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"Ryker!"

Teagan’s voice. Terrified. Strangled.

A sound erupts from deep within my chest, like a primal, deafening roar that isn't human. My wings snap outward to their full span, the dark tips clipping the plaster ceiling and showering dust over my shoulders.

I sprint toward the voice. He isn’t far.

What I see turns my vision red.

A gaunt, sickly human in a rumpled dark suit has Teagan pinned against the wall. One of the stalker's hands grips the coat I hand-stitched for Teagan. At Teagan's throat, pressing hard into the soft flesh under is a rusted iron spike. Like out of a fucking horror movie.

"I'm taking you home—" the human sneers, clearly unhinged.

"Get your filthy fucking hands off my mate," I growl.

The guy freezes, his head snapping toward me. I instantly recognize him. Jae-hyun. He used to be in Teagan’s band. For a second, his wild, unblinking eyes widen behind his black masquerade mask as he takes in the sight of me closing the distance between us with paranormal speed.

I bridge the ten feet between us in a single, terrifying leap. My claws fully extend, slicing through the air. I grab Jae-hyun by the front of his jacket, lifting his entire pathetic frame off his feet with one arm and slamming him hard into the opposite wall.

The impact rattles him. The spike clatters uselessly to the floor, bouncing off my boot.

"Ryker!" Teagan gasps, sliding down the wall slightly, his hand flying to his neck where spike tried to slice through him.

I don't bother taking my eyes off the stalker, but my left wing sweeps forward instinctively, wrapping around Teagan like an impenetrable wall, tucking him completely out of sight behind my body.

Safe. Protected. My thoughts are almost primal.

Jae-hyun gags, his hands clawing weakly at my wrist. Up close, his face pathetic mix of desperation and anger. "Teagan belongs to me, you filthy purple freak..."

"He isn’t a fucking item for you to own," I growl. "And he’s under my protection."

My claws tighten around his neck. It’s enough to cut off his breath and for him to feel my strength. The urge to snap his neck and murder this asshole, surges through my veins. My protective instincts are screaming at me to destroy him. To kill him. To tear him apart for daring to touch my human.

Jae-hyun makes a choked noise, his eyes rolling back.

"Ryker... please," Teagan's soft voice whispers from beneath the fold of my wing. His small hand reaches out, clutching the fabric at my waist. "Don't kill him. He's not worth it. I'm fine."

Teagan’s touch pulls me from my blood lust.

The blinding red haze in my vision clears slightly. The dark, primal monster inside me slowly recedes, leaving the protective gargoyle behind. I take a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of Teagan.

Monster gods, I really want to kill this Jae-hyun guy. Instead, I shift my grip, driving him down onto the cold stone floor, pinning his chest beneath my knee and twisting both of his arms behind his back in a brutal, violent move.

He screams.

"Move a single muscle," I rumble into his ear, "and I will personally break every bone in your body."

He lets out a pathetic, whimpering sob, all his manic bravery vanishing.

Frantic footsteps echo down the corridor.

The double doors burst open again, and Dean Yaga along with several security guards sprint into the hallway. Kieran and Zay are behind them, looking concerned.

"What is going on here?" Dean Yaga halts, her sharp eyes taking in the scene. She spots the guy I have pinned to the floor. Her eyes trail over to the dropped iron spike.

"We have him," I say, my voice steady. "This is Jae-hyun. He’s the one who broke into Teagan's trailer. He had an iron spike to his throat."

Dean Yaga’s face hardens. She snaps her fingers at the security guards. "Restrain him. Call the police. Now!”