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his gaze fixed on the two sentries sitting on the floor way too close to Addyson.
    The four of them stood and faced him, and the males—including Will—moved to stand protectively in front of her. Did they really think he’d hurt her?
    Keegan’s leopard growled inside his head, seeing the males as a threat to someone who belonged to him, to his mate.
    “Answer the damned question,” he growled.
    Addyson stepped forward, but the sentries moved to block her. Keegan growled again. The sight of the other males blocking her from him only pissed him off more.
    Mine .
    Tanner tensed, his muscles flexing as though he was preparing himself for a fight. “We were helping her build her shields.”
    Keegan took a step closer, ignoring the wolf. Nor did he care what Tanner had to say. A possessive need filled him, and all he wanted at that moment was Addyson. With his eyes trained on her, he watched as she darted from behind the sentries to come around to stand between Keegan and them.
    She laid a hand on his chest, halting him. “They were helping me. Will, too. I created a shield and, with practice, can make it stronger.”
    He peered down at her. She smiled weakly as if unsure. He frowned and studied her for several moments before what she said sank in. Shields?
    Fuck.
    She was trying to rebuild the natural shields that kept her gift in check.
    Keegan moved his gaze to Will, who stood apart from the others, wringing his hands and looking as though he was about to bolt at any minute.
    “Out,” he commanded.
    Tanner and Kirk hesitated, but at Addyson’s nod, they walked out of the cave. Keegan knew they didn’t go far. He could hear them shuffling about a few yards from the entrance.
    “Sir?”
    Keegan snapped his gaze to Will, who now stood next to them with his head held high. Keegan breathed in deeply through his nose then exhaled slowly while he tried to keep from physically moving the teen out of his way. “Will, go with the sentries.”
    The boy turned to peer at Addyson. “Will you be okay?”
    She smiled and nodded. Will slowly made his way to the entrance of the cave.
    Once the stone door slid into place, Keegan closed the very short distance between them. She didn’t move, nor did she flinch when he snaked an arm around her waist and drew her into his body, hard. A soft gasp escaped her, and she rested her palms on his chest.
    Even through the cotton of the tee he wore, he felt the growing heat that was always there between them.
    He peered into her violet eyes and frowned. There was a hint of fear hiding behind the strength and control she clung to, although he wasn’t sure if the fear was of him or something else.
    “Are you going to stare at me all night?” she said as she lifted her chin a little higher.
    He felt the right corner of his mouth twitch. “Are you always so brave?”
    She swallowed, and flecks of lavender rippled through her irises. “Only with you,” she whispered then looked away.
    He hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze back to his. “Why is that?” He suspected the answer but wanted to hear it from her.
    “You’re the only one I can have skin-to-skin contact with and not suffer for it.”
    “No pain at all?” he asked while he searched her face. He couldn’t penetrate her mind to see if she was being truthful. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe her, but he wouldn’t put it past Addyson to leave out certain details so he wouldn’t worry about her.
    She drew her brows together, causing creases to form on her forehead. Keegan fought the urge to kiss them away. When she focused on his face, not quite making eye contact, she said, “No, none at all. It’s like everything is…quiet? Maybe my mind is more broken than I thought.”
    She pushed against him to try to break his hold as if she wanted to step away. He let her go and was relieved when she didn’t put more than a foot between them. “Your mind is not broken.” When she opened her mouth as if to argue, he