Page 42 of Missing

As I concentrated, the tendrils began to retreat slowly, inch by agonizing inch. My chest tightened with each movement, the pressure mounting as I struggled to regain control over the wild energy that had surged between us moments ago.

"Almost there," Hunter encouraged me, his hand still pressed against Orlando's chest. "Just a little bit more."

With one final effort, I pulled the last tendril back into myself, feeling it snap into place with an almost physical jolt. Then, instinctively, I reached for Orlando's own essence, tethering him to me, anchoring us together in a way that felt both familiar and terrifying.

Orlando's body sagged as he took a deep, ragged breath, sweat beading on his brow. He looked up at me, his green eyes filled with gratitude and something else – something I didn't want to voice.

"Thank you," he murmured hoarsely, reaching out to grasp my hand.

I shook my head, tears streaming down my cheeks as I clung to Orlando's hand. "Don't thank me," I whispered brokenly. "I just nearly killed you."

Hunter's gaze met mine, a hint of relief flickering in his green eyes. "You're bonded," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "And he didn't die, which means you're mates." He paused for a moment, and I could see the corners of his mouth turn up into a small smile. "Congratulations on your bond. I'll register it tomorrow, and you'll be placed in a couple's room."

Before I could respond, Hunter vanished from the room, leaving us staring at the empty space he'd occupied just moments ago. The sudden absence of his presence left the air feeling heavy with emotion.

"Fuck," Griffin muttered, sitting back on his ass as he ran a hand through his dark hair. His blue eyes locked onto me, and there was an odd mix of confusion and longing in them. "You are our central, Harper. Our goddamn central."

Orlando sat up slowly, his green eyes studying me intently as if seeing me for the first time. "Hello, mate," he said softly, a tender smile playing on his lips.

Chapter 37

Harper Hillstrom

Iwoke up to the sound of my own ragged breathing, and as consciousness seeped in, I realised why. A scorching body was draped around me, pulling me close to his chest like I was some sort of human teddy bear. It was Orlando. After Griffin and Melody had retreated to their room last night, he'd dragged me back into bed, wrapping himself around me like a koala on a eucalyptus tree.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath, feeling my cheeks heat up at our proximity. But damn, it felt good. Snuggling back into his chest, I revelled in the sanctuary that had become my bed, knowing full well I had to get up soon for classes. The thought made me groan — who the hell wanted to leave this? Not me, that's for sure.

"Morning," Orlando murmured, his voice husky with sleep, he pulled me in even tighter, his warm breath tickling my neck. "Let's take the day off," he murmured, nuzzling my hair.

I couldn't help but smile on my pillow. "Okay," I whispered, feeling a sense of freedom wash over me like a wave. But then he groaned, his body tensing up against mine.

"Shit, I have a test on illusion this morning," he mumbled, sounding genuinely disappointed. My curiosity got the best of me, and I rolled over to face him, propping my head on my hand as our legs tangled together.

"What are your powers?" I asked wanting to know more about Orlando – especially if they were anything like his rock-hard abs.

"Can't you tell? You have the same ones," he said, grinning at my astonishment. My eyes widened in disbelief, and I could feel my heart starting to race.

"What? No! Are you telling me I have more than four now?! For fuck's sake, I was struggling as it was!" I exclaimed, feeling a mix of excitement and frustration. I had barely begun to understand and control the powers I already had, and now there were more.

Orlando laughed, clearly amused by my reaction. "They're not exactly yours, more like you can access mine and use them like they are yours," he explained, his green eyes sparkling with mischief.

I frowned, trying to wrap my head around what he was saying. "Well, I have no idea what they are. Please enlighten me."

He looked at me with those mesmerising green eyes, seeming to consider how to answer. "Well, one of them is earth magic," he said, a small smile playing on his lips. As if to demonstrate, he twisted his hand in the air, producing a single deep purple rose that almost looked black. He handed it to me, and I couldn't help but smile as I reached out and took it. The rose was cool to the touch – almost otherworldly.

"I also have healing," he continued, his voice low and intimate, "and illusion."

I leaned in closer, my curiosity piqued. "What is Illusion?" I asked, pressing a soft kiss to his chest.

"Ah, now that's the fun one," he grinned, his excitement infectious. "It's a magic where I can make anything look real, change what people see, but not actually change reality." With a flick of his wrist, the room around us transformed into a set of train tracks. My heart raced as a train came charging towards us, its whistle blaring loudly.

"Trust me," Orlando said, gripping my hand tightly. I held on, squeezing my eyes shut as the train hurtled towards us.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I whispered under my breath, adrenaline surging through my veins. The train rushed past us, leaving nothing but a gust of wind in its wake. My hands flew to my hair, expecting it to be a tangled mess from the wind, but it felt perfectly in place.

"Shit, that's insane!" I exclaimed, laughing nervously as I stared at the now-disappearing train. With another flick of his wrist, we were back in my room, wrapped in the warmth of the bed.

"See? Endless possibilities," Orlando smirked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

---