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*****

~ ZEV ~

Zev watched as his mate got ** done, and if he hadn't been so weak, he would have grabbed her up and stolen her away to the house to worship her before she left.

If he wasn't so weak.

If he didn't have to lay here like a **ing puppy, watching her engage, eyes sparkling and mind whirring, with his brother and other males.

Fuck.

He'd had his hands resting on top of the furs and realized they were clenched to fists. He relaxed them, forced himself to take a deep breath.

But she smelled like Lhars already and it was making his hackles rise.

It was just the bond, he reminded himself. It kicked his instincts into high gear even without his own vulnerability and weakness.

She could be trusted. And his friends could be, too. They would protect her. But none of them would watch over her the way he would.

He tried to push up to sit while they were all distracted and making plans, but his entire side lit up in fiery pain and he slumped back down onto the pillows.

Zev whined in his throat and Sasha's head snapped towards him. She was immediately scanning him, her brows pinched together.

"Are you hurting?

"

"No,

" he lied.

"I'm frustrated.

"

She stalked back to the side of his bed and leaned over him.

"If you move from this bed, so help me Zev, I'll… I'll do whatever Alphas do to punish their seconds. I swear to God.

"

He gave her a flat look.

"I can't even sit up. I'm not getting out of this bed. That's why I'm frustrated.

"

Sasha face smoothed a little bit then.

"Good,

" she said. When he frowned she hurried to reassure him.

"Not good that you're weak, just good that you're accepting that you need to let us handle this. But I want you to rest, because once we know what's going on, I'm coming back here and we'll meet with the Alphas and I need you in on that conversation. We'll meet here so you don't have to move.

"

Zev nodded, doing his best not to pout. And not to panic. She was really going to go out there and find a human. He cast a glare at Lhars and spoke into his brother's head.

You let nothing touch her. Nothing. If she comes back with a hair missing—

Relax, Zev. No one wants her to get hurt—especially not by the humans, Lhars grumbled in his head.

Zev wasn't as sure about that. He knew the males wanted free of the humans—but not at the loss of all their females. And Sasha was still an unknown quantity to them. It was Zev they'd gathered behind. And although the Chimera would view them as a pair now—essentially a single unit—he also knew that stress levels were high even without his injury. He needed to heal, and quickly.

"You're staying here, Zev. We can't move you to the city yet,

" Sasha said quietly.

Zev nodded. He didn't want to be shuffled away into hiding anyway.

They discussed the different possibilities—that the human would leave without coming into the village, that they'd insist, or that the rest of a team might show up.

Sasha sent the Sentry back to Dunken to double check that there hadn't been new arrivals, then she turned back to Zev and Lhars again.

A healer hovered over Zev's right shoulder, listening to all that was passing, and frowning, looking at Zev. He growled. He wasn't going to do anything to jeopardize his healing, but he didn't need to be babied either.

Lhars was about to leave to make sure the orders were carried out while they were gone to find the human, when Sasha hesitated.

Zev tensed and Lhars paused, watching her. Both of their ears pricked.

"What is it?

" Zev asked her.

Sasha bit her lip, then looked at Lhars.

"Do any of the wolves have good relationships with the… the creatures? The Chimera that live in the forest? Any that you can talk to… in your head?

"

Lhars' eyebrows popped up.

"I do. And some of the hunters.

"

Sasha nodded.

"Good. Is there any way to get word to some of them? Ask them to come find us with the human—make themselves… present? I don't want them to hurt anyone or themselves. But… can they show up and look scary? We need to make this guy feel like there's more of us here than there is—and preferably that he'd under threat.

"

Lhars grinned.

"I know just the Chimera for the job.

"

"Are they easy to get to?

"

"I know wolves that can find them, quickly. I can send to them. I don't even need to find them directly.

"

"Okay. Okay, that's good,

" Sasha said breathlessly.

"Let's make it happen. If they beat us there, have them hang back until we're there. I mean… if he's still alone, maybe they can spook him. But tell them to stay back and not actually engage until we're all there.

"

Lhars nodded. Zev looked between them both and wanted to bite something. He needed to be there! To help her!

But Sasha's cheeks were pink and her eyes bright.

"That's too many things for one person. Zev, can you talk to the wolves in your mind without wearing yourself out?

"

"Of course,

" he said, scoffing, though Lhars looked at him sharply.

"Great. You can spread the word with the wolves for me, and get them moving the others.

" She blew out a breath and ran a hand through her hair. So, this is where we're at: Zev, you're going to have the wolves send out the word that everyone who can is to move to the City, at least for the next two days. Lhars, you'll get a couple trackers who can sneak up on the human without being heard so they can disarm him. Then you'll talk to Oska about sending rab—I mean, hares to the twins to warn them that everyone's coming. And you're going to get some hunters placed around the village to keep things looking normal, as well as gather some of the creatures to join us out on the trail. I'll wait here until either Yhet or Lhars comes back, then I'm headed out to meet this guy.

"

Lhars and Zev both nodded.

Sasha looked back and forth between them.

"Have I forgotten anything?

"

Zev shook his head, his chest swelling with pride for her.

"I don't think so.

"

"Good. Then let's make this happen.

"

Lhars ducked his head once, then darted for the door.