Chapter 23 Twenty Three
Rhea's POV
I came to consciousness surrounded by Theron’s embrace, both our bodies wrapped around each other and encased under silk sheets.
Then there was just a moment of silence as I lay there listening to that heartbeat. Strong and steady. Alive. The curse was wrought, and I could sense it through our bond. No more pain, no more weakness gnawing at him.
The mate bond thrummed between us, solid and unbreakable. Even in his sleep I could feel the sensations. Contentment. Peace. A possessive smile I could not prevent.
But beneath it, a strand of anxiety. About Lilith waiting outside. About Thanos's ultimatum. Regarding the impossible situation we all found ourselves in.
"Just ignore her," Theron whispered into the hair just over my ear, still with his eyes mostly closed. "She can wait."
I turned toward him in his arms. His silver eyes were open now, looking at me with a level of intensity that heated my whole body.
“We can’t just hole up in here forever,” I murmured.
"We could try." His fingers moved in circles over my bare shoulder and down the curve of the mating mark. “I have been waiting for this for 300 years. A few more hours will not kill anybody.”
I sat up, wincing slightly. My body hurt in different places, muscles protesting the events of the night. The bruise on my neck pulsed with a welcome warmth.
I gingerly poked at it, admiring the beautiful silver lace. It was lovely in a way that I hadn’t anticipated. Not simply a form of ownership, but an experience that felt like art.
Theron sat up next to me, and I felt the matching symbol on his neck. "No regrets?" he asked quietly.
I met his silver eyes. "None. You?"
"Nothing much, just it took me three hundred years to get here. He hauled me back down for a kiss that was soft and lewd at the same time.”
We finally separated, and then the outside world started seeping back in.
”We have to dress,” I said, the words sticking in my throat. "Face whatever's waiting out there."
Theron agreed, but I sensed his reluctance through the bond. "Together."
"Together," I agreed.
We dressed in silence, stealing looks at each other. This bond rendered even the most commonplace of activities intimate. I felt his feeling and he felt mine.
It was too much and great and terrifying all at the same time.
When we exited Theron's room, Lilith was in the hallway.
Her amber gaze landed on the new mating marks on our necks. One fleeting, hazardous look crossed her face. Rage, jealousy and something like real pain.
“So it is true,” she said, her voice icy and deadly calm. “You’ve bonded with her to the fullest.
Theron edged a bit in front of me, posture protective. “What I do is none of your business anymore, Lilith.
The Lycan female laughed, but it was grating and hard. "No longer my concern? We were meant to be together, Theron. I thought you were dead for over a century. I mourned you. I clawed my way back from the edge of the abyss to get to you.”
She moved closer, her power spreading in a wave. “And here I am thinking you replaced me with a kid.
The insult made me bristle, and I stepped up from Theron. "I'm nobody's replacement."
Lilith squinted, seemed to focus on me for the first time. "You think you know him? You’ve had him what, a couple of weeks? Before the wars, I knew him for fifty years. He was gentle back then, before he turned into the monster all of you are afraid of.”
"The past is gone, Lilith," Theron snapped. “We are two different people now.
"Am I?" Lilith drew closer, paying no attention to me now. "Because I still remember everything. The vows we exchanged at the full moon. The future we planned together. The life that we were supposed to have.”
She put out a hand to touch his face, but Theron grabbed her wrist in mid-air.
"Don't," he said simply.
The rejection clearly wounded her. I witnessed it in the way that her face broke, if only momentarily before hardening into something cold and cruel.
“Cool,” she said, snatching her hand away. “If you’re not going to return to me on your own, then maybe I’ll have to change your world.
Now she turned and looked at me, really looking at me, and I felt the weight of her ancient gaze. You know the king of the shifters is paying good money for you to be returned, isn't he? Half the supernatural universe's hunting you down, little hybrid. Bounty hunters, mercenaries, rogue packs. For how long do you think Theron could protect you from everyone?
Although my heart was hammering, I managed to keep my voice steady. "I don't need protection. I can fight."
"Can you?" Lilith's smile was cruel. “You’ve been training what a couple of weeks? I’ve been at war for over 300 years. You’re a kiddo pretending to be a warrior.”
“She’s tougher than you realize,” Theron said softly.
Lilith's face settled into something more measured. "By the way, were you aware that I had died? He’ll have told you that, I’m sure Theron did.”
I sensed Theron become absolutely still next to me.
“Was there anything in my ‘death’?” Lilith went on, her gazers fastened upon Theron's face.
Ze tremblerlings,” I said recalling what Theron said. "They attacked during the war."
"They ambushed me," Lilith corrected. “A targeted attack right where and when we wanted one. Almost as if someone had tipped them off to where I was."
Theron's jaw clenched. "Lilith, don't—”
“I was betrayed in the great war,” she said, cutting him off. Some of the shifters paid for by someone I trusted. Someone who had me out of the way, so they could finally be rid of that bond.”
Her gaze was direct to Theron,rogue anger burning from the age. “You knew there would be an ambush, didn’t you? You could have given me a warning, but you didn’t.” You allowed me to walk into that trap because you wanted to be free.”
I was jolted by it through the mate bond. And not just my shock, but Theron’s guilt.
"That's not—" he started.
“When you were dying, I fought my way back to life for three centuries,” Lilith cut him off. "300 years to take my revenge. And all the ways I’d make you pay for your betrayal.”
She laughed, all bitter dark sound. “And here you are having not just survived, but thrived. Found your true mate. Broken your curse. The irony is delicious."
She spun to walk out, but hesitated just around the corner. "Oh, and Rhea? And you should know, sealing the mate bond with one of your future four doesn’t prevent the others from mating with you. In reality, it’s what creates a stronger pull for them. And it makes them feel even more like they need to claim you, cement their own bonds.”
Her grin was a blade. “Good luck trying to juggle four possessive alpha males who all want to own you.
Then she was gone, vanishing down the stairs.
I stood, with difficulty managed not to say a word and fought back the overwhelming amount of information she'd just presented. Finally, I turned to Theron.
“Did you know the ambush was coming?” I went a little smaller than I meant to.
Theron's silence was answer enough.
“It’s not what you think,” he said at last, his silvery eyes pleading. "It's more complicated than—"
"How is it complicated?" I stepped back, needing space. “You either knew she was getting an attack and you didn’t tell her, or you didn’t.” Which is it?"
"I knew." Theron finally confessed, his voice raw. "But Rhea, you got to get the real picture. We were at war. Lilith was orchestrating an effort that would have killed hundreds of our people. I was forced to make an impossible decision.”
“So what you did was let her die.”
"I chose to save my pack." Theron raked a hand through his silver hair. "It was war. People died. I’ve done many things that I’m not proud of. But I am not sorry for protecting my people.”
I wanted to be angry. Wanted to be offended that he hadn’t told me. But the mate bond allowed me to feel his true agony. What I had brought gushing out from him was three centuries of guilt.
“You should have said something,” I murmured. "When I was inside your memories during the ceremony. You were supposed to bring me this.”
"I was ashamed." Theron's voice cracked. “You were looking at all my worst moments, all my failures. I didn’t want you to have one more thing not to need me for.”
Before I had time to answer, or even process how the hell I felt about all of that, Cassian came around the corner.
His face was all on point, his alpha power sparking and snapping around him. "We have a problem. Alaric is outside with reinforcements. And he's not alone."
My stomach dropped. "Who's with him?"
"Lord Darius. "Uncle and old alpha of Moonvale. Cassian's expression was grim. “They want a formal challenge for your hand.