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“I know it’s not you, but I just copped it off, Darius. I don’t need you starting on me too.”
“I was just checking on Kalen. I’m not here to argue,” Tobias said.
“He is fine, as you can see. I won’t leave him alone with her.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, I won’t hurt him,” I snapped as anger rippled through me. They both stared at me, stunned, and, honestly, I was surprised I voiced those words because I didn’t mean to.
“Is that so? Fine, answer me this then.”
I rolled my eyes, and Tobias was on top of me within seconds, his fingers squeezing my face.
“Tobias, what are you doing?” Lycus snapped at him and gripped his arm.
“She said she wouldn’t hurt him. Let’s see how true it is,” Tobias said, glaring at Lycus, who shrugged. Tobias’s fingers dug painfully into my cheeks as he stared at me.
“If given the opportunity would you run again?” Tobias asked me, and I felt my heart skip a beat which earned a growl from him.
“Answer me!” Tobias growled, and Lycus sat up more, looking down at me. What kind of question was that? What answer did they expect to get?
“If you were in my place, would you stay?” I asked instead.
“I wouldn’t be stupid enough to run from my mates. I wouldn’t risk killing them. Now, answer the question!” Tobias growled.
“You already know the answer, or you wouldn’t be asking just to catch me lying, Tobias. Now, let me go.” The noise that escaped his lips made goosebumps rise on my skin before he shoved himself off me.
“Still think she won’t hurt him?” he asked Lycus. Lycus sighed.
“Now, get him to bed. Make sure you lock her door. I knew she only helped him to regain our trust.”
“That is not true. I like Kalen. It’s the rest of you I can’t stand.”
“You don’t like him enough to stay for him, though, do you?” Tobias spat at me. He turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.
“You had to ruin it,” Lycus snapped when he left. Lycus climbed off my bed before walking around to the other side and scooped Kalen off the bed with one swift movement. My heart hammered in my chest as the bond cried out for him.
My hand gripped Kalen’s before I could hold myself back, and Lycus’s eyes flickered angrily. “Wait, you don’t need to take him. Just let him sleep here,” I blurted, needing him back where I could feel him and know he was alright.
“Thank you for bringing him back to us, but Tobias proved you only intend to hurt him again. I won’t allow that,” Lycus said.
He walked out, taking Kalen, who remained unconscious, with him. His energy left the room, and I suddenly felt cold without any of them in there.
Time slipped by, and the cold set into my bones. I would take their wrath if one would come back and stay, anything to chase the cold of the empty bond away. One taste of their magic and my bond ached for them, only now they were gone.
I tucked the blanket up as I shivered, needing their magic or some of my own. Why was I so cold? Why did it hurt like this? Being the keeper, I required their magic, but I lived without it for so long, deprived of it for so long, so I didn’t understand how after one encounter, one taste, it felt like they were tearing me apart piece by piece when they took it away.
No matter how close I sat to the fireplace or how many blankets I surrounded myself with, I couldn’t warm up. My teeth chattered, and my entire body ached. I hoped it was just an after effect of the shadows, yet I had a nagging feeling it was them, and Lycus was right. I just hoped he was also right about it wearing off.
The door opened, and my bond leaped with joy as I turned around to see who had entered. I tried to slow my heart rate as he stepped into the room.
“The effects of you touching our magic will wear off. Give it a day or so, and you will be fine,” Darius said.
“Maybe you could?”
“Not a chance,” Darius said without looking at me. “We will never give you magic. That was a once-off, Aleera. As I said, it will wear off.”
I turned my attention back to the fire and tried to warm up. He didn’t even have to give me much, just enough to settle the bond until the effects faded.
This was torture in itself, and I promised myself that I would run as soon as I was able. I would rather battle it out there than live with this torment. Kalen would learn to survive without me, or maybe I could convince him to come?
