ã€ŠTraded To The Lycan Kingã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1

    *Colette*

    ¡°Leslie!¡± I call out down the empty hall, my heart racing and stomach twisting in fear. Of all the days

    for the Alpha¡¯s daughter to disappear, she had to choose her wedding day. I frown at the door at the

    end of the hall, a sock on the handle, and I roll my eyes. Clearly, she has found herself a partner for

    the night and overslept. Not unusual for hertely.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    I jiggle the door handle, finding it locked, and groan in annoyance as I reach into my hair and

    withdraw out a pin to pick the lock. The handle clicks, the door swinging open and I am mmed in

    the face with the divine smell of eucalyptus and cottonwood.

    My wolf perks up, and my eyes grow wide when I step into the room, flipping on the switch and my

    heart stutters. Leslie sits at the foot of the bed wrapped in a white sheet, hair and makeup askew.

    She looks at me and her eyes grow wide, and then she covers her mouth as she runs toward the

    bathroom, retching along the way.

    The sound of her vomiting floats through the silence, and I feel my stomach churning as well. I

    struggle with my wolf, trying like hell to resist the urge to look to the right and find the source of the

    smell.

    My mate is in this room, but after seeing the state of Leslie, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready to meet him. Not

    like this. My heart flutters and my ch*st aches simultaneously. If he is in here, then he¡¯s been IN

    Leslie¡­and that¡¯s enough to break my heart.

    ¡°Cole¡­¡± His voice is soft and full of regret, and it¡¯s all it takes to break me. Grady. Heavens no¡­

    ¡°No¡­¡± I whimper, the tears welling up in my eyes as I clutch the bodice of the ridiculous dress

    Leslie asked me to wear as her personal aide.

    His gentle hands grab my arm, the telltale sparks zipping through me and my heart sinks further into

    my gut. Grady tugs me toward him and the seconds bleed into what feels like minutes as I look up

    into my best friend¡¯s face. The guy I have loved since I was little. The man who I was hoping to find

    as my mate today¡­and I did. In the most horrible way possible.

    ¡°You slept with Leslie?¡± I ask, swallowing down the burn of acid in my throat.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t know how to tell you.¡± Leslie says from the bathroom door, her eyes red and face white

    as the sheet hiding her n*ked b*dy, but I can see the glimmer of pleasure in her eyes, the way she is

    relishing in my pain.

    ¡°You guys are¡­¡± I turn my face away, hating the taste of the words on the tip of my tongue.

    ¡°Together?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Grady chuckles dryly, tugging me to him, my b*dy igniting with his addictive touch.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Leslie counters with a growl.

    ¡°What?¡± Grady and I blink at her and her jaw clenches as she res at Grady.

    I wish I could disappear, escape from this awful nightmare as I try to free myself from his clutches.

    The room stinks of sweat and s*x and every second I stand here, the threat of falling to pieces turns

    into an inevitability. I need air. Fresh, untainted, clean air.

    ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve been screwing me for months, Grady,¡± she scoffs. ¡°We are more than f**k buddies

    at this point.¡±

    ¡°For months,¡± I repeat, her words echoing in my head as I yank free of Grady¡¯s hold, trying to rub

    the filth of him off my skin. The hurt in his eyes makes me second guess myself for a moment

    before I stumble back to get further from him. He is suffocating, his scent swirling around me,

    almost calming until I smell her on him. The overly sweet vani and cinnamon that makes me

    queasy.

    ¡°Almost three months, if you want to be precise.¡± Leslie says with an unbothered shrug.

    My eyes fly wide, my head whipping to Grady for confirmation, and he drops his chin in defeat,

    shoulders deting. His bare ch*st heaves up and down as though the air from the room is thin. For

    a moment he nces up, his eyes pleading as he reaches out for me and I flinch away.

    ¡°It was just s*x, Colette, I swear. I want my mate, I want you!¡± he steps closer and I shake my head

    no, a whimper slipping from my lips.

    Grady growls as he paces away, his hands in his hair. He yells out in frustration. I notice something

    on his back and my heart stutters. Long pink trails where her nails dug into his back and there is no

    going back as the bile rushes up my throat, filling my mouth.

    I push past Leslie, running to the bathroom, and I vomit the three cups of coffee I anxiously drank

    this morning in anticipation of today. The world spins around me as I lean over the toilet, feeling faint

    with the tears streaming as I heave painfully again.

    I reach for a square of toilet paper and wipe my lips, tossing it into the trash and freeze when my

    eyes glimpse the long, white item sticking partially out. My heart thuds in my ears as I star eat it.

    The little blue plus sign. A positive pregnancy test.

    ¡°Leslie¡­¡± I call out in a shaky voice. ¡°Grady is the only male you have been seeing?¡± My eyes slide

    closed, a prayer on my lips begging her to say that she has been with lots of men, that maybe there

    is a hope that Grady isn¡¯t the father.

    ¡°Of course, I take our rtionship seriously,¡± she announces proudly, and I bite back a sob. Grady

    was my light spot. The star in the bleak sky that lit my life. And now that star has turned into a ck

    hole, sucking any chance I had at happiness.

    ¡°You are supposed to be getting married today.¡± I whisper, steadying myself in the bathroom¡¯s

    doorway, my knees weak and vision blurry.

    ¡°Supposed to,¡± she says with a mischievous smirk.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t just some random Alpha, Leslie.¡± Grady says, reminding her of her duty. She agreed to

    this union even though she doesn¡¯t like the idea of it. And You don¡¯t simply abandon the Alpha of

    Death because you don¡¯t want to marry him AFTER you¡¯ve agreed to it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be stuck with some ugly scarred alpha no one wants¡­¡± Leslie rolls her eyes

    ¡°He is THE Lycan King of Hidden Shadow pack!¡± I hiss. ¡°WHat he looks like doesn¡¯t matter. You

    have to get dressed, otherwise there will be a war!¡±

    ¡°No.¡± She growls back. ¡°No, he will kill me when he finds out.¡± She slides her eyes to Grady, who

    has found himself at my back, his hand resting on my arms as he gently rubs a circle on my skin

    and I greedily ept his touch. I shouldn¡¯t, but I am weak for Grady and anything he needs.

    ¡°Lots of women aren¡¯t virgins when they mate or marry,¡± Grady offers.

    He presses a k*ss to the side of my head and my heart aches. He is choosing me, making a show

    so she knows he wants his mate. That he wants me, but he has no idea that it¡¯s toote. I can see

    the pain in her eyes, but it is quickly reced with a dark rage. Her hand flies to her belly, rubbing it

    and making a show.

    ¡°How many of them are pregnant with another man¡¯s child, Grady?¡± She sneers, stepping closer to

    us. He tenses, his hands dropping from me and my tears slide down my cheek, just waiting for it,

    the moment he realizes what all of this means.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± She whispers, a small smile on her lips. ¡°We are pregnant, Grady. I can¡¯t marry him.

    Not now, not with your baby growing inside of me. ¡±

    ¡°No,¡± He breathes the word, his arms wrapping around me from behind as he presses into my back,

    clinging to me, killing me with every moment he holds on.

    ¡°Reject her.¡± She hisses, and he tightens his arms around me.

    ¡°Never.¡± He growls. Leslie scoffs and ces her hands on her hip, acting like a petnt child, not

    getting her way.

    ¡°Then I will abort it.¡± She says with a sinister grin, then she shrugs. ¡°Then Colette can have the

    constant reminder that your baby died because of her selfishness. We all know how much you

    would resent her.¡±

    Grady¡¯s hold loosens enough for me to know exactly where his mind is at. We have been best

    friends long enough for me to know how important family is to him. Unborn or not, that pup is his,

    and he would die for it.

    I inhale his smell, pressing back into his chest, memorizing the feel of the mate bond. Every

    millisecond of finally being in his arms feels so perfect, but it ends too soon when he steps away, a

    sob breaking from him as he spins and kneels before me.

    ¡°Colette.¡± He whispers, clutching my hands. My b*dy shakes, my throat aching from trying so hard

    not to weep in front of him. ¡°Please don¡¯t hate me,¡±

    Tears stream down my face, my whole b*dy shaking violently and my wolf howling in my head

    begging me to fight a battle I have no hope of winning.

    ¡°I, Grady, reject you, Colette as my m-mate,¡± he stutters and sobs as I step away with a gasp. My

    fingers clutch my chest, my mind muddled and vision all a blur as I nod in agreement. Then I turn to

    run out the door.

    ¡ªWhere is she? ¡ª I hear the alpha in my head and I grimace at the thought of telling him she isn¡¯t

    coming. The door opens behind me and I look over my shoulder, watching as Leslie saunters over.

    ¡°You need to inform Lycan King Merikh that I won¡¯t being.¡± She smirks. I don¡¯t have the

    strength to argue with her. ¡°My father says it will be bettering from a weaker female.¡±

    ¡°And if I say no?¡± I ask, knowing the consequence is likely to be a beating.

    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± she shrugs, walking backwards as Grady rushes out the door. He tries toe to me, but

    Leslie grabs his hands, pulling him away. ¡°Dad will give you the alpha order any minute. Oh, and

    happy birthday by the way,¡± she grins as she preens over Grady, both of them watching me. I¡¯ve

    had awful birthdays before but todays is by far the most painful.

    ¡ª Stall the Lycan King until I can find a recement, inform him Leslie will not being ¡ª The

    Alpha orders on cue and I sigh, spinning on my heels and leave my heart behind me

    I rush to the ballroom in record time, only a minute to spare before Leslie is expected to walk down

    the aisle. As I pass the mirror on the wall, I freeze, wiping my face before pulling in three ragged

    breaths.

    ¡°You can do this Colette.¡± I recite, my nerves gnawing away at any real bravado I have, so I dig

    deep, turning to my anger and pain for strength as I move to the double doors and throw them

    open.

 Chapter 2

    ?Chapter 2

    The man at the end of the aisle is impossible to miss, his back to me as he speaks with one of his own n. I can only assume he is Alpha Merikh and my skin grows cold. My idle hands smooth the bodice of my dress as I try to focus on my erratic breathing, my nerves frayed as I march down the aisle toward potential doom. Each step brings me frighteningly closer to the mountain of a lycan. I lick my lips, ready to give him the speech I whipped up, but I freeze as he turns to face me fully, my breath catching in my throat and eyes growing wide. I am utterly distracted by his looks. Eyes as green as emeralds, a facial structure carved by the heavens and an imposing aura that entraps you, draws you in. And much to my surprise, no scar marks his perfect face. I tilt my head, confused.

    This can''t be Alpha Merikh. I''ve heard stories of the Alpha of Death and the scars that have kept him hidden for years. But this guy...this guy is ethereal. He is handsome in the truest form; he is literal perfection. How am I supposed to tell him his Alpha is being stood up?

    "You do not look like the picture provided," he says, his eyebrow arched in curiosity.

    "You are not Alpha Merikh." I say, dumbfounded. He looks amused, shoving his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his feet.

    "No?" He asks and I furrow my brows.

    "I mean, are you...Alpha Merikh?" I whisper.

    "You do not think I am, so I must not be," He answers with a shrug and I feel a wave of reliefe over me.

    "I need you to give a message to your Alpha, or take me to him to deliver it myself. But it is urgent." I rush out.

    "I can deliver a message."

    "His contracted mate will not attend the ceremony." I tell him.

    "Are you telling me that the treaty is dead?" He asks.

    "No! No, they are going to find him a new mate. A better one." I squeak out, looking around for Alpha Bentley, praying he hurries up before Alpha Merikh makes his way out expecting to start a ceremony that isn''t happening, at least not yet.

    "And who could be better than the Alpha''s daughter?" He raises a brow.

    "Anyone would be better than Leslie." I mutter under my breath.

    "Then I should choose a mate of my own liking." He offers. I stare at him horrified that he heard me then his words settle in and my horror turns to terror when I realize he is talking about himself which means...

    "Y-you are Alpha Merikh," I whisper, awareness trickling down my spine as I force myself to meet his amused gaze. I just spoke like an equal to the Alpha of Death. The lycan king himself.

    "I am?" he asks, a cocky grin on his plush lips.

    "I-i thought you would look different." I stutter, wringing my hands, unsure of how to act in the presence of royalty. Am I supposed to bow?

    "You expected a face full of scars?" he leans forward, whispering. "I have scars, Just not where you can see them when I am clothed." He winks at me and my cheeks heat.

    "Colette," Alpha Bentley says, rushing up to me. I''m not sure I have ever been happy to see this man but right now is an exception as he pulls Alpha Merikh''s attention from me. "Did you deliver the news to Alpha Merikh?"

    "She has informed me." Merikh says, his eyes locking back on mine as if we are in some silent battle I''m not privy to.

    "I have found you a recement for my daughter." Alpha Bentley rushes out, his eyes pleading for mercy.

    "No need," Merikh says, turning to face me once more, mischief swirling around him. "I will be choosing my own mate."

    "Yes, I suppose that would be fair, given the circumstances." Alpha Bentley grabs hold of my arm, dragging me away. "Come, Colette, Leslie is in need of you."

    Merikh growls possessively, taking my free arm and pulling me gently toward him. I gasp out in shock, an arm in each man''s hands as I look up at Alpha Merikh, confused.

    "I want Colette. I will be taking her as my mate," he announces and my mouth goes dry.

    "Me?" I rasp out shocked, my eyebrows shooting up to my hairline as I try to process his insane request.

    "Absolutely not." Bentley tugs me toward him harder and Merikh releases his hold with a growl, his eyes growing dark. "Alpha Merikh, you don''t want her, I''m not sure you realize she is a maid. She takes care of Leslie and-" Alpha Bentley stammers, looking panicked.

    "Colette, do you ept my offer?" He asks me directly.

    "She does not get to speak for herself." Alpha Bentley hisses, pushing me behind him.

    "I don''t think you understand, Bentley." Merikh steps into him, his imposing frame casting an ominous shadow over us as his lip twitches in anger. "I will have Colette or we will have a war. Is that understood?"

    "You don''t want me," I whisper as he reaches around Bentley, and pulls me to his side, ignoring my protests. "I''m no one. I have no status. My mate rejected me." I try like hell to get him to see he doesn''t want me. That I will eventually let him down and then he will just have to kill me off.

    "I have made up my mind," he turns to face me. "If you wish to back out then speak now and I will prepare my warriors for attack. I do not have time to make you feel like I want you for your virtues or your looks. Truth be told, you are oddly small and thin."

    Iis words aren''t loving or kind and I get the feeling I am nothing more than a pawn in some game. Yet the more I process his question the more I realize this is my way out. Forget the years of suffering or torment, I need to run away.

    I need a ce to go so I don''t have to watch the man I love raise a child with the woman whose life goal is to make my everyday literal hell. Alpha Merikh may look like an angel of death but his offer is the only one that promises me a life.

    "Do you ept, Colette? Yes or no," he asks once more and I nibble my lip and slowly nod my head.

    "Yes," I whisper, my chest hurting, and the room feeling suddenly smaller.

    "Excellent."

    The next few moments move in a blur. Someone speaks, thanking everyone for gathering or something to that effect. I can''t focus because I am too stuck staring at the man who is forcing me, of all people, to be his mate. No, not forcing. Maybe he is saving me. But that doesn''t feel right either...

    He takes my hand in his, leading me to the center of the aisle where we face each other. Our hands remain joined as he focuses solely on me.

    "I, Alpha Merikh Hidden Shadows pack and The Lycan King, choose you, Colette, of the ck Mountain pack, to be my mate, my Luna."

    His words are firm and final as he speaks loudly for all to hear. I draw in a shaky breath. It should be me saying these words to Grady, promising myself to Grady, yet here I am acting on a broken heart and impulse. I hope when Grady hears of this it hurts him just as much as his betrayal is hurting me.

    Merikh clears his throat, pulling me back to the here and now and I shake my head, my eyes closing as I focus on the task at hand.

    "Uh-I, Colette of the ck Mountain Pack, choose you, Alpha Merikh, to be my mate and my alpha." I say, softly.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Merikh gives me a tight-lipped smile and my body buzzes with electricity. His eyes turn ck as he pulls me close to his chest. Weak sparks flutter from his contact and I inhale sharply at the shock of it. I didn''t realize that chosen mates could also feel the sparks and my heart patters in delight.

    Maybe this whole thing won''t be so bad? With Grady out of the picture I have nothing to lose but myself if I stay. This was my only choice. No, this was the right choice.

    "Stop!" Leslie roars, her voice echoing off the walls. Her checks are pink and her eyes ck in rage as she barrels toward us dawning her scarlet red dress that clings to her curves. Merikh loosens his hold on me and I adjust my dress, a sense of dread raining down on me as he watches her. A movement in the back draws my attention and my heart stutters when I see Grady, his eyes red and puffy and his face full of confliction as he watches me. Guilt rips through my core and I feel tears welling, threatening to spill down my cheeks.

    A sudden pain zes through my cheek as my head whips to the side and I blink trying to understand what is happening. When I turn to look at Leslie I find myself facing Merikh''s back as he stands in front of me protectively.

    "Rescind it." Leslie growls. "Take back your im on him Colette and I''ll forgive you for this screw up."

    Merikhughs lightly, leaning closer to Leslie who squares her shoulders trying to look tough but she reeks of fear. He is unreadable as he tilts his head, looking her up and down.

    "You will forgive her?" Merikh says, sounding bored. He takes a menacing step toward her "Do you think I am stupid? I do know what you have been up to over the past few months. "He growls, and she scoffs as though he is crazy.

    "I don''t know what you are talking about," she says cooly, looking away from him. "No doubt lies from a servant."

    "She is a Luna," He sneers, taking a step back from her like she isn''t worth his time.

    He moves behind me and the panic in Leslie''s eyes over takes her usual brown, jealousy clearlycing its way through her. She looks to the outskirt of the room and licks her lips before stepping closer to me. Merikh growls in warning but she ignores him.

    "Grady is waiting for you." She whispers moving closer to me and my heart skips a beat, my eyes drifting to him against the wall, where I see hope on his sullen face. "You have loved him as long as I can remember. You still have time to rekindle the bond. I give my blessing, all you have to do is take back your oath."

    Merikh chuckles like it''s a joke but I can''t bring myself to look at him. My heart yearns to be with Grady and reignite our bond. For as long as a girl can have a crush my heart has beat for him. My skin has longed for his touch. Is it really possible to back out, to save the bond that has already been broken with Grady?

    I give into the stare I can feel from Merikh, looking up at him over my shoulder a glint in his eyes as he tries to read me. Then I look over at Grady hope written all over his face, his attention focused on me. Merikh''s face blocks my view of Grady and he reaches out, taking hold of my chin with his fingers, making sure he has my undivided attention.

    "You are mine now, little mate. Look at him like that again and I will kill him." He whispers.

 Chapter 3

    ?Chapter 3

    I can feel Leslie''s heated stare as I blink at Merikh trying to keep my fear at bay. With his lighthearted teasing I had almost forgotten who I mated myself too but I see his true nature in his eyes now. The feral Alpha of Death whomands respect wherever he goes. I understand his reaction to me looking at Grady. I am his Luna, as he keeps saying. Looking at another man longingly is a p to his face.

    "I understand Alpha," I bow my head to him, trying to figure out how to do this Luna thing. "Alpha Merikh," a man says, stepping up and whispering in his ear. He is slightly shorter than Merikh and his red hair highlights his pale face and little freckles. He looks much friendlier than his alpha.

    "Colette, excuse me for just a moment," Merikh whispers in a low voice, stepping a few feet away from me to have a heated conversation with the redhead.

    It takes Leslie a whole two seconds before she swoops in for another verbal assault.

    "I can''t believe you would be such a backstabbing cunt," she hisses, while offering smiles to those who pass and offering congrattions to me.

    "I did nothing wrong." I insist, finding a little inner strength when I catch Merikh looking in my direction with curiosity in my eyes.

    "If I had known he wasn''t an ugly disfigured alpha, I would never have slept around so much." She mutters to herself with an irritated groan. I furrow my brows, trying to process everything she is saying.

    "I thought you said you were only sleeping with Grady?" I ask, my voice breaking at the mention of his name. Leslie rolls her eyes and scoffs.

    "That doesn''t matter. What matters is, you stole what was mine the second you found out he was attractive."

    "He chose me," I tell her, shocked. Her head falls back as sheughs loudly, her sardonic tune echoing back at us.

    "No one would willingly choose you. Are you that idiotic? You are a weak, simpering sorry excuse for a werewolf. You have only sessfully shifted like what? Twice in three years?" She crosses her arms over her chest waiting for an answer and embarrassment stains my face.

    Leslie is right. Merikh wouldn''t have epted me if he knew my wolf hardly everes forward when beckoned. But then again I tried to tell him, so did Alpha Bentley, but he insisted he wanted

    me.

    "Why would you even want him now?" I ask "You are pregnant with Grady''s pup. Is he not good enough now?"

    "Of course he isn''t." She scoffs, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "I never wanted Grady. I just knew you wanted him, so I figured why not fuck him? It was enough knowing I was destroying your precious little heart. But now you think you can choose someone more powerful? This is about you, Colette, always needing a reminder of where you belong. In the dirt, at my feet," she growls out as she lunges at me.

    Her hand tangles in my hair as I gasp and clutch her wrist, trying to keep her from tossing me around. She grunts in pain, her body going ck and her eyes growing wide as I look up to see Merikh with his hand squeezing her throat.

    "Release my Luna. Now." He whispers menacingly.

    When she does, he steps away from her and moving behind me. The red-headed lycan sidles up behind her as he lifts his legs and kicks the back of her knees, sending her tumbling forward with a crack of her kneecaps and a cry of pain.

    "Ask for forgiveness." He growls, squatting beside her, murder in his eyes.

    I feel Merikh''s heat, his handing to rest on my shoulder.

    "For what?" She shricks, looking around for someone to save her but the hall has emptied, everyone rushing to the dining area for the promised feast.

    "For insulting my mate." Merikh''s chest rumbles, sending a shockwave down my spine. "I was patient. I afforded you more nderous words than you deserved because of the treaty that was just established between our packs, but now...now you are bordering on dering a war."

    "I was just joking with her," Leslie stutters, her eyes filling with fear as she looks up at me. "Tell them Cole...I call her names all the time. It''s our little game?"

    I look over my shoulder at my new mate, pondering what it will be like living with him. He seems so gentle one moment and vtile the next.

    "What are you going to do with her?" I ask him, and he smirks.

    "What would you like us to do with her? She has offended you too many times and in doing so, she has insulted me personally and our pack. Where we are from, that is punishable by death."

    My heart drops to my feet, blood leaching from my face as I swallow the dryness. Death? He wants to kill her? Leslie sobs, her hands reaching out for my ankles, her nails embedding into my skin. "No," I squeak. My mind swirls, the only thought saving the unborn pup of my best friend that is growing inside Leslie''s womb. I shake my head, pleading, and he seems to frown. "She is pregnant," I whisper, and he seems surprised.

    "Who is the father of the unborn child?" He asks Leslie, his foot pushing her hands away from me. "Grady..." she says on a whimper, a sob breaking from her. ¡°I think..."

    My heart aches. She thinks? I was rejected on the notion of the possibility of Grady being the father and she isn''t even sure. I feel my world spin and a hand wraps around me, steadying me at my lower back. Merikh holds me close to him as he exhales.

    "Get her ass out of here and keep her and Grady away from the feast."

    I hear Leslie''s quiet sobbing grow to silence as Merikh spins me to face him. He searches my face with a look of disappointment before sighing.

    "I will allow you a few moments to feel sorry for your loss, Colette. This will be the one and only time I will allow you to mourn the loss of your mate."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    "But the broken mate bond gives me a month," I whisper to his chest, my eyes slowly lifting to his face.

    "One month and you can move on and find your second chance mate, yes. But you have me now, Colette, and my rules are very different, yet set in stone. If you wish to cry, do so now or where I will never hear of it. Do you understand?"

    "Yes." I murmur, as his gaze finds mine and it feels like the air is ripped from the room.

    He is devastatingly handsome, even without being fated to him. My insides feel like jelly. Merikh''s fingers tickle the line of my jaw and little sparks blossom on my skin, making me shiver. I must make a sound as he chuckles deep in his chest.

    "See, the bond is already sparking to life." He murmurs. "Now, let us go to the feast. We are expected,"

    The feast is uneventful as wolves get drunk and dance while others eat their fill and I sit next to Merikh, unmoving, as he looks ufortable every time someone asks him to dance with me. After what feels like forever, Merikh stands and takes my hand in his.

    "I would like to thank you all foring to celebrate this union and our new treaty, but my new Luna and I are eager for some time alone. Please, stay and party to your heart''s content." Everyone cheers as my cheeks, once again, grow red with the implications behind his words. He pulls me up as a chant breaks through the crowd.

    "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Everyone slurs the word, but the meaning is there as their zed eyes watch us with merry glee.

    Merikh turns to face me, his hands sliding around my waist as he swoops down and steals a chaste kiss from my lips. My first kiss. My eyes nearly pop from my face in shock and he looks satisfied. "Come on Alpha Merikh!" The redhead from earlier hollers, "You can do better than that!" Merikh scowls at his friend and sighs heavily, I feel sick, like I am some cheap party trick, and he looks at me.

    The world seems to spin on its axis as he brushes the hair gently from my face, his eyes scanning me before he cups my cheek and, ever so tenderly, he presses his soft lips to mine. My hands find his chest, pressing gently as I lean into him, into the kiss.

    When his mouth opens, I follow his lead and his tongue traces over my lips before closing anding back more forcefully. I hear nothing as I get lost in the kiss, my body responding in ways it only ever has for Grady, and I moan enough for him to hear.

    Just as quickly as this kiss came on, he is tearing away from me and raising his arm, cheering like a wild man. I look for his eyes to find me again, trying to find afort there that maybe this was more than some silly show for the people screaming for entertainment, but it neveres as he drags me down the hall.

    Merikh saunters over to the edge of the bed, loosening his tie as he sits, all the while his eyes stay trained on me. My mouth goes dry when he undoes the top button, and I clench my fingers into a fist. I''m his mate now and along with that titlee...certain expectations. The kind I have never experienced before. I nce away, my cheeks burning with embarrassment as I wait for him to instruct me.

    "What is wrong?" he asks, standing, his fingers move deftly down his button-up shirt. I gulp, the mate bond we created drawing me towards him. My wolf whines to be near him, to touch him and feel those sparks we were so convinced we would never get to feel again.

    "I have..." I swallow, "How do you..."

    Merikh chuckles, removing his shirt from his body as he takes a step closer. I step back on instinct, bumping into the chair behind me with a surprised ''oh''. He isn''t just massive, he is a literal wall of defined muscle. He is perfection. My heart thumps wildly and I feel lightheaded.

    "Calm yourself, Colette. I can sense your panic and your worries." He sighs, sounding bored. "I''m a virgin," I blurt out, watching his eyebrows shoot into his hairline, his lips twitch, then he shakes his head. "I-I am not sure I can do this....yet..."

    "Did I ask?" He responds, sounding amused.

    "No... It''s just that... I mean...you are huge." I fumble over my words. He takes another step toward me, his lips in a full smile as he observes my freak out. "I don''t mean huge as in down there-I mean, I guess I haven''t even seen it topare, so I can''t really say it''s not. But in general, you are a big alpha, that is what I mean."

    "And you are scared?" He asks with a cocked brow.

    I bite my lower lip, my legs shaking in fear. Will he force himself on me tonight? Do I not get a say in when we mate?

    "We won''t be consummating this union today." He says, reaching out and tilting my chin up with his index finger. His eyes find mine, making sure I am giving him my undivided attention.

    "We won''t?" I ask, tears of relief burning my eyes as I clutch my nervous stomach. "Not tonight, my little Luna. Not Tonight." He murmurs, "For now, we rest." He strips out of his ck cks and I swallow, spinning away from him.

    "S-should I sleep on the couch?" I ask hopefully. His soft chuckle breaks through the room as the lights turn off and I hold my breath.

    "I may be huge, as you say, but there is still space on the bed for you," he teases

    "I don''t have any clothes in here," I whisper into the darkness and he sighs. After a moment, something hits me in the face, and I quickly change into the oversized shirt. The chilly breeze nips at my exposed flesh as I run and jump into the bed, yanking the covers onto my cold body.

    "Merikh...?" I whisper, and he groans. "Can I ask you a question?"

    "what?" he says after a moment and an exasperated sigh.

    "Does it bother you that I am a nobody?" "Clearly not if I epted you." He says dryly, and I press my lips into an unimpressed smile.

    "I am a maid. To the Alpha''s daughter." I murmur, "My wolf is weak, hardly ever surfacing when she is called and my mate rejected me hours ago..."

    He says nothing and for a moment I convince myself he has gone to sleep. Then the mattress dips beneath me and the light flickers on. Merikh turns to face me, his hand reaching out as he pulls some hair from my face.

    "I know exactly what you are, my little Luna. Question is, do you?" He hums, twisting a strand of my hair between his fingers with a victorious smirk on his lips.

 Chapter 4

    ?Chapter 4

    I stare at Merikh''s back; the moonlight filtering in and highlighting the jagged raised scars that litter his skin. My fingers itch to touch them, to trace it down under his shoulder de and across his spine, but I don''t.

    He wasn''t wrong when he said he carries many scars but not on his face. A deep gash catches my attention, and I sit up slightly, leaning in to get a better view. It looks like teeth marks and a chunk of his flesh was torn out.

    My hand gently flutters across it, his hot skin sending a thrill up my arm and straight to my chest. What had he done to get these scars? Who had he fought and how awful was his pain? Questions rush to the forefront of my mind and I realize. Even with everything going on, the rejection, being mated-well, verbally mated to the scariest guy in the lycan and werewolf realms, he is just a man.

    "Do they gross you out?" He asks and I jump, my hand recoiling from his skin as I ze in embarrassment at getting caught.

    "Where did you get them?" I ask him. Merikh sits up in the bed, his back muscles rippling around the scars that make up the majority of his skin.

    "Do they gross you out?" he asks again and I frown.

    "Of course not." I tell him, though he doesn''t seem to believe me as he scoffs and reaches for a shirt. He tugs it over his head with a heavy sigh, then looks over his shoulder.

    "When do we leave?" I ask, changing the subject as I watch him slide on a pair of denim pants and move toward the dresser.

    "Are you eager to leave?" He asks, pausing and looking at me over his broad shoulder.

    "yes..." I admit.

    "Then we will leave now." He says. "All your stuff was packed and ced in the vehicle upst night." "But it''s two in the morning..." I tell him, my mouth gaping open, the thought of not being able to say goodbye to Grady, rejected mate or not. He was the only light spot in my life for so long.

    "I just want to be home with my Luna." He levels me with a stare and I gulp. "The pack will be excited to meet you."

    I feel that thick sludge of shame creeping back up in my mind, and I look away. His pack will hate me when they sense how weak I am. Will I be some joke there too? Or worse, am 1 just the means to an end for a political statement and he has someone else back in his pack?

    It would exin his desire to get home. Hisck of wanting to be intimate as the mate bond dictates and even as we kissed I could feel His hesitation. My chest burns at the thought and I tuck a hair behind my car, trying not to think about it. I know I have no right to be upset. I''m barely a real werewolf. Of course, that is why he selected me.

    I am weak, easy to manipte, and less likely toment on him having a preferred mistress. And why shouldn''t he? It''s not like I would promise him any strong heirs. No, I''m a pawn.

    A piece on his chess board to further his reach in the werewolf lycanmunities. And I''m okay with that. I think. But if that were true, then why does the thought make me want to throw up? "What is going on in that mind of yours?" He asks softly and I lift my eyes, my gaze shing with his. I force a smile. But he doesn''t seem to buy it, though he doesn''t say anything either.

    "Just excited to leave this ce." I tell him honestly.

    "Good. Percy will be here in a moment to take you to the SUV."

    "Percy?" I ask

    "The redhead. He is training to be a gamma." He says and I nod like I know what that means. I''ve never understood the role of a gamma as not all packs have one, like ours.

    "Is it not a sign of disrespect to leave without informing the alpha first?" I ask him and he chuckles. "Is it not a sign of disrespect to be physically osted by the Alpha''s daughter when you are a

    Luna?" He parries and I look away, ashamed.

    A knock on the door saves me from the silence filling the room, and Percy enters, an excited grin on his face.

    "The SUV is being pulled around as we speak. I can walk Luna Colette out, so you can go say the cordial goodbyes?" He asks, looking between us. I slide a nce to him, his eyes trained on me and he quirks a smile.

    "No need, a disrespect must be returned. If Bentley takes issue with our leave, he will reach out to let me now and then I can inform him of his daughter''s slights," he says, walking toward me.

    His big, warm hand engulfs mine, the little sparks from our new bond rippling through my skin as he urges me along beside him. It''s not entirely easy keeping up with a man about a solid foot or more taller than me, but I make sure to pick up my pace.

    Not a single soul is up as we exit the front door and mber into the ck vehicle. Percy hops in the passenger''s seat, and Merikh slides in next to me, his body imposing as it takes up more space than a normal person would. Again, he is a huge individual. And one whose thigh is pressed against. my leg.

    As we drive along, the trees pass by, the moon light cascading down along thendscape dusting it with a beautiful glow outlining everything I have never seen in the area.

    "Will you miss it?" Percy asks from the front, as I watch miles stretch by separating me from the pack that I called home. The pack that looked down on me and the people who made it their life''s journey to all ways belittle me.

    "No." I say firmly, knowing for a fact I will never miss this pack.

    The only person I will ever miss is Grady. My stomach twists at the thought of him and move around in the seat trying to getfortable and force him from my thoughts. Goosebumps erupt over my arms as I think about what life has a head for me. What my new pack will be like and if I will ever be epted as their true Luna.

    A warmth seems to radiate from Merikh, and I look up at him, catching him watching me with an amused look. Then he frowns and his arm lifts, swapping around the back of the seat, his hand resting on my shoulder and gently easing me into his open chest. My eyes roll to the back of my head as the warmth wraps around me and I can''t help the sigh that breaks from my lips. "You are cold," he murmurs, and I shake my head.

    "Not anymore...thank you." I offer, but he doesn''t respond. He then clears his throat, his thumb rubbing circles on my upper arm as he seems to grow nervous.

    "What do you like to do, Colette?" he asks, and I drop my head to the side in thought.

    "When I have time, I like to read." I offer, but he doesn''t seem satisfied.

    "I mean, what hobbies do you have? You can''t have tended to Leslie at all times?"

    "I''m not sure what you are hoping for, but I have no talents, Alpha."

    "Merikh. To you I am just Merikh," he whispers, leaning his head closer.

    "Yes-Merikh," I say and I swear I feel him shiver.

    "Do you not draw? Or garden or even sing?"

    "Ha!" I giggle. "Drawing would require materials, which I would not have been granted. I would kill a garden if I had one. I would never be able to give it the time it needed."

    "And singing?" he muses, and I shake my head.

    "I am an awful singer." I say with a soft chuckle.

    "Oh, I doubt that." He says sweetly and I smile up at him for the first time with a genuine, unscared smile. "Sing something for me,"

    "Definitely not. If my status didn''t scare you away, then there is no doubt my singing will. I was told my voice was so terrible it could kill any poor soul who had to hear it."

    "Well then, I suppose we won''t get you singing lessons anytime soon," he jokes, and I find myself at ease with him. "You will need to think of some hobbies or fun things you wish to do. You will be busy as a Luna, but you will also have free time to enjoy whatever you wish."

    "Well, I do like to read a lot,"

    "Then you should make use of the massive library we have."

    My eyes light up in excitement. "We have a library?" I ask, turning my body to face him. Merikh''s eyes grow wide, his mouth falling open as he yanks me close to his body and a loud crashing sound echoes through the air. ss breaks and my body floats, mming hard into the roof of the car. Our bodies tumble, Merikh trying to cling to me as I attempt to burrow my head into his massive safe chest.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    It feels like we roll for ages, every roughnding bruising my body bone deep until thest one. A crunch vibrates up my leg and pain follows behind it as I inhale sharply and release a sobbing cry. When I look at my leg, I grow lightheaded, the blood pools around me as I focus on the white sharp object sticking out of my flesh.

    "Is that..." I murmur before falling back, dizzy and bile rushing to my lips at the sight of my bone slicing through my thigh.

    The pain only grows more prevalent by the second as I reach out, feeling for Merikh. A hand grabs me and I cling to it, waiting for him to pull me to safety. Tears roll down my face as he roughly frees me from the tangled metal, and then he disappears.

    I feel his hand on my ankle, then suddenly he tugs on me, making me cry out in sheer agony as dots dancing across my field of vision.

    "Merikh," I whimper out, hoping to beg him to stop. "Please..."

    I know my words are weak, barely audible as my consciousness wanes. "Colette!" I hear him scream and I force myself to look behind me, where I see him limping in my direction as I am pulled away. The pain is reced with sheer terror as the person stops dragging me, dropping my leg haphazardly.

    "You don''t need to be awake for this bit," a deep voice murmurs, walking over to me, a hood darkening his face though I can see a glow of red in his eyes. Then an object strikes my cheek with a dull thud and the world slowly fades away. Thest thing I see and hear are Merikh''s feral eyes and the roar of his beasting to life.

 Chapter 5

    ?Chapter 5

    **MERIKH POV**

    Something snaps in me when I see Colette. Rage rises in my chest unlike anything I have ever felt and my lycan surfaces without me calling to it. Any pain I had felt from the ident dissipates, a hunger for revenge recing it as my lycan roars, and we barrel toward the asshole who has her. He doesn''t move as my massive frame crashes into his chest, his sternum creaking in warning before the twanging sound of his lower ribs breaking rings in my ears. I m him into the edge of the asphalt, a soft grunt and a whoosh of air escaping him as we hit the ground, his head bouncing with a dull thud.

    Not a moment is wasted as I straddle his body and my ws rain down on him. Every strike release the copper taste of blood into the air, spraysnding on my snouted face. He breaks into a fit ofughter, a sick wet and gurgling sound, and I sit back, watching him, confused. For the first time, I notice not only the red that has taken over his eyes but the listless look as he seems to stare right through me.

    I tilt my head to the side, watching the blood pool around him as I stand up. The red in his eyes seems to drain, the whites returning and revealing blue eyes that morph into pain. His face distorts, a cry breaking from him as he is consumed by injuries I have delivered. He convulses before his eyes roll to the back of his head, and his body stills.

    What the hell was that?

    "Alpha!" I hear Percy screaming my name and I spin intime to catch a werewolf as it lunges for my face.

    My ws sink into its flesh as I side step and spin, throwing his body into the truck that hit us. His body ms into a jagged edge of metal, piercing through his back and through his chest. When I slide my eyes to Percy again, he shifts into his lycan form and rushes to Colette''s unmoving body, fighting off two men of his own. A tight gripping in my chest spurs me to take a step toward her and see another body to my right.

    Where the hell are these guys evening from?

    Pain sears the back of my thigh and I hiss, twisting to look down and glimpsing a wolf biting my leg, then bounding back, ready to fight. Her hackles rise and her blood stained lips curls, taunting me as I try to reach out to grab her. She is fast, much faster than the other two assholes.

    I take a step forward to attack her when I hear a sound on the cement, a crunch of the broken ss as if something being dragged, and I understand this bitch doesn''t want to fight me. She is a distraction.

    I turn on my heels, sprinting toward Colette, ignoring the weight of the wolf on my back as shetches onto my back. I force the pain of her relentless biting away and focus on the man dragging Colette. He has the same look as the one before, lifeless red eyes that seem hollow.

    I hesitate only for a moment before getting close enough to lunge at the guy. Instead of tackling him, I grab hold of his neck with a raging roar and hold him up. He releases her ankle and looks off into the forest behind me. I feel more weight at my back, the trickle of blood dripping down my skin, and in frustration, my fingers twitch, crushing his windpipe with my beast ws.

    I growl as I drop him to the ground and reach over my shoulder, trying to grab the one on my back but miss. I try again. Once more, she evades my ws. In frustration, I allow myself to fall backward, my gigantic frame crashing hard onto her fur d body trapping her between my sheer mass and the unmoving asphalt. I can feel the bones pop and the wetness of her blood spilling beneath me.

    I roll off her, scrambling over to Colette as I kneel, unsure of how to hold her. In lycan form I am an eight foot tall half man half lycan, my body covered in muscle and fur, but my ws...they are dangerous and I could hurt her. Thest thing I want to do is hurt her more, so I lean forward, my arms framing her freckled face, and I see a cut over her eye.

    My lycan whines dipping our head down, nuzzling our cool snout along her cheek, hoping to awaken her though she does not move. I can hear her heartbeat, feel her warm breath so I know

    she is alive, but she is losing blood quickly and her leg needs healing fast.

    I hear the roar of Percy''s lycan and see him drop to his knees before three red-eyed wolves. I jerk up to move, but catch the movement of more in my peripheral and I growl low in frustration. Where the hell are the rest of my pack who traveled with me? If I don''t go to Percy, he likely will be killed. But I refuse to leave Colette exposed to these assholes'' grabby hands.

    I whimper in her ear, my razor sharp w gingerly slipping around her as I pull her to my heaving chest. I sprint to Percy, clinging my luna close, then step behind the man closest to me before getting up behind him and sinking my teeth into the nape of his sweaty neck.

    The tang of warm blood hits my tongue and my beast purrs in excitement. I spin on my massive feet, biting down to the vertebra as I spin, leaning forward to ensure he isn''t close enough to grab for Colette, and then I twist my head to the left with a quick snap and his body goes limp. Percy takes the moment to lunge for the legs of the second guy, his ws slicing through flesh and embedding into femur. I take two steps toward the other asshole, who turns to face me as someone in human form tackles him. Hends on top, hammering his fists into the man''s face before stopping short of killing him.

    "Want him alive?" Hayes, my beta, asks and a sense of relief washes over me. My eyes close, my lycan retreating, knowing we have our back up.

    "He will be of no use. Look at his eyes. I don''t think they will remember anything." I murmur, walking over to him. Percy pants in his human form, hunched over and his face as red as his hair as he slides a re to Hayes.

    "Interesting," Hayes says, then he reaches down and swiftly and painlessly breaks the man''s neck before turning to walk over to us.

    "You arete," Percy hisses, rising to his feet.

    "You were due to meet us, Percy. Not the other way around." He reminds him as he snaps to one of our warriors and catches a bag of clothing.

    Hayes tosses a pair of shorts at Percy''s face, who catches it with a growl before pulling them over his exposed lower half. He reaches out to hand me a pair of sweatpants and quirks a brow when he sees my hesitancy to release Colette.

    "You expecting me to put them on you?" He asks with a smirk and I re at him.

    "I need a healer now. And somewhere soft toy her." I order.

    "There is some grass over the "

    I growl with my Alpha tone and his eyes grow wide in shock. He steps close to me, frustration in his eyes.

    "I am your beta, but I am also your brother, Merikh. If you don''t like an option given, use your big boy words, not your big boy voice."

    "She is your Luna Hayes," I grit out. "Do you think the grass is where she belongs?"

    "When there is nowhere else?" he scoffs. "Then yes."

    "Alpha, I will take her," our warrior medic says, putting his arms out. I scowl, taking a step pack and hugging her close.

    "No." I growl and Hayes frowns.

    "You asked for a healer," He reminds me and she whimpers in my arms, the pain waking her.

    "I promise to be gentle," my medic assures me and I reluctantly release her to him and he rushes off.

    "So that''s our Luna, huh?" Hayes says, tossing my sweatpants at me.

    "Yes." I respond by shoving my leg through the pants violently.

    "Doesn''t look like much," he tilts his head and I freeze, fury racing through me as my lips twitch and I remind myself I can''t kill my little brother. Even if he is really pissing me off.

    "Watch how you talk about her," Percy says, pacing over.

    "Watch how you talk to me," Hayes shoots back. "I am your superior."

    "Enough," I growl. "I will not have you talking poorly of what is mine."

    Hayes'' eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

    "Yours? And here I thought your n wasn''t even to follow through with the union..."

    "Things changed," I mutter, heading in the direction they took Colette. I can see her injuries being examined quickly, while they prepare the herbs to stop the bleeding and numb the site of her injury.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    "Things changed? Like what?" Hayes scoffs. I purse my lips, ncing over at her once more. "You better not tell me she is your second chance mate,"

    I exhale, turning back to look at him and he runs a hand through his hair, his tongue rubbing over his teeth.

    "Holy shit! She is, isn''t she?"

 Chapter 6

    ?Chapter 6

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± I ask and Hayes looks at me in disbelief, giving me his brotherly ¡®We don¡¯t keep secrets¡® look.

    ¡°It matters to me, in how I treat her. Is she your mate?¡± Hayes asks.

    ¡°She is your Luna. You will treat her how she should be treated.¡± I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

    ¡°Merikh.¡± He whispers low, his eyes softening and I know where his thoughts are going and I refuse to go down that memoryne with him. I refuse to go down it ever again.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°She is my mate.¡± I say matter of fact, and heughs, rolling his eyes.

    ¡°Mate, as in you chose her and followed through with the union to the Alpha¡¯s daughter-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the Alpha¡¯s daughter.¡± Percy says with a knowing smile.

    ¡°Then who the fuck is it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Colette,¡± Percy says, his smile even wider now. I roll my eyes because no one knows shit about what is actually happening. Hell, it was hard enough for me to believe it when I saw her.

    ¡°Who the hell is Colette?¡±

    ¡°She is my second chance mate¡­¡± I admit with a sigh.

    ¡°And you epted her¡­¡± He murmurs, his eyes observing me as though he needs to gauge my reaction.

    ¡°Lycan¡¯s can¡¯t reject a second chance mate, Hayes, you know that. There was no leaving without her. I didn¡¯t have a choice,¡± I mutter, and he nods in understanding, blowing out a puff of air.

    ¡°How did she take it?¡± He asks.

    ¡°She isn¡¯t aware of it¡­¡± I say with a wince, and Hayes watches me with curiosity.

    ¡°Recently rejected then¡­¡± he muses.

    ¡°Alpha, she is waking up,¡± the healer says, looking over his shoulder. ¡°I think it would be best if you are at leastaround her, so she doesn¡¯t wake up rmed and thinking she was kidnapped or something.¡±

    I find the sentiment ironic considering I didn¡¯t really give her a choice in our mating. More of an ultimatum. In some realms of the world, that might be considered kidnapping. Not in ours, though, not when you are a royal and privy to knowledge your true mate doesn¡¯t have.

    She sits up; her face is pale as she reaches out with a whimper for her leg.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± I ask, moving to her side.

    She squeals and jumps at the sound of my voice, her hands shaking and her face painted in fear before she seems to calm andes to her senses. I press my hand to her forehead and she closes her eyes, her head pressing into my warm palm as if she is too weak to hold herself up.

    ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary.¡± She says softly and my muscles tense, ¡°aside from my leg, it feels like a normal beating.¡±

    My lips twitch, a snarl waiting to break free as I press my lips together tightly. My lycan roars within me, tearing to get out and head back to her pack and kill anyone who hurt her. But I store those emotions away for a day. I will need that anger. Because there will be other fights. This attack was not the first and now that I have a Luna I dare say it will be thest.

    ¡°I rmend getting her settled and re¨Cwrapped as soon as possible. The closest ce is her pack ¡°The healer tries to say before we cut him off.

    ¡°No!¡± Colette and I say in unison..

    ¡°We should get back to our pack as soon as possible. Staying out here or going back will just leave us exposed to more attacks. The only safe ce for us is home.¡± I finish, my eyes sliding to watch her as she looks down at herp.

    If I set foot in that pack again, I will only kill people. No, we need to go where I know it is safe. For her and my treaty.

    Her outfit is covered in blood, her pants torn and ripped off nearly up to her underwear line, where a white bandage is settled over her skin with green herbs covering the injury. The long makeshift splint frames her leg, making it unbendable, and I find I want to fix it. To fix her, but I know until the mate bond is fully recognizable for her, my presence doesn¡¯t do much to speed her healing. It helps, but not the way it regrly would.

    ¡°Come,¡± I say in a whisper. Moving to her side, Colette nods without looking at me, her legs swinging to the side. as if she ns to walk and a low displeased grumble radiates through my chest. She looks up suddenly, shocked.

    ¡°I will carry you.¡± I tell her, not giving her the chance to refuse me.

    My arms slip under her knees, her splint doing its job to keep her legs motionless. As my other arm wraps around her back. I tug her close, my heart beating fast as she locks her eyes with mine. There''s a hitch in her breathing and I smirk. I enjoy having this effect on her.

    "When will we be in your pack?" She asks a soft whisper.

    "If we get moving now, we will make it by sunset." Her muscles tense and I can sense a shift in her. She seems to grow smaller, as if she is shrinking into a shell of fear.

    "There will be no more attacks," Hayes says, stepping up beside us, Percy wandering close behind. "After a surprise attack, the victims are always on high alert. Nah, they will wait for our guard to fall before they attack again." I scowl at my idiot brother.

    "Very helpful, Hayes." I mutter.

    "Who is Hayes?" She whispers up at me, confused. I look at Hayes to my right, who beams at her, about to open his mouth.

    "He is my idiot younger brother." I sigh and Colette looks mildly amused.

    "And his Beta," Hayes does an awkward walking bow as we approach my luxury SUV that I had waiting by for uster in our journey.

    "Ah," is all Colette says. Hayes opens the door and I gingerly slide Colette in. She settles in and I make sure she isfortable before closing the door.

    "I''ll drive." Hayes says.

    "We shouldn''t be in the same vehicle," I remind him. In case something happens, one of us must survive.

    "You know I''m the most skilled driver here. If I had been driving, they wouldn''t have-"

    "Bullshit!" Percy growls, stepping up. "That''s bullshit and you know it! They came out of nowhere. Lights off and rammed from the side."

    "Boys," I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose as my exhaustion and my pain settles into my bones.

    "Breaks, or the gas pedal could have helped you avoid

    "Enough!" I roar, both of them wincing as they look at me like two pups who just got caught stealing thest cookie. "Hayes, drive. Percy in the passenger seat. I don''t want to hear a damnment from either of you. Understood?!" I growl.

    I don''t wait for their agreement as I move around the back of the SUV, my hand pressing into the back of the cool metal vehicle to help me brace myself and breathe. My back is heated, and my skin cracks with every move, no doubt the blood drying to my skin from the various bite marks I received earlier. I inhale a deep breath, preparing myself to be near my mate for hours, and then I crawl in the door.

    Colette looks up at me as I settle in next to her, afraid to touch her as we begin our second trek home. After a few moments I see her bite her lip as we hit a bump and I reach out, pulling her into my arms to afford her all the help our weak bond can. I prop my leg up, then lean forward, my cheek brushing hers as I lift her injured leg up onto mine for better support.

    My back burns again, and I bite back a hiss. These pains aren''t foreign to me. I''m scarred for a reason. I''ve lived through many battles. These little things are no different.

    "Is that not ufortable?" She asks weakly. "I was fine..."

    "The bond may be weak as we are not fully mated, but with my status, my touch can help to heal you faster and ease some of your pain. I got you into this mess, Colette, please allow me to help you how I can." I whisper into her ears as she presses her back into my chest. She quiets down with a half nod of eptance.

    By the time the sun is setting, exhaustion has weaved a web over my b*dy. My limbs feel heavy, my arms tingling and my legs seem to burn with every passing second we remain in the vehicle. I shuffle to the side slightly, Colette stirring and pushing up.

    She looks up at me over her shoulder, and I watch as little dots dance over her face. My hands reach out, my brows furrowing as I try to catch them. Her skin is soft, and her eyes curious as she seems to watch me curiously.

    "Merikh...," she says as the door opens behind me.

    "Alpha." Percy says, "We are ho-Shit your back looks..."

    "It will be fine." I rasp out, suddenly feeling faint as I maneuver my way out of the vehicle. I stumble, my hand mming into the ground as I catch myself. "Shit."

    "Hayes," Percy calls out in a worried tone, and I grow in discontent.

    "Shut up, Percy." I grumble, moving back to the door and reaching in to help Colette out.

    Her leges out first, and I ease it past me before I wrap my hands around her waist and lift her as my vision nks out. My b*dy feels like it ignites in a broiling heat as I crumple to the ground, blind and in agony. The only touch that brings me peace is that small patch where Colette''s cool hands touch my heated flesh.

 Chapter 7

    *Colette*

    My hands cling to Merikh as he drops, my injured leg keeping me from catching myself as I tumble down onto him with a pained cry. My kneends on his chest, my hands pressing onto him to remove my weight from his massive frame as heys heated and unmoving. Fear bubbles in my chest, watching his body work hard to breathe, his tender flesh around his cor bone sucking in harshly.

    ¡°Merikh,¡± I say, awkwardly trying to force myself to stand on the brace that holds my injured leg straight. ¡°Wake up,¡± I whisper, my request growing more panicked by the second. A hand gently grabs my arm and pulls me up, but I feelpelled to be near him, the way he wished to be near me, to help with my pain.

    ¡°Hayes!¡± Percy screams, and he seems to appear out of thin air.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± Hayes swoops down, grunting as he tries to pull Merikh up. He gets him up enough for him to look at his back and his face pales.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask, unable to find my breath now. ¡°What is it? What happened?¡±

    ¡°Get her to her room,¡± Hayes orders Percy, who turns his attention to me.

    ¡°Come with me,¡± he murmurs, and I furrow my brows in frustration as he hurries to usher me away.

    ¡°I want to stay with him,¡± I tell them and Hayes chuckles, rolling his eyes.

    ¡°You just met him yesterday and your bond isn¡¯t even fully initiated yet,¡± he says with a cool tone to his voice. ¡°You have nothing to offer him. What he needs is a healer.¡±

    I want to fight back, to argue that I am the Luna now. But I don¡¯t feel like a Luna, and I certainly don¡¯t look like a Luna. I am weak, injured, and my chosen mate is out ofmission. Without Merikh I am just a weak werewolf on their turf.

    ¡°You need a healer too,¡± Percy reminds me as I frown.

    ¡°I was already seen.¡± Iin, but he presses his lips into a t line.

    ¡°You need a bandage change and rest if you ever hope to heal¡­¡±

    ¡°I know but-¡± I try to spin to see Merikh.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, Luna.¡± Percy says in a low voice, as he swoops down and lifts me into his arms. I squeal in shock. ¡°But I understand the status you were, and the state your wolf was in when we met you. Healing is exactly what Alpha Merikh wants for you. Of that, I am sure you are not strong enough to offer him any help. Not right now anyway,¡±

    His words sting, hurting what tiny bit of pride I have left. I look over his shoulder as Percy whisks me away from Merikh. Several warriors rush in and scramble to pick up his massive body and take him away. I shouldn¡¯t care like I do, but I know it isn¡¯t love or even the small pull from our weak bond. I care because Merikh saved me. Not just once, or twice, but on multiple asions since meeting him yesterday.

    He saved me when he chose me. He saved me when Leslie attacked me again. Then he tried to shield my body with his in the crash and then holding me close even though I am certain he finds me repulsive, for the sake of helping me heal.

    Merikh, the scary massive mountain of a Lycan and the known alpha of death, protected me. And I can¡¯t help but feel a little protective of him in the same way.

    ¡°Where are they taking him?¡± I ask Percy. He gives me a curious look, then a small smirk tickles his lips.

    ¡°They are taking him to the infirmary. Then he will wind up back in his room for his resting period.¡±

    I furrow my brows and purse my lips. ¡°Does this happen often?¡±

    ¡°The attack or his serious injuries?¡± Percy asks, and I can gather from his tone that both are a regr urrence.

    ¡°Mmm, so both happen on a regr basis.¡± I state with a heavy exhale.

    ¡°Alpha Merikh is a powerful yer in our world. Many want him gone.¡±

    ¡°Why would werewolves want him gone?¡± I ask, confused. ¡°He is the Lycan king. Without him, there will be no keeping the peace.¡±

    A world with no king is a breeding ground for chaos for our kind. The smaller pack alphas would fight for control and never fully have it, as there would be no trust between any of them. Even though Alpha Bentley hates being under another alpha, he respects Merikh and the Lycan¡¯s. All the wolves do, so what pack has the power to keep attacking and still survive the wrath of the Alpha of death?

    Percy clears his throat and looks at my braced leg.

    ¡°How is the pain right now?¡± he asks and I get the feeling he is changing the subject.

    ¡°It is numb for now,¡± I say truthfully, feeling no pain, though I think once my heart rate and worry for Merikh settle that pain will rip through me like a bear stumbling onto a beehive.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Percy says with a cheery voice. ¡°We are here. Just¡­wait here for when Merikh calls for you. He will be better soon.¡±

    He helps me into the room, cing me on the bed. He quickly grabs a small pile of clothing and ces it next to me with a smile before he disappears, leaving me alone in the massive room. My hand brushes the satin pajama set and, with a huff, I shuck my dirty top off and pull on the smooth fabric.

    I frown down at my jeans. Orck thereof. Trying to decide if taking off the brace is the best idea. Then again, perhaps doing it while the pain is gone is my better option. Iy on my back wiggling out of my one full leg of denim and the other that was ripped to near nothing on the other side. It doesn¡¯t take much to slip on the satin bottoms thatey halfway down my bandage wound.

    A light breeze softly brushes the sheer curtains aside, drawing my attention, and I watch as the rest of the sun goes down on a massiveke. My mouth feels dry, my hands itching as I nervously wait, watching the water as it ripples from the same breeze that tickles my cheeks.

    It¡¯s stunning.

    The way the purples and pink hues dance across the ssy water that hypnotizes me, pulling me into a calming trance as I get lost, looking in the one thing that makes me feel home. There were no bodies of water like this back in my pack. Just a creek that would asionally flow with water after a massive rain storm. But this beauty. .it is one that has never been tainted with terrible memories or pain. It¡¯s new, and soul cleansing-

    I ease myself further onto the bed,ying my head down as I watch the way the water grows darker with every passing second. My eyes be heavy, my pain still subsiding as slowly the breeze and the smell of the fresh air seem to wrap me in a soft nket of serenity and I fall asleep.

    When I wake again, I am in the same position, my heart delighting in the realization that I am still here, still safe. Then I hear arguing down the hall as the bedroom door opens and a pretty young woman walks in with a tray of food. My stomach growls on cue. She gives me a soft smile as she walks toward me.

    ¡°Is Merikh okay?¡± I ask, my mind wandering back to the whole reason I am here and even alive. She frowns.

    ¡°He has been poisoned.¡± She takes a seat next to me, cing the tray between us.

    ¡°What?¡± My eyes grow wide and I try to push off the bed. Pain tears through me, taking my breath from my lungs. as I gasp and bile rises. I sp a hand over my mouth and the woman frowns.

    ¡°You should drink this.¡± She offers me a steaming mug of something, but I shake my head. Between my fear and pain, I have no appetite for even something to drink.

    ¡°When will he be back?¡± I ask her and she shrugs.

    ¡°Might be awhile.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°C¨Ccan I see him?¡± I ask, worried about bacsh, as sheughs lightly, shaking her head.

    ¡°You are the Luna: The person you answer to is down the hall out ofmission. As far as I¡¯m concerned, you can do whatever the hell you like.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡±

    ¡°But Hayes¡­¡± she rolls her eyes and waves me off.

    ¡°Hayes is a beta with daddy issues. He idolizes Alpha Merikh, he is just worried.¡±

    A loud scream vibrates the bedroom door and I swallow roughly, my throat suddenly pained. Merikh must be in so much pain. I tilt my head. Maybe if I am the one to change his bandages, it will hurt less? I know our bond is weak, but it¡¯s something and though I¡¯m not a healer, I was always taking care of everyone back in my pack. This is something I know how to do, the one thing I have to offer.

    I push through the pain as I carefully extract myself from the bed. I look over my shoulder, waiting for the maid to stop me, but she pops a grape into her mouth, looking amused. She watches me as I quickly grab the unsteady brace and tie it back to my leg as tightly as possible, hoping to avoid making it worse by walking.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to stop me?¡± I ask, a little surprised when I am done and she is still sitting in silence. She shrugs.

    ¡°What the hell can I do? My Luna wishes to see her Alpha.¡± She smirks and her eyes go wide as she leans forward. ¡°And don¡¯t let Hayes try to talk you out of it. You need to talk first and then you need to insist on taking over, gotit Luna?¡± She asks and I nod.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I ask with a furrowed brow, feeling uneasy.

    ¡°Oh, absolutely.¡± She says with the utmost certainty.

    Okay. I can do this. I just need a little confidence in my status. The status I never wanted or asked for or have an idea how to be, but that¡¯s irrelevant.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let Hayes speak,¡± I mutter to myself, inching my way out of the room and down the hallway. I cling to the wall for support, sweat beading my brow as the pain seems to eat me alive, but for once I feel a little stronger, a little more resolved, like I¡¯m making the right decision.

    He cries out again, an agonizing scream muffled by something and I can only assume Merikh is biting down onto a fabric. I can hear bickering and angry crashing as I get to the door and release a puff of air.

    The door flings open and Hayes nearly runs into me on his way out with a curse.

    ¡°Colette,¡± he says, shocked. ¡°You should be resting,¡±

    ¡°I want to see him,¡± I say weakly, and he frowns.

    ¡°Now is not the best time,¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± I ask, cing all my weight on my good leg.

    ¡°I am about to clean his wounds and he-¡±

    ¡°I will do it,¡± I say, piping up.

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think that is really a good-¡±

    ¡°I know how to clean a wound and re¨Cbandage. You have been with him all night. I promise to take care of him.¡±

    A smile creeps along his lips as he nods his head and looks over his shoulder.

    ¡°You know what? You make a fair point. I am tired and if you truly feel up to it, then why not?¡± He steps back, gesturing for me to enter the room. Then he points to the corner. ¡°The herbs are there, but you will need to scrub the wounds with that special cream colored scrub before applying them.¡±

    ¡°Scrub?¡± I ask, my brows shooting into my hairline.

    ¡°Yes, he is in the healing waters,¡±

    ¡°Healing waters?¡± I ask as he giddily pushes past me. He spins on his heels, taking a few steps backward with a cheery grin.

    ¡°It¡¯s like arge hot tub with herbs.¡±

    ¡°Hot tub¡­¡± I repeat and heughs.

    ¡°A bath, Luna. He is in arge bath,¡±

    ¡°Woah, wait!¡± I holler after him as he rushes away, leaving me in the doorway as a pained gruntes from my back. I close my eyes, my stomach twisting in painful knots as I take three deep, calming breaths.

    I step into the steamy room, closing the door behind me as I inhale the fragrant air. The room is silent aside from the heavy breathinging from Merikh as I move closer. The air swirls, and my breathing hitches as his eyes meet mine in confusion.

    ¡°Colette¡­What are you doing here?¡± he rasps, standing and walking toward me. I reach over, taking hold of the sponge thing Hayes pointed out. I clutch it to my chest and hobble to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to help,¡± I announce, with a squeak. He arches a brow before wincing and grunting.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to get in here with me if you n to help. Are you okay with that?¡±

    ¡°Mm hmm¡­¡± I nod, lying. ¡°Totally okay with that.¡±

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8

    I am not okay with this, I am not okay with this. I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS.

    My insides are screaming, the nerves fueled by the anxiety of whatys below the waterline that is nibbling at Merikh¡¯s waist. He moves closer to me, ea

    ¡°I am teasing, Colette. I can manage this on my own.¡± He says with a concerned look. ¡°There is no need for you to stress yourself.¡±

    I snap my eyes to meet his and I see he is serious, his hand extending to take the sponge from me. I scowl and hold it tighter. No, I can do this. I don¡¯t fig

    ¡°Could youe and sit on the edge? Maybe there are some stairs¡­?¡± I ask hopeful, and he tilts his head to the side.

    ¡°The water will be helpful for your leg. You coulde in as well.¡± He says like being n*ked with him

    isn¡¯t easily the most insane idea I have ever heard. He must see the shock and horror on my face as he smiles. ¡°You can keep your undergarments on. I

    to try anything.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do that with this thing on my leg.¡± I point to the wooden brace still tied to my leg, and he moves closer, stepping up and revealing mo

    off the marble walls as my heart thuds in my ears.

    ¡°You do not have to. I won¡¯t force it on you, but it would be good for your healing.¡± He sounds almost convincing. I peek over my shoulder, opening one e

    Even pale and a little green in the face, he is more attractive than any male has the right to be. I frown but inch my way over to him, where he stands at t

    I think it would be best if you soak and I bandage you when you are ready.¡±

    ¡°Come,¡± he sighs, sounding like he is struggling with pain, or just patience. I can¡¯t quite tell either, though they

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    INSTALL

    seem like they could both be fueling each other. ¡°I¡¯ve soaked for long enough.¡±

    Merikh takes another step up and I find myself shrouded in darkness as my eyes and lips squeeze together in an effort not to spy him n*ked. There is a r

    fingers teasing my chin and I allow my eyes to open.

    He tilts my face up, his eyes meeting mine as he stares into my being. My heart pounds in my ears, my lungs struggling to keep up with the steam and, w

    him being this close. I lick my lips and his eyes sh ck for a moment before he winces again, and stumbles back a step. I reach out, afraid he might f

    ¡°I need you to be lower if I have to clean out your wounds.¡± I whisper, feeling parched for water.

    His eyes lock on mine as he lowers down to his knees. He gently plucks the sponge from my hand and leans over, dragging it through the water before

    ck veins stemming from two angry red spots near his shoulder des.

    ¡°This will probably hurt,¡± I inform him and he nods, his muscles tense as he readies himself.

    ¡°Talk to me?¡± He grunts as I press the sponge to his wound. ¡°Distract my mind.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± I admit, and he flinches away before settling with a shudder.

    ¡°Anything will do, Colette.¡± he grits out, ¡°Your favorite color, what you like to eat. Say whateveres to mind.¡±

    ¡°How were they able to poison you?¡± I ask curiously, pressing harder as I drag the herbal scrub over his bite mark. He quivers and grunts in pain.

    ¡°They poisoned themselves,¡± he says after a sharp inhale. I freeze for a moment, remembering the red eyes

    of the man who stood over me. I had thought I imagined it, but maybe that was real. Perhaps I was looking at a poisoned werewolf.

    ¡°Is that why their eyes were red?¡± I ask curiously, dragging the scrub down once more. He pauses, looking over his shoulder at me and frowning.

    ¡°You noticed that?¡± He asks curiously.

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    18:11

    Emergency calls onlyM

    ¡°Yes.¡± I shrug.

    101090%

    He hums in discontent, looking forward again. ¡°Their eyes were red for another reason.¡± He says simply.

    +5

    ¡°¡­ why were they red?¡± I ask. ¡°Werewolves don¡¯t have red eyes, it isn¡¯t something that exists in our kind¡­but I was sure they were wolves¡­¡±

    ¡°They were.¡± He agrees, but he doesn¡¯t borate. I frown at his back, releasing a frustrated huff.

    ¡°I¡¯m not understanding.¡± I furrow my brows and he again goes silent on me. ¡°Alpha¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, it¡¯s just Merikh.¡± He murmurs. ¡°We are mates now. Call me by my name, not my title.¡±

    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Ah. Right, I forgot. Um. Merikh,¡± I say, pausing and biting back a nervous smile that breaks free. ¡°What was wrong with the people who attacked us?¡± I a

    ¡°There are a few things that could have made them that way.¡± He says with a small shrug. ¡°But my first guess is that they were under a spell.¡±

    my brows knit together in confusion at his statement.

    ¡°Percy made it seem like this kind of thing happens a lot¡­¡± I mention trying to find the right way to ask about being spelled.

    He chuckles, his shoulders rising and falling under my hands.

    ¡°In a sense, yes, we are attacked often.¡±

    I frown, considering what he is saying. Here I thought this was the most powerful pack, the Lycan King who reigns over all werewolves, yet he is attacked

    ¡°And do they always try to poison you?¡±

    ¡°This is not the first time, no,¡± he admits, sounding amused.

    ¡°But they are wolves¡­¡± I say matter of fact.

    ¡°Mmm, yes, these ones were.¡± He says simply, like there are any other possibilities. Unless that¡¯s exactly what he

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    Emergency calle only M calle onlyM

    means. I blink, my hand stilling, and he slowly spins to face me.

    101090% 18:11

    ¡°What do you mean by that? Like you mean humans?¡± I ask, and he tilts his head to the side.

    -5

    ¡°You don¡¯t really think it¡¯s just werewolves and humans in the world, do you?¡± He asks, a twinkle in his eyes. I open my mouth to respond but snap it bac

    murmurs.

    ¡°It sounds like¡­I mean¡­are you saying¡­¡±

    ¡°That there are other supernatural beings in the world?¡± he arches his brow and I feel him extract the sponge from my hand. Tossing it to the side as he

    faces me fully, rising to his feet. I limp back, stumbling slightly as he catches me, his warm arms wrapping around my back.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I whisper, my eyes following the sponge, wishing for that little tiny barrier between us.

    ¡°My wounds are clean,¡± His voice is a husky grumble tickling through my b*dy as I lick my lips and watch his face. His eyes trail over me, hungrily eating

    ¡°So you are feeling better¡­?¡± I ask, feeling shy.

    ¡°A little,¡± Merikh gives me a knowing smile before he leans away, his hands on my waist ensuring I have a better

    footing.

    My eyes grow wide in shock as I am drawn to the water dripping down his scarred yet impably fit b*dy. His abs ripple with every heavy

    breath and his massive chest rises and falls as he runs a wet hand through his hair, slicking it back before shaking it out.

    I am suddenly traveling in the Sahara Desert, my lips dry and my b*dy sweltering with heat. He takes a step toward me, the towel around his waist slippi

    ¡°I have shorts on, Colette. Though I find this¨Cinnocence¨C

    rather endearing.¡± He smiles wide as I peek up at him. He reaches out, grabbing the herbs on the side table and fresh bandages, and once again drops

    ¡°These herbs are for you,¡± I say, shoving his hand away. He freezes, scowling up at me.

    ¡°Your leg is in worse condition.¡±

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    Emergency calle only MO

    ¡°You are still fighting poison.¡± I remind him, and he rolls his eyes, scoffing.

    ¡°I am used to my injuries. They will heal,¡±

    ¡°So will my leg.¡± I say with a frown, and he sighs.

    ¡°You are weak, Colette. Your healing will take longer than mine will.¡±

    101090% 18:11

    My cheeks grow pink again, though this time it¡¯s a different kind of embarrassment. It¡¯s not being caught staring or having lustful thoughts. It¡¯s me realizin

    ¡°Right,¡± I mumble, noticing how his hand hesitates for a moment. Then he exhales a sigh and ces the herbs in my hands.

    ¡°Do as you please,¡± he grits out, spinning his back to face me, leaving me once again shocked by his actions.

    I hold the herbs in my hand, looking from them to his back, and then I bite my lip. It¡¯s crazy to think about it, even dumber to hope for it, but maybe¡­

    just maybe the Alpha of Death likes me¡­

 Chapter 9

    Chapter9

    ¡°MerikhPOV¡±

    ¡°Sowhendoyountoannouncetothepackwe haveanewLuna¡­?¡±Hayesasks,proppinghisfeetuponmcouch.Iscothim,pacingoverandppingthemoffmyfurniture.

    ¡°Whensheisready,¡±Isaysimply.

    ¡°Andwhathaveyoudomakeherreadyforit?¡±Hayesasks.

    ¡°Ihavebeenbusy,Hayes.Ifyouhaven¡¯tnoticed,Ihavebeentryingtotracktheassholeswhotriedtokillme.¡±Igrotmybrother.He popsupfromthecouchandpacestothemassivebaywindowoverlookingthke.

    ¡°Arewesosuretheywereafteryou?¡±Heaskssoftly,andIdon¡¯tlookathim.Myjawclenching.

    ¡°Yes,¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Howwhat?¡±Isnapathim.

    ¡°Howareyousosure?¡±

    ¡°Whoelsewouldtheybeafter?¡±Iaskwithanannoyedsigh.

    ¡°I¡¯mnotdense,brother.Iseethethingsevenyoutrytokeepfromme.¡±

    ¡°No.Youareright,youaren¡¯tdense,But thatdoesn¡¯tmeanyouknowwhatyouaretalkingaboutwiththis.¡±

    ¡°TheycrashedintoyourvehicleandleftYOU.¡±Hesaysinascoff,¡°theydraggedherandleftyou-¡±

    ¡°Theywerebaitingme.¡±Igrothim.¡°Tryingtodrawmeoutandtauntme.It¡¯swhattheyalwaysdo.¡±

    ¡°Whatiftheyknow¡­¡±hewhispersandIpress mylipstogetherinworry.Itwould bealietosaythesamethoughthasn¡¯tcrossedmymindonceortwice.

    ¡°Thereisnowayforthemtoknow,Hayes.¡±Igivehimapointedlookandhesighs,defeated.¡°Onlyweknow,hellevenColetteisinthedarkonthis.Itisnotpossibleforanyoknow.¡±

    ¡°Iknowit¡¯snotlogicaltothinktheywouldknow,butitfeelswrong,Itfeelsoff,itfeelslikewhathappenedwithLauren-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯tsayherfuckingname!¡±Ihissinanger,pacingoverandgrabbingHayesbythecorofhisshirt.Theverysoundofhernamemakesmyskincrandmychestburn.Itdoesn¡¯tmatterthatIagreewithhimonthis.Thatitfeelsoff.Ican¡¯tbringmyselftothinkaboutwhat happenedyearsago.

    ¡°Okay,¡±hesays,handsupindefenseasIreleasehimwithaheavysigh.¡°Look,Ididn¡¯tmeanitwashappeningagain,Ijust¡­weignoredthesignsbefore.¡±

    ¡°Iknow,¡±Igrumble,sighingasIshuffleawayfromhimanddragmyhandsthroughmyhair.¡°Iknow,I¡¯msorry,Ijust¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯sbeen years,Merikh,¡±heremindsme,butitdoesn¡¯tremovetheacheofbetrayal.

    Noamountoftimecanmuddlethememoriesthatremainsodamnvivid inmymind.Hercries,thebegging,thelies.

    ¡°WeneedtokeepColettesafe,¡±Isay,ignoringhim.¡°Theyareafterme,andherrealsignificancetomeremainsasecret.Itmustremain thatwayeventoher.Iremindhim,andhefrownswhenIlookhisway.

    ¡°Thatmeansyouwillneedtoofficiallytakeherasafullmatebeforethemonthisup,Merikh.Yougetthatright?¡±HescoffsandInod, ncingoutthewindow.

    ¡°Ihaveitallundercontrol.¡±

    ¡°Yousaythat,butI¡¯mnotsureyoudo.Thatgirlisafraidofyou.¡±Hescoffs,andmybrows pinchtogetherindistaste.

    ¡°Sheisnotafraidofme.¡±Ihuffandhesnorts.

    ¡°Yeah,okay.Thetiny,weakwerewolfisn¡¯tafraidofthealphaofdeathshewasforcedtoepttosaveherpack.Ifyousayso,¡±hemutters.

    Okay, Hemayhaveapoint here.

    ¡°I¡¯mnicetoher.¡±Iremindhim,andhefindsthestatementevenmoreamusing.

    ¡°Niceasinyoudosweetthingsforherorniceasinyouletherknowshehasbrolistuckinherteeth?¡±Hepopsabrow,waitingforan answer,andIscothim.

    ¡°Igavehersilkpajamas.¡±

    ¡°Andyouhaveignoredhersinceshetookcareofyourback.¡±HeremindsmeandIscoffathim.

    ¡°I¡¯venotignoredher.Iamgivingherspace.¡±

    ¡°Keepitupandinaboutayear,shemightactuallyletyouholdherhand,¡±Hayessnortsashecrossesovertomeandpsmeonmy sorebackknowingly.

    ¡°You¡¯reanasshole,¡±Igruntandheshrugs,tryingtohideasmile.

    ¡°It¡¯slikelyit¡¯sagictraitweshare,butatleastIknowhowtoflirtandwinoverthdies.Youhaveawomanfatedtobeyoursandthe bigbadalphalycanishidingfromher¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯mnothiding.¡±Isaywithconfidence.

    ¡°No?ShouldIhaveheemeetyouhere,then?Foralittledate,maybe?¡±Ihavetoactivelyremindmyselfifheweren¡¯trted,he wouldn¡¯tspeaktomethewayhedoes.Butthenagain,Ihavealwaysneededsomeokeepmelevel¨Cheaded.Evenifhehasaveryroundaboutwayofdoingso.

    ¡°Hayes,¡±Igrowl,andhegrins,proudofhimself.

    ¡°Merikh¡­?¡±

    Colette¡¯stimidvoiceechoesbehindmeandmyeyesslideclosedasIhidethewaymybodyreactsto her. MyLycannearlypants.Iclenchmyfists.

    ¡°Yes?¡±Irespond,notbotheringtoturntofaceher.

    ¡°Percysaidyouwantedtoseeme?¡±

    MyeyeszeasIreatHayes,wholooksaway,bitingbackasmile.Thisassholemindlinkedmysoontobegammas,andthetwo nnedthisbehindmyback.

    ¡°TheAlphawashopingyouwouldjoinhim foramovieandmaybeasnack,¡±hesaysformeandIissuesilentdeaththreatswithmyeyes.¡°Inordertohelpyoubemorefortablearoundhim.Weknowhecanbeimposing,butIpromiseherarelybites.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±shesays,soundingsurprised.¡°Amoviecouldbefun¡­I¡¯veneverseenoneonascreenthisbigbefore.¡±

    HayesrushesoffasIreathim,mydesiretopummelmybrotherstrong.ThenIturnandlookatColette,wholookslikesheistryingto shrinkherselfdown.It¡¯spainfullyobvioussheisusedtohiding,beingunseen.

    ¡°Whattypeofmoviesdoyoulike?¡±Iaskherafterclearingmythroat.Mylycancraveshernearnessand,withkeepinghimaway fromherforafewdays,I¡¯munabletofightthedrawtoher.Sheswallowsandlooksawaygrowcloser,thenshesuddenlyrollsher shouldersand straightensherback.

    ShefeelsalittledifferentfromwhenIspoketohest.Everydaysheseemsstronger,herwolfmorealert,morepresent,andIcansee herconfidencegrowing.Itexcitesmylycanandmetoseeherthisway,findingconfidenceinherself.

    ¡°Romance?¡±Iaskwith asmileonmylipsasherfieryeyesnceuptomeetmine.¡°Perhapsadrama?¡±

    ¡°Action.¡±Shesays,asmallsmirkhidingbehindherplushpinklipsandIhum,adeepvibrationinmychest, satisfied.

    ¡°Really?Ipeggedyoumoreasaprincessmoviekindofgirl.¡±Iadmit,andshescoffs.

    ¡°RomanceisnotsomethingIexpecttoeverexperience,actionhowever,well,I¡¯vealreadylivedthroughoneofthosescenes.¡±Herlips pressintoanunimpressedline,andIrealizehowstupidIhavebeen.Ihavelefthersidewhenperhapsshemayneedsomeotalkto. Someotrustinherfear.

    ¡°Doyouwishtoberomanced,Colette?¡±Iask,andshefrowns.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    ¡°WhenIwasagirl,Idreamedofit.¡±Sheadmits,¡°ButIunderstandthatit¡¯snotmeanttobe.¡±

    ¡°YoudonotthinkIcanberomantic?¡±Iaskher,alittleoffended.¡°DoyouthinkI¡¯mjustabrute?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±shesays,shockedanduneasy.¡°Heavens,no!That¡¯snotwhatImean¡­Imean¡­youaskedmetobeyourchosenbecauseyouneededtomakethetreatyvalid.Iunderstandyouprobablyhavesomeonealreadychosen fromwithinthispackwhowillbeyourtrueLuna.Giveyouheirsandlead.¡±

    Ibarkoutugh,myheadfallingbackwards.Shethinkssheisadecoymate?

    ¡°Isthatwhatyouwerehopingfor?¡±Iask,staringintoherasshesucksherbottomlipbetweenherteeth,lookingnervous.¡°YouaremyoneandonlyLuna,Colette.Inchoosingyou,Ihaveselectedyoutocarrymyheirsandbemypartner.¡±

    ¡°Butwhy?¡±Sheasksdeting.

    ¡°Whynot?¡±Ishootback,reachingoutandcuppinghercheek.Shetriessohardnottoflinchawayfrommytouch,butIcatchthetwitchandit enrages mybeast.

    ¡°IwasnotmadetobeaLuna,ortobecaredfor.Shewhispers.

    Myheartachestoholdher,butmypastpreventsmefromlettingherin.Iwantherbecausesheismine.Andwhatisminestayswithme. IwantherbecauseIneedher,evenifshedoesn¡¯tknowitorwhy.WhatIwantistotrusthepletelyandholdontoher,butIknow damnwelltrustisnotsomethingIwilleverbeabletohavein anotherwoman.

    ¡°Ichoseyou,soyouareaLuna.Andasfarascaringforyou,well,whatismineiswellcaredfor.¡±

    ¡°Thenwhydoyouhidefromme?¡±Shesqueaks,lookingdejected.Isigh,reachingouttotakeherhandinmine.

    ¡°Idonotknowhowtowinyou.¡±ItellherasIwalkbackward,pullingheralongwithme.¡°ButIwanttomakethisofficial,makeyouthetrue Luna¡­¡±

    ¡°IalreadytoldyouIwaswilling¡­¡±sheremindsme.

    ¡°Willingisgood,butIwantyoutowantit.¡±

    Shegoessilentforamoment,hercheeksflushingabeautiful shadeofpinkbeforeshelooksupatme.

    ¡°Thenmakemewantit?¡±

    Mybodyfreezes,mymouthgoingdryandmyhandsmmingup.

    ¡°Makeyouwantme?¡±Iask,andshenods.¡°Howdoesonedothat?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯mattractedtoyou.¡±Sheoffers,¡°butIdon¡¯tknowyou¡­wearesupposedtobematesnow,butIknownothingaboutyou,thispack¡­¡±

    ¡°Isee¡­¡±Imutter,tryingtothinkofwhattodonext.I¡¯veneverhadtowooawomanbefore.Withmyexmateeverythingwaseasy,itfell intocebecauseofthebond.OratleastIhadthought.

    ¡°I enjoypopcorn.¡±Iannounceandshebitesbackugh.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­well,that¡¯sastart.Ilikeittoo.¡±Shesays,aglimmerinhereyesthatbringsagenuinesmiletomycheeksasIplopontothe couch,draggingherdownnexttomewithoutbeingtooforward.

    ¡°Ithinkweshouldenteranagreement,¡±Itellher,andshescruncheshernoseinconfusion.Myhandreachesout,myfingerstrokingher nose,pressingtheconfusedlookfromherface.

    ¡°Wearealreadyinanagreement,¡±shetriestoremindme,butIshakemyheadno.

    ¡°Iwishtobefullymatedbeforethenextbigmeetingwherewewillhavetoleavethepack.¡±

    ¡°Youwantme¡­¡±shepointstoherself,hereyebrowsshootingintoherhairline,¡°togowithyoutomeetings?Why?Where?Won¡¯tthey knowhowweakIam?¡±

    ¡°Youkeepimingtobeweak.Doyoustillhavenoideawhoyouare?¡±Iaskher.

    ¡°Whatkindofmeetings?¡±Sheasks,changingthesubjectasshetugsatthesleevesof hershirtandIsmirk.

    ¡°Thekindthatwillchangeyourlife,¡±

    Shescruncheshernoseinthought,thentiltsherhead.¡°Forthebetter?¡±

    ¡°Mmm,thatremainstobeseen.¡±

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10

    10090% 18:11

    *Colette POV

    Merikh walks slowly beside

    me as I limp along in my brace that keeps the strain off my healing bone and sore muscles. My open wound is closed finally, now nothing more than a sc

    He was quiet for most of the movie and I¡¯m not even sure what we watched as I was so hyper focused on his. closeness. The familiarity of him being nea

    ¡°I enjoyed spending time with you,¡± he smiles, and I chuckle nervously.

    ¡°It is kind of nice to see you aren¡¯t always killing people.¡± I joke and heughs.

    My skin tingles and I look up at him as he shakes his head and his green eyes meet mine. I¡¯m immediately pink cheeked and I can feel it, but there¡¯s no

    free.

    ¡°So you have a sense of humor under that quiet good girl facade,¡±

    ¡°Facade?¡± I ask, confused. Do I appear fake?

    ¡°I know who you really are. I see you.¡± He says, once again being mysterious and strategic in the way he speaks. Three times now he has alluded to me

    scares me.

    There is much I don¡¯t know about myself. Who my parents are, how they both died or where I was before I was found bloodied and left outside my pack¡¯s

    ¡°I am an orphan.¡± I sigh, watching him as he processes the information. ¡°There is nothing for you to see other than what is standing before you. Which is

    ¡°Do you feel like being an orphan makes you unworthy?¡± He asks, genuinely curious as we stop outside my

    1/5

    room.

    13 90% 18:11

    ¡°No, but it makes others see me differently.¡± I sigh. ¡°People used to pity me, then they grew to dislike me because they would be punished if they were fr

    I freeze and watch

    him curiously and I see a flicker in his eyes that feels like a strike to the gut. Is that why he chose me? Did he know I was an orphan and so there would

    my heart racing.

    There were rumors he likes to hunt his women. It was a crazy rumor, and I was convinced they were just stories, but the way he watches me, wants to k

    is this all a setup to toy with me? He can¡¯t be nice. That¡¯s not in the alpha of death¡¯s personality, right?

    ¡°Colette, you seem to be thinking too much again,¡± he frowns, his knuckle brushing my cheek as I blink at him.

    ¡°I¨Cuh¡­¡± I swallow, stumbling back a step clumsily into the door.

    ¡°You look like you think I will eat you up.¡± He chuckles and I don¡¯t dare admit that I¡¯m worried he might do exactly that.

    ¡°I am just a little tired, that¡¯s all.¡± I lie, giving him a tight smile before clearing my throat and looking away.

    ¡°Colette,¡± his tone is low and husky,manding my attention as I gulp and look at his unreadable expression. ¡°Where do you go little mate, when you s

    down after a perfectly normal conversation? What did they do to make you so afraid of yourself?¡±

    His eyes scan my face, his hand reaching out to slide through my hair, brushing it out of my face.

    ¡°I go where I belong,¡± I whisper. ¡°Where I am wanted.¡±

    Merikh¡¯s head tilts to the side watching me, assessing me, then he sighs and draws his hands back.

    ¡°I see. And what can I do to make you see you

    are wanted here?¡± He asks. My heart stutters at the thought that he might care. I clear my throat, needing to change the subject, unable to handle the int

    ?

    ¡°Can I do things¡­in the pack?¡± I ask.

    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±

    2/5

    Emergency calls onlyM

    101090% 18:11

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I muse, then I look down at my leg. The one thing I have always wanted to do was defend myself. Against the mean words, the strikes to

    the right and ability to stand my ground confidently and not cower in hopes they don¡¯t break me the next time.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°Would you like to start training?¡± Merikh offers as if the thought isn¡¯t absurd. I can¡¯t help butugh.

    ¡°Me? Train?¡± I snort, but he watches me intently..

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­I mean look at me, I am-¡±

    ¡°Weak?¡± He finishes my sentence for me with an arched brow. ¡°That sounds like an excuse,¡±

    ¡°It was always the excuse I was giving back in my pack.¡± I frown.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t there anymore,¡± He reminds me. Not that I need the reminder. He has done a decent job of reminding me every time I see him.

    ¡°I would like to train¡­¡± I admit, looking down at my feet.

    ¡°Good.¡± He says, looking relieved. ¡°I will send Penny to fetch you in the morning.¡±

    ¡°In the morning?¡± I ask, my eyes wide. ¡°But my leg¡­¡±

    ¡°There are other forms of training,¡± He chuckles. ¡°Penny will fetch you in the morning and get you outfitted, then you and I will start.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­okay.¡±

    He backs away, sauntering backward before giving me a grin.

    ¡°Sleep well, little mate. I n to exhaust you tomorrow.¡± Then he winks and turns his back to me.

    I push into my room, feeling a little disappointed that he is choosing to

    stay in a different room still, but I know if he were toe in and stay with me, I would feel the opposite. I don¡¯t turn the light on, the bright moon once ag

    3/5

    Emergency calls only.

    10090% 18:11

    -5

    In the short time I have been here, this room has be my safe

    space, the only ce where I feelplete and rxed and I know it has everything to do with the view. I totter over to the window, pushing it open as

    I move to my bed, stripping off my brace with a satisfied groan as I gently rub my pinched skin. Exhaustion moves in, and instead of moving to get into p

    cocoon of There is rustling in the room, pulling me from my first full night¡¯s sleep in forever, and I peek out of my nkets to see the same maid as before

    of my dresser while humming a song. She spins gracefully, dancing to the song in her head before she freezes and her eyes find mine. A sheepish grin g

    ¡°You must be Penny,¡± I mumble and she nods.

    ¡°That would be me,¡± she says chipper as she moves over to the window. ¡°You left the window open.¡± My eyes grow wide and I panic. Am I not supposed

    ¡°Oh¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± I say, throwing my nkets off to shut the window for her.

    ¡°Why are you apologizing to me? You are the Luna.¡± She tilts her head, confused, and I squeeze my eyes closed. Right. I¡¯m the Luna. Not the maid who

    I am anymore. Or at least¡­it won¡¯t be who I am.

    ¡®Right.¡± I sigh. ¡°Is there a reason I shouldn¡¯t have the window open at night?¡±

    ¡°I only mentioned it because my grandma used to say you could catch something if you leave your

    window open, but then again, grandma was human, so her perceptions are a little different from her life in her world.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re half human?¡± I ask, and she chuckles.

    ¡°I mean, aren¡¯t we all human with a little beast inside us?¡± she winks. ¡°Do you have any family around?¡±

    Penny asks as she rushes over to grab the pile of clothes

    for me and ces it on the bed. Then she looks me over with a curious nce and goes back, grabbing fresh underwear and a sports bra. I look down, r

    and undies and I tug my nket to my chest, embarrassed by the way my bones seem to protrude under my malnourished flesh.

    Emergency calls only

    ¡°I have no family,¡± I admit, and she scoffs..

    101090%

    18:11

    ¡°Lucky for you. I have a twin brother. Heavens, I love him, but sometimes¡­sometimes I want to wring Percy¡¯s

    damn n*ck.¡±

    ¡°Percy is your twin?¡± I ask, my eyes growing wide.

    She smiles, bending down to grab my brace from the floor.

    ¡°Yep! We are both training to be your gamma.¡±

    ¡°My gamma?¡± I ask. ¡°I get a gamma?¡±

    ¡°Two, actually.¡± She gestures to the clothing in a way to urge me to get dressed.

    ¡°And¡­what exactly does a gamma do¡­?¡± I ask, feeling a little dumb.

    ¡°Well, basically we are your protectors, but we also do whatever you need us to. Alpha Merikh has Beta Hayes, who will always choose him. You have m

    ¡°Wait¡­you will always¡­choose me¡­?¡± I ask, confused.

    ¡°I mean, yeah, as long as you don¡¯t do dumb shit.¡± Sheughs. ¡°But you don¡¯t appear dumb to me. Now, hurry and get dressed so we can meet Alpha M

    much.¡±

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11

    Penny leads me away from the training pitch where I can hear the warriors yell and grunts as they spar. I look over my shoulder as it grows more distant

    supposed to be training, why the hell are we going the opposite way?

    My stomach churns and realization dawns. Maybe Merikh isn¡¯t ready for his pack to meet me yet. Perhaps he fears they will find me weak and unworthy,

    sure has done an awful lot of making it feel the opposite.

    ¡°So that¡¯s the training arena behind us,¡± Penny says, as if she can read my mind. ¡°You¡¯ll be in there once your leg heals. It¡¯s really only used for sparring

    ¡°I see,¡± I mumble, my eyes scanning the surrounding area.

    This pack is massive, less concise than I expected. The pack house, which is the only ce I¡¯ve actually been, is the closest to the water¡¯s edge, looking

    well a lot like I¡¯ve stepped into a fairytale vige.

    ¡°This is what we call Old Town.¡± She says, spinning with her arms out like it¡¯s a marvel even to her.

    ¡°So I assume there is a new town?¡± I ask, and sheughs.

    ¡°We have a more modern section, yes. But this¡­this is our slice of the past and it¡¯s really our senior

    pack members¡® vige. The hustle and bustle of city life is that way.¡± she points to my right and I can see the way the buildings change and the sea of pe

    ¡°And so we are going¡­.?¡±

    ¡°Ah. Yeah. Sorry. We are going to theke.¡± She grins.

    ¡°Theke?¡±

    ¡°Mmhmm, the first order of business is a gentle walk.¡±

    1/6

    My brow is already sweating and my leg aching as we walk to the ce I¡¯m supposed to start my walk. How damn ironic that the walk there may kill me

    ¡°Okay.¡± I try to remain positive. I mean, what kind of training did I expect with a bum leg, really?

    I am so focused on my steps and reminding myself that I¡¯ve had worse pain, worked harder when I felt way worse. I can do this.

    When we get there, Penny spins to face me. She gives me an awkward fake curtsey with a wink and then flounces off, leaving me behind.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I call after her. ¡°What the hell am I supposed to do now?¡±

    She lifts her hands in a shrug as I frown at her back. Am I just supposed to wait here? Or start my walk on my

    own? This is the first time I am outside in the pack and she expects me to just find my way back to the pack

    house? If I¡¯m lucky, I will find my way back before dinner.

    I groan in frustration before exhaling a huff of air and turning to look at the water.

    ¡°Which way would you like to go first?¡± I hear Merikh say from behind me. I look over my shoulder, a little

    shocked to see him.

    ¡°First?¡± I squeak out.

    The thought of walking much more tires me out. My leg

    is aching and though I feel stronger than I have in years, but the pain is draining. He chuckles as hees up to my side.

    ¡°Training is for the entire day,¡± He says, like the answer was so obvious. My eyes slide down to my throbbing leg and I muster a fake smile.

    ¡°Of course, let¡¯s go.¡± I say, brushing past him, losing my bnce for a moment before I clear my throat and straighten myself up.

    Merikh seems to saunter behind me, either trying to keep fromughing at me or he is worried I will try to turn. around and run. I push on

    for a little while; the pain creeping up my thigh and into my pelvis before my side aches

    and I realize not only is my injury pretty severe, so is myck of fitness.

    ¡°Stop,¡± he says finally, his voice clipped and an edge to it. I frown, disappointed as I turn to look at him and he tilts his head, looking me over from top to

    2/6

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I assure him, but he frowns.

    ¡°I do not tolerate lies. In fact, I punish for them.¡± He steps forward and my eyes grow wide at the simmer of anger I see there.

    ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s a habit¡­

    I didn¡¯t mean to lie. I¡¯m just used to having to work through my pain.¡± I admit, as he watches me closely. Merikh sighs, his anger melting as he shakes his

    ¡°Not here, not with me. If you feel pain, I want to know. I care about your well being. Have I not made that clear?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I mutter.

    ¡°Stop apologizing and be honest. How does it feel?¡±

    ¡°It hurts.¡± I whisper. ¡°Walking is still¡­hard.¡±

    ¡°Good thing we won¡¯t be walking for training today.¡± He says, passing me and taking the lead. I scrunch my nose,

    confused.

    ¡°Then what kind of training will we be doing?¡± I call to his back, but it falls on deaf ears as I struggle to catch up with him as the dirt grows to sand and we

    ¡°Take off your brace,¡± he says, pointing to the contraption at my hip that runs down my outer legs to just below my knee. I wince at the thought of losing m

    crutch, but I quickly utch the buckles and velcro relying heavily on my other leg for support.

    ¡°Okay, now what?¡± I ask, and he smirks.

    ¡°Now you swim.¡±

    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    My eyes nearly bulge from my face, my mouth falling open to protest, but nothinges out. I don¡¯t know how to swim. Hell, I swear I told him I¡¯ve neve

    wade into the dark unknown and prove I can swim? What monsters lurk in the water that I can¡¯t see? Aren¡¯t there all kinds of fish that can bite me?

    ¡°Um.¡± I tilt my head and look at him, then down at myself. ¡°I don¡¯t think Penny gave me the

    appropriate clothing for swimming¡­¡± I try to reason with him, but he simply smirks, only pointing at the water like he demands me to go in like this.

    3/6

    I whine as I slide my shoes off, wincing as a jolt of pain travels up my leg and to my chest, but I bite it back, refusing

    to let him see me as any weaker than I¡¯m certain he thinks I am. My bare feet toe the water and a shiver. runs through my b*dy as a squeal

    arms and he trudges into the rips from my lips. The next thing I know I am scooped up in Merikh¡¯s powerful

    arms and he trudges into the water as I cling to his n*ck, not wanting to touch the frigid water with anything more than my feet.

    My hair flies into my face as my heart soars to my throat and fear grips me. I am floating through the air, hitting the cold water first with a sharp inhale be

    my

    y back

    I il as best as I can, my legs tearing through the icy waves and my arms reach for anything to help me get my head above the water. The water muffles

    ¡°Just stand,¡± he says with a smug look and I go still. My feet hit the ground, my b*dy settling and going upright as I bnce easily on my good leg and I f

    ¡°I almost drowned.¡± I mutter, and he shakes his head.

    ¡°You are standing just fine.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been in water like this

    before!¡± I squeal, my anger and embarrassment taking over my thoughts as my wolf simmers below the surface. Merikh wades closer

    to me, stopping just before touching me.

    ¡°Your wolf is stronger r now that you are here. It is okay to trust her, rely on her as she continues to grow and heal with you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not her I am having trust issues with,¡± I mutter and his lips twitch, trying to hide yet another smile.

    ¡°How does the water feel?¡± he asks, tilting his head, watching me curiously. I give him a side eye before looking around.

    ¡°Uh, wet¡­?¡± I say and he waits for more from me. ¡°And cold. Why is it so cold?¡±

    I

    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± I bite out as a shiver runs through my b*dy. It grips me tight, making it nearly impossible to keep my bnce as I lean forward and into his warmth,

    4/6

    with a quietugh and I look up to see him shaking his head.

    +5

    the

    ¡°You are bing morefortable,¡± he says finally, smiling down at me. I don¡¯t want to admit it, but yes, longer I remain in the water, the more my b*d

    ¡°It feels better on my leg, theck of pressure.¡±

    ¡°Now,¡± he says, taking a slight step back and to my side. He grabs hold of my hand, and I swallow roughly as he gives it a squeeze. ¡°We will walk in the

    ¡°How long do you think that will take?¡± I ask curiously, and he shrugs.

    ¡°A typical werewolf? Maybe a week or two. With you I expected it being much longer, but you seem to be getting stronger

    rtively fast now that you are here.¡± I know it is a statement, but I can hear the question in his voice, the way he is saying it, in hopes I might have som

    ¡°Is that because I am mated to you?¡± I ask him and he hums in thought.

    ¡°Could be. But we aren¡¯t fully mated. We have epted each other, but the mate bond hasn¡¯t been fully¡­¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t marked each other yet, hmm.¡± I finish for him in thought. I furrow my brow, my brain running rampant with thoughts, and then it hits me. May

    ¡°You are thinking again,¡± he mutters and I frown, stopping as I look up at him.

    ¡°Do you think¡­I mean, I don¡¯t see why they would¡­no¡­¡± I fumble through the awful thoughts. As much as I hate Leslie and she

    hated me, she couldn¡¯t have¡­no, she wouldn¡¯t have poisoned me all this time¡­would she?

    ¡°You think Leslie was poisoning you?¡± He asks, no judgment on his face as he watches me curiously.

    ¡°I mean¡­I do feel better than I have since I can remember¡­is it possible¡­do you think?¡±

    Merikh shrugs.

    ¡°Possible? Yes. Likely? Maybe. The question now would be, why did she feel she had to keep you weak? Any thoughts on that?¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12

    It¡¯s been a week already and every day has been the same routine. Wake up, grab something to eat on the way out and walk with Merikh. My healing is

    Not once has he let go of my hand when we walk in the water and even though we often walk in silence, it¡¯sfortable and asionally he will flirt with

    with him, eat dinner or watch a movie like we did the one time, but Hayes usually rushes him away to do something or meet with a pack mate.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he still hasn¡¯t introduced you to the pack yet,¡± Penny grumbles as she turns my bed down for the night. A habit she is loving doing while I

    my sore b*dy into bed.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t marked yet,¡± I remind her and she frowns at me.

    ¡°An eptance is like an engagement ring, Cole.

    My heart stops and I inhale sharply as she says the nickname I nearly forgot. Or rather i have tried to forget along with the person who called me by that

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± I snap and Penny freezes, her eyes sliding to gauge my reaction before she softens and

    nods.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Luna. Sometimes I forget my ce and I just sort of ¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me Luna, but just¡­you can;t call me that name¡­please,¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± She says, walking over to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I sigh, ¡°you didn¡¯t know. How could you?¡± Then I think for a minute and I smile. ¡°Any nickname you want but not that,¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­I¡¯ll think of one.¡± She winks. ¡°Now you should get some rest. You look exhausted.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, thank you.¡± I murmur, crawling into the bed as she walks to the window and closes it.

    1/5

    12

    ¡°Could you leave it open¡­?¡± I ask her and she looks conflicted before she gives me a soft smile and nods, opening it back up.

    ¡°Good night, Luna.¡±

    I settle into my warm nkets, a smile on my lips as I know a good night¡¯s sleep ising. I¡¯ve had amazing, rejuvenating sleep every night since trainin

    It feels like I am falling, my b*dy light and chilled as suddenly I am dropped in a swamp. The muckes up to my thighs and I grunt as I try to release m

    Then hands swoop me up, and I am freed, tucked into a warm embrace as the person runs with me, their hood up over their face as they look over their

    stops and sets me down. I am small now, no longer my usual height but that of a child, and the hooded figure kneels before me, pulling off their hood.

    The woman¡¯s blonde hair stands out in the dark, and her worried eyes meet mine. As I try to figure out who she is, why she is in my dream and then I fee

    my heart as she cups my cheek with a shuddered breath.

    ¡°Do not follow me, my little water bug.

    ¡°Mom¡­¡± I whisper, and she gives me a reassuring smile.

    ¡°Please¡­. stay and wait. He will be here soon.¡±

    Then she rushes off.

    ¡°Who?!¡± I cry out, chasing after her, breaking through the thick brush and sloshing through the soggy earth. ¡°Mom! Come back! Wait! Please!¡±

    The green light is back, a glowing little orb that seems to guide me through this dream state, pulling me in a different direction. I stay rooted where I am.

    who he even is, I know I want to meet him, to see him. But that light grows brighter, burning my eyes the longer I remain still before it flies at my face, pe

    2/5

    (5)

    I swat at it, annoyed that it won¡¯t leave me, and as I hit it, my

    hand sparks and a wave of electricity shoots through me painfully. I cry out, trying to understand what the hell is happening as ites for me again, and

    pitched tune, making my ears ring, and I feel so utterly alone and deste as I turn and run for

    my life.

    The moon highlights the darkness of the water to my left as I weigh my options. Can I lose this orb in the water? My stomach churns at the thought of be

    I plunge into silence, one that calms me, and I allow myself the moment before I open my eyes and see the orb just above me. It dances over the rippling

    for my face. All the air in my lungs bubbles out as I try to push myself deeper, but the orb stops short of my nose.

    ¡°Find her,¡± a voice seems toe from everywhere around me.

    My wolf whining in the back of my mind, trying to tell me something, warn me, but I am too lost in the meaning

    of the voice in the water. ¡°Find her before it is toote. She needs you, Colette.¡±

    Then the orb shoots off and I break through the surface, dazed as I gasp for air. I rush to the water¡¯s edge, coughing and shivering as I try to figure out w

    ¡°Mom!¡± I cry out once more, my voice cracking with emotion as I watch her look back at me and then she speeds up, pushing herself to move further aw

    ¡°Wait!¡± I scream after her, fighting against the wetness in my clothes that tries to restrict me as I run after her.

    I chase her for minutes; her looking back at me with heartache in her eyes as she dodges tree branches and leaps over roots that seem to w at me, d

    My leg tingles as a

    branch tangles around my arm and I grow frantic, fear tearing at my chest as I think about losing her. She told me to wait, but I can¡¯t. I can see the distre

    I growl as I rely on my wolf¡¯s strength for the first time, and I break free, sprinting forward. Victory is just a few

    3/5

    yards away as my mother remains still, as if she is waiting for me, like she truly wanted me toe for her all along.

    ¡°Colette,¡± I hear my name, but it is distant, muffled as though I am under the water again, unable to distinguish who it is calling to me..

    My mom beckons for me with her hand, motioning for me toe closer toe to her

    and I take a step forward, only for a root to grab my leg. It winds up my b*dy, crossing over my chest and pulling me back against a trunk, holding me the

    ¡°Mom!¡± I scream, watching as she takes a small step toward me, only to stop as she screams out in pain and falls to her knees before

    me. My vision goes static for a moment and a vibration seems to speak to my wolf, making it whine and pace. Then I feel the heat in my ear.

    ¡°Colette, I need you to listen to me,¡± Merikh¡¯s voice breaks into my mind. ¡°Focus on my voice, little mate.¡±

    I whimper as a spear breaks through my mother¡¯s chest, and she cries out my name. I fight as hard as I can; the branches growing tighter.

    ¡°No! NO!¡± I thrash, not caring about the pain that seems to grow more prominent

    in my leg and spreads through the rest of my b*dy. ¡°Look at me, Mom. It¡¯s okay, you are going to be okay¡­¡± I lie and whimper as she slumps forward an

    Gone in a second and I blink, my tears ceasing as I stare at the figures before me with red eyes. They watch me, my b*dy shivering despite the warmth a

    ¡°Are you back?¡± Merikh whispers. ¡°Are you with me?¡± I crumble in his arms, my head pounding and my leg searing in pain as he takes a step back, drag

    ¡°Kill them if they step a damn foot over that line.¡± He growls as he carries me away quickly.

    ¡°Merikh,¡± I croak, my voice raw and painful. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you could tell me.¡± He answers in a clipped tone.

    4/5

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13

    *Merikh POV*

    Colette shivers as I set her on the bed, rushing around to grab her dry clothes and a towel. She is catatonic, sitting on the edge, staring out the window.

    ¡°Colette,¡± I say, trying to get her to wake up from this shell shock. But she doesn¡¯t move, not a damn inch as she stares into a void beyond me. My lycan

    ¡°Colette,¡± I growl, my voice is louder, more stern as she just stares into nothing, past my head. My fingers tickle along her jawbone, trying to force her to

    at my n*ck and anger rises, boiling over when she turns her head away from me.

    ¡°Colette!¡± I scream, using my alpha voice tomand her back to the present. She jumps in fear, a gasp escaping her lips as looks at mepletely bro

    **Merikh,¡± she whimpers, her voice small and cracking with emotion. Shit, I may have been better off with her

    being lost in her own head rather than watching her hurt like this.

    ¡°What were you thinking?¡± I ask her, my voice clipped.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°Clearly not. You made me a promise. We had an agreement. We are mates now. You can not escape it. Yet I find you at the border edge, trying to break

    My anger is unreasonable and I know I should step back and give her space, but my lycan¡¯s intense emotions are melding with mine and the strength of

    mate bond only grows stronger every day I am near her. The draw to her is bing mind numbing and the thought she would leave me. That she migh

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispers and I sneer at her, I¡¯m a wreck and feel like I¡¯m losing control as I tear away from her

    1/6

    5 1

    and fly out the door ready to f**king tear Penny and Percy apart for letting her get so far. I stop at the doorjamb,

    exhaling sharply.

    ¡°Get changed. I will be back.¡± I mutter as I m out of the room and down the hall.

    As expected, I find Percy and Penny in my office waiting for me, along with Hayes. All of them wearing sullen looks on their faces as the door crashes op

    her.

    The very f**king spot I noticed her sshing into the water with that f**king green orb looming over her frantic movements. The thoughts of it have my he

    ¡°Where the FUCK were you two?¡± I hiss, whipping around to face them, figuring concentrating my anger on a source other than Colette might be best.

    ¡°She was sleeping,¡± Penny says like it matters.

    ¡°Oh, so she is less important to me¨Cto the pack¨C

    when she is sleeping?¡± I grit out. Her eyebrows shoot up in shock and her mouth falls open to retort, but Percy beats her to it.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what she meant,¡± Percy says,

    ¡°Shut up, Percy,¡± I shoot him a scowl and he swallows, down casting his eyes. ¡°You have one job. The both of you. What is your f**king job?¡±

    ¡°Protect her.¡± They say in unison, looking at each other before looking back at the ground. It doesn¡¯t matter if they are still in training or not. A gamma pro

    ¡°Would either of you like to enlighten me on what the HELL happened and how she ended up in the f**kingke being chased by the green, glowing

    little light?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± Penny whispers after a tense moment of silence.

    ¡°And how, exactly, is it your fault?¡± I ask, hoping for some damn insight.

    ¡°I left her window open¡­She asked for me to leave it open as she likes to listen to the waves. I know I shouldn¡¯t have but-¡±

    2/6

    ¡°There are no waves to listen to on thekete at night with zero wind.¡± I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. Then I freeze, my eyes snapping to Haye

    ¡°Those f**king spelling weaving dicks,¡± Hayes grits out, mming his fist onto my desk.

    ¡°Now the red¨C

    eyed wolves on the border make sense.¡± I groan heavily, guilt hammering into me for losing my temper with Colette. This wasn¡¯t her fault, no this was an

    on my part, one that will never happen again.

    ¡°They targeted her.¡± Percy says, ¡°Is it another ploy to get to you? Or is it Colette they really want?¡±

    ¡°Both of yo

    you leave. Percy, scrounge up some food and hot tea for her. Penny, make sure she is getting changed and warm. I¡¯ll be there to speak with her soon.¡±

    Percy and Penny leave without another word, and Hayes saunters over to my side.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t just them trying to get to you. It¡¯s more and I think you know that.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t know shit.¡± I grit out. ¡°They do not know who she is. They can¡¯t.¡±

    Silence falls over us as I stare out the window again, my anger slowly fading and regret seeps in and taking over.

    ¡°Colette wasn¡¯t trying to run away, Merikh.¡± Hayes whispers, but I pretend not to hear him. He doesn¡¯t understand how much I needed to hear him say th

    and baiting me every second.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I say, clearing my throat.

    ¡°Why the hell are you still here?¡± He asks, sounding more annoyed,

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Someone broke into her dreams and lure her into danger. Who knows what they put in her mind, what horrors she saw? She needs you tofort her.¡±

    I hate when Hayes is right. Andtely it¡¯s annoyingly more frequent than I care to admit.

    go

    I try to imagine what to say as I make my way to her room. What if she has fallen asleep already? I¡¯ll have to wake her up to check on her. Ore back

    3/6

    ragged, almost hollow, when she was staring off into space. What if¡­what if they got her in her mind? What if they broke her?

    It doesn¡¯t take long for me to make it to her room, yet I find myself unable to enter. So instead 1 linger outside her door, looking for the right way to enter

    She freezes, her eyes wide, not with shock, but with fear. Fear of me and I hate the damn feeling. Colette watches me for a moment, then I observe her

    may not Without wasting a moment, I make up my mind and cross the room, moving

    straight for the bed. She realize it yet, but she needs me here as much as I need to be near her, so I crawl under the nkets, pulling them up

    as I sit with my back against the headboard.

    Colette blinks, a look of bewilderment on her face as she

    studies me. A frown tugs at my lips, and I sigh heavily. This is why it is so hard to be nice, because when I am nice people are too shocked to move, app

    ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± she finally asks and I quirk a brow.

    ¡°I am making sure you don¡¯t go for a swim again,¡±

    ¡°Is that what it was¡­?¡± She whispers, moving closer, stopping at the foot of the bed. I pat the mattress with my hand, beckoning her to

    come crawl in next to me.

    ¡°We have slept in the same bed before, Colette.¡±

    ¡°That was because you didn¡¯t have anywhere else to sleep.¡±

    ¡°We are mates.¡±

    ¡°But you haven¡¯t wanted to sleep in here with me before now.¡±

    ¡°I am worried about your safety now. I am a light sleeper, so if you get up to sleep walk again, I will feel you move and wake you up or restrain you.¡±

    She reluctantly crawls into the bed next to me. Staring awkwardly forward as she twiddles her thumb, and we are encased in ufortable silence.

    164/6

    0

    +5

    ¡°What happened to me?¡± She finally whispers as her voice cracks. ¡°Was any of it real? The things in my dream?¡±

    My chest aches. Hearing the pain in her voice, the way she seems to be so confused and hurt rolled into one small person.

    ¡°You were manipted.¡± I say, watching her every breath and muscle twitch as she tries to understand.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°A weaver. They are rare and wreak havoc in memories or dreams when their victim sleeps.¡±

    She looks at me, chewing her inner cheek as she process

    ¡°How did they get to me? I mean, do they have to have something like my hair or blood for that?¡± She asks, and I try to bite back a smile. She¡¯s damn cu

    making assumptions about the magical beings like they cook up these spells over a caldron:

    ¡°Sounds.¡± I say simply. ¡°They imbed the spell into sounds that we find calming. For you, the waves breaking on the shore even though the waves aren¡¯t l

    Her eyes grow big, as if she is having a moment of enlightenment.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I slept with the window open¡­?

    ¡°That is how they got to you, yes. We will discuss this more in the morning if you¡¯d prefer. Your eyes are already half closed and I am sure all this has be

    She grows pale and shakes her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to sleep ever again.¡±

    ¡°You are safe here with me,¡± I whisper, reaching out and taking her hand. She shivers at the contact and gazes at me, words on the tip of her tongue, bu

    ¡°What if I try to run off?¡± she murmurs.

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you,¡± I shrug

    ¡°What if I kick and bite and scream?¡± She whispers, tears welling in her eyes.

    5/6

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold on tighter.¡±

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    She nods her head before she sinks deeper into the bed, her eyes on me as she pauses and exhales shakily.

    ¡°W¨C

    will you hold me now?¡± She barely utters the words, but my heart races, my chest aching painfully as my lungs struggle for air. She wants me to hold her

    now.

    ¡°Would it help you?¡± I ask her, my throat parched and my tongue darting out to wet my lips. She nods and I

    ¨C move down, my arm sliding under her head with the other snaking over her waist, tucking her close.

    Colette stares at me for a little while as her eyes grow heavier by the second, the mate bond working to calm her. I take the time to memorize every sing

    She sighs in content before snuggling in closer and I watch her as if in a daydream as she lifts her head and gently, her plush lips press to the

    corner of my mouth before she closes her eyes and falls asleep.

    6/6

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14

    ¡°Colette POV

    I rub my eyes, certain I must be going crazy as I peek and see Merikh¡¯s sleeping form. He stayed. Here I thought he would leave after I fell asleep. Not th

    I press my lips together nervously, looking over his slightly stubbly cheeks and the way his lips are pursed open slightly, a soft whistling nose filling the ro

    to understand when the hell I would ever consider snoring of any kind S*xy. Is that the mate bond? Working to make me want him more until I just eventu

    I gently move closer, my fingers reaching out and hovering over his face as I frame his cheeks with my hands, being careful not to wake him.

    ¡°You are staring,¡± he says in a low husky voice that makes me reel back in shock, rolling away and nearly flying off the bed. His arm wraps around my wa

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I mumble, my eyes skirting to his lips, where I watch a small smirk appear. I look away, toward the window, and fake a yawn. ¡°I guess it¡¯s morning

    ¡°Mmm,¡± he affirms with a vibrating hum and I fight back a shiver.

    ¡°We should get up,¡± I say, though itcks confidence.

    ¡°Should we? Do you have ns I don¡¯t know about?¡± He asks me and I chuckle.

    ¡°Yes, with all my friends I have here.¡± I say and p my hand over my mouth. It came out snarkier than I¡¯ve ever spoken

    before, but instead of being upset, he just smirks.

    ¡°Apparently, along with your strengthing back, so is your

    sass. I imagine you¡¯ve been holding it in for years.¡± He¡¯s not wrong. I look at him, worried, and he just shakes his head. ¡°Sass me all you want, Colette.

    endearing.¡±

    ¡°For now,¡± I snort and he sits up, rolling from the bed.

    1

    ¡°Come, let¡¯s get some breakfast.¡± He says, looking over his shoulder.

    ¡°Like¡­eat with you?¡± I ask, taken aback.

    Merikh turns to face me with an air of amusement.

    ¡°As opposed to what? eating you?¡± He asks and my face mes in embarrassment.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that?¡± I rush out and his smile grows wider.

    15

    I see the twinkle in his eye, the pleasure he is getting from my heated skin and inability to look him in the face. Oh, he knows what I meant¡­unless¡­

    he doesn¡¯t and I¡¯m just a dirty minded girl. I¡¯ve never let my mind wander to such ces before and here I am¡­.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get breakfast and maybe you could recount what happenedst night. The more we know, the more we can try to figure out what they are after.¡± H

    ¡°What do you usually eat for breakfast?¡± He asks as we leave the room and I furrow my brows, looking up at him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t usually eat breakfast.¡±

    ¡°Coffee then?¡± He says, but I can hear his disappointment.

    ¡°Iced Coffee.¡± I smile at him, and he grins, looking pleased. I don¡¯t dare tell him I drink it iced because it was always the day old coffee

    that I would sneak before the kitchen maids would empty the pot each night. Iced coffee is iced coffee, so why should he care it wasn¡¯t fresh or actually w

    ¡°The cooks will have a spread of food for you to choose from,¡± he says after a moment and I can only assume he mind linked everyone.

    ¡°When will I have the mindlink?¡± I ask, and he tucks his hands into his sweatpants pockets.

    ¡°After we mate, fully. Your wolf acknowledges me as its alpha right now, and this as its pack, but you have not been formally epted or presented yet,¡±

    reaction.

    I hide the hurt well, though. He still hasn¡¯t presented me to his pack yet. Merikh ims to want me, he is kind

    2/6

    Emergency calls onlyMD

    and attentive and holds my hand through every grudgingly slow ¡®training¡® session I have.

    Yet he still hides me away from everyone else. It is feeling more and more like I am his dirty little secret

    and that¡¯s not a feeling I am keen on. The thought of him having a true Luna elsewhere creeps into the back of my mind and I try to shove it down. When

    hand and I nce to see his fingers wrapping around

    mine.

    My eyebrows shoot up as I nce at him, my mouth agape. But he isn¡¯t watching me, he is instead leading me gently as he looks down the hallway we a

    have joined a gymnastics team as it does its own floor routine inside me.

    +5

    My heart races and I give his warm

    hand a gentle squeeze. Not one that is entirely noticeable, but one that says I like the touch. Because I do. I feel safer when I can feel him or be near him

    The smell of bacon hits my nostrils and my mouth suddenly fills with saliva, the drool reminding me just how hungry I am, and then my stomach releases

    food and Merikh chuckles to himself, pleased.

    ¡°Looks like we made it just in

    time, any longer, and it sounds like your stomach would have tried to eat me.¡± He wears a mischievous grin on his perfect lips and I bite back augh. He

    As we enter the massive kitchen, I see the disy of nearly every breakfast

    dish I can name, and I lick my lips. I if she finally get to try all these things I have watched Leslie enjoy and taunt me with since I can remember. Oh, cou

    ¡°Grab a te and take what you want,¡± Merikh says and suddenly I¡¯m stuck, rooted to the ground as my b*dy nearly recoils at the thought of breaking the

    Breakfast isn¡¯t for people like me. I want to try everything that was prepared, but the thought of eating it brings back the memories of my maid training. T

    I was lowlier evenpared to them. Merikh ushers me to the dining room table before he maneuvers around my chair and loads up one te,ying it

    ¡°Eat,¡± he says, pushing a fork into my hand as I look at him. All the memories of the painful beatings, the way my fingers ache in memory of being rapped

    Colette, please cat,¡± he says and I look up at him, a concerned frown on his lips as he stands at the counter, paused. ¡°You need your strength.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I smile, but it falters when I look back at the te.

    So instead of looking at the food. I close my eyes and shovel whatever I get on my fork into my mouth and I moan. The hash browns mixed with the

    perfectly seasoned and fluffy eggs tastes like heaven as I chew and swallow, opening my eyes and pushing more in.

    Merikh sits across from me chuckling as he drops an iced coffee before me. I tilt my head, looking at it as he watches me closely, and I hesitantly reach o

    ¡°Holy shit.¡± I mutter, slurping more of it down. ¡°What is this? It¡¯s so good.¡±

    ¡°Iced coffee¡­¡± he looks at me confused. ¡°Do you just drink iced ck coffee?¡±

    I nod, and he snorts.

    ¡°Are you a serial killer? Iced coffee should be vored.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°Allowed. I¡¯m seeing a trend here.¡± He murmurs, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table, his eyes. glued to me. But I can¡¯t find the will to car

    coffee.

    ¡°Can I ask you some questions aboutst night?¡± he asks finally and I slide my eyes in his direction.

    ¡°Feed me like this and I will tell you anything you want to hear.¡± I murmur and he grins.

    ¡°Now tell me, what was your dream about?¡± He asks.

    My movements freeze and I sit back from my te, looking out the window with a heavy sigh.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same nightmare I always have. Well, kind of, it¡¯s a little different from before.¡±

    ¡°What was different?¡±

    ¡°She spoke in this one.¡± I murmur, her words echoing in my head, the rity and fear in the words. It was her

    4/6

    voice, the mother I could never remember¡­

    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    His brow pinch above his nose and he hums in question.

    101089% 18:14

    ¡°What did she say?¡± He asks softly. I press back into my seat, watching him before deciding I trust him. I don¡¯t know him well, but I

    trust him nheless.

    ¡°She told me to stay, that they would be there soon,¡±

    ¡°But she has never mentioned that part before?¡± He asks, frowning, and I nod.

    ¡°She would say it, I think, but it was always silent¡­my dreams. More like she was

    mouthing the¡­

    ¡°Hmm, that is interesting.¡± Merikh says, getting lost in his thoughts before he shakes his head in thought and takes a sip of his hot coffee. ¡°Did she say h

    ¡°No,¡± I frown, ¡°just that he would be there soon. Then the green orb showed up and chased me into the water.¡±

    ¡°Did it hurt you?¡± He asks. ¡°I saw you from my office window and you looked¡­¡± he pauses, clearing his throat and with

    the sound his face changes from distant to reserved. ¡°You looked very distressed.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it spoke to me, too.¡± I whisper. A shiver rolls through me at the memory. The voice telling me she needs me. That I need to hurry.

    His brows rise in surprise. ¡°It did? What did it say?¡±

    ¡°That I needed to go to her. That my mom needed me.¡±

    ¡°Did you save her? In your dream?¡± He asks softly and I bite my lip, looking down at the te, dragging my fork.

    over the eggs.

    ¡°No, I watched her die¡­¡± my voice cracks and his war hand covers mine. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that part before¡­¡±

    ¡°Weavers can morph your dreams to fit what they want. But there are clues, little ways to tell what is out of the ordinary.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± I ask, peeking up at him. The image of her dying in front of me won¡¯t ever go away, but if there is a chance I don¡¯t have to see it again, that t

    originally mine¡­then I will cling to that tiny bit of hope.

    5/6

    ¡°Voices that aren¡¯t meant

    to speak sound tinny. Like someone is talking through a metal can and images have a distorted outline, not too distinguishable but enough to make

    the figure look almost of focus.¡±

    My mouth goes dry, my stomach heavy, and I stop ying with my food. The green orb¡¯s voice was most definitely different, sounding like someone was

    there was no distortion on that. My brows furrow and the corner of

    lips tug down in a

    frown.

    ¡°And if the things I saw weren¡¯t distorted¡­is it possible they are still fake?¡± I ask in a soft whisper.

    ¡°No.¡± he says, but I don¡¯t see him. I can¡¯t focus on his face, then my eyes are blurring with tears.

    ¡°Is there a way to tell if it¡¯s just a nightmare or memories?¡± I ask, looking up and meeting his guarded eyes.

    ¡°Only you can determine that.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes there are things we just know. We can feel it in our guts, but we can¡¯t exin it¡­this is one of those. times to trust your gut, Colette.¡±

    The tears break free, strolling down my face as I bite back a sob. Every fiber of my being is telling me I know the truth. I know the parts that are real and

    murder.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15

    ¡°Colette?¡± Merikh calls out to me, concerned. I give him the best fake smile I can muster.

    I can tell he isn¡¯t falling for it. The fake grin to hide the pain that was creeping in and taking over my heart. He stands suddenly, reaching down and pullin

    My hands instinctively slide up his back, cradling his shoulders as my grip grows tighter. The rey of my mother¡¯s death in my dream ys on a loop

    in my mind. I wince every time I see it pierce through her, and he

    holds me closer.

    I didn¡¯t even realize the silent tears had turned to sobs as he strokes my hair and hums in my ear to calm me. I

    don¡¯t want to let go, to pull

    away from him, but after what feels like a long time, I wrap my arms around his waist and press my cheek to his chest with a heavy sigh.

    ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± he asks.

    His voice is so tender and full of worry, and I feel the urge to look up at him. The need to see his green eyes and witness his gentle smile is too much to f

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t really have any other options.¡± I sigh.

    ¡°Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?¡± he asks, looking over my face from feature to feature. My usual blush creeps up my n*ck and seeps i

    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± I murmur, stepping out of his embrace. ¡°I think.¡±

    ¡°You are so much stronger than you realize. There is so much in you that you still don¡¯t see.¡±

    ¡°And what is it you see in me?¡± I ask him. His demeanor shifts slightly, his expressions shutting down and going stoic as he seems to think about the

    question.

    ¡°What I see in you is a way forward, Colette.¡± he says. ¡°I see the future of this pack and it all is riding on you.¡±

    I scoff and roll my eyes. ¡°Now I know you are lying. What kind of future or way forward can I bring? You are

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    Emergency calls onlyMa

    mistaken.¡±

    101089%

    18:14

    ¡°Not about this,¡± he says, a small smile cracking through his cool demeanor. Hispliments confuse me. The words he speaks seem like they have hid

    confused and a lot more drawn to him.

    He reaches for my iced coffee and hands it to me with an indecipherable look. ¡°I think you would really benefit

    from a visit to the healing waters today.¡± He announces.

    ¡°Uh¡­

    but I am healing fine. Actually, better than fine. I am healing faster than anyone else I¡¯ve ever known now that the poison from Leslie is out of my system

    couple of days.¡±

    ¡°You still think it was her poisoning you, don¡¯t you?¡± he asks, and I scrunch my nose.

    ¡°I mean, of course I do. What other reason would it be? I¡¯ve not thought up a more valid reason, can you?¡± I ask, and he shrugs.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are many other logical reasons, but that is beside the point. The healing waters will ease your mind in a way that your wolf can¡¯t. The arom

    I think about what he says, remembering theke and how cold it is, but then I recall the steam from his bath and how he just mentioned warm water and

    ¡°Do I have to be n*ked?¡± I ask, arching a brow, and he looks at me like I¡¯m crazy.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t n*ked the time you barged in on me in the waters.¡± he teases and I click my tongue.

    ¡°Excuse me, I just wanted to help you.¡± I protest and he just shakes his head in amusement.

    ¡°And help you did.¡± he gives a small bow in appreciation and I try to fight the growing grin.

    ¡°Fine.¡± I roll my eyes yfully, giving into him, ¡°I will go to the healing waters. Happy?¡±

    ¡°Very much.¡± He nods, a glint in his eyes. ¡°I will have someone pull it together for you.¡±

    ¡°Can I take itter tonight? Bathing now feels¡­. a little useless before a workout. I want to train today and then I

    will take one.¡±

    Emergency calls onlyMDE

    ¡°You are sounding like a Luna with those demands,¡± he bites back a pleased smirk.

    ¡°I feel morefortable¡­I guess.¡± I shrug and heughs.

    ¡°With me or the pack?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Both, actually¡­¡± I admit, and he exhales with a nod.

    ¡°Fine. if you feel you are ready to train today, then let¡¯s start now.¡±

    089%

    18:14

    15

    My muscles scream out in total agony, my mind mush and my b*dy covered in sweat. Merikh follows behind me and I swear I can feel him trying to hold

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I ask him with narrowed eyes. Merikh just looks at me with a barely there smug smirk

    before looking away quickly. He is enjoying this all way too much.

    ¡°Your next level of training. You were saying you are healing faster, so why not step up the training a little faster

    as well?.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, remind me to not speak out of turn. Apparently, all I do is put my foot in my damn mouth.¡± I grumble and he breaks into augh that feeds the very

    My legs feel like jello and my lungs are searing from the workout they were given as well. I look over my shoulder and watch him. I am inplete awe o

    The rumor for so long had been that she rejected him because of his scarred face. Yet here I am. Watching the

    most handsome being I have everid eyes onugh like an

    angel. He may be one of death, but the fact remains, he is unearthly beautiful and more so when he smiles.

    rikh, why did your mate reject you?¡± I ask him and he freezes, his entire b*dy rigid and his eyes near dead. The transformation from warm andughing A

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about her,¡± he snaps as he pushes past me.

    ¡°Why not? If you have a new mate, shouldn¡¯t you be over yourst one?¡± I ask, and he takes tworge steps,

    3/7

    Emergency calls only MO

    10089% 18:14

    overtaking me as he grips my elbow.

    ¡°It is none of your business,¡± he grits out before yanking his arm away and recoiling back from me. ¡°Make sure you go to the healing waters after this. I w

    room tonight,¡± then he pushes past me, leaving me behind to gape and wonder what the hell just happened.

    When I make it into the pack house, Penny finds me and gives over my shoulder to someone behind me. I nce back to see Percy nod back to her as

    ¡°Has he been stalking me all day?¡± I ask, and she grins.

    ¡°Oh, for sure. I keep telling him that stalking women is a terrible habit, but what can I do? Creeps are gonna

    creep.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t wait to tell him you said that.¡± I chuckle and she shrugs.

    ¡°He will never believe you,¡± she winks, falling instep beside me.

    We walk for a moment

    infortable silence as I contemte asking her the question the Merikh shut down so angrily. Then I realize I have a right to know. It¡¯s part of this pac

    ¡°Penny¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°If I ask you questions, do you have to answer me?¡± I ask tentatively.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    She looks at me, confused. ¡°I guess it depends on the question and how it¡¯s important to you?¡±

    ¡°I want to know about Merikh¡¯s ex mate¡­¡± I tread lightly with my words, looking around and waiting for a bacsh. Instead, she throws her hands up wit

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about damn time,¡± she says.

    ¡°Wait what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been dying to tell you, but you had to ask me first. Let me know you are serious about being Alpha¡¯s new mate and our Luna.¡±

    4/7

    Emergency calls onlyMD

    10089% 18:14

    ¡°Uh¡­ok.¡± I say, not bothering to think much about what she says. I have questions and I want answers. ¡°So,

    what is her name?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean was?¡± She quirks a brow.

    ¡°Was? As in, she is dead?¡± I ask and she grins, nodding yes.

    ¡°Like damn dead. Lauren lost her head, kind of dead. She dead dead.¡± She says in a creepy way too happy about it, upbeat voice.

    ¡°Okay, she¡¯s dead, but how?¡± I ask and she looks away for a second.

    ¡°You can¡¯t freak out until I tell you the entire story. Okay? Promise?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s already not a great start.¡± I admit anxiety squeezing my insides like it¡¯s an orange in a juice factory.

    ¡°Yeah, well¡­it¡¯s obviously not a fairytale considering her current location.¡± She chuckles.

    I look at her weirdly and she grins, then rolls her eyes. ¡°Because she is six feet under. Pushing up daisies. Yeesh, slow on the uptake today, Luna Letty.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little weird how excited her death makes you.¡±

    ¡°If Alpha weren¡¯t so hurt by it all, everyone would react like this. Lauren deserved her ending.¡±

    ¡°And yet you still tell me nothing.¡± I remind her.

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± she sighs, peeking around the hall as we get closer to the room. ¡°Lauren grew up here, everyone. sort of¡­

    well¡­ she wasn¡¯t everyone¡¯s favorite pack member, but when they realized they were mates, it didn¡¯t matter and it seemed like she changed, truly chan

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°She was a spy,¡± Penny says, a cloud of anger hovering around her now. She is hiding behind her jokes, but I can feel how much she truly detested the l

    before me.

    I give her an incredulous look. ¡°A spy? For who? The rogues?¡±

    ¡°Worse¡­¡± she grins, waiting for me to guess. I swallow, not wanting to look like an idiot, as I rack my brain for a

    5/7

    Emergency calls onlyM

    good guess.

    ¡°The¡­wi-¡±

    01089%

    18:14

    +5

    ¡°Vampires.¡± she cuts me off and I say it with her like it was totally my guess too. Then my eyes nearly bulge from my head.

    ¡°WHAT!?¡± I cry out loud and she ps her hand over my mouth, shoving me into the room.

    ¡°The vampires, damn, why are you so surprised? They are the most back¨Cstabby supernatural being there are.¡±

    ¡°Right, obviously,¡± I try to y along.

    It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t know they existed, except that¡¯s sort of exactly what I thought. Like I know, Merikh has said that there are other supernatural beings o

    joking or not.

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t just giving them information but as Luna, she was able to

    invite them into pack grounds in the middle of the night. We didn¡¯t just lose twelve warriors to one vampire, we lost our former alpha, Alpha Merikh

    and beta Hayes Dad. They found Lauren talking with the vampire in question about where to find Merikh to kill

    him next over his father¡¯s blood let b*dy.¡±

    My heart feels like it¡¯s in a vice grip and I clutch my chest, hoping to relieve some of the tension there.

    ¡°So he killed her.¡± I whisper, and I find I can¡¯t me him. I would have done the same thing without a second

    thought.

    ¡°No.¡± she shakes her head. ¡°He had a public execution and had her beheaded.¡±

    The blood drains from my face, but not because of how he executed her or that he sentenced her to death and

    watched it. But at how much it must have hurt him and

    his lycan to watch his mate die. To be the one to order it before his whole pack. Acknowledging he was wrong to choose her. His wrong choice led to a d

    No wonder he doesn¡¯t want to announce me to the pack yet. Holy crap, no wonder he chose me. I am too weak to do anything like that and get away wit

    desire to find his second chance mate. How could he ever trust someone when the mate bond blinds him?

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16

    Steam rolls off the glistening pool, beautiful purple petals dotting the surface with sprigs ofvender and other various herbs melding together to make th

    ¡°It feels amazing, doesn¡¯t it? The air?¡± Penny says, releasing a satisfied groan. Then she moves around me with a plush navy robe and a set of slippers.

    much.¡±

    ¡°Is everyone allowed to use them?¡± I ask her, and she shakes her head.

    ¡°Yes, but this one is for the alpha family¡¯s personal use. We all have one in our own homes, but without all the marble and ornate gold disys. Also, mu

    pool.¡± She gives me an amused wink.

    ¡°I see.¡± I mutter, moving over to the chair and slipping off my shoes.

    Penny apparently figured

    out my clothing size and sorted out a bikini for me. Not that I¡¯m not grateful, but this might be more revealing than the underwear I own. I¡¯m not quite

    I release a nervous sigh and undress down to my suit before taking onest look at the untouched water. It¡¯s amazing how much it just looks like it will he

    ¡°Healing water, my ass,¡± I mutter to myself. ¡°More like boiled Colette soup with how hot that is.¡± I bite my bottom lip, groaning in lead

    up before I gently step down onto the first step, holding my breath to keep from letting out a squeal.

    The liquid burns my skin, the oils and herbstching onto my flesh as I step down one more and then another. until I am fully in the pool. I bend my knee

    Every Achey muscle seems to meld with the water, feeling like it is just an extension of me. It almost tickles, the way it swirls around my skin and draws o

    herbs.

    1/5

    I reach up and pull my hair out of its stic band and tilt my head back, submerging it up to my hairline as a satisfied gasp dances past my lips and I sm

    washes away.

    For a second I feel the pull to put my head under the water, but my stomach tightens in fear and I decide to give myself a little more time. Thest time m

    at least not at this precise moment.

    Instead, I move to the stairs and sit, resting my head on one of the upper steps as a sort of anchor, then I allow my b*dy to float up. My b*dy is weightles

    Since being here, since losing Grady, she has done nothing but

    hide, only doing what she must to keep me aware of her presence. It felt like we were no longer in sync¨C

    well, for years really, but now, she has allowed me back in. Her presence growing stronger by the second. And my heart and soul feel at ease.

    I hum in therge room, my voice echoing back to me. I¡¯ve never had an affinity for music, but it feels natural to sing when

    you are at peace and right now is the most at peace I have ever been. My mind wanders many ces, from the dream to my terrible past and back to th

    Then suddenly, I am suffocating. I sit up, my hand on my throat as I choke on the air, looking around frantically, watching as the room fades away

    and I am back in the swamp. I can feel where I am, my hands and legs wet and warm grounding me in knowing I am still physically in the healing waters

    There are no green orbs, no other person other than me, and a voice. Her voice. Then she appears and I watch as my mom takes a seat and rests her h

    ¡°A longing for the tales,

    one of legends told,

    I¡¯ll sing to you, my love, in the ways of the old,

    For when a mate cries out in the dark,

    The other must always heed,

    2/5

    Emergency calls onlyMDE

    the one singr cry in their time of need.

    Soe to me, my love,

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Your mate is calling you home

    Your mate is calling you home.¡±

    101088% 18:15

    My heart aches at the sadness in her tone, the way the words break her heart, and I watch as tears stream down her face. I reach out, remembering this

    My knees go weak and I fall, my head plunging into the

    wetness and my b*dy jolts. The image of my dying mother bleeds from my mind like a memory fading, the thought gone even as I try to conjure it back. A

    I open my eyes, blinking at the steam, my consciousness back in the now. The words of her song resound in my mind. That was no dream,

    but a memory, one the waters pulled from me. How? I don¡¯t know how, but I know it

    to be the truth. I can feel it.

    The past has always been hidden from me, shrouded in despair and darkness. No matter how hard I tried, I could remember nothing from before being

    now I have a voice, an image I thought was made up or thought was just a nightmare. And now I have a song.

    Her song. My mom¡¯s song.

    And I know where I got my singing voice. I smile to myself. Because she sure as shit wasn¡¯t phenomenal. That fear I held, the one of the water, is rec

    her again, where my soul feltfortable enough to open up and allow little bits of me to seep out.

    I close my eyes, a smile on my lips as I head to the steps again, and sit. I never want to leave this room. It feels. sacred now. Like a connection between

    The words to her song tumble out of me, echoing through the room as it makes me feel closer to her. I sing it on repeat, familiarizing myself with the tune

    3/5

    Emergency calls onlyMT

    10088% 18:15

    My voice echoes off the walls, bouncing back to me, and the water around me moves with the vibrations as if it¡¯s dancing to my words. Then I feel a shift

    ¡°W¨C

    where did youe from?¡± I ask, clutching my chest. He looks pained as he moves closer, like he was injured. and is seeking healing, but from me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stop singing.¡± He says, his voice a husky whisper as he continues to stalk me down like prey.

    I furrow my brow, confused, but I repeat the words, slowly and softly. Merikh reaches under the water, finding my hand as he pulls me up and drags my b

    me with lust filled eyes.

    I finish the verse, unsure if I should continue again. So Instead, I hum the tune and he leans down, pressing his forehead to mine. Merikh inhales deeply

    ¡°I am sorry for being a jackass.¡± He mutters. ¡°Forgive me,¡±

    His apology catches me off guard, and I pull back, looking up into his sincere face. He looks distraught, like someone died and worry leaches into me. I s

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have asked about her¡­¡± I breathe.

    He shudders as the sparks seem to whizz through us, weak still, but growing stronger. I force him to look at me, but his eyes fall

    to my lips beforeing back to my eyes. I stare at his green, watching the desire and unbridled lust that stir there. It nearly

    bowls me over to see it, to think he could want me and my b*dy burns in ces I¡¯ve never felt before.

    ¡°I want to k*ss you, Colette.¡± He admits, the tip of his nose teasing mine and then nudging my cheek.

    ¡°What¡¯s stopping you?¡± I ask, feeling bold as my heart nearly pops out of my chest. He freezes, eyes boring into me, searching for any resistance

    on my end, resistence he won¡¯t find becuase I want this. I want his lips against mine and his undivided attention. So after a mere second Merikh closes t

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17

    ¡°Merikh POV

    My b*dy vibrates with her touch, my lycan damn near purring as her soft lips move against mine. It¡¯s like the celebration dinner all over again, my b*dy gi

    I am forever wrapped up in everything Colette.

    Her hands are warm from the water as they glide up my heaving chest, wrapping around my n*ck. My b*dy shivers under her touch and I k*ss her deepe

    My hand tangles in her wet hair as I tilt her chin up, giving me better ess to explore her mouth. My other

    hand slides down her wet back, my thumb looping into the back of her bikini bottoms. The rest of my palm rests over

    the fabric.

    I crave grabbing a handful of her ass, dragging her b*dy up me and

    spreading her little legs around my waist. But Colette isn¡¯t someone you fling around, not like that. Not yet. She¡¯s a delicate flower, a water lily that needs

    I can manage. For a short while.

    She moans as she tries to tug me closer, her b*dy rolling against mine with a delicious vibration that only serves the purpose of making everything harde

    me, clearly.

    ¡°Colette,¡± I murmur against her lips.

    She hums in acknowledgement and then she moves her head to my cheek, k*ssing my face before moving to my ear. Her breathing is like a feather ove

    I walk her back, trying to find something to press her against. I can¡¯t have her, not the way I crave, but I sure as shit can¡¯t stop this moment. Right now, it

    A knock sounds at the door and ignore it. f**k them. I don¡¯t care who it is or what they

    want. Right now I¡¯m servicing my queen. The knock grows louder and Colette must finally hear it as she tears away, covering her lips. and looking away.

    1/5

    ¡°What?¡± I growl at the door. Who ever it is could have easily used the mindlink,

    ¡°Alpha, I havee from the council with the official decision on your appeal to-¡±

    0

    ¡°Yes, I will be with you in a moment.¡± I grit out, taking a step away from

    Colette who looks at me, lips parted and red. Her hair is a mess with her innocent eyes wide in shock, watching me. I tilt my head, drinking in the view.

    ¡°Exquisite,¡± I breathe. I reach out, cupping her cheek, dragging the pad of my thumb over her lips. ¡°I will see your

    tonight,¡±

    ¡°I thought you said you would be workingte,¡± she murmurs in a daze.

    ¡°I moved things around.¡± I smile. ¡°You should get dressed and rest. The healing waters can only do so much, but you will still be sore tomorrow.¡±

    She looks a little confused, tilting her head slightly and I notice a hue of blue in her brown eyes I¡¯ve never seen before. For a moment, I think she will say

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see you in a bit.¡± She bites her lip as I turn toward the stairs.

    I stop for a moment before I turn back and drag her close, dropping a k*ss on her forehead. As much as I want to deny the pull to her, I can¡¯t. Be it the se

    reservations.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± I sigh, releasing her and rushing out of the water.

    I move to the chair, grabbing my towel and changing my clothing, while Colette looks¡® away, her innocence still intact, as I grin to myself, hoping she took

    When I push out the door, I find the messenger from the council waiting for me. His unnatural looking silver hair flows down past his shoulders, dusting o

    breasted vest. At least they sent a messenger! get along with.

    ¡°Ezrah.¡± I nod and he grins, walking next to me as we make our way to my office.

    ¡°Good to see you again, Alpha,¡± he bows his head in respect and I sigh.

    ¡°I take it my appeal was once again rejected?¡± I ask.

    2/5

    ¡°Lost by one.¡± He responds a small smirk on his lips. I look at him, shocked. For years, I have repealed the ruling thatnded our kind ostracized by the c

    ¡°One?¡± I ask, narrowing my eyes. ¡°Who changed their mind?¡±

    ¡°I am not allowed to share those details, Alpha. You know the rules.¡± he shrugs.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I grumble, running my hands through my hair. ¡°Yeah, I know the damn rules.¡±

    ¡°If you had a Luna, it might change things,¡± he says, looking at me and I know he sees the redness of my lips

    from my

    time with Colette.

    ¡°Why would that make a difference?¡± I ask, keeping my little luna a secret from him for now. She is my secret weapon, one I am not ready to let the coun

    ¡°They want proof that your kind has¡­¡± He pauses, looking for the right word.

    ¡°A weakness.¡± I scoff. ¡°I believe that is the word you are looking for.¡±

    ¡°A weakness?¡± He rears his head, sliding his hands into his matching blue pants. ¡°Interesting way to put it alpha. I was going to say anchor. Someone to

    unreachable. If you understand my meaning.¡±

    ¡°I have seen how some of the council members treat their other halves.¡± I frown. ¡°There is no grounding there. Just pure ownership and S*xual drive.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but their kind has not been kicked from the council, nor are they

    notorious for acting out before thinking. Your kind, however¡­¡± he falls off, knowing I know where he is going.

    And I admit, he may have a point there, but I refuse to acknowledge that. I turn, pushing my office door open and motioning him to enter. He obliges me,

    ¡°Is there

    a message you would like to ry to the council?¡± Ezrah asks. He pulls an envelope from the breast pocket, cing it on the desk, and I see the same s

    ¡°I see Caspian is still the head of the council.¡± I frown. The dickhead who keeps fighting me, even though our

    3/5

    terms have been fulfilled and time served. He has it out for us, not that the feeling isn¡¯t mutual.

    ¡°He is.¡± He watches me with a glimmer of amusement. ¡°You know the rules. He has some time left to be the

    leader.¡±

    ¡°Because he stole my kinds term, I should be at that seat.¡± I growl low in my chest. ¡°Not some fish stick asshole.¡±

    ¡°If your

    kind had followed thews, things would be very different, Alpha. But as it stands, your great grandfather was not one for the rules and the council fears

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit.¡± I hiss, hammer my fist on my desk. ¡°They all are hoping enough time passes to make us forget. They¡¯ve abandoned us.¡±

    ¡°I am merely a messenger,¡± He frows. Then heys a separate note next to the one containing the refusal to let us back into the council.

    ¡°What is this?¡± I ask, furrowing my brow as I grab it and tear it open..

    ¡°That I do not know. I only deliver the news. This was in my pile to deliver.¡±

    ¡°Yet you knew what was in the first letter.¡± Hayes reminds him and Ezrah shrugs.

    ¡°I was given the details to share verbally, the other note I know nothing about other than the destination. But now I must go before my portal closes,¡± he s

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I sigh. Even if he brings bad news, Ezrah is easily the more respectful of the messengers.

    ¡°Always a pleasure, Alpha Merikh.¡± he gives a head bow and sees himself out.

    Hayes pops up, rushing over the desk like a hungry dog looking for a treat.

    ¡°Open the damn thing. I want to see what it says.¡±

    ¡°Leave.¡± I say, smirking. His face falls.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°No warning about Ezrah being here and you sent him to find me.¡± I remind him, and he scoffs.

    4/5

    ¡°I always do that with him.¡±

    ¡°But it rarely interrupts¡­ things,¡± I growl, my lycaning forward to show him our displeasure. Shock gives way to amusement, and heughs.

    ¡°Damn, so you put some moves on her in the healing waters? Very unoriginal, but it¡¯s a start,¡± he teases and I scowl, sitting in my chair and pointing to th

    ¡°Next time you do that, I will have you punished.¡± I scowl at him.

    ¡°I swear on the heavens, never again¡­

    for a while.¡± he grins and I roll my eyes, opening the letter ncing down at the printed font on paper with only three lines.

    -Keep your Luna close. She is the stuff of dreams¡­or nightmares. Can¡¯t wait to meet her at the council meeting.-

    ¡°What the fuck?¡± I mumble, my blood running cold as I read it again and again. Hayes takes it from my hand. His eyes snap up to mine.

    *So the wolves¡­the stupid f**king dream weavers¡­¡±

    ¡°Someone from the council knows more than they should.¡± I mutter and he growls in anger.

    ¡°We have a f**king traitor.¡± He hisses, running his han

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18

    *Colette POV

    I watch Merikh as he works in his office, his head down and a frown on his lips. He has been like this since the night we k*ssed in the healing waters. An

    He snaps at everyone, especially Hayes, the two of them bickering back and forth under their breath

    as I try to tune them out and not listen. That would be an easy feat, a maid pretending not to hear what they hear, but I¡¯m not a maid like Merikh likes to r

    every day. I¡¯m his Luna. So I listen.

    ¡°No luck finding the mole yet?¡± I ask, arching a brow. His eyes snap up, the speck of surprise melting away into an amused smile.

    ¡°And here I thought you were so enthralled in your books that you weren¡¯t listening.¡±

    ¡°You enthrall me,¡± I mutter, chewing the inside of my cheek shyly. He pushes away from his desk, then stands, all the while pinning me with his eyes as h

    ¡°I enthrall you, hmm?¡± He stops at the foot of myfy chair.

    ¡°It¡¯s a fun word, isn¡¯t it?¡± I smile up at him innocently and I see him fighting back the yfulness he so rarely lets

    loose.

    ¡°Tell me, what is it about me enthralls you, my little Luna?¡± he leans forward, his handsing on either side of my ears, pressing into the back of the ch

    It¡¯s already getting harder to breathe in his presence. Just being near him brings me a calm, and a storm rolled into one. The safety of his aura and th

    I¡¯m falling hard and I have not the damnedest clue how to tell him I am ready for the next step without sounding like a wanton woman. I find myself unab

    My mouth runs dry and my eyes flutter closed, begging him to k*ss me again like he did when we were in the healing water. Two

    weeks of pining for that touch, that passion, only to suffocate in this S*xual tension that could easily snuff out the sun.

    1/5

    Emergency calls only MO

    ¡°I like you, Merikh.¡± I rasp out and he tilts his head, surprised.

    ¡°You¡­like me?¡± he asks.

    ¡°I do.¡± Ladmit.

    ¡°You mean you feel safe with me,¡± He says as I watch him with a critical eye.

    ¡°No, I mean, I have feelings for you.¡± I reiterate, and he seems skeptical.

    ¡°It¡¯s been three weeks.¡± He states, and I roll my eyes.

    ¡°And for two of those three weeks you have slept next to me, held me when I had a nightmare and have stuck by my side¡­¡± I pause. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lea

    He freezes, blinking at me. ¡°You are sure¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I chuckle, reaching up, only hesitating for a split second before I cup his cheek. ¡°I¡¯ve lived more in these past three weeks than I ever did in my firs

    one years.¡±

    ¡°We will announce you to the pack tomorrow.¡± He murmurs, a smile on his plump lips as he gently brushes them over mine. I gasp, my mouth tumbling o

    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± I mutter, lost in the warmth of his breath as it teases over my skin.

    ¡°And then I will mark you, and make you mine, officially.¡± He closes the distance, his mouth covering mine in a gentle k*ss, much different from the one b

    ¡°Merikh,¡± he says, out of breath, his eyes looking from me and then back to Merikh in rm.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Merikh growls, standing.

    Silence falls over them. Hayes is doing a whole lot of talking with his eyes and I realize he is resorting to the mindlink. Gone are the whisperings, rece

    I can feel the anger rolling off him as his skin goosebumps and he cracks his n*ck, trying to remain in control. Something terrible must have happened fo

    2/5

    Emergency calls only

    look on his face as he stares down his older brother before he drops his chin.

    0088% 18:16

    ¡°What is wrong?¡± I ask, standing and reaching out to touch Merikh¡¯s arm. His muscles flex as he works his fist open and closed and then slowly looks do

    ¡°Nothing you need to worry about,¡± he mutters, dropping a k*ss on the top of my head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you some dinner with Penny and Percy?¡± He says, ste

    go grab

    His change in demeanor has my stomach in knots, as I think of all the possibilities. The only thing I can think of is they figured out who the mole is, and it

    is feeling betrayed.

    ¡°I would rather eat with you¡­¡± I admit, watching him nervously. His anger seems to melt a little as he offers me

    a soft smile.

    ¡°Maybe a walk then, since I haven¡¯t taken you to training and your leg still needs the exercise.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I say, but in truth, I would rather remain by his side.

    ¡°I¡¯ve mind linked Penny. She will meet you on the trail. Percy will be your shadow,¡± Hayes whispers as I walk past him, and I nod.

    ¡°Thank you, Hayes.¡±

    I look over my shoulder once more as I walk out the door, catching Merikh watching me as I leave. He smiles softly when he realizes he has been caugh

    hor

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    The walk through the packhouse is eerily quiet, no one enters the halls or even watches me as I slide out the side door. Not that it ismon to be stopp

    without Merikh or

    my gamma gang.

    Thankfully it doesn¡¯t take me long to make it to the trail once I leave the pack house. The walk through the old town makes me smile, knowing that this is

    mine, as of tomorrow. There is no taking it back or kicking me out once Merikh epts me.

    It also means there is no escape for me, but why would I want to escape when he makes life feel like wanted? What Merikh sees in me I will never unde

    Emergency colls only.

    10088%

    18:16

    My excitement swells and I find myself walking faster to get to Penny. I can¡¯t wait to tell her the news. She is going to freak out and want to help me pick

    I look around, expecting to

    havee across her by now, but I see nothing. I spin, looking behind me and in the shadows where Lexpect Percy to be, but again I see nothing. A stra

    with awareness.

    Something is wrong

    I can feel the way it creeps up my skin, setting off rm bells in my head and I whimper, unsure of what the

    hell to do. Percy is supposed to be with me somewhere hidden, and Penny can¡¯t be too far off. f**k, I wish I had that mind link up and running right now.

    ¡°Percy?¡± I call out, spinning as I wring my

    hands together. Where the hell is everyone? My wolf whines, making her presence known while we wait for a response. Percy doesn¡¯t make a peep, and

    in on me.

    ¡°Percy!¡± I hiss into the shadows of the trees, but if he is there, he doesn¡¯t

    answer me. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s probably just because I¡¯m not used to being alone anymore¡­ I try to reassure myself.

    Then I see it, a figure moving toward me and I breathe a little easier. Until I realize it¡¯s not the redheaded man who is supposed to be protecting me. Nor

    ¡°Shit!¡± I squeal as I turn and sprint up the trail and through the trees, leaping over roots and sidestepping rocks, like I do in my training sessions.

    It takes longer than I¡¯d like to admit, but I make it to the clearing at the top of the hill. Twenty more feet. I just need to make it twenty feet further for Merik

    I try to crawl away, screaming out for Percy or Penny again, hoping they are close enough to hear me. But again, no onees to aid me. The person o

    my arm.

    At least I hit the asshole in the face. They groan in pain, falling off me with curse words and I twist, popping up as fast as I can, ready to put up a good da

    18:16

    Emergency calls only MON

    ¡°Grady?¡± I ask, shocked, eyes wide now as I nce around for anyone who mighte after him. If Percy or Penny show up now he is dead man.

    ¡°Cole,¡± he breathes, stumbling forward and cupping my face, a massive smile on his lips like he has never been so happy ¡°I found you,¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± I hiss, ushering him as far from the ledge as I can get him..

    ¡°I came for you,¡± he mutters, looking confused as I pull his hand away from my face.

    I frown at him, trying to grapple with the fact he is here that he is confessing he came for me. He

    clings to my fingers in desperation and I let him as I scan him for injury.

    ¡°I came to save you from the alpha of death. Colette, I came to im you as mine.¡±

    n

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19

    ¡°Merikh POV

    I pace my office, back and forth, waiting for Percy to update me on what the hell is happening.

    ¡°You could just go watch for yourself.¡± Hayes says, unamused. He is angry with me. It¡¯s not like he has a reason to be. It¡¯s not his mate about to have a m

    ¡°Why the hell would I want to watch her betray me?¡±

    ¡°You are making assumptions.¡± He shoots back, wandering to the massive bay window overlooking theke and the cliff that is above it. I roll my eyes, lo

    ¡°Thest time I didn¡¯t make assumptions, I was blindsided and our father ended up murdered.¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t the bitch that set you up. Colette

    doesn¡¯t have a calcting bone in her b*dy and you know that,¡± Hayes groans, throwing his head back before he res over at me.

    ¡°How would I know that?¡± I grit out to him. ¡°How do I know she didn¡¯t lure him here?¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡± he scoffs with the shake of his head before turning to face me fully. ¡°Is that what it¡¯se to? You are so

    I over?¡± hopelessly in love with that poor girl that you are convincing yourself she will screw

    ¡°f**k off,¡± I grumble. He is wrong, trust is earned. When it¡¯s given freely, that¡¯s when people screw you over, or worse, when it gets people killed.

    -Grady found her¨C

    Percy says in the back of my mind and I re at my younger brother, who still shakes his head. He finally lifts his hands like he gives up and he retreats

    ¡°If Colette finds out, she may never forgive you,¡± He grumbles.

    ¡°You and I both know there is a lot she won¡¯t forgive me for, won¡¯t change her fate or mine.¡± I move

    toward the window, my heart pumping as I wait for more information from Percy. ¡°She is mine whether she hates me or

    not.¡±

    -She hit him in the face- Percy says and I can hear his amusement, like he is proud of our little Luna, and I smirk to myself.

    1/6 SHT?

    Emergency calls only MO

    I like the sound of her hitting her ex mate who felt she was worth letting

    go. Not that I can hate him too much. How can I when he is the reason I know she is truly mine? No, Grady¡¯s screw up made my n so much easier to

    -Stay close but not too close-

    -Alpha¡­

    I hear Percy¡¯s conflict through the mindlink and my anger grows. I know he and Penny take their role seriously. But until tomorrow, until she is

    officially their Luna and announced to the pack, their loyalty is expected to remain with me and the pack.

    -That is your Luna, Percy. Your job is to make sure she is safe. If she tries to leave with him, you will stop her. Do you understand?¡ª

    -Yes, Alpha¨Che shoots back.

    I see Hayes¡® pointed scowl, but I ignore it. He¡¯s never found his mate, so he doesn¡¯t get to dictate how I treat mine or determine if I can trust her.

    ¡°You are putting him in a tough spot. Why not send me?¡± He asks. ¡°Why the hell would you-¡±

    ¡°Because I need you here to control me!¡± I roar at him, my eyes burning him up with anger.

    Is he so dense he doesn¡¯t see that I will kill f**king Grady? The second I leave this office, that fucker is dead and it will hurt Colette. It will f**king hurt her

    ¡°What?¡± His eyes grow wide and he sits forward on the couch, alert. Then he grows soft and he frowns. ¡°You are a f**king confusing man, brother.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, I feel the same damn way.¡± I grumble. ¡°I didn¡¯t create this opportunity, Hayes, but I will not pass up the chance to determine her loyalty befor

    ¡°You are making a mistake.¡± Hayes grits out, standing and pping a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You should learn to

    trust-¡±

    ¡°Trust?¡± I chuckle dryly. ¡°Trust? What exactly should I trust? The mate bond that already fucked me once? That the traitor among us

    will just happily reveal themselves? No, Hayes, the only thing I trust is blood and my senior

    Emergency calls only MO

    Chapter 19.

    ranking wolves. Everyone else can fuck right off at this point.¡±

    10088%

    18:16

    ¡°There he is,¡± He says, his voice dripping in disappointment. ¡°The cool Alpha of Death everyone talks about. Been a while since I¡¯ve seen him. Can¡¯t say

    -Luna is telling him to leave, Alpha¨CPercy says, breaking through the mind link.

    My lycan vibrates with pride and happiness as I freeze, unsure of what to do. What my lycan wants to do is go to her, chase her down and hold her tight.

