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Aaryn, Elreth’s mate stood behind his mate, shuddering, a horrific growl rattling in his throat. But Tarkyn could hardly hear it. His entire head rang with a shrill scream of nerves and terror.

He’d been closer to her. Closer to Elreth than the other males, bar that stupid guard. He’d been the closest, and the most skilled.

Any other day of his life he would have met that onslaught by throwing the Queen aside and putting himself in the enemy’s way-gladly.

But he hadn’t even thought. It hadn’t even registered.

He’d whipped his mate aside instead. His mate who wasn’t the target of the attack, though close enough to it to be at risk. Everything in his body, his mind had screamed for Harth’s safety first and he’d reacted the moment the wolf moved.

Thoughtless.

Mindless.

.....

In defense of his mate... but leaving his Queen defenseless.

A cold chill squeezed his throat as surely as Zev’s hand on his Queen’s neck.

Tarkyn swallowed to loosen it, shook off the dreadful thoughts because that was a problem for later. The problem for this moment gripped his Queen’s throat so hard his fingers created shadows in her skin.

Tarkyn didn’t take his eyes off of Zev, whose teeth were bared and his eyes alight with vengeful delight.

He held the Queen and that weapon...

Tarkyn was rocked by a wave of nausea.

Nudging Harth behind him, he took another slow step forward.

“One more step, Tarkyn, and I’ll cut her throat.”

Tarkyn froze. Raising his palms higher to show his obedience. Yet he didn’t address Zev, but the King.

“Aaryn, breathe. He hasn’t killed her. He hasn’t even harmed her.”

Aaryn’s curses sizzled under that snarling growl, but Gar-the Queen’s brother-also poised just feet from her, blinked and glanced at Tarkyn. He was getting it.

“He hasn’t killed her,” he repeated. “He has opportunity, and he hasn’t done it,” Tarkyn said quickly, praying they could all hear him past their own screaming instincts. He swallowed and made his voice stronger. “The scratch happened when the guard fought-he hasn’t broken her skin yet.”

Elreth’s breath tore in and out of her bared teeth-which meant Zev was holding her tightly enough to keep her there, but not strangling her. There was no doubt in Tarkyn’s mind the male knew how to do it. But he’d chosen not to. Tarkyn would have felt relieved, but Elreth stared Zev straight in the eye. She didn’t move a muscle, but her eyes blazed with Alpha anger. Tarkyn prayed she’d keep her self-control, knowing that her instincts would be shrieking also.

“Zev, you’ve made your point,” he said, far more calmly than he felt, drawing Zev’s attention to himself. “We all get it, so... let her go.”

“Do. Not. Patronize. Me.”

“I’m not. I just know-as you do-there would be no going back from that. And I know from my mate, you are not ruthless. You’re a good, thoughtful male. You don’t want to kill her-”

“Don’t be so certain,” Zev growled, his eyes snapping back to lock with Elreth’s. “I didn’t break my people free just to see them with your fangs at their throat instead.” The words rolled off into a guttural growl and adrenaline shocked Tarkyn’s system as the wolf’s eyes changed. “I haven’t killed her... but I could.”

The tension in the room was palpable-Elreth quivering with the urge to fight, but holding herself together while her mate stood behind her, his body twitching and a growl rising ever higher as he struggled with himself not to put her in further danger. Her brother stood just to Aaryn’s right, trembling also, but Gar was the only one whose eyes hadn’t changed-he was listening to Tarkyn.

Praying that he could make this right, Tarkyn straightened from his defensive stance and tried to make his voice relax.

“Revenge won’t make your people freer,” Tarkyn said bluntly. “Harth and I have discussed what freedom would look like for the Chimera-the chance to live and love and grow families without intervention... you won’t achieve that this way, Zev.”

‘Remind him of his own son,’ Harth whispered in his head.

Of course. She was right. “Your son won’t have the chance to grow into the strong, capable male he could be if you do this, Zev. You may kill her-but you will bring the weight of the entire Anima down on yourself, your family, and your people if you do. Just as I would expect you to do if I were to kill your mate.”

“She’s not your mate.”

“She is my Queen.”

“Fucking human institutions, human titles-you say you fought them, but you act like them, you think like them,” Zev snarled.

“No,” Tarkyn countered. “You’re wrong, Zev. But I get it. You’ve been wounded, and your family put at risk. If I were in your shoes, I’d want to fight too. But this won’t bring what you need. You know that.”

Zev shuddered, his entire body wracked with the fight for restraint, his hand that gripped the soldier’s and his spear, trembling so that Tarkyn could barely breathe for fear he’d plunge it into Elreth’s neck.

“Show the way, Zev. Show us the way. You could have killed her, but you didn’t. Because you aren’t a ruthless killer. You’re a thoughtful male with honor. Prove it. Prove to them that you have the capacity, but you won’t use it.”

Zev sucked in a breath. A shudder wracked him from head to toe.

As the life of his Queen hung in the balance, there was a small noise behind Tarkyn-a guard twitching, he thought at first. But then light footsteps were suddenly accompanied by a small, high voice that gave a little breathless sob.

“No, Zev... please.” It was Sasha, crying. “Please.”

Zev’s brow furrowed and Tarkyn pressed the advantage. “If you kill her, Zev, I will kill you.”

“Not if I beat you to it,” Aaryn snarled from behind Elreth.

But to Tarkyn’s dismay, Zev’s expression only hardened.

*****

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