The wild scent of the wolf hit Dante. Impossible. The werewolf is chained below. He is—

The werewolf shoved something, someone—the human, Charles, a very bloody Charles—onto the ground and leaped out of that elevator. He looked different, far more savage and animal-like, as he lunged for Cassie.

“No!” The bellow was Dante’s. But he was too far away.

The werewolf hit Cassie and Cain, sending both tumbling to the ground. Cain’s weapon fired, the bullet exploding, and Eve screamed.

The wolf didn’t stop. He grabbed Cassie and yanked her back.

Dante attacked. He lifted his hands, conjuring the most powerful fire he had within him. The werewolf wouldn’t survive the blast. Cassie had thought to save this beast? There was no saving a being that thought to hurt her.

No saving . . .

Dante’s fire launched out.

The beast dropped Cassie and rushed toward Cain, moving so fast—incredibly fast—as he dodged the flames. The fire barely singed him. The werewolf ’s claws swiped over the other phoenix, cutting him deep. Cain swore and fire swirled over his fingers.

Eve grabbed his arm. “That’s Trace!”

“That’s a f**king dead wolf,” Dante shouted. Cassie was bleeding. The wolf ’s claws had cut her and the wolf was—

“Help . . .” That cry was more beast than man. Far more. “Help . . . Cass . . .” the werewolf growled. Then he was curling his powerful body around hers.

Dante stepped toward them.

The werewolf bared his teeth. “Kill . . .”

His claws weren’t near her throat. He had wrapped his arms around Cassie’s stomach.

“The change is . . . even worse,” Eve whispered. “I thought he was getting better.”

The wolf had looked better. Before.

He seemed to be turning more into the beast as Dante watched. Thick, dark fur burst from his skin, and the werewolf opened his mouth to snarl with the pain of his change.

“Trace.” Cassie tried to push free of his hold. “Trace, you’re hurting me.”

The phoenix within Dante began to attack with his flaming claws. Wanting out.

Trace stiffened.

“Let me go, Trace. Please.”

Trace shook his head. The transformation seemed to have halted with Cassie’s words.

The siren’s song is controlling him. Dante stalked toward Trace.

“Help”—Trace growled—“Cass . . .”

Dante took another step.

Trace’s head snapped up and his glowing eyes locked on Dante. “Kill.” The werewolf ’s teeth snapped together.

“Come on and try,” Dante invited. “Let’s just see what you’ve got.”

Trace freed Cassie.

Yes.

Then the beast was running for him.

Dante lifted his hand and sent flames right at the beast.

“No!” Cassie screamed as she ran after Trace.

The man-beast fell, rolling on the ground and howling as he tried to put out the flames that flared over his body.

“Stop!” Cassie shoved at Dante, sending him stumbling back in surprise. “Don’t hurt him! Don’t you see? He’s protecting me!”

He was—what?

Cassie shoved Dante again. “Stay away from him! From me!”

He couldn’t. He couldn’t ever stay away from her.

She fell to her knees beside the werewolf. Smoke drifted from him and dark burns covered his arms. “Trace?” she whispered.

His head turned toward her. “Help . . .” he whispered.

She put her hand on his bulging shoulder. “You did help me. Now just relax. Please relax, and let me help you.”

The werewolf’s claws were too close to her. Dante stepped toward her.

Cassie’s head immediately turned toward him. Tears glistened in her eyes. “Stay away! Haven’t you done enough hurting for one day?”

She stared at him as if—as if he were the monster.

He was, but Cassie had never looked at him that way before.

“Cain, help me,” Cassie said.

Cain, still bleeding, hurried toward her.

“We need to get Trace downstairs. I have to treat him. He’s . . . changing. I can feel it.”

Transformation was the way werewolves healed from injuries. It was instinctive for them. The wounds Trace had received from Dante’s fire were pushing that change.

“If he changes fully,” Cassie said, shaking her head, “I don’t—I don’t know if we will be able to get him back. I have to give him some tranqs to get him calm and stable.”