Chapter 82


    The silver-ted spear cut the flesh with ease… Blood appeared on the already stained clothes,


    soaking them rapidly. Ruby-red drops were falling onto the flooded floor, dissolving in the water within


    seconds as if they were nothing.


    As if his blood was nothing…


    Brayden looked at Riannon with a sad smile on his lips.


    “I told you I would always protect you,” he said and fell onto his knees, Ria tried to process what


    happened when she saw the one who threw that spear and an internal snarl left her chest.


    Roxanne was ring at her from the other side of the dungeon. Breathing heavily, the little hybrid


    gritted her teeth. She did not mind killing her fake mate. She did not care enough about him even


    though they did spend so much time together.


    She had a bigger fish to fry. That spear was for Riannon. Because she cared about her death.


    She wanted her dead more than anything at that moment in time. That woman was the source of all her


    troubles. That woman could take what she wanted from her, and she wasn’t having any of it anymore.


    “Haven’t you done enough?!” Ria screamed at the fox while catching Brayden before he fell face t


    into the water. She slowly lowered him to the ground, noticing his ragged breathing.


    “This one is on you!” Roxanne hissed, narrowing her eyes. “All of this is on you! He blew up the house


    not even caring that I was inside! Was it some kind of punishment for you? After all, he loves to train


    his girls! But with you he is so different! This madness will be over the moment you are dead! And


    everything will get back to normal!”


    Ria scanned her face, realising that her enemy was talking about Castiel. Everything was even worse


    than she imagined. Roxy didn’t just love him. She was obsessed with him. It was an unhealthy sick


    addiction that was driving her crazy, making her break all the imaginable and unimaginable boundaries.


    “Do you even realise that he has been experimenting on you?” she decided to ask, feeling how life was


    slowly leaving Brayden who now tucked his head in the column or his neck for support. “He used you!


    He used your siren abilities, used you as his Guinea pig! He was intoxicating you and all these other


    women with fake mate scents! And now that I think of it, I bet you were a frequent visitor to his


    laboratory. There’s no way someone like him wouldn’t try to copy the siren pheromones!”


    “That was because I am special to him!” Roxy snarled, growing her ws. “He treated me better than


    anyone else!”


    “Then it’s just sad,” Riannon admitted, “Because he was putting you under other men with ease. He


    never cared whether you stayed dead or alive in the process of his schemes. And he never even asked


    about you while he…”


    “Shut up!” the fake omega screamed hysterically, “Who are you to judge me? You didn’t even fight for


    your man when he brought me to your home!”


    “I did fight you the first time,” Ria heard herself saying and felt Brayden twitching in her arms. But she


    did not regret her words.


    Her secret wasn’t important now. The reality changed so much that there was no point to hide it


    because she didn’t possess any essential knowledge about future events anymore. This life was going


    very differently from what she knew. So different that no events were the same with the exception of


    the   over. “I lived a ute wnere i was rigning for the man wno was clearly wrong for me! I lovea nim anai


    thought that I could fix things between us if I just try hard, be perfect, do something… I was wrong. And


    I paid the price. Because you killed me. And the man I practically sacrificed my love for probably didn’t


    even notice…”


    “What kind of bull sh*t is this?!” Roxy stared at her in shock, her chest heaving.


    “How do you think I knew everything you did before you even tried to act? How do you think I knew all


    the things I wasn’t supposed to know?”Ria gave her a sad smile, “The Moon Goddess brought me back


    in time. At first, I believed that it was only to change my course of life. But now I see that a lot of people


    needed things to be changed. Including you, Roxanne. Look at what you are doing! You are going to


    have a baby, for Goddess’ sake!”


    “Shut up about my baby!” Roxy looked around in search of a weapon. Anger was filling her heart and


    soul; fury was burning in her veins.


    This was why everything happened! She wanted to kill that woman once and for all! She could have


    won. Could have fulfilled Castiel’s task and expectations. But Riannon changed everything! It wasn’t


    fair! It seemed like some cruel joke of the gods!


    Roxanne found a metal stick with a sharp end and decided that this was good enough. She wanted to


    wipe that Alpha-female from the face of the earth!


    But as soon as she made a step, she felt a kick on the back of her knees.


    “Not so fast!” Maya growled and knocked the stick out of her hands. Ash appeared nearby and helped


    her to subdue the girl. Regardless of the hatred they both felt towards her, they didn’t want to hurt a


    pregnant woman. It wasn’t who they were.


    Brayden sighed and Riannon was finally able to concentrate on him. She carefully turned him on his


    back and ced his head in herp. Their eyes met atst and there was so much understanding in


    his.


