2. Chapter Two

ROSE

Like a storm breaking through the calm, my mates burst into the clearing. Fear, relief, and then confusion flits across their features. Their eyes land on me, on Kieran's head resting in my lap, then back on me again. And for a fleeting moment, time stands still.

Their gazes lock onto mine, their breaths heavy from the run, pure relief softening the lines on their faces.

Mekhi is the first to step forward, his chest heaving from exertion. As a mortal, he has a weaker lung capacity than my other immortal mates, but that's no slight on him. His build is more muscular than when my family first took him in, evidence of his transformation from a street kid to a witch whose body has been carefully whittled through the rigorous demands of keeping up with immortal fae.

He sweeps back his sweat-dampened brown hair, no longer allowing it to frame his face. Hazel eyes soften when they meet mine, and instinctively, he reaches for his puka shell necklace as he saunters towards me. "Fuck, Rose. We were so worried. You okay?"

Deakan trots behind him, his usually playful demeanor replaced by concern. The rush through the jungle has disheveled his blond hair, and distress flickers in his blue eyes as they try to piece together the scene in front of him. As a fae, he's taller than Mekhi, and where my witch mate has rounded ears, Deakan's are pointed like mine. The morning light reveals the subtle differences in physique between the two, his fae heritage more pronounced in his angular features, though both are far more handsome than any of the guys back on Earth.

Jax, his brown curls dusted with leaves, looks just as guarded as he normally does. His cobalt eyes, usually lively, are now clouded with worry. He's dressed in rugged, durable clothing suitable for the search—dark jeans paired with a sturdy, weather-resistant jacket. The outfit, designed for utility rather than style, still manages to accentuate his athletic build.

Theo is the last to reach me. He's busy shooting off a text, probably calling off the search party. I was gone far longer than we thought I'd be. Knowing my mates, they probably called in the cavalry—with my soul bond at the helm. His black hair is neatly combed, yet there's a hint of disarray from the hurried journey. His piercing, gilded eyes hold mine with an intensity that echoes our soul bond connection.

"Thank fuck." Jax sighs, severing the spell I'd been under while looking at my soul bonded mate. "What the hell happened? You were gone all night. We'd worried Dean Corvus had taken you."

I part my lips, acutely aware that my next words will alter everything, pushing the boundaries of our bonds to their utmost extremes.

"Was he drunk or something?" Deakan asks, speaking before I can. He crouches beside Kieran in the grass, feeling his neck for a pulse. Not much can keep fae drunk for long, maybe absinthe.

"High," I whisper, the single word breaking on my lips, eliciting an immediate reaction from my mates. It's not unusual for him to be high, but the pain in my voice is. "He—he overdosed."

"Shit." Jax exhales. He joins Deakan in gently lifting Kieran, and their movements are synchronized and cautious. They traverse the courtyard garden, moving through the cool morning air, the heat of the jungle not hitting us yet. As they proceed toward the house, the strengthening light gently illuminates the path, lined with flowering plants and ancient trees, creating a peaceful setting that stands in opposition to the urgency of their actions.

I suppose when I carried him, adrenaline alone fueled me. And now I'm crashing. As though relief alone is keeping me upright, and the rest of me has gone to sleep. Sensing this, Theo uses his golden glow to sooth me as he wraps an arm around me.

We all make our way into our home, and rather than carrying Kieran through the tunnels to his bedroom, they bring him to ours and lay him on top of the bedsheets. Color suffuses his cheeks now, but I don't approach as Theo adjusts the pillows for him.

I prop myself against the wall near the door, guilt and shame riding every nerve inside me, as if I hold myself away, I won't have to acknowledge the depths of my shame.

Theo picks up on my distress and stalks towards me, his big hands cupping my cheeks as he plants his body in front of mine. The gesture alone eases the anxiety, and I lean into his touch.

"I didn't realize things were so bad." Deakan paces at the foot of the bed. "Did you?"

"No," Jax whispers, heartbreak and fury painted across his features as he digs through our end table. "He was supposed to be okay." He finds what he's looking for and places it under Kieran's arm.

A thermometer. Fae rarely ever need it, as we don't often get sick. But Mekhi does.

"What's his temperature supposed to be?" Jax asks over his shoulder.

Deakan pauses, trying to read the output. "I don't know."

Jax grips his curls and growls as he joins Deakan in their pacing. "This can't happen again."

"We can take turns keeping an eye on him," Mekhi offers. "No more letting him wallow in the caves by himself in the dark."

My voice cracks. "Serpents should be basking in the sun."

"We can try adding skylights," Theo suggests. "I'll get started on it as soon as we all get some rest."

"He does everything with us from now on." Jax parks himself at the foot of the bed, unshed tears in his eyes as he stares down at his best friend. "Every meal. Every activity."

