Taking what's not yours.

Keon's POV:

Every laugh she lets out is like a blade to my chest.

Even though I'm well over twenty steps away from where they eat, I can still clearly see the way he leans into her side and the way she laughs, so carefree, so genuine.

It looks so natural. The way they bond. It doesn't make any sense.

Or maybe I'm just jealous.

I punch the slug bag so hard the chains rattle.

The bag swings hard, nearly snapping.

She's mine. The moon brought us together, and she has my mark.

Or was it even mine? What if it was Derrick's?

She's mine.

No, she's his.

Nope. Definitely not jealous.

The bond in my chest burns like fire, pulling her towards me, screaming that she belonged to only me.

And there she is, sitting next to him, smiling, laughing with him like she's safe. Like she's happy with him.

My wolf snarls inside me.

He doesn't deserve her warmth, her laugh or even he smiles.

He didn't feel her fear. He wasn't there when she was shaking in her sleep. He didn't hold her then, didn't hold her when she trembled.

I did.

And yet…somehow,

The one sitting with her is him.

I punch the bag again.

And again.

And again.

The next blow has the bag tearing from the ceiling, falling to the ground with a loud thud that rings out.

I feel Winter's gaze on my back.

My chest heaving, I turn out and walk away before I lose control.

See? Definitely not jealous.

“This shouldn't be happening.” I growl to myself.

I had so many questions. When I marked Winter, and then the next day, the Blood-Fang relic was used on her with Derrick, did that mean she had two separate bonds with the both of us?

If so, that raises even more questions.

Has there ever been someone with more than one bond? Especially between witches and werewolves?

Is what we know about the relic of Blood-Fang really the truth?

Which one is the more “true” bond?

It should be me, but with the way she acted back there with him. I felt it. The warmth, the comfort she felt.

And it made something ugly twist inside me.

For the first time in a long time, something other than anger was building up in me.

I was afraid.

What if she chooses him? What if the moon was wrong? Could the moon have made a mistake?

Then what happens to me?

I storm through the halls, my chest tight.

I need to talk to Rowan. I need answers.

About the witches, forbidden bonds, the relic of Blood-Fang. About why the moon would pull me to her then bind me to my brother.

And someone has to have them.

I stop sharply, before entering his room. “Rowan”

He appears from the other side of the corridor. “Keon”

I enter his room and he follows. “What about the person I asked you to send? Any intel?”

Rowan’s my closest wolf, so he's past formalities with me. He sits on the bed, observing me. “Considering that was barely a day ago, and witches are one of the most secretive species on the planet, no, Keon, nothing yet, but I have questions for you.” His eyes burn into mine.

Uh oh.

I don't think I like where this is going. I came here to get answers not to be interrogated.

“What's the deal with the witch, why are you so invested in her?” His brow raises.

I shrug. “Nothing. She's a part of this pack now. It's my job to look after my people.”

Rowan looks at me, really looks at me, then laughs. He laughs so hard he falls back on the bed. “Yeah first off, if I remember clearly you said it didn't matter that your brother was being mated to her because she would never be one of us, and looking out for her would be saving her, like you did at the chapel. But I know what I'm saying and you know it's true. You want something from her.”

I turn my gaze away from him. He's half wrong. I don't want something from her.

I want her.

Her mind, her body, her soul.

All of it for me and me alone.

And no one else.

“Keon. You realize this girl is your brother's mate right? You can't…Wait, do you want to fuck her?” his brows nearly touch his forehead.

The moment he says that, all I can think about is bending her over my desk and fucking her brains out. I imagine her breathy moans as I ram into her pussy.

Well fuck. Now I'm hard.

Rowan winces. “Dude. You could literally have anyone in the whole world and you want your brother's mate? Do you understand how fucked up that is? And the consequences it would have?”

I don't answer.

It didn't matter that I could have anyone. I wanted her.

And I would do whatever it took to have her, damn the consequences.