Page 48

POLARIS

M y room is crammed once again, but this time, there are only six of us.

Bryony and Minnie are harboring Ben in Bryony’s room.

The moment Blaze explained the dangers of him staying there, my friends jumped into action before I could even say a word, resolidifying the fact that I may make dumb decisions sometimes, but when it comes to my friends, I chose well.

It’s a relief to know that Ben is safe, especially since his name was also called for the upcoming ceremony.

I stand in front of my desk, two wolves flanking either side of me and a vampire pressed against my back.

We all stare at the gold coins lined up on the tabletop.

There are six, each slightly different in some way, but I feel so overwhelmed by their presence that I can’t really decipher what stands out.

“They're all reunited,” Tatum states, and I can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction that I was able to play a part in that. If I accomplish nothing else before my time is up, I’m glad I got to witness this. It feels right to see them all together.

It certainly doesn’t sit well with me that we had to take some from strangers, but I try not to dwell on the harsh reality, which is easier said than done when my mind loves to plunge deep into my guilt.

“What if the owners of the coins were just as important as the gold?” I blurt out, unable to deny the uncertainty that is taking hold of me.

I have no idea who the other person was, and neither do those who retrieved it. Apparently, they weren’t above a little breaking and entering and somehow managed to get away with the coin without running into anyone. But that doesn’t quell the concern gnawing in my gut.

Blaze presses a kiss to the crown of my head. “I’m sure we will find out.”

I hum in agreement, but another nagging thought takes over. “I still can’t get over Krystal. None of it makes sense,” I mutter, and Wylder squeezes my left hand.

“You need to decompress, Little Witch.”

I shake my head. “No, what I need is to understand all of the things. My emotions are driving me insane, and trying to regulate myself is nearly impossible,” I rattle off, taking a deep breath as I narrow my gaze at the coins, deliberately avoiding eye contact with any of them.

I might not be stressed about the upcoming assembly, which is really weird, but this… unsettles me.

“What you need is to ground yourself,” Lincoln states, and my desire to avoid eye contact disappears as I tilt my face in his direction, eyebrows raised to my hairline, blinking at him in surprise.

He’s always one for orders, but never like this.

It’s usually something that gives me a headache, not being… nice?

I offer him a tight smile as I gulp and find the right words to respond.

“That’s easier said than done,” I finally murmur, cautiously.

He rolls his shoulders back, giving me a pointed look, as if he’s bracing himself, then runs his tongue over his bottom lip, tilting his head slightly as he stares deep into my eyes.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to urge him to spit it out, but he beats me to it.

“If you had a coven, Midnight,” he begins, and I shake my head.

One little word has me tumbling over the edge.

I wipe my hands down my face, trying to avoid the disappointment as I exhale sharply.

“I’ve had enough of being told I need a fucking coven,” I snap, frustrated, and I try to step back, but Blaze doesn’t give me space to move.

If anything, his arms tighten around my waist, locking me in place.

Only then does he shuffle us back a step so Lincoln can maneuver himself until we're eye to eye.

The vampire is aiding the wolf.

I’ve seen everything now.

“I prefer it when you two don’t work together,” I grumble, and there’s a hint of amusement in Lincoln’s gaze as he shakes his head at me. It only lasts a second before a seriousness washes over him, as if it was a figment of my imagination.

“What if it were us? What if we were your coven?” His words linger in the air as he tilts his head to the side, and my frown deepens as I try to process what he’s truly saying.

When he cocks his brow at me, all the pieces fall into place, sending my heart rate skyrocketing as I gasp, instantly shaking my head. “You don’t know what you’re saying,” I rasp, and his lips twitch with amusement. Another confusing sight from the wolf that loves to hate me.

“Don't I?” he breathes, cupping my chin as he looks deep into my eyes.

All I can do is gape at him. As if sensing my turmoil, he exhales slowly.

“You have the night to decide,” he states, confidence oozing from him as if he knows what my answer will be, while I continue to blink up at him in disbelief.

“Lincoln,” I breathe, and he shakes his head, gripping my jaw tighter as pain shimmers in his gaze.

“Minnie, you, me, hell… even Bryony, Ben, and Blaze. We could all be gone by the end of the week. Shit, maybe only half of us will remain,” he states, and the fear I anticipate still doesn’t take hold in my veins.

