Chapter 21 - Cora
Cora jolted upright as though she’d been yanked out of sleep by something unseen. For a moment, she simply sat there, disoriented and panting. Her skin tingled with a restless energy she couldn’t quite place, and a faint nausea rolled through her stomach.
Throwing off the blanket, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, and her bare feet hit the cold floor. A wave of dizziness followed, strong enough that she had to grip the edge of the mattress to steady herself. What the hell was going on?
She stood carefully with one hand braced against the bedpost before she made her way to the bathroom.
The nausea grew stronger with every step, twisting her insides until she reached the sink just in time.
She dry-heaved once as her body rebelled against her even though there was nothing to bring up.
When it finally passed, she clutched the edge of the counter, staring at her pale reflection in the mirror.
Her blonde hair stuck to her damp forehead, and there were faint smudges under her eyes.
She looked like hell, but the sensation beneath her skin worried her most. Her magic felt wild—like a fire roaring just out of reach.
It surged and receded unpredictably, leaving her feeling raw and unmoored.
She had just regained control of it and wasn’t ready to let that go any time soon.
“This isn’t normal,” she whispered to no one in particular. Her voice wavered, and she hated the way it sounded—unsure, almost afraid.
She splashed cold water on her face, hoping it would ground her, but the unsettling feeling remained. Something was wrong, and ignoring it wasn’t an option. Shoving down her rising panic, she grabbed a jacket and her keys. She needed answers, and there was only one person who might have them.
***
The path to Elena’s house felt longer than usual, though it was more likely the unease crawling up Cora’s spine that made every step feel heavier.
She clutched her jacket tighter around herself as her magic flickered erratically like a faulty lightbulb.
The closer she got, the harder it was to keep her emotions in check, and by the time she reached Elena’s door, her nerves were stretched thin.
She raised her fist to knock, but the door swung open before she made contact. Elena stood in the doorway. “You look like you’ve been through a war.”
“Feels like it, too,” Cora muttered, brushing past her and into the small living room. “Something’s wrong. I need you to tell me what it is.”
Elena shut the door and followed her inside. “Nice to see you too.”
“I’m serious, Elena.” Cora turned to face her, and the desperation on her face was impossible to hide. “My magic—it’s out of control. One second, it’s surging, and the next, it’s like it’s gone completely. And I feel…off. I thought I had a handle on this again.”
“Off how?” Elena asked, her tone sharp with curiosity.
“Nauseous, dizzy, exhausted. Everything feels…wrong.” Cora sank onto the couch, clutching the edge of the cushion as if it might keep her from spinning off into the void. “You have to tell me what’s going on.”
Elena’s eyes narrowed as she crossed to one of the many shelves lining the room. Her fingers brushed over jars and books until she pulled down a small vial filled with a shimmering liquid. “Drink this.”
Cora eyed the vial warily. “What is it?”
“A diagnostic potion,” Elena explained. “It’ll help me figure out what’s going on.”
“And it won’t kill me?”
“Not unless you’ve suddenly developed a rare allergy to mint. Do you want answers or not?”
Cora grabbed the vial, muttering under her breath as she uncorked it and downed the contents in one go. The cold liquid left an unpleasant metallic aftertaste. She set the empty vial on the table and waited.
It didn’t take long. A warmth bloomed in her chest, spreading outward in gentle waves. It wasn’t the chaotic energy she’d been fighting—it was steady, almost soothing. But it wasn’t hers. It felt foreign like it didn’t belong to her alone.
“Elena…” Cora’s voice was barely a whisper. “What is this?”
Elena reached out and yanked up Cora’s shirt, exposing her abdomen, which was glowing pink. “It’s confirmation,” she declared, dropping the fabric.
“Confirmation of what?” Cora pressed, wide-eyed. “What the hell is wrong with my stomach?”
“Cora, you’re pregnant.”
The words hit like a physical blow, knocking the breath from her lungs. She stared at Elena, waiting for her to laugh or take it back, but no such reprieve came. “No. That’s not possible.”
“It is,” Elena said gently. “With the bond—”
“I don’t care about the bond,” Cora snapped, surging to her feet. “I didn’t agree to this. I didn’t… I didn’t ask for this.”
“I know. And I know it’s a lot to process. But you have to—”
“I don’t have to do anything,” Cora interrupted. She turned away and started pacing the length of the room as she tried to wrap her mind around what she’d just heard. “This can’t be happening. I didn’t—” Her voice broke, and she pressed a hand to her mouth, willing herself to stay together.
Elena stood but didn’t approach. “Cora, I know you’re scared. And it’s okay to be. But whether you’re ready for it or not, this is happening.”
“I don’t even know how to tell him. How am I supposed to tell Grayson?”
“You’ll find the words when you’re ready. But you don’t have to decide right now. If you want, I’ll keep this between us until you’re ready to tell him.”
Cora lowered her hand, and her eyes burned with unshed tears. “Thank you.”
Elena nodded. “Whatever happens, you’ll figure it out. And I’ll help you however I can.”
