《Mated To The King鈥檚 Gamma By Jessica Hall》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Abbie This was it. Alpha Brock would finally put an end to my misery today. I turned eighteen a few weeks ago, though I was surprised he didn¡®t jum p to put me down that very day. Death was the least of my fears, no, my biggest was being put up for auction and being sold to the butcher. Vile man, despicable. I shudder at the thought and suck in a deep breath, trying to slow my racing heart. I would kill myself before I ever let myself be ced in his hands. Doyle would not have me, no he would not be allowed to vite me further, and I knew Ivy would understand. She knew the pain he caused me, though we never spoke of it. Yet even she knew what he did. If only she hadn¡®t climbed on that chair next to me, the rope would have held my weight and my misery would have ended that fateful day. Although the very thought of leaving Ivy with the headmistress, Mrs. Daley, made bile rise up my throat. Wicked old bitch, I couldn¡¯t stand her. Especially after what she just did to us. My back stung, but I knew the markings thatshed my skin was nothingpared to the whi pping Ivy just got. All because she gave us too many chores, more than usual king was visiting today. As if we cared he would just be another to torment us if given the chance. I flinch as I ce the rag doused in medicinal herbs on her skin. She tried not to move or cringe, but I k new it must be burning like crazy. I quickly swipe a stray tear from my cheek, reminding myself it would be over for both of us very soon. Eight horrendous yearster and we would finally be free of this ce, this life and I coul dn¡®t wait. Death. ARTIDE Most would think it morbid to wish for death, but death would be more pleasant than the life we are living in this orphanage. Housed by the very pack that killed our parents, the alpha ughtered them right in front of us mercilessly. Grabbi ng a bandage, I started wrapping it around her torso. Ivy shudders and grips the duvet on the bottom bunk, fisting it trying to hide the pain she was in. I sniffle, trying to stop myself from crying. Goddess knows Mrs. Daley would punish us worse if she saw a tear. LA Once I had finished dressing her wounds I reached for her blouse and helped her pull it on, while un¨C tucking her raven hair as it bunched up inside the blouse. I smiled sadly at her, hoping that the little herbs would help remove some of the pain for her. Ivy swallows and nudges me, taking the leftover rag s and tapping me in a silent message to turn around. Ivy dab¡®s the wounds on my back with a wet cloth to clean them, though mine were more just raised skin and stung a little, hers were deep gashes. When Ivy has finished she squeezes my arm gently and I bull my blouse back on, hissing as my shoulders move. Ivy watches me and silence falls between us. This was it today the Alpha would end us and if I had to go out I was d I had Ivy by my side. I would be lying if I said I wasn¡®t a little scared. It made me wonder if I would be reunited with my parents. Gosh how I missed them. It had been so long I almost forgot what they looked like. Reaching my hand out Ivy ces her calloused one in mine and I look around the orphanage bedroom, the room lined with bunks, for the children we looked after for eight years. I would miss them. I give Ivy¡®s hand a squeeze and she squeezes mine back, but I don¡®t let go as we walk out of the bedroom. We walk up the long corridors, passing each room and it saddens me knowing I would not wake up tom orrow to little faces to clean, and little hands dragging us from our bed to make them breakfast. The children here were the only good thing about this ce. As we passed each room, I hesitated at Tyson¡®s door. I worried who would look after him, he is non¨C verbal and had a severe learning disability that Mrs. Daley refused to have him tested. I worried whether he would get fed or would Mrs. Daley lock him away again like she did when he first came here. He was s uch a sweet boy, just misunderstood. MU Emotions threatened to choke me as I look at his little bed, the little bed I would sometimes climb into in the middle of the night to soothe his night terrors. The little bed filled with his scent. If I wasn¡®t going to my own funeral, I would take him with me, but death was no ce for him. He deserved the world and I hoped one day he would have it at his little fingertips. It took all my willpower to keep walking. This would be thest time we walked these halls, thest time we sa w the little faces we helped clean and the little hands we held. The corridors are silent as we descend t he spiral staircase to the floor below. Yet as we reached the bottom, the weight lifted off me. We were finally free, free of this life and free of Mrs. Daley and I would no longer have to hide whenever the butcher came to drop off meat. I would no longer have to see his face again after today. With that thought in mind I looked at lvy, knowing she wa s feeling the exact same thing as me. We endured enough and today our suffering ended along with ou r lives. ¡°Let¡®s go home,¡± I whispered to her. Ivy pushed on the double doors leading to the small courtyard out front, the porch creaked under our feet and I saw the kids yi ng out the front on the run¨Cdown y equipment. I lost count of the amount of times I have had to patch the kids up after falling from it or pulling splinters from tiny feet and hands. We stepped out into the bitterly cold air though the cold had never re ally bothered me. I spent majority of my life on autopilot anyway, barely feeling anything, but it was one thing I could say Mrs. Daley had taught me. She taught me that emotion gets us nothing. That pain, an d tears won¡®t save us, and she taught me just how easily someone could break another. The day she locked me in that damn basement with the butcher. After that day I learned it was better not to feel just switch it off, it is what it is. The day was overcast, the clouds hiding the sun making it gloomy. The grey clouds were low, and it looked like it would rainter in the day ¨C The kids stop what they¡®re doing and rush over, grabbing and reaching for us, wanting us to y. Tears threaten to bubble and spill but I fight them back looking for my boy and enjoying seeing them onest time when a car pulls up and parks on the curb. It is sleek and ck, the windows tinted so darkly that we can¡®t see who is inside, Yet I don¡®t care because I notic e Tysone over to me. His plushie in his hand, and it was missing an eye that I had sewed on one too many times before giving up. His eyes were ssy. The kids had no idea where we were going yet looking at Tyson¡®s little face I felt he knew; he knew I wasn¡®ting back and seeing the distress on his little face broke my heart as I scooped him up. ¡°Shh, don¡®t cry, don¡®t cry,¡± I whisper, kissing his temple. He was skinny and fit perfectly in my arms. ¡°You be a good boy, try to stay away from Mrs. Daley okay, and wait for Katrina. Katrina is good, remember,¡± I tell him and he nods sa dly, clutching my neck. Ivy brushes her fingers through his hair. Both of us had a soft spot for Tyson, He was only a few days old when his parents were killed and he was a colicky baby, the first year of his life I hardly slept and when I did catch a few moments, it was because he was on my chest and now I was leaving him to this horrid woman. I inhale deeply, soaking in his scent onest time, savoring it as I silently prayed to the moon goddess to not let anything happen to him. 1 Ivy nudges me, telling me we should go, and I ce him down when I notice the car was still parked by the curb. passenger door opens and two men hop out. They are dressed well, in clean crisp clothes, not a hair o ut of ce and looked picture¨Cready. Neither looked like what I would expect so¨C called royalty to look like. Mrs. Daley rushes out in a hurry. She looked like a mutton dressed up as a mb. The old hag had changed into a super tight pencil skirt and blouse, having popped the first two buttons open as if either of these men would be interested in her wrinkling old floppy tits. T hey would look like a golf ball in a sock, I had seen her naked once and I can tell you she had old floppy tits and sported a 70¡®s afro that would need a hedge trimmer. Scarred my eyeballs and Ivy and I snickered about it for weeks afterward. I try not to laugh and let Ivy tug me along to meet Alpha Brock. Mrs. Daley looks over at the two men as they approach the small brick fence surrounding the ce. ¡°You must be?¡± she stops trying to figure out who they are. ¡°I thought the Lycan King wasing today?¡± Mrs. Daley asks, looking slig htly upset. I nod toward them, and Ivy shrug, looking them over. ¡°He couldn¡®t make it, so he sent us instead,¡± says the man who hopped out of the driver¡®s seat. He was tall, dressed in a suit, and had blonde hair that shaped his face. Another man got out of the car behind that one, and he had darke r features. His lips set in what looked like a permanent scowl, and his jaw was clenched tight and hand s fisted at his sides. He stood at the back of his car and lit a smoke and I watched as he dragged back on it and nearly stumbled over my own fee t as Ivy pulled me along. For some reason I found him intriguing, but I shake my head and the thoughts away. There was something dark and sinister about that man. His dark eyes looked me over before his eyes went to mine. The endless pools of darkness stared back at me and he smirked, makin g me tear my eyes away from him and pay attention to where I was walking. Lycans are different from werewolves; they remained upright when they shifted and were more powerful human; I had shifted on my eighteenth birthday and what a horrific experience that was, especially when I was too loud. Lycans, however, are purebloods and lethal beasts. Lycans are also immortal though a dying species, go figure. As we stepped out the gate a man I hadn¡®t noticed before stepped int This manmanded attention, seemingly without trying. His suit did nothing to hide the bulk of muscle away from him, yet Ivy stared back almost mesmerized by him when he cocks his head to the side, watching her. I ¡°We should go.¡± I whisper I didn¡®t want to leave Alpha Brock waiting, he would make our death particrly heinous, and Iv men were looking at her. We walk out the small gate when the man with silver sparkling eyes grips Ivy¡®s arm tuggin I gasped as his eyes flickered. Movement out of the corner of my eyes made me see the man who was smoking toss his cigarette to the gutter a curious his face as he watched the man holding Ivy¡®s arm. ¡°Rogue?¡± The man says, and my grip on her hand tightens, the way he looked at her was as if he wanted to devour her. He turns his attention toward Mrs. Daley and lets her arm go before looking at me and I quickly drop my gaze, as we both duck our heads in submission. The man growls and Mrs. Da way she sneered at lvy. ¡°Yes, sir, they are just on their way. Run along, girls,¡± Mrs. Daley says, and we both nodded and I tug on We made our way into town. This side of the town was run¨C down, and thewns were overgrown, litter filled and clogged the gutters and leaves coated the ground as we walked. Most of the houses had been destroyed by a storm that blew through the town a few months ago, leaving most homes abandoned. There was only one way in and out of this town as it only had only road leading in. The forest surroundin us secluded from any human towns, packs tended to stick to themselves and after years of hiding they eventually forgot about the werewolves and we became folklore or myth. Yet all myths and legends started somewhere and that was usually with a version of tru Both syy and I looked to the forest longingly. If only we could escape. I sighed the only freedom we would get was with Next ChapterContent protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 death and it would be foolish to run though I could see that Ivy wanted desperately to do so. So did I bu t a quick death is what I could live with. If we ran, Alpha Brock would tear us apart piece by piece and personally I believe we had suffered enough. ¡°Come on,¡± I tell Ivy before she gets any ideas. We wouldn¡®t even make it to the forest edge before they caught us. We walked toward the town square and we can hear people in the town ge tting ready for the Alpha. He rarely came to town and had no need to with servants at his beck and call; however, his presence was required today. The Alpha got to decide our fates, and those wishing to join the pack were once a month herded to the square and put on disy. The Alpha decided whether they let you join, cast you out, or killed you. I shuddered at t hest option only because I knew he would put his hand up straight away, and the other option was to be sold. I didn¡®t let my mind even go there. I had my heart set on death. The hustle and bustle echoed loudly as we enter the square as pack members went about their day like we weren¡®t about to be ughtered by their Alpha. When a rogue turns eighteen he gets to choose our fate. It was cruel, and wasn¡®t killing our parents enough for him. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. the Though I knew he would never let us go. Ivy wasn¡®t eighteen yet but once Mrs. Daley dered I would be going before the Alpha she begged and pleaded to have her case heard at the same time. Mrs. Daley said she would see what she could do but only if she did all her chores. For weeks she busted her ass despi te me telling her not to. She wanted to die with me. See we have a pact, it was probably silly but where one goes the other goes, even in death. Mrs. Daley though was all too excited to get rid of us and when the Alpha visited next he Alpha Dean, w ho is Alpha Brock¡®s father, granted Ivy¡®s wish. After today there would be no rogue orphans. Most of the orphans were pack members¡® children that h ad been lost in pack wars. Yet despite everything, I feel grateful that I am able to stand up on the podium with my best friend and have someone to die with. We promised to go where the other went. Though I couldn¡®t imagine a world without Ivy in it, and I suppose she felt the same. She wa s like my sister, we grew up together and I wouldy down my life in a heartbeat for her if I could but sh e would never allow that. She wouldy beside me that how it has always been and always will be. People step away from us as we enter, giving us disgusted looks. Rogues had a particr scent to pac k wolves, alerting them to intruders, and that¡®s how those here in the town square looked at us, with jud ging, unweing gazes. squeeze Ivy¡®s fingers tighter as she slows taking in those around us. People watched as we made our way to the stage and took our seats next to it. The wind was cool and moved my hair in the breeze. Townspeo ple stared at us, spat at our feet, one even kicked my foot as he passed us and I could feel eyes on me which had me nervously ncing around and I found the culprit. I shrivel in my seat hoping he doesn¡®te over, the butcher. Peeking at him he waves and blows me a kiss and I close my eyes, sucking in a deep breath, fighting the memories of what he did to me away, the way he vited me away. It¡®s al most over, Abbie, almost over and we will be free, I remind myself. My wolf sense could pick up his pungent scent from here and I tried to not let it in, tried to stop it from a ssaulting my nose. Silence falls over the crowd of busy shoppers and those that came to just watch our fates. Everyone rushed to take their seats. Usually, the town square was an open space, but someone had lined rows of chairs for people, some still standing around when I heard car doors in the distance before Alpha Brock walked down the aisle between the chairs. He looked to be in his thirties and only took over from his father a few years ago. He was cruel, and since he took over, no rogue has lived, so we knew we were doomed. We were outsiders and apparently, that was good enough reason to hate rogues. It was instantly assumed that without a pack rogues were unsafe or are defiant against pack hierarchy. I swallow as he approaches; he sneers at us before walking up the steps and addressing the crowd. He wasn¡®t bad looking, but he was cruel, which made him deeply unappealing. He was arrogant nothing would ever ruin me like that day did, the day Mrs. Daley sold me to him. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 3 Chapter 3 The Alpha calls us up to the stage and the butcher snickers as he takes a front¨C row seat. I refused to look at him, focusing on the small cafe that had blue and white little umbres out the front. ¡°Ah, choices. Now, what should I do with these filthy rogues?¡± The Alphaughed. He knew exactly wh at he was going to do with us. He was just taunting and dragging the inevitable out. I clutch Ivy¡®s fingers when the Alpha grabs her arm and tears her away. My lip quivers and Alpha motions to the butcher as he climbs the stairs, and I felt hi s presence behind me as he yanked the hessian bag over my head like the Alpha did to Ivy. ¡°Brock, let me keep this one,¡± the butcher says, gripping my shoulders behind me and my entire tenses . Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What do you want her for?¡± ¡°She has a tight ass,¡± he says, squeezing my shoulders as his hands trailed down my arms and I was t hankful for the hessian bag, so I didn¡®t have to see him touching me. Knowing was bad enough and I d on¡®t think I could handle seeing his face as thest thing I saw before I died. The Alpha huffs, ¡°No, I want them gone, besides you can have any of the girls at the brothel. Why would you want rogue pussy?¡± I hear hi m tell the butcher and I let out a breath of relief.. The butcher makes a strange noise behind me before I felt him bump his crotch against my ass. All you baby, god you make me hard,¡± he whispered before shoving me away and tears spilled down my cheeks. The Alpha gave his usual speech about what a great Alpha he was and how the pack would thrive without a rogue presence here to tarnish this great little town before he handed down his sentence. The relief i felt upon hearing it was like no other. ¡°I now sentence you both to death by beheading,¡± the Alpha says, his voice ringing out loudly across th e crowd. The crowd cheers and eptance settles over me, and the tension leaves my body. Finally. Blindly, I reach out and find Ivy¡®s hand and I clutch her fingers, letting her know I was right beside her a nd we would go together. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. They don¡®t deserve your tears,¡± I whisper to her, hoping she heard me. She must have because she squeezes my fingers back and tames her emotions. The Alpha rips her away from me and I had to stop the whimper that tried to escape me. I could just se e through the hessian bag enough to see him shoving her over the stone block. I swallowed. I wanted t o go first. I didn¡¯t want to witness her death. Calm, Abbie, it will be over soon, I tell myself. The sound of the de dragging across the stone makes my teeth ache and I clench them, trying to sto p the tears that were now freely flowing down my face and dripping onto my chest. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± a deep voice that made the crowd go silent filled the air. I held my breath trying to peer out the tiny gaps of the hessian bag before hearing a collective gasp. ¡°Putting this rogue out of its misery,¡± Alpha Brock says. ¡°She is not even of legal age for this. Free her now,¡±es the voice, loud and clear, his aura menacin g and stronger than any werewolf aura. ¡°Under whose authority do you have the right to demand that of me?¡± Alpha Brock asks, the sword slidi ng off the stone block and hitting the ground. ¡°Are you questioning me, Alpha? I assure you, if you don¡®t heed my warning and let her go, I will be forced to take your life. Now free her and hand her over to me now,¡±es the voice, only this time I fe el a rush. The stranger¡®s aura bursts out of him, and I hear the Alpha take in a sharp breath and my knees shake and pain ricochets up my spine under the pressure of it, i bite my lip trying to stop the pain spearing me in ce. ¡°Lycon,¡± Alpha Dean gasped, and the pressure lifts a little but remained, *Correct, and it is about time you recognized your superior, Alpham the man says. ¡°Packw says we are allowed to decide how we choose to handle the rogues,¡± the Alpha tries to argue . ¡°Yes, rogues of age, she has no wolf, or I would have sensed it. Now free her,¡± the voice says, getting closer and the Alphaughs nervously. ¡°You have no authority here. This is my pack,¡± Alpha Brock stammered. Idiot, I thought. Lycans rule, the y are the superior species, and my Alpha was treading dangerously into uncharted territory. Despite bei ng the Pack Alpha, Lycans, no matter their status, overrule any werewolf and could do whatever they liked. ¡°You dare speak to a Lycan like that?¡±es another voice, though this man¡®s voice was deeper, his tone oozing authority, and his aura made me whimper before I could stop it. The silence was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. His aura was ev en stronger, and I forgot how to breathe under it. I thought the pain was bad before, but this was somet hing else and if I was frozen in ce under it I knew I would be on the ground writhing in agony. ¡°1, King Kyson, order you to free her now!¡± the deep voice sounds threatening, despite how calm he spoke. Alpha Broc k whimpered before the sword falls from his hands, nging loudly on the wooden stage beside us. Fo otsteps moved up the steps before I felt a presence move behind me and over to where Ivy was, yet the auraing out of whoever it was made me tremble violently. ¡°You dare speak out against my Beta. Who do you think you are?¡± the voice booms loudly. His anger made his aura stronger and my knees hit the ground hard, my kneecaps feeling like they wer e about to split down the middle. The air suddenly sucked from my lungs and I was suffocating under it. I hear movement and a whimper as Ivy is dragged off stage and a tear slips down my face. At least she would be saved and free of this ce. It was clear the man only wanted her and that was reassuring, t hough I hoped it wasn¡®t with ill intentions. Suddenly the pressure is lifted when the man drops his aura for a few seconds nothing remained but im prable silence when the Alpha growled on stage. My startled shriek was loud as Alpha Brock grabbed me in his tight grip dragging me toward the stone block. He bends down and snatches his sword from the ground and shoves me over the block. I close my eyes, this was it, I was going home, I let out breath waiting for the sword to slice through my neck. ¡°No,¡± I heard Ivy cry out. It¡®s okay lvy, I thought to myself, just go and live. I never wanted her to die with me, I wouldn¡®t be a good friend if I did. ¡°Please, please don¡®t let him kill her,¡± she begged someone, and I worried she would get herself in trouble. ¡°Please, just let him kill me. I want to be with her,¡± lvy begged, and tears burned my eyes at her words. ¡°Stop, I want the other girl too.¡± his voice booms, and I gasp. ¡°Hand the girl over. You heard the King¡± the King¡®s Beta says. Alpha Brock growls but grabs me, hauling me to my feet, but he shoves me down the steps and I stumble before hitting someone. Hands gripped my arms and whoever it was growled at the Alpha. The hessian bag is suddenly lifted off my head and my eyes instantly go to search for Ivy, she was by another man who was watching her, I didn¡®t understand the look in his gaze but I understood her expression, relief and I rushed to her. I throw myself at her, clutching her. Ivy squeezed me and I couldn¡®t help the tears. I wanted death, and this man wanted her, but where would that leave me now? Would I be cast away without lvy, death I could handle, but the unknown without her I couldn¡®t? ¡°Thank you.¡± I whispered, though I wasn¡¯t sure if I should thank him yet, still I bare my neck to him and he nods once before his eyes fall back on Ivy. ¡°Follow me,¡± he says. Turning on his heel, he starts walking. I look at Ivy before his Beta stops next to us. ¡°You heard the King, follow him,¡± the man says, looking at us both on the ground, though his words were soft, which 1 didn¡®t expect of him. We scramble upright, rushing after him and ignoring the shocked looks of the town¡®s people, We follow the King back to the orphanage and Ivy looked arou nd nervously and so did I, What did he want with us or her anyway? The only reason I am here is that she begged him to spare me. The King walks rather qui ckly; we have to jog to keep up with him. His Beta follows behind us a few steps before we stop. Mrs. D aley was standing out the front and rushes over, staring with her mouth open, gaping at us. ¡°Hurry up, girls. Get inside,¡± she says, clearly shocked, but she recovers herself quickly. We go to do wh the King opens the car door of his sleek ck car and steps into Ivy¡®s path. He grips her arm, stopping her from passing him. ¡°Get in,¡± he says, and we stop. I clutched Ivy¡®s arm tightly while Ivy¡®s fingertips hold the side of my shirt, ¡°Your friend cane, but you areing with me, so get in the car. I don¡®t like repeating myself,¡± he says to her sternly. I swallow, worried she would anger him. ¡°Gannon, sir, may I ask what is going on?¡± Mrs. Daley speaks up. ¡°No, you may not,¡± the King snaps, but I could have sworn he said his name was Kyson. She went to speak again when the Beta spoke behind us as we climbed in the car. ¡°Be wise to close your mouthdy, the King doesn¡®t like to repeat himself,¡± his Beta warns. ¡°King?¡± she squeaks, as I slide across the leather seat. ¡°Yes, King Kyson,¡± the Beta confirms, and she drops her head. Instead, the King pays her no attention. He reaches inside the car and leans over Ivy. Instinctively i lean away from him, but he only pulling on some straps and clipping it in beside her waist. ¡°Seatbelts,¡± he says before pointing to the other beside me. I quickly copied what he did and clipped it in. Ivy looked at me and I stared out the window to find the man who was smoking leaning against the car door beside me and I quickly nce away. The King speaks to his men outside the car, and I nervously nce around. ¡°What¡®s going on?¡± I whisper before tangling my fingers through Ivy¡®s and dragging her hand onto my ¡°Maybe they are casting us out¡± Ivy whispered. I squeeze her fingers when the Beta gets in the driver¡®s seat, and the King in the passenger seat. The car starts and then moves and I clutch my seat in panic and identally squeeze Ivy¡®s fingers too t Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 4 Chapter 4 The drive to the castle was long, and I fell asleep along the way, only to be awoken by Ivy as we pulled up. She shook my arm, jostling me awake to my surroundings to find we had stopped. The castle was something out of fairy tales, and for a few moments, I forgot about the man who had got in the car with us after the King became annoyed and pul led over. It was the man I had seen smoking earlier. He was quiet and didn¡®t say much, but it gave me a chance to look at him. He had dark hair and equally dark eyes, or maybe that was just because of the dim lighting with the tinted wind ows. He was built big and had sharp features. His lips were full and seemed to sit in a permanent frown. I wondered briefly if he ever smiled, if this cold stony face was his usual demeanor, and if it suited his personality. One thing for sure was he was a man of few words. He didn¡®t speak, just stared off. His job was clearly to watch us, not tell us where we were going. Howe ver, neither of us was willing to ask either. Ivy, I knew, was focused on her breathing as she tried to find afortable positio n to sit in without ripping apart her wounds more. I offered her my shoulder so she could press hers against it, so she didn¡®t have to lean back agai nst the hard leather chair, though every movement she made. He watched, scrutinizing her every move or twitch. His scent filled the space we were in though it didn¡®t creep me out the way the butchers did. His scent was rich, yet the smell of cigar ette smoke hung heavily in the air along with a smoother fragrance underlying it, kind of how the forest smelled after it rained. He remained so silent, and a few times I was startled when he moved, having forgotten h e was there sitting across from us, which was ridiculous because the man was huge, still he just stared. Yet once we had been driving for a few hours and I realized he wasn¡®t going to murder us, I dozed off until Ivy woke me. It was the first time he spoke, and it was to her. He asked which of us were injured though I had a funny feeling he already knew, though when Ivy hissed in pain, he seemed to be angered after she denied it. Neither of us knew how to answer, so used to the punishments Mrs. Daley would give us, we didn¡®t know how to respond. However, once we got out of the car, he quickly spoke to the King, who said he would handle it. Ivy had nced at me just as unsure as I about what to expect. I kind of expected the King to dump us on the side of the road, so why would he bring us to his home? Either that or kill and dispose of us along the way. Either I would have been okay with. Anything is better than the unknown. Yet, following the King, we were introduced to the head woman in charge of the servants. I looked at Ivy, unsure of what was happening. rice seemed nice, but most people do until you get to know them, know their intentions, and if one thing I learned over the years is no one¡¯s intentions were ever pure in nature. The King even proved that when he forced Ivy to change in front of him, I half expected him to order me to be killed when I begged for her. Though it shocked me when he tended to her wounds, I could tell Ivy did not know how to react, and neither did I. Seeing him care for a rogue¡¯s wounds, who he made a servant look absolutely bizarre, yet if it helped her, I wasn¡¯t going to question. I did, however, question rice when we were separated. ¡°Can¡¯t I stay with Ivy?¡± I asked, watching as Ivy walked in a different direction. ¡°No, the King asked for her specifically, ¡°Why?¡± I blurted before I could stop myself. rice didn¡¯t answer, and I dropped my gaze as she showed me to the other side of the castle. Most of the day was spent in the kitchens while rice showed Ivy where she was being ced, and now I was being led to new quarters, though I instantly became nervous when I found out it was for the Beta. I hoped to stay with the other female servants, and learning only the Beta and the King¡¯s guard resided on this side of the castle made me nervous, knowing I would be surrounded by only men. rice had exined to me it was the closest quarter to Ivy, yet it felt further away than the servants¡¯ quarters. We climbed the stairs to what appeared to be some sort of loft. ¡®This is Beta Damian¡¯s room. You won¡¯t have to do much, Beta Damian is quite clean and hardly stays here, mainly just changes and leaves, yet the floor below you will be in charge of cleaning, but stay out of everyone¡¯s rooms, especially the far two¡± rice exins, showing me around the quaint room. It had a bathroom and wardrobe, yet the Beta didn¡¯t seem to have much in the way of belongings besides clothes. Everything was clean, and the bed looked unslept. Heavy dark blue drapes hung from the windows, and a huge white rugy on the floor, not a speck of dust in sight. Was I expected to keep it this clean, or was rice right that he hardly came here because the ce definitely didn¡®t look lived in? In fact, it almost looked empty. When she showed me around, she took me back down the stairs, and twelve doors lined the floor before a separate area with a small sitting room containing three armchairs, a TV, and some artwork before two more door¡®s right at the very end. ¡°Now, the other rooms you can clean except these two. Don¡®t go into these two rooms unless asked and maybe stay away from that onepletely. Liam can be a little unhinged at the best of times,¡± ¡°Liam?¡± ¡°Oh, you won¡¯t see much of him. The man is as silent as night, but this one,¡± she points to the other door. ¡°Gannon likes his privacy. You met him in the car earlier,¡± rice says, and I nod. So his name was Gannon. I hadn¡®t paid much attention to names beside rice¡¯s since she was in charge of us. ¡°Gannon is moody and temperamental, so steer clear and don¡®t speak unless spoken to,¡± rice says. Well, I had no intention of speaking to anyone of the opposite sex, so that was okay with me. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°So, how many people stay in these quarters?¡± ¡°Just the King¡¯s guard, so Beta Damian and the King¡®s Gamma¡®s,¡± ¡°Shouldn¡®t there only be one Gamma?¡± I ask her, trying to remember how the pack hierarchy worked. ¡°All the King¡¯s guards are Gamma¡¯s, but they still have rankings. Gannon is third in charge, while Dustin and Liam lead together as fourth. It depends on the trials; those I mentioned are the highest ranking in the royal guard. Trey is a little touchy so try to avoid him too, but the reste and go depending on their shifts, but yes, they are all Gammas. The only ones you need to worry about are Beta Damian, Gannon, and Dustin. They will probably be the main ones you run into.¡± ¡°And I should avoid all of them,¡± rice nods. Great, not only was I the only female, all the men on this floor appeared to be unapproachable and anti-social. Great! ¡°So everything is understood? I need to get back to the kitchens, rice asks, and I nod. ¡°Great, well, dinner is at 6 pm for the servants, so make sure to head down then, and your room is this one,¡± she says, wandering down the hall. She points to the door we didn¡®t go in which I assumed was a cleaning closet, so I have to clean this floor and share it with the men here. I would have preferred the bunked servants¡¯ quarters. int rice cups my cheek with her hand. ¡°You¡¯ll do great. They are a friendly bunch. Just stay out of their way,¡± she says before turning. ¡°Wait, when can I see Ivy?¡± I asked, and rice stopped. ¡°When the King allows it,¡± rice says, and my brows furrow. Wait, what was the King doing with her? Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Two days passed, and I hardly saw Ivy, seeing her in small intervals here and there. The King kept her ridiculously busy and spending so much time in these quarters was boring. The men on this floor were hardly here, and I found myself hoping they were just so I had something to clean. My days are turning repetitive and bing a constant. Mopping floors that were never dirtied or wiping non¨Cexistent dust. Filling my mop bucket, I dropped in some cleaning chemicals and grabbed my mop. I struggled under the weight of the sloshing water as I made my way from theundry, passing rice in the kitchens, who was busy making lunches, and out to the foyer. Water sloshed over the sides, spilling onto the floors, and I c ursed as I set the bucket down before using the mop to clean up the mess I had made on the steps. With a groan, I reached for the bucket, only I found a hand to grab it for me; I had no idea where he ca me from and didn¡®t even hear hime up the step behind me. He grabbed the bucket and started walk ing up t he steps. He said nothing, and I nced at Gannon, who didn¡®t even look back and continued carry ing the heavy bucket to his quarters before setting it down on the top step. ¡°Thank you,¡± I called after him, but he didn¡®t even acknowledge the words that left my lips just kept walk ing toward his bedroom. I watched him slip into his room and close the door. With a sigh, I started scru bbing the clean floors. I didn¡®t see hime back out of his room, and the floor was so quiet I was sure he must have slipped past at some point. rice sent lunch up with Ester and some lunch for me. She had blonde hair, and her servant¡®s uniform was a little too tight. Sometime s when she bent over, I could see her ass cheeks poking out from the bottom. I thought it a little inappropriate given how many men lurkedN?velDrama.Org content rights. around here, though they didn¡®t seem to mind her half¨Cd body and her boobs busting out the top. She thrust a ted sandwich at me. ¡°Here, I haven¡®t got all damn day. Some of us have real work to do,¡± she snapped at me. I set my dust brushed down and reached for the sandwich when she dropp ed the te. I didn¡®t understand what her problem was. It was clear she didn¡®t like Ivy and me. The entir e castle heard about her ranting and raving about Ivy taking her job. Yet I had done nothing to her. The te shat ters on the ground, and she huffs. ¡°Fucking clumsy half-breeds, seriously get it together,¡± she snaps, sashaying her hips as she walks off. I sighed, grabbing the dustpan and bro om to clean up the broken ss. ¡°Ester!¡± a booming voice growled behind me, making the woman stop. Her entire body tensed as she r eached the stairs. Footsteps behind me had me peeking over my shoulder to see who it was, and I was startled to see that Gannon was still up here. I for sure thought he had snuck out when I returned the m op bucket to theundry. His footsteps stopped beside me, and I peered up at him to find his imposing body standing be side me. Instinctively, I shied away from his anger and swallowed, dropping my gaze back to the task at hand. ¡°Yes, Gannon,¡± Ester purred in a sickly sweet voice. I rolled my eyes, and it was clear the woman was a power¨Chungry whiny brat. I pick up the ruined sandwich, dumping it in my little bucket before grabbing the dust broom when it is snatched from my hand, making me jump. He grabbed my arm and hauled me up right as I looked up to find him holding it. ¡°Clean it up.¡± Gannon growls at her. The order rolling off him made my knees buckle, but his grip on my arm kept me upright as my legs threatened to go out under hismand. Gannon held the dust broom out to Ester, and I gasped. Ester pins me with a re that threatens to set me on fire before pursing her lips. Yet even Ester didn¡¯t appear to want to challenge this man as she stalked forward and snatched it from him before bending down to clean up the broken ss. Her ass cheeks poked out from under her skirt, and Gannon growled, making me look at him to see him look away from her. His grip on my arm tight ened as he pulled me away from her. ¡°And fucking find a longer dress. No one wants to see your ass on disy,¡± Gannon snarled at Ester as he pulled me toward the stairs. I swallowed, wondering if I was in trouble because he still hadn¡®t let my arm go. Was he taking me to rice to tell her of my clumsiness? Unease pooled in my stomach as he trudged down the steps. . ¡°I¡®m sorry, I didn¡®t mean to,¡± I told him when he stopped on the steps. He looked at me and seemed to realize he still held my arm. ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered, letting me go. I stood awkwardly while his eyes ran the length of me before his gaze settled back on mine.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡®t let her speak to you like that. Ester can be a bitch, but she holds no more authority in this castle than any other servant, so don¡®t put up with it, or she will walk all over you,¡± he said, and I nced back up the stairs. Did he not realize I was only a werewolf? She definitely held more authority than me and could rip me to shreds. I was not stupid enough to cause confrontation, especially with a Ly can. ¡°Come on,¡± he says, and my brows furrow, but I don¡®t move. I was stationed to remain in the Beta¡¯s qua rters. ¡°Now, Abbie,¡± Gannon calls as he steps down a few steps. ¡°But I have to,¡± ¡°I said now,e on,¡± he says, stopping and looking at me expectantly. I chew my lip, wondering wher e he is taking me, but I know better than to refuse. I follow him, and he leads me to the kitchens, where he gives me a nudge through the doors ahead of him, where rice looks up at me. ¡°Finished already, dear,¡± she smiles before her brows furrow when Gannones in behind me. Her eyes widened, and rice wiped her hands on the tea towel she was using. ¡°Gannon Love, I am sure whatever she did,¡± rice quickly defends me, but he says nothing, stepping past me and walking toward the pantry. rice rushes over to me. ¡°You didn¡®t go into any of the forbidden areas ?¡± she whispers, and I shake my head when he returns with bread and condiments. He points to a stool beside him. ¡°Abbie, sit!¡± he says, and rice and I look at him before she quickly nudges me to do what he asked. My hands shook as I used the bench to climb up onto the high stool. I sit there ying with my fi ¡°Everything alright, son,¡± rice asks, touching his shoulder. ¡°Fine, ma,¡± he says to her, pulling bread out from the bag when Esteres in, dumping the dustpan an broom in the cleaning cupboard. Gannon growls at her. ¡°You can finish mopping the entire floor and take Abbie¡®s duties for the day,¡± Gannon says to her with ou he doesn¡®t even look up at her. ¡°Either that or I will make you shovel shit with Peter in the stables, Ester, so choose,¡± Gannon says, and she huffs but storms out. rice looks after her and nces between Gannon and me. I shrug, unsure what to make of it, when Gannon sets a BMT sandwich in front of me, cutting it in half before cutting his own. ¡°Eat,¡± he says, tapping the te and rice nods to me, and Gannon takes the other stool beside me, eating his own sandwich. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ¡°Is Ester being troublesome?¡± rice asks, going back to drying dishes, and Gannon grunts as an an swer and rice sighs. ¡± ¡°Well, since you are free then, Abbie, you might as welle into town with me,¡± rice says, and I stop mid-bite. ¡°Is that allowed?¡± I asked her, shocked that I could leave the castle grounds. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°Yes, why wouldn¡¯t it be? You¡¯re not a prisoner here,¡± riceughed, shaking her head while I stared at her in confusion. Wait, I could leave the castle grounds? It made no sense that a rogue servant could come and go. ¡°I am off for a few hours. I wille with you,¡± Gannon says with a shrug, and rice looks at him. ¡°You want toe grocery shopping with us?¡± rice asks. ¡°Or you can give me the list, and I will take her,¡± Gannon says, finishing thest bite of his sandwich be fore taking his te to the sink. rice watches him before she shrugs. ¡°Works for me. I wanted to send Ester, but seeing as she is now preupied and you¡¯re willing, you can go with Abbie.¡± I watched as she retrieved a pen and paper; she scribbled on it and handed it to me before handing me a keycard. I had seen one before but never used one. Mrs.Daley usually sent us with a list into town but never gave us money. The townspeople would just take the list and bill her at the end of the month. ¡°Just grab these things. They weren¡¯t on the delivery,¡± rice says with a sigh. She held the list out to me, and I took the list and nced at her cursive writing and gulped. I chewed my lip, wondering if I should tell her I couldn¡¯t read it, yet I didn¡¯t want to embarrass myself. So I remained quiet, and I figured I could just ask the clerk at the store. I put the list in my apron pocket as Gannon walks off toward the doors before stopping and waiting for me. ¡°Are you sure I can leave?¡± I whispered to rice, not wanting to get in trouble with the King. He was the one that put me on that floor, so I could be close to Ivy, yet I hardly saw her. ¡°Gannon is with you. And as I said. You¡¯re not a prisoner here, Abbie. If you want to go to town, you only have to ask,¡± rice says, confusing me. ¡°Abbie,¡± Gannon says, and I hurry over to him, not wanting to anger him. Gannon leads me out of the castle, and I follow a few steps behind him. ¡°I¡¯m not walking. Come on. I will drive us,¡± he says, gripping my arm and leading me to some garages at the back of the stables. He rummages in a little cupboard full of keys before finding the ones he was after. | pause, watching as he moves toward a car. It made me nervous about getting in the car with him. Not that I had any reason to be, and rice knew where I was and who I was with, yet unease crept over me at the thought of being in a confined space with the intimidating man. He opens the driver¡¯s side door before ncing at me. ¡°Abbie?¡± he says, and I chew my lip before he sighs, walking over to me. ¡°I don¡¯t bite,¡± he says, ¡®grabbing my hand, and I pull away from him. His brows furrow. I knew these sorts of niceties, and they always led to some expectation. I knew that better than anyone. The butcher was nice at first, then he started stealing touches, then forcibly taking them until Mrs. Daley told me if I didn¡¯t help him in the basement, she wouldn¡¯t let us eat, promising us food if I just helped him. Panic courses through me. Is that why he was being nice? rice said to steer clear of him, so I found it odd he was trying to be near me. What were his intentions? ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you,e on,¡± he says, stepping away and toward his car. He walks around the other side and opens the passenger door. ¡°Abbie, please get in the car,¡± he says, and I nce at the roller door leading in. Briefly wondering what my chances of escape were, yet even I knew it would be pointless. If I upset him, what if that got Ivy in trou ble? So I reluctantly did as he asked. Gannon shut the door behind me, and I jumped at the bang of it before he walked around the other side and climbed in. | nced around his car to notice duct tape, rope, and some other equipment that made my heart race faster. You idiot Abbie, I should have run. My fingers trembled as I reached for the door handle as he start ed the car. The movement did not go unmissed by the man, who quickly looked at me before following my gaze to the things on the floor. Gannon leaned over, snatching the crowbar up from the footwell just as I clicked the door handle. His hand falls on my knee, and my lip quivers as I look at him to find him staring at me. ¡°Sorry, I should have checked the car beforehand,¡± he says, leaning down and snatching up the rest of the stuff in the footwell. My hands trembled as he gathered the things in his arms before opening his door. ¡°Just work equip ment,¡± he says, getting out and moving toward another car where he opens the back door. He tosses the stuff on the back floor while I try to calm my racing heart. What kind of work did he do that required duct tape, rope, and a bloody crowbar? Gannon climbs back in the car. Yet my hand was still on the door handle when he leaned over, pulling my hand away that had a death grip on it. He sets my hand in myp before quickly closing the door. ¡°You spook easily,¡± he mutters more to himself. I watched him as he clipped in his seat belt and turned his attention back to the front. I fiddled with my fingers as he pulled out of the garage while ying with the radio. ¡°Do you like music?¡± He asked, and I nodded, chewing on my fingernails. I know it was a terrible habit, but I foundfort in it while he found a station he liked. I stared out at the scenery as he drove. The drive to town was awkward and silent, and I hadn¡¯t noticed I had chewed one cuticle from my fingertip with my nervousness until Gannon stopped the car and snatched the hand I was chewing on, and made me jump. The man curses under his breath. He growls, holding my hand up and examining it while I gasped at what I mindlessly had done, not real izing I had chewed it entirely down to the flesh beneath. He clicks his tongue and curses before reaching into the glove box, where he pulls out a tissue. Gannon wraps it around my fingertip, holding pressure on it. ¡°You didn¡¯t feel that you had bitten it off?¡± He asked. Disapproval is clearly on his face. I don¡¯t answer. I hardly felt pain, especially mediocre pain like that. It was merely a flesh wound, and it would heal quickly enough. He checked my finger, and it had stopped bleeding. He pocketed the bloody tissue and shook his head before climbing out of the car. We had pulled up at some kind of general store, and I quickly climbed out of the car just as Gannon reached my door. I step away from him instantly, putting space between us. ¡°You got your list?¡± He asked, and I nodded, pulling the folded piece of paper from my apron. He nods, walking ahead and opening the ss shop door. A bell sounds as we enter, and I see aisles of stock lining the store and a friendly enough looking woman behind the counter. The woman says hello to Gannon be fore waving him over. ¡°Hey, Leisha,¡± he says, nudging me toward the aisles and passing me a basket. I take it while he wan ders off to speak with the friendly clerk he seems to know. She was an older woman, about rice¡¯s age. I opened the note rice gave me, trying to match the cursive writing to what was written on the prod ucts on the shelves, but after a few minutes, I still hadn¡¯t found a single thing that matched her handwriting when I felt a presence behind me. The warmth of him seeped into my back as he leaned down behind me and peered over my shoulder at my empty basket. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked curiously. Heat flooded my cheeks as I showed him the list. He takes it, looking at it before looking at me. My cheeks burn with humiliation, knowing I had to admit I couldn¡¯t read it, ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t read,¡± I whisper to him, and Gannon seems taken aback. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask? I would have helped you,¡± he whispered, taking my basket and grabbing my hand. Gannon looks at the list before ncing around and dragging me to a different aisle. He reads each thing out, grabbing it from the shelf and cing it in the basket. He had found everything in a matter of minutes before walking back to the counter. The woman scanned and bagged everything before telling me the total. I went to hand the woman the card when Gannon took it from me and tapped some small box on the counter. The woman behind the counter smiled, and Gannon handed me the ca buy smokes while I stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do next. §³§° ¡°We just have to go to one more store, then we can head back,¡± Gannon tells me, and I nod, gathering up the bags, but he swiftly took from my hands. I waved to the woman, and she smiled softly, saying good bye as we walked out to the car. Gannon loads everything into the trunk before grabbing my hand and tugging me across the road to some candy store. ¡°Liam likes licorice, so I might as well grab it while I am here,¡± he tells me and I nod, following him in side the store. A man stood behind the counter with a huge smile on his face. It was clear he knew Gannon, and Gannon knew the store. Gannon leaves me while walking up the back after the man told him what he was looking for was out back. ¡°Are you one of the new servants at the castle?¡± the man asked, and I nodded, chewing my lip as | looked at the color disy of candies when he held a jar out to me. ¡°Try these. I made thesest night,¡± he says, but I shake my head. Mrs. Daley would get so angry if she found out,¡± I thought to myself before remembering she wasn¡¯t here. Still, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ept the offer when Gannon returned. The man frowns when I refuse his offer. ¡°Kyle has won awards for his candies. Try one,¡± Gannon tells me, and I chew my lip before taking one of the sponging red clouds from the jar. It was covered in sugar and smelt delicious. I popped it into my mouth, and an explosion of vor made my mouth salivate. ¡°Good, the man asks?¡± He seemed genuinely interested if I liked his candy. I nod, licking my lips, and Gannon chuckles. ¡°Here,¡± he offers me another one, but I shake my head. ¡°No, thank you, I shouldn¡¯t,¡± I tell him. The man named Kyle seemed disappointed when Gannon set the licorice on the counter. ¡°And the clouds,¡± Gannon tells him. The man nods, bagging them in little paper bags while I wait. We leave the store and go back to the car. I climb in while Gannon puts Liam¡¯s candy in the trunk. Only when he gets in the car does he drop the paper bag of clouds in myp. Before I could look at him, he spoke. ¡°There for you,¡± he says, starting the car. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t have to,¡± I tell him, trying to give them back, but he pushes the bag back toward me. ¡°I know I didn¡¯t have to, Abbie. I wanted to. I could tell you liked them.¡± His words confused me. Did he expect something in return for them? ¡°No, I shouldn¡¯t,¡± I tell him, and he looks at me, confused. ¡°And why is that?¡± he asks, reversing out. I didn¡¯t answer his question was stupid. He knows why. Every one knows why ¡°You didn¡¯t answer,¡± he says, navigating around the streets. ¡°Because I am rogue!¡± I tell him. His brows furrow. ¡°What has being rogue got to do with candy?¡± he asked. ¡°Rogues don¡¯t deserve sweets. We should be grateful we¡¯re allowed to live,¡± I found myself reciting Mrs. Daley¡¯s words before I could stop myself. Gannon growls, making me jump. ¡°Which twit told you that?¡± he demanded. His anger startled me. I lift my hand when Gannon grabs it before I can chew on my thumbnail, not realizing I was about to do it. ¡°Eat the candy, Abbie,¡± he says before he lets go of my hand. I offer him one. ¡°Will you try one?¡± | asked him, feeling odd eating them in front of him as he pulled into the castle grounds. ¡°Are they sour?¡± he asks, and I shake my head. ¡°You haven¡¯t tried them?