Max had taken Kiera to my old room, locking her there to keep her from fleeing and trying to be a hero by attempting to save me. She had no defense here, not really, but that wouldn’t stop her from trying to fight her way out. She was strong of body and mind. She always had been. She was strong willed and stubborn beyond all belief. But here, her strengths were well out matched and it would only end in a blood bath and with me losing her in the most permanent way.

Julian arrived shortly after Max had contained Kiera, watching me in alarm as I frantically paced through the entertainment room, gnawing at my fingernails as I listened to the commotion. I could hear her screams and the shattering of glass against the wooden floors and thick door that caged her from down the hall, and my heart ached with remorse. What had I done? Why didn’t I try harder to make her listen? Why wouldn’t she just listen?!

Julian grasped my arm, spinning me around to face him as his eyes bore down onto me. “What happened?” he demanded, a stern look of disapproval tainting his handsome features.

My mouth gaped open, words refusing to leave my throat, and Max quickly stepped in.

“It’s Kiera,” he stated blatantly. “She found us. She found Abby.”

Julian’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I did not give her enough credit,” he said softly, his anger diminishing.

“There’s another problem,” Max said. “She has company. They’re waiting just beyond the forest.”

Julian nodded, gesturing for Max to leave. Max jogged out of sight and disappeared into the dark night.

“Where is she?” Julian asked softly, taking my disoriented mind into consideration as he spoke.

My gaze found the ground in shame. “In my room,” I whispered.

I could tell Kiera was terrified, I could feel it. And I was terrified for her. I had no idea what was to come of this situation. If she would walk free or not. I prayed Julian would keep his word and let her live. But with her knowing so much, all because of me, I was losing faith.

Julian grasped my hand tightly in his, intertwining our fingers in a reassuring grip before leading me down to hall and to the room.

I dragged my feet behind him, terrified of seeing her reaction towards me. Not that I blamed her; I deserved every lashing of hate and spite she could throw at me. I would hate me too. No one deserved to be treated the way I’d treated her. To be stabbed in the back and turned over to the very people she tried to save me from. I would never forgive myself for what I had done to her.

My nails dug into Julian’s hand as he reached out for the doorknob.

Before I could blink, Julian had dropped my grip, bounded into the room, and restrained Kiera before she could throw the chair against the door. In a flash, she was bound to that very chair like a prisoner of war. Her chest heaved in baffled breath as her wide, brown eyes frantically searched her surroundings.

My gaze raked the room in bewilderment. The mattress was flipped off of its frame, the wardrobe was splintered in chunks of wood across the room, and the vanity hand been shattered, glass shards covering the floor in a million jagged pieces. The entire room looked like a war zone, yet I found myself in awe of her strength.

“I knew it!” she spat. “You’re not human!”

Julian arched a brow and grinned at her smugly.

“No. I’m not,” he replied calmly, completely unaffected by her deranged demeanor.

Her eyes landed on me and instantly softened. “He’s done something to you. He’s controlling your mind. These things, they have powers, abilities. You have to fight it.”

“Yes. I know,” I said softly. “He can read thoughts, but he can’t control them. I promised to help him protect his secret, and you know too much.”

Realization of the depth of my betrayal finally registered. “You fucking bitch!” she seethed. “After everything I’ve done for you! All the bullshit I had put up with for years, just to protect you, to keep you happy and safe! This is how you repay me?! By letting these fucking demons take me?!”

Her body trembled in rage as she fought against her restraints.

“You are dead to me. Dead!” she screamed.

Julian stood before her, her frame looking frail and weak in comparison as he towered over her. “Either you watch how you speak to her, or I will gag you. It is your choice,” he threatened. Her hateful eyes pinned his, challenging him.

She spat in his face, and without a second’s hesitation, Julian grasped her by her throat.

“No!” I screamed in horror. I couldn’t stand the thought of the man I loved murdering my best friend. He hesitated, fangs bared just inches away from her throat. His body trembled as he restrained his desire to kill her.

“If it wasn’t for Abby, I would have drained you dry,” he hissed. “I would be thanking her, as she appears to be your only lifeline. Be careful how you tread from here on out.”

With a shove, he released her, the chair teetering back and forth against the wooden boards, threatening to topple over. Blood trickled down the side of her neck where his nails had dug into her flesh.

My hands clasped around my mouth, trying to force away the sobs that wracked my body.

Julian disappeared from the room, returning moments later with a cotton rag. He tied it around Kiera’s mouth, her teeth bared around the dingy white fabric as it wrapped between her lips.

He strode over to me, his arms crossed over his chest.

“You realize it would be far easier to just dispose of her now,” he stated quietly to me. My face blanched as I gawked at his unconscionable proclamation.

I had no words. How could he think I would ever consider such a thing?!

He threw his hands up in surrender, retreating from his suggestion as he read my thoughts.

“Fine. What do you propose we do with her?” he inquired. “She is not permitted to leave. Not with the knowledge of what we are.”

A thought struck my mind, but I instantly banished the idea. There was no way I would ever feel comfortable in that situation. I couldn’t risk losing my own love for her by putting us at each other’s throats.

Julian shrugged, knowing what I had thought.

“Such a wild thing can’t be trained. She’d choose death first,” he replied to my thoughts.

“So, not an option,” I said sternly. My gaze landed on her for a brief moment, her eyes radiating in anger as they boring into me with pure hatred. I looked away, unable to stand such disdain from my dearest friend.

