Chapter 186

Chapter 191
Natalie POV


I paced back and forth through the snow, watching as my boots created a small path in the pristine white blanket covering the forest floor. The castle loomed in the distance, but I needed space—needed air that wasn't filled with expectations and watchful eyes.

My fingers started tingling, a sensation I'd grown to recognize and fear. I lifted my hands to examine them, watching as small sparks of magic danced between my fingertips like miniature lightning bolts.

"Not again," I whispered, clenching my fists tightly. The magic inside me felt like a caged animal, desperately seeking release. I had no idea what was happening to me. The power had been manageable before, but now it felt like it was growing beyond my control.

My breathing became labored as panic set in. The trees around me began to blur, and I felt lightheaded. I was about to scream for help when I heard footsteps crunching through the snow behind me.

"Leave me alone!" I shouted without turning around, knowing I was dangerous in this state.

"Not a chance," Blaise's voice replied, steady and calm.

I spun around, backing away as he approached. "Stay away from me," I warned, holding up my sparking hands. "I don't want to hurt you."

"I know what's happening," he said, continuing to move toward me with determined steps.

I stared at him, confused. "What do you mean you know? I don't even know what's wrong with me." My back hit a tree, and I leaned against it for support, my legs feeling suddenly weak.

Blaise reached for me, his movements slow and deliberate. I flinched but allowed him to take hold of my arm. The moment his skin touched mine, some of the tension inside me eased, like a valve releasing pressure.

"What's happening to me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Do you remember what happened the night of the full moon?" he asked, his eyes searching mine.

I nodded, memories of my frantic need to find Nathan flooding back.

"We could all see how much you miss Nathan," Blaise continued. "And you're not an ordinary werewolf princess. Everything that happens to you is... different. More intense." He paused, his grip on my arm tightening slightly. "That's why this is happening. Your magic is going haywire because Nathan isn't here."

Frustration boiled inside me. I pushed away from the tree and slammed my fist against the trunk. Magic exploded from my hand, splitting the massive tree down the middle. It cracked loudly before breaking into two pieces and crashing to the ground.

Blaise caught my arm as I swayed, unbalanced by the sudden loss of support.

"I can't control it," I said through gritted teeth, trying desperately to contain the power surging through me. "Why does this stuff always happen to me? Why couldn't it be easy like it was for my mom? She found her mates. Three of them. At once. Why couldn't I have that?"

"I thought you didn't want me," he said, his voice low.

I glared at him. "If I didn't want you, Blaise, I would have rejected you and kicked you out of royal territory a long time ago."

Blaise's hands moved to my shoulders. "Natalie, look at me."

I took several deep breaths, forcing myself to meet his gaze. As our eyes locked, I realized something—the closer Blaise got, the more he touched me, the calmer the magic inside me became. The pain was subsiding, replaced by a different kind of heat.

I lunged forward, catching Blaise by surprise as I pressed my lips against his. For a split second, he froze, but then his arms wrapped around my back as mine encircled his neck.

Blaise cupped my face in his hands and spun me around, pressing me against another tree. My hands moved to his waistband, fumbling with his buttons before moving to my own. I kicked off my pants, the cold air against my skin barely registering through the heat building inside me.

He lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, one hand raised above my head gripping the tree for leverage, the other resting on his shoulder. When he entered me, I gasped, holding my breath as my body adjusted to him.

Blaise held me tightly, also gripping the tree I was leaning against as he moved within me, each thrust faster than the last. He kissed me, then moved to my jawline and neck. His hand shifted to support me better, and I felt the rough bark against my back, but I couldn't care less in that moment.

He was relentless, desperate in his movements, and I matched his intensity. When his hand moved between us to touch me, I felt myself climbing toward release. After a few more thrusts, I clenched around him, my whole body shuddering as I climaxed. Blaise followed shortly after, his movements becoming erratic before he stilled, his head resting in the crook of my neck.

We both panted, trying to catch our breath. Blaise slowly withdrew and lowered me to the ground. I picked up my pants from the snow and pulled them on while he simply zipped and buttoned his.

"Are you okay?" he asked, approaching me again.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied automatically.

"No, you're not."

I looked up at him, startled by his perceptiveness. Under his steady gaze, I admitted the truth. "Whenever I'm with one of you, I feel like I'm betraying the other one."

"Not at all. I think you're just really confused about everything right now," he said, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I buried my face in his chest. "You're right."

"It's going to be okay. You know that, right?" he murmured against my hair.

"Yeah, at least I think I do."

We walked toward the castle, and as we approached, I saw Anna running toward me. Blaise quickly brushed tree bark from the back of my sweater.

"What was that for?" I asked, confused.

"I just missed you so much!" Anna exclaimed, hugging me tightly.

Over her shoulder, I spotted the man I'd seen the day before, standing behind her.

"Anna, aren't you going to formally introduce him to me?" I asked.

Anna looked at me, then back at the man. "You figured it out?"

"He's been following you around since I got back. It's kind of obvious."

"Well, this is Tom. He's my mate now." She beamed.

"Tom is from a pack near Seattle," Anna added.

My stomach dropped. "What? Does that mean you're leaving?" I stared at her in disbelief.

Anna looked back at Tom and said, "No, that's not happening. Absolutely not... at least, I don't think so." But Tom remained expressionless.

"We still need to discuss it," he finally said.

"Yeah, sounds like it," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

I glanced back at Blaise, who stepped forward and put his arm around my waist. He could see the worry on my face, knowing how devastated I'd be if Anna left.

But if that's what she needed to do to be with her mate, there was nothing I could do about it.