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I turn the corner around a building and freeze.
I’ve wandered right up to the open doorway of a gym. The quiet sounds of a man grunting and hitting a punching bag float out on the slight breeze.
My eyes connect with a broad back, with bronze, sun-kissed skin stretching over taut muscles. His broad shoulders bunch and release with each punch he lands on the bag, and as he ducks and jabs, I’m mesmerized by the smooth, liquid grace he exudes with each movement. His damp, dark hair swings in his face as he moves, and I can’t help but think that he looks just a little unkempt. A little on the edge.
He circles enough for me to catch his face in profile, eyes catching on the dark scruff on his square jaw. I’m not close enough to see the color of his eyes perched over a Grecian nose, but if I had to guess, I’d guess they were a dark, earthy brown color. He is undeniably handsome. I bite my lip as more of his muscles come into view, sweat-slicked and rippling beneath the lights of the gym.
Part of me thinks I shouldn’t watch, but the other part of me is interested to see why the heart stone has guided me here. It’s calmed, which means this is exactly where it meant to bring me.
I take a hesitant step into the building and the man jerks to a stop, turning abruptly and glaring. His chest heaves with panting breaths as he skims his gaze quickly over me.
“Who the hell are you?” he asks gruffly. I shuffle from one foot to the other as the deep, gruff voice hits something deep inside of me and leaves me feeling warm.
“My name is Quinn, I—”
“No,” he cuts me off, storming several steps closer. His eyes are the darkest shade of brown, beyond earthy and straight toward a deep umber color. “I mean who the hell do you think you are? You sneak up on people around here and you could wind up hurt.”
I blink at him as he all but growls at me.
I hear him, but I’m having a hard time reacting to his words thanks to my wolf’s sudden distraction. Because my wolf knows why the heart stone brought me here even though it seems impossible.
Mate, my wolf acknowledges definitively.
“Why are you staring like that?” the guy snaps. It’s almost like he moves in slow motion as he reaches toward me. The sound of my wolf chantingmate, mate, mate, matein my head distracts me enough to miss his intentions until he yanks my heart stone out of my grasp.
“Hey, give that back to me.” I jolt toward him but freeze with my hand partially outstretched when my stone starts to glow in his hands.
It’s not the first time it’s happened, but it is the most spectacular. The pink stone gives off such vibrant light that both the stranger and I are stunned into silence. The glow turns us both pink, washing us in its light.
Before I can consider what it means or test the waters of a potential fifth mate bond, the man thrusts my heart stone back at me.
Our fingers brush as I take it, my heart racing.
I stare down, bewildered, as the heart stone goes dark again once the man’s touch is gone. That beam of light was only for him for some reason, and I desperately want to see it recreated to study it better. There are so many things about my heart stone that I don’t understand—but I really, really want to.
I look up, prepared to ask the stranger to hold the stone once more, but all that’s left is an empty gym in front of me. Somehow, silently, he disappeared.
Vanished into thin air.
SIXTEEN
QUINN
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Willem asks, wrapping his arm around my shoulder as we wait for Otto. He sent someone to wake us up this morning telling us to meet him at a small training circle that seems to be more private than the large ones at the center of their grounds.
I lean into Willem. “I didn’t sleep well,” I admit.
“How come?”
I don’t get the chance to answer him before Otto calls out in greeting. I look up and my spine stiffens as I take in the man walking up beside Otto. Willem’s grip on me tightens.
What?he asks across mind link, but I don’t know how to answer.
Ian and Mason both look over at me, likely sensing my sudden unease. Mate bonds are really too perceptive. And their weird sixth sense twin thing sometimes seems to extend to the rest of our little group too.
“This is Sailor.” Otto gestures to the man beside him. “One of my most dedicated fighters-in-training. He’s agreed to help with your training since I only have a couple of free hours to give you today.”
“Thanks for the help,” Ian says, offering Sailor his hand.
