Even though she knew her sister and Jinx would kill to protect her, it didn’t fill the void that was there from never having known safety as a child.

To know that any moment her entire life could be blown apart by the selfishness of someone else.

Even her own father.

Damn you, you sonofabitch . . .

She still wanted to find her father’s remains and just beat the shit out of him. She could only imagine how much repressed fury Hadrian hid. Hers simmered constantly in her soul like a shield volcano just waiting to burst forth and burn everything in its path.

Sense be damned.

It was what made her such a powerful warrior. That ability to tap the raw, unspent fury and unleash it against whoever was dumb enough to be in her path when it broke.

There was nothing like it.

And here they were . . .

About to depart on another journey into the unknown.

Syn glanced past them. “Sadly, I can’t join you two personally. Can’t take time off from the hospital. But . . .” He grinned at something over her head. “I summoned a backup.”

Jayne turned to look behind her.

Her jaw went slack as she saw a huge Andarion male heading for them. She would say he was as wide as he was tall, but the beast was at least as tall as Hadrian, or taller. If he were that wide, he wouldn’t be able to come through a normal doorway. Though to be honest, he did have to bend over to make it.

Damn.

His long, black braids were immaculately pulled back into a single ponytail. At his age, she’d expect him to be in their military, yet he wore civilian clothing.

And while it’d always bothered her whenever someone commented on her eye color or Eve’s, she now understood why Andarion eyes were disconcerting. That pale white really stood out against his dark skin.

They alone would have made him appear feral and fierce. Combined with his fangs . . .

Full-blooded Andarions were scary creatures.

Hadrian straightened up slowly to face him. She was impressed that he met him as an equal. If he had any fear, he kept it completely concealed.

Syn grinned at her before he addressed them. “Hadrian meet Hauk.”

Hauk inclined his head to Hadrian.

Hadrian just arched a brow. “He is definitely not going to fit in my fighter . . . even by himself.”

Jayne laughed.

And so did Hauk. Shaking his head, he scowled at Syn. “These the two?”

“Yeah.”

“Awesome.” He swept his gaze from Hadrian to her and then paused. “Sorry. I don’t mean to stare. You just remind me of someone.”

“Friend?” she asked.

“Almost family. But she’s Andarion.”

Hadrian’s frown deepened as he met Jayne’s gaze. “Are you related to Galene Batur?”

She wasn’t sure who was most stunned by the question. Her or Hauk.

“My cousin. Why?”

Hadrian clapped Hauk on the shoulder. “Explains why they favor.”