“I’m not going to keep my distance from you. Regardless of whether we’re together or not, we’re still friends,” she insisted.
“But we can’t get back together. Not like this.” I threw my arms wide. “Look at me, Emma. I’m a mess. I’m in no state to be with anyone. Especially not someone I never deserved in the first place.”
It was then she started to fall apart. She reached out for me, trying to bridge the gap between us. “Ethan, I love you, I—”
I grabbed her wrists, to hold her back. Her touching me was something I could no longer bear, because once she did, I’d collapse at her feet. “Emma, if this demon gets his hold on me, I’m not coming back. Once that happens, he can use me to hurt you through the magic that connects us. You have to swear to me you’ll break our bond. Refuse my offer as your mate, so you can save yourself.”
She wrenched away violently, injured by my rejection. “I’m not keeping that promise.”
“You have to.Onawilke, I’m begging.”
Her eyes flickered, considering the option. I could tell the moment her mind shoved it away. “I’m not giving up on you,” she said. “We’ll find a way out of this.”
“It’s not your job to save me. Women aren’t rehabilitation centers for broken men,onawilke. And Emma, I’m broken. Let me go.”
“I’m not going to save you. I’m going to help you save yourself,” she said firmly. “We may never be together again. I’m not sure if I want you anymore.”
I felt the bond between us blaze as she added, “But by the life of the gods, Iwill notlet you die.”
She shoved me away and stormed past. Once her presence deserted me, the light in my life left and the darkness swarmed in, covering my spirit in a heavy shroud of despair. It was like once she walked out, the demon walked in.
The leshane was oddly quiet. I jumped at the chance to get a few more seconds of reprieve, some peace. I’d had none in the passing months.
Finally, the monster spoke.She’s not willing to give you up, he said.A game of tug-of-war. It’ll be fun to see who loses.
My lips twisted into a snarl as the leshane fell silent. I refused to allow this demon to toy with her. Emma was off-limits. He would not touch my mate.
I would rather die first. But I wouldn’t go down without one hell of a fight.
Chapter Two
Emma
I’d never thought I’d feel so numb in all my life. But that was the consequence of losing your mate.
It was warm for fall in Malovia, but that didn’t stop the chill that permeated my heart as I walked the halls of Arcanea University. The entire summer had felt like winter within me. Everything was so bitter and dead inside.
I’d had hope. I thought that after a few months apart, Ethan might’ve come to his senses, and we could work things out.
Then he dropped a bomb by telling me he was possessed, and he had no intention of getting back together with me ever again. Boom. There he went again, obliterating my love for him in one giant blast.
The situation was worse than I thought. If we didn’t get rid of this demon, there wouldn’tbean Ethan left anymore.
There’d only be the leshane.
I tried to knock myself out of it. I couldn’t think that way. Whether Ethan and I were destined to be together, or whether we were broken up for good, I couldn’t allow him to suffer that way. I might not be his girlfriend any longer, or his fiancé, but I still loved him.
I’d mused all summer if I should break our bond or not, going back and forth on the choice. It was clear now wasn’t the right time to make that decision. Our bond was the only thing keeping Ethan tethered to reality. Once I broke it, the demon would take over… and he’d be gone.
To be honest, I resented that. If Ethan and I weren’t meant to be, I wanted to break our bond and move on. I didn’t want to cling to a relationship that wasn’t going anywhere.
But this bastard demon wasn’t giving me that chance. Ethan needed me.
Yet I needed to work on myself, too. The events of the past year barely had me knowing who I was anymore. I couldn’t help Ethan if I was lost myself.
And I was definitely missing who I used to be.
Delmare, Odette, and Kiara were hunched over a magazine in the corner of the Rec Room. None of us were in our school uniforms— it was the weekend, so we weren’t required to wear them. I felt relief when I saw them; no matter what happened between Ethan and I, they’d always be my friends.
