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Ravena stiffens in my arms.

“Oh gods,” she whimpers. “Was that your stomach?”

“It was my chest.”

“Why are you growling?” she asks with a shakiness in her sweet, delicate voice. Her stunning green eyes widen as she looks up at me like a cute, helpless, baby purranese. The need to protect her burns hot in my chest. “Are you going to kill me? Are you mad that we tried to execute you, because it was nothing personal. It’s just business, you know, and—ah!”

She screams as I dive down, swooping through the sky. The town of Moonbell Hollow is laid out before us in all its autumnal beauty, but Ravena has her eyes squeezed shut, missing it all.

I’m getting the feeling she doesn’t like flying and would prefer to be on the ground, so I head toward the tall tower in the middle of the town.

“Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap,” she mutters continuously as I swoop and dive toward Moonbell Tower. I smile when I feel her weak, tiny arms gripping my torso.

I spread my wings out, slowing as I descend onto the top of the tower where the heavy brass bells hang. I land as gently as I can.

“It’s okay, Ravena,” I whisper as I stand on the structure and wrap my wings around her protectively. “You’re not in danger. You’ll never be in danger around me.”

“You’re not going to kill me?” she asks, forcing her eyes open. “You’re not going to eat me, or throw me off this tower?”

She looks over my flexed bicep at the long drop below. I can feel her body tense with unease.

“I would never hurt you,” I tell her softly. “In fact, I would die before I let any pain or tragedy befall you.”

Her beautiful green eyes meet mine. I can sense the anxiety in them. Her face is pale. I can tell she’s uncomfortable.

“Come inside,” I say, taking her hand and guiding her into the top of the tower where she can feel more steady and safe. I always seem to forget that creatures without wings do not have the same comfort with height as I do.

Her white face begins to get some color back into it as she crouches in the corner, taking deep, heavy breaths.

I give her a second, but it’s hard to stay away from her, and I find myself approaching despite my suspicion that she would like some space.

Her green eyes dart up to me when I crouch in front of her. They flash with anger.

“You can’t just fly off with people!” she shouts, smacking my arm. “That was terrifying.”

I recoil in confusion and shock. “You were in danger.”

“From who?” she says, her eyes flaring. “From that moron trying to save me? The one you disarmed in about half a second?!”

Another growl rumbles out of my chest when I think of that man with the sword. My hand squeezes into a fist. I could smell it on him. He’s lucky I didn’t end him on the spot.

“That man desired you.”

“Korrick?” she says with her face twisting up in the most adorable way. “Ew. No thanks.”

My tight shoulders loosen. I release my fist and relax my hands.

I don’t have to worry about some pathetic human. This woman is my mate. We’re bound together by fate and destiny and forces neither of us will ever understand. Nobody can compete with that.

“What do you care about it anyway?”

I tilt my head as I study her. Does she truly not know?

“You’re my mate, Ravena. Isn’t that obvious?”

She looks at me for a long moment and then laughs. “Obvious? Yeah, Tharion. That was super obvious, obviously.”

Her reaction leaves me confused. Is she not happy about the development?