    I mean, I had hoped, but even I know hope is usually a useless emotion that sets people up for a harder fall.

    -Stay with her, I aming¨CI decide, finally feeling like I

    can breathe for the first time. Just knowing she is choosing me is enough to keep my murderous tendencies at bay. For now.

    Hayes watches me in shock as I rush out the office door, everything passing me in a blur as I make my way out the pack house and toward the trail Perc

    I inch up in the tree line, listening to the hushed whispers of Colette and the fuckface Grady who seems to think he can sneak into my territory unnoticed

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Percy protests from above me in the tree.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask,¡± I mutter,

    ¡°This is breaking her trust,¡± he warns me, but I don¡¯t care.

    ¡°You go around the other side.¡± I say, ring at him before he nods and slinks off silently through the forest

    shadows.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Grady¡¯s voice whispers, sounding confused.

    ¡°Merikh will kill you.¡± Colette sounds scared,

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of him,¡±

    Emergency calls onlyM

    ¡°You should be,¡± she snaps. ¡°He will end you so quickly. I have seen how quickly he changes, Grady. You don¡¯t stand a chance against him.¡±

    Damn right he doesn¡¯t. Hell, the moment she sends him on his way, I will scoop this dickwad up and stow him away in my dungeon. Colette is not leaving

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving without you, Cole.¡± He says with conviction. ¡°You said you love me. How can I leave you?¡±

    Silence falls over them and my chest aches, my lycan angrily railing against my sanity,

    trying to break free and make an example of them. When did she tell him she loved him? Tonight? Before I got here? Does she still love him after everyt

    ¡°I am telling you to leave.¡± She says once more. ¡°Please? I can¡¯t lose you again.¡±

    ¡°So what? you will just stay here and mate with him?¡±

    ¡°I made a promise!¡± She hisses and Grady scoffs,ughing.

    ¡°A promise? I don¡¯t see a mark keeping you here. Maybe I should just mark you now, before he can?¡± Grady says, sounding angry. I lurch forward, ready

    I see her putting her hands

    1. up.

    ¡°Please¡­stop.¡± Colette sounds tired, worn down. Grady tugs her close to his chest by her hand and my vision

    turns red.

    ¡°I want you, Colette.¡± Grady whispers, then he grips the back of her n*ck and presses his lips to hers.

    I stare, stunned for half a second, before dragging my eyes away. All semnce of pride or happiness obliterates and I¡¯m left feeling hollow and really f**

    I hear nothing, only the ringing in my ears as her betrayal reopens a part of my injured soul I thought I had sealed with hatred. Betrayed twice by the wom

    -Do not let her leave this pack, Percy. Do you understand me?¡ª

    -Yes, Alpha- he shoots back obediently.

    -Hayes, I want this fucker picked up on the border as he tries to leave-

    Emergency calls only MOD

    -Have a little faith brother Hayes tries to calm me, but I shut down the link before he can continue.

    My chest feels like it might rupture and my head spins. The amount of emotions I have felt in thest half hour is enough to give me an aneurysm as I wa

    Where? I have no idea; the scenery seems to meld into one. I hate that I was right. Even if I had expected it, even if I had hoped I was being a fool¡­

    I wasn¡¯t. I was right. Time seems to fade away and I sit on a boulder, staring at the moon as it rises over theke.

    ¡°Merikh?¡± Her once sweet voice now grates on my ears and I look over my shoulder to see her red faced and shocked to find me.

    ¡°How was your walk?¡± I force out the words, refusing to let my emotions take over me.

    Maybe she sent him packing, and

    maybe she wasing to confess she ran into him. That pesky feeling of hope tries to creep up, but squash it back down. I won¡¯t dare to hope, not with

    ¡°It was¡­uneventful,¡± she says with a smile that doesn¡¯t reach her eyes. I take in her dirty clothes and arch a

    brow.

    ¡°Uneventful, huh?¡± I ask, and she swallows, then nods quickly. ¡°So the dirt just jumped onto your clothing?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she looks down, surprise written all over her face, then she grins. ¡°I fell. Tripped on a root.¡±

    ¡°Mmm,¡± I nod.

    ¡°Actually¡­¡± she says, sighing heavily.

    ¡°Yes?¡± My eyes snap to hers, unable to kill the f**king hopefulness in my tone.

    ¡°Penny wasn¡¯t out here¡­and I called for Percy, but he never responded¡­and¡­¡±

    ¡°And what?¡± I ask her. ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± she rushes out fast, looking over her shoulder. Does she really think she isn¡¯t suspicious as fuck? ¡°Nothing happened, just a walk alone. In the woo

    ¡°You weren¡¯t alone, Colette.¡± I say, my lips pressing into a firm line. ¡°You never are.¡±

    5/6

    onlyM000

    Emergency calls onlyM

    ¡°So¡­you know?¡± She asks, her face zing red, and I tilt my head, watching her closely do my best to look confused as I furrow my brows.

    ¡°Know what?¡± I ask her, and she clears her throat, rubbing her hands on her pants.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± she smiles.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure.¡±

    +5

    And just like that, what

    little hope I stupidly let creep in bursts into mes, letting loose a wildfire that suffocates all thoughts of ever loving anyone again.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20

    hapter 20

    *Colette POV

    I cradle my hand, the skin still stinging where I pped Grady and told him to leave. He has put me in an impossible situation, one that has the potential

    And with Merikh, I am. Hell; he could choose anyone in the entire pack and he wanted me. Zero hesitation. One little lie and Grady was rejecting me with

    And for him to show up here, after everything, after weeks of him being with Leslie. He had a lot of nerve to sneak into my pack and try to convince me to

    So, of course, when the asshole k*ssed me, I had no choice but to gather my brains and smack the shit out of him. But now that I see Merikh, the way he

    I can¡¯t

    tell him. As mad as I am with Grady. No matter how hard I want to hit him again. Merikh warned me the day he chose me. He warned me he would kill G

    So as much as it hurts, I have to keep this impromptu meeting a secret, until I know Grady is gone safely from pack grounds. Until I feel he is far enough

    ¡°You should head to find some dinner,¡± Merikh says, his face stoic and unreadable. ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte.¡±

    ¡°I thought we would eat together-¡±

    ¡°You thought wrong.¡± He snaps and I rear back, surprised by his demeanor.

    ¡°Oh¡­It¡¯s just that¡­Earlier you said we would-,¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He exhales, cutting me off. ¡°There is a lot to attend to for tomorrow, and I still have to figure out who the other traitor is.¡±

    1/5

    My eyebrows shoot up.

    ¡°The other traitor? There is more than one?¡± I ask and he scoffs, shaking his head.

    ¡°Seems I am up to my n*ck in themtely.¡± He mutters. ¡°I will see you tomorrow for the official introduction to

    the pack.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± I sigh, not even trying to veil my disappointment, but he seems to be lost in his thoughts again. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just¡­go.¡±

    I

    Merikh doesn¡¯t fight me on it and my chest aches as I wander away from him, hating how he doesn¡¯t even look at me once. I should go back and tell him

    I can¡¯t even remember how I made it back to my room, my mind moving a million miles a minute and my emotionspletely wrecked. Here I thought a

    Yet when that bond broke, when I left with Merikh and felt what it was like to be treated like more than a maid. More than someone who could never have

    know what actual love

    was?

    ¡°You are back,¡± Penny says, sounding relieved as she peeks around the bedroom door. I give her a strange look as she pushes into the room, closing th

    ¡°Uh¡­yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that Percy mind linked me¡­he said that you may have¡­had a rough walk. ¡°

    My stomach drops and I can feel my

    face grow pale. There is no looking her in the eyes. Is that what Merikh meant by not being alone? Does he know too? All the terrible ways he could kill G

    ¡°D¨Cdid Percy¡­say anything else?¡± I ask, finally lifting my eyes to meet hers. Penny watches me for a moment. before nodding her head.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± She whispers as tears dot my eyes.

    2/5

    Emergency calls only usu

    ¡°Why the hell did

    hee here?¡± I ask her softly as tears fall from my eyes. A frustrated groan tumbles from my lips as I move to the bed to sit. Everything feels wrong.

    ¡°Well, what did he want?¡± Penny asks, leaning on the dresser across from me.

    ¡°He wanted me to run away with him,¡± I scoff, wiping at my eyes annoyed. ¡°He thought he wasing to save me from the big bad alpha of death.¡±

    ¡°Do you need saving?¡± Penny asks.

    At first I think she is joking, but the longer I watch her, the more I realize she is serious. Does she think I am here because Merikh is forcing me? That I w

    ¡°No, and I sure as shit don¡¯t want it.¡± I say honestly.

    ¡°And did you tell him that?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I told him to leave, and then

    we argued and he got mad at me and he¡­¡± I pause, remembering the moment his lips hit mine. Cracked and weirdly wet. The lips I once had longed for

    ¡°He what?¡± Penny¡¯s voice rises as she stands up straight, ready to go on the attack, murder written all over her face. ¡°Did he hurt you? Why didn¡¯t Percy

    ¡°He k*ssed me,¡± I whimper, pushing my hands into my hair, afraid to look at her. What if she hates me after this?

    ¡®Oh, oh shit¡­¡± she murmurs.

    Penny, I was stunned. I didn¡¯t know what to do and for a second I just

    stood there. Then I realized what was happening, and I pped him.¡± I rush out, the memory still too fresh.

    ¡°Wait, you pped him?¡± Penny asks, sounding surprised. ¡°You didn¡¯t k*ss him back?¡±

    ¡°Of course I didn¡¯t k*ss him back,¡± I snap at her, a little offended.

    ¡°Well, that is good.¡± She says, with a relieved chuckle as she plops down next to me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Penny.¡± I groan, covering my face with my hands. How does someone go from no one wanting you to two men?

    3/5

    Emergency calls only MON

    0088%

    18:16

    +5

    ¡°What do you mean? You aren¡¯t nning to leave, are you?¡± Her voice trembles slightly and I frown at her.

    ¡°Seriously? Do you really think I would leave?¡± I ask. She shrugs.

    ¡°You

    are my Luna, and I¡¯d consider you a friend but I¡¯ve only known you three weeks¡­¡± She reminds me with a half frown. Penny has a point, but it doesn¡¯t ch

    so much more.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°I care about Merikh,¡± I mutter, my cheeks pink. ¡°I like him, and I asked him to mark me¡­¡±

    ¡°Then what are you going on about not knowing what to do?¡± Penny¡¯s brows knit together in confusion.

    ¡°When do I tell Merikh?¡±

    ¡°Tell him? About your ex¨Cmate k*ssing you?¡± Sheughs sardonically.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I say, furrowing my brows.

    ¡°Oof. That I don¡¯t know.¡± She blows out a huff of air, looking as perplexed as I feel. ¡°If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°I need to be honest with him, and I want to tell him, but¡­he told me before he would kill Grady¡­

    I can¡¯t imagine what he¡¯d do to him now¡­¡± I admit and she winces, looking away.

    ¡°Won¡¯t be pretty,¡± she sighs heavily. ¡°But the truth is important, so I would say sooner rather thanter.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think Merikh would actually kill Grady, do you? If I told him?¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah he would. Like, without a second thought.¡± She says.

    ¡°So I will tell him tomorrow then.¡± I say with conviction, more trying to convince myself. ¡°I can¡¯t be responsible for Grady¡¯s death. There is no world in whi

    ¡°Well, I am going to get back to nning your big day tomorrow.¡± Penny says standing abruptly and rushing to the door. My mouth falls open at how fast

    tell anyone, and she is¡­just running off? Just like that?

    My gut is telling me something is off, that I need to make sure this stays a secret even though I know she is my gamma and is loyal to me. I feel the need

    ¡°Promise you won¡¯t tell anyone what I told you.¡± I say. I watch her face turn serious and her eyes meet mine. But she bows, epting mymand.

    ¡°Yes, Luna Letty.¡± She looks ufortable, but she ps on a smile and shoots me a wink, making me feel a little more at ease as she spins and walks

    After a few moments of standing in silence, I make my

    way to the bathroom, recognizing how badly I need to clean myself up after my encounter. The water pounds into the empty shower as it heats, and I sta

    Tomorrow won¡¯t just be the day I be Luna, it will be the first day of the rest of my life. Tomorrow I will be Merikh¡¯s full mate. My cheeks heat at

    5/5

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21

    Merikh stands next to me, the entire pack of lycan¡¯s watching anxiously from the center of the new

    town square. I wish I would have been able to have a moment alone with him before we started all

    of this, but this is the life I have to get used to. There are far more important things than me.

    Especially with traitors among us here in the pack and the red¨Ceyed wolves who seem to have it

    out for him.

    My light blue dress ruffles in the wind, my hair tickling my check as tensions grow. I reach out,

    touching his hand, hoping he picks up

    my nerves and maybe wraps it up in his. He doesn¡¯t, instead he slides his hands into his pocket and

    looks in the opposite direction, making my heart lurch in fear.

    on

    ¡°As you all know, there has been a new member in our pack these past few weeks.¡± Merikh says,

    looking out at the crowd. ¡°Many of you have seen her in training down at theke or roaming around

    the hiking trails. Today I would like to introduce

    her to you.

    He slides his icy gaze to me, my heart skipping a beat at theck of warmth in his eyes. If I didn¡¯t

    trust the words, he has told me many times, I would think he hates me,

    He ces his hand out before me, waiting for me to ce mine in his palm. I hesitate for a moment

    before epting it and he pulls me forward with him. The pack members watch me, waiting for

    something to happen.

    ¡°This is Colette. Your Luna, and my new mate.¡± Merikh announces, his voice booms through the air,

    authoritative and firm. The pack members collectively drop their gaze, bowing their heads before

    looking back up and watching me, then Penny and Percy, who stand at the front of the crowd, step

    toward us..

    ¡°We ept you as our Luna, and we pledge our lives to you in service. They kneel, dropping their

    heads. A tingling starts in my chest, a warmth spreading and my eyes go wide in surprise. Hayes

    steps up to my side, sliding me a warm and encouraging smile.

    ¡°ept them,¡± he whispers, and I realize I am supposed to be doing my part,

    I nce at Merikh, frustration tickling my mind that he is not helping to guide me through this, but

    maybe it¡¯s a test to see how I handle the stress of all of this. Which is fantastic because I have

    proven frequently how poorly I do with that.

    ¡°I ept your promise, and I promise to do my best as your Luna. To lead you only where you can

    follow and follow only when I know it is right to do so. I only wish to serve you all and prove myself

    worthy of your loyalty.¡±

    Merikh chortles quietly next to me, shaking my confidence, but I don¡¯t let it show. The pack

    members all lift their heads and Jet out a howl that resonates through the air, vibrating the ground

    as my chest seems to burst with white energy that spills into pale blue. It whips around me like a

    storm, stealing my breath away.

    Each passing breeze calls to me, voices of encouragement and love before the air stills and the

    world seems to pause for a moment. A whooshing screams past my ear, the light zipping away

    before spinning and heading straight for me. I close my eyes, tilting my head back as it hammers

    into my chest, the whispers echoing through my body until they rest in my chest and I gasp.

    The mind link. The world around me is silent, but internally I can hear the excitement, the whoops

    and hollers for their new Luna, and tears flood my eyes. They ept me. They want me.

    A warm hand takes hold of mine and I squeeze it, looking at Merikh who wordlessly holds it up in

    celebration, though he doesn¡¯t look at me. I ache to feel his gaze on me, but I relish the touch of his

    skin instead, looking down at Penny and Percy, whose eyes sh blue and then their usual shade.

    They grin from ear to ear and I hear them in the mind link.

    -Wee to the pack Luna Letty, we are honored to serve you-

    ¡°Now!¡± Hayes announces, filled with giddy excitement. ¡°Who the heck is ready to party?¡±

    We watch as everyone disperses, and I turn to face Merikh. His eyes find mine looking hollow and

    again my heart races. Something is wrong. I can feel it in my very being

    ¡°Merikh¡­¡± I whisper and he seems to focus on me.

    ¡°Yes?¡± he asks, then he snaps his hand from mine.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask him, and he frowns.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°Of course. Why wouldn¡¯t I be? I just announced my new Lana to my pack.¡± I can feel my old self

    wanting to rower and hide, begging to just drop this and let it fester but the new me. The stronger

    one with a wolf who is nearly at her full strength for the first time in our lives stands firm. I am a

    Luna now. Not the maid who is being reprimanded for some misdeed.

    ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± Lask.

    Merikh watches me for a moment, a hurricane forming in his emerald eyes.

    ¡°Did you do something wrong?¡± He asks, arching a brow. ¡°That is a good question. Is there

    something you wanted to speak with me about, Colette?¡±

    I can feel the blood drain from my face, my mouth dry as I blink at him. He knows. He has to know

    otherwise why else would he be asking me. It was idiotic to think he wouldn¡¯t have known that

    someone like Grady was on his packnds. But that means that he let him enter and that Grady

    would only leave if Merikh allowed him to leave.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I swallow roughly, licking my lips. ¡°I need to speak with you.¡±

    I

    ¡°Good.¡± he smirks. ¡°But it will have to wait. We have a party, and then I have a gift for you.¡±

    Merikh walks away, leaving me stunned and teary¨Ceyed as every terrible possibility swirls in my

    head. Did Penny tell him? Or maybe he was watching me the whole time? Heavens, I have been so

    stupid. Merikh wasn¡¯t just out in the woods sitting in the rock to clear his mind. He was waiting for

    me.

    ¡°Youing. Luna?¡± He calls out, stopping and looking over his shoulder. ¡°Our pack members are

    eager to meet you person.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± I mutter, shaking my head, ridding myself of the negative thoughts. Merikh seems to

    enjoy my dibobtion. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I smile.

    in

    I follow Merikh, rounding the outside of the building and turning the corner to see a beautiful garden

    decorated with string lights and floating jasmine flower balls. The tables are covered in delicate

    lace covers with a gold satin beneath, each one decorated with a stunning disy of white lilies, ivy

    and eucalyptus cascading from the center.

    Music starts up, ringing through bluetooth speaking hung in the trees where white andce

    streamers sway in the breeze.¡± The attention to detail down to the tiny fountain with water lilies and

    white fish swimming in the rippling pool. There is a bow on the fountain, the twinkling water sounds,

    making me shiver with a calm. It¡¯s so beautiful.

    Penny rushes up to me with a huge smile on her face.

    ¡°Luna, Percy and I would like to give you our gift now, if that¡¯s okay?¡± She asks, looking up at

    Merikh and back at me.

    ¡°Take her,¡± Merikh bites out as Pengy pulls me to the fountain where Percy stands.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Penny says in a squeal. ¡°Percy and I were trying toe up with the best gift, and we

    couldn¡¯t help but remember that the sound of water is calming

    ¡°But you can¡¯t have your window open anymore.¡± Percy interjects.

    ¡°So we convinced Alpha to let us install this in your room.¡± Penny is glowing, and her happiness is

    contagious as I look at the fountain and back at them.

    No one has ever given me such a thoughtful gift. Heck, no one has really ever given me a gift at all

    unless we are counting the few little things Merikh has given me. I bite my lip, fighting back tears

    as I step forward and touch the water, ying my fingers over the top and then a sob breaks free. I

    throw my arms around the two of them.

    ¡°It¡¯s stunning,¡± I blubber as Penny hugs me back and Percy pats me. When I pull away, I see

    Percy¡¯s red cheeks and Penny elbowing him with a ¡°we did so good¡® grin. And they did. They did so

    well.

    13:27 Thu, 2 May

    it Percy says.

    ¡°We are pleased you like it,¡± Percy says.

    ¡°No one has ever..¡± I pause, calming myself. ¡°This is the most personal gift I have ever received.¡±

    ¡°You are going to do great things for our pack, and the wholemunity of our kinds, Luna.¡± Percy

    says reassuringly.

    ¡°Do you really think so?¡± I ask that old insecurity creeping in as 1 catch Merikh watching me with a

    scowl from the forest line.

    ¡°We know it.¡± He whispers, giving me a sweet smile. Someone taps on my shoulder and I spin to

    find a pretty woman holding a little boy about three years old.

    ¡°Luna,¡± she says, bowing her head in respect before looking up at me with a soft smile. ¡°My son

    was hoping to meet you in person, and he is a persistent little guy¡±

    I grin

    at him and give him a wink. ¡°Persistence pays off sometimes, doesn¡¯t it, little man?¡±

    He smiles and then buries his face into his mother¡¯s shoulder before popping back out shyly.

    ¡°1am Luna-¡± I stop and look at Penny and realize Colette might be too long for a little kid to say, so

    I decide to rename myself right here. ¡°Letty. Call me Luna Letty. Can you say that?¡±

    ¡°Luna Letty,¡± he says a lisp, making the I¡¯s sound like w¡¯s. His cute little baby voice makes my chest

    ache with how sweet he is.

    ¡°And who are you?¡± I ask him. He looks up at his mom, who encourages him.

    ¡°Josiah. And I¡¯m three.¡± he says.

    ¡°Oh! A whole three years old?¡± I ask, sounding shocked, and he grins.

    ¡°Yep. Then he looks at his mom. ¡°I¡¯m hungry..¡±

    She gives me a soft smile and a nod before she totes him away and I feel a hand on my back. I

    jump, looking up over my shoulder to see Merikh standing there with a satisfied grin on his face.

    ¡°Seeing how happy you were with your gift from Penny and Percy has made me jealous.¡±

    ¡°It did?¡± I ask, confused by his whish. He takes my hand in his and tugs me away.

    ¡°I have told Hayes to keep the party going until wee back!

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I ask him and he chuckles.

    ¡°To show you your present.¡±

    My heart clenches as he takes me through the forest, and the sound of people and music dulls. The

    memory of the story Penny told me about Lauren resurfaces and I swallow. He wouldn¡¯t kill me,

    would he? Just after announcing me to the pack as the official Luna? I know he must know about

    Grady by now, but would that lead to him being violent? He is obviously

    angry.

    ¡°Merikh..I need to tell you-

    ¡°Shhh,¡± he says, finally stopping and spinning me to face him, his handsnding on my hips as he

    tugs me close. I missed this closeness, craved it sincest night, but it feels¡­forced and angry.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    He spins me around, his chest to my back as he leans down, pressing his lips to my ear..

    ¡°Yes,¡± I say with a shiver of both fear and delight.

    ¡°Bring him out,¡± He calls out, and a warrior drags out a

    a man covered in blood. My heart stutters, my hands shaking when the

    man lifts his eyes and I recognize him. His face is swollen, his lip fat and busted, but I would know

    those eyes anywhere.

    Grady

    My worlds collide, my past and my future. The stark reality of the monster I am mated to and the

    kind, gentle lost rejected me. I spin in Merikh¡¯s arms, looking up to him, ready to beg. He leans

    down as he grabs my chin, anger on his face.

    ¡°You are my Luna, and you will not leave me.¡± He growls.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to!¡± I rush out, hoping he can hear the honesty in my quivering voice. All I can see is

    the murderous rage of his lycan barely restrained in his mind. If he makes me watch him kill Grady,

    there is no world in which I could ever forgive him, ever love him.

    ¡°I warned you, Colette. Did I not?¡± Merikh asks. A sob rips from my lips as I cover my mouth and

    nod in acknowledgement.

    ¡°Please, I whisper. He grips my arms.

    ¡°I WARNED YOU!¡± He roars. Then he steps away from me, pure anger and hurt on his face. ¡°I

    warned you, and now you have forced my hand.¡±

    T

    Çú

    0

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22

    ¡°Merikh POV

    My lycan lurks just beneath the surface, fighting me with every sharp inhale as my chest aches with

    anger. He wants out; he wants blood, and he is fixated on the fucker who is trying to take what is

    ours.

    The only thing keeping me from throwing my head back and letting him take over and rain down his

    punishment is the beautiful, wide eyed, sobbing woman between us. I hate that I am the reason for

    her crying. At first I thought I would relish making her acknowledge the lies, but this. it¡¯s torture.

    ¡°Merikh..¡°her voice is a soft whisper as she clutches her chest and looks up at me with puffy eyes, ¡°I

    am begging you, please.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Cole.¡± Grady says and I grit my teeth, biting back the monster that is begging for release.

    ¡°Let the Alpha of Death show you

    his true colors.¡±

    ¡°Say your goodbye,¡± I say, staring right at the asshole who thinks he is acting so damn tough. He

    didn¡¯t seem all that tough when the first strike fellst night.

    ¡°I wish I could take it all back, ept you, choose you like you deserved. My greatest regret is

    losing you, and I will die knowing at least I tried to rectify it.¡±

    Colette looks at me, agony in her eyes as she takes a step closer to me. I move back, away from

    her and her intoxicating presence. Being close to her, when I know I am hurting her, is painful.

    she sees thi

    ¡°Turn and watch.¡± I whisper, making sure she sees this. She needs to witness it.

    I nod to my warrior, who stands behind Grady, and he acknowledges mymand. He walks

    Grady to the border line no more than thirty feet from us and, with a hard push, he sends him over

    the line. I can feel her eyes on me, and I know she is confused.

    ¡°This is your gift, my little luna.¡± I take another step back, away from her.

    Grady lifts his head, waiting for someone to kill him. Instead, I point into the woods.

    ¡°I banish you.¡± I utter, the words booming through the forest with force as the trees rumble. ¡°You

    are not to return to any of the werewolf or lycanmunities. You are no longer one of us. If you

    come back, you will be killed on sight.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± his mouth falls open before he holds his stomach in pain, the tie to our kind breaking,

    making him a true rogue. His eyes slide to Colette, who remains silent and unmoving. Then Grady

    drops his head, and she looks away at the ground, unable to watch as he turns and rushes off

    ¡°We need to head back,¡± I say, breaking the silence and Colette¡¯s eyes scan me, looking at me

    closely as I turn and walk away from her. ¡°The sooner the better,¡± I say, feeling dead inside.

    The rustling behind me is a good indicator that she is following along as my warrior goes back to

    his dungeon duty, heading in the opposite direction. Other than the birds in the trees and rustling of

    the forest floor beneath us, there is no sound. No attempt from either of us to understand or exin

    what just happened.

    I could have killed Grady. And honestly, I really wanted to, but I have more important things to

    worry about than an ex mate trying to reim what he can never have.

    As the musices back into ear range, I feel her hand grab my arm and I go rigid, confused. I

    look down at her thin fingers that wrap over my shirt and then look at her as she stares forward,

    walking at my side. She must be doing this to put on a show in case any of the pack members see

    using back out of the woods.

    It¡¯s smart. Thest thing I need is my pack thinking I picked someone randomly that I don¡¯t even

    care for. No matter how angry I am, I will never be able to lie and tell myself I don¡¯t care for her. Hell

    I just fought the part of me I have always let win to keep from losing her forever.

    As we get closer, the sounds ofughter and clinking echo through the trees, and I feel at ease. My

    pack is finally happy. Since Lauren, things have been..rough. A luna strengthens a pack, helps

    guide me in my mission to protect an entire pack and the whole of our kind and the werewolves.

    The role is vital to being a sessful Lycan King. A king must have his queen.

    ¡°Luna!¡± Penny squeals,ing up and bouncing around us eagerly. ¡°Did you do it? Do you have a

    mark now?¡±

    The girl is drunk. How she has sessfully managed it this quickly is beyond me, but drunk is

    definitely what she is. Which means Percy must be close by on duty.

    ¡°No,¡± Colette says sweetly, ¡°He just took me for a walk.¡±

    ¡°OH!¡± her eyes grow wide. ¡°For your present? Not going to lie, kind of thought your present was

    going to be eggnt shaped and a fresh bite,¡± she winks.

    Colette furrows her brows, confused. Then she looks up at me for the first time since leaving Grady

    in the woods. I expected to find anger and apprehension in her beautiful light brown eyes yet; I find

    something entirely different. Instead, she just watches me. Her chin tilted up and mouth parted ever

    so slightly.

    ¡°He gave me something so much better.¡± She murmurs.

    I

    1

    ¡°Not sure what could be better than what I suggested,¡± Penny hups, and I shoot her a scowl.

    ¡°Penny, no more drinking and get some food in you.¡± I order and she nods, waltzing off happily.

    ¡°So what did he give you?¡± Hayes says, walking up and I close my eyes, squeezing them tight,

    wishing to disappear. Why does he always show up at the most inopportune moments?

    ¡°That¡¯s between us,¡± Colette says,

    with a soft chuckle.

    ¡°Well, that is not fun,¡± Hayes teases before pping me on the shoulder. I watch as Pack members

    come up and drag their Luna off to meet other all the while chatting and smiling. Hayes sighs

    heavily at my side.

    ¡°She seems to have liked her gift, then?¡± He asks as I re at him.

    ¡°Yes, I suppose not murdering him in front of her was a good choice.¡± I mutter, reaching over and

    stealing the cup of liquid. from my brother. I sniff it, a little disappointed to realize he is drinking ice

    water, but I take a swig anyway.

    ¡°Are you going to kill him now that she thinks he is safe?¡± Hayes asks, and I sigh

    There is no point in lying. I had thought about that option. Several times on the walk back over here,

    but truth be told, it¡¯s a waste of my resources and dangerous to venture out into the exiled territory

    just for a meaningless kill.

    ¡°No.¡± I bite out, my eyes glued to my Luna as she be spells everyone with her melodicughter and

    genuine smile.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°Are you nning to forgive her?¡± He asks, lowering his voice as he turns to face me. I slide him

    an annoyed nce and roll

    my eyes.

    ¡°Forgive her?¡± I scoff. ¡°Forgiveness is usually something someone asks for. She hasn¡¯t asked for it,

    hell she hasn¡¯t told me shit. All that has happened is 1 announced that I know she¡¯s full of shit and

    she thinks I was somehow being nice.¡±

    -Well, I mean you didn¡¯t murder her first love, so that kind of seems nice.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, shut the fuck up.¡± I growl.

    ¡°The council meeting ising up,¡± he says, choosing to change the subject.

    ¡°I am aware.¡± I grit out.

    ¡°And she is going to find out you are second chance mates in a week.¡± He continues. I groan in

    annoyance, looking at of water in my hands, really wishing it were that special brew that can get a

    lycan drunk.

    the

    cup

    ¡°We will see,¡± I grumble and I can feel his curious gaze.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t..¡± he says skeptically.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure as shit not marking her yet,¡± I shoot back at him and he furrows his brow.

    ¡°It would be easier if you did.¡±

    ¡°Marking requires sex, Hayes, I remind him.

    ¡°Yeah, I know that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really feeling all that gentle or loving. Do you suppose I should screw her while I am angry

    at her? I am sure that would make for a superfortable first time.¡±

    ¡°With the rate you are going, you are fixing to be mad at her forever.¡± He says with a frown. ¡°Why

    don¡¯t you try talking to her about things?¡±

    ¡°I gave her the chance, to be honest. She lied right to my damn face.¡± I hiss at him and he rubs the

    back of his neck.

    ¡°Merikh.¡± He starts but I give him a dagger filled re and he stops, looking frustrated. After a

    moment, he sighs and walks off, leaving me alone.

    An hour passes, one filled with congrattions and giddy excitement as the kids leave the party and

    the parents remain drinking to their heart¡¯s content. Colette makes her way back over to me, Percy

    at her side.

    He gives me a nod before backing up to give us space and Colette reaches out to take hold of my

    arm. My lycan wants her touch, craving it, while my anger fights him for total control. I can¡¯t slip up, I

    won¡¯t

    ¡°Are you ready to go back?¡± She asks, a look in her eyes I can¡¯t ce. Perhaps it¡¯s a mixture of

    worry and desire. Or maybe she is drunk and just wants to lie down. Either way, I frown but nod.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The walk is fast and silent as I nearly drag her back to the room, shutting the door behind us. Her

    smell seems to suffocate me in this room. The bond between us is stronger now that she is officially

    Luna, and my lycan wants his Luna in the most desperate of ways.

    ¡°Merikh¡± Colette whispers. I press my head against the closed door, trying to gather my wits when

    her hand touches my back. I flinch away, moving from her and the door.

    ¡°Dont¡± I rush out, my wild eyes meeting hers, a sadness there but understanding and fuck if it

    doesn¡¯t make it harder to stay away from her.

    ¡°I need to tell you what happened with Grady.¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t,¡± I mutter, letting my anger take over to keep me from giving in to the pull that

    seems to hum through my veins. It¡¯s unheard of, announcing your Luna before the mating

    ceremony, but I wasn¡¯t expecting this draw to her. This need to make her mine in every damn way

    possible.

    ¡°Merikh, please, I am begging you, just let me exin¡­

    ¡°I DON¡¯T TRUST YOU!¡± I roar at her. ¡°No amount of words or talking will change the fact that I can

    not trust you.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you make me your Luna?¡± she asks, shocked.

    *Because I NEED you.¡± I hiss and her brows knit in confusion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±

    ¡°And you won¡¯t. Because you don¡¯t need to know, not yet.¡±

    3/4

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23

    *Colette POV¡±

    Merikh paces back and forth, his hands sliding through his hair one minute and a scowl shooting

    my way the next. His lycan barely restrained and with every second 1 fear we are getting closer to

    it breaking free. My hand reaches out, but I stop myself, drawing it back to my stomach as I bite my

    lip and watch him fall apart.

    Every part of my body screams to touch him, to be near him, but the hatred in his eyes chills my

    blood. If only he would let me exin. Let me tell him I chose him and pped Grady when he

    kissed me. But I know it won¡¯t make a difference, not now. Not when he has already made his mind

    up that I am a liar, and someone he can¡¯t trust.

    ¡°Alpha,¡± I swallow, not sure how to address him when he is this mad at me.

    ¡°Alpha?¡± he scoffs, a sardonic chuckle breaking free. ¡°You make out with your ex¨Cmate, lie about it

    and suddenly I am back to Alpha? You call me Merikh. Understood?¡±

    I nod in agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I whisper, wanting to counter his usation with the truth. But Merikh isn¡¯t looking for

    the truth right now. He is looking for sanity and it feels like I am the reason for theck of it

    ¡°I won¡¯t be marking you.¡± Merikh finally states, stopping and looking at me.

    His chest heaves violently, his breathingbored. Tears dot my eyes for yet another time tonight. It

    hurts, though I can¡¯t say am surprised. I¡¯ve done nothing but wear a fake smile, but I knew the

    moment Grady stepped out that there was no way Merikh would want me anymore.

    ¡°Perhaps you should choose a different Luna,¡± I murmur, my heart breaking at the thought, my wolf

    whining as she paces, unsure of how to react with me.

    He is in my face in an instant, tearing me from the edge of the bed where I sit and dragging me to

    standing, Merikh¡¯s eyes are jet ck and his voice melding with his lycans.

    green

    ¡°Mine!¡± he snarls and I wince, looking away out of fear. His grip disappears just as fast as it had

    landed on me, and Merikh stumbles back into the dresser behind him. He shakes his head, then

    scrubs his hands down his face.

    ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know what to say¡­¡± I admit and he nces at me. ¡°Merikh I don¡¯t know how to fix this.¡±

    Time will fix it. I won¡¯t trust you, but I will mark you, eventually. But not like this. Not when I can¡¯t

    decide whether to fuck you or to kill you.¡±

    I can feel the blood leach from my face at his words. From the very first moment I met him, he was

    calm, collected, and put together. Even in his anger, it was never really pointed at me, being on this

    end of it, watching hime undone because of me..because of what I did it¡¯s tearing my heart to

    shreds.

    Merikh releases a heavy sigh and groans in frustration. Then he takes three measured steps close

    to me, but not too close. I can see the war waging in his green eyes. The way his lycan rails against

    him, fighting for control. And I can feel the rug to him, the growing urge to reach out and just make

    him mine.

    Every second I stand near him my wolf seems to drool, going more hungry for a mark than she ever

    has been. Granted, she has almost been dormant for so long, so she hasn¡¯t been hungry for much.

    Which only makes it harder to control her.

    ¡°My wolf¡± I gasp, as she lunges at the barrier in my mind, begging to be released, wanting to force

    him to mark us.

    ¡°Shit,¡± He mutters, grabbing my hand. He turns my wrist up and rubs his nose along the inside and

    he nearly moans at the scent. Then he sinks his fangs into my wrist and I yelp in pain. He clings to

    my arm tightly as panic travels through me.

    Holy shit, he is going to literally consume me. I whimper in pain, then he finally releases me. My

    blood stains his lips and his eyes dance between ck and green. I clutch my wrist to my chest,

    cradling it, then he nods at me.

    1/3

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask, trying to wrap my head around the burning in my arm that travels up and makes my

    hair stand on edge. Merikh shoves his wrist into my mouth and my eyes bulge, trying to force him

    away.

    ¡°Bite. Down.¡± he demands, and I hesitate beforeplying.

    His warm skin breaks with my teeth and a thrill shivers through my body. The moment his tangy

    blood touches my tongue, he takes his arm away and grips the back of my neck, dragging my

    forehead to his as he stares into my soul.

    ¡°Repeat after me, understood?¡± he asks, sounding pained.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I swallow roughly, intoxicated by his closeness.

    ¡°I pledge my life to this pack,¡±

    ¡°I pledge my life to this pack.

    ¡°And to the whole of the lycan and wolf shiftermunity¡± He says. I close my eyes, fighting my

    wolf off.

    ¡°And¨Cuh¨Cto the whole lycan and wolf shiftermunity..¡± I say, trying like hell to keep up.

    ¡°I pledge to remain at the side of my Alpha, to never leave it unless I am forced and to follow where

    he goes.¡±

    My eyes pop open, and for a half second I hesitate, trying to understand what is happening. He

    growls, and I repeat the words in a rush.

    ¡°I pledge e to stay by your side and never leave it. I promise to follow where you go, Merikh.¡±

    Merikh leans in, stopping to look me in the eye, before he presses his lips to mine. The room spins,

    my heart racing as I reach out to touch his cheek, but he yanks away. There is a twang in my chest,

    like the feeling of a taut rubber band being snipped and his eyes sh gold, and my wolf submits.

    Then he takes a step back, sighing like he can finally breathe.

    ¡°W¨Cwhat was that?¡± I ask. A strange gentle tingle through my body.

    ¡°A desperate measure,¡± he sighs as he walks toward the bathroom.

    My eyes follow him, and I can feel our dynamic shifting. That desperate need to crawl up his body

    and make him make me his isn¡¯t suffocating anymore. That thread that always seems to grow

    tighter is suddenly ck and I feel like my emotions are mine again, my urges controble.

    He returns to me with a white towel in his hand and grabs my arm, wrapping the rag around my

    wrist. It¡¯s painfully obvious that he is avoiding eye contact as he looks anywhere but at me. Panic

    rises in my stomach, bubbling up into my mind, reminding me of what it was like back home.

    Back in the pack, where I was treated like an object and not a person. I¡¯ve never had control, ever.

    But at least here it felt like I had some semnce of control over myself. Until right now, until what

    he just did.

    ¡°What did you do to me?¡± I ask, struggling to keep my emotions out of my quivering voice.

    ¡°We have made a blood oath,¡± he says so nonchntly, like it isn¡¯t a life altering thing.

    ¡°You tricked me into never leaving your side?¡± I ask, tilting my head to the side. ¡°Yet you won¡¯t mark

    me?¡±

    A blood oath? Merikh has just stripped me of the ability of ever feeling a full force mate bond. Even

    when he marks me, if he marks me, the oath will remain intact until I find my mate or second

    chance mate, but there is no finding those.

    Not for me. Not when one is exiled and the other I will never find because this oath, it blocks my

    ability to find them. And for what reason? I would have stayed. I would have done what he asked

    and would have always remained loyal to him, to my

    new station

    His eyes meet

    mine and I see it. The guilt burns in him and he turns away. Good. I hope he chokes on it.

    ¡°You never nned to leave my side anyway, so what does it change?¡± He shrugs.

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t¡­ I stutter over the words and he frowns.

    ¡°This is for the best.¡± He whispers, though I¡¯m not sure he believes his own words..

    ¡°I wanted to feel the bond. Merikh, I wanted to have all of that with you.¡± I say, raising my voice. ¡°I

    thought that..¡±

    ¡°You thought what?¡± He asks, releasing my wrist and crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°You

    thought that because I let Grady live, I would be lenient with you too? This IS lenient.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting anything.¡± I whisper.

    ¡°Good. Having no expectations is easier. Leaves you with nothing to get upset about,¡± he grumbles

    before he storms out of the room, mming the door shut behind me, making me jump.

    I want to hate him, to be angry and curse his name, but the truth is. I would have agreed to the oath

    if he would have asked. I am more upset because I know why he did it this way. One betrayal for

    another. Merikh¡¯s punishment of exiling Grady

    wasn¡¯t enough and because he doesn¡¯t trust me, he needs to know he can force that trust. This isn¡¯t

    the Merikh I kne

    This isn¡¯t the one who watched my heart breaking in the woods and changed his mind about an

    execution.

    Merikh gave me the most beautiful gift, and he is convinced I saw it as a weakness. He showed me

    he had a heart tonight, so he broke mine to hide his. But that says far more about him than it does

    about me. Broken hearts are still capable of love. And even in my anger and sorrow, I still feel it,

    beating just as loudly as the rage in his actions. As much as I want to deny it and push it away, it¡¯s

    begun to beat for him.

    ?

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24

    ¡°Merikh POV

    I lounge back in the chair on the deck, taking in the clear sky above me, showcasing the stars and

    the waning moon. My whole body feels like it¡¯s vibrating with every emotion. Rage, guilt, betrayal.

    All of them meld together, ripping through my mental state like nothing I¡¯ve felt before.

    ¡°So you did it, huh?¡± Hayes says, approaching me from behind. I roll my eyes, knowing I should

    have expected him and his usual confrontations. It¡¯s what makes him such a great beta. That and I

    can¡¯t kill him off for his honesty,

    ¡°Hello to you too, brother.¡± I grumble.

    I ignore him as he takes a seat next to me, sighing heavily, keeping my eyes trained on the sky.

    ¡°So how did she take it?¡± he asks, and I scoff.

    How did she take it? Not fucking well. That¡¯s for sure. Hell, the more I think about it, the more I try to

    convince myself I didn¡¯t see how hurt she was. How betrayed she was. But I need to get used to

    that look, and the feeling it carves into my s

    ¡°I think.. I exhale, looking over at him finally, ¡°I think I broke her heart.¡±

    ¡°Of course you did, Merikh. You took her options away.¡± He says like she ever actually had any.

    ¡°What option? Could you exin what exactly I took from her?¡±

    ¡°Well, her choice, for starters.

    ¡°We both know that the blood oath is entirely reversible.¡± I grumble. ¡°I took nothing from her, I just

    dyed it.¡±

    ¡°We know that, but she doesn¡¯t. How can she when you refuse to tell her you guys are second

    chance mates?¡±

    ¡°Colette agreed to this. Okay? She agreed to being Luna and take my mark one day.¡± I say, sitting

    up and swinging to face him.

    soul.

    ¡°Yes, but she meant being marked. Not the blood oath that you use on a top warrior or someone

    you have to keep close.¡±

    ¡°Damn it, Hayes¡± I growl. ¡°Without this oath blocking the pull to her, I will lose control! It¡¯s

    intoxicating, SHE is intoxicating. I want to im her. Shit, more than I wanted to im Lauren. It¡¯s

    like a festering inside my chest, like a fucking infection that keeps growing. There is no antidote or

    cutting it out. But this oath, it¡¯s a bandaid. It buys me time, it¡¯s to keep me sane,¡±

    ¡°Buys you

    time for what?¡± He scoffs.

    ¡°To figure out what the hell to do next!¡± I stand abruptly.

    You should have just told her you are second chance mates, so that she knows the oath can be

    broken when you mark her.¡±

    ¡°I want a mate I can trust!¡± I roar, my chest pinching at the memory of Colette kissing Grady. The

    moment my trust for her shattered. ¡°How does telling her prove this I can trust her?¡±

    ¡°Forcing that trust isn¡¯t real trust.¡± Hayes says softly and I chuckle dryly

    ¡°Beggars can¡¯t be choosers,¡± I mutter, annoyed, looking away.

    ¡°You are the alpha. You don¡¯t have to beg¡±

    ¡°No, I shouldn¡¯t have to beg¡±

    ¡°Are you done having a pity party yet?¡± Hayes says, his voice firm, like he is fed up with me.

    1/4

    ¡°Pity party?¡± I scoff, striding away before turning and grabbing him by the cor. ¡°Hayes, it is my job

    to take care of this pack My job to finish what father tried to fix before MY MATE fucking killed him

    with her vampire lover.¡± I release him, but I stay in his face, making sure he understands the shit on

    my shoulders.

    It wasn¡¯t Hayes who found them. Dad¡¯s dead bodyying at the feet of the traitorous bitch who had

    told me the night before she wanted to carry my pups. It wasn¡¯t Hayes who had to step up and keep

    his shit together to lead a pack that was broken and distrusting of me.

    He forgets the whispers; the rumors doubting me and my role in all of this. Lauren had nted

    seeds, and they bloomed into ck blossoms of doubt overnight after being watered with our

    father¡¯s blood.

    ¡°Merikh, dad¡¯s death is not on you.¡± He breathes

    ¡°It was my mate who fucked our pack over. It was me trusting her, and the wrong people on the

    committee that have the Lycans weaker than we have ever been, and the werewolves exposed to

    the fucking other supernatural asstards that can use them how they please. This isn¡¯t a pity party.

    This is me trying to n out what is best for EVERYONE else.¡±

    ¡°And you think tricking her into an oath where she can¡¯t backstab you, while you use her to get your

    way with themittee, is going to fix all that?¡±

    ¡°Look, I did it for her, and for me.¡± I grit out. ¡°I need to trust that she won¡¯t try to leave me when shit

    is revealed.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, so that is the real reason.¡± He whispers, looking disappointed in me. ¡°You wanted her to be

    forced to stay by your side

    ¡°And marking her wouldn¡¯t have the same effect?¡± 1 scowl.

    He scoffs, dragging his hand over his stubbled chin.

    ¡°You are so wise, big brother, truly. And you have done so much for our pack and you are

    sacrificing so much to do what you think is best..But you are on the path to messing this up beyond

    repair¡±

    I sigh, looking up at the moon for some rity.

    ¡°Toote.¡± I mutter and he sighs.

    ¡°You need to smooth this over before yourmittee meeting¡± He says, looking at me. ¡°I mean it,

    Alpha.¡±

    ¡°How do you suppose I do that now?¡±

    ¡°Go tell Colette you are second chance mates. Go tell her why she is so important. Tell the poor

    woman who she is. She is strong enough to handle it now.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t risk her knowing her past.¡± I bite out. ¡°We need the element of surprise¡±

    ¡°What you need is a unified front, not one that is fake. You don¡¯t want to tell her all of that yet? Fine.

    But the oath is already in ce and she deserves to know that when you two are ready, that mate

    bond will be there for her, too.¡±

    I stare at him, seeing more and more of dad in him every day. Hayes has the heart of our mother

    and the wise words of our father. Thebination always brings mefort after pissing me off

    first. So instead of taking his advice into consideration, I nod, agreeing.

    ¡°Okay.¡± I whisper, shoving my hands in my pocket. ¡°Okay, I will tell her what she is to me.¡±

    His eye grow wide and then he smirks victoriously.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be here waiting for a chat when you are done. I have to know how she responds. Do you think

    she will p you?¡± He teases and I frown. From a wise father like figure to idiot brother in ten

    seconds t. Might be a record. I chuckle, giving him a gentle shove as I turn and walk back into the

    pack house.

    The trip back to the room is anxiety ridden, my lycan pouting in my mind, still angry with me for

    doing what I did. Maybe if he were a more controlled beast, we wouldn¡¯t have had to take drastic

    measures, but he doesn¡¯t like that opinion.

    As I get closer to her door, I can feel the emotions brewing. The anger I feel for her and the ache in

    my chest to hold her. Such conflicting emotions are bing a constant in my life and it¡¯s going to

    cause permanent damage to my brain. I am

    I knock, waiting a moment before gently pushing the door open. Colette looks up at me from her

    spot on the ground, sitting with her back against the bed and her eyes red and raw. There are no

    tears anymore, only the residue from the ones that have fallen and my heart breaks. I did that. I put

    those tears on her cheeks and redness in her eyes.

    ¡°I need to speak with you.¡± I swallow, ¡°If you allow it.¡±

    ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± She clips out.

    des,¡± I nod, giving her the ability to push me the way I have done to her. Instead, she sniffles and

    scoffs.

    ¡°What do you need?¡± she asks, her voice small and shaky.

    ¡°The oath will break when I mark you. If you want me to mark you.¡± I say, fumbling over my words,

    choosing the most direct path.

    ¡°Merikh, I know what a blood oath is. I may have been raised as a maid, but I know things. I will

    never get to experience a full bond with you.¡±

    ¡°Then you know there are loopholes,¡± I remind her and she nods.

    ¡°Of course. But that would entail me finding my second chance mate, and I can¡¯t do that with the

    oath in ce.¡±

    ¡°But he can find you.¡± I swallow, my mouth going dry.

    ¡°I suppose. She furrows her brow

    ¡°You felt the pull, didn¡¯t you? How strong it was?¡±

    Colette pulls her knees to her chest and sighs heavily.

    ¡°Yeah, it was mind numbing¡± She admits and I find myself rxing just a little knowing it wasn¡¯t just

    a one sided attraction.

    ¡°I was going to lose control of my lycan.¡±

    ¡°I wanted you to mark me. I care about you, Merikh. What would losing control do?¡±

    ¡°It would force me into marking you when I am not ready,¡± I say, moving closer to her. Her eyes are

    glued to me, watching my every move as I stop just before her. ¡°I can¡¯t risk a full mate bond when

    there is no trust.¡±

    ¡°If you would have asked, or exined this¡­I probably would have agreed. All you had to do was

    ask.¡± She says, ring at me. I sigh and shake my head.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t in the right frame of mind. My pull to you..it is stronger than yours to me. It¡¯s different.¡±

    Her brows furrow in confusion. ¡°Because you are the lycan king?¡±

    ¡°No. Because I know who my second chance mate is.¡±

    -What does that have to do with

    ¡°You are my second chance mate.¡± I interrupt her. She blinks at me, her mouth falling open.

    Irving to humiliate me? Because of Grady?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t that doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± She frowns. ¡°Is this some joke? Are you trying

    1 flinch when she says his name, hating the sound of it in her voice.

    ¡°When we mark each other, the oath will fully disappear and you will recognize me as your second

    chance mate.¡±

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Colette says nothing, only frowns as she tries to process what I am telling her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you, she whispers. ¡°How can I believe you?¡±

    ¡°You are just going to have to trust me,¡± I whisper, hoping for a little leeway, even though I know I

    don¡¯t deserve it.

    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± She tilts her head, waiting knowingly for the answer. I draw in a shaky breath

    and exhale sharply.

    ¡°I¨Ccan¡¯t.¡± I admit hesitantly,

    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t think so.¡± She chuckles dryly, standing from the floor and stepping into me. ¡°Then I

    will keep my trust until you prove to me you are my second chance mate. And when you are ready,

    I have proof that what you think you saw was only a snippet of what actually happened. I have

    asked Penny to stay with me tonight.¡±

    Then she moves past me, opening the door and holding it for me to exit

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25

    ¡°Colette POV¡±

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    I want to hate him. The stupidly handsome man sitting next to me as we ride to this council meeting

    he has been panicking about since I arrived in our pack. His eyes keep wandering over to me,

    lingering for only a moment before they snap away every time I look at him

    I have had one week to process what he did. One week of giving him the silent treatment on

    anything rted to me and how 1 am feeling. 1 still can¡¯t believe he thought I wouldn¡¯t be angry

    after forcing me to take a blood oath under the guise of us being second chance mates.

    He isn¡¯t the only one with broken trust. If anything. I have more of a right to be upset with him than

    he does with me. I have tried tomunicate and exin everything to him, but he won¡¯t listen..

    But he has no reason for why the hell wouldn¡¯t he tell me we are second chance mates. What kind

    of jerk sets up his second chance mate to see how they will act when their first mate wants to run

    away with them? Not that he knows I am aware of that part.

    He should be. I¡¯m not dumb and I know he is smart enough and our pack is trained enough to have

    known Grady was there. Merikh set me up. And instead of being upfront with me, he led me into a

    trap and then refused to listen to the entire story. My cheeks heat in anger just thinking about it

    again, and I look out the SUV window as trees fly past.

    ¡°You have been quiet,¡± He says, the air thick and heavy between us.

    This is how it¡¯s been all week. Him trying like hell for a conversation and me only doing the bare

    minimum. If he thinks I will easily forget this or that the temptation of him marking me to see if we

    actually are a second chance mate will soften me to him, he is severely wrong. I am livid, even all

    these dayster.

    ¡°Would you like me to entertain you?¡± I ask, turning to look at him. He furrows his brow, turning his

    massive frame to face me on the leather seat.

    ¡°No.¡± He sighs. ¡°I just was worried you might have some unresolved emotions about long car rides

    after thest incident.¡±

    He¡¯s not wrong and I hate that he is bringing it up. It takes an immense amount of mental strength

    to keep myself from freaking out every time I see a truck at a stop or someone passes us. Each

    squealing tire feels like a dagger to my lungs, and my hands are a mmy mess.

    ¡°I am fine.¡± 1 force out, but I can tell he doesn¡¯t buy it.

    ¡°You are anxious,¡± He says and I exhale, shaking my head.

    ¡°A lide¡±

    ¡°Then perhaps we should discuss what will happen when we arrive.¡± He offers. ¡°To distract you.¡±

    I press my lips together, not entirely pleased. I¡¯m busy trying to hate him. Even with the bond

    between us suppressed, 1 am. still drawn to him. I¡¯d love to me the Luna¨Calpha bond, but the

    truth is angry or not, feelings don¡¯t just go away. And I have genuine feelings for Merikh, untrusting

    or not, and that makes me angrier than anything else.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I agree, cing my hands on myp.

    ¡°We won¡¯t be warmly weed. Our kind is not entirely well received by the others.¡± He pauses as

    I listen. ¡°Once we are dropped at the front door, the councilws will protect us and we will be safe,

    but that doesn¡¯t mean we can trust anyone.

    ¡°No, of course not. Why would we ever think we can trust someone?¡± I grumble.

    ¡°This is not a joking matter,¡± he says sternly, and I re at him.

    ¡°Of course not. Got it. Trust no one. That I can handle. I¡¯ve been living like that long enough that it¡¯s

    habit now.¡±

    1/4

    He lets my attitude slide as he continues growing a little nervous.

    ¡°We will share a room.

    My heart sinks, and 1 meet his eyes. The only way I have been able to maintain my anger is

    because Penny has stayed in thy room with me for the week he has been absent. I fell for him in

    three weeks because I spent so much time with him. How long will it take me to forgive him

    because of those emotions? Especially when I don¡¯t want to forgive him!

    ¡°Will there be a couch?¡± I ask

    ¡°We will sleep in the same bed.¡± He says, and I bite my lip. ¡°They will know by our scent if we do not

    stay in the same bed,

    Colette

    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡±

    ¡°The types of beings at this meeting will have different rules, thoughts on mating and how to treat

    one¡¯s chosen one. If your do not smell like me, to them you would be fair game.¡±

    ¡°Fair game how?¡± I ask, a little shocked. This is the most he has really told me anything about the

    others.

    ¡°They will try to get to you. To use you, like a toy.¡± he frowns. ¡°Something to spice up their bedroom

    life, a challenge to win from me or worse, a reason to eject you from the meeting and let you loose

    in thend outside the council rules.¡±

    My heart races and my mouth falls open. A toy? His handsnds on mine and I let it stay there.

    Where the hell is he taking me that his word is not one to be taken seriously? He is the Lycan king,

    known for hisck of mercy in battle. Yet here, if the one he says is his luna doesn¡¯t smell like him,

    they will try to¡­steal me?

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just mark me?¡± I ask, my fear melding with my hurt anger.

    If he would have just marked me, spoke with me..this could be avoided. Instead, he is cing me in

    danger. For what reason? Why the hell does he even need me here at his side? Should I not have

    stayed and helped Hayes take care of the pack!

    ¡°You know why,¡± he murmurs, and I scoff.

    ¡°Right. I¡¯m not trustworthy,¡± I grind out. ¡°What else do I need to know?¡±

    ¡°We will need to act like a fully mated couple.¡± he watches me close, gauging my reactions.

    ¡°Won¡¯t they know we aren¡¯t because I don¡¯t have your mark?¡± I scoff.

    ¡°Lycans generally mark on the neck, yes. But we can technically mark wherever we want. If anyone

    asks, just say your mark is only for me to see, and I will say likewise.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°This will mean we have to do things that may make you feel ufortable. Things that make

    them believe we are mated,¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± I ask him, narrowing my eyes.

    ¡°Holding hands, me nuzzling your neck, kissing you, and, at times, potentially sitting on myp.¡±

    My checks turn red, embarrassment rising.

    ¡°Those are pretty descriptive things,¡± I force out, my mouth dry. Not because I am worried, but

    because like a totally love struck idiot, I crave those moments with him. And I know I shouldn¡¯t..

    ¡°Vampires and Fae are very intimacy driven creatures. And vampires can be persuasive¡±

    My eyes go wide, shocked.

    ?

    2/4

    ¡°F¨Cfar¡± I ask and he nods.

    ¡°You will meet many supernatural beings. Ones you may not have heard of

    ¡°How long will we be here?¡± I ask him and he looks away, then looks back.

    ¡°We are hoping to be asked to stay for the duration of the meeting. Which is about a month.¡±

    ¡°What? A month long meeting?¡± I gasp and he nods.

    ¡°It is not like one formal long event. It¡¯s simr to a vacation with friends.¡±

    ¡°Only everyone will want to steal me from you if I don¡¯t smell like you, and the fate of the

    werewolves and lycans depends on this going well.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, there is that¡­¡± he says, chuckling nervously. I tilt my head, looking at him closely, noticing

    the dark shadow under his eyes for the first time.

    ¡°Merikh,¡± I say softly, ¡°Why do we need to be a member of the council?¡±

    ¡°That is a loaded question,¡± he exhales.

    ¡°I think we have some time.¡± I offer and he watches me close, his eyes scanning my face looking for

    something. Then he sits forward and rests his hands on his knees.

    ¡°We were banned from the council for two hundred and fifty years.¡± He says, ¡°Before that there was

    peace, rogues nearly never happened and everyone lived happily. Until my great great¨Cgreat¨C

    grandfather killed a council member.¡±

    ¡°Why would he do that?¡± I ask him, shocked, and he shrugs.

    ¡°How my father exined it was that my ancestor found his fated mate, but was denied her

    because one of the other species did not agree with breeding outside their kind. Hybrids would be

    too powerful, and hard to control with no knowing what they would be like once theye into their

    powers¡± He exins.

    1 feel like my mind is about to explode as I revel in all the possibilities and process the information

    at hand. Hybrids. First, there are other supernaturals. Now there are rules against hybrids?

    ¡°Do they not realize a wolf or lycan needs their mate? That is not a choice we make, but a

    completion of our souls.¡± I say.

    ¡°Like I said, different species with different kinds of mates and purposes for them.¡± He exins.

    ¡°So if our kind was banned for two hundred and fifty years, how much longer do we have to wait?¡±

    ¡°Our time has been up for years.¡± He says with a frown. ¡°My father tried many times to bring us

    back in but we are refused what is ours. And it is because they do not want us to have our time as

    the head of the council¡±

    I shake my head, confused. ¡°Wait, wait. Head of the council?¡±

    ¡°The head of the council changes. Every twenty¨Cfive years, it cycles through from species to

    species to keep things hair. Our term should have started the year Lauren betrayed me.¡± He says

    simply.

    ¡°Why would they do that?¡± I ask,pletely shocked. ¡°Why would they not give us what is ours?

    Especially after we served

    our time?¡±

    ¡°Because the current head of the council is a power hungry asshole who took not only his species

    term, but another booted species and now ours.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t doing a lot to help me want to be nice to people¡± I mumble. He smiles at me and I grin

    before realizing I am mad at him. I look away with a scowl. ¡°So, who is the current head?¡±

    ¡°King Caspian.¡± He tells me. ¡°The King of the sirens andplete asshole.¡±

    3/4

    I look back at him and then frown. Crossing my arms over my chest as I lean into the chair.

    ¡°Who do you think has been the one attacking me?¡± I ask him and he blows out a puff of air,

    settling deep into the chair, leaning back into the leather headrest,

    ¡°That¡¯s tough to tell. Many of them have magical powers. There are the witches, vampires, Fae. Any

    of them could easily manipte a werewolf or other species to do their bidding.¡±

    ¡°Is that the reason you brought me?¡± I ask, tilting my head. ¡°To keep me safe, here where I am

    protected from all of them?¡±

    I watch as his muscles tense and he looks out the window, refusing to look at me.

    ¡°Something like that.¡± He mutters. But I get the feeling he is yet again not being truthful.

    ?

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26

    Colette is nervous, her hands shaking as we exit the vehicle ande face to face with the

    enormous remodeled castle. The once gray stones have been painted over in a soft white.

    Pristine bushes frame the heavy wooden double doors, the spiral pattern climbing the height so the

    entrance. A thick line of hydrangeas line the stone wall, in full bloom and tall enough to kiss the

    bottom of the tall windows.

    Percy unloads behind us, pulling our luggage to the door before tugging a chain and bells chime,

    announcing our presence. Penny was as angry as a raging bull when I told her she wouldn¡¯t be

    coming with us. But with her unmated and around the likes of a few of these assholes, I¡¯m more

    comfortable with Percy

    ¡°I will be your shadow as always, Luna.¡± He says, giving her a nod and Colette gives him a gentle

    smile. The same smile I used to get and I¡¯vee to realize I miss more than anything.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you are here, she admits, then she looks at me, her face going cold and looks forward. I

    lean into her ear to whisper something snarky, but the door creaks open instead.

    Ezrah gives me a smirk and I take an internal sigh of relief. I was worried one of the others would

    answer. There is one person in particr I am trying to avoid.

    ¡°You answer doors now?¡± I ask him and he chuckles.

    Thankfully, no, I am on my way out after delivering the message you would be arriving

    ¡°You have been monitoring us, Ezrah?¡± I ask, and he shrugs. ¡°How did they take that?¡± I quirk a

    brow and he fights a grin.

    ¡°Oh, with an air of grace, Alpha. As always. But I can hear the teasing lilt in his voice. I am sure

    they took word of my arrival with rage and a side of bitterness.

    ¡°Ah, yes. I am sure they did.¡± I clear my throat, looking to Colette, who watches Ezrah with a curious

    eye

    ¡°Ezrah, this is my Luna, Colette,¡± I say. She bows her head in respect and Ezrah barks out augh.

    ¡°Oh, I like her.¡± he grins. ¡°I should bow to you, Luna, I am no one, just a low messenger.¡±

    ¡°And I was a maid until recently. Your station doesn¡¯t matter much to me, but your kindness does.

    You seem to trust each other. She says, shooting me a look..

    Ezrah arches an amused brow

    ¡°Trust? Hardly. His great grandfather killed my kind.¡±

    ¡°Great, great¨Cgreat¨Cgreat..-maybe a few more in there somewhere¨CGrandfather. It¡¯s been a few

    generations now.¡± I remind him, and he nods knowingly.

    ¡°Yes, I am aware of how you all get over things in time. But it is much harder for the people who live

    much longer.¡±

    ¡°And It wasn¡¯t your kind.¡± I frown at him.

    ¡°The council is my kind. I serve all.¡± He reminds me with a twinkle in his eye. ¡°As long as it is in the

    best interest of the council¡±

    ¡°Fraternizing with the enemy. Ez?¡± a light airy voice beckons and 1 reach out, instinctively gripping

    Colette¡¯s hand in mine.

    ¡°Never, Florence. He gives a tight lip smile, turning. ¡°I was just leaving and ran in to an old friend¡±

    Friend my ass.¡± She mutters, taking a step forward. ¡°Well, Merikh, I can¡¯t say it¡¯s great to see you. I

    rather hoped you would get the message you are unwanted and unwee here.¡±

    1/3

    ¡°Wanted or not, we have the right to represent our kind¡± I say firmly. She scowls at me and then

    turns her gaze on to Colette, her eyes lighting up with delight.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she giggles. ¡°Oh my. You brought a ything?¡±

    Colette freezes, and I pull her close. She steps willingly into my embrace as I press my lips to her

    head.

    ¡°I brought my mate and Luna. She is my equal and will be treated with respect. Not like a person to

    y a part in your forey

    She tuts and then rolls her eyes, throwing the door open wide.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    ¡°You lycans and your possessive nature. Perhaps she wants a little fun. Heavens know you aren¡¯t

    any.¡± She mutters, turning and walking away. ¡°Hurry along and I will show you to your room.¡±

    Colette remains silent the whole walk, Florence mumbling to herself as she shoots daggers my way

    and checks Colette out once or twice. She weaves us past a second kitchen and up a set of spiral

    staircases before stopping with an annoyed expression

    ¡°Apparently, dinner will be in two hours¡± She says, sounding annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s requested that you bathe

    and dry off thoroughly. I would hate to choke to death on the smell of a wet dog.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me-¡±

    ¡°Thank you for kindly showing us to our room.¡± Colette says cutting me off as she death grips my

    hand. Florence¡¯s face changes to one of an overly excited cheerleader.

    it was nothing.¡± She tucks a hair behind her ear flirtatiously. ¡°The women will be having a drink

    before dinner, if you want to join?¡± she asks.

    ¡°That does sound nice, but we are newly mated and uh-¡± Colette flushes ¡°I¡¯m not quite ready to be

    too far from Merikh

    yeL

    ¡°What a shame.¡± Florence sighs before she sashays away, and I drag Colette into the room,

    The second the door closes Colette steps into me, her face buried in my chest as she drags in long

    deep breaths.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I whisper, running my hands up and down her arms.

    ¡°I am in way over my head, Merikh.¡± her voice trembles and her fear makes me want to burn the

    whole of the council down and let everyone fend for themselves.

    ¡°You handled yourself beautifully.¡± I admit. ¡°Truthfully, I was worried you might not speak at all the

    entire trip. But you once again surprise me.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to lose your temper with her. She admits, ¡°Thest thing we need is enemies.¡±

    I frown, framing her face with my hands and pulling it back so I can look down into her eyes.

    ¡°To everyone, we are the enemies. No one trusts us, and we can not trust them.¡±

    ¡°What is Florence?¡± She asks, taking a step back and fixing her shirt.

    ¡°Promise not tough?¡± I ask, biting back a smile. She is going to lose her shit when she hears what

    Florence is.

    ¡°Uh. Okay. I won¡¯tugh.¡± She says, but I know she will. Which is why I told her not to because now

    she won¡¯t be able to stop herself because she is expecting outrageous, but not this outrageous.

    ¡°Florence is a unicorn.¡± I grin.

    Colette chokes on her own spit, her hand over her throat and her eyes wide as sheughs and

    heaves. It¡¯s contagious. Her

    smile, herugh, and I rub her back, joining in. After a moment, she shakes her head and wipes her

    eyes.

    ¡°No, seriously.¡±

    ¡°I am dead serious.¡±

    ¡°Where is her horn¡± She asks, still chuckling. I tug at my shirt cor, wondering how she will handle

    all the species she will

    meet over the month.

    ¡°Her horn only appears in her true form. She isn¡¯t quite a shifter, not quite human. They are able to

    take on human form with the use of their magic. And they have a horn to symbolize their greatest

    downfall.¡±

    ¡°Downfall?¡± She tilts her head. ¡°You mean her snarky mood isn¡¯t enough?¡± she says with a smile.

    ¡°They are always horny.¡± I shrug and she freezes.

    ¡°Like they always want to¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You are joking.¡± she whispers wide eyed and I bite back a grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m actually not. She has tried many times to make her way into my room with one of her various

    partners.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t take no for an answer?¡± She asks, but I can see the rage growing in her eyes. It seems like

    my little Luna doesn¡¯t like the thought of someone else trying to bed her Alpha.

    ¡°She does. But it takes some convincing. The point is, avoid being alone with her at all costs.¡±

    ¡°Not going to lie. I may be mad at you, but I don¡¯t think I will leave your side.¡±

    There is a knock at the door and I take a few steps back, my heart soaring at the thought of her

    staying close at all times before I spin and pull the door open. All joy and happiness leeches from

    me as I stand face to face with the fucker who blew my world up three years ago. He leans on the

    door frame, grinning.

    ¡°Rumor has it you have a new Luna¡± His voice grates on my cars, his fangs showing as he looks

    over my shoulder. ¡°She isn¡¯t nearly as stunning as my Lauren was, but she will do just fine.¡±

    ¡°She is off limits.¡± I grit out

    ¡°What are you going to do? Kill her to keep her from me. Eventually, you¡¯re going to run out of

    options.¡±

    ?

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27

    Colette POV

    The second the door opens, the air in the room changes. It grows cold and Merikh¡¯s tension is

    palpable on my tongue. I move closer, catching a set of crimson eyes with a dangerous glint of

    amusement. His tongue darts out, licking his lips after he mutters something to Merikh, and I watch

    his knuckles grow white as he crushes the door handle.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Pushing my anger aside, I move over to Merikh, taking his hand in mine, and sliding my other up

    his arm to press my body close to his while looking at his perfectly angled face. Then the man

    clears his throat, vying for my attention, but I refuse to give him a single moment more when Merikh

    is barely holding on. Instead, I press up onto my toes and drop a kiss on his

    cheek.

    ¡°Come, let¡¯s rest while we can.¡± My heart is thudding and I am certain the man staring at us can

    hear it, but I don¡¯t care. I can feel not only his danger but Merikh¡¯s just beneath the surface and I

    know he needs this save. Our pack needs him to calm himself.

    ¡°You must be the New Luna?¡± the person says and I nce at him briefly, taking in his

    appearance.

    He is thinner than Merikh, and though he is tall by most standards, he is not Merikh¡¯s level of tall.

    His shoulders are slender and his face is thin but attractive. Again, he has nothing on the specimen

    of a man I am clinging to.

    ¡°I am. Is there something we can assist you with¡­?¡± I ask, leading him so I get a name.

    ¡°Johannes,¡± He says with a slight ent and a grin on his pale lips. I listen as best I can, trying to

    determine what he is without needing to be told. Then he shows me his fangs and I realize he is a

    vampire. ¡°Prince Royale of the Vampire ns!

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± I murmur, pressing my lips into a t, unimpressed line. ¡°I am Colette, Luna of the

    Lycans and werewolves¡±

    Merikh twitches, his hand releasing the doorknob and taking mine in his and I can feel his eyes on

    me as I stand tall and introduce myself.

    ¡°Mmm, you don¡¯t look like much.¡± He says, ncing at Merikh waiting for him to take the bait, but he

    doesn¡¯t.

    ¡°Did you get what you needed?¡± Merikh asks, seeming to finally snap out of his daze. He stares

    Johannes down, squaring his shoulder, and I can feel the way his muscles twitch

    ¡°Your reaction was a little underwhelming, I must admit. I really hoped you would be more excited to

    see me¡±

    ¡°Are you two friends?¡± I ask, trying to get a sight into what the hell this hostile energy is.

    ¡°Friends?¡± Johannes tastes the word, seeming to swish it around in his mouth before he gives me a

    devious smile. ¡°Depends on your definition. We shared a woman, so to some that would be friendly,

    no?¡±

    Merikh scoffs, taking a step forward but I cling to him with every ounce of me and he clears his

    throat sliding me a grateful

    look.

    *Johannes here was Lauren¡¯s lover, whilst she was supposed to be my luna,¡± he informs me in a

    bitter voice. ¡°I thought you were dead.¡±

    ¡°I am royalty, Merikh. Did you really think my coven cared about who I fucked?¡±

    ¡°The coven? No. The council I thought had more tact.¡±

    is up to me to decide.

    ¡°Mmm, the council does not protect your kind any longer. What I do with your kind for a little fun is

    And I am not the only one enjoying having you all as little ythings. Or so I hear.¡±

    ¡°So should I kill you now, before I get on the council?¡± Merikh asks him and Johannes shakes his

    head with augh.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to take hints very well, so I will be candid with you. The council will never you let

    you back on it. You being here, right now, it¡¯s the elders being nostalgic for the old days. But you

    will slip up with that signature lycan temper. And I

    1/3

    can¡¯t fucking WAIT to swoop in and take your new luna for a test-

    ¡°It will be a cold day in hell the second I let you touch me.¡± I growl, pushing my way in front of

    Merikh in ast¨Cditch attempt to keep him from attacking this asshole. ¡°You may have been able to

    sway a weak, unworthy woman with promises of immortality, but I would rather die than betray my

    pack and my mate.

    My wolf is going feral in my mind,shing out and begging to tear at this asshole for suggesting we

    would ever be as weak as Lauren. We aren¡¯t her. We aren¡¯t some weak, traitorous asshole who

    thinks only of herself. Merikh¡¯s arms wrap around my waist from behind, pulling me back into his

    chest as he takes a step back.

    ¡°Thanks for stopping by Johannes. Now if you don¡¯t mind, kindly fuck right off,¡± he says, sounding

    amused before he ms the door shut.

    The next thing I know I am pinned against the closed door, Merikh looming over me with his arms

    on either side of my head as he studies my face with barely restrained. dare I say lust?

    There are no words that pass between us in this heavy moment, but so much is said in the way he

    stares into my eyes, and the way my heart seems to match his beat after skipping a few. Then he

    reaches out, cupping my face as he drags my lips to his. Apprehension quickly melts into a fiery

    need and I clutch to his shoulders, kissing him back.

    His lips are soft and pliant as I whimper a needy moan, and he nibbles my bottom lip. I am putty in

    his hands, his to mold and do with what he needs as he gives me more genuine emotions than I

    have seen from him in days. He kisses like he is apologizing, begging to erase the hurt of the past

    week, but I know I can¡¯t. No matter how much I crave this, and him.

    I tilt my head down, breaking the kiss. He presses his forehead to mine, out of breath, as he

    shakes. It breaks me to see him so vulnerable, so upset about seeing the man who made his life a

    living hell. I hate knowing that these emotions, his need to kiss me, arose from Lauren and her

    asshole immortal lover.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± He whispers, his voice hoarse and breaking.

    ¡°For what?¡± I ask, surprised.

    ¡°Did you mean what you said?¡± He asks, standing up straight. His emerald eyes search me, looking

    into the depths of my soul, and I frown.

    ¡°Mean what?¡±

    ¡°What you said to him..about dying instead of betraying your pack and me¡­¡± He looks like a little

    child, waiting for his mom to say yes over some huge gift he asked for and I tilt my head, my hand

    sliding up his neck as I use my thumb to stroke his jawline

    ¡°Of course.¡± I furrow my brow. ¡°I made a promise to our pack, and you. No matter how angry I am

    with you, Merikh, you gave me a home. You gave me a purpose, and I owe you everything.¡±

    I swear I witness his heart break at that moment, the way his eyes soften and he exhales like I had

    confessed that I loved him

    ¡°Thank you for still choosing us.¡± He whispers, his hand covering my and dragging it away from his

    face. He holds it in his between us, ying with my fingers, fidgeting.

    I want to tell him it¡¯s fine and that I forgive him, but the truth is. I have changed sinceing to our

    pack, since choosing this as my path. The path of a luna has no room for the old me. The one who

    would let everyone, no matter what, walk all

    OVLT INC.

    I am the Lycan Queen and it¡¯s about damn time I act like it

    ¡°His eyes¡­¡± I say, changing the subject, and Merikh nods,

    ¡°Yes, the vampire royals all have crimson red eyes.¡±

    I furrow my brows, thinking of the wolves in the woods, trying to pinpoint the color of red in their

    hollow eyes.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t they can¡¯t be the reason for the red wolves, right?¡± I ask him and he huffs out a heavy

    sigh.

    2/3

    13:29 Thu,

    The wolves were spelled, orpulsion could have been used, but no, it would not exin the

    eyes being the color they

    were

    ¡°So it wasn¡¯t the vampires?¡±

    ¡°It very much could have been them. Or the witches or Fae. Or anyone here working with another

    group. There is no ruling anyone out, Colette..everyone here is our enemy.

    ¡°Every single one?¡± I ask, biting my lip, feeling uneasy all over again. How the hell am I supposed to

    sleep if I know that everyone here is probably plotting against us?

    ¡°Yes, but we will make allies soon enough.¡±

    ¡°You just said we can¡¯t trust anyone. So how will me make allies?¡± I ask, confused.

    ¡°You.¡± He says with a shrug before stepping further into the massive suite.

    ¡°What do I have to do with it?¡±

    ¡°Everything. But for starters, you clearly can keep me from killing Johannes, and that¡¯s a huge win¡±

    He moves around the room, looking in doors and checking spaces as I watch him, shocked..

    One minute he was near catatonic, then homicidal, then kissing me senseless. And now¡­now he is

    almost giddy walking around therge room and telling me how important I am. If he keeps this

    whish up, I¡¯m going to end up with a

    concussion

    But I have to admit, it¡¯s kind of

    being acknowledged for something I did right,

    3/3

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28

    ¡°Merikh

    11 POV

    Colette steps out of the bathroom, her scent wafting from the steam that follows behind her. She

    looks more prepared, like the shower provided her with liquid courage.

    Her hair is soft and wavy, falling over her delicate shoulders that are exposed in her pale blue

    summer dress. The soft ruffles. remind me of wavespping at the shore as they cascade over her

    bust and down one side where a slit reveals a portion of

    her smooth skin.

    She looks divine. A breath of fresh air after a lifetime being lost in the Marianas trench. My heart

    races as I meet her eyes, my mouth dry. Colette watches me curiously before growing noticeably

    nervous and she crosses her arm across her belly. holding the other arm while she looks away. I

    hate she feels she has to hide, like she has no idea how damn stunning she is

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± I rasp out, standing from the edge of the bed as I move toward her. ¡°Do not ever

    hide.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not used to dressing like this¡­¡± she frowns,

    ¡°You look beautiful.¡± I tell her sincerely.

    It won¡¯t be hard to make it seem like I can¡¯t keep my hands off her in a dress like this. The lycan in

    me is rallying against my sane mind, begging to make me force her to change. To cover her up and

    not allow anyone to see her like this but us. But I want everyone to stare. I want them to look at her

    and gape.

    Colette needs to see what she can do, what she has always been capable of. She has always been

    stunning, but sinceing to my pack, she has flourished. I know she wasn¡¯t being poisoned in her

    old pack. Not in the way she thinks she was. But she was sickly, her soul malnourished and her wolf

    suffered, making her thing and gaunt.

    Not anymore.

    A month of good food, exercise and people who treat her well. Well¡­most people who treat her

    well. I wince inwardly, hating that I¡¯m the one who causes her stress. I am the one who hurt her and

    ruined us. It¡¯s not fair to punish her for my insecurities, but yet¡­ I can¡¯t find it in my pride to tell her

    that. Not yet.

    Not when I know that this is just a small amount of the hatred she will send my way when she finds

    out at the first meeting.

    Her soft hand touches mine, and I shake myself from my thoughts, taking her in once more. Damn,

    she is perfect. Her lips part and I lick mine.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tter me,¡± she mumbles.

    ¡°I¡¯m being honest.¡± I say firmly.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she blinks, her cheeks growing pink as she tucks some hair behind her car. I reach out,

    undoing it and then I look her in the eyes, making sure she can see the sincerity.

    ¡°Are you ready for this?¡± I ask her.

    +

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± she says with a sigh. It pains me to hear her say that, knowing I forced her

    here. Forced all of this on her.

    ¡°Tonight it is.¡± I say, deciding to give her back a little control. ¡°If you would prefer to stay behind, or

    both of us to stay behind, I can muster up an excuse.¡±

    It¡¯s true. It would be easy to skip this dinner with a simple lie. To them, we are recently mated, and it

    would be perfectly reasonable to say we got carried away or were too exhausted,

    ¡°No.¡± she says, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°You are sure?¡± I check once more.

    Yes. She presses her hand to my chest, and I know she can feel my fast beating heart. Her eyes

    soften, but she says nothing. Instead, she hides a smile and steps past me, heading to the door.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I say, clearing my throat and moving toward her as she slips her feet into a pair of small

    heels

    ¡°Remember, we are in love. I will be close to you the entire evening and if you need to escape, you

    only need to lean in and whisper. These people can be they can be a lot. You thought I was a

    monster being the Alpha of Death? You are about toe face to face with people who will smile

    while they cut you open.¡±

    Her face pales, but she squares her shoulders and sets her lips. She is damn cute when she puts a

    warrior face on

    ¡°I am the Lama of the Werewolves and Lycans,¡± she says firmly. ¡°They don¡¯t scare me. Not when

    you are at my side.¡±

    I can¡¯t tell if she means it or not and I chose not to dissect it 100 much because true or not, those

    words are what I have needed to hear from a mate for so long. My heart feels lighter and my lycan

    purrs with delight as I reach down and take her hand in mine, entwining our fingers.

    ¡°Well then, Luna Letty,¡± I give her a wink using the name she announced herself as Luna with.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go have dinner with

    some monsters.¡±

    She clings to my hand, reaching over and grabbing my bicep as well, pulling herself closer as we

    enter the dining area. Everyone is chatting merrily,ughter floating through therge space before

    it stops and all eyesnd on us. Johannes smirks, and Florence rolls her eyes while the others look

    at us with a mild curiosity.

    ¡°Oh wonderful,¡± Florence groans, sitting roughly back in her seat.

    ¡°There are two spots over here, Johannes says with a devious smirk, pulling a chair closer to him. I

    growl vibrates through my chest as Florenceughs and the others watch in silence. It¡¯s strange

    how the others don¡¯t join in, but I assume they are already fed up with these two. It doesn¡¯t take

    much.

    ¡°Enough,¡± a deep, tired voice says from behind us. I turn and watch as Caspian, who was supposed

    to beingte into this whole charade, saunters into the dining room. Everyone seems to grow

    stiff, Johannes ncing away and Florence¡¯s cheeks grow red in embarrassment.

    ¡°Caspian,¡± Florence says, shaking her hair out and shing a quick smile. ¡°We weren¡¯t expecting

    you for at least another week.¡±

    ¡°I moved things around,¡± He says, walking past us, giving Colette and 1 a sideways nce. He

    commands the presence of everyone in his navy shirt and linen pants with a stern look. He smells

    of the ocean breeze and I nce at Colette, who watches him curiously.

    Who is this?¡± He asks, taking his seat, thin looking up at me.

    ¡°This is my Luna. I announce, and he frowns, tilting his head.

    ¡°A new one? Already?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been three years.¡± I say, ¡±

    ¡°And you are well aware she was a traitor and killed my father.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that doesn¡¯t inspire much of an undying loyalty.¡± he frowns. ¡°Sit. Eat. We will have a long

    first meeting

    tomorrow.¡±

    I look and see two seats on opposite ends of the table and I tense, not happy about splitting up from

    Colette. She nces up at me, fear¨Cfilled eyes, and I decide to take a drastic measure.

    1 drag her with me to the seat sitting to the left of Casn and I sit, then I wrap my arms around her

    waist and tug her into myp. She feels tense at first until I pull her hair to the side and kiss the

    bare skin between her shoulder des. She shivers, then rxes, leaning back into me as I nuzzle

    her neck.

    ¡°Is the chair next to Johannes not good enough for her?¡± Florence spits at us and Colette snaps her

    head in her direction.

    ¡°You can speak to me directly, and no. I will not stoop so low as to sit next to a soulless monster

    who steals mates for their

    Trac

    2/8

    own fun,¡± Colette growls. I squeeze her tighter in gratitude, loving this savvy Lama and how she

    stands up for her kind, and

    1. me.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Everyone is silent until Caspian chuckles and shakes his head.

    ¡°I like her better than the other one¡± He admits.

    Pride swells in my chest at his words, knowing firsthand how far she hase. How hard she has

    worked to grow her confidence.

    ¡°She is something else, that¡¯s for sure.¡± I say, meeting her gaze over her shoulder as her cheeks

    grow pink at thepliment. I catch Caspian looking at her, then casting his tired, worn eyes down

    at the te served in front of him.

    ¡°Hold on to her, the mate bond is one thing I have always admired about your kind. There is nothing

    quite like it.¡± He says softly, once again sliding a sideways nce in our direction.

    ¡°Do you have a queen?¡± Colette asks sweetly, and he freezes.

    ¡°No.¡± He sighs, taking a swing of the goblet next to him. ¡°No, I have not been fortunate enough to

    find my queen.¡±

    In his

    I know it¡¯s a lie. But few of us know that truth. Hell, until recently, I believed my kind was the only

    kind to know Caspian¡¯s heartbreaking truth. He had a queen once, and a little princess too. He lost

    them both, murdered when he was away kingdom trying to changews that kept him from his girls.

    Or so he thinks.

    But as I mentioned, I know the truth. His queen may be gone, but his princess is alive and thriving.

    And she is sitting tucked away on myp.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29

    ¡°Colette POV

    I can¡¯t help but feel bad for Caspian, as he looks away from me, unable to look me in the eye. It¡¯s

    obvious that he may not have a queen now, but at one point there was someone he cared for, loved

    maybe.

    I tilt my head, taking in his graying hair and the way his skin seems to glisten as if he dusted with a

    soft morning dew. He is a handsome man, looking dashing in his expensive clothes as he eats in

    his silence. But king of the council or not, he is still a

    man, or part man.

    ¡°What is it like?¡± I ask, making him pause mid bite. ¡°The ocean?¡±

    He ces his spoon down. Caspian turns in his chair to face me, his curious eyes taking in my face

    a spark of interest in his deep grays.

    ¡°That¡¯s a strange question,¡± He says, but the malice isn¡¯t there, instead he ces his elbows on the

    table and leans on them, watching me with a curious glint in his eyes.

    ¡®s just that I¡¯ve never been to the ocean before.¡± I give him a soft smile. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered what

    it feels like or even looks like under the waves.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame you haven¡¯t experienced for yourself.¡± He says, returning my smile. ¡°The ocean is-

    ¡°Wet, and smells of fish¡± Florence interrupts, mumbling into her ss of whatever alcohol can get

    supernatural beings drunk. I¡¯m not entirely sure they can get drunk, but with how she acts, she has

    to be drunk. All the time.

    ¡°My first time being near a body of water was when I came to my new pack.¡± I say ignoring Florence

    and reminiscing about theke that instantly made me feel at home. The way the water just calmed

    me. The sound, the feel, having it near me.

    ¡°And did you enjoy it?¡±

    I nod, giddily. ¡°The water is magical.¡±

    ¡°It is indeed.¡± he gives me a tight smile, before clearing his throat. I nce around the table.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes are on us, watching me like I am spinning some b, ready to catch Caspian and

    drag him away or something.

    Then he sits back in his chair, looking between me and Merikh before he clears his throat once

    more and picks up his ¡ª utensils again, then straightens himself out to eat the rest of his dinner.

    -You trained this dog better than thest one. He mutters, before scooping up food and pushing it

    into his mouth.

    My jaw drops and Merikh¡¯s arm tightens around me, a warning not to say anymore. My gaze once

    again slides around the table, taking in all the unfamiliar faces who try not to stare or gawk at me

    and my embarrassed, red cheeks

    ¡°This is my Luna, Caspian.¡± Merikh says in a low, threatening voice.

    ¡°Your point?¡± He sighs, annoyed.

    ¡°She is not a dog, nor is she someone for you to judge and put down.¡±

    ¡°Please, you think we don¡¯t see this pathetic attempt to make her dazzle me by speaking about the

    fucking water so you can earn your spot on the council? I am not stupid. If she is your mate, your

    true Luna, then where is your mark, Merikh?¡± He asks, turning his head and looking at my neck. He

    observes both sides. ¡°I don¡¯t see it.¡±

    ¡°Our marks do not always go where others can see them,¡± Merikh tells him.

    ¡°Oh,e on, that¡¯s bullshit and you know it.¡± Johannes heckles from his side of the table. ¡°You

    marked Lauren on the neck. Are you not as fond of this one? Because Florence and I would take

    her for you.

    ¡°Shut up Johannes,¡± Caspian growls, ¡°Must you always bring up that dreadful dead bitch?

    Tr

    1/4

    Johannes stands abruptly, his chair toppling to the floor as he ms his fists on the table.

    ¡°Sit Down Caspian hisses. I watch as Johannes¡® eyes flicker a darker red before he pushes off in

    anger and collects his chair.

    ¡°He is right,¡± a bearded man draws out, crossing his arms over his broad chest as he sits back, his

    eyes boring into mine. ¡°We all know Lycan¡¯s are possessive. Your kind wants the world to know

    what belongs to them.¡±

    I scoff, rolling my eyes and I force Merikh¡¯s hand from my waist angrily. I scowl, looking around the

    table, annoyed and nervous. These people are all full of themselves and such assholes, including

    Caspian, who I mistakenly got the vibe might be a decent person. Everyone here is so full of

    themselves and self important that it is a wonder that anyone is ever safe or that the council even

    serves a real purpose.

    ¡°Should I hike up my dress to show you my mark?¡± I offer, reaching for the hem, pulling it up an

    inch, showcasing more skin that I am used to. Merikh growls, jumping up as Florence giggles and

    Caspian looks at me arching a brow in curiosity.

    ¡°I think we would rather not see it.¡± He says after a moment. Merikh moves himself in front of me,

    his eyes zing in anger and I furrow my brows, confused. Why would he be upset about me

    calling their bluff to help us!

    ¡°Speak for yourself, Florence says with a gleeful grin. ¡°Show me the mark, baby girl.¡±

    ¡°Your mark is only for me to see,¡± Merikh hisses, bending down so our faces are close together. His

    nose lightly brushes over mine. A warning in his eyes.

    ¡°Sit. Eat your food. You will want all the nourishment you can get before we sit and argue for a

    month about why you will never be on the council again. Caspian sighs.

    I press my hands to Merikh¡¯s chest, giving myself space as I look him in the eyes, then nod to the

    chair. He doesn¡¯t budge until I gently push him a second time and his lips twitch in frustration before

    he sits and opens his arms to wee me back on hisp

    His muscr forearm wraps around me like a seatbelt, tucking me as close as humanly possible to

    him. I wiggle, trying to getfortable, but freeze when I hear a pained groan and feel something

    pressing into my butt cheek.

    I slide him a nce over my shoulder, shocked, and he gives me a wry smile. He dips his head, his

    lips finding the top of my shoulder, before pressing a kiss to my heated skin. I need to remind

    myself I am mad at him. That our rtionship is built on a broken foundation with no trust, but damn

    if I can¡¯t help but want to melt into him.

    ¡°How did you two meet? Seeing as you are obviously second chance mates, which is a little rare

    for your kind, correct?¡± A blonde¨Chaired woman asks, drawing my attention. I give her a soft smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s not crazy rare, but it¡¯s not an everyday urrence.¡± I smile. ¡°Merikh came to my pack to mate

    with the Alpha¡¯s daughter Loffer, before getting ng squeeze from Merikh to continue on.

    a

    ¡°And you discovered you were mates.¡± She finishes and I chuckle.

    ¡°Something like that.¡± I say softly, leaning back into the wall of a man behind me. ¡°I discovered my

    first mate in the alpha¡¯s daughter¡¯s bed. He got her pregnant and then rejected me. Merikh and I

    obviously refused her, and I was traded in her ce. At his insistence, of course.¡±

    ¡°How romantic,¡± she says, clutching her chest with a genuine smile on her lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a whirlwind,¡± Merikh mutters and 1 bark out augh, thinking back on what feels like so

    long ago.

    Then I shake my head and look down, noticing the tes before us, a little shocked that I didn¡¯t

    see them arrive, but I grab a fork and cut into the roasted chicken breast. As I take a bite, relishing

    the tender meat, there is shouting down the hallway that has everyone looking around.

    ¡°Oh, great, Brent is here.¡± Johannes says.

    ¡°Does the wizard get under your skin, vamp?¡± Florence asks with a giddy grin.

    ¡°Enough. Eat, then go about your business. I am tired of the bickering, especially when we all

    know what the first meeting

    will turn into by the end.¡±

    I furrow my brow, not really sure what will happen but based on everyone taking a drink from their

    cups and avoiding eye contact with anyone, it seems tomorrow will be very much like this dinner. As

    long as I¡¯m not a part of it, it could be fun.

    Merikh leans forward, one arm around my waist and the other feeding himself. I take his lead,

    devouring my food in silence before pressing back into him again and watching the others chat

    amongst themselves.

    As everyone finishes their meals, they leave in silence, either wandering to the deck outside and

    mingling or disappearing down the hallways. Merikh helps me off hisp, taking his hand in mine as

    he leads me back to the room, closing the door behind us and releasing a heavy sigh. All of his

    tension evaporates as he spins and looks at me.

    ¡°So how¡¯d that feel?¡± He asks. I shrug.

    ¡°Not entirely different from dinner in my old pack, except at least here I had almost actual

    conversation. Who is the blonde woman?¡± I ask. ¡°The one that was asking me about how we found

    each other?

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is what the hell were you going to do if they called your bluff?¡±

    He growls, crossing the room to me as I take steps backward to escape him.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t.¡± I remind him.

    ¡°If they had, it would have gotten us both killed, you understand that, right? I would have killed every

    fucking one of them I could for seeing what wasn¡¯t theirs to see.¡±

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    I bite back a smile, trying to hide the thrilling shiver that zips through my body with his possessive

    nature over me. No one has ever really wanted me before, all of me. I mean, he has acted this way

    with Grady, but for him to be this way with people that are equal to him¡­it¡¯s a little exciting and kind

    of a turn on.

    ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡± I tell him, and he drags a hand over his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s just¡­after everything with¡­¡± He pauses and frowns at me and I sigh. He is talking

    about Grady. Would he still feel this way if he knew the truth? If he knew I picked him and that it

    was an easy decision? I hire my lip, but my damn mouth has a mind of its own since bing his

    Luna

    ¡°Merikh, I didn¡¯t kiss Grady back. I pped him and told him to leave.¡± I blurt out. Merikh freezes,

    his eyes full of shock and wonder.

    ¡°I saw you two kissing.¡± He tries to argue, but I close the short distance between us now. Pressing

    my hand to his cheek.

    ¡°He kissed me and I was stunned. The second I realized what was happening, I shoved him back

    and pped him. You can alphamand me to tell you the truth.¡±

    He pauses, thinking about it for a moment. I want him to trust me, to take my word for it because,

    damn it, it¡¯s the freaking truth. My chest aches with anticipation, my eyes flitting from one to the

    other, trying to predict what is going to happen.

    next.

    ¡°It is easier if I don¡¯t believe you.¡± He murmurs, and my heart shatters. I don¡¯t know why it does. I

    knew what his response would be. Merikh¡¯s trust issues have trust issues. Asking for such a big

    thing from him was a long shot, but I still find myself so disappointed.

    ¡°You mean you still don¡¯t trust me? Merikh, you could justmand the truth. Under the oath, I

    can¡¯t lie to you, right?¡±

    He steps away from me, moving to the bathroom, stopping in the doorway.

    ¡°You think the kiss is the only issue? The fact remains, you still lied to my face, Colette.¡± he

    whispers before disappearing. Leaving me behind to force the tears away and reflect on what I

    know was wrong.

    3/4

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30

    Heavens, I needed this. No, I¡¯ve dreamed of this, Running in wolf form along a beautiful river with

    the moon still hung in the sky, speaking life into my very soul. I can¡¯t recall thest time I ever

    enjoyed my wolf¡¯s form in this manner. I was always too weak to let her out more than once or twice

    a year and that was only IF I could get her toe out.

    For most wolves, they would go crazy, driving their human to the brink of insanity, but my wolf was

    always so far out of reach. It¡¯s not since moving to Merikh¡¯s that we are strong enough to handle a

    shift onmand. Not since being away from my old pack and the poison. I am sure she was

    putting in my food.

    I trot to the edge of the water, peeking at the mirror¨Clike surface and checking out my healthy coat

    of dark gray fur. It looks almost iridescent in the bright moonlight and I spin, giving myself a full look

    before a sense of pride settles deep in my stomach. I¡¯m perfect in wolf form.

    I¡¯m no longer small or malnourished. Just a happy, healthy, average wolf recharging under the full

    moon, Except I¡¯m not average, I¡¯m a Luna. And not just any Luna, but the Lycan Luna. Not that I

    feel like one in the slightest.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to know what you¡¯re thinking right now,¡± someone says. I spin and growl, watching as

    Caspian saunters toward me, his hands in his pockets as he assesses me with a glint of familiarity.

    He tosses a bag at me and I catch it in my mouth, tilting my head to see what he wants.

    ¡°Shift back and take a walk with me.¡± he says, turning his back to me.

    After a moment of watching him curiously, he clears his throat and I decide maybe I can use this

    opportunity to do what Merikh has failed to do all this time. Win Caspian over in friendship. 1 shift

    into my human form, quickly pulling out the garments inside and slipping into the softest yoga pants

    and sweatshirt I have ever touched.

    ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡± I ask him, as I slip the now empty bag over my shoulder.

    Capsian turns to look at me, his hands in his pockets once more as he nods to his side, showing I

    should walk with him.

    ¡°Come.¡± He says softly, but I hesitate thinking about Merikh¡¯s warning of not being able to trust

    anyone. Then again, Percy is in the shadows so maybe it will be fine.

    ¡°I am not sure my mate will like this very much. I tell him and he chuckles sofily

    lesire to w

    ¡°He knows you are in no danger with me. I have no desire to whisk you away from him and you

    pose no immediate threat to my wellbeing, which would lead to me needing to kill you. I assure

    you, Letty¡­is it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Letty.¡± I say, smiling to myself. I don¡¯t really know why being called Letty sets my heart a

    ze. Maybe it¡¯s because it signifies a new me. A stronger, braver version, one worthy of leading

    and being here just like anyone else. Either way, I can¡¯t help but feel pride in the new me and new

    name.

    ¡°Well, Letty, I assure you I have only good intentions. I only wish to know you more.¡± He smiles and

    I skeptically move to his side.

    We walk in awkward silence for a short time, the two of us absorbing the beautiful scenery. The air

    is still, and the full moon¡¯s light reflects off the ssy water, illuminating the night life around us. I

    can see little orbs of yellow and I swallow, fear creeping into my chest, remembering the green orb

    that destroyed my heart with the intense realistic dream it¨Cwove in my mind.

    -Why are you stopping?¡± Caspian asks, looking around. I shake my head, my throat tight, and that

    feeling of watching my mom be ripped from the world in front of me resurfaces as I breathe roughly.

    ¡°Letty¡­¡± his voice sounds distant, and it feels like I am being sucked back in.

    His hand touches my bicep and I jump back, inhaling sharply before I pull myself back from the

    cowering I was doing internally. No. I will not be that girl. The one with trauma so crippling I can not

    enjoy the night. I refuse to let them take anything else from me. Fate has already done a good

    enough job of making my life painful. I am so damn sick of pain.

    ¡°Forgive me,¡± I release a breath, my hand to my chest as I try to force my heart to calm itself.

    ¡°There is no need to apologize. Are you okay? Did something spook you? I promise you are safe,¡±

    He tries to reassure me

    and frown

    There is no way of knowing if I can actually trust Caspian. If I should tell him about the attacks that

    have been happening. Would exining it all do anything to break away at his ice heart?

    Then I remember, he won¡¯t do anything about it since we are not members of this council yet, but

    surely mentioning how someone is targeting me will show him how important us being on the

    council is. How much we, as a species, need their protection?

    ¡°I¡­I was recently attacked. Several times, actually, and I am working through those moments.¡± I

    say, giving hin a tight smile. ¡°Some things seem to trigger those memories¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. I heard of your ident.¡± He gives me a sad look, like he wishes he could apologize or

    offer me some sort of condolences. But that would be acknowledging me. That we belong under

    the umbre of safety with the other species and he can¡¯t do that. Not yet.

    ¡°Oh, the ident is the least of my worries.¡± I smile. ¡°I struggle with the dream weavers and what

    they ced in my head. Those are new to me, someone ying in my mind, changing what little

    memories I have of my dead loved ones to nightmares.¡± The moment I start speaking, I find my

    anger grows.

    Speaking of this out loud¡­it¡¯s not just painful, but a startling truth that whoever was doing this isn¡¯t

    just trying to scare me. they are trying to scar me. Make me bitter and angry.

    Anger is easier to manipte and control. Anger makes a person predictable, yet unstable. You

    know how to make them react, and when they react, the only thing you don¡¯t know is how. And

    that¡¯s what they want from me. A reaction.

    ¡°Dream weavers¡­¡± He asks, and I look up at him to see his furrowed brow

    ¡°Ever have one y with your mind?¡± I ask and he shakes his head no. ¡°Count your lucky stars.

    You have your protection.¡±

    ¡°Is it that bad?¡± He asks, curious.

    I scoff out a dryugh. If only he had even a semnce of understanding of what these other

    species can do, what it feels. like to be on the receiving end. Then he might not wish to keep us all

    out. He might let us into the council and spare my people what these other monsters have nned

    for us for the sake of some fun.

    ¡°I have very few memories of my mother.¡± I say with a heavy sigh, walking a little ahead of him.

    ¡°The ones I do have aren¡¯t, happy or sweet. They are sad. But the dream weavers entered my

    mind, toying with my memories, distorting them so that thosest few moments I have with her in

    my head are of her death. A death I know I did not witness,¡±

    ¡°How do you know that is not the truth?¡± he asks, arching a brow.

    I tilt my head, truly understanding how much he doesn¡¯t know about the other species. How can he

    be the king when he doesn¡¯t know what these monsters are capable of? How they act and treat

    those they deem lesser than then in the name of fun.

    ¡°There are ways to determine what is real.¡± I say, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t erase the jagged point of a spear

    breaking through my mother¡¯s chest covered in her blood while she mes me for her death. No

    matter how easily I can determine it was false, that image lives there. That moment I had with her

    shattered in my heart and in my mind forever because someone wanted to lure me away from my

    home, away from the safety of my mate.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so sure they don¡¯t want to save you?¡± he asks with furrowed brows. His silver streaks

    in his hair look so much more defined when he stands in the moonlight, his chin jutted out the side

    in serious thought.

    ¡°You don¡¯t save someone by trying to hurt them.¡±

    ¡°You were not injured, were you?¡± he asks, sounding genuinely concerned.

    ¡°That time no, but I was injured the first time. They crashed into our vehicles and dragged me out

    by my broken leg. My femur was shattered and the only person who was there to help me was

    Merikh. He was ready to die to protect me, to bring me home.¡±

    2/3

    3/3

    ¡°I hate to say this, but there are many who do not like

    of like your mate, Letty,¡± he frowns and I hark out augh.

    ¡°He is abrasive. But he is loyal to his own downfall. Merikh is broken, but he is trying. We all are,

    and it¡¯s all for. This person who is after me, what reason do you think they would want me?¡± I ask

    him.

    ¡°I can not say.¡± He responds by shaking his head and shrugging.

    ¡°I can. They want to hurt Merikh To break him beyond repair and ruin him and I will not let them.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, and you think it is the same person?¡±

    ¡°I know it is.¡± I tell him resolutely.

    ¡°Oh, and how could you possibly know that if you don¡¯t know who it is?¡±

    anyone

    Werewolves don¡¯t have red, glowing eyes.¡± I snort. ¡°Neither do lycans. And they do not attack their

    new Luna and Lycan king. How many species can manipte what others do and how they act?¡±

    ¡°In a

    way, almost all of them.¡± He admits, ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that mean that it could be anyone both times?

    That it could be separate attacks. You said yourself one was a dream weaver, and the other was

    wolves with red eyes. He seems to be in deep thought as he speaks.

    ¡°The dream weaver led me to the border in my sleep. At the border, waiting for me, was a crowd of

    red¨Ceyed wolves. Do you think two separate parties would use the same exact people if they were

    not working together!¡±

    He pauses for a moment, his lips pressing together in a thin line.

    ¡°Why are you telling me all of this? Are you trying to y to my sympathies and manipte me?¡± he

    asks, arching a brow.

    I shake my head, smiling at him.

    ¡°No. No, I am informing you, out of respect for the position you hold, that someone here on your

    honorable council is a coward. I want you to know that I am hunting them.¡±

    ¡°They are protected, no matter what or who they are. They are under the protection of the council.

    Killing any of the members would get you exiled.¡±

    ¡°What good is that punishment when we are already exiled?¡± I remind him with a small smirk.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31

    ¡°We will not see eye to eye on this matter, I fear.¡± He sighs heavily, shaking his head.

    I shrug and keep walking, picking up my pace to get back to Merikh a little sooner. No matter how

    much he gives me the silent treatment. I crave his presence when I¡¯m not around him.

    Maybe it¡¯s the supposed second chance mate bond her ims we have. Or perhaps it¡¯s because I

    find I feel safe with only him. Either way, I want this encounter to be over.

    ¡°I suppose not.¡± I frown, my eyes scanning the shadows of the trees along the east, looking for

    Percy. It would be nice to know where exactly he is, to give him a signal that I want him toe

    whisk me away.

    ¡°Your friend is still there. I can sense his presence.¡± Caspian says without looking at me. ¡°He is

    lucky that we allow him to remain here. We could have him dispatched, and you wouldn¡¯t be able to

    do anything about it¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be here if we couldn¡¯t bring him, and touch him and I will rage a war.¡± I snark at him a

    little sassier than I

    should.

    ¡°Mmm, I don¡¯t recall even inviting your kind here in the first ce,¡± He retorts. This king swaps

    moods quicker than a woman trying on a dress for her first date.

    ¡°And yet we found an invitation. You don¡¯t find that odd?¡± I ask him and he refuses to look at me,

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand what you mean,¡± Caspian mutters, sounding bored.

    ¡°Someone at this event wants us to be here.¡± I shrug. ¡°My guess is the person who is trying to hurt

    me, and Merikh has ulterior motives.¡±

    ¡°It is possible.¡± He shrugs, sounding disinterested before he releases arge huff. ¡°Well Letty, it was

    an interesting interaction but I suppose I should be off¡­¡±

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± I ask, stopping him by stepping in his way. He ces his hands on his

    hips and looks me over with a curious gaze before nodding and rolling his eyes.

    ¡°You may ask, but I do not promise to answer,¡± he bites out, making sure I understand he is in

    control of this conversation.. Which means I need to tread lightly¡­

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you have a mate?¡± I ask, and heughs, caught off guard by¨Cmy question. I notice the

    way the water ripples in tune with his melodic tune, and I realize that is just a small semnce of

    his true force, his real power.

    ¡°Sirens do not have mates, like unicorns or witches,¡± he exins. ¡°Werewolves and lycans are the

    favored of the species, always the loyal one and you were all rewarded with a love that can not be

    refuted.¡±

    I snort. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it be refuted. Rejection seems to be a rising trend in ourmunity.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I suppose you have, considering the story you told us at dinner a week ago. What I mean to

    say is that it is a soul tie. Something that goes beyond love. It¡¯s apletion of your soul. Without it,

    you are only half a person.¡±

    I furrow my brows in thought.

    ¡°So then, what do you call your version of a mate?¡±

    He shrugs and looks up at the sky for a moment.

    ¡°We use the term mate as well, but it does not have the same meaning. Ours is a partner.

    Someone we chose as we think they will strengthen us and make us wiser. Mates for us is a

    strategy, one that often ends in multiple mates.¡±

    My brows knit together in thought.

    ¡°And you have chosen not to take a mate?¡± I ask him and he nods his head yes. ¡°And why is that?

    Do you not need to have a

    1/3

    He chuckles and shakes his head

    ¡°I have many nieces and nephews who would love to have my throne.¡± He says.

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that they are suited for it. And you avoided the real question,¡± I say, quirking

    a brow

    *True, many of them are not. But I am too old now for a child, so I will choose from them one day.

    And no, I do not need a mate as I do not n to have a child at my age.

    I give him a credulous stare. Does he seriously think a mate is just a strategic act? One that means

    you have to have a kid?

    ¡°Having a mate isn¡¯t just to have a kid. It¡¯s about having a home inside your house. Somewhere

    you can go when you are lost inside your head. Someone who keeps you safe just by holding you

    close.¡±

    I watch his lips twitch as he looks off into the distance wistfully.

    ¡°I know,¡± he whispers as if he is speaking to a memory, and I watch him curiously,

    I let him dream in his head for a moment, thinking of the other species and their way to find a mate.

    Or their own version of a mate. Caspian is so right. How truly lucky we are to have a fated mate that

    we can know is meant to be ours and not someone else¡¯s. Not that I can tell if I have that with

    Merikh yet. But the thought is truly a thrilling one.

    Then I think about Lauren. How she was mated to Merikh and yet, she still chose a vampire over

    him and our kind. Can cross species children happen from time to time? I mean, if Lauren and

    Johannes were lovers, surely they could procreate?

    ¡°You look inquisitive again,¡± Capsian says, sounding amused.

    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. I admit. ¡°I did not know there were any other species out there, let alone this many.

    Is it possible for a werewolf to mate with any of them?¡± I ask.

    ¡°No.¡± He says quickly, like he is trying to shut the topic down, but I won¡¯t let this go that easily. I am

    intrigued by the thought there could be thousands of little hybrids running around the world.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not possible? Or no, it¡¯s not allowed.¡± I ask, making sure to slide my eyes to him, studying

    his face, hoping to tell if he lies to me or not.

    ¡°It is not allowed.¡± He says, refusing to look at me.

    ¡°But Lauren and Johannes¡­¡± I say and he heaves a heavy sigh

    ¡°Vampires can not have children. Not with a species that is not their own.¡± He exins. ¡°Vampires

    can choose whatever mate they want because there is no risk of a born hybrid from them.¡±

    ¡°Has it happened with any other two species before?¡± I ask, growing more curious by the moment.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as though he is annoyed with all the questions. But I

    have no ns to stop until he asks or walks away.

    ¡°How many times?¡± I ask, getting excited and he looks away, his body growing stiff and the air

    around him turning chilled.

    ¡°Once.¡± He says, clearing his throat and looking away from me.

    ¡°And what happened to him?¡± I ask and he clears his throat, stopping where he is before he looks

    around and then steps into my personal space.

    ¡°Why? Do you wish to create a hybrid child?¡± His words are harsh, full of a thinly veiled anger.

    ¡°What? No. I will carry my mate¡¯s children. I am just curious.¡± I try to exin

    2/3

    ¡°You are too curious. He hisses, again his eyes darting around and his voice barely a whisper.

    ¡°Maybe you are too evasive.¡± I shrug and he sucks on his teeth.

    ¡°She died,¡± He clears his throat. ¡°It was a girl, and she was killed. A hybrid is against council rules.

    They can not exist. A hybrid would be too powerful and unpredictable¡±

    I feel a tightness in my chest at his words, the way he tries to hide his emotions, hiding behind his

    annoyance with me and anger. Caspian is the king, and has been for a very long time. If a hybrid

    was killed, it was his order that killed her. It would have to be.

    His anger isn¡¯t anger at all. It¡¯s guilt. And it makes me sick to think he could ever order someone to

    death over something that wasn¡¯t their own fault.

    ¡°How old was she?¡± I whisper, needing to know the level of evil I am dealing with. I have to see if

    this handsome older man from the sea is truly a sea monster or just an old lonely man from the

    depths of the ocean.

    He looks away, a mist in his eyes.

    ¡°She was ten.¡±

    My mouth goes dry, my throat aching from resisting the urge to cry. Who does that? Who kills a

    child for being born? What assholes kill someone because they are afraid someone might be more

    powerful than them?

    ¡°You killed..¡± I pause, swallowing roughly ¡°A child. A little girl

    ¡°The council has rules.¡± He clips out.

    ¡°This council is bullshit.¡± I growl. ¡°A child! Do you hear yourself? You killed a child because her

    parents loved each other.¡±

    Caspian turns his gray eyes on me, a hurricaneshing through his dark irises as the water to my

    side floats. His eyes sh like lightning striking through the sky as he seems to fight for control of

    his emotions or power.

    ¡°Your kind killed her,¡± he roars, his voice echoing through the trees, and I see Percy as he moves

    swiftly to my side. Then a warm hand wraps into mine and tugs me back. I look up to see Merikh,

    his eyes ck as he stares down Caspian with a raging fury

    ¡°Our kind saved her.¡± He growls. My eyes grow wide and snap up to him in shock.

    ¡°Lies!¡± Caspian steps closer, the water moving forward with him.

    ¡°I have proof.¡± Merikh says, standing tall, unwavering. ¡°I have proof and when you are ready to

    discuss letting us back on the council, I will share it all with you.¡±

    Then he turns his back to the still raging Caspian, pulling me along beside him, taking us back up to

    the house.

    ¡°Merikh, what was that about?¡± I hiss at him and he slides me a look but refuses to say anything

    until we make it back to the bedroom.

    ¡°There is something I need to tell you¡­¡± He sighs, pulling me down to sit on the bed next to him.

    ¡°And it might be difficult for you to believe.¡±

    0

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32

    ¡°Merikh

    POV

    ¡°Okay, what do you have to tell me?¡± Colette asks. She turns her body to face me, a look of worry

    on her brow as he tilts her head and prepares herself.

    The only problem is I don¡¯t know that this is the right time to tell her. To exin to her that the whole

    reason she is here with me is entirely because she is the one and only hybrid to ever exist.

    My choosing Leslie as a mate was no coincidence. I had every intention of leaving her before the

    ceremony and kidnapping Colette if need be. Fate clearly had other ns, but the fact remains.

    Colette is my proof that the only ever hybrid was saved by my family. Not only is she that hybrid, but

    the only child of Caspian.

    She takes my hand, turning it over so my palm is facing up, and then she gently lifts it, pressing it

    to her lips. There¡¯s no fighting the shiver that runs through me, the desire that has been there and

    doesn¡¯t seem to go away rages against my barriers. I have thrown up time and time again to

    protect myself.

    ¡°You can tell meter, if it¡¯s easier.¡± She whispers. ¡°You seem exhausted and tomorrow you have

    the second meeting.¡±

    I stare at this timid, beautiful woman and my heart aches. Guilt riddles me, every day wreaking

    havoc on my heart and in my mind and my lycan¡­my lycan fights me tooth and nail to im what

    is ours, what we have hidden away to keep us in check. I want to speak to her, to tell her

    everything, but trust is as elusive as fucking smoke.

    The moon goddess has failed me once before. And though I punished myself for my part in

    everything, the way I turned a blind eye to Lauren¡¯s misgivings in the name of the mate bond. I don¡¯t

    think I can trust the moon goddess again, and that makes it impossible to know if I can trust in

    Colette the way I yearn to.

    ¡°I-¡°I try to speak but I say nothing, only staring at her, hating myself more with every passing second

    because I am weak. So fucking weak and though I tricked her into the oath, even though I don¡¯t

    deserve her.

    I crave her. My soul begs to be one with hers, constantly fighting me, tearing at my conscience.

    Shit. I don¡¯t know what to do with her anymore. Shit, I know I have to tell her something. I can¡¯t just

    hide from her forever like I have for thest week.

    ¡°I am ready to hear what you have to say about Grady¨C1 offer, swallowing roughly as I allow her to

    y with my hand before entwining our fingers. She watches me closely, assessing my response,

    waiting for me to pull away from her like I always do.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± she whispers, making sure her eyes meet mine, trying to pull the truth from inside

    of me.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I nod..

    ¡°You can¡¯t run off, or get mad.¡± She says, again waiting for me to run away like I always seem to

    do.

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± I assure her, but she looks skeptical. Colette sucks in a deep breath and then nods.

    ¡°Grady was my best friend. My only friend. He would sneak me food, andfort me when I would

    cry. I had a crush on him, no¡­I loved him. She pauses to look at me as I fight my anger, every bit

    of jealousy in my body looks for a way out but I bite it back, forcing it away and focusing on the

    woman who is here, with me, holding my hand.

    ¡°I am fine,¡± I assure her through gritted teeth. I notice a small smile tugging at her lips, but she nods

    and continues, anyway.

    ¡°I loved him, but my feelings were one sided. Everyone knew it, including me. He slept around with

    girls and stuff, but when he slept with Leslie, it hurt the most because she always took such joy in

    causing me pain. I wanted nothing to do with him after he rejected me. It was still so fresh when I

    agreed to be your mate. I was still mourning, and I was trying to do it alone, without you seeing¡±

    ¡°That was wrong of me,¡± I admit. ¡°I see that now.¡±

    ¡°If we are second chance mates like you said we are-

    THE

    ¡°We are,¡± I state firmly, and she gives me a tight¨Clipped smile.

    ¡°Trust goes both ways, Merikh, so I hope you can forgive me for being skeptical of that im.¡± Her

    words are brutal and blunt, but it¡¯s what I need. It¡¯s the delivery I need. It feels truthful and honest

    and I have to feel that. No, I need to

    ¡°I understand.¡± I struggle to get the words out, my ribs aching from restraining myself and fighting

    my nature to argue back, to make a point or to let my anger take over.

    ¡°When Grady showed up, I already knew I wanted to be with you, sure I had made you a promise

    and I keep promises, but I fell for you after the second week and then I feel hard, so damn hard

    and knowing about your past¡­it let me see you in a different light. I can be patient, Merikh. But it

    won¡¯t change my mind. I chose you and our pack. I chose you the day of our mating ceremony and I

    chose you over Grady and even now I¡¯m choosing you again even when you make me so angry I

    cry.

    Her words feel like an ax to the chest, splitting me open like a soft log and tearing me in two. There

    is so much to hear in there, but all I can do is feel it. She has not tried to run from me, even when I

    reveal my insecurities. Even when I am acting a fool

    When I was with Lauren, I felt drawn to her because of the bond. It was only the bond, but with

    Colette it is different. My heart is nearly bursting and it feels lik I am going to burn up just sitting

    here.

    ¡°I love you¡± My eyes shoot up in shock. The words tumbling from my lips before I can even have

    the moment to think about what ising out. Did I just tell her that?

    ¡°What?¡± she gasps. Her eyes grow misty and she searches my face for the lie, one I realize she

    won¡¯t find because damn it, somehow between myck of trust and my temper tantrums and

    secrets, I feel in love.

    Not because of a bond or because it would make our reign easier. I fell in love with her because of

    her patience, her kindness and how gentle she is, and that growing snark adds she finds herself.

    ¡°I¨CI love you.¡± I stutter again.

    The air in the room feels thin, my cheeks warm as I grow embarrassed with every passing second

    she stares at me. Then she stands, moving in front of me. Colette reaches out, dragging me up

    with her as she wraps her arms around my neck.

    ¡°I swear to you, I pped Grady and told him to leave. I did not kiss him back. Ask me, ask me to

    tell you the truth under the oath and I will tell you the same thing-¡±

    My lips m into hers, unable to stop myself as my heart thuds painfully against my ribs, begging

    to leap into her hands and let her have control of it. I slide my arms around her back, pulling her as

    close to me as possible before gliding my tongue over her lips, begging for entry, needing to taste

    her.

    + Colette tilts her chin up, her mouth parting as she hums in delight. I seize the moment, mingling

    my tongue with hers as

    my stomach flips, the butterflies turning into a tumultuous hurricane.

    This isn¡¯t a kiss of passion, it¡¯s one for survival, one to hide in, as I push everything that should keep

    us apart to the back of my mind and let my heart and lycan win.

    He adds to the hunger that rises low in me, and she rolls her hips into my body. She rises on her

    tiptoes, trying to better reach me, so I reach down, cupping her upper thighs as I drag her up my

    body, showing her what she has done with me. Her frame shivers as she whimpers and kisses me

    deeper, her fingers tangling in my hair, dragging me closer to her.

    My conscience tries to creep up. She should know who she is before I take anything further. She

    should know all the things I know about her. Then one of her hands releases me and caresses its

    way down my chest and she drags it across the top of

    my dress cks.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I grumble against her lips.

    I spin her, using one hand to keep her pressed to me as I lean down and crawl onto the bed, then

    gentlyy her beneath me Her hair sprawls out like a halo around her head and I suck in sharply.

    She is absolutely stunning. Then she pouts and I realize just how lost I am. I am a man lost at sea

    and she is the siren leading me home.

    23

    ¡°Don¡¯t stop, please.¡± She whimpers, her hands gripping my hips and pulling me down to her.

    ¡°Please stop thinking and just¡­ live in this moment?¡±

    There is no denying her anything, not now that I realize I love her.

    It¡¯s funny how I thought who she is or what she is was so important to the council. I was so damn

    wrong.

    Who she is, is my Luna.

    What she is, is mine.

    And I am done denying us both what we need.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33

    ¡°Colette¡±

    My body hums and my stomach is full of butterflies as Merikh kisses me, his body pressing into me

    from above as I snake my hands up his neck and into his hair. Our tongues tangle in a glorious

    battle for the control we bothck. I have wanted more from him, all of him for what feels like so

    damn long, and now that I am getting more from him. I fear I may die if I don¡¯t get every piece..

    His hand roams to my waistline, teasing the hem of my top with his thumb before it slips under and

    his palm slides up my skin, teasing the bottom of my bralette. I roll my hips, trying to encourage him,

    making him touch me more, explore more. He smiles against my lips, and I break away, pressing

    my head back and looking up at him, making sure he is here, that he isn¡¯t going to tear away from

    me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± he whispers, his lips finding my ear lobe before he kisses my neck,

    slowly peppering my skin with his lips. His thumb slips under my bra, brushing over my sensitive

    skin, and I shiver under his touch, my eyes closing as I

    gasp.

    eas

    His weight shifts and his body moves from me as he goes up on his knees and reaches down,

    tugging my shirt up. I arch my back, giving him the wiggle room as he pulls it up over my head.

    Merikh bites his lip, his green eyes flickering with hints of ck as he drinks me in and as if moving

    in slow motion he reaches for his shirt and shucks it off in one fell swoop.

    His hands fan out over my stomach, feeling my skin as he moves them up, and then he lifts the

    base of my bralette and shimmies it up over my head. He twists it tight, capturing my wrists as my

    eyes grow wide in shock and he presses them into the bed above my head.

    ¡°Better than I could have ever imagined.¡± He groans. His words make me feel sexy and wanted for

    the first time in my life, and I smile, happy to have pleased him.

    Then he leans down, his mouth at my throat as me nips and kisses down to my corbone before

    moving to my right breast. He captures me in pleasure with his warm mouth, drawing out a moan

    while his other hand holds my arms still. He moves his legs one at a time between my thighs

    without so much as a releasing me from his glorious onught of torture to my body

    ¡°Marikh,¡± I whine, needing something more, anything more than this..

    He chuckles, releasing me and moving to my other breast again, making me whimper as I roll my

    hips, looking for him. F need the friction to satiate the burning growing between my legs where I

    know I need him. Too many times he has started something and then pulled away and that fear is

    heavy in my stomach,

    ¡°Mmm?¡± he hums, the vibration from his voice making my mouth fall open with a needy cry for

    more.

    ¡°I want to touch you.¡± I murmur, my eyes closed, my body shivering with need.

    I have to feel his chest, his stomach, his back as it flexes while he explores me. I want to explore

    him. Hell, I need to learn. every sound I can elicit from him. He moves from my body, his lips finding

    mine as he presses down on me, untwisting my bralette from my hands and like a ma I find his

    bare back, my hands running along himmitting to memory every groove of muscle, every dip

    where he flexes and strains to hold himself back

    This is my first time. My first make¨Cout session, first time anyone has touched me like this and if I

    have my way, my first.. everything. I slip my hands down his back, dragging them around to the

    front of his pants. My fingers shake, trying to undo his belt buckle, and he reaches down stopping

    me.

    ¡°Colette¡­¡± His voice is a warning and a question, daring me to keep going, telling me exactly what

    will happen if I don¡¯t stop. There is a glint of danger in his eyes, a feral side of him I want to see¡­

    no need to experience, and I want it now.

    1 shirk, tilting my head to the side as I use my free hand to grip his and remove it from my other.

    Then, without breaking eye contact. I undo his belt buckle and slide it out, tossing it to the side. His

    lips twitch, a flurry of excitement taking over his reservations, and he returns the favor, reaching

    down and sliding the yoga pants down and under my ass before he moves off of me and takes them

    with him.

    Once again, his eyes scan me as he sighs, content. His deft hands finish what I had started,

    unbuttoning his pants as he watches me with a glimmer. He slides them down his legs and 1 bite

    back a moan when he stands,pletely nude before me. Old Colette would panic now. She

    would hide away and close her eyes. But not the new me. Not Luna Letty.

    Instead, I push myself up, inching to the edge of the bed where he stands, and I take hold of him as

    he shivers in my grip. Then I slide my hand down, quick and gently, before doing it again, faster

    and

    reach out, ying with my breast, twisting and pulling until he has me a meth a tighter grip. His

    fingers twitch as they

    in his grip.

    I let go of him, inching backward, my eyes flickering between his eyes and the part of him 1 am

    both nervous and excited for. He licks his lips like he is chasing down his prey as he crawls onto the

    bed, pressing my knees a part as he stares down and groans.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have dreamed up a more beautiful sight, my little luna.¡± He growls. My heart soars at the

    knowledge he has dreamed of this moment like I have. Merikh then leans over me, his handing

    to my throat, making my heart race and my mind run all sorts of ces from panic to need.

    Then he drags it down, stopping between my legs as he presses his lips to mine, Merikh rubs his

    finger over me and my nerve endings explode, my mouth falling open in surprise as he chuckles

    and does it again. My body jolts in delight as I roll against him, seeking more, needing more.

    ¡°I want you,¡± I whisper. ¡°I¡¯m ready¡±

    He tuts, shaking his head.

    ¡°Not yet. I don¡¯t want to hurt you. I have done so much of that already.¡± he presses his lips to mine,

    his fingers moving in a pattern, more regrly.

    He consumes my moans as I buck and writhe against him, looking for more as my body craves

    something while simultaneously feeling like I can¡¯t handle a single moment more. Then a finger

    enters me and I cease breathing. His thumb circles the outside while he gently removes his finger,

    only to plunge it in again and again.

    Pleasure mounts and I can no longer even remember how to kiss him back as my head presses

    into the mattress, my breathing erratic and breathy,

    ¡°Shit. Merikh. P¨Cp¨Cplease.I am ready.¡±

    He gently removes his hand, rising onto his knees with a pleased grin on his lips. Then he grips my

    hips and drags my ass flush to him. When he leans down, his full erection presses against my? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    swollen and throbbing middle, and I can feel his blood pulsing through it. He is just as turned on

    and needy as I am.

    He settles back a little, moving over me and lining us up as he presses his elbows to the side of me

    and kisses my lips. When he pulls back, his eyes meet mine and I feel him pressing at my entrance.

    I thrust my hips, unable to wait a second longer, and gasp as he glides in. He groans, his mouth

    finding mine as he presses in slowly.

    There is a slight sting, and I wince as he tears away from my lips, worry dotting his brow. My hands

    fly out in a panic, fearing he will stop.

    ¡°No, no, no! I am fine.¡± I rasp out.

    He presses in deeper and my eyes close, relishing every second, trying to be sure I remember this

    moment. Once I feel his pelvis pressed to mine, he waits for a moment, then he draws back and

    slowly he does it again.

    Each time, his movements are faster, a little harder, and I roll my hips, meeting his every thrust. He

    grunts, his mouth finding me as I rub my sensitive parts against him every time he pushes in fully

    The fire builds, my eyes growing starry as I stutter in my breathing. My body feels like it is spiraling

    out of control as I dig my nails into his back, need him closer, needing something more. He pulls

    back, his hips still driving into me as he looks down at me, captivating me and making it impossible

    to look away from him.

    He reaches down between us, using his thumb as he rubs over my little nub and I explode. My

    hands and feet tingle, my body convulsing against him as warmth fills me from within and I cry out.

    He rubs me, making me feel everything with more intensity as my vision dots

    2/3

    ???

    Chapter

    ¡°Merikh,¡± I gasp. As my body finally calms down, he stops, reaching down and lifting me onto him.

    He doesn¡¯t pull out of me, instead he holds me close, him on his knees and me straddling him as he

    comes down from his moment too

    He peppers me with kisses, along my neck, across my shoulder and down again to my breast,

    suckling on them for a moment as my head rolls back, riding the little waves of pleasure before the

    exhaustion settles in. Then he grips my legs, keeping me where I am as he crawls to the edge of

    the bed and carries me to the bathroom.

    I watch in awe as He ces me on the counter, grabbing a towel as he cleans me up, then himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to draw us a bath,¡± he says, turning on the water and pouring in a concoction of items

    before he scoops me up and settles into the bath with my back pressed against his chest.

    do I need a bath?¡± I ask, my head falling to his shoulder, my eyes grow heavy.

    ¡°You are going to be sore otherwise. He whispers into my car..

    ¡°Mmm, Merikh?¡± I ask him, trying like hell to stay awake.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mark me?¡± I ask, feeling a little disheartened that he didn¡¯t think to mark me. I feel

    his body tense and he releases a heavy sigh.

    ¡°Shhh, rest,¡± he murmurs. ¡°We can talk about that when you wake up

    It may

    be the exhaustion speaking, but it feels like he is trying to avoid the subject. Instead. I choose to

    relish this moment. We can dissect his reasoning another day, I suppose.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34

    ¡°Merikh¡±

    The sun has been up for a few hours, gently creeping through the window as the soft breeze

    brushes the curtains aside. Ordinarily I wouldn¡¯t sleep with a window open, not after what happened

    with Colette and the dream weavers, but this is a magic free zone.

    No one, not even the assholes who are lurking behind these mansion walls, can use magic without

    being detected. Caspian himself will have to log his magic use fromst night.

    Colette stirs, a sweet groan passing her plush lips as her hands glide up the satin sheets above her

    head as she stretches. The sage fabric slips down, exposing her supple breast and my lycan pants,

    begging for more of her.

    He is raging about not having marked her when we had the chance. But no matter how much he

    tries to force that I refuse to mark her. Not until she knows everything.

    I have fucked up in every way when ites to this stunning woman, and I want her to know

    exactly who and what she is getting when she agrees to my mark. Yes, she is stuck with me. But I

    have taken every option from her and the guilt is eating me alive more than my need to show the

    world she is mine and initiate that final step in our rtionship. One that is rocky at best half the

    time.

    Her head turns to me, her eyes blinking away the sleepiness as the sun filters in,nding on her

    exposed chest, and I grin at her. With steady hands, I reach out, stroking her check, dragging my

    index finger along her jawline and down her throat.

    1 pause at her corbone, making eye contact as she arches her back up toward my touch and

    nibbles on her lip. She is asking for more. Looking for that touch as she reaches for the nket. My

    stomach flops and I reach down to stop her from covering herself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hide from me.¡± I whisper as I slide down the bed, my hand brushing over her flesh and

    making her shiver. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever hide from me

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who is always hiding,¡± she murmurs, her eyes closing and her words breathy as I

    move closer, pressing my nose to her neck and kiss her soft skin. She makes a very solid point.

    She is always the one trying, chasing, and waiting for me. But if she knew what I knew, if she knew

    just how well I know her. would she finally pull away? Would that be thest straw for her? Or

    would she remain constant, patient and waiting like she always has with me?

    I cover her breast with my hand, kneading her gently, before twisting and ying with her alert skin.

    Damn, she feels perfect in my hands, my arms¡­every way. She gasps and my mouth finds hers

    like a ma snapping into ce.

    I swallow her sexy little noises, feeding off of them as they fuel the throbbing erection pressing into

    her side. She reaches up, her arms snaking under my arms and up my back as she tugs at me,

    leading me over her. Then she spreads her legs with no prompting, and I grin against her lips.

    Colette is just as needy as I am, just as addicted.

    Her nails dig into my flesh, making me groan as I seule between her legs, hovering just mere

    centimeters away. I can feel the heat of her, the way she is already beyond ready for me as I press

    my hips down, hissing at the feel of her as she whimpers in delight

    I roll my hips, her hands sliding down my back and gripping onto my ass as she meets my

    movements with her own, just as someone knocks on the door. Colette freezes, her eyes going

    wide as she tears from my lips and looks over as if someone is going toe in.

    The knock sounds again, and she furrows her brow, looking up at me, lost for what to do. So I glide

    out and back in, making her worried eyes roll back as she gasps. The knock sounds again, this

    time angrier, more frantic, but I¡¯m too lost in my luna to give a rat¡¯s ass about what the hell is

    happening

    ¡°Alpha.¡± Percy calls out in such a way I stop mid thrust and snap my eyes to the door. Colette

    pushes up onto her elbows, her eyes following mine.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    1/4

    ¡°Something is wrong¡± She whispers.

    ¡°Shit.¡± I grumble, swooping down and pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. ¡°Get dressed.¡±

    I jump up

    from her, hating leaving the warmth of her arms and the softness of her body as I slip on a pair of

    boxer briefs and the first pants I can find. Colette grabs a handful of clothing, her hands shaking as

    she rushes to the bathroom.

    ¡°What is it. Perc?¡± I ask, yanking the door open and catching my bloodied gamma

    ¡°I¡¯m not healing.¡± He says, looking up at me through a swollen bloody eye. His arm is tucked over

    his stomach as he stumbles into me, trying to remain upright but failing as I catch him.

    ¡°Holy shit. What the fuck happened?¡± I ask, dragging him into the room andying him on the

    couch.

    ¡°I think someone poisoned me,¡± he says, his breathingbored.

    ¡°And beat you?¡± I ask, furrowing my brow

    ¡°They beat me up?¡± he asks, sounding shocked before his eyes rolling to the back of his head. I

    p his cheek gently, trying to keep him conscious.

    ¡°Stay with me, Percy. Come on.¡± I whisper, looking around for something, anything to help, with

    what I have no fucking clue. ¡°Colette!¡±

    The bathroom door flies open, Colette appearing as she yanks a shirt over her head and sprints

    across the room to me. Her

    goes white as she looks down at her gamma and friend, then up at me.

    face

    ¡°What the hell happened?¡± She asks me

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He says he isn¡¯t healing. That he was poisoned?¡±

    ¡°Luna Letty,¡± Percy says in a sigh of relief. ¡°You are safe¡±

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± she whispers, reaching out to take his ck and blue hand. ¡°How could I not be

    when I have you as a shadow?

    He tries to smile, but it makes him wince.

    ¡°I need you to tell me what happened. Do you think you can do that?¡± I ask him, and he winces as

    he tries to swallow.

    ¡°Can try,¡± he murmurs, his words growing slurred. Shit. I don¡¯t know what the fuck to do, who the

    fuck I can go to with this, There isn¡¯t a single fucking person here I trust.

    ¡°I will go get someone to help. Colette says, turning toward the door. I catch her wrist, unable to let

    her go. With Percy down, she has no one to be with her when I am not around. There is no one

    protecting her. She can not leave my sight or Percy¡¯s. Not now, not until I have backup.

    ¡°You stay. I will be back in two minutes. Do not open the door for and she furrows her brow but

    nods.

    anyone Do you

    understand me?¡± I give her a grave look

    ¡°Of course,¡± she whispers. I move to walk away, but she touches my back and when I look back at

    her, she has tears in her eyes before she jumps into my arms and presses a kiss to my lips.

    ¡°Please be safe and fast.¡± She whispers, stepping back.

    I give her a nod, my heart pounding as 1 exit the door and move down the hall. When I turn the

    corner, 1 someone bent down, looking at droplets of blood on the floor before looking up at me.

    Brent stands, taking two steps closer, taking in my topless state and, I¡¯m sure, disheveled hair.

    ¡°Who is injured?¡± he asks, and it feels almost genuine. If I didn¡¯t know the wizard, I would think he

    actually cared,

    ¡°None of your fucking business.¡± I growl, trying to move around him.

    ¡°If someone was injured while here, it¡¯s everyone¡¯s business.¡± He grits out. I sigh heavily, needing to

    find Caspian. I need his healers or to alert him to what happened on his watch. Then it hits me¡­

    Caspian was thest one with Percyst night. And he slipped up with his magic, angry with my

    people. He is the only person who could do something like this and get away

    with it.

    ¡°Someone attacked my gamma.¡± I tell Brent and his eyes widen

    ¡°Attacked?¡± he asks, shocked. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I need to find a healer to help him. His healing is not working

    ¡°Take me to him.¡± Brent says, pushing past me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you.¡± I scoff and he heaves a heavy sigh

    ¡°Look, I am well aware you have no reason to trust anyone here, but I am the best healer in this

    fucking mansion and you know it I swear on my child¡¯s life 1 only want to help.

    I chew on the inside of my cheeks, trying

    ng to decide what to do. If I trust him and I realize this isn¡¯t a trust issue, this is a saving my gamma

    issue.

    ¡°Fine I grit out, moving around him and leading him back to the room. I push the door open to see

    Colette trying to wake Percy up with panic in her eyes.

    ¡°Colette,e with me. Brent, if you let him die I wille for your fucking coven and I Think you

    know well enough that I will not hesitate

    space, we are enemies, but here we can be cordial, can¡¯t

    He frowns. ¡°I know what your kind call you, Merikh. Outside of this spac well

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope for your sake we can.¡± I growl, rushing out the door, Colette struggling to keep up.

    ¡°Merikh, where are we going?¡± She asks.

    ¡°To have a chat with Caspian.¡± I tell her, my voice dripping in anger as we close in on his room after

    what feels like hours of walking. His door opens as we approach and he turns to look at us, shock

    on his brow before he crosses his arms over his chest.

    ¡°I was justing to speak with you.¡±

    ¡°What did you do to him?¡± I yell. He knots his brows together.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You attacked my Gamma. Now his healing isn¡¯t working. He is in our room bleeding out.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do shit to your gamma.¡± He retorts.

    ¡°Then prove it.¡± Colette says with a re. ¡°Prove it wasn¡¯t you, fix him or call a meeting to figure it

    out.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t owe your kind shit,¡± he hisses, then tilts his head. ¡°But, if you will show me your proof that

    you saved my daughter right now, no strings attached¡­I might be more willing to help you

    My stomach tightens, my eyes sliding to Colette who looks at me, waiting for me to decide what to

    do, to support me in any decision I make. I reach out, gently tugging her to my chest as I stroke her

    cheek, pushing the hair out of her face before I press my forehead to hers for a moment, trying to

    extend this moment.

    ¡°No matter what happens next, know that I truly do love you.¡± I whisper. She pulls back, looking up

    at me, confused.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she whispers. Then I cup her cheeks and press a kiss to the tip of her nose.

    ¡°She has been right here the whole time.¡± I say, not daring to look away from her as realization

    dawns on her face.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35

    ¡°Colette

    Blood drains from my face, my hands instantly going cold as I lick my lips and try to form any

    coherent words possible, but nothinges out. I shake my head, fighting the tears as they beg for

    release.

    This can¡¯t be happening. Not now, not after I just gave him every part of me. Merikh is lying to me or

    he is lying to Capsian and I can¡¯t see well enough through my blurry eyes to tell which is it.

    ¡°Is this a Joke?¡± I hear Caspian ask, anger and paincing his voice as it breaks.

    clear an

    ¡°No.¡± Merikh¡¯s voice is clear and resolute..

    My knees go weak, my hand flying to my chest, clutching at my shirt, looking for reprieve, hoping it

    will let oxygen in as I try to suck in air in huge gulps. Warm hands cup my cheeks, smoothing hair

    from my face as his voice echoes in the background and I slump to my knees.

    ¡°Letty, I need you to focus,¡± his voice is firm and full of concern. ¡°Focus on my voice.¡±

    My hands fly up, finding his wrists, yanking them away from my face as I turn away from him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your voice.¡± I hiss at him.

    ¡°I needed to protect you,¡± He tries to tell me as some sort of excuse, but if he had trusted me, if he

    had given me the fucking time of day he would have known he could have told me anything.

    Including this, I force myself up on shaky legs, wiping at the tears that seem to escape despite me

    telling them to stay.

    There is no slowing down my heart rate as I re into Merikh¡¯s eyes. Guilt and remorse swim in his

    perfect green orbs and I know there is no lie there. It feels like a one thousand pound weight is

    crushing my chest as I try to gasp for air. Never have I ever felt so helpless, so lost in my entire life.

    ¡°She is my daughter? You are sure? Caspian whispers, hopeful. I turn to look at him, the tears

    flowing free when I see the glimmer of tears in his own eyes. My hurt morphs into rage. What

    asshole leaves his daughter, lets his mate die?

    ¡°You are not my father.¡± I hiss, taking a step away from him as well.

    ¡°He is.¡± Merikh says softly. I shoot him a re, my chest heaving.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you..¡± It feels like I am being pulled between two forces, my body being torn into

    two, my heart rivaling my soul and there is no stopping this agony.

    ¡°We will talk about thister, Colette. Right now I need a healer in our room to take care of my

    gamma who needs immediate care. Brent is currently there taking care of him, and I am not

    comfortable with this situation.

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Caspian says, not saying anything else as he lifts his hand and snaps. Someone

    shuffles to him and he whispers in their ear, receiving a bow and the man rushes off. Motioning for

    others to follow him.

    ¡°We should go see him,¡± Merikh says, reaching out for my hand. I p it away, taking a step back

    from him, Wech

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be near you.¡± I growl, and he frowns, but seems to ept my choice.

    ¡°Then I will leave you with your fath¨Cerm, I mean with Caspian.¡± he looks at the King of Sirens and

    then back at me, a solemn look on his face. ¡°I know you have no desire to forgive me, I understand

    that, but you are still my luna.¡±

    I watch as he disappears, both needing his arms around me and simultaneously hating the idea of

    him ever touching me again. If what he is saying is true, if Caspian is my real father, he has taken

    a potentially beautiful reunion and shattered it with deceit and trickery. Does Merikh truly care about

    me, or was I his pawn all along?

    Evenst night, our beautiful moment I couldn¡¯t wait to share with him is called into question. Was

    he hoping that by screwing me, I would cling to him and not be angry? Or did he care about my

    feelings in all of this at all? I want to think

    ÅÌ

    about Percy, to be with him, but being near Merikh makes me feel physically ill.

    Caspian¡¯s face appears before mine and I blink away the tears as he reaches out, looking for me to

    take his hand. I scowl at him, crossing my arms over my chest instead, and he frowns before he

    nods in understanding. A frown tugs at the corner of his lips. Then he sighs heavily, striding away

    from me before turning back around.

    ¡°Do you remember me?¡± He asks hopefully, and I shake my head now, my brows pulling together

    as I try to recall anything

    about him.

    ¡°No.¡± I tell him honestly. ¡°Truthfully, all I have of my mother are dreams I thought were nightmares.

    Always her leaving me as I chase her through a marsh area, only to be abandoned and never see

    her again.¡±

    ¡°She left you?¡± he asks, his brows rising like the action surprises him.

    ¡°Yes¡± I say before sighing heavily. ¡°At least I think she did. I don¡¯t remember much past being new

    in the pack where I grew up since I was ten

    He looks away in thought.

    ¡°Uh, what pack did you grow up in?¡± he asks, like he may know it. Strangeing from a siren who

    should know nothing about the werewolf world other than he knocked up a she¨Cwolf and created

    me, supposedly.

    ¡°ck Mountain Pack.¡± I mutter, and his eyes snap to mine. He seems to stand a little straighter as

    he licks his lips and swallows hard.

    ¡°ck Mountain pack.¡± He whispers. ¡°With Alpha Bentley,¡±

    ¡°Uh yes.¡± I murmur, surprised that he knows his name. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    at

    He clears his throat, looking away for a minute, before looking back, a tear slipping down his

    cheek.

    ¡°He is your uncle.¡± He says, looking me in the eye. A bubble ofughter burst from my lips, my

    chest loosening with the action as Iugh at the absurdity.

    ¡°No, Alpha Bentley was my alpha. I served his daughter as a maid and they treated me like

    absolute garbage. He is not my uncle.¡±

    His face falls, anger creeping back into his demeanor as he shuffles to his other foot.

    ¡°He treated you like a maid?¡± He grits out and I watch him like he is a little unhinged.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    ¡°Yes. But I mean, I am a maid, well, was.¡± I tell him and he looks away, his jaw muscles rippling with

    effort as he clenches his

    teeth.

    ¡°You are a Princess.¡± He growls. ¡°And an alpha blood werewolf. You are no maid, even if he forced

    you to do maid¨Cly things. You are royalty.¡±

    ¡°I am not.¡± I scoff. ¡°You don¡¯t even know you have the right person. You are just going to take his

    word for it?¡±

    ¡°I can see so much of her in you.¡± He whispers. Reaching out to touch my face, I lean away. ¡°And

    my family as well. Do you have any powers?¡± He asks.

    ¡°Powers?¡± I scoff. ¡°Until recently, I hardly had a wolf that would show up because I was so weak.¡±

    He nods. ¡°That makes sense. Your pack is nowhere near water. When you were little, you were so

    sick, just a tiny little thing your mother had to be near water for you to thrive. How you must have

    suffered being so far from water for so long.¡±

    I blink at him. His words striking something in me, something that feels like truth. A part of me that

    doesn¡¯t understand how he could know that innermost thought.

    ¡°How¡­¡± I squeak out the question, not sure how to form the full sentence.

    2/3

    ¡°You said it yourself, Colette. Water feels like home.¡±

    ¡°That could all just be coincidence.¡± I whisper, too afraid to hope for anything good in my life. The

    last thing amazing I had blew up in my face mere minutes ago. ¡°Lots of people think water is

    rxing and calm.¡±

    ¡°I could tell you felt it differently.¡± He says, ¡°I could see it in your eyes. It¡¯s why I thought you were

    catering to my good side, trying to wiggle your way onto themittee.¡±

    ¡°But you said it yourself, your daughter died.¡±

    ¡°I was wrong.¡± He answers, looking hopeful.

    or now.¡± I swallow.

    ¡°I think you are wrong now,

    ¡°He¡¯s not.¡± I hear Merikh behind me and my hairs prickle with his closeness. I hate him. Deep in my

    being. I can feel that anger rising again and I spin to re at him.

    ¡°I want answers.¡± I re and he nods.

    ¡°I suppose you both deserve them. But this is not the ce.¡± Merikh looks around like he is trying to

    find a spy. ¡°There is no

    one here we can trust

    ¡°You can say that again.¡± I snort. Merikh frowns.

    ¡°He is right.¡± My supposed father says, suddenly looking nervous. ¡°Your mere existence is a threat

    to all species. If they find out what you are, they will kill you, my pearl.¡±

    I blink at my father, his pet name echoing through my ears, speaking to my inner child, and I realize

    I have heard that name before. Been called it many times. Could he really be my father? Am I really

    a hybrid, one so feared by the council that they tried to have me killed? I inhale sharply, then clear

    my throat.

    ¡°Fine. But I want every question I have answered. No holding back. I deserve the truth, or I will

    leave.¡±

    É«

    0

    COMMENT

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36

    Merikh tugs shut therge bay window¡¯s curtains, looking around outside as before he turns to look

    at me. Caspian has all the lights on in his immense office of silver colors and various shades of blue

    swirling along the walls like shimmering waves of the sea.

    It even has a salty smell, one that reminds me of a fresh warm breeze kicking up sand as you walk

    along the beach. It¡¯s annoyinglyforting while I try to remain angry and disagreeable.

    ¡°How is Percy?¡± I ask, looking at the ground, ying with the fabric on the armchair from where I

    stand behind

    1. it.

    ¡°He is healing now.¡± Merikh says, but I still ignore his presence.

    ¡°Brent has removed the spells that ban the use of powers for your kind, so you can contact him

    through the mind link if you are worried.¡± Caspian says. His voice is soft, like he is trying to please

    me, to win me over. It only

    irritates me further.

    -Perc?¡ªI call out to him through the mind link.

    -Yes, Luna?¡ª

    -How are you feeling? Are you finally healing or do you at least have some relief and know what

    happened?¡ª

    My memory is foggy. But I have agreed to allow Brent to help me clear it once I am a little more

    healed.¨C

    ¨CRest, okay? I need my shadow backup and in order¨CI tease and smile to myself.

    -I¡¯ve called for backup. Hayes is on his way with Penny¨Che tells me and I furrow my brows, finally

    sliding a nce at Merikh. I want to be mad at him for not telling me they areing, but it¡¯s hard to

    reason with the logic that he hasn¡¯t been alone with me long enough to tell me anything.

    -I wille visit you after this meeting- I tell him then I shut down the mind link, clearing my throat

    as I square my shoulders and push my hair over my shoulders.

    No more cowering or hiding my emotions. And no more damn tears. I am a luna and I will get my

    answers and from there I will take my emotions back to my room and feel them without anyone else

    having to see it.

    1/5

    There will be no more pity or sympathy or people thinking I am weak because I am experiencing or

    feeling things. I am a Luna, the damn queen. It¡¯s time I act like one.

    ¡°How did you meet my mother?¡± I ask Caspian, catching him off guard as he clears his throat and

    drops into his

    seat.

    ¡°She was running away from her pack.¡± He whispers, reaching for a leather strand on his desk and

    toying with it. ¡°Your grandfather was tired of waiting for her to find her mate, so he arranged a

    marriage to another alpha. Obviously Melody wasn¡¯t too keen on that.¡±

    My heart pinches when I hear her name. Those tears I swore I would hide away trying to creep up,

    but I push them down. Melody. My mom¡¯s name was Melody.

    ¡°Did she stay with you, then?¡± I ask him and he chuckles.

    ¡°She wanted to. For as to live together but to live together, with what we are¡­it was hard. I have an

    entire underwater world to rule and even with my royal blood, I can only remain out of the water for

    so long. And she is. a werewolf. Water is not all that easy to breathe in for your kind.¡± Then he

    pauses, looking at me curiously.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask, my cheek heating under his assessing gaze,

    ¡°I am curious about what you can do. If anything.¡± He whispers. ¡°Do you only have a wolf? Can you

    breathe underwater, manipte water? Control it with your emotions?¡±

    ¡°She can draw people to her with songs.¡± Merikh says, breaking in.

    ¡°I can?¡± I ask, my brows rising.

    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Exin¡­¡± Caspian says, leaning forward in his chair.

    ¡°Bentley refused to let her sing, always telling her she couldn¡¯t carry a tune. That her singing was so

    awful it hurt people¡¯s ears.¡±

    ¡°He knew¡­¡± I whisper, my face heating in anger.

    *She called me to her with her song.¡± Merikh says, sliding his eyes to me as my mouth falls open.

    2/5

    ¡°I what?¡±

    ¡°In the healing waters, you called me.¡±

    I blink at him, shocked. The memory floods back to me when I was in the healing waters, letting the

    water calm me as I sang the song I remembered from my childhood.

    The way Merikh appeared out of nowhere in a trance and like he couldn¡¯t stay away from me. It was

    like he needed me, had to have me. My chest tightens as I stare at him, realizing that it hadn¡¯t been

    him wanting me, but whatever weird powers I have and used through my song.

    ¡°I¨Ci-¡± I stutter, trying to swallow the sting of knowing I had tricked him intoing to me. That what I

    remember as being the beginning of something big between us was something I forced on him.

    ¡°A siren¡¯s song?¡± Caspian asks, a smile breaking his lips as he watches me with pride. ¡°That is a

    special gift, though it is generally a song of death,¡±

    ¡°It was a song mom used to sing, I think. One about a mate, and calling him home.¡± I whisper,

    afraid to look at Merikh, even though I feel the pull to do so. It¡¯s as if I can sense his intense gaze,

    feel it like he is trying to see my innermost thoughts.

    ¡°Can you sing it?¡± Caspian asks, his voice soft and full of emotion. I look up at him and then at

    Merikh hating the thought of him touching me right now, knowing that singing it will only draw him

    closer.

    ¡°No.¡± I rush out, making the decision to never again sing that song. ¡°I have no desire to call my

    mate. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Caspian says, giving me a gentle smile. ¡°This is a lot to take in. You meeting a father you

    never had. the chance to mourn or know, and me seeing the daughter I thought I lost.¡±

    I tilt my head.

    ¡°I thought you said hybrids like me couldn¡¯t exist. That my death was necessary.¡±

    ¡°It was not my order that led to your mother¡¯s death or your discovery. I tried to hide you. Coming

    back to you. and your mother every few months.¡±

    I frown, not fully believing him. ¡°How did you find out we were supposedly dead?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Our little cabin was burned. Nothing left. Just the ne I made you with your mother and this-¡±

    he holds up

    3/5

    the small thin scrap of worn out leather in his hand. ¡°The remnants of thest thing I gave her!

    ¡°But you did nothing¡­¡± I furrow my brow. ¡°You didn¡¯t try to find who supposedly killed us, or go to

    the

    council¡­¡±

    ¡°I know who did it, which is why I refuse to ever let them on the council again, and your mere

    existence is at threat to the council. It would be telling them I broke our most coveted rule. I would

    have been kicked from the

    council, disgraced.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, that sounds so awful for you. Almost as bad as being hunted and killed.¡± I say, scowling at

    him as my stomach twists in painful knots. ¡°You hid. You are a coward who just epted our death

    without trying to find out who the REAL culprit was. It¡¯s so easy to just me the werewolves. Which

    your mate was. Were you actually

    sad or relieved?¡±

    ¡°Losing you both broke me,¡± he growls, throwing his chair back as he stands abruptly and leans

    over his desk toward me. ¡°You have no idea what it is to mourn the loss of a love you never knew

    you could feel and a child that meant everything to you. Knowing I failed, you both nearly killed

    me.¡±

    ¡°Nearly hardly seems like enough.¡± I hiss, scowling at him.

    Finding my father is one thing, knowing he overlooked things for fear of persecution because of

    what I am? It¡¯s heart shattering. He couldn¡¯t ept me fully when I was around for him to love.

    What do I expect him to do now?

    My body tingles, my wolf growing angrier by the second as my emotions run over me, only feeding

    the pain and hurt that I have kept under wraps for years. Warm arms wrap around me as I sneer at

    the man supposed to be my father. His eyes looking around me, awe in them, before looking back

    at me.

    ¡°You need to calm down,¡± Merikh whispers in my ear, the warmth of his breath fanning over my skin

    and making

    me shudder.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to give into his embrace to let him hold me and calm me the way he is but I suddenly

    feel drained, like my essence is leaking from me one drip at a time and I feel lightheaded, my eyes

    fluttering closed for a moment before I force them back open.

    ¡°What did you do to me?¡± I ask, looking over my shoulder at Merikh who scans my face with worry

    in his beautiful green eyes. Then I look past him, watching the water in the air floating above a vase

    and the water aquarium as it warbles and the fish all line the ss, every one of them looking out

    like they are waiting for a

    4/5

    ¡°You are draining yourself.¡± He whispers softly. ¡°You need to rx.¡±

    ¡°Says the assholes who lied to me.¡± I mumble, taking his advice anyway as I allow myself to focus

    on something different. I have a family. Like him or not, respect him or not, I¡¯m not entirely alone in

    this world and he can give me answers about my mom. If I can keep my cool long enough to get his

    answers.

    5/5

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37

    *Merikh*

    Colette paces our bedroom floor, back and forth and back again, her hands in her hair and her lips

    moving as she wordlessly speaks to herself. After realizing she can manipte water, she ran.

    She imed she needed space and perhaps she did, but maybe it was her father¡¯s proud look or

    my hovering over her that made her feel like she was suffocating instead. No matter what the

    cause, I chased her.

    It took some convincing for her to let me in the room, but when she did, I nearly crumbled at the

    look on her face. My Luna is falling apart and I¡¯m the reason for it.

    It is my selfishness over and over again that has pushed her to her breaking point and now I have to

    witness the aftermath. This is my punishment, witnessing the havoc of my choices. Even if I have

    combined myself, it was all

    for our kind

    ¡°Colette,¡± I call to her softly, trying to get her to look at me. To just acknowledge I am here and she

    isn¡¯t alone in

    this.

    Even though I was the idiot who ced this barrier between us. I can¡¯t help but go back and forth on

    what I did and the ways I could have done it all differently. I used her and I know it, but in the

    process, I fell for her and the lies became my way of protecting myself. It is clear to me now; she is

    the one who needed protecting from me,

    not the other way around.

    ¡°How long have you known?¡± She asks,ing to a stop, her eyes wild. Then she points to the

    couch where Percy sleeps with a soft snore. ¡°Did he know?¡±

    ¡°No, Percy did not know.¡± I frown, ¡°But I have known since before I ever met you.¡±

    Her eyes well and she bites her lip, refusing to let the sob I can seeing out.

    ¡°You didn¡¯te to my pack for Leslie¡­did you?¡± She whispers.

    My eyes fill with tears as she breaks down every moment from the second she everid eyes on

    me. I know what ising, what questions she will ask and all the answers I will give that she will

    doubt in every way. I feel defeated, fucking beat down as my heart rails against my aching chest,

    just wanting to be in her arms.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    1/4

    ¡°Merikh¡®

    5

    Colette paces our bedroom floor, back and forth and back again, her hands in her hair and her lips

    moving as she wordlessly speaks to herself. After realizing she can manipte water, she ran.

    She imed she needed space and perhaps she did, but maybe it was her father¡¯s proud look or

    my hovering over her that made her feel like she was suffocating instead. No matter what the

    cause, I chased her.

    It took some convincing for her to let me in the room, but when she did, I nearly crumbled at the

    look on her face. My Luna is falling apart and I¡¯m the reason for it.

    It is my selfishness over and over again that has pushed her to her breaking point and now I have to

    witness the aftermath. This is my punishment, witnessing the havoc of my choices. Even if I have

    combined myself, it was all for our kind

    ¡°Colette,¡± I call to her softly, trying to get her to look at me. To just acknowledge I am here and she

    isn¡¯t alone in this.

    Even though I was the idiot who ced this barrier between us. I can¡¯t help but go back and forth on

    what I did and the ways I could have done it all differently. I used her and I know it, but in the

    process, I fell for her and the lies became my way of protecting myself. It is clear to me now; she is

    the one who needed protecting from me, not the other way around.

    ¡°How long have you known?¡± She asks,ing to a stop, her eyes wild. Then she points to the

    couch where Percy sleeps with a soft snore. ¡°Did he know?¡±

    ¡°No, Percy did not know.¡± I frown, ¡°But I have known since before I ever met you.¡±

    Her eyes well and she bites her lip, refusing to let the sob I can seeing out.

    ¡°You didn¡¯te to my pack for Leslie¡­did you?¡± She whispers.

    My eyes fill with tears as she breaks down every moment from the second she everid eyes on

    me. I know what

    ising, what questions she will ask and all the answers I will give that she will doubt in every

    way. I feel defeated, fucking beat down as my heart rails against my aching chest, just wanting to

    be in her arms.

    1/4

    ¡°I did not.¡± I clear my throat and shake my head slightly from side to side before I look at her. Her

    red, swollen gaze is trained on me. ¡°I came for you. Leslie was a way to get close.¡±

    ¡°But you knew who I was before you met me¡­¡± she asks, rogue tears breaking free as she swipes

    it away and crosses her arms. Her leg rocks from side to side, a movement done to distract herself.

