Arkon opened his eyes. The overhead light stung, and he squinted against it. Everything was a white blur until his vision adjusted.

The lights weren’t bright at all; they were dimmed. He knew the ceiling overhead, but his mind could not reconcile its presence.

He’d been in the Broken Cavern — the Darrow Nautical Outpost — not the Facility.

Something warm and scratchy was laid over him. He lifted his head, wincing as his neck cramped, to see a heavy blanket draped over him. Aymee’s arm was atop the blanket; she lay against him in the narrow space between Arkon and the bed rail.

“Arkon?”

He turned his head. Jax stood beside the bed, the shock in his expression quickly giving way to relief.

“You are okay,” Jax said. “Your color had been improving, and Aymee was outwardly optimistic, but none of us were sure…”

“How... You will forgive me, Jax, but…” Grunting softly, Arkon lowered his head. His entire body ached, now that he’d woken fully, making it more difficult to work through his confusion. “How did we get here?”

“You were badly injured. After Aymee closed your wounds, we brought you here to recover. This seemed the only safe place.”

The hunters. Cyrus. Echoes of pain rippled across Arkon’s abdomen, and he shifted a hand to the gunshot wounds. His fingertips brushed over hard scar tissue.

“No one else was hurt? Aymee wasn’t hurt?” Arkon’s hearts thumped; the events were fuzzy in his recollection, and Aymee was here, next to him, but had she come to harm?

“Only Randall. It seems he might have saved my life. We brought him with us.” Jax gestured to the other side of the room.

Arkon lifted his head again to see Randall in the bed directly across from him, covered by a similar blanket. His eyes widened when he realized Rhea was at Randall’s bedside, eyes closed and head resting on her crossed arms atop the blanket, back rising and falling in a slow, peaceful rhythm.

He looked at Jax and raised his brow in question.

Jax smiled and shrugged. “She has been helping Macy and Aymee care for the both of you over the last two days. They have had little rest in that time. Rhea seems to have taken an interest in him.”

Arkon studied his friend’s face; the gleam of surprise and relief had faded from Jax’s eyes, leaving only weariness. “What of you?”

“Now, I may finally join my mate and youngling in our den.” He placed a hand on Arkon’s shoulder. “I am glad you are well, Arkon.”

“Go to them and rest, Jax. I will take vigil. I have slept enough for now, I think.”

Jax departed quietly, and Arkon settled back down onto the bed, his unfocused gaze directed at the ceiling. Aymee’s scent drifted to his nostrils; he inhaled deeply and sighed. Moving slowly, he slipped an arm out from beneath the blanket and wrapped it around her, drawing her closer against him.

She groaned, stirred, and moved her hand to rest on his chest. She exhaled softly.

He uncovered his other arm and placed his hand over hers.

Aymee tensed. “Arkon?”

“I didn’t want to wake you. I am sorry.”

She lifted her head. Her thick curls were in disarray, one strand endearingly hanging over her eye. “You’re awake,” she breathed.

“I am. But you should not—”

Aymee fell upon him, grabbing his face and pressing her mouth to his. She kissed him long and deep, then several more times in quick succession before wrapping her arms around him. “You came back to me.”

He embraced her and marveled in her feel, her warmth, her energy. “I will always come back to you. I gave myself to you, Aymee. It is not my life to lose.”

“And I won’t ever give it up.” She raised her head and met his gaze, eyes bright with tears.

He brushed the moisture from her cheek.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

“Like I have not moved in days.”

She laughed, and it was the loveliest sound he’d ever heard. “That’d be about right.”

“Now that you are here... Will you share my den, Aymee?”

She lowered her head and ran her nose over his cheek before kissing the corner of his mouth. “Yes. That and more. I want to join with you, Arkon.”

Warmth blossomed in his chest and flowed to the tips of his fingers and tentacles.

After a moment, Aymee chuckled. “I don’t think I made the best first impression on some of the kraken here, though.”

Arkon furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

“I punched Kronus in the face.”

He lifted his head to look at her. She was serious. A dozen emotions flickered through him — pride, concern, anger. “What did he do?”

“He was standing in our way and threatened us.”

“What threat did he make?”

“Well, he raised his claws and said humans, and I needed to get you here, so I punched him.”

“Kronus said a single word to you, and you struck him?”

“He was in the way, Arkon.”

Arkon pressed his lips to hers in a lingering kiss. When he broke away, he touched his forehead to hers and grinned. “I love you, Aymee.”

She smiled. “I love you, too.”

“And I can hear you,” Randall said. “Trying to sleep over here.”

“Be silent and rest, human,” Rhea commanded.

Arkon and Aymee stared at each other, smiles widening.

“Be silent and rest, human,” Arkon whispered to her.

Aymee laughed and rolled off him. He raised the blanket. She slipped under it and curled against him as he took her in his arms, twining his tentacles with her legs.

Arkon closed his eyes.

His Aymee was beside him, he was home, and he finally felt complete. Finally knew contentment. Aymee was the centerpiece of his life. His heart.

His jewel.