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I felt my soul tie tighten.
“I’m not okay, Vin.”
“I know you’re not.”
“Thank you for this.” He gestured between us.
“You deserve this.”
His eyes flashed, not the black of his wolf, but something else entirely. “Do I?”
“I think you do.”
“I guess that’s all that matters,” he admitted, sliding lower in his seat.
“I do believe my opinion is the only one that matters.” A smile accompanied the words, but they still earned me an eye roll.
“I know you do.”
I put his foot on the deck, a shiver rolling down my spine as wolves howled in the distance. Here I was, bred by their enemy and yet in the midst of them. I got to my feet and held out my hand for Dominic. He took it, and I pulled him to join me, sliding my arms around his middle.
“Let me take you to bed.”
“Things are different between us today,” he muttered, letting me lead him toward his room.
“They are.”
“Should I be worried?” he asked, his words drawn out and heavy. His lack of sleep was slipping through the cracks of his sadness.
“No. We are not going backward.”
He might hate those cracks, but today, I was grateful for them. They let me see more of my mate than I knew existed. All the soft parts. All the parts I loved already but needed to see. I brushed his hair off his forehead before pushing his shorts off his hips.
“Thank you,” I said, stripping off my clothes with less ceremony than we usually had.
“For what?” He fell backward into bed and lay where he landed, not bothering to scoot to his pillow.
I climbed in after him, prowling over my prey. “For giving these parts of you to me today.”
“I figured you might as well see what you’re getting yourself into.”
“They made me love you more,” I admitted.
“Will you still love me when you find out all the secrets I’ve been keeping?” he asked, his voice laced with sleep.
“As long as you love me when you find out mine.” He knew I’d stayed today.
“It’s going to be Pandora’s box in here.”
“As long as we are united, we’ll get through it,” I whispered against his skin.
“I hope so.”
SIXTEEN
DOMINIC
Weeks passed, and while Vin and I grew closer, the rest of my life spiraled. The weight of death felt like concrete boots, and with each new body, another pound dragged me under. My people didn’t blame me, but the doubt in their faces grew with each passing day. They might not blame me, but the doubt in my ability to keep them safe was there.