    ¡°Yes.¡± I nod. ¡°I have spies in every pack.¡±

    ¡°You knew¡­how I was being treated.¡± She whispers, pain in her eyes. ¡°You knew¡­and you let me

    suffer?¡±

    +5

    ¡°No,¡± I jump up, hands outstretched. I want to touch her, shit I crave the honor to wipe the very tears

    from her cheeks that my actions ced there. But I know better than to think she would let me

    touch her. ¡°In the recent months leading up toing, that is when I learned what you were in the

    pack, I had thought it was a rouse. To keep you inconspicuous.¡±

    ¡°You are the lycan king. You could havee and demanded me. Why the show?¡± She asks,

    incredulous. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you had to force me to being your Luna. Why, you had to trick

    me into thinking I could be anything other than what I am. You could have asked me to do anything

    with the promise of freedom from what my life was..¡±

    ¡°Colette, you are my mate. You are meant to be at my side, meant to be the Luna.¡±

    She scoffs, rolling her eyes.

    ¡°And I¡¯m a hybrid that shouldn¡¯t even exist. One you could use to get what you wanted, lets not

    pretend you cared anything for me or my feelings.¡± She bites back at me.

    ¡°You were born to be my luna.¡± I tell her more adamantly and she shakes her head. ¡°I was never

    going to go through with my mating to Leslie. The n was to take you. But the moment I knew

    what you were to me, I panicked and all I could think about was making sure that you can¡¯t run from

    me.¡±

    ¡°You took away my options.¡± She yells. ¡°You realized what I was, and you knew what I am worth

    and you were worried I would freak out, so you trapped me. Admit it.¡°.

    ¡°I love you.¡± I growl. ¡°Damn, Colette. I fucking fell for you with in days. It wasn¡¯t because of the

    bond, and I didn¡¯t realize that until I forced the oath. I have wanted to tell you everything. I have

    fucked up in every way possible except for falling for you. And for that, I won¡¯t apologize.¡±

    She falls silent, looking out the window, her lungs rising and falling as if she had been running for

    hours.

    2/4

    5

    ¡°I think I hate you. I really¡­¡± She pauses, looking at me, her tears flow freely as she holds her chest

    and gasps for air like it is being sucked from her. ¡°Damn it, I want to hate you with every fiber of my

    being, but¡­but I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡± I blink at her, shocked.

    I was ready for a breakdown, ae to the Goddess moment. But this. This brokenness while

    admitting despite it all, despite me and my actions¡­she can¡¯t hate me. It¡¯s enough to give me hope

    where hope shouldn¡¯t have a ce to even nt a seed, yet¡­it grows, winding through my gut,

    squeezing as it climbs through my chest and lodges in my throat, keeping me from saying anything

    further.

    ¡°I want to,¡± Her voice breaks, and she shakes her head. ¡°But when I hurt, I want to be near you.

    When I am scared, I want you to hold me. Damn it, Merikh. Damn you and your stupid trust issues

    and telling me you love me and for making me fucking love you back.¡±

    ¡°You still love me¡­¡± I rasp the words, my mouth dry. What is happening? She loves me?

    ¡°Of course I do, and I hate you for it.¡± She hisses. ¡°I hate that even when I want to run from you, I

    can¡¯t. I hate that

    you keep pushing me away in the most selfish and painful ways possible.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry,¡± I tell her, taking a step closer. ¡°I am so fucking sorry.¡±

    And damn it, do I mean it. My lycan is whimpering, begging for her forgiveness, for her to fuck

    fucking touch us,

    yet fearing

    it because I know I¡¯ll fall apart in her hands.

    ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°It¡¯s not enough to say you are sorry. Not this time.¡±

    My hands shake, my lips dry as my tongue darts out to wet them, and I try again to move closer. I

    just need to touch her. To feel her skin, press her to my chest and inhale her. It feels worse than

    death waiting for her to speak, to send me away or to embrace me.

    ¡°I will do anything.¡± the words tumble out as I drop to knees, my head bowed down. ¡°Name your

    price, punish me for as long as you wish and need to.¡±

    I don¡¯t budge as I ce the ball in her court. Never have I knelt before anyone, never have I begged

    for forgiveness. But then again, never have I loved someone and fucked it up. Lauren was different.

    Lauren broke me, so I destroyed her. Colette¡­. she saved me, in so many ways, and yet I served

    her a fate that to her is worse

    than death.

    ¡°Merikh, stand up,¡± she whispers, but I remain resolute. Her hands touch my cheeks and I gasp at

    the contact

    3/4

    that feels like heaven. She lifts my chin so I am looking up at her and she frowns, though her tears

    are still running down her cheek.

    ¡°Please,¡± she sniffles, ¡°You are the Lycan king, you shouldn¡¯t be on your knees begging.¡±

    0

    Ours eyes connect and I reach around, sping my hands together behind my back, settling in to

    kneel for as long as I need to.

    ¡°I am many things other than a Lycan King. I am a liar and a fool, but for you, my little Luna, for you,

    I am a beggar. I am where I always belonged.¡±

    ¡°Where is that?¡± She asks, breathless.

    ¡°At your mercy,¡±

    4/4

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38

    *Colette

    15

    I stare at Merikh on his knees, my chest aching as I fight the urge to forgive him. Simple gestures

    and sweet words will not fix what he did. How he lied and used me like everyone else. There is too

    much to process, too much for me to even begin to know how toprehend, for me to even take

    the time to consider forgiving him

    is insane.

    ¡°I need space,¡± I whisper, taking a small hesitant step back.

    My wolf whines, not giving a shit about the emotional turmoil I am in. But she isn¡¯t in charge. I am

    and right now¡­right now I need water and space. I turn ou my heel, moving to the bathroom and

    turning on the water for the tub when I hear someone at the door. The low hum of deep voices

    piques my interest as I slide to the door, pressing my ear to the solid oak, hoping to catch a part of

    the conversation.

    As werewolves, we are supposed to have excellent hearing. Me being me, and as sickly as I have

    always been, my hearing has always been veryck luster. Until now, that is. I smile to myself,

    pleased to find more things I can do now that I am¡­well¡­I guess now that I know who I am and

    what I can be capable of.

    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know who attacked him?¡± Merikh hisses.

    ¡°Merikh, I assure you we are doing everything we can to get answers but¡­¡± Capsian pauses before

    he clears his throat. ¡°We have a more pressing issue to discuss.¡±

    ¡°What is more pressing than your security measures failing?¡±

    ¡°The reason for attacking your gamma,¡± Caspian says firmly. There is a pause between them,

    tension rising as if they are both having a silent conversation, but I know what they are both

    thinking. I twist the doorknob, opening ¡°the door and I step out, looking at both men.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°They are trying to get easier ess to me.¡± I finish for them both. Merikh looks at me, a storm of

    fury clouding his face as he moves to me.

    ¡°As long as I¡¯m fucking here, there will be no easy ess to you. Ever.¡± His words are sweet and I

    believe every word, but I roll my eyes to show my anger, even if my heart skips a beat at his

    deration. There is no way in hell I will let him off easy with just words and apologies.

    1/5

    ¡°Someone else knows what I am,¡± I tell Capsian, whose eyebrows hit his hairline. He slides a

    nce at Merikh, who fights the urge to re at me. Obviously, Merikh didn¡¯t want my father to

    know about that, so I take extra pleasure in telling him.

    +5

    ¡°Who?¡± Caspian asks, his voice rising. Then he seems to think of something and he furrows his

    brows. ¡°The red- eyed wolves that you mentioned¡­You believe the person controlling them is the

    one behind all of this?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know who exactly,¡± Merikh says, clearing his throat. ¡°I just know someone here on the

    council wanted us to be here this year, and they are taunting us. They have been trying to get her

    nearly the whole time she has been with me.¡±

    ¡°Fuck.¡± Caspian paces away, his hands on his hips before he stops. ¡°If someone knows¡­do they

    know she is mine? Do you think they know she is my daughter?¡±

    I look at Merikh who sighs. ¡°Truthfully, I dont know what they know. I just know they are after

    Colette. The first time I didn¡¯t think it was any different from the times other species havee after

    me for the hell of it. But then the dream weavers happened and¡­¡±

    ¡°And you realized just how fucking dumb you were,¡± Caspian growls. ¡°You taking her as your mate

    verified exactly how important she is. You ced a fucking target on her back.¡±

    ¡°I know being a¡­hybrid¡­is not allowed, and it makes me rare, but what does keeping me do? Why

    not just kill. me if they know I am not allowed to exist?¡±

    ¡°There are a couple of reasons.¡± Caspian sighs, pacing into the room and dropping into a chair. He

    leans forward like he is in deep thought and pressing his elbow into his knees.

    ¡°One being you are mated to a royal blood.¡± Merikh says, dragging his hand down his face. ¡°Illegal

    or not, you are protected by me, and all of our kind. You are our queen, and harming you means

    war.¡±

    The other being, you can be used to control two species now. Not just one. By choosing you as a

    mate, Merikh has ced not only his species in danger, but mine as well.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t choose her. She is my second chance, mate.¡± Merikh hisses.

    I watch him as he scowls at Caspian before his emerald eyes find mine, a gentle pleading hidden

    within them before he turns away.

    ¡°Are you truly mated?¡± Caspian asks. ¡°I am well aware of what you said at the dinner table. But¡­¡±

    2/5

    5

    ¡°We are not truly marked yet,¡± Merikh admits and my cheeks turn pink. This is not the type of

    conversation I want to have with the man who helped create me.

    ¡°Why?¡± he asks, bbergasted, as he looks back and forth between the two of us.

    ¡°We have our own things we are sorting through.¡± I mumble and he sighs.

    ¡°If you are found out¡­If it¡¯s revealed what you are, before you are back on themittee, then you

    are dead.¡± Capsian admits, a quiver in his voice. ¡°You must be officially mates in order-¡±

    ¡°We have time.¡± Merikh says softly, his eyes locked on mine like he wants me to know that I don¡¯t

    have to rush into this, especially when I am angry with him.

    ¡°No.¡± Caspian says, standing abruptly. ¡°You absolutely do not have time. Do you really think anyone

    bought your

    ¡®my mark is somewhere special¡® bullshit?¡±

    ¡°Caspian¡­¡± I sigh,

    ¡°No. I am serious. You will fucking mark each other. Now.¡°¡±

    My mouth falls open and Merikh bites back augh as Caspian looks between us, annoyed.

    ¡°Marking¡­for lycans is different from werewolves.¡± I say, swallowing roughly. My skin heated in

    embarrassment. No matter how new he is to being my father, thest thing I want to do is exin to

    him that he is demanding I

    have sex with Merikh right here, right now.

    ¡°It can¡¯t possibly be that different.¡± He scoffs, and I look away, avoiding any eye contact with both

    men.

    ¡°Clearly you weren¡¯t listening too closely at dinner the other night.¡± I mutter and Merikh bites back a

    smile.

    ¡°Colette and I will figure out the details of our rtionship in our own time, Caspian. But yes, I do

    agree it is important that we figure things out rtively soon.¡±

    ¡°If you guys are going to mark each other tonight, please remember to put me outside the door.¡±

    Percy¡¯s weak voice breaks into the conversation, and I rush over to him, pleased by the

    interruption.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I whisper, smiling at him, and he tries to reciprocate. ¡°You hungry?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°No.¡± He croaks out, trying to sit up..

    3/5

    +5

    ¡°Woah. No way. Lay back down. What can I do? What do you need?¡± I ask him and Merikhes

    over standing. behind me.

    ¡°Unless you want to help me to the bathroom, Luna, perhaps it¡¯s best you let me do this one on my

    own.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I clear my throat, standing to move out of his way. We watch as he stumbles to the bathroom,

    using the wall and turning to give me a thumbs up before he pauses at the door and frowns at the

    ground.

    ¡°I know I got the shit kicked out of me, but¡­did I suffer any brain damage?¡± he asks, looking at us,

    concerned.

    ¡°No¡­ Why?¡±

    ¡°Because there is a shit tone of water all over the floor in here and I just needed to make sure I¡¯m

    not crazy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shit.¡± I rush tot he bathroom, peeking past him as guilt floods me like the water pouring over

    the bathtub¡¯s edge and onto the floor.

    I got distracted by Caspianing in. Then the water lifts, every drop riding from the tile and the

    sopping wet carpet at my feet. In a long clear line, floods down the sink and the tub is unplugged.

    Percy elbows me, his throat bobbing up and down.

    ¡°Y¨Cyou see that shit too¡­right?¡± He asks and I nod, biting back augh.

    ¡°Yeah, I see it,¡± I mutter before looking over my shoulder at my father. He stands next to the bed, his

    hands in his pockets, looking entirely at ease. The only indication that this is him is the way his eyes

    seem to swirl with a vibrant blue. He shoots me a wink and a soft smile.

    After he is done cleaning up my mess, I realize I haven¡¯t stopped staring at him. And he has

    returned the sentiment.

    Train me.¡± I finally say. He tilts his head, a little confused. ¡°Train me how to manipte it like you

    do.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know how to train you. My kind just¡­knows how to do it. We are one with the water. It¡¯s

    not a gift, it¡¯s a part of us.¡±

    ¡°Then teach me how to be one with it.¡± I rush out. ¡°If you want me safe, if you want to ensure no one

    can harm me, then guide me in this. Merikh has been training me too¡­¡±

    He frowns before he nods in agreement.

    4/5

    5/5

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39

    Merikh leans into me, his arm resting on the back of my chair as we listen to everyone on the

    committee speak.

    Florence has looked my way a few times, smirking every time I catch her eyes.

    I intentionally avoid looking in Johannes direction, not wanting to risk Merikh catching me looking at

    him of all people. Not that I am drawn to Johannes, but pretending he doesn¡¯t exist isn¡¯t all that easy

    in a room full of people I supposed to be respecting.

    ¡°Is there anything anyone else would like to bring up?¡± Caspian asks, looking around. He has pulled

    off the unimpressed king bit damn well today. Not once looking in our direction with the slightest

    interest.

    ¡°Uh, yes¡­¡± Brent says, clearing his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be a spoilsport, but I am curious why

    these two are allowed in meetings.¡± He nods in our direction with an unimpressed frown on his

    face.

    ¡°Oh great. Here we go again,¡± everyone mutters, sighing in heavy annoyance.

    ¡°No, I am serious.¡± He scoffs. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude or offensive, Merikh and Letty, but if we are

    sharing things, important things between our species, should we not be taking measures to ensure

    what is shared won¡¯t be used against us?¡±

    I tilt my head, not really loving that I agree with him. But Brent makes a fair point, and it¡¯s not a

    decision intended to offend or be rude. It¡¯s logical that if we are the enemy, we shouldn¡¯t be privy to

    all information agreed upon in the meeting. He locks eyes with me, a curious glint as he seems to

    watch me closely.

    I look up at Merikh, who stares around the table, his jaw clenched and his muscles tense. My

    fingers glide up his chest, along his soft neck and to turn him to look at me.

    ¡°Brent does make a fair point,¡± I murmur to him and he frowns, ncing up before looking back and

    focusing on me. Then he sighs heavily and nods.

    ¡°My Luna feels that perhaps Brent has a point.¡± He announces, and I can feel all eyes shift to me.

    ¡°Oh? Does he?¡± Caspian asks, his interest looking piqued as he seems to settle deeper into his

    chair, his deep blue eyes watching me closely.

    ¡°You are all so adamant to keep us from entering the council.¡± I shrug. ¡°Yet so willing to allow us

    audience and witness of what you discuss. Things that are of grave importance to your covens,

    your ns, your¡­whatever

    1/6

    Emergency calls

    they are to you. Which leaves the question¡­Why don¡¯t you care?¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t afraid of some little bitches and dogs. You are below us. In fact, your kind is better under

    us.¡± Johannes chuckles and I turn my fiery gaze on him. He res at me, but I remain resolute, not

    daring to blink as ! make my point.

    ¡°I think you all know we will be back on the council sooner rather thanter and there for speak

    openly.¡± I say with a knowing smirk.

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Florence chuckles. ¡°You would have to win over the majority, and most of us hate you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that sounds like a stretch, youngdy.¡± The bearded guy from the first dinner says, leaning

    forward.

    ¡®I

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have had the pleasure of learning your name yet,¡± I say to him and he frowns at me

    before. sighing.

    ¡°My people call me Elm. I am from the Fae realm.¡± He says, giving me a courteous nod.

    ¡°Mmm, and tell me, Elm, what do you have against the werewolves?¡± I ask him. ¡°I am aware of why

    Caspian hates out kind and even why Johannes feels the way he does, even if he is the one who

    inserted himself and got his own chosen mate killed.¡± Elm chuckles as Johannes snorts at my

    comment.

    ¡°Merikh, you have not filled her in on your bloodlines crimes?¡± He tuts before looking at me. ¡°His

    ancestors were what your kind calls mates, with my sister. A young fae with a bright future ahead of

    her.¡±

    ¡°Your kind lives that long?¡± I ask, leaning forward, fascinated by his story and his kind. If this all

    supposedly happened over two hundred and fifty years ago, how long do the Fae live? Are they

    Immortal like the Vampires?

    ¡°Of course. Your species is the one that lives the shortest amount of time. We hardly have time to

    learn your name before you die off on us.¡±

    ¡°Can we be done with this meeting now?¡± Florence pouts while I focus on Elm, blocking out the

    others as they all get up and leave the table.

    *Where is your sister now?¡± I ask him and sadness falls over him. He downcast his eyes and sighs

    before looking up to meet mine.

    ¡°She is dead.¡± He whispers.

    2/6

    C

    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Dreame

    INSTALL

    I don¡¯t know much about any species other than mine, but if Elm is still alive after two hundred and

    fifty years and still looks like he is in his mid thirties, his sister can¡¯t have died from old

    age.

    +5

    ¡°I am truly sorry for your loss.¡± I tell him sincerely, offering him a sympathetic smile. ¡°Losing

    someone you love is never easy. I lost my mother at a young age, and I know it is not the same. But

    I know what it is to lose someone you loved.¡±

    He watches me for a moment, then he ces his palm on the wooden table. The grain morphs,

    moving as it vibrates, and then a small bud shoots out of the table before me. There is no holding

    back the astonished smile and happy gasp I let out as I gingerly touch the bud, admiring it.

    ¡°Her name was Magnolia.¡± He whispers. ¡°She took her life when she felt his presence leave the

    earth.¡±

    ¡°She loved him even when she couldn¡¯t be with him¡­¡± I whisper, touched by the purity of her love.

    ¡°Mags loved different from everyone else. She was a lover of everyone and she felt this bond was a

    gift to her,¡± he

    says with a tear in his eye..

    ¡°Elm,¡± I say with a soft smile. ¡°Would you like to wander the garden with me?¡± I ask him.

    He seems to snap from his daze, his tender openness dissipating as he looks around. I gently take

    the bud from the table where he created it, and ce it behind my ear, giving him an understanding

    smile.

    ¡°What kind of flower is it?¡± I ask him and he swallows.

    ¡°Magnolia blossom.¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± I say, ¡°When I was in the garden I swear I saw a tree that was lifeless. If I showed you

    the tree, do you think you could heal it? Is that something Fae can do?¡±

    ¡°Not all Fae, but I can, yes.¡± He says, ¡± pauses, looking at Merikh.

    you wanted to show me the way, I would not be opposed. But¡­¡± He

    ¡°You wish for me to keep my distance?¡± Merikh asks as Elm frowns. ¡°As you know, I will not leave

    her unattended

    since our Gamma was brutally attacked on property.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± He nods. ¡°I suppose you will want to keep her within arm¡¯s reach at all times. I can

    understand that.¡±

    ¡°Shall we?¡± I offer and he sighs before nodding and motioning for me to show him the way.

    3/6

    The moment we hit the garden, I can sense his tension leaving his body. He smiles and reaches

    out, touching the green hedges and looking around at the stunning flowers and bright green leaves.

    ¡°This way,¡± I tell him, turning down a path to the left and he follows along, Merikh at a distance

    behind us.

    ¡°You can be frank.¡± He tells me, ¡°No need to keep up pretenses.¡±

    Iugh lightly and shake my head.

    ¡°I truly have no ulterior motives, Elm.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to try to sway my vote or get me to trust you?¡± he asks, his eyes narrowed like I

    am lying. I once againugh, this time a little harder.

    ¡°I am hardly one to ask for trust when I can¡¯t trust a damn soul here, other than my own kind, that

    is.¡± I smile at

    I him and he seems to think about what I am saying. ¡°And as for swaying your vote¡­what good is

    trying to change one vote in the face of what, nine, no¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°I think you could sway a few others,¡± he says, chuckling. ¡°Let¡¯s not pretend you aren¡¯t here to show

    a softer side to your off putting mate.¡±

    I nce over my shoulder, looking at the massive form that is Merikh, and bite back a smile. He

    definitely doesn¡¯t

    scream ¡®let¡¯s be friends¡® to someone who doesn¡¯t know him. But underneath, though, he screws up

    regrly and has trust issues¡­he¡¯s pretty amazing.

    I

    ¡°Truthfully, I didn¡¯t even know there were other species until very recently. I want to know you all,

    understand you and your stance on why my kind should be subject to being the toy of council

    members when they get

    bored.¡±

    ¡°Ohe now, no one here is like that.¡±

    ¡°No? Not Johannes?¡± I ask. ¡°Because from what I can tell, what he did is far worse than what our

    kind did, only difference is you all made it legal to prey on us but not allow us to protect ourselves.¡±

    ¡°I y no part in keeping your species out. I abstain from voting now. Even if I don¡¯t like your kind, I

    believe we are all stringer together.¡± He rushes out and I shrug.

    ¡°Elm, I am here to show you a tree that needs your touch.¡± I smile. ¡°We do not have to discuss

    these things.¡±

    4/6

    ¡°Then what would you rather discuss?¡± he asks, and I grin.

    ¡°Well¡­tell me more about the fae. What are you all like? Do you all have such a way with nature

    like you?¡±

    ¡°Have you learned about any of the others yet?¡± He asks amused. I shrug.

    ¡°I know a little about the Sirens, and I¡¯ve experienced some magic, not quite sure at whose hands it

    was.¡± I shrug. He frowns.

    ¡°Someone used magic on you?¡± he asks, sounding disappointed.

    ¡°Unfortunately, not many people like my mate. Not that I can¡¯t, at times, understand the sentiment.¡± I

    watch as Merikh¡¯s head snaps up, his eyes meeting mine with a re and I send him a pretty little

    smile and a tiny hand wave. Just so he knows, I¡¯m thinking about him..

    ¡°What kind of magic, do you know?¡± He asks and I shrug.

    ¡°Merikh called it dream weavers.¡±

    ¡°Nasty stuff.¡± He mumbles. Then he looks around and leans in. ¡°I have an herbal remedy that can

    erase the things they have done. I will have it sent to your room.¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to do that,¡± I say, shocked, and he smiles genuinely.

    ¡°I can tell you are a decent person.¡± He says, pointing over my shoulder. ¡°Butterflies like sweetness,

    and they seem to follow you.¡±

    I can¡¯t help the blush that creeps up my cheek, and he rubs the back of his head.

    ¡°My queen would truly enjoy your presence. You are wise, ying this old man like a fiddle, but in a

    way that I can tell you mean no harm.¡±

    ¡°Could she not make it?¡± I ask, feeling disappointed as well that I don¡¯t get to at least meet a female

    fae.

    ¡°Not this time.¡± he smiles, but it doesn¡¯t reach his eyes this time. Instead, he looks disappointed and

    I get the feeling not everything is sorted in his love life.

    5/6

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40

    +5

    *Merikh¡®

    Coletteughs with her father as I sit in the far corner, watching as she wipes water from her

    blouse. She looks so happy and at ease as she maniptes the water, trying to get it to shake,

    rather than ssh. Caspian Was thrilled when we arrived, his hands shaky as he tried to tamp down

    his smile, but it¡¯s ringly obvious he is

    excited.

    If I didn¡¯t know that they were rted, I would almost be jealous. Okay, that¡¯s a lie. I am jealous, but

    not of the rtionship they are building. She looks at him with wonder and relief. It¡¯s like knowing a

    part of what she is, where shees from, has brought to life a side of her I may never get to

    experience. All I get are side ways nces and the asional scowl.

    I mean, sure, when we are around the others I get to sneak little moments and convince myself she

    feels the same pull I do. It¡¯s damn hard holding her hand or kissing her shoulder knowing that to her

    it¡¯s an act. For me, it¡¯s a taste of what I screwed myself out of. Like an addict carrying in drug of

    choice in his pocket with never really being able to consume it.

    It makes me itchy and irritable to be away from her emotionally. That barrier she keeps up. The

    damn thing slides into ce the second our bedroom door closes. It goes from equator hot to arctic

    icy. And it¡¯s not like I know how to fix it. Apologizing is all I can do and swear I will never do it again,

    and that I have no more secrets, but what good is a promise if the person making it has proven they

    can¡¯t keep them?

    I sigh heavily, fiddling with the bolting on the edging of the armchair, and then I look up, feeling a

    heavy gaze. She blinks at me, tilting her head and for a moment her brows furrow, like she might be

    worried about me. Then she seems to wake up and her eyes harden before she looks back at

    Caspian.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for now. I have to admit, I¡¯m tired now.¡± She says. He gives her a soft smile

    and motions for *her to take a seat.

    ¡°Will you stay for dinner with me?¡± He asks, and she shakes her head.

    ¡°The amount of time we spend together will draw attention,¡± I remind him, and he sighs knowingly.

    ¡°You have a point.¡± then he looks between us. ¡°Have you two discussed things yet?¡±

    Colette chuckles dryly, looking at the shuttered window and shaking her head.

    1/5

    §³§á§Ñ§â§ä§Ö§â §é§Ú

    ¡°What is there to discuss?¡± She asks, and her words hit me in the gut. Is this how she felt every

    time I would refuse to hear her out?

    ¡°Your mark.¡± He says, giving her a pointed frown. ¡°Or rather, theck thereof.¡±

    ¡°Caspian,¡± she sighs, rolling her eyes, and she chuckles.

    ¡°Do not roll your eyes at me,¡± he mutters, but he is half hearted as he smiles brightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I

    would ever get to say that to you.¡±

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Colette seems to melt at his words, all frustration regarding me fading away as she takes in this

    little, yet huge moment with her dad.

    A knock at the door interrupts us and Ezrah shows himself in, giving me a courteous nod as he

    looks to Caspian.

    ¡°We have a few visitors,¡± He tells him and Caspian furrows his brow.

    ¡°I don¡¯t recall expecting anyone¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Colette seems startled, and looks over at me and clears her throat. ¡°I¨Cum¨CI believe they are

    here for me.¡±

    I look at her, startled, and then she smiles softly at Ezrah.

    ¡°Yes, I assumed as much.¡± He grins. ¡°I have showed both Penny and Beta Hayes to your room.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Caspian says, clearing his throat. He looks in my direction and sighs heavily. ¡°I suppose that

    in light of the recent unfortunate events to your other gamma, another arriving in his stead makes

    sense.¡±

    ¡°Will the others not throw a fit?¡± I ask, arching a brow, and he shrugs.

    ¡°Let them. Someone was attacked in our sanctuary, and you are entitled to your own safety for that

    reason.¡± He bites out, looking up at Ezrah, who looks mildly surprised.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Caspian.¡± I say, standing and moving over toward Colette. I rest my hand on the back

    of her chair, looking down at her.

    She turns in her seat, looking up at me slightly and my heart stutters in my chest, her deep brown

    eyes gaze straight in to my very core. I can feel the slight tinge of heat in my cheeks that her

    innocent stare brings, but I can¡¯t find the strength to look away.

    2/5

    ¡°Forgive me, But¡­how was someone able attack anyone on the premises?¡± Ezrah asks, drawing

    my attention. and breaking my eye contact with Colette. His words are soft and directed at Caspian,

    who frowns and sighs.

    heavily.

    ¡°They physically assaulted him, Ezrah. No magic was used.¡± He says, then he drags and hand

    down his face as he leans forward. ¡°Since no magic can be used, he was unable to heal as a wolf

    regrly would. I had brent take.

    down the charms until her is better.¡±

    Ezrah freezes, his eyes skirting over to me before he clears his throat and bows his head. I can see

    he wants to say more, to mention things, but with being a messenger, often his opinions and

    thoughts are disregarded. But in all my years knowing the guy, I have felt he has an impressive

    ability to read and anticipate situations and people.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± I ask him. And he shakes his head, not wanting to overstep.

    ¡°Speak freely Ezrah, I trust these two.¡± Capsian says, and it feels like I was struck across the face to

    wake me up.

    Caspian trusts us? Well, I suppose trusting his daughter makes sense. But admitting it to someone

    else is shocking, to say the least. Colette¡¯s hand slides into mine and gives it a gentle squeeze, as if

    she understands my exact thought process.

    ¡°Do you?¡± Ezrah asks, a brow arched in amusement. Caspian frowns at him before he rolls his

    eyes, then clears

    his throat.

    ¡°I am well aware of the things you are capable of learning and overhearing, so I am curious to know

    your thoughts about all of this. Including my new found trust in these two.¡± Caspian says, choosing

    to ignore Ezrah¡¯s

    ¡°I have long respected Alpha Merikh,¡± He asserts and Caspian sighs.

    Yeah, I am well aware of that.¡±

    Ezrah clears his throat, looking a little ufortable before he squares his shoulders.

    ¡°I am often given things to deliver and I move about quickly and with ease, but not without running

    into things¡­ seeing things.¡± He finally says, looking me in the eye like he is trying to tell me

    something. ¡°There have been

    some questionable things happening in the world up here that I do not pretend to think you, the King

    of Sirens,

    know about.¡±

    3/5

    Caspian knits his brows together in question and motions for him to continue.

    ¡°There is a move to make extinct other kinds.¡± He says softly and looks away, ashamed.

    ¡°And you are just now bringing this up?¡± I ask him, shocked. Ezrah¡¯s face pales and he licks his lips

    as if mentioning anything more might cause him pain.

    ¡°I am forbidden from reading or looking at the items I deliver, but¡­¡± he clears his throat. ¡°If a letter

    does not have a sender¡¯s information, only a destination¡­¡±

    ¡°Tell me now.¡± Caspian says, his voice raising as he stands.

    +5

    ¡°I have delivered three of the same letters. Same handwriting and no return address, the same

    handwriting on the letter I delivered to you, Merikh.¡± He says, turning to look at me..

    Caspian looks between us as my stomach burns with fury. Things have felt off for years now, but

    when you are used to a feeling, it bes normal and when it¡¯s gone, that is when it feels foreign. I

    suck my teeth, groaning in frustration. Someone is after my kind, of course. Who the hell else could

    they be after?

    ¡°What did you read, Ezrah.¡± Caspian demands, mming his fist onto the top of his desk, his eyes

    swirling with. danger.

    ¡°There is a call for extermination. One that will be voted upon in the next week,¡±

    ¡°I will never allow that on the docket.¡± He retorts, and Ezrah frowns.

    ¡°From what I gather, if multiple parties call attention to it, it must be discussed.¡±

    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Colette mutters, her muscles tense as shees to grips with all this means.

    It¡¯s not just an attack on me, but our entire species. The whole reason someone has been wanting

    Colette is a bargaining chip for Caspian. She is a hybrid, so she must die unless she is fully mated

    to me. But if they agree to my demise, our kinds extermination¡­Her head is back on the chopping

    block.

    How far will Caspian go to protect his only child? Would he trade our entire kind for the promise of

    her safety? A hybrid for an entire species. He locks his eyes with mine and I see he his mindset is

    where mine is, but he doesn¡¯t seem to know the answer to his own question. Colette would never

    agree to it, but it is easier to live knowing your child hates you than live knowing they will forever be

    gone.

    4/5

    ¡°We need to go see Hayes and Penny,¡± Colette jumps up, dragging me out the door before anyone

    can utter another word. It is not until we are safe behind the door that she spins to face me,

    determination on her face.

    ¡°We can use this,¡± she tells me. ¡°We can use this to determine who is behind it. How many do you

    think would actually truly want to kill off an entire species? I mean, truly?¡±

    I sigh, pulling my hands through my hair before I drop them.

    ¡°That is aplicated question, Colette. We are truly unliked by many.¡± I tell her.

    ¡°Please, we can charm as many over as we need,¡± I hear Hayes behind me and I spin, feeling like a

    weight has been lifted from my chest at the sight of my brother.

    ¡°Easier said than done,¡± I say with a small smile..

    ¡°Please, me and you? We are the definition of charming.¡± He says, then frowns. ¡°Okay, I am the

    definition of charming. Maybe you should sit this one out.¡±

    +5

    5/5

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41

    *Colette*

    +5

    ¡°Will you be okay?¡± Merikh asks me, his voice low as his eyes stare into mine. I cross my arms over

    my chest, trying to show the indifference I don¡¯t feel.

    ¡°Of course I will be.¡± I tell him, pointing over to Penny. ¡°I have Penny to keep me safe and

    entertained.¡±

    ¡°What has he not been entertaining enough for you?¡± Hayes asks, pping his brother¡¯s shoulders,

    laughing. Hisughing ceases when he notices Merikh and I exchanging a look of irritation and he

    puts his hands up, taking two steps back. ¡°Noted, you both need to getid.¡± he grins before turning

    and walking out the door.

    ¡°If you want, I can stay and we can-

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Merikh,¡± I mumble. ¡°Truly. I have Penny and if I¡¯m being honest, I could really use some

    girl time.¡±

    He nods, looking at Hayes and then back at me with an unreadable expression.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be gone long,¡± he mutters, slipping out the door. He leaves it open, probably hoping I will

    watch him walk away, but I have better things to do than stare at him as he walks away, But I know

    I¡¯m kidding myself thinking I won¡¯t stare at him til he disappears into Hayes¡® room with him.

    It feels weird, watching Merikh as he walks away with Hayes, taking him to his room just down the

    hall. It doesn¡¯t matter if he will be gone for seconds or hours. I am used to his presence yet again.

    But with Penny being here, he now feels safe, giving me a little more space. At least, for now, that

    is.

    ¡°Sooo,¡± Penny smirks at me as she walks over to the couch and plops into the plush cushions,

    making a dramatic show of howfortable it is. Her eyes roll to the back of her head as she

    pretends to faint fromfort and I chuckle, walking around the side and taking my seat.

    ¡°So what?¡± I ask, arching a brow. ¡°It sounds like you

    something.¡±

    She bites her lip and grabs a nket.

    are waiting for something from me or waiting to tell me

    ¡°Now that I have seen Perc, I can fully focus on you and the mess of your love life.¡±

    1/6

    I roll my eyes, a scoff tumbling from me.

    ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s a mess?¡± I ask her, but I know she has a fine tuned intuition. She

    chooses not to answer as she gives me a knowing re and I cover my face in embarrassment.

    ¡°I thought everything was better,¡± I whine, uncovering my face. ¡°He finally let me exin the thing

    with Grady and he realized I was telling him the truth. But¡­¡±

    Her face falls from excitement to disappointment.

    ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°He has been lying to me.¡± I whisper, frowning.

    ¡°Okay¡­but like¡­I know this sounds bad, but what kind of lie are we talking about here? Like he

    told you he is a vegan, but you caught him eating a burger or¡­?¡± She asks, looking entirely

    invested.

    ¡°Like, he introduced me to my biological father and told me I¡¯m a hybrid but also hybrids are illegal

    so everyone is going to want to kill me so now he has to mark me¡­

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Penny¡¯s mouth falls open and she blinks, pressing back into the couch cushions with a whistling

    exhale. She seems to process as I watch the switch of emotions go through her face. She sits up,

    opening her mouth like she is about to speak, then she tilts her head, thinking better before

    plopping back again, her shoulders slumping.

    ¡°Well, damn.¡± She finally works out, her eyes meeting mine as she frowns.

    ¡°Yeah, tell me about it,¡± I mutter.

    ¡°So he didn¡¯t just screw up, he like¡­fucked up sideways and upside down.¡±

    I chuckle, relishing her tiny humor slips that make it feel like it¡¯s not as serious as we both know it is.

    Merikh has put me in a strange pickle indeed.

    ¡°Yep,¡± I say, popping the ¡®p¡® with my lips as silence falls over us.

    ¡°So like¡­how does that work¡­Also, who is your dad? But like¡­how did Alpha know?¡± She says,

    her brain. catching up with the words I told her finally. ¡°There is a lot to unpack here.¡±

    I chuckle. ¡°Yeah, abandonment issues, never feeling like I fit in, my uncle and cousin hating me and

    raising met

    2/6

    like a freaking maid.¡±

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± She asks, pushing forward and moving closer to me.

    ¡°I really¡­don¡¯t know.¡± I shrug. ¡°One minute, I think I¡¯m okay with it. The next I feel like the rug is

    being yanked out from me all over again.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine¡­¡± Penny says softly, reaching out to pat my folded hands that rest in myp.

    ¡°My mother and father were mates. And they loved each other and wanted to make it work¡­but

    someone found out. I guess I grew up with them until I was ten. I apparently knew him as my dad

    and living with my mom near the water.¡±

    ¡°Water¡­?¡± she asks, then it¡¯s like something clicks in her brain and she makes an ¡®oh¡® face.

    ¡°Yeah. Ever met a siren?¡± I tease her, and she shakes her head.

    ¡°Nope, never been to the ocean.¡± She shrugs. Eyes wide and filled with excitement.

    ¡°Well, Hey!¡± I give her a tight smile and she grins. ¡°Now you have met a half siren.¡±

    She giggles. ¡°I feel pretty damn special, not going to lie.¡±

    ¡°But also, they live in the ocean usually, but they can live in fresh water if they need to.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think there are any in theke at home, do you?¡± She asks, nervously.

    I let out a bark ofughter and shake

    my head.

    ¡°They would have to have permission to ever enter the water. Permission granted by the alpha and

    I don¡¯t think Merikh would agree to that,¡± I tell her and she nods in understanding.

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± she pauses. ¡°So¡­like¡­what does all of this mean for you?¡±

    ¡°Well, Merikh is going to have to mark me in order to keep me alive¡­IF we can even get on the

    board.¡±

    She rubs her temples, squeezing her eyes shut.

    ¡°I have never had so many questions in my head in my entire life.¡± She mumbles.

    3/6

    Emergency calls only + W

    ¡°Well, for starters. Yes, I¡¯m okay with him marking me. Yes, we have already¡­um¡­consummated

    the mating, just without the mark.¡±

    Her mouth falls open, and she pretends hits me as if I was saving the biggest secret forst.

    ¡°Okay, Luna, don¡¯t hold back. Tell me all about it.¡±

    My cheeks heat as I blush. ¡°It was¡­nice.¡± I admit, feeling a little shy.

    ¡°And you guys have been going at it since?¡± she asks hopefully. ¡°You know Lycan needs an heir

    and all that, so it¡¯s just a normal, not creepy, question.¡± She winks jokingly.

    ¡°We have not¡­done it since that one time.¡± I clear my throat and she winces for me.

    #5

    ¡°You found out after, didn¡¯t you?¡± She asks softly and I nod my head yes. ¡°I can¡¯t speak ill of him,

    but know that I¡¯m on your side and if you need me to, I can arrange for his food to taste like shit one

    night. Then me the

    staff,¡±

    Augh breaks from my lips as I press back into the couch, thinking about how hrious that

    thought is.

    ¡°That does sound amusing, but I think my coldness to him has been doing the trick just fine.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you will forgive him?¡± She asks after a few minutes of silence.

    I sigh, trying to figure out how to answer it. It¡¯s something I have thought hard about every spare

    moment my mind is able to wander.

    No matter what I do I am stuck with Merikh, as a mate, and as a Luna and I refuse to let my people

    down the way everyone seems to have let me down my entire life. But does being stuck with him

    mean I should make it easier. by just¡­forgiving him?

    ¡°Eventually,¡± I frown. ¡°I know it sounds weak, but to him I was a pawn, a means to an end for the

    suffering of our kind. In a way, I understand the logic, no matter how wed it was.¡±

    ¡°Plus, he reconnected you with your dad.¡± She adds, and I nod.

    ¡°And my dad, Caspian, seems genuinely loving. Like he cares about me and wants to make

    amends.¡± I pinch the bridge of my nose. ¡°I mean really, at the end of the day, he did what he had to

    do for our people, and in the process gave me a part of my family back that I didn¡¯t even know I was

    missing.¡± It¡¯s not easy to admit, but I do.

    4/6

    My heart twisting at all the memories I have already created with the man I lost so much time with.

    ¡°Luna¡­¡± Penny says softly. I can see it in her eyes that she is going to urge me to forgive Merikh

    and let him in. And It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to. I would love to forget that he betrayed my trust,

    multiple times even after I have done nothing but prove my loyalty to him. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t

    just forgive him.¡±

    I blink at her, then I stick my index fingers in my ears, twisting them like there may be something

    stuck inside the canal. Something that is forcing me to hear things.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I think I may have missed what you just said.¡± I say and she sighs.

    ¡°Alpha fucked up.¡± She exhales. ¡°Your rtionship, the unsteady ground it is on, affects us all. We

    need a unified front, yes. But we deserve a Luna and Alpha who understand actions have

    consequences.¡±

    ¡°So you think I shouldn¡¯t forgive him, then?¡± I ask, hating that thought. Not that I have thought much

    about forgiving him. He screwed up. He needs to atone for it. But¡­ My traitorous heart doesn¡¯t

    realize that Merikh lied to us. It doesn¡¯t care that he ced us in a heap of danger. Or that he has a

    valid reason. Damn it.

    T

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I am saying at all. You need to be a unified front. What I am saying is¡­. make

    him grovel. Then make up.¡±

    ¡°Groveling does indeed sound nice.¡± I admit. Then she smirks..

    ¡°Mark each other first, then have him grovel. It might help if you can feel his sincerity.¡± She winks at

    me and I chuckle, just as the door opens and none other than the topic of conversation walks in.

    ¡°What are you two discussing?¡± He asks, looking between Penny and me like we are plotting his

    death. I shrug. and Penny grins before mirroring my movements.

    ¡°Just girl talk.¡± She grins and he frowns.

    ¡°Why does that feel like it¡¯s bad for me?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s definitely not good for you.¡± I mutter, a tilt to my lips and he arches a brow like he is

    egging me on. Oh the ways this man is going to have to suck up will be fun.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42

    *Merikh*

    ¡°Where is Colette?¡± Hayes asks as I we exit the massive white mansion, heading into the back

    garden, the sun. high in the morning sky.

    ¡°She is with Caspian,¡± I mutter, looking around to be sure no one is listening.

    ¡°It¡¯s interesting how¡­not upset she is with you.¡± He furrows his brow.

    ¡°Hah!¡± I snort. ¡°I get the feeling that no amount of remorse will save me from my life of groveling.¡±

    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Hayes smirks and shakes his head.

    zasp

    ¡°You groveling does sound pretty entertaining. If she is smart, she will drag it out for as long as

    possible.¡± He pauses as I frown, then he continues to stare. His heavy gaze unearths my brotherly

    annoyance with him, and I exhale heavily.

    ¡°What now?¡± I grit out, and he chuckles.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just curious what you n to do in your ¡®groveling! Will you get on your hands and knees

    while begging? Lavishing her with presents? Making every promise in the world to make her stay?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Hayes,¡± I grumble and look away.

    I¡¯m not quite ready to admit to him I¡¯ve already done my begging. It feels like a betrayal of that

    intimate moment between her and I. But truth be told, begging is the beginning of what I will do. I

    meant what I said when I told her I was at her mercy and I will be sure she knows it every single

    day.

    ¡°Fine, then. Let¡¯s discuss the issue of her not being marked yet.¡± He frowns, crossing his arms over

    his chest as he turns to look right at me.

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern,¡± I sigh and he scoffs.

    ¡°As your brother, it is my concern winces. It¡¯s your mate, and as your Beta, it is even more my

    concern. She is our Luna, Merikh. She must be protected, and your misconceptions can¡¯t keep you

    from protecting her.¡±

    1/5

    My anger res, my blood boiling as I press my lips together, trying to calm myself. He is down

    ying the shit I have done. All the ways I have given her nothing to trust in me. I may be his

    brother, I may be his alpha, but I am fallible, just like anyone else.

    ¡°I lied. I betrayed her trust: Don¡¯t try to downy what I did. You of all people know the depth at

    which a lie can burrow in and destroy even the most pure of things.¡± I say with measured

    frustration.

    ¡°I am well aware, Merikh, of exactly how you fucked up. And I get a lie is a lie, but tell me, when

    were your lies malicious? When were they intended to harm her? I mean, truly harm her.¡±

    I suck my teeth, reminded why I am the alpha and not him. Hayes is wise, and he is a formidable

    beta, but that he can¡¯t see the issue is one reason I am the alpha. Other than my birthright.

    ¡°Intent means nothing when the end result is just as painful.¡± I frown at him and he looks defeated.

    ¡°Look, I get it. You fucked up. We all did. The point remains that how you feel about her isn¡¯t a lie.

    Your reason fo keeping things close to the vest makes sense.¡±

    I sigh, shaking my head before I turn and walk away. This isn¡¯t the reason I brought him out here.

    We need to discuss the pack, the things ongoing with themittee. But most importantly, our

    n.

    ¡°Have there been any more reports of the red¨Ceyed wolves?¡± I ask him. I can feel the re that the

    back of head. Hayes is a bigmunicator. Someone who likes to discuss things, especially when

    it¡¯s not easy.

    ¡°Only for the first few days, it has beenpletely quiet now,¡± he says, but I can hear his

    frustrations.

    my

    ¡°Hmmm,¡± I muse. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m surprised by this news, more that I¡¯m unsettled over not knowing

    what their next move is. There is no doubt they are after Colette, and for now she is safe. Or so we

    hope.

    What are you thinking?¡± He asks, a tilt to his chin as he watches me, waiting for an answer.

    ¡®Caspian still hasn¡¯t figured out who attacked Percy.¡± 1 frown.

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s possible it was them, but would they be that bold?¡± He frowns, looking like he doubts

    the statement.

    ¡°My guess is it¡¯s the person who has been plotting all of this.¡°¡±

    ¡°Solid

    guess, brother,¡± he says with a teasing grin. I give him a shove and heughs lightly.

    2/5

    ¡°Alpha¡­¡± Percy calls from behind us, and I turn quickly, surprised to see him striding over to us with

    as much. ease as he is.

    +5

    ¡°Percy,¡± I smile at him and he bows his head.

    ¡°I want to be back on duty with Penny.¡±

    ¡°Are you fully healed?¡± I ask him, and he looks away as he clears his throat.

    ¡°I am healed enough to protect and fight, alpha.¡± He says, his voice full of conviction as he meets

    my eyes.

    He is eager to prove himself, to prove that this attack was a fluke and he will never again allow

    something simr to happen.

    ¡°Are you healed enough to exin what you witnessed? What happened?¡± I ask him, and his

    cheeks turn pink as he clears his throat.

    ¡°I was attacked from behind. And when I tried to fight back, their hood was up. But I can say if they

    are one of themittee members who doesn¡¯t heal like us, there would be marks on their upper

    arms.¡± He says with pride.

    ¡°What kind of marks?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°w marks,¡± he smirks. ¡°I didn¡¯t go down without a fight, alpha. You trained me.¡±

    ¡°Any red glowing eyes?¡± Hayes asks and Percy shakes his head.

    ¡°No. It was like looking into a ck hole. Nothing but darkness.¡± He then looks disappointed. ¡°I

    should have tried harder to remember it all earlier,¡±

    ¡°Percy, enough.¡± I say, giving him a stern look. ¡°Go back to your post. Follow in the shadows like

    before.¡±

    His freckled face lights up in excitement as he rushes off to find Colette and Penny. I feel much

    safer having two people on Colette as opposed to one now.

    ¡°How are things in the pack?¡± I ask Hayes as we watch Percy disappear into the mansion.

    ¡°Good.¡± He reports, stuffing his hands in his pocket. ¡°They are eager to have their Alpha and Luna

    back at home.¡±

    I nod in understanding. We are both eager to be back home. Mad at each other or nod, I do know

    that Colette

    3/5

    sees the pack as home. Those people are here people now, and she cares. She truly cares.

    ¡°Soon enough,¡± I sigh, then I shake my head. ¡°Caspian is aiding us in every way he can. So

    hopefully when wee Home we have the protection we need from those wishing to cause us

    harm.¡±

    A loud crashing soundes from the trees, startling both Hayes and me as we watch the woods

    cautiously.. Then it sounds again, this time a feral animal cry breaking through and making the birds

    flee in fear.

    ¡°What in the hell¡­¡± Hayes murmurs as we both step closer, knees bent and hands up, waiting for

    an ambush of some kind.

    Fire licks up a tree and up into the morning skyline, smoke billowing out as I watch Caspian

    sprinting from his balcony as Elm rushes around the corner. All of the council members stop near

    us, watching as the wood ignites faster than lint to a me.

    Water floats up from the small creek, funneling into the trees as vines and fresh greenery spring

    from the earth, wrapping and twisting together over the fire, choking it out. Florence panics, pacing

    up and down, her hands in her hair as she looks at Johannes and the two argue back and forth.

    Ending with her, shoving at his chest angrily before she takes off.

    The red headed petite dragon stands next to elm, drawing in a deep inhale as the mese

    barreling toward her. She inhales them as if she is sucking in a spaghetti noodle, leaving behind

    only the smoke..

    I make an effort to scan the crowd, watching as everyone looks shocked and murmuring. Colette

    catches my eye as she moves over to me, entwining her hand in mine as she gapes at the

    damage.

    ¡°Florence is gone,¡± she whispers, leaning closer to me like she is worried, putting on a show, but I

    eat up her closeness.

    ¡°She was here, but then she argued with Johannes.¡± I murmur and her eyebrows crinkle in the

    cutest way. I bite ¡°back a smile, watching her as she thinks.

    ¡°They seem too obvious.¡± She mutters and I smirk, loving how quick she picks up on things.

    ¡°I would agree.¡± I tell her, and she frowns.

    She looks over at her father and he makes a concerted effort to look around before sliding a nce

    and a gentle nod in our direction. He looks tired, like perhaps all the training with Colette and not

    this is hard on his body, especially since he has been out of the sea for a little while.

    4/5

    ¡°I have asked Penny to wander, see what she can and hear what she can hear.¡± Colette tells me.

    ¡°And who will be with you?¡± I ask her and she smiles.

    ¡°Other than Percy?¡± She tilts her head to the side, and I hide a smile, giving a gentle nod.

    ¡°Yes, other than him.¡± I agree and she shrugs, a stunning smile breaking over her lips as she looks

    up at me.

    pat

    ¡°I had a conversation with Caspian.¡± She swallows, her cheeks growing heated as she licks her

    lips.

    ¡°Oh?¡± I ask, arching a brow. Colette looks to my side at Hayes, who chuckles and wanders away.

    ¡°I was hoping you could¡­spend time with me tonight. We have some unfinished business to attend

    to.¡± She whispers. My stomach does somersaults and I clear my throat, my clothing suddenly

    feeling restricting.

    ¡°Colette,¡± I say, frowning.

    Shit, I want this from her; I want to mark her and feel her teeth sink into my neck, finally finishing

    this little dance between us. But I wanted us to be fixed. I wanted it to be a choice she could make

    this time rather than something she feels she was cornered into.

    ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head. ¡°You are groveling. And this is my first demand.¡±

    I feel conflicted, my lycan and me jumping for joy, but that reservation is still there. That fear or

    worry that this will make things worse. That I will have to hear and fear exactly what she really

    thinks and feels for me. What if I find out she¡¯s been lying too? What if Colette never cared for me in

    the first ce?

    5/5

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43

    I swallow roughly as I follow Colette into the room, her hand in mine, leading me after Caspian sent

    everyone to their respective rooms for the time being. No one is allowed out until he has a chance

    to talk with each person individually. Which means I am locked in a room alone with the only person

    who makes me nervous now that

    she has made her demands.

    Colette tugs on my hand, but I resist her as she tries to pull me further into the room, the door just

    closing behind me as I look at her. Shit, she is stunning. She carries an air of determination,

    nervousness swirling in her deep brown eyes, but I can sense she is resolute.

    Colette is putting her foot down. She is making this demand and even with iting from her; I

    feel¡­hesitant that this is something she wants. This is a game we¡¯ve been ying for so damn long

    already. She asks. I refuse even though I crave it, too.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this now,¡± she whispers, taking a step toward me.

    ¡°Is this what you want?¡± I ask her and she drops her gaze from me. Her dainty handse before

    her and she fiddles with her fingers.

    ¡°It is what must be done.¡± She murmurs. My skin itches to caress her as I reach out and lift her chin

    with my fingers. I capture her eyes with mine, ensuring she sees me.

    ¡°I have done nothing but continually fuck up where you are concerned.¡± I tell her, my mouth going

    dry, when tears form in her eyes. ¡°There is nothing, no reason, for you to force yourself to do this. In

    every way you are my Luna. A bite mark in the heat is passion does not negate that.¡±

    She frowns, then she takes another step closer so our bodies are near pressed together and she

    sighs heavily. Colette leans forward, her forehead pressing to my chest as her arm slides around

    my back and she hugs me.

    A simple action. Something so small, yet it feels mountainous as my emotions spring forward and I

    just need to hold her. My arms slide around her body, taking the time to appreciate how much full

    her body has gotten since I¡¯d first held her in my pack.

    Colette had been sickly, a weak and thirsty hybrid. One needing water and care, neither of which

    she got. But since moving with me, since being here and learning her new skills¡­she has more

    meat on her bones. A deeper cube to her hips, fuller breast, and even a softness to her stomach

    that I want to rest my head on.

    1/6

    O

    No longer is Colette a weak, scared girl. She is a strong, wise and humble Luna who always puts

    other first. And she is mine, truly meant to be mine. Even with all my fuck ups, even with all my

    resistance¡­she knows. She feels it; I hope.

    ¡°Merikh.¡± She whispers. I nce down at her as she lifts her head and looks up. My heart stutters in

    my chest and the air feels thin. ¡°I¡¯m still so mad at you¡­¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I murmur, unable to not touch her face as I reach and stroke her cheek with my right hand,

    my left holding her close, refusing to let her run away just yet.

    ¡°I have stiptions for us marking each other.¡± She swallows roughly.

    ¡°Anything.¡± I rush out, not caring at all about what she demands of me.

    ¡°I want it to be done in water.¡± She says.

    My browse together in confusion, imagining a heated moment in the shower. The drops

    cascading down her bare breasts as Ip at them, her legs wrapping around my waist as I hoist her

    up and enter her. Yeah, this request sounds easy enough.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I rush out a little too eagerly. She grins and shakes her head.

    ¡°In healing waters,¡± she rifies, then she takes a deep breath. ¡°There is a bathing chamber, one

    meant for just siren use. Only my father has the key and he has given it to me.¡±

    ¡°I already told you, whatever your request is, I will meet it.¡± I remind her. And I fully intend on

    meeting every request she makes. Admittedly, I am more excited about the healing waters than the

    shower sex. Though shower sex will indeed be in our future. Many, many times.

    ¡°You will enter the water when I sing to you,¡± she whispers, and my excited demeanor dissipates as

    I tilt my head. She looks nervous all of a sudden.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    ¡­¡°I respond slowly, waiting for her to exin.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    ¡°You have controlled every scenario, what I know, my choices¡­¡± she releases a shaky breath while

    I wait, growing more worried by the second. ¡°I want to use the siren song on you. To control your

    actions during¡­¡±

    My eyes grow wide, my mouth falling open in shock. I snap it shut, my lips pressing together as I

    stare at her. Colette wants to control me. She wants to use the song to force my movements and

    reactions. She wasn¡¯t

    2/6

    powerful enough to do much before. Just sing and I came running like a lovesick fool, but now she

    can¡­ manipte me with it?

    ¡°You can do that?¡± I ask her, surprised by this change in her abilities. She¡¯s been working hard with

    Caspian, but! guess I didn¡¯t expect her to have grown so much so fast.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she nods.

    ¡°So, what will you control?¡± I ask, trying to get a better understanding.

    ¡°That is for me to decide.¡± She says, taking a step away from me. ¡°I am the one in control this

    time.¡±

    My muscles twitch at her words, not keen on letting my control go, but if this is what it takes, then I

    will do it. Even a little begrudgingly.

    ¡°Whatever you want.¡±

    A knock sounds at the door and I move to it, hesitantly pulling it open to find Caspian standing in the

    doorway. He looks disheveled, and he pushes his way in, moving directly toward Colette.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°Have you marked her yet?¡± he asks, reaching out and pushing her head to the side, looking for a

    mark. He frowns and looks between us.

    ¡°We just made it back to the room,¡± Colette reminds him and he paces away.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± I ask, and he frowns.

    ¡°Everyone is trying to pin what happened on you.¡± He finally says. ¡°We know it wasn¡¯t exactly an

    attack, but they believe it was retaliation for your gamma being injured.¡±

    ¡°Which would be just,¡± Colette chimes in and Caspian gives her a disappointed look.

    ¡°Just or not, now is not the time to get defensive.¡± He grits out. ¡°I can sense something ising,

    and every instinct is telling me you are not safe.¡±

    ¡°She is safe with me,¡± I tell him tly. Does he think I am unable to protect my luna?

    3/6

    ¡°She is not safe until she bears your mark and we all know it.¡±

    ¡°You are pushing it awfully hard,¡± I mutter, and he scoffs.

    ¡°And you both are fighting it harder.¡±

    ¡°If it were my choice, we would be mated fully by now, but I need Colette to make this decision and I

    refuse to rush her.¡±

    +5

    ¡°Fine, I will,¡± he says, whipping around to look at Colette. ¡°My dear, sweet, newly found daughter. I

    can not handle losing you again. I am begging you to please-¡±

    ¡°I already decided we would go through with it. But it will be in my time.¡± She says, crossing her

    arms over her chest.

    ¡°Your time ends by end of day tonight, Colette.¡±

    She flushes pink, and Caspian rolls his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a mark, Colette.¡± he whispers, and she scoffs, then she rolls her shoulders back like she is

    ready to say something before he looks at his watch and curses under his breath. ¡°But I have to go.

    Brent is the first one on my list and I have a feeling it will be a very long day.¡±

    Caspian rushes out just as fast as he came crashing in, and Colette and I are washed in awkward

    silence. She clears her throat and then walks to the dresser and pulls out a set of pajamas, tucking

    them under her arm. Then she tosses me a pair of boxers and walks toward the door.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I ask her and she gives me a soft smile.

    ¡°To bathe, youing?¡± She says with a sultry smile and my throat goes dry. I try to swallow,

    struggling to get the saliva down as I nod yes.

    ¡°Do you know where you are going?¡± I ask her and she nods.

    ¡°Of course I do. He told me a back way to get there,¡± Colette says, exiting the door and taking a left.

    She opens a storage closet door after looking up and down the hallway. Then she drags me into it

    and pushes a mop bucket to the side.

    A back door opens behind the dump sink and I follow her, shocked first that a door like this exists

    and second

    4/6

    that she would know it. Colette steps through, and I duck, entering the small door before it slides

    back into ce.

    +5

    ¡°Caspian has told me all about the little secret passageways in this ce. He said it allows him to

    cut down on travel time from ce to ce.¡± She exins.

    ¡°I see,¡± I mutter, ducking under a massive spider web that barely clears her head. ¡°How do you

    know where we

    Boing?¡± I ask her and she looks over her shoulder at me, a big grin on his lips.

    are

    ¡°I can sense therge amount of water,¡± she tells me, then she pauses and her body shivers. ¡°We

    are here.¡±

    Colette pushes at a small door, breaking us into a massive room that smells of herbs and fragrant

    oils. I look at the massive pool of water, starting as a shallow body of water that grows deeper with

    every step. Petals dot the purple tinted water and I watch as she closes heseyes and inhales it all

    deeply

    ¡°You seem at home.¡°I say with a gentle smile and she blushes.

    ¡°Water feels like home. And you also¡­feel like home.¡±

    ¡°Colette¡­¡± I say, my voice barely a whisper, but she silences me as she ces her clothes to the

    side and slips out of her clothes.

    I

    Her bare skin is on full disy for me as I watch her with hungry eyes. My lycan is near feral in my

    mind, telling me to strip no and chase her into the water, but my brains are telling me we have not

    yet been invited.

    So instead I take in the delicious view as her bare hips sway side to side, making my chest tighten

    and my body. react in such a way that I am nearly in physical pain.

    She spins to face me and I feel my knees grow weak. Her perky breasts stare at me, practically

    begging me toe and cup them, knead them¡­kiss them. Colette is on full disy and she

    knows exactly what it is doing to me. As she smirks and slowly walks deeper before dropping to her

    neck in the water.

    ¡°How does it feel?¡± I ask her, nearly panting.

    She moans, her eyes sliding closed as she leans her head back to wet her hair.

    ¡°So good,¡± she murmurs.

    Then, without knowing it, I am shucking my pants, my torso pulled free from my shirt as I move to

    the water, my

    5/6

    feet toeing the water line. I wait, so fucking patiently, for her to beckon me, or tell me to leave. One

    or the other, but instead she watches me, every second more excruciating than the next that I can¡¯t

    touch her.

    ¡°You want toe in?¡± She asks and I nod. Like the wanton man I am, and she chuckles.

    ¡°Have a seat. I n to soak for a while.¡±

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44

    She is brazen. Far more seductive and yful than she has been before. But that¡¯s what¡¯s so awe¨C

    inspiring about Colette. How quickly she adapts and changes. How the moment her strength grew,

    her personality developed, revealing the true Luna beneath the once reserved and scared maid.

    She has always been pretty, but there is something about a woman who hase into her own

    that is utterly spellbinding. I watch her every move withplete interest, soaking in every second

    as shevishes her body. with warm, healing water. The way she dips her head back and her hair

    tumbles into the water, the way her muscles tense and release as she reaches up to her tie her hair

    up in a bun, the wet strands dripping down her

    soft skin.

    I am a goner. Not that I wasn¡¯t aware of this much earlier. No, I knew early on I was in trouble with

    her. But watching her now, experiencing her confidence and her strength in one disy of power

    over me, well, it¡¯s damni intoxicating. I¡¯ve never wanted anyone to be stronger than me before, to

    have a hold on me like the mate bond has done, but this is far beyond that.

    The mate bond is nothingpared to love. The pull of her, the way my body ripples with

    awareness every time I notice her eyes on me, that was never there with Lauren. My body craved

    Lauren, but my heart and soul weren¡¯t

    in it.

    Every fiber of my being craves the woman before me. Those brown eyes, that silky skin and that

    smart ass mouth are mine. All mine, and there¡¯s not a damn thing I wouldn¡¯t give up for her if she

    asked me to. I¡¯dy my life down for her, and it¡¯d be the easiest thing I¡¯d ever done.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Her sweet voice echoes through the room. A smile breaking over

    my lips as our eyes meet.

    ¡°About how much you have changed and how much I just want to touch you.¡± I tell her truthfully and

    she blinks, ¡°clearly caught off guard.

    ¡°That won¡¯t make me forgive you faster,¡± she says with the tiniest frown tugging at her lips.

    ¡°Make me suffer my whole life with you at my side,¡± I shrug. ¡°It won¡¯t change the truth I just gave

    you.¡±

    ?§­§À§¯§ª§´

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to suffer.¡± She says, looking disappointed. ¡°I want you to understand what it feels

    like to have no control.¡±

    1/4

    +5

    We both know that the oath I forced her to take won¡¯t allow her to control mepletely. But as

    long as she doesn¡¯t try to kill me, it won¡¯t fight the pull she creates with her song, I don¡¯t think. I trust

    her. It¡¯s weird to admit it, but I do. I trust her explicitly and I don¡¯t deserve her, but here I am begging

    for anything she will give me.

    Colette ys with the water, her face falling as she dips forward, her body gliding into the water as

    she fully submerges herself. My body tingles, my lycan going crazy as an ethereal sound fills our

    mind. I gasp as my body moves on its own, stepping into the warm water as it sends shivers

    through me.

    My lycan wants to fight the control, growling in my head and angry with me for not trying to resist. I

    silence him, reminding him this is for our mate. This is only the beginning of our penance, and we

    will bow down and ept it. It takes some convincing, but when he realizes I am right, he lets out a

    whine and settles.

    I can¡¯t make out the words of this song. She sings in anguage I don¡¯t understand, but the melody

    wraps around me like a heated nket, warming me to.my core with thoughts of happiness and a

    gentle caress of a seductive promise. There is no hiding how aroused I am, my body vibrating with

    the need to get my hands on her, my muscles rippling as I move deeper into the water, a soft light

    emanating from just beneath the surface beckoning me to it and when I get there I freeze.

    I am unable to move or make a sound as Colette slowly breaks the surface. Her eyes peek up at

    me and my breath hitches when I feel her fingers glide over my torso. Her head tilts to the side as

    she stands and moves backward, beckoning me to follow with her gaze. There is no quelling the

    erratic heartbeat that rams at my rib cage, no pretending I¡¯m not as entranced in her as I know |

    appear.

    She has me stop right before her, my fingers itching, my skin crawling to be closer though she

    refuses to let me. A dissatisfied growl breaks from my lips and she smirks, more than satisfied.

    Colette traces her fingers up my chest, and over my shoulders, feeling every groove of muscle I

    have before she grabs hold of me and spins me.

    My back presses into the side of the pool, the cool marble shocking me as I let out a surprised

    gasp. Then she steps closer and I can see how much she is fighting for control of her wolf as well. I

    say nothing. Calling her out on her own struggle would probably only lead to a much more painful

    blueball situation than I¡¯m currently in.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± she whispers.

    ¡°You.¡± I say, the word rushing out of me as easy as a simple breath of air would. It¡¯s true though.

    The very evidence of my wanting her rests in not just the southern region of my waist, but in my

    chest where my heart misbehaves and in my being where my soul rests, begging for every piece of

    her.

    She smiles wryly and shakes her head.

    2/4

    +5

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°What do you want me to do to you?¡± She asks. Her song hums through me like a thin wall in a

    cheap home. All the answers thate to mind are dirty enough to make her perfect cheek blush

    red and I bite back a vicious grin. Oh, the things I want her to do to me are plenty indeed.

    ¡°Touch me.¡± I say in a husky tone. Her head tilts to the side as she ys coy and my body quivers

    with agonizing desire for her. Her fingers flit over my cheek as she smiles.

    ¡°Here?¡± she asks, but before I can answer, she drags her nail down my throat and across my

    corbone. ¡°Or maybe here?¡± She asks.

    I don¡¯t answer, I can¡¯t. How can I when my tongue is pressed so damn hard into the roof of my

    mouth to control my actions I fear I may cause actual pain soon? My eyes meet hers, her deep

    browns swirling with hues of blue that mesmerize me. Her fingers dance lower, her eyes never

    leaving mine as they dip below the surface.

    ¡°Perhaps this is where you meant?¡± She whispers, the palm of her hand pressing against me,

    though she grips nothing. A moan rumbles through my chest, my eyes falling closed as my body

    acts on instinct and my hips grind into her hand.

    Colette clicks her tongue, and I snap my eyes open, looking at her.

    ¡°You can not take.¡± She says, her eyes firm. ¡°This is not for you.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, my little luna, I am in nothing but agony.¡± I grit out, trying to keep myposure.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem like it,¡± she whispers, and I chuckle, leaning down.

    ¡°Should I tell you how much agony I am in? Would that please you?¡± I whisper, and she seems to

    think for a moment. Then she lowers herself up to her neck in the water and I gulp at how close she

    is to my only too happy member waiting for her to do what she wants.

    ¡°Please,¡± she smirks. ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°My fingers are on fire.¡± I tell her, my voice a low rasp. ¡°Every time your skin is on mine it feel likes a

    thousand needles of pleasure tattooing your touch to my flesh. My chest aches like my heart will

    break free at any moment andnd squarely in your hands.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± she hums, tapping her index finger on her chin like she is pretending to think about

    something. Then she slides back over to me, her fingers wrapping around me as my body shudders

    and she looks up withrge, innocent eyes.

    3/4

    ¡°Colette,¡± I whisper on a moan.

    ¡°And what kind of pain does this cause you?¡± She whispers,

    ¡°Immeasurable.¡± I tell her honestly.

    4/4

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45

    I want to wrap my arms around her and seat her on me as I show her never ending pleasure. I want

    to run my hands over every curve, every swath of skin and pepper it with kisses while showering

    her with tender promises of a perfect future. But instead I fight my every urge, my very nature, to

    take the lead.

    ¡°And what makes this so intolerable?¡± She asks, sounding slighted.

    ¡°It¡¯s theck of touch.¡± I shiver. ¡°I want to feel every part of you. So damn bad, Colette.¡±

    ¡°No, you want to be in control.¡± She says, drawing her hand away. I look at her through heady eyes,

    her serious gaze doing nothing to diminish the throbbing erection she has fully fueled.

    ¡°I have surrendered to you fully.¡± I tell her truthfully.

    ¡°Not yet.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°But you will.¡±

    She stands and rushes to me, pressing her body against mine as she reaches up, wrapping her

    arms around my neck. Her plush lips press against mine and I kiss her back, my mouth opening as

    she rolls her hips into me. It want to wrap my arms around her, but they are stuck to my side.

    ¡°Can I touch you back?¡± I beg her, breaking our kiss for a mere moment, and she pauses, a smile

    on her lips.

    ¡°I like you asking permission first.¡± She says.

    ¡°Is that a yes?¡± I huff and she shakes her head.

    ¡°Yes. For now.¡± I capture her lips again, my arms wrapping around her as I lift her up. Colette¡¯s

    slender legs wrap around my waist. I am so close to the point of entry, my lycan cursing me for not

    dropping her lower and taking her hard and fast.

    She moans into my mouth, my body alight as I eat every little sound she makes like it is the only

    sustenance I will ever need again. One of her hands slides down, tracing my arm as she moves it

    from her lower back to her ass. A feral growl releases from me as I slide my other hand and she tilts

    her head back, exposing her neck to me.

    My lips know immediately what to do as theytch onto her tender skin, and I rain down on her with

    gentle nips and licks. I move further down, finding the cusp of her perfect breast before I look up,

    begging for permission. She smirks and shakes her head no, and I whine in disappointment.

    1/5

    ¡°You are punishing yourself,¡± I grumble and she sighs.

    ¡°Fair point.¡± She murmurs. Then she wiggles, my grip loosening as she tries to break free from my

    arms. My chest aches at the thought of her stepping away until she meets my eyes as she lifts one

    leg and I feel her slide down

    on

    1. me.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I groan, low in my chest, my eyes rolling back in my head as her heat envelops me. She

    ces her hand on my shoulder as she releases sweet little pants. Then she lifts herself before she

    drops on me again and I shiver.

    My fists clench as I try to keep from taking control. It¡¯s not until her hand slides up behind my neck

    and she pulls herself impossibly close that I meet her gaze and she nods, giving me free rein. In an

    instant, my body feels freer and I reach out, gripping her ass, lifting her and dragging her down my

    body, meeting my thrusts midway as we both groan, her head falling back.

    ¡°Letty,¡± her name tumbles from my lips and I close my eyes, fighting against the mounting pleasure

    that ising on too soon, too fast.

    ¡°I¡¯m close,¡± she whispers and I reach between us, my thumb finding the sweet point between us as I

    massage it with a gentle circle.

    ¡°Me too,¡± I groan out and she snaps her head up. She leans forward and grips me close, her lips

    nibbling on my

    ear.

    ¡°Do not finish,¡± shemands me. ¡°Mark me, but you are not allowed to finish.¡± IN

    ¡°What?¡± My eyes go wide just as her teeth break my skin and I roar out, trying like fucking hell to

    stop myself from the climax that¡¯s just a half a thrust away.

    I am plunged into her mixture of emotions, the way she feels as shees with me inside of her

    and I grit my ¡°teeth before I grip her head and yank it to the side hovering just over her neck.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I whisper, my lips brushing over her skin, and she nods her head, unable to catch

    her breath.

    My teeth sink into her skin, a popping sound ringing in my ears as water rains down on us. She rolls

    her hips into me and I bite down harder, fighting the orgasm that tries to rip through me, and then

    she hisses in pain.

    ¡°Finish.¡± She whispers. ¡°Come now.¡±

    2/5

    +5

    My head falls back and my eyes close as I convulse, clinging to her as she shakes in my arms. I

    find it impossible to make a sound until Ie down from the clouds, my forehead finding her

    shoulder and I rest it against her soft skin.

    My lungs ache as she gently pushes herself away from me and drops beneath the water, her back

    to me. When she pops back up she moves toward the shallow end, leaving me heaving to catch my

    breath. I try to follow, but she stops and looks at me, tears in her eyes.

    ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡± Colette whispers just as a soft sob breaks free. I furrow my brows,

    worry recing the pleasure.

    ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± I ask her and she nods her head.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I try to rush toward her but she grabs her clothing and rushing into the bathroom, leaving me behind

    feeling wreaked with guilt and self hatred. Had I bitten her too hard? Or maybe I was too rough on

    her for it only being our second time together.

    I drag my hands through my hair and slide beneath the surface for a mere moment before breaking

    the surface while allowing my mark to remain in the healing waters. I touch the tender spot in my

    neck where her mark is. The same spot I bore my mark for Lauren, but this time, it feels different.

    It feels right, like this mark belongs here and no one can change that. Colette is safe now, protected

    from anyone who might try to harm her for who she is, what she is. There is not a single being in the

    world who would sessfully take her from my side now. I only hope she feels liberating in that,

    and not trapped.

    I try to rush toward her but she grabs her clothing and rushing into the bathroom, leaving me behind

    feeling wreaked with guilt and self hatred. Had I bitten her too hard? Or maybe I was too rough on

    her for it only being our second time together.

    I tug my hands through my hair as I drop into the water, sliding beneath the surface for a mere

    moment before popping up while allowing my mark to remain in the healing waters. I instinctively

    touch the mark. The same spot | bore my mark for Lauren, but this time, it feels different.

    It feels right, like it belongs here and no one can change that. Colette is safe now, protected from

    anyone who

    might try to harm her for who she is, what she is. There is not a single being in the world who would

    sessfully take her from my side now. I only hope she feels liberated in that, and not trapped.

    3/5

    ¡°I thought I might find you here,¡± I hear a voice, and I turn to see Ezrah walking through the door.

    ¡°And why would you think that?¡± I frown.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    +5

    ¡°Mostly because Caspian told me I could find you here if you were not in your room.¡± He shrugs.

    Then he pauses, looking at me and then ncing around.

    ¡°Where is Colette?¡± He asks, worry in his voice.

    ¡°She is getting dressed.¡± I inform him, and he nods.

    ¡°Is there a reason you needed to find us?¡± I ask him, an unease rippling through my mind.

    ¡°Caspian has discovered who injured your gamma. Percy.¡± He says simply, and my eyes grow

    wide.

    ¡°Who on council was it?¡± I ask him, my anger rising.

    ¡°It is not wise to speak about it outside of his office, Alpha.¡± He says, looking around, ¡°I do not think

    we are as alone as you would hope.¡± He whispers.

    ¡°We will be right there,¡± I inform him as he turns his back and exits the room. I rush out of the water,

    toweling dry as I shove my legs into my pants and then I gently rap on the bathroom door.

    ¡°Colette¡­¡± I call softly and I hear her sniffling. I go against what in instinct tells me and I push

    through the door and find her sitting on a small bench in therge locker room¨Clike area. Her red

    eyes find mine and she bites her lips.

    ¡°Shit, I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡± I mutter, my heart aching as I fall to my knees before her, reaching

    up and wiping her tears away as my fingers tingle. ¡°Where did I hurt you?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to be mad at you b¨Cb¨Cbut-¡± she hups. ¡°Merikh I can feel it all.¡± She murmurs.

    I furrow my brows, confused. ¡°Feel what?¡±

    ¡°The mate bond. You weren¡¯t lying.¡± She whispers, her eyes full of love and confliction. ¡°We really

    are second chance mates¡­I can feel the bond.¡±

    ¡°And it hurts you?¡± I ask, yanking my hands away. She reaches out and grabs them, gasping as the

    bond electrifies between us.

    4/5

    +5

    ¡°No, what hurts me is how much I understand you now. How much I can feel your sincerity in the

    way you trust. me and love me. It makes me want to forgive you¡­¡±

    I frown, taking her hands and pressing them to my lips.

    ¡°I never meant to hurt you.¡± I whisper. ¡°And I am so sorry that I ever thought I was being wise. I am

    sorry for hurting you, lying to you and tricking you¡­for all of it.¡±

    ¡°Damn it, I hate that. I can feel how sincere you are. I want to be mad at you.¡± She grumbles and I

    laugh. I know I shouldn¡¯t, but she is so damn cute as she pouts.

    ¡°I promise I will still make you mad. Just not as mad and if down the road you remember how mad

    you are or should be, you can take it out on me then.¡± I pull her to me, dropping a kiss on her

    forehead. ¡°But right now, we have to go see your father. He has an update on Bercy¡¯s attacker.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she asks, jumping up, shocked. She grabs my hand and rushes toward the door, the bond

    fluttering across our skin as smiles, then clears her throat and yanks me out the door.

    5/5

    É«

    COMMENT

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46

    ¡°Colette¡±

    +5

    My wolf wars with me, whining and reminding me he was telling the truth. We are mates, truly and

    whole fated to be together. Him as my Alpha, me as his Luna. But fate doesn¡¯t erase the lies and

    the hurt he has brought me. Trust is more than love and mating.

    It¡¯s showing up for each other, its expectations being met and openmunication. How am I

    supposed to forgive him for failing to meet two of the three requirements? I know in time, the feeling

    of betrayal will fade and the bond will nearly erase it along the way. But I need him to fully grasp

    how it felt to be branded as not only untrustworthy but set up to fail when he wanted to trust me.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Merikh asks, his hand sliding up my arm as he rubs it lovingly. His warmth oozes

    into through the bond, the purity and the depth of his emotions both terrifying and beautiful.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just see what is going on,¡± I say, avoiding the question.

    me

    ¡°Letty,¡± he says, his voice dropping low as he stares into my eyes. I am certain he can feel my inner

    fight, just as I can feel his glow of warmth.

    ¡°Now is not the time, Merikh,¡± I tell him firmly and he frowns, then he nods. I push the door open,

    Caspian looking up, an unusually icy look on his face, and I look around the room, seeing Johannes

    in the corner with Elm.

    ¡°You just invited yourself in, huh?¡± Johannes snorts with disdain. I roll my eyes, really sick of this

    asshole¡¯s snide remarks.

    ¡°We were invited, so I assumed he would be expecting us.¡± I retort, and his eyes widen, a little

    shocked by my annoyance. The fact that he is here, along with Elm, makes me think that one of the

    two men were involved in trying to hurt my gamma. A gamma I happen to care very much about.

    ¡°Knocking is respectful,¡± my dad says and I bite back another annoyed response, instead of

    realizing that he is right. I can be informal when it is just us, but in front of the others we are putting

    on a show. No one can know, not yet anyway, who I really am.

    ¡°I apologize,¡± I sigh, bowing my head in respect. ¡°You are correct. I am just eager to have some

    answers.¡±

    1/7

    ¡°Our gamma is important to us and when we heard there was an update, we got a little excited.¡± He

    says with an air of authority. ¡°We meant no disrespect.¡±

    ¡°I can understand that tensions are high, especially after what we are assuming was an attack.¡±

    Caspian says respectfully, but I see a glimmer in his eyes, the hidden tenderness he has for me,

    and I give him a soft smile.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I say, then I look around the room. ¡°May we sit down?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Yes,¡± He clears his throat. ¡°Please take a seat. These two have something to share.¡±

    ¡°I hardly think being here is necessary for me,¡± Johannesins, but Caspian silences him with

    a re. N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°Are you not at fault for Percy¡¯s incident?¡± Merikh asks, choosing to stand behind me as I take a

    seat.

    ¡°You think it was me who did it?¡± He snorts. ¡°Typical.¡±

    ¡°You have a history with our kind.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I either screw them or I kill them. I don¡¯t beat on barely of age children and leave them for the

    hell of it.¡± Hisment clearly makes him feel proud as he shes and big knowing smile at Merikh,

    but I don¡¯t feel the hatred I thought I would from him.

    ¡°Enough bickering.¡± Caspian groans, rubbing his temple.

    ¡°It was me.¡± Elm clears his throat, his eyes finding mine as I blink at him in shock. I look at the man

    with a usually calm demeanor, recalling our conversation.

    ¡°Why?¡± Merikh asks and I can feel he is feeding off my emotions. I don¡¯t believe Elm was the one

    who attacked Percy and Merikh is feeding off of that.

    ¡°Does one need a reason?¡± Johannes scoffs, rolling his

    eyes.

    ¡°Why are you here if it wasn¡¯t you?¡± Merikh snaps at him and Johannes¡® nose twitches as he tries to

    keep from saying another smart ass remark when Caspian res at him.

    ¡°I overheard him discussing it with another council member.¡± He bites out, then he glowers at

    Merikh and me. ¡°Look, I know I am an unforgivable dick. But rules are one thing I follow. No

    violence on council grounds. That is

    2/7

    something I take seriously.¡±

    ¡°You killed my father,¡± Merikh says, his voice strong but I can feel the pain of his lossnce through

    my heart, my eyes turning up to look at him as he keeps his eyes focuses on Johannes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I did it.¡± Elm breaks into the conversation. He looks remorseful, his head bowed in

    shame as he walks over and kneels at my feet.

    My eyebrows disappear into my hairline as I stare at him, shocked. I nce up at Merikh, unsure of

    what to do as he furrows his brow.

    -What do I do?¡ªI think in my mind and I nearly crawl out of my skin when I hear Merikh¡¯s voice in

    my mind.

    What do you

    you want to do?¡ª He asks me. My skin goosebumps and I hear hisughter filter through me and it

    warms my chest. Our mind link is fully established-

    -This feels weird¨Cl admit.

    -We need to devise a punishment for Elm.¨C He says, bringing me back to the issue at hand.

    ¡°I need you to borate on why you don¡¯t know.¡± I say to Elm, who looks up at me with his

    remorseful eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t recall being in the woods, or even seeing him around. I remember waking up in pain and

    using the earth¡¯s energy to heal my wounds. Truthfully, I had no idea what I could have possibly

    done for it to happen.¡±

    I furrow my brows looking at my father, who seems to be in deep thought.

    ¡°I thought we couldn¡¯t use our powers before the attack happened¡­¡± Johannes adds in thought, his

    own interest clearly rising as we all discuss this openly.

    ¡°Is it possible he was controlled?¡± I ask, looking up at Merikh. ¡°Like the red¨Ceyed wolves?¡±

    ¡°Red eyed wolves?¡± Johannes mutters to himself in question.

    ¡°Yes, if the magic barrier were down.¡± Merikh offers, ignoring Johannes, ¡°But it was supposed to be

    up at that time. It should have onlye down in order to help Percy heal, as his healing was

    affected.¡±

    ¡°So someone was able to topple it. Make me beat your gamma and then put it back up?¡± Elm asks.

    3/7

    ¡°Seems that way,¡± Caspian mumbles. ¡°So it is not entirely your fault, Elm.¡±

    ¡°How it happened is no matter to me,¡± Elm says, bowing his head again. ¡°I wish to atone for my

    hand in it all.¡±

    I sigh, tilting my head as I look at him. ¡°Elm, if you were coerced in any way, it is hardly yo

    fault.¡±

    ¡°Not to mention hurting him isn¡¯t what is illegal.¡± Johannes adds.

    ¡°It is when they are

    re here and when they are protected under my watch.¡±

    spian bites o

    Johannes puts his hands up in defeat, pacing over to the window that overlooks the garden.

    ¡°Have your workers here noticed anything?¡± Merikh asks Caspian who rubs his temples, looking

    tired.

    ¡°No.¡±

    I keep my focus on Elm, watching him as he doesn¡¯t move a muscle waiting for his punishment

    while the other three discuss and try to get a better understanding of things. Elm doesn¡¯t recall it, so

    punishing him feels wrong.

    -He could be faking it¨CMerikh says in my head and I turn, looking up at him. He gives me a tight

    smile, showing me he is just trying to help me understand the situation better, but I don¡¯t respond.

    ¡°I want you to vote for us to join the council.¡± I say, making the room fall silent. Johannes scoffs and

    I feel a trickle of pride filter from Merikh. ¡°That is the punishment I chose for you.¡±

    Elm looks up at me, confused. His mouth falls open to speak, but he tilts his head and frowns. Then

    he sits back on his knees and watches me closely.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to beat me or my mate?¡± he asks like either would have ever been an option.

    ¡°Of course not. Your mate is more innocent than you in the matter, and I am convinced you are

    equally not at fault.¡± I tell him.

    ¡°I¡¯m confused.¡± Johannes snorts. ¡°You are just going to¡­ckmail him into voting you back onto

    the council. That is not how this shit works. There is a process and-¡±

    ¡°I ept.¡± Elm says gratefully. ¡°I ept and I attest to the fact that I would have voted for you

    before you asked

    this of me.¡±

    4/7

    ¡°Johannes,¡± Merikh says his name and the vampire hisses at him, as he turns to look at him. ¡°Who

    was he speaking to about it?¡±

    ¡°I was talking to Florence.¡± Elm says. ¡°She told me I should note forward, that it would be bad

    for my family, but when Johannes told me he knew, he swore he would ckmail me into voting

    against you.¡±

    I re at Johannes, who shrugs. ¡°I do not think your kind belongs here.¡±

    ¡°That is not up to you,¡± Caspian says.

    ¡°They should be eradicated.¡± He bites out. ¡°Down in the dirt beneath my feet, where they belong.¡±

    ¡°Leave my presence,¡± Caspian says, bolting up. ¡°I am sick and tired of your tant hatred. You

    caused your own downfall, and the death of the woman you pretend you didn¡¯t want.¡±

    Johannes slinks out of the room without so much of a look back at us, and Caspian pinches his

    brow.

    ¡°He is not the only one speaking of eradicating your kind,¡± Elm tells us. ¡°There are also rumors of a

    hybrid amongst the council members.¡±

    Elm nces around the room and then rubs the back of his neck. He meets my gaze and then his

    eyes skirt over to Caspian..

    ¡°You know,¡± I whisper. He nods.

    ¡°I knew

    during our f

    real talk.¡± He agrees. ¡°Being a fae, I can feel other elements. Earth is my specialty, but I can sense

    the water in you. It¡¯s in your veins, melded into your soul.¡±

    Have you

    told anyone else?¡± Merikh asks, his protective natureing on strong as his voice sounds like a

    threat rather than a gentle question.

    ¡°No.¡± He says simply. ¡°I voted against no hybrids. To my kind, a mate, a true mate, is a gift that is

    rare. So if she was created from a union that was divinely given, she is supposed to be here.¡±

    ¡°And the others?¡± I ask, swallowing the lump in my throat.

    ¡°They do not think like I do.¡± His lips tilt down. ¡°The very existence of a hybrid sets them on edge.

    The thought that someone could be more powerful is the only thing many of them fear.¡±

    5/7

    ¡°Even the dragons?¡± Caspian asks.

    ¡°They were the biggest advocate to eliminate your hybrid child.¡± Elm says with a grim look..

    ¡°Why are you just nowing out to share this information?¡± Merikh asks.

    ¡°She is a gift,¡± he says simply. ¡°A kindhearted, and genuine gift. It is rare to meet a humble leader of

    any of our kinds.¡±

    +5

    Merikh looks at me, a gentle smile on his handsome face.

    ¡°She is special,¡± he murmurs.

    ¡°How many others can you help turn to our aid? Caspian asks Elm.

    ¡°Easier said than done, Caspian.¡± He exins. ¡°But I can try my best with Brent and Florence,¡±

    ¡°Florence will always side with the vampires,¡± Merikh sounds glum.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure, Shees off like a sex crazed harpy with a love for mischief but she is

    calcting and if she finds it in her best interest, she will switch sides without a second look back.¡±

    Caspian says, sounding tired.

    ¡°I agree with Caspian. Florence has taken a strange liking to Letty. Let me see what I can do.¡± Elm

    says, before he gives us a nod signaling his leaving and he walks out the door leaving it just

    Caspian, Merikh and I.

    ¡°Any news on the fire?¡± Merikh asks.

    ¡°Nothing yet,¡± he groans, plopping back into his seat. My father looks drained, hisplexion pale

    rather than its usual sun¨Ckissed glow, and his eyes are dull.

    ¡°What now?¡± I ask him, and he shakes his head.

    ¡°I wish I knew, but everything is happening so fast. No matter what n I form in my head, by the

    time I even consider executing it, something else has happened. Your gamma being attacked, the

    woods setting on fire, Elm not recalling how or why hemitted the crime against your gamma,

    the barriering and going as it pleases. Someone here is ten steps ahead of us. At all times.¡±

    Caspian answers, sounding frustrated.

    ¡°I would like permission to search the premises. The woods, everything, with Hayes.¡± Merikh

    announces.

    6/7

    ¡°I wille with you,¡± I offer.

    ¡°No!¡± Both Caspian and him yell in unison. I scoff and roll my eyes.

    ¡°If I am with Merikh, I am safe.¡± I tell them.

    ¡°Not this time.¡± He frowns. ¡°We do not know what is out there, what we will find, if anything.¡±

    Exactly, and I¡¯m notpletely useless.¡± I frown, crossing my arms over my chest.

    ¡°I will mind link you every step of the way,¡± he gives me a soft smile, feeling my worry for him

    through the sted bond and I roll my eyes trying to pretend that I don¡¯t care: But I do. We both

    know exactly how much we care for each other now.

    ¡°You marked each other, then?¡± Caspian asks, sounding relieved.

    Isay

    ¡°We did.¡± I say and he nods, pleased.

    ¡°Good. Now we just have to get you all voted back onto the council and then you will be truly safe,¡±

    he murmurs, more to himself than to me. ¡°Merikh, you have permission to search the grounds with

    your beta. Please be careful. I¡¯m not entirely sure who we can trust anymore.¡±

    7/7

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47

    ¡°Merikh¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Colette says, her tongue running over her teeth as she drills me with her angry

    eyes.

    ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± I tease her and she crosses her arms over her chest.

    ¡°Of course I am! Don¡¯t pretend like you can¡¯t feel it through the bond.¡± She growls.

    She is right. I feel her fear and the way she doesn¡¯t want me to leave her side. The way she wants

    to just wrap her arms around me and keep me here. It¡¯s damn adorable and so fucking refreshing to

    know it rather than hope.

    ¡°Letty,¡± I say in a gentle voice, stalking toward her. She rolls her eyes, trying to be mad. ¡°Penny and

    Percy will both be here with you.¡±

    ¡°You stupid fool.¡± She sniffles. ¡°DO you really think I care about me? It¡¯s you that I am worried

    about.¡±

    ¡°Am I not the Alpha of Death?¡± I ask her, arching a brow, and she scoffs. Her indignation only

    feeding the yful side of me. ¡°Am I not the Lycan king?¡±

    ¡°You are my mate above all those things.¡± She says and her words spear me right in the chest. Her

    words surprising me as I blink at her, dumbfounded.

    ¡°Am I that important to you?¡± I ask her and her shoulders drop, her eyes going sad.

    ¡°Do you need me to say it as well as feel it for you to believe it?¡± She asks me and I nod

    emphatically.

    ¡°Every day. I need you to tell me every day.¡±

    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°I love you, and I hate you.¡± She says like the smart ass she is.

    ¡°Oh? and what is it you love about me?¡± I ask, walking toward her and rubbing up and down her

    arms as she looks up at me.

    ¡°You mean what is it I hate about you?¡± She rivals and I smirk.

    ¡°Oh, I know why you hate me. A little all too well. What I don¡¯t know is why you love me.¡±

    1/5

    ¡°Because of the mate bond,¡± she says, but I feel the lie, all the while watching her lip twitch.

    ¡°Interesting.¡± I mutter. ¡°Do you want to see if the lie detector works for me, too?¡± I ask, arching a

    brow, and she fights back a smile.

    ¡°Hit me with your best lie.¡± She says, bracing yourself as a knock sounds in the door.

    ¡°Brother, open up.¡± Hayes calls.

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m having sex with my mate.¡± I call out and her eyes go wide with embarrassment.

    ¡°No, he is not!¡± She squeals as Iugh, scooping her up and holding her close. I run my nose along

    her jawbone, humming in delight as her scent nearly spirals me out of control.

    ¡°I want to be,¡± I murmur and she scoffs.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a lie.¡±

    ¡°No, it is not. And I will never lie to you again.¡± I tell her sincerely.

    ¡°Merikh, we need to get a move on. We should have left hours ago.¡±

    I hesitate to put her down. My heart is as full as my arms right now and I feel the way her love

    trickles through to me even as she tries to hold it back as best she can.

    ¡°You promise never to lie to me again?¡± She whispers, her eyes full of worry, and my heart seizes. I

    never want to make her doubt a word I say, and I know damn well she isn¡¯t done punishing me yet.

    But I¡¯ve learned my lesson. No more lies, not for any reason ever.

    ¡°I swear.¡± I tell her as she slides out of my arms, pressing her nose to mine.

    ¡°Good, and you promise you wille back?¡±

    ¡°Easiest promise ever.¡± I say, sounding cocky, but it¡¯s damn true. I alwayse back. Fighting is

    my specialty and there is no being better than me at it. She nods, stepping back and sighs.

    ¡°Good, because I have some fun punishment in mind for you once everything is all sorted out.¡± She

    says. I lunge forward, pressing a kiss to her lips before I tear away and pause at the door, looking

    back once more and give her a gentle smile. ¡°Stay with Penny and Percy.¡±

    2/5

    ¡°I know, I know.¡± She groans as I pull the door open.

    ¡°Hey Alpha!¡± Penny says cheerfully as she and Percy slide past me. Percy gives me a knowing nod

    and I leave them behind, finding Hayes leaning on the back wall.

    ¡°Well, damn.¡± He says, reaching out for my neck. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding. Look at the fresh mark.¡±

    I p his hand away, pretending to be mad, but I can¡¯t help the huge grin on my face.

    ¡°You look happy, brother.¡± He says gently, ¡°I only wish I could find a mate to make me as happy as

    you are.¡±

    ¡°One day, Hayes. I have a feeling you will find her and she will be a bigger handful than you are.¡±

    ¡°You mean she will be as amazing as I am?¡± He teases and I snort.

    ¡°If you say so.¡± I mumble as we break into a run as we exit the building.

    We head for where the trees were zing earlier, sniffing around and trying to find evidence or

    anything other than possible magic. mes are easy for any of the council members here other

    than Caspian and vampires who avoid mes.

    I glint in the sun catches my eyes in a nearby tree and I look up, seeing a metallic red canister. I

    ce my hands over my eyes, shielding them from the sun as I move closer and Hayes sighs

    heavily next to me.

    ¡°Gas canister.¡± He confirms, and my stomach falls.

    ¡°Shit.¡± I grumble.

    ¡°Guess that rules out all the fire people like the Dragons, wizards and fae kind.¡±

    ¡°It rules out no one.¡± I scoff. ¡°You don¡¯t leave shit like that behind unless you want it found. And you

    don¡¯t want evidence found unless you are trying to aim people in the other direction.¡±

    ¡°Unless it is the red¨Ceyed wolves. Because they don¡¯t give a shit about evidence.¡± He reminds me.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I exhale. ¡°There is that option, too.¡±

    I look around, moving deeper into the forest, with Hayes right behind me.

    3/5

    ¡°I am leaning toward it being the red¨Ceyed freaks.¡± He says. ¡°The real question is, who controlling

    them?¡±

    ¡°That is the question of the year, Hayes.¡± I murmur a strange scent, catching my attention as I move

    further. My lycan goes on high alert sensing something and I can sense Hayes¡® lycaning

    forward as well.

    ¡°What the fuck is that smell?¡± he asks. I notice my vision going blurry and I realize toote we are

    waltzing straight into a trap.

    ¡°Hayes, I need you to force you lycan back,¡± I say, doing the same to my own. He relents to me

    easily as my

    visiones back in full force.

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± He growls, his head shaking from side to side as he tries to control himself. I spin on my

    heels, grabbing him as his skin grows fury and I force him to look into my eyes.

    ¡°You may note out. Stay in human form,¡± I use my alpha voice and his lycan retreats, Hayes

    gasping for air.

    ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡± he asks, beads of sweat on his brow.

    ¡°We are about to be attacked, and we can not use our lycans.¡± I whisper low enough no other ears,

    but his can hear me.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± He mutters, dragging his hands over his face. ¡°Lets do this shit.¡±

    I turn slowly, trying to see deeper into the trees. But no one is there.

    ¡°You cane out.¡± I call out, waiting for a response but finding none. An eerie feelinges over

    me, and I can feel the magic creeping up through the grass. There is no fucking way I am ying in

    a magdmine without my lycan.

    ¡°We should turn around.¡± Hayes hisses and I nod in agreement.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t like this.¡±

    We turn and walk casually away from the enchanted area, my lycan growing stronger with every

    step we take. I can see where the trees burned and I turn to look at Hayes, only to find he is

    missing.

    ¡°Hayes,¡± I call out, keeping the panic from my voice as I search for him.

    ¡°Merikh!¡± I hear his call out, pain in his voice as I charge forward. A hand grabs my wrist and yanks

    me to the

    4/5

    side, and I nearly collide with him as he covers my mouth.

    ¡°They are ying tricks,¡± He whispers.

    ¡°Merikh!¡± His voice sounds again, the agony in his voice no longer hidden as I stare at my brother

    and watch him shiver in fear.

    ¡°What the fuck are we dealing with exactly?¡± he hisses.

    ¡°Hell if I know.¡± I grumble, crouching down.

    Then I see it. A werewolf wandering aimlessly, her mouth wide open as my name screeched from it

    like a recording. My blood goes cold and Hayes grips my arm. I can sense his fear as well as I can

    feel my own.

    ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± Hayes says firmly.

    5/5

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48

    ¡°I agree.¡± I say, standing and sprinting in the opposite direction of the thing, pacing the woods

    screaming my

    name.

    #5

    I make sure Hayes is on my heels this time, checking every few seconds to verify he is still there. A

    loud crack sounds as pain radiates up my side and I fly through the air, rolling as I hit the ground.

    Before I can get my footing, a body is on me snarling and swiping at my face.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    ¡°Shit!¡± Hayes growls, his lycan taking over as my ownes forward. Body after body tumbles onto

    me, a mod. of red¨Ceyed freaks, taking chunks of my flesh from me as I plow through them with my

    razor¨Csharp ws.

    I finally make it to my feet, rushing over to Hayes and I tear the bodies from him with ease and help

    him up. We stand back to back, towering over the sea of werewolves who aren¡¯t in their right minds,

    waiting for them to strike first. Instead, they wait.

    A single woman pushes them all aside, walking up, her eyes more vibrant than the others, and I

    notice she is a lycan.

    ¡°We only want the girl.¡± She says, the sound emitting from her even with her mouth closed.

    ¡°No,¡± my lycan growls. ¡°Mine.¡±

    ¡°Then we will have to kill you.¡± She says again.

    ¡°Try.¡± Hayes¡® lycan says, charging for her. His hand flies out to swipe across her, but he stops

    before he hits her, his lycan shaking.

    ¡°Mine¡± He whispers. ¡°Mate.¡±

    Damn it. This is thest fucking thing we need right now. I shove Hayes aside, knocking the girl out,

    her eyes falling closed as the others attack us. Hayes¡® lycan whines hopelessly as he tries to get to

    the girl, but I growl at him, forcing him to focus.

    Now is not the time for him to fawn over his possessed mate. Right now we have to fucking fight to

    get out of

    here so we can inform the others who is behind this little bonfire.

    I tear through the zombie like wolves with ease, hope springing up that this might be a quick and

    easy fight after

    1/3

    screwed we are.

    The beast swipes at me and I barely escape as I dodge to the right, spinning anding out behind

    it. I lunge forward to attack and his head spins around, catching mepletely off guard as I panic,

    his bulbous fist striking me across the face. I tumble back, my jaw throbbing as blood fills my mouth,

    and I snarl at him.

    I try to shake off the hit, but my eye begins to ache, and the vision grows fuzzy as I stand my

    ground. He hits me again, this time his fist colliding with my chest, a rib creaking from the impact as

    I stumble back, trying to catch my breath.

    Hayes slides up next to me, chomping and snarling at the fucking thing. We are going to have to tag

    team this thing if we want to win. I lunge low, Hayes going high as I sink my teeth into the animal¡¯s

    leg, yanking as Hayes. topples him from the shoulder. The troll goes down and we hop on top of

    him, our ws slicing through his thick. hide, blood oozing from him.

    He lets out a horrible screech and the ground rumbles beneath us. I stand up, moving back as I

    witness two others just like this one staring at us. Anger fills the area and I hiss at Hayes, who looks

    up.

    He sidles up next to me and we realize this is the one and only time in our life we may have to run

    from a fight. We sprint to the right, the only opening there is, and the further we go, the more I

    realize how fucked we are.

    They have led us right back into the trap. My lycan fights to stay in the forefront but loses as I shift

    back into my human form, and Hayes does the same.

    ¡°Shit shit shit,¡± He mutters, hands on his head.

    ¡°Calm yourself,¡± I murmur. ¡°We will be fine.¡±

    ¡°My mate is a fucking lycan zombie bitch, and you hit her!¡± He roars, shoving me. I snap at him,

    glowering in his ¡°direction.

    ¡°Get your shit together. I knocked her out, so we didn¡¯t have to kill her. And if you want to go make

    sure she is safe, you need to focus on fucking staying alive.¡±

    He takes a deep breath, looking around as the ground shakes, the fucking beasts getting closer and

    closer by the damn second. I search where we are, no fucking clue which way is up, and I think

    about Colette.

    What will happen to her if I am gone? When she feels the bond break, if I die, she wille running

    and they will

    2/3

    have her. That won¡¯t fucking happen. Not if there is a single breath left in my body.

    ¡°You go back and get Penny and Percy. Maybe Caspian will have someone he can spare, too.¡± I tell

    Hayes.

    I

    ¡°Over my dead fucking body, will I leave you alone out here?¡± He yells.

    T

    ??

    15

    ¡°That is an order, beta. You will go back and bring reinforcements. I am ordering you to leave me,¡± I

    hiss and he winces, trying to fight the order. ¡°If you want me to live, you better get your ass

    moving.¡±

    He looks like he wants to cry as he turns and sprints off. The second he gets away from this area,

    his lycan wille back and he will haul ass. I only have to hold off for half an hour. I may be able

    to do that, but then again¡­ without my lycan, I am not nearly as lethal. My strength remains, and

    my agility too, but my razor¨Csharp teeth and ws won¡¯t be on the board anymore.

    The beasts finally arrive, and they don¡¯t slow down as the barrel toward me, trying to run me under.

    They tower over me now by at least three feet. I find a sharp rock as I slide under an oing

    plundering fist, and hammer it twice into one¡¯s leg.

    The beast seems unphased as it kicks at me, striking me in the chest as I fly into a tree with a thud.

    I wheeze, standing as fast as I can before I dodge to the left, stumble between trees, using them to

    help hide myself.

    All I can do now is y cat and mouse. And for the first time in my life, I¡¯m the mouse.

    3/3

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49

    ¡®Colette¡±

    I stare out the window that I know is facing the opposite way that Merikh went. My stomach aches

    fiercely, my instincts telling me I need to go after him, but I push them away, knowing that I¡¯m just

    anxious that he is no longer at my side.

    Penny warned me that the bond may be stretched too far for me to feel at times, though Percy

    chimed in to remind me it¡¯s likely that Merikh will also bury the bond. In order for me to not panic, if

    he finds something, he will likely close me out. Which seems far too like him.

    ¡°He is the lycan king,¡± Penny reminds me. I roll may eyes and chuckle, trying to hide the nerves that

    twist and turn in my stomach, making me queasy with every passing second.

    ¡°When you tell me lycans are immortal, I will stop worrying.¡± I tell her with a nervous smile and she

    frowns, reaching out to rub my arm before she bites her lip and looks at her brother.

    ¡°Do you maybe want to go to the kitchen?¡± She whispers. I furrow my brows, confused by her

    suggestion, considering we have a mountain of snacks that was just delivered.

    ¡°Penny, we are not leaving this room.¡± Percy clips out and she frowns.

    ¡°Being trapped in a room is not helping her anxiety, Perc.¡± She tells him and he presses his lips

    together. ¡°Plus, Alpha didn¡¯t say she had to remain here, only that we have to remain at her side.¡±

    Percy stands, pacing over to us at the window as he pulls aside the curtain and looks outside for a

    moment. Then he releases a long breath and looks directly at me. It¡¯s strange to see how much he

    has changed, the way he went from excited young gamma to a seasoned protector in what seems

    like such a short time.

    ¡°Would it put your mind at ease to be closer to where he is, to watch for him as hees back?¡± He

    asks, arching a brow.

    I wrestle with the question. The only thing that will ease my mind is seeing and touching Merikh.

    Mad at him or not, I want him next to me so I can choose to ignore him while being with him. I want

    to be as close as I can sol cany eyes on him as soon as humanly possible.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I nod and he seems to ept my request as he nods and looks at Penny.

    1/5

    ¡°To the kitchen it is.¡± He says, but I can tell he isn¡¯t too pleased as he walks to the door and holds it

    open for us. ¡°Actually, no. No, it¡¯s a bad idea-¡± he grits, rolling his head like he is trying to crack his

    neck.

    ¡°Percy,¡± I call out to him and he looks at me, a panic growing in his eyes as sweat beads on his

    brow. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask as I watch his jaw tick and he shakes his head.

    ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± he breathes, his eyes closing.

    ¡°Tell the truth.¡± Penny insists, ¡°There is something wrong.¡±

    Percy shuts the door, his face looking down at the carpet as he exhales. Then he drags a hand

    through his hair like he is contemting how to put into words what is weighing so heavily on him.

    Then he lifts his gaze, his eyes bouncing between Penny and me, a bright red flickering in and out.

    ¡°Something is wrong,¡± He pants, taking a step into the room. The room spins, feeling smaller by the

    second as I watch my sweet friend and gamma fight the magical hold of whatever asshole has been

    guing us for far too long.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Penny asks, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Her eyes meet mine, the same fear in hers as in my heart, and she steps closer to him, cing

    herself between us, ready to fight her own blood to protect her Luna. My stomach twists, my chest

    tightening as my anger at the situation grows deeper.

    ¡°I ampromised,¡± he hisses. Percy¡¯s already pale face grows more pale as he shakes his head.

    ¡°I feel off, like I¡¯m not inplete control. There is a voice in my head, whispering things, things I

    shouldn¡¯t have in my head and I can¡¯t¡­something is wrong with me.¡±

    ¡°Penny¡­¡± I whisper, taking her hand in mine, ¡°I need you to restrain Percy and put him in the

    bathroom.¡±

    ¡°A sick cackle breaks through the room, bouncing off the walls in a near shrill tone. The hairs on my

    body raise in awareness and fear as Percy looks like he is being possessed. A sinister grin breaks

    over his lips, revealing his white teeth, his hair now slick with sweat as he groans and drops to his

    knees.

    ¡°Do it now!¡± He cries out as if he is in agony. Penny lunges forward, yanking him to the bathroom.

    As they pass me, he lurches in my direction, his eyes fully read, and zombie¨Clike.

    ¡°Luna, I need something to restrain him with,¡± she calls from the bathroom.

    2/5

    02025% 12:05

    Shit, shit, shit. Do I even have anything to tie someone up? Tape? Rope? Unlikely. But I search

    anyway. I tear the room apart, ripping through drawers and the closet like a made man. I find two

    belts, and hope it¡¯s enough to hold him, even if it¡¯s just long enough to get Caspian and find

    something more suitable.

    I trip rushing from the closet, rolling with a pained grunt as I scramble on the floor before finding my

    footing and pounding on the door. There is no response. Only silence and my heart burns, dread

    settling in my bones before I pound again.

    ¡°Penny!¡± I shriek, my voice an octave higher than my usual.

    ¡°Bring it in here,¡± she says, sounding weak. My hand shakes as I reach out for the doorknob and

    cautiously push it open. My eyes tear up when I see Percy on the ground struggling under Penny,

    who has his arm twisted in such a way that he can¡¯t even lift his face without hissing in pain.

    ¡°This is all I could find,¡± I say, handing her the belts. She frowns and shakes her head.

    ¡°Shit. This isn¡¯t going to hold him.¡± She mutters.

    ¡°Pen¡­¡± Percy¡¯s voice is strained and full of pain as he shudders. ¡°You have to get her out of here.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I growl, refusing to leave him. Thest time I did, he was attacked and clearlypromised.

    They ruined his body and hurt him, and now they have a hold of his mind and I won¡¯t let them win.

    I rush to him, Penny fighting with him as he struggles, tears running down her cheeks. I drop to my

    knees, hesitating for only a moment before I reach out and grab his face, making sure I meet his

    eyes.

    ¡°You will fight this, Percy.¡± I growl out, putting everything I have into trying to see if I have a voice

    that canmand others like Merikh. His eyes fall closed and they blink back open, his lycan ck

    eyesing forward before morphing back into their usual color.

    ¡°Luna¡­¡± He rasps out. ¡°Th¨Cthey want to talk to you.¡±

    His throat bobs, his eyes rolling back into his head like he is fainting before they pop back. They

    don¡¯t change color, nor does he try to fight against Penny, who is quietly crying and holding him.

    I stand and take a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever lies these assholes are going to spew

    through my friend. Then I look at Penny.

    ¡°I am listening,¡± I tell him, squaring my shoulders. ¡°And then kick their asses out of your head.

    That¡¯s an order,

    3/5

    gamma.¡±

    57

    Penny gets off of him, stepping to me in a protective stance. She is ready for anything, but I can tell

    that she feels

    I her twin is strong enough to shake these dicks the second he allows them to deliver their

    message. If she didn¡¯t, she would have remained where she was.

    He pushes himself to his knees, panting as his eyes quivers and go red. He finds me, a creepy

    emptiness taking over his entire demeanor, as his head falls to the side, taking me in. Then a smile

    creeps over his lips.

    ¡°You are stronger.¡± Percy says, his voice melding with another that is not his own.

    ¡°And you are getting more desperate,¡± I retort. A cackle breaks from his lips, making Penny

    shudder. I touch her shoulder, knowing this can¡¯t be easy for her to see.

    ¡°Oh, not as desperate as you are about to be, Luna Letty.¡± He drawls out with the melded voice. My

    spin tingles, my skin prickling, and I can feel it. The fear that isn¡¯t mind creeping in and up my spine.

    Merikh was blocking his side of the bond, but I didn¡¯t think to block mine from him.

    ¡°Just tell me what you have to say.¡± I hiss, my patience gone.

    ¡°Your mom would love to meet you,¡± the voice says in a voice too happy to be truthful.

    ¡°My mother is dead,¡± I grit out.

    ¡°Is she?¡± They ask and my blood grows cold. I try to reach out to Merikh, needing to feel him, to

    verify the emotions I am feeling so strongly are only mine, not his..

    ¡°Enough of your games,¡± Penny hisses.

    ¡°This is no game. No, we are too busy ying with your alpha to need any other entertainment.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The word falls from my lips, the breath in my lungs whooshing from me. ¡°If you touch him, I

    will kill you.¡±

    ¡°You have to find us first, Luna. And even your siren father has failed to figure us out yet,¡± Percy¡¯s

    possessed mouth says before he gags and crawls to the toilet, vomiting violently.

    I spin on my heels, racing for the door, Penny hot on my trail as I break out the bedroom door and

    down the hall. I can hear voices calling out to me as I sprint out the backdoor, my bare feet padding

    over the soft grass.

    4/5

    ¡°Colette!¡± I hear my father screaming my name behind me, but I can¡¯t stop, can¡¯t even pause to beg

    for help as I follow my heart, hoping it will lead me where I need to go.

    -Merikh!¡ª I scream through the mindlink, knowing the emotions were his and not just my own. He

    is in trouble. Every fiber in my body can feel it, my wolf can sense it. But yet, he doesn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Luna! Please!¡± Penny calls out behind me.

    I can hear her catching up to me just as I look up and I see it. Arge Lycan in the distance racing

    toward us and my heart skips a beat until I realize it¡¯s smaller than Merikh. Then I feel him, my

    mindlink flooded with love, masking the other emotions as I try to make sense of what the hell is

    happening.

    -Do note. Stay with your father¨CHe says, but the distress in his voice betrays him, which

    means I sure as shit don¡¯t have to obey.¨CPromise me you will stay with Caspian-

    -I promise¨CI shoot back at him and then I slow down, looking for my dad who catches up to me,

    looking concerned.

    ¡°You areing with me,¡± I tell him, grabbing his hand and dragging him with me as I run.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± He asks.

    ¡°To save my mate.¡±

    5/5

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50

    ¡°Hayes!¡± I call out, running toward him. ¡°Where is he?¡±

    He shifts back into his human form, looking past me to Penny as he waves to her toe to him.

    ¡°I have to get back to him. Where is Percy? I need both he and Penny.¡± He rushes out. There is a

    frantic nature to the way he searches for the two of them, as he tries to be respectful of me while

    trying to get around me.

    ¡°Percy isn¡¯t well enough to go anywhere.¡± I tell him, not really wanting to get into the details right

    now.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± He growls both hands in his head as panic overwhelms him.

    ¡°I will go in his ce,¡± I offer and he shakes his head like it¡¯s the craziest thing he has ever heard in

    his life.

    ¡°No. You have to go back and¨C¡±

    ¡°And what? Cower and wait in the room and hope nothing terrible happens? No!¡± I growl, cutting

    him off. ¡°I will absolutely NOT be doing that. There is no stopping me. You are taking my protection,

    besides I will only follow you if you try to leave me.¡±

    Hayes frowns and drags a hand down his face before he nods.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to argue,¡± he grits out as Penny rushes toward him. ¡°But I am begging you to stay,

    Luna. Please.¡± he says, looking at me.

    ¡°Not a chance in hell.¡± I tell him.

    I know I am being difficult, but damn it, if the jerk controlling all these wolves wants me, they can

    have me as long as they don¡¯t hurt Merikh. Whoever this is, whatever they want to do with me, I

    know Merikh can figure out a way to fix it, but only if he is alive and safe.

    ¡°Colette¡­¡± Caspian¡¯s voice is wary as he looks at me and I push past Hayes, running in the

    direction he came from.

    ¡°This way, right?¡± I ask, breaking into a run and I hear them arguing behind me, then I hear them

    running. Penny and Hayes break into their Lycan form. I shift into my wolf and my father¡­well

    hopeful he left his sea legs in the mansion because he is going to have to keep up.

    The entire time I run, my heart is in my throat, every stride feels too short and every second too

    long. What happened? What can I expect to walk into? I have nothing and know nothing about what

    I am walking into. There wasn¡¯t any time to waste. Merikh needs help now, not after a quick debrief

    or an argument where I would just end uping, anyway.

    I nce over my shoulder, shocked that my dad, though always behind us, is maintaining a decent

    pace and keeping us in view. I don¡¯t know how long we run. It feels like hours until my wolf suddenly

    whimpers and I trip, tumbling over as I turn into my human form. I look to the side, seeing Penny,

    who looks at herself in shock and meets my eyes.

    ¡°My lycan is gone, she¡­retreated.¡± she says, looking at Hayes in shock.

    ¡°Then we are close.¡± He mutters, going on alert. He scans the woods, both he and Penny slightly

    crouched, ready for any attack.

    Capsian finally catches up to us, giving me a confused look as he throws clothing at me and Penny.

    And a pair of shorts at Hayes. Not that I care about my naked state right now. I have more pressing

    issues. Like a Lycan King who is missing and in grave danger. But I slip into my shirt and shorts

    quickly.

    ¡°What are we looking for?¡± Penny whispers and Hayes takes a step forward.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t necessarily looking, we are listening, so shut up,¡± he snaps and I strain my ears, trying to

    hear what I can even without my werewolf powers.

    My body hums, my craving for water and the calm of it growing. It¡¯s like I can feel it beneath me, the

    source of life from the water and all it brings. I can hear it as it trickles through the roots of the trees

    and feeds the leaves. The water isn¡¯t just around me, it¡¯s inside of me, making me feel like I am

    weightless and nothing can touch me. It¡¯s overwhelming.

    ¡°Caspian¡­¡± I whisper, feeling like it¡¯s too much.

    My body feels like it¡¯s throbbing. Like waves ebbing at the sand beach shore. He is next to me in a

    second and I look up at him, hoping for answers. He frowns as he takes my hand, keeping me

    steady.

    ¡°Without your wolf you are simply a siren princess.¡± He whispers. ¡°It can be a lot to be able to feel

    the water everywhere it is. You will grow ustomed to it in a moment.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I ask him, fear in my voice.

    I am here to find Merikh, and instead of focusing on that all I can do is think about fucking water.

    Where it¡¯s at, where it¡¯s going. Then I feel the water quiver. Like a ripple in a calmke. I freeze, my

    head snapping to my right along with Caspian¡¯s.

    ¡°That way,¡± He tells Hayes and Penny, who turn and look at him funny.

    ¡°They were heading this way when I left him.¡± Hayes says, looking skeptical.

    ¡°He is right. I can feel it too. Something big is that way.¡±

    ¡°Then that is where Merikh is.¡± Hayes straightens his shoulders and looks at Penny, then the rest of

    us, before he breaks into a run.

    We follow suit, the quivering growing stronger, beating in time with my frantic heartbeat. My

    stomach falls and Ie to an abrupt halt when I see the massive thing throw an enormous balled

    up fist, striking Merikh across the face. He flies into a tree, his body thudding as he tumbles to the

    base, and then he rolls out of the way of the iing foot from another of the beasts.

    Hayes lets out a war cry as heunches himself onto the back of one, trying to stomp on his brother,

    and Penny distracts the other. Merikh stands, hobbling as he winces, but he sizes up the beasts

    ready to jump in where he is needed.

    ¡°What the hell are those?¡± I ask Caspian, who gapes at what he is witnessing.

    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know.¡± He admits. ¡°They kind of look like trolls¡­¡±

    ¡°Trolls?¡± I hiss at him and he frowns. ¡°Those are real too?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He says like he is in deep thought. ¡°No, I¡¯ve never known those to be a real species and yet¡­

    here they are.¡±

    I squeal as Hayes flies in our direction,nding at my feet with a pained groan. He looks up at me,

    but quickly stands rushing back in as my eyes find Merikh, frozen in ce, as he blinks at me in

    utter shock.

    He looks awful. Blood is dripping from his hairline and just to the far side of his eye, dripping down

    to his shoulder. He is riddled with deep bruises, already taking form over his physique.

    I take a step toward him. My body feels light, like I¡¯m in a dream that none of this is real. How can it

    be? These beasts aren¡¯t supposed to exist and Merikh is a Lycan with no lycan to fight with or heal

    him.

    ¡°Stay there,¡± he growls at me, anger taking over his face as he stalks toward me.

    Then, out of nowhere, a third troll like thing grabs him by his ankle and Merikh is lifted and

    hammered into the ground like a rag doll. I gasp when he crunches into the leaf covered dirt, tears

    in my eyes, my body jolting as though the hit is a direct strike to my very core.

    The beast lifts him again and my body grows warm, a me of anger raging inside me as I stare at

    Merikh who, though conscious and trying to free himself, hangs.

    His left forearm is bent awkwardly and I can see how his leg seems to look segmented, like the only

    thing holding it together is the muscles and flesh that could tear at any moment.

    ¡°Drop him.¡± I growl, my chest aching in fear as I look at Merikh.

    He gives me a determined look, like he is trying to tell me he¡¯s got this, but I am sick of sitting

    around and waiting to be rescued. I am tired of constantly hiding who I am, who I have always been.

    I¡¯m over being cut off from the part of me I was always meant to know.

    The troll blinks at me, red eyes zeroing on my location and I suck in a deep breath, before dropping

    to my knee and resting my hands on the grass. The water heeds me. It wants to do my bidding as I

    try to summon it. I don¡¯t know what I can do, or if I can manage to pull off what I want to, but if in my

    desperation I fail, then I at least gave Merikh a distraction.

    ¡°Now!¡± I hiss, looking up at the troll, who seems to focus on me. The other two stop fighting, turning

    to look at me like a statue as Penny and Hayes rush to Merikh and try to pry him free.

    ¡°I knew you woulde for him,¡± the same voice as early emanates from all three creatures, and I

    find that my anger only grows. I am sick of being yed, of people manipting me and thinking I

    am too meek to fight back. This person thinks they know what I am? They don¡¯t have a fucking clue.

    ¡°Fuck you!¡± I shout as a spout of water shoots from under one of the trolls. It flies into the air, not a

    sounding from it as it falls back to the ground, crashing through branches and colliding with the

    hard earth. The water continues to spray like a geyser, wetting everything around us.

    ¡°Oh, the Princess has some skills. How fu¡ª¡± They say as a spout strikes one in the face and the

    other grows a bubble around its head, suffocating it and forcing it to release Merikh who scrambles

    away. Hayes and Penny help him up, bringing him to us.

    Water rains down, my body relishing the feel, absorbing as much as I can until I slowly feel the

    power of it leaching from me. The connection with the water around me slowly dissipates and after

    a minute, I look up, watching as the trolls morph into a human form,ying on the ground.

    A hand grabs mine, and I am whipped around to look up at Merikh. My hand flies up, pushing his

    hair away as I witness his cut stitching itself up, and I realize the magic is gone. Whatever spell was

    used here has melted away with the water. His healing abilities are back.

    ¡°I gave you one order.¡± He growls, his voice filled with anger, and all I can do is smile. He is safe,

    hurt and tricked, but damn it, he is safe. ¡°You promised me.¡±

    ¡°I kept my promise.¡± I remind him, stepping into his body, his arms wrapping around me no matter

    how mad he is. ¡°See? I stayed with Caspian. Or rather, he stayed with me.¡±

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51

    ¡°When did you be a smartass?¡± Merikh asks with a frown, but I see the glimmer in his eye.

    The one that says he is amused even if he is still upset with me foring when he demanded I

    not.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been taking lessons from Penny and Percy.¡± I say with a smirk, the mention of my sick gamma

    bringing me back to the reality of our situation as abruptly as someone flicking on the light in the

    dark.

    Merikh is injured and not just a little bit. He hasn¡¯t even tried to move his arm that looks to be broken

    and he isn¡¯t putting any weight on his other leg. Not to mention all the blood and bruises over his

    exposed chest and abdomen. My hands shake and my eyes water as I reach out to touch him, so

    afraid of causing him more pain.

    ¡°Where is Percy anyway?¡± He asks like he is in no pain, but when I press my icy fingers to his

    heated flesh, he hisses.

    I flinch, pulling my hands back in shock, and he grabs my hand with his good arm and drags me

    closer. My eyes meet his and my mouth goes dry, the world falling away around us as he ces my

    fingers over his heart and then removes his hand to wrap his arm around me as he pulls me close.

    ¡°Your touch is the only thing that doesn¡¯t hurt me,¡± he whispers, leaning down and rubbing his

    stubbled cheek against my smooth skin. My eyes fall closed, craving his touch, my skin needing the

    contact just as much as his.

    ¡°Merikh¡­¡± Hayes says behind us, the uncertainty and quiver in his voice one that puts me on alert

    and I pull back, looking at him. His eyes are focused on his older brother, a plea within them as he

    seems to dance between his two feet. He reminds me of an anxious child waiting for permission to

    use the bathroom at school.

    ¡°Go,¡± Merikh says with a nod. Hayes spins on cue, sprinting through the trees like he was just given

    an alphas order he can¡¯t resist. ¡°Where is Percy?¡± He then asks again.

    Penny clears her throat and straightens her shoulders.

    ¡°He is locked in the bathroom.¡± She says. He looks down at me, confused, and then back at her.

    ¡°Which bathroom?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Ours,¡± I say. He seems to think for a moment before he nods and sighs heavily.

    ¡°Good. At least we know where he is. We need to get back to the mansion.¡± He says, groaning as

    he limps past me, his handtching onto mine, tugging me along beside him.

    ¡°Should you be moving?¡± I ask him and he chuckles. ¡°Maybe you should lie down for a bit?¡±

    ¡°In war, staying still will kill you. Moving is the only option.¡±

    ¡°But you are injured.¡± I say, shocked.

    ¡°Correct, injured, but not dead or dying. Which means we need to move.¡± He says, taking another

    step forward.

    Caspian moves to his other side, sliding Merikh¡¯s arm over his shoulder as he provides stability.

    Merikh groans as they take a step forward, and then another me at his other side, holding his hand.

    ¡°My arm and leg will be mostly healed by the time we make it back,¡± he assures me.

    ¡°Can we discuss what the hell happened now?¡± Caspian asks, anger and concern in his voice.

    ¡°They were expecting us. We were ambushed.¡± Merikh exins as he hobbles along with my father.

    Penny falls in behind us, and I look over my shoulder at her, only for her to give me an encouraging

    smile.

    ¡°Who ambushed you?¡± Caspian asks, and Merikh scoffs.

    ¡°The fucking red-eyed dickheads, only this time they brought a whole other species.¡±

    ¡°You were only supposed to be looking around,¡± my dad says with a frown. ¡°Not fighting.¡±

    Merikh sighs heavily and shakes his head.

    ¡°We made it to this area and realized our lycans were being repressed somehow. That is when we

    turned back and ran into a group of red-eyed wolves. They were easy enough to defeat and then

    the fucking trolls came in and we had to run. They drove us to where we would be at our weakest.¡±

    ¡°That is why you sent Hayes for reinforcements.¡± I say on a breath and he nods.

    ¡°Yeah, though he was supposed to bring Percy and not you,¡± he grumbles, frustrated. ¡°He will have

    to answer for that once we get back.¡±

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    He grumbles along with Caspian for a moment about Hayes and how he is too distracted and

    obviously in a panic and though I am interested in why he thinks that. I can¡¯t let Hayes get in trouble

    for my decision. He isn¡¯t my keeper, nor is he able to control me.

    ¡°I refused to stay back.¡± I tell him truthfully. ¡°Hayes told me to stay, and I told him no,¡± I say with a

    shrug, not caring if Merikh gets mad about it. He left me and swore he woulde back when

    everything I witnessed pointed to him, likely noting back at all.

    Merikh frowns as he hobbles along with my father.

    ¡°Yeah, too bad for him. That doesn¡¯t negate the fact that he put his Luna in harm¡¯s way.¡± He says.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t. I wasn¡¯t safe there,¡± I scoff. ¡°You left me and then I felt your distress. When we tried to

    leave, Percy told me I was no longer safe.¡±

    ¡°At least he is smart,¡± Merikh scoffs.

    I stop walking, indigent that he is being such a hard ass right now about meing to help. I may

    be weaker and still training to fight, but damn it, I actually did something. When all he could do was

    be a rag doll, I was able to save him. Me. Not Hayes or Penny or even Caspian. It was me.

    ¡°You are lucky I can look past my anger and stille to save your stubborn ass.¡± I growl.

    Merikh sighs and stops, leaning heavily on Caspian as he looks at me with annoyance.

    ¡°No, you are lucky they didn¡¯t capture you. You walked right out into the enemy¡¯s territory and didn¡¯t

    think twice.¡± He shouts.

    ¡°Your life was on the line.¡± I growl. ¡°I will never think twice when ites to ensuring youe back

    alive. Plus, the enemy was hanging out in my room all along. You ran off and left me with them.¡± I

    hiss, stepping into his space, ring up at him, enjoying the glimmer of confusion I see in his eyes.

    ¡°What?¡± He says, confused, looking between me and Penny. ¡°What do you mean, it was hanging

    out in your room?¡±

    ¡°Percy ispromised.¡± Penny whispers. Merikh¡¯s eyes snap to her, wide and full of rm.

    ¡°What the fuck do you mean?¡± he demands and Penny looks at me, begging me to exin.

    ¡°They got to Percy.¡±

    ¡°Got to him how?¡± he grits out and I can see the way his chest heaves as he waits for more details.

    ¡°He is red-eyed.¡± I tell him, and he seems to stumble a little into Caspian.

    ¡°Fuck,¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how we felt,¡± I mutter.

    ¡°We need to get back.¡± He says suddenly, a look of determination set on his brows. He hobbles,

    Caspian moving with him as he looks over his shoulder at Penny and me. ¡°Now.¡±

    We walk in silence, the speed steady, though slow, and I can sense his growing irritation with every

    passing minute. Then he stops abruptly with an annoyed growl and looks at me.

    ¡°This is just wasting time. Switch spots with Caspian.¡± He demands of me, racing out and pulling me

    to him.

    ¡°Why?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Penny and Caspian, you need to get back as fast as you can. If Percy ispromised, they can

    make him do anything they want, including attacking other council members to prove their point that

    we are dangerous and need to be eliminated.¡±

    ¡°Merikh¡­¡± I call to him, but he ignores me as I try to speak.

    He talks over me, discussing things with Penny as my dad steps away and urges me next to

    Merikh. Before I can even try to get a word in, the two are sprinting off, leaving me with Merikh. I

    look up at him, frustrated that he didn¡¯t give me the chance to exin anything to him before he

    took charge and just pushed me to the wayside.

    ¡°Percy is taken care of.¡± I grit out, finally getting his attention. He furrows his brows, confused.

    ¡°Locking him in a bathroom is hardly taken care of. You don¡¯t think he knows how to break down a

    door or open a damn window?¡± He scoffs.

    ¡°Merikh¡­¡± I say slowly, stepping away from him so he can see just how angry I am with him. ¡°Do

    you think I am dumb?¡±

    He groans as he exhales deeply and shakes his head.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± he says.

    ¡°Oh? Then why do you assume we just closed the door and left him?¡± I arch a brow. ¡°You didn¡¯t

    think to ask what transpired. You just panicked and sent them away without so much as thinking

    that maybe I had it covered.¡±

    ¡°Covered how?¡± He asks.

    ¡°Imanded him, as his Luna. They wanted to speak with me through him, so I let them say their

    piece and I demanded he kick them out of his head.¡± I tell him, my anger morphing to pride as I

    stand up for myself and show Merikh I¡¯m not the empty-headed woman he seems to think I am right

    now.

    ¡°Colette,¡± he sighs, limping toward me as he grabs the back of my neck and presses a tender kiss

    to my forehead. ¡°You are stunning, and incredibly smart. But a Luna¡¯smand is not absolute like

    an Alpha¡¯s. It carries weight¡­but there is a real possibility that Percy is not going to have the

    strength to follow your order.¡±

    I blink at him.

    ¡°I have faith in my Gamma.¡± I tell him, ¡°Just like you should have more faith in your Luna.¡±

    ¡°I haveplete faith in you.¡± He whispers, the truth clear in the way he looks at me, the tingle of

    his skin on mine and through the mind link. Then he uses his finger to lift my chin as he dips low

    and kisses me sweetly before pulling away.

    ¡°A kiss won¡¯t make me less angry,¡± I pout and he cups my face, looking into me.

    ¡°I am not used to being afraid, Colette. And since the second you came into my life, I have felt

    nothing but fear and anxiety over losing you at any moment. I know you are not dumb, and I am

    sorry I made you feel that way. You have to understand, to them, you are a weapon. If they have

    you, they haveplete control over the Lycans and the Sirens.¡± He says with a soft frown.

    ¡°You control the Lycans and werewolves, Merikh. Not me.¡± I remind him, trying not to be swooned

    by his sweet words.

    He shakes his head like I am missing something important.

    ¡°You just don¡¯t seem to get it.¡± he looks away and releases a shaky breath.

    ¡°Get what?¡± I ask with a frown.

    ¡°If they have you, they control me. I would kill any species they asked me to if I knew it meant you

    were safe, and I would sleep soundly at night, knowing you were okay.¡± he swallows roughly.

    ¡°Colette, you are my only weakness, my heart and soul living outside of my body, and they have a

    target on you. It makes me fucking irrational and panicky. When I ask you to do something, it¡¯s not

    because I doubt you. It¡¯s purely selfish, so I can keep you with me, always. I need you safe, so I can

    be sane.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I whisper, my lips brushing over his as the air feels thin. I am high on him, on the way he

    makes me feel exactly what he says he feels. ¡°I promise I will do what you say.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, that¡¯s my good little luna.¡± He rasps before he kisses me hard and breaks away. ¡°Now let¡¯s

    get back. I would like to thank you for saving me¡­¡±

    He gives me a wry grin, and I bite back a small smile, nodding in agreement.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52

    Merikh was right. As we approach the mansion, he no longer needs me to help him walk. Our hands

    are threaded together by our fingers, my skin prickling as we walk closer to the quiet building. There

    is a fog that has settled around the garden and the rolling green grass. My wolf pacing within me,

    ready to jump out at any moment to prove her worth.

    ¡°It feels wrong¡­¡± I whisper to Merikh, who pulls me closer. I can see how tired he is, the quick

    healing from his lycan taking a toll on his energy. He needs to sleep, and to eat something.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asks, worry on his brow as he nces down at me.

    ¡°You can¡¯t feel that?¡± I ask him, ¡°It feels¡­I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Tense,¡± He finishes for me. ¡°The enemy is here, in this mansion, and they know we are aware of

    them. And those not involved¡­well they are about to be, whether they like it or not.¡±

    We walk cautiously, then I see Hayes pacing back and forth, his hands in his hair as he lifts his

    head and spots us. He rushes over, panic written all over his face, and my stomach falls. Something

    has happened, something terrible.

    ¡°Is it Percy?¡± I ask, sounding small, feeling small.

    Here I had been so sure that my order would work long enough to keep him safe. Had I been that

    far off? Did he hurt himself or worse, what if he couldn¡¯t get them out of his head so he took drastic

    measures? What if he¡­my heart stutters and my mouth goes dry with the thought, tears stinging

    my eyes.

    ¡°He was unconscious when we all got back,¡± Hayes tells me before turning to Merikh. ¡°But he is

    okay for now.¡±

    ¡°And your mate?¡± Merikh asks, my eyes going wide as I look between the two brothers, shocked.

    ¡°Mate?¡± I ask and Hayes nods, a grim look on his face.

    ¡°Her name is Leandra. She is a Lycan.¡± Hayes says and Merikh processes what he says. It looks

    like a silent conversation passes between them before Merikh seems to nod in understanding.

    ¡°Is she a rogue?¡± He asks and Hayes shrugs.

    ¡°It was hard enough getting her name from her, but she doesn¡¯t smell like a rogue, so I don¡¯t think

    so,¡± He admits. ¡°She won¡¯t see me. She¨Cuh¡­she says she has a chosen mate instead.¡±

    Hayes looks broken, his eyes filled with tears as he clears his throat and tries to remain in control of

    his emotions. His heart is being torn to shreds, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

    ¡°We will speak with her.¡± Merikh says, reaching out and tugging his hesitant brother in for a hug.

    ¡°Things will be fine, Hayes. She has been through a lot, I imagine. Let¡¯s first get her taken care of so

    she can feel like she has control over her own thoughts again. One thing at a time, brother.¡±

    ¡°I spoke with the elders, watching over the pack in our absence.¡±

    ¡°And?¡± Merikh looks rmed.

    ¡°There has been no activity, no red-eyed wolves, no attacks, nothing.¡± Hayes says, and Merikh

    nods.

    ¡°That is either great news or terrible news,¡± He mutters. I squeeze his hand.

    ¡°Anything else happening?¡± I ask Hayes, who gives me a curious look.

    ¡°You feel it too, then?¡± he asks.

    I chew the inside of my cheek, trying to put into words it is what I¡¯m even feeling. Tense? Uneasy?

    Worried? It could be any number of things easily equatable to emotions running high or just finally

    being so exhausted from an eventful evening into the night.

    ¡°Wait, you feel off too?¡± Merikh asks, looking worried between us, and Hayes shakes his head.

    ¡°No, but Caspian mentioned it when he checked in on Leandra. He says it feels like a storm is

    blowing in, but I don¡¯t think he meant the kind of storm that weather brings.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, something feels off. I just can¡¯t put my finger on it,¡± I admit, looking around.

    I have no idea what I am searching for. Maybe I¡¯m looking for answers or maybe I am hopeful I will

    catch someone spying on us that will give us a single clue into who is behind all of this. I shiver at

    the thought of being watched and Merikh frowns down at me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get inside. I need to get cleaned up and you need sleep.¡± He tells me.

    ¡°I will watch your room tonight so you both can sleep. Penny will be on you tomorrow, so I can sleep

    during the day.¡± Hayes says and Merikh shakes his head.

    ¡°You need to be with your mate,¡± Merikh tells him, but Hayes sighs and shakes his head.

    ¡°No, she has asked for space. I need to give her that space.¡±

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    Merikh gives him a soft smile before leading me to the door, Hayes along with us as we enter in

    silence. I can hear Florence giggling down the hall, along with a deeper voice chatting and I already

    know she is with her current best friend Johannes.

    I slide a nce up to Merikh who is still bruised and covered in blood, wishing there was another

    way to our room where we wouldn¡¯t run into these two, but there isn¡¯t.

    Merikh tugs me under his arm, the warmth of him and the sparks of the bond fluttering through me

    reminding me I am safe whenever I am with him. Florence doesn¡¯t even take notice until Johannes

    snaps his head in our direction as we pass the room where they are hanging out twitch the door

    wide open. I meet his eyes that are wide in shock and his lips mouth the word ¡®blood¡¯.

    He moves in a blur. One second he is sitting and the next he is in front of us, snuffing the air and

    tilting his head as he looks over Merikh. I expected to find joy there, a sick sense of glee at Merikh¡¯s

    state, but instead, I find curiosity.

    ¡°What in the dickens happened to you?¡± He asks, looking Merikh up and down.

    ¡°Move.¡± Merikh bites out, his mood shifting into protective mode as he steps in front of me.

    Johannes looks at Hayes behind me and must see something he doesn¡¯t like and he puts his hands

    up in defeat, licking his teeth before he steps aside. He flits his eyes over me before he rolls them.

    ¡°I really thought I would be the one to kick your ass.¡± He says as we pass him, Merikh¡¯s muscles

    tense, but he doesn¡¯t stop, he clenches his jaw and looks down at me, then a soft smile spreads

    over his lips and he drops a kiss to my head.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee, by the way.¡± Johannes hollers behind us, but Merikh keeps us walking. ¡°What? No

    thanks for saving your ginger Gamma?¡±

    I freeze in my tracks, my face heating and panic brewing in my stomach. I whip my head around,

    facing Johannes, who is wearing a smirk.

    ¡°Poor fool was stumbling down the hallway, pounding his head into the wall.¡± Bile rises and my heart

    sinks.

    ¡°Did you hurt him?¡± I ask, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice, but he sees past my false

    show.

    ¡°I knocked him out and dragged him to the healers.¡± He says with a frown. ¡°I had the opportunity to

    kill him, but I didn¡¯t,¡±

    ¡°And you want us to thank you for not killing him?¡± Merikh lifts a brow.

    ¡°Your gamma was ready to kill himself to fight whatever demons he imed were in his head. I

    figured knocked out was better than dead.¡± he snarks, ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± he says with a re and a

    small smirk tugging hi lips up.

    ¡°Demons in his head?¡± I ask, feigning confusion.

    I know what was in his head, what they want and their motives. But does Johannes? Not that he

    would outright admit it, but I think the fool is cocky enough to drop hints if he was a part of what is

    happening.

    ¡°Yeah, he kept saying there were demons and voices in his head. Wrestling with his inner demons

    or something to that effect. I have heard many humans use that phrase in my lifetime.¡± He shrugs,

    waving his hand like it¡¯s not a big deal.

    ¡°And you helped him?¡± I ask and Johannes groans like he is annoyed. Clearly, he came out to get a

    rise out of us, but now that he is being interrogated, I can only assume he is now officially bored

    with us.

    ¡°I hate your kind, but my problem is specifically with you, Merikh. Not some little Gamma who would

    hardly be satisfying to kill. So yes, I helped him.¡±

    ¡°How very kind of you, Hayes,¡± clips out. I look at the two burly men bristling behind me, ready to go

    for another round if they could and I sigh. Tired of fighting, nning and plotting, at least for right

    now.

    ¡°Thank you, Johannes.¡± I say sincerely, giving him a soft, sincere smile. Then I turn, grabbing

    Merikh and Hayes and dragging them down the hall.

    ¡°Did you seriously thank that fucker?¡± Merikh growls, low in his anger felt through the mindlink,

    sending shivers through my spine.

    ¡°One of us had to act like our status,¡± I say with a teasing brow. He bites back a smile, his anger

    filtering away as he sighs in defeat.

    We make our way back to the room, Hayes entering first and making sure the room is clear before

    he exits and gives us a nod. Merikh ushers me in first before stopping to have a quick discussion

    with Hayes so I head to the bathroom, starting the water for Merikh and grabbing him a towel and a

    change of clothing. I head out when I hear the door close behind him and he saunters over to me.

    ¡°Ezrah stopped by. An emergency council meeting is happening in the morning,¡± he says, cupping

    my cheeks before he takes my lips in a gentle, loving kiss.

    ¡°Mmm, then we should get some sleep.¡± I tell him with a smile. ¡°After you shower.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean we,¡± he smiles coyly. ¡°You stink too, my little luna.¡±

    I scoff as he kisses me again and spins me around, pushing me to the bathroom. I freeze when I

    see the mirror, my hands shaking, and I watch as Merikh¡¯s reflection sees it too.

    It wasn¡¯t there when I went into the bathroom, but the steam of the shower must have brought it to

    life, because on the mirror, as if written in a fog, is the word ¡®Burn¡¯.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53

    *Merikh*

    I wrap my arms around Colette, holding her close as she struggles to control her heart rate. Her fear

    pours into me like a free flowing fall over a cliff so I lower my head, pressing my lips to her ear.

    ¡°It¡¯s Percy¡¯s writing.¡± I whisper, but it doesn¡¯t make her less worried. She shakes in my embrace,

    and I press my lips to her skin, giving her a reassuring kiss and forcing my calm into the bond

    between us, trying to help her rx.

    ¡°Why would he write ¡®burn¡¯?¡± She asks, finally waking from the shock. I move away from her,

    reaching out and wiping the word from the mirror with my hand before turning to look into her

    shocked face.

    ¡°Either he was under their control, or maybe he is trying to warn us.¡± I offer, stepping forward and

    wrapping her in a big embrace. Colette releases a heavy sigh but shakes her head. Then she leans

    into me, the steam still swirling around us in the bathroom.

    ¡°We should go see him.¡± She says, spinning in my arms, looking up at me. Her eyes are filled with

    doubt and uncertainty. I reach out, stroking her cheek as I move hair from her face and I offer her a

    soft smile.

    ¡°Percy will be out for a while. At least for the night.¡± I tell her, and she frowns.

    ¡°How can you be sure?¡± She asks.

    ¡°If he wakes up, Penny is staying in the room with him, along with the healers. We will be informed. I

    promise, Colette.¡±

    She mulls over the information before looking over her shoulder and nodding that she is giving in.

    The hand writing isn¡¯t easy to determine as Percy¡¯s, but I remember the little pranks he would pull

    on Penny, the little notes he left on the bathroom mirror to make her paranoid that someone was

    watching her. This seems like a warning of what I can¡¯t quite tell, but burn could mean anything.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I will be able to sleep.¡± She mutters and I reach down, tugging at the hem of her shirt.

    ¡°I can think of ways to tire you out,¡± I tease her, and she arches a brow.

    ¡°As tempting as that sounds, you truly do need a shower.¡±

    ¡°Care to help me?¡± I ask, and she bites her lip nervously. Mated or not, this is still all very new to

    her. ¡°I promise to be a gentleman.¡±

    She hesitates before she gently nods her head, giving me her approval. I remove my hand from her

    shirt, tracing them down her wrists and taking her hands and lifting them above her head.

    Then I tug her top off, tossing it to the side. My heart is sounding in my ears, staring at her with her

    pink cheesy and lush breast on disy. I hook my thumbs into her shorts, pushing them down to her

    ankles.

    A shiver runs through her, and I step back, appreciating everything about her from her shy stance to

    her nervous energy. Then I strip my shorts off and ce my hand out for her to take as I push open

    the ss door to the shower and bring us into the heated spray. She sighs on contact with the

    water, her eyes closing in relief as the droplets rain down over her.

    I¡¯m enraptured by the picture before me. Her chin tilted up for the water to roll over her face and

    down her chest. There is no looking away as a soft smile breaks over her lips and she reaches up,

    dragging her hands through her hair.

    It¡¯s not until her perfect brown eyes open, watching me curiously, that I snap out of my trance. I

    instinctively wrap my hands around her, stepping closer to her as the water runs over my sore flesh.

    The water temperature surprises me and I hiss, trying to step away, but she clings to me, giggling.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be such a baby,¡± she says with a teasing lilt in her tone.

    ¡°You are boiling me alive.¡± I grimace and she presses her bare, wet chest to mine.

    The stinging stops, my body tingling with the sensation of our bond, and I bite my lips, trying to force

    the moan away. The mate bond can do so much for a couple. From expediting healing, down to a

    dopamine hit.

    ¡°Let me help you,¡± she whispers, as she steps around me, grabbing a bar of soap.

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    Her arms wrap around me from behind, her hands dragging up and down my check and stock with

    the soap before she presses a gentle kiss on my shoulder and slides around my front. She

    proceeds to scrub my entire torso and shoulders before setting the bar aside and moving me fully

    into the spray of water.

    ¡°Only washing my upper half?¡± I tease her and she again grows shy and shrugs. I sense her

    hesitation, her worry about what to do, how to please me or start without looking like a fool, and I

    chuckle. ¡°Turn, I will wash your hair.¡±

    ¡°But I was washing you.¡± She insists, and I grab the soap.

    ¡°And you did wonderfully. Now, allow me to return the favor.¡± I tell her as Ither my hands up.

    I scrub her scalp, making her moan with pleasure as she closes her eyes. I scrub her body with a

    loofah, making sure to cover every inch of her, my hands following along behind for good measure.

    Her eyes are on mine the moment I touch her corbone, not once looking away from me.

    I glide over her skin, dropping sweet kisses along the way until I reach her waist. She waits for me

    to decide what to do as I drag it over her perky cheeks, pressing her just a touch closer to me.

    She gasps when I press into her soft stomach, but she doesn¡¯t seem shocked in the slightest. Then

    I spin her around and hold her close to me, cradling her as the water washes away the suds.

    I itch to do so many things for her. The options are endless and the ess open, but I promised to

    remain a gentleman. So begrudgingly, I will remain just that. Her head falls back onto my shoulder,

    her eyes closed.

    ¡°Do you think this could be ourst pleasant moment together?¡± She whispers and I give her a

    squeeze, hating the thought process.

    ¡°Not a chance in hell.¡± I whisper, pressing my lips to her cheek.

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± She asks. ¡°I mean, they have trolls on their side.¡±

    She makes a solid point, but what she doesn¡¯t get is that trolls don¡¯t exist, especially not troll

    shifters. Which means those trolls, they are just someone being used by magic, like the red-eyed

    wolves.

    ¡°What happened when you brought that water down on us?¡± I ask her, and I see the side of her little

    frown.

    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure.¡± She whispers.

    ¡°You washed away the magic spell.¡± I tell her. ¡°And what happened to the so-called trolls?¡±

    ¡°They turned into humans.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­so they were just spelled? The area didn¡¯t allow you to transform, but it gave them the ability

    to.¡± She whispers as she unravels it all. ¡°But why water?¡± I mean, it could just have easily rained

    and would it have worked to wash it away? Not to mention the trolls weren¡¯t instantly transformed.¡±

    I sigh, not sure how to answer that question as it¡¯s been one on my mind too. Why was the spell so

    easily dispersed? Then I remember that the person behind this all was talking to her, saying things

    through the troll before she got rid of them.

    ¡°What was the troll saying to you?¡± I ask her and she frowns up at me.

    ¡°The princess has some skill¡­¡± she murmurs, her eyes zoning out for a moment before she blinks

    herself back.

    My stomach sinks, and I tuck her into me closer. They knew who she was, that she was a hybrid

    and Caspian¡¯s daughter, but I have long wondered what took them so long toe after her. Why

    wait for her to be with me? Surely attacking her in her old pack would have been easier. Instead

    they attacked me, us.

    ¡°They wanted to see if I was truly a hybrid.¡± She whispers,ing to the same realization as I have.

    ¡°And they want to see what kind of power you have.¡± I finish for her and she shivers despite the hot

    water hammering over us.

    ¡°Now that they know¡­what will they do with me?¡± She whispers and I spin her to face me, reaching

    out and shutting off the water before I grab a fluffy towel and wrap it around her.

    ¡°They have to get you first, Colette. And that will be over my dead body.¡±

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54

    I hold Colette¡¯s hand as we stop outside the double doors leading to the meeting room, I can feel

    her nerves through the mate bond, the fear she has for whatever is on the other side of the thick

    oak door. If things go like I think they will, she is about to be exposed, but hopefully that wille

    after we are back on the council.

    ¡°Are you ready for this?¡± I whisper, and she nods, biting her lip. I reach out, my hand at the nape of

    her neck as I pull her close, kissing the top of her head. Then I pull away, meeting her eyes as she

    looks up at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous.¡± She admits,

    ¡°There is no need to feel nervous, my little luna. Even if things don¡¯t go how we hope, we will figure

    out another way to keep you and all of our kind safe.¡± I promise her. A small smile ys across her

    delicate lips.

    ¡°I trust you,¡± she whispers, and I feel my heart stutter. She trusts me. My hand reaches out, cupping

    her cheek as I stroke my thumb over her soft skin.

    ¡°And I trust you.¡± I tell her, forcing every ounce of that sincerity through the mate bond so she can

    feel it. Since Lauren, I have trusted very few people. Only those I have known for years and the one

    I trusted the most shares my blood. But this is different. Colette has done nothing but prove herself

    when she never should have had to.

    I trust her. With my pack, my life, with my heart.

    She smiles softly, leaning in to press a chaste kiss to my lips before she turns and pushes the door

    open.

    Caspian sits at the head table. Pouring himself a ss of water. Florence and Johannes bicker in

    the corner, and Brent sits looking exhausted next to Elm. I notice two empty seats, watching them

    closely as I look at Elm, who gives me a courteous nod.

    ¡°Why are you two here?¡± Johannes scoffs, finally taking notice of our presence with a sneer on his

    face.

    ¡°I have invited them to sit in on this meeting, as it is important for their kind and their future,¡±

    Caspian says, sounding bored.

    ¡°Can we start then?¡± Florence whines. ¡°This is so much earlier than our usual meetings, and I would

    like to head back to bed¡±

    ¡°Not everyone is here,¡± Elm reminds her and she rolls her eyes.

    ¡°My best guess is Giselle went back to her cave of riches and Joffrey is the flightiest Fairy there is,

    so he probably-¡±

    ¡°Is justte?¡± The tall thin fairy says, sounding amused. ¡°If you haven¡¯t noticed, Florence, I have had

    business to attend to for the majority of this month long session, but I do indeede back for the

    important moments,¡±

    ¡°Oh wonderful,¡± Florence says, her eyes filled with lust as she licks her lips. Then she slides a

    nce to Colette, giving her a flirtatious wink.

    ¡°Has anyone seen Giselle?¡± Caspian asks and no one answers, all of them just looking around and

    shrugging.

    Typical of the dragons, never on time.¡± Johannes chides.

    The doors m shut as a petite blonde woman stares at us, then finds her seat without a word.

    Caspian looks around once more before sitting forward, resting his elbows on the table before him.

    First things first, he sighs. ¡°Before we proceed, we have a vote to make and where I once was

    convinced this would be a swift and easy vote, I am no longer convinced.¡±

    Oh? Did people change their minds?¡± Giselle asks, looking amused.

    ¡°I vote to reinstate Alpha Merikh and his kind back to the council.¡± Caspian says with authority.

    Giselle chuckles dryly and Johannes scoffs as I look around, assessing the others, searching for

    any tant response that mind single out the a s s h o l e causing trouble.

    ¡°Why the sudden change of heart, Caspian?¡± Johannes asks skeptically before sliding an annoyed

    nce to Colette. ¡°Did the lycan¡¯s pretty luna woo you? A few nights with the luna and you change

    your vote?¡±

    A growl erupts through my chest at the insinuation behind his words.

    ¡°I would never allow my mate to be used in such a way,¡± I grit through my teeth, Colette clutching to

    my hand as she tries to hold me back. I can feel her calm leaching into me through the mate bond

    and I try to let it ovee me.

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine any other reason his mind would change,¡± Johannes says with a smirk. I know what

    he is doing, what he is trying to showcase with his words, and I also know I shouldn¡¯t be ying into

    it. But I will be d a m n e d if I let him make such suggestions about my mate.

    ¡°That is enough,¡± Caspian roars, mming his fist on the table, his face red. My eyes snap to him

    as he silently ¡°This is a vote, not a debate or trial.¡±

    ¡°I also vote to reinstate.¡± Elm says, speaking loudly tomand the attention to him. He looks at

    Colette, who gives him an appreciative smile.

    ¡°I vote against it,¡± Johannes says, settling into his seat, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he grins.

    ¡°I vote against it as well,¡± Giselle says.

    I look at her curiously, not that I am surprised by her response. But when her eyes meet mine, I find

    a challenge there just before she looks at her fairy neighbor expectantly. Joffrey clears his throat,

    looking around the room and then he trains his gaze on Colette as if he is trying to get a read on

    who she is and what she stands for. Then he clears his throat.

    ¡°I am usually big on second chances,¡± Joffrey says, leaning back in his chair. ¡°But not this time. I

    vote No as well.¡±

    ¡°I vote for reinstatement.¡± Brent says, making everyone stare.

    ¡°What the hell did you just say?¡± Giselle asks, irrationally angry with him.

    Brent gives her a confused, lifted brow before he crosses his arms over his chest. ¡°I believe that

    makes the votes even.¡±

    Everyone looks at Florence, who seems to preen with all the attention. She smiles sweetly at me,

    tossing a wink my way before Johannes shoots me a victorious smirk. Florence stands, making a

    show of her decision as she walks around the room, knowing the weight of her answer.

    She stops in front of Colette, looking at her before she reaches out and tugs a strand of her hair. I

    hold my tongue and fight my lycans¡¯ urge to rip her hands from her arm as she slides a smirk in my

    direction, clearly taunting me.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    ¡°Enough of the show, Florence.¡± Caspian groans, though I can see his unease just as well as I can

    feel my own bubbling in my chest, causing a stabbing pain in my side. If she votes no, there will be

    war over Colette¡¯s existence, that is, if the person we are looking for chooses to expose it.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she rolls her eyes as she makes her way silently to her seat. ¡°I vote¡­in favor of reinstating

    them.¡±

    ¡°WHAT?¡± Johannes roars as he stands, his chair flying out from under him, ttering to the floor.

    ¡°You bit c h!¡±

    ¡°Oh hush, blood su k e r, I live for chaos and you are only feeding that for me,¡± she hisses at him as

    he sneers.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± Giselle scoffs.

    ¡°This topic is closed.¡± Caspian says, giving her a pointed look, and she rolls her eyes.

    ¡°The hell it is! Do you truly think we can all make a decision without revealing why you have so

    quickly changed your mind on the matter?¡± Giselle asks, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly.

    ¡°I would like to know,¡± Joffrey says, sitting up in his chair.

    ¡°The reasoning is pointless now,¡± Caspian says quickly. ¡°The voting is closed and Merikh and his

    kind are back on the council. It is done.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait¡­ There is a specific reason you all changed your vote?¡± Johannes asks, growing more

    irritated. Colette grips my hand and I am ready for anything, my lycan teeming just beneath the

    surface prepared to kill who we must in order to protect Colette.

    ¡°Merikh¡¯s little mate is a Hybrid.¡± Giselle snaps out. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t even exist, and the best part?

    Caspian is her dear dad.¡±

    All eyes skirt between Colette and Caspian, a varying degree of shock and curiosity as theye

    to terms with what she exposed. But I¡¯m not focused on them, no I am focused on the a s h l e who

    just exposed herself to us.

    And how exactly do you know that?¡± Elm asks, standing anding to Colette¡¯s other side in a

    show of protection. Giselle rolls her eyes.

    ¡°Because I was the one who hunted her down. A dragon never forgets the smell of her prey, and we

    don¡¯t lose them.¡± She hisses, her eyes growing gold and her skin steaming. ¡°I am curious about how

    you got away. Your mother wasn¡¯t so lucky.¡±

 Chapter 55

    *Colette*

    I fly from my seat, a roar of rage tearing from my onceposed lips. She just openly admitted to killing my mother, to trying to kill me. My chest feels like it is cracking open and the anger in my body seems to supersede my size. I want revenge and answers. Merikh¡¯s hand wraps around my shaking body as I re at her, words failing me as I try to keep myself from breaking down.

    ¡°Woah, easy there little luna.¡± Merikh whispers in my ear. ¡°Now is not the time,¡±

    ¡°Of course it is,¡± I growl at him and he hugs me to him tighter. ¡°She killed my mother, Merikh.¡±

    My voice breaks, making me sound young and broken as my lip quivers, my anger morphing into an aching sadness in my

    chest.

    Caspian frowns, his eyes skirting over me as I allow Merikh to calm my nerves. Then he turns a wild gaze to Giselle, staring her down with a ferocity that should be reserved for a battlefield.

    ¡°Giselle, I will ask you inly, and you will answer me.¡± Caspian grits out the words and she gives him an amused smile. ¡°Did you kill Melody?¡±

    The room falls silent, the tension palpable, almost as intense as the urge for me to sink my teeth into her dragon flesh and tear until I make my way to her stony heart.

    Giselle sighs heavily, rolling her eyes before she waves her hand in the air as if shooing a fly from her presence.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really make a difference, does it?¡± She asks, ¡°I mean, Johannes killed a wolf and yet there was no punishment. That woman was not protected under the council, so she was fair game.¡±

    ¡°She was my mate!¡± Caspian roars, ¡°So you will answer the f u k i n g question, or I will drown the fire from your very core!¡±

    ¡°Mate?¡± Johannes asks, his eyes growing wide as I look at him, his shocked expression surprising me.

    ¡°Did you im her as your mate? Was she the queen of the sirens and in your many years with her, did you ever acknowledge her as a mate to anyone? Or did you hide her because you were embarrassed? Too afraid of what everyone would say?¡± Giselle asks with a grin.

    My chest feels like it is going to explode as I look at my father, who stares at Giselle, blinking like he has been bested in a duel. His guilt-ridden eyes drift over to me and he looks away, ashamed of himself. My mouth runs dry and Merikh tugs me closer to him.

    ¡°She makes a fair point, Caspian.¡± Brent says, and Caspian shakes his head.

    ¡°The point is null and void if she knew. Which she clearly did, otherwise she would not havee for Melody and my child.¡± He yells at Brent.

    ¡°Ah, see, I just assumed you were f u c k i n g her. You were not marked, and neither was she. There was no mate¡¯s mark on your neck and no crown on her head. So, as far as I could tell, you were using her to create a hybrid.¡± Giselle shrugs like her point is the most nonchnt thing she¡¯s ever said. Like anyone would have had the same train of thought.

    ¡°But you did not alert the council of any of this,¡± Elm uses her.

    ¡°Did I have to? Hybrids are illegal, and werewolves are not protected.¡± She shrugs. ¡°I was well within my rights and you all know it.¡±

    ¡°These things should always be brought to the council first.¡± Florence argues.

    ¡°He is the leader at the moment. Should I have brought it to him?¡±

    I watch on as the whole meeting dissolves into a bunch of angry super natural beings speaking as if they can change the past or give Giselle a p on the wrist. My eyes watch Caspian, who stands silently, looking like he has m n t a l l y left the room, staring at the ground, his eyes filled with water and his shoulders slumped.

