CHAPTER 9

Selina~

Raymond.

He looked up.

The Bond. He makes everything complicated. But tonight, I hate you a little less.

A brief smile flitted across his face—so quickly that I thought I’d imagined it. Then it was gone.

Sleep, Selina. The wolf can hear you.

I closed the door and leaned against it. My heart was racing. The magic tingled contentedly beneath my skin. And somewhere in the apartment, the man I was supposed to hate—the man slowly pulling the ground out from under my feet—was moving about.

I got into bed and opened the manual. The pages spoke of breathing and focus, and of the danger when emotions took control. I read until the letters blurred. Then I set it aside and closed my eyes.

In my dream, I was back on the mat. Raymond was close. Sparks enveloped us both. And this time, he didn’t pull me back. This time, he simply let the magic, the bond, and everything else take their course.

When I woke up the next morning, a new pair of hand wraps lay on the nightstand. Beside them were a bottle of water and a note.

Drink. Eat. Come at six. Just us.

I smiled into the empty apartment. The asshole Alpha was leaving instructions and showing care in the very same gesture. And I realized I was starting to expect both.

Today, I would train again. Today, the magic would become more stable. And today, I would find out how much of what lay between us was really just the bond, and how much of it had long since turned into something else.

*********

The clock showed just before six when I entered the training room. The corridors were still empty, and the air smelled of the cool morning and old wood. Raymond was already there. He stood barefoot on the mat, stretching his shoulders. Sweat already glistened on his skin, and the snake tattoo seemed to move with every breath. His ice-blue eyes lifted as the door clicked shut behind me.

"Punctual," he said.

"You wrote six o'clock. I can read."

He nodded and tossed a towel to me. "Take off your shoes. Today we’re working with ground contact. Magic flows better when you’re grounded."

I followed his instructions and stepped barefoot onto the mat. The floor felt cool beneath my feet. Raymond stood facing me and raised both hands.

"Breathing first. Then the call. This time, without the emotions you know. Think of the mountain outside. Of the snow still lying on the peaks. Of nothing to do with me or the bond."

I closed my eyes and tried. The mountain. The wind. The silence. The sparks came more slowly this time. Green and gold flickered faintly at first, then steadied. Raymond circled me, watching.

"Better. Hold it. Now drop to your knees and let the energy flow into the ground."

I knelt down. The magic sank with me and touched the floor. A small tear appeared in the mat, and Raymond immediately grabbed my wrist.

"Too much. Pull back."

His fingers were warm and rough. The magic reacted instantly, flaring higher. Green light enveloped our hands, and I felt the bond like a second heartbeat. Raymond’s breathing audibly quickened.

"Let go," he whispered.

I couldn't. The energy wanted to stay. It wanted him. Raymond knelt in front of me and placed his other hand on my shoulder. The contact intensified everything. For a moment, I saw something in his eyes that wasn't cold. Something wild and hungry, yet cautious at the same time.

"Selina. Stop."

His voice was rough. I wrested back control, and the sparks died out. We knelt close together, breathing heavily. His hand was still on my shoulder; mine was still in his.

"It’s going to get harder," he murmured. "Every time you call on the magic, the bond pulls stronger."

"I know. The texts say that proximity and power feed each other."

He let go of my hand and stood up. I followed him. My legs felt like jelly.

"Again," he said. "Defense this time. I’ll attack. You block with the light. Not your body."

He moved suddenly—fast and fluid. I hastily formed a shield of green sparks. The impact of his fist made the energy shudder, but it held. Raymond flashed a brief grin—a rarity that nearly made me lose my concentration.

"Again. Harder."

We kept training. Every block brought us closer; every successful shield made the bond pulse more strongly. Sweat ran down my back, and my hair clung to my temples. Raymond looked no better. Dark shadows lay beneath his eyes, and occasionally his left arm twitched, as if the curse were biting into him.

"Break," he said suddenly, sitting down against the wall. I sat beside him. The distance between us was smaller than yesterday.

"The curse is getting worse," I observed.

"Yeah. A little more every day. My powers are fading. The wolf is getting restless. And your blood makes him even more restless."

"Why? What exactly does he smell?"

"Purity. Strength. And something that smells like home—even though it shouldn't."

I turned my head to look at him. "You hate that."

"I used to. Now... I’m not so sure." The words hung heavy between us. I wanted to say something, but the door opened and Elian stepped in. His pale face was calm, and his eyes glowed faintly in the semi-darkness.

"You’re early," he said quietly.

Raymond stood up immediately. The vampire. Always showing up at the wrong time.

"I protect what has been entrusted to me. Even if the Alpha dislikes it."

Elian looked at me. "The magic is growing stronger. I can feel it. And others feel it too. Liora spoke with two elder Fae last night. They are planning something. Your soul is the target."

Raymond’s jaw tightened. "How do you know that?"

"I hear what the shadows whisper. And I am older than most here."

I stood up as well. "What exactly do they want?"

"A ritual. Pure hybrid blood and an unbound soul can redraw ley lines. Or destroy them. Depending on who conducts the ritual."

Raymond stepped in front of me. "They aren't getting to her. No one is getting to her."

Elian tilted his head. "The bond helps. But it isn't enough if the curse is weakening you. You need allies, Alpha. Not just jealousy."

Raymond growled softly. "Leave. Before I forget that you are bound by an oath."

Elian vanished as silently as he had arrived. The door closed, and silence returned. Raymond turned to me.