I shove forward, clawing control, and slam into her body just in time to butt Draxis in the snout with my head. I start thrashing in his hold, contorting my limbs like an angry ferret.
“Let. Me. Go!” I snarl.
He growls low, stubborn and feral. “Maaaattttteee.”
Shut up, you overgrown lizard-wolf.
I snap my jaw around his forearm and bite. My teeth scream in protest.
Ow. Scales. I forgot about the damn scales.
He sighs. A long, suffering exhale like I’ve ruined his day. And then — finally — he sets me down.
The second my paws hit the ground, I shift back, human again and pissed off. I jab my finger at the center of his stupid snout.
“Bad lycan. Bad. Bring Draven back. Right. Now.”
He rolls his glowing silver eyes at me and growls softly, frustration steaming off him.
“Now, Draxis,” I snap. “Don’t test me. Let Draven back!”
He lets out another huff, full of drama, and sulks backward. Then the shift begins — fast, fluid, and the next blink reveals Draven, standing in the same spot, gloriously naked and not the least bit apologetic.
His gaze finds mine. He doesn’t blink. Doesn’t move.
I blink first. Then realize — I’m naked too.
“Turn around, idiot!” I screech, covering myself with my arms.
He smirks, infuriatingly slow, and turns with deliberate movements. Way too slow.
Muttering curses under my breath, I scramble to pull my clothes back on.
This was a terrible idea.
Everything’s messier now. More complicated.
I spot a pair of pants and a shirt draped over a branch — Sin must’ve left them — and I chuck them straight at Draven’s stupid, perfect ass.
“Get dressed, Your Majesty,” I grumble. “We’ve accomplished nothing. Your lycan is a stubborn jackass, he gave us more questions than answers, and now I need therapy.”
Chapter 7
Draven
I’m flat on my back in the West Forest clearing, staring at the sky.
Kassira lies beside me, close enough that I can feel her warmth, her breath. We’ve been doing this routine for the last three days — drag Draxis out each morning, try to keep him calm, try to learn something. Rinse. Repeat.
Sin helps.
Unfortunately.
The only reason he’s still breathing is because Draxis listens to Kass. If he didn’t, Sin would’ve been carved into tiny pieces of steak by now.
Still no progress. I can’t reach my lycan. Can’t feel him. Can’t control him. I’m just… locked out. And every night, I end up camped in front of Kassira’s door praying the magic doesn’t get even stronger somehow and I end up forgetting her forever. If we weren’t shifters — if people didn’t understand what a matebond means — it would probably look weird. Hell, it probably does anyway.
Speaking of things that are weird…
