Page 20 of Pledge Of A Bobcat

And all it took was one look at him to know that he wasn’t going to let us walk away without a fight.

“We’re not looking for trouble,” Ellis said, holding his hands up in surrender.

Xander let out a wicked laugh. “Doesn’t matter. You’ve already found it,” he whispered, his fingers flexing at his sides. “And now, I can’t let you leave.”

A chill entered the air—sending ice trickling through my veins. This man was evil.

Pure evil.

Ellis’s stance in front of me remained strong, but something wasn’t right. His breathing hitched, and he drew his hands up to his head while a low growl ripped from somewhere deep inside him, causing panic unlike anything I’d ever felt before to hit me so hard my knees grew weak.

“Ellis?” I whispered.

Another guttural and purely animalistic growl tore through him. His head tipped back as he fisted his hair, and I realized then what was happening.

Xander had gotten inside his head.

I watched, locked in helpless terror, as Ellis’s body stiffened, his muscles trembling with the effort of resisting Xander’s control. His face contorted in pain, his eyes—once so steady, warm, and kind—flickered with panic as his breath came in short, ragged gasps.

“Run!” he ordered.

But I couldn’t move.

I stood in place, trapped by the horror unfolding in front of me. His eyes brightened with his bobcat, their golden hue glowing fiercely as he struggled against the shift that Xander seemed to be forcing on him. His body trembled, muscles tensing as if caught in a violent tug-of-war between his human side and the beast within.

I could see the strain etched in his face.

Ellis let out a low, guttural sound, half-growl, half-scream. His bones contorted while his body unwillingly gave into the shift, and I couldn’t imagine how much pain he must be in.

“That’s it,” Xander muttered, stepping closer, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. “Let your bobcat out to play.”

“Run!” Ellis screamed at me again.

I had to do something. I couldn’t stand by and watch as Xander tore him apart from the inside out, forcing his bobcat to release, but I didn’t know how to help him. I had no idea how tobreak Xander’s hold on him, but I couldn’t lose Ellis to his sick mind control either.

I wouldn’t.

“Ellis,” I whispered, my voice trembling, raw with fear.

He didn’t respond. His eyes were vacant, as though he was lost in the darkness Xander had wrapped around his mind.

When Xander stepped closer, his gaze flicked from Ellis to me.

“You know what’s most gratifying about this situation?” he sneered. “He’s strong. But even the strongest have a weakness to break them. You. Are. His. Weakness,” he said, enunciating every word and I felt the blood in my veins turn to ice.

8

ELLIS

The moment Xander’s presence invaded my mind, panic hit me hard—sharp and suffocating. I never thought I’d feel this again. Not after Lucius. Not after everything.

But here I was, being pulled under his control once more.

Xander’s grip was as cold and relentless as Lucius’s ever was. I tried to push him out, but I couldn’t. Even in spirit form, Lucius was strong.

Stronger than me.

Rachel.