head throbbed like I'd been hit, but there was no pain, just pressure. Lik

rushed dirt.

my eyes

across the void. I was lying on a blanket of pine needles in a circl

t. The dizziness

en I s

zr

ocus that didn't feel casual. His scar caught the flame light, mak

aid. "You dr

tered. My voice

her pouch toward me. I

ell

dn't

e nausea," he

tter, earthy. I didn't recognize the scent, but it calme

ppened?"

ad a b

wha

e pushed too close to the surface to

hat like i

For yo

I snapped

ing me off. "Stop fighti

elt dry. "That voice I

dn't

think I said-" I hesitated, searching his

es. No flinc

said. "But I didn'

rned. "What d

rdered to kill Ca

somewhere between shock and fury

Thorne's command. You were his mate. Huma

ut I stayed upright. "You

disobeyed the order. That's why I'

rt racing. "Why didn't

were going to survive the chan

ai

e a carrier, they'd wait for you to awaken. Then track

dn't breathe. "The

t you re

him, arms wrapped tight around my ri

" I asked. "You d

He didn't want to follow his

you from standing

me stand against

f he was lying. I didn't want to believe h

again. "What

ed. Broader. A shadow shaped lik

"Forget this. Go back. Pretend he

if I

are. And what the Draven

im. "That's n

y one that ke

"You talk like

To them, you died the

the pouch. I didn't eve

just one step, but it fe

said. "Not for you. For

not r

wil

Sparks floated up

rned

moved, the weight in his steps. Not casual. Not

," I

pau

e," I said. "Back in the

't turn

have to,"

into the tree