Page 7

I t’s been two weeks since everything happened in that village, and I’ve only seen Serena in passing.

For most of the first week, she was with Sol, where I should have been, but I couldn’t bring myself to see him like that.

Seeing Serena like that not long ago had been bad enough, but at least then it hadn’t been my fault.

With Sol, it was. I could have stopped it from happening. I could have saved him, but I’d been too focused on everything else going on around us.

Sol is my brother… my twin. The better of the two of us, he’s nice and good.

It’s my job to look after him. I should have been there for him when he needed me, just like he always has been for me.

Fuck!

I push the food away before heading out of the dining hall. It’s empty now. The rest of the castle, including Sol and Serena, ate hours ago, but I’d been busy…

Fuck, I’d been hiding, okay.

I couldn't bring myself to face them, not after I’d so clearly been hiding like a bitch for so long already. What would I even say?

‘Sorry I was too much of a bitch to come see you. I thought you might die and it would be my fault… ’

Scrubbing a hand down my face, I make my way up to Garrett’s room, taking a second to breathe as I climb the million and one stairs.

I can feel that she’s asleep through our bond.

It’s the only time her mind is ever quiet anymore.

I breathe a sigh of relief as I let my mental shield down.

The guys might be able to feel some of what I’m thinking or feeling like this, but that’s fine.

It’s not really them I’m worried about, and the bond to them isn’t as strong as it is with Serena.

With her, it’s like my mind craves her company and has zero issue dumping every thought into her mind.

It was so bad after Sol got hurt that she sent Blair to check on me. I didn’t realize just how much she could feel or hear. I mean, I heard her, but I thought that was because she was choosing to share.

No, there definitely wasn’t a choice.

Which is why I asked the Queen if she could give me lessons on how to keep my thoughts my own the next day.

If she thought it was strange, she didn’t say so. And really, it shouldn’t be—everyone needs some privacy occasionally, even fated mates.

Right?

It took a few days for her to be able to handle the lessons.

She used a lot of power to attempt to save Sol and needed to recoup.

She offered to have Garrett start teaching me, but that seemed like an even worse alternative.

No, instead, I opted to sleep the day away in hopes that Serena couldn’t feel what I did when I was unconscious.

It worked, and I only had to wait a few days before the Queen could teach me, so nobody really thought much of it.

Her lessons weren’t long or particularly hard.

Mostly, it had to do with focus and being mindful of my thoughts.

Large emotions might still have the possibility to break through, but as long as I kept my shit together, the self-loathing I felt should remain my own.

At some point Blair must have started lessons with someone as well, because while I didn’t often get his emotions before, I don’t get them at all now. There were only glimpses, but it was more than I’d ever seen from Blair otherwise.

Sol’s thoughts are mostly centered on Serena, and I can’t say I blame him. They’ve only been bonded for a few days, and he almost died. Hell, I’d be shocked if this wasn’t normal for him. He’s been in love with her since we were kids; he was just too scared to say anything.

He wasn’t the only dumbass who didn’t realize what he was feeling until years later, when someone else came along and tried to take her away… No, that was just the rest of us. Well, minus Blair.

Despite avoiding Serena, I don’t mind getting glimpses of what’s in her mind. If someone teaches her to block us, I’d be lonely, if I’m being honest. Ever since that night in the village, I’ve been able to hear her, and while I want my thoughts to remain my own, I can’t say I hate hearing hers.

It’s selfish, I know, but I can’t bring myself to care.

The room is quiet when I finally stand outside the door in the hall. I know she’s asleep, but I’m not so sure about the others, and the last thing I need right now is a bunch of questions.

I’d seen both Blair and Garrett around; even in a castle this size, it’s impossible to avoid everyone. Trust me, I’ve tried. Thankfully, they seem content to leave me alone. With Sol almost dying and Serena fighting with Garrett about going out to find Lyle, they’ve had their hands more than full.

Should I be a part of all of this? Absolutely.

But I can’t face them, at least not yet.

Maybe not ever.

On silent feet, I move into the room, slowly closing the door behind me so it doesn’t wake anyone. Every door in this castle is made of real, thick, handcrafted wood that makes sneaking around damn near impossible if you don’t know what you’re doing.

“So you do come to sleep still.” Her voice startles me, and I let the door slip from my fingers. It falls closed with a bang that has me cringing because there’s no way any of the others are going to sleep through that.

The room is dark, as it should be with everyone sleeping, but the large circular window lets in just enough light from the moon to illuminate her.

