lying face up on the bed, grey, silky hair scattered all over the pillow with hands clasped over his stomach like a cadaver awaitin
her palm as another bout of pain wracked his lithe frame. He let out a strangled hiss, she winced at her inabil
Wiping the sweat coating his forehead with her sleeve, her eyes darted to the tra
." Bending to retrieve the cup, her hand found his back as she helped him into a si
oint living without his beloved. It hurt her too, as much as it did him, that he
trembled as he pushed the cup away. His smile would have lit up the room but
he did. "You said it won't hurt so much, it would feel like a broken rib and I wou
s healed but her first shift, her head shook as waves of painful memories rolled over her. It was a crawl th
there, you promised to always be there." Her eyelids fluttered open, she smiled at him and held his hand to
oulders trembled as another bout of cough took over him, Hadiza leaned over her brother, jet black hair form
, they aged faster after losing their mates but they never got this sick. Only hu
oor mind could conjure. His breathing evened out, he smiled but she could feel his life slipping and her wol
e fine. Another decade fo
forehead betrayed the laughter spilling from his lips with reckless abandon, sh
tickled him until he wheezed. Jutting her lip, her eyes scanned his face for any s
hest, his lips puckered. "
closed eyelids, heat flo
ed her nose. "You dare to
ceiling. She let out a wistful sigh, pushing down the images his words elicited,
s glancing in her direction. It wasn't always the case, she had known she would grow into a stunning woman but when breasts sprouted fr
t accusatory. Education was of great importance in
nnoticed, she said, "Quiet." He snickered, she hissed in response. "What about your first hunt? I killed it."
fed. "Q
only killed when his duty demanded it of him. A single shot to the deer's eye, he
s from her childhood, long before responsibilities put a wedge between them, befo
id Zebulun's breathing and
a low voice dripping with
e squeezed his eyes shut and she plastered a fake smi
years, as long as they had their mates by their sid
w, he whispered, "I
ned to her while her eyes tried to bore holes into the high ceiling. Not once did t
to stop. It couldn't be. Tears stung her eyes, her lips quivered as her gaze fell on the motionless frame
rs so they framed his face. Her lips met his forehead in a final kiss, she palmed
d and allowed a few moments to pass. When her heart s
hing howl. A series of howls returned from outside the mansion, she nodded. They felt it too, the void in her heart. Her fingers splayed
ain and the gravity of it all slowly settled on her sho
dead. The Al