Brielle swallowed hard.“What do you mean?”
Braydon stepped closer, his eyes glowing faintly gold.“She’s latent.”
Hunter frowned.“Latent?”
Colt nodded.“We’ve been doing some research.It’s rare, but it happens.When a shifter’s animal is bound too tightly by magic or trauma, the mating bond can’t manifest until it’s released.”He looked at Brielle carefully.“We think you’re not just a witch.We think you’re one of us—a lioness.”
Brielle blinked, stunned.“That’s insane.”
Landon’s expression softened.“It’s the only thing that makes sense.That pull I felt when I first met you—it wasn’t the mating bond.It was recognition.My lion recognized yours, even if yours hasn’t woken yet.”
Ursula looked away, her throat working.“The Goddess did say you were more than what you remember.”
Saffie rubbed her temples.“Well, that explains the breach.Three lions breaking through wards to find a fourth.Not many things in this world would stop that from happening.”
Brielle sat back hard, her heart pounding.“So ...what?You’re saying I have an animal inside me I didn’t even know about?”
Hunter placed a steadying hand on her shoulder.“You’re saying she’s a shifter?”
Braydon nodded.“Born of both bloodlines.Witch and lion.It’s why Caleb’s drawn to her power—it’s ancient.It’s the merging of both worlds.”
For a long moment, no one spoke.Then Brielle exhaled shakily, trying to steady her racing thoughts.“The Goddess said I couldn’t draw from my full strength until I was whole.Okay,” she said finally.“So, how do I wake her up?”
Landon rose slowly to his feet, his gaze steady on hers.“That’s where we come in.You don’t have to find your strength, Brielle.You just have to remember it.”
The night wind rose again, cool and sharp against their skin.The rooftop lights flickered as if the Goddess herself was listening.
Hunter’s voice was quiet but certain.“Then let’s wake her up.”
Colt stumbled forward, one hand pressed to the wall as if the world tilted.“Yeah, sure, right on it,” he rasped, breath shallow.“But unless one of you plans on making the universe stop spinning, I’m two seconds from redecorating this beautiful rooftop with whatever’s left of my insides.Pretty sure if I start puking, it’s gonna turn into an exorcism.”
Chapter Twelve
You don’t have to findyour strength.You just have to remember it.
Brielle could still hear the echo of Landon’s words.Ursula had taken pity on them, removing whatever was left of their attempt to break through Fated Ink’s wards.They were resting, sprawled across the outdoor couches and blankets like overgrown cats, regaining their strength and waiting.Hunter and Lennox stood with her, their presence steady and grounding.Liam, Nolan, Jacob, and Isaac had joined them, too—armed, alert, and ready for anything that came through those wards.