Chapter 3
“Death?” I jerked up in bed.
Colt winced. “It won’t come to that. We just have to convince The Assembly that this was the fates’ will.”
My gaze jumped from person to person. “But it could come to that. They could kill you because you saved me?”
“No—” Colt began.
“Don’t lie to her,” Trace clipped. “She deserves to know the truth.”
Colt glared at him. “There’s no reason to freak her out. Especially when she’s still healing.”
“I need to know what’s really happening,” I pleaded.
Dash massaged the nape of my neck. “It’s going to be okay. We just need to figure out the right path through. The Assembly can be touchy with this sort of thing. They like to think they have absolute power.”
I looked down at the long necklace that lay over my pajama top. “And this will keep people from sensing our bond?”
Dash nodded. “I made them as soon as we got you back to The Nest. The only person who knows we’re bonded is Baldwin.”
I let out a whoosh of air. Baldwin had our back. I’d trust him with my life. “But eventually, they’ll know. And then what?”
The guys shared a look.
“Stop doing that,” I snapped.
Ronan’s lips twitched. “Love seeing the heat again, Firecracker.”
I scowled at him. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“We’re going to get them to approve a claiming. They’ll never need to know that we claimed you before they gave their approval.”
My jaw went slack. “I can barely access my magic. How are you going to get them to suddenly approve of me?”
Dash grinned down at me. “Think you’re up for getting out of bed?”
I blinked a few times. “What?”
“We have to show you something,” he explained.
“Okay.” I started to swing my legs over the side of the bed, but Declan stopped me. He hauled me into his arms bridal-style and stood.
A startled sound escaped my lips. “I can walk.”
“But you don’t need to,” he grumbled.
“Dec,” I whispered, pressing a hand to his stubbled cheek. “I’m okay.”
He lay his forehead against mine. “Just need to take care of you for a while.”
“All right,” I whispered.
The events of the past few days had marked us all. It would take time to work through it. We were all going to have to give each other grace.
Declan carried me into my bathroom, the rest of the guys trailing behind us. He set me gently on the floor, my feet feeling hot against the cool tile. I stood, my legs a little shaky, and took in my reflection in the mirror.
I braced for ugly bruises to ring my neck, but there was nothing. While I was pale, that was the only sign that I’d been through anything at all. My hair looked shiny and healthy, almost as if it were a deeper shade of red. My eyes were bright green, almost glowing.
“How?” I whispered.
Colt moved in. “Our best guess is that fighting for your life broke through the magical block.”
He gently took my shoulders and turned me around so that my back was to the mirror. Slowly, he lifted my pajama top as I watched over my shoulder.
The moment my skin was exposed, I gasped. My back had been covered in scars, but they were no more. It was as if I’d never been burned at all. The only mark at all on my flesh was what looked like a tattoo of a compass. The same mark that Chloe, Mimi, and Grace wore.
My gaze flew to the guys. “Is this real?”
All of them but Trace grinned, and I tried not to be hurt by his lack of emotion.
“We knew you were our anchor,” Dash said.
“Knew it was meant to be,” Ronan echoed.
Tears stung my eyes. “If The Assembly sees this, they’ll side with us, right?”
Colt’s jaw tightened. “They won’t have a choice. You’re our mate and an anchor. There’s not an argument to be made.”
Trace scoffed under his breath.
Colt leveled him with a glare. “Enough.”
Trace’s gaze went fiery. “Sorry if I don’t want to live in la-la land like the rest of you. I prefer reality and knowing what we might face. The Assembly wants us with Chloe. They’ll do whatever it takes to get what they want. They won’t give a damn that Leighton somehow got an anchor mark.”
I saw the flickers of doubt in the other guys’ expressions, and I knew Trace’s words were true. My shoulders slumped.
Declan’s arms went around me. “They may want that, but they don’t get a say. If they push it, we’ll simply leave.”
“Your homes? Your people?” I asked.
His lips ghosted across mine, sending sparks of sensation ricocheting through me. “You are our family. Our life. There’s nothing and no one we want more than you.”
Declan’s words were a balm, but guilt dug in its claws. “Your people need you.”
Declan and Ronan’s people especially. They needed freedom from Patrick’s evil rule. All the supernatural communities of Emerald Bay needed the guys’ leadership. They needed to be brought together, not driven apart.
Declan brushed my hair out of my face. “We’re going to find a way. We’ve made it this far.”
I wanted to believe him so badly.
“Dec’s right,” Ronan said. “We just have to be careful. As long as you hide your claiming marks—”
“My claiming marks?” I echoed.
Ronan gave me a cocky grin. “You bear our marks now.”
I looked down at myself, not seeing anything.
Dash lifted my pajama top, exposing my stomach.
I sucked in a breath. I could see two faint puncture marks on the side of my belly where Colt had bitten me. Over it was a mark of a paw print that almost looked like a tattoo. On the other side of my stomach was a faint burn and mark that looked like a jagged heart.
“Each of us has a different brand. It ties to both our magic and our supernatural half,” Dash explained.
My finger ghosted over the paw and Colt shuddered. I instantly jerked my hand away. “Did that hurt you?”
He chuckled, low and throaty. “The exact opposite.”
My cheeks heated. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” Colt said with a grin.
“We all marked you in places you should be able to hide with normal clothing,” Ronan said.
I started to look for the other marks, but footsteps sounded in my bedroom.
Baldwin appeared in the doorway, lines of worry creasing his forehead. “I’m so glad you’re awake.”
But he didn’t look relieved.
“What’s wrong?” Colt asked, immediately reading the same thing we all had.
“Saoirse is here. She said she sensed a change in Leighton’s magic. She’s demanding to see her.”