Page 20 of Beneath His Alpha's Wings
I woke up on the cold floor of my bunker. I felt a little tired and sore, but no worse for wear. I got up with some difficulty and pulled my clothes back on. Then I unbolted the big, heavy door. I honestly hadn't expected it to stand up to a bear and I was pleased that it looked undamaged. I went out onto the cool rocks and looked around.
The sun was just rising in the distance over the ocean, casting a warm pink glow over everything. Something tickled my foot and I looked down to see a feather brushing against it. It blew by me, followed by a couple more. Then another gust of wind blew several by my feet. That was odd. I turned to see there were even more feathers, featherseverywhere.
And then I saw him.
Kessel was sprawled in the middle of a mass of feathers next to my bunker. My heart caught in my throat. It was obvious from the way his hair was matted with blood and his head bent back too far that the owl had crashed headfirst into the rocks during the night. Had the owl known that after all this time its true mate was in the bunker? Had it been trying to get inside to be with me? I supposed I'd never know the answer.
“Kessel?” I whispered. I took a step closer, knowing that it was already too late. Even if he had survived the initial impact, there was no telling how long he had been there.
He was dead.
I swear my heart ripped in two as I took another step toward him, tears streaming down my face. Why hadn't I said something sooner? Why hadn't I spent the full moon with him? I heard a strange sound, like a distant siren. Was an ambulance coming? Well, that was stupid. I was on an island, an ambulance couldn't be coming. I realized that the siren sounded more like some sort of an alarm. There was something familiar about it nagging me.
I woke up soaking wet and for a moment I was sure my water had broken, then I realized it was just sweat.
“Stupid pregnancy dreams,” I muttered. I forced myself to sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the bed.
I was breathing hard and my chest felt tight. I could tell somehow that it was getting close to sunset. I thought I'd feel well rested after the nap but somehow I felt absolutely miserable. I supposed I should get up and start getting ready. Kessel said he would come wake me.
Kessel.
The memory of my dream crashed over me and literally rocked me. I clapped my hands to my mouth and almost retched. I closed my eyes against the sudden waves of nausea and I swear I could still see his body smashed on the rocks.
Out of all the weird pregnancy induced dreams I had, they were nothing like that. What a horrible nightmare.
“That's all it was,” I told myself. “It was just an awful, awful nightmare.” And yet… it also reflected the fear I had been having as the full moon drew closer.Couldthat happen? Would Kessel’s owl try to get into the bunker to be with me if it could sense me? I didn't know.
And now sunset was way too close. There was no time for that conversation. Not with all the questions I still had. We were true mates, I believed that. And I knew being together during a full moon would keep Kessel from dying. But would me being so close, yet out of reach, be enough to tip the scale the other way? Would he be in even more danger tonight?
I didn't even know if he loved me. How could he considering I was pregnant with someone else's baby? I knew he was already convinced I was his true mate. And if true mates were really so special for shifters, then why hadn't he come forward yet and talked to me about it. The only answer was that he didn't want me. That thought hurt more than I expected it to.
I thought of the dream again. My throat tightened and my eyes filled with tears. If something happened to him tonight I'd never be able to forgive myself. Ihadto talk to him. I paced back into my room, shaking. I had to talk to him tonight, but there was no time. And yet, if the conversationwasn'ttonight, there might never be another time.
It occurred to me that the dream felttooreal. Too much like a glimpse into the future. Panic gripped me as I asked myself what if it hadn't been a strange pregnancy fueled dream at all, but a premonition? Was that even possible? A couple of months ago, I would have said no. And yet here I was, able to change into a bear. What if I had somehow just glimpsed what would happen tonight if I didn’t talk to Kessel?
I heard a knock at the door. “Lucas?”
IknewKessel was okay. Iknewit was just a dream. And yet hearing his voice made my heart skip a beat. My knees felt weak. And I heaved a sigh of relief. In that same moment my name from his lips was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.
I loved him.
Oh my god, I was completely, utterly in love with Kessel.
“Lucas?” he called again.
I swallowed hard and fought back tears. I waddled over to the door, keeping one hand underneath my huge abdomen as if holding it made it lighter. I opened the door and there he was. Maybe it was because of the dream, or maybe it was because I suddenly realized I was in love with him, either way the sight of him took my breath away.
How had I never noticed just how handsome he was? How could I possibly have waited this long to tell him how I felt? How could I wait any longer? And what if my dreamhadbeen a premonition?
“It's almost time to…” He trailed off and worry creased his brows. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I just I can't do it.”
“Do what?”
“Spend tonight in the bunker,” I blurted. In hindsight, I probably should have said something to explain my position better, or maybe have gone for something a little more romantic.
Instead, a look of sympathy passed over his face. “I know it's tough,” he said. “And I'm not sure how you were spending full moons before, but we don't really have a choice. And…” He glanced over my shoulder toward the window. “I'm afraid we don't really have time to debate it. I let you sleep a little longer than I probably should have, but we need to get down there now.”
