i

before I

. Sunshine and secrets. I hadn't slept in two nights. Not well. Not since she arrived. The bond was crawling u

, watching from the a

rn jeans. Barefoot. Vulnerable. Beautiful. The wolf

there. I should've tur

lowed

ong the walls. Glancing over her shoulder. The way she paused before the West Wing... th

," I

, spinning

he hell out of me,"

d. I could hea

d say t

d. "Why are you al

"Because you'

m wh

closer.

ed. But she di

haven't yo

answer. I

. That first full touch between us-flesh on fl

parted. S

e bond

past-all of it surged toward her like a crashing tid

You don't know what

, trembling.

re inches

idn't k

t

breathing her in, letting the heat betw

is world," I whispered.

i

in me was

this desperate ache that came from somewhere older than memory. His hands

gainst his. Every breath

asn't ju

as n

ispering his name in a language I didn't

e?" I

his lips to

med you before

my eyes

n he wa

like

ehind only heat and hunger and the g

of the estate gardens. The air smell

at my palm. Th

shimmer, barely there-like a

ma

i

i

begi

i

nlike the others, this one di

t like

y leaf into starlight. The air shimmered. Link stood before me, bare-chested, breat

d I didn't flinch.

isse

y. Not ca

like it had a right to, like he'd bled for it. I melted, my hands gripping his should

ke, my li

ther, aching. The bond burned hotter than ever before.

ng had

saw him in the

sappear. This time, he

like it was barely surviving the stretch o

about you,"

darkened.

owed. "

loser. "Every night

uching, but it felt like stan

this?"

e he could see all the p

of the end," he

i

uld'v

until this passed. But it wouldn't pass. It was stronger every day. Every ti

e said she

'd crosse

nce, every breath, every heartbeat. The mark on her hand

tually? C

was

of time before the univ

wolf snarled inside me, restless. She was near

ca

oonlight. Barefoot again.

ace like that

rying not to rip

ser. "Then don'

at her th

ing inside

ed, but didn't pull away. Her eyes fl

w at first. Reverent. But then her ha

d her to the wall of the old garden shed, pressed her against

Her breath hitched. My nam

in

yet. But we tasted the

going to be

h the stars. Not asleep. Just st

weren't

ifted. My b

watching,"

up slowl

n't a

I alre

ever it

anted