I feel delirious. “Dead or alive,” he murmurs, his eyes piercing as his breath flows across my lips while he leans closer. “You're still mine.”

I’m breathless, trapped between two deranged men, with three more watching our every move. Before I can even begin to wrap my head around the emotions swirling in my chest, Blaze exhales from behind me.

“Prove it,” he murmurs, two words whispered as a challenge, but not to me; to Lincoln.

“She's ours, and we're hers,” Wylder says, his eyes darkening as I glance to my left.

“We don't know what will happen this week. All we have is the present,” Tatum adds, earning himself a nod of agreement from the wolf beside him.

“I say we show her what a fucking coven is supposed to be,” Asher states, snapping my attention to my right where he holds my grimoire in his hands.

What in the?—

“Find the page,” Lincoln grunts, causing my jaw to scrape along the floor.

I’m speechless as I watch Asher effortlessly flip through the pages, quickly turning it so everyone else can see the worn contents as well.

“I already located it,” he explains, my gaze darting to his, but he’s too busy looking at the words inked in the pages. “All we have to do is touch her as we say this phrase.” He points to the page, refusing to say it out loud, and Blaze chuckles, his chest rumbling behind me.

“Or we fuck her and say it,” he offers. The lilt to his voice makes it clear he thinks he’s devised the best plan ever as his lips drag over my ear, making me shiver.

“Polaris?” Tatum breathes, capturing my attention. His eyes are hooded, his gaze nearly black as he speaks. “This is your five seconds to choose. We’ve already made our decision.”

I never thought this would be a possibility until we saw what the chalice had to offer.

Despite the ups and downs and the turmoil these five men have caused me, they are still the five people I trust most in the world, along with Minnie and Bryony.

However, this situation is different. I don't speak—I can’t—but I nod.

A single movement, and they work in tandem.

Lincoln’s gaze locks on mine as Blaze wraps his arms around my waist, shuffling backward while keeping me in his hold.

I expect to feel my bed dip beneath me, but when it doesn’t happen, I glance over my shoulder to see Asher holding out the grimoire, assisting Wylder, who has my pouch of sand in his hand and is sprinkling grains over my bed to create the symbol displayed.

I watch in awe as he draws a circle around a five-point star, just like the one on Professor Juniper’s office floor; only this is different.

It's for us.

The circle isn't quite perfect, but the intention and meaning behind it are what truly matter. As if sensing my acknowledgment, the symbol glows, securing the grains of sand in place.

The magic has to be activated. All we have to do is…

“Lay her in the middle,” Lincoln commands. In the next breath, Blaze lifts me off my feet and carries me the short distance before lowering me to the bed.

I don’t feel the sand as Blaze gazes down at me with heated intensity. “Tatum, we’re first. We already claimed her once,” he says, a sinister smile curling his lips as he reaches for the waistband of my pants.

I shouldn't be surprised by how quickly a moment can change with these men. But in the blink of an eye, I’ve gone from frowning over coins and worrying about their original owners to being spread naked on my bed with five pairs of eyes watching my every move.

Tatum is the first to lose any clothing, taking his time to walk toward me in his boxer shorts while Blaze reaches over his head, pulling at the neckline of his t-shirt.

He discards it in a flurry as he moves to unzip his jeans, making no effort to roll them down his thighs as his cock springs free.

“I wonder how wet she'll get without us even touching her,” Tatum muses, and Blaze grins.

“I like the sound of that,” he mutters in agreement. “Get on your knees, Amica Mea,” he rasps, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Amica Mea?” Wylder grunts in question, and a smile ghosts across Blaze’s lips.

“My love.”

I’m breathless at the acknowledgement of what it means, but I don't have long to think on it because Tatum is already stroking a hand down my cheek. “On your hands and knees,” he orders, reiterating Blaze’s prior command, and I blossom under their attention, rolling over into position, more than happy to be the center of their desire.

“I want her naked. Now,” Lincoln grits out, and when I glance at him, his teeth rake over his bottom lip, need and desire flooding his features.

“Who knew I could agree with wolves on more than one occasion,” Blaze says with a snicker. When I glance over my shoulder at him, he winks. “As much as I’d love the pleasure of unwrapping my sweet treat, show us how you use your magic instead.”