4/30/2025, 6:01 PM
cole’s breath hitched the second he saw her.
his voice cracked— not from pain, but from something deeper. like he hadn’t expected to ever say her name again. like the world had ended, and here she was anyway.
she looked all wrong. the place looked wrong. but she— skinny frame all locked-up tight, eyes like glass over fire, breath stammering like she was still halfway drowned— she was the same. his chest squeezed.
he pushed up onto his elbows, jaw working as his eyes dragged over her, checking for wounds. checking for blood.
but she wasn’t the one he’d called for.
his gaze snapped back to twitch.
he was still caught on her.
his voice dropped, coarse as old leather.
twitch?
his voice cracked— not from pain, but from something deeper. like he hadn’t expected to ever say her name again. like the world had ended, and here she was anyway.
she looked all wrong. the place looked wrong. but she— skinny frame all locked-up tight, eyes like glass over fire, breath stammering like she was still halfway drowned— she was the same. his chest squeezed.
he pushed up onto his elbows, jaw working as his eyes dragged over her, checking for wounds. checking for blood.
it’s me,he said, lower now, steadier, though his heart was trying to tear free.
you’re alright. i got you.
but she wasn’t the one he’d called for.
winslet...the name came again, more fragile this time, spoken like a prayer to a sky that gave no answers.
his gaze snapped back to twitch.
where is she?he asked, but it wasn’t accusatory. it was hollow. frightened. his body was still tense, like every muscle in him was ready to tear the earth apart to find his mate— but he hadn’t moved yet.
he was still caught on her.
his voice dropped, coarse as old leather.
what happened, baby girl?