away from the bar.
Lucien lunges forward, shoving a shoulder into the door so it pushes away, offering a slight gap. I’m right there and shove my hands into the side of the door, pushing with all my might. Together, we bend the bar upward just enough for escape.
That’s all we fucking need.
Lucien slides out of the prison cell first.
But before he can pull the metal back, the guard appears suddenly from where he was beating up Meira at the other end of the room. He now crash-tackles Lucien to the ground. I didn’t even see him rush this way, too caught up in getting free. Lucien kicks him in the gut and scrambles back up while lunging at the bastard.
My gaze swings to Meira, who lies on the ground in a heap, blood on her face, nose, and jawline. On the ground near her lies a blade, and my heart plunges to my feet.
Did the asshole stab her?
Rage engulfs me, and I shove my shoulder into the bent door and squeeze out, bursting free. My wolf erupts out of me as I snatch the back of the guard’s neck, dragging him away from Lucien and hurling him into the wall.
I roar, my body pulsing, aching, burning with the change. Clothes rip off me, falling away in shreds. Seconds is all it takes, and I’m on all fours, covered in white fur, leaping at the man. His head twists around to see me charging.
His mouth falls open in a silent scream, and his fear taints the air. He took too long fighting to bother changing. Too late.
My wolf is right there, nudging me while the corners of my vision blur in blinding rage. All I can see is red, and this fuckwit is going to pay.
Meira
An agonizing sting flares along the side of my face. I groan, scrunching up the eye where I was hit and push myself to sit upright.
The prison cells surround me, metal bars, a terrible stench. But my attention swings to the explosion of growls and blood and cries from the opposite end of the room.
It takes me several seconds to clear my vision and work out what in the world is going on.
White fur, and the guard on the ground standing no chance, while Lucien stands in his path to ensure the asshole doesn’t go anywhere.
The growls, the shouts bounce off the walls, and when I push to my feet, the room tilts.
Then Bardhyl in his animal form charges. The guard screams, and I turn away, not wanting to see this attack. He deserves to pay, but right now from the way he hit me, nausea washes through me. It takes everything in me to not throw up. I’m aching all over from being the prick’s punching bag.
I hold on to the metal bars, taking deep breaths, while the savagery of growls and ripping and bellowing floods my ears.
“Hey, gorgeous, I got you.” Lucien is by my side, his arms looping around me, and I sweep around to face him. We’re pressed together, and I cling on to his shirt, needing closeness, needing him.
“I missed you,” I murmur, then glance over to the bloody assault, which will be over in seconds now. I’d seen the way Bardhyl fought back in the woods, remembered what I’d been told about his wild wolf. So I doubt this one guard stands any chance against him.
Lucien’s hand slides under my chin and turns my head toward him. “Focus on me, beautiful.” He leans in and steals a light kiss. It’s short and closed-mouthed, but the fire he ignites inside me awakens a storm of emotions. Desire. Sorrow. Anger. And a desperation to never lose what is mine ever again.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d see you again,” he whispers against my lips. “It would have killed me.”
His words pierce right through my heart. He mirrors my feelings exactly, and as ridiculous as it sounds, tears prick my eyes. There’s an asshole having the shit beat out of him, and I’m drowning in fear of losing my mates. I’ve never once imagined that finding my soulmate came with a savage torment if I lost them.
All I can think about is Lucien’s first soulmate dying, and I can’t even begin to understand how he survived such a loss.
“You really think I’d let Mad get the better of me?” I answer as I press myself to Lucien’s chest, his heart pounding in my ear. I don’t want him to see the tears or how