Another shearing pain tore through my heart, and Noble whimpered.
I tried to pull him in for a hug, but he stepped back, clutching his chest.
“Nai…” he gasped, his expression twisted with pain. “That … hurt.”
All I could do was nod.
The pain was unlike anything I’d ever felt. Like part of me was now missing.
“I…” Noble sank into a chair, his breaths short and shallow.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, offering him a watery smile.
He merely nodded, a bobble of his head to indicate he’d heard.
I glanced at Rage, and a pit of dread opened in my stomach.
Then I looked to Noble. “I apologize for asking for anything else right now, but … may I have a moment alone with Rage?”
Noble nodded, giving me a quick hug, and crossed to the door silently.
Only when the latch had clicked shut did I dare to face my mate.
“Do you see what thatdidto them?” my mate asked, his voice strained. He crossed the distance between us and looked down on me, his expression an unvoiced plea. “You’ve solved the problem, Nai. You’ve provided the Midnight Pack two unbound alpha heirs.” He cupped my face, and the pads of his thumbs stroked my cheeks. “Do you really need to sever my shield bond with you? Do you really want me to feel that pain?”
What could I say to that?
He was right. I loved Rage so much, yet I didn’t want him to ever die to save me. “It would be best—”
Rage shook his head and then crouched to look me in the eyes. “Best for whom? Not for me, love.”
Fresh tears pricked my eyes. “Best for me. I can’t have you dying to protect me. I don’t want to live in a world where you don’t exist.”
He pulled me in for a hug and whispered into my hair: “Nai … There’s no one else I’d want to die protecting more than you.”
My heart couldn’t take this anymore; tears spilled over onto my cheeks. I lifted my chin and glared up at him. “Don’t say that. Don’t even think about it. If you die … I’ll come to the Realm of the Dead and drag your sorry butt back here and put your soul into the body of a hamster.”
Rage cocked his head to the side and then tsked in mock horror. “Then you’d be fated mates with a hamster. Think about that.”
I growled in frustration. “My point—”
“I know, Nai,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m not going to let you die. And I won’t die either. I promise. But I’m not willingly letting you break my shield oath to you.”
I sighed. Was there any point fighting this man? I could do it forcefully or sneakily, but I didn’t want to do that to our relationship. “Fine. For now,” I growled.
He smiled then lowered his head and brushed his lips to mine. He slid his hands down my back and cupped my butt, pulling me closer to him as he nipped at my lower lip.
The world fell away, and I opened to him.
Our tongues tangled—
And the door burst open, slamming against the stone wall.
I pulled away from Rage, only he didn’t bother to let go.
“Oh. My. Mage,” Kaja said, and my face went beet red. She rolled her eyes and then added, “Enough with the kissy-face already. We have plans to make and vamps to kill.”
Behind her, I spotted Reyna.