    Then he looks up, his eyes swirling gray as his fists clench. Giselle stops talking, training her eyes on him with a pleased smirk. This is what she wants. For him to snap and attack another council member. I look up at Merikh in desperation, knowing he can feel me, and he gently moves me to the side and rushes to Caspian, stepping in front of him.

    ¡°Move, Merikh.¡± Caspian¡¯s voice sounds warbling, like he is in a sea of water, his voice filled with anguish and hatred.

    pure

    ¡°This is not the time or ce, Caspian. You would just be ying into her hands.¡± Merikh warns him, trying to calm my father. Then Giselle lets out a shrillugh.

    ¡°Do you really think you scare me, water sprite?¡± Giselle giggles. ¡°I have been around for centuries, watching you, studying your kind. You are untouchable in your little ocean city, but here, you are the weakest of us all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Giselle.¡± Elm orders, but she keeps her eyes trained on Merikh¡¯s back. Fear licks up my spine, warning me she will try to hurt him. Brent rushes in front of Giselle, standing before her with his shoulders squared and ready to take whatever she was nning to deliver to Caspian or Merikh.

    ¡°Who killed Colette¡¯s mother?¡± Brent asks, his voice echoing as Giselle res daggers at him.

    ¡°No one.¡± She finally grits out, looking right at me. ¡°She is alive, but not well. Dragons love treasure, things like gold, gems¡­ silver bars.¡± she smirks and my stomach burns with hatred.

    ¡°You are torturing her¡­¡± I whisper and she shrugs.

    ¡°Torture seems like a hefty statement. She is just simply living in a room of silver. I do wonder, though, how many years it would take to make a werewolf go mad.¡±

    ¡°You will release her immediately. Her kind is officially under the protection of the council now.¡± Caspian says, but I can see the pain in his eyes, the way he doesn¡¯t know how to process what he is hearing, the same way I am struggling toprehend. How much pain has she been in all this time?

    ¡°I disagree.¡± She hisses at Caspian. ¡°You tried to trick us into voting for it so your precious hybrid would be safe. I say the vote is void.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Joffrey says with a frown, ¡°Though I do not condone the violence Giselle.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shut up, you fairy.¡± She groans, rolling her eyes.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t up for a vote,¡± Caspian states, moving over to stand with Elm, Merikh, and me. ¡°Colette is protected. She is mated to a member of the council.¡±

    ¡°And you all

    agree with this?¡± She asks, looking around. Everyone averts their eyes, including Johannes, who clears his throat and looks at the ground. ¡°This is b u l l s h i t.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s b u l l s h i t is you manipting other kinds for your own purpose and pretending you didn¡¯t break councilws yourself,¡± I use. ¡°How are you doing it? Who are you using to control the red-eyed wolves?¡±

    Her ming eyesnd on me, a viscous smirk pulling her lips taut across her face in such high alert.

    a way

    that makes

    my

    wolf go on

    2/3

    15:35 Mon, 20 May MBB ¡¤

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea what you are talking about.¡± She gives me a fake smile.

    ¡°You know exactly what I am talking about.¡± I hiss at her and she shrugs.

    84%

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I would admit to whatever crime you are using me of if I did it? I mean, after all¡­.I renounce my ce on this council.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± everyone murmurs, looking around to see what the others

    +5

    Giselle has gone mad. It¡¯s the only exnation that seems to make sense. By stepping out of the council, she opens her kind up to attacks of any kind from anyone.

    ¡°You all have left me no choice but to remove myself from the council. So, which of you wants your kind to be first in my rapid fire elimination?¡± She taunts, scanning the room for any takers.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Everyone looks around, and for a moment, I think they will stand their ground. That is, until Florence sighs and gives me an apologetic look.

    ¡°I prefer not to take sides, but if keeping what few of my species are left alive is the cost, then I agree with Giselle. We too withdraw from the council.¡± She averts her eyes as Johannes scoffs.

    ¡°A traitor twice in one day, Florence.¡± Johannes shakes his head. ¡°I expected more from you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to talk bloodsucker. I rule my kind with logic, not emotions. This is the logical option. One hybrid for the good of all kinds? It hardly seems like a big ask. No offense, Letty.¡±

    ¡°And what about you?¡± Giselle says, scowling at Johannes. ¡°Do you truly think your coven will agree with you siding with the likes of a dog and fish? This isn¡¯t the time to be noble, Johannes. You have never been one to be. I wouldn¡¯t suggest you start

    now.¡±

    My stomach flips anxiously, watching as everyone looks at one another, trying to decide the best course of action for their kind. The council is falling apart, and it¡¯s all because of my existence. There is no helping the guilt that weighs down on me with every torn nce I get from those wishing to remain at my side.

    ¡°If you are renouncing your position here on the council, you must leave the property at once,¡± Caspian growls, looking around at everyone.

    ¡°Oh, with pleasure.¡± Giselle roars.

    Her eyes glow the same red as Percy¡¯s hadst night and a ze of fire propels from her mouth heading directly toward my chest. Merikh is on me in a second, his body sheltering me as I close my eyes as we fly backward into the wall.

    My head ms hard into the hard surface and ck dots dance in my eyes, impairing my vision as all hell breaks loose around me. Merikhys over me unmoving as I try to reach out and feel him in the bond. But I can¡¯t reach him, I can¡¯t feel him in my mind.

 Chapter 56

    My head aches and I can feel the trickle of warmth down my neck, dripping as I try to force my body to move. The sparks of the mate bond where Merikh touches my skin with his gives me hope, knowing he is at the very least still alive. My chest burns and my stomach twists. Fear ovees me with the very real possibility that he is gravely injured.

    ¡°Merikh,¡± I force out, trying to breathe under the weight of his body, but even with how close my lips are to his ears, I doubt he can hear me.

    Afight rages on behind him. Fire, water and shades of varying colors light up the only portion of the wall I can see. There is no telling who is fighting with who or if it¡¯s an all out fight to the death since the protective order of the council is now over, at least for several members.

    ¡°Colette!¡± My name breaks through the room, my father¡¯s voice calling to me, paning through every syble.

    ¡°I¡¯m here¡­¡± I cry out, emotions overwhelming me the longer Merikh remains motionless.

    ¡°Take cover!¡± He roars, his voiceing closer as a rumbling resonates through the room, and I look up, massive scaly tail swipes away the ceiling and rooms above us.

    watching as a

    Lumber and drywall tter down over me, but nothingnds on us as a silver-colored barrier appears overhead. I blink at the debris as it bounces off the shield before it shivers and drops, only dust littering down over us. Suddenly, Merikh rolls off of me and I gasp for a full breath of air, ttering across the singed carpet floor to him and cupping his face.

    ¡°Merikh¡­¡± I whisper, begging him to open his eyes. Tears fall like a cascading wave down my cheeks and onto his face as I heave, trying like hell topose myself.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I feel a hand on my shoulder but I ignore it, not caring who is talking to me. After a moment, they leave me, their footsteps retreating, but I don¡¯t look to see who it was. The only thing that matters is Merikh, unconscious and hurt.

    ¡°Merikh, wake up.¡± I blubber through s o b s.

    I can hear things being tossed about behind me, furniture ttering and people screaming something incoherent. But I can¡¯t spare them a nce or even a moment. I can¡¯t bear to look away from his face, the face that makes it look like he is in apletelyfortable slumber and not potentially in deaths grips.

    ¡°Luna!¡± breaks through the room and I recognize it as Hayes. I look up to see him as he scrambles toward us,nding on the other side of Merikh. His eyes meeting mine, looking for answers. ¡°What the f u c k happened?¡±

    ¡°H-he jumped in front of me.¡± I try to exin, but I can¡¯tpletely recall it all as Merikh was in front of me before I could even register what the hell was happening. Hayes ces his hand on his brother¡¯s chest, running it over his body, looking for the wound that has Merikh looking so close to death. Then looks me in the eye.

    ¡°I need to push him toward you so I can look for injuries.¡± He tells me and I nod.

    I reach over and prepare to take the bulk of his weight onto me. Hayes gently shoves his brother¡¯s shoulder toward me as he pushes him to his side and Itch onto Merikh, hugging him close while keeping him upright enough for Hayes to search

    him over.

    My eyes are trained on him the entire time, watching his stony like features as they give nothing away before he drags his hand down his face and looks around.

    There¡¯s a t w i n k l e of frantess in his eyes and I notice him avoiding looking in my direction. It must be bad if he can¡¯t even bring himself to look at me. I try to swallow the lump in my throat, hoping to force the fear down with it.

    ¡°It¡¯s bad, isn¡¯t it..?¡± I ask, and he sighs heavily.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t good,¡± he mutters. ¡°Have you seen Brent anywhere?¡±

    ¡°No¡­I don¡¯t even know who sided with her or us¡­¡± I admit, and he furrows his brow.

    ¡°I think you are going to have to exin what you mean by that, but first we need to get him out of here and somewhere I can at least clean the wounds and see how bad it is before a real healer has to step in.¡±

    I meet his eyes, my heart thudding with painful force in my chest.

    ¡°It¡¯s really bad, isn¡¯t it? I need to know¡­¡± I ask, trying like hell to remain hopeful.

    This time I see the c r a c k in his stoic face, the uncertainty in his face as she licks his lips and looks down. I lean forward slightly, venturing to see it for myself, but he ces both hands on my shoulders, pushing me back slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s bad, Colette. He wouldn¡¯t want you to see it, not like this. Just¡­.we need to get him out of here. And then I need to look for the others.¡± He mutters, scanning the room around us.

    ¡°The others?¡± I ask in rm, finally turning my head to survey the damage.

    My mouth drops open, water leaking from an exposed pipe, a massive section of the ceiling and stories above head missing as the sun filters in, shining through dust particles, making it look like a heavy fog has fallen over us.

    I see someone sitting in a dark corner, their dress shoes poking out and someone crouching next to them. Not a single other person appears to be in the room other than those two and I feel myself growing numb. Not in the sense that I have grown cold or lost the sensation of feeling things physically. I am numb to the shock of what I see.

    There is blood sttered along the walls that aren¡¯t singed ck, everything is wet, dripping with dirty drops of water and instion hangs from the only part of the ceiling still intact.

    But none of that has any bearing on me. Not a single one of those things seems to surprise me. Too much has happened, too much was at stake, and it was all because of me, all over me.

    ¡°Cole¡­¡± I hear, spinning, hoping to locate the voice. It¡¯s Caspian, a breathy, pained version, but it is him, no doubt.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± I ask, and I see one foot move in the corner. The figure crouching next to him stands and helps him up. and I finally feel a little tension release from my chest, finding him standing with his arm over Brent¡¯s shoulder for stability.

    ¡°How is Merikh?¡± He asks, and I bite my lip, shaking my head and shrugging. There is no way I can say the words ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯ without sobbing. His eyes are tired but soft as he gives me a weary smile.

    ¡°He needs immediate care.¡± Hayes says, standing. Pennyes flying in next, her eyes finding mine and thennding on Merikh. Her face instantly goes cold, like she is hiding all emotion as she rushes and helps me up.

    ¡°You are bleeding too, Luna.¡± She tells me, but all I can see is the mess I created.

    ¡°Help Hayes with Merikh, We need to get him taken care of right now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± She says, reaching down and grabbing a shoulder. Hayes stands, grabbing the other side and the two of them hoist him, his body dangling between the two of them and his back revealed to me for the first time.

    A shocked gasp tears from my lips as I m a hand over my mouth, the tears trickling free again. His shirt ispletely burned away, his flesh raw and red, his muscles exposed where it looks like a meteor may have hit him.

    The skin surrounding the circle is already raised and blistered, licking up his arm in a grotesque disy of how quickly

    2/3

    mes can melt away the flesh.

    ¡°I will do everything I can, Colette.¡± Brent promises me.

    ¡°Can you walk?¡± Caspian asks, softly and I nod, feeling slightly lightheaded, but my legs are sturdy and if it means being with

    Merikh through this all, I could run a marathon.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°I will be right behind you.¡± I whisper, looking through the rubble on the way out. ¡°Where is everyone else?¡±

    I look at Brent, who frowns, his eyes scanning, then he freezes, motioning for me to rush to him. I move over to him and he rests my father¡¯s around over my shoulder as he stumbles and trips over soaked dry walls and crushed furniture.

    ¡°Elm!¡± He screams, throwing things to the side. Cursing under his breath, he reveals arge bark like b of wood, trying to pry it to the side before it slowly shrinks and disappears, revealing Elm, holding an unconscious Joffrey in his arms.

    ¡°The others ran.¡± He coughs. ¡°Took off with Giselle on the f u c k n g dragon she called.¡±

    I furrow my brows and look up at Caspian.

    ¡°But isn¡¯t she a dragon?¡± I ask, confused. ¡°Why would she need to call one?¡±

    ¡°That is an answer I don¡¯t have right now, my daughter.¡± He says, sounding like he may pass out at any moment. I can feel how weak he is. The water in his being is drained, weak, and I can¡¯t tell if it is because he expended himself or because he has been away from the ocean for so long.

    ¡°What does all this mean?¡± I ask him as I lead him out of the room carefully, following Penny and Hayes as they drag Merikh away. ¡°For the council?¡±

    ¡°It means there is no council. Not any more. It¡¯s time to go to our own kinds and prepare for a war.¡± He breathes, his eyes falling closed for a second before he grows heavier and leans into me.

    ¡°Stay awake,¡± I say, shaking him. ¡°I need you to stay awake, please¡­¡±

 Chapter 57

    <b>Chapter </b><b>57</b>

    Caspian leans on me, his head lulling before he snaps it back and shakes it like he is trying to not pass out. I cling to him with all the strength I have, trying to keep him upright as I look around for anyone who can help me.

    ¡°Just hang in there for a few more minutes,¡± I beg him, and he chuckles lightly.

    ¡°I am okay, sweetheart. Just drained, I need water. It has been too long.¡± He says weakly.

    ¡°Should I take you to your special bathing room?¡± I offer, not really <b>sure </b>how the hell I will get him up the stairs, or how long <b>it </b>will take. My heart yearns to be at Merikh¡¯s side. As much as I care about Caspian and his well¨Cbeing, he is my estranged father and not the man I love who is in much worse shape.

    ¡°Caspian!¡± Ezrah yells from down the hall before he sprints toward us, taking the other side of his arm over his tall, slender shoulders. ¡°What in the zes happened?<b>¡±</b>

    Caspian just smiles and shakes his head, too tired to speak, and Ezrah looks to me for answers.

    ¡°Giselle disapproved of the vote to ce lycans and werewolves back on council.¡± I exin, and his eyes grow wide.

    ¡°So she destroyed the ce?¡± He asks and I nod.

    ¡°She tries to attack me, and then everyone started fighting. She escaped on a dragon<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Why would she be on a dragon when she is one?¡± he asks, confused.

    ¡°I asked the same thing,¡± I admit before biting my lip and looking up ahead where Merikh is no longer <b>in </b>sight.

    ¡°Go Colette, Ezrah can see to me getting <i>to </i>water.¡± He whispers. ¡°Merikh will need you close if he has any hope of a speedy

    recovery.¡±

    ¡°Merikh is injured?¡± Ezrah asks, shocked, a look of concern over his dark brows as he nces at me, taking in my barely restrained tears. I nod, unable to answer. Injured makes it seem like it isn¡¯t as bad as it is.

    ¡°I will check in on youter,¡± I promise with a quivering voice. Ezrah gives me a reassuring smile.

    ¡°I will take care of Caspian, concern yourself only with Merikh and his healing.¡± He says as I step away and, with one more torn look, I turn and take off down the hall. It feels like it¡¯s gotten longer, every step doing nothing to bring me closer as the panic settles deep

    inside my chest.

    As I round the corner, Ie to a halt, spinning, trying to figure out which way they went. There is a massive chunk missing from the mansion, so I know they havee this way, but the question of where feels like a daunting one.

    My hands fly to my head as I try to force myself to breathe, focus and then move, checking every damn room if I have to. Then I realize, I can use my mind link. The barrier has to be down for everyone to have been able to use their magic.

    -Where are you?¨C I shoot out to Hayes and Penny, waiting anxiously for a response.

    -It is best you wait to see him¨CHayes¡® responses sounding morose and tired.

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    that. As your Luna I am demanding you tell me where the hell my mate is¨CI growl though the link, making sure he can feel my frustration with him.</li>

    </ul>

    I am not some weak little girl who is incapable of seeing grotesque things. Merikh and I havee so far, hurt each other and healed at the same time. I refuse to be on the sideline just because his wound will scare me.

    Fear and love are no strangers to each other. They can¡¯t be. Without fear, love is nd. How do we know the depths of our love? The lengths we will go to in order to show it, to feel it?

    -I wille get you, Luna¨CPenny¡¯s voice resonates through my mind as I sigh and lean over, my hands on my knees, a wave of

    nausea washing over me as I shudder.

    -I am in the dining room¨CI tell her with a long exhale. The adrenaline is fading fast and my head is aching, but none of that matters. I can rest when I know Merikh is okay. Until then, I will fight my body¡¯s needs just to remain at his side.

    I can hear Pennying before I see her as I stand up straight and move to the hall, watching as she waves me down. There is no thinking as my body takes off toward her and, without exchanging words, she turns and runs to show me where they are. She stops at a door, turning to face me, keeping me from going in.

    ¡°Penny, move.¡± I say firmly and her eyes grow soft.

    ¡°I will, I promise. But first I need to tell you what to expect, because It¡¯s not pretty.<i>¡± </i>She tells me and I roll my eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± I grind out and she shakes her head and takes my hand.

    ¡°Luna, this isn¡¯t me warning you about the wound on his back. Alpha is a proud man, and he has been injured many times, but never,

    not once, has he been taken down like this. There is a chance he will feel¡­well¡­<b>¡±</b>

    I shake my head, understanding what she is trying to say. But she doesn¡¯t understand him the way I do. She wasn¡¯t in the room when¡®

    everything happened.

    What Penny doesn¡¯t realize is Merikh threw himself in front of me to save me. In his mind, he will wake up and know he achieved his goal. His biggest annoyance will be the downtime I will <b>force </b>him to take.

    ¡°Penny, I appreciate your thought process, but I know for a fact Merikh will not be like that. There are things <i>you </i>do not know and I refuse to wait another minute trying to exin them to you. You are my friend and my gamma, but that is my mate and your alpha in there. So please, for the sake of our friendship, move.¡±

    She drops my hand and looks at the ground before she steps to the side and I push the door open. I am hit in the face instantly with the smell of fresh herbs and Merikh¡¯s faint scent.

    Hayes looks up at me<b>, </b>surprised, as I walk past him and drag a chair up to Merikh, taking his hand. His face is turned toward me, his arms above his head as he lies on his stomach, and Brent gingerly cleans his wounds.

    I eye him suspiciously before watching his every move, making sure he isn¡¯t doing anything that would seem off. He swabs the deep wound on his back with a brown liquid, then swiftly he grabs some herbal leaves and ces them in the groove in Merikh¡¯s back where his muscles are still mildly exposed.

    ¡°You being here will speed his healing immensely.¡± He tells me without stopping his movements.

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    Chapter 57

    ¡°How bad is it?¡± I ask him, swallowing thickly as he exhales and his hands stop. Heys down the items and then lifts his arms, stretching them over his head as if he is trying to relieve tension. When he finally settles, his eyesnd on me with a frown.

    ¡°He will live. Lycans are hard to kill, and this blow was not fatal. To you, with your frame, it very much would have been. You are lucky, Colette, that he cares for you the way he does.¡± He says sincerely and I blush, looking down at the still out cold mate who should have just let me die.

    ¡°It would have solved more problems had he just let me take the hit.¡± I scoff, and Brent chuckles.

    ¡°You can¡¯t truly believe that,¡± he says, and I shrug.

    ¡°I am the reason for the fight.¡± I remind him, and he shakes his head.

    ¡°No, you were a scapegoat. This fight was a long timeing. Besides, do you really think your death would have solved anything? Your father and Merikh would have dismembered and drowned the world to avenge you.¡±

    I press my lips into a t line, thinking about his words, letting them sink in as I rub a circle over the top of Merikh¡¯s lifeless hand.

    ¡°You think they were looking for a reason to fight? They wanted to disband the <b>council</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask him curiously. Brent shrugs and then

    sighs.

    ¡°Supernatural beings are self important. They all think their kind is better than the next and with most being immortal or having extended lives, they think they are better than others.¡± Brent says.

    ¡°The beauty of our kinds<b>, </b>you being werewolves and humans and me being solely human, but with magic, we value what brief life we have. We love harder, our loyalties lie in friendship, and we have no time to waste with people who do not respect us.¡±

    ¡°And their kind has the time to scheme and n wars hundreds of years in advance.¡± I murmur his words, making me think.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± he says. He moves the tools he was using away, putting them on a table to the side before he feels the skin around the wound on Merikh¡¯s back. I watch as he pushes and prods at him when I feel someonee up to my side.

    ¡°Brent¡­¡± I say, my mind whirling with everything he has said and trying to recall what happened in the conference room.

    ¡°Mmhmm?¡± he hums in response, inviting me to continue.

    ¡°How did the barrier go down?¡± I ask him, and he freezes, his eyes snapping up to meet mine.

    ¡°What?<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°The magic barrier. The one you have supposedly been cing up and taking down whenmanded by Caspian¡­it was supposed to be up, suppressing everyone¡¯s abilities, but yet¡­<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°I did not bring the barrier down,¡± he says, rmed.

    ¡°Then who did?¡± I ask him. ¡°Who else has the ability to do it? As far as I know, you are the only wizard here<b>¡­</b>right?<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°That is true, but there are ways to break it, ways that don¡¯t require me to bring down the spell.¡±

    ¡°And how many people know how to do that?¡± I ask him, watching as he grows increasingly more ufortable.

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    Chapter 57

    ¡°Here? Not many¡­¡± he admits, then his eyes grow wide. ¡°Just myself, maybe Elm<b>; </b>as it is a nature rted thing. And Ezrah.¡±

    Ìï

    COMMENT

    +

 Chapter 58

    ¡°What?¡± I swallow the growing bulge of fear in my throat. ¡°Ezrah?¡±

    Yes, he has the abilities to bring it down, though I highly doubt-¡±

    His words drone on, sounding like nothing in my ears as I try not to hyperventte. Did I send my father off with the enemy? Had Ezrah really fooled us all so well and nted himself here? It would make sense, all the ¡®letters¡¯ being in the right ce at the right time. Ezrah is with them, whether he is the leader or not. I don¡¯t know. All I know is that I have to get to my father.

    Now.

    Itear from Merikh¡¯s side, praying he will forgive me for leaving him to heal on his own for a moment. There is a flurry of shouting behind me as I stumble into the wall at the turn and scramble up the stairs, trying to make my way to the room meant only for sirens.

    My lungs burn in the frantic panic of getting to them, my skin crawling with worry. The second I hit thending, I sprint down the long narrow hall, past the two doors on my left and m into the only door on my right-hand side. My fingers wrap around the brass doorknob as I shove, but it doesn¡¯t budge.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    It¡¯s locked. I j i g g l e the handle, then m my fist into the door, making the oak rumble. My foot flies out, kicking the base as I hear something from beyond the door, but I am past being cordial and calm. What the hell could Ezrah be doing in there to him?

    ¡°Let me in!¡± I roar, my hand aching from striking the wood so hard until finally it gives way, splintering and I use my wolf¡¯s strength, shove the door off its hinges. I scan the room, searching for Ezrah, ready to strike at him with everything I have, but I freeze when I see him exit the bathroom and blink at me, shocked.

    ¡°Colette?¡± Caspian calls to me, rmed, and his voice filled with concern. ¡°What is it? What happened?¡±

    My jaw falls open as Nook at the man calling my name. He is transformed, his hair slicked back and his skin a luminescent blue with gills on his neck. As he seems to glide closer to me in the water, his webbed fingers reach for the marble ledge and I gasp as he pulls himself up onto the side. His massive scaled tail glimmers from his mid torso down, his side more defined and matching his gills.

    It¡¯s one thing knowing I¡¯m a siren, it¡¯s another witnessing what that means.

    ¡°Y-you¡¯re okay¡­¡± I whisper, looking from him to Ezrah, a spark of confusion in his eyes. Ezrah ces his hands in his pockets, watching me closely.

    ¡°I told you I would take care of him.¡± He furrows his brow, then his eye light up like he has solved a puzzle.

    ¡°Right¡­¡± I stammer, looking back at Caspian as he tilts his head.

    ¡°Is Merikh alright?¡± he asks, his voice sounding warbling as if he is gargling water and peaking at the same time.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± I pink the bridge of my nose, trying to make sense of everything happening. ¡°Yes. He will be fine. It¡¯s just that¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Capsian asks.

    ¡°The magic barrier was down and I talked to Brent and he said only a few people have the abilities to take it down.¡±

    Ezrah exhales and shakes his head.

    ¡°And you assumed it was me,¡± he says.

    Inod, guilt seeping into me. Was I wrong in assuming it was him? Or did I just get to him before he did something? It could also be possible Ezrah is ying the long game. Pretending to be on our side, even though he is just waiting for the right moment.

    ZOMA

    I haven¡¯t decided I shrug, choosing to double down.

    He arches a brow in amusement and then he chuckles, nodding to the door I just hammered through. He walks out, and I see him stop waiting for me. I stomp out after him, ncing at my father, who pulls his full tail from the water and swings to the side before I step over the broken door.

    He looks at me, no judgment or anger in his eyes. And he releases a sigh.

    *I apologize for whatever I have done to make you think I would ever betray the council,¡± he says. I cross my arms over my chest and lick my teeth, trying to control my emotions that are admittedly all over the ce.

    The council is dead now.¡± I say. ¡°Everyone has gone their own way.¡±

    He scoffs.

    ¡°The council can fall apart, but the mission lives on. I now work in the face of unity, like the council did for many years.¡± He says, and now it¡¯s my turn to scoff.

    *You think it is that simple? Just say some flowery words and I will believe you?¡±

    ¡°Colette, enough.¡± Caspian says, walking toward me, now back in his human form.

    His silver streaked hair and slicked back with the water and he looks so much healthier. The light in his eyes is back, and he frowns at me. I never thought I would want a frown from him, but I am overwhelmed by how well he looks and I throw my arms around him.

    He hesitates, before I feel him pat me on the back and the rumble of his chest as he chuckles.

    ¡°I¡¯m so d you are feeling better.¡± I tell him, and He takes hold of my shoulders, pushing me back with a soft smile.

    ¡°Me too, kiddo.¡± He murmurs before looking over my shoulder at Ezrah.

    ¡°Ezrah, go and take over for Brent. I want to speak with him as soon as possible. Elm as well.¡± He bows and sends me a sly smirk as I scowl at him.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t trust him.¡± I demand and Ezrah¡¯s smirks morphs into a grin.

    ¡°Good.¡± he says, but he doesn¡¯t sound c c k y or demeaning. He sounds like he is genuinely impressed with my statement, and I furrow my brows.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You do not know me well enough to trust me. I would expect nothing less from a Luna. Especially in this situation. But I will tell you I did not bring down the barrier. Someone else did.¡±

    ¡°But Brent said¡­.¡±

    ¡°The barrier fell right before Giselle nned to harm you.¡± Caspian exins. ¡°She stalled until she felt it fall, then she struck.¡±

    didn¡¯t feel it,¡± I tell him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what to look for to open yourself up to it yet,¡± Ezrah exins. ¡°It takes time to understand it, to feel it.¡±

    drag my hands through my hair and take three deep breaths. Why is there so much to freaking know about all of this? Why can¡¯t it all be easy?

    ¡°The person who brought down the barrier did it from the outside, not from in the room with us.¡±

    Inod, thinking hard, and I meet Caspian¡¯s eyes, like he is trying to guide me, figuring it all out.

    16:39 Sat, 25 May ¨‹ DD

    ¡°The red-eyed wolves, whoever is using them.¡± I whisper, and he nods.

    ¡°You saw it too, then? The glimmer of red right before she attacked you?¡± He asks.

    ¡°ts she being manipted too, then?¡± I ask, and he shrugs.

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think she is?¡± I ask, confused.

    ¡°No, I think she is working with someone who wants to make her seem innocent. I get the feeling Giselle isn¡¯t quite who or what we think she is.¡±

    ¡°I believe Giselle, like those trolls I hear you all encountered earlier, is using magic to mask what she truly is. Which is why she did not have a dragon of her own but rather was carried out.¡± Ezrah exins.

    ¡°The issue now lies in figuring out what she is and what her ultimate goal is.¡± I say, following what they are saying.

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59

    *Merikh

    My muscles twitch, first my fingers itching to move. The lycan in my head whining and forcing my consciousness awake. Each second, I be more and more aware of the searing sensation on my back. My skin tingles, pins and needles pinching and stabbing my back as though I had been numb for too long.

    I try to inhale deeply, but the agony of my injury forces me to stop, taking only short, quick breaths as I force my groggy eyes open. The world is blurry, my pain overwhelming as I blink away the fog.

    I want to move, to get up and stretch my stiff muscles, relieve my chest that aches. But my back is on fire, the waves of heat and pain ebbing and flowing as if it were a hot coal exposed on a windy day.

    ¡°Merikh.¡± I hear Hayes¡® surprised voice as he rushes over, gently pressing me back down as I try to make my way to my hands

    stomach. and knees. He fights my efforts, winning out as my body gives way and I grunt, copsing back into my

    ¡°I want up.¡± I rasp out, my voice dry and painful. The room seems to move, swirling from side to side as I try to focus and fail. I blink over and over again until Hayeses into focus <b>and </b>everythinges flooding back in.

    The meeting from hell, Giselle going berserk and trying to kill Colette. I choke on the panic as I tear myself from the bed before Hayes has a second to stop me.

    ¡°Brother, you need to rest.¡± He insists.

    ¡°Where is Colette?¡± I demand, ignoring his request. ¡°Is she okay?¡±

    ¡°We can talk about it in a second, but you need to lie back down.¡± He says. ¡°You are going to undo all the bandages and herbs that are healing you.¡±

    ¡°Where is my Luna?¡± I grit out, trying to force myself to stand on my own.

    Hayes sighs, scowling at me, and my stomach falls, the worst thoughts climbing up from the dark ce in my mind. Did I not save her! Was I toote? Or had my being injured left her exposed and open for another attack she couldn¡¯t fight off?

    I can hear Hayes speaking to me, but the anxiety and pain from the thoughts is enough to send me off the deep end. , had I failed her? Had I unknowingly broken another promise to her? I try to turn toward the door, releasing the bed as I take a step and tumble forward with a cry of agony. My body falls forward, but not before Hayes catches me.

    Tingles ripple through my body, a satisfied sigh breaking from my chapped lips and I look up to see it wasn¡¯t Hayes who stopped my fall but my sweet, perfect Colette. She is on her knees before me, her soft hands on my face, cupping my cheeks <b>as </b>she lifts my eyes to meet hers.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± she whispers, tears breaking free from her eyes as she lunges forward and pressing her lips to mine. My arms cling to her back, my body protesting, but I ignore the pain. How can I feel anything other than sheer relief when she is okay?

    She pulls away, her forehead pressed to mine as she breathes heavily, her hands still clinging to my face, life she is afraid to touch any other part of me. My arms grow tired, slipping down and falling to my side<b>, </b>my body unwilling to respond to my demands any longer.

    ¡°Are you injured?¡± I ask, scanning her face.

    ¡°No,¡± she <b>says</b>, pressing her lips to mine again as she sobs, moving as close as possible, just wanting to be near me. I wee her touches, the sparks calming, the fire burning on my back like a hose to the mes.

    ¡°Thank heavens,¡± I murmur, breaking away once m

    more. She looks past me and nods to someone.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get you up and back on the bed.¡± She says, and I furrow my brows

    ¡°No. I do not want to be in bed any longer.¡± I tell her and she sighs,

    I meet her eyes again, witnessing the sadness there, and I frown. My injury must have scared her, hell it scared <b>Hayes</b><b>, </b>so it must be pretty <b>bad</b>. But I am an alpha, one with a true mate, so I will heal soon and it will be <b>like </b>o

    13

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    Chapter 59

    ¡°What happened after Giselle attacked you?¡± I ask her, and she shakes her <b>head</b>.

    *I will exin everything <b>once </b>you get on the bed. You are bleeding through the bandages, so we need to change them.¡±

    Hayes gently grabs me under the arm, Colette following suit on the other side as they lift me with heavy grunts. I try my best. to help them, using my legs that feel like wet noodles. They both struggle to get me to the bed and I lean forward, scooting myself as far as possible.

    Hayes walks around to the other side, grabbing my leg as he drags me on all the way, and I turn my head to see Colette kneel on the ground beside me. She props her chin up on her crossed arms on the white bedding and a happy smile on her lips.

    Her hand reaches out, dragging her nails through my hair, gently massaging her way through my locks. I moan in satisfaction, happily distracted from the pain of moving

    ¡°Hayes, go get Ezrah.¡± She whispers over me. Hayes silently exits the room, looking at me once before closing the door behind

    him

    ¡°Ezrah will be in to change your bandages.¡± She whispers.

    ¡°Ezrah? Why not Brent?¡± I ask, a little surprised. Healing is usually Brent¡¯s realm of things. I can <b>sense </b>she feels my confusion, and she frowns a little, then sighs.

    ¡°Brent is in a meeting with Caspian.¡± She says, then she looks away solemnly. ¡°The council is finished.¡±

    I chuckle. ¡°I am not entirely surprised by that¡±

    ¡°Some people have taken sides, others have just disappeared.¡± She shrugs, looking at me once more.

    I arch a brow. ¡°Who is still here?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°From the council, Brent, Caspian, us, Elm and Joffrey.¡±

    My eyes widen a little, my hand reaching up to stop her from her <b>assault </b>on my skull, making me sleepy again. This is important information and I want to be <b>as </b>awake as I can be as she rys it to me.

    ¡°Joffrey?¡± I ask, confused.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t really his own choice!¡± She frowns. ¡°He was injured and <b>Elm </b>saved him. He is still unconscious. Caspian and Ezrah really <b>have </b>more details than I do right <b>now</b>.¡±

    ¡°Why is that? You are on the council<b>. </b>You are my Luna.¡± 1 say, growing defensive and sheughs. Her smile and the melody of her happiness fill me with hope and I give her a soft smile. Damn, I love this woman.

    ¡°I have been a little preupied.¡± She admits, her smile fading, and I find it¡¯s like watching the sun hiding behind a cloud. ¡°With what?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°With worrying about you. Trying to <b>make </b>sense of why you would allow yourself to get injured. You are the important one, Merikh, and you could have died.¡±

    I scoff, letting my emotions flow through the bond so she can feel how much I disagree with her. She shoots me an unhappy

    look.

    ¡°How many times must I say it, Colette? You own me, all of me. Without you, I am nothing but an empty shell. The thought of <b>you </b>getting hurt, the thought of losing you. My voice breaks and I clear my throat. ¡°You are my strength and my weakness, and I will always protect you without a second thought.¡±

    <b>Tears </b>tumble <b>from </b>her eyes and she wipes at them, chuckling to break the serious tone she <b>is </b><b>so </b>ufortable with.

    ¡°Well,¡± she sniffles. ¡°Ugh, you always know the right thing to say.¡±

    ¡°Only when I mean the words,¡± I grin.

    She stands, leaning <b>down </b><b>as </b>she presses her lips gently <b>to </b>mine.

    3:43 PM.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Chapter 19

    ¦°

    ¡°I love you, Merikh.¡± She whispers. ¡°So damn much. We will figure this all out, and then we will have a beautiful life together.¡±

    I arch a brow, ignoring the paincing through my nerves as my muscles begin to twitch.

    ¡°Does that mean you forgive me?¡± I tease her and sheughs, standing up straight.

    She tries to hide a smile, but it lives in her eyes, unable to be masked as she looks at me and I feel her love like a gentle warmth in my soul, filling me with nothing but hope for the future she ns for us

    ¡°Nearly dying seems like the easy way out.¡± She says, biting her smile back.

    ¡°Oh wow,¡± I grin. ¡°Noted.¡±

    ¡°If you want to be forgiven, promise me you won¡¯t ever do that again.¡±

    ¡°What? Nearly dying to protect you?¡± I ask, bbergasted.

    ¡°Yes!¡± she says with a head nod.

    ¡°How long do you think you can hold a grudge?¡± I ask thoughtfully. ¡°Because I will never promise to not protect you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then I just may never be able to forgive you.¡± She says, defiantly,

    ¡°Hmmm, then I suppose it¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m a glutton for punishment.¡± I grin as the door opens and Ezrah pops his head in.

    ¡°Hello old friend, rumor has it you are ready for a bandage change?¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡± I mutter, not <b>too </b>excited about my wounds to be messed with.

    ¡°This will hurt quite a bit, so hold on to Colette¡¯s hand for a little less pain.¡±

    ¡°Maybe this will be your reminder to think before you act?¡± she whispers, dropping to her knees and taking my hand.

    ¡°Unlikely.¡± I grin, then I grimace as Ezrah touches me, the pain rushing through my body and making my toes feel numb. This is going to hurt like hell.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Hayes asks, sitting next to me as Iy on my stomach for yet another damn day waiting for the green light to move. If it weren¡¯t for my inability to sit upright, I would have been gone the same damn day, back to our pack where we <b>are </b>safe, where Colette is safe.

    ¡°Like a dragon tried to burn a hole through my body.¡± I grumble, my mood more sour by the minute.

    ¡°Considering that¡¯s exactly what happened, I¡¯d say you are fairing pretty well.¡± He says with a smile, though I can see the way it doesn¡¯t reach his eyes. He looks tired as he plops into the chair opposite of my bedside. ¡°Where did Colette go?¡±

    ¡°With Penny to change and shower, then grab some food.¡± I tell him and he nods before a yawn breaks free. I watch my brother as he fights to keep his eyes open, no doubt running ragged because of my injury and his mate he has still told me nothing about. ¡°How is she?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Colette?¡± he asks, snapping his eyes open. ¡°Uh, she seems stressed, but she is managing well enough.¡±

    ¡°No. I mean Leandra.¡± I say with a point stare. He drags his hand down his face, leaning forward, his elbowsnding on his knees <b>as </b>he exhales.

    ¡°That would be easier to discern if the woman would talk to me. Instead, she refuses to say a <b>damn </b>thing,¡± he groans. ¡°It¡¯s like she just shuts down when I am around. She <b>has </b>spoken with Penny and Brent<b>. </b>But me? Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you make her nervous?¡± I offer and he scoffs..

    ¡°Why the hell would <b>I </b><b>make </b>her nervous? We are mates, we are supposed to calm each other.¡± he stands angrily. He paces away from me before he quickly spins, his hand on his hip as if he is thinking.

    ¡°Have you discussed the mate bond? epted each other verbally yet?¡± I ask him, and he scoffs.

    ¡°She is a traitor to her kind. Why the hell would I ept her?¡± He asks, like it¡¯s a simple assessment.

    ¡°Hayes.¡± I say, and he shakes his head, scowling at me.

    ¡°No, no. I already know what you are going to say. Trust me, I have thought of every scenario. I know what I have to do next. It¡¯s just that¡­I don¡¯t know that I can do it yet,¡± he bbers on, rattling nonsense as if I have the strength to follow his ramblings. I try to get his attention, but he is so far lost in his own thoughts.

    ¡°Hayes!¡± I yell and he freezes, blinking at me like he can¡¯t fathom why on earth I am yelling at him. ¡°What the hell are you on about?¡±

    ¡°Rejecting her, obviously.¡± He says it likes it¡¯s so simple and I chuckle dryly. The idiot thinks this is the only option? ¡°Why do you think you have to reject her?¡± I ask him, arching a brow as I try to move. My back burns and I hiss, pushing myself up despite the pain. Hayes rushes over to me, but I shove him off. ¡°Answer me.¡± I demand.

    ¡°She is one of them.¡± He replies, the answer tearing him up inside.

    ¡°Is Percy one of them?¡± I ask him, my hands gripping the side of the bed for dear life. His brows furrow, and he shakes his

    head.

    ¡°Of course not. He is our gamma.¡± He says.

    ¡°And what makes him different from her?¡± I ask. ¡°Is it because we don¡¯t know her? She could very well have been kidnapped, coerced, or even brainwashed.¡±

    ¡°Percy was trusted before this all took ce and he fought them off. She is a Lycan. She should have been living in our pack and yet, no one knows her. Where did shee from? How did she wind up with this group?¡± He asks. ¡°Ites down to previously established trust. <b>And </b>I have none with her.¡±

    you

    ¡°<b>ve </b>you asked her any of these questions?¡± I ask him and he frowns<b>, </b>looking away from me. ¡°I will take that as a ¡®no¡® then. How about tell me what you have asked her?¡±

    <b>3:43 </b>PM

    <b>Chapter </b>60? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°What does it matter?¡± He exhales. ¡°Clearly I have to reject her, but I can¡¯t do that if she doesn¡¯t even acknowledge I¡¯m even

    there with her

    ¡°Why would you reject her? Because she had the redeyes?¡± <b>I </b><b>ask </b>him and he throws his hands up like it¡¯s obvious.

    ¡°She is the enemy,¡± he huffs.

    1 stare

    at my usually level¨Cheaded brother. The one with the sage advice who always <b>calms </b>me down and makes me think harder <b>than </b>I wish to at times. He is so caught up in what is going on around him he is not capable of understanding the gift he is being given.

    The mate bond is difficult, and though Lauren <b>was </b>a nightmare, without her, without the pain and suffering I experienced at her betrayal, I would not be who I am today. I would not have found the one person who can see beneath my shit mistakes and issues and stand at my side wanting to help me get better.

    ¡°She was used as a puppet.¡± I remind him. ¡°Her actions were not her own <b>and </b>we all know that.¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± he asks, sounding defeated. ¡°How the hell do I trust someone who could kill us at any moment because she is being controlled?¡±

    I sigh, leaning forward to ease the soreness in my back.

    ¡°You start by getting to know her. Who she is, not who she was when she was under someone else¡¯s control.¡± I push myself to stand, grunting as I reach out for the bedside table to steady myself.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be up and moving around yet, Merikh,¡± He says, rushing to my side.

    ¡°And you are avoiding the subject.¡± I frown at him. ¡°I am fine here. You need to go talk to Leandra. Not as her mate, but as my beta, perhaps she will answer questions not rted to you and your bond with her.¡±

    Hayes is no doubt unhappy with my suggestion, but he shakes his head and sighs before he runs his hands through his hair. ¡°I¡¯d really rather not,¡± He grumbles. ¡°I think I just need a little more time¡±

    I look at my younger brother, really look at him and I can see the way this all hurts him. Hayes has always been the sensitive one. The one I turn to when I am being too dense or hard to notice something needs a gentler touch. Hayes has waited for his mate for years only to find her not able to be herself. Of course it breaks him.

    ¡°How about this then, help me get to Percy¡¯s room?¡± I offer, ¡°And I will go with you after to visit Leandra. We can try to talk to her together.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I really want to get my ass drowned by my luna?¡± He scoffs. ¡°Because that is what will happen. I saw how she drowned that damn troll thing with a freaking floating water bubble. Sorry, brother, but your mate is scarier than you.¡±

    The door opens on cue and in strolls my stunning Luna, her wet hair slicked back in a high ponytail and an unsatisfied frown on her pretty lips. She rushes to my side, slipping under my arm to help me stand up straighter. I bite back the groan of pain as she grips my waist, trying to avoid my burns.

    ¡°<i>What </i>are you doing? You should be in bed still.¡± She hisses, looking up at me as I grin down into her perfectly pinked, angry

    face.

    ¡°I was just about to go visit Percy¡± I grin at her. She slides her eyes to Hayes and then clears her throat, looking away. Herck of response to my answer has my skin crawling, waiting for the bad news. ¡°What happened?¡± I <b>ask</b>.

    ¡°Percy..he isn¡¯t really himself right now..¡± she whispers, and I furrow my brow.

    ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡± I ask her and she bites her lip, looking into my eyes, her own filled with tears she is trying to keep at bay.

    ¡°He feels guilty. He won¡¯t speak to anyone. Not even Penny.¡± She says, sadness in her eyes.

    I look at Hayes<b>, </b>who seems to have the same <b>thought </b>I do.

    3:44 PM M

    Chapter 60

    <i>¡°</i><i>He </i>was talking with Penny the other day?¡± I ask her and she nods.

    ¡°Yeah, he seemed like he was doing so much better, and then suddenly he stopped talking to everyone and started refusing food.¡± She says, looking between Hayes and me like she is trying to figure out what is going on.

    Both Leandra and Percy are no longer speaking. I don¡¯t know if Leandra is eating or not, but the fact that neither is choosing to speak makes me think we have two options for what species is helping the red¨Ceyed wolves.

    <b>Many </b>species have the ability to control or possess others, but only two species leave their puppet a shell of a person until the one in control is close enough again to either release them or reuse them. Witches and Fae. But not just any witch or fac. Those of higher status. Considering both Elm and Brent are here, on our side, that means one of their species is being used against us.

    Now the question is which species, and who?

    ¡°I need to see Caspian. Now.¡± I tell Hayes. ¡°And bring Brent and Elm as well. I think we may finally have a direction to work in.¡±

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61

    *Colette

    ¡°You should at least try to rest <b>and </b>lie down while you wait for them all toe back,¡± I <b>insist</b>, and he shakes his <b>head</b>.

    *If I have to rest for a minute longer, I am going to implode.¡± He grumbles, taking a step. I panic, my arm sliding up his back <b>as </b>he groans in pain, his head flying back as he grits his teeth.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± I hiss, releasing him as he slumps to the side, <b>his </b>handsnding on the side table to hold himself up. ¡°Shit,¡± I mutter.

    ¡°Perhaps <b>a </b>walking stick would be better,¡± he says, wincing.

    *Or maybe you should be sitting down at the very least.¡± I say, looking around the room, finding a tall stool for him to sit on. I drag it over to him, then as gently as 1 can I lead him to it. My eyes scan his back, the pink, melted skin breaking my heart with every breath he takes.

    ¡°Are you going to fill me in on what you and Hayes were silently figuring out? Or do I have to find out with my father?¡± I ask

    him.

    He exhales, his hand on <b>his </b>side and a grimace on his face as he tries to inhale a deep breath

    ¡°Percy and Leandra, no longer speaking, is not a coincidence. At least I do not believe it is.¡±

    I furrow my brows, <b>walking </b>around in front of <b>him</b>. Merikh reaches out, tugging me closer to him as he wraps his tired arms around me, sticking his hands in the pockets of my jeans. I ce my hands on his face, stroking it with my thumb, afraid to touch him anywhere else. Should it cause him any more pain?

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± I sigh, relishing the sparks from our bond that zip through us. His color returns to his cheeks. no longer looking so gaunt as the sparks work as a painkiller for him

    ¡°There are certain ways someone can be spelled or enchanted to do whatever the spellcaster wants. Most species have a way to do it, but only two leave the host a shell of themselves when they are too far away from their caster. Meaning that when the others fled after the fight, they took the caster with them, also meaning that the person behind it all is a witch or a fae.¡±

    I chew on my lips, processing what he is saying. Then I open my mouth to ask another question, but the door flies open. I turn to look at my father as he rushes in, Brent and Elm right behind him and Hayes bringing up the end. I step to the side, my hand sliding to Merikh¡¯s hair, just to have a hand on him

    ¡°Hayes says you have an idea of whom to look for?¡± Brent asks hopefully and Merikh nods, his eyes looking glossy and dull as he grows more drained by the second.

    ¡°You should be in bed,¡± I remind him quietly and his eyes skirt in my direction, a hint of annoyance filtering through <b>the </b>bond between us <b>and </b>to smile. Sick and exhausted, and he still gets annoyed with me. That has to be a good sign, right?

    I try

    ¡°Both Percy and Leandra, the woman from the woods, have stopped eating and talking. He says, looking around. Caspian looks at Brent and Elm over his shoulder, both looking stunned as their brows knit together and they look at each other.

    ¡°Is it possible?¡± Capsian asks them. Elm pinches the bridge of his nose and Brent drags his hand through his short, dark hair. ¡°I can¡¯t begin to imagine who it would be on my end, but it is a possibility, yes,¡± <b>Elm </b>admits. Brent frowns and nods, looking at the ground.

    ¡°My circle of people is much smaller than Elm. I trust them all explicitly, but that does not mean it can¡¯t be possible.¡± Brent admits.

    ¡°I see,¡± Caspian <b>says</b><b>, </b>an unimpressed frown on his lips before he sighs. ¡°Does anyone in particre to mind?¡±

    ¡°I can only think of two.¡± Elm says, ¡°the others have been silent <b>on </b>council matters. But there are two who are openly against werewolves and <b>lycans</b><b>.</b>¡±

    ¡°I will need to go back to my coven. To try to see if I can break what curse has a hold of them.¡±

    He who has traveled and when Brent says. ¡°But tryi

    would like to speak with them

    Chapter 61

    ¡°I thought <b>you </b>had done everything you could to break it and failed?¡± I ask him and he shrugs.

    ¡°Verbalmunication is not the only kind that exists. There are ways around spells without breaking them.¡±

    ¡°Go now,¡± Caspian says to Brent. He moves toward the door and I look <b>at </b>Merikh, trying to decide if I should stay with him.

    -Go with Brent¨CHe says through the mind link.

    -Are you sure?¡ª I ask him, and he offers me a gentle smile.

    -Even if I try to run. I promise you will be able to catch me with no issues¨CHe says, making me chuckle <b>out </b><b>loud</b>.

    ¡°I wille with you Brent, I call to him as he opens the door. He pauses, pushing it open for me to exit along with him. His willingness to take me only solidifies my thoughts that he is <b>not </b>working with the enemy, but that doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t be

    cautious.

    I look once more at Merikh as he turns and speaks with my father, his eyes meeting mine as the door closes.

    ¡°It <b>is </b><b>smart </b>to keep an eye on me,¡± Brent says, shocking me.

    ¡°Are you saying I need to keep an eye on you?¡± I ask, arching a brow.

    ¡°No. But if I were you or Meirkh, I wouldn¡¯t trust me blindly either. There is a lot at y here, a lot at stake, actually.¡±

    I nod, exhaling slowly as we walk down the hall and take a right turn, heading to the stairwell.

    ¡°Can I ask you a question, Colette?¡± He asks curiously.

    ¡°Ask away,¡± I tell him and he thinks for a moment, either thinking of a question or how to phrase one.

    ¡°The thought of a hybrid has always excited me. What type of powers would they have? Would one species be more dominant than the other with powers? Or can a hybrid really only be one species?¡±

    I chuckle, caught off guard by his excitement, and I shake my head.

    ¡°There is a lot that I am still learning about myself. My abilities, that is. I adore the water, it makes me feel better. When I am away from it, I am weak, like Caspian seems to do as well. I can survive being away from it, but I am prone to human sickness and exhaustion.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± He hums. He opens his mouth to ask another question but snaps it shut, choosing to wait for me to continue.

    ¡°I am still learning what I am capable of. I can manipte the water, not like Caspian can, but still. Uh, I can also make it <b>rain</b><b>. </b>from the water underground. My checks are pink with embarrassment, feeling like I am bragging or talking about myself too much, but when I look at Brent, he seemspletely captivated.

    ¡°That is astonishing. Do you n to continue to work on your abilities?¡± He asks me, and I shrug.

    ¡°We need to get back to our pack. They need us and our protection and with Merikh being so injured, he needs the strength of his people to help speed the healing. And Caspian needs to be back in the ocean sooner rather thanter.¡± I exin with a soft sigh.

    I¡¯m not sure yet that I am ready to say goodbye to the father I just found, but I am Luna. Not just a girl with a dad. I would love to learn more, figure out my limits and <b>how </b>to use it to protect the people I love. But right now, it¡¯s one thing at a time. Wanted and desires need to be pushed aside for needs to be settled first.

    ¡°Have you thought about going back with Caspian?¡± He asks, arching a brow and I chuckle.

    ¡°And where would I stay?¡± I ask him. ¡°I am half werewolf. Breathing under the water isn¡¯t really a speciality of werewolves.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± he says with a frown. ¡°That would have been pretty cool if you were able to breathe underwater long term like you father

    can.

    Iugh. ¡°That would be pretty sweet. I won¡¯t lie

    Chapter 61

    He stops at the door I visited earlier and I ready myself to see the hollow version of my gamma male. Brent forces the door. open, revealing Percy, who sits on the couch in white pajamas, staring at the wall.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Percy,¡± I call to him sweetly, and he doesn¡¯t move. I move closer to him, taking a seat at his side while reaching out to take his hand. ¡°We are here to ask you <b>some </b>questions<b>, </b>okay?¡±

    He doesn¡¯t acknowledge <b>us </b>as Brent steps forward, pulling out a pen and cing it in Percy¡¯s hand along with a tiny pad of paper. Percy doesn¡¯t even look down at it. He just holds onto both for dear life.

    ¡°Percy, what is thest thing you remember?¡± Brent asks. Percy¡¯s finger moves, writing down four letters, the very same ones that match the fogged up mirror in my bathroom.

    FIRE.

    ¡°Percy, what do you mean by fire? Can you exin that?¡± I ask him and for the first time, his eyes flicker to me, looking more like his as he looks away. He writes nothing else. He instead zones out once more and I find myself growing frustrated. ¡°Percy, Imand you to tell me something!¡± I hiss out, angered by theck of progress we have made recently. ¡°Draw a picture, something¡±

    He shakes his head, and then suddenly he is drawing something. Brent looks at me, impressed, before he looks down and I lean over as well.

    ¡°What is that?¡± I ask Brent.

    ¡°It looks like a lily,¡± he frowns for a second before his eyes go wide.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask him. He groans in frustration before he stops.

    ¡± . Elm isn¡¯t going to take this well.¡± He grumbles,

 Chapter 62

    Chapter <b>62</b>

    ¡°What does a lily <b>mean</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>I ask him as I grab Percy some water from the nightstand, hoping I can get him to drink something. ¡°And <i>why </i>would that be something that concerns Elm?¡±

    <i>¡°</i>Elm calls his mate his lily. His queen. It is the name everyone <b>calls </b>her now.¡± Brent says.

    I spin to look at him, taken aback by his response, then my nose crinkles in thought.

    ¡°But how would Percy know that?¡± I ask him. ¡°He is as new to this council stuff as I am. I doubt he has met her before.¡±

    Brent looks at the small paper still on Percy¡¯sp as Percy stares out the window as if in longing. A frown tugs at Brent¡¯s lips as he lets out a heavy sigh

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I do know that the second Elm sees this, he will be <b>rmed</b>.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t really think <b>that </b>Elm¡¯s own mate has something to do with¡­¡±

    Until recently, I really didn¡¯t think hybrids could exist either, and yet here one stands in the flesh next to me.¡± He gives me a soft smile.

    I move toward Percy, sitting on the bed next to him. My hand reaches out, gently grabbing his to get his attention, but it¡¯s like: trying to get the attention of a hollow log.

    Percy, you need to drink something.¡± I say softly, shaking his hand slightly.

    ¡°He won¡¯t drink it.¡± Brent reminds me.

    ¡°But he responded to me, demanding he draw something.¡± <b>I </b>remind him and he shakes his head like I¡¯m not understanding something.

    ¡°Your Lunamand worked because it appealed to the gamma in him. His job is to protect you. It is what he is programmed to do. He can only fight so much, he won¡¯t waste the energy listening to the demand to drink water<b>.</b>¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t just let him waste away and die because some asshole possessed him and left him like this.¡± I grit out fighting back

    tears.

    ¡°I know he is your gamma and you have a special bond, but we need to inform the others. If it is Lily, then Elm needs to know. he is being betrayed and <b>act </b>ordingly.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were going to try to break the curse, or whatever it is. At least try to make it better?¡±

    ¡°I need things. If it were a simple witch¡¯s charm, it would be easy, but with the Fae if it is Lily¡¯s doing, then I need things from nature. They tie everything they do to the earth. So right now, we need to focus on sharing what we know first.¡±

    I look at Percy once more, reaching out and turning his face so his empty eyes are trained on me. He is just a shell of who he is. The light gone from his eyes and his skin pale and sunken already. He is wasting away and we need to save him, just this once it is my turn to protect him.

    ¡°Percy, I will be backter I whisper to him, hoping he can hear me somewhere in his void mind. Then I turn to Brent and sigh heavily. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    It hurts to walk away from Percy, leaving him looking like this when he has done nothing but put himself on the line. I want nothing more than to return the favor and protect him back, but I can¡¯t do anything until we break this freaking link between him and the asshole who has their ws in his brain.

    We move in silence back to the room where Merikh is. I rest my hand on the door, pausing when it opens slightly but stops. I can hear voices, that of my biological father and Merikh whispering in hushed tones and then I hear my name.

    ¡°But, Merikh, Colette would be safer¡± 1 hear my father plead.

    ¡°She is safe with me. Did I not prove that?¡± <b>Merikh </b>growls lowly.

    Iva

    Chapter (2

    I furrow my brows in confusion, looking up at Brent, who clearly can¡¯t hear what is being said as clearly <b>as </b>I can with my enhanced hearing. Had he known this was my father¡¯s n to ask me to go with him all along? Was that why he brought it up

    earlier?

    ¡°She was safe with you, but now that you are injured, how long will it be until you can protect her again? Colette should be working to hone her skills. She has potential to be both a skilled siren and werewolf if we let her embrace both sides. Let her stay with me, just until you are back up to full fighting strength.¡±

    ¡°I will not let her out of my sight.¡± Merikh says, his voiceced with <b>pain</b>. ¡°She is my mate. Mine to protect and rule with. Without her, I am nothing.¡±

    My mouth is dry as I try to swallow. They think they can make decisions without my consent? Say yes or no to things that concern me without even first consulting me? <b>Would </b>Merikh even tell me if he didn¡¯t know I overheard him? I remove my hand, taking a step back. My fingers quivering before I drop them to my side.

    Brent stares at me quizzically but he says nothing as I push back my frustrations and annoyance before I shove the door open. and enter the room pretending like I had heard not a word they were discussing.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    ¡°We spoke to Percy,¡± I say, looking between them, then I scan the room, trying to find <b>Elm</b>. ¡°Where is Elm?¡±

    ¡°He needed to step out for a moment.¡± Merikh says, his face flushed as he sits with his hands on his knees, leaning forward, looking pale.

    ¡°You should beying down.¡± I say, making sure toy my disappointment on thick. He looks at me like I might have gone crazy and I roll my eyes. ¡°You are injured, Merikh. You need to heal and pushing yourself will only make it take longer.¡±

    ¡°Colette, what did Percy have to say?¡± Merikh asks, conveniently changing the subject.

    ¡°Nothing, but he drew a picture of a flower¡± I say, motioning to Brent, who produces the paper and hands it to Merikh. His brows knit together in thought.

    ¡°Is this a lily?¡± He asks, looking up, and Brent nods.

    <b>¡°</b>Yes.¡±

    ¡°Damn it.¡± Caspian curses under his breath. Merikh <b>looks </b>at him, concern spreading over his face.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think Elm knows, do you?¡± He asks Caspian, who shrugs.

    ¡°Who the hell knows these days? One moment I trust everyone and the next I am getting stabbed in the back.¡± He throws his hands up.

    ¡°We don¡¯t think he figured it out and ran, do we?¡± Brent asks cautiously. My brows shoot to my hairline in rm and I look around at the three men who look uneasy about the question posed.

    ¡°No.¡± I finally respond. ¡°No. He wouldn¡¯t have stayed through a fight like that to ditch us now.¡±

    Elm, for some reason, felt genuine every time we spoke, like there was an understanding of trust between us. He is a royal who believes in honesty and equality.

    i

    ¡°Who is ditching who?¡± He asks,ing into the room.

    ¡°No one,¡± I smile, damn happy that he proved my instincts right, at least this time anyway. ¡°But we do <b>have </b>to talk with you.¡± He nods, looking around the room, a single eyebrow arching as he releases <b>a </b>deep breath. Then He walks over and takes a <b>seat </b>on the edge of Merikh¡¯s bed near Merikh where he sits on the stool trying to stay upright.

    ¡°No need to be dramatic and dy it.¡± He announces, <i>and </i>I look at Brent, waiting for him to speak. After a moment he doesn¡¯t and I sigh, taking the drawing from my father¡¯s hands and cing it nearly in his. He frowns at it before looking it over.

    We watch as his eyes go from confused to curious, and then his cheeks redden and he stands abruptly. Elm doesn¡¯t utter a word, instead he seems to stew in his anger and frustration. Then he clears his throat and drops the d

    Chapter 62

    ¡°Lily.¡± He says softly, like a disappointed whisper<b>. </b>¡°What the hell have you done<b>, </b>my love?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think it was her?¡± I ask, not entirely convinced yet. There are many variables to think about. Like why she would do it, how Percy would even know who she is to point the finger of me on her.

    ¡°Do you have reason to think it is not?¡± He asks, skeptically.

    ¡°That came from someone I know never met your queen. Percy drawing a lily could mean a few things. Like the flower was present. Or maybe he is trying to send us to a meadow for answers.¡± I offer and he shakes his head, not believing me.

    ¡°Colette, He wrote fire on the mirror as a warning that it was the dragons. He is warning us with elements. Lily¡¯s have no meaning in our worlds, and if Percy had met her, like he would need to in order to be possessed, perhaps she shared her

    name¡±

    *Lily wears a broach, one that I had made for her, to remind her she is my little flower when I am away. She has never taken it off. If he had seen that, it would exin the drawing and how it looks so simr. Elm says,

    ¡°It sounds like you want it to be her,¡± I say, running my hands through my hair.

    ¡°I am a practical being. Letty. One who rules with logic and not emotions. The fact is, there is a likely probability it is my Lily. Which means I need to find her. If you will excuse me again, I need to make contact with the rest of my kind to locate my queen.¡± Elm rushes out the door, leaving it wide open behind him.

    ¡°I will take that as my cue to leave as well,¡± Brent says. ¡°I will try to break the curse or work around it now that I know what to do. He gives a slight bow before he rushes out the door as well.

    ¡°Do you really think it was a nature fac?¡± Merikh asks, looking at my father, who is rubbing his temples.

    ¡°Who knows anymore?¡± He grumbles. He gives me a gentle smile before looking back at Merikh and giving him a stern look. ¡°I beg you to reconsider what we talked about.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Merikh clips out and Caspian sighs heavily before shaking his head. He brushes past me, dropping a kiss to the top of my head and a soft smile before leaving the room.

    ¡°So, what did you guys talk about?¡± I ask Merikh, raising a brow, waiting for him to answer.

    144 <b>PM </b><b>M</b>

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63

    Merikh looks at me with a small frown, his face pale and sweat beading on his brow. It¡¯s obvious he is in pain and exhausted. I should help him back into bed, force him to rest, but I need to <b>know</b>. I need to know he wasn¡¯t going to make a decision for me and never tell me. Merikh and I havee too far, suffered too many lies and mimunications to falter now,

    <b>But </b>I need him toe out and say it. For me not to be disappointed in him and what we have. He has to be the one to bring it up first and tell me how he feels without demanding I do one thing or another. He sighs, then he stands, taking a fumbling step toward me as his eyes drift closed and open slowly.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I mutter, rushing to him, holding <b>him </b>up as he hunches over.

    ¡°We need to talk,¡± He whispers, but his voice is weak as I move him to the side of the bed.

    ¡°Save your strength. Right now, I need you to try to scooch onto the bed for me.¡± I tell him as he sits, and then with intense care andck of speed, he drags himself to the middle of the bed, his eyes closing

    I guess that talk will have to wait until he wakes up, no matter how much I feel. I need the answers now. He sighs <b>as </b><b>I </b>gently pull the soft sheet up and over his body, then I move to the door. If Merikh <b>can¡¯t </b>tell me, then I will talk to <b>Capsian </b>and hear his side of things first. Learn why he chose not toe directly to me first before approaching my mate:

    ¡°Stay,¡± I hear the words muffled by the pillow, my hand pausing on the doorknob. ¡°I need you.¡±

    His words are all I need right now, stopping me in my tracks, reminding me that he has done nothing wrong yet. Merikh is sick, severely injured and his body drained from its constant <b>healing</b>. An argument between him and my father over me is the least of my problems. No matter how upset it makes me. Right now I need to be a good mate and luna.

    I turn back around, looking at him as his barely open eyes lock on me, <b>his </b>body working hard to breathe easy. My heart aches. my eyes getting watery as I move wordlessly to the bed. I kick off my shoes and take off my t¨Cshirt, leaving me in only my bra as 1 crawl in next to him.

    My warm skin touches his mmy body and he shivers, seeking more skin to skin from me. The sparks dance through the bind and I can feel his muscles rx, the telltale sign that the bond is easing his pain as it should. Iy next to him, my body pressed up against his side as I reach out and stroke his hair from his face.

    ¡°Is this better?¡± I ask him, and he hums happily in response.

    His breathing grows more regr, his body working less strenuous as he seems to fall back into sleep. I sigh, just looking at his all too handsome features. My thumb strokes his high cheekbones, making me smile softly as I run over his stumbled face. I tilt my head, next assessing <b>his </b>sharp nose and the tiny freckles that from a far aren¡¯t noticeable.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    I wish I could see his piercing green eyes at this moment, witness the love he has for me, but instead of waking him I let him sleep, continuing my assault of touch on his face. My fingers trace his lips before 1 lean closer and press mine to his. He smirks and hums, his eyes remaining closed.

    ¡°I missed you.¡± He whispers, and I chuckle.

    ¡°How can you miss me? I <b>have </b>been by your side all along¡± I remind him, and he shakes his head softly.

    ¡°Not when I close my eyes. I miss you when I close my eyes.¡± He says, sounding a little drunk.

    ¡°Then dream of me, you crazy alpha.¡± I grin, then bite my lip. It shouldn¡¯t make me blush, but it does. The way he speaks, even when he is exhausted and ill

    ¡°<b>Too </b>tired to think,¡± he murmurs. His voice breaking off. As I lean closer to his ear.

    ¡°Then I will tell you what to dream about,¡± I whisper to him.

    ¡°Min, yes, please

    So many options spin through my mind. What would constitute a good dream for him? The devious part of me, the one that wants him to heal so I can enjoy my nights with him in a different way, begs me to say things I shouldn¡¯t. <b>But </b>then again,

    M

    Chapter 63

    perhaps I should give him something to look forward to.

    ¡°I want you to dream about when you are better. When all of this political crap is taken care of and it¡¯s just <b>you </b>and me. Back in our pack, in our room. In our bed.¡± I say my cheeks are heating as I speak to him. ¡°I refuse to leave the room for an entire week, and I refuse to let you leave my side.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, something less spicy.¡± He groans, shifting around on the bed slightly, and my eyes pop wide.

    ¡°Oh my gosh. I¡¯m sorry,¡± I giggle, realizing he must be ufortableying on his stomach with whatever my imagination is. doing to his body.

    ¡°Me too.¡± he sighs.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what you want to dream about? It may help you actually fall asleep more efficiently.¡± I offer.

    ¡°You, and me. Our future. Our family,¡± he says, his eyes opening for a moment, and meeting mine. My heart stutters when our gazes meet, my desire to be closer to him nearly suffocating as I wiggle further into his side. He chuckles and then his eyes fall closed again.

    your

    ¡°Let¡¯s see. Our future.¡± I whisper in thought. ¡°In our future, I see three kids. Maybe two boys and one girl. She will have stunning eyes and my <b>hair</b>. Our boys will look just like you, but they will be wild because they won¡¯t have to worry about wars and death. They will get to be kids, all of them.¡±

    As I speak, I realize I can see this future all <b>too </b>well. All the way down to the cute ck tennis shoes our future little boys are wearing. Merikh makes me want it all. The life I never knew I wanted or could have<b>. </b>All I want is him, me and peace. And in order to have that, we need honesty. I have his loyalty and he has mine. But where weck is truth and openness.

    ¡°Our rtionship will be perfect.¡± I murmur, speaking into existence the way I want it to be between us. ¡°We trust each other, and we share our expectations. There is nothing we don¡¯t share as we rule together.¡±

    I move my hand down his neck, his head stretching to the side, seeking my touch. I drag it down his arm, stroking it up down until I finally hear his lightly snoring. A smile dances across my lips and I watch him as he sleeps in peace.

    -Luna. Caspian asked to speak with you ¨C Penny says through the mind link

    -Tell him I will be there soon, please¨CI shoot through the link. I can feel her acknowledge my request.

    and

    I don¡¯t move right away, instead Iy for a few minutes longer watching Merikh, not wanting to disturb him by removing myself from his side. Then I lean forward, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek.

    ¡°I will be right back. I¡¯ve been summoned.¡± I whisper.

    I extract myself from the bed carefully, watching him the entire time to see if the paines back and is too unbearable for him. When I make it to the door and notice he hasn¡¯t moved, I exit and rush to my father¡¯s office.

    I pass by the open hole in the ceiling and wall where the conference room used to be, careful not to his the new construction that is already in ce to secure the building to prevent further damage.

    As I make it to his door, he exits, looking surprised for a brief moment before giving me a gentle smile, Caspian motions toward the doors leading outside and I <b>walk </b>along beside him <b>in </b>silence until we exit the building and the doors close behind us. I can see how tense he is, the nervousness in his stature.

    ¡°Everything alright?¡± I ask him, and he chuckles dryly,

    ¡°That is a loaded question, dear daughter¡± He shakes his head. ¡°My leadership has led to the downfall of the very thing protecting everyone.¡±

    I frown. ¡°Your leadership is the only one that wants unity.¡±

    ¡°<b>For</b>

    ryou. I wanted unity if it meant you were safe.¡± He sighs. ¡°I was selfish, and now many lives are on the line.¡±

    I blink, my chest tight as his words sink in. He regrets choosing to protect me.

    Chapter 63

    ¡°I see.¡± I murmur.

    He pauses and looks at me, his eyes growing wide. ¡°I don¡¯t regret my choice, Colette. There is no shame in admitting I would choose you above all else. I would do it all over again if I had the chance. What I need is to be realistic with myself right now. Every innocent life lost is in my hands.¡±

    I sigh, looking up at the sky, taking in the cool breeze that dances <b>over </b>my face.

    ¡°You led the council,¡± I say, looking back at him. ¡°You were not the one who made the decision for them. Caspian, you call yourself selfish. I call the others weak minded. Their fear caused them to make an enemy of us, not the other way around. <b>Fear </b>and jealousy are divisive points. Not a father¡¯s love or the desire to make everyone equal in the council.¡±

    He huffs out a puff of air and looks at me, pride in his eyes.

    ¡°You are already such a wise Luna.¡± he smiles. ¡°Your mother would be so proud.¡±

    I look down, watching each step as I wring my hands.

    ¡°Will you tell me more about her?¡± I ask. ¡°I want to remember her, to imagine her smile and the way she loved me.¡±

    ¡°I actually wanted to discuss something with you first,¡± He says, clearing his throat. ¡°How would you feel abouting back with me to my world?¡±

    I¡¯m not surprised by his question, given the conversation that he had with Merikh. ¡°Uh, after everything settles down?¡±

    ¡°No, I mean when we all leave in a few days¡® time.¡± He exins, his hand going behind his head to scratch an itch. ¡°I already brought it up to Merikh,¡±

    ¡°He hates the idea,¡± I tell him without <b>even </b>have to address it with Merikh first.

    ¡°Naturally, but you would grow more powerful, and I could teach you-¡±

    ¡°You mean you could keep me safe, hidden away there because you know no one else can get to you there?¡±

    ¡°That too,¡± He agrees. ¡°There is so much you could learn, so much strength for <b>you </b>to unlock so you can use it to protect your pack, your mate.¡±

    ¡°And where would I stay?¡± I ask him, arching a brow. ¡°I can¡¯t remain underwater forever.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know that,¡± He shrugs.

    ¡°Uh, hello. I am half wolf. Remember?¡± I ask him. ¡°I may be half siren, but I don¡¯t have <b>a </b>tail or scales for extreme swimming abilities when I get wet. Hell, I don¡¯t look like you do when you are in the water. I look..human.¡±

    He seems to grow sad and shakes his head.

    ¡°I¡¯d have a cabin for you to stay in at night and during the day you could be in the water, learning, growing.¡±

    ¡°But I would have to leave my injured mate.¡± I remind him. ¡°Something I would never feel right doing. I refuse to hide.¡±

    He shakes his head<b>, </b>convinced that I am not understanding him,

    ¡°Colette, you are not hiding,¡± he rifies. ¡°You are learning, training. You will be getting stronger, strong enough to protect <b>those </b>you love and care about from attacks from the dragons.¡±

    ¡°And what happens if an attack happens when I am not there?¡± I ask him with a raised brow. He says nothing, just stares at me before he shakes his head, looking disappointed.

    ¡°We need to hope that doesn¡¯t happen.¡± He whispers ¡°You need this, Colette. Your pack and even <b>Merikh </b>need it. I just need you to think. Don¡¯t answer me right <b>now</b>. Discuss it with Merikh, think about it. This is something I feel like would be beneficial to the whole of our cause. You need to do what is best for your pack, not <b>just </b>your rtionshits¡°.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter <b>64</b>

    ¡°I should get back to Merikh,¡± I mutter. Confliction stirring in my head and chest.

    I know Caspian is right. My powers, whatever they may be, could very muche in handy and<b>, </b>as someone who can¡¯t offer much in the way of my werewolf abilities, this would be a huge advantage for us.

    What I did in the woods with the fake giants was something I had no idea I could do. Heck, I¡¯m not sure I could even do it

    if I tried. But if the ocean makes me stronger than the fresh¨Cwaterke in my pack, should I not try to see what it can do

    again for me?

    ¡°Promise me you will consider it?¡± He asks. The sincerity in his voice is enough to make me see he wants this not to just keep me safe where he lives, but he wants me to learn, to grow.

    ¡°I will think about it.¡± I tell him with a tight smile as I back away and turn, heading toward the mansion that once was so grand.

    As I enter, I see Hayes storming out of a room, his fist flying into the adjacent wall as he screams in anger. I stop, watching <b>as </b>he drags his hands through his hair and then leans forward, resting his forehead above where he punched a hole.

    ¡°Hayes,¡± I call out to him, walking in his direction as he straightens himself up and turns, shock written on his face. He tries to hide the hole in the wall<b>, </b>leaning against it with his back and clearing his throat.

    ¡°Luna,¡± He says, bowing his head in respect, which only makes me raise a brow. Hayes has been respectful to me, but he is my brother through my mate, not just a beta or a pack member. It is so obvious that he is hurting and it¡¯s not just Merikh being injured.

    ¡°Leandra still not speaking?¡± I ask him and he looks down

    ¡°How am I supposed to reject her if she can¡¯t respond?¡± he growls, though his anger is <b>not </b>directed toward me.

    ¡°Why would you reject her?¡± I ask him and he looks at <b>me </b>like I¡¯ve lost all ability to speak coherently.

    ¡°She is a traitor. I can¡¯t take her as my mate now.¡±

    I frown at the man I know to be wise beyond his years. One whose opinion is highly valued not only by Merikh but everyone who knows him. But maybe that is why he is so great at advice. Because he can see things from the outside perspective and with this situation, he is in the thick of it. Making terrible mistakes without asking anyone for their external thoughts or opinions. When ites to his own life, he is lost.

    ¡°Being a traitor is a conscious choice.¡± I say softly, ¡°I doubt she asked to be bewitched and used against her own kind. Seems to me she was used, not asked.¡±

    Hayes presses his head back into the wall, lifting it and mming it back. He does it again, hammering it against it twice, now three times, before I step closer and ce my hand where the back of his head is repeatedly hitting. He stops and tilts his head to look at me, sadness in his eyes.

    ¡°What the hell am I supposed to do? I prize loyalty above everything, Colette,¡± He whispers, sounding broken. ¡°Seeing her out there, fighting us..I can¡¯t erase it. The colors of her eyes didn¡¯t matter. She was going to kill my alpha, her alpha. How do I just forget that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I tell him honestly, my shoulders popping up in a shrug. ¡°But I think it¡¯s worth trying

    ¡°It¡¯s like¡­everything went to hell when those damn zombie wolves arrived and now¡­now we are stuck there. Burning for the sins of our ancestors and tearing everyone else down with us,¡± He scoffs.

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting way of putting it, 1 <b>admit</b>. ¡°Not quite how I see it, though<b>.¡±</b>This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    ¡°Yeah, well, how the hell would you describe it?¡± He scoffs, his frustration seeping through his words. ¡°We¡¯ve been attacked so many damn times I can¡¯t count anymore. We make no headway, these assholes just take win after win and we just lose everything.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just life.¡± I <b>shrug</b>. ¡°For so damn long, I was living in hell. Stagnant. Nothing to do or live for, losing everything, including

    Chapter 64

    who I was every day. I lived longer. Sometimes one person¡¯s hell is another person¡¯s salvation. All of this? These fights, these losses? That¡¯s proof we are still fighting. Proof these assholes can¡¯t beat us.¡±

    ¡°So what you are saying is if we fight long enough, eventually we will win one?¡± He scoffs, and I chuckle.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I admit. ¡°But giving up on the things that can make what you call hell feel a little less awful won¡¯t guarantee you any wins, either.¡±

    He snaps his mouth shut, looking at the door across from us. Then he sighs.

    ¡°Brent is with Percy, trying to break the hold they have on him. Then he will be here, working on Leandra next.¡±

    <b>????</b>

    should be there with her. I can only imagine how hard it will be for her to understand what happened, what is

    ¡°And happening

    ¡°I have to reject her once she is free¡­¡± He whispers. ¡°I just don¡¯t know that I can do it. She is my mate, who I have waited for. But what if she is my Lauren¡­?¡±

    I frown, hating how stubborn he is, but then again, he is <b>so </b>like his brother in that regard.

    <b>*</b>Leandra will need time toe to terms with everything first, Hayes.¡± I say. ¡°So I am going to ask you to not reject her for a month. Let her heal,e to terms with how used she was. Who knows, maybe you both will help each other.¡±

    He opens his mouth to say something, but I shake my head and step away from him.

    ¡°And she is <b>not </b>¡®your Lauren! She was a one of a kind backstabbing bitch. She chose to betray Merikh and you. Leandra had no control over her actions.

    ¡°I suppose.¡± He murmurs, pushing off the wall..

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me use my mate against you, Hayes.¡± I give him a stern look and he frowns. ¡°There is no need to be in hell when you have the option of heaven. Stop being such a stickler for your made up rules and live a little. If Merikh and I can make this work, you can at least give her a chance.

    As I turn to walk away, <b>an </b>ear¨Cpiercing scream tears through the hall,ing from behind the closed door where Leandra is. 1 rush forward to throw it open, but Hayes beats me to the handle. The door flies open and Leandra is on the ground writhing in pain as gasping cry tumbling from her lips,

    Hayes drops to his knees, pulling her head into hisp, cupping her face as she shakes and cries out again. His eyes are filled with agony as he looks at me, trying to figure out what to do. I rush over to her, touching her skin, and notice how cold she is and how frail she feels. She is malnourished and something, or someone, is causing her immense pain.

    ¡°Shhh, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve got <b>you</b>¡± Hayes whispers to her. Leandra¡¯s shaking hands reach out and grip into his forearms, holding onto Hayes tightly as her eyes roll to the back of her head. ¡°Shit, shit shit.¡± Hayes panics as he shakes her gently.

    ¡°I need to go find Brent or Elm,¡± I say, jumping up and sprinting out of the room. I don¡¯t make it three steps before Brent breaks into the room, his face pale and blood dripping from his nose. His state catches me off guard as I reach out and help him stand upright.

    ¡°What the hell is <b>going </b>on?¡± I ask him, and he sucks in a shuddering breath.

    ¡°They are fighting back. He whispers.

    ¡°Who is fighting back?¡± I ask and Hayes looks at me.

    ¡°The who has them in the curse?¡± He growls. ¡°Does that mean they are close?¡±

    Brent nods, and Hayes jumps up immediately, rushing out the door.

    ¡°Damn it.¡± I <b>groan</b>, helping Brent to the nearest chair before I tear from the room, sprinting after Hayes.

    I scream after him, only for him to ignore my every attempt, so 1 kick my speed up. I may not <b>know </b>how to <b>fight</b>, but ruming

    is slowly bing my thing. Well, hiking was, but stamina is stamina, so I race toward <b>him</b>.

    PM

    Chapter 64

    ¡°Hayes! Stop!¡± I cry out in my Luna voice, hoping themand is enough to make him stop.

    But it¡¯s not. That or he intentionally tuned me out, so he didn¡¯t have to hear mymands. I should stop, and I should reach out to Merikh. He is the only person I know who can get through to Hayes, but he is injured and the second I say something. he wille running. I can¡¯t risk that.

    So I instead make the incredibly stupid executive decision to stick with Hayes and ensure he is safe. Two is better than one when ites to fighting and though I don¡¯t offer much by way of packing a punch, I can turn water on like a spout and blind a bitch if I need to. I hope I can anyway.

    I follow his scent until I see him stopped and looking around in the woods, trying to figure out which way to go. He spins in a circle, growling in frustration, before cursing the moon goddess for the shit going wrong in the moment.

    ¡°Hayes.¡± I say, gently.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee out here.¡± He hisses, stalking toward me. ¡°Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡±

    ¡°Are you?¡± I spit at him. ¡°Rushing out into the woods with no idea where you are going and who you are looking for? The same words. I remind you, that you were attacked in my spelled giant like things.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to save her. They are hurting her on purpose. He grits out.

    ¡°They are trying to lure us out and they are, yet again, winning. You are letting them win, Hayes.¡± I say, my eyes boring a hole

    into his.

    ¡°You are the one that told me to give her time, Luna. This is me trying to buy her that damn time. Please, I am begging you¡­ help me find this bastard and end them.¡± His eyes are wild and his voice desperate, and I realize there is no way I can deny his heartfelt plea

    ¡°Do you have any idea where they might be?¡± I ask him with a heavy exhale and his eyes water.

    ¡°Not yet.¡± He mutters.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s start looking,¡± I agree. ¡°But no telling Merikh until we are done. Deal?¡± I ask, and he nods in agreement. Neither of us <b>wants </b>Merikh out here dealing with things in his state.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65

    person

    Hayes is frantic, not thinking right as he rushes through the woods, his head swinging from side to side. We know the who is <b>controlling </b>them is close. They have to be for Leandra to wake up from her void state. The question is, where is this person now? How close do they have to be?

    It feels like an hour has gone by and Hayes is sweating, his hair a mess as he drags his hands through it for the hundredth time. No amount of telling him we will find them or to focus on looking will calm him. The poor man is distraught and crumbling with every passing second.

    ¡°Hayes,¡± I say, trying to get <b>his </b>attention as I step in front of him with my hands out. He scowls<b>, </b>saying nothing as he tries to <b>step </b>around me. I slide to the side. He is moving too, and he growls. ¡°Enough!¡± he roars. ¡°Go back to the mansion if you want to give up. I didn¡¯t ask you toe with me.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t <b>going </b>to suggest we stop looking.¡± I sigh. ¡°I was going to suggest we split up. Cover more ground.¡±

    He thinks about it for <b>a </b>second and then he pinches the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.

    ¡°No, not a chance in hell, Luna. I may be falling apart here, but I am not crazy enough to let you <b>leave </b>my side. You are my Luna and Merikh would literally kick my ass.¡±

    I sigh, not really surprised or upset by <b>his </b>answer, but I needed him to rx,e back to his senses instead of storming through the woods like a frantic animal looking for a way out of a forest fire.

    ¡°We have been looking for an hour.¡± I tell him and he groans, throwing his hands up.

    ¡°I know, I know.¡±

    ¡°Brent has probably already broken the curse, and Leandra is lonely and terrified. We need to go back.¡± I say with a sympathetic smile. ¡°Making sure she is okay is more important¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°Or <b>you </b>both could <b>make </b>anotherp.¡± A feminine voice says, sounding amused. ¡°I don¡¯t mind waiting if you want to keep looking for someone you won¡¯t find.¡±

    I spin slowly, my eyesnding on a beautiful woman with deep brown hair and a crown made of pearls and silver. Her arms are crossed over her midnight velvet dress, a smirk on her pinkcquered lips. Her eyes are a stunning shade of orange, ented by dark mascara and eyeliner.

    ¡°Oh, I think we have found who we are looking for,¡± Hayes growls, moving toward her. I stop him by grabbing his arm.

    I¡¯m not sure how many strange women there are wandering around the woods out here, but before we go on the attack and kill someone, I want to make sure it¡¯s the right someone.

    No more zombie wolves, no more controlling the people we care about and want to protect. If this is Lily, if this is the bitch toying with people¡¯s minds, I will let Hayes end her sorry existence.

    ¡°Lily..?¡± I whisper and she quirks an eyebrow, fear shing in her eyes.

    ¡°I do not want to harm you.¡± She says and I scoff, watching as Hayes¡® fists clench, his knuckles growing white.

    ¡°I am doubtful of that, considering you have already hurt so many people.¡± I tell her, and she takes a step closer to me. Hayes growls, stepping between us as he res at her, barely restraining himself and his lycan

    ¡°All I want is to speak with you.¡± She insists. ¡°It is urgent.¡±

    *You want to talk to me? Fine, but my timees at a price,¡± I say, shrugging and crossing my arms over my chest, taking a

    simr stance to hers.

    ¡°What?¡± Hayes whips his head to look at me like I am insane.

    ¡°Name your price then.¡± She says, grinning, looking both pleased and relieved at my answer.

    ¡°Release the curse on my <b>kind</b>.¡± I say, matching her grin with a snarky smile. Sheughs, the sound much like a song as it echors back off the trees.

    ¡°Tam afraid I <b>can¡¯t </b>do that¡± She shakes her head

    Chapter 65

    ¡°Then we have nothing to discuss.¡± I tell her, ¡°And I can let Hayes kill you to release the others.¡±

    Hayes steps forward, his lycan breaking free before she juts her chin to a tree. A branch cracks, crashing down on Hayes. He tries to dodge it, but he isn¡¯t quick enough as itnds on his legs. He groans in pain and I rush to him, my wolf prickling in my <b>mind</b>, wanting to be let out.

    ¡°I can not do that, but <b>I </b>can help you.¡± She exins.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you can help me with anything. The only thing I want is my kind free from your mind tricks.¡±

    ¡°I will help your beta if you speak with me.¡± She says, pointing to Hayes. ¡°I will remove the <b>branch </b>and heal him.¡±

    I look at Hayes, who struggles to <b>move </b>the thick branch. Even in his lycan form, he is stuck.

    ¡°What could you possibly have to talk with me about?¡± I ask her, trying not to look nervous over the amount of blood pooling around Hayes,

    ¡°Rumor <b>has </b>it you are a hybrid,¡± she says.

    ¡°You know I am.¡± I scowl at her. ¡°You and Giselle, and whoever the hell else is on your side.¡±

    ¡°What kind of hybrid?¡± she asks <b>and </b>I furrow my brows, once again confused by her questions. Why the hell is she asking these questions? Is she trying to verify what she already knows or tricking me into some strange admission to use against me? ¡°Again, you already know this,¡± I tell her<b>, </b>and her eyes light up. ¡°So why are you asking such stupid questions?¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s true¡­¡± she chuckles, cing her hands on <b>her </b><b>head</b>. ¡°Holy shit. Caspian actually had an offspring. I thought Elm was making shit up.¡±

    ¡°Not just an offspring, but a Luna.¡± I scowl at her. She nods like she is processing the information.

    ¡°Yes, yes, that is right. He had <b>mentioned </b>you are mated to the Lycan King. How is he, by the way? When I received word of his injuries, I knew I had toe and help offer my services.¡±

    There is no way this woman is Lily. Not with these questions. The only thing remaining is who the hell is she. Because if she isn¡¯t Lily, then why the hell is she here right now?

    ¡°You aren¡¯t Lily, are you?¡± I ask her, and she shakes her head.

    ¡°No, I am <b>not</b>. She smiles. ¡°I am a fae, but I am not L Lily

    I blink at <b>her</b>, <b>my </b>eyes wide as she <b>chuckles </b>and waves her hand like it¡¯s no big deal.

    ¡°Then help my Beta. Now.¡± I point to Hayes and she extends her hand, the tree branch lifting and the blood around him tickling backwards up his leg and back into his wound. I blink as I watch it in slow motion, like a movie in reverse. Hayes equally stunned into silence.

    ¡°Now that we have that settled. Why don¡¯t you take me back to the mansion with <b>you</b><b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°Not until you tell me who the hell you are.¡± I re at her. ¡°You stopped us, injured my beta, asked me off the wall questions and all I know about you is that you are not Lily and you are a Fae. I don¡¯t know you well enough to trust you.¡± I tell her.

    are

    Hayes stands, looking at his lower half like he had just seen a ghost, then his eyes meet mine.

    ¡°She is the princess.¡± He whispers, looking at the Fae once more, <b>who </b>smiles.

    ¡°That <b>I </b>am. My name is Hyacinth. Elm is my brother.¡± She says, giving me <b>a </b>nod. ¡°I am here to help with your bewitched. friends and even heal your alpha

    ¡°He actually sent for you.¡± A voice from my dreams tuts. My skin goosebumps, my head spinning as I try to keep myself from breaking down. The fear ws at my chest, making its way up my throat in a painful bubble as I turn and look at a woman

    with white hair.

    Her skin is pale, her eyes an icy blue as she smirks at me, enjoying the effect she has over me. She stays near a tree, keeping her distance, and I realize it¡¯s more of a projection of her. She is not physically here, yet¡­it feels like she is breathing down my

    nerk

    Chapter 65

    ¡°Ah. You came too.¡± Hyacinth says, frowning. ¡°Did Elm call you, or did you feel guilty for starting all of this shit ande to apologize?¡±

    ¡°Oh no. I am here just to y a little. I¡¯m bored. All my y things are locked up <b>and </b>I just can¡¯t quite reach them, and with youing to set them free, I figured I could at least have a chokehold on this one.¡± Lily says.

    ¡°Are you that much of a coward you can¡¯te in your physical <b>form</b><b>?</b>¡± I ask, trying to sound strong.

    She cackles, her figure floating over to Hayes as she makes like she is touching his check. He swipes at her and his hand right through her form as she giggles.

    goes

    ¡°Oh stop, that tickles and my elm is a rather possessive Fae King. He won¡¯t like it if I tell him you touched me.¡± She teases.

    ¡°You are sorely mistaken if you think he has any feelings for you <b>now</b>,¡± Hyacinth <b>says</b>, sounding bored.

    ¡°No?¡± She shrugs. Then why did he sneak me back into his room for a little fun? How else do you <b>think </b>I got my hands on that little sweet redheaded gamma? Elm supports me, Hyacinth.¡±

    My stomach churns and I look at Hayes, the two of us caught between a fight we don¡¯t know how to <b>win </b>as these two fae women face off in a verbal war. Then Lily swoops in front of me, stopping only to grin.

    Tell

    my

    Elm I am ready for him now. That he no longer has to fake being on your side, and then she vanishes.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter <b>66</b>

    Merikh sits on the edge of the bed, his muscles quivering as he stares at Hyacinth, who looks out of ce in her velvet dress and crown. I take his hand in mine, his fingers twitching as he frowns <b>up </b>at me,

    ¡°You went into the woods? Without me?¡± He asks, his lips pinched together as he processes what I¡¯ve told him so far¡­

    ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t exactly mobile, Merikh. Hayes was in a panic and I¡¯ve never seen him like that. It scared me, so I had to go with him.¡± I say, defensively.

    ¡°Hayes is a big boy. He can take care of himself,¡± he says tly, his eyes narrowed. ¡°<b>You </b>should have woken <b>me </b>up or taken Penny as well, or something.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>There wasn¡¯t any time for any of that.¡± I tell him truthfully. ¡°Hayes took off. He wasn¡¯t in his right mind. Plus, I¡¯m a big girl and I don¡¯t need to always be coddled or protected.¡±

    <i>¡°</i>First of all 1

    of all, Hayes is always in his right mind. He doesn¡¯t do irrational or erratic behavior.¡± He argues back. ¡°And big girl or not, you are a Luna! not a warrior, Colette.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I am a Luna, and one with water skills. I am notpletely useless anymore, Merikh. I am learning and getting stronger.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. It was stupid and you should have-

    ¡°Oh, <be </b>on!¡± I throw my hands up in anger. ¡°His mate was in pain, and he was helpless. If you had seen him, Merikh. He was so broken. How would you <b>have </b>reacted? If it had been you next to him?¡± I ask him. He looks away, his jaw muscles tensing before he sighs heavily.

    ¡°Fine. So you went into the woods and found a random woman and decided to bring her back with you?¡± He <b>asks</b>, peeking past me at Hyacinth, who wanders around the room like she is assessing the decorations.

    ¡°Not <b>just </b>a random woman,¡± she murmurs without sparing him a nce. ¡°A fae princess.¡±

    He rolls his eyes <b>and </b>scoffs.

    ¡°Okay..but¡­that¡¯s not even what is important right now,¡± I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose with my free hand. This is not going well at all Clearly, <b>his </b>pain is making him unreasonable, well, more unreasonable than usual.

    ¡°For fuck¡¯s <b>sake</b>, what the hell could be more important than you running off after fucking danger with our unhinged beta when people are out there trying to fucking kill you?¡± He asks in a growly voice, his eyes dark with anger as he stares at me.

    ¡°That beta is your brother, I remind him with a scowl, choosing to ignore the logic he spews about the imminent danger surrounding my very existence.

    ¡°And what did my brother think he would find out there to help his mate?¡± He asks, pushing up off the bed, grimacing as he straightens

    ¡°That is what I am trying to tell you, but you won¡¯t let me talk long enough to finish the damn story.¡± I hiss at him.

    Merikh snaps his mouth shut and looks away, his anger filtering in through the <b>mate </b>bond, but I know he can feel my frustration too. I refuse to be made to feel guilty for doing what had to be done<b>, for </b>doing exactly what he would have done. Was it potentially dangerous? Yes, I get that and I understand his fury, but it doesn¡¯t make going out there wrong.

    ¡°I will remain silent while you exin, then.¡± He clips out, tilting his head.

    ¡°Should I just wait outside until this little lover¡¯s spat is over!¡± Hyacinth asks and I re at her.

    ¡°Sit down, please?¡± I say through tight lips. She smirks and throws her hands up in defeat. Then I look back at Merikh, focusing <b>on </b>exining all of this as fast and detailed as possible so we can get him healed already.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°Hayes was freaking out because for Leandra to be in that much pain, Lily had to be nearby.. I tell him and his shoulders tense, making him wince. ¡°She came in like..I don¡¯t know, a weird ghost like form. Or something like <b>that</b>, but she was able to have <b>an </b>effect on Leandra.<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°What?¡± He asks, his eyes going wide as he looks at me and then at Hyacinth behind <b>me</b>. ¡°Is that a fun Fae trick, to be somewhere you aren¡¯t physical at?¡±

    Chapter 00

    ¡°Not one that I was ever aware of, no.¡± She frowns. ¡°But then again, as Fae, we all have o with others.¡±

    ¡°Then <b>what </b>happened?¡± Merikh asks.

    our special tricks we don¡¯t always share

    ¡°Well..We were ready to fight, Hyacinth. I thought she was Lily, but once she exined who she <b>was </b>and why she was here, we came back after weird ghost Lily disappeared.¡±

    He scoffs, then it turns into <b>an </b>amused chuckle before growing into a full¨Cfledgedugh. I stare at him, both confused and awed by the sound, until he shakes his head and calms down.

    ¡°And you just took her word for it and brought her back with you?¡± He asks, arching a brow as he hobbles around me, moving

    toward her.

    ¡°When you put it that way, it makes it sound like I was being stupid.¡± I frown. ¡°But I followed my gut instinct, <b>and </b>well¡­she promised to heal you.¡±

    Merikh spins, losing his footing slightly as I reach out and steady him, my hands on his bare chest as I meet his eyes with mine. He has shut me out of the mind link, not letting me in right now, and it makes my wolf whine in desperation for that connection. Merikh is clearly not happy with me and my choices, but I fail to see how he would have done anything differently.

    ¡°Holy toads on a ming log. Hyacinth gasps, her hand over her mouth and her eyes trained on Merikh¡¯s back. ¡°How the hell <b>are </b>you standing with an injury like that?¡±

    Merikh looks annoyed as he closes his eyes and inhales deeply. <b>Then </b>1 help him turn to look at her with his expressionless. face.

    ¡°You may <b>be </b>a fae princess, but I am a fucking king. I have had many injuries in my life. This one, though painful, will not be the end of me, so why should I lie and wallow)

    ¡°It¡¯s not wallowing, it¡¯s pain.¡± She says, looking at him curiously. ¡°But your kind has a strange ability to push pain away at times, yes?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and the mate bond acts <b>as </b>a sort of pain blocker when we touch.¡± I tell her and she makes an impressed face.

    ¡°How very interesting.¡± She makes a movement with her hand, indicating that Merikh should spin for her but instead of responding he scowls and remains statuesque.

    ¡°Merikh, she is just here to help. I whisper, but he doesn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°Until Elm shows up to verify she is who she is iming to be, she won¡¯t look at shit,¡± He growls, his eyes trained on her like he thinks she mayunch herself at us at any moment.

    ¡°Good, he should already be on his way down here. After all, he is expecting me.¡± She says in an equally sassy tone.

    ¡°She is here to heal you. Not win your trust.¡± I growl, annoyed. What I want is for Merikh to stop getting in his own damn way and let her heal him. The sooner he is healed, the sooner I can make my decision about if I want to visit the siren world I knew <b>nothing </b>about.

    ¡°The two go hand in <b>hand</b><b>, </b>Colette. To need to be <b>healed </b>is admitting I am weak, and can you just trust any wornan in the woods iming to be a princess?¡±

    1 lick my teeth, annoyed with Merikh. The situation, all of it. Hyacinth saunters over to a chair and slides into it silently, her eyes still wandering around the room before settling on me with a genuine smile.

    There is a knock on the door and I look between Merikh who scowls at Hyacinth and the ethereal fae woman with <b>a </b>stunning smile on her lips. Then I move to the door, relieved when I see a gaunt¨Clooking Elm.

    ¡°Elm,¡± I say <b>and </b>he meets my gaze, his eyes full of sadness and agony.

    ¡°Is my sister here with you? Hayes mentioned she woulde to see Merikh,¡±

    ¡°I am here, brother.¡± She says, jumping up as he pushes past me. Hyacinth wraps her arms around him<b>, </b>whispering something in the Faenguage before breaking <b>away </b>and giving him a sympathetic look.

    ¡°Heal Merikh first and then we can discuss¨Che <b>pauses </b>and clears his throat. ¡°Discuss what has transpired and what we need

    to do next.

    Chapter 66

    ¡°Satisfied?¡± she asks, smirking at Merikh as she moves toward him. He grunts and turns <b>so </b>she can see his back. Merikh leans down on the side table, pressing his palms onto it as she touches his back, making him nearly jump to the ceiling.

    ¡°<b>Fuck</b>!¡± He growls loudly.

    ¡°These burns¡­¡± she muses. ¡°They are from a dragon Elm said.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Giselle shot a ball of fire at Colette and he took the hit,¡± Elm says walking over. My face turns pink, my heart racing at the terrible memory.

    ¡°But this is not a dragon¡¯s me. This is¡­this is magical, Elm.¡± She whispers, her words frantic as she slides a worried nce in my direction.

    ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡± I ask.

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible. Dragons, even in human form, shoot the same me, Cinth.¡± Elm argues with her.

    ¡°This is a purely, magically wound.¡± She argues back. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you, other than this is not a dragon¡¯s me.

    ¡°What does that mean!?¡± I yell, finally getting their attention.

    ¡°It means I can¡¯t heal him. Notpletely.¡± She whispers, and I look at Elm who drags his hands through his hair cursing.

    ¡°And that Giselle is not what she ims to be. She is not a dragon.¡± Elm says as the thoughtes to him.

    ¡°Then what the hell is she?¡± Merikh asks.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Elm says with a forlorn look on his face. ¡°But she isn¡¯t what she imed to be and somehow, we all missed it.¡±

    10:37 AM

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67

    <b>¡°</b>Merikh

    Elm¡¯s words ring in my ears. The severity of what is unraveling before <b>us </b>is astounding. How the hell we all missed it, how I dismissed the signs and <b>med </b>someone else for the red¨Ceyed wolves? It was so easy for them to use my tant hatred for Johannes and the vampires against me.

    Giselle, the person who <b>has </b>been on the council for many years longer than I have, isn¡¯t the species she said she was? Then what the is she? Species can sense their own kind, so we would all have known if she was one of us. How could she get away with this for so long! How could not a single person know!

    ¡°This is a joke. It has to be.¡± I say, looking between Elm and the woman he ims is his sister, hoping they tell me it is. Elm averts his eyes and clears his throat. ¡°Are you serious right now? How the hell does something like this even happen? Someone can just pretend to be <b>a </b>species<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°You <b>didn¡¯t </b>notice anything off about her or her scent.¡± He asks me like I am the one who is <b>at </b>fault. I scoff, shaking my head.

    ¡°I have only ever met her as a dragon representative. It is how she was introduced to me. Lycans and wolves use our scent to determine species and if she has been the only <b>so</b><b>¨C</b>called dragon I have met, then how the am <b>I </b>supposed to know it is wrong?¡± I snap at him. Elm ces his hands on his head, breathing deeply.

    ¡°None of this matters right now,¡± Colette <b>says </b>softly, touching my arm as she pulls me toward her.

    ¡°It most certainly matters.¡± I scoff, looking down at her. She shakes her head. ¡°What could be more important?¡±

    ¡°What matters right now, at this moment, is getting you better.¡± She says, <b>a </bmand in her eyes that only adds to the burning irritation in my gut.

    ¡°My injuries are nothing in the face of everything happening. At this point, we should head back to our pack and heal there, where we are safer<b>.</b>¡± I tell her. Colette ignores me as she turns away and moves toward Elm¡¯s sister.

    ¡°You <b>said </b>you can¡¯t heal his injury. Are youpletely sure?¡± She asks, sounding desperate. ¡°There is absolutely nothing you can do?¡±

    Hyacinth frowns and looks at me

    ¡°Would you mind letting me look once more?¡± She asks, and I chuckle dryly. This is such a crock of shit, these empty promises of getting fixed when my lycan is already working overtime to do just that.

    ¡°This is useless,¡± I tell everyone, looking around the room at all three of them. ¡°You have already established there is nothing to do with magical injuries like this. <b>What </b>is the point of trying when you will only fail?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to try. I just want to be sure there is nothing I can offer to help.¡± She frowns.

    I grit my teeth, looking at Colette who begs with her big puppy eyes, and I groan in frustration. What I <b>want </b>is to rest, with my mate actually staying by my side. What I need is for people to stop acting like I am on my deathbed and not getting better every little by little.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I say through a clenched jaw, once again turning my back so she <b>can </b>see it.

    Colette slides <b>onto </b>the side table<b>, </b>sitting on it with my hands gripping the sides to her waist. She ces her hands on my shoulders, those addictive and familiar sparks drawing out a sigh of content as my pain lessens significantly.

    ¡°This may hurt as I poke and prod around your injury¡± Hyacinth says, <b>her </b>footsteps padding across the floor toward me.

    Her fingers are warm, exploring the singed skin on the outside of the wound. She hums in question once or twice, a sharp pain radiating through my spine as she presses on the most tender area at the upper part near my shoulder. Again she hums in thought and I sigh heavily, Ready to be done.

    Colette¡¯s hands slide up my neck, finding either side of my jaw as she cups my face and makes me look at her. Her all seeing brown eyes meet mine and she frowns before pressing her forehead to mine.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± She whispers.

    ¡°Fine.¡± I mutter, not wanting to unload on her how I really am. Because right now I am far from fine.

    I am <b>livid</b>, and in pain and murderous and¡­well..I¡¯m very mad about everything

    My mate¡¯s father wants to steal her away. There is an unknown species who took out a chunk off my back and is leading a war againstText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    1235 PM

    Chapter <b>67</b>

    half of the council. Ex Council, <b>actually</b>. And there are random peopleing and going in a partially demolished mansion.

    We are not safe here, we are exposed. Our location <b>is </b>known to our enemies. <b>Even </b>with the help of our allies, who I am not even sure we can trust, we are sitting and <b>waiting </b>for disaster to strike. And to top it all off, my brother, and beta, has lost his ever¨Cloving <b>mind </b>over a mate he keeps insisting he wants to reject.

    ¡°Then let me in,¡± Colette whispers, and I exhale deeply.

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I tell her honestly. She can¡¯t know what <b>I </b>am feeling. I already look like a weak asshole in my current state. I don¡¯t need her knowing my mental state is just as messy.

    ¡°Fuuuuck,¡± I groan, pain racing up my spine as my whole body shivers and I squeeze my eyes closed tight.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispers, sounding distracted.

    ¡°Hyacinth¡­¡± Elm says, his voice one full of pain.

    ¡°Yes, brother?¡± she <b>asks </b>him, another jab of pain rolling through me. Colette pulls back, leaving her hands on my <b>face </b>as she makes me look at her, my breathing ragged and my muscles quaking under my weight.

    ¡°Did you see her?¡± Elm asks, and she stops what she is doing at my back.

    ¡°In a sense,¡± she answers after a moment. She then taps my shoulder, leaning forward so I can see her. ¡°Take a seat on the bed.¡±

    Colette slips to her feet, helping me stand upright before I step backward two small steps and she helps to ease me down onto the bed.

    ¡°Hyacinth.¡± Elm demands with <b>his </b>voice and she rolls her eyes before looking at him.

    ¡°What could possibly be more important than what <b>I </b><b>am </b>currently doing?¡±

    ¡°Did you see Lily?¡± He asks, tears in his eyes and his fists clenching and releasing anxiously.

    ¡°Yes, I saw the power hungry bitch.¡± She says, crossing her arms over her <b>chest</b>.

    ¡°She is <b>not </b>a power hungry bitch.¡± He snaps, and she throws her hands up in exasperation.

    ¡°Even now? Even after what happened, what she has done behind your back, you still defend her?¡± Hyacinth asks in exasperation.

    ¡°She is my queen,¡± He reminds her. ¡°And yours.¡±

    ¡°No. She is a traitor to our kind, and I warned you about her over and over again.¡± She hisses,

    ¡°Enough.¡± Colette says. ¡°Elm, she was there, but like a hallucination or a ghost. Your Lily admitted to what she is doing. Hyacinth is right. Lily is a traitor and has been nning this for sometime.¡±

    He looks at Colette, shocked. Then he paces away, dropping into the armchair, his head in his hands.

    ¡°What the am I supposed to do?¡± He asks, looking at me for an answer.

    ¡°You need to tell your kind,¡± I say after a moment. ¡°We all need to go back to our respective homes and recover, recuperate and devise ns of action. War isn¡¯t just marching to us, it has wings, we are running out of time.¡±

 Chapter 68

    <b>Chapter </b>68

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± Elm says, sitting forward. ¡°She is my queen, their queen. I can not simple dere she is <b>not </b>bt for the role <b>and </b>rai her out¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± I <b>ask</b><b>, </b>baffled that her actions aren¡¯t enough for her to bepletely cut off by her kind. ¡°She has chosen a war on the opposite <b>side </b><b>of </b>your people.¡±

    ¡°Because there arews and stiptions to think about,¡± He says, growing more irate by the second.

    ¡°You can bypass <b>all </b>of <b>those</b><b>, </b>Elm Hyacinth <b>says</b>, <b>a </b>bored frown on her lips. He snaps his eyes in her direction, anger simmering there. She <b>ces </b>her hands on her hips, readying herself for any verbal assault be flings her way.

    ¡°You are second guessing your side, Merikh whispers. Elm looks away, clearing his throat before he rubs his temple.

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not i¡­¡± He says after a pregnant pause that has my heart pounding and my mind swirling.

    Is he changing his mind? Does he love his traitorous queen so much that he would rather reposition himself and his kind against us in this war? I move toward him, my <b>eyes </b>trained on his face, trying to determine if I can trust <b>a </b>thing he says now. After that hesitation, the way he is refusing to inform hismunity about what has happened and how she is evil.

    ¡°Then exin it, Elm<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>I say firmly, stopping in front of him.

    ¡°Love is not something Fae look for or really care about in rtionships. <b>But </b>I love her. Still, after all of this, I want my Lily <b>back</b>. I want to know <b>what </b>made her do it, what <b>was </b>promised. Without her title, she is no longer protected. If I dere her a traitor now, there will be no answers as Fae kill on sight for sins of betrayal. He <b>says</b>, his eyes watery but no <b>tears </b><b>fall</b>.

    ¡°She did it because she is a selfish bitch who has always only cared about herself. She saw the opportunity to get <b>what </b>she wants, and she <b>is </b><b>taking </b>it,¡± Hyacinth scoffs as she rolls her eyes. ¡°You are the only fool that didn¡¯t see her for what she is.¡±

    ¡°Everyone leave,¡± I say, a wave of exhaustion rising above my head, drowning me in irritability and the need to just sleep this nightmare off. All this shit, the feelings Elm is feeling for his mate, who turns out to be just like my ex. It¡¯s sickening. It brings up a past ¡°me¡± that I hated. One who <b>was </b><b>a </b>ve to someone who wished to only use me.

    ¡°You have always disliked her, I know that, but the people epted her. The Fae have always loved her and treated her well.¡± Elm says. clearly not hearing me.

    ¡°You loved a version of her no one else knew, because she was faking it <b>for </b>you.¡± I groan, moving on the bed.

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± He asks, snorting like I¡¯m the dumb one in the conversation. Clearly, he is not seeing things <b>with </b>an open

    mind.

    ¡°It is easier to fake it for one person than it is for <b>a </b>whole slew of them. Take it from one betrayed king to another. She used you for <b>ess </b>to the power a royal is given. How the hell else would she be able to use these abilities at the magnitude that she has?¡± I tell

    him.

    ¡°He makes a fair point,¡± Colette <b>adds</b>. ¡°Who else do <b>you </b>know who can possess an entire <b>pack </b>at the same time?¡±

    ¡°Who else in our kingdom has the time and is always traveling for peace?¡± Hyacinth asks.

    Elm stands and silently makes his way to the door. He doesn¡¯t pause as he flings it open and exits the room, leaving Colette and Hyacinth here with me.

    ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t go over well.¡± Colette whistles. <b>Hyacinth </b>sighs heavily and then turns to look at me.

    ¡°I need to speak with him, but first I can heal a part of your injury. The bruises that were made on impact from the magical fire are something I can <b>heal</b>, as it is untouched underneath the top of the skin.¡± She says, ¡°Then I need to go try to mend my brother¡¯s heart¡±

    oves to me without

    1 <b>catch </b>Colette¡¯s relief through the mate bond and I put my hand out for her toe and stand by me. She moves to me hesitation, taking my cool hand in hers.

    ¡°This is going to hurt before it gets better.¡± Hyacinth whispers.

    She moves to my <b>back</b>, a soft throbbing in my muscles grows more intense, like a weight pressing into me. My chest grows tight, and nay breathing morebored as I close my eyes and grit my teeth. I can feel my spine creaking and my ribs suddenly shift, cracking with soch Tonce I gasp, unable to make a sound as the pain consumes me,

    Then it eases, my lungs filling with air with rase, and my muscles no longer tense <b>and </b>aching. I look at Colette who watches me close,

    Ling over her perfect¡¤lips.

    Chapter of

    ¡°That is all I can do Hyacinth says, sounding tired. ¡°Your bruising seems like it was a little more <b>than </b>that<b>. </b>But you should <b>heal </b>much faster with your fractured ribs now healed and your bruised spine now better.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell her sincerely, and she steps around so I can see her.

    <b>¡°</b>The <b>pleasure</b>

    e is all mine, Alpha King.¡± She gives me a small bow before Colette yanks her into a hug<b>, </b>a tear on her cheek <b>as </b>she whispers thank you over and over. Hyacinth only chuckles at her, pulling away from the hug with a soft smile.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you so d you didn¡¯t kill me in the woods now?¡± she asks and Colette nods.

    ¡°Very much.¡±

    *Now, I have a brother to help through a terrible heartache.¡± She gives a tightlipped smile before disappearing, closing the <b>door </b>behind

    her.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°How does it feel?¡± Colette <b>asks </b>me

    ¡°Honestly, I think most of my pain was from the spine and ribcage.¡± I tell her, though it¡¯s not theplete truth, but maybe she will stop babying me and stay with me in the bed tonight. For the whole damn <b>night</b>.

    She bites her lip, holding back a luminous smile, and I lift my arm, beckoning her to me. She snuggles up to my side<b>, </b>resting her head on my shoulder. We say nothing, just enjoying each other¡¯spany before I can feel the shift in the room, the way the air grows tense and how the mind link shuts down.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask her and she sighs

    ¡°When will you head home?¡± She asks, and it feels like the world stops spinning on its axis, violently spiraling out of control <b>and </b>into chaos.

    ¡°<b>What </b><b>the </b>hell do <b>you </b>mean by ¡°you?¡± <b>I </b>ask. ¡°Do you mean we?¡±

    She <b>says </b>nothing and I scoff, wanting to punch Caspian for speaking to her about this after I told him not to mention it. Colette doesn¡¯t have the option to go with him. She is mine, and she belongs at my side. She knows this, so why the is she acting like she has the option?

    ¡°<b>Caspian </b>wants me to go with him-

    ¡°I know. And the answer is no,¡± I say bluntly. ¡°I need you, our pack and kind need you.¡±

    And

    I understand that, but what if I have more to offer?¡± She asks.

    ¡°Like what?¡± I scoff

    ¡°Like abilities I don¡¯t know how to use yet, or strength I haven¡¯t unlocked because I have only been in fresh water and not the ocean. Caspian is at his strongest when he is near seawater. Maybe 1 am the same.¡±

    ¡°<b>And </b>what do you n to do with these abilities?¡± I chuckle. Her going, her leaving at a time like this <b>isn¡¯t </b>just absurd, it is stupid. Now is not the time for self¨Cdiscovery and hopeful powers. It is the time to hunker down and n for a war.

    ¡°Fight by your side.¡± She says it like it¡¯s so obvious. But it¡¯s not. How can it be when it is very obvious that she won¡¯t ever be asked to fight!

    ¡°I need a Luna, not a warrior, Colette.¡±

    ¡°I could be both.¡± She whispers

    ¡°No.¡± I say firmly, putting an end to this. ¡°No. You are not going, not when war is about to start. I need you with me. I have to know you are safe at all time otherwise I won¡¯t be able <b>to </b>think.¡±

    ¡°We will talk about this after you wake up.¡± She refuses to back down and 1ugh.

    There is nothing left to discuss.¡± I tell her.

    ¡°Fine, we will yell about it another time.¡± She says, shrugging ¡°I wanted to be civil about it, but if you want to make it a fight, then we can fight in the morning. Right now, I need to sleep.¡±

    I frown to myself, trying to remember when she became such a strong¨Cminded woman, but then my frown turns to a smile, realizing how far she hase since she came into my life. It was only a matter of time before my meek mate became the strong¨Cheadedna she was meant to be. I just sort of hoped I wouldn¡¯t be on the receiving end of it anymore.

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69

    ¡°Colette¡±

    I stare at myself in the mirror<b>, </b>my hair wet and dripping down my bare shoulders as I tilt my head, watching the droplets with intense concentration. My abilities take so much effort and emotion. I try to convince the droplets to float <b>off </b>my body but they don¡¯t move, insteall rolling down like they would any other day before I knew what I was.

    -Colette?¡± Merikh calls, a <b>soft </b>rapping on the door with his knuckles. <b>I </b>sigh, frustrated with the stubborn man who should still be in his bed rest<b>, </b>not <b>walking </b>around the room in <b>search </b>of me.

    ¡°Yes?¡± I call out.

    ¡°Caspian is asking to speak with us,¡± He says, his voice muffled through the door.

    I gaze at myself once more, my stomach a mess of knots. Caspian is going to want my answer soon, and with Merikh wanting to leave as soon as possible, I need to decide what is best for me. For my pack.

    ¡°Just give me a second.¡± I mutter, grabbing a towel and drying my hair as best as I can. I toss on my jeans and tank top, yanking on a linen button up as I exit the door <b>and </b>nearly run into Merikh. My eyes fly open wide, stopping in my tracks as he ces his hands out to

    catch me.

    ¡°<b>Woah</b>.¡± he chuckles before he pulls me close, wrapping his hands around my waist. ¡°Trying to <by </b>me out again?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Are you kidding? Keeping you in bed is the hardest thing I have ever tried to do,¡± I tease, leaning into his chest as I look up into his eyes. There is more spark there, the dark circles under his eyes now gone and he looks good. Damn good,

    ¡°There are some easy <b>ways </b>to keep me in bed,¡± He winks, leaning downL

    His lips press to mine, soft and sweet, before my fingers curl into his shirt, tugging him as close as possible. My mouth part, and his tongue teases me, darting out to skim the small opening I provide <b>him</b>. A little needy moan tumbles out and I can feel him smile against my lips before he applies more pressure.

    Hetches onto my bottom lip, nibbling on the sensitive skin before he overtakes my mouth with his tongue. My hands glide up his neck. holding him in ce, afraid he will <b>pull </b>away before I am ready to let him go. I can feel his fingers dig into my hips before they move lower, tucking into the back of my jean pockets.

    ¡°We need to go,¡± he murmurs against me.

    ¡°Mhmm,¡± I agree, not giving him the chance to <b>stop </b>us. He hasn¡¯t been well enough for anything like this, me too afraid to hurt him and his need to be on his belly has really diminished any ability <b>to </b>be intimate. But if he can stand long enough, sit on the edge of the bed. then there are ways we can be together, or close. Right?

    Far too soon, Merikh pulls away, a grin on his all too handsome face as he looks down at me.

    -We need to go, my little luna.¡± He whispers, his nose rubbing against mine as he leans down once more, this time stealing a chaste to ensure I can¡¯t ensnare him with another round.

    ¡°You teased me first.¡± I remind <b>him</b>, thinking of all the ways I would like to make sure he stays in bed. It has been too long since we have been together. For a woman who has only just experienced <b>what </b>it is to be fully in union with her mate, it feels like <b>a </b>lifetime.

    ¡°I promise to follow through on any teasing, but at a better time.¡± He says, stepping away from me as he entwines our <b>hands </b>and walks us toward the door. ¡°We will have <b>all </b>the time in the world when we get home.¡±

    I nod in agreement, my heart hurting with the pending choice 1 have to <b>make </b>hanging over my head<b>. </b>Merikh eyes me suspiciously but he says nothing as we walk out the door and down the hallway.

    The tension between us seerns to rise with every step. As we approach dining room, we see Hyacinth sitting with Elm who looks bereaved, as if he is mourning someone.

    Menkh sprezes my hand<b>, </b><b>and </b>Hyacinth sends me a soft sad smile before turning back to her brother who she tries <b>to </b><b>convince </b>to take a bite of avocado <b>toast </b>as he <b>stares </b>at the wall. As we make it to the other hall, far enough away, I look over my shoulder.

    ¡°Do you think he will end up choosing her?¡± I <b>ask</b>, uncertain where the line for loyalty <b>is </b>drawn.

    Lily betrayed him <b>and </b>their kind, but he has the choice to forgive her and lead his people down the path she <b>has </b>chosen. Elm doesn¡¯t know me all that well, but we have a mutual respect for each other. What happens when ites down to love vs. what is right? I can¡¯t imagine the choice he is faced with

    12:10<b>PM</b>

    Chapter 69

    ¡°No.¡± Merikh says with certainty. ¡°A king¡¯s duty is to their <b>people¡¯s </b>well being first and foremost. What she has done, the predicament. she has put them in, it proves where her heart lies and that is with power. Not her kind.¡±

    ¡°But he loves her-¡°I say, but Merikh <b>sighs</b><b>, </b>making me pause.

    ¡°Elm is distraught because he has already made his choice. That is why he is grieving his loss.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°I see I murmur, frowning as we approach my biological father¡¯s door. I <b>reach </b>for the handle, but Merikh pulls me back, making me look up at him with a small frown.

    ¡°<b>Wait</b>..¡± He whispers, inhaling deeply.

    ¡°What?¡± Task

    ¡°We need to be on the same page. He says firmly. ¡°We are leaving tonight, heading back to our pack under the cover of darkness.¡±

    ¡°And you are only just now telling me <b>this</b>?¡± I scoff, frustrated that he is only just now telling me this.

    ¡°Percy is doing better, and Hayes feels Leandra deserves a <b>chance </b>and wants to be at home for that. Add in the fact that I will heal faster in our pack than here. It is a logical decision. Heading <b>home </b>is for the best for everyone.¡± He says with a shrug.

    Except he is wrong. How does he know it is the best for me? My strength is untested, unknown. Is it best for me to head home and cower? To go and hide behind my people who will fight for me while <b>I </b><b>am </b>sitting around, <b>too </b>weak to be at their sides like a good leader should¡®

    ¡°Ah,¡± Caspian says, his door swinging open. ¡°I <b>was </b>wondering when you two would grace me with your presence.¡±

    He smiles at us before motioning for us to enter. Merikh leads us in and I release his hand, making my way to a chair, using it as an excuse to not have to touch him when I¡¯m growing increasingly angry with him by <b>the </b>second.

    ¡°I have to admit, Merikh, I am very pleased to see you up and moving. You had me worried there for a bit, Caspian says, sounding genuine. Merikh chuckles.

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>am damn happy to be up and moving. Thankfully Hyacinth thought to search for a different way to heal <b>what </b>she could.¡± He says and

    dad nods in agreement

    <b>my</b>

    ¡°She is an asset on <b>this </b>side of war

    ¡°I am assuming you heard we n to leave tonight,¡± Merikh asks and I watch as he arches a brow. Caspian nods his head slowly, his eyes skirting to me for a brief moment.

    ¡°Yes¡± He says before he <b>takes </b>a seat himself. ¡°<b>Am </b>I also to assume you will be going with your mate?¡±

    ¡°Of course she is. Merikh answers for me and I lick my teeth, hiding a dry chuckle, unable to hide my irritation. We <b>haven¡¯t </b>even had the time <b>to </b>discuss this yet, Why the hell does he think he has the right to answer when I don¡¯t <b>even </b>know for sure yet what I wish to do?

    ¡°Forgive me, alpha, but I was not talking to you.¡± He says, looking between us. ¡°I was speaking to my daughter. The one I was estranged from for <b>years</b>, the same one I wish to help grow stronger.¡±

    ¡°Daughter or not, the decision has been made.¡± Merikh reiterates

    ¡°I think you should reconsider. <b>Caspian </b>says, looking at me.

    I can feel my skin heating, the anger barely restrained as I search for the words <b>to </b><b>speak </b>but fail.

    ¡°Once things settle down, after this mess is all cleaned up, then she can visit for a short <b>time</b>. But right now, it is important that she remain with <b>me </b>in our pack, Merikh answers for me yet again.

    I am brought back to everything in our rtionship. The way I have never really made <b>a </b>decision of my own. I had no choice but to mate with Merikh, not really. Not that I regret epting his offer, but I was a pawn to him. And then again, when didn¡¯t tell me who I was, and the way he tricked me with Grady.

    And now, afterst night, telling him we need to talk about this, he has made his own decision about me and what I will do. He disregarded my feelings about what he thinks is best.

    <b>I </b><b>love </b>this stubborn man, <b>and </b>I know he wants <b>me </b>near him because he loves me and wants <b>me </b>safe. But I <b>can </b>be <b>so </b>much more than another person to protect. There is potential for me to be able <b>to </b>rely on myself. To trust my abilities and not be a burden, but an asset.

    ¡°Is that what you <b>want</b>, Colette? Caspian asks, ¡°To wait until after the war r to train and discover your abilities!¡±

    12:10 PM E

    Chapter 69

    I look at Merikh, and I know he can feel my inner turmoil brewing. I can tell by the way he doesn¡¯t respond to me again. The panic growing in his eyes as I look <b>away </b>and clear my throat, letting my heart do the talking for me.

    ¡°No.¡± I whisper, ¡°No, it¡¯s not what I want to do.¡±

    <b>Chapter </b>388

 Chapter 70

    Merikh scoffs, looking away from me angrily, his jaw clenching. I look up at Caspian, who looks between my mate and me with a somber look on his face. It¡¯s obvious he thinks I should go with him, but that doesn¡¯t mean he enjoys the turmoil it brings me.

    ¡°So you aren¡¯ting home with me, then?¡± Merikh asks, trying hard to control his words and the anger behind them.

    ¡°No, that is not what I am saying, either.¡± I sigh, closing my eyes for a moment before I inhale and meet his fiery gaze. I can see the hurt on his face, feel his confusion through the mate bond.

    ¡°Then what do you want?¡± he asks. His voice has shifted, no longer filled with anger. Instead, it is soft, resolved, as he waits for my answer.

    ¡°I want to be able to make the decision on my own.¡± I tell him, and he shakes his head in disbelief.

    ¡°We are mates. We are a team.¡± He tells me. ¡°We decide together

    ¡°Yet you made the decision that we leave tonight without telling me until right now. You made the decision for me with no regard for what I might need or want.¡± I tell him.

    ¡°This is not the time for this conversation.¡± He mutters, pacing away from me and toward the door.

    ¡°When is the time for it?¡± I ask him. ¡°Because we hardly discussed itst night.¡±

    We discussed it.¡± He shoots back. I roll my eyes.

    ¡°No. You told me what I was doing, and I told you we would discuss it in the morning.¡±

    He scowls at me. ¡°You actually said we would fight about it in the morning,¡± he reminds me.

    ¡°And here we are,

    fighting about it.¡± I shrug, standing

    ¡°Perhaps you two should discuss this after we are done here.¡± Caspian says and I look at him, a little shocked. I had forgotten where we were.

    ¡°Was there something other than who I am going with that we need to discuss?¡± I ask Caspian, and he nods.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Merikh grits out, but he refuses to look at me. He throws up a barrier through our bond and I frown to myself. I¡¯m suddenly not all that excited to be alone with himter.

    ¡°Once we all go our separate ways, it will be difficult tomunicate.¡± He says as he wanders over to his desk and he pulls

    out a box.

    ¡°What is that?¡± I ask him. Caspian pads over to me, holding the box out as I take it from him.

    Merikhes close, his chest brushing my shoulder as he leans close looking down as I pull the top from the box. I lift the sleek ck cell phone from the box, looking up at him, a little shocked to see he would have a human device like this.

    ¡°A cell phone?¡± Merikh says quizzically. ¡°How do you expect to use this in the water?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t. I have already arranged for a small home on the shore of the ocean, one where I will ce a siren in human form to watch the phone for news from you or anyone else who has this number.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°You do realize these devices require service to work?¡± I ask Caspian, and he frowns at me.

    ¡°I do know how things outside of my world work, daughter,¡± He says. ¡°All of that has been taken care of. Everyone¡¯s numbers have already been added as well and there is a charger in there.¡±

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    ¡°Okay.¡± I say, nodding and he meets my eyes. ¡°If you just wish to speak with me or ask me a question, you only have to call, and

    my warriors will retrieve me.¡±

    A smile tugs at my lips. This whole having a dad who wants to be a part of my life now feels strange. But it¡¯s pleasant. Nice to not be thest of my family.

    ¡°I will probably have lots of questions.¡± I tell him and he smiles, the joy in his eyes telling me he wants me to call, that he hopes I will do it often.

    ¡°Anything else?¡± Merikh asks, breaking the tender father daughter moment and I frown at him. He looks away and exhales before he looks back.

    ¡°I will make sure she calls often.¡± He tells Caspian, who ps him on the shoulder with a grin.

    ¡°Thank you. Well, that is all I have for now. Caspian says, giving me a smile. Merikh guides me to the door, the cellphone clutched to my chest as we make our way down the hall.

    ¡°I want to check in on Percy.¡± I tell Merikh. He says nothing for a minute and I look up at him, watching as he res forward and then turns to look at me.

    ¡°We have a conversation we need to finish first,¡± he says, his words restrained.

    My stomach drops, not looking forward to continuing the conversation I know we need to have. There is so much emotion, so much panic in what will happen and what I might say in the heat of the moment.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much left to say. I am considering going with my father.¡± I say with a shrug, trying to make light of it.

    Merikh takes my hand as he walks toward our room. He pushes the door open and swings me into it, mming the door behind us as he backs me into the wall. I square my shoulder, not afraid of him, and then I see the sheer terror in his eyes. The way he looks over my face like he is looking for an answer.

    ¡°You can¡¯t go.¡± He whispers, his body fully pressed to mine. The coolness of the wall does nothing to stop the heat burning through me as he pleads. He rests his forearms on either side of me, boxing me in as I tilt my chin up to look at him.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t said I am going yet,¡± I remind him and he shakes his head.

    ¡°No matter how many times I tell you, you just don¡¯t seem to understand it. You aren¡¯t my other half, Colette. You are all of me. I need you.¡±

    My heart breaks as he nuzzles into my cheek and neck.

    ¡°I feel the same way,¡± I say.

    ¡°Good, then you are staying with me,¡± he murmurs, his lips finding my ear as he whispers against my skin.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I said.¡± I gasp at his intimate touch, my eyes falling closed. ¡°Merikh, I need to be allowed to think about this. To make this decision. On my own.¡±

    He stops, nearly panting as he drops the most tender of kisses on my cheek before he pushes away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me use my alpha¡¯smand on you,¡± he whispers in warning. ¡°I do not want to be controlling or force your hand anymore than I have in the past, but I just¡­ I can¡¯t¡­I need you with me.¡±

    My burning need for him whips into a raging frenzy of frustration as I scoff and walk past him further into the room. ¡°You have made every decision for me since the moment I have met you.¡± I hiss.

    ¡°Ch no. You chose to mate with me in ce of that *itch, Leslie, Willingly, if you recall.¡± He says, his eyebrows raised.

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    ¡°You are infuriating.¡± I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose before I shake my head. ¡°You tricked me. Yes, I epted. But you didn¡¯t choose me because you wanted me. You were there for me because of WHO I am, WHAT I am. Merikh, you came to steal me and use me.¡±

    ¡°And the second I realized we were mates¡­¡± he says, but I interrupt him.

    ¡°You should have told me, but you didn¡¯t. Instead, you pushed me away and tested me with Grady-¡±

    ¡°He came on his own!¡± Heughs dryly. ¡°I didn¡¯t seek him out. The dumba*s came looking for you. All I did was let it y

    out.¡±

    ¡°THEN! You refused to listen to me and you forced me into that promise, so I couldn¡¯t know we were mates.¡± I say, tilting my head and licking my teeth, waiting for him to find a retort for this. His chest rumbles with a low, dissatisfied growl from his lycan.

    ¡°I have already exined those actions to you,¡± He says simply. Like the exnation was enough to make it all okay.

    ¡°Then there was how you never told me what I was or who my father is.¡± I say, my hands on my hips as I watch him drop onto the edge of the bed.

    ¡°Is this punishment, then?¡± He asks, his voice a whisper.

    My hands drop from my waist, my heart shattering, watching him look defeated and broken. His sullen eyes lift to meet mine and my breathing hitches. He is destroyed.

    I want to rush to him, fall to my knees and tell him I was kidding, that it was all just me being a little crazy. But the truth is, the more I say it out loud, the more I realize I need to make this decision on my own.

    ¡°No, Merikh.¡± I exhale, tears in my eyes as I move to his side. Sitting next to him. ¡°This is me standing my ground and needing to do this on my own. I love you and who I am with you. But I feel like I am missing so much of who I am. I want to give you every part of me, but I still don¡¯t know myself fully.¡±

    He reaches over, taking my hand in his, but he doesn¡¯t look at me.

    ¡°So this isn¡¯t about you not loving me?¡± he whispers, and Iugh at the absurdity.

    ¡°Never.¡± I say, jumping up and stepping between his legs. I hold both sides of his face, making sure he is looking up at me. ¡°This is something that I have to decide on my own, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± he agrees reluctantly, ¡°I will not hinder your decision. Even if it is one I don¡¯t like.¡±

    III

 Chapter 71

    Percy grins when he sees me walking down the hallway toward him. The relief I feel only shows how much this young gamma has grown on me and the reminder that I have missed him. He lookspletely normal, well fed and free of mind. But then again, he had thest time as well. So, as I approach him, I give him a gentle smile.

    ¡°I promise the witch is no longer in my head.¡± He says, putting his hands up. I chuckle, stepping into a quick embrace before stepping back.

    ¡°It is so good to see you back to normal.¡± I tell him and he nods.

    ¡°Yeah, well, it was a weird sensation. My only regret is I didn¡¯t realize it sooner.¡± He says, frowning. I sigh, tilting my head.

    ¡°Perc, you fought her off! An incredibly powerful fae, not just powerful, but the d*mn queen. You held her off and tried to give us a warning.¡± I remind him.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he says as he shakes his head. ¡°But she still won out eventually.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    ¡°No.¡± I scoff. ¡°You won. There isn¡¯t a single person you hurt. You let us know in time so you could be saved. It takes a powerful warrior to do that.¡±

    He nods, looking away from me as the others scurry around with luggage and mingling.

    ¡°I know it may seem weird to ask this but¡­is there anyway you would befortable with me still remaining on as you gamma?¡± He asks, his freckled cheeks growing pink as he clears his throat and looks at the ground. I furrow my brows, confused.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you be?¡± I ask him and he seems shocked by my response.

    ¡°Alpha Merikh suggested it might be best for me to step down, just for a little while.¡± He exins, and I find myself growing, annoyed with my mate once more.

    He continually ims that he needs me, that I am the one in control, and yet he does things behind my back. I get he is trying to protect me, that he isn¡¯t doing these things to be controlling or possessive. But intended or not, that is exactly what it feels like.

    ¡°Alpha Merikh is wrong.¡± I say with a tight smile. ¡°I would not feelfortable with just one Ga*ma. You guys are a package deal. I need you and Penny.¡±

    ¡°d to hear you say that,¡± Penny says from behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see Percy¡¯s twin grinning. ¡°When Alpha made the suggestion, it felt¡­wrong.¡±

    ¡°I will talk to him about it.¡± I promise.

    Hayes walks past us, a somber look on his face as he looks lost, almost like he is just going through the motions. I look at him before turning to see Percy and Penny with an rmed look on their faces as well.

    ¡°I will go speak with him,¡± I say, rushing off after the lumbering beta. ¡°Hayes¡­¡±

    He looks up slowly, blinking at me before he gives me a half-a*sed smile.

    ¡°Can Thelp you Luna?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Uh, well, first you can exin this mood to me.¡± I motion to him and he sighs, shaking his head.

    ¡°It isplicated¡± He whispers, then he nces around. ¡°I would like to discuss it with you when we make it back to the pack¡­if you might have the time?¡±

    It is obvious that Hayes is desperate and if this has anything to do with ourst heart to heart, I can only assume he is struggling with his new found mate.

    ¡°Of course,¡± I tell him. ¡°We are family before I am your Luna.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Colette.¡± He says, rubbing his face. ¡°Where Merikh is usually great to talk to about these things, sometimes a woman knows a woman better than an alpha.¡±

    ¡°I can definitely agree with that.¡± Iugh and nod in agreement.

    ¡°Hayes!¡± Merikh calls out, beckoning his beta over to him from outside the open double doors. Hayes rushes off, leaving me standing in the doorway watching my handsome mate with a tinge of fury. Why the hell does he have to be so good looking? It makes it so much harder to be angry at him when he does st*pid shit and then smiles at me.

    Right on cue, he shoots me a s*xy grin and a wink before turning to Hayes and pointing some things out. I exhale in annoyance before turning and heading to my father¡¯s office to tell him my decision.

    His door is wide open, his office tidy and neat and his deskpletely empty. A frown creeps across my lips as I move deeper into the office. There is nothing here that feels like him. The homey feeling he brought the room with his disarray and the smell of his salty scent that felt familiar andfortable.

    I trap my bottom lip between my teeth, then rush out the office door, heading toward his room. He has to be there, packing. Unless she doesn¡¯t really pack? What could he need from our world when he lives under the sea?

    I fly through his bedroom door, not bothering to knock, and I¡¯m mmed in the face with the scent of bleach and cleaner. Tears fill my eyes, my heart aching at the thought of missing him and not being able to say goodbye. I didn¡¯t realize he was going to be leaving so soon.

    His massive bed is made, the windows drawn and white linen covering the couch and nightstands. It is obvious he is gone, one of the first to leave. But why would he leave me without me telling him myself what my decision was? How could he know I was going to choose to go with Merikh?

    As I exit the room, I m into someone, grunting and bouncing off their body into the wall with a thud. The back of my headaches as I touch it, wincing. Someone touches my arm and look up to see the worried face of Ezrah.

    ¡°Luna, I apologize. I was informed you were rushing up here and I have a message to deliver you from Caspian.¡± He rushes out, then he grimaces as he watches me blink. ¡°Are you alright? Should I see if brent of Hyacinth are still here?¡±

    ¡°No, No I am fine. What letter do you have for me?¡± I ask him and he reaches into his pocket withdrawing a small letter with a wax seal of a violent ocean wave. I brush my finger over the seal before looking up at him.

    ¡°When did he leave?¡± I ask.

    ¡°He left twenty minutes ago.¡± He says. ¡°Caspian wanted to say goodbye, but he wasn¡¯t sure he could do it without breaking down.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± I murmur, looking down at the letter, slipping my finger under the lip and breaking it free from the wax.

    Colette,

    There is much I wanted to say to you during our time, much I had nned to do with you and even more I had hoped to experience with you in the near future. But fate ys games more often than not, and for now we find ourselves apart again.

    War is a dangerous game, one that many see as a strategy for who is the strongest. But it is not. Use your strong mind and stay close to Merikh. I have every bit of faith he will keep my little girl safe, where I failed to protect your mother.

    I want you to know I respect your decision to stay with Merikh, though I had wished you were the one to tell me and not your mate. Trust your instincts, test your abilities, and stay hydrated.

    Love,

    Dad

    Tears fall from my eyes as I read his word, holding it close. Then tears turn to anger and confusion, thest paragraph reying over and over again. When did Merikh go to him? It couldn¡¯t have been after the meeting where I told them I would make my decision. Merikh would never betray me that way¡­.would he?

    ¡°Ezrah,¡± I call out to him as he walks further down the hall.

    ¡°yes?¡±

    ¡°Did Merikh go see my father before he left?¡± I ask him and he looks conflicted, clearing his throat.

    ¡°That is a question better served for him, don¡¯t you think?¡± he asks, arching a brow.

    I tear from the hallway, rage building as I get closer to Merikh. There is no way he isn¡¯t feeling my anger through the mate bond, as I don¡¯t even try to shield it. He rounds the corner before I make it to the doors, his hands up already to keep me calm.

    ¡°Colette¡­¡± He says, and I know what he did.

    Merikh went behind my back. Again. After everything, after what we discussed. I had already decided. D*mn it, I was choosing to go with him. I wanted to be near him. To fix us better before I left. But now? Now I can¡¯t even look at him.

    ¡°How dare you!¡± I seethe and he frowns, guilt rippling through those green eyes I love so much. ¡°You are such an asshole.¡±

    ¡°I knew what you would choose.¡± He tries to tell me and Iugh dryly.

    ¡°Hardly.¡± I scoff at him.

    ¡°You were going to choose to stay with me. I know you Colette.¡± he reminds me as he steps closer. I shove at his chest.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your decision to predict or share with him. It was mine! MINE! and you did exactly what you promised you wouldn¡¯t.¡± I grit out. ¡°You said you would support my decision.¡±

    ¡°And I do,¡± he argues back.

    ¡°Good!¡± I hiss. ¡°Then get my bag from the car. I¡¯m going with my dad.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He asks, like the air was sucked from his lungs. I swallow roughly, squaring my shoulders.

    ¡°I need space from you,¡± I say. ¡°So, for now, I will go with Caspian. I won¡¯t be gone for a long time. Just a few weeks.¡±

    A range of emotions y over his face before he ces his hands on his hips and barks out augh of disbelief.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± He asks, ¡°Truly really serious? Because if you are, then I won¡¯t stop you.¡±

    I hesitate but stand my ground. ¡°Yes. I am serious.¡±

 Chapter 72

    *Merikh*

    I move swiftly to the SUV, waiting to take us back home, throwing the trunk open while Hayes watches me with interest. His mouth twitches like he is about to speak, but I silence him with a solid re and he takes two steps back, his hands outstretched like he surrenders. Thest thing I need right now is to talk about what just happened. How the hell am I supposed to process it when I can''t even bring myself to admit it is happening? Colette is going to change her mind once she sees I will seriously let her leave. This is just her testing me, testing my resolve. Well, if she wants to y the game of who can be more stubborn, she is in for a surprise. Because I am the most stubborn of the two of us.

    I yank out her two bags, walking them past Percy, Penny, and Leandra. The burn on my back twinges and stings, but at least it''s something other than the blinding rage I feel right now. My lycan is fighting me for control, urging me to just grab our girl and tie her up, cing her in the car until we get home.

    But even I know that is wrong. Shit, what I did was wrong. Should I have made decisions for her? No. and I get that, but clearly she is being emotional in her choice. She didn''t know who her dad was and then she found him and learned of her bloodline. It has to be overwhelming, but to abandon her pack? To abandon me? This feels like a rash decision.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    I bound up the steps toward the mansion two at a time, meeting her at the doorway as I drop the bags at her feet. She looks at me, her eyes red with unshed tears, and I can see how torn she feels. But it''s hard enough to let her go. I can''t concern myself with how torn she feels. Not yet, not right now.

    "Stay safe, Colette." I mutter, taking a step back, but she follows me. Her hand reaching out and taking hold of my wrist gently.

    I close my eyes, inhaling her scent,mitting it to memory. There are so many questions I want to ask her. So many things I should say.

    "Merikh..." she whispers, her voice breaking as I look down at the ce where her fingers touch my skin, the spark as strong as it has ever been. Even with this heartache. "Please."

    ¡°Please what?¡± I ask her, arching an annoyed brow. ¡°Please forgive you? Please pretend that this is breaking me inside¡±

    She grimaces, and a rogue tear travels down her cheek as she draws in a shuddering breath.

    ¡°My hands are tied¡± She whispers, looking up at me. ¡°I refuse to be a showpiece with a title. I want to be more than that.¡±

    I yank my wrist from her grip, stepping closer into her bubble.

    ¡°The only one who doesn¡¯t see your worth is you. Why the hell do you think I am fighting this so hard?¡± Iscoit

    ¡°Then let me go and find my worth,¡± she says, ¡°For myself¡±

    I chuckle dryly, reaching out and cupping her face with both hands. Her thin lingers reach up, resting on my wrists as she meets my heavy gaze.

    ¡°When you realize there is nothing to find, you know where to and me¡±

    She looks at me, biting her bottom lip. ¡°I promise to call you every day¡±

    I sigh, tugging her to me as I press my lips to hers. Her hands sqleeze my arm, and I kiss her soll and sweet. Tying to convey through the connection just how much I am begging he then I break away, taking a step back.

    ¡°I think I will need some time to cool off.¡± I tell her, hating myself but wanting her to understand that this is what it feels like to me. Like she is abandoning me and our pack. Even if that is not what it is.

    ¡°How much time?¡± She asks, tears racing down her cheek more consistently.

    I shrug. ¡°A few days. Maybe a week.¡± I tell her, knowing dmn well that it will feel like an eternity.

    ¡°Okay¡­I will call you in a week,¡± she whispers, her voice weak as she wipes her tears. ¡°I do love you, Merikh.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± I exhale, ¡°But not enough to stay.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about how much I love you and you know that.¡±

    I look behind me at the SUV¡¯s where my beta and ga*mas sit, probably watching us trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Then I see Penny mber out and creep up the steps toward us. She sticks her hands in her pockets.

    ¡°It is time to leave, Alpha and Luna.¡± She says intentionally, eyeing the bags in front of Colette.

    I turn and walk down the steps, heading to the car, leaving my heart behind me.

    ¡°Colette will not being.¡± I mutter as I walk past Penny.

    ¡°What?¡± she asks, her voice going up an octave in shock. ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means she is choosing not toe home, Penny.¡± I clip out and look over my shoulder at her.

    Penny looks between Colette and I. Colette, now hugging herself with tears streaming down her cheeks and me, looking like an insensitive a*shole with the tears I want to let out tightly locked away.

    ¡°Alpha¡­¡± Penny says, and I already know exactly what she is going to say.

    Hell, I knew it the second she stepped out of the SUV Penny is going with Colette and I had hoped it would go this way. If I¡¯ had suggested it, I am certain Colette would have been upset and offended. But with Penny insisting she go with her, I expect Colette won¡¯t be upset over thepany.

    ¡°Ask her,¡± I say. ¡°She gets to decide if she wants you to tag along.¡±

    ¡°Luna, I aming with you.¡± Penny insists.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to,¡± she says and Pennyughs.

    ¡°Whether you are getting in touch with your wolf¡¯s side or siren side, you are my luna and I am your gamma. My job is to protect you at all times,¡± she says. ¡°And you are my friend.¡±

    I gaze up at Colette who smiles for the first time since our fight and she nods happily.

    ¡°It might be nice to havepany.¡± She says.

    With that, I move to the SUV, climbing in the passenger¡¯s seat and mming the door shut.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I mutter to Hayes. He hesitates and I slide a re his way. ¡°Now,¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going¡± he grumbles, before way too slowly pulling away.

    We drive in silence, fighting the urge to look in the rearview mirror as the mate bond stretches. If I look back and see her,there is no way in hell Iwill leave the way she wants me to. This is what she is asking for. She is asking for me to be broken so she can find her way to feel whole.

    In retrospect, it¡¯s not a terrible thing to ask of me, it¡¯s something I want to give her. But f*ck if it doesn¡¯t hurt my heart and ego. I can feel her emotions slowly draining from my head until we pull out of the mansion grounds and she is gone from mepletely. My mark burns before it dulls to a throbbing, and I ce my hand over it.

    ¡°n on filling me in, brother?¡± Hayes asks, and I look out the window.

    ¡°Not really,¡± I admit..

    ¡°How about you tell me, anyway?¡± He says, and I roll my eyes.

    ¡°Not much to tell, Colette wanted to go with Caspian and learn what her skills are.¡± I shrug.

    ¡°Mmhmm, and you seem super thrilled about it.¡± He teases.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the irvoyant one?¡± I grumble in annoyance.

    ¡°Did you guys at least discuss it?¡± He asks, seeing right f*cking through me. I hate when he does that shit. I re at him and he chuckles, shaking his head. ¡°You idiot.¡±

    ¡°Careful, I¡¯m your alpha.¡± I grumble.

    ¡°You are my brother first. And you are an idiot. I bet you tried to strong arm her intoing home by deciding for her and knowing Colette she got mad and decided she was going to do it

    I don¡¯t respond. I look out the window instead, watching the trees blow by as he speeds down the paved road.

    ¡°I am proud of you, Merikh.¡± He then murmurs. I turn to look at him, my brows knitting together.

    ¡°For what?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I mean, she isn¡¯t tied her up and locked in the back of the SUV. You let her go, and you are trusting her toe back when she is ready¡± He says and I move ufortably in the leather seat.

    ¡°Yeah, well, I was da*n close to doing just that,¡± I mutter, and Hayesughs again.

    ¡°She will be safer with Caspian,¡± He reminds me.

    ¡°That¡¯s the only thing keeping me sane.¡±

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73

    ¡°Colette

    ¡°How far ahead of us do you think they are?¡± Penny asks, tugging the bag further up on her shoulder.

    <b>I </b>pause, looking through the trees at the trail Ezrah said Caspian took on his journey to the ocean. Truthfully, I don¡¯t <b>know </b>how fast Caspian can travel by foot on <bnd</b>. There is no doubt he is fast in the water, but here, onnd? He should be slower moving, right?

    ¡°They can¡¯t be more than half an hour to forty¨Cfive minutes ahead of us.¡± I assure her without actually knowing

    ¡°Good,¡± she says, looking around warily. ¡°These woods are giving me a bad feeling.¡±

    I look where her eyes are, seeing nothing and feeling <b>nothing </b>out of the ordinary. But then <b>again</b>, Penny is not only a trained warrior but a skilled gamma. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be my gamma in the first ce.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything out of sorts.¡± I say casually.

    She scoffs and shakes her head. ¡°It¡¯s not something I see, luna. It is something I feel, here.¡± She ces her hand over <b>her </b>gut.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± I muse again, looking around, trying to feel with my wolf or anything I can. ¡°Instincts?¡±

    ¡°<b>In </b>a way,¡± she shrugs. ¡°It feels like there is more of a disturbance. My lycan is bristling, warring with me to take over and search the <b>area</b><b>.</b>¡±

    Suddenly<b>, </b>a shiver runs down <b>my </b>spine, my skin growing cold, <b>and </b>I whip my head around. Penny ces her hand on my shoulder, leaning closer while her eyes search every nook <b>and </b>cranny.

    ¡°Luna, I think it¡¯s time to run,¡± she says, giving me a gentle nudge. ¡°Now.¡±

    There is no questioning her or her judgement. I break into a sprint, tearing through the trees like a raging bull let on the loose. Branches whip across my skin, stinging my face as I push forward, my hands out, trying to protect myself.

    ¡°To the left,¡± Penny hisses, ¡°running on that trail will be faster than pushing through the foliage.¡±

    I turn toward the trail I can see pecking out behind <b>a </b>sparse bush. As I approach it, I leap over a root, my foot getting caught as I cry out and m hard into the ground, my hands saving my face from barreling toward the ground at full

    force.

    Hands tear me from the ground and I flinch away, looking up at Penny as she runs while dragging me along. I can the fear on her face, the fear she tries to hide from me <b>as </b>she forces me in front of her.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Are </b>you sure there is someone following us?¡± I hiss at her as I look over my shoulder. I see the panic rising and she turns, running backward for a moment before turning forward again.

    ¡°Hard to say, but I would rather not stop or slow down and find out we are wrong.¡± She says, pushing on my back again to <b>make </b>me move faster. I stumble on further, wishing I had spent more time running in the recent month.

    It feels like we run forever, my wolf now burning with awareness and my nerves on full tilt <b>as </b>I scan every area, watching, waiting. Penny remains as close as she can be without running me over, her breathing slow and even, unphased by the running with weight <b>bags </b>full of useless shit.

    ¡°Drop your bag,¡± I tell her, pulling mine off while stumbling down the narrow trail. I can hear her doing as I do, and I toss it to the side, the bushes crunching under the weight.

    ¡°Now we will move faster,¡± she <b>sighs </b>in relief. I look back at her to catch a grin. ¡°We can¡¯t be too far behind them now<b>.</b>¡±

    11:53 <b>AM</b>Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Chapter 73

    There is <b>a </b>break in the trees, the ground ceasing to be hard <b>and </b>mossy, the texture moving <b>to </b>sand and I giggle with relief when I see a beach in the distance; the sun setting lower <b>with </b>ever stride toward it.

    I take one more step, a strange snapping sound echoing to my <b>right </b>and I turn to look <b>as </b>a branch flings up, a string attached flying higher until my ankle sears in pain and my body pitches forward. My fingers dig into the sandy earth. unable to find leverage as I fly upward.

    A hand catches mine <b>and </b>Penny groans, her body flying <b>up </b><b>a </b>few feet before we tilt back down and she uses her nail to cute my ankle free. Ind on her and she <b>pushes </b>me aside with unmatched speed, back on her feet <b>in </b>a fighting position.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± I whisper and she growls, her lycan rippling through her as her spine shakes and fur pushes out before quickly receding. She is fighting it for control.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if there is anyone here or not.¡± She says.

    ¡°Well we weren¡¯t expecting you.¡± Someone says, stepping out of the woods. A woman emerges her hands up to show us she is nonthreatening. ¡°When someonees <b>rushing </b>after our king, we grow a little suspicious.¡±

    ¡°Your king?¡± Penny asks, stepping closer to me as I find my bnce and stand, hobbling on one ankle, my other burning with the rope burn and being yanks so <b>hard</b>. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if it is sprained.

    ¡°Are you not <b>chasing </b>your father, King Caspian? I assume you are here hoping to catch him before he leaves for his city.¡± She asks curiously.

    Penny doesn¡¯t drop her <b>guard</b><b>, </b>instead she chuckles softly.

    ¡°And who are you?¡± She asks the woman.

    ¡°I am the general of the siren warriors. My <b>name </b>is Saree.¡± she says.

    ¡°Right,¡± Penny says skeptically. ¡°Nice to meet you. Are they still here?¡±

    Saree seems to look behind us, her eyes snapping back and she gives us a fake wide smile.

    ¡°You just made it.¡± She says, motioning toward the sunset. ¡°He is that way.¡±

    Now I feel it too, the gut instinct, the way my wolf is on edge. I y through this woman¡¯s words, the way she speaks and how she addressed me as Caspian¡¯s daughter. Would he have told her that before <b>anyone </b>else?

    ¡°Why did you say ¡®his city¡°?¡± I ask her, tilting my head. ¡°Is it not also your city?¡±

    She meets my eyes and then within a second they roll, and she lifts her hand, snapping it. Too many sets of <b>hands </b></divnd on me, taking me to the ground as I writhe <b>and </b>scream.

    ¡°Luna!¡± Penny roars, her lycan breaking out as she bounds toward me, her ws swiping men off me with ease. She <b>tears </b>one in half, throwing him to the side. And I jump up, extending my hands out <b>as </b>I close my eyes and focus. I can feel the water<b>, </b><b>so </b>strong, so much of it bubbling as ites to the surface.

    Then pain strikes the base of my skull and I stumble to my knees, disoriented and blinking as Penny disappears under a mass of too many men. When they move away, she morphs into her human form, her body bloodied and beaten.

    ¡°Penny!¡± I cry out, my tears unstoppable as I look at my battered friend, her left eye swollen shut. ¡°What the <b>are </b>you? There is no <b>way </b><b>you </b><b>are </b><b>a </b>siren.¡± I ask, and the woman cackles.

    ¡°Well, at least you aren¡¯t dumb. You are <b>right</b>, <b>I </b>am <b>not </b>a siren. What I am is not important,¡±

    ¡°The second I heal enough, I will gnaw on your head until your <b>eyes </b>fall <b>out</b>, you Bi-¡± Penny <b>stops </b>mid sentence, her eyes growing wide as she looks down a silver rod, breaking through her chest.

    11.53 AM

    Chapter 73

    I sob uncontrobly, trying to calm my shaking hands so I can do something, anything, to save her.

    ¡°Did you know Lycans are almost impossible to kill?¡± Saree says in a singsong voice. ¡°Unless you leave the silver weapon ced in their heart. Simr <b>to </b>a vampire in that way. Though a wooden stake is much easier to get your hands on than a silver one.¡±

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill her,¡± I beg, and she cackles.

    ¡°No can do, Princess.¡± She then snaps her finger and the rod clicks, causing Penny to cry out as blood garbles her

    §à§ã§ä§å§ã

    voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Luna¡­¡± she murmurs before falling forward.

    ¡°NO! NO! PENNY!¡± I roar, water rising from the ground <b>as </b>I force myself to stand. The woman snaps once more and the same pain as before racks through my skull, before tearing away at my conciousness, thest thing I see is Penny¡¯s lifeless <b>eyes </b>staring up at me.

 Chapter 74

    <b>Chapter </b>74

    <b>It </b>feels like my brain is going <b>to </b>explode; the pain searing at the <b>base </b>of <b>my </b>skull throbbing <b>away </b>like a time bomb slowly ticking closer and <b>closer </b><b>toward </b>something awful.

    There are people around me. Voices arguing and the sound of snapping that makes my <b>head </b>twitch. I slide my eyes open, blinking as blurry shapes take form in my impaired vision.

    ¡°Oh, hey. She is waking up.¡± I hear someone <b>say</b>, sounding excited.

    ¡°<b>Leave </b>her be you fool,¡± another person hisses. ¡°They put it in that cell for a reason. She is dangerous.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not dangerous.¡± I <b>croak</b>. But I regret the action, a stab of pain causing me to wince, my eyes aching.

    ¡°They don¡¯t put just anyone in that little cage, sweetheart. Hate to tell you this, but they want you to be as weak as a I blink at the smaller blur, trying to force my vision to focus, but nothing happens and tears roll.

    human.¡±

    The memory of Penny¡¯s eyes, the way they stabbing her through the heart from behind. How they ambushed us. And how they knew¡­how they knew where we would be.

    My skin grows cold the more I process everything. What if they ambushed Merikh as well? What if they didn¡¯t take a gamble by guessing what I would choose but covered both of their bases<b>?</b>

    Merikh could have ended up exactly like Penny. My chest grows tight, and a whimper tumbles out. It¡¯s my fault Penny is dead because of me. I pull my legs to my chest, hugging them tightly as the tears fall. They <i>are </i>hot and furious as they burn down my cheeks, growing from a soft ce of pain to a raging storm of agony.

    Penny was more than a gamma. She was a friend, someone I knew without a doubt I could always count on for more than what the gamma bond demanded. And she died because <b>I </b>was stubborn, because I am alive when I shouldn¡¯t be.

    ¡°Shit. See what you did, Lenard?¡± Someone hisses.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± someone protests.

    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b><b>sure </b>as heck did! First you woke her up-¡±

    ¡°She woke herself up.¡± Lenard says.

    <b>¡°</b>Both of you shut up.¡± Someone grits out, their voice low and hoarse. ¡°Thest thing she needs to hear before her death is the likes of the two of you bitching about who did what. You both are equally annoying.¡±

    ¡°That was rude.¡± One of them snorts, but I block them out as I fall to my side, the cries ripping from me in heaving sobs as I <b>try </b>to breathe through it all and fail.

    My lungs <b>are </b>tight as I <b>grow </b>light¨Cheaded and I <b>feel </b>someone¡¯s hand on my shoulder, a gentle circr rubbing as a form of

    .</b>

    <b>¡°</b>You need to breathe,¡± the woman <b>says</b>.

    ¡°I don¡¯t <b>w</b><b>¨C</b><b>want </b>to anymore,¡± I hup through a sob<b>, </b>curling in on myself.

    ¡°Ah no, that <b>just </b>won¡¯t do.¡± She <b>says </b>in a gentle <b>voice</b>.

    ¡°Everyone I love would be better off with me being <b>dead</b><b>.</b>¡± I <b>say</b><b>, </b>and <b>she </b><b>sighs</b>.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Yeah</b>, well, I remember <b>that </b>feeling. The feeling <b>of </b><b>having </b>no hope. But <b>I </b><b>learned </b><b>a </b><b>few </b>things from being <b>stuck </b>in this hellhole.¡±

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    <

    Chapter 74

    ¡°Yeah. How to stay stuck here,¡± one of the voices from before says with <b>a </b>cackle.

    ¡°Shut up.

    Lenard.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you, Elle.¡±

    ¡°Please<b>, </b>just leave me alone.¡± I whisper, pulling my shoulder <b>away </b>from her arm.

