No one else would have.
She bands her arms around mine and squeezes, soothing the hurt in my heart with the simplest of touches.
“I don’t deserve you,” I whisper, brushing my lips across the shell of her ear.
Callum’s gaze flicks to mine as he lowers her into the bath. Damn bastard has keen hearing. I kiss Sienna’s neck and carefully spin her around to check her for bruises, but her skin’s fucking radiant, and her eyes?—
Fuck,her eyes.
A gorgeous rose gold glow takes my breath away.
I tuck a dark lock of hair behind her ear and marvel at the freckles dusting her cheeks, quickly counting ten more than were there this morning. Her body is deceptively warm, its temperature settling a few degrees above mine. “You’re sure that you feel okay?” Even her pulse gallops beneath my fingertips, its rhythm faster than usual.
“A little warm,” she admits, smiling sheepishly. “I can’t seem to cool down.”
Everyone was so worried about whatIwas going to do to Sienna that no one considered what her goddamntrue matecould do to her. I swallow my frustration and press a kiss to Sienna’s forehead. “Let’s dry you off, baby, and get you to bed.”
“I don’t want to sleep yet.”
I don’t care.
“You need to rest after staying up all night.” More importantly, I need to keep a close eye on her. If Alistair really severed their bond, the after-effects would linger. In actuality, he should also feel like shit. Breaking a mating bond is a big enough deal for your run-of-the mill couple, but for true mates? It shouldn’t be possible. Even without a completed bond, theirsoulsare tethered.
I doubt he has the power to sever their connection forever, but if it lasts through the next full moon...
Maybe I can convince her to mate withmeinstead.
I lift her onto the bath’s ledge and towel her off, covertly checking for injuries again but finding none. She hums softly to herself as she wrings out her hair, letting me touch her wherever I please. I’m not a spiritual man, but if the gods are listening—and not as fucked up as last night’s training makes them out to be—I pray that she doesn’t change her mind about us.
Pleasedon’t let her change her mind.
Tucking her hand beneath my chin, she tips my head back and meets my eyes. “I don’t know what the future holds.” She holds my gaze for a beat. “But I won’t abandon you, Revyn.”
Before I can run away with joy, she presses a finger to my lips. “But I need you to promise me something.” She brushes the pad of her thumb over the seam of my lips as she gathers her thoughts. “If you have the ability to become an alpha...to start your own pack...” Every muscle in my body tightens. “Then I need you to try.”
We don’t talk about my bloodline or my previous ties to a pack. It’s one of the things that we avoid mentioning, just like how I’m careful not to exert any lingering alpha influence over her, or she’s careful to avoid talking about her family. It’s just something we deliberatelydon’t do.
The memories are too painful for us both.
“You don’t know what you’re asking.” I pull away from her and lower into the bath, submerging past my shoulders. “I’m not...” I clear the gravel from my throat. “I’m not the kind of man who should be an alpha.”
“But youarean alpha.” Grabbing the ledge, she straightens her posture and, gods, her tits are mouthwatering, and her skin’s so goddamn soft. Clenching my eyes shut, I take a deep breath. She continues as though she doesn’t notice the heat in my gaze. “I’ve seen it, Revyn. When we fight, you’re on a different level. Your wolf is massive. You intimidate people without having to say a word.”
Every one of her points hits like a knife in my back.
“And when we fuck—” A breath punches past her lips. “Gods, I canfeelyour power inside of me.”
I never should have told her about my past.
“I’ll give you anything else.” Taking a shaky breath, I force myself to open my eyes. Self-loathing burns inside my heart. Guilt grips my throat. Anxiety settles in my gut. Worst of all, thelove I hold for this woman drowns out those emotions tenfold, begging me to consider her request.
But I can’t.
“You know what happened to—” I cut myself off, a hideous laugh bursting from my chest. “You can’t seriously be asking me this. Youknowbetter, Sienna.” I swallow the shards of glass stuck in my throat. “I can’t give you that.”
“You won’t,” she whispers, speaking so softly that her voice trembles. “Even though it would make mesohappyto have you as my alpha. I love you, Revyn, and I know you’re capable?—”
I disappear beneath the water’s surface and hold my breath. Count to ten. Twenty. Fifty. My heart pounds in my ears, begging me to reconsider, to give her what she wants,fuck the consequences.But doing so opens wounds that have long since scarred over.
