We’re deep in the West Forest, not far from the palace. It’s the perfect place for this little disaster waiting to happen. Isolated. Warded. Reinforced with spell-etched stone and layered with royal-level shielding runes. If Draxis loses control in here, he can’t hurt anyone.
Except maybe me. And Sin.
Sin’s the only one here besides us. Because no one else knows about the leash. Everyone else just thinks Draven is a late bloomer with an ancient lycan form. Very late. Very dramatic.
Draven refused to tell anyone. He’s completely paranoid. He made a whole list of suspects and slapped everyone on it. His Council. The Alpha Primes. His Gamma. Every coven of witches in the world. Even Amira. Just in case. I hate how much I liked that.
“Come on, Your Royal Pain in the Ass,” I snap, hands on my hips. “Focus. You know how to call your wings. Same thing — but this time, call the lycan.”
He sighs deeply, like I’ve just asked him to solve the meaning of life. “We’ve been at this for over an hour. I’ve tried. Repeatedly. Nothing.” He flings his hands up and starts pacing, all frustration and tension. “What even brought him forward last time? The sever—” He cuts himself off, jaw clenching. A growl vibrates from his chest. “That can’t happen again. Ever.”
I blink. Oh. Maybe he’s onto something.
I take a couple steps back, turn to the side and lift my voice. “I’m leaving! Do you hear me, Draxis? I’m walking out of this forest, out of this palace—”
Draven turns his head, brows drawing together. “You’re lying. I can hear it in your voice.”
Sin strolls closer, arms crossed. “This is painful. You’re both idiots. Figures you’re soulmates.”
That’s it! My eyes widen. I spin to face Draven directly.
“I am not your mate!” I shout at Draven. “You hear me, Draxis? I am not your mate!”
Draven growls right on cue, eyes flashing silver. Oh. Oh, this might actually work.
“I am not your mate, Draxis,” I repeat sweetly, sing-song. “Never will be again.”
He straightens. Smiles like he knows a secret. “That was a lie,” he says, smug. “I could feel it. You don’t believe that.”
“Yes, I do!” I shoot back, heat rising in my face. “Neris? Back me up here.”
There’s a long pause. Then my wolf sighs.
“Well… there were some very plausible explanations…” she mumbles.
“Neris!” I bark at her with my inside voice. “Take it back! We are not falling! We have a plan. Fix the leash. Sever the bond on his end. Leave. That’s the mission.”
She huffs. “I know. But… he was under a spell. He didn’t reject us by choice. And if there’s even the smallest chance we could be with our true mate… is that really such a terrible thing?”
“I will chew your tail off, wolf,” I threaten. “You just want to control a massive murder monster and make him maul people for you.”
“I also want our mate,” she says softly. “He’s our twin soul, Kass. The only one we’ll ever get. Even if the bond’s severed, oursouls are still connected. Born together, from the same Spark. Meant to find each other. I’m not saying jump into his arms today. But maybe we don’t slam the door shut, either.”
She pauses. Then adds sweetly, “We can still torture him some more. That is fun.”
I sigh. Dammit. Of course my wolf would fold like a piece of paper. It only took her a day and a half. She got her explanations, it all made sense and now she wants her lycan.
Typical wolf behavior.
I get it. I do. True mates are sacred in our world. Twin souls that complete each other perfectly. No one else can touch that kind of happiness — that kind of peace. And sure, some shifters, very few, still accept the punishment and reject it. Assholes with no heart or too much pride. I thought Draven was one of them.
I look at the culprit, who is currently giving me a smug, stupid smile.
I do not have time for this.
First we remove the leash. Then we see if I need to leash my own wolf before she starts howling love songs under the lycan’s window.
The bond is severed — on our side, at least. And there’s no undoing that. Severing is permanent. Final.
