54. Chapter 54
Arwen
For a long moment, neither of us move as I just bask in everything that had just happened.
Universe… you’re forgiven for every crummy thing that you’ve thrown at me. Well… for now.
But Fuck that was life altering.
The training room is quiet except for the steady rhythm of our breathing.
His heart beats against my ear as I rest on his bare chest. Sunlight spills through the tall windows, painting pale gold across the floor, and I stare up at the ceiling with a ridiculous feeling that the entire world has somehow shifted.
I feel different.
Not because of what happened between us. Because of the bond. The connection between us no longer feels like a thread stretched across a distance.
It feels alive and bright. A warm current humming beneath my skin.
Before, I had always been aware of Atticus somewhere in the back of my mind. A faint pull. A presence. Something that surfaced during moments of heightened emotion. Now it feels like standing right next to a fire after spending months trying to warm myself from across the room.
I can feel him, the shape of him. His steadiness. His devotion.
The quiet certainty that has always existed beneath his controlled exterior. It’s overwhelming in the best possible way. My chest feels so full I’m not sure what to do with it. Atticus shifts and presses a soft kiss to my forehead.
“As much as I would love to stay like this for the next twenty-four hours,” he murmurs, “we should get dressed before a class walks in and discovers we’ve completely abandoned the lesson plan.”
A laugh escapes me. “That would make for an awkward conversation.”
“Especially because I’d have to pretend I was teaching.”
I grin. “The Atticus Willshire? Teaching naked?!”
The corner of his mouth twitches. “That would make things a little difficult to explain.”
I laugh again and finally sit up. The movement draws his attention, and for a moment, he simply watches me.
We gather our things and begin straightening the room. I smooth down my shirt while Atticus retrieves the supplies that were knocked onto the floor during ‘training’.
The ordinary nature of it feels strangely intimate. We’ll no longer have to get by on stolen moments and impossible feelings. It’s real now. The thought makes me smile.
My phone buzzes, and I glance down at my screen. The second I see his name, my stomach flips.
Maddox: On my way back to the academy. Should be there within the hour.
I can’t stop the smile that breaks across my face. Maddox is coming home. My fingers move quickly across the screen.
Arwen: Can’t wait to see you.
The message sends before I can overthink it.
Unfortunately, the second I lower my phone, a different feeling creeps in. Guilt. Anxiety.
I’ll need to tell Maddox that Atticus and I have completed our bond. I stare at my screen for a moment longer than necessary, processing.
“Everything okay?”
I glance up to find Atticus watching me.
“Um... yeah. I think so. Maddox is on his way back.”
Something flickers across his face. The happiness doesn’t disappear, but I watch him carefully tuck it away. His shoulders stiffen before he gives a small nod.
“I’m sure you’re excited he’s back.”
I hate that reaction because I know why he’s doing it. He’s trying to give me space before I’ve even asked for it.
“Atticus—”
“I understand if you want some time with him tonight.” The smile he gives me is genuine. Just a little sad around the edges.
I open my mouth, but no words come out. Because I do want to see Maddox. I’ve missed him.
But I also don’t like how quickly Atticus assumes he should step aside. Before I can find the right words, he continues. “That being said... you should probably warn him that I’m planning to be around considerably more often.”
One eyebrow lifts, and the corner of his mouth curves upward. A hint of his usual confidence returning. “I’ve spent months watching West monopolize your time.”
“I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to hear it,” I say sarcastically with a smile.
Atticus slides his bag over one shoulder. His eyes meet mine as he steps closer and brushes a loose strand of hair behind my ear. The gesture is so gentle my heart threatens to melt on the spot.
“I have every intention of making up for lost time.”
The warmth in his voice sends a pleasant shiver through me. The bond between us glows bright and steady. We start toward the door, and for a moment I’m floating.
Then something shifts, and I stop.
A strange sensation crawls through me. I know right away that it’s not the bond. I can feel that separately, like a thread connecting me to Atticus. This is something else.
I frown as I check in with body. It feels almost like strange static is moving beneath my skin. A faint buzzing pressure that wasn’t there a few moments ago. I press a hand against my chest, where the buzzing is heaviest, and the sensation grows stronger.
Atticus turns around and looks at me with concern. “What’s wrong?”
“I… I’m not sure.” I shake my head and try to recover. It’s probably just an aftereffect of the bonding. Bonding two people is rare, after all. We continue to head towards the exit when the static pulses.
Then suddenly it surges.
I suck in a sharp breath as energy rushes through me with enough force to make me stumble. The feeling spreads through my entire body. Wild and unfamiliar.
Atticus reaches for the door.
“Stop!”
He freezes. His hand stills on the doorknob as he turns to look at me. Then he looks down at his feet almost in shock, before shaking it off. “Is everything okay?”
Something feels off. “Just hold on a moment.”
The static continues to crackle beneath my skin as I study my palms. When I look back up, Atticus is in a strange position. Both of his hands are gripping the doorknob, and his body is leaning backward like he’s trying to pull against something.
I raise a brown in confusion. “What are you doing?”
His brow knit together. “I...” He glances down at himself. “I don’t know.”
Slowly he releases the handle. “It’s strange. It felt like my body just... spasmed or moved on its own.”
A chill races down my spine.
I look from Atticus. To the doorknob. Then back to Atticus. My mind racing as I connect the dots.
Is it possible?
The static pulses again, harder this time, demanding attention. Focusing on the sensation, I look directly at him.
“Jump.”
As I say the word, instinct takes over. The static rushes from somewhere deep inside me and wraps itself around the command.
Atticus hops straight into the air.
The second his feet hit the floor, his eyes go wide. “What the fuck was that?”
I stare back. My pulse is hammering now.
“Arwen. What’s going on? What’s happening right now?”
I swallow. The answer sounds ridiculous. Impossible even. But I can’t think of any other reason…
“Atticus… would you say that a command ability qualifies as a Pride power?”
His expression goes blank as all the color drains from his face. “But that’s not possible.”
“I… I don’t know what else it could be.”
He shakes his head. “There are no records of dual-faction powers. This… this is dangerous, Arwen. Un-known territory.”
I look down at my hands. All I know is that something new exists inside me. Something that wasn’t there before. And somehow, it feels connected to him. I meet his gaze.
“We need to speak to Maddox.”