man’s conventional endurance. “I get that,” he gritted out. “You’ve seen the contents of the book while I have not.”
“You know basic bonding protocol. Beyond that, if you’re going to give up your treòir , I am not sure what else you need to know.” All of Riordan’s previous humor drained away, leaving deep concern. “You need your treòir to bond to her in the way of our people. If you still plan to give your power up…” He shrugged. “What is her decision?”
“A tentative yes,” Donovan said. “This could get ugly, and I have a child under my roof. If his treòir wants to protect her from…” He left it hanging, unsure if he wanted to tell his brother he thought Haven was his lifebond because his power wanted her. If he had access to the Book of the Undying, maybe this would be clearer, but he didn’t. The book was gone, and he had to rely on what his brother could tell him.
“Aye, mating can get ugly,” Riordan agreed. “What were you going to say?”
“My treòir ,” Donovan murmured. If Haven decided against him, there would be no chance to give up the treòir before something far worse than the time-shift or Kyros could happen. His power would go berserk. The carnage would be catastrophic before he spent the energy. Oberon’s blood! “You’re saying she’s mine because of the treòir ?”
“I’m not saying anything. You’ve yet to fully accept this bonding. No matter what she decides, you have to also accept it.”
His muscles tensed. “She’s here. I will not—”
Riordan put up a hand to stop him from talking. “You’ll protect her, and you won’t physically abandon her. Those are wonderful things, but what if she needs the power in you?”
Donovan grumbled. “And if I kill her in the process? Can you put me down? Can Wolf? Would Memphis or even Maverick have what is needed to put me down before another Kyros is created?”
“So you give up before you’ve even started?” Riordan countered in an irritatingly calm tone. “You need time with her exactly as you are. That treòir is her best chance of survival. No matter what you might think, it wasn’t Kyros’s treòir that killed Helena. Kyros did.”
He let out a shuttering breath. Kyros had been his friend a thousand years before the time-shift. Best friends, even, but all of that changed when Helena died. Donovan had disapproved of the bonding, but Kyros insisted he was in love with the woman. Despite all of his objections, Kyros secretly attempted to convert Helena, and the woman died in agony. No Undying had the power to heal the dead, except maybe a bonded male. He paused. He was missing something in the power combination of man and treòir . Though he already knew the answer, he needed confirmation for his own peace of mind. “The treòir wants her.”
A sad, restrained joy filled Riordan’s features. “Then she is yours, brother. You have found your lifebond.”
Donovan nodded. “I told her you’d give her options after I spoke with you.”
“By all means,” Riordan said. “Go and get her.”
Instead of having a wolf tell her to come down, he went up to the room himself. He knocked before opening the door.
She stopped pacing. “So?”
“According to Riordan, we are, in fact, lifebonds,” Donovan said, feeling weird about the whole thing.
She padded over to him. She still had on his shirt, but wore a white tank top underneath, along with a pair of sleep pants. “You mean you didn’t know for sure? Mason was very sure that I was his.”
He wrapped his hand around hers as he led her down the stairs. “That is how you know the truth. Bonding can be difficult, so there are protocols to follow to assure everyone’s safety during the process. Mason should have, at the very least, spoken to another bonded male to get confirmation. You should not be afraid of your lifebond.”
She let out a sharp laugh as they entered the kitchen. “What about nervous or intimidated?”
“We,”
“You know basic bonding protocol. Beyond that, if you’re going to give up your treòir , I am not sure what else you need to know.” All of Riordan’s previous humor drained away, leaving deep concern. “You need your treòir to bond to her in the way of our people. If you still plan to give your power up…” He shrugged. “What is her decision?”
“A tentative yes,” Donovan said. “This could get ugly, and I have a child under my roof. If his treòir wants to protect her from…” He left it hanging, unsure if he wanted to tell his brother he thought Haven was his lifebond because his power wanted her. If he had access to the Book of the Undying, maybe this would be clearer, but he didn’t. The book was gone, and he had to rely on what his brother could tell him.
“Aye, mating can get ugly,” Riordan agreed. “What were you going to say?”
“My treòir ,” Donovan murmured. If Haven decided against him, there would be no chance to give up the treòir before something far worse than the time-shift or Kyros could happen. His power would go berserk. The carnage would be catastrophic before he spent the energy. Oberon’s blood! “You’re saying she’s mine because of the treòir ?”
“I’m not saying anything. You’ve yet to fully accept this bonding. No matter what she decides, you have to also accept it.”
His muscles tensed. “She’s here. I will not—”
Riordan put up a hand to stop him from talking. “You’ll protect her, and you won’t physically abandon her. Those are wonderful things, but what if she needs the power in you?”
Donovan grumbled. “And if I kill her in the process? Can you put me down? Can Wolf? Would Memphis or even Maverick have what is needed to put me down before another Kyros is created?”
“So you give up before you’ve even started?” Riordan countered in an irritatingly calm tone. “You need time with her exactly as you are. That treòir is her best chance of survival. No matter what you might think, it wasn’t Kyros’s treòir that killed Helena. Kyros did.”
He let out a shuttering breath. Kyros had been his friend a thousand years before the time-shift. Best friends, even, but all of that changed when Helena died. Donovan had disapproved of the bonding, but Kyros insisted he was in love with the woman. Despite all of his objections, Kyros secretly attempted to convert Helena, and the woman died in agony. No Undying had the power to heal the dead, except maybe a bonded male. He paused. He was missing something in the power combination of man and treòir . Though he already knew the answer, he needed confirmation for his own peace of mind. “The treòir wants her.”
A sad, restrained joy filled Riordan’s features. “Then she is yours, brother. You have found your lifebond.”
Donovan nodded. “I told her you’d give her options after I spoke with you.”
“By all means,” Riordan said. “Go and get her.”
Instead of having a wolf tell her to come down, he went up to the room himself. He knocked before opening the door.
She stopped pacing. “So?”
“According to Riordan, we are, in fact, lifebonds,” Donovan said, feeling weird about the whole thing.
She padded over to him. She still had on his shirt, but wore a white tank top underneath, along with a pair of sleep pants. “You mean you didn’t know for sure? Mason was very sure that I was his.”
He wrapped his hand around hers as he led her down the stairs. “That is how you know the truth. Bonding can be difficult, so there are protocols to follow to assure everyone’s safety during the process. Mason should have, at the very least, spoken to another bonded male to get confirmation. You should not be afraid of your lifebond.”
She let out a sharp laugh as they entered the kitchen. “What about nervous or intimidated?”
“We,”
Similar Books
