Screw My Childhood Sweetheart His Alpha Brother Marked Me First novel Chapter 114

Chapter 114

“What does it feel like?” I asked Coop.

“Like you’re getting a buzz,” he said with a laugh. “That doesn’t last, but in the moment, it feels pretty damn good.”

Cass released Coop’s hand. “This kind of energy exchange can happen when you’re intimate too, but that fills up both your buckets, if you know what I mean. If you want to solely drain yourself, this is the only way I know of.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks as I remembered the day at the lake.

Cass laughed. “I see you’ve already experienced that fun little side effect.”

‘Maybe a little,” I grumbled.

Cass tugged on my hand. “Come on. You try.”

‘Who wants me to test this on them?”

River stood from the bed. “Me. My gift has the least potential for destructive side effects.”

‘Okay,” I said, blowing out a breath.

He linked his fingers with mine and gave me a quick kiss. “You’ve got this.”

closed my eyes and pictured the pool of golden energy. It swirled around my center. I imagined pulling a stream of it up my ternum, down my arm, and into River’s hand.

He sucked in a breath and my eyes flew open. “What?”

I could feel it, that’s all. Keep going.”

You’re sure?”

le nodded.

closed my eyes again and repeated the action. The energy was a small trickle at first, and then I opened the flow.

Holy hell,” River muttered.

It’s working?” Knox asked.

iver‘ fingers tightened around mine. “It does feel like a buzz.”

opened my eyes but kept the energy flowing. The gold in River’s hazel eyes seemed to glow. I could lose myself in those eyes orever. “Tell me when it’s enough.”

I can feel your power,” Cass said in awe.

We all can,” Caspian said.

Chapter 114

River squeezed my hand. “I think that’s enough.”

I slowly pulled back on the stream of light, sending it back to my center. I released my hold on River. “How do you feel?”

His mouth stretched into a smile. “I can feel everyone in this room. Usually, if there’s a group, the emotions are all jumbled. But I feel

each one of you as clear as day.”

Vaughn pushed off the dresser. “Stay out of my head.”

“I’m not in your head. I can just feel what’s coming off of you in waves.”

Vaughn’s jaw tightened and he moved towards the door. I stepped into his path, my hand falling to his chest. “Please don’t go.”

His back teeth ground together. “I’m not cut out for this.”

“Please,” I whispered. “It hurts when you stay away.”

Something flashed in his eyes at the word hurts. He searched my face, looking for something. “Okay. I’ll stay for tonight.”

I looked around the clearing at the five guys surrounding me. Somehow along the way, I’d grown to love all of them. That love looked different with each connection, something unique binding us together. They all made me stronger in some way, better

I could feel the buzz of energy running through Knox, Anson, Caspian, and River. I turned to Vaughn, walking towards him. He backed up a few steps. “I can’t.”

I stopped, taking stock of the panic flashing through his expression.

He swallowed hard. “I don’t trust myself. I could kill one of the Quad if they make a move I don’t like.”

Knox moved in our direction. “How are your power levels, Sen?”

I closed my eyes for a moment, taking inventory. It was low. Lower than I’d ever felt it. “I’m good. I don’t need to expel any more. Plus, I have to be able to do something in this testing or they’ll know I’m covering.”

“That’s a good point,” Caspian said.

My fingers twisted in the tails of my bracelets. “Do you know what they’ll have me do?”

Knox shook his head. “I asked my dad and he said he’s never been present at one of these testings.”

Anson’s eyes hardened. “Nothing that will hurt her.”

It wasn’t exactly a question, more of a demand.”

Knox looked in his direction. “I don’t think they’d risk hurting her.”

“Not when they might want to use her,” River muttered.

A rumbling sound came from Vaughn’s chest. “Not going to happen.”

He hadn’t slept in the bed last night. He’d opted for one of the air mattresses in the room. But just having him in the space gave my wolf a peace I’d never experienced before.

all night

Chapter 114

“No, it’s not,” Knox agreed. “But we have to play this smart.”

I released my grip on my bracelet strings. “They won’t take me.”

Caspian looked at me. “How are you so sure?”

‘What I said to Gregor yesterday made him pause. He knows he could take me for a week, but after that? He’d have me as an enemy

forever.”

River moved closer to me. “He might not care. He could think he needs to make an example out of you.”

My stomach twisted at that thought. Gregor did not seem like the kind of man who would take kindly to being put in his place. He was used to being revered, and I had basically spat on his position. “I’ll be careful today.”

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