Page 66 of Israel

Chapter 25

They rode back to the hotel on Israel’s bike, calling for a couple of the crew to come out and pick up the rental car. He could feel Ashley’s exhaustion as she leaned on him, and he just wanted to put her to bed and sit with her and stroke her hair until she fell asleep.

But even though she smelled mostly of sex and happiness, there was still that underlying sense of melancholy. He knew it wasn’t just about her family and how they’d react to him.

It went deeper than that. The knowledge that everything she had right now would have to end, and everyone she knew here would grow old and die while she still remained young.

He couldn’t imagine what that would be like. For someone who would live for centuries, it must be like having all your dreams fulfilled—but only for a month. And after that, you would lose it all.

He didn’t know how he could change that or fix it. He didn’t know if being with him would make her happier or sadder.

All he could do was hold on to his belief in the mating bond—that it always happened for a reason. That true mates were meant to be together, and the years they had together would be worth it. For both of them.

There had to be a way to make it work. And if he had to travel to the House of Akkabi and face down her whole family, he’d do it.

But first he had to catch her stalker. He had to make her safe. If he couldn’t do that, then he didn’t deserve her.

Back at the hotel, the hallway outside their rooms was empty. Mike must not have assigned anyone else while they were gone.

“Do you have your key card?” Israel asked her. “I left my copy in your room when I left.”

Ashley started searching her bag and her pockets. “I can’t find it,” she said. “I must have left it in the rental car.” She couldn’t remember. She was so tired.

“Come on. We’ll go in through my room.”

He fished his own key card out of his pocket and slid it into the lock. Automatically, he put out his hand to signal Ashley to let him go in first and clear the room.

He pushed the door open, waiting, and then went in. It looked normal to Ashley, but she waited while he checked the closet and bathroom.

“Don’t you ever get tired of not being able to just walk into a room like a normal person?” she asked. “Please tell me all this is going to be over soon.”

“We’ll catch him,” Israel assured her. “We have a whole team at Silverlake working on it. Something has to break soon.”

She just nodded. She didn’t understand how people who could identify the crest of the House of Akkabi, which no one in this world had seen for eight hundred years, couldn’t find one freakin’ stalker.

But then she looked at Israel and saw his eyes. He hated that he hadn’t fixed this yet. Her distress was breaking his heart—that strong, loyal, wolf heart he had so much faith in.

She wished she could muster up that much faith in anything. It all seemed so hopeless. Larik had reminded her how temporary this was—and how impossible it was that her people could accept someone like Israel as a consort for her.

They had no idea what he was really like. How sweet, how caring. How strong. They’d been living up in their faraway castles for so long they had no idea what it was like out here, how raw and full of emotion other shifters were.

They weren’t perfect. But they were alive, not just clinging to a cold existence of politics and maneuvering, holding themselves above earthbound creatures.

It was ironic, that creatures who could breathe fire were the most cold-blooded she’d ever met.

She walked over to Israel and pulled him into her arms, putting her ear against his chest. She could hear his heart beating, strong and sure. His arms curved around her and he rested his cheek on her hair. His warmth and solidity was a balm to her soul.

“I better go change,” she said finally. She was wearing a pair of his pants, since he had torn hers off. Luckily, as a shifter, he always carried spares.

She pulled away and looked up at him. “I’m sorry I spoiled our date.”

He kissed her forehead. “We’ll have more. Years and years of dates.”

He left her and went over to the connecting door. “Be prepared for a little bit of a mess,” he said apologetically. “Trevor and I searched your room for clues when we found you gone.”

He pushed the door open, and then froze. “Shit,” he muttered. “Stay back.”

What? Why? She couldn’t help it, she had to go to the door. When she saw her room, she gasped.