Page 9 of A Fate of Ice and Lies (Fated #1)

When she drew us into her room, I led her to the bed where she sat on the edge. From where I stood in her room, I felt my uncle and friends rest their hands on my shoulders back at the store.

My magic swirled around us in a silver flame, and within seconds, I had all of us in our actual bodies in her room and her sitting on her bed.

She let the blanket I’d given her drop as she ran her hand over her covers.

I shuddered at what I had to do next.

Uncle Hudson looked at me with concern on his aging face. I shook it away, determined to focus solely on Teddy since this was the only interaction I’d ever have with her.

“You’ll do this?” I asked him.

He gave me a grave nod.

My heart hammered in my chest when I knelt in front of Teddy, the other half of my soul.

I took her hand in mine and watched her eyes open in surprise as I kissed each knuckle.

“You are my greatest weakness, and even after you forget me, I will look after you,” I swore.

Her brows knit together in confusion. “Forget you?”

I peered up at my uncle, who closed his eyes. The threads of his magic swirled around her as he used his magic to make her mind sluggish so that this next part would be easier for her.

Her eyes grew hazy, her head heavy, making her sway.

At that moment, her friend hurried into her room, all scrambling long legs like a fawn learning to walk.

A creature followed her and bellowed out a strange but worried cry.

Her friend let out a frightened gasp and started to shout what I’m sure was Teddy’s name.

Although I tried not to pay attention to her, I knew one of my friends held on to Ryenne so she couldn’t run.

Which I was sure would be yet another thing Teddy feared about me.

Ryenne let out a muffled shriek, and George yelped. Brenton took charge while George shook his hand out and glared at Ryenne while Everly drew the female’s hands behind her back and clasped them together.

“Teddy!” Ryenne shouted.

Teddy’s unfocused gaze turned to her curvy, yellow-haired friend, who stomped on Everly’s foot and shoved her shoulder against Brenton hard enough to shift his weight.

I scented Teddy’s fear although she barely moved more than a small tick on her chin.

Reaching inside me, I used my own magic to subdue her and tipped Teddy’s face back to me while my friends dealt with the other female.

Her eyes bounced across my face, but I felt the unease filter from her rigid shoulders.

At that moment, I hated myself more than she could ever fear me.

More, I disgusted myself, but I had to calm her.

Had to ease her pain and confusion. What I did next was the punishment I deserved.

Not Teddy. I could never deserve Teddy, which was probably why the Guardians granted me a mate that I was never supposed to reach .

“Tell me you reject me, Teddy.” I ripped the words from my soul.

Her brows shot up, but when she opened her mouth, she said, “I reject you, Elias.”

Something beyond grief, beyond pain burned through me.

“You reject me as your mate.”

Her throat bobbed. “I reject you as my mate.”

I wanted to roar, to scream until my throat was raw. But nothing came, not even tears. Fear like nothing I’d ever felt before sliced into my heart. With all these emotions running through my mind, I felt myself fall into a dark void I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to claw my way out of.

At that moment, I knew nothing was left of me.

I squeezed her hand, and when I stood, I kissed her temple—allowing myself to linger before I left her.

“She can’t remember this night, and please, Uncle, don’t let her feel this pain,” I said, rubbing my palm against my hollow chest as I headed out of her room. “Erase me from her memory.”

I asked Brenton to use his magic to do the same with Teddy’s friend and to clean up any blood I might have missed on Teddy. With those orders, I left without bothering to look in the other female’s direction.

“As you wish, Elias,” Uncle Hudson said.

I barely registered the hint of pride in his voice.

All I felt was what I’d lost.

A familiar thunder pounded as I stepped outside, and a quick flash of lightning ignited the sky. George stood beside me, his jaw open, staring at the sky with me.

“Thunderbirds,” he said in disbelief.

I released the restraint around my primal instincts to see and hear better. Keeping my attention sharp, I angled my head to the side.

“Only one,” I replied with a growl.

Without another word, I tore through Teddy’s woods, watching as luscious green trees gave way to dead, empty branches.

The frost from my realm consumed the forest, claiming one tree at a time.

The warmth I’d stepped into when I came to the human realm was replaced with a cold bite that felt harsher than the cold of my world.

Disgusted with myself and what I’d done to this world, I hunted down the thunderbird. Her death would be swift. Merciful.

A contrast to the slow death I’d brought into this human realm. To the slow death I’d gifted myself by forcing Teddy to reject me.

So many fae found their soul-bound mates and fell in love with ease. Not me. I had the rest of my life knowing exactly where Teddy was while knowing I could never have her as mine. She had been my one chance at love, and I’d ruined it.

But as I promised her, I’d watch over her. Take care of her through the endless winter her realm would now face.

All while knowing that the more I repressed this fractured bond that still ripped through my soul, the more my desire for her would grow.