by Brie Paisley
“Are you alright with waiting?” She asks, when I don’t respond.
Nodding once more, Sameria starts to walk out of the room, but suddenly stops, when I say, “If you can finally break the spell on the bracelet, there will more than likely be a surge of power that needs to be released.”
She slowly turns around to face me, as she utters, “Like a release of power that’s built up inside of you?”
“Precisely.”
Her eyes light up with excitement, and I wonder what she’s thinking. However, she confuses me even more, when she simply utters, “Interesting.” Glancing over to Malik and then back to Sameria, I start to say something more, but then, she quickly leaves the room.
“Don’t worry about her,” Malik says, interrupting my thoughts. “She’s used to being on her own, but she’ll figure out the spell.”
Pushing out a breath, I walk over by the bed, and then sit on the edge. “I don’t really have much of a choice, but to wait and see, if she can pull this off.”
For a moment, Malik stays where he is by the door, but then, my heart begins to pound in my chest, as he makes his way over to me. Averting my gaze, when he sits beside me, I remind myself to stay cautious around him. I don’t know anything about him, other than he’s The Alpha, and that he apparently works for The Facility.
Losing the battle, with my need to know his end goal, I turn towards him, and then ask, “If you’re The Alpha, then why are you working for them? How can you stand by those people, knowing what they’re doing to us?”
His gaze softens, once he meets mine, and then he claims, “I don’t work for them, Melena.” Raising my eyebrows, I start to call him out on his lie, but then, he adds, “I infiltrated them, so that I could find you and my sister.”
“So, you were just undercover?” I ask, making sure I fully understand him and his motives.
“Exactly.” I watch him closely, as I begin to see how much weight is on his shoulders. There’s a deep sadness within him, but I don’t understand what I’m sensing. It’s almost as if I’m feeling something other than what he’s letting show. The fact is, what I feel right now, it’s not coming from me, but from the wicked wolf, sitting beside me.
Before I can dwell on my new revelation, he claims, “Luna, The Foreseer I told you about, had a vision about The Facility, and what they’re doing. That’s when I knew I had to do something, and since I’m the only one that could find you and my sister, I decided to go in alone.”
Hearing the tone of his voice, I get the impression of how lonely he is. Against my better judgement, I reach over, and then take his hand. His head snaps to me, and I try so damn hard to ignore the sudden dip in my stomach.
“You’re not alone anymore.”
For a long while, it’s just him and I, staring at one another. It’s as if we’ve reached a point of understanding, because I do get it. I’ve been alone for so long, and now, Malik is going through the same thing. The choice to take on this task of finding me and his sister was all his, and I’m not surprised at how much I respect that. It’s what I would do to save Ruby and Ivy.
It’s actually what I plan on doing, once I’m free of this bracelet.
As I continue gazing into his green eyes, a warm sensation begins to flow through me. At first, I relish it, because it makes my heart and soul soar, but then, I shake the feelings away. They don’t make any sense, and the last thing I want is to get in too deep. At the end of the day, I have my own plans, and they don’t involve this handsome but wicked wolf, sitting beside me.
Pulling my hand back, I ignore the ache in my chest, and how disappointed Malik seems. Rubbing my hands on my thighs, I clear my throat, and then ask, “Will you tell me exactly what Luna saw in her vision?”
“Which part?”
As I stand, I state, “Everything.”
“Alright,” he utters, and then pushes out a breath. “She claims to have seen a darkness, consuming everything in its path, and she explained how she sensed great evil.” I nod, because I know how a Foreseer’s powers work. While I might not remember ever meeting one, I do recall the logistics of it.
A Foreseer can not only see the future, but they also experience heightened emotions, surrounding the event in question. To me, they have it the worst, since most have ended up going mad from his or her own visions. Most can’t handle the pressure, or how certain futures can possibly play out.
“We were there, facing this evil together,” he adds, after a moment of silence, interrupting my thoughts.
