“Safe. On the beach.”
The ocean stretched infinitely into the distance and rolled softly along the
shallow shore. Clouds raced through the sky high above, though the wind
along the coast was nearly still.
I was naked in Jaxson’s arms, but I didn’t care. We’d just shared
something that went beyond bodies. Something deeper, something magical.
I pulled myself closer and kissed him again, then twisted so that I could
see behind us.
The entrance to the Dreamlands beneath the strange tree was gone,
replaced by only a collapsed, dead-end cave.
I bit my lips. “The sorcerer…”
“You killed him.”
Had I? It was hard to believe, and doubt gnawed at me. What about
Dragan? The image of his ghostly face haunted me. I’d have to tell Jaxson
what had happened, but exhaustion weighed me down. I turned my eyes to
Jaxson’s. “And the sleepers?”
He brushed my hair. “We freed them. They’re all safe, thanks to you.”
My heartbeat slowly began to accelerate. Memories surfaced, and my
breath caught. “But you weren’t going to save them—you were going to save
me. Kahanov…he said you didn’t have a choice. That you’d let them die to
protect me. Had to. What did he mean?”
Jaxson looked out over the ocean, and I felt his trepidation.
I grabbed a handful of his tattered shirt. “What did he mean, Jaxson?
There’s something you’re not telling me.”
Anger burned in his eyes, and worry wrapped around my heart.
He tensed his jaw, but at last, he spoke. “We’re bonded. Mates. It’s…
impossible for me to allow harm to come to you.”
I pushed away from him. “What the hell are you talking about? Mates?”
My wolf had used that word, right before she shifted back. I didn’t like
the sound of it one bit.