Chapter One
The car pulled up outside the familiar estate, tires crunching softly against the gravel, and something in Anabelle’s chest loosened despite her best efforts. She had stopped crying halfway through the journey, exhaustion had seen to that, but now, just being here, seeing the dark silhouette of the house against the night sky, made her throat tighten all over again. Safety had a way of unravelling her defences.
The man turned off the engine, the quiet settling between them. He glanced at her, his expression gentle, unhurried. “You don’t have to go in straight away,” he said softly. “Take a moment. Gather your thoughts. Go in only when you’re ready.”
She nodded, grateful for the permission she hadn’t known she needed.
“I’ll have to go, though,” he continued, already reaching for the door. “The Queen is expecting my preliminary reports.”
“No, it’s okay,” Anabelle said quickly, shaking her head. “I’ve… I’ve got to talk to her anyway.” Then her brows furrowed as the words caught up with her. “You’re still working at this hour?” she asked, glancing at the dark sky. “It’s almost midnight.”
He laughed quietly, the sound warm and a little weary. “Yes. Well… there are always things to be done.”
She snorted despite herself, a weak but genuine sound, and his lips curved into a gentle smile in response. “Come on,” he said, stepping out and opening her door for her.
The night air hit her as she climbed out, cool against her flushed skin. She barely managed a few steps toward the wide stone stairs leading up to the front door when it flew open.
Kat barrelled out without warning and wrapped her in a massive hug.
Anabelle froze for half a heartbeat, then melted into it, her hands fisting in Kat’s clothes as she fought the urge to start bawling all over again. Her chest hitched, breath shuddering despite her efforts to stay composed.
“I was so worried about you, Ani,” Kat said, holding her tight. “But I’m glad you’re at least physically safe.”
Anabelle drew in a shaky breath as they pulled apart. Kat’s eyes softened further as she looked past her toward the car. “Thank you, Dante.”
“Of course, Miss Kat,” he replied easily. “No way we were leaving one of our own behind.”
Something warm and unexpected bloomed in Anabelle’s chest at the words. One of our own.
Kat laughed, turning back to him. “Still so eloquent with words, I see. No more work tonight though, okay D? Just go on in, I think my sister has been waiting for you.”
“Oh gods...I shouldn’t keep her waiting,” he said, suddenly flustered, and practically jogged toward the front door.
Anabelle watched him go, brows knitting together.
Kat caught the look and smiled knowingly.
“Dante used to be the driver here,” she said. “My very first decree as queen was promoting him to one of my team.”
Anabelle blinked. “Gods, you really do like helping people.” Then another question surfaced. “Why is he meeting your sister, though?”
Kat’s smile softened, turning fond. “When I went missing five years ago, my sister… she found solace with him. He’d been my only friend here for a while, and they just hit it off. They’ve been together ever since.” She paused, then added lightly, “They’re actually married now. They also had the chosen-mates bonding ceremony not so long ago.”
Anabelle felt genuine happiness flicker for them, she could see how well everyone fit together here, how the connections wove into something strong and real, but the mention of bonds made her throat constrict all the same. The warmth dimmed, replaced by that familiar, painful tightness.
Kat noticed immediately. Of course she did.
“Come with me,” Kat said gently, taking Anabelle’s hands before she could retreat into herself. She led her along the side of the estate, away from the front entrance, until they reached a thick hedge. Kat brushed aside the leaves and found a hidden latch. With a soft mechanical sound, stone stairs unfolded downward from above, revealing a concealed path.
Anabelle stared, momentarily distracted, as Kat squeezed her hands reassuringly, guiding her somewhere quieter, somewhere safe, without asking her to explain a single thing.
As they climbed, her thoughts refused to slow. Each step upward seemed to peel back another layer of everything she’d been trying not to feel. She still couldn’t believe they hadn’t told her. Not one of them. Her mind replayed moments she’d once thought harmless, every touch, every lingering look, every carefully chosen word. Cameron’s voice echoed the loudest. ...If all we are is friends, I can live with that...
Her chest tightened painfully. Live with that.
Gods. Did that mean he’d already resigned himself to never having a mate? To denying something he was supposedly born to have? Was that why it had felt so heavy when he said it, like he was giving something up before she’d even known it existed?
Her rational mind tried to intervene. That’s not fair. He said he wanted you. He said he’d take it at your pace. But the ache didn’t ease.
They’d known. All of them had known since the moment they met her. And suddenly, memories rearranged themselves into something sharper, more unsettling. Dominik approaching her with that ridiculous excuse about a receipt, was that really just a coincidence? Or had he been trying to touch her, to see if the bond would react? To confirm what they already suspected?