    ¡°All of you need to shut up.¡± Amanding voice rings out and I lift my head, my eyes trying to adjust to the lights the flicker on above me. I sit up, wiping my face, meeting the merry eyes of a tall man with dark hair and even darker eyes. He points to me with a strange smirk on his lips. ¡°I need to speak with this one.¡±

    Everyone else falls silent and I look around, watching as arms and figures shrink into <i>the </i>dark corners of the dirt filled cells we all reside in. I swallow roughly as he unlocks the silver bars and steps into the cell.

    He is massive. I mean, Merikh is big, his shoulders wide and strong and his height unrivaled by many. But this guy, he is as big as the magic made trolls.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I ask him, trying to remain strong.

    ¡°Honestly¡­I want to y with you.¡± he grins.

    My blood goes cold, and I lick my chapped lips in fear. There is no fighting this asshole off. He can hold me down with one hand. SO instead I scurry back against the wall, mming into it, begging it to swallow me whole.

    ¡°My mate will gut you.¡± I tell him confidently.

    ¡°Oh, you mean¡­if he knew you were here he woulde for me.¡± he grins, stalking closer and closer. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t know. From what my intel says, he told you not to contact him for a few days.¡±

    I shiver, my eyes closing as tears fall free. No way is this fucker touching me without a damn good fight.

    ¡°<b>I </b>will fight you the whole time. I might not be very strong, but don¡¯t underestimate my desperation.¡± I spit out.

    His brows furrow in confusion and then his head tilts up as heughs, the sound echoing through the small walled space. It seems to be a hrious joke to him as he continues tough, pping his legs before he stops and tilts his head to the side. Little stitches ofughter rippling through him as he talks.

    ¡°Wait¡­you thought¡­HA! Oh no, you thought <b>I </b>was going to want to touch you?¡± he shakes his head. ¡°Oh, no Princess. I want to see what you can do.¡±

    I frown at him, not really sure what he wants from me or what he means. What I can do? Then it dawns on me. Everyone knows what I am now, what I am capable of. He wants me to show him my abilities. But I¡¯know that showing him my full strength just gives them a better ability to defend against me.

    ¡°I can¡¯t shift with silver bars.¡± I shrug and he smirks, popping down in front of me. He produces a small bowl from one hand and then reaches to his back, producing a bottle <b>of </b>water. He holds it up, shaking it slightly.

    ¡°I think we both know what you are. Hell, the only people who don¡¯t are probably these fools in <b>here</b>.<b>¡± </b><b>He </b>shrugs.

    <b>He </b>opens the bottle, pouring it into the bowl in front of me, and <b>I </b>lick my lips. Not because I am thirsty for a <b>taste </b>of it. But because I am thirsty for the chance <b>to </b>escape. I know I can do various things to escape using my <b>water </b>abilities.

    So as he pours, allow myself to tune into the water<b>, </b>the sound and <b>feel </b>of it as it sloshes up the side, churning back into the bowl over itself. It¡¯s frantic in turmoil like me, begging to be <b>freed</b>, to sink into the earth where it belongs<b>.</b>Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    I look up, finding the guard watching me with a curious <b>gleam </b><b>in </b>his eyes. He <b>tosses </b>his bottle <b>to </b>the side<b>, </b><b>the </b><b>metal </b><b>canister </b>ttering against the bars that keeps me <b>here</b><b>. </b>He them motions to the bowl, expectantly<b>.</b>

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    Chapter <b>74</b>

    <b>It </b>is <b>clear </b>he knows what I am and if he is working with the others<b>, </b><b>then </b>he <b>sure </b><b>as </b>heck has heard of the things I <b>have </b>done with my <b>powers</b>. So <b>I </b><b>can¡¯t </b>just y it off <b>as </b>me having none. No, I need to perform, but I need to <b>severely </b>underperform, <b>so </b>they underestimate me.

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b><b>will </b>show you <b>if </b>you <b>answer </b><b>a </b><b>few </b>of my questions.¡± I tell him.

    <b>¡°</b>No deal. You show me and I won¡¯t kill everyone in here.¡± He scoffs.

    <b>¡°</b>You <b>overestimate </b>my empathy for people I don¡¯t know.¡± I say with some <b>sass</b>.

    ¡°Oh? Then I guess <b>we </b>will start with someone that I know you know.¡± He looks to my right. ¡°Melody.¡± He calls out.

    A skinny woman moves to the bars closest to me. She is skin and bones. Her eyes are sullen and her hair falling out. But the resemnce lingers, the way <b>I </b>can feel who she is to me.

    ¡°Mom,¡± I whisper, and her eyebrows furrow<b>.</b>

    ¡°Fine.¡± I grit out.

    The water shakes as I try to calm myself, but my wolf and my heart are too feral, too lost in our hatred to control it any longer. The water shoots up, swirling around the cell, gaining speed as I breathe deeply.

    My fingers then twitch, flicking at this man, the water shooting at him like a harpoon released like a spear gun. His eyes grow wide and he roars, his jaw dropping open as a me bursts out, turning the water into steam that floats to the top of the dungeon room.

    He stands, a giddy grin on his face as he walks out of the cell and moves to the woman he ims is my mother. Then he hooks her by her ankle and drags her away, not a sound falling from her lips as her eyes meet mine.

    <b>3/3</b>

 Chapter 75

    Chapter <i>75</i>

    ¡°Where did they take her<b>?</b>¡± I ask the others in the cells around me. Not a single one of them <b>answers</b>. ¡°What, now you to be quiet<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°What are you?¡± Someone says, stepping into the light.

    ¡°What was he?¡± I ask instead of answering him.

    ¡°You tell us first,¡± He says back, sounding more harsh in his tone. His eyes focus on me, a full on scowl on his face.

    decide

    ¡°Lenard, stop.¡± The other hisses, grabbing onto his arm, but he shoves them off. ¡°If you talk to her, we could get punished like Elle.¡±

    ¡°Back off. We have a right to know what she is, Trina. I mean, we both saw what she just did, right? She can manipte water without magic.¡± He says before looking right at me. ¡°So are you a siren, then?¡± Lenard asks, titling his head, curious.

    I walk to the back wall, leaning against it with a defeated sigh.

    ¡°I am a Luna.¡± I whisper.

    ¡°But you used water, and sirens don¡¯t have Luna¡¯s. They have queens. I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±

    ¡°Join the club,¡± I mutter, sliding down to the ground.

    The cool brick makes me shiver and I wee it, my face still warm from the man I assume is a dragon using his fucking fire to dissipate my attempt to escape him.

    ¡°You turned that water into a freaking harpoon and tried to kill him!¡± Lenard growls at me. ¡°Magic can¡¯t work in here. They have something that prevents its use, and with the silver bars, werewolves can¡¯t transform, so you can¡¯t be a witch or a werewolf.¡±

    I chuckle dryly.

    ¡°I could be a fae. Who the fuck knows what those assholes can do? Other than get in your head and mess with it and control everyone they want.¡±

    ¡°You are not a Fae, because I am,¡± He says tly. ¡°And Fae are not all the same. Our powers vary and only the truly powerful have those abilities. The royals gain their strength from our people.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I am aware.¡± I snort. ¡°I met your Queen Lily.¡±

    ¡°You did?¡± He seems genuinely shocked.

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a fucking bitch.¡± I mutter and he scoffs.

    ¡°She is wonderful.¡± He corrects me.

    ¡°Wonderful at starting wars and controlling people. She is wonderful at fucking people over and pretending it wasn¡¯t her.¡±

    He reaches at me through the bars, fury in his eyes as I just sit and blink at him. Clearly, this fae does not know that his beloved queen is working with the assholes who have them caged like a damn feral animal.

    <b>¡°</b>You <b>liar</b>,¡± he <b>hisses</b>, and Trina yanks him back.

    ¡°I told you to shut up and leave her alone.¡± She hisses at him.

    ¡°How can you just sit there and let her say that about our queen? This bitch siren is making things up.¡±

    <b>1/3</b>

    ¡°Elm was <b>just </b>as surprised as you. And I¡¯m not a siren, not really. I mutter and they both <b>freeze</b><b>, </b>Trinaing into the area where I can see her. Her hair is matted on one side, dirt smeared over her left brow and down her <b>nose</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°You know King Elm?¡± she asks, licking her lips and moving closer. Lenard scoffs.

    ¡°She is lying. Just like she is lying about not being a siren.¡±

    ¡°Elm is kind and just.¡± I murmur.

    A scream breaks through the dungeon, echoing off the walls and vibrating deep into my chest. Panic and fear settle in my bones as I swallow the lump in my throat. Is she really my mother? The one they are torturing? Giselle said she was still alive, and that man was breathing literal fire¡­

    But if it is her, then what do they want with her? She should be dead, unless they still need something from her. So then why is she being punished?Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Sounds like they got the oil out again,¡± Trina whispers to Lenard. ¡°She is going to be sick for a week.¡±

    Lenard sighs, sounding annoyed. ¡°Great. A week of this ce smelling like fucking vomit before they clean it again.¡±

    My chest is tight, a pain growing deeper and sharper where my heart is. I watch the area where they dragged her away, hoping for her to reemerge, but I am met with another terror inducing cry. She sounds so broken, almost hollow as her cries of agony echo around us, magnifying flutter in my soul.

    ¡°They are going to kill her¡­¡± I whisper and Trina exhales.

    No, she has been here longer than we have. They think she still knows something.¡±

    ¡°What does she know?¡± I whisper, my throat dry. She shrugs, and I look at Lenard, who crosses his skinny arms over his chest.

    ¡°You tell us what you are and maybe we will tell you.¡± He says with a victorious grin.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I grind out. Everyone outside of here already knows I exist, so how does them knowing what everyone else now knows a bad thing? ¡°But I want all my questions answered.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Lenard shrugs and I don¡¯t feel entirely confident he will answer my questions, but in desperation I give him his

    answer, anyway.

    ¡°I am a Hybrid.¡± I say simply, and they both blink at me before barking out augh. ¡°My father is King Caspian of the ocean. My mother is Melody, a werewolf of alpha blood.¡±

    ¡°Melody¡­¡± Trina says, looking up at Lenard, who has grown quiet and contemtive.

    ¡°I thought you said you were a Luna?¡± He asks after a moment of silence.

    ¡°I am. My mate is Alpha Merikh, king of the lycans and werewolves.¡± I say and he blinks before he turns on his heel and walks away. ¡°Wait, you said-¡±

    ¡°I know what I said.¡± He grits out. ¡°Right now¡­I just need a minute.¡±

    Trina follows him, whispering along the way.

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t lying. Lenard.¡± She whispers. ¡°Elle¡¯s name is Melody. She wasn¡¯t making it up.¡±

    Elle <b>is </b>your mother.¡± He says, spinning back to face me and rushing over to the bars.

    ¡°I think <b>so</b>.¡± <b>I </b>admit, and he shakes his head.

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    ¡°No. I am telling <b>you</b><b>, </b><b>she </b>is your mother<b>, </b>and she has told us all of this for so long<b>¡­</b>¡±

    +5

    ¡°Do they hurt her <b>a </b>lot<b>?</b>¡± <b>I </b>whisper, looking at the <b>narrow </b>hallway, waiting for them to bring her back <b>as </b>another cry breaks out, morphing it into a <b>terrible </b>sob. When no one <b>answers</b>, I turn to look at them and they both are looking away from me, ignoring the question.

    ¡°Do they hurt her a lot?¡± I <b>ask </b>again, this time a demand, and they wince.

    ¡°Only <b>as </b>much as needed. Now <b>we </b>have questions for you.¡± The same man from before walks in, a weak and trembling scrawny woman getting tossed into the cell next to me. She crawls further back before giving up and rolling to her back, letting out a deep, pained groan.

    The door opens again to my cell, and I jump up, moving toward him. Finding my resolve and my inner strength. I need to channel my inner Penny so I can escape and save my mom. What she needs is to be free from this awful ce.

    ¡°I can walk.¡± I tell him, and he throws his head back,ughing.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be when we are done with you,¡± he says

    with a grin.

    ¡°Do your worst,¡± I spit at him as he grabs my arm.

    My eyes slide to my moms watching as she stares at me, blue tears in her eyes, sizzling down her face as she tries to lift her hand to me. If she can handle this for ten years, I can handle it for as long as needed. Because once Merikh realizes I am not with my father, these fuckers aren¡¯t just meeting my mate.

    They are meeting the Alpha of Death. And there is no escaping him. I know, because I have tried.

    <b>3/3</b>

 Chapter 76

    <b>Chapter </b>76

    ¡°Merikh

    ¡°Where is Percy?¡± I ask Hayes, who walks into my office without the only other person I asked to see.

    ¡°He is sick.¡± Hayes says, worry on his brow as he shrugs. I give him a confused look, and he sighs, tossing his hands up like he doesn¡¯t have a better answer.

    ¡°Sick?¡± I ask. ¡°Like how the humans who get a runny nose and headaches? Or sick as if he is still infected by that Fae asshole?¡±

    ¡°Sick as in, He hasn¡¯t eaten a single thing since we got home yesterday and has been dry heaving and vomiting¡­¡±

    My brows furrow in confusion. Lycans do not get sick. We don¡¯t have stomach bugs or colds, our lycans heal us too quickly to ever feel any of the effects. Which means something is wrong, very fucking wrong.

    ¡°He can¡¯t get sick. It¡¯s not something that happens.¡± I remind my brother.

    ¡°I can show you, if you want,¡± Hayes says. ¡°The healers have already been called to see him, but he is indeed sick.¡±

    I stand from my chair, walking past him to the door, yanking it open.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± He calls out behind me.

    ¡°We are going to go check on our gamma and figure out what the hell is going on.¡± I holler back. He mutters under his breath as he rushes up to my side.

    ¡°Maybe it is all the stress of having his mind raided and run by someone else?¡± Hayes offers, and I shake my head no.

    ¡°How is your mate?¡± I ask him and he says nothing. I slide a nce in his direction and he rolls his eyes.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t really had much of a conversation since she hase back to herself.¡± He admits. ¡°But no, she has not been sick and throwing up.¡±

    I hum in thought as we make it to Percy¡¯s room, stopping as the healer walks out, looking pale and a little green in the face. I arch a brow and he bows, his hands sliding over his stomach.

    ¡°Alpha,¡± he says, just as his stomach gurgles and his hand covers his mouth. ¡°I apologize.¡±

    ¡°Is it contagious?¡± I ask, taking a step back with Hayes.

    ¡°No,¡± He mumbles, his eyes closing as he inhales deeply and exhales a few times. His color returns and he shakes his head. ¡°No, he is not contagious.¡±

    ¡°Then what the hell is wrong with you?¡± Hayes asks.

    ¡°I have seen some of the grossest wounds and blood doesn¡¯t phase me but vomit?¡± he shudders. ¡°It¡¯s the smell, you know? Acidic and putrid all at once.¡±

    I feel my stomach churn with his description.

    ¡°Enough,¡± I tell him, looking at Hayes, who wears a grossed out expression on his face as well. ¡°Tell me what is wrong with Percy<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem.¡± He says<b>, </b>whispering like he doesn¡¯t want anyone else to hear. ¡°I can¡¯t find a cause. He is just simply. throwing up. He says his chest hurts, an aching that is dull and <b>grows </b>intense enough to make him vomit. But there is no wound, not even <b>a </b>bruise or <b>scar</b>. Nothing to be found.¡±

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    <

    ¡°Thank you, Jonah.¡± Hayes says, dismissing him as I step toward the door, hearing retching from the other side. I suck in a deep breath, relying <b>heavily </b>on my lycan to keep me from following Percy¡¯s lead on the vomiting. And then I push the door

    open.

    The smell of bile and stale air sweeps out the room<b>, </b><b>swirling </b>around us like the smoke <b>at </b>a bonfire, <b>I </b>scan the dark room, looking for him before I flip on the light and see Percy lying <b>on </b>the ground, his shoulders moving <b>up </b>and down like he is

    <b>crying</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°Percy,¡± <b>I </b><b>say </b>softly and he groans, pushing himself up onto his hands and knees. His eyes find mine, puffy and red. His skin <b>is </b>pale as a sheet <b>of </b>white silk and I rush to him<b>, </b>reaching out to help him stand.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry alpha.¡± He chokes out<b>, </b><b>his </b><b>voice </b>trembling. ¡°<b>I </b><b>can¡¯t </b>pinpoint what is wrong but¡­it hurts<b>¡­</b>and then <b>I </b><b>just</b><b>¡­</b>¡±

    ¡°Shh, it¡¯s <b>okay </b>Percy.¡± I <b>assure </b>him. <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>am <b>concerned </b>about you<b>, </b>and why you <b>are </b><b>so </b>ill.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>But I <b>have </b>things you <b>need </b>me to do. Penny <b>hasn¡¯t </b>reached out since she left and I need to send a <b>message </b>and hope she responds<b>¡­</b><b>¡±</b>

    <b>I </b>sigh, shaking my <b>head </b><b>as </b>I move him to the bed and sit next to him on it.

    ¡°Hayes<b>, </b>get these windows open and the windows, too. Let¡¯s get some fresh air and light in here.¡± I tell him and he nods, doing <b>exactly </b><b>as </b>I ask of him.

    ¡°When did all this <b>start</b>, <b>Percy</b><b>?</b>¡± <b>I </b>ask him and he shrugs.

    ¡°On the drive home yesterday, I guess.¡± He slumps a little, a whimper breaking from his lips, and his hand flies to his chest.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± his pain grows worse as he cries out, his fingers pressing into his bare skin and I notice the bruises he leaves on his own flesh with how hard he presses against the pain. His legs shake and he snaps his mouth closed, gritting his teeth as I put my hand on his back, trying to keep him from falling over.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Hayes rushes over, dropping to his knees before our crying friend. ¡°Is it your heart?¡±

    ¡°It fucking hurts so bad,¡± He cries out. I tug him closer to me, holding him steady as he shakes and convulses. ¡°Bucket<b>!</b>¡±

    Hayes jumps to the side, grabbing a bucket that has already been used, the contents spilling onto his hand as he turns green in the face and locks eyes with me. I take the bucket from him carefully and Hayes bolts for the bathroom and the two heave and throw up.

    ¡°Are you sick <b>because </b>of the pain?¡± I ask him and he nods, taking a slight break from dry heaving to wipe his mouth on his

    arm<b>.</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>Yes</b>. It overwhelms me. It is unlike anything I have ever felt before.¡± He croaks and I furrow

    ¡°Did it start right after we left?¡± <b>I </b>ask him, and he shakes his head.

    my brows.

    ¡°No, I <b>was </b>good for several hours¡­but then it was like my body was tearing apart. My chest was ripping open and I swear <b>there </b><b>was </b>something in my chest. Eventually, the pain became too much. And it justes in waves now.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard from Penny?¡± Hayes <b>asks</b>, sticking his head out of the bathroom door. He then walks out, wiping his face with a towel, looking much better.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t <b>expect </b>him to hear from her until Colette is ready to reach out.¡± I remind him, but Percy lets out a strange

    sound.

    look at him, his <b>eyes </b>wide. Clearly, <b>Percy </b>realizes something.

    ¡°<b>What</b>?<b>¡±</b>

    <b>2/3</b>

    Chapter 76

    ¡°Penny and I <b>were </bmunicating.¡± He says quietly. <b>¡°</b>She <b>was </b>going <b>to </b><b>reach </b>out daily to let me know how she and Luna are doing. So if you <b>asked </b>or needed reassurance, I could tell you. We agreed before <b>she </b>volunteered to go with her.¡±

    His words shock me and I frown, wanting to be disappointed but finding myself grateful for such loyal gammas to not only my luna but me <b>as </b><b>well</b>.

    ¡°And how <b>were </b><b>they</b><b>¡­</b>when they responded?¡± <b>I </b>ask him and he looks disappointed and shrugs.

    ¡°She never called. It¡¯s <b>been </b>twelve hours past when she said she would read out¡­¡± Hayes then stands abruptly and paces toward the window. ¡°Oh, fuck¡­no no no¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± <b>I </b>ask, his anguish palpable.

    ¡°No, it can¡¯t be that would¡­I would have felt it¡­unless it¡¯s this¡­ fuck!¡± Percy rushes toward the door, slipping on the rug, before righting himself.

    ¡°Stop!¡± I roar, using my alphamand. He turns, his entire demeanor shifting from sickness to sheer terror and brokenness<b>. </b>¡°What the hell are you rambling on about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my pain. Shit. It¡¯s hers. It¡¯s Penny¡­Penny is¡­ fuck¡­¡± He yanks at his hair, tears falling. ¡°Penny is dead or dying. I can feel it¡­the pain is hers¡­I have to find her¡­¡±

    ¡°Percy, just calm down. You don¡¯t know that for sure.¡± I remind him, and he shakes his head.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m a fucking idiot. I should have known. Twins are connected, it¡¯s a soul tie, and hers is¡­I can¡¯t feel it anymore, Merikh¡­¡± His voice breaks and I yank the phone Caspian gave us out of my pocket, dialing the preset number.

    An unfamiliar voice answers.

    ¡°This is Alpha Merikh. I would like to speak with my Luna, Colette.¡± I demand. There is a brief break and the phone shuffles. Hope springs in my chest. If Penny is dead, then Colette is dead or in danger too, but if she answers, if it is her voice on the other end, then we have to find another possibility for what is wrong with Percy.

    ¡°Merikh,¡± I hear a deep voice. My stomach is falling and my mouth is going dry as I meet Hayes¡® eyes.

    ¡°Is she with you?¡± <b>I </b>ask him.

    ¡°Of course not. You said she chose to go with you. I was hoping you were Colette calling to say she had changed her mind.¡±

    ¡°She did change her mind. She left to go with you yesterday. Her and her gamma, Penny.¡± I rush out the words, losing hope with every passing second.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± Caspian grumbles. ¡°She never made it, Merikh. Colette isn¡¯t here.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    <b>3/3</b>

 Chapter 77

    <b>Chapter </b>77

    ¡°Percy should <b>have </b>remained at home,¡± Hayes whispers as Percy sleeps in the back.

    ¡°He has the right to search for his twin sister.¡± Leandra scoffs from beside the pale redhead, who is hugging the bucket like he <b>may </b>need <b>it </b>at any moment.

    ¡°Hell, I should have left you <b>back </b>home too.¡± he frowns, gazing in the rearview mirror. I look over my shoulder, catching a small smile on her lips <b>as </b>she looks out the window.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my home and you don¡¯t own me,¡± she says in a sing¨Csong voice.

    As much as Hayes didn¡¯t want hering along, I am d he gave into her request. Or rather her telling him she would meet us in the SUV. Her banter has been the only thing keeping the stifling tension in my chest from snapping and making me go feral. Not that <b>I </b>can say the same for Hayes, but part of me thinks he is enjoying being challenged.

    ¡°She has a point, Hayes.¡± I say, ¡°Percy has every right to be with us searching for Penny,¡±

    He looks over his shoulder at Percy and sighs, removing a hand from the wheel as he drags it over his face,

    ¡°I don¡¯t want him to witness what we will find.¡± He whispers to me.

    My stomach churns, my chest aching at the thought of not only losing such a brilliant gamma, but what it will do to Percy. What it means regarding what happened to Colette. Penny was a top warrior and loyal. She would not go out without a fight, which means if she is indeed gone, then Colette is in some serious shit.

    Lycans are damn near impossible to kill, and even some methods we cane back from. Not always, but asionally, we have been known to be revived when once believed to be dead.

    ¡°Leandra,¡± I say, needing a distraction to keep myself from going fucking crazy and killing my way to my mate,

    ¡°Yes?¡± she asks.

    ¡°How long were you held in that mind prison?¡± I ask, moving in the front seat to look at her. Her blue eyes meet mine, hesitation in her demeanor before she sighs and presses her head back into the headrest with a shrug.

    ¡°Honestly?¡± she sighs. ¡°I don¡¯t really know.¡±

    ¡°How can you not know?¡± Hayes asks with a skeptic snort.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as falling asleep and waking up,¡± she snaps. ¡°I turned eighteen and then it¡¯s just little snippets of my life where I was actually me.¡±

    My brows pull together, my mind whirring with thoughts. Percy was himself for the majority of the time, and even when he wasn¡¯t, he was able to fight it. Why was it so different for Leandra, and what negative effects will there be with her now being set free and not knowing what she has done with her life for years?

    ¡°And how old are you now?¡± Hayes asks, his tone lighter, more gentle as he meets her self conscious gaze.

    ¡°Based on the year, I¡¯m twenty.¡± She whispers and Hayes¡® face grows pale.

    Two years. She was controlled for two years. ¡°And I don¡¯t remember ever being in my lycan form until¡­¡± She pauses, clearing her throat.

    ¡°Until what?¡± I ask her and she looks down at herp, wringing her hands out.

    ¡°Until I met Hayes. When the mate bond kicked in, it was like I was thrown out of a haunted room. Like seeing the sun for the first time.¡± She whispers. Then she snaps her head up. ¡°Not that you are all that amazing. But the mate bond has a mind

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    <b>of </b>its own<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Right. Happy to know I¡¯m not that amazing<b>,</b><b>¡± </b>Hayes grumbles. ¡°We are <b>here</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Percy,¡± <b>I </b>say, reaching back and hitting his leg. <b>He </b>jolts up, his <b>eyes </b>red and puffy from all the <b>tears </b>he <b>has </b>cried before he looks out the window.

    ¡°Are <b>we </b>sure this <b>is </b>where they are at?¡± He <b>asks </b>with his hoarse voice.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    <b>I </b>fling the seat buckle off, and shove the door open, jumping out and mming the door closed <b>as </b>the others follow suit.

    ¡°They left from this point, so we will start here.¡± I tell him. ¡°It¡¯s the best option we have at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± he nods. ¡°Running in lycan form?¡±

    I smirk. ¡°Hell yeah we are. No faster way to travel on foot.¡±

    ¡°Everyone ready?¡± I ask, looking around. Hayes nods, taking his shirt off and Percy follows suit. But I notice Leandra looking nervous as she stares at the ground. ¡°Leandra?¡±

    ¡°I think I should stay here. You know, just in case someonees to steal the vehicle¡­¡± she offers too eagerly.

    I look at Hayes, who arches a brow in confusion.

    ¡°Not an option. Why would you even think it was one?¡± he asks.

    ¡°You said I wasn¡¯t a prisoner,¡± she snaps and he frowns.

    ¡°Yes, and you aren¡¯t. But you wanted toe.¡± Hayes reminds her. She immediately rolls her eyes, going on the defense.

    ¡°That was because you didn¡¯t want me toe.¡± She says.

    ¡°For a good reason! We can¡¯t trust you, and I was right. Now you are here acting up and looking for a way to escape.¡± He growls.

    Percy looks at me like he woke up in a nightmare, and I shrug. These two are both equally strong headed and have their own shit to work out. But if they don¡¯t figure it out in the next few seconds, Percy and I are leaving their asses behind.

    ¡°I CAN¡¯T SHIFT YOU FUCKING PRICK!¡± she roars, tears streaming down her cheeks.

    Hayes¡® face drops, his skin pale and his eyes wide.

    ¡°But I saw you in your lycan form. It¡¯s how we found each other. he shakes his head, trying to make sense of it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only ever shifted when they control it. My lycan¡­she isn¡¯t responding to me.¡±

    ¡°Then why would youe?¡± He asks, sounding defeated.

    ¡°Being around you makes me feel safer without my lycan, like maybe they can¡¯t get to me again¡­¡±

    ¡°You two can catch up to us,¡± I say, moving past Hayes and motioning for Percy to follow. ¡°I think there are some things you need to discuss<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    We don¡¯t wait for them to respond. Percy and I sprint down the trail behind the house before breaking out into our lycan form and tearing through the trees. I can¡¯t feel anything other than the firing off my nerve endings as my heart rises to my throat. What scene will we find, if we find anything at all?

    I sniff the air for her scent or Penny¡¯s, any sign that they are or were in this area. What if they just simply eliminated Colette and left her dead? I can¡¯t imagine what reason they would need for her now that the council has been dissolved. There is no

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    way in hell she would ever let them use her as a weapon for them.

    It¡¯s been two days now. Two days since we drove off and in the two days I lost her, maybe for a short time, but maybe forever. And I will never forgive myself for being the asshole that drove that wedge between us. I should have allowed her <b>to </b>make her own choice, and supported her in it. If I had, she would have been with Caspian when he left. Not exposed following him, hoping to <b>catch </b>up.

    I slow when I catch a whiff of stale blood, the tiniest hint of coppery smell on a little breeze. Percy freezes, sniffing the air as well, and we both zero in on a heavily bushy area. I move with caution before reaching out and tearing it back, instantly <b>turning </b>to keep Percy at bay. He shifts into his human form, and 1 do the same, making him look at me.

    ¡°Perc, you don¡¯t <b>want </b>to look.¡± I say softly and he roars out in anger and heartbreak.

    <b>¡°</b>It¡¯s Pen, isn¡¯t <b>it</b>?¡± he says, his voice breaking.

    ¡°I am so fucking sorry, Percy.¡± I say, dragging him to me in a bear hug, trying to keep him from witnessing the horror of his dead sister.

    ¡°No! No! Please, I have to see her.¡± He cries out<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>I need to see her Alpha. I need to¡­¡±

    1 relent<b>, </b>my arms dropping from him as he pushes past me and he lets out a heart wrenching sob.

    ¡°Pen, oh heavens, sis. What the fuck did they do to you?¡± He groans. I turn to watch him as he gently collects his sister, a small silver rod through her chest and her face lifeless.

    ¡°Let me carry her for you.¡± I offer, willing to give her an alpha¡¯s honor by taking her back in my arms. Percy shakes his head and <b>gently </b>moves her to the trail, easier to see.

    ¡°We need to search for signs Luna Letty,¡± He whispers, before wiping his face.

    ¡°I will search.¡± I tell him, and he shakes his head.

    ¡°No, we will. And if she was taken, we will find her and we will kill every single fucking person who gets in our way,¡± he says, his voice void of sadness and full of rage and violence.

    <b>3/3</b>

 Chapter 78

    <b>Chapter </b>78

    <b>*</b>Colette

    Everything aches and burns. <b>My </b>skin is covered in welts and <b>deep </b>cuts <b>where </b>they <b>have </b>struck me with <b>varying </b>sizes <b>of </b>sticks and the asional knife <b>to </b><b>get </b>me toply. <b>I </b><b>nce </b>up, looking <b>at </b>the metal pole my hands were forced to grip before they chained me to it and lifted <b>me </b>up.

    <b>A </b>chain mps onto <b>each </b><b>of </b>my ankles, tethering <b>me </b><b>to </b>the ground to discourage too much swinging after <b>every </b>strike. The woman has taken <b>a </b><b>few </b><b>breaks</b>, her brow dotted in <b>sweat </b><b>as </b>she allows me to <b>heal </b>before <b>starting </b><b>all </b><b>over </b>again.

    All because she wants me <b>to </b><b>cooperate </b>and beg Merikh toe and <b>save </b>me. But it will be <b>a </b>cold <b>day </b>in hell <b>the </b><b>day I </b><b>say </b>the damn words she keeps trying to <b>beat </b>into my mouth.

    <b>I </b><b>stare </b>at the blinking red light across from me, the device that will be used to torture my mate from a distance<b>. </b>It¡¯s <b>a </b><b>coward¡¯s </b>way to send <b>a </b>video and lure them intoing. But it only works <b>if </b>I give in, which I won¡¯t do.

    There is no way in hell I will <b>say </b>what they want me to say, no way I will give them the satisfaction. So I ready myself for the <b>next </b>blow to my shin, squeezing my eyes shut tight as I inhale sharply.

    ¡°Oh no no, Luna. I need your eyes open. If you won¡¯t use words, then I will need your eyes to speak.¡± The same woman as before says. I conjure up the blood and saliva in my mouth,unching it from my lips and onto her cheek. A satisfied smirk on my swollen lips.

    ¡°Real cute,¡± <b>she </b>res at me. Then she winds up her arm and her thin wooden pole cracks across my leg.

    A scream tries to tear from my lips, but it lodges deep in my throat, burning against my vocal chords as <b>a </b>sad whine finally breaks through. My whole body shudders<b>, </b>every nerve terrorized by the pain that ovees all the other strikes and blows to my bruised and battered body.

    ¡°Let it out,¡± she coos, her sick smile the only thing I see as my vision dots and slowlyes back to normal. ¡°No need to remain quiet for me.¡±

    I give her a tight¨Clipped fake smile back, swallowing a whimper of pain as my cracked lips break open and bleed again. My body is struggling to keep up with the healing process. This woman is enjoying beating me to within an inch of my life and letting mee back from it before doing <i>it </i>all over again.

    Who knows how long I have been back here? There is no light from the sun or the moon, no breeze from some hallway hidden any which way. Only stale air that smells of blood and urine. It¡¯s clear this is their favored torture chamber, and that they <bck </b>cleaning skills. It¡¯s obviously a scare tactic.

    Make it feel like life is deste and hopeless. Take anything that one might find pleasure in and tear it away from them. Anyone with nothing to live for would give up, they would give in. But not me, no, I refuse to be weak when I have finally learned what it is to be strong. My strength is new founded, but it is my own.

    ¡°Do you really think your Alpha King will actuallye for you?¡± She snorts out augh. ¡°You know he killed hisst mate, right? Why the hell would he <b>save </b>you when he can just¡­pick someone else? It¡¯s easier. Less dangerous than risking his pack toe <b>save </b>you.¡±

    ¡°Lauren <b>was </b>a traitorous bitch. She didn¡¯t deserve Merikh.¡± I tell her. I know I had resolved to not engage her in any conversation, but I refuse to let her record me not responding back about my mate. My alpha. Merikh¡¯s actions were <b>warranted </b>and nothing, no one will ever be able to convince me otherwise.

    ¡°Oh, is that what he told you?¡± She <b>giggles</b>, thinking she will confuse me or make me doubt him.

    What this idiot doesn¡¯t know is <b>I </b>am done doubting what Merikh and I have. We have our problems<b>, </b>our issues to work through, but what strengthens <b>us</b>, what makes us <b>great</b><b>¡­ </b><b>is </b>that at the end of the day. After every argument and fight, we still

    choose each other.

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    Mate bond or not we make the choice <b>to </b></dive back and work things out. We may <b>be </b>ur species or other royals. But I <b>own </b><b>up </b>to my failings andtely<b>, </b>Merikh <b>has </b>learned to do <b>so </b><b>too</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°It¡¯s <b>what </b><b>I </b>know.¡±

    ¡°Did you know Lauren was a hybrid too, then<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>She <b>asks</b><b>, </b>arching <b>a </b><b>brow</b><b>.</b>

    Her <b>news </b>shocks me, and I¡¯m not quick enough to hide it on my <b>face</b>. She grins victoriously<b>, </b>rounding me, stopping behind me, and sticking her head between my outstretched arms.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s a no, then,¡± she says<b>, </b>nearly giddy with excitement

    ¡°Is that why you wanted me?¡± I ask <b>¡°</b>Because you know I am <b>a </b>hybrid?¡±

    She sighs, nking with something behind me.

    <b>¡°</b>No,¡± she says <b>slowly</b>, like she is thinking about what <b>to </b><b>say </b><b>next</b>. No, you being a hybrid is indeed a plus, but not why you

    <b>are </b>here.¡±

    ¡°Liar.¡± I mutter and sheughs.

    <b>*</b>Fine. It may be in part why you are here.¡± She says,ing back into view. ¡°Okay, yes, it¡¯s exactly why you are here. The fact that you are mated to Merikh is just a bonus.¡±

    I twist, trying to take the pressure off my wrists and push the pain from my leg aside. As someone shows up out of the darkness and I startle when I <b>see </b>the same man from before. The one who dragged me here.

    ¡°Jennifer, they want you upstairs. And they want her back in her cage,¡± the same dragon male from before whispers in her ear. She rolls her eyes and shoves past him, stopping in the door and looking over her shoulder.

    ¡°Keep her here,¡± she <b>says</b>.

    ¡°No way, I have express orders. Giselle told me to ce her back¡ª¡±

    ¡°Keep. Her. Here.¡± She hisses.

    ¡°No,¡± He grits out. ¡°I won¡¯t go against the queen.¡±

    ¡°Fuck Giselle and her high and mighty shit. She isn¡¯t one of us. She is a poser.¡± Jennifer hisses at him.

    He steps into her, his massive frame looming over her.

    ¡°Watch what you <b>say</b>, Jennifer.¡± He says, his skin looking orange as a fire burns within him. ¡°You sound like a traitor.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, I forgot you worship the ground that poser walks on.¡± She grumbles, walking off in a huff.

    <b>¡°</b>and <b>you</b><b>, </b><b>are </b>you ready to be dragged back to the other trash?¡± he asks, stepping closer with a sneer on his face.

    ¡°<b>Can¡¯t </b><b>wait</b>,¡± I <b>say </b><b>sarcastically </b>and his <b>face </b>cracks, showing a small grin. He reaches up, undoing my hands first as Ind on <b>my </b><b>feet</b><b>, </b>crumble to the ground, crying out in pain.

    My leg muscles <b>refuse </b><b>to </b>respond, my thighs feeling like there are massive balls in my legs keeping me from bending them. The man <b>then </b>yanks on the chain attached to the ankle cuffs, making me hiss as he undoes them. Then he stands, stooping down<b>, </b>and he <b>grabs </b>my ankle.

    He drags me behind him, my bones creaking <b>as </b>if they may snap at any moment, and I groan. The pain is too much as it ripples through my legs and up my lower <b>back</b>, through my spine and to the base of my skull. Tears spring free and I realize, for once<b>, </b>that my <b>tears </b><b>may </b>just be able to <b>save </b>me.

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    Chapter 78? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    I let them flow, sobbing into my shirt as I pull it up over my face to soak up the water my body is releasing. My skin scraps across the rough rock and dirt, and I can feel the blood making my back slick as he opens the gate and throws me in.

    I groan as I m into the ground and once he is gone, I rush to the cages next to me.

    ¡°I need something to hold liquid.¡± I whisper, taking my shirt off and wiping my face. All I need is to collect water or liquid in any way I can. Tears, blood, moisture. Anything I can use to draw water out of, then I can fight back.

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 Chapter 79

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    <b>Chapter </b>79

    <b>¡°</b><b>It </b>won¡¯t work.<b>¡± </b><b>A </b>tired voice <b>says </b>from beyond the bars next to me. I stop, holding my dirty shirt close, my excitement waning and taking with it the endorphins blocking my pain.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t <b>it </b>work?¡± I ask, half heartedly believing it now.

    They take everything. They do a sweep each day, and they take anything that is not clothing on us.¡± She whispers. ¡°And they <b>know </b>what you are now, so they may not even bring you water to drink.¡±

    ¡°Shit<b>.</b>¡± I mutter, pressing my back against the rocky wall and sliding down, hugging my shirt like it is my favorite childhood stuffed animal. This is not how I go out without a stand and as weak as I was when Merikh found me. I have finally found my strength, a life <b>I </b>want to fight for so damn it, I will figure out a way out. I have to.

    <b>¡°</b><b>It </b>would be a lie to say things will be alright,¡± Elle says, moving closer to the bar. I slide my eyes to look at her, my heart breaking at her appearance. This isn¡¯t how <b>I </b>wanted to find my mother. I wanted to ze in and save her. Drag her from this hellhole and nurture her back to health.

    ¡°They can¡¯t be all that bad if I¡¯ve finally found you.¡± I whisper, and she furrows her brows in doubt.

    ¡°I¡¯m not who you think I am,¡± she whispers.

    ¡°So you aren¡¯t Caspian¡¯s mate? The king of the sirens?¡± I ask her, and she blinks at me before looking around. She moves closer, her hands resting on the silver bars but having no reaction to the metal that should burn her.

    Are you one of them?¡± She whispers.

    ¡°One of who?¡± I ask, confused.

    ¡°The fae that they used in the past to trick me.¡± She pushes off the bar, using her arms to drag herself away from me. Her legs are limp as she puts distance between us from the bars. ¡°You aren¡¯t the first attempt to make me think you are my daughter. But I know she is dead, so I won¡¯t fall for your tricks.¡±

    ¡°You left me in a bog and told me someone would be there for me soon.¡± I tell her. ¡°For years I thought you were dead, and I had no idea who I was, what I was. A ve in my alpha¡¯s house where his daughter made my every day a living hell.¡±

    She covers her ears as she whimpers.

    ¡°No, no, no!¡± she hisses. ¡°My brother would never do that¡­he¡­¡±

    She pauses, looking at me with a spark in her eyes.

    ¡°What is my niece¡¯s name?¡± She asks like she is testing me, and I snort.

    ¡°Leslie.¡± I say with ease, ¡°And your brother¡¯s name is Alpha Bentley. Though I didn¡¯t know I was rted to them until after The Lycan King took me as his mate.¡±

    ¡°He took you?¡± She whispers<b>, </b>confused.

    ¡°More like he traded for me.¡±

    ¡°What did he trade?¡± She asks, sitting up and looking like she might believe me now.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°War.¡± I shrug. ¡°No war if he could have me. War if Alpha Bentley refused.¡±

    ¡°Bentley traded you to the Lycan King?¡± she repeats the words <b>like </b>she can¡¯t believe them. ¡°He was supposed to protect you.¡±

    ¡°Best trade ever.¡± I whisper to myself, tears springing in the corners of my eyes. Damn, how I miss Merikh¡¯s stubborn alpha

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    <b>ways</b><b>.</b>

    <b>¡°</b>You love him¡­¡± <b>Melody </b><b>asks</b><b>, </b>confused.

    ¡°Yes.¡± I nod, regretting the action as pain seeps in from my aching muscles, and I remember just how much <b>I </b>am trying to block out.

    There is a stretch of silence<b>, </b>and I hear the soft sound of sobbing. Melody covers her face, her body rocking with heaving sobs before she looks up and drags her broken body back toward me. Her eyes are red and puffy, and her silt covered face clean where the tears <b>have </b>tracked through the ages of dirt.

    ¡°C¨Ccan I look at you?¡± She whispers, a fleeting shimmer of hope in her eyes.

    ¡°It is me, mom.¡± I whisper, and she ps a hand over her mouth.

    ¡°Oh, heavens.¡± She says in a shaky voice before she crumples and weeps.

    <b>I </b>watch her, stunned, unsure of what to do as I reach through the bars, my bare arms burning on contact with the silver, but

    I ignore it. My fingers finger her hand and I pull it from her face, holding it in mine.

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy you are alive,¡± I say, my voice small and filled with emotions as I try to control myself.

    ¡°Are you really her little Letty?¡± Trina asks. I don¡¯t bother to look at her. How can I when I¡¯m finallyying eyes on my mom for the first time in over ten years?

    ¡°I am.¡±

    There is a shuffling sound in through the prison, and my mom snaps away from me. Everyone goes dead silent. I wince as I slowly extract my arm from the bars and inch myself back to the wall, being careful not to bump my aching legs and sore body.

    The cell door opens to Melody¡¯s little slice of hell and a little old man pushes a cart inside before closing the door behind him. He hums a little tune, his voice hoarse and crackly as he searches his little cart for something. Fear grips my heart. Would they torture her here? In front of me?

    I know the answer is yes, but I can¡¯t bear to see them hurt her any more than she is already injured.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking touch her,¡± I roar at him, throwing myself at the bars, trying to reach through and grab him.

    I feel nothing, my adrenaline pumping through me as I do my damndest to reach the stubbly old man. He turns slowly, his eyes scanning me with curiosity before he rolls his eyes and begins his happy little hum before selecting something in a small jar.

    ¡°Be calm Luna.¡± He says in song form, in tune with what he was humming.

    ¡°He is here to heal me,¡± Melody says with a soft smile. ¡°Well, as best as he can.¡±

    My stomach churns, and I look at Trina and Lenard, who cast their sad gazes away. They look far better off than my mother. Hell, they look like they have hardly had a whipping in their time here.

    ¡°He will move to you next,¡± Trina says.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather he not.¡± I say stubbornly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice. His job is to heal you so you can handle more punishmentter.¡± Lenard exins, sorrow on his face. The way these two have gone somber makes me unsettled and I furrow my brows, watching them. Lenard seems to pick up on my confusion, and he sighs heavily.

    ¡°They will punish you until you give them what they want,¡± He <b>says</b>.

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    ¡°And then once they get it, <b>they </b>will punish you for fun,¡± Trina adds.

    The little old man stops his humming, and for the first time he looks up at <b>me </b>and I realize he is just <b>as </b>much a prisoner <b>as </b>any of us. He looks dead inside, like he is a shell of a being, just doing what he <b>has </b>to in order to go through the motions to trick people into thinking he <b>is </b>actually living.

    <b>¡°</b><b>What </b>happened to you?¡± <b>I </b>whisper, and he blinks at me.

    ¡°I betrayed the dragon queen.¡± He mumbles.

    ¡°And yet they are trusting you to heal us now<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>scoff and he turns back to my mother, his humming starting up again. ¡°I will heal fine on my own.¡±

    No one says anything. Instead, we all sit in the echo of the healer¡¯s strange, humming voice before he hobbles his way out of my mother¡¯s cage and moves to mine. I stare at him as he moves about his cage and then moves over to me. He ces his hand out for me to show him my injuries, but I hug my legs to my body, gasping out as bile flies up my throat from the pain.

    ¡°Let me help you, child,¡± he whispers, his voice below a whisper

    ¡°I am not a child.¡± I grit out. ¡°As you said, I am a luna.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, luna,¡± he whispers again. ¡°It¡¯s been many years since I have seen you.¡±

    My eyes grow wide and my mouth falls open with so many questions, but I don¡¯t get any out before the cage door ngs open and the same woman from before flounces in, leaning against the wall across from me with a smirk on her lips.

    ¡°You look like you didn¡¯t get too much of a beating.¡± She muses. I will make sure the next one is a little more¡­intense.¡±

    I growl low in my chest at her, and she chuckles.

    ¡°A wolf¡¯s bite has nothing on a dragon¡¯s breath. You are nothing but a thorn in my foot.¡± She says with the wave of her hand.

    ¡°I suppose you should really watch where you step,¡± I say, my eyes meeting hers. ¡°It would suck if this thorn gave you a life- threatening infection.¡±

    ¡°Tell you what. From now on, we won¡¯t just torture you to get what we want. We torture mommy dearest while you watch.¡±

    I nce at my mom, who tries to give me an encouraging look, but the fear and years of pain are impossible to mask. At this point they want me to choose between my mom, who I just got back, and my mate and pack. The very existence of my kind. They very well could just send Merikh a note saying they have me and where I am.

    But they want me to do it. They want the downfall of my kind and the death of my mate to be solely on my back. Just like Penny¡¯s death. These assholes want to break me before they kill me.

    But I am used to being underestimated, and that will be their downfall. Not mine.

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 Chapter 80

    <b>Chapter </b><b>80</b>

    ¡°Merikh

    <b>I </b>stalk into the wet sand, my feet sinking with every heavy step as the rain pelts down on my back and shoulders. This beach would have been a wonderful ce to take my hybrid queen. The perfect ce where the forest meets the sea, the scent of pine and fresh salty air swirling together in a melody of our tale.

    Except now it¡¯s a ce of ache and sorrow. There is a part of me that still expects to see her emerge from the water and walk up to me with a seductive smile. I focus on the waves, begging her to arise and tell me this has all been a terrible joke. A useless dream for a man who found his dead gamma, but a dream I can¡¯t stop having,

    I pause when I get to the tumultuous water,pping angrily at the edge of the shore as the storm rages. A mirror image of the emotions tearing through me. A dangerous mix of guilt and anger growing out of control, taking out anything that dares enter its warring path.

    ¡°Merikh, you should be waiting in the car. It is safer.¡± Hayes says, rushing up behind me. But his concerns fall on deaf ears.

    Speaking of safety, when my heart is out there exposed, being exploited. How can I possibly care about safety when hers is the only concern I have? If I had been more concerned about her, more receptive to her needs and desires, then maybe, just maybe, none of this would have happened. I held on to her too tight, and I lost her.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste waiting for Caspian to make his way to us.¡± I remind my brother who sighs. ¡°Every second she is gone, Ie a second closer to losing my damn mind, Hayes

    Jdrag my hands through my hair, slicking it back with the wetness of the rain.

    ¡°We will find her, Merikh.¡± He says, his voice firm. No room for a lie. Hayes truly believes we will get our Luna back.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what worries me, brother.¡± I sigh heavily, watching the waves crash into each other, growing taller as they white cap and swell, rushing toward the shore.

    ¡°Use me.¡± A voice says from behind us. Hayes¡® body goes stiff and we turn to see Landra standing there. The rain grows stronger, the downpour deafening in the ears with the rage of the sea, so she moves closer. Her eyes dart from Hayes to mine. ¡°Use me to find her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± I furrow my brows, confused.

    ¡°You swore you don¡¯t remember anything.¡± Hayes says, sounding frustrated and usatory. She ignores his tone and looks directly at me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t recall anything and I can¡¯t shift, but what if youmand me to shift? What if my lycan knows things?¡± She says, taking a step closer.

    ¡°You can¡¯t question a lycan.¡± Hayes scoffs, augh rumbling through him as thunder cracks through the sky, lightning following it and crashing to the beach to our far right.

    I don¡¯t blink, instead; I get lost in thought.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>I ask no one in particr.

    ¡°What?¡± Hayes scoffs. ¡°Because Lycan can¡¯t form coherent sentences.<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Can¡¯t they?¡± <b>I </b>ask, arching a brow, and he throws his hands up in defeat, looking frustrated.

    ¡°Command me to question her. She is here, in my mind, but there¡¯s <b>a </b>barrier, ack of trust, but if she recognizes you as her alpha, as the king of the lycans¡­¡®¡±

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    ¡°Then maybe she will open up to you. Maybe she will allow you to share what she knows, what she can recall.¡± I finish for her in thought.

    ¡°One problem.¡± Hayes growls. ¡°You aren¡¯t <b>a </b>member of a pack, so he can¡¯tmand you. And since we aren¡¯t in our pack. you can¡¯t just join

    ¡°Unless she swallows, her cheeks growing pink. ¡°Unless we ept each other.¡±

    Hayes freezes. Lightning strikes no less than three feet away from him and he doesn¡¯t even flinch. His eyes bore into her and then <b>I </b>watch as his brows knit together and his face grows sad.

    ¡°<b>If </b><b>it </b>will help save Luna Colette, then fine.¡± Hayes says as he stalks toward her, stopping to say something as her face changes from determination to heart break. I can sense the tears she is shedding the rain washing them away as her fist clench. Then she spins and races after him.

    <b>I </b><b>turn </b>my back on them, focusing on the water as I watch the clouds grow even dark. Another sh of lightning lighting up the water to see a figure fast approaching. I prepare myself, waiting as someone rises from the water, scaly and dark before it shakes its head and Caspian saunters out toward me.

    He slicks back his graying hair and nods as he approaches.

    You could have waited in the car,¡± he shouts above the chaotic sounds of nature around us.

    *I didn¡¯t want to waste any time.¡± I tell him.

    ¡°Understandable.¡± He nods, looking up at the sky. ¡°Then let¡¯s move. I have lots to share and I am hopeful you have some information for me as well.¡±

    He moves past me, heading toward the woods. I follow along behind him and once we hit the thick canopy of trees; I grab the bag of clothing for him and toss it his way. In silence, he grabs the towel, drying himself off <i>as </i>I move to the car and climb into the passenger¡¯s seat. Leandra sits behind the stoic looking Hayes while we wait.

    The tension is thick, only growing thicker by the second, and I know it has everything to do with her offer. Leandra is right, though. If Hayes and her ept each other, it tethers her to our pack, which means she follows my orders. But that also means Hayes¡® choice in epting her is gone.

    I love Colette. She is my life, my soul, but I can not force Hayes to ept her. It has to be his own decision, not mine, If I get desperate enough, I may force the issue. I know myself just as well as he knows me. Which does nothing to make me feel like it is less forced. Hayes is going to feel cornered no matter which way he goes.

    ¡°You two have some things to discuss.¡± I say after clearing my throat.

    ¡°Yes, alpha.¡± Hayes mutters. And Leandra looks out the window as Caspian pulls the door¡¯open and hops in.

    ¡°We all know this is the dragons and whoever is working with them.¡± Caspian says without hesitation. ¡°But after discussing matters with the vampires, they have chosen to remove themselves from the war and go underground.¡±

    I look at Hayes, who is lost in thought as he pulls down the dirt drive, away from the beach.

    ¡°Underground?¡± I ask and he nods.

    ¡°Yes. They are choosing to hide from this war.¡±

    ¡°Naturally.¡± Hayes grumbles.

    One less species in this war is better for us.¡± I remind him. ¡°And they sure as shit weren¡¯t going to be on our side if they joined.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I suppose.¡± Hayes sighs.

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    Chapter 80

    ¡°I <b>also </b>found something interesting from Elm.¡± <b>Caspian </b><b>says</b><b>. </b>¡°He has been doing some digging with his <b>sister</b>. There <b>have </b>been a <b>few </b><b>species </b>that have been thought to die off that might <b>be </b><b>capable </b>of <b>what </b><b>is </b>happening.¡±

    ¡°What <b>they </b><b>are </b><b>doesn¡¯t </b>fucking <b>matter </b>to me.¡± I tell him. ¡°<b>I </b>just need to know how to kill them.¡±

    Half of the <b>species </b>around have specific ways to die. Vampires need a stake to the heart or perish in a me so hot their cold skin melts. Dragons require their me to be extinguished, either snuffed out or drowned. There are some I don¡¯t even know how to kill. Like the sirens, or the different types of <b>Fae</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°It might not be that easy.¡± He exhales. ¡°I am leaning toward her being what is known in the fae folklore as <b>a </b>creature of chaos<b>. </b>One made of fire who is immortal.¡±

    I <b>press </b>my head against the headrest of the car and close my eyes, trying to calm myself down.

    ¡°Everything has a weakness<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>I grit out and he clicks his tongue.

    ¡°I agree, and I think we have created her weakness. Colette may be the only person who can kill it.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°So what exactly is it then?¡± Hayes asks.

    ¡°She is fire.¡± Leandra whispers, sounding fearful, and I look back at her, her body shivering.

    ¡°A Phoenix,¡± Caspian says. ¡°A creature of fire, one who thrives on burning things down. Figuratively and literally.¡±

    <b>3/3</b>

    SEND <b>GIFT</b>

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 Chapter 81

    <b>Chapter </b>81

    ¡°You knew what she was<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>Hayes </b><b>asks </b>Leandra, looking angry. She looks up, blinking at him in a <b>near </b>catatonic state before she seems toe back <b>to </b>the <b>real </b>world.

    <b>¡°</b>No¡­¡± she whispers<b>. </b>¡°I just¡­she always felt like fire¡­¡±

    ¡°That is what Percy wrote on the mirror.¡± I recall looking back at Caspian. ¡°When he <b>was </b>fighting for control. When we asked him about itter, we all just assumed he was warning us about the dragons, but if the only species he knew to be fire was dragons¡­.then he couldn¡¯t assume it to be anything else but them.¡±

    Caspian muses quietly, his thumb under his chin and his index finger folded over his lips.

    <b>¡°</b>You hate me.¡± Leandra whispers, and I look over at Hayes<b>, </b>who doesn¡¯t respond.

    Instead, his knuckles grow white <b>as </b>he squeezes the steering wheel and adjusts how he is sitting. He is being a stubborn jackass. Just as blinded by the mate bond as <b>I </b>was with Colette. It¡¯s amazing how a gift can feel like pressure to <b>ept </b>something you aren¡¯t sure you want.

    ¡°No,¡± I answer for him. ¡°There is just a lot at stake right now, Leandra. He is the beta, his job is to protect me and our pack at all <b>costs</b><b>. </b>That includes focusing all energy on finding our luna.¡±

    ¡°I have already offered a viable option to help.¡± She reminds me, her eyes watching the back of Hayes¡® head.

    ¡°One we will revisit, but if I want her back safely, we need to have all the pieces. Not just fragmented memories from a lycan who was possessed.¡± I exin as quickly and as nicely as <b>I </b>can. She nods, but I <b>see </b>the way her lips quiver as she looks out the window, wiping at her face as her hair falls over her for <b>coverage</b>.

    Caspian arches a brow at me, and I clear my throat.

    ¡°So a Phoenix.¡± I say, changing the subject. ¡°What exactly does that mean for us?<b>¡± </b>I ask him.

    ¡°It means we have to get Colette back before they kill her.¡± His words are a matter of fact, but it feels like a silver dagger directly to the heart.

    We have to get her back before they kill her. But if it was about killing her¡­then why would they have kidnapped her? What do they gain by taking her and keeping her with them? Unless they took her and killed her elsewhere in order to ensure we hunt for them. Then again, what would they want with using for them? There is nothing to be gained in that.

    I rub my chest; the muscles aching at the thought of her already being gone. But I would have felt it right? If Percy could feel that he was losing his twin, surely I would feel it through the bond regardless of distance between us, right?

    ¡°What makes you think they want to kill her?¡± Hayes asks. I tilt my head in curiosity.

    ¡°Why else would they take her if not to kill her? Giselle is the one who threw a huge fit about Colette being a hybrid.¡± Caspian reminds us both.

    But the more I think about Hayes¡® posed question, the more I wonder the same thing. What reason do we have to think she wants Colette dead? Giselle tried to kill her, or so we assumed, with the fire balls she sent at her.

    But it could <b>easily </b>have been assumed I would have jumped in the way. I didn¡¯t hide the fact that I would willingly die for her. So maybe it¡¯s not Colette she wants dead, maybe it¡¯s me.

    ¡°She knew I would protect Colette with my life.¡± I murmur as we pull into the mansion we all abandoned days before.

    ¡°So Giselle is aiming to kill you?¡± <b>Hayes </b><b>asks</b>, confused. ¡°No offense brother, but what does killing you do? We have a hierarchy. Killing off an alpha <b>will </b>just pass the title along.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I muse, pinching the bridge of my nose. ¡°Fuck. Every time it feels like we <b>get </b>somewhere, it stops making <b>sense</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    <b>¡°</b>Desperation often leads to outside <i>of </i>the box ideas<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>Caspian says. ¡°And right now, desperation feels like the only way to get to logical <b>answers</b>. Even if they seem illogical.¡±

    ¡°That <b>feels </b>like a whole lot of talking in <b>a </b>circle<b>,</b><b>¡± </b>Hayes mumbles, annoyed.

    We hop <b>out </b><i>of </i>the <b>car</b>, <b>the </b>four of <b>us </b>wandering <b>toward </b>the familiar mansion doors, and I realize the <b>roof </b>on the other side seems to be reced. Though I don¡¯t <b>say </b>much, it shouldn¡¯t surprise me he would have the ce repaired already. <b>As </b>we push the doors <b>open</b><b>, </b>we <b>are </b>met with a tasty <b>smell </b>of <b>steak </b>and <b>seasoned </b><b>potatoes</b>. My stomach rumbling until I think about Colette.

    What is she eating, if <b>they </b><b>are </b>feeding her <b>at </b><b>all</b><b>? </b><b>They </b>no doubt <b>are </b><b>aware </b>of her abilities with water<b>, </b>so how <b>weak </b>will she be if they keep liquid <b>away </b>from her, not allowing <b>her </b>to hydrate<b>? </b>How the fuck am I supposed to <b>eat </b>when <b>she </b>is suffering a fate <b>worse </b>than death?Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b><b>two </b>should <b>change </b>into dry clothing, then we can <b>eat </b>and <b>regroup </b>in my den,¡± <b>Caspian </b><b>says</b>, walking off toward the kitchen.

    <b>1/3</b>

    It <b>feels </b>to me like <b>Hayes </b>is not trying <b>to </b>understand that Leandra has been through more than most. Her ability to make her own decision, shift on her ownmand, was taken from her. And all his anger and annoyance does is break her down further.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Are </b>you ready?<b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask her softly and she startles, her hand rushing to her chest before her checks flush pink and she nods.

    <b>¡°</b>Yeah,¡± she <b>clears </b>her throat <b>as </b><b>we </b>walk in silence, me unsure of what <b>to </b>say and her lost in her mind.

    ¡°<b>Hayes </b>wille around.¡± I tell her hopefully, giving her a tight smile.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± she sighs. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t me him if he doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s not like I am an ideal candidate. I mean¡­I didn¡¯t even know I was a lycan until I shifted the first time and then I was hijacked by Giselle and Lily. There is a lot I don¡¯t even know about myself.¡±

    It¡¯s not that she wants or needs it, but I pity her. I feel sorry for everything that has been taken from her. What she has lost and what she may lose because of circumstances beyond her control. There is a lot in life to miss when someone else is at the helm and making you out to be a bad guy.

    <b>¡°</b><b>We </b>are always changing, constantly growing because of what we experience. Even if you had known yourself, you would be a different person tomorrow than you are going to bed tonight.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± she murmurs.

    ¡°Life IS change. You don¡¯t <b>have </b>to know who you are, Leandra. You only have to know who you want to be. What you want in life.¡±

    She smiles softly.

    <b>¡°</b>Who I want to be is someone a part of something good.¡± She whispers. ¡°I want to help you find Luna Colette, any way possible. And I want to kill her for what she did to me<b>.¡±</b>

    <b>¡°</b>Oh, well, get in line to kill Giselle.¡± I chuckle, shaking my head. ¡°There are quite a few of us on the list.¡±

    She waves her hands. ¡°No, not her. I want to kill Lily for living in my head, ying me like <b>a </b>puppet and taking everything from me, especially my choices<b>.</b>¡±

    ¡°Mmm, well¡­¡± I exhale <i>a </i>deep breath as wee to her door. ¡°Lily is yours for the taking.¡±

    She reaches out, and I arch a brow as I sp my hand to hers and we shake.

    <b>¡°</b>Deal.¡± Then she turns and enters her room in much higher spirits.

    I change quickly, wondering how all my clothes are already ced in the closet I shared with Colette, but I¡¯m learning not to question the things the supernaturals can do.

    Instead, I exit the room that feels suffocating without my mate¡¯s scent and move to the dinner hall. I hear low arguing as Ie around the corner and I stop dead in my tracks.

    ¡°If you had anything to fucking do with this-¡± Caspian growls, his hands on the cor of none other than an unbothered Johannes.

    ¡°I told you already. I am here to help you, not for the vampires, but of my ord.¡± He tells Caspian, who scoffs.

    ¡°And what makes you think we want your fucking help? Better yet, what makes you think we need it?¡± I growl<b>, </b>crossing my arms over my chest.

    ¡°Because there is shit you don¡¯t know¡­.things unfolding you won¡¯t understand.¡± He says inly, but <b>I </b>can see the sincerity in his eyes.

    ¡°Oh? Like what<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>I scoff. ¡°Name one thing-¡±

    ¡°Lauren was a hybrid.¡± He says<b>, </b><b>tly</b>. ¡°I turned her,

    and

    survived it <b>as </b>both vampire and lycan.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    <b>¡°</b>And she <b>may </b>not be as dead <b>as </b>previously thought¡­¡± He says, looking away.

    2/3

 Chapter 82

    <b>Chapter </b><b>82</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>What </b>the fuck did <b>you </b>just <b>say</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>Hayes </b><b>roars </b>from behind me.

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± <b>I </b><b>say </b>inly<b>, </b>refusing <b>to </b>fall into his emotional trap.

    There will be no losing my temper<b>, </b>no allowing him <b>to </b>control how <b>I </b>respond with such heinous ims. Lauren is dead. Damn dead. I know this <b>because </b><b>we </b>removed her damn <b>head </b>from her body.

    ¡°She is a hybrid. I don¡¯t know what the hell she <b>is </b><b>capable </b>of. She may be fucking immortal for all we know.¡± Johannes says, pacing a way with his hands in his hair.

    He <b>is </b>disheveled, his <b>eyes </b>swirling <b>red </b>with hunger and his demeanor is frantic<b>. </b>I know he shouldn¡¯t be here<b>. </b>Capsian said it himself the vampires have <b>bowed </b>out of this fight, choosing to run and hide.

    Unless they did <b>create </b>a hybrid, one <b>they </b>can¡¯t control and they want to escape the usations and responsibilities thate from having created

    one.

    ¡°Johannes<b>, </b><b>take </b><b>a </b>damn seat.¡± Caspian says in a threatening tone.

    ¡°There is no fucking time to sit and <b>eat </b><b>a </b>fancy fucking meal, Fish man!¡± He <b>roars</b><b>. </b>¡°Giselle and Lauren are working together, but they aren¡¯t the ones in fucking charge<b>.¡±</b>

    ¡°<b>It </b>would be a lot <b>easier </b>to make a n if we knew what the fuck <b>was </b>going on.¡± <b>I </b>snap at him, losing my temper.

    Lauren, being alive, does nothing but piss me off. It¡¯s not because of who she <b>is </b>or what she meant to me once<b>. </b>It¡¯s jealousy that she is well and alive and my mate might not be. Colette has done nothing to deserve the shit thrust on <b>her </b>from all these bitches moving behind the scenes.

    Johannes¡® eyes burn with <b>fear </b>and fury as he plops into a chair, lifting his arms in a show of inviting us to take <b>a </b>seat with him. He is being a dick, one who <b>is </bing to make a show of sharing information like he cares, but he wants something. He always wants something when he wants to be cooperative. It¡¯s how vampires always are<b>: </b>selfish and needy.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Exin </b>how it is possible for Lauren to be a hybrid.¡± I <b>say</b>. ¡°And alive. <b>Because </b><b>as </b><b>far </b>as I know, burning a vampire at the fucking stake or beheading them <b>are </b>effective <b>ways </b>to kill your kind.¡±

    He sighs, leaning back in his chair as he nces up at the ceiling and then shakes his head.

    ¡°I <b>knew </b>you would kill her. There was no way you wouldn¡¯t, so I bit her.¡± he says it¡¯s <b>as </b>simple <b>as </b>that.

    But it¡¯s not. Werewolves and lycans can¡¯t survi a vampire¡¯s bite, not when they feed off of us. Not only that, if it did what it was supposed to, which <b>is </b>turn her into one of them, <b>her </b>mate¡¯s bond with me would have been broken. That is something I would have unmistakably felt.

    <b>Lauren </b>didn¡¯t shield her fear or pain from me leading up to her death or as she was dying. <b>I </b>experienced every excruciating second of it until it snapped and she was gone.

    ¡°<b>I </b><b>said </b>exin, not give me vague information that doesn¡¯t make sense<b>.</b>¡± I bite out. ¡°Our mate bond was intact until she died.¡±

    ¡°I bit her <b>wrist </b>and <b>fed </b>on her<b>. </b>It <b>healed </b>almost immediately, but there <b>was </b>no change in her like to be expected. It <b>was </b>a long shot, but¡­I loved her<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>Johannes exins<b>. </b>¡°And until I <b>went </b>back to my coven after the attack and they showed me proof¡­¡±

    <b>Hayes </b>snorts and shakes his <b>head</b>, unbelieving of his tale. Not that I me him. It¡¯s all pretty far¨Cfetched.

    ¡°Look! I am <b>telling </b>you the fucking truth here.¡± He <b>says </b>like he is offended, we would assume <b>he </b>is lying.

    ¡°Fine<b>, </b><b>say </b><b>you </b><b>are </b>being honest. Why the hell <b>are </b>you <b>here</b>, telling <b>us </b><b>all </b>of this? Why wouldn¡¯t you just side with Giselle and her army of dragons<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>Caspian </b><b>asks</b><b>.</b>

    Johannes <b>nces </b><b>away </b><b>before </b><b>he </b><b>clears </b>his throat and leans forward with a sardonic chuckle as he shakes his head. Then he looks up at <b>me</b>, his tongue <b>sliding </b><b>over </b>his teeth.

    ¡°Because <b>if </b>she is <b>unkible</b><b>, </b><b>that </b><b>means </b>my <b>position </b>is at stake. <b>Lauren</b><b>, </b>being a vampire hybrid, now has <b>a </b>im to my title and my throne<b>. </b>And as <b>much </b>as I <b>cared </b><b>for </b><b>her</b><b>, </b>I <b>don¡¯t </b>like that she is more powerful than <b>me </b>and will eventuallye to take what <b>is </b>mine.¡±

    I push off the <b>wall</b><b>, </b><b>stalking </b><b>toward </b>the <b>table </b><b>as </b><b>I </b>yank <b>out </b><b>a </b><b>chair </b><b>across </b>from him and <b>take </b><b>a </b><b>seat</b>. His <b>eyes </b>watch me with curiosity before I look <b>over </b><b>at </b><b>Hayes</b>, who seems <b>to </b>consider what Johannes <b>says</b>. He <b>meets </b>my <b>gaze </b><b>and </b>nods, then he <b>takes </b><b>a </b><b>seat </b><b>next </b>to me.

    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b><b>are saying </b><b>you </b><b>are </b>joining us because <b>you </b>are <b>worried </b>she <b>will </b>be <b>better </b>than you<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask</b>.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Yes</b><b>!</b>¡± he says<b>, </b>relieved we seem <b>to </b>understand. ¡°I am the <b>Vampire </b><b>Heir</b>. <b>My </b><b>parents </b><b>are </b><b>to </b>finally hand me over their throne <b>after </b>hundreds <b>of </b><b>years </b><b>of </b>waiting<b>. </b><b>It </b>is mine<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    <b>1/3</b>

    <b>2:22 </b><b>PM</b>

    Chapter <b>82</b>

    <b>¡°</b>It¡¯s not enough.¡± <b>I </b>shrug. ¡°It is not enough for us <b>to </b><b>trust </b>you<b>, </b><b>for </b>us <b>to </b><b>believe </b><b>you </b><b>are </b><b>on </b>our <b>side</b>. I need <b>more </b>from you than <b>a </b><b>jealous </b><b>streak </b>and <b>a </b><b>fear </b>of losing <b>your </b>throne.<b>¡±</b>

    He stands abruptly<b>, </b>his chair ttering <b>to </b>the ground <b>as </b>he <b>paces </b><b>away</b>. Then he <b>groans </b>in frustration and ms his <b>fists </b>on <b>to </b>the thick oak table. The <b>wood </b><b>creaks </b>and <b>a </b>splintering <b>races </b><b>toward </b>me, stopping just shy of the edge where I sit.

    ¡°<b>I </b><b>will </b>swear a fucking oath.¡± He says, his voice dripping with honesty and contempt. The very thought is revolting to him and it¡¯s noticeable.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with you telling us everything you know<b>.</b>¡± <b>I </b><b>say </b>calmly, which I know only makes him angrier. Nothing pisses him off more than me being the <b>cool</b><b>, </b>calm and <b>collected </b>one<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>And I don¡¯t want <b>general </b>assumptions. <b>I </b>want <b>every </b>fucking boring detail.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>Giselle </b>is not a dragon.¡± He <b>says </b>like it¡¯s not <b>news </b>to us.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    <b>¡°</b><b>We </b><b>are </b><b>aware</b><b>.¡± </b>Caspian <b>says</b><b>, </b>ying with the <b>water </b>from his <b>ss </b><b>as </b>it floats above his fingertips.

    ¡°She tricked them. They think she is <b>because </b>the Dragon lord ims to be her mate.¡± He says. ¡°But with the use of Fae Magic, she can <b>possess </b>anyone who <b>is </b><b>weak</b>¨Cminded enough.¡±

    His words <b>are </b>very clearly a dig at my luna and I growl low in my chest as a warning to him.

    <b>¡°</b>Colette may <b>be </b><b>na?ve </b>in some regards but weak minded she is not.¡± I hiss at him and I <b>see </b>a flicker of amusement. So I lean forward, a twitch in my lip <b>as </b>my lycan <b>resists </b>flying <b>across </b>to throttle him. ¡°Take another dig like that again, and Lauren will be the <b>least </b>of your worries.¡±

    He throws his hands up in surrender.

    ¡°The dragon king was the only viable target. She is a Phoenix, so she smells like fire, like a dragon.¡±

    ¡°And how did you know she <b>was </b>a phoenix?¡± Caspian <b>asks</b>, sitting forward, the water sloshing back into the ss.

    ¡°<b>Process </b>of elimination,¡± he frowns. ¡°She was able to use fire, but it was different from a dragon¡¯s fire. It <b>was</b>¡­less controlled and she should have been able to just fly away on her own, but she didn¡¯t. She needed to be <b>rescued</b>.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Caspian hums in thought. ¡°Merikh, I would like to speak with you for a moment.¡±

    He then stands abruptly and walks out of the room, expecting him to follow. I look at Hayes, who has his eyes trained on our enemy turned temporary ally. He waves me off with a simple flick of his wrist.

    ¡°I am fine, brother. If blood sucker makes a single fucking move and I will dly end him.¡± He mutters<b>, </b>and I don¡¯t doubt it. Hayes has a lot of pent up anger and he is looking for a way to let out. I have no doubt that Johannes would be the one to go down. Mostly immortal or not.

    I stand, patting him on the shoulder once before I walk down the hall and find Caspian pacing back and forth, his hands on his hips. He looks <b>distressed</b>, his worried and tired eyes finding mine as he shakes his head.

    ¡°What is on your mind, Caspian?¡± <b>I </b><b>ask </b>him with a frown and he shrugs.

    ¡°I am <b>desperate</b>,¡± he says, looking sad. ¡°We have to find her, even if it means joining forces with Johannes.¡±

    ¡°Fuck that<b>!</b>¡± I hiss<b>, </b><b>¡°</b><b>I </b>don¡¯t trust him. I killed Lauren. It wasn¡¯t a simple stab wound or use <b>of </b>silver. I made <b>sure </b>there was no way out for her <b>I </b><b>fucking-</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Enough, Merikh.¡± <b>He </b>lifts his hand with a <b>heavy </b>sigh. ¡°I am not saying I trust him or believe him. But he <b>is </b>willing to take an oath.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>An </b><b>oath </b><b>is just </b>fucking words,¡± <b>I </b>remind him, and he frowns.

    <b>¡°</b>Unless <b>you </b>make him <b>do </b><b>a </b>blood oath,¡± <b>I </b>can <b>see </b>the plea in his <b>eyes</b>.

    ¡°No,¡± <b>I </b><b>scoff </b>and chuckle dryly, pacing <b>away</b>. ¡°No fucking <b>way</b>. <b>I </b>will not <b>have </b>him linked to me with an oath,¡±

    ¡°This is <b>Colette</b><b>,</b><b>¡± </b>He reminds <b>me</b><b>. </b><b>¡°</b><b>Your </b><b>mate</b><b>, </b>your luna<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    I <b>drag </b>my hands down my <b>face</b>, groaning <b>as </b>I nod and sigh.

    <b>¡°</b>Fine. <b>You </b><b>are </b>right.¡± I shrug and <b>give </b>in. <b>He </b><b>is </b>right. This isn¡¯t about him <b>being </b>the <b>fucker </b>who killed my father or one <b>of </b><b>my </b><b>sworn </b><b>enemies</b><b>. </b>This <b>is </b>about <b>Colette</b><b>, </b><b>my </b>little <b>luna</b><b>. </b>And I <b>will </b><b>do </b>anything, including keeping this fucker attached to me <b>to </b><b>save </b><b>her</b><b>.</b>

    Caspian sps me on my shoulder in <b>appreciation </b><b>as </b><b>he </b><b>steers </b>us <b>back </b><b>to </b>the kitchen. When we walk in, we find that neither man has <b>moved </b>an inch. Both of them lost in a staring <b>contest </b>until I <b>clear </b>my throat<b>.</b>

    ¡°We <b>will </b><b>initiate </b>the oath.¡± <b>I </b>announce, silencing <b>Hayes </b>with <b>a </b><b>stern nce </b>and he <b>growls </b>under his breath.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Johannes says, standing, <b>but </b>I <b>can </b>see the tension in his shoulders. I half <b>expected </b>to call him out on his bluff, but it seems <b>he </b>is being

    <b>2/3</b>

    D

    <b>3/3</b>

 Chapter 83

    <b>Chapter </b><b>83</b>

    <ul>

    <li><b></b><b>Colette</b></li>

    </ul>

    <b>My </b><b>body </b>shudders involuntarily<b>, </b>the cold leeching in through the dirtied denim pants I <b>have </b>on and the thin shirt I pulled <b>back </b><b>over </b>my <b>head </b>to retain whatever heat I <b>can</b>.

    Mom breathes heavily just on the other side of the bars<b>, </b>as close <b>as </b>she can be without being too affected by the silver. I expected them toe back for me, but as my mom expected, <b>they </b>are letting me heal before they start up again.

    It seems they want it <b>to </bst <b>as </b>long <b>as </b>possible. No doubt <b>they </b><b>get </b>a <b>sick </b><b>sense </b>of enjoyment out of our pain. But maybe that is how the dragons <b>are</b>, maybe instead of living <b>for </b>fire they <b>live </b><b>for </b>others suffering.

    ¡°Are you still awake¡­.¡± <b>I </b><b>whisper </b><b>over </b>to my mother. I hear her <b>groan </b>before she clears her throat.

    ¡°There is no such thing as sleep in this <b>ce</b><b>.¡± </b>She <b>says </b>back, her voice hoarse from dehydration.

    ¡°How <b>is </b>your pain?<b>¡± </b>I ask <b>her</b><b>, </b>not really knowing what else to <b>say</b>.

    There are hundreds<b>, </b>if not thousands, of questions running through my head. Questions I have pondered for <b>years</b>, <b>answers </b>I had convinced myself that if <b>I knew </b>them, maybe I could be happier. But now when I have her here, <b>I </b>can¡¯t think of a damn one.

    She chuckles before breaking into <b>a </b>coughing fit. My chest aches with every chest rattling expelling of dust she lets out and I press my head to the cement, holding back tears. After <b>a </b>moment, she clears her throat and I hear a heavy sigh.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Ten </b><b>years </b>and these <b>are </b>the questions you ask me?¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>It </b>seemed polite to have <b>a </b>little small talk first,¡± I joke, and she chuckles lightly.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Well</b>, at least my brother <b>was </b><b>good </b>enough to teach you manners.¡± She muses. I don¡¯t have the heart to tell her he taught me a lot more than that but that it <b>was </b>quick learning at the end of his whip or the whim of her niece.

    <b>¡°</b>What <b>do </b>they want from you?¡± <b>I </b>ask, deciding <b>to </b>skirt around the familial problems she may not know we even have with her brother.

    The <b>cell </b><b>goes </b>silent, then there is an exhale and the sound of shuffling. When she speaks again, her voice is closer, more hushed.

    ¡°At first, they wanted to know where you <b>were</b>. <b>I </b>assumed you were alive and that your uncle hade for you as promised.¡± She exins. I <b>furrow </b>my brows in confusion.

    <b>¡°</b>Alpha Bentley didn¡¯te for me.¡± <b>I </b>say slowly, ¡°I was left in the pack for him to find.¡±

    ¡°No, you <b>are </b>mistaken. He promised me he woulde for you. I couldn¡¯t reach Caspian and-¡± She trails off, going silent again.

    <b>¡°</b>Melody¡­?<b>¡± </b><b>I </b>whisper<b>, </b>and I <b>hear </b><b>a </b>soft, quiet sob in the darkness.

    ¡°I need a minute,¡± she murmurs<b>, </b>and I hear her shift <b>away </b>from me.

    There is a tter as the door opens, echoing through the damp prison, lights flickering on as <b>I </b><b>cover </b>my eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the sudden change. There is a shuffling and I can <b>hear </b><b>a </b>sizzle to my right <b>as </b>I blink and look at my mother clutching the bars.

    ¡°Do the video.¡± She whispers, her eyes darting toward the entrance of my cage with fear written all over her face<b>.</b>

    ¡°What<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>I hiss, ashamed she would <b>back </b>down so easily, though pain has been a constant for her for many years.

    ¡°The sooner your mate knows you <b>are </b>missing, the sooner they wille for you.¡± She mutters<b>. </b>¡°<b>I </b>can handle torture, but you need to <b>get </b>out of here<b>. </b>This ce will kill <b>you</b>, my <b>sweetheart</b>. I need you to promise me you will say <b>what </b>they want you to, but don¡¯t you dare show an ounce of <b>pain </b>or <b>fear</b>? Otherwise<b>, </b>they <b>will </b>storm the mountain and it will be their death<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    She recoils <b>away </b>as footsteps echo closer and the same dragon man from before <b>stops </b>in front of me, a permanent <b>scowl </b>on his <b>face</b>. He ys with the keys in his hands for a moment, his eyes trained <b>on </b>me in thought before he exhales and unlocks the door. As if to mock me, he holds it open and gives me <b>a </b>fake bow<b><i>, </i></b>showing I should exit the door.

    My heart skins a beat<b>, </b>my eyes sliding to my mother<b>, </b>who stands now, watching me <b>closely</b>, and shakes her <b>head </b><b>as </b>she seems to read the thought in my mind. Panic rises as she touches the silver that burns her, but she never seems to react to.

    Everything in my body is telling me to run. I know I won¡¯t get far. How <b>can </b>I when he is so close and we are <b>apparently </b>on a mountain? <b>No </b>doubt this guy has wings when he needs them. One more nce <b>at </b>him <b>reveals </b><b>a </b>small smirk on his <b>lips</b>, and <b>I </b>realize that <b>is </b><b>exactly </b>what he wants, <b>He</b>

    wants me <b>to </b><b>run</b><b>.</b>

    1/3

    +5

    <b>Chapter </b><b>83</b>

    <b>Instead</b>, I exit my cage, stepping to the side, allowing him <b>to </b>close it as <b>I </b>wait patiently for him to point me in the right direction. His disappointment is noticeable as the smirk falls from his face<b>, </b>reced by a sneer<b>, </b><b>as </b>he reaches out and shoves me.

    <b>I </b><b>jolt </b>forward<b>, </b>stumbling for a <b>few </b>steps before catching myself on the silver bars, the metal sizzling as pain zips through my hand. I <b>retract </b>it, hissing as I hug it to my chest and re up at his all too pleased <b>face</b>.

    <b>¡°</b>You enjoy hurting innocent people?¡± <b>I </b>grumble at him and he chuckles.

    <b>¡°</b>Innocent? No. But you aren¡¯t innocent<b>, </b>are you hybrid?¡± He <b>asks</b>, tilting his <b>head </b>while I try to understand what the hell he <b>is </b>talking about.

    *Just existing makes me guilty <b>of </b><b>whatever </b>bullshit you decide I did?¡± <b>I </b>scoff.

    He doesn¡¯t respond, and I roll my <b>eyes</b>. ¡°Of course the evil ones <b>get </b>to dictate who they kill and make up lies <b>as </b>to why.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to <b>exist</b>.¡± He <b>says </b>tly.

    <b>I </b>whip around, ring up at him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t <b>create </b>myself. A mate bond <b>created </b>me. To you dragons mates may mean nothing, but to us, to my kind, a mate is everything. It is a gift from our <b>goddess </b>and a refusal of that is the grave sin.¡± I hiss at him.

    He steps into me, forcing me to keep moving back as he res down at me.

    <b>¡°</b>Why would a mangy <b>dog </b>and <b>a </b>fish be given the gift <b>of </b><b>a </b>hybrid?¡± He goads me. ¡°A species who only fights and one that only hides. You were <b>created </b>as <b>a </b>weapon to be used against us. Our only weakness is now walking the earth instead of remaining where you belong, in the sea.¡±

    <b>I </b><b>spin </b><b>forward </b>again, my mind whirling <b>as </b>I take in his words and digest them. Me being <b>here </b>isn¡¯t just because of their desire to kill off the werewolves and lycans. Though clearly there is some tension between our species, but they are using me to lure out Caspian <b>as </b>well. Fire and water <b>don¡¯t </b>mix, they can¡¯t.

    <b>So </b>with the sirens restrained to their respective habitat and the dragons to theirs¡­everyone was safe. Until me, though, <b>if </b>what thatst bitch said is true, then I¡¯m not the first or only hybrid. So why do I get to be treated like a problem and not the other supposed hybrids?

    ¡°Turn left,¡± He grunts and I follow his instructions.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Where <b>are </b>we going?<b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask </b>curiously as the hallway grows warmer with every step, the air dry and suffocating until <b>we </b>break into <b>a </b>massive room.

    ¡°The king wants <b>a </b>look at you,¡± he murmurs, sounding displeased by thismand.

    <b>as </b>he continues to shove me along

    The <b>vast </b>ceiling is light up with fire, providing a flickering light along theva rock floors. Sweat beads at my brow and drips down my back and I see the walls lined with warriors all standing at attention, <b>ready </b>to strike at a moment¡¯s notice.

    There is <b>a </b>fountain in front of me, not of the water I desperately find myself in need of, but of bubbling magma in the center of the long walkway. He pushes me to the right, and I trip on a protruding rock<b>, </b>crashing to my knees.

    Heat burns through my <b>jeans</b><b>, </b><b>as </b><b>pain </b>erupts <b>over </b>my knee cap and I cry out in pain. I ce my hands down, trying to stand <b>as </b>fast as possible and my skin sears, the pads of my fingers and palm sticking to the rock as I tear them free with a <b>gasp </b>and hold them to my body.

    ¡°Help the pitiful creature up,¡± a man sighs in boredom. ¡°Clearly, she has no taste for our preferred level of heat.<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°What is <b>it </b><b>you </b>want from <b>me</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask</b><b>, </b>my <b>jaw </b>clenching from the throbbing in my hands and knee. I am struck in the back and <b>I </b>groan.

    ¡°He is the king. Address him as such.¡± He growls in my <b>ear</b>.

    <b>¡°</b>What do I want from <b>you</b><b>?</b>¡± The Dragon King <b>asks</b>, sitting forward and out of the shadows. ¡°That is a curious question to <b>ask </b>for a spy. I believe it is more appropriate to ask <b>what </b><b>it </b>is you want from us<b>.¡±</b>

    I furrow <b>my </b>brows and scoff in <b>disbelief</b>.

    <b>¡°</b>Me? A spy<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask him, <b>¡°</b>Is that what Giselle told you<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Why else would you be here<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>He asks me curiously as he stands and moves toward me with slow and stiff movements. It is clear he is suffering some type of injury<b>, </b>his eyes filled with pain with <b>every </b><b>step </b>he takes.

    ¡°Do you honestly think I came here <b>because </b><b>I </b>wanted to?¡± <b>I </b>scoff.

    <b>¡°</b>Spies go where they <b>are </b>ordered, not because they want to <b>go </b>somewhere<b>.</b><b>¡± </b><b>He </b>shrugs.

    <b>¡°</b>Your kind ambushed me and killed my gamma<b>.</b>¡± <b>I </b><b>growl</b><b>, </b>taking a limp toward him. ¡°Giselle attacked first at the council meeting. <b>Not </b>the <b>other </b>way around<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    <b>2/3</b>

    <b>3/3</b>

    Chapter 83

    ¡°So that is why you are here then, <b>revenge </b>on my mate?<b>¡± </b>He asks, arching a <b>brow</b>.

    <b>I </b>realize now that the pain in his <b>eyes </b>is not from any physical ailment, but mental. The way he seems to beg for freedom while doing something he has no control over. He is under control of Lily and Giselle, and whoever else is in on their little shitty n.

    ¡°There is no talking to you.¡± I whisper to myself in shock. ¡°You are as free as I am.¡±

    ¡°Take her back.¡± He flicks his wrist at the man escorting me, who grumbles as he drags me out of the room.

    After a few moments, he stops walking and allows me to stand on my own, his eyes scanning the area before he steps close and looks down at me with a look of determination.

    ¡°What did you see in his eyes that made you <b>say </b>that?¡± he asks.

    ¡°He is a prisoner just as much as I am,¡± I scoff. ¡°Can you not tell?¡±

    ¡°I can, but no one else seems to¡­¡± he says, ncing around like he is paranoid that someone may be listening. ¡°Well, Princess, I think we may be able to help each other¡­¡±

    <b>1 </b>narrow my eyes and click my tongue. ¡°Oh, and what makes you think that?¡±

    ¡°I can get you out of here, if you help me first,¡± he offers, and I bite my lip warily.

    ¡°What do you need from me?¡± I ask, feeling hopeful for the first time in days.

    B

 Chapter 84

    <b>Chapter </b><b>84</b>

    He looks down the <b>hallway </b><b>once </b>more<b>, </b>taking hold <b>of </b><b>my </b>arm<b>, </b><b>just </b>above <b>my </b>elbow<b>, </b><b>as </b>he <b>forces </b>me along. After a moment, the air <b>grows </b><b>cooler </b>and my chest <b>feels </b>like <b>a </b><b>heavy </b>weight has been lifted <b>off </b><b>of </b>it. I inhale sharply<b>, </b>my eyes closing<b>, </b>relishing the <b>fresh </b><b>cool </b>air that fills my lungs.

    ¡°<b>What </b><b>is </b>she doing out of her <b>cage</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>someone <b>asks </b>and I snap <b>my </b><b>eyes </b><b>open </b><b>to </b><b>see </b>Jennifer standing in front of us, her hands on her hips, her <b>eyes </b>glowing like an ember in a waning <b>campfire</b>.

    ¡°Move<b>,</b>¡± the guard with me grunts out, taking an imposing <b>step </b>toward her. She rolls her <b>eyes </b>and shifts her hips before she nces at me and back <b>up </b><b>at </b>him<b>, </b><b>a </b>curious <b>arch </b>to her brow<b>.</b>

    ¡°No.¡± She <b>insists</b><b>. </b><b>¡°</b><b>Not </b>a chance in hell. She shouldn¡¯t be out of her cell, Tieran.¡±

    ¡°The king wanted <b>to </b><b>see </b>her and <b>when </b>he <b>was </b>done, he demanded I take <b>her </b>back to her cell. Unless you think you <b>are </b>higher ranking than him, I

    I <b>suggest </b><b>you </b><b>step </b><b>aside</b>.<b>¡± </b>He bites out at her<b>. </b>She looks surprised, as her demeanor changes and she clears <b>her </b>throat, looking back down the way we came from.

    ¡°He <b>is </b><b>awake</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>She <b>asks</b><b>, </b>sounding <b>a </b>little worried.

    <b>¡°</b>Of <b>course </b>he <b>is</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>He snorts.

    ¡°And he <b>is </b>down here? Why the hell is the king hiding in the depths of the mountain when he should be up-¡±

    ¡°The king <b>goes </b>and does as he <b>pleases</b>. He doesn¡¯t <b>owe </b>you or anyone an exnation, so I suggest you stop questioning what he is doing and step <b>aside</b>.¡± <b>He </b><b>says</b>, pushing me forward.

    ¡°<b>It¡¯s </b>just that Giselle said¡­¡± she trails off for <i>a </i>moment and clears her throat. Her demeanor changespletely <b>as </b>she smooths her outfit out with her hands and steps to the side. <b>¡°</b>Carry on,¡±

    Tieran frowns at her but ushers me along, looking over his shoulder before frowning <b>as </b>he turns me down a different hallway. He presses me into the wall, peeking around the corner for <b>a </b>second, and then he hums in thought.

    <b>Its </b>obvious something is amiss<b>, </b>but with not knowing either of them well and having no desire to know them any better than I currently do, I keep my mouth shut.

    ¡°<b>Does </b>she not seem suspicious to you?¡± <b>He </b>asks, absentmindedly.

    ¡°Uh, <b>yes</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>I give him <b>a </b>confused look, and he blinks down at me like he forgot it <b>was </b>even squished between him and the wall. Tieran takes a step back and <b>clears </b>his throat before looking around the new hallway.

    ¡°I need to follow her.¡± He frowns, he looks at me and groans in frustration. ¡°Shit.¡±

    ¡°I can find my <b>way </b>back<b>,</b>¡± I offer<b>, </b>and he chuckles under his breath.

    <b>¡°</b>Yeah, and I¡¯m a fucking fairy.¡± He <b>teases </b><b>as </b>he walks me down the new hallway reluctantly.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t <b>you </b><b>tell </b><b>her </b>you don¡¯t trust the king?¡± <b>I </b>ask quietly, and he snorts. ¡°She already expressed she doesn¡¯t trust Giselle.¡±

    I <b>recall </b>the <bst </b>time I <b>was </b>being tortured, and she was told that she was wanted upstairs. She threw a fit, and it seemed like she didn¡¯t like the chosen <b>mate </b>of the king<b>. </b><b>If </b>anything, he should work with Jennifer, not me, to figure out what it wrong with his king. Though, admittedly, <b>I </b>already know what <b>is </b>wrong with his king.

    He is <b>under </b><b>the </b>spell of Lily, and Giselle <b>is </b>using him how she <b>pleases</b><b>. </b>That¡¯s what she does. She maniptes everything and everyone to her whim. <b>For </b>what? <b>Well</b><b>, </b>that <b>is </b>the question I am <b>still </b>trying to work out. <b>Yes</b>, they want me <b>because </b>I am a hybrid, but why do they keep me alive?

    <b>¡°</b>Simple<b>.</b>¡± He <b>mutters</b><b>, </b>¡°I don¡¯t <b>trust </b>Jennifer either<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    <b>I </b>scoff, <b>shocked </b>by <b>the </b><bck </b>of trust in the kingdom <b>where </b>everyone still fights for what <b>they </b>are told, even if they don¡¯t <b>agree </b>with it. Who the <b>hell </b>fights blindly <b>for </b>something they don¡¯t <b>believe </b>in?

    <b>¡°</b>Oh<b>, </b>and you think <b>you </b><b>can </b>trust me<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask </b>him<b>, </b>yanking my arm from his tight grip with <b>a </b><b>scowl</b>.

    ¡°I trust <b>your </b><b>desperation</b>.¡± He <b>frowns</b><b>, </b>reaching <b>out </b>to <b>give </b>me a nudge forward. I skirt <b>away </b>from him with a <b>hiss </b>and he <b>smirks</b>.

    <b>¡°</b>Why do <b>you </b><b>keep </b>doing that? I¡¯m <b>walking</b><b>!</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>growl </b>at him and he <b>breaks </b>into a full¨Cblown smile.

    ¡°To <b>ensure </b><b>you </b><b>remember </b>who is boss <b>here</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b><b>He </b>shrugs<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>And it¡¯s amusing to watch you huff and <b>throw </b>a fit<b>.¡±</b>

    I blink at him for <b>a </b>second <b>confused</b><b>, </b>is he <b>being </b>friendly with me? <b>Well</b><b>, </b><b>as </b><b>friendly </b><b>as </b><b>a </b>dragon can be<b>? </b><b>Because </b>his smiles <b>and </b>shoving <b>feel </b>weirdly <b>familial</b><b>.</b>

    <b>1/2</b>

    <b>Chapter </b><b>84</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>How </b>about <b>we </b><b>get </b><b>to </b><b>what </b><b>you </b>want <b>from </b>me <b>so </b><b>we </b><b>can </b>strike <b>our </b><b>deal </b><b>and </b><b>I </b>can <b>leave </b>this <b>literal </b>hell hole.<b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>say</b>, trying <b>to </b>calm <b>myself </b><b>so </b>he <b>doesn¡¯t </b><b>get </b>the <b>enjoyment </b><b>of </b><b>watching </b>me <b>get </b><b>angrier</b><b>.</b>

    <b>He </b>looks around frantically<b>, </b>then trains his annoyed <b>gaze </b>on <b>me</b><b>.</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>Watch </b>your volume,¡± he hisses at her <b>as </b>his name echoes down the stone walls. He <b>freezes</b>, his body going rigid as he looks around. He grabs me <b>by </b>the back of the neck, making me <b>gasp </b>out in pain.

    But he is too distracted rushing down the hall <b>to </b><b>care </b>about what he is doing to me. We twist and turn down the halls; the air growing colder and damp until <b>we </b>finally break into the prison <b>cell </b><b>area </b>again.

    <b>¡°</b>Someone <b>is </b>calling your name<b>,</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>whisper</b><b>, </b>and he nods <b>in </b>acknowledgement.

    ¡°I am <b>aware </b>of that.¡± He grumbles<b>, </b>shoving me into my <b>cell</b>. I stumble, tripping <b>over </b>my feet as <b>I </b>grunt andnd on the hard ground. I spin to scowl up at him <b>just </b><b>as </b>Jenniferes running in<b>, </b>out of breath, like she had been chasing us.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Tieran turns and looks at <b>her</b><b>, </b>arching a brow like he hadn¡¯t been expecting her.

    ¡°<b>Are </b>you looking for me?¡± He <b>asks </b>her and she grins.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to punish them,¡± she grins. ¡°The king himself said I could take <b>it </b>as far as I need to in order to make this one do what we want.¡±

    Jennifer¡¯s <b>eyes </bnd on me with an eerily giddy grin.

    <b>¡°</b>You think the other one can handle more? She is healing much slower these days.¡± He reminds her and she rolls her <b>eyes</b>.

    ¡°You no longer outrank me prince Tieran, so how about instead of questioning me, you round the bitches up and bring them to the torture room, okay<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>she pats him on the chest <b>as </b><b>I </b>watch in awe. Prince Tieran? Yet he is stuck down here, escorting prisoners around like a lowly prison guard.

    Jennifer prances off like a kid, excited about getting their way <b>as </b>she goes to wait for Tieran to bring me and my mom back to her to do whatever the hell she wants to get me to cooperate.

    <b>He </b>turns and sighs, moving to unlock my mother¡¯s <b>cage </b>first. As she walks past me with her head held high, she meets my gaze<b>, </b>reminding me of what she told me earlier. To just cooperate so that Merikh at least knows I am missing.

    When Tieran walks back for me after delivering my mom to the other room, I look around and then up at him.

    <b>¡°</b>Prince<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>whisper and he frowns, looking away.

    ¡°That <b>was </b><b>a </b>long time ago,¡± He sighs. ¡°I questioned my father¡¯s judgment, and now I am working my way back up to his side.¡±

    ¡°And how does offering to help me <b>get </b>you there?¡± I <b>ask</b>, meandering.

    ¡°I¡¯m not <b>sure </b><b>yet</b>¡­¡± He <b>says </b>in a hushed tone.

    Then he pushes me through the iron door and into the room that smells of blood and stale dirt. My body shivers involuntarily as I look at my mother strung up, preparing for the pain.

    ¡°Ah, thedy of the hour. I have this <b>special </b>little chair for you.¡± She grins, pointing to a silver chair. ¡°Come, <b>have </b>a seat¡­¡±

    <b>2/2</b>

 Chapter 85

    <b>Chapter </b><b>85</b>

    *Merikh*

    The air is <b>warm </b>and <b>sticky</b><b>, </b>only adding <b>to </b>my already heightened irritation. I miss her<b>; </b>I miss her so damn much and I am angry <b>every </b>second of <b>every </b>damn day. What I want is my mate <b>back </b><b>at </b>any costs and that is a <b>dangerous </b>thought to <b>have</b>. To give up my life to know she will be okay would <b>be </b>well worth it.

    But I want a <b>life </b>with her. One with adoration and singing her <b>praises </b><b>so </b>she understands how amazing she truly is. I want to <b>give </b><b>her </b>everything, including a new me<b>, </b><b>a </b>better and more improved <b>version</b>. The version who is better <b>at </bmunication and listening. She deserves a mate who will <b>just </b>sit in <b>awe </b><b>of </b>her and let her be <b>exactly </b>who she <b>is</b>.

    All I want is another chance <b>even </b>when I <b>have </b>had so many. But I¡¯ve learned, I have grown and I am ready to alpha up and be everything she needs. Including <b>a </b><b>hero </b>or <b>a sacrifice to </b><b>ensure </b>she <b>gets </b><b>away </b>from the assholes who <b>have </b>her.

    <b>¡°</b>Merikh,¡± <b>Hayes </b>hollers out my name, running toward me. Panic <b>is </b>written all over his <b>face </b>as he stops in front of me and my stomach drops.

    <b>¡°</b>What <b>is </b>wrong<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask</b><b>, </b>swallowing the lump in my throat. ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°<b>Caspian </b><b>received </b><b>a </b><b>box </b>that was sent for you,¡± He <b>says</b>.

    I give him <b>a </b>confused <b>stare</b>.

    <b>¡°</b><b>And</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask</b><b>.</b>

    Hayes clears his throat and looks <b>away </b>before he exhales and shakes his head.

    ¡°It is<b>¡­</b><b>it </b>smells of her.¡± He mutters, unable to look at me.

    ¡°It smells like Colette<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>I <b>ask</b>, my <b>heart </b>skipping a beat.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Yes</b>,¡± he mutters<b>. </b>¡°It smells like her blood.¡±

    He clears his throat, and it <b>feels </b>like the world shakes beneath my feet. My mouth falls open to say something articte, alpha like, but instead a shocked, pained groan tumbles out.

    Then I break into <b>a </b>sprint, tearing through the garden, bounding over the pristine green bushes and breaking through the door. The second I hit the hallway to the kitchen, I freeze, picking up the faint scent of her blood.

    Bile <b>rises </b>in my throat, my lycan howling and hiding in the back of my mind, too heartbroken at the possibility of what this might mean. I clear my throat, running both hands through my hair <b>as </b>I suck in a deep breath, preparing myself for the worst.

    <b>If </b><b>it </b>is confirmation she is dead, then I will stop at nothing to kill every fucking dragon and the <bst </b>standing phoenix before allowing myself to meet her in the moonbeams.

    ¡°Merikh¡­¡± Caspian <b>says </b><b>as </b>I walk into the room, unable to remain calm as my hands shake, pointing to the small box on the table.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Is </b>that <b>it</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask him and <b>he </b><b>nods</b><b>.</b>

    My fingers tremble <b>as </b><b>I </b>take the little box<b>, </b><b>a </b><b>streak </b>of blood on the outside, and tear open the top. As I pull the ps open, her sweet scent flows out, bringing <b>tears </b><b>to </b>my eyes when I see <b>a </b>ribbon tied around a chunk of her soft hair. I lift it out, holding it to my nose and inhaling as my <b>eyes </b><b>fall </b>closed, relishing this little <b>piece </b>of <b>her</b>.

    Then <b>I </b><b>ce </b>it to the side and look <b>at </b>the phone in the box with a small envelope sitting next to it. I grab the white paper and pull out a small note <b>card</b>, staring <b>at </b>it.

    <b>¡°</b><b>What </b>does <b>it </b><b>say</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>Caspian </b><b>asks</b>, his <b>voice </b>shaking.

    *4362 here <b>is </b><b>a </b>little <b>surprise </b><b>for </b><b>you</b><b>,</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>read</b>, cing it to the <b>side </b><b>as </b><b>I </b>pull out the phone and <b>a </b>lock <b>screen </b>pops up.

    ¡°What does that <b>mean</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>Caspian </b>asks<b>, </b><b>picking </b>up the <b>card </b>written in his daughter¡¯s blood.

    ¡°It¡¯s the passcode.¡± I mutter as I <b>type </b>it <b>in </b>and it <b>opens </b><b>to </b>the video screen.

    Everything fades <b>away</b><b>, </b>my <b>heart </b>the only sound <b>I </b><b>can </b><b>hear </b><b>as </b>it <b>raps </b>away in my chest, my lungs squeezing like there is no air to be found. I wanted to see her, get <b>my </b>eyes on her, <b>to </b><b>at </b>least see she is <b>alive</b><b>. </b><b>But </b>this is <b>worse</b>, so much worse than I imagined.

    <b>¡°</b>Alpha<b>!</b>¡± <b>Hayes </b>screams and I <b>turn </b><b>my </b>head to look at him<b>, </b>blinking <b>as </b>I try to process the video <b>screen </b><b>I </b><b>can¡¯t </b>bring <b>myself </b>to hit <b>y </b>on.

    ¡°What is it?¡± <b>Caspian </b>asks, reaching <b>for </b><b>the </b>phone. He takes it and I don¡¯t fight him as he gulps <b>and </b>closes his <b>eyes </b>like he is fighting <b>off tears</b>.

    <b>1/3</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>We </b>need to watch <b>it</b>.¡± <b>I </b>mutter<b>, </b>walking toward the massive living <b>room</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°I <b>can¡¯t</b><b>¡­</b><b>¡± </b>Caspian <b>says </b>and I look over at him, his <b>face </b><b>as </b>white <b>as </b>a mountaintop mid winter<b>.</b>

    ¡°<b>Hayes</b><b>, </b>figure out how <b>to </b><b>have </b>it on the screen.¡± <b>I </b>grumble, dropping into the couch preparing myself <b>for </b>the worst but also reminding myself I need <b>to </b>see this. I have <b>to </b>look for clues, find something to <b>discover </b>where she is.

    ¡°You want <b>to </b>watch it on that thing<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>Caspian <b>sneers</b><b>, </b>pacing <b>over </b>to me and standing in the <b>way</b>. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?<b>¡±</b>

    <b>¡°</b>Everything.¡± I grumble, leaning forward, my elbows on my knees. <b>¡°</b>Everything is fucking wrong when she isn¡¯t with me.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>Are </b>you trying <b>to </b>punish yourself? Is that <b>what </b>this <b>is</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>He <b>asks</b><b>, </b>confused, and I scoff.

    ¡°No, I am watching it <b>because </b><b>if </b>she <b>has </b>to live <b>it</b>, then I should have <b>to </b><b>as </b>well. We need to know what they are doing to her. I need to see it so I can return the fucking favor to them.¡± I look up <b>at </b>him. ¡°There could be clues about where she is,¡± Hayes <b>also </b><b>says</b>, and I know I can always rely on him to know why <b>I </b>am doing things<b>.</b>

    ¡°Shit,¡± Caspian mutters, then he walks over to the other side of the couch and plops down. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with, then.¡±

    Hayes looks at me once he has the TV on and the phone screen sharing. The image of Colette is right before me. The little y button obstructed nothing but that barrier in my mind, screaming ¡®<b>I </b>can¡¯t do this¡®. But I have to.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    ¡°Hit <b>y</b><b>.</b>¡± I tell him.

    Suddenly there she is, my <b>perfect</b>, beautiful little luna. Her face <b>is </b>sunken, her glow gone, but she is still as beautiful <b>as </b>she always is. It is clear they <b>are </b>starving her, giving her minimal liquids<b>, </b>probably because they <b>are </b>afraid of what she can do.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Say </b>it,¡± a voice off <b>screen </b>says forcefully. Colette looks up at the person and rolls her eyes. Then she looks directly at the camera.

    ¡°Fuck yourself.¡± She says, a small smirk on her chapped and bloody lips. A thrill of pride ripples through me, but it <b>is </b>short¨Clived.

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± The woman says <b>as </b>she steps forward and lifts a metal bar.

    I stand, growling at the screen as the woman swings it and ms it into her stomach, making the wind wheeze from my chest. I fall to my knees, my <b>eyes </b>watering and my body quivering with anger and no outlet.

    Colette cries out in pain, her head falling forward as she struggles to suck in a full breath. All I can hear is herbored breathing that sounds like a <b>heavy </b>wheeze, and my chest is torn wide open. I love how strong she has be mentally, but I need her to give in, to stop herself from being a smart ass when she is on the line.

    ¡°<b>Just </b>say it, love,¡± I whisper, finding myself moving closer to the screen. ¡°Just fucking say what they want.¡±

    Another <b>scream </b>breaks through the TV speakers and I look at Colette, who <b>is </b>silent and unmoving. She lifts her fiery <b>gaze </b>to someone off <b>screen </b>and she fights against her restraints.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Leave </b>her alone<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>She <b>wails</b>. <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>will say it, okay? <b>I </b>will say it. Please, just don¡¯t hurt Melody anymore<b>.¡±</b>

    The woman saunters <b>back </b>in, moving behind Colette and cing her hands on her shoulders, digging her nails into <b>her </b>skin <b>as </b>she bleeds through

    <b>her </b>shirt.

    ¡°I warned you<b>, </b><b>every </b>time <b>you </b><b>resist </b><b>I </b>will <b>just </b>torture your <b>dear </b>little mommy.¡±

    <b>My </b><b>eyes </b><b>grow </b><b>wide </b>and I <b>try </b><b>to </b><b>recall </b><b>what </b>Giselle had said before the meeting went up in mes.

    <b>¡°</b><b>What</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>Caspian </b><b>gasps</b><b>, </b>and I look <b>over </b>to find him next to me. ¡°Melody is <b>really </b>alive? I thought they were lying. That they <b>were </b>trying to evoke an emotional <b>response </b>and catch me off guard.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry<b>.</b>¡± Colette whispers<b>, </b><b>tears </b><b>on </b>her cheek as she looks mournfully off the screen. ¡°<b>I </b>will say it now. I promise<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Then get <b>it </b>over with <b>already</b>, your highness<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>The bitch <b>says </b>in

    annoyance.

    ¡°Merikh.<b>¡± </b>Colette whispers, looking directly into my <b>soul</b><b>, </b><b>pain </b>in <b>her </b><b>eyes </b><b>as </b>she struggles to <b>breathe </b><b>still</b>. ¡°<b>If </b>you want me<b>, </be and get me. War <b>is </b>on the horizon<b>, </b><b>a </b><b>barrage </b>of <b>fire </b>and <b>death </b><b>is </bing <b>via </b>the <b>sky </b>and you must choose. <b>Me</b><b>, </b>or our kind-¡±

    <b>A </b>fist connects with her <b>ear </b>and her <b>head </b><b>snaps </b>to the <b>left</b><b>, </b><b>a </b>whimper breaking from her lips.

    <b>I </b><b>growl </b>again, my fists <b>balled </b><b>up </b>and creaking as my bones ache from the <b>pressure</b><b>. </b>This fucking bitch is going <b>to</b>

    slow and painful death.

    <b>¡°</b>His kind, not yours. You <b>are </b>not the same breed<b>.</b>¡± The woman hisses.

    ¡°Me or all of <b>lycan </b>and <b>werewolf </b>kind.¡± Colette whispers.

    <b>2/3</b>

    The <b>video </b><b>cuts </b>off, leaving us all in stunned silence.

    3/3

    10167

    É«

 Chapter 86

    <b>Chapter </b><b>86</b>

    <b>Her </b>voice <b>echoes </b>through <b>my </b>mind<b>, </b>the <b>way </b>the hits <b>hammered </b>into her <b>already </b>sickly <b>flesh </b>sends <b>a </b>murderous shudder through my spine. The bile rises <b>faster </b>than I <b>expect </b><b>as </b>I turn my <b>head </b>to <b>the </b>side and try <b>to </b>swallow it down, weing the burn. A tiny sacrifice for the pain she is <b>suffering</b>.

    My <b>lycan</b>, who should <b>be </b>roaring in <b>anger</b><b>, </b><b>is </b><b>instead </b>withering in agony, angered by not only her distance from us but the choice thatys in our hands. Not that it is much <b>of </b><b>a </b>choice<b>. </b>There <b>is </b>no choosing between Colette and our species. Because there is only one option and only will <b>ever </b><b>be </b>one option <b>for </b><b>as </b>long <b>as </b><b>I </b>live<b>.</b>Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    I have always <b>been </b>an alpha first<b>, </b>putting <b>my </b><b>pack</b><b>, </b>my kind above everything else<b>, </b>everyone else. But this time I am choosing her, not for me, but for them. Without <b>her</b><b>, </b><b>they </b>don¡¯t have an alpha. They have a shell of a man ying a part I would no longer have a passion for. Colette is the soul of me. Without <b>her</b>, there is no <b>werewolf </b>or lycan kind.

    I stand and rush from the room<b>, </b>no longer willing <b>to </b>wait and y these stupid useless games. <b>No </b>longer do I care about their reasoning behind why they <b>are </b>doing this and what they truly want. Because for once, what everyone <b>else </b>wants doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s what I want that matters. And I want my damn <b>mate</b>.

    ¡°Merikh<b>,</b><b>¡± </b>I <b>hear </b><b>Hayes </b>call out before his frantic footsteps echo in the silence behind me. ¡°Merikh! Where <b>are </b>you going? We need to discuss this.¡±

    <b>I </b>spin on my heel<b>, </b><b>a </b><b>sneer </b>on my lips<b>, </b><b>as </b>anger takes over my body.

    ¡°There is nothing to <b>discuss</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>I grit out. He frowns and shakes his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit and you know it.¡±

    ¡°I am going to retrieve Colette.¡± <b>I </b>say, enunciating every word just to make sure there is no misinterpreting my intentions. ¡°No amount of <b>discussion </b>or trying to convince me to think of the pack will change my mind.¡±

    His brow knit together in confusion, and a hint of surprise flutters over his features before he scoffs.

    ¡°Did you seriously think I <b>was </bing to talk you out of going for her?¡± He asks, offended by my tone, not that his offensive is any of my concern since I am the alpha.

    ¡°What else would we possibly have to discuss, Hayes<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>I ask.

    ¡°Well, for <b>starters</b>, how it¡¯s a tant fucking trap that will end with you getting killed before you even have the fucking chance to see Colette again?¡± He <b>growls </b>out.

    He makes <b>a </b>solid point<b>, </b><b>so </b>I pause, dragging my hands through my hair, feeling utterly helpless.

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b><b>just</b>¨CI can¡¯t <b>stay </b>here and do nothing<b>, </b>Hayes. Colette is out there, being tortured and I¡¯m here, doing what exactly?¡± <b>I </b>ask him, trying and failing to keep my emotions in check.

    ¡°We <b>are </b>trying to <b>locate </b><b>her </b>and n a way in to get her<b>.</b>¡± He reminds me and I roll my eyes.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to locate her any longer. They told us where they are.¡± I say<b>, </b>even though I know what he means.

    They could be lying about where they are, and they most certainly are leading me in to a trap. I may be overwhelmed and desperate, but it doesn¡¯t <b>make </b>me an idiot, it just makes me dangerous and predictable. What I need is to be dangerous and unpredictable to them.

    ¡°Merikh,¡± He sighs and <b>shakes </b>his head. ¡°Brother Colette needs you sane, not drunk of murderous rage and a spark of hope<b>.¡±</b>

    ¡°What <b>would </b><b>you </b><b>have </b>me do<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask </b>him<b>, </b>feeling defeated.

    ¡°Leandra <b>may </b>know a <b>better </b><b>way</b><b>,</b>¡± he says<b>, </b>and I can <b>see </b>the conflict in his <b>eyes, </b>but there <b>is </b><b>also </b>a hint of determination.

    ¡°She <b>needs </b>to be <b>a </b>part of ourmunity,¡± <b>I </b>remind him, and he nods.

    <b>¡°</b><b>If </b><b>you </b>would <b>give </b>me <b>time </b>to <b>discuss </b>things with her<b>, </b><b>we </b>can make that happen. But what we need is time, not a lot, but enough to formte something<b>.¡±</b>

    ¡°Like <b>what</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>scoff</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>he <b>res </b>at <b>me</b><b>.</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>Something better </b>than running out the <b>fucking </b>door like an <b>upset </b>teen and rushing <b>toward </b>danger without any thought.¡± <b>He </b><b>says</b>.

    I chuckle dryly, <b>knowing </b><b>he </b>is <b>right </b><b>and hating </b><b>every </b>damn <b>second </b><b>of </b>it. <b>Colette </b>needs me, but <b>she </b><b>needs </b>me not <b>just </b>for a fight, but <b>for </b>my wit and cunning skills. I am not the Alpha <b>of </b>Death <b>just </b>for my ability to kill<b>, </b><b>but </b>for <b>my </b>precision and <b>execution </b>of my <b>moves</b>. This <b>is a </b>game of chess <b>now</b>.

    They <b>make </b>a <b>move</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>I <b>now must </b>make mine<b>.</b>

    <b>1/3</b>

    <b>lingers </b><b>and </b>when <b>he </b><b>sees </b>us <b>he </b>turns the volume <b>to </b>max and hits <b>y</b>.

    <b>A </b><b>soft </b>whisper <b>of </b>a voice, her voice.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Forget </b>me<b>,</b><b>¡± </b><b>she </b><b>says</b>.

    My skin tingles and my mouth goes dry at <b>her </b>words. Does she truly think I would <b>ever </b><b>be </b>able to forget a force like her? She came into my life like <b>a </b>soft <b>breeze </b>and but the <b>second </b>she <b>was </b>in; she picked up speed and whipped up a hurricane in me. There is no forgetting someone who can do

    that.

    ¡°<b>Hayes</b>, you need to <b>go </b><b>speak </b>with Leandra and bring <b>her </b>out <b>here</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>I say, snapping into alpha mode.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Caspian</b><b>, </b><b>if </b><b>you </b>don¡¯t mind, <b>please </b><b>go </b><b>get </b>Johannes<b>,</b>¡± I <b>ask </b>him.

    ¡°Johannes <b>is </b><b>here </b>and <b>ounted </b>for.¡± His voice <b>says </b>as he saunters in and leans against the wall. ¡°You all look like you are ready to make a move.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Something like that,¡± <b>Hayes </b><b>says as </b><b>he </b>walks out of the room to fetch Leandra.

    ¡°What do you need from me<b>, </b>alpha<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>Johannes <b>asks</b><b>, </b>arching a brow. His usual cocky<b>, </b>annoying demeanor is reced with one of respect, <b>or </b>rather more <b>respect </b>than normal.

    His nose scrunches up and he stands upright<b>, </b>spinning around as he sniffs the <b>air</b>, his vampire senses in full gear, as he rummages around until he finds the box. He lifts <b>it</b><b>, </b>inspecting the blood and inhaling it with a shudder before he zeros in on me, a question in his eyes.

    ¡°Colette¡¯s,¡± I tell him and he frowns<b>, </b>cing the box down.

    <b>¡°</b>They offered a ransom then?¡± he <b>asks</b>.

    ¡°Something to that effect.¡± I mutter, pointing

    <b>10</b>

    the television. ¡°They sent a torture tape and forced her to tell me where she is.¡±

    He looks surprised, his head tilting to the side as he hums in thought. Then he walks over and takes a seat, propping his feet up on the couch in afortable position.

    ¡°And you invited me to watch the show<b>?</b>¡± He <b>asks</b>, ¡°If I were still human, I might ask for popcorn for the entertainment.¡±

    I <b>growl </b>at his shittyment.

    ¡°I <b>was </b><b>just </b>trying to lighten the mood.¡± He grumbles and rolls his eyes.

    ¡°I am going to <b>use </b>you topel Leandra in order to tap into her mind and see if you can help her unlock the memories she has lost from when she <b>was </b>under Lily¡¯s spell.¡± I <b>say</b><b>, </b>crossing my arms over my chest.

    His eyebrows shoot up and he <b>sits </b>up immediately, leaning forward with his hands on his elbows before he barks out a dryugh. Johannes paces <b>away </b>for a moment before spinning back around and nodding.

    ¡°Fine. But it <b>doesn¡¯t </be <b>free</b><b>,</b>¡± he <b>bites </b>out. I smirk at him, knowing he really doesn¡¯t understand how this oath works.

    <b>¡°</b><b>No</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>arch </b><b>a </b><b>cocky </b>brow and he groans in annoyance.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Sorry</b>, old habits <b>die </b>hard.¡± He shrugs<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>But it will be very taxing on not only me, but <b>her</b>.¡±

    ¡°This is <b>our </b>contingency n. <b>Hayes </b>and her marking each other is the <b>first </b>n, but I don¡¯t like the idea of rushing their bond. I want them to <b>decide</b>, but <b>I </b>want <b>you </b>to be aware of this option before <b>I </b>spring it on you.¡±

    Job

    <b>frowns </b>and drags <b>a </b>hand down his <b>face</b><b>, </b>shaking his <b>head</b>.

    ¡°Merikh, for this work I need to drink from her too.¡± He says, his <b>eyes </b>meeting mine <b>as </b><b>Hayes </b>and Leandra walk into the room, both of them looking <b>upset </b>with the <b>other</b>.

    ????

    ¡°I don¡¯t <b>care</b><b>,</b><b>¡± </b><b>she </b><b>says</b><b>, </b>rolling <b>her </b>shoulders <b>back </b>and puffing up her chest<b>. </b>¡°I will do it.¡±

    ¡°The <b>hell </b><b>you </b><b>will</b>. <b>I </b>told <b>you </b><b>I </b><b>would </b><b>just </b><b>ept </b>you, Lea<b>.</b><b>¡± </b><b>Hayes </b>says in anger<b>, </b>his <b>jaw </b>clenching <b>as </b>he <b>grabs </b><b>her </b>wrist. <b>She </b><b>yanks </b>it out of his grip <b>and </b><b>steps </b><b>away </b>from him.

    <b>¡°</b>You <b>are </b>the one who didn¡¯t want <b>to </b>do <b>this </b><b>earlier</b><b>, </b><b>but </b>now there <b>is </b>another<b>, </b><b>easier </b><b>way </b>and suddenly <b>now </b><b>you </b><b>will </b>be my <b>mate</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>She snaps at him.

    ¡°It <b>was </b>your <b>idea </b><b>in </b><b>the first </b><b>ce</b><b>, </b>but now <b>you </b>have all <b>these feelings </b>about it,¡± <b>Hayes </b><b>groans</b>.

    <b>2/3</b>

    <b>Chapter </b><b>86</b>

    ¡°Let¡¯s proceed with the vampire. I refuse to let my mate ept me because he is suddenly jealous.¡± She says, ring at Hayes, who throws his hands

    <ol>

    <li><b>up</b><b>.</b></li>

    </ol>

    ¡°It has nothing to do with jealousy<b>, </b>you don¡¯t understand-¡± Hayes tries to exin.

    ¡°There is nothing to exin. This way is for the best. If you can¡¯t handle it, you can leave.¡± She says, moving over to Johannes. Leandra yanks at her long sleeve and holds her wrist up for him. And he looks at me for permission.

    Hayes pleads with me in his eyes, but ultimately it is not my decision to make, but Leandra¡¯s.

    ¡°Leandra,¡± I say, needing her confirmation. She looks at me without an ounce of fear and a soft smile on her lips.

    Alpha, I will be fine.¡± She nods and I clear my throat.

    ¡°Do it.¡±1 exhale.

    ¡°Biting two mates from the same family.¡± Johannes mutters with a smirk directed at Hayes. ¡°Not quite a record yet,¡±

    Hayesunches himself at him, his lycaning out in full force as Leandra rolls and falls to the ground hard. Johannes ms into the wall, his head cracking against the drywall, splintering the stering around it.

    ¡°Hayes!¡± I roar, trying to control my beta, but he is locked in as his teeth gnash and try to tear at Johannes, who is hardly keeping him at bay.

    ¡°Mine!¡± Hayes lycan roars before he yanks Johannes from the wall and throws him across the room. Then he bounds over to Leandra.

    ¡°Hayes, no!¡± I yell out, but I am toote as he sinks his teeth into her neck, marking her as his own.

    3/3

 Chapter 87

    <b>Chapter 87</b>

    <b>Hayes </b>steps back, his <b>lycan </b><b>retreating</b>, leaving him in the <b>scraps </b>of his shredded clothing, his <b>back </b>heaving up and down as he <b>stares </b>into Leandra¡¯s

    <b>eyes</b><b>.</b>

    She looks up <b>at </b>him<b>, </b>shock and fear all <b>over </b>her <b>face </b><b>as </b>she <b>sps </b><b>her </b>hand <b>over </b><b>the </b>mate mark on her neck. Johannes chuckles to himself <b>as </b><b>I </b><b>stare </b>at my beta in equal parts surprise and disappointment.

    <b>¡°</b>Well, <b>I </b><b>guess </b><b>I </b>won¡¯t be needed <b>after </b>all,¡± Johannes says, sounding disappointed.

    <b>¡°</b>Why would you¡­¡± Leandra <b>whispers</b><b>, </b>searching his silent <b>face </b>for an <b>answer</b>.

    He stumbles <b>back </b><b>a </b><b>step </b>and then turns his forlorn face to me, <b>like </b>he can¡¯t believe what just took ce.

    <b>¡°</b>Fuck<b>,</b>¡± I mutter<b>, </b><b>dragging </b>my hand down my <b>face</b>.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± <b>He </b>murmurs<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>I don¡¯t know what came <b>over </b>me.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Yes you do,¡± I <b>groan</b>. ¡°She <b>is </b>your fucking mate and your lycan thought you <b>were </b>going to lose her<b>, </b>so he took action without you.¡±

    ¡°<b>No</b>,¡± he <b>says</b>, taking <b>a </b>tentative step toward Leandra. ¡°No, it was a mutual decision. I panicked. I have <b>never </b>panicked before and I thought¡­ I was <b>worried </b>I would lose you forever.¡±

    ¡°It <b>was </b><b>a </b>simplepelling trick.¡± I remind him but he doesn¡¯t look <i>at </i>me, instead he stares at Leandra, who is <b>pressed </b>against the wall white as <b>a</b>

    <b>sheet</b>.

    ¡°Can you forgive me?¡± He whispers to her, tilting his head. She skirts her eyes to me for a brief moment and then back at Hayes.

    ¡°Why did you do it? You were the one that fought epting me for so long? I didn¡¯t think

    wanted me- you

    19

    ¡°Himpelling you is an invasion of your mind and ability to control yourself. It <b>feels </b>like what lily did to you all over again but with a different <b>species</b>. I couldn¡¯t let you do that again, not when you are just finding yourself again.¡± Hayes rushes out to exin, licking his lips to wet them.

    He makes a fair point, one I hadn¡¯t openly thought about or expressed due to the nature of my desperation. But Hayes is right. I was asking her to <b>step </b>back into the very thing she had finally escaped. It wasn¡¯t fair, even if it is used to save my Colette.

    ¡°I agreed to it this time.¡± She <b>says</b>, and he shakes his head.

    <b>¡°</b>You <b>agreed </b>out of guilt.¡±

    ¡°I want to help,¡± she retorts, and he sighs.

    ¡°Then let me help you do it.¡± then he drops to his knees, inching closer as he takes her hand in his and his other on her waist. ¡°Finish the bond, <b>ept </b>me fully.¡±

    She <b>furrows </b>her brows and then looks around the room and back down at Hayes.

    ¡°This is <b>sweet </b>and all, but am I needed or can I <b>go</b><b>?</b>¡± Johannes says with a <b>fake </b>yawn as he rolls his <b>eyes</b>.

    ¡°<b>Leave</b><b>,¡± </b><b>I </b><b>tell </b>him with a <b>re</b><b>, </b>and he grins before he saunters off. Caspian gives me <b>a </b>small nod as he follows suit and I step up to my brother and his half <b>epted </b>mate.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Will </b>this work?<b>¡± </b><b>she </b><b>asks </b><b>me</b><b>, </b><b>worried</b>. ¡°If <b>I </b><b>ept </b>and mark him, will you be able to <b>get </b>what you need from me<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    I see <b>the </b>pang <b>of </b><b>guilt </b>and hurt in <b>Hayes</b><b>¡® </b><b>face </b><b>as </b>he turns to look at me.

    <b>¡°</b>It is <b>wrong </b><b>of </b>me <b>to </b><b>answer </b><b>this </b>in any way other than telling you that you <b>ept </b>a mate bond because you want it, not <b>because </b>someone <b>needs </b><b>it</b>. I <b>can </b>not <b>tell </b><b>you </b>what to do <b>because </b><b>when </b><b>it </b><bes </b>to my mate, I am selfish and I will sacrifice your happiness for <b>her </b><b>life</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>admit.

    ¡°Look <b>at </b>me, <b>Lea</b><b>,</b><b>¡± </b><b>Hayes </b><b>says </b>softly<b>. </b>¡°I <b>have </b>been <b>a </b>stubborn asshole and I am so sorry<b>. </b>And I shouldn¡¯t have done what I did, but I see <b>it </b>all <b>so </b><b>clearly </b>now<b>, </b><b>I </b>want <b>you </b><b>safe</b><b>. </b><b>Even </b>if <b>we </b><b>are </b><b>at </b>odds, <b>your </b><b>safety </b>is more important.¡±

    ¡°<b>Do </b><b>you </b>think you <b>could </b>love <b>me</b>? Not right <b>now, </b>not <b>yet</b>, but <b>one </b><b>day</b><b>¡­</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>She <b>whispers </b>shyly, dropping <b>her </b><b>other </b>hand <b>from </b><b>her </b><b>neck</b>. <b>Hayes </b><b>stands</b>, moving his <b>palm </b>to her cheek as he <b>cups </b><b>her </b><b>face</b><b>.</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>Yes</b><b>.</b>¡± <b>He </b>whispers.

    <b>She </b>reaches <b>out </b>and grabs his <b>face</b><b>, </b>turning his neck to the <b>side</b><b>, </b>and I look <b>away</b><b>, </b><b>letting </b>them <b>have </b><b>their </b>moment, but I don¡¯t go far<b>. </b><b>As </b>much <b>as </b><b>I </b>want this to <b>be </b>their <b>choice</b>, I now <b>have </b>no option but <b>to </b><b>capitalize </b>on it <b>to </b><b>help </b><b>us </b><b>save </b>Colette. I keep my <b>back </b>to them for <b>several </b>minutes <b>before </b><b>I </b>hear <b>Hayes </b><b>clear </b>his <b>throat</b><b>.</b>

    <b>1/3</b>

    Chapter <b>87</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>Are </b><b>you </b><b>finished</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask </b>him, my <b>back </b>still turned.

    <b>¡°</b><b>For </b><b>now</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>He <b>says </b>and <b>I </b><b>spin </b><b>to </b>look at them. They <b>are </b>both shy about their new bond, looking like a <b>new </b>couple<b>, </b><b>as </b>Leandra blushes but <b>wears </b><b>a </b>determined look.

    ¡°<b>I </b>would like <b>to </b>officially be a member<b>, </b>alpha.¡± She <b>says</b>, bowing <b>her </b><b>head </b>respectfully.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Do </b>you <b>swear </b>to <b>protect </b>your <b>pack </b>and our kind with your life<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask her and she nods. <b>¡°</b><b>As </b>the mate of the Beta, his responsibilities<b>, </b>if he is not able or <b>away</b><b>, </b>will fall to you to <b>execute </b>in his <b>ce</b>. <b>Are </b>you <b>capable</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>am capable and willing<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>She responds.

    ¡°Then I <b>ept </b>you into our pack and <b>as </b><b>a </b>subject under my protection.¡± <b>I </b><b>say</b><b>, </b>bowing my head in return. She gasps in shock, her eyes going wide before they sh<b>, </b>and she grins, cing her hand over her heart.

    ¡°<b>How </b>do you feel<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>Hayes </b><b>asks </b>her and she <b>giggles</b>.

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>feel<b>¡­</b>epted. Like I am finally home.¡± She whispers looking at him giddily.

    I clear my throat and she blinks at me before giving a curt nod and her demeanor changes. She braces herself, bending her knees <b>as </b>she waits for my alphamand.

    ¡°<b>It </b>will be best <b>if </b>you try not to <b>resist</b>. The alphamand can feel strange <i>at </i>first<b>, </b>but <b>if </b>you are willing to share the information, it won¡¯t feel like you are being forced into anything<b>, </b><b>as </b>it¡¯s your choice.¡± I tell her and she nods.

    ¡°I have nothing to hide.¡±

    ¡°Leandra<b>, </b>show me your lycan.¡± Imand her.

    <b>Her </b>head snaps back and her arms fly out. Hayes takes a step to the side, watching closely as her bones <b>crack </b>and her skin changes. It looks like a <b>first </b>shift, one where she is in serious pain, her cry breaking through therge room <b>as </b>she falls to her knees.

    <b>Her </b>lycan reveals itself, looking right at me before bowing in eptance of me as it¡¯s Alpha.

    ¡°I will <b>ask </b><b>you </b>yes or no questions. <b>Answer </b>truthfully.¡± I instruct and she growls in eptance.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    ¡°Do you have any memory of when you were being controlled in your form?¡± <b>I </b>ask and her lycan nods yes.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Did </b>you travel in lycan form often?<b>¡±</b>

    Another head nod <b>yes</b><b>.</b>

    <b>¡°</b>Did you kill any other lycans or <b>werewolves</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    She <b>drops </b><b>her </b>head in shame<b>, </b>looking directly at Hayes <b>as </b>she nods her head <b>yes</b><b>..</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>It¡¯s </b>okay. You <b>are </b>not to me for what you could not control.¡± I tell her gently before continuing. ¡°Did you stay with all the others who <b>were </b>under Lily¡¯s control?<b>¡±</b>

    <b>Instead </b><b>of </b>shaking her head, she <b>growls </b>with a simple nod <b>yes</b>.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Was </b>it the same <b>ce</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask </b>and again, <b>her </b>lycan nods <b>yes</b><b>.</b>

    <b>I </b><b>move </b><b>closer</b><b>, </b>trying to think of how to <b>ask </b><b>where </b>they <b>were </b>so I can gather an idea of if the others are at this mountain and a <b>part </b>of this ambush that will be waiting for <b>me</b><b>.</b>

    ¡°The mountain?<b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask</b><b>, </b>and I <b>see </b>the <b>lycan </b><b>processing </b>before tilting <b>her </b>head to the side, confused. ¡°Unblock the memories from <b>your </b>other half <b>so </b>she <b>can </b><b>see </b><b>them</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    The <b>lycan </b>blinks <b>at </b>me <b>before </b>bowing its <b>head</b>. After <b>a </b><b>few </b>moments, <b>it </b><b>roars </b>and turns back into Leandra<b>, </b>a panting, naked ball on the ground <b>as</b>

    she shakes.

    Hayes is on her in a <b>second</b>, wrapping her in a <b>nket </b>and <b>scooping </b><b>her </b>up in his arms. She <b>sweats </b><b>profusely </b><b>as </b>she <b>reaches </b><b>around </b>him, pulling him close.

    <b>up</b>

    and

    <b>wraps</b>

    <b>her </b>arms

    ¡°I see <b>it </b>all<b>, </b><b>feel </b><b>all </b>of <b>it</b><b>,¡± </b>she whimpers.

    ¡°The memories<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask<b>, </b>and she nods into <b>Hayes</b>¡® <b>neck</b>.

    ¡°Everything<b>, </b><b>all </b><b>of </b>it. I know <b>where </b>they <b>are</b><b>, </b>what <b>they </b><b>want </b>to do with the <b>pack </b>they <b>are </b>controlling. All of it¡­<b>¡± </b>she whispers<b>, </b><b>tears </b>swelling in her

    <b>eyes</b><b>.</b>

 Chapter 88

    Chapter <b>88</b>

    <b>*</b><b>Colette</b>

    <b>Every </b>part of me is stiff as I sit in the dark<b>, </b><b>stuck </b>in my chair for heaven knows how long. It feels like <b>days</b>, but with no sun to measure time<b>, </b>it could be hours or even weeks. All I do know is I hurt and <b>I </b><b>am </b>utterly alone. After filming what they asked me to, they tortured mom for fun and made me watch.

    <b>Every </b>whip, <b>every </b>strike <b>felt </b>like it was <b>to </b>my own flesh as <b>I </b>sobbed and <b>begged </b>for them to stop. I would have happily taken those painfully hits for her<b>, </b>but they <b>weren¡¯t </b>torturing <b>her </b>because she disobeyed.

    They <b>were </b>doing <b>it </b><b>to </b>show me they <b>have </b>all the control, all the power<b>, </b>and it has only lit a fire in my chest. One of anger and hatred. A burning for revenge<b>, </b>not freedom.

    <b>There </b>is a sound of clinking and <b>steps </b>outside the darkroom I¡¯ve been left in. But noises don¡¯t mean anything here. It could be a guard passing by <b>or </b><b>even </b>a new victim being dragged to their demise. The dungeon makes plenty of noise, and more often than not, it even screams.

    <b>It¡¯s </b>not until light <b>filters </b>in <b>over </b>me that I realize I may not have beenpletely forgotten and I¡¯m not sure which is worse. Being remembered in this hellhole, or being left for dead. I wince, turning away from the bright light as it burns my eyes. A shadow falls over me and hurried footsteps rush <b>toward </b>me<b>.</b>

    ¡°<b>It¡¯s </b>time <b>to </b><b>go </b>upstairs,¡± Teiran whispers in my ear. I open my mouth to speak, but my voice gets caught in my throat. ¡°Can you walk?¡±

    I nod my head <b>yes </b><b>as </b>he helps me up, and then I promptly crumble to my feet, a pained whine escaping my parched lips. Hisrge hands catch me by the elbow<b>.</b>

    ¡°Woah,¡± He mutters<b>, </b>with a sigh. <b>¡°</b>Let me help you.¡±

    I <b>p </b>him <b>away </b>weakly and he chuckles to himself.

    ¡°Stubborn hybrid.¡± He mutters before he bends down and lifts me up. I try to squirm, but exhaustion overwhelms me and I give up.

    <b>¡°</b>Where <b>are </b>you taking me<b>?</b>¡± <b>I </b>croak, my throat searing in pain.

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b><b>was </b>able to convince the king to treat you like a guest, rather than a prisoner.¡± He murmurs.

    <b>¡°</b>Can I leave<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know what the answer will be, it will be ¡®no¡®, but <i>a </i>girl can try.

    He snorts <b>a </bugh and doesn¡¯t respond, which only confirms exactly what I figured as he steps out of the room and down the hall.

    We pass cells, some empty and others with old and grungy looking prisoners who must have been here for ages. Teiran deftly moves toward a <b>spiral </b><b>staircase </b>and takes <b>two </b><b>steps </b>at a time.

    The <b>stairs </b>seem to go on for an eternity <b>as </b>I fall in and out of consciousness for small spurts of time. When we finally ascend to the top, he walks about <b>a </b>hundred feet before a massive iron d door opens. I watch as we exit it, Teiran looking dwarfed by the massive frame.

    ¡°Woah¡­¡± I <b>mutter</b><b>, </b>unable to keep my <b>awe </b>to myself.

    <b>¡°</b>It is <b>for </b>when <b>we </b><b>are </b>in dragon form.¡± He <b>says </b>simply.

    I notice as we <b>exit </b>it looks nothing like the <b>area </b>he had taken me before meeting the king. Instead of <b>far </b>too hot and dry, <b>I </b>can hear bird tweeting, <b>feel </b><b>a </b><b>gentle </b><b>breeze </b>through the

    hallway<b>. </b><b>As </b>he turns, I notice a loud rumbling noise that grows clearer with <b>every </b><b>step </b>and the air <b>wetter </b>and so <b>nice</b><b>.</b>

    <b>That¡¯s </b>when I <b>feel </b><b>it </b><b>in </b>my bones, the way the <b>water </b>moves with a furious rage. I know what <b>is </bing before we <b>get </b><b>closer </b>and it <b>stirs </b>my wolf and feeds my <b>soul</b>. My <b>eyes </b><b>fall </b>closed as <b>I </b>inhale the damp air and, <b>ever </b><b>so </b>slightly, I begin to <b>feel </b>more alive again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about <b>using </b><b>your </b><b>water </b><b>powers</b>, hybrid.¡± Teiran <b>says </b>like he <b>is </b>bored.

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>am too weak <b>to </b>use it <b>now</b><b>. </b><b>Instead</b><b>, </b><b>I </b>am <b>just </b>enjoying it, how it <b>feels</b><b>.</b>¡± I murmur. He doesn¡¯t respond <b>as </b>we <b>grow </b><b>closer </b>and I open my <b>eyes</b>, watching in wonder as we walk behind the <b>waterfall </b>that hammers <b>past us</b>, singing its song of nature<b>.</b>

    <b>I </b>relish every damn second, my body shivering at the <b>desire </b>to be in the <b>water</b><b>, </b><b>to </b><b>just </b>submerge myself and <b>feel </b>the way it would heal me <b>if </b><b>I </b>was allowed to touch it. But just as <b>quickly </b>as I <b>see </b><b>it</b>, it <b>fades </b>into the <b>distance </b><b>as </b>I am carried away.

    ¡°There will be rules to your <b>stay</b><b>,¡± </b>He says.

    <b>¡°</b><b>And </b>if I break the <b>rules</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask. He snorts and shakes his head.

    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b><b>will </b>find yourself <b>back </b>in the dungeon <b>at </b>the whims <b>of </b>Jennifer<b>, </b>the <b>torture </b>junky.¡±

    1/3

    Chapter <b>88</b>

    I press my lips <b>together in </b>thought, <b>wondering </b>what his rtionship with her is and why he <b>doesn¡¯t </b><b>try </b><b>to </b>work with her<b>. </b><b>It </b><b>is </b><b>very </b>clear that they both <b>dislike </b>Giselle and know she is up <b>to </b>something, <b>yet </b><b>there </b>is <b>no </b>trust between them.

    <b>¡°</b>You <b>mean </b><b>I </b>find myself <b>back </b>with my mother<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>say</b><b>, </b>and he looks at me with a frown.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    <b>¡°</b>Your mother has been <b>there </b><b>for </b>many <b>years</b>, and you being up <b>here </b>means she will be tortured less. They kicked up her torture to get a rise out of <b>you</b>. Your mother is safer with you up here.¡±

    I think about his words, hating that he is probably right.

    <b>¡°</b>What <b>ensures </b><b>I </b>stay <b>here</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask </b>as he <b>slows </b>and <b>ces </b>me down. I press my hand to the wall, steadying myself as he unlocks the door.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Aside </b>from this lock and <b>key</b>?¡± He <b>asks </b>and I nod.

    ¡°That <b>I </b>will not <b>hesitate </b>to kill your mom.¡± Jennifer¡¯s voice echoes down the hall behind me. I turn to look at her and she gives me a fake smile. ¡°I have <b>been </b><b>begging </b><b>to </b>kill the bitch for <b>years</b><b>, </b>so I would love the chance to finally do it.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>will die before she does<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>I grit out and she throws her <b>head </b>back inughter.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Sure</b><b>.¡± </b>She <b>nods </b>like she believes me, but her demeanor <b>says </b>otherwise.

    ¡°Why <b>are </b><b>you </b>here<b>, </b>Jennifer? I <b>was </b>told you <b>were </b>on a mission,¡± Teiran asks.

    <b>¡°</b>Oh, <b>don¡¯t </b>you worry about me. I¡¯m on my way out. I was just making sure our esteemed guest makes it to her room.¡± She shrugs.

    Teiran arches a brow before taking an intimidating step toward her.

    ¡°Is there a reason you would think the king¡¯s own son would you to verify he can do a simple room change?¡± He asks, and she pales, her lips twitching <b>as </b>she hisses and steps back.

    ¡°Of course not.¡± She grumbles<b>. </b>¡°In truth, I <b>was </b>just passing by on my way out.¡±

    ¡°Then, <b>pass </b>by already.¡± He growls<b>, </b>and she scowls at him before taking a few steps back and turning and scurrying away. Then he turns to me and pushes the door open. ¡°Get in.¡±

    I <b>ease </b>myself into the room. The lightsing on and showing a beautiful room carved out of stone. nts line the <b>wall</b><b>, </b>moss and flowers nted in <b>crevices </b>of the rock.

    To my right there is a bed, covered in white linens and in the far corner<b>, </b>a small trickling fountain of water. I rush to it, cupping my hands and slurping <b>as </b>much as I can.

    <b>It </b>is heavenly cool and crisp<b>, </b>easing my pains <b>as </b><b>if </b>a tonic to my aching body. <b>I </b>ssh it on my <b>face</b>, my mouth falling open as it feels like it caresses <b>my </b>skin, and I stand upright, looking at Teiran, who watches me with curious eyes.

    ¡°We need to talk.¡± He <b>says</b>, the door closing behind him.

    ¡°Then talk, <b>dragon </b>prince<b>.¡± </b><b>I </b><b>say</b><b>, </b>crossing my arms <b>over </b>my <b>chest</b>.

    ¡°<b>I </b>want Giselle dead.¡± <b>He </b><b>says</b><b>, </b><b>quietly</b>. ¡°And I want my father freed from her hold she has <b>over </b>him.¡±

    ¡°<b>What </b><b>do </b><b>you </b><b>expect </b>me to do?<b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>ask </b>with a frown.

    ¡°I need <b>your </b>word,¡± he <b>says</b>.

    ¡°My <b>word</b>? What good does my word do?¡± <b>I </b>scoff.

    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b><b>are </b>both the <b>queen </b><b>of </b>the <b>Lycans </b>and <b>werewolves </b>and <b>a </b><b>princess </b>of the sirens<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>He <b>scoffs</b>. <b>¡°</b>You have more power than anyone born <b>of </b>one world.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>What </b>makes <b>you </b>think <b>they </b><b>will </b><b>listen </b>to me<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    <b>I </b><b>am </b>not sure he understands how the <b>hierarchy </b>works. I am a Luna<b>, </b>not the alpha and I may be a princess to the sirens, but it is not a title <b>I </b>can <b>im </b>as a <b>half</b>¨Cbreed. <b>Hell</b><b>, </b><b>I¡¯m </b>not <b>even </b>entirely sure I can be underwater without drowning for more than a minute.

    ¡°Your King, he is <b>already </b>on his <b>way </b><b>to </b>us. With the <b>help </b><b>of </b>someone who <b>knows </b><b>their </b>way around here. And Caspian¡­<b>well</b>, he won¡¯t <b>give </b>up on you, not now that he has finally got his <b>daughter </b><b>back</b>.¡±

    I see his point, but <b>it </b>doesn¡¯t <b>mean </b>his demand <b>makes </b>any sense <b>to </b><b>me</b><b>.</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>What </b>is it <b>you </b><b>want </b>from me<b>, </b><b>exactly</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask<b>, </b><b>trying </b><b>to </b>understand.

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    <b>Chapter </b><b>88</b>

    <b>His </b>eyes <b>grow </b>dark and he licks his lips.

    ¡°<b>I </b>want <b>you </b>to bring <b>a </b><b>war </b><b>here </b>and I want you to promise my father will live<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    I shake my <b>head</b><b>, </b>chuckling. ¡°War is alreadying. If Merikh is on his way-¡±

    ¡°<b>No</b><b>, </b>you don¡¯t understand. We already know they are on their way and which way they will use to sneak in. I didn¡¯te by this information on my own. Giselle knows their n. Where is <b>it </b>you think Jennifer is going?¡±

    Panic <b>grows </b>in my throat and I swallow roughly, trying to fucking understand what he wants and how to warn Merikh.

    ¡°<b>I </b>will help <b>you </b>escape tonight.¡± He whispers.

    ¡°But you said if I escape, Jennifer will kill my mother,¡± <b>I </b>scoff. ¡°I just got her back. I won¡¯t let her die.¡±

    He drags <b>a </b>hand over his <b>face</b>.

    ¡°There is nothing <b>I </b>can do for your mother. Right now, you need to choose her or your mate. You have twenty¨Cfour hours to decide.¡±

    <b>3/3</b>

 Chapter 89

    <b>Chapter </b><b>89</b>

    0

    Teiran has left me no real choice. Save the mother I thought I lost or lose the mate I just found. There is only one answer, one fight choice, and it brings nothing but pain to my chest as I try to think of any way I can to find a way around it.

    There is a small knock on the door as it pushes open and a maid quickly shuffles in, bringing me a pile of clothing, all the while keeping her head down. She then turns the bed down as I watch her with curiosity. She is not a dragon, but a werewolf, small and perhaps an omega, but she doesn¡¯t belong here.

    ¡°What is your name?¡± I ask her and she ignores me as a mal¨¦ walks in with a tray of food and ces it on the bedstand. He stops and looks at me with a sneer on his scarred face before jutting his chin and sauntering out the door, mming it behind him.

    ¡°Yeesh, what did I do to him?¡± I mutter.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like werewolves.¡± The girl mutters, her eyes sliding my way for a mere second before darting back to what she is doing.

    ¡°Yet he works with you, and you are a werewolf.¡± I remind her and she hesitates before she looks up fully, finally revealing a horribly burned section on the left side of her face.

    ¡°We don¡¯t choose our punishment, Luna. The king dulls it out himself.¡± She whispers, looking at the door. Fear oozes from her, her skittish nature, and the way she doesn¡¯t seem able to remain looking at me for long makes it obvious she is not here willingly.

    ¡°And is he a nice king?¡± I ask, taking a tentative step closer to her with a small shrug. She whines, looking at the door longingly, like she wishes to escape me. Which is ironic since I¡¯m the one locked up here, not her.

    ¡°I was asked to deliver your clothing and turn your bed down for the night. If there is nothing else I can assist you with, then I really should be off before¡­¡± she pauses, catching her bottom lip in her teeth like it¡¯s a hostage and she whimpers.

    ¡°Before what?<b>¡± </b>I ask.

    ¡°Before they suspect something. The king will stop by to see you in a few hours.¡± She bows before she sprints out the door, locking it behind her with a click and the soft murmur of an ¡®I¡¯m sorry.

    I collect the pile of clothing and head to the bathroom, a soft smile breaking my frown to pieces when I see the waterfall faucet overhead. My body shivers in anticipation of the water we have so sorely missed. As I strip out of my dirty clothing and turn on the spray, I gasp in delight, plunging my face into it with a grin.

    For the first time in however the hell long I have been here, I feel hope creeping back in with every drop. I shiver as I spin and let it hammer on my aching muscles, forcing the pain away so I can enjoy this.

    The bar of soap waiting for me is fresh and void of scents, which disappoints me, but I have to remind myself I am not at an all¨Cinclusive resort. I am in the belly of the enemy¡¯sir and they are giving me the illusion of freedom as they lock me <b>in</b><b>.</b>

    <b>I </b><b>grab </b>the soap and gingerlyther my bruised body, wincing as I hit my rib cage. <b>I </b>watch as the suds turn brown, the filth finally running clean as I move to my hair and scrub my scalp andtkes a series of three times before I feel clean enough. Then I stand in the stream of warm water, letting it fill my siren heart until it cuts off suddenly and I snap my eyes open.

    I look at the shower handle, still in the one position as I reach out and wiggle it back and forth, which does nothing. <b>A </b>frown <b>sneaks </b><b>over </b>my lips <b>as </b><b>I </b>sigh and step out, grabbing the towel folded on the counter<b>, </b>and I dry myself off before dressing quickly. When I step out of the bathroom, the towel in my hand still drying my hair, <b>I </b>freeze, noticing the heat in the <b>air</b>.

    <b>It¡¯s </b>near suffocating <b>as </b><b>I </b><b>feel </b><b>myself </b><b>sweat </b>and move to the window, throwing <b>it </b>open only to find a <b>set </b>of bars in the <b>way</b><b>, </b>forcing it <b>back </b>shut in my <b>face</b><b>. </b><b>Every </b>passing <b>second </b><b>feels </b>like I may shrink into <b>a </b>puddle until I notice <b>a </b>glowing ember in the corner of the room.

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    Chapter 89

    ¡°Hello, Colette.¡± I hear. My mouth runs dry as a light flickers on and I see Giselle in a silky white sheath gown<b>, </b>a soft orange glow flickering from beneath the fabric where her heart should be.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Giselle,¡± I murmur, forcing myself to make it to the edge of the bed before taking a seat before passing out from the dryness in the air.

    ¡°Sorry about cutting your shower short. It¡¯s on a timer. Can¡¯t have you too healthy.¡± She winks like she isn¡¯t being a petty bitch.

    ¡°What can I do for the queen of the dragons?¡± I ask, folding over and coughing roughly as I choke on the air before I catch my breath.

    ¡°Well<i>, </i>a little birdie told me there may be something going on with you and Prine Teiran.¡± She shrugs. ¡°I thought I woulde and check for myself, though you did shower alone it seeins-¡±

    ¡°I have a mate. One I love and am faithful to,¡± I growl out and she waves me off.

    ¡°You wolves and your mates. You know, mates mean nothing to dragons and vampires. I mean really, all you have to do is kill off the woman you wish to rece and ¡®oops¡®. Now there is an opening.¡± She saunters over toward me, unafraid to turni her back to an enemy,pletely unbothered by anything and everything as she strolls by toward the window.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I ask her, growing tired from the excessive heat she is giving off.

    ¡°What is it like to be a hybrid?¡± She asks wistfully, staring out the window. ¡°How does it feel to be the only one of your¡­. kind¡­.? Because I am curious if you feel as I do,¡±

    I scowl at her. ¡°You aren¡¯t a hybrid.¡± I remind her and she sighs heavily.

    ¡°No, I am not. But I am the only one of my kind left. These beefy winded idiots are the closest I have to my kind and, therefore, my best bet at procreating.¡± She says, ¡°Though I must admit, it is damn annoying that the king¡¯s dragon has yet to ept me so we can make a child.¡±

    I chuckle, shaking my head. ¡°Maybe it knows you would be a terrible mother.¡± I say, a sly grin on my lips.

    She looks at me over her shoulder before rolling her eyes.

    ¡°How quaint. You think I care about your petty insults or being a mother?¡± Sheughs, her wless hair tumbling over her shoulders as her head tilts back. In the light, it looks like there are waves of heat radiating from her, almost like she is the hottest burning me.

    ¡°Let me rephrase my original question. What is it you want from me, Giselle?¡± I ask, trying to understand her, not what she <b>says </b>because <b>I </b>couldn¡¯t care less, but the more I know about her species, the more I experience being around her the closer I am to knowing what to expect.

    She grins<b>, </b>turning to <b>face </b>me full on <b>as </b>she sps her hands in front of her.

    ¡°Finally, you <b>are </b>asking the right questions.¡± She sighs happily. ¡°But I¡¯m not willing to reveal why you are important yet. I <b>need </b>the others here <b>as </b>well. It¡¯s all so annoyinglyplicated.¡±

    ¡°By <b>others </b>you mean Lily, don¡¯t you?¡± <b>I </b><b>ask </b>and she nods, her patience growing thin as the heat in the room grows more insufferable. For a moment I swear a <b>see </b>a flicker of blue me in her hair.

    ¡°Yes<b>, </b><b>she </b><b>is </b><b>one </b>of them.¡± She shrugs, finally moving toward the door. The further away she <b>gets</b><b>, </b>the easier it is to breathe, the air <b>less </b><b>painful </b>as I inhale sharply like a needy <b>fish </b>in need <b>of </b>its water.

    That¡¯s <b>it</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>I <b>scoff </b><b>as </b>she <b>reaches </b>for the door<b>. </b>¡°You <b>just </b>wanted toe check in on me and give me a little insight into what you want?<b>¡±</b>

    Her <b>eyes</b>

    twinkle <b>as </b>she <b>wears </b><b>a </b>sly smile.

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    Chapter 89

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    ¡°I really am excited to see you aren¡¯t entirely without brains. No, I came to let you know I am fully aware of your n with Prince Teiran. And as cute as it is that he thinks he can get you out of here. He can not make the promise that Merikh will be safe. You must know that.¡±

    <b>I </b>blink at her, my heart pounding in my chest and my head feeling light, as if I may faint. Perhaps it¡¯s the heat, but I get the feeling it is the fear for Merikh¡¯s safety.

    ¡°Merikh is a big boy and can protect himself. He is the Alpha of Death, after all.¡± I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

    ¡°Mmm, yes. Go ahead and underestimate me again. It has gone over so well for you in the past, hasn¡¯t it?¡± She says grinning before she leaves, taking with her the insane heat.

    I rush to the bathroom, turning on the sink and dipping my head under the faucet, before drinking a healthy amount and standing looking at myself in the mirror.

    If Giselle knows about Prince Teiran¡¯s n, then that means I can no longer rely on him to help me get out. I need to break out of here on my own. And I need to do it through the dungeons so <b>I </b>can take my mother with me as I go.

    <b>3/3</b>

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    ?

    <b>COMMENT</b>

 Chapter 90

    <b>Chapter </b>90

    *Merikh?

    ¡°<b>Are </b>you <b>okay</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>Hayes </b>asks<b>, </bing up <b>next </b><b>to </b>me <b>as </b>we walk through the jungle<b>. </b>After arriving moments <b>ago </b><b>via </b><b>car</b><b>, </b><b>we </b><b>were </b>told by Leandra <b>we </b>needed to <b>move </b>by <b>foot </b>the <b>rest </b>of the <b>way</b><b>. </b>Which would be quicker <b>for </b>a lycan out here in all this thick <b>vegetation</b>. But we brought along <b>a </b>lycan who <b>can¡¯t </b>actually shift and <b>a </b><b>siren</b>.

    ¡°<b>What </b>kind of question <b>is </b>that?¡± I scoff, looking <b>over </b>at him with <b>a </b><b>scowl</b><b>.</b>

    <b>¡°</b>You have not asked Leandra questions about what she unlocked in her memories<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>He reminds me and I look ahead, trying <b>to </b>wrestle with my thoughts.

    ¡°Why would I <b>ask</b>? It is <b>her </b><b>experience </b><b>to </b><b>share </b>with me, <b>Hayes</b>, not mine, to <b>ask </b>for. Her mind has not been her own in years, and I had to use the alpha¡¯s <b>order </b>to make her unveil memories her <b>lycan </b>suppressed for a reason. In her own time, she will <b>share</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>tell him.

    ¡°What if what she has <b>to </b><b>share </b>is something you need to <b>save </b>Colette<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>He <b>asks</b>. I shrug, pushing aside <b>a </b>big bush and grunting <b>as </b>I <b>force </b>it to the <b>side</b>, leaving room for the two behind us to break through.

    ¡°<b>I </b><b>can </b><b>save </b>Colette.¡± <b>I </b>remind him. ¡°There is nothing that will stop me from getting her back. What I needed from Leandra <b>was </b><b>a </b>little information and the map in her head. Everything else, her trauma, and her confusion, that¡¯s hers to deal with on her own time.¡±

    ¡°You sound too reasonable,¡± He chuckles before narrowing his <b>eyes </b>at me. ¡°Please tell me you n on making it out of this mountain <b>rescue </b><b>alive</b>.¡±

    I sigh heavily, pinching the bridge of my nose<b>. </b>¡°I do not have a death wish. What I want is to save her and live a life with her<b>. </b>If that <b>means </b><b>I </b>need to force everything out to do <b>so</b>, then <b>so </b>be it.¡±

    <b>Hayes </b>looks at me, blinking, before a huge grin breaks over his white teeth.

    <b>¡°</b>The Alpha of Death ising out to y?¡± He asks, his excitement overtaking the importance of the mission.

    I frown at him, shaking my head. The Alpha of Death is a title I earned in my earlier years. The alpha with no remorse or mercy, as I needed to establish a name for myself. Battles are won much easier if people are afraid of you, and though I am a formidable fighter, the title is half the battle.

    Fear leads to mistakes and I have never had to worry about those little mistakes <b>as </b>I never truly had anything to fear. Until now. Because now I have everything to lose and no room for mistakes. Which only makes my chest feel tight, because the second you fear mistakes is when you give them life.

    ¡°The Alpha of Death has never left me, brother.¡± I murmur, trying to remain calm and collected, which is not an easy feat as we traipse further into this fucking humid death trap leading to the heat of battle that I will hate just as much.

    He says nothing for a few moments before he lets out a heavy exhale.

    ¡°I am sorry,¡± Hayes whispers.

    ¡°For what?¡± I ask. He looks over his shoulder, and I turn back to see Leandra following along with Caspian. The siren king chatting animatedly with her as she nods and responds only as much as necessary.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have marked her.¡± He whispers. ¡°I fucked up and I don¡¯t think there is any fixing it. She won¡¯t talk to me, instead she just sobbed and asked me to hold her hand and even that felt like she didn¡¯t want to be touched. It felt like it was more <i>to </ifort me rather than her.¡±

    I sigh, stepping into a small open area, listening to the tweeting of the birds and chittering of various animals warning others of our presence. Then I turn and look at him, making sure he can see how serious I am.