"He's going to be okay," Theo whispers, brushing his lips against mine. Fat tears still pour down my cheeks, and I have no doubt they can all feel the warring emotions through our mating bond. "I didn't detect any lingering damage. You healed him well." He thinks for a moment. "I can make you pizza to cheer you up?"

The others gather behind Theo, their concern for me overtaking their concern for their friend, and definitely not because of the mention of food, though that probably helped.

I shake my head. "It's not that. It's Chaos."

He caresses my cheek with his thumb. "I know it's a little crowded here, but we can make the space bigger, so things feel less chaotic. Give me a few days and I can have the cave?—"

"—Dean Corvus is Chaos," I interrupt him.

He pulls back, eyebrows scrunching in confusion. "The god?" He looks around warily, as though the ethereal being himself could be hiding in our bedroom. And maybe he is, I don't know.

"Shit." Jax cards his hands through his hair as he paces. "I fucking knew something was off!"

Theo cups my cheeks again, his eyes darting between mine for so long, I'm wondering if he knows. Fuck, he knows. How?

"Silver flecks in your eyes," he whispers, and the slight upturn of his lip suggests he's hiding a smile.

"Huh?" I breathe, so caught up in his beautiful golden glow, it's hard to piece my thoughts back together.

He steps back, making a quick gesture I recognize as putting up a sound barrier so no one outside this room can hear our conversation. "You're god-touched. It's why he's here."

Theo knows. Tears spring to my eyes, and I bury my head in my hands, crumpling to the floor.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Deakan calls, and I can feel the rest of them crouch before me, though my eyes are still covered.

The warmth flows through my bond at their nearness. "I kissed him," I manage to choke out between tears. "I'm so sorry."

The room stills, but I can't bear to raise my head to look my mates in the eyes. I'm a coward. Selfish.

"It was bound to happen," Jax whispers, but not to me.

"It's the tattoos and the piercings," Deakan sighs. "Can we really blame her? He's all broody and plays the guitar and?—"

"What?" I whip my head up, seeing Jax and Deakan deep in conversation between themselves.

They both turn their attention towards me, eyes softening. "It's okay if you made out with Kieran. He's one of us." Deakan grabs my tear-soaked hand, holding it in his.

"I didn't kiss Kieran. I kissed Chaos."

Shock ripples through each of them, and I can't bear to see their painful expressions. I quickly retract my hand and bury my head against my knees, covering it with my arms.

"Why did you kiss him?" Mekhi settles next to me on the floor, the heat of him pressing into my side.

I feel like I'm bleeding out at their feet, unworthy of the love I've squandered.

"To save Kieran," I murmur, my voice muffled by my arms. "He couldn't heal him unless … unless I kissed him." The words, heavy with guilt, hang in the air, a confession that seems too loud in the room's silence. "He said he needed a connection with me to strengthen his power to bring Kieran back."

Theo kneels in front of me. "Rose, look at me," he urges softly.

I hesitate, afraid to see the pain etched there. But I lift my head, meeting his golden eyes, and don't find any grief in them.

"You're god-touched."

"What the hell does that mean?" I whisper.

He sighs. "Chaos must've taken an interest in you because after our first date, you had these little flecks of silver in your eyes, a sign of being god-touched."

"So, what, he touched me when I was sleeping or something?" A flicker of unease ripples through me, its presence oddly intriguing rather than alarming, and that thought further fuels my shame. I hope my mates can't feel that through our bond.

He shakes his head, a subtle gesture that seems to stir the air around us, but maybe it's because I'm so caught in his orbit. "It's rare, but gods sometimes form attachments to fae, drawn like moths to the flame of their power. These god-touched fae become beacons, attracting griffins like me."

His words land heavily, and a sharp pang of grief pierces my heart. "So, we aren't soul bonded?" A thread of hysteria laces my words. He's only attracted to me because I'm god-touched?

"We're soul bonded," he reassures, his lips pressing gently against my forehead. The touch is light, yet it sends a comforting warmth flowing through me. "There's zero doubt about that. It just so happens that you're also god-touched."

Jax's words, thick with frustration, cut through the thickening tension. "So, what does this mean?"

I swallow hard, my throat tight. "Apparently, I'm also Chaos's soul bonded mate." I want to deny it. To reject the immediate, visceral attraction I felt to him the moment I saw him. To explain away the perplexing rightness that is the God of all gods.

The room seems to contract; the air growing dense, as if absorbing the shock of my words. It feels as though all the oxygen has been sucked out, leaving a vacuum where once there was breathable space. The silence that follows could shatter glass.

"How can you have two?" Mekhi studies me.

