Peter’s eyes darkened, but he stepped back with a shallow nod. Thas bit the inside of his cheek and followed suit.
Heiko remained silent, keeping his breath slow and even, grateful for his father’s intervention, though his heart hammered beneath the fabric of his tunic.
Inwardly, he reached for his beast, who stirred sluggishly in the back of his mind.
“What happened earlier?” Heiko asked, mental voice heavy.
His wolf, usually cocky and temperamental, sounded… shaken.
“It wasn’t me,” it growled. “Something invaded. Like a red mist. I felt it… pushing me. Drowning me. It wanted blood.”
“You promised you’d hold the line,” Heiko muttered. “You promised.”
“And I tried. But this wasn’t us. It was like something took over our senses. I don’t know what it was… but River—River neutralized i
