Kacie
Realization set in and the shock I expected minutes ago finally lit his features. Shock melts into desperation and relief as he stares down at me. I blinked and strong arms wrap around me, pulling me in until I’m being crushed against his chest.
His chest is pushing against mine, his breathing causing his chest to heave, his heart slamming against mine. His eyes stay locked on my face and I watch as he tries to make sense of how this was possible.
Breathing in his scent, I’m too enthralled with his warmth to care that his grip is crushing. Shock melts into desperation before finally turning to relief as he leans down and presses his forehead to mine.
I stay under his spell as we share the same breath. Goddess, I missed him.
“Forgive me,” He begs, his voice cracked. I pulled my hands from his hair, I watched as he strained to reel in the emotions that were threatening to break free. The dam was close to cracking and unleashing darkness, desperation, and something sinister.
“For what?” I whisper.
“For failing to protect you,” he gasped. Shame morphing his features until he lowered his eyes, breaking eye contact.
I shake my head before pressing my lips to his. “It’s not your fault, Viktor,” I whisper. “I-I needed to get out of that situation myself. I can’t expect you to save me every time something happens. You don’t need to carry that burden. I need to be able to stand up for myself.”
Viktor leans back and his eyes widen a fraction. It wasn’t a lot but I knew he was surprised, shocked maybe. It’s like he forgets how to speak because it takes a minute before he can say what he’s thinking.
“I love you more than… more than life itself. The past few days without you were fucking painful. I can deal with torture, I can deal with the pain but not knowing where you were or if you were okay… The only thing keeping me going was knowing the bond between us was still there.”
I swallow.
“If something happened to you, I wouldn’t have been able to keep living.”
“I love you Viktor. I’m sorry,” I peered up at him and gently kissed his lips.
He cupped my cheeks. “I love you.” He leaned down and kissed me passionately, my chest expanded and it felt like I could finally breathe again. I pressed my hands against his chest, feeling his heartbeat.
His hands trailed down from my face to my shoulders, then down to my chest and to my hips. So close to my butt but he didn’t go lower. He leaned down again and kissed me lightly. I deepened the kiss and slid my hands up and over the ridges of his muscles. I needed him, needed his closeness more than I needed anything.
“Are you okay?” He asks, his eyes searching my body for wounds, stopping only on the small bruises before continuing their search.
I nod and close my eyes, reveling in his touch.
“Where have you been?” He asked.
Fear resonated in me as I wondered if he would look at me the same way after learning of what I’d done. Bile rose in my throat as I remembered the way their blood warmed my fur, warmed my mouth. What I’d done out there… Would he look at me in disgust?
“Are you going to tell me about what happened?” He said, his voice cutting through my thoughts and dragging me to the present. His eyes searched mine for answers as I tried to forget.
“Hold me.” My voice chokes as I plead with him. I focus on him and only him as I try not to close my eyes. The images of the men I left on the floor in those woods promise to fill my vision.
I push away the warmth in the palms of my hands promising release if I just let the flames out. I focus on my love, my king, my mate. His scent surrounds me, his warmth comforts me and reminds me I’m home.
I’m safe.
“We had no choice. We don’t have to worry about any of it anymore. Ken and his Beta are dead. Every man who stood with Ken is no longer in our way. There is no one out there,” Athena whispers.
“You are safe,” she breathes.
“Ken,” I start, “It was Ken.” “Clara was working with them,” Viktor said. Anger painted his features. “It was my fault.”
I reach down and grip his hand.
“No, it wasn’t. You don’t control what she did, don’t hold yourself responsible for that,” I tell him.
“We’ve come to an understanding,” I whisper.
He shakes his head. “I don’t…”
“Don’t hate her,” I whisper.
“You can’t tell me that. She put your life in danger,” he growled. “More than once. She handed you over to him! If she was working with him she 100% knows what kind of person he is!” His hands clench beneath mine.
“Was,” I say quietly.
Now he looks confused. “What?”
“Was,” I repeat. “He’s dead.” “How?” He asks.
“Clara,” I say.
“Why would she kill him?” He asks.
I fill him in on the fire that came from my hands that day in Ken’s dining room. The day I fought Clara and she fought against me with her shadows. I fill him in on Clara and her reasoning for what she did. Why she chose to work with Ken, chose to turn me over to him, chose to kill him. I’m not ready to talk about the woods. We sit in silence. Not forgiving her but not hating her. Understanding her.
“And where is she?” He growls.
“She got what she wanted. Her sisters’ location and she’s out of our lives,” I told him.
“And you,” he murmurs.
“I survived,” I breathed.
His hand slides up my back and caresses my cheek.
“I’m here,” I whisper.
“Here,” he repeats. “I’m safe,” I say.
“Safe,” he repeats.
“I’m home,” I say firmly.
“Home.”