✧

Viola is somewhat adorable when she's angry. She stares up at me with her dark brown eyes and a glare that could put me six feet under. I don't know where she's heard this information from and I totally understand that she would be furious, but my initial intentions have changed. Even if it's the last thing I wanted.

"You better start fucking talking now," she wriggles against me when I flick my eyes between hers. "Or I'll knee you in the balls."

I huff out a breath and keep her wrists pinned above her head with one of my hands. "You should usually declare your threats after you carry them out, sweetness."

Her nose wrinkles in hatred. "I swear to the Goddess, Haze, if you don't start talking, I'll–"

My fingers squeeze her wrists and she releases a low hiss. I tut at her. "That didn't hurt."

Viola continues glaring at me, her chest heaving in every direction as she attempts to catch her breath.

"My brother has the other half of an amulet our parents gave us as children. It's ancient, an heirloom and holds great power from the elites years ago," I explain, but her expression doesn't let up. "Malakai has his half, I have mine. But without the full amulet in my possession, it means I cannot possess all the powers I was born with. I know I can't go charging back and demand it after everything that went down, so I went to see the elders and I asked if there was anything that I could do to help the situation."

She scoffs at me. "Goddess, you're such a piece of shit."

"Hey," I snap at her and she jolts. "I'm not done talking."

A low growl erupts from the back of her throat. "So I can listen to how you used me?"

"Don't make me bend you over your bed and smack your ass raw," I threaten and she pushes her head further back into the wall. "I fucking mean it."

Viola's jaw tightens but she doesn't open her mouth again.

"They told me that my mate would be able to get my powers back. They didn't say how. They were vague," I keep my grip on her tight. "And I know I need my powers to beat Malakai and protect all these people who don't want to be controlled by him anymore."

Her nostrils flare. "So I am going to hear how you used me. Great."

I hate the way her voice becomes quieter, almost cracking at the end in disbelief.

"I am not a kind man, Viola," I state. "At first when I met you, I knew I needed you to fight back against Malakai and use my powers for the greater good. I'll admit, that's how it started off, but as soon as I had you here, in my house, I knew it wasn't just for my powers."

"How could I possibly believe you?"

"I'm not expecting you to," I rasp. "But I can admit that I wanted you to help me get my powers back, I was desperate. I still am desperate. But I also want to have you for myself. Because I can't stand the thought of anyone else having you, even though you've hated me and still continue to hate me."

Viola's eyes close and she slumps back against the wall. "You don't want me, Haze. You want this idea of me. You don't even know me."

"Because you won't let me in, sweetness," I lower my voice. "I know what I've done isn't right, but nothing in our world is ever right. I've been trying my hardest to get to know you, to try and spend time with you, but you don't want to know. You push me away every chance you get."

She bites down on her bottom lip but doesn't look up at me. "I just don't know how I can believe you. How can I know that you're still not lying to me about all of this? What if you're messing with me?"

"If I wanted to use you to get the powers alone, I would have locked you in the basement, chained to the wall and taken it by now. I would have done everything I could to get those powers, but I didn't. I couldn't stomach the thought of using you, even if it was my original intention." I fold my arms over my chest. "You're too pure for this world and that is not how I intend on breaking you, sweetness. I have far better plans for that."

Viola blinks at my harsh statement. But it's true. I can be forceful when I want to be, although the thought of doing it to her, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. She's delicate and fragile and perfect for corrupting—but not in the way I could have used her.

"I still don't believe you."

I drop her wrists and she looks at me with confusion. "Fine," I step away, extending my arm to the door. "You wanted to leave, right? Go ahead. I'm not going to stop you."

She frowns deeply at me. "What's the catch?"

"No catch," I fold my arms over my chest and pin her with a heavy stare. "Go."

Her throat tenses as she watches me for a long moment. She pushes off the wall and walks around me straight towards the door, her fingers latch onto the handle and she swings it open. The second she goes to take a step outside, she pauses.

"I don't understand," her shoulders begin to tremble. "What the fuck is this meant to prove?"

