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Carver bursts into the room. “Raina, stop!” He grabs my shoulders and pulls me away, but I dig my nails into Drake’s skin, growling and screaming.

The mage grasps at my arms, trying to pull me off, but I won’t let him go. Not until he dies or I do.

“Let go of him,” Carver says, pulling at me.

I shrug him off. “No! He fucked with my head again, and you’re still taking his side!”

“He didn’t do it!” Carver shouts.

“You’re lying,” I snarl, glaring at him over my shoulder.

His gray eyes are a storm, and they catch me in the whirlwind of his command. {{Release him.}}

Biting my cheek until blood fills my mouth, I try to resist his mindcraft, but it’s impossible. He’s too strong. My hands loosen around Drake’s neck, and that’s all the mage needs. He shoves his arms between mine, forces my hands apart, and bucks me off of him.

We both scramble up. I lunge for him again, but someone catches me around the waist.

“Easy, sweet ruin.” Bellamy.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I scream, writhing and bucking.

A ferocious roar tears through the house, rattling the walls, and seconds later, a giant lion runs into the room. Rowan’s strong jowls snap, golden eyes molten, but he hesitates when he finds that it’s only me and his bonded. He takes a step toward me, then pauses, glancing at his vinculum in question.

Great, the gang’s all fucking here!

{{Calm down,}} Carver demands.

Calm down, calm down, calm down. My chest heaves as my lungs drag in a deep breath against my will. My body works to comply, but my mind riots at the thought. Still, I can’t fight Carver’s mindcraft.

I cling to my anger, but it slips out of my grasp. Fuck him. Fuck all of them. Once my breathing has calmed and my body stops trembling in anger, Carver releases a heavy breath.

“What happened?” he demands, scowling at Drake.

“She attacked me,” the mage says, eyes drilling into me. “She thinks I cast some illusion.”

“You did,” I hiss. “You made me think I killed my parents!”

He recoils, looking stricken. Someone give him a fucking Oscar. The mage knows how to put on a show. “I didn’t do that.”

“You’re fucking lying,” I snarl, grabbing at Bellamy’s forearms, trying to force them off me. Panic claws at my chest as he tightens his hold, a reminder of another man who held me in place surfacing.

No.

Not that memory.

Not now.

I’ve barely recovered from whatever that was outside the facilities building; I can’t afford to panic now. I don’t trust any of them.

Rowan growls, prowling closer, glowing gaze flicking between me and Bellamy.

Carver eyes him, the hold Bellamy has, and then my face. “Let her go,” he commands.

Bellamy immediately releases me, and I waste no time going for Drake again. I make it all of two steps in the mage’s direction before Carver interferes.

{{Stop!}} His command pins me in place.

I still try to resist, try to lift my feet, but they’re cemented to the floor. I fist my hands and scream in frustration, the new command giving me leave to feel my full rage. “All of you are fucking with me. I’m not your fucking toy,” I snap at Bellamy.