    “Ri,” Brayden breathed, “I am so sorry.”


    “It’s okay,” she was assessing where the spear went through, and came to the conclusion that it


    probably got his heart as well. Which was a bad thing for a shifter. Hearts almost never regenerated…


    The blood was still gushing and she tried to apply pressure, knowing that now everything depended on


    whether


    his wolf would be able to heal him or not. It did not help that the spear was silver.. It was a bad sign.


    She remembered how Brayden purchased it at some auction for a ridiculous amount of money even


    though she protested against it. And how proud he was to disy it in their house.


    “The joke is on me,” he tried to chuckle, but coughed up some blood instead. He probably knew what


    she was thinking and her lips curled into a little smile.


    He was bing more and more the Brayden that she used to know and love. It did not change her


    feeling towards Gideon, but she was d to know that at least she had not made that man up. They


    weren’t meant to be, but she hated to see him lose everything he worked for all his life, including his


    own personality.


    A part of her was still angry at him. She used to think that this part of her would always be angry.


    But everything changed when he took that spear for her, risking his own life without hesitation. Before


    Roxanne, she always felt safe with him…


    At the distance, Roxy was still struggling against Maya and Ash, who tried to sustain her but not hurt


    her too much. Their eyes met and something crazy gleamed in Roxy’s as she started cackling.  this!


    Soon you are au going to…


    “Your Castiel is dead!” Maya interrupted her speech and the fox’s head snapped in her direction. They


    all became silent and only the sounds of water dripping and sshing from broken pipes could be


    heard.


    “You are… lying!” Roxanne stuttered in disbelief, but Maya met her gaze with ease.


    “Hurts, doesn’t it?” the Beta said bitterly, watching her worst enemy suffer finally. But when Roxy fell to


    the ground helplessly and tears started rolling down her cheeks one by one, her chest shaking


    uncontrobly as if she wanted to sob but couldn’t… Maya realised that the sight was not making her


    happy. It was not making the loss of her brother any easier. It changed nothing. What a disappointment.


    “I’ll take her,” she said to Ash and gestured at their Alpha who was holding her ex-husband and


    whispering something to him. “You stay and help them and I will call more people toe here and


    finish things up.”


    This time Roxanne did not struggle. She let her hands be cuffed in silver-ted cuffs and seemed


    lifeless when the Beta was leading her away. She just followed her. As if there was no point in her


    fighting anymore. As if there was no point in doing anything…


    By now Riannon knew that Brayden was not healing properly. He knew that as well.


    “If we keep the spear inside, we might win some time and get you to the hospital,” she said, thinking of


    what was the best way to transport him there, when his hand caught hers.


    “No use,” he said, but she shook her head.


    “Don’t be ridiculous,” she insisted. “A good doctor might still help you. You are an Alpha, you can hold


    on for a long time. You will make it through…”


    “Not this time, Ri,” he tried to smile again, but she knew that it was hard for him. “It’s okay. It’s fine.


    Don’t cry…”


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She didn’t even realise that there were tears in her eyes. Riannon tried to wipe them away quickly, but


    the new ones were appearing in their stead.


    He was an important part of her life, her friend. Yes, he made many stupid mistakes but losing him was


    still painful.


    Her tears were now falling onto his face and he brushed one palm over her cheek, smearing it with


    blood.


    “I’ve been such an j***t, Riannon,” Brayden smiled, his voice getting weaker and weaker. “I can say am


    sorry a thousand times but it would never be enough.”


    “It’s all right,” she sniffed seeing how pale he was getting. His body was not healing and he barely had


    a few minutes left. Sadly, werewolves were not immortals…


    “It’s all right, Bray,” she repeated, her tears now uncontrobly falling onto his face,“I forgive you. I


    really do.”


    “Good,” a smile formed on his face, “At least I will know that he will take good care of you. Better than I


    ever did. Goodbye, Riannon…”


    She didn’t understand what he was doing at first, but Brayden grabbed the spear and pulled it out of


    his body in one swift and immensely painful move. Now they were sitting in a red puddle of his


    blood that couldn’t stop gushing out of him.


    Ria held his hand, the two of them looking into each other’s eyes. But at the veryst moment, she


    bent and whispered into his ear what Onyx had just told her.   wiae, you ana your wou will be reborn in


    a new ure. Ana in that new ure, you will be given a mate. ine one that will be right for you and you


    alone. It will happen…and you will find your happiness.”


    She distanced herself, to see that he was looking at the ceiling with ssy eyes. But even now there


    was a vague smile reaching the corner of his lips.


