BOUND: Mates at War | 18+

31 Little Dove

Immediately, as we step out of the cave a flurry of white feathers attacks Roman. Pecking at his neck and face. The others have gathered around the campfire and can't contain their laughter.

He growls angrily and swats at her, "why are you following me?"

The little bird isn't deterred by his anger or flailing arms, she dives at him again and again. I roll my lips into my mouth trying to hide my amusement.

"Shoot it," he turns to me seriously.

"No!" I gasp, "I'm not going to shoot a little bird!"

"You shot me!"

I smirk "you deserved it."

He lungs forward, grabbing the bird in his hands.
"Fucking go, be free! I liberated you from your cage! Fly away!" He opens his hand and the bird doesn't move.

He growls and tosses her into the air, "I'm releasing you!"

A shockwave ripples through the air knocking us to the ground. A flash of bright white light leaves my vision spotty.

Romans arm wraps around me, pulling me to him as we blink and struggle to stand.

"What the fuck?" I hear one of the guys say.

I turn toward the source of the light to see a small woman standing in front of us. Her long, white hair covers the nakedness of her body.

She's staring down at her trembling hands.

"I... I'm free," she mumbled softly to herself.

"Who are you?" Roman pulls himself in front of me protectively.

"I am the sorceress Aslyn," she finally looks up at us. Her eyes are a startling silvery gray.

"Were you... the bird?" Roman stutters. I can feel his embarrassment at asking such a strange question.

"Yes," she says before quickly marching past us, "I know you have a lot of questions and I will answer them but I need to do something first. It's incredibly important."

We all stand, rooted to the ground as she disappears into the tree line.

"She was the bird? What the fuck?" Roman whispers to himself.

Everyone shares the same mystified expression. The ground starts to shake beneath our feet and a glowing light radiates from between the trees.

"What is she turning into now?" Dylan questions nervously.

We all sit around the fire, waiting for her to finish doing... whatever it is that she's doing. Everyone is tense and quiet. I can see the wheels turning in Romans mind.

The sun starts to set, the light quickly fading from the ridge.

Movement from the trees draws everyone's attention. Aslyn stumbles out into the open, exhaustion clear on her face. She stops, swaying before she falls to the ground.

Aric pulls her up and lays her tiny body by the fire. "She's sleeping, I think," he whispers.

"What now?"

"Now we wait, I guess?"

"I'll sit here with her, on watch, just until we know what her deal is..." Aric volunteers.

Everyone nods in agreement.

Roman takes me by the hand, leading me toward the cave.

"Nice mark by the way," Dylan teases and I blush while Romans chest puffs up. His fingers graze the sore skin gently, making me shiver.

"Let's get some sleep until she wakes up, you're probably exhausted," he smiles against my hair.

After pulling an overturned cot toward the back of the cave he lays down, opening his arms for me to crawl in with him.

"Come here," his voice echoes softly in my mind.

He runs his fingers absentmindedly through my hair, "my mother has had that bird my entire life... I... " I can feel him shaking his head.

"I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep with all of the questions hanging over us."

"It makes sense why the bird was so valuable though, it wasn't like she was a beloved pet. She always had her with her but she was... cruel, always teasing and tormenting her..."

The hours pass slowly, laying together in the dark, drifting in and out of restless sleep.

"Can I ask you something?" I pluck up the courage to ask.

"Anything."

"I just... I need to know... it won't change anything but..." I link our hands together, "Aerin... I knew her."

He tenses beneath me.

"I saw her body, after... how much of that was... you?"

"Truthfully, none of it, but not because I was against her treatment, it was because I couldn't control myself around her. When I saw her my wolf was so confused. I felt the mate bond but it disintegrated as soon as I grabbed her arm. It completely fucked me up, I couldn't be near her. She was giving information pretty freely so they kept her. She was in the back because I couldn't even smell her scent without a rage coming over me..."

"The wolf they put in there with her ripped her open," I shudder at the memory.

"I'm sorry," he pulls me closer, wrapping his arm around me tightly.

"Roman, I just needed to know..."

A loud snarl from outside interrupts me.

"Stay here," he slides out of the cot and runs outside.

A loud growl pulls me up to my feet. I run to the mouth of the cave in time to see Cale and Miles shifting. Their attention is on the tree line. A pair of golden eyes glow in the lowlight.

"Stop!" Roman yells, "shift!"

They turn to him, confused, but they obey.

Romans chest is heaving and he's frozen, staring at the wolf that emerges from the darkness.

"That's my father..."

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