Page 54 of Called By Fate

"Sadie? Sadie! What's wrong?" Hemsworth demands poking the side of my thigh with his nose, but I can't focus on him. I think someone might also be shouting, but I can’t hear them over the roar in my ears.

Next thing I know my mates are there. Elian places both hands on my cheeks and pulls my attention to him. His lips are moving, but I can't make the words out. No, all I can focus on is his ice-cold hands on my cheeks and the other hand around my wrist and on my shoulder from my other mates.

I sigh and lean into Elian's touch which makes him look at me like I'm insane. He looks behind me to where my other mates are and then backs away. I cry out again when his hands leave my face, but thankfully, Reed takes his place.

Sadie,Reed says into my mind, breaking through the fog. Having a mate bond with him is so amazing. I can literally feel him inside me.

Wait, why isn't he inside me?That would be wondrous. Am I drunk or something? Did someone spike the lemonade? I mean it did kind of taste funny, but I figured it was because it’s powdered. Squeezed lemons are so much better…

Sadie, focus!he says sternly.Your Awakening has started.

My eyes widen comically.Is that why I'm so Godsdamned hot andhorny?

I mean suns blaze, I feel like I could jump every single one of them right now in the middle of the safe haven. In front of everyone. And my kink is not voyeurism like Elian’s. Well, I take that back, I might be slightly voyeuristic but for my mates only. I want them all to watchme.Then again, that might be the lust talking.

Reed says something about all hands on deck and then there's a lot more skin touching mine than there was a few seconds ago. I'm fairly certain Vinson took his shirt off to wrap himself around me from behind while I’m wrapped around Reed’s front and it feels glorious, which is saying something because Vin feels like a popsicle, and shifters normally runhot. They’re the damn antidote to my heat, but it's still not enough.

My skin still feels like it does whenever I'm making contact with one of my mates but like it's on steroids. The buzzing feeling is intensified by a million. I bet if I focus closely enough, I could even feel the little electrical currents under my skin moving.

Nope, that just seems weird. Not going there.

Yes,Reed responds mentally.You'll feel increased horniness until the power settles between us.He levels me with a serious look, and I try to fight the fogginess of heat and lust to focus.You will have to complete your bond with Elian so he can take some of the power, is that going to be okay?

I want Elian to want it. It has to be up to him.

A moan escapes my lips when Vinson starts rubbing his cool hands up and down my back. That's when my mates decide to make this matter private, and I'm lifted into Reed's arms as they hurry us back to our cabin.

Matilda is on the doorstep, concern etched on her face. "I heard something was wrong. What’s happening?"

"Her Awakening," Reed responds, brushing past her to make a beeline for the bathroom.

"Oh, have fun!" she calls out after us, cackling like she knows something I don't. It makes me slightly suspicious about what an Awakening truly is. Reed explained it like a division of power between mates. Not a heat wave sexathon.

This bathroom doesn't have a tub, but that doesn't stop Reed from turning the water to absolutelyfrigidbefore stepping into the spray with me in his arms.

"What the fuck, Reed!" I screech and try to bail out of his grasp. Vinson left us somewhere along the way and I’m not sure where the others and Hemsworth are.

"Suns blaze, stop squirming. I need you to come back down to earth for a moment."

Something about his tone makes me stop and when I do I find that the cold really isn't that bad. Plus, it's bringing some clarity to my mind once more. "Holy hell. Thanks, Red."

"My pleasure," he responds and turns off the water before stepping out of the shower with both of us sopping wet. He doesn't even stop for a towel before depositing me in the bedroom with Elian and then shutting the door.

"Uh, what the hell?"

Elian shoots me one of those chilling smiles of his, and I notice his eyes are not iced over like usual. He's not shutting me out. He’s allowing me in, to see him fully. "It's time to complete our bond, Pet. Are you ready?"

My eyes widen and suddenly, I'm thankful for Reed tossing me into a cold shower because I want to be fully alert for this moment.

"Are you?" I question, thinking back to our moment the other night, and brace myself for the answer. I know we talked about not going back, but this is more than just sex. This is forever. This is huge.

Three months ago, if you had asked me if Elian was capable of forever, I would've said hell no. Now... Well... I think he is, but the question is, will helethimself be capable of it?

When it boils down to it, he's the one that's been holding himself back all this time. Even when he acted like a complete dick, I still felt insanely attracted to him.

"I want nothing more than to finally complete our bond," he says, and I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding. His expression is soft, the softest I’ve ever seen it, and vulnerable. “If you’ll have me that is. I want it to be your choice.” There’s a flash of insecurity in his eyes that he doesn’t hide from me.

He wants it to bemychoice?

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