"Dibs on killing him," Tyson said, sounding rumblier than he usually did.
All of us changed when we joined. Our bodies grew larger as we took on more characteristics of our dragons.
"Don't kill him until he explains this new power," I suggested to Tyson.
With a disappointed sigh, Tyson nodded. Justice's energy surged within our mate bond, and I was surprised that it was so strong. Turning to her, I noticed Jessa had one hand on my mate, holding her back.
Ah, right, the quad bond increased the need our mates felt to go to us.
"You can join with your mates as well,” Louis said, waving the women forward. “For this, we need the power of eight. Now that the final of your pack is connected, there are endless possibilities."
"How?" Braxton snapped, definitely not having a good day. “How the fuck do the eight of us bond?”
Louis didn't flinch. "How do the four of you bond the way you do? You’re made up of the impossible."
Decent point.
Before anyone else could argue, Louis gestured for our mates to come to us. Justice ducked under my arm, joining the other three in the middle of our power circle.
"Step back into your mate," Louis suggested, his head tilted to the side like he wasn't sure if that was right or not.
The second Justice touched me, our bond flared like a fucking firework, shooting up in the air between us. Ours wasn't the only one, as fireworks shot up between all the mated pairs until the sky was a veritable wash of sparkling energy.
"Did not expect that," Jessa deadpanned.
"Yep," Mischa said with a nod. "Me either."
I felt them all, their energy filtering through us, like my brothers’ but so much stronger. The eight of us were connected as a single unit of power, and my dragon surged up, forcing its way to the surface.
"Well, fuck," Jessa snorted, "looks like they're about to dragon out on us."
She knew us well enough to see what was happening, before there was any physical sign. As predicted, with a wash of power, the four of us shifted into a hybrid dragon form.
Our heights shot up, scales across our arms and foreheads, advanced senses, and an increase in power that would be dangerous in any other hands.
"Well, well, well," Justice said, eyes roving across me as desire drenched her voice. "I have to say, this is a change I can get behind."
Grace barked out a laugh from beside her. "Girl, me too. I'm never going to complain when our mates get even hotter."
"I'm into the dragon man vibe," Jessa added.
"Oh yeah," Grace agreed, watching her mate with hungry eyes.
"No time for that," Louis chimed in with a chuckle of his own. "We have a world to save, and time is running out."
He opened a step-through, and when it flared to life I released my hold on my brothers. The bond that had sprung up didn't fade, our dragons remaining in control as the power of eight cemented between us.
I’d grown used to the power of four; this new surge of energy in our eight was enough to have my teeth aching.
Justice remained close beside me as we followed Braxton and Jessa through the step-through—each looked back for a second before they crossed, and I wondered if they were thinking of their children. All of us worried about our young and if we’d make it back, but it was so much worse for their parents. Maximus and Mischa too.
This shit had to fucking stop.
We’ll see them again,Braxton growled in my head, and I nodded.
Yes, brother. You will.
Jessa's wolf added her growl through our bond, words seemingly beyond her. Her message was clear though: momma wolf was making it back to her babies.
