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Whisps of our breath mingled in the air as we sat huddled together on the arena’s chilled dirt. The excitement and adrenaline of the previous hour or so slowly slipped away, and I felt my body slacken as I fought off sleep. Ethan’s arms wound themselves tightly around me, as he held me to his chest. His heart beat a mile a minute, fear and concern still burned through him.

“Ellie, can you hear me?” His voice was soft, prodding.

“Mhmm,” I nodded, the small sound all I could muster at that moment. He let out a sigh, and I found myself once more curled up in his arms as he stood.

“I can feel my Dragon, he’s content for the first time in hundreds of years. What you did, Ellie, it was amazing. You were lit up like a flame itself. I’ve never seen anything like it.” I looked up at his face, my eyes heavy, and saw the amazement deep his.

I  placed a weak hand on his chest and nodded softly. He glanced down at me, a grin cracking his worried face. We were quiet the rest of the way to his home, I didn’t bother arguing with him about it. I was too tired, and let’s be honest, I was done pushing back. I’d bonded to him, fighting my growing feelings was futile now.

My mind went blank, and I couldn’t remember when we actually reached our destination as the darkness swirling around me, and I lost consciousness.

****

Voices woke me the next morning, they were urgent but not panicked—more disbelief than anything. I strained myself to make them out, there were three. One was Ethan’s, his voice was unmistakable, and I felt my heart speed up a bit at the sound of his deep rumble.

The other two… was it Michael and Headmaster Adrian?

“I want to see her.” The demand came from one of the other two males. That had to Michael.

“She’s asleep, I doubt she’d be happy for you to wake her.” Ethan’s tone was satisfied. Something told me that he enjoyed that I’d bonded with him, and Michael was left in the dust.

“I don’t’ know how you did it, but you forced this on her somehow. She hated you. I was going to-” A growl cut him off, and I heard a short scuffle before another silence.

“Watch what you say. She made this decision on her own. You should honor that and leave her be.” Ethan paused, his voice threatening, “Leave us be.” I groaned softly and rolled over. I needed to get out there. Someone was going to have their heads pounded into the ground before too long.

My legs were shaky, but I forced myself upright and padded towards the men down the hall. The moment I stepped into view, all three stopped and turned. Ethan’s smile was brilliant, and he rushed towards me, helping me forward with his arm around my waist and the other holding my hand. “What is all the racket out here? I swear I can’t get one moment’s peace with you three.” I smirked at Michael. His eyes narrowed, and they racked up and down my body.

He turned his head away, and his fists clenched tightly. “Is this some kind of joke? I get it… she’s yours now. You don’t have to rub it in my face.” He said nothing else and shoved Adrian out of the way before slamming the door behind him. We were quiet for a moment, and I looked down at my body.

Immediately I realized what Michael was referring to and my big mistake at not realizing what I was wearing earlier. Usually, I slept in a tank top and some shorts, this was not the case right now. My mouth dropped open when I realized I was wearing one of Ethan’s shirts that went down to mid-thigh and only my panties underneath. When had he done this? I shook my head and glared up at him as I heard a chuckle.

“This is not funny. You knew he’d react like this, why didn’t you stop me?” Ethan only shrugged, his arms tightening around me.

“He needs to learn the reality of the situation. You’re not his, you’ve never been. His delusion will only hurt him, the longer we allow it to continue.”

I ripped away from Ethan and pointed a finger into his hard chest. “But making him realize that and blatantly shoving it down his throat are two different things!”

Ethan only quirked an eyebrow. “You admit that the whelp as feelings for you then? I thought you were blinded by his friendship to see it.”

I huffed and stepped backward, crossing my arms across my chest. “Look, I had an inclining ok? It’s not like he’s been subtle about it. I just didn’t’ realize it was this bad.” I shook my head and threw my hands in the air. “That doesn’t give you the right to ‘stake a claim’!”

Ethan was about to answer, but Adrian beat him to it. “Actually, in Dragon society, he has every right to do so. You and Ethan are a bonded pair, much deeper than just a Rider and their Dragon. You’re soul mates. He is in the right to defend against another male trying to take his mate. Even if the methods are,” he paused and looked at Ethan, “unsavory.”

Ethan rolled his eyes, “Unsavory my ass. Ellie, this needs to end. He needs to see the error of his ways.”
My eyes found his once more, and their deep pools almost swallowed me. He was pleading with me, I could feel it deep within. I could feel and hear a lot of things I couldn’t before and was only starting to realize. My hand grasped my head, and I groaned as Ethan’s voice swamped my mind, his emotions began to overtake my own, and I stumbled into the wall.

His hands grabbed and steadied me, “Adrian, she’s starting to feel the effects of the bonding.”

I couldn’t focus on the Headmaster but heard him, “Right, I’ll go get some pain medication. With you, it’s bound to be a doozy.” The door slammed, and he was gone.

“Ethan, what’s happening?” My voice cracked as my head felt like it was about to split.

“It’s the bond. It’s starting to solidify now that you’re conscious. I need you to concentrate and push back against what you’re hearing and feeling, or it’s going to worsen.” His lips were next to my ear, his breath hot on my neck. I tried to focus on that, on him, but it was no use.

“I’m gonna puke!” I pushed away and raced to the bathroom, making in just seconds before my body purged itself.

I heard his footsteps and felt him kneel near me, holding my hair back as I continued. The pain pounded away at my skull, his worried whispers filling my beaten mind once more. “I can’t take this.”

“It’ll get better, it’s just the initial onslaught.”

“I’m gonna pass out again.” I teetered on my knees.

“Don’t you dare, Ellie! Stay with me!” He gripped my arms and turned me to him.

I could only smile, “Nope.” I was gone once more.