Jax’s POV
In the thick silence of the room, only our shared, uneven breathing could be heard. With my thumb, slowly, almost unconsciously, I stroked the pulse at her bloodied, chafed wrist. The bond, which until now had only been an infuriating, scorching flame, had morphed into something deeper and more comforting. I had found my mate. And most importantly: she was not a killer.
But the relief was quickly replaced by a much darker feeling. Her words echoed in my head over and over again. They tormented me... tried to beat the weakness out of me... threw me to the dogs.
I slowly lifted my gaze and looked straight into her eyes. My inner wolf growled beneath the surface, and the Alpha's protective instinct awakened with full force.
"You said they tried to beat your nature out of you," I
