Chapter 91 Ninety One
KAZIEL
At first, she's shaking in my arms, her breathing uneven. Suddenly, Danika lifts her head and looks at me. Her eyes are brighter than usual, and she's looking at me like she's about to devour me. Weird.
"Dove?" I say, a slight frown creasing my brows. She doesn't answer me. Instead, her hands slide up my chest, her fingers gripping my shirt, and then her lips are on mine.
The kiss steals my breath because it feels wrong. Her lips move with an urgency that has no hesitation or warmth, only hunger. She feverishly moans against my mouth, and my body reacts on instinct.
For a moment, I kiss her back. Then nausea smacks me so hard, I pull away abruptly, my chest burning as if I've swallowed fire. My stomach protests brutally.
"Wait—" I gasp, pushing myself off the bed.
I barely make it to the bathroom.
My knees hit the tile as I lean over the toilet and retch hard, my body convulsing as bile burns its way up my throat. Sweat breaks out instantly, dripping down my temples and stinging my eyes. My chest feels tight. I can't fucking breathe.
What the hell—
I heave again, my hand clutching at my abdomen. This isn't normal. Wolves don't get sick like this. Not from a kiss. And especially not from their mate.
Something is very, very wrong.
A hand touches my back, and I nearly flinch.
"Kaz?" Danika's voice comes softly from behind me. "What's wrong?"
She kneels beside me, one hand rubbing slow circles on my back. Her touch should soothe me.
It doesn't.
The unease grows instead, my wolf stirring restlessly beneath my skin. I force myself to breathe, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand as my vision steadies just enough for me to turn my head.
She's watching me very closely.
"I—I don't know," I manage, my voice hoarse. "I just... felt sick all of a sudden."
Her brows knit together in concern.
She leans in, pressing her forehead lightly to my shoulder, her hand still moving on my back. "That's strange," she murmurs. "You never get sick."
My pulse thunders in my ears.
Every instinct of mine is screaming that something is off. I suck in a sharp breath, fighting the lingering burn in my chest as my gaze drifts to the mirror. For a second, I could've sworn that she was staring at her reflection with an awed expression. Creepy as hell.
...
My study feels too warm. Heat clings to my skin even while it's freezing outside. The heater isn't even turned on. Sweat beads along my spine beneath my shirt, my pulse pounding behind my eyes with a vicious rhythm that makes it hard to think.
I sit behind the desk anyway, my hands braced against the wood.
Danika's been... close today. Closer than usual.
She only left my side long enough for me to sneak into my study. And that was approximately three minutes. I'd told myself it was understandable. After everything. The scare. The looming ritual. The fear.
I should be grateful.
So why does guilt gnaw at me instead?
Every time she touches me, I feel uneasy and repulsed. I hate that feeling. Worse, she hasn't asked once how I'm feeling. That alone should mean nothing. She's tired. She's pregnant. She's scared.
Still.
My head throbs harder, pressure building behind my eyes until I groan and press my fingers to my temple.
My phone rings, and the sound worsens my headache.
I grab it too fast and regret it immediately. "Aaron," I answer, my voice rough.
"Kaz," he says. "I spoke to the elder witch."
I close my eyes. "And?"
"She says the ritual doesn't have to be done during the eclipse."
My eyes snap open. "What?"
"There's another window," Aaron continues. "The next blood moon. Six months from now."
Relief should follow. Instead, my headache spikes viciously, a hot lance of pain driving straight through my skull. I hiss under my breath and slump back into the chair.
"Six months," I repeat hoarsely.
"You don't sound good," Aaron says immediately. "Are you alright?"
I drag in a slow breath. "I think... I think the Hollow might be affecting me again."
He curses under his breath.
"The sanctum core," I add, my jaw tightening. "It's dormant. Whatever barrier it was maintaining has been weakened."
Aaron curses softly. "And Danika?"
My fingers curl against the desk.
"What about her?"
"Her touch," he says. "It usually stabilizes you. Does it not... help?"
