Page 16 of Burdened Bonds

Yes. The answer is yes. I could do anything for this girl. I would do anything. I’ve already given her my life. Anything else seems inconsequential.

I raise my gaze back up to Spencer. He’s watching me with trepidation.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”

“Youdidn’t tellme,” he points out.

“I didn’t know what to make of it at first. I was too caught up worrying about myself and my reputation to realize–”

“Just how amazing she is?” Winnie snarks.

“Yes,” I say, meeting her eyes. “Yes.”

“And what’s your excuse?” Winnie turns and directs her attention at Spencer.

“Excuse? I don’t have an excuse.”

“You left the academy. Left your mate. You good as rejected her.”

“She’s better off without me. And I didn’t reject her. She rejected me. She had her chance to stop me and she didn’t.”

“Are you surprised after the way you treated her? And what do you mean you’re not good enough? You think any of these clowns are good enough for Rhi?” she says, sweeping her arm around us all.

Spencer peers at me, then Azlan. “I’m a danger to her.”

“I think Rhi has done a pretty good job of handling you, Spencer Moreau.”

“You don’t understand,” he says sulkily.

“Try me,” she says.

“I think you should,” Azlan says. “If we’re going to work together to find Rhi, she’s right. We need to be upfront and honest.”

Spencer works his jaw as if he finds it difficult to say the words. “I’m a werebeast.”

Ellie gasps and Trent curses under his breath.

Winnie Wence, however, strides towards him and thumps him hard on the chest with her fists. Spencer doesn’t even flinch.

“You attacked her! You attacked Rhi! It was you!”

“I didn’t attack her. It was the beast, and he wasn’t going to harm her.”

“Wasn’t going to harm her?!” Stone spits. “You know how many grazes and claws marks I had to treat on her body?!”

“We’re one being,” Spencer says. “If I’m her fated mate, then so is he, and he would never harm his mate. In fact, we hitched a ride on the tail of a fucking dragon to ensure we got back here to protect her.”

We’re all silent taking in this piece of information. Then finally, the professor huffs out air through his teeth.

“Is there anything else? Any other bits of information or secrets that we need to know about? Kennedy – do you have a second dick for instance?”

“Only one on his head,” Winnie mutters.

“Rhianna can wield crimson magic,” I tell them all.

“Wh … holy crap!” Winnie gasps. It’s one bit of information it seems her best friend hasn’t shared with her, although neither Stone nor Azlan seem shocked by this news.

“That’s … are you sure?” Ellie says, alarm in her eyes.