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The moment Tarkyn stepped forward Harth’s heart leaped into her throat. She grabbed for his arm, her body in a whole new panic, as if he might jump into the fight then and there.

He and Zev stared at each other, Alpha power crackling between them, despair spearing through Harth as her mind conjured everything that was about to happen.

She’d seen males fight before, seen succession of Alpha power—but never between those who saw themselves as enemies.

The only fighting she’d ever seen was between Chimera and humans—to the death. Her head screamed and her heart sobbed.

No, no no no! He couldn’t do this! She couldn’t lose him that way!

‘Tarkyn please… please… don’t do this!’ He tore his eyes from Zev to hers, his jaw set with determination, but his eyes clouded. She didn’t even try to cover the fear in her voice. ‘You can’t, Tarkyn. Please. He is lethal when he wants to be—and he’s so out of balance right now—’

“No.”

The word was quiet and feminine, but so brimming with Alpha certainty that it was instinct to submit.

.....

Harth and Tarkyn both snapped their heads to find Sasha standing in front of Zev, her hands now at her sides and her chin high and eyes shining.

“No, Zev. No,” she spat through her teeth.

Zev hadn’t moved from his posture of challenge to Tarkyn, but his eyes had dropped to meet hers.

She was so small next to him, so frail by comparison. He could have lifted her in one arm, thrown her aside bodily if he wished. To the eyes, it seemed there was no way she could stand him down. But he eyed her warily, his jaw flexing as his mate planted her feet and glared up at him.

“This is over. Right now. You cannot burn the world that hurt you, Zev. You can’t. Beating Elreth, beating Tarkyn—it doesn’t matter who you destroy, it won’t change what’s happened to you. To us.

“I’ve been letting you work through this, I thought this should be your fight after what they did to you—but I was wrong. So… no, Zev. Just no.”

His eyes widened. “You’re… challenging me?” he asked, his voice an eerie mix of breathless fear and simmering rage.

She took one step closer so she stood between his feet and put her hand back on his chest. “Are you going to kill me, Zev?” she asked softly. “Will you burn me down, too? Where does it end?”

His eyes bulged and a shudder rocked through his entire body, but Sasha was relentless, staring at him—probably speaking to him through the bond as well.

Harth’s heart rose with hope this time. She clung to Tarkyn, but like her, he could scent the anger and disbelief rising in Zev. He took a step forward, putting himself between Harth and the wolf—ever the protector.

Harth clung to his arm and prayed like she never had before, urging Sasha on—and silently pleading with Zev to hear her.

“She kept our son alive,” Sasha said through our teeth. “She gave our people space instead of just killing us all. She could have done it, and she didn’t.

“Tarkyn pleaded your case. He helped you—and gave you respect even when you were bound. He’s stepping up because he’s trying to take care of others—exactly the same way you do. Can’t you see it? Are you that blinded?”

A strange, huffing growl rolled out of Zev’s chest, but Sasha didn’t even blink.

“When is it enough, Zev? When will you accept that they aren’t the enemy? When will you accept that we need help?”

He leaned down, spitting through bared teeth. “She almost killed you.”

“But she didn’t,” Sasha pushed him, relentlessly. “And now she’s here seeking peace and you’re the one who wants to fight.”

“You’re human! You don’t understand!”

“I understand this better than any of you!” she snarled. “It was my people who created this problem in the first place! My people who had to be defeated—and yet she’s still treating me like I have earned my place. Don’t tell me I don’t understand this, Zev, you’re wrong. You’re just fucking wrong!”

Tension zinged through the valley, the gathered crowds holding their collective breaths waiting to see what would happen.

“Our son, Zev… our son needs them and you know it.”

“Is that why you’re—”

“I didn’t want to do this—swore I would never undermine you in front of them. But you have gone too far. You’re fighting a demon that isn’t here, and you’re going to kill innocent people in the process. I can’t let you do it—not for our son’s sake, not for their sake, and not for yours.”

Harth was vaguely aware of movement around them—Lhars and Kyelle positioning themselves to the sides of the couple, hovering by Zev’s shoulder… but everyone’s attention was on Zev. As if he were the threat.

Harth wanted to weep with the impossible mix of hope and fear that had her heart pounding.

‘He’s fighting demons, alright,’ Tarkyn breathed in her head. ‘Creator help us. Help him.’

Harth added her amen to the prayer, but her mind was spinning. Among the Chimera when an Alpha was challenged publicly like this, he had to submit, or fight. There would be no middle ground here—the hierarchy had to be sustained. Either Sasha would walk away from this moment the sole Alpha of the Chimera, or Zev would be forced to dominate his own mate. His Ardent mate.

Harth held his breath… how deeply into the darkness had he descended? How far would he go?

Then Sasha nodded once. Zev didn’t say anything else—either it was all said through the bond, or he simply remained silent. But Sasha turned her back on him—and the entire gathering gasped when his eyes widened, flaring with rage, as his mate gave him her back as if he’d already submitted to her.

Harth instinctively raised a hand toward Sasha to warn her as Zev’s body trembled and he almost shifted.

But Sasha strode up to Elreth. “We want peace,” she said firmly. “We want peace and… whatever it takes, none of us wants to fight anymore. Ever,” she said.