Marked Claws (Mystic Bonds #2) | COMPLETED

7. Cara

I woke up feeling like a different person.

It was almost like another wake up from death but then again...I mean I was pretty much enlightened.

A wry smile took over my features as I stared at the sunrise.

The yellow bled into light orange as the light filled ball peeked out from between the valley of the tall mountains capped with white and green alike, the river Minsa stretching like an uncoiled snake. The sun rays reflected off the sparkling water, making it seem like a sea of jewels. The light blue sky had puffs of white clouds dotting it. The wind blew with it the scent of fresh cut grass and mountain air tinged with scented flowers and the feeling of a unique constricting kind of freedom.

I gently turned in my mate's embrace, his muscled corded arm still keeping its weight on my waist, encasing me in a pleasant confinement.

The sun reflecting off his features made his ebony hair seem a shade of lighter brown in spots and reddish in some while his angular jaw was on full display. Xander was beautiful in such a feral, rugged manner that it was momentarily staggering.

I felt my heart skitter as I smiled softly at him.

Just to test it all, I wriggled in his embrace. 

Xander's grip become iron-clad and he immediately rolled on top of me. 

I blinked, his scent tickling my nostrils and his golden eyes clashing with mine.

He slowly frowned, his eyes tracking my each movement before they stared into mine again.

"Are you alright?" Xander's tenseness decreased and his ebony hair hung slightly over my face like a curtain.

I nodded. "Yes."

I wondered if he could sense my trepidation even though he wasn't as close as he could've been. His finger left featherweight touches as it trailed over my tear stained cheek, eliciting strange sparks within me.

The situation slightly reminded me of the time I'd cried to Xander or as I knew him at that time - Alpha - and woken up in Arion's embrace.

We'd kissed.

And it made my heart ache to know things would soon change for probably the worse.

What kind of woman makes her mates commit atrocities against herself?

I took in a final deep breath and then pushed Xander off. "Don't you have things to attend to?"

He glanced at me lazily and gave me a wolfish grin, "You're one of them though."

My lips lifted up and I shook my head in a non-committal way. 

Getting up from the bed, I slipped my feet into the satin slippers, tightening my golden robe before I addressed my mate again with my back turned on him.

"Go. I'll be getting accustomed to the Palace after a long bath." 

I heard a huff behind me and then the sound of rustling sheets before he was in front of me again, his loose white shirt doing nothing to hide the muscles underneath.

"Alright then. Visit me whenever you want. I'll come to you as well." With a distance of about one foot between us, it was tempting to run into his arms but it'd have to wait.

I stared up into his golden eyes, his scent making me heady and memories making me teary.

He took a step back and I nodded.

I waited for him to leave because now things were different. Xander gave me a look which make the brown in his eyes shine with worry so I gave a reassuring smile.