Page 109 of Kingdom of Chaos
The unbreakable bond only takes a moment to seal, and just like that, both Kade and I are sealed to our word. I try to convince myself that the sensation settling in my gut isn’t foreboding, but it certainly feels that way.
Once that’s done, we head back to Order headquarters, where the others are waiting, Becks included. I should be ecstatic, but I’m a giant ball of nerves. I can’t ignore how thingswere strained with Becks the last time I saw him. Yes, he was glad to see me, or maybe shocked is a better word, but we’re in a weird place right now.
Given the circumstances, that shouldn’t matter. But for some reason it does.
When we turn the corner and the front of the Order’s headquarters comes into view, my stomach bottoms out. The broad back and blond hair of the guy hugging Ensley are unmistakable.
My steps slow, then stop entirely.
Imogen and the others don’t notice, and continue walking until they reach the group. When they join them, Becks looks around, scanning faces, until he spots me a little farther down the block.
Even from this distance, I see his gaze soften. That’s all it takes for me to break into a run.
Becks pushes past Kade and Ares, and when I reach him, he scoops me up in his strong arms and lifts me into the air.
“You did it,” he says into my ear as he hugs me.
The nerves from before are gone. No matter what happens from here on out, Becks is going to be with me, and that fills me with overwhelming happiness.
Still in his arms, I lean back so I can look into his eyes, my smile so wide it makes my cheeks hurt. His face is clean shaven now, the stubble from the other day gone. There’s color high on his cheeks, and rather than hospital scrubs, he’s wearing jeans; a T-shirt is stretched across his broad chest.
His chest.
“Becks, your injury. Let me down,” I say, squirming in his grasp. I don’t want to hurt him.
He laughs at me. “I just got you back. You think I’m going to let you go anytime soon?”
“But—”
“Lock, I’m fine. Better than I’ve been in a long time. Just give me a moment to really take you in.”
Becks’ gaze travels over my face like he’s trying to memorize it.
“Do you promise?” I ask, and he nods.
“Almost good as new,” he says, but then sadness fills his green eyes and I wonder if he’s thinking about his magic being gone. I don’t know what I could say to make that better for him.
“Okay, Becks!” Ensley shouts over to us. “Put her down. We get it. You’re happy to see one another. Now get back over here so we can talk about what to do next.”
Becks has his back to the group, and he twists just enough to glance over his shoulder at them. “Just as soon as I get a proper hello from her,” he calls back.
A proper hello?
As he looks back at me, there’s a sharp glint in his gaze that throws me. It almost looks . . . calculating.
Just as I’m about to ask what he meant bya proper hello, he leans forward and captures my mouth. The kiss takes me completely off guard, and I gasp. Becks uses the moment to deepen the kiss.
My mind spins, struggling to catch up as his mouth moves over mine in a way that feels unfamiliar. It still sends a thrill through my nerves and makes my stomach drop, but this kiss feels different. Almost possessive.
That’s not the Becks I know.
Kissing him has always made me feel alive, but also safe. Cherished. Becks has always been home to me. But this . . . this feels like I’m kissing a stranger.
I pull back, overwhelmed and confused, cheeks flushed and lips swollen. Instead of the warmth I usually feel, there’s only a lingering sense that something isn’t right.
And yet, when I look into his eyes, I see the creature I’ve always known. The one who shielded me from school bullies, who held me during my most vulnerable moments. The friend who always knew what to say to lift my mood, or when to say nothing at all. The guy who nearly died protecting me from Kerrim, and ended up wounded, magicless, and lost in a strange new world because of it.
This is Becks.MyBecks.