"I don't know. It's not like I asked for it." I wince, head whipping towards Theo. "I mean, I'm really, really glad I have you, but being soul bonded to a god?" I shrink in on myself. "Scares the shit out of me."

Mekhi's warm hand finds mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "It can't be that bad. Your Grandma Luna is a god, and that tends to make people not want to fuck with you. Try telling people Chaos is your soul—" He clears his throat, glancing quickly at Theo before correcting his words. "That Chaos is one of your soul bonded mates."

Jax, still pacing, stops and turns towards us. "I don't trust the asshole."

Inhaling deep, I let out a breath as I consider what we know. "The arcane scholar thing was just a ruse, too." I sigh. "I was always going to win."

"Fucking god," Jax spits. His entire body seems to shudder under his fury, as though he wants to shift and it's taking everything in him to keep his cool. Thick plumes of smoke exit his nostrils as they flare. I don't think I've ever seen him like this before. Mad, yes. But not like this. Not even when Kieran was insulting me earlier in the school year.

"Your brother is going to be so pissed." Deakan chuckles. "Bennett really wanted to win that."

"People got hurt, maybe even died, playing his stupid competition," Jax growls.

"He wants me to be a goddess." My voice is barely a squeak.

The room falls silent. Slowly, each of their eyes land on mine, and wild panic surges through our bonds at all angles.

My dragon fae is the first to break the quiet. "He's not taking you from us," Jax snarls.

I shake my head. "He wants us to all go to the veil. After graduation."

"And do what?" Mekhi asks warily. "Won't that mean we're dead?"

"She'd ascend." Theo finally joins us on the floor. "But what that means for us, I don't know."

"I didn't think to ask," I admit with shame. "I was too stunned by the news." It dawns on me how selfish I am, only thinking about myself and not considering the implications for my mates. I'm so undeserving of their love.

"Of course our sexy mate attracted the eyes of a god." Deakan grins at me, his blond hair catching the light as he leans in to give me a kiss on the forehead. "The good news is that no one is ever going to fuck with you."

My mates chuckle, the sound cutting through the tension in the air. Wiping away the tears, bolstered by their words, I spill out an apology. "I'm sorry, I just … I didn't know what else to do. My magic was exhausted. I wasn't sure if Kieran had used Theo's feather or not, and I didn't want to risk it."

"It's okay." Theo's thumb gently brushes away the last of my tears. "We understand. We aren't upset with you."

I could weep. In fact, as I meet each of their expressions, seeing how earnest they are in reassuring me, I do. I'd been so terrified that I fucked everything up between us. Jax still appears angry, but I don't think it's directed at me. Not when he takes my hand, kisses it, and holds it to his warm chest.

"Do you feel like he's a soul bonded mate?" Mekhi studies me, but there's no animosity in his gaze.

As Mekhi's question hangs in the air, a tumult of emotions churns within me. Do I feel that Chaos is my soul bonded mate? The very thought sends a mix of fear and undeniable truth coursing through me. There's a part of me that screams yes, recognizing the profound, inexplicable bond that ties me to him. But admitting it, even to myself, feels like stepping into a maelstrom of uncertainty and potential heartache.

The idea of confronting this reality, especially in the presence of my mates, is daunting. I grapple with these feelings silently, the words to explain this complex web of emotions eluding me. I'm not ready to voice this truth, not yet. For now, it remains a whispered secret in the depths of my soul, a truth too raw and potent to expose to the light.

My mates seem to recognize the truth in my eyes, but don't mention it further. They know I'd break down again if I had to give voice to the thoughts in my head.

"We'll help you deal with Chaos." Jax rises to his feet. "Let's make sure Kieran's really okay. Who knows what kind of bullshit that fucking god weaved."

We glance over at Kieran's sleeping form on top of the covers. Long shadows creep across the room, inching their way toward the wall-to-wall bed as the sun rises higher in the sky, just barely visible through the window now.

Theo runs some more magical diagnostics on Kieran, and symbols hover above him as he studies the confusing diagrams. After several minutes of us waiting with bated breath, he nods his head. "Still has perfect vitals, though his energy stores are near empty. He's probably going to sleep for days."

"You're sure?" I whisper, watching the rise and fall of Kieran's bare chest, my attention caught on a large rose tattoo splayed there.

"I'll check it a third time." Theo's words aren't unkind, and hold no animosity, only reassurance. He sits on the bed next to our friend, tracing symbols in the air. They twist and twirl, blinking in and out as he shuffles through them, as though sorting through cards in the air.

I watch, mesmerized.

Theo's fingers glide through the motions, each movement a meticulous art form rather than mere procedure. Light patterns shift with every fluid gesture. Symbols respond, fluttering like leaves in a gentle breeze. It's a delicate search, his hands weaving through the air as they sift through Kieran's magical essence, uncovering layers of mystique.

