Page 331 of Halfblood Deceived

She sighed. “I will. In a moment.” She examined him. “You’ve fed.”

Zeydan nodded. “Yes. It’s a long story. We need to talk about it with Kerian and the others. Later.”

Kamilla arched an elegant brow. “Sounds ominous.”

Zeydan had to admit it was ominous.

“I’ll stay with her while you go make yourself comfortable,” Kamilla said. Zeydan opened his mouth to protest, but she continued: “It’s unlikely she will awaken for at least several hours. And we both know you won’t want to part from her side until she opens her eyes.”

He smiled, huffing an amused breath. “Alright. You’ve got a point.”

Kamilla’s lips tilted in a beatific, yet smug smile.

“Thank you, Kam,” Zeydan said. The gratitude he felt was too great for words, but those two would have to suffice.

Her topaz eyes softened, turning earnest and warm. “Always,” she promised.

He bowed his head and left the room, knowing that Aella was in the best hands.

Still, he hurried back to his room to get clean and return to his soulmate’s side. Where he hoped he could be for as long as he lived.

CHAPTER 62

Gentle warmth tingled across Aella’s shoulders, traveling down her spine and wrapping around her torso. She recognized that invisible embrace at once and knew she was safe even before opening her eyes.

A low scratchy sound vibrated in her throat as she stretched luxuriously, feeling nothing but that delicious warmth and the barest hint of lingering tiredness. She opened her eyes and was rewarded by the sight of Zeydan sitting on an armchair by her bedside.

He was wearing black jeans and a light gray thin sweater that framed his lean, powerful physique. And he was asleep. His beautiful, elegant, masculine features were relaxed and peaceful. His head turned to the side, exposing his neck.

Something ravenous tightened Aella’s stomach.

Mine; growled an almost feral side of her. Mine. He’s mine.

Oookay. Calm down; Aella thought, caught between that hungered demand and nervous amusement.

Zeydan looked so gorgeous. She wanted to crawl from the bed to his lap and bury her face in his neck. Her mouth watered.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

Aella bit her lip to stifle whatever sound was trapped in her throat. A laugh? A growl? Both? She didn’t know.

The desire to touch him grew with every heartbeat. But she had no idea for how long she’d been asleep, or how terrible she looked.

Carefully, she slid off the bed—on the opposite side of where Zeydan sat—and padded to the bathroom. She locked the door behind her silently and then turned to face the mirror.

A breath escaped her lips.

She walked to the counter, holding onto the cool quartz as she examined her reflection.

Same gray eyes, vibrant red hair, and freckles on her cheeks and nose, but her features looked slightly different. More defined, as did her body. She hadn’t lost weight. She was still on the side of curvy that prompted people to suggest pilates and juice diets, but she looked… stronger. Almost athletic. And she felt stronger, too.

Too curious to let her usual reluctance stop her, Aella removed her soft cotton nightgown. Her scars were still there—two long lines under her sternum and down her side, but they were softer to the touch and less visible. There wasn’t a single bruise on her body, which was completely astonishing considering the epic beatings she’d received one after the other… How long ago?

She bit her lip and her eyes widened.

My teeth grew back!

She flashed them in the mirror, chuckling softly, but the sound died out when she noticed her longer, sharp-as-blades canines. They weren’t too long. They wouldn’t hinder her speech, but they were decidedly not humanoid canines.

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