Page 59 of Samuel
“We did it,” he said, collapsing beside me. His voice was faint, but there was a smile tugging at his lips. “We...did it.”
I pulled him into my arms, ignoring the pain that flared through my side as I held him close.
His body was trembling, his skin clammy with blood and sweat, but he was alive.
He had fought with me, bled with me, and now...we were both still here.
“Yeah,” I whispered, pressing my forehead to his. "You were incredible, baby.”
He gave a weak laugh, wincing as he leaned into me. “You're not so bad yourself,” he murmured, his voice soft.
For a long moment, we just stayed like that, the two of us huddled together in the clearing, surrounded by the aftermath of the fight.
I could feel the bond between us thrumming with life. We were battered, broken, but alive—and together.
I kissed him then, softly, the warmth of his lips grounding me in that moment.
We had survived the worst of it, and now there was only the future to look forward to.
BLAKE
As I lay there, my body sore and covered in bandages, I couldn’t help but feel a gnawing sense of restlessness.
"Are you sure you don’t need me to come with you?" I asked, my voice coming out weaker than I’d intended.
Samuel stood across the room, arms crossed as he looked at me skeptically.
Finn was beside me, gently tending to my injuries, applying fresh bandages.
Samuel raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking into a slight smile, though his eyes were full of concern.
"You’re in no condition to head out," Finn chimed in, shaking his head. "You can barely stand."
"I know, but—" I started to argue, sitting up a little straighter despite the dull ache in my ribs.
"But nothing," Samuel cut me off, his voice gentle but firm. "Finn’s right. You need to rest. I can handle the sheriff on my own."
I sighed, knowing they were both right, but that didn’t make me feel any less useless.
We had called Sheriff Davidson earlier to let him know the rogues were dead, the threat to the town finally over.
Samuel had burned the dragon’s remains to nothing but ash, leaving the wolves' bodies behind for the sheriff to find.
Yet even with the immediate danger gone, I still felt on edge.
Samuel stepped over to me, leaning down to press a soft kiss on my cheek.
His lips were warm, a brief touch that sent a wave of comfort through me.
"I’ll be back soon," he murmured, his hand resting on my shoulder. "Just rest, okay?"
I nodded reluctantly. Samuel turned to Finn.
"Make sure he stays put," Samuel added, giving Finn a look that said he was trusting him with more than just a simple task.
"Don’t worry," Finn replied, smirking a little. "I’ll keep him in line."
Once Samuel was gone, the room felt a little emptier. I glanced at Finn, who was finishing up with my bandages.
