“No, you oaf. I'm saying that if Aylin's soul recognized a mate prior to our intervention, then the heightened magic could have sped up the process, causing her to be imprinted and not her mate. Not until the relationship is consummated.”
“A half-bond?” Aylin whispered.
“No, honey.” Bryn paused. “A bond that is easier for you, as a magical being, to accept than say a counterpart who isn't magical. Connor doesn't have powers. He doesn't have the ability to sense the bond prior to its completion.”
I rubbed my wrist. The damn thing was on fire. I wasn't so sure about Bryn's statements, but I didn't want to question her. She knew more and saw more than I ever could.
“Or do you?” Bryn had spotted me rubbing my wrist.
I didn't want to discuss feelings or problems any longer. It was approaching three in the morning, and I was exhausted. My body ached, and my mind spun with thoughts of Aylin and Gabriel. “Listen, I don't want to discuss this anymore tonight. We got lucky that Gabriel came after me tonight. What happens when he decides to go after Aylin, or you, Bryn?”
“He won't come after me. He will lose and knows it. He will try to go after you and Aylin before the bond is complete. It's the only way he will be able to stop it.”
“He doesn't know that Aylin is imprinted. If he did, he would have come after her.” Liam patted her on the shoulder again. “I don't want either of you alone until we find out more about Gabriel and his plan.”
“We could always go to the cabin,” I suggested.
“No, you need to stay within pack territory. With Bryn pregnant, we can't risk dividing our men. We stick together.” Liam shook my hand. “Stay safe, brother. I want to see both of you tomorrow for a briefing.”
“Sure thing, boss.” Aylin walked to the door, her swagger more confident than before. “I'm exhausted.”
“Wait!” I shouted. “You shouldn't be driving alone. Not with Gabriel on the loose.”
“I'm going home. What you do is up to you.”
“Not alone, you're not.”
She winked at me. “Well, then you best keep up.”
Chapter Five
Aylin
A heavy fog hovered in the crisp air. Frost tainted everything. I wanted to barrel down the road, but the early morning darkness hid slick patches of ice on the paved highway. My fingers tightened on the steering wheel as I tamped down my need for speed. .
Unlike the trees and grass that were weighed down with the inclement weather, I was free, my confidence returned. I no longer felt exiled within my own pack. The secret was out.
I am imprinted.
Not bonded. Definitely imprinted.
Headlights flashed in my rearview mirror. Connor. The name became a mantra to me, calming my soul. But could I trust him with my heart? With all of me? My independent nature screamed, No, you can't. But the glow of my imprint indicated something completely different.
Ah, the soulbond. My kryptonite.
My parents' unconditional love soulbonded them, but left Andrew and me orphaned. Thanks to Gabriel, the bastard.
“Run, Aylin. Take your brother and hide in the closet. Don't come out no matter what!” my mother screamed.
Splintered wood flew as rebels crashed into our home.
“Patrick and Allie, you've been deemed bonded. Your sentence is death.”
Gabriel's muffled voice crept through the closet where I cowered. Andrew whimpered, but I covered his ears and held him close.
The tires wobbled, then gripped dry macadam, jerking me back to reality. The screams faded.
I moved my wrist; the strands from the half-moon danced—the darkness fighting its way through the light. With my wrist propped atop of the steering wheel, I studied the blackness within the moon. Why was it there?
The truck skidded over black ice. Straightening the wheel and regaining control, I checked the rearview mirror again. Connor's Hummer continued to follow. Relief flooded through me.
The wind howled and the vestiges of my mother’s scream echoed around me, the sounds amplified in the quiet of my truck. I straightened in the driver's seat and turned on a classic Eagles’ song. Two decades ago had passed, yet my parents’ agonizing voices still turned my blood cold.
Gabriel had destroyed our family, as well as my hope in true love and happily ever after with my mate. I did what needed to be done, but stopped living. I gave up on life a long time ago. I became numb to the pain. To the loss of family. Of self.
Young Liam saved Andrew and me. He pulled us from the house and showed us a different life. One of discipline, training, and, in its own way, love for the pack. For years, I protected Andrew. When my powers formed, I protected the pack. I would die for Liam and those he considered his.
A pulsating need swam through me, reminding me that I was alive. My heart beat, but I needed more from life. I was tired of being indifferent.
At the last minute, I decided to forego the comfort of my own home and made a sharp turn up the dark path leading to Connor's house. My instinct drove me to my destiny like a modern-day GPS.
I never doubted my gut, which whispered Connor's name.
When I approached the dimly lit driveway, my heart raced. I killed the engine with shaky hands and practiced my breathing. This was my leap forward. My chance to feel something. Anything. I just needed to get out of my truck and face him. The man who was consuming my soul at a rapid rate. Steadier than I felt, I took a slow step out of my vehicle and shut the door. The noise split the silence of the night.
Connor strode from his SUV. All power and pure sex. He approached me like we were connected by an invisible string, and when he reached the end, he lingered. His tall muscular frame heated my body and stole my breath. His questioning grey eyes met mine.
Talk, I reminded
