“But please don’t ever put yourself in danger, Nuria. I can’t bear it.” He pounds his bare chest with his fist, pacing still. “You can feel it, Nuria. I know you can. Don’t do this to me ever again, shy girl. I can’t handle it.”

He’s so worked up that fur sprouts along his happy trail. Crap. I need him to stop and think.

“I had to do something. You were going to kill everyone.”

“I still am.” A whiff of terror rises from the males behind him.

“I don’t think you should.”

Calvin readjusts his grip on his knife. I freeze, willing Draken not to attack. I send every...