~Annalyn POV~
Biat's hand fell away, though his eyes did not lower. "I was keeping her safe."
The air tightened between them again and even now, even here, when our people bled, the wound between them threatened to split wider.
I stepped forward quickly, my voice sharper than I intended. "Enough! This isn't the time."
Both men froze, for once, they looked at me instead of each other. My chest rose and fell fast, but I held their eyes in turn. "If you want me safe, then fight for the pack, not against each other."
Lupus's jaw tightened, but he gave a sharp nod, his eyes lingering on mine longer than they should have and Biat said nothing, only turned and lifted his sword once more.
The moment passed, but its weight pressed on me even as I drew in the smoke-filled air, the screams deepened ahead, sharper now. We pushed forward through the chaos, and it was then I saw the truth of Biat's words.
