Page 411 of Hate Mates

But I have no choice.

I force my magic outward, desperate to help Orion, to do something, but Kieran snuffs it out effortlessly, like he's been trained to counter me before I even existed.

A hand grabs my arm, yanking me backward.

I scream, twisting, clawing, kicking at my attacker. He’s strong, but I’m desperate. I slam my elbow into his ribs, and he stumbles—but his grip doesn’t loosen.

"You're a fighter," the warlock sneers. "Too bad it won’t matter."

A sharp pulse of power erupts from my skin, a wild, uncontrolled force that throws him backward. He hits the ground hard, but before I can even think of running, another warlock steps in front of me.

Kieran’s second-in-command. Amon.

He doesn’t hesitate.

His hand lifts, and suddenly, my body locks up.

I can’t move. Can’t breathe.

Panic grips me as I struggle against the force holding me in place. It’s like being submerged in deep water, my own body turning against me.

Amon smirks. "Pathetic. They told us to expect more from you."

Orion’s roar shakes the trees.

The moment he sees me trapped, something inside him snaps.

He moves faster than I can process, his blade slicing clean through Amon’s spell. The pressure on my chest vanishes, and I collapse to my knees, gasping for air.

Amon stumbles backward, his smirk gone, replaced by something close to fear.

Orion doesn’t stop.

He’s on him in seconds, his blade cutting, tearing, breaking. There’s a rawness to the way Orion fights now—primal, unhinged. This isn’t just battle. This is war.

This is his claim.

Kieran curses, stepping forward, but before he can join the fight, Orion throws out his hand—and something shifts.

A pulse of power, not just his.

Ours.

It slams through the clearing like a shockwave, sending Kieran staggering back and knocking the other warlocks to their knees.

My mouth parts in shock. I feel it, too.

Orion’s power. My power.

It’s merging.

The bond between us, the mark on my wrist—it’s not just symbolic. It’s real. It’s alive.

Kieran looks between us, his silver eyes wide with genuine fear.

"You bound her?" His voice is sharp, disbelieving. "You actually?—"

Orion lunges before he can finish.

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