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“No!” Robyn lurched forward, but Montana clutched her tightly.

Lakota grimaced and covered his eyes, unable to watch his uncle die in front of him.

I dropped to my knees. My tiger wanted out—she wanted to kill the Mage who was murdering the man who’d stolen my heart. But both men had agreed to a challenge, and I had no authority to stop it. I was also torn because to interfere would take away his honor.

Lucian’s arms weakly moved down to his sides, and he put his hands together over his belly in a prayerlike gesture. Everyone’s breath caught when he thrust his hands toward his chin, then parted them, knocking Henry’s arms away.

It caused Henry to collapse onto Lucian, his neck fully exposed.

Only then did I realize Lucian had planned this.

Lucian roared as he sank his fangs into Henry’s neck. The Chitah flipped his switch. Spotted patterns appeared on his skin, his eyes black and wild as he tossed the Mage on his back.

Henry wailed to a cheering crowd. “It burns!” He rolled to his side and began convulsing.

“He’s dying,” Melody said with satisfaction.

Lakota shook his long hair away from his face. “Don’t be so sure. I’ve seen what venom can do. He’d be dead already if Lucian injected four doses. I bet he gave him three, and that’s just as bad. He might die—he might not. We’ll see.”

Lucian—still on all fours—launched to his feet before flashing toward me. Tak tried to block him, but Lucian came at me like a missile. He bypassed the alpha, tackled me to the ground, and caged me with his body.

“Stay back!” Tak shouted with a firm punch to his words.

I wound up on my side with Lucian shielding me as he growled and snarled.

“Lucian.” I turned onto my back and cupped his face to steer his attention to me. “Oh, baby. Look what he did to you.” His face was severely beaten and bloody.

His black eyes scanned me as he sniffed the air. I’d never seen him this feral, this unhinged. Cars were tearing out of the parking lot, people running to safety. Anything a Chitah perceived as a threat when he was protecting someone would be eliminated.

Tak watched on. “Keep your voice and emotions calm.”

Lucian bared his fangs, but only the top two were out.

I cupped his neck, relieved that he was alive. “You won. It’s over. Come back to me.”

When Lucian sniffed the air, his eyebrows gathered in the middle. He was only perceiving emotional scents, and mine was reading thankful and relieved.

When headlights shone on his face, I glimpsed thin rings of gold around his pupils.

The blackness came from the outside of his irises and worked its way inward.

It was something separate from the engorged pupils of a Vampire.

Yet like a cat, he also had the ability to widen his pupils in darkness or when excited.

I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tight. “Come back to me,” I whispered again. “Please, baby. I need you back.”

Lucian’s purr rumbled against my chest. A moment later, he leaned up, pulling me with him.

Lakota knelt beside us. “I thought we’d lost you, Uncle.”

“I’m too smart for death.”

Lakota reached out and wiped a drop of blood from Lucian’s chin. “Why only two fangs? You could’ve killed him and ended it.”

Lucian leaned away and spat before wiping his mouth. “He doesn’t deserve it.”

“That’s up for debate,” Tak grumbled. “The way he beat you while you were unconscious?—”

“I was faking.” Lucian rose to his feet and helped me up.

“I lived with his Breed, so I know their tactics. A smart Mage isn’t gonna waste energy by blasting you constantly.

If I made myself look weak, he’d get cocky and juice me to steal back power and kill me.

That was the only way I could get close enough for a shot.

I tried for his arm, but that last punch fucking hurt, so I went all in. ”

“Where is he?” I searched the parking lot. Almost everyone had scattered.

Tak crossed his arms. “Licking his wounds.”

“You were faking?” Melody lightly pushed Lucian. “You scared me half to death!”

After wiping his face with his arm, Lucian staggered to the door. “I need ice.”

While the pack filed in after him, chatting excitedly about the fight and calling out for celebratory drinks, I remained outside and caught my breath.

Tak stayed with me. “You okay?”

“My knees hurt from the gravel.” I brushed at them.

Tak put his hand on my shoulder. “No. Are you okay? I saw your face. You love him the way he loves you.”

For once I was at a loss for words, overcome with emotion from the moment I thought Henry was about to take Lucian’s life in front of me. Now that Lucian was inside, I let the terror wash over me at what could’ve been.

Tak regarded me with a tender gaze. “There’s no greater honor than sacrifice.

Lucian’s one of the smartest men I’ve ever met.

It’s not obvious until you start talking to him because he keeps to himself.

He fights with honor. Even after flipping his switch, his instinct should’ve been to kill that Mage.

Instead, he spared his life. The shame will make that Mage wish he had died.

He’ll carry the scars on his neck, and even those who don’t know the story will see him as weak.

” Tak chuckled softly. “I admire Lucian’s restraint. ”

“So do I.”