"I feel... good," I say, surprised by how true it is. "Better than good, actually. I feel strong."
The relief that washes over their faces is almost comical in its synchronicity.
"You scared the shit out of us," Sean says, pushing Rowan out of the way so he can cuddle up at my side. "You've been out for like, fourteen hours."
"Fourteen hours?" I echo, stunned. That's longer than I've slept in... well, possibly ever.
"The ritual took a lot out of you," Micah explains, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Villeneuve said it was normal, but..."
"But we've been worried anyway," Rowan finishes, his voice steady but his eyes betraying his concern.
“More like losing our shit,” Sean says, earning a collective glare from the others. “What? It’s true!”
I look at Killian, noting the dark circles under his eyes. "Did you sleep at all?"
He shrugs, a small, dismissive gesture. "Enough."
"None of us did," Sean corrects. "Well, maybe like an hour here and there, but we've been taking shifts watching you. And cleaning the whole frat house."
"Needed somewhere to expend the panic energy," Rowan mumbles, raking a hand through his dark hair.
Warmth spreads through me at the thought of them keeping vigil, protecting me even in sleep. It could feel invasive, having four massive wolves watching me while I'm unconscious, but instead it feels right. Safe.
"I'm sorry I worried you," I say, reaching up to touch my neck again. The bite marks are tender but not painful, and I can feel a subtle pulse of energy flowing through them, connecting me to each wolf in turn. "So it worked? The bond?"
"It worked," Killian confirms, his mouth curving into a smile that's equal parts relieved and possessive. "You're officially our Bonded. Our mate."
Our mate.
The words echo in my mind, and this time, I don't feel the instinctive urge to deny them. After what we shared during the ritual—the mingling of consciousness, the flood of emotions, the absolute certainty I felt from each of them—there's no point in questioning it anymore. They are my mates, and I'm theirs. The universe, in its infinite wisdom or twisted humor, has bound us together.
And I'm weirdly okay with that.
"How's your energy level?" Micah asks, studying me with curiosity in his gaze. "Can you feel the difference in the bond compared to your coven?"
I close my eyes, focusing inward. The bond with Kyle's coven had been like a tether—a single cord connecting me to a collective energy source, with Kyle as the gatekeeper, controlling how much power flowed to me.
This is... completely different. It's not a tether but a web, connecting me to each wolf individually while also linking us all together. And there's no gatekeeper. The energy flows freely between us, a constant exchange rather than a controlled distribution.
"It's nothing like the coven bond," I admit, opening my eyes. "It's stronger. More balanced. I can feel each of you separately, but also... together? It's hard to explain."
"You don't have to explain," Rowan says gently. "We feel it too."
"Are you hungry?" Sean asks, leaping up abruptly and already halfway to the door by the time he finishes the question. "You must be starving after the magical five-way. I'll make pancakes. Or eggs. Or both."
My stomach growls in response, and I realize I am ravenous.
"Definitely both," he says, grinning.
"Both sounds amazing, actually."
"I'll help," Micah volunteers, following Sean.
“More like supervise,” Killian mutters. “Sean thinks butter is a food group.”
"You should drink something first," Rowan says, handing me a glass of water from the night stand. "Hydration is important after magic that intense."
I take the glass gratefully, draining it in long gulps. The water is cool and refreshing, and I hadn't realized how thirsty I was until the first sip touched my lips.
