Chapter 6: Fevered Bonds

The knowledge that Marcus’s men were lurking at the edges of the territory cast a long shadow over the following days. The forced proximity to Kaine became even more strained, charged with a new, watchful tension. Every rustle in the forest beyond the compound walls made my heart leap into my throat. Kaine’s demeanor, if possible, grew even more remote and vigilant. He was constantly on edge, his senses attuned to every possible threat, and the bond transmitted that relentless pressure to...