Crossing my arms, I think about this, and what it actually means to him. “That’s why you think that I’m your mate.”
He smirks, and then lets out a small chuckle, before saying, “It’s because Luna felt our bond, Melena. I know you claim not to sense it, but I do, and it’s there.” His expression suddenly turns grave, as he states, “I don’t know if it’s because you’re blocking the bond purposely, or if it has something to do with the bracelet, blocking the magic that binds us together.”
I startle, as he quickly stands, and then he makes his way over by me. Holding still, I do my best not to show him how much he affects me. I can’t deny that there’s something deep within me that wants all of this to be true. He’s strong and a determined wolf, so why would I want to pass up on this chance?
The thing is, I just don’t sense the connection, and that’s what’s stopping me.
Why would I want to bond myself to him, knowing that I’m not who he thinks I am? If it spares me more pain to avoid him, then I’ll do it. I’ve been through too much in my life to add this to my suffering. Honestly, it could also be true that the bracelet is blocking our connection, but I’m not sure, if I’m ready to find out.
Right now, the risks of giving in, before I know the truth, are too great.
As he holds my gaze, a wave of want and need flow through me, and I don’t know how to feel about it. I’ve never encountered someone like Malik before, so all of this is a huge change for me. After all that I’ve been put through by The Facility, could it really be possible for me to have found my mate?
I don’t want to hope that he’s right about this, because if he’s wrong, then it’ll destroy me. So for now, I have to keep my walls up around him.
“Look, Melena,” he starts, and I hold my breath, as I wait for him to finish. “I’m not going to convince you that you’re my mate.”
Frowning, I ask, “You’re not?”
“No,” he claims in a hard tone. “I believe in Luna, and what she said is true, but it’s up to you to find your own truth. I’m not the type of man that’ll pressure you into anything, but be ready, when that fucking thing,” he states, as he points to the bracelet. “Comes off, because then you’ll feel our bond.”
I smirk, finding that I like it, when he’s so straight forward with me about this. It tells me that he’s not only loyal, but that he’s true to everyone that he comes in contact with. “Your confidence about this whole mating thing is kind of scary.”
He shrugs, while letting out a chuckle, and then he says, “Well, to be honest, I never really cared about finding my mate, until I met Luna.”
Hearing this spikes my curiosity even more, so I ask, “Why not?”
“I thought that finding her, or you for that matter, would complicate things. Not only that, but I’ve seen first-hand what happens, when a wolf loses his mate. It’s something that’ll stay with me for the rest of my life, so I selfishly chose not to even think about finding you.”
Glancing away, I try not to let his words bother me, but truthfully, they do. Even if I don’t get why, the words replay over and over in my mind, making me wonder, if there’s more to this than he’s letting on. It wouldn’t be the first time that he didn’t fully come clean without a push.
“What changed your mind then?” I ask him, after a few moments pass.
Needing a distraction from his intense gaze, I focus on my hands, as he says, “Luna and her mate, Ryker, did. Seeing them together, it ma
de me realize that having a mate isn’t a weakness, or a reason to hold back a part of myself.”
When he suddenly stops talking, I glance at him, wondering what’s going through his mind. It honestly should be a crime for him to be so tempting, and the longer I look at him, the more I feel the fire growing inside of me.
So, when he stands, meeting my eyes, and then reaches up, I don’t dare move. My heart pounds like a drum in my chest, as he caresses my cheek tenderly and lovingly. In this moment, everything around us disappears, and all I see is him. Nothing else matters, but him and his gentle touch.
“You’re the main reason why I changed my mind, Melena.” My lips part, as his words wash over me, and I know he means every word. It’s hard to miss the conviction in his voice, and the determination in his green eyes.
“The second that I laid eyes on you, I felt our mating bond, and so did my wolf. We’re one in the same, the wolf and I, and for the first time in my life, he and I agree on this.”
