15. Mina
Mina
I take a deep breath, the cool night air filling my lungs as I glance over the sprawling campus below. The lights of the arboretum glitter like distant stars, but I can’t seem to focus on their beauty. My thoughts are tangled, each one more chaotic than the last, making my chest feel unbearably tight. Ziggy’s hand closes around my wrist, pulling me to a stop mid-pace. I blink up at him, trying to mask the anxiety swirling beneath the surface.
“What’s wrong, Mina?” His voice is low, calm—a rock in the storm raging inside me. He tilts his head, concern etched into every line of his face.
“Can a female sense her mate without shifting?” The question spills from my lips before I can stop it, the words heavy with a desperation I wish I could hide. I drag a hand through my hair, the familiar motion doing little to soothe me. “I feel like I’m going insane.”
Turning away from him, I grip the stone railing, fingers digging into the icy surface as if it can anchor me to reality. I close my eyes, listening to the wind as it whispers through the trees below. It feels like a thousand tiny voices—each one mocking me for the uncertainty that’s taken root in my chest.
“Absolutely they can,” Ziggy says gently, stepping up beside me. “All you need to do is shift your eyes, and he has to shift his, and the bond will snap into place. As for sensing your mate … depending on how much time you’ve spent around them, it can be a weak tether at this point.”
I open my eyes, turning my gaze to him. His green eyes watch me intently, understanding and patience radiating from his steady presence. But his words only make the knot in my chest tighten.
“My betrothed is down there somewhere.” I wave a hand toward the glowing arboretum lights, frustration bleeding into my voice. “What if my mate intends for me to be a breeder, whereas my betrothed wants me as his equal? What do I do then?” My heart pounds in my chest as I meet his gaze, a thousand possibilities swirling in my mind—none of them promising.
Ziggy’s expression softens. “You’re a very smart woman, Mina. You know you won’t be happy as a breeder.” He offers me his hand, and after a heartbeat of hesitation, I place mine in his. “Choose the path that will bring you the most joy.”
Before I can respond, his phone buzzes. He glances at it, brow furrowing slightly before a small, amused smile tugs at his lips. “Balor just messaged me—your father is getting irritated fending off all the males.”
I laugh softly; the tension easing just a fraction. “Let’s go save my father, then.”
In an instant, the world blurs. Ziggy’s power wraps around us, folding time and space like it’s nothing more than a piece of paper. The tower disappears, and the hall materializes around us, filled with the hum of conversation and music. My father stands at the center, surrounded by a half-circle of agitated males, his posture rigid with thinly veiled annoyance.
“Why couldn’t I be a displacer beast?” I mutter, nudging Ziggy with my elbow. “Being able to phase across distances would be very handy.”
“Because you are my greatest accomplishment and perfect just the way you are.” My father’s voice is a deep rumble as he turns to face me, a smile softening his stern features. He places a kiss on my temple, the familiar scent of him—spice and leather—filling my senses. “Choose a male and go for a dance before the natives get restless.”
I glance at the crowd of males—each one staring at me with thinly veiled intensity. The weight of their gazes presses down on me, but I force myself to smile, hiding the turmoil still churning beneath my calm exterior. My instincts, sharp and untamed, tug at the edges of my consciousness, urging me to do something to choose.
“Cora?” I call softly, and she steps up beside me, her presence a comforting, solid warmth at my side.
“Yeah?”
“I’m going to close my eyes and let my instincts guide me.” A smile tugs at my lips despite the nerves tightening my stomach into knots. “Just make sure I don’t trip over anything.”
With one last breath, I let my lids fall shut; the darkness wrapping around me like a shroud. For a moment, there’s nothing—just the steady rise and fall of my breathing, the distant murmurs of conversation. And then, like a thread pulled tight, I feel it—a subtle tugging sensation, deep in my chest.
Cora’s hand on my arm steadies me as I take a step forward, then another. I’m moving, not of my own volition but guided by something deeper, more primal. My dragoness stirs beneath my skin, her presence a fierce, protective warmth. Slowly, she pulls me through the sea of waiting males, weaving through the press of bodies.
