Chapter 20: Chapter 20

JASMINE

The room cleared out in a hurry, everyone eager to play their part in the plan. Sebastian and Erik made their way to one of the house’s grand, old-fashioned rooms. Erik was already deep in discussion with his father and the leader of his security team, planning how to strengthen the boundaries of all the packs.

His voice was steady but held a commanding tone that made everyone pay attention. I had faith he’d manage everything smoothly. He always did.

Meanwhile, I found myself in a smaller room, on the phone with my dad, brainstorming ways to ramp up iron extraction for weapon production. Our pack had the most sophisticated mining systems, and I knew my dad would be more than willing to lend a hand.

We were discussing various strategies, trying to figure out how to improve the drills to boost the operation, but the conversation seemed to drag on. After a while, I grew weary, putting the phone on speaker and holding it in my arms as I leaned against the desk. It would have been easier to do this face-to-face, but given that I was still recovering from the spell, staying close to Erik, Sebastian, and Aaron was crucial—for all of us.

Just as I was wrapping up the discussion on the best ways to maximize iron extraction, a gentle knock sounded on the already open door. I turned, and there he was—Sebastian. His familiar scent of wood filled the room, enveloping me like a comforting hug, even though he was standing a few feet away.

“I don’t want to interrupt,” he said, stepping into the room with a scroll in his hand. “But I think this might help.”

Curiosity sparked in my eyes as I watched him approach, my heart swelling with love just at the sight of him. I couldn’t help but smile.

“I asked our wizards to find something that could assist in locating the richest mineral veins,” Sebastian explained, offering me the scroll. “This spell can help pinpoint the largest veins of iron.”

I blinked, taking in his words. One of the toughest parts of mining was figuring out whether a vein was deep or just superficial. This spell could be a game-changer.

“Sebastian, this is…amazing,” I said, my fingers lightly touching the ancient parchment as I looked up at him.

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “We’re one now,” he said softly, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. “This is just the beginning.”

My dad, who had been listening to the conversation over the phone, chimed in. “I’ll send our top wizard to learn the spell. And I’ll arrange for the drilling teams to head to the east wing.”

“Perfect. Thanks, Dad,” I replied, feeling a sense of achievement as we ended the call.

The moment I hung up, Sebastian reached out and gently pulled me to my feet. In an instant, I was in his arms, his nose brushing against my neck.

My pulse quickened as his lips grazed my skin, his voice low and husky. “I still haven’t gotten over how much I missed you,” he murmured, his breath hot against my neck. “The feel of your skin…”

His lips began trailing upward, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. “The scent of you…”

I could barely breathe as he moved to my jaw, kissing his way up. “And the taste of you,” he whispered, his lips barely touching mine before finally claiming them.

The kiss was desperate, fierce, like he was afraid we’d never have this again. The memory of nearly losing him made my heart clench, and I kissed him back with equal passion.

His hands roamed my body, as if he couldn’t get enough, as if he wanted to memorize every inch of me. The mate bond pulsed between us, a call that demanded completion, and I could feel my body responding—hot, needy, drenched with desire.

My heart pounded so loudly in my ears that it drowned out everything but the sound of his breath, his heartbeat. I wanted him. Now. I needed him. Inside me.

He gripped my waist, pulling me closer, and in a swift motion, he backed me against the desk, his body pressing into mine.

“Sebastian—” A voice interrupted, and we both froze.

It was Philip. “We need to head to the magic headquarters now.”

Duty called.

Sebastian broke the kiss with a frustrated sigh, his forehead resting against mine as he groaned. His arms tightened around me, unwilling to let go just yet. “I’ll go insane if I don’t get more time with you,” he muttered, chuckling darkly.

I bit my lip, feeling the same frustration gnawing at me. “Promise me you’ll make time for us, even with everything going on?”

“I promise,” he murmured, his lips lingering on mine before he finally pulled away. “I’ll catch you later.”

And just like that, he was gone, leaving me standing there—filled with desire, yearning, and craving more.

I let out a sigh, pushing away the lingering lust as I shifted my focus to the tasks at hand. I had to wait for our pack’s wizard to show up. After shooting a message to my mom to send some of my clothes with him, I made my way down the corridor.

