The Awakening: Britton (Entangled Covet) (29 page)

He didn’t say what he was thinking, but she heard his message loud and clear.

Prepare for the worst
.

She wanted to scream at Miles for not giving Britton the serum the first time she’d asked. She wanted

blame him for all of this, to believe that if Britton had received the serum he would’ve gotten better. She

held her tongue. Stayed the recriminations. There would be time for blame later. Right now, she needed to

be with her mate.

“Can I see him?”

With Britton unconscious, she couldn’t cause him more pain. She desperately wanted to see him, to

hold his hand, talk to him, plead with him to return to her. To stay alive.

Miles nodded. “For a minute. We’ve hooked him up to a feeding tube and IV drip to rehydrate him.”

When she shuffled into the room, Britton lay on his back, a small tube threaded up his nose and an IV

taped to the inside of his elbow. Wires that were attached to sticky pads on his chest spilled out from the

collar of his hospital gown, measuring his heart rate. The beep of the machine was slow, erratic. A pressure

cuff on his arm clicked, and the cuff automatically tightened.

She edged closer. His face was waxen, tinged with yellow. Deep purple circles underlined his eyes.

Sunken jaws made his cheekbones protrude. But the muscles in his face were relaxed, not contorted in

torture, and she was thankful for that, at least.

Taking his hand in hers, she leaned down and whispered, “Come back to me, baby. Please. Even if we

can’t be together, just come back to me.”

She studied his face for any sign that he heard her. No reaction, not even a twitch. He remained

absolutely still.

She stayed with him for a few more minutes, then Miles came in and said she had to let Britton rest.

With a reluctant nod, she squeezed her mate’s hand, said, “I love you,” and slowly walked out.

It went like that for the following twenty-four hours. She visited for minutes at a time, held his hand,

told him how much she missed him, loved him. And he never moved. Not an eyelash.

The doctor ran more tests. Both DNAs were still present, and Britton’s beast could be heard through the

stethoscope, but Miles said that with Britton’s vitals not getting better, he was concerned that the damage

was irreversible, and recommended she spend as much time with him as possible.

While she still could
was left unspoken.

After days with no sleep, being told it was time to say good-bye to Britton threw her over the edge. She

was inconsolable, babbling, hysterical. Miles tried to inject her with a sedative, but she fought, clawed, and

slapped at him. Liam and Aidan finally had to hold her down. A sense of betrayal went through her as the

drug sapped her ability to stay awake.

As she slipped into unconsciousness, she muttered, “Damn you.”

When she finally awoke, it was late the next morning.

Instantly, memories assaulted her—Britton on death’s door, and his asshole friends robbing her of her

last bit of time with him. Was he even still alive? Could she still sit beside him, and hold his hand, when he

left this world for Anavrin?

She jerked up, expecting to find herself in a hospital room, but her surroundings didn’t make sense.

The walls were sage-colored.
Her
walls. Her bedroom. How had she gotten here? Why was she here and

not at the hospital?

Oh,
Dea
, no
. Had Britton died while she was unconscious? Had Miles told Liam and Aidan to bring her

here to break the awful news?

Terror and panic tore at her as she shoved the covers aside and stumbled out of bed. She flew across

the room and yanked the door open, expecting to find Liam, Aidan, and their mates waiting to console her.

But what greeted her froze her to the spot.

A tall figure stood in her living room, his back toward her, staring out the window.

She’d know those powerful shoulders and that dark head anywhere.

Britton!

Then he turned. His gaze dropped to her feet, then slowly traveled up until they met her eyes.

Then the sweetest smile she’d ever seen broke over his face. “Hey, beautiful.”

As the strong resonance of his voice flowed over her, her chin trembled with emotion. She soaked in

his handsome, utter perfection. She was dreaming or hallucinating from that drug Miles had forced into her.

Because there was no way this Britton was real.

He was too perfect. Too healthy.

For two days, she’d watched his body waste away. But what had been pale and hollow yesterday, today

was bright and full. Blue shimmered with violet. His smile tilted in that cocky, superior way that always

made her heart stutter.

The full weight of who she was losing barreled into her, dropping her to her knees. Uncontrollable tears

started as she clutched her stomach. Their relationship was going to end before it had even begun. She

would lose her mate before
fewsing
to him. No future. No eternity. No Anavrin. Nothing.

The last memory she had of Britton holding her was with his body shaking in terror. Their last kiss? A

soft one right before they went off to battle.

They were
supposed
to have more time. More memories. What she’d been gifted with, instead, was the

never-ending agony of knowing her mate would soon be lost to her.

Arms enveloped her, tugging her into a warm chest. “Baby, what’s the matter?”

She pushed back on her knees and stared at him, feeling the warmth of his breath caress her face, the

strength of his arms around her, how very solid he felt. “I— I don’t—”

Worry brought his brows together as he thumbed the tears off her cheeks. “Baby, you’re scaring me.

Talk to me.”

He felt so real.
Sounded
so real. Her hand shook as she hesitantly reached up to touch his face, awed at

the feel of smooth, freshly shaven skin. Violet flashed in his eyes as a low rumble vibrated in his chest, up

his neck, then out those perfect, masculine lips. She traced them with the tip of her finger and he snared it

between his teeth.

She felt the nip all the way to her soul.

“
Dea
, you’re real,” she whispered.

“Real? Of course I’m real.”

She blinked. She couldn’t find words, too terrified he was still only a dream.

“Val?”

“I’m not hallucinating…? Or dreaming? You’re actually here? Healthy?”