"You didn't believe me when I said that my intentions with you have changed. So, I'm letting you leave, if you want to. I'm not going to use you for my powers, I know better than that. You're my mate, Viola. You are the other half of my soul. I'd never hurt you like that. I'd never even dream of it." I focus my eyes on the back of her head. "So, go, Viola. If it's what you want, then go. At least then it proves that I'm not entirely the monster you make me out to be."

Viola's breaths become harsher as she slams the door and turns back to me. She storms in my direction and shoves at my chest but I don't move an inch. "What the fuck are these mind games, Haze?" She whimpers, a tear rolling down her cheek. "I'm so fucking confused and tired and done with this bullshit."

My fingers latch onto her cheeks and I pull her into me, our lips inches from each other. She gasps and I watch the tear continue to roll. I wipe it away with my free hand. "I don't know what you heard," I whisper. "But what matters is that it comes from me. I'm not a liar, Viola. I might make brash decisions but I am not a liar. So when I tell you that now you're here in my home, all I want is to have you to myself. I want you here for more than the powers, I want you here because you're my mate. Goddess, I want to get to know you. I want to know what makes you happy, what makes you sad, what makes you angry."

She sniffles and another tear rolls. My stomach churns at the sight. I hate it. But I hate myself more for knowing that she's upset because of me. I've made her feel this damn crazy—yet she has no idea she makes me feel like this on a daily basis.

"Then why didn't you just tell me the truth from the beginning?"

"Because I wouldn't have done a good job of explaining myself, sweetness," I confess. "If I told you the truth at the start, you would have never listened to me. I only have a tiny portion of your trust, if that, but you should know from when I wanted you to join in at group training and when I told you you were weak, it's because I care about your wellbeing and survival here."

Viola lowers her gaze but I tilt it back up. She searches my eyes for what I believe is the truth and suddenly a warmth spreads throughout my chest. Our mate bond. Her throat hitches and she closes her eyes, melting into my touch at the continuous sensation of reassurance wraps us up in a bubble. Just for us.

She could have left. She could have walked out that door and never looked back.

But she didn't. She stayed. She fought.

"I know you're angry at me," I keep her chin still and lower my face so our lips almost brush. "I know you hate me. But just...fucking let me in. That's the mate bond, pushing us to fucking trust each other. I know that sounds rich coming from me, but our mate bond won't grow if we don't give each other a chance to try and learn. Viola, you could have left. I gave you the choice to leave."

"And be heartbroken for the rest of my life?" She whispers with saddened eyes. "I want to leave, but I know if I do, it'll ruin me."

My forehead rests down on hers and I slip my fingers along her jaw and into the back of her hair. "Give me a chance," I rasp. "Give me a chance to prove that I am not a monster. I need you more than I need anything else in this world, and not just for the powers, but for my own fucking sanity. Do you know how hard it is to see you everyday and know that I can't fucking touch you without you shoving me away or throwing some kind of insult at me?"

Viola licks her lips and exhales a shuddering sigh. "Trust is earned."

"And how do I earn it?"

"Time," she nods. "And effort."

"Then I'll give you all my time and every last drop of my effort."

She looks up, nudging her forehead further into mine. "You drive me fucking crazy."

"Likewise, sweetness," I tilt her head back and drag my bottom lip across hers.

Viola's eyes physically flash fireworks in the whiteness of them. I don't kiss her. I haven't earned that privilege, but when I do, she'll be the one all over me. Begging for my kisses, for my touch. Nothing less.

"But I'm willing to fight," I pull away before I lose to my deepest desires. "Even if I don't know how."

She stays silent for a moment and I cup her face with my hands, adoring the way her sandy blonde strands rest in my palms. It's a relief to see her natural colour. She will always be beautiful, no matter what. But this makes her stunning beyond words—beyond the planets in our galaxy.

"This is such a mess," she shakes her head.

"Yeah, but it'll be a good story to tell to our grandkids one day."

She gawks at me and I cannot fight back the smirk on my lips.

