Page 113 of The King has Fallen
39. Mated
~ MELEK ~
I snapped a wing over Yilan to cover her and snarled over my shoulder, bracing, my body quivering, readying to take out whoever had appeared. But the figure storming across the tent, drawing his spear, was Jann. His normally bright eyes dark, and his easy countenance twisted into a snarl.
“I knew you had an eye for her, but I never thought you would stoop so low. But that roar—you can’t hide that fucking roar, Melek—”
He didn’t stop coming, and he was carrying his spear. Every instinct rushed to her protection, and every thought beyond removing the threat disappeared.
Still bound to her, I swept Yilan up and leaped off the bed, one wing curled around her to keep his eyes from her, landingin a half-crouch in front of my best friend, my mate clinging to my side and my wing curled for her modesty. As I raised my free hand for defense, I cursed under my breath. My weapons were laid aside against the wall of the tent, and I couldn’t reach them without turning her towards him.
Jann stopped advancing when I landed and took a defensive stance, but his lip curled up in sneer, and he didn’t lower the spear.
“Jann,” I snarled, low and deep, every ounce of authority I’d ever possessed behind those quiet words. Hewouldlisten.“You will throw away the weapon in the presence of my mate, or I will make your guts her garters.”
Jann froze, blinking, but a moment later his eyes narrowed and he growled. “Mate? You really think I would believe—”
“It’s true.”
Yilan’s soft, feminine voice was soothing in this moment—and her words made my heart leap. But when she pushed the edge of my wing back so she could see him, I pulled her closer—did she not see that Jann was armed?
I could beat my best friend hand-to-hand, I was certain of it. But unarmed, and one of my hands tied to her, it might tip the balance.
Yet, at my side, Yilan was relaxed. She held the edge of my wing aside, like she looked at him from behind a curtain. I got a rush in my chest the moment I looked at her—her cheeks still pink, a tiny strand of her hair sticking to the side of her face.
She stopped when I tightened my grip on her, but her eyes were on Jann, which made my chest squeeze and my lip curl back from my teeth.
“It's true, Jann.”
Pulling her to my side, I placed her between my side and the hollow of my wing, boxing her in, shooting a warning look atJann that would leave him in no doubt of his fate if he were to keep advancing with that weapon.
But Jann had stopped moving, his brows so high his forehead was wrinkled.
He stared at her, stunned. Then looked at me, then back to her. Then he took a step back.
“Mate?” he breathed. “What…How?”
“Jann, toss the weapon.Now,”I seethed.
My friend blinked, then looked down at the spear he was holding.
When his head snapped up again, it was to level a measuring look at me. I tensed, ready to take him, but Yilan hugged my arm and whispered, “Just give him a second.”
Jann’s eyes widened when she did that and he shook his head. But a moment later he tossed the spear aside, letting it clatter to the dirt and roll away.
“I knew her flirting lacked heat… but I never imagined—”
“Neither did we,” I growled, then swallowed, trying desperately to bring my body back under control. But the new bond—the singing of my soul—had ignited a frenzy in the beast within me. The dark side of my soul that would kill first and ask questions later. I had heard the stories about the Nephilim who found soulbonds, and the resulting carnage when their women were so much as under the eyes of another Neph. I’d always thought it was just males finding an excuse to unleash.
But I had just been a hairsbreadth from killing my best friend. No mercy. I would havedelightedin killing him if he’d gotten that spear within reach of Yilan. And even though the threat had now passed, my body still quivered and roared for his blood.
And he was one of the good ones.
How the hell was I even going to leave this tent knowing the risk it posed to her?
She was a part of me—physically, spiritually. Even the slightest threat to her would send my instincts into high alert, as ifmylife was in danger.
Because it was, I realized. She was part of me. If she died... I would die.
