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Theon tilted his head to the side, twining a curl around his finger. “Axel and Luka want to play cards.”

“I don’t want to play cards.”

“You can’t be in the bedroom by yourself, beautiful.” His other hand dropped to her hip, tugging her into him, and she sucked in a sharp breath.

For a long moment, she held his gaze, and Theon held his breath, waiting for her answer.

“I’d like to change,” she finally said, breaking his stare.

“All right.”

Theon stepped back, and she instantly wrapped her arms around herself.

He pulled out a pair of leggings and a tank top, adding one of his own thermals to the top. “In case you’re cold,” he said when she looked at him in confusion.

She nodded, moving forward to grab the clothing and retreating into the bathroom. Theon changed in the dressing room, giving her plenty of time to get changed in the other room. When he came out to the bedroom, she was sitting in front of the fireplace.

“You don’t have to play cards, but I can’t have you in here by yourself,” he said, holding a hand out to her.

“I understand,” she answered, reaching out and letting him pull her to her feet.

He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, searching her eyes. “Tessa,” he breathed. “Just accept the bond. This can all stop.”

“Do you think I’m not trying?” she asked, her voice cracking the slightest amount, but he heard it. “Do you think I do not recognize how much simpler things could be? Do you think I enjoy the agony that comes from not fully submitting to this?”

“What is holding you back? What do I need to do? Tell me, Tessa. Name it, and it is done,” he said, his hands framing her face.

She stared back at him, and for just a second, the façade slipped. He saw so many emotions swirling in her eyes, but there was something else there too. A flash of something. Before he could study it more, she blinked, and her newfound docile demeanor was back in place. The only sound was the soft pattering of the rain outside as they stared at each other.

“You’ve done enough,” she finally said. “Please just let me figure it out on my own.”

She pulled free of him and walked out to the main room. When Theon followed, she was already curling up in the bay window, staring out at the raindrops trickling down the glass. Luka was bringing her a blanket while Axel was shuffling cards at the table.

They hadn’t even completed two hands when her breathing shifted. Theon glanced over to find her sleeping, her head propped against the glass.

“She was exhausted,” Luka said, dealing the next hand.

“It was a long day for her,” Theon confirmed. “A lot of adjustments.”

“I told you on the drive here that this would break her.”

“She is not going to break,” Theon ground out. “I just wish I knew what was holding her back from accepting this.”

“It’s who she is, Theon,” Luka said. “The sooner you accept that, the easier this whole thing will become.”

“I don’t know how many times we are going to have this conversation, Luka,” Theon snarled. “We cannot undo this. The only thing that can break the bond is death.”

“Would you undo it?” Axel suddenly chimed in. “If you could go back and change things, would you? Would you pick a different Source?”

Theon looked over at the Fae sleeping in the window. A female he’d only known a handful of days, but the mere idea of her not being here made him irrationally angry. Maybe it was the Source bond. It didn’t really matter. He’d felt drawn to her the moment he’d stepped foot inside that alcove. Fuck, he’d felt drawn to her from the moment she’d become a possible Source option. Why else had he refused to rule her out despite Luka and Axel’s very sound reasoning? He’d call it fate, but the Fates cared for their world as much as the gods did.

“No,” he finally answered, picking up his cards. “No. I wouldn’t pick someone else. Because just like she believes, I’m a bastard, and I can’t let her go now that I have her.”

14

TESSA

Three days.