Page 65 of Bound to Three Fae Beasts

If the courts found out she was a shape-thief, she’d be killed. If they found out about the mate-bond I felt toward her, we’d both be killed. A cursed-form fae was not permitted to reproduce, and the mate-bond existed only to create strong fae children.

I slumped onto my couch and let out a breath, releasing the magic that faked my location. I closed my eyes, rubbing my forehead. It didn’t matter if Azriel and I never acted on the mate-bond between us, it existing at all was enough to get us both executed. If she was from a powerful family of her own, then perhaps she’d get out of it with her head. And if my family hadn’t disowned me, I could get away with just getting castrated—like I would be once I graduated from the Academy, anyway, if I didn’t ‘correct’ the wrongness of my beast.

That was not something I particularly looked forward to. But I knew what my fate was. I couldn’t change that. But I didn’t want Azriel to die. It shouldn’t have bothered me. I should have been able to just turn off these feelings and not care. There wasn’t any room in the fae world for caring about others, no place to put yourself between danger and your friends.

Like the way she’d put herself between her friend and me. The way she’d stood there, holding that spear, her expression terrified and determined, made my heart flutter. She’d been in clear pain, a mess of bruises and blood. Yet she’d gripped the spear and planted herself in danger to protect her friend. There was no room for that in our world.

And yet … Azriel wasn’t from our world. Not really. Somehow, that compassion made me feel—

“It’s about time you came back,” said a voice behind me.

I jumped to my feet and whirled. Azriel stood next to the library exit. Her brown eyes blazed and her arms were crossed over her chest.

“What are you doing here?” I snapped.

She stepped forward and her scent surrounded me. Heat bubbled under my skin, making me want to pull her into my arms. I’d never felt this way, wanting to be close to another person like this. I hated it and loved it. And she was here, in my space.

Alone.

Chapter 29 - Azriel

“What are you doing here?” Jasper demanded, looking annoyed.

I tried to steady my racing heart. It had only gotten faster since we returned to the Academy, and I knew it wasn’t going to slow until I got my answers. The images of Hilda kept playing in my head, and I was just as confused about what happened to her as I was about why Jasper had dragged me back here. Or where he’d gone in the few minutes it’d taken me to decide that I was coming back to confront him.

“I want answers,” I told him, drawing myself up.

His icy eyes dug holes into me. It was difficult for me to maintain eye contract with his aura pulsing out from him. It was a delicious, tempting thing that made me want to move closer, to touch him and absorb that energy. Would skimming his wrong beast feel different from when I took on Seb’s wolf form?

“Miss Azriel, if you want answers, you have to ask questions,” he said with a hint of impatience to his voice.

I broke eye contact then and drew a deep breath to calm my system. “You purposefully grabbed me and got me away from the party, even showing me one of the secret tunnels that leads right into your space. Why?”

“It was the fastest way to get away from the forest.” He said it was though it should be obvious.

“How many other people have you showed that tunnel?” I challenged.

Jasper’s jaw tightened. He drew himself up, looming over me. “Just what are you asking me, Miss Azriel? Choose your words carefully.”

His attempts to intimidate me fell flat. I stepped closer, pushing myself into his personal space. “Choose my words carefully? I’ve already asked you. Why did you do it? And don’t think that acting tough and dismissive is going to make me stop asking. You went through a hell of a lot of effort to keep me safe just now.”

Was he trying to get me in his debt? But that didn’t make any sense, either. I was still nothing in this school. So why would be care about making me owe him something?

A phantom warmth pressed against my thighs, a memory of Seb being so close to me. Was that what Jasper wanted, too? But he hadn’t made any indication that he felt that sort of attraction to me. Even during Phineas’s etiquette event, he hadn’t encouraged any sort of intimacy.

Yet he had given me advice.

I wondered what his hair would feel like if I drew my fingers through it and faltered. First Seb, now Jasper. I’d gone most of my life without feeling particularly attracted to anyone, and now I had this draw that made me want him to press closer and insist on closer contact. Was there something wrong with me? Even if I felt attraction, wouldn’t it be better if I wanted to have a sweeter moment, rather than him demanding it?

Jasper had remained quiet through my inner turmoil, and stared at me with such an intense gaze that it made me shiver. Was he feeling the same draw to me? Maybe he would demand physical satisfaction in repayment for saving me.

I wouldn’t give it to him. No matter how tempting it was, I wasn’t ever going to sell myself so cheaply. Or rather, I wouldn’t give in to my hormones with someone who thought they were entitled to my body. I lifted my chin and glared at him, forcing myself to maintain a more stubborn appearance.

“Don’t you have a reason, Lord Jasper?” I asked, layering sarcasm into my voice.

“I will answer your question after you answer one of mine,” he said.

A shiver ran down my spine. “What question?”