Page 11

Donovan

S taring down at Audrey’s sleeping form, I finally allow myself to let the worry sink in.

I have no idea what I can do to help her and Brenden. Audrey seems to be fighting a losing battle with her emotions, and Brenden is practically catatonic at this point.

And it’s all Nex’s fault.

All I want to do is kill him for the pain he’s caused the pair of them, but that wouldn’t help either of them.

After Audrey fell asleep in Brenden’s arms at the war council meeting last night, we hadn’t been able to wake her. I’d carried her home and left the others to deal with Brenden. I’m so afraid she will not wake up this morning, but I can’t voice those concerns.

We’re all worried, and I’m not going to make it worse if no one else has had the same thoughts as me.

Wraith and Cassian are already up, crawling out of bed about an hour ago.

Wraith is still working on a plan for the academy and how it’ll be run over the next few weeks.

He’s worked most of it out, but there are still a few details to be ironed out.

Building of new dorms will commence tomorrow, with Lucifer coming himself to help.

Cassian also still has a job to do, so he headed to Ephonia to judge the souls awaiting him and the other judges. He won’t be gone too long, but it usually takes them a few hours to get through all the souls from the previous day.

Even in sleep, Brenden clings to Audrey, and she to him.

I want to be the one to comfort her, but I have no idea what I can say to make any of this any better.

Brenden’s the only one who understands what she’s going through, and he’s too lost to do much good .

It’s so fucking frustrating. I run my hand through my platinum blond hair, gripping the ends in irritation.

Shuffling beside me has me dropping my hands and forcing a smile to my lips as Audrey rolls over to blink up at me.

“Everything okay, Donovan?” Her voice is husky with sleep, and my cock hardens with just that one sound.

Not now, asshole.

As much as I’d love to make love to my mate, she’s in no mood for that. I’ve considered trying to seduce her to make her feel something besides the despair that seems to run rampant through her, but with just one look at her vibrant green eyes, I always know it won’t work.

She’s too hurt. Too broken.

“Of course, pretty girl. Why wouldn’t everything be okay?” I wince at the sarcasm lacing my words. I’ve been doing such a good job of keeping my bitterness locked down, and now I’m just laying it all out there for her to see.

That’s not going to help her.

She frowns, reaching up to cup my cheek. “It’s okay to be frustrated, Donovan. This sucks. We all know it. I actually want to talk to all of you about an idea I have, actually. ”

I hate the way she speaks now—we all do. I hate that this is happening to her.

“Wraith is in his office, working out the last of the kinks in his plan for the academy. But Cassian is in Ephonia with the other judges. I don’t know when he’ll be back.” Not knowing what else to do, I pull her into my lap and wrap my arms around her.

“It can wait.” She sighs as she lays her head on my shoulder, clinging to me just as hard as I am to her.

Brenden scoots across the bed, his hand closing around Audrey’s ankle. His eyes are still closed, and I think he’s still sleeping. It’s like he can’t help himself from reaching out to her at all times.

Audrey’s vampire mate has never been normal in the head and is more than a little obsessed with our mate—which I don’t think is a bad thing. But it’s gotten worse since Nex abandoned them.

We sit there for a few minutes in silence before she pulls back. “I need a shower. So does Brenden. Will you help me?”

“Of course.” How can I tell my mate no? Even if it means helping the vampire get clean. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve seen him naked, nor will it be the last.

I always hoped I would get to share a mate with Wraith, so sharing isn’t a new concept for me. I just didn’t expect to have to share with others—besides Cassian. That was a happy surprise.

But I’m not interested in Brenden like that, so I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about sharing our mate.

It turns out I don’t have to be sexually attracted to the man fucking my mate to be turned on.

It just gets me hot seeing her fucked and being pleasured.

I might prefer to take part, but I also don’t mind watching.

New kinks have been unlocked, that’s for sure.

Shaking my head, I push away thoughts of anyone fucking Audrey. If I don’t get my thoughts under control, then my dick is going to stay hard.

