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Butterflies filled my stomach as I walked across campus and made my way into the forest. I passed a few Cazadores and some classmates along the way, but I didn’t really see them. If they said hello, I didn’t hear them. I was focused on where I was going. This was it.
I smelled the fire first. The cedar gave a spice to the air that I loved. I breathed it in deep as I wove through the trees. The sun would be setting soon, but for now, the sunlight cut through the leaves.
When I got to the pack circle, Dastien stood in front of the fire. A thick blue blanket was spread under his bare feet. A picnic basket sat to the side of the blanket, and more blankets and pillows were piled on top. He wore his usual worn-in jeans—thankfully not the khakis from the vision—and the exact same T-shirt as me.
I laughed. “We’re the biggest dorks ever.”
He actually blushed a little as he grinned at me. I’d coordinate outfits all the time just to get that look on his face. “I guess we’re already in sync.”
That was true. So what would it be like when we were bonded? How much closer could we really get?
He reached out to me, and I took his hand, kicking off my shoes before moving onto the blanket. He sat, and I did the same.
How did we start? There was no dearly beloved here. No priest. No minister.
“What—”
“I—”
We laughed as we talked over each other. I could feel his nerves through the bond, and that made me relax a little more. It was a big deal. This was a big deal. But as I stared into his eyes, my nerves turned into excitement.
“Before we do this, I wanted to say that I love you.” Dastien squeezed my hand. “I know we’re young, and this probably seems crazy to you, but I feel like I’ve been waiting for this for forever. I was nervous before, but now I’m just excited.”
“Me too.”
“I don’t want you to be afraid of this because of the vision. If I thought bonding would make that future happen, then we wouldn’t be doing this. I promise. This will only help us.”
“I hope so, but right now—” I let go of all my worries and focused on him. Only him. “I just want to be with you and forget everything else.”
He grinned. “Me too.” He reached behind him and pulled something out of the basket. “Lucas told me the words he used to bond with Claudia, but first…” He held a knife out to me. “I know you didn’t like the idea of biting me. Instead, we can cut ourselves and mix our blood.”
This just kept getting weirder. Although I had to admit, making a little cut on my hand would be easier than biting him. The idea of hurting him—even for a good cause—turned my stomach a little. “So we’d be like blood brothers?”
Those stupid dimples dented his cheeks as he laughed. “Kind of. What would you rather?”
“I’d rather not do either.” For real. What was the deal with all of the biting and cutting? Couldn’t we just make the promises already?
“Tessa.” There was a hint of warning in his voice.
“But—if I must—I think I’ll take the knife.”
He held the handle out for me. “We have to move fast once we make the cuts. It’s not a supernatural wound. It’ll heal quickly.”
“Right.” I blew out a breath as I took the knife from him. “Does it matter where I make the cut?”
“Lucas didn’t say it mattered, but they used their hands.”
“Works for me.” I held the knife above my left palm, and paused. “Oh man. This is a real pain in my ass.”
Dastien gave me a fake growl. “I’ll show you a pain in your ass.”
I gave him a wicked look. “Promises, promises.”
He laughed. “You’re killing me. Just do it.”
“I think I need a countdown.”
“Like when you get a shot?” His eyes glittered in the firelight. “Just make cut, Tessa.”