    ¡°Hayes, take it from someone who perpetually fucks up with his mate. Ask for forgiveness from her, not me. If there is only one thing I learn from my time with Colette, it¡¯smunication and trust can save you a shit time of time away from each other.¡±

    ¡°What happened with Colette is not your fault, Merikh.¡± He says, a frown on his face.

    ¡°That is not the point. The point is, go talk to Leandra. She has had no space to be herself, to have a voice or make her own choices. Listen to her voice, so she knows she still has one. I miss Colette¡¯s every single fucking second of the day.¡± I say, as Caspian and Leandra finally catch up.

    ¡°Are we taking a break already?¡± Leandra asks, looking between Hayes and I. She wrings her hands together before looking at Hayes, her cheeks burning red with a deep blush before she looks away.

    ¡°No, but I am curious. Caspian, can you do something about this humidity? I feel like I am drowning in it.¡± I grumble and he chuckles.

    ¡°<b>I </b>am a Siren king. I can do lots of things, but it alles at a cost.¡± He shrugs. ¡°This cost hardly seems worth it, though I must admit. I disagree. I feel it could be a touch more humid for my liking.¡±

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    Chapter <b>90</b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>Great</b><b>.¡± </b><b>I </b>mutter<b>, </b><b>wiping </b>my <b>brow </b>before strutting off. I <b>hear </b>shuffling behind <b>me </b>and <b>I </b><b>expect </b><b>Caspian </b><b>toe </b>up next <b>to </b>me <b>to </b><b>speak </b>about Colette or <b>a </b>n of some kind, <b>so </b>I beat him to it. ¡°The n is to <b>get </b>in and find her and get <b>her </b>out, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not <b>sure </b><b>it </b>will be that easy.¡± Leandra says softly.

    <b>My </b>muscles <b>tense </b>as <b>I </b>step <b>over </b><b>a </b>snake slithering <b>away </b>with no <b>cares </b>to the people trampling through his <b>habitat</b>.

    ¡°It <b>never </b>is<b>.¡± </b><b>I </b><b>say</b>, unsure of <b>how </b>to <b>speak </b>with her. Not that <b>she </b><b>is </b>too broken <b>to </b><b>speak </b>or understand <b>basic </b><b>conversation</b>, but without knowing <b>what </b>happened to her<b>, </b>or a basic understanding of her in general<b>, </b>I¡¯m <b>afraid </b>of offending her.

    <b>¡°</b>When ites <b>to </b>fighting<b>, </b><b>can </b>youmand my lycan to shift?<b>¡± </b>She <b>asks </b>suddenly.

    My <b>eyes </b><b>grow </b>wide, looking at her for a moment, mulling <b>over </b>her question. Leandra looks hopeful, a <b>spark </b>in her <b>eye </b>that makes <b>it </b>seem like she needs me to <b>say </b><b>yes</b>. But it¡¯s not that simple. I believe in <b>free </b>will, in my members making their own decisions, controlling their own destinies and lycans or <b>wolves</b>.

    ¡°Well, in theory<b>, </b><b>yes</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>I <b>say</b><b>, </b>choosing my words carefully. ¡°But it is not a practice I want to do.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± she <b>asks</b>, her brows furrowing. ¡°What if I need to defend myself, but you and Hayes can¡¯t get to me? Or what <b>if </b>Hayes <b>is </b>about to die and I need to help him, or maybe Caspian losing his ability to move because he gets dried out?¡±

    She is <b>so </b>serious; her <b>face </b>contorted in determination and her chin set, ready for an argument. I have to hand it to her. She is full of surprises. But this <b>is </b>not something I want to control, especially if we want her lycan to surface on its own. Sometimes danger is required for that fight¨C<b>or</b>¨Cflight part of the lycan to kick in and transform on cue.

    <b>¡°</b>You need to live your life without someone controlling your motions, Leandra.¡± I say softly and she frowns.

    ¡°It¡¯s <b>easier </b>to live for someone else<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>She whispers<b>, </b>so quietly I almost miss it.

    ¡°Then live for your mate. Find a way to build a family in your new pack. Live for Leandra. That is the best way to live.¡± I assure her, and then I smirk. ¡°And if you decide, Leandra, that you like to fight, then I wee you to the battlefield with open arms.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    She stops walking suddenly, her entire body going still as if the world is on pause and I watch her curiously. Caspian and Hayes rush over, both stopping and looking at me before she snaps her head to the right.

    ¡°Someone is following us.¡± She breathes the words. Her fingers twitch as I bend my knees and ready myself for an attack.

    ¡°Really?¡± Caspian asks<b>, </b>confused.

    ¡°The jungle has gone silent.¡± I whisper, focusing on the trees to my right.

    Fatio

    I watch as nothing moves, not even a breeze tickling a leaf, until the bottom of a bush shudders and I look up, catching a glimpse of something red. Disappointment floods me and I frown, popping up from my defensive position and cing my hands in my pocket, sauntering over to the bush and peeking over it.

    ¡°Percy.¡± I grit out.

    He looks up, not surprised to see me, and I realize he wanted to be found now. Percy one of my best spies. He knows how stands, his confidence showing as he puffs his chest and looks around at everyone.

    to

    no

    get caught. He

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Hayes asks, confused.

    Percy is supposed to be home, resting, mourning the loss of his twin, our other gamma and great warrior, and yet he is here, standing in front of me like he is reporting for duty.

    ¡°My job.¡± He says, brimming with confidence. ¡°Penny died trying to protect Luna Letty. I need to be here for Pen to finish what she was trying t do.¡±

    ¡°Not here for yourself?¡± I ask, arching a brow and he licks his lip, looking a little embarrassed before he clears his lips and meets my <b>gaze</b>.

    ¡°And I am here for fucking vengeance.¡±

    to

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 Chapter 91

    <b>Chapter </b><b>91</b>

    I look at the determination on Percy¡¯s face says no matter my answer; he is going to find some loophole to stay. Though he doesn¡¯t have to convince me of anything. It <b>is </b>clearly what he needs, what he has to do, and for now, it is greater than his loyalty to me. Grief is strange like that. <b>Never </b>once the same for each person.

    ¡°Percy-¡± I say, pausing <b>as </b>he rolls his shoulders back before they slump forward.

    ¡°I need this, more than the tears I have and will continue to cry. More than I need to bury her and that part of me.¡± His eyes are soft, his voice close to breaking.

    ¡°Percy, I understand.¡± I tell him, nodding. ¡°And we could use the extra body.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    He exhales roughly and nods. The poor guy is barely holding himself together. I can see Hayes¡® disappointed look, but I choose to ignore it for now. He is wise in so many regards, except when ites to his own situations. Hayes didn¡¯t mourn the same way I did. When I look at Percy, I see me.

    <b>I </b><b>see </b>the same beginning of the Alpha of Death, the determination to push aside the emotional pain and bury it beneath bodies. And having an extra fighter means better odds for Colette. I could have ordered more warriors to the fight, but once we get home, there will be a war and I need to save them for the moment we need them.

    ¡°We need to keep moving,¡± I say, clearing my throat.

    Percy reaches down in the bush and extracts a bag full of things and pushes it up his back as he rushes to keep up with Hayes, who is walking on ahead. Leandra is the next to follow him, moving along with Percy as I pair up with Caspian. He walks at ease, but I can see the fatigue on his face and the way he shakes out his legs every now and then.

    ¡°How are you holding up, Fishman?¡± I ask, smirking at him.

    He shakes his head, a soft chuckle breaking from his lips.

    ¡°I will be fine. Though I believe I can cross hiking off the list of maind things I enjoy,¡± he admits. ¡°I think I prefer the food, and perhaps the couch and a nice movie.¡±

    ¡°Makes you sound a littlezy,¡± I tease, and he nods.

    ¡°There is not much to do where I am from and electronics and the sea¡­.well, it doesn¡¯t exactly cohabitate well.¡± He grins.

    ¡°Yeah, we learned that up here, too.¡±

    ¡°Merikh,¡± He says, his tone growing more serious as he looks ahead, watching Leandra talk with Percy while Hayes intermittently shoots the red head dagger eyes.

    ¡°You are growing more worried.¡± I say for him and he sighs heavily.

    ¡°My gut is telling me something is wrong.¡± Caspian says, ¡°It¡¯s not just me, is it? You feel like something is off too, right?¡±

    I drag a hand down my face, exhaling as I think about what he says. Caspian is right. I have noticed it since we hit the jungle, or more like my lycan did. He has been silent, almost as if reserving his strength, but every now and again my skin will prickle. I feel our presence is known, and it wasn¡¯t because Percy was following us.

    ¡°The air is changing, the jungle is growing more silent with every mile.¡± I concur, leaning closer to him. ¡°When we encountered the giants in the woods near the mansion, it felt¡­strange. Like the air had an electric current. I thought it was just the excitement, the itch for <i>a </i>fight.¡±

    ¡°But now you are thinking differently.¡± He whispers.

    <b>¡°</b>No, I don¡¯t think differently. I know differently.¡± I admit.

    ¡°Do you think <b>we </b>are being stalked?¡± He asks, his eyes searching before him.

    I turn my head, looking around, and realize it doesn¡¯t feel like it. It is different. This feeling is unnatural. One that isn¡¯t someone lurking but an ominous feeling of foreboding.

    ¡°I am not all seeing Caspian.¡± I say, a shudder running up my spine. ¡°But it is best if we remain closer with the rest, in case we are being followed or Lily is around working her magic.¡±

    We pick up our speed,ing up on Leandra and Percy, who are walking in silence, and Hayes, who is holding up his hands. I push past them, alling up to him.

    ¡°What do you <b>see</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask him and he just <b>stares </b>in awe ahead of him.

    <b>1/3</b>

    <b>11:32 </b><b>AM</b>

    <b>Chapter </b>91

    <b>I </b><b>freeze </b>when I see the way the jungle is scorched below us. The two of us on a ledge we never sawing looking down at hundreds of burn spots through some, <b>even </b>still raging with mes leading to the base of the mountain.

    ¡°Fucking hell,¡± I murmur, shocked.

    ¡°Looks like hell<b>, </b>that¡¯s <b>for </b>sure<b>.¡± </b>Hayes mutters.

    ¡°Why is it like this<b>?</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>wonder curiously to myself.

    <b>Dragons </b><b>have </b>always run a little hot, no pun intended. But they pride themselves on their love of theirnds, nurturing it to grow and flourish. Supernatural beings need bnce<b>, </b>something to offset us. Lycans and werewolves have our human side and our morals, Dragons, though part human <b>are </b>nature lovers, or they have been in the past.

    ¡°There is chaos in their midst.¡± Caspian reminds us, stepping up to my side. ¡°The phoenix feeds off of it. She craves it. The dragons are sensitive creatures. Under their scales, they have mighty and loyal hearts. This is the result of magic and mayhem. Their dragons are responding in kind.¡±

    I feel a pang of guilt, hating that I am learning more about them and their situation. If it were as simple as the dragons wanting a war, it would be <b>easier </b>to go to war with them.

    But if they <b>are </b>simply being used or out of their minds because of the bitch Giselle, well, that¡¯s when guilt and remorse may try to offset my lycans¡® need to just savagely kill.

    ¡°This changes nothing,¡± I say, making my decision. ¡°Colette is in there.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡± Caspian admits. ¡°I will feel no guilt in saving my daughter.¡±

    ¡°We need to go, we need to run.¡± Leandra whimpers, reaching out and grabbing at Hayes, tugging on his shirt.

    ¡°Leandra, calm down.¡± He says, taking her face between his hands. ¡°Breathe,¡±

    She ps his hands down, screaming in his face wildly. Leandra steps away sobbing and drops to the ground, covering her ears.

    ¡°Run! Run, run, run.¡± She murmurs the words before she jumps up, her bones cracking and her face contorting in pain.

    ¡°Lea¡­¡± Hayes says, shocked and unsure of what to do next.

    ¡°What is happening?¡± Imand her before her transition and her eyes train on me.

    ¡°Attack.¡± She growls out, ¡°Keep mate safe.¡±

    Then she turns and rushes off the ledge with a feral lycan cry.

    ¡°LEA!¡± Hayes roars out in fear as we all gape, watching hertch onto a rock below us, her teeth sinking in before blood pours out and the rock turns into a man who cries out in pain. I focus on the rocks, watching as they move slowly, trying to avoid detection and my lycan rumbles begging for <b>release</b><b>.</b>

    <b>¡°</b>Caspian, make it rain,¡± I cry out. ¡°Now!¡±

    I let my lycan take over, watching Caspian as his eyes turn ocean blue and I see water rising from every source. Then I turn, sprinting toward the cliff¡¯s edge, much like Leandra had Hayes and Percy on my heels. The rain patters on me as I soar through the air. The rain is heavy and fast, washing away the magic used to conceal those who are trying to attack.

    Seven figures are revealed and I use my ws, digging them into the rocky side to slow my descent before I catch a footing on a protruding rock andunch myself into a man with a stunning look on his face. I try to sink my teeth into his arm, but the flesh is tough and thick, making it difficult to attach myself until I sink my w into his side.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Get </b>off <b>you </b>fucking dog!¡± He <b>roars</b>, his voice distorted and a deep grunt.

    I sink my other <b>w </b>into his other side<b>, </b>skewering him with my razor sharp nails as I tuck my legs up and drop all my weight down. My hands slide through the tension of his bones before hitting the soft, fleshy bit of his organs, and I slip through him with ease.

    His blood pours from his sides, his <b>cry </b>lost in the sounds of the sshing of water and his insides on the rough rocky edges. I retract my ws, dropping before him further down the side<b>, </b>using my nails to steer my downward descent toward the next asshole waiting for their death.

    I <b>see </b>a sh of red as <b>Percy </b>falls past me in human form, before his lycan <b>takes </b>control and he <b>tears </b>a body from the side of the cliff, using him to cushion his <b>fall</b>. As I make it down to him, more figures emerge, their eyes <b>dark </b>with anger and blood lust before a handful transform into wolves, and others, their scales taking <b>over </b>their soft fleshed areas. Not full dragons, but of that species.

    I look <b>over </b>and see Leandra tearing through the wolves like she is weeding in <b>a </b>field, slicing through them with fluid movements. Hayes is behind <b>her</b><b>, </b>making <b>sure </b>her back end <b>is </b>covered and I lick my chomps<b>, </b><b>a </b>shiver of excitement slipping through me<b>.</b>

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    Chapter 91

    If lycans purred that is what mine would do at this moment, relishing the scent of blood and the way the bodies crumble at our feet. I am in my element, fighting for what I love, and they do not stand a chance. They insist on calling us dogs and trying to provoke us. <b>Now </b>they get to experience the bite.

    <b>3/3</b>

 Chapter 92

    <b>Chapter </b><b>92</b>

    Pain ripples up through my leg as I hiss and try to spin to see who the fuck is there, but I am caught in the face with a bone quivering force. I stumble back<b>, </b>shaking my head, my snout crinkling <b>as </b>I try to force the sting away. The fucker grins maliciously and tilts his head from side to side, his neck cracking <b>as </b>his eyes glow their telltale red.

    I <b>was </b>already aware that Lily <b>was </b>near. She had to be in order for Caspian¡¯s water trick to work to wash away her illusion. But what makes me more <b>nervous </b>than fighting a dragon with extra strong hide in their human form is fighting them when they are being possessed by the wicked fae queen.

    ¡°You are making this very fun, Alpha Merikh.¡± The warrior says his puppet master is using him to speak <i>to </i>me, though there is no responding in my current form. I growl in response, lunging forward and grabbing the warrior by the wrist, yanking him toward me.

    The same pain burns up my leg, but I push it aside as <b>I </b>lift his arm and roar out as I thrust my lycan ws up into his armpit. My fingers break through his flesh, the warmth of his blood feeling like fire as it drips down my arm before I tear them back out.

    He drops to his knees, holding his arm to his wound as blood pumps through his artery that I severed. The moment his face hits the ground, I hear a bark ofughter and I look to my right.

    <b>¡°</b>You can¡¯t silence me,¡± a female warrior says.

    She turns her head to face me, her eyes void and brilliant red as Percy plunges his ws into her chest, screaming out in his emotional agony over his sister. The second the warrior¡¯s eyes close, a new voice echoes behind me.

    ¡°I have so many more.¡± Lily says through new means, a gleeful tone to her wicked words. ¡°This is just a fun game for me. A little taste of the waring to your pack, and those who go up against us.¡±

    I exhale, annoyed, as I slowly turn to stare down at a massive man stalking my way with blood on his face. His lips twitch up in a sly smile before he lifts a bloody arm and wipes his cheek.

    My stomach sinks, the muscles in my chest tightening with fury and a twinge of fear at the thought of whose blood he is wearing. My eyes skirt around to make sure those who came with me are still safe. Percy fights relentlessly, refusing to stop as <b>I </b>search for Hayes and Leandra, who are nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Look at me when I am talking to you, dirty mutt.¡± The warrior snaps, stepping closer and invading my vision.

    My ck eyes focus on him, narrowed and ready to fight to the death. There are many moves I can use on this fucker. All of which result in him dead at my feet and hopefully Lily out of fucking range. I crouch, readying myself to attack.

    ¡°Die,¡± I growl, the one syble word rumbling through me and my lycan as my lips curl back, showcasing my teeth.

    Before Lily has a second to speak through the warrior again, I am dropping my shoulder and head as I ram into his soft stomach. He lifts a few feet <b>as </b>I roar and hammer him into the hard ground.

    The earth rumbles beneath us and the same nagging pain in my leg res up again as I step back, losing my footing and stumbling back with a groan and a wince.

    It is enough of a window for him to jump back up and crash into me with his leg, catching me in the side. Bones crack and the air whooshes from my snout, only pissing me off all the more. I p my arm over his foot, holding it close to my side as <b>I </b>reach with my w and bury it into his shin, just below his knee.

    He roars<b>, </b>smoke billowing from his mouth as he tilts his head back before focusing back on me. I try to drag my ws down through his bone, but find them lodged in his unnaturally thick skin.

    His free foot slides through the air, aimed directly at my chest to get me to release his other leg. In the knick of time, I yank my ws free and step <b>back</b>.

    ¡°She cries like the little <b>weak </b>bitch she is,¡± He hisses at me. ¡°Hardly have to touch her to make her scream in pain,¡±

    This fucking asshole <b>is </b><b>just </b>trying to bait me. And unfortunately for him, it¡¯s working. Rage makes my blood run cold and I snarl at him, done with this fucking shit already.

    I don¡¯t know how the fuck he <b>is </b>a dragon yet won¡¯t shift and I don¡¯t know why his hide <b>is </b>thicker and stronger than others. All I fucking know is he insulted my little luna¡¯s mental strength and her integrity. Which I happen to know is fucking impable.

    ws

    <b>He </b><b>reaches </b>out for me, trying to catch me off guard, but I duck under his iing arm<b>, </b>slipping around him to the back and burying my ws into the side of his neck where he seems to be less tough.

    His hands reach back, trying <b>to </b><b>grab </b>onto me, but he fails. In desperation, he stumbles backward, mming me into a rock as I groan in pain. twist my hand, his flesh <b>tearing </b>open into a gaping wound, his muscles stringy <b>as </b>they try to cling together.

    D

    Chapter 92

    <b>He </b><b>takes </b><b>a </b>step to the side<b>, </b>mming me back once more as <b>a </b>rock pierces me in the back. I retreat my ws and he stumbles forward, covering his <b>neck</b>. I can feel blood dripping down my back but it doesn¡¯t phase me, instead it spurs my fury more <b>as </b>I lunge for him.

    He tries to dodge me, but he <b>fails </b><b>as </b>he falls to the side and I drop onto him, shredding his body as he cries out in pain. His squeal grows quiet and all that¡¯s left to hear is the squelching of his flopping skin <b>as </b>a handnds on my shoulder. I instantly spin, leaping onto the next assant, ready to make his <b>face </b>match the asshole I just finished.

    ¡°Merikh! That is enough!¡± Caspian yells, a sh of water tossing me from him as I roll to the side. ¡°They are gone for now.¡±

    I look up at the clear sky, breathing in and out as <b>I </b>shift back into human form and force myself up, groaning as pain prickles every part of me. I look down at my leg, my stomach falling when I notice arge burn on my skin, deep enough to have burned through a chunk of muscle.

    ¡°Alpha?¡± Percy calls out.

    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± I reply as he rushes over and reaches out to help me up.

    ¡°Hayes and Leandra?¡± <b>I </b>ask, worried, and he juts his head to the left.

    ¡°They are good, but they are having a moment. I thought it might be good to let them have that.¡± Percy says in a hushed voice. I nod, agreeing with him as I limp over to Caspian as he stands.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± <b>I </b>ask him, noticing how pale he looks. His lips press into a t line as he tries to think of a way to lie to me. ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°I am fine, Merikh.¡± He says. ¡°Over¨Cextended myself with water use, that is all,¡±

    I watch him closely before Hayes and Leandra rush over, hand in hand, a look of worry on Hayes¡® face.

    ¡°What the hell happened to your leg?¡± He asks, eyes wide.

    ¡°We <b>were </b>fighting dragons, Hayes<b>.</b>¡± I remind him, and he furrows his brows.

    ¡°Dragons would have been transformed.¡± Percy reminds him. ¡°Like enormous body, crazy neck and massive wings. They were just oddly thick skinned and massive for humans.<b>¡±</b>

    ¡°No one canmand a dragon, not even with magic.¡± Caspian says. ¡°Not in battle,

    anyway.¡±

    ¡°So because Lily wasmanding them, they couldn¡¯t call on their dragons to fullye out?¡± Hayes asks.

    ¡°Yes, something like that,¡± Leandra whispers. ¡°She preferred using us, our kind, because we are easier to control, less stubborn.¡±

    ¡°We need to keep moving.¡± I say deciding none of this information is important enough to keep us in the open around a handful of dead bodies.

    ¡°You are injured.¡± Hayes says, and I scoff.

    ¡°So is my mate.¡± I growl, and he throws his hands up in a sign of submission.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    I limp along three steps before I freeze, my mouth falling open as the wind is knocked from me. Fear and panic whip through me like a hurricane, tearing at my resolve <b>as </b>my heart feels like it is being squeezed.

    Then I feel her, her emotions flooding my mind, flooding all of me before they settle and it¡¯s just me and Colette in my mind.

    -Letty¨CI whisper her name through the reestablished mindlink and I feel her shock, a relievedugh tumbling from my lips.¡±

    -Merikh¨CShe responds, her voice breaking¨CYou need to get out, they know you are here-

    -Good¨CI tell <b>her</b>, -Be ready, I came to bring you home-

    There is silence, then I feel the confliction in her. Worry settles in and for a moment, I think she might not want toe back with me.

    <b>-Is </b>Leandra with you?¡ª

    <b>-Yes-</b>

    -Tell her to hide <b>you </b>at the broken temple until I reach out. I <b>have </b>help on the inside¨CShe says,-And Merikh? I missed you the second I walked <b>away-</b>

    -Me too, love. Me too,¡ª

    I turn to the <b>four </b>with me<b>, </b><b>a </b>giddy grin on my <b>face </b>I can¡¯t wipe off and <b>all </b>of them look at me<b>, </b>confused.

    ¡°Colette <b>is </b><b>alive </b><b>and </b><b>safe</b>. She is close enough <b>for </b>the mindlink to work.¡±

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    Chapter 92

    Oh, thank the heavens,<b>¡± </b>Caspian says, looking like he might fall over from relief.

    ¡°She said to <b>have </b>you take us to the broken temple¡­¡± I tell Leandra, who looks a little shocked. ¡°Can you take us?¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>Yes</b>, <b>we </b>will be safe there<b>.¡± </b>She says, nodding. ¡°For now.¡±

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    <b>SEND </b><b>GIFT</b>

 Chapter 93

    Chapter <b>93</b>

    <b>*</b>Colette

    The door flings open, Prince Teiran giving me a quick nce before he steps aside and the king saunters in. I watch him with interest, gauging his gait and the way he seems to lumber, like his body <b>is </b><b>far </b>too heavy for him now.

    He looks older in the light, his wrinkles deep and his hair unmanaged and unruly. Teiran watches his father for a moment with a small frown and a look of longing for better <b>days</b>.

    ¡°Your highness<b>,</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b><b>say </b>clearly, bowing my head in <b>respect</b>. I have no idea if this <b>is </b>protocol or not, but in our world we show <b>respect </b>to alphas<b>, </b><b>so </b>I suppose this will have to do.

    He chuckles, deep and sarcastic, <b>as </b>I look up and see him shaking his head. He doesn¡¯t speak, instead he looks past me toward the window<b>, </b><b>crossing </b>toward it and gazing outside.

    ¡°Rumor has it you are not the spy I thought you were,¡± He <b>says </b>finally, his voice sounding strong and resolute.

    ¡°I am not a spy, that is correct.¡± <b>I </b>respond, growing bold as <b>I </b>take a step in his direction.

    ¡°You are instead far more dangerous than any spy or enemy.¡± He growls, whipping around, his eyes narrowed and yellow as he zeros in on me. I don¡¯t back down <b>as </b>he moves <b>closer</b>, instead I roll my shoulders and remain where I am. What more can they do, torture me? They¡¯ve already done it for days.

    ¡°Dangerous to my enemies, but enemies are only made by actions.¡± I say, matching his intense gaze. ¡°Do you really wish to be an enemy of mine<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>

    atching chro

    ¡°Darious,¡± I hear a worried voice break through the room and turn to see Giselle rushing through the door. ¡°Darling, what are you doing in here with this filth?¡±

    ¡°I wish to speak with her, my love.¡± He says his eyes grow soft as he reaches out for Giselle. She takes his hand and snuggles into his chest, looking up at him with the fakest smile. Her hand reaches out, cupping his cheek as he seems to melt into her touch, a heavy sigh leaving his chest in a rumble.

    eck your

    ¡°Oh, you stubborn man, I told you to let me handle these things. You need your rest,e let me walk you back to our room. Let me tire you out in a better way than this,¡± she teases coyly, and he grins, leaning down and rubbing his nose to hers.

    I swear bile rises in my throat as I watch the exchange in awe and slide a nce over to Teiran, who is refusing to look his hand over his abdomen like he feels the same way. It is abundantly clear that Giselle has his balls in a vice grip, and the king follows along with her everymand.

    ¡°King Darious, we still have things to discuss<b>¡­</b>¡± I say with a small clearing of my throat. He seems to snap out of his little love bubble, shaking his head before he looks down at Giselle and takes a step back.

    ¡°Head to the room, dear. Your king has something to attend to right now.¡± He tells her. Giselle fumbles for words as she frantically reaches for his hand, dragging it to her chest where her heart is.

    ¡°I can not wait, not if you want an heir.¡± She whispers, her cheeks blushing, but I know it¡¯s fake as she tosses a re toward me, her lips twitching in

    annoyance.

    ¡°I will be right behind you, Giselle.¡± He says, a smirk overtaking his lips. ¡°In more than one way.¡± He flirts with her suggestively before spinning her around and pping her behind with a feral grunt.

    I find I can no longer watch their exchange, as it makes me ufortable and only makes me more frustrated. I am still stuck <b>here</b><b>. </b>It doesn¡¯t matter that they are fake.

    <b>I </b>should be the one touching my mate and holding him. Little sexual innuendos and making people sick when they <b>see </b>us. Not his bitch who is trying to destroy everything she disagrees with for the sake of a good time.

    ¡°Now, what is your name again? Cassandra?¡± He asks, turning to me as I look and catch Giselle scowling at Teiran, who holds a stoic <b>face</b>.

    ¡°I am Colette, queen of the werewolves and lycans.¡± I remind him.

    ¡°And part Fishman.¡± He rifies, and I lick my teeth to keep from snapping at him.

    ¡°Yes, I am a hybrid. I am both werewolf and siren.¡± I say matter <b>fact</b>.

    ¡°And what skills do you n to use to kill our kind?¡± he <b>asks</b>, arching a brow.

    <b>I </b><b>scoff </b>and shake my head.

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    <b>Chapter </b>93

    ¡°I <b>have </b>no <b>desire </b>to kill anyone.¡± <b>I </b><b>say </b>before biting my inner check and changing my mind. ¡°Well<b>, </b><b>I </b><b>have </b>no <b>desire </b><b>to </b>kill any <b>dragons</b>.<b>¡± </b>I amend my statement and he hums in thought.

    ¡°Father<b>, </b>she only found out recently <b>she </b>is hybrid-¡°Teiran says before Darious growls and shoots him a <b>re</b>.

    ¡°I have no son.¡± he <b>hisses </b>at him, <b>¡°</b>You will do well to remember that before I <b>have </b>you executed for your trickery.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, King Darious<b>.</b>¡± <b>He </b><b>says</b>, dropping his head in shame.

    ¡°I do not care when you <b>discover </b>what you are. What I care about is your existence being a threat.¡± He says, moving over to me. His harsh gaze <b>inspects </b>me from head to toe<b>. </b>¡°You don¡¯t look like much. But then <b>again</b>, I have <b>faced </b>many foes who looked useless<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°I know you <b>have</b>.¡± I say, ring at him. ¡°You are in the grips of one now.¡±

    He freezes<b>, </b>confliction in his eyes <b>as </b>he furrows his brows. It is clear as day, the fighting in his mind for reality, what he knows and what his body is allowed to <b>act </b>on.

    Darious is obviously being controlled by whatever means they have to control him. I know my words make it through to him, but his hands wrap around my neck, lifting me from the ground.

    My throat constricts painfully as I gasp, my hand sping over his calloused and heated skin. It¡¯s when he brings his face closer that <b>I </b>can see the hint of red in his yellow iris, not like the wolves or the others controlled by lily, but in a soft ring outside his pupil and just a shadowing on the outside of the iris. They can¡¯t achieve full control of him for some reason.

    ¡°Watch what you say,¡± he grits out, his hand growing warmer with every second.

    I can feel my skin burning, the pain excruciating as I try to breathe, and tears dot my eyes.

    ¡°King Darious.¡± Teiran says, stepping up next to him. ¡°This is not the way. What if she has information we need?¡±

    He throws me into the wall, my head mming into the picture above the bed as I drop and bounce. ss rains down on me as <b>I </b>gasp and groan in pain, unable to touch my searing neck as I try to keep from crying.

    I hear running water and without a second thought, cold water encases my neck, wrapping around it like a gentle bandage as I sob out a cry of relief. When I look again, Darious is gone and Teiran is pulling the door closed behind him with a nod of his head, letting me know he is the one who turned the water on for me.

    He is only gone for a few moments before he enters again, pacing the room with his hands in his hair. I try <i>to </i>speak to him, but my throat is too sore as I try to clear it. Teiran looks at me before he moves over to the bed, reaching out as he helps pull me from the ss and guide me to the edge.

    ¡°I need to get you out of here tonight. Giselle is letting him know too much. He wants you dead, the threat neutralized. Giselle wants you for other reasons, but his dragon is taking over here and he is certain you need to die tonight by fire.¡±

    ¡°The others should be where you said they should go soon.¡± I croak, and he nods.

    ¡°Good.¡± He says, ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to n.¡±

    2/2

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 Chapter 94

    Chapter <b>94</b>

    with

    asian gaman as I let himself spend some rubble, hash intored, but the stubbicon fond semi alle anyone to look at the probably bener than hoping for the best.

    ¡°How bad is if I ack. He looks away and sighs heavily.

    on his hack and <b>a </b>wine at his face Tre clear he is. jury. Not at any of us can heal hint, but aseresing # is

    ¡°It is not life threatening. I don¡¯t think. Just painful. He admits didn¡¯t see him sneaking up on me

    ¡°Yeah, well, it was chaotic, and they got me good, too? I give him reassuring smile. ¡°It was highly unlikely we would all make it out of here uninjured¡±

    Caspian sorts and mods his head in agreementThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    ¡°If we are lucky, we will all make it out of here alive¡± He amendiny statement.

    ¡°I have no intention of losing anyone, Caspian¡± I tell him. ¡°Not I can help it¡±

    ¡°That isforting¡± He smirks.

    ¡°How long do we have to stay here?¡± Percy asks, pacing as if he is looking for his next hit.

    He has been on edge since he joined us, but this is a whole new level of it. Percy looks like he may take off on his own one moment or break down in tears the next. He is struggling hard, but I need him to focus. We all need to be one step ahead

    this time.

    ¡°Sit down, Percy¡± I insist. He physically frowns, his nose scrunching as he follows mymand, but not terribly willingly.

    ¡°Are you sure she said to stay here and wait for her?¡± He asks, his knee popping up and down as he lifts his bloodied hands and behind to chew on his nails.

    ¡°Percy,¡± I say sternly,manding his attention as he seems to shap out of his mind and looks at me. ¡°Are you questioning

    me?¡±

    His eyes grow wide and he swallows roughly as he shakes his head no.

    ¡°We will be fighting again soon enough, Pere. You just need to be patient.¡± Hayes assures him and Percy drags his hands through his hair, his face looking away.

    ¡°Are you sure it was even Colette?¡± Hayes asks, sitting next to me I frown at him and he gives me a pitiful look. ¡°It¡¯s a fair question and you know it.¡±

    He has a point, and I hate that I never even took the time to consider it. Lily has gotten in Colette¡¯s head before using her memories to distort her dreams. Granted, that is a usual practice of dream walkers, but who is to say Lily hasn¡¯t twisted the magic she uses? What keeps her from doing what she wants whenws and order mean nothing to her now<i>?</i>

    But when I recall the sound of her voice in my head, the way she felt like her. It was more than just someone in my head using her against me. It was the full bond, the way I could feel her, and I knew she could feel me. The way I still feel her now, even with this distance. It¡¯s a nagging in the back of my brain that screams, this is real.

    ¡°It is Colette, I am certain¡± I say, giving him an annoyed look.

    ¡°Unless it is Colette being controlled.¡± Caspian offers, and I scoff

    ¡°I am willing to bet my life that she is in control of her own mind and actions and that it is her¡± I tell them emphatically.

    1/3

    III

    Chapter 94

    ¡°There is nothing I know better than Colette in this world.¡±

    ¡°I say we send out one of us to go lurk around,¡± Percy says. Hayesughs and shakes his head and I look at Leandra, who seems distant sitting across from us, her knees tucked to her chest with her arms wrapped tightly around them.

    ¡°And I suppose you want to volunteer as tribute, huh?¡± Hayes asks Percy.

    ¡°I am the best option.¡± He says matter of fact. Their quibble fades to the background as I reach out to Colette, just needing to hear her voice again. That reassurance she is safe, for real. My lycan stirs, whining as we wait for her response, even though we can feel that she is able to hear and process what I want from her.

    -Soon¨CShe says, her words echoing in my mind as my eyes fall closed and a smile shes over my lips. My heart races at her voice, my stomach knotting as if I am a fool waiting outside the princesses tower for her to run away with him.

    -Not soon enough¨CI tell her and she chuckles.

    -Prince Teiran is getting things prepared for our escape. It won¡¯t be long, only a few hours.¨C she says.

    -Are you sure you trust him?¡ª I ask her and I feel her hesitation,

    -Trust is a strong word. But I have faith his hatred for Giselle will win out against anything else. He wille through.¨C She says and I frown.

    I would prefer to be doing this with some trusted individual who wasn¡¯t a prince of the species holding my mate captive and torturing her. But I guess beggars can¡¯t be choosers.

    Did you find her?¡ª She asks, her voice soft, broken, and I know immediately she is referring to Penny.

    -We did,¡ª I tell her,-Percy is, of course, taking it hard.¨C

    ¡°You are talking to her right now, aren¡¯t you?¡± Percy asks, leaning forward. ¡°Does that mean it is time to go? I¡¯m ready.¡±

    ¡°It is not go time yet,¡± I tell him, pressing my lips together.

    -They came out of nowhere¨CShe whispers, remembering it all.

    -We can talk about this in person, so I can hold you while you mourn her¨CI breathe and I can hear her quiet hum of approval.¨CAny news of what you need from us next?¡ª

    -Merikh they know you are here. They knew it the second you hit theirnds. What I need from you is a distraction-

    I look at Percy, who seems incapable of sitting still. The over at Hayes, who is holding onto Leandra¡¯s hand even if she tries to take it away. It¡¯s obvious she enjoys clinging to him, but she clearly is ufortable with the affection. Then I nce at Caspian, who watches me with curious eyes.

    -I think we can manage a distraction. How big?¡ª I ask her.

    I can feel a tingle of amusement through the link.

    -As big as your love for me?¡ª She asks, and I chuckle to myself.

    -I hope you are prepared-

    -I will be in touch soon¨CShe says suddenly before I feel her just out of reach.

    I press my head to the back of the crumbling rocks and exhale, dragging my hand over my face before looking down and checking out my leg. The burn is still as angry as it was before and I frown at it, confused why it hasn¡¯t healed yet.

    ¡°True dragon burns don¡¯t heal quickly.¡± Leandra says softly. ¡°We learned that quickly while being here,

    2/3

    <b>T </b>JUD

    16:00 Mon, Jul 22 B

    Chapter 94

    ¡°They used to hurt you?¡± Hayes asks, his rage unmistakable. She shakes her head.

    ¡°Yes, and no.¡± She shrugs before her cheeks grow pink in embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯splicated. Most of the dragons aren¡¯t awful. They don¡¯t like us much, but they aren¡¯t all violent and mean.¡±

    Which means some of them are.¡±

    ¡°Hayes, now is not the time.¡± I say, pushing myself up to stand. Right now, we need to n a distraction<i>. </i>Which means we need a n

    ¡°What kind of distraction?¡± Percy asks, sitting forward, excited.

    ¡°The kind that brings all the heat our way.¡± I say. ¡°Though it was requested, we make it as big as we can get it.¡±

    ¡°Explosion?¡± Percy asks, fully invested in the destruction of anything pertaining to the people who killed Penny.

    ¡°They are dragons, Percy. An explosion ismon for them.¡± I say, my brows knitting together in thought. ¡°We need all of their attention on us.¡±

    ¡°With my injury, I can only muster a flood.¡±

    I think of the travels here, the way the jungle was so full of life and water, humidity, everything Caspian needed to be in his best shape. Then we entered this fiery pit and he can barely heal. Then it strikes me.

    ¡°Would it be easier if you could divert a river or water source this way?¡± I ask him and he tilts his head, his eyes closing as he seems to be in heavy concentration.

    ¡°Percy, you and I will march straight to the entrance of their little castle, and cause a little scene.¡± I say, a n forming in my mind, and Percy stands, rubbing his hands in excitement.

    ¡°Hell yes. I am all for this.¡±

    ¡°There is a body of water. I can divert this way.¡± Caspian says, ¡°Though it would be easier to do if I were in the water source? ¡°And what the hell do we do?¡± Hayes scoffs. ¡°I refuse to stand aside and do nothing.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I have a job for you, too.¡± I grin at him and he arches a brow curiously.

    ¡°You are going to give Caspian a ride to the water, and Leandra will go with you.¡± I say, trying not tough.

    ¡°Oh, fucking great. I¡¯m a pony boy now,¡± he grumbles.

    ¡°Once you get him there, I want you to hustle your ass to me and Percy. We will have literal hell fire raining down on us.¡±

    ¡°And how do we get out?¡± Leandra asks.

    ¡°Good question.¡± I say, avoiding giving her an answer I don¡¯t quite have yet. ¡°Anyone else have any?¡±

 Chapter 95

    *Colette*

    I exhale deeply, trying to calm my nerves as I wait for Teiran toe back. He was due back hours ago and yet; I remain locked in here the same as before. The only thing I can think of is there was a hup in getting my mom, or he got caught by Jennifer doing something and she turned him in. I can''t bring myself to reach out to Merikh and let him know yet.

    He wouldunch his own version of a rescue. Well, more like he would continue his rescue, which is already sabotaged. I pull my hands through my hair, slipping it into a high bun to keep my neck from itching. Teiran needs to hurry his ass up, otherwise shit is going to go sideways so fast.

    The door handle niggles and then swings partially open before drops. I wait cautiously for Ten to push into the room, inching closer as listen for anything out of sorts, but all I hear the sound of retreating footsteps and then nothing. My shaky hand waches out for the door, pulling it open with an ee creaking before I slip my head out.

    There is not a soul in the corridor, not even the sound of anyone in the distance, and I know that this is my chance. Teiran had to have sent someone, or it¡¯s a trap. Either way, I have to take the risk and hope for the best. My mother is relying on me, as are my mate and those with him.

    ¡°Shit¡± I mutter, wiping my sweating palms on my jeans before tiptoe out of the room.

    My heart is pounding in my chest, making my lungs ache, but force the pain and emotions aside, I can do this, I just have to figure out how I can do it. This ce is a dam maze and a fortress. The only way I can think to get back to my mom is to follow the stilling heat and dry air.

    The only issue is how I make it all the way down there before getting seen or caught.

    My back is pressed to the cool stones. As I peek around a corner when I see no one, I scurry across and speed my way down deeper. Then I feel it, the water calling to me.

    The pounding of it on the mountain rock and the way the water in the air fuels my strength. I need a way down and a way out. One where I won¡¯t be seen or followed. I need to jump.

    I sprint down the hall, drawing closer to the water that hammers down like a beat on a drum, begging for me toe to it. It is like my soul knows where I need to be, what I need to do, and it listens.

    ¡°Stop!¡± I hear someone calling out, but I don¡¯t take the time to discover who, or rather what, is calling for me as I throw myself forward and the water dances over me with a thunderous power.

    The world beneath me falls away into the white rustling of water and rocks as I trust the water to guide me. It seems like I fall for forever, my heart in my throat and my muscles tensed in fear of what I may actually find at the bottom. I hit something hard; the wind knocking from my lungs with a grunt and suddenly my body burns under me and I¡¯m ripped from the water on the back of a massive beast.

    Fear rips through me as I gasp and try to force myself to stand in search of a way off. The dragon growls deep in its chest, making the whole of its back shake as if an earthquake were shaking the earth. I stumble onto my knees, holding on tight as it turns and dives straight for the earth.

    I can feel that pull of the mate bond where Merikh tries to break through to me, no doubt feeling ny erratic emotions in spades. I keep him from breaking in knowing that right now I have nothing to say to him, no news that will keep him safe at the moment. So instead I go with the gut instinct to cling to the scales of the massive beast, holding on with every ounce of strength I have.

    I pinch my eyes closed as we speed down toward the ground, bracing for an impact that neveres. After a second I force one eye open and I gape at the way the earth consumes us, steam and waves of heat rolling toward us until its wings extend, catching the air with a whistling speed as we slow. It ducks down, sliding into the very area Terian had led me out of once before, exining it was for a dragon¡¯s entrance.

    I slip off the side, thiudding in the cement ground on my ass and wincing before I stand. The beast looks at me before shaking its head and suddenly a cloud of embers ignites and shrinks before me, revealing Terian, bloody and bruised.

    ¡°Why the fuck did you jump off of the fucking cliff into the waterfall?¡± He hisses.

    ¡°Where the hell else was I supposed to go?¡± I scoff at him, looking around to make sure no one ising.

    ¡°I was fucking calling for you as you ran away.¡± He grits out in anger, stepping closer to me. him, and he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a set of silver iffs.

    My eyes grow wide as I stare at

    ¡°You were hourste,¡± I remind him. ¡°I assumed shit went sideways, and I was improvising¡±

    ¡°Just put those on,¡± He murmurs, his eyes scanning everywhere as he hands them to me and I nce at them.

    ¡°Why?¡± I ask skeptically.

    ¡°Because I need to use you to get in the dungeon to get your mother out.¡± He grits out through his teeth. ¡°I get that trust is hard, but I am a dragon of my word. I will get you out of here.¡±

    I swipe the cuffs from him, hissing as it burns my skin, and I ce them on.

    ¡°Good enough?¡± I ask, showing him the slightly loose cuffs, and he nods.

    ¡°Works for me. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    He ces his hand on my back, pushing me along. We make it to the first door and knock, waiting for someone to answer. They seem shocked to see him roughed up, but they don¡¯t question him as he shoves me through the door. And down the massive dark hallway.

    A few guards pass us, bowing their heads to him in respect before turning to each other and clearly discussing his appearance.

    ¡°Is that why you were sote?¡± I ask him, looking over my shoulder.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    His stoic eyes meet mine and then he looks forward, like he has no intention of sharing what happened with me.

    ¡°Are your people ready?¡± He whispers after passing another guard, who stops and watches us suspiciously. ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper back.

    ¡°Good.¡± he seems relieved. ¡°It¡¯s time for them to make their move.¡±

    Merikh¨CI call through the mindlink, waiting for his response.

    Tell me you are ready and safe¨CHe says, sounding relieved.

    I am safe, for now. It¡¯s time¨CI tell him.

    Well, that is good, as we have already started. I couldn¡¯t reach you, so I may have expedited the n-

    I smirk to myself, shaking my head. Of course Merikh didn¡¯t wait, I should have expected as much. I love him for his impulsiveness just as much as it frustrates me.

    -Be safe¨CI tell him and I can feel his confirmation before he blocks me to focus on what he is doing.

    Teiran takes me to the same cell area and my breathing hitches when I see Jennifer there, returning my mom from a torture session. She berates her as she whimpers and suddenly she delivers a hard kick to her chest and I feel my heart explode with a rage I can¡¯t control.

    ¡°Leave her alone!¡± I scream at her and she spins to see me, surprise on her face before it morphs into a vicious grin.

    ¡°I guess the king didn¡¯t find you as special as Giselle thought he would, huh?¡± She teases and I lick my teeth, trying to remember I am supposed to be captured.

    ¡°He feels she is a threat, not that I disagree,¡± Teiran says, sounding bored and suddenly Jennifer breaks into a fit ofughter.

    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± she cackles, pping her hand on her thigh in giddy excitement. ¡°Who fucked you up?¡±

    She steps closer, reaching out with her hands still soaked in my mother¡¯s blood to touch his cheek. I watch as he shies away from her touch and she smirks.

    ¡°It was your dear old dad, wasn¡¯t it? That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t fight back. Your hands are clean, not abrasions. Man, you are lucky he didn¡¯t kill you this time for your constant fucking up.¡± She sighs before she slides her hand down his bruised cheek and waves a cheeky goodbye.

    I watch him as he pretends to open the cage and check the coast is clear. Then he moves to the cage where my mother is and opens it, lifting her as she cries out in pain softly, her eyes swollen shut and her corbone is bruised and bloody. My heart sinks as I tear the loose cuffs off and touch her hand, leaning forward.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, mom, I¡¯m getting you out of here. I promise.¡± I whisper, then I look at Teiran. ¡°Now what?¡± I ask him.

    He looks around, and then he presses his lips together. ¡°Now we wait.¡± He says calmly.

    ¡°For what?¡± I ask, growing irate and nervous.

    ¡°The healer.¡± He says simply. ¡°We need him too.¡±

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96

    aRhR +icis Tece

    fend his tight the

    gre leste, xving toband us drying by hole

    to a well spunky, striding toward the up

    * 1 cfirst but willing to svept it.

    The heater has been at least nice each time and theinent abjur knowing ine when I wax postinger has sinck in my head and let me with burning questions only he can answer. The onlgique I foresee now is we have an unconscious afphe female and a coppled old healer I have to somehow get out

    Let¡¯s move. Ibiran says, when he notices I am not following along ¡°You must stay close or I can not protect you.¡±

    1 scurry to keep up with his long steps and as wee close to the corner, I hear the distinct hobble of the man we have been waiting for. Teiran says nothing as he rushes forward,ying my mother down on a metal topped rolling cart. The healet bumbles around for a moment, the clinking of sses as he rustles through his jars before a hum of excitement echoes off the wall.

    ¡°Hold her trouth open,¡± He says, looking up at my dragon partner in crime who pinches my mother¡¯s checks and pries her bruised jaw open.

    ¡°Careful,¡± I hiss at him, but both of them ignore me, the healer incorking the bottle as he pours it down my mom¡¯s throat. ¡°What the hell is that? What are you doing to her?¡±

    ¡°How long?¡± Teiran asks him and the healer presses his lips together, his fingers touching her neck and feeling for a heartbeat. After a moment, she grows more pale, and he nods at us.

    ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Then he flings open his little metal doors and Teiran grabs me, dragging me forward as I try to sink my feet into the cement to stop him.

    ¡°Woah, woah, this wasn¡¯t part of the n,¡± I say, putting my hands up.

    ¡°It¡¯s toote for the original n. This is called improvising.¡± He says, giving me a serious look that says this is happening

    whether I like it or not.

    ¡°Maybe you should tell me what we are improvising, you know, just for shits and giggles?¡± I ask as he frowns, his hand on the back of my head.

    ¡°The primary goal has not changed. I get you all out alive. This is where that trustes into y.¡± He reminds me and I

    groan.

    ¡°Yeah, trust is hard toe by in a fucking dungeon, as I¡¯m being shoved in a tiny metal cab on wheels.¡± I mutter, forcing my body to bend in ways that are not even remotelyfortable.

    ¡°Your mother will get us out of here the back way.¡±

    I narrow my eyes at him. ¡°Used how, exactly?¡±

    He blinks at me before he ms the metal doors shut with a loud echo, closing me in the darkness until my eyes adjust and a tiny sliver of light makes its way into my current tiny prison. It doesn¡¯t take long before the cart rolls; the wheels creaking and crashing over tiny bumps that inflict more pain than I¡¯d like to admit.

    Teiran,¡± I hear someone say in a greeting before a pause, ¡°Well shit, what do we have here?¡±

    ¡°The wolf.¡± Teiran says, an air of boredom in his voice.

    1/4

    Id

    Spander is going to be set that hes fatorite my is bioken¡± Itay in a low whistle

    ART

    by the whiny bokeh Ibiran says, ¡°I need the deall La

    hon is the clinking of what womits like keys before the liver of light disappears and I find my heart racing in fear af ping cough. Then I hear a heavy sigh and shift on the table before the whole cart shakes and I have to press into the wait to steady myself thin rolling out.

    Well it¡¯s a good thing you are getting the body out while it¡¯s still limp. Dogs sinell as it is, but a dead dog after it bloats up?¡± The guard scolts, ¡°That¡¯s a nasty smell.¡±

    Bde rising in my throat at the thought of my mom being dead, he was alive when Teiran picked her up and ced her on the can. And alive when the healer poured that substance down her throat. It is obvious they gave her something, but what they gave her. I do not know.

    ¡°ATTACK¡± a voice booms through the hallways, carrying down each stony wall as if the voice were more than the mere echo it is. ¡°All dragons to the main gate!¡±

    ¡°Damn it.¡± Teiran growls out at the guard, mimicking his surprised tone in a strange, strangled squawk. ¡°You go. I will dispose of the body and be right there.¡±

    Yes, sir.¡± The guard doesn¡¯t hesitate as his thunderous footsteps are heard retreating and suddenly, the cart is moving once

    more.

    It¡¯s started, the distraction and I can only hope it works and that Merikh is safe at the same time. I know he will be in the midst of the danger. That is the kind of man he is. He never runs from a physical fight. A verbal, emotional one, he will sprint a marathon away, but this? No, he will be the one out there striking down anyone whoes close until¡­until he runs out of energy.

    I swallow roughly, closing my eyes to calm myself and my wolf. Merikh will be okay, I have to trust that, if I don¡¯t then I will find myself paralyzed and unable to think. Everyone will be okay, that I know. I know it just as much as I know who I am

    now.

    It seems like we move for forever, every single push feeling like a step closer to eternity when all I want to do is break free and call everyone back. Teiran needs to hurry the fuck up or I will have to jump out of this metal tin can and force him to take me out to where the fight is. What will I do? No idea. But I can¡¯t sit and do nothing when everyone is sacrificing so

    much.

    ¡°Teiran,¡± I whisper, rapping on the metal doors.

    ¡°Ah!¡± I hear Teiran say over my noise. ¡°Are you on your way to the surface?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. You can leave the body for me to dump after everything is sorted.¡± The warrior says. ¡°Are you sure she is dead?¡±

    ¡°I am positive, and Trey just verified as well. Here is the death tag¡±

    ¡°Leave it there on the desk. You should head up as well¡­¡± the warrior says, his voice lilting in a somewhat usatory tone.

    ¡°And leave the healer with her body to do with her what he pleases?¡± he scoffs.

    ¡°Fair point. The old blob does do strange things,¡± he mutters. ¡°I will toss her when Ie back.¡±

    After a moment of silence, the doors fling open, and I am ripped out by the cor.

    ¡°Are you trying to get us all fucking killed?¡± he growls in my face, my feet dangling as I re at him.

    ¡°Are you done being a macho dragon, now?¡± I sass him and his lips twitch in anger.

    ¡°The next step is you three going down the chute.¡± He says, and I watch as the healer¡¯s face grows pale.

    2/4

    That is disrespectful of the dead, <b>he </b>argues, and Teiranshauge

    <b>join </b>them sive or <b>join </b>them when you are dead. Either way, it is where you are going

    And where are you poing?¡± I ask him and he pinches the bride of his

    Am I your mates Heapat me, ¡°N

    o what I do is my fucking by

    Theld up my cl

    Teren tosses me over a ledge, my heart hitting the back of my throat as my stomach withs, <b>my </b>Boxy Sailing of anything i can reach. Then I see the healer who looks like he jumps on his own,ing down after me and shorty my mother¡¯s body is gently lowered over the edge.

    <b>I </bnd with a grunt, my body feeling like it was driven into the ground by a sledgehammer as the air whooshes from my lungs. The healernds far too close forfort as I stand, wheezing to catch my breath and look up, waiting for try mother¡¯s body to move closer before I ce my arms out and cushion her fall. My legs and back scream in pain and I ga

    The healer makes his way over to me, quickly uncorking another vial from <i>a </i>hidden spot in his shirt. He pours it downs stry mother¡¯s throat and the second it is in her system she jolts up, making me drop her and stumble backward. She scrambles to her knees, heaving as the color returns to her face.

    The second her eyes meet mine, I feel tears streaming my cheeks and I rush over to her, pulling her into a hug

    ¡°Mom!¡± I squeeze her tight as she whines.

    Top hard, sweetheart,¡± she croaks, and I pull back.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I murmur, wiping my face.

    ¡°We need to go Luna,¡± the healer says, looking around everywhere but under our feet.

    The smell hits my nostrils now that the adrenaline is gone and I gag, my hand covering my mouth and nose as <b>my </b>eyes stupidly scan down. Bodies of varying levels of decay stare at me some fresh and others more than a month old. Hair tangles and body parts blend together as <b>I </b>snap my attention up forcing the image from <b>my </b>head.

    ¡°Which way?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°Teiran said there is an entrance that way. For when the wolves who live heree to clear out the ash every month.¡±

    ¡°They burn the bodies?¡± I ask, my heart aching for every loss, deserved or not. This is no way to beid to rest. No honor. love or family should have to think of their dear ones burning in a mass grave before being swept away for the wind to

    scatter.

    They are dragons, dear. The healer reminds me. ¡°What other way would you like them disposed of?¡±

    ¡°Do you feel that?¡± my mother asks, her eyes growing wide as she struggles over bodies to get moving ¡°Something ising

    ¡°Fire?¡± the healer questions, breaking into the best run he <b>can</b><b>. </b>We shouldn¡¯t stay to find out.¡±

    I usher my mom after him, taking care to help her along <b>the </b><b>way</b>. I don¡¯t know what the hell she was given, but she seemn like a whole new person. Only problem is I don¡¯t know how long she has <b>until </b><b>she </b>is back to being <b>in </b>agonizing <b>pain </b>and incapacitated again.

    He makes it to the door first, throwing it open as wee <b>up </b>behind him, only for him to stop abruptly clinging to the <b>frame</b>. There is no stopping <b>him </b>and my mother from falling through as I <b>trip </b>and <b>push </b>into them, sending them careening over the narrow pathway carved into the rock and down into a dark crevice.

 Chapter 97

    ¡°No.¡± I gasp, my heart in my throat as I stare dumbfounded at the ck space that consumed my mom and the healer. I whimper and carefully move my way out the door and onto the thin pathway, closing the gateway to the hell behind me.

    There are two ways down to them, over the ledge like they went or hoping following this path allows me to find an easier way. It¡¯s the raging fire the booms to my left, far in the distance but close enough that I know exactly who they are aiming for.

    There is no time for safety and precautions. If I hope to get us all out of here, it¡¯s going to have to be a controlled descent. I look over the dark edge, my hands shaking as I exhale deeply and drop to my knees before kicking my legs out to my side and hanging them over the edge.

    I give myself a moment, reaching out to feel for Merikh, needing the assurance he is okay and I feel him. It¡¯s a glimmer, but it is reassuring to know he is so close. My legs and arms twitch with fearful anticipation as I shake them out and inhale

    deeply, before cing my palms on the cool stone path and sliding myself down the side.

    The rocks cut into my side, the nicks and slices burning as I hiss and try to slow my near vertical descent by using my hand, attempting to grab onto whatever I can. I gain speed, my heart pumping and my lungs burning as I pant and panic simultaneously. The air grows warmer, staler as it ceases to move and the light from the world above me wanes.

    I close my eyes, trying to calm myself as the panic creeps up my throat and my body feels numb. I can feel my wolf stirring, pacing as she begs to be let out and in my state of fear, I let her. She takes over, my body rearranges and a new calm settles over me, my wolf¡¯s senses winning as my paws shove off the mountainside and I leap out,nding on solid ground.

    My nose moves to the ground as I sniff, catching the scent of my mother and chasing it a few feet away. I nudge her with my nose, a whineing from my chest as Iy down next to her, trying to wake her up. There is a sudden striking sound and I whip my head around to see a small light and the healer¡¯s face illuminates.

    ¡°Ah, there you are,¡± He says, sounding relieved. ¡°I was worried you had fallen further from us and were severely injured.¡±

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    <

    4

    Chap 97

    I whimper, resting my snout on my mother¡¯s arm as sheys looking unconscious, and he moves over toward us, groaning as he steps over her legs.

    ¡°She will be fine,¡± He says, grunting as he drops, cing the small light to the side. I look at it curiously, confused by what exactly it is as I lean forward and sniff at it.

    ¡°Ah, little dragon trick. Anything can be burned,¡± He chuckles and reaches out over my mother, pushing something under her nose that makes her startle awake.

    ¡°Colette,¡± she says, worried until she looks right at me and her eyes fill with tears and she covers her mouth. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    I shake my head no and she touches my snout, sucking in her tears as she nods happily.

    ¡°We need to get moving,¡± he says, looking up and then around, his lips pressed tightly together like he is worried.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± My mom asks, and he stands, helping her up gently.

    ¡°Finding a way up won¡¯t be easy or fast,¡± He frowns. ¡°It may be best to send you on ahead.¡±

    I growl at the thought rising and moving to my mother¡¯s side, nuzzling in under her loose, hanging hand. She sighs heavily and shakes her head before she crouches next to me, wrapping her arms around my soft, furred neck.

    ¡°He is right. What is most important is you-¡± she says, but I interrupt her with an agitated yip, and bare my teeth at her. She frowns and shakes her head. ¡°My sweet little Cole. I have missed so much time being your mom and I know I don¡¯t deserve this, but I am begging you to go. You coulde back with help, or wait for us somewhere else.¡±

    She says it like it¡¯s a possibility that they will make it out of here, an old hobbling half working dragon healer and a werewolf alpha female who was tortured for ten years. Even I know it¡¯s a pipe dream, but then again, I have also learned that even the most off the wall dreams cane true.

    Hell, look at me, from orphaned maid to full-blown Luna, queen of our kind and finding out both parents are still alive. If that isn¡¯t a fairytalee true, I don¡¯t know what is.

    I stare at her and look over at the healer, torn between the options. But they are

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    right, time is not a luxury we have right now.

    Merikh will onlyst so long against a horde of dragons, Alpha of death or not dragons don¡¯t go down easy. And there is not a single doubt in my mind Merikh would fight to hisst breath to ensure my freedom. Ites down to risking Merikh or risking my mom and my heart is in agony over my choice.

    I drop my head, taking three steps back before I turn and take off. With a newfound determination, I sprint through the rocks, then I try to leap up the steep hill I slide down before. I make it a few feet before slipping, my paws gliding out from under me as I grunt and hit the rock, sliding down on my side.

    Shit. I need a way up, but with no light, it¡¯s nearly impossible to see where the hell I might be able to move up. Until I see a glinting in the darkness, a spot catching the faintest hint of light, and I gallop toward it, stopping to sniff and find it has no real scent.

    My tongue flicks out warily, and I realize its water. Not enough to make a puddle, but enough to make the rocks wet. My eyes slid shut and I pray I can use my siren¡¯s ability to guide myself out, only to find the attempt futile.

    When I open my eyes, my vision is clearer, almost like I can sense the water as it moves up the rocks, like finding the source of a waterfall. I trace the drops, listening as it drips over smaller rocks and ledges and trust my instincts to get me where I am going. I take a leap of faith, jumping up only to freeze as the rock creaks and smaller stones tumble beneath me.

    After taking a sharp inhale and steadying my frightened muscles, I leap to the left, my hind liege slipping as I whine, my underbelly mming into the te like rock that cuts into my stomach. Warmth drips down my belly and I struggle to get my leg up, my tongue hanging out as I pant with the effort.

    The water seems to grow more steady the higher I crawl. From an inconsistent drip to a small trickle down over the ledge as I grow closer to the light, the sun is just a few more steps above me when I hear rushing. I furrow my wolfs brows in concentration trying to listen, the sound of running water overwhelmingly loud as I cover my face and ears to stop the pain from the roaring.

    Then it hits me, a wall of wet hammers into my body before ites fast enough it behind to overshoot my body, dropping into the cannon like a faucet has been turned on high in a tub. I panic, looking for a way up before looking back where I ran from, watching the dim light where my mom and the healer are, hopefully,

    3/6

    making headway before the light goes out

    The soft scream of shock and yelling echoes over the sound of the water and my ear ticks back, trying to listen better before I bound off the ledge, into the flowing water letting it take hold of my body as it wipes me from the air and pulls me into it¡¯s wet embrace. Instead of it being a ravaging wave, it feels oddly calm and settling.

    I plunge into the growing pool at the bottom of the ridge, my body tumbling with the waves and current as I rush back the way I just came. Everything tingles, my paws, my fur, and especially my soul.

    Water has always felt safe, like home, but nothing has felt as wonderful as this. To be in my wolfs form, in the water, it feels like I am being embraced in a warm weing hug and I don¡¯t ever want to leave it.

    ¡°Hold on to me, Calvin,¡± I hear my mom screaming as the healer grunts with effort.

    The current is too strong. You need to let go, Melody.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± She cries. ¡°You saved my daughter. That¡¯s what got you into this mess. I refuse to let you go, not now.¡±

    My body tingles with renewed purpose as I duck into the water, swimming toward them in my wolf form. With every kick, I feel the water wrap around me, making way for me to move faster, the current working with me rather than against.

    I pop up to search for them and see I over shot them by mere feet, spinning toward them, again the current dying around me as I move toward them with ease. My mom¡¯s eyes light up when she sees me, fear turning to confusion as she tilts her head and the healer lets go. He doesn¡¯t move, instead he floats in ce, looking around with awe and shock before he sees me and he stares.

    My body shakes and I close my eyes, feeling the water, calling it to mymand like I have in the past, only this time I realize how much I am asking of it, willing to give back to it every speck of energy it gives me.

    It responds, my eyes snapping open and my human body back in ce as the water rises, bringing with it the three of us as we grow taller, moving closer to the top.

    ¡°Colette,¡± my mother whispers, but I can¡¯t break the concentration as my body is

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    leaching of energy. Every fiber in my body quivers with exhaustion, my wolf standing tall in my mind, giving me everything she has to help keep me conscious as I drain my source.

    We shoot from the crevice, my body going limp as we ssh along the ground on the other side, my body mming hard into the rock as the water retreats down, leaving us soaked and heaving for air.

    ¡°That was-¡± My mother says, stopping to think of a word.

    ¡°Exhausting?¡± I offer, coughing and unable to push myself up as my arms and legs crumble under me after the first attempt.

    ¡°Phenomenal.¡± The healer says instead.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± My mom whispers, crawling over to me as she tries to tug me into her arms. My eyes droop, the immense amount of effort to do what I just did weighs too heavy as I fight sleep.

    just¡­did.¡± I whisper, my eyes closing.

    ¡°Colette, your wolf was made of water,¡± she tells me, but I am too tired to confirm or deny what she ims. Instead, I shrug.

    ¡°Cool,¡± I murmur.

    ¡°Luna!¡± I hear someone scream and I peek through my heavy lids to see what looks like Merikh rushing toward me. I find the energy to smile, reaching out for him, happily. He is safe, and we are saved.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± My mother demands, standing abruptly to protect me.

    ¡°Calm down, my name is Hayes. I am her beta and she is mated to my brother, the alpha.¡±

    ¡°Mel¡­¡± I hear another familiar voice whisper in disbelief before a soft s b breaks

    out.

    ¡°Caspian?¡± I hear my mother say before I can no longer hang on and I let thefort of sleep take hold of me.

    5/6

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98

    *Merikh

    A burst of me shoots over my head as I drop to my stomach, the heat enough to make my skin feel as if I am standing too close to a bonfire. I roll to my left and up onto my knees, crouching low toward the massive jaded rock where Percy is hiding. Blood pours from above his right eye, but he wears a smile, nheless.

    Not an excited smile, a manic psychotic one that says he hopes to go out in a literal ze of glory. His fighting has been ster aside from the few times he has left himself open to an attack of two I have had to blunder. The more I look at him, the more concerned I am that the openings are intentional.

    ¡°You are not allowed to let yourself get killed.¡± I growl at him, watching as he responds to mymand. There is a hint of annoyance in his eyes before he chuckles and nods.

    ¡°If I die, I will die doing my job.¡± he grins, inching up the rock to take a peek over.

    ¡°We are pinned down.¡± I murmur. ¡°The assholes burned us into a fucking corner.¡±

    ¡°I can distract them so you can run.¡± Percy says immediately, and I shoot him a scowl. This kid¡¯s death wish is getting a little out of hand.

    ¡°Pinned down doesn¡¯t mean we are out of the fight, Perc. This isn¡¯t a game of chess, this is war.¡± I say, scanning the area. ¡°It just means we need to get a little creative.¡±

    He snorts, reaching up and pressing on the injury to his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling all that creative, Alpha.¡± He says.

    Another st encases the outside of the rock, mes licking around the side as we move closer together to avoid the heat. I sigh, closing my eyes as I try to process what to do next. In truth, I¡¯m not feeling all that damn creative either. But I am feeling like I will do anything to get away.

    ¡°How about desperate?¡± I ask him with a smile, ¡°You feeling that?¡± and he nods.

    ¡°Yea, feeling a lot desperate at the moment¡± Percy mutters, dropping his head against the rock. ¡°This heat is making me fucking sweaty and irritable.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t agree more with him. As lycans, we run a little warmer anyway withoutfaster metabolism. But this? This shit is unbearable and all I can think about is a tall ss of ice cold water and a cool dip in the healing waters with my luna. But if I want either of those things, we need to get a damn move on. And fast.

    ¡°How much time do we have between the bursts of mes?¡± I ask him.

    We noticed before they need time to recover before they rain their fire down on us for extended periods of time. The only thing we have going for us is that they want to cook us on this sted boulder so they arebining their forces to blow mes at the same time.

    ¡°Maybe a minute, tops.¡± He mutters, ¡°Have you not heard from Luna Letty yet? Is she out?¡±

    I shake my head, licking my parched lips in frustration. It has been a solid fucking forty¨Cfive minutes of fighting. We lost our lycans over ten minutes ago from the exhaustion and the way we are dehydrated like a bunch of grapes in the desert sun.

    ¡°She isn¡¯t reaching out or responding.¡± I mutter, my stomach in knots at the thought that maybe she didn¡¯t make it out, or she was knocked unconscious and hidden deeper in their fortress of ash and death.

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave her.¡± Percy says, a look of determination on his brow.

    ¡°Not a thing in the world that could make me leave her here in this living hell, Perc. But we may need to escape and regroup. We aren¡¯t any good to her if we are dead.¡±

    Just then, the fire ceases and I make the split decision to grab his arm and run. I bolt up, yanking on Percy as I drag him along, tripping over the hot terrain in our bare feet. I can feel the way the hot rocks dip into my skin with ease,skin with ease, like butter on a hot skillet and it spurs faster movement.

    ¡°Movemineyour ass, Percy.¡± Imand and he groans, kicking up his speed to match

    ¡°I will never want to be in heat ever again,¡± he scoffs. ¡°No more beach vacation, I¡¯m going to the swiss alps to ski every year now.¡±

    As we run, I can hear the hiss of the air, the dragons preparing themselves to set us on fire like a match struck on a rock and I nce back to see them lumbering behind us. I can only be thankful none of the assholes we have encountered today have been able to fly.

    ¡°Percy, I demand you shift and run as fast and as far as you can.¡± I say in my alphamand voice. He lycan takes over at once, lookingbored and exhausted as he tries to fight mymand to run. ¡°Now!¡± roar.

    He hisses angrily before taking off at an incredible pace as I force my lycan out, begging him for everything he has. He takes over, reluctantly, as I see someone off in distance now more than a few miles across the barren charred rumble we are racing over.

    I focus on them, recognizing Caspian as he lifts a hand, then I see her frame. It has to be here. My lycan pushes himself harder once we focus on her. She stumbles to the ground and I see two figures rush to her and try to lift her as she shoves them off.

    ¡°RUN!¡± I hear her voice through the dry air, a shiver running down my spine at the desperation of her plea.

    Percy falls to the ground in front of me, his human form taking over as he grunts and remains unmoving. I stoop to pick him up, looking over my shoulder, begging the moon goddess for just a little more time. But there is no stopping what is already predetermined sometimes as the mese hurling my way.

    I fall on top of Percy, shielding his body as the hairs on my lycan back burn in the heat and my skin feels like it may melt. I cry out in pain, a roar unlike any I have ever let out as the heat suddenly stops. The screaming continues and I look around, realizing the cry isn¡¯t mine, but someone in the distance.

    Cool water sshes over me as I gasp in relief and close my eyes, relishing the way it feels on my heated flesh. Tears may mix into the wetness pouring down as I try to catch what I can with my open mouth.

    Two figures sprint toward us, and I push off of Percy, standing to look around. The dragons rush forward, their mes drenched and unable to ignite again. I sprint through the wall of water, grabbing a slim, sharp rock. The dragon nearest me rears its head up before baring his teeth at me as he tries to catch my head.

    I slide beneath him, the searing rocks tearing the skin from my shins as I jam the -rock up and under one of his scales. It squelches, and he roars, shifting back into human form, holding the rock under his arm as blood pours down. He sneers at me, taking three steps away, the other dragons stopping and waiting formand. Then, as if they hadn¡¯t been trying to kill us, they turn, shift and spin on their heels, running away. I watch as the one with the rock embedded in his arm goesck, his eyes red as he drops his hand and spins like the others, sprinting back as if he had been beckoned by their puppet master.

    ¡°Merikh!¡± I hear Hayes screaming as he rushes toward me. Leandra is heading toward Percy, and I look up to see someone on the ground and everyone else surrounding them. I hustle toward him, meeting him halfway while never removing my eyes from the figure on the ground.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Is that¡­¡± I choke on the words.

    ¡°Yes.¡°..

    ¡°And she is okay?¡± I ask, looking at him as he grows pale.

    ¡°She will be,¡± he says, handing me a pair of shorts and shoes. I slip both on, gritting my teeth at the pain.

    ¡°Percy is drained.¡± I tell him. ¡°He will need to be carried.¡±

    ¡°And what about you?¡± He asks me seriously. I shakemy head.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t need carrying.¡± I smirk. ¡°I will carry Colette.¡±

    It takes longer than I would like to make it to where they are surrounding Colette, whoys looking like a dirt smeared angel. I kneel, not paying attention to the way my body screams at every action, and I press my lips to her forehead and stroke her cheek.

    ¡°Oh, my little Luna.¡± I murmur, taking in her injured and malnourished body. ¡°What did they do to you?¡±

    ¡°We need to get moving if we want to get to our pack quickly,¡± Hayes says, and I shake my head, looking up at Caspian, who wears a worried look on his face.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t going back to the pack.¡± I say softly, brushing her sweaty hair from her brow.

    ¡°Alpha, is that wise? The mansion is likely not the safest ce.¡± Hayes says.

    ¡°She heals faster in water.¡± I remind him, ¡°And she will probably heal faster in the ocean where her siren half will thrive, so that is where we will go. You will take Percy and Leandra to the pack. I will go with Caspian and Colette.¡±

    ¡°War ising-¡±

    ¡°War is already fucking here, Hayes.¡± I yell at him. ¡°Look the fuck around. They stole the fucking Lycan Queen!¡±

    He looks away, clenching his jaw in frustration as I sigh.

    ¡°Hayes, I need you to take the pack to our secondary location. We will meet you there in a week. If Colette is not healthy enough by then, well then I wille alone.¡±

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Caspian asks gently, lumbering along exhaust. ¡°Do you need me to take her?

    Aly muscles tense at the thought of her leaving my arms to I dedih my jaw and hold her closer.

    ¡°I am tine.¡± I tell him, ignoring the way my body screams for a lifeak, my muscles are sore and tight, my skin stinging with every missed step or root that feels like it¡¯s trying to drag me down.

    ¡°You should let Calvin look at your wounds,¡± Melody says in a motherly voice. I slide my eyes to the dragon healer, who pants as he tries to keep up.

    ¡°I said I am fine.¡± I say again, my voiceced with pain as I try to focus on the task before me.

    ¡°Alpha-

    ¡°Mel, let him be,¡± Caspian says weakly. ¡°Merikh is capable of deciding what he does.¡±

    ¡°Not if he is going to pass out and drop my daughter.¡± She snaps.

    ¡°Why did you let her use that much power in the first ce?¡± I say, shooting her a re.

    ¡°What? How was I supposed to know she could even do that?¡± She gawks at me, and I chuckle dryly.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Caspian yells. ¡°That is enough.¡±

    I press my mouth shut, biting back my growing anger. I know we are all on edge. With every one of us not just a little injured but all sustaining some serious injuries, it makes sense that tensions would run high. Caspian looks worse for the wear, his body badly needing to rejuvenate itself in its natural life source,

    Melody is full or fear, panic and looks like absolute shit. The only reason she is still moving is her maternal instincts driving her to get Colette to safety as quickly as possible. And as for the dragon lingering on behind us¡­.well him, I don¡¯t know about.

    Melody seems to trust him and Caspian hasn¡¯t spoken against himing along with us. But dragons just tried to kill us. Dragons kidnapped my mate and are the enemy for now.

    ¡°I need to rest.¡± He says, dropping to the ground next to a tree. ¡°How long have we been on the move?¡±

    I look up at the sky, the sun long gone as the moon shines brightly from behind cloud cover. It has spent many hours walking, exactly how many, I am not sure, but we have covered a fair amount of ground.

    ¡°Enough to afford us a break,¡± I say, pressing my pained back to a smooth barked tree as I lower myself to the ground, sliding down it with Colette in my arms.

    I groan out in pain, releasing a sigh of relief once I hit the ground and allow my body to rx. Colette is still out cold, her body chilled to the touch as I adjust her to lie between my legs, her back pressing to my chest.

    ¡°May I look her over?¡± the healer says, and I scowl at him as I give a gentle nod.

    He hums as he moves up next to me, touching her head, and looking over her injuries before he produces a small item from his bag and holds it under her nose. Nothing happens, not even a flinch and I see him frown. Then he presses his hands to her neck and slides his fingers down her arm to her wrist.

    ¡°Is she okay, Calvin?¡± Melody asks. He shs heavily before sitting back on his feet.

    ¡°She is alive and seemingly uninjured. She just has¨Cno energy, like she worked herself so ragged she needs to rest for days.¡±

    1/3

    Chipsy as

    eyes where he reema to weigh my question

    hybrid si kurd to dy h pences Alpha

    nor work. But theheve you are on to something with that thought

    The longer I look at him, the more I get the feeling he is familia, Someone I may know from another life, or another time. before I became who I am today, bart 1 struggle to ce it. My hebws pull together in deep thought and he clears his throat. moeg way from me.

    ¡°Wait¡± I say, and he freezes, his eyes skirting around anxiously I press forward, pulling my back from the tree. ¡°Could you look at my bac***

    Calvin¡¯s brows pop up in surprise, but he hobbles over. Leaning giver my back with a low whistle before he mumbles and hums a tune to himself. I can feel the touch of his han my teeth grinding together as I grunt and try to not cry out. He tuts behind me before releasing a heavy sigh and walking away, speaking to himself.

    I watch in shock as he disappears into the darkness of the trees, ncing between Melody and Caspian, who have yet to fully know what to do with one another after all this time.

    ¡°No one is concerned about him just walking off?¡± I ask. ¡°How do we know we can trust him?¡±

    ¡°Calvin lost everything to save Colette.¡± Melody says, looking at spian.

    ¡°What?¡± Caspian asks. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°He led to Giselle and the man she was with.¡± Melody says looking to where Calvin had disappeared. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what happened, as he hasn¡¯t fully exined it. But he was there that night and he was punished. He was as much a prisoner as I was.¡±

    As if on cue, the old manes back into view with a handful of nts and the same song he has been humming since we picked him up. He moves behind me and I look at Caspian, whose eyes drift closed even though he fights the urge. He goes silent for a moment and then cold wetness hits my back, making me cry out in shock.

    ¡°Maybe a little warning next time?¡± I grit out, wincing as I try to hide my pain.

    ¡°Oh. Uh, yes. This may sting.¡± He says, like I had woken him from a trance.

    ¡°What is it anyway?¡± I ask him and he chuckles.

    ¡°Various nts, meant for pain relief to help you make it to where we are going.¡± he pauses. ¡°And uh¡­well¡­ dragon¡¯s saliva.¡± He clears his throat and my body tenses, my face morphing from one of pain to disgust.

    ¡°Did you spit on my back?¡± I growl low in warning and he pops around in front of me, shaking his head.

    ¡°Oh, no no! I chewed up the nt. Dragons saliva has many healing properties. It will not save you from scarring it, but it will help heal what it can.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to thank you or hit you.¡± I mumble, nuzzling my face into Colette¡¯s hair, dragging her closer as she murmurs something incoherently.

    ¡°I would understand both actions.¡± He says in a sing¨Csong voice as he applies more to my back. I use the mate bond between Colette and me to recharge both our bodies, hoping it will give her something, help her recuperate faster.

    Exhaustion hits me hard as my adrenaline wanes and the pain subsides my body, begging for rest while Caspian and Melody snore lightly near each other. Calvin sits across from me, staring up at the sky, not humming or speaking, just mindless staring. I want to ask him questions but words fail me as I too find it impossible to stay awake any longer.

    My eyes snap open as I sense movement and sit up abruptly, nearly knocking Colette from myp. I scan the area, finding a set of eyes watching me from the cover shadows in the trees. They step out, moving closer, and my eyes grow wide as I see

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    Chapter 99

    Ezrah, who looks concerned,

    ¡°What the hell happened!¡± he whispers,ing over to help me

    ¡°I hate to sound unhappy to see you, but what the fuck are you doing here?¡± I ask him, and he frowns.

    ¡°I am always around<i>. </i>Alpha,¡± he tells me and I scoff.

    ¡°Unless we are fighting and could use the help.¡± I grumble at him and he frowns.

    ¡°Ah, well, I was on my way to deliver a message to Caspian from Elm. I was not here for your heroic fight, it seems.¡±

    ¡°And what message would that be?¡± Caspian asks, his voice raw as he sits up, looking like absolute shit. His eyes are dark, h skin almost ck as he looks like he gained wrinkles overnight.

    ¡°The Fae have agreed to strip Lily of her title and, along with that, she will lose a majority of her power. But he needs to ge to her first, so he can release her from their bond and strip her of the title.¡± He says with a gentle nod.

    ¡°I see,¡± he says, coughing roughly as he sits up, trying to stand.

    ¡°You look rough, my friend,¡± Ezrah says, frowning.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a rough few days.¡± I tell Ezrah, eyeing Caspian and realizing we need to move, and fast, before we lose him.

    ¡°Allow me to help escort you to the water. It is just over that hill, Ezrah says with a knowing smile. Caspian furrows his bro worry flushing over his features.

    ¡°I think I am dying.¡± He whispers. ¡°I should be able to feel the pull of the water. It should be calling to me¡­But I feel nothin but emptiness.¡±

    His eyes meet mine and I see how dull the blue has be and suddenly fear grips me. Caspian has be a friend, someone I trust with my life, with Colette¡¯s life. Not to mention Colette will be destroyed if he passes. We need to get him to the water as fast as humanly possible.

    ¡°Can you move fast with Colette in your arms?¡± I ask Ezrah, who nods.

    ¡°Of course.¡± He says.

    ¡°Take her and lead the way. I will use my lycan to carry Caspian as fast as possible.¡± I say.

    He swoops down, scooping up my mate. His eyes meet mine and he gives me a nod.

    ¡°I swear to be gentle,¡± he assures me as I stand, then I call forth my tired lycan and lift Caspian as he tries to feebly deny me.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°We will be behind you,¡± Melody says, her lip between her lips and a somber look on her face. ¡°I will meet you on the horizon.¡± She whispers to Caspian, who rasps out a breath.

    ¡°Hold on, old friend, just a little longer.¡± Ezrah says before we break into a dead run, racing against time and nature to save him.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100

    *Colette

    I feel like I am floating, my body humming with energy and a shockwave that zips through every vein, screaming for me to wake up. My wolf sighs in relief and the rest of me¡­it feels refreshed, hydrated.

    Someone is murmuring to me, little sweet words in my ear as Ie closer to consciousness. Arms are wrapped around me and a sigh tumbles out, then panic takes hold of me. I try to sit up but I am stopped, a voice calming me.

    ¡°Calm down, Letty.¡± Merikh whispers in my car and tears dot my eyes.

    There is no way I am alive, and it breaks my heart. My chest aches and my throat feels like it is closing up as I glide my hands over his arms, holding him tight, clinging to the moment. A tiny sob breaks free, as my body shakes with sorrow and his face presses into my neck.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let me go,¡± I whisper, not ready to leave him or worse, for him to leave me.

    ¡°Never,¡± he promises, his lips pressing to my cheek as he pulls back, forcing me to turn in his arms.

    Heavens, he is breathtaking, his green eyes soft and swimming with concern as he cups my face in worry. My hands feel over his body, touching injuries that make him wince as I make sure he is here.

    ¡°Merikh¡­¡± I whisper, my brows knitted together in confusion and a mix of shock. Is this real? He feels real, looks <i>real</i>.

    ¡°Were you expecting someone else?¡± He says, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as I burst into a soft sob again.

    ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡± I force out, and he nods, leaning down to press his forehead to mine.

    ¡°Only because of you.¡± He says, his voice barely audible.

    ¡°You were in harm¡¯s way because of me.¡± I correct him and he chuckles.

    ¡°I could say the same.¡± He reminds me, and I lick my lips, sucking the bottom between my teeth. His hand glides over the back of my head, a trickle of water waking me up to the fact that we are in water. I should have noticed with how light I felt and how easily I moved despite my achy muscles.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± I ask him, looking over his shoulder.

    ¡°Blood moon cove¡± I hear someonee up beside me. I blink at a siren who swims around us in his form simr to my fathers though he is more slender, younger. Merikh holds me close, that tinge of jealousy wiggling through the mate bond and I smirk to myself.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°How is Caspian?¡± Merikh asks, and the siren gives a courteous nod.

    ¡°He will heal, in time.¡± He says to Merikh before tilting his head as he looks at me. ¡°Though I must say you look much better than I imagined you would after such a short time in the water.¡±

    ¡°My wolf has a tendency to speed things up.¡± I say, sliding a curious nce up at Merikh.

    ¡°This is Zale.¡± Merikh says softly. ¡°He is your long¨Clost cousin and the next to inherit the throne of your father.¡±

    ¡°That is, of course, unless you want it,¡± Zale offers, but I don¡¯t miss the way his eyes narrow, as if looking for some hidden truth that I might want this kingdom I don¡¯t belong in.

    s

    ¡°I have a throne,¡± I tell him, leaning into Merikh. ¡°I am pleased that my father has someone to inherit for him though,¡±

    That seems to go over well, as he smiles brightly and floats closer.

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    Chapter 100

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    <b>¡°</b>Your mother is healing in the beach house over there.¡± He says, odding his head behind me.

    I nce over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of a cute white cabin on the beach near rocks where waves cascade over ther spraying the air with the glorious smell of salt and sea. There is only one scent that could ever top this one, and it isin from the man I am clinging to.

    ¡°Where is everyone else?¡± I ask Merikh softly.

    ¡°The dragon healer is with you mother, and everyone else went back to the pack.¡±

    My eyes grow wide as I look at him.

    ¡°The pack?¡± I ask, ¡°That is where they will go first. We have to get back, to warn everyone, to move them somewhere else-¡±

    ¡°Colette, it has all been taken care of. We have a secondary site where Hayes, Percy, and Leandra will move everyone to.¡±

    My body feels hollow at the mention of Percy and my eyes well with tears again.

    ¡°How is he?¡± I ask and Merikh sighs.

    ¡°We will discuss thister. Right now, we have things we must do,¡± he tells me, and I furrow <i>my </i>brows.

    ¡°Like what?¡± I ask, confused. ¡°I am well enough to travel now. Let me see my mom and we can go.¡±

    ¡°And what will you do when you get there?¡± Zale asks, his scaly arms crossing over his chest.

    Took at him fully, taking in his board shoulders and the way his face, though far more ocean creature like, still has some human qualities.

    ¡°Fight for my kind.¡± I tell him truthfully.

    ¡°You and who?¡± he scoffs. ¡°The lycans are formidable fighters. Even we have heard of their strength and skills. But Dragons are fire and beasts. One fly over can decimate the mmable ces you call home.¡±

    1 scoff and lick my teeth in annoyance.

    ¡°I know how to use my skills.¡± I tell him, and he arches a brow.

    ¡°Colette,¡± Merikh tries to calm me, but it¡¯s toote. I am annoyed, tired, in pain and so sick of everyone thinking I am <b>so </b>incapable. I just saved the Alpha of Death. Me, not my father or my beta and his mate. Me, it was all me and my love for him. And I have a love for my pack, for my werewolf, lycan kind

    ¡°No,¡± I grit out. ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®Colette¡® me. I am capable. I fucking proved it more than once and he doesn¡¯t know. How the hell would he know? Where were you, huh? Let your king wander around onnd without backup or warriors to help protect him, and youe at me.¡± I grumble.

    ¡°Are you done throwing your hissy fit cousin?¡± He asks, ¡°Because the sooner we begin training, the sooner you will be able to leave to save your little pack you care so deeply for.¡±

    My mouth falls open to say more but nothinges out but a shock tiny squawk.

    ¡°Perhaps she needs more time to heal¡­¡± Merikh offers, and I look between the two.

    Merikh stands to his chest in water, the sun setting on his features and I take note of his scarred neck. I free myself from his hold, gliding around him in the water with ease as I reach out and touch his back. He is healing, the blisters disappearing, but the scar will be there forever, always that reminder of what I almost lost because he needed to save me.

    I have only grown stronger with him in my life, emotionally, physically and, most importantly, mentally. It has taken at lifetime to find myself and yet, when I found him, he somehow was able to clear the path and make that journey with me.

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    He didn¡¯t make it painless, that¡¯s for damn sure, but what is love without a little growing pain?

    ¡°How much time do we have to train?¡± I ask, sighing as I move forward and press a gentle kiss on his burn, knowing the touch will provide him some relief, however short¨Clived it may be.

    ¡°As much time as you need to be ready.¡± Merikh says.

    ¡°And what will you do?¡± I ask. The thought of him leaving makes my skin itch and my body feel weak.

    +5

    ¡°I will wait and watch you grow stronger.¡± He says with ease. Move in front of him, watching him close, looking for any iota of falsehood, but I find none.

    ¡°Why?¡± I whisper.

    ¡°You are my Luna.¡± he says simply, though he sees me questioning that, so he frowns. ¡°I failed you too many times to ever do it again. What you need is to understand your own abilities, and then we can be strong together.¡±

    ¡°But our pack-¡±

    ¡°Is in excellent hands.¡± He assures me. ¡°And when we get back and the dragons and whichever pitiful being decides to attack does so, they will be in for a big surprise. Because I have the strongest weapon at my side.¡±

    Iugh, hugging him. ¡°A hybrid?¡±

    ¡°No, a little luna,¡± he says and I hear the grin in his voice. ¡°Now go kick that Fishman¡¯s ass<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    can hear you. You do know that, right?¡± Zale asks, frowning.

    ¡°Yeah, I figured you might be able to.¡± Merikh says as I break away from him.

    He stoops down and steals a kiss, his lips warm and soft. It feels like home and I know I will do everything to protect it. So I reluctantly pull away and take a deep breath, turning to look at Zale.

    ¡°So what¡¯s lesson number one?¡±

    FR

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101

    Training has been awful. All six hours full of exhaustion and stupid skills that refuse to surface, no matter how hard I try! call them. Moving water it seems is easier when I don¡¯t think about it. But with the constant demand for perfection, how 1 not think of it constantly?

    I try to get in touch with the way the an kisses my skin with every passing wave. To tap into the sea life that thrives in t very water I am trying to channel, yet the best I can muster is a rising spout that barely rises before it tumbles back into th

    ocean.

    ¡°No,¡± Zale scoffs as he drops his head back, showcasing his annoyance. ¡°Have you ever even tried to use your abilities

    before?¡±

    My annoyance res at his rude attitude. He is clearly threatened by me, or just a jackass by nature. Either way, I am sick c being treated like an idiot who has zero skill when I know for a fact I have done things that even my father was shocked by

    ¡°Have you ever taught anyone before?¡± I snap back at him, cocking my head to the left as he presses his lips together in an unpleasant frown.

    ¡°No.¡± He bites out.

    ¡°Yeah, that much is clear.¡±

    ¡°Look, I was told to get you prepared as fast as possible, that you have the gift and ites naturally, but all I am seeing from you are little spouts that my

    kid can do better than you.¡± He says, lifting his hands in a shrug. ¡°I can¡¯t train someone who has zero talent.¡±

    ¡°What did I do to offend you?¡± I ask, shocked by how blunt he is with his dislike for me.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t exist,¡± he says through clenched teeth.

    ¡°And yet I am here, and your king is asking you to do this.¡± I say simply.

    He isn¡¯t saying something that I haven¡¯t heard over and over again. And family or not, I don¡¯t know this asshole, just like he doesn¡¯t know me. But that doesn¡¯t excuse him, thinking he can speak to me in this way.

    ¡°Start again from the beginning.¡± He says, sighing heavily.

    ¡°And do what?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°Something! Anything more than what you are currently fucking doing!¡± He roars.

    ¡°Well, that is super helpful.¡± I groan, flipping my middle finger at him as he turns his back to me, cing his hands on his head. He whips around, his eyes filled with anger as I shrug. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just say that before?¡±

    He glides closer, his fishy lips twitching as he gets ready to go off on me again, so I tune him out, my eyes sliding closed as I reach out for the feel of the water within.

    My body grows calm, my wolf whining in satisfaction as I let my frustration win. My hands fall to my side, below the waterline, the current around my legs picking up in speed and pull as I lift my arms.

    Zale¡¯s eyes grow wide as he looks down at the water wrapping up his body in a tight swirl, encasing himpletely before he is lifted up in a swirling circle of treacherous waves. My body grows weaker with every passing second and he begins to slowly descends back down.

    s

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I hear my father¡¯s voice behind me. ¡°Open yourself up to the natural flow of the water, feel the way it ebbs and flows. It does the same through you¡­¡±

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    I try to catch what he says is <b>there</b><b>, </b>and though <b>I </b><b>can </b>sense <b>it</b><b>, </b><b>the </b>feeling <b>is </b><b>fleeting </b>and <b>I </b>drop Zale into the water, panting <b>as </b>I do so. My father¡¯s hand rests on my shoulder and I turn to look <b>at </b>him, his <b>eyes </b><b>still </b>tired and his cheeks <b>still </b>sunken from his exhaustion.

    ¡°You should be sleeping.¡± I tell him, and he chuckles.

    ¡°And miss my daughteric into her skills? Never.¡± He whispers

    ¡°You mean miss me and Zale bickering?<b>¡± </b><b>I </b>tease, and he furrows his brows.

    ¡°Zale is not the type to argue or bicker¡­¡± He says, looking at Zale, who floats with <b>his </b>arms crossed and dagger <b>eyes </b>pointed right at me.

    ¡°Yeah, well, maybe you should remind him of that. He seems to think I should be <b>dead </b><b>because </b>of what <b>I </b><b>am</b><b>,</b><b>¡± </b>I mutter<b>, </b>sticking my tongue out at the frowning fool who guffaws at my action.

    ¡°He said that to you?¡± Caspian asks, his eyes soft and his mouth set in a frown.

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± I mutter, biting the inside <b>of </b>my cheek, suddenly feeling like a traitor for telling on him.

    ¡°Zale.¡± Hemands, his voice rippling over the water like a tremor. Zale goes stiff, diving into the water before rushing to us. He skirts his eyes over me as he pops up.

    ¡°Yes, my king?¡± Zale <b>asks</b><b>, </b>whisking over.

    ¡°What did you say to my daughter?¡± He <b>asks</b>, arching his brow.

    ¡°I was trying to anger her to determine if her powers are more emotionally based.¡±

    ¡°What did you say to her?¡± He <b>asks</b>, his tone growing more angered. Zale looks anxious as his eyes dart around and he clears his throat.

    ¡°I said what you told me, not to mention.¡± He admits, looking out at the horizon.

    ¡°And what did you discover?¡± Caspian asks, sliding a curious look my way before looking back at my cousin.

    ¡°She is controlled by her emotions,¡± he says. My mouth falls open before I snap it shut, annoyed that they stooped to such tactics<b>.</b>

    ¡°You said that just to piss me off?¡± <b>I </b>ask Zale, who shrugs, looking apologetic. I cross my arms over my chest. Caspian chuckles and shakes his head.

    ¡°You are the only one <b>of </b>your kind, Colette.¡± He reminds me. ¡°Your skills will not be like ours. It¡¯s just not possible. But learning your abilities and limits will help you. Since you don¡¯t know ?ale, it seemed easier to let him press your buttons.¡±

    ¡°Good to know he isn¡¯t actually a jackass.¡± I mutter.

    ¡°No, I definitely am a jackass.¡± He grins.

    ¡°There <b>is </b>something I have been wondering, and now that I am well enough to at least swim, I want to test it out.¡± Caspian says, but his voice betrays him and I can tell he is worried.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Hook to the shore where Merikh sits on the beach, his eyes trained on me, watching closely with every move. Zale sends him a little wave, but Merikh doesn¡¯t move a muscle.

    ¡°Isee what you like about him,¡± Zale teases and I grin.

    ¡°Do I need Merikh for this?<b>¡± </b><b>I </b>ask Caspian. He tenses when my mother limps down the beach, taking a <b>seat </b>next to Merikh.

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    ¡°No,¡± He swallows looking away. <i>¡°</i>We need to go deeper for this

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    Then he drops below the surface and swims <i>away</i>. I sigh, annoyed that they assume I can just keep up and swim as fast <b>as </b>them. I kick and paddle my <i>way </i>out to them, Zale grinning at my form, which, admittedly, is terrible considering water is a new thing for me. Hell, truth be told, I used the water to keep me afloat.

    ¡°What now?¡± I ask.

    ¡°We sink,¡± Caspian says. My eyes bug out wide, and <b>I </b>gape, looking from him to Zale.

    ¡°Sink? Like under the water intentionally ask.

    What do they want me to do, sink and walk across the damn bottom of this ocean? What <b>if </b>I have to open <b>my </b>eyes and they sting because of the salt water? Or worse, what if I get too far from the surface and I can¡¯t breathe and I suddenly pass out?

    ¡°You will be fine. We just have to see how you react to being under the water, your abilities to breathe or swim without <b>your </b>skills. I will protect you if anything goes wrong. Trust me, Colette?¡± My father asks, and I exhale through my nose and nod.

    ¡°Yes¡±

    1 dive under, my eyes closed tight as the warmth surrounds me and instead of feeling suffocated, I feel freed.

    ¡°Open your eyes¡± I hear Zale¡¯s voice so clearly and I snap my eyes open, shocked to <i>see </i>him in front of me. My eyes sting for a moment as I blink and then my vision clears and it feels like I can see for miles.

    ¡°I want you to focus on transforming into a siren.¡± Caspian says. And I snort, my air bubbling out as I panic and suck in the water, my hands grip my neck. My throat stings, and I try to cry out more water entering my mouth, the taste of <b>sea </b>bombarding my tongue making me grimace as I race to the top.

    My head breaks through the water as I gasp and sputter for air, vomiting <b>as </b>the water rushes from me and I lean back, floating on my back as I pant, trying to catch my breath.

    I can¡¯t do it. Breathing under the water, speaking or even doing anything other than opening my eyes is not possible. Caspian pops up, his hands reaching out to provide me support as I shake my head.

    ¡°I can¡¯t there is no siren in me.¡± I rasp out, coughing. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­it¡¯s not there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay¡± He says, giving me an encouraging smile. ¡°One <b>day</b><b>, </b>we will figure out how to show you our kingdom. Just not today¡±

    ¡°So I can only move water?¡± I ask, feeling disappointed with myself.

    ¡°Only? Child, you can move water and shift into a wolf. You are skilled beyond anyone else in this world. You are magnificent, just the way you are.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to be better.¡± I whisper. ¡°I wanted to make you proud.

    ¡°How can you possibly be better?¡± He whispers softly. ¡°I am proud because you are my daughter. F¡¯d love you even if you

    couldn¡¯t move water¡±

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 Chapter 102

    ?Chapter 102

    *Merikh*

    ¡°How is she looking?¡± Melody asks me. My heart is in my throat watching her swim, afraid she will love this world better than the one she lives in with me.

    Could I handle it if she told me she longs for the sea? Would I regret everything if I let her do what she needs, even if it means leaving me behind? I shake my head at these thoughts, clearing my throat.

    ¡°Like she feels at home,¡± I say with a sigh, lifting my hands from the sand and wiping them together to clean the particles off.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Melody says in a sort of musical tone, like she understands something I haven¡¯t even said. I look at her, arching a brow in question, and she chuckles, shaking her head back and forth.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I know that look, the thoughts in your head.¡± She gives me a knowing half smile.

    ¡°I am sure you do,¡± I mutter, realizing she had it worse than I do.

    She had a fully fledged siren king. One who couldn¡¯t choose her even if he wanted to. Without the water, he would die. Colette, however, only needs to be near water, in it asionally and she is healthy. But that doesn¡¯t mean she feels her best with her situation at home.

    ¡°Every single day was agony, every week another week my heart felt both full with Colette yet my life still somehow felt empty without him there. She was so young, and for a while she kept me busy. When Caspian woulde back¨C¡± She pauses, her voice cracking. ¡°It was heaven on earth. Nothing could touch us, ruin us.¡±

    ¡°Until reality came for you.¡± I say with a knowing frown.

    She shakes her head and wipes a rogue tear from her cheek.

    ¡°It came for my daughter. My heart outside of my body and they took her and Caspian failed me. He promised¡­¡± She stops, her eyes closing as she sniffles andughs to cover her sadness. The shudder in her body as she tries to inhale deeply doesn¡¯t escape me. It is obvious she is in pain, and not just physically.

    "The problem with a promise is that no one tells circumstances they have to bend to our will to make them happen." I say, looking back out at my perfect mate as she dives beneath the water, disappearing from my view, my lycan growing uneasy every time she is gone from sight.

    "Life has a way of doing what it wants, regardless of our own desires, that''s for sure." she gives me a gentle smile, her eyes meeting the Siren who remains above the surface, his eyes trained toward the shore and I feel her shiver as she drags her arms over her chest, hugging herself close and looking away.

    "You two haven''t spoken yet?" I ask, and sheys her head on her arms, looking at me.

    "Colette is not meant for the sea." She whispers, her voice full of sadness as she ignores my question, which is the answer itself.

    "How can you know that?" I ask her and she sighs.

    "Because she GETS a choice. If Caspian could have chosen me, he would have. His love pure, and so gentle. She gets that from him. The ability to love beyond the mistakes that would make someone else run."

    I feel a pang in my chest and my hand flies to my chest and I am flooded with excitement and the thrill Colette is feeling flowing in through the mate bond as she shares it all. I smile to myself, closing my eyes as I ept everyst moment of her happiness. Perhaps Melody is right.

    "I don''t know how to protect her heart." I whisper, the moment passing as Colette''s surfaces with Zale at her side.

    "Let''s start with protecting her in general first. The other bits you will learn along the way." She says.

    "And what do you suggest to do that?" I ask her.

    "I would start with speaking with Calvin," she says, standing and dusting her legs of the sand that clings to her. "He is ready to speak about anything you wish."

    "He is a dragon," I frown at her. "How can I trust him?"

    "Calvin is the reason she is alive." She says and I blink at her, annoyed that she has mentioned this before and yet, I still have no details or proof that he has done such a thing.

    "Where is he?" I ask, finally giving in, realizing if I want answers, I need to go directly to the source.

    "In the cabin." She says, "Walk with me?"

    I look out at the water once more and Melody reaches out, touching my shoulder.

    "If she is safe anywhere from the dragons, it''s with Caspian and in that water."

    I know she is right, but it doesn''t make me feel all that much better about it. In my head, she is only safe when I have eyes on her. It''s not a very logical thought, and definitely more of an egotistical one.

    The lycan in me is convinced we are the only protection she needs. But maybe that is part of the problem. I haven''t had the chance to think clearly since she has been back. Now is the time for me to do just that

    "Fine," I grumble, standing.

    "On the way, maybe you can exin to me why you bartered for my daughter instead of my niece?" She says, but I know she is joking with me based on the smile in her eyes.

    "Your niece is a terrible person." I tell her and she shrugs.

    "Probably. I''m learning that maybe my brother wasn''t so great either."

    "To his credit, he tried to refuse me when I demanded Colette. Not very adamantly, mind you, but I think for a moment he thought of protecting her for you." I tell her and she looks away mournfully.

    "Knowing him, he was probably worried she would try to im his title." She sighs heavily.

    We walk and talk for a few minute walk to the cabin; me regaling her with why I chose her daughter and when I realized she was mine. It''s not a story that makes me look like a good guy. But Melody has seen where my heart and loyalty lie in person.

    "And she forgave you?" she asks as we push the door open.

    "Yes. To my surprise, she was so willing to work through everything. Colette doesn''t run from problems. She has the tendency to face them head on." Melody grins widely. "She gets that from me."

    "You should be resting." Calvin says from inside the cabin, his voice firm.

    "I went for a three-minute walk and sat on the beach." She says, frowning. "It has been ten years since I have felt the sun on my face. I needed it."

    He frowns as he hobbles to the stove, pulling off a kettle and mumbling to himself as he drags herbs around and adds them to mugs like he is following a recipe from memory.

    "Sit. Drink this tea," he says, pushing a mug to her. "And you drink this one."

    I give him a curious nce and he freezes, leveling me with his eyes.

    "You have questions and I intend to answer them, but only if you drink your tea."

    "Fine." I grumble. Walking over and taking the mug. I make my way to the kitchen table, frowning at the high back oak chair I know will only make my back sear in pain. Then I spin and look at the soft cushion of the armchair. I move there instead, easing myself down with a groan.

    Calvin hobbles in, taking a seat on the couch as he clears his throat, looking at me expectantly.

    "Why do you feel familiar?" I ask him and he clears his throat, moving ufortably as his eyes flick over Melody, who watches curiously from her own perch at the kitchen table.

    "I have seen you a few times before," he says. "When I met Giselle, I could sense she was different. She was, well is, a fraud. One that came zing into our kingdom screaming for the death of a child."

    "So what? You went and told everyone you could?"

    "No. I went to the only king that could protect her. Species don''t matter to a healer. I am bound by the healing powers to heal anyone who needs it. To protect the sanctity of life. She was a werewolf child, therefore, she was under werewolf protection. I thought I''d made a mistake at first."

    "What do you mean?" I ask, trying to follow his words.

    "Your father was there at the hunting party for Colette. He went to ensure she was safe, and that she was hidden. Giselle promised your father she would help him get on the council if he lure the child to him. He chose Colette, and I covered his tracks so she wouldn''t kill him. I wasbeled a traitor to my kind."

    I shake my head, scoffing as I sit back roughly and instantly regret it. This is more information than I know how to handle. I had always respected and loved my father, He was wonderful and knowledgeable and to know it from another species... it feels like validation and I feel a tear try to break free.

    "So, how do we kill the bitch?" I ask him, sniffling, and he frowns, his face going pale.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "I can not be a part of killing her," he says, "But she fears Colette. Water quells fire."

    "So we need to drown her?" Melody asks, sitting up straight.

    "It won''t be that simple." I murmur in thought.

    But perhaps Melody is on to something. Phoenix''s burn hot. Their fire is pure white as it eventually will burn her from within, allowing her to reincarnate through her ashes, eventually. But for a spark to happen, there must be heat. What if that spark never gets the chance to strike again?

 Chapter 103

    <b>Chapter </b><b>103</b>

    <b>It¡¯s </b>been days now, and with every a stronger, more confident Colette. sunrisee She wakes before the sun, barely eats y with the water. Not that

    and then she is off to I am bitter.

    I get to hold her as she snores all night long, watching her perfect face, measuring every single breath, and adding it to my list of favorite things she does. But, I am lonely. It¡¯s different to miss someone when they are gone. I missed her so much it caused physical pain when she was gone.

    This is a stranger version of that. It¡¯s watching her grow and loving every minute but longing for that reunion we missed out on. In books or a movie, the heron rescues the woman and they embrace, and then they get their happily ever after<b>.</b>

    She has been both rescued and the rescuer and yet, our happily ever after is still yet toe. I want to memorize every part of her, erase the horrors she experienced with mind numbing pleasure.

    But most importantly, I want a real fucking life with her. Colette deserves <b>a </b>life of simple pleasures. A walk to the beach, swimming with our children,ughing as I do something incredibly stupid as we know I <b>will</b>.

    There is a knock at my door and I sigh, pushing away from the small weathered table in our little room. It is no surprise to see Melody on the other side, looking more healed than she has been, though she still seems sickly. Not that it should surprise me with her mate still maintaining a literal ocean between them.

    ¡°Have you spoken with her yet about your idea?¡± She asks, wringing her hands. I sigh and give her an annoyed frown before pushing past her into the hallway.

    ¡°No, Melody, I have not.¡± I tell her, padding down the hall toward the kitchen. My inability to sleep for fear of waking up to Colette not being there is taking a toll on me.

    ¡°Is that because you are afraid she will do something stupid?¡± She asks, chasing me down. For the past three days since telling her and Calvin my thought process on how to take down Giselle, she has been trying to convince me I should keep it from Colette.

    ¡°I don¡¯t keep things from Colette.¡± I remind her, and she races around the counter, blocking the coffee pot from me.

    ¡°And yet

    it¡¯s been days and you haven¡¯t told her yet.¡± She says as if she has caught me in some terrible scheme. I sco and roll my eyes.

    ¡°Melody, you are standing between me and the only shred of sanity I haye. Move out of

    M

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    Chapter 103

    the

    <b>way</b>

    and then we can talk.¡± I growl.

    <b>53</b><b>%</b>

    <b>+5</b>

    Her <b>eyes </b>grow wide and she clears her throat, brushing her hands over her shirt as she obvious she is embarrassed <i>at </i>how she is reacting, but truth

    grows red in the face. It is

    be told, I understand it.

    She only just got her daughter back after ten years. Melody isn¡¯t aware of how strong and wonderful her daughter is. But I am, which is why <i>wh</i>

    or rather, less exhausted from training, I will tell her what¡¯s

    Colette is awake enough,

    on mind.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    my

    She walks away, taking a seat at the table that overlooks the very waves our mates are

    distance, her mind either lost or maybe it shuts off from time to time. Perhaps a learned trait from years of pain and torture.

    hidden beneath. Melody does this a lot, staring off into <i>the </i>e

    After pouring my cup of coffee, I groan to myself and take my mug to the table. I take a

    are lucky, we may be seat across from her, moving it to face the window as well. If w able to catch a glimpse of them.

    But ever since Colette learned she can hold her breath for an extended period of time

    and that in wolf form she can breathe underwater. We are lucky if we !

    minutes every couple of hours.

    <b>see </b>them for <i>a </i>few

    ¡°He still hasn¡¯te to see you?¡± I ask, looking down at my steaming cup. She lets out a sad, dryugh that is meant to mask her pain, the tears she would much rather shed.

    ¡°Why would hee see me?¡± Melody whispers, clearing her throat as she moves around in the chair.

    ¡°You are mates,¡± I say, sliding a curious look at her. She picks at the fabric of her fluffy pajama pants and shakes her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what we are,¡± she whispers into the air. ¡°Parents, estranged lovers<b>, </b>broken¡­anything but mates, I guess.¡±

    Her voice breaks and she sniffles as she looks away and yet again clears her throat. I reflect on her statement, weighing each word before realizing Colette and I have been two of those three things and yet, here we are stronger for it.

    ¡°You can be all of those things and still be mates who love and care for each other.¡± I tell her. ¡°One day Colette and I will be parents, I hope. But we have been estranged lovers, and we were broken long before we met.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, I am certain Caspian holds me for me in his heart over losing Colette. That kind of broken doesn¡¯t fix easily.¡±

    Chapter 103

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    Her voice is filled with regret and guilt. As if she feels the pain of it all so freshly even though Colette is safe and alive. Even though sheid her life down for her daughters. <b>I </b>furrow my brows and ce my mug down, turning in my chair to face her as I ce my elbows on the table.

    ¡°You me him.¡± I whisper, the emotions finally making sense as she sighs and ces her hand over her heart. And nods as a soft sob breaks from her quivering lips.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to and I know I shouldn¡¯t. It¡¯s not fair to me him, but I can¡¯t help it. If he had been here. If he had been avable and present for us more than an asional week or weekend, he could afford to get away¡­maybe she¡­maybe I wouldn¡¯t have missed her whole life.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t miss her whole life,¡± I say, frowning, and she lets out a bereaved chuckle as she wipes her eyes.

    ¡°As a parent, you learn there are different stages in your children¡¯s life. I missed the innocence, the easy and wonderful love of a child who dotes on their parents who can do no wrong. All she gets now is an empty, damaged version who will never be the same loving mom she deserves. Colette should have left me to rot in that hellhole. I mean, shit, she doesn¡¯t even remember the past.¡±

    ¡°Are you done yet?¡± I ask, arching a brow. She snaps her attention to me fully, a look of confusion as she opens her mouth to say something back, but she can¡¯t form the words

    ¡°Thest thing you need is to sit here and think that what they did broke

    ¡°You have no idea what they did to me. For ten fucking years-

    <b>99</b>

    ¡°You are right, I don¡¯t.¡± I admit. ¡°But does that change how much you daughter?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡± She snaps.

    ¡°Then you

    nods.

    love your

    can¡¯t be that broken.¡± I say, giving her ¨¤ pointed look. She stares at me, then

    ¡°Maybe, maybe not.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps what you need to make yourself feel better is a little swim.¡± I shrug. ¡°Maybe pretend to get a kink in your leg or a stitch in your side. Rumor has it there is a siren king in the water with a heroplex.¡±

    ¡°What I need is <i>to </i>talk to him.¡± She says. ¡°Not look like an idiot in front of him.¡±

    I lift my mug to my mouth, chugging the now lukewarm liquid before cing it down

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    on the table and standing.

    ¡°Sometimes you need to be an idiot to initiate conversation.¡± I grin at her and she thinks for a minute before she stands, a small smile tugging on her scarred face.

    ¡°Hell, I¡¯ll go be an idiot with you. Maybe a princess will save me and we can force them to eat lunch with us.¡± I add, which makes her smile. She lets out a realugh, one so simr to her daughter that it is almost startling.

    ¡°Are you going to let Colette swim you to shore?¡± she teases.

    ¡°I will be a damsel in distress for her any day. Hell, I¡¯m an idiot for her everyday already.¡±

    We rush toward the door, hell bent on making our way to the shoreline, when I notice someone sauntering toward us. I step closer and Melody moves behind me, her fingers digging into my bicep as I feel the way her body shakes in fear.

    ¡°Fancy seeing you here,¡± the woman says. Her near ck hair shines in the sunlight and her pale skin makes her look dead. But I recognize those evil eyes, ones I used to stare into and think I was blessed.

    ¡°Lauren,¡± I say, hiding my shock. How the hell is she not only actually alive, but walking in broad daylight if she is a vampire hybrid? And why the fuck is she here?

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    <b>Chapter </b><b>104</b>

    ¡°Hey baby,¡± Lauren says with a sly, seductive grin.

    14<b>%</b>

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I ask her, and she stops, sighing heavily as she ces her hand on her <b>waist</b>.

    ¡°What? No, I¡¯ve missed you. How was death?¡± She asks in a snarky tone.

    I lick my lips in annoyance, looking over my shoulder at Melody, who <b>is </b>clearly confused.

    +5

    ¡°If you are a vampire, then you are still dead.¡± I remind her and she makes <b>a </b>face while nodding her head.

    ¡°Well, only partially a vampire.¡± She corrects me.

    ¡°Leave.¡± I grit out.

    ¡°Or what? You will kill me again? Sorry sweetheart, you don¡¯t scare me anymore.¡± She shrugs. ¡°I am here for Giselle<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>

    ¡°Giselle is not here,¡± <b>I </b>scoff, and she chuckles, herughter dark andcking humor.

    ¡°I am here on her behalf,¡±

    I look to the water, making sure my emotions are masked from Colette in order to keep her away and safe.

    <b>¡°</b><b>Is </b>she out there? Your water mate?¡± Lauren asks, following my eyes<b>.</b>

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your damn business,¡± Melody scowls and Lauren rolls her eyes.

    ¡°Shut up, you oversized punching bag!¡± she clips out. ¡°The royals are discussing things<b>.¡±</b>

    I snort augh and shake

    my

    head.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t a royal.¡±

    ¡°I was a Luna, and I am mated to Johannes,¡± she retorts.

    ¡°You were a Luna, and you WERE mated to Johannes. Now you are an unwanted piece of trash, tossed around from man to man.¡±

    Her nose twitches as her lip curls, and she snarls at me. Her once brown eyes grow blood red and her fangse out as her face grows hairy, as if her lycan is trying to surface. She grows a foot

    muscles taller and her arms morph into darker muscles before she takes a step toward me.

    If she is trying to use an intimidation factor, it is sorely misced. I have fought many beasts, more recently a fucking dragon. A hairy vampire doesn¡¯t inspire fear in me. Only the strong urge to end her sorry existence of a life.

    ¡°The war will end before it kicks off if you allow me to take Colette.¡± She says, her voice deep and

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    Chapter 104

    threatening.

    ¡°Over my dead, fucking body.¡± I growl.

    0+<b>14</b><b>%</b>8

    <b>+5)</b>

    My lycan springs forward, taking over my body as I growrger, my muscles exploding from my skin and my snout growing from my face. ws extend from my fingertips, razor sharp and ready to shred the bitch in front of me.

    There is no way in hell this freak of nature will take my make from me. She has already taken <b>so </b>much from me. First my parents, then my attempt at revenge, and now she demands what I swear to protect. No, this vampire hybrid is about to be a dead one.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Melody says, stumbling back before falling on her <b>ass</b>.

    Lauren looks at her and grins. ¡°Best to run along before I kill this sorry sap. Don¡¯t worry. I promise to find you.¡±

    I lift my arm, pointing to the water, trying to convey the message to get her ass where Lauren will likely not go. Then, without a warning, I lurch forward and sh at Lauren.

    She is slow to move, my ws slipping through her soft abdomen like a heated knife through butter. Lauren hisses as she takes a step back, her legs bending and her fangs on full disy.

    ¡°You need some humbling.¡± She growls as she circles me, looking for the best vantage point.

    She won¡¯t find one. There is no good way to attack me where I won¡¯t be prepared. My back, though exposed, would be expected, anding at me from the sides or front would make her an easier target. Lauren doesn¡¯t y fair, she never has.

    Which means she will no doubt make a move for my back. So when she leaves my line of sight for a millisecond, I drop to my knees and spin, driving my ws up as she leaps at me. I catch her under the chin, my fingers tearing through her neck as I lift her while I stand.

    She writhes in pain, her hands gripping my wrist as she lifts herself from my impaling fingers and throws herself back away from me. Blood pours down her neck, dripping onto her ck low cut top. Lauren scowls at me before she touches her neck and shakes her head.

    ¡°You ruined my new shirt.¡± She hisses.

    I blink at her, unable to carry on a conversation in my full lycan form as I just choose to re. If I could speak, I would tell her she is a worse fighter now, then she was when she was my mate.. Lauren never bothered to learn to carry her weight as a pack member or a Luna. So it is no surprise to me that I have injured her so many times.

    What is worrying me is how easily she bounces back from every injury. A move like the two I have already done would have killed a normal lycan or wolf. But she isn¡¯t a normal anything, and it would serve me well to know that. What I have to do, since she is likely unkible, is pull her into pieces and keep them apart long enough for the blood she steals to dry up in her being.

    She rushes toward me, dropping her head as she sprints through the sand. I catch her <b>as </b>she jumps

    Mon, Aug 5

    Chapter 104

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    up and tries to grab hold of my head. My hands drive through her stomach and out her back as she slides down onto my forearm from the force of her own weight. I throw my head into her face, cracking my hard forehead into her nose as she screeches.

    Her face snaps back, but with an unnatural speed, she whips it back and leans <i>to </i>the side, burying her teeth into my neck. I grunt, trying to force her off <b>as </b>she sinks her nails into my back, anchoring her to where she is. Her body vibrates as she sucks hard on my throat.

    It feels as if threads of string are in my veins and she is actively drawing them out as my neck grows numb, the sick tingling feeling spreading through my skin like a spider cing their venom in my bloodstream. I know I am in trouble, the way my strike seems to do nothing, even as my arm is through her cursed body.

    My lycan panics for the first time as I intentionally fall to my back. Her body bounces up with the jolt and I slip my legs under her waist. I kick with every fiber of strength I can muster, and she flies from me with a shrill screech.

    Laurennds on her feet, her eyes filled with crazy anger and delight as she stalks toward me as my lycan retreats, trying to help force this poison from my veins faster. Someone grabs me, and I kick my legs to go with them, not knowing who is helping as they take me to the water.

    ¡°Kick!¡± Melody screams at me as she groans, dragging me deeper. She loops her arms under my shoulders, keeping my numb upper body afloat as I use my strength to propel us deeper. Lauren lets out an unhappy roar, pacing along the side of the shore, blood pouring from her side and drenching her.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± I groan, my waist and ass growing tingly as the fucking numbing effect continues to spread. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be able to move soon.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, you wanted to be a fucking damsel in distress<b>.</b>¡± She grumbles, her voice garbling as she sputters and spits water out.

    ¡°How the fuck am I supposed to kill that bitch?¡± I ask, my voice trembling as my lips and tongue feel strange as well. Fuck, how the hell am I supposed to breathe if this keeps spreading?

    ¡°You need to open the mate bond up. Colette needs to feel you need her.¡± Melody whispers.

    It doesn¡¯t matter how honest I felt I was about Colette being my hero anytime she wants. Actually, having to be saved by her twice when I am the best fighter and known for my skills still seems to sting my ego. But perhaps my ego has always been the problem.

    I let the barrier melt away and in a second I feel her fear. A massive ssh erupts from the water and a transparent wolf emerges, waves ebbing through it as if it is entirely made up of the sea. pride flutters through me. She did it. She figured out her abilities.

    It moves toward me and the water falls away, revealing my Colette in her human form, her eyes filled with horror as she reaches out and takes me in her arms.

    ¡°Oh shit, shit¡­what the hell happened?¡± She asks, her voice cracking.

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    ¡°Don¡¯t get jealous,¡± I tease, my eyes growing heavy as she holds me, our bond rippling through my body and giving my lycan strength to push the healing faster. ¡°But my ex is here. She wants to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Lauren did this?¡± She whispers.

    ¡°Yes, I dragged him in here but she¡­she bit him¡± she whispers. ¡°Does that mean he will be a vampire, too?¡±

    ¡°I¨Ci don¡¯t know.¡± Colette says, fear in her voice.

    ¡°Oh hey, maybe I can be a hybrid too,¡± I slur out in a sad attempt at a joke and she presses her lips to my ear as she holds me afloat.

    ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± she breathes and I hum, just happy to be near her. Maybe this whole damsel in distress thing isn¡¯t so bad after all.

    SEND <b>GIFT</b>

 Chapter 105

    <b>Chapter </b><b>105</b>

    *Colette*

    ¡°We need to get him to Calvin.¡± My mom says, trying hard to remain treading water. ¡°But that vampire won¡¯t leave the shore.¡±

    14%

    I scowl at the bitch who started it all. The one, who broke my mate and made our rtionship so hard. The one that we were told was lurking but decided to not pay her any mind. I hear a ssh behind us but I can¡¯t avert my eyes from the blood covered vampire waiting for us.

    ¡°Melody, why are you out here?¡± Caspian asks.

    <i>anding </i>in broad daylight

    ¡°They were attacked,¡± I tell him, sparing him a quick nce. He immediately grabs hold of my mom and looks her over in a panic.

    ¡°Are you injured?¡± he asks and I watch her as she squirms, pushing him away.

    ¡°Would it matter to you if I were?¡± She snaps.

    cling to Merikh, my heart pumping with fear as I look at the vampire bite directly over my mate mark and my lips twitch in anger. This is all her trying to get under my skin. I don¡¯t know what her ulterior motive is, but there is no doubt she is enjoying causing pain.

    ¡°Are you going to just stay out there?¡± She hollers out, her voice annoyingly chipper as she walks along the water¡¯s edge, kicking her feet through the waves that rush over the sand.

    ¡°You could alwayse to us,¡± I shout back and she cackles with a huge, eerie grin on her bloodied face.

    ¡°And ruin this hair? No, thank you. But since you have to eventually get him to someone, I can just wait here for you. I don¡¯t mind.¡± She sends us a fake innocent smile.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t,¡± I mutter in annoyance to myself. Then I spin, doing a backstroke with Merikh resting on my chest as I propel myself to the shallow end. I can feel the presence of my parents and Zale as I stand waist deep, scowling ahead.

    ¡°Why are you here? To torture the people I care about?¡± I ask her, and she smirks.

    ¡°What if I told you I was looking for a king?¡± she shrugs.

    I snort and roll my eyes. The only thing this bitch can find with her eyes closed is trouble. There is no doubt in my mind about who she came here for, and it wasn¡¯t Merikh.

    ¡°You are looking for the wrong one then,¡± I say, ying into her game. ¡°This one is taken and I am very obsessive.¡±

    She grins, her eyes squinting as she forces the corners of her lips into a creepy smile.

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    Chapter 105

    45

    ¡°I think I could take you.¡± She giggles. ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t look like much. Why Giselle has any fear of you will never make sense to me.¡±

    Well, at least Giselle is afraid of me. That has to be a good start, or at least <b>a </b>start in general. We will take her down, and hopefully Teiran will be able to talk sense into his father after she is gone. A war means death and hatred. What I want is a life ofughter and smile? That won¡¯t happen if this war. that has barely started continues on.

    But in order to get to Giselle, I need to eliminate her girl group of power hungry dickless assholes. Which means I will do what Merikh couldn¡¯t. Not that he is incapable, but nothing pisses a mate off more than holding their bleeding love.

    ¡°Get him to Calvin now.¡± I tell my mom and Caspian, then I look at Zale, who has remained speechless through all of this. ¡°You wanted to see what I was capable of? Allow me <i>to </i>show you.¡±

    I stalk toward Lauren as she paces in anticipation. Death <b>is </b>in her eyes, not only hers but what she hopes to give to me, but I don¡¯t find it intimidating. My hands fall to my side, my palms facing toward Lauren as I rise out of the water with each step until only my feet remain. Lauren doesn¡¯t take any chances as she jumps at me with a loud growl.

    I growl as I shift into my wolf, keeping my feet grounded in the water. My body grows cool, my blood reced with the salty water of the ocean. A garbled roar of tears from my water made wolf¡¯s jaw and she flies through me.

    Lauren sshes into the water, jumping up as she can with a hiss and shaking her body out as if her lycan is trying to clean itself of the moisture.

    ¡°Oh, not fair.¡± She scoffs, her head tilting to the side before she shifts as well. Her lycan only partially shows up and in a distorted way.

    I look into her eyes, noticing the way the color is off. Neither are they ck like a true lycan or red like a hungry vampire. They are a mixture of shades of green, like a gross mold growing on cheese that¡¯s set on the counter for days in humid weather.

    Lauren may think she is an invincible hybrid, but she is rotting from the inside out. She was not created naturally and there for her, her blood isn¡¯t pure, not like mine.

    She tries again to reach out and get ahold of me but I float to the side in my water form. Lauren growls in annoyance, unsure of how to fight me,

    ¡°y fair!¡± She roars, throwing a fit like a toddler, and I grin at her.

    How amusing she thinks this isn¡¯t fair, yet she thought it would be fair to attack Merikh, knowing her strength is more than is? I don¡¯t give a fuck about fair anymore. This isn¡¯t a fight for fun in some league. This <b>is </b>life or death, and this will be her second time dying.

    I notice movement behind her, and I see Calvin hobbling closer. She turns her head to look and see what

    my attention is on, so I rush to the side, stirring up the sand into the water I am made of, and I block her view. She hisses at me, reaching out and shing through me, cutting the sand away.

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    My body drains, the use of this kind of ability weighing heavy on my sources and strength. I shift back into my human form, dropping to my knees with a gasp.

    my wolf¡¯s

    +5

    Heat shoots over my head, taking me by surprise as I look around and see Calvin<b>, </b>his big belly. glowing with heat as he forces a me through <b>his </b>lips, blue and incredibly hot. Lauren shrieks and

    falls to her knees.

    He stops, tossing me a vial and pointing to Lauren with a quivering hand like he can¡¯t believe what

    he has done.

    ¡°Pour it d¨Cdown her throat,¡± he insists.

    I don¡¯t waste a second, standing and running to the charred face of Lauren who breathes heavily, her skin falling off as it¡¯s reced with new unmarked flesh. My hands swirl with water as I touch her chin, yanking it down, the mere heat of her bones trying to sear my hand through the water that cools it.

    I pull the vial open with my mouth, spitting the cork out, then I lift it to her mouth and pour it down her throat. She convulses and sputters, trying to spit it out as she cries in agony. <b>I </b>stumble back in shock,nding on my ass in the water. The salinity helps to revitalize me at a much faster

    rate.

    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± I ask Calvin as he rushes toward Merikh, motioning for Caspian to drag him over.

    ¡°Wolfsbane.¡± He says.

    I wince, knowing all too well how much that shit hurts a wolf and lycan. My brows knit together, confused as I try to understand why, of all things, this seems to have the most effect. I know she is a hybrid, but I would have thought she was more of one than the other.

    ¡°Why?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Kill her lycan, and she is no longer a hybrid, just a regr vampire who serves no purpose to anyone.¡±

    I bite my lip, hoping this works, begging to the heavens that this hybrid bitch was much easier to eliminate than we could have ever hoped for. She cries, hugging her body and whimpering just as the smoke rises. Her skin burns, turning ashy in the sun as she crawls to a small shadow, hoping to find whatever shade she can.

    ¡°HELP ME!¡± she cries out in desperation. Digging into the sand and under arge boulder. She burrows in, but the sun will eventually hit the spot by sunset.

    ¡°You should have stayed dead.¡± I hiss, sauntering toward her.

    Lauren¡¯s eyes pour bloody tears as she searches the tree line too far for her. I don¡¯t have time to question who she is looking for as I leave her and sprint to Merikh, helping him to the sand. It¡¯s not until I hear Lauren whimpering a name that I realize I need to listen. I move closer, remaining in a rtively close area to Merikh, who is groaning in pain.

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    ¡°Please¡­.please help me. Giselle, Lily¡­. anyone! Ezrah, please¡­I know you are here, you brought

    me¡­¡±

    I freeze, my body going ck as <b>I </b>search the edge of the trees further up the beach. Perhaps Ezrah is ying for both teams or maybe he is truly bad guy. All I know is I need to order some mail and get some fucking information from this guy everyone swor

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106

    Ezrah brought her here? I wonder as I whirl around, searching the trees and shoreline for the messenger who is always everywhere, always in everyone''s business.

    Caspian stands with Zale, the two of them carrying my enormous lycan mate up onto a less sandy part of the beach. Ezrah will have to wait. Right now, I need to be sure Merikh will be okay.

    I rush toward them, sliding a nce back at Lauren as she tries to creep out, only to hiss and cry harder. Serves the evil vampire right for everything she has done and continues to do.

    Strange how easy it was to defeat her when everything is all said and done, though. I sort of expected more, certainly something more than the sobbing mess cowering under a rock.

    "How is he?" I call out, Calvin humming as he moves efficiently from wound to wound, seemingly more interested in one from the next.

    My nails find themselves trapped between the nervous pressure of my teeth as I nibble on them, my anxious nerves only growing bigger with every passing bout of silence.

    "Calvin," I growl out. He snaps his surprised eyes up to me, blinking as if he hadn''t even noticed I arrived.

    "I am assessing him," He says back, but his eyes are telling me more than his lips.

    Vampire bites are meant to kill. That''s the whole point of them. To feed or to create a new vampire toy. But what happens to a lycan king who is bitten? Not fed upon and not intended to create? Does he live? Does he suffer?

    These are the questions guing my mind that no one seems able to answer right now, right when I need them. My mom moves close to me, entwining my hand in hers as she tugs me close, and I rest my head on her shoulder. It is incredibly strange how quickly the mother-daughter bond came back.

    Though I sort of attribute that to the fact that all this time in the water has helped me remember a lot from my past. Not everything, but enough of my life with her and even Caspian before I was hunted.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Also, trauma bonding is a real thing, and that definitely happened with mom on more than one asion, so there is that.

    "He will be okay," she assures me with a gentle smile.

    "We do not know that," Zale says bluntly and I re at him as he frowns and shrugs.

    "I am only speaking the truth."

    "Yeah well maybe don''t?" My mom snaps at him.

    Caspianes up to my other side, sighing heavily as he avoids looking at my mother.

    ¡°He should have known better than to attempt to fight her." Caspian murmurs and my mom scoffs, shaking her head.

    "Dad has a point," I tell her.

    She chooses not to respond, only maintaining a forward-looking gaze as if she is biting her tongue. It is clear that she has much to say, but either refuses to in front of dad or she doesn''t want me to know. Either are not eptable reasons.

    "I want you to exin everything all over again." I say, turning to face her.

    ¡°Lauren showed up." She sighs. "She said she was sent for¡ª¡±

    "Gah!" Merikh screams and shoves Calvin away.

    Calvin grunts as he tumbles backward onto his ass. He scrambles to stand, reaching out to grab Merikh who tries to stand, only to sway on his feet. I am next to him in a second, my hands gripping his fevered body as I look at Calvin expectantly.

    "Lauren..." Merikh slurs the word, his eyes unfocused as he tries to scan the area, pulling me as close as he can to his body.

    "We know," I whisper, reaching up to hold his face still so he can focus on me. ¡°I know, it''s okay."

    The look on his face breaks me as his frantic fear drips away to a look of sheer pain. I see the flecks of green in his iris'' not his normal shade of emerald but the same distorted rotten green that lived in Lauren''s eyes. The rot, the kind that will eat away at him, making him someone unrecognizable.

    "Calvin," I whisper, my voice breaking as I say his name and he bumbles over to me. "What do you need to do to save him?"

    "Nothing to do but wait and see who wins this," He says, sounding forlorn.

    "I refuse to wait and see." I growl at him, unable to control the rage brewing in my chest. "What can I do?" I hiss.

    "I-i-l don''t know." He says, looking distraught. "I am sorry Luna, but I just...this is out of my realm of healing."

    I fight back the tears, giving Merikh a

    n

    fake smile as look up into his eyes. It is like he is drunk, unable to focus and remain steady as he grins a brilliantly handsome smile. The fool thinks he is going to flirt with me. In this state?

    "Hey Merikh," I say, struggling to keep the quiver from my voice. "I am going to have you sit here for just a minute, okay?"

    "Where are you going?" he asks, growing clingy and nervous. I press pull his head down to meet mine and nuzzle my nose against his, taking a deep inhale of his scent.

    "I just need to talk to my dad for a minute." I whisper, and he groans in annoyance.

    "You are always speaking time with him and not me," he pouts. "I miss my little luna."

    I grin to myself, "And I miss you, too. I promise it will only be a little bit."

    "Fine," he groans, rolling his eyes.

    I ease him to the ground and rush over to my parents, dragging them aside and looking them in the eyes.

    "Tell me there is something water can do to heal him, or maybe cleanse his blood?" I ask, cing both hands on my head as the air grows thin, making it harder to breathe.

    The panic attack ising, the one where I be a sobbing mess and am of no use to anyone. Merikh is the stable one, the one who holds me when I break down or just break in general.

    ¡°That''s not how a vampire bite works, sweetheart." Caspian says with a frown.

    "Could it hurt to try?" my mom asks and he frowns.

    "Colette is not strong enough to even attempt something like that."

    She scoffs and rolls her eyes.

    "I wasn''t referring to her. I am referring to you Caspian."

    He arches a brow and crosses his arms over his chest.

    "Oh, so we are on speaking terms again?" he asks, and she narrows her eyes.

    "This is my Alpha, my daughter''s mate. I will speak to who I need to and ask for favors when I choose for their sake," she snaps out, and he stares at her, stone faced and unmoving.

    "I may be of service." Ezrah says sauntering over to us, his hands in his pockets as he looks like he glides across the sand.

    "I want nothing from you but exnations.¡± I hiss my lycan,ing forward and making my words morph into amand rather than a basic statement.

    "And what should I exin?" He asks, looking confused.

    "I am a messenger. I delivered the message via way of the person I was told to bring." He protests.

    "You brought a fucking fox into a henhouse, Ezrah. Either you are working for them or you are a coward and I can''t decide which one you are yet." I scream at him.

    "Go the fuck away." I growl and he exhales.

    "He can help him." Caspian says gently.

    "Bullshit." I grit out.

    "You either let me try or you wait for him to die. You don''t have to trust my motives, but trust I will help him." Ezrah says, and I groan in anger. "Fine." I mutter, clinging to Merikh''s hand. "Hurry up."

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107

    I pace the old wooden porch of the small cabin we have been staying in. Well, where I have been sleeping and Mom, Merikh and Calvin have been living. Guilt runs rampant in my mind, tearing apart a decision I have made in thest near week.

    Should I havee? Should I have allowed Merikh to even stay with me, or would it have been wise to send him with our pack, insist he be where he should be?This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    "Stop doing that," Caspian says, sighing heavily as he pushes himself up from the swing hanging from the old rickety ceiling.

    "I can''t sit still," I say, shooting daggers from my eyes in his direction. A frown tugs at his lips as he shakes his head.

    "That is not what I mean, Letty." He says, his gentle father''s voice turning on. "You can not change what happened by standing here and thinking about how you could have done something differently."

    "What would you prefer I think about? A life without him? Preparing for a world where he does not exist-" I pause, my voice cracking as my eyes water. Then I clear my throat and roll my shoulders. "You are right. I can''t change what has happened in the past. But staying out here, waiting and doing nothing doesn''t help anything either."

    "You should be training." He says, simply. My eyes snap to his, my blood boiling at the mere suggestion of leaving Merikh alone and at the hands of fucking Ezrah.

    Ezrah who has been at every turn when shit goes down. Ezrah who works for no one yet everyone at the same time. The damn messenger who seems to think his neutrality wins peace when all it does is bring war to everyone else''s door steps and he delivers it.

    "I do not trust him." I hiss out, unable to tone down the anger that oozes from every part of me.

    "He is in there, of his own ord, trying to help," Caspian says with a frown.

    "He is in there fixing the fucking mess he created by bringing the fucking abomination to our doorstep under the guise of ''I am a messenger, this is what I do''," I scream at Caspian. His eyes turn dark.

    "Ezrah has been a trusted friend for many, many years,"

    "As was your mate, yet now that you found her, you ignore her and suspect she is a nt among us, while your trusted friend delivers a messenger who might have killed a council member, the lycan king. MY FUCKING MATE!"

    His lips twitch and his nose res as he breathes through it heavily and looks away from me.

    "I did not say your mother was a nt to spy on us," He whispers and I snort a sardonicugh.

    Caspian avoids the topic of Melody at every turn. I ask when he will speak to her, but he changes the subject. I ask him toe to the cabin but he was too injured and still recovering. He is near her and he can''t seem to find words to be civil.

    He doesn''t have to say what I already see on his face when he looks at her. Caspian wants her to be the bad guy, so he doesn''t have to bear the guilt of her suffering for ten years while he sulked and med her for my proimed death.

    "You don''t have to say it for everyone to know what you are thinking." I scoff, shoving past him. I pace over to Zale, who sits in a rocking chair, an exasperated expression on his face as he watches everything unfold.

    "Zale?" Caspian asks, looking at the siren male, who clears his throat and lifts his hands.

    "I wish to remain out of this, my king." He says, bowing his head.

    "Fine." Caspian whispers. "Fine. Yes, there is a fear that they got to your mother. Can you me me? You are taken, your gamma killed, and they ce you next to your mother and somehow you escape with her? Why? What do they gain from that? It feels too convenient, all of it does."

    I take a step away from him, then turn and lean on the white railing of the deck. He makes valid points, but convenience doesn''t equal guilt, just like fear doesn''t foster loyalty.

    "Mom is not a spy, and they did not turn her."

    "How can you be so sure?" he whispers, and I see the conflict in his eyes. For the first time since recognizing him as my father, I feel a flicker of disappointment.

    "Her body is beyond repair, even for her wolf to heal, even now after being freed. She was locked in a damp, dirty cell with bars of silver. When I cried, she let those bars burn through her skin with no thought to her own pain so she could touch me,fort me." I say, pushing off the railing.

    "I can''t hear this," he says, that inner conflict turning to sheer agony.

    "That means you need to." I say in a low voice. "Mom was beaten regrly, bones broken, meals skipped and no sun in ten years. They toyed with her by ying tricks with magic and using a fake version of me as bait. And yet when I was there, she was so willing to trust me, to believe me because she was desperate. She needed something to live for."

    "Colette Lynnae, that is enough." My mother''s voice says from the doorway. I spin to see her holding the door frame for stability, her eyes watery. "Melody," Caspian''s voice breaks, and my mother avoids looking at him.

    "That is not your darkness to share." She says, her voice trembling. "Alpha Merikh is awake and asking for you."

    Then she turns and walks back into the cabin. I rush in behind her, watching as she slips into her room, closing it behind her, the lock slipping into ce. Caspian footfalls stop following me as I hear him knock on a door, only to be met with silence.

    But I don''t have time to focus as I fly through the hall and through my room to find Merikh sitting up in the bed, looking pale and ghoulish.

    I swallow the dryness in my throat, and then lick my lips as I take a few steps toward him. He tilts his head, confusion on his face as he looks over at Ezrah, then back at me.

    "How is he?" I ask Ezrah but I don''t look at him, my eyes are glued on the man staring at me.

    "He is doing well. Thankfully, you are here and he will heal much faster with you at his side."

    "Ezrah, who is she?" Merikh asks, his brows pulling together. My heart stutters and I freeze.

    Who is she? Does he mean me? Merikh has forgotten who I am?

    "Alpha, this is not a funny joke." Ezrah says frowning and Merikh scoffs.

    "The only joke here is the one you are ying on me. You know damn well I don''t have a mate." He seems to grow angrier as the room feels like it is going to spin. Then I snap. My eyes grow dark and the water in the cup next to him flies from its ss cage and sshes over his face.

    "I am Colette. Your Luna and your mate, whether you want me or not, I am here to stay, so you better fucking start remembering now."

    He growls, lifting the nket to wipe the wetness from his cheeks and as it falls back to hisp, I see a huge smile on his face.

    "Ah yes, my little Luna, there she is," he says, his voice a little hoarse.

    I don''t know whether to cry,ugh or throttle the shit out of him, so instead I rush to him and kiss his lips. His arms slide up my back, pulling me close as the tears tumble down my cheeks and I weave my fingers into his wet hair.

    The sparks explode at our contact, my wolf near purring at having him awake, kissing me and in my arms After what feels like too short of time, we break apart, the two of us panting as I look over his face, scanning every part of him from his forehead to his chin. Content

    belongs to

    "You handled that better than I thought you would." He admits.

    "I get the feeling you like when I punish you." I murmur, pressing my head to his lips. He chuckles into my hair and a smile pulls at the corner of my lips, despite my annoyance with his terrible joke.

    "I like everything you do to me." He says in a seductive tone.

    I chuckle, shaking my head as I lean

    back and look over at the rest of him. Two holes sit over my mate mark and stroke my thumb over it, anger and jealousybining with the violent urge to kill Laureninstead of Tetting the sun do it for me.

    "Will he be fine?" I ask Ezrah, who is behind me.

    "He will struggle to heal, but with time, yes, he will be normal." He says, sounding tired.

    I stand, walking over to him, a frown on my lips. He saved Merikh, but that doesn''t mean I trust him. It doesn''t mean he isn''t working on both sides of

    the war.

    "Thank you for saving him.¡± I say nicely, and he smirks.

    "But you still don''t trust me?" he asks.

    "Not a chance in hell." I snort. He nods in understanding.

    "What can I do to earn your trust?" Ezrah asks.

    I tilt my head, thinking why my trust means anything to him in the grand scheme of things.

    "Pick a side." I shrug. "And make sure it''s the right side."

    "Colette," Merikh says my name, sounding shocked as he wears a piqued version of a look of disappointment. So I cross my arms over my chest and stare at Ezrah.

    "Did you tell Merikh that you are the one who brought Lauren here?" I ask him. He looks away, ashamed, and shakes his head no.

    "You did what?¡± Merikh roars. ¡°Since when are you in the business of delivering people?"

    Ezrah exhales, then drags his hand down his face.

    "There are things I can''t remem-"

    "Not good enough." Merikh growls, throwing the nket back as he stands, his legs shaking under him.

    "Get your ass back in bed, you idiot. I am trying to tell you," Ezrah groans. "I don''t remember, okay? One minute I was picking up a letter and the next

    I woke the fuck up here. If I try to remember, my head explodes in pain."

    "Why didn''t you say any of this earlier?" I scoff, and he drops his head.

    "Did you give me the time, Luna?" he asks and I realize he is right. I never gave him more than a few seconds to exin anything.

    "So what now?" I ask, sighing.

    "I choose a side," he says. "And I choose yours."

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108

    *Merikh*

    My neck throbs in pain as I frown at Ezrah. This is someone I trust, someone I considered to be a friend or at least friendly, even when the council refused to be that way with me. But Colette is right to question him and where his allegiance stands. Too much is happening, too much doesn''t make sense and he might just be that missing piece.

    Hybrid Lauren wasn''t created on purpose. She was an ident, but who the hell put her back together enough for her body to heal? There is so much that doesn''t make sense.

    Things that go against the naturalw or things we understand as supernatural beings. My head hurts and a wave of exhaustion floats over me, lingering just out of reach to shoo away or catch and nap off.

    "You are choosing our side?" Colette asks Ezrah, who looks sad, but he nods in agreement.

    "Yes,"

    "Why?" she retorts, her eyes narrowed as she waits for the truth.

    "Fae have special gifts, and jobs we take seriously," he exins.

    "I already know that." She grits out and he frowns.

    "And you know that I have the ability to move very fast, to deliver messages and talk my way out of situations."

    "Not doing a very good job of talking yourself out of this one," she snorts, and he shakes his head in disbelief.

    ¡°Luna, I am trying very hard to be cordial."

    I sigh, a heavy exhale as I punch the bridge of my nose.

    "We don''t need cordial, we need honesty." I tell him and he nods solemnly.

    "I know." he paces over to a chair and plops down, looking torn. "This has been my life for hundreds of years, this is what people with my abilities do. To share with you secrets I have been sworn to protect is breaking everything I know and believe. I will have no family after this."

    Colette softens in her anger and she frowns before she reaches out and takes my hand in hers.

    "Ezrah, if you choose to stay out of matters, it is likely you will have no family at all. I don''t think Giselle will stop with just me. She has Lily, and she had Lauren. Who knows who else she has on her side that ising to what? Capture me? Make use of me elsewhere?"

    "There is no one else," He says and I furrow my brows, for the first time unsure if I trust his words.

    "I disagree." I say simply, and his brows lift in slight surprise.

    "If there is, then it is not someone I know, or I have at least not yet been made aware of who it might be." He corrects his words.

    I frown, watching his movements closer. Every dart of his eyes or rise and fall of his chest raises suspicion now. What if Ezrah is lying or what if he doesn''t know of someone else because he is that someone else?

    "Have you worked with Giselle since everything has happened?" I ask him.

    Colette entwines her hands with mine as we watch his jaw tighten and his eyes close in guilt as he nods his head.

    "Yes."

    "Is it possible that Lily has control over you, like the others?" Colette asks, and he looks intrigued by the idea before shaking his head from side to side.

    "She can not control me like she does the others. I have been neutral and due to the nature of my travels, I would be too far from her to be effective," he admits. "That and I have spoken with Giselle, but never Lily. She is a traitor to my kind."

    "So you do have some honor," I scoff.

    ¡°Alpha, my kindness and friendship with you has been real, and at every turn, when I felt something was amiss, I would do my best to leave hints or clues to help you with my abilities." He says, his face filled with torment and guilt. "I truly believe your kind has been mistreated for too long."

    I clear my throat, looking over at Colette as she meets my eyes. Her emotions flow freely between us, hers melding with mine as we make these decisions together. She can feel the deep-seated trust I have for the fae before me and I, her wariness.

    "Are you sure you wish to choose sides?" I ask him and he nods.

    "This has gone on too long, and for someone to tamper with my memory, to use me to deliver an assassination attempt...it is time I choose a side as many of my kind have been forced to do." His demeanor changes, growing more frustrated with the situation the more he talks about what happened to him out loud. As if he is finally acknowledging the breach of his covenant.

    Colette lets go of my hand and moves over toward him, her head tilting as she assesses Ezrah before she reaches out and waits for his hand. A curious frown tugs at his face before he looks at me for what to do. I can''t help but chuckle.

    "Shake it," I urge him. "You aremitting to fighting with us. Handshakes are binding, like a contract."

    He takes it, standing from his chair and shakes it. Colette smiles a sly smile, then looks at me and back at Ezrah.

    "Wee to the war." She says.

    "Thank you? I guess?" He says back, making Colette shake her head.

    A ghastly scream breaks the moment apart as I look out the window as the sun grows lower in the sky. I try to shoot up from my bed, but my legs give out like wet noodles and I tumble to the ground with a grunt.

    Two sets of hands lift me, setting me on the side of the bed as I breathe through the pain that feels like a steel sponge dragging through the insides of my veins. Colette''s touch helps to ease it slightly, making it much less jarring, but I look to Ezrah for an exnation of both the sound and the pain.

    "What the hell is happening to me?" I ask him.

    "A cleansing. One of air and light," he says, as if that makes total sense and I should follow the exnation.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    "Right, care to exin?" Colette asks, her brows tugging together.

    elket

    "My gift is the ability to move at the speed of light. I can bend air and light to my will, in only certain instances. In this case, I forced it through your veins to kill the vampire...genes?... cells? Whatever you wish to call them. In order to save you and your lycan. And the screaming is Lauren."

    I snap my head up, meeting his gaze.

    "Lauren is still here?" I ask him, and he nods solemnly.

    "She is indeed," Ezrah says.

    "Lauren is only a vampire, her lycan is dead. She is now hiding as the sun slowly creeps into her hiding spot."

    My stomach twists at the thought of her sitting there alone and waiting for her death to creep up on her. Her second death. An overwhelming urge takes over and I lick my lips, afraid to ask Colette for this favor. The one to take me to my ex and sit with her as she dies.

    "It''s fine." Colette whispers, a soft encouraging smile on her face. "If you need the closure-"

    I bark out augh, realizing she feels my emotions, but she has seriously misinterpreted them.

    "It''s not the closure I need, my little luna. I just want to know the bitch is really dead this time. To see her turn to dust and know she can''te back as some crazy ass unheard of hybrid."

    ¡°Crazy ass unheard of hybrid, huh?" she arches her brow and I smirk.

    "She was made. You were born. You are just an unheard of hybrid, no crazy ass about you." I amend and she smiles, standing.

    ¡°Ezrah, could you help me get him outside?" She asks, and he nods, looping my arm over his shoulder as he lifts me and she grabs my waist, helping me walk.

    We find everyone standing on the porch looking out at the boulder in the distance, the asional trickle of smoke and squeal as Lauren''sst dayes to an end.

    "This feels wrong," Melody whispers.

    "Lauren killed my father, betrayed our kind, and was sentenced to death. For some reason, she cheated death, and this time...she can not escape it." I tell her and she frowns, her eyes settling on Lauren before she looks away, wincing.

    "Mom, this is different from the torture you experienced." Colette whispers, moving over and taking her mother''s hand. "Lauren is evil, just as bad as

    Giselle."

    She nods in understanding.

    "Even our n for Giselle seems less inhumane than this," she says.

    I understand her thought process and her bleeding heart. This is something I have to witness, and it doesn''t make me a bad person. It makes me a damaged one looking for the chance to heal, and this is the final step in that process.

    "We have a n?" Caspian asks.

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109

    *Colette*

    Silence falls over us as we wait anxiously for Merikh to exin what he means. It is clear as day to me he is still feeling awful, but he puts on a brave face, like always. I watch my mother as she gives him an encouraging nod before he racks his hands through his hair.

    "Giselle is a phoenix. As far as we know, the only one of her kind, yet none of us know how to kill a phoenix. Either they aren''t as invincible as we think or they have chosen to keep themselves hidden from her,¡± he says, clearing his throat.

    I have to bite back a smile at how cute he is giving his little speech as if he had rehearsed it all week. But then again, maybe he had. It is not like I have been entirely present when I am with him.

    It''s not fromck of love or wanting to be near him, though. The water is exhausting, beautiful, but draining in every way. But by the time I crawl into bed, I am too tired to even want to change into something for bed.

    He meets my gaze, dragging me back to the point at hand. Giselle, how to get rid of the roach that seems to never die? But I find it so hard to focus when he is near, and I am energized enough to stay awake.

    I don''t want to discuss death and war. I just want to snuggle into his arms andugh about our past and think about our future.

    ¡°Colette?" I hear my name whispered to my right.

    "Yes?" I squeak out.

    "Are you okay?¡± My mother asks, her eyes on me and a frown tugging at her lips.

    "It''s just been a long day." I give her a tight-lipped smile, looking around at everyone else. "Sorry, I will focus."

    "This entire time we have sat and assumed that Colette is the only one who can kill Giselle. What if it''s not about killing Giselle, but rather incapacitating her?" Merikh asks.

    My dad frowns, his lips pressed tight together as he processes what Merikh is saying. I must admit, the idea of not needing to be the savior of all our species and our allies is appealing. There are many things I wanted in life, goals and aspirations, but being a hero was never one. And still isn''t.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "What do you mean?" Caspian asks after a minute. "If Giselle lives, she will always be a threat. She will alwayse after Colette, or anyone who she sees as an enemy."

    "I want to collect her ashes and store her in the ocean." Merikh says.

    Everyone blinks like they are in a stupor, trying to wake themselves up. My mom watches us and after a minute, a sharp jab hits my ribcage and I hiss, rubbing my side. She scowls at me, quietly motioning for me to say something as Merikh stands waiting anxiously.

    "H-how do we gather her ashes?" I ask him. "She is impervious to heat, so she won''t burn."

    "Phoenix''s are not impervious to heat, they be heat." Ezrah says, speaking for the first time since Lauren''s death.

    The second the words leave his mouth, my eyebrows rise in rm. Every time I have been around Giselle, the air is hotter than thest. She seems to be in a rush, forcing things to move faster, as if she won''t be around to spur things on. Phoenix''s are known for rising from the ashes. They burn up in a heat so intense even a dragon would cower, and then they are born again.

    "You think she will evolve-is that even the right word?" I ask, looking around.

    "Phoenix''s seem to get hotter until the heat consumes them. It is their only downfall, at least that I know of, which, admittedly, is limited." Ezrah says. "Ash form is where they are most vulnerable. Is that correct Caspian?" Merikh asks, looking to my father for verification.

    "From what I have been told as well, yes. That is correct." He responds, standing and pacing the length of the deck in thought. "How do you suppose we get her to go up in mes? It could take years for her to reach that heat on her own."

    "She is close." I murmur. ¡°Everything around her when her anger rises or her emotions run high gets unbearably hot. She must have been absorbing the dragon''s heat when their emotions make them grow warmer. She can be around the dragons, but with their ring temper, she has doomed herself."

    Hope is beginning to spring to life in my chest as I bite my lip, gnawing on it as I process all the information and Merikh''s idea. It might actually work, forcing her to end herself so we can make sure she is gone forever.

    Zale and Caspian argue quietly to each other in some othernguage I don''t understand while I stand from my seat and move closer to Merikh. His hand slips into mine, our fingers tangling together.

    "I know it seems like a long shot, but if we can''t kill her, the best we can do is make sure she can''te back again." He says, looking me in the eye. "What do you think?"

    "Honestly? I think it could work. She is close to the next stage. Giselle was suffocating in the room, nearly drying me out, and I don''t think it was entirely intentional. I think she expedited the war because she knows her time is running out."

    "She is a creature of chaos. She thrives off of it, but it is also her downfall in this sense. That is the problem with chaos. There is never a n and thus things eventually break down and crumble away." Ezrah says. "The very fact there is a n is a step in the right direction."

    Caspian yells something loudly at Zale, who snaps his mouth shut and looks away, his jaw clenched tight before he turns his angry gaze on Merikh. "How exactly do you expect to store said ashes?" Zale says, finally breaking out of the conversation with Caspian. "You have a n, fine. But what about where it will go? Who will know about it and what it is? There are many factors that need to be considered in such a n." Caspian frowns, but he stands next to Zale.

    "We need to n more than just ceasing a hopeful opportunity." He says grimly, his eyes settling on me. "You are not strong enough to take her on, even now."

    A sigh escapes my lips as Merikh gives my hand a gentle squeeze in support.

    ¡°A jar will suffice, and I am sure there is a ce in the siren kingdom where you store relics or things you wish to keep safely away from others,¡± I shrug. "Only the siren king will know, passing it down from king to king to guard and protect it. We will have the time to figure out the details after we have her ashes."

    "If you get her to burn up," He says

    with a stern look, then he exhales. "Look, I do not wish to be the person who makes such depressing observations, but we can not fight with you. Caspian is still recovering and only the royals can leave the sea for extended times. Everything wille down to you, not your Alpha or the Fae. But you."

    Zale points at me and I can feel my heart rate pick up. No matter how I look at it, no matter how much I don''t want to be the one to save the world, there is no denying I have a cruciatrole in doing just that. Before, that might have been daunting, but with the bond flowing between Merikh and me, it is so apparent that I no longer have to do anything

    alone.

    "I will be going." Caspian says. Zale makes an unhuman gurgling noise in his throat, a look of anger crossing his face before he storms off the deck.

    ¡°He seems upset,¡± Mom says as Caspian shakes his head.

    "Zale gets angry quickly and cools off faster."

    "You should go after him," she whispers, looking out at the water as Zale wades in, dropping into the water.

    "So what now?" I ask, when my father doesn''t respond to my mom. "Do we wait for her toe to us, or do we take the fight to her?"

    Ezrah exhales, shoving his hands in his pocket before he clears his throat.

    "I am not one for this type of thing, but I do often find the element of surprise is rather sessful. May I suggest rally the allies and set up a meeting spot?" He offers. "I do understand there may still be the issue of trust between us, so I would rmend calling your Beta and setting the meeting up with him."

    I watch Merikh as he slides me a small frown before he nods. He slips out the phone from his pocket. Clearly, he nned on making a phone call or expecting one soon. Merikh dials a single number and clears his throat as he ces it up to his ear.

    "Hayes?" I call out, stepping down the stairs closer to Merikh.

    "Not quite," Johannes says. "But he is going to need you both. If you want him to live, that is."

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110

    "Why do you have that phone?" Merikh grits out as he rushes toward the trees. Johannes puts his hand up in a disy of surrender, but it does nothing to slow the raging lycan within.

    "It''s not what you assume," He says as I rush after my mate to remind him to remain calm, that he is still healing even if he is doing much better than before.

    Merikh''s ws dig into the vampire''s shirt and skin, blood seeping through the white fabric as he frowns, but doesn''t fight back.

    "Answer my question!" Merikh roars and Johannes'' lip twitches in defiant anger.

    "He gave it to me as the dragons arrived,"

    "What?" The word is a panicked whisper, carried my way on a breeze that, though warm, chills my very soul. Attacked? When and how? No one is supposed to know where the second pack location is, unless...

    ¡°Lauren,¡± I mutter, my hand flying to my head and my skin heats and my eyes burn with unshed tears. The stupid bitch wasn''t justing for me, she wasing to gloat, distract us from everything we have been separated from all because of my selfish choice to find more of myself.

    "She visited you then?" Johannes asks, trying to hide the hurt in his voice.

    It''s so clear to see there was a connection between them, one beyond the tethering of the chosen bind they had. Deep down, Johannes cared for her. Yes, his ambitions maybe have mattered more, but even love can be twisted.

    "She came for me, Giselle sent her." I offer as Merikh turns his head to the side, his pallor green and his eyes closed as if he is trying to not vomit. "Shit." Johannes mutters, a dry chuckle. "Lauren got you, didn''t she?"

    "She tried." Merikh grimaces. I reach out, extracting him from Johannes, who grumbles as he smooths his bloody and wrinkled shirt.

    ¡°I just bought this shirt." He sighs, then he looks up, his devilish eyes flicking between the two of us. "He looks like he has yet to decide if he intends to live."

    ¡°Ezrah fixed me up.¡± Merikh mumbles, his arms limp at his side as panic weaves its way through me.

    "You trust a fae? After knowing their queen is a traitor?" He asks with a quirked brow.

    "You expect us to trust you after you stole his mate and killed his father?" I retort, and he thinks for a moment.

    "Touch¨¦, Luna." Then he sighs. "Though it might benefit you both to remember, I took some silly oath to a lycan king. I couldn''t lie to him if I wanted to."

    "Enough." Merikh says, his voice demanding though soft, as if he may slip away at a moment''s notice. "What is happening with Hayes and our pack?" "Giselle is waiting for you to show up. The war has started, but it''s on your pack''s doorstep, waiting for you to invite it in or stave it off." Johannes says, looking directly at me.

    I stand in silence, unaware of who is near me other than Merikh who I can feel through the mate bond. He is as unnerved as I am, unsure of what to do. There is no world in which I will ever leave his side again, which means we will be thrown into one with a war instead.

    "And he gave me the phone so that he would not be tempted to call you before you were ready toe back."

    "How long have they been there?" I ask him, my mouth falling open in shock.

    "Three days."

    "Fuck." I grumble, spinning on my heels and rushing back to the cabin. Merikh calls out for me but I''m on a mission to pack the few things we have and get our asses moving.

