The Weston Bond

4

Cain’s eyes stayed on me for a few seconds longer, like he was still trying to process something he clearly did not want to accept.

Then he turned slightly, as if ending the conversation in his mind.

“Leave,” he said again, colder this time. “Both of you.”

Something inside me snapped at that.

“No,” I said immediately.

Zane glanced at me.

Cain looked back slowly.

That one word seemed to surprise him more than anything else so far.

“No?” he repeated.

I took a small step forward.

“I didn’t come all this way just to be told to leave like I don’t exist,” I said.

Cain’s jaw tightened again.

“You shouldn’t be here at all.”

“Too late.”

The bond between us pulsed again, sharp and unwanted. It felt like it reacted every time we spoke, every time we looked at each other.

It made everything worse and harder to ignore.

Zane raised a hand slightly.

“Both of you, please—”

“Stay out of this,” Cain cut him off without looking away from me.

Zane sighed under his breath. “Of course.”

I turned my attention back to Cain.

“I didn’t ask for this,” I said. “I didn’t ask to be your mate. I didn’t ask to be dragged into whatever your family is.”

Cain’s eyes darkened. “Neither did I.”

That hit something in me. For a second, neither of us spoke. The bond pulled again. Stronger this time. Like it hated the silence.

I hated it too.

Cain finally exhaled slowly, like he was forcing himself to stay calm.

“This is not a normal situation,” he said. “You need to understand that before you start making demands.”

“I’m not making demands,” I snapped. “I’m reacting.”

A muscle in his jaw twitched. Zane moved slightly closer to me, like he was preparing for impact.

Cain noticed that. His eyes flicked to Zane’s hand near my back. Something sharp passed through his expression.

Possessiveness. He hated that Zane was protecting me. Is he jealous?

He looked away again quickly, like he hated that he felt it.

“Come inside,” Cain said suddenly.

Both of us froze.

I frowned. “What?”

He turned slightly toward the hallway behind him.

“Not here,” he said. “We talk inside the study. Not in the middle of my hall.”

Zane looked at me quietly.

“It’s better than standing here,” he said softly.

I didn’t trust either of them. But I followed.

The study was large, darker than the rest of the house, lined with heavy wood shelves and old books. A fire burned low in the corner, even though the room wasn’t cold.

Cain didn’t sit. He stood near the desk, as if sitting would make him weaker.

Zane stayed near me.

“This bond,” Cain said. “You understand what it means?”

I crossed my arms.

“I understand enough.”

“That’s not enough.”

I gave a short laugh.

“Well, no one gave me a handbook.”

His eyes lifted sharply.

“You feel it, don’t you?”

“She only just found out,” he said. “She needs time.”

Cain finally looked at him.

“We don’t have time,” he said.

That made something cold settle in my stomach.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

Cain looked back at me.

“It means,” he said slowly, “that once the bond is fully active between three, it doesn’t stop growing.”

I frowned. “Growing?”

Zane’s expression changed slightly.

Cain continued.

“It binds deeper over time. Emotionally. Physically. It strengthens whether we want it to or not.”

I felt my stomach drop a little.

“So what happens if I refuse right away?” I asked.

Then Cain spoke.

“You can refuse,” he said. “But it won’t erase the bond. It will only hurt all three of us. We might never find love again.”

No one prepared me for this. How am I going to be in a romantic relationship with my enemy? Cain of all people? Zane is okay, but Cain?

Zane looked down briefly, like he already knew that part too well. I looked between them.

“So I’m just supposed to accept this?” I asked.

Cain’s eyes sharpened again.

“No,” he said. “You’re supposed to understand it before you destroy everything by panicking.”

I stared at him.

“You really are impossible,” I muttered.

“This is why I said it would be difficult,” he said under his breath.

Cain’s eyes stayed on me. “Stay here,” he said.

I blinked.

“What?”

“Not forever,” he added quickly, as the words annoyed him. “Just until we figure out what this bond is going to do.”

I scoffed.

“You think I’m staying in your house?”

“It’s safer,” Zane said quietly.

I turned to him.

“Safer from what?”

Neither of them answered. That was worse. Cain finally spoke again.

“From people who would kill to control a bond like this.”

“You’re not explaining things properly,” I said.

The silence after Cain’s words didn’t feel normal. I could still feel the weight of his gaze on me, even when I tried not to look at him.

“People would kill for this bond,” I repeated slowly.

Cain didn’t move.

“Yes.”

Zane shifted slightly beside me.

“It’s not just about mates,” he added. “It’s about power. Territory. Control.”

I let out a slow breath.

“So I’m basically a target now.”

Cain’s eyes didn’t leave mine.

“You were already a target the moment the bond activated,” he said.

That made my chest tighten. I hated how calm he sounded saying it. Like danger was normal. Like my life just changed and he was used to it.

I took a step back without thinking.

“Then I’m leaving,” I said.

Zane frowned. “Selene—”

“I didn’t sign up for being hunted.”

Cain finally moved. Fast. One second he was across the room. Next, he was in front of me. So close I had to tilt my head up just to look at him.

The bond snapped hard between us. It was sharp, hot, and unbearable.

My breath caught.

His eyes dropped to my mouth for half a second. Then back to my eyes.

“You think walking away stops this?” he said quietly.

“I think staying here makes it worse.”

His jaw tightened.

“You don’t understand what’s coming for you.”

“I understand enough.”

“No,” he said again, lower this time. “You don’t.”

The air between us felt too tight.

Zane spoke from behind us.

“Cain… don’t.”

But Cain didn’t move. Neither did I. We were stuck there. Locked. The bond pulled again, stronger than before.

It felt like it was pushing us together. Forcing us closer. My heart started beating too fast.

“What are you doing?” I whispered.

Cain didn’t answer. His hand lifted slowly, not touching me yet, just hovering near my face like he was fighting himself.

“I hate this,” he said quietly.

“Good,” I snapped. “So do I.”

That should have ended it. But it didn’t. Instead, something in his eyes broke just for a second.

Then he grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward.

Hard. I hit his chest. And before I could react—

He kissed me. Not soft. Not careful. It was rough.

An angry kiss.

Like he was trying to erase every argument between us in one moment.

My brain stopped working for a second. Everything went blank except him. His hand tightened at my waist. Mine went to his chest without thinking.

Then I shoved him back.

Hard.

Cain stumbled one step. Silence exploded between us.

Zane’s voice came sharp.

“Cain!”

Did Cain and I just kiss? And I like it?

I stared at him, breathing too fast.

“What the hell was that?” I demanded.

Cain looked just as shocked as I felt, but he didn’t look away.

“That,” he said hoarsely, “is the problem.”

My hand was still trembling. I hated that my body wasn’t rejecting him. I hated even more that part of me wanted him closer.

Zane stepped forward quickly.

“This is exactly why I said this would be difficult,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “You two can’t even stand in the same room without—”

“Don’t,” I cut in.

Cain finally looked away. His jaw was tight again. But his voice when he spoke was lower now, controlled.

“I didn’t plan that,” he said.

I laughed once, sharply.

“That didn’t look like planning.”

“It wasn’t,” he repeated.

Another silence.

Cain finally stepped back first, putting distance between us like it physically hurt him to stay close.

“You should rest,” he said flatly.

I blinked.

“That’s it? You kiss me like that and then tell me to rest?”

His eyes flicked to mine again. Something dark passed through them.

“I said it was a mistake,” he replied.

But his voice didn’t sound convinced. Neither did mine.

Zane sighed quietly.

“This is going to be a long day.”

I didn’t take my eyes off Cain. Neither did he.

And for the first time since I arrived, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to run from him or pull him closer.