And gods, that didn’t help.
Great, just great. Now I’m blushing over a lion shifter's abs.
He noticed. Of course he did. But to his credit, he didn’t tease me—not yet.
Instead, he just leaned back and said, “Relax, Elle. It’s not a big deal. We fell asleep, that’s all.”
I rubbed at my arms, still shaken. “It’s weird.”
He tilted his head. “Because you’re not used to being safe?”
I didn’t answer. I wasn’t sure I could.
He softened. “Hey. You’re allowed to want comfort, you know. You don’t have to punish yourself for being tired.”
My throat tightened. I looked away.
“Do you want space?” he asked gently.
I hesitated. “Yeah. Just... a minute.”
He nodded toward the sliding doors that lead to the balcony. “Take all the time you need.”
And just like that, the pressure eased. Not gone, but no longer unbearable.
I slipped outside and leaned over the railing, trying to control my shaking. The air felt cool on my face. I took a breath like I hadn’t been able to inside. My fingers still trembled a little, but I didn’t run.
I just stood there, quiet, trying to understand why something so small had rattled me so much.
“Um, what time is it?” I asked, desperately trying to change the subject once I came back inside.
Leo checked “A little after 6am, I think.”
Holy crap. I’d slept here all night!
“And the others aren’t back yet?”
“They are probably camping out near the woods, waiting for daybreak. They may be away a few days.”
“A few days? So how will you know they’re okay?” I demanded, my voice sharp with worry.
Leo lifted his hand, casually pointing at the small sigil tattooed on his palm. “This is a blood link. It links us all together so we can always track each other, and we always know if any of us are hurt.”
I squinted at the symbol, trying to make sense of it. “It looks like a star. Is it just you guys, or is this something all Shades do?”
Leo leaned back, the quiet confidence in his stance only adding to his mystery. “We grew up together. So, this is our promise to each other. The symbol you should be worried about, though…” He pulled the neck of his shirt down, revealing the brand seared into his skin. It was the unmistakable mark of King Ashton.
I froze, my eyes widening. “What the hell is that?”
“This is given to recruits once they graduate,” Leo explained, his tone darkening. “It’s imbued with magic to force our loyalty to the king.”
I blinked, the weight of what he was saying settling like a stone in my gut. “That’s barbaric!” I couldn’t hold back the disgust.
Leo’s eyes flashed with something I couldn’t quite place, but there was a flicker of something behind them. “It’s the price of survival,” he said quietly, his voice holding a note of resignation.
I stepped forward, my fingers brushing his arm as I asked, “How long have you been forced to work for him?”
Leo’s smile was faint, almost sad, as he looked at me. “Too long, Angel.” His voice softened, and before I could react, he reached out, his hand gently brushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
