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“Now, now...” The bright female voice rings through the small clearing, magnified by magic. Shocked, I look around just as a familiar form steps between the trees. “Let’s not cause any more trouble than you lot already have,” she chides lightly.
“Luna,” I murmur, never happier to see her in my life. As if she could sense I needed some female backup, she appeared like an angel.
Turning her attention to me, she smiles, but I see the sympathy she’s trying to hide. “Hey, Laelia. Are you okay? It’s been a pretty eventful night for you.” She glances over at Syn in all his overprotective glory.
Syn bristles at her look and attempts to step in front of me, blocking her view, only opening me up to Atlas in the same movement. Growling, he backs up until his body presses me up against the tree once more as he stares out at the two witches. “Mine.”
Luna crosses her arms over her chest and looks at her cousin, who’s watching me with narrowed eyes and predatory focus. “Males, why are they always so territorial?”
I have no idea how she got here or knew to come, whether by divine intervention or pure luck, but the relief that fills me is so strong that tears prick at my eyes. This situation is straight out of a nightmare. I’m having to do the impossible and choose between two mates.
“He’s my mate, he found me,” I explain, needing her to understand. “I don’t know how he found me, but something is wrong with him. Please, let him go. I’ll try to find a way to visit him until we figure this out.”
Regret shines back at me, and she opens her mouth just as I hear the sound of many footsteps and voices calling out. They sent a search party after me. I glance at Atlas with accusation in my eyes, and when I watch his expression harden, I know it was him who somehow alerted the other witches to come.
“Don’t be too hard on him. He was worried about you. He was frantic,” she explains quietly as she slowly moves closer, assured that Syn’s attention is locked on Atlas.
However, at the sound of others arriving, Syn finally loses his battle with his wolf, shifting in one quick movement. He’s huge in wolf form, and with his hackles raised and glowing amber eyes, he looks every inch the protective alpha that he is.
Guilt tightens my chest, wishing there was something I could do. If I attempt to help him escape, then I’m going to put Nicolai’s life in jeopardy. The queen is holding my other mate, Nicolai, as hostage to make sure I return and do as she bids. If I left, he would suffer, and I can’t do that to him—not after everything he’s been through. Besides, if I stay, I know Syn would never leave without me. The guilt and fear of what could happen is tearing me apart.
“Syn, run,” I beg, already knowing it’s not going to work.
His ears flick back, so I know he hears me, but as a row of witches appears at the edge of the small clearing, he growls and lowers his head, exposing his teeth in a snarl.
The approaching witches have their glowing hands raised, and magic is so thick in the air that it makes it hard for me to breathe. Their expressions are a mixture of anger and determination, only seeing Syn as a threat. The security of Haven has always been maintained because no one other than a witch can find it. Syn being here is more of a threat to them than him simply coming for me, as it means he could lead others here—something I can tell they are not going to allow.
One witch releases a ball of magic, and it hits Syn’s shoulder, knocking him back. If it was supposed to do anything else, then it failed, as it only seems to annoy him more, not even a hint of pain coming through the bond. The other witches raise their hands higher and prepare to cast their magic.
“No, they are going to kill him.” I’m already stepping forward, instinctively going to protect my mate. A hand grabs my shoulder, roughly pulling me back and out of the path of danger.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Atlas barks, releasing my arm like it burned him. I didn’t even notice him move, but now he’s at my side as the wall of witches closes in on my mate.
Baring my teeth at him in a silent threat, I prepare to snap at him, only to shift my focus as Luna steps forward. “I’m sorry,” she says quietly, her gaze steady and focused on Syn, “but this is the only way to save him.”
Without giving me a chance to object or ask what she’s planning, she raises her hand towards Syn, a ball of power leaving her and hitting him in the side of the head, instantly knocking him unconscious.
ChapterTwo
The journey back to Haven is filled with tension and stress, and not just for me. Everyone seems to fear Syn waking up from the magically induced sleep Luna placed him under. There is a small, dark part of my mind that finds it amusing that so many witches with magical powers are afraid of a single sleeping werewolf. However, I know it’s more than that, so I keep my thoughts to myself. From what I’ve been told, most of the witches in the sanctuary fled there due to persecution or being in danger, usually from rogue werewolves, so leaving the safety of its walls must be difficult.
The look of concentration on Luna’s face and constant scent of magic tells me she’s having to work hard to keep Syn under, something else that explains why everyone seems so tense.
I know why she used her power on him and that she did it out of kindness for me. There is no way Syn would have calmed down enough to come peacefully, not in the state he was in. No, he would have fought to the death, something that I couldn’t have lived with. Given her status among the witches, despite her young age, Luna is very powerful. If she’s struggling, then it makes sense why the witches’ first reaction was aggressive. They hoped to kill him, as there was no way they’d be able to keep him unconscious. By incapacitating him this way, she saved his life. My rational brain knows this, but my bond isnothappy with her.Better hurt than dead, I keep reminding myself.
The darkness is suspiciously quiet within me, and Star sticks close to me the entire time, almost tripping me on several occasions. Atlas is no help. He walks ahead of the group and pointedly ignores me, irritation and a sense of stubbornness filtering through our partial bond.
We reach a clearing that I recognise. It’s where Atlas and I first arrived once he removed my blindfold earlier this evening. As expected, I’m asked to put on a blindfold. Darkness falls over me as I place the fabric over my eyes, but as Luna starts to help tie it in place, I feel Atlas approach. They seem to have a silent stand-off, but my mate eventually wins, and his strong fingers brush my hair back before tying the fabric. His hands linger, his heat radiating against my skin, and I want nothing more than to lean back against him and seek comfort. I’m so overwhelmed by everything that I’m running on autopilot so I don’t fall apart in front of everyone.
Unfortunately, the moment doesn’t last, and I feel him stalk away, my chest aching with each step he takes.
The rest of the journey passes in a blur as I let myself sink into a state of numbness. At one point, my blindfold is removed, and I dimly notice that we’re back in Haven before returning to the safety of my absent mind. My mind is threatening to fracture, so I must protect myself if I ever plan on getting out of here alive. I have one mate who hates me, another whose separation from me has driven him mad and gotten himself captured, and another mate who’s being held prisoner and was forced to give up his werewolf, all because of me. It’s enough to make anyone lose hope and give into madness.
The only thing stopping me from succumbing fully is the fact that Joel, my other alpha mate, is far away, safe and looking after my family and pack with Scott’s help.
I can vaguely feel Nicolai probing at our connection, trying to find out what’s happened to cause this change in me, and my bond rises to meet him, igniting the tiniest of sparks within me. Before it can become anything, though, I realise too late where they are taking me as we enter a guarded corridor—to see the queen.
Glancing at Luna, I muster enough emotion to narrow my eyes at her in accusation. She doesn’t meet my gaze, but she winces, so I know she’s aware of my look and can feel my ire.
