my mother was very often wrong, and in this case, she’d gotten that totally off base. The trouble with me wasn’t that I overthought things; it was that I couldn’t stop thinking about them. That came straight from my heart. I never wanted to let anyone down. I wanted to be everything for everyone.
So I couldn’t let things go.
But lately, I’d been convinced that it made me stronger. I understood how to connect to others in a way I wasn’t sure my brothers did.
What was more was that Kenzie didn’t mind those sides of me. She seemed to love me just as I was. Mates really were a miraculous thing.
I chewed on my lip. In my arms, she twitched and muttered unintelligible things. My wolf clawed inside my skin. I’d known it the second Preston and Anton had left the house. I completely understood the inclination. It would feel good to give my animal something to do rather than obsess.
Still, I’d stay right here. They’d have to pry my dead body away from Kenzie. I wasn’t leaving her, not for a second, not until she was better. Even then, it might be hard for her to get me to go.
I’d been lost in my own head when Kenzie had brought me back. There was a certain irony to that. Or maybe not.
Preston had been sent to capture her. He was aggressive, unrelenting. Rainer, he’d been out leading missions to do who knew what. My oldest brother was a natural leader. He could get all of us to do amazing things. Anton, they’d silenced and yet used his brain. He’d managed to beat them at their own game, leaving messages in his published works that Mac and Preston used to free all of us.
But what about me? What did it mean that I’d been so lost in my own head, resistant to what they’d done to me? Did that even matter, or was I, once again, overthinking things?
I shook my head. No, I wasn’t. I had to trust myself. I knew more than I’d ever imagined I did.
I could connect to people. I was good at it.
Could I do that with Kenzie right now?
Could I reach her?
With Rainer away, there was no one I had to ask before I tried. He’d never appointed a second, and although Preston might be it by default, I doubted he wanted the role. Leading wasn’t really his thing.
I sat up, drawing her closer to me. As gently as I could, I pressed our foreheads together. “Kenzie, you are a healer. You reached me in the darkest of places. Brought me back. Now, if there is any part of you that can feel me, any part of you that still has your power, still has the ability to hear me, bring me to you.”
Nothing happened. I supposed the smart thing to do, the sensible next step, would be to stop. To get on with getting on. But I couldn’t do that.
“Come on, Kenzie. Let me in. Please.”
I’d beg if it would help. Get down on my knees and plead for hours. Days. Years.
For a second, I felt like I floated. A long tunnel led to a dock… A dock? I looked around. Where was I? That was when I spotted her.
She stood at the end of the dock, someone next to her.
I rushed forward, or attempted to. My legs wouldn’t work. I fought against my immobility, desperate to reach my love. Still, nothing changed. Wherever this was, I couldn’t walk around here.
“Kenzie,” I shouted out, hoping she’d hear me, holding out my arms to her. “Kenzie.”
She and the man standing with her both turned. He narrowed his gaze at me, while she stared at me blankly, not saying a word.
“What are you doing here?” he yelled. “You don’t belong here.”
With a rush, I was back in my body, the dock, Kenzie, and that man all gone. I panted like I’d been running. Anton stared down at me, his shirt half on, concern evident on his features. He held up his tablet.
You okay? I was worried about you. The mechanical voice spoke for him.
“I was with her. On a dock.” It was hard to explain.
Dreaming?
I shook my head quickly. “No, I asked her to bring me where she was. She did. I could see her. Not get to her. But speak to her. She’s there with some man. I bet it’s Ross Morgan. And she had no idea what was going on, or maybe even who I