Chapter 19
MALIK
E ven with the sun overhead, the heat is not oppressive, and a constant breeze carries the calming scent and sounds of the sea.
I’m back in my full human form, loose pants slung low on my hips, the skin of my chest and shoulders bare.
But I can’t relax. We’re running out of time.
We’ve been outside Circe’s small cottage, working in shifts with Sadie and Kat boosting my brothers’ and my magic while Circe moves between us, touching her fingers to our foreheads in turn, searching for and pulling up the signature of her father’s magic that’s buried inside us.
It’s slow work, and while every time Circe touches me, I get a little stronger, it’s not happening fast enough.
Every second that passes seems to tick faster and faster.
Though, after I told everyone that my beast was able to inflict actual damage on Leonora, the mood lifted, and the conversation swirled in circles of theories and conjecture.
Ultimately, we collectively agreed that my brothers and I would not leave this island until we are at our max power.
And while that decision is making me anxious, I still think it’s the right move.
It’s not the original plan, but there’s no point in throwing ourselves into another fight we know we’ll lose.
Our goal is to take the fight to our goddess when we’re ready—but I’m all too aware that Leonora will probably force us to act before then.
Askari. Of course he’s always on my mind, and I hate leaving him in the palace, but I can practically hear his voice in my head, Do what you need to do, Alpha. This is what we’ve been dreaming of … a chance at freedom . Still, I worry, and my anxiety is making me twitchy.
Amri is a constant presence at my side, always touching me in some way, and as Circe leaves me to walk over to Bodi, I look at my mate.
The smudges under her eyes have darkened, and when she blinks, she’s a little slow to reopen them.
I can feel her exhaustion through her touch, but when I tried to get her to lie down earlier, she refused, insisting she was fine.
She’s not.
“I’m fine, Malik.” Her voice is even tired, betraying her words.
I know I didn’t say anything out loud or through the Zodiac mind-speak, so my concern must be showing on my face.
“You’re not. You’re about to fall asleep on your feet. Please rest.”
She shakes her head, and I don’t think she even realizes that she’s swaying. “Nope. No time. I’ll?—”
That’s it!
I snap and with a growl, I half-shift into my bipedal panther form.
I rise over Amri, my body casting her in shadow.
The Alpha-command laces into my voice without thought, and I bark at her.
“Stop being so stubborn! I can’t stand to see you like this!
You’re exhausted! I’m not asking for fucking much!
I just want you to get some fucking sleep! ”
I realize too late what I’ve done. Amri’s eyes go wide with hurt, betrayal, and outrage, but then her eyes roll back at my command, and I catch her as she passes out.
Silence scratches at my skin, and I feel everyone’s eyes on me.
Footsteps approach, but I duck my head, hugging Amri tighter to my body as I slide back into my fully human form.
From behind me, Bodi says, “What was that, Malik?”
The reproach in his voice has my hackles rising, but I keep from snapping at him. “Nothing. I didn’t mean to. I’m just on edge, and …”
Sadie says, “I think we’re all a bit on edge. Let’s take a break, huh?”
The barest hint of a growl rumbles through Bodi’s voice. “We don’t have time for this.”
I spin, clutching Amri in my arms. “Really, Bodi? You think I don’t know that? You think I’m not aware of the clock ticking away? That our freedom—our lives—are threatened by every one of my heartbeats that passes? I’m aware!”
Alexandros runs up, arms spread. “Okay. This isn’t helping. Bodi, come on. Let’s go back to Circe.”
Bodi plants his hands on his hips, his gaze darting between me and Amri. He doesn’t say anything, but a single brow raises in question. I sigh, not wanting to get into it right now. Or ever.
But Circe tsks and says, “Give Malik a break. You’d probably do the same if your mate was ignoring her own well-being.”
I growl at the sorceress, but Rian cocks his head, “I mean maybe.”
Kat slams her hands on her hips. “Oh, really?”
Rian waves his palms at her. “No, no. Of course not.”
Bodi chuckles, but Sadie caught on to what Circe actually said, her eyes darting between me and the female in my arms as she says. “Mate?”
I snarl at Circe as everyone else goes still, but Circe just nods. “Amri is his mate. Or rather, she was.”
Kat drops her hands from her hips, and as I glance around, I find everyone grinning at me. But then of course Sadie digs in further. “Was?”
Again, Circe divulges my secrets without hesitation. “There’s a kind of … how to explain it … blank spot between them where their fate threads used to be.” She looks at me with pinched eyes that carry pity. “Who did it? You or her?”
I scowl. “That is none of your business. And it wasn’t your business to share.”
She shrugs, the infuriating woman, but Rian asks, “You rejected the bond?”
Okay, I guess we’re talking about this now for some reason.
“Yes. And she let me go.”
Bodi dips his gaze to the sleeping woman in my arms before looking back at me. “Did she?”
Sadie walks over, slips her hand into Bodi’s and whispers to me. “Amri is wonderful, and you two will figure things out, but she’s going to be pissed when she wakes up.” And with that, she pulls my brother towards Circe’s cottage, Alexandros trailing behind.
Rian and Kat move to follow them, and as they pass, Rian places his hand on my shoulder and rubs his cheek against mine before moving away.
With a heaved sigh, Circe throws up her arms and stalks to her cottage, mumbling, “Well, I guess we’re taking a break.
” She pauses at the doorway and looks at me over her shoulder.
She glances at Amri, and when she looks back at me, there’s a slight smile on her face.
