His black eyes flick down at my face at last. “Didn’t want them to change me. Not then. But later, I met a perfect Omega. Beautiful. Strong. Assured. Whole.”
I wince at his words, my heart racing, the ache inside me increasing with every beat.
That being in my chest unfurls itself, stands at attention, scrutinizing. There’s a grumble in my mind.
All our mates are perfect. Would accept nothing less.
My brow pinches just before Zeph sucks in a small breath.
“You heard it again. That voice inside me. Just like the day we mated.”
He doesn’t have to confirm it. It’s obvious he can hear the creature as clearly as I can.
A thought strikes me, and I look up at Zephyr with a gasp.
The way my creature speaks in my mind is so similar to the way Zephyr is speaking now. The almost-complete sentences, the sharp edges.
Please, help me. Help me help our mate.
I think the words in desperation, my tears returning at the thought that I could never reach him like this. If I’m right, I need the being inside me to step up. If I’m wrong, then I guess I’m just crazy.
There’s a huff in my head before my skin grows warm, my eyes sizzle without pain. I can see and hear everything, but I can’t move. Can’t speak. I’m wrapped in my electric power again, this time so thick it almost looks like solid armor all around me. My head tilts back and I catch my reflection in Zephyr’s blackeyes, see my own eyes glowing with blinding intensity, electrical arcs spitting from the outer corners, fizzling in the air.
“Mate.”
My voice comes out of my mouth, rougher and sharper, but they aren’t my words.
Zephyr’s attention is squarely on me, not even shielding his eyes from the brightness I’m emitting.
“To say you are not perfect is to say our pack is not perfect. We are fated. Not an accident. Not a mistake. Perfection.”
My hands roughly grab his face and pull him down until our foreheads are touching.
“We have been fated again and again. We do not always find each other. This lifetime is a gift, Omega. We are together. All of us. We will remain together.” My gaze narrows. “Believe in us. Our love. Our belonging. We accept and want you. Forever.”
And then, I crush my lips to his, feel the surprise course through his body before he relaxes into me, mouth opening to accept my flicking tongue before he clings to me. Something sizzles on the air around my face, and I realize we’re both crying, our tears getting zapped away by my power.
The Zephyr that pulls away looks down at me with pale eyes in confusion, scans our surroundings and then looks back at me.
“Nyx?”
When I smile, it’s really me, back in control of my body, the electric encasing my form disappears.
“Zeph.” My tone is watery. “You’re back.”
He blinks, eyes and brow tight. “Where the fuck are we?”
I open my mouth to try and explain, but Arlowe puffs into existence beside us. “You’re in my territory, Irish. And we need to get out of here.” She places her hands on both our shoulders and has the decency to say, “Hold onto your stomachs,” before we puff back into the Long Island science facility.
It’s exactly as we left it, bodies strewn everywhere, fires and crumbling stone ceilings, broken glass spread out across the floor.
“Did… did we do this?”
It’s unclear how much time Zephyr has lost, but we’ll need to deal with that later.
“We need to go.” Arlowe points up at the ceiling where dark energy—Zeph’s power—licks along the bare stone, feeding and growing, taking matter with it.
“Shit.” Zeph grabs each of us under an arm and we’re immediately soaring through the air, right out the busted-up wall that the mech came through.
