14

I ran up the stairs to my room and opened the door. My bed was made and a folded letter lay neatly on my pillow. I knew immediately that she wasn't here. She wasn't even in the house and I dreaded to pick up that letter.

"Dear Lucas

I can't stay here, not just with you, but here in Aurora. A relationship between us would never work, especially after what happened to me. You seem like a good person, to me at least, you deserve someone that can give you everything. I have nothing to give you. Reject this bond and move on with your life, I'm sure a chosen half would be much better suited to you than me.

Take care,

Rylee."

Rev stood in my doorway and walked over to me as I held the letter up. He read it quickly and put it down on the bed next to me.

"She's afraid," he said.

"She didn't want to tell me what happened to her but Stella said she had bruising. I think she was raped," I said to him.

"You should talk to Hannah," he said.

"Why?" I asked him.

"She sees and feels things," he said and my eyes widened.

"She told you this?" I asked him and he nodded.

"Rylee might need space and time to heal. Everyone heals differently. Your bond will always be there, you'll find her again," he said.

Rev pulled me up by my arm and then he hugged me. He caught me off guard and the only thing I could do was hug him back as I felt her absence grow stronger. I wanted to jump in my car and go look for her but I also knew that Rev was right. She left because she needed to heal her own way.

On Saturday I drove with Jax, Rev and Preston to Chicago to oversee their ceremonies. Preston had turned seventeen on Friday and Rev on Saturday. A lair member's ceremony is very different to a Sire ceremony. Jax had opted to wait so we didn't have to make the trip to Chicago twice.

Tonight, all three of them would receive their dragons and even though my heart was broken and I was wrapped in a blanket of my own sadness I was still excited for them. It was a big day and Jesse would meet us there.

I parked the car in front of the same dilapidated warehouse where my own ceremony had been done and I saw Preston raise his eyebrows as he took the building in. Preston's father was a warrior and his mother was a nurse. Rev's father was the CEO of our investment firm and his mother was a lawyer, which makes you wonder how Rev is more of a warrior than Preston.

"Sire Grey," a man greeted me at the front door.

"This is Jax Sterling, Preston Scott and Milton Harris for their beast ceremonies," I said.

"You may enter the lair of the Elders and be received," he said and opened the door in front of us.

We walked further into the warehouse and the room we were led to was open spaced and three stainless steel beds about two feet apart from each other greeted us. In the middle of the room was a cement circle and a fire was already burning inside it.

"Good evening Elders," I said and shook their hands.

"You look well Sire Lucas," Elder Peter said as he gripped my hand firmly.

"The three candidates can remove their shirts and lie on their backs on the beds," Elder James said.

Jax, Rev and Preston took their shirts off and got comfortable on the stainless steel beds just as Jesse arrived. He made his apologies for his tardiness and stood to one side as the Elders started the ceremony.

Each Elder stood next to a bed and worked simultaneously on Jax, Rev and Preston. They started by slitting one wrist open and collecting their blood. They proceeded towards me and I had to give some of my blood as well, this was to forge the bond between Sire and member.

They mixed a clear liquid from a small vial with the blood and they each had to drink it before being restrained to the beds. I could feel the bond with them growing and Baz flapped his wings in my head and before I could say anything to him he separated from me and spread his wings again.

"Unbelievable," Elder Gareth whispered as they all stared at Baz. He truly was magnificent.

Jax, Rev and Preston were unconscious now and Baz spoke to me in my head, telling me that their beasts were ready to join with them. I looked at Jax and I took a step backwards as I saw a large blue beast merge with him. His back arched involuntarily as the beast settled inside him and he screamed suddenly as his mark appeared on his skin.

The stronger your beast the more it hurt to merge and I could clearly remember my own merging. Mine had hurt so much that I wanted to tear my own skin off. Preston's beast was next and he pranced around the bed before diving into him. His beast was a beautiful shimmering green and he gritted his teeth and groaned as his beast merged with him.

For a few minutes it was quiet and then Baz roared loudly. The beast circled around the roof of the warehouse and flapped his wings loudly. He landed in front of Baz and I took a step forwards as he bowed his head to the floor in front of us. Baz rumbled in approval and the dragon took off again and without wasting time dove straight into Rev.

He screamed and the restraints around his wrists broke as he clawed at his skin. Rev's dragon was indigo and even the Elders seemed confused as they saw the mark appear. Rev had rolled off the bed and he was on his hands and knees giving us a clear view of his back and the emerging dragon on it.