“There’s a private cove just over that rise there.
” She nods her chin off to the left. “It’s a nice place to have a chat, or …
whatever. But don’t take too long. Tik-tok.
” She winks at me and steps into her cottage.
My panther preens, overly happy to have our mate in our arms. “Private is good.”
I start walking in the direction Circe indicated. “Yeah. No one will hear my screams when Amri wakes up and kills me.”
My beast chuckles, flicking his tail. The connection between us is stronger than it’s ever been, and my magic thrums at my fingertips.
I don’t even have to reach for it. It’s just there.
I can’t imagine feeling even more powerful, but Circe says there’s more to unlock.
It’s exciting but also terrifying, because all that power means I’ll have to actually do something with it.
I want to save the Leos. Of course I do.
But so many of them don’t even want to be saved.
My beast butts his head against my sternum. “They don’t know any better.”
The path begins to decline, and the gentle crashing of the waves gets louder as a picturesque bay comes into view. Amri moans and grumbles something that sounds an awful lot like, Fucking alpha. I chuckle, because that’s true enough.
Wet sand squishes between my toes as I settle on a surprisingly comfortable sunbaked rock with a wide indent perfectly shaped for sitting. I run the back of my fingers over Amri’s cheek, not wanting to wake her.
Click, thunk.
Click, thunk.
She really does need the sleep. But what I did was wrong.
“Amri. Wake up, gorgeous.”
Her eyes scrunch, and she moans again, murmuring, “ Calling me gorgeous isn’t going to make me any less mad at you.”
I chuckle, continuing to caress her cheek. “I know. I deserve all your wrath.” She blinks open her eyes, her gaze immediately finding mine. I stroke her face one last time, then twist to set her on the warm rock. Stepping back, I hold my arms at my sides. “Go ahead. Unleash your fury.”
After a long pause, she scoots off the edge of the rock and stands before me, hands on hips, eyes narrowed, short hair dancing in the sea breeze. “I can’t believe you used your Alpha-command on me. Again!”
I had every intention of letting Amri shout at me.
I was even ready to take on physical violence if that’s what she needed, but …
now that I’m free to use it, my alpha nature bursts out once more.
I brace my hands on the rock on either side of her hips and lean forward.
“And I can’t believe you were being so stubborn. I was just trying to take care of you.”
Her cheeks flush—from anger or pleasure, I have no idea. “And I can’t believe you think I need taking care of. I’m a grown-ass adult, Malik. I’ve survived this long without your alpha-ness interfering.”
“Alpha-ness?”
She waves a hand at me with a scoff.
My fingers flex against the warm rock. “Well, maybe you need some ‘alpha-ness’, or do I need to remind you how dangerous it was to sneak around Leonora’s palace?”
She leans forward into my space, jabbing a finger against my chest. My heart races at the contact as she scowls, “I was there watching over your family and trying to find a way to help you ! And I made it in and out of there just fine without your alpha-ness. Twice!”
I scowl in her face. “I didn’t ask you to do that! ”
Her pretty lips pull back with an adorable growl that promises pain. “You’ve spent so much time being a martyr, you’ve made it your default setting. Stop punishing yourself, Malik! It is possible for others to find happiness without you having to sacrifice your own.”
I growl, my entire body shaking as I disregard the truth of her words. “My personal history says otherwise.”
Amri clenches her hands, narrowing her eyes. “Fine! You stubborn, stupid male! But I’m still not going anywhere. I’m my own person. I make my own decisions. I’ll do what I want.”
Before I know what I’m saying, I bark at her. “And what is it you want, Amri!”
“You!”
We’re both breathing hard, glaring harder. A gull calls from somewhere high overhead.
Fuck it.
I snap out my arm, wrap my hand around her throat, right over her enforcer tattoo, and yank her against me.
Our lips continue the battle of our earlier words, dueling for dominance.
When she bites my lip, I growl at her, forcing my tongue into her mouth.
She grunts as I angle her head back, taking our kiss deeper, and she goes where I lead, devouring me with furious passion that pools low in my belly.
Amri pushes against my grip on her throat, and I spin to sit back on the rock as she climbs into my lap, her knees straddling my hips.
It can’t be comfortable kneeling on stone like that, but I can’t seem to move her because like this, her small breasts press against me, and she groans as she reaches up and grips my hair at the base of my neck.
Amri yanks, pulling my lips off hers. We share panting breaths as she stares at me with an intensity that’s slightly unnerving.
She says, “It’s just us, Alpha. No fate. No magic. Just us. I know trust will come hard-earned with you, but …”
As she trails off, my beast barks in my head. “We trust her. Tell her!”
I shake my head, even as my fingers tighten around her throat with wanting everything she’s offering and more. Everything. But warning bells hold me back. We’re not free of Leonora yet, and I know all too well how dangerous wanting can be.
Amri hums low in her throat, then slowly grinds herself on me, making my cock ache with the need to be inside her.
She swallows against my palm and leans back in.
Sparking bliss shoots from my balls all the way to my scalp as she licks behind my ear then nips me with her teeth.
Her whisper holds dangerous seduction as she says right into my ear, “It’s just you and me.
You are in full control right now.” She purrs, unraveling something in my chest. And then her voice drops even lower. “I submit to you, Alpha.”
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. It wasn’t until this moment that I realized how deep I already am with this female.
I crush my mouth against hers as if I can find my salvation in her kiss.
Maybe I can.