Page 134 of Devoted

“Obviously not,” I said, sitting up slowly. This might not have been real, but given how shaky I was feeling, it was best not to push it. “I’m either sleeping or hallucinating. It’s the only way to explain it.”

Zeke looked at Benji helplessly. He was also sat on the floor, his hands steepled under his chin as he studied me shrewdly.

“None of this makes sense,” I said, not sure why I was bothering when my brain was convinced this wasn’t happening. But hey, I couldn’t argue with myself on the best of days. “You can’t be angels, they don’t exist.”

There was a long pause before Noah spoke. “How do you explain mine and Benji’s wings then?”

I eyed the white feathers suspiciously. “Well, I always did have an overactive imagination.”

Zeke took my hand and pulled it into his lap. “This isn’t a hallucination or a dream, Sam. This is real. This ismyreality.”

‘It’s not.’

But how is Zeke alive?

‘He’s lying to you.’

I’m just glad he’s not really dead.

‘It’s an elaborate trick.’

Zeke wouldn’t do that to me.

‘Or a prank.’

Why would they do that?

‘If you recognise it as real, they’ll have you committed.’

But why?

‘Because none of them actually like you. It’s the best way for them to get you out of their lives for good.’

Tears filled my eyes as logic warred with emotion. “This is too much. I don’t…I can’t…”

Zeke swallowed. “I’m sorry you found out like this, truly I am. But this is who I really am. You might not believe it now, but with time…”

I pulled my hand back from his so I could tap my fingers together. “No. It’s all a trick. A cruel prank.”

Pain flashed through Zeke’s eyes. “Sam, we would never?—”

“Oh, for Heaven’s sake.” Benji’s voice cut Zeke off, and all our heads swivelled to face him. “There’s a much simpler way to do this.”

Holding my gaze, Benji spoke clearly. As he did so, the air around him went funny. The words echoed in my ears, each one settling into my consciousness as an undeniable truth.

“Angels exist, Sam. You are not in any danger, and neither is Zeke. Everything you saw here today really happened. You are not in any danger. Angels are real, and Zeke is your fated mate. ”

I sat, stunned. Even my mind was silent. I had no way to deny what Benji had said. What was more, Ididn’twant to. Somehow, I knew what he’d told me was true. That angels were real. That the men in the room with me weren’t human. That Zeke was…Zeke was…

In a daze, I turned to Zeke. His skin was paler than I’d ever seen it before, even his lips white as he stared at Benji in horror. “What have you done?”

There was a strange feeling in my ears. There was a quiet hum that hadn’t been there earlier. My brain felt cloudy. Wrong. Every second that ticked past, the sensation increased. But I forced out the question.

“What does Benji mean about me being your fated mate?”

30

Ezekiel

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