    She closed his eyelids with trembling fingers and took a deep breath of air, trying to hold back the sobs.


    He was her husband once. He was her friend first… He was her partner for a long time. And now that


    man was gone forever.


    But even in hisst moment, he was dreaming of his true mate that he had never got to meet. His one


    true desire…


    “I hope you two will be happy in your next life,” she kissed his forehead onest time and only now


    noticed Ash that stood next to her.


    “I’ll take him,” the Gamma lifted his best friend’s body in his hands without asking anything.” Everyone


    else in the house is either dead or out. Let’s go.”


    Riannon followed him, trying to gather her thoughts. This wasn’t the time to be a soapy mess.


    Her heart was broken from the loss of Brayden, but she would be truly dead if something happened to


    Gideon.


    She already had a mate, the one who meant everything to her, the one who never failed her and the


    one for whom she was ready to do anything.


    And her mate was fighting an army now. She couldn’t leave him.


    “Maya,” she called her Beta, “Call everyone who can fight. We are going to the lycans. Now. Leave just


    a few people for protection here and to help the wounded. We will deal with everything elseter.”


    They were in cars in just a few minutes and took the shortest way imaginable to the Western Kingdom


    overspeeding on their way. The closer they were getting, the faster Riannon’s heart was beating. She


    couldn’t sense her mate through their bond even when they were supposed to be in the range for mind-


    linking.


    She couldn’t feel him even when she saw the battle before her eyes. And that brought fear to her soul


    because she could go through anything. But only as long as she knew that Gideon was fine.


    She got out of the car and took the spear with her. Ever since Ash took Brayden’s body, she couldn’t let


    go of it…


    She knew that field. She already saw this ce in the vision that Onyx showed her after her return. And


    she swallowed ufortably, knowing that this was the battle that would decide the fates of many.


    All the scents were mixed here and it was hard to find the one that she was looking for.


    Riannon froze when she saw a man holding another man in his arms right on the hill where she


    witnessed Gideon holding Reid in her dream. Everything was repeated and it suddenly became harder


    for her to breathe.


    She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she saw that the man was actually blonde and


    not as well built as Gideon. Now that she looked at him, he looked more like a fox. And it brought a little


    bit of relief to her.


    All she wanted now was to help her people, the Union that they formed for peace… and also to find her


    mate.


    She motioned for her warriors to join the fight and didn’t stay behind herself. She didn’t shift, using the


    spear as her weapon sessfully to kill the enemies on her way. It helped her to manoeuvre better


    Her bond wasn’t working for some reason, but she knew that there was no way that Gideon was dead.


    However, if something did happen to him, she wanted to find him sooner rather thanter.


    Riannon pierced some fox’s head with the spear when she finally found the one she was looking for.


    But she didn’t know whether it was a good thing or a bad one…


    ttt


    They knew about the uing sneaky battle, so Kyle met the enemy forces earlier than they


    anticipated and attacked first. But the element of surprise was working only for so long… The bears


    and the foxes brought a whole army with them. And lycans didn’t have enough time to call everyone


    who was on their side in time for the battle. Most were still on their way


    Though even when they all would be here, there was still a risk that Savvy didn’t get all the names right


    and traitors could be between them. The possibility of being stabbed in the back was huge and they all


    knew that.


    However, lycans were strong and soon Savvanah arrived with werecats, who jumped right into the


    epicentre of the battle, fearless, elegant, powerful. One of the best allies they had.


    Gideon and Reid were working efficiently, targeting the biggest bears and killing them first, so that the


    werewolves and cats did not have to. The lycan king tried to find who the leader was but no matter how


    hard he searched for, he couldn’t find one.


    Shrill screams, growls and screeching were turning into a background noise for him. Too many warriors


    were dying at both ends. But each time more foxes and bears were arriving. The whole battlefield was


    a mess of blood, dirt and dead bodies… Sometimes not even whole bodies.


    “You know what we have to do,” Mars said but Gideon snarled at his constantpanion. “No!” he


    refused that idea.


    “G, you know what Riannon saw!” his wolf insisted. “As of now, there is a 60% chance of us winning


    this battle. But that’s a big maybe and only if a lot of our people give their lives… But if we let him


    out…”


    Gideon hated to admit when his wolf was right at a moment like this.


    He hoped for quite some time that he wouldn’t have to do it. But now it was clear that he had to. For the


    men and women who fought on his side, for his little sister who turned out to be way stronger than he


    ever imagined… For his beloved mate, who deserved to be a queen and would do a good job even if


    he was no longer around.


