Page 112 of Wolf Mate

The ground split under my hands, and fear squeezed my heart on top of the pain. This must be what Foster had felt when his life came to an end.

“Thank gods you’re here,” Josie sighed and dropped her hand from me. “I don’t know how to help her.”

It must be a coven member, but how had they known I’d be here?

“Go,” a deep, raspy voice I hadn’t heard so close in days said, making my stomach flutter.

Raffe.

“But—” Josie moved back just as his sandalwood-and-amber scent surrounded me.

“Don’t argue,” his voice held something extra like power. “Leavenow.”

Arms scooped me up and cradled me against that chiseled chest. I buried my face in Raffe’s shoulder and focused on the buzz from our touch as it sprang to life. If this was how I died, at least he was holding me one last time.

Josie scoffed, but I heard her stand and run away, the earth still quaking underneath us.

The buzz strengthened, like electricity surging between us, and the shaking of the ground lessened.

He kissed the top of my head and held me so tightly it hurt.

But I didn’t care.

“Babe, I need you to calm down. You can’t die on me.” He rocked me like I was something precious, and his voice broke. “I can’t live in a world you’re not in.”

A sob shook my chest, and I wrapped my arms around him desperately. Those were nice words to hear, but they weren’t real. He was just trying to calm me down to save his people. “Don’t lie to me. You haven’t even looked at me since you ended things.”

“Me?” He scoffed, and his chest shook. “You’re the one who ended things and walked out. I’ve been trying to make it easier on you, but don’t fucking accuse me of not looking at you. I’ve watched you every fucking night as you snuck out to meet those damn witches.”

The pain in my chest receded, and my blood calmed to a faint hum. The branches still swayed like crazy, but the ground stilled. I pushed away from his chest and squirmed until he put me down. I didn’t want him to hold me while he repainted what had happened. I felt sluggish, but my anger and frustration with him got me on my feet. The damnyankin my chest nearly had me stumbling into him, but I held my ground … for myself. I was tired of letting people run over me. If I was going to die, I’d do it with dignity.

His crystal-blue eyes widened, and he stepped toward me, eliminating the distance.

I placed a hand on his chest, forcing him to stay back. The touch kept my blood in check.

“You need me,” he growled.

I noticed the dark circles under his eyes, and his normal complexion was much paler than usual. He wore rumpled clothes like he hadn’t changed since yesterday, and the image of Josie leaving the men’s apartments sprouted in my mind.

The ground quivered underneath us again.

“Maybe, but not like this.” My heart had been ripped from my body and stomped on. I felt as if I was coming apart. “I didn’t break up with you. Your lack of knowing what you wanted broke us. And now Josie is wearing your jersey again, and you show up in wrinkled clothes, not having slept. I saw her leaving the men’s apartment building, so don’t act like you’re innocent!”

His brows lifted as if he no longer noticed the ground quaking under our feet. For the first time in weeks, I had his full attention.

And I hated how it thrilled me.

“I haven’t been in my apartment all fucking night, Sky.” He stepped so close that our chests touched. “Ask me why.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to, but I needed to hear the truth before I died. “Why?” My voice was barely a whisper, but he heard me.

“Lucy linked with me last night, telling me what happened, and I lost it.” His breathing turned ragged. “She came home after the game to check on you and found Slade standing over you on the couch with you sacked out. She made his sorry ass leave so I could come over, and I paced your living room all fucking night. When your color started to return and your breathing became steady, I left and confronted Slade and thesupreme priestessabout what the fuck was going on with you. Whatever they’re doing isn’t working and, from what I can tell, has made you worse. The reason I’m here now is that Lucy told me you left the apartment. I was on my way to the student center to keep an eye on you when a fucking earthquake happened. Josie linked to me that I needed to get my ass over here because my girl could barely walk and was causing the phenomena.”

My girl.

My blood eased to a high fizz. “You …weren’t with Josie?”

“How many times do I have to tell you that she and I arejustfriends?” He cupped my cheek. “You’re the only woman I can see now, and no matter how long we’re apart, nothing will fucking change that.”

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