Chapter 13 - Cora
Cora sat cross-legged on Elena’s faded patchwork rug with the fragrant scent of burning sage filling the room as her friend arranged crystals in a precise circle around her.
The ritual was supposed to help her center herself, to connect with the magic that had become so frustratingly unpredictable since the binding.
But all Cora felt was restless as if her skin didn’t quite fit right.
“This feels…weird,” Cora admitted, watching as Elena carefully adjusted the final quartz point at the edge of the circle. “Are you sure this isn’t just witchy busywork?”
Elena shot her a wry look. “You’re the one who came to me for help, remember? If you’ve got a better idea, by all means.”
Cora sighed and dropped her head back. “Fine. I’ll play along. What now?”
Elena crossed her legs and sat opposite her. The low afternoon light filtered through the greenery outside the cottage window, catching the glint of the crystals as Elena’s calm voice took over. “Close your eyes. Focus on your breath. In through your nose, out through your mouth.”
Reluctantly, Cora obeyed. She inhaled deeply, counting to three before exhaling just as slowly. Her body resisted the stillness, and every part of her itched to move, but she forced herself to follow Elena’s instructions.
“Feel the earth beneath you,” Elena continued. “The magic is there, waiting. It’s yours to reach for, but only if you meet it halfway.”
Cora’s lips twitched. “Is that supposed to be inspiring?”
Elena ignored her. “Just focus. Trust me.”
She did, begrudgingly, and let her mind drift toward the cool ground beneath the rug and the faint sensation of energy that seemed to pulse just beyond her awareness.
For a fleeting moment, it felt like it might actually work—that she might finally grasp the slippery threads of power that had been eluding her for weeks.
And then it hit.
The world around her fell away in a dizzying rush, and suddenly, she was no longer in Elena’s cozy cottage. Instead, she stood in a dense forest, surrounded by the smell of pine and damp earth. Her heart thundered in her chest, and the air vibrated with tension that prickled her skin.
Ahead of her, a figure moved through the shadows, and recognition slammed into her like a punch. Grayson.
He was shirtless, and his torso was streaked with blood and dirt.
His muscles were taut with strain as he circled a group of wolves.
They moved with predatory intent, closing in like a pack ready to pounce.
Grayson’s stance was steady, but his eyes—those devastating blue-gray eyes—flashed with fury and desperation.
“Grayson!” Cora shouted, but the forest swallowed her voice. It was as if she wasn’t really there, just a ghost watching a scene unfold without any power to intervene.
The first shifter lunged, and Grayson met him head-on.
His movements were a blur of precision and brute strength.
The fight was brutal and primal. For every blow Grayson landed, another shifter attacked with their claws and teeth flashing in the moonlight.
Cora’s heart ached as she watched him struggle to keep up with the odds stacked heavily against him.
“Stop!” she screamed. “Please, stop!”
But no one heard her. The fight raged on, and her chest burned as one of the shifters caught Grayson off guard and slammed him to the ground. Blood smeared across his skin as he struggled to rise, and the pack closed in for the kill.
“NO!” Cora’s voice tore from her throat, and the vision shattered like glass.
She gasped as the real world snapped back into focus. Her hands dug into the rug, and her breaths came fast and shallow as she struggled to make sense of what she’d just seen.
“Cora!” Elena’s voice cut through her panic, and a steadying hand gripped her shoulder. “What happened? Talk to me.”
Cora blinked her wide eyes as she turned to face her friend. “I saw him. Grayson. He was fighting—there were shifters—and he was—he was losing, Elena. He was going to die.”
“Was it a memory? Something from the past?”
Cora shook her head violently. “No. It felt… It felt like now. Or maybe the future. I don’t know.”
Elena’s brow furrowed as she considered this. “The mate bond,” she murmured.
“What about it?”
“It’s possible the bond is giving you access to him in ways you don’t understand yet. If he’s in danger, it might allow you to sense it—maybe even see it. Or it could be a vision of the future. It’s difficult to say.”
