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nTHANK YOU WEBNOVEL! (For real!) If you didn't see it, this past week it was officially announced that Aaryn and Elreth won a Bronze Trophy in the 2021 NovelFull Spirity Awards! I am so thankful and surprised. This is a serious compliment.

nThank you to YOU for being here, and for supporting this book. If you hadn't loved these characters so much, they wouldn't have made it this far. So thank you for helping (and Aaryn & Elreth) reach this point!

nHere's praying the added exposure will bring us a lot of new friends to share this journey! (This message added after publication so you aren't charged for the words)

n******

nGAR

nGar had raced through the WildWood, knowing the rough area she was in, knowing the route Tarkyn's guards would take because of where they said the trail had been found. Knowing if he cut straight north he could find her faster.

nHe'd warned himself to be careful. To find her and explain calmly. Resolved to himself that he would focus on her safety, get her away from the other humans and perhaps… perhaps then he would kiss her.

nBut the moment she'd stood in front of him, he'd had to be close to her. And once he was close… he stifled a groan.

nKissing Rika was like breathing—natural, necessary. But he'd always been careful with her before. Never this desperation. He'd just been so terrified when he realized Tarkyn was coming after her… he'd panicked. Now he was here—before the guards, thank the Creator—and he had to get her to safety. There was no other option.

n

"…Gar, if I disappear, they'll tell my bosses—and they'll kill me.

"

n

"No, they won't,

" he growled, his hands tightening on her.

"I won't let them. I told you, Rika.

"

n

"But, why?

" Rika whispered.

"You barely know me.

"

nGar shook his head, gazing into her beautiful blue eyes, very similar to his mother and sister's—a thought that creeped him out no end, so he pushed it away.

nThe answer to her question was easy, of course. Couldn't she feel that draw between them? The tug of something right in the center of her chest that connected them? As if their very hearts were magnetized? They were mates, whether she recognized the bond or not. And to his horror, she didn't. Yet.

nShe was clueless. Utterly clueless.

nHe remembered his father's stories of the way their mother hadn't recognized the bond immediately. How carefully he'd had to step with her, not to overwhelm her, yet to keep her safe. Gar had always thought his father over played the drama of it, the pain he'd experienced and the fear, worried that she'd reject him, or never accept the bond. Their mother always laughed and said she'd just needed time to learn to listen to her instincts. Then they'd look at each other in way that made Elreth shudder, and Gar roll his eyes.

nBut Rika… Rika was very in tune with her instincts for a human. The fact that she hadn't noticed the bond made his stomach churn.

nWas it possible she didn't have it?

nWas it possible he was fooling himself?

n

"Rika,

" he breathed, working hard not to let his fingers dig in, to hold her so tightly she couldn't possibly get away.

"Either way, death is possible. But this way I can watch over you. Keep you safe. The Queen, she's my sister. I'll explain if I have to, but you have to come with me. Please! They could be here in minutes!

"

nHe doubted it, frankly, but Tarkyn surprised him at times. And he wasn't taking any risks with Rika. Being apart from her for this amount time, not knowing if she would be discovered at any moment had been torture. His only comfort had been knowing they would bring her in for questioning if she was found. Once he'd accidentally taken Alpha of the disformed, everything else had spun out of control. He'd known he couldn't suddenly disappear—they'd notice. But it had been harrowing, leaving her out here, waiting for him.

nEven the fact that he'd disappeared now… there was no way they weren't going to find out. He had to bring Rika back to the Tree City to explain, or Elreth was going to have kittens. And not the good kind.

n

"Gar,

" Rika said, hesitantly, and his entire body throbbed with a flash of panic that she was going to turn him down.

n

"Don't. Don't look at me like you're going to say no. If you do, it will tear me in half, Rika.

"

n

"What? Why?

"

nHe sighed and dropped his head to gather his strength. He'd never in his life bared his soul to another Anima—never wanted to. Yet, the first night he'd met Rika he'd told her of his problems with his father, his jealousy of his sister. The fear he had that his mother was disappointed in him.

nShe'd understood, all of it. Just another mark of the bond. He'd been floored and…

nDesperate times called for desperate measures. He had to get her out of here. If she was killed, it would tear his heart from his chest.

n

"Listen, I know this isn't the human way, but please understand… you and I… we're bonded, Rika. Leaving you in danger is like tearing off my own arm.

"

nHer mouth dropped open. She was aware of the Anima matebond—he'd talked to her about it, skirting around the unspoken implication of their own bond. But she'd never said anything… never given any indication that she was aware of it between them. Now he was dropping it on her like a rock on a toe. He growled at himself.

n

"I know this is crazy, but you'll understand when you accept the bond. Until then… I have to put myself between you and the danger, Rika. That means I have to have you near me so that I can. And the danger is coming. Right now!

"

nHis chest clenched then, at the idea of running from her again. It had physically ached in him last time and these days apart… Being near her, smelling her scent, speaking with her, seeing her uninjured and alive… it was such a balm to him. It would kill him if she didn't listen and follow him.

"Rika—

"

n

"If I go with you now, that's the end, Gar. We'll never get any information beyond what I know right now because they'll never trust me again. Are you certain?

"

n

"Utterly. This is about keeping you alive—and keeping the Anima alive,

" he added hurriedly, unwilling to examine his own motives too closely.

nShe stared at him again, her breathing speeding up. Then she licked her lips.

"Okay,

" she whispered.

n

"Yes?!

"

n

"Yes.

"

nThe relief washed over him like a wave. Despite the need to rush, he had to pull her into another kiss—he had to hold her to him.

nWhen they finally broke apart, he immediately took her hand and turned, tugging her towards the riverbed that they would follow—but Rika resisted.

n

"Wait.

"

nHeart sinking, Gar stopped, turning slowly to face her.

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