Page 5 of The Stone Survival
Serath stopped his pacing as soon as I entered the room, relief coloring his features. His long dark hair looked mussed, as if he’d been raking his fingers through it.
“Hey…” I crossed the yellow boundary keeping him caged and stepped into his arms, into a hug that drained all the tension from my body. He kissed the top of my head, his sigh filtering over my scalp, his scent filling my nostrils and soothing my beast. I pressed my cheek to the soft cotton of his shirt, allowing his body heat to seep into me.
“I woke and you were gone,” he said. “I wasn’t sure what to think. But I knew you weren’t hurt.”
He’d sensed me through the bond we’d solidified a few hours ago. “Ivor wanted to see me.”
His eyebrows flicked up. “You met the alpha?”
“You knew the alpha was here?”
“You didn’t?”
We stared at each other for several beats, and then I exhaled on a laugh. “I suppose we should have talked a little more last night.”
His arm around my waist tightened. “No. I’m perfectly happy with how we spent our time.”
My stomach flipped with the memory of last night. His hands skimming over my body, kneading and grasping, his mouth on mine, hungry and demanding, and the moment of consummation when he was finally inside me, filling me and?—
His chest vibrated in a warning purr. “Cameron…”
“Yes, Cameron. Please…” Ignus said from the doorway. “I can smell the pheromones from here.”
Serath’s warning purr morphed into a growl aimed at Ignus.
“Whoa, calm down, big guy. I’m just saying that if I can smell them, everyone can, and we’re in a building filled with graynites that don’t get much action, you get me?”
Serath hugged me tighter, his chest rising and falling as he wrangled in his emotions. “We understand.” He leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Save those thoughts for later, when we’re alone and I can act on them.”
My cheeks heated, and I nodded.
“O-kay…” Ignus said, his tone letting us know he’d heard every word. “We should get going.”
Serath sighed and reluctantly released me. “I’m not sure I like this waiting around.”
“Good, because you don’t have to. Ignus has deactivated the boundary. You’re coming with us.”
His eyes flared. “I can leave the room?” He sounded stunned, and that coupled with the wary look in his eyes had anger flaring in my belly.
I reached up and caressed his jaw. “You can do whatever the fuck you want, Serath. No one will stop you.”
His bright eyes seemed to glow, pupils dilating to eat away at the pale blue of his irises.
I laced my fingers with his and drew him toward the yellow boundary. He hesitated before stepping over it, and that made the knot of anger in my belly tighter. The faction had scarred him in ways I couldn’t possibly understand, but I’d do whatever it took to help him heal.
We followed Ignus down the corridor and up a flight of stairs.
“What is he like?” Serath asked. “The alpha? What did he say to you?”
Words tangled on my tongue as a tumult of emotions washed over me. “He’s…kind.” I took a breath, realizing that I’d neglected to tell him the most pertinent fact. “And he’s my father.”
CHAPTER 3
The guest quarters were brightly lit, painted a bland magnolia and dotted with large armchairs and deep sofas designed to accommodate a goyle frame. There were a couple of doors leading off from the room and a smart dining area to one side.
Curi and Shar sat on one of the large sofas and Adaline and Levi on the other. They broke off their conversation as we entered.
Curi made to stand, his attention on me, before it flicked over my shoulder to Serath. He stilled, and a dull sheen stole the brightness from his dark eyes before he relaxed back into his seat.
