Page 58 of Welcome to Bone Town

She’s shaking, her head buried in my neck. I stroke her wet hair, and a purr stutters out of me for the first time in my life. My mate is in my arms. She’s okay, and she’s in my arms. Right where she should be. I can’t remember why I’ve been fighting this any more.

She almost drowned. I almost lost her before I even had a chance with her.

Two more thumps, followed by low groans, cause meto reluctantly turn my head away from my omega. Jax’s flashlight barely lights a few feet, but it’s enough to see Archer and Bear. The security alpha is gripping the beta much like I’m clutching my trembling mate.

Cora suddenly whips her head up to stare into my eyes. Her breathing is labored, her skin flushed, and she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

Her mouth parts slowly, her pupils dilating as she makes a soft sniffing sound.

Her voice is nothing but a whisper when she says, “Mate?”

45

Mate. Roman Slate is mymate.

I sit up, still on top of Roman’s lap, and he straightens with me, keeping his arms around me. My head feels fuzzy, and I’m not sure if it’s from the recent lack of oxygen or his juniper and cranberry scent.

He smells like the punch my dad’s best friend used to make every year for my parent’s Winter Solstice party. Gin and sugared cranberries. As a teenager, I used to sneak sips of it when no one was looking. It made me feel grown up, sophisticated, a little naughty.

It’s perfect for Roman.

“How long have you known?” I whisper, unable to take my eyes off him.

“Since this morning.”

“But you didn’t…”

“I know. I needed some time.” His voice is a low rasp. “Breathe, hummingbird.”

I didn’t realize I’d stopped. “You… you hate me.”

“I tried to.” He chuckles softly. “You terrified me, hummingbird. But no matter what I did, I could never hate you.” His arms tighten around me, and he brings his nose to the soft skin behind my ear. “You’re intelligent and feisty and curious. And I knew it would be so easy to love you if I let myself get too close.” He says it like it’s a revelation to him, as well as to me.

Pulling back slightly, we stare at each other in the low glow of the remaining bioluminescent water cascading around us in every direction. His scent hits stronger. Like lightning, zipping through me and electrocuting every cell.

“I know you have no reason to forgive me for how I’ve treated you. But please, please Cora…” His voice breaks as he touches his forehead to mine. “I’m so sorry. Give me a chance to make it up to you. I’ll do anything.” He brushes the wet hair back from my face, eyes pleading. “Do you need me to grovel? I’ll grovel.”

“I’d like to see that,” Jax says from behind me, a smirk in his voice. “I’ve got a few ideas for how he can make it up to you, if you need help.”

“I think you owe all of us an apology,” Bear adds.

But I honestly don’t feel like I need that from Roman. Sure he’s infuriating sometimes, but I kind of like the way he challenges me, spurs me to action, even his sarcastic quips. All I want ishim. For him to be here with me, like he is right now, rather than pushing me away.

“I truly am sorry.” Roman’s sincere gaze swings from me to Archer, Bear, and Jax.

“Uh, hate to break up this beautiful moment, but Ithink we got a problem.” Jax swings his flashlight to take in a narrow corridor. There’s a door at the other end that glints like metal. Before I can process that, glowing dots draw my attention to the walls. Glowing dots that aremoving.

Jax’s body is tense when he grabs my arm and yanks me to my feet. When he shines his flashlight on some of the moving dots near the wall, it becomes clear what they are. Scorpions. A glowing scorpion skitters out of the drain. And then another. And another.

“Shit,” Bear curses.

“The water must be disturbing them.” Archer jumps up, then leans forward to investigate the grate closest to him. “Probably intentional. Pretty smart, actually. One booby trap setting off another.”

Bear yanks him back with a low growl.

“What the fuck do we do? We can’t exactly find a lever to stop scorpions!” Roman yells. “We gotta go back.” He’s already dashing back the way we came.

“No,” Jax yells after him. “The necklace is this way. I can feel it. We gotta get to that door.”

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