CHAPTER 360: THE BOND

Natalie~

We landed with a violent ripple of light, the world snapping back into focus around us. My shoes sank into the plush rug of Katrina’s bedroom—the one woven with tiny silver threads that caught the glow of the chandelier overhead. The first thing that hit me wasn’t the sight but the smell: lavender, sharp and calming, spilling from the half-burnt candles she loved to keep lit. It tugged at me, grounding me for a fleeting second, whispering home.

Her room was frozen in time, almost defiantly normal compared to the chaos we’d just escaped. The walls were cluttered with parchment posters of ancient prophecies, their edges curled and browned with age. A crystal goblet sat on her desk, red juice staining its rim beside a forgotten bowl of half-eaten strawberries, now wilted and sticky. Her four-poster bed loomed in the corner, sheets tangled like someone had wrestled with sleep and lost before slipping away into the night.

For one heartbeat, I thought we were safe. For one breath, I believed we’d successful escaped whatever ambush does demons were planning. But then the sound came—wet, sharp gasps—and I spun just in time to see Katrina and Nicholas collapse. Their bodies hit the floor with sickening finality, hands clawing at the marble as if they could fight off invisible chains. Their faces contorted in silent screams, every line carved deep with pain. My relief shattered into panic, the lavender turning bitter in my throat.

"Mom! Dad!" Katrina gasped, clutching at her chest like invisible claws were tearing into her heart. Her blue eyes, usually so fierce and sparkling, were wide with terror, her reddish-blonde hair matted with sweat. "It hurts... oh gods, it hurts so much! Bring them back—Vincent! I need Vincent!"

Nicholas, beside her, doubled over, his black hair falling into his dark eyes as he wheezed. "Aunt Nat... Uncle Zane... Winter... please, get Winter! I can’t— I can’t breathe! It’s like my soul’s being ripped apart!"

Zane’s massive frame tensed, his protective instincts kicking in as he dropped to his knees beside them. "Kat! Nick! What’s happening? Talk to me!"

I fell to the floor with them, my hands glowing with ethereal light as I reached out. "Hold on, babies! Tell us—what pain? Where does it hurt?" My voice cracked, maternal panic surging through me, violent and unstoppable, shaking me to my core. I’d faced gods and demons, but seeing my daughter and this boy I loved like a son writhing like this? It was unbearable.

Katrina’s tears streamed down her face, her body convulsing. "The bond... the mate bond! When you took us away... it’s severing! Mom, please, bring Vincent back! I can’t... I can’t live without him!" She clawed at the carpet, her lycan strength making her nails dig grooves into the marble beneath.

Nicholas echoed her, his voice a ragged whisper mixed with sobs. "Winter... she’s mine. Uncle Zane, you have to go back! The pain—it’s killing me!" He pounded a fist against his chest, his hybrid regeneration doing nothing to stem the torment.

Zane’s eyes met mine, wild with fear. "Nat, what the hell is this? They’re dying!"

"I don’t know!" I cried, my celestial powers flaring brighter as I pressed my palms to Katrina’s forehead and Nicholas’s chest simultaneously. Golden light poured from me, the healing essence that had mended broken realms, shattered souls and even brought back the dead. "Come on, work! Heal them—please!" But the light just shimmered uselessly, absorbed into their skin without effect. Their bodies grew colder under my touch, their breaths shallowing to faint rasps.

Katrina’s eyes fluttered, her voice fading. "Mom... Dad... love you... but Vincent..."

"Dad... tell my parents... Winter..." Nicholas murmured, his cocky facade shattered, revealing the vulnerable boy beneath.

Then, to our horror, they both went limp. Katrina’s head lolled back, her skin paling to a ghostly white, her chest barely rising. Nicholas slumped beside her, his dark eyes closing as if in eternal sleep. Zane checked their pulses frantically. "Nat! They’re freezing—pulses weak! What do we do?"

My heart hammered like a drum, tears blurring my vision. "I... I don’t know! My healing—it’s not touching this! It’s like the bond is... essential to their life force now." Panic clawed at my throat; I’d never felt so helpless. Zane paced like a caged wolf, his growl rumbling through the room. "We have to fix this! Call the healers? The council?"

Then it hit me—their pleas echoing in my mind. "They said to bring Vincent and Winter back! That’s it—the separation is killing them. The bond isn’t just emotional; it’s woven into their souls!"

Zane froze, his red eyes narrowing. "Those demons? Nat, you said they’re dangerous—could be Kalmia’s echo, unreadable minds. We can’t trust them!"

"I know, but look at our kids!" I gestured wildly at the unconscious forms, my voice breaking. "They’re dying, Zane! I have to go back, demand they undo whatever curse this is. Maybe force them to break the bond or... or something!"

He grabbed my arm, his grip firm but trembling. "No way you’re going alone. I’m coming with you. We’ll drag those shadow-spawns back if we have to."

