Chapter 39
I woke to the sound of Kael’s heartbeat.
It pulsed steadily and strongly beneath my ear, a rhythm that had become my anchor in the chaos. The world smelled of damp moss and old stone, of wolf and smoke and the faint metallic tang of blood magic that clung to me like perfume. For a moment, I didn’t move. I breathed him in, the warmth of his body seeping into mine, and let myself pretend we were safe.
But safety was a luxury I’d long since stopped believing in.
The bond thrummed between us, heavy with his unease. Even in my sleep, I could taste a bitter tang of tension that coiled through him like a tightly drawn bowstring.
“Kael,” I murmured softly.
His eyes opened instantly, amber flashing in the dim light. His wolf never slept deeply. He looked down at me, the sharpness i