"Please state the candidates status for our records," Elder James asked.

"Jax is my second in command, Milton third and Preston fourth," I said.

"What beasts do the Harris boy's parents have?" Elder Peter asked.

"They both have green beasts," I said to him.

"Very interesting," Elder Gareth said.

"It is unheard of for two green beasts to have an indigo offspring," Elder Peter said.

"Milton was adopted, he doesn't know who his biological parents are," Jesse said.

"What does this mean?" I asked them.

"It means that Milton's biological father was a Sire or an extremely strong second in command," Elder James answered me.

"You might want to consider giving Milton his own lair within your ranks," Elder Peter said.

"I have no wish to be a Sire," Rev said as he stood up and we all turned towards him.

"What is your beast's name?" Elder Gareth asked him as he opened the record book of our lair.

"Tirsynth," Rev answered.

"Sire Lucas, please wake the other two candidates," Elder Peter asked me.

Baz stood tall next to me, he roared softly in my mind, and Jax and Preston's eyes flew open. I could still see the sweat on Rev's brow as he took deep breaths. Jax stumbled slightly as he climbed off the bed and I got a good look at the dragon on his back. It suited him perfectly.

"His name is Gradarth," Jax said and his father smiled proudly.

"And yours Mr. Scott?" Elder James asked Preston.

"Zurden," he said and he seemed slightly bigger than before.

"Very odd indeed," Elder Peter mused.

"What is? Stop speaking in riddles," I said irritated now.

"Strong dragons with warrior names, all four of you," Elder Peter said.

"What Elder Peter means is that it's been quite some time since we've had a Sire with his most trusted that possess such strong dragons. It will make for interesting times," Elder James said with a smile.

"It's time for us to take our leave," Baz said as he merged himself with me again. Every time he did that I felt a burning sensation like electrical currents running through my whole body and I wondered if I would ever get used to it.

"The ceremony is complete and your beast is correct, it's time for you to leave so these three can rest and settle their beasts completely. Congratulations to all of you, your lair will only be strengthened by this," Elder James said.

"Let's go," Jesse said as he turned towards the door with his arm around Jax's shoulders.

"Thanks for coming Dad," Jax said and Jesse smiled.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," he said as they hugged.

Preston and Jax climbed into the back seat and Rev sat up front next to me as I drove back to Aurora. Within fifteen minutes Jax had passed out again and Preston followed him ten minutes later. I looked over at Rev and I saw he was fighting it.

"Don't fight it Rev, your beast needs to settle," I said to him and he closed his eyes and leaned his head backwards.

I chuckled to myself softly as I looked at them. I should've asked Jesse to meet us at home because now I would have to carry all three of them into the house. The drive was quite peaceful and my mind wandered back to Rylee. Her phone went straight to voicemail.

"Hi Rylee, I get that you need space to heal but I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt that you left. I want to understand what's going through your head and help you in whichever way I can. Please call me back at least so that I know you're safe wherever you are."

I disconnected the call and sighed audibly. I knew she was safe, I could feel it and Baz had told me too. Unfortunately, I could also feel her fear and nightmares, especially the panic that set in at night. I turned in the driveway and parked in front of the steps leading up to the front door. I opened the passenger door and pulled Rev out and over my shoulder.

Hannah opened the front door as I reached it and opened it wide as she stared at Rev. I lowered him onto the couch and she instantly lay down beside him, her head on his chest. His features changed from a frown to just neutral but then again it could also have been his happy face.

Next I pulled Preston out and put him down on the other couch and Chris brought pillows to put under their heads. Jax went onto the couch where Chris sat and she flicked the television on. They were both adamant to wait for Jax and Rev to wake up.

"Hannah," I said as I sat down on the recliner.

"I know what you want to ask," she said surprising me.

"Tell me what you know," I said and Chris looked at her questioningly.

"Her parents were mean, they told her to get out of their house, her father pushed her. She had driven around for a while and then stopped next to the road. Two men grabbed her and they really hurt her, they hit her and then they were on top of her they …."

"Stop," I said and closed my eyes.

"I'm sorry Lucas. She feels used and broken inside, she hates herself and she really believes that you won't love her if you knew what happened to her," Hannah said.

"Hannah did you feel Rev's pain tonight?" I asked her.

"Yes, it was terrible and yes to your next question too, he's my bonded half," she said and I could only stare at her. I didn't know how it was possible for her to know all these things but she did.