Dinner was awkward. Nova could feel Amara’s discomfort and anxiety even though they weren’t actually touching. And Kal, that rat bastard, was enjoying it. He kept making snide remarks about finishing a job, or comments about the benefits of a good meal while staring Amara down. He was toying with her, Nova knew; trying to get a reaction. Doing anything at all was exactly what Kal wanted. The best thing for all of them would be for Nova to just sit there and keep his mouth shut.

But it didn’t stop him from wanting to rip Kal’s throat out all the same.

By the time they’d finished the meal, even Sadie seemed to have sensed that something was wrong. And, thankfully, she understood that Kal was the cause of it. “I’m sorry he’s acting like this,” she told Nova in the driveway while frowning at her boyfriend. “I don’t know what’s gotten in to him. He’s normally so sweet. And tonight he’s just…”

“An ass?” Amara supplied. It was the first time Nova had seen her smile all night.

Sadie’s lips twitched. “Yeah, that.”

Nova chuckled. “Don’t worry, Sadie. We know it’s not your fault.”

“We do?”

He raised a brow in Amara’s direction; she just shrugged. “But seriously, have you considered that there might be more to Kal than you think? He seems pretty comfortable tonight. In fact, he seemed to enjoy making the rest of us uncomfortable.”

Sadie rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, Nova. Not you too!”

“All I’m asking is how well you really know him.” He pulled her into a hug. “We just want you to be safe, is all.”

“I know. And I appreciate it. Really, I do. He’s just having an off night.” Seeing her mother carrying something in the house she went and offered her help, “Mom, wait, I can lift that for you!”

“Nice segue,” Amara murmured. She opened the truck door and climbed inside.

Nova smiled warmly, but just as he was about to close the door, Kal slammed it shut for him.

“Concede the borders, Lowery,” he sneered, glaring at Amara through the window. “Give the Valley Clan what is rightfully ours, what we want, or I promise you, I will take every last person you care about, starting with this one right here and little sis. And I will destroy them.” Kal’s lips spread over sharp, white teeth. “You’ve been warned.” Turning away, he strode over to Sadie’s car before turning back. “Oh, and Nova? Make sure you let your brother know what I said.”

Nova was seething the entire way back to Amara’s place. Concede the borders. Not a chance in hell. As if they would give up even an inch of land for those bottom feeders. How many people had been lost already? How many times had he had to grieve a friend or one of their young because the Valley Clan refused to honor the treaties they signed decades before?

And how much should he blame his late father for letting it get this far? For letting his need for peace outweigh his need to protect his pack? Nemoy wasn’t making the same mistake, that was for sure, but would it be enough? What if it was too late?

“Nova, baby, you need to relax.” Amara’s voice was worried, but Nova couldn’t get himself to turn. Ignoring his guilt, he continued to stare out the window. He felt her arms come around him, her delicate fingers brushing the skin along his bare chest. He felt her lips press kiss after kiss along his shoulders, his back, and down the line of his arms, but it did nothing to assuage his tension.

He needed to protect her. It was his job, his duty. She was his now, in every way he had hoped for since he was seventeen years old. And he’d be damned if Kal Vann was going to take her from him. Or take any more people from her.

He would see Kal in Hell before he let that happen.

“Nova, come to bed.” Amara whispered against his skin. He tried to pretend he couldn’t hear the plea. After a moment, she gave up. Nova continued to stare out the window into the night until he heard her footsteps recede into her bedroom.

He wasn’t going to sleep with Kal out there. He was coming for them. Nova knew he was. He didn’t know when shit would hit the fan, but he knew it would be soon. Kal wasn’t one for empty threats. Heaving a sigh, he took a seat in the overstuffed armchair beside him.

He was still there when the sun came up.

It was the shrill ring of his phone that woke him. Jolting awake, Nova fumbled through his pockets. He managed to find the right button even though his eyes were blurry with sleep, and pressed the phone to his ear. “This is Nova.”
“It’s bad, Nova,” came Nate’s gruff voice on the other end. Grief and exhaustion came through loud and clear.

Nova sat up straight, all vestiges of sleep completely gone. “What happened?”

“There was a fight. Ian and I—our patrol was on the eastern border. Us and a few of the young ones. It was bad, Nova. There were at least ten of them. An ambush. We did…we did everything we could, we pushed them back, but Ian…Nova, I don’t know if he’s going to make it.”

Everything in Nova’s body went cold. He’d known Ian since the kid was just a pup. He had trained him, taught him to fight. Hell, he’d taught both him and Nate how to flirt. He loved them both like the younger brothers he never had. If Ian didn’t make it, Kal was going to be wishing for death by the time Nova was through with him.

“Where?”

“He’s back at the compound. Nemoy and his group were close, so they got him back to the infirmary. I stayed behind to clean up.”

“Clean what up? You’re out in the woods, aren’t you?”

A pregnant pause filled the line. “There was a casualty.”

Shit. “Whose?”

“One of theirs,” Nate replied, relief lacing through the tension.

Nova felt his own muscles slacken. “Is anyone else hurt?” He balanced the phone on his shoulder and dug through his duffel bag for clean clothes.

“Nothing bad. But man, we can’t keep this quiet. The humans…the humans found the body this morning. They were combing the woods in pairs for that Watch thing Amara set up.” Nate hesitated for a moment. “Nova, I think they’re aiming for the town this time.”

Shit, shit, and shit. It was an awful thought, but Nova was inclined to agree. He and Nemoy would need to come up with a better plan to protect the humans. And fast. “Get back to the compound,” he instructed Nate. “Stay with Ian. I’m coming.”

Just as he hung up the phone, Amara burst through the bedroom door, her own cell in hand. “The sheriff just called,” she said, her voice trembling. “They found a body.” Her face was a chalky white as she gaped at him, fear emanating from her slate gray eyes. “Nova, they found a body.”

“I know.” Fastening the top of his jeans, he reached for his shirt. “Get dressed. We’re going for a hike.”