Page 61 of Warrior

We were close.Very close.Marinah was nearby, and I wasn’t leaving without seeing her.

Patrols could hear us, so I couldn’t call out.Marinah was running in beast form, her powerful strides echoing through the night, but she was heading in the wrong direction.She might sense my beast, but it was clear she didn’t understand what it meant.Her movements were loud and unpolished, more like a racehorse than the stealthy warrior she needed to be.That would have to change.

Silently, I picked up speed, closing the distance between us.When I was close enough, I grabbed her by the waist and swung her around, narrowly dodging her claws as she instinctively lashed out, trying to take my head off.

Mate.Beast’s voice rumbled with satisfaction.

Marinah reacted with a tactical move I’d taught her, yanking me closer and angling for my throat with her teeth.She didn’t recognize me yet, but then something shifted.Her beast stopped fighting, her body went limp, and she leaned into me.

Her scent filled my lungs, grounding me in a way nothing else could.The missing part of my soul hummed to life, and I knew I was whole again.Slowly, she turned to face me.Her long snout quivered, and to my surprise, I realized she was crying.

Tears.No self-respecting Shadow Warrior cried, but here she was, proving once again that Marinah was unlike any other.

“Shift,” I murmured into her ear, my voice thick with emotion.

Our bodies transformed, and as soon as we were fully human, I pulled her flush against me.Her lips were waiting, and I claimed them, grinding my mouth against hers with a hunger I couldn’t hold back.Her fingers tangled in my braids as mine gripped the nape of her neck, anchoring her to me.

Her taste, her scent, her everything.It consumed me.My hands roamed over her bare skin, feeling the slight shiver beneath my touch.

“Are you okay?”she whispered against my lips when I finally allowed her air.

“Beck didn’t make it.”The words tasted bitter, but I let them out, pressing my forehead against hers and allowing my grief to surface, if only for a moment.

She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close, offering comfort in the way only a mate could.There were no platitudes, no useless words to dull the loss.Just her presence, giving me the strength I needed.

For these few minutes, holding her was enough to rebuild my determination.I didn’t want to let her go, but I knew I had to.There wasn’t time to linger.Even though my need for her was almost unbearable, there were more urgent matters to address.

I had to leave her again, but not before she reminded me what I was fighting for.

I pulled her tightly against me, leaning back against the wall as I kept her close.

“Tell me everything,” I said, running my hands up and down her back, reveling in the feel of her body.

Her voice, husky with tears, filled the space as she told me about her life within the Federation.Beast growled low and deep when she spoke about her old co-workers and how she’d shared pieces of our secrets with them.We both knew she needed allies within the government, people she could trust.She’d found them, but the risk of betrayal loomed over us both.

Quiet.I slammed into Beast, forcing him back harder than I probably needed to.

“How are you communicating with them?”I asked once Beast settled, though tension still simmered beneath the surface.

She hesitated, her expression shifting into something unreadable.Finally, she whispered, “Love notes.”

“Come again?”I asked in confusion.

She let out a breath, crossing her arms defensively.

“We’re using acrostic code,” she explained, clearly anticipating my reaction.When my brow furrowed, she continued, “It’s writing sentences where the first letter of each word spells out a message, and those words form sentences to pass information.Landan and I are writing love notes to disguise the code.”

“Love notes?”I repeated.The two words tasted bitter as they left my mouth.The meaning hit me like a punch to the gut, and a red haze clouded my vision.Before I realized what I was doing, my fist smashed into the cement wall a foot from her head, sending shards of gray dust cascading around us.

“King!”Marinah said, grabbing my arm.Her voice broke through the fog of rage, but not enough to stop the storm brewing inside me.

“King!”she said again, this time slamming her fist into my jaw.The sharp pain snapped my attention back to her, and I finally focused on the warmth of her hands cupping my face.

“They’re just notes,” she said softly.“Only used to hide the code.He has never touched me, not even a handshake.He’s a friend.He knows what I feel for you.”

I rubbed my jaw, her words finally cutting through the haze.

“Marinah,” I sighed, the tension draining from my shoulders.

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