Page 172 of Inside the Sun

"Fuck, I finally get why my claws and fangs started pushing out before I charged that bastard, Vito! And I wasn’t even twenty percent into my fullimagoform!"

I blink. That’s only possible when an alpha enters fighting mode, andonlywhen he's defending his True Mate. It’s virtually impossible for a regular alpha during casual fights.

"According to science, purples can deploy it only at the peak ofimago, and even then, it has to be triggered by a strong protective instinct, not just pure rage."

"Why didn’t you tell me that was also rare for purples? It was a pretty strong clue."

Ragnar lets out a breath. "I was just dead set on how impossible it sounded. Two alphas? It’s ridiculously uncommon."

We both chuckle again, a little sheepish now.

"So what? You and me… we’re just a couple of freaks? Two halves of the same soul, so they say?"

I throw my arms out, still cackling, maybe a little hysterically.

"Looks like it! But I don’t give a shit. What matters is that… I found you."

My voice drops on those last words, becoming almost shy. Because everything’schangednow.

So fast. A whole new reality in a matter of minutes.

From this moment on, Ragnar and I are bound for life.

The energy coil between True Mates has sealed. Which means, if I die, he dies. If he dies, I won’t survive either.

Our lives are fused, we won’t be able to stay apart for more than a week or two. We’ll be able to heal each other… and stay young for decades.

The incredible magic of True Mates will shape our lives, giving us excellent health, longer lifespans, but also placing… limits on our freedom.

I know everything about this. My parents are True Mates, after all. For years I watched and envied them, secretly resenting their love, but now, well. Now it's another story!

"Ragnar… everything has to change now. What I told you, that in six days you have to take me out of this place, it’s still on. Even more now than ever," I whisper, getting more serious.

"Okay, but what about your family?" he asks, with a deep line on his forehead.

I take a slow breath. "The thing is… I got a message from my brother, Snow. Remember him?"

"Yes."

"A few days ago he sent me a letter with one sentence:Don’t be afraid to come home exactly ten days from now."

Ragnar tilts his head. "Can he be… trusted? Moon had slip-ups. A lot of them! He saw paths that weren’t materializing."

"Well, what’s reassuring is that Snow’s ability isn't like Moon’s. No sensing multiple, ‘fluctuating’ paths. It’s more like a powerful intuition, an ability to read energy and slightly influence it. At least that’s the gossip in my family. Storm used to babble about it a lot, so I didn’t treat it seriously. Snow himself remains secretive about it, so nobody knows the details. But one person I trust is my dad, and he always said:Snow’s never been wrong. Not once.If he says it’ll be safe, I believe it. So I want to take that risk."

Ragnar nods slowly.

We’re still standing in front of each other, a bit awkwardly, unsure how to proceed, how to react to everything that just happened. It’s obviously overwhelming.

"Okay. So it’s a plan," he says tentatively. "I’ll help you both escape. Not much prep needed. When we do it, we do it. For Summer, it’ll be easy. The moment I get the signal that my parents are safe, we set the date."

"Only your parents you need to worry about? No uncles, cousins?"

"Just them. My dad had a twin, Sven, military guy, total playboy. Left a trail of pregnant omegas in his wake, five, I believe. I’ve got like seven cousins, but I’ve only seen them a couple of times, at my grandparents’ and Uncle Sven’s funerals. So, no bond there."

A short pause.

Ragnar coughs lightly and asks, "So… in six days?"

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