Chapter 110
Chapter 110
Axel
I can’t sleep. My inner wolf is pacing, telling me the sun is beginning to rise outside the cave. I should nap before the journey to the Dream Court begins. I know that and yet, I can’t close my eyes because I don’t want to miss a single minute of this.
Elvira is fast asleep in my arms, nose tucked into my chest. Her small hands are curled against my warm skin as if, even in her sleep, she is afraid to claims me hers. We are mates and yet she is hesitating to just treat herself and just take what she need from this. From me. From the mate bond buzzing between us.
I brush my fingers through her hair. There is still some dried blood in it. She definitely needs a proper shower once we arrive at the Dream Castle. But even like this, she is beautiful. So fucking beautiful. Her lower lip is cracked. Her hands twitch in her sleep, fingers curling like they are still afraid to touch me in the way she wants to.
Precious.
I’ve never felt this kind of devotion for another person. Part of me is still in love with Eden, but the more time I spend with Elvira…the more I’m beginning to realize that the little woman in my arms is the one I’m supposed to be with.
This little thing that doesn’t believe in love.
Who thinks I am too good for her.
It’s not just the bond that’s making me want her. It’s her. Her essence and who she is. The way she trusted me with her body, her fear, her blindness. The way she let me bathe her like she wasn’t afraid to be seen, even when she couldn’t see herself.
She doesn’t know what she is doing to me.
Or maybe she does.
…I hope she doesn’t wake up and find my erection gross.
I’ve been hard for hours, but I can’t do anything about it. Not just because she is vulnerable. But because it would feel wrong to take the ache and make
her have sex with me when she is injured and in need of a fae doctor to care for her.
“Good morning…”
I glance down at Elvira. “Good morning. Slept well?”
“Yeah,” she yawns, then, “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“What was that thing that attacked us yesterday?”
“Oh… I don’t know.” I wince at how unreliable I sound, I live in this realm and yet I can’t name its creatures. “I can’t remember the name of the creature,
but I know what it wanted.”
“And what is that?”
“You,” I’m not saying it to scare her. I’m just being honest and when she freezes, I hug her harder. “You’re not blessed by Azriel’s magic, and he is the King of this Court. Without his blessing, everything on his territory is literally going to try and kill you.”
“Oh…”
Fuck, even without words I can feel the pressure. She is scared, and of course she is; she is blind, goddamn it!
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Thug her harder. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I mean it. If another one of those monsters comes here, it will have to go through me. And I won’t go down softly.
I will fight and while I’m confident in my abilities, I still can’t stop replaying the moment that thing lunged.
What if I hadn’t been fast enough?
What if it had touched her?
What if it had torn into that soft, moon–color
My heart hurts and I shut my eyes. I can’t think rage crash down all over again.
“A…Axel?”
I skin stood frozen?
that. Because the second I do, I see her broken in my arms, and I feel that same hot spiral of grief and
Her half–muffled voice makes me come out of my daydreams and realize that I’m squeezing her to death.
My arms immediately lighten their hold on her. “Shit! I’m so sorry!”
Fuck, even without words I can feel the pressure. She is scared and of course she is, she is blind, goddamn it!
Thug her harder. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I mean it. If another one of those monsters come here it will have to go through me. And I won’t go down softly.
I will fight and while I’m confident in my abilities, I still can’t stop replaying the moment that thing lunged for her.
What if I hadn’t been fast enough?
What if it had touched her?
What if it had torn into that soft, moon–colored skin while I stood frozen?
My heart hurts and I shut my eyes. I can’t think like that. Because the second I do, I see her broken in my arms, and I feel that same hot spiral of grief and rage crash down all over again.
I hug her harder. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“A…Axel?”
Her half–muffled voice makes me realize that I’m squeezing her to death.
My arms immediately lighten their hold on her. “Shit! I’m so sorry!”
She shakes her head quickly. “No, it’s okay. I just couldn’t breathe. You went really still. What were you thinking about?”
“The creature. And… what could’ve happened.”
She doesn’t say anything for a while. Then, quieter, “Do you think I’m cursed?”
“No. Never.” I take her face gently in my hands and tip her chin up even if her eyes can’t find mine. “You’re not cursed. You’re just unclaimed by this place, There’s a difference. And we will fix it.”
“What if I stay blind?”
The words slice through me. Her voice is so small, like she is afraid that speaking it might make it true.
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press a kiss to her forehead. “Then I will be your eyes.”
“Forever?”
It doesn’t sound like she believes me. But I meant my words.
“If that’s what it takes.“”
She is quiet again. Then she whispers, “You’re very… good at this.”
I raise a brow. “Good at what?”
“At making someone feel like the world is less terrifying.”
I huff a soft laugh. “That’s funny. Because the only time it doesn’t terrify me… is when I’m holding you.”
She goes still. Her breath catches. Then she reaches for me, not shy anymore, and presses her hand over my heart.
“Then don’t let go.”
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
Her lips twitch like she is about to smile, but her next words are quiet.
“If I asked you to kiss me again… would you?”
My throat tightens. I don’t answer with words. I just tilt her face gently toward mine and kiss her slow.
Because I would. I will. As many times as she asks.
She leans into it like she is memorizing me. Like she is painting my outline with her mouth.
And when we break apart, I breathe against her lips:
“You’re mine now. And I’m not letting go. If the world wants you, it will have to peel me off first. Vone by bone, promise by promise.“*
She goes quiet again.
Then she whispers, “I still don’t know why you’re doing this. Why you’re staying. I’m not… special. I’m bad and… I don’t know if I even want a mate. I don’t know if I deserve one.”
And that cuts. Because it’s not rejection. It’s belief. She truly doesn’t think she is worth keeping.
I touch her cheek, softer this time, “You don’t have to believe it yet. I will believe it enough for both of us.”
Her breath trembles. Her lips don’t move.
But she doesn’t pull away.
And
