d already said she wanted to spend her life with him, so why the fuck was he hesitating?
Panic rushed through him and Colton focused his energy on bringing his talons out. Pushing her blouse off her shoulder, he immediately slashed through her skin, going deep enough to claim her thoroughly as his dragon roared with approval inside him.
The moment he was done, Justin was already there, his owl’s talons out, and he made the mark just under Colton’s, taking care to go deep enough for it to take.
Holding his breath, praying he wasn’t too late, he stared at her, willing her breathing to even out. Taking her hand, he held it tightly, panic, fear, and worry eating him up as his dragon tore his chest up. Agony was ripping through him at the thought that they were too late.
He couldn’t fucking live without her. He had no doubts about that.
After what felt like an eternity, her breathing started so calm, becoming deeper and more normal. Relief washed over him, nearly knocking him over, and he closed his eyes against the onslaught. Sending a prayer heavenward, he pressed a kiss to her knuckles, feeling an unaccustomed sting of emotion against his eyelids.
The last time he cried was when he was five and just lost his parents. But if his eyes were open right now, he knew there’d be tears rolling down his cheeks. That was how intensely he was feeling his emotions, how much he fucking loved her, how much relief he felt that he wasn’t losing her, after all.
After he managed to get ahold of himself, he opened his eyes and blew out a breath. Her eyes were still closed, but her color was better, and when he moved the shirt out of the way, her bullet wound was nearly healed. The bullet had been pushed out, and it fell out of the shirt when he moved it.
He stared at it, hating that piece of lead with every fiber of his being. He should have tortured the fucker who shot her, but there hadn’t been time. He’d had to take care of all of them before they came in here and tried to finish her off and kill Justin.
“Thank you,” he said to his cousin, his voice low and hoarse with emotion.
“Anything for you. And I would have done it regardless if it was needed, but this was my fault. It wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t gotten myself into this mess.”
“We’ll talk about that later. Just know you have my eternal gratitude for saving my mate.”
“It’s not needed, but you’re welcome. Is your truck nearby? I know you keep a spare set of clothes in there. I’ll go grab them.”
He nodded, never taking his eyes off his mate. “Yeah. It’s parked on the main road, by the dirt road leading to this place.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
Justin left, and he ran his gaze over Katia, making sure all was well and her new owl was taking the way it should. He pressed another kiss to her fingers, and they tightened in response. His eyes shot up just as hers started blinking, her long lashes casting shadows on her cheek.
She finally got them open and stared up at him with breathtaking silvery sky-blue eyes, her new animal shining through. Smiling up at him, she brought their joined hands to her lips and pressed a kiss to his knuckles, just as he’d done to hers.
“Hi,” she whispered huskily.
“Hey there, gorgeous.”
Licking her lips, she cautiously sat up, waving him off when he tried to help. “So, it must have taken then, right? I mean, I’m alive, and I feel good. I’m a shifter now? Man, it feels weird to say that.”
Chuckling, he leaned in to kiss her softly, unable to resist. “Yeah. You’re a snowy owl, to be exact.”
Her eyes widened as her hand went to her chest. “Holy shit.”
“What?” he asked anxiously, searching for a wound he might not have seen.
“I—well, I think she just talked to me. A snowy owl. I’m a shifter. I don’t even have words for this.”
Relief flowed over him that she was okay but worry still niggled at the back of his mind. “Are you very upset?”
Her eyebrows shot up as she looked at him. “About what?”
“That you’re a shifter now. That you were shot and dying, and the only way to live was to be turned.”
Her gorgeous silvery light blue eyes softened, and she put her hand on his cheek as she shook her head. “No. I would have done absolutely anything to stay in this life with you. To have forever with you. Besides, this means I can actually keep up with you now.”
“You already were,” he replied softly. “I love you, Katia. So much. The thought of losing you nearly crippled me.”
“I love you too. And I understand that. The thought of leaving you did the same to me.”