Page 6 of Dark Bonds

I remain silent. All I can do is watch him watching me.

Then… Then my memories return, and my eyes widen.

My breathing stutters as I glance at my chest to see my naked torso. The slashes from Chloe and Amanda are nothing more than scars, and yet I feel the ache they caused. Pain radiates through me, sharp and persistent, as if the wounds are freshly inflicted.

My fingertips shake as I press along the scars and wince. They aren’t healed, not yet, but they are on their way. The pain is excruciating, but something’s happening. It feels like I’m being stitched back together from the inside out. Is this what healing magic feels like, or is it just the spring? I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I can feel my flesh mending, the muscles re-forming beneath the surface.

As the pain subsides, a strange thought hits me. Is this spring somehow connected to the shadow realm? It would explain the weird energy I’ve always felt here, but how is that even possible?

Sinking low to preserve some modesty, I look up at Dorian. His eyes aren’t filled with the predatory hunger I’ve seen in others. Instead, they trace the scars on my body with clinical concern, as if he can see the pain they caused. Despite knowing he can’t actually see under the water, a shiver rushes through me. His gaze makes me feel exposed and vulnerable, but also strangely understood.

Looking at him, I can’t formulate words. Hell, I don’t know where to begin. There’s so much and yet not enough, and all I want to do is hide and lick my wounds as I heal, because the pain and the anguish of living around all of them while they harbored such a secret is almost too much to bear.

I told myself once upon a time that I’d never allow another person to hurt me, that I’d be the abuser, the user, and the manipulator, and then I came here, and I lived inside that hurt for two long years. And now what? Do I want to go back to the pain?

The devil you know.

Gritting my teeth, I hold Dorian’s gaze. “You told me to shift. I didn’t even know I could.”

Dorian’s jaw clenches, a flicker of guilt crossing his features before he masks it with his usual stern expression. “And yet you chose not to.” His reply is immediate and sharp, like a slap to the face. His words batter at my defenses, his tone dripping with frustration and disappointment.

“What do you mean? Why should I have shifted?” I ask him slowly, my heart pounding in my chest almost too fast for me to breathe.

Dorian’s jaw clenches, a muscle twitching near his temple. “You should have shifted,” he says, his voice low and tight. “Your wolf form—it heals faster.” He glances at my wounds, and for a moment, I catch a glimpse of something raw in his expression before he masks it with his usual scowl. It’s not just anger there, it’s fear. Fear for me?

My mouth parts, but again, no words form.

“You’re struggling. Let me explain. You’re in the shadow realm.” His cruel tone is somehow welcome, reminding me that our dynamic hasn’t changed even if I feel like my entire world just shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. “You can shift here.”

Why the fuck does he hate me so much?

I nod slowly as though that makes all the sense in the world.

It doesn’t.

“The shadow realm. That’s what you called it,” I say, my heart thundering in my chest.

“Yes, that’s right.”

His words right before I passed out roll over my senses. “You said, ‘Welcome home.’”

“Because, Frankie, the shadow realm is your home.” He pauses, his eyes searching mine for understanding. “You must have known on some level that you’re not entirely human.”

Did I?

I push back in the water as though his words are putting distance between us, and hell, maybe they are. “What’s the shadow realm? Why is it important?”

He tilts his head to the side and gives me a slow nod. “The shadow realm is a dimension that exists alongside the human world. It’s a place of magic and darkness, a realm where shadow shifters are born. The air here is thick with ancient power, power that flows through your veins, Frankie.”

“Shadow shifters?” The words echo in my mind, sending shockwaves through my body. Everything I thought I knew about myself shatters in an instant. Electricity dances across my skin, and I feel a strange stirring sensation within me, as if something long dormant is awakening. My eyes zero in on Dorian, searching for any sign that this is all some cruel joke, but his solemn expression tells me it’s all too real.

“Yes, Frankie. We’re shadow shifters. We were born here, and we are able to shift between human and shadow forms. This realm is our sanctuary, but it’s also fraught with challenges.” He says the last part while looking away, telling me he isn’t giving me the entire story. “The shadows here can consume you if you’re not careful. They can twist your mind and your very essence.”

I wrap my arms around myself, shivering as I absorb his words. “Why didn’t anyone tell me about this? Why keep me in the dark?”

Dorian’s expression softens slightly, a flicker of regret crossing his features. “It’s complex. Shadow shifters are taken to the human realm for training, to blend in, and learn control. We return only when we’re ready. The magic of this realm… It’s sentient in a way. It protects itself and prevents us from speaking of it to those who aren’t ready.”

“But I wasn’t ready. No one prepared me.” My voice breaks. “I didn’t even know.”

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