The words offered little comfort as Cora left Elena’s house and made her way back home. The weight of what she’d learned pressed down on her with every step, and by the time she reached her apartment, she felt as though she could barely breathe.
Everything had changed in an instant, and she wasn’t sure how to move forward.
Cora let herself into the apartment and toed off her boots, her mind still racing as she closed the door behind her. The silence was a welcome reprieve, though it did little to settle her swirling thoughts.
As she stepped into the living room, the faint clatter of metal drew her attention.
Grayson was there, his back to her, methodically checking the contents of a bag spread out on the coffee table.
The sight of him—his broad shoulders hunched in concentration, the quiet efficiency in his movements—sent a pang through her chest.
“What’s all this?” she asked, forcing her voice to sound casual.
Grayson looked up. “Getting ready. Ryder and Zane want to move on Voss’ compound sooner rather than later. We’ve got some supes to free.”
Cora’s stomach twisted, though she did her best to keep her face neutral. “What’s the plan?”
“We’re going in tonight,” he replied. “The scout gave us enough intel to work with, and we don’t want to give Theodore’s people a chance to regroup. If we can hit the transport site before the auction, we might be able to save some of the captives.”
Cora nodded, even though she hated the thought of him walking into danger. He was more than capable of handling himself, but it wasn’t just the bond anymore. There was so much more involved now.
“And what happens if it’s a trap?”
Grayson pinched his brow together as though the question was absurd. “We’re being careful. Ryder’s got a team watching the perimeter, and Zane’s handling the surveillance. We’ll know what we’re walking into.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s safe.”
“It never is,” he said simply. He stood taller and looked at her. Really looked at her, and whatever he saw had him taking a few steps closer. “What’s really bothering you, Cora?”
She opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat.
How could she explain the storm raging inside her?
The fear, the uncertainty, the overwhelming realization that she wasn’t just worrying about him as her bonded mate—she was worrying about him as the father of her child.
A child he didn’t even know existed until half an hour ago.
Instead, she shook her head and forced a small smile. “Just…be careful, okay?”
“I always am,” he assured her. His hand brushed against her arm, a fleeting touch that sent warmth coursing through her. “I’ll come back. I promise.”
“You’d better.”
Grayson smiled faintly, but there was a hint of something in his eyes—something that told her he understood more than she wanted him to. Before she could say anything else, he turned back to the table, double-checking the gear he’d packed.
When he finished, he slung the bag over his shoulder and faced her again. “Ryder and Zane are waiting. I need to go.”
Cora nodded, swallowing against the lump in her throat. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.” He hesitated for a moment, then leaned down to press a brief, warm kiss to her forehead. “I’ll see you soon.”
And then he was gone, leaving the apartment feeling far emptier than it should have. Cora stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door, before finally letting out a shaky breath. She sank onto the couch, burying her face in her hands as the weight of everything crashed over her.
The hours stretched endlessly as Cora tried to occupy herself.
She cleaned the kitchen, reorganized the bookshelf, and even tried working on a new potion, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Grayson.
She couldn’t shake the image of him walking into danger and couldn’t stop imagining all the things that could go wrong.
And then there was the pregnancy.
She rested her hands on her abdomen with her fingers splayed across the flat plane of her stomach.
It didn’t feel real—not yet—but she couldn’t deny the truth.
There was a life growing inside her, a tiny spark that was equal parts her and Grayson.
The realization filled her with equal parts awe and terror.
She had spent so much time trying to break the bond and reclaim the freedom she felt had been stolen from her. But now, with this new life tying her to Grayson in ways she hadn’t anticipated, she found herself questioning everything.
Did she still want to break the bond? Could she? None of her potions had worked, and Elena’s warning about the dangers of severing sounded so ominous. What would happen if the bond was truly tied to their souls if she succeeded? What would she lose in the process?
And what about Grayson? He deserved to know the truth, didn’t he? But how could she tell him when she wasn’t even sure how she felt about it herself?
Cora leaned back against the couch, her eyes drifting to the ceiling. Her thoughts spiraled in circles, each question leading to another until she felt like she might scream from the sheer weight of it all.
“I didn’t ask for this,” she whispered to the empty room. “None of it.”
But even as the words left her lips, she knew they weren’t entirely true. She hadn’t asked for the bond, or the danger, or the chaos that had become her life. But she had asked for Grayson. She had chosen to let him in, to trust him, even when it went against every instinct she had.
And now, despite everything, she couldn’t imagine her life without him.
The thought hit her like a punch to the gut, leaving her breathless. She had spent so long fighting the bond, trying to convince herself that she didn’t need him or want him. But the truth was far messier, far more complicated.
She wanted him. Not because of the bond but because of who he was—because of the way he made her feel seen and understood in a way no one else ever had. Because he cared for her, not just as his mate, but as a person.
Cora closed her eyes, letting the truth settle over her like a heavy blanket. She didn’t have all the answers—not yet—but for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was starting to figure out what she wanted.