Page 4 of Fury of Affliction

“You should be sleeping.”

“I’m restless without you.”

“I’m—”

“Don’t apologize.”

“Mazleiha—”

“You need to give it to me.”

“Theo—”

“You’re losing sleep, honey. Now, with everything going on, when you need to stay focused. You can’t afford to be tired. It’s too dangerous.”

She wasn’t wrong.

With Rodin and the Archguard gearing up to take down the Nightfury pack—and pack commanders picking sides—Sloan needed to stay sharp. Mistakes cost lives, and unfocused meant dead. Bastian and his brothers were counting on him to sort out the details in order to build a strong coalition of like-minded Dragonkind warriors.

Theodora uncrossed her arms. “Sloan.”

“That’s off limits.”

“Not to me, it isn’t.” Leveling her chin, she took another step into the room. “I get it all, Sloan.All of it.All of you, just like you get all of me. So, the whole silent thing you’ve got going on is done. No more ignoring the elephant in the room. It’s clear you need to talk about it, so you’re going to give it to me, and I’m going to take it. Help carry it. Bring you some relief while you face the hard part of healing.”

He shook his head. “I’ll never heal, baby. Not from a wound like this.”

“Okay. Fair enough,” she whispered. “But that doesn’t mean you need to suffer alone. I can help carry the load, honey. But more, Ineedyou to let me.”

“Playing dirty.”

“No other way with you,” she said. “I’d do anything for you, Sloan. Give anything. My beating heart, if necessary.”

Fighting the pain, he shook his head.

She gave him a warning look.

He tried to explain. “I don’t talk about it, Theo. With anyone.”

“I’m notanyone.”

He frowned. Well, she had him there. Then again, his mate usually did. The bond he shared with her was strong. Unbreakable. So intense, she read him right every single time.

“I’m yours—yeah?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“And you’re mine. What would you do if I was struggling…suffering…and I refused to share the reason with you?”

“Wear you down. Make you talk to me by fucking you into exhaustion.”

“Well, I’ve been doing that all week?—”

“Thank the goddess.”

“—and you still haven’t shared, so now I’m tackling the problem from a different angle,” she said, digging in the way she always did when he fell into old patterns. “It’s time to tell me, Sloan.”

“Don’t know if I can.”