The Nexus Effect

The day of searching for a ready-built proved fruitless, but Hope didn't mind. It gave her extra time to formulate the words she intended to use with Azriel. They entered the townhouse, and she went to her room immediately. 

She planned to change out of these clothes into something she purchased this morning, but as she rounded the corner, she found Az waiting for her at her bedroom door.

"Hey," she walked toward him, "how long have you been waiting here?"

"I wanted to talk about this morning."

His tone wasn't severe, but Hope's stomach dropped as she slowly nodded. It'll be fine, she thought. If he tells me he'd rather me not at the House of Wind, I'll just…She didn't know what she'd do. The thought of him not wanting her around brought an ache in her chest.

They hadn't made anything official, but the bond grew stronger every day she saw him. She didn't want to lose what they'd built.

Az offered her his hand, and she took it without thinking before entering her room. He gently closed the door as she settled on the edge of the bed.

Before he could get a word out, she said. "I want to move to the House of Wind." 

He blinked rapidly, lips parting before they grew into a sideways smile. "You do?"

Swallowing harshly, Hope nodded. "But only if you- if you want me there. I don't want to make you feel pressured one way or another; this was your home first, and I would hate myself if I-"

Hope sucked in a sharp breath as Azriel kneeled in front of her; he gripped the meat of her thighs. The hazel in his eyes was set ablaze. 

"I need you to hear me when I say this." Azriel's voice was low and smoky, sending tendrils of shivers scraping against the sensitive skin on the back of her neck.

She couldn't speak or do anything- didn't want to do anything but lose herself in his shadows.

Azriel continued inching forward. Any closer, and she'd be tasting his tongue.

"I will go where you go. I will wait night and day for you. On my knees."

Lost in the intensity of his gaze, Hope could feel her insides melting and flooding between her legs.

Azriel gave a low, resonating growl as his teeth clenched, carving his face in sharp, unforgiving angles. Reaching forward, Hope trailed her fingers lightly along the ridge of his jaw. His wings shuddered just as a voice carried through the house.

"What do you mean she might be moving in?!" Nesta exclaimed. 

Hope let out a soft, defeated whine as she fell forward and rested her forehead against his. 

"Fuck." Azriel groaned, eyes closing as he pressed against her.

Looking down, Hope couldn't help but smirk. "We'll deal with her…" She glanced up. "Then I'll deal with you."

He flashed a white grin, though his eyes glinted like obsidian.

It took a moment to compose themselves before they ventured downstairs to find Nesta fuming.

"Then make her go somewhere else." Nesta snapped.

Feyre clenched her jaw, "It's her choice. Not anyone else's. Hope is part of this family now, Nesta. You need to accept that."

"Not my family."

Hope sighed softly as they entered the area where all the action was and looked over at Azriel, who wore a perfect mask of indifference. He wouldn't be falling for Nesta's complaints, at least.

Rhysand spoke then, his voice low and filled with an authority that demanded respect. "This is the end of this discussion," he settled a hard gaze on Nesta, "I understand your frustration for reasons you won't admit, but that resentment will not be used against our people."

Cas, who stood off to the side, sighed softly. "I don't understand the big deal. What's she done to Nesta, honestly?"

The glare Nesta wore was penetrating and frigid. It was like she could harness ice in her scowl, sending chills that clawed down Hope's back. She could practically feel its burning sting.

She turned her glare on Hope first, but it didn't linger before settling on Azriel.

Something inside Hope started to break, it was like a weight on a branch slowly cracking as Nesta took a step toward Az and pointed a finger at him.

"You spend all that time acting as though you cared for Elain…"

"…that's what this is about," Feyre asked in sudden exasperation.

Nesta continued, "You carry on, leading her on…"

Azriel's reserved voice came through now, patient but cold. "If Elain wanted something between us, she should have voiced it long ago."

Taking another step at him, Nesta spat, "You are a coward."

Heat gathered behind Hope's eyes as they shifted from blue to bright yellow. Hope was quick as a flash as she stepped in front of Nesta, standing between them to block her from Azriel.

Azriel. 

Her Azriel.

Her Mate.

Hope's fangs withdrew, snarling as she bared them. Dark veins crawled beneath her eyes as she brought out her inner wolf. At that moment, she appeared more like a wild animal than the Hope they'd known these past few months. The house began to tremble beneath their feet. 

As Nesta stepped back, a flash of what looked like fear crossed her face.

"Hope…" Rhysand said in a low warning. Though, he did nothing to stop her as he placed a hand on the dining table to keep it from sliding.

"Never," she growled softly, something deep and guttural- a wolfish sound, "disrespect my mate again. That is your only warning."

A soft sound came from behind her, and Hope stepped backward. Not away from Nesta, but toward Azriel. She leaned her back against his frame, a very intimate position as he slowly rested his hands on her hips.

Cassian, with care, tugged at Nesta's wrist, and to her surprise…she followed, though her eyes never left Hope's. She didn't care if it was a threat or a promise; Hope wouldn't budge on this. Nobody talked to Azriel that way and got away with it.

Nobody.

The room was so quiet, in fact, that Hope could feel the heartbeats of the four of them. She risked a glance at Feyre and Rhys to find they were staring at her, but they didn't look angry. 

In fact…Feyre looked like she might cry.

"I'm sorry about the foundation," she cringed a little, "I just…snapped." 

Azriel squeezed her hips in response but said nothing. It seemed everyone was in a state of shock. Herself included.

"Don't ever apologize for defending your mate," Rhysand smiled crookedly, "I never do."

Feyre's teary-eyed gaze morphed into a grin. "I knew it would happen. I didn't know when or how, but it just felt like…"

"Fate?" Hope asked with a small smile. He glanced up at Azriel and found he was already watching her. 

Then, he glanced up at Rhys and smiled. "We'll be back…later."

Rhys leaned against the dining table with a knowing smirk and nodded.

Tilting her head, Hope turned to look up at him. "Where are we going?"

Azriel smirked.