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Laughing at Joel’s welcome speech, I give into the pull and move until I bump up against Atlas’s side, leaning against him as his arm wraps around me. Some of the strain that was building up in my chest eases at his touch, and I relax against him.
“I’ve been around for a while now,” Atlas counters, addressing my other mates. “You all knew I was one of Laelia’s mates.”
Nicolai rolls over so he’s lying on his stomach and can look up at us. “Yeah, but you were so reluctant that until that bond was completed, we couldn’t know for sure.”
Joel has been watching me closely since I entered the room, and although I know how much he wants to step closer, he keeps his distance. “Laelia, how are you feeling?”
The change of topic makes me pause. I’m about to tell them that I’m fine, but from the look on his face, I know it’s pointless. They are all connected to me, even Scott in his own way, so they were able to feel my breakdown in the shower. After all, it’s what brought Atlas into the bathroom in the first place. A thought suddenly comes to me as I think about what happened in the shower after that, and my eyes widen at the realisation.
“Can you guys feel it when I bond with someone?” My question is hesitant, almost like I don’t want to know the answer.
“Yup.” Nicolai smirks, confirming my suspicion.
Fantastic. I guess I assumed they heard Atlas and me, since we weren’t exactly quiet. Oh no, while that’s probably true, they knew the exact moment we finally completed the bond.
“We can feel every strong emotion,” Syn chimes in from the other side of the room, not sounding pleased. “Whenever you fuck one of us, the rest of us know about it.”
Well, shit. My cheeks flare with heat, and I don’t know where to look. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, since sex is a natural part of life and these are my mates, I just had no idea they could feel my pleasure every time…
“Laelia?” Joel prompts, his previous question still unanswered.
My stomach drops, and I realise I’m not going to be able to hide this from them. Huffing out a breath, I try to figure out where to begin. “I’m… I don’t know what to tell you.” Shrugging, I glance up and meet his concerned gaze, only to look away again. I don’t want to see any of their reactions. “The archway broke me,” I admit quietly, feeling all of their gazes on me. “It fractured me into tiny little pieces of all my flaws and past mistakes, and scattered them like confetti. It’s going to take me time to put them all back together, but I’m stronger with you guys. Even now, after bonding with Atlas, I feel stronger.” As I speak, I realise that I do actually feel stronger. Sharing this wasn’t as awful as I thought, and as Atlas rubs the small of my back in support, I lift my head and look at each of my mates. “I will be okay, it might just take time.”
I see pride in their eyes and the small smiles of encouragement they give me.
Joel slowly steps towards me, glancing at Atlas to check that it’s okay to approach. My witch mate stiffens slightly, but he nods sharply to indicate that the alpha can come forward.
Closing the distance, Joel stops just a hairsbreadth from me, not quite touching but close enough for me to feel his body heat. His restraint is impressive, as I can feel how much his bond is calling on him to touch me, yet he holds off, knowing how raw Atlas feels right now.
“You can take all the time you need,” he begins slowly. “We love you, flaws and all. We all have them, and we all make mistakes. If we have to remind you every single day for the rest of our lives how perfect we think you are, then that’s what we’ll do.”
My eyes sting with tears that I attempt to hold back, glancing over to find both Syn and Nicolai nodding in agreement. When I look at Scott, I’m not sure what I’m going to see, but I am taken aback as he nods solemnly in agreement. Does that mean he’s agreeing, or he’s just acknowledging that I need support and he’ll be there?
No, I tell myself as I force my gaze away. I can’t start questioning everything, not when I need their support more than ever. I give them a small, shaky smile.
“Thank you,” I manage to croak out, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. Suddenly, I realise that there’s something else important I’ve not yet told them. My gut clenches anxiously in anticipation of their reactions. What if they don’t believe me? Clearing my throat, I pray for strength from the goddess. “When I was in the archway, something else happened to me.”
The tension shoots up, and they all look at me with confusion. Nicolai even rolls off the bed and stands, slowly walking over and stopping at a suitable distance away so as not to agitate Atlas. “What do you mean?” he asks calmly, but his bond is practically jumping in my chest with anxiety.
“It gifted me a memory.” Silence follows my dramatic comment, and everyone continues to look confused. “It wasn’t my memory, but I know it was true. I can feel it.” Pressing my hands against my chest, I wish they could feel the same instinct I could, and then they would stop looking at me like I just told them I could fly to the moon. Hearing it aloud, I realise it sounds crazy. If one of them told me that, I’d think they had one too many drinks. It doesn’t make sense, nothing about the arch does.
Needing some space, I step out of Atlas’s arms, take a large step backwards, and close my eyes so I can’t see the looks they share with each other.
“The vision was of my mother and the goddess,” I continue, hoping that if I explain what I saw, they’ll believe me. My eyes stay closed as I bring the memory forward in my mind. “They were having a conversation about me. She was heavily pregnant, and there was an alpha in the background who I think might have been my father.” There’s a fondness to my voice that takes me by surprise, and I blink open my eyes, staring down at my hands which are clenched tightly in front of me. “My mother knew she was going to die, and she knew that I was going to be special, blessed, then the goddess said something—” I cut off, realising how stupid it’s going to sound out loud. If they didn’t believe me before, then this will tip them over the edge.
“Tell us,” Syn urges quietly.
Huffing out a breath, I lift my gaze and meet each of their stares. However, when I meet Syn’s stare, his eyes glisten with knowledge, and I know he believes me. That gives me the strength to say what’s been playing on my mind since I discovered it. “She said that I was part goddess.”
There’s a long pause, and I swear no one breathes, the room completely silent. When sound does finally return, they all speak at once in a rush, and I can’t make out what anyone is saying. Overwhelmed, I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment and take several deep breaths, needing to control my emotions. I still feel fragile from earlier, so this is easier said than done.
“Give her a moment,” Joel calls out, and I hope he can feel how grateful I am.
Once I’ve regained my senses, I open my eyes and look at each of them with trepidation. None of them speak, allowing me the chance to sort my thoughts. “I know it sounds crazy, but I swear it’s true. I can feel it in my gut.”
“It makes sense,” Syn comments with a casual nod, as though we’re discussing the weather and not a vision where I learned I’m part goddess. I knew he believed me, but the ease at which he accepted what I said when the others are still struggling to get their minds around it takes me aback.
When everyone looks at him in surprise, including myself, he raises a brow. “What? She’s the first werewolf-witch hybrid, the goddess talks to her directly, and her magic is starlight. Not to mention the prophecies about her.” Shrugging, he rolls his eyes at their dumbstruck expressions.
