Page 16 of Saved By Her Guardian
He pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen, which was dark.Shit, his phone was dead.If she’d tried to contact him, he wouldn’t have gotten the message.
She appeared walking behind the security team members, and her face lit up when their gazes met.She rushed between Willow and Griffin, and Maverick caught her in his arms.
“Hey, beautiful, what are you doing here?Are you okay?”
She squeezed him tightly and shuddered.“I couldn’t stay away.I needed to see you.”
Santa cleared his throat from the doorway of the security office.
Maverick lowered Aralyn and said, “Aralyn, this is Santa.Santa, this is Aralyn Lethe, my truemate.”
“Welcome to Northernmost.Your mate will let you know what our protocols are for future reference, and our team will work out a way for you to safely visit this month.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, lowering her head and not making eye contact with Santa.
“It’s quite all right.I remember being young and in love.When you’re ready to return her to the church, let the team know and take plenty of security officers.”
“I will, thanks,” Maverick said, giving her hand a squeeze.“Let’s go to my place so we can talk.”
“I’d like that.And again, I’m sorry.I sent you a text, but when you didn’t answer, I thought I’d come up here to see you.I didn’t realize it was such a big deal until the security team was very surprised to see me.”
“It’s all good,” Willow said with a smile.
Maverick looked through the doorway to Hunter and said, “We’ll be back around sunset to head to Saint Morrigan’s Church in Eldermoor.”
“I’ll make sure the team on staff then knows.We’ve got your back.”
With a nod to the security members and Santa, Maverick gave a gentle tug on Aralyn’s hand and they headed down the hall.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
He chuckled.“It’s fine, I promise.I felt a tug on my heart when the Portal activated.”
“I felt a tug on my heart when I stepped through,” she said.“It must be because we’re truemates?”
“That would be my guess.Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just really wanted to see you.I couldn’t sleep, and even though we spent hours together, it wasn’t enough.”
“I feel the same way.I hated having to come back here and leave you.”
They moved through the underground halls toward the Guardians’ living quarters, and she told him that she was going to ask her uncle to give her a different assignment.
“What if he doesn’t?”Maverick asked.
“I don’t know.”
He stopped as they reached the gathering area of the snow leopards’ living quarters.“I know you don’t want to ferry children’s souls, Aralyn, but youcando it.Did you think that maybe it wasn’t a punishment or the worst assignment, but one that was given to you because you’re clearly compassionate and the right reaper for the job?”
She stared at him unblinking for a long moment and then she said, “I still don’t want to do it.It’s too sad.It’s too… heartbreaking.”Her eyes shimmered with emotion.“I’m not sure I’m strong enough to do it.”
He wanted to tell her that he thought she was strong enough for it because he believed it.He could feel her determination, but it was pointed at getting out of her assignment, and maybe she just needed to give in and change her mindset about things.But before he could, something in her demeanor changed.
Her eyes got darker and he could smell the sweet scent of her arousal in the air between them.
“I don’t want to think about anything right now but you and me,” she said, her voice tipping to a huskier tone.“The day will pass fast enough and I do have to be back to the church by sunset.”
His leopard growled out a purr and he drew her close to him, their bodies pressed together, the air electric between them.