    I hear frantic footfalls behind me

    and I already know who it is. Without looking, I can feel the look of

    concern in my back from my

    v

    mother''s eyes. She doesn''t speak,

    though. Instead, after a few

    moments of silence, she steps up

    next to me and proceeds to help me pack.

    "Caspian is helping Merikh into the vehicle that the vampire came here in..." Melody pauses for a mere second before signing heavily. "Are you sure you can trust him?"

    A chuckle breaks free as I zip the small bag in front of me and spin to face her.

    "Trust is a strong word, but I trust the oath he took." I say, "and even if I didn''t trust him, I would still be going."

    Her footsteps retreat as she leaves me in silence and I sense Merikh enter the room, his arms sliding around me from behind. His cheek presses into mine, nuzzling toward my neck as he inhales.

    "My little Luna has made up her mind?" He murmurs and I chuckle, dropping the bag and spinning, my hands closing up his chest and around his neck, my fingers grazing over Lauren''s bite. A frown consumes my lips, and he exhales.

    "I hate her." I whisper.

    "She is dead." He reminds me.

    I shake my head, letting him know

    ????Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    he is misunderstanding who I mean. Lauren was a problem, yes. But she was only a small part of the problem. She was annoying and a nuisance. But Giselle, Giate. I don''t just want her gone; I want her dead, drowned, ability toe back gone forever.

    "Giselle." I sigh. "She takes and hurts and-"

    "She is as good as dead." He tells me, the sincerity in his eyes almost enough to convince me. He must sense my hesitancy as he frowns. "There is one thing I am good at," he says confidently, "and that is killing people who harm what is mine."

    I bite back a smile.

    "Is that the only thing you are good at?" I tease him and he chuckles, his paleplexion brightening a touch,

    "I''m great at the things on your mind, and I will remind you of it..." his lips capture mine in a heated kiss, the warmth of his tongue slipping passed mine as I moan, pulling myself closer.

    "Eh hem," a voice interrupts us and I nce over to see Ezrah leaning on the door frame. "We have to go. Giselle will only hold out for so long as she grows more frustrated every day."

    "Is fish stick man noting along?" Johannes asks, cranking the engine to life as he looks around the ck interior for my dad.

    "No,"

    ''my mom says. "Not yet, anyway. He needs to speak to his people, make arrangements, and see if they will allow him to leave again. Caspian is all about the rules."

    Her words are dry and emotionless, but I can hear the tension in her voice. To say I am shocked by his absence seems like a huge downy as we drive away and Merikh squeezes my hand tight.

    "Are you ready for this?" He asks.

    "I get the feeling I was made for this," I mutter, offering him a nervous smile.

    "For war?" He arches a brow.

    "For standing up to people who want to use those around them to better themselves. Giselle wants a war? Fine, but she is in for a tremendous surprise when she realizes she picked a fight with the wrong Luna.¡±

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111

    *Merikh*

    I hold Colette close, knowing that the second we arrive there will be no time to be close to her. There is a very real probability the people we love will die. Not all of them, but some, and potentially one of us.

    The reality of that knowledge doesn''t go unnoticed by anyone in the SUV as Johannes careens closer to where my pack was supposed to be hiding. It infuriates me beyond all things that I once again was blind to what Lauren might share with the enemy.

    Granted, I had hoped the rumor of her existence had been false. The fact remains, I failed my pack again. Little mistakes that could change the tide of any war gue me at every turn and I need to force myself to be prepared for whatever oue may arise.

    "What is the n?" Johannes asks, his gaze meeting mine in the rearview mirror.

    "We need to get to Giselle. Get her alone and piss her off beyond belief." Colette says.

    "Care to share why making her angry is so important?" He asks.

    Coletteunches into exining the thought process behind it all as I zone out, preparing myself for every scenario.

    "Alpha," Melody says softly, grabbing my attention. "Are you feeling up to this?"

    Her question is quiet, while Colette and Johannes chat as if they have been on the same side for all their lives.

    "I am fine," I tell her, even if it isn''t true.

    There is no choice but to be fine in our current situation. Yes, we could have taken another day and hoped Giselle would have been patient, but that is not how either me or my luna are. My brother and pack are on a fish string, teetering over the edge, and we are the only ones who can catch them.

    "Will you be able to fight?" She asks, concern etched in her face. My gaze skirts over to Ezrah, who is very much pretending to be asleep.

    "Of course I will." I frown, "Why don''t you just ask what you are really trying to get to? You want to know if I will be able to protect Colette in my weakened state?"

    She clears her throat and looks away, ashamed. I lean back on the seat, turning slightly.

    "Let me be very clear. There is nothing, not even death, that will keep me from making sure she is safe." I whisper, and she nods.

    "Good," her eyes drift to the window, and I feel she is holding something back, so I press her harder.

    Colette slips up to the passenger''s seat, speaking with Johannes about potential problems and what we anticipate while I pin her mother down with a pointed re.

    "Why did Caspian choose not toe?" I ask her, and she grows rigid. Her hands twist at the seat belt before she fiddles with the hem of her top.

    "I already told you, you can ask Ezrah too if you like." She tries to hide her face, but she is too much like Colette, looking away when she feels she is getting caught.

    "I am not asking Ezrah, I am asking you why you lied," I say, my tone harsh and I watch her throat bob as she swallows. "There is no way he wouldn''t be here unless you asked him not to be."

    "He ising separately because we can''t be in the same car." She admits, her hand reaching to the back of her neck. "It physically hurts to be near him. To know that all this time he never once thought that perhaps we weren''t dead and he should search for us."

    "There is more at stake than upsetting exes." I say with a disappointed frown.

    "It would be less painful if we were exes." She whispers. "He didn''t or doesn''t feel the bond the way I do. There was no way for him to feel I was alive, I understand that, but...it feels like home. He feels like home, but that doesn''t mean I am wanted there. Caspian spent ten years moving on from me, getting over me. I spent ten years wishing to die."

    My anger res up as I scoff and force back a disdainful chuckle. She convinced him to stay away because it''s painful? Life hangs in the bnce and she is more concerned with her own feelings than the thought of potentially losing a daughter again?

    I whip around, leaning forward as I grab the phone Johannes had taken from my brother on his way toe for us. Thankfully, the phone for the Siren''s is still in that cabin, and if I am lucky, Calvin will be there, and inform Caspian of what I sent through the message.

    I shoot a short, and fire off a text, then m the phone shut. Colette slides a nce in my direction, her brows tugging together in a silent question, but I ease her worry with a smile. I motion for her to crawl back with me and she grins, slipping over the armrest and into my arms, snuggling into my chest.

    Her hand slips to my chest, a finger rubbing gentle circles over my heart before exhaustion takes over and I slip away into a deep sleep. There is nothing in my dream at first, no visions, no sweet memories to relive as it feels like I toe the line between consciousness and slumber.

    Until I can feel a constant nagging, as if I am being tugged on like a fish finally hooked by an eager fisherman on the shore. My lycan tries to break into my mind, to wake me, but I am content.

    At peace while doing nothing but merely existing with my mate in my arms. Until that hum of the bond is gone, ripped from my mind and body as panic settles over me.

    The grip of cold death tears at my wrists, yanking and pulling on me as if it is struggling to separate me from the very life I ever refuse to step away from. My lycan howls loudly in my head, a distorted, distant sound as painces through my side. The world falls silent in the dark recesses of my mind as I try to understand what is happening.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    Am I dead? Asleep, or maybe I am fighting off the rest of the demon vampire blood venom that was forcefully put inside of me? Then a fluttering blossom in me at my cheek, a wetness under my eyes and the sound of wind barreling through a concrete tunnel grows louder until I cry out in pain, covering my eyes and I throw my eyes open.

    The world around me burns, the vehicle we were in up in mes as I blink and find Colette''s tear-stained face. Her look of horror turns to one of sheer relief as she kisses my lips and hugs me.

    "It''s about damn time!" Johannes roars, a raging burn down the side of his pale face.

    "What?" I croak, looking around in shock, taking stock of everything. "What the fuck happened?"

    "The second we crossed the border, they attacked." Colette whispers, "They weren''t waiting for us to talk or discuss things. It was always a trap."

    Nothing makes sense as I try to shake my body awake, trying to reach out to my lycan, who still feels miles away. All I did was fall asleep. For what? Fifteen minutes at most and suddenly I wake up in a war zone.

    "How long was I asleep?" I ask.

    She frowns. "Eight hours,"

    "And the attack happened? How long ago?" I ask, pushing myself up, ignoring the pain in my side that ripples up my body, making me shudder. "Feels like fucking forever and that is saying a loting from an immortal." Johannes responds, creeping over to us while keeping his head down. ¡°Who pulled me out of that?" I ask, nodding to the melted and twisted metal.

    "That was me," Johannes says, a smirk on his thin lips.

    "I tried, but you were stuck, so I crawled back into try to free you¡ª"

    "Where is Melody?" I ask, my eyes wide as I force myself to sit up a little higher. "And Ezrah?"

    "They went to sneak in to where Hayes and Leandra are. We thought she would be safest with him since they don''t know he is no longer neutral." Colette says, pushing me back down.

    ¡°What''s the situation?" I ask, gently taking her hand off my shoulder and forcing myself to sit up. Her hand grips to mine, and she bites her bottom lip, looking nervously at Johannes.

    "Your wolfie zombies are out on patrol. For every damn one I take out, another pops up to take its ce."

    ¡°Wait, no one else ising for us? Not the dragons?" I ask, a thought urring to me that clearly they haven''t had the chance to consider.

    "One dragon, it took out our vehicle

    and then left. After that, it was a surge of controlled werewolves, but nothing more than that." Colette responds, popping her head up to look around. Then she slowly towers herself, her brain clicking with what I am thinking. "Holy shit."

    ¡°What?¡± Johannes asks, sounding agitated to not be in the loop.

    "They didn''t know it was us." I whisper.

    "Or it really is a trap and they want to confuse us." He shrugs. I frown and sigh heavily.

    "Very fucking helpful." I mutter before I watch Colette closely.

    "Maybe it is a trap, but if she wanted me from the very beginning, and she sent Lauren to where we were, then she must be expecting Lauren. Not a random ck vehicle with

    Johannes, who made it known, was against this war."

    "Eh," He shrugs, moving closer. "I wouldn''t say I''m against it. It''s more an ''enemy of my enemy'' type deal."

    "I don''t care." Colette grits out. "The point is, they don''t know we are here."

    "Hell, I didn''t even know we were here," I admit, and she bites back augh, shaking her head.

    "We need to get to Hayes." She says softly, clearing her throat. "The question is, do we want to make our presence known or keep it a secret?"

    "What kind of question is that?" Johannes snorts.

    I assess Colette, noticing that glint of mischief in her eyes. The one that makes her brown eyes so much brighter and all the more difficult to disagree with anything she says.

    "You want to announce our presence, don''t you?" I ask, and she shrugs with a wry smile.

    "What ever my luna wants, I promise to give her." I wink at her and she stands, helping me up.

    "Let me guess, I am the one doing the dropping in, aren''t I?" Johannes asks before he grunts and drags his hands through his hair. "Well fuck me, I can''t really die, anyway. Might as well visit the evil queen."

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112

    We creep toward the main area of the pack, where I know we have at least a defense of some sort. Well, I hope. In theory, once we hit pack grounds, we should have been under the safety of my pack, but clearly, things are a little moreplicated than I hoped for.

    I try to listen closely to the forest for sounds orck thereof. The chittering of a squirrel or the silence of even the tiniest of insects to determine where the enemy is ced. But I hear nothing more than my heavy beating heart and the way my lycan seems to scream inside of me.

    He feels locked away, as though he has been ced in an internal cage and we can''t fully reach each other. It''s strange and as much as I hate to admit it, the realization that Lauren''s bite may have fucked us over is downright scary.

    The vampire bite should have killed either me or my lycan. Whatever Ezrah did stalled the process, but if it had already started...if for some reason he stopped it after we began the separation of our soul, then I will always just be out of reach of my beast.

    -Can you reach out to Hayes using the mindlink?-- Colette asks through ours. I frown, trying, but all I get is a static noise pulsing in my head that causes a stab of pain to my temple. I wince as I m my eyes shut and shake my head.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    -I can''t-I tell her. Our eyes meet in the silence of the woods and I see the worry buried beneath the problem solving she is doing.

    -It''s not just you. I can''t reach out to anyone in the pack-She says through our mate bond link.

    -That just means Lily is close-I tell her and she nods, cing her hand on a downed tree as she propels herself over it.

    There is a deep growl as I follow suit andnd just in front of her. My eyes narrowed at the mangy wolf preparing to pounce on us. Its eyes rage in their telltale red as I inch forward, ready to fight him with bare fists if need be.

    He lunges for me, gnashing teeth and drool hurling in my direction as I bob to the side, reaching out to catch him by the front paw. His back end lifts as I tug his front down, causing him to go down hard on his back with a thundering crack as his hind legs and lower back crash into the tree we had leapt over.

    He whimpers and tries to crawl away with his front paws, a heavy whine as he realizes how unfortunate he is to havee across us alone. I saunter over to him, stooping low with a groan before I lift his head and quickly snap his neck, dropping his limp body to the ground. One less zombie is better for everyone in the equation of things. Possessed or not, the enemy is the enemy.

    "Merikh!" Colette cries out in a hiss, her body stumbling into mine with a surprised groan as we both fall onto our asses.

    Growling breaks out and I watch my mate shred her clothing as she shifts into her wolf form, tearing at the enemy we didn''t even hearing. I scramble to get up, catching a furry figure as it crashes into my side and I thud into a tree trunk, my shoulder popping like a balloon in a dart game. There is no room for crying out or whining as I immediately drop to my knees as the wolf flies for me again, colliding with where I was seconds earlier. My lycan screams, looking for a way out as I try to release him, begging him to somehow break free of my mind prison.

    But I get nothing from him except the strength I have always had. A groan of frustration tears from my lips as I reach out with my good arm, gripping the wolf''s tail and yanking hard.

    He whips around, his rotting teeth snapping in my face as I lean back, then parry his attack with a fist to the muzzle. He whines before jumping at me again, this time taking me down to my back as I catch his sharp teeth in my forearm.

    I push through the pain of my dislocated shoulder, barely getting the dexterity needed to get my thumb looped into the eyes socket. The wolf whines, trying to tear away from me, the whipping of his head back and forth popping my shoulder back into ce with a jolt of pain followed by relief.

    In his frantic iling, I lose my grip, but I chase him forward, gripping his furry face with both hands as I m my hard forehead to the tip of his muzzle. The bone shatters, his cry morphing into a strange snort of agony as I drop him and stumble off toward Colette.

    With in a moment, I tackle the fucker

    who was going for her from behind, digging my fingertips into his thick. fur and skin before I yank with all my might. Flesh tears open like a velcro strap in a shoe and warmth pools around my hand as I ramp up for another tug, removing the muscle and throat from its neck.

    Colette stands, morphing back immediately into her human form, rushing toward me with a look of

    worry on her face as she looks meet

    oel. Pret

    over like. It''s strange, having someone fawn over you as if you are the weaker of the two. And supposed, right now, I may be, but I''m not a fan of it either way.

    "Why didn''t you transform?" she asks, a lilt of annoyance in her voice.

    I arch a brow at her, noting the look on her face, the way she seems to think for some reason that without my lycan I am helpless.

    "Did it look like I needed my lycans'' help?" I ask her with a small scoff, and she narrows her eyes.

    "We are trying to be fast and efficient. Being in lycan form would allow us to move faster." She says, makingplete sense, which only frustrates

    me.

    I need to focus on getting us to

    Hayes and preparing for the next part of our n. Colette is right. We need to be fast and fighting in human form, though I am capable and effective. It is much slower.

    However, it''s not like I have a choice right now.

    "I can''t," I admit with a tight clench in my jaw. Her eyebrows furrow in confusion as I sigh. "My lycan is...something is wrong, and we are disconnected. I can not get him toe out even with both of us trying."

    Her eyes soften, and she frowns, stepping closer to me.

    "Then we will get there when we get there." She shrugs, clearing her throat as if she is choosing to not make a big deal out of something that is a huge deal.

    But this is what makes her an amazing Luna. She is choosing her battles, and this is not one we can fight right now. Our attention is needed elsewhere on more important things.

    "It would be faster for you if¡ª" I start to speak, but I stop when she scoffs and lets out a dry chuckle.

    "If you think for a damn second I will leave you, then you are just as dense as you were when we first mated." She says, crossing her arms over her bare chest.

    It takes an immense amount of effort to not look her up and down and get myself turned on, so instead I slip my shirt off over my head and move to her, gliding it over her as she slips her hands through the sleeves.

    "I''m not sure dense is the word I would have used. Maybe stubborn, or a little "

    "No, dense is the right word." She grins. "Now, let''s move before we get hit by another group of lily''s controlled shit fighters."

    A chill runs down my spine, goosebumps rising on my arms as I hear a low hum of a growl. One not of a single wolf, but many. Colette peeks around my shoulder, her eyes filling with fear, then she rolls her shoulders and clears her throat.

    "Toote."

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113

    I don''t look behind me as I spin her and give her a rough shove forward. Even without my lycan, I can run and fast. It''s rare I am one to retreat. Shit, it''s hardly happened more than once or twice that I can recall, but now is as good a time as ever.

    "Move," I growl at her as she nces over her shoulder at me before her eyes grow wide and she sprints.

    My legs move in stride with hers, catching up in a few steps, looking back to see creatures creeping on the forest floor toward us with unnatural speed. My heart pounds as I press my hand to her back, spurring her on faster.

    "Move faster, Letty," I rush out. I feel her muscles move at mymand. Her stride lengthens and her arms pump harder.

    The growling grows louder and the sounds of branches snapping above us send a shiver through my body as I prepare for whatever made up beast Lily has drafted up using her dark magic this time around. I reach out to my lycan, searching for that connection, the one just out of reach.

    "What the fuck is that sound, Merikh?" she hisses as she slows and ducks under a low hanging tree branch.

    "Focus on moving." I mutter, rallying against the wall in my mind, keeping me from being able to turn around and just annihte the beasts behind us.

    I leap over a root,nding just ahead of her as I grab her hand and begin to pull her faster. If I remember correctly, there is a small ledge ahead, one that has a roaring stream at the bottom of it.

    If we can just make it to it, make it over it, then it should buy us some time. Especially with Colette''s abilities with water. She could erase the magic with a simple rain shower, but that would drain her and to do that this early would be a waste of her energy.

    "Merikh..." she says in a small warning. She is tired of being told what to do, but I know looking back would only make her freak out.

    "Just do not look back," I urge her as she groans and follows me. Her hand squeezes mine and I look at her as her body seems to vibrate.

    "There is a powerful body of water close." She mutters, "I can stop them if you would just let¡ª"

    "No." I snap. "No, it is a good idea, but you need to save your strength. Thest thing we need is to drain your water abilities before we absolutely must."

    "Merikh, we might not have a choice." She says firmly, her gait slowing as I tug on her a little harder.

    "I need you to trust me." I say, and I can feel her inner conflict before she releases and agrees.

    "I do."

    "Then get your ass moving and get ready to jump when I say jump." I rush out, looking back to see a lizard type beast at my heels.

    "What the fuck is that?" Colette screeches

    "Oh fuck," I grunt, kicking a foot back and colliding with its scaley nose. It hisses in pain, a warbling noise emitting from it before I finally see the telltale stone ahead.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Just focus on running." I yell at her and she whimpers, her legs kicking as hard as possible as we close in on the ledge. It''s only five steps away, now four, three...

    "Merikh-" She gasps in surprise as I throw her forward and scream at her all at once.

    "JUMP!" Colette flies across, as I leap slightly behind her.

    She grunts as she rolls to the dirt covered ground and Ind on my feet, barely over the edge, before my legs fly out from under me and I am falling. "No!" she squeals, her hand catching hold of my wrist as she thuds to the ground with lung crush force. She wheezes as she uses both hands to hold me tight.

    My right leg feels incredibly heavy as a sticky, wet substance clings to me. Without looking, I know what it is. It''s the fucked up weird lizard creature that is probably truly just a wolf, just bewitched. But right now, it feels real magic or not.

    I look down, kicking at him with my free leg, trying to get the prickly slimy tongue to unwrap from my ankle. My anger rises as the otherse to a stop, hissing and growling as they pass back and forth.

    At least my n worked for the most part. The magic washes away with water, so for them to jump and miss, they would be easier to kill, nothing more than a zombie wolf with no actual skills or fighting abilities.

    I swing my leg back, mming it hard into the jagged rocks, the creature making a pained sound as it tries to cling to me. Over and over again I grunt, the sway of my movements propelling it harder and faster until finally it releases me and falls into the water below.

    "Lift my hands to the ledge," I say to Colette, the two of us finally breathing easy as she nods. She groans, lifting me a few inches as I move my hands to the edge and pull myself up, rolling onto my back, eyes closed as I breathe.

    "See, that wasn''t so bad." I mutter. Then I stand and dust off my chest that has minor cuts because of the rocks. My eyes scan around for Colette, who in the span of a moment has disappearedpletely.

    -Merikh-She calls for me through the mind link and I freeze. Colette is near. I can sense her, feel her, but the fear in her voice sets me over the edge. I can''t lose her, not here, not like this.

    -Where are you?-- I ask her, my head whipping around to catch her scent, hoping to figure out which direction to start in.

    "She is here, alpha." I hear a feminine voice call out and I try to ce it.

    It is not a voice I recognize as either Giselle or Lily Ites from my left and I whip my head in that direction a glint in the trees as a silver dagger flickers in the waning sunset. Worry morphs into sheer murderous rage as saunter over, my hands slipping into my pockets to show Fam not a threat...yet.

    "Let me guess, you want to deliver her to Giselle?" I sigh heavily and the woman seems to smile as I move closer and closer. She is a cocky bitch, one not afraid of a Lycan king, which means she must be a dragon.

    "I want to know how she escaped." She grits out, moving into the light, a massive red raging wound cutting through her left eye that looks burned and dead.

    "Ah. So you got punished for her escape, huh?"

    "Someone helped her get out." She bites out.

    "And you are?" I ask, and she scoffs.

    "None of your fucking business. Right now, I need her answer-"

    "I got her out." I say, leaning forward and shrugging my shoulders. "Simple as that,"

    "There is a traitor in my horde." She hisses, "And she knows who it is."

    "Eat shit, Jennifer. You killed my Gamma. Do you really think I will tell you shit?" Colette growls out.

    She meets my gaze and I see the flicker of her eyes to the right. A blur of red flies toward her, a screaming rage tearing through the air as the dragon woman flies to the side and Colette falls to the ground before standing and rushing to me.

    When I look up, I see Percy as he stands, his chest heaving as he ces himself between Colette and this Jennifer woman. He paces from side to side, a sick maniacalugh breaking from his lips as she looks at him, shocked.

    "You fucking killed her?" He asks. She scoffs and looks past him. Pushing herself up from the ground.

    "Colette, I will give you one fucking chance. I was going to let your little Alpha live but¨D"

    "You talk to me," Percy roars. "I am thest thing you will see before you bleed out."

    "Let me guess, that bitch was your mate?" Jennifer scoffs, getting ready to attack.

    "My twin sister," he bites out, and sheughs.

    "Well, if you fight anything like her, then this will be quick. Don''t worry Colette, I will be back to torturing you in no time. We can y your favorite game, the one where I¡ª"

    ¡°ENOUGH!" I roar, unable to hear another fucking second of what this fucker has to say about the things she did to my mate.

    I should tear her apart, rip out each of her teeth and shove them down her own throat until they poke through and she drowns in her own blood. But Percy needs this kill more. He needs this to move on from the loss of his sister. And I need to witness every gory, glorious moment of it.

    "Percy,¡± I say, my lip twitching with excitement as I bark out mymand. "Kill this asshole."

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114

    *Colette*

    Percy''s hand steams, smoke rising at an rming rate, a grimace forming on his face as Jennifer tries to transform. A bright orange orb bounces in her throat, as if her me is trying to break free to take over, and Percy is the only thing keeping it in. He lets out a pained scream as he releases her, but he doesn''t back away as she gasps for air.

    "We should go,¡± Merikh whispers, pressing at my lower back. My cheeks grow warm, my jaw clenching in frustration.

    "The hell we will," I say, sparing him a moment, before gluing my eyes onto Percy once again. "She killed Penny, and then she tortured me for days. And what she did to my mom-"

    My voice breaks and I clear my throat, focusing on Percy as he ducks under Jennifer''s arm, gliding to the left as she lunges forward at him. mes shoot from her mouth as she whips around, trying to catch him as he rolls away.

    Merikh pulls me further from them, giving them space as I watch anxiously. We could join in, help him finish her and make this end faster. But I need to watch her suffer as much as Percy needs to be the one who kills her.

    It won''t fix us, hell it will probably only make us feel better for a moment, but when time is the only thing that heals pain, you need a hit of something to hold you over until that timees.

    This is that moment. That memory when I close my eyes and I remember how it feels to have her hit me, or the sounds my mother made screaming by Jennifer''s hands, it will dull the ache. From a ce that hurts to one that numbs, never erasing it, but at the very least feeling like we got fucking retribution.

    "Percy will be fine. I have faith in his skill and his anger." Merikh says.

    "I do too, but I need to see this," I whisper. Merikh''s hand tangles with mine as he sighs.

    "Then we stay and we watch her be destroyed."

    Jennifer roars out, her head falling back as mes shoot straight up into the sky, the leaves of the trees near it recoiling from the heat before catching fire and falling to the ground.

    Her skin grows scaly and her face morphs, an enormous head recing hers as she grows longer and taller. I have seen a few varieties of dragons now, Teiran who was massive and other that are smaller, more like overgrown lizards.

    Jennifer is an overgrown snake with legs, matching her personality in the most perfect way. Wings spawn out wide, as a slow p sends wind tunneling toward us and she ps faster, preparing for takeoff. Her eyes cut to me and I grin, knowing she made a fatal mistake.

    She has underestimated Percy by taking her gaze off of him and giving him the opening he needs to ground her.

    He sprints toward her wing as her legs lift off from the ground, both ws sinking into the thin, paper like veiny skin. She squeals in pain as his fingers rip through with ease, shredding her flesh before her swipes again and again. Small blood stained bits flutter to the ground like dragon confetti as she drops from the sky to the one side.

    Merikh throws me aside by my hand, my sidending hard on the dirt ground with a whoosh of air knocking from me. I turn, wheezing as I watch her tail fly around haphazardly and see Merikh on the ground on the opposite side.

    "Shit!" I hiss, forcing myself up as Percy leaps onto her back and she tries like hell to bounce him off.

    She bucks and kicks like a wild horse. Percy tries to cling to her, but his ws nce off her thick scales and he slips down toward her neck. I rush toward Merikh who opens his eyes and tries to rise and move toward where the fight is and my stomach falls.

    In the span of a second, he goes from having the upper hand to his shoulder being in her mouth as he wails out in agony. My hair stands on edge as I rush to stand, forcing myself to close my eyes and rely on my siren''s abilities.

    A crunch rings out and bile rises in my throat as I open my eyes and break into a run. Her back is to me, and Percy is nowhere to be seen from the angle. I slip under her broken wing, panic gripping at my throat as I pop up and see Percyying on the ground, unmoving.

    "No, no, no!" I ramble, my eyes misting with tears as my skin feels like it is crawling, every bit of me hyper aware of what the fuck is going on. Jennifer has taken out an entire family and tortured mine. I should have just helped him kill her. I should have just told him to end her and not y with his prey.

    But then he moves, his head shaking as his lycan form stands, his right shoulder droops and his eyes a full ck as he throws his head back and lets out a heartbreaking lycan howl.

    Percy moves to her, and she swings her massive head toward him, her jaw at an awkward angle, and I see mes dripping from her mouth as if she can''t open it to release them properly.

    She stumbles to the side; her bnce off from her wing and her dislocated jaw as shends on a tree and her human form takes over. Jennifer cries out in pain as Percy limps toward her.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    When he reaches her, he grabs her by the ankle, dragging her toward the center of where they had been fighting and he transforms back into his redhead self.

    "The weapon you used on my sister was fucking barbaric." He growls yanking her toward him as he kneels down and leans over her. "So fam going to have to get creative with what I use."

    "If she had been trained better-" She struggles to get the words out and I growl in anger.

    "You outnumbered her." I hiss, and she turns her pale pained face toward me.

    Percy grasps her cheek, and she cries, trying to push him away.

    "Look at me when I am killing you," he says, leaning close to her face.

    I nce around, looking where Merikh had beenying only to find him gone. My eyes widen in shock as I reach out to feel him, but I get nothing.

    "Merikh?" I rasp out, my mouth going

    dry as my stomach feels queasy. His hand touches mine and the sparks make me rx as I look up at him. He appears to be okay, his eyes clearer than they had been before we left the ocean for home. Content

    belongs to

    "This is the moment you have been looking for," he whispers, giving my hand a squeeze as I inch closer.

    Percy grabs a stick, holding it over her chest as she cries, trying to fight him off, losing to his determination inch by inch until her cry grows into a frantic wailing and she begs.

    ¡°No, no. Please, I will help you-" she sputters out, blood flying from her lips.

    "You want to help?" Percy asks, then he chuckles, turning his head to me where she looks and begs for freedom I won''t give her. "Do you need any help, Luna?"

    "I have all the help I need." I say with a sneer, moving closer. "After all, it was your very own prince of the dragons who helped me escape."

    I whisper the words, and her eyes go

    wide with shock and fury. For a moment ¡ýs¨¨e a spark, one filled with the will to live, but Percy wipes that thought from her as he plunges the stick through her chest fully and for good measure, he twists it then

    stands.

    "Burn where you belong, bitch." he spits the words at her, tears streaming down his cheeks as he turns and looks at Merikh and I.

    "Feel better?" Merikh asks. Percy looks away and clears his throat before slowly nodding.

    "For now," he admits, looking at me. "And you, Luna? Do you feel a little better?"

    "I feel...relieved." I admit and give him a soft, reassuring smile.

    "Good." he says, limping toward us. "Now, let me get you both to our safe zone. Hayes is champing at the bit to let you take over and lead this fight."

    ¡°Good." Merikh says, sounding relieved. ¡°We are eager to lead it, Aren''t we my little Luna?"

    I grin up at him, walking along behind Percy and pulling Merikh along with me.

    "The sooner we start, the sooner we can get it over with and live our lives."

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115

    Hayes paces the border, his hands in his pocket and his eyes up toward the sky. He is anxious, his inability to sit still and his erratic movements as he checks his watch and scans the forest are all telltale signs. And if that wasn''t enough to let us know, he lets out an enormous relieved huff of air before he grins.

    "Have a nice little vacation, brother?" He teases, moving toward us in wide strides before he drags Merikh into an embrace.

    "So rxing it felt like I was going to die," Merikh grins.

    His eyes slide to me with the glint of a hidden joke, no doubt referring to that pesky bite still noticeable over my mark. Something I will no doubt have to fix soon enough. Once we have the time to think about something other than just trying to keep ourselves and everyone else alive.

    "Not funny," Hayes frowns. "Ezrah filled us in on your run in with Lauren. How are you feeling?"

    "Heavens, I am fine." Merikh groans. I am half tempted to tell Hayes that Merikh is struggling with lycan but I choose to keep that between him and I for now. "Tell me, what has been happening here? Where is our line? Do we have other packsing to our aid?"

    "Others have arrived, but most of our reinforcements are stuck on the outer banks on the other side of the dragons. They have made it known that no one gets in." Hayes frowns. "I hate to have to tell you this, but your cousin did not make it."

    Hayes looks at me with a small frown and I furrow my brows before I realize what he means. My eyes grow wide in shock and my mouth falls open.

    "Leslie is dead?" I ask, a pang of sadness growing in my chest as I think of the unborn baby in her belly, the one that may or may not have been Grady''s.

    "Alpha Bentley felt she needed to redeem herself after lying about being pregnant to get out of being mated to Alpha Merikh. Even though we all know he would have stolen you and jilted her if it hade down to it," Hayes exins.

    Merikh wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me close as I struggle with the emotions rattling through me. Or rather, theck thereof. Leslie was my family, not that I knew it until muchter, but still. She was arge part of my life, and her actions lead me directly to Merikh''s arms, but apart from that...I feel nothing. There is no sadness in her end for me.

    "And my uncle?" I ask.

    "He is holed up in his pack, mourning, I assume." Leandra says with a soft smile, stepping up next to Hayes. I nod in understanding. It doesn''t surprise me in the slightest that he would hide from the fight and use his daughter''s death as an excuse to cower, rather than fight back.

    Hayes finally looks past us, his eyes bulging when he looks at Percy and pinches the bridge of his nose. I look back, watching my gamma, who clearly needs medical care as he takes his stance in his given spot just behind me, protecting my back.

    "We need a healer to meet us in the pack house immediately." I say, looking around for anyone to listen. A warrior takes heed of mymand and sprints away from us at full speed.

    "Luna, I am fine." Percy says, but the pain morphs, his voice making it higher and breathy.

    "I am not asking, Gamma." I say, walking back to him and gripping onto his uninjured arm. "You were a dragon''s chew toy. So you will get seen, understand?"

    "Yes," he says begrudgingly.

    "When we have time, I would really like you to paint the visual of Percy being a chew toy, but there is a lot to fill you both in on." Hayes sounds exhausted, the dark circles under his eyes noticeable for the first time since meeting the Beta.

    Leandra slips up to his side, ncing up at him lovingly as he returns her look. Then they face us and Hayes falls in next to Merikh as we are guided to the heart of the pack.

    I can feel a rumbling under my feet, one no one else seems to notice as I inhale and then slowly exhale, reaching out to the earth, my siren searching and my wolf calming to a near slumber.

    Then I feel it. The rushing of water grows stronger with every step I take toward the pack. It soothes my soul to know it is here, so close to me. I can feel the raw power of it as my nerves tingle and my fibers seem to hum with glee. The ocean water did wonders for me, but fresh water, untouched and from the earth, has a wildness that sings to me. One that gives me hope that we can do this.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Grunting and yelling echoes toward

    ??

    us as we make it into the pack''s center. Some Warriors train, sparring with each other while the others stand in line under a tent, grabbing food that is dished out with speed and precision. It''s not what would imagine before a war with their mates and childrenughing and ying to the side.

    vel.

    But then again, the war wasn''t meant to be here in the first ce. This was supposed to be the haven where families would remain away from danger while waiting for warriors to show up after the battles. Eyes wander toward us, lighting up in pleasant surprise as they give soft bows and Carry about their way.

    Being back surrounded by our

    people sends a shiver down my spine as I smile, breathing in deeply. This is what it is like being home. Being of two worlds is strange and new, but being here, with my pack and with Merikh is a solid reminder that these are the people if I had to die, I would willingly die for.

    I notice how Merikh seems to lumber, his eyes closing longer than they would in a normal blink as we approach the house, slowly climbing the stairs. "You should rest," I say to Merikh, sensing his exhaustion as his feelings tiptoe the line into mine. He has been exhausted since Lauren''s little attack and while I know he is still healing, there is a small fear he will waste away into nothing if he doesn''t recover fully.

    "I am fine," He murmurs, arching a brow. "Unless you are saying you want to go to our room."

    "Merikh, you need to rest. Maybe it will help you with your ly-"

    "Hayes, let''s talk in the kitchen. I need food, but I don''t have the time to sit and eat without talking." He says, changing the subject, his eyes sliding to mine with a small look of guilt.

    ¡°Oh, thank heavens." My mother''s voice sounds through the hall as we inch through the door. She pulls me into a tight embrace, her heart pounding as she holds me close and pulls back, cupping my face in her hands.

    ¡°Mom, we are fine." I sigh and she looks at Merikh, reaching out and taking his hand to give it a good squeeze.

    "I see that now, but I was worried. Especially considering the state of you," she says, looking up at Merikh who clears his throat and looks away. Hayes eyes him curiously, but he knows better than to ask questions right now.

    "How about you two talk for a bit and I will take mom for a walk around the border." I say, tugging Merikh down as I press my lips to his cheek. "Mind link me when you are ready to rest."

    "Colette," he says with a frown. ¡°I promise, I am okay."

    "Then you can exin to Hayes how you were bitten by Lauren and almost died." I say, giving him a sly grin, and he groans.

    "Okay what?¡± Hayes says, rmed. "I heard about the fight and but near death?"

    I rush off with my mom''s hand in mine, my mate giving me an unsatisfied frown as I make it out of the house.

    "I don''t know where the border is." My mom reminds me as I drag her down the front steps.

    "We aren''t looking for the border yet." I inform her and she exhales.

    ¡°So then, what are we looking for?" She whispers.

    "We are checking on Percy, and then we are going to see if we can find Ezrah. Johannes is going to meet with Giselle, and that is when things will really be set in motion."

    "I''m not sure I understand...¡± she admits and I shake my head, grabbing her hand.

    "I want to know exactly where Giselle is, which means trying to get eyes on our vamp friend." I shrug. "And before you say anything, Merikh knows exactly what is going on, but what he has to do is equally important."

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116

    *Merikh*

    "Shit, Merikh." Hayes exhales, dragging his hands through his hair.

    He turns to face me, his eyes tired and his shoulders slumped. I have asked too much of my brother, constantly leaving him at the helm of things without a thought of what weight I amying on his shoulders.

    "This will all end soon," I assure him, picking at the remnants of the te we brought with us from the kitchen.

    "You mean if it all goes ording to your insane n?"

    A chuckle rumbles from my lips as walk over and take a seat on the office couch, watching him process everything I haveid at his feet. I don''t need his approval or his understanding, but I respect him and his opinions on all things. Well, maybe more now than I did before Colette helped shape me into a better version of me.

    "What about any of this isn''t already insane?" I say and he snorts a halfugh before walking over to me and dropping onto the couch on the other end of me.

    "So, you think this will work?" He asks after a minute. "I mean, what does Giselle actually want? First she votes Hybrid''s can''t be around, then she tries to kill Colette, then she kidnaps her and wants her to join her and now she is leading a war to what? Kill us all. To what end?"

    I shrug, not sure how to answer him. This is something I have done nothing but think about since everything has happened. None of it makes sense unless I just go back to the nature of a Phoenix. A creature of chaos, is what Caspian said. Perhaps breeding it gives them life?

    "I don''t think she knows what she even wants, other than just straight mayhem." I say truthfully.

    "How do you know if she will spontaneouslybust? Find it in some lost magical book? Educated guess? Talk to someone wise and really old?" Hayes chuckles at the words ''spontaneouslybust,'' shaking his head. It sounds just as insane to his ears as it does to everyone else''s. "Educated guess," I mutter, my body feeling heavy and eyes itchy.

    Exhaustion has been chasing me since Lauren''s little nick to my neck. It feels as if no amount of sleep truly lets me wake rested, but then again, maybe now that the worst has passed, I will be able to catch some sleep.

    "Oh great," Hayes says sarcastically. "A surefire way to win any war is to make educated guesses on how to kill the enemy. Where could this possibly go wrong?"

    "Sometimes the best n is a crazy one." I say, hiding a smirk.

    "You, my dear brother," he sighs heavily as he stands and walks over to me, reaching out to help me up. "Have always been the better one with crazy ideas. I have always been the one a little more grounded. It''s why our dynamic works so well."

    "This will work, Hayes." I try to assure him, but I can see his hesitation.

    The flicker of fear and twinge of tiredness behind his genuine smile. My brother has every right to be scared and worried. We all do. War isn''t a game, it''s a tragedy, one that in this case has be necessary.

    "I believe you will find a way to make it all work out," He says with a smile. "Now, let''s go find your Luna and get you to bed."

    A flicker of panic runs through me, and I clear my throat, shaking my head of sleepiness. Thest time I fell asleep, I woke up to absolute chaos. mes around us, the vehicle in shambles and people missing. What happens if the war breaks out and they yet again can''t wake me up? "Yes," I say, giving him a tight-lipped smile. "Let''s find Colette."

    The moment we step into the lightly light hallway I hear frantic voices of people downstairs. Hayes and I rush forward, not running but moving with purpose as we make our presence known ande closer. The moment I round the corner, I stop in my tracks and grin on my face.

    ¡°Alpha Merikh is in a meeting with Beta Hayes." Leandra insists the tall, graying man groans in annoyance.

    "Damn it, lycan. I am the King of the damn Sirens!" He roars. ¡°First, you won''t tell me where my mate is and now you are telling me my daughter''s mate is unavable to me? What can you help me with?"

    "Sir, I mean...your majesty?" Leandra fumbles, trying to address him before she heaves out a heavy sigh. "Look, I don''t know what they are discussing, but it is important for our kind that things be discussed leading up to this inevitable fight. I am sorry your mate is missing-"

    Her face falls and her eyes grow wide as she looks up at him.

    "Y-y-you''re Luna Colette''s dad." She swallows roughly, closing her eyes as she squeezes them tight.

    "Yes, he is." I say, moving from the door frame and walking in. Caspian spins to look at me, and the shock of his appearance hits me in the face. Dried blood is caked to the side of his face, arge gash at his hairline and a burn from the tip of his chin down the front of his neck looks angry and painful. I move to the chairs, pulling one out and motioning for him to sit.

    "What the hell happened?" Hayes asks. It is obvious he had the same treatment we did entering the pack, but I want to know his story, who or what he dealt with and how long ago it happened.

    "And why the fuck weren''t we notified that someone entered the pack grounds?" I roar, looking over at Leandra, who still stands with her eyes shut, her hand on her chest as she heaves for air, slipping down to her knees. Hayes is next to her in a second, his hands on her shoulders, stroking her.

    "Lea, what''s wrong?" He whispers, trying to tilt her chin to look up at him. He touches her skin and yanks it back. His body grows rigid, and he looks up at me with sheer panic on his now pale face.

    "What?" I ask, reaching out to touch her forehead. I feel nothing as I frown and look at Hayes, confused.

    "I can feel her struggling..." He

    whispers, his eyes meeting mine, a

    flicker of red leaching into his

    usually gray eyes. He shakes his

    head, mming his palm to his eye

    sockets as he groans and falls

    backward onto his ass. Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    "Hayes!¡± I say, rushing to him, gripping his head between my hands and forcing him to look up at me.

    ¡°What the fuck is happening?" Caspian asks behind me, but I don''t even know how to exin what the hell is going on. How the hell can I, when I don''t even know?

    -Fae King Elm is here to see you, Alpha Merikh-A warrior says through the mind link.

    "Elm is here," I tell Caspian as he reaches down and grabs Leandra.

    "Good, maybe he can sort this fucking mess." He mutters. "Let''s move them to a couch or something."

    I lift Hayes with a grunt and carrying him to the living room down the hall, bypassing Caspian, who waits for em to show him where to go. Wey them down on opposite couches, Hayes groaning and trying to get up.

    "Lay the hell back down." I order him and he res at me as he does so.

    "There is something in her head, something breeding bad thoughts-" He groans, his eyes squinting as if his head feels like it will explode. "It''s not her..."

    "Is it possible they didn''t get Lily out of her head all the way?" I ask Caspian, who plops into a chair to the side, looking defeated.

    "Who knows anymore?" he grumbles. "Our best bet is waiting to see what Elm says when he arrives. It is very clearly Lily''s doing or her hold...the eyes are too familiar for it not to be."

    -We found her and Johannes-Colette says through the mind link.

    -Good. Now get back here, Caspian is injured and something is wrong with Hayes and Leandra-l tell her, not bothering to hide my distress about it

    all.

    "Colette and Melody are on their way back. We have a location on Giselle." I sigh, moving over to Leandra, who cries uncontrobly.

    There is a knock on the door, and I jump up, running to open it. Elm stands there looking fierce in all brown leather, a stern look on his face that seems to hide a sadness in him.

    "I need your help.¡± I tell him and he frowns, but nods.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Elm follows me to the living room, and he sighs, his eyes full of knowing as he nods.

    "I should have warned you earlier,

    but I trusted no one to inform you

    but myself" He pinches the bridge of

    his nose. "Lily was stripped of her title, which weakened her abilities, but she had grown too strong. I have been hunting for her." Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    "Hunting her?" Caspian asks, almost like he is disgusted by the term.

    "When you make yourself an enemy, you be my prey, Caspian." He frowns. "Lily has been found and is being tortured as we speak."

    I furrow my brows in thought.

    "Then what is happening to them?" I ask. "Hayes was never under her control."

    ¡°Dark magic is unpredictable and

    they share a mind link. When they epted the bond, my best guess is

    Hayes also epted the part of her that Lity invaded...She is desperately trying to cling to any and every hold she has in order to save herself."

    I scoff and pace away before spinning to look at him.

    "Then kill the bitch already!" I roar.

    "We need information from her "

    "We need nothing but her hold gone from everyone she has fucking ruined."

    Hayes writhes in pain as he falls off the couch, crawling over to Leandra, reaching for her hand.

    "If you won''t do it, I will." I growl, standing in front of him, no longer asking but demanding. "End this. End her."

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117

    Caspian enters the kitchen looking a little better than he had when he arrived. He rummages in the fridge looking for anything he can find to eat as I sit with a cup of warm tea, waiting for Colette to get back.

    "How are Hayes and his mate?" He asks as he closes the fridge door.

    I shrug. ¡°As good as can be, I suppose we are lucky that Colette and I arrived when we did."

    "Did you have as warm of a wee as I did?" He asks, walking over with a pint of ice cream and a spoon. I arch a brow, watching him with curiosity. "Ice cream?" I ask him skeptically and he just stares at me as he opens it and spoons a bite in.

    "There are many things I love about being up here. This is one of those things." He exins as the front door opens. I stand up, waiting anxiously for Colette to walk through, even though I know with every fiber that it is for sure her. But that doesn''t matter. There is nothing better than physically being able to have eyes on her.

    "We came as fast as we could." She says, a soft exhale when she meets my gaze, her body rxing as she moves to me as I lift my arms. She melts into me, her embrace feeling like home as I fill my lungs with her scent.

    "Are you okay?" Melody asks Caspian as she moves past me.

    My lips find the top of Colette''s head before I look up to watch Caspian look up from his ice cream with a look of surprise on his face, spoon in his mouth.

    ¡°Me?" He asks, removing it and swallowing roughly.

    "Yes,"

    ¡°Uh, I''m okay. Nothing I couldn''t handle." He says, sounding like he is trying to boast. I shoot him an amused look, and he clears his throat. "Elm is here, Colette."

    She breaks our embrace too soon, as I slip my arm around her back, seeking her touch at every turn.

    ¡°Is he still here? What did he say" She asks, looking around for him.

    "He will be back." Caspian says. "Right now, he is with Hayes and Leandra, trying to help them."

    "What is wrong with Hayes and Leandra?" Colette breaks in, her eyes wide with concern.

    I exhale, shooting a look at Caspian.

    ¡°To make a long story short, Elm has captured Lily and they are apparently torturing her. Lily still has a fragment of a hold on Leandra and through the mate bond that extends to Hayes as well. She is struggling to hold it together." I exin.

    Colette''s face grows pale and I can feel her worry through the bond as it grows.

    "What about Percy?" She whispers, as if it is a thought for herself she didn''t realize she spoke aloud.

    "The healers would have told us if something was wrong with him." I reassure her, though it would be a lie if I said it didn''t unsettle me to think he was struggling, like Hayes and Leandra.

    "So, what do we do now?" Colette sighs heavily. "We know where Giselle is, and now we know where Lily is and heavens willing, she will soon be dead."

    "You need to make the first move," Elm says, entering the kitchen with a grim look on his face as he meets Colette''s eyes.

    "We have the element of surprise right now." I remind him. "With you having Lily under lock and key-"

    ¡°Lily''s abilities far surpass the power of a dungeon or pain." Elm scoffs. ¡°She still has control over the wolves in the area. I do not mean to be rude, but wolves are much easier for her to control and since she has had them under her spell for so long, it is easier for them to give in rather than fight her presence."

    "Hence me saying she needs to be dead, Elm." I grit out, striding toward him with a re. Elms scowls at me as he crosses his arms over his chest as if challenging me..

    ¡°It''s not as simple as slitting her throat." He shoots back at me, his eyes filled with annoyance. ¡°There is a process when ites to magic.¡± "You all were so fucking opposed to a hybrid existing and yet you can maintain this level of magic and power with no one checking in on your kind?" "Our kind has never been one with temperament issues or need for control." He hisses at me.

    I roll my eyes, done with the excuses and the me. This whole fucking war started because of Colette''s existence, or so everyone keeps saying, but the truth is his own queen is the one who began all of this, not mine.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    "Says the Fae King with the traitorous-" Colette steps between us, stepping me back away from Elm as she turns and looks between us, frustration growing.

    "Enough." she says with a firm tone. "What matters is defeating Giselle and restoring everyone who needs it from Lily."

    "The moment Lily is gone, Giselle will panic." Caspian says. "The hold on those under her spell will release, and she will lose the majority of her forces."

    My lips press together as I think and look around the room.

    ¡°Let Lily go, have Ezrah follow her." I say after a moment of silence.

    No one says anything, but their eyes skirting around to each other clues me into their thoughts. They all think I am crazy, but what we need right

    will look for Lily eventually,

    now is time to recuperate cont

    especially as we get closer to the big fight that is inevitable. If releasing Lily can buy us just a few hours, then we need to take what we can get.

    "Why?" Elm asks, but he seems less hostile, more receptive.

    "To buy time." Colette murmurs, "So we can maintain our element of surprise and then, when we are ready,unch our own attack?" ¡°Aren''t we better off with hering to us?" Melody asks. ¡°Isn''t the whole n to make her go berserk and panic until she explodes?" "What better way than to surprise her where she is?" I tell her.

    "And why do we need Ezrah to follow her?" Elm asks, arching a brow in interest.

    "I want eyes on the enemy." I say with a scoff, "There is no way in hell I would let her go and just allow her to be free. When the momentes that, we need her dead so we can win, Ezrah will be the one to execute it."

    "I will be the one who ends her." Elm argues. I see a flicker of panic and anger on his face. "She''s my queen, my problem."

    "I thought she was your ex-queen?" I say, and he rolls his eyes, scoffing.

    "I do not have the time or energy for your games and hidden meanings, Alpha Merikh. You think I will allow her to live or that I am not trustworthy, correct?" He asks, and I shrug.

    I mean, Elm isn''t wrong. Trust is something that is fostered and earned, and though he has done good things and my mate trusts him, I am not sure I feel the same way.

    "Maybe."

    "Well, I don''t trust Ezrah," Elm says with a frown. "Think about it. He is everywhere all the time. In everything and he has carried all the ns out with his messages he has delivered, he is the bridge between all of this."

    "Ezrah has been a friend to me, someone I trust and respect." I shoot at him.

    "So then you see my point? He befriended an outsider of the council. Someone deemed the enemy he took as a friend. Perhaps he feels the same way about Giselle or even my Lily?" Elm says.

    ¡°Merikh,¡± Colette says my name softly, walking to me and taking my hand in hers. ¡°I don''t know that I fully trust Ezrah, either.¡±

    I see the turmoil on her face, that she wants to trust him, but she just can''t.

    "Then who the hell do you think we send to follow her?" I scoff. "Or do you think we should just let her panic and charge on her tonight?"

    She looks away and clears her throat before looking back.

    "I think we take three hours to rest, and then we surprise her. Elm will head back to where they are holding Lily and he will finish her. It is his right, it is his duty to all of us and his people." I huff in anger, though I see the wisdom in her n. "As hard as it was for you to do it with Lauren, you needed that closure."

    "Fuck." I groan, my eyes itching with exhaustion. Her hand glides up my cheek and took into her tender eyes, reassuring me that this is the right way. And for yet another time, I defer to my wise and strong Luna to lead us while I struggle with my recovery.

    "We got this, Merikh." She whispers. "You don''t have to trust them. Trust me, only me."

    "I do, always." I reach up and cover her hand with mine, removing it to kiss the inside of her palm. Then I turn to the others and drag my free hand through my hair.

    "Elm, you do what you must with Lily to make sure she is incapacitated. The rest of you all, in three hours, we will go hunting for a rare bird. What you do with that time is up to you. I n to spend it with my mate."

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118

    *Colette*

    I lean back against Merikh''s warm bare chest, the water from the tub tinkling with the soft movement as he wraps his arms around me. My stomach flutters at his hold, his hand sying across my water covered stomach, a soft stroking of his thumb right below my belly button. I close my eyes, relishing the way the bond seems to electrify my entire body.

    "How are you feeling?" I murmur, my voice groggy as my head falls to his shoulder and I tilt my chin up toward him.

    Merikh leans to the side slightly, looking down at me, his eyes scanning my face with a ghost of a smile. Then he leans down, and presses and tender kiss on the tip of my nose before he presses his cheek to mine and releases a heavy sigh.

    ¡°I am tired,¡± He admits, though the throbbing part of him at my back says the exhaustion hasn''tpletely shut off all parts of his brain. Then again, perhaps that is less of a brain response and more of a physical one.

    "Mmm, understandable." I say, sighing contentedly. "Once the water grows cold, we can get some sleep."

    "Hmm," his chest rumbles and I grin to myself, knowing exactly where his mind is going. Sleep sounds glorious. It always does when I am in his arms, but the thought of him slipping in and exhausting ourselves a little more is always one that''s alluring.

    "Hmm, What?" I tease, biting my lip as my cheeks grow heated.

    "Sleep." he whispers. "Is that all you are thinking about, my little luna?"

    "There is a lot on my mind." I say, wrapping my hand over his wrist as my left arm snakes up behind me and around the back of his neck.

    My fingers slip down his smooth skin, entwining with his, as I creep his palm down my belly, lower and lower. Until I stop and allow his movements to take over. Merikh slips his hand right where I crave it, my breath hitching as he growls in my ear, nibbling on my sensitive lobe.

    I nearly jump out of my skin when his thumb strokes me, a gasp tearing from my lips as I writhe into him, my buttocks, bucking back into him as he chuckles and lowers his head to my neck, his lips sucking and teeth teasing as he slips a finger in and I grip his neck harder, a moan on my lips as I whisper his name.

    "I''ve barely touched you, my love," He murmurs, amused. I let out a raspy chuckle and wiggle against him, making him groan once more as he deliciously assaults me below.

    "It never takes much with you," I breathe and he hums in delight.

    I can feel the cusp of my enjoyment rising. Every stroke, ever deep plunge with exploring fingers driving me toward that edge. Instead of allowing it toe, I tear away from him, whipping around water sshing all over the floor as I hammer my lips into his. His needy fingers don''t miss a beat as they move to my ass, gripping me tightly and pulling me flush to him as I slip my tongue between his plush lips.

    I slide my wet body up his,nding him at my entrance, but the tub is too small for me to straddle his massive frame and I frown up at him. Merikh shakes his head with a sexy grin, creating the most glorious dimples on his cheeks. Then he lifts me, spinning as he ces me where he had been resting before he raises me up and ces me on the edge.

    I rest my back on the marble wall behind me, as he rises to his knees and, with a single finger, he presses my knees apart, revealing me to him. I shudder in embarrassment and anticipation. A flush on my cheeks burning hot as I try to look away.

    "Eyes on me, Colette." He insists in a gravelly voice. "I want to see what this does to you."

    I snap my brown eyes to meet his emerald orbs, nothing but sheer need and adoration in those green eyes for me. Then, without breaking our gaze, he lowers down into the water and ces his head between my legs.

    "O-oh...oh f-f-fuck" My voice quivers as he works magic and my head falls back, my hips tilting forward, needing more searching for the warmth of him desperately. He chuckles against my flesh and it nearly sends me into a spiral of ecstasy before he slows down and I look down to catch him watching me.

    "You like this?" He asks, pulling away before biting the inside of my thigh as he presses his fingers into me.

    "Hell yes." I gasp, "Yes.... please don''t stop,"

    I am a begging puddle of water in need of more of him, all of him, and he knows it. His fingers disappear and his hands glide up my outer thighs, gripping me tight as he yanks me into his face, a ravenous sounding from between my legs as they shudder.

    My hand reaches for his beautiful head of hair, twisting into his brown locks, holding him in ce. Then he stops, tearing away, wiping his face as he tugs me down from the ledge, leaving me blinking and distraught.

    ¡°What happened? Did I do something wrong?¡± I ask, reaching for his face, searching him for anything, then he grins mischievously.

    "I want you to ask me if you cane." He whispers, and I scoff. Recalling the way I made him beg me for it when I was punishing him.

    "And what did I do to deserve such punishment?" I ask him and he lets out augh.

    "I am not punishing you, my love. But I am asking that we can redo our mating. We finish together at once and we remark each other." He says.

    I knit my brows together, reaching out and stroking his cheek, my heart filling with unbridled love. Our initial mating, though satisfying, was less than what it should have been. We havee so far from then, grown so much as a pair, as an alpha and a luna.

    "Why?" I ask him, needing to know his answer.

    "Because I love you." He shrugs,

    ie

    rising from the tub with me in his arms. He sets me down, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around me before he turns and looks me in the eye. "trust you, and in the off chance that something happens when shit goes down, I want to feel your fresh mark, not Lauren''s bite, on my neck."

    ¡°Say no more.¡± I whisper, taking his hand and pulling him to me.

    My hands fly up over his neck as I pull him down and close the gap between our lips. I consume the words he spoke, hungrily devouring every breath he gives me as I slip my tongue into his mouth.

    He growls, the towel he has just ced on me slipping away as he lifts me up and walks me to the bathroom counter, pressing my ass onto the cold granite.

    My legs wrap around his waist as he lines up, and then he presses my shoulder back as I lean into the walt mirror behind me. He eyes up my bare breasts, his tongue flicking out to lick his lips like a beast''s eyes up its Then he grips my hips and thrusts into me with a roaring grunt.

    "Fuck!" I cry out, the pleasure and surprise of him filling me suddenly overwhelming as I gasp and my hands fly out to hold me up.

    "Look at me," He says, driving into me again, his hand slipping between us as he strokes me and gently rolls his hips, grinding up and into me. "I am yours."

    I tilt my head, a small smile on my lips before he hits a glorious spot and my face contorts in ecstasy.

    "You are mine." I whisper, my eyes closed.

    He lifts me, holding me close to his

    chest as I bounce gently while he moans and carries us to the bed. He crawls onto the bed, his back hitting theforter as he holds me on top of him I sit up, straddling him and I drop onto him, rolling my hips. My hands slip up to my wet hair as I twist it up and hold it above my head.

    "Let me know when you are close so I can mark you," I whisper to him. His hands explore my body, the zip of the mate bond flying through my

    nerves.

    "You are in charge, my queen." He says, his eyes full of passionate ze when he gasps and strokes my center as I ride him. "Make me when you please."

    The second the rods leave his mouth, I lean forward, my teeth sinking into his neck as he returns the favor. Our bodies convulse his arms, pulling me impossibly close as we both shudder and moan. As I pull away, I feel lightheaded, a darkness dotting my eyes as I slump to the side.

    "Shit, Colette," Merikh mutters, yanking me to his chest as my breathing grows ragged and I try to look at him. "What the fuck is happening?" "I don''t feel very well," I tell him, my hands growing cold, and my heartbeat slowing down.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    As quickly as the wave came on, it disappeared. My heart beat kicking up and my body growing hot once again. I shake my head, sitting up straight and heaving for air. Merikh watches me with unfiltered worry.

    "What is it?" He asks, and I touch my forehead.

    "I don''t know, but it''s gone now," I mutter. "I feel better."

    "I do too..." Merikh says, his brows pulled together as he touches his neck. "I mean, I feel better than I have since Lauren bit me."

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119

    Merikh''s thumb rubs up and down my hand as he holds it tight. The air is thick with tension, as if nature knows what to expect. There has not been a single tweet or chittering of forest animals since we set foot here. All life has run from their homes in their desperate bid for survival. And yet here we are, readily marching into what they run from.

    "Are you both sure about this?" Hayes asks, walking up behind us with a grim look on his face. "Really, truly sure this is the best course of action?" ¡°Best course of action? No. Only course of action? Yes." Merikh says with a solemn look. ¡°There is no surviving a war against the dragons. We may be able to hold out for a time, but in the end, we will end in ash, like all their foes before them. Giselle needs to die. Today. Or we will all die tomorrow."

    My skin prickles at his words. There is no room for failure here, even with what feels like a crackpot n. Hayes rubs his temple and closes his eyes, breathing heavily before he meets his older brother''s gaze.

    "Let me go instead." He says, his words soft and pleading. "They need you more than they need me. And if this n fails...it is you. They would follow into the fire, not me."

    I step closer to him, touching his hand gently as he turns his sorrowful face toward me.

    "I promise to put out any fires I can and keep our Alpha alive." I give him an encouraging squeeze on his hand.

    "He is not the only one I worry about, Luna." He frowns.

    "Be ready for when we reach out in the mind link. When we are ready, that is when we will call for everyone to attack. Can you keep the mate bond block up long enough to block out Leandra''s pain?"

    He nods and takes his hand back, shoving it in his pocket.

    "Yes, Luna." Then Hayes takes a step back, giving us a nod. "Be safe brother, you are the only family I have left."

    We watch as he leaves, and I nce at the clock anxiously waiting for my parents to arrive, along with Ezrah. The moon is high, a sign the heavens are with us, both as a siren and a werewolf. The water in my veins is stronger, more rampant than what it would be during the day. "Colette," I hear my mother say, rushing toward me. She takes my hands, tugging me into a hug. "Promise me you will be safe." "Of course I will be. Truth be told, I am more concerned about you," I tell her and she sighs, a smirk on her lips.

    "I am the daughter of an Alpha, mother of the only hybrid in the world. There is no need to worry about me. I want revenge just as much as you do, sweetheart." She tells me.

    ¡°So you two will sneak up on her from the west. We will hit the east. Ezrah has imed the south and Johannes is already there.¡± Caspian says, moving toward us out of the dark. "What is it you want us to do when we get there? Shall we taunt her with insults?"

    I can hear the doubt in his voice, the way he thinks this n is bullshit. But it is the only way to end it all here and now. I sigh and shake my head, having no time to try to exin it all over again to him.

    ¡°All we can do is hope that Lily''s death affects her.¡± I tell him.

    "Hayes is standing by and ready to draw forces away when we need it." Merikh reminds him. "If ites down to it, we will fight and take out as many as we can before we get to her."

    "And what about the dragon king?" Caspian reminds us.

    "I can only hope his son has kept him home and safe." I admit, biting my lip. "We don''t have time to sit and wait anymore."

    ¡°Colette," Caspian frowns and I shake my head.

    "Dad," I say firmly, "This is it. We have to do this. Now is the only time."

    He reluctantly nods before he clears his throat and moves over next to my mom. I don''t miss the way his arm hangs at his side and her fingers seem to reach out to find his, even if it is for a mere moment.

    "Please be safe, daughter." He says softly as my mother throws her arms around me before she breaks away too soon.

    "As safe as any war allows," I nod, before turning, grabbing Merikh''s hand and sprinting into the trees.

    He keeps up with ease, releasing my hand as we run side by side, ducking and weaving when and where needed. My wolf trembles in excitement and my siren side. It feels feral, needy, and hungry for the fight.

    The only part of me not entirely excited about the fight ahead is my brain. I keep trying to over think, over n. But I know more than anyone else that nning anything in life is worthless. n the basics, not the details. Because details are useless when ites to the unpredictable.

    Merikh slows his speed, adjusting

    his gait to move behind me as he continually scans the area, his nose in the air as he listens and sniffs. I don''t need my wolf''s senses to know we are getting closer as the nt life seems to look dehydrated and in major need of a heavy rain. The air is drier, the foliage on the ground crunching under feet, which makes use to a halt.

    Merikh points to the tree, before he flings his massive frame up onto a high branch and reaches down. I jump with all my might; him catching my wrist as he lifts me into the tree. I bite back a smile as I watch him look around, his alpha presence very much on disy as his hunting instincts are kicking in.

    I have never had the opportunity to fight alongside him like this, in a war or on a mission. And now that I witness it, I think it may be one of the most single sexiest things he has ever done with me.

    Merikh has always been the big bad alpha, known for his intimidation and incredible fighting skills andck of mercy. But watching him perch and be on high alert so he can protect me.

    Well, damn. It makes me want to have his babies. Which is a good thing considering that is the future n for us. I shy away, not wanting him to see the way I ogle him, until I feel him at my back, his hot breath on my neck fanning over my mark.

    "I am going to need you to restrain those thoughts in the mind link," he says in a husky tone. "It is especially hard to run when you are making me as hot and bothered as you seem to be."

    I chuckle lightly, covering my mouth as I turn my head, bringing out lips a mere breath away.

    "I will try, but no promises." I whisper before stealing a quick kiss and dropping out of the tree.

    My hand presses to the ground as I roll my shoulders back and breathe deep, calling to the siren in me for water. It rises to the surface in a slow flow, wetting the parches ground, softening it so we can move without fear of alerting anyone to our presence.

    -I nned to run along in the trees-Merikh says in the mind link. I snort a sarcasticugh and shoot him a ''in what world'' arched brow.

    -You can, but I would fall out and break a leg-I tell him and he grins.

    -I''ll race you-he says, hustling back up the tree as I break into a sprint.

    pet

    There is no way I will beat him. He is not only a skilled warrior; he is a damn lycan. They are, by nature, faster than a regr werewolf like me. But try anyway, a small smile on my lips as we make this a game, enjoying ourselves in the brief

    moments we get to ourselves, even in the face of death and despair.

    I slow down when I hear grunting and a howl. I slip to the nearest tree, hiding behind its wide trunk as two wolves race past me. How they miss my scent, I don''t understand, but I creep along behind them, bringing myself closer as I watch them snarl and snap at each other along the way.

    -Where are you?-- I ask Merikh through our mind link. It''s when he doesn''t respond that the lighthearted moments we just had burst into a dark feeling and I break into a sprint again, pushing my legs as hard as I can.

    One of the wolves slows, heaving asThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    it tries to catch its breath and I leap onto his back, my hand gripping his muzzle to keep him quiet as we

    tumble to the ground. I twist optoet

    my back, my legs wrapping around its neck as I pull back and yank hard to the side. His neck snaps as his body goes limp and I push him to the side, jumping back up and chasing down the others. Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    -Go wide and let me deal with them-Merikh says through the mindlink, paning his words in my mind.

    -No, there are two moreing-I shoot back.

    -New n, You keep going, I''ll catch up-He says, his thoughts turning from panic to determination and then a thrill of excitement.

    I hate listening to him. Leaving him feels wrong, but as much as I need him to trust me, I have to return that trust. So with an aching heart, I cut to the

    right, giving him a wide berth and trusting in his abilities as much as he trusts in mine. Even if I hate it and it feels wrong.

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120

    *Merikh*

    Warmth spreads over my face, a light misting of blood from the unfortunate wolf that is still being controlled by Lily''s shit spell. I know there are moreing, but I can''t help but pause and nce around, trying to determine where they wille from next. Like cockroaches, they scuttle around, lurking until they can no longer hide. It''s offputting how un-wolf like it feels.

    Lily shouldn''t have a hold this strong on them now. And if she is close enough to have this type of hold, Elm should have ended her hours ago. My stomach churns at the thought of him being the betrayer. We put too much power in his hands, without Lily and her magical hold out of the way we are in for a long, tiring battle.

    Tree branches above my head crack, a wolf falling from above as I step to the side, watching her crash to the ground with zero grace. The wolf wheezes as it stands and her eyes flicker for a moment to behind me.

    It is as if none of these wolves were trained to fight. Even in their zombified state, this should be second nature to them. Yet, she gives away the location of the one I know is now behind me.

    I lean to the side as a ck wolf growls, passing me as it flies through the air. He tumbles into her and the two snap and fight for a moment while I watch, waiting for them to remember I am their enemy. A sigh breaks from my lips. At this rate, I will catch up to Colette much faster than I thought I would.

    "If we could speed this up, I would appreciate it." I tell them, making sure they can sense my boredom. "I have better things to do than fight you."

    A low growl emanates from behind me, the ground rumbling as the two race toward me, but instead of attacking, they move around and circle to my back. I whip around, my eyes flying wide as I look up at the monster before me. Well, maybe this will take longer than I expected after all.

    Wolves sidle up to this monster''s legs, their furry bodies vibrating before a silver thread from them attaches to the beast''s chest and the air seems to shudder.

    The wolves whine, then whimper before they fall to the side, their wolves turning to pale, thin, naked, lifeless bodies. The monster shakes its head, red eyes meeting my green as a malicious smile meets its rigid bumpy face. I slip off my pants and shirt as I throw my head back and let out my Lycan''s roar, calling him to the surface.

    I rise to my full height, the monster still a solid two feet taller than me as a hand made of many wolf''s wse swiping down at me. I avoid its contact with ease, dropping low and swinging my sharp nails up and into its soft stomach. The beast barely groans as it reaches out to grab me again.

    There is no world in which that many sets of ws will not annihte me with one hit. So I drop to my knees, scurrying between its legs and to its back. The more I look at its body, the more I understand that this isn''t just one beast, but a beast made of many. With a bouquet of various colored tails and a spine made of many, I understand what I am up against.

    Not only is Lily''s magic seemingly stronger, but it is increasingly more creative. She has taken a single being and given them every wolf of those who it chooses. A sucker of souls, to create a beast worthy of fighting the Lycan king. My heart aches for the loss of my own kind. The ones who have no control over what they are doing, yet they will not survive.

    Its head twists to look at me, the

    chin tilting to the side as if it is trying to anticipate my next move. I take the moment to sprint to the right, which makes it follow me, it''s lumbering movements make the ground shake as I run directly for a tree. The second I am close, I twist my shoulders and shift my direction just in time for the monster to collide with the enormous base of the red oak tree.

    I move behind it as it groans in an eerily echoing cry and I plunge my teeth into the base of its skull, digging my ws in at the lumbar of the spine My jaw clenches as hard as possible and yank my hands up, slicing through bone and flesh as it goes limp. I don''t release my hold until we hit the ground with a rumble and I snap my head to the side, a thud vibrating through my jaw as its neck snaps.

    As I tear away, moving back from the magical version of a werewolf mashup, I watch the one body crumble into seven, all of them dead and at my feet. There isn''t a second to spare as a howl breaks out and mes shoot up into the sky My heart thuds in my chest, my eyes focusing on the direction of the chaos breaking out. All I can do is hope that Elm isn''t the enemy and he will follow through soon.

    The second those dragons take flight, my kind will sumb to the fire by the droves. I turn away from the noise, my stomach heavy at turning my back on the fighting, but I push on. Colette needs me more right now, and the only way to save what we have is to do it this way. It''s a crazy n, but it''s the only viable one we''ve got.

    -Merikh-I hear Colette in my head, the panic and question in her emotions that bleed through to me.

    -I am fine and heading your way-I tell her through the link, swooping up my clothing and running in my lycan form.

    With all the focus being to the south of us for now, I don''t need to be as cautious with my noise as I sprint to catch up. I contemte telling her about Lily and Elm. How Elm has failed to do as he said he would with killing Lily.

    -Move faster if you can, looks like I''ve got somepany-She says,-I''m hidden for now, but-

    The mind link cuts off and it fuels me to move faster than my lycan body has.

    There is no stopping me as I bound over roots and bust through downed logs that try to hinder me. I try to reach out to her, feeling for her emotions or anything I can. There is a shiver that runs up my spine, a feeling that I am being watched or followed, but I push it aside.

    I don''t give a fuck who sees me or who the hell tries to attack me. There is nothing that exists on this earth that can slow me down right now. The breaking of branches and the whooshing of air only proves my instincts right as whoever is behind me follows close. Or as close as they can, which only means they are either also a lycan or someone who moves fast like us.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    I tear through bushes and trees, breaking into a small clearing with multiple trees that have recently been toppled, and mes flicker. My body instinctively halts, my nose tilting up as I sniff the air, catching a whiff of Colette beyond the smell of the smoke. My massive head whips from side to side, my chest heaving with the fear of where she is, what might have happened.

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121

    -I am here-I tell her through the mind link. There is a rustling above me and she drops down from the tree, leaves in her hair and soot on my cheek. She stands, her eyes filled with tears and fear as she reaches for me. My human form takes over as I tuck her into my chest, pulling her tight. "We aren''t alone," I whisper, and she nods.

    "I know." She says back, pointing behind me. I spin and look up in the tree, catching a glimpse of a familiar lycan, and I frown.

    "Percy." I say in a growly voice.

    He climbs down, transforming into his human form, as he saunters over with his eyes cast down as he quickly pulls on his shorts. The kid was supposed to be on bed rest, not chasing us into a fucking fight.

    "Alpha," He murmurs.

    "What the fuck are you doing here?" I ask, arching a brow. It seems no matter who sick, heart broken or physically broken he is, there is no shaking this tenacious redhead.

    "My job." He says. "I took an oath,"

    "And I told you to rest," Colette says.

    "I will rest when you are not in danger, Luna. But when you are walking into it head on, I will be there with you. As your shadow, always. Like Penny." I slide a look at Colette, watching as her face goes from anger to gratitude. It''s amazing how quickly she can calm herself while I sit here and seethe over him breaking an order. Perhaps this is why I was granted a Luna like her. Perhaps I need to be more like her.

    "What happened?" I ask Colette, choosing to ignore the Percy issue for now.

    "A wolf and a dragon got into a fight over which way to go." She says. "The wolf wanted to go in your direction. The dragon felt it would be best to keep going toward Giselle. He wanted to be near his queen..." she says, her eyes meet mine.

    "Shit." I grumble, my heart falling to my feet.

    "Shit, what?" Percy asks, looking at us.

    "The dragons are feeling protective of their queen. Which means Giselle is prepared and getting through to her won''t be as easy as we could have hoped. Not that we expected any less, but-" I pause, releasing a heavy sigh.

    "It''s possible Giselle knows we areing now." She frowns.

    "How?" Percy asks.

    "We have a traitor among us, and since Lily is still alive and nearby, I have the feeling Elm has been lying and ying us for fucking fools all along." Fuck, fuck, fuck. With Lily still alive, Giselle will remain too strong against our forces. It will be a massacre against our kind, yes we have packs here to fight with us, but our defenses against the dragons are nil. Colette and Caspian are the only ones who can protect them from the fire.

    "You need to go back." I insist, taking her hand in mine.

    "Hell no!" she scoffs. "I need to contain her burst of heat when shebusts, Merikh."

    "She won''t kill anyone but the people closest to her...hopefully." I say, trying to convince her. But I know I am wrong. The entire area will be ttened,id to waste and ash when she goes up. Colette will need to use her skills to provide a wall to save them.

    "And I suppose you think you will be the one to antagonize her?" She growls.

    I shoot her a charming smile, trying to break the tension.

    "I am very good at antagonizing," I remind her and she groans, throwing her hands up in the air.

    "No." She says inly.

    "No?" I ask, not entirely shocked by her answer, but more by the passion behind it.

    "No. I refuse. If you think someone needs to go back, then you go. Or send Percy."

    I dete, my shoulders slumping and my head shaking in frustration.

    "We do not have your skills." I remind her. She licks her teeth and chuckles sardonically.

    "Exactly. I am the only one who can do BOTH things that need to be done. Our pack needs you more than I need you right now." She says, her tone softening. "I know you are worried, and you want to be near me, but you taught me what leading is."

    My jaw clenches and I clear my throat, looking away. Fuck her and her stupid, logical logic.

    "I can''t let you do this alone." I sigh, keeping the tears away. "There is no way I can function, not knowing you are okay or that you can handle this." She tilts her head to the side, walking over to me as she reaches up and cups my cheek.

    "I can handle this. Okay? I promise. And I won''t be alone. I have Percy. He has proven time and time again how talented he is at protecting me. Trust that instinct you had when you chose him to be my gamma."

    It feels like I am being torn in two, my chest burning and my fingers itching with indecision. I clench my hands into fist and let out a frustrated groan, then I look up and nod.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "Fine." I grunt, then I grab her at her waist and yank her to me roughly. "But you better make it fucking back to me. Do you understand?"

    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± she says, tilting her head back for a kiss.

    "That''s a fucking alpha order, Colette." I rify and she giggles.

    "I know, I know." She whispers as I press my lips to her.

    She breaks away too soon, giving Percy a nod as she takes two steps back and then spins on her heals sprinting off with her red-haired

    protector. I hate this so fucking

    much. But she is right. This is what being a leader is, making decisions | hate but are necessary. Our pack needs us both, but they need us in different ces.

    Another burst of mes shoots out, and I hear cries and wolves howling. That''s where I am needed. That''s the fight know how to fight. I am trusting Colette and Percy. Fuck if it isn''t hard, though. I take off in that direction, onest nce over my shoulder where Colette disappeared before I inhale deeply and shift into my lycan form.

    The path is easy until a tree creaks from the heat and I look up to see ite flying down toward me. I try to leap out of the way, but a branch reaches out, hitting me hard as fly in the opposite direction I was aiming for. My back ms into a hard rock face and I slide down,nding on something wet and fleshy.

    In a fight, you always know what that is, and you never look down for fear of seeing someone you know. But I find myself unable to look away when I see who is beneath me. My vision grows red in anger, everything I thought and believed shifting in the span of seconds.

    Elmys dead beneath me as I struggle to get off his mutted body. His head clings to his neck with a thread of skin and muscle, his eyes wide and

    his chest wed to shreds. Not at the hands of a werewolf. But that of a woman with sharp, long nails.

    Elm isn''t the betrayer. He didn''t kill Lily like he promised because he was killed first.

    But if the traitor wasn''t Elm, then it only leaves one person.

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122

    *Colette*

    Percy is silent, his eyes always on the lookout and his body tense as we move swiftly closer and closer to the enemy. There are so many things I want to say, want to ask him, but I know all too well the once chatty kid is much more closed off now. Even to me. I clear my throat softly and nce at him, catching him as he looks at me. Then he sighs.

    "Luna, I am fine." He tries to assure me.

    "Ok," I say nonchntly, afraid to push harder.

    "The Fae queen''s hold wasn''t long enough to linger in me. I have not felt her once where Leandra has." He offers and I shake my head.

    It''s funny how he assumes I am worried about that. Or perhaps he knows exactly what I am worried about and wants to be sure we skip that topic. When I look at him again, I see he needs this, to just air his own worries and doubts while I pretend they are mine.

    "If you say so, Percy." I shrug, ducking under a pine branch, the needles tumbling from the dried out tree and scattering to the ground.

    "I would never put you in danger. If I was worried about her having a hold on me, then I wouldn''t havee." He says, his voice growing more desperate. "The fae''s hold was weak enough for me to fight once, so if it happens again, I will fight it."

    A soft breeze brushes my face, and I pause, wondering how a breeze could make it through the dense forest. He prattles on with his words while I watch as a single tree shudders from the same wind and I reach out, grabbing Percy''s arm. He lets out a sad sigh.

    "Luna, I swear I am here to protect you, and it has nothing to do with Penny. We took an oath and I stand by that¡ª"

    "Percy..." I mutter ¡°Shut up.¡±

    He follows my gaze, his eyes growing wide before he scowls up at the tree, his knees bending as he lowers his body and prepares for an attack. "What do you see?" he whispers low enough only a wolf could pick up.

    "Breeze in a single tree," I murmur back, my eyes focused on the branch that sways yet shows me nothing. No animal or warrior can be seen, but we have learned that means shit in this world where magic has turned dark.

    "We need to move," He says, grabbing my elbow, and tugging me away. My eyes snap to him, watching as he fixates on something I clearly can not pinpoint.

    "What do YOU see?" I hiss at him and he shakes his head, though his eyes remain focused.

    "Nothing where something should be, and that worries me more," he says before snapping his gaze to meet mine. Panic explodes over his face. "Run, luna"

    "Shit," I grumble, turning and taking off at a full sprint.

    Percy is at my back, his even breathing loud enough for me to hear, and I realize he is doing that for me, so I know he is there and I don''t need to look back. I try to reach out to Merikh, but we have grown too far apart.

    My mind whirls with possibilities of what the hell might be following us. Whatever it is, it has had the time to attack and yet it didn''t. Whether that makes it a wise enemy or a shitty ally, I don''t know. And truthfully, I don''t care to find out.

    "Move faster," I hear Percy usher out behind me as I try like hell to make my legsply.

    Lycans are much faster. Not only do they have that height and long legs, their stamina and strength is overall just.... better. I, however, have to reserve my wolf and siren to try to save as many people as I can when the timees.

    It''s not just others whose lives depend on me being able to drown out the st, but my own. If I fail, I will be the first one to go and I can''t imagine what that will do to Merikh.

    My ankle twists as a stone rolls from under my foot, tossing me to the right. I collide with a tree trunk, my shoulder smacking into it with a loud thud as I grunt out in pain. Percy is next to me in a heartbeat, swooping under my aching shoulder and wrapping his arm around my back as he continues to ze through the trees.

    Branches reach out, as if they are long fingers extending to entwine me. Twigs, slice at my face, catch as my waist as we try like fucking hell to break away from whatever the fuck is happening.

    Then I am dropped, my support disappearing as I take a step onto my ankle and pain tears through my calf. I cry out, andnd on my hands and knees, turning to look at Percy, who stands in front, his back to me and his arms at the ready.

    ¡°She is here.¡± He murmurs. ¡°I can feel her now, she is so fucking close, I can taste her on my Tongue."

    "Fight it, Percy." I say, forcing myself to stand as I roll my shoulders back. He looks over his shoulders at me, a sly smirk on his lips.

    "I fully intend to do just that, Luna Letty."

    The fear that was gripping me suddenly seems to fade. The sheer truth of Percy''s words is enough to make me bet my life on him winning this battle. He is young and new to this role, but I am not sure there has ever been a better gamma duo than the one I had.

    A woman in a velvet green dress drops out of a tree, her eyes swirling with red and her face pale, almost gaunt. When she smiles, she reveals a mouth of missing teeth and lips that are colored red by her own blood.

    With every step closer she takes, I see the stains on her garb. The way it is tattered and soaked with blood. Elm must have failed to kill her. She has clearly been tortured, so there is no doubting he was telling the truth.

    "Luna," she says, her lips cracking and a droplet of blood dripping down her chin. "You turned him against me."

    ¡°Elm?¡± I ask and she looks sad for a moment, ncing down at her bloodied finger tips.

    ¡°He loved me,¡± she whispers. "He chose me until you came along."

    "Direct your word to me, bitch." Percy says, stepping in between us to block her view of me.

    A tree branch snaps out, grabbing hold of Percy''s wrist. He is fast as he grabs it back, yanking it toward him as his lycan surfaces and he tears into the tree''s bark, breaking it clean off of him.

    Another flies for him, taking his other hand just as one grabs his leg. He howls, breaking his hind leg free as he snaps at the branch that lifts him high, then ms him down toward the earth.

    I press my hands to the dry dirt, reaching for the water and swiftly pulling it from the earth intime to break his strike to the ground with a soft mud. Lily''s eyes squint as she smiles wide and then giggles, covering her mouth.

    "I''m not the only one with a party trick, I guess." She says.

    Percy looks at me, giving me a ''don''t do that'' re and I roll my eyes. I know I need to save my strength, but I refuse to watch him fight an unfair fight. There is nothing for me to say to Lily, so instead I shoot her a fake smile. One that really says ''fuck you'', it only pleases her as she giggles again.

    Percy takes the time she is distracted to inch his way closer to her, but even without using her eyes, she witnesses it. Roots rise from the ground, breaking through with such force that Percy is unable to maintain his bnce.

    He falls onto his ass. They circle him, twisting together at the top slowly, trapping him. He tears them to shreds, but they rece quicker than he can move out of the way.

    He is snatched to the ground, his lycan form roaring in anger as he tries like hell to break free. A green root slips around his neck, tightening as his lycan retreats and Percy''s human form takes its ce. His sad eyes meet mine.

    "Stop!" I scream, scrambling from the ground and trying to make it over to him. "Please! Don''t kill him!¡±

    The wooden noose around his neck stops, and I look up at Lily, who looks all too happy with what she is doing. Then he leans forward and tilts her head.

    "I will let you say goodbye." She says. "It''s more than you got to do with his sister."

    Rage boils in me as I lick my lips and dig as deep in myself as I can. What use is water at this moment? What use is a wolf against a magic that took down a lycan warrior?

    "You are not allowed to die." Imand him with my tone. He meets my gaze, unsure of how to respond as he lies, unable to move. Then I realize what it is I have to do, fuck saving my strength, fuck hiding how strong I am. "When I do this, you get your ass up and finish it."

    My words register to him, and he furrows his brows in confusion as I close my eyes. I dig deeper than the cold reserves of water just below the surface. My siren reaches past the flowing waters in the caverns hidden far below even what we couldprehend.

    Dragons remain close to heat, a heat

    thates from the earth, so I find the water that is bubbling, the water that steams and roars with pockets of heat. It feels as if my veins are being stretched as I pull it from the earth, the energy it requires making the fibers of my muscles quiver in use.

    el

    Then it happens, a geyser that rises to the surface, exploding from the very earth beneath Lily''s feet as she screeches and flies into the air. The water drips down onto us, the searing burns ones I relish as i proves I did it. Then I look at Percy and he roars, his lycan back and breaking free as he leaps up a tree, tackles her from the geyser as it slows and falls away. Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    Lily''s skin is red and covered in blisters as he hammers her to the ground and sinks his teeth into her throat. Her cry turns to a gurgling as she drowns

    in her own boiling blood, her body twitching as the nerves die off.

    ¡°Holy shit, Luna.¡± Percy says, panting in his human form, his eyes wide. "I didn''t know you could do that.¡±

    "Me either," I say, shocked, with a little surprised chuckle. "That was..."

    "Amazing." A voice whispers from behind us.

    We whip around, and Percy leaps in front of me just as Ezrah steps out from the shadows. I furrow my brows, looking at him.

    "What are you doing here? You are supposed to being from¡ª¡±

    "I didn''t trust Elm, so I followed him." He admits, with an ashamed frown.

    "And what did you find?" Percy asks, but he doesn''t drop his guard.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    "Elm wasn''t the one torturing her. He was there to rescue her and set her free, and clearly he seeded." Ezrah shakes his head. Percy looks at me

    and then back at him.

    "What did you do to stop it?" He asks.

    "I fought with Elm while she escaped. He ran off, and I went after Lily, hence me showing up right now. I have been tracking her." Ezrah exins.

    I sigh, tiredness tugging at my body as I look at Percy and he presses his lips together, turning to look at me. He nces over his shoulders once more to make sure Ezrah isn''t listening before he whispers so low I barely hear him.

    "I don''t trust him." He says. I bite my lip and nod.

    ¡°Understood. We tread lightly then, okay?¡± I say and he nods, then I smile at Ezrah. ¡°With Lily dead, what do you n to do now?" I ask him and he

    shrugs.

    "Follow the original n, of course. Unless you are feeling tired, I could carry you, if you wish? I see that your gamma still has fresh injuries that need

    healing."

    I nce at Percy, noticing Ezrah is right. Percy''s bite mark from the dragon fight, though looking much better, has re-opened in a few spots. I wrestle with what to do, but I know I need the rest. So does Percy.

    ¡°Actually, that sounds like a good idea for now." I say hesitantly. "Just for a little bit."

    "Perfect." He gives me a bright smile. "Let''s go kill a queen."

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123

    ?

    It''s incredibly difficult to rest on the back of someone you aren''t sure you can trust. Every muscle in my body feels tense, my neck aching from keeping it pressing into his back too hard. I am used to being carried around; it seemstely it''s been happening more frequently. But this time is different. It feels forced.

    Ezrah feels...fake. Or rather, I am seeing the real him for the first time. Each time he looks over his shoulder to check on me, I see something in his eyes. If I were more optimistic about him, I would think it was a concern, but it feels deeper. Almost as if he is concerned, but not for me. More my presence.

    Percy remains near, his eyes constantly cutting in my direction like a worried watch dog looking for orders. He can feel it too, which only makes me more unnerved. What happens when we arrive?

    Is Ezrah really a bad guy, and if he is, why not kill us after what he saw I could do? Clearly, he isn''t under some magic spell like the many others out here fighting.

    "We should go separate ways here." Percy says, sniffing the air.

    It smells of heated metal, the trees brown and shriveling while the branches further north of us begins to smoke. Not only are we close, but it would seem that Lily''s death has been felt already. We are running out of time.

    ¡°I think I should take you all the way. It seems like we are almost there now." Ezrah says, a frown on his face as I squirm off of his back and take a step over to Percy.

    "There is a n in ce for a reason," Percy says, his words clipped and pointed.

    "Sometimes ns change for the better." Ezrah shrugs. I say nothing as he stares at me, neither of us breaking. Then he rolls his eyes and lets out an enormous sigh. "Well,e on then. I might as well walk you the rest of the way."

    "We need to stick to the n." I reiterate, and he scoffs.

    "Your n was ruined the second you trusted Elm."

    "It''s not Elm who is the issue," Percy says, his voice defensive as he inches in front of me, ready to fight Ezrah if he has to. I reach out to touch his upper arm, reassuring him.

    "Percy, Merikh vouched for Ezrah.¡± I remind him, but we both know that trust is gone. We can feel it, sense the shift in him. The end of his charade is so close, and he has let his guard down. "Let''s just move, quickly. We are close. I can feel it."

    Ezrah walks first, trying to show that by turning his back, he trusts us. But it''s easy to trust the people you think are beneath you. How often do they ever actually stand up and retaliate? What he doesn''t realize is that we are a step ahead of him this time.

    It doesn''t take us long to see her pacing figure. The air around her shimmers like she is a blue me, my view of her distorted by the warbling of the heat encircling her. I pause, moving behind a tree trunk, Percy taking a simr stance to the right of me as Ezrah continues to walk.

    "Ah," she says in a sigh of relief, a small shake of Ezrah''s head has her tipping her chin to the right before her eyes widen and she turns away from us. "What do you have for me, messenger boy?"

    "What makes you think I have anything for you?" He asks, standing in the open, his cheeks turning pink as he shifts to the side. The heat is almost too much for him as he licks his lips and nces at me.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "You alwayse with letters of thew, meetings or stupid meaningless things. The council is gone. I have nothing to say to anyone and there is no time for stupid, meaningless things."

    "Alpha Merikh would like a truce." Ezrah Announces to her.

    "Toote." She shrugs. I watch as it looks like her body seems to glimmer in mes that cover her almost naked body. Her skin is skewed by the extreme heat and the more intimate areas seem to be covered in some strange sheen of fire.

    "I brought Luna Colette as his offering." He says, motioning in my direction.

    Her eyes snap up and her lips twitch. Then she smiles at him sweetly.

    "So the charade is up, then? I no longer have to pretend that it is just me doing all of this?" She asks.

    "Alpha Merikh will be here soon to exin everything to her." He whispers, looking away from me.

    I was suspicious before, but I know without a doubt at this moment that Ezrah has been the enemy all along. Pulling strings, and ying us all with the trust he spent years establishing. This fool things he is still fooling me, and with this crazy usation against my mate?

    It''s impossible to hide the bubble ofughter that erupts from my lips. Quiet little giggles erupt into a full stomachugh, my arms covering my abdomen as I stumble closer.

    "Ah, Colette." She says, not even trying to feign the surprise. She knew I was there the moment Ezrah walked up. Why? Because Ezrah was always meant to bring me to her. He is the delivery boy, after all.

    "I am telling the truth-" Ezrah says deadpan.

    ¡°Merikh could be the one holding the knife and you still wouldn''t convince me it was him trying to kill me. I trust him explicitly. Always." I say with a headshake.

    "Some people cannot see what is in front of them." Giselle shrugs.

    "And others are unable to understand love. We all have our failings. Some with far less than others." I snap back at her.

    I can sense Percy close by, and it

    gives me a little more gumption. The ability to push her, goad her like Merikh nned to do all along. What I need to do first is find what hurts her the most. That weak spot in her fake armor. And then I need to lean into it until she explodes. Not a problem at all, super easy job.

    Giselle chuckles, waving her fluttering fiery hand away as if my words are an annoying mosquito she can''t quite catch. A smirk curls at the corner of my lip. And just like that, I know I have found the weak spot. It should have been easier to spot. But the way my words clearly annoy her and the way she tries to pretend they don''t.

    Giselle is lonely. A bitch, but a lonely one.

    "Love is fleeting." She says in a carefree voice.

    "No, fake love is fleeting. Which I am sure you have known many times over. I mean, you had to pretend to be a species you aren''t in order to make a dragon ''love'' you.¡± I scoff. "My mate wanted me from the second he saw me, and we have fought for each other since."

    "Your mate will stab you in the back, like he has done over and over again." She seethes. The surrounding air grows hotter, the moisture in the air leeching away as I take a few steps back, needing to breathe.

    ¡°Giselle, you are feeding into their n.¡± Ezrah grits out, holding a hand up as he tries to look at her.

    "Oh, shut up you stupid Elf!" she roars, her hair going from red to flicking blue mes. "You served your purpose."

    "Careful how you speak to me. I am your fa-courier." He says, and it dawns on me. He is going to deliver her. Once she is ash and gone, he will take her and bring her somewhere, store her.

    "Luna," I hear Percy whisper from the trees, his eyes flickering to Giselle, an encouraging head nod.

    "What was the point of all of this?" I ask, breaking up their heated argument.

    "Point of what?" Giselle blinks, looking at me.

    "The war, needing me, being a ''dragon''?" I scoff. "It was all pointless. This whole ''creature of chaos'' bullshit."

    "Pointless?" she asks, offended. "Pointless? It worked. It all fucking worked. You showed me it could be done, and now, now it is happening. Only thing left to do is kill you so you aren''t a threat to it."

    My brows furrow together and then I watch as her hand glides over her ember like belly. Shit, she is pregnant?

    "You are figuring it out, aren''t you?" She giggles. "Surprise! I''m having the dragon heir!"

    "They have one." I remind her and she rolls her eyes.

    ¡°He has already been stripped of his title. This little thing will rule over dragons and with it, the ultimate chaos will reign. Not for a short term, but for a hundred years. A phoenix is around for thirty years, at most, before regeneration starts again. But Dragons?"

    "Assuming they will want it." I scoff. "As the only hybrid, I can assure you, there are many who will try to kill it, especially if it is part of you."

    She takes a step toward me, her heat preceding her with every inch she moves closer.

    "She is protected. A child in the care of a courier Fae is protected by them at all costs. Aren''t they Papa Ezrah? My sweet adoptive daddy who found my egg in a tree." She says, looking at Ezrah, who looks almost sad.

    "Here is the n. I am going to kill you, no matter what." I shrug.

    "And what of my child? Does it not matter to you?"

    "If you were an egg and dragons are born of eggs, I can only assume when you die, the egg will be left behind." I grin, a n forming in my head. "But I promise to raise your child with nothing but love and a respect for all species."

    Her eyes ze and she sneers at me, the area around us growing lighter as she beams, her light shing like a strobe in a club. Well, I guess that is her weak spot; I suck in a deep breath, my hand sweating as I hold them at my side, preparing to summon all the water I can.

    "It can call me Mommy, and Merikh will be such a wonderful Daddy. I mean, it makes sense. Any fire it lights, I can just put out. Who better to be its parents than us?"

    And just like that, she lets out an excruciating cry of agony, a beam of light shooting straight up into the sky as she falls on her back. A wave of heat throws me into a tree as I heave, searching for air. Percy grabs me, pulling me away, behind a rock for shelter.

    "It''s now or never Luna." He says hoarsely, his cheeks burned and his lips chapped. "Time to show everyone what you are made of."

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124

    ?

    *Merikh*

    "Why is this fucking ce so big?" I growl to no one as I sprint through the dying trees and over the once lush green moss under their canopy. How much further must I go to find her? Every ticking second feels like agony as panic and fear trickle down my spine, reminding me how much I fucked up by not listening to her thoughts on Ezrah.

    Howls break in the distance, victorious, and for once this wretched night I feel a slight release of tension in my shoulders. I am not entirely sure what the hell is going on, but I see the dragons flying overhead, almost as if they are lost, unsure of where to go or what to do. Lily is dead, she must be. How she met her end, I do not know, but there is no world in which we would win if she still had her control.

    But even that thought does nothing to quell the painful stabbing in my stomach. All it does is make the pain burn hotter, an uncontroble pain like the feeling of loss. One where pain fades to a bleak future of nothing but loneliness and wanting to die. Shit, I need to move faster.

    The woods before me explode in light, my arming up over my eyes, shielding them from the onught. The trees sway in a warm breeze that grows more steady, a warning of what is yet toe. It feels like my lips are sticky as I try to lick them, giving them whatever wetness I have before forcing my heavy legs to propel me toward it.

    "No," I groan, the staggering feeling of despair washing over me. "No!"

    The words are nothing against the roaring heat and the cries of agony. It can''t be Colette. I would feel the loss of her. I would know if she was gone. So I do the only thing I can do. I shift and I run blindly into the light, knowing I will find her even if it brings me nothing but death.

    The heat grows painful, my fur singing, the scent stinging my nose as my skin''s rapid healing abilities rage against the blisters forming, trying to heal as fast as we burn, only to fail. Then, with no reason or indication of why, the earth shakes, my feet cool as tiny drops of water rise from the ground. My gaze shifts and I see her.

    It''s as if the world ceases in a moment of time, the way sound ceases and the water seems to hang in the air. Colette lifts into the air, arge wave forming before her as if a tide is rising and she is riding it.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Her fingers seem to glow, her hair going translucent as if she is the water. And then, her wolf appears, her clothing swirling away in the water that seems to grow taller, wider. A vast liquid wall rising to protect us all.

    She is so far away still, too far away as I try to reach out to her through the mind link only to find myself blocked, as if I am underwater. The sound of her in my head is there, but almost garbled as if she is out of reach, even with being close enough to see.

    The bright light of Giselle continues to grow brighter, the water only magnifying it as wavesp up against nothing but air, sending a cascading array of tiny rainbows over Percy, who fights off a dragon of a smaller stature, trying to get to Colette. Little does it know there is no touching which has no form but water.

    I move toward her, drawn to her like a ship in the treacherous water, seeking the refuge of the lighthouse''s guidance to shore. She is glorious as she growsrger with every passing beat of my heart.

    If she sees me, she doesn''t show it. She is too wrapped up in what she is doing to care about the world outside of her scope of things. Her arms hardly outstretched before her as she continues to call to the water from every source she can muster up.

    Then, as if she has hit her limit, she stops. The water rises no more and a dense fog grows between her and Giselle. The heat rapidly turning the water closest to it into nothing but a steam that rolls up to the sky and over the wall as it seems to cascade down toward us. An ominous and unfortunate foretelling of what ising.

    "Merikh..." Colette whispers, her face appearing from the water, her frame immersed and her eyes swirling a vibrant blue as she reaches for me. My lycan touches her and her exhaustion nearly knocks me t on my ass. "Help..."

    The desperation in her breaks my heart as my lycan recedes to save energy and I step into the water, grabbing hold of her, pulling her close to my chest. The cool temperature of it wraps around me, like a current, protecting the two of us as she focuses solely on keeping the wall up long enough to withstand the still growing heat of Giselle who screams relentlessly.

    "What do you need?" I ask Colette, my lips brushing her flushed cheek.

    I stroke the wet locks from her pale face, giving her every ounce of strength and healing I can manage through our mate bond.

    "Just you," she whispers, her body shaking as she tries to give me a weak smile.

    "You have all of me," I remind her, and press a kiss to her temple.

    "How long do you think she will burn like that?" Percy asks, running over out of breath. He looks like he has seen better days, but he remains standing and ready to protect us until the end, if needed.

    "Hopefully not much longer," I murmur, squinting through the swirling waves at Giselle, who still burns in a white heat.

    ¡°I will make sure no onees from our backs," He says, giving a nod to me and Colette. "If I don''t make it, it was an honor to protect you, Luna."

    There is a moring behind us and

    a wolf flies from a tree, crashing hard into the ground, before moring to its feet and racing toward us. Percy intercepts it, but

    the wolf lowers its head in

    submission and then shifts

    ?????

    ov

    revealing a tired-looking Melody.

    Caspian crashes through the trees just after her, scratches and blood on his face as his eyes grow wide in wonder. He steps up next to Melody, taking her hand in his as the two make their way toward us.

    "You have done so well, my child. Now I will take over." He says, the water responding to his presence, as if it were a living being.

    "No, I can do this," Colette demands in a quiet, trembling voice. "Please, let me do this."

    She is drawing too much energy, not only from herself but from me as well as the damn bird, just burns and burns in a never-ending cycle. I know looking down at her, she will give everything for this. Colette with die here if it means protecting what she took on as her own.

    Every ounce of me wants to yank her away, shake her back to sense, but as long as I go with her, I will allow her to choose her own fate. The water grows warm, my skin heating as I squeeze her closer to me.

    Her strength no longer pulls from the source of cold water from below our feet. It''s when bubbles rise and the wall slowly shrinks that I realize no amount of determination from my little luna can stop what ising.

    My skin begins to burn and Colette whimpers ufortably as the water rises in temperature. If it continues to heat at this rate, we will either boil to death or the water will evaporate and we will burn to death.

    The rational part of me wants to drag her off and save us both. But even being rational at this point means certain death. There is only one way out of here for us now, and we all know it.

    I look at Caspian and see that he has made up his mind. He cups Melody''s cheek, putting her in for a grand kiss, before he presses his forehead to hers and whispers something to her. Then he steps away and walks over to us. Content belongs to

    "It''s okay sweetheart, let me give you a little break." He says with a soft, adoring smile. "Just for a short moment, okay?"

    ¡°Just for a little bit," she relents, but she misses the look in Caspian''s eyes when he watches her for a moment, then he lifts his hands and the water shifts to him.

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125

    ?

    *Colette*

    Caspian steps into the wave, his form shifting as his scaly figure emerges, and the water seems to move with him as he makes his way toward Giselle as she grows brighter, hotter. The wave I had conjured up pales inparison to the one he seems to lift from the earth.

    The air around us cools with the shield from the heat and I try to speak, to tell him toe back. Why does he feel he must go so far from us? I can help him, give him what strength I have left if he needs it.

    Merikh clings to me as water rises around us as if we are treading deeper into the vast ocean he creates around us. Without the water and Merikh''s arms I would be a pile of jelly, my muscles screaming as every fiber tries to recover from what I was doing. The bright burning light that is Giselle only grows brighter. A sun here on earth as the water steams around us, and my lip quivers.

    "He isn''t strong enough on his own," I rasp out, looking up at Merikh, begging for him to understand. His bright green eyes sh with rm and he shakes his head, a panic rising in him that even he can''t find.

    "No," He insists, his head shaking as he turns me to face him, gripping my shoulders.

    "You know that he needs my help." I say, easing out of his hold.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    My knees buckle and I drop into the water, bobbing back up to look at the agony in his eyes. In all my life, I have only ever seen this look of terror when someone was about to die. Which means he knows what it likely to happen, and why I have to help my dad.

    "He needs his mate." My mother whispers.

    I whip my head in her direction as she clutches her hands at her chest, her eyes filled with tears, watching my father roar with power as he does everything in his ability to shield everyone as high and as long as he can.

    "Mom..." I swallow the word, hating how it catches in my throat as she rushes toward him.

    I lurch forward to follow, but I find myself swept up into Merikh arms. He looks down at me, my heart shattering at the thought of leaving when I know I can do more. I have more in me if only he would trust me enough to use it. But without so much as a peep, he rushes toward the massive wall, making his way closer.

    It feels like time slows down as I witness my mom step into the watery wall and wrap her arms around my dad from behind. At the slightest touch from her, his wall rises fifteen feet taller, and she moves around to be in front of him. I struggle to understand how she can breathe or even speak, but I see her lips moving as she locks her eyes on mine.

    "Forgive me," Merikh says softly and I look up at his stoney face.

    "What?" I gasp and he speeds up. "What is it? What is wrong?"

    "It''s what your mom said-" The words are taken from his mouth as water ms into us, knocking the air from my lungs as I whip through the current, Merikh clinging to my body for dear life holding me to his chest as we swirl and spin. Then I hear it on the waves as if it were a breeze in a meadow.

    "To have you was a dream, to lose you killed us, to love you all over again was an honor. Thank you for bringing us back to life, back together, our sweet Colette." Caspian''s voice surrounds me and my insides twist painfully at what is happening. "I can only hope all of us is enough to protect you this time."

    And just like that the water turns angry, currents crossing, my hair whipping around my body and my arms thrashing as I try to hold on to Merikh. He is torn from me.

    My eyes close, my siren screeching in my head as if in mourning as a bright light explodes over my head and every bit of water dissipates, turning to steamy fog, dropping me on my back into the soggy ground.

    "Colette!" Merikh screams, but I can''t answer.

    Words fail me, my legs fail me, just as I failed them. Bile burns its way up my throat as I turn over to my hands and retch the hot liquid to the ground. And then and only then do my sobs find their freedom. It tears through me with such painful force that it feels like my voice will never recover.

    "No." I whimper, crawling to find what is left of them even though I know. I can feel it. There is nothing left. No bodies to bury, no ashes to scatter. They are gone, lost to me forever like they had been before, only this time...this time it''s final.

    "NO!" I roar, finding the anger in my heart as I pound at the ground. "No! No, no!"

    I feel Merikh as his body collides into mine, his legs sliding into the mud as he takes me in his arms dragging me into a hug. His relief infuriates me all the while his touch soothes the aching pain in my heart. How can you despise a touch whilst still needing it?

    "I am here,¡± he whispers, his words soft as his lips touch my ear and I reach up, shoving his face away and forcing myself to stand.

    ¡°So am I!" I roar, a sob terrorizing my chest as it breaks through my words. "So am I, and I don''t want to be."

    I slump to my knees, my eyes finding his as they go from hurt to a soft, non judgemental understanding. He doesn''t move closer. Instead, he sits back on his ass, his face turning up to the dense fog around us. And then he lets out a roar that makes the earth shake.

    The tears fall from my cheeks and then he crawls to me, reaching out and inviting me into his embrace. He doesn''t pressure me, or say a word, he only waits until I reach out. Then he tucks me away into hisp and lets the part of me that is hurting die with my tears.

    There is only the sound of my tears, and the softforting hums from Merikh in the air, mingling with the fog that feels like it mocks me with its

    cover.

    "M-maybe they are okay, right?" I hup as I wipe my tears and nce up at Merikh. He says nothing, but his face says it all. "We need to look-" His thumb strokes my cheek before he gives me a barely noticeable nod.

    ¡°Sure, we can look." He agrees, but I know he sees what I am unwilling to admit. There is no way that they were that close to her final st and survived it. It''s entirely unreasonable and improbable that they were disintegrated.

    My siren felt it, the shift in the water, the way my king and father disappeared entirely. But yet, Merikh helps me up, taking my hand as we walk around, our eyes on the ground as we move slowly so we can see.

    My body is exhausted, my werewolf and siren both drained as my feet throb and my heart falls further into my stomach with every passing minute. It''s not until the sun rises that I finally see through the white wall of fog, a swirling of movement as someone stoops down and plucks something from the ground.

    "Mom?" I croak, rushing forward, stumbling over my feet. "Mo-"

    I freeze, my ear pounding with my rapid heartbeat as I watch the fog clear and Ezrah is revealed. His body is soaked, and he holds a rock looking item in his arms before he looks away and then nces back over my shoulder.

    "I never wanted it to go this way, my friend." He whispers, "I will leave you her ashes. I suggest you do with them what you had proposed. But this... this one will remain with me."

    "I can not let you take it. The dragons will hunt us down for it." Merikh says, his voice heavy with threat.

    "That is the point. Theye for you

    and my kind is never even a suspect. Who will believe you now that all your allies are dead? Take your Luna, lick your wounds and prepare for the onught of the dragon king. Phoenix or not, he still considered her his queen, and your side killed her." Content belongs to

    I can''t even process his words, my heart aching too much to understand the gravity of what he is saying. But Merikh doesn''t miss a beat as heunches himself for Ezrah and tackles him down.

    They both hit the ground with extreme force, Ezrah popping up with incredible speed as he darts around Merikh, delivering hits when he least expects

    it.

    Chapter 125 3

    A heartbeat.

    Giselle wasn''t bluffing. Sheid an egg, as weird as it sounds. But inside of this tiny rock-like thing is a living fire dwelling little baby.

    "I didn''t want to kill you," Ezrah grits out, drawing my attention as I look up and see that he has used his speed and out maneuvered Merikh. Ezrah holds a pointed stick hoisted up and Merikh by the hair as he goes to drive it into my mate''s throat.

    ¡°STOP!" I roar, unable to withstand the mere thought of losing Merikh. Ezrah freezes as I raise the egg over my head. "Let him go. NOW! Or I will end whatever is in this damn thing."

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126

    ?

    "There is a life form in there," Ezrah reminds me as if I give a shit. Right now, the only life I care about is the one with a pointy stick near his throat. ¡°I don''t fucking care." I grit out, a gentle breeze tickling through my hair as the fog swirls about, moving across the barren wastnd like tendrils of smoke.

    Ezrah''s lips twitch, pulling into a grim line before he nods and lets go of Merikh. He takes a step back and puts his hands up in surrender. Then he throws the stick he must have brought with him to the side. My chest heaves, my face wet with tears. The small rock like egg in my hand hums lightly, vibrating through my weary muscles as I lower it to my chest.

    "What now?" Ezrah asks.

    "You fucking leave." Merikh growls, rising to his feet, ready for another round with Ezrah.

    "You can not beat me, Alpha. Not in the current state you are in and I will not hesitate to kill you," Ezrah says. His words are calm and factual. Merikh is exhausted and still not in the best health after thest forty-eight hours. Hell, thest two weeks even.

    "Take it and leave." I whisper.

    "What?" Merikh asks, shocked, as he whips his head in my direction. Maybe he sees something in my face, or perhaps he feels the emptiness in me. But he stops his protesting and his eyes soften. "You have exactly ten seconds to get it and get the fuck away from here."

    Ezrah rushes forward as I gently drop the egg on to the wet ashy ground. He swoops it up, and pauses, looking at us like he wants to say something more but can''t find the words.

    "I am sorry for my part-"

    "We will hunt you down, and we will find you Ezrah. Your expertise is delivering messages. Ours is hunting." Merikh says, his voice a dark threat as Ezrah frowns and nods in understanding.

    "We shall see," he murmurs before he runs away.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    Merikh moves toward me, his hands taking hold of my shoulders as he lowers himself to look in my sullen eyes. A sorrowful frown tugs at the corner of his lips at what he sees, then his fingers sweep a hair from my forehead.

    The sparks are the only thing that makes me feel like I am alive, fluttering through me and reminding me I have lost a lot, but not everything. Not everyone.

    "We need to find and collect Giselle''s ashes," He murmurs, leaning in to press his lips to my forehead.

    "I''ll wait here." I whisper, my voice hoarse as the tears flow again. "They are over there somewhere...I can''t...I don''t want to...¡±

    "Shh, it''s okay. You stay and wait here for me, okay?" He braces both sides of my face, forcing me to meet his worried gaze. "I will be right back,"

    I nod, unsure of how else to respond when I know if I open my mouth, the only thing that wille out will be a sob. Everything feels like it is too much. Simply waiting for him makes my heart pound and my body ache, but the mere thought of moving is agonizing. If my pain were purely physical, it would be one thing. But how do I live with a pain no one can see or understand?

    I am hollow. Like a pumpkin gutted and cut up to be put on disy. Am I expected to cate everyone when it feels like my heart has been ripped from me? Must I wear a smile when just the thought of it makes me feel sick?

    ¡°LUNA! ALPHA!" Percy''s voice rings through the air, the dense fog rolling out as he rushes through it, his face rxing when he sees me standing here, blinking at him. He has a bag in his hand that he hurries to open as he makes his way over to me, pulling out a ck shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

    "Here you are Luna," he gives me a gentle, encouraging smile as he offers it to me, but my arms won''t move as I look down at it and then back up at him. My poor gamma takes pity on me as he quickly ms the shirt over my head. I push my arms through in a trance, taking the pants and slipping into them.

    "Does it still hurt?" I croak. And he pulls his brows together.

    ¡°What?¡± he asks, confused, looking down at his body for some injury.

    "Her death?" I ask, my voice cracking. "She was the only family you had left, and now you are all alone. Does it ever not feel suffocating?"

    "Penny''s death is still fresh, Luna. But I breathe every day the same as I did before. I just do it for her now." He admits, then he looks around, his eyes wide. "Where is Alpha Merikh?"

    I point to the north, where Merikh

    collects the ashes of the stupid bird that killed my parents. She stole my future kids'' grandparents. Took from them a love that is so pure and sweet, took from me that joy of watching that.

    "Is he...I mean..he is okay?" He swallows and I nce up at him, snapping out of my ever growing whole of pain. Then I realize what he thinks has happened. A pang of guilt ms into me, my eyes growing wide and my handsing up, shaking to signify he has it wrong.

    "No! Heavens no. He is well, Merikh is collecting what is left of Giselle to finish the n." I exin, taking what little ability I have to feel grateful that at least I still have Merikh.

    ¡°Thankfully, we can just give her remains over to King Caspian and he can take care of it from there¡ª¡± He pauses when my hand flies over my mouth, a soft cry tumbling out. "Oh fuck..., No,"

    I nod my head yes; the tears falling as my other hand slides over my stomach, hugging myself.

    "They are gone." I say through a voice crack.

    "They?"

    "Both of them."

    "They saved us. They saved all of us," Merikh says,ing up to us, a charcoal looking piece of wood in his arms. I notice a pile of ashes in a groove of the item he is holding, almost as if it is a nature made long bowl.

    ¡°Is that her?¡± I ask, looking up at the sky, wiping my tears.

    "Yes." He announces and Percy frowns, peeking closer at it.

    "Why is it a different color than normal ash?" He asks, pointing out the startlingly white ash that nearly glows. "It looks radioactive."

    "Because bitch was toxic, she created toxic waste." I mutter bitterly to no one in particr.

    Chapter 126 3

    "Percy, take this," Merikh says, holding out the singed wood.

    I can''t stop, theughter turning hysterical until hups form and my lungs burn for air as I try to calm myself.

    ¡°Alright, my little Luna." He whispers, swooping up my convulsing body. ¡°Let''s get you home."

    "I-i-I''m sorry." I force out, trying to control myself but having no luck. "Am I dying?"

    "Ofughter and heartbreak?" Merikh asks, ¡°No, love. You are breaking, but it''s okay. I''ve got you, and I will help put you back together."

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127

    ?

    *Merikh*

    "Have you spoken with Beta Hayes?" Percy asks, the ashes of Giselle in his arms as I carry a now sleeping Colette. My muscles are tense, my instincts screaming out as I try to reach my brother and get no mind link back.

    "We might be too far out." I suggest. Percy nods like it is a possibility, but I think we both know that something is terribly wrong. I can feel the pack. I know they are near and that I am well within range of Hayes, yet he says nothing.

    -Hayes, answer me, that is an alpha order-I shoot out to him directly one more time.

    The silence is deafening and the nagging in my gut tells me he is dead, or in need of saving.

    "Fuck," I mutter, my chest ripping in two when I look down at my tear stained luna, who is pale and speckled with injuries, do not heal, even with my presence and constant holding of her.

    "Do you want me to go look for him?" Percy asks, just as figures are seen in the distance.

    "No," I say, zeroing in on them as I break into abored run, ¡°I need you to take Colette to the healers and get her in a bath of healing waters immediately. Hayes is my responsibility. I will find him and then kick his ass for not responding."

    It''s a grim joke, but in order to keep my mind from fearing the worst, I need the light release of humor. Percy, heavens bless him, forces out a tight chuckle, waving down the warriors in front of us. They sprint toward us, eyes wide when they see the sight and then tilt their head, confused, looking at what is in Percy''s arms.

    "Is Luna Colette okay?" Brandy, one of my top warriors, asks.

    "She is in need of healing. Percy will take her." I nce around, noting the bodies on the ground are either bloody or burned. Many of them are my people, and a sadness grows deeper in my chest.

    "Where is Beta Hayes?" Percy asks, motioning for the warrior with Brandy to take the ashes.

    "No one has seen him since" Brandy pauses and clears her throat.

    "Since what, Brandy?" I ask, my voice firm as my stomach twists in knots. Percy steps up and I gently ce Colette into his arms, then scan around once more, trying to decide in which direction I need to look first.

    ¡°Leandra disappeared. One moment she was there and the next she was running from the pack house screaming.¡±

    "Get to the point already, Nate." Brandy hisses at him. "The alpha doesn''t need the details. He needs a general idea of where to find Beta Hayes." He furrows his brows and looks at the ground.

    "His mate went crazy and ran into the woods screaming. All the wolves with the red eyes did="

    "We tried to stop him, but Beta Hayes went beyond the line, Alpha. He crossed behind the dragons and they chased him and Leandra. As soon as the fog hit and the dragons left, we started looking for them, but truthfully...I am not holding out much hope for their survival." Brandy says, tears in her eyes.

    "Get Percy, Colette, and those ashes to the pack house now. I will return." I spin on my heels when thin fingers gently squeeze my wrist, the fluttering in my stomach disappearing as the bond relieves my worries, even if just for a moment.

    "Merikh," Colette whispers, I turn, giving her a gentle look before her teary eyes meet mine.

    "I will be back soon," I tell her and she seems to shrink at the thought of me leaving her side. "Hayes is missing,"

    She registers my words and nods slightly before she tries to get out of Percy''s arms.

    "Let me help," she croaks.

    "Not a chance, my love. You can barely walk and stay awake. Unfortunately, you would only slow me down I promise I will be back as soon as I can." I assure her. She reluctantly nods, and I press my lips to hers in a chaste kiss before taking off.

    as1

    If Hayes is injured, if he is truly out here somewhere, I need to find him before it is toote. My family consists of Colette and Hayes, and losing either of them now, after everything would feel like losing an extension of me. All I can hope is that I find him and Leandra hopefully just passed out from a st with

    minimal injury.

    Exhaustion is my onlypanion, as I run from body to body in different openings, hoping to find either of them or at least a clue of where the hell to go next. It feels fruitless and slow, the tedious work of fluttering from person to person.

    -Warriors, Beta Hayes is missing, as is his mate. We need to find them now.-- I shoot through the pack mindlink, unable to hide the frantess in my voice.

    It is wrong and an asshole move to ask them to stop looking for their friends and loved ones to look for mine, but desperation wins out. Their beta needs them as much as they need him. As much as I need him.

    There is a collective yes alpha even though it was not an order, but more of a plea. The hollering of his name rings out through barren trees and echoes off once vast part of forest.

    "Hayes!" I scream, my voice hoarse as I feel it straining to work through the heavy smell of smoke that clogs my lungs, even after the wave and fog eliminated the mes.

    "ALPHA MERIKH!" My name rings out and I spin, trying to find the location when I see a young warrior break out of some trees, frantically waving me down. ¡°Alpha! Here!"

    "You found him?" I ask, my heart beating like a war drum heading into a battle. My legs carry me toward him as I break into a faster run with every step.

    "He is this way," the warrior says, turning and leading me. The trees where he takes me are untouched by the fire, all dusted in a lightyering of wet ash, but the further we move, the denser the greenery is and the ash disappears.

    "Are you sure?" I ask him and the man frowns, a gloom look on his face as he looks away, pointing behind a rock.

    "I am sure, Alpha."Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Something feels off, the air stale, tasting slightly of burned flesh and boiled blood. My nose scrunches at the smell, my mouth sealing closed to keep the stench of it from entering any way. I inch around the rock and my body freezes, unable to move, my chest burning and my blood vacating my face so quickly it feels like I might faint. Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    ¡°Hayes,¡± his name falls from my lips as I snap into action, flying to my knees andnding at his side.

    A raging burn licks up the side of his face, nasty little tendrils where the me had burned hotter reaching up and into his hairline. Muscles are exposed in some parts of his chest, the melted, twisted flesh bleeding into his neck.

    It looks as if half his upper body took a direct his from a dragon''s me, but under it all, behind the stench and the burns and blood, I see the slow rise and fall of his chest.

    "What of his mate?" I ask the young warrior, who doesn''t respond. I sigh heavily, turning to look at him and chastise him for hisck of response when I see him look up into a tree. My eyes follow his line of sight and bile rises in my throat.

    "AHHH!" Hayes lets out a scream of agony that makes my skiing crawl.

    "Hayes, I know it hurts, it''s okay¡ª"

    "NO!" He roars, his burned arm shoving at my chest and knocking me aside, then he looks up and he stares. He says nothing as heys back down, his eyes focused on the mangled flesh of Leandra in the tree.

    "Hayes," I say once more. But he doesn''t register me or my words. He focuses only on his dead mate, his eyes locked on her cold and lifeless, bleeding orbs.

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128

    ?

    Hold on, Hayes." I mutter, crawling over to him.

    His eyes don''t move from her, the grotesque way her body looks as it hangs there, various parts of her impaled on branches. It''s not until I move in his line of sight that I see any genuine emotion from him. His void eyes slowly blink as he looks at me like he has no idea who I am.

    "Kill me." He garbles out, his words gutting me as my anger grows.

    "Not a chance in hell," I grit out.

    His blistering hand reaches up as he tries to grab my shirt, his fingers unwilling to bend to his will as he grunts in pain. It drops like a heavy rock to the ground.

    "Please,¡± he whispers, his breathing ragged and sounding full of emotion.

    "No." I growl, unable to control myself or the hurt in my chest. "We are family. You are my brother. I will get you through this, we will get you through this, Colette and I will."

    He turns his face away from me, a sob in chest as he refuses to speak anymore. I stand, bending low as I grunt and hoist him up. His skin squishes against me and he cries out in agony as I try to adjust to how I grip him. Once he seems calm and I have a better hold, I take off running, the warrior just ahead of me, leading the way.

    Warriors stop and stare, their eyes filled with sorrow and worry as they see their beta in my arms, deformed and unmoving. I look around, hoping for Brandy when I see Colette walk out. She stops in her tracks when she sees me. For a moment I wait for her to cry or panic. I half expect her to rush over and ask for information.

    "Percy," she calls out, looking behind her. ¡°Grab the healers and send for Calvin."

    ¡°Calvin?" I ask her, confused as she moves over to me. "I thought...¡±

    "Oh Hayes,¡± she whispers, looking at him in my arms, and then she touches my biceps in the most loving and reassuring way. "He will be okay, Merikh."

    "Alpha," A healer rushes out, his eyes growing wide when he sees the state of Hayes, but instead of speaking, he takes him from me.

    Everything seems to move at hyper speed around me. One moment they are taking him from me and the next I am seated in the living room trying to understand what is taking so long. Colette''s thumb rubs up and down the top of my hand, her arm tucked around mine as she snuggles into my side. "How is it this is the most normal thing we have done our entire rtionship, and it is under the most terrifying circumstances?" I mutter and chuckle dryly to myself.

    "It''s the first time it feels like life hase to a halt." She whispers back, her voice raw. I look down at her, taking a minute to appreciate that even in her hurting, she is hereforting me. Colette shows me once again not only how considerate she is, but how strong she is.

    "How are you? Truly?" I ask her. My free handes up to gently stroke her cheek and she leans into it. She then pauses and says nothing until she exhales heavily and tilts her chin up to look at me.

    "Horrible." her voice squeaks, tears brimming her eyes, and she pulls her lips to an impossibly sweet little smile. "But at least I have you. And hopefully, Leandra will be around soon to help him heal."

    I wince and she notices as I look away, realizing how much I have failed my brother and his now deceased mate.

    ¡°What?¡± she asks, rising on the couch as she looks me over for injury, her hands lifting my shirt, searching for something that isn''t there.

    "I am fine," I exhale, grabbing her hands and tugging her to me.

    "Then why do you look like you are getting cut open when I ask about Leandra?" She asks.

    "She is dead, Colette." The words feel wrong as they slip from my lips. Her eyes grow wide before they soft and her shoulders droop.

    "But you said...I thought you meant she was severely injured and couldn''t be moved. That is why he looked catatonic." She murmurs to herself.

    "I need to collect her body," I say,

    releasing her and standing. Fuck, if Hayes knew left her like that, he would never forgive me. Hell, I would never forgive him for it, either. [left my brother''s mate''s dead body spiked to a fucking tree. What kind of asshole just forgets to get her body?

    "It has already been taken care of, Alpha. Leandra''s body is being cleaned up and prepared for when Hayes is ready to return her to the moon goddess." Percy says as he pauses at the doorway.

    "Poor Hayes," Colette exhales.

    "Do you think he will be okay?" Percy asks, as he enters the room with a tray. He crosses in front of us, cing it down on the coffee table and then stands.

    "I don''t know," I admit, the very thought that Hayes might very well never recover looms over me. He is the sunshine-y one. The one with expert advice and who has been with me through my worst times.

    "Eat," Percy demands. But the very thought of food makes my stomach churn violently as I taste bile.

    "Maybe a littleter," I mumble, trying to keep the bile from inching further up my throat as it burns its way up into my tastebuds.

    "The only thing that kept me going

    the weeks after losing Penny is everyone forcing food on me." He gives a tight-lipped smile and

    gesture''s to the te. "I would say to go take a shower, but it seems like a pointless suggestion since I''ve said it at least six times and received no answer. So instead, eat. Both of you."

    "I''m not hungry," Colette says softly, her voice sounding a little numb.

    "Percy sounds more like he is demanding rather than asking." I tell her and she blinks at the tray.

    "Sorry, Alpha and Luna, but I won''t leave until you try something on the tray." He insists. I shoot him a re and he pretends to not see it as he looks away at a spot on the ceiling. Colette frowns at the te of food, then her stomach lets out a raging howl for something to eat.

    With a small sad smirk, I lean forward and grab a few slices of cheese and hand them to her, nibbling on my own.

    "Alpha," Calvin says gently, his eyes soft and full of sorrow as he steps into the living room. Colette and I jump up, her hand entwining with mine as we support each other.

    ¡°Well?" I ask him, a wad of cheese lodging in my throat as I try to swallow.

    "He is alive, and it seems he will survive his injuries, but he..." he pauses and drags his hand down his face. "He will forever bear the scar of the dragon''s me on his body."

    "Scarring is nothingpared to life." I sigh in relief. Colette gives my hand a gentle squeeze.

    "It is not his physical health that I am worried about, Merikh." He says, lowering his voice. "He is in shock, I think, or something simr, and he refuses to speak or acknowledge anyone''s presence. It would be best to not press him anytime soon."

    "And Leandra''s body?" Colette asks.

    Calvin cleans his throat and scratches the back of his neck in thought. Then he exhales deeply and shakes his head.

    "Her death was not swift or painless. She suffered greatly before she died. It is my opinion that your beta was unable to stop what happened and witnessed it. His reserved and mournful state would make more sense."

    "He mes himself?" I ask him, licking my dry lips.

    "Of course he does," Colette says softly. "How could he not? It''s Hayes."

    I look between the two of them with me and then I chew on the inside of my cheek.

    "Do you think he will recover fully over time?" I ask him, and Calvin shakes his head. "The only way to be sure is to wait."Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129

    ?

    I groan as I crawl onto the plush bed, plopping down next to Colette''s sleeping body. My tired muscles twitch and tingle through me, from the hair on my head down to my toes. It doesn''t matter that I''ve napped, or that my brother has refused to see me. What matters is my body is finally ready to shut down, and the thought has never felt so alluring.

    Colette rustles as she rolls over onto her back, her eyes trained on mine in the low light of the room. I rise onto my elbow, scooting closer with great effort, and she bites her lips in a restrained giggle. My brow arches with a smirk.

    "Something you want to say, Luna?" I drop my voice low, reaching out and gently stroking her cheek.

    "No, I just..." she pauses, looking at my face before meeting my gaze.

    "What?" I ask a concern growing in the pit of my stomach.

    "I just love you." The words I have heard so many times feel different.

    Maybe it''s the heaviness of the days or the fact that this moment has a looming cloud of heartache, but they are weighted. Each one punctuated with the simplicity of the statement, but the inflection of her voice, the sincerity in her eyes. There is no way I can or will ever doubt that she means it. I can see it, feel it.

    ¡°That''s convenient." I smile, "I just love you, too."

    She giggles before she tugs at the nkets under me, prompting me to sit up.

    "Do you love me enough to get off the top of the nkets so we can sleep?" She asks with a sweet smile popping on her face to convince me to move, but I see the veiled threat in it.

    Colette may ask with her words, but her eyes are informing me I will be moving. I chuckle, rising up and crawling off the nkets before crawling under the silky textured sheets and heavyforter.

    "Nowe cuddle me," she demands.

    My arm is already reaching out for her when she demands her cuddles, and before she can finish her sentence, I scoop her flush to my body. Colette wiggles into me, the back of her head pressing lightly to my lips. Her small body shudders in my arms and she presses into me further, silenceing over us as my eyes drift slowly closed.

    "Thank you," she whispers suddenly.

    "For what?" I ask, my voice groggy and just above the whisper.

    "In your arms, it almost feels like I can pretend." She says.

    "Pretend what?" I ask before realizing how dense the question is.

    "That my parents are still alive. That everything is okay and we are safe." Her voice breaks, as I hear a little sniffle. My heart falls to my feet and I lick my lips, trying toe up with anything I can to provide herforting words.

    "Everything is okay, Colette, and you are safe. When you are in my arms, you are safe.¡± I assure her, her breathing hitches. "They are really gone this time."

    "But my parents are dead." She says as if she still can''t believe it.

    "Yes," I sigh, hoping I am answering these questions right for her. "So that you could be here safe in my arms,"

    "I know it sounds selfish, because they sacrificed so that everyone could survive, but... Is it so wrong to wish they could be here too? Is that selfish?" I frown against her hair.

    "Love doesn''t make you selfish, it makes you self less. Caspian and Melody could be selfless because of how much they loved you."

    ¡°And now they don''t get to love anymore." She says, her body now shaking in my arms as I squeeze her tight.

    "Nah, I don''t think love dies that easily," I whisper in her ear. "Love remains after someone is gone. It''s how we act, the ways we mirror them and the memories we cherish."

    She cries, nodding her head,

    "When did you get so good at this?" she asks me and I give a dry chuckle.

    "I lost my parents, too." I remind her and she turns in her arms, facing me.

    "Was it hard?" She whispers, her cheeks glistening with her shed tears.

    "Yeah, love. It was very hard," I tell her and she gives me a soft smile that doesn''t meet her eyes.

    "Let''s just sleep." She says through a rising yawn. "Maybe there I can pretend they are still here."

    It doesn''t take long for her to pass out, her muscles rxing in my arms and her body settling into me with a gentle pressing of working lungs. I stave off my exhaustion for a few more minutes, watching her sleep, allowing myself this moment of peace.

    When she wakes, the depth of her grief will truly settle in and I don''t know what that will look like. I just know that tomorrow I will fight against grief on two fronts, my mates and my brothers.

    I shoot out of bed, my heart pounding so violently my chest begs for reprieve. My weary eyes drift over to Colette, who pushes herself up as well, her eyes scanning the room.

    The scream happens again, one that is full of agony and suffering. I move across the room, slipping into sweatpants before rushing to the door. My hand freezes on the doorknob, my fingers flexing before I look back at Colette.

    "Go," she urges me with sincerity. "Hayes needs you more than I do right now."

    With her blessing, I break through the door and sprint through the old pack house, hoping my memory is good enough to deliver me right to his room. But another cry breaks out this time, a softer, more painful whimpering as if he is screaming into a pillow.

    I break through the door, my heart

    pounding as stare at the deformed and blistered left side of my brother''s back and arm. It doesn''t look nearly as raging in the very minimal lighting of the room, but there is no way it doesn''t cause him immense pain.

    "Hayes," I say, shutting the door behind me.

    I move in front of him, his hand injured hand shaking on his knee and his good hand moving just as much. He looks down at the ground, his shoulders heaving up and down. Then slowly, he lifts his chin and I nearly break down.

    "Merikh," he croaks out, his mouth opening as he sputters out a heavy exhale and his chest stutters in breath. It reminds me of when he was little and we would spar. On the rare asion I would hurt him, he would just look up at me, begging forfort.

    "Shit," My eyes water but I hold it

    back, squatting down before him, unsure of how tofort someone you can''t hug or touch because of an injury. With Colette, a simple touch can ease her mental load and her pain. But that''s the beauty of the mate bond. The very bond he is mourning. Content belongs to

    "Please," he sobs. "Please, just kill me. I don''t want to be here. I don''t deserve to be here."

    "What are you talking about?" I say, trying to keep my anger at bay.

    He is hurting, breaking apart, and while I can put Colette back together again, Hayes needs to put himself together. I will hold his pieces as long as he needs, but this is his journey. The best I can do is make it a smoother ride.

    "Every time I close my eyes I see it," he says, his voice a raspy mess.

    "I know," I murmur, trying to be as encouraging as possible. His eyes go ck and he snarls at me.

    "You don''t know!" He screams. "If you knew, you wouldn''t want me as your beta anymore."

    "Then don''t tell me," I say simply. "You are and will always be my beta for a long time."

    "Unless I die." He mutters, looking past me and out the window.

    "You aren''t going to die. I was already told you are on the mend." I tell him.

    "That doesn''t mean I can''t die." He says, his eyes finding mine as he blinks slowly.

    He looks void. The only emotion left

    is that of a man who has no will to live, and I realize what he is saying. My brow pop up in surprise. This is not like Hayes at all, the bubbly, happy brother who is always a great confidant and friend. This is the broken Hayes, the hollow one with no desire to exist, and it hurts my very being.

    ¡°Beta, you are not allowed to take any actions that may cause your death. If you are in a fight, you must put in all your effort. That is an order," I boom out, my nostrils ring in frustration.

    He jumps up with a roaring scream, shoving me into the window behind me, the ss panes rattling with the force.

    ¡°I watched!¡± He hisses, his face mere inches from mine. ¡°They made me watch while I struggled. I was inferior, I AM inferior, incapable."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

    "Brother, I am sorry." I say softly and he snorts a condescendingugh, shoving me again. "Being forced to watch something doesn''t make you

    inferior."

    "They impaled her on the tree, and when she refused to scream as they tortured her for fucking fun, they did this." He points to his face. "Because they wanted me to remember."

    "Then get revenge, don''t let them win," I urge him and he pushes off of me, wincing as he turns away.

    "They already won. That''s what I am fucking telling you." He mutters.

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130

    ?

    *Colette*

    I yank the covers over my head, my knees pulling up as I struggle to keep myself from breaking into tears. Merikh has been the only thing keeping them at bay. He is my strength even when he doesn''t try. His very presence brings me a calm, but since he has left me I feel like I have nothing else to think about but what I am missing.

    Well, more like who I am missing, both of them.

    I didn''t have them for long, yet it felt like forever as the memories I once lost or repressede flooding back with every passing second I live in a world without them.

    Merikh''s distress breaks through our mate bond, his emotions overwhelming as his worry for Hayes melds with my own. I toss my nket off, jumping up and grabbing a robe before I fly out of the room.

    My knees give out as I stumble into the wall, an arm grabbing my elbow as I am pulled up. I meet a frowning freckled face when I look up and Percy releases me.

    "Where are you heading to, Luna?" He asks. "You should be resting."

    "Merikh needs me," I tell him and though he looks unpleased, he silently leads the way, looking over his shoulder to indicate that I should follow him. "I take it he heard Beta Hayes'' nightmare and went to check on him?" He asks.

    "We both did," I admit, tugging my robe tighter as I recall the way his voice broke through even my most exhausted state of sleep. "Have you seen him?"

    "Beta Hayes?" he asks, slowing down so I can walk next to him. My legs feel wobbly with every step. What I need is sleep and a day in the healing waters again. And Merikh.

    "Yeah," I say, recalling just how terrible Hayes looked when we checked on him before going to our room. Guilt prickles at my neck. I should want Merikh to be at his brother''s side, but the selfish, hurting part of me wants him with me at all times.

    Percy exhales, his hand sliding through his red hair as he nods and he makes a worried face.

    "His loss is different from ours." He says softly. "He has not only lost his mate, but a part of himself. Those scars will not heal. They will be a constant reminder of how he feels he failed her."

    "I know," I admit. "But I have never seen someone alive looking so close to death."

    "Losing a mate is incredibly hard to recover from." Percy says, "Or so I am told. All I know is Alpha Merikh is the only person to know both yours and Hayes'' pain."

    It''s like he can see through me. Like Percy knows exactly what thoughts rival in my head as I look at the ground and struggle with my emotions. "Hayes will need him more," I whisper, my voice betraying me as it cracks. I clear my throat and roll my shoulders back.

    "We can''t know that, not until we see how you both are doing in a few days'' time." He offers me a reassuring smile.

    "NO!" Hayes'' voice roars through the hallway, startling me as I jump. Percy takes a small step in front of me as if waiting for an attack, but nothing happens. Hushed angry voices seem toe from the same room as I press my hand to Percy''s forearm, stepping past him and moving to the open door.

    "I can do that all I fucking want," Merikh says in a pained tone. His voice is full of sadness. "You aren''t in your right mind."

    As I enter the doorway, I witness Hayes, throwing his hands in anger before he turns to the wall and throws his head back in a wrenching scream that pains even my throat.

    He hammers at the wall, his bandaged hand and other fist breaking holes into the smooth surface, dust dispersing with every strike. He howls out in pain as he drops to his knees, sobbing loudly.

    "I hate you," Hayes cries out, pressing his forehead to the fractured wall. "I fucking hate you."

    His words silence everything, only this heavy breathing and softer growing sobs able to be heard as Merikh stands behind him, arms at his side lost for words.

    "I don''t want you to hurt yourself, or worse, kill yourself." Merikh says, his words sounding distant as if they aren''t really for Hayes but for himself. A reminder of why he is putting his brother through whatever he is going through.

    "I am already dead." Hayes whispers as he calms down. "How many times must I tell you? I want to be dead. I deserve to be dead."

    My hands slide up the wide cor of the robe and I squeeze both sides together tightly. Merikh walks around to the side of the bed nearest Hayes, and he slumps onto the edge, his shoulders dropping in defeat.

    I can feel his internal struggle the way he wrestles with doing what he thinks is best and what his brother wants. Merikh has lost a brother, even though he sits here before us, the Hayes we know is gone.

    "Hayes," I say, stepping forward, hoping to distract him from his own anger and self hatred. He turns to nce at me, his right eyes red and puffy as he blinks, his other eye bandage over, but I can see the streak where the tears run under it.

    "You think bringing your mate here

    to console me over my dead mate will help?" Hayes says in a dead tone. He glides a nce to his brother. "Would you let me have her for a night if you thought it would help? You don''t want me to die, so l¨¦ther help me feel alive? ts that what you are doing?"

    Merikh shoots up in an instant.

    "Enough!" He roars, the room radiating with his anger and his alpha aura. "You are in pain and mourning, so I will let such a heinous usation go, Hayes, but if you say something like that again, I will-"

    "You will what?" he asks with a ghost of a smile on his lopsided mouth. His tongue flicks out, wetting his lip, a small wince in his eye before he grins maliciously. "You''ll kill me? In that case,e hop on Colette, take this beta for a test ride-" Content belongs to

    Merikh reaches down and grabs Hayes by the throat, his hand sliding over the sensitive blister skin. Hayes grunts in pain, but he seems to thrive on it. Then Merikh tosses him on the bed, stepping in front of me.

    "You are not the only person who lost someone," I rush out, grabbing Merikh''s hand, holding him back.

    "Oh yeah? You seem happy enough." He hisses, as he rights himself on the bed, groaning in pain, his body shaking from the weight of it.

    "Some of us deal with grief a little more gracefully." I tell him with a frown. He nces away, embarrassed, or so I hope. "My parents are gone."

    "I watched Leandra get tortured to death," he growls, shooting me a scowl.

    "And I failed to do what I needed to do to save us all, so my parents stepped in to do it and they died in my ce." I retort.

    He pauses, his agony filled eyes meeting mine as he slowly nods, a tear racing down his smooth cheek. He lets it fall before he looks away and then back up at me.

    ¡°Merikh won''t let me die with her,¡± he

    says, his voice breaking. I exhale softly, my head tilting to the side as I

    move over to him. "He alpha ordered me not to kill myself or allow myself to get killed. I just got her and now..."

    Tears sting my eyes as I nod inplete understanding.

    "Hayes, I know." I whisper, biting my lip as I sit next to him and take his hand. "I know exactly what you mean."

    Tears roll from my cheeks and I feel Hayes'' body shake as he cries as well.

    ¡°At least yours died for a reason." He says after a moment of crying. ¡°Leandra...She wasn''t herself. She died and she..." He closes his eye and shakes his head.

    "What?"

    ¡°Forget it, I just need to be alone,¡± he says, taking his hand back before he stands and hobbles to the couch.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Merikh replies, sounding defeated. He takes my hand, drawing me up from the bed before he wipes away a tear. We move to the door, Percy already in the hall waiting for us as Merikh pauses.

    "I am sorry," Hayes whispers, but he doesn''t look in our direction. "It was wrong to say what I did.¡±

    "You are forgiven, brother." Merikh says, his tone is gentle and his eyes on his brother who still shies away from us.

    "I don''t think I can ever forgive you for this order," he whispers as we walk out the door. "You are overstepping as an alpha."

    Merikh hesitates, his focus falling to the ground as he gives a soft, barely noticeable nod.

    "I will never ask for forgiveness," He says back, "I''m acting as a big brother, and using every vessel I can to save my family."Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I will send a healer in with a sleep tonic.¡± I offer to his back. Hayes nods in eptance and in the silence we make our way back to our room. "Hayes is right, you know. You did misuse your alphamand,¡± I tell Merikh, though I don''t me him. In fact, I apud him for doing it.

    "And I will do it again if I need to." He says.

    "Do you think it will really keep him from doing anything?" I ask.

    "We can only hope." He mutters, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

    "Would you do it to me?¡± I ask him, and he scoffs.

    "Without a second thought, my love."

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131

    ?

    I stare out at theke, the one that first made me feel like I was at home. The water glistens in the sun, the wavespping gently as a breeze dances across it. It''s been two weeks. Two weeks since my dad and mom sacrificed themselves. I didn''t wake up crying this morning, which is a new thing for me in the past weeks.

    "How are you today, my little luna?" Merikh asks, his hands slipping around my waist as he ces his chin in the crook of my neck. My hand slips up, gliding into his wet locks after his morning shower.

    It''s a question that irks me, one that everyday I hear it I fear I will scream. But today, it just feels...different. I spin in his arms, my other hand lifting as I ce them both behind his neck. He kisses me lightly, his gentle touch sending a shiver down my spine.

    "I''m...okay." I whisper as he pulls back, a soft smile on his plush lips.

    "That''s a different answer than you usually give." He says, dropping to my height as he searches my eyes. "Are you feeling alright?"

    "I am feeling fine." I say with a reassuring tilt of my chin. "Are you really going to ask me this every single day?"

    He lifts a single brow. "Would you prefer I not check on you?"

    "No, it''s just..." I press my lips together, unsure of how to say it.

    ¡°I''m being overbearing?" He finishes for me and I nod in affirmation.

    "I love you, and that you care so much but, maybe just wait for me to tell you I''m not okay?" I offer, and he frowns.

    "All I can promise is to tone it down and not ask a million times a day, but I will check on you."

    "Fine," I sigh heavily, rolling my eyes. "Where are you headed?"

    I ask as he releases me and moves toward the dresser. I watch as he drops the towel around his waist, my teeth immediately finding my lip as a wave of heat rushes through me. My head tilts to the side, watching him in all his naked glory, a huge, knowing grin on his face.

    "Why? Do you have ns for me?" He teases as he slips into his boxer briefs. I chuckle and nce at the raging erection that his clothing can not hide.

    "Seems like you have some ideas about what you want us to do." I murmur, my cheek growing red as I saunter toward him.

    "Why do you do this to me?" he groans with a huge smile on his lips.

    "Do what? You are the one undressing in front of me. I was literally just standing here." I retort yfully, which makes himugh. It fills the room, feeding my aching soul.

    "I have an important meeting, otherwise I would undress you," He says, stalking toward me, his abs rippling and the look in his eye needy. "Maybe I will still do it,"

    "I have to shower," I inform him, and he backs me against the wall, his bare chest pressing into my thin white tank top. My body reacts, my breath hitching as I feel him press against me.

    ¡°Should have joined me for mine." He whispers, his lips dipping down and tickling my ear with his heated breath. I shiver, my body lurching into his as I can''t control my hips as they roll into his. Merikh groans his approval and I giggle, turning my head to the side as he assaults my neck with tender kisses.

    "Are you sure you don''t have time?" I gasp out, his hand slipping down my waist and over my ass as he goes further and lifts my thigh. His legs widen and he meets my hips with his as he lifts me from the ground.

    "Not enough to do what I want to." He grunts into my shoulder.

    "Mmm," I can''t help but moan at his touch.

    His hand slips down between us. I feel him tug at my shorts, pushing them aside before pleasure fills me and I cling to him tighter. He rolls his hips, my own meeting him as Merikh works quickly. I slip up and down the wall at my back, my body pressed into it with every move as his handes up beside me, pressing against the wall for better leverage.

    "Merikh," I whisper his name, his groaning filling my ears as he quickly moves closer with each movement.

    "Finish for me, my luna." He mutters in a raspy breath into my ear.

    "No," I whimper, wanting it tost, needing him inside me for longer. The moment I let go, I return to reality and he leaves me. "Stay longer," "Fuck, Colette." He grunts, his body and muscles twitching against me.

    There is a knock at the door, and Merikh freezes, looking over his shoulder. I can see he is torn as his eyes find mine. Then a glimmer of mischief brings back that bubble of sultry need as I force my hips out, only my upper back pressing into the wall. I can feel the difference in how deep he goes and there is no stopping the needy moan that escapes me.

    "Don''t stop," I rasp out.

    His hand slips down between us, this time making quick work of me as I cry out his name, the two of us groaning as we find that ecstasy that only we can find together.

    My vision explodes, and my muscles rx. It doesn''t matter that my heart feels like it will pump out of my chest. I ampletely in a puddle in his arms as he chuckles and moves me to the bed.

    Merikh gentles tucks me in, pressing a hard kiss to my lips before he pulls back. Then he looks down at his wet boxers and chuckles.

    "Try not to jump on me again while I am getting dressed. I amte for my meeting." He says, turning away.

    Worry sits on my chest, erasing the

    haze of pleasure in my mind. Did I really take up that much of his time? All he does is go to meetings ande back to me exhausted and hold me while I cry. He is there every moment I tell him I need him, truly need him, but thest thing I want to be is a burden. Content b¨¦longs to NovelDrama.Org

    "Colette," He says, his voice firm. ¡°Erase those feelings, now."

    I blink up at him and see his severe face.

    "I miss you." I admit, and he looks truly remorseful.

    "I know," he frowns. "You coulde with me...if you wanted to?"

    He looks hopeful that I will ept his invitation this time.

    The knock sounds again, this time with a voice clearing to make it known they are still outside waiting.

    "Maybe I will stop by a littleter. I should probably visit Hayes." I give him a sorrowful half smile. He frowns, but he gets up and quickly changes and gets dressed. Merikh pauses at the door, turning to look at me.

    "Zale is going to be here today. I wanted to tell you sooner but..."

    "You were afraid it would make me cry..." I finish for him, looking away, ashamed.

    I wish I had better control over my

    emotions. Truly, they have been more in check than they have been, but I can understand why he would think I would break down if I saw Zale. But then again, maybe that''s what I need now. That knowledge that I''ve not lost that connection. That I still have family, granted they are in the ocean, but family is family.

    "You are allowed to grieve, Colette." Merikh says, breaking into my thoughts.

    "I know." I sigh, then sit up in the bed, tucking my knees to my chest. "Perhaps it would be good for me to see Zale."

    Merikh smiles with his eyes and opens the door. "I will see you at ten, then."

    "Sure."

    Then he flips the light switch off and leaves me in the darkness, with my thoughts and my grief.

    The door opens quickly and I expect it to be Merikh, but when the switch flips on, I see a crazed-looking Hayes standing in the doorway, his body shaking.

    "Hayes." I say wide eyed, tugging the nket a little higher.

    "Tell me truthfully," he grits out, his eyes manic and his teeth grinding together. "Did you let that fucker go? With a fucking egg?"

    My brows knit together and I open my mouth to speak, but he moves toward me, his demeanor intimidating.

    "It was that or watch Merikh die." I stutter out, and he freezes, his face contorting in confusion.

    "H-he was going to kill Merikh?"

    "Yes! Otherwise I would have never let him leave." I say, hoping he can see the honesty in my eyes.

    Hayes snarls as he spins away,

    pacing in and out of the room. I glimpse Percy''s red hair and I rx knowing he is here. These two

    weeks have been much kinders ne

    meThis text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    in my grief than they have been Hayes. He goes from distraught to fits of rage at a moment''s notice.

    "I need your help." He states.

    "With what?" I ask him, narrowing my eyes slightly.

    ¡°I want to go hunting, but I need you to convince Merikh to let me go.¡±

    "Hunting? For what?" I ask, confused.

    "For Ezrah. His betrayal stole a life from me. I want to return the fucking favor." He says.

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132

    ?

    *Merikh*

    There is a small knock before my office door pushes open and Colette peeks her head in. A smile reces the frown I had been dawning since receiving the news that other packs throughout the kingdom are being attacked at random.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    War has rules, or at least it used to, but now, nothing and no one is off limits to the dragons who seem keen on wiping us from the face of the earth. "Has Zale arrived yet?" She asks, sashaying across the carpet. My heart leaps with the way she gives me a soft smile, her eyes glittering. Colette is still in deep mourning but to see her smile, of her own ord and without prompting, is so refreshing.

    "Not yet." I say, looking down at the small clock on my desk. "But I expect he will be here soon."

    "Then you have time to talk about something with me?" Her tone grows serious as she stops beside my desk, cing her hand down instead of continuing over to me. I arch a brow, turning in my chair to face her as I lean back.

    "I always have time to talk with you about things, Colette." I say warily. It almost feels like a trap and by the way she looks away and clears her throat, I can only assume it is something she is worried about. Or afraid of the answer.

    The thought enters my mind that maybe she wants to go back to the ocean. To either train or meet her other family in the depths of the ocean. My chest grows heavy and I wait anxiously for her to find the words she seems to struggle with.

    "It''s about Hayes." She mutters, her gaze meeting mine, as it feels like I can breathe again.

    "Hayes?" I ask.

    "Yes."

    "Okay, what about Hayes?" I tilt my head, sping my hands together in front of me.

    "He seems to be doing better." She offers and I narrow my eyes, catching on immediately to what is going on.

    "That sounds suspiciously like you are going to try to convince me he can go hunting for a viin." I say, my tone t and my lips pressing together. She chuckles and tucks a hair behind her ear. Such a simple and innocent motion as she looks up and quicks a wry smile. Fucking Hayes and his stupid ability to know how to y me. Using my mate against me.

    "Maybe." She shrugs. "But he doesn''t have to go alone."

    "Oh? He doesn''t?" I ask, intrigued again. "And who will want to go on this suicide mission of his? Hayes is respected, but to ask this task is asking a lot of anyone."

    She nods in silence before she saunters to me. She nudges my knees apart as she steps between my legs, my hands going to her waist as I lean forward and look at her. Colette''s hands rest lightly on my forearms as she chews on the inside of her cheeks, looking for words.

    "We could ask those who lost their mates to join him? Ones who want revenge like he does." She offers.

    "And what good does it do to ce a group of depressed, angry male lycans together on a hunting mission?" I ask her, my lips turning down in disappointment.

    If there was a way I could send Hayes out to do what he wanted that ensured he and his group wouldn''t try to note back, I would do it. But right now, Hayes is too delicate. He is in that phase that Percy was in, looking for someone to kill for the sake of killing.

    But this loss is different. Hayes lost a part of himself. When he looks in the mirror, he will never see the same man standing there looking back at him. He will see the reminder of when he let Leandra down, in his own words. We all know that is not the case, and I am certain Leandra knew this as well.

    "Maybe give him time to prove he is willing to do this not just for revenge, but because our kind needs this too? What if we look at it as finding the cause of all of this so we can stop the war? Wouldn''t that be a mission any warrior would want to sign up for?" Colette asks.

    She makes a fair point. Wolves find happiness in their honor. To prove their worth, to save their loved ones from future pain and suffering, they would do anything. But before I will allow any of that, I need to know that Hayes will try toe back. That he will have something worth living for and not just be looking for a way out.

    There is a knock before I can answer Colette, and Percy''s voice calls through the oak door.

    "Zale is here Alpha." He says.

    "We will discuss thister," I assure Colette, rising to my full height. Then I lean down and press a gentle kiss to her soft lips. "But you make fair points."

    "I know." She smiles, patting her hand on my chest before she breaks away from me and steps to the side.

    "Come on in." I call out.

    The door opens and Zale walks in, his hair slicked back and his eyes a honey golden as we walk to each other and shake hands.

    "King Zale,¡± I say, walking him into the room. "Come have a seat."

    "It feels strange to be called that." He frowns, moving to the seat in front of my desk. He looks up and meets Colette''s gaze for a moment before she looks away, her eyes filled with tears. A wave of her grief washes over me and I move to her, my hands stroking her upper arms.

    "If you prefer to leave, I will not be upset with you." I offer, but she clears her throat and meets my eyes.

    "No, no. I will be fine." She smiles, though it doesn''t reach her eyes. "I am fine."

    "Colette, my deepest, most sincere condolences for both of your losses. Not just from me, but from our kingdom, the rest of your family," Zale says. "Thanks," she murmurs, unable to look up.

    I give her one more pressing look

    §è§Ö

    and she gives me a quick smile before I make my way to my chair and take a seat. She follows and pull her into myp, not caring in the slightest if it looks strange or unprofessional. It is clear she needs my touch right now, so I will ce

    that above all else. Content belongs

    to NovelDrama.Org

    "I received the gift you sent me, in a stunning jar.¡± He says, indicating he received the ashes of the bitch phoenix. "But rumor has it the war still rages

    on."

    "It does." I sigh, "With the egg of the dragon king missing, he has decided we are the ones with it."

    "Are you not?" He asks, confused, as his brows knit together.

    "No." I tell him honestly. "We possessed it for a mere minute before it was taken from us by a fae."

    His eyes grow wide, and then he furrows his brows.

    "The same fae who-"

    "Yes." I clear my throat. "The same one Colette expressed ack of trust for, all the while Caspian and I vouched for him."

    Zale sits back and blows out a heavy huff of air. Then he drags a hand down his face.

    "I have a proposition for you," he says, looking at me then Colette. "It is one you will not like, but I believe it will be fruitful for both our kind."

    "What kind of proposition?" Colette asks, lifting her head.

    "We, the sirens, would like to join the

    war. Our king died at the hands of the dragons. That seems like a call to action if there ever was one." Zale says, clearing his throat. "I can only ask for forgiveness for how long it took me to make it here to offer this. The process for the crown was...not as graceful as one would have hoped."

    "All is forgiven. You are allowed time to mourn the loss of your king. I know we have been mourning it here as well." I say, not looking at Colette as she leans into me.

    "There is a condition...to this alliance." He clears his throat, looking down at his hands before he exhales. My eyes narrow as I lean forward and realize what this condition must be, and she is sitting on myp.

    "Which is what?" I ask, my voice firm and demanding.

    "The family would like to meet Colette," He says, looking directly at Colette who''s mouth drops open.

    "Where?" I ask him, not keen on the idea of leaving the pack with her anytime soon.

    "They are here," he says, rubbing his head. "They connected theke to underground water tunnels from the ocean..."

    "They did what?" I ask, standing so abruptly Colette nearly falls off me. I catch her around the waist at thest moment. "They have been...drilling... under my pack?"

    "Yes...well, it was King Caspian''s idea," he mutters. "And we have been working on it for a few years, in order to monitor you.¡±

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133

    ?

    Apparently, it is easy to be upset with a dead man, or rather, a dead siren. My anger surges as I scoff and pace away over to therge bay window in my office. Zale remains silent behind me, Colette also unmoving as she waits for a response.

    Caspian started this when we were enemies, back when he wanted us gone and never in the council again. Had he been nning and plotting against us all along? And when we reconciled our differences, why would he not have mentioned something like this? Would it not have been wise for me to know, for Colette to know?

    "Merikh..." Colette says my name in a gentle, concerned manner.

    I suck in a huff of air and exhale loudly, my hands finding my hips as I spin to face them. Every part of me screams it''s okay to be angry, but when I look at Colette, I can see the worry on her brow. The thought that perhaps my opinion of the man who fathered her might suffer from this.

    The Caspian she knew is much different from the one who started this act of war on us. Yes, he changed, but he has ced us in a ce of danger, knowingly. Even with Colette being half siren, even with her royal blood, what if five hundred years down the road things change? We are left open to any kind of attack from the sirens, and how does a dog fight a fucking fish?

    "After this war has ended, I want to know every damn route taken to make it to this pack." I say, trying to steel my anger. Zale doesn''t look surprised or pressed about my words. Instead, he drops his head and nods in agreement.

    "I do believe that will be for the best, Alpha." He says.

    "And I want that route protected. To ensure nothing harmful can make it here. Thest thing I need is a fucking shark attack in ake that had always been fresh water until now." I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose.

    Zale chuckles and I snap my annoyed eyes to him.

    "That is not quite how things work," He exins before he stops and sighs. "Of course, we will always have it protected. Colette is family. We protect our family."

    "Where are they? What side of theke I mean?" She asks, her throat bobbing as she swallows roughly. "How many are there?"

    There is a spark of excitement in her, a reigniting of that part of her she thought she lost. When Colette lost her father, she thought she had lost all ties to the world that she just found. I''m not saying I think her grief will be less or her mourning easier, but it feels like it is one less thing to mourn for her. A connection that she will always be able to find to her father.

    "They await you near the cliff''s edge. It is nearest to the inlet from the ocean and thus better for them. And there are...a few," He says, his eyes skirting between us.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    "And when do they expect to meet her?" I ask him tly, trying not to sound so upset at the thought of her just running off with the new siren king to meet a family she has never seen.

    "Whenever she is ready," he says with a gentle smile. "They are also mourning the loss, so they understand it may be a lot for her to handle. But, sooner would be better if you ask me. The condition of this treaty is they wish to meet her first."

    I watch the way he seems disappointed and I realize the reason they want to meet her isn''t just for mourning, but to verify. They don''t believe Zale, which means Caspian wasn''t as straightforward with them about Colette as he made it seem.

    "They didn''t believe you?" Colette asks, her brows pulled together in confusion as she tilts her head to the side.

    Zale clears his throat and shifts in the chair ufortably.

    "It''s not that, it''s just that... There was a rumor that Caspian could not have kids. He never took a siren mate, that is true, but there was arge amount of pressure on him to create an heir. He could never conceive with any of the selected siren women for him to try with."

    Colette huffs and chuckles dryly. Then she shakes her head, like the whole thing is absurd.

    "Are they sure he ever truly tried with those people? I mean, he told my mom that he was never with anyone else..."

    Zale shrugs.

    "I can''t quite say." He says. "All I know is they want to see you, speak with you. And then they wish to see your skills. I was under the impression everyone knew of you Colette. Though he never spoke of you in front of them, it just.....¡±

    "He was ashamed." She says, a sadness in her voice.

