His expression softened, all the fierce lines melting into something unbearably tender. He cradled my face with both hands, his large palms warm against my skin. “It never would’ve come to that. I have too much to live for now that I found you.”
“You should’ve shifted,” I grumbled, hating that he’d been in danger because of my brother’s decision.
“I didn’t need to, kitten,” he reassured me, dropping his hands to interlace our fingers. “And I didn’t want to because I needed to meet that third trial. I had no way of knowing how your brother would react if I shifted, even with good reason. It wasn’t worth the risk.”
My lynx purred in my mind, pleased with his answer. But I wasn’t as happy with what that cut on his arm meant. “If it ever again comes down to your safety and some challenge Caelan has given you, you do whatever it takes to come back to me, whole and healthy.”
“You don’t need to worry, Alara.” His lips curved into a smile. “Now that I've jumped through the hoops your brother required, I’d burn down your borders before I let anyone decide you’re not mine.”
Butterflies swirled in my belly at the possessiveness in his voice. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from his blue eyes as he slowly lowered his head, giving me every chance to step away. Which I didn’t even think of doing. Instead, I rose onto my toes, closing the last inch between us.
Our lips met in a kiss that started soft, barely a brush of our breath. But it was no less devastating. Almost like a promise we were making to each other without any words needing to be said. Then the mating bond surged through me so fast I gasped.
Booker took full advantage of the parting of my lips, his hands sliding to the back of my neck to pull me flush against him as the kiss deepened. It grew hungrier, and it felt like years of loneliness were burning away in the space of a single heartbeat.
Lost in the moment, I didn’t even realize I was clutching his shoulders until I felt the faint tremble there. We broke apart only when footsteps echoed across the stone. Caelan’s voice carried toward us a second later. “Alara.”
Booker’s thumb swept over my lower lip before he stepped back. My pulse thundered, and so did his.
Everything had changed. And absolutely nothing could push us back to where we’d been before that kiss.
9
ALARA
In deference to my brother, Booker stepped back just enough to make it seem like we hadn’t just been wrapped around each other. Caelan came to a stop a few paces away, tension tightening every line of his body.
He flicked a glance to Booker’s arm. “Your injury. How deep is it?”
“Superficial,” Booker answered.
I exhaled softly and slid my fingers into Booker’s, relieved that he wasn’t hurt badly.
Booker’s hand tightened around mine, and my brother’s Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as though the gesture hit him harder than he expected. His gaze dropped briefly to our joined hands before returning to my face. I caught a flicker of acceptance in his eyes.
Then he let out a weary sigh. “Get some rest, Alara.”
I nodded, my chest loosening for the first time since I met Booker. “I will.”
I tugged gently on my mate’s hand, guiding him toward the stone steps that led to our family corridor. His fingers laced withmine in easy acceptance. Heat bloomed low in my belly when I realized where I planned to take him.
No man but family had ever been allowed in my private quarters, but bringing Booker there felt like the most natural thing I’d ever done. I didn’t let myself second-guess what I was doing. If I paused, even for a heartbeat, I might lose my nerve. So I guided Booker down the corridor, past the carved archway that marked my family’s private wing, and straight to my room.
I pushed the door open, my cheeks filling with heat as he stepped inside.
The space wasn’t grand by any stretch, but it was mine.
Booker stopped in the center of the room, and his wolf pushed so close to the surface that the energy buzzing off him felt like he’d shed his skin for fur any second.
“He likes it here,” Booker explained. “Surrounded by your scent.”
My heart tripped, and I reached blindly behind me to close the door.
We didn’t rush toward each other. Instead, we settled side by side on the edge of my bed, our shoulders almost touching.
I traced a fold of the blanket with my fingers. “I used to stare out that window for hours, trying to imagine what the world looked like beyond our mountains. Forests without these cliffs. Cities lit up at night. Oceans.” I sighed. “But every time I mentioned wanting to explore, Caelan shut it down. He said my place was here.”
Booker’s thigh brushed mine. “And you listened because you didn’t want to disappoint him.”
