Page 7 of The Bonds of Nyx

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. Ivy needed the bonds for her magic. The amount of control she’d held during her kidnapping and the fight sent a swell of pride through me. Still, the high-tension situations we were entering would only test that. I doubted she’d be able to keep her control if anything else happened.

“She deserves better than this,” I muttered in reply, standing to pace the length of the window again. I caught sight of Elias and a black panther streaking through the forest, but they disappeared into the heavy mist curling around the trees. “She deserves better than a mate who lied to her and betrayed her trust.”

Rowan blew out a loud breath. “You’re right. She does. So be that for hernowbecause she’s going to need you. Especially with everything that’s going on with her mother.” He clapped me on the shoulder, forcing me to stop and face him. “Maeve also wants to see you.”

I groaned, which earned a laugh from Rowan. “Time to go see the boss lady.”

“Then, my mate,” I murmured, following him from the room.

My gaze strayed to her closed door. The bond between us twinged like it could feel her moving around.

Soon, I told it.Soon we’ll be with her.

~

Before Rowan and I could make it to Maeve’s temporary office, I felt a sharp tug in my chest. Absent-mindedly, I rubbed the space over my heart.

“You okay?” Rowan asked, stopping me outside Maeve’s door. His brows pulled into a frown as he stared at where I rubbed at my chest.

“I don’t know,” I replied, as another tug forced me to take a step back, and a wave of panic rushed through me. “Shit.”

I turned away from him to face the long hall we’d just come down. The tug in my chest, which turned into a spark of something else, pulled me towards Ivy’s room.

I took a stumbling step before Rowan pulled me back. “What’s going on?”

“Ivy,” I gasped, clutching my chest as the panic wound around my heart. “Fuck. Something’s wrong.”

Rowan released me, shouted something to Maeve, and followed as I ran towards her room. She should have just been showering. Thea was supposed to be with her. We were meant to bring her here so she wassafe.

My heart pounded with the sudden fear of something wrong. It leapt into my throat as I slammed into the bedroom.

Ivy writhed under the sheets of the large king-sized bed, her wet hair surrounding her like a halo of darkness. Her hands fisted the white sheets, knuckles whitening as a low moan passed her lips.

The door to the ensuite bathroom flew open, steam billowing from within to reveal Thea wrapped in a white towel. Her eyes flew from Ivy’s tense body to mine before widening.

I turned away from her as a strangled sound fell from Ivy’s lips. My heart stuttered a beat as I moved towards her, everything else in the room falling away. My magic pulled me to her side, and I gave into it freely. If there was one thing I’d learnt in our short time together, it was that I’d do anything to protect my mate.

Power swelled in my chest, and the same entity I’d felt during the battle reared its head. Ancient, powerful, and tied to my mate bond with Ivy. The power within me, a blessing from the Goddess, reached for her with a mind of its own.

Ivy curled in on herself as I sat carefully on the edge of the bed. “Ivy?” I murmured, reaching out for her as the bedroom door hit the wall and the rest of the team filed in.

“What the hell is going on?” Elias growled, but I didn’t look up. I could feel them all gathering around us. Their own powers seemed to come through and brush against my own. It sent a strange shiver down my spine, but I tried to ignore it.

Ivy’s face twisted in pain, and she made a gasping sound that twisted something in my chest. Sweat beaded along her brow, and her magic travelled intricate patterns along her skin. Mypower yearned for hers, and I wasn’t prepared to keep it at bay, especially when her eyes flew open and were wide with fear.

She sucked in a sharp breath and sat up, chest heaving as she searched the room. When her gaze landed on me, she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, and I held her tightly to my chest.

“You’re okay,” I murmured, stroking her hair. “I’m here, Sweetheart. We’re all here.”

I could feel the thundering of her heart against my own skin. Fuck, her nightmares were getting worse. Over her shoulder, I found Maeve’s eye, and from the look on her face, she was thinking the same thing.

There was still so much I didn’t know about the early transition of the daughters of Nyx. My mother hid so much from me, and now I regretted not asking more about her time before her mates. It sunk like a stone in my stomach, knowing that if I had, I would be able to help my mate.

Even as her racing heart slowed, I held her close. Because I knew without a doubt that I would need to be better—for her, for our future. I would do anything to make sure she was protected and safe, especially from these nightmares.

4

IVY

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