Her lips twitched, part relief, part tenderness.Humor meant he was still with her, which was more than she’d dared hope when the recoil of that weapon slammed back through their connection.His power was vast, terrifyingly so, but it hadn’t been designed to battle machines engineered to strip supernaturals down to the cellular level.
The edges of him frayed under the pressure.
Hannah eased her body against his side, letting him lean into her.Her own power crackled quietly beneath her skin, tired but steady, still responding to his like a tide drawn to the moon.She needed that connection.She needed him.
Senator Caldera had barely finished announcing the initiative’s defeat when security officers swarmed the room, requesting medical evaluations, clearing pathways, urging senators toward safer areas.Cameras refocused, capturing the scene from every angle.It should have been overwhelming, but Hannah couldn’t bring herself to care.Right now the world around them was a blur.All she could focus on was Gray’s weight leaning subtly into her and the bond that thrummed with exhausted relief.
Rick appeared at their side first, his eyes sharp as he took in Gray’s posture.
“You’re both going to the medical wing,” he said without preamble.
"Status on Pierce's location?"Gray managed.
Rick's jaw tightened."Signal originated from the Pacific facility.Strike team is already mobilizing.One more lab to destroy.And this time, we're making sure nothing survives."
"And Pierce?"Gray asked.
"Gone.The facility was empty by the time our team arrived.She had an escape route ready—probably planned it the moment she went live."Rick's expression darkened."She's still out there."
Gray started to get up.
She didn’t let him.
Her hand came up to cup his jaw, turning his face toward hers.He focused on her like she was the only thing in the room.
“You’re going,” she said gently.“We both are.”
His breath shuddered out.He didn’t argue again.
Rick nodded, relief flickering behind his professional mask.“Good.Yaz is already prepping a secured room.Keep close.”
The security detail moved with them, forming a tight perimeter as they exited the chamber.The hallway outside buzzed with reporters shouting questions, aides rushing by with urgent messages, and drones hovering like mechanical hornets.
Hannah kept her body pressed to Gray’s side, shielding him from the crowd in a way that would have amused her at any other time.She was barely half his size, nowhere near his strength, and yet the instinct to protect him burned bright and fierce inside her.
Bond instinct,she realized, the warmth of it threading through her chest.This is what it feels like.Not fear or desperation, just a deep-rooted certainty that they belonged at each other’s side.
When they reached the elevator, Gray leaned briefly against the wall, eyes closing.She could feel the low thrum of his power trying to settle, coils of lightning untangling slowly inside him.
He wasn’t crashing.Not yet.But he was close.
Hannah slipped her hand into his again, letting her power travel along his skin like a soft, controlled current.He exhaled shakily, relaxing another fraction as their energies aligned.
The elevator doors slid shut, cutting off the noise of the world.
For the first time since the battle, Gray spoke softly enough that the words were meant only for her.“You kept me steady,” he murmured, opening his eyes to look at her.“If you hadn’t been there, I don’t know if I could’ve stopped myself.”
Her heart clenched.
“You didn’t lose control,” she said.“You saved everyone.I only helped you shape it.”
His thumb brushed the back of her hand, a silentI feel youthrough their bond.“You did more than that, Hannah.”
She squeezed his hand gently, letting her gaze soften.
“I’m not letting you fall,” she said.“Not now.Not ever.”
***