He leans in closer, and my eyes drop to his luscious lips, hoping he’ll kiss me. Every single thing I said before about not being with him is gone, and it’s like I never even thought about those words. All I do know is that right now, my entire body is on edge, and somehow, I know Malik will be the one to catch me, when I fall.
“I will claim you, regina meis,” he declares, and the moment he does, I let out a small moan. His nostrils instantly flare, and then he groans, as he says, “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
Unable to utter a single word, I simply nod, as I lean in closer. The moment that I do, his thumb traces over my bottom lip. The air around us is suddenly thick with sexual tension, and a deep need to be filled, almost overwhelms me.
As he breathes in deep, his pupils dilate, and his wolf flashes in his eyes at the same time. Staring at him, I realize how much I like seeing him like this. Not only are his green eyes shining brighter, but I can see his hunger as well.
Right as I think he’s going to kiss me into oblivion, I hear, “I’m ready to do this, if you—”
Jumping away from Malik, I quickly move to stand over by Sameria. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Do I need to come back later? Tomorrow, perhaps?”
Malik slowly turns to face us, and before he can answer her, I claim, “No, it’s fine. Let’s do this.”
Ignoring his hard gaze, I remind myself that the most important thing right now is to get this fucking bracelet off of me. After that, well, then I’ll deal with the brooding wolf, staring intently at me.
“Alright then.” Sameria says, and then adds, “I have everything I need in the living room.”
Nodding, she quickly leaves the room, and I hesitantly glance to Malik. As he clenches his jaw, and then walks closer towards me, I swiftly look away, once I notice the large bulge in his pants. Keeping my eyes on the floor, as he reaches me, I suck in a harsh breath, feeling his need coming off of him in waves.
Holding still, when he leans down, I clench my hands at my side, so that I don’t touch him. Even still, I find that it’s getting harder by the second to keep my guard up around him, especially, as he huskily whispers, “This isn’t over between us.”
Swallowing hard, I watch him, as he goes into the living room. Once he reaches Sameria, they begin to talk amongst themselves, and I frown, as an unfamiliar sensation starts to build in my stomach. The more that I stare at them, the more I begin to see that I don’t like it at all. Especially, when Sameria laughs at something Malik says.
Shaking my head, I push back my shoulders, and then push down whatever new sensation this is. Walking into the room, I ignore Malik completely, as I state, “I’m ready, so let’s get it over with.”
Sameria frowns at my tone, and I instantly regret speaking to her with so much crass. Thankfully, she doesn’t say anything about my attitude, as she grabs what she needs for the spell.
Once she’s ready, she faces me, and then says, “This spell will create a keyhole, along with the key to unlock it. I’m hoping this will force whatever magic that’s ingrained into the bracelet out, and then, you’ll be free of it.”
“Sounds easy enough,” I claim, hoping this will actually work.
“In theory, it should work,” she says, as she reaches down, taking my wrist.
With her free hand, she begins to hover over the bracelet, and I know the moment she starts the spell. Sameria doesn’t need words for an incantation, like younger witches do, because her magic is honed with her mind. Which means, her magic comes forward just by thinking about how she wants to use it. It’s a technique taught to all witches as children, because in the heat of a battle, it’s been known for a witch to forget the important words needed to help save thousands of lives.
So, when I feel the warmth of her spell flowing through me, I know to stay as still as possible. If I move, her spell may jump to a different part of my body, and that wouldn’t be a good thing. Each spell that’s created is unique, and it’s specifically catered to one thing. What does surprise me though, is when I see a keyhole, suddenly appear on the bracelet.
“Moment of truth,” Sameria utters, as she grabs the key, and then places it inside the hole.
The second that the key unlocks the bracelet, it quickly falls down to the floor. I stare at it in shock, as it bounces a few times, because I never thought this would actually work. Glancing up, I meet Sameria’s wide eyes, and it’s clear she’s surprised, too.
