How he had just happened into her life was nothing short of miraculous. One minute he wasn’t there and the next he was, like it was something that was supposed to happen. He had called it destiny and maybe it was. She could remember the times before he was part of her world, some memories she would hold close forever but he made her world more vivid, brighter, just better. It was as if every single thing she had ever known for her whole life had been working together to bring her to this place in time, to this man, for them to be together. He belonged there and she with him. She had none of the self conscious feelings that usually came from meeting someone new and none of the fears that if she trusted or depended on him too much, he would leave her all alone. She just knew he would not. She knew with all certainty that he would always be with her. Her heart and soul trusted him and good God did her body want him every minute of every day.
She should have freaked out when he said he could change into a dragon but for some reason she didn’t. She just accepted what he said as the truth. Granny always said ‘trust your gut’ and her gut said he was the real deal. Even her bullshit meter had been completely silent since meeting Rayne. Well, except for some guy with glowing mismatched eyes, but as soon as she reached for that memory it was gone and all she could think of was Rayne. He had told her like recognized like, that the Universe had made her for him and they belonged together. She really wanted to not believe him but everything in her said he was right. They were meant to be together. She figured it was time to accept that whatever she felt for this man was real but hadn’t she already done that? Her heart definitely had, she knew she loved Rayne. She knew it with all of her being but for some reason she could not remember, she was sleeping and having a hell of a time waking up.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
He walked back into Kyndel’s room just in time to hear Lance telling her about the time the whole Force was out on a mission and Rayne had been bathing in a stream by their camp. While he had been enjoying the first time that he wasn’t covered in dirt, blood and gore in ten days, a bear had snuck up looking for food. His clothes had been hanging from the tree and had gotten stuck across the back of the big furry animal as he ambled along. Rayne had run almost a mile, completely naked until his clothes had slid off the bear’s back as he headed back into the forest.
Rayne had been putting his clothes back on when he had heard female giggles. Turning he found three girls just past the age of consent sitting on a hay bale, enjoying the view of his naked behind. Lance was just about to tell his mate how he had tried to talk the girls into accompanying him back to their camp when he was run off by their father at the end of a pitch fork just as he walked into the room.
Rayne cleared his throat and threw his patented scowl at his friend, who obviously thought he was a hell of a lot funnier than he actually was, letting him know that he was most definitely not amused. Lance laughed out loud, tipped his head very slightly and whispered conspiratorially, “Spitfire, I’ll finish this and catch you up on some other good blackmail material when you’re up and about.”
Rayne growled low in his throat, a clear warning that Lance would not be talking to his mate alone ever. Lance just laughed all the louder, patted him on the back and told Rayne he would be back later.
He took his seat at Kyndel’s bedside and grabbed her hand, rubbing little circles with his thumb across her wrist. He stared at her beautiful face willing her to wake up. It occurred to him that he was not nearly as jealous of the men coming to visit them or even sit with her while he left for the few minutes he could tear himself away as he had been a few days ago. It had to be because their bond was strengthening even without the mating ceremony and despite the fact she was unconscious. There was absolutely no doubt she was his. With that last thought he drifted to sleep for the first time in three days, slumped in an incredibly uncomfortable chair, holding the hand of the woman he loved, body and soul.
When he woke she was still unconscious and the Healer was examining her. “Siobhan, this is the fourth day and she is still laying there. Do something!” Rayne was tired and frustrated, “I’ve given you all the time I can. I’m taking her to the human doctors!”
Siobhan crossed the room and touched Rayne’s shoulder, “You know she’s getting better. You can feel it yourself. Her head wound is healing. We are keeping her nourished. You have to remember she has been through a lot in a short amount of time. Her mind and body are working hard to bring her back to you. You have to be patient, Commander.”
“Patient? Patient you say? What the hell do you think I’ve been doing? I sit here day after day, night after night watching her, talking to her, holding her hand, praying to the Universe that she’ll come back to me. It’s been long enough, Siobhan, long enough. I need her to wake up… now.” His last words were spoken on a whisper. He crumbled into the same chair he had inhabited for four days and dropped his head into his hands.