"I’m not afraid because I’ve shed the skin of the Ava who let others muzzle her. Besides," I added, my voice dropping to a low hum that only a mate could hear, "I have you guarding my flank now."
Confidence radiated from me, a sharp contrast to the broken wolf I had been weeks ago. Connor’s golden eyes flared with a hunger he fought to keep leashed. "If we weren't suspended in the clouds right now," he rumbled, his voice vibrating against my chest, "I would kiss you until your inner wolf was breathless."
He pulled me into a crushing embrace, burying his face in the crook of my neck. I smelled the scent of a King—rain-washed cedar and ancient power. It was the only scent in the world that felt like home. He rested his head on my shoulder, his breathing heavy, as if he wanted to memorize t
