Chapter 16: Feral Bonds

Seraphine's POV

Heat flooded my face.

"Shut up, Cordelia," Kaelen muttered.

Lucian moved closer, crossing his arms. His expression was more serious than his sister's. "You called an emergency meeting because you mated?"

"No." Kaelen leaned against the fireplace. "The situation is more complicated than that."

Orion tilted his head, nostrils flaring. "The scent is unusual. Blood, fear, exhaustion. And—" His eyes gleamed. "Recent sex."

Oh my god.

I wanted to disappear into the couch cushions. Wanted to shift and bolt out the door. Wanted to strangle the smirking blond asshole.

"Orion." Kaelen's tone dropped to a warning growl. "Enough."

"Just making an observation."

Cordelia stepped forward, her expression softening. "Ignore him. He has no filter." She extended a hand. "I'm Cordelia. That's my twin brother Lucian, and the idiot is Orion. What's your name?"

I stared at her hand for a long moment before taking it. "Seraphine."

"Seraphine." She tested the name, then smiled. "Pretty."

"Sit. All of you." Kaelen's command cut through the pleasantries.

They moved to the dining table. I stayed on the couch, maintaining distance.

"I was outside this afternoon," Kaelen began, his voice level. "By the river. That's when I sensed it—blood, fear, heat. She was collapsed in the snow. Badly hurt. Attacked by a lynx."

Orion's eyebrows shot up. "And you mated with her."

"Yes."

Say it like it's nothing. Like you didn't just alter both our lives forever.

Lucian leaned forward, his gaze fixed on me now. "What pack are you from? We need to know if there's going to be trouble."

I stayed silent. My mind raced through possibilities.

What if they're allied with Ravencrest? What if telling them puts Lyralei in more danger?

"Her pack doesn't matter right now," Kaelen cut in before I could panic further. "What matters is her sister. She's lost. Possibly captured by humans."

My head snapped toward him.

He's protecting me. Why is he—

Through the bond, I felt it. Not pity. Not obligation.

Resolve.

Cordelia's expression shifted to concern. "Lost? What happened?"

The words stuck in my throat. But I forced them out, each one cutting like glass.

"We were being hunted. Lyralei went to a human village for food—got caught. I set a fire to distract them, and we ran." My voice cracked. "We shifted. Tried to lose them in the forest. But I stepped in a trap."

I looked down at my hands, remembering.

"She was on my back when the trap closed. The impact threw her off. She fell into a ravine." The images played behind my eyes—Lyralei tumbling, disappearing into darkness. "I heard gunshots. Shouting. And I left her there."

My hands were shaking now.

"I left her there."

Silence filled the room.

Then Lucian spoke, his voice gentle. "How old is she? What does she look like?"

I blinked back tears. "Seventeen. Golden curls. Green eyes. She—she can't shift yet. If she loses control in front of humans—"

"They'll kill her," Orion finished quietly. "Or worse. They'll capture her. Study her."

The blood drained from my face.

"Where did you last see her?" Cordelia asked.

"Eastern forest. Near the human village border."

"That was over a day ago," Kaelen added. "When I found Seraphine, she'd been running for hours. Nearly dead from exhaustion and blood loss."

Lucian stood, pacing. "We need to organize a search party. Immediately."

"Agreed." Cordelia nodded. "But we have to be careful. If human patrols are in the area—"

"We can't risk open conflict," Lucian finished.

They're actually going to help. They're—

Cordelia moved toward Kaelen, a teasing grin on her face. "Let me check you for injuries. Make sure your new mate didn't—"

She reached out to touch his shoulder.

Everything inside me snapped.

I was on my feet before conscious thought. The couch cushions groaned beneath me as I launched forward. Golden light flooded my vision as my wolf surged forward.

A growl ripped from my throat—low, possessive, furious.

Mine. He's mine. Don't touch him.

Cordelia froze, hand suspended in mid-air.

The room went dead silent.

Everyone stared at me.

And I stood there, trembling with rage and territorial instinct, my eyes still glowing gold, realizing with creeping horror exactly what I'd just revealed.

The mating bond. It's already taking hold.

Cordelia's lips curved into a knowing smile.

"Well," she said softly. "That answers that question."

My face burned. I tried to speak, to explain, but the words tangled in my throat.

"I... I didn't mean to..." My voice came out hoarse. Broken.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

Orion shifted his weight, curiosity bright in his eyes. He took a step toward me—just one step—and tilted his head like he was studying something fascinating.

"The mark," he said. "Can I see—"

The roar that exploded from Kaelen made the windows rattle.

His eyes blazed deep gold—not the normal gold glow of a shifter, but something darker. Ancient. His pupils split into double rings, giving him an otherworldly, predatory look that made my breath catch.

Fangs elongated past his lower lip. The temperature in the room dropped.

Oh shit.

Instinct took over.

I spun around, putting myself between Kaelen and Orion. My back pressed against Kaelen's chest. Every nerve in my body screamed protect, defend, guard.

We stood there—back to back—a united front against perceived threats.

The marks on our necks flared with heat. Silver light pulsed from beneath our skin, casting eerie shadows across the room.

And the scent—fuck, the scent.

It rolled off us in waves. Pine and ice from Kaelen. Moonlight and blood from me. They tangled together, forming something heavier. Oppressive. A claiming that filled every corner of the cabin.

This is insane. This is—

Lucian moved fast, stepping in front of Cordelia and Orion with his arms spread wide.

"Nobody move," he ordered, his voice sharp. "Don't make any sudden gestures."

Orion raised both hands, backing toward the door. "Shit. Sorry. I was just curious."

"Curiosity can get you killed right now," Lucian muttered.

Cordelia's expression softened with understanding. She edged toward the door, keeping her movements slow and deliberate.

"It's the possessiveness. New mates are hyper-protective of each other. Any perceived threat—even friendly contact—triggers their wolves."

I could feel Kaelen's chest rising and falling against my back. His heartbeat thundered in my ears—or maybe that was mine. I couldn't tell anymore.

We're synced. Breathing together. Hearts beating together.

The bond hummed between us, a live wire of shared instinct and fury.

Cordelia reached the door, her hand on the handle. "Kaelen, we'll have the search party ready by dawn. Right now, you need to calm down and take care of your mate. Frenzy can turn dangerous if it's not managed."

Lucian nodded, still keeping himself between us and Orion. "We'll search for Lyralei. I promise. The moment we find anything, you'll know."

Orion was already halfway out the door. "Yeah. Good luck with... all this."

Cordelia paused before closing the door, her smile teasing but kind.

"Welcome to mated life, Kaelen," she said. "Good luck."

The door clicked shut.