AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My heart was racing, but at least I didn’t have to worry about him reading my mind. I couldn’t keep my thoughts controlled right now.
“I’m sorry, again, for not telling you the truth sooner. For the first few years, I genuinely didn’t know if I’d be able to stay in the dreams and shift or not. I was terrified of not being able to reach you again if I did. I couldn’t lose that connection to you. Later, when I could control my shifting and abilities better, I knew I couldn’t. I had to stay in my hawk form. I should have tried harder though. But I didn’t want to lose you because you felt betrayed.”
“So why now?”
He reached out and took my hands in his. “I could feel your fear. Your loneliness. I could see how lost you were. The first dream you had when you were here, I knew I had to come to you. You told me you came to a new school, but I had to figure out which one. That took some time. Once I figured it out, I had to make arrangements to transfer and convince my parents I wasn’t losing my mind.”
“I thought they knew about me? About the bond mark?”
“There have been dead ends before. They didn’t want me to end up disappointed again.”
“What?” I looked into his golden eyes, trying to understand.
“I’ve been looking for you, Theo, and Niall for as long as I could remember. There were several times when I thought I found one of you only to be disappointed.”
I hadn’t realized. “But Theo? I thought he was pretty well-known.”
“It was like I was always one step behind. Then, I knew he was here, but I couldn’t just show up at the school. At least I knew he was safe.”
“You came here when I told you I was going home.”
“I couldn’t lose you. I could feel it through my entire being. This was my chance. You and Theo were in the same place. That was my sign.”
“You didn’t know about the others?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I hoped, but I wasn’t sure.”
“I wish you told me sooner.”
He scooted closer and lifted my chin, so I met his eyes. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to lie or betray you. I didn’t know how else to reach you.”
It wasn’t like I had any answers either. What could I have done differently in his situation? If I knew how important he was to me and visiting him in my wolf form was the only way to see or hear him? I would do it.
“I understand.”
Hope sparkled in his gaze. “You do?”
“Yeah, it’s going to take some time to get used to, but I can’t hold it against you.”
“Thank you,” he whispered and leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. “I’m so sorry. I never, ever want to hurt you.”
His proximity should have been alarming. I should have wanted to pull away, but every inch of him felt familiar. A tether pulled us together.
I stroked my thumb along his jaw.
“You’re real.”
He smiled down at me. “So are you.”
His fingers trailed up my arms, over my shoulders, and into my hair.
We took our time touching, exploring, memorizing.
This was my one constant in real life, in front of me. He was here. My best friend. The hawk turned boy––well, man––who I’d trusted and loved for a decade.
He was a part of me. He was in my heart. Mind. Tears. He’d been with me through so much of the good and bad.
At times, I felt insane talking to a hawk, but somehow I knew. He was real. He was listening. He understood. He hurt with me. He celebrated the good and grieved the bad.
