The Witch's Contract

MATE

The door to Kade’s room slammed and the lock clicked.

Elara stumbled. His grip on her wrist was iron. The bond between them was screaming. Hot. Angry. Hungry.

“Let go,” she said.

“Not yet.”

Kade dragged her to the center of the room. Black walls. Black bed. The fireplace burned blue with no heat. The air smelled like him. Storm. Blood. King.

He let go. Finally.

“Strip,” he said.

Elara froze. “What?”

“You heard me.” His silver eyes were black now. No control left. “The healer said it. Only royal blood can break that binding. And only if I give it willingly. A lot of it.”

He took a step toward her. “And mates share blood, Elara. That’s how it works.”

“I’m not your mate,” she whispered. “It’s a contract. One year.”

“The contract changed the second I touched that curse.” He pointed at her shoulder. The silver symbol under the fang was glowing. Matching the one on Lyra’s ribs. “That’s not a Luna mark anymore. That’s a mate mark. And it’s been growing since the first night.”

Elara pressed a hand to her chest. The wolf made of smoke and bone was clawing at her ribs. _Mate. Claim him._

“No,” she said. But her voice shook.

Kade moved fast. One second he was across the room. The next his hand was on her throat. Not squeezing. Just there. Thumb over her pulse.

“Do you feel that?” he murmured. “Through the bond. My heartbeat. It’s out of sync with yours. Because you’re fighting it.”

He leaned in. Breath hot against her ear. “Stop fighting, Luna.”

Elara shoved him. Hard. He didn’t move. Just caught her wrist and twisted her until her back hit his chest.

“Three drops kept her alive for one day,” Kade said in her ear. “Do you know how many drops it’ll take to break a royal binding? Hundreds. Gallons. I’ll bleed dry for her if I have to.”

His teeth grazed the mark on her shoulder. She gasped.

“But I won’t do it,” he continued. “Not unless you give me something too.”

Elara’s heart hammered. “What?”

“You.”

The word broke her.

Kade spun her around. Forced her to look at him. His face was inches from hers. Silver eyes wild. Desperate.

“One year as my mate,” he said. “Not Luna. Mate. My bed. My blood. My name. In return, I save Lyra. I give her all the blood she needs. And when it’s done, you walk free. If you still want to.”

Tears burned Elara’s eyes. “You’re lying. You hate witches.”

“I hated the idea of needing one,” he corrected. “But you?” His thumb brushed her cheek. Wiped a tear she didn’t know she’d cried. “You bled in the snow for her. You ran ten laps on broken knees. You didn’t beg. Not once.”

He leaned in. His forehead touched hers. The bond exploded between them. Fire and ice and something ancient.

“So what is it, Elara?” he whispered. “Your sister’s life. Or your pride?”

The room was silent except for their breathing. And the bond. Pounding like a drum.

Elara closed her eyes. Saw Lyra. Grey skin. Frost for breath.

Then opened them.

“Fine,” she whispered. “Mate.”

The second she said it, pain shot through her shoulder. The mark flared. The fang and the silver symbol under it merged. Became one. A wolf’s fang wrapped in thorns. Glowing white-hot.

Kade roared. Not in pain. In recognition.

His claws came out and he sliced his palm. Blood welled, black in the firelight. He grabbed her hand and pressed their cuts together.

The bond snapped into place.

It wasn’t iron anymore. It was fire. Gold and silver and blood, wrapping around her ribs, her heart, her soul.

Elara screamed. Kade caught her before she fell. Held her up as the magic poured through them. His power into her. Her magic into him.

The wolf made of smoke and bone stepped out of her chest. Stood between them. Huge. Eyes silver like Kade’s. It looked at him. Then at her. Then it bowed its head.

_Mate_, it said. To both of them.

When it faded, Elara was in Kade’s arms. Breathing hard. The mark on her shoulder was cool now. Healed. Complete.

Kade looked down at her. His eyes were silver again. But softer.

“Mate,” he tested the word. Like he didn’t believe it.

Elara pushed against his chest. He let her go immediately.

“Don’t touch me,” she said. But the bond was purring. Content.

Kade laughed. Once. No humor. Just disbelief. “You just agreed to be my mate and now you don’t want me to touch you?”

“I agreed to save my sister,” Elara snapped. “Not to like you.”

Kade’s smile was sharp. “We’ll see.”

He turned. Walked to the door. Opened it.

“Come on,” he said over his shoulder. “Your sister needs blood. And I have a lot to give.”

Elara followed. Because the bond pulled her. Because Lyra was dying.

But as they walked down the hall, side by side, the mark on her shoulder pulsed once.

And for the first time, it didn’t feel like a cage.

It felt like coming home.