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This wasn’t a mistake, he thought. This was right where she belonged.

“Rhage, why are you doing all this for me? I mean, you don’t really owe me anything, and you hardly know me.”

Because you’re mine, he thought.

Keeping that little ditty to himself, he bent down and stroked her cheek with his forefinger. “This won’t take long.”

“Rhage—”

“Just let me take care of you. And don’t worry about a thing.”

He shut the door behind him and turned the lock before going down the hall. The brothers were waiting at the head of the stairs, Wrath at the front of the group. The king looked grim, black eyebrows buried behind his sunglasses.

“Where do you want to do this?” Rhage asked.

“My study.”

After they’d filed into the formal room, Wrath went behind the desk and sat down. Tohr followed him, standing behind him and to his right. Phury and Z settled against a silk-covered wall. Vishous sat in one of the wing chairs next to the fireplace and lit up a hand-rolled.

Wrath shook his head. “Rhage, man, we got serious problems here. You violated a direct order. Twice. Then you drag a human into this house, which you know is forbidden—”

“She’s in danger—”

Wrath slammed his fist into the desk, making the whole thing jump off the floor. “You really don’t want to interrupt me right now.”

Rhage worked his molars, grinding, biting. He forced the words of respect he usually offered freely. “I meant no offense, my lord.”

“As I was saying, you disobeyed Tohr, and compounded the offense by showing up with a human. What the hell are you thinking? I mean, shit, you’re not an idiot, in spite of how you’re behaving. She’s from the other world, so she’s rank exposure for us. And you have to know her memories are both long-term and traumatic by now. She is permanently compromised.”

Rhage felt a growl condense in his chest and he just couldn’t suck it back. The sound permeated the room like an odor. “She will not be killed over this.”

“Yeah, see, that’s not your call. You made it mine when you brought her onto our turf.”

Rhage barred his fangs. “Then I’ll leave. I’ll leave with her.”

Wrath’s brows popped up over his wraparounds. “Now’s not the time for threats, my brother.”

“Threats? I’m dead fucking serious!” He calmed himself down by rubbing his face and trying to breathe. “Look, last night the two of us were jumped by multiple lessers. She got jacked and I left at least one of those slayers alive while trying to save her. She lost her purse in the process, and if any of those lessers survived, you know they’ve picked up the damn thing. Even if I wipe her memories clean, her house is not secure and I’m not going to let her be taken out by the Society. If she and I can’t stay here, and the only way I can protect her is by disappearing with her, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

Wrath frowned. “You realize you’re choosing a female over the Brotherhood.”

Rhage exhaled. Jesus. He hadn’t expected the situation to come down to that. But he guessed it had.

Unable to stay in place, he went over to one of the windows that ran from floor to ceiling. Looking outside, he saw the terraced gardens, the swimming pool, the vast rolling lawn. But he didn’t focus on the manicured landscape. What he saw was the protection the compound offered.

Security lights illuminated the vista. Cameras mounted in trees recorded every passing moment. Motion sensors monitored each colorful leaf that fell to the ground. And if anyone tried to surmount that wall, they’d do a meet-and-greet with 240 volts of good night, Gracie.

This was the safest environment for Mary. Bar none.

“She’s not just any female to me,” he murmured. “I would have her as my shellan, if I could.”

Someone cursed while several others inhaled sharply.

“You don’t even know her,” Tohr pointed out. “And she’s a human.”

“So.”

Wrath’s voice was low, insistent. “Rhage, man, don’t pull out of the Brotherhood over this. We need you. The race needs you.”

“Then it looks like she’s staying here, doesn