The tugging grows stronger, sharper, until I’m standing before someone. Whispers ripple through the hall, a few gasps echoing in the silence that follows. My dragoness settles, a sense of rightness thrumming through me.
I open my eyes. The world sharpens into focus, colors blooming vividly around me. The male before me is tall, broad-shouldered, his amber eyes locked on mine with an intensity that sends a shiver down my spine. His black and blood red wings stand tall and proud behind him. Recognition flares, and I know, deep in my bones, that this is the one my instincts have chosen.
I know those eyes—the way they burn with a fire that’s both fierce and terrifyingly beautiful. I’ve seen them spark and blaze on so many occasions. And now, they’re focused solely on me. I tilt my head, feeling the steady pulse of my heart in my throat, and raise my hands to his face. My fingers brush against the cool, smooth surface of his mask, lingering there.
“What am I to you, Abraxis?” My voice is barely a whisper, trembling with the weight of the question.
His hands glide over the small of my back, strong and possessive, pulling me flush against him. My breath catches as he holds me close, his heat searing through my skin. Those eyes never leave mine, intense and searching. “Everything. My mate, partner, and most importantly … my equal.”
Each word falls from his lips like a vow, his gaze tracking every flicker of emotion that crosses my face. Something primal shifts in his stance, and I feel his dragon just beneath the surface, coiling in anticipation.
Slowly, deliberately, I lift his mask away and let it slip through my fingers, watching as it tumbles to the ground with a dull thud. Before he can speak or react, I close my eyes and reach deep within myself, calling to the beast that lingers there. My dragoness rises like a dark tide, her power flowing through me, and when I open my eyes again, I know they’ve changed.
Abraxis’s gaze flares, his pupils shifting to slits as his dragon comes forward, responding to mine. My world tilts, and everything falls away. There’s no sound, no movement—nothing but the thunderous pounding of my heart, a rhythm that matches his. He’s mine, and I’m his. The clarity of it is staggering.
Tilting my head back, I expose my throat to him, feeling the vulnerability of the gesture. A drake claims his mate by marking her neck—a visible declaration of his choice. His wings unfold, shadowing us in a cocoon of black leather, and I shiver as his lips brush the bare skin of my throat.
Then, with a deliberate slowness, he sinks his teeth into me. The sharp sting of pain fades into a molten burn as he marks me, and a fierce, possessive satisfaction settles deep in my bones. His tongue sweeps over the wound, sealing it with a heat that is almost soothing.
“You need to return the favor.” Abraxis’s voice is a low, smoky rumble that sends a thrill down my spine .
He bends, baring his throat to me, and I can see the strong column of his neck, the pulse of his blood just beneath the surface. Leaning in, I press my lips against his skin, feeling the powerful beat of his heart against my mouth. My teeth sink in, breaking flesh, and the warm, coppery tang of his blood fills my senses. My dragon roars in triumph, and I revel in the sensation of our bond solidifying, drawing us even closer.
I clean his wound, my tongue gentle as I soothe the place I’ve just bitten. He watches me with an intensity that sears through my very soul, then unfurls his wings with a single, powerful motion. Wordlessly, he leads us out onto the dance floor, his hand firm on my lower back.
My mate…
A sigh slips from my lips as I rest my head on his broad chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest. We sway to the music; the world narrowing down to just the two of us, the beat of our hearts, the brush of our skin.
“What’s on your mind, Mina?” he murmurs, his lips brushing my temple in a tender kiss.
“I’m trying not to think, to be honest.” I huff softly, clutching him tighter. “We still have to deal with the fact that we just destroyed the betrothal my father arranged over twenty years ago.” The reality of it presses down on me, threatening to smother the fragile peace between us.
He chuckles softly; the sound vibrating through his chest. “I think you may be pleasantly surprised,” he says cryptically, his voice laced with a hint of amusement .
