LILITH'S POV

2 hours after rescue

Every step toward the assembly hall felt like I was walking through a pit of fire. My body was screaming at me in protest; to stop, to rest, to acknowledge just how badly I was hurt.

But the mate bond was pulling so hard in my chest that ignoring it would have been like trying to ignore breathing.

Reed was close.

So close, I could almost taste his scent in the air.

"Are you sure you can keep up with the rate we're moving at?" Kayden asked for the third ...