who so carelessly put her in harm's way when she regains consciousness.” Every word is a promise, one that solidifies that this isn’t going to be easy. Whatever the fuck it actually is.

“Oh, uh, of course. As her blood bound, you will be assigned as her next of kin. We’re just going to need to document your personal information, then everything will be taken care of,” the nurse explains, avoiding eye contact with not just me, but every damn wolf in the room.

“You can’t do that,” Minnie insists, shaking her head in disbelief as I flex my fingers, ready to smash this fucker in the face again, but something tells me he enjoys getting a rise out of me too much for it to be worthwhile.

The nurse steps over the threshold despite my sister’s protests, and before I can react on her behalf, she’s reminding me how strong she is. Minnie knocks her shoulder into mine, pushing me aside as she stands toe to toe with the fucking degenerate before us.

“Let me tell you something now, asshat. Polaris is not going to be happy about this. She’s not going to be happy waking up and realizing that we’re not here.

That’s only going to have her thinking we don’t fucking care.

I’m sure that’s what you’d like to happen, but if you know her at all, that’s going to break her.

You’ve clearly been up to some shit already, stuff I have no doubt she’s not completely unaware of.

Why? I don’t know. But fuck, if she matters to you at all…

even just an ounce, then know that kicking us out of here is going to hurt you more than help you.

” She jabs her finger in his direction, jaw locked tight as her anger and loyalty floods from her soul.

“Sir, please, Polaris doesn’t have time to waste,” the nurse calls from the hallway.

I glance from her to the person fucking bound to Polaris, my breath lodged in my throat as he stares at my sister, offering nothing before he beelines for the door. Just before he’s completely gone, his hand curls around the door frame, his eyes finding my sister once more.

“You can all fucking go. That’s not changing.

Your drama will only cause her distress when she wakes.

” I see the pleasure it brings him in the corner of his eyes when he gets to call the shots, his gaze skimming over Wylder, Asher, Tatum, and I before settling back on Minnie.

“But you… you’ll be the first to know when she’s okay. ”

“That’s not good enough,” my sister retorts, folding her arms over her chest, and he sighs, his lips curling with another hint of trouble as he nods once again.

“I should have known Polaris would only be friends with fiery women. Fine, you can see her. But you , no one else.”

My sister sags in relief, arms loose at her sides. “I’m trusting you, Blaze,” she breathes, her words heavy with the weight of the situation as he shakes his head.

“I wouldn’t.”