A loud snarl close by made both of their heads turn. Her heart leapt. A bloody, scratched Luka hurdled in front of her.
Luka’s voice was different, deadly. In a calm tone laced with venom, he said, “You’re dead.”
Alice’s lungs froze when Helas raised his black-gloved hand to her mate’s face. Both of Luka’s hands shot out and wrapped around that hand. With a sickening crack, he broke Helas’ wrist.
Helas shrieked and lunged at Luka’s side with the knife. Luka caught his other wrist just as the sharp blade sank into his ribs.
“No!” Alice cried. She tried to rise, but a wave of dizziness made her fall back to the ground. She had to find some way to help, and fast.
“Luka!” Alice yelled and pointed at the red object on the ground behind Helas.
His eyes flashed in the direction she pointed. He used his grip on Helas’ wrist to slide the knife out of his flesh, a cruel smile curling his lips.
Widening his stance, he suddenly released his hold on Helas and stepped back. Bringing his fists above his head and raising one powerful thigh, Luka landed a hard kick right in the center of Helas’ chest.
The man’s eyes widened in shock a moment before he was propelled backward, landing directly on the red ball, and she prayed to the heavens it was what she thought it was.
Luka hobbled over to Alice, and they watched. For a moment, nothing happened.
Helas sat up, nursing his limp wrist and glaring at her and Luka with all of the hate he possessed. Then, a deep whine sounded from the shadows. A wave of small, red, snarling creatures exploded from all around him. They leapt from the trees and emerged from under bushes, swarming their prey.
Bloodcurdling screeches met her ears, and Luka quickly turned her face into his chest. The last thing she saw was a bloody, grasping hand, rising from a mountain of guarsil.
***
The forest grew quiet, but the sound of his frantic heartbeat pounded deafeningly in his ears. He flexed his fingers and lowered his head to inhale her scent. The moment he’d looked over to see Alice and Helas gone had been the most terrifying moment of his life.
He’d ripped and clawed at the remaining assailants viciously. No longer a civilized male, he’d reveled in the gore that had landed around him because he’d known the sooner these males were dead, the sooner he’d have a clear path to chase after Alice.
Adrenaline still pumping, he lifted her onto his lap, burying his face in her neck. When she let out a small, pained squeak, he loosened his grip. “You’re okay. You’re okay. You’re okay.” Rocking back and forth, he whispered nonsensically into her hair.
Cradling his head in her arms, she scratched her nails over his scalp. “Yes. I’m okay, Luka. Are you okay?”
His purr exploded out of him at the sound of her voice. Gripping her head in his hands, he forced her eyes to his. “You said you’d stay put, love.”
Tears flowed down her cheeks, leaving clean tracks in the grime covering her tanned skin. All at once, an overwhelming urge to get her home and wash all evidence of this night away rushed through him.
He bolted up, still holding her in his arms, then hissed when a sharp pain tore through his side.
“Put me down. You’re hurt.” She wriggled and writhed until he was forced to release her.
Crouching down, she carefully lifted his shirt over his head, then balled the fabric and placed it against the deep slash in his side. Her hands flew to her mouth, and she gasped as she took in the rest of the wounds visible on his chest.
Tears sliding down her face, she spun in place. “We have to get you help.”
“Help is coming,” a deep voice called from the trees.
Luka wheeled around, ready to rip apart the new threat. Black spots danced before his eyes, a wave of dizziness making him stagger. When he made out the features of Kadion, he allowed relief to wash over him, then promptly collapsed.
“Luka!” Alice cried, rushing behind him and laying his head in her lap.
“He’ll be okay. Zed is on the way now with a healer. It’ll keep him stable until we get him to a medbay.” Kadion sank to the ground next to them with a wince.
“And what about you?” she said, eyeing the deep crimson spreading from his torso and staining his shirt.
Kadion chuckled then wheezed.
The male had fought by his side bravely and taken on the last two attackers on his own while Luka had dashed into the forest. His face was covered in gashes and his once sandy-blond hair was dark and coated in blood.
“Oh, I’ve had much worse than this. Hazard of the job.” Kadion shot her a dimpled smile. “Still, it’d be nice to have a mate care for me like that.” One clear and one swollen eye met Luka’s. “I hope you realize how lucky you are.”
He peered above him. Alice’s warm tears were falling into his hair and she ran her hands over his uninjured skin. “I do.”
She gave him a watery smile and leaned down, pressing a wet upside-down kiss to his lips. She let her forehead rest against his and whispered, “I love you so much,” before rising again.
“Any sign of Verakko?” Kadion asked, interrupting the intimate moment.
Alice’s head snapped up. “What happened to him? And Sal and Traef?”
Luka groaned and sat up. “He finally came out and joined in the fight. I didn’t catch everything he said, but it seemed like he’d opened all the cells of the outposts
