I struggled to reconcile her explanation with everything I'd learned beneath Blackthorne territory.
“So Damon and I aren't related?” I asked.
“No. You share an ancient source, but you're not siblings. Your similar powers come from the First Alpha's bloodline, not a shared family.” She said.
“And the mate bond?” I asked as I released a shaky breath.
“The spell was meant to bind your signatures so the power would recognize you both. It created a connection that resembled a mate bond, allowing researchers to monitor your reactions and bring you together at the seal. They expected it to be artificial, something they could control or break once the experiment was complete.” She explained.
“But it isn't artificial.” I said.
“No. Not if you're truly fated mates.” She whispered.
“You sound
