Bonds and Barriers
SCARLETT
“Should we go look for them?” I mouthed to Lily, gesturing toward the vast stretch of woods surrounding the house.
Lily nodded, still looking a little uneasy but determined. “Yeah… it’s too quiet.”
We stepped fully out of the house, the morning breeze cool against our skin. As we walked deeper, the strong, masculine pheromones of the Alphas grew thicker the deeper we walked, pulling us forward like an invisible string.
We followed the scent trail, hearts beating faster. After a few minutes, we started hearing it, distant growling, frustrated voices, and the occasional heavy thud like something big was slamming into a wall.
Lily grabbed my arm. “That sounds like them…”
We pushed through some thick bushes and stepped into a small clearing.
The sight that greeted us made us both stop dead.
The three Alphas plus Kaiden were trapped inside what looked like an invisible bubble or force field. They could move a little within a certain radius, but every time they tried to step forward or shift, they bounced back like they’d hit glass. The air shimmered faintly where the barrier was.
Kane was in the middle of a rant, pointing accusingly at Saint. “This is your fault, you big oaf! You stepped on the wrong fucking root and triggered the whole thing!”
Saint whined loudly, ears flat, pawing at the invisible wall with his massive wolf form, trying to push through with brute force. He kept bouncing back, looking more and more frustrated.
Rhys stood with his arms crossed, looking annoyed, golden eyes sharp. “If you two had followed the ritual properly instead of arguing, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
Kaiden leaned casually against a tree inside the barrier, looking thoroughly amused. “I did tell you the alignment was off…”
Kane growled at him. “Nobody asked you, pretty boy!”
Lily and I stared for a second… then both of us burst into laughter.
The guys froze.
Kane’s head snapped toward us. “This isn’t funny!”
Saint let out a pitiful whine, tail drooping as he looked at me with sad puppy eyes.
Rhys sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Ladies… a little help would be appreciated.”
I wiped tears of laughter from my eyes and stepped closer, still giggling silently.
Kaiden smirked at me through the barrier. “Your bond with me might be the key. Try pushing some energy into it.”
What?
The barrier shimmered in front of me but I did as he said, I reached out and touched it, it felt like warm, humming energy.
I nodded and focused, placing both hands on the shimmering wall. A soft green glow pulsed from my palms, mixing with the barrier. It flickered… then shattered with a soft pop.
I stared at my own hands in shock, the faint green glow fading from my palms. *How…?* I hadn’t done anything special. I just… touched it. Focused. And it broke.
Kaiden stepped out of the broken circle last, brushing some leaves off his shoulder with that same small, knowing smirk. His brown eyes met mine for a second, warm but mysterious.
“You’re stronger than you think,” he said quietly, almost like he was sharing a secret. “That bond we made when we were kids… it’s still there. Even if the memories were sealed. It responds to you.”
I blinked at him, heart racing. *Bond?* I mouthed, confused. What did he mean? How was I able to do that when I had no wolf?
Before I could ask more, the Triumvirate closed in.
Kane immediately scooped me up like I weighed nothing, spinning me once with a possessive growl. “That’s my girl,” he said, but there was a clear edge of jealousy in his voice. He held me a little tighter than necessary, nose buried in my hair as he scent-marked me aggressively.
Saint shifted back to human form (still very naked) and hugged me from behind the second Kane put me down, nuzzling into my neck with a soft, needy whine. His big arms wrapped around my waist like he never wanted to let go.
Rhys stepped closer, golden eyes sharp but calm on the surface. He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, but I could feel the tension in his fingers. “Impressive, darling,” he murmured, voice smooth. But his jaw was tight. He didn’t like that Kaiden had been the one to suggest it.
Kane glared at Kaiden, still holding one of my hands. “What the hell was that? Since when can she break our barriers?”
Kaiden just shrugged, that amused smirk never leaving his face. “Like I said… old bonds. Complicated stuff.”
Kane’s eyes flashed. “You’re telling me you have some kind of bond with our mate and you didn’t think to mention it?”
The jealousy rolling off all three of them was almost tangible and a little ridiculous. They hadn’t even fully mated with me yet, but the idea that I had any kind of connection with Kaiden made them bristle.
Kaiden smirked. “Jealous, Kane?”
Kane looked two seconds away from launching himself at him. “What..”
Rhys raised a hand, silencing them with one sharp look. “Enough. We’ll discuss this later.”
I glanced between them, heart racing. The air was thick with tension, Alpha pheromones, and unspoken questions.
But for now, the barrier was gone.
And I had a feeling this was only the beginning of things getting complicated.
Lily stared at me with wide eyes as we walked back toward the house. “That was so cool, Scar. How did you do that?”
I shrugged, still a little shaken, and mouthed, *I don’t know.*
Lily thought for a second. “I’ve heard stories about powerful mate bonds doing weird things like that. Breaking spells, sensing danger, stuff like that. Maybe it’s because of your bond with Kaiden?”
I nodded slowly. *Yeah… maybe.*
Lily gave me a small smile. “Then just get Kaiden to explain more when you can. He seems like he knows a lot.”
I sighed. *He’s hiding a lot too.*
Lily bumped my shoulder gently. “Don’t worry too much. We’ll figure it out.” Then her eyes lit up. “Hey… I have an idea. What if we get a job during these two weeks we’re here? Just something small to keep us busy and make some money?”
My eyes went wide. I had never had a real job before. The idea was both exciting and terrifying.
Before I could respond, a deep voice cut in from behind us.
“No way in hell, love.”
Kane appeared suddenly, wrapping one massive arm around my waist and pulling me back against his chest. “You’re not working while you’re with us. We take care of our girl. End of discussion.”
Saint was right behind him, nodding seriously like Kane had spoken law.
I looked at Lily, who was trying (and failing) to hide her annoyance.
Kane nuzzled my neck, voice dropping. “You stay with us, princess. We’ll keep you busy enough.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips.
This was going to be an interesting two weeks.