CHAPTER 361: MAGIC OF THE BOND

Natalie~

My pulse was still hammering in my chest, the aftershock of everything that had just unraveled in Katrina’s room refusing to settle. I’d barely managed to send a mind link to Jacob when Zane and I stood there, rooted in place—caught between awe, disbelief, and a strong wave of relief. We had just witnessed the impossible: our daughter and Nicholas breathing again, alive, drawn back from the brink by nothing more than the raw pull of a mate bond.

How could something so intangible, so elusive, wield power strong enough to weave life back into broken bodies? It was madness. It was magic. And yet, it was real.

Katrina—our fierce little firecracker, stubborn as the sun itself—was already all over Vincent. Her chest rose and fell fast, eyes wide and luminous, their icy blue depths sparking with vitality like a storm breaking free after suffocating silence. She was holding him as if testing to see if he was real, then she pulled him into another tight hug.

"Vincent?" Her voice cracked, soft and fragile in a way I’d rarely heard from her. "Oh gods... are you sure you’re okay?"

She pulled back slightly, both palms cradling his face with a tenderness that nearly undid me. Her thumbs swept across his too-pale cheeks, searching for pain, for shadows, for any sign this miracle was too fragile to last.

Vincent’s eyes—those dark, calculating eyes that seemed to carry hidden weight—were locked on hers, there was no hardness in them, if there had once been any, it melted the instant they found her. His gaze on hers were like the world itself had narrowed down to one point. A slow, genuine smile curved his lips, gentle and utterly disarming.

"Kat..." His voice was hoarse, yet steady, threaded with relief so raw it bled into every syllable. "I’m fine. I’m fine now that you’re here."

And then he pulled her into his arms again as though he’d been drowning and she was the only air left in the world. His fingers slid through her hair, clutching her close with reverence, with desperation, with love that needed no words. He pressed his lips to her forehead, lingering there as if memorizing the feel of her warmth. From there, his kisses traced softly down to her temples, her cheeks—each touch a vow, a promise, a declaration he couldn’t yet speak. He looked... happy. Truly, radiantly happy, like a man who’d just clawed his way back from the abyss.

Across the room, Nicholas and Winter were mirroring the scene. Nicholas, with his black hair disheveled and dark eyes shadowed by exhaustion, sat on a sofa wrapping his arms around Winter. "Winter, hey... talk to me. You good? That pain... it was like nothing I’ve ever felt." His voice was hoarse, but that cocky edge was creeping back, masking the vulnerability underneath.

Winter, leaned into him without hesitation, her dark hair falling over his shoulder. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, her body trembling slightly. "Nick... I’m okay. Just... don’t let go yet." Her words were muffled, but there was a raw edge to them. They hugged tighter, Nicholas rubbing soothing circles on her back, whispering assurances that made her shoulders relax.

Zane and I exchanged a glance, my chest tightening with a swirl of love and protectiveness. It was sweet—heart-wrenchingly so—but the demonic aura clinging to Vincent and Winter like smoke made my skin crawl. Still, seeing our kids alive and breathing... it was a miracle.

But then Vincent leaned in again, kissing Katrina’s cheek once more, his hand lingering on her waist. A low, rumbling growl erupted from Zane’s throat, his red eyes flashing with alpha fury. "Hey, Vincent boy—keep your hands to yourself!" he snarled, stepping forward with his massive frame tensed like a coiled spring.

Vincent froze, his arms loosening around Katrina as he met Zane’s gaze steadily, that calculating glint returning. "Sir, I—"

"And you too, Nick!" Zane barked, pointing at Nicholas, who was still holding Winter close. "Separate. Now. No more of this intimate crap under my roof. You’re all kids, for gods’ sake!"

Nicholas rolled his eyes, but there was a flicker of defiance in his dark gaze. "Come on, uncle, we’re just—"

"Separate!" Zane repeated, his voice booming like thunder, his Lycan instincts kicking in full force.

Katrina’s face crumpled, her blue eyes filling with angry tears as she pulled away from Vincent just enough to glare at us. "Dad! Mom! What the hell? You almost killed us all just minutes ago!" She swiped at her cheeks, her voice breaking with a mix of rage and hurt. "We tried this separation thing before you even showed up and found us. Vincent and I... we thought maybe we could fight it, give each other space. But the pain? It hit like a freight train—ripping through our chests, making everything go black. We all had to stick to each other’s side, and if you hadn’t brought them back... we would’ve died. Literally died!"

Vincent nodded, his hand finding hers again despite Zane’s warning, squeezing it reassuringly. "She’s right. The bond... it’s not something we can just ignore. Kat and I can’t be apart, or it’ll kill us. I felt it—like my soul was being torn in half."

