"I don't care," I said, knowing it was true. I slid off the desk and my skirt fell back down around my legs.
"You don't know what I just did," he said. "But I swear on my life, I'll keep you safe."
I smirked. "You do realize I'm the one who has a thief after me."
He smiled. "We make quite the pair."
I touched his cheek and he looked down at me. I could tell from his expression that he was still conflicted.
"What is it?" I asked.
"My father," he said. "He blamed you for my loss of magic."
"But your magic isn't gone anymore," I said.
He pressed his hand on top of mine against his cheek. "That's true." Then his brow furrowed and he lowered my hand. "What about yours? I could smell it on you when we met in the hallway."
"I was working on it with Professor Halifax and the twins," I said.
He growled a little.
"Jealousy isn't a good look on you," I said.
"You're mine," he said.
"I am," I said. "But you don't own me."
"You might be the most difficult mate of all time." He set his hands on my upper arms, then pulled me closer to him. "But I have a feeling you're worth it."
"I assure you, I am," I said with more confidence than I realized I had.
He leaned down to kiss me and as soon as our lips met, I felt sparks shooting through my body. It was the same way I felt when my magic was activated.
Gasping, I pulled away from him.
"What is it?" Ben asked.
I looked down at my hands and quickly moved through the motions for creating fire.
A little flame burned in my palm. Orange and gold flickered in my hand, steady and soothing.
"Does that mean?" Ben laughed.
I closed my hand around the flame before it could go out of control. "My magic. That's the first time I've used it on my own."
Brow furrowed, I looked at Ben. "When you shifted, you said it was because of me?"
"Our mating bond, I've been feeling it for a while, but it flared, then all I could do was protect you at any cost," he said.
"You bit me," I said.
"It sealed the bond," he said.
I laughed. "We used magic when you did that, I suppose?"
He nodded. "Don't ask me how, but I know there's magic involved."
"Ben, you freed my magic. I just needed to tap into it to unlock it all." This whole time, I thought it would be the magic meld with the twins. Who knew sex was the answer?