BOUND IN FLAMES

010

"Why are you looking at me like that, Eris?"

He didn't respond, his eyes just keep darting from you to Rhaegon and from Rhaegon to you. Your own eyes darting from Eris to Rhaegon and back to Eris.

From the corner of your eye you see Rhaegon tilt his head at Eris—confused. I think he thinks he's seeing things. His deep gruff voice was clear in your head.

Your brows furrow at Rhaegon's admission, shaking your head slightly, Did I grow a second head or something?

Not that I can see.

Looking over your shoulder, narrowing your eyes at him, I didn't mean literally!

He grumbled something you chose to ignore.

Sighing, you took a step closer to Eris, stopping until you were a step away from him, "Eris, what's wrong?"

"What. The. Fuck."

"What?" As soon as that one word left your mouth it set Eris off.

"What do you mean, WHAT!?" Eris shouted at you immediately. Angrily. Making you flinch.

He hadn't raised his voice at you in the hours you were together. Hell when you first met he had a knife pressed against your throat and he didn't scare you. You didn't flinch, if anything you leaned into it, as if it was a caress—a lover's soft touch.

But this—him shouting at you angrily had you flinching. Only because it caught you off guard. He caught you off guard. It was so subtle, almost imperceptible, but you know you did. Those gold eyes remained on yours and your body unconsciously settled into a fighting stance. Your hands twitching, wanting to clench into a fist.

Eris took a single step forward, making you tense, falter.

And Rhaegon saw it.

The white wolf prowled forward, moving around you and advancing towards Eris. Each step powerful. Menacing. Lethal. His lips curled back in snarl, baring his teeth—each as long as your fingers—as he growled so low it shook the cabin. A reminder of what was in front of him. Of what he was.

A true predator.

Eris moved, so fast you would've missed it had it not been for your fae senses, now standing in front of you. Shielding you with his body from Rhaegon, his hand gripping his dagger and the other firmly gripping your hip.

Raihn tracked the hand Eris placed on you—the silent claim he made on you—and growled. Possessively. Snapping his jaws at him before stalking forward again.

Eris widened his stance, bracing for a fight, baring his teeth at the white wolf. Stay close to me, his voice a desperate plea in your head, speaking to you through the mating bond.

Rhaegon snapped his jaws again as if he heard Eris and when he growled in your head as if in answer, you realized that he did.

Readjusting his hold on his dagger, Eris growled one word at Rhaegon, "Mine."

And Rhaegon growled back, hackles raised before leaning back to lunge at Eris. Rhaegon, don't! You said to him mind to mind. Please. He only growled back in response.

Then he lunged.

And it was all Eris could do to push you out of the way as Rhaegon pinned him to the ground with a massive clawed paw on his chest. You didn't have a chance to react before you slammed against the wood paneled wall of the bedroom.

Your vision was blurry and when you touched the back of your head it was wet. You didn't have to look at it already knowing it would be red with blood. The bits of broken wood from the cabin wall around you was confirmation enough.