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I didnʼt really have a plan other than stop them Maybe I would have tried to reason with theht have even s such chauvinistica single step A pain, white hot and searing, tore throughthe world in front of my eyes The bottolued toamount of thick, warm blood

"Jase" My voice was choked, full of astonishaze of the three Shifters, each forgetting the others as their attentions focused on me "Oh God, Jase What did you do?"

The world spun I heard a yelp A whine Then a growl vibrated through ed Jase scah Alex was on top of hiround He bared his teeth with an angry snarl before striking at Jaseʼs throat

Charlie was al into Alexʼs side just as his teeth sank into the vulnerable skin of Jaseʼs neck The tent rolling across the clearing fro as they went Charlie dug his nails into the dirt, gaining just enough traction to sling his body around, narrowly avoiding plunging over the edge of the cliff

He flattened hiainst the earth as ht ripped a sound frouished than a wail It echoed off the trees and rocks, around and raced into the darkness of the forest I slid on loose gravel and tripped over exposed roots as ILi cuts and whelps on uely aware of the searing heat in h to be heard over the roar inthe thin stretch of beach,raw as I called his name over and over My chest constricted when I finally saw his body, naked and huround

"Alex!" I fell tothe tiny stones that bit into ed shard of wood protruded just below his left shoulder

"Scout?"

"Shhh Iʼ to be okay" One ofwith some of the blood that had spilled out of hisout a ith every other gasp of air "Scout, I--"

"Shhh" I brushed my thumb across his lips "I know You donʼt have to talk Itʼs okay" I stroked his face tenderly as I spoke to him "I love you I love you so much" I bent down and pressed my lips to his, but for the first time he didnʼt kiss me back

I held onto him as the Laodicean moon leeched the warmth from his broken body I watched his eyes fill with fear as he struggled with his final breaths and laid witness to the eone, I couldnʼt let go I curledto tell him how much I loved him, how much I would always love him I bathed hiive, I finally surrendered to the darkness