Page 68 of A Trial of Fate

“Call it crazy… but it’s the shifter way. It would be stupid for Alistar to claim his position when there is another ready to surpass him. You know that just as much as I do.”

“Yes, but still …”

“Hard to wrap your head around? Join the club. Talon is nervous even if he won’t openly admit it to anyone but me.”

“Talon would be Gilen’s beta, right?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“Without a doubt. He would need guidance from Magnus, but since our mating, both our powers have also increased.”

Ahh, the second perk to a mate bond. When shifters consummated the bond and claimed each other, they shared their powers, combining their magic and making them stronger. Their shared power stemmed from their unity and grew with their commitment to one another. The claiming mark made the power-sharing possible, and even if a pair did not have a mating bond, they could claim each other and still share their combined magic. In a way,it ensured that the pair would always be able to protect the other, even if separated.

“One could argue… that you could be the beta, Rhea.” I could see her smirk and roll her eyes at me, laughing.

“We would be a stronger pack if Talon and I worked as a team. We could both fill the role, providing additional support to our new alpha.”

That response from her shocked the hell out of me. Talon was clearly having an effect on her.

“Really? Aw, Rhea. Look at how good you have become at sharing,” I teased.

“Yes, well, enough about all this drama. Tell me about what you have been reading recently. Anything I should be trying with my new mate that you have read about while locked up in solitude?”

Rhea and I stayed up until dusk lingered outside my window. A long, deep howl sounded outside in the woods, and I could see the glee of excitement ignite in Rhea’s expression.

“Talon?”

“Yes,” Rhea answered with a euphoric smile.

“Go,” I said, nudging her out of the room.

“You sure? I mean, Sky… Shaw told me what you said about his offer, and I…”

“Go,” I said once more to reassure her. “I’m not leaving tomorrow, so go to Talon tonight.”

I couldn’t do this now. I wasn’t sure I could ever really say goodbye to Rhea. But right now, her mate was calling to her, and she deserved happiness. I would not stand in the way of my friend experiencing the unconditional love of her mate. She gave me a bone-crushing hug and kissed my cheek before skipping out my door.

Chapter Sixteen

Alone in my room, I returned to reading my smutty romantic story. I was just getting to the good part when Rhea came to surprise me earlier, and I was eager to return to the unfolding budding love story. The characters confessed their feelings for each other were more than just friendship. It was true love, and they were beginning to explore the physical aspects of their new relationship.

The reading was beginning to fire up my libido, which, I had to admit, had been somewhat silent during this past month of recovery.

It could have been the whiskey—okay, the whiskey definitely helped, paired with erotic nighttime reading—but either way, I was extremely aroused. I needed to find relief from this building tension.

I lay back on my bed, untied the string of my pants, and moved my fingers below my waistband. Slowly, I circled the top of my opening as I continued to read. I imagined myself in the place of the female in the story. The build-up was intense. My muscles flexed with tension as I plunged my fingers inside myself and moaned with pleasure.

I was so close—

“That is, hands down, the most sensual sound I have ever heard in my life.”

My eyes snapped open, and I jerked myself upright in bed, quickly righting myself and removing my finger from below my waistband. I looked around the room, utterly embarrassed at the thought of anyone seeing, let alone hearing, me.

“Please, don’t stop on my account.” I hadn’t heard his voice in some time, but I knew exactly who it was.

“Gilen Warrick!” I screamed in a hushed tone. “What the hell are you doing here?”

My window, which was cracked open, moved aside as Gilen filled the frame. His golden hair was longer than I remembered, gently falling in front of his face as his high cheekbones shifted, his smile widening upon seeing me.

“Hi, Sky,” he purred.

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