Slade’s gaze slammed into mine, the biting green of his eyes darker than usual. A spaceship could have landed on my foot and I wouldn’t have been able to look away from him. The knowledge that there was only one way to complete a quintet like ours flowed in the air between us, and Slade wouldn’t have used those words mistakenly.
He was ready for the full bond, and I was hyperventilating at the very thought of finally,finallygetting my hands on that god of a shifter.
Would I survive the experience?Probably.
Would I be forever changed by the experience?Absolutely.
“Agreed,” Hunter said abruptly. “So, let’s get moving so we can face this next battle at full strength.”
His hand landed on the back of my neck, and I shivered at the possessive grip. He slowly dragged me into his side, until I was encased in heat and the scent of coffee and chocolate. His hold remained solid as we entered the hut, which was octagonal in shape with light, wood paneled walls and low ceilings. The alphas had to duck through the doorway, and then once we were inside, the space shrank around their huge bodies.
“Cozy,” I murmured, taking it all in.
Kellan smirked lazily. “There’s a reason for that.”
Anticipation had me quivering in Hunter’s hold, and when the alphas started to move in a circle around me, my pulse raced. Hunter was the last to step back, leaving me in their center.
“You don’t technically need to be here for this,” the entitled alpha murmured, his voice low and deep. It echoed around the room, and my beast howled in response. “As you’re the central, and we bite you to seal our bonds. But we want you here today.”
“It will add strength,” Slade confirmed.
Talon, Finley, and Kellan remained quiet, but all three of them kept their focus on me, and there was a sense of family, love, and acceptance in this sacred space.
A sense of finally finding my place in the world.
“I want to be here,” I whispered, my gaze moving between all five. “I want to feel you bring Talon in as the final piece of our pack.”
Intense violet, green, black, grey, and amber stares met mine, and I was suddenly breathless. Hunter broke the moment to light the five candles already set out on small stands around the room. As they burned, an earthy scent filled the hut, holding hints of lavender and pine.
With the final wick alight, a weighty pressure fell over us, and Hunter returned to his place in the circle. “Bond magic is as ancient as our kind,” he started, “born from the first shifters, who were cursed by the witches themselves. We stand here today, brothers by choice, with our beasts connected in essence.”
The five alphas closed in until their shoulders touched, and I ended up facing Slade and Hunter. The dragon showed no sign of discomfort as he pressed against Hunter and Finley.
As their scents mixed with the burning candles, my head turned light and floaty. Hunter started to chant, and I had no idea what language he spoke in, but it wasn’t English. It sounded like a spell, but there was no residual sulfur to accompany it. All five alphas joined in on the second round, but this time it was in English. “Beast of my beast. Heart of my heart. Bond of our soul. Essence never to be torn apart.”
They switched to the other language, and this time I was sure magic coated these words. I might hate witches, but our two races were intrinsically tied together, whether we wanted to be or not.
Through the bonds I held to most of the alphas, I felt their essences pulsating, and I found myself reaching out to stroke the one that felt like Finley. The bear’s eyes turned molten as he attempted to step toward me, only to be stopped by Hunter’s growl.
“Don’t break the circle yet,” our entitled alpha said with a shake of his head. “The ritual isn’t complete.”
Finley huffed, his restless gaze on me, and I very much enjoyed his flushed cheeks and blown pupils… My bear was aroused.
My gaze slid down to find his blue suit was useless at hiding an erection. Though, it wasn’t really the suit’s fault, since the bear was bigallover.
“Ice,” he warned, his voice a rasp. “Baby. I only have so much control.”
Pressing my lips together, I worked as hard as I could not to smile, but fuck… the power at my fingertips was next-level.
“What did she do?” Kellan piped up, looking between the two of us, his expression filled with curiosity. “Come on, pretty mate. Show the class.”
Okay then, Golden.I stroked his connection, without even having to lift my hand or touch the bite. Kellan’s affability instantly morphed into a groan; he too tried to break the circle, and got stopped by the others.
“Snow,” Slade warned. “No more until we finish our bonding.”
A pout formed on my lips, which brought a dark smile from him. “Brats get punished,” he murmured, and there was so much promise in that statement that I had to press my thighs together once more.
All of the alphas released pained sounds this time, and it was absolutely thanks to my scent exploding through the room. “Your faults,” I muttered, trying to think unsexy thoughts.