¡± ¡°No, I mainly go there for Liam¡¯s licorice,¡± he answers as I dig one from the bag for him. Yet instead of taking it from me, he leans over, plucking it from my fingers with his lips, sucking my fingers with it before pulling back. I stare at him, shocked, when heughs, sending me a wink. I chuckle, my face heating as !ugh at his yfulness. He chews on it before swallowing it. ¡°It¡¯s very sugary,¡± he says, licking the sugar from his lips. I offer him the bag, not wanting to lose my fin gers, but he shakes his head, ¡°No, you enjoy them,¡± he says, pulling into the garage. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Gannon I had just dropped Abbie back to the castle and left her with rice when Liam found me. He was lean ing against my door as I walked toward it. ¡°And where were you? I thought we were going to the bar,¡± he asked, pushing off my door frame and twisting the handle and waltzing into my room. I growl at him when he jumps on my bed, making himselffortable. ¡°Something else came up,¡± I told him. Liam picks at my duvet twirling his knife between his fingers and eyeing me suspiciously. ¡°Does it have anything to do with a pretty little redhead I saw you in town with earlier?¡± I looked over my shoulder at him as I grabbed beers from the mini fridge that sat in the corner. I toss him one. ¡°If you already knew where I was, why are you asking?¡± he shrugs, popping the lid off and propping him self up with one elbow. ¡°Just curious, she reminds me of,¡± I growled at him. ¡°Is that part of the allure you seem to have toward her, because she reminds you of your dead mate?¡± Liam says and I eye him swigging from my bottle. ¡°She is nothing like her,¡± Liam shrugs, ¡°That may be true but you must admit they have an uncanny resemnce, don¡¯t you think?¡± he taunted and my hand moved before I realized what I had done, my fingers finding the de I always kept strapped to my hip. It whizzed through air, embedding itself in the bed head beside his head. Liam didn¡¯t even flinch, just lifted an eyebrow at me. ¡°Apparently I¡¯m right,¡± he chuckles, yanking the de from the headboard. ¡°I wonder if sweet little Abbie would enjoy your fetish for knives,¡± he muses, examining it before moving so quickly I only just saw the deing toward my face and caught the de before it hit square be tween the eyes. The edges slicing my palm and fingers as it slid through my flesh, the point just nicking my skin between my eyes.. Liam chuckles, sipping his beer and leaning back against the headboard. ¡°Or are you envisioning carving her up like your mate, slicing that tender flesh and watching her bleed out the way you did her?¡± ¡°Fuck off Liam, you know nothing,¡± I tell him. ¡°Ah, but I do know you and that girl, timid little thing, and so jumpy. Scared of her own shadow she is,¡± ¡°What are you getting at?¡± I snapped, grabbing an old shirt to clean my bleeding hand. Liam shrugs. ¡°Just curious Gan. I don¡¯t want you to break her. Be a shame really, I don¡¯t mind watching her prance around in her little uniform,¡± his words cut off when Iunched myself at him, my hands locking around his throat and he cackled his head off,ughing like a maniac. ¡°Seems I¡¯m right, you like the girl,¡± Liamughs. ¡°I don¡¯t. I took her in town and that is it, for rice,¡± I added. ¡°I can smell lies, but if you wish to tell yourself that, we can pretend,¡± he says, sending me a wink and I growl, shoving him back on the bed before climbing off him. ¡°I took her to town Liam, nothing more,¡± I tell him, wandering off into the bathroom. I wash my hands and shed my clothes to shower. Liam leans on the doorframe, watching me. ¡°If that is so, then why were you by her doorst night and the night before, or better yet, what were you doing watching her from the old guard towers? You know the ones. The ones that look directly in her bed room window?¡± ¡°Exin to me why you are following me?¡± I retorted, turning the water on and stepping under the water spray Turning I look at him as his eyes wandered the length of me. I knew he was bisexual, his sexuality nev er bothered me and I was used to hisments and wandering gaze but he also knew I didn¡¯t swing that way. ¡°Was curious about why you stood me upst night for one, and then this morning and ever since she got here,¡± he shrugs. ¡°Why, jealous Liam?¡± Iugh. ¡°Always, you know. I am not good at sharing,¡± he jokes and I chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t have to share me. I am not interested in the girl,¡± I tell him ¡°We¡¯ll see, though it wouldn¡¯t hurt if you are, as long as it isn¡¯t for nefarious reasons Gannon,¡± Liam says and I swallow. ¡°Yes, she reminded me of my mate, but that isn¡¯t why,¡± I shake my head. I am not interested in her. ¡°I am going to run an errand for the King, join me or don¡¯t,¡± Liam shrugs, ncing out the bathroom win dow toward the forest surrounding the castle. ¡°She is a beauty, though,¡± he mumbles, and I nod. Abbie was beautiful, with her dark auburn hair and soft sensual features. She was small and petite and I liked that about her, liked the way she stared curious ly at everything around her. Like she was deciphering codes, genuinely curious about people yet soft-spo ken. She was an observer that much, I had noticed. She existed without being seen and didn¡¯t like the atten tion, but noticed everyone else, like she was waiting for something to jump out of the shadows at her. ¡°Hasn¡¯t she shifted yet, I could smell she had a wolf?¡± Liam asked curiously, still peering out the win dow and I leaned around to see what he was looking at. Abbie was hanging out washing, yet she stared off vacantly toward the forest. My brows furrowed, and I watched as she stepped toward the trees, looking longingly at them, when I heard rice sing out to her. She rushed back to the clotheslines as if she thought she would get into trouble. ¡°To me it seems she wants to go for a run,¡± Liam says with a shrug, passing me a towel off the rack, his eyes trained on the girl. I swallowed because I noticed she hadn¡¯t shifted since being here and I knew she was of age. It made me wonder what her wolf looked like. ¡°I¡¯ll cover for you, if you wish,¡± Liam offers, but I shake my head, no I needed to get away from here and slicing some poor sucker who was dumb enough to capture the King¡¯s attention. Enough, so it seemed like the perfect excuse to leave. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°No need, I need to get out here,¡± ¡°Out of here or away from her?¡± Liam asks and I growl and he smirks. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you at the car, and I am driving,¡± he says and I huff, but let it slide. Liam was my best friend and the only one that truly knew me. We were alike in more ways than one. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Abbie I stared at the forest surrounding the castle, wishing I could shift and feel the air in my fur and the dirt b eneath my paws. I hardly shifted. Mrs. Daley forbade it. The only time I did was in our room back at the or phanag e and Ivy would keep a lookout, not that Mrs. Daley came up to our room much, so I used toze by th e window where I could see the moon, feel its rays on my fur. I guess that is where the legend came fro m for humans about the moon and werewolves, etc. I felt drawn to the moon and night in general. I use d to imagine what it would be like to roam freely and explore the woods, instead my paws only knew the floor boards of our tiny room. Yet so close to the forest the urge was overwhelming and I took a step toward the forest feeling my bod y tense with the urge to change and realign so I could take my werewolf form. It was freeing the shift, yet also painful because I hardly did it. erew ¡°Abbie!¡± rice calls out to me and I rush back to hang out the towels I was sent out to hang. ¡°Yes,¡± I called back, looking toward theundry door. ¡°Once done,e help me prepare for dinner,¡± I nod to her quickly and quickly finish hanging the wash ing out, wondering if maybe I could sneak out while everyone sleeps to shift before I quickly dismiss the thought. The guards may stumble across me and think I was trespassing. However,ter that night I was sitting on the windowsill looking at the castle grounds below. My skin itc hes with the need to shift, it was a clear night yet as I watched from the window I saw the guards walk i ng the forest edge and sighed. Climbing down, I knew, once again, my only ce of sce with my wolf would be confined to this roo m. Stripping my clothes off, I got to my hands and knees and a violent shudder rippled up my spine and nap and clenched my teeth as my bones started breaking and realigning into position. Hands became paws and skin turned to fur and my nose and face elongated. I was careful not to let my ws scratch the floor as I stood on my hind legs before jumping onto the window ledge sitting nook. I pressed my nose to the ss andid down along the window, wishing I could run through the forest, w ish ing to know what it truly meant to be a werewolf. My mother used to tell me how freeing it felt to run on four legs, to zip through the trees and feel the air and heat blow through her fur, I guess I will never know what that feels like. It was foolish to miss some thing I had never experienced, or probably ever would. I ended up falling asleep on the window ledge, and it wasn¡®t until I heard a knock on the door that I wok e and crashed to the ground with a thud. My entire body shook when I heard the door handle twist and I knew I was going to be caught. Lowering my body to the ground, I tried to fit under the bed, yet my fury body was much too big. Stupid Abbie, how could y ou fall asleep? ¡°Abbie?¡± rice¡®s voice and peer around the edge of the foot of the bed. She gasps and I quickly shift back, reaching for the sheet on my bed to tuck around me. ¡°I¡®m sorry, I promise I was careful I didn¡®t scratch the floors, and I will clean up the fur,¡± I quickly told her, covering myself. rice stares at me, and my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I wondered how man yshes I would get for my stupidity. ¡°You¡®re not in trouble, Abbie. I noticed you didn¡®te down for supper,¡± she says, cing a tray with a piece of pie on the bed. ¡°Sorry, I will get changed ande down,¡± I tell her. She stares at me for a second before nodding and heading toward the door when she pauses just as Gann on and Dustin walk past my door. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°You know, Abbie, if you want to shift, you can go in the woods. Just let the guards know you¡®re out there so they don¡®t think you¡®re a stranger.¡± rice says and I tug the nket tighter when I notice Gan non had stopped and is staring past rice. ¡°It¡®s okay, it won¡®t happen again,¡± I assure her. Her brows furrow, and she looks at Gannon behind her. ¡°I¡®ll take her for her run,¡± Gannon offers, but I wiffle my head. ¡°No, it¡®s fine. I think I will just go shower ande clean up the mess I made,¡± I tell them. Gannon went to say something but clo sed his mouth. With a swift nod he walked off. I let out a breath and rice watched him leave, clearly me shifting inside angered him. ¡°try to get some rest, but if you want to shift, you can go to the woods to do so. I have told you Abbie, you are n¡®t a prisoner here,¡± rice says before leaving me. Yet she says that, but I am not allowed to see Ivy, or go to that floor. I wasn¡®t about to tempt the Lycans by doing something, even i f allowed. Mrs. Daley used to like to y those games, get our hopes up and say we could have a break and the moment we did, she would beat us bloody. Or like the time she said we could eat with the children at the dining table, only to humiliate u s when we sat down with them. She tossed our food on the floor and made us eat like dogs, and after that, when the children would beg for us to sit with them, we never asked again. We were only twelve at the time. We had finally given into the children and thought for once we would ask; it sucked because the kids always asked. We only asked the once because it was Mrs. Daley¡®s birthday and we spent all day preparing the cake and making sure we had an enjoyable meal made for her. We thought maybe if we worked extra hard and made her happy, she would let us join her and the other children. S he had promised us that if we made her favorite chocte mud cake, and cooked a roast we could celebrate with her and try the cake we painstakingly made for her. We were so excited and when the other kids sat down and we served their food, we gathered our own tes. Usually Mrs. Daley gave us whatever scraps the kids didn¡®t eat or sometimes if she thought we were beingzy, she gave the scraps to the pigs and we went without. We had been on our best be havior and she promised, even Katrina was excited for us and helped us bake the cake. Yet as we t ed our food and went to take our seats, she snapped at us. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She snarled, and we both froze and looked at Katrina. ¡°Dogs don¡®t sit at the table,¡± she said, getting up. ¡°I said you could join us because I was feeling generous, but filthy rogues eat like filthy rogues,¡± she said the tes in a pile on the floor. ¡°Now sit and enjoy your meal,¡± she ordered us. The humiliation and sadness at the broken promise near nce at Katrina, we saw her lips quiver, and she tossed her napkin before storming out. I nudged lvy as I went to sit on the floor, Ivy I could tell didn¡®t want to eat it, though the floors were clean daily, yet she red at Mrs. Daley and I had to nudge her, giving her a look to remind her we hadn¡®t eate two days and she had fainted the day prior. Who cares if it was now ruined? We still needed to eat, and Ivy especially. She always got ¡°Please,¡± I whispered to her, nudging her with my elbow. Ivy looked at me and dropped her gaze to the floor befor Looking at the slice of pie on the tray, I wondered if Ivy had eaten and if maybe I could sneak it over to h copped one too many beatings for it, so my conscience gnawed at me with how much I had eaten since being here that Ipletely forgot that Ivy may not have. I quickly got changed scooping up the tr out the door before trying to sneak into the King¡®s quarters. Yet it didn¡®t take long before Trey, one of the guards here spotted m me away. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 9 Chapter 9 The next day The only time I got to see Ivy was in small glimpses or brief, very brief words before being called back f or my chores. However, after finishing the washing, I hung it out. I had woken up extra early this mornin g, hoping to get my chores finished early. I had been building up the courage all day, and now it was ne aring. I was already talking myself out of it. Yet as I set the basket down on top of the empty washer, I wandered into the kitchens to see rice. She was going over staff time rosters, her sses perched precariously on the edge of her nose before she pushed them back with her index finger to the bridge of her nose. Stopping next to her, I nce around at the cooks preparing for dinner, yet even though I knew I had tw o hours before I was needed to be back here, I still hesitated, chewing on the inside of my lip, trying to f ind the words. Yet the entire time, all I could think about was Mrs. Daley¡®s reaction when I asked her and the punish ment I got for my stupidity of thinking now I had shifted, she would allow it. As much as I despised remem bering that ce, I found myself sucked back into the pas t. ¡°Mrs. Daley?¡± I whispered behind her, making her jump as she stood at the kitchen counter sipping the fresh brew I had just made her. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°What is it?¡± she snaps, and I flinch at her bitter tone. Her eyes narrowed at me, and I instantly regret te d thinking of asking for anything. ¡°lum¡­ I wanted¡­. I,¡± I stuttered terribly, trying to get the words out. ¡°What is it? Spit it out before Ish you,¡± she snarls. ¡°I wanted to know if I might be allowed to shift and go for a run. I will be quick, and I will stay close to the orphanage,¡± I whispered, dropping my gaze to the floor. Mrs. Daleyughs and grips my shoulder , mak ing me look up at her. ¡°Where is the other rogue?¡± ¡°She said she would cover afternoon tea for me if you allowed it. And I finished all my chores and even changed your bed linen and made you that b anana pie you like, it¡®s in the fridge,¡± I told her, hopeful. How fucked up is hope? It will destroy every desire you ever have when you are repeatedly shown how cruel one could be until you are hopeless and no longer believe in the good in people? Always question the intention b ehind every good deed? ¡°Oh, in that case, of course. Go on,¡± Mrs. Daley looks at the clock above the door, and so do I. Excite m ent bubbled within me, and I felt giddy. She was really going to let me go! ¡°Be back at 4 PM for afternoon tea; you earned it,¡± she told me. Thank you, thank you, Mrs. Daley¡± | almost cried at how happy I felt as I rushed off to tell Ivy. Ivy told me not to ask, that she would never allow it, but I had to try, and Mrs. Daley felt generous. It must have been knowing that we made her favorite pie. ¡°Stay close to the forest line, Abbie. Don¡®t wander,¡± lvy told me with worry in her eyes as I stripped my c lothes off behind the garden shed. Ivy stared back at the orphanage worriedly. ¡°She said yes,¡± I remind her. ¡°I know, but it isn¡®t like her, Abbie. Maybe you should stay.¡± ¡°Probably because she knows next month, we won¡®t be her problem and is feeling generous,¡± I tell her, too excited to find fault with Mrs. Daley¡®s permission. I shifted and darted toward the trees while Ivy went to finish the afternoon tea for the kids. However, wh en I returned, Mrs. Daley was waiting. I could see my clothes waiting in a pile behind the shed. Happy, I moved toward her, seeing Ivy in the kitchen window, who waved and smiled at me. Only then do we both spot the patrols rushing up the side of the orphanage building. Their sight made me halt, and my tail tucked between my legs. ¡°There she is, she tried to run, filthy fucking mutt tried to run, she hase scampering back,¡± Mrs. Da ley said, pointing to me and my eyes widened when I saw they had the kids skipping ropes in their han ds. I whimpered, backing up and ncing at the window to see Ivy¡®s horrified expression in the window as they stalked toward me. Turning my gaze to the four patrolling men, I backed up when they used the kids¡® skipping ropes as whi ps, caging me in and giving me nowhere to escape, and I couldn¡®t even shift, or I would be naked. My wolf yelped and whined as theyshed me repeatedly when I heard Ivy¡¯s blood¨C curdling scream reach my ears. ¡°No, no, stop. Stop! She didn¡®t do anything!¡± Ivy screamed. Lifting my head, my fur was ripping out everywhere, the grass¨C covered in snow white and grey, brown fur when the skipping ropeshed across my snout and eye, and laughed and told them to hit us harder. A hand gripped mine, jolting me out of the memory. ¡°Abbie, are you okay, Dear?¡± rice asked. ¡°Yes, sorry.¡± I tell rice, staring back at her. I went to walk off, losing my courage as memories as saul myself. Turning away, rice doesn¡®t let go of my hand, instead pulls me back to her. ¡°Abbie, what is it? Did som ¡°No, it¡®s nothing. Want some help?¡± I ask her, looking at what she is doing. ¡°No, but you finished all your chores, so you can have some time off. Are you sure there wasn¡®t some th Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 10 Chapter 10 To open my mouth to ask but close it again.¡± You want to go for a run?¡± she asks, and I nod, wondering ho w she knew. ¡°I have seen you looking at the forest every time you have gone out there. You don¡®t have to ask Abbie if you want to go. Just tell me, and I will let the guards know so they can make sure you¡®re safe. There are bears out there, so remain in the gua rd¡®s perimeter,¡± she says. I swallowed, looking at the door. ¡°You won¡®t punish me when I return?¡± I asked. She looks appalled at my words. ¡°Honey, why would I punish you?¡± she chuckles, shaking her head. ¡°No reason. I just wanted to make sure it was okay. I don¡®t want to get in trouble,¡± I admit. ¡°Go for a run, Abbie, and anyone tries to punish you for it. They will deal with the King and me,¡± rice says. She nudges me toward the doors leading to the clothesline. ¡°Go on, have fun. I will let the guards on duty know you¡®re out there,¡± she says. I nodded, yet I refused t o get excited. Instead, I was still hesitant. Even as I approached the forests edge. ncing around nervously , I waited a few minutes to see if any guards suddenly rushed into the forest to search for me and drag me back, but I saw no one. Stripping my clothes off, Iid them on a nearby fallen tree. Falling onto my hands and knees the dirt sq uished between my fingers as I focused on the shift. Feeling the first tremor, it slivered up my spine, fur grew along my naked body before it started twisting and morphing as I took shape and body of my were wolf form, my hands, and feet reced with paws and ws, my face elongated, and my tail bone twitched as my tail zipped out. Shaking out my fur, I looked at my paws before bing distracted by the swish of my tail . It took me a good five minutes to stop from chasing the damn thing as it eluded my teeth. Stretching, I sniffed the air. The scent of pine cones and damp soil invigorated my senses, and my hearing perked at the crickets and tiny insects in the forest.I shot off, darting betwe en the trees and jump ing over logs. Nothing felt more refreshing than feeling the dirt beneath my paws, the air brushing through my fur as I rushed through the forest, cackling my head off. I felt free, alive, an d so energized. After about ten minutes of running, however, I heard the foliage move, and the wind changed direction, making me halt when I picked up an unfamiliar yet familiar scent that was harder to pinpoint since my s ense of smell was ridiculously strong in this form. Twisting, I look for the intruder while scampering backward when a huge Lycan steps out from be tween the trees. I drop my head before turning it, baring my neck to the beast. I felt like I was about to wet myself when the huge, terrifying thing walked toward me, making a whimpe r escape me. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Don¡®t be frightened, Abbie, it is only me?¡± the voice says, and my ears twitch on top of my head, his vo ice is gravely and distorted from him being in this form, yet as I lift my gaze, he crouches before me be fore pulling a backpack from his huge furry shoulder. He unzipped it, and still, I couldn¡®t ce him, yet | backed up when I saw him open the b ag and reach inside. ¡°I won¡®t hurt you,¡± the Lycan says. Hearing a wrapper, 1 peer at his hand in the backpack before he pull s out red candy clouds, Gannon? I thought. ¡°Recognize me now?¡± he chuckles, and I bob my head as he opens the packet. He pinches one between his ws and holds it o ut to me, and my wolf instantly sniffs it before licking it. Gannonughed as my tongue swiped his fingers when I realized what he was doing when my nose br ushed his furry knees. Overrun by my senses, I hadn¡®t learned he was drawing his hand closer to hims elf until I was practically between his legs. I freeze, and he sits leaning against the tree when his hands sud denly grab me, making me yelp loudly in fright. He set me on hisp, his ws running through my fur as he brushed it. ¡°Well, aren¡®t you a little ball of suff,¡± heughs, stroking my fur like I was a damn pet, yet his ws felt n ice raking through my thick coat. After a few minutes, I rxed, realizing he was just petting me, not goi ng to punish me. I found the burly scary manforting for some reason, yet I couldn¡®t exin it but I f elt safe with him near. Although, when he rubbed my ears, I started purring like a damn cat and tried to scramble off hisp, only for him to drag me back and nip at my ear with his sharp teeth. ¡°Stop; I don¡®t care if you purr. I can purr too,¡± heughs before purring, the noise rumbling from his ches t was loud. My wet nose pressed against the center where it was loudest before I could stop myself, fee ling its deep vibration before his fur went up my nose, making me sneeze. Gannonughs, and I lick his chin, mortified at what I did. I froze, which only made himugh harder. ¡°It¡®s fine, Abbie; she¨C wolves are attracted to dominant males; I expect you to act ordingly,¡± heughs. ¡°It doesn¡®t bother me,¡± he says before licking my face and my eyeball, making myshes stick to gether, and I had to blink to un¨Cstick them. ¡°See, it doesn¡®t bother me,¡± he says. My nose picks up the delicious scent of the clouds when Iy my head across hisp, my nose sniffing the air before my face was in his bag, sniffing around. I am never shifting again! Urges were impossible to control, I merely had to think some thing, and I was acting on them. My teeth pull the candy bag out, my tongue slipping in the little bag, licking up the sugar when Gannon takes the bag, pouring some in his hands, my wolf side going berserk on the damn things, even licking his fingers like a pig. Yet Gannon didn¡®t seem to mind, his hand on my rump while he let me lick the sugar from his ¡°Want to run to the river with me?¡± he asks when I finish eating the entire bag. I look up at the sky, know ¡°The men can get their dinner. I already told rice you¡®re with me and told Damian. They said it is fine, I could barely hear the water, so I knew it was a far distance, but he was already getting to his feet, and ¡°See if you can keep up,¡± he says, grabbing his bag and tossing it over his shoulder. He then shoots off Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Gannon POV Her tiny wolf tried to keep up, but she easily lost track of me, so I decided to double back,ing up from behind her. Abbie¡®s wolf was sniffing the ground, trying to pick up my scent She was by the river¡®s edge, and her head swiveled from side to side, looking amongst the trees as she tried to locate where i went. However, doubling back and the added breeze were confusing her as she followed her nose before giving up and dropping her rump to the ground as she sat staring at the river. Still, I didn¡®t step out of my hiding spot. Instead, I watched her like some damn creep for a while cu riosity goi the better of me, and I wanted to see if she would try to escape being this close to the border ! don¡®t know why I wanted to see if she was tempted to; maybe because my fascination with the girl was quickly turning into an obsession After a while, I watched as she wandered closer to the water¡®s edge, dipping her head, trying to drink from it. It was pretty shallow there, so I wasn¡®t sure why she wouldn¡®t just wade on in. Maybe she didn¡®t want to get wet? Yet as she attempted to close her front, her paws slipped slightly, and Abbie reared back, scooting fur ther away from the bank. Her heart rate was easily discernible as it thumped erratically against her chest. She nervously nced around as if she was trying to figure her way back before she huffed and yawned andying down. Stepping out from the treeline and the tree I was watching her from. Her ears perked on top of her head. She instantly got to her feet. Spotting me, she rushed over and zipped between my legs, rubbing herself on my legs. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Shewolves were amazing in their wolf form, unrestricted for the most part. They had no control, and that was when they were predominantly closest to my species, baser instinct kicking in, just not as strong as a Lycans urges. Leaning down, I brush my fingers through her soft thick fur, my ws bumping over the ridges of her spine. She was skinny, too skinny for a wolf. I briefly wondered how many times she had shift ed because her wolf side should have the bulk of hard muscle, yet even through her fur, I could feel nothing but skin and bone. My touch, however, seems to make her snap back to herself, and she drops to the ground as if manded, her rational part of her brain retaking control of her actions. A whimper escapes her as if she thought she shouldn¡®t have behaved in such a way. The she¨Cwolves I knew are always submissive to those of stronger potency, so it was not surprising she thought she would be in trouble for her actions. She reminded me of Ivy in this sense. Both girls were unusually submissive, as if over the years, any sense of themselves was slowly beaten out of them until they were nothing butpliant to others¡® whims, so I wasn¡®t surprised that Abbie would fight her own in stincts even in this form. Crouching beside her, she instinctively turnednguidly, flopping on her side and showing me her belly. I chuckle, knowing Abbie must be internally cringing at her wolf side¡®s actions. Yet if Abbie was any thing like Ivy, she wouldn¡®t understand her own instincts or Werewolf and Lycan heritage for that matter. It was one thing that infuriated me to no end about Kyson. The man was set in his ways and expected the girl to instantly be aware of her urges and to act on them. Damian and I kept telling him to be patient with Ivy. yet patience was never his strong suit. Abbie whines as I rub her belly and chest before I scoop her up, making her yelp loudly. My heart lurched in my chest, thinking I hurt her as I dragged her into myp. ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± | asked worriedly. That wasn¡®t my intention, but sometimes I forget my strength. Yet she shakes her wolfy head from side to side and I know I startled her as I sat her in myp, crossing my legs beneath her. She rests her head on my knee, but she pants as if thirsty after a few moments. I looked at the river, wishing she could answer me back when I spoke. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Yet I didnt hear her get in the water Turning slightly, I held my hand to her, making sure not to turn my head. Her fear was potent in the air as if she was unsure of the water or maybe me. I couldn¡¯t be sure, but I had to hold in my gasp when I felt her tiny hand slide into mine. I grabbed her hand, my ws sliding over her wrist, when I heard a ssh before both of her hands suddenly gripped my outstretched arm, and she coughed. Her fingers pull the fur out along my arms, and I turn quickly, using my other arm to wrap around her waist while her legstch around my hips in a grip that would be crushing if I were human. She continued to cough and sputter for a second before rubbing her eyes with one hand and opening her eyes. ¡°Are you sure we won¡¯t get in trouble?¡± She asked, her hands moving to my chest, where she gripped my fur tightly as if she was afraid I would let her drown. I moved further out to where not even ! could stand ¡°You¡¯re with me. Why would you get in trouble?¡± I ask her. Abbie says nothing, and I try to unwrap her legs. Her grip on my fur tightens, her nails digging into my skin. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She shrieks. ¡°I won¡¯t let you drown, Abbie,¡± I tell her, gripping one of her wrists and prying her grip off me. I set her hand on my shoulder, and her other hand moved to grip the other. ¡°Use your legs, and kick them under the water,¡± I told her, and after some prompting, she eventually un latched them from my waist. I swam backward as she moved, her legs treading water. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. We lost track of time after an hour or so. It was pitch ck, yet she seemed to have fun until I noticed her teeth chatter. I was confident enough that if she fell into a body of water, she would be able to get her self out, though I still wouldn¡¯t trust her to go swimming alone. Abbie gripped my shoulders as I swam back to the bank. I tried not tough at her white legs and ass. She didn¡¯t need to know I could see herpletely because I could see beneath the water before I moved to lift her back onto it when she whispered. ¡°Gannon, I¡¯m naked,¡± she shrieked when I grabbed her waist to hoist her up. I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her I could see her the entire time. The water was far from murky, though I knew to her eyes it would have looked it. For me, I could see every part of her, but she didn¡¯t know that. I would allow her that sense of privacy. Besides, I had seen her change plenty of times in her room when she didn¡¯t know I was watching her. ¡°1111 close my eyes,¡± I chuckle, and she nods. I lick her cheek before lifting her onto the bank. Yet when I don¡¯t hear her shift, my ears prick. ¡°Abbie?¡± I asked because I could hear her heart beating and her breathing. ¡°Don¡¯t look. I am having trouble. Just give me a second,¡± yet minutes passed, and still, I did not hear the crack of her bones, and I could hear her frustrated breathing as she tried. ¡°You haven¡¯t shifted much, have you?¡± I asked her. ¡°} have, but this is only the second time I have gone for a run,¡± she admits, and I sigh. ¡°Abbie, I am going to have to open my eyes,¡± I tell her, and her heart rate quickens. ¡°No, I can do it, just give me a second,¡± she panicked. ¡°Abbie, you should have told me you didn¡¯t go for runs often. I wouldn¡¯t have worn your wolf out,¡± I told her. ¡°Huh?¡± she asks ¡°You wolf side needs stamina. Had I realized, I wouldn¡¯t have taken you so far out from the castle. In my bag is a shirt you can put on,¡± I tell her. I heard movement and her rummaging around in the bag. ¡°Are you covered?¡± ¡°Ah, kind of,¡± she murmurs, and I open my eyes to see her trying to tug my shirt down her legs. As ! climbed out, I noticed her normally wavy red hair was straight as a pencil from being wet. She steps back as I approach her. ¡°I have no pants on,¡± she squeaks. ¡°I know,¡± Iughed, holding my hand out to her. She looks at it before sighing and taking it as I scoop up the bag, tossing it over my shoulder. We started the long trek back to the castle, yet the longer we walked, the slower she became as mozzies attacked her flesh. Her hands swatted at her naked legs as she tried to stop them from biting her. We were at least another thirty minutes from the castle at this pace. Stopping, I adjust the bag on my shoulder before grabbing her under the arms. She squeals as I pick her up. ¡°Abbie, wrap your legs around my waist,¡± / tell her, but she doesn¡¯t, and I growl as she remains stiff as a nk in my hands. Hugging her closer, I crush her against my chest before lifting her legs around my hips and cing my arm under her butt. She squeaks, shoving off my chest. ¡°Are you done; stop hitting me,¡± I tell her, nipping at her neck before licking her cheek. Her heart ham mered against my chest, and her skin was ice cold. ¡°It¡®s quicker, I can run with you,¡± ¡°Just run?¡± she gasps, stopping her attack and looking at me. I stared at her, wondering what she thought I was going to do. ¡°What else?¡± I asked her. She looks away, and I growl when I feel her dig her knees into my ribs as she moves up higher. I hoist her up before realizing where her pelvis was resting before. Surely she didn¡¯t think¨C ¨C not only was that impossible while I was in this form, I never would force her but did she think I would? Shaking that thought away, I start walking. ¡°Wrap your arms around my neck,¡± I tell her. Abbie does, looking over her shoulder at the trees when she turns back. Her nose bumps into mine, and she giggles. ¡°Sorry.¡± she mutters, her cheeks reddening, and she nces around before looking down. ¡°Gosh, you¡¯re tall,¡± she stammers as if she had only just noticed that as I ducked under a tree branch. ¡°And fast, so you may want to tuck your face into my neck,¡± I tell her, pushing her face into my shoulder with one hand. I feel her breath move through my fur, and her arms squeeze tighter around my neck. ¡°Ready?¡± I ask her, and I feel her nod before I take off running through the woods. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Her squeals turned toughter and made me run faster as we zipped through the trees heading home. The warmth of her body wasforting, and for once, I felt warm inside instead of the cold feeling that usually churned within me. She was like fresh air after so many years of having the oxygen stolen from my lungs. As much as trauma tainted her, she did not wilt and wither away as I did. It did not turn her cold and uncaring, she still had life within her, and I found I craved seeing that on her face. Seeing the way she lit up with excitement, the way she came out of her shell when she thought no one was watching. When the castle lights came into view through the gaps in the trees, I slowed. Some part of me expected her to try to make me put her down, but instead, she remained in my arms. A ce I never wanted her to leave, tucked in my embrace and I hers. Yet as we got closer, I knew I had to set her down and leave her side. A ce I wanted to remain but couldn¡¯t because she was not mine and I was not hers, but for a second, I could pretend. Pretend she was the mate I was destined for. ¡°What are you doing tomorrow?¡± I ask her, and she purses her lips, lips that I desperately wanted to taste. ¡°Going into town with rice,¡± she answers as I brush a fern away so I can step through the gap in the trees. I hoist her up higher, making her bounce in my arms as she scrambled to grip on to me, so she didn¡¯t fall backward. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go?¡± I ask her. ¡°I want to see Ivy. I hardly see her anymore,¡± ¡°You and Ivy are close,¡± I tell her. ¡°She is all I have,¡± she says. I nod. ¡°What about you?¡± she asks, and I could hear the curiosity in her voice before she blushes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer. Sorry, that was rude,¡± she says, and I nudge her with my nose. ¡°Why is it rude?¡± I ask her as I start to climb the hill to the cemetery. ¡°Rogues should know their ce, speak when spoken to or not at all¡± she shrugs. ¡°I was raised in the kingdom, alongside the King and Beta Damian. My father was the King¡¯s Gamma, and my mother was a maid,¡± I answer her. ¡°You were raised by rice?¡± Iugh because rice raised nearly everyone in the castle. She was like the universal mother. ¡°Yes, like most of the King¡¯s guards, the titles were usually handed down, then wepeted for the best ces. All the guards are of gamma blood or higher,¡± I answer her. ¡°Higher?¡± she asks. ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°But there is only one Beta,¡± she says. ¡°Liam is of Beta blood, but he is now a gamma,¡± I tell her. ¡°So, how do youpete?¡± she asks. ¡°The trials, Liam, could probably match Damian, yet he is a little unhinged and always drunk.¡± ¡°Could he beat you in the trials? Aren¡¯t you third inmand?¡± she asks, and I hum. ¡°If he wanted to, I suppose, but then again, I train daily with the guard, so probably not, but if it came to orders and he chose to use his aura, possibly,¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it bother him that he is of lower rank than you.¡± ¡°No, he is like my brother, like Damian and Kyson. Packs are family, united. It doesn¡¯t matter where we fall. We all have each other¡¯s backs where it counts.¡± ¡°Sounds like me, an Ivy, more than my life,¡± she says, and my brows pinch together at her words. ¡°And what does more than my life mean to you?¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Means I fight you fight, we fight together, we die together,¡± she says simply, yet the far-away look she got, I felt it meant more than what she imed. ¡°I will speak to Kyson and see if he will allow her to see you. We are going away soon. I need to go to one of the neighboring kingdoms with the King. He intends to take her.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she asks, and I feel the rapid beat of her heart thumping erratically against my chest. I didn¡¯t answer because I couldn¡¯t, yet her worry made me regret mentioning it. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. I won¡¯t let anything happen to her.¡± ¡°Yes, but why is she leaving? What does the King want with her? She should be with me. We have never been separated. She-¡± she sucks in a breath and kicks her legs, wanting to be put down. I let her slide down as she moves to climb the hill. Anything else was forgotten, and now her panic for Ivy set in. I could tell she wanted to see her more than ever. I catch her hand to stop her. ¡°Abbie?¡± ¡°I should go inside; I have chores to do,¡± she says while trying to tug down the shirt she was wearing as if her nudity bothered her. I thought it odd. She was the first werewolf I had met that was afraid of showing her own skin. But then again, I was scared to show her mine, not because I was shy, that definitely wasn¡¯t it, but because I didn¡¯t want her to pity me. ¡°She will be fine, Abbie,¡± I tried to reassure her, but she didn¡¯t look like she believed me. ¡°Yeah, and that¡¯s what Alpha Dean said when he brought us to the orphanage, that we would be fine. No one tells you their intentions Gannon, not really. Not until they have what they want from you, and by then, it¡¯s toote,¡± Abbie says, rushing off and leaving me dumbfounded. Were we talking about the same thing? I couldn¡¯t understand her. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 14 Chapter 14 It was early morning when I awoke the following day. I could hear rummaging around outside my door, and I hardly slept a wink. I grounds, he had a target on his back, and now with Ivy, the fear of missing something was eating at all of us. Liam, I knew he hadn¡¯t slept. He wanted toe along, but the King needed him here to watch over the castle. Yet Liam not going with us had me on edge. He was one of our best men, yet I understood why. The royal guard would leave, and this ce would be unprotected while gone, yet Liam would have no issues holding this ce down by himself. We could not fail; I refuse to lose another royal family. Kyson was the only bloodline left, and now, with Ivy by his side, it was detrimental that her safety was held above all. Even the King, we made a pact to him to protect his mate. He would not survive if he lost her, not after ire. Getting up, I go to see what Liam is doing loitering outside my door. Grabbing my robe; I pull it on and tie it around the waist. Yet when I open the door, I find it is Abbie stacking clean linens and toiletries in the basket that she had dropped. I usually find a fresh basket at my door every morning, yet I didn¡¯t know it was Abbie. I knew she cleaned the other rooms, but Liam and I usually took care of our own. I didn¡¯t like people in my room. Abbie jumps, startled, and backs up. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to wake you. I was trying to be quiet,¡± Abbie whispers. I scrub a hand down my face, trying to gauge the time, It was dark outside the windows in the corridor, so it must be early morning, yet I could smell the harsh cleaning chemicals and could tell she had been awake for a while, the night guard¡¯s doors open, and the scenting from those rooms was hers, so knew she cleaned them. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Abbie!¡± Damian calls from the hall. She freezes, looking over her shoulder at him. ¡°I¡¯m nearly done, sir,¡± she stammers. ¡°rice told you to remain quiet down that end. Just leave it,¡± he scolds her. That exined why I never heard her dropping the supplies at my door thest few mornings. I thought it was rice. Abbie nods. ¡°I asked her to help me,¡± I blurt, unthinking, and Damian pauses, folding his arms across his chest. ¡°You asked her to help you?¡± Damian presses and folds his arms across his chest. I knew he knew it was out of character of me. I never let anyone in my room. Yet the thought of her being scolded for a rule Liam and I had with our rooms being off-limits didn¡¯t sit well with me. It wasn¡¯t like she intended to wake me, and if she hadn¡¯t, I would¡¯ve assumed rice was still in charge of supplying mine and Liam¡¯s rooms. ncing at his door, I saw the basket neatly stacked by the door. Liam waltzes in behind Damian,ing off the night shift. He mps a hand down on Beta Damian¡¯s shoulder as he passes. ¡°Brother ¨C Abbie, I told you just to let yourself in,¡± Liam says, winking at me as he passes Damian. Damian gapes at him as Liam moves toward his room while Abbie is like a deer caught in headlights. ¡°Since when. I am not even allowed in your bloody rooms, but you¡¯re letting¡ª?¡± Damian shakes his head. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re not as pretty; thest thing I want is you going through my panties drawer, Beta,¡± Liam chuckles, unlocking his door. He tosses the key to Abbie. ¡°Mydy,¡± Liam purrs, and I re at him. She scrambles to catch it and I knew he must have overheard Damian scolding Abbie and my words in her defense. Damian shakes his head. Yet he was one for peace and order, and if he thought Abbie was disrupting that, I knew he would pull her from this floor. I know she was only here as a favor to the King and for Ivy. We usually tended to our rooms using the supplies rice left for us. I stepped closer to Abbie as she held the key to Liam¡¯s room. ¡°See, no harm done, Beta,¡± I tell him, and then he mutters something walking off. ¡°We leave tomorrow, Gannon, so pack light,¡± Damian tosses over his shoulder as he moves toward the King¡¯s quarters. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to lie for me,¡± she says, and Liam stands leaning against the door frame, watching her and me with avid curiosity. ¡°Well, for one, I never lied for you. I just went along with what Gannon said and if he trusts you in his room, then it is fine by me.¡± Liam says, and I re at him. Yet I couldn¡¯t say I didn¡¯t want her in there because I just told Damian I called her here. ¡°Or should I be worried about having her in my room, Gannon?¡± Liam questions, and I clench my jaw. The bastard was baiting me. ¡°No, of course not,¡± I tell him, pushing my door open wider. She nces at me, unsure, before reaching down and grabbing the basket. I step aside, allowing her to enter, and she rushes past me and into the room. Liam chuckles, grabbing his own basket, walking into his room, and closing the door while laughing. Turning around, I see her look for the bathroom. I step in, closing the door. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind me being here? rice was quite firm on me not entering yours or Liam¡¯s room in particr,¡± she says. ¡°I will speak with rice,¡± I tell her, and she nods once before rushing to the bathroom to start cleaning it while I quickly race around, cleaning my room and hiding all the damn weapons I kept in here before she came out. When I was finished, I walked over to the bathroom to find her restocking it and picking up my dirtyundry. I move to help her, tossing everything in the basket. ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbles. ¡°It¡¯s fine. What time do you go into town with rice?¡± I ask her. ¡°Um, when I finish this floor,¡± she says, scooping up the towel by the shower. ¡°Let me get changed, and I will take you,¡± I tell her. ¡°You want toe?¡± she asks, and I freeze. ¡°Ah yes, I had to go to town, anyway. You might as welle with me,¡± I tell her, which was aplete lie. I had no purpose in going into town. I was surprised at how easily it rolled off my tongue. Shaking my head, I walk into the closet. I shut the door, and I could hear her rummaging around in my room as I got changed into my ck uniform. When I came out, she was opening the blinds and windows, and the bed was made. I squint at the light. I never opened those. Hated the thought of anyone seeing me in my room. Abbie cracks a window sitting a bowl with dried pot-pourie on the windowsill. I scrunch my nose up when she rummages in her apron pocket before pulling out driedvender and crunching it between her fingers. That would exin why the halls always smelt ofvender. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I ask her, and she jumps. ¡°If you don¡¯t like the smell, I can get rid of it,¡± she tells me, and she steps closer to remove the bowl. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± I tell her, taking the bowl from her hands and setting it back where she ced it. ¡°We used to do it back at the orphanage, it seemed to help the kids sleep,¡± she tells me. ¡°You used to look after all the kids?¡± I ask her. She nods her head, and I don¡¯t miss the way her eyes lit up as I mentioned them. ¡°Yes, there was one-¡°She stops shaking her head. ¡°I should go,¡± she said, and I wondered what she was going to say, yet the look on her face, whoever she thought of, upset her, so I didn¡¯t press for more. ¡°Come on; I will drive you,¡± Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Abbie I rushed out of Gannon¡¯s room, taking his dirtyundry with me and grabbing Liam¡¯s. That was set out by his door. I rummage through my pockets, about to slide his key back under his door. I know he only lied for Gannon, yet as I bent down to slide it under, Gannon spoke. ¡°He gave it to you, meaning he doesn¡¯t want it back, Abbie,¡± he says, and I look at the key. I nod, pocketing it when Gannon holds his hand out to me. I open my palm when he drops a key in it. ¡°My room key,¡± he says, simply taking the basket from beside me. I try to take it from him, but he shakes his head and begins walking. I follow him, and as he turns into the hall toward the kitchens, I try to take it from him again, not wanting to get in trouble with rice. ¡°Morning, Abbie. Beta Damian-¡°rice stops when Gannon bumps into my back,ing up behind me. ¡°Gannon dear,¡± ¡°Hey Ma,¡± he says, stepping past me and pecking her cheek as he wanders to theundry. rice watches him go before turning to me. ¡°Is everything alright? Damian told me you woke Gannon this morning and¡ª¡± ¡°She is allowed in mine and Liam¡¯s room. She has the keys,¡± Gannon says, and rice gapes at him. ¡°I can have her moved to a different floor. I know how you and Liam like your privacy.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have given her my key if I was worried about my privacy,¡± Gannon tells her, and my face heats as he smiles at me. rice¡¯s brows furrow, but she nods before moving toward the clipboard on the wall. ¡°The King has asked me to go into town to grab some things that I had ordered, so while I grab the garments, you can go to the store for me to pick up some supplies,¡± Gannon plucks the papers from her hands when she stops beside me. ¡°Or I could take Abbie and collect it for you,¡± Gannon tells her. ¡°Gannon, I don¡¯t expect you,¡± he pecks her cheek, ¡°Come on, Abbie, I will be back soon with her,¡± he says, grabbing my hand and ignoring her. ¡°Well, okay then. Don¡¯t forget the garments, though. The King needs those before he leaves tomorrow. They¡¯re for¡ª¡± ¡°I know, ma, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Gannon tells her, tugging me along with him. We walk down to the garage again. I watch as Gannon retrieves his keys from the little locker by the door before he points to his car. I chew my lip and walk over to it, but as I reach for the handle, his hand grabs it, opening the door for me. With a sigh, I climb into the car. He walks around, climbing on the driver¡¯s side and starting the car while I plug in my seatbelt. The drive to town was filled with Gannon¡¯s loud music, yet he seemed in a good enough mood. Yet I felt a little odd after yesterday. Surely it wasn¡¯t normal for him to spend so much time with a servant. ¡°So, what did you have to get in town?¡± I asked him while I unclipped my belt, but he was already out his door with that lightning quick Lycan speed. Before I could even reach for the door handle, he was opening it. ¡°Ah, actually, that was a lie. I don¡¯t need anything from town,¡± he says, and I stare at him. He scratches the back of his neck, and I don¡¯t know what to say. Surely he didn¡¯te to town because I was coming here? Yet his following words confirmed as much. ¡°I ah.. wanted to spend time with you,¡± he had admitted, and I raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Why?¡± He shrugs, and the look on his face told me he wasn¡¯t sure either. ¡°Hmm, well, saved me from walking,¡± I tell him, stepping past him to head to the store. Gannon chuckles before following me and taking the basket, and marking everything off rice¡¯s list. When we were done there, I followed him to some old shop that had heaps of garment bags hanging in the windows. Upon entering, a bell sounds to notify the person working here that they have customers. After moments a woman appeared, and it seemed Gannon knew everyone, or at least they knew him. Thedy went to retrieve whatever it was from behind the door out back of the shop. She reappeared momentster with a suitcase. ¡°Pressed and folded, ready for the King¡¯s trip, measurements should be spot on checked them myself¡± the woman tells him. Gannon thanks her, and I follow him out to the car when he grabs my hand tugging me to the candy shop. ¡°Liam ate all that licorice already?¡± I asked him, and he chuckled. ¡°No,¡± he says, tugging me inside. He buys more clouds and chocte Freddo frogs before passing them to me. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What? You like them,¡± he says, taking me back to the car. ¡°You don¡¯t have to buy sweets,¡± I tell him. Yet his constant attention worried me a little. Was he expecting something in return? ¡°Well, do you like flowers?¡± Gannon asks. My brows furrow. ¡°Everybody likes flowers,¡± I tell him. ¡°Not everyone. I don¡¯t like flowers. The pollen makes my nose itch,¡± ¡°Then what do you like?