Page 25 of Bonded

Meredith Duskmore is my fated mate. Destined for me. Mine.

The moment I felt her heart slowing, the bond clicked. The bond slammed into place for both of us. Or at least for me. I don’t know if she’ll feel it until she’s awake, and I’m not sure we can communicate through our minds until we are more than this.

Fated mate bonds usually appear for people in long-term relationships…or at least that’s what I’ve heard. They are so rare, so precious, and it won’t be long before everyone knows. Our scents will mix, and anyone in a mile of Meredith will know she belongs to me. I suspect I have five months, just less than half a year before that happens. It all makes sense now—my obsession with her from the very beginning. Her pull over me. The way that nothing else mattered except keeping her safe. The fact that I have been, quite simply, in love with her from the minute she walked into the guardian selection ceremony. I didn’t even know her name, and I was already in love with her.

I flush the toilet and wash my hands to make it sound like I was doing something in here, rather than internally unravelling the biggest moment in my life, before going back out to my mate. A marriage mark between her and Blackfire is nothing compared to us now. I know he is going to hate it, and the thought makes my lips twitch.

I won, motherfucker. She’s mine.

A small voice echoes through the room. Mere. I’m across the room in a second as she wakes up slowly, parting her dry lips. I quickly fill a glass of water and hand it to her, helping her drink before Orion lifts her to sit up. She looks tired—dark circles linger underneath her eyes despite sleeping two days—and she is still so pale. She is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, even sick. What I’d do to sink my hand into that gold hair and pull her to me, taste her. Taste what is designed and fated for me.

I push the thoughts away. She’s sick. My wolf paces up and down in my head, itching for me to tell her about the fated mate mark, but I know Meredith. I saw how frightened she was about the marriage mark with Blackfire—another permanent thing taken without her permission. It won’t go well if I tell her everything now. I need her to trust me more first. To build something more than what we had in the Folkland. That was just the start.

It’s one more secret to add to the fucked-up list I’ve been making these past few months. The vow to my mother lingers on my hip, reminding me what I traded in order for my pack to respect and leave Meredith alone. That’s how I know my pack are not the ones who poisoned her. My mother wants something from me, and she won’t risk losing her most profitable son.

“What happened?” Meredith asks, pulling me back to the present.

“Someone shot you with an arrow in the ballroom. Into your neck—small, but full of poison,” Blackfire explains. “It was from my court’s arsenal from the war. There was no one from my court invited to that ballroom, but Orion is questioning everyone who was there.”

“My mother is being very firm about making sure no one leaves until they are questioned.” Orion looks at Blackfire. “Your cousin attended for a short time with a message from your uncle to my alpha. He was questioned and checked before he left.”

“He’s a sick bastard, but why would he bother?” Blackfire grunts. “I doubt it was him.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t Gaia? She doesn’t like me here,” she asks Orion. Ah, so she has got to know the alpha, then.

“She may not want you here, but she sure as fuck doesn’t want someone else taking your life. She is angry enough that I don’t suspect her.” He shrugs. “There are easier and more painful ways to kill someone here, and she wouldn’t need an arrow. We are the earth pack and specialise in flowers…many poisonous. It’s how the healers got these potions for you. They also specialise in antidotes.”

Zyran steps forward. “I will take her back to Void City.” A sharp message for us. The way he looks at Meredith has my back straightening. “Your brother has sent a message—he needs you to come urgently. We have good healers there too. They’ll aid your recovery and I can fly you back.”

“Could you carry two of us?” she softly asks.

He looks around at all of us with thinly veiled disdain. “If you wish to take one of these wolves, I will get a shadow portal. It will take a day or two.”

She shakes her head. “No, for Illyia. I don’t think she’s safe here, and she doesn’t know how to fight. I can’t keep losing friends, and Illyia is human. I think my brother might agree to her having some training, and he will keep her safe there.” No one responds right away. I know this is her trauma over losing Tannith, and Illyia seems dead set on being at her side to help. She might not leave. Meredith realises this, though. “If she wants to go, of course. I’ll ask her.”

“Illyia has been coming in and out every couple of hours to check on you,” Zyran informs her. “She has also managed to get the cooks making cakes and different flavoured chocolates for when you’re well enough. She remembered you loved those.”

Her face lights up. I really need to buy my woman an entire bakery of cakes and a city of chocolate. She looks at Zyran with something like love, a look I want. Somehow, this monster has found his way into her life. I don’t like or trust him, but if she’s determined to keep her gargoyle around, then fine. I do wonder if I could lock him in a cage, though.

“It’s good to see you well, Mere.” I move to her side. “I should have protected you. I’m sorry I didn’t.”

“You couldn’t have known, Reed. But you saved me. Thank you.” She smiles faintly before her cheeks brighten. “I’m also sorry I bit you.”

“Bite me next time.” Blackfire’s voice is laced with jealousy.

“I taste better than these two,” Orion adds in, just as jealous.

She shakes her head, a smile on her lips. “I think I’m going to get some more sleep.” She looks over at me. “Reed, will you stay?”

Mere offers me her hand, and I don’t even hesitate, linking my fingers with hers and sitting on the edge of the bed.

I’d stay here for a lifetime if that’s what she asked of me. “I’m never leaving you.”

Chapter Fifteen

It took five days for me to recover from that poison, and I was scared. I felt my heart beginning to stop; I felt that call of death I’ve heard people talk about. I’ve nearly died a few times now, but this was the closest, I think, and it terrified me. Five long days of sitting in bed didn’t make it better, and if it weren’t for the heirs and Zyran, I don’t know how I would have coped. They never left me, never gave up helping me even when I told them it was too much.

It wasn’t until day three that I was able to stomach any food without throwing up, but never once did they judge me or not help. Reed lifted me and took me for a shower to get the sick out of my hair. He was more of a gentleman than I thought was possible—never looking once, only helping me into a seat in the shower and washing my hair before wrapping me in a towel. I might have cried…just a little. Blackfire somehow warmed my bedroom up enough, without a fire, that I was dry in seconds, and Zy rebraided my hair with skills I didn’t know he had. My nightmares were…bad. I never woke up alone though, and they always seemed to know I needed to talk, to be distracted.