Chapter 68
CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
I have to give it to this bastard; he knows how to make a grand, romantic pronouncement.
And then promptly pass out.
I’m not sure I understand enough about humans yet to know whether that makes what he said more romantic or less. Judging by the way our omega hasn’t left his side—not even to use the bathing chamber—I’m going to guess the former.
She also insisted we bring him here, to her bed. It’s not something that would normally be done—Rask was filthy, covered in bleeding wounds. But she wouldn’t hear of him being taken to the zvorn, and whined at the very mention of waiting outside while I tried to patch the holes in his body.
Instead, she stayed and helped as much as she could, once again impressing me with her natural healing gifts. When I complimented the makeshift tourniquet she made out of her sheet, she muttered something about “Grey’s Anatomy” being “good for something.”
I’m not sure what that means. It must be a sacred Earth healing text. I ought to make a note to study it thoroughly.
The errant thought sails through my mind as I slump into the chair I dragged toward the bed. Well—one of the chairs.
I figured Zolkan would need one, too.
There’s no way Sofi is leaving her bed as long as her injured mate is in there.
It warms my hearts to watch her, propped up on one elbow, leaning over Rask’s slack face.
She presses her fingers to his neck and frowns.
It takes me a moment to realize she’s searching for his pulses.
I reach out and gently cover her hand with mine, guiding it lower and further back, into his sweaty silver hair.
“Here, human. Roktusians have separate beats on each side of their body.”
Her eyes widen when she feels for herself. “Oh. Wow. Two hearts.”
I find myself chuckling. “Not for me.” Not anymore.
Her quizzical look deepens and I sigh, swallowing my chagrin. “I still have two, I suppose—but it doesn’t feel that way anymore. Now… I’m fairly sure if your one heart stopped, it wouldn’t matter how many pulses I had. I’d be just as dead.”
Her features soften, eyes filling. “Cylus,” she whispers. “You know I love you, too, right?” A slight smile teases her lips. “You’re so smart—you must know that.”
I do, now. My chest stutters, rattling with a louder purr as our fingers tangle over Rask’s steady pulses.
She’s the only reason he’s still here.
Dear heart.
Brave and true and tender. My one, precious heartbeat. The only one that matters.
Well.
Maybe not the only one.
Zolkan stalks into the room, smeared in his own combination of dried blue blood and desert sand. He unclasps his armored vest and steps out of his dirty breeches before he approaches, answering Sofi’s desperate whine of relief with a purr that matches my own.
“Stryllas. Gods,” he breathes, snapping her into a hug, stretching her small body over Rask’s bigger, limp form.
She hides her face in our Alpha’s neck, rubbing her scent into his. The combination wafts into the chamber, filling it with smoky, sweet perfection.
There’s something to that—the combination of them. That’s how I recognized her as my mate; after Zolkan finally seeded her.
Rask, too. He left because he loved and wanted her desperately… but didn’t recognize her as his. He thought he was being honorable, leaving her to our Zortaire. But as soon as he saw her today and scented the way both of us have filled her over the last few days, he knew she was his, too.
It’s fascinating. But my scientific curiosity will have to wait.
Rask’s bandaged wings twitch beneath him, just as a low, hoarse snarl rends the air.
We all turn toward him as his silver eyes snap open, landing on Zolkan with a menacing growl. “Get your filthy hands off my mate, Zortaire.”