Page 76 of Tharn's Hunt
I need Jah-kee to understand me now.
I project the thought sharply into the mindspace, directly at Jus-teen, my voice a low growl that rumbles through her thoughts. "Teach me one word."
She blinks, startled. "One word?"
“One word she will understand. One word I must say to her.”
Jus-teen hesitates, her gaze flicking between me and Jah-kee. I can feel her unease, her doubt. But she knows I will not be swayed.
"What word, Tharn?"
Chapter 22
WHEN IN DOUBT, PRESS YOUR FOREHEAD TO THE HOT ALIEN
JACQUI
One minute, Tharn is on his feet, his voice resonating with that strange, alien beauty, and the next, he's on his knees, claws digging into sand, his massive body shuddering like he's being torn apart from the inside.
"Tharn!" I'm moving before I can think, heart pounding as I drop to my knees beside him. "What's happening? What's wrong with him?"
Justine hesitates. I see the pain, the worry, the uncertainty about what to do in her eyes.
"It's... complicated," she finally says, which is becoming her standard answer for everything on this godforsaken planet.
"Uncomplicate it," I snap, my patience evaporating as Tharn's breathing grows more labored, his claws digging deeper into the sand. "He's in pain!"
"It's the bond," Justine says, her voice dropping lower. "He's been fighting it, but it's... progressing. The pain gets worse until..."
She trails off, but I don't need her to finish. Until what? Until he breaks? Until he dies? The thought sends ice through my veins.
Without thinking, I slide closer to Tharn, my hands hovering uncertainly over his trembling form. He's so big, so intimidating even on his knees, that I'm not sure where or how to touch him. But I can't just sit here and watch him suffer.
"Hey," I say softly, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Tharn, it's okay. Just breathe, all right?"
The moment my fingers brush his skin, his head snaps up, those amber eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that steals my breath. There's pain there, yes, but something else too. Something hot and desperate that makes my heart stutter in my chest.
Before I can pull away, his breathing changes, the shuddering easing slightly under my touch. It's working. Whatever's happening to him, my touch is helping.
I shift closer, moving my hand to his face, cradling his jaw in my palm. His skin is burning hot, almost feverish, the glow pulsing beneath my fingertips like a second heartbeat.
"That's it," I murmur, forgetting everything else—Justine, Rok, the alien world around us. It's just me and Tharn, connected by my hand on his face and his eyes fixed on mine. "Just breathe. In and out. See? Easy."
His breathing gradually steadies, the glow beneath his skin dimming slightly as his shuddering subsides.
"What the hell kind of bond is this?" I wonder, but even as I think it, I know. Deep down, I know. The dreams, the way he looks at me, the way my skin heats under his gaze—it's all connected. This isn't just some alien biology thing. It's about us.
He's in pain because of me. Because, somehow, he’s imprinted on me.
Guilt washes through me, followed quickly by determination. I'm not going to let him suffer like this. Not when there's something I can do about it.
"You're okay," I whisper, my thumb tracing the hard ridge of his cheekbone. "You're strong. You've got this."
His eyes close briefly, his head tilting into my touch like a cat seeking more contact. The gesture is so unexpectedly vulnerable, so human in its need for comfort, that my throat tightens with emotion.
This alien—this massive, intimidating hunter who's saved my life multiple times—is leaning into my touch like it's the only thing keeping him anchored. Like I'm the only thing keeping him together.
It's terrifying. And kind of amazing.