Her stomach twisted. And then the hallway. The look on their faces. The silence. The way none of them denied it when she asked. They knew.
She was so deep in the spiral that she barely noticed when they reached the top. The cool night air brushed her skin, carrying the faint scent of flowers and stone, and her thoughts finally stuttered to a halt.
“Wow,” Anabelle breathed before she could stop herself. “This is… beautiful.”
They’d stepped out onto a wide rooftop balcony that felt more like an open-air room than part of the estate. There was no roof, just the night sky stretching endlessly above them. Strings of warm fairy lights were draped overhead, glowing softly, casting gentle halos across plush couches, layered rugs, and low tables scattered with cushions. Everything about the space whispered comfort, intentional, intimate, safe.
Kat watched her take it in, a small smile touching her lips. “Thank you. Ezek made it for me,” she said. “He said it should be my safe space here.” She gestured around them. “I come here when I need to think, to just clear my head, or for big talks, important things.” Her voice softened. “It’s special to me. I figured we’d be more comfortable here away from eyes and ears.”
Kat moved aside and motioned to the seating. “Go on. Sit anywhere.”
Anabelle scanned the space once more, then gravitated toward a deep purple armchair tucked slightly to the side. It looked less designed for aesthetics and more for survival, wide, soft, the kind you could sink into and let the world fall quiet. She curled into it, exhaling slowly as if her body finally understood it was allowed to rest.
Kat took a seat across from her, relaxed but attentive, giving her space without retreating. She studied Anabelle for a moment, eyes kind and perceptive as ever.
“So,” Kat said gently, tilting her head. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Anabelle swallowed hard, her throat tight as she looked past Kat, out toward the dark horizon where the sky met the distant land. The fairy lights blurred at the edges of her vision.
“I’m not sure what there even is to talk about, Kat,” she said quietly. “They knew.”
Her voice cracked on the last word, splintering in a way that made her chest ache. “They knew we were mates… and they didn’t tell me.”
Kat didn’t interrupt. She didn’t rush in with reassurances or explanations. She simply stayed there, steady and present, giving Anabelle the space to let it spill out.
Ani drew in a shaky breath and continued, the words tumbling faster now. “I just spent the last week learning about bonds. About how you don’t lie. How you don’t break trust because it weakens the bond. How you don’t make decisions for your mate without talking to them.” Her hands clenched in her lap. “And… and he sat beside me through all of it. All of it, Kat. And still kept it from me.”
Her voice wavered. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand that. Why didn’t they tell me? Didn’t they want to be with me?”
Her voice broke completely then. She pressed her lips together, trying, and failing, to hold herself together. “I thought…” She shook her head, breath hitching. “I thought they were like my best friends.”
The confession burned on the way out. “I hate to admit it, but sometimes I pictured myself with them. I debated how it would even work. We got along so well, and I was starting to…”
She couldn’t finish the sentence. Instead, she shook her head again, as if denying the thought might make it less true.
“I’ve never had anyone in my corner besides my mom,” Anabelle said, her voice raw now. “For the first time in twenty-five years, I had four people I felt would actually be there for me. And then…” Her breath shuddered. “To find out it was all a lie. To find out they were keeping this huge secret and not...not...”
She broke off, overwhelmed, tears spilling freely now.
“Alright, Ani,” Kat said gently. “Take a deep breath.”
She leaned forward and reached out, carefully wiping the tears from Anabelle’s cheeks, her touch grounding rather than intrusive. “Sweetheart, listen to me. I’m going to say a couple of things that might help put this into perspective.” She paused, searching Anabelle’s face. “Maybe. But just let me finish, okay?”
Anabelle nodded, though her chest still felt like it was caving in.
Kat drew in a breath of her own. “Do you remember when you found out about Emmett’s mark? When I told you there was more to talk about, but that I was waiting for you to finish the program first?”
The anger hit her all over again, sharp, sudden, and burning. Betrayal surged through her veins, hot and unforgiving.
“Wait.” Anabelle pushed to her feet abruptly. “You knew?”
Kat immediately held up a hand. “Ani. I think you’re forgetting just how overwhelmed you were.”
She stood as well, her tone firm but not unkind. “You had just found out that supernaturals and magic were real. Your entire understanding of the world was shattered in one week. How do you think you would have reacted if, on top of that, you’d been told that the four males you were literally running away from were destined to be your soulmates?”