¡± ¡°Probably best you don¡¯t know what I like. It may scare you,¡± he says, and I watch him for a second before thinking it probably is best. I had a strange feeling that Gannon had a side no one wanted to see. Gannon opened my door for me, and I was beginning to wonder if he thought I didn¡¯t know how to open it myself, shaking that thought away. I climb back into his car, and he shuts the door before climbing into the driver¡¯s side. ¡°So, what did you do for fun at the orphanage? You and Ivy, I mean,¡± I thought about his question. It wasn¡¯t always bad. We had our brief moments. We loved the kids and loved the paintings they did. I loved drawing, and Ivy used to sneak me spare pieces of paper when she came across it. Sometimes I would draw on the backs of the kids¡¯ paintings they would give me. I liked baking, not that we ever got to try the delicious-smelling treats we made. ¡°I used to like drawing, and I can bake,¡± I shrug. I couldn¡¯t think of anything else I was good at or liked doing. ¡°We yed with the kids,¡± gosh, I really had nothing else other than that. ¡°You like kids?¡± Gannon asks, and I nod. ¡°Yeah, the kids were great when Ty=¡±I shake my head. Just the thought of him was nearly making me cry, and I didn¡¯t want anyshings, so I stopped speaking. I fiddled with the paper bag, pulling out one of the clouds and biting it. ¡°I like these,¡± I tell him, changing the subject away from Tyson. I wonder if Mrs. Daley was looking after him, and if she wasn¡¯t, who was? He needed Ivy or me. Mrs. Daley didn¡¯t know him. She refused to get to know him. If she did, she would see he was a sweet boy. ¡°Abbie?¡± Gannon asks, touching my hand and making me jump. I looked down at his hand on mine, only then realizing I was picking at the skin around my fingernails. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Gannon asks. ¡°Yep, we should get back. rice is probably wondering what¡¯s taking so long, and I have to hang the linens,¡± I tell him. He goes to say something but then stops, starting the car and driving onto the road. Once we get back, I thank Gannon before racing the groceries back to the kitchen. When I am done putting them away, I go to theundry and unload the washers into my basket. Chucking another load on, I reach down to grab my basket only to find it gone. I nce around and find Gannon. The man was like a ghost that just appeared out of thin air. And he stole my basket. ¡°Come on, I will help you,¡± he says, and I chew my lip, ncing toward the kitchens, wondering if I will get in trouble with rice if he helps me. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Gannon POV When I asked Abbie what she liked in town, she sounded a bit distant, and I could not bring myself to get up and leave her side. She peeled the flesh from her fingertips in a manner that bothered me because she didn¡¯t seem to even realize she was doing it. The entire drive home, she was off in her own little world, trapped in her thoughts while tearing her fingers to pieces. After we returned home, she went to theundry room to start theundry, and I followed her while she loaded the washer and waited until she finished it. As she was focused entirely on the task in front of her, she had no idea that I was behind her. Walking over, I picked up the basket for her. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll help,¡± I tell her, and she seems unsure before sighing. ¡°You don¡¯t have to help me,¡± she says. ¡°I want to,¡± I tell her, walking over to the clothesline. I set the basket down while retrieving the pegs. Due to tomorrow¡¯s trip with the King, I had this afternoon off. In most cases, I would work having nothing better to do. Yet, with Abbie, I rather spend time with her than work. ¡°What chores have you got to do next?¡± I ask her as she hangs a pillowcase. ¡°Staff bathrooms, then mopping and whatever rice sends me off to do before I have to go back to the guard¡¯s floor, your floor, and do the afternoon sweep of the rooms and restocking, then re-mop the floors and prep in the kitchen before serving. Then dinner, back to clear the rooms again and dishes plus checking theundry for extra loads of washing,¡± she tells me. ¡°That¡¯s fine, but how long typically does it take you to finish all that?¡± I ask her, and she nces at me over her shoulder. ¡°Well, tonight¡¯s roster is full, so 10 pm?¡± she says, and my brows furrow.. ¡°At what time did you start?¡± 14:30,¡± she shrugs, ¡°Am?¡± I ask, and she nods, grabbing more linens to hang onto the clothesline. ¡°Why so early?¡± I asked, a little shocked at the crazy hours she was doing for a servant. ¡°Damian likes me up to clean the gym before the men go in for training, though I didn¡¯t know you trained with them,¡± she tells me. ¡°Damian does mornings, and Liam and I alternate the nights. Mostly I do them. Liam has been filling most night hours. His paranoia keeps him awake,¡± I tell her, handing her some pegs before grabbing a sheet to hang. ¡°Yeah, he seems a little-¡°Abbie pauses and I smirk, yet she doesn¡¯t answer. ¡°Unhinged,¡± I offer, and she chews her lip and peeks over at me. ¡°He¡¯s nice, though¡± she shrugs. If only she had seen him in his element, I don¡¯t think nice would be how she would describe him. Psychotic, dangerous, a maniac maybe, but nice, definitely not. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with Damian. Does he know howte you work?¡± She shrugs before shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. But, I don¡¯t mind, it¡¯s not every night I work thatte, and I don¡¯t want to get into any trouble,¡± she says. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why would you get in trouble?¡± I ask her. ¡°For not working enough¡± she states, pegging thest lot of linens on the line before retrieving her basket. ¡°How about I help you finish your chores, and when we are done, we can go for a run? I will clear it with rice and Damian.¡± I tell her, and she looks toward the forest. Her eyes light up excitedly. ¡°Really?¡± she asked, peering up at me before looking back at the castle. ¡°But It will bete by the time I finish,¡± she says, looking at the forest longingly. ¡°I will get someone to cover your afternoon shift. Come on, show me where to first,¡± I tell her, nudging her toward theundry doors. ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s rather boring. I¡¯m sure you can find better ways to spend your time,¡± she says, setting the basket on top of one of the washers and checking the others that were still running. ¡°Hmm, I would rather hang out with you,¡± I tell her, and her face heats. ¡°Why?¡± she chuckles, grabbing some cleaning supplies. ¡°You¡¯re prettier than Liam,¡± I snicker, and she raises an eyebrow at my words. ¡°Where is Liam anyway? Usually, both of you are together,¡± she says, and I follow her upstairs to help her do her chores. ¡°Probably harassing someone while working, or maybe with Dustin,¡± I tell her with a shrug, and she nods. I follow her around, helping herplete her chores before I tell her to grab a bag so she can put her clothes in it. While she does that, I went to clear it with rice. ¡°You like her, don¡¯t you?¡± riceughs, and I roll my eyes before sighing. ¡°Maybe,¡± I tell her, and she shakes her head with a softugh. ¡°Go on then; I will get Ester to cover for her. Have fun,¡± rice says, shooing me away. I let the guards on duty know we would be out in the forest by the river before notifying Damian about my whereabouts before going upstairs and shifting. I pack a change of clothes before knocking on Abbie¡¯s bedroom door. ¡°What did rice say?¡± she asks, nibbling on her lip as she peered out the door. ¡°She got someone to cover for you, so we are free to leave,¡± I tell her, stepping into her room and grabbing the small bag sitting on the bed before grabbing her hand and tugging her downstairs. We step into the woods, and she wanders off toward a tree. I wait for her to shift when shees over to me with her uniform in her mouth. I crouch down, stuffing it in the bag before running my ws through her fur. She purrs, zipping in and out of my legs when I stand. Iugh, and she jumps up, pressing her paws on my stomach and rub her face, pressing my wolfish head against hers. ¡°I¡¯ll race you,¡± I tell her, licking her face before taking off before she realizes I just licked her. I hear her growl before hearing her dart after me. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Gannon POV Abbie¡¯s excitement was contagious as we went for a run. However, this time, I made her bring her clothes with her knowing how quickly her wolf got excited. We also went swimming for a bit, yet she seemed to enjoy herself despite her hesitation. Out here, when it was just us, it was like the world¡¯s problems melted away, and she had no cares in the world, yet at the castle, she slips back into the servant role she was ustomed to. I hated seeing her stuck in a servant role. Earlier I spoke to Damian about making her my personal servant, which would mean she would be free to do as she pleases; he said I needed to speak to the King. Though I doubt he would object to it as long as Abbie agreed. So I was hoping to have a chance to speak to him when we visited the Landeena castle. Turn around, Abbie squealed as she doggy paddled to the water¡¯s edge. I chuckled, turning my back to her. She had panties and a bra on this time, so I don¡¯t know what she was worried about. Besides, I had already seen her naked, not that she knew that.I heard her grunt as she tried to climb the embankment. We were in a different area today not so far from the castle, yet the ledge was higher. Hearing her continuous struggle, I turned around and gripped her hips, making her squeak. ¡°Gannon,¡± she squealed as I tucked her against me before climbing out and sitting on the edge. I sat her on myp, our feet dangling in the water. Her skin looked extremely white against my dark fur. Yet she never feared me in this form. Why don¡¯t shift back?¡± she asks as I bring. I nuzzle her neck, and she drops her chin yet doesn¡¯t move to climb off me. My huge hands rub her belly as I look over her shoulder to find her brapletely see- through. Her perking breast and pink button nipple peaking out. Deep gravings marred her flesh when I noticed the w marks across them. I had seen theshing on her back, counted those when she hadn¡¯t noticed me watching her in the water, yet I hadn¡¯t noticed the ones on her breasts before. I rested my chin on her shoulder. I looked down at her skin. w marks were on her thighs and her hips, looking like someone had gripped her and lost control. Mrs. Daley do these?¡± I asked without thinking, my hand moving to her breast as my wed thumb brushed over the indents of the scars left. She froze, her entire body going stiff on myp as she peered down, realizing her bra was see-through. I internally curse when she scrambles off myp, trying to cover herself. She climbs off me, rushing toward the bag, fetching her uniform, and slipping it on. My brow furrow in confusion and I turn, seeing her trying to do up the buttons, and I groan. Hauling myself to my feet, I walk over to her. ¡°1 didn¡¯t mean to upset you, Abbie, ¡°You should have told me it was see-through.¡± she snapped, doing thest of the buttons. ¡°Where did the scarse from?¡± I ask her. ¡°Same ce the rest did, the orphanage.¡± ¡°They look like w marks,¡± I tell her, reaching down to grab the bag. I grab my shorts and shirt before turning my back on her and quick shifting. I pull my shirt on first, not wanting her to see the marks on my chest. Pulling my shorts on, I turn around to see her doing thest couple of buttons on her dress. ¡°We should head back,¡± she says, scooping the stuff up. I didn¡¯t understand why she was getting so upset about her bra being see through. Her entire demeanor changed. She was pulling her hair into a bun when I noticed the scar usually concealed by her hair. It ran across the back of her neck and behind her ear. Reaching out, I traced the distinct pattern, and she jerked away from me. ¡°I noticed Ivy has a simr scar to that, though the opposite side,¡± I mutter more to myself. She touched the back of her neck before reaching down for the bag, and she went to toss it over her shoulder when I took it from her. ¡°What did I do? Why are you in such a rush,¡± I tell her, gripping her hand, but she pulls away from me, staring up at me like she was looking straight through me. Her gaze seemed distant, far away. ¡°Abbie?¡± I ask and she shakes herself,ing back from wherever the heck she just went to. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± she asks almost robotically. ¡°Pardon?¡± I ask her, and she blinks. ¡°Nevermind, we should head back,¡± she says, walking off while I stood dumbfounded, trying to figure out what just happened. ¡°Abbie, what do you mean?¡± I ask while catching up to her. ¡°Your intentions, everyone wants something, everyone takes something, so what do you want? Why are you keep being nice, hanging out with a servant?¡± she asks, not bothering to look at me. Yet I noticed the subtle way she sniffs the air, looking for which direction to go. She was like in flight mode, as if she wanted to run from me yet knew she could never outrun me. ¡°I just like hanging out with you. Why is that a bad thing?¡± I ask. ¡°Because you¡¯re a man, you¡¯re a Lycan. I am a servant, a rogue,¡± she says, stopping in as she scans the trees before finding the track and following it. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything, Abbie,¡± I tell her, and she peers over her shoulder at me. ¡°So, will you tell me where you got the scars and why you and Ivy have matching ones?¡± She touches her neck. ¡°More than my life,¡¯ she murmurs. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Means exactly that,¡± she says before walking off. We walked in silence the rest of the way back. Her silence bothered me and made me wonder what I did to earn it. She seemed troubled. Lost in her thoughts, and the moment the castle came into view, she rushed off. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Abbie?¡± ¡°I have chores to do,¡± she called, rushing off. Now that was a lie. I cleared her afternoon with rice. Yet walking inside, I found no sign of her, so I followed her scent back to the stairs and climbed them to see her slip into her room and close the door. I stared at her door for a second before the mind link opened up, and Damian asked me toe to see him. I groan, about to knock on her door. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there,¡± I reply, shaking my head and heading to the King¡¯s office. I would speak to her when I returned from my trip. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Abbie POV The following morning. I walk out of the billiard room down the corridor, and my eyes light up when I spot Ivying toward me. I was about to run to her when I realized the King hade around the corner and was next to her. He has a hold of my hand. Ivy, also noticing me, smiles and moves toward me before freezing, yet my gaze was on the possessive way he gripped her hand as if he was afraid she would run off. Ivy pauses and I frown. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. However, the King looked down at her and said something while I waited to see if she was allowed to come to see me. He nces down at her before bringing her hand to his lips. My eyes widen. Why was he being affectionate toward her? My breath lodged in my throat as worry courses through me for her. Surely, he isn¡¯t forcing her to be his sex ve. The thought horrified me. I know it happens, but she was my Ivy. I don¡¯t know if I could live with knowing she was suffering like that. The guards didn¡¯t even bat an eysh at his outrageous affections toward her as if they expected, yet whatever he said had her rushing over to me. Her body crashed against mine as she embraced me, and I squeezed her tight. It felt as if it had been ages since Ist saw her. Upon colliding against her, a sob burst from my lips as I smother her in my hug. The relief I felt upon realizing she was okay, or as okay as she could be given her situation, was as if a weight had lifted. Ivy squeezes tight, proving she missed me just as much as I missed her. Pulling away, I see tears streaking down her face and I wipe her tears, and she wipes mine. ¡°I was so worried when I didn¡¯t see you for a few days; I thought they got rid of you,¡± I murmur, remembering to keep my voice out of earshot. I didn¡¯t want to see her punished for my words, and I also didn¡¯t want to be reprimanded before holding me at arm¡¯s length. I nced over at her, looking forsh marks or bruises, but I found none. She appeared to be okay. ¡°Where is your uniform?¡± I ask her, noticing she wasn¡¯t wearing the usual staff uniform all the servants here wore. ¡°I have to go with the King somewhere. He told me to wear them,¡± she says, and my brows furrow. Wait, where is he taking her?! nce over at the King to find him talking to his guards and rice. Panic made me worry she had done something wrong. Was he shunning her from the castle or selling her? I felt my stomach pool with dread at the possibilities. ¡°You¡¯re leaving the castle?¡± I asked, unable to keep the panic sound in my voice. Ivy nces over her shoulder at the King before looking back at me, and she nods her head. ¡°But you¡¯reing back, right?¡± I ask. I feel the blood run from my face. And I nce down at my clothes again. If he was getting rid of her, I wanted to go with her. I don¡¯t want to remain here without her. We had a pact. Ivy is all I have left, and I refuse to go on without her. I couldn¡¯t. She is the only reason I didn¡¯t kill myself. The goddess knows how I tried to end it. If it weren¡¯t for her, I would have. ¡°Yes, I will bring her back, Abbie,¡± the King says, pulling me from my thoughts, and I quickly straighten just as Mrs. Daley taught us, making sure not to meet his gaze. I give a little curtsey, not wanting to be whipped for disrespect, and turn my neck in submission ¡°It¡¯s time to leave,¡± the King says, leaning down next to her and cing his hand on her hip. My eyes dart to his hand before going to lvy. Wondering if she was okay when he suddenly pulled her away from me and toward the guards at the end of the hall. ¡°I love you,¡± I blurt, she needed to know I loved her, and the King stopped when she looked back at me. Ivy lets his hand go and rushes back to me, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck, and I fight back the tears. She pecks my cheek, and I squeeze her extra tight, not wanting to let her go. ¡°I love you too,¡± she whispers to me. I didn¡¯t care if I got scolded for it or even whipped. I held on just that a little bit longer. I needed thatst hug in case it turned out to be myst one from her. If she didn¡¯t return, I would follow and give up, find a way to end myself to be with her. ¡°So much, more than my life,¡± I whisper in her ear, and my voice cracks as my throat bes clogged with emotion. ¡°More than my life,¡± she whispers back before letting me go. The king watches us curiously, and it was hard for me not to demand where he was taking her as she walked back over to him. My lip quivers as I pray to the moon goddess to return her to me. Momentster, I saw Gannon walk past and before I could stop myself, I gripped his wrist. He stops and looks down at me before watching the King and Ivy leave out the doors. ¡°He won¡¯t hurt her, will he?¡± I ask him, looking up at him to realize I still had a hold of his wrist. I jerk my hand back. ¡°Sorry.¡± I murmur, dropping my gaze. It was clear he was busy and going with them, and I was obstructing him. Gannon sighs before gripping my chin and tilting my face up, and my face heats, knowing we were drawing the attention of the guards in the hall. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he whispers. ¡°The King, where is he taking her? Is he selling her?¡± I ask him, and Gannon seems taken aback by my words. ¡°No, of course not. I won¡¯t let him hurt her, Abbie; I promise she will be back.¡± I suck in a breath and nod. ¡°I will be back in a few days. You have the key to my room still?¡± I nod my head, and he brushes his thumb along my jaw. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. And I left a present for you on my bed,¡± he says before shocking me and stepping closer. He hugged me quickly and kissed my forehead before walking off, leaving me stunned while he left. The rest of the day, I was in a sour mood. I worried for Ivy no matter how many times rice reassured me she would be fine. After a while, she sent me upstairs. I think she got sick of my never-ending questions about the King¡¯s intentions with her. I was about to step open the door to my little room when I remembered what Gannon said, and I fished the key out of my apron pocket. Moving toward his door, I ce the key in his door and twist it. Pushing the door open, I nced around before stepping inside. On the center of his bed was a paper bag, and I giggled, already knowing what it was. Opening it, I find candy clouds, choctes, and a wrapped present beneath. I unwrap it, removing the decorative wrapping to find an art book, charcoal pencils, and some pastels. I look around, shocked he remembered. Yet why would he buy it for me? I smiled before hesitating. Wait, did he expect something in return? I wondered. I swallowed, setting it back on the bed before rushing out of the room, leaving everything behind. No one gives you something without expecting some form of payment, and I know the sort of payment that comes with food and niceties. Rushing to my room, i step inside and lock the door. I won¡¯t make that mistake again. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 19 Chapter 19 For two days, Ivy was gone, and when rice told me she was on her way back, I remained by the front door for over an hour. I needed to ensure she was okay. I was excitedly bursting at the seams when I saw the limo pull in. The King said something to her before she rushed over and hugged me. I squeezed her tight, relieved she was okay. Grabbing their luggage Ivy helped me haul it to theundry room. ¡°Abbie, I have something to tell you,¡± Ivy says, nudging me as we walk down the corridor. She had a guard following closely behind her. ¡°What?¡± I ask, ncing nervously at her. I see her lips tug up in the corners slightly before she leans into me. ¡°The king wants me to be his mate,¡± she whispers, and I stop dead in my tracks. ¡°Mate, as in his mate, he wants to make you his Queen?¡± I asked her, and I blinked back tears. ¡°Means we will be free, we won¡¯t have to go back, Abbie, we can stay here for good,¡¯ she tells me. ¡°We can stay?¡± I ask as she grabs my arm, tugging me along. She smiles and nods, leaning her head on my shoulder as we walk through the kitchens. ¡°We can stay, we will have a home, and the King said he would get Gannon to change you. If you want to be turned, then we will be together forever, forever Abbie, we will have a home, a real one.¡± Ivy tells me, and I feel the warmth spread through my cheeks at the mention of Gannon. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asks as we load the clothes into the washers. ¡°Nothing, but are you sure Gannon will want to change me?¡± Ivy shrugs, ¡°If not once the king changes me, I will ask him how to change you and do it myself, but I think Gannon will change you¡± Ivy tells me. I dump the detergent in the washer when she leans in next to me. ¡°I think Gannon likes you,¡¯ she giggles. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Iugh. ¡°Just something the King said, he said that Gannon has never shown interest in anyone that he also asked Damian and him if he could have you as his personal servant; he doesn¡¯t want you working as a servant,¡± Ivy shrugs. ¡°We would be safe here, Abbie. I think the King is a good man, don¡¯t you think?¡± I nibbled my lip but had to agree. He had done nothing that caused us harm, although he was a little intimidating. However, before I could agree, rice walked in. rice smiles warmly at me, Ivy, and me, and we tell rice the good news. I couldn¡¯t help my excitement that I could stay with Ivy and that she would be the King¡¯s mate. This was the best news we had received in eight years, and it was like all our missed Christmases came at once. ¡°You have your chores, Abbie,¡± rice tells me, and I almost forgot with my excitement, and I rush to grab my cleaning supplies, and Ivyes to help me. ¡°Ivy, the King, has told me you are no longer his servant,¡± rice says, making us stop. ¡°But I want to help Abbie with her chores,¡± Ivy tells her. rice looked at Ivy¡¯s guard, who also didn¡¯t know what to say. He only frowned. Ivy introduced him as Dustin, and he was silent. I already knew who he was; I had seen him sneaking into Liam¡¯s room and Liam his a few times. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ivy, but unless the King allows it, I can¡¯t let you put on that uniform. Those here would treat you like a servant in that uniform, and I don¡¯t want any staff killed for that mistake,¡± rice exins. Ivy looks at me, and her shoulders sag. ¡°It¡¯s fine; I can just wear this, I guess; I will speak with the Kingter,¡± Ivy tells her. rice nces at the guard nervously, thinking she will get in trouble. Dustin shrugs, and rice sighs, wiping a hand down her face. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Very well, but you make sure you tell the King you wanted to help. I don¡¯t want to be scolded for making you work.¡± rice tells her, and Ivy rocks on her heels excitedly. My heart soared, knowing I could spend the day with her. ¡°But what else is there to do if not work?¡± Ivy asked, and she was right. It would be bloody boring sitting in my room all day. I would rather work, and I knew Ivy would feel the same. ¡°Live,¡± rice answers, squeezing her shoulder gently and walking off. For hours, Ivy followed and helped me. When it becameter, the guard stepped away from the wall in the room we were cleaning, ¡°Ivy, the King, is looking for you; he wants you back to your chambers,¡± he says. Ivy¡¯s shoulders drop, and she presses her lips together, wanting to stay, but I shoo her away. ¡°Go, maybe the King will let you hang out with me while I work tomorrow,¡± I tell her, and she sighs. ¡°I will ask. Hopefully, he will say yes. He did say he had to go away tomorrow, so I don¡¯t see the harm in it,¡± she says, hopefully, while looking at her guard. ¡°Well, you can ask when I take you back. He is quite insistent you turn to your chambers now,¡± Dustin tells her. Ivy quickly hugs me and pecks my cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll convince him and see you tomorrow,¡± she tells me, and I giggle, watching her go. I was nearly finished with my chores when I saw Gannon stick his head in the sitting room where I was dusting. l¡¯Abbie?¡± he says, making me turn to face him. He waggles his finger at me toe to him, and I wander over, wondering if I did something wrong or if he wanted me to clean something. He grabs my hand and takes the duster from me, setting it aside. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 20 Chapter 20 You didn¡¯t take your presents,¡± he states, walking me to his room. I chew my lip and peer up at him to find him watching me. He sighs, pushing his door open, and the gifts he bought me are still sitting in the center of his bed. ¡°Did you not like them? Are they the wrong ones?¡± he asks me, and I shake my head. ¡°I can change them,¡± he asks. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not that, I just you shouldn¡¯t¡± I suck in a breath when Liam waltzes into the room and falls on Gannon¡¯s bed. He props his arm behind his head and smiles slyly. Gannon shakes his head at him but turns back to face me. ¡°What is it, Abbie?¡± Gannon asks, and I tear my gaze from Liam. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t buy gifts for a servant, Gamma,¡± I tell him, using his title since Liam was around. ¡°Gannon, not Gamma. You don¡¯t address me by title. We have been over this. And why can¡¯t I, Abbie?¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Because it is wrong,¡± I tell him, and he looks at me as if I am absurd. ¡°Wrong how?¡± he asks, and I feel Liam¡¯s eyes on the side of my face, making me nervous as he watches us. ¡°It¡¯s just a gift,¡± Liam says. ¡°Yes, but servants don¡¯t get gifts, not for free,¡± I tell him. ¡°What do you mean? That is what a gift is, or have I been doing gifts wrong all this time? Gannon? I don¡¯t understand this one; bought Dustin some boxers with my face on them the other day. Maybe I should have asked for something in return,¡± he chuckles. ¡°Liam, give me a moment, geez, go annoy Dustin,¡± ¡°dly, I might be able to con him to suck my dick,¡± Liam says, sending me a wink. I cringe at his vulgar words. Liam gets up and pats Gannon on the back as he passes. ¡°Don¡¯t forget you leave early tomorrow,¡± Liam tells him. ¡°And yes, I can cover your shift if you want to spend time with Abbie,¡± he calls over his shoulder as he walks out. Gannon goes through the presents he bought, sitting on the edge of the bed. He reaches over and grips my hand. ¡°Dustin told me earlier that Ivy told you the King wants to change her and make her his mate?¡± Gannon says, and I nod. ¡°What if I said I wanted to do the same with you?¡± I chuckle. ¡°You barely know me,¡± ¡°And the king barely knows Ivy, Abbie. It is no different, not really anyway.¡± ¡°But what if you find your mate?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t and it wouldn¡¯t matter even if I did.¡± ¡°Why would you want me, though?¡± I ask, a little shocked by this information. He scratches the back of his neck nervously ¡°Because I like you. Why else?¡± he says nervously. ¡°Liking someone and loving them are two different things.¡± ¡°We could learn to love each other, Abbie. We would have all the time in the world,¡± he says, reaching forward and tugging me between his legs. He wrapped his arms around my legs and looked at me. Even sitting face to face, he was that tall. ¡°Will you think about it?¡± he asks, and I chew my lip but nod. Ivy did tell me Gannon would change me and I did like him. ¡°But what if I find my mate?¡± I ask him, and he sighs. ¡°Well, I am hoping you don¡¯t, but if you did, and you wanted to be with them, I would let you go if that is what you wanted,¡± I nod my head, and he lets me go, turning back to the bags. ¡°Please take your gifts, Abbie. I got them for you, and I expect nothing in return. I just wanted to see you smile,¡± he says. I can¡¯t help but smile at his words, my cheeks heating when he reaches up, brushing my cheek with his hand. ¡°There it is,¡± he says before cupping my face in his hand. 13:27 ¡°I have to go with the King tomorrow to your old pack.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going back?¡± I ask him. And he nods. ¡°I have a bit of a strange request to ask, and you can say no if you like,¡± he says. My brows furrow. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Can I count how manyshes are on your back? The King wanted to know he counted Ivy¡¯s while she slept, but he wants to punish Mrs. Daley, and he needs to know what charges to bring against her,¡± Gannon tells me. ¡°He wants to punish Mrs. Daley?¡± I asked, a little shocked. 1 You and Ivy never should have been treated like that. I have counted the ones on the back of your legs,¡± he says, looking away as if he did something wrong. ¡°But can I count the ones on your back, as I said you can say no?¡± I swallowed. It¡¯s not like he hasn¡¯t seen my back before or my butt. I chew my lip. ¡°You just want to count them, that¡¯s it?¡± I ask, unsure yet I trusted Gannon. ¡°That is all, Abbie,¡± he says. Yet the thought of Mrs. Daley getting scolded by the King excited me when I knew I shouldn¡¯t wish harm on anybody, but I hated her, hated more than anyone. So I nod my head. Gannon taps my thighs, gets up, closes the door, and returns to sit on the bed. Turning around, I unbutton my dress before pulling my arms out and only leaving my waist covered. Gannon pulls me to sit between my legs, and I feel his fingers tracing my skin. His touch leaves goosebumps on my skin, and my face felt hot when I felt his lips press against my shoulder. ¡°Thank you, Abbie,¡± he whispers, and I turn my face to look at him. He helps me pull my arms back into my dress before turning me as I stand to help me with the buttons. When I do up thest one, his hand bunches my dress on my hip as he tugs me closer. ¡°I promise she will be punished,¡± he whispers, and I nod. Any punishment was good enough for me. She needed to know the error of her ways and I wished death upon her. What she let the butcher do would forever haunt me, bruises andshes heal, yet what he did scarred my mind, and she allowed it. Tainted my dreams and haunted my soul. ¡°Can you check on the kids?¡± ¡°I can try if the King allows it. We will be in a time crunch. The King wants to get back so he can change Ivy and take her as his mate,¡± he tells me, and I sigh. I would love to know how my Tyson is, but if the King was genuinely going to punish her, maybe that would make her change her ways. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gannon asks. ¡°Nothing I worry about, the children, especially the younger ones,¡± I admit. Gannon brushes his knuckles across my cheek. ¡°Maybe one day I can take you back to see them,¡± he says, and I smile. ¡°Really?¡± I ask before my smile fades. What if I ran into the butcher? I feel a panic bubble within me. I can¡¯t go back. What if he takes me, keeps me like he always said he would? ¡°If that is what you want,¡± Gannon says. My skin itches at the thought of the butcher, and I scratch the back of my neck, only for Gannon to capture my hand. ¡°One day, you will tell me what makes you so nervous,¡± he says, kissing my fingers. ¡°Maybe one day,¡± I tell him, and he tilts his head to the side, observing me; I observe him back when he leans in, and I hold my breath, wondering what he will do when his lips brush mine softly. I gasp at the sensation, and he tugs me closer, yet he doesn¡¯t deepen the kiss or press for more. When he goes to pull away, I pull myself together. It¡¯s just a kiss, I tell myself, trying to remind myself that I like Gannon. So I kiss him back; I feel him smile against my lips before feeling his tongue sweep across my bottom lip, not forcibly. He was seeing if I would invite him in, and I did. My lips parted when his hand moved to the nape of my neck. His fingers massaged the back of my neck before tangling in my hair. His tongue brushed mine, and his taste overwhelmed me as I kissed him back. When I eventually pulled away from him, he sucked on my bottom lip but allowed me space, and my face med at what I let him do. Yet I liked kissing him, and he appeared to like it too because he smiled at me before pecking my cheek. ¡°I have work to do, but can Ie to see youter?¡± he asks, and I nod. Wondering if more kissing would be involved. I turn to walk out when he grabs my hand and tugs me back. He nods to my present. ¡°Draw me something,¡± he says, and I chew the inside of my lip. I nod, epting the gift before rushing out, and I hear him chuckle as I close the door. I raced back e drew momentster. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 21 Chapter 21 All day lvy and I worked around the castle. rice was in an excitable mood, and the ce seemed to buzz with energy. rice even let me choose my own chores halfway through the day, as long as I kept Ivy away from the kitchen area. I thought the request a little odd, but agreed, so we spent it outside raking while throwing the leaves at each other. It was the most fun, and even Peter and the gardener joined in for a little bit before Damian scolded them and told them to both get back to work. Both Ivy¡¯s guard and Damian followed Ivy like they were her shadow, but even Dustin and Beta Damian joined when we had our leaf fight after Peter left. It was great spending the day with Ivy. The day was very rxed, but like everything, it eventually came to an end when Beta Damian called out to Ivy. ¡°My queen, it is time to go in. I think a storm ising, and it is best youe inside before it rains,¡± he states, turning his attention to her. Just a while longer, please?¡± Ivy begged him, but he shook his head. Looking to the sky, I noticed the clouds rolling in, and it did indeed look like a storm was approaching. Even the wind had picked up, blowing the leaves around the garden area. Thunder sounded in the distance, and a few streaks of lightning. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Queen, but I must insist. The king wants you in bed by 8 PM,¡± Beta Damian tells hers. Ivy looks a little disappointed but knows she can¡¯t go against the King. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Fine, but stop calling me your Queen¡± Ivy says. Damian chuckles and clicks his tongue. ¡°As you wish,¡± he says, giving her a nod. Ivy and I say goodbye, and I no longer know what to do with myself. I join the other servants for dinner. After dinner, though, rice was still buzzing with excitement, and I watched as she hummed excitedly. When the servants leave to go about their duties, I go to see if there is anything I can help with. And she shakes her head. ¡°No, Abbie. Maybe go see if the cleaner needs help.¡± She offers, and I wander off, yet they all tell me no. It was too early for bed, and I couldn¡¯t see Ivy, so I wandered back to rice, who quickly put a sheet over whatever she was working on ¡°rice?¡± I ask as she makes herself busy. Whatever she was working on was pretty big. rice sighs. ¡°I do need a little help, but you must promise not to tell Ivy. It is a surprise,¡± rice says, and I beam; a surprise for Ivy? I bounce on my heels. ¡°The king asked me to make a cake for her birthday tomorrow,¡± ¡°Wait, her birthday isn¡¯t for a few more weeks,¡± rice shakes her head. ¡°No, she is showing signs of shifting. The King noticed. We believe her birthday is tomorrow, or maybe the next day, but the king wants to throw a party for her tomorrow when he returns.¡± My eyes light up. Ivy and I had never had a party before, and I was excited to help. Ivy, I knew she would love it. ¡°Promise not to tell Ivy. I don¡¯t want her surprise ruined,¡± rice asks. ¡°I promise, I can¡¯t wait to see her face,¡± I tell her, and rice smiles. ¡°Neither can I. I have been working on this cake all day, and I am making petals for edible flowers, so you can help if you want.¡± I nod eagerly. I would do anything to help bring a smile to Ivy¡¯s face. So we set to workte into the night, making a massive cake. rice even let me scrape the icing with a spoon and eat while she put on thest finishing touches. I can¡¯t wait to see the look on Ivy¡¯s face when she sees it. We even made matching cupcakes that sat along the different tiers. When we were finally finished with the cake, I helped decorate the ballroom, and by the time I climbed into bed; I was exhausted but excited for what tomorrow would bring. I was also excited to see Gannon. Buzzing with excitement, I found it impossible to sleep, so I pulled the sketch pad and pencils. I was so absorbed in my drawing hadn¡¯t realized it was 1 AM when Dustin knocked on my door. He pushes the door open just as I close the sketch pad I was drawing of Gannon¡¯s Lycan side. ¡°Beta Damian requests your presence in the King¡¯s quarters,¡± he tells me, and I jump to my feet. ¡°Is Ivy Okay?¡± I ask in a panic. However, Dustin says nothing, just holds the door open, and nods for me to follow him. I don¡¯t even bother to put my shoes on, instead racing after him to the King¡¯s quarters when I hear Ivy crying out from behind the door. I burst through the door and stop dead in my tracks when I find her writhing on the bed, holding her tummy. Damian hovered nearby. speaking softly to her and trying to calm her down. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± I asked, rushing to her side, but I don¡¯t think she realized I was there as I caressed her hair away from her face. ¡°She is fretting for the King,¡± Damian tells me. ¡°Fretting?¡± I ask, looking between Dustin and Beta Damian, who both nod. I had no idea what they were talking about, yet it was apparent Ivy was in pain. For a while, I try to calm her down. She calms as spoon her, and after a while, her breathing evens out, and we eventually fall asleep after she cries herself to sleep. It wasn¡¯t until felt hands scoop me up in the early hours of the morning that I woke to Liam picking me up. . ¡°Go back to sleep,¡± he whispers, and I nce around and yawn. ¡°Is Gannon back yet?¡± I ask him, and he purrs before staring down at me. ¡°Go back to sleep,¡± he orders, and my eyes snap shut, and I am sucked under only to awaken in Gannon¡¯s bed around lunchtime. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Gannon POV I had counted every strike against the old hag¡¯s back, watched as she hung limp in the restraint as my eyes wandered to the packhouse which the King had yet to emerge from. My brows furrowed, and I nced around at the guards. I was so preupied with dealing with Mrs. Daley that I hadn¡¯t realized the King was still inside the packhouse. I wipe my hands on my jeans which were drenched in blood from the back spray from off the whip. ¡°He still in there?¡± I ask one of the men standing guard by the doors. He nods his head. ¡°Yes, Gamma, we tried to go in, but he told us not to disturb him,¡± the man spoke, and I raised an eyebrow at him as I climbed the steps before shoving the rickety old door in. Alpha Dean and Alpha Brock were sitting on the steps in the hallway. ¡°Where is the King?¡± I ask before Alpha Dean lifts a shaking finger and points toward the basement door. ¡°He told us to get out and wait up here,¡± Alpha Dean says, and by how pale he was, something had scared the life right out of the old man. As I opened the door, I could hear the King muttering and cursing at myself for leaving him on his own. Walking down the steps, I knew instantly he wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind by his aura that had my knees shaking and the goosebumps that rose every hair on my body. That proven more by the moment my feet touched the concrete floor, and I peered over at him where he stood by a table in the center of the dusty old room. The ce was floor to ceiling high in boxes and files. His entire body tensed as he sensed the iing intruder. One side of the King everyone was petrified of. The monster that lurked beneath the skin of this man. In this form, he was the biggest predator, a lethal beast, and he showed it within seconds of me spotting him. One minute, he was standing by the table under the hanging light. The next, his hands gripped my shirt¡¯s front, and I was airborne as he tossed me. The air fizzled in my lungs as I hit a stack of boxes. ¡°Kyson!¡± I choked as his fist connected with my head. I growl before it¡¯s cut off by his hands around my throat. I grip his wrists, only for him to lift and m me onto the table that he was standing over when I came down here. Damian usually dealt with him when he was in fits of rage, and usually, the King kept this part of him locked up tight until it exploded as it had now. ¡°Kyson!¡± I choked out as his grip tightened. His eyes were ck and gued with the horrors of his past, where he couldn¡¯t protect his sister, a past full of bloodshed and unimaginable horrors. A ce he was currently trapped in, like the nightmares that gued him, and I was yet to figure out what had triggered him. I tilt my head to the side just as his fistes down on the table before punching him in the ribs. His grip never waivers as he hits me again, and I heard the wood crack as my head smashed back against the table. He would forgive me because I wasn¡¯t taking a pounding from him, and he clearly wanted to burn off some anger. For what I would figure out after, as he raised his wed fist again, I shifted under his grip, his tight grip making the transition painful as my neck elongated and the bones in my face broke and shifted, my jaws locked around his fist catching it and I jam my ws in his ribs. He grunts, stunned by the sudden pain he felt, that momentary distraction making his grip on my throat lessens, and my ws slip free of him as he staggered back, allowing me to roll off the table. Only this time, I was ready and prepared for his attack. By the time he came back to his senses, I don¡¯t think there was an inch of either of us that wasn¡¯t torn, scratched or bruised. His anger diminished as his eyes settled on me, the King returning and fuck, Damian is going with him next time. Every part of me ached and stung. The King gasps, blinking. His eyes return to normal as he sits up from where I tossed him off. The basement was destroyed, and I tookfort in knowing I would not be cleaning it. ¡°Gannon?¡± ¡°My King,¡± I replied, baring my neck to him, hoping not to set him off again. We both breathed heavily, and I felt every bit of the 411 years I spent on this earth. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°You want to tell me what that was about?¡± I ask him trying to catch my breath as he shifted back. He leaned back against the 0.00% 12.45 Lv.1 bench and crooked shelf, bracing his arms on his knees. I still wasn¡¯t shifting back, not yet. He was unpredictable at the best of times yet emotional at ticking time bomb running of instinct. He clutches his hair in his fists, and I leave the question instead of getting up and upturning what was left of the table, the papers scattered across the floor. I was near tempted to go drag Alpha Dean down here when he didn¡¯t answer when I spotted some photographs. One of the women I could barely recognize because she was ripped apart but the two orphanage photos of the two little girls I recognized instantly, ¡°This has something to do with Ivy?¡± ¡°She belongs to that monster,¡± Kyson breathes, and I nce over my shoulder to find him resting his head back on the shelf and staring at the swinging light. I turn back to the paperwork, picking up scattered pieces and trying to figure out his words when I spot a photo of a woman! recognized as Marrissa Talbot, the woman responsible for killing his sister. It didn¡¯t take long before I realized what he meant; Marrissa was Ivy¡¯s mother. ¡°Fuck!¡±I curse, knowing full well what that woman¡¯s crimes were. ¡°I can¡¯t be with her, not after knowing who mothered her,¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know for certain,¡± I mutter, picking up more files only to stumble across Abbie¡¯s. I stacked the documents in a pile. ¡°I am certain that she isn¡¯t her mother, Kyson. How you could even entertain the idea of them being one and the same is beyond me. Besides, that girl was a child and not part of her mother¡¯s crimes if she is, in fact, her daughter,¡± I tell him. ¡°And if she is, what do I do with her, then?¡± Kyson asks me. ¡°Does it matter? She is your mate!¡± I tell him while gathering all the documents. ¡°I won¡¯t have a monster for a mate!¡± ¡°Ivy is not her mother? You can¡¯t me her for the crimes of her mother,¡± ¡°I can¡¯t punish her mother for her crimes, yet she left behind a daughter that I can!¡± he growls before storming out of the basement ¡°Fuck!¡± I curse, gathering everything and moving after him. The ce was destroyed as if someone had left off a bomb downstairs, and I shook my head at the mess before following after the King. I hear him barking orders at his men that he wants to leave. Yet I turned to Alpha Dean as he rose to his feet from where he still sat on the steps. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have told us this over the damn phone or faxed this crap?¡± I asked, shaking it in the prick¡¯s face. He said nothing, and I looked at his pathetic son. ¡°You¡¯ll need to retrieve a broom,¡± I tell him. If it were me, I would lock the door and dere the basement no longer exist as the ce was upturned thoroughly. Kyson was still arguing with his men to hurry and secure the ce. He was impatient and wanted to leave, yet we had protocols before that was possible. I click my fingers at the driver, who jumps in the front seat before I look around at the men. ¡°Forget it. Mark, go ahead of us. We leave now unless you want him tearing this pack apart,¡± I tell the man, and he runs to one of the cars. The King wasn¡¯t bing to wait, and I sure as shit didn¡¯t feel like chasing him on foot if he decided to run out his anger. Climbing into the car, I¡¯slid across the seat and shut the door. The car took off immediately, and the King was looking for clothes. After dropping the documents on the seat, I leaned forward and lifted the bench seat with the storage underneath. I toss him some clothes stealing a pair of shorts and a tank top out as well. I pulled them on, jerking sideways as the limo went around corners before tugging the shirt over my head. The King¡¯s aura was suffocating in the small space, and Damian would kill me when he found out, but he wasn¡¯t the one having to sit with him, so I reached into the fridge and pulled out some bottle of liquor. I go to hand him a ss when he twists the cap off and puts the bottle to his lips before I can. Liquor dribbles down his chin as he pulls the bottle from his lips before wiping his face on the back of his hand and sighs. We all knew he was an alcoholic. He had been since his sister died, and right now, I wasn¡¯t helping the issue, but him drunk I could handle. I didn¡¯t feel like going round two with him right now and it sure as hell wouldn¡¯t be the first or thest time I watch him find himself in the bottom of a bottle or two. Halfway through the third bottle, he was passed out drunk. It was a long drive back, and I was relieved when I watched his eyes grow heavier before his head slumped forward. Sighing, I took the bottle from his grip and sat next to the two empty ones. Tapping on the screen between the driver and me. The drive wound down the window. ¡°He¡¯s out?¡± the driver asked, sounding as relieved as I felt. His aura towards the end was making me queasy, so I knew he would be the same. ¡°Thank god!¡± he answers when I see his eyes dart to the mirror. We chat a bit, and he pulls over briefly, allowing the cars behind us to catch up and drive ahead while I hop out for a smoke. I retrieve a nket from the trunk, and the driver goes in, tucking the King in like a damn child. Usually, that was done by Damian, the tucking in of the King when he got in that state. Today, I tasked his driver, Bill, with it. He always felt regret the days after or embarrassment, but I had a feeling this wouldn¡¯t be thest of his anger. The driver hops back in the car just as three cars pull up behind us, three had gone ahead of us now. I toss thest of my smoke, climbing back in with the King. Retrieving the files, I decided to go over them to find out more about Marrissa, and I also wanted to take a peek at Abbie¡¯s files. Not much was said about Marrissa because, by the looks of it, Alpha Dean wasn¡¯t even aware of who his pack had killed. -I shook my head and set that file aside before pulling out Abbie¡¯s. I open it to the orphanage photo, which must have been taken that night they were found. She looked petrified as she stared at the camera, her childlike eyes wide with fear and blood-drenched her clothes. Turning the page, I nearly dropped the files when I found her parent¡¯s ID. More importantly, when I found her mother¡¯s. That¡¯s not possible. I watched her die; I watched her die, and I knew she was dead because I killed her myself. I blinked at the picture; her face exactly the way I remembered it, a face simr to Abbie¡¯s. The resemnce was uncanny, yet when I looked at the name, it was wrong except for thest name. This wasn¡¯t the woman I loved and destroyed name, yet! looked at the woman in the picture and thest name. This woman looked exactly like my mate. Identical, and now I figured out the allure I had to her. Liam was right. I could no longer deny it, and now I know why they shared such a resemnce because I had a feeling the woman I was staring at in the photo was my mate¡¯s twin. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Gannon POV It took a while for the King to wake up from his drunken stupor, and the moment he does, he reaches for the bottle. I snatched it, needing him toe to his senses, needing his word he wouldn¡¯t hurt her. Which, in turn, would hurt Abbie. He loves Ivy. Everyone in the castle is aware of his affections toward the girl, and for once, the castle and everyone in it can finally breathe. We all lived with his depression, lived with his anger and torment. Watched him destroy himself and me himself. None of us wanted to see him go back to that dark ce, and I also worried that he would lose his Kingdom if he couldn¡¯t see past who her parents were. Kyson reaches forward to snatch the bottle, but I pull it away. I¡¯ll give it to you. First, we need to talk,¡± I tell him. He was far too drunk to cause me any real damage, his eyes bloodshot, and he reeked of liquor. We still had a couple more hours left before we reached home, and he needed to either get his frustration and anger out now or talk it out. Either I was fine with. Everyone back home has prayed for the miracle that the king would find his mate, find someone to help tame him, and bring him back to us, and Ivy was doing that without even knowing it. . . Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Gannon!¡± Kyson growls, but I fold the bottle in my arms as I cross them over my chest. He sighs. ¡°I¡¯ll talk, but give me the damn bottle.