Zev knew Skyler was an empath, whether she knew it or not, but in this instance, it was far more likely that his Branka remained merged with him and easily read his dilemma.

I am with you whatever the outcome, Branislava whispered in his mind. He was flooded with warmth, with the promise of a future. She might not be ready to commit that moment, but she knew she would eventually and she wanted him to know it as well.

This man is a friend. If I kill him, how will I ever face Daciana?

If he had family in the Lycan world, it was Makoce, Lykaon and Daciana. She would never forgive him if he killed her brother. Never. And he wouldn’t blame her. Still, if Damon was willing to break the rules of their society, what choice did he have?

Perhaps you will not have to, Branislava said. Perhaps he will give you a reason to keep him alive.

She always managed to say the right thing. He positioned the lizard above Damon’s head and waited. A few moments later, Damon slid his weapon slowly forward and leaned over to place his eye at the scope. Zev saw the wolf as it cautiously broke through the brush with its muzzle. The animal waited patiently for a length of time before moving into the open, nose to the air, seeking the scent of blood and death.

She was a beautiful female, strong and muscular with a tricolored fur coat. Shades of black, silver and charcoal shimmered as the moon hit her.

She’s not mine, Skyler exclaimed. She’s real.

Damon hesitated, clearly warring with himself. Zev willed him not to pull the trigger.

Another wolf stepped out, this one also a female. She bared her teeth at the first one. The silvery female whirled around to face the threat.

Coming your way, Dimitri warned. Sniper on the move.

Four more wolves stepped into the open, snarling at the females. Neither paid attention.

Don’t get caught up in the drama, Zev warned Branislava. The alpha female wants the younger female to leave the pack and she’s pushing her to get out. We’ve still got two Lycans out there hunting Dimitri and Skyler. If you get in their way, they could try to kill you.

The canopy above the wolves swayed gently as a breeze blew across the leaves. It didn’t quite penetrate to the forest floor below. An owl settled in the branches above, mostly hidden by leaves as its wings settled closely to its body. He peered down at the spectacle below. Another five wolves joined the circle forming around the two females.

Damon sighed and lifted his head, shaking it. Clearly he didn’t want to shoot any of the wolves. A shot rang out, and the young, silvery female shrieked and leapt into the air. The wolves melted into the foliage around them. Damon cursed and slid his rifle once more into place. He used the scope to look around, trying to find a target other than the wolves.

The female tried to drag herself to cover, yelping in pain each time she attempted to rise. Damon cursed louder. “Damn you, Vasya, you didn’t have to do that,” he said aloud.

Zev held his breath as the brush closest to the wounded female moved just a slight inch, but there was no breeze, nothing to make the leaves flutter. The wolves had retreated, well versed in what the sound of a gun meant. He knew, by the way Damon hunched his shoulders and then settled into his weapon, that the Lycan had seen that telling movement as well.

A feminine hand inched its way out of the brush, the arm following, as Skyler tried to reach the wolf to drag her to safety.

“Vasya, don’t do it,” Damon whispered aloud, making it a prayer. “It’s a woman. Don’t pull the trigger.”

Zev eased down behind Damon, positioning his body directly behind him, ready to stop him should there be need. He couldn’t do anything about Vasya. He glanced up at the owl. It was gone. The takeoff and subsequent flight had been silent. Feathers on the owl provided that silent flight, but Zev was certain Dimitri was close.

He knew he was correct when a man’s high-pitched scream startled the insects into silence. Simultaneously the rifle went off, the sound every bit as loud. Damon swore and used his scope once more to try to see what happened to Vasya.

Zev had his gaze trained on Skyler. The second bullet hit the young wolf, and Dimitri’s lifemate dragged the bloody animal into the brush. He caught a glimpse of Branislava, crouched close. Another wolf, a huge male, leapt from a distance away, as if he’d come from a tree branch rather than on the ground. He raced across the open forest floor, cutting unexpectedly from one side to the next in a zigzag pattern.

Zev recognized Dimitri’s big alpha, Shadow. Whether he was protecting Skyler or the fallen female, he was uncertain, but it didn’t matter. Damon didn’t shoot him. Zev stuck the tip of a silver dagger hard into Damon’s back. All he had to do was use his mixed blood strength to penetrate through muscle and bone to reach the heart.

“Shove the gun out of the tree,” he advised. “You know me. You know I’ll kill you in a heartbeat. Don’t be stupid enough to make any mistakes.”

Damon stiffened, recognizing his voice. He let the weapon fall to the ground below. “I thought you were dead.”

Zev’s heart plunged. Had Daciana told her brother? Was she somehow connected to this betrayal? She was family to him. “Now why would you think that?” He kept his voice even, not wanting to sound in the least as if with that one question, Damon had unknowingly called his sister’s loyalty in question.

Damon shrugged. “The news came down the pipe that the Carpathians had pulled some trick and tried to off the council. You died protecting one of them and the Lycans fought them, trying to get the other council members out of their territory.”

“Link your fingers behind your head and just stay exactly the way you are. I mean it, Damon. Did Daciana tell you all that?” He reached out and casually cut through the belt looping around Damon’s hip, dropping the cache of weapons to the branch. With a flick of the tip of his knife, he sent the entire belt to the forest floor.

A low growl escaped Damon. “My sister? I was told they killed her.”

“Did you try to call her?”

“Over and over. I got no response. I tried her partner, Makoce, but he didn’t answer, either. No one did.”

“She’s alive and well, Damon. She’s guarding the council members as we speak. A faction of Lycans, not Carpathians, attacked the Carpathian village simultaneously with an attempt on the lives of the prince and our council members.” Zev reached around him to flip up his sleeve, revealing the tattoo of the Sacred Circle. “All of those who tried to assassinate the council have that same tattoo.”