~ CASIMIR ~
I was standing outside Jesse's chamber door, which had been mostly closed, but not entirely. And I was peering through a tiny sliver of space to watch my mate embrace my best friend.
"Rake… if anything happens-"
"Shhhhh, don't do that. Don't let the tensions here make you catastrophize. I'm back again in less than a week- and I'll be calling the final Selection for Cazz and you to make the declarations. So, just focus on that. And don't worry about me."
"No, Rake, I'm serious. If anything happens to you it will kill me. I need you to be so careful. Watch your back when my brothers are around- always. And… and come back safe. Please. I couldn't have made it this far without you. I need you here. You make this place better. It's… colder when you're not here. You understand? Please-"
The way he curled around her, holding her so tightly… it made my teeth clench so hard, I thought I'd cracked a molar.