¡± I raise an eyebrow at him. ¡°No, talk first, then depending on how I feel about your mood afterward is whether I will return it,¡± I tell him. He presses his lips in a line. He couldmand me, but I knew some part of him knew he needed me to prevent him from letting the monster inside of him out; his father wouldmand anyone and everyone. You never held a normal conversation with that man. Even though Kyson respected and loved his father, we all know that was why he hatedmanding his men. Though he seems to get a kick out of using that and his calling on Ivy. At first, it shocked Damian and me. We both put it down to it being a mate thing and his alpha instincts to keep her under control and safe. One thing I liked about him being king was he would give you a chance to answer, only using his command when needed or if you truly pissed the Alpha King off. Rarely would you see him use it? He didn¡¯t need to most of the time because he earned the respect of his people, and they answered truthfully though sometimes I wondered if he was a little too trusting. He strived to be a better man than his father, who was a right prick, not that anyone told Kyson that. We dance the line when ites to mentioning his father. Kyson had always looked up to him despite him putting so much pressure on his son when he was alive that it almost killed him. He endured his father for his sister¡¯s sake growing up so she didn¡¯t have to. Once she was gone, I lost count on the number of times Damian, Liam, and I had to pull him back from the brink of madness and stop him from ending it, and oh, how he had tried. His sister was his to protect, and he believed he failed her because of Marrissa Talbot, and now he had a constant reminder in his mate. If I had known this was what Alpha Dean wanted to speak to him about, Damian and I would have covered it up, so he never found out. This piece of information wasn¡¯t needed and would only cause harm, and looking at Kyson, I could tell he wanted to hurt Marrissa in the only way he could now, and that was through Ivy. ¡°She isn¡¯t her mother,¡± I tell him and the low growl that leaves him. ¡°Alpha Dean could be lying,¡± I continue when he says nothing. ¡°Kyson, you know the pact you had us all make. It may have been years ago, but it hasn¡¯t changed. We can¡¯t allow you to kill her. We will put you down if you try.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, Gannon, I know that. I wouldn¡¯t kill her, anyway.¡± I let out a breath of relief that was very short-lived. ¡°Because if I did, I would only be killing myself, and that means that bitch won in eradicating the royal families.¡± I groan. That¡¯s not the answer I wanted to hear. ¡°Let me double check with Ivy. I don¡¯t want you near her until we are sure, and you need to speak to Damian about this. Her safety depends on it,¡± I tell him. His eyes flicker, turning ck as coal. His canines slipped out. ¡°You won¡¯t hurt her,¡± I tell him. Then what? I can¡¯t keep her either; I don¡¯t fucking want to look at Marrissa¡¯s spawn every damn second,¡± ¡°Well, you can¡¯t keep her locked up in the fucking dungeons; I won¡¯t allow it,¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t your choice, she is my mate, and I am fucking King.¡± He bellows. ¡°Right now, the only thing you are is a fucking idiot. Now you need to pull yourself together. You need to see past which her mother was!¡± I snapped at him when he growled, leaning forward on his seat. His ws slip out, cutting into the leather upholstery, and I curse, knowing what he wants. He wants to forget, wants to drown himself with the bottle, and clearly, I wasn¡¯t getting anywhere and need to hope Damian got through to him because I can¡¯t. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t do anything stupid. Promise you won¡¯t destroy your bond,¡± ¡°I can¡¯t promise that,¡± he says, and I grit my teeth. ¡°At least promise to speak with Damian before you do anything you will regret, Kyson. You¡¯re upset, and if you break the little trust you have built with her, you will regret it, and if you harm her!¡± I don¡¯t finish. He knows what will happen if he tries to kill her. We all took the same pact. A pact he made us take after losing his sister. That no matter the circumstance, if his future mate¡¯s life is in danger, we are to choose her over him, every time, no matter what. If ites to her and him. We take a bullet for her and let him die. That was the pact we chose to take, and he begged us to take it. That goes for him, too. He tries to kill her, and we would be forced to put him down to save her. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 24 Chapter 24 ¡°I promise I will speak to Damian first,¡± Kyson tells me and I suck in a breath of relief. ¡°You go straight to Damian. I want your word. You won¡¯t sneak off to your office. You won¡¯t go look for her. Give me your word, Kyson, that you will go to him.¡± He was furious, but he also knew I was right. Damian was his calm ce. Those two were more like brothers who had some strange understanding. Kyson was like my brother, but those two were synced in some odd way, literally an extension of each other being raised like brothers side by side. Endured the same torment at the hands of his father. Damian was also the only one if I couldn¡¯t talk him down that he usually could. ¡°Fine, just give me the drink,¡± ¡°I want to hear you say it?¡± ¡°I will go straight to Damian, okay,¡± I sigh before I relent and pass him the bottle. He takes it, and I don¡¯t miss the tremble of his hands as he twists off the cap. Usually, that only happened the few times we tried to get him sober. It neversted long before we gave up. His tremors would always be terrible, and we hated seeing him like that. The King was an alcoholic, everyone knew it, yet with Ivy, we saw hope because it was apparent he tried to not drink himself into a stupor with her. Original from N?velDrama.Org. I don¡¯t know when I fell asleep, but I woke to Liam shaking me. I was still in the limo and jumped, startled, ncing around before realizing the King was no longer in the car with me. ¡°You wanna get inside? The King went on a warpath and had Ivy escorted out of the castle,¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, scrambling to undo my seatbelt. When I fail, my ws slip out, and I slice it shoving past Liam and moving toward to door. ¡°What happened?¡± Liam asks, but I don¡¯t have time to exin. ¡°Is she safe? Did he hurt her?¡± I ask Liam, marching inside the castle. ¡°Her hand was busted up pretty badly,¡± ¡°He hurt her?¡± I snarl. ¡°Dustin said he didn¡¯t intentionally. He is with her,¡± Liam tells me as I turn for the stairs to find Abbie screaming at the guard and rice trying to calm her down. ¡°Abbie, wait. Dustin won¡¯t hurt her. They can¡¯t hurt her,¡± ¡°She already is fucking hurt! I want to go with her. Let me fucking pass,¡± she growls, and I watch her eyes glow. What in the fucking madness was going on? I had never seen her raise her voice at anyone, but right now, she looked like a cornered animal about to attack. rice grips her arm, yanking her back when she tries to shove past the guard, who looked like he didn¡¯t know what to do, but I knew if she got too loud, he would be forced to remove her from the castle. ¡°Liam!¡± | growl. This wasn¡¯t something I had time for. It would be up to him to deal with her. Yet the moment I spoke the word, and she heard my voice, she turned to me. Relief floods her features, and she rushes over. ¡°Tell him to let me pass, the King.. he had them take her, Gannon,¡± she says, ring back at the guard. She turns around to face me, and I press my lips in a line. Her eyes scrutinize my face for a second, and she takes a step back from me. ¡°You already know,¡± she says. ¡°Liam just told me I will handle it,¡± ¡°Tell the guard to let me pass,¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± I tell her, knowing doing that could cause more drama for Ivy. ¡°Yes, you fucking can. You¡¯re third inmand, are you not? Tell him to take me to her.¡± ¡°I will handle it. I will bring her back into the castle. I need to speak to the King first.¡± ¡°Fuck the King, that bastard-¡± Liam mps his hand over her mouth as my heart sputters in my chest at her words. She threatens the King and if she will have every guard on her in seconds. ¡°Shh, Abs,¡± Liam whispers to her. I grip her shoulders, trying to calm her down. It¡¯s one thing trying to get Ivy back in the castle. The King has no ties to Abbie besides Ivy, and she steps out of line. I know he would have no problems kicking her off castle grounds. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. I will stay wherever he sent her if I have to,¡± I tell her with a sigh. The strange bond they shared, I don¡¯t think I would ever understand. Both girls were almost mute, obedient, and terrified of their shadows half the time, yet would risk their own lives for each other without hesitation. I hated seeing Abbie like this. It was almost as if she needed Ivy, like she needed air to breathe and vice versa. Her entire body shook with her rage and fear for the girl. Her nostrils re as she res at me, her eyes flicking between hers and her wolf side. ¡°I will take you to her, but for now, I need to help calm down the king,¡± I tell her, stepping away from her. I head for the stairs, fucking livid. ¡°What do you want me to do with her?¡± Liam mind links ¡°Make sure she doesn¡¯t threaten the king and get herself killed,¡± I tell Liam. I make my way to the King¡¯s quarters and shove the door open. The moment I did, anger so hot coursed through me. He gave me his word that he would speak with Damian first. If he had, this never would have happened. He turns to face me the moment walk in, and he snarls, which only angers me more. How could he? Does he not realize how lucky he is to have a mate that fucking wants him? To have his mate at all. Mine was dead and buried in the fucking woods, and every day I have lived with that. Every day for nearly twenty years, I wished I could take that back; the pain she caused me was better than the hollow, empty feeling her death left behind. I wished I could take back what I did back then, and he was making the same damn fucking mistake. Only his reasoning was fucking ridiculous. She didn¡¯t hurt him; she did nothing to him. For twenty years, I lived in torture until Abbie came along. He kills her or breaks their bond. There is no coming back from that. He just couldn¡¯t control his damn temper, and seeing that made me lose mine. ¡°Where is Ivy?¡± I demand while looking around the room, his hand¡¯s fist by his sides, and I growl at him when he sneers at the mention of her name. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 25 Chapter 25 My temper got the better of me as my fingers gripped his shirt, and I mmed him against the wall. ¡°Where is my fucking queen?¡± I screamed in his face just as the door flung open, distracting me, only for him to punch me. I grunt before he kicks me, sending me flying backward into the bookshelf. The books rattle, and some fall off the shelving as I lunged at him. Only Damian gets between us and shoves me back. I growl, pointing at him, feral with rage. ¡°You have made a fucking mistake, King or not; I won¡¯t stand by this. Now, where is our Queen?¡± I snarl at him, my voice raising. Damian, caught between us, looked at us both, trying to figure out what was going on. ¡°Will someone tell me what happened and why you just made me put her in the fucking stables?¡± Damian demands. ¡°You fucking bastard, you fucking promised. She isn¡¯t her mother.¡± I spit at him. He said he would speak with Damian, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°Who, what in the world happened when you were gone, and who are you talking about?¡¯ Damian demanded. Kyson could exin it to him as he should have when he got back. For now, I needed to verify that Marrissa was her mother because he very well may have done this for no reason, not that his motivation was good enough in my eyes. ¡°Fix it, I swear, Kyson, I have stuck by you for fucking decades, never opposed anything you have asked, but if you don¡¯t fix this, am walking, King or not, I am fucking done,¡± I warn him before heading to the door. ¡°Where are you going?¡¯ Damian demands as I move toward the door. I stop, my hand on the door handle. ¡°To see my queen,¡± I snap. The King growls at me. But he may be too stubborn to see the error of his ways, but I wasn¡¯t going to continue watching him kill himself because he can¡¯t leave the past in the past. I refuse to watch him toss her aside and expect us to go back to living on eggshells around him. ¡°Wait, just fucking wait until I know what¡¯s going on,¡± Damian snarls at us both. I snap but close the door and fold my arms across his chest, worried I may just attack him again if I don¡¯t. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Now, exin,¡± Damian says. ¡°Marissa Talbot is Ivy¡¯s mother,¡± Kyson tells him while shaking his head and muttering too low for me to hear. ¡°What?¡± Damian asks, clearly shocked by this information. ¡°The Werewolf hunter, the one that killed my sister and the other Lycan bloodlines. Her mother was the insider. She was the one that killed them,¡± Kyson growled as if we weren¡¯t aware of her crimes. ¡°That¡¯s what Alpha Dean had to tell you?¡± Damian gasps, looking between us. I snarl when I watch the King walk to his bar to drown my sorrows so he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with them. ¡°Wait, that is why you sent her to the fucking stables, Kyson. For something her mother did?¡± Damian asks, outraged. ¡°He fucking said he would leave it, forget about it; she is innocent. She didn¡¯t fucking kill your sister Kyson,¡± I snap at him. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?¡± Kyson roared. Yet with the look on his face, I could tell he was conflicted. His heart was here with her, but his mind was trapped in the past with how he found his sister. ¡°What about her father?¡± Damian asks, ¡°They are trying to figure out his link, but we believe it was her partner, but we also think he wasn¡¯t aware of the crimes bestowed on his wife. We found nothing on him. That¡¯s why we arete,¡± I exin. ¡°And you¡¯re sure it¡¯s her parents?¡± Damian asks, sitting down and rubbing both hands down his face. ¡°He was supposed to show a picture to Ivy to make sure, but instead, Ie up here and find out she has been taken to the fucking stables,¡± I growl. ¡°Gannon enough, it may not be right what he did, but stop. Just let me think,¡± Damian says. I press my lips in a line, waiting for his orders. ¡°Go, take a photo to Ivy, verify it is her mother,¡± Damian says, and I nod, walking out. Abbie was waiting for me with rice at the bottom of the stairs. Liam had taken the guard¡¯s position by the doors, and relief flooded me when I saw she hadn¡¯t been removed from the castle. ¡°What did he say?¡± Abbie said, rushing up thest couple of steps as I walked toward her. ¡°Nothing, I am going to see her now.¡± ¡°I wille with you,¡± she says, and I sigh. I wasn¡¯t sure what state she was in, and I looked at rice, and she nodded to my silent message. That woman could read me like a damn book. ¡°How about first we go clean up, then we can take her a cupcake for her birthday,¡± I almost groaned hearing that. That¡¯s right. The Queen would shift any day now, and Damian had told me Kyson promised to be there. It was also why he was so hesitant to leave her, not wanting to miss it. ¡°No, I want to see her. She would be petrified, please,¡± Abbie pleads, and I grip her face in my hands. ¡°You will see her, I promise. Just stay with rice. I need to speak to Ivy, then you cane down.¡± ¡°Speak with her? You say that if she did something wrong, I have been with her all day. She has done nothing that-¡± she sighs, and I nce at Liam, who nods his head, and I know he must have told her to watch what she says because she doesn¡¯t finish. I tug her closer, and she pushes off my chest with her hands, but I hold her tighter. Not caring that we had witnesses, yet her body nt invades my senses, and it seems to have the same effect on her because she stops struggling to get out of my grip. du ¡°I promise. Damian, and I will handle the king, but for now, you just need to be patient.¡± ¡°I want to see her,¡± she says, and I kiss her forehead. ¡°Let me speak with her first,¡± I tell her before letting her go. She chews her lip before realizing we had witnesses, and her cheeks turn red. Liam and rice say nothing about it then rice waves her over. ¡°Come, you can help pick out which cupcake she wants, and we should find her something warm to wear,¡± rice tells her, and tears fill Abbie¡¯s eyes, but she nods, storming off toward the kitchen. I sigh and walk toward the door when Liam grabs my arm. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¡°You should know Trey is down there with Dustin.¡± my brows furrow at his words. ¡°So?¡± I ask, wondering why I need to know this useless information. ¡°He wasn¡¯t here when the pact was made,¡± Liam says, and I realize that meant if the King ordered him to kill her would. ¡°I handle it,¡± I tell him. spoke to the driver, who apparently let it slip to Trey what happened. His reaction to the news is somewhat worrisome,¡± Liam tells me. ¡°How so?¡± I ask. ¡°He was quick to escort her out,¡± Liam tells me and nods, heading toward the stables. The air was cold, and I would have to send someone to get firewood. I wouldn¡¯t allow my Queen to freeze down here. Approaching the stables, I hear Dustin snap at Trey. ¡°Fuck the king,¡± Dustin snaps, and I walk in just as Trey moves to challenge him. Dustin sets the bandages down that he was using to try to wrap Ivy¡¯s hand that was bloody. He moves to stand in front of her, clearly not liking Trey¡¯s presence near her. ¡°Yes, fuck the King. Remember where your loyalties lie, Trey.¡± I snarl, and he pauses as Dustin straightens. He was a stupid man challenging Dustin. I don¡¯t care if he was once part of the Landeena¡¯s guard when the Kingdom existed, Dustin was part of my men, and if push came to shove, I would back the men of my Kingdom before I back another. I held no loyalty to him, and if he thinks he can fuck with Dustin and Liam, not kill him in his sleep, he will be in for a rude shock. We all know Liam and Dustin were close. ¡°They are with my king.¡± Trey stupidly says. ¡°And she is your queen,¡± I snarl at him, and the man whimpers before his eyes re at Ivy with hatred I couldn¡¯t understand. I just knew I couldn¡¯t allow him around her if he had issues with her. ¡°You haven¡¯t been here as long as the rest of us, but the king swore us all to choose his queen over him,¡± I tell him. ¡°If so, why is she down here, then?¡± Trey demands. ¡°Because the King is an idiot. Move Dustin. I will wrap her hand. Go fix up the old King¡¯s quarters for me,¡± I tell Dustin, crouching down in front of her.. ¡°Yes, Sir¡± Dustin says while Trey growls. I nce over my shoulder at him to see the fury on his face. What has gotten into him? Once this was over, I would have to have a word with the King. I don¡¯t like how he is looking at her. Trey was usually quiet, did his job, which he is good at, and was observant, so it threw me a little that he was acting like this and openly. ¡°You¡¯re off guard. Get out of my face,¡± I growl the order at him, and my aura rushes out. Trey doubles over before rushing out when I drop it. I set to work cleaning her hand and wrapping it with the supplies that Dustin had, ¡°It will heal once you shift. Do you think you can hold on for a couple of hours?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you heal it?¡± she asked. ¡°I would if I could, but only the King can heal you. My saliva or blood won¡¯t work on you since you aren¡¯t mine,¡± I tell her, cupping her face with my hand. I wished I could, but even if I could, I wouldn¡¯t. The King would kill me for letting my DNA mingle with his mate¡¯s. I pull my phone from my pocket, checking the time. ¡°Once the moon is at its highest peak, I will take you outside, so you can shift, my queen,¡± I tell her. ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that,¡± Ivy murmurs, looking away from me. ¡°I need to ask you something,¡± I tell her while unlocking my phone and scrolling through the pictures. I stop before turning my phone in hand to show her the screen. ¡°Do you know this woman?¡± I ask, praying she says no. She takes the phone from me. A sob escapes from her lips, and her bottom lip quivers. In that second, I knew the answer before she said it. She nodded, tears trekking down her face. ¡°She¡¯s my mum,¡± Ivy smiles sadly while brushing her thumb over the picture of Marrissa. I curse too low for her to hear and hang my head before shaking it and looking up at her. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°He wille around, Ivy. You just need to give him space,¡± I tell her, but she looks at me, confused. So no one has told her anything at all. ¡°What do you mean? I don¡¯t get it. What did I do?¡± She asked. Knowing she did nothing, I frown when Kyson¡¯s voice flits through my head. ¡°What did she say?¡± I bite back a growl. ¡°Marrissa is her mother,¡± I answer, wishing I had a different answer for him. ¡°You did nothing. It¡¯s what your mother did. She killed the former King and Queen and the King¡¯s sister.¡± I tell her as Ie out of the mind-link. She blinks, astonished, unable to believe what I was telling her. ¡°Just try to get some rest. After your shift, I will take you to kyson¡¯s old quarters.¡± I tell her. ¡°But my birthday isn¡¯t for another couple of weeks,¡± she tells me as I am about to get up. ¡°The fact you recognized the king as your mate Ivy shows your birthday is today,¡± I tell her, just as I hear someone curse. The stable doors open, and rice and Abbie walk in. They stop by the door and nce at me. I nod to them before standing up and walking out, giving them space as Abbie rushed to her side. I stopped by rice at the door. ¡°Don¡¯t be long; I don¡¯t want to be dragging you to the cells for disobeying the king,¡± I tell her. rice nods, and I walk out. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Abbie POV Walking in, Ivy looked defeated, and I rushed to her side, I wanted to tuck her close and run away with her. It was only hours ago that we were mucking around while I did my chores. She was excited about the King¡¯s return and had rushed off to see him the moment he returned, only for me to run into her, looking heartbroken and overall broken. I couldn¡¯t fathom how everything turned so sour. Though I should haven¡¯t been so foolish to believe that anything would go right for us. We were forever doomed to be nothing more than filthy rogues. Though I wished I had the power to help her. Though on the walk down, I had made up my mind that we would run the first chance we got. ¡°I had a cake made, but I couldn¡¯t carry it down,¡± rice tells her. ¡°You should have seen it, Ivy. rice did a good job. We spent all day making it,¡± I tell her before frowning. I wanted to cheer her up, but clearly, the cake was from her mind. ¡°You enjoy it then,¡± she tells me. ¡°We can¡¯t stay long; Gannon is right; the King is on the warpath, but I couldn¡¯t let you go without wishing you happy birthday.¡± rice says, cing the blue cupcake in her hand. rice lights it with a match, and I stare at the flickering me. ¡°Blow it out and make a wish,¡± rice tells her. Ivy blows the candle out without excitement or light in her eyes. I was so excited to help rice; it was all for nothing. I smiled sadly and kissed her knee, giving her hand a squeeze from where I sat beside her. ¡°What did you wish for?¡± rice asks, a teary smile on her face. ¡°I wished to be free,¡± Ivy tells her, and a choking whimper leaves my lips. ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± I whispered. Anything but that, she can¡¯t wish for that. This was supposed to be a fresh start. ¡°I think it¡¯s a good wish,¡± rice says, looking at me, startled. ¡°Not where wee from. The only freedom rogues get is in death,¡± I tell her. I knew precisely what Ivy meant by those words. rice looked at her, shocked before grabbing her face in her hands. ¡°You wish for anything but that. Do you hear me? I will not watch my Queen die. I have buried enough of them,¡± rice says before walking out. I watch her go before turning back to Ivy. ¡°I wish I could stay to see you shift,¡± I tell her, and she nods. ncing around, the ce was cold and lonely. Ivy stayed with me, not that she had a choice being locked in the room with me, but I at least still had her by my side. I wondered if maybe I could convince Gannon to let mee down when her shift starts so she would be alone. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad. We have slept in worse ces,¡± I tell her, ncing around, trying to uplift her mood, but I might as well have been trying to grasp air with how useless my attempts to cheer were. Maybe if I asked the King, he would allow it, or I could deliberately get myself in trouble and hope he kicks me out here with her. ¡°I will speak to Beta Damian. Maybe he can convince the King to let me stay here with you,¡± I tell her my chances of even getting close to the King¡¯s quarter were slim. Ivy shakes her head. ¡°No, stay in the castle; you don¡¯t need to be punished too,¡± she tells me.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Abbie, love, you need to go,¡± Gannon calls out softly, and embarrassment courses through me, and I know my cheeks turn a little pink when Ivy looks at me questionably. Leaning forward, I kiss her forehead and cheek. I didn¡¯t want to go. She doesn¡¯t deserve to be out here with farm animals, but! didn¡¯t want to ruin my chances at being allowed back. ¡°I will try toe back. If I don¡¯t, I will tomorrow,¡± I tell her, rushing back to the door. I looked up at Gannon as I passed him. ¡°I won¡¯t leave her alone. Once she shifts, I will sneak her back into the castle,¡± Gannon tells me before reaching for a lock of my auburn hair. He twirls it around his finger and then clears his throat before nodding, and I rush out before he does anything else that I would have to exin to lvy. Liam was waiting for me when I returned to the castle, and I headed for the guard¡¯s quarters, hoping to find Damian to see if he would grant me permission to stay with Ivy for the night. The thought of her shifting with no one but Gannon upset me. Climbing the stairs, it didn¡¯t take me long before I heard Liam¡¯s footsteps rushing to keep up with me. Reaching the second-floornding, I see Damian in the hall talking to one of the guards before he turns and heads toward the King¡¯s chambers. Turning on my heel, I went to head down there only for a hand to grab my arm. ¡°Uh ah, can¡¯t let you do that?¡± Liam tells me and grits my teeth. ¡°Then can you ask Damian if I can stay with Ivy?¡± I ask him, and he sighs, steering me in the opposite direction toward the guard¡¯s quarters. ¡°Gannon is with her. She will be fine,¡± He says, dragging me along with him. I try to pull out of his grip, only for it to tighten. ¡°Abbie, you go barging in there. You will make things worse. Leave it be and trust that Gannon will look after her,¡± Liam scolds me as if I am some disobedient child. Truth be told, I didn¡¯t mind him. He seemed akay, a little entric, but I knew he cared deeply for Gannon and, unfortunately, the King who currently was on my hate list. ¡°What if she gets cold?¡± I wondered aloud. ¡°Gannon sent guards to get firewood. Dustin will take her nkets. For now, you need to go to bed,¡± he says, stopping at my door. He opens it and motions for me to go inside. Tears prick my eyes as I step toward it. ¡°And don¡¯t think of trying to sneak out. Gannon asked me to watch you. I will be right outside this door, Abbie. You won¡¯t get far.¡± He tells me, and I re at him. ¡°By all means try, I loves me a game of cat and mouse, and I could use the entertainment.¡± He chuckles, shutting the door, and I sigh, moving toward my bed. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 28 Chapter 28 I was up early before the sun had even risen fully, wanting to sneak down and see Ivy and bring her something to eat. I wondered how her first went. Getting dressed quickly, I opened the door to find Liam standing next to my door ying a game on his phone, his fingers jabbing hard at the screen while he cursed at it, making me assume he was losing whatever game it was he yed. Shaking my head, I step past him, and he follows with his head down, focused on his game. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Stupid game,¡± he growls as he follows me downstairs to the kitchens. ¡°What are you ying?¡± I ask, not really caring, but if I had to listen to him curse his phone out, it would be nice knowing what he is cursing about. I wait for him to answer as he starts stabbing his phone viciously with his finger. ¡°A cake-building game,¡± he tells me, and I pull a face at that. With crazy finger poking and cursing, I assumed he was ying some killing or shooting game. ¡°A cake building game, cake like you eat?¡± I ask, wondering if it was code for something else. Yep, making this stupid pink unicorn thing, but the sprinkles are going too fast, and the cement is wrong. It deducted more bloody points.¡± he snaps before looking at me. ¡°Have you got a phone?¡± he asks as we walk into the kitchens. I shake my head, and he turns to rice. ¡°Mumsy, oh dear mumsy?¡± he calls in a sugary sweet voice as he excitedly moves toward her station. ¡°Yes, Liam?¡± rice yawns tiredly, looking like she had no sleep at all. ¡°Can I borrow your phone?¡± he asks, and she sighs. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with yours?¡± she asks, pointing to it in his hand. ¡°Nothing, but I need to download a game so you can send me your coins.¡± ¨C ¡°For a game?¡± she repeats, pulling it from her apron pocket. She hands it to him, and he lights up as if all his Christmasese at once. ¡°You better not be using it for porn likest time. Damn near gave me a heart attack when I opened my browser to see what you¡¯re into, you man,¡¯ she scolds. ¡°I promise. I am just downloading a game, so I can send myself some sprinkles,¡± Liam tells her, unlocking her phone as if he had done it a million times before. rice raises an eyebrow at him. ¡°Sprinkles?¡± she asks him, and he nods, focused on her phone. rice looks at me, and I shrug. Liam sits on a stool by the counter, and I set to work making Ivy some breakfast and Gannon so I can take it down to them. It seemed like the perfect excuse to go there. The King surely doesn¡¯t expect her to starve. When I am done. rice finds me a pic basket, and I leave Liam with rice, rushing out the doors toward the main foyer area to see amotion. A loud roar rings out from down the corridor, and I see Ester running stark naked from the King¡¯s office. My stomach sinks as she rushes toward me, clutching her clothes in her hands just as Damian steps out from the stairwell further up. He grabs Ester by the arm and shakes the woman with a sneer on his face. His eyes run up the length of her, making him growl loudly at her state of undress. He shoves her away before both his hands hit the door of the King¡¯s office, then ms shut with a loud bang. I gasp as Ester runs out the castle doors. And I turn to find Dustin ring toward the doors she ran through, along with half the kitchen staff who had rushed out to see what themotion was. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have, would he? Ivy, she¡¯s-¡± tears burn my eyes on behalf of Ivy. Surely the King didn¡¯t kick his own mate out to be with the likes of her. Dustin growls before storming off, and I turn to find rice with a murderous re on her face. She presses her lips in a line before her eyes go to mine. They soften a little before she gasps. ¡°Come on, you go down there like that, and Ivy will know something is wrong,¡± she tells me. I look at the pic basket in my hands, and nod my head. Ivy was hurting enough, and she could read me like a book. It would only hurt her more if I went down there crying about what I saw. So reluctantly, I followed rice, knowing she was right. Liam is waiting by the kitchen doors when she walks toward them, and rice stops beside him. ¡°Find out what happened for me; I swear if the King¡± she doesn¡¯t finish. 12:38 1 ¡°He did, and I will whip him myself,¡± she growls, striding past him. Liam watches her go before gripping my shoulder when I go to pass him. ¡°I know the King. He is being a dickhead, but he isn¡¯t unfaithful. It is nearly impossible for one to cheat on their mate. At least for us Lycans anyway,¡± he tells me before walking off toward the guards at the end of the hall. Stepping into the kitchen, the staff were all murmuring about the king. I listen, trying to calm my racing heart. ¡°She is always all over him, though I thought he learned after thest time,¡± Sheri tells Amanda, who sighs heavily. ¡°Enoughdies, we will find out. You know the King is on edge after the news he receivedst night,¡± rice says, cutting thedies off. ¡°What news?¡± I asked rice, curious, but it was Sheri that answered. ¡°Another family was found, more children by the river.¡± She exins with a grim expression on her face. ¡°How old were they?¡± I ask, horrified that more rogues were killed. ¡°A few around our Queen¡¯s age, and some young ones, about five or six years old, and an elderly woman,¡± rice answers before she sniffles. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 29 Chapter 29 With a sigh of disappointment, rice says to herself with a shake of her head, ¡°What a waste of life.¡±. Silence falls over the room, and I was shocked to see heartache on the woman¡¯s faces. They were Lycans, yet they mourned for those killed, despite them only being lowly rogues and werewolves. Growing up, Ivy and I were constantly reminded of what scum we were for being rogue. Yet here we everyone considered us as people, not the dirt beneath their toes. It was odd and hard to get used to and I wasn¡¯t sure if I ever would get used to it. Everyone turns back to their tasks and Liam returns momentster, and rice looks up at him, and everyone stops what they are doing, waiting for him to answer the unspoken question from rice. The King woke up to Ester touching him. He tossed her out and had Damian order her off the castle grounds,¡± he says, and rice lets out a breath. The tension in the room dissipates significantly at his answer. rice nodded her head while Liam climbed up on the bench beside me, helping himself to some fruit sd that rice was making. She ps his digging fingers only for him to pout at her and she clicks her tongue giving him the bowl of fruit. ¡°I didn¡¯t think he would, but with how drunk he was, you can never be certain,¡± she says, looking relieved as she eyes Liam devouring the freshly cut fruit sd. He watches eagerly as she retrieves another bowl and starts making more and I turn my attention back to rice. He stole one of her puddings earlier, yet she didn¡¯t seem bothered by Liam. They actually seemed quite close. ¡°You all really care for Ivy, don¡¯t you?¡± I blurt, shocked at their disgust of their King if he betrayed her by being unfaithful. I certainly didn¡¯t think they would care since was a king and could do as he pleased. ¡°This castle has been the prison of the King¡¯s depression for centuries. Since he found her, we can all suddenly breathe. No one wants to go back to the way things were,¡± rice tells me. ¡°Plus, none of us want to hurt him. He is a good King; despite current behavior, he is a good man just troubled by the demons that lurk in him,¡± rice says before telling the servants their chores, and I watch them all rush off. ¡°What do you mean, that none of you want to hurt him?¡± I ask, could they really hurt the King? ¡°Some of us have a blood pact with our future Queen. If he were to physically hurt her or try to kill her, we would have no choice.¡± Liam says behind me, and I peer over my shoulder at him. He shrugs, yet still, I was confused by his words. However, turning back to rice, she answers. ¡°The King¡¯s guard was originally made of 12 men. After his sister died, we lost a few guards, but those that remained and some of the staff were tied by a pact. The King asked us to swear to protect his future Queen no matter the cost, even his own life,¡± ¡± That was the Worst week of my life,¡± Liam growls. ¡°But I would do it again,¡± rice shrugs. ¡°You¡¯re part of the guards¡¯ pact?¡± I asked her, and she nodded. ¡°I am one of the few servants here that are.¡± ¡°Yeah, a week full of the King forcing his blood down our throats and us breaking hismand,¡± Liam exins. ¡°For the pact to work, the King can¡¯t be able tomand us to harm his Queen. It¡¯s a safety thing. When ites to the King, she is the only one we can override hismand on. He could tell us to kill her, but we would do the opposite. We would kill the King for her,¡± rice answers. ¡°It only works if he asks us to threaten her life. We couldn¡¯t. The King g can stillmand us though it is more painful when he does. We can resist it to a sense, but he pushes too hard. We would relent,¡± ¡°Unless ites to the Queen,¡± Liam says that bond can¡¯t be broken. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand,¡± I admit. Though I didn¡¯t know much about Lycans, so maybe that is why. ¡°The king¡¯s blood was infused by witch magic,¡± Liam shrugs. ¡°Witches still exist?¡± I asked, a little shocked. ¡°Yes, of course, just not in in sight,¡± Liam answers. ¡°So no matter what, you will keep Ivy safe even from the king?¡± ¡°Yes, assuming he doesn¡¯t kill us to get to her,¡± rice answers. ¡°So you and twelve guards?¡± ¡°It was twelve; some have lost their lives since the pact.¡± rice states. ¡°Whose left?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Myself, Liam, Dustin, Damian, and of course, Gannon. A couple other but those are the main ones you will find guarding the Queen,¡± rice answers. ¡°Now Ivy must be starving, so we better get you on your way to her,¡± rice says, repacking and checking the pic basket. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Also, Abbie, I need to send you town a little we have guestsing this afternoon,¡± ¡°Who?¡± I ask. ¡°Alpha Kade, one of the packs with allegiance to the King, he is helping with the rogue children¡¯s deaths,¡± I nod, wondering if Gannon cane since I still can¡¯t read. Chewing my lip, I was about to tell her that is why Gannon came with me. ¡°I have already rung ahead. You just need to pick up the order. Though I am a little upset, you didn¡¯t tell me you couldn¡¯t read,¡± rice says, and I look at the floor. ¡°Had to find out from Damian when he told me the Queen couldn¡¯t,¡± she says with a shake of her head. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 30 Chapter 30 I sat with Ivy on the pier that overlooked the man-madeke by the stables. Ivy ate very little despite my trying to encourage to eat. We enjoyed the morning sun, enjoyed the rays heating my cold skin. I told her everything that happened in the castlest night. Though I Don¡¯t think she was really listening, she seems stuck in her head no matter how hard I tried to pull back to the present moment. I hated seeing her like this. Ivy leaned against one of the logs on the pier, watching me, yet I drew closer to the water. I Wished I was swimming with Gannon or even just going for a run; it was strange to me to have the freedoms we had here. Another thing I hadn¡¯t told her about. I wanted to tell her, yet I couldn¡¯t bring myself to because I didn¡¯t want to risk upsetting her more. ¡°Abbie!¡± Ivy hissed as I sat on the edge and tossed my legs over the side and into the water. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Gannon is right there,¡± I tell her, pointing him out, and she lets out a sigh. I wade my feet through the water, loving the feel of the water between my toes. Looking up, Gannon was smiling at me, and I couldn¡¯t help the blush at the knowing look on his face. However, what impressed me most is that he kept his word and didn¡¯t leave Ivy¡¯s side all night, as he said. She was supposed to shift, but now doubt had crept in. I believed, along with Ivy, that the king was wrong about her birthday. But still the question remained: if that were true, how could she recognize him as her mate? More shocking was learning of De¡¯s crimes. De was Ivy¡¯s mother before Alpha Dean¡¯s pack killed her. Though now we have learned that wasn¡¯t even her real name. And that De Hunley was, in fact, Marrissa Talbot. A notorious hunter and the woman responsible for not only killing the King¡¯s sister but also an entire Kingdom that used to reside in the mountains. The Landeena Kingdom, Knowing this information and realizing her childhood was a lie, that her mother was a monster I could see weighed heavily on Ivy. It broke her, a woman she loved. Her mother was a monster and serial killer. used of unspeakable crimes, and now Ivy was paying the price for them. Thoped there was some mistake. The De I remember was kind, loving, and dotted on both Ivy and me. She was strict, but protective of us growing up. She was my mother¡¯s best friend. We had stumbled upon their little camp after my mother fled the back we were part of. I have no memory of being in a pack, though I do remember having a biggler family once. My mother was a twin, and we were forced to go into hiding after her twin and my grandmother died. with me. ¡°I have to head back soon. I have to go into town with rice to grab some supplies,¡± I tell lvy, not wanting to go. Tears filled my eyes, not knowing when I would get to see her next, but I had chores to do, so I knew I needed to leave her. Lifting my legs from the water, I wander over to her, lean down, and clutch her fingers gently. ¡°Maybe I could ask if you coulde?¡± I told her hopefully, but I knew it would never be allowed. Ivy doesn¡¯t get the chance to answer when we hear screaming from the castle¡¯s direction. My head whips toward the direction of the woman¡¯s screams, and I see Ester thrashing and screaming her head off while two guards drag her across the manicuredwns. I try not to smile, well, they finally found her! I stand up, and Gannon turns to look up the hill in the direction of the castle, a re on his face. ¡°Ha, it serves her right,¡± I huff, and I curse at myself when I turn back to see Ivy watching me. ¡°What did she do?¡± Ivy asks curiously. I can¡¯t believe how stupid I was to say that! I look down at Ivy before her head turns to Ester, still thrashing as they lead her toward the front of the castle, toward the enormous iron gates. ¡°I worry it may upset you, but nothing happened. The King woke up before she could do anything,¡± I tell her while looking down at my hands, picking at her nails. Nervously I steal a peek at her, hoping she doesn¡¯t ask more. ¡°Before she did what?¡± Ivy asks. I chew my lip, not wanting to answer, but I wouldn¡¯t lie to her, and she would eventually find out. I just wished it wasn¡¯t me giving her the news. ¡°The king woke early this morning in his office to Ester fondling him,¡± I tell her. Ivy pales, almost turning green at my words, and my eyes widen when she sucks in a breath, a look of pure panic on her face. She gasps as if she can¡¯t catch her breath and her eyes prick with tears. ¡°Hey, hey. Nothing happened, I promise. I heard the guard talking this morning. When he woke, he was livid and tossed her out. He then banished her from the castle, so I guess they finally found her. He didn¡¯t do anything with her, Ivy. I promise you,¡± I tell Ivy. moving quickly to grab her face in my hands. She sucks in a breath, and I breathe with her, trying to calm her. ¡°That¡¯s it. Breathe, Ivy. He didn¡¯t betray you,¡± I whisper to her repeatedly as I try to stop her panic attack. When she calms down, I brush my hands over her face to clear her tears. Why did I stupidly say something? I mentally scold myself. ¡°So he didn¡¯t sleep with her?¡± Ivy asks, letting out a breath finally. ¡°No, she ran naked from his office crying like her bum was on fire,¡± I tell her remembering the sight making her snicker, she really took a walk of shame, and she should feel shame because not a single person was happy with her little act. Yet the look on her face told me she didn¡¯t see any funny side. I was about to say something else when a whistle caught our attention. We looked to the hill, and we saw rice wave to us. ¡°I gotta go, but I will try to visit youter,¡± I tell Ivy as I lean down, briefly hugging me before rushing off back down the pier and up to rice, who is waiting for me. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 31 Chapter 31 I was leaving to go grab the few groceries rice had rung ahead and ordered from the grocer. It was a nice day out today as I went over the mental list of the chores I still had toplete. As I walked toward the main gates, I noticed the King talking to some man who had his back to me. Yet as the breeze shifted, every muscle in my body tensed and I found myself unable to move. It was as if my body went into some sort of shock. ¡°Abbie, are you okay?¡± I heard Liam¡¯s voice reach my ears, yet still I couldn¡¯t bring myself to move. My heart leaped in my chest when his hands gripping my arms jolted me out of the odd state I was in. Liam turns me to face him. Yet my eyes automatically go to the stranger standing with the King. His suit was a light grey, his jacket open, and he had his hands in his pants pockets. My eyes roamed over his body. The white shirt he wore fitted his body in a way that I could see the outline of his abs pressing tight beneath it. . When his eyes met mine, he appeared curious while every part of me screamed, mate. ¡°Abbie?¡± Liam¡¯s voice says, and I notice the man¡¯s eyes go to Liam¡¯s hands gripping my arms. His lips move in a way that told me he didn¡¯t like Liam touching me. I shake my head,ing out of my daze and looking at Liam, who stared worriedly at me. He nces over his shoulder at the man the King was with. ¡°Sorry, I forgot what I was doing,¡± I tell Liam before quickly rushing out the gates while every part of me screams I should be running toward my mate, not from him. Yet he made no move to stop, and once I was walking down the road, I shook my head, thinking I must have imagined it. I make my way into town, yet that nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach never dwindled. If anything, it only got worse. The entire walk was a daze. Even once I retrieved the goods I was sent for, I stepped out of the shop, having no memory of even stepping foot in there. I was on autopilot while my mind was consumed with the man back at the castle. So consumed, I didn¡¯t even notice he had followed me to the small town until I walked into him. ¡°You didn¡¯t stick around to introduce yourself, little rude, don¡¯t you think, little mate?¡± A deep voice came before hands slid up my bare arms, leaving tingles from his touch. I take a startled step back, and he puts up his hands in what I assumed was supposed to be an apologetic gesture. ¡°Your name is Abbie, isn¡¯t it?¡± He asks. I say nothing. Despite him being my mate, he was still a stranger, though every fiber of me being called for me to go to him, submit to him. He nced around, and so did I. No one was around, which only made me more nervous in his presence. ¡°Liam told me your name. No need to be scared. I won¡¯t hurt you, love,¡± he tells me. Still, my brain doesn¡¯t seem to be able to function, and he sighs loudly. ¡°I¡¯m Alpha Kade, but you can call me Kade.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± I tell him, trying to step around him, knowing no Alpha would want a rogue for a mate, and I could tell he was an Alpha. His aura wasn¡¯t as strong as Gannon¡¯s or anyone really I had met here, yet there was the power behind it that told me I was right in thinking that. He sidesteps, stepping back into my path. ¡°Trying to escape me, I don¡¯t mind a good chase, though I would rather not cause a scene here,¡± he tells me, making me look up at him. He catches my chin between his fingers, forcing me to meet his gaze. His eyes flicker, and I watch his tongue dart out between his lips as he looked me over. ¡°You realize who I am to you?¡± He asks; his tone was curious. ¡°You¡¯re my mate,¡± I whisper, waiting for his rejection so I can go about my day. He chuckles softly, leaning down, so close his lips are almost brushing mine. ¡°Hm, if you know, then why are you trying to run from me?¡± He asks. I blink at him, and my brows furrow at his words. ¡°I¡¯m not; I am¡­¡± I stopped myself, knowing that was exactly what I was trying to do. He raises an eyebrow at me, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. ¡°Good, I am a busy man and don¡¯t have time for silly games of hide and seek. So shall we?¡± He asks, letting me go and motioning toward his car. I nce down at my bags in my hands, knowing rice needed them for dinner tonight. ¡°I¡¯ll return you to the castle after lunch. The King okayed it,¡± he tells me. ¡°You told the King who I am to you?¡± I asked. He nods his head, reaching for the bags I gripped so tightly my knuckles were straining against my skin. ¡°Of course. Nowe on, there is a cafe down the road,¡± he tells me, and a giddy feeling rises in my stomach. My mate wanted me? He wanted to keep me? He wasn¡¯t rejecting me! I thought for sure when he said nothing, that meant he was going to reject 0.00% 12:44 D me. Chewing my lip nervously, I nced at his car. It was sleek and modern. He opened the door and motioned for me to climb in. My mother would have scolded me really good for getting in a car with a stranger, but mum always said mates were our biggest blessing. They would love us unconditionally and never leave us. When I was younger, I craved to have a rtionship like my mother and father had. Though over the years, I never thought it would be a possibility for me. No one would want a broken rogueN?velDrama.Org content rights. for a mate. Mum¡¯s words flitted through my head, a vague memory I had. ¡°If you find your mate, and I hope you do one day, it would be the most magical experience of your life. You¡¯ll know instantly they are yours, and you are theirs. It¡¯s a love thatpares to nothing else,¡± she once told me, and I wondered while looking at him if I would have that with this man. Mrs. Daley always told us we would never have a mate, that we were unlovable and vile. Hearing that enough over the years, I started to believe her. Yet as Kade waited for me to climb into his car, I wondered if she was wrong. ¡°I mean you no harm. Don¡¯t you feel the pull?¡± He asks, and I nod. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of rejecting me, are you, Abbie? You wouldn¡¯t shun the moon goddess in such a way, would you?¡± Kade asks. ¡°No, of course not. I just didn¡¯t expect you to want me back,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°Of course I want you. You¡¯re my mate. Now, who doesn¡¯t want their mate?¡± He asks, and my cheeks heat at his words. ¡°So shall we?¡± He asks, motioning toward his car again. A giddy feeling bubbles up within me, and I nod, climbing in the car. He leaned over me, plugging in my seatbelt before pausing as he went step away. His hand cups my cheek, his thumb brushing below my eye gently. ¡°You are a pretty one,¡± he murmurs, and tingles rush across my face, his scent inviting, and I am unable to help myself as I inhale deeply, his scent strong like peppermint and white chocte. Kade chuckles softly. ¡°Good to see the feeling reciprocated,¡± he whispers, his eyes sparkling as they go to my lips. He then clears his throat, letting me go and shaking his head as he shuts my door. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 32 Chapter 32 It was just on dark by the time I returned to the castle. Kade dropped me at the front gate, and I couldn¡¯t wipe the smile off my face. My mate wanted me, and he seemed nice. He told me all about his pack and the packhouse, about duties I would be expected to perform as his Luna. It was nice, though I was still a little wary. I waited for the other shoe to drop. I kept waiting for the rejection, but it never came. Walking through the gates, I nearly jump out of my skin when Liam moves off the wall beside the iron gates. ¡°Gannon has been looking for you,¡± he states, and I swallowed nervously. While with Kade I had completely forgotten about Gannon for those few hours. Guilt swamped me, and my heart beat faster. ¡°You need to tell him, Abbie,¡± Liam tells me. I said nothing because I didn¡¯t know what to say. I never thought I would be put in a position where I had to choose ¡°Are you going to reject Kade or turn Gannon away?¡± he asks, stepping closer, and for the first time since meeting Liam, I took a step back from him. He didn¡¯t look happy with me, and his entire demeanor was off. He looked like the callous killer I had heard rumors of. ¡°He¡¯s my mate, Liam,¡± I answered softly. ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re a werewolf. You can reject your mates,¡± he says. My brows furrowed in confusion at his words. ¡°You want me to reject my mate?¡± I ask him, knowing doing that would be shunning the moon goddess for the gift she gave me. ¡°Kade is not a good man, Abbie.¡± He didn¡¯t borate further. Instead, he turned on his heel and walked off before calling over his shoulder. ¡°You need to tell Gannon. If you don¡¯t, I will.¡± Liam states, not bothering to stop. ¡°Wait,¡± I call out to him while chasing after him. He slows but doesn¡¯t stop as he walks through the double doors. ¡°You can¡¯t tell him. I barely know the man. You¡¯re acting like I am about to run off with him.¡± I snapped, annoyed at the usation in his tone. Liam turned on me instantly, and I backed up at the murderous look he gave me. My back hits the stone wall, and I gasp at his closeness. ¡°That is exactly what you will do. You will run off with your piece of shit mate and forget him. Just like she did. Then I will be left to pick up the pieces.