Nicholas chimed in, his arm still around Winter’s shoulders protectively. "Same here with Winter and me. We tried stepping away earlier, thinking it was just some weird pull. But nope—bam, agony city. Hearts stopping, breaths fading. It’s not a choice, uncle. We’re stuck like this, or we’re done for."

Winter glanced up at Nicholas, her eyes softening just a fraction. "Nick’s telling the truth. The separation... it was unbearable. Like drowning in endless night."

Zane and I stood there, utterly shocked, our mouths agape. I’d seen mate bonds shatter wolves before—hearts breaking slowly, driving them to madness or death over weeks, months even. Rejection or loss could unravel a soul piece by piece, the pain building like a poison until it became too much. But this? Immediate, visceral agony from mere distance, with no rejection in sight? It defied everything I knew about fate and bonds. My mind reeled, searching for precedents in all the ancient texts and prophecies I’d studied. Nothing. Absolutely nothing like this.

"Zane... how is this possible?" I whispered, my voice barely audible, my hand finding his for support. His grip was tight, his jaw clenched so hard I could see the muscles ticking.

"I... I don’t know, Nat," he admitted, his red eyes wide with confusion. "This isn’t normal. Not even close."

We were lost for words, the room thick with tension, when suddenly—poof—a familiar figure materialized in a swirl of ethereal mist. Jacob, my trusted advisor and loving brother, appeared out of nowhere, his wise eyes scanning the room. Vincent and Winter jolted back, their shadows flickering instinctively in alarm, eyes wide with spooked surprise.

"Jacob!" I exclaimed, relief flooding through me like a warm tide. I rushed forward, pulling him into a quick hug. "Thank the stars you’re here."

Katrina’s face lit up, her tears drying as she beamed. "Uncle Jacob! You came so fast! Did mom call you?"

Nicholas grinned, that magnetic cockiness returning full force. "Hey, old man. Perfect timing—things were getting dramatic."

Jacob chuckled softly, his presence instantly calming the chaos. But then he subtly sniffed the air, his nostrils flaring as he took in the scents. His gaze lingered on Vincent and Winter, a flicker of recognition—or was it concern?—crossing his features. Then, his voice echoed in my mind through the link: "Little Moon, you and Zane meet me in your private chambers. We need to talk. Alone."

"Why? What’s going on?" I linked back, my heart skipping a beat.

"Your powers not working on them isn’t it?... It’s all tied to something bigger. Don’t worry—the kids won’t go anywhere. I’m sure of that."

I nodded subtly, then relayed it to Zane via our bond: "Jacob wants us in our chambers. Says the kids are safe here alone."

Zane’s eyes met mine, trust shining through the storm. We both knew Jacob’s words were never wrong—his wisdom had saved us more times than I could count. "Alright," Zane said aloud, his voice steadying.

I turned to the kids, forcing a reassuring smile. "Sweethearts, Dad, Jacob, and I have to step out for a bit. Just to take care of something. We’ll be right back, okay?"

Katrina’s hand shot out, grabbing mine tightly, her blue eyes searching my face with worry. "Mom... is there something wrong with us? With me, Vincent, Nick, and Winter? Are we... broken or something?"

My heart ached at her vulnerability. I knelt down, cupping her face and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, breathing in her familiar scent. "Oh, baby girl, no. Nothing’s wrong with any of you. You’re perfect—just as you are. Mom, Dad, and Uncle Jacob? We’re going to make sure you’re always okay. Promise."

Zane leaned in next, planting a firm kiss on Katrina’s forehead, his rough hand gentle. "That’s right, kiddo. We’ve got this." Then he ruffled Nicholas’s hair with a gruff affection. "You too, punk. Stay out of trouble."

Jacob smiled warmly at them all, his eyes twinkling. "I’ll be back soon, little ones. Don’t worry—we’ll sort everything."

With that, Jacob vanished in a shimmer, and Zane took my hand, our fingers intertwining. I summoned the teleportation magic, the air humming with celestial energy, and in a flash of light, we reappeared in our private chambers. The room was a sanctuary—plush velvet drapes framing moonlit windows, the scent of lavender and woodsmoke lingering from the hearth. But right now, it felt charged, like the calm before a storm.

I whirled on Jacob, my voice urgent. "Jacob, you know something I don’t, don’t you? Spill it—what’s going on with those kids?"

He nodded gravely, his expression a mix of sympathy and solemnity. "Yes, Little Moon. Your powers not working on Vincent and Winter... it’s all her doing. Our mother’s."

My lips parted in astonishment, a hot wave of anger surging through me. How could she? Meddling like this, putting our children through hell? "Mom!" I yelled into the empty air, my voice echoing off the stone walls, laced with betrayal and fury.