Page 106 of Awakening His Mate

She didn’t have to do this for us, but she stepped into her own dark past to make this happen, and I’ll never forget that. If this works, it will more than make up for what she did—what all the girls did—to Dove.

“Always,” Halle whispers, her eyes brimming with tears as Cade closes his and starts to murmur under his breath.

I smell the magic. It’s different from when the girls use their powers, but it has that same burning tinge to it. I squeeze Dove’s hands as the first rush of magic hits me like a wrecking ball. It’s like an electric current that spreads through my body, starting at the top of my head and moving down to my feet. My lungs stutter, my breath catching as my legs weaken.

She clings to me, her nails digging into my biceps as her breaths explode out of her in heavy pants.

My tongue feels glued to the roof of my mouth, as white, hot agony floods my body.

Fuck.

It steals the air from my lungs as white spots appear in front of my eyes. I cling to Dove as she cries out, and I’m suddenly flooded with pain and emotions that are not mine.

It feels like I’m walking into a brick wall as I lift my head and let out a howl that sounds more like my wolf than my human side.

My legs give out. I drop to my knees, dragging Dove with me as my head spins. I can’t see shit through the haze and spinning, which makes me grip her tighter.

I’m aware of Halle shouting, but I can’t speak or move.

Mate.

The word vibrates through me, sending pins and needles racing through my limbs. Hunched over on the carpet, my fingers dig into the pile as my back arches, my bones snapping and reforming as my wolf surges into a shift.

My body changes, my awareness pushed to the back of my mind as my wolf takes over. I want to see what Dove is doing, but my body is no longer mine to control. Everything that is happening is instinct, biological need, fueled by magic.

The shift takes longer than it should, longer than it has since my first time, but after a moment, I’m all wolf.

As I lift my head, I’m surprised to see a large white wolf lying on her side.

Dove.

How did she shift?

She watches me, her red eyes bright and alert as her snout nuzzles against my flank. She’s in my head, in every inch of my consciousness.

Love, a hint of anxiety, and an overwhelming sense of need pulse through our mating bond. My wolf rubs against her, needing to feel every inch of her as we recognize her as ours.

She’s my mate.

I feel the shift come over me again, and my wolf bays before my body starts rearranging itself. The change isn’t instantaneous, as it normally is, but when I open my eyes, I’m kneeling on the floor, my naked form hunched over.

Blindly, I reach out and feel warm flesh before I drag Dove into my arms. Her gray eyes flutter open and scan mine, and I see the confusion there—the same I'm feeling.

“Mate.” I nod as my throat tightens so much that it's hard to force any words out.

She’s mine, finally, in the way that I wanted her to be. I kiss every inch of her face, needing to touch her desperately, needing to assure myself that this isn’t a dream.

My mind swims with her presence, and I’m so comforted by it, so happy to have her there, that tears brim my eyes. I can't be bothered to swipe them away.

“You guys okay?” Cade’s voice barely penetrates my overloaded thoughts.

I crush her against me, not wanting anyone to see her naked. She’s mine, and mine alone.

“I don’t… I don’t… You’re in my head, Dove. I feel you everywhere.”

It’s like a warm hug, nothing like the pack link. She’s in every part of my body and mind, as if we melded into one life form—her, me, and our wolves all connected together. Her fingers sift through my hair, her wide eyes scanning me as if she’s mapping every inch of my face.

“I didn’t… I never expected…”

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