¡± Liam snarled. ¡°He¡¯s my mate,¡± I whisper, suddenly feeling tiny next to this man with the way he had me trapped and cornered. He reaches a hand up, and I flinch, but he only twirls a lock of my hair around his finger. ¡°Gannon loves you. Kade doesn¡¯t. That man isn¡¯t capable of love. I guess you¡¯ll find that out the hard way,¡± he whispers before letting go and stepping back. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean, Liam!¡± I growl. He res at my tone, and I didn¡¯t mean for it toe out the way it did, but it was toote to take it back. ¡°Do the right thing, Abbie. You need to tell him. If you don¡¯t, and I have to, I will skin your mate alive and make you watch. If you want to be with your mate, fine. But don¡¯t lead Gannon along. You hurt him as she did? Not even Gannon will be able to save you from me.¡± he says, his tone of voice turning darker along with his eyes. Tears prick the corners of my eyes at his words. I didn¡¯t want to hurt Gannon. I loved him too, so why was this hard to decide? ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt Gannon,¡± I tell him. ¡°Then you¡¯ll tell him or reject your mate. If you want to be with that twat, Gannon will understand. But if he finds out because he caught you or I had to tell him, it will destroy him. But know this, Abbie. Just like you and Ivy are forever bound together, so are Gannon and me. Nothing wille between us.¡± he says while stepping toward me again. His canines slip out, and his ws extend from his fingertips as he grabs my face. His thumb brushes over my cheek, and I swallow, feeling more like prey than I ever had in my life. ¡°You hurt him, and he may forgive you,¡± he tells me while his hand moves to my throat, his fingers wrap around my throat, his ws grazing the back of my neck and making my skin prickle with goosebumps as he leans in so close his stubble brushes my cheek. ¨C N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°But I won¡¯t. And I am not the sort of man you want to make an enemy of,¡± he whispers next to my ear. A tear rolls down my cheek, and I nod before feeling his tongue move across my cheek, licking up the tear that brimmed and spilled over. ¡°So just keep that in mind. Like you and Ivye together, so do Gannon and me. He is a good man, but i¡¯ll tell you a little secret. I¡¯M NOT,¡± he growls before pecking my cheek and walking off and leaving me feeling sick with fear, I stand there petrified, watching him leave when the door across from where I stood opens up. The King walks out of his office and stops, stunned to see me standing there crying. ¡°Abbie?¡± the King asks, and I look at him. His eyes went to the end of the hall where Liam was before he turned toward the stairs and disappeared. The King sighs and pushes his door open wider, and nods toward it. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asks, and I nod my head. ¡°I need to get back to my room,¡± I tell him, walking off. ¡°Abbie, is this over Kade being your mate?¡± The King calls out, and I stop, suddenly angered that he would dare mention mates when he has locked his own mate away and rejected her over who her mother was. ¡°Even if it is, you would be thest person I would ask advice from, especially when your mate is rotting in a stable like a damn farm animal.¡± I snarled before walking off. I heard his growl behind me, and I half expected him to order me out of the castle, but as I reached the stairs and looked back at him, he stood by the window, looking out at the stables. Good, I hope the bastard feels guilty. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Dayster. Every morning, I woke to candy on the end of my bed from Gannon. Ivy was staying in the King¡¯s old quarters, and no one had been able to get close to her. Not even me. rice exined she was fretting for the King, and it turns she-wolves savage. However, because things have been so chaotic around here, I have hardly had a chance to see Gannon. However, he had been leaving candy and craft supplies in my room or his for me to find when I clean it. Which only made me feel more guilty when I found them each day. This morning was no different when I found a bunch of roses on the end of my bed with chocte. I pick them up, putting them in a vase on the windowsill before getting ready for work. Today, we were holding funerals for the rogues that were found dead, and I had to help rice in the kitchens to cater for it. Grabbing my uniform, I slip it on and move toward the door. Although the moment I step out the door, I find Liam waiting in the hall, leaning against Dustin¡¯s doorframe. ¡°Gannon spent all afternoon looking for you, Abbie, while you were off with Kade. You still haven¡¯t told him,¡± Liam states as I close my door. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a chance because he has been busy,¡± I tell him, walking past him. ¡°Have you decided?¡± he asked, and I sighed; how could I decide when I barely know either of them really, yet I wasn¡¯t sure I could reject Kade. The mate bond was stronger than I was ever told about. It made me crave my mate and filled me with loneliness when he was away. ¡°Kade is my mate, Liam. It is a blessing from the moon goddess,¡± I tell him, walking down the stairs. ¡°Not all mates are blessings. Kade doesn¡¯t want you. He just knows by keeping you. It strengthens him,¡± he snaps, keeping up with me. I scoffed because it sounded ridiculous. Liam grabs my arm, stopping me. ¡°He is using you. How can you not see that?¡± he snaps. ¡°Using me?¡± Iugh. ¡°I have nothing to offer him. He isn¡¯t using me, Liam. You know nothing of our rtionship.¡± Now Liam scoffs and folds his arms across his chest. ¡°So he told you has kids and a wife?¡± Liam asks, and I blink at him before getting angry. He would say that just because I want to try to make this work with my mate? ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± I growl. ¡°Ask him. To Kade, you are just another side piece with the added benefit that his wolf side will get stronger after having his fated mate.¡± Liam growls at me, and my hand moves before I even register what I did. My hand connects with his face that he would say such outrageous things about Kade when he has been nothing but nice to me. The p is loud, and I gulp when his head whips to the side before turning back to re at me. ¡°I will let that one slide since I know you are blinded by your bond, but I would not rmend hitting me again.¡± Liam snarls, stepping closer to me, when I hear Gannon¡¯s voice. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± he asks, and I lift my head, looking to the top of the stairs to see Gannon walking down them. Liam arches an eyebrow at me before clicking his tongue. ¡°I warned you,¡± Liam hisses at me, turning to speak to Gannon. Yet my hand reaches out, and I grip his wrist. He looks down at my hand before back looking at me. ¡°Tell him because I won¡¯t lie if he asks me,¡± Liam says before walking off. My eyes dart to Gannon, who watched us as he came closer. He watches Liam leave, stopping next to me. *Are you going to exin why you just pped my friend?¡± he asked, gripping my hand that was trembling. He lifts it to his mouth, kissing my knuckles, and I pull my hand from his grip. ¡°Gannon, don¡¯t. You won¡¯t want to touch me after I tell you.¡± I tell him, feeling guilty and knowing I was holding off. I didn¡¯t want to tell him because I wanted him to, but Kade was my mate. My destined mate. Someone the moon goddess chose for me and I couldn¡¯t throw that away. If I did for Gannon, and Gannon left me, I would have no one but Ivy. Kade told me he couldn¡¯t leave me, that he didn¡¯t want to, that he loved me, and he would always love me. So I had no choice but to go with the safer option. ¡°Tell me what?¡± he asks, looking the way Liam left. Yet how did I tell him? How could I tell him that Kade asked me to leave with him? Gannon turns back to me, and my heart felt torn. I wanted Gannon. I also wanted my mate. He cups my face in his hands, and I shake my head, tears spilling down my cheeks. ¡°Tell me, whatever it is. I can try to fix it. Did Liam do something?¡± he asks, and I shake my head. ¡°You can¡¯t fix it, Gannon,¡± I tell him, knowing this wasn¡¯t something that needed fixing or something he could control. ¡°Tell me, whatever is wrong, we can work it out,¡± he says, pressing his forehead against mine. I try to push him away, but he doesn¡¯t budge, refusing to let me go. He lifts my face, staring at me with worry when I try to pull away again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asks, wiping my tears away with his thumbs. ¡°l¡­I found my mate,¡± I whisper, and he shakes his head. ¡°What?¡± he asks, and I swallow, looking away, unable to meet his gaze. ¡°I found my mate,¡± I repeat, though this time, my voice sounded dead even to my own ears. Gannon lets me go, stepping away from me. ¡°Who?¡± he asks, clearly stunned by this information. However, I don¡¯t get a chance to answer when he asks another question. ¡°Is this why I haven¡¯t been able to find you over thest few days?¡± he snaps at me. ¡°Why rice has been avoiding me?¡± I say nothing, knowing that rice knew where I was, although I never asked her to lie for me. ¡°Who is your mate, Abbie?¡± Gannon asks. ¡°Why! So you can threaten him as Liam did?¡± I snap, bing frustrated with everyone telling me to choose damn sides, forcing my hand. Gannon growls. ¡°I would never hurt like that?¡± he says, and I instantly regret his words as he looks away. ¡°It¡¯s Alpha Kade,¡± I tell him, and his head whips back to face me. His eyes turn ck, and his canines protrude. ¡°No. You are not his mate,¡± he snarls. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I tell him. ¡°No, Abbie, you can¡¯t be with him. I won¡¯t allow it!¡± he snarls. ¡°It¡¯s not up to you, Gannon,¡± he¡¯s my mate, not yours. He growls at me, and the angered look on his face frightens me. ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. He is not a good man; he-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your lies. First, Liam tells me he is married and has a family, and now you want to try to get between us too, mates don¡¯t cheat on mates! Liam said it himself regarding the King. He would tell me if he had a family before me.¡± Gannon steps closer, but I step back. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. But you need to listen to me. Kade isn¡¯t who you think he is. I have known him for years-¡± I hold up my hand, having heard enough, and he stops, and I open my mouth to say something but then close it, not wanting to say something I will regret. Instead, I walk down the stairs toward the kitchens. ¡°Abbie!¡± ¡°No, Gannon. I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± I tell him. ¡°He is married!¡± Gannon yells at me, and I stop spotting Liam waiting by the doors. I growl, storming off to find rice. Previous Chapter N?velDrama.Org content rights. Next Chapter Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Gannon POV Liam wanders up the stairs toward me after she disappears, and I look at him before snarling. ¡°What did you do?¡± I snap at him. ¡°Same as you. I told her the truth. She is just blinded by the mate bond,¡± he says, shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t let her leave with him,¡± I mutter and Liam climbs the rest of the stairs and stops beside me. ¡°Sometimes you need to let them see for themselves. Everythinges to light eventually,¡± he states. ¡°I don¡¯t want what¡¯s left over after he breaks her,¡± I tell him. No way could I handle seeing that sort of heartache. The same heartache Liam and I endured. ¡°I know brother, but the King already granted him permission to take her when he leaves.¡± Liam tells me. ¡°He what?¡± I asked. Liam nods his head and frowns., ¡°I saw Kade stop byst night, so I decided to listen in. Kyson told him if she wants to go she can.¡± my stomach drops and a cold feeling settles over me. ¡°No! I won¡¯t allow it!¡± 1 snarled. How could he agree to such a thing? ¡°You stop her and she will question if she made the right choice,¡± Liam says behind me and I stop on the bottom step. ¡°She¡¯lle back Gannon¡± Liam calls out to me. ¡°I know she will. That isn¡¯t what I¡¯m worried about. I am worried about the state she¡¯ll be in when she does!¡± I growl before storming off to find Kyson. Liam sighs and I peer over my shoulder to see him slip into the kitchens while I head to the King¡¯s office. The moment I walk into the room, he sighs as if the weight of the world is resting on his shoulders and crushing him. ¡°You heard the news, I take it?¡± He says and I fall into one of the chairs by his desk. He doesn¡¯t bother looking up from his paperwork. ¡°You can¡¯t let her go,¡± I tell him. ¡°It¡¯s already decided. She leaves in a few days.¡± He says simply. ¡°Kyson!¡± He looks up before leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. ¡°You know thews, Gannon. I can¡¯t stop her unless she directly asks me to force him to reject her.¡± ¡°She would never ask. He has her convinced he is some gift from the Goddess!¡± I snap at him. ¡°Mates are gifts from the Goddess,¡± he says and his brows furrow and I knew he was thinking of his mate that has been rotting away because of his neglect of her. However, my experience with mates and Sia, I would hardly call them a gift. That woman was a fucking curse! A curse I broke. And it nearly killed me doing it. ¡°I won¡¯t try to and stop you from convincing her otherwise, Gannon. But once he leaves and if she wants to leave with him, I have no choice but to allow it.¡± he says. ¡°And if it were lvy?¡± I ask as he stands. ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± the king states. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But if it were?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing this with you today, Gannon. We need to head to the cemetery. Argue with me over this later. Preferably after I have had a few drinks so I can turn a blind eye to whatever it is you¡¯re doing,¡± he says, walking toward the door. He walks out and I shake my head before pushing out of my chair. I follow him toward the back of the castle. When I reach the hill, I see Abbie standing with rice while the king made his way to the bottom of the hill, checking the graves he dugst night. Abbie looks over at me, but I turn away from her, I knew what that man was capable of, so how couldn¡¯t she see what sort of monster he is? Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Abbie POV I was waiting with rice for the burial to start. We were holding a luncheon in the ballroom for the staff, but I wouldn¡¯t be attending. I had agreed to meet Kade this afternoon, but still, I helped set it up after my altercation with Gannon. I noticed Gannone down with the King. It saddened me when he looked my way, only to look away. Guilt coursed through me and I turned my attention straight ahead, holding back the emotion that threatened to choke me. In an ideal world, Gannon would have been my mate, however I have a mate and can¡¯t throw him away either. I have never had anything, and Kade was mine and I would fight for that, even if I didn¡¯t know what I was fighting for exactly. The ceremony was just beginning as everyone waited on the hill. It was only momentster when I noticed movement at my side and I nce in that direction to find Ivy. My shock must have been apparent because she smiles sadly before looking ahead and I don¡¯t miss how her eyes instantly seek out the King. I grip her fingers giving them a squeeze. She had missed so much and I had so much to tell her, but for now, it would have to wait, The king is standing at the front where I see 13 fresh graves dug. He is staring off vacantly toward the path leading to the surrounding forest. I felt Ivy¡¯s arm brush up against mine, and I could tell she was trying to figure out what was going on. Time seemed to stop, and the only noise was the soft breeze and the birds in the trees. I swallow when I see the open graves that had been freshly dug. ncing around, we see movement in the far corner before a session of coffins being carried to the grave sites where the king is standing. Most of the coffins belonged to children, making me think of Tyson. What if he was one of the children? What if Mrs. Daley had killed him? It made my heart clench in my chest. Most of them weren¡¯trge enough to be adults. Four of them, I could tell were adult sized coffins, but the other nine were children¡¯s coffins. The guards carrying them stopped by a grave and they set them down before music started ying from the violinist who stood by the river. It wasplete silence while we all waited for the coffins to be lowered into each grave. Nobody speaks or even whispers. We merely watch. When it finishes and the coffins areid to rest, a horn res again. After a few minutes, everyone starts climbing the hill and leaving to go back to work. The ce is packed with people, but I only pay attention to the most important person to me here, Ivy. I grab Ivy¡¯s arm and tug her up the hill, back toward the castle. Excitement bubbled within me as I tried to contain my excitement about having her back in a semi-normal state. This ce was lonely when I was the only werewolf in the castle besides her. Not that she had shifted yet, but now she had returned to me; I felt like! could finally breathe again. Finally, I could let go of the pressure building on my shoulders because with her it was a little bit lighter and I would endure it for her, knowing she was by my side. We go back in through theundry, following behind rice. The moment Ivy steps inside, I wrap my arms around her and so does rice. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± | murmur while squeezing her tighter. rice cups her face in her hands, her eyes teary, and she lets out a breath that could not be mistaken for anything other than relief. Ivy grips her hands and opens her mouth to say something when the King suddenly enters the room. She stops, staring over her shoulder at him and I notice Gannon step in behind him. ¡°Get back to work!¡± the King snaps at us before stalking past us without so much as a backward nce. I press my lips in a line when I see the heartbreak on her face. Is the mate bond not the same for Lycans? How could he treat her so badly? I swallow and look away as Gannon and Damian follow after him. Gannon doesn¡¯t even look in my direction, just clenches his jaw as if he couldn¡¯t bear to be near me I bite the inside of my lip before returning my attention back to lvy. ¡°He wille around¡± rice tells her, gripping her shoulders. Ivy shakes her head and looks at me. I smile at her sadly, and I hate how she put on her old maid¡¯s uniform. She was supposed to be happy! Happy because the King was her mate, but here she was forced back into a position I wished I had never needed to see her in again. She ignores rice¡¯s protests that she wasn¡¯t a servant and shouldn¡¯t help me when Ivy insists. ¡°I want to help Abbie. I am not his mate anymore. He has made that perfectly clear,¡± Ivy tells her. ¡°You¡¯ll always be my Queen,¡± rice whispers and I see Ivy swallow. Seeing her sadness just made the decision to leave with Kade all the more torturous. I couldn¡¯t leave her with the King while I ran off with my mate. Ivy follows me to help me do my chores, which I was excited about. It was the most time we had really spent together since being here. I tell her about how the King returned yesterday morning and spent the day hand digging the graves himself and half the night, refusing any help when the guards tried to step in and take over. I also tell her about the castle gossip. However, I was too scared to tell her I found my mate and may be leaving her. Yet as the day went on and the time to meet Kade drew closer, I was bing more excited. That giddy, excited feeling bubbling in me at knowing I was seeing my mate soon. Only for it to dampen when the guilt would return. It was like waves of pure happiness, then guilt over Ivy and Gannon, then fear of the unknown and excitement that I had found my mate, blissfully painful, a tortuousbination. Yet when the time came, I couldn¡¯t help the spring I had in my step as we walked into the kitchen. rice sighs and looks over at me, where we stood on the other side of the kitchen counter. She then rolls her eyes before speaking, ¡°Go on then,¡± she says with a dismissive wave. A little excited squeal escapes me before I grab Ivy, quickly pecking her cheek, before rushing off out of the kitchen. ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡± Ivy calls after me. However, I don¡¯t stop. All day I had been trying to figure out a solution to my problems, one being that I couldn¡¯t leave Ivy, the other Tyson. I had to ask if there was any chance Kade would help me get him from Mrs. Daley. The other thing I had to ask was if he would allow Ivy toe with me, because if she couldn¡¯te, I wasn¡¯t leaving her behind by herself. Kade was waiting for me out the front by the gates. He smiles when I slip out the doors and I return the smile and walk over to him. He holds my door open and I don¡¯t hesitate to climb in, loving his scent that I knew saturated his car. Kade takes me to a different ce today. Instead of a cafe or restaurant, he takes me for a pic by the bridge. 0.00% 18:56 ¡°Are you excited about leaving in a few days?¡± he asks as we set out the nket and sit on it. I frown and look at the river running under the bridge. ¡°I have to leave. Abbie. I can¡¯t stay here. I have a pack to run back home,¡± he tells me when I say nothing. He passes me a sandwich and pulls some grapes out of a container out. He pops one in his mouth, watching me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asks, watching me. ¡°Is it that Gannon you always talk about?¡± He demands, and I was shocked to hear the anger in his tone. ¡°Sorry. I hate how close you are. And I hate the way he stares at you.¡± Kade says, ¡°I have hardly seen him.¡± I tell him. ¡°He was watching you when you ran out to the car,¡± he tells me while taking a bite of his sandwich. I swallowed, tearing apart my sandwich and popping a piece into my mouth. ¡°Do you know Ivy? My friend?¡± I ask him, and he nces at me. ¡°The King¡¯s mate?¡± he asks and I nod. ¡°Yeah, I have heard of her. Why?¡± *The King hasn¡¯t been nice to her recently. I wanted to know if she coulde with us,¡± I ask and Kade scoffs. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°And how would that be possible?¡± heughs and my face falls. I sigh, leaning up against the tree. ¡°I can¡¯t steal the King¡¯s mate, he would kill me Abbie,¡± ¡°And I won¡¯t go without her,¡± I tell him and his eyebrows raise. ¡°You would choose your friend over me?¡± he asks. ¡°She is more than just my friend. We grew up together,¡± I tell him, but he shakes his head. ¡°You¡¯re asking the impossible of me,¡± ¡°We could sneak her out. The King doesn¡¯t even need to know. He will think she ran away,¡± I try to reason. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are serious about this. I knew you were simple, but damn it, Abbie, the King is a Lycan. Do you have any idea what they are capable of? he says. He was right. I was being foolish. It was a stupid idea. I look away, embarrassed, and blink back tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to call you simple. Sometimes I forget it¡¯s not your fault,¡± Kade says, reaching over and gripping my hand. ¡°I can¡¯t read that doesn¡¯t mean I am simple,¡± I tell him. His words stung more than he would ever know. He was thest person I expected to call me names. ¡°As I said, I didn¡¯t mean it the way it came out, and I will think about what you said about your friend. Maybe we can think of something. Now what¡¯s the other thing you mentioned in the car you wanted to ask me?¡± Kade says, giving my fingers a squeeze. I tell him about Tyson, and he listens intently, nodding his head. ¡°I know Alpha Brock. I can request the boy if you want? See what he says,¡± he tells me. ¡°Really?¡± I asked, excited. He would help me get Tyson back? ¡°Only if you behave. And show me that you can look after him when we get back home,¡± he tells me. Behave? I thought his wording a little odd and wasn¡¯t sure if it came out how he meant it to. Yet he was going to help me get Tyson. I could keep him and raise him. Now I just had to convince him to let me sneak out Ivy. And I couldn¡¯t wait to let her that I might have a way for both of us to be free of this ce. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Abbie POV I look for Ivy when I return to the castle before finally finding her in her room. Excitement bubbles inside me at the thought of getting her out of here. I knew I could convince Kade; I had to, or I wasn¡¯t leaving her behind. I couldn¡¯t abandon her, not when she was already so alone; she wouldn¡¯t abandon me either, that much I was certain of. When I push the door open and spot her, I rush into the room excitedly and over to her, where she sat in front of the firece. Ivy looks relieved to see me and sits up on knees. ¡°Where have you been? I have been looking for you,¡± she says before grabbing my arms. She hugs me before I hold her at arm¡¯s length, making sure she is okay. She looked rather tired, and I knew it was her mate bond affecting her this way and causing it. She looked so sad all the time. Despite her best efforts to hide it from me, yet I knew. She couldn¡¯t hide it from me, so I was excited to share this news with her. I knew it would give her hope. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to upset you, but I have some news. I found my mate!¡± I tell her while almost bouncing on the spot as I clutch her fingers. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s wonderful, Abbie. What¡¯s he like?¡± she asks me. I blush and then start telling her all about Kade. And what we have been up to the ces he has taken me before ncing at my hands, praying she agrees toe with me. ¡°He¡¯s great, but he asked me to leave with him. I just need to get permission from the King.¡± I tell her. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± she asks and I notice her eyes turn instantly ssy, but I know Ivy. She wouldn¡¯t dare say anything to stop me. She wants me to be happy and I wish the same for her. ¡°Yes, in a few days, but I have a n. Come with me?¡± I ask, clutching her hands. Ivy looks at the floor, and she smiles sadly. I couldn¡¯t imagine the heartbreak she is going through. ¡°I will convince him. I will convince him to help get you out. We cane up with a meeting spot.¡± I tell her. ¡°Abbie, he won¡¯t go against the King,¡± she tells me. I shake my head. ¡°I will convince him. You¡¯ll see. He will let me bring you.¡± I tell her. ¡°If he says yes, will youe?¡± I ask her. ¡°But he won¡¯t. No one would dare go against the Lycan King. Kyson would kill him if he took me, you have to see that?¡± she says. ¡°He won¡¯t know you¡¯re with us. I¡¯ll figure it out, you¡¯ll see. I will get you out,¡± I tell her and she sighs. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get you in trouble,¡± she says, but I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯ll convince him, you¡¯ll see,¡± I tell her quickly, getting up and pecking her cheek. After dinner, I head to my room only when I step inside. I find Gannon sitting on the end of my bed. I stop at the door and peer over at him wondering if he was here to argue more over Kade. ¡°Please Gannon, I don¡¯t want to argue with you,¡± I whisper. ¡°I¡¯m not here to argue, juste here,¡± he says, patting the spot beside him on the bed. I nce at the spot before being nudged into the room from behind and I jump, looking over my shoulder to see it was Liam. ¡°She can use my old phone,¡± he says, tossing it to Gannon. ¡°I factory reset it,¡± Liam says, and I look at Gannon, wondering what they are talking about and why both of them were suddenly in my room. I move closer to Gannon, slightly nervous next to Liam. When I am close enough to him, he reaches out and grabs my hand before moving further back on the bed and pulling me to sit between his legs. Liam shuts the door and Gannon wraps his arm around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. I try to get up but his hold is too strong. *Watch,¡± he says, holding the phone out in front of me. ¡°Gannon?¡± | murmur, knowing Kade wouldn¡¯t like me sitting on the man¡¯sp, though it was hard not to lean into his warm embrace, his scent soothing and familiar N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Abbie, stop. I am not stopping you from going, but this? You need to learn, or I will risk the King¡¯s wrath and order you to reject him.¡± Gannon says. ¡°What?¡± ¡°In case you need me, please. Just this once, listen to what I am saying. I understand you made up your mind. But I need to show you how to use this,¡± / sigh, but decide to go along with it. He shows me some features on the phone, opening and closing messages and the phone book. ¡°Gannon I can¡¯t send texts, I can¡¯t read,¡± I tell him. ¡°This button here, you just speak into it and it will convert your speech to text, then hit send. Liam also set it up so it will read messages back to you,¡± he tells me while showing me how to work the device. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 37 Chapter 37 ¡°You are asking the impossible. How am I supposed to sneak her out?¡± he demands. ¡°She can meet us somewhere, and we can grab her on the way. Either that or I stay, Kade. I won¡¯t leave her behind,¡± I tell him, snatching my phone back off him. He growls and I turn away from him, walking up the street only for him to grip my arms. ¡°Fine, fine. What is this n you have?¡± he purrs. And I turn in his arms to look up at him. He smiles back at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Love. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you,¡± he tells me, cupping my face in his hand. *Now tell me what you want me to do,¡± he says, and I smile. He was going to help me. The breeze was cool as the day slowed down, and all the servants prepared for dinner and end-of-day tasks. Tugging the white sheets from the clothesline with Ivy, we folded them, bringing the corners together and cing them in the basket. Our interactions had been t most of the day, and she had been quiet for most of it. I was itching to tell her that Kade agreed and I tried a few times, but then had to stop because someone was always around. A guard, another servant, so amongst the blowing winds and the pping sheets, I moved closer to Ivy before reaching over and dropping the pocket watch into the front pocket of Ivy¡¯s apron. She nced down before putting her hand in the pocket and feeling around for what it was. ¡°When the big hand is on the twelve and the little is on the seven, I am leaving,¡± I whisper as she examines it. She chews her lip before ncing around nervously and I nce around, making sure no one else is around or within earshot. Then I reached into my shirt and produced a small key from my bra that I had to take off Gannon¡¯s key chain when he wasn¡¯t looking, which was a real bitch. I had to wait for him to shower when he came off shift and I quickly used my key he gave me to sneak into his room before quietly sneaking around and finding the keys. He had caught me and I told him I was grabbing hisundry, which seemed to get me off the hook. I drop it into her pocket before quickly retrieving another sheet from the line to fold. ¡°I stole the key from Gannon. It¡¯s for theundry door,¡± I whisper, nodding to the one we just came out of. ¡°Run along the river and head west. Keep going, and you will find a bridge. Meet us at the bridge. He said he would help me get you out. You have to be there at 7 PM sharp,¡± I quickly tell her while ncing around, and she nods. And for the first time in ages, I saw the sparkle back in her eyes as she tried to hide her smile while pulling another sheet down from the clothesline. ¡°You convinced him,¡± she smiles and I smile back at her and nod once. ¡°Yes, but he said if you¡¯rete, we can¡¯t wait. He said he doesn¡¯t want to be caught waiting outside the town limits,¡± I tell her. Looking at the sky, the clouds are moving in dark and heavy and it was going to be one hell of a storm when it hit. I just hope she won¡¯t get caught in the middle of it. ¡°And you¡¯re sure he won¡¯t tell on me?¡± Ivy asks. ¡°He promised me,¡± I whisper before reaching over and gripping her arm. ¡°We will be free. Just not the freedom we used to long for, but actual freedom. Freedom to live,¡± I tell her and tears prick my eyes. ¡°Always and forever.¡± I tell her. ¡°More than my life,¡± Ivy says in return. Those words meaning more to us than a simple I love you. It meant I was still fighting, fighting to remain by her side and her mine. ¡°More than my life. Always more,¡± I tell her because the Goddess knows the only reason I am here is because of her, the only reason I still sucked air into my lungs each day, if it weren¡¯t for her I would have been dead the moment I tied that noose and around my neck, if she hadn¡¯t climbed up there with me cing it around hers too, the rope never would have broke, I would be dead. Because the Goddess knows I wanted it to end back then. Sometimes I still do until I remember I would be leaving Ivy behind. We finished dragging the clothes off the line and walked back through theundry doors when something hit me and I shrieked. I rub the spot on my lower back and growl. Laughter reaches my ears, I spin spotting Peter, the stable hand boy, then I notice a rotten apple sttered at my feet that he threw at me. That rotten little sod. ¡°Peter, you little shit!¡± I hissed, dropping my basket and chasing after him, picking up rotten apples that had fallen beneath the trees. I start lobbing them at him. Peter was one of the stable boys. He was 15 and had a mop of blonde curly hair and was always up to mischief or making a mess any way he could. I shriek when he pelts another my way before throwing another, trying to hit him with the apples while screeching when he tosses one back and ducking. gather more apples, filling my apron pockets, when Ivy picks one up and tosses an apple. Peter darts behind the castle wall just as Dustin walks around. The mushy apple smacks him in the face, and he freezes on the spot, stunned for a second before wiping the mush off. I chuckle, unable to contain it while trying to muffle myughter. Peter hid behind him before popping his head out and sticking his tongue out at me, and I pin him with a re. Dustin wipes the mushy apple off his clothes, growling. Bits of apples sticking to his crisp, clean uniform and a chunk was stuck in his stubble. Dustin¡¯s eyes go to me and I gasp, pointing at Ivy who shakes her head. He raises an eyebrow at her, a devious smiling splitting onto his face. ¡°You think this is funny, my Queen?¡± he asks her, a smile on his lips. I snicker before stopping when he walked over to the apple tree, making me squeal and I rush toward Ivy before using her as a shield.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Dustin picks up a gross-looking apple that was nearly liquified in his hand. Dustin tosses the apple in the air a couple of times, letting it break up more before heughed and threw it. Ivy shrieks and ducks, falling on top of me only to hear him gasp, and Peter burst outughing, holding his tummy, and pointing behind us. Turning my head, I look behind us to see rice covered in the rotted mush. We both tense, waiting for the scolding as she steps closer, examining her soiled apron. She looks back up, and her eyes go to us on the ground where we are and both of us point to Dustin standing by the apple tree with Peter. We look in their direction to find Dustin pointing the me at Peter. rice red, and we all froze in ce as the old woman stalked toward us before ripping her apron off. ¡°Apple war it is then,¡± she huffs, a look of wild excitement on her face. Then she runs over and scoops up some apples. I giggle before jumping up and joining the fray. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 38 Chapter 38 The time had finallye for me to leave, and I was waiting out front of the castle, sitting on the steps. A small bag sat between my feet that rice had made up for me, so I had a few things to take with me until Kade organized clothes for me. Yet as the car pulled in, I jumped to my feet and rushed over to him. The bond tugging me to my mate, and I was ecstatic that Ivy coulde with us. That I would eventually get Tyson back. Today was a good day. everything wasing together, though I would miss this ce. Miss Gannon and rice, but Kade promised I could visit whenever I wanted. smacked into his chest the moment he got out of the car, and he wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my hair before pecking my lips softly. ¡°Get in the car, my love. We need to head home,¡± kade whispers, cupping my face in his hands. Looking around, I tried to find Gannon but couldn¡¯t see him. So instead I turned to the King and gave a quick bow to him. Though shockingly Damian gave me a brief hug before I looked around again. He was just here seconds ago. Where did he go? ¡°Where did Gannon go?¡± I ask, a little disappointed. Alpha Kade grips my shoulder, turning me toward the car. ¡°You said goodbye to your friend?¡± he asks me and I look up at him, nodding. He inclines his head toward the car, and I slowly walk back to it before climbing into the passenger seat and clipping in my belt. Kade shuts my door and I watch as he talks to the King, my hands sweat and I wipe them on my pants. After a few minutes, he climbs into the car starting it. I wave to the King and those waiting. The King stiffly waves back and I peer up at Kade. ¡°The King looks angry.¡± I tell him. ¡°Probably busy.¡± is all Kade offers. We drove to the bridge where we are supposed to meet Ivy, yet as time slipped on, and the closer it neared to 7 PM the more nervous I got. I paced along the walkway, looking to the path below. Once Seven came and went, i heard howls fill the sky and Kade gasps. Nervously I look at Kade. ¡°I don¡¯t think she ising, love, she must have changed her mind,¡± I shake my head, knowing she wouldn¡¯t have. ¡°No. She¡¯ll be here,¡± I tell him, pacing again. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Abbie!¡± ¡°No, she will be here,¡± I tell him and he growls behind me. I peer over my shoulder at Kade, and he presses his lips in a line. ¡°The King knows of her ns. TThe gardener told him when he heard you speaking,¡± Kade tells me. But the gardener wasn¡¯t there to listen. ¡°Abbie, don¡¯t make me do this, I don¡¯t want to hurt you, but we need to leave. Kyson wille for me when he finds out I was in on it.¡± ¡°How do you know about the gardener?¡± I question. ¡°One of the guards sent me a message just now,¡± he says,ing over ying with his phone. He shows me the screen. ¡°You know I can¡¯t read, do the voice to text thingy.¡± I tell him. ¡°My phone doesn¡¯t have that feature,¡± he tells me. ¡°No, we need to wait. She wille. I know she will¡± I tell him. ¡°Abbie, get in the car,¡± he repeats, I shake my head. Just go,¡± I tell him, waving him off and turning toward the steep incline to go look for her when I feel his aura slip out and wash over me. ¡°Stop this nonsense and get in the fucking car! You are testing my patience. Now!¡± He bellows the order and I whimper as I try to fight hismand yet my feet carry me to the car with frighteningly quick steps. Kade growls, mming my door before I barely get my legs in. While I sit there shaken that he justmanded me. He climbs into the car and starts it before he sighs heavily. ¡°The King is mad at me. You don¡¯t want me hurt, do you? What would the Moon Goddess think if you got your mate killed, all because you foolishly wanted to wait?¡± He asks ¡°What if she tripped or something?¡± I ask, worried. He puts the car in drive, and it starts moving. I reach for the door handle, but Kade¡¯s hand drops on my thigh, his nails digging in. ¡°Do you not love me? Did you not hear what I said about the King looking for me?¡± He growls before once again his aura slips out. ¡°Sit there and be quiet! Think about the consequences if the King finds me. Imagine all the ways he could hurt me.¡± He orders, and I blink. My mind . overpowered and did everything he asked. For hours I imagined possible torture scenarios, my bond aching and cringing when finally he squeezed my fingers. ¡°I dropped mymand. I¡¯m sorry, love. I shouldn¡¯t havemanded you,¡± he tells me, and I peer out the window feeling sick. If only he knew how tortured my mind already was and then he does that. Forces me to envision his death while my bond tugged painfully in my chest. The guilt forming an endless pit in my stomach. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I whisper. ¡°That¡¯s okay. You are forgiven. I bet you¡¯re hungry. There is a truck stop ahead.¡± At the mention of food, my belly rumbles. He pulls in and there is a small diner. Stepping inside, we take our seats and Kade orders for us. He orders our food yet when ites out I stare at the te. ¡°You need to watch your figure. Can¡¯t have a fat Luna,¡± he says as I stare down at the bowl of lettuce. ¡°Lucky I am here to look out for you. I¡¯ll make a Luna of you,¡± he says. I look at his eggs and bacon, but not wanting to sound ungrateful, i tuck in. My belly rumbles after we finish eating and climb in the car. I was still hungry and I pinch my shirt that was far too loose, wondering if I was overweight. Surely someone would have told me? Maybe not, but I didn¡¯t think I was overweight. I always thought I looked sickeningly skinny with the way my hip bones jutted out and my ribs showed.. The drive takes hours and I reach into the back-seat to retrieve my bag, pulling my phone out. I have multiple texts messages from Gannon. Yet some part of me told me not to listen to them in the car. Kade made it very clear about his dislike for Gannon and Liam, and I didn¡¯t feel like arguing with him over any message he sent So I tuck the phone back in the bag when my fingers touch a wrapper. Excitement bubbles in me and I pull the bag of candy clouds out. I open it and pop three in my mouth while reaching for the dial on the radio. Only Kade ps my hand. He had never done that before. He always let me choose the station when in his car. ¡°I¡¯m listening to that! What has gotten into you? You¡¯re acting out of sorts!¡± he snaps, ncing at me. Was I acting out of sorts? Was it me? Yet why did I suddenly feel ufortable in his presence? Guilt smashed me for even thinking I was ufortable. The Moon Goddess would strike me down for my terrible thoughts about my mate. A gift she bestowed me. ¡°What have you got?¡± Kade asks when I pop another candy in my mouth. I show him the bag, offering him some. ¡°Strawberry clouds, do you want one? They are..¡± he rips the bag out of my hand. ¡°I knew you were acting up! For fuck sakes, you shouldn¡¯t eat candy. The sugar goes to your head.¡± He winds the window down, tossing the bag before ! could try to grab it. ¡°You¡¯re so talkative and loud whenever you eat that shit he gives you!¡± he snaps and I shrink in my chair. ¡°Seriously, Abbie, think of your health. And my sanity. It drives me up the wall when you¡¯re blubbering and bouncing on your feet!¡± he scolds. He neverined before, and Gannon never said I talk too much. Yet that sinking feeling returned and I turned my gaze out the window. Wiping a stray tear with my fingers. ¡°You¡¯re not seriously crying over candy?¡± He huffs and I feel myself slip into a mask I had learned at a young age. A mask Mrs. Daley earned from us. One of emptiness. Tears won¡¯t help you, no they would get us beat back at the orphanage. Kade mutters something under his breath. Yet I turn my thoughts inward, blocking out the world and everyone in it. Going to a ce no one could touch me. Going to a ce I only visit in my dreams. Grandma¡¯s house. Where my childhood was good before it all got taken away from me when we had to go on the run. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 39 Chapter 39 I lose track of time and didn¡¯te back to my surroundings until Kade shook my shoulder, making me jump back. ¡°We are here, love,¡± he tells me and I blink. We had arrived already?i nce around to find it waste at night, yet this wasn¡¯t the packhouse that Kade had told me about. There was no huge sandstone mansion or gardens, no fountains and tall hedges and or any people in sight. I look at the run down cabin we had parked out the front of in confusion ¡°Where are we?¡± I ask him, noticing this ce waspletely isted and surrounded by forest. ¡°A safe house. We have been having issues with neighboring packs. We don¡¯t want to alert them to your existence. It would put you in danger,¡± he says. My brows furrow and I go to say something, yet he was already climbing out of the car. The wind was harsh as he walked around, opening my door. I climb out, rubbing my arms before retrieving my bag. ¡°How long will we stay here for?¡± I ask him, looking at the tiny porch that sloped on one side. The door had a huge crack and a chunk missing from the bottom corner. ¡°You will stay here until the mess is sorted with the other pack,¡± he says while fiddling with his keys. ¡°Wait you aren¡¯t staying with me?¡± I asked, peering around at the tress, and into the shadowing darkness. ¡°No, I need to head home. Keep up appearances. If I don¡¯t return, they maye looking for me, which isn¡¯t safe for you,¡± he tells me. ¡°But this ce is safe?¡± I ask him. He nods his head. ¡°I will stay for a little bit. I sent a list to my men. They stocked everything for you. Come on, I will show you inside,¡± he tells me. He ushers me to follow him before unlocking the door. He has to kick it a few times to get it to un-stick; the door was swollen from what looked like water damage. Stepping inside, the ce was a dump, rubbish strewn everywhere, and it reminded me of some of the old abandoned buildings near the orphanage. Inside was a double bed, the mattress heavily stained. No, actually, I believe it is a futon. Kade flicks the lights on and they flicker as he moves toward the kitchen ¡°You¡¯ll find everything you need here. I will bring more supplies and food as soon as I can. But with a tidy up it should be quite cozy,¡± he says. He hunts around in the tiny kitchen, that I could reach my leg out from the bed to touch the counter it was that close. He returns with a box of matches and passes them to me. ¡°I need to go, but I will return tomorrow. Firewood is around back. You may need to chop some up. Some fresh bed linen is over there and food is in the pantry and fridge.¡± he tells me. ¡°Wait, can you help me get the fire started?¡± I ask him desperately. I always sucked at it and Gannon, Liam or Dustin would always start mine back in my little room back home. Sometimes Damian too. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. It¡¯s ridiculouslyte, I need to get home and shower to get up for work. You can manage fine on your own for one night. I will be back around lunchtime tomorrow,¡± he says. ¡°Please, let mee with you. You can sneak me into the packhouse. No one will see me, it¡¯ste night no one be up at this hour,¡± I tell him, not wanting to stay out here by myself. ¡°Abbie, love. I need to go. I haven¡¯t got time for the theatrics. Behave and I will be back tomorrow,¡± he says, pecking my forehead. He then turns to leave me here. I nce around, sitting on the creaky old mattress, the springs digging into my backside. It was freezing in here. It was so cold my breath was making clouds in the air. I needed to start the fire, but after only moments of sitting, the cold seeped deep within my bones, making them ache. I reach for the sheets and nkets, huddling beneath them and pulling my phone from my bag. I turn the screen on and see the time and sigh. Much toote to call Gannon and wake him. Instead, I listen to his messages over and over of him telling me he misses me and asking me to call him back. I can¡¯t believe my mate left me here, I think to myself, before reminding myself it was for my safety. The sun was almost rising by the time I finally managed to sleep. Only it wasn¡¯t long before Kade was waking me. I jump, startled when a hand touches me before peering around. ¡°I told you I wasing by at lunch,¡± he says. He looks around at the ce, and l yawn, stretching my arms above my head. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a coffee,¡± he says, wandering the few steps away to the kitchen. ¡°I expected you to have this ce cleaned up. I wanted to stay here tonight with you, but I suppose I can¡¯t now. I can¡¯t reward laziness,¡± he says, and I jump to my feet. ¡°I can clean it. I will get to work now,¡± I tell him.yet my belly rumbles hungrily, but I would ignore it if it meant he would stay the night here. Last night was unbearable. ¡°Sit. You don¡¯t have time now. The sun will be going down soon,¡± he says, passing me the steaming mug. ¡°Ah, what time is it?¡± I ask, and he nces at his watch. ¡°A little after 4 PM,¡± he says. ¡°But you said you would be here at lunch?¡± ¡°I got held back. I¡¯m here now, though. Come here,¡± he says, patting hisp. I wiggle closer, only for him to pull me onto hisp. I rest my head on his shoulder, and he chuckles when I inhale his scent. ¡°When can Ie to the packhouse?¡± I ask him. ¡°Soon. Hopefully. A few of my men were killedst week after the other pack attacked. As soon as it is safe you will be home with me. I promise. I hate the thought of you out here alone; I want you by my side always,¡± he says, kissing my cheek. ¡°Then take me with you. I don¡¯t care about the risk. I will have you with me. I just want you,¡± I tell him. ¡°Abbie, please, it has been a stressful enough day. Can¡¯t we justy for a little bit? Let me rx a little while here? I can¡¯t risk you. You are the most precious person in the world to me,¡± he says,ying down. 1 slide off hisp beside him and sip my coffee. My belly rumbles again, and I look to the kitchen. Getting to my feet, I move toward the fridge and open it, finding it bare besides some butter, campers milk, and a block of cheese. Opening the pantry, I found dry cereal and a packet of crackers. I thought he said someone stocked the ce? ¡°Kade?¡± I call over my shoulder. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He looks over at me, and I point to the pantry. ¡°I thought they stocked it?¡± he rubs his chin. ¡°Right, I will get onto them when I get back home and send someone out to grab some things for you.¡± ¡°Maybe you could take me to the shop? I am hungry, and there is only cereal and crackers,¡± I tell him. ¡°I¡¯m sure that is enough for one day, I will be sure to bring more food tomorrow,¡± he tells me while waving me over. I look at the empty cupboard before closing it and wandering over to him, only for him to pull me down on top of him. He rolls, pushing me on my back and moving between my legs. Kade kisses me, his tongue slipping between my lips and tasting every inch of my mouth. His lips trail down my neck, and I gasp at the delicious sparks as he nips and sucks on my neck. He lifts my skirt, his fingers reaching for the waistband of my panties and I pull away from him, shuffling up the bed. He growls, nipping my corbone with his teeth as I wiggle up the bed. ¡°Why you gotta be such a prude? I am your mate!¡± he snaps when I tug my skirt down. Yet his words washed right over me as I was brought back to the basement in the orphanage. Plunged violently into memories I wished weren¡¯t mine, ones I wish would remain buried and never surface again. ¡°Abbie?¡± Kade whispers, gripping my face. ¡°Why are you crying again? You are always crying! What did I do now?¡± he asks as tears prick my eyes, yet I can¡¯t exin. The shame I felt burned me hotter than burning hot coals ever could. Kade sighs, ¡°I guess I better go. Try to have this ce cleaned up so I can stay tomorrow night,¡± he says while getting to his feet. Panic bubbles up, filling me dread what if the butcher found me? I would be by myself? ¡°But you only just got here. I can clean the ce. It won¡¯t take me long,¡± I tell him, but he shakes his head. ¡°And try to clean yourself up a little for me before tomorrow. Your clothes smell off. I don¡¯t like it.¡± he says before leaving while I stared at the door after he closed it. Once again, I am left alone for another night, only tonight, my stomach cramps so much I struggle to breathe. Pain courses through my chest, and I try to ring Kade, but he never answers. Hours pass while I endure it before finally, he calls me back. Answering the phone, I shiver beneath the nket, my teeth chattering so much they ache ¡°Kade! Oh please, Kade! Something is wrong! My stomach and chest, it feels so tight. I think I need to see a doctor,¡± I sob into the phone. ¡°Is that why you have been disturbing me all night? Over menstrual cramps? For fucks sake, Abbie! I was in a meeting!¡± he growls. ¡°It¡¯s not those sort of cramps. Even my chest hurts. It was hard to breathe,¡± I try to exin, yet the hollowness writhing through me was the most unbearable as if a part of me was dying, and I couldn¡¯t find the words to exin it urately. ¡°You¡¯re being dramatic!