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“And it’s a strong one.”
“I must’ve unknowingly given it to you,” he admitted, “though I can’t say I’m sorry.”
Something clicked in Ava’s mind. “That must’ve been why the Citizens’ Raeth couldn’t poison me.”
The temperature around her dropped considerably. Both Raeths stiffened as though she’d dropped a bomb that was counting down to an atomic blast.
“What now?”
“When I met up with the Citizens Raeth at the plant,” she explained as her wolf bristled, far more cautious now that both predators were focused on her with unflinching concentration. “He launched an attack against me, but it didn’t take. I saw the failure in his expression.”
Before she knew it, Remmus’ had her head between his palms, his wide seafoam eyes locked on hers with a scrutiny that made her hold her breath. Electricity filtered through the air around her, and within moments, Kaien had appeared.
“Check her for psychic poison!”
The command, as stark as any she’d ever heard from Remmus, was directed at the healer who’d stepped up to her left.
As Kaien dutifully murmured an apology, he asked, “May I check you, Ava? Can’t have someone walking around untreated; we saw how well that went over last time.”
“I’m sure I’m fine.”
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and I’m certain your mate will feel better if we check.”
Remmus’ compounding fear was eating away at him from inside, a potent, building terror that was debilitating as it travelled through their bond. The intensity is his expression made her heart skip a beat.
“Okay.”
Protectively ensconcing her in his arms, Remmus’ breath tickled along her neck while Kaien thoroughly checked her mind for any signs of psychic poison. Five minutes later, he straightened and let his hands drop.
“Clean bill of health, wolf,” Kaien decreed. “Can’t get away from us that easily, I’m afraid.”
She turned in Remmus’ arms and rested her palms against his chest. “See, Remmus? I’m fine. Your shield protected me.”
As the drum of his heartbeat finally calmed, he sighed. “One slip of my shield and he took my mind. It could’ve happened just as easily with you.”
Ava caught his hand before it could tighten into a fist, and as soon as she slipped her fingers through his, the coercion eating away at him dissolved.
“No, Remmus, it wasn’t a failure. This was a success.”
Bringing up his hand to her lips, she tenderly brushed her lips over each knuckle. She watched as his expression softened, warmed and focused on her with reverence. When he spoke, his words were full of adoration.
“I love you, Ava.”
Her lips were on his only seconds later, while his arms looped around her waist. Between them, the mating bond blazed with an unparalleled fierceness, and the depth of his love barreled into her like a freight train.
Ava could only clutch at him as his mouth worshipped hers. After years of fear and solitude, she’d finally found the one who made her heart sing.
Epilogue
It had been centuries since either of them had set foot in their homeland. Though it was months away from the spring thaw, Remmus’ hand never let go of hers as they ventured closer to the river where they’d first met.
Snow was a foot deep in places along the well-traveled hiking path, but the immortals had no trouble navigating it. While her wolf wanted to sample the frigid fluff on four paws, Ava enjoyed this experience as she’d originally been: human.
The small village where she’d grown up was long since dust. No one had wanted to settle it again after the massacre. Ava had never been happier to see nature reclaim a space—ground soaked in that much blood was better off empty.
Minutes ago, Remmus had shown her where he’d buried her parents. She had broken down when she realized he’d gone back. Her mate had checked the ruins for clues about her several times in the years after their separation.
In the weeks following their mating, Remmus had discovered the sketches of his parents—and his younger self—that she’d drawn to keep her memory fresh. The look of horror on his face was permanently seared into her memory.
