Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 147891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
That’s why I’m angry. Because the one man I’ve fallen madly in love with may not be mine forever, and to be frank, it fucking sucks. Everyone I love either leaves or is forced to go. I didn’t ask for this life, but I’m putting up a fight for it, damn it, and so should he.
I finish off my first drink and dive right into the second. After a large gulp, I take my phone out of my bag and send Faye a text.
Made it to NOLA. Mad at Caz.
Faye responds almost immediately with:
Why? Did he try to kill someone AGAIN?
No, but he’s contemplating getting himself killed just to stop Decius.
Ugh. Seriously, he is super dramatic and complicated
I chew on my bottom lip, my thumb hovering over the keyboard.
If that’s what he wants fine. Whatever. If I didn’t love him it would make letting go so much easier.
Faye isn’t so quick to respond this time, and I keep reading my message, slowly regretting sending it, until her conversation bubble appears to show she’s typing. Her message pops up:
He’s yours, Willow, and he needs you.
But if you don’t want that life, don’t be in it. Find a way for him to go back and be done with it. You don’t have to subject yourself to that kind of life if you don’t want it. It’ll be hard, I’m sure, but it’s possible.
I read her message several times, blinking my tears away. God. I have never felt so much aching in my chest. My heart yearns for this man, to rush up to our hotel room and collapse in his arms. But a part of me also wants to run away because Faye is right. I didn’t ask for any of this. Why should we be Tethered? Why does our love have to be so damn complicated?
I feel warmth on my back as someone hovers behind me. Arms wrap around me from behind and draw me back so that my back is touching his chest. The arms mold around me, as they’ve done many times before, and when I smell him, a sigh escapes me. He somehow still smells like Vakeeli, like it lingers in his skin and hair—ocean air, salt, and a little bloom.
He drops his chin to my shoulder, and I shut the screen of my phone off, melting in his arms. Ugh. Who am I kidding? I can’t run away. This is what I crave, what I want most. Even now, I’m supposed to be mad at him, but how can I be? His arms are where I belong. I’m centered within them and don’t want to be anywhere else.
“I’m sorry, Willow.” His deep voice falls into my ear, sending goosebumps crawling up my arm. He plants a kiss on my cheek. “I’m very sorry.”
I remain quiet, staring at the ice in my glass tumbler. “Should I just go back home and forget about all this?”
“Absolutely not.” He steps to my side, his body still close to mine. He tips my chin with his forefinger, and I carry my eyes up to his. “I’m fighting,” he assures me. “I panicked about my family, but it was only for a moment. They mean a lot to me. My wolf. Blackwater. All of it matters to me much more than I realized.” He strokes my chin. “But you also matter.”
“I get why you want to sacrifice yourself, but I don’t want Decius to take you, Caz.”
“What if it comes down to it? What if it’s the only way to save you all?”
“If we have to run to Selah ourselves, we will. I don’t care how we do it, but it can be done. Decius isn’t unstoppable. As long as we’re together and fighting, we’re safe.”
“You’re right.” He drops his head, dark lashes touching his cheekbones. “If I can get back to Vakeeli and send a contact to The Council, perhaps they’ll give me another spell of protection.”
“Yes, like they did last time,” I return, hopeful. I’m glad this is where the conversation is going. Filled with hope and tenacity.
“But something tells me that as soon as Decius senses I’m back in Vakeeli, and if the Council doesn’t get to me in time, I’m out of luck again.”
“Maybe Beatrix can give us something.”
“Maybe.” He takes my hand, wrapping both of his around it and bringing my knuckles to his lips. He kisses them as he looks into my eyes. “I won’t give up.”
“Promise?”
“With my whole heart, I promise.”
Satisfied, I pull my hand away and lace my arms around the back of his neck. He plants a kiss on top of my head just as someone yells, “Get a room!”
I laugh as Caz finds the culprit and grimaces at him. “They’re just joking,” I laugh. “Just people being drunk and stupid.”
“We have a room,” Caz says. “What he said doesn’t even make any sense.”