Cora stared at her, the weight of those words pressing down on her chest like a boulder. “You’re saying I saw something real? That it wasn’t just my imagination?”
“I can’t say for certain,” Elena admitted. “But if the bond is strong enough—and from everything you’ve told me, it is—it’s not impossible. The connection between mates can manifest in strange ways, especially when emotions are running high.”
Cora buried her face in her hands, and her fingers tangled in her hair. “This is too much. I didn’t ask for this. I don’t want to see his death, Elena. I don’t want to be tied to him like this.”
“I know, but the bond isn’t something you can just wish away. It’s a part of you now. Fighting it won’t help.”
Tears stung Cora’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “So what am I supposed to do? Just sit around and wait for the next horrifying vision?”
“No.” Elena’s voice was firm but kind. “You do what you’ve been doing—learning, growing, regaining control of your magic. The bond is part of that, whether you like it or not.”
Cora pressed her hands to her temples, trying to slow the whirl of thoughts racing through her mind. “I can’t do this.”
“Yes, you can,” Elena insisted. “You’re stronger than you think. And you’re not alone in this.”
Cora’s laugh was bitter. “I might as well be. Grayson doesn’t even want this bond. I’m just…an obligation to him.”
“And yet, he’s still here. He’s still fighting to protect you.”
Cora opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat. As much as she hated to admit it, Elena had a point. Grayson had been relentless in his efforts to keep her safe, even when she pushed him away.
Elena’s hand found hers, squeezing gently. “You’ll get through this, Cora. One step at a time.”
Cora nodded weakly, though the knot in her chest remained. The vision replayed in her mind as she sat there, surrounded by the faint glow of the crystals. Grayson’s bloodied face. The desperation in his eyes. The pack closing in.
She didn’t want to care. She didn’t want to feel the bond pulling her closer to him. But she did.
And that terrified her more than anything.
***
A few hours and a hundred texts later, all of which assured her Grayson was okay, Cora pushed open the door to the apartment with a deliberate calm she didn’t feel.
Her head was still buzzing with the vision, replaying every vivid detail of Grayson’s desperate fight in the woods.
She wanted to shake it off, to convince herself it was just a trick of her magic or an overactive imagination.
But the weight in her chest told her otherwise.
Grayson’s voice carried from the kitchen. “Hey. You’re back.”
She stepped inside to find him leaning against the counter with a beer in hand and a rare, easy smile tugging at his lips.
He was still dressed in his usual uniform of dark jeans and a fitted shirt that clung to his broad shoulders, but something about his posture was looser, more at ease than she was used to seeing.
“What’s got you in such a good mood?” she asked, kicking off her shoes and dropping her bag by the door.
“Zane,” he replied, lifting the bottle in a half-toast. “He’s always good for a laugh. Reminded me of a few things I’d forgotten about.”
“Like what?” she asked, leaning against the arm of the couch.
“Like how to relax. Been a while since I’ve had the chance.”
Cora studied him for a moment, and her unease battled with a flicker of something lighter. She didn’t know this side of Grayson well, the version of him that wasn’t all moody and alpha. It was…disarming.
“Well, don’t get too comfortable,” she said, forcing her tone to stay light. “Relaxation doesn’t suit you.”
He raised an eyebrow. “No?”
“Not at all,” she teased. “You’re much more convincing as the big bad wolf.”
Grayson chuckled, and the sound was low and warm, settling somewhere in the pit of her stomach. “Careful, Cora. You’re starting to sound like you might actually like me.”
“Let’s not get carried away,” she shot back, though a small smile tugged at her lips despite herself.
He straightened, setting the beer on the counter, and crossed the room to stand in front of her. “Speaking of things that don’t suit me, when’s the last time you practiced your magic?”
Her stomach clenched. “Why?”
“Because if you’re going to be walking home alone or pulling stunts like the other night, you need to be able to defend yourself,” he said matter-of-factly. “You said it yourself—your magic’s been unreliable. Let’s fix that.”
