Page 118 of Claimed By Blood

I’ve thrown him with my question, and a glance down the bond reveals why. “You never planned on surviving it.”

He intended to either die in the attempt, or walk into the sun soon after.

God.No.

He doesn’t meet my eyes, which is as good as confirmation.

“Circumstances have changed,” he mutters, releasing me and striding ahead to the door at the end of the hall, effectively ending our conversation.

I go to follow him—to rage at him for even thinking that way—pulling Silas along behind me. My angry march peters to a halt as I pause automatically at my own bedroom.

“This you?” Silas asks, eyeing the monogrammed door handle.

I nod jerkily. “Let’s leave it for now…”

But he’s already turned the knob and swung the heavy wooden door open, unleashing an unholy squeak as the hinges protest the sudden movement.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE

FINLEY

The instant Evieleaves with Silas and Draven, things become tense. Gideon’s presence seems to be everywhere now that there’s only him.

Even when Frost returns, barely ten minutes after going to check on the ghouls, his presence does little to alleviate my nerves.

I start setting up my tech in silence, grumbling over the state of the wires. The generator is up and running—thank God, because the manor’s crude wiring was ancient and was never going to be able to support modern tech—but I can’t run my computer if I can’t find the right cables.Gah.

“Did Morwenna just chuck everything in here?” I mutter, staring in dismay at the box of tangled cables. “Has she not heard of cable-ties?”

Logically, I know that she was in a hurry, trying to escape a battleground when she packed away my things, but my nerves are urging me to fill the silence in any way I can. I’m a nervous talker. I know it.

Worse, they know it.

“Frost, can we get a moment alone?” Gid says, cutting off my muttered tirade with a handful of quiet words.

Alone? Why does he want to be alone? And why am I so nervous about that? This is Gid. The alpha who’d rather cut off his own paw than let me get so much as a paper cut.

There’s a deep silence, and I don’t dare look up to see what silent communication is passing between the two of them. A minute later, Frost’s footsteps retreat, heading up the stairs.

The hairs on the back of my neck rise as he moves closer, triggering that prickling awareness of my alpha’s nearness that’s impossible to shut off.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said,” he begins when he’s within touching distance. “And you were right.”

I blink into the box of wires, wondering if I heard him correctly. When I finally gather the courage to look up, he’s crouched right beside me.

“And you’re surprised?” I’m almost proud of how steady my voice is. “Honestly, you should be used to it by now.”

He rubs the back of his neck, ignoring my sarcasm. “I wasn’t listening to you.” I breathe a small sigh of relief, but he’s not finished. “But we can’t have the break you want.”

My eyes snap to his, only to glance away again. “What? How does that even make sense? You admit you’re not listening to me, and then you decide—”

His finger presses over my lips. “A sex break, yes. I agree. An emotional one? No.”

I straighten, but being taller than him doesn’t give me any advantage in this situation. “You do realise the sex isn’t the issue, right? It’s the emotions.”

“You need me, just as much as I need you. I still—” He breaks off, clears his throat, then looks away. “I still love you. I can’t shut that off.”

My heart does a little flutter. Heneversays it first. Ever.

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