Page 46 of Blood, Shadow & Claw

I tried to reply, but my throat felt lined with sandpaper. My eyes burned with unshed tears, and my legs trembled, threatening tobuckle beneath me as the surge of power that had fueled my fury began to ebb away.

"Hey, look at me," Ajax said, tipping my chin up so that I could meet his eyes. He reached out, his hands framing my face, forcing me to meet his piercing blue gaze. "You're safe now. I've got you."

A dizzy spell hit me like a freight train, and the world tilted dangerously. "I don't feel so good," I whispered, the words slurring as my eyelids fluttered shut.

"Shh, I know. You've been through hell." His voice was a soothing balm, but it couldn’t stave off the darkness clawing at the edges of my consciousness.

"Did I... did we win?" My voice was a mere breath, each word punctuated by the labor of drawing in air.

"Without question." Pride swelled in his voice. "You were magnificent."

"Guess I'm not just a pretty face," I tried to joke, but it came out as little more than a rasp.

"Never were, Mazie. Never were," he murmured, his thumb gently smoothing over my cheekbone.

My body chose that moment to betray me, strength dissipating like smoke on the wind. Everything hurt. My muscles screamed in protest, my bones weighed down by leaden fatigue.

"Can't hold on," I mumbled, feeling the pull of the void.

"Then let go. I've got you," Ajax insisted, his arms sliding under me as I began to fall.

True to his word, he caught me, pulling me into the fortress of his embrace just as the world went black. The last thing I was aware of was the steady thrum of his heartbeat against my ear, a reminder that I wasn’t alone despite everything. Ajax was there, and with him, I'd found an unexpected haven—a place where maybe, just maybe, I could belong.

18

MAZIE

Isnapped awake, my heart thudding as images of something chasing me faded and reality became clearer. The room spun momentarily before settling into the familiar rustic charm of that very first haven—the bed where the umbra shifters had discovered me. The sheets smelled of Ajax, the love of my life, my mate. Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a warm glow on the wooden walls. Clearly, it was well into the afternoon.How long had I been sleeping?

"Easy, Mazie," I whispered, pressing a hand against my aching head. "You're safe."

Safe. That word had held new meaning since the day I stumbled into a world I didn't know existed. My mind was a whirlwind, replaying the wild jumble of memories—from the stark terror of my first shift to the steamy desire in Ajax's stormy blue eyes. His gaze had become an anchor in the chaos, grounding me when my new reality threatened to sweep me away.

"Home," I mused aloud, my voice a soft murmur in the quiet room.

That peace was hard-earned, fought with tooth, claw, andstubbornness I never knew I possessed. I had clawed my way from the fringes, fraught with doubt, to stand beside Ajax—physically and as part of this intricate web of strength and survival—the pack.

The corners of my mouth lifted in a wry smile. Before, I'd painted confidence onto my features like a mask, hiding my insecurities beneath layers of foundation and perfectly curated outfits. True strength flowed in my veins—a gift from the creature I'd become and the bonds I'd formed. I still loved makeup, but I knew it didn’t have the power to make me a better person.

I’d learned the most incredible power I’d even known to be the mating bond with Ajax.

"Ajax," his name rolled off my tongue with a reverence reserved only for prayer. He taught me to embrace the beast and wield its power gracefully. Under his guidance, I found solace in my skin, fur or otherwise. Throughout our bond, I had connected with the Moon Goddess and been blessed with the strength and power to defeat our foes.

A soft sigh escaped my lips. "Who knew that finding my place meant losing myself first?" I mused, a smile playing on my lips, reflecting upon the journey that had led me here—to this bed, this room, this life. A life intertwined with an umbra, a special kind of daddy who was as fierce as he was tender.

"Ajax," the name tumbled from my lips like a prayer. The air seemed still, the essence of my entire being funneling into that utterance. I needed him—the anchor in my stormy sea of emotions, the compass directing me through the labyrinth of my new reality.

His name was a key unlocking the floodgates, and suddenly, a torrent of longing cascaded within me. With every beat of my heart, I felt the distance between us, an invisible chasm begging to be bridged by his presence alone.

"Ajax!" This time, it wasn't just a call—a plea, my voice lacing the syllables with a raw urgency that vibrated against the room's walls. Each second he wasn't here felt like a year, each moment stretching out forever.

The chair by the bed creaked, snapping like a twig underfoot on aforest hike, and there he was—Ajax, jerking awake, his frame instantly on high alert. His piercing blue eyes, which could command a pack with a glance, widened as they locked onto mine. Concern etched deep furrows across his forehead, typically reserved for times when the pack's safety was questioned. Now, all that intensity was focused on me.

"Everything okay, Mazie?" His voice was gravel mixed with velvet, rough with sleep but immediately soothing to the storm inside me.

"Needed to see you’re okay," I admitted, the truth spilling unbidden from my lips.

He rose, his muscles flexing beneath the fabric of his shirt—a testament to the strength that both reassured and overwhelmed me. At this moment, his stature represented more than physical might; it embodied the emotional fortress he had built around me since I became one of them.

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