The conjured ethereal symbols float above him like a dance of light and shadow. Each glyph pulses with a life of its own, shimmering in hues of vibrant green and ominous red.

"Is the red bad?" I whisper.

"See this symbol here?" Theo gestures towards a luminous crimson glyph, its edges glowing like the embers of a dying fire. The symbol pulsates gently, casting a soft, ruby light that contrasts with the dimmer hues around it. I nod. "These are his energy levels."

With a deft motion, Theo scoops up the symbols, holding them in his palm like a collection of radiant, otherworldly dice. He gently tosses them into the air, and they cascade down over Kieran's sleeping form. As they fall, they seem to dance and flicker before finding their places. Gradually, they come to rest, aligning themselves at various points across his body. A majority of the vivid red glyphs cluster over his heart and head, glowing more intensely as if to highlight areas needing the most attention.

"He needs a lot of rest. Ideally, a week," Theo concludes, his voice carrying concern and certainty.

"But he'll be okay?" Deakan tugs me against his side, resting his chin on my head.

"He'll be just fine. Probably wake up on and off over the next few days."

"How do you know so much of this? Didn't think Professors of Astronomy dealt with too many injuries." Jax eyes my soul bonded mate warily.

Theo looks at Jax, an understanding smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "You're right. The stars and celestial bodies are more my arena in the academic sense. However, being a griffin comes with certain … additional responsibilities and skills. We're watchers over those touched by the divine. This role demands a knowledge that extends beyond the academic, and into healing and protection. Built into the very fabric of who we are."

He pauses, glancing at Kieran, then continues. "The cosmos teaches us about the interconnectedness of all things, and in that, I've sought learning in various fields, including medical and magical care. Griffins don't just understand the stars, we study the fragile balance of life they oversee." He gathers the glyphs into a small drawstring bag and shuts them in the nightstand drawer. "And sometimes, that means being able to mend more than just a broken spirit, but a broken body as well."

My stomach chooses now to rumble, earning more chuckles. Theo gives me a kiss on the forehead before rising to his feet. "I'm going to make you that pizza before we all crash for the day. Any special requests?"

"Pineapple and ham, please." I smile up at him as he helps me up, and he shudders.

"Pineapple on pizza?"

Mekhi chimes in. "It's pretty popular in a lot of countries on Earth."

"I'll eat anything, but I'm especially fond of what's nestled between these thick thighs." Deakan tightens his arms around me, nibbling on my ear. "I don't think Kieran will mind if we use the bed, do you?"

I twist out of his arms, giving him a playful shove as I skirt out of his reach. "You're not eating me out with him in the same bed."

"Why not?" he says with a grin, slinging an arm around Jax.

Theo, shaking his head, smirks and plants a quick kiss before slipping out the door to head to the kitchen. "It'll take your mind off things."

I recognize this for what it is. They thought something awful had happened to me when I didn't come home last night, and now they're desperate to nurture our mating bond. Especially now that Chaos is encroaching on what they perceive as only theirs.

Jax leans in conspiratorially. "I'm hungry." He glances at Mekhi, who's now considering the merits of the idea. I can see his gears turning in his head.

He licks his lips. "It is a big bed."

My mates exchange glances with each other as though they're speaking telepathically—though they can't—before turning their attention back on me. As one, they stalk towards me.

Smiling softly, I shake my head, feeling a weight settle in my stomach. "Later. I'm still trying to process everything that's happened."

Deakan strides over to me, the confident swagger making him look like he owns the room. He slips his hands into my back pockets, pulling me in closer. "Do you want to talk about it? Or we could find a way to let out some steam, maybe break some stuff." His eyes gleam mischievously. "Or we could hunt down Bennett. Tell him the Arcane Scholar title is his if he wants it. Biologically, you're basically the same person."

"If you want to be technical, Bennett and I only share about twenty-five percent of our DNA. Twins, but different biological dads."

"Shit, I forgot about that," he muses out loud, resting his chin on the top of my head. "I really hope we have twins someday."

Mekhi chuckles. "Triplets would be cool, too."

"We are so not doing this again." I scramble out of Deakan's arms, retreating to the safety of Jax's. "No babies for the next hundred years or so help me, none of you are touching me ever again."

Jax's breath is warm on my cheek as he nuzzles against me. "Let's go put a food baby in you, then." He pats my side—the universal indicator to get up—and he tugs me towards the hallway.

Before I leave the room, I grab a cream-colored knit blanket and lay it over Kieran. Deakan remains at the door as the others bound out of it, ready to eat. His gleeful eyes follow my every move, yet he remains silent, even as I make my way towards him, a small smirk on his face.

"Don't say a word," I hiss as I let him sling an arm around me.

He chuckles. "Wouldn't dream of it."