I placed my hands over his. “I don’t know what’s happening, either, wolf,” I said, my voice cracking before my own tears began. “But I promise you, we’ll see it through together.”

Aric yanked me to him, holding me close. I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. “Celia, I love you. I would give you my soul if it meant sparing your life. No matter what happens—or what this is—you have to believe I love you. You are my life, sweetness.”

“O-okay.” I wiped my eyes and looked at him. “For better or for worse, right?”

He released a breath and managed a small smile. “For better or for worse,” he repeated.

Aric released me slowly only to snatch me into an embrace when I swayed backward. “Shit,” he said, lowering me to the edge of our whirlpool tub.

“I need to lie down soon,” I said, trying to blink away the spots dancing in my vision.

Aric stripped out of his clothes and tugged off the patient gown I wore, careful to maintain his hold on me. He lifted me and carried me into the shower, supporting me with one hand as he washed my hair before lathering my body with soap. I watched his expression while his hands swept over my breasts, legs, and bum. He wanted me. I could tell by the way his body reacted against mine, but he didn’t take things further. And despite how weak I felt, part of me wished he had.

Aric dried me with a towel and massaged my skin with lotion. He meant to care for me, and protect me, yet his contact further stimulated his desire. He turned and tied the towel tight around his waist. But there was no hiding his need, even through the thick cotton.

When he turned to me again, he wouldn’t look at me directly. I supposed he was embarrassed. I didn’t fault him; we often made love following a shower, and yet he seemed disturbed by his body’s response.

“Shit,” he muttered.

I lowered my chin. If I could’ve managed, I would have spared him by showering alone, yet I sensed his yearning to feel close to me and perhaps make amends for his absence.

Aric carried me to bed, helping me yank on a pair of panties before slipping one of his T-shirts over my head. My body shivered, suddenly unbearably cold. “Baby, you’re freezing,” he said.

He pulled me under the covers, wrapping us with the heavy down comforter as he gathered me to him. My teeth chattered uncontrollably. God, I couldn’t remember ever feeling so cold. I blamed my still-wet hair, the coolness of the room, and my blood loss, but I didn’t panic. I was sure that the comforting heat that surrounded us as mates would warm me and ease the chill.

“Hold me,” I begged him.

Aric stopped moving. “I…am,” he whispered.

Despite the cold that continued to rack my body, it was his words that froze me in place. That familiar surge of heat never came.

The warmth between us was gone.

Chapter 19

My fear that our connection was severed kept me awake for a long while. It was only when Aric’s natural body heat warmed me that my body stopped shaking and I surrendered to sleep.

Aric didn’t sleep. I knew that for a fact. Sometime around dawn, I woke up when the bright sunlight trickling through cracks in the blinds hit my face. Aric’s fingers stroked my curls, just as they had when I first fell asleep. He blinked back at me with tired, bloodshot eyes ringed with shadows.

Thick scruff lined his jaw and deep frown lines etched his forehead. He was worried for us. Well, so was I. Regardless of what I’d said, I was scared senseless.

“I’ll cover the windows,” he told me quietly.

I clung to his waist when he tried to rise. “Stay with me,” I mumbled, my body begging me to keep still.

“Sweetness…”

“Please, wolf.” I adjusted my position, just enough so that the brightness wouldn’t bother me. Almost immediately I returned to sleep.

I wasn’t sure what time it was when I finally woke up. I only knew it was late in the morning. My legs felt rubbery and my gait was unsteady at best, but I managed to reach the bathroom and freshen up. I also managed to down two full glasses of water.

When I returned to the bedroom, Aric hadn’t budged from his spot. He usually woke when I left his side. And while under other circumstances I wouldn’t have given it much thought, too much had happened. I needed to act. I slipped into a pair of shorts and carefully stole away to our finished basement.

I moved quickly, hurrying past our three treadmills and row of workout equipment lining the wall. In addition to the gym, the basement had a small bar tucked into the corner. I edged around it, but I was scrambling faster than my body was ready for. I had to grasp the edge of the bar before I landed on my ass.

Carefully, I eased my way onto a bar stool, taking a moment to rest against the bar before reaching for our landline. As I tried to remember the number I needed, I felt what could only be described as a nudge. Although I wasn’t sure how, I knew who was there even before I lifted my head.

Shah sat between a bottle of tequila and an unopened bottle of scotch. I sighed. “What are you doing here?” I asked, even though I realized he wouldn’t answer.

I glanced over my shoulder, paranoia setting in. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe.”

Shah remained still as, well, stone. “I’m serious. I think you’re better off in the stronghold Makawee created for you.” Again, he didn’t move. Maybe he knew or understood something I didn’t. For a giant crystal, he’d more than proven he wasn’t stupid. “Okay, buddy. If you don’t want to be there, I won’t make you go. You can stay close to me if you’d like, but I need you to hide, okay? I’m not sure what will happen if the wrong person or thing touches you, and you’ve been used enough.”

A creak by the steps had me whipping around. I half-expected some evil creature to be slithering its way toward me.

But no one was there.

And yet I still sensed that I was being watched.

I reached to gather Shah just in case, but he was gone. His absence gave me comfort, in a way. Given my circumstances with Aric and all the trouble that found me last night, Shah wasn’t safe anywhere near me. I only hoped that where he was, he would be. “Thank you,” I whispered.

My attention returned to my task at hand. I took a breath and made a call I hoped I wouldn’t regret, unable to shake the feeling that I was betraying Aric. But he and I needed help, and I didn’t know where else to turn.