THE CLAIMING (The Chosen Series #1)

SAFE

Cold, fear, loss. Where are you, Doe?

Mate, gone left me, left us.

Heart, breaking, lonely, rejected.

Come back, Mate, I need you...

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My chest tightens, overwhelmed by a flood of emotions—his emotions—intense and heavy, drowning me in a wave of guilt. Slowly regaining consciousness, my body stirs, waking to the faint scent of vanilla and Ivy teasing my nose. I clutch my chest, tears welling in my eyes, still heavy from sleep. Opening them slowly, I find Erin sitting beside me, her face etched with concern.

"Erin!" I cry, tears streaming down my cheeks. I propel myself into her waiting arms, seeking solace in her hold, my sobs resonating against her chest. Emotions swirl within me, a tumultuous blend of relief, grief, elation, and devastation, my feelings entwined with another's—Griffin's. Griffin, he must be awake.

"It hurts, Erin. Oh God, it hurts so bad. Make it stop," I plead, the ache of loss, rejection, and utter devastation threatening to consume me.

"Ava?" Erin's voice pleads with tenderness, her hand gently stroking my hair. "Tell me, babe, what's wrong? What's happening? Where does it hurt?"

My heart races wildly in my chest, struggling to catch my breath. I force myself away from Erin's embrace, needing space as panic sets in, my breaths coming in rapid succession.

I struggle to draw enough air into my lungs. The sensation of being torn apart, my soul in tatters, consumes me entirely. "It hurts, Erin," I gasp, my hand pressed desperately against my chest. "So bad, I need, I need to go back to him."

"Liam!" Erin's shouts as she moves into my line of sight, her hands soothingly running up and down my arms while I curl into myself, rocking back and forth, unable to quell the pain.

Footsteps approach from behind me. Erin's comforting warmth fades, replaced by a stronger, more masculine presence. The scent of grass and wood envelops me.

"I can't. He needs me," I choke out between sobs, the agony almost unbearable. "It hurts, Liam. It hurts too much."

"Shut him out, Ava. You need to block his access," he instructs, planting a tender kiss on my head. "Reach into that part of your mind, visualize the connection, and close it off, love."

"What?" Confusion floods me. How does he know about the connection? What's happening?

"Trust me, lass. It's the only way," Liam's voice is soothing yet firm. "You won't sever the connection entirely, but you can shield yourself from its full force."

"How?" I pant, shutting my eyes tightly, trying to silence the pain.

Griffin's broken voice breaks through, <Come back, Doe. I need you. Can't control myself when you're gone.>

"Ava," Liam's voice returns, his brogue calm but insistent. "Find that part of your mind that's him. You'll see it, bright like a thread. Grab hold of it. Then, think of a room, a secure cage. Put that part of you inside, and lock the door."

<Doe, please. I can't do this,> Griffin's pleading voice persists.

Reluctantly, I follow Liam's instructions, diving deep within myself. I feel it, the thread—almost seeing him, a small glowing part, red with hurt. In my mind, I focus on that part, moving and relocating it as Liam described. I can still feel Griffin, but barely.

Exhausted, I collapse into Liam, Erin sitting beside me, her face pale. I cling to Liam's solid chest, my emotions a kaleidoscope, from relief to grief.