Max appeared in the doorway in wolf form, crimson splotches staining the fur of his mouth and paws. My heart dropped at the sight. It was blood.

“He has taken care of the pilot,” Julian conveyed, clearly reading Max’s mind. The information caused Kiera to scream in heated rage as she fought against her restrains.

Julian shrugged. “We can’t save them all.”

My heart broke for her. Knowing how the agency was, I had no doubt that Kiera knew the man. They we’re probably friends, seeing how willing he was to help her while everyone else thought I was dead. Who else would accompany her on such a farfetched plan?

Julian turned back to me, “So what do you propose we do with her?” he asked. His eyes were intense with the desire for an answer.

“I don’t know!” I yelled, defeat clawing at my mind. How was I supposed to be content with any outcome that wasn’t her freedom? This wasn’t something I had wanted for myself, but I had grown to adore Julian. I knew her well enough to know Julian was right. She wouldn’t submit to him.

My sorrowful gaze mindlessly landed on Max. I admired how sweet, yet carefree he was. Everything about him seemed sincere and caring and fun-loving all at the same time. In many ways, his personality mirrored that of Kiera’s. They were both spunky, sarcastic, and wild. A match made in heaven, really.

It struck me then. A match.

My eyes flickered curiously between the wolf and my friend before landing on Julian questioningly.

His brows furrowed as his gaze swept between the two.

“That could work,” he stated as he watched Max attentively.

Max groaned, not knowing the plan Julian and I had settled on in silence.

“Maxwell,” Julian called in an authoritative tone, demanding his full attention. “You are to take Miss Bates as your own. Take care of her as your own. Claim her as your own.”

Max’s body trembled, his fur shuddering uncontrollably as his form contorted and morphed morbidly back into his human form before my eyes.

My hand grasped Julian’s arm in hopes to keep me upright as I gawked at the stunning transformation.

He stood there, fully nude and without a care to anyone around him. His features twisted in disgust and anger. "What am I going to do with a woman?"

Julian gave him a pointed look.

He sighed, exasperated. "An unwilling woman. What am I going to do with an unwilling woman?"

"Woo her. Bite her. I don't care. Just bring her to heel."

"To heel?" Kiera snapped, redoubling her efforts to break free. She had worked the gag out of her mouth.

"You are my king, but you are not my Master. You can’t make me do this.”

Max’s eyes softened as they searched mine, resolve settling over him. With a growl, he shoved his fingers through his short raven black hair in frustration.

“Fine!” he yelled, caving in to the pressure. “Because I care about you,” he added, his glance flicking from Julian to me. “Both of you. I’ll do it.” He scowled at the ceiling, shaking his head in disbelief.

“But I swear to god!” he said, his eyes finding mine. “If she turns out to be as big of a pain in the ass as I think she’s going to be, I’m giving her back! You’ll have to come up some other dumbass plan.” He growled in discontent. “But I promise I will try.”

My heart trembled in my chest and hot tears fled down my cheeks. I couldn’t contain myself.

I flung my arms around his neck, pulling him into a grateful embrace.

“Thank you so much, Max,” I whispered into his ear as he returned the embrace, his muscles flexing around my small frame. “I owe you. I owe you everything.”

“Damn straight, you owe me,” he said with a chuckle, and I couldn’t help but laugh myself.

My jovial moment abruptly ended when my sights landed on Kiera. Betrayal resonated in her gaze, the color in her face fleeing, leaving her looking pale and ill.

“I’m sorry, Kiera,” I whispered, my heart aching. “This is the only way. I told you to leave. I begged you to leave!” My throat tightened as I watched her eyes well with tears. “But I have all faith in Max. He would never hurt you.”

Nothing I could say would fix things. I had broken her. Broken us. I prayed that one day we would be able to mend things, but I knew it was a feeble dream. I had to face reality. Though I had lost her as my best friend, she would still be alive.

Max and Julian left the room, leaving Kiera and myself alone together in painful silence. Moments ago we were so excited to finally see each other after so long, and within minutes I had driven a flaming, explosive wedge between us.

I heard their voices from the hallway as they approached, and I found myself crying for her. “I’m so sorry,” I whimpered in a final, mournful sob.

They reappeared in the doorway, a thick black collar and rope lead clutched in Max’s hands.

As he slowly strode over to Kiera, my knees gave out underneath me and I found myself kneeling on the ground in a fragmented heap of emotions as I watched him open the collar for her.

She struggled against the restraints as he wrapped the leather strap around her neck.

“Don’t fight it, Kiera,” I offered in a final whimper of advice. “It’ll be easier if you don’t fight it.” My voice fell as the reality crushed my soul. I watched in a broken daze as he led my friend out of the room by the thick rope, her eyes casting me a final plea before vanishing out of sight.

Julian kneeled down before me, scooping me into his arms to help me back to my weakened feet. His strong hands gently caressed my face as his tender gaze bore into my own.

“She will be okay,” he said softly in reassurance. “Max will treat her well.”

The words just came to me, so aptly describing the situation. “Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.”

He smiled. “I love it when you quote Shakespeare.” His soft lips found mine, folding against my lips in a tender, passionate kiss. His compassionate embrace warming my broken soul. I couldn’t help but feel unfathomable love for this man. Every word, every touch slowly mended my shattered heart.

My actions were irredeemable. Nothing I did could take back what I had done. But I could only hope she would break. That she could find blissful contentment in her submission, the way I had with Julian.