Anchor of Secrets by Tessa Hale

9

A hand ghostedover my hair and down my arm. Something about the tenderness of the action eased me. That and the peace of the nothingness. Floating in that sea of black. But something was pulling me back.

The voices. They were tugging me toward consciousness again, but I didn’t want to go. I wanted to stay where I didn’t have to feel a thing.

“Trace got a list of Damien’s hangouts,” Ronan said.

“Lucien still breathing?” Dash asked.

“Breathing, but not exactly in one piece,” Ronan grumbled.

“Drop him somewhere and call it into The Assembly,” Colt ordered. “They can deal with him now.”

“Think we’ll get blowback for this?” Declan asked.

His voice was closer, and the scent of fresh rain and mint that surrounded me told me it was him who was stroking me.

There was quiet for a moment before Colt answered. “We could, but it’s on record that Leighton’s our mate. I don’t think even The Assembly would try to punish us for doing what we need to protect her.”

Declan’s finger traced a spot on my arm. “I lost count at fifty.”

“Fifty what?” Dash asked.

“Bite marks. He scarred her. Did it intentionally. She’ll never be able to forget what he did to her because of it. Every time she looks down, the reminder will be right there,” Declan gritted out.

“He’s going to pay,” Ronan snarled.

“There’s not enough pain in this world to even the score,” Declan shot back.

Everyone was quiet for a few beats, and then it was Dash who spoke.

“Where’s Trace?”

“Cleaning up,” Ronan answered. “He was a mess.”

“We should check on him. Then deal with Lucien so he doesn’t have to,” Dash said.

Ronan grunted in affirmation, and then there was the sound of a door closing.

The ministrations on my hair and arm continued, pulling me closer to consciousness. My eyelids fluttered. The barest hint of rising sun came through the windows as I opened my eyes.

Declan brushed the hair out of my face. “How are you feeling?”

My mouth felt dry as a desert. “Okay.”

“Think you could handle some broth and crackers?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Okay, I’m going to go get that for you. Be right back.”

Declan shifted off the bed and started for the door.

It was then I realized that not all the guys had left. Colt sat in a chair next to my bed, his face a blank mask.

My stomach pitched, and I pushed up higher on the pillows.

“I’m so sorry, LeeLee.”

Each word hurt. A fresh burn on already scarred skin.

“Please don’t,” I whispered.

Pain streaked across Colt’s expression before he could hide it. “Give me five minutes. If you never want to hear another word from me, I’ll accept that.”

Pressure built inside of me. Everywhere. My chest. My eyes. My throat.

I couldn’t speak, but I managed to nod.

Colt leaned forward in his chair, leaning his elbows against his knees. The move made the muscles in his forearms flex, veins popping. “All my life, my father warned me that my mate would be at risk. He drilled it into my head practically before I could speak. Do you know why?”

I stayed quiet but shook my head.

Colt swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “My mom didn’t die in a car accident. She was murdered.”

Everything in me strung tight at the admission.

“She took me out to the beach one day when I was just two years old. Had security with her. But not enough.” Colt’s words were strangled, as if he had to force each one out of his throat.

“What happened?” I whispered.

“Rival pack. One hoping to encroach on our territory. They were smart, though. Waited until my father was out of town on business. Our pack enforcers didn’t stand a chance. They had to choose between me and my mom. She was an alpha female who ordered them to protect me while those monsters dragged her away.”

A choked sound came from my throat.

“It’s my first memory. Watching her being taken by those bastards while tears streamed down her face.”

“Colt…”

“They took her. Tortured her. Raped her. Left her body at our gates when they were done.”

Silent tears tracked down my cheeks.

“My father always warned me that my mate would be at risk of the same thing. If she happened to be an anchor, she’d have a prayer of protecting herself. If she wasn’t, I’d need to hide her away so that no one could ever find her.”

My chest constricted, making it hard to breathe.

Colt traced a design on his hand with his thumb. “Dad saw the connection between us and knew what it might mean. He told me I had to wait. I begged him to go get you after your mom took you away, and he said we couldn’t, that we needed to know if you were meant to be a part of this world.”

“And when you didn’t feel me manifest?” I asked.

Colt swallowed hard. “I made him send someone to check. They didn’t sense any anchor abilities in you.”

My heart cracked.

“I still begged him, told him that we could protect you. He refused. I fought him on it practically every day, even though I knew what had happened to my mom. Knew what a risk it would be, but I missed you with every breath. You haunted my dreams every damn night.”

That pressure inside built. Colt had lived his own kind of torture over the years we’d been apart, his own waking nightmare.

“It was never that we didn’t want you,” Colt said in a harsh whisper. “We always wanted you.” His gaze lifted to the window. “Then Dad died. He left me a letter, telling me to leave you be, that it was for the best. I should’ve listened.”

A pained sound escaped my throat, and Colt’s eyes jerked to me.

“But I didn’t. Because I felt like I was dying, being away from you. It never mattered to me if you had no magic or enough to set the world on fire. I just wanted you. My LeeLee. My best friend. My soulmate.”

Tears spilled over quicker now, and I didn’t do a damned thing to brush them away.

“I’ve always been selfish when it comes to you. So, I went and got you. Ronan and Trace thought I was being reckless, but I did it anyway.” Colt shoved to his feet. “And because I was selfish, you got hurt. Hell, LeeLee, you could’ve died.”

“Colt—”

“Every night since you’ve been back, you scream in your sleep. I’ll hear those screams until the day I die. And I’ll never forgive myself.” Colt’s gaze met mine. “But don’t you think for a damn minute that I didn’t love you. I will until the last breath leaves my lungs.”

Colt didn’t wait for my response, he turned on his heel and left.