Kat stepped closer, her voice steady. “No...really, Ani. Your whole world had been turned upside down. And I did what any sane person would do. I gave you a break.”
She softened slightly then. “A break to find yourself first. To maybe get to know them without the crushing pressure of the bond hanging over every interaction. To get to know who you are as a caster.” Her gaze sharpened just a touch. “And let’s not forget, you had your status looming over you. You still do.”
Then Kat’s voice gentled even more, wrapping around Anabelle like a balm. “I told them not to tell you.”
Anabelle stilled.
“Granted,” Kat continued, “they could have gone against that. The bond should have overridden even an order from me. But I’m sure you can imagine how complicated their position was.”
She met Anabelle’s eyes. “They did want you, Ani. They do want you. No male on assignment from the council would ever have deviated from duty to approach a human unless the bond demanded it.”
Kat hesitated, then added, “Rian told me the bond slammed into place for him first. That’s why Dominik approached you.” She sighed. “Was it wrong? Yes. But they wanted you. They’ve been waiting for you for an extremely long time.”
Her voice softened further. “Please don’t hold this against them. Blame me if you need to...but if you search your heart, really search it, Ani, you’ll know the truth was there long before you even knew what a bond was.” Kat lifted her brows gently. “Tell me you haven’t already fallen in love with them.”
Anabelle stared at her. Then she blinked.
And then the tears came again, silent at first, then shaking her shoulders as the truth she’d been fighting finally surfaced.
Kat stepped closer. “I know it feels like a betrayal,” she said quietly. “And in some ways, it is.”
She cupped Anabelle’s face, her thumbs warm against tear-damp skin. “But that pain you’re feeling? That’s not just you. That’s the bond itself rebelling against a violation.”
Her gaze was steady, unwavering. “You know they had the best intentions. And so did I.”
Kat brushed a strand of hair from Anabelle’s face. “You deserved a break, Ani. More than anyone.”
“I… I…” Anabelle’s voice caught, the words tangling as she pressed a hand to her chest. “You’re right. I know you’re right.” She shook her head slowly. “But it… it still hurts. They…”
She trailed off, the ache sitting heavy and unresolved inside her.
“I know it does,” Kat said softly, not trying to erase the pain, only to sit with it. “But they love you, Ani. Every one of them. They only wanted what was best for you, just like I do.”
Kat leaned back slightly, her gaze steady and certain. “They gave you time. Time to come to terms with everything. Time to find your footing. They’ve been putting your wishes and your well-being above their own from the very beginning.”
She paused, letting the words settle. “This, keeping it from you, was the right call. Even if you can’t see that yet.”
Kat tilted her head, one brow lifting faintly. “Do you really think you would’ve scored a ninety in your first week, or a ninety-two in your second, if you’d been dealing with the bond on top of everything else?”
Anabelle stared at her, mouth falling open. “You know…?”
Kat laughed, the sound unrestrained and warm. “Gods, of course I do. I am the queen. It’s my job to know.” She gave a playful shrug. “Though I’ll admit, I don’t usually run to check every caster’s scores. That particular honour belongs only to you.”
“Gods,” Anabelle breathed, shaking her head in disbelief.
Kat smiled, then clapped her hands lightly once, as if making a decision. “Alright. I know exactly what you need. Let’s go get some coffee, or hot chocolate, and just talk this out a bit more. Take the night off. The program will still be there in the morning.”
Anabelle drew in a shaky breath, the tension in her shoulders easing just a fraction. She nodded and slowly stood, feeling a little less like she might shatter.
But before they could move, Kat stilled as she thought of something, then gently, softly she spoke again. “Ani...before we go.” There was a hesitation there now, a rare flicker of nerves. “You should know....”
Anabelle stilled.
“The bond wasn’t the only thing we were waiting to tell you,” Kat said carefully. “But some things… I was asked not to share myself. I think you’ll have to talk to them to get the full truth.” She sighed. “I still maintain you should wait until after the program, but ultimately, that choice will be yours.”
Anabelle turned back toward the horizon, the quiet stretching between them. The night air felt cool against her skin, grounding. After a few long moments, she looked back at Kat.
“I appreciate you looking after me,” she said quietly. “I really do. I’ll… think about it.”
Kat nodded once, satisfied. “That’s all I ask.” Then her expression brightened, mischief slipping back in. “Now, come on. I think you should meet my sister. But fair warning...brace yourself. Mara is a whirlwind of a woman.”
Anabelle let out a small laugh, the first since she’d arrived. It surprised her, but she welcomed it all the same.
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