CHAPTER 19 : TWISTED BONDS

Bryan and Aiden left for the secret room. Aiden had said it was much more befitting for what they were about to do.

"You are really sure this is going to work right?", Bryan asked him again, "Just making sure."

"It will", Aiden assured him.

Aiden lit some candles while Bryan set a table in the center of the room and placed a bowl on it, according to what Aiden had told him to do.

When Aiden finished with the candles, he and Bryan stood on either side of the table.

"What now?", Bryan asked.

"Now we mix our blood together." Aiden answered and carefully held the bottle of Kira's blood, his eyes with purpose as he poured it into the bowl.

With a determined nod, he took the ceremonial blade and made a clean cut across his palm, allowing his blood to mingle with hers. Bryan did not even want to know where Aiden got the blade from.

"This better work," Bryan warned, and took the blade from Aiden right after Aiden was done, making a clean cut as well and letting his blood mingle with theirs.

"You do know you are not a witch, right or wizard?", Bryan said to Aiden as he set the blade down.

"I know, but I learned about this ritual from a book, it hinted at ways for this, and I learned it carefully because I know we need it," Aiden informed his brother, "So I am hoping this ritual will work despite my lack of magical expertise. Just spare me."

"Fine then," Bryan said, deciding to cut him some slack since he had to go through all that trouble, "Let's get on with it."

"Your hand, the one with the cut", Aiden requested of Bryan, and Bryan gave him his hand.

They clasped their bleeding hands together over the bowl, their blood still dripping down to join Kira's. 

Soon, Aiden's voice rang out as he started saying some words that were strange to Bryan. The surrounding air seemed to start having some strange energy, candles flickering and Bryan started feeling like this might actually work, although he still had his doubts.

As the final words of whatever Aiden was saying left his lips, a sudden surge of energy crackled through the air. They both tensed, expecting to feel the bond with Kira grow stronger, to sense her more or something. But instead, something strange happened.

The energy didn't reach out to Kira-- instead, it curled inward, wrapping around Aiden and Bryan. Their eyes widened, confused at the intense connection they were feeling, or rather had been formed. But this connection was not formed with Kira, but with themselves.

Bryan's eyes darted to Aiden, his mouth hanging open as he tried to process what had just happened. "Uh… Aiden?" he raised his left brow, his voice odd with a mix of shock and disbelief. "Why do I suddenly feel like…we are…bonded?"

Aiden himself was confused as his brow furrowed, then his expression darkened as realization dawned on him.

"No…that can't be right. I did exactly what the book said I should do," he muttered, though he could feel it too. The strange connection had nothing to do with Kira, they did not even feel the connection they felt before with Kira.

A laugh of utter disbelief escaped Bryan's lips, the sound echoing through the room.

"So you're telling me that we just accidentally mated ourselves instead of completing the bonding ritual with Kira?", Bryan asked Aiden, while still trying fully to understand the whole situation, "I knew we should not have done this with your risky plan, but I did not think it would backfire like this!"

 

Aiden glared at Bryan, though he could not completely suppress the twitch of a smile tugging at his lips.

"Why did you laugh then? This is not funny, Bryan", he growled, "We are supposed to be bonding with Kira, not… each other!"

Bryan let out another laugh of disbelief, "Well whose fault is that, dear brother? I guess we are now stuck with each other," Bryan said as he clapped Aiden on the shoulder.

"We will have to figure out how to undo this," Aiden said, "And fast."

"Good luck with that, brother."

Aiden looked at Bryan suspiciously and asked, "Are you enjoying this?"

"Maybe…maybe not?", Bryan shrugged and chuckled.

Aiden just chuckled and shook his head, "Anyway, we should probably go see Morane, before Kira finds out that the bond has been severed."

Bryan supported, "We definitely should."

They both discarded off whatever they were not using anymore, like the blood in the bowl. 

But, Aiden took the blade and the bottle containing the remaining drops of Kira's blood with him as they left to see Morane.

Morane, the Pack's strong and trusted witch. She had been a vital part of their lives for years and bound by an ancient pact which was an agreement between her ancestors (a coven of witches) and their pack, the Crescent Pack, ensuring mutual protection, cooperation and magical knowledge. If there needs to be more, then there is more.

Reaching her home in the pack, they knocked on her door, waiting for her to open up and help resolve their problem. On their way to Morane’s home, anytime they mistakenly touched each other they felt a strong spark like a mate spark and it almost made Bryan open a hole in the ground and just put Aiden inside.

Only on the first knock, the door opened but no one was behind it.

"Alphas, please come in", they heard her voice call out from inside.

They took her invitation and went in, the door shutting immediately they entered.

"Alpha Bryan, Alpha Aiden", Morane emerged from wherever she was and gave a short bow. "Welcome, please sit", she gestured to her chairs.

"It is okay, we won't be here for long, and we apologize for coming so late at night," Aiden said.

Morane gave them a smile, "It is alright. So, what brings you here tonight?"

"Unfortunately", Bryan started, "Someone has done something."

He drew out the words intentionally to annoy Aiden, "And so we have come, hoping you can fix it."