“Yes,” he said slowly, cautiously. “I woke up about two hours ago.” He paused, then went slack-jawed

with realization. “Shit, baby, I didn’t even think about how I must have looked to you while I was sick.

You must think I’m a damn ghost or something.
Dea
, I’m such an idiot.” His expression softened.

“Frankly, I was expecting more of a delighted squeal and you launching yourself into my arms sort of

reaction.”

She stared over at him in wonder. “But you were in awful shape yesterday. Pale. Gaunt. How can you

look so…damn healthy?”

He pulled back, then stood, helping her to her feet. Her legs shook as he led her to the couch. He gently

pushed her to sit, then took a seat beside her, entwining his fingers with hers.

“Miles’s theory is that when my body shut down it was my human DNA surrendering to the shifter

DNA as everything finally synced. Unfortunately, there was a lot of damage, and because of my weakened

state, it took longer than it should have for my shifter DNA to repair my body. My vitals and blood work

started to get better about an hour after he gave you the sedative—”

“I really hated them for doing that to me.”

“Yeah, I was furious, too, when I found out. Liam, Aidan, and Miles all received an uncensored

cussing-out over it.”

A small smile came to her lips. She could just imagine what creative phrases had flown from his mouth.

“What happened while I was sedated?”

“My body healed itself. I regained consciousness a couple of hours later, feeling like I’d just woken up

from the best sleep of my life. My beast was moving inside me. My senses were on high alert, and I felt

normal.” His fingers tightened around hers. “All I could think about was getting to you. Miles wanted me to

stay for some more tests, but I wanted
you
. He finally relented and told me where you were. When I saw

you, all I felt was my beast’s and my love for you. No distaste, no hesitation, just overwhelming
love.
I

didn’t think, I just picked you up, carried you straight out of the hospital, and brought you home.”

Glancing down, she was surprised to see she had on her sock-monkey pajamas. “How—?”

Britton chuckled. “Whatever Miles gave you knocked you out cold. You only murmured a couple of

times while we were in the tub.”

Her brows flew up. “The
tub
?”

“I, for one, smelled like crap. And Liam said you hadn’t left the hospital since they brought me in. So I

figured we both could use a soak…before I put my mark on you.”

Joy surged through her. He wanted to bond with her. Right away. “I thought I lost you.” She barely got

the words out.

He cupped her cheeks. “You will
never
lose me again. I swear it.” He rose from the couch, tugging her

up with him. “We just have to make our marks. You up for it?”

The corner of his mouth tilted up. Her heart expanded, filling her with overwhelming love. He was real.

He was here. And he was all hers.

“The question is, are
you
up for it?” she drawled with wicked slowness.

A growl vibrated from him. “Baby, with you, I’m always up and raring to go.”

The first true, full smile curved her lips in forty-eight hours, and she launched herself into his arms,

giving him the welcome home he’d expected. He didn’t hesitate, crushing her body to his as their lips met.

Clothes shed, leaving behind a trail of garments as they stumbled back to the bedroom, caressing, smiling,

laughing.

Together.

Britton lifted her up in his arms and she looped hers around his neck. He paused, his smile wavering as

he stared down at her. “I love you so much, Val Calhoun, I feel like I can’t breathe for the pure joy of

loving you. You are embedded in me, a part of me, and I’m the luckiest man alive to have you as my mate.”

As she brushed his hair back, his words wrapped around her, loving her. “I’m the one who is lucky,

Britton. I love you, too. So much.”

After he laid her down on the bed, he stretched out over her, propping his weight on his elbows on

either side of her head. Violet bloomed then spread, overtaking the blue.

“Make me yours,” she whispered.

He kissed down her body, settling between her legs. As his tongue moved against her, she closed her

eyes against the happy burn behind them.

She and Britton had fought against unbearable odds to get to this moment, had almost been defeated,

and yet, they’d won their eternity. Battle-scarred, but they’d won.

Another flick of his tongue had her body tightening, and just as she was certain release was seconds

away, he climbed up and lowered himself onto her. Gently, he entered her, his gaze locked with hers as he

began a slow, even pace. The peace in his expression swelled her heart to bursting. She cupped his face and

brought his head down to hers, kissing him with all the love she felt. His lips parted and the tip of his

tongue grazed hers. Tenderly, without rush, without desperation, they kissed, secure in knowing they had

forever together.

When his body tensed, his groan warming the inside of her mouth, she whispered, “Make it official.

Mark me.”

Seconds later, his head was back between her legs. A few swipes of his tongue later, her orgasm

splintered through her. The first bite against her inner thigh caused a fiery heat to build within her,

tightening every muscle, every fiber of her being. She clenched her eyes closed and moaned. The second

bite released the tension in one body-jerking gust. The flames exploded. A blaze of warmth flooded her

body, yanking a cry from deep within her. And then there was only the tingling on the insides of her thighs.

Gasping, she slowly opened her eyes to find Britton kneeling between her legs, that cocky smirk lifting

one side of his mouth as he rubbed his hand on the area above his heart. The place she knew now beat with

her own life inside him. “Woman, you are so mine now.”

She smiled teasingly. “Actually, you’re mine. I won’t be yours until
I
mark
you
.”

The half smile bloomed into a full grin. “Then I suggest you get busy. You’re missing out on some

pretty fucking awesome feelings.” He rubbed his chest again, the cockiness smoothing to awe. “So fucking

awesome.”

Envy swept through her. She was ready to have the same experience. To feel him coursing through her

body and know he was a permanent part of her. That they would always be connected. And nothing would

ever separate them again.

…

Britton couldn’t seem to stop touching the area where Val’s heartbeat now pulsed inside his chest. The