Derek
By shoving the female vampire, Kyra had given him the opening he needed.
He couldn't think about how angry he was right then. All he knew was that he wasn't going to let Kyra die.
He was mated to a traitor.
He was bonded to a female who’d betrayed him and his pack.
And not only that, but their bond was strong. He’d never heard of a couple who didn’t live together having such a strong bond that allowed them to speak telepathically in full sentences. Those kinds of connections usually took years to develop.
Maybe she had set him up. Maybe she'd endangered his entire pack, but she had realized what she had done was wrong and she’d tried her best to fix it. Maybe it was too little too late, but she had done it. And he had to appreciate that she had gone against these powerful vampires who'd raised her, knowing what the consequences might be.
He would not let them hurt her.
But she didn't want him to hurt them either, he could tell that through the bond. But she’d held her tongue, which he appreciated.
He could also feel her conflicted feelings through the bond, and her genuine horror at the entire situation. She’d been tricked by Victor and brainwashed. All of it was flashing through his mind, just like an old black and white movie.
But he couldn't let them go. They were planning to kidnap and turn part of his pack into vampire hybrids. They would always be a threat. Roman arrived in time, along with Jameson and Tristan, to help them secure the vampires.
They would have to meet and decide what would happen to them.
Finally, Derek could keep his eyes open no longer. He'd lost a lot of blood with the silver knife, and his body wasn't healing quickly.
He knew that he could trust Jameson and Roman in the meantime to handle the situation with care. He grabbed Tristan's hand. "Don't let anyone hurt her. She's a traitor, but she's my mate.”
Tristan looked at him with wide eyes. “Are you sure, brother? You don't want her locked up with them?”
“No. Don't let her on pack land, but don't lock her up with them either — they’ll kill her. If you have to detain her, do it somewhere else. Make sure they can’t get to her.”
Tristan patted his arm. "Whatever you say. I know Roman will follow your lead on this.”
Derek felt slightly better with that assurance. Roman might override him on some things but not on this. He wasn’t asking for anyone to forgive her, he was just asking for her not to be locked up with the vampires.
He was aware of Kyra crouching over him.
Roman had one hand on her shoulder, gripping it. He knew his brother would be protected. And he didn't blame him one bit.
What Kyra had done was unthinkable. Yet a part of him understood it. What would he have done in her position?
When Roman had lost his father, they had all rallied around him. He had nonstop support. What if Roman had been abandoned by his pack? What if Derek himself had been cast out alone at a young age? Would he have fallen victim to the same scheme? He didn't think he was any better of a shifter than Kyra was.
Kyra put her hands on his cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Derek. I’m sorry for all of it. I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you. Please hold on. Your whole pack loves you so much. I can tell.”
Then Roman was dragging her away. “You’ve got to move so I can get him out of here. I need to get him back to our healers. We cannot wait any longer, or they might not be able to treat him.”
As hard as he tried to fight it, Derek finally felt his eyes close.