I didn't answer Cassian. I couldn't. I just gave him a stiff, tight nod and managed to usher him out of the back exit before my throat completely closed up. The question hung in the air like a heavy mist, suffocating me.
Did he hurt you back then?
He had shattered my soul, but I couldn't explain that to a human. I couldn't explain the primal agony of a torn mating bond.
Needing to escape the white walls of the lab, I walked out into the west wing courtyard. The morning air was biting, a crisp alpine breeze that promised to clear the fog from my brain. I leaned my hands against the stone balustrade, staring out at the dark pine forest, letting the cold sting my cheeks.
"Enjoying the view, Dr. Hale? Or just checking to see if the borders are clear for your human friend to escape?"
The v