I pull back just enough to look up at him, my brow furrowing. “What do you mean by that?” I demand, but there’s no anger in my words—only curiosity.
His smile is a secret thing, filled with promise. “You’ll see.”
We stay out on the dance floor for two more songs, twirling around the room with the smooth precision of long-practiced partners. Each step, every spin, is a deliberate claim staked in front of everyone watching. By the end of the second song, the gazes are unmistakable—approval and acceptance, as if my presence by his side is some sort of unspoken validation. Our audience watches with rapt attention, and the message is clear: I am his. He is mine. There’s no room for argument.
When the music finally fades, we drift back toward my table, my heart pounding with the thrill of it all. I can’t help but laugh, my eyes finding Abraxis’s as warmth spreads through my chest. The bond between us hums with a silent promise. My smile widens, the world narrowing to just the two of us.
That’s when I see it—our fathers, standing side by side, their gazes locked on us. And then, in unison, they raise their hands and slap them together in a celebratory high-five. I blink, the gesture jarring me out of my bubble. A frown tugs at my lips as I glance between them, confusion tightening my chest. “What am I missing?”
It’s Cora’s laughter that breaks through the muddled thoughts spinning in my head. I turn to her, noticing for the first time how she’s leaning into the broad chest of a gold dragon male. She catches my look and grins widely, her eyes dancing with delight.
“Oh, that?” She nods in Abraxis’s direction as if everything is crystal clear. “You’re my brother’s betrothed. And, by the looks of it, his mate. ”
The words hit like a bolt of lightning. Cora squeals, her excitement piercing through the sudden haze enveloping me. She grabs my arm, pulling me away from Abraxis’s steadying presence. “I have a sister!” she shrieks, her grip tight enough to bruise as she crushes me against her chest. “I have a sister!”
The air leaves my lungs in a rush, and I stiffen, the meaning of her words sinking in slowly, painfully. My gaze darts to Ziggy, who’s watching me with a guilty expression, then to Balor, my supposed new best friend. And finally, I find Leander’s amber eyes, but even he won’t meet my gaze. It’s like a veil has been pulled back, revealing a truth that slices through me like a blade.
They all knew.
Betrayal seeps into my bones, settling there like ice. My heart thuds dully as I slowly turn back to Abraxis, struggling to breathe through the weight of it all. “Did they all know?” My voice is a choked whisper, the question falling between us like a gavel striking down a sentence. The tears well up, threatening to spill, blurring the world around me.
“Mina, please. Let me explain.” He reaches for me, his expression frantic, but I step back, shaking my head.
“Explain?” I bite out, my voice raw with emotion. “Explain that they knew you were my mate? That they hid it from me?” I can’t stop the tremble in my hands as I press them to my chest. “Let me pour my heart out, worried about having to choose between my mate and my betrothed. All the while, they knew it was you?!”
He opens his mouth to speak, but I don’t wait to hear it. I turn on my heel, the tears spilling over as I bolt for the door, pushing through the crowd that parts like water around me .
“Mina, stop!” Ziggy’s voice shouts over the chatter, and I feel, rather than see, the flash of light as he shifts and phases right in front of me, blocking my way. A low growl rumbles in my throat, but I don’t hesitate. The air shifts around me as I let go, my human form melting away as scales replace skin. Claws dig into the dirt as I leap, wings bursting out and unfurling wide.
With a powerful thrust, I launch into the air, the sudden surge of flight filling my chest with something akin to freedom and agony all at once.
The storm outside welcomes me like an old friend. Rain lashes against my scales, the wind roaring in my ears as I climb higher, higher, until the lights of the party below become nothing but specks against the darkness. A mournful roar tears from my throat, echoing through the night—a raw, aching sound filled with pain and betrayal.
My wings beat the wind into submission, but no matter how hard I push, it’s impossible to escape the pain tearing through my chest. Lightning flashes around me, illuminating the storm clouds gathering at the edges of the horizon. I fly on, heading toward points unknown, desperate to outrun the heartbreak clawing at my soul.