¡± he snaps before hanging up, and for the first time in ages, I break. Why couldn¡¯t he juste and be here if he wouldn¡¯t call a doctor? That would be enough. I just wanted to be held, anything to take my mind off the agony that had torn through me so suddenly, yet as the time slipped by, the pain eased off. Why was he acting like this? Three times I attempted to call Gannon before putting the phone down. Shame washed through me, I should have listened. This was not at all what I imagined finding my mate to be. Yet I was too embarrassed to tell anyone, after everything and the fuss everyone made about me leaving. Crawling and sniffling back was too embarrassing, and then the voices would start, the voices that criticize everything I had ever done or said, bringing back every memory. My mind pointed out my ws and reminded me of how pathetic I am. Reminding me that I should be grateful the moon goddess granted me a mate because no one else would have me, Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 40 Chapter 40 The following morning, I decided to take a look around. I had tried ringing Kade a couple of times before I decided to venture out and see what was nearby. If there was anything nearby: I doubted it very much. Besides the road at the end of the long driveway, I saw nothing but trees. I had just finished eating thest of the crackers which I had for breakfast; the cereal was stale and rock hard. He told me someone stocked the ce, but everything was already opened, and a half was gone. Even the milk went bad overnight. But hunger pains were something I knew I would get used to. Hunger was the least of our problems in the orphanage, and we would have to scavenge for food, or sometimes the kids would sneak us stuff. That didn¡¯tst long, though, not after one of them got caught and smacked. We told them not to worry about us and that we would earn our keep. So I knew I couldst a while without eating, but since Kade was ignoring me since I interrupted his meeting, I knew I had to look around to see what I could find in case he didn¡¯t return. First, I investigated the back of the cabin, which was putting it nicely. It looked more like a cubby house some kids built. I found an old barrel which I figured woulde in handy to do some washing, so I spent a good chunk of the morning soaking the bed-lined and torn curtains before rewiring the close line as best I could. It leaned to one side and had barely enough line to hang the linen and curtains on. Once I finished that, the sun was high in the sky, and the heat made me exhausted, but still, I powered through the need toy down and rest. I made my way through the forest at the back, wanting to shift, but instead wandered around looking for berries or anything remotely edible. I found a few birds¡¯ nests but was too tired to even attempt to climb the trees to retrieve them. I also found a small dam. It was shallow; the water looked slimy and murky. With a sigh, I turned back around and headed back toward the cabin. Quickly checking the clothesline, I was walking back to the front door when I noticed the car parked along the road. I stared at it, wondering if it was Kade, yet as I walked across the vast deadwn along the dirt driveway, it screeched as its tires tore off down the road. Wiping my forehead, I turned back to the cabin, thinking they must have had the wrong address. Stepping inside the cabin, the tin roof had heated inside to the point that it was hotter inside than outside. It was like an oven, so hot that after twenty minutes, it was bing difficult to breathe. I must have passed out because the next thing I knew, I was waking up to Kade shaking my arm. Startled, I lurched upright, and nced around. I had fallen asleep on the futon. ¡°Some of my patrols saw you in the forest. What were you doing?¡± he asked. I blinked at him. ¡°Pardon?¡± I ask, rubbing my eyes and peering at the windows. It was dark outside. Did I really sleep the rest of the day away? I shake my head, trying to regather my thoughts. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°I said my patrol saw you sneaking through the forest. Now, what were you doing out there?¡± he demanded. My brows furrowed in confusion. It was only a forest. ¡°I was just looking around. I was also trying to see if there were any berries.¡± I told him. Kade clicks his tongue, and I reach out for him, needing some contact to know he is really here and not just in my dazed thoughts. ¡°I can¡¯t have you running through the forest, Abbie. It is dangerous out there,¡± he tells me, yet I saw nobody, not a single person or strange scent. He growls angrily. ¡°And to think I was going to reward you, but after such behavior, I don¡¯t know if I should!¡± he growls. ¡°I cane home with you?¡± I ask, excited. ¡°What? No! It¡¯s unsafe; I have told you this,¡± he says, shaking his head at me. He gets up, moving toward the small kitchen. ¡°I see you cleaned up.¡± he states, ncing around at the small area. Yet I scoot to the edge of the bed when I see he has some stic bags on the small counter. My mouth waters when I catch a whiff of something hot to eat. My stomach growls embarrassingly loudly at the smell of food. Kade smiles, digging through the bag beforeing over to me. He set a stic container in myp full of pasta and meatballs. ¡°I had my housekeeper cook you some dinner,¡± he says, passing me a fork. I look up at him, waiting for him to sit with me. ¡°You¡¯re not eating with me?¡± I ask. ¡°No, I already ate before heading over here.¡± Instead, he watched me while I ate, which I had never ever been so self-conscious of before. His eyes made my skin prickle with goosebumps as if he was judging the way I ate. Or maybe I was reading too much into it. When I finished, I washed the container and turned it upside down on the counter. ¡°See what being good gets you?¡± Kade says, and I peer up at him. ¡°Good?¡± I ask him. ¡°Yes, of course. You behave, and I reward you. Today I let you off easily with you wandering around. You understand why I can¡¯t have that, right?¡± he asks. I swallowed because I didn¡¯t see an issue with what I did, yet the look on his face when I didn¡¯t immediately reply told me had done something terrible. ¡°I was only looking for berries. I was hungry.¡± I tell him. ¡°I told you I would bring you back food,¡± he says, rustling the bag at me. ¡°How do you expect to be my Luna when you can¡¯t follow simple conditions?¡± ¡°But you never said I couldn¡¯t look around,¡± ¡°Well, now you know. Don¡¯t forget your ce, Abbie! You are my Luna. I am your Alpha. What I say goes. What would happen if I presented a disobedient Luna to my pack? I would be theughing stock. You need to think hard about your actions,¡± he scolds. *Now, put these away before I change my mind. I will think of something suitable for punishment for your actions,¡± he says, walking off to sit on the couch. I stare after him before looking at the bag of groceries. *That shouldst you a couple of days,¡± he says, and I nod. Pulling the stuff out. I found a fresh loaf of bread, coffee, and three liters of milk. Packing half the bag away. I turned to nce at Kade, who was texting on his phone. ¡°Did you get sugar for the coffee?¡± I asked, chewing my lip. I knew that brand of coffee. It was nasty and cheap. Extremely bitter tasting, Mrs. Daley called it visitors coffee when she bought it, and it was the only coffee we were allowed. ¡°I will drop you some sugar cubes tomorrow. Try not to use too many. You always chatter too much when hyped on sugar,¡± he says, not even bothering to look up from his phone. I swallow a strange hollow feeling that sinks into my stomach. Shaking the feeling off, I retrieve the rest of the groceries, finding some dried meats and a bag of carrots. Not wanting to sound ungrateful, I put it away quickly. With the limited supplies, I didn¡¯t want him taking any away. ¡°Come here, my love,¡± he says, waving me forward. I hesitantly move toward him. I stop just out of reach, and he looks up at me. When he reaches for me, I step back, wondering why he was being like this. Didn¡¯t he miss me as I did him? My bond cried out for him, but all he had done was scold me since being here. Is the bond not the same for men? ¡°Why are you being like this? Have I hurt you?¡± ¡°No! I haven¡¯t, have 1?¡± He answers his own question. ¡°I would never hurt you, Abbie! So why are you so fearful?¡± he snaps. ¡°I was going to punish you, but I changed my mind. I would rather give you something else. Something I know you will love,¡± he says, motioning me toward him. I shuffle my feet, but he grows impatient, reaching over and pulling me down between his legs. He sweeps my hair over one shoulder, and I peer up at him over my shoulder. ¡°Let me make you my official Luna,¡± he purrs at me. My bond res excitedly. He was officially iming me. That meant he wanted me, that he loved me. I nod, and he kisses my cheek before gripping my chin and tilting my head back further and kissing me deeply. His tongue tastes every part of my mouth before he pulls away, leaving me breathless. He brushes my cheek gently with the back of his hand, then turns my face away before sinking his teeth into my neck. Pain slices through me, but only briefly when I feel the bonde alive with full force. Sparks rush over my entire body as I feel the bond snap into ce. Kade pulls me onto hisp, cradling me against his chest. He kisses my nose and I feel my canines slip out. My soul is screaming out for his, and lean forward, eager to mark him in return. Yet, at thest second, he pulls away from me. ¡°I said I was being lenient, Abbie. I didn¡¯t say you could mark me! Not after you disobeyed me earlier!¡± he snaps at me. It was as if he punched me in the stomach. ¡°But¡­¡± he ces a finger to my lips. ¡°When you prove you can be trusted and do as you¡¯re told, I will allow it. Maybe once you go into heat,¡± he tells me. My face heats at his rejection, and I turn in hisp, tears pricking my eyes, and I hold them back. ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t be upset. I can still mind link you, so at least I can keep youpany when I am not here. You just can¡¯t talk to me back. But you can hear me,¡± he tells me. ¡°Now get some rest. I will be back tomorrow,¡± he tells me, getting up while I touch my fingers to my neck. Pulling my hand back, my fingertips are covered in blood. I stare at the door after he leaves, trying to figure out what it means. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 41 Chapter 41 The following day, all I could think about was what he saidst night about going into heat. I didn¡¯t want to go into heat; I didn¡¯t want to do what was expected. Yet I wanted to mark my mate so that way the bond would form, and maybe he would let mee live with him in the Packhouse. It was lonely out here, and I felt trapped. Kade had dropped off some sugar cubes. There were ten in a sandwich bag. I crushed them and put them in the sugar jar, hoping they wouldst. For the most part, I spent the day sleeping, having nothing better to do, my mind wandering to Tyson, Ivy, and Gannon. How much my life had changed in a week, and I wasn¡¯t sure it was for the good anymore. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t have been so bad here if I had Ivy with me. When | woke up, I retrieved my phone to see multiple missed calls from Gannon. I was about to call him back when I heard tires on the dirt road. We had texted, or I voice texted him, but I hadn¡¯t spoken to him. And my messages were always brief because the voice text thing would jumble the words, and he kept asking me to repeat myself, so I gave up. As the tires got louder, I nced out the window to see Kade pull up. He smiles and seems to be in a cheerful mood. My bond res and I set the phone down before rushing out the door. ¡°I have a surprise for you,¡± he says as he leans down to kiss me before stepping back to look at me. ¡°I spoke with Alpha Brock today. He said Tyson is doing well. And once you¡¯re settled into the Packhouse, I can send someone to retrieve him,¡± kade tells me. ¡°Really?¡± I ask. ¡°Of course. Come on. Come on,¡± he says, ushering me into the cabin. He takes his jacket off sitting on the bed. ¡°When can Ie to the packhouse?¡± I asked, excited that I could get my boy back. That he would be with me and kept safe. I could get my bubbly Tyson back with me where he belongs. Kade picks up my phone when he notices the screen on. He nces at it and unlocks it, scrolling through it. ¡°Make me a coffee, love,¡± he says, and I turn to the kitchen. When I made his coffee and handed it to him, he had a stormy look on his face. He quickly sets my phone down. Taking the chipped mug, he sets it on the floor beside him before pulling me on hisp. ¡°I missed you,¡± he says, nipping at my jaw. I could smell liquor on his breath, on his clothes, and a heap of different scents that had me sniffing him. It bothered me for some unknown reason. Yet I snap out of my strange fascination with his scent when he squeezes my bum, his hands groping me, and I try to pull out of his grip, but he rolls on the side, pulling me with him. Panic writhes through me when he starts tugging at my dress. His hands on my body made me cringe, and I pushed on his shoulders before panickingpletely and identally kneeing him in the crotch. He growls, clutching himself and rears back. ¡°Damn it, Abbie! What is wrong with you?¡± he demands. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. You just startled me,¡± I tell him, yet I shook violently as I moved away from him. He reaches for me, but I bring my knees closer to myself. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you! After everything, I have done for you! I was getting Tyson back for you! The least you could do is help me out. I have needs too, Abbie. Bloody useless at everything you do!¡± he snaps while I stare at him with wide eyes at how angry he was getting. ¡°You better not carry on like this when you go into heat. We willplete the bond then. Until then, think about what you just did!¡± he growls, shaking his head. He retrieves his jacket before leaving, mming the door so hard a piece crumpled and fell off. Yet I was no longer here. No, I was stuck back in the basement as that vile man breathed on the back of my neck as he pinned me down. As unimaginable pain tore through me, my thighs were stained red with his brutality. Gone was the cabin, and I was transported right back there, right back where nightmares were my reality. Where monsters were real, and where I tried to end it once he was done with me. I thought my life was traumatic before that day. But it opened up an entirely new world. I suddenly noticed the shadows in the house more. I now would take a second nce at everything I would only nce at, wondering if he was lurking there waiting. Constantly fearing it happening again. Fearing seeing your own body because it bears its marks of it. Fearing people because you know how much one person can destroy you. It opens you up to realize how truly evil our world is. Now everything had you second guessing the ulterior motive behind one¡¯s actions. Some logical part of me knew I wasn¡¯t there anymore, yet the shbacks were so real that I might as well have been enduring it all over again. Everything felt real; I could still feel his calloused fingers and the way my tunic tore when he scrunched it up over my hips. The stinging of my flesh as he ripped my underwear down and felt the warmth of my blood as it cascaded down my legs. His scent was putrid, like rotting meat and steel. His voice in my ear and the taste of his fingers as he muffled my screams of agony. Even the voices above us, the TV show Mrs. Daley turned up when she sold me to him so the kids wouldn¡¯t hear me. The tune that yed at the start of it I would never forget. And I swear she used to turn that show up every time it came on, to remind me of what he did. It was one of the worst triggers because that show was on daily, and the moment it came on, my surroundings faded away, and I was right back there. Right now, that jingle yed on a loop, keeping me trapped in the memories of my innocence stolen. Surviving trauma is one thing. Learning to live with what happened, however, is another entirely. It lingers, waiting in the background to be triggered. Only to remind you of how helpless you once were, showing you how easily destroyed you could be again. And right now, I am gued with memories I wished weren¡¯t mine. Wished weren¡¯t imprinted on my brain and all because of the way my mate¡¯s hands felt when he grabbed me. No way could I survive mating with him if just his touch repulsed me so much it sent me back here to this ce. Previous Chapter Original from N?velDrama.Org. Next Chapter Chapter 42 Chapter 42 The next week was horrendous. The day after Kade left in a rage, I tried to call Gannon only to find out my credit had run out from texting Kade and ringing him. Plus, I rang the castle and got their answering machine, not realizing it didn¡¯t automatically disconnect when no one answered But that wasn¡¯t the strangest thing, though. I checked all through the phone, and I couldn¡¯t find his messages or his phone number anymore My phone book ispletely empty, and my messages are empty. The only number that remained was Kades. I ran out of food on the second day. Kade always had some excuse not to visit, or when he did, it was only briefly, and he quickly killed any excitement I had about seeing him. I never seemed to do anything right, yet today I waspletely depleted. My energy reserves died along with any motivation. I missed home terribly. I never thought I would feel at home at the castle, buting here, I missed it. I missed Gannon: I missed rice, even Peter, though he drove me up the wall. Most of all, I missed Ivy. She was my safe ce. The one person who only wanted the best for me. She was more than my friend. She was my strength, my armor, and my reason for living. All morning Ized around but knowing Kade was supposed toe over today, I decided I needed to do my washing. So I hand scrubbed my dress, knowing it would take all day to dry, when Kade¡¯s voice boomed in my head. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering your phone?¡± he asks. I blink and answer back only to remember I can¡¯t. Cursing, I listen only to hear my phone ringing. I raced back inside and managed to scoop it up to see Kade¡¯s number pop up on the screen. Answering it, he instantly starts talking. ¡°Love, the King and Ivy are trying to call you. Answer your phone when they ring back.¡± 1 nced at the screen and noticed the writing on the front with the phone emblem. ¡°Okay. When will you stop by?¡± I ask him. ¡°Today. I have good news for you. Alpha Brock said I cane to pick Tyson up next week. Would you like toe with me?¡± i chewed my lip. I never wanted to go back there again, but for Tyson, I would suck it up. ¡°He really said that?¡± I ask. ¡°Wait, does that mean I aming to the packhouse?¡± I ask. Finally, everything was turning out the way it was supposed to be ¡°Yes, of course. I will message the King and let him know to call you back, okay? I love you,¡± he says, and I murmur it back before he hangs up. But he was getting Tyson, and I was moving to the Packhouse. I couldn¡¯t wait to speak to Ivy. It felt like forever since I spoke to her. Not even a few minutester, my phone rings as I step out to peg up thest of theundry. ¡°Finally, you called!¡± I squeal, unable to contain my excitement. Even better was that I could see her face if I wanted, yet trying to figure out how to turn my camera on without help was extremely difficult, yet the King was patient as he talked me through it. I cried excitedly. waving to her and gushing about how much I missed her when I finally saw her face peering back at me. ¡°Where are you? You look like you¡¯re outside?¡± Ivy asks while squinting into the camera at the background. ¡°At the cabin. I was hanging out washing and didn¡¯t hear my phone. Plus, I ran out of credit. I have been trying to reach you for days. I have been so worried about you. Kade said the King caught you before you could get to the bridge?¡± I ask her, and she chews her lip, ncing away briefly ¡°And someone could have told me how to hang up, too. I rang the castle phone, but it went to some message machine and ate all my credit,¡± Iugh. It was as if the first time in days, I could breathe, and all it took was hearing her voice. ¡°Your mate hasn¡¯t put credit on it for you?¡± Kyson asks over Ivy¡¯s shoulder. I squinted at the screen, and my eyes went wide. ¡°Sorry, my King. I didn¡¯t see you in the background,¡± I say. I thought he left after he exined the camera to me. His presence made me a little nervous now. I realized he was behind her all this time. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Abbie. I¡¯m not angry with you.¡± The King tells me, and I chewed my fingernail and nodded but didn¡¯t say much knowing he was right there listening in i sigh. ¡°So, do you like it there?¡± Ivy asks, and I shrug, I couldn¡¯t say much with Kyson there. What if he told Kade if I said I wasn¡¯t happy here? Besides, everything would be okay after next week when I can finally move into the Packhouse and bring Tyson home. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not bad. Hees during the day, but it has been two days since I saw himst. He says he is always busy with work and sleeps there sometimes I tell her Kyson growls behind her, and Ivy peeks over her shoulder at him, and I wonder if I said anything bad that would get me in trouble with Kade. I couldn¡¯t risk angering him, knowing Tyson was so close to coming back home with me. ¡°What about the people in his pack? Do you like them? Did you make any friends?¡± ivy asks. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I haven¡¯t met any of them yet. He said soon, but I need to stay at home first. He thinks I will go into heat soon because I keep getting the worst stomach cramps. I asked him to take me to see a pack doctor because I don¡¯t think it is that. My chest feels really tight, and it hurts. I actually thought I was having a heart attackst night. It¡¯s not just my stomach, and I feel fine on days when he doese here,¡± I admit before realizing I was saying more than I should. The King growls behind her again, and she peers over at him. ¡°I like it other than that, but I am hoping he will take me to visit you soon. He promised I could.¡± I tell her, trying to do damage control. Ivy Smiled, also liked that idea 09 11:56 ¡°If he can¡¯t Abbie, I will send Gannon toe and pick you up to bring you here,¡± Kyson tells me. ¡°Really? I never got to say goodbye to Gannon. He walked off before I could,¡± I tell him, remembering the day I left. I turned away for a few seconds, turned back, and he was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Yes, if he can¡¯t bring you here, I will send Gannon. I will put your phone on my n so you don¡¯t run out of credit too. That way, you can call Ivy whenever you like.¡± Kyson tells me. When I hear tires on the driveway, excitement bubbles within me, and I can¡¯t wait to tell Kade that the King said he would send someone to pick me up so I could visit Ivy. Or maybe we would stop on our way back from picking up Tyson. I know Ivy would love to see him. ¡°Oh, oh, I hear a car. I think he is here.¡± I babble excitedly. ¡°I love you, but I have to go,¡± I tell her, wanting to tell Kade the King that I could visit. ¡°Love you too,¡± Ivy replies. ¡°More than my life.¡± I smile. ¡°More than my life,¡± Ivy replies before I hang up. I rushed out to the driveway, only to stop in my tracks, realizing it wasn¡¯t Kade. It was that car again, parked along the road. My brows furrow. Maybe it was a simr car. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Gannon POV ¡°Up, get out of bed.¡± Liam says, pping his hands loudly. I tug my pillow over my head, trying to go back to sleep, when he strips the nket back off the bed. ¡°Oh, what have we here? Sleeping in the buff, I see, me likey,¡± he says moments before his hand ps my ass. The p of his hand branded my ass, and I could feel every damn finger seared into my backside. I snarl, rolling over onto my back and ring at him. ¡°Liam, you fucking Twat!¡± I hiss, rubbing my ass that I could feel was welted. ¡°Get out of my room ¡°No, can do. I have a job to do, and you areing with me.¡± he deres. I groan, reaching for my nket and tugging it back up, and rolling back onto my stomach. ¡°Go annoy Dustin or Damian,¡± I tell him when he snatches my nket, ripping itpletely off the bed this time. ¡°Up, or I will make use of that ass by turning it into my personal cum dumpster.¡± Liam snaps and I snarl, sitting up and tossing my legs over the side of the bed while he strolls over to my drawers, grabbing clothes out and tossing them at me. I snatch them, slipping them on. ¡°And where are we going?¡± I ask. ¡°Anywhere but this room. I am sick of watching you sulk,¡± Liam says. Great, he woke me for no damn reason. I yank my shirt over my head. ¡°Has Abbie called you?¡± I ask him as I slip my sneakers on. ncing up at him, he shakes his head. ¡°When was thest time you spoke to her?¡± ¡°Days ago, a week, maybe more,¡± I shrug while cing my other shoe on. ¡°She¡¯lle around, Gannon. She will realize what sort of man he is,¡± Liam says. Grabbing my belt from off the bedside table, I pull it through the belt hoops before doing up the buckle and following him out of the room. ¡°Maybe ask Kyson for permission to visit her,¡± Liam suggests as we follow the stairs. I had no idea where he was taking me, but I followed him to the kitchens and down into the basement. ¡°Kyson wants me to find all the archives on the Azalea Landeena,¡± Liam tells me, and I nod. We had a sneaking suspicion Ivy may be the missing Landeena princess, the rightful heir to the Landeena Kingdom. Which meant Kyson¡¯s treatment of her was for nothing. He believed she was the daughter of infamous serial killer Marrissa Talbot, but as of now, we had doubts because too much didn¡¯t add up. I had mentioned to Damian a few times that I thought something was off with how she acted. She acted more like a Lycan instinct-wise than a werewolf. Kyson, however, refused to listen to us. Until now. Moving to the far cells, we were dragging boxes out, going through them looking for anything and everything on the Landeena¡¯s and their missing daughter, who would be around Ivy¡¯s age. We find a few files and go through them quickly before deciding to show them to Damian to see if they are of any use. Unfortunately, we barely scratched a dent in the cell. It was almost inessible, and it was stacked high to the ceilings and there were six others like it. When we were done, Liam dragged me to training with the men and some of the old Landeena guard that survived after their Kingdom fell. I tried to call Abbie before, eventually. We were on patrol untilte at night. Liam, I could tell, was trying to keep me distracted or, more like babysitting me. When the shift ended we headed back to the castle. Stepping into my room. I groan when he follows me inside. ¡°Come on, Liam, leave me be,¡± I growl, stalking toward the bathroom to shower. I showered quickly, yet when I stepped out, I found him still in my room and going through my stuff. I snatched the photo of Sia and Abbie out of his hands. ¡°Liam!¡± I snarled through gritted teeth. Liam exhales loudly before moving toward my bed and sitting down. ¡°By the way. Kyson granted you leave to visit Abbie,¡± Liam states, and I sigh, knowing he must have convinced him or had Damian convince the King ¡°You didn¡¯t have to get involved,¡± I tell him, cing the photos back in my folder. ¡°When you get her back, are you going to tell her about killing her aunty?¡± I swallow, ncing away at his question. ¡°More importantly, are you going to tell the King about who Sia was?¡± Liam asks. 11.191 ¡°It changes nothing. We handled her in the end and she never was able to go through with her ns. What is the point of dragging up the past? Nothing good everes of it,¡± I tell him. ¡°The King wouldn¡¯t be mad that you killed the woman and her mother.¡± ¡°Are you speaking about your part in it or overall?¡± I ask him. ¡°Kyson finds out he will kill Abbie. Assuming guilt by association. Look what he has done to Ivy. I won¡¯t risk it with Abbie,¡± I tell him, and he sits on the end of the bed. ¡°And what about Abbie?¡± Liam asks. ¡°You have to tell Abbie about us. She will find out, Gannon. Secrets like this don¡¯t remain hidden forever.¡± ¡°Tell her what? That my mate chose you over me? Or how I felt her Aunty for two years after she rejected me, felt the bond breaking every time she screwed my best friend? Or should I tell her how we both ripped her Aunty apart when we found out about each other?¡± I spit at him. Liam sighs. ¡°Abbie would understand. I just don¡¯t want you getting her back, and then this one secret tearing you both apart again. She finds this out on her own. It will do exactly that.¡± ¡°The only person who knows Liam is you, so unless you n on telling her, she has no way to find out,¡± I tell him. Liam sighs and shakes his head. ¡°Just think about it, Gannon; I will back you either way. But I think she needs to know why her parents were on the run.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know that for certain. We only just learned Sia had a twin. They could have been rogue for any number of reasons.¡± ¡°It makes sense, though. Why would Abbie¡¯s parents be rogue voluntarily, Gannon? They were running from someone. We may not have known about them until Abbie walked into the picture, and you recognized the link after finding those files, but it is now clear who they were running from. Abbie has a right to know about that. Or at the very least that her Aunty was your true mate,¡± he tells me before walking to the door. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Get some sleep, brother. I will make sure your car is ready, so you can leave first thing in the morning to see Abbie. Hopefully, you can bring her home.¡± Liam tells me, shutting the door. I exhale before retrieving my clothes and slipping into bed. Tomorrow I will see Abbie, and hopefully, I can convince her toe back with me. If not, I had no idea what else I could do. Though I know if I asked Liam, he would help me Kill Kade and sweep it under the rug. Unfortunately, that would mean killing his entire pack. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Gannon Last night, the King granted me special leave while Ivy was transitioning. I had been in the car ever since. I tried to ring Abbie to speak with her and convince her, but she never answered her phone. Abbie had been ignoring my calls. I am to report any issues, although I was angered that Kyson wouldn¡¯t allow me to drag her out because forcing someone from their mate was illegal if they wanted to remain with them. However, I was tempted to break thatw. I would take jail time or theshings. I know Kyson would be reluctant to hand the sentence down, but with pressure from the packs over, which he governed, it didn¡¯t look good for a king to go against thew he helped create to stop Alpha¡¯s forcefully marking multiple women and stealing them from their mates. This is precisely why Kade never marked any of his wives. Technically, they were free if they found their mates. But Abbie, he did mark, knowing having a mate makes him stronger. So, for now, my only option was to convince Abbie to willingly leave him. He didn¡¯t deserve her. Neither did I, but I would spend the rest of my life trying to prove my worth to her if she would have me. As stupid as it might be to try, I had to. Yet going against a mate bond was near impossible for she-wolves, and so far, my attempts to convince her of her mate¡¯s infidelity have failed when I had managed to get a hold of her until suddenly she stopped answering all together. We rarely came this far out into the pack. Even when invited to stay as we passed through it sometimes, we always stayed elsewhere. It was ufortable being in packs, never knowing which side they were on or if they were working for the hunters. You could never be too careful. However, Alpha Kade had been good to us, always helped, and never questioned when we asked anything. We would even ask him to send his men out to scout for hunters in his area. He always obliged willingly, but he was a shitty werewolf nheless, the way he kept women as if they were trophies or some possession, not a person always infuriated me. My phone starts ringing, and I pull over to answer it, knowing I would need to type in the address soon, anyway. Damian¡¯s name pops up on the screen, and I hit connect, cing it to my ear. ¡°Did you get the address?¡± I ask him, rummaging for a pen and paper in the glovepartment. ¡°Yes, I have it right here. Try to remain unseen, Gannon. It will raise suspicions if you get caught lurking without formal notice,¡± Damian tells me, and I growl. ¡°What did you tell him?¡± ¡°I told him that Ivy wanted to send a care package.¡± Damian tells me. ¡°Fine, I will stop on the way and buy some shit in case. I can y the delivery boy.¡± I snapped. ¡°Good idea, but please don¡¯t kill anyone, for god¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just there to get my girl, that¡¯s it,¡± I tell him. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You can¡¯t force her; you know what will happen if you do,¡± Damian reminds me. ¡°Maybe I am willing to ept the punishment, Damian.¡± ¡°Then what bes of her when you take her away? Think, Gannon. You force her, and she wants to go back. Then what? You would be banned from entering his pack. She is stuck there, and the King has to give you 1000shes and jail time. Don¡¯t make him do that. You know what happenedst time he had to do that? And it nearly killed one of our men, and it nearly destroyed him.¡± ¡°But that idiot forcefully imed the girl; I am not iming her, just taking her,¡± I retorted. ¡°Same difference. Don¡¯t make me order you back, Gannon.¡± ¡°This is Abbie, Damian,¡± I breathe. ¡°I am aware, but our hands are tied, and he is the only Alpha we have an actual alliance with.¡± Damian says. I re out the windshield at the forest. ¡°What¡¯s it going to be? Am I ordering you back, or can you contain yourself?¡± I snarl. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t force her, but if he has hurt her, I will fucking kill him.¡± ¡°The king said he saw Abbie, and she was in good health besides Kade¡¯s cheating.¡± *That¡¯s still fucking hurting her.¡± ¡°Gannon''¡± Damian snaps at me Fine, I will keep my hands to myself, just give me the address,¡± i tell him, worried he would order me back home after driving all this way. I¡¯m only a Gamma, just like Dustin and Liam, yet Damian was a Beta. Despite Liam being of Beta blood officially, he never used or resisted Beta Damian¡¯smands, yet at this moment, if Damian ordered me back, I would ask Liam to overstep his ranking for Abbie. And he would that I was certain of Everyone knows if it wasn¡¯t for the trials and Liam not wanting the position, the King would have had two Betas. Both of them were equally ranked by blood, yet Liam hadn¡¯t the responsibility of what that position would hold. Regardless of Lian¡¯s position, Damian could order me back, and I would be powerless to stop him if he did. I jot down the address before hanging up and putting the address on the maps. It was indeed out of town, miles out. I expected her to be at the packhouse. That is where an Alpha¡¯s mate should be, not hidden away in some cabin. Nothing around her; he kept her from everyone, including the town. I grow at the realization she was out there alone. Starting the car, I drive to the closest town before stopping at one of the general stores and filling a basket. I grabbed all her favorite fruits and candies I had forced her to try since she was sketchy, taking anything from me at the castle. Although, towards the end, she really dropped her guard, and I had her agree to be with me only for that fuckwit Kade to show up and ruin it. I looked around for something else, but they didn¡¯t even have flowers in this shitty store. I thought that maybe she would like a book before remembering she didn¡¯t know how to read. Perhaps aic, then. Maybe she could interpret the pictures with any luck. Perhaps I can get her toe back with me, reject her mate and teach her to read myself. It takes me another half an hour to drive to the outskirts of Kade¡¯s territory. She was barely on the border as I pulled down the long dirt driveway. The ce was surrounded by dense forest as I pulled up at the house. Although, calling it a house would be too kind of a word, it was more like a shack. Even that might be too generous. The ce looked like it was one strong gust of wind away from falling over. I could see her at the clothesline, and she looked over her shoulder at my car as it pulled in, putting her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun so she could see better. I quickly stopped the car, sending a text to Damian that I¡¯d arrived as requested. Abbie looked at the vehicle nervously as I swung the door open as she strolled over. She lets out a breath of relief, making me wonder why she was worried about a random car. She looked the same, though she had a slight tan as if she had been outdoors a fair bit. Her cheeks were hollow, more than they were when she left, and her skin was sallow. She looked tired. Regardless, she seemed okay, I think. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you?¡± Abbie says, walking over. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asks nervously, chewing her lip. ¡°What, that¡¯s it?¡± I ask her, raising an eyebrow at her. Her lips tug up in the corners before she rushes over, and I grab her, crushing her against me as I embrace her. ¡°Gosh, I have missed you,¡± I tell her, and she nods, her skinny arms wrapping around my neck, and she shrieks when I lift her off her feet, hugging her tight. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 45 Chapter 45 I bury my face in her neck, stealing a whiff of her scent. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she repeats. ¡°To see you, why else? You haven¡¯t been answering my calls,¡± I tell her, cing her back on her feet. I stared down at her, she had lost weight, which should be impossible with how skinny she already was. Her pants rolled at her hips to hold them up and looked four times bigger than her. Her white shirt, I could tell, was one of Kades. She had her pants rolled at her ankle. She nces down the driveway nervously, and I look behind me. ¡°Expecting someone?¡± I ask. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Kade hasn¡¯t been by for a couple of days. He said he was out of town, but¡­¡± she pauses. ¡°But what?¡± ¡°Nothing, but sometimes this cares and parks down the end. They never get out.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°Probably just paranoid,¡± sheughs. ¡°Coffee?¡± I nod and turn back to my car, grabbing the bags out before following her inside. The porch creaks as I step on it, the wooden nks bending under my weight. The door even hung weirdly as she opened it, having to lift it like the hinges were busted. Stepping inside, the ce seems even tinier. The kitchen, bedroom, and living room are all in one little room. ¡°Where is the bathroom?¡± *There is an outhouse out the back,¡± she shrugs, turning the stove on before filling a camping kettle and cing it on the heating element. I stare around in disbelief at how Kade had his mate living. There wasn¡¯t even a bed, just a fold-out couch or futon thing that was neatly made. I sit on the edge of it. The springs groaned, and I could feel the metal bar beneath digging into my backside. ¡°You shoulde back with me,¡¯ I tell her. ¡°Not this again, Gannon, please.¡± Abbie whines, and I growl before remembering the bags clutched in my hands. I hold them out to her, and her brows furrow. ¡°Take it,¡± I tell her, and she sighs, walking over before grabbing the bags. She ces them on the table and looks inside them, and her eyes light up as she pulls out some sugar clouds. Those, I had noticed, were her favorite; she immediately opened the bag and grabbed one out. She offers me the bag, but I shake my head. I didn¡¯t like sugary stuff, I only ever brought them for her when I took her into town to grab supplies for rice and noticed her looking at them. That was also when I found out she only had candy before her parents died and only on special asions when they could afford it. So, always made sure I had a never-ending stockpile on me when I would see her. I watch as she stuffs another in her mouth before pulling her pants up as they slide down her hips. The lolly stained her lips red, coating them in sugar. I chuckle before watching her go to the tiny fridge and open it. I growl when I see it is nearly empty, besides half a bottle of milk and a block of cheese. Getting up, I check the cupboards to find them almost bare. ¡°Why is there no food here?¡± | growl. ¡°There is. Kade said he woulde out soon to bring more,¡± she shrugs, retrieving coffee and tea bags. ¡°What the fuck have you been eating?¡± I snarl. She chews her lips nervously and looks out the window at the forest. ¡°Have you been hunting your own food?¡± ¡°No, I promise, I killed nothing. I just took some bird eggs,¡± she gasps, confusing my anger at being directed toward her for hunting. ¡°Bird eggs?¡± I scoff. ¡°I tried to kill a rabbit, but I couldn¡¯t do it, I swear,¡± she stutters. ¡°I don¡¯t care about you hunting, Abbie. My point is you shouldn¡¯t have to. You are an Alpha¡¯s mate, not some fucking ve or a dirty little secret,¡± I snarl. ¡°I¡¯m not; he is introducing me to the pack soon. It isn¡¯t safe. He is having issues with a neighboring pack,¡± she stammers, turning back to her kettle that started whistling. 0.00% 14:38 D ¡°Do you know how stupid that sounds? You¡¯re his fucking Luna, and he has you living out here in squalor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not safe,¡± she defends him. ¡°The safest ce would be by his side, don¡¯t you think? Not out here along the border where anyone could get you.¡± I argue, but she had every excuse under the sun to defend him, lies he had fed her. It¡¯s like arguing with a brick wall. I fucking hated this mate bond bullshit. It made she-wolves blind to their mate¡¯s errors and gullible. All of it is made worse when he only has to show her the tiniest bit of what she perceives as kindness because she has known none. Abbie believes wholeheartedly that is how it works, that she should trust him blindly because he is her mate, that he is some blessing from the moon goddess ¡°No, you¡¯reing back with me,¡± I tell her, grabbing her arm. ¡°What? No, I have a mate; I can¡¯t just leave. He will worry.¡± she says, however I wondered if it was more than that she looked miserable. Worty? Where the fuck is he then, Abbie?¡± I yell at her, trying to drag her toward the door. ¡°No!¡± she screams, thrashing in my grip. ¡°Gannon, stop,¡± she says before she starts crying. ¡°He loves me, he said he loves me, he will be back she sobs. ¡°I fucking love you. He doesn¡¯t,¡± I scream at her. Abbie whimpered, and I realized my ws had slipped out, nicking her skin, thankfully not deeply, and I let her go, watching it as it healed. You have a mate out there somewhere. How can you say that?¡± she demands, tears in her eyes. ¡°No, I don¡¯t; I want you. Why can¡¯t you see that?¡± ¡°But I am not yours; I am Kade¡¯s mate. He loves me, and I love him.¡± she murmurs but not even she seemed convinced by her own words. ¡°If you think this is love, you are mistaken; you don¡¯t hide someone you love away. You don¡¯t force them to live like this,¡± I snap at her. Her brows scrunch together, and tears well in her beautiful emerald doe eyes. She shakes her head before sniffling, wiping her hands on the front of her shirt. ¡°You should go.¡± she whispers, unable to meet my eyes. I swallow, and she wraps her arms around herself, rubbing her arms as she turns back toward the kitchen. ¡°Abbie?¡± ¡°Gannon, please, just don¡¯t¡± she breathes. *Tell me you¡¯re happy here? Tell me something because this, this isn¡¯t right; I would take care of you,¡± I tell her. ¡°I¡¯m not yours,¡± she says slowly, emphasizing her words. ¡°But you could be. You just need to ignore the bond, Abbie. See-through his bullshit,¡± I tell her, but she shakes her head. ¡°It¡¯s temporary. He will be back soon,¡± she says, pouring the hot water into her mug and jiggling the tea bag. I click my tongue, unsure of another way to convince her. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 46 Chapter 46 ¡°You were willing to be mine before Abbie,¡± I tell her. ¡°That was before I discovered my mate, and you¡¯re a Lycan. It would never work.¡± ¡°I would change you, make you a Lycan, but you need to reject Kade ande home with me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, he..he¡­ He loves me.¡± ¡°But do you love him? Think about it, Abbie. If he wasn¡¯t your mate, and you are locked up here, would you stay ore back with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± she says. *Answer me,¡± I demand. ¡°That would be different,¡± she looks around at the ce. ¨C ¨C ¡°You live in a castle. Who would choose this ce over that?¡± she finally says. ¡°Fine, then if he wasn¡¯t your mate, who would you choose, him or me?¡± ¡°But he is my mate!¡± she yells. ¡°Exactly, the mate bond tells you to love him, to stay with him it is not a damn choice, but if you had one?¡± She bites her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know! ¡ª please, you have to leave, you¡¯re confusing me, stop. It all needs to stop.¡± ¡°Come back with me, even for a little while. Juste back,e see Ivy. You wanted to see Ivy, right?¡± I beg. ¡°It¡¯s unsafe; I have to stay here; Kade will take me to see her. He promised he would.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a fucking Lycan. What safer ce is there to be than by my side?¡± I curse while shaking my head and pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration. ¡°He¡¯s my mate,¡± she says, though even she looks confused at what she wanted. That stupid marking on her neck. I wish I could remove it so she could think clearly. I move toward her, and she backs up, her bum hitting the kitchen sink. ¡°Come back with me.¡± I ask, while rubbing her arms. ¡°I can¡¯t, Gannon.¡± ¡°But you want to, don¡¯t you?¡± I ask her, and she looks away. ¡°I can¡¯t leave my mate. It would hurt him if I did.¡± ¡°What about the pain he causes you?¡± ¡°Ah, not this again. He wouldn¡¯t do that; I¡¯m his mate,¡± she says, trying to push past me. ¡°He has multiple wives, Abbie. Why do you think he keeps you out here?¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re lying. I already asked him, and he said, you are just jealous.¡± ¡°Of course, I am jealous, but I wouldn¡¯t fucking lie to you,¡± I tell her. ¡°You need to leave,¡± she says, but I grab her, pushing myself against her and gripping her neck. My lips crashed against her plump ones, and she tried to shove me away when my tongue forced its way between her lips. Abbie moans as my tongue invades her mouth. Her attempts to shove me off stopped before her hands ran up my chest, and she kissed me back hungrily. I grip her thighs, cing her on the edge of the sink and pressing between her legs when she gasps, pulling away from me. ¡°Why would you do that?¡± she growls. ¡°Still think a mate can¡¯t cheat on a mate?¡± I ask her. She shakes her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s because you¡¯re Lycan. You did something!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make you kiss me back, Abbie.¡± ¡°She-wolves are attracted to men of dominance, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s in our DNA! You need to leave,¡± she says, shoving me away feebly. But she is much too weak to move me. 0.00% 14:38 D ¡°Abbie, he is no good for you.¡± ¡°He is my mate; he is who I am destined to be with, him,¡± she sobs before pointing at me. ¡°You made me; I wouldn¡¯t have if you¡­¡± she shakes her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay to love someone else, Abbie.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t; I love my mate, 1.¡± she looks around frantically, and her body trembles and fear crosses her features. ¡°Really, because back home, you seemed to like me, too.¡± I remind her. ¡°Yes, before I found my mate.¡± ¡°You still do!¡± I tell her. ¡°Of course I do, Gannon; you¡¯re Lycan, my blood it makes ¡­¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t make you love someone,¡± I tell her. Seek us out, yes, but I can¡¯t make her love me. It was in their DNA that she-wolves sought out dominant males for safety, but that didn¡¯t mean they loved them. I know she loves me too, or she wouldn¡¯t have always sought me out or let me follow her around like a damn lost puppy. Damian even offered to tell me to back off. Still, she refused, saying she liked me being around her, and she never reacted to Damian like this, and he was of higher rank than me. Everything was fine before Kade came into the picture. ¡°You need to leave; I want you to leave, please.¡± Abbie tells me. ¡°Come back with me.¡± ¡°No! Just go. You can¡¯t force me. It¡¯s against thew. I may be stupid, but I know that much.¡± she says, looking away. ¡°You are not stupid. Misguided, yes, but not stupid, Abbie. Don¡¯t say that,¡± I tell her. ¡°Leave; I have asked you to, so please, Gannon. Don¡¯t make this harder than it has to be,¡± she says, and I sigh. I pull my phone from my pocket and nce at the time. I was only granted an hour here, and I was already 15 minutes over. ¡°When you change your mind, you ring me; I don¡¯t care what time it is; I wille for you. Do you still know my number?¡± She nods. ¡°My number Abbie.¡± She sighs and rattles it off, knowing it by heart, Ivy had made her write it down after it mysteriously went missing from her phone. I kiss her forehead before nodding. ¡°Answer my calls.¡± ¡°I will be okay. Just leave,¡± she says, and I chew my lip before turning and walking out the door. When I get in the car, I start the engine and look up to find her standing on the porch watching me. She waves before looking away, and I turn the car around. When I drive over the boundary, Damian rings. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you on your way back with her?¡± he asks me. ¡°She wouldn¡¯te. There is no food in that ce. It is a shit hole.¡± ¡°She has toe willingly. You can¡¯t take her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fucking bullshit; I should justmand her,¡± I tell him and take whatever punishment Kyson delivers. She would have no choice. I am Lycan. She would do as Imanded. ¡°You do, and she will always question whether or not she made the right choice,¡± Damian tries to reason. I growl, and eventually, he hangs up when Ie to the town I stopped in earlier. I nearly drive through it before I curse and pull into the grocery store. I fill a trolley with different foods before driving back, unable to get the thought of her eating bird eggs and whatever she could find in the forest out of my head. Pulling up, I quickly unload them. I can see her asleep on the fold-out bed through the murky tiny window that had a crack in it. I ce the groceries on the porch before knocking and walking away, unable to trust myself not to drag her out kicking and screaming. I turn the car around, tearing out of the driveway, but catch a glimpse of her as she opens the door. She nces down, staring at the groceries before looking back at my retreating vehicle. I would be in so much shit for going back and beingte, but I couldn¡¯t leave her with no food, and Damian would lose his mind. Stuck in my thoughts, I knew Kyson wouldn¡¯t break aw that would put the Lycan Kingdom at more risk of war, but maybe he would for Ivy? If Ivy knew, I had no doubt she would go off about Abbie living like that and if she knew what Kade was doing behind Abbie¡¯s back? I would find a way to tell her; I would ept the bacsh from the King when she does. 42 199 14:38 Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Abbie My mind was still reeling from the fact Gannon had driven all the way here. How I had missed him, but I knew it was wrong to have feelings for another when you had a mate. It was a betrayal. The worst sort of betrayal to the moon goddess to refuse the gift she had bestowed on us by giving us our mates. Honestly, I never thought myself worthy of a mate, someone to love me unconditionally, until I met Kade. I missed him, and I wondered if it hurt him just as much as it did me when we were apart. For some reason, though, as I unpacked the groceries Gannon had brought back and dropped on my doorstep. