Page 56 of The Hidden Guardian

“True. The pack is not prudish.”

“Quite the opposite, in fact.”

We meet each other’s gaze and immediately burst into a fit of giggles.

“Okay, okay.” I reel my giggling in. “I would like to try and train today if you’re up for it.”

“I wouldn’t want to wear you out before Renall got home.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I roll my eyes.

“Let’s go, show me what you’ve got.” She slaps her hands on her legs and waits for me expectantly.

I close my eyes like Onai has taught me to do. Reaching down into that inner power, I grab ahold and draw it forward, toward my palms. The skin in my palm warms in that familiar glow when I use my power. Petals begin to open one by one, spreading in the skin-colored flower I can make on command now.

“Good, that is great, faster than usual,” Onai comments, “Now, let’s try and do something with it. Change its color or get it bigger, taller. Do what you feel.”

I nod, not trying to lose my focus on the flower between my hands. My eyes stare at the petals. I want it to change to pink. They start to darken slightly, changing slowly from the inside out.

Suddenly, rage trickles down the bond and into my gut. More raw and open than usual. I fight to hold back a snarl as I leap to my feet.

“What’s wrong?” Onai stands, alarmed, walking toward the door.

“Renall,” I mutter, still holding onto the flower in my hand. My inner anger is reacting to his and the petals of the flower in my hand turn from pink to blood red. The fury rises still. I clench my fist, attempting to hold it at bay and trying to prevent myself from running out the door.

“It’s just the trial,” Onai comments as she peeks out the door. “He’s just responding to a question. You must just be more in tune to him than usual.”

My hands are shaking with the anger that’s slowly receding from the bond. I raise them slightly when Onai gasps. Wetness drips from my hand and onto the floor. It’s red like the petals were and it smells coppery like blood.

“Oh my.” Onai reaches for a cloth to clean my hand, “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I … I don’t know.” But as I wipe the blood away with my finger, there is no wound. “No, I’m not hurt.” I find my words and take the cloth from her. “It felt so strong. I felt it like my own anger.”

“Yes, your bond is growing. You’ll have to figure out a way to understand your bond so you can control it.”

“That’s never happened before. My power changed with my thoughts and feelings. They turned … dark.”

“It happens when our powers are linked to emotions, they can become unreliable.”

“It’s not coming off,” I comment, scrubbing my hand with the cloth. Tossing my hair over my shoulder with my other hand, I scrub it harder.

“Is that what I think it is?” Onai is pointing to my neck.

In all the shuffle, I forgot I was hiding the bite mark on my neck. “Oh … I…”

“Oh my Goddess, youdidmate last night.”

“Uh …” My cheeks flush with heat. “We didn’tmate, but we did a lot of other stuff.”

“You let him claim you? But didn’t mate?”

“I’m menstruating.”

“Like that’s ever stopped a man before.”

“Um …I trust him, I just don’t know if I’m willing to tie my fate to his. Definitely not because some moon possessed me to.”

“Give it time,” Onai states.

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