hat holds all the secrets of the universe. For a moment, we simply stared at each other, the

side as the river water spilled from his lips, his body wracked with tremors. I

ng was okay, nothing had been okay fo

in sheets turning the already wild river into a churning, furious beast. The w

of the storm. He tried to respond but his

was weak to walk, too heavy for me to carry i

olf. His eyes widened and it the first

the strength to drag his battered body onto my back, His hands fisted in my fur, his

op. The river was rising, the forest floo

d it by scent

vines. It was small but dry, elevated above the floodwaters, a

id from my back collapsing onto the cave floor with a grunt of pai

eaves from the corners of the cave, arranging them into a makeshift bed. My hands s

ite my trembling. He was barely conscious now h

air a tangled mess of wet strands. I had nothing no clothes, no supplies,

ered though I didn't kn

it around myself, though it offered little warmth. Then I sat beside him my back against the ca

now his name, even if I didn't underst

atching for any sign of waking. The rain continued to fall, a const

red open for a moment, he seemed disoriented, his gaze unfocu

ice was rough, br

t drowned as I found you." He blinked, processing my words, His gaze traveled over m

he said. It wa

ng hard. "I couldn

eady him. The moment my skin touched his, the golden thread between us blaz

ad burned him, he looked less like a d

s voice deeper now, rou

d, my hand falling to my side. "

e blue bleeding into black. His wolf. I could see it

as if the words were a curse. "The Mo

uld respond

oward him with a strength that shouldn't have been possible for

see it in the way his pupils dilated, the way his breathi

wolf was clawing at the inside of my chest desperate t

ispered as He leaned closer his lip

av

It was a king's name. A name that prom

ng," I confessed, my voice shaking

is grip on my wrist tightening alm

og of confusion. "You don't understand. I already had a mate. Kaelen. He reje

a surprisingly gentle gesture from such a fierce looking man

ildness in his eyes, the strength in his grip, the danger ra

ve done terrible things. I've killed. I've betrayed and I've been betrayed." The

'm broken. I couldn't shift for three years. I'm the shame of my pack,

as his hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, I responded in kind, my fingers dig

souls, fated to find each othe

hunder rolling across the sky but I barely noticed. All I could feel was

pulled back, his forehe

His voice was

his lips were on mine again, hungrier this time. We

ld of the cave disappeared, replaced by he

ago but tonight I gave myself to Draven in b

down his back. The golden thread between us pulsed with every moan. We were

storm inside us raged until there was nothi

t listening to his heartbeat. It was steady

s hand finding mine in the darkness, our fingers

t of his promise settle over me li

s pressed against my forehead.

eace, temporary but peace nonetheless as I drifted into slee

ext ten years, I would carry

ted in my womb but that's