Cole's massive black form paces before the closet door, each movement controlled despite the alpha energy rolling off him in waves. His amber eyes catch what little light filters into the hallway, glowing with an intensity that communicates more clearly than words his determination to protect his mate. Juan sits beside him, his sleek gray form a study in patient stillness, ears pricked forward as he listens to Tink's increasingly frantic movements inside her makeshift den.

I position ...