Chapter 18 WHEN SHADOW LINGERS

Xina had never felt so overwhelmed in her life. She could usually retreat into her mind, cursing the world and indulging in fantasies that she knew would never come true. Her thoughts were her sanctuary, a private space where she could be free, but now, that sanctuary was under siege. There were beings around her who could read her mind, intruding upon her most private thoughts. The mere idea of it made her feel as though she was standing naked in front of a crowd. Xina pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to stave off the dizziness that was starting to creep in. It was hard to keep her mind straight, to prevent those embarrassing, intrusive thoughts from surfacing. The ones you would never want anyone else to see. “Do your people have no concept of privacy? Do you all just read each other's minds all the time?” she asked, her voice laced with exasperation. Gillian, who was driving, glanced at her through the rearview mirror, noting how distressed the alpha's mate appeared. “You c