Page 84 of Season of the Wolf

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” The question was weighted down by real concern.

So much so, it made me laugh a bit. “No,” I said at first, amending the statement right after. “Well, actually, a little, but it was worth it,” I grinned, recalling how much differentit was being with himthistime, versus all the others.

His heightened strength and virility were overwhelmingly apparent, as was his attempt at bridling both. It simply wasn’t possible. The end result was a series of aches and pains in unmentionable places. Minor discomforts I was sure would disappear within the hour.

“My apologies,” he crooned as white teeth flashed. A wide smile stretched across his face and I shoved him.

“I nearly believed you,” I lied, rolling my eyes with the words, noting the hint of ego behind his.

He took my hand, placing a kiss in the center of my palm before bringing it to his chest where a powerful heart beat within it.

“Seriously, what’s bothering you?”

I felt for her again before answering. “My dragon’s still not right,” I sighed. “She’s still not coming forward, only my wolf.”

Once, I’d been so afraid to explore that side of who I am, but over the last few weeks, my wolf was all I had. I’d come to rely on her strength, her ferocity when my own courage dwindled.

Liam was thoughtful as I stared at him—every perfect detail of that beautiful face. I know that’s not traditionally a word assigned to describe a man, but it was the only one fitting for him in this moment.

The hand he held warmed when his veins began to glow—their usual orange lava now replaced with red. It was hypnotic to watch.

“I think I may know why she’s still distant,” he said, blinking hazel eyes at me.

“Why?”

“Our tether,” he shared, wetting his lips when adding, “I think it’s because our link has been severed.”

I hadn’t even considered it, thinking she was merely in mourning because he’d been made human, not realizing it was the connection she missed.

“How do I … I’m not even sure I can still do it.” This was something new for me, but I was comforted by the fact that I’d only tethered myself to someone once in my former life as well.

Liam squeezed my fingers between his.

“Just concentrate. Last time it was somewhat more … ceremonious,” was the word he settled on, “but that doesn’t matter. Try calling her up again.”

It took a lot not to release the frustrated sigh creeping up my throat. He had no idea how many times I’d tried to bring her forward over the weeks, only to have her rebel.

But then my hands warmed, and I gazed at them, the moving streaks that stretched from the tips of my fingers, up my forearm. I almost didn’t believe that she’d come when I called for her, but then it hit me; it wasn’tmyrequest she responded to. It was Liam’s. His dragon’s.

I smiled and so did he.

“Good. Now, burn blue,” he said next.

I concentrated again, focusing on the moving light until the orange began to fade, dimming to allow a brilliant turquoise to emerge. It was almost laughable how much more my dragon cooperated withLiamthan she had withmelately.

“For this part, I can only tell you what it felt like for me, because this isn’t one of my abilities. But, somehow, you made it feel like …” He paused to locate the memory, and then described it as best as he could. “You made it feel like a piece of me went into your soul, and a piece of your soul came into mine.”

I stared, imagining it, the red pulsating in his arms mingling with the turquoise in mine. There wasn’t more he could add because he wouldn’t have known more than that. The rest was up to me.

My lids closed on an image of him staring, waiting with confidence in his gaze that I could do this.

I hoped I wouldn’t let usbothdown by failing.

I followed what little direction he could give, imagining pieces of our souls trading places, mine finding refuge in his, his finding refuge in mine.

Foreign energy pulsed from my palm where it met Liam’s and I focused on it, forcing that sensation to spread from my hand, up my arm, and finally to my chest—where I always felt that invisible thread that linked us no matter the distance.

It faded and the lights beneath our skin had died when my eyes opened again. Liam blinked at me, and I didn’t miss the faint smile on his lips. I felt it, knew he could, too. Somehow, without any clue what I was doing, our tether had been restored.

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