Chapter 5 #2
He addressed Alaric first, his tone sharp and questioning. When Alaric answered, the smile never left his face. It was wrong. Too pleased.
Damien said something quietly to his brother, words I couldn’t hear through the glass. Alaric listened, then crouched in front of Bexla, lowering himself to her eye level.
She didn’t move. Didn’t breathe.
Whatever he told her made her fear spike hard enough that even I felt it through the barrier. He stood after, turned, and left the room. A door slammed somewhere deeper in the house.
Damien stayed.
He approached her slowly, careful not to startle her. He spoke gently.
"Are you hurt?"
She didn’t answer.
He tried again, saying something longer this time. Her posture shifted, just slightly, but she still didn’t respond.
More footsteps sounded above. Their father descended the stairs, his presence immediately heavy in the room. He took one look at Bexla and spoke.
“Get that Blythe trash out of my home!”
Alaric appeared again.
“Gladly.” Alaric smiled as he came toward them.
Damien stepped in front of Alaric.
“I’ll do it.”
Alaric’s glare cut toward his brother first, sharp and heated, before sliding back to Bexla. Even from the window, I felt the force of it, dense and violent, pressing outward like a physical thing. He had always been unpredictable.
“No,” Alaric said. “I will.”
His voice carried clearly through the glass.
“She needs to remember that she is trash. You’re being awfully kind to her.”
He reached for her then, his hand closing around the back of her neck. She stiffened but did not cry out. Not a sound left her as his grip tightened.
Damien hesitated only a moment before stepping aside.
Alaric hauled her toward the front door, dragging her across the floor and out onto the porch. Snow whipped around them as he leaned down, close enough that his mouth brushed her ear.
“Enjoy your freedom, Bexla. You’re about to understand the consequences of your mother’s actions.”
I watched her flinch.
Then he shoved her away and turned back inside, the door slamming shut behind him.
From where I stood, the threads of fate around her shuddered violently, then pulled taut—stretching, not breaking.
I closed my eyes and called for fate to show me Bexla’s future. Her duty, her journey that she was about to start flashed before me. I smiled when I saw her pull the Bow of Blythe back and shoot the magic of Gilyx, the magic they stole, and break the barriers in the sea separating us.
Her fate was back on track, and I thanked the heavens that I didn’t need to interfere. But I glanced around, wondering what had caused her fate to shift back…or what had changed it in the first place.
I closed my eyes again, enjoying the cold bite of winter. My thoughts immediately wandered to Elowyn. I had tried to see her fate a million times, but the heavens never allowed it. Still, everyday I tried.
Maybe the heavens knew my intentions were not pure or good-hearted. I was trying to do what my sister, Della, did. Figure out who her mate was, or maybe mine, and end them. If I got rid of her mate and mine, would the heavens let me have her?
Della had been so sure that Haden was her mate, but how had she been so sure? I gave Bexla one last glance, feeling satisfied that she was on track with her fate. My star mist circled around me, and I went to Haden and Della’s home.
I stared at the house and felt a sense of longing slam into me. As much as I was happy for my sister and brother, Della and Mikel, I longed for what they had. When I went to knock on the door, it opened. My brother-in-law, Haden, stood grinning as if he were happy to see me.
“Brim.”
My face fell at the stupid nickname my family called me. I shoved past him before smiling so he wouldn’t see.
“Brim.” Della smiled. “What are you doing here?”
I looked around to make sure they were alone. Della’s eyebrow raised at me when she noticed. She watched me closely, and I suddenly felt unsure about coming here.
“What’s wrong?” Haden asked.
“What does it feel like to find your mate?”
Della stared at me oddly. I swore she could see right through me. I was paranoid that she knew I was asking about Elowyn.
“Did you find your mate?” she asked.
“No.”
“So, why do you want to know?” Haden asked.
Gods, these two were too observant. I looked at both of them and sighed.
“You two didn’t have a mating bond, but you were sure you’d be together. Why?” I asked.
Della smiled, and then Haden followed.
“Is this about a certain witch?” Della asked.
My gaze narrowed on her.
“Never mind,” I huffed.
I turned to leave, but she grabbed my wrist and stopped me with a frown on her face.
“I’m sorry.” She let go of me. “I knew I wouldn’t settle for anyone but Haden because every time I thought of my future, he was the one I pictured. No one else ever crossed my mind. No mating bond was going to keep me from him…I just knew.”
Haden pulled her to him and kissed her.
“What if you had been wrong?” I asked.
“I would never have been wrong.” She glanced at me. “I wasn’t letting anything stand between me and him.”
I nodded. This only confirmed that I should wait until I met my mate. Maybe when I met her, all these feelings for Elowyn would seem pointless and minuscule. But I wouldn’t know until I met her. Then I would know if I wanted a fated mate or a mate I chose.
But I couldn’t risk messing things up with my mate because I was attracted to Elowyn. My mate deserved all of me… all of my firsts. Gods, she wouldn’t be my first wife. I didn’t need to tell anyone that.
I nodded as they stared at me.
“Okay,” I said, not knowing what else to say.
“That’s it?” Haden raised his brow at me.
“Yeah, just wondering what to expect when I meet my mate.”
Haden narrowed his eyes on me as he stepped forward. I stilled when he moved even closer to me. What the fuck was he staring at?
“You can tell us if you are not wondering about your mate. We won’t judge you. For fuck’s sake, Abram, look at what Della and I went through for each other.”
I wanted to tell them about Elowyn, which was a problem. I wanted to spill the words that she was my wife. It felt wrong that I wasn’t letting everyone know she was mine. Something possessive lived inside of me, and it wanted to claim Elowyn.
No.
“I’m not. I’ve got to go.”
I didn’t bother waiting for them to say anything. They’d see right through my lies if I stayed, and that was not happening. My star mist wrapped around me, and when it disappeared, I was standing in front of the fireplace in my home.
Elowyn was sleeping on the couch. I averted my eyes immediately so I wouldn’t be tempted to move closer to her.
But I stepped forward anyway and stood over her.
Her dark hair was messy, and her shirt was riding up her body.
I felt my stomach tighten at the sight of the smooth skin of her soft hips.
Quickly, I grabbed her blanket and moved it over her.
My hands hovered over her face, and before I could pull back, I slid my fingers over her cheek, moving her hair out of her face. Her skin was soft and warm. My eyes closed as I prayed to understand what was happening to me.
Show me her future, her fate, so I can move on from this.
And for the first time in my begging, the heavens granted me a vision of her fate. Behind my eyelids, a vision of her future flickered before me.
“I love you,” she whispered.
Gods, my chest ached at the way she was looking at whoever she said it to. But she didn’t look happy. Her eyes filled with tears, and she ripped her arm away from whoever held it.
Just as the vision was about to show me who she loved, it cut away.
I shook my head as I opened my eyes. Elowyn was still sleeping, and I yanked my fingers from her as if she had burned my skin. Why the hell were the heavens fucking with me by showing me that?
I looked at her and felt ill knowing that she was going to fall in love with someone. But I lied to myself and said it didn’t matter because I had a mate I’d be in love with soon. I moved past her and went to my bedroom.
I needed to avoid her before she ruined everything.