You Already Know

For a moment, it seems as though time itself has stopped.

I stare up at Kade’s dark eyes as they widen with shock. Then, with a shaky grunt, I yank the dagger out of him. The blade slashed through his shoulder, and his blood seeps onto my stiff fingers. Kade’s limp weight falls onto me, and all I can think about is the stench of blood and the horrible sensation of his body crushing mine.

I gasp, mustering whatever strength I have left to shove him off me. He tumbles on his side, the blade’s poisonous effects coursing through him. He’s paralyzed but still conscious.

Still alive.

I didn’t kill him. I don’t have time to figure out how I feel about that.

The poisonous effects of the dagger aren’t permanent, and I don’t know how long I have before the paralysis wears off. Kade’s black eyes follow my every move, wide and unblinking. His deranged and desperate gaze sends shivers down my spine.

The detective’s words echo in my mind as I stagger away from Kade. To render an opponent completely defenseless can buy you enough time to escape and get to safety or… finish off your enemy for good.

Can I really do it?

Kade is down. He’s paralyzed, unarmed, and defenseless. Killing him now like this would be dishonorable revenge at best, cold-blooded murder at worst.

The bone hilt of the dagger feels heavy in my hands, too dry and solid compared to the soft warmth of the blood coating my skin as I look at Kade.

This man killed my family. He murdered his own parents and orphaned Will. He’s a monster, and if I don’t act now, I might never get another chance like this again.

Yes. I could do it. I could kill him right here, right now.

But ‘could’ and ‘should’ are two very different things.

Because Kade may be a monster, but I am a wolf. Wolves are not meant to kill out of hatred. We are predators, yes, but we are not savages. We hunt to survive, and we fight to protect what we love. And right now, the man I love needs me. My mate needs me.

Every second that I waste standing here, contemplating my revenge, is a second that Will is out there on his own, wounded and bleeding.

I struggle to my feet, breathing heavily. Kade’s eyes track my movements, but I go past him. I rush down the stairs out of his sight, and I don’t look back.

The blood on the ground is still fresh. Will must be somewhere on this level of the manor, and he can’t have gone far. I only stop next to the main entrance to grab a long, violet cloak off the coat rack, draping it around myself. Then, I make my way past the grand hall, bare feet silent against the cold marble.

I follow the trail of blood, tugging at our bond with a frantic sense of urgency as I let it guide me toward him. I’m still panting as I stumble through rooms and corridors, exhausted from all the running and drained from my fight with Kade. But the scent is getting stronger. I’m getting close; I can feel it.

There, huddled near the corner of the dining hall, I finally find Will.

Relief is too small a word. There is no term, no name for the sensation that sweeps through me at the sight of him. I’d known that Kade was lying, but fear had splintered itself into my heart that I would be too late. Pure, unadulterated terror had crawled inside me at the thought of a future without him. Fear of his absence, of the kiss we’d never share, and the words I’d never get to say to him. No amount of loss or hardship can prepare you for such heartbreak. No word in any language can convey how utterly and fundamentally wrong it feels to lose someone you love. But here he is.

The dagger in my hand clatters onto the floor.

I’m not sure when I start crying, but I lurch toward him.

“Will!”

I kneel at his side, and his eyes flicker open at the sound of my voice.

Too slow. His reaction is far too slow. As I crouch beside him, I’m struck by the alarmingly pale tone of his russet skin. Beads of sweat glisten on his forehead, and those sharp, glacier-blue eyes are groggy and dazed. Will, who is usually all warmth and sparks and sly grins, struggles to hold my gaze, his breathing ragged.

“Princess,” he whispers, his voice hoarse and unsteady.

My eyes land on the scarlet stain under his hand. The bullet hit him around the waist, below the ribs. His shirt is soaked with blood.

I clench my jaw as my fingers tremble, reaching for his.

“I’m here, Will, I’m right here,” I reassure him, tears streaming down my face.

There’s so much blood. I should have killed Kade. I should have called for help. I should have come sooner. I should have-

“You have to get out of here,” he mumbles, his voice slicing through my panic. “There’s a pack of mercenaries… Kade… he’s the killer….”

I squeeze his hand, and my chest tightens when he doesn’t return the gesture. He’s lost too much blood. He needs a healer, and he needs it right now.

“I know, I know,” I say, shushing him gently. “He won’t get away with this. I just need you to stay with me right now so we can get you some help.”

Will leans back against the wall, taking a slow breath as he takes a moment to really look at me. He musters up that familiar smirk of his, and I have to suppress a sob at the way his eyes brighten at the sight of me.

“Little wolf… what the hell are you wearing?”

I look down, realizing how strange I must appear, half-naked under the violet cloak and covered in blood. I can’t even tell who’s anymore.

“It’s a long story,” I say with a strangled, little laugh. “I’ll tell you all about it once we get out of here, alright?”

Will winces as he tries to sit up, but there’s no way he can stand. He shakes his head, trying to shove my hand away, but I refuse to let go.

“I can’t… you have to go.”

“Shut up, I’m not leaving you,” I huff.

He manages a weak smile, but sadness creeps into his eyes.

No. No. No.

“Don’t give me that look,” I cry under my breath. “Don’t you dare. I am not leaving this place without you, William Gray. Do you understand me?”

He raises his free hand to cup my cheek, softly whipping away my tears with his thumb. I lean into his touch.

“Apparently, it’s William Blackthorn,” he mumbles after a minute.

“I know. I don’t care. I don’t care what your name is. You’re Will. You’re my Will. My angel, my scoundrel, my guardian. You are my mate, and I am not going anywhere without you,” I tell him. I keep my own hand pressed against his wound and raise the other to his chin, tracing the angular line of his jaw with my fingertips.

“You called me that the first time I met you… You called me your angel. I didn’t realize it at the time, but… I think I fell in love with you right then and there.”

You are my choice. I will stand by your side. I will always protect you. And I will always love you.

I’ve never said it back.

“I should have told you,” I say, and my words are hushed and broken. “I should have just told you I love you. I should have said it a million times.”

“Little wolf… you didn’t have to.”

His words shatter me and anchor me all at once. Color continues to drain from his face, the smile flickers on his lips, and his gaze grows distant.

“I love you, Will.”

He closes his eyes.