Page 69 of Chosen Destiny

He had to be feeling the same way I’d felt all those times growing up when I’d known I should cower and shut my mouth, but something inside me wouldn’t allow me to do it. It wasn’t Samuel’s fault.

I had no idea what to do, but I had to figure something out, even if I had to sucker punch Samuel.

Maybe it wouldn’t come to that.

Instinct had me reaching for the thread of our fated-mate bond. I grasped onto it. My wolf surged forward in my head, and she pushed our magic through the connection like when Bodey had been injured and sleeping. I shoved more magic through, funneling it into him.

“What the fuck?” Theo rasped.

I glanced at him as I continued to funnel my magic into my mate. Theo’s eyes were locked on Bodey.

I almost faltered.

Bodey’s eyes were still glowing, but their indigo color had lightened as if the Caribbean blue of my eyes had mixed with his. The indigo had become a vibrant cobalt with a faint green edge around the rim, the colors moving like a river every few seconds.

Whimpering, Samuel lowered his head as sweat sprouted along his hairline. The tables had turned, and now my mate was definitely the strongest, thanks to our mate bond.

Dina’s words from days ago replayed in my mind. She’d said that fated mates could channel their magic into one another, and this had to be what she meant.

When Samuel averted his gaze to the wooden floor, I let out a breath, and my wolf began to retreat. I didn’t feel different, but Samuel rubbed his chest, and I knew the warm spots of all the wolves in Idaho were flaring there. I remembered that overwhelming, comforting heat vividly from the day the ink had accepted me.

Turning to me, Bodey took my hand. His eyes were returning to their dark-indigo color, but a faint greenish blue along the edge proved that my magic was still flowing to him.

I didn’t realize Samuel’s wolf would fight me like that. The only reason I didn’t lose my position was because of you.Bodey’s gaze was like a caress.Thank you.

I winked.Anytime, babe, but we need to tell the pack what’s going on.

Dad’s on it.He took my hand and stepped to my other side so I was between him and my sister.He linked when our magic merged, concerned about what was going on. We told him, and he knew that either way, Samuel would be alpha, so he’s communicating it with the pack and letting them know we’re taking in a lot of new pack members. There’s land we can build on to expand the neighborhood, but we’ll have to make do with the available houses until we have time to develop it.

I should’ve thought to reach out to Michael. I hadn’t considered where Theo’s pack would stay. But there were several vacant houses they could use in the interim.

“Shit,” Theo rasped. “I need to submitnow.” His eyes glowed, indicating that his pack link had been activated. “Lynerd is pushing through my block.”

Samuel turned to him, lifted his chin, and said, “Let’s do it.” He wiped the tip of his finger on his pajama shorts, removing the blood.

Breathing quickly, Theo locked eyes with Samuel. His eyes were already glowing, but as they connected with Samuel’s, the color intensified.

It wasn’t long before Theo averted his eyes, and around two hundred pack links sprouted in my chest. Theo and the others were officially part of Idaho. “Now you need to bring the pack here—and Charles and Trevor need to learn their place.”

“They’re all moving now.” Theo leaned his head back as if the weight of the world was gone from his shoulders. “I told the pack to be ready—they knew what I was planning. Your mom was upset since your dad—”

A deep ache throbbed in my chest. He didn’t have to finish; I knew what he’d been about to say—since Dad had been buried.

Bodey’s warmth flooded into me, reminding me he was there. I reached out and took Stevie’s hand, knowing she and I were feeling the same thing.

“They’re on their way. We just need to tell them where to go.” Theo bit his lower lip.

“I can take it from here.” Samuel opened the front door and glanced at us. “You four get some rest. This is my responsibility now.”

Pride shone on his face, and I was so thankful Bodey had made this decision. It had made a good difference for each of us.

Jack and Stevie headed back to their room, and Bodey and I went to ours, where I promptly showed him my love and appreciation all over again.

After we pleasured our bodies once more, I fell asleep in the safety of my mate’s arms.

* * *

The next daywent by quickly as Samuel contacted all the alphas in Idaho, explaining his new role, and helped my childhood pack get acclimated. Luckily, everyone arrived without incident, and they took up the ten available houses scattered throughout the neighborhood. They’d stay in them until we could build more homes on the one hundred acres of woods the pack owned about an hour away.

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