Page 32 of Awakening His Mate

I rush out of the bedroom and see the front door is open, cold air swirling through the room.

She’s in the lake.

The thought comes without warning, and as soon as it does, I know it’s true.

I don’t stop to pull on my boots; I just rush onto the porch and down the steps. The lights that line the path that leads to the cabins provide some guidance, as does the moon overhead, but I don’t need it. My wolf has heightened senses, so as soon as the lake comes into view, I see a flash of color in the water.

Dove.

I run across the grass and over the gravel path, not caring that my feet are being torn to shreds. I yell for help, and I’m afraid that no one will come, so I unmute my pack link, sending the same panicked message through it.

Instantly, I feel my brothers in my mind, but I lose sense of all of it the second the frigid water hits my skin. It had been cold that first time, even with the sun having warmed it a little. In the dark, it is like stepping into a sheet of ice.

I have barely reached the bottom when I see her disappear into the dark. I let out a strangled sound. I know I won’t find her in this darkness, so I surge forward to try to grab her. Seconds feel like minutes until my hand wraps around her cold arm, and I drag her toward me.

My pulse races like an express train as I haul Dove against me and push through the heavy water toward dry land for the second time.

As I reach shallower water, Cade and Wyatt greet me, trying to take her from me as I stumble on heavy legs. I cradle her protectively against me, even though every step hurts so much and my legs are barely keeping me upright.

No one is taking her from me.

Halle is already at my side as I lower her onto the ground, and I can see Roux close by, her hands pressed against her mouth.

I ignore them all as I scan Dove’s ashen face. Her skin is ghostly white.

I know they say history repeats itself, but this… it’s all wrong. Why is this happening again? Why the fuck is she obsessed with the lake?

I can dissect that later. In this moment, all that matters is her.

My heart smashes against my ribs as I grab Dove’s face, turning it toward me. “Open your eyes, Dove!”

When I release my hold on her, her head flops to the side as if she is boneless.

Fuck.

“Let me heal her,” Halle says, trying to push me away.

While I’m not keen on letting anyone use magic around Dove, something tells me this is her only hope.

I watch as Halle places her hands over Dove’s chest, and I smell the magic in the air.

After a moment, it recedes, and Halle looks pale.

“Why did you stop?”

“She’s gone, Jackson,” she whispers. “I can only heal the living.”

My throat is clogged, as if a hand is wrapped around my windpipe, squeezing it. No. No! I can't lose her, but I can feel the truth of her words.

Dove is gone.

This isn’t going to have the happy ending it did the first time. There’s no relief as she coughs and comes around.

I stare at her slackened face, the world around me narrowing only to her. She can’t be gone. My stomach twists violently and I feel hot all over, despite the cold racking my body.

No.

This can’t be the end of our story. She’s mine. She’s meant to be with me. We were drawn together from the first moment we laid eyes on each other. I don’t understand the way I feel about her or the way we are connected without a bond, but none of that matters. I don't care.

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