51. Mai

Seth lunged at me with newfound ferocity, his teeth aiming for my throat. I danced away, making him overshoot. He swung around, barreling toward me again. I kept moving, evading, and herding him in the direction Ryan would come from. My legs trembled beneath me.

I realized I'd been here before, Seth attacking me. Me, weak and helpless.

Not this time.

My bond flared to life, and a warm rush of energy flooded me, washing over me like a calming wave. It was the essence of Ryan—his courage, his resolve, his love. The connection pulsed in rhythm with my heart, its strength surprising me. I'd been resisting this bond for so long, afraid of what it might mean, afraid of what I might lose. But now, I realized its true potential. This bond didn't bind me; it empowered me. It wasn't a chain; it was a lifeline.

I felt rather than saw Seth tower above me. Then Ryan, my Ryan, his massive wolf form, larger and more imposing than any of us, barreled into Seth, sending them both snarling and snapping across the forest floor. I yipped in alarm for Ryan, then raced after them. I was no longer just Mai Parker of the Three Rivers Pack; I was a part of something much more significant. I was part of a mated pair, a force to be reckoned with, and Seth had no idea what was coming his way.

We attacked Seth from both sides, our movements perfectly in sync through our bond. Seth fought with a desperate ferocity, but he was tiring. Ryan moved with a lethal grace full of his power and fury. I felt a tug in our bond, a silent signal, and I moved, darting in from one side as Ryan leaped, his body a blur of motion, and in a fraction of a second, he was on Seth.

Ryan's jaws snapped shut on Seth's throat. There was a sickening crunch, followed by a choked-off yelp. I watched as Seth's eyes widened in shock, his body spasming under the force of Ryan's deadly grip. He struggled for a moment, his body writhing in an effort to free himself. Ryan's jaws tightened. Seth's movements slowed, his eyes starting to glaze. His body twitched one last time before finally going still.