Page 70 of Colton’s Mate

They were her memories, he realized. Things she knew, things she cared about. And Rohene was destroying them, looking for what she wanted to know.

Callie screamed.

To him it was silent, but he could see the agony in her face.

He growled. He had to help her. She was in so much pain.

She turned, and he could see she had a glowing sword in her hand. She swung it at the talon, again and again, until it retreated.

She was fighting back.

“That’s my badass bad girl,” he murmured.

But no matter how badass she was, he couldn’t leave her to fight alone. He had to get in there.

Dimly, he became aware of the real world where his body was, as if half of him was in each place. They’d pulled Remy out of the shaft, and they were binding up his arm.

“Have to… get… Callie.” Colt’s lips felt stiff, his voice hoarse. “Hurting… her. No… time.”

Jason said, “Follow me. I know where we can blast through the wall.”

“Callie’s got the tracker on her,” Remy added. “She should be easy to find.”

They set off, Colt stumbling, still halfway in the spirit world. Titan was helping him, holding him up, and also holding him in the other world. Where he could help Callie.

Now Colt was back there completely. He threw himself against the dome but it wouldn’t budge. Callie was still fighting, tears of pain streaming down her face, her skin burned and bleeding.

This was her own private hell.

That was it, he realized.

He couldn’t get in because she believed she was alone. That she’d always be alone.

He needed to be stronger. He needed his twin, his crew. He pulled on their bond, trying to use their strength to get through to her. The dome bent, but it still wouldn’t let him through.

“Callie!” he yelled, pounding on it. “Let me in! I love you!” But she didn’t seem to hear.

Vaguely, he was aware that they’d stopped beside a sheer rock wall. Remy and Brandon were setting explosives.

He had to find some way to connect with Callie. She was getting weaker—he could see it. What if Rohene destroyed her mind before they got there? All her memories?

Suddenly, he remembered the story of his mom and dad—how his dad had followed their true mate connection and used it to penetrate the walls between worlds.

If their love could do that, then his had to be strong enough to burst a piddly crow queen’s magic fucking bubble.

And the walls constructed of his mate’s fears and false beliefs. Because she would never be alone again, and she wasn’t now.

Concentrating, he saw a thread of blue magic coming from his chest and passing through the dome, connecting him to Callie.

He put his hand on it. Pain came down the line, pain so strong she couldn’t hear him.

But their love was stronger than the pain. Stronger than anything.

Suddenly Nick was beside him, not a phantom in this world. He pounced on Colt, and he could hear a ghostly voice in his mind. The leopard is stronger here.

Colt let the leopard take his body. Nick stood shoulder to shoulder with him, lending strength, and they both let out huge, snarling roars.

Callie turned, and saw him.