Page 101 of Shadow Bonds

He gives me a look like it should be obvious. “Because you’reourmate,” he says with almost reverence.

Warmth seeps into my chest, and a sliver of hope starts to grow. I glance between them. “But you hated me before.”

Knox swallows hard. “That was before.”

“So, you don’t hate that I have wings?” I ask while making sure to pay attention to each of their facial expressions, needing to know if they’re going to try to lie to me. But their eyes soften and looks of guilt and sadness seep into their faces.

“No,” Malakai says. “We couldneverhate anything that is a part of you.”

I blink back the burn in my eyes as relief fills me, and that sliver of hope grows.

“Besides,” Knox says. “They’re nothing like those assholes’. They’re white and soft looking. I’ve been wanting to run my hands through them since I saw them.” A glint of mischievousness enters his eyes. “Pop them out there and give us a proper look.”

A burst of laughter slips from my lips, and the tension in the air around us almost disappears. “Eh… no. I only learned how to pull them back in. I’ll wait until I can guarantee I won’t be stuck like that before playing show and tell.”

Knox opens his mouth to reply when Malakai interrupts him again.

“What happened after you went into the commander’s office? Did you get caught for stealing the device?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Surprisingly no. Some guy that looks to hate Talos showed up through a portal and distracted him.”

Malakai frowns. “Who?”

“A guy from the other academy. Levington.” I glance between them, noticing how tense they all become when hearing that name. I clear my throat before revealing the next piece of information.

“Dakson was also there,” I tell them, and the moment of ease quickly shrivels up with the rage they’re all now emitting.

My stomach churns realizing what else I have to reveal. Quickly followed by guilt.

It must show on my face because Cyrus moves closer to me with a frown.

“Sena… What did they say?” he asks, and they tense up waiting on my reply.

I glance around at all of them. “They said I’ve to go with them?—”

“Over my dead fucking body.” Malakai glares around the room.

“Like hell,” Knox shouts as rage spears through the room. They all move closer to me as if trying to stop me from leaving.

Cyrus grabs my hand, pulling me closer. “You belong with us.”

“I don’t belong in this academy anymore. Levington wants to train me and show me how to use my wings. I can’t do that here,” I tell them.

“You’reourmate,” Theon grits out.

Cyrus’ grip tightens on my hand, and the others move even closer. “You can’t leave us,” he says before sharing a look of rage with the others. “How can the commander allow this?”

“I don’t think he has a choice,” I tell him, and they still.

Theon scans my face and whatever he sees makes him frown. “What are you not telling us?”

“They want me to leave after the war games. But they want you to come with me.”

Cyrus’ hand spasms around mine as the guys freeze, staring at me in shock.

“But you don’t have to come. I?—”

“We’re your mates. Where you go, we go.” Malakai shares a grim look with the others that makes my stomach churn.

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