Page 167 of Marked By His Hunger
“Serena,” he said quietly. “If I lose control—I would never forgive myself.”
“I’m not fragile, Raven.”
“I know.”
His voice dropped lower.
“That is what terrifies me.”
The honesty disarmed me.
I wasn’t one of many.
I was the first.
“You are the only,” he replied.
And that meant something enormous.
Something dangerous.
“You’re reading my thoughts again,” I said softly.
“Yes.”
“Stop.”
He didn’t move.
“I can try.”
That wasn’t reassuring.
But it was real.
We stood there in the glow of firelight, balanced between instinct and restraint.
Between hunger and control.
Between fate and choice.
And for the first time since arriving at Asgarheim Runevald Institute—I didn’t feel like the freak.
I felt powerful.
Wanted.
Seen.
Which might have been more dangerous than anything else.
Because now I had something to lose.
And so did he.
Chapter 20-Draugr
A month had passed since the infirmary.
