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“So you did it, huh?” My brother snorted in disgust. “I told you absolutely not. I told you I would fucking disown you if you put ink on your body. That thing makes you look like a whore. What the hell were you—”
Deck’s words cut off. I whipped around in time to see his eyes go wide just before the dark-haired male’s fist connected with his jaw. Deck’s feet left the ground, and his body landed over a yard away, creating a soft sloughing sound as he sank deep into the snow.
“Don’t get up, or I swear I’ll kick your sorry, sister-insulting ass.” The threat in the male’s voice was a promise.
I had the urge to hold up my hand for a high-five, but the sadness inside me crushed the impulse. We didn’t have time for a brawl. I needed to get to the twins.
Decker propped himself up on his elbows and glared, first at me, then at the male standing between us.
“She’s my sister, and I can—”
The male lunged, fisted Decker’s jacket in both hands, and shook him hard. Decker grabbed onto the male’s wrists and held on, his fangs showing as he grinned.
“You gonna kick my ass, Seff?”
Seff? Seff.
I whispered his name, “Seff.” And it felt...perfect.
I stepped beside him. His eyes reflected black anger, as though he wanted to beat my brother senseless. The feral sounds coming from Seff’s mouth were deep guttural snarls that seemed to thrill my wolf half.
It felt strange to have someone fight for my honor. Strange and wonderful.
“Hey, champ, look at me.” I touched his thick, straining forearm with one hand and pressed my other hand on his chest. His pounding heart sent a heavy pulse throughout my body. A rush of heat flowed through me as if the blood flowing through his veins boiled. When his eyes found mine, the crazed anger I’d seen there faded away. “Wait,” I whispered.
If this male, Seff, wanted to stand up for me, take my back, I’d let him. Just not yet. My brother might be a dick-waving douche, but now was not the time for Seff to avenge my honor.
“Please, Seff.”
He nodded, then glared one last time at my brother.
“You ever call her a whore again, and I will—”
“Never called her a whore. Just said she looked like one.”
“Same damn thing.” Seff shoved Deck hard, down into the snow, then took my hands in his. “Tell me what happened.”
I inhaled a deep breath and felt the shock fall over me.
“The rogues...they...they...”
“What? The rogues what?” Deck jumped to his feet but staggered back a few steps out of Seff’s reach. “Where’s Mom and Dad?”
I didn’t spare my brother a glance. I couldn’t look at him. He’d broken my heart, and I couldn’t forgive him. I kept my eyes focused on Seff. My throat grew tighter with every second, until I could hardly breathe.
“You’re okay. Go slow,” Seff said in a low, soothing voice. “What happened here?”
A sadness, so crushing, hit me square in the chest. I wanted to tell this stranger everything. I wanted to crawl up into his arms and cry all the tears I’d been holding in for months and months.
Seff squeezed my hands, his warmth flooding me from the simple connection. “Des, darlin’, who’s dead?”
I took a shuddering breath and spoke. “The rogues didn’t just paralyze them. They killed them. When I heard the first shots, I pulled the twins from bed. We ran. They hid.” I shook my head to keep my words clear and to the point. “My parents went into town for our winter supplies this morning. I don’t know if they’re okay or not.”
“Don’t worry about your parents. I didn’t smell death when we went through town.”
He didn’t smell death?
“But—how would you smell death?”
