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It’s as if that missing part of me has clicked into place with my soul and everything makes sense. My mind isn’t working on a million problems at once. I’m not thinking of the next day or year or threat. I’m just here in this moment as a man holding the woman he loves more than life itself, wondering how he ever got so lucky.
I want to go back to that scared little young one clinging to his brother’s hand when they set out into a city destroyed by war and tell him it gets better. I want to tell him it’s worth it. Everything is worth it because we get her.
Pulling her tighter against me, I bury my head in her neck and drink in her scent. It’s mixed with mine, the mating scent making me grin as I kiss the bite mark on her neck. A surge of possessiveness goes through me. I never thought I’d be the type, but with her, I’m anything but calm and collected.
I thought it would get better when we mated, but I was wrong—if anything, I’m more possessive, obsessed, and protective now than I ever was before. I need to trust my mate to do her part so we can get out of here with our friends.
I hate that she has to face them alone, but she’s not afraid, my brave little human, so I will be fearless as well.
She murmurs in her sleep, turning and pressing her face to my chest. My heart skips a beat at her trust in me, so I press my lips to her forehead. “I promise you, mate, I will never let another hurt you again. I will do everything to make you happy for the rest of our long lives, because a few years with you will never be enough. Even a hundred wouldn’t be. We will get out of this, and we will start our life together. I promise you. Just hold on a bit longer, and I’ll hold on with you. Where you go, I go. When you hurt, I hurt.” Brushing my lips over her forehead, I give my vows to her. “I will love you forever.”
I relax, not daring to sleep with such a precious being in my arms. Instead, I just let myself be happy with her in my embrace and protect her while she rests.
When morning comes and they shove food through the door, waking her, it comes too soon.
I want to pull her back into my arms and hold onto her forever, but she’s like a bird—she has wings and she needs to fly.
I let her go with a soft smile, pushing her hair back from her sleepy face as she yawns. She grins at me and surprises me by leaning in and kissing me. Climbing to her feet, she stretches and then wanders away to take care of business while I grab the food. We sit with our knees pressed together, and I hand feed her as she blushes but grins at me.
It’s almost domestic, but it all crashes down when I hear them coming.
I sober, and she must feel my shift in mood, because her hand comes out and covers mine. “I will be fine. Don’t worry about me, just hold on a bit longer.” She stands, and they buzz the door. My collar starts up and I grit my teeth, fighting the surge as it lights up every nerve in my body.
Her eyes narrow as she steps before me, her legs parted to protect me.
My beautiful, strong mate.
When they beckon her out of the open door, she throws me a look that tells me she promises she will return, and I know she will.
If not, I will come for her.
* * *
TALIA
I ignore the knowing looks and dirty comments from the guards who clearly watched me mate Cato last night. I refuse to let them ruin something as special and beautiful as our love. Instead, I keep my chin tilted up, and they soon grow bored of their barbs not landing and just drag me to the desk I’m working at.
Today, they don’t chain me, probably realising I won’t try anything. At least they didn’t shove me into another cell with a monster to mate. It seems they must be happy about the mating, and now I need to figure out why.
The monster said breeding, but they must know I can’t have kids.
So why?
I wait until they get bored and wander away, and then I start the process of hiding some research before pretending to work. I take my blood and run some tests, curious why they took it when I first arrived.
An hour later, I’m staring at the results in shock.
My blood is changing. I am changing.
But how? Why? I run through multiple factors, and the only thing I can think of is Cato. I don’t think they have drugged us, and all I’ve done is mate Cato. Is this why they want that? I need to know, so I demand to see Doctor Hayes to find out the truth.
This is so much more than them creating monsters and experimenting on them.
This is… This is my human biology changing, and I want to know how and why they have done this.
I have to wait, and then he finally arrives, watching me with an arched eyebrow. He seems happy today, probably because I mated a monster just like he wanted. “My blood is changing. Why?”
“Is it?” he asks, but he doesn’t sound shocked, only happy. “And how are you feeling?”
