Page 41 of Savage Bond

She’s not just a complication or an object of desire.

She’s my Jalshagar.

My mate.

The realization settles in my chest like a brand—cold and final. It shocks me to my core, igniting something primal within that both terrifies and exhilarates me.

Her eyes widen as she takes in the sight of the ruin; they shimmer with curiosity and something deeper—perhaps hope? But it’s not that spark I focus on now; it’s her presence beside me that commands all my attention.

“Do you feel that?” she whispers, breaking the silence between us as she steps closer to the cliff face, fingers grazing over rough stone etched with familiar patterns.

“Yes,” I say quietly.

I take a breath—a steadying one—and step forward into the clearing where shadows linger beneath thick canopies overhead. The air thrums with energy as we stand together at this threshold of forgotten power and ancient ties; it hums beneath our feet and in our veins.

Fuck. I crash-land on a fucking jungle planet with my mate. A human.

I don’t tell her. I can't. Does she even understand the bond between mates? Would she even believe me?

Ava stands ahead, brushing hair from her face, lips slightly parted in wonder. The sight stirs something inside me—a mix of frustration and awe. I shouldn’t be feeling this way.

But I watch her longer than I should.

She steps closer to the ruin, fingers reaching out to trace the spiraled edge of the outer ring. As she leans in, she stumbles slightly on a ridge of stone.

Before she can fall, I’m there—hand on her waist, steadying her, warmth spreading between us like fire meeting dry grass.

Her gaze snaps up to mine, startled. For a heartbeat, everything else fades—the jungle sounds quiet down; the oppressive humidity seems to lift just for a moment.

I don’t let go right away.

Her eyes search my face—searching for something, though I’m not sure what it is. She opens her mouth as if to speak but nothing comes out.

“Ava,” I say softly, almost without thinking.

She blinks at me; something flickers behind her expression—a recognition that sends an unfamiliar heat curling in my gut.

But then I pull my hand back, forcing myself to stay controlled. This isn’t the time or place for distractions. We’re still stranded here with dangers lurking in the shadows of the jungle and echoes of a past that might threaten us both.

“Let’s see what we’re dealing with,” I say, keeping my tone steady as we step into the shadow of the ruin together.

The air shifts around us as we move beneath its ancient archway. My instincts scream at me—the weight of history presses against my chest, and I feel the pull of something beyond mere survival. Ava’s presence at my side complicates everything; it ignites a fire deep within me that feels impossible to extinguish.

CHAPTER 26

AVA

The first step inside feels like stepping between worlds.

The jungle vanishes behind me—its humidity, its chaos, its living noise. Inside the Precursor temple, the air is dry and still. Not sterile. Not dead. Just… waiting.

My boots tap softly on smooth, stone-like flooring—too perfect to be natural. The walls curve inward, etched in complex spirals and interlocking angular shapes. Glyphs—hundreds of them—are carved into the surface, glowing faintly, like bioluminescent veins beneath skin.

I breathe in sharply, heart pounding. This is what I trained for. What I dreamed of finding.

I touch the wall. The surface is cool but vibrates gently beneath my fingertips, like touching the hum of a power conduit. Energy. Ancient. Unfathomable. Still alive.

“Can you feel it?” Kairon stands just behind me, his voice low and rough like gravel.

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