kne

wing at my skin. I tried to move, but my limbs were lead. Distantly, voi

ring the ground. My vision blurred, moonlight fract

gripped my shoulders, r

e was ice, his touch

k at

arkness swall

-

The scent of pin

abbed my forehead. Rough finge

e muttered. "So go

nde

ght. Xander didn't care

traced my jaw-gentle, almost rever

laugh. *I

touched my l

. The taste of her

" Xander

bove mine, shadows carving lines of exhaus

saw me w

e tenderness vanis

on the nightstand, a half-empty glass of water besi

d me. He c

e word sc

igid. "You're my mate. Letting

ar

m spinning. "Since when d

t turn.

You'll f

tensed. "Don

bed, bare feet hitting c

o strides, pinning me to the

r breaths tangled, his eyes flicking to my lips. For

ing a hand through his h

ter. "Takes on

ed. Moonlight pooled between

"You shouldn't h

uldn't have

snapped u

higher, suddenly small. "You wanted r

thing fractured in hi

ed. Wind rattl

" I whispered. "Out the

tly. "I told y

bout me!" My voice crack

d. "You'r

rds. Thr

slammed b

-

tness, the regret. A memory surfaced, unbidden: our bonding night. His hands s

one, lost somewhere in

allway. I froze,

rame, hesitating. He crossed to the bed, movements si

ry," he

et I almost missed th

d burned him, retre

I whis

, hand on

eas

at.

ck cli

yes shut, tears

-

ining yard, shirtless, slamming fists into a punching bag.

topped. "You sh

expect

itched. "F

Lie smoot

, wiping his face.

o.

es

us. Warriors nodded to Xander, ignoring me. Lillian'

r, he gripped my

"Or what? You'l

kened. "Don'

or, gaze darting b

him, staring at

storm in

haled.

the transfusion band hi

slid in, I c

Then the fi