Nicholas caught him, slamming him back against the wall. "No."

"He just marked her....." Lucian said, looking hard into Nicholas’s eyes.

"I know." Nicholas replied and nodded.

"She’s in pain...." Lucian emphasized.

"She chose this," Nicholas said firmly. "And if you go in there now, you’ll make it worse. She’s fine. Listen."

Lucian went still and they both listened.

And then they felt it.

The bond completing, snapping into place with a force that made both of them stagger. And with it came the power, Lilith’s magic exploding outward in a wave that shook the entire estate.

The shockwave hit them and Nicholas barely stayed on his feet. Behind them down the hall he heard glass shattering, heard doors slamming, heard wolves throughout the pack crying out in shock as they felt the surge through the mindlink.

"What the fuck!" Lucian gasped.

Nicholas could only stare at Sebastian’s door as the shaking subsided, his mind racing.

Whatever Lilith was, whatever power was waking up inside her, it was strong enough to shake an entire estate when a bond completed.

And they still had one more bond to go.

***

*INSIDE THE ROOM*

Lilith collapsed forward onto the bed, completely spent, and Sebastian went with her, his body covering hers, his teeth still in her throat as the bond settled.

When he finally released her and pulled back, she could feel blood trickling down her neck and her whole body was shaking with aftershocks.

"I’ve got you," Sebastian murmured, his voice hoarse. He pulled out carefully and turned her over, gathering her into his arms. "I’ve got you. You’re okay."

Lilith couldn’t speak, could barely breathe, just buried her face in his chest and held on while her body tried to process everything that had just happened.

The bond was complete. She could feel it now, solid and permanent and absolutely right. She could feel Rhen, content and satisfied and finally at peace. Could feel Sebastian’s love for her, his relief, his desperate gratitude that she had chosen him.

And she could feel something in her still humming beneath her skin, ready to explode again if she let it.

"What..." She tried to speak but her voice wouldn’t work properly.

"Shh," Sebastian said, stroking her hair. "Don’t try to talk yet. Just breathe."

He held her while her breathing evened out, while the shaking subsided, and only when she had calmed down did he pull back enough to look at her face.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

Lilith nodded, then shook her head, then laughed because she didn’t know which was true.

Sebastian smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "That’s fair."

"The windows," she whispered. "Did I...?"

"You shattered every window in this room. And probably several others in the estate." He didn’t sound concerned. If anything he sounded proud.

She looked around at the destruction.....the shattered glass, the cracked bedframe, the scorch marks on the dresser where the candles had been.

"I’m sorry....."

"Don’t apologize." Sebastian tilted her face back to his. "You’re magnificent."

Lilith felt tears prick her eyes and she did not know if they were from exhaustion or relief or something else entirely.

Sebastian pulled her closer and she felt him reach through the bond, through the newly completed bond between them. Checking on her. Making sure she was really okay.

Lilith smiled against his chest and let herself drift, completely exhausted but finally at peace.

Two bonds complete.

One to go.

***

*THE NEXT MORNING*

Lilith woke up to sunlight streaming through broken windows and Sebastian’s arm wrapped around her waist like a vice.

For a moment she just lay there, disoriented, trying to remember where she was and why everything hurt. Then it all came rushing back.....climbing onto Sebastian’s bed naked, the claiming, the marking, the bond snapping into place with enough force to shatter every window in the room.

She could feel that bond now, humming beneath her skin alongside Nicholas’s. Complete, solid and permanent.

And she could feel Rhen.

Not separate from Sebastian exactly, but there.....a presence in the back of her mind, calm and content and satisfied in a way she had never felt from him before. Like he had finally gotten what he wanted and could rest now.

Good morning, Sebastian’s voice came through the bond, rough with sleep.

Lilith turned her head and found him already awake, propped up on one elbow watching her with those brown eyes that were finally clear of gold.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"An hour maybe. I didn’t want to wake you." His hand traced lazy patterns on her hip. "How do you feel?"

"Sore." She shifted slightly and winced. "Everywhere."

Sebastian’s expression flickered with concern. "Was i too rough?" He asked.

"No." Lilith reached up and touched his face. "You were perfect. I chose it. I wanted it."

He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, his eyes never leaving hers. "I can feel you now. Through the bond. I can feel everything."

"So can I." she replied.

"And?" he asked.

"And it feels right." She smiled despite the soreness, despite the exhaustion, despite everything. "It feels complete."

Sebastian pulled her closer and buried his face in her neck, right where the completed mark sat. She felt him inhale deeply and then exhale slowly, like he was grounding himself in her scent.

"I was so afraid you were going to change your mind," he admitted quietly. "That you’d wake up and regret choosing me."

"I don’t regret it." replied.

"Good. Because I’m never letting you go now."

Lilith laughed and then immediately regretted it because her whole body protested the movement. "I need to see what I look like."

Sebastian pulled back reluctantly and helped her sit up. Lilith looked down at herself and her eyes went wide.

She was covered in marks.

Bite marks on her shoulders, her breasts, her hips, her thighs. Bruises in the shape of fingerprints on her waist where he had gripped her. Scratches on her back from the wall. And the completed bond mark on her throat, still red and healing but beautiful in its permanence.

"Oh my god," she breathed.

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