“What was that?” I finally manage, my voice wrecked.
“You fed from us,” Stellan says quietly, and I can hear the awe in his voice. “Both of us. And then you sent it to all of them.”
“What?! I didn’t mean to—”
“You needed to.” Wes moves up beside me, his hand gentle on my face, thumb brushing my cheekbone. “Your Ether knew what to do.”
I close my eyes, feeling the bonds hum contentedly in my chest. They’re all there—warm and bright and whole. Connected.
“They’re going to know,” I whisper. “They’re going to know what we just—”
“Good,” Wes says simply.
When I open my eyes, I catch the way Stellan is looking at Wes—something raw and unguarded in his expression that I’ve never seen before. And the way Wes holds his gaze, unflinching, a slow understanding passing between them.
Something shifts in the air. Unspoken but undeniable.
“We’re really back,” I whisper.
Stellan’s hand finds mine, threading our fingers together. His voice is rough when he speaks.
“We’re really back.”
Chapter 12
Theo
The kitchen smells like butter and coffee. Jace is at the stove flipping pancakes, talking over his shoulder to Rhett who’s nursing coffee at the table. Seth leans against the counter by the window, quiet like he’s been since we got here.
The spatula clanks against the pan. Rhett mutters something about burnt butter. And then the vision hits me without warning—pleasure, feeding, connection. Her Ether surging outward. It’s—
“Oh fuck.”
Chapter 13
Rhett
The bond flares white-hot and I’m gripping the table, flames racing up my arms as her pleasure crashes through me like wildfire. The coffee in my mug boils over.
Chapter 14
Jace
My knees buckle and the spatula hits the floor. I’m clutching the counter, gasping, and all I can think is: I will never look at pancakes the same way again.
Chapter 15
Seth
The surge slams into me and I don’t understand—I’m on my knees, overwhelmed, feeling her like she’s right here even though she’s not. What the hell just happened?
Chapter 16
Gray
The pleasure crashes through me so suddenly I yelp—like some kicked puppy—and collapse onto the grass behind the house. My whole body shudders, paws scrabbling against the ground, and I feel her everywhere. Feel what she’s doing. Feel who she’s with.
Oh god.
