Page 160 of The Never List
“I love you,” I say to him, then to Axl and Kal and Pierce. “My love is not so wavering that a little thing like death would weaken it.”
“But the powers,” Pierce says. “Darling, I felt what they did to you.”
I nod, blowing out a breath. “I’m not saying I don’t have a learning curve ahead. We all do.”
Kal steps closer to Jax and me, and Axl and Pierce follow until I’m surrounded by my mates.
“I love you,” Kal says, smoothing a hand over my cheek. “Whatever you need, you know we’ll help you.”
I lean into his touch, smiling gratefully at him.
“As long as you’re with us,” Axl says, reaching out to gently squeeze my hand, “I don’t care what the cost is.”
My heart swells at that, at the knowledge that they gave up everything to save me.
“Your mind is a brilliant thing,” Pierce says, mentally caressing me and turning my insides warm. “We will solve this new problem. You will not be left alone to find answers.”
“That means everything to me,” I admit, since in the beginning of all this…losing my sister, not finding answers…I feltutterlyalone.
Until them.
Until my mates.
Jax’s hand smooths along my lower back. “Whatever comes,” he says, looking down at me, “we’ll face it together.”
Those words slide along all four of the newly solidified bonds inside me, the bands of light connecting me to my mates pulsing with love and relief and hope.
“Together,” I say, eyeing each of them and allowing that hope to wash away everything else until there is nothing but one certainty.
I love them and they love me and there is nothing we can’t face together.
51
Rylee
“We should make sure this temple is clear,” I say, realizing that while we’ve been reconnecting, any remaining Faders could simply be in hiding, waiting for our next move.
“We need to get you home,” Axl says, stubbornness etched into his features.
“I’m fine,” I assure him. “Making sure there are no Faders waiting in the shadows to start another fight is what’s most important.”
“Youare what’s most important, darling,” Pierce argues.
“No,” I say, arching a brow at him to show him I’m not budging. “You can’t—”
“You stay here,” Kal cuts me off, eyes pleading before he glances at the rest of my mates. “With our powers back, we can easily clear the space.” He looks back to me. He’s tried to argue with me before and knows I’ll win. I love him all the more for it. “Thenwe’ll take you home, where you can rest.”
I think about arguing, think about demanding to go search with them, but I can feel it through the bonds—not one of my mates will take me or leave my side if they think I’ll go wandering off on my own.
“Fine,” I say. “I’ll stay here.”
“We’ll be quick,” Jax says, dipping down to kiss the topof my head.
They each hesitate for a few moments before I flash them a look that has them collectively heading off in different directions to search the temple.
I rub my palms over my face, doing my best to breathe deeply, grounding myself in the present. If I don’t, I’ll give in to all the questions and worries rising in my mind like a tide, threatening to sweep me away.
A flash of movement flickers in the corner of my eye, and I freeze.
