She goes tense against me. “I don’t need you to stay.”
Her voice is hoarse.
“I know you don’t. But I would like to nonetheless.”
When she doesn’t say anything, my heart sinks. “Miranda, my son needs you. If you leave us, Ethan’s heart will break.”
And so will mine.
She makes a small, broken sound.
“That’s not fair,” she whispers.
“No.” I hold her tighter. “But I need you too. I need you here. I was an idiot. When I said those things, I didn’t think you’d actually leave. I’ve never been more terrified in my life.”
She presses her forehead harder against my chest. Her hands are still in my shirt, and she is not letting go. I look out across the water and feel the fated mate bond throbbing. My wolf is anxious. The truth is that she is everything I have outside of Ethan.
And I am all she has left.
The Accord is out there. The Council is out there. And I have no idea yet how to keep her alive inside the world I live in.
I hold her tighter, and I don’t let go.
The gravel crunchesunder the tires as I pull in. Every light in the house is on, and Linda is already at the front door.
I cut the engine. Miranda hasn’t moved. She’s been sitting with her arms folded around herself the entire drive back, still soaked through, staring out the window at nothing.
I get out and come around to her side. She’s reaching for the door handle when I open it, and before she can protest, I reach in and lift her out.
“I can walk,” she snaps, struggling.
“I know.” I carry her toward the front door anyway.
She turns her face away from me, jaw tight.
Linda steps aside without a word as we cross the threshold, her eyes moving over Miranda once, quickly, and then to me. I give her a small shake of my head. She presses her lips together and closes the door behind us.
“Sera?” I ask quietly.
“Waiting,” Linda says.
Sera appears from the sitting room, coat still on, bag in hand. She takes one look at Miranda in my arms and falls into step behind me without a word as I head for the stairs.
I carry Miranda up and into my room and set her down on the edge of the bed. Sera steps around me, sets her bag down, and pulls the lamp closer. She looks at the bandaging. Then she looks at me.
“What did you do, Grayson?” Her tone is sharp as whiplash, and I wince.
“I threw her in the lake.”
“You did what?” If looks could kill, Sera’s gaze would turn me into ash.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” I look away. “I was trying to help.”
She lifts a finger in my direction. “Stop talking and get out of my way.” She points at the corner of the room. “Stand there. Don’t touch anything.”
I go to the corner obediently.
Sera turns back to Miranda, and her hands and voice go gentle in the way they only do when she’s furious at someone who isn’t the patient. “I’m Sera. I’ve patched up half the people in this house. I’m going to take a look, all right?”
