Page 34 of The Highseer's Mate

Bile rises in my throat.

I turn to see myself out, walking slowly so as to not disturb my sleeping mate.

When we are back in our chamber, I lay her down in the furs, covering her weak body and wiping the sweat off her forehead.

I wanted to give her a choice in the matter. I was trying to see things from her perspective—not take too much from her. But in the end, I was endangering her life. I should have taken her that first day in the spring. Sealed her tight with my bulb and seeded her as mine.

I’m a failure.

Quick footsteps approach my leathers and I bark out a grunt. “Who is it?”

Draxel steps inside, his eyes finding Paige and then averting his gaze.

“Leave us,” I say.

I can’t give my attention to anything he has to say. I gave him his instructions to protect the females, to find out what’s wrong with them, but right now all I can focus on is the female in my furs.

I need her to get better. I need her color to return.

And I need to make her mine.

Even if it angers her to do so, I will not let her die.

I can’t.

Chapter 14

Paige

Iam dreaming. A dream where I am floating around—weightless—in the most beautiful place I could imagine. My body feels light and heavy all at once when I drift back to reality. My eyes don’t want to open, but when they do, it all comes crashing back to me.

I was alone.

I was talking to Kylor.

The pain.

I needed Varek and I couldn’t find him.

But he’s here now.

He’s beneath me. His strong body supports mine as my cheek rests on his muscular chest. Varek’s arms wrap around my middle protectively as I rise and fall with his deep breaths.

I move slightly and he sucks in a sharp breath.

“Paige?”

I remember collapsing. I remember faint glimpses and the intense pain. But the pain is gone right now. How did I get here? With him?

“Paige?” He asks again. He sits up, pulling me with him and inspecting me. His rough finger slides across my bottom lip and his expression changes. Calms.

But he looks like hell. Dark, deep bags sit under his eyes. His hair is disheveled and greasy like he hasn’t slept or bathed in days.

“How do you feel?”

I breathe deeply, taking stock of my body. “I feel okay,” I say. “Just tired. What happened?”

Varek’s eyes shut and the tension in his shoulders eases. He holds me closer, embracing me and breathing me in. It’s relaxing and comforting and I find myself clinging right back to him.

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