Page 107 of Crossed Fates

I vaguely heard the voices around me.

I vaguely felt my pack’s concern.

Just as I vaguely sensed their responding strength, pouring into me,throughme, to the life force that needed it most.

To Makayla. My mate. My other half. The lighter part of my soul. Tainted with silver. Dying. Screaming in mental agony. And yet absorbing the energy my pack had to offer. Taking whatIhad to give her.

All my strength. All my breaths. All my blood, my being, my very fucking core, gifted toher, begging her to pull through. To return to me. To walk away from the bliss of death and back into my life. My world. Our future.

Fate put us together for a reason. I understood that now, could see the paths intertwined, the reason Makayla and I had always been meant for one another.

Two alpha wolves. Strong. Independent. Yet so much more impactful together. Makayla grounded me, made me realize my place in this world, focused my power, and encouraged me to lead. Not by telling me what to do. Not by even knowing what I should do. Just by existing and putting me in the situation I was meant to be in through destiny alone.

Driving me to be the alpha I needed to be, not just for her, but for my pack. Forme.

She brightened my future.

She gave me a reason to feel.

She forced me to be a better wolf.

Perhaps not all at once, but that was our intended path to walk together.

Just as I would support her own endeavors, be alpha enough to understand and know when she needed her space, and not drown her beneath a sea of orders and commands. She was meant to fly, to help others, to be the voice for victims too weak to help themselves.

And I was meant to stand beside her, help her, bolster her, and give her my strength in times like this. To be her rock, her foundation, herpower.

I bolstered her now, breathing life into her veins, giving her the energy she craved in order tofight.

Because together, we were unstoppable.

Together, we could defeat death.

Together, we were meant tolead.

She would provide me with the emotional backbone I required to be right for my pack, just as I’d give her my physical strength when she found herself in a situation of need.

Give and take.

Live and learn.

Inhale and exhale.

It was like an out-of-body experience, one that floored my mind but felt too right to fight. Our wolves were dancing, frolicking, engaging in this bond that our souls had cemented. She was forever mine. I was forever hers. No realms would change that. She could run, but I’d always chase.

I hadn’t wanted a mate.

Because I hadn’t understood the purpose of one until right now, in this moment, as I felt our spirits intertwine. She was the reason I’d felt empty all my life, the reason I’d left Silver Lake, the reason I’d been in New York City at the right time, in the right place, tofind her.

Had I fought my brother and claimed my throne twelve years ago, I might have missed this link. I might have missedher.

Everything in my life had happened for a reason.

My fleeing to the city, taking a job with E.V.I.E., being invited out to play by psychotic hybrids with a penchant for destroying pretty girls.

All of it had put me in Makayla’s path, ensuring I would one day meet my other half. Become whole again. Fly free and love and live and have a real heart.Herheart.

But I gave her all of mine now, my wolf pouring every ounce of my being into hers and fortifying her for the journey ahead.