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking of Gannon. I couldn¡¯t wipe the goofy smile off my face as I chewed on one of the strawberry clouds; he was always giving me candy at the castle. The fact he remembered these were my favorite had me smiling like an idiot before guilt sank in that I shouldn¡¯t be thinking of Gannon, so I scolded myself for my reckless thoughts. It felt strange seeing the cupboards with food in them. Kade brought a couple of bags every few days, but nothing like this. I was always rationing everything, and even then, it still wasn¡¯t enough tost before he returned. It had been days since Ist saw him, and he never stayed long, only a few minutes before saying he had to get back to work. This ce was quiet, sometimes too quiet for my troubled mind, and it made me miss Ivy and rice more. I just needed to hold out a little longer and everything would be ok. Packing thest of the groceries away, I decided to go bring the washing in; I only had these pants and the shirt, plus the clothes I came here wearing, which we¡¯re currently on the clothesline. Having to hand wash them every day in the sink which was bing really tiresome, But I didn¡¯t want my clothes dirty if he returned, yet the heat and sun wore me out faster each day. Being confined out here, I found I spent most of my time sleeping. The hunger always eased when I wasn¡¯t awake to endure it, the same with the bond, and its yearning for my mate made the heart hurt less if asleep. Stepping outside, I shielded my eyes from the sun that was slowly going down behind the trees. I split some sticks to make more pegs. Not even pegs were provided, and only half the clothesline still had wires which I had to fix myself. I couldn¡¯t wait to finally be able to go to the packhouse. Kade had told me all about it and told me how beautiful it was. I just needed to be patient, and soon I would be free to be with my mate and not be at threat of the pack war he was currently stuck in. Checking the clothes, I see the hems are still wet, so I flip them on the clothesline and hang them up the other way. Another half an hour and they would surely be dry, and I could iron them for tomorrow. Walking back inside, I stop when I hear the sound of tires on gravel, and my heart leaps with excitement, hoping it is Kade. When I turn around, I see the mysterious ck Mustang parked at the end of the driveway again. I stare at it, wondering why they came here every day but never introduced themselves or got out. However, I realized today was different when I saw the car door swing open and a woman got out of the car. She was gorgeous, with curly long blonde hair half pulled up. She had sunsses covering her eyes, and she looked high ss. Everything about her screamed money. She walked around to the front of the car, her knee-high ck boots crunching on the gravel as she leaned on the hood. She had on a white cami and blue jeans. Her lips stained bright red from her lipstick. She sits on the hood of the car, and I wave to her, wondering if she is a pack member and if I should say hello. Kade told me not to talk to anyone out here, so I remain where I am. She never waves back.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Instead, she only stares at me. With onest nce over my shoulder, I rush inside, closing and locking the door. Not that it would do much. The door¡¯s hinges were loose, and the bottom of the door was waterlogged and broken, making it challenging to shut and leaving a gap that the mosquitoes used toe in at night. peer out the window at her, staying far enough back, hoping she couldn¡¯t see me. She sat there for a while, then eventually left, making me wonder why she stopped here every day. Once she finally left, I let out a breath of relief. My afternoon was sort of like clockwork. I nap before bringing the clothes in, then hang them up along the window curtain on a coat hanger. I remade my bed before grabbing theic book Gannon had brought me. The pictures told a story about a cat with stripes. If only I could read, the images may make more sense to me, but I am thankful, nheless. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Feeling a bit hungry. I wander into the kitchen. The sun was down now, and the day turned to night. The nights were the longest, so cold and empty, and that¡¯s usually also when the most pain came. That horrible, heart-breaking pain that restricted my chest. My anxiety always peaked around this time, waiting for it to arrive Next time I speak with him, I will ask Kade to take me to the pack doctor. Something had to be wrong, or it wouldn¡¯t be so frequent. Walking into the kitchen. I grab a cup and fill it with milk, deciding to have milk and cookies. I am too tired to cook, not that I had any reason to be, and the stove was temperamental and only worked when it wanted to. Dipping my biscuit in my milk, I bite it, the sugary sweetness makes me giddy. Sugar always had that effect on me. Kade said it was because I wasn¡¯t used to having it, and after I annoyed him with my constant talking on the way here from the bag of clouds Gannon gave me before I left, he tossed them out the window and snapped at me and told me to keep quiet because he had a headache. I hadn¡¯t had anything sweet since besides artificial sugar cubes in my coffee that Kade broughtst time he came here. He said it was a treat for being good, but it didn¡¯t even taste like sugar and had a funny aftertaste. What if he came? Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have anymore? I didn¡¯t want to annoy my mate and make him leave, cing the half-eaten biscuit back. I would eat the other half tomorrow just in case he dide to see me. I hoped he would. Hoped he would have some news on Tyson, or me moving to the packhouse. I ced the open packet in the fridge and decided to quickly spring clean to burn off some energy. I fill the sink with water and start cleaning the kitchen. Nothing I did improved its state, though. The ce was falling apart. Washing my cup, I ce it on the sink upside down when I hear car tires again. My eyes widen with excitement, and I can¡¯t help the stupid smile that spreads across my face. Pulling my hands out of the water, I quickly dry them and race to the front door, tossing it open, unable to contain my excitement. | squealed when I saw Kade¡¯s car parked out front, and he hopped out along with two of his pack enforcers who I had met back at the castle. Kade climbs out, looking gorgeous in his suit, and I rush down the steps, almost bouncing with joy. I ran over, about to throw my arms around me. Gosh, I missed him. Only I am greeted with his fist. My head snaps back, and I clutch my face, blood spurting out of my nose and lip where his fist connected. Blood stains my shirt and my hands as I look at them. I am shocked, unable to process what just happened as Ind on my back on the gravel. Lifting my head, his hand reached for me before I saw the cruel sneer on his face. It was something I had never seen on him before. He grabs my hair, making me cry out, my neck arching back painfully. Kade says nothing, just rips me back toward the house; I clutch his hands, my feet slipping on the loose gravel as I try to stand. ¡°Kade? I cried out as he dragged me across the ground and up the steps by my hair. My hair tears painfully from my scalp when he tosses me inside. I scream in pain when Ind on the hard floor on my hip. My hand¡¯s jar as I throw them out, trying to break my fall sending shooting pain up my arms. Kade kicks the door shut, and my eyes widen when he turns on me again. ¡°You fucking whore. Who were you with?¡± Kade bellows at me. I scrambled back on my hands and feet when he grabbed my hair again, hauling me upright. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I shriek as he yanks me into the kitchen. ¡°Whose car was here? Do you think I wouldn¡¯t notice, wouldn¡¯t feel your infidelity?¡± he screams. ¡°He brought me food; it was just Gannon,¡± I sob, trying to get him to let go. He does, and I stumble back into the sink when he growls, grabbing the back of my neck and plunging my face into the water. choke and sputter in the dirty water. My hands grip the sides as I try desperately to pull my face out, only he shoves my face in harder until my cheek rests on the steel bottom. My throat burns and aches furiously as I begin to drown, inhaling the water and making my nose burn, but before I can, he ripped my head out, and I sucked in harsh ragged breaths. ¡°Did you fuck him, you whore?¡± Kade screams in my face. I breathe harder, gasping for air. My hair and face are drenched, my shirt soaked, and the water in the sink stained red with my blood. ¡°No, why are¡­?¡± But he shoves my face back in the sink, and I w and scratch at the bench top, trying to get air. Water sloshes onto the floor at my feet as struggle against him, only for him to rip me out at thest second again. ¡°He brought me food, that¡¯s all.¡± I choked out desperately, wondering what he was talking about. Kade yanks my head back, ripping open the pantry and fridge He snarls, reaching for me again and mming my head into the bench. Pain explodes through my skull, and I see ck as my head pounds to its own beat. I copse onto the floor. Blood pooled in my mouth as I tried to look around through my blurry vision. He starts ripping the canned food off the shelves, tossing them at me, and I shield my head, my body bing bruised and battered as he tosses them at me, the bond screaming for him to stop, and my heart twisting painfully in my chest. He snarls, picking up a bag of candy. ¡°Did you fuck him?¡± Kade snarls, and I shake my head, sobbing. My hands shake as he reaches for me, and I put them up to shield my face.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Blood trickles down the side of my head, from my nose and eyebrow. It stains the floor, my hands, and my clothes. ¡°Please, Please. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± I shriek when he grabs my hair again, ripping my head back before stuffing the candy in my mouth. I try to spit it out, choking on it. ¡°Filthy fucking pig. You fucked him, didn¡¯t you? Thought you could get away with sneaking around behind my back,¡± he roars in my face, and spittle hits my face with his enraged words. ¡°You want to act like a whore? I will treat you like one,¡± he growls. Kade rips me to my feet by my hair, and he shoves me toward the door. I see my phone and desperately try to snatch it off the counter when he punches me in the stomach, knocking the air from my lungs as I double over. He smashes it on the floor, my phone breaking into pieces while I try to catch my breath. He kicks me in the stomach, and I retch. The little food I had eaten bubbles up my throat and spills onto the floor along with my blood. ck dots dance across my vision, and flecks of gold as a wave of dizziness washes through me, the room spinning around me violently. My blood drips on the ground from the gash on my head. Kade¡¯s feet stop beside my face when hands grab me, and I am tossed over his shoulder. He kicks the door, sending it flying into the front of the yard, stomping down the steps toward his car. ¡°Open the trunk,¡± he snaps at one of his men, who rushed to do his bidding. I thrash, trying to get him to put me down, begging and pleading with him, though it falls on deaf ears when I find myself tossed into the trunk, and he ms the lid shut. I have no idea how long he drove, but I am sent hurtling into the rear seat when he jams on the brakes. My heart beats erratically, filling my ears with the pounding sound of it when I hear the car doors m, and I suddenly can¡¯t breathe, panic consuming me, and I try to suck in a hupped breath as the trunk lid opens. One of his warriors reaches in to grab me. I thrash, pping his hands away and kicking when he punches me. My head whipped to the side, and I felt my eye swell shut instantly, I groaned, dazed from the blow. ¡°Hurry up,¡± Kade snarled when I felt a needle jammed in my arm. It was like someone set my veins on fire as the poison raged an inferno through my bloodstream. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, love, it won¡¯t kill you, but you won¡¯t be able to shift or heal, just a mild sedative,¡± Kade mocks as I peer up at him through my swollen eye that feels like it is ballooning out. The other man grabs me, tossing me over his shoulder, and I groan, feeling sick at the motion of him walking up steps before I am dumped onto the red carpet. I can¡¯t even sit up, wholly paralyzed yet wide awake. My mind races as I try to look around, yet all I can see is a bed with red nkets in the distance. Attached to it are different chains and ropes, and the room smells funny. The pungent aroma of incense burns my nose. ¡°Sit her up, and make sure she watches.¡¯ Kade sneers when the man from before grips my shirt, leaning me against the wall. He grabs my head, which is now lolled forward; I notice I am dribbling blood and drooling down my chin. A woman walks in with barely any clothes on and blink at her. She has on ck lingerie, her hair is cut short in a pixie cut, and she is also wearing stilettos. ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± she asks, yet I notice the tremble of her fingers and the shake in her voice. ¡°This is my mate, Abbie. She is being punished, so we are going to put on a show for her. Get on the bed, ire.¡± The woman gasps and spins when he motions toward me with his hand, and she stumbles back, her face paling. ¡°Your mate?¡± she gasps and goes to kneel, her hands outstretched like she wants to help me when Kade snaps at her. ¡°Don¡¯t touch the slut. Now get on the bed,¡± kade snarls at her. The woman looks horrified at Kade. ¡°But she is your mate,¡± the woman says, and Kade growls. ¡°Are you questioning your Alpha? You remember what happenedst time you questioned me?¡± he asks, tilting his head to the side, and she whimpers, offering her neck to him and nods. ¡°Get your clothes off, and get on the fucking bed,¡± he snaps at her. She looks over her shoulder at me. My eyes welled with tears when Kade started removing his own clothes. ¡°If she closes her eyes, hit her,¡± he orders the man holding my head up. Pain ripples through every part of my body, and my heart is crushed to smithereens. Gannon was right; there was nothing wrong with me. The pain I felt now made worse because I not only endured it for so long, but I was also now forced to watch it as he fucked this girl right in front of me for hours. The pain was excruciating. I prayed for it to end. Kade climbed off the bed and walked over to me when he was done. Tears trek down my face when he stops in front of me. ¡°Open her mouth,¡± kade says, and my eyes widen. I try to move but can¡¯t; I can¡¯t even speak. My tongue felt numb; I could only drool on myself. Tears burn my eyes when I feel fingertips on my chin, opening my already ck mouth. My eyes darted to the woman, ire, on the bed, sobbing into her hands when he stuffed his cock in my mouth. Kade grips my hair and starts thrusting it into my mouth. The taste of her coating my tongue repulses me as he uses my mouth before emptying himself in it. I gag as I choke on it. He then lets me go, and I crash to the ground in a heap, my entire body numb, even my mind, as I stare nkly at the dust underneath the bed, unable to lift my own head. I stare beneath the bed, no longer listening, going deaf to my surroundings. Closing my eyes, I pretend to be back in mine and Ivy¡¯s room at the orphanage, remembering the times we wouldy on the hard floor gazing out the window at night sky, making pictures out of the stars, dreaming of what it would be like to be free. I never thought I would see the day when I would rather be back there than where I currently am Kade left me on the floor and walked out, and it took hours before I could move my hand; I brushed my hair behind my ear. It had been annoying me and obscuring my vision for hours and tickling my nose when I breathed because I couldn¡¯t move it; however, I regained some feeling back. My fingertips brush the scar behind my ear, and I suck in a shaky breath. ¡°More than my life, more than my life,¡± I repeatedly whisper to myself as I cry. ¡°More than my life. It was all I had to hang onto, all I had left now. Because it had be startlingly clear everything he had told me was a lie, everything he said about Tysoning here was just to stop me telling Ivy. Everything I endured was for nothing and the only thing I had now was the hope I could make it back to Ivy, so with that I chanted it repeatedly in my head. ¡°More than my Life.¡± Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Gannon POV The moment I got back, I learned our assumptions were right about Ivy. She was, in fact, Azalea Ivy Landeena, the rightful heir to the Landeena kingdom, and the King¡¯s broken bond because of his actions had caused what I hoped was reversible damage. The King was in a terrible mood because she was on the verge of her heat and denying him. She refused to forgive him. Yet as the days slipped by and Damian gave me every excuse under the damn sun not to interrupt the King, I became more impatient. And I was on the verge of telling Ivy. or Azalea, I guess that would take some getting used to. For so long, she was Ivy, and to think she was a princess all this time was astounding, though not completely unbelievable. We had our suspicions on something being off with her just merely by her eyes alone. That was the first thing that tipped me off that something was odd about the King¡¯s mate. I hoped that really stung the King for his actions. Yet knowing this information only added to my need to tell Azalea about Abbie. Azalea had no idea about how Abbie was truly living or about Kade¡¯s infidelity, and if anyone could convince Abbie toe home, I knew it was her. So knowing this, I went in search of the King, finding him at his office. Yet no matter how hungover I was fromst night, my mind was always clear when it came to Abbie. So I didn¡¯t hesitate once I made up my mind that today whether he wants to see me or not we would be speaking. ¡°Gannon?¡± Damian asks when he sees me stalking toward the office. He rushes over and steps in front of the door as I go to grip the handle. ¡°Move Damian, and I need to speak to him,¡± ¡°He is not in the mood right now, Gannon. And you smell like a fucking brewery. Are you drunk?¡± Damian asks. I wasn¡¯t drunk, just extremely fucking hungover, I wished I was drunk, then it would stop the nagging feeling pulling inside me telling me something was extremely wrong. ¡°He is never in the mood. Now fucking move! It will take five bloody minutes.¡± I snarl. However, Damian doesn¡¯t move, so I shove him aside and barge through the door. The King groaned loudly when I entered. The door banged loudly on the wall as I entered, and Damian was right on my heels. Kyson clicks his tongue and tosses the document down he was looking at. Which only told me he knew exactly why I was here. ¡°Gannon, I have not got time for your drama with Abbie, right now.¡± Therey his issue he never has fucking time to listen to reason. ¡°I wonder if Azalea would say the same thing?¡± I ask him as I drop into the chair across from him, and he growls at me. He looks at Damian as he wanders into the room behind me. I ignore his angry presence, as hees to stand behind me. *Not happening. Don¡¯t make me order you off castle grounds. I am struggling enough with her going into heat soon. I don¡¯t need you making it worse by causing an argument.¡± ¡°Kade is hurting her!¡± I snarl at him, punching the desk. ¡°Enough! He is doing no such thing. Azalea spoke to her the other day, and she said she liked it there,¡± Kyson¡¯s eyes go to Damian behind me who I could feel was nervously pacing the room. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Because of the fucking bond! She is blinded by the bond. I want your permission to go get her,¡± I tell him. However, the King shakes his head. ¡°I can¡¯t do that, but-¡± ¡°You mean you won¡¯t do it. You can override him, force them to reject each other.¡± I snarl and Damian grips my shoulder when I go to rise from my chair. I shrug him off but remain seated. ¡°Not without consequences, Gannon. We have been through this,¡± Kyson tells me. But fuck the consequences. ¡°Azalea is in the corridor,¡± Damian tells the King, cutting into our conversation. I peer over my shoulder at him before turning back to face the king, who was rubbing his temples as if he had a headache. ¡°I am willing to ept the consequences. I will do it, it won¡¯te back on you,¡± I try to reason with him, but still he shakes his head. ¡°My answer is no. Damian, get him out here before she gets here. I¡¯m not dealing with this shit right now,¡± The King waves me off dismissively and I get up. ¡°Then you leave me no choice. You won¡¯t do it, then I will tell the Queen!¡± I snarl, walking toward the door. The moment I step past the desk, Kyson grabs my arm, his grip bruising. Damian is quick to get between us, trying to diffuse the situation. ¡°You will do no such thing!¡± Kyson snarls in warning. But I was sick of waiting, sick of waiting for her to see reason. By the time thates, it could be toote. Noise from the corridors reaches my ears I hear Azalea speak. 0.00% ¡°The King doesn¡¯t want you in there right now, my Queen.¡± I hear Dustin telling her, which makes the King jump at the sound of her voice. He peers at the door behind him. ¡°Grant my request, Kyson,¡± I warn him, knowing now was my only chance to let her know what was going on with Abbie. I knew he wouldn¡¯t tell her, which left it up to me. I see his eyes ze over and the mind-link opens up, and I know he is telling Dustin to take her away. I growi at him when my assumption is correct. ¡°Ivy! Call me Ivy.¡± she snaps outside. Clearly, she wasn¡¯t the only one struggling to get used to her name. ¡°My Queen, the King ? ¡± Dustin tells her ¡°I want to know what¡¯s going on!¡± Ivy snaps at Dustin. Damian pushes between us as I walk toward the door. I sidestep him and move to open the door only for the King to shove me back, and the moment I move toward the door again. He shifts and attacks me, knocking Damian aside. I know it was hering into heat that made his temper short, but for Abbie I would take his anger. Either way, I was telling Azalea. Yet the king wasn¡¯t having it when he knocked the air out of my lungs and I hear the cracking of his wooden desk as he ms me down on it, just as the door bursts open. Azalea nces around, shocked while Damian picks himself up off the floor. His lip was bleeding where he Dustin grabs her arm as if he is about to rip her out of the room and I shove Kyson off before swinging at him, only for Kyson to punch me and I hit the ground. I growl, trying to get up, stumbling from his blow. Once again, Damian tries to get between us when Kyson res at him, and Damian backs away with his hands up. ¡°Stand down! She will see sense soon ande back! Stop this!¡± the King orders me and I grit my teeth at hismand. ¡°This is fucking bullshit! And you know it!¡± I snap at him. ¡°My hands are tied, you know this,¡± Kyson says, letting me go, and ring down at me. ¡°You¡¯re the fucking King! You can make him give her back.¡± I tell him before peeking at Azalea. I press my lips in a line, knowing it would cause world war three between them, but I didn¡¯t care. He would either grant me permission or deal with his mate. ¡°I wonder what Ivy would say to that. Would you give her the same excuse?¡± I sneered at him. ¡°If I knew what?¡± Ivy asks, stepping through the gap in the door where Dustin was trying to keep her out of everything. ¡°Nothing, Ivy. Go back to our room, Love.¡± Kyson says before ring at Dustin behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t re at him! I want to know what¡¯s going on and why you are all fighting.¡± she demanded, stepping further into the room. I open my mouth to tell her when the King turns, a furious growi tearing out of him, but I re back at him. Kyson turns his attention to Dustin who I notice reaches for Ivy.. ¡°Dustin, get her out of here and keep her out!¡± Kyson snarls, and Dustin grabbed her arm, trying to pull her from the room when I speak, making everyone stop. ¡°Kade is mistreating Abbie,¡± I tell her. Dustin tries to yank her out, but she shoves him off. She turns to Kyson, wanting to know what I am talking about when the King snarls, pivoting and in my hungover state I don¡¯t see his fist until it is toote. He punched me so hard, instantly saw ck. I wake up momentster, head pounding to Ivy screaming at Kyson. The King had his hands locked around Dustin¡¯s throat, and Damian was trying to break up the obvious fight while I tried to figure out what the fuck happened while I was out. ¡°Let him go, Kyson! You hurt him, and I will walk out those fucking doors and out of your life faster than I stepped in it!¡± Ivy snaps at Kyson. Her hand grips his wrist. ¡°We will speak in the room. Now go!¡± Kyson tells her. ¡°No, I want to know about Ab¡­¡± she screams, ah so they were fighting over Abbie, and Dustin clearly got between them. ¡°Room now!¡± the Kingmands, cutting her off, and I instantly feel terrible, she still can¡¯t fight his Alpha aura and is forced to leave. Dustin sucked in a wheezing breath, and Kyson let him go, shoving him away and ring at him. ¡°You know where you should be!¡± The King snaps at him, and he hurries off after Ivy. The King turns around to face us and Damian takes a step back just as I get to my feet. The King stalks toward me and grabs me. He shakes me and growls in my face. ¡°Do you have any idea what you have just done?¡± he snarls at me. ¡°She had a right to know!¡± I growled back. ¡°You disobeyed a fucking order! I told you not to get her involved!¡± he snapped at me, his aura growing more potent by the second as fought the urge to submit to it. ¡°And what about Abbie? Ivy may be the only one that can make Abbie see sense. Abbie trusts her,¡± I tell him. ¡°That may be so, but now you have just caused me a giant fucking headache. I didn¡¯t want to deal with this right now. Not when she is so goddamn close to going into heat, and the bond has just fucking forged! I had to fuckingmand her, Gannon!¡± he yells at me. I did not make himmand her, that is on him. Just as every bad decision he has made when ite to Ivy was. I refuse to be the me for it. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do anything, Kyson. You chose tomand her because you don¡¯t like being challenged, so don¡¯t me that on me!¡± | tell him, I just simply told her what he was refusing to do. I understood his reasoning for not wanting to break thews he created. We havews even the King must abide by, and until Abbie asks toe back, his hands were tied entirely unless he wanted a war with 80 nearby packs. And he already had enough enemies without adding them to that list. Yet I wasn¡¯t asking him to break thosews. I would do it so it wouldn¡¯te back on him. ¡°I know you are mad, but we can¡¯t afford this crap right now. You want something to do, go back to Silver Creek!¡± the King snaps at me. I growl at him. What use would it be in going back there? I had already whipped Mrs. Daley an inch from her life for what those girls indured at that woman¡¯s hands. He shakes me, and I try to shake his grip off. ¡°I already got that bitch. She can¡¯t walk, for god¡¯s sake! What the fuck else could I possibly do to her?¡± I snarl at him ¡°Not Daley. But make sure she is dead before you return home. I have another job for you while we wait for Abbie toe back.¡± he says, his voice dropping low and the cruel glint in his eyes told me whatever he was about to tell me was going to be bad. ¡°No, Kyson. Not while he is like this.¡± Damian says, but the King smiles. ¡°You want revenge? Then take it out on the butcher. Daley will know his name,¡± the King tells me. My brows furrow at his words. ¡°The butcher?¡± Damian asks, and the King nods and looks at Damian over his shoulder before he turns back to me. My heart nearly stops at his next words. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s Abbie¡¯s rapist,¡± the King growls before letting me go. I blink at him, taking in his words, thinking back to how odd Abbie was with touch and nudity when I would take her on a run. The scars on her hips and thighs, when it dawned on me. My entire body trembled as my blood boiled, my canines slipped free of my gums and my ws extended and the noise that left me was more of a roar, as burning with rage and disgust forcing my shift. I wanted him to take his words back. I wanted to unhear them. I didn¡¯t want the picture of her so vulnerable and helpless like that stuck in my head. Someone touched her, did unspeakable things to her, and they were still breathing? Some part of me tried to tell me I heard him wrong. Yet the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach told me I heard right, yet still I asked. ¡°He did what to my Abbie?¡± I snarl. ¡°I won¡¯t repeat it. It wasn¡¯t my ce to say, but I was nning to tell you, anyway. Find Daley, and you will know where to find the butcher.¡± The King tells me and my eyes dart to Damian who looks at me just as horrified by this information. I turn my gaze back to the King. ¡°I¡¯m not bringing him in.¡± I warn him, my eyes flicker as a coldness settles over me, so strong I thought it would freeze my heart at the horrors my girl has had to endure. The butcher would wish for death long before he would receive it. ¡°He¡¯s all yours,¡± the King tells me as I try to breathe around my burning rage. I swallow and turn on my heel, mming the door behind me. Walking back to my quarters, I head for Liam¡¯s room, knowing he has been sleeping since he came off the night shift. My hangover was now long gone, and I was finding it hard to shift back. Shoving his door open, I rip his nket off and he groans, opening his eyes before seeing me shifted and he sits up. ¡°What is it?¡± he asks, rubbing his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re going hunting,¡± I tell him, and he smirks instantly. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Abbie Two days had passed, and Kade had left me to rot in this brothel. He came to torment me every day, so I wasn¡¯t surprised to see a woman walk in when the door opened. However, I was surprised to find it was the woman that used to park outside the cabin. Her heels click on the floorboards. Today she wore a short ck dress, and I could see the outline of her thong; it was that tight. I look away, back at the wall where I sat in the corner. She was here to inject me with more of the shit Kade had been using on me, or so I suspected. I will not cry. She did not deserve my tears. I kind of wished ire woulde back. I wanted to know she was okay, and I hadn¡¯t seen her since the night I was brought here. The woman crouches next to me and grips my chin, forcing me to meet her gaze. She sneers, shoving my face away. ¡°Kade is on his way, and you will be on your best behavior for my husband,¡± she says. I gulp. Her words stung, but she could have him. I wanted nothing to do with the man, and I felt foolish for not believing Gannon. Felt stupid that I actually thought I would have some sort of happiness. ¡°Seems your little friend, that bitch of a Queen of yours has been asking about you, you do anything to jeopardize the life I have with Kade, and he won¡¯t be the one you need to fear.I will order every pack warrior to run through you, treat you like the home-wrecking whore you are.¡± she says turning her chin up at me. I can¡¯t help butugh. Of course, that piece of shit¡¯s wife was just as depraved as he was. ¡°Must have really sucked when you learned he had a mate.¡± I tell her, ring at the woman. She ps me before gripping my hair and yanking my head back, making me grit my teeth. ¡°idents happen. Remember that. This is my pack. Kade is my mate. You will learn your ce,¡± she says. ¡°My ce isn¡¯t here. And you should mind your own business. Ivy wille for me,¡± I snarl at her, and sheughs before gripping my throat. ¡°Why do you think Kade ising? To see you?¡± sheughs, clicking her tongue. ¡°Your friend wan¡¯t be an issue after today. Kade is only keeping you, so he doesn¡¯t be weak. You do well to remember that you are nothing to him. Just a warm hole to fuck,¡± she says when the door opens again. His scent wafts to me before I see him, the bond recognizing him instantly. I now despise the reaction he stirs. I want his blood, and I hate that he can easily influence me the way it does. ¡°Ah, there are my girls. Having a chat, I see,¡± Kade says, walking in wearing a tailored suit, and the woman lets me go and rises to her feet. ¡°Abbie dear, I see you have met my wife, Cassandra. Pretty, isn¡¯t she?¡± he says, sweeping her hair off her shoulder before cupping her neck and jamming his filthy tongue down her throat. I avert my gaze, relishing the pain that is now coursing through my chest. When he had finished his disgusting disy of affection, he spoke with venom in his voice. ¡°Now, the Queen has decided she wants to video chat with you today. She found out about Cassandra. And you love, will convince her everything is peachy, and that you are happy here,¡± Kade says, walking over to me and gripping my arm. He yanks me to my feet. Yet excitement bubbles within me. Nobody knew me better than Ivy. She knew my darkest secrets, my biggest shames. She would see through any facade Kade tried to put up. Kade pushes me on the bed and grips my face and I try to pull away from his grip. When he kisses me, I am nearly tempted to bite his filthy tongue but learnedst night not to do that after he knocked me out cold. My jaw still throbbed even this morning. ¡°It won¡¯t work. Ivy will know something is wrong.¡± I spit at him when he stops. ¡°Now I had a funny feeling that you would say that, so I have a motivator for you,¡± he whistles, and I hear a struggle outside and a woman¡¯s shrill cries and that of a baby. My heart leaps in my chest, and I get to my feet as a woman in lingerie is tossed on the floor on her knees, a baby clutched in her arms that was barely a few months old. I red at the man who shoved her before turning my attention to Kade. ¡°Now you will put on your best performance. Abbie, meet Stacey. Stacey, this Abbie,¡± he says, and I swallow as he grips her hair, ripping her head back. ¡°Now Stacey, Abbie, over here is the one who decides if little Jacob here is going to get to live another day,¡± he says. Tears stream down her face. The baby was bundled up, clutched in her arm, and tucked to her chest. Her mascara runs down her cheeks as she looks at me pleadingly. Her bright red hair stuck to her face as tears smudged her makeup and lines trekked into her foundation. Kade reaches for the boy in her arms, but I speak before he grabs him as she tries to fight him off. ¡°I¡¯ll do it! You touch one hair on that baby or her head and I will refuse to do anything you ask. Leave her!¡± I snap at him, and he pauses his outstretched hand. He stands and clicks his tongue, letting her hair go, and she crawls quickly over to me, holding the baby with one hand, 0.00% 13:35 stopping by my feet. Kade snarls at her and goes to grab her, but I step over her, putting myself between them. ¡°Seems you do have a backbone after all,¡± Kade says. ¡°It will do you no good here. You fuck this up, you watch them die,¡± he adds. ¡°You touch them, and you die,¡± I tell him. I was the only thing standing in the way of having Ivy get the king here. And I knew she would cause hell in the castle for me because if our roles were reversed, I would do the same. Kade nods and looks at Cassandra, who smiles sweetly before tugging her handbag off her shoulder. She pulled a smaller bag out that was clear and contained makeup. I sat on the edge of the bed, knowing exactly what would happen next. Mrs. Daley was good at this facade, too. When she wanted sponsors and she would cover our scars, she had plenty of times. If I can survive that bitch, I could survive anything. Stacey cringes away from her, and Cassandra raises her hand to hit her when Stacey identally bumps into her. Rage courses through me, and I grip her wrist. We stand off for a few seconds. Cassandra is clearly shocked I would grab her, especially in front of Kade, who she was expecting to jump to her rescue, but he only chuckles. ¡°Now, now,dies, no fighting,¡± he says, sitting in the chair in the corner beside the bed. ¡°You don¡¯t want to jeopardize that future you want so badly, do you?¡± I ask her, and she res at me. ¡°You are asking for death, girlie!¡± she spits, yanking her arm away. ¡°Good thing I don¡¯t fear death. But I bet you do,¡± I tell her, and she res at me. I sit on the bed, and Kade clicks his fingers impatiently at her. I shut down, letting her y dress-up, solely focused on keeping the woman at my feet and her baby safe from these monsters, Kade remained the entire time taunting me as she dressed me up. If I tried to resist, which I never did, he just saw my flinching when Cassandra would poke and prod a little too hard, as me being defiant. Even when she poked me in the eyes with a mascara brush she¡¯smacked me up the back of the head. I re at her and she sneers. ¡°Stay still!¡± she snapped as she finished my makeup. When she is done, Kade does an assessment before nodding and waving her closer. ¡°You did good, my love,¡± he purrs, kissing her and I stare off at Stacey, refusing to show so much as a sliver of pain. When they were done with their affections, which was enough to make anyone sick with the way they sucked on each other¡¯s faces, Kade dropped the phone in myp before gripping my face. His fingers wrap around my throat tightly threateningly. ¡°You do a single thing that causes me trouble, I will not only kill Stacey¡¯s baby, but I will drive all the way to your Tyson in Silver Creek pack, and bring him here before tying the little brat to a damn tree and making you watch as he burns alive,¡± he snarls. I swallow not doubting he would do just that. After seeing so many atrocities in this ce, I now saw the monster he truly was. ¡°Now you be a good girl, and do as I say. I may even reconsider letting my men have you for the night. They have been looking forward to having a go at the girl whose ass is so tight, it¡¯s all the butcher could talk about when I visited Alpha Brock,¡± he sneered. My blood ran cold at the mention of the butcher, tears prick my eyes and Stacey whimpered behind me. Cassandraughed, and I felt the blood drain from my body at his words. Kadeughs, a sickening cackle leaving him. ¡°You think I didn¡¯t know?¡± My face heats as shame fills me and I fight the memories that were trying to overwhelm me. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh yes, Brock has quite a lot to say about you when I asked about that stupid brat for you. And to think I was willing to let you keep the boy until you betrayed me. He told me how Doyle wanted to keep you. Apparently, fought him real hard before your hearing trying to obtain you.¡± Kade says as he lets me go. ¡°I always wondered who he spoke of the few times I met him. I thought you were his mate with the wild fantasies he had of you,¡± kade taunts. Cassandra snorts augh at his words. ¡°I wonder if he wants another go at her? Maybe we could invite him to stay.¡± Cassandra sneers at me. Kade seems thoughtful for a second before his eye darken. ¡°Shut up! No one asked for your input!¡± Kade snaps at her, making her fall quiet. ¡°Now, you will behave and sit through the phone call. If you try to alert your little friend and you will not only be responsible for Stacey and her baby¡¯s death but also Tyson¡¯s. Are we in agreement?¡± He asks, as if I had any choice whatsoever. Stacey looks at me pleadingly to do as he says. I nod and Kade picks up the phone before hitting call and handing it to me. My hands shook as it rang, and Kade growled. Sucking in a few deep breaths, I calmed myself enough to pull myself together in time just as she answered. It took all my willpower not to break down at the sight of her face. ¡°Abbie!¡± Ivy shrieked. ¡°Hey! Kade said you wanted me to call. I dropped my phone in the sink. You know I am clumsy.¡± I chuckle, putting on the performance of my 35 129 damn life, knowing how many lives rely on me saying the right thing. Yet Ivy knew me so well, I knew she would be able to read me by actions. I hoped she paid attention. I knew if she could pick up on me, she would y along and alert someone. Her brows furrow at my words, ¡°Have you got makeup on?¡± She asked, staring at my face that looked different. That is Kades first mistake here. Ivy knows I never wear makeup, she also knows my facial expression better than I do. ¡°Yep, do you like it? Cassandra helped me,¡± I told her, turning my phone so she could see I wasn¡¯t alone. Cassandra waves to her, putting on a sweet smile, and I turn the phone back. ¡°How have you been?¡± I ask, and my eyes go to kade standing in front of me mouthing for me to go introduce Cassandra, tapping his ring finger. ¡°Cassandra, that is ¡­¡± Ivy asks, and T cut her off. ¡°Kade¡¯s wife. They have three kids,¡± I tell her, smiling. Ivy falls quiet yet I could see the suspicion in her eyes as she peers at the background behind me. ¡°And you¡¯re okay with that?¡± She asks. I flick my hair over my shoulder to the ear that held my scar, the same scar she shared with me when I tried to kill myself. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t punish him for marrying before he found me,¡± I chuckled, as if it was no big deal and Cassandra was my new bestie. She appears confused, so I change the subject, telling her random crap, knowing Kade is watching me. Kysones up behind her and into the camera¡¯s view. ¡°Hi Abbie, you look nice,¡± Kyson says, sending me a wave. I smile and wave, saying hello when Kade moves to stand behind me, his hand gripping my shoulders in a warning as he squeezes them. ¡°My King.¡± Kade says, giving him a nod and they chat about pack business for a few moments, and Kyson asks him a few questions about rogue sightings. Before telling Kade and me how they discovered Ivy was the missing Landeena baby. I had so many questions yet had more pressing matters than Ivy¡¯s parentage, though I was d everything was sorted out on their end. I was happy for her, happy she would get her happily ever after. ¡°Well, my King and Queen, Abbie and Cassandra are about to go shopping,¡± Kade eventually says when Kyson finishes speaking. Kade wanders out of the camera¡¯s view and I stare at Ivy. ¡°Well, I will try to call you again soon,¡± I tell her and she smiles sadly, then she purses her lips before her eyes light up. ¡°I was going to ask if you wanted toe up on the weekend?¡± Ivy asks me. She knows! She knows something is wrong, I thought. My heart sputtered as hope bloomed in my veins. She has to know. ¡°That would be awesome. I have missed you.¡± I tell her. ¡°Not this weekend, Abbie. A driver won¡¯t be avable,¡± kade says behind me, where he stood by the bed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I will send Dustin toe and get her and your wife; it can be a girl¡¯s weekend,¡± Ivy tells him. ¡°The kids have a ser match, and it¡¯s Abbie¡¯s first one. She doesn¡¯t want to miss it,¡± kade says, and I nod quickly in agreement as he walks over to me before rubbing behind my ear. ¡°Yes. I promised the kids I would go. I forgot, maybe the one after,¡± I tell her, giving her a smile, yet her focus was on my hand rubbing behind my left ear. Come on Ivy, put it together. I prayed she did and did something quickly. ¡°Sounds great.¡± Ivy tells me. My smile waivers slightly with doubt as she smiles brightly, the sinking feeling returning. ¡°Well, I will let you go. Call me tomorrow night,¡± Ivy tells me as Kade pops back into view of her. ¡°I will make sure she does,¡± he says, kissing my cheek in a show of affection, and it took everything in me not to jerk away from him. I blow her some kisses. ¡°I love you,¡± I tell her. Ivy¡¯s eyes narrow the slightest fraction. ¡°More than my life,¡± she says in reply. ¡°Yep. You know that,¡± I tell her, smiling, while my heart hammers in my chest. I reach up and rub the spot behind my ear. Ivy watched the movement and I saw her swallow and the look of panic in her eyes as her eyes went to mine. ¡°I love you. I will speak with you tomorrow,¡± she told me. I nodded before hanging up, praying she understood that wasn¡¯t me. The moment I hang up, Kade snatches the phone from me. I waited for the verdict of whether I did good enough in his eyes at convincing her nothing was wrong. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 52 Chapter 52 His little arm had a bruise, and he cried when I grabbed him, like he thought I was about to hurt him. ¡°Shh, shh. What¡¯s your name?¡± I ask him, yet he eyes Mrs. Daley, clearly petrified of the woman. He is all skin and bone, his big brown eyes had no light, his cheeks hollow and his eyes sunken in, his curly ck hair sat on his shoulders and was matted and knotted. which I thought was strange, however seeing a rogue child was more bizarre, and I had a feeling it was just for show in case the King stopped by. One thing is apparent ¨C none of these children were cared for properly, and that really grinds my gears. ¡°Like he can¡¯t, or he doesn¡¯t know how?¡± I ask her. She shrugs, and her eyes dart to Mrs. Daley. It was clear she was scared of the woman. ¡°Mrs. Daley is leaving today. She is retiring. You can speak freely, she won¡¯t hurt you,¡± I tell Kimmy. She bites her lip before scratching the back of her matted blonde hair. ¡°I heard Mrs. Daley fighting with Katrina. Katrina wanted to take him and his brother but Mrs. Daley wouldn¡¯t let her.¡± ¡°He has a brother?¡± ¡°Had. We haven¡¯t seen him for two days. He bit Mrs. Daley when she smacked Oliver,¡± Kimmy says, pointing to the boy in my arms. ¡°His name is Oliver?¡± Kimmy nods. ¡°The brother¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Logan, Sir,¡± she says, and I nod. ¡°What about Katrina? Does she hurt you?¡± Kimmy shakes her head, and she looks at Mrs. Daley nervously, who stares ahead, looking out the window above the sink vacantly. She knew she had fucked up. ¡°Mrs. Daley had the butcher hurt Katrina for sticking up for them. He broke her arm, but she is ok now.¡± ¡°Kimmy, can you find some clothes and socks for Oliver?¡± I tell her, and she nods, holding her arms out for him. He goes to her, and she takes him upstairs while I turn Mrs. Daley¡¯s wheelchair with my foot. ¡°Where is his brother?¡± ¡°The kid is a menace! He bit me like a savage!¡± she sneers. ¡°Where is the boy?¡± I snarl, and Liam res at her before twisting his knife between his fingers in a warning. ¡°I would answer him. We don¡¯t like child abusers. But you already know that,¡± Liam wams her, and she gulps. ¡°In theundry room outside,¡± I growi, storming outside in search of it before finding it behind the shed. I could hear whimpering when I approached the wooden door. Pushing it open, I find another small boy inside a cage underneath the bench next to the washer. Anger courses through me as I bend down and snap the lock. He looks to be about Kimmy¡¯s age, though he is freezing cold, and clearly bruised and battered. ¡°Did Mrs. Daley do this to you?¡± The boy shakes his head, moving to the back of the cage. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. I am here to help,¡± I tell him. ¡°My brother! Help my brother!¡± he whimpers, cringing away when I break the front door off and open the dog cage. ¡°Who put you in here? Did Katrina? I won¡¯t hurt you, and I won¡¯t let them hurt you.¡± I tell him while taking my jacket off. I drape it over his skinny frame, and he shakes his head. ¡°No, she tried to help me.¡± ¡°Who brought you out here, then? Daley couldn¡¯t have. She wouldn¡¯t have got down the back steps.¡± ¡°The Butcher did, Sir,¡± he says as he stares at my outstretched hand. ¡°Come on, you and your brother areing home with me. I won¡¯t hurt you, but I need you toe inside where it is warm. Liam is inside. You will like Liam, he is making pancakes,¡± I tell him. He hesitates before dropping his hand in mine, and I pull him from the small cage. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Eight, Sir,¡± I nod before seeing his bare feet and scooping him up. I carry him inside before stepping into the kitchen. ¡°Where is Daley?¡± I ask, noticing her wheelchair gone. ¡°She went to get more flour,¡± Liam says, winking at me. I smirk, taking Logan to the living room before wrapping the surrounding nket from the couch around him. I then went and got firewood and filled all the fireces, lighting them. The smell of pancakes wasted through the ce. Eventually, Katrina walks in just as I got the living room firece going. She was a young 13:35 woman in her twenties, with brown shoulder-length hair. The kids seem to like her, jumping around and trying to get her attention. She stopped when I stood up and stared at me. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asks, looking at me nervously. She sniffs the air before baring her neck to me. ¡°Gannon. Liam is out there. I assume you are Katrina?¡± She nods her head. ¡°Mrs. Daley?¡± she asks. ¡°In the basement,¡± I tell her, and she nods before her brows pinch, and she opens her mouth to say something before spotting Logan by the fire, and her eyes widen. Oliver was sitting on hisp. She rushes over, and I grip her arm. ren ¡°I won¡¯t hurt them! I am not Daley!¡± she spits at me, and I let her go. She rushes over and fusses over them. I sigh before walking to the door. ¡°Help Liam feed the children. You just got promoted to headmistress,¡± I tell her, and she nods. Walking to the kitchen, I can hear groaning and pained wailsing from the basement. ¡°Want a hand?¡± Liam asks, and I look at him covered in flour¡­ ¡°Nope,¡± I tell him, snatching the knives from the counter and opening the basement door. I hear Liam flick the radio on that sits on the Stomping down the steps. Mrs. Daley tried crawling away where she had been pushed down the stairs, her legs tangled in the wheelchair as she wed at the ground. ¡°Change of ns. I wanna hear you scream,¡± I tell her. Reaching down, I grip her hair and yank her head back. ¡°And you will scream!¡± I snarl. Liam had to keep turning the music up. Mrs. Daley¡¯s screams echoed around the basement. Eventually, her screams cut outpletely, her body bloody and lifeless, having skinned the bitch alive. Oh, how I loved hearing them scream. Although I could have gone without the erection it gave me. Blood coated the stone floor red, the smell was pungent, and the ce reeked of raw meat. Washing my hands in the filthy sink, I dry them on a hessian bag I found sitting beside it before looking at the old hag¡¯s pelt hanging up on a hook from the ceiling, admiring my handiwork I head for the stairs with a shrug. The rickety old steps creak under my weight as I climb them. Opening the door, I shake my head when I see Liam shaking his ass and dancing to the music he had ring loudly. Liam was still wearing his floral apron while doing the dishes. Katrinaes into the kitchen with another pile of tes clutched in her hands, a tea towel draped over her shoulder. She gives me a wary look and hesitates for a second, then hurries past me toward the small kitchen. I watch as she sets the tes on the bench beside Liam. He grabs her hand and twirls her around before pulling her to dance with him, tugging her body flush against his. Only then does he spot me standing by the basement door. He smirks, before letting her go and drying his hands on the apron. ¡°About time! I thought you were trying on Mrs. Daley and wearing her skin as a suit with how long you were taking.¡± Liamughs. Katrina stares wide-eyed at me, turning my head to look at her, and she hastily looks away. Liam undoes his apron and sets it on the counter before pecking Katrina on the cheek. ¡°Be seeing you later, doll face,¡± he says, sending her a wink. I shake my head as he walks towards me when he stops at the door leading out to the hall. ¡°On second thought.¡± He turns back and snatches the apron off the counter. ¡°You don¡¯t want this, do you?¡± Katrina shakes her head. I was pretty sure she would give him her kidney if it meant he would get away from her. Probably even cut it out herself. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Good, it looks better on me anyway,¡± he says, chucking it over his shoulder and sauntering out. ¡°Ah, Mrs. Daley?¡± Katrina asks me when I turn to follow him. ¡°No need to worry, I already hung her up to dry. Just let her air out for a bit,¡± I tell her, following Liam back through the ce. I stop when I pass Oliver and Logan, who are both still sitting in the same spot, huddled underneath a nket, watching the other children ying with some puzzles. ¡°I will be back in a few hours to pick you up. I have someone I want you both to meet,¡± I tell them. Oliver rests his head on Logan¡¯s shoulder, sucking his thumb ¡°Who?¡± Logan asks me, hugging his brother closer. ¡°A woman named rice. You will like her, and she will love both of you. She will take good care of you,¡± I tell him as he chews his lip while looking at his little brother. He nods, so I turn on my heel before walking outside. When I do, I am confronted with Alpha Dean and Alpha Brock, who must have been having a heated argument with Liam. ¡°Can I help you?¡± I ask them,ing behind Liam and stepping over the small brick fence that ran along the footpath. ¡°Don¡¯t you mean can I help you? This isn¡¯t your pack, and we were called here about a disturbance.¡± Alpha Brock states. 24.50% 13:35 ¡°Is that right? Well,st I checked, werewolves were lower on the food chain. So, I suggest you move along before you meet the real big bad wolf!¡± I snarl. Alpha Brock looks at Liam and me before focusing back on me and looking me up and down. ¡°Well, the King never informed either of us that you would be showing up. If we had known, we would have prepared for your arrival,¡± Alpha Dean adds, ncing around nervously. ¡°No preparations needed. If you will excuse me, I have a butcher who needs butchering,¡± I tell them before smiling and shoving past them ¡°Exactly why are you here?¡± Alpha Brock asks. ¡°Little slow, this Alpha is. No wonder the pack is going broke. Not one brain cell between the two of them,¡± Liam says, and I smirk at his words. ¡°The two rogue boys inside will be leaving with me when I return. Touch them and you will be hanging alongside Mrs. Daley in the basement.