Page 23 of Faeheart (Widdershins Supernatural Academy #2)

Elias

I t had been three days since Wild and I chose to give our bond a shot.

Caden and Atlas had done their best to give us space, but I was still feeling too nervous to push things very far.

Of course, that didn’t stop me from sleeping next to Wild every night with a raging hard-on.

Wild was just as horny as I was, but he was a gentleman too, always patient as I tried to find my courage.

Usually, we ended up jerking off together with some light touching, but I hadn’t been able to go any further than that.

For some reason I thought the first time I had sex, the nervousness would just disappear.

Forever . But instead, I found it to be the ever-present irritation at the back of my mind.

My brain kept trying to convince me that my attraction to him was wrong, that it wasn’t allowed.

I knew that was my upbringing talking, a sense of impropriety infecting every selfish urge I’d ever had.

But I wasn’t going to let it win. I needed some time to work through it, that was all.

Wild, sensing my internal struggle through our bond, had been nothing but understanding.

He never pushed or made me feel inadequate for my hesitation.

Instead, he’d taken to leaving little gifts on my pillow.

Fae flowers that glowed softly in the dark, crystallized dewdrops that tasted like summer mornings, small tokens that said I’m thinking of you without any pressure attached.

This morning was different, though. I woke to find Wild already dressed and sitting by the window, the emerald journal open in his lap. Pale morning light streamed through the glass, catching the copper highlights in his hair and making him look ethereal.

“Morning,” I murmured, stretching beneath the silk sheets.

He looked up with a smile that sent warmth cascading through our bond. “Good morning, beautiful. Sleep well?”

The casual endearment still made my heart skip, even after three days of hearing it. “Better than I have in weeks. What are you reading?”

Wild’s expression grew thoughtful as he closed the journal. “More of Sorrel’s notes about the soul recognition process. Apparently, there are... stages to it.”

I sat up, suddenly more alert. “What kind of stages?”

“Well, we’ve already experienced the initial recognition - that overwhelming buzzing sensation when we look at each other.

” His fingers absently traced the journal’s leather binding.

“According to this, the next stage involves what he calls ‘emotional synchronization.’ Our feelings start aligning more closely, boundaries between our individual consciousness becoming more fluid.”

Through our bond, I could sense his mixture of fascination and apprehension at the prospect. It mirrored my own complicated feelings perfectly.

“And after that?” I asked, though part of me dreaded the answer.

“Physical manifestation of the bond. Which means...” He gestured vaguely at himself. “My fae form will start asserting itself more strongly. I’ll have less control over when the changes occur.”

I’d only caught glimpses of Wild’s true fae nature, the way his eyes glowed when his emotions ran high, how flowers seemed to bloom brighter in his presence, the otherworldly grace that marked his movements. The thought of seeing him fully transformed was both thrilling and intimidating.

“Is that why you’ve been so patient with me?” I asked quietly. “Because you’re waiting for these stages to progress naturally?”

Wild set the journal aside and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from his skin.

“I’m patient with you because I care about you, Elias.

Not because of some mystical timeline.” His hand found mine beneath the covers.

“But I won’t lie. Knowing there’s a natural progression takes some of the pressure off. We don’t have to force anything.”

Relief flooded through me at his words. The bond between us pulsed gently, carrying his sincerity and affection in waves that made my chest tight with emotion.

“Thank you,” I whispered, bringing his hand to my lips and pressing a soft kiss against his knuckles. “For understanding.”

“Always,” Wild replied, his green eyes crinkling at the corners. “Besides, I’m enjoying the slow build. Makes everything more... intense when we do get there.”

The heat in his gaze sent a shiver down my spine, and through our bond, I felt his desire kindle in response to mine.

It was still strange, this constant feedback loop of emotions and sensations, but I was starting to find comfort in it rather than anxiety.

Besides, I liked feeling those twitches in his jeans.

They turned me on far more than I wanted to admit.

“Speaking of intense,” Wild continued, standing reluctantly, “Caden and Atlas want us to try some serious magical practice today. Apparently, Atlas found something in the crimson journal about tetrad battle magic.”

