Page 149 of Craving Carla

The question snaps Anora out of her trance, and rage flares across her face. She starts slapping Amir’s arms, each strike sharp and deliberate. “You just keep trying me, and I’m fucking sick of it!”

I can’t help it—I start to laugh, the relief so overwhelming that it bubbles up in a slightly hysterical release.

Amir winces, his ears falling flat against his head as Anora continues her tirade. “But it’s the tourist island,” he protests weakly. “It’s part of Wintermoon.”

Anora points in the direction of the royal island, her finger jabbing the air. “Get your ass home NOW!”

Amir doesn’t wait for her to say it twice—he teleports away so fast that it’s a blink my eyes can’t even process. One moment he’s there, the next he’s gone.

Anora huffs in frustration, then looks over to me. Her expression falls, regret washing over her features. I can see she wants to apologize for the things she said, the hurt she caused, but the words don’t come. And that’s okay—I don’t want an apology from her because I understand. Being a queen, a leader, means making hard choices. It means being tired and frustrated and still going on.

Anora looks to Damon, who simply bows his head to her, still acknowledging her as his queen despite everything that’s just happened. Then she teleports away, her form fading until she’s completely gone.

My legs give out, and I drop to my knees, exhaustion hitting me like a tidal wave. The battle—twice over—took too much out of me, but I’m free. The veil is lifted, and finally, finally, I can feel the one thing that kept me fighting.

The mate bond.

The pull to Amari that felt like my heart was being ripped out every time I thought I was going to lose him. The sickening dread when I saw him wounded. And to finally feel my mate—it breaks me.

It’s like a missing limb has been reattached. Like a blind person suddenly seeing color. Like taking a full breath after years of suffocating. I can feel him—not just physically, but emotionally. I can sense his relief, his joy, his love for me pouring through the connection.

I dissolve into sobs, my whole body shaking with the force of my emotions. Immediately, Amari flashes over to me, helping me up from the ground. I cling to his bloodied suit, pressing my hand against his beating heart. He’s healed, just barely, but his heart is beating steady—beating just for me. The sound of it fills me completely, the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard.

Amari holds me close, his arms steady around me, letting me sob. “You did good, my queen,” he murmurs into my hair, his lips brushing my temple. “I’m so proud of you.”

I pull back and look into his eyes, those golden depths that have become my home. “If it weren’t for you, I would have had to send Anora to limbo. It would have destroyed me.”

Amari cups my face in his hands, pressing his forehead against mine. “Thank Fate, not me,” he says softly. “I’ve been feeding on you the past three days, and a good portion of your power transferred over—enough for me to break the web now that the veil is lifted.”

His thumbs gently wipe away my tears. “I’m so proud of you. You were so strong today. My brave Spider Queen.”

I sag against him, my energy completely spent. “I’m so tired.”

“That’s okay,” he says, pressing a kiss to my temple. “I’ll take you home and take care of you.”

I start searching his chest for the wound that’s nearly closed, my fingers trembling against the torn fabric of his shirt. “You need to feed.”

Amari cups my face again, his golden eyes warm with affection. “Don’t worry about that, baby.”

Across the street, Leah teleports in front of Kade, who’s holding her forehead and wincing. Leah throws her arms around her, sobbing uncontrollably.

“I’m fine, baby. Chill, chill,” Kade mumbles, but Leah isn’t having it.

“Shut the hell up,” she snaps, slapping Kade’s arm. “Don’t tell me to chill.”

Kade groans and embraces her mate, letting Leah sob against her. She looks my way and mouths a silent “thank you.” I give her a quiet nod, then focus my attention back on Amari.

Damon sighs heavily. “I’ll get started with the cleanup.”

Bobby steps out of the sheriff station, surveying the damage. “Don’t worry,” he says with a grin. “I’ll help.”

Amari and I share a smile, then a light laugh together. The worst is over, and we’re still standing. I run my hands over him—his arms, his face—still not quite believing that we made it through.

“I can feel it,” I whisper, wonder coloring my voice.

Amari tilts his head. “Feel what, baby?”

“The mate bond.” My voice cracks with emotion. “I can feel it. I can feel the pull to you.” I press my hand over his heart again, relishing the steady thump beneath my palm. “I want to go home so I can claim my mate.”