Blood Moon (Entangled Select Otherworld) by Lisa Kessler Page B

cared about blotted out faith in anything except the reality that death waited for all of us.
    “Gabe, if you’re there, I’m sorry. I should’ve been with you that night. We were too cocky and sure of ourselves.” The hawk launched itself back into the air, gliding just above the water. For once, mentioning his name didn’t make me angry or tense. Maybe there was healing here after all.
    I didn’t know what any of it meant. Could I be a Dream Walker, or was it a one-time miracle? Did the hawk show up as a sign that Gabe still walked beside me, or was it just a reminder to trust my intuition?
    Hell if I knew.
    I got up and went back to my bike. My mind buzzed with unanswerable questions on the drive home. When I rolled up to the garage, I unlocked the door and rode the bike inside. The familiarity of my place embraced me, easing my frayed nerves. Tossing the keys on the counter, I headed for my studio apartment in the back.
    Being in my own bed was a luxury. I rubbed my hands down my face, still a little stunned to find myself back in Reno. I was seriously considering going to Aren’s wedding. Nadya would be there. Would she hate me? Would everyone else?
    Did I give a crap?
    I closed my eyes and her beautiful face filled my mind. I could love that woman in a heartbeat. Maybe I already did. It would be the easiest thing I’d ever done. And strangely enough, I didn’t think my feelings had anything to do with my wolf. I’d been drawn to her before I ever touched her and discovered she was my mate.
    Being near her made me want to see her smile, to hear her laugh. Not something I’d ever experienced before. And I’d never known another woman who could look death in the eye and still move forward. She was fearless. And the moment we kissed, she’d given me a glimpse of the passion brewing inside of her.
    I growled and rolled over, burying my head under a pillow. I must be insane.
    Losing her would be the most agonizing thing I’d ever faced. I didn’t have the strength to allow her life to slip through my fingers.
    But knowing I walked away and left her to fight alone would be worse.
    In the end, giving up the chance to hear her laugh, see her smile, and taste her lips because I was afraid… It would eat me alive. Nadya deserved a better mate than me, but I would do my best to step up and be the man she needed.
    If she still wanted me.

Chapter Thirteen
    Nadya
    The alarm went off early in the morning. For a second, I stared at the numbers while I counted the days of the week in my head. This was Saturday…
    Sasha’s wedding.
    With a busy day ahead, I dashed into the shower, eager to get started on the wedding to-do list. The hot water loosened my muscles and my mind wandered. Part of me had hoped I’d see Gareth again in my dreams. I tried not to think about him, but so far I was failing pretty miserably. I understood his pain and even a little bit of his anger. He’d lost all his family members, so I could imagine discovering your mate was also dying seemed pretty unfair.
    But in spite of clear, rational thought, it still stung. My mate kissed me and then ran for the hills. Tough not to take that personally. We didn’t know each other very well. Another great excuse that I did my best to cling to, but the moment we kissed, a jolt of awareness ran through every fiber of my body, all the way into my soul. Hadn’t he felt it, too?
    I’d replayed that night in my head countless times over the past few days, and I kept tripping over the same thing. Nothing could have made me walk out that door.
    But Gareth did.
    He never looked back, hadn’t called or texted. Maybe he hadn’t shared the connection I did. I probably wouldn’t ever find out, and that hurt, too.
    I rinsed my hair and washed the fresh tears from my cheeks. His face was still clear in my mind, every angle of his jaw, his dark eyes, and that rare smile he shared with me and very few others. The warm water embraced me, and for a moment, I caught