Chapter 19 Bechora
I woke up alone. Which shouldn’t have bothered me after I’d demanded space, but it did.
For a second, I just lay there staring at the ceiling, the faint echo of warmth lingering as a ghost against my skin.
Caulder’s office flickered through my mind in pieces.
The way I’d let myself just be and give into the bond between us.
The way I’d leaned into him like it was the most natural thing in the world, and fell asleep in his arms. A pang of longing shot through me, the pull I was getting used to feeling deep in my guy going taut.
My mind slipped back to the morning after that session.
I’d fallen asleep in Caulder’s arms and woken up in my bed with a massive, grey wolf’s snout next to my face.
I’d launched myself backward trying to get away from it, throwing myself completely out of the bed.
The wolf had lunged, transforming as it moved until it was Archer’s naked body leaning over the edge of the bed, arms wrapping around me before I hit the floor.
He’d pulled me back on the mattress with a smirk as I gaped at his bare chest, my eyes traveling down to his waist, where the blankets concealed the rest of his nudity.
For one irrational moment, I’d had the urge to lift them and see what they were hiding from me.
Instead, I climbed out of the bed with an annoyed huff and stormed into the living area of my dorm.
Archer followed hot on my heels with the bedding still wrapped around his waist. Shadrie found the whole thing hilarious. I hadn’t. At least not in the moment,
I’d redirected before it could spiral. Stomping back into my bedroom to retrieve the journal my mother had left me, before shoving it at Archer.
I’d practically grunted my request for him to translate it.
He’d gone along with it, surprisingly serious for once, promising that it would take him some time, but he’d get it done.
Now it was Saturday, two days since I’d told Gabriel and Zypher I needed space, and I was pacing the living room of my dorm, growing more agitated by the minute.
The pull to my mates thrummed angrily under my skin, demanding I go to them.
I hadn’t seen either of them since my request, and it was starting to wear on me.
Shadrie had invited me along to meet her parents, but I’d declined.
She’d seen right through my lie about having too much school work, but she’d let it slide.
Something in my expression had given her pause and stopped her from calling my bluff.
“Fucking hell,” I hissed to myself as I paced in front of our couch. “Just go find them. They’re probably waiting on you to say it’s okay to come back around.”
An angry little voice in the back of my mind said they probably didn’t want to see me after I kicked them out, but I forced it down.
I was still pacing, trying to get control of my growing frustrations, when there was a rap at the door.
I’d barely turned in that direction when it swung open, and Archer strolled inside, a bright grin on his face, with Gabriel right behind him.
The moment my eyes landed on him, a weight lifted from my chest, and I raced across the space to throw myself into his arms.
“I missed you, too,” he said, gently squeezing me against him and kicking the door shut with his foot.
I looked up at him then and noticed the bruises blooming along his jaw. “What happened?” I demanded.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing,” Archer interjected. “His old man is a real piece of work. Walked up on him trying to pull Pretty Boy’s fangs out.”
I pulled back from Gabriel’s hold, my eyes widening. “Oh, my god! Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Gabriel said, his shoulders sagging as he let out a heavy sigh. “It’s really nothing. I had the situation under control.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Pretty Boy. Maybe it’ll magically make it true,” Archer scoffed.
Stepping out of Gabriel’s hold, I slid my hand into his and tugged him toward the couch. “Tell me what happened,” I demanded.
Archer followed us as we settled onto the couch.
I curled myself into Gabriel’s side and waited for him to speak.
His lips pressed into a thin line, his shoulders hunched.
I wanted to prod him for answers, but I kept my mouth shut.
Something told me I needed to let him have a moment to gather himself.
“My father is… obsessed with power and status,” he finally started.
“It’s why I tried to make you my thrall.
” He cringed at the words but pressed on.
“I was drawn to you and didn’t understand at the time that it was our mating bond.
I thought… Well, I thought if I made you my thrall and pushed you away, it would stop, and I could stop worrying that I’d do something that would make my father angry enough to hurt my mother or younger sister, as punishment for my disobedience. ”
I gasped, my hands flying to my lips. “Gabriel… Why didn’t you tell me any of this? Are your mother and sister alright?”
He reached to take my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“They’re safe. My older brother, Rafe, managed to get them into hiding while we were at Abel’s archives.
I found out when I got back. I thought..
. Well… I thought that meant I was free from my father, but he showed up today and threatened me. ”
“I’ll kill him,” I snarled, fierce protectiveness burning in my chest. “Point me in his direction, and I’ll light his ass on fire!”
