And that scared me way more.
My eyelids suddenly felt too heavy.
Like my body had had enough, and my brain was trying to overheat, or maybe my body was just shutting down the second it realized the danger had passed.
I tried to blink it away, tried to push myself a little more upright, but the room tilted and the warmth from Lock’s touch wouldn’t leave my skin.
“I’m fine,” I whispered, even though I wasn’t sure I was.
Lock shook his head once, slow and sure. “You’re not done recovering. Sleep.”
The word shouldn’t have hit as soft as it did.
My eyes kept drooping, but I fought to keep them open. His silhouette blurred at the edges. And his scent dragged me under faster, settling warm around me, steadying and confusing all at once.
“Don’t—” I tried, but my voice slurred. “I should… stay awake…”
“You don’t have to,” Lock murmured. “You’re safe here. Just rest.”
Safe. There was that word again.
Here.
With him.
That shouldn’t have made my chest loosen.
My head tipped forward before I could stop it. The mattress pulled me down, everything was warm and heavy and slow. My last flicker of awareness was Lock standing in the doorway, his broad shoulders filling the frame, his gaze locked on me like he was guarding the room itself.
It was dangerous that I felt safer with him there than without.
And then everything went soft and dark.
4
LOCK
Kellan wentlimp in my arms.
One moment he was sitting stiff beside me, breathing too fast, eyes glassy and too bright. The next, his whole body sagged sideways like someone unplugged him.
“Kellan. Shit.”
I caught him before he could slump down between the seats, the shift so sudden it punched adrenaline straight through me. His shoulder hit my arm first, then the full weight of him followed. I slid an arm around his back, pulling him upright and tighter into my chest than I meant to.
His head landed on my shoulder, warm and too damn soft.
“Hey,” I said, voice low and tight as his breath fanned my neck. “Look at me.”
Nothing.
His breaths were coming quick and shallow, his lashes resting against his cheeks. His scent hit me full force—sweet, warm, unmistakably omega. In the cramped van, it was overwhelming, wrapping around every inch of me.
And triggering instincts I didn’t fucking want… and certainly didn’t need right now.
Grim twisted in the front passenger seat, his eyes sharp. “He out?”
“Yeah,” I said, my voice sounding rough even to my own ears.
