14.

CHASE.

It's been more than six hours since she fainted, and the sun had already dipped below the horizon, casting a soft glow of the moonlight peeking through the window blind.

I watched Zara sleep; her features softened in the gentle glow of the moonlight. Watching her be in indescribable pain before slumping on the floor of the garden filled me with a rage I didn’t think was possible. I was even more angry that I couldn’t do anything about it, nor did I know why or how it happened.

Her chest rose and fell rhythmically with each breath, her hair spilling across the pillow in a sea of black, thick curls. Gently, I reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, my fingers lingering against her skin for a moment longer than necessary.

The longer I sat there, I noticed there seemed to be something that pulled me to her, a feeling I couldn’t explain or control. And just like the last few times I’ve touched her in this state I could feel subtle tingles of the mate bond whe