Gabriel laughed and shook his head. “It's fine, really. The only reason Archer had to intervene was because I forgot for a second that my father has nothing to hold over me anymore.”
“Still,” I replied. “Just say the word, and I’ll burn him right up.”
Archer snorted. “Remind me not to get on your bad side.”
A soft smile curved Gabriel’s lips as his fingers tightened around mine.
That pull that had been clawing at me all morning seemed to purr in response.
Settling into something calmer now that one of my bonded mates was close again.
I let myself lean into him for a second longer before forcing myself to sit up straighter.
“We’re not done with this,” I said, glancing up at him. “Your father—”
“Isn’t a threat,” Gabriel cut in. “I promise.
I opened my mouth to argue and promptly shut it. The look in his eyes told me that pushing wasn’t going to get me anywhere.
“Fine,” I replied. “For now, at least.”
I forced my attention to shift away from the bruises along his jaw, shoving down the lingering anger at his father, burning in my chest, and looked at Archer.
“Have you made any progress?” I asked.
“A little. My Elvish is rusty,” Archer replied.
“Elvish? Progress?” Gabriel asked, confused.
“Our little mate here has a whole journal about her kind written in Elvish,” Archer supplied before I could answer.
I shot the wolf an irritated glance and turned my attention to Gabriel.
“After I sent everyone away the other day, Geordie showed up in my room. Long story short, he took me to my real parents’ home, and I found a journal my mother left me.
Except I can’t read it because the entire thing is apparently in Elvish.
Archer is pretty well versed on the Elves, so I asked him if he could translate it for me. ”
Gabriel nodded, thoughtfully. “I see. So, you think it might have something more useful than what little we found in the archives?”
At the second mention of the archives, Zypher popped into my mind, and my heart twinged. The invisible pull toward him seemed to roil with discontent, and I grimaced.
“Bechora?” Gabriel spoke, squeezing my hand gently.
“Sorry. I… Have you seen Zypher since I asked you guys to give me a little space?” The question tumbled out before I could consider asking.
“No,” Gabriel replied.
“Yes,” Archer said at the same time. We both looked at Archer, who shrugged. “What? I told him I’d give him proper mate-care lessons. Just because somebody ,” he gave Gabriel a pointed glance, “decided they weren’t worth showing up for doesn’t mean both of you bailed.”
“Proper mate-care lessons?” I stifled a laugh at the earnest expression on Archer’s face. “Really? Zypher does well enough on his own. Just because I was upset that he kept my new responsibilities as his mate a secret doesn’t mean he’s not a good mate.”
Archer let out a long-suffering sigh as if I’d missed his point entirely. “It’s not just about that. You shouldn’t be so stressed out about everything going on that it comes out in a word vomit. They should have been pampering you and finding ways to ease your stress this whole time.”
“Archer,” I said, reaching to grab his hand with my free one.
“While I appreciate that you think that way, they can’t help with something I didn’t tell them about.
I grew up handling things by myself. Even when I found Geordie, I was still the one dealing with the heavy shit.
I could have told Zypher and Gabriel I was feeling overwhelmed and struggling, but I didn’t. That’s not on them.”
Archer narrowed his eyes, studied me for just a moment before he huffed out a breath. “Fine,” he said with a tight nod. “But I’m still giving them lessons just in case.”
Gabriel scoffed, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Can we get back to what you’ve been able to translate from the journal, now?” I asked when my laughter faded.
The wolf shifter’s lips curled into a sly grin as his eyes bounced to Gabriel and then back to me.
“Sure.” Something in his tone caused me to narrow my eyes at him in suspicion.
“I managed to find something about increasing the amount of stored magic in your inner well. All you have to do is have sex with your mates. If my translations are correct, the more the better. I’d personally recommend all of them at once if you’re taking suggestions. ”
“Really, Archer?” I shot back, letting go of his hand to swat his arm.
“Don’t shoot the messenger,” he grinned.
“You know what… get out,” I replied. “Come back when you’ve found something actually useful in the journal.”
He tilted his head back and laughed. “Fine, I’ll go. For now. But you should consider finding your demon and taking my advice. It is in the journal after all.”
I shook my head, fighting a smile. “You’re something else.”
“Obviously,” he winked before grabbing my hand and kissing the back of it. “I’ll let you and Pretty Boy get reacquainted,” he continued, standing up from his seat and moving to the door. “I’ll catch up with you two later.”
I watched him slip from the room, the smile I’d been fighting against winning out. Gabriel shifted beside me.
“He’s insufferable,” he muttered.
“Maybe, but he is my mate,” I shrugged. “And I’m starting to come around to the idea of keeping him.”