The Elemental Mate

Xander POV

The months following Iris’s attack were filled with chaos and flew by in a blink of an eye.

Aurora and Amara grounded themselves into a new coven before performing a binding ritual with Ivy to tie their magic together. I didn’t understand a single word during the entire ceremony. Lights swirled in the sky as their magic connected. It was a beautiful sight of purple and blue flowed between them and then into the dirt below their feet.

With Ivy connected, she was able to pull back from the overwhelming emotions left from Iris. She finally had the control she always wanted.

I’ve already told Aurora that if any other witches wish to join the coven or the pack, they were welcome. There weren’t any new faces yet, but I’m sure there will be.

They were a small coven of only three, but between having a witch, an elemental, and an empath, the Moonstone Coven will be strong.

After the attack from Iris, we dealt with the rogues we had captured. I offered those who wished to earn a place in the pack live a chance and those who weren't remorseful were locked in the cells until their trial.

A week ago, my sister was taken from her pack by rogues. When her mate Axton called me for help, I nearly crushed the phone in my hand. My baby sister was in danger and possibly hurt.

I focus back on Aurora and Amara as they keep trying to locate Ellie. She went missing from her mate’s pack over a week ago and we still have been unable to track her.

“I’m sorry, Xander,” Aurora tells me as they both pull away from the map. She shifts over to where I’m standing and pulls me into a hug, “Wherever she is, someone is blocking her.”

“Can you get around it?” I ask her.

“Maybe if we had an elder from the council, but even then, there is a lot of magic shrowding her location. Wherever she is, it’s being kept a secret,” she tightens her arms around my waist before placing a kiss over my heart, “I’m sorry, Xander.”

I wrap both hands around her and kiss her forehead twice before giving her a soft smile, “We’ll keep trying. My sister is one of the toughest people I know. Wherever she is, she’s going to be alright. I know it.”

Six months after my sister’s disappearance, I got word from Alpha Madden that Ellie was in his pack. She was safe and she made me promise that I wouldn’t tell her mate where she was or that I had even spoken to her.

I didn’t understand why she wanted to stay away from her mate. I knew Axton had been looking for her even harder than I was, but she told me that he could no longer be trusted and that her child’s life depended on it. I believed she was doing the right thing, so I stayed quiet.

Axton couldn’t understand how I could give up searching for her, and has kept his distance from me since. Its been nearly two years since everything happened with him and he still hasn’t tried to contact me. I’m starting to think that he may have given up.

Hearing a soft knock on my office door, I’m drawn out of my thoughts as my beautiful mate sticks her head through the opening, “You have a moment?”

“For you, always,” I smile as she opens the door wider, carrying in a take-out bag from our favorite Chinese restaurant.

“Good because I brought dinner,” she sets the food on my desk before walking around so I can pull her onto my lap. I hold her close as we eat our food and talk about how our day was going.

“So guess what Ivy told me this morning.”

I look up as if trying to pull an idea out of the sky before I answer her with a smirk, “She and Hayden are expecting a baby?”

She gasps before she lightly hits my arm, “How on earth did you know that before I did?” she fakes outrageousness, a smile bright on her face.

“It was elementary, my dear,” I joke before stealing the teriyaki chicken right off her chopsticks.

“Hey! Eat your own food,” she points her chopsticks at me.

“If threatening me with a twelve-inch toothpick is supposed to stop me from eating your food, you are going to be sadly disappointed,” I laugh as I steal another bite. She just sticks her utensil into my box and starts eating my food, “If you wanted my Kung Pao chicken, you should have just ordered it.”

“Why do that when I can just steal from your plate?” she smiles. I just roll my eyes as I try to hold off my grin but fail miserably, “But seriously, how did you know Ivy was pregnant?”

“I could smell it,” I tell her nonchalantly.

“Really?” her eyebrows shoot up in question.

I roll my eyes lightly and give her a seriously? look, “No,” I laugh at her adorable pout before kissing her lightly to force it away, “Hayden told me this morning.”

She rolls her eyes at me but her smile never leaves her lips, “I’m happy for them. They are going to be great parents.”

“Is Ivy ready for the pregnancy hormones and the mood swings?” I ask her seriously, not wanting Ivy to accidentally lose control.

“She’s ready and the coven has her back,” she says confidently.

“The coven does? You finally accepting being the leader of your own coven?” I ask her.

“It’s been tough juggling between Luna priorities and establishing the coven,” she smiles up at me, “It only took a few years, but I finally think I’ve found the balance.”

“I’m happy you aren’t going to be stressing so much anymore,” I smile.

“Me too,” she moves closer to kiss me gently.

We continue eating as we talk about the pack. We go over planning for rogue attacks and border patrols. Then she tells me about some of the grievances she’s received from pack members.

When we finish our food, I toss the remains into the trash can under my desk. Shifting back into my chair, Aurora wraps her arms around my neck and lays her head against my beating heart.

I will never tire of this feeling. Of holding her close, of feeling the love we share move back and forth through our bond. I am completely and utterly in love with this woman and I could never imagine my life without her in it.

“You know,” she starts, rubbing her hand over my chest as she lifts her head to look into my eyes, “With Ivy pregnant, it makes me wonder when do you think we should start trying?”

“You want to start trying for kids?” I smile widely.

“Not exactly right now per say, but soon?” she leaves the question open.

I pull her even closer to me as I kiss her soundly, “Definitely soon.”