Page 51 of Rising Reign

That cotton-mouth feeling was back, and my hand trembled. Ender’s gaze dropped to the offending appendage, and I swore I saw a hint of sympathy in his eyes. He moved slowly, threading his fingers through mine and squeezing.

An ache took root in my chest at the kindness. Along with it came a deep longing. Despite all the hurt he’d caused me along the way, every part of me wanted the final connection with Ender. I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the task at hand.

“When you’re ready, Little Vixen, lower your shields,” Rhys said.

The entire room held their breath as I stared at Ender. I looked into those swirling amber eyes and lowered my metaphysical shield, inch by inch. Inky black smoke rolled out and hit me hard, nearly making my knees buckle.

Ender instantly shot forward to steady me. His hand released mine but slipped beneath my hair, keeping the skin-to-skin contact. “Too much,” he rasped. “A little at a time.”

I breathed through the pain, the waves of agony that began as emotions and turned physical when they reached my body. I drew air in through my nose and let it out through my mouth, then closed my eyes and tried to unravel the knotted stew inside Ender.

One emotion flared strongest—one that had my eyes stinging and pressure building in my chest.

Self-hatred.

My eyes opened as I took in the man before me. He was so close I could almost taste a hint of cinnamon on my tongue. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

Ender stiffened as fur rippled over his arms, his wolf wanting to be free. “Do it,” he ground out.

I pulled on the thread, slowly taking it into me. But the pool of self-hatred was so deep it seemed never-ending. Sickness rolled through me, and sweat broke out on my brow as my legs began to shake more.

“That’s enough,” Kingston ordered.

“Not yet,” Rhys snapped.

Ender’s teeth elongated as he ran his nose along my neck. “Kitten,” he growled.

My wolf howled, called by his. I wanted to bite, claim Ender as mine.

A second later, Ender ripped himself away from me, and I found myself falling. Brix was there to catch me, cradling me in his arms as light danced across my vision.

“I’m sorry,” Ender croaked. “I can’t.”

A fresh wave of agony washed over me as Ender took off for the door. It felt as if a part of me were being ripped away.

Brix nuzzled my neck. “Breathe. Just focus on that. One breath at a time.”

I struggled to refortify my walls as sweat gathered along my spine. I couldn’t differentiate where the pain was coming from now. Was it my body or my soul? All I knew was that it hurt like hell.

“It’s the bond,” Hera said softly. “It wants completion. It’s going to hound you until it has what it needs. You need to do it. It’ll make you stronger.”

My head snapped up, my vision swimming with the move. “I’ll never bond for strength alone. I’d never steal that choice from Ender. He has to want it as much as I do.”

I just worried that day may never come.

31

LOCKE

Wren’s chest heaved as lines of pain mixed with the sweat on her brow. Her muscles twitched and quivered with fatigue. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from suggesting she take a break. She’d nearly taken King’s head off when he suggested it.

I’d thought switching from training her empath gifts to shifting would help, but this was almost worse to watch. Every time Wren’s body contorted in her change, I felt the breaking of each bone. Each time she pushed her wolf to come on faster, I felt the twisting muscle and sinew.

Wren bent over, wrapping an arm around her ribs, trying to ease the pain. She wore the same clothing the young shifters going through their changes did. They were made of a specialty fabric with extra stretch and give. It allowed it not to tear each time they shifted, staying in place until their human forms returned.

Rhys frowned at her. “This should be much faster.”

“Says the bloodsucker,” Wren wheezed.