Jace Strickland POV

  Thriexa’s lips were warm against mine, her body pressing closer, her fingers tracing a slow path along my jaw. The weight of everything else—the meeting, my appointment as a representative, the expectations—faded into the background. All that mattered was her, the way she fit against me so perfectly, the way her presence settled something deep inside me.

  I deepened the kiss, guiding us toward the bed, my hands sliding over the soft fabric of her clothing, feeling the way she responded to me with quiet certainty. My heart pounded, not from nervousness, but from the sheer intensity of the moment. Every brush of her fingers against my skin sent a ripple of warmth through me, heightening my awareness of her—the weight of her body against mine, the way her breath hitched as my hands traced along her back, the quiet, unspoken longing between us. The room felt smaller, the air charged, as if something far greater than either of us was pulling us together. I wanted to drown in this feeling, to let myself get lost in her entirely.

  But as the kiss grew more heated, as our bodies pressed together, I felt it—a pull, a shift, something deeper than simple touch.

  A surge of energy rushed through me, my entire body humming with awareness. My ability stirred, responding not just to my emotions, but to ours. It wasn’t just heat or sensation—it was connection. My markings pulsed, and suddenly, I could feel her, in a way I never had before. Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally. Her thoughts brushed against mine, her presence so close it was as if our very beings were trying to meld together.

  Thriexa gasped, pulling back just slightly, her hands gripping my arms. “Jace…”

  I forced myself to stop, breathing heavily, trying to rein in the power that was threatening to overwhelm me. My hands clenched against the sheets as I closed my eyes, focusing, trying to hold back whatever my abilities were trying to do.

  “I—I’m losing control,” I admitted, my voice strained. “Thriexa, my abilities… they’re trying to merge us.”

  I backed away from her, ashamed, my hands shaking as I tried to suppress the energy coursing through me. “I don’t know how to stop it. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  But Thriexa didn’t look afraid. She didn’t even seem concerned. Instead, she stepped forward, closing the space between us once more. Her hands found my face, her touch grounding me, steadying me. “Then don’t stop it.”

  I met her gaze, startled. “Thriexa—”

  She leaned in, pressing her forehead to mine, her voice soft but unwavering. “Let your abilities take over. I trust you. I trust us.”

  Aizih Thriexa POV

  The moment Jace’s abilities flared, I felt it—a pull, deeper than anything I had ever known. It wasn’t just physical; it was something far greater, something that reached beyond the limits of the body and into the very essence of who we were. His energy wrapped around me, not trapping me, but drawing me into him, into us.

  I didn’t fear it. How could I?

  I had lived many lifetimes, known many connections, but nothing had ever felt like this. Jace was my true partner—not just by fate, but by choice, by the way he understood me, the way he challenged me, the way he stood at my side with unwavering loyalty. I had never wanted anyone else like this, and I never would. In every lifetime, in every future, it would always be him.

  I ran my fingers along his jaw, feeling the way his breath trembled beneath my touch. He was holding back, afraid of what he couldn’t control, afraid of what his abilities were trying to do. But I wasn’t afraid. I wanted this. I wanted him.

  “Then don’t stop it,” I whispered, my forehead still pressed against his. “I trust you. I trust us.”

  His hands tightened on my waist, his entire body tense. “Thriexa, are you sure? This—this isn’t something I can undo. It’s changing something between us.”

  I smiled softly, my heart aching with the depth of what I felt for him. “Jace, I don’t want to undo it. I want you. You are my true partner. There will never be anyone else.”

  He searched my gaze, his hesitation fading as he saw the certainty in my eyes. Then, his grip on me steadied, and his expression softened with something unbreakable—something eternal.

  “I love you,” he whispered, the words carrying a weight beyond just this moment. “I’ve loved you from the moment I realized who you were. And I will love you for every moment after.”

  Emotion swelled inside me, nearly overwhelming. “I love you too,” I murmured, before pressing my lips to his again, this time letting go completely.

  Jace pulls me into another deep kiss, his warmth seeping into me as his grip tightens, as if he never wants to let go. His hands roam over my body, slow and deliberate, igniting something deep within me. My fingers slide beneath the fabric of his shirt, feeling the taut muscles beneath, and I push it upward, breaking the kiss just long enough for him to pull it over his head and toss it aside. Slowly, I feel him releasing his control, allowing his abilities to take hold. The energy between us hums with intensity, and I embrace it, pulling him toward the bed, guiding him on top of me.

  Through our bond, his voice floods my mind, whispering his love for me over and over. My hands explore the newly exposed skin of his chest, tracing the faint markings that now made him truly Eova. He mirrors my touch, his fingers finding the fastenings of my clothing, his movements careful yet determined. Piece by piece, barriers fall away between us, the heat between our bodies growing stronger, our breaths coming faster. The words sink deep, filling every part of me as his power expands—not forcefully, but naturally, as if this was always meant to happen. The merging is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. It is more than just the sensation of touch, more than just passion—it is connection, raw and limitless.

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  As our bond reaches its final stage, something inside me shifts. Our consciousnesses brush together, intertwining in ways I never thought possible. I feel him—his emotions, his thoughts, his soul wrapping around mine in an embrace that transcends the physical. It is overwhelming and beautiful all at once.

  I can no longer tell where I end and where Jace begins. Every touch, every breath, every whispered thought in our bond pulls us closer, merging us in ways that go beyond anything physical. Our minds brush against each other, fully connected, and for the first time, I feel everything—his love, his desire, his unwavering devotion. He is inside me, around me, part of me. And I don’t want it to ever stop.

  Jace Strickland POV

  I woke slowly, warmth cocooning me, my body tangled with Thriexa’s. Her arm rested over my chest, her fingers curled lightly against my skin. The rhythmic rise and fall of her breath against my side was soothing, grounding me in the reality of what had happened.

