Page 64 of Protecting The Gray Wolf
High-pitched screams sent goose bumps racing down her arms as the shadows fled back through the portal. With the darkness banished, Luna could see the problem. Thick spikes were anchored to the entrance of the void Solange had opened between them. The magic had dug into Luna’s mind, giving the mage a foothold.
Time for that to end.Like a surgeon performing laser surgery, she used the beam of light from her eyes to meticulously sever each attachment, making sure to cauterize the wound once the infection was destroyed. Because, at its core, that’s what it was—a contagion, a parasite.
While she was busy, Kade blasted his light at Solange, weakening her. The mage began to chant, but whatever she was doing, it was too little too late. As the last vestiges of the spell were destroyed, Solange was sucked back through the portal, and it winked out of existence.
The light vanished, taking with it the strength she’d drawn on, and she sat down hard. Kade plucked her off the ground, his expression hard. “Wake up, Luna. Wake up, now…”
…
“Wake up, Luna.” He bolted upright in bed and yanked her into his arms, covers and all. Sweat coated his body, and fine tremors made his hands shake. Dream realm or not, he’d fought the toughest battle of his life.
The world was back to full color, and so was she. A ragged wound on her wrist finished closing as he watched. Blood stained the sheets. Shit, the injuries inflicted during the fight had followed them back to their waking state. Which meant she’d actually died.
He shook her lightly. “Open your eyes.” Her low groan was the sweetest sound. “That’s it, sweetheart. Come back to me.”
Her eyelids fluttered and slowly lifted. She started to raise a hand, noticed the splint, and frowned. “What happened?”
“You were injured. It’s healing.”
Still frowning, she lifted the other one and pressed it against his cheek. “We won.”
Turning his face into her touch, he pressed a kiss against her palm. “Yeah, we won. Whatever magic Solange used to get into your mind has been destroyed.”
“You’re sure?” She nibbled on her bottom lip.
“I’m sure.” Better yet, his wolf was sure. Luna had burned away every last link. “It’s done.”
“For now.” Resting her head against his shoulder, she sighed. “She’ll never give up.”
The reality was sobering. “You’ll never be safe around me.”
“Don’t even think about sending me away. I’ll hunt you down if you do. We just proved we’re stronger together.”
The sheet slipped, exposing the curve of one plump breast, along with the edges of a black marking. “What the hell?” Had Luna sustained an injury that wasn’t healing? Or worse, was it some new tactic from Solange? Fearing the worst, he tugged the covering aside. His breath caught in his throat.
“What is it?” She followed his gaze, her eyes widening. “Oh my God. How did this happen?” The tattoo of a sickle, complete with curved blade and handle, was etched over her heart. It was an exact replica of his. She leaned away so she could see his chest. “You still have your tattoo. What does it mean?”
“Seems you share more than a few drops of my blood.” He smoothed damp strands of hair off her forehead and kissed it. “You died.” It hurt to say it, even now, with her alive and well. “I sent everything I had into you.”
She clutched his shoulders and tried to shake him, but he was immovable. “Why would you do such a thing? Solange could have killed you or trapped you, made you a prisoner in your own body the way she did with me.”
He brushed his thumb over the bottom curve of her lip. “Why? Because you’re my mate and I love you. There’s nothing I won’t do to protect you.” The rightness of the words seeped into every cell of his body. His wolf had proven it by marking her. “You’re the light in my darkness.”
“Oh, Kade.” She threw her arms around him. Swallowing back the emotion threatening to clog his throat, he squeezed her so hard she gave a little squeak, forcing him to ease up on his hold.
“I know everything between us happened fast.” God, talk about an understatement. “I understand if you need time to come to terms with it.” He gave a rueful chuckle and shook his head, still not truly comprehending the enormity of everything that had happened. “Thanks to you, it’s the one thing we both have plenty of.”
“What about the magic? There’s no denying Solange arranged for us to be attracted to each other, manipulated us both.”
He’d thought the same thing less than a week ago. Damn, he’d been an arrogant idiot, so determined not to fall prey to the mage’s machinations, as the white wolf had done. Talk about an ass.
“What’s between us is magic. Not the dark kind. She might have been able to cause our paths to intersect, to make me want you.” He ran his fingers over the curve of her jaw and across the silky skin of her cheek. “But if that was all it was, I’d resent the hell out of you, be fighting the connection with everything in me. Instead, I’m fighting my primal instincts, my wolf, who wants me to mate you, right this very minute.” It was too soon to be laying this out there on top of everything else, but he wanted no more secrets between them. He’d almost lost her. More than anything else, that had driven home the depth of his feelings for her. “I understand if you’re not there yet. I can wait.”
“That’s rather arrogant of you.” He wasn’t overly worried because a smile curved her lips as she said it, and her eyes took on a warm glow.
More confident, he shrugged. “Maybe, but I have it on good authority that you love me.”
“I never said it aloud.”
