The Elemental Mate

Chapter 28

Aurora POV

I knock softly before opening the door to the office. I smiled as I watched Xander lean over his desk. He bit the inside of his cheek as he read over the papers. He was so consumed in what he was reading, he didn't even hear me come in.

Walking around the desk, I gently lay my hands on his shoulders before encircling his body. I softly hug his back as I place my chin on top of his shoulder.

He sighs back into me as he reaches up and holds on to one of my hands.

"What are you looking at?" I ask him, keeping my voice low to not shatter the silence the room had been in before.

"Rogue reports. Every scout I've sent out has come back with the same thing. They aren't gathering and no witches insight," he sighs.

"Maybe we were wrong that Iris would want to use the rogues," I reason.

"Or we're only seeing what she wants us to," he sighs.

"We'll keep looking," I try to assure him, kissing his cheek lightly as I give him a soft smile, "Iris won't be able to hurt anyone."

He chuckles softly at my words, "Isn't that what I'm supposed to be telling you?"

Moving around him, I sat on his lap and kept my arms wrapped around his neck. Placing another quick kiss on his cheek, I smile brighter, "Only one of us is allowed to be paranoid at a time."

He rolls his eyes playfully at my words.

"I ran into Ellie on my way here. You're sending her to a party?" I raise my eyebrows at him.

"She's been bouncing between our allies for the past six months," he tells me, "She deserves a night off."

"Ellie told me its a birthday party for an alpha's son. Apparently, he's old enough to find his mate now. You're not worried that your baby sister is going to be mated to an Alpha?" I laugh at his pout.

"Don't even joke about that," he growls lowly.

I'm only able to laugh louder at his reaction, "Sorry, babe, but you don't have a choice in the matter," I lean over and kiss his cheek lightly. I can feel his mood lighten the second my lips touched his skin.

Pulling back, I leaned my forehead against his with a light smile on my face, "Until Iris makes a move, we can't do anything but wait. We can't keep waiting for that shoe to drop."

"What do you suggest we do then?" he asks me.

"We stop waiting, and we live our lives."

*****

The next couple of days I spent in the field behind our home. With the help of Amara, we spent hours with Ivy and Hayden. Using the mate bond as a guide for Ivy, she was able to control herself.

There were a few hiccups at first with her crippling Hayden in pain, but she was able to immediately snap herself out of it. By practicing projecting an emotion over the matebond, she was able to practice without actually tapping into her gift.

In the last few hours, we have worked on moving past just using the matebond, and instead, projecting towards one person.

"Alright Ivy, project a feeling onto Amara," I instruct her as I stand two feet to Amara's right, "And make sure I don't feel it at all."

"What emotion do I focus on?" she asks, biting her lip softly.

"You pick," I laugh as she rolls her eyes, "Just pick one you feel confident in. One you have a full grasp on; one that you truly know the feeling."