**Harper''s POV **


    "Get out!" Chase growls.


    No one moves.


    The room feels like it is suspended in a breathless stillness as no one dares move or breathe. Chase''s growl rumbles against my chest, his head still resting there like I''m the only thing anchoring him to this world. I keep my arms stiff at my sides, unsure if touching hint would soothe or provoke him further.


    "Back up. Slowly," Finleymands, his voice tight with warning. "If we startle him, Harper''s dead." Great. That''sforting. My mate wouldn''t hurt me, would he?


    Chase inhales again, the sound almost a purr this time. "They''re scared," he murmurs, sounding pleased. His fingers tracezy circles on my waist, too soft for how rough his hands feel. "I like it when people fe I nce toward the door again, where my guys still hover. Archie''s fists are clenched like he''s holding himself back from lunging. Dillon looks ready to explode, but Finley''s calcted gaze meets mine. He is  I shake my head the tiniest bit. Not yet. Chase is my bond, he might listen to me.


    "Chase," I whisper, my voice barely audible.


    He hums again in response.


    "I''m... I''m not afraid of you," I lie.


    His head lifts slowly, eyes gleaming with the blue of his gifts. "No?"


    "No." I swallow hard. Trying to sound confident and failing miserably.


    He studies me for a long, quiet moment. Then his big body shifts to sit up slightly, still straddling my legs and pinning me to his


    bed. His expression is unreadable in the dim light, but there''s a flicker of something. Confusion?


    "Your heart''s racing," he says, pressing a hand over my chest.


    "I''m just cold," I say, hoping the tremble in my voice passes for a shiver.


    "You shouldn''t be cold," he says with a frown, like it''s a personal failure. "My mate shouldn''t be cold."


    Mate. He called me mate. That means his wolf must recognise me as his.


    I nce toward the others again and this time Dillon takes a careful step forward. Chase''s head snaps in his direction and a snarl tears out of him, his whole body vibrating with it.


    He''s going to shift.


    "Don''t," I beg, sitting up quickly and cing both palms on his chest. "Chase, please, stay with me. Focus on me.''


    His gaze flicks back to mine. I don''t know what he sees there, but the growl fades, and some of the tension bleeds out of his shoulders. "You smell like honey and coconuts," he says, breathing deeply.


    I don''t know what to say to that. So I just keep my hands on his chest and breathe.


    "Come on, Chase," Finley says gently from the doorway. "Let Harper go now. She''s tired, and you don''t want to scare her, right?"


    Chase''s jaw works like he''s fighting


    some internal war. Then, slowly, he


    shifts his weight off me. I sit


    up,


    careful not to make any sudden


    movements.


    "Don''t leave," he says, and it''s not amand, it''s more of a plea.


    "I won''t," I lie again, because I will absolutely be gone the moment he lets me.


    He leans forward and presses his forehead to mine for a second. "Mine," he whispers.


    "Yours." I confirm with a nod.


    Chase takes another breath and then releases me. I slip off the bed and move toward the door where the guys are waiting, their gazes fixed on my barely controlled bond on the bed.


    As soon as I''m out of arm''s reach, Dillon grabs my wrist and yanks me behind him.


    Finley steps forward, his yfulness gone and his tone sharper than I''ve ever heard it.


    "She''s not ready, Chase. She only joined the academy yesterday. Her wolf hasn''t even woken up yet."