Page 105 of Crossed Fates

Wow, I was dizzy. The whole room spun, my vision a swirl of darkness prickled with light. Alaric. Yes. Yes, my Alaric.

I sensed him in my head, my heart, my soul, his presence swathing me in a possessive cloak. His growl rumbled through me. His fury palpable. His concern tugging at my tear ducts.

Don’t be sad,I told him.I’m floating.

Floating.

Floating.

Floating.

Yeah, hmm, flying was not recommended. It made me feel woozy. Broken. A bit… dehydrated? No. I wasn’t making sense. Nothing made sense.

Except Alaric.

True mate.

He bore my mark. I felt it thriving on him, that sexy little wolf pulsing on his chest as I mentally stroked it with my fingers.Mine. My mate. My Alaric.

Yours,I heard him whisper back.Yours.

Alaric’s voice bolstered me a little, but it was fleeting.

He asked something about cuffs.

I flew around in my mind, humming to myself, trying to seek reason.Metal. Unfasten.I know how to do that.My brother,Asher, had taught me. Nathan, too. And Marc.

Easy-peasy.

Except no.

Nope.

Clamps burn.But not as much as my veins. They were on fire. Flaming me from the inside.Alaric,I breathed.Alaric?

I’m here.His deep tones were accompanied by a whisper of strength, resembling a mental hand. I grabbed on, yanking him into me, needing more.

True mate.

Mine.

Mine.

Mine.

A laugh echoed off the walls, reminding me that I wasn’t alone.No, no, not ready...

“Impressive, Makayla.” A cold stroke against my too-hot cheek. “Truly impressive. If you survive this, you’ll be the perfect test subject for some other experiments we’re planning. I don’t think we’ll try demon blood with you, though.” He ran a finger over my lips, and I gagged. “You don’t want to breathe fire, right?”

The world tilted on its axis once more, the chair dipping and moving. A roller coaster ride. Not recommended. Downward slope… not… nope.Ugh.

“I told you she wasn’t special,” one of them said. The… the cakey one, maybe. “She’s going to die like all the rest.”

Not. Going. To. Die.

No, you’re not,Alaric agreed, his voice strong in my mind.Keep leaning on me, baby. Take it all.

My brow furrowed, but a voice interrupted my ability to focus.