She’s sitting at the window. It’s one of her favorite spots to think, read, or simply run away.

She’s been poring over books in the library with Sol, researching at all hours, trying to find a way to save Lyle, despite Garrett telling her it’s impossible.

We all knew she would never take that answer, though. Anyone who knows Serena knows that she’s always been stubborn.

“Serena,” I cut myself off, unsure of what I want to say as I soak her in.

It’s been days since I’ve really seen her, more than just her sleeping when I snuck in and out of the room, or in passing. Her hair is mused from sleep, dark circles under her eyes and a line on her face.

It takes me a moment to understand. She’d fallen asleep reading at the window.

Shit.

She’s mad. It’s written all over her face. Her brows are pinched, and her lips are pulled down in a frown that I know all too well. I haven’t seen her look at me like this for a while; usually, she saves this look for Lyle when they go toe-to-toe.

Fuck, I can’t imagine how she must be feeling right now with Lyle being gone, Sol almost dying, me avoiding her, and Garrett… Well, last I checked, she wasn’t talking to Garrett.

The bond hums, and I feel some of her emotions as they slam through me before disappearing. Sadness, anger, regret, fear—they swirl around inside of her in a loop that can’t be healthy.

She stands, moving toward me, and all I can do is watch her as she gets closer. I should leave, turn around, and head right back out the door. I want to because I’m a coward, but the way her eyes shine has me rooted in place. Even in the low light, it’s impossible to miss the tears that gather.

I fucking hate when she cries.

“Don’t ‘Serena’ me. If you want to avoid me, why sleep in here at all? Why not just pick one of the hundreds of other rooms?” She’s damn near hysterical as she reaches me, not giving a shit about the others who sleep only ten feet away.

They begin to stir, unable to sleep through her shouting, and I don’t need the bond to feel their gazes as they fall on us. I don’t dare turn to them, though, not right now, not with Serena this close and so clearly upset.

No, I can deal with them later. Right now, only one thing is important, and she’s right here.

“I couldn’t stand being away from you that long,” I admit, unsure if doing so is a good idea or not. On the one hand, I want to be honest; on the other, that lets her know I’d tried.

Had it worked, I would have gladly taken a room on the other side of the castle, but I couldn’t.

After a day of avoiding her, it physically hurt me to try to sleep anywhere else.

It was like my body required her presence.

Just sleeping in the same room with her was enough to make it manageable, which is why I was able to sneak in and sneak back out in the morning without her knowing.

Or so I thought. It would seem I’m not great at sneaking around.

Wrong answer.

Sol’s voice rings in my head and I flinch, hearing it directed at me after all this time.

Serena’s face morphs from anger to concern, and fuck if it doesn’t make me feel worse.

“Storm?” The uncertainty in her voice pulls at my heart, and I want to reach out and hold her, to tell my brother I’m sorry for being a coward…

But the words won’t come out.

Instead, I stand frozen in place like an idiot stuck between fight and flight.

“Storm, what's wrong?” All the anger from a moment ago is gone. Her words are soft, and her eyes look over me as if looking for something physical.

Something itches the back of my mind, almost like an idea or memory that's just on the tip of my tongue, but not quite there.

“He feels bad for avoiding you.”

Garrett’s words hit me like a slap in the face, and this time, I do turn away from Serena.

How did he know that?

He sits on the edge of the bed, his hands braced on his knees, eyes closed tight, almost as if he’s concentrating…

Damn it.

“Get out of my head!”

I didn’t know he could do that.

“Storm, it’s fine—” she reaches for me, but I step back before she can touch me, and I see the hurt flash in her eyes.

Fuck, I’m making this worse.

“I’m sorry. I should have been there, but I couldn’t.

I couldn’t face seeing Sol like that, not so soon after seeing you the same way.

It was bad enough feeling how torn up you were.

I couldn’t bring myself to face you, not when I know I could’ve changed things.

I could have saved him, either of them.”

The words rush out of my mouth like vomit, and I wish I could shove them back in the moment they’re out.

But I can’t, so I do the only other thing I can do.

I leave.

Running from the room, I can hear her feet hit the ground as she chases after me, just like I knew she would.

Unfortunately for her, she isn’t the only stubborn one, and I have an advantage.

I let my beast take over, and that's all the advantage I need.

Four legs are faster than two, after all.

I leave her in the dust as I flee from the castle and out into the garden. It’s not ideal, but I can sleep outside.

Whatever it takes, so that she doesn’t look at me with those beautiful blue eyes full of pity again.