I groaned, falling back against the pillows. “Do we have to? We’ve been practicing non-stop.”

“The faster we master this, the sooner we can focus on more... pleasurable activities.” Wild waggled his eyebrows suggestively, making me laugh despite my reluctance.

“Fine,” I conceded, throwing back the covers. “Give me fifteen minutes to shower.”

Wild’s eyes darkened as they traced over my sleep-rumpled form, lingering on the obvious bulge in my boxers. “Need any help with that?”

For a moment, I was tempted. The thought of Wild’s hands on me, of water cascading over both our bodies... but my familiar anxiety resurfaced, dampening the spark before it could fully ignite.

“Maybe next time,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment in myself.

Wild just smiled, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead. “I’ll save you some breakfast. The ethereal servants have been working at it all morning. I could smell it wafting up through the halls.”

After he left, I stood under the shower’s hot spray, trying to sort through my tangled emotions.

Why was I still holding back? Wild had made it clear he wanted me.

I certainly wanted him. We’d already been intimate in several ways, yet something still stopped me from taking that final step.

I didn’t know if it was the finalization of our bond that scared me or just plain performance anxiety.

He clearly liked my cock, but I had zero practice using it.

After his years of fae-fueled orgies, wouldn’t I just be a disappointment to him?

By the time I made it downstairs to the kitchen, the others were already finishing their breakfast. Atlas was gesturing animatedly, his massive hands sketching patterns in the air as he explained something to Caden and Wild. There was half a sausage still hanging out of his mouth as he spoke.

“—and if we position ourselves at the cardinal points, the power should flow in a perfect circuit,” he was saying as I entered.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Caden greeted me with a warm smile. “We saved you some of everything.”

The plate waiting for me held what looked like ordinary pancakes, but they shimmered with an iridescent glow and smelled like nothing I’d ever encountered before.

It was a mix of honey, wildflowers, and something indefinably magical.

Next to it was another plate filled entirely with meats, clearly Atlas’s contribution to my nutrition. It was adorable.

“Thanks,” I said, sliding into the empty chair beside Wild. His hand immediately found my knee under the table, a casual touch that sent warmth spreading through me. “What’s this about cardinal points?”

Atlas pushed the crimson journal toward me, and I looked down at the open page. It showed intricate diagrams of four figures positioned at what appeared to be the cardinal directions, with lines of magical energy flowing between them in complex patterns.

“Tetrad combat formations,” Atlas explained, swallowing the rest of his sausage. “According to this, when we position ourselves correctly and synchronize our magical signatures, we can create a power matrix that’s exponentially stronger than anything we’ve managed so far.”

I studied the diagrams more closely, my academic mind immediately drawn to the mathematical precision of the formations.

“It’s based on sacred geometry,” I murmured, tracing one of the energy patterns with my finger.

“Each position corresponds to our individual magical natures, but the real power comes from the intersection points.”

“Exactly,” Caden said, leaning forward with excitement.

“And look at this part.” He pointed to a passage written in what appeared to be multiple languages.

“It says that once we master the basic formation, we can layer different types of magic on top of each other. Defensive shields, offensive strikes, even healing energies.”

Wild squeezed my knee, his enthusiasm bleeding through our bond. “We could actually stand a chance against the Purity Front if we can pull this off.”

The thought sobered me immediately. Despite our attempts to focus on our relationships and bond development, the reality of our situation was never far from my mind. The Purity Front was still out there, still growing stronger, still hunting people like us.

“There’s just one problem,” Atlas said, his expression growing serious. “The formation requires complete trust and synchronization between all four participants. Any hesitation or emotional barriers could cause the entire matrix to collapse. Or worse, backfire.”

I felt my stomach clench as his words sank in. Through our bond, I sensed Wild’s immediate understanding of the implication. My ongoing struggles with intimacy and trust weren’t just affecting our personal relationship anymore, they could potentially endanger all of us.

“Maybe we should wait,” I said quietly, pushing my plate away despite having barely touched the magical pancakes. “Until I can get my head sorted out.”