Page 68 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

Everything hurt, but where he touched her, the pain seemed to subside. He scooped her up and sat on the floor behind the table, cradling her against his chest. “Shh, Schatzi,” he whispered. “It will be okay.”

Anna melted into his embrace and she wished she could wrap her arms around him, but her limbs wouldn’t work and she couldn’t stop shaking. The warmth radiating from his chest began to soothe her mind and body.

“What the fuck did you just do?” Devin towered above Alex, glaring down at him. His voice was ominously low, his rage just simmering beneath the surface, and Anna struggled to breathe from the force of it.

The same fury radiated out from Alex, though it didn’t frighten her. For some reason. “I kept you from breaking a beautiful creature and sucking the life out of her.” Alex’s accented voice was equally low and deadly. “And more.”

More? What else could Devin have done to her?

“How dare you! You had no right?—‍”

Wilhelm appeared next to the table and handed Alex a black blanket. “And what right did you have to perform that ritual? We do not treat them like this. They are not animals. They deserve our respect.”

Alex wrapped the blanket around her, capturing his body heat and warming her to the core.

Devin snorted with derision. “What do you know?”

“We know quite a bit,” Wilhelm said calmly.

A flash of fear shot through Devin’s mind, but he pushed it aside. Anna wondered how she could feel him so keenly. “This was not your concern, Alex. You shouldn’t have interfered.”

“Anna is my concern, regardless of your belief otherwise.”

Devin stared down at Alex, and Anna felt a tiny bit of hesitation. “I can undo it, you know.”

“I do. Once she’s old enough. But I don’t plan on letting you.”

“What do you care what I do? This isn’t your country.”

“True, but I have a responsibility to Anna.”

Devin frowned and clenched his jaw. “Why?”

Alex shrugged.

He had a responsibility to her? He hated her!

Devin flashed a wicked grin at Alex. “I can have you killed for what you just did. One country’s Brotherhood doesn’t interfere with another country’s. Especially Sons.”

Alex shook his head. “Anything you do to me puts her in danger. I hope you know that.”

A moment of silence followed. Anna could feel Devin’s confusion.

“If you kill me, you will kill her.” Alex laughed bitterly. “I’m bonded to her as much as you are. Of course, the same thing goes for me. If I kill you, I’ll kill her.” Alex paused and his voice turned deadly cold. “That’s the only reason you’re still alive.”

Devin cackled. “You would dare kill an Elder, Elder-Son?”

“I would,” Alex said, almost casually. “I’ve done it before. Recently, as a matter of fact.”

Anna felt another jolt of fear rush through Devin’s body, but he quickly brushed it aside. “That was you?”

“That was me. Of course, I was only following orders.” Alex lifted his right hand and Devin squinted, his brows furrowed. Anna thought Alex was flipping Devin off, but then she saw the glint of gold and diamonds on Alex’s little finger.

The warmth of Alex’s body and the comfort in his arms, together with everything that had happened, made Anna’s eyes heavy.

Alex had saved her from whatever Devin had tried to do to her. Maybe that’s why she dreamed of him. Something inside her told her Alex was safe.

Was Devin?

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