    “Reid, Sawy, Kyle,” he connected to his family who was close, “If anything goes wrong, I want the three


    of you to try and put me down.”.


    “No, Gideon!” Savvanah was the first to react. She had the same blood in her veins and probably had


    the same thoughts in her head right now.


    “What do you mean?” Kyle, however, didn’t get it at once.


    “Gideon,” Reid also understood what he was about to do, “If you are decided on that, you have to do it


    as fast as possible. You know that your beast is controlling. He will never let you get the control back if


    he can… So, don’t let hime to his full strength!”


    “I will try,” he agreed, “But if it goes wrong, you know what I want you to do. I need your words on that.”


    “I don’t like it!” his sister said. She was the only one who knew how hard it was to control the true royal


    lycan form.   message to nis enemies.


    .


    “Promise me!” he growled, feeling how the lycan inside him was getting to the surface. He was both


    him and Mars, but he was also something else. Something stronger, something bigger, something that


    he couldn’t control well.


    “I promise,” Reid said and Kyle repeated his words. Savvanah hesitated.


    “Gideon,” she said, “You have toe back after this! For all of us. Or at least for Riannon. She will kill


    us all if we don’t bring you back and your sacrifice will be in vain.”


    “I will do everything to return,” he said, and he intended to keep his word.


    “Then I promise too,” his sister agreed, and he let out a long loud growl that shook the mountains.


    His bones started to crack again. Because his true battle form was different from his usual wolf form. It


    was bigger and way more powerful. His muscles were getting heavier, firmer as if they were made out


    of steel now, and the shape of his body was changing. The wolf was turning into a lycan and for a few


    seconds, it seemed that the battle stopped because of him. Everyone was staring at him now. In shock,


    in fear, in disbelief… There were all kinds of emotions.


    And when the beast that he now was stood on his two feet and let out another mighty and soul-piercing


    growl, it was as if he took everyone out of their daze. – Dozens of bears threw themselves at him. They


    knew that they would only have a chance if they .! attacked now, while he wasn’t at his strongest yet.


    And only if they fought wisely. Foxes tried tounch a series of smaller assaults but that was like tickles


    to him now.


    He didn’t even bother to look at the little red things when he crushed them with his feet or backpped


    them, sending them to the flight of their lives. Even bears weren’t that much of a threat to him now. He


    was catching them and snapping their necks with ease. Or catching two and crushing their skulls


    against each other. He wanted their blood, he wanted to see their death, to feel that power over their


    pathetic lives. The beast wanted more. More, more, more…


    Catch, snap, crash. Repeat. Catch, snap, crash. Again.


    Riannon couldn’t believe what she saw. She called her mate, she knew that it was him. But Gideon


    wasn’t responding to her.


    She knew that royal lycans did not like to shift into this humanoid wolf form of a monster. She


    remembered how her mate was telling her about his struggles with control. The stronger the beast was,


    the harder it was to get back after shifting into him. And Gideon’s lycan was one of the stronger ones


    that ever existed…


    She wanted to go after him but some fox jumped on her. The spear proved to be useful again. And


    Riannon had to use it a few times as she ran after her beloved. He was ughtering their enemies one


    by one and cleaning the field off the rival species.


    From the corner of her eye, she already saw that the presence of the true lycan was changing how the


    battle continued. Wolves and werecats were getting the upper hand.


    Gideon was now in the middle of arge enemy group. They were jumping on him, trying to bite him,


    cut him, do anything possible to turn the tables…..


    Ria tried to get to him but it was so hard in all that mess. Someone was attacking her every second and


    her progress towards him was slow.


    Before her eyes, a huge wave of bears and foxes covered her mate from her, climbing on top of him,


    jumping on his back and forming some kind of a moving mountain.   mountain telt.


    She tried reaching her bond, she tried calling for him… But he wasn’t responding.  As if he was not


    there at all.


    Riannon did not know what was going on there but she tried to get to that part of the battlefield


    whatever it cost her. Another fox, a grey one this time, sliced her back and she screamed again, falling


    to her knees. She twisted and managed to pierce the one who attacked her. However, a huge brown


    bear was there before she managed to get up. He snarled loudly and was about to tear her into pieces


    when a resounding roar shook the ground beneath them.


    In one breath the bear was gone, his bloody head falling to her feet and a huge ck beast stood


    before her, his eyes grazing over her slender frame.


    “Gideon,” she called her mate’s name but he did not respond. “Gideon!” she sounded desperate now,


    but she did not care. He looked at her as if… as if he did not know who she was…