Page 19 of Faeheart
Wild’s expression softened slightly. “I want you to stop hating yourself for being human.”
“I’m not human,” I said automatically, the correction falling from my lips before I could stop it. “I’m a witch.”
Wild rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean. Stop hating yourself for having wants and needs that don’t fit into your parents’ perfect little box.”
I stepped back, putting distance between us, but he followed. “You don’t understand. My family?—”
“Your family isn’t here,” he interrupted, his voice taking on an edge. “It’s just us. Just you, me, and Caden trying to figure out how to live with this bond without killing each other.”
“And how’s that working out?” I asked bitterly. “We can barely be in the same room without fighting or...” I trailed off, not wanting to voice what the alternative was.
“Or what?” Wild pressed, moving closer again. “Or wanting to rip each other’s clothes off? Because that’s what this is really about, isn’t it? You’re terrified that you might actually want me.”
My back hit the wall, and I realized he’d been steadily backing me into the corner. “I don’t?—”
“Feel this,” he said, placing his hand flat against my chest. The contact sent electricity shooting through me, our magic responding immediately to the touch. “Feel how our power wants to merge. Feel how right this is, even when everything else is chaos. That has to mean something.”
I could feel it. The way his wild fae energy called to something deep inside me, something that had been lockedaway for so long I’d forgotten it existed. It was terrifying and exhilarating and completely beyond my control.
“This is insane,” I breathed, but I didn’t push him away.
“Good,” Wild murmured, his face inches from mine. “Insane is better than whatever repressed nightmare you’ve been living.”
Before I could respond, the door burst open and Caden stumbled in, his hair mussed and his lips swollen. He stopped short when he saw us, his eyes widening.
“Oh,” he said, his cheeks flushing red. “I can come back later?—”
“No,” I said quickly, pushing Wild away and straightening my shirt. “We were just... discussing the bond.”
Caden’s eyebrows rose. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
Wild laughed, the sound rich and unrepentant. “Elias was just having some revelations about his sexuality. Very educational.”
“I hate you,” I muttered, but there was less venom in it than usual.
“No,” Wild said, his green eyes sparkling with mischief and something deeper. “You really don’t.” He tapped the crystal hanging around his neck. “I can feel it.”
“You two didn’t kill each other, did you?” Atlas asked, his deep voice filling the room as he stepped in behind Caden.
“Not yet,” Wild grinned. “There’s still daylight left though, so don’t count your chickens yet.”
Atlas raised an eyebrow, his keen werewolf senses no doubt picking up on the charged atmosphere in the room. “Right. Well, I brought you all dinner.” He held up a bag from the campus dining hall. “Figured you three might be too busy... bonding... to remember to eat.”
“Thanks,” Caden said, shooting me an apologetic look. “We should probably all eat together, anyway. Professor Blackwoodsaid maintaining the connection works better when we’re in close proximity.”
Wild flopped back onto his bed with theatrical flair. “Great. More forced family time with Mr. Sunshine over there.”
I bristled at the nickname but found myself oddly disappointed when he moved away. The absence of his presence felt like a sudden drop in temperature, and I had to resist the urge to move closer again.
Atlas unpacked the food with efficient movements, laying out containers on Caden’s desk. “So, how are you three handling this whole situation? Really?”
“Terribly,” I said at the same time Wild said, “Fantastic.”
Caden sighed, settling cross-legged on his bed. “It’s... complicated. The emotional bleed-through is intense. Sometimes I can’t tell which feelings are mine and which are theirs.”
“Tell me about it,” I muttered, accepting a container of what looked like shepherd’s pie from Atlas. “It’s like having two very loud roommates living in my head.”
“Only two?” Wild asked with mock hurt. “I feel like I’m hosting a whole fucking convention in here. Elias’s anxiety, Caden’s horniness for his werewolf boyfriend, my own natural state of chaos...”
