The Golden Lycans (Ella) novel Chapter 88

Stop Moping

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Preya and Annabelle eventually leave the greenhouse, leaving Will and I alone. I felt a bit awkward asking for his advice given the topic, but I truly didn’t know who else to talk to. I hung back.

“What is it?” he asks simply, giving me a knowing look. I just knew by his expression that he’d been looking at my aura.

“It’s related to this,” I begin, gesturing to the wisteria tree dominating the room, “I had no other way

of releasing what was becoming too much for me to handle. I have no idea what else to do about

it and I can’t keep doing this every time.”

“Every time, what?” he asks, looking curious. I blush and hug my chest a little. Given our own amorous activity after I’d done fire magic on the sofa in my living room at home, this didn’t feel like

the conversation to be having with Will.

“Every time I’m with Austin and you know, when we…er kiss and stuff,” I say, avoiding his gaze. He

snorts with laughter.

“It’s okay, I get it. You feel…hot for Austin and along comes the magic. Your magic is going to be linked directly to your bond, so now, you’re going to naturally experience an increase in it. The bond gets stronger and stronger, so with the way the Fae magic works, you’ll get more magic as time goes on. Perhaps it’s due to your body only recently becoming used to having some magic, and now it’s trying to deal with a lot more. Maybe you do need an outlet until your body can catch up,”

Will surmises.

“So you think it won’t always be like this?” I ask curiously.

“I don’t think so, but who can know for sure? Besides what can go wrong, really?” he asked.

“Well…I burned my handprints into solid granite,” I say conversationally. His expression is priceless.

“Granite? How?” Will asks. I shoot him a look.

“It was just where I happened to be at the time,” I reply, avoiding his gaze.

“On a granite worktop? Wh-…oh,” he said, realising,”well… it’s a shame you can’t just temporarily

store it somewhere or transfer it to someone else.”

I stared at him for a few seconds before I click my fingers at him.

“Yes! That’s it! I should try to transfer it. Of course, it’s what happened in the past,” I exclaim, wondering why I hadn’t come up with the idea myself, and sooner.

“Sounds a little dangerous, not everyone is equipped to handle that sort of energy,” Will said.

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“That’s true, but…Austin should be, surely? He’s an alpha heir… he’s my mate?” I suggest, although a

little unsure myself.

“I’m sure he could, but the kind of energy you’re talking about…”

“Lunar energy?” I suggest, unsure of what to actually call it. Will looks at me with interest

“How would you have energy from the moon?” he asks, “what even is it?”

I shrug, for I don’t really understand it myself.

“Well…I can take energy or whatever it is…I mean I’m not actually sure what it is, but I can take it from the sun, like any Fae could, and the moon,” I inform him.

“Since when?” Will said, looking a little confused.

“Well I tried it for the first time the night Austin came of age. It was written about in a book, so I knew it was a possibility. The book also mentioned that the previous faerie could ‘gift’ energy from the moon, to her Lycan mate.”

Will looks thoughtful.

“It’s an intriguing idea. I assume you haven’t been marked yet?” he asks quietly. I shake my head and avoid eye contact again.

“Ah, you’re afraid to,” he states sadly.

“Yes. I am really starting to worry that being fully bonded…might be dangerous.”

Will sighs and seemed to be contemplating something for a short time.

“Give your idea a go. If it doesn’t help…we will figure it out,” he says with a little smile, “in the meantime, this large tree of light energy has me very intrigued.”

“Me too,” I agree.

“Ella…it’s not weird, by the way. I know you’re concerned about it. I could see it, but it isn’t weird for me when you talk about you and Austin. I’m good…please talk to me if you need to. I can tell this issue you’re having is concerning you, and I’d only want to help,” Will says, looking at me kindly.

“That’s…great to know. Thank you, Will.”

***Austin***

I wake feeling more energised than I ever used to when waking up this early on a Saturday. It had been a week since I came of age, and I was now definitely feeling the full effects of it, particularly today as it is a full moon tonight.

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I dress in some black sweatpants and a white tank and head down to the sports hall to set up combat class. Classes had been slowly getting busier, and I was expecting around twenty people come today. Perhaps more, depending on how the Lycans in the school were feeling due to the full moon tonight.

“Need a hand?” a wonderfully familiar voice asks behind me, her arms snaking around my waist. I smile broadly as I turn around.

“From you? Always,” I say before burying my face into the neck of my mate. I take a deep breath and shut my eyes happily, allowing her flowery scent and the feeling of our bond to wash over me like a comforting blanket.

“It’s a full moon tonight,” Ella comments by my ear. I pull back a little.

“Yes, I’m not sure how to go about it all, with you, though,” I reply, feeling concerned about a

number of things.

“What do you mean? Specifically?” she asks.

