Awaken the Soul (Havenwood Falls High)(22)

“It made me feel sick, Elias. Whatever it is you did when you wiped my mind. Don’t do it again,” Vivienne says, chiding him like a parent.

“That would be the soul mate connection.” Vivienne’s brow lifts, and Elias clarifies. “It is extremely powerful. Most consider it a gift given by the maker to fulfill the order of things.”

Vivienne’s eyes grow as they flit between us, her mouth gaping.

“In human terms, it means we were matched to fulfill our destiny,” I provide helpfully.

Or not so helpfully, judging by the way her stunned face swings my way.

“Destiny?”

“C’mon, Viv. Don’t tell me you don’t believe in destiny? That people are put in places to make things happen, or sometimes bad things happen to good people because they need to learn a lesson that will bring them to something better?”

“I think you’ve been scrolling the internet for motivational memes,” Vivienne says. Elias clears his throat, cutting off a low chuckle. She shrugs at him before returning her attention to me. “I don’t know what I believe in. Maybe things happen for a reason. Maybe it’s coincidence.”

I face her on the couch and take her hands. “We’re not a coincidence, Vivie.”

Elias’ face sobers as he sits forward and speaks. “A soul mate is forever, Vivienne. No one can take him from you or you from him. That is why you felt sick when we tried to wipe your memory. Your soul fought for what your mind forgot.”

She releases a sigh. “Why? What purpose is there in giving Breckin me as a soul mate?”

Her mouth turns, a small pout forming. I cup her face in my hands. “Hey. Are you kidding me? You and your beautiful soul, and all the amazing things you do? I remember the campaign you started in third grade for the buddies bench on the playground after that new kid cried because she didn’t have any friends, and you were so upset because you didn’t know she was alone. Or what about all of your volunteer work? The food drives in town square, the tutoring you do?”

Her eyes glisten. “How do you know about those things?”

The truth hits me. “The real question is how did I ignore what’s between us for so long? I’ve watched you for years. I’ve watched you, and I hoped that one day you’d look at me and give me the time of day. Sebastian was right about you being special. I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you.”

Leaning forward, she kisses my cheek and hugs me. “You have to say that. Your soul is connected to mine.”

“Yes, because it was made for me,” I say, hugging her quickly, then pulling back and looking in her eyes. “Whatever the reason, Vivienne, we were put together, and we will remain together.”

“I still say you got the short end of the stick.” She pats my cheek playfully as she stands and bends close to my ear. “I won myself a hot supernatural who can fly me all over the world. You got a tiny human who can’t drive and sings off-key.” She winks.

Elias regards her with a touch of amusement and a whole lot of admiration as she excuses herself. He waits until the bathroom door closes before speaking his mind.

“This is dangerous, Breckin. You know that, right?”

I drop the confidence I’ve held all afternoon. The moment I put it all together, the moment I knew we were soul mates, I realized we were screwed.

“What am I supposed to do? We can’t erase her memories of me. I can’t compel her. I tried—it did not go well. Is it because of the soul mate bond?”

Elias crumbles a napkin and leans back in his chair. “Like I said, she retains her memories because of the soul bond, yes. The compulsion, though?” He scratches his beard. “She said Sebastian tried, and it didn’t work with him either. Maybe something happened when you healed her. Maybe it’s something else, but compulsion is the least of your concerns right now.”

I stare into the fire. Three days ago, my biggest worry was dealing with Father after my birthday.

“What will Sebastian do with her if he gets his hands on her?”

“The soul mate of Hamon’s son? What do you think?”

I curse.

“Your father has enemies. She would be a nice bargaining chip.”

“He wouldn’t care. He doesn’t care about me or what I do, as long as I join his ranks.”

Elias laughs. “You don’t think your father will find power in this? Breckin, there’s something about her. Something different. She’s not quite human.”

The moment I smelled her blood, I had the same thought.

“I’ve met her mom. She’s human.”

Elias shifts, his face thoughtful. “What do you know of her father?”

Nothing. No one in town has ever mentioned Rachel Freeman having an ex-husband or Vivienne knowing her dad. I shrug.

“Her mom came home after college expecting. He was never in the picture. I’m not even sure her mom knows who he is,” Elias says as his hand runs over his jaw.

My gaze snaps from the flames to Elias. “What makes you say that? How in the hell would you know anything about her family, anyway?”

“Breckin, the Freeman family has lived in Havenwood Falls for a long time. I’ve been here a long time. I know things.”

“Is this about the Court? Are they involved with Viv somehow? I know what they do to people who anger them. I don’t want her involved with them, Elias. She’s—”