“Is that—Is it really you?” I stumbled over my words.
I turned around in a circle, searching for him through the dark. If I could see him with my own eyes, I could reassure myself he was actually here. No matter what happened to him, we would figure everything out.
An outline materialized from between two trees, hidden as much by his shadows as I was, as they continued to grow around my calves and up my legs.
“I told you no matter where you flee, my shadows would find you, did I not?” Finally, his face came into view, but the smile on it didn’t look like Kade’s. NotmyKade at least.
My heart didn’t listen to the warning in my mind as I ran, lunging toward him, desperate to throw my arms around his neck and relieve the restless bond inside of me. We were together again.
But I never made it to his arms.
Kade’s hand shot out, grabbing me around my throat and keeping me from him. “He’ll be thrilled to know how easy you made this.”
I gasped, unable to inhale a deep enough breath as I choked. “Kade?”
His grip didn’t quite cut off my air supply, but it tightened even more at my question.
He pulled me toward him and ran his nose along my jawline. “Oh, Little Rebel. To be fair, I did tell you to run.”
I shuddered, unable to help reveling in his touch while warning bells sounded in my head, alerting me that I was far from safe right now. Fear radiated throughout my body hearing his deep, menacing chuckle.
“No.” I struggled as his grip tightened painfully.
Without warning, his shadows forcefully wrapped around me, jerking me away from his grasp to form a protective barrier between us.
I fell to my knees, gasping as my light infused the magical wall, wrapping itself around the shadows until it illuminated Kade’s face.
Seeing him clearer stole my remaining breath, while tears flowed freely down my face, an endless waterfall of emotion. He looked tired. Defeated and so worn down.
But he was there. Still mine. I didn’t care what darkness thrummed in his veins. We were stronger than anything else. It may have taken me too long to realize it, but he was mine.
My. Mate.
I would be damned if this was how our story ended.
“Kade, this isn’t you,” I said firmly, rising from the dirt ground to stand. “Whatever Thames has done to you, you can fight it.”
He laughed, tipping his head back. “Thames made me stronger.”
“You are more than his darkness,” I said. His shadows stopped me as I tried to take a step forward. Kade lowered his gaze, glaring at his shadows in disgust. They trembled, shaking almost violently before slipping away from me altogether.
The shadows retreated from their protective position around me, and sucked back into Kade so fast, I barely registered what happened. He stalked forward and gripped my neck once more. His thumb aligned with the column of my throat. “Off we go.”
I struggled against his hold. “Please,” I said softly, placing my hands over his. “Please fight for us.”
His dark eyes momentarily flashed to grey, and he ripped his hands away from my neck, crying out in pain.
“Run.”
I reached for him, staggering on my feet as I took in his hunched-over form. “I can help you,” I insisted.
“Run,” he roared, as he clutched his head in agony.
I obeyed, his shadows escaping his hold to shove me forward.
My bare feet pounded against the forest floor. Twigs poked at my soles, slicing into them and against my legs. Dipping low, I ducked beneath some low-hanging branches but nicked my legs on the thorny brush. I sucked in a sharp breath as I sprinted away from Kade.
Deeper and deeper into the woods I ran, my pulse pounding, nearly unable to see a path in front of me. My heart raced as the darkness of the woods closed in around me, but I had to lead him away from the camp. Away from the inn. If the others heard him or knew we were out here, they'd see him like this. I couldn’t be sure someone wouldn’t get hurt with him in this state.
