I sputter, images of earlier flashing briefly in my mind and dragging me back to the edge of insanity. “That… that isnotwhat I am talking about! You could have harmed her!”
“We didn’t.”
“You don’t know that!” I snap. “I’m taking her home right this moment. You animals clearly can’t be trusted around her.”
“Actually… I don’t think that’s happening anymore,” Rhune says.
I take a deep breath in through my nose, fighting the urge to wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze the life from him. “Why? Not?”
Wordless, Rhune grabs Willow’s left hand, pulling it up to the back of her palm facing toward me. And there, right in the center, is a glowing mate bond. The same one that Rhune possesses.
“It looks like she’ll have to stay with us a while longer,” Rhune says. “She’s my mate.”
My vision tunnels.A mate mark? Afatedbond?“That’s… this isimpossible!”
“Possible.It’s real, Dravik. She’s staying,” Nyx says, defiant. “You can’t separate them now. It will hurt her just as much as it hurts Rhune.”
I drag a hand over my face, all the fight leaving my body with my breath. “Fuck…”
Willow sits up a little higher, her brows creased in confusion. “Can someone explain what the hell is going on?”
I grunt. “Nothing good.”
“Hey!” Rhune says. “Don’t say that! This is great news!”
“Of course you would think that.” I roll my eyes. “Your head is full of rainbows and fluff.”
“Better than the bag of rocks you have in yours.”
My control snaps. I lunge toward Rhune with a murderous snarl, my fangs lengthening, piercing my lower lip as my transformation takes hold. My frame grows, filling the room with sickening snaps and pops and my bones stretch and snap into place.
“You!”My glare burns into Rhune’s terrified eyes.“You with your selfishness, with your thoughtless actions. Have you stopped for one moment to think about what you’ve done to this human? What you have damned her to?”
Rhune hangs his head, whining. “I didn’t…”
“Didn’twhat? Didn’tcare? You did what you thought was best foryou, and now this poor human might very well die because of it!”
“I’m going to take care of her?—”
“Does shewantthat? Would she wantyouwithout that damn bond?” Blood boiling, I force myself to turn from Rhune, his sharp claws piercing the flesh of his palms as he tightens them into fists. “I suppose it ceases to matter.”
“Don’t say that, Dravik?—”
“I need some fresh air,” I say, stomping toward the exit. If I don’t get out of here right now, I mightactuallykill him—and Nyx, too.
“If there is so much as a hair out of place on her head when I get back, I will tear your useless hearts from your chests.” I keep my voice even, making sure my threat hits home. When neither responds, I storm from the room, needing to get the fuck away from them before my anger burns me up from the inside. I stalk down the long hallway to my bedroom, nearly tearing the covering from the door in my haste to get inside.
“Fuck.” I groan, lowering my head into my palms. Even now, through my anger, I can hear my soul calling for her. Desperate to bond, to complete what Rhune started.
I imagine this is how Rhune felt when he first laid eyes on her. I don’t want to admit it, but a part of me understands now why he stole her. This is… I cannot live with this. I cannot live without her.
She’s changing everything.
17
Willow
I stareat the spot Dravik disappeared, watching the door covering swish back and forth from the force with which he left.