“Holy shit. It worked.” She states proudly, and I can’t contain my grin from showing.
“How do you feel?” Malik asks, and I take in a deep breath, as I sense my powers, flowing through me once more.
However, I don’t get the chance to answer him, because I suddenly become overwhelmed with magic. Right as I try and warn them about what’s going to happen, the front door swings open. There’s so much going on, and I can’t seem to form a single word, as I glance down at my hands, seeing so much power, running through them. It’s like a shimmer, shining back at me, and I grin widely at the sight.
As Malik, Sameria, and the newcomer talk, I begin to sway with an overload of magic, racing throughout my entire body. It’s too much all at once, and I know that if I don’t release some of it, it will consume me.
Forcing my eyes to stay open, I try to gain their attention to warn them, but again, words fail me. The only thought that pops into my mind is the mating bond, which is ridiculous. Even still, I can sense something new about not only myself, but between him and I, too.
Using the new skill Malik opened up for us, I reach out to him with my mind. “Malik, I have to let it go.”
I know that he hears my plea, since he quickly turns around, while yelling at the others to brace themselves. I’m grateful that they listen, because a moment later, I let go of the magic, swelling up inside of me. Pushing the magic outwards, I let out a scream, as the force of the power races through me, like a bullet. The entire living room is quickly destroyed, as all of the windows in the room shatter at the same time.
It all happens within the blink of an eye, but I know the moment that it’s over. Suddenly, exhaustion overtakes me, and I find Malik’s gaze, as I begin to fall. Just as I think about how it’s going to hurt like hell to hit the floor, I’m suddenly in his arms.
Gazing up at him, I instantly lose every single breath in my lungs, as delicious tingles run through my veins. I try to smile, because of how good it feels to be in his arms, and about what this actually does mean for us, but I’m too tired to enjoy all of these new and exciting sensations right now.
Sensing him now, I know he’s thrilled about this, too.
The wolf was right.
I am his mate.
Malik
Laying my mate down on the bed, I brush her blonde locks out of her face, as she finally allows herself to rest. After the surge of power was released, I knew she would need to recharge for a while.
I’m still in shock that so much magic came out of her, but then again, I shouldn’t be
this surprised by it. Luna did tell me that Melena is the most powerful witch of her time, so I need to learn to fully trust others, when they tell me something this important.
Gazing at my mate, I smile, enjoying the sensations rushing through me. While she really didn’t believe me at first about our bond, I know now that things will be completely different, once she wakes up. Using my thumb, I tenderly move it across her bottom lip, loving how soft her luscious lips are. I would give anything to kiss her right now, but in her current state, I pull my hand back, deciding to wait.
Even if my wolf is pushing hard to claim her right now, I know that she may need more time to come to terms with what’s happening. I’ve brought her into a war that she might not even want to be a part of. She might be our savior, but no one said she would agree to it.
However, the longer I stare at my mate, the more I sense that she’ll do anything to save us all.
As I begin to back away from her, the wolf within pushes against me, wanting desperately to be let out. Ever since I took the last vial of potion, before coming to the cabin, he’s been actively trying to escape more than normal. Frowning, as I feel something sliding down my face, I reach up, and then wipe away the sweat off of my forehead.
The moment I bring my hand down, I realize that it’s shaking.
Clenching my jaw, I force the wolf to submit, and it’s much harder to do now. In the back of my mind, I know that I don’t need the potion anymore, since Melena is free of The Facility, but the other part, craves more of it.
Turning away from my mate, I realize what I need to do.
Reaching the door, I hear Sameria and Reid arguing, but with my dulled senses, I can barely hear what they’re saying. The moment I open the door, they both snap their gazes towards me.
Before I can ask what’s going on with them, Reid states, “I’m going to do a perimeter check.”
I frown once more, seeing the utter disappointment written on Sameria’s face, as I step forward, intending on figuring out what’s upset her. “What’s going on with you two?”