    "Yes." Zale admits. "But not in the way you are assuming. He was ashamed. He never told them before that he lost you. Caspian was so proud to be your father when he realized you were his once thought dead daughter."

    "I want to go meet them now," she says, squaring her shoulders.

    My brows rise in surprise. "Now?"

    "Yes," she says, walking over to me. She ces her hands on my chest, her dark eyes looking up at me. ¡°We need their treaty and I need this, too." "Okay," I nod, unable to not give in when she looks at me like that. "I will speak with Hayester."

    She looks over her shoulder at Zale, who frowns.

    "They would like to see only her, Alpha. Without you."

    "Then hell fucking no." I snort. "Do you seriously think-"

    ¡°Alpha Merikh, you have my word that nothing will happen to Luna Colette."

    I scoff, shaking my head.

    "Merikh, I am going." She says sternly.

    "I don''t like it when-"

    "I leave your side. Yes, I am aware." She smiles softly, her hand sliding up to my cheek. "But this is my family. Just like you need to speak to Hayes alone, I need to go speak to mine. Then I can introduce youter. Okay?"

    Damn this woman and the way she could make me do anything in the fucking world for her. I groan, annoyed, before I shake my head and agree. "Fine." I grit out. "I will give you a few hours. After that, I am fuckinging to find you."

    Colette shakes her head andughs at my words, as if I don''t mean every single damn one.

    "Oh, you suddenly can breathe underwater?" She teases. My eyes narrow and I scowl at Zale, then at her.

    "I know how to rent scuba diving gear, my little luna. Don''t underestimate the hurdles I will jump through to always get to you." I say in a low, threatening voice. She gives me a sexy grin.

    "I would never underestimate anything you can do, Alpha." Then she winks, taking a step back. "You can speak with Zale about everything else when I return?"

    I nod, sticking my hands in my pockets. "Fine."

    Zale gives me a respectful nod and I

    follow them out of the office,

    breaking down the opposite hallway, heading toward Hayes. Usually when Colette leaves my side I feel anxious and worried, but this time it feels different. There is no nagging feeling that something terrible is going to happen. Instead I feel a sense of peace andposure, which... is oddly nice.

    "What are you doing here?¡± I hear as I look up and the door is open, revealing Hayes''s half distorted face. That feeling of content melts away like his flesh had, and I want to reach out to hug him. But that cheery brother who would let me is gone right now, reced by a bitter, angry one. Content belongs to

    "Colette came and gave me a proposition on your behalf." I say tly, and he blinks at me, unmoving.

    "And?" He snarks at me.

    "And I think we should have a

    discussion about it. If, and it is a big

    ve

    am

    if, I give in to this crazy idea of yours, there will be stiptions." I say, making sure he understands serious about both these stiptions and epting his offer. He seems to rx a little before he limps to the side and allows me in.

    "What kind of stiptions?" He asks.

    "The kind you won''t like, but you will deal with if you want to do this.¡±

    He rolls his eyes and shuts the door behind me.

    "There is much I don''t like these days, Alpha. Care to be more specific?" He says in a raspy voice.

    "I am your brother. You don''t have to call me alpha." I remind him, and he scoffs.

    "You are my alpha, nothing more. A brother would have listened to my pleading and done what needed to be done," he growls out.

    I chuckle a dryugh and shake my head. He has such a distorted way of thinking.

    "I am no longer your big brother because I would not kill you?" I ask him in disbelief.

    "You stopped being my big brother when you used your alphamand on me taking away my choices," He hisses. "Now Alpha, please share this wonderful n you think you havee up with."

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134

    ?

    *Colette*

    I walk in silence with Zale, my nerves sending shock waves through my hands, making them shake. This is fine, it will all be fine. Except what if they meet me and hate me and want to withdraw the whole joining our war thing? Then they have ess to our pack and they could be enemies.

    I blow a heavy breath through my lips, an anxious sound breaking free as Zale chuckles.

    "You are nervous?" He asks.

    I snort augh and nod.

    "What gave that away? The shaking or thebored breathing?" I ask, and he grins

    "You are Caspian''s daughter. Regardless of if you feel this goes well, I will honor my promise. We will back join this war." He says sincerely, and I frown at him.

    "Then why would you phrase it like this is a ''must happen scenario''?¡± I ask him and he shrugs.

    "I only said you must meet them. I did not say you need to be best friends and go on family bonding trips. We are a close knit family, or at least we all thought we were. The secret of you has been...interesting."

    I bob my head and bite my lip nervously. Zale, though not much of a talkative person until after my dad''s death, is someone I trust. Ezrah was different; he was an asional friend, someone Caspian trusted over working with him. There is a difference when ites to living with and being rted to someone. At least in some capacities.

    It didn''t do much for me and Leslie, or even my uncle, that I didn''t know was my uncle. But had I known, had she known, maybe things would have been different. It''s doubtful, since Leslie was a selfish, spoiled brat who got what she wanted. May the moon goddess take care of her, but still. Leslie was a bitch and Zale...he is respectful, and he truly looked up to Caspian. I could see it in his eyes.

    "So am I meeting like a grandma and grandpa or his siblings? Cousins?" I ask, trying to get a feel for what I am walking into.

    "You will be meeting some of our cousins," Zale says, giving me a soft smile. "They are reserved and respectful by siren''s standards. The elders rarely make these types of long trips."

    ¡°Ah,¡± I murmur, only partially listening, squinting as I try to see who might be out in the water waiting for me. Are they hiding beneath the surface or perhaps maybe they havee ashore as only royals can do for extended periods of time?

    "One thing to keep in mind, Luna, is that Siren''s are a little...well, we can be abrasive. With them not having been around humans much other than King Caspian and now myself...they may seem a little..."

    "Rude?" I ask with a grin, my nervousness only growing with every damn thing he says.

    "Yes, you might say that." He sighs. "I like to think they are just painfully honest."

    "Great. So if I think I look fat in a dress, they are the ones to ask, not Merikh. Noted." I say more to myself, but he chuckles anyway.

    With every step, I can feel my stomach twisting and the way my mind spins with all sorts of scenarios, from great to terrible. I must be lost in my head for a long time because when a hand touches mine, I startle and I see beautiful aqua eyes that seem to move like the ocean current. A tan face smiles at me, near bleach blonde hair flowing over her right shoulder, and her hand resting on mine.

    "You look like him." She murmurs, then she turns with a huge grin on her face to look over her shoulder. "Doesn''t she have his face shape and I can feel it in her?"

    "Feel what?" A dark-haired man asks, looking bored as he steps closer, his eyes a sea foam green as he frowns.

    "The ocean, Wade." She says, turning to face me again. ¡°It lives in her veins."

    "Oh, for seaweed''s sake, Maris." Wade groans.

    "She is kind of in." Another face says, shrugging, "But I kind of see it. Maybe if she didn''t look so scared, she would resemble him more. King Caspian was never scared. He never had a weakness." The younger girl says, tilting her head as she watches me.

    "I was his weakness." I say with a straight face. "My mother and I were both his weakness."

    They freeze, all of them looking at me, then Zale before he clears his throat and steps forward.

    "This is Princess Colette, though here she is known as Luna Colette." He tells them. "in or not, like it or not, she is of royal blood, like you all. Only she is more pure."

    Wade scoffs and throws his head back,ughing.

    "She is a half-blood, part dog." He says, looking me up and down in disgust.

    "And yet, she still possesses more direct royal blood than you."

    Wade''s mouth twitches and he rolls his eyes, looking around at Maris and the others who remain nearby, simply watching.

    "Can she do anything water rted?" Maris asks, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she contains herself by biting her lip and grinning.

    "Can she even swim?" Wade asks.

    "Of course I can. All dogs can swim. It''s cats that hate water." I snap at him, giving him a fake ass smile. The corner of his lip twitches up, but he looks away before I can witness if it morphs into a smile.

    "Luna Colette can transform into a wolf onnd and in water, only in water her wolf bes liquid. She is untouchable in water form." "And yet, Caspian still died-"Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    "He sacrificed himself for all of us."

    Zale cuts Wade off, stepping in front of him, his shoulders rolled back. "And your Wade, were warned of how to speak to not only the people surface, but to a princess of Od Drop your attitude or you will be on Trench duty for the next one hundred fucking years."

    on

    Wade takes a step back, his tongue pressing to his inner cheek like he has much he would like to say, but he doesn''t.

    "Yes, my king." He grits out before backing away.

    "What would you like us to call you?" Maris asks, pushing her way in front of me again. "Princess? Luna? Luna Princess?"

    I shake my head and chuckle.

    "Colette is fine."

    ¡°Luna, that seems a little too personal," Zale whispers, and I brush him off. Maris seems genuine in her excitement and I get the feeling she and I are going to be exceptionally close.

    "She is family," I say to him with a soft smile. "Come to think of it, you are, too. Family uses real names, not titles."

    At least I think that is how it goes. I really can''t say, the whole not having a family for most of my life thing sort of skews my knowledge.

    "I''m Maris! King Caspian was my uncle, well, great uncle. Something like that is a little different for us with our lives and stuff, but...anyway. I am so happy to meet you. It is so obvious how pure you are. We are going to be great friends."

    Wade frowns and then clears his throat, then he looks around.

    "Maris and I are the oldest."

    ¡°Wade was supposed to be first in line for the throne but well...clearly that didn''t work out." She squeals, her voice still cheery and happy despite the very tense air

    surrounding Zale and Wadeel

    and oblivious. Sirens are both, it seems, when they are on the surface.

    "Maybe not the best thing to say." I give her a gentle smile and she frowns.

    "But it''s the truth." She says.

    "But perhaps Wade doesn''t like to think about it?" I offer and he seems surprised, his brows rising in shock. "How about I give you a tour, thenter I can show you all my wolf in the water?"

    My cousins all chatter excitedly, unfamiliar faces stepping forward to meet me as I grin, my heart full and my eyes watering. It''s such a strange feeling being happy and yet so heartbroken simultaneously.

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135

    ?

    I feel like I am floating on air, the high from meeting and being epted so quickly. Even with the very blunt questions about what it''s like to be a dog and if I smell like a wet animal after I leave the water, it was nice.

    It felt a little like maybe I didn''t lose everyone. The loss of mom and dad still weighs heavy on my heart, but I swear they were there with meughing and smiling.

    Merikhes around the corner of the hall, his head down as he rubs the back of his neck, a huge exhale filling the distance between us. I slip into the little cutout next to our bedroom door, waiting for him.

    "Alpha," someone calls him.

    "Yeah?" He asks, then he seems to make a relieved sound. "Ah, good, you were faster than I expected, Thatch."

    "When the Lycan king beckons, you don''t leave him waiting." He says with a deep chuckle.

    My brows pull together as I try to remember who exactly Thatch is. Not that it is saying much. I have so many names to learn and remember, and my grief has sort of left me hiding away the majority of the time.

    "I am sure you know by now the condition of Beta Hayes." Merikh says, his voice soft and disappointed.

    ¡°Uh, yes. I have been made aware." He says, sounding unsure.

    "I need someone to rece him, just for the time being." Merikh says and my eyebrows shoot up.

    ¡°Of course, Alpha. Just until Beta Hayes is well enough." Thatch says, a tone of shock in his answer. "But are you sure that I am the right choice? Or that he won''t get better in the next week or so?"

    I can hear the panic in Thatch''s voice. The way he wants this honor, but respects the man who has held the ce he is taking over for so many years. Not that it is at all surprising, everyone respects and deeply cares for Merikh and Hayes. Perhaps it''s the way they lost their parents or the way they step up to every challenge. Either way, Thatch will have big shoes to fill.

    "I spoke with Hayes about this decision, and we both agreed that you were the only option." Merikh pauses and chuckles lightly. "Hell, it is the only thing we seem to agree on these days."

    My excitement slowly bleeds away from my meeting and my chest burns for Merikh. He has not only had to help me in my darkest ce, but he has battled Hayes and the demons that have attached to him in the form of terrible thoughts and anger.

    Merikh has been bleeding from both sides of his heart and though I have seen it, I don''t think I''ve really SEEN him.

    "Then I ept, Alpha. Again, just until Beta Hayes is ready to step back in." Thatch reiterates.

    "Sounds good. Now you go and tell your family and I will see you first thing in my office in the morning. I wish there was more of a learning curve for you, but sadly, this will be a trial by fire for you." Merikh says, a yawn taking over.

    "Try to get some rest for yourself as well, Alpha Merikh," Thatch says with a touch of concern.

    Then I hear receding footsteps and Merikhing my way. Instead of opting to jump out at him, I wait, leaning on the door. As he steps in front of me, his guard down, I see how much everything is breaking him down.

    His eyes look surprised when they meet mine, going from tired to sheerfort and joy as a smile breaks over his perfect lips, one so genuine it melts me.

    I reach up, my hand gently sliding up the side of his cheek as he shudders a soft sigh and leans into it.

    "You heard it all huh?" He asks and I nod, giving him a sad smile.

    "Beta Thatch?" I ask, arching a brow, and he nods.

    "Great warrior, very honorable and well liked and respected." He murmurs, his eyes blinking slowly as he steps into me, my hand dropping from his face as I wrap my arm around his body.

    "Why not Percy?" I ask him curiously.

    "Percy is the only person I trust to protect you. After everything, including Penny, I think moving Percy to beta would almost be offensive to him." "That''s fair." I say into his shoulder.

    "How was your family meeting?" He

    asks as the door opens behind me and he eases us in. Before I can say anything I squeal in shock as he swoops me up into his arms and walks over to the couch,ying the two of us down, my back to his chest as he spoons me close. "Well?"

    "Well, we have the Siren''s as allies." I tell him, my heart thudding at what to say. Under normal circumstances, I would beam and tell him every detail, but right now I''m worried about it.

    "Hmm, well, from my office, it looked like you all were getting along." He says, his nose pressing into my hair as he inhales my scent.

    "Yes," I smile to myself. "It seems like they want to get to know me. I think it will be nice to have that tie to home."

    "Good." He says, giving me a little squeeze. "It makes me happy to hear how well it went, Colette. I could feel your joy radiating and it was so refreshing to feel that from you after so long. Your happiness is everything."

    Set

    His voice falls off like he is falling asleep, and I wiggle into him, looking for more of his touch. The room is dark and silent as we just cuddle. And somehow it feels like it''s been one of our more intimate and raw moments together. His breathing grows steady, and his chest rises and falls as he falls into a deeper slumber.

    I spin around in his arms; the couch creaking as I turn to face him. Even in the tiny amount of light, I can see how at peace he is and my heart hurts.

    Not a pain that makes me want to cry. But a pain thates from being overfilled after so long of being overly aching.

    "Merikh," I whisper, pushing up on my elbow as I press a kiss to the tip of his nose.

    "Hmm?" he mutters, half asleep as I run my fingers through his hair and he moans in approval.

    "Can I ask you for something?" I whisper.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "Anything you want, little luna," he

    I

    n

    says in a groggy voice, his eyes still closed as I bite my lip. Nerves rush through me as I grow suddenly nervous and shy. Then I clear my throat and when I look back up at him, his emerald pools are watching me with a hint of amusement.

    "Um..."

    "What is it, Colette?" he says, his browsing together. "You are worrying me..."

    I inhale deeply and let out a shuttering breath before closing my eyes and just blurting the words.

    "I want to have a baby." I peek through one eye, watching his startled expression before he breaks into augh, yanking me to him.

    "You want a baby?" He asks.

    "Yes. Well, your baby, to be specific. I think...I think now is as good a time as ever and, I thought maybe it would be beneficial for Hayes to have something to hold on to and perhaps it would fill the void-"

    "Colette," Merikh says, pulling back and smoothing my hair. "I will give you a baby because you want one. But we don''t have a child to do anything other than showcase our love. This sweet little gift will have no obligation other than to be adorable and loved."

    "Does that mean you want one, too?"

    "You have known for some time I want one whenever you are ready." He says, grinning. "So you are saying you are ready?"

    I nod emphatically, biting my lip. "Yes, I am."

    ¡°Good." he grins, lifting me from the couch and carrying me to the bed. "Then we will start right now..."

    "I thought you were tired," Iugh, and he shakes his head.

    "The second you wiggled into me on the couch I was ready to dive into," he grins,ying me down as he reaches for the waist of my pants. "Guess it''s

    a good thing we enjoy practising as well."

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136

    ?

    **Two yearster**

    *Merikh*

    "Where is he?" I snarl, on my hands and knees, tearing the tablecloth to the side. If Colette finds out he is gone again, I am in deep shit. I find nothing there but a small trail of cookies as I smirk and look to my right. Green eyes beneath a mop of curly brown hair stare up at me with an excited face. "Your brother thinks he is so sneaky, but we got him now, don''t we?" I whisper to her as she grins widely, her chunky cheeks round and adorable. "Did you lose Dn again?" Colette asks, walking into the room as I sit back on my ankles.

    I feign a scoff, waving her off, hoping she will just assume this is all a part of a game. I will never admit that this little stinker can outsmart me even at just the wee age of one year and some months. His twin sister, however, is my little shadow, always at my side.

    "Define the word lose?" I say with a wry smile as her eyes grow wide.

    "Merikh! Are you serious? You honestly lost our son again?" She squeals, suddenly darting around the kitchen to Dn''s usual hiding spots. "Dada," my sweet little Harmony says, popping up to her feet and tottering off.

    "Oh, no, you don''t," I chuckle, scooping her into my arms as I jump up and follow the trail of cookie crumbs leading out of the kitchen and around the corner to the front closet.

    I clear my throat standing outside of the door and gently knock on the thin wood. A tiny little giggle explodes through the door and harmony squeals in delight, squirming in my arms to get down andugh with her brother.

    "Dn," I call out in a sing-song voice, Colettees up behind me with a frown on her lips as she crosses her arms over her chest.

    The little chubby, almost toddler, raps on the door from the inside and babbles incoherently. Harmony giggles as if she can understand hisnguage, and maybe she does. They are twins and I swear they have conversations all the time.

    "Why does it feel like they are making fun of me?" I say, looking back at Colette, who fights a smile.

    "Probably because they are." She says, being no help at all.

    I exhale before I open the door and squat down, looking at my sweet troublemaker who smiles brightly before he wobbles to me and falls into my arms. Harmony stands in front of her mom, begging with open hands to be picked up, and Colette gives in to her wordless demand.

    "Are you ready for bed, my little loves?" I ask, cuddling Dn close and reaching out to rub Harmony''s back as we head to their room.

    They both snuggle close, their sweet little hugs doing wonders to heal the terrors of the day I had before walking through that front door. Three weeks of nonstop attacks on our pack has begun to weigh heavily on all of us here.

    If it weren''t for King Zale and Colette''s close ties with her siren family, we would be gone by now. But instead, the majority of the werewolf and lycan poption has moved to our pack, more than tripling the poption every six months until now.

    "How bad is it?" Colette asks as we enter their room, flipping on their tiny little bubble night light that disys fish on the wall. A cute gift that her cousin Wade ended up finding in a sea town after the twins were born.

    "We are running out of time." I admit,ying my little guy into his crib and tucking him in. It''s hard to look away from him, but I do so I can memorize how both of them sleep so sweetly. "It is so peaceful watching them sleep."

    "Their innocence is something else," Colette agrees, a soft smile on her lips. "I wish the world was a better ce for them."

    I reach out, tugging her by her waist to me as I press my lips to her temple.

    "The world is as good as we make it for them. I''d rather it be bad now and try to improve it before they have to know it the way we do." I tell her as she sighs and leans into me.

    We watch them for a few minutes longer before sneaking out and finding Thatch leaning against the wall across from their room.

    ¡°Alpha, Luna," He says, giving a respectful nod.

    "I hate to say this, Thatch, but every time I see you, it gives me anxiety." Colette teases and he grins.

    "Yeah, being the bearer of bad news is annoyingly my thing." He says, "But it came in the job description, so I suppose I was warned."Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    "What do you have for me?" I ask, a tugging of worry in my gut. Is it possible that the dragons have finally made it through the water defenses?

    "I have located him." He says softly and my eyes grow wide in shock.

    "H-he is alive?" I swallow roughly, my throat dry and my mind spinning.

    Seven months. That is how long it has been since I have spoken with my brother. He still hates me, mes me for his life that he ims has been so awful since losing Leandra. Hayes never recovered from that loss, and he never opened up to anyone about it. Not even the men who have been with him side by side for almost two years hunting down Ezrah and this damn egg.

    "Yes," Thatch clears his throat. "And he is here."

    My eyes grow wide as I look over at Colette, who mirrors my shock. Alpha order or not, I hadn''t expected to see my brother alive again since ourst falling out. He used toe back every two weeks to see his niece and nephew and Colette until he went dark on us. He is hardened now, darker in spirits and still searching for something, anything, worth living for outside of my order.

    "Here as in the pack or here as in the pack house?" I ask him and he clears his throat. "He is in your office." Thatch says. "And he asked to speak with you, if you have the time."

    I snort augh, knowing full well that he wasn''t nearly as polite as Thatch is letting on.

    "Right." I murmur, still a little in shock as I run my hands through my hair and then I look at Colette. "Let''s go see what he has to say."

    "Actually," Thatch says, wincing as if he is in pain. I eye him suspiciously as he shakes his head. "Hayes has asked for an audience with only you." Colette gives me a reassuring smile as she takes a step back.

    "Well, don''t leave him waiting. Angry with you or not, he is still your baby brother." She reminds me and I sigh before turning and heading to my office. I push the door open, looking up to find Hayes wandering around the office as if it has changed since he left. But it hasn''t, which makes me hope he is nostalgic for home. He looks over at me for a moment before turning back to wandering around the office and stopping at the window, looking out at theke where the sun is disappearing.

    "Good to know you are alive." I mutter walking over to my desk as he scoffs.

    "So long as you are happy Alpha, all is dandy, yes?" he says in a mocking tone. I give him a warning nce he pretends not to see as I take a seat and stare at him.

    "I take it you have news for me or you wouldn''t be here?" I say, trying to give him the exact amount of cold shoulder he is giving me.

    "Oh what? You don''t think I missed you and your coddling ways?" He snorts, his disfigured side of his face where I can see it best in the light. He gives me a dark smirk, one where his lip ceases half way and he shoves his hands in his pocket.

    "Enough of the disrespect, Hayes." I growl at him. "Hate me as a brother all you want, but I am your alpha and I won''t have the tant disrespect you areying on so thick. You are still a member of this damn pack." I snap.

    He frowns and then shakes his head in understanding.

    "I apologize alpha," he mutters, sounding sincere. "It has been a while since I have slept or eaten. I am a little out of sorts. More so than normal." "What have you got for me?" I ask, trying to be more alpha and less annoyed, big brother.

    "Absolutely nothing." He exhales.

    "Every single fucking trail we find, he

    n

    eludes us. Our tracker has found his second chance mate and so we returned home for him to have a life with her here. There is no life outside of this pack for our kind right now."

    Instead of looking angry like he has been, I see a look of concern.

    "We are losing," I mutter, leaning back in my chair. "We are losing and I have no fucking clue how to change that."

    ¡°Get me the best tracker we have and send us back out. We have not lost all hope." He says.

    "Well, that is good to hear," I say, and he grows sad.

    "I just need a little more time and a better team." He says. "They have been great, but I need someone with tracking and fighting skills. We need warriors that don''t want to start rtionships with each other and cause tension."

    I already know who he needs. It has

    been something I have thought about a lot since tracking them down and discovering what they have been doing for the past eight years Only one issue, he will not only be surprised but he will very much not be happy about it. And it most certainly causes a shit ton of tension. Content belongs to

    "We will get you a new team by the end of the week. I want a list of those you want to keep on your hunting party and I will let the others know." I say, but he narrows his eyes. Hatred or not, he can still read me as if thest two years never happened.

    "Why do you have that pensive look on your face?" He asks.

    "I have a thought, but I don''t think you will like it."

    He looks confused.

    "Who is it?"

    There is a knock at the door just then and Colette peeks her head in and steps through the door, making way for the petite redhead who I rediscovered after her former mate''s pack came to us for protection in our pack lines. She grins widely, her eyes sparkling. Content belongs to

    "Well, you look a sight better than what Alpha Merikh made it seem." She says, walking into the room further. Hayes blinks and then turns to look at

    me.

    "You remember Kyra?" I ask Hayes, who looks back at her as she winces.

    "My bad. I didn''t see the other side of your face. You look fucking terrible, Hayes." She says, winking at him as he just gapes at her.

    "Fuck no." He hisses. "No, she is noting. I don''t want her help."

    "She is very capable, Hayes." Colette says softly, and he presses his lips together in thought, considering Colette''s words.

    "It''s been a long time, Kyra." He finally says, though his eyes clearly showcase how angry he is.

    "I was hoping for longer, but when the alpha asks, you sort of show up." She says overly sweet, clearly still pissed off at Hayes for whatever went

    down between them all those years ago.

    "At least he asked you," he mutters.

    "Well, you two can go and discuss things." I say, standing and pping my hands together. "I have a pregnant mate I need to put to bed."

    Colette''s eyes grow wide as she looks at Hayes and gives him a nervous chuckle.

    "We were going to tell you earlier but..."

    "I have been hard to find. It is fine Luna." He gives her a kind smile before he storms out of the room, Kyra hot on his heels.

    "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Colette asks me, putting her hand out for me to take.

    "They were best friends once." I remind her. "They work well together even if they want to deny it."

    "What happened between them?" She asks, and I shrug.

    "I honestly have no clue. But I know I am going toy you down and then I am going to kiss every part of this perfectly pregnant body."

    "I am barely pregnant." Sheughs, dragging me out the door.

    "It doesn''t matter. The hormones do something to me. I can''t help it." I tease her by lifting her up and wrapping her legs around me.

    Her eyes soften, and her whole body rxes into me.

    "I love you, Merikh." She murmurs before stealing a kiss. "And I have faith that everything will all work out."

    "I know it will." I hum. ¡°Because I love you too and I will end the world before I let anyone hurt what is ours."

    THE END (for now)

    *BOOK TWO: To Love a Broken Beta* will be the next chapter starting tomorrow. It will be Haye''s story.

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137

    Book Two: To Love a Broken Beta

    *Kyra*

    It''s so strange being back here, the ce I used to call home. Everything is so different. There is hardly anything I recognize here any more. Other than theke that reflects the trees to my right in the distance.

    I pull the nket tighter, hugging it close as the breeze trickles through my hair. The moon is high above me as I wrestle with the decisions that led me back here. It was stupid toe here, thinking Hayes would be over what happened to us. But when the Lycan King calls for you and begs for help, you do as he wishes.

    And it''s not like I have anything keeping me from going on this mission. I have no family anymore, no mate to run home to. That may be the only thing Hayes and I have inmon now. What weck rather than what we had in the past.

    "You should have said no," He saysing up behind me. My body shivers at the sound of his icy tone. Was it so terrible, what I did to him back then? Was I the problem, or was it always him?

    "Merikh is my Alpha, Hayes." I say in a t tone, hiding the distress being near him puts me in.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    My eyes remain on the sky, unable to look at him. Not because his disfigured faces grosses me out. But it is all I can do to keep from breaking down at his hurting. Even after all this time, after the way he treated me, hurt me, it still is near agonizing to bear witness to the pain he wears every day.

    "Oh, what did he order you to do this?" He snorts, his disdain for his brother not even remotely hidden.

    "No." I say simply, flicking my eyes to see he stands next to me with the good side of his face in my line of vision. "He asked, and I said yes." "You forget I know you, Kyra. And I know for a fact you are a shit warrior and a worse tracker." His words are vile and intentionally mean. This is who he is now. Anger poisons the heart, and when the heart is already broken, well...it''s sometimes the only thing that holds the pieces together.

    I inhale sharply and shake my head, unable to hide the sarcasticughter bubbling up in me. In eight years, he didn''t think I might change? After knowing me for eighteen years, he thought I couldn''t grow up from the whimsical girl who wanted a fairytale? How quant that he thinks I lived a life of fucking cupcakes and rainbows. He can change, but I can''t? What an arrogant dick.

    "Correction, Hayes. You KNEW me at one time. You do NOT know me now. Other than my face and my name, I am not the same girl who followed you aroundughing at your shitty jokes." I give him a snarky smile as he turns and res at me.

    "At least your face has stayed the same," He barks out and I roll my eyes.

    "We all have battle scars, you idiot. You are the only one that likes to make a fuss of it." I turn my whole body to look at him, my hands on my hips, waiting for another stupidment from him. Instead, he says nothing, turning to look out at the night sky with his hands on the railing before he exhales and drops his head.

    ¡°Please do not pretend to know what I have gone through, Kyra. I have lost more than you could ever imagine in your little red-headed fairytalend you hide in up in your head." his words are tired, as if he carries so much pain and no one can hold a candle to it.

    But I know about his situation, from the way his skin smelled when they found him to the horrific way he lost his mate. Even one has heard of the Broken Beta and the way it has poisoned his heart.

    "What the hell do you want?" I ask, finally cutting through the bullshit, my eyes narrowing. "Did youe out here to prove you are some big asshole? Tout how hard you are with this whole ''broken bad boy'' bullshit?"

    He blinks at me and looks down, a slight frown on his lips as he eyes his dark wash holey jeans and his solid ck henley top with rolled sleeves. His shiny, twisted flesh noticeable on his arm as if he were showcasing a tattoo on some biker bar.

    ¡°I came here to tell you we don''t want you." He snaps, crossing his arms over his chest.

    "Oh well, holy heck, I was almost convinced you wanted me here with all that smiling you were doing when I walked in." I scoff.

    "When did you be a smart ass?"

    "The same time you became a

    dickface." I gain, proud of myself. If there is one thing I learned from mate Tyler, it''s how to have an attitude with people who need it. I''m not the coy little girl Hayes remembers. Hell, I was mated to the top warrior and tracker in the prized Warrior Wolf pack. Content belongs to noveldrama.org

    "Listen, just go tell Merikh you don''t want to go anymore." He says, sighing heavily as he pinches between his eyes like I am annoying him. Clearly he has forgotten he came looking for me.

    "It''s Alpha Merikh," I chide him, then I give him a sweet smile. "And there is not a chance in hell I will do that. Act like the big boy you are and deal with it, Hayes. I am the best tracker and warrior there is. You need me."

    He throws his head back,ughing heartily as I re at him.

    "You?" he asks between heaving breaths ofughter while my frustration grows by the second.

    ¡°Unfortunately for you, yes, ME!" I scream at him. He shakes his head with a smile, pulling at the corner of his deformed right side of his face.

    "I asked specifically for Tyler. Everyone knows he is the best." He says as a pain stabs into my heart.

    Tears spring in to my eyes as I look away and clear my throat, trying not to cry. I havee so far. I can talk about him all day, discuss how great he is...well, was. But to tell someone that he is gone, that my Tyler is dead along with everything we created together...That I have never had to do and it feels awful. Content belongs to noveldrama.org

    "Tyler is dead." I whisper, unable to stop a rogue tearing down my cheek. My hand swipes it away as I sniffle and clear my throat once more, rolling my shoulder and turning to face him again.

    "This is why we don''t want you.." He mutters, exhaling as he chuckles to himself. "You are crying because I told you that you aren''t the best." "You are so dense." I mutter, no other wordsing to mind as I y for my exit.

    Hayes'' asshole personality I can deal with. I have dealt with many like this before. But for him topletely miss the mark of my tears just proves that every part of the Hayes I was in love with is dead and gone. And good freaking riddance.

    ¡°Oh? And what makes me so dense?¡± He hisses at me as I turn and walk away. Hayes'' hand grabs my elbow, whipping me around to look at him. "Tyler was my mate, you fucking glob of melted flesh." I scream as tears burst free and down my cheeks.

    His eyes grow wide, either from my revtion or my harsh words. I don''t give a rat''s ass. He takes a small step back, his hand still locked on my elbow as I pull away from him, his fingers gliding down my long sleeve shirt.

    ¡°I couldn''t care less about you being a dick and trying to hurt my feelings. These tears aren''t yours. I stopped crying about you a long ass time ago. These are for him."

    I yank my arm back, his skin scorching mine with a heat unlike any I have felt, and I gasp, yanking my wrist to my chest, stumbling away from him. "Shit, I didn''t know," He murmurs, for the first time a hint of the old Hayes shining through the shadow of the anger that looms in him.

    "I will see you tomorrow," I blink, my mind whirling as I try to understand what the helt just happened. I rub the pad of my thumb where his skin

    touches mine as I rush off of the ne

    balcony and into the kitchen, running past Luna Colette who sits at the table, her chestnut hair in a messy bun atop her head as she sneaks a piece of cake. Content belongs to noveldrama.org

    I don''t give her a moment to speak to me as I find my room, mming the door shut behind me, my back pressing against it as my chest heaves. My skin still prickles where I cradle my hand to my chest. The remnants of his touch still lingering.

    I refuse to acknowledge it, I refuse to admit it.

    I refuse.

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138

    "Kyra, Alpha Merikh wants to see you," Thatch says, leaning against the kitchen counter, sipping on his steaming cup of coffee. My puffy, unawake eyes re at him as he smiles behind thest of the only elixir that can shake this terrible mood I am dawning.

    "Is that all the coffee?" I ask him, my voice sounding desperate, but I don''t care. Desperation in the face of coffee is the only ce I will evere close to groveling.

    "Out here, yes." He arches a brow. "The alpha has a coffee machine in his office,¡±

    "This seems like a feeble attempt to just hurry me along to see him." I mumble as I shuffle away from the chuckling beta, heading to the Alpha''s office in a huff.

    The second I step in front of his door, I draw in a deep breath a shit attempt to calm myself. My first meeting with Alpha Merikh was fine, but the second when I saw Hayes, and then what happened after?

    My nerves are frayed and my emotions a damn mess. I roll my head, trying to release the tension before entering. Yet somehow he knows I am here. His voice calls out, telling me to enter, and I reach out to push the door open. The handle yanks on my firm grip in a frenzy of speed and I tumble forward with a surprised squawk falling from my lips.

    My body collides with another, the warmth of it radiating through me as I ce my hands on their chest and push back, a blush rising on my cheeks. The muscles under my palms flex in a strange way that makes my brows knit together. It all clicks when his hands grip my biceps and I see the shiny pink flesh, sunken skin that clings to the muscles that survived the raging heat of the dragon''s mes.

    Hayes. Shit. I shove away from him as fast as possible, my heart pounding as I keep my concentration on his burned hand. Forcing myself not to look anywhere else, not when my embarrassment is so noticeable on my face.

    Hayes clears his throat and tears his hand back, tucking it into his pocket. And only then do I look up to see him ncing away from me at the ground.

    "I told you, Alpha, I am not happy about this decision." Hayes says, his eyes peeking up once but looking away instantly before he shoves past me out the door. His shoulder connects with mine, making me stumble into the doorjamb.

    "So good to see you too," I grumble under my breath before I grab hold of the door and m it behind him a little harder than I nned. The wall shakes and Merikh chuckles.

    "Sounds like your reunion has continued to really go smoothly." He gives me a sorry smile.

    "Hah. If wanting to strangle each other is considered smooth, then sure, it''s been really splendid." I reply with a scoff.

    "If

    f you don''t want to go, Kyra, you can say no," Alpha Merikh offers, but I can see the worry lines on his face. "Hayes has been this way since he lost his mate. I am worried about him, about his obsession with his desire to die."

    "Is that what you wanted to see me about? You want me to babysit him because I used to know him?" I ask, not bothering to hide the shock I feel. "No," He exhales as hees around his desk, taking a seat in the chair across from the couch. "What I really want is to ask you some questions."

    I give him a curious look, my arms crossing over my chest. It did strike me as odd that Merikh hadn''t cared to ask me a single thing about where I had been, what I had done before he found me. But then again, he is the Alpha, so perhaps he already knows more than I think.

    "Uh, what kind of questions?" I ask, arching a brow as I take a seat on the couch.

    "Why didn''t you tell me all of it?" He asks, a frown on his lips as he watches me with pity. My stomach sinks and I swallow roughly. The room feels suffocating as I try to clear my throat and rub my mmy hands on my pants.

    "Tell you-uh-all of what?" I ask, my voice cracking as I look out the window, trying not to make eye contact. Shit, I can''t do this, not afterst night. My weak resolve is already cracking. I refuse to talk about it.

    "I knew your mate." He offers me a gentle smile.

    "Yes, well, he was well known. He did a lot of traveling to help train other werewolves." I say with a soft smile, remembering the kind yet firm mate I loved and lost.

    "He trained you too, and from what I learned, you two became quite the trackers together." Merikh asks, and I can see where he is going. I can''t help but roll my eyes. This rumor hade up several times when Tyler was alive and though he said it never bothered him, I could see the way the words stung his pride.

    "Lycan''s are a little different from werewolves. Some things were much easier for me to pick up on, but Tyler was still better than me. He will always be the best. If I had truly been better, then it would be him here, not me." I say, making sure Merikh understands I refuse to be told I am better than Tyler. Ever. He was amazing at what he did, and I strive every day to live up to him.

    "I hear you told Hayes about him?" He asks, clearing his throat as he stands and makes a move for the coffee machine on the shelf where books should be.

    "It may havee up," I say casually, even though I know that is the understatement of the century.

    "Did you want something to drink?"

    "Uh," I feign thinking about it as I fight the urge to scream yes and bowl him over for that caffeine. "Sure, yeah, I''ll have some."

    He nods as he goes about grabbing coffee pods to put in the machine.

    "So Tyler, if you don''t mind me asking, he died over a year ago?" He asks, grabbing mugs as he sets up the machine, clicking buttons as if this is the most casual conversation to have.

    ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± I murmur, picking at my fingers, trying not to relive the moment I felt the bond disappear and the days after that seemed to only tear my heart out of me further.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "How long..." he pauses, looking at me with a scrunched nose as if he is thinking of the right way to phrase something. "How long were you...''

    "Sad?" I ask and he frowns.

    "No, I guess I am curious if you were ever like Hayes is." He sighs.

    "For a little while, maybe." I shrug. "Tyler''s parents were killed a year before him, so I had no one left after losing him. Maybe that is why I didn''t stay the way Hayes is acting for so long. There was no one to pull me out of it, I just....had to do it for Tyler." Content belongs to noveldrama.org

    "Well, you also were with him much longer than Hayes was with Leandra, and there were some...factors involved," he says with a small frown.

    "Grief looks different on everyone,

    Alpha." I say offended he would

    insinuate that Hayes'' pain may have been more than mine. "I invested my time in training and tracking the enemy. Hayes has invested his time in creative ways to find an out for himself." Content belongs to

    He looks up from what he is doing, silence filling the room between us. For a moment, it seems like he may explode on me for being so harsh in my words. But instead a frown and sadness clouds his features and he turns, leaning on the shelf as he looks at me.

    "What happened between you two?" He asks softly.

    A bitterugh races from my lips, and I try to hide it by looking away.

    "Hayes never told you?" I ask him in disbelief.

    Merikh shrugs.

    "Hayes always just said you two grew apart and then, when he noticed you had left the pack, he got upset and didn''t speak to anyone for weeks." It''s sick, but it makes me feel a little bit better that at least he noticed I was gone.

    "It wasn''t that big of a deal." I mutter, "But if Hayes hasn''t told you, then he doesn''t want anyone to know. So forgive me for keeping it close to my

    vest."

    "Fair enough I suppose." He nods, grabbing the first mug of coffee and handing it to me. "The next question is a little more...personal..."

    I somehow doubt he could get more personal than the one he asked before, but I take the mug eagerly and give him the look to continue.

    ¡°Can you handle this emotionally?¡± He asks, and I pull the cup away from my face.

    "What do you mean? Because I am a woman?¡± I ask incredulously. I really didn''t expect this from him.

    "No," he says softly, "No, I ask because of what happened to you after losing Tyler."

    The blood leeches from my face and my fingers feel numb as I lick my dry lips.

    "I don''t know what you mean." I croak, and he frowns.

    "You don''t need to lie, Kyra. I know you lost more than your mate. Thatch has done his job and

    reported back everything that haset

    happened." He says softly and

    squeeze my eyes closed, a tear racing down my cheek as look

    away, trying to control this "How far along were you?" Content belongs to

    "Far enough," I whisper, wiping my face. "Far enough to know I have to avenge my mate and our dead child."

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140

    ?

    *Kyra*

    I can feel the weight of Hayes'' stare at my back. No matter how much I try to shake it off, it is steady, like a nagging or an itch that I just can''t reach or satisfy. It''s damn annoying, really. Not a single person says a thing, everyone keeping to themselves as we walk along in silence. It feels weird, like they have been instructed to ignore me.

    It''s never easy doing something new, going somewhere new. I get it. I am an outsider, someone they don''t think they need. But I know the rumors of this crew, why they are here and how they were recruited. And I meet every damn requirement and then some. Whether they want me here or not, I deserve this chance to avenge Tyler and our baby.

    We walk for hours, everyone seemingly knowing where to go before we finally reach a cliff and Dean stops, staring out over the ledge in the moonlight. He looks sadder in the darker, deeper lines of pain and loneliness highlighted by the shadows, and I realize maybe they are silent because they are lost in their mourning.

    Though, it is more likely that the shell of a beta I once knew is the real source. Lonely people can only stand the silence for so long. We all crave that connection just as much as we hate it. We can''t help it. Without it, we sink into the chaotic noise of our heartache and pain. It is so easy to drown in it when there is no one to bring you back to reality.

    "We should camp here,¡± Dean says, making his way back to our group of five.

    "I''ll take the first watch," Hayes says in a grumbling tone that makes my skin goose bump. A flutter skips through my chest and I close my eyes, forcing the feeling away. If I don''t acknowledge it, will it just go away?

    "I''ll take the third watch," Dean says.

    "You take the second watch, Tracker." Hayes says, a glimmer of indifference on his face as his eyes scan me from top to bottom and his lip curls in disgust.

    "Sure." I say, feigning to not want to p him.

    I remove my bag, walking toward a tree further from the group and the cliff''s edge. Iy my bag up against it andy down, pulling my hood over my head. After Hayes leaves, I watch the others as they chuckle and start a fire. They are suddenly very chatty for a group of people so silent. Perhaps it is because I have removed myself from their immediate vicinity.

    But then I look around and realize that maybe it has nothing to do with me and more to do with the absence of Hayes. Does everyone avoid talking to him in general or around him? Has he lived like this for the past two years? It had seemed like at least he and Dean were somewhat friendly.

    "Hey there," a voice calls out from the group, walking their way over with a mug.

    "Hi," I mutter, not removing my hood as the fire grows brighter and flickers across the distance between us.

    "I am Marcos." He walks up next to me, taking a seat before he hands over the hot mug. I take it curiously from him, sniffing it as he chuckles.

    "It''s just tea." He grins, the firelight illuminating the side of his face enough to see he has a pleasant smile. Marcos looks younger than me, though maybe not by much. His dark eyes match his tanned olive skin.

    "What kind of tea?" I ask him with a soft smile.

    "The kind that is good for the soul."

    "Ah, so the kind Hayes avoids. Noted." I mutter, and heughs. Hisugh is soft and light. As if he isn''t entirely miserable all the time.

    "Rumor has it you two know each other well." He says, pulling his knees up to his chest as he wraps his arms around them.

    "Knew." I correct him with a snort before taking a hasty sip. The tea stings my tongue in a delightful way as I smile down at the cup. My thumb rubbing over the rim. "We knew each other well, a long time ago."

    "Yeah well, seems like that is everyone''s answer these days," He sighs.

    "How long have you been in this little group?" I ask him and he looks out at the rest of the others, telling stories at the campfire.

    "Since the beginning. Dean is my best friend. His sister was my mate." He says softly, a gentle smile on his lips.

    "Ah," I mutter, unsure of what to say next. Thest thing I should do is ask how she died. We all know how. The real meaning behind that question is ''what''s the story'' and ''how gruesome was it?'' That is all people seem to care about. How much more painful their loss was than others.

    "She was caught in an avnche in the north. I just needed two more minutes to get to her, and she only had one minute left in her." He shakes his head. "It''s not as gruesome as others, but I tend to think pain is pain no matter where it''s felt. It feels different for everyone."

    "I can''t imagine Dean handled losing his sister very well." I say softly and he nods.

    "About as well as you can when you are mourning for the mate you just met," He responds and I furrow my brows.

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "Dean''s mate, he met her as she was dying. The bond snapped into ce. He got to hold her, so she wasn''t alone, but then she was gone. He never even knew her name."

    My stomach feels tight, and I exhale a sad sigh.

    "Fuck." I shake my head. "I can''t tell if that is worse than knowing them or not."

    "There is no worse when ites to death," he frowns. "The void is the same size regardless of how it was put there."

    I chuckle, my eyes rolling, as I remember Tyler''s friend Freddy. Always wise with his words and great at reminding everyone to pull themselves out of their own grief and remember there are others out there living with it, too. Honestly, he reminded me so much of the Hayes I used to know.

    "You sound like someone I used to know." I whisper, longing for the past briefly.

    "Hayes says I sound like a poetry loving fool." He grins.

    "What does Hayes know?" I scoff, rolling my eyes. "Poetry is awesome,"

    He grins and then Dean stands up and stretches, his head swinging around before he finds us. His hand rises and he motions for Marcos toe to him. Marcos sighs heavily and stands, brushing himself off before he gives me a small wave and jogs the short distance to the others.

    It is very clear that Dean is mad at

    him as he points at me and gets closer to Marcos, who puts his hands up in a nonthreatening way. sip my tea, watching the debacle as sleepiness settles in and I find myself scooching down further into I finish the

    a lying position before!

    warm drink and set the cup aside. Exhaustion washes over me as I drift to sleep, waiting for Hayes to

    come and wake me for the second

    shift. Content belongs to

    I wake to the sound of hushed arguments, my body filled with exhaustion despite a restful sleep.

    "I can smell it," a voice growls in annoyance. "Are you seriously telling me you can''t fucking smell that stench?"Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    I blink my eyes open, shielding them from the sun that shines through the leaves as they sway in the wind. My limbs feet strange, heavy, as if there are weights on my ankles and wrists. After squirming from side to side, I push myself up, the world spinning as I fall back again, a groan in my throat.

    "What the hell...?" I murmur to myself.

    "See!" The voice is louder, excited sounding. "I told you I could smell it. Wet dog."

    I force my eyes to focus as I clear them by rubbing my fists into them. My mouth goes dry and my heart leaps into my throat as I slick my lips with my tongue and look up at the massive frame of two dragon shifters.

    I scan the area for the others and find the fire has been out for some time as no smoke can be seen and the pile where it has been was nothing but dry ash. How long have these two been nearby and where the fuck did the others go?

    "Looks like she is alone." The second one says, sauntering over from the fire, where he kicks it and sniffs. "This has been out for at least twelve hours, is my guess."

    Twelve fucking hours? My eyes

    grow wide and my chest aches as my heart tries to break free. Did these assholes seriously leave me? And how the fuck did I not hear them when I am a light sleeper? The shorter one scoops up the cup to my right and lifts it to his nose before sticking his tongue in it. Then he looks at the other with a smirk.

    ¡°It looks like she was left for us to y with. Maybe someone they left behind to slow us down?"

    "The hell I was," I snap at them as theyugh at me.

    "Left you for dead sounds better to you then?" They tease, and I scowl at them.

    "No," I sigh, lifting my heavy arms as I stand and lean on the tree, trying to summon my strength. "They just showed me who I can trust."

    And it sure as fuck isn''t Marcos or Hayes.

    "Too bad you won''t be able to get revenge on them," they say, moving closer, their eyes glowing red as their chest illuminates. I can feel the heating, the way it radiates from their thick skin, and I realize there is only one thing I can do for now.

    Run.

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141

    ?

    "Shit, shit, shit," I mutter to myself as I crash through the brambles. Thistles and thorns slice through my skin as if I were running through barbed wire. My hoodie tears, catching on everything as I try to refocus myself.

    I''m a fucking trained warrior and skilled tracker, damn it, but two dragons? At the same time? That''s a tall order even for a top trained lycan. In their human form, they are stronger than us and their skin, depending on the type of dragon, can be as tough as the scales that line their dragon''s body.

    I cast my head down, ducking under arger branch when the ground catches my eyes and I see I aming to a rocky area. I break out of the bushes, a cry of pain as my hair tangles and rips from my scalp. A stinging reminder that I always have my hair slicked back for a reason.

    Ie to a sliding halt, my feet dancing over the loose te like rock as I tumble to my knees just before the edgees into view. Great. I ran directly onto a slick ledge of loud rocks. So far I am doing a terrible job of using what I know. But in my defense, waking up to two giant dragon men is not all that great for providing rity rather than sheer panic.

    I swing my head from side to side, looking for a way out, up or heck, even down should I need it. But there is nothing but more thorns and bushes. My lycan itches for freedom, hunched and waiting on the edge of my anxiety. The moment she is needed, she will take over. No need for me to even request or seek her out.

    We have always been in sync with each other, but since losing Tyler, something changed. Instead of feeling like two separate beings sharing a space, we feel more unified. More like we are one and the same. Though honestly, it would be nice to not have to rely on her just yet.

    I nce to the right, a groan escaping my lips as I take off in that direction. The shale under my feet makes me unsteady, but I push forward, choosing not to wait any longer for the dragons to find me due to indecision. The ground shakes under my feet and the rocks shimmy, my body shifting slightly as they vibrate toward the edge of the cliff.

    "What the hell..." I mutter, squatting down, trying to get my body more steady as I try to rush forward.

    I stop when my eyes lock on a heavy-footed, smaller dragon. He stops from side to side; the earth shaking with its heavy weight. I breathe in deep and a growl rumbles through my spine, vertebrates snapping in quick session as my lycanes to the surface.

    I leap up; the rocks sliding out from under my feet, but I fly forward enough I can reach his leg. I cling to him, yanking myself around to his side. The jerk moves fast for a fat, stubby beast, his legunching me into a bush. There is no time to waste as I lunge forward, swooping down to grab a triangr sharp rock.

    The dragon rears his head up and I see the opportunity where his soft under chin meets his jaw. I catch him off guard with my lycan speed, hammering the rock into his neck before slipping my ws into his sliced flesh and dragging its along the inside exposing his throat as his deep red blood pours out along with a thick clear substance simr to the texture of oil.

    I step away from him, my chest heaving from the effort before the wind picks up in the distance, the trees bending with its might, and I realize I am utterly fucked if I don''t get lucky or run. There is nowhere to go, nowhere to hide as I rush to the edge of the cliff and spin, facing the dragon whose blood is hurriedly rushing toward the very edge where I stand.

    Then I take a step back and drop. I dig my ws into the rocks, gliding down it for a few feet beforeing to a stop where I hang and hope the other dragon doesn''t look over the edge.

    The blood over head stters as the gusts from the other dragon''s wings hit it and the other substance. It stops suddenly, silence filling the air while my heart beat fills my ears.

    I watch the ledge above me, my body tingling with awareness and my lycan ready to leap up at a moment''s notice. But nothing happens, no one makes a sound and the wind neveres back.

    After a few moments, I choose to crawl back up, using my ws as I wedge them in the holes of the rock, making it almost to the tops when I slip. My body swings out, one w clinging for dear life.

    I can see the way the blood rushes down, melding with the dragon''s fire substance, making it more vibrant and less angry red. It is mesmerizing watching it as it slips into the very spot I hang from and as if in slow motion, my hold loosens and suddenly, I am falling. I reach out, trying to grab hold of the rock again, but agonizing pain wracks my body as I hit a hard, jagged rock.

    I can feel my rib muscles cave in, the air hissing from me as I wheeze and try to breathe. The coppery vor of blood fills my mouth, my lycan trying to hold on until we crash to the end to save us.

    Only instead of finding the bottom, the wall angles out acting like a sharp nail riddled swoop as I tumble and m into every rock before rolling into the water where I dip into the frigid water.

    I bob up and down, my lycan retreating as I heave for air, my chest shooting pains through all of me, making my toes curl as I try to force myself to swim. Instead, I grab a floating log, clinging to it with thest ounce of my strength. A half chuckle tears from my lips as I try to keep from crying. "I might be seeing you sooner than I thought, Ty." I whisper, looking up at where I hope he sits with the Moon and watches me with pride.

    I float until the sun goes down; the river moving too fast for my weak state to swim to safety or out of it. As the moon rises over the water smile up, knowing if I died here, then I know at least tried. But I hear Tyler in my head, the very words he spoke to me as he was dying. And my heart sinks.

    "Fuck." I grumble. Looking to the side, glimpsing smoke amongst trees.

    I kick my legs, whimpering in pain as I slowly force myself to the side of the river where it slows. It takes far too long but I make it to the side, crawling out as my legs refuse to work, feeling like soggy over cooked noodles.

    "Well, holy shit.¡± I hear Dean''s familiar voice and anger rises in my chest. If I had any energy, I''d punch the fucker straight in the nose.

    ¡°Oh, hey dickface." I mutter with a heavy wheeze, looking up at him. "Found you."

    "HAYES!" He roars, his face covered in shock as he doesn''t move.

    "Make yourself useful and help me up." I groan, pushing myself to my knees. Nausea overwhelms me as I groan and drop my head to the sand ground. "Oh, damn."

    "It might be better if you stay lying down." He offers.

    "What, so you can leave me behind to be found-"

    "Ah, perhaps she isn''t as terrible as we thought." Marcos interrupts me.

    "Well, she found us," Hayes murmurs. "Which is more than I thought she would do. But she did find us rtively fast, given how much of a head start we had."

    Everyone falls silent. The only sound

    filling the air is the trickling of water and my ragged, sharp inhales of breath before I look up, the pain coursing through my veins. I meet Hayes dark, empty eyes, only to watch them furrow and slowly shift from mild amusement to quilt and confusion.

    "What the fuck happened to you?" He insists like he has any right to care.

    "Which time?" I gasp, "When I woke up to two dragons or when they chased me and I had to fight them and fell off a cliff?"

    He takes a step forward, grabbing hold of my arm and back, helping me up. I shove him off the second his touch fizzles through my skin, shooting to my chest. I was trying to convince myself what I had felt that day was in my head. But there is no denying it now, not with the way my skin goosebumps and my pain lessens.

    Hayes is my second chance, mate. But he doesn''t recognize it.

    He looks at me in surprise.

    "I don''t want your fucking help." I growl out.

    "Look, we didn''t mean for you to get hurt," He says sincerely, but I want him to hurt. In every damn way, I reach out for Marcos and hees to help

    me. I limp along with him and Hayes tries one more time to touch me. I yank away like he is salt to an open wound.

    "I don''t want your deformed hands on me." I hiss at him, relishing the way he rears back. But instead of getting angry or looking hurt, he nods, tucking his hand away before he pulls off his oversized shirt.

    ¡°At least take this, so you aren''t naked." He grumbles, yanking over my head before he storms away. He stops for a second and nces over his shoulder at me.

    "Bring her to the fire so I can clean up her wounds."Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142

    ?

    *Hayes*

    I wait for Kyra to make her way over to the fire after changing her clothes, my feet kicking at a stone stuck in the dirt. It was a bad call to leave her behind. No, it was worse than a bad call. It was a grave mistake that I feel deeper than I am prepared to admit. Kyra could have died, and it would be my fault just like it was with Leandra.

    My throat tightens, and I clench my jaw. Anger, my usualpanion, seems to morph into a heaping of self loathing. Shit. I should have just dealt with it, but Kyra, with her red hair and freckles like the stars in the sky, sheplicates things. She floods my head with memories of who I was, what I lost.

    And as much as I need her gone, I don''t want her hurt. I care for her, I always have. She was an amazing friend and a bright spot in my past. But my past is buried in ash, and having her here does nothing but stir up those ashes and leave me exposed.

    "I don''t think she wants toe over, Hayes." Marcos says,ing up behind me.

    I lick my lips, biting back a bitter chuckle. Of course she won''t. The damn redhead has as much a fight in her as I have anger.

    "Did you tell her she does not have a choice?" I ask, turning slowly to face the annoying, handsome lycan. My gut pinches, my eyes scanning the man before me with a renewed bite of jealousy.

    "No offense, but you aren''t a beta anymore" He says, breaking off when a low growl rumbles through my chest. "Look, she is shaken up. In my opinion, she needs space."

    "I will ask for your opinion when I want it, Marcos. Now go fetch my fucking tracker."

    He lingers for a moment before shaking his head in disbelief and wandering off to a small tent. Marcos disappears for a minute, before he steps out, giving his hand to Kyra, who takes it as she limps in my direction. It feels like there is something stuck in my throat as I clear it, and adjust my sweatshirt at the neck.

    Why does it feel so hard to breathe when I see someone like Marcos touching her?

    "You called for me, your royal dictatorship?" Kyra says, wincing as Marcos helps down on the to log in front of the fire.

    "You alright? Do you need anything?" He asks, his eyes focusing on her face like he knows her well enough to care. I bite back a scoff just as she barks a softugh.

    "Oh, you think I trust you enough to ever take something from you again? How fun." She sneers before she whips her heated gaze to me. "Marcos, go get the ointment." I order him, and he frowns as his shoulders slump and he stalks off doing as I ask.

    "Don''t bother," she calls out to him as he continues to walk on.

    "Let me see you," I say, stepping over to her.

    "There is nothing to see. I am a lycan, and I will heal after a good sleep." She protests, her arms crossing over her chest, but I see the way her already pale cheeks lose more color and she seems to gasp silently.

    Guilt and frustration swirl together as I press my lips together and scowl at her.

    "It''s my fault you are hurt, so shut up and stop resisting." I mutter.

    She stops moving, sighing as she gives in and leans forward as I step behind her. My hands reach out to lift her shirt and my breathing hitches. A shiver running through my body, making me freeze as I blink and try to regain mental control. Why does the thought of seeing her smooth skin make me feel ufortable? What the hell is wrong with me?

    "Are you going to look or are you trying to muster up a half-assed apology?" She mutters, giving me permission as I pull up the hem of her shirt and look at her bare back.

    She leans forward, her elbows on her knees as she reaches back with her hands shielding her front as she grips the shirt at the base of her neck. Everything goes still, the air no longer moving and the sounds disappearing as I stare at the damage I caused.

    When you live in a mentally dark ce, you don''t think you can sink any lower. That is until you witness what exactly that darkness has led you to do to someone you used to care deeply for.

    The deep bruise covering the entirety of her back makes my heart skip a beat and the jagged cut, though clean looking and no longer bleeding, looks deep. She is littered withcerations and scraps.

    ¡°Damn it, Kyra.¡± I grumble with a heavy sigh. ¡°I thought you said you were fighting dragons. It looks like you fell off a fucking mountain?"

    She scoffs and shakes her head. ¡°I did fall off a mountain. More like I slipped, dragon''s blood and their fuel reserves are slippery."

    I bite my tongue until I taste the familiar copper hint of blood in my mouth.

    "Fucking hell." Dean whistles as he walks over and crouches closer, looking at the array of bruising colors on her once perfect skin. He reaches out, his fingers close to her skin, skin he has no right to touch.

    "What the hell are you doing?" I grind out.

    "This one goes all the way along here. She might have some broken ribs." He murmurs, his hand touching her as she reacts with a

    hiss, but she leans to the away.

    exposing more of her side andel

    around to her upper stomach My eyes linger on the swell of the

    bottom of her breast that she covers with her shirt and biceps, making my mouth run dry.

    "I had broken ribs and a punctured lung." She says. "Hence why I still look awful. Internal injuries heal first."

    My ruined fingers reach out,

    touching her hard stomach muscles,Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    and she gasps, writing away from me. It stings seeing how she runs, from my touch, but not Dean''s. I snap my hand back and take the ointment from where Marcos had ced it. A part of me wants to storm off, angry that she seems to be so disgusted by me, by the way I am now. Content belongs to

    But my stubbornness wins out and I re at Dean, who is whole. His attractive features are not marred and deformed by a dragon who took everything from him. All it does is make my fury grow, and before I realize it, I clutch his wrist and force him to face me.

    "Go away," I hiss between my teeth and he blinks at me, confused.

    "She doesn''t need you gawking at her bare body." I say firmly, and Dean scoffs.

    "I''m gawking at her wounds, Hayes. Not her damn body."

    Kyra stands up in a sh and spins, yanking the ointment from me with a glower on her scratched up face. Her freckled cheeks are flushed with anger and pain.

    "Its YOU I don''t want touching me. Dean can stay and handle this," she says, cing the ointment in his hand. A dryugh rolls through me that makes the two of them go still, fear in their eyes.

    ¡°I apologize that my looks disgust you, Kyra. But this is not up for debate. Sit your ass down and try not to vomit when I put my hands on you."

    She stares at me, wide eyes before she swallows roughly and nces at Dean who puts his hands up and walks away, shooting me a curious look and shaking his head.

    Then Kyra plops down. She yanks the shirt over her head, hugging it to her chest. She wordlessly shows me the upper part of her shoulders, where arge, slim, brown item glistens under her skin.

    "It feels like there is something in my skin here," she mumbles, dropping her head into her hands.

    "There is something in there," I sigh, opening the ointment and scooping it onto my good hand.

    I stroke it over her cuts and scrapes, my fingers lingering over her skin, causing her to shiver. It brings a smile to my lips, thinking that perhaps it''s a response to me. A spark hits my fingertips and I freeze, my chest aching and my body suddenly feeling like a heat is rushing through me after ages of being frozen.

    I stumble back, falling over onto my

    ass with a grunt. She nces back at me, the look on her face confused and hurt But under all of that, I

    sense a tiny flicker of hope andyo

    m my emotional wall back up. No. No. What ever that fucking was, meing back to life or just a peak at a future I could ever have; I shut it the fuck down.

    "Marcos!" I call out and hees rushing over.

    "What happened?" He asks, reaching out to help me up, but I shove him away.

    ¡°She has a massive splinter in her shoulder that needs to be taken out." I say, pushing myself up and taking a step back. Her eyes meet mine in a flurry of confusion and I look away, retreating quickly to the dark where she can''t see me. "And I can''t get it with my hand,"

    It''s not a lie, my dexterity isn''t great in my injured hand. I''m not just disfigured, but I lost nerves and muscles to the me. But my reasoning, though valid, is not why I am retreating.

    Kyra''s mere presence confounds me. She is bringing me to life when I prefer to live like the dead and I can''t have that. I won''t. Even if that means watching another man soothe her pain after I am the one who put her through it.

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143

    ?

    "What ya doing?" A voice asks from above me. I close my eyes and groan internally.

    "Trying to find silence." I mutter.

    ¡°Hmm, looks more like you are spying on Marcos, Hayes.¡± Nisha asks, dropping from the tree next to me where I hide and watch Marcos as he examines Kyra.

    "I''m not spying on Marcos." I say defensively. She steps up next to me, looking straight ahead, and then she chuckles.

    "So, are you going to apologize to her?"

    I ignore her as I focus on Marcos'' gentle, unmaimed hands as they glide across her bruised back. He eases her to the side, checking out the bruise on her abdomen, his thumb inching too close to her breasts-

    "Hayes,¡± Nisha says, stepping in front of me. Her dark brown eyes lock on mine as I clear my throat and look away quickly. "Seems like she is has gotten under your skin."

    "She is not," I scoff, turning my back on Nisha and walking deeper into the trees. Every step away from where Marcos is touching Kyra feels like a brick is added to my body weight, sinking me further into the ground making it impossible to move further.

    "What''d she do to you then?" Nisha pounces in front of me with a glimmer of excitement in her eye. Her short loose curls bobble with her head as she tilts it to the side, waiting for an answer.

    "Kyra and I are old friends. She didn''t do anything to me." I say firmly. It''s the truth. When ites to hurting Kyra, it seems I am almost always the root cause, and it sucks just as much now as it did back then.

    "Oh," Nishaughs as she covers her mouth. "Oh, you feel guilty."

    My shoulders slump and I frown as I look directly into the thin werewolf''s eyes.

    ¡°I feel bad she got hurt, yes, but my motive was justified." I clip out. "Kyra does not belong here. She shouldn''t have been allowed on this mission.¡± Nisha makes a face, one that says ''interesting but I disagree'' and I roll my eyes. Of the group we have with us, Nisha is annoyingly the most perceptive. Though Dean may be as well, he is much better at controlling his face when ites to things he disagrees with.

    "Keep your opinion to yourself, Nisha." I warn her and she puts her hands up, feigning innocence.

    "I didn''t say anything," she protests.

    "You didn''t have to. Your face always speaks louder than your words." I mutter and she giggles.

    "I can''t help what my face does." She rolls her eyes. Her bubbly personality is a constant point of contention between us. But her desire for revenge is just as strong as the rest of us, so she fits our odd ball group.

    "Are you on watch?" I ask her, and she shoots me a grin.

    "No, I was visiting with Koda." She says, as she waggles her brows suggestively.

    I frown at her, and she rolls her eyes.

    "Calm down, we just talked." She hides a wry smile. "Keep looking at me like that and I might almost be convinced you are jealous. You know I am open tofort you, too."

    She winks at me, and I re at her.

    "Get back to camp, Nisha." I sigh, turning my back on her as I walk away. She once again shoots around me and stands in my way. This time, her handsnd on my chest and she gives me a soft, sad look.

    "Wait. You owe Kyra an apology, Hayes. And you should do it sooner rather thanter." She says, a demanding look on her face that makes me chuckle dryly and shake my head as I push her hands away.

    ¡°What I do is my business, Nisha.¡± I scoff and she frowns.

    "You fucked up with thatmand and you know it. Keep that shit up and you will lose crew members." She rivals my angered gaze with her own. "Fine." I grit out, shoving her aside as I storm back to where I hade from. "I''ll apologize."

    It irritates me greatly that I was so quick to agree, but with every passing second, all I can see is Marcos'' hands on Kyra. What if Marcos crosses a line and she is too weak to handle herself? Not that Marcos would ever do such a thing, but my mind can''t think straight.

    My pace quickens, and my mind wanders to all sorts of dangerous ces.

    "Hayes," Dean calls to me from my right, but I don''t detour toward him. "Hayes!"

    He calls again, and then he chases after me.

    "What?" I growl at him and he looks at me like I am insane.

    "We have eyes on a dragon," He says. "Koda is tracking him now, making sure he goes further away. But it looks like he is scanning the water."

    I freeze, looking right at Dean as he watches the realization settle.

    "So this dragon, do we think it is the second one that Kyra mentioned?" I ask him and he nods.

    "That would make sense. They aren''t usually in this area, so for it to be a separate incident, it would be pretty rare."

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I grumble, dragging my good hand through my hair. "Where is Koda, exactly?"

    Dean furrows his brow in confusion. "He is near the ridge by therge oak tree."

    "Good." I mutter, changing directions as I sprint toward where Koda is hunkering down and watching the bastard dragon. "No!" Dean roars, chasing after me. "We can''t just kill this one."

    I snort augh.

    "The hell I can''t,"

    el

    All I need to do is remember seeing Kyra in pain and the way her body is bruised and broken. After witnessing that, I can do anything to anyone who hurt her. And I will kill this fucker who thinks it is okay to hunt and try to kill our kind just for the sheer fun of it. Dean has seen me at my worst and my best, so he must know I can handle this.

    "Hayes, we need you for this mission. This mission is too important for this one dragon. Kyra is fine. She is okay."

    His words make me stop in my tracks, my mouth sealing shut as I breathe heavily and spin to look at him, confused. "What did you say?" I croak.

    "Kyra is okay." He repeats and I see it, the way he thinks this has anything to do with me caring for her. And maybe it does, but for him to assume he knows that infuriates me.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "This isn''t about Kyra." I growl at him. "This is about those fuckers killing as they please for sheer pleasure of it. This is one less dragon for us to faceter if we kill him now."

    "Or we can follow him to find the others." Dean parries and I freeze. "We track him, watch him and see where he goes, what he does. We have a tracker now, right? Let''s use her the way Alpha intended."

    ¡°He intended her to help us find Ezrah, not dragons.¡± I remind him and she shrugs, grinning.

    "This could be her test run, then."

    I wrestle with the thought of keeping Kyra along with us, hating it. But then I think about her alone in these woods, like she had been, and

    zing angeres flowing

    through my veins. No, as mult

    I

    hate to admit it, I want Kyra Safe. And out here, the safest ce is with us. Which means she willbe staying. Content belongs to

    "Fuck," I grunt. "Damn it. I hate when you use logic on me."

    "Yeah, well, you used to be the logical one," he teases, pping me on the side of the arm. "Now let''s get something to eat. Nisha was going to make stew on the fire,"

    "Fine," I mutter, following along with him.

    We walk in silence, the glow of the

    fireing closer and each step

    making me more nervous than thest. Being near Kyra is confusing

    and upsetting. I have missed bet

    and yet, I can''t figure out how to act around her anymore. Would it be so awful to be her friend again, not like we were, but in the way that I am close with Nisha or Dean? It might not be terrible.

    The sound of groaning breaks my train of thought and I freeze, looking forward to see Kyra on her belly behind the me. Her back arches up with Marcos on top of her, and his face contorts with effort. She lets out a moan, her eyes sliding closed before she falls forward, heaving, and then a soft

    chuckle.

    "Heavens," she murmurs.

    "Fuck yes," He says with a satisfied grin, wiping sweat from his brow.

    Everything inside of me grows cold, as if I can not move, can not breathe.

    "Yeah? That feels good?" Marcos asks, chuckling as he stands up, the first obscuring my view of them as theyy on the other side. "Now, spin over. I want to see all of you."

    Rage consumes me, my eyes seeing red as I lunge forward, a roar breaking from my lips as I tackle Marcos through the fire, my fist colliding with his perfectly angr face.

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144

    ?

    *Kyra*

    "What the hell?" I mutter, rushing to my feet, slipping my arm back in the holes of my shirt before tugging it over my stomach with a wince. My shoulder is still sore from where Marcos had to dig into my skin to get a grip on what I assume was a massive splinter.

    My eyes grow wide when I see Hayes on top of Marcos, his hand hammering into his face as Marcos tries to protect himself. Dean is on them yanking at Hayes while the woman with us checks on Marcos. I feel caught in the middle, unable to figure what to do or feel in the moment. What the hell just happened?

    "Hayes!" Dean screams into his face as he struggles to hold him back. "What the fuck has gotten in to you?"

    "Is he okay?" I ask, my voice trembling as I look at Marcos'' already bruised eye and sliced lip.

    "Nothing that a few hours won''t fix," Marcos gives me a grin before turning an angry scowl to Hayes. "Mind exining what the hell that was that for?"

    "Don''t y dumb, Marcos," Hayes hisses, his lip curling in disgust as he looks down at Marcos like he is dirt under his shoe. It is clear this has nothing to do with me. The way the two scowl at one another makes it seem like this is an issue they deal with often. Even if Marcos looks as confused as I feel.

    "You don''t think you could have at least waited to jump him," I scoff, dusting the front of my pants off, annoyed.

    Marcos didn''t have the time to finish looking at my injuries and my ribs are killing me still. All I want is to move without having every part of me ache and sting. It might have been nice if Marcos could give me something like some ointment for the pain.

    "What, you weren''t finished yet?" He spits the words at me like I am disgusting and my nose scrunches inplete bewilderment. Is Hayes not the one who told me to get checked out? Is he not the one who stormed off and left Marcos to take care of me? What the hell am I missing here? Why is his anger suddenly pointed at me?

    "Uh, well, not really." I say, looking over at Marcos, who seems as lost as me. "What the hell is going on?"

    "Wow," Hayes scoffs, finally shoving Dean away from him as he takes a step back. "I expect a lot of things from you, but dense and easy were not on that list."

    My mouth falls open, and I snort a halfugh.

    "He got the thing out of my shoulder, but my ribs are still hurting, so he told me to turn over so he could get a closer look." I defend myself, not sure why I feel the need to exin anything, but for some reason, I do.

    Hayes freezes, his eyes darting around as he takes a step closer to me. He almost looks frantic, as if he might not be able to breathe if he doesn''t ask me what is on his mind. It''s strange to see him look like he might care or at the very least need something from me.

    "What was he doing to you? Just now," he whispers, his voice demanding, all the while sounding desperate. My brows furrow as I swallow, unsure how to feel about his closeness.

    "I just fucking told you. He was tearing a massive splinter from my shoulder, then he was going to put ointment on my ribs..." I say the words slowly, watching how his face changes from anger to relief, then straight to embarrassment. Then, in the blink of an eye, he goes void. All emotions gone and hidden as he clears his throat and stands up straighter.

    ¡°Get some sleep." He mutters before he turns to walk off.

    "Are you fucking kidding me?" Marcos bellows after him, but Hayes continues to walk. "Does someone want to exin that to me?"

    "From our angle it looked like you were..." Dean pauses, then clears his throat. "It looked like the two of you were "

    "It looked like you were fucking." The woman says, dropping onto a log next to the fire and sending me a wink. ¡°Can''t say it didn''t look hot, because it got me feeling some type of way. Not angry, but something."

    "Wait, so it looked like Marcos was having sex with me? And Hayes got pissed off?" I ask. Truth be told, I am not sure if I''m more upset about his reaction or the insinuation. I just let people take me randomly in the middle of the woods with others around.

    ¡°He has a strict no sleeping with crew members policy." Marcos says standing up and gingerly touching his face. "But damn, I got hit, and I didn''t even break the rules."

    "Someone should go talk to him." Dean says, looking around.

    Marcos snorts as he settles in next to the fire.

    "Sure as shit won''t be me," he mumbles.

    "Nisha?" Dean asks, and the woman rolls her eyes.

    "What? Because I''m a female, you think I want to talk with the grump? No, thank you. He will walk it off ande backter like nothing happened. We all know Hayes. He explodes and asks questionster." She waves her hand in the air like it''s no big deal, but by looking at Dean, I can tell it''s a huge deal.

    "I''ll talk to him." I exhale, my stomach twisting sharply as Dean gives me a look, then nods.

    "Probably best it''s you." He says.

    "What? Because of our history?" I ask, and he shakes his head.

    "No, because he owes you an apology." He shrugs and Marcos roars inughter.

    "He owes me one too, but I''m not going after him." He says, then he looks at me. "You are better off just letting him cool off ande backter."

    I consider it for a second, but then I realize I don''t want Hayesing back here acting like nothing happened. He owes me not one, but two apologies now. And I am damn crazy enough to chase him down and demand them.

    I chase after him, the irony of this moment not slipping my mind as thest memory I have with him resurfaces.

    I remember the way Hayes stood in front of me, his smile fading away as my heart beat out of my chest, fear recing the excitement.

    "I love you, Hayes." I say, my voice cracking as he takes a hesitant step away from me. "And I know you love me, too."

    "Kyra," He whispers my name, his face falling as he looks away shaking his head. "Why?"

    My brows knit together, perplexed by the question.

    "What do you mean, why? I love you because of who you are. Every morning, all I can think about is seeing you smile and being near you. You make me feel safe, Hayes. You are my home."

    "Stop it. Just...stop it Kyra. You don''t know what you are talking about." He grits out.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    My stomach drops, my mouth dry as I realize what is happening.

    ¡°I do.¡± I croak. ¡°I am in love with you, I will always be in love with¡ª¡±

    His lips smash into mine, and my world spins on its axis. My heart soars and my body ignites as I wrap my arms around his neck, holding him closer, my lips working against his in a selfish need. But then he tears away and pushes me back, wiping his lips.

    "See," He says. "There is nothing there, no spark, nothing."

    "Nothing," I repeat, blinking as my heart shatters at our feet and I stumble away from him a step.

    "Nothing. You know I want my mate. I want that spark and the mate bond. Choosing you would...it would be like choosing a knock off brand."

    "Why are you being so mean?" I whisper, struggling to catch my breath.

    "Because you ruined everything Kyra!" He roars as he takes a step away and then spins on his heels, leaving me in the woods, under the moon alone.

    I shake the painful memory, pushing it to the back This is not the same. I am not following him to profess my love. I am following him to demand an apology for leaving me to die out of his incredible hatred for me. As approach him now, over eight yearster, I prepare myself for the signature blow ups he has been having since being reunited again. Content belongs to

    "Hayes," I say softly,ing up on his back, keeping enough space between us for my safety. I watch his muscles tense as I get closer, his head turning to look at me from over his shoulder. From this angle, he looks like the Hayes I used to know. The one in the woods who was waiting for me with a smile. The handsome beta who was wise beyond his years and always in a good mood.

    "They sent you to check on me, huh?" He exhales, sounding disappointed, and I try not to take it personally. Just because he looks like my best friend

    for a moment doesn''t mean he is him.

    "I volunteered." I shrug, stepping up next to him.

    "That seems highly unlikely." He murmurs.

    "And yet it happened."

    "Then what is it you want?" He asks.

    "An apology, well, two of them, actually." I demand and his back rises and falls as if he isughing silently at me.

    "What for?" He asks, gently.

    "For starters, drugging me and

    leaving me behind to almost die." I don''t hold back the anger in my

    voice, "And for just assuming Iamet

    some slut who throws herself at men? Phave only ever been with one man in my entire life. I have only ever kissed TWO. F

    assume

    I would ever-" Content belongs to

    "I am sorry, Kyra." He says, his voice soft and full on sincerity that it catches me off guard.

    "For which thing?" I ask him, wanting him to be specific and acknowledge both wrongs he did. Hayes looks at the ground before lifting his chin,

    meeting my eyes with his tortured gaze.

    "For abandoning you." He whispers the words I have been waiting for him to say for years.

    "Which time?" I ask "Because it seems to be your favorite thing to do to me."

    "Every time,¡± His voice breaks, and he clears his throat. "Every time."

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145

    ?

    "I don''t know what to say,¡± I admit, his honesty catching me off guard. Since the second heid eyes on me again, he has been nothing short of rude and cold. Every word has been a stab at me in one way or another. But now he suddenly racked with guilt and apologizing?

    "There is nothing to say, Kyra. You asked for your apology and I gave it to you," he says matter of fact.

    "And that''s it? We go back to constant fighting and bickering?" I ask, arching a brow. He pauses, then lets out a low sigh, his good handing up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

    "I don''t know," He admits. ¡°What do you want from me?¡±

    I scoff. "For starters? Maybe you not trying to sabotage me at every turn."

    He frowns like I am speaking some untruth, and I give him a stern look.

    "Fine. But in my defense, I wasn''t the one to drug you." He says.

    "Did you tell Marcos to do it?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. He looks away and shrugs, refusing to answer, and I roll my eyes. "Of course you did."

    "I didn''t want you to get hurt." He tells me, and I see how sincere he is, but sincerity doesn''t matter when you mess up.

    "Yeah, that worked out really well." I scoff, throwing my hands up in frustration, and he winces.

    "In retrospect, it was a bad decision." He admits. "Dragons are not known for being in this area, even scouts. We are still close to the water and they usually avoid it."

    "I was passed out for hours, Hayes. HOURS! That''s not just a bad decision, it was a near fatal one and I know I am here in one piece, but it was very, very close to being me in multiple pieces." I say, my voice rising.

    It doesn''t matter that he apologizes or that he admits he was wrong. What I understand now is that I want to know why he thinks so little of me. Was loving him back then, asking him to choose me. Was it so wrong?

    "I fucked up." He says, his voice matches mine in volume. "All I can do is apologize and ask if we can move on."

    I throw my hands up in defeat. "And what does moving on look like?"

    "What?" He freezes, swallowing hard as he blinks at me.

    "What does moving on look like for us? You want to move on from this? Fine. How do you envision that happening?" I ask him, my hands finding my hips as he looks around, his brows pulled together in thought.

    "Well, I figured you would want an escort back¡ª"

    I step into him in a second, my body nearly pressing against his as my anger surges through me.

    "Hayes, I am not going back." I hiss, "The girl you remember and the woman standing in front of you are very different people. I do not cower and I do not run. You need to find this Fae? I am your only hope of finding him. I can promise you that."

    His eyes meet mine and for a moment the air grows thick, the forest around us silent as I get lost in his hazel eyes.

    "Why do you hate me so much?" I whisper, my chest breaking open. All his actions and reactions point to one thing: hatred. Hayes has learned to not only hate life, but he has locked everyone out, and I am the furthest on the outside than even Merikh.

    "I don''t hate you," He says, his words soft as he leans closer.

    My breathing hitches, his closeness catching me off guard as his warm breath tickles over my lips.

    "It feels like it." I murmur, cursing myself as my eyes flick to his lips, watching too eagerly as his tongue slips out and wets them.

    "I wouldn''t have helped you if I hated you." He says. His presence is damn near overwhelming. The scent I didn''t pick up before now wraps around me like a safety nket and it I can''t tell if I crave it or fear it.

    e

    His chest brushes against mine, catching me off guard as he closes the distance between uspletely and he stares into my face. My breathing hitches and I can feel the heat in my cheeks. I need to cut this tension, obliterate it to smithereens. I can''t allow anyone to have this type of power over me. Not again.

    "You call beating Marcos and using me of having sex with him, helping me?" I ask, my mouth still dry, my body light as if it is floating. It doesn''t matter how much I want this pull to go away, it tugs me in deeper.

    "I thought he was touching you." He says his words full of bite as if remembering the moment in his mind. What he thinks he saw must have been something far more devious than what actually took ce.

    "He was touching me." I say, and his eyes sh as he seems to wake up from a daze. Hayes takes a step back from me as he drags a hand down his face. "Marcos was helping me, Hayes. Just like you had instructed him to do."

    ¡°Why are you still here?" He asks, the gentle Hayes I remember disintegrating in a puff of annoyance. ¡°I already apologized."

    "I came for more than that." I tell him, and he watches me expectantly. "The rest of the group is worried about you."

    He shakes his head, augh breaking from his deformed, yet somehow still handsome face.

    "They know when to give me space," he says, then he points at me. "You clearly don''t remember me well."

    I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest, breathing easier now that the tension has lessened.

    "I remember everything about you, Hayes. All of this" I lift my hands, waving them around his body as if pointing out his aura. "All of it has changed."

    "Yes, I am very well aware of how much my new look disgusts you." He says with an emotionless face.

    I shake my head and look away for a

    minute before turning back to look at him. What I need to do is ce a barrier between us. Something that keeps him close yet far enough away that I don''t fall into the trap of this one sided bond.

    I can''t reject him until he acknowledges it exists and that won''t happen until whatever is blocking t on his end fades. So I am stuck fighting two wars at once. The war against my heart and sout, and the one raging around us we are trying to end.

    "It''s not just the outside that is repulsive, Hayes. You are only mirroring what''s inside. I suppose I can''t me you for that." The words feel like acid burning my throat as I watch him for a reaction.

    He nods, his lips pressed together in a straight line before he clicks his tongue.

    ¡°Well, at least we can agree on that.¡± He mutters. ¡°I appreciate you making it clear. Next time I won''t interject when you are..."

    "When I am being healed?" I arch a brow, interjecting before he can continue. "Yeah, probably best you let the healer help me before you punch his lights out."This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    He grins as he looks away, a look of pain on his face.

    "That mouth is going to get you in trouble, Kyra." He says, turning his gaze on me once more. "And it will likely be me punishing you for it."

    My body flutters in surprise and heat as I feign annoyance and let my eyes roll again.

    "I wee you to try, Hayes. As you can see, I am not the same weak love struck girl you remember."

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146

    ?

    *Hayes*

    It doesn''t matter how good Nisha''s food usually tastes, this time itcks vor. Or maybe it''scking the privacy of not having everyone staring at me like. They sit across the fire as I pick at the food in my bowl, trying not to look up at anyone.

    Their eyes have been on me since the moment I slunk back after Kyra left me in the woods to sulk. Not that I was sulking, though. Because I wasn''t. It was more than that. It was realizing how much I have missed her even when I don''t have the right to.

    Well, that and feeling like aplete asshat for pummeling Marcos in the face when he didn''t do anything wrong. I mean, his hands were all over her, but what right do I have to be upset over that?

    My stomach churns and I ignore it, refusing to acknowledge the truth I can feel deep in my gut. It doesn''t matter that I don''t have the right to care. I do, and I fucking hate that anyone else is touching her when my hand can barely register the touch of her skin.

    "So..." Nisha says, clearing her throat. "Are you going to apologize to Marcos next?"

    I exhale, cing the bowl and spoon to the side. "What is your obsession with apologies, Nisha?" I ask.

    She shrugs, a smug smile tugging at her lips.

    "I was just curious." She says.

    "Be less curious, Nisha." I mutter.

    ¡°Is there a reason you are being more of a jerk than usual, Hayes?" Koda asks, breaking into the conversation.

    I scoff, reaching up to drag my hand through my hair. My twisted flesh covered fingers tangle in my locks and I struggle to get them out, my fingers refusing to bend as they do on asion. I yank hard, but the jerky movement doesn''t go unnoticed by the zing light brown eyes watching me from under her longshes.

    "You know, if your hand is acting up again, you should have Marcos take a look." Dean offers. "He probably won''t even want an apology." "Can we just drop the Marcos thing?" I growl, annoyed with their antics as they try to hide their amused faces.

    "Why don''t you guys fill me in on the n?" She says, drawing the attention to her. I nce at her, surprise in my brows, and she sends me a soft smile. One that lets me know she is changing the subject for my own good.

    "Right,¡± I clear my throat. ¡°Alpha Merikh has provided us with some intel, giving us a few ideas of where Ezrah may have potentially gone. Since we are in a time of war, trespassing on the Fae''s territory is dangerous, but since we are allies, most of them anyway, we should be okay."

    Kyra''s brows knit together in thought before she frowns.

    ¡°And you n to just wander around and hope toe across him?" Kyra asks, sounding shocked and unimpressed.

    "What else do you expect? We have vague sightings and hopeful chance encounters. There is no solid proof of where he is, just verifying where he isn''t.¡± I exin. ¡°For close to two years, we have traveled in search of him and found absolutely nothing.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    "And you hope to find him in the void between the areas you have checked off?" She asks, looking amused yet skeptical.

    "When you have nothing else to go off of, you kind of start getting desperate.¡± Dean says and she chuckles.

    "And where do Ie into y, then?" She asks, ¡°I mean, I am here to track him, am I not? Does that not alter the n at all?"

    I look around at the others, who shake their heads andugh to themselves. It is annoying and cute how highly Kyra thinks of herself. She always did undervalue herself back when we were younger.

    "You can''t track a ghost, Kyra." Koda grins.

    "Ezrah is not a ghost," Kyra says matter of fact.

    "He might as well be." Nisha cuts in now. "Look, the guy was a messenger. A fae messenger. That means they don''t travel like normal people do. His speed and ability-"

    "I am well aware of what he is and how his kind moves." Kyra interjects Nisha. I watch as Nisha''s face goes from shock to frustration. She has never handled being talked over well, even when I do it. ¡°I mean no disrespect, but I was briefed on all of this."

    "Then you know you are of no use to us.¡± I say, doubling down on making sure she knows she is not needed. What use is a tracker when you can''t even find a ce for them to start tracking?

    "How about you all let me deal with the details and do what I do best. All of you have spent close to two years on this mission, and yet, it has yielded nothing." She reiterates.

    I scoff, trying to hide the offense I feel, but I fail miserably.

    The others must feel the same way as the others grow more tense, Nisha''s anger rising, Dean grows despondent and Koda licks his teeth rearing to toss a smart assment out. But yet no one says anything, all of them looking to me to speak instead.

    "We have figured out where he is not." I remind her and she shakes her head in disappointment.

    "It''s not about where he is not,

    Hayes. It''s about when he IS. You

    keep telling me he isn''t here or there when you looked in the past. But

    how do you know he isn''t right he?

    our heels going where you have checked? Remaining unnoticed under your noses because they are pointed the opposite way?" Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    "And what do you n to do when you find him like you say you will, huh?" Nisha barks out, unable to keep her mouth shut any longer. "Be a good little doggy and wag your tail and point in his direction."

    "Nisha!" I groan. "That is enough."

    "Sorry,¡± she mutters, looking ashamed. "But she is saying all our time invested is what? For nothing? Useless? It''s bullshit."

    "Tracking isn''t the process of elimination. It is a calcted process of finding clues and following them in the right direction. I know you have had trackers before, and no, I''m not under the impression I will just join you guys and find him in a few days. This will take time."

    ¡°I am running out of time and patience," I grind out. "The dragons are growing desperate and moving closer even despite the risk it poses to them. There is no ending this war without finding the Fae asshole."

    "Then let me be the patient one while you guys continue on doing

    what you have been doing. I will look

    deeper, search for things you don''t think to examine." She exins. Her words are almost ones of pleading, like she is begging us to let her help. To trust her, but trust is hard for people like us who hardly have it in us to trust each other. Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    But Kyra is so confident. Her voice is unwavering and her shoulders squared as she defends and exins what a tracker is to us. She sounds like she knows what she is doing and she looks even more like she believes it.

    "We have never had a tracker before." Dean says and I shoot him a re dark enough to melt his lycan away. The asshole didn''t have to tell her that. I watch as Kyra''s eyes shoot up in surprise.

    ¡°Alpha Merikh said you had used some in the past." She says, looking confused.

    "We had some join us for a short time." I admit, scratching the back of my neck. Her eyes narrow as she looks around at all of us.

    "How short, exactly. Because I am getting the vibe that maybe you guys drug all your trackers and leave them behind?" She snaps and I chuckle nervously.

    "No," I try to reassure her, but Dean''s and Koda''s faces betray the truth. "We have never had to drug any of them before. Just a day or two with us and they sort of wanted to leave."

    Kyra looks around at each of us, a dryugh tumbling from her lips as she shakes her head in disbelief.

    "Why would you not want a tracker to help? I don''t get this tant distrust of someone so useful."

    "It''s not that we don''t want the help but..." Dean stops mid sentence, the words falling off like he wants her to follow his thought process.

    "But what?" She demands, crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes fill with a dare, waiting for him to say something scathing.

    "They are cocky and all important.¡± I

    say, drawing her attention to me, the full weight of her stark annoyance bearing down on me, and I realize like it when her eyes are on me, And I like how her nose seems to

    And

    scrunch, drawing her freckles together, making her adorable and

    not at all lethal looking. Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    "For a group that has gone so long on a failure of a mission, those are some weighted words." She bites out, clearly restraining herself.

    I see Marcos walking up to us, clearlying to swap with Dean for night watch.

    "This looks like a fun conversation." He mutters, sliding a soft smile to Kyra who struggles to return it through her own anger. "Dean, you are up for

    watch."

    "I''ll go,¡± Kyra says, jumping up far too eager. "I''d hate to get left behind again."

    "You really should rest," Marcos says, reaching out to gently grab her wrist. She stops, looking at his hand before she pulls it away.

    "The only people who rest well are the ones with trust. I have none of that with any of you." She says, her voice cold.

    Then she walks off into the dark.

    "Well, that went well." Nisha mumbles.

    "I''ll go talk with her." Marcos sighs, turning right back around to follow her. I stand, stepping in front of him, looking at where Kyra still strides away

    from us.

    "No, I will go." I assure him, and he frowns.

    "Honestly, it''s probably best if it''s Marcos who goes, Hayes." Dean offers gently. "He is a little less quick to anger and, well...they seem to get along rather well."

    "I get along with Kyra fine,¡± I argue and everyone looks away as if they don''t want to tell me I am wrong. ¡°I do."

    "I''ll be backter," Marcos says before he steps around me, pping me on the shoulder with a sympathizing look before he saunters off after my

    Kyra.

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147

    ?

    *Kyra*

    I wander in a circle around the perimeter of the camp, my eyes open and ears on high alert, looking for trouble. More like asking for trouble. What I really need to do right now is punch something, well, someone. I could see it in Hayes'' face, the way he watches me with a smug look when I talk about trackers and what we do.

    He is looking down on me, remembering me from when we were kids and assuming I never changed. Which is hrious considering that when I look back at eighteen-year-old me, she seems so immature and far away. I was a warrior, but I had no motivation to push myself. That changed when I had a broken heart to protect and nowhere else to go.

    It''s strange how we find strength after being broken. A true test of character is going from having everything to having nothing and trying to find a way back up again. Strength is feeling betrayed by others, so you have to learn to trust yourself. I learned that from Tyler.

    So everyday I grew stronger, a new drive to be the best, for myself and everyday Tyler showed up and he trained me. He waited for me to find myself before pushing the mate bond. And it was his patience and persistence that made me ept him.

    A soft owl hoot from above brings me back to where I''m at, making me shake my head of the past thoughts. I duck under a low branch before a shiver runs up my spine and I realize I''m not alone. A stick snaps to my right, on the other side of the tree where I stand and I press myself against the dry bark.

    There were no signs of dragons in the area. No heat or dying foliage, but then again, I hadn''t seen that around when I was attackedst time, either. I peek around, searching into the darkness for someone, when a soft shadow is cast across the tree from the moon peeking through the branches. Instinct kicks in and I sprint toward the source, carefully cing my feet in spots that have no sticks of dried leaves. It feels like I m into a brick wall from behind before it gives way and falls forward. The figure grunts, throwing its hands out to stop itself beforending on all fours.

    I twist as I fly over their head, my arms scooping up and under their armpits locking onto them. As I fall over them, their body rises up into the air, slipping from my grip. I growl in annoyance as I roll over to my stomach, forcing myself up, but I''m not fast enough as a body ms into my chest, throwing me backward.

    Painces up my side as I grit my teeth, refusing to give them the satisfaction of knowing they found a weakness on me. My wse out, as I grip on and dig my nails into the warm body I feel through the shirt. They lift their head and cry out in shock and pain. The blood in my face drains and I retract my ws, letting go as they roll over me, straddling my body.

    "Damn it!" Marcos grumbles, his face close to mine. "Kyra stop! It''s Marcos!"

    "Why didn''t you say anything earlier?¡± I hiss at him as he res at me.

    "I was a little busy being tackled," he grumbles.

    He doesn''t move from his spot, clearly worried I might try to attack him again. My body rxes under him, my arms falling to the side of my head with his grip on my wrists. There is no denying the position we are in looks and feels intimate, more so than when Hayes gave him the ck eye he is currently sporting.

    "You snuck up on me while I was on watch." I retort and tilt my head to the side.

    A smile breaks over his perfect face and I feel a fluttering in my stomach. No man has ever been this close to me, in this type of position, but Tyler. Suddenly my cheeks flush pink and I find myself looking away, hating that my body misses this type of warmth and the weight of a man above me. It''s not all sexual, but more the nostalgia of what would happen and with whom when I was usually like this.

    ¡°I wasn''t trying to sneak up on you.¡± He mutters, his eyes falling to my lips as my mouth goes dry.

    Marcos is undeniably attractive, hell I''d venture to say he looks angelic. His face is perfectly symmetrical with a tan that makes me think he spends all his days at the beach. And his dark hair and light-colored eyes make him all the more alluring. But this spark with him, this feeling in my gut, is a memory of what Tyler could do to me.

    Marcos is easily trouble for me. He is the kind man I could be with and has no sadness over him also being with someone else, because I would almost expect it from him. But my heart is not in the ce for such things, not when it is confused and thinking it belongs to Hayes again. "Are you going to justy on top of me or are you going to help me up and tell me why you came out here?" I ask, meeting his eyes.

    I watch the way his face shifts from almost a sensual haze to reality and his eyes grow wide before he releases my wrists and jumps up. He reaches out, offering me a hand as he tugs me back up and I dust myself off.

    "Sorry," He says, rubbing the back of his head. "I kind of got carried away."

    "Why are you out here, Marcos?" I ask him.

    He frowns.

    "I was just checking on you." He offers as an exnation and I scoff, a disbelieving smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

    "I am fine." I tell him truthfully.

    "It didn''t seem like it when I walked up. And then when Nisha filled me in..."

    "None of you have faith in my abilities, and it''s annoying. But truth be told, I''m not here to impress anyone or prove myself. I am here to get the job done, and I will." I shrug.

    Marcos exhales heavily, walking over to me before plopping down on the ground and leaning up against a tree.

    "Trackers make most of us feel useless." He says with a sigh.

    "How is that?" I ask him.

    "We are warriors, and we are hunting someone we have never gotten close enough to even scent. Do you have any idea how upsetting that is? It''s like hunting fucking bigfoot. Half the time I wonder if this Ezrah guy actually exists or if Alpha Merikh imagined this scenario up." He admits.

    I can see the guilt in his eyes the second he says the words. He squeezes them closed and exhales.

    "Alpha Merikh is not the kind to make things up." I say and he nods.

    "No, I know that it''s just..." He pauses and then he leans forward. "Hayes is his brother, his beta, and he hates Alpha now. He can barely stand to be in the room with him. How are we supposed to trust one while trusting the other?"

    I hear a gentle shifting of leaves behind us and I look back, seeing nothing, smelling nothing before rising and taking two steps in the direction. Marcoses up to my side his hand on my back as Hean forward and squint my eyes, searching for anything. Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    I can feel eyes on me, as if there is a weight pinning me in ce, but it doesn''t feel threatening. Instead, it feels almost safe, like for once I''m not afraid of what is behind me.

    "Do you see anything?" Marcos whispers, and I shake my head.

    "No, it''s just an animal." I mutter before I turn, Marcos'' hand staying where it was as my body moves and I look down, finding the warmth of his palm on my stomach. He yanks it back and clears his throat.

    "I apologize." He offers me a sincere look.

    "It''s fine." I say nervously, creating a space between us. "You can head back and go to sleep, Marcos."

    ¡°Are you sure you are going to be okay?" He asks.

    I frown at him. "Why is it you guys don''t fawn over Nisha, but with me, you all assume I am weak and in need of constant check ups?"

    He blinks at me, his mouth falling open before he snaps it shut and gives me a tight smile.

    "To be honest, my concern is out of guilt."

    "Ah, you drugged me so you feel responsible." I say, and he gives me a grin.

    "Guilty. Though I will also admit I am attracted to you."

    My eyes widen,pletely taken aback. Of all the things to say, on a mission like this, that is not something I expected from anyone.

    "Uh, well. Thank you, I guess?" I offer, crossing my arms over my chest, my cheeks blushing red.

    "I know that there is something going on between you and Hayes, but "

    "Woah! There is nothing going on between me and Hayes." I snort. "We used to be best friends, that is it."

    He looks at me skeptically.

    "As the guy sporting this sexy ck eye, I can assure you that is not it. Hayes doesn''t blow up like that. Hell, the Hayes he has been since you entered the picture is not the same one we knew before."

    I tilt my head, unsure if I should feel ttered or offended.

    "How was he before?" I ask, my voice a little squeaky.

    "Well, I never knew the pre-war Hayes. Not well enough to say I knew him. But Hayes, before you came, was...well he was robotic. He had one mode, fight."

    "Seems like he is still in that mode." I scoff, and Marcos shakes his head.

    "No, trust me. This one is different," he mutters.

    I say nothing, honestly unsure of what to say now that Hayes is in my thoughts, confusing me and angering me all without being around. Marcos stands awkwardly for a moment before he huffs out a sigh.

    "Well, if you are sure you are okay out here, I will head back then." He says.

    I can tell he wants to stay, maybe because he wants to be around me or maybe because he still feels I am not up to the task, but what I want is to be

    left alone.

    "See you in the morning." I say, giving him a tight smile.

    ¡°Actually...Do you mind if I just sit with you for a little longer?" He asks. I narrow my eyes.

    "Why?" I ask him and he chuckles.

    "It''spletely innocent, I promise. I just find it peaceful being around you. Or maybe it''s being around someone new. I promise I won''t talk." He says, tossing his hands up.

    "Fine." I roll my eyes. "But if you make a sound, I''m sending you back."

    He makes a movement over his

    mouth like he is zipping his lips up and I smile at the cute little action. Then I look out into the distance and I swear I can see a figure watching

    us and my heart lurches when I

    realize just how simr the shape is to Tyler''s. Content belongs toContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    I squeeze my eyes shut tight, and rub them, looking at the same nk spot where a body inhabited milliseconds earlier. Either I am going crazy or we

    are being followed, and I am not sure which one it is yet.

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148

    ?

    "So, where exactly are we headed first?" I ask the group as they move in silence in front of me. Nisha groans in annoyance, picking up her pace, Koda following along behind her like a love struck puppy. "Great, good talk.¡± I mutter to myself.

    "She wille around eventually," Marcos says, popping up on my right. He gives me a gentle smile that makes my cheeks blush and I shake my head, hiding my grin. "I enjoyed spending time with youst night.¡±

    I chuckle and nod. "Yeah, the silence was nice."

    His eyes squint slightly and his mouth quirks up at the edges, the light sound ofughter tumbling freely from him like he is unaffected by his past. A pang of jealousy twinges in my chest and I look away, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

    "I was thinking more about the nice wrestling match." He winks and I bark out augh, giving him a shove as he leans away.

    "Way to make it sound less like you getting your ass kicked and more like it was nned." I tease him.

    ¡°I mean, call it what you want. I''m happy to do it again whenever you''d like.¡±

    Oh, Marcos is a flirt. A damn good flirt, but for once, it feels nice to be seen for more than a history I had. Either with Tyler or Hayes.

    "No rtionships in the group." Hayes growls, a re sharp enough it could puncture even a dragon''s hide. My spine tingles as his scent hits my nostrils and I want to gnaw my heart out just to keep it from feeling anything for him.

    "Define rtionships?" I say with a sarcastic lip twitch. "Because I''m not looking for a new mate, just maybe someone to pass the time until I inevitably die in battle."

    It''s a lie. I''m not looking for anyone or anything to help me pass the time. But the way Hayes'' re turns annoyed to homicidal is well worth the little lie. A little part of me feeds off seeing the emotions y across his face that he can''t control.

    ¡°Don''t fuck around.¡± He rifies, trying toe off as intimidating, but all it does is thrill me all too much that he cares at all.

    ¡°What about just fucking? Is that okay?" I ask, sending a wink to Marcos, who clears his throat and scratches the back of his neck.

    "Well damn, I wasn''t expecting you to be that forward_"

    ¡°No. You can not fuck Marcos. Or Koda, or Dean, or Nisha." He says, his voice growing loud but not quite yelling yet.

    "What about you then?" Marcos asks, a defiant look in his eyes as he stops and goes toe to toe with Hayes.

    Hayes blinks slowly, his shoulders rolling back as he rises to his full height. He stands two inches taller than Marcos before he leans forward, his lips in a sneer.

    "If she needs to fuck anyone, she can use her damn fingers and her imagination." He snaps out, but his eyes shift to me and I can see a look there that makes my eyebrows raise and my mouth go dry.

    "Interesting." Marcos mutters, taking a step back, a mischievous grin on his lips. "So She is off limits, is that what you are saying?"

    "Yes." he bites out before he seems to rear back. "I mean no. Just no sex among the crew."

    "Other than Nisha, who can just freely crawl into anyone''s tent she pleases?" Marcos challenges.

    Bile burns at my throat, the jealousy twisting through my stomach painfully at the thought of Hayes with her.

    "It''s fine, Marcos." I say, clearing my throat of the acid and hurt. "No sex, fine."

    I turn on my heels and walk off, realizing I set myself up for this pain in my chest. Where I aim to anger and annoy Hayes, I only end up causing myself more pain in the long run.

    The pain of hating myself for thinking of someone other than Tyler and the pain of hating Hayes for not feeling the bond and the usual self hatred for not being strong enough to forgo any of it.

    I catch up to Dean, who looks mildly surprised to see me at his side. Neither of us say anything. Why would we when we have nothing to discuss? But I must admit, theck of hostility and flirtatious looks is a relief I didn''t think I would find.

    Marcos storms past us, muttering curses under his breath, and Dean looks at me curiously. I shrug and shake my head, telling him I have no idea what it''s about either, and he turns to look back. I follow his gaze, glimpsing an angry-looking Hayes, hands stuffed in his pockets as he looks around.

    I look back forward before he has the chance to catch me peeking at him. Dean then lets out a heavy sigh and gives me a sympathetic look before he increases his walking speed.

    My eyes growrge in shock, trying

    to keep up as he clearly tries to ditch me. Panic rises when it dawns on me that there must have been some silent eyemunication between Hayes and Dean to make him take off and look like he wanted to apologize like that.

    "Kyra." Hayes says, his voice deep and demanding, causing my body to react in a way that makes my eyes water.

    I don''t want this pull, this bond. It

    feels like I am cheating on Tyler, on our family, that I was too weak to keep together. It takes me further from their memory with every little tug. Every scent, every look pults the line more taut, and it makes it so much harder to be rational I can''t be alone with Hayes. I don''t want to be. Content belongs to

    "What?" I say, refusing to look at him. His eyes burn into the side of my head, daring me to look, but instead, I look in the opposite direction.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "Look at me," He says, his words soft, almost pleading. I turn my head, giving him my best uninterested scowl.

    "What do you need, Hayes?" I ask him.

    "I need to make sure you understand my order." He says, his lips pressing together tightly, like he has to know I won''t misbehave.

    "Yes, Hayes. I won''t fuck anyone in our crew." I roll my eyes. "So happy to know you think so highly of me."

    "You were the one that was discussing it, Kyra. Not me." His voice is usatory.

    "Yep," I say, popping the ''p'' just to illustrate my annoyance with him.

    "Look," He sighs heavily, dragging his hand through his hair and groaning. "I am sorry for how things ended in our friendship." "Why do you do this?" I ask him, unable to hide the shock I feel so deeply.

    "Do what?" he asks, confused.

    "Act like a dick and then, for a tiny moment, the old you breaks through. The Hayes that cares and feels something other than anger."

    "I guess it''s just you," He sighs. "Being around you always made me feel like I could be myself."

    "Oh? So you shattered that friendship for what reason?" I say, crossing my arms over my chest as I stop walking, forcing him to look at me.

    "You left." He says tly. I roll my eyes andugh dryly.

    ¡°And how long did it take you to notice that I left?" I ask him. ¡°Or did you forget that the very day after I told you how I felt, you ignored me, no matter how hard I tried to talk to you?"

    "You are being dramatic." He scoffs. My eyes grow wide, my mouth falling open in disbelief.

    ¡°Oh really? Mister mopey, homicidal ex-beta is going to lecture me on being dramatic?"

    "You shouldn''t have just left." He says, ignoring my jab.

    "Did you even notice?" I ask again, narrowing my eyes. He looks away, guilt coloring the unmarked side of his handsome face. My stomach falls when I realize maybe I don''t want to know this answer.

    "I noticed." He whispers.

    "When?" I ask. This time my voice is softer as I try to keep from breaking. That day, thought him telling me be would never love me, then ignoring me broke my heart. But knowing he didn''t even realize I had left until days after I was gone is sout crushing. Content belongs to

    "I went to your house on your birthday to apologize. I noticed you stopped trying to talk to me, so I went to check on you and¡ª"

    The air in the forest feels as if it''s been sucked out like a vacuum seal in space. My birthday?! I left five weeks before my birthday. ¡°Noted." I clip out, unable to voice how much it hurts. Unwilling to admit to him and myself that it took him just over a month to notice I waspletely gone. Not only was my love for him one sided, but apparently so was our friendship.

    "Hayes!" Nisha calls out, sprinting toward us. "We may have something, a camp for one person and what looks like a nest."

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149

    ?

    *Hayes*

    I squat down next to the ash where a fire had been, cing my hand above it to feel for heat. With my good arm, I reach out, my fingers digging into the cold ash as I lift it and let it fall. I frown at the soot, my eyes scanning the rest of the area, what glimmer of excitement I had leaches from me. Could it be him? Was the bastard this fucking close, and we missed him?

    "Do you think it was him?" Dean asks,ing up behind me, watching my every move as if he will be clued into what might be going through my head.

    How the fuck should I know if it was truly Ezrah? Other than the weird ass little nest next to a body sized patch of pressed leaves, I can''t definitively say that it was or wasn''t him or not. Now, do I believe it was him? Yes. But again, that pesky little thing called proof seems to elude me more often than not.

    "Hard to say." I mutter, exhaling my disappointment, only to breathe in curiosity when I see Kyra tilting her head in total silence and surveying the

    area.

    "Shouldn''t she be the one sticking her hands in the dirt and shit? Trying to smell it or something?" Nisha asks. I shift my eyes toward her, watching her re at Kyra, who does nothing but look like she is staring off into space.

    "I don''t need to stick my hand in dirt to know it''s been four days since they were here." Kyra looks at us, her face unreadable as she saunters to the center of the small camp, her bodying within inches of mine before she turns and points at the grass.

    "The leaves, though slightly pressed, are rising off the ground. New life is growing beneath them, meaning there has not been pressure on it in days. The ash isn''t loose or easily disturbed, meaning it got wet. Not just a drizzling of a canteen on it, but a day or two worth of rain and then a day or two of solid dry weather." She pauses.

    "There were storms ahead of our departure," Marcos says with a sly grin as he watches Kyra with ogling eyes I want to gouge out.

    "What? Worried you can''t track him with that much time between now and then?" Nisha goads.

    Kyra remains calm, stepping up to the little nest before she kneels down and reaches in it, her hand touching everything and her fingers gently caressing the little bed. Then she lifts three different leaves to her nose, before she ces two back.

    After a second she turns to her left, searching the bedding for others, and repeats the process only to frown and sniff the one in her hand again. She sneezes and then her body shakes as she stands abruptly and takes three steps back. Kyra''s eyes water, tears streaming down her cheeks as she groans and rubs her face with her hands, leaf still in her grip.

    "I need water." She hisses, her arm extending out in search of help. "Now!"

    My hand fumbles to find my canteen as I move to her side, trying like hell to get the cap off, but my fingers don''t do what I tell them, my dumb nerves slowing me down as Marcos gently steps in with his water, open and ready to help her.

    "Lean your head back," he says, cupping the back of her head with one hand. His voice too soft, too nice.

    He never speaks to any of us like that. Hell majority of the time he is just as grumpy and scowl-y as the rest of us. But I know it''s attraction to her, his inability to not seize any opportunity to be close to her no matter what. It is wildly inappropriate.

    "Ezrah knows what he is doing," Kyra grits out, Marcos'' hands cup her face next as his water jug falls to his waist on its string. His uniformed, unburned and unmangled thumbs brush her eyes gently, tenderly rubbing along her freckles and cheeks.

    I swallow the rise of annoyance and anger in my throat, looking away, cing my hands on my hips. It is impossible to watch him treat her so gingerly when I can''t. Not that I want to, but still. His overbearing attachment to her grates on my nerves.

    "Can you open your eyes?" Marcos asks, and a tiny prickle of panic makes me look at her. Is she seriously injured?

    "No, it burns,¡± she whispers, her voice croaking as she tries to mask the pain. Marcos looks down at her, his face mere inches from Kyra''s, as he tries to glimpse her face up close. He purses his lips, gently blowing on her eyelids.

    "What does blowing on her eyelids do?" I scoff, but he ignores me.

    ¡°I think he sprinkled the area with something to mask his scent.¡± Kyra says, wincing as she pulls away from Marcos.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "Oh, how convenient." Nisha gripes and I finally look at the jealous werewolf, tired of her constant shitty attitude toward Kyra.

    "Nisha, shut the fuck up." I demand.

    Her eyes go wide in surprise as I stare her down. A flicker of disappointment fades into embarrassment as she clears her throat and looks away. She finds Koda, and like a dog with its tail between its legs, she hurries to his side, tucking into him.

    "I''m fine." Kyra says, the relief in her voice clear as she blinks, her eyes watering profusely. "It feels like I ran into a wall of pepper spray but, I don''t think there is any real damage."

    "What else do you need to do before we leave this site?" I ask her.

    "Nothing." She shrugs.

    My brows pull together in doubt and I can sense I am not the only one surprised by her statement.

    "Forgive me for asking this but, don''t you need to look around more?" Marcos asks, out of curiosity.

    Kyra gives a halfhearted chuckle as she wipes at her tear covered cheeks, her eyes red and puffy and yet...yet I can''t seem to bring myself to look away from her.

    "He is covering his tracks well. Which means any other clues are gone. The fact that he has something andys it over the areas he has been makes me inclined to think he assumes you have trackers." She exins.

    "I mean, now we do." Koda says tly. "But what good are you if he is able to thwart your so-called abilities?"

    Nisha smiles up at him, rewarding Koda for his offensive words with a soft hum and a flirty gaze.

    "A regr tracker would be useless." She says with a frown.

    "Ah, but you aren''t a regr tracker," Marcos says with a wink, and she gives him a tight-lipped smile.

    "I hate to sound overconfident, but you are right. I am not your average tracker." She says, looking around. "Tyler was the best tracker, not because of his nose or his eyes. But his ability to feel the area.¡±

    "And you are...feeling...the area?" Dean asks, his lips tilted down, and a brow popped in question.

    She chuckles and then shrugs.

    "I am assessing, Dean." She exins. "It''s not about what I see but what I DON''T see that I am taking in,"

    ¡°And what is it you don''t see?¡± I ask, curious enough to speak up.

    l.n

    "I don''t see anything left behind, and he left a little gift for your tracker, which means we are far enough behind him that he isfortable and not in a rush. But that also. means that he is beginning to feel some pressure as he is hiding his scent. So congrattions on selecting the correct path until now. Dumb luck is still luck, I suppose." Content belongs to

    My lip twitches at the corners, the faintest of smiles emerging.

    "How are you so sure it''s Ezrah, though, and not someone else? And how do we know we are going in the right direction, moving forward?" Dean asks, curious.

    Kyra holds up the leaf in her hand,

    twisting its stem as it goes in quick circles between her fingers. A beautiful smile grows wider on her lips until she meets my eyes, a fire burning in them like I have never seen in her before.

    "This leaf was missed. What ever he ced around, he missed this tiny little thing," she says brightly. "I can smell the scent of the egg. Whatever is inside of that egg is something I have never smelled before, not quite dragon, not quite something else." Content belongs to

    "So she uses her nose too," Nisha mutters. I whip a re at her and she turns away into Koda''s chest.

    ¡°Ezrah doesn''t realize that the egg already has a scent." Kyra says with a winning smile. "So we aren''t tracking him anymore. We are tracking the

    egg."

    My mouth goes dry as I realize all those cries to the heavens, all those angered ranting sessions begging for reprieve or some direction, have just been answered.

    All in the shape of a beautiful, fiery-haired ex-best friend. And I''m not sure if I should thank the heavens or curse them because as much as I want to die, I don''t think I want her to be around when it happens.

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150

    ?

    "So what now? Can you actually smell which way he went now?" Nisha asks, for once not in a rude tone but in one of confusion. "Now we wait for Kyra to tell us where to go." I say, meeting her surprised eyes. "You do know where we go from here, right?"

    Her bottom lip slips in between her teeth, her slender fingers being wrung by her other hand as she slowly nods. Everyone is watching her and I realize ourmentsbined with our heavy, expectant gaze must make her feel ufortable. I take a step forward, not sure why I feelpelled to calm her, but I do, as I open my mouth to tell her it is okay to take time to process.

    Marcos, however, steps up to her side, his arm slipping around her shoulder in a gentle, protective manner. I look away, my tongue gliding over my teeth as I try to keep the strange twisting in my gut away. Marcos isn''t being sexual in any way, but fuck does it bother me when he touches her.

    "How about we give her some time to think and look around some more?" He offers.

    "Time?" Koda scoffs. "More time when we are so close?"

    "I agree with Koda," Nisha chimes in. "If we are finally on his tail, we need to keep moving, catch up to him. We could end this within a week." "The rest of you travel southeast. Kyra, I want to speak with you alone." I say,manding her attention. My anger quells under her curious gaze and her head tilts slightly to the side like it always has. If I weren''t trying too hard to keep a straight face, I would almost smile at the little reminder of her before the world went to shit between us.

    "What?" she asks, crossing her arms over her chest, a quick gaze up at Marcos that makes my heart skip a beat before he gives her a tight smile and follows along with the others. Kyra looks almost morefortable with his arms removed and it gives me such a sick form of satisfaction.

    "You mentioned there is nothing left to be done here," I remind her and she nods. "So I must ask you now, in your opinion, tracker, which way do you suggest we head in?"

    She blinks, walking directly toward me. Kyra''s steps are slow and measured, her eyes focusing on me. It''s not until she is nearly pressed against me that she stops, my stare rivaling hers as she reaches up, the heat of her fingers brushing over my cheek as she reaches up and retrieves an item from behind me.

    I don''t know how it happens, or why my body responds this way, but I lean toward her, my very soul just needing this closeness, craving it for these years as I lower my head. My cheek presses to hers.

    The softness of her skin does not go unnoticed as something moves inside of me. Maybe it''s the ice around my heart or the rock I have my soul buried under, but it moves, proving that maybe there is life still there.

    She gasps, jumping back, her hand on her cheek and eyes focused not on mine, but on my cheek. The scar that had touched her perfect, unblemished skin freckled skin. For a minute, I think it was the shock of our closeness until she clutches her stomach and turns away quickly like she might vomit.

    Embarrassment rolls through me, snowballing into a burning disappointment. My lycan whines in emotional pain as I clear my throat and stick my hands in my pocket, trying to not let her know she has hurt me. Why the fuck did I do that? Why did I feelpelled to just...touch her...be closer to her when I know we hate each other?

    But I know that is a lie. I have never hated her. How could I? The Kyra I remember was bold and daring but she was kind and always put everyone else''s needs before her own. I didn''t just love her as a friend.

    I wanted her.

    In every way, a beta should want his mate. I wanted Kyra. I wanted her hand in mine, her lips on my lips, and I wanted her soul entwined in mine. It had nothing to do with the desire to wrap my hands in those fiery red locks of hair and tilt her head back as I leave a barrage of tender kisses up and down her most sensitive skin. I wanted her heart, her soul, her smile every day and to memorize the freckles on her cheeks.

    But then I saw everyone with their mate. I watched all of them fall out of love with the people they thought they wanted because of a bond, and I knew it would break her. The mate bond is a gift to those who have never loved, and a stab to those who have.

    "I am sorry," I rasp out, clearing my throat. "There was a rock I was standing on. I lost my footing."

    "No, I should have told you I saw something in the leaves behind you." She says, her eyes still turned away from me as she kneads her stomach and covers her mouth.

    I retract my damaged hand, looking regrettably at the way my flesh twists and shimmers around the tendons and clings to the untainted muscles. Can I really me her for her reaction? My hand it the least disgusting part of my burns. The side of my face looks as if I have been chewed up and spat out back out for being ill tasting.

    "What did you find?" I ask, turning my back to her, trying to calm my anxious, beating chest and force the hurt from her reaction down.

    "The leaves match the ones used for the bedding." She whispers. "Which means he either stood over here or climbed the tree. I was hoping I would be able to see a section where a lot of leaves were missing.¡±

    Kyra clears her throat and steps up next to me, but I notice she stands on my good side. I can''t lie and say that her action doesn''t sting a little, but instead of frowning, I find myself smiling. What I need when I am around Kyra is a solid reminder of what I am doing here. And knowing how much I disgust her, well, it makes it easier. Kind of.

    "Then you should have a look up in the tree." I say, taking a few steps back.

    "No," she shakes her head.

    "I thought..." I say, furrowing my brows, my partially burned forehead creasing.

    "I can see the section from here," she points up. But I am already too far from her to notice. "He clipped off a whole branch. I guess he used the wood to burn. Though it would have been green would, so maybe he didn''t..."

    She drones off, her words growing

    more quiet as she circles the tree

    and talks to herself. I watch as she

    glides over the rest of the area,

    moving back to the ashes and then cing her hands on her hips in confusion. It''s adorable how her nose scrunches or she chews the inside of her cheek in thought before moving to another spot again. Content belongs to

    After a few minutes, she seems to finally stand still, her head moving side to side as she scans around some more with a frown. Then she lifts one of her hands and drags it through her hair, pulling it from its ponytail. Red locks flutter down her shoulders and over her back midway as she shakes it out and groans.

    I clear my throat and she freezes, turning to look over her shoulder slowly. A smirk crosses my lips as her cheeks blush and she quickly lifts both

    hands, tying her hair up in a quick tight bun.

    "You forgot I was here, I assume?" I ask her and she nods.

    "Sorry, I got caught up." She admits.

    ¡°And you said there was nothing else to look for here." I tease her as she frowns.

    ¡°There isn''t,¡± she admits. ¡°But I want tomit this enough to memory to recall things that are a little strange and see if we find them again.¡±

    "So which way should we head, then?" I ask her and she looks away.

    "I don''t know, Hayes." she exhales, sounding defeated. "This is his previous camp. Of that I am certain, and it''s around four days old. But I can''t find any indication of what way he went."This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "Then we travel south east for the time being and you are on alert for anything, and I mean anything you pick up." I tell her, turning and walking the way I sent the others.

    She doesn''t say anything, but after a minute her footsteps speed up and shends next to me, matching my pace. I notice her attention keeps sliding up in my direction so I heave out an annoyed sigh.

    "What?" I ask her and she snaps her gaze forward.

    "Nothing." She says and I frown.

    Kyra walks on my bad side, my slight limp tossing more to her side with each step, so I move around her, shifting her to my good side, and she looks at me curiously.

    "Why did you just switch sides?" She asks, confused.

    ¡°I did you a favor. Just like I will do when I tell everyone you agree with our choice of travel direction." I exhale, trying to avoid the topic.

    "A favor? By switching sides with me?" She asks skeptically.

    "Yes, so you don''t get grossed out." I bite out and she goes rigid.

    "Because of your face." She says matter of the fact and it fucking cuts right into my heart.

    "Yes, now shut up and walk. We need to catch up." I grumble, picking up speed, suddenly feeling like I might suffocate in her presence.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispers from behind me. ¡°For trying to make me morefortable."

    I snort augh. "It''s a tall order when you are stuck with me. But if it gets us to Ezrah faster, then I can be a gentleman from time to time." Even if it just means making sure she doesn''t have to look at my fucked up face.

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151

    ?

    *Kyra*

    I catch myself constantly stealing glimpses of Hayes'' injury. The way the scars seem to crawl up his neck and into his cheek like a thorny rose vine creeping up a trellis. It twists and dips, spots shiny while others are dull and deep. My fingers itch to touch it, to trace the tendrils that caused him so much pain as they dance up the side of his head, burning off half his eyebrow.

    It''s mesmerizing, almost beautiful. A map of his sufferings. He finds it appalling, convinced I could only feel the same way. But I don''t avoid his touch because of his injuries. I run from the sparks he seems immune to.

    The explosion that rips through my body and tries to urge me to follow what the moon goddess has given me. It''s not about moving on from what I lost, but epting what I am being offered. But I''m not sure I can or that I want to.

    "Ask me," Hayes sighs heavily, the annoyance clear in his exhale as he remains looking forward. My brows pull together, the left corner of my lip pulling down in a confused frown.

    "What exactly am I asking you?"

    "Did it hurt? Does it still hurt? How did it happen?" Hayes says, his voice t and unaffected.

    "Is that normally what people ask?" I watch him closely as he clears his throat and looks in the opposite direction. "Because I got the feeling people avoid you."

    "Because of my burns?" He scoffs, and I snort.

    "No, because you''re an asshole now."

    Dean and Marcos chuckle ahead of us, both of them shaking their heads.

    ¡°Yeah, well, if I look like an asshole people don''t ask me annoying questions,¡± He grumbles.

    I arch a brow and smirk up at him, regardless of how much he tries to look away.

    "I didn''t ask you any questions. You demanded I ask you what you assumed I wanted to know." I remind him and he nods, a small smile forming before he pushes it away.

    "You were staring at me," He says. "I assumed you were curious."

    "I''m not here to be your best friend again, Hayes." I say, lengthening my strides to distance myself from him. After three steps, I spin, walking backward as I face him. "Every warrior knows what creates those burns, and I know the pain they bring the bearer of them."

    Then I spin on my toes and walk toward the front of the group. I catch up to Nisha, sliding up on her right side as she looks amused by my presence. Neither of us speaks. Why would we when there isn''t much to say?

    It is obvious she hates me and looks down on me for some reason. But if we are going to be stuck together for a while, then I may as well familiarize myself with her snide remarks.

    ¡°Are you lost, Tracker?" She muses, her deep brown eyes blinking slowly.

    "No, Nisha." I tell her. "Justing up for some air."

    I mutter the sentence, not even realizing how much I mean them until I hear them in my own ears. Being around Hayes is entirely suffocating and when he isn''t around, usually there is Marcos drowning me with his closeness and his overwhelming presence. Two entirely different men both sessfully making me ufortable and want to hide from them.

    Nisha shakes her head before she points up ahead, where Koda saunters, ducking under a branch.

    "You could walk with Koda." She offers and I admit her immediate desire to send me off ruffles my skin and my lip twitches with annoyance. "Did I do something to offend you?" I ask, tired of the shitty attitude.

    "No," She arches a brow.

    "So your dislike for me is purely a personal choice." I scoff and nod my head. "Fantastic."

    I take a few steps before she exhales and groans. Her hand reaches out, clutching my elbow, tugging me back next to her.

    "Look," she sighs, "I just...I am protective of these guys. They are my family, a weird, fucked up and very anger filled family. But that''s all I have, so yes, I am hesitant to wee someone else into the group."

    "Well, lucky for you, I''m not looking for a family.¡± I say my word, drifting off as my eyes scan the area around us, a scent prickling my senses as I slow down. The trees are still, not a breeze breaking through the dense foliage of the forest, yet my nose draws my attention to the right.

    Nisha says something to me as I narrow my eyes, tilting my chin up and taking a deep inhale.

    Heat permeates the air, the scent of overly warm metal or charcoal in the faintest way pulling me off the path the others trod down.

    My lycan perks up, and I squeeze my eyelids together, allowing the world around me to fall silent. In the darkness I see a dull light, like a thread leading me as it pulses away, calling me to follow. I can feel the excitement rising in my gut, a smileing to my lips as I throw my eyes open and sprint off in pursuit.

    "Kyra! Where are you going?" Nisha hisses after me, but I am too far gone, already on the hunt.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    As I cut around a tree, I notice a mark on the bark of the tree. There is a small fresh cut, the under skin looking green and still moist. It''s more like a dent, as if a rock were hammered into it. My fingers run over the indent, a shiver running through my body when I bring my hand to my nose and look closely. There is a slight shimmer, an oily hue, on my fingertips. As if it matches the me fuel a dragon

    uses to spit its fire. Content belongs

    to NovelDrama.Org

    I can hear hushes arguing ways behind me, but I push forward. My nose may have picked up the scent, but my other skills have verified it. Ezrah and the egg are close. Now it is a matter of how close. What I need now is stealth and silence as I rely on my lycan''s eyesight and my heightened hearing.

    Tracking again feels likeing home after being gone for too long. My heart sings for the first time since losing everything, a part of meing alive again as I slip through the trees. Every step brings me an exhrating strike to my chest as I focus on controlling my breathing, keeping it low and silent.

    I have no idea how long I track for,

    elme

    stopping every now and again to feel the trees, search for the scent and listen for the animals in the trees as I grow closer. My brow dots with sweat as I break into a small opening, ending at arge rocky wall. I stay in the cover of the canopy, lingering in the shadows as I nce up, looking for a way to climb or potentially see how they made their way up top.

    When I notice the harder rock

    surface to the left, away from the fallen shale on the front face of the cliff side, Linhale deeply and step into view sprinting toward it. As

    reach

    ch gut, touching the cold stones, I press myself to it, looking up and mapping out my path. I suck my lip into my mouth, gnawing on the lower corner, debating on whether or not I should trust the openings I see.

    But this is the first real chance we have had to catch Ezrah, or at least get close enough to remain on his trail. So I take three seconds to breathe through my nerves and shake my hands and fingers out.

    "Ty, if you were here, you would love this." I mutter to myself before I purse my lips and exhale slowly. "This disy of bravery is for you."

    I throw my hand up into the first crevices, swinging my leg until I find a footing and I push myself up. Each move is slow and methodical as I work to keep myself from falling.

    It is slow and painful as rocks cut at the palms of my hands, but I push on. I am almost halfway up the wall face when my fingers slip and I cling to a rock, the sharp edge slicing into the palm of my hand.

    The blood makes my hold slick as I swing my body, desperate to find anything to reach for with either my fingers or my feet. One moment I am swinging and the next my toes tap into something and I force my weight to it with a pained grunt before I try to give my injured hand a shove off the

    rock.

    The cut is too much, my fingers tingling as they lose feeling, and I linger between a delicate bnce on my foot and my iling arms. The reality hits with gravity as I teeter back and my footing disappears and the world twisting around me as I pick up speed.

    Fear climbs up my throat with a silent scream as my stomach moves into my chest. A part of me wants to let it happen, to just crash to the ground and let the rocks break open my skull and hide my pool of blood beneath them.

    But then I remember why I am here, what it is I am doing and stopping. No one, not even the likes of Nisha, should have to experience the loss that I have, and until Ezrah is found, and the egg delivered, no mates are safe.

    My lycan breaks out at thest moment, my nails cutting into the side as Ie to a halting stop, my body swinging into the side of the rocks with a grunt making me recoil in pain.

    I scramble again for a grip, pain slipping through my body like a heated knife to butter. My body ms into the ground, a raspy grunt forced from the remaining air in my lungs.

    My lycan retreats, as I turn onto my hands and knees, heaving as my stomach boils over from the sheer panic and fleeting death. As I try to stand, a calloused hand wraps around the back of my neck, yanking me back enough to make my teeth tter together.

    "What the hell do you think you are doing?!¡± a voice growls, sending a shiver through my spine as my mouth goes dry.

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152

    ?

    "Let go of me!" I grit out, throwing my elbow back, my funny bone tingling up my arm and into my fingers as I hit something solid. The hand on my neck releases me and I stumble forward into the wall, whipping around, ready to fight. I stop, blinking as I look at Hayes, who frowns at me and rubs his sr plexus.

    "Ouch," He says, looking unimpressed. "All of that so-called training and you went with an elbow jab?"

    An amusedugh bubbles up my chest as I allow my body to gox and lean onto the rock surface for support. The cool stones soothe my aching muscles from my falling and I sigh heavily.

    "Forgive me, but I''m not in the mood for any verbal sparring at the moment." I huff out, my stomach pinching and churning violently as I lean forward, hands on my knees.

    "What the hell were you thinking, running off like that?" He asks, but for once, his words aren''t demanding or condescending.

    "I was tracking." I say, turning my head to look up at him from my bent over position.

    "Looked more like you were falling." He says with a grunt.

    I don''t have the energy to fight with him. Going from the high of tracking to near death and then to the scare of being attacked does something to the nerves I can''t quite exin.

    My heart is in my throat still, the bile burning the back of my throat as I try to bring my blood pressure back to normal. Hell, fighting that damn dragon felt way less taxing.

    "Ezrah is close." I whisper, standing up again before hunching back over and hurling out the acid that had settled in my throat and around the bitter taste buds around my tongue.

    My muscles contract painfully, tugging at my injuries and making me groan in near agony. I have now fallen off two cliffs since starting this mission. If this starts to be a habit, I may have to send myself home.

    If I had a home to go back to.

    "What do you mean?" Hayes asks, his body going rigid as he steps in closer to me. I slide my forearm over my mouth, cleaning it as I swallow roughly.

    "I caught the scent of the egg, and then when I looked closer I could see signs they went this way-"

    "Are you sure?" he asks, his voice low as he reaches out and takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing me to meet his intense questioning eyes.

    "Of course I am sure." I tell him, trying to struggle away from his touch, the sparks flooding through me and calming the painful storm of my wounds. "Look at me, Kyra." He says seriously, moving his face closer. "Say it again."

    "Ezrah is near. I bet my life on it." I say, making sure to say my words clearly so he doesn''t question it again. "He is over that cliff and I was trying too

    "That''s what I thought you said." He mumbles, dropping his hand before he turns away, a sh of confliction on his face.

    "Why do you not seem excited?" I ask, hating how much it disappoints me to not please him with my work. Isn''t this what he wanted for so long? "Why did you rush off on your own?" He asks, his words soft before he turns and res at me. I stutter under his look. A small shrug the only thing I can think to do to answer him.

    "I- uh- wasn''t thinking about it. What it came down to is I picked up the scent, and I followed to verify. That''s what I have always done in the past with Tyler." I try to exin, but a sinister smile takes over his lips as he clicks his tongue.

    "Sorry to disappoint you, but I am not your ex-mate. He is dead" His words have a bite to them that makes my brows furrow. His mood seems to shift faster than the wind in a raging storm, and his words feel like a punch to the gut.

    "I know that. There is no way I could ever confuse the two of you." I snap at him. "What I mean is, this is how I was trained. This is what I do, Hayes. I track, I follow and then I report and we proceed from there. In a sense, I am a spy."

    "Kyra, you left without so much as a look back. Nisha thought you went crazy and freaked out." He says, a glimmer of guilt in his eyes. "Definitely crazy, but I wasn''t freaking out." I say as a sound rustles over my head, distracting me.

    A rock tumbles from above us and Hayes snaps his head up, his reflexes moving quicker than mine as he grabs me, tugging me into his chest before he spins us to the right, just under a small ledge.

    My back presses into the rocks, his body glued to mine, his chin touching my hair. My stomach, once revolting, now calms and butterflies emerge, dancing amidst a field of a love they want so desperately to live freely in.

    "Hayes," I whisper, my lips barely moving. His chest vibrates softly, sending a shockwave through my body.

    "Hush," he utters and I press my lips together, closing my eyes as I try to keep tears from forming.

    It feels so nice, so peaceful, so...safe, in his embrace, and that is a feeling I haven''t felt in a long damn time. My lycan is preening and my heart rate climbs with every second he stays in my space.

    "Please," I try to whisper, but my voice breaks.

    I can feel him move, a slight cool breezeing between where his chin was pressed into my hair, but I can''t bring myself to look. I am wrapped in his scent, in the dream of what could be if only we weren''t so broken.

    "Please what, Kyra?" he asks. ¡°Are you hurting?"

    His voice is still so soft, like he actually cares and doesn''t want to be heard.

    "Why are we hiding?" I ask him, trying to lean forward and look around the rock.

    "Someone is above us," He whispers, cing his hand on the side of my head, his body pressing harder into mine. "They can not see us, but if you keep talking, they may hear us."

    I can feel the heat of his breath on my ear, tickling the loose hairs that twirl about my neck and lobe.

    Seconds bleed into minutes and the air seems to grow thicker with each breath.

    "He is gone," I murmur, unable to withstand a second more of being this close to him. I shouldn''t crave this or enjoy it. He isn''t the Hayes I knew, and he isn''t someone I can afford to love anymore.

    Especially when he can''t feel this

    bond, the one that draws me in and leaves me vulnerable in every damn way. The second he feels it, I will reject him and we can both be on our way. I just have to hope he doesn''t recognize it during a crucial moment of this mission. Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    Ever so slowly, he takes a step back, his eyes meeting mine with a fierce look before he takes another step away, leaning to the side and looking up. I watch as he wipes his hands on his jeans and clears his throat.

    "We should get back to the others." He says.

    I scrunch my nose and tilt my head, knowing the words he said but not understanding his suggestion.

    "Why would we go the wrong way?" I ask him, ¡°Ezrah is that way."

    I point up the cliff side as if he doesn''t know, but clearly the knowledge must have escaped him to suggest we go the opposite way. He nods and rolls his eyes.

    "Yeah, I am aware, but we came with a group and we need to have them traveling in the right direction."

    ¡°Or you go back and get them and I will continue on."

    "Over my dead fucking body," He growls, getting in my face. My eyes grow wide as I take one step away from him.

    "This is why I am here," I remind him, and he shakes his head in disbelief.

    "You still need to do things my way." He says, reaching down and grabbing me by the wrist. "If you are fast, we won''t lose Ezrah''s trail. I suggest we get moving."

    "Unless it rains." I huff but follow along, breaking into a run when he does. He holds onto my arm for too long, and once we hit the tree line, I shake myself loose.

    "It would have to rain really damn hard to wash away a trail so fresh. As an expert tracker, you should know that." He says, kicking his speed up.

    He is right. It would take a rain pretty hard for hours to muddle my ability to follow Ezrah or even locate him now. Hayes weaves through the path I took, ducking under branches and looking back to ensure I am still behind him.

    By the time we make it back, Dean,

    Nisha, and Koda are waiting

    anxiously. The moment they see Hayes, they seem to rx, breathing easier as their shoulders drop. Dean drags a hand over his face before I feel a heated gazer. When I look to the left, Nisha''s angry eyes meet mine as she tuts and clicks her tongue, looking away.

    The moment she opens her mouth for a smartassment, a loud, earth shattering sound breaks free that makes me jump in rm. "What the hell." Koda says, looking at her shocked and she res at him.

    "It wasn''t-"

    There is a brief sh before lightning cracks through the air, the buzz of electricity bringing to life the clouds that rumble and, after a moment, release their wrath. I groan, throwing my head back, cold hard drops of water hammering into my heated skin. Then I roll my head over and scowl at Hayes, my eyes harrowing in sheer annoyance.

    "Fuck," He mutters.

    "I really hate you right now," I grumble.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153

    ?

    My shoes squelch from the water that fills them. The cold of the mud mixed with the soggy fabric makes me shiver. No amount of running hot could warm me from this icy chill as it settles into my bones. I knew the second Hayes made us go back to the others that we were screwed. Everything on this mission has a way of going sideways.

    "Shit, it''s an endless fucking stream of rain," Dean growls with a shudder, his arms clutched to his chest.

    "We should try to wait it out," Nisha yells, her voice barely audible over the droning sounding of hard, heavy droplets pelting us from the sky.

    Hayes drags his hands through his hair, droplets running down his cheeks before he meets my eyes, and a frown grows on his lips. He knows there is no way I will willingly stop. We have already lost so much valuable time and likely important clues. Maybe this exins theirck of finding Ezrah all along. Do they even want to find the guy?

    "Waiting it out is the difference between a quick mission or two years of wandering aimlessly." I yell over the noise. Marcos'' eyes widen in shock, but Hayes doesn''t seem phased by myment. "I have no intention of resting or losing what little trail we have left."

    I pick up my speed, moving faster as Nisha falls behind with Koda at her side.

    "Kyra," I hear my name being called, but I can''t in good conscience slow down. If they can not keep up, then they will have to find me on their ownter.

    "Kyra!¡± I hear Hayes roar loudly, and yet all it does is cement my stubbornness as I keep moving. His hand clutches at my elbow as he whirls me around. Hayes'' lips purse together, droplets raining over them as he huffs out an exasperated breath, spraying the water away as he pinches the bridge of his nose with his free hand.

    "It''s gone already," he finally says. "I fucked up by heading back. I can admit that. But slogging around in a fucking rain storm isn''t going to get you anything but wet and more lost."

    I yank my arm free, my pride and anger swelling in my chest. He knows nothing about my abilities. All he has done is severely undervalue what I can do, admittedly things have been off to a rough start, but that isn''t entirely my fault. I trusted too easily when I should have known better that the worst kind of enemy is the one who knew you.

    "Right now, I am trying to cling to whatever closeness we have to him." I throw my hands up, "Of course all the clues and trail are gone. Ezrah is traveling with an egg. One, he must keep warm at all costs, Hayes. That means he is not moving, he is hunkered down, keeping warm and staying somewhere dry."

    He scoffs, shaking his head.

    ¡°I''m calling it. We have passed the furthest point you were at earlier. It is time to find shelter and wait this out." He demands.

    "You are not my alpha, and as luck would have it, you are not my beta either. So you may find the others shelter, and sing cute songs around a fire and cuddle. I am doing my job." I snap, turning to run away from him. His hand wraps around my elbow again and he yanks hard, pulling me around and into his hard chest.

    I can only help my eyes carry the anger I feel about him manhandling and demanding I follow his stupid orders. Orders that will mean I am stuck here with him for longer and I need to be rid of him and this fucking bond I used to beg for.

    "My priority is everyone''s safety." He says, ring down at me.

    "Well, I relieve you of that priority." I say, looking up at him as he growls in his chest.

    I can feel the way it vibrates in his vast chest that is pressed against me. My body shivers, the warmth of his body reminding me just how cold the rain actually is. Damn my traitorous involuntary movements that only help convince him he is in the right.

    ¡°Enough of this back-and-forth shit, Kyra. I am not here to bicker with you. Merikh asked you to do this but with my permission you were allowed to join us. I take others'' safety fucking seriously. I will not fail another person the way I failed her ever again."

    The bitter resentment and hurtful words sit at the tip of my tongue, which I bite down so hard the twang of blood colors my mouth. What I want is to make him mad enough he lets me go, but something tells me he won''t be dropping this issue anytime soon. What a drastic change from the time he left me for the fucking dragons, drugged and alone.

    "The second the rain lets up, even a little, I am gone to track. Is that understood?" I sneer at him, and he arches a brow down at me.

    "Weird. It sounds like you were asking permission all while you were telling me what you were doing."

    I roll my eyes, stepping away from him.

    "Yes, well, I listen to orders to the best of my ability. Doesn''t mean I have good hearing, though."

    We walk back in silence, not really sure which way we are headed in, until I catch a whiff of smoke and a little glimmer of light. To my left, sheltered in a corner over a massive overhang, sits a small rundown cabin.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    I scrunch my nose at it as we move closer. Tyler had a love for the human world''s horror movies. They weren''t really something I liked at all, but of the few I watched, I am fairly certain this is a scene from one.

    Hayes lets out a bird call and I smirk, amused. The guy couldn''t so much as whistle when we were growing up. Now he is tweeting like a bird. A simr soundes back, and I watch his shoulders roll back as he motions for me to move forward.

    "A bird''s call?" I scoff as we step onto the leaking porch. "In a rainstorm? Really inconspicuous,"

    "Unless someone is closer than they

    should be, they couldn''t hear it over the rain, and considering Ezrah is a Fae and not a lycan or werewolf,

    human" he gives me a tight velnes!

    hearing is as shitty as a basic

    like we are battling and he won. I respond with a solid eye roll, and he shakes his head as he pushes the door open.

    Heat wraps around me and there is no hiding the shiver that runs through me at the relief of the warmth. Marcos moves over, looking Hayes over, who whispers and points in my direction. Marcos then grabs a warm nket that had been hanging near the fire and hands it to me. Content belongs to

    "Everyone has taken their clothes off to let it dry. You should do the same, but you can wrap up in this." He says kindly.

    I nod, taking it from him, my white fingers struggling to bend as I clutch it. Then he frowns and Marcos reaches out and takes it back.

    "How about I hold it up while you change?" he asks. I sigh in defeat and nod yes as I turn to a corner and he follows, holding the nket up as I try to quickly rid myself of my wet clothes.

    "Thank you," I tell him as I reach up and take the nket. His head turned to the side before he meets my eyes, a heated desire there, and he swallows roughly and then turns away, heading toward the fire.

    I wrap the nket around my body tight as if I were hopping out of a shower and then I take my messy hair out of its ponytail and quickly tie it up in a bun. When I look up, I notice Hayes'' eyes on me, watching my every move as I blush and move toward the fire, the heat making me sigh in relief.

    ¡°You are a real hardass.¡± Nisha snorts after a minute. ¡°We are used to traveling in shitty conditions, but damn, I couldn''t even see my own hand."

    I arch a curious brow and smirk.

    "That sounds like apliment." I tell her, and she looks away, licking her teeth before he chuckles.

    "It might have been." She shrugs.

    "So we camp out here tonight, and head out in the morning?" Marcos asks,ing to sit next to me.

    "No, once the rain lets up a little, I will be back out there again." I say, looking around. "No offense, but I can''t do this for two years. I refuse. So I will do everything in my power to end this as soon as possible."

    Hayesughs low, his eyes finally leaving me as he looks out the window.

    "Got somewhere to be?" He asks, looking at me again. "So eager to go home to an empty house and bleak, lonely future?"

    His words hit me harder than I hope he intends. Because he is right. What is there left for me? No Tyler, no baby, and no doubt a rejection from my second chance mate. There isn''t much.

    But I refuse to believe my life is over because I lost my mate. If the moon goddess had intended for it to be over, she would have taken me as well. So for now I will cling to the hope there is something better for me.

    "An empty house doesn''t have to mean loneliness. It can mean peace and space to grow." I murmur, then I turn to Marcos as Iy down, my head close to him. "Wake me when the rain lets up. I am actually trusting you again. Please don''t fuck me over this time?"

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154

    ?

    *Hayes*

    "You should get some rest too, Hayes." Marcos says.

    I know he is looking out for me; he is the healer and someone I would almost consider a friend if I had intentions for friendly attachments. But every time I look at him, I find myself envious where I never was.

    Kyra has turned me into someone who cares when she looks at me. How can I both crave and hate her gaze? How can she make me jealous of another man who has nothing? I know the reason. It''s because he at least has a fucking face. But the fact that it bothers me so much...that is what''s so infuriating.

    "Hayes?" Dean says, touching my shoulder, dragging me from my thoughts as I re up at him.

    "What?"

    "Marcos is right. You are better use to us all if you are rested. You seem more lost in your head than you usually are."

    I sigh, and turn back toward the fire, pinching the bridge of my nose before squeezing my eyes closed.

    "Being lost in my mind is preferable to being lost in my nightmares, Dean. You know how that goes." I mutter.

    "I can help you sleep, Hayes," Marcos offers, and I look down at Kyra, who pretends to be asleep, his hand gently rubbing up and down her back. The simple, sweet gesture makes me want to rip his fingers off.

    "I don''t want your drugs, Marcos." I snap at him before I stand and walk over to the door.

    "Where are you going?" Kyra''s voice squeaks, no doubt, as she spins to look at my back. And for whatever reason, her caring brings a smirk to my face.

    "To sleep where a dog like me belongs." I tell her, not bothering to look back before I exit through the rickety door.

    Koda looks up from his spot, tilting his head to the right.

    "Too stuffy in there, huh?" He asks, but I ignore him looking for a dry enough spot to lie down.

    The second I find something remotely dry, I lower myself and stare up at the barely standing roof. It shakes as rain patters down. I wonder just how damn long the clouds sustain this type of downpour?Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    The moment it lets up, she is going to leave. And knowing how she is these days, she will likely try to sneak off and proim it is what she was taught to do. I snort as I turn onto my side, my arm under my head to keep it from the slightly damp, rotting wood.

    "Hayes," Koda says, more of a question if I am awake or asleep, which I should be.

    "What?" I mumble with a heavy exhale.

    "Can I ask you something?" His words are hushed as I hear himing over.

    When he enters my view, I see him peek in through a crack in the siding, then plop down in front of me. I arch a brow in interest. Koda has no problem speaking his mind when he wants to, but this desperation in his voice is different. He never asks before he speaks, he just simply talks.

    "What is it?" I ask him and he clears his throat.

    "It''s about Nisha..." He murmurs, looking away for a minute.

    "You want to choose her as a mate?" I say the words he is struggling to get out. Instead of growing angry like I thought I would in a situation like this, I find myself more open to the idea of others finding their happiness.

    "I know that we wouldn''t qualify to be here, in this group anymore, but I was hoping you would let us stay?" he swallows and I narrow my eyes, pushing myself up.

    ¡°Are you telling me you two have already discussed this and marked each other?" I ask him.

    His eyes grow wide and he shakes his head, then he drags his hand over his face.

    "No. It is just that...I know she, well, I..." He exhales. "I refuse to sleep with her unless I know she is mine. Only mine."

    I plop back down on the wood, annoyed. Why the fuck is he asking permission if he knows the rules and what is at stake here?

    "Koda, if you two want to mate, that is fine, but the rules remain the same. No mates are allowed in the group.¡±

    It''s not like it was just a rule I made

    up, either. It was one Merikh also suggested. There is no nefarious

    reasoning behind it, no exclusion.et

    based on the life they want to

    choose. But If someone has a mate, chosen or fated, they should be with them, fully and truly focused on them.

    One of my greatest regrets was fighting the bond with Leandra and then never truly having that bond strengthened between us. If Koda wants a life with Nisha, and she agrees with his feelings, then they should remove themselves from the dangers of this mission and go and actually have a life together. Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    "I see.¡± He says, sounding disappointed. I frown, feeling the need to exin it to him.

    "Koda, you understand my reasoning, right?" I ask him and he exhales.

    "I do, so perhaps I will keep her at arm''s length until the end of the mission." Koda says, resolute.

    "Or you tell her and you both decide what to do from there."

    He remains quiet for a moment before he clears his throat.

    "Is that what you n to do with Kyra?" he asks, and I bark out augh.

    "There is nothing between Kyra and I," I tell him frankly and he frowns. "I mean it, Koda. Kyra was a friend once, a long time ago. But now she is nothing to me but a nuisance."

    He pulls himself up using the railing, the rain sshing on him as he looks out into the distance. Then he sniffs the air, his muscles going rigid. I jump up, trying to scent or see what he might be seeing, and then he elbows me.

    "Smells like bullshit, doesn''t it?" He grins. I opt to re at him as he shakes his head. "Can I ask what she was like? I mean, was she always like this?"

    I press my lips together tightly and then drop my head, shaking it.

    "This woman looks like the Kyra I knew, but she is not the same. The Kyra I knew was soft-spoken, sweet, and easy to love. My biggest fear with her was seeing her heart broken." I chuckle, remembering all the ways Kyra used to blush or giggle softly when my hand would brush hers or I would give her a treat. Content belongs to

    "Is that why you dislike her so much now?" He asks and I furrow my brows, looking at him, confused.

    "What do you mean?"

    "I mean, you never wanted to see her broken, and now that''s all she is. A broken misfit like the rest of us. Like you."

    ¡°I don''t dislike her.¡± I retort. ¡°She just.....gets on my nerves and thinks she is high and mighty. Not to mention she has to fight every fucking thing I say.¡±

    He nods his head slowly as if he is processing what I am saying.

    "So it bothers you that she is here?" He asks me.

    "Of course it does. I don''t want her here, fuck I cut her out of my life once already and now after this is all over I will have to do it again." I mutter, my fingers tightening on the water logged railing.

    "Do you n on cutting all of us out then after this?" He asks, arching a brow.

    "No," I give him an honest answer, then I pause. "Well, maybe Marcus and his stupid ass angelic face."

    He snorts and shakes his head. ¡°He gets kicked out because he is pretty or because you are jealous of his friendship with your ex-best friend?¡±

    ¡°Koda, you are asking too many questions." I groan, pushing away from the railing and turning to move back to my spot. As I twist around, I see Kyra standing in the doorway, leaning on the doorjamb with an emotionless face.

    "Kyra," I say on a breath, and she focuses past me.

    "I think the rain is letting up. My clothes are dry, so I am going to get ready. You made me a promise, so you better get dressed too if you want to get rid of me soon. Or I could just ask Marcos and his angelic face to tag along with me instead." She shrugs.

    Well, fuck. I guess she heard everything, and that just means she is going to be grumpier from now on.

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155

    ?

    I slip on my still damp clothing, sliding an annoyed side eye over at Kyra. There is no way her clothing is even close to dry yet if mine is still this wet. I don''t say anything. I already have to be wary of what I say now that she overheard me and Koda talking. Not that I didn''t say anything I wouldn''t say to her face. Well, maybe I wouldn''t say all of it to her face, but the point remains the same. I didn''t speak any mistruths.

    "Remind me again why we are leaving now?" Nisha mumbles, unhappy about not staying out of the rain longer.

    ¡°Because we need to catch up to Ezrah.,¡± Kyra says with a heavy sigh. ¡°Do you guys even want to find this guy, or is this really just some cover to avoid helping with the war?"

    "The fuck did you just say?" I Koda growls, his head snapping up as he res at her. "You think this has been a damn pic for us, sweetheart?" Kyra doesn''t even flinch as she reaches out and grabs her bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

    "No, I questioned exactly what you all have been doing out here for two years. I never said it was easy, just that it seems like you guys are trying to avoid¨C¡± she says, gripping the strap tightly, the only show of her nerves.

    "He heard what you said, Kyra." I break in, giving her a stare that pleads with her to shut up. Thest thing we need is a group of pissed off lycans and werewolves at our backs. I know for a fact they will protect me, but I need to know they will protect her, too. She isn''t making it all that easy.

    "She makes a point," Marcos says, and Koda scoffs, shaking his head.

    "Of course you would try to agree with her, you want in her pants," he grumbles.

    "Marcos is right, Koda." I say, reaching for my bag. Koda scoffs and chuckles dryly. "Or do you think I want to get into his pants?"

    He frowns at me and shakes his head as if this whole conversation is unbelievable.

    "No, I don''t get the vibe you want in Marcus'' pants." He says finally.

    "We should be jumping at every opportunity to get Ezrah. We have becent in our failure. Clearly, we have forgotten what it is like to have a lead." I remind everyone, looking at Nisha, Dean and Koda especially.

    "It''s just rain," Dean says, trying to break the residual tension.

    "Yeah, nothing like a wet dog," Nisha grumbles to herself as she slides a nce at Kyra and Marcos.

    "Enough." I say, my voice low but firm. "This bickering and bullshit is done here and now. Do you understand me?"

    Nisha nods like a child who has been scolded, and Koda mutters in agreement. Dean throws his hands up like he has had nothing to do with all of this while Marcos looks around, also trying to appear innocent. When my eyesnd on Kyra, she is chewing the inside of her cheek, her face flushed and her grip tighter on her strap.

    "Sorry," she whispers.

    "Good. Now-"

    "Woah woah..." Kyra says, cutting me off with raised eyebrows. "What about you?"

    My nose scrunches in confusion as I look around at everyone, annoyed to see almost all of them nodding in agreement with her.

    "What about me?" I scoff.

    "Well, you kind of are part of the problem with all the bickering and stuff...no offense." Dean exins. I snort augh.

    "I am the leader. I don''t bicker."

    "You bicker with Kyra all the time." Nisha points out, crossing her arms over her chest. "How are we supposed to trust her when you don''t?"

    I exhale, my annoyance morphing into an angry monster as I slide my tongue over my teeth.

    "I will say this only once and then it will be dropped. Is that understood?" I grit out as they nod. "I trust Kyra with my life and yours. If you doubt her, then you are doubting me. Do you doubt me?"

    "No, of course we don''t." Dean says, speaking for everyone.

    "Then this conversation is over and the shitty attitudes are gone." I grunt, walking to the door and yanking it open.

    The hinges snap and the door falls to the side as I realize I might be a little more frustrated than I thought. I clear my throat and let it fall to the side; the others following along behind me in silence.

    No one speaks as Kyra guides us along with the point of her hand. I try to avoid her, lingering in the back to make sure I don''t bicker or make a scene. After all, Nisha makes a point. My constant arguing with her does no one any good. So avoiding her seems to be the best thing I can do. Even if I feel like I should be up there with her.

    "Did you mean it?" Dean asks abruptly, his words quiet as he frowns at me. My brows pull together and my mouth pulls to one side as I try to understand what the heck he is talking about.

    "Could you maybe be a little more specific?" I ask him, and he lowers his voice.

    "When we started this mission, you told me your goal was to find Ezrah and die in battle. Did you mean it?"

    I scrub my hand down my face, clearing it of rain for a mere second before it runs down my face again.

    "Of course I meant it." I say, giving him a curious look. "Why do you ask?"

    "Is that still your n now?" He asks, and it feels like he has something more to say, like there is something hidden between the words, a reason for his curiosity that makes my rm bells go off.

    "I n to catch Ezrah and ensure the

    el.ne

    egg is returned." I say, feeling more guard around Dean than I have before. He seems to weigh my answer, his mouth opening and closing before it presses together in a tight line of indecisions. "Dean, why do you ask?" Content, belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    "Do you still want to die, Hayes? At the end of all of this, is your goal to die in this battle and leave us with the remains to deliver to our Alpha?" He asks,ing to a halt.

    I stop walking as I turn to look at him, my hands on my hips as I shake my head and look at the mud where my feet sink into an inch of water, the drops sending tiny waves through the small puddle.

    for a moment, it''s like I can see clearly, a solid moment where my grief and anger don''t cloud my judgment and I understand now why no one has felt a sense of urgency to find Ezrah the way I have.

    "Merikh set you up to this, didn''t he?" I ask, my chest burning with an unfamiliar feeling of regret as my self hatred grows. Dean clears his throat and looks away as I lift my gaze and scowl at him.

    ¡°Alpha Merikh...expressed concerns," he says after a moment and I dryly chuckle, pacing away from him as I lick my lips and smile at no one but myself.

    "So this whole time, all along, you have been what...? Ensuring I don''t find Ezrah because you are worried I will kill myself?" I scoff.

    "No!" Dean says firmly, his face full of truth as I realize the others havee back for us.

    "Then what? Merikh asked you to watch me for him? Hmm? Make sure I don''t allow myself to die?" I scoff.

    Dean nces behind me and I spin to see that no one will make eye contact with me. Nisha rubs the back of her neck and Koda clears his throat.

    ¡°I see,¡± I say, defeated and betrayed. Two years with this group, two years and now their asionalziness makes sense. The need to find Ezrah has always been there, but the urgency has only recentlye.

    "We have never done anything to keep us from finding him, but it worked in our favor when you didn''t want a tracker...In a way, we thought it was you subconsciously not wanting to die," Nisha says in a small voice.

    "Noted," I clip out. "What happens after we aplish our mission concerns none of you. We will Find Ezrah and do what we must in order to end the war for our kinds sake. That is the mission. That is all any of you need from me."

    There is a silent stare off between everyone and me before Kyra clears her throat and points northeast.

    "I think we should head that way." She says and after a long moment, everyone seems to agree as they turn and walk in that way.

    I stay behind, collecting myself andThis text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    my thoughts It shouldn''te as a shock for me that Merikh informed them of my wish to die, and it

    net

    wouldn''t be a shock to them either. ones I thought had a st

    selected my group, I took the

    tomine, ones that would understand

    I have nothing left to live for. Content

    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

    Even in my moments of rity where I realize the errors of my misced emotions towards my only family, I still don''t want to be here anymore. My intentions have not changed because my brother''s Alpha order remains fully intact.

    I can not allow myself to die unless it happens naturally. Since he refuses to put me on the front lines, this was the closest I could get, and even here he has his pawns ensuring I fail at my one true mission.

    My death.

    ¡°Hayes,¡± Kyra says softly next to me, making me jolt in surprise.

    "Are you going to question my motives, too?" I ask her and she tilts her head, a sadness in her eyes.

    "No, just letting you know we should try to catch up with them. That''s all." She gives me a gentle, encouraging smile, and yet behind it I can see pain.

    I am not the only one living with the agony of survivors'' guilt. Is that the reason she epted this mission? Has she been lying and have the same idea as I did? Die in a battle to save ourselves the punishment from the heavens for destroying our gift of life?

    "You''re not going to lecture me on wanting to die?" I scoff at her as I follow the path of the others. Sheughs, light and yet eerily hollow.

    "Nah, I promised I wouldn''t bicker

    with you anymore. Which basically means I have to avoid you." She

    says, her tone changing to a moreet

    cheerful one. "I really enjoy bickering with you. It''s like I am getting you back for all the times you strong armed me into doing things I hated." Content belongs to

    NovelDrama.Org

    "Like what?" I ask her, shocked she ever felt that way.

    "Like when you used to make me eat lemon bars with you?" She scrunches her nose, her freckles dancing on her delicate skin as I swallow a lump in

    my throat and look away.

    "You like lemon bars." I remind her, and she clicks her tongue against her teeth.

    ¡°No, Hayes, YOU like lemon bars. I just liked you."

    I can''t help but break into a smile, holding onto a secret that I don''t think I can ever tell her. Lemon bars are my least favorite food on the pl. All that time I was convinced it was her favorite, so I always had it made for her by the pack cook.

    And now, at the strangest time in the world, I find myself craving that tangy sweet vor on its buttery cookie, just so I can have a moment with her like we used to. Just one more time before our inevitable parting.

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