Flames of Fury

Chapter 19

Happy Monday!

— — — — —

Varian

The three of us watch as Syble — or Mags, apparently — falls into a trance along with Xander.

You really think they're telling the truth?  I mindlink Ro.

Not sure, but what do they stand to gain from lying? The pull we feel towards her is real, so then why didn't we feel it before? Maybe we really don't remember.

There's only one way to find out.

I spot Incandis out of the corner of my eye wringing his hands together, I can hear his heart beating as fast as a hummingbird's. He's nervous. He's scared.

I wonder what truth Xander could reveal that would make him this worried.

Incandis' heart stalls for a moment when Mags and Xander come out of their trance.

No one says anything, no one breathes. I can feel her fire burning from within her, I can feel her betrayal and her rage like it's my own.

My wolf snarls in my mind, wanting me to comfort her. The drive is so overwhelming that I nearly give in. Just as I'm about to reach out for her, she lifts her hand so fast and slaps Xander across the face.

I actually flinch from the impact, my hand recoiling back to my side.

"How could you?" She asks of Xander, her voice sounding every bit as devastated as she feels.

"How could either of you do that to me?"

I can't help but feel sorry for her. I can't help but want to run to her and hold her and tell her it'll be okay.

Why are things so different this time around? Why do I feel this pull towards her? Why didn't my wolf recognize her as our mate before? The matepull doesn't lie. It's not something that can be easily faked.

If Incandis was willing to do that to her, someone he would sooner die than betray, maybe they did  erase our memories. My lip coils into a snarl at the thought. I don't even realize I'm growling until Xander clears his throat.

"Do you guys want a minute before we start?" He asks us quietly.

"No, the sooner we get this over with, the better."

He nods, lost in his own thoughts, and then gestures to the couch Mags had been sitting on.

"Have a seat, then."

Ro and I cram onto the love seat in front of Xander, our knees knocking uncomfortably against his.

"Alright Alphas, let's talk."

— — —  

Rohanor

I sit there unblinking as image after image floods my memory, like a veil lifted off of what I thought I knew, revealing a forgotten truth.

Meeting her for the first time, sparring with her, fighting a bond that grew stronger every day, taking her to the lake, dancing with her at the club, claiming her...and the day she took off without us and how it almost killed me and Varian.

What truly guts me isn't the sudden recovery of these stolen memories — because that's what they are. Stolen. It's the feeling that envelops each and every one of them, the inescapable pull towards her, the desire, the passion, the heat.