  But it wasn’t just her body pressed against mine that I could feel.

  I could still sense her, deep inside me, as if a part of her mind was woven into my own. It wasn’t invasive or disorienting, but rather natural, like something that had always been there, just waiting to be unlocked. Her emotions lingered beneath my own, a quiet echo of warmth, contentment, and something even deeper—something unshakable.

  I let my head fall back against the pillow, exhaling slowly as I replayed everything from last night. The moment I had stopped fighting it, the moment I had let my abilities do what they were meant to do, everything had shifted. For so long, I had tried to hold back, afraid of losing control, afraid of what my power could do if I let it consume me. The weight of it had been suffocating, a constant pressure pressing against my mind, demanding release. But last night, there was no fear. No hesitation. Only Thriexa. Only us.

  The moment I let go, everything had clicked into place. It wasn’t chaotic. It wasn’t overwhelming. It was perfect. Like we had been made to fit together, two halves of something greater. My power hadn’t consumed her—it had merged with her, intertwined in a way that felt so natural, so inevitable, I couldn’t believe I had ever fought it in the first place. The way I had let go, the way my abilities had surged forward, merging us together in a way neither of us had fully anticipated. But it had felt right, effortless, as if my abilities had always known what they were meant to do, even before I did.

  I turned slightly, brushing my fingers along the curve of Thriexa’s back, tracing the faint glow of her markings. She stirred, her grip on me tightening briefly before she slowly blinked awake, her violet eyes meeting mine. The second our gazes locked, I felt it again—that deep, undeniable connection. It wasn’t just a lingering effect of the night before. It was real. Permanent. A part of her lived in me now, just as I had become a part of her. There were no barriers between us, no hesitations, just the raw, unfiltered certainty that we belonged to each other. The moment our gazes locked, I felt it again—that connection, that shared presence. I didn’t even have to say anything. She could feel my thoughts as clearly as I could feel hers.

  “Morning,” I murmured, my voice hushed in the quiet of our space.

  A soft smile curved her lips, and through our bond, I felt her response even before she spoke. “Morning. You’re still here.”

  I huffed a quiet laugh. “Where else would I be?”

  She sighed, shifting to press closer, resting her head against my shoulder. “I can still feel you.”

  “I know,” I admitted, tightening my hold on her. “And I can feel you. It’s… different. But not in a bad way.”

  She was silent for a moment before tilting her head up to look at me. “It’s like we’ve always been like this. Like my mind already knew yours.”

  I swallowed, overwhelmed by the truth in her words. “Maybe we were always meant to be.”

  She reached up, her fingers brushing against my jaw, tilting my face toward hers. “Then let’s never let go.”

  I didn’t need to answer. Instead, I kissed her, pouring everything into it—every emotion, every thought, every part of me that was now irrevocably bound to her.

  Aizih Thriexa POV

  The connection between us remained, a quiet hum in the back of my mind, even as I slowly woke. My fingers twitched against Jace’s skin, feeling his warmth beneath my touch, but more than that—I could feel him. His emotions, his quiet thoughts drifting just beneath my own, a soft echo of love and contentment.

  I let my eyes open, blinking up at him. He was already awake, watching me, his hand gently tracing patterns against my back. I could feel the weight of his gaze, the warmth in it, and for a moment, I simply let myself bask in it.

  “Morning,” Jace murmured, his voice hushed in the quiet of our space.

  A soft smile curved my lips, and through our bond, I felt his warmth before I even spoke. “Morning. You’re still here.”

  He huffed a quiet laugh. “Where else would I be?”

  I sighed, shifting closer, resting my head against his shoulder. “I can still feel you.”

  “I know,” he admitted, tightening his hold on me. “And I can feel you. It’s… different. But not in a bad way.”

  I was silent for a moment before tilting my head up to look at him. “It’s like we’ve always been like this. Like my mind already knew yours.”

  Jace swallowed, his eyes dark with something deeper, something unspoken. “Maybe we were always meant to be.”

  I reached up, my fingers brushing along his jaw, tilting his face toward mine. “Then let’s never let go.”

  He didn’t answer. Instead, he kissed me, pouring everything into it—every emotion, every thought, every part of him that was now irrevocably bound to me. Then, I decided to try something. I reached out—not physically, but through our bond.

  You feel different, I sent, testing the connection. Not just words, but the feeling behind them, the way he settled against me, the way his presence wrapped around mine.

  His breath hitched slightly, his grip tightening on my waist. His lips parted slightly, as if he were about to speak, but instead, I felt his response before he said it aloud.

  So do you.

  I smiled, pressing closer, letting my emotions brush against his like a warm breeze. Trust. Love. Devotion. The feeling that I had chosen him—would always choose him.

  I let the moment settle between us, then decided to test our connection further. I didn’t just think my next words—I let him feel my intentions.

  I saw the realization dawn in his eyes even before I moved. He saw me reaching for him before I actually did.

  Jace chuckled, shaking his head. “So this is what it’s like to read intentions? Is this how it feels for you all the time?” His eyes gleamed with curiosity as he tested the sensation, adjusting to the way my thoughts brushed against his before I even spoke, “You won’t be able to surprise me anymore.”

  I grinned, lifting a hand to brush against his cheek. “I don’t need to surprise you. I just need you to feel what I feel.”

  His smile softened, his fingers threading through my hair as he pulled me closer. I already do.

  And then, before I could react, I saw it. The way he was about to lean in, the way his lips would brush against mine, the way his love would pour through me before it actually happened.

  And when it did, when his lips met mine, I didn’t just feel it—I lived it, in both my body and his.

  I had never felt so complete.