Page 40 of Collar Me Crazy
The way his pack had sacrificed themselves for him.
"If that's what it takes," he said quietly.
The hawk studied him for another moment, then spread her wings. "Good luck with that," she said, launching herself into thesky. "Humans never did understand that some things are worth more than survival."
As evening approached and the sanctuary's defenses hummed with new power, Ryker stood on his porch and looked toward town. Somewhere in those twinkling lights, Sonya was probably having dinner, or helping with preparations for whatever crisis was coming, or thinking about him the way he was thinking about her.
His wolf whined, wanting to go to her, to claim her completely and dare the universe to stop them. But his human heart, scarred by too much loss, whispered that loving someone meant being willing to let them go.
Even if it destroyed him in the process.
23
SONYA
The walk back to town felt longer than usual, November wind cutting through Ryker's flannel shirt that she'd kept wrapped around herself like armor. His scent clung to the fabric, making her wolf-claimed heart ache with every step.
She understood his fear. Really, she did. After what they'd shared, after the way he'd looked at her like she was his salvation and destruction rolled into one, of course he was terrified. But understanding didn't make his renewed distance hurt any less.
"There you are," Freya called as Sonya approached Bloom & Blossom. "I was starting to worry when you didn't show up this morning."
"Sorry. Had something to take care of." Sonya pushed through the shop's door, grateful for the warmth and the familiar scent of herbs. "What do you need help with?"
"Actually, I was hoping to pick your brain about something." Freya gestured toward the back room where several people were gathered around a table covered with books and papers. "We've been comparing notes about the magical disturbances, and some interesting patterns are emerging."
Sonya followed her, recognizing most of the faces around the table. Cora and Callum sat side by side, their usual easy intimacy subdued by worry. Kieran had his arm around Freya's waist, his hazel eyes sharp with concern. Emmett and Katniss occupied the far side of the table, while Lucien and Moira had claimed the chairs closest to the research materials.
"What kind of patterns?" Sonya asked, settling into an empty chair.
"Tell her what you told me," Freya said to Cora.
"It's about the timing of the ward failures," Cora began, consulting a handwritten list. "I've been tracking them against significant moments in our relationships, and there's definitely a correlation."
"What kind of moments?" Sonya asked, though she suspected she already knew.
"First kisses, first intimate encounters, official matings." Callum's voice was grim. "Every major milestone in our bonds corresponds with a spike in magical disturbances."
"But here's the thing," Katniss interjected, leaning forward. "The pattern isn't consistent across all couples. Some milestones barely register, while others cause massive fluctuations."
"Which ones cause the bigger problems?" Sonya asked.
"The ones involving the strongest alphas," Emmett said bluntly. "My bond with Katniss, Callum's with Cora, and now..."
"Now whatever's happening between you and Ryker," Moira finished gently. "We're not trying to blame anyone, but the evidence is pretty clear."
Sonya nodded, her mind already working through the implications. "So the more powerful the shifter, the more their mating affects the magical infrastructure."
"That's our theory," Lucien confirmed. "Which brings us to the real question. What do we do about it?"
"Have any of you considered that maybe we're looking at this backwards?" Sonya asked, an idea beginning to form.
"What do you mean?" Freya asked.
"I mean, what if the bonds aren't causing the problem? What if they're revealing it?" Sonya pulled one of the research books toward her, flipping through pages until she found the passage about the Void. "Look at this description again. 'It feeds on magical chaos, growing stronger with each barrier that falls.' What if it's been here all along, just waiting for enough power to manifest?"
"You're saying the mate bonds are like... bait?" Kieran's expression was skeptical.
"I'm saying they're a power source. The Void feeds on magical energy, right? And mated pairs generate a lot of magical energy. So instead of the bonds causing the Veil to collapse, what if theVoid is using that energy to break down the barriers from the inside?"
