"It's nothing," she dismissed before hugging me. I breathed in the smell of her with her hair in my nostrils. She predominantly smelled the same as every pack member would, but underneath it was the faintest sweet smell of her. It was like a breath of fresh air that filled my lungs, bringing me to life.
"I love you," I said, needing her to hear those words.
She hugged me tighter. "I love you too."
It was another beautiful experience to engrain in our memories if we didn't survive.
With the elusive feeling of peacefulness, I closed my eyes and felt myself drift off to sleep. My last thought was of my mate and the love I felt for her.
Crystal
As soon as his breathing evened out, I slid from the bed, trying my best not to make any sudden movements that would wake him.
Flynn's in the car,Dean told me through the mind-link.
He stirred briefly and I froze, still bent with a bare foot on the floor and still clutching the bedcovers, keeping as still as possible until his breathing returned to a steady rhythm. I hesitated for a moment before reminding myself that I didn't have a lot of time.
Bay and Dean were waiting for me. They had Flynn safely stored in a car.
I got dressed, pulling my clothes on as quickly as I could. For only a few seconds beside the bed, I allowed myself the chance to study Kyle for one last time. My heart inflated with the love I felt for him, making it more difficult to turn away and leave. I engraved every detail of his handsome face into my memory.
"I love you," I whispered, the words encapsulating the strong emotions I felt for him. My lips feathered the lightest kiss to his cheek. He smiled in his sleep, and the guilt washed over me, making it hard to keep myself on track with my plan and decision.
He wouldn't understand my actions. He may never forgive me, but it wouldn't matter if he didn't survive. To me there was no other option.
Walking out on him, leaving him behind, was one of the most painful things I had ever done in my short life. Our connection called out to me, making each step away from him harder. But each time I hesitated I would remember the reason I had to do this and it would give me the renewed strength to go through with it.
Outside it was dark. I looked around but there was no one. Getting seen now would entail questions I had no answers for. There were three cars parked in front of the house.
I scanned the area, trying to figure out which one they had Flynn in. A shadow stepped out from the middle one. The moonlight lit up the features for me to see it was Dean.
I hurried forward.
He's in the back, he told me through the mind-link, ensuring our conversation wasn't open to anyone else from the pack.
Is he conscious?I asked, a little frightened to be in a closed environment with a Keeper who wasn't exactly a fan.
Dean shook his head.We gave him the dose of wolfsbane after we got him into the car.Which meant he still had a double dose of wolfsbane—the one from the spray that Kyle tested on him, and the one Dean injected into him.
Thank you, I said to Dean.Where's Bay?I looked around. The front door of the car opened and Bay got out.
I'm here, she answered.
I was relieved that everything was going according to plan. Now I had to get out of here before anyone could stop me.
Thank you to both of you, I told them.
You can't do this alone, Dean said, but I had already expected that.
I can't put either of you in danger. I'm stronger than both of you and I can't risk that something will happen to you.
It was a lie because I knew full well that the Keepers would kill me as soon as they found out what I was. Even if I was as strong as or even slightly stronger than a Keeper, I was no match for a group of them.
I didn't entertain any unrealistic expectations. I was going into this with my eyes open, knowing the risks and understanding the sacrifice.
Dean's right,Bay said, standing beside him.It's too dangerous for you to go alone.It was going to be worse than dangerous, it was going to be fatal.
Think, I told myself, trying to come up with something that would appease their fears and still allow me to do this on my own.