"Who told you about Malakai and the powers?"

"No one," she shakes her head. "I overheard Maddox and Noah talking about it. Maddox had a lot to say."

"I see," I hum. Maddox always has a lot to say, even when he shouldn't.

"You also stole my portrait and hung it on your wall," she stares at me with a disturbed look in her eye.

A small chuckle escapes my lips. "Does that not prove how serious I am about not just wanting the powers?"

"Why did you do that?"

"Because I wanted it in my office so I could see it every day."

Viola trembles and the zapping of our bond rockets through my hands and deep into her soul. "It's a shit painting."

"No, it's not," I dismiss her idea immediately. "I think it's perfect."

I drop my hands from her face and step away. "You should go down and get some lunch. Aurelia will be there before training."

Viola wraps herself up her jumper, clinging onto the arms. "Okay."

"And we'll talk more later, when you're calmer and don't want to murder me."

"I always want to murder you."

The corner of my lip twitches. "Well, let's hope some things don't change, huh?"

Viola's eyes soften as she looks at me and takes a deep breath. "Depends, I have no idea if you're capable of being a decent mate."

"Sweetness, I don't know a lot about romance or love, but I do know this," I lower my voice a notch, my throat raspy. "Seeing you sad makes me fucking homicidal. I only ever want to see you happy and I want to be that person who makes you happy. I want to see you smile, hell, I want to see you fucking smile at me."

Her lashes brush her cheek as she blinks at me. "I want you to be honest with me."

"And I'll be honest with you. I'll never lie to you, sweetness."

"Okay," she sucks in a breath. "I'll choose to believe you for the sake of our mate bond."

"Good," I say before placing a kiss on her forehead. "Now go and eat. I didn't see you at breakfast this morning."

Viola gulps as her shoulders shiver. "I'm going."

When she heads downstairs to the canteen, I head out to the cellar out in our territory, calling for Maddox to meet me there. I glare at him as we walk down the stairs and the smell of rotting and damp erupts in my nose.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing," I grunt. I don't want to get into this with him now. We have more important issues at hand. "Let's just get this over and done with."

I push my hand to the cellar door and step inside, the guards lining up against the decaying poles. I glance into the locked cell to find a dark pair of eyes staring back at me. I don't recognise him.

"Why the fuck are you on our land?" I shout.

He says nothing.

Maddox sighs and starts cracking his knuckles. "Should we just start the torture now? I'm already bored."

"Sure," I swipe my hand across my forehead.

"Malakai," the trespasser blurts. "I'm here because of Malakai."

I tighten my fists. "He knows we're here?"

"No," he shakes his head. "But he will find you, and he'll fucking gut you all."

"I'd like to see him try," Maddox snarls, bashing his knuckles onto the metal bars.

I fold my arms over my chest to stop my shaking fists. "Why did he send you?"

"To get information," he rests against the back wall. "But I couldn't get anything to him before my mindlink was disabled from your barrier of magic. He knows nothing. He'll predict I am dead when I don't come back."

My head tilts to Maddox as he shakes his own. End this motherfucker.

No. I state. He will know more information about Malakai. We can use him to our advantage.

How?

By finding out what exactly Malakai is doing and planning. This could help us.

Fine. But the second we're done, it's over for him. Maddox grumbles.

I know. Let's win this shit first.

✧

Read up to chapter 48 over on Patreon and Ream. Updates there are more frequent!

www.reamstories.com/savannaroseauthor
www.patreon.com/dreammcatcher
Link is also in my bio!

Author's Note

Haze being kinda cute? yes, pls🥹

What did you guys think of this chapter?👉🏼

These two might not have a proper emotional connection but Viola not leaving is a HUGE step🫶

Also the angst is killing me already. Ahhhhhhh.

So excited for the rest of the book!

Don't forget to vote and comment! it makes my day ✨

Love Savanna x

Insta: savannaroseauthor
Patreon: dreammcatcher
Ream: savannaroseauthor
Tik Tok: savannaroseauthor