Page 91 of Beginning Fate

The others tended to Kylie and made sure she was okay as I just sat there crying.

I didn’t know at what point Denny had begun to hold me, but as my tears began to fade, I felt his strength as he sat on the ground behind me, holding me, and comforting me through my grief. Though I wasn’t certain, I had a feeling he’d been right there with me through it all.

Instead of being stubborn and defiant, I didn’t even pretend that I could do this on my own anymore.

I turned into him and allowed my mate to take control and help carry my burden and help battle my demons with me.

He held me tight, only letting go to sign to Kylie.

“She’s going to be okay, and so are you.”

I finally looked at Kylie.

“I’m sorry,” she signed to me.

“No, I’m sorry,” I told her.

Somehow, in that moment of almost losing her again, I felt an odd peace at the thought of letting her go. It made no sense because it was in my nature to hold on even tighter in moments of uncertainty. But I knew it was time.

“Let’s get the girls back to the house,” Monte said.

“We’ll help Kylie,” Oscar insisted, as Jett, Troy, and Mark stepped up to surround her.

No words were needed as they gently lifted her up and together they carried her all the way back. The others followed, and Denny and I brought up the rear.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he swooped me into his arms and insisted on carrying me.

“I can walk,” I protested.

“I know. But you know that I can feel your emotions at times. And when you’re in distress, I can feel them even stronger than my own.”

“You can?”

He nodded. “You scared me tonight.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For a second there, I thought you were going to just slip away into the water.”

I gulped. Could he really have felt all of that?

“For a second I thought I might, too,” I confessed.

He nodded again and then scowled.

“Don’t ever do that to me again. No matter how hard life seems, I know we can get through it together.”

“How can you be so confident in that?”

“I just am. But there’s one thing I know for certain after this.”

“What’s that?”

“I don’t want to live without you. Not even for a day. I’ve never been so scared in my entire life as when you dove into that lake. I understood why you did it, but . . .” I felt him tremble at the thought.

I hugged him a little tighter.

“I learned something tonight, too.”

---