I just love you. I just love you and there’s nothing better than when you give yourself to me. It’s… beautiful.
I hadn’t meant to say it, but it was there and it was true, and the bond was so deep and close, it just came out.
I knew it was a terrible mistake the moment Cazz froze up. Desperation and fear rocketed through me and I held onto him, gripping him, one hand on his beautiful, square jaw, the other buried in his hair.
“Don’t do it, Cazz, please,” I breathed, panicking. He didn’t move. His eyes were locked on mine and he stared like he was trying to see inside me.
And he could. He could!
~ CASIMIR ~My entire body trembled as I worked to accommodate that torrent of power she’d imparted to me. My head was spinning, my heart was full, and the bond was alive. But it was overwhelming, all of it. So I shook, and I doubted and I tore in half, right down the middle of my soul.Half of me was terrified—this was exactly what I’d been warned about. Exactly what I’d feared. The closer we got, the stronger she would become. And as Alpha female, her power would draw the wolves. She fed off of me, and whatever she gained would benefit her in their eyes.It wasn’t even a matter of loyalty. They sensed it in her, and the animals within followed that kind of power w
~ CASIMIR ~ My father stared at me, power crackling and boiling in the air behind him. I rushed to soothe his suspicions, raising my hands in surrender, which was the only kind of submission he’d accept. “No, no, Dad! I just meant, that’s the hierarchy—if the male dies, the Alpha female is supposed to be the one who leads until the next Alpha takes the—” “And what do you think it does to her if she believes that’s her due? What would you do if you knew that with one step you could snap my neck and take it all fo
~ JESSE ~Cazz was gone the next morning when I woke up.When I realized he was gone, I sat quickly, heart racing. My body wanted to panic. But the moment I was awake he was in my head.'Good morning, mate.''Oh, Cazz. Thank God. I thought you'd run away again.''No, sadly I was called out of the furs by Ghere. The throne needed me. But I'll come to you as soon as I can. Are you meeting Maya this morning?''Yes.''Good.'There was a hea
~ JESSE ~Maya burst into cackling laughter when I delivered Cazz’s message—which made me giggle too, but would disappoint him, I suspected. He had wanted to piss her off.I watched her face and tried to fix the memory in my mind to share with Cazz later, because I couldn’t reach him from here in her cave—a fact that made my chest a little cold.This morning I had almost turned around and fled back to my quarters when I was halfway to Maya’s cave, because I could feel Cazz fading. But I had made myself keep going. He needed space, he was going to get it. And I would survive.He’d said the link would come back when we were closer. I just prayed he was right. And that he didn’t take
~ CASIMIR ~ When Jesse faded from the link it was a relief. And a niggling anxiety. I could still feel her, knew her to be drawing closer to Maya’s cave. But there was a fog between us now that wouldn’t let me reach her with words. Or rather she couldn’t reach me. The cold side of me could finally breathe. The warm half of my heart wanted to storm out into the tunnels and go after her, making certain that she could hear me when I got close enough. But I knew that was stupid. Of course she’d hear me again when she returned. I’d told her as much. Bonded mates didn’t lose their connections unless… unless one of them breached the bond. And neither of us was going to do that. I swallowed quickly and considered that thought and the curious feeling it spawned in my chest. Something tingly and— “Cazz?” I startled, realizing I was standing on the opposite side of the room, staring at the wall, and had completely tuned out from the discussion of the Council. I turned quickly to face the
~ JESSE ~Maya and I finished earlier than usual, which just made me jittery because I knew Cazz wasn’t going to be done with his meetings yet, and I was nervous about whether he’d retreat from me again. So I took the coward’s way out and distracted myself.I called the younger three of the females Maya had introduced to me to, and this time I wasn’t going to be distracted. I needed to choose one of them to present at the Selection.I reached for them through the mindlink, but struggled at first. I was still deep in the catacombs, walking towards the Royal tunnels, so maybe I was too far away. But after a minute, I found Reeca and even though I was struggling to hold the link, managed to communicate to her that I wanted to talk to her and Wylde and Tynker.To help me, she linked with the other two. And with all three of them in a link together, I was able to hold it more easily.‘Will you be in trouble if you leave whatever you’re doing and come visit with me right now?’ I asked them,
~ JESSE ~ Wylde’s eyes were wide and her mouth open. But Tynker was shaking her head. “Not me, please. I’m not… I don’t want a high ranking male.” I blinked. I hadn’t thought about that. I swallowed hard, frustrated with myself for putting it out there, assuming that they’d be excited. “Well, that makes that easy. I’m sorry, Tynker. I didn’t mean to push you—” “You didn’t. I think it’ s a great idea. I just… I don’t want it to be me, that’s all,” she said, putting her hands up and looking back and forth between Reeca and Wylde. I looked at Wylde uneasily. I liked her a lot, but something told me she just wasn’t ready for this. And that was going to get super awkward if Reeca also didn’t want to be chosen. But perhaps Maya would help me ready her? So I looked at Reeca, who was staring at me like I’d just shifted. “Reeca, if you have feelings for someone else and don’t want to be considered, I don’t want to push you,” I said quietly. She dropped her chin and looked down at her
~ JESSE ~ Reeca lifted her hands to soothe me. “No, we do get a choice if a male wants us. It’s not forced on us. We can accept or reject them. It’s just… it’s just that I am unlikely to ever have a powerful choice outside of this. If you choose me, Jesse, I would be stupid not to take it if one of the males proposes.” “Then, I don’t understand the problem?” She gave a dry smile. “Neither do I, honestly. I guess I’m just nervous at the idea. This would… lift me much faster and higher than I’d get on my own. And I don’t want to be a reason that you’re brought lower than you should be, either.” “Don’t worry about me. My mate is super-wolf, remember?” I said with a snort. She smiled, but shrugged. “I think you should know… Those of us who aren’t obsessed with rank… we love what you’ve done with the King.” “What I’ve done?” I asked, confused. “Run around crying and confused and pissing him off?” “No, no,” she said with a breathless laugh. “Just… treating him with softness.” Then sh