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“The only nastiness in here is you. Once you leave, I’ll be right as rain.” I cross my arms over my chest. This tit-for-tat has long since grown tiresome, but there’s no way I’m just going to let her stand there and talk shit without giving her something to chew on.

“All right, you two, play nice,” Corbin orders from where he’s seated with Karsyn in his arms.

“I’m always nice.” Sibley waves a hand in the air. “What do you say, Primal? You going to be nice to me?” She smirks at me, and for some reason, instead of wanting to bite her head off, I have the strange urge to walk over to her and inhale her scent. To smell that sass right from the source. Maybe even bury my face between her thighs and taste her.

Ugh. . . the thought makes me shudder with disgust.

“I’ll be nice when you leave. Isn’t it time you were on your way?” I ask, turning away from her.

She sighs. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. No need to overstay my welcome.”

“Don’t listen to the ass. You’re not overstaying your welcome. Primal just hasn’t learned to play with the other kids yet. You can stay,” Karsyn says sweetly.

Part of me wants to turn around and throttle her, but I know my Prez would kill me for it. The quickest way to get on his bad side is to mess with his woman or his kids. No one fucks with them. Not that any of us would. Karsyn earned the respect she has from all of us.

So I wouldn’t throttle her, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to right now. I can play nice with everyone around me. Just not Sibley.

Honestly, it doesn’t really matter to me whether she stays or not. I know she’s not a threat, just an annoyance at least to me.

“No, honestly, it’s time for me to head out. I still need to see Orpheus and Aziz before I head home.”

Justice pipes up, “You need a ride?”

“No . . . I’m . . .” Sibley’s voice drops, and I hear her breathing slow as her eyes glaze over.

Fuck. I’ve seen her do this once before.

I don’t know why I care, but I jump out of my chair and move toward her. I don’t get too close.

“Sibley?” Justice says her name.

“What the hell is going on?” Corbin asks next.

"She’s having a vision," Karsyn remarks.

Everyone must be noticing what I notice, but I’m the closest to her.

“Sibley,” I bark her name, but Justice growls at me. He’s putting me in my place. Usually it works.

However, it doesn’t this time.

I completely disregard the unspoken order and step directly in front of Sibley, my arms wrapping around her just as her eyes roll back in her head and her body goes limp.

“Fuck,” I snarl, tightening my arms around her to keep her from falling.

I’ve seen her have visions before. I’ve seen her go through this process, but none of them has ever been this intense.

“Get the chair. Now,” Justice orders, and I hear people moving in the background. Suddenly, there isn’t a hint of joy in the air. Something is definitely wrong with Sibley.

I can’t move. All I can do is hold her and keep her safe. “I’m here. You’re okay. It’s okay,” I whisper over and over, keeping her in my arms and trying to steady myself as I wait for her to come out of whatever is happening to her.

A few moments ago, I was so concerned about her getting out of my space, but now just the thought of something happening to her is enough to make my heart nearly beat out of my chest.

That same heart in my chest nearly cracks open when Sibley opens her mouth and cries out in pain.

There is nothing I can do but hold her.

My lion roars inside my chest as it claws, trying to break free and destroy the threat no one in the room can see.