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nDuring Volume 2 it will be necessary to show you some events from characters that aren't Zev or Sasha, so pay attention to the name at the beginning of the chapter. I hope you enjoy meeting a couple more characters more deeply!

n*****

n~ LHARS ( A Few Minutes Earlier ) ~

nLhars, in his wolf, tore through the forest, ignoring the trails, leaping logs and twisting between trees so quickly his tail flicked the leaves off underbrush. He was doing everything in his power to get back to the village, to catch Zev before he lost his mind.

nHis brother was so desperate, so frantic for Sasha, he'd opened himself utterly as he sought to reach her mind. The other wolves didn't know that was even possible, so to them it was simply their Alpha, howling, screaming, claws scrabbling—and his love, his adoration, his terror, his pain laid bare.

nLhars didn't know how it had happened that Sasha could mind-link with Zev. Clearly it was a result of the bond. But regardless of how it had happened, his Alpha had made it clear she didn't want others to know. He had to get back to Zev before he revealed something—or killed someone—in his desperation.

nEvery wolf who hadn't shut their minds was seeing, just as Lhars was, the jittering panic in their Wolf-Alpha's mind. His longing and desperation, his rage and fear. As he rounded the final tree and broke into the clearing of the village square, Lhars heart pattered and his breathing heaved, but he would make it. He was only a moment from reaching the healing center and—

nA howl exploded in Lhars' mind in the same moment it sang through the trees. And in the next step, it was as if Lhars' heart physically tore in two.

nWith a yelp and a snarl, he tumbled to the dirt, flipping head over tail until his nose was in the dirt and his body shivering.

nHe could barely breathe, the pain… where…

nLhars blinked. The pain wasn't within him—it was Zev's. His chest torn, a gaping wound. Someone was trying to murder his brother!

nLhars leapt to his feet, but his body still shook—Zev had no guards up. No restraint. The entire wolf-pack howled, crying for the grief, crying for the pain, crying with their Alpha.

nLhars lifted his chin and sang his own song of grief to echo his brothers, but he cut off quickly and stumbled forward in human form—it would give him a fraction more protection from the jangling terror and pain singing through his mind.

nThrowing the door into the healing center open, he found a healer wrestling with Zev, who was trying to push himself off the bed.

nFucking idiot.

nLhars leaped into the fray, leaning his weight and strength to the fight, keeping Zev down. His brother growled, his teeth snapping.

n

"Let me up!

" Zev snarled.

"I have to go her! We're losing the bond!

"

nThe healer, frantic and pleading, tried to get him to stop. But Lhars knew there was little point trying to talk him down. Zev was so desperate, he was losing his control.

n

"Zev, stop,

" Lhars snapped.

"You're Alpha now, you can't leave!

"

n

"LET ME GO!

" Zev snarled, putting all his Alpha authority behind the command.

nLhars' hands leaped off of Zev as if they weren't under his control, his body shuddering with the desire to submit, but he didn't give in. He was fulfilling the instructions of the Alpha before she'd left. He had the authority to defy Zev if he could find it in himself.

nThe healer didn't even try to resist, just submitted, though he grimaced, clearly distraught.

nAs soon as their hands were off him, Zev pushed himself off the bed—and promptly almost lost his feet, gripping the bed with one hand to keep himself from falling, and his own chest with the other.

nZev was going to make himself worse. Hurt himself. Make his injury worse.

nFucking, **ing idiot.

n

"You can't go anywhere, Zev. You're too weak!

" Lhars growled.

nBut rather than respond, Zev sucked in on himself and everything in his mind flew out to slam every wolf within reach.

nLove.

nFear.

nAdoration.

nTeeth-cracking terror.

nAnd lava-hot rage.

nHis mate, his mate was gone. He would not give up his mate!

nLhars groaned, Kyelle's face flashing in his head, his body responding—urging him to find her, to hold her, to make sure she was safe.

nBut then Zev groaned and stumbled forward.

nFilled with his own rage, and still blinking back Zev's gut-wrenching desperation, Lhars moved after him.

"Where are you going?!

"

n

"The Gateway,

" Zev growled.

"I'm going to kill Nick, and bring Sasha back. Or die trying.

"

n

"I can't let you do that,

" Lhars growled.

"She made it very clear—

"

n

"I'm Alpha now,

" Zev snarled.

"You'll do whatever I—

"

nBut it was too late. Lhars had already thrown the blow to his brother's protected skull.

nZev dropped to the hard floor like a sack of potatoes, and healer sighed. But as they both stood over him on the floor, Lhars sighed with relief for his empty head, pulling himself away from the link and guarding his mind.

nHis hands shook as he helped the healer lift Zev from the floor into the bed.

n

"That really isn't smart,

" the healer sighed.

"If you misjudged, you could do him real damage.

"

n

"If he didn't stop screaming in the heads of the pack, they would have started tearing each other apart. He was kicking everyone's instincts into gear, but without mates or families to protect, they'd end up turning on each other. We need to get him bound and sedated before he wakes up, or he's going to try and cross. We can't have both of them over there.

"

n

"Agreed. I just… it's an unorthodox method of restraint,

" the healer said dryly.

nThey worked together to get Zev back into the bed, his arms and ankles tied down, then Lhars made sure the healer could keep him quiet for half an hour while he gathered the Alphas and the wolf council.

n

"He'll need the steadying presence of the stronger males,

" he said.

n

"Go,

" the healer replied.

"I'll make sure he's still here when you get back.

"

nWith a growl of frustration, Lhars turned and ran out the door, shifting into his wolf as he hit the porch of the building.

nEverything in him still sang with the need to be close to Kyelle, to make utterly certain that she was safe, and to pull her close and stand between her and danger. But she wouldn't appreciate the sentiment from him, he knew.

nSo he would find Geet, first. The Goat Alpha. He would find all the Alphas, then Kyelle last of all. So if there was any time, any space, they could have just a moment. A short moment for him to reassure himself that she was okay.

nBecause the truth was, once she saw Zev, she'd only care that he was okay.

nLhars knew the feeling of that hollow space in your chest.

nHe didn't envy Zev that much, at least.

nAs he tore through the village, following the Goat Alpha's scent trail, Lhars shook his head so hard his ears snapped.

nHe didn't care what it took to keep Zev safe and in Thana, he would do it. No one was going to stop them all through this—not Nick, not Sasha, and definitely not Zev.

nNo matter what, Lhars would make sure the Chimera were freed from the humans once and for all.

nNo matter who he had to defeat to make it happen.

n**** GET A PAPERBACK! (USA ONLY) ****

nHold Zev in your hands! March ONLY, rather than paperbacks-for-supergifts where you earn nothing, I'm offering a 4000 coin privilege tier (1000 less than a supergift) with 40 advance chapters and a 99% discount so EVERY chapter for the month unlocks for only 1 coin!

nOther good news: If you can't afford that tier, all other privilege tiers will be discounted in price, so you can sustain your progress for less cost. In April all tiers will return to normal, but include the 40 chapters! Watch for monthly reset in just 4 days!!!

n(This message added after publication so you aren't charged for the words)

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