Broken Bonds (The Bonds that Tie, #1)

by J. Bree

I’m the only survivor. And I will never stop hating myself for it. Never.

What I did… running away from your Bonded, the people fated to be with you, that isn’t something that happens a lot. Or ever, really. Running away from the people that complete your soul, only a fucking crazy person would do that. I am that crazy person.

"I don't think you fully grasp the situation you are in, Miss Fallows. It's highly unconventional for a Bond to run away."

North Draven is on the Council, he's a pillar in our society, and with his social standing, this entire... ‘adventure’ of yours has been quite embarrassing for him."

"So you see, we had to make a decision. You can't go running off again, not with your Bonds being who they are, and your deceptions over the years mean that we cannot trust you."

There isn't much I would consider off-limits when it comes to keeping his Bond close.

There's a lot of interest and it's pretty obvious they all know who I am. Oleander Fallows. The runaway Bond. The murderer.

I'm a stubborn girl, the quickest way to get me digging my heels in is to throw those sorts of insults at me. So I stand there in front of the mirror and I brush out my hair, slowly and meticulously, until it's knot-free and then I braid it.

That's a good thing because I can't use my abilities, so I'd be forced to punch her in the throat. And I would. I would enjoy every freaking second of it too.

I finally crack and open the file. Fuck. Big mistake. There's updated photos of my Bonds in there.

I feel the tug in my chest that tells me one of my Bonds is here. Every muscle in my body turns to stone as I wait.

I had always assumed they'd be upset or disappointed in me, but I am not at all prepared to see the pure, unadulterated loathing in their eyes when four of my mates walk into the interview room. Freaking loathing.

One of them scoffs at me but I ignore it, keeping my eyes glued to my hands where they lie folded on the table in front of me. I don't need to see more of their hate. I hate myself enough for all of us, any more and I might end up finding a fucking bridge to jump off of.

Gryphon is scowling and grumpy looking, the scar running through his eyebrow standing out even more. He looks exactly like his photo, right down to the frown.

The smiling hottie is nowhere to be seen. I mean, he's still hot but he looks... miserable.

He's the only one who's trying to mask the loathing a little. He's failing at hiding it but I appreciate the effort, I guess. Nox just keeps staring at me like I'm the worst thing that has ever happened to him. And, fuck, maybe I am, but at least I won't be the worst thing to ever be unleashed on the entire population of the country.

He and Nox look very similar, all dark eyes and pitch-black hair. North’s is cut short and styled perfectly, where Nox’s is longer and curling softly around his cheeks. Both of them are cold as ice, completely cut off to what is happening.

That helps me to deal with my mourning bond, because there’s no fucking way I’m letting some entitled rich-boy Bond tell me all I’m worth is a quick fuck to complete our bond and give him more power. Not fucking likely.

“I’m not touching any of you. If you try to lay so much as a finger on me, then you’ll be committing a crime, and I’ll happily stand in front of the Council and tell them exactly how much I don’t want any of you.” Gabriel stands abruptly and walks out, the door slamming shut behind him.

I’m trapped in this fucking room all over again. And still, no one has fed me.

Fucking Bonds. I knew it was going to be bad, but I wasn’t expecting to feel so… much.

the perfect mockery of a gentleman, because I’m now feeling woozy with hunger. Fuck him. I’ll just keep thinking it until he disappears.

His jaw tightens and I wait for his scathing comment, my heart back in my throat no matter how hard I swallow to move it.

I really don't matter to him at all, just our fucking bond.

"Nothing to say? I wonder why is it that I've been cursed with a selfish Bond?

With the power of all of your Bonds, I assumed you were going to be something... spectacular. How disappointing."

I will not cry. I fucking wi...

My cheeks sting as if he's slapped me. Did he just—did he just call me a fucking gold-digger? The fucking gall of this man. I would rather fucking die than bond with him.

"Thank you for the ride and for pulling strings for me." I nearly choke on the words, but I'll be damned if he gets to call me a petulant, selfish child again.

If he thinks he's going to form a bond right now, to just take the extra power he so desperately wants, he has another thing coming.

The alternative is to chain you by the throat to the floor in my cellar. I won't be pleased to do that but make no mistake, Fallows, I will keep you here." The air leaks out of my lungs in a wheeze. My Bond is a fucking psychopath.

"You cannot possibly grasp the damage you've wrought by leaving us. I intend on ensuring that will never happen again. You'd do well to learn your lesson here and submit."

Sub-fucking-mit. I think I'd rather die.

I had given up any sort of hopes for a higher education when I was forced to give up school to go on the run

Out of all of my Bonds, I guess Gabe is the one I'd choose to walk me in though. He looked as miserable as I felt last night, so hopefully that means he won't try to talk to me or anything.

My heart stutters at the perfection that is my Bond, and then I remember he hates me and I need to get the fuck out of here before we all get slaughtered by the Resistance while our guards are down. Fuck, I can’t think about them right now.

The lack of concern he's showing me is like salt in the wounds, and I'd love nothing more than to rip the bond out of myself and watch it fade.

When we get outside I'm not expecting him to turn on me, all of the easy smiles and lit up eyes gone. "Do you even fucking care? Do you care about anyone else but yourself?"

"If a guy shoved his phone number into your pocket around me, I'd rip his fucking throat out and yet you're standing there, unbothered and ready for fucking class?"

If I thought he looked seriously pissed before, I had underestimated his rage. "Nox was right. You are just a selfish bitch. What the fuck did we do to get a Bond like you?"

I tell myself this is a good thing, that the more my Bonds hate me and want to get away from me, the quicker I can be on the move again, but my own bond inside me is freaking devastated by his words.

We make it to campus just in time for my first class, and it soon becomes very obvious that everybody at this college knows exactly who I am.

Gabe has the exact same classes as me all day, something I know was meticulously planned, but he sits as far away from me as possible at all times, and every student here follows his lead. It's as if I have the plague.

I think about calling my Bonds out on it, telling them that I will never complete the bond if this is the way they're going to treat me, but instead I clamp my mouth shut and ignore it all as best as I can.

Gabe continues to laugh and flirt his way there, giving me side eyes and filthy looks that I do my best to ignore.

He smirks at me over his healthy plate. "You've been getting some interest today. I'm making sure that everyone knows you're off limits."

He shrugs. "I told you, I'm making sure you don't think about running off with anyone else. You might not think your Bonds are good enough but you dressed up today to catch someone's eye." Ok, he's clearly fucking with me.

"When do you want to bond then? I can schedule you in for next week." His head jerks back. "What?" I smirk. "You want me, right? That's why you got so pissed that I left? Well, I'll fuck you and get this over with. Just tell me when." It has the exact effect I was looking for, his head jerks back like he's been slapped. He's clearly a romantic, someone who was crushed when I left, he probably had our whole lives mapped out together before he even knew I existed.

The problem here? My timetable shows the lecturer is Nox Draven. Fucking kill me now. Of the four of my Bonds I’ve met so far, he’s been the most vocal in his hatred and loathing of me.

Of course I’m the villain. I mean, I am the villain in this story right now.