I cupped his face, feeling the rough stubble under my fingers, my love for him anchoring me amid the storm. "Zane, please—stay here. Watch over Katrina and Nicholas. If anything changes, if they worsen, call me through the link immediately. I can teleport faster alone, and you’re stronger here to protect them."

His jaw clenched, conflict raging in his eyes. "Nat, I can’t let you face demons by yourself. What if it’s a trap?"

"I killed Kalmia, remember? I’ll be careful—I promise. But our babies need you here." I pulled him close, our lips meeting in a desperate kiss, salty with my tears. It was fierce, passionate, a reminder of the unbreakable bond we’d fought for. "I love you. I’ll be back soon."

"Love you more. Be safe, my queen." He whispered against my lips, then released me reluctantly.

With a deep breath, I summoned my teleportation magic, the air humming with power. In a flash of light, I vanished, reappearing in the moonlit forest clearing where we’d left Vincent and Winter. My body thrummed with celestial rage, light crackling at my fingertips like divine lightning. "Show yourselves!" I snarled, ready to unleash hell. "Whatever you’ve done to my daughter and Nicholas—reverse it now, or I’ll burn your shadows to ash!"

But the scene before me stole my breath. There they were, collapsed on the dew-kissed grass, Vincent and Winter, holding each other’s hands tightly even in unconsciousness. Vincent’s dark hair fell across his pale forehead, his calculating features softened in vulnerability. Winter, her enigmatic aura cracked, looked fragile, replaced by a ghostly pallor. They weren’t gloating villains—they were ashen, breaths shallow, just like Katrina and Nicholas.

"What...?" I whispered, confusion crashing over me like a wave. On one hand, the demonic scent lingered, that brimstone tang mixed with shadows, screaming danger. They were enemies of anything good. Demons could never be trusted; history had taught me that in blood and fire. But on the other... this bond. It wasn’t just a mate connection; it ran deeper, intertwining their essences in a way that defied logic. Why else would separation ravage all four? Were they truly fated, or was this some elaborate ploy? My heart twisted—could fate be so cruel, or so merciful?

I knelt beside them, hesitation warring with urgency. "If you’re playing us..." I muttered, but their cold skin under my touch felt too real, too human. Swallowing my doubts, I placed a hand on each of their shoulders, channeling my magic. "Hold on—I’m taking you home." The air shimmered again, and we teleported, materializing back in Katrina’s room.

The moment we appeared, a collective gasp ripped through the air. All four—Katrina, Nicholas, Vincent, and Winter—jerked awake, eyes flying open as color flooded back to their faces. Katrina bolted upright, clutching her chest. "Vincent!" she cried, scrambling toward him.

"Winter!" Nicholas echoed, his voice hoarse but alive, reaching for her.

Zane and I stared, stunned. "What in the realms...?" Zane breathed, helping Nicholas sit up. "They’re... okay?"

Vincent groaned, sitting up slowly, his cautious and calculating eyes muted by exhaustion. He locked eyes with Katrina, pulling her into his arms. "Kat... I thought I’d lost you. The pain—it was like my heart stopped."

Winter, still holding Vincent’s hand briefly before releasing it, leaned into Nicholas. Her voice, sounding small and trembling. "Nick... don’t ever leave me like that again." She buried her face in his shoulder, her vulnerability peeking through.

Katrina sobbed into Vincent’s chest. "Mom, Dad—what happened? Why did you take us away? It felt like dying!"

I exchanged a wide-eyed glance with Zane, my mind reeling. "The bond... it must require proximity. Separating you all caused some kind of soul-shock."

Nicholas looked up, his cocky grin faint but returning. "Yeah, well, next time warn a guy before yanking him through dimensions. Felt like my insides were on fire."

Zane chuckled despite himself, the tension easing slightly. "Kid, you scared the hell out of us. Both of you—all of you." He eyed Vincent and Winter warily, his alpha protectiveness not fully subsided.

Vincent met Zane’s gaze steadily, his voice calculating yet sincere. "Sir... Ma’am... we didn’t do this on purpose. The bond—it’s real. I swear, I’d never hurt Kat."

Winter nodded, her enigmatic eyes softening. "Same for Nick. We’re not here to harm anyone."

I wanted to believe them, but the demonic chill lingered in my senses. "We... we’ll figure this out. But first—" I activated my mind link, sending a quick voice note to Jacob. "Jacob, it’s Nat. Emergency—get to the palace now. Katrina and Nick... they’ve found mates, but something’s off. Need your wisdom ASAP."

As the message sent, I immediately told Zane what I had just done. Zane instantly pulled me close. "Good call. Jacob’s level-headed; he’ll help sort this mess."

Katrina beamed through her tears, hugging Vincent tighter. "Thanks, Mom for bringing them along. You’ll see—they’re perfect."

I forced a smile, my heart a whirlwind of love, fear, and uncertainty. Whatever fate had unleashed, it was just beginning—and I prayed we could weather the storm.