Audrey leans over and shakes Brenden until his eyes pop open. He gazes up at her with adoration, but his eyes quickly glaze over. Audrey’s frustration is clear in the sigh she releases as I help her get Brenden out of bed.

I know she keeps hoping that he’ll just wake up one day and be himself, but I doubt that’s going to happen. I’m afraid that if we don’t resolve this situation, this might be all we get from Brenden, which would break my mate’s heart even more.

Fucking Nex.

I want to hate the guy, but part of me understands why he did what he did.

Okay, maybe not sleeping with them, then abandoning them. That was all kinds of fucked up, and if Audrey and Brenden ever choose to forgive him, I hope he realizes he’ll have to prove to the rest of us that nothing like this will ever happen again.

Within a few minutes, all three of us are naked and in the shower. There’s nothing I can do to hide my erection, but Audrey doesn’t pay it any mind as we wash Brenden before cleaning one another. It makes for a longer shower, but I don’t mind. It means more time with my love.

Once we’re done, I lead the two of them downstairs to the kitchen so I can make us some food and shoot off a text to Cassian and Wraith to let them know Audrey has something she wants to discuss with us.

Audrey picks at her food but manages to eat most of it, while Brenden doesn’t even touch his.

I have no idea how long a vampire can go without food or blood, but I’m worried about him.

I know Audrey is too. She might not be showing many emotions right now, but her eyes rarely leave him when he’s in the room.

We have to figure something out, and fast. I don’t want to think about what losing Brenden would do to my pretty girl.

“Sorry,” Wraith calls as he steps into the room. “I was almost done, and I knew Cassian would take a little longer, so I finished up everything before coming down. Anything from him yet?”

I tilt my head when I hear the front door open and close. “Pretty sure that’s him.”

“It is,” Cassian confirms as he joins us. He heads straight for Audrey, kissing her before doing the same to me, then hesitates in front of Wraith.

This is something else I hate—the hesitation between the two of them. They want to be together—I know they do—but they’re trying so hard to make sure they don’t end up fighting. It’s getting harder and harder for them the longer Audrey is affected by the rejected mate syndrome .

“Can you all sit down, please?” Audrey asks, breaking the standoff between Wraith and Cassian. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

I sat Audrey at the head of the table with me and Brenden sitting on either side of her when we came down, which only leaves Wraith and Cassian to sit beside one of us.

Wraith offers me a soft smile as he pulls out the chair beside Brenden, letting Cassian sit beside me. He’s such a damn good mate.

“What’s going on, little mate?” Cassian asks as he grabs my hand, twining our fingers together under the table.

She glances around the table before nodding to herself. “Lucifer suggested another way to deal with the rejected mate syndrome, and I think it’s what I want to do. Not just for me but for Brenden. He’s not doing well.”

I turn my attention to the vampire, finding his eyes on Audrey, but he remains silent.

“He’s still not eating?” Wraith asks, glancing at the untouched plate of food. “And you can’t get him to drink from you?”

She shakes her head as she leans toward Brenden, lifting her wrist to his lips. “Feed from me, Brenden. Please. ”

The vampire’s only response is to blink at her.

“Clearly not.” Even if I can’t hear it in her tone, I know just how exasperated she’s feeling right now.

“Then tell us what the suggestion is, pretty girl,” I urge her.

I’m not sure what Lucifer could’ve thought of since he was the one who told us there were only three ways of resolving a rejected bond. But I’m definitely down to hear it. If it means helping Audrey and Brenden, I’d do just about anything.

“It’s obvious Nex wants to bond with us, but, clearly, it’s not that simple.

He hurt us—made us feel like he rejected us.

We’re broken because of him. That’s not something that’s easy to forgive.

Is it even forgivable?” She shakes her head.

“But I can’t go into a war—a battle, whatever—like this.

I could get myself or someone else hurt or killed.

