Kalvoxrencol smiled, but it was tainted with sadness, and I felt so guilty. He had tried so hard to move on from his past mistakes, and I didn’t want to be the one to remind him of them. I ruffled his hair, squeezing him. He slipped out of my grasp, and then the room. When the door slid closed, I promised myself to make it up to him.
My gaze went back to my mate, and my soul thrashed. Bartholomew was staring at me.
“Mate,” I breathed.
He grinned, but his eyes turned wet.
I lifted his chin and kissed him. “No, please, don’t cry.”
Tears slid down his cheeks, and the sight shattered me.
I wiped them away. “I am here. I promise.”
“I thought the last thing I would ever hear you say was my name,” he sobbed.
“Never. I will never leave you.”
“You’d better not.”
Now was not the time, but I couldn’t help but ask, “Are you going to leave me?”
He met my gaze. “Never.”
“Do you mean that?”
“I’m not going to leave you.”
I pressed my lips to his, keeping the movement gentle. We were both fragile. We would have time later to do more. Right now, I needed to be with my mate. To feel him beside me. To breathe the same air.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“I love you too, Honey.”
The translation was odd—sweet insect secretion—as was hearing his voice in my own language, but I recognized the endearment for what it was. I rubbed my nose against his and pressed as close to him as possible. My mate. My flower. My soul. We had survived, and I wouldn’t let him go.
His hand slid to one of my bandages. “Are you alright?”
I opened my mouth to lie to him, but I stopped. I would wish for the truth if the situation was reversed, so, of course, he deserved the same from me. “No.”
Bartholomew’s eyes widened in worry. “Honey?”
“No, Flower.” I groaned when I tried to roll toward him.
“Stop moving,” he snapped, the anger a rare show for him.
“That alien did some damage to me, but Doctor Muznim is taking care of me.”
He grabbed my chin. “You are not allowed to die.”
I grinned. “I won’t.”
“Where’s Pookie?”
“Our daughter is in my—our quarters. The doctor healed her leg, and Seth has been taking excellent care of her.”
A long breath rushed out of his lips. “Thank god. I was scared someone might hurt her.”
“She’s safe.” I nuzzled his head, and Bartholomew took a deep inhale. “We’re safe. We’re together. Everything is fine.”