“Well, I know Atlas would love to meet you in person again, but there is also the other issue at hand. I’m a newly come-of-age alpha who has recently found his mate…and there is some chance I won’t have much…self-control. Like…when we were in the kitchen,” I explain, making a face. She raises her eyebrows at me a little and the smallest of smirks appears on her face.

“I think you should give yourself more credit.” Ella’s voice is playful, teasing, “because… distinctly re member wrapping my legs around you, and aside from burning the worktop, I definitely enjoyed it.”

A low growl escapes me before I can stop it, heat curling in my chest. I take a slow, steadying breath, trying-and failing-to rein myself in.

“See? That, there-you cannot just say stuff like that,” I warn, narrowing my eyes as I swiftly retaliate, tickling her side.

Ella squeals, squirming against me.

“What? They’re just words, Austin,” she giggles.

“Not to me,” I say gruffly, my voice dropping.

Before she can react, I grab her by the waist and pull her in for a deep kiss. Ella lets out a soft, surprised sound before melting into me, her hands instinctively grasping at my shoulders. I feel her try to pull back slightly-maybe just to catch her breath-but I don’t let her. Instead, I tug her closer, pressing her body flush against mine, needing her near. With effortless ease, I lift her, her legs wrapping around my waist as they had before, her fingers tangling into my hair, as I turn, carefully setting her down atop the stacked gym mats. I kiss her again-once, twice, then trail my lips lower,

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down the curve of her jaw, down the column of her throat. When my teeth lightly graze her collarbone-right near the spot I know I’ll mark her one day-a deliciously unsteady exhale escapes

her lips.

I smirk against her skin and pull back just enough to hover by her ear.

“Do you still think they’re just words?” I murmur, my voice thick with promise before I nip at her earlobe, drawing a quiet gasp from her.

Ella barely manages to nod.

“Uh-huh,” she breathes, “you’ve made your point beautifully-I’ll just…go sort the rest of the gym

mats.”

She slides off the stack, stepping away with an adorable level of composure that would be far more convincing if not for the heat lingering in her gaze.

I watch her go, a slow smirk curling my lips.

I’m going to enjoy marking her-VERY much, Atlas growls in

my

mind.

And damn it, I couldn’t agree more.

***Ella***

I was grateful Austin had stopped when he had-I needed to steady myself. Magic raged inside me again, and I had to stay in control. Tonight had to work. I wanted to enjoy every kiss, every embrace with Austin, without the fear of setting something on fire.

Twenty minutes later, the hall filled with people, and to my amusement, among them were Ollie and Freya. After a week of avoiding each other, today would be a challenge for a beta and an alpha with complicated feelings-especially with this being Ollie’s last full moon before turning eighteen. And then Austin, ever the instigator, decided to be cruel, announcing that instead of using Ollie as his demonstration partner, he’d use me-forcing the two of them to work together…

After the session ended, I go up to Freya.

“Are you okay?” I ask innocently.

“Aus, sucks,” she says poking her tongue out at me childishly. I laugh and give her a hug.

“I’m sorry, it genuinely wasn’t my idea and I don’t really think Aus did that on purpose. He just thinks Mira has the hots for Ollie,” I tell her quietly. Ollie is still helping Austin put the mats away.

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“Yeah, well I’m definitely in need of a cold shower now,” she smiles sarcastically at me before she

strides across the hall and out through the doors.

“Freya seems strangely pissed off,” Austin says, coming over.

“Are you kidding me?” I exclaim, rounding on him a little and playfully slapping his arm, “you totally d id that on purpose! Whatever is going on between them, I’m sure they can sort through their feelings in their own time without anyone else interfering. A bit like how no one interfered with us,”

reply hotly.

At breakfast Freya sits on the opposite side of the table she usually does; with her back to Ollie…quite obviously.

“Why don’t you guys just…you know, get it out your system. In wolf form tonight, it’s not even like you’d be doing it in human form,” Annabelle muses while looking at her face in the back of her

spoon.

“Because that wouldn’t become awkward afterwards, would it?” Freya exclaims, “besides, I’m only

sixteen.”

“Mira isn’t sixteen. Shame she isn’t on the same page,” Annabelle teases with a smirk, “or is it a shame you’re not on the same page?”

Freya rolls her eyes and put her face in her palms with a sigh.

***Austin***

“Stop moping, I’ve got pack stuff to do,” I say, nudging Ollie’s leg with my foot.

“In case you haven’t noticed, we have two sofas, so your emotionally challenged beta can kick back

if needed.”

“Fine,” I chuckle, settling onto the other sofa with a stack of papers, “feel free to vent while I do

this.”

Ollie smirks.

“Anything? Or do you mean Freya?”

I glance up.

“Just talk to her, man. You two have been weird since my party. What even happened besides Mira

making her kiss you?”