Brenden is barely existing, and I don’t know how much longer he can keep going when he’s not eating. ”

She takes a deep breath, her eyes locked on the table. “I’m going to bond with Nex, but I’m going to make it clear he’s not forgiven. It doesn’t mean I want a relationship with him or that I’ll ever be ready for a relationship with him.”

Silence follows her announcement.

I don’t even know how I feel about this.

I understand where she’s coming from. If she completes the bond, then she’ll no longer have to deal with a rejected bond.

But even if she intends for them not to have a relationship now—or maybe ever—that still means he’ll be in our life.

Bonded mates don’t do well away from one another for long periods of time, whether they’re chosen or fated mates.

“This is not me trying to talk you out of this,” Cassian says slowly, “but have you thought of the logistics of this? You can’t just bond with him and go on with your life.

You’ll need to be close to him. He’ll need to live with us.

You already know how hard it is to have me away so frequently.

Although, that would change if you bond with Nex.

That should mean the end of this bullshit between me and Wraith. ”

“I have, and I understand. That’s why I’m bringing it up with you now.

It doesn’t just affect me. It’s going to affect you as well.

” Her eyes find Brenden again. “But that’s not all of it.

If I bond with Nex, it won’t help Brenden.

I think I know why this is harder for him.

He initiated a mate bond with Nex, and now it’s a one-sided bond. Nex has to complete the bond with him.”

I turn my gaze to the vampire in question, swallowing hard. “Brenden is in no position to say if he’s okay with this.”

Audrey nods. “I’m well aware, but I don’t think I can take that into consideration right now. He’s going to die if he doesn’t start eating soon—whether that’s food or blood. I can’t let him die, even if it means he’ll hate me.”

“You want Nex to bond with Brenden without his permission?” There’s no judgment in Wraith’s tone. I think he just wants to confirm what he’s hearing.

She lifts her chin. “Yes.”

Her gaze flits between us, and I know she’s waiting for us to judge her, but that’s not going to happen.

“I think it’s a good idea—both of them,” I tell her.

“If you want to bond with Nex, then I think you should do it. Nex might regret bonding with you when he has to deal with me all the time, but I’m happy to show him the error of his ways—without killing him.

I just want you to get better, pretty girl—both you and Brenden.

And I don’t think Brenden will be angry with you.

He’ll understand. He doesn’t want to leave you either. You’re his obsession.”

Her face softens for a moment, a hint of a smile on her lips as she stares at Brenden. “You’re probably right.”

Cassian runs a hand over his face. “This isn’t something I would usually condone.

Forcing a mating bond on someone without their consent is cruel, but Brenden already has a connection to Nex.

And you’re right, little mate, he’s dying.

Even without the one-sided bond, I’d agree this is the best option to move forward.

And if you want to mate with Nex, then I support your decision. ”

“And you?” she asks Wraith when he remains silent.

“This is a decision you have to make, Audrey. We can tell you our thoughts, but you’re his mate.

You have to decide what’s best for the two of you.

As far as Nex goes…” Wraith makes a face as he trails off, letting his displeasure be known.

“I hate the idea of you bonding with him—of you letting him into our lives. I also agree you can’t go into war like this, and it’s the only option besides killing him—which I know we’re not allowed to do—so I vote yes. ”

A sigh of relief leaves our mate, clearly a heavy weight lifting from her at our agreement.

“Now, I just have to figure out how to get him to agree to bond with us after I told him I didn’t want him anywhere near me.”

I grin. “You let me worry about that, pretty girl. Just keep your day open tomorrow, and I promise to deliver you a willing incubus.”

Because, now that Audrey has decided what she wants to do, I’m going to damn well make sure it happens. Even if it requires threatening Nex—but I don’t think I’ll need to. I think he’ll come willingly. The hard part will be convincing him to complete the bond with Brenden.

Tomorrow, Nex will become a part of my pack—because they are, even if none of them are hellhounds like me—whether he wants to or not.