She hesitated as the memory of her failed attempt to summon magic earlier was still fresh in her mind. “I don’t think I’m in the right headspace for that.”
“Perfect. That’s the best time to train. Real life doesn’t wait for you to feel ready.”
She glared up at him, but there was no malice in it. “You’re impossible.”
“So I’ve been told,” he replied with a smirk. “Come on. I’ll make it easy on you.”
Against her better judgment, she followed him to the small living space they’d turned into a makeshift training area. He moved the coffee table aside and gestured for her to stand in the center of the room.
“Defensive magic,” he began, rolling his shoulders back. “The goal isn’t to attack. It’s to redirect and protect.”
“I know that,” she said, bristling. “I’m not a total novice.”
“Then prove it,” he challenged, stepping closer. “Block me.”
“Block you?” she repeated, eyeing him warily. “You’re twice my size.”
“Exactly,” he said with a grin that made her want to smack him. “If you can block me, you can block anyone.”
Before she could argue, he lunged—not with his full strength, but enough to make her stumble back with a yelp. Her hands shot up instinctively, and a weak shimmer of magic sparked between them, just enough to slow his advance.
“Better than last time,” he noted, stopping just short of colliding with her. “But you’re hesitating.”
“I’m not hesitating,” she protested.
“Yes, you are,” he countered. “You’re second-guessing yourself. Trust your instincts.”
“Easy for you to say,” she complained, but she squared her shoulders and raised her hands again. “Fine. Try it again.”
This time, she was ready. When he moved toward her, she focused on the energy buzzing just beneath her skin, pulling it forward and shaping it into a barrier. The magic held, and Grayson stopped short with a satisfied thud.
“See? You’ve got it.”
Cora lowered her hands, and a flash of pride broke through her frustration. “Maybe you’re not a terrible teacher after all.”
“High praise. Ready for the next step?”
“Bring it on,” she challenged.
He came at her again, faster this time, and she managed to deflect him with a stronger burst of magic. The energy felt more natural now, like slipping into a rhythm she’d forgotten but never truly lost. Grayson tested her again and again, pushing her to react quicker and think faster.
“Good,” he said after she deflected another advance. “Now, let’s see if you can hold your ground.”
Before she could ask what he meant, he moved in close, brushing his hands over hers as he tried to break through her defenses. The contact sent a jolt through her, and her concentration faltered.
“Focus. Don’t let me distract you.”
“Easier said than done,” she muttered under her breath.
“What was that?” he asked, his lips quirking into a teasing smile.
“Nothing,” she lied as she summoned her magic again and held it firm this time.
Grayson’s hands moved to her waist, steadying her as she deflected another of his attempts. “See? You’re stronger than you think.”
Cora’s breath hitched, and she hated how much his words affected her. She could feel the warmth of his hands through her shirt, the solid weight of him standing so close. It was maddening how easily he could unsettle her with just a touch.
“Stop looking at me like that,” she said, more to herself than to him.
“Like what?” he asked, his grin widening.
“Like you’re enjoying this,” she accused.
“I am enjoying this,” he admitted. “Watching you finally believe in yourself? It’s a good look on you.”
Her cheeks burned, but she refused to let him see how flustered she was. Instead, she stepped back, putting some distance between them. “Don’t get used to it.”
“Too late.”
They stood there for a moment, the tension between them crackling like static. Cora’s heart pounded in her chest, and she forced herself to look away, focusing on the faint shimmer of magic still lingering in the air.
“Thanks, Grayson. For helping me.”
“Anytime.”
For the first time that day, the knot in her chest loosened. Whatever else was happening—whatever danger was looming—she wasn’t facing it alone. And while that thought scared her more than she wanted to admit, it also brought a strange sense of comfort.
Grayson nudged her shoulder with his as they moved to clean up the training space. “You’re not bad, you know. For a rookie.”
Cora rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at her lips. “Don’t push your luck, Kane.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he replied, and his grin made her chest flutter.
For now, the vision could wait. For now, she’d let herself enjoy this moment of calm before the storm.