I swallow hard. Before I can answer, the door to the study opens. I look up, and there she is.
Her hair is braided along one side, the rest falling loose over her shoulders. She's wearing makeup, more than usual. And my shirt hangs off her frame, the hem brushing her thighs.
She smiles when she sees me. I suddenly can't get air into my lungs, and it has nothing to do with desire.
"Kaz?" she says gently.
Aaron's voice crackles faintly through the phone. "Alpha?"
I don't look away from her.
"I'll call you back," I murmur, and end the call.
She steps inside, closing the door behind her.
"You look unwell."
"I don't feel great," I admit.
She reaches for me. Her fingers brush my shoulder, and the burning in my chest flares, nausea stirring so quickly I have to grip the arm of the chair to steady myself.
Her smile doesn't falter.
"What's wrong?" she asks sweetly, leaning closer. "Does my touch not help anymore?"
Fuck.
She slides her fingers down my chest, cupping my length. I freeze. She leans in, pressing a kiss to the corner of my lips.
"Maybe a little intimacy will help?" She whispers in a sultry voice.
I hate that my body reacts as she strokes along my crotch. I'm already swelling, my breathing coming out in short, frantic pants. Afraid that I might just hurl over the desk, I grab her wrist with a shaky hand.
"Why not?" She frowns, and I shake my head.
"I don't have the energy for that right now. Please, understand," I say, and she huffs in annoyance. She folds her arms across her chest, pouting.
"You don't have to be in control. I can handle it. All you have to do is..." She cups my jaw, looking deep into my eyes. "...surrender your body to me."
Those words sound so wrong. Danika wouldn't say that. She's always considerate of me. She wouldn't ask me to engage in anything while I'm in this state. Unless the person standing in front of me isn't my mate, this makes no sense.
I don't react. I can't afford to.
Instead, I loosen my grip on her wrist and let my expression soften, as if the moment has simply passed.
"I'm sorry," I murmur, rubbing a hand over my face. "I really don't feel well."
She watches me carefully. "Then let me help you."
"I just need some to be somewhere at the moment. Aaron is probably waiting,” I say. "I'll be back soon."
I step away, reaching for my coat, but then I pause, as though something has just occurred to me. I turn back, frowning lightly, playing distracted.
"Oh, before I go," I say casually. "Do you remember where Tyler is staying?"
Her brows knit. "Tyler?"
"Yes." I say, keeping my tone neutral. "I was thinking of stopping by. But I can't remember the address."
I give her nothing else. No hint.
She blinks, unease flashing in her eyes.
"He's... safe," she says slowly.
"I know," I reply, nodding. "Where, though?"
She smiles, but it's thin now. "You worry too much. Why does it matter?"
Because you would know if you were my mate.
Danika would've answered instantly or teased me for forgetting. She would've asked if I wanted her to come with me. She would've worried aloud.
Instead, she's deflecting.
"I just want to check on him," I say mildly.
Something dark slides behind her eyes. "You can do that later. You don't look well enough to go anywhere."
That settles it.
I nod slowly, pretending her answer is sufficient. "You're right," I say. "I'll go meet Aaron first."
Her shoulders relax instantly.
"I'll wait for you," she says, moving closer again.
I take a careful step back. "Please rest. For the baby."
She smiles and lets me pass after I grab the car key on my desk.
The moment I step into the hallway, my chest tightens painfully. By the time I reach the front door, my hands are shaking.
She doesn't know where Tyler is.
And that means the girl in my house is not my mate.
Panting, I hurry to my car. I'm so rattled, I end up by the BMW. Only to realize that I have the key to the Maybach. Pushing my hair away from my face, I turn away, scanning the garage through blurry vision.
My phone rings right then, and I answer it without looking at the caller ID.
"Kaz, it's me," Kira speaks, her voice shaky.
"What is it?" I breathe, leaning against the car.
"Can you come over to my place? Someone wants to see you," she whimpers.