“What do you think you're doing?” Aidan's angry voice snapped Brennan out of his reverie as he wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel. He'd had to train alone because Rhiannon hadn't come down to join him that day.

“I'm trying to stay sane, because, in case you haven't noticed, your mate isn't the only one who's a prisoner. Apparently we are too,” his Beta replied with a shrug.

Aidan snorted in annoyance.

“I'm doing this to protect her...”

“Keep thinking that if it lets you sleep at night,” Brennan replied. “But the reality is that this circus you've put together has an expiration date. You can't use the excuse that you want to protect her forever; we can't be locked up forever and more importantly, I'm not so sure she's willing to stay with you forever.”

“What are you talking about? She's my mate!” Aidan was annoyed.

“So what? I would bet my right arm that she'd be a thousand miles away from you by now if you'd opened that door for her a month ago.”

Aidan growled in frustration