Page 124 of Elven Crown

“That’s all just shock, right? There’s no way that doesn’t hurt like a bitch.”

“She doesn’t even know what happened to her yet. Look.”

“Knox!” Maxwell barked. “Don’t move.”

“I’ll be fine,” she argued, pausing on one knee as she gripped her belly beside the wooden shard and gave herself a moment to catch her breath again. “I just need to lie down.”

“See?” Rowan gestured toward her. “She just needs a minute without everyone hovering over her. I mean, damn. That would make it hard for anyone.”

“One more word, elf,” Maxwell snarled, “and I will fuck you up.”

Rowan kept his hands raised and chuckled at the shifter, shaking his head.

“Oh, this is funny to you, is it?” Maxwell surged toward him again, his silver eyes blazing with rage.

“In a few different ways, yeah.” Rowan laughed again. “You have no idea.”

“Really, just drop it,” Rebecca cut in, though the effort of raising her voice moved the stake in her belly and almost made her fall over where she knelt.

“You’repathetic!” Maxwell bellowed, ignoring her in favor of unleashing his full wrath on the Blackmoon Elf. “Can’t even own up to your own mistakes. You are exactly what this task force doesn’t need. Your recklessness. Your complete lack of concern and respect.”

“Oh, I’ve got plenty of respect, shifter,” Rowan replied darkly, still grinning. “Just not foryou.”

Maxwell leapt toward him, hands outstretched, and the strobing silver within his eyes looked a lot like he was about to shift before taking Rowan down on his own.

“That’s enough,” Rebecca called out, forcing it to be a little louder this time..

“I don’t give a shit what The Strivingproved,” he snarled, still bearing down on Rowan, seemingly without having heard her. “You don’t belong here, and you never have–”

“Hannigan!” Rebecca barked. “Stand down! That’s in order.”

The effort of shouting above all the other noise left her winded and struggling to maintain her balance even on one knee, but it did the job.

Maxwell froze, his face contorted in another furious snarl, his chest heaving as he glowered at Rowan.

Surely her Head of Security wouldn’t act against a direct order, whether given here in front of everyone or in private.

She hoped.

The next second, Maxwell seemed to realize what she’d ordered him to do, and he turned to look at her. The fury seeping out of his expression gave way to utter confusion.

He didn’t have to understand why she’d told him to stop, just as long as he stopped.

And he did.

Relief washed over Rebecca. She didn’t have it in her to get between them if these two went head-to-head right now. She couldn’t even stand.

Nor did she want to explain to her Head of Security how dangerous it was to keep provoking Rowan Blackmoon without knowing what he was getting into—and especially because she also couldn’t tell himwhy.

But if he kept pushing and Rowan’s patience snapped, the shifter would end up worse off thanshewas right now. The mere thought made her stomach churn.

Or maybe that was the wooden splinter in there…

Then Rebeca had to stop herself and inspect her own thoughts.

Was she that concerned for Maxwell’s safety? Was she trying to protect the shifter who’d been a pain in her ass since day one, no matter what his intentions had been?

Yes, she realized. Because apparently, she was now trying to protect him.

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