“I assumed they would come for you,” he said. “I’m not as strong as my brother, you see. No one is, especially when he’s in his wolf form. So I need the upper hand. Little did I know I found his mate. He’ll be able to sense you now that the necklace is off. He’s coming for you.”

Oh, fates.

I couldn’t wait for help to arrive.

As subtly as I could, I reached into the ether and withdrew my bag. It was too big for me to be completely graceful about it, and Garreth noticed that something was up. His brow furrowed and he stepped forward. “What are you doing?”

I plunged my hand into the bag and yanked out the first potion bomb I could find, then lunged to my feet to hurl it at him.

But he was too fast and dodged. It shattered on the ground behind him, spraying green liquid everywhere. An acid bomb, wasted.

I shoved my hand in for another and hurled it, hitting him in the shoulder that time. The acid ate into his skin, green and bright. He howled but didn’t go down.

The Dark Moon curse had to be making him stronger.

Behind him, the door opened. Lachlan appeared.

Before he could trip the wire, I screamed. “Duck! It’s a trap!”

It was too late. He’d already stepped forward, and his foot caught the wire. But he seemed to have heard me. He ducked low and caught the bolt high on his shoulder. Pain flashed on his face as he yanked it free.

I pulled another potion bomb out and hurled it at Garreth. He dodged, his movements unnaturally fast, and turned to charge toward Lachlan.

My mate.

His gaze met mine, just briefly. I could feel him now.

With the pendant gone, I could feel Lachlan like a second heart.

It was insane.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Lachlan caught sight of Garreth, and his eyes widened with shock as he went white.

Garreth drew a long, wickedly sharp knife.

“Garreth.” Lachlan’s voice was rough.

“Brother.”

“You were dead.”

Garreth just smiled, cold and dark, then charged. He reached Lachlan and raised the knife.

Lachlan deflected it, landing a blow to his brother’s gut. Garreth doubled over, gasping, but managed to swipe at Lachlan’s arm with his blade.

The metal cut through Lachlan’s jacket. He flinched, then dove at Garreth and drove him to the floor. Garreth’s head cracked on the wood, and his arms went briefly slack. Seizing the opportunity, Lachlan grabbed the blade out of his brother’s hand and chucked it across the room.

But Garreth soon recovered his strength and threw Lachlan off him. They grappled, rolling and punching, landing hit after vicious hit.

I grabbed a stunner potion bomb but couldn’t find an opening. They moved too quickly, and I was just as likely to hit Lachlan.

Garreth managed to hurl Lachlan off of him once more before lunging for the discarded blade. He swept it up in his hand and turned toward Lachlan, blade raised high.

Lachlan’s eyes flashed, and he shifted, transforming into his wolf. He was massive and glorious as he snarled, then lunged.

Clearly realizing he was outmanned when Lachlan was in wolf form, Garreth hurled the knife. He was an excellent shot, and the dagger sliced along Lachlan’s front leg. Lachlan stumbled, and Garreth raced for the window, knowing he didn’t stand a chance. I hurled another potion bomb, hitting him right in the back, but he didn’t even stop. Tearing off his jacket, he scrambled to freedom.

Lachlan followed, leaping out the window seconds behind him.

Seraphia appeared in the doorway, looking around the attic in befuddlement.

“Watch out for traps!” I shouted as I ran after the brothers.

It was night already, the moon full. Garreth must have transformed, because now there were two wolves on the roof. Lachlan, the larger of the pair, chased Garreth, their forms illuminated by the moonlight. He was nearly on him. I sprinted after them, knowing it was crazy to run toward a fight like this but unable to wimp out now.

Lachlan leapt, soaring four meters through the air, a feat of incredible ability that took my breath away. He landed on Garreth, and the two tumbled across the gently slanted roof, rolling over and over as they snarled and bit at each other. Flashes of blood gleamed in the pale light, marring both wolves. It was riveting. So violent. So powerful.

Panting, I slowed to a halt about twenty meters away. The fight was taking too long.

Lachlan should have won already. His brother was stronger and faster as a result of the Dark Moon curse, but not as strong as Lachlan. Even with his bolt wound, Lachlan should have been able to take him out…

He doesn’t want to kill his brother.

The thought flashed into my mind so brightly that I felt like an idiot for not realizing it sooner.

Wolves weren’t exactly great at taking hostages. It was more kill or be killed when they fought.

Frantic, I scrambled in my bag for a stunner potion. It had to be a stunner. Two of them. Nothing else would do, as I couldn’t guarantee that I was going to hit the right wolf. They were a mass of flailing fur and limbs.

I found the first one, thank fates, then another. Quietly, I approached. The wolves were too distracted to dodge me, but I couldn’t afford to miss. I stopped ten meters away, shaking. The fight was so vicious and powerful that it made my soul seem to shrivel up inside me.

Carefully, I aimed for the smaller wolf, then hurled my potion bomb. It landed square on his back. He gave one last bite toward Lachlan’s shoulder, then collapsed, unconscious.

Panting, I dropped my hands to my knees and braced myself, staring at them. Finally, I’d landed one on that bastard.

It took Lachlan a moment to realize his brother was down. When he did, he lunged backward and transformed to human, shock on his face as he stared at the unconscious wolf.

“He’s not dead!” I shouted.

Seraphia came up from behind me, holding out her hands so that the vines could grow from her palms. They stretched across the roof and wound around the wolf, wrapping him up in a bundle that he wouldn’t be able to escape. When she was done, she handed me the silver chain and pendant that I’d lost. “Found it on the floor. He must have dropped it.”

I stared down at it. To put it back on, or not?

Even now, I could feel the pull between Lachlan and me. The mate bond was impossible to ignore.

I took the coward’s way out and put the necklace on. The bond broke immediately, and his gaze flashed to mine.

“Your ears are back,” Seraphia murmured.

“Thanks.” I stared at Lachlan, unable to look away. It was impossible to read his face, but my secret was definitely out. I swallowed hard, then stepped back.

He’d caught the killer. His brother.

“He should be unconscious for an hour,” I said. “I have a truth potion. If you make him take it while he’s weakened, he’ll give more answers.”

Lachlan nodded, his jaw tight.

Part of me wanted to run, but a bigger part of me wanted answers. Needed answers. What the hell had happened here?

Lachlan hoisted his brother in his arms and staggered toward me. As he neared, I caught sight of the blood soaking through his clothes. So many wounds. Garreth had landed quite a few grisly bites, and it hurt just to look at him.

“I can make the vines carry him down,” Seraphia said.

“No.” Lachlan’s tone was so hard that she just nodded.