He didn’t consider my guardian angel master vampire a trusted member of the Alliance, even though Misha had shielded me from danger in Aric’s absence. But as much as the vamps had their own agenda, Misha included, they were the ones who’d trained me to become a weapon.

They also came through for me when it mattered.

I took a deep breath in an effort to calm my temper. “Aric, I haven’t always agreed with your decisions—especially when they’ve pertained to Pack politics or were ways and tradition. But regardless, I’ve always tried to respect your reasoning and your sense of duty. You need to respect that when their actions fall within the Alliance agenda, and will help the greater good, my allegiance is to the vampires.”

“Have you talked to him?”

Aric meant Misha and Misha alone. Way to go off topic, wolf. “No. He’s still in Europe.” I didn’t bother telling him that he was actually in Transylvania trying to find a wife because, yeah, that would’ve earned Misha creepy points he didn’t need.

“So he hasn’t mentioned anything about Shah?”

Aric could sniff lies. Why would he be asking me about Shah so soon after telling me about him himself? I frowned. “Ah, no,” I said slowly. “The last time I spoke with him was a few weeks ago. You know this.”

“The vamp hasn’t called again?” Aric questioned me with more bite in his tone than I was used to or appreciated.

I lifted my chin, willing myself not to go all crazy Latina. “That ‘vamp’ helped save my life more than once. He’s a friend, and I have no reason to keep any interaction with him a secret.”

Aric opened his mouth then snapped it shut. He took several breaths, and then several more as if struggling to stay in control.

I watched him, stunned and confused as to what exactly had set him off. “Aric?”

He turned from me and gripped the edge of the counter, his breaths growing more labored. Sweat poured from his temples as he worked to slow his breathing and extinguish his rising anger.

He was losing his composure.

And it scared me.

A low growl escaped from his lips. The veins of his arms bulged as he clamped down on the counter. The force of his grip caused the granite to snap between his hands. A crack, as thick as my finger, shot out like a lightning bolt and smacked against the edge of the sink.

Aric’s entire body shook. He was seconds from exploding and tearing someone to shreds.

Anyone else would have hauled ass away from him.

But I wasn’t just anyone.

I curled my arms around his and breathed, simply breathed, allowing our warmth to spread between us. “It’s okay,” I whispered softly. “I’m here, and I won’t let anything happen to you….”

He growled, low and vicious, as if sensing a threat.

My eyes scanned the surroundings. Was something with us? “And you won’t let anything happen to me, either….”

When my voice alone was not enough to settle him, I tried to reach him on a deeper level. In my mind, I pictured my tigress approaching Aric’s animal form. I saw her hurry toward his gray wolf without fear, and without hesitation, chuffing in a way of a greeting.

He bounded toward her, his tail wagging, and allowed her to rub against his soft fur. But then the image was clouded with confusion. Our animal sides paused and glanced up as if searching for someone they could no longer see.

I was there with them, even though I couldn’t see my physical form. But Aric wasn’t with us.

He was gone. I couldn’t sense him, anywhere.

I clung tighter to Aric’s arms. I still felt him in my reality, but not in my deepest thoughts, where our connection linked us even when we were apart.

Fear filled me. “Aric? Where are you?”

He jerked from me with his eyes closed, barely managing to keep his balance. He trembled when I reached for him again and snapped his eyes open as another deep growl rumbled in his chest.

He was clearly riled and ready to attack, but as he took in my fear, his gaze softened. He approached me slowly when I stepped back to allow him space. “It’s okay,” he said quietly. “I won’t ever hurt you….”

This time, it was his turn to hold me, pulling me into a protective embrace. He took in my scent, allowing the comfort I gave him to help soothe his labored breathing and tame his anger and drive to attack.

I waited a few minutes before speaking, both of us clearly shaken. “Are you all right?”

“Yes…I’m fine.”

“I don’t think you are.” I did my best to explain what I felt. “I sensed your beast side and saw him with my tigress, but you were gone. None of us knew where you were.”

One of the main differences between me and Aric, and his were species, was that their animal sides were a part of them. My beast was a part of a golden tiger’s spirit that was absorbed through the magic I inadvertently possessed. She was a separate entity, which was why I could change part of my body without taking on her form completely. Weres didn’t have that luxury; they were permanently linked to their beasts.

So then how could Aric have left his wolf behind?

Aric rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know where I went.”

“But wherever it was, your wolf wasn’t with you. How is that possible?”

Aric’s features tightened. “I don’t know. It’s never happened before. I could feel him near me, furious that I’d been robbed from him. But our connection was severed.”

“So was ours,” I said quietly.

Aric angled his head toward the frosted glass windows above our large jet tub. “You with Misha stirred some jacked-up emotion I wasn’t expecting.”

I couldn’t believe this was his excuse. “Don’t put this on me and Misha. You know there’s nothing between us.”

He stayed quiet, appearing confused.

“Aric?”

“I know,” he said, sounding more bewildered. “I don’t even know where that came from.” He glanced down at the tile floor and swore. “I’m trying to make sense of this—all of it. I know I felt anger toward Misha, and fear about anything happening to you. Then everything faded away.”

I squeezed his arm, afraid he was the one fading away. “You felt yourself leave me?”

He nodded, agreeing, but clearly upset. “From what I can make of it, my emotions seemed to trigger the separation from my wolf. It’s like everything I felt magnified and taunted me until I lost control.”