Enchanter

Chapter Twenty-Two

Anton laid awake that night in Aaric's bed. The curtains were drawn over the window, the mirror was in the side room, and all reflective surfaces were covered. Though he could not see Azalea, he knew she was still there. As long as a reflective surface was in the room, didn't matter if it could be seen or not, Azalea was still there to listen in.

He had no idea on what went wrong. He stood over the bloody red rose with Azalea's reflection, and she stood over her own. He sliced over the scar on his hand and bled onto the rose, just as she did the same. Yet, once again, they were met with disappointment when nothing happened. There was no telling what to do next, as all they knew was that they would be stuck together for a long time.

"Are you still thinking about it?" Aaric whispered. After spending one night together, it was impossible to separate their wolves the following night. Aaric knocked on his door early in the morning and asked to sleep next to him, and Anton scooted over for his mate to hold him as he slept.

"How can I not?"

"I don't blame you," he assured. "It sucks, I know. I thought it was going to work as well."

"Maybe I should accept my fate as being connected to Azalea forever. She will always be part of me, and I will always be part of her. There's nothing to do but accept it."

"No, I won't allow that to happen," Aaric stated. Lifting himself on one arm, he hovered over his mate's frame. "You don't want to be connected, right?"

"No, I don't."

"Then we will find a way to unlatch the two of you from one another. I will not stop until we make it happen. All I want is for you to be happy, and I fear that will never happen if you are not unlatched. So, first thing tomorrow morning, we will find a way to summon Bleeding Rosebud. There has to be a witch's coven we can speak to or something- maybe Azalea knows someone? Or Raven? Aren't ravens like a witch's sign of some sort of-"

"You need to stop right now," Anton demanded, his voice heavy with lust.

"Stop? Stop what?"

"Saying things that make me want to mate with you."

Aaric's eyes clouded over, and he dove down, initiating a kiss. Anton dug his claws into his mate's back, groaning loudly over the way Aaric's lips sucked on his lower jaw, most likely leaving a mark of some sort. At that revelation, Anton quickly pulled apart. "I'm taking a shower," he declared before locking himself in the bathroom.

"You are so loud, you know that?" Azalea yawned. Upon seeing a flustered Anton turn on the shower, she rolled her eyes. "Why are we showering so early?"

"Shut up," Anton growled as he shed his clothing and hopped in the cold water.

"Oh, I get it," Azalea snickered as she appeared in the water beside him. Anton shrieked and faced away from her. "Do you need some help?"

"Are you for real right now?"

"Anton?" Aaric questioned as he knocked on the door. "Is everything alright? I heard screaming."

"Look what you did."

"Look what he did."

"Are you serious?" he snapped, attempting to slap her but merely causing his hand to splash a bunch of water.

"Missed me," she sang.

"You little-"

"I'm coming in," Aaric stated. As he burst into the bathroom, Anton jumped into the wall and slid to the floor as Azalea calmly spun around to greet him. "Why the hell is she in shower with you?"