"Dakota."
Her eyes snapped open. She dragged in a harsh breath, gaze darting through the shadowed room before locking on him. The bond surged—warm, immediate, safe.
Dakota swallowed hard. Her heart still hammered so violently he could feel it echoing against his own ribs.
"You're awake," he said quietly.
She stared at him, then realized the emotions still lingered inside her chest. Not hers. His. Protectiveness. Possession. Fear—deep enough to ache.
Dakota looked away. "That's… disturbing."
Kade stayed very still. "What is?"
She hesitated, then admitted it in a low voice. "You."
His brows lowered.
Dakota exhaled shakily and sat up, pressing a hand to her forehead. "I could feel you."
Silence thickened between them. Neither pretended not to understand.
The blood oath hummed in the dark.
Kade watched her. "What exactly did you feel?"
Dakota gave a soft, unsteady laugh. "Everything."
The answer unsettled even him.
