Page 48 of Faeheart (Widdershins Supernatural Academy #2)

My stomach dropped. Through our bond, I felt my mates’ similar dread as we waited for whatever verdict had been reached about our lives.

“They want to study us,” I said flatly. “Turn us into some kind of magical experiment.”

“No,” Professor Blackwood replied. “They want you to disappear.”

I stared at her in disbelief. “They… They’re going to kill us?”

“Not exactly,” she said, shaking her head.

“They want you to go back to the mansion in the Veil and stay there without finishing your education at the Academy. And they are willing to cover all your needs for the rest of your lives. Anything you want will be delivered to the mansion without question.”

“What’s the catch?” Wild scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You have to be ready to fight again,” she said, looking at each of us in turn. “Against the Purity Front or any other group that would be considered a threat to the paranormal world.”

“A life of luxury,” Caden sighed. “In exchange for being on-call soldiers for the rest of our lives. Great.”

“Caden and I already have a house waiting for us,” Atlas said. “A gift from my father. And I’m expected to run the pack when he retires. I can’t just leave all that behind.”

“I’m not sure you have much choice, Mr. Faolan,” the professor sighed.

“The Elder Council’s decisions are absolute.

Neither you nor your father will be able to go against their wishes.

At least not right away.” She turned her attention back to me, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

“But should you find a way to bring an end to the Purity Front…”

“Then we could have our lives back,” I finished.

“Not completely,” she smiled. “Your tetrad bond will continue for the rest of your lives. The celestial alignment occurred while you were in the Veil.” Her cheeks turned red as she moved her gaze to the floor.

“I can only assume that you all… completed your bond during the alignment without realizing it.”

“I was wondering about that!” Wild cried. “I kept wondering about that prophecy and all the celestial bullshit. But we couldn’t see the stars in the Veil.”

“It happened about three days before the attack on the Mansion,” she said.

“Yep,” Wild grinned. “That was the night of the foursome.”

“By the gods…” I sighed, grinding my palms against my hands in embarrassment. “Wild… please …”

Professor Blackwood cleared her throat, her cheeks flushing deeper crimson. “Yes, well... the physical consummation would have sealed the bond permanently during the alignment. The stars were in perfect position, even if you couldn’t see them.”

“So, we’re stuck with each other,” Atlas said, though the warmth in his voice and through our bond belied any complaint. “Forever.”

“That’s not so bad,” Caden murmured, his gentle blue eyes finding each of us in turn.

Wild laughed, wincing slightly as his ribs protested. “Are you kidding? It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

The raw honesty in his voice made my heart ache with love. Through our bond, I felt the same emotion echoed back from all three of them, pure, unfiltered affection that made the prospect of exile seem almost bearable if we faced it together.

“So that’s it?” I asked Professor Blackwood. “We go back to the mansion and wait until the Council needs us to fight?”

She hesitated, glancing toward the door before leaning closer. “Not necessarily. The Council’s decision is... flexible, for those who know how to navigate it.”

“What do you mean?” Atlas asked, his golden eyes narrowing.

“I mean,” she continued in a near whisper, “that while you must officially reside at the mansion, there are ways to... move about discreetly. Ways that Lydia perfected during her time there.”

Wild sat up straighter, wincing again. “Secret passages? Portals?”

“Something like that,” Professor Blackwood nodded.

“The mansion exists in multiple places simultaneously. It’s anchored in the Veil, yes, but it also has.

.. doorways. Lydia designed it that way, to maintain her research connections while pretending to be nothing more than the matriarch of the Thorne family. ”

Hope flickered through our bond like wildfire. “So we could still visit our friends?” Caden asked. “Still have some semblance of normal lives?”

“With caution, yes,” she confirmed. “The Council doesn’t need to know everything about how you spend your time, so long as you fulfill your obligations when called upon.”

I squeezed Wild’s hand, feeling his excitement building through our connection. “And our education?” I asked. “We still have so much to learn.”

Professor Blackwood smiled, looking more like herself than she had since entering the room. “I believe certain faculty members could be persuaded to continue your training... unofficially, of course.”

“You’d do that for us?” Caden asked.

“It’s what Lydia would have wanted,” she replied simply. “And frankly, it’s what you deserve after what you’ve been through.”

“When do we meet with the Council?” I asked, feeling the agreement from the other three through our bond.

“Tomorrow morning,” she nodded. “After that, you’ll pack your things and move to the mansion permanently.”

I turned to Wild, reaching out and lacing my fingers through his. “As long as we’re together, that’s all I care about.” My gaze was fixed on those mischievous green eyes of his. “All I want is to be with my family. My chosen family.”