Hazel's POV
Pip's small body felt warm against my chest, his little breaths coming in soft, even puffs as he slept. I adjusted my position against the cave wall, careful not to disturb him. My legs were starting to go numb, but I couldn't bring myself to move. There was something so precious about being trusted this completely.
Across the fire, Kael sat watching us, his gray eyes reflecting the dancing flames. He hadn't spoken in almost an hour, but his presence filled the space between us like a physical thing.
I stroked Pip's dark curls, trying to sort through the jumble of emotions inside me. Fear and attraction. Distrust and longing. How could I feel so many contradictory things about one person?
Was Kael truly the monster I'd first believed him to be? The rumors about his past mate still haunted me. But watching him with these children... that gentle authority, that careful protection...
