Chapter 84

“Emma…Gideon needs…he needs to know that Marcus…”

“We know.” She reached out to skim her fingers over her cheek, lowering her walls just enough to try and ease some of his pain. “But it’s okay. Gideon’s strong. He’s not going to be taken by surprise.”

Emma’s only warning was the sudden spark of pure terror that jumped from Jesse’s skin to her fingers. Before she looked up, she felt a strong hand curl around her hair, and then she was being yanked to her feet.

“He’s strong, but…” Marcus took a deep breath. No, not breathing. He was sniffingat her. “Not strong enough, I’m afraid.”

Panic swelled in her throat. It crawled over her skin, made the blood rush in her ears. The second she heard the hungry growl at her neck, however, Emma realized her mistake.

He fed off pain. Off fear. She hadn’t spent so much time learning how to protect herself from wayward emotions to make things even worse for Jesse. She had to help. In the only way she could.