¡± I tell them before climbing into the car. They nce at the orphanage behind them as we drive off. Liam gave me directions to the butcher¡¯s shop in town. It just so happened to be in the small town square, and we received a few nervous nces as we climbed out and headed inside the small ce. A huge ss disy fridge is out the front taking up half the store, but I can see a room out the back behind the till. Pushing through the hinged door beside the fridge disy, I went out the back of the small store to the freezer room. I can hear muffled yelling as I approach the enormous steel door. Twisting the handle, I yank it open and step inside. The room is freezing, and I shiver instantly. ¡°Oh, a little frosty in here,¡± Liam chuckles. However, my attention is solely on the butcher, who stared with big brown eyes. He was in his mid-forties, still dressed in id pajama pants, his hair a mess and sticking up at odd angles. His teeth chattered, and his lips were blue. His chest was bare, and his nipples were hard. Goosebumps covered every inch of him. Liam had skillfully tied him. There was no way he would have been able to shift to get out of his restraints. The butcher¡¯s eyes nce between us both, and Liam pulls on his lovely floral apron while I grab one of the rubber ones hanging up outside the freezer room door. ¡°Bring him out,¡± I call to Liam, who obeys, rubbing his hands together excitedly. Liam unties him, and the moment he does, he runs, bolting out the door, but nothing a punch to the windpipe couldn¡¯t fix. My fist connects with his Adams apple. He gasps, clutching his throat. I take a fistful of his hair and m his head into the steel table. He drops to my feet, and Liames out shaking his head, clicking his tongue before kicking him in the ribs, making him grunt. ¡°Now listen here, pork chop. I am old, tired and just made over 100 pancakes, so do me a favor and climb up on the steel bench. My back is aching.¡± Liam tells him while tying the back of his apron. ¡°There must be some mistake!I don¡¯t even know what I did! You have the wrong guy!¡± he stammers, eyes wide with fear. ¡°Is your name Doyle?¡± I ask, and he nods. ¡°Do you know a girl named Abbie?¡± I ask him, and his eyes widen. ¡°So you do know Abbie?¡± I ask, and he looks between us but shakes his head. ¡°Well, now that¡¯s a lie, isn¡¯t it? Because Mrs. Daley told us about you, and how you paid her to rape the girl. Stole her innocence and all that,¡± Liam says, tilting his head to the side observing the man. ¡°No! I never took that, I swear. Mrs. Daley lied. I never took the girl¡¯s virginity. She is still pure, I swear. If Abbie says I did, she is a liar. I know better than to take her virginity. She isn¡¯t worth as much if she is sold off,¡± he blurts out, and I look at Liam. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Liam asks, clearly as confused as me. The King would not lie or send me on a wild goose chase. ¡°I am saying you didn¡¯t buy ruined goods. I heard how the Lycan King took her in. She is still pure, I swear. If she is saying she isn¡¯t, she is a liar. Tell the King she is still pure. I know better!¡± My eyebrows raise. He thought the King would buy a sex ve? Does he not know the King could have any woman he wanted? Not that he wanted any other than Ivy. ¡°You know better?¡± I ask, and he nods, looking at me pleadingly. What the fuck is wrong with this man? I thought I was fucked in the head, but he just took it to another level. ¡°I am a little confused. Are you Gannon? He is iming to know better, but rape is apparently still eptable?¡± Liam asks me. ¡°What? No! I paid for her. She is just some whore!¡± he says, and my blood boils at his words. My ws sh down his face, slicing through to the bone before I grabbed his throat, picking him up I mmed him on the table. ¡°Please, please, she¡¯s still pure! I only fucked her ass! I left her virginity. Buyers value that!¡± the man begs. Liam¡¯s ws sink into his thigh at his words. ¡°You seem to be very confused. We don¡¯t care about her virginity status, we care if you hurt her. But keep talking, you are making your death more painful. Two things we hate, rapists and anyone that hurts children, and you did both those things! Now you will pay for your crimes in 52.82% 13:36 blood!¡± Liam growls before dragging his ws out of his leg. His screams echo around us, shrill and loud as Liam pulls them out slowly, twisting his fingers as he did. His hands clutched my hand around his throat. ¡°Help me move him. Flip him on his stomach,¡± I tell Liam, who walks off into the freezer. He returns, bringing back the ropes he had tied this scumbag with. We flip onto his stomach before binding his hands and feet to the legs of the table. He thrashes wildly and continues to scream. Liam starts whistling as he cuts the vile man¡¯s pants off while he cries and begs. Walking into the freezer, I look for a broom, finding one in the back corner by the grate and drain in the floor. Grabbing it, I walk back out to find Doyle crying hysterically and begging Liam to free him. His words cut off, and his head lifts, his mouth wide open on a silent scream as he gasps when I shoved the broom handle up his ass. His entire body shakes, his legs trembling uncontrobly. Blood trails over the steel table. ¡°I swear you¡¯re still pure. Anal doesn¡¯t count, right?¡± I ask him while I walk around the table. I grip his hair, yanking his head back. He pants, eyes wide, and I smile when Liam gives the broom a jiggle, and he makes a pained groan. I drop his head, and Liam walks over to the wall and pulls down a bone saw, chucking it to me. He then unrolls his pouch of knives, selecting one. ¡°So slice and dice, or will we be more creative today?¡± Liam asks. ¡°Please, please! Just let me go!¡± the man begs. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, beefcakes. Gannon here will make sure we tenderize your rump before we make you eat it. We can stuff it some more,¡¯ Liam tells him, pping his ass. ¡°If you want. I reckon you could take another, pretty loose back there,¡± Liam adds. The man whimpers and sobs before pissing himself, urine cascading down the sides of the table along with his blood. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Liam asks when Doyle mumbles something incoherently. ¡°Think he said he wanted the other broom,¡± I tell Liam, who smiles sadistically while the man screams and thrashes as much as possible. Liames out with a mop, and I shrug. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I will spit on it first,¡± Liam tells him before shoving it up alongside the other one. His screams were music to my ears and rang out loudly, making me shiver. ¡°Now, do you like your meat medium, raw, cooked all the way through? How should we serve it to you?¡¯ Liam says, cutting a chunk of his ass cheek off with his knife. The butcher screams wildly, and I grab my saw before using a rag as a tourniquet. I know he will heal quickly. but the tourniquet will ensure he does before bleeding out. Wrapping it just above the knee, I pull it tight before grabbing my saw, and I start cutting into the back of his knee. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Gannon For two days, I listened to his screams when they finally cut out. Liam sighs and pouts, ¡°Pussy! I wanted to feed him his bowel first.¡± Liam growls, looking down at Doyle¡¯s limbless body. ¡°Well, maybe you should have thought about that before you removed his heart,¡± I say, pointing to his hand. Liam looks at the hand that is holding Doyle¡¯s heart. ¡°Oh, yeah, that would have done it,¡± he says, tossing it over his shoulder. My skin itches from all the blood caked on it. Thick like gravy, I was surprised hested this long, and if it wasn¡¯t for the blood bags Liam got, he probably would have died yesterday when we removed his arms. Liam whistles happily when the bell rings, signaling someone is here. ¡°Yes! Customers. Missed my calling, I did. I reckon my steaks look pretty good. Wonder if they want to try my marinated Doyle steaks or the Doyle sausage,¡± Liam says, excitedly taking the tray he had been cing his were-steaks on. He was taking the butchering too seriously. Iugh as he grabs his tray and races to the front of the store before I hear the shrill scream of a woman before the bells sounded as she rushes out. ¡°But it is a delicacy! Marinated him myself for 12 hours!¡± I hear Liam call out to her. I shake my head, taking my rubber apron off. I hang it on the hook next to the freezer door. Liames in with his tray in hand, looking rather upset that the woman, whoever she was, didn¡¯t want to try his Doyle steaks. ¡°Wasted all that time marinating those,¡± he says, tossing the tray on the counter. He washes his knives and ces them in his satchel. Grabbing the soap, I scrub my hands clean when Liam growls. Peering over my shoulder to see him ring down at Doyle. ¡°Bloody bastard, look what you did! You owe me a new apron! You better hope I can wash this out!¡± he snarls, taking off his apron. I raise an ¡°What? He got his filthy blood on it. Look at this!¡± he says, trying to clean his apron in cold water. ¡°He turned it pink. I¡¯ll just say it is salmon. I can pull off salmon, right?¡± Liam growls, scrubbing his apron that he hase to love. ¡°I¡¯d like to see someone tell you that you can¡¯t,¡± Iugh before looking down at my jeans. Not even the apron could save them. I sigh, walking out through the shop to the car and retrieving the bag from the trunk. I always brought spare clothes. The town square was pretty quiet as I finally got outside. There are plenty of stares, but no one dared say anything. I was kind of waiting for them to break out in a dance, like a sh mob, with the way the noise stopped abruptly, and everyone froze. Shaking my head, I pop the trunk, grab a fresh shirt, and pull it on. Hearing the butcher¡¯s shop bell jingle, I nce over my shoulder, and a scream rings out from an elderlydy sitting out front of the bakery eating a scone under a blue and white umbre. Liam struts out naked, drenched from head to toe in blood. He shakes off some congealed blood that has plopped on his foot as he shakes his head. His apron is clutched in his hand, and he shakes it out. ¡°That is noting in the car. Put it in the trunk,¡± I tell him. ¡°But how will it dry?he whines. ¡°I gotta grab Logan and Oliver. The kids will freak if they see you like that,¡± I tell him when a shrtek reaches my ears, and a crowd forms around the old woman. ¡°Are you itchy?¡± Liam asks, scratching his balls. I chuckle, shaking my head when people rush over to the small bakery. Liam nces over there, and so do I and I see the old woman choking. Another woman pats her back frantically, and Liam sighs and shakes his head before He starts performing the heimlich maneuver on her, which was a sight to see. Everyone scatters as he grabs her. His arms wrapped around her, his naked ass tensing as he performed the task. A piece of scone flies from her mouth, and she sucks in a breath before he lets her go. The woman copses on the ground and Liam clicks his tongue, sitting her up, his junk right in her face. She gasps, her eyes going wide when she realizes his dick is like an inch off her face. She looks up at him with wide eyes. Liam winks at her. ¡°I got something you can choke on, love,¡± he says, blowing her a kiss. She looks at him, appalled, his dick pping her cheek as he turns to walk back to the car. I snort and shake my head at him as he leans into the trunk to retrieve some clothes. He pulls on some shorts and a tank top before moving toward the passenger side, and I jump in the driver¡¯s seat, starting the car. The engine revs loudly as I tear out of the town square, headed for the orphanage. Liam lights a smoke, and I click my fingers at him before he growls, pulling the smoke from between his lips and handing it to me and lighting another. I drawback on the smoke weaving through the streets to get the kids. ¡°So what do you n on doing with them, anyway? Since when did you be fatherly?¡± Liam asks, and I shrug. I never gave much thought to kids until I met Abbie. Maybe I could keep them? I shake the idea away. Abbie might not want kids. I suppose we would see when I got her back. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not keeping them,¡± I tell him. ¡°So, why are we taking them?¡± ¡°rice,¡± I tell him. ¡°Ah, I see, a fine woman. Too bad she could never have kids. She would have been an excellent mother if she was given the chance at having her own kids,¡± Liam says. ¡°Well, she is a mother. She practically raised Kyson and half the servant¡¯s kids, yourself included. rice will look after them, and love them.¡± i tell him, and Liam nods. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Abbie My stomach twists with hunger. I am absolutely starving, and he still hasn¡¯t let me eat since being here. A few girls tried to sneak me food but earned a beating for it, so I turned them down when they offered. Watching my mate fuck nearly every girl in this ce was torture enough to watch, without having to watch them cop a beating for it afterward. So when the door opens, I sigh and climb off the bed, moving to my corner, knowing what to expect already. Flopping on the ground, I lean against the wall. Only Kade enters and stops in front of me. Usually, Cassandra came in every few hours to dose me full of whatever crap it was that prevented me from being able to shift. However, she was nowhere in sight. ¡°Get up!¡± he says, kicking me in the thigh. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Pardon?¡± I ask, confused. This wasn¡¯t what usually happens. Kade always makes me watch before he would stuff his filthy cock in my mouth, forcing me to taste them. He growls, and I nce at the door when he kicks me again. ¡°Get up and get on the bed!¡± he says before reaching down and gripping my arm and hauling me to my feet. I struggle in his grip, my hand whipping out and pping him before I drop my weight, refusing. He snarls, ripping me back off the floor by my hair and dragging me toward the bed. I thrash when his fist connects with my face. My vision blurs, and my neck aches as my head snaps back. Blood spurts from my nose as I stumble backward, my hair ripping painfully from his grip. Dazed, I blink up at the ceiling when I hear his furious growl as he reaches for me. His face twists in rage, and his canines slip from between his parted lips. I lift my leg as he pounces on me. He grunts as my foot connects with his balls, and I roll trying to get away when he grips my hair, ripping my head back. ¡°You will obey your Alpha!¡± he snarls. ¡°You are not my Alpha!¡± I scream. He growls before shoving me back to the floor. I crawl toward the wall and pull myself up. His snarls behind me grow louder when he suddenly stops. ¡°Get on the bed!¡± he yells. I feel hismand wash over me before it suddenly slips off like I was made of Teflon. It didn¡¯t stick! And Iugh hysterically. ¡°I said, get on the bed!¡± hemands once more, but it rolls over me again and slips right off. Turning around, I can¡¯t control theughter escaping from me. I have no idea why I wasughing, yet it made meugh harder as I looked at him. The furious look on his face was almostical suddenly, or maybe I had lost the plot. He looked at me like I was insane, but I was not getting on that bed. A beating. I could take one of those. Shit, I spent half my life taking those. So if I had to choose, I would take a beating over, letting him take more from me. Wiping my nose, the blood stains the back of my hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Alpha? Can¡¯t put your Luna in line,¡± i taunt. ¡°Get on the bed!¡± he screams, turning red-faced. I giggle at his patheticmand. My muscles tense, pain slivering up my spine. Thatmand feels stronger, rushing over me like a tidal wave, the pain crippling, yet still i expected it, endured it, survived it. Once again, I start bing numb to my surroundings, numb to everything. So, let him hurt me because the pain I can handle, but can he? | know it must hurt him, but me? No, pain was in my head. Something I could switch on and off, desensitize myself to. So that is what I did. Most would call me mad for what I intended to do. Calm washes over me as I let my mind float. I go on autopilot, then I poke the wolf. * Surprised you have a pack. Mrs. Daley¡¯smands packed a better punch. And she was an omega!¡± iugh, and his eyes turn ck, shifting in rage at my words. His malt-colored wolf charges at me. His paws hitting my chest sends me flying back against the wall. My brain rattles inside my skull as it smashes against the brick wall. He snarls, stalking toward me, and suddenly, I am seeing double, yet not a sound leaves my lips. Not even when his razor-sharp teeth tore through my flesh as he mauled me. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Tears won¡¯t save you. I am done shedding tears for this monster,¡± I remind myself. When he got no reaction from tearing into my thigh, he tore into my shoulder and arm. Blood drenches and pools around me. My body shook, but I did not make a sound, just stared and went to my safe ce. Zoning out, my mind taking me to a ce no one could touch me. I was an empty shell, onlying back to my surroundings when his teeth snapped at my face. His fur puffs out as he growls when I hear a sob. In themotion, my eyes flit toward the door to see a woman. Tears stained her cheeks, but none fell from my eyes; I felt nothing as I stared back at her fear- stricken face. Kade growls, and I turn my attention to his enormous wolf standing over me. He whimpers when he backs up, sniffing my thigh where he 0.00% 13:36 tore it apart, and I nce down. So much blood, no part of me left unstained, left unmarred. ¡°Are you done?¡± I ask. My voice came out unwavering, yet I couldn¡¯t recognize it as my own. Kade turns his furry head to the side, examining me, and I stare back, unblinking. Kade shifts back, his bones snapping as he crouches before me. For a second, I thought I saw guilt sh across his features. ¡°You will learn. You only had to get on the bed.¡± he says, his eyes scanning over my mauled flesh. ¡°It didn¡¯t have to be this way!¡± he snaps, making my eyebrows rise. Iugh and shake my head, yet I can feel my blood draining out of me. Felt the blood leave my face, the cold sweat beading over my skin, and I smiled. ¡°Get the Doctor!¡± Kade screams as I feel myself fading, the room bing dull. ¡°Abbie? I.. you need to stay awake,¡± Kade says, and I feel the tingles spread across my skin as he tries to stop the bleeding. I was bleeding out, I knew it, and he knew it. ¡°Get the Pack Doctor NOW!¡± screams Kade as my mark burned my neck, and I relished the pain of the bond dying along with me. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± I murmur, my eyelids closing. My head falls forward, unable to keep it up when he grabs my face. His fingers pry my eyelids open, yet I only see white. ¡°What?¡­ Hurry up!¡± Kade screams, and I hear people running up the steps toward us. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± I repeat. ¡°You think I wanted to do this? Of course, it hurts! ¡­¡± ¡°Because I feel nothing.¡± I giggle. ¡°Hang on, Abbie,¡± Kade says, and I snort. ¡°For what? Certainly not for you!¡± I mumble, my lips going numb. ¡°Hang on for me. I didn¡¯t mean it! You should know better! ¡­..¡± he stutters frantically. ¡°Just hang on,¡± he says as my body feels more and more limp. I slid down the wall I was leaning on, my face pressing against the carpet, and I could hear the frantic beating of my heart drumming in my ears. I focused on that sound, waiting for the moment it would stop when everything went ck. Nothingness,plete oblivion, is what I expected. Yet when my heavy eyes open, tears brimmed in my eyes. The beep of hospital equipment reaches my ears as I blink up at the ceiling. Why? How could life be so cruel and bring me back? ¡°Thank Goddess!¡± I hear a gasp before Kade suddenly hovers over me. His hands were pawing at me, and I looked away from him. ¡°I thought I lost you! The Moon Goddess must have heard my prayers,¡± he gushes, fussing over me like he was some fantastic mate and not the person who did this. ¡°She heard yours, but mine fell on deaf ears.¡± I groaned. Fuck, if she had heard mine, I would have been dead years ago but here I am still, the so-called Goddess fucking shit up and not giving me the luxury of death. Kade grabs my face in his hands. Sparks rush over my entire body and make my whole body heat up. The bond reacts despite knowing what fresh. Kade fucking remarked me! Our severed bond is now stronger than ever by the feeling of the sparks that coursed over my entire body. Kade purrs while I just think of how I failed to sever the bond and was again stuck with the miserable bastard. ¡°That was close¡± Kade sighs, kissing my forehead like he was some loving mate. I just blink and say nothing. ¡°Well, at least you learned your lesson. Then, after all this mess, we can go home. Cassandra said she would make you a nice dinner. We need to get you up to full strength so we canplete the mating process. I will ask the doctor to give you something to bring on your heat,¡± he says before walking out. This could not be happening. I swallow and try to move my hand to brush my hair back to find I was handcuffed to the bed by one hand. I tug on the handcuff, yet it doesn¡¯t budge. Sitting up, my entire body starts aching. My leg burns the most, and so did every inch of me. Using my other hand, I tug the hospital gown down a little, groaning as I do. My shoulder is covered in stitches. Rolling the skirt up. I see my leg is the same. His mark may have saved me but didn¡¯t heal me. That is when I noticed the drip attached to my hand. I follow the line to see the blood bag and another bag. I choke when I realize it had the samebel as the shit Cassandra had been pumping into me. No wonder I look like Frankenstein. Kade was still preventing me from shifting, and Goddess knows how long that drip had been attached to me because it was dark outside, and I wasn¡¯t even sure it was the same day. Iy back down when I hear Kade talking to the Doctor and listening to their voices grow nearer. Kade saunters into the room, a massive grin on his face. 27 299 ¡°The doctor said you cane home tomorrow, isn¡¯t that great? He will prepare the injection just before you are discharged,¡± he tells me. A nursees in a few minutester with a tray of food. She nces at Kade nervously, and I can tell she fears him with the way she averts her gaze to the floor and drops her head, her curly dark hair covering her face. ¡°Hurry! Hurry!¡± Kade snaps at her as she wheels a small table over that slides under the bed before turning the tabletop so it sat above me. The smell of food makes my belly growl hungrily. My mouth salivates. She sets a tray on the table, and Kade clicks his tongue and growls. ¡°It¡¯s too much! I said something small until after her heat!¡± Kade snaps at the woman. Taking the tray, which smelled divine, he took a pudding cup off it before thrusting the tray at her. She nces at me, and my stomach screams in protest as he takes whatever was under the te cover from me. He ps the pudding cup on the table. The woman bites her lip but takes the tray looking at me apologetically. She goes to hand me the spoon, but Kade ps it out of her hand. The more I stared at her, for some reason she reminded me of someone I just couldn¡¯t think of who? It was her eyes and cheekbones. They looked familiar. I had no idea why I felt that way. ¡°Idiot! It could be used as a weapon.¡± he snarls at her. The woman blinks at him. ¡°She is handcuffed, Alpha. Where would she go?¡± ¡°Until Iplete the mating process, no utensils. I don¡¯t want my mate to harm herself,¡± Kade growls. ¡°Maybe I can feed her? You said she hadn¡¯t eaten in days. The doctor rmended this meal to help strengthen her,¡± she tried to argue, and I saw the malicious glint in his eye. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m not hungry. Just thirsty.¡± I tell her, not wanting to get her into trouble. Yet my belly rumbles loudly. We all hear it in the quiet room. ¡°See?¡± Kade says, snatching the juice cup off the tray. He thrusts it at me, and my hand shakes as I take it from him. ¡°Now leave! You are thest person I want to see in her room!¡± he snarls, and she nods before rushing out. I stared after her as she ran out. ¡°Bloody fool! Are you alright, my love?¡± he says, and I look at Kade and nod. It was like his personality switched back and forth. He takes the juice cup and pokes a hole before handing it back. I tried to figure out why the woman looked so familiar. I knew I hadn¡¯t seen her before, but something about her gave me d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Shaking the thought off. I drink my juice cup. Kade only allows me half the pudding cup and watches me dig it out with my fingers. It was humiliating, but I remained quiet, hoping he would leave soon. After about an hour of sitting in silence watching Kade fiddle with his phone, he stands up from the blue chair and walks over to me. Leaning over the bed, he grips my chin, tilting my face up to his before shoving his tongue down my throat. The bond reacted, but I just went to my safe ce, went to the dark parts of my mind, and floated. ¡°I need to go, but I will be back first thing in the morning. The doctor will send someone in to give you some drugs to help you sleep,¡± he says. I nod my head robotically. I tried everything to get out of the handcuff, but nothing worked. It was that tight the tips of my fingers were going numb from putting strain on it trying to break out of it. My will to escape dying along with the last part of my will to live when the crippling pain washed over me. on my side, I hug my belly with my free hand. Half an hourter, the pack doctores in again. The man is an older gentleman. He looks over my notes and shakes his head. He checks my drip when the woman from beforees in. ¡°na will give you something to help you sleep. And in the morning, I will give a small injection into your ovaries to bring on your heat. You were fortunate. You almost died, if it wasn¡¯t for Kade¡¯s quick thinking of remarking you, we would have lost you,¡± the doctor says. ¡°Yes, so lucky to live with my pig of a mate!¡± | sneer, and he nods, having not paid attention to what I was saying, too busy looking at the charts in his hand. ¡°You can give it to her, na, then observe her two hours,¡± he tells her, and the womanes over to me. She smiles sadly as she walks around the bed and takes my arm in her hand. The doctor watches as she stabs the needle into my cann port in my free hand. The doctor sighs when I feel the top of my hand be wet, and I look at her. Her eyes meet mine, and I look down to see her hand covering the needle as she squirts the contents on my skin, not through the cann, spilling it all over the bed. She then ces my hand over the spot ¡°Hurry, I haven¡¯t got all night.¡± the doctorins. ¡°I¡¯m done, Doc,¡± she says, dropping the syringe into the small green stic bowl she brought in with her. He nods, and she makes her way over to my drip, changing the bags out while the doctor walks out. She waits a few seconds before rushing over to me and grabbing my hand just as the Doctor Walked back in. I feel something metal brushing my palm, and she quickly makes out she was tucking the surrounding nkets around me. 53.95% 13:36 ¡°You may feel a little groggy, don¡¯t fight it,¡± she says, staring at me before ncing at the hand she had ced a key in, and the doctor clears his throat ¡°na, bed four needs changing again. Mr. Masters wet himself again,¡± he groans. ¡°Yes, right away, Doc. Just need to change out her bag on the drip,¡± she says, and he nods, walking back out. This time when he leaves, he doesn¡¯t return. na rushes over to me and starts unplugging the machines attached to me, and I wait for the beep only to peer at the monitor to see she had switched it off. ¡°I found a spare key in Doc¡¯s office. You have two hours to run east,¡± she whispers. ¨C ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± ¡°My sister, ire, told me about you. Now, don¡¯t waste any time. He will feel you once you get too far away,¡± she says before ncing over her shoulder. na pulls a piece of paper from her cleavage and tucks it under my bottom. ¡°I got your friend¡¯s number. ire gave it to me. She stole it from his phone and sent it to me. He then killed her for touching his phone, but I wrote it down. You must have been worth dying for, or she wouldn¡¯t have sent it. ire wanted to ring whoever it was. She never said who in the message. I would give you a phone, but all calls are monitored and listened to. East, there is a town there, ring from there. You try before you leave the town limits, and he will know about it.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± I ask. She doesn¡¯t answer, just rushes over to the window and opens it before running out, closing the door behind her. I swallow, pulling the paper out with a number scribbled on it. Waiting a few minutes to make sure no one wasing in, I then used the key to undo the handcuff. I rub my wrist before forcing myself off the bed. My legs copse under me when they touch the floor, and I clench my teeth to stopfrom screaming. Pain ravages me from my injuries and Kade¡¯s infidelity, but I force myself up and over to the stic bag sitting on the chair that Kade brought with him. Opening it, I find a man¡¯s shirt and some jeans. I swallow when I realize they must be Cassandra¡¯s jeans. I looked over my shoulder at the door, but no one seemed to be in the hall. Pulling my hospital gown off, I pull the shirt on before gritting my teeth as I pull the jeans on. My stitches tug and pull painfully. Sweat coated me from so much effort. As I walked to the window, I tried to figure out where the east was. She could have pointed that out, or I should have asked. My skin burned as the jeans rubbed my mauled leg, and I struggled to lift it over the windowsill. Breathing harshly, I pull the other over before sitting on the ledge. . After a few seconds, I brace myself for the pain and jump. It was only about a two-meter drop, but it felt like I had jumped from a lot higher when I hit the ground. Pain rattles through me as Hand on my bad leg. Choking on a sob, I fight the urge to pass out as I rise to my feet, using the wall for support. I see no one around and take off, running as fast as my legs allow. My legs were killing with each movement and the bad one dragging behind me, but I still bit down on the instinct to stop and push on. The pain would not stop me. Ivy woulde for me. I know she wille. I just need to get to that town. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 55 Chapter 55 My feet ached from running, my muscles ached and my body screamed at me to stop. I wanted nothing more than toy down, to catch my breath as I ran blindly through deserted dark streets. I had no idea if I was even running in the right direction, or how far the town was, making decisions at each corner harder. The fact I couldn¡¯t read any of the signs made it even harder. Yet still I ran praying that Ivy was on her way to me. Praying she picked up on my subtle message, hope was all I had especially once the howls rang clearly through sky. His voice in my head demanding me to return to him, yelling and screaming at me. Then he would tone it down, trying to make out he wasn¡¯t a monster. ¡°You tell me your whereabouts love, I wille get you. You stop at anyone¡¯s door and hand yourself in and we can go home and put this past us.¡± He tells me though I knew what waited for me if I did. ¡°Fucking whore! When I find you, I will make sure you can never run from me again!¡± he snarls angrily after a few minutes. Then back to the coaxing in gentle tones, only for his true colors to shine through. By the time I was out of the town and on a long stretch of road, my feet were bleeding, my shirt drenched with blood and I was limping worse, then when I started. My hand pressed firmly against my side as I tried to stem the bleeding. Yet hope came in the form of a service station. It¡¯s light a burning beacon, and I picked up my pace, nearly there, yet I¡¯m not oblivious to how the howls grew closer and the sound of revving engines of cars tore up the town behind me, headed my way Reaching the service station. I rush inside, scaring the man behind the counter as i locked the ss door. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± the man says as I peer out the windows. Turning around, his eyes run the length of me where I was dripping blood on the floor. ¡°Someone is after me! I need your phone!¡± I gush, moving toward him. He seems stunned by my bloody appearance before shaking his head and looking for his phone. ¡°I have a first aid kit,¡± he tells me after passing the phone. He asks questions and unlocks the door while peering out. I reach into my pockets to find the piece of paper with the number on it that na gave me, while trying to answer him too. My hands shook as I punched the number into the corded phone to ring Ivy. I mean Azalea. I¡¯m trying to wrap my head around her new name but seem to resort to the old one out of habit. When the phone starts calling, I hold it to my ear. ¡°Pick up. Pick up.¡± I whisper, not realizing the call had already connected. ¡°Abbie?¡± she asks, ¡°There should be a microphone picture. Press it so I can hear,¡± Dustin says in the background, it sounded like they were in a car. ¡°Are you there?¡± I ask while ncing around the windows. ¡°Yes, can you hear me?¡± Ivy asks, the phone volume turning a little static and crackling. A sob escapes me. ¡°Ivy! Oh please, thank God!¡± I gasp. ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± Ivy tells me. And I can¡¯t seem to get myself together enough to speak. ¡°Did she answer?¡± the man from the service station asks. ¡°She answered,¡± I tell him, peeking over at him as he watched out the window. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± I quickly tell him, before listening to the static through the phone. ¡°You there still?¡± | ask. ¡°Yes, I am. I am¡­¡± The phone crackles before the phone drops out of reception. I curse and hit redial, it immediately starts ringing again, and Ivy answers it ¡°Abbie?¡± she asks. ¡°Listen, I need you toe to get me. I was wrong about Kade, Ivy. Send Gannon. Please! I want to come home! I am¡­¡± she falls silent.¡± don¡¯t know where I am. I can¡¯t read the sign. I am¡­ Where am I?¡± I ask, turning to the service station manager. ¡°Metro service station. It is in Langley,¡± he tells me. ¡°Metro Service station in Langley. Abbie is there!¡± Ivy tells Dustin, obviously hearing him in the background. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Are you okay. Abbie? We are nearly there,¡± Ivy tells me and I sigh. ¡°You have to be quick. I know he already knows I ran. Wait, you are nearly here?¡± I ask. ¡°You never said it back,¡± Ivy tells me, and I break down sobbing into the phone. She knew something was wrong. I hoped she picked up on it during the call. Immense relief floods me. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t figure it out!¡± i choke, wiping my eyes on the back of my hand, and the phone goes grainy again. ¡°You always say it back,¡± she tells me and I nod my head. ¡°What sort of car did you say your boyfriend drives?¡± the man asks beside me when a car pulls into the service station. Kades car. I gasp. ¡°A ck one.¡± I murmur when I see him climb out of his car and I duck before I hear a bell chime as the door opens. 13:44 2.30% ¡°Get down behind the counter,¡± the man says, and I hold my breath, dropping to sit and lean agains the counter, with the phone still clutched to my ear. ¡°He found me! Hurry!¡± I whisper into the phone. I hear the service station attendant speak above me and I nce up at him. ¡°Can I help you, sir?¡± he asks before I hear Kade¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a girl. Abbie,e out. This human won¡¯t save you from me!¡± Kade¡¯s voice growls and I flinch at his tone. ¡°Sir, I have not seen a girl,¡± the man says. ¡°I can smell her. Nowe out Abbie, before I kill this man!¡± I hear Kade growl out. | swallow and my skin prickles with goosebumps as I hear his footsteps grow closer. When the man is suddenly grabbed by the cor of his shirt and ripped over the top of the counter. I scream jumping to my feet in time to see Kade snap the mans neck. His eyes dart to mine and I drop the phone racing toward the rear of the building where I saw the man go to retrieve the first aid kit. Kade snarls and gives chase and I find a door. My palms hit hard and it burst open. Once outside I look around briefly before taking off across the road toward the mountain so i can hide in the forest. ¡°Abbie!¡± Kade snarls and adrenaline pumps through my veins dulling all my pain as I run for my life. The howls grow louder in the distance as his pack closes in. I slip on the loose dirt and twigs as I force my body to start climbing up the mountain only to be tackled. Kade¡¯s fist m into the back of my head before my side making me wheeze and I feel my ribs crack. My scream is deafening and hurt my ears. *Think you can run from me! Who were you on the phone to?¡± He says, ripping me backward by my hair. ** Fuck you!¡± I spit at him, just as I hear a loud crash like a car ident,ing from above. I kicked and thrashed while screaming for help. A furious growi tears out of Kade, and he tosses me into a nearby tree. Pain washed over me as I got to my hands and knees, only for him to grab my hair. ¡°Ivy!¡± I scream out clearly through the forest praying she could hear me when he starts dragging me down the mountainside with my iling and thrashing. Kade drags me out down the hill and onto the grassy patch. I escape his clutches and begin running again when his body hits mine from behind and he pins me to the grass of the small meadow at the bottom of the mountain. My eyes try desperately to scan my surroundings, my vision attempting to correct itself. But everything looks extremely fuzzing except the neon sign which blinks frantically. All I can hear is the static noise emanating from it. The service station is about 300 meters from me and across the road. I scream when Kade starts ripping me backward from the woods. Kicking and screaming, I thrash around trying to loosen his grip begging him to let me go. Those pleas fell on deaf ears, however. Kade ignores me as he rips me out of the treeline once again. When I hear noise off to the side and I pray it¡¯s help and not his pack members when I start screaming, letting them know I don¡¯t want him as a mate. Isn¡¯t therews? I wasn¡¯t sure, but I was willing to do anything at this point. ¡°I reject you! I reject you!!¡± I scream. Kade tosses me to the ground, and I try to crawl away from him as I struggle to get back to my feet. ¡°Doesn¡¯t work like that, love. That is not how you reject someone!¡± he growls at me, stalking toward me. On my hands and knees, I was struggling to remain conscious when I heard a scream making me peer over my shoulder to see Kade spin around. Ivyes from God knows where, drenched in blood, twigs and dirt covering her and I realize it must have been their car I heard crash on the road up the mountain. She rushes at him with a rock in her hand, Kade deflects her blow and she crashes on top of him. The rock flies from her grip as hends on top of her and it rolls away, stopping next to me. Kade growls, trying to pin her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he snaps at her, holding her down on her back. Snatching the rock I get to my feet staggering toward them. I raise both hands above my head clutching the rock and m it down on the back of his head. Kade abruptly freezes before he growls and looks over his shoulder at me. Kade¡¯s blood runs down the sides of his face and drips onto Ivy from where I hit him with it. Kade turns to attack me, but Ivy grabs his ankle, tripping him, and I lift the rock again and smash him in the head with it again, and he goes limp on the ground, face down and unmoving. Ivy sits up and 1 look at her, then rush over to her. Tears stream down face, as I take her in. Dirt, and twigs in her hair, she is covered in the same dirt as me. The rock dropped from my hand as I stepped over Kade and moved toward her to help her sit up. Ivy clutches her stomach, which was bleeding like a steady stream and saturating her torn and filthy pants. *Ivy!¡± I gush, clutching her arms; I haul her upright. A sigh escapes her, and I grab her face in my hands, sobbing uncontrobly. Only when I do her eyes go behind me. ¡°Abbie!¡± Ivy gasps. My head turns seeing him get to his feet and I rip Ivy to her feet with a strength I wasn¡¯t sure how I possessed given the state we were both in. ¡°Can you shift?¡± Ivy asks me, but I shake my head. ¡°You?¡± I ask and she looks down at her bleeding wound and also shakes her head. I whimper, and Kade groans when howls in the distance ring out loudly, sending my blood cold. An icy shiver slivers up my spine. ¡°The pack! He called his pack!¡± I panicked, knowing we needed to get out of here before they find us. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 56 Chapter 56 ¡°We need to get to Dustin! But I can¡¯t shift,¡± Ivy chokes out, while nodding toward the treeline, and I look up at the steep incline when I am suddenly tackled. I scream when Kade sinks his teeth into my neck, re-marking me and reinforcing their bond. Wolves burst from the trees and across the road, coming out from behind the service station, racing toward us. He rips his teeth from my neck and turns toward his men. ¡°You can¡¯t touch the girl!¡± Kade screams at them while pointing at Ivy before turning his attention back to me. He grips my shoulders, mming me onto the ground. My head bounces off the ground and I see the stars above, blurring as they twinkled back at me. ¡°Submit!¡± Kade screams at me. My body seizes at hismand and I blink dazed at him. I shake my head, trying to fight it off, and Ivy falls on the ground beside me trying to shove him off. My eyes go wide when I see wolves rushing straight at us, snapping their teeth and snarling at us. I close my eyes, waiting for my death and I reach out and grip Ivy¡¯s fingers, as my head rolls to the side to look at her. ¡°More than my life,¡± I whisper, tears filling my eyes as my lips quiver. ¡°More than my life,¡± Ivy murmur, closing her eyes and I do the same waiting for death. Together we wait for death, like we had before. Their paws on the earth grow closer when I hear a feral snarl rip through the air, bouncing off the trees, and i hear the wolves¡¯ ws digging into the soft ground as they skid around us. My eyes fly open to find Dustin stepping over the top of us in his Lycan form. Dustin kicks Kade in the face as he tries to stand. Blood drenched him as he moved to block them from us. Dustin growls, but it *Kill him,¡± Ivy murmurs to Dustin. My eyes flicker as I fight to remain conscious. ¡°If I do, it may kill Abbie,¡± he growls, and I look at Ivy, tears glistening in her eyes. ¡°Reject her now!¡± Dustin tells Kade speaking through gritted teeth. However, there was nomand behind it. Rolling on my side, Ivy grabs Dustin¡¯s leg, and his hand reaches down, gripping her arm to pull her upright. ¡°Order him!¡± Ivy choked out with a gasp as I tried to get up. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Dustin grinds out, and I look at him, not understanding. ¡°You¡¯re Lycan¡± Ivy whispers to him. ¡°i¡¯m under oath. Being a royal guard, I can¡¯t break a mate bond. It is thew and pact sworn to be upheld. I am bound by that oath, Azalea!¡± he snarls. Kadeughs, getting to his feet and I nce at him, my entire body trembling. ¡°Come here Abbie.¡± Kade orders, and I feel themand as my eyes ze over. My body obeys and forces me to my feet and I take a step toward him, though I wanted to run from him. My heart skips a beat as I dazedly start walking around Ivy toward my mate, tears prick my eyes, a whimper escaping me unable to fight themand. Dustin grabs my arm, and Kade clicks his tongue. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡± Kade says to him, as his pack of wolves start circling around us. We are severely outnumbered. Dustin nces around nervously. Lycans are lethal, but against 50 plus wolves, I am not sure how we would fare when Dustin was the only one that was shifted. ¡°You are aware of the repercussions, Dustin! Don¡¯t be foolish!¡± Kade snarls. Dustin¡¯s grip on my arm is unwavering, preventing me from going to Kade despite the pain themand was causing me. And his other hand holding Ivy against him when she moves behind him her hand locks around my arm. Ivy rips me backward and away from Kade. Gripping my arms, she shakes me but my fresh mark seemed to have done something because couldn¡¯t break the urge to go to him. *Abbie, reject him!¡± Ivy murmurs, shaking me. Kadeughs and steps forward, which makes Dustin growl threateningly. *You can¡¯t touch me! I am just collecting my mate. I haven¡¯t injured your Queen, only tried to hold her. Though byw I could! Considering she tried to take my mate from me by force.¡± Kade says cockily. ¡°You do anything, and I have a lot of witnesses.¡± Kade says, motioning around to his pack. Dustin moves in front of us, but even I knew if he attacked Kade, the rest of those wolves would rip us apart. ¡°Abbie, reject him!¡± Ivy begs and I try to fight off hismand. Kadeughs louder and ps his hands. ¡°She really doesn¡¯t know, and she is expected to be our Queen? Pathetic! Foolish girl. You would expect the King to have more sense to pick a mate more suited to the position and keep his whore on the side! She can¡¯t run a pack. Noble blood or not, she isn¡¯t fit for the title,¡± Kade chuckles. ¡°Hold your tongue, mutt! You do not know what you speak of!¡± Dustin snaps at him. 13:44 ¡°No? Your oblivious Queen isn¡¯t aware of thew. Should I educate her simple mind?¡± Kade mocks. Ivy nces at him over her shoulder. ¡°For Abbie to reject me, I have to ept it. Which I won¡¯t. She will never leave with me.¡± ¡°No! She rejects you, she cane home,¡± Ivy tells him. ¡°Wrong. There¡¯s a minor w in the King¡¯sw. Both parties must ept. And if one doesn¡¯t, it is decided by the council. Only then is it forced. But until then, she is mine! And I would like to collect her, now!¡± Kade says, moving toward us. I peek at Dustin out of the corner of my eye, whose entire body tensed, and Ivy nces back at me. She shakes me furiously, her eyes flickering and glowing fluorescent and her teeth turn to points. ¡°Reject him!¡± she snaps at me. ¡°Abbie, reject him!¡± Ivy yells in my face, the words more of a roar and I am jolted by it. Something she said clicks, and I feel Kade¡¯smand snap and straighten, blinking away the haze of hismand, shaking my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how. It didn¡¯t work,¡± I murmur,ing out of whatever stupor I was in. ¡°He is an Alpha, you have to reject him as your mate and as your Alpha. State your full name and reject him using his title,¡± Dustin murmurs, not taking his eyes off Kade. ¡°But he is right, Azalea,¡± Dustin nces at me. ¡°I can¡¯t force him to ept it,¡± Dustin whispers. ¡°Reject him,¡± Ivy tells me, a spark of pure determination glistens in her eyes as she shakes me, her features twisting into a feral snarl of her rage. Kade justughs evily. Stepping toward me, his hand goes to wrap around my arm. ¡°Come Abbie,¡± kade says, clicking his fingers at me when I pull away only to be resized by his command. Ivy swallows, when my body pushes past her and she grab both my arms, jerking back back to her, her grip tight. Reject him!¡± Ivy growls, and much to my astonishment, I do, feeling her aura wash over me stronger than anything I have ever felt before. My body turned and looked at Kade, the words spilling from my lips clearly. ¡°1. Abbie Marie Barker, reject you, Alpha Kade, as my mate and Alpha!¡± I snap. Kade growls, clutching his chest while I shake my head and blink rapidly, themand falling off me. ¡°1. Alpha Kade, reject your rejection!¡± he snarls and I whimper, knowing it was of no use. Yet I feel Ivy begin to shake and she lets me go stepping past me. Her aura makes me cringe as it slips out powerful and strong. ¡°ept it!¡± she roared, and it was like a burst erupted out of her. Her words didn¡¯t feel like words, but something else entirely. All the surrounding wolves yelp and cry out. I feel the tingling sensation wash over my body and out of me as themand took hold of him and made him tense. ¡°1 Alpha Kade, ept your rejection, as my Luna and Mate!¡± Kade blurts out, unable to fight the command. I scream, clutching my chest and falling to her knees as it felt like my heart was ripped from my chest and burned to a crisp. Kade staggers backward, clutching his chest, looking dazed while I try to breathe through the pain. Rattled by what happened, Kade shakes his head. ¡°You stupid girl!¡± he snarls before lunging at Ivy. Dustin was quicker however, and punched him, sending him flying backward when all the wolves suddenly ran towards us menacingly. ¡°Run!¡± Dustin screams as he starts fighting them off and keeping them from us. The sound of flesh tearing mixes with the horrible sound of whimpers and broken bones as Dustin grabs any wolf that got too close. The sounds are savage, but as he got rid of one, another came in its ce My heart thuds painfully in my chest, and Ivy grabs my arm, pulling me to my feet. We run for the trees, and I hear Dustin fending them off. Wolves start dropping like flies as he takes them out. We start racing up the hill, only for one to slip past him, pouncing on us, and knock us down. The moment we both hit the ground, Ivy¡¯s weight crushing me when the weight lifts abruptly, and a furious growl rings through the air. His feet are next to my face and i gasp, looking up to see the King in his Lycan form. The wolf that attacked us was held off of us by his hand wrapped around its throat. He squeezes his hand, and I squeeze my eyes shut tight when I hear the sickening crunch of its neck breaking and he flung it away. The wolf hits a tree, the King tossing him aside like he weighed nothing. The King res down at Ivy, and I dropped my gaze back to the ground at the angry look on his face when he steps over us. Gannon is right behind him, and he grabs both me and Abbie, pulling us to our feet and away from the fighting. *Thank Goddess¡± i hear him murmur, clutching us tightly in his arms. I look down toward Dustin, who is now fighting the wolves. Suddenly. Kyson¡¯s aura slipped out, and his voice boomed around us, echoing through the night. ¡°Enough! Now, stop!¡± he bellows, and everyone freezes under hismand. Dustin clutches his knees breathlessly. Kyson stomps past him and shoots him a re as he makes his way to Kade. Kade backs away from the King, his hands up in surrender. At this moment, he truly looked like the Lycan King. He towers over everyone, standing tall and intimidating. Power oozes off him and his aura feels deadly, suffocating the wolves pinned to the ground by it. ¡°I have done nothing wrong! I was merely getting my mate!¡± Kade chokes out before falling backward as the King¡¯s massive Lycan form Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. 29.75% 13:441 growls menacingly. stalking toward him with calcted steps. ¡°Wrong!¡± Kyson says with a deadly calm. Somehow, that made him even more sinister as I watch him approach Kade. Kade shakes his head, and the wolves all looked away from him, cowering and whimpering. ¡°I hereby sentence you to death for treason!¡± King Kyson tells him, stepping on Kade¡¯s foot and making him fall on his ass. ¡°Treason? But I didn¡¯tmit treason!¡± Kade stammers, his voice more of a petrified squeak. ¡°Wrong! You touched my Queen! Your pack just tried to kill her!¡± The King snarls, grabbing the front of his shirt and jerking him forward. ¡°And for that, I sentence you to death!¡± The King snaps before punching him square in the face. Or I thought he hit him until I heard Kade gasp and the sickening sound of flesh on flesh and a gross tearing noise. The wolves near him wail, writhing on the ground in what looked like pain. The King shoves him backward, letting him go. His back is tense when he drops something on the ground, his breathing loud while the muscles of his back flex. Kyson looks around at the wolves as they all run for the trees when I notice a Cassandra standing out the front of the service station. I can¡¯t make out her features with my blurry vision but seeing her for some reason made goosebumps rise all over me as she watched. She then simply turns and walks away, disappearing into the night. I feel the bile rise in my throat when I realize what Kyson dropped was kade¡¯s heart. Kyson then turns toward us, and his eyes go to Dustin. Ivy struggles in Gannon¡¯s grip when I watch, horrified, as Kyson stalks toward Dustin like a predator hunting its prey. Dustin doesn¡¯t even move like he simply epted the repercussions. Lycans burst from the treeline forming a circle around us, looking for any threat having caught up with their King. Damian is among them. I turned my attention back to Dustin, only to see Kyson punch him so hard it knocked him out cold. Dustin drops at Kyson¡¯s feet and he just takes it. He doesn¡¯t even fight back, just allows the King to hit him. Ivy whimpers seeing her friend hurt, and the King¡¯s head snaps in her direction. He snarls, his upper lip pulling back to reveal his razor-sharp teeth. He moves toward us, and Ivy presses closer to me, a sob tears out me seeing his anger at her. Would he hurt her for helping me? Gannon tries to soothe me whispering in my ear. ¡°Grab him!¡± Kyson snaps at Damian as he passes him on his way toward us. His eyes do not leave Ivy. Damian rushes to do his bidding and grabs Dustin, tossing him over his shoulder. Kyson nods to Gannon, and he lets Ivy go as the King approaches. His eyes look her over before he grabs her. ¡°You