Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Finn reached for his shoulder, but Ronan shook him off.
“Don’t,” he muttered. “You don’t understand what you’re asking.”
“I think I do.” I stepped closer. “You’re afraid. Of what this will do to you.”
His dark eyes finally met mine.
“Fuck that—I’m afraid of what it’ll do to you. Bonding with a Werebear… it’s not just some magical condom you put on and take off later. It’s a claim. It means everything I feel, you’ll feel. Everything I hunger for, everything I’ve buried—it’ll all bleed into you. And the same with Finn—that’s a hell of a lot to take on, Goldie.”
I reached up slowly, gently cupping the side of his face.
“And what if I want that? What if I want you—both of you—all of you?”
He flinched, but didn’t pull away, his eyes searching mine.
“I can’t promise it’ll be perfect,” I said softly. “But I can promise I won’t hold you prisoner in this. If it’s too much… if it’s wrong somehow, I’ll find a way to release the bond. Goody A will help me, or I’ll go back to the forest and beg Locasta if I have to. You won’t be trapped.”
Ronan gave a harsh, humorless laugh.
“You don’t get it. I already feel trapped. Every day I fight the Bear—fight to keep from hurting someone, to keep from Shifting and never coming back. This curse is a cage, and my mind is the lock.” He looked at me again, eyes burning. “But when I’m with you…”
I waited, wanting to hear him say it.
“When I’m with you…I don’t feel like a monster,” he finished, his voice low and raw. “Even when I want to be on my knees, sharing you with Finn. Even then.”
My breath caught. Finn made a soft noise and stepped in, wrapping his arms around both of us and we just melted together. We stood there for a long moment, tangled in shadow and candlelight, hearts thudding in quiet unison. This was right—I knew it. And I was sure Ronan would know it too, once we forged our Heartmate Bond.
“So you’ll do it?” I whispered, looking up at him.
Ronan hesitated one last second—then gave a sharp nod.
“I’ll Bond with you—with Finn, too. I’ll do anything to break this fucking curse.” His gaze met mine. “Just don’t ever lie to me. If you say you can find a way out if things get dangerous for you, you’d better mean it.” He stroked my cheek. “I don’t ever want to hurt you, little witch.”
“I mean it—I promise,” I whispered. “But I don’t think we’ll want to undo the Bond once it’s done. The three of us belong together—forever.”
Ronan’s answering smile was dark and rueful.
“All right. Then let’s see what forever feels like.”
23
FINN
I’d never felt peace like this before.
Goldie’s scent was in the air, warm and sweet and sharp with need. The Lust Hut was lit like a dream—low firelight and moon-drenched shadows. It smelled like sex and magic and something older, like wild honey melting on a silver altar. The scent of a sacrifice we were about to make…a deal we were about to fulfill.
I should’ve been nervous…but I wasn’t.
All my life, I’d dreaded Bonding. I didn’t want to leave my Clan. Didn’t want to be claimed by some narrow-eyed village girl who wanted pups and propriety.
But this… this was different.
Goldie wasn’t just anyone. She was fire and shadow, kindness and kink. A goddess in mortal skin, and she wanted both of us. She didn’t just see me—she saw Ronan too. Not just our human outsides—she saw the beasts within. She saw our Bears.
And still she didn’t flinch.
I’d never dreamed it was possible to share a mate—it’s really not done in the Were community. But now it seemed insane to do anything else. I wanted to Bond her and have her as my Heartmate—I wanted Ronan as my Heartmate, too. He was my brother in arms, in survival, in suffering. My Clan mate.
Maybe now, we’d get to be mates in something better—something that felt like coming home.
I just hoped that the ritual we were about to perform went off without a hitch.
24
RONAN
Ipaced in the darkness just outside the Lust Hut, trying to slow my breathing.
Goldie was inside preparing the space—candles…herbs…some strange velvet cushions that smelled like lust and jasmine. I could feel her magic humming through the walls like a heartbeat, pulsing against my chest in time with my own.
I should’ve felt honored…desired.
Instead, I was almost sick with fear.
The Bear inside me wasn’t pacing tonight. He was watching. Quiet, intent… aroused. And that scared me more than his rage ever had. I remembered too well what happened when I lost control—when instinct took over and I couldn’t find my way back.
What if that happened again? What if I Shifted in the middle of it—of her—and shredded the ritual, ruined the Bond?
What if I hurt her?