Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (most important books to read TXT) 📕

Turning around in circles, I feel for the strong knot around my heart, until I am sure of the direction I need to go to find my Intended. I take off as fast as I can with my broken ankle and walking stick.

I try my best to ignore the burning that stretches from my foot to my knee. I know I am most likely doing serious damage to my injury by walking on it, but I can't give up yet. I know my hero is out there somewhere. He is always there when I need him the most.

I continue until the sun is long gone and my negative thoughts start taking over. I start to doubt whether it’s worth it to keep going or if I should just wait for Thrane to come find me. Maybe if I just lie down and fall asleep, I won't wake up again. That might be better than anything my future holds. Thrane won't just give up looking for me and what about that Barron guy? He obviously wants to kill me for some reason.

Gavin would probably stop looking for me once he can't feel me anymore. I don't even know what happens when a person's Intended dies. I hope it won't hurt him. It would free him up to find someone else.

Kassy and Liam will be happy with or without me, as long as Thrane doesn't go looking for her. I think about what could happen to Kassy if I am not there to be her protector. I can't let that happen. Thrane needs to die before I do. I can't let him get to her and do to her what he has done to me, or worse.

I pick up my pace again, relying on my connection with Gavin to get me where I need to go. I push through the pain and continue fighting. “This is not how my story ends.” I tell myself over and over until I believe it.

After another couple of hours of ridiculous hiking and slipping in the dirt, I feel raindrops start to hit my bare arms.

"Are you freakin’ kidding me? Rain? Really?" I whisper to the heavens, too afraid to use my full voice. I am starting to feel like someone up there has it out for me.

I continue to trudge along in the mud, now. I am shivering uncontrollably from the cold that has made its way to my bones and I begin fearing hypothermia.

“This is not how your story ends, Aella. Keep going.” I tell myself again.

When I am about to collapse from exhaustion, I feel a sudden hard tug on my heart to the left. I spin that way, right before something slams into me and two strong arms encircle me, pulling me into an extremely warm cocoon. Electricity moves through my body and I gasp loudly from the amazing sensation.

I bury my face in the spicy pine scented neck of my beautiful hero and shake even harder from relief as my dry eyes try to produce happy tears.

"Gavin," I breathe out his name.

"Aella," Gavin whispers in my ear like a prayer. He pulls away from me, just enough to see my face and his golden eyes are lit up like an inferno. His warm hand touches my swollen cheek tenderly and a deep noise rumbles in his broad chest.

I read the regret in his eyes and take his hand from my cheek, lacing my chilled fingers with his.

"I'm all right," I lie to him. "It's just a little bump." I try to force a small smile and flinch a little from the stretching of my hurt skin.

He closes his eyes and shakes his head. He places his forehead against mine and pulls me closer to him with his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. "I thought I'd never see you again. I couldn't breathe," he says with gut wrenching sincerity.

I breathe in all of him and revel in the lightness of my heart from his touch. We stand there in silence for a moment and then I become cold as Gavin is stripped forcefully from me.

I open my eyes to see Thrane with his arm wrapping around Gavin's neck, pulling him into a choke hold. I gasp and am about to run to him, but Gavin reminds me of his incredible speed and strength by grabbing Thrane's arm and using his body to flip Thrane over his head.

Thrane ends up on his back and Gavin goes to slam a boot down on his throat but misses as Thrane rolls away in a blur. Gavin is able to grab him by the arm mid-roll and pulls him to his feet before connecting his fist with Thrane's face.

The force of his hit sends Thrane crashing into a nearby tree, nearly uprooting it from the ground. My heart is racing as I watch Thrane recover too quickly and run at Gavin. The two collide with one another hard, causing a sound like thunder to wake the sleeping forest. They become just a blur as they tumble through the trees, ripping at each other.

I try to keep track of who is who in the jumble but have a hard time processing their speed with my still too human mind. It doesn't take me very long though, to see that Gavin is stronger, but Thrane is faster.

I watch in horror as Thrane separates from Gavin and runs, full speed toward me. I duck and cover my head, knowing that I can't outrun him. In the next instant he has my back pulled hard against his chest and a knife held firmly against my throat. I stop breathing and hold as still as I possibly can, knowing that I can be bleeding out with just the slightest movement.

"I missed you," Thrane whispers in my ear as Gavin walks slowly toward us.

His hands are outstretched in front of him, proceeding with caution. "Thrane, release her, now," he spits out