Chapter 59
Every emotion filled me at once. A tornado of light swirled between us, whipping Grayson’s hair around in its wind. His silhouette stood strong against the waves that pushed against his legs. Marek was frozen in place, purple eyes followed me like the eyes of a painting.
The air around me was still but charged, filling the space with a static force that had my skin rising and tingling. The energy there was angry, vibrating in deep tones that filled me with sadness and fear. Grayson looked livid.
He knew what I had done. Tears fell and my lip quivered as my thoughts raced on what to say. What could I say? My betrayal was evident by the glare he gave me.
I reached for him, pleaded for his forgiveness. I could feel his pain, breaking my heart for him in ways I didn’t know were possible. His upper lip raised at my gesture, showing sharp teeth in his sneer.
Within seconds, he turned from human to wolf. His black fur blended in with the backdrop of the deep ocean water, only his golden eyes glaring down at me and setting him apart from blackness. He watched me for a moment, a deep growl settling low in his chest.
My hand snapped back, the wind starting to die. His head turned slowly to Marek, taking in the state of him. He lunged, making me gasp, and nipped Marek on the shoulder before running past him.
The bite broke Marek from his trance, looking around confused and shaking his large head before snarling at Grayson and chasing him off into the forest.
I stood alone. The water around my legs was warm enough that it felt like it wasn’t even there in its stillness. It seemed to crawl up my thighs, reaching up to fully engulf me like I belonged below its surface. My light slowed, dying along with my heart as fear gripped at me for what I had done.
Grayson would hate me, Dominic never loved me, Jax would judge me. Marek and Julien were on their own on the island. Everything was a mess. Dominic was right, I was the cause. I turned all the men against me and against each other.
I lacked control over my emotions, my powers, my own body. I was constantly betrayed by my own feelings and the curse between my legs. If I never felt their touch again but got to keep them all, I’d take that bargain in a heartbeat.
The purple ribbons around me tightened their circle, slowing in speed and losing their glow. The red of the moon turned white, its light dimming as it moved across the sky. The wolves howled against the trees in the distance, causing an eerie feeling within the late night.
I cried, tears dripping into the water, wishing for my hero who wouldn’t come.
The ribbon touched at me, distracting me and making me raise my hands to watch the magic at work. It felt as smooth as silk, momentarily halting me from my sorrow. It slid through my fingers as it moved through the air, a life of its own.
The ends wrapped around my body, sending shivers throughout my skin as it glided around my nakedness. It had turned into a fabric, cool and soft as it nudged against me. With a sudden slap, it sucked onto my skin.
A sharp breath interrupted the stillness and a wave washed over the tops of my legs, turning the purple fabric slightly darker where it wrapped around my privates. I touched my fingers to my breasts, feeling the covering that had materialized from my light alone.
It felt so real, like it had been stitched together by a royal seamstress just for me. Another wave hit my lower back now, pushing my back towards the shore like it was expelling me from its presence. With wobbly legs, I moved towards dry sand.
As soon as the waves left where it lapped at my ankles, I fell to my knees in the white sand. I gripped handfuls, hoping the feeling with center me and absorb my pain like it did water.
I turned and fell on my back, tears returning hot on my cheeks as I stared up at the moon. She stared back down, her weeping face matching my own sorrow. With my thoughts, I talked to her. I told her my every woe and worry and she listened deeply until I fell into a dreamless and broken sleep.
Arms scooped me up from the sand. The sun was too bright against my closed eyelids and I leaned into the familiar soft skin. I wrapped my arms around his neck, feeling the locks of hair between my fingers. I wished for Grayson but this was the next best place to be.
"Looks like you caused quite some trouble," Jax commented, his voice vibrating against my ear that rested on his neck.
"That seems to be the only thing I am, trouble."
He chuckled, "why do you think we’re friends?"
I opened my eyes, the lightness of his skin reflecting the sun and making me squint as I looked up to him. He looked unscathed, hair messy and cheek a little dirty like he had been running around in he wild all night.
"Are you ok?" I asked.
"My ego’s hurt. Dominic set a trap and I fell right into it like a dunce."
"How’d you get out?"
His eyes moved to mine.
"Grayson helped me out at sunrise, told me where to find you."
I turned to stare down, pressing my head back onto the curve of his neck. He leaned his own head against mine, his cheek hugging my forehead before he pulled away.
"I betrayed him," I admitted.
"You didn’t have a choice," he snapped back quickly.
"I could have fought Dominic, fought the bond."
He took a moment before answering, considering his response.
"If I were Julien, I’d say the heart can play funny tricks on a person, make you do things you wouldn’t normally do. Maybe compare you to a flower or something."
I didn’t even know what normal was for me anymore. "What would Jax say?"
He chuckled again at that. "I’d say ’chin up kid, no one stays mad forever’ and I have plenty of experience in that."
Thinking about his words, I nuzzled his skin to mine and watched the ground that passed below his feet. The rest of the walk was quiet, Jax giving me my space to process the night.
Once we neared Grayson’s camp, he stopped. I climbed out of his arms, gliding my hands down the new clothes that stuck to my skin as I straightened.
"Where’d you get those?" He asked as he eyed where my hands touched the shiny purple fabric.
I shrugged not really quite sure how to explain it. "My glowy eyes decided I needed a new outfit."
A wicked grin grew as he held in his thoughts.
"You ready?" He asked and I looked towards the edge of camp, knowing Grayson was just beyond the trees.
I nodded, not knowing which Grayson I would be meeting today. We walked together until we reached the open space. The table had a spread of cooked meat with an array of fruits, making Jax go running to it.
"Hell yeah, man. I’m fuckin’ starving."
He didn’t wait or ask as he grabbed fistfuls of food, ripping the meat and mixed it with fresh blueberries. Grayson sat at the fire, working on a leg bone in his clenched fist. I stayed still by the edge of the forest, watching him with apprehension.
He looked over to me, his face unreadable. I didn’t let his stare go as I tried to communicate all my feelings for him. He was blocking our bond, not letting me in to see how he felt or let me show him my own heart.
The moment dragged on as I waited for how he would respond to my presence. His eyebrow twitched briefly before he stood, breaking our gaze. My lips parted as I watched him move to the table and trade his bone for another chunk of meat.
Would he ignore me? Pretend I didn’t exist as he lived by my side? I think I would prefer his anger. If he showed his wrath at least I would know his feelings over the quiet.
He walked towards me and my breath sucked in, unable to release. Had he heard my thoughts and was now coming to release his rage on me? He came close and I took a small step backwards before his arm raised.
I stared at him in confusion as he held up the piece of meat, an offering for me to take.
"You’re not...Are you..." My voice trembled.
His eyebrows scrunched together, the grimace speaking a language I didn’t understand. With a shaky hand, I reached for the food. The inside of my fingers brushed the outside of his and our eyes locked with the fire that sparked between us.
With a sigh that was laced with a low groan, he dropped the meat and grabbed my outstretched hand. He pulled me into him, taking my face in his hands as he kissed me with all the fury and all the longing that he had been shielding from me until I was nothing but a tremor in his hands.