Page 265 of Born of Blood and Ash

A wolf stalked out onto the road, its fur a glossy silver inthe dimming starlight and lavender-streaked skies. The beast was huge, a goodhead taller than me, broader at the shoulders. And a predator to his core.

But he was a beautiful creature, and I wanted to run againbecause I knew he would give chase. He’d been doing so for hours, tracking meacross the river and into the woods. It was in his nature to do so.

But he hadn’t been hunting me. I knew this, even in my…notaform. He’d been watching over me, as he had done for most of my life.

The silver beast drew closer, its intelligent gaze lockingwith mine. Silver eyes.

I froze.

The wolf stopped a foot from me and then changed. It waslike the stars themselves danced over the wolf’s fur in a wave of shimmering,silvery light that lasted for only a second or two. The silver fur retracted.Hard, golden-bronze flesh appeared. Muscles lengthened, becoming leaner. Pawsshrank and thinned, becoming fingers. Legs with a dusting of dark hair formed,and then arms.

His scent…

A man now crouched before me in the same place the wolf hadbeen—a russet-haired man I knew was tall even though he wasn’t standing.

My gaze flickered over his features. The high, broadcheekbones were familiar. So was the full mouth. I…I knew those lips. Had feltthem on my skin. Heard them whisper sweet words. But this was no mere man. Hewas powerful.

Primal.

A Primal of Death.

And he was…

The mist drifted over the road, drawing my attention back tothe wall. To the gateway.

“Liessa,” he spoke, and Ishuddered at the shadowy sound of his voice. “You can’t go through there. Notlike this.”

My head snapped back to his, and our eyes locked.

“Plus, you must be tired,” he said, keeping his voice low.Gentle. “You’ve been running for hours.” He glanced up at thepink-and-purple-streaked sky. “Dawn is approaching.” His chest rose in ashallow breath, and then he extended a hand. “Let’s go home.”

Home.

I leaned forward and sniffed his hand. Fresh air. Citrus.His scent.

My other half.

My heartmate.

My King.

Husband.

My everything.

He was mine, and I was his.

The cork in the neck of the vessel loosened even more. Ibecame more of myself and less the wild, free animal. My gaze shot to his arm.The four half-moon cuts were gone. So was the blood, but I could still see itin my mind. My head lowered.

He dropped his arm. “I’m fine, liessa,”he assured me, somehow sensing where my mind had gone. “But I’ll be perfectonce you come back to me.”

I wanted that, but I…

I wanted to be free. There was no looming war or crown Ididn’t even want. I was stronger in this form. I was myself. Nothing could gainthe upper hand. If they tried, they wouldn’t have a hand—or a head. In thisform, I could be the monster.

He lifted his arm again, once more extending a hand to me.

Hissing, I swiped out a paw in warning.

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