Chapter 22
Revyn
The unsteady thrum of my heartbeat is drowned out by the steady beat of hers, so solid beneath my fingertips that I can finally take a full breath for the first time in weeks. The moment I capture it, however, I let it go for the promise of Sienna’s lips beneath mine.
For that single, blissful moment, all our problems fade. There’s just me, my mate, and the insatiable need to spend the rest of our lives together.
It’s selfish to want her—I’ve known that since the moment I first set eyes on her. She has decades and decades of life yet to live, and I . . .
I’m not sure how much time I have left.
I pull away from Sienna’s lips to meet her eyes, unfocused and unhurried, exactly how I like her. I would spend eternity with this woman if the gods allowed it.
“You kissed me,” she breathes, a small smile pulling on her lips.
Of course I kissed her. I’m hopelessly, irrevocably in love with her.
But then our reality comes crashing in, and she takes a shaky step backward to put distance between us. My heart aches with longing so sharp that my next breath is incomplete. “Sienna, wait—”
She shakes her head, regaining her focus like I knew she would, and I accept the moment for what it is: precious, but lost.
Sort of like the two of us.
An oncoming storm of strength approaches from the east, and I don’t bother turning my face toward it. Alistair’s anger is hot enough to rival the sun as his fist hits my cheek with shocking accuracy, whipping my head to the side as pain erupts from the point of impact.
He fucking broke my face.
The bones pop as they mend in record time thanks to the full moon. A growl rumbles deep inside my chest as I swivel toward him. “Bastard,” I seethe, my heartbeat thundering in my ears as I lock onto my next target.
I will kill Alistair Dire for trying to take Sienna from me.
A rumbling laugh echoes inside the cavern of my chest. Alistair Dire with his fated mate bullshit connection with Sienna, his piece of shit father for being the scum of the realm, that fucking vampire for all the bullshit he’s putting me through—anyone, everyone, I don’t care.
I’ll kill all of them for getting in my way.
The ringing in my ears makes it hard to see beyond the smug expression on Alistair’s face. I’ll break his jaw. Claw out his eyes. Eat his heart.
I take one step forward. Then another. The distance between us melts, and I tackle him to the ground. He bares his fangs as his eyes flash—the same fucking shade as my mate’s—and I hate him with every ounce of my soul.
It should have been me.
I slam my fist into his face, uncaring that my claws are tearing into my own flesh, and sink my other hand into his upper torso, somewhere near his collar bone, to hold him down.
His scalding hot blood coats my fingers as I dig, determined to hear him scream, but he shoves his claws into the soft flesh of my side instead.
The pain is dulled from the adrenaline coursing through my veins, much like I’m sure it’s doing the same for him.
“You’re a monster,” he roars, spitting blood onto my face.
Yeah, that’s old fucking news.
A rattling scream pierces the air. Ice floods my veins as I recognize the pitch, the cadence, the pain.
I rear back from my prey to find my mate clutching her chest just above her collar bone, a nasty bruise blooming across her skin.
The split in her lip and bruise on her cheek are new, and I scan the area for an invisible enemy.
Magic? A curse? What is it? Why can’t I sense anything?
Alistair gasps, his eyes flaring as he scrambles beneath me. “Get off,” he demands, the alpha command ramming into my body and knocking me over. My fist dislodges from his chest as I topple over, and he immediately jumps to his feet and rushes to Sienna’s side.
Bloodied hand outstretched, he hesitates before he touches her, and that’s when I realize my mistake.
His wounds have healed.
Hers have not.
And they share a fucking bond.
“Goddamnit,” I snarl, furious with myself.
By hurting Alistair, I inadvertently injured Sienna.
Glaring up at the moon, I flick her off and shout every curse I know.
Bonds shouldn’t be this strong between unmated shifters.
It’s the moon’s fucking fault. Or the gods’, one could argue, but I don’t give a fuck about those ancient bastards.
Everything about Sienna’s connection to Alistair is wrong, regardless of who is responsible for it.
Callum suddenly appears in front of me, his crimson eyes boring into mine with so much hatred that mine ramps back up again.
“Stop,” he snaps, grabbing my throat and cutting off my airway.
“You are not in the wilds, and you will not jeopardize Sienna’s safety by acting like this.
Tonight’s exercise is not meant to be life or death, yet the two of you are gutting students like—” His nostrils flare. “—like you enjoy it.”
Disdain drips from his tone. I use the last of the air in my lungs to reply, unable to help myself. “I never expected a vampire to abhor death.”
He bares his fangs. “Pointless death is trivial.” The wind whips around us, turning his silken hair into a weapon as it lashes my face. “But harming your mate is a grave sin.”
Sorrow entombs my heart. “I didn’t know.”
“Then you weren’t listening,” Callum hisses, “because not only did I mention this upon our arrival in this godforsaken arena, but Alistair proved this to you weeks ago.”
The mountain. He’s talking about the shifter’s run on our first night at the academy.
“Alistair is Sienna’s true mate,” the vampire continues, his sharp fingernails digging into my skin as he squeezes even tighter. The edges of my vision blur as my lungs scream for oxygen. “You need to accept that before your selfish desires kill her.”
I didn’t mean to hurt her. I never intend to hurt her.
Why is it that I always do?
Callum releases me and crouches to wipe his bloody fingertips onto my clothes.
“I know you love her. I know that you need her. But she does not need you. Not anymore.” Our eyes meet, and there’s a hint of pity lurking in their depths.
“A word of advice, wild wolf.” He takes a deep breath.
“Find another mate so that you do not lose yourself. She is strong, but . . .” His gaze drifts over to her.
I can’t bear to follow. “Bonding with you only to lose you would break her.”
But letting Sienna go will break me.
Sighing, he shoves me onto the snow with the sole of his shoe, then holds up his hand. “Goodnight, Revyn. May you find peace in your dreams.” He snaps his fingers, and I’m plunged into darkness to face my sins.
There is no peace.
Only stabbing guilt and the haunting chill of regret.