I stumbled upon Aaron in the library, engrossed in ancient scrolls and texts, already knee-deep in deciphering the meaning of Tieranthia. His brow was creased with concentration, his mind sifting through every detail.

Not wanting to interrupt him, I quietly continued down the hallway. But then, that familiar scent—sea and mint—hit me before I reached the end of the corridor. My heart rate picked up. Erik.

I traced the scent to an office just ahead, the door slightly open. The room buzzed with a quiet energy, like the calm before a thunderstorm. Without a second thought, I nudged the door open and stepped inside.

Erik was by the window, his broad shoulders rigid, his eyes distant, gazing into the horizon as if seeking answers only the sky could provide. The burden of everything was on him—the war, the responsibilities, the risk of losing me and his brothers.

His jaw was clenched, his muscles taut, like he was suppressing something—something he wasn’t ready to release. He didn’t notice me at first. I could have left. But I couldn’t. Not when I could feel his pain and stress enveloping me like a second skin.

“Erik,” I murmured.

His head turned slowly, his blue eyes meeting mine. The rawness in his gaze took my breath away. It was more than desire—it was need, fear, love—all intertwined in a storm that seemed on the brink of eruption.

“You shouldn’t be here, Jasmine,” he said, his voice gruff, strained.

He turned his body fully toward me, but there was a tension in his stance, like he was resisting something—resisting me.

“Why?” I took a step closer, my heart pounding against my ribcage. “Because you think you’re protecting me by keeping your distance?”

His eyes darkened, and he exhaled, his hand running through his hair.

“No…because I don’t trust myself when you’re this close.”

I was standing just a few feet from him now, feeling the warmth radiating from his body. My pulse quickened.

“Erik, you don’t have to protect me from you.”

He closed the gap between us in one stride, his hand gripping my waist, pulling me to him until my body was pressed against his. His touch was possessive, insistent, and yet there was a hesitation in his eyes, as though he was holding back.

“I’m trying to do the right thing,” he whispered, his breath hot against my ear. “I’m trying to keep control, but every time I see you…feel you…I lose it.”

His voice cracked at the last word, and my heart squeezed painfully. He wanted me as much as I wanted him, but it was more than that—it was the fear of losing each other, the weight of the mate bond growing stronger every second we were together.

I cradled his face, forcing him to look at me.

“You don’t always have to be strong for everyone. You don’t have to bear the world on your shoulders, Erik. You can lean on me.”

His jaw tightened, and his hands clutched my waist harder, almost as if he was scared to let go.

“If I let go, Jasmine…” His voice quivered, his forehead falling to rest against mine. “If I let go, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to stop.”

I had asked him to wait because I wasn’t ready. The truth was that I thought the mating thing, the sex, could make everything more complicated.

But with us, it was always simple.

I felt my heart flutter, my body vibrating with the closeness, the desperation between us.

“Then don’t stop,” I whispered, my lips barely grazing his. “Don’t hold back with me.”

That was all it took.

Erik’s restraint shattered.

His mouth descended on mine with a force that left me breathless, his kiss fierce and demanding. The moment his lips met mine, it felt like the dam had burst, like all the tension, fear, and desire had been set free.

His hands were everywhere—clutching my waist, sliding down my back, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us.

My lips parted in a sigh against his, my fingers tangling in his hair to pull him closer. His body was a solid wall against mine, his muscles rigid beneath my touch.

His kiss intensified. His tongue danced with mine in a fervent rhythm that sent electric jolts coursing through my veins.

“Jasmine,” he murmured against my lips, his breath uneven, his hands quivering slightly as they held my hips. “I need you… I need all of you, right now.”

The connection between us was screaming for completion, every part of me yearning for him. My body was already responding, my core pulsating, my skin aflame with desire.

I could sense the slick moisture between my thighs, my body practically pleading for his touch.

But this was more than just physical. This was the magnetic pull of the mate bond—the link that had been growing stronger with every shared glance, every secret moment.

And now, it was on the verge of engulfing us both.

“I’m yours,” I murmured, my voice shaking with need, with love. “I’ve always been yours.”

He released a deep growl. His lips blazed a path down my neck as his hands clutched the hem of my shirt, pulling it upward.

I arched into him, desperate to feel his skin against mine.