Bound by Forever (True Immortality 3)

The tension in the room grew thick with bristling anger.

Haruto grunted and made a move forward, but Sakura held up a hand to stop him. “He is right. Leave it.” She sighed somewhat wearily, amusement glittering in her eyes as she closed the distance between them. Staring up at him, nostalgia warmed her face. “You are the only one who speaks the truth to me. Not even Daiki, unless he is feeling jealous, which is exhaustingly often. I wished you had stayed with me, Kiyo-chan.”

“I was honest with you.”

Sakura lowered her eyes and placed her hand flat against his chest, over his heart.

He felt Niamh’s immediate surge of emotion behind him and wasn’t even shocked that he sensed her jealousy and anger and hurt. A knot formed in his gut at the thought. Despite knowing the best way to deal with Sakura was to allow her flirtations, Kiyo took hold of her wrist and pushed her away.

It surprised and angered her as she stumbled on her heels.

“You have a mate,” he said softly, “who deserves your respect.”

“I’m alpha,” she replied with a bite. “I can have sex with whoever I want. If that is the only thing stopping you … put it from your mind. My pack will not tell Daiki a thing. I ask them to leave, they will take the mahoutsukai from here, and you and I can be alone.”

“No.”

He felt Niamh’s relief at his back. Possessiveness tightened his muscles. He wanted Sakura gone. He wanted them all out of the room so he could be alone with Niamh.

“No?” She raised her eyebrow as if she’d never heard the word in her life.

Kiyo didn’t reply. He’d been clear the first time.

“Do you know how many wolves would die to have me in their bed?”

He stared blankly at her.

Her eyes widened at the silent insult. And then her temper got the better of her—she stepped forward to slap him hard across the face.

Niamh was in front of him before he could stop her. She grabbed for Sakura’s wrist and let out a wail of distress. Kiyo felt her pain like a slash across the gut. Niamh’s knees buckled as she released Sakura and she fell at Kiyo’s feet.

He dropped and wrapped his arms around her, confusion buzzing in his ears.

“What the hell?” Sakura cried out in Japanese, stumbling back from them.

Niamh looked into his eyes and shuddered against him. Iron.

His gaze flew from her closed hand to Sakura’s wrist.

She wore a selection of bracelets and bangles. Some diamond, some gold, some silver … and one in the middle that stood out from the others for its lack of glitter.

A solid, plain, pure iron bangle.

The alpha glowered at them in confusion. “What is wrong with the mahoutsukai?”

“Flu.” Kiyo pulled Niamh closer, trying not to let his panic of her being found out emanate from him. They’d smell the change in his scent. “We thought she was feeling better but she can’t overexert herself.”

Quick thinking. He heard the pain that still lingered in Niamh’s voice. His hold on her tightened.

Sakura’s eyes narrowed. Some kind of understanding dawned on her, and Kiyo hoped like hell it was her realizing his feelings for Niamh and not her realizing that Niamh was fae.

“She is lucky I do not kill her for touching me.”

“She was defending me.” He stared at her, expression hard, filled with warning. “You touch her, Sakura, and I’ll take it as a declaration of war.”

Niamh tensed in his hold but he didn’t care.

Having the pack know that Niamh was a weakness was a risk, but the greater risk was them thinking they could harm her without consequences.

Sakura stepped back as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Haruto placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

And Kiyo knew … her feelings for him were genuine. He was sorry for it. Sorry he couldn’t return them. But she had her place in the world and he had his, and other than the fight he owed her, their paths weren’t destined to meet with any permanence.

Sakura shrugged off Haruto’s hand and snapped that she was fine in Japanese. Then to Kiyo, she snarled, “You better win this upcoming fight, Kiyo, or I might just give you that war.” With that, she turned on her spiked heels and marched out of the hotel room. The others trailed after her, except for Haruto.

He was focused on Niamh’s closed fist.

Kiyo stiffened.

Haruto never gave anything away so Kiyo had no idea what the huge beta was thinking as he threw Niamh one last look before following Sakura out. He closed the door softly behind him, and Niamh let out a long exhale. “We can talk. Privacy shield is still up.”

“Let me see,” Kiyo bit out.

She unfurled her fist and revealed the small but inflamed wound on her palm. It matched the one on her opposite wrist. “Big day,” she cracked. “Two iron scars in less than twenty minutes.”