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Aiden closed the distance with little effort. His need to avenge his other half dominated him.

With a strong grip, he seized the rogue by the hair and jerked his head sideways.

“Aiden, no!” Riley screamed, but her warning came too late.

His fangs tore into the rogue’s throat and ripped out his jugular. He spit the torn flesh from his mouth and dropped the lifeless body at his feet—a testament to what he would do to anyone who tried to take his Korrena away from him.

He turned to deal with Noah, but he had vanished.

“I’ve called reinforcements to clean this up,” Dominic called, striding forward.

Aiden’s chest heaved, and he trembled violently. The fury coursing through his body hadn’t diminished. When Dominic got close enough, Aiden snarled at him in warning.

Hands lifted, Dominic canted his head to the side. “It’s me, Dom. Listen to me,” he said in a soothing tone like one would a rabid animal.

“We need to get you out of here. This is bad.” He motioned to the corpse on the ground. “You’ve committed a crime punishable by death. As a member of the Blackthorn Clan, I’m obligated to take you in.”

Aiden growled at him but stopped himself from stepping toward the new threat.

Dominic lifted his hands again. “Listen to me. I’m not going to,” he said, voice softening. “You think I don’t recognize what’s happening?” Dominic looked over his shoulder at Charlotte, prompting another growl.

“You protected what you cared for, so I won’t do it, but you need to get out of here. I’ll do what I can to cover this up. I have someone local who can dispose of the body before word gets back to Blackthorn Security or the clan, but I can’t hide what you look like. Go. Clean up and heal before you return.”

After seeing them on the dance floor and witnessing Aiden’s response to the rogue biting her, Dominic clearly saw the truth of their connection.

“You need to run,” Seth said, coming forward, concern etched in his features.

Charlotte moved forward, catching Aiden’s eye. He stepped around Dominic to look at her. He had to know she was safe.

The first thing that hit him was the overwhelming fear radiating from her. She looked paler than normal, her eyes glossy and red, streaks of black mascara staining her cheeks.

He stepped forward, reaching up to touch her face. When she flinched and stumbled back a step, the rage that fueled him evaporated into nothing. Her fear sobered him.

Of course she feared him. He was the monster, and she was the innocent human. Prey to devour—at least through her eyes. He was nothing more than a predator.

He knew his eyes were glowing in the alley’s darkness. Blood ran down his chin from killing another Vasirian. His fangs grazing his lip added to the terrifying visage. The gouges in his cheek undoubtedly looked horrific.

His gaze flicked to Lukas, and he barked, “Get her to the academy.”

“She can’t! They’ll wipe her memory!” Riley protested, glancing at Dominic as if he would call on the clan to charge in and do it there and then.

“W-what?” Charlotte sucked in a breath as she stepped away from both Dominic and Riley. “I don’t want my memory erased,” she said, voice hitching with alarm.

“No one is touching her!” Aiden roared, startling them all. His voice dropped to a low rasp as he fought to get his demons under control. “No one touches her,” he rasped, voice guttural.

Lukas positioned himself behind Charlotte, not physically touching her in an effort not to provoke Aiden, but showing his commitment to protect her in Aiden’s place.

He nodded his thanks to Lukas and then his gaze settled on Charlotte’s face. “No one is going to hurt you. I’ll die before I let that happen.”

The tears rolling down her cheeks combined with her fear split him open.

Part of him wondered if it would be a good thing for her to forget. To forget him. He didn’t want her to know fear at this level. Didn’t want this night to traumatize her further and bring more nightmares. Didn’t want her bound to someone she would fear her entire life.

The mere thought of her forgetting him hurt.

Not able to look at her any longer, his gaze swung to Riley, and he said the words he dreaded sharing from the moment it became his reality.

“They won’t wipe my Korrena’s memory.”