I stared at Tyler Westwood's face, watching his expression morph from confidence to shock as my words sank in.
"Let me make this absolutely clear," I said, my voice low and controlled despite the rage building inside me. "Isabelle is under my protection. No one will be using her blood for anything."
Tyler quickly regained his composure, smoothing down his expensive suit jacket. "Liam, be reasonable. The properties of her bloodline could advance medical science by decades. My family would ensure she's treated with the utmost respect—"
"Respect?" I laughed coldly. "Like the 'respect' the Veridia City Martial Guild showed her when they kept her prisoner and drained her blood like she was livestock?"
Tyler had the decency to look uncomfortable. "That was... regrettable. But we're different."
