Veiled Spirits

As Bishop’s laughter dies down, I raise my brows at him. “You done, St. James?”

He wipes a few stray tears that leaked out from laughing off his face. “Yep. Sorry.”

I snort. “No, you’re not.”

“You’re right, I’m not,” Bishop tells me with a grin. “You always have such a way with words.”

I flip him off for enjoying my raging embarrassment. Scrubbing my hands over my face, I blow out a breath before looking at the wolves. Archer and Cain are grinning at my predicament. Luca smiles slightly, and I wonder if he ever grins fully or laughs.

“So, where was I?” I ask rhetorically, trying to remember what the point of the whole kink debacle was.

“You were telling us about your degradation kink,” Luca informs me dryly. My cheeks grow pink in embarrassment.

“Oh, yeah, that.” If the universe wants to take me out tonight, I really won’t object.

“That’s the story you’re sticking with?” Luca arches a golden brow at me skeptically.

While it’s embarrassing as all get out, it’s not even close to the worst thing I could have said. “Till the day I die,” I confirm with a nod. “Anyway, the fucking point of all of this is that I can’t mate with you. And it’s not because you’re wolves.”

“Why?” Luca growls as he advances on me a few steps. I have the urge to back up, but I stand my ground in the face of the massive wolf coming closer.

“I can’t tell you that.” My voice is thick with frustration. It’s not like I want this. I want more than almost anything to be just a normal person for once. I want to be able to celebrate finding my fated mates, not mourn the life I’ll never have.

But I’m not, and I can’t.

There’s so much more at stake than my petty wants and wishes and hopes.

“Can’t or won’t?” Luca presses.

“Can’t.” Somehow, I keep my voice from breaking. I refuse to be weak in front of them. I may not be able to mate them, but I still want the wolves to respect me.

“Until you can give me an honest fucking answer, I won’t accept that. So, you’re stuck with us, little mate,” Luca growls.

“No,” I grit out as I close the distance between us. “You’re going to fucking leave me alone and go on your merry wolfie way.”

“Or what?” Luca questions, his voice laced with amusement. It’s clear that he’s underestimating me like everyone else.

Anger bubbles in my chest, sparking at my mate thinking I’m weak. I breathe through the emotion, not wanting to do something I regret in the heat of the moment. My magic also stirs in my chest. A little trickles out at my agitation. It’s enough to make the strands that escaped my ponytail float in a non-existent breeze.

Luca’s eyes widen as he feels the electric charge of my magic skate over his skin. His aquamarine eyes narrow in consideration. He finally realizes he and his wolves aren’t the only predators in this alley tonight.

“Izzy, rein it in,” Bishop demands. I glare at him for acting like I’m the problem. But he’s already turned to Luca. “Back the fuck up. You’re not helping this situation any.”

I don’t see if Luca backs up at all, because I’m too busy trying to pull back my magic.

But I can’t.

Ah, fuck. This is why I don’t let it come out to play. My magic won’t be satisfied until it destroys something to prove to our mates how strong we are. Casting spells doesn’t require much of my power. So, I can do them while still keeping my magic contained. Once I give it a little freedom, it tries to take over.

“I can’t,” I whimper as I struggle with the magic flowing through my veins.

Unlike with other mages, my magic hasn’t ever felt like a part of me. Instead, it feels like a separate entity that’s hitching a ride in my body. Once it gets out, it often won’t listen to what I want, and it turns me into a much more violent version of myself. I’m already violent enough, without the extra encouragement from my magic.

“Isabel. Look at me.” Bishop’s sharp voice calling my full name makes me snap my gaze to his. I get lost in his baby blues as they flick between my gray ones. “You’re safe, sweetheart. They’re not going to hurt you. I’m safe. Your family is safe. Your magic isn’t needed right now.”

His words help calm the roiling storm inside me slightly. But it’s not enough. My magic screams inside of me to prove how strong we are so our mates will still want us. Normally, I’d roll my eyes at it. But it’s taking everything I have to keep my magic from razing the buildings around us in a show of power.

“Prove. Strong,” is all I can get out past the stranglehold the magic has on my airway.