Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
“I love you. We’ll survive this as long as we’re together.” I want to believe it. Hawk is my anchor, and maybe if we stick with each other, he won’t get lost at the bottom of the sea, and I will not be left adrift.
He nods and kisses me. Even if I didn’t have the benefit of our magical bond, the sincerity of the way he touches me says everything I need to know about his feelings. I appreciate that about him. There are no double meanings to his words, no secret plans or attempts at manipulation. With Hawk, what I see is what I get, and I cannot even describe how much peace this gives me after living out my life in the viper nest that is the Nocturne Court.
Somehow, he managed to bring the same out in me.
“We will,” Hawk agrees, grinning.
I stall at the sight of his teeth, because they’re all sharp now, like those of a predatory beast. But this is still my husband, my Dark Companion, and such details don’t matter, so I let him kiss my forehead and whisper sweet nothings.
“Whatever happens, you can always count on me. Now show me,” he says, pointing at the marroweeds.
We don’t have the proper tools, so I show him how to crush the flower petals in his hands, then roll them to release the oils. We fall into an easy rhythm of me picking the petals off the flowers, and him crushing them before spreading the white goo over my shoulder. The numbing effect brings instant relief.
I can’t believe how at peace I am. Just moments ago, I was in absolute emotional and physical agony, and Hawk somehow manages to heal both.
I am not nothing. My handsome beast would sooner risk his life than see me perish. He put on the Sunwolf Crown without knowing how it might change him, all because I am important to him. Because he loves me.
“I missed your touch,” I say as he’s finishing up with the marroweed cast stiffening on my shoulder. I secretly kept a flower in my bag so there’s enough for his finger later. He didn’t question how much we utilized on me and applied a thick layer of the paste, just because he cares.
I’m so lucky to have found him, and while I still mourn his shadow, it no longer is at the core of our relationship. Maybe it never was.
Hawk licks his lips, leaning over me with a soft sigh. “I missed yours too. I was angry over you making a mistake, and between having company and being so exhausted every day, we never got to clear the air. I’m sorry.”
I stroke his cheek and look into his eyes, even though they’re a little frightening. It’s still my Hawk, and I have nothing to be scared of. As long as he controls the Sunwolf within, I don’t have to worry about him devouring my shadow.
“I understand. I’ve been brought up in a snake pit, but I trust you, and I never want you to doubt me either. I’m sorry you had to go through so much, and in an unfamiliar world at that.”
Hawk stretches next to me, resting on his side and using the heel of his injured hand to support his head. He bites his lip, contemplative as his fingers trail over my naked chest. “I’ve been duped many times. Worst of all, I killed for someone who lied to me because he thought I was too naive to notice. He used me. But not everyone is like him. I don’t want to stay bitter. And you, you will be my reward.”
An hour ago, the depth of my sorrow was so great I thought I’d never be able to feel happiness again, but he washed away all the grime and showed me that I am still whole.
Hawk’s lips twist into a sly grin when he presses his hand more to my chest. “Anything you missed about me most?”
I glance at him, feeling shy, but still put my fingers over his. “Hawk… since you awoke my body to being touched, not an hour passes by that I don’t think about the warmth of your skin.”
He trembles. I can not only feel but also see it, and by the time his lips touch mine, I’m so damn ready for him too. Those three days without his touch were like a lifetime of thirst.
“You were a very eager student, baby,” he whispers, moving his lips to my temple, then down to my jaw.
“And we missed our wedding night…” I gasp and slide my hands over his shoulders with my heart beating faster. I smile when he slides his leg between mine, because it’s clear we both want to reconnect.
“Don’t you worry,” he whispers into my sensitive neck. “If there’s any dangerous beasts out here, I will kill them for you. From now on, I will be your loyal pup.”