Then I pushed.
Power burst from me in a single pulse, rippling through the room like a shockwave. There was no light, no sound, but I felt it wash over every body, every mind. All of them inhaled sharply, eyes sliding closed… and when they opened again, they wore that familiar dazed look.
“Alic,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “Look at me.”
I didn’t meet his gaze. Instead, I stared into the double mirror behind him, watching, waiting, for the illusion to take hold. I wanted to see who I became inhiseyes. What I turned into when stripped down to the truth onlyhecould see.
A ripple coursed through me, my heart pounding so violently I swore it might burst. I was changing. Morphing. But into what? What didhewant most in this world? What was I lacking that made me need to shift?
For a brief, panicked second, I regretted everything. This was reckless. I never should’ve done it. Should’ve left us all in this comfortable, chaotic limbo where I was prepared to let them go if a true mate ever surfaced.
“Open your eyes.” Alic’s voice cut through my spiral. I startled, realizing I had them screwed shut, too afraid to witness what I’d become, but he was right. I’d come this far. I couldn’t flinch now.
Slowly, I cracked them open and turned to the mirror. My body... it was stillme. Same curves. Same hair. Same face, but I wasn’t wearing my dress anymore. Instead, I stood in a delicate white lingerie set, lace hugging my heavy breasts, soft fabric clinging to my hips.
I recognized it immediately.
“It was the second night you tried to get me to come inside,” his voice soft, filled with adoration. “You changed tactics. Wore this to tempt me. Remember?”
God, did I. The memory slammed into me like a sucker punch. That night, I had pulled out all the stops. After my charm and teasing didn’t work, I went for determination cloaked as seduction. I stepped outside in this exact set and purred that I was cold and needed someone to warm me up. I’d even baked cookies. If the sex appeal failed, maybe sugar would save me.
I blinked at my reflection again. That meant… he desiredmemostand not some fantasy version of me. Not pieces of me and pieces that weren't. Not some physical form of redemption from his past. Just me.
This time, I looked up at him.
Alic was smiling,grinning, really, wearing a boyish, lovesick expression that made my knees a little weak.
“That night,” he murmured, “I almost broke. I was so close. I could smell the sweetness on your skin, and my mouth literally watered.”
I nearly giggled, warmth crawling up my spine.
The magic around us began to unravel, leaving the air feeling lighter. I stepped toward him, guiding his hands to my waist and tugging him down until we met. I cupped his face, grounding us in the moment.
“Thank you for finally giving in,” I whispered.
When our lips met, I felt the bond flare to life inside me, my tentative golden thread reaching out from my soul. His magicanswered it, winding around mine, and they twined together like they’d always belonged.
A soft moan escaped me as a fire lit along the base of my spine. The intoxicating sensation didn’t burn; it consumed. My knees went weak, my core clenched, and I knew we were bonded now.
I could feel his excitement, his determination for this to last forever through the bond, and I smiled against his mouth, pushing all of my heart back through the bond, hoping he could feel me just as I felt him.
When we finally broke apart, he exhaled like he’d just stepped into sunlight after far too long in the darkness. Our bodies still hummed with the afterglow.
He leaned in once more, brushing a kiss against my cheek.
“Thank you.”
Just two words, but they felt like a vow.
I held his face one last time, pressing my gratitude—my appreciation, my frustration, all of it—into my acknowledgment of him before I let go and turned to the next.
Van straightened the second I approached, posture rigid, eyes locked on mine like he was about to take a final exam. The tension radiating from him made my lips twitch. A laugh was threatening, but I smothered it.
“Relax,” I said gently. “Let the magic take over. Let it sink into your skin and show you.”
He nodded, jaw tight but gaze unwavering.
Another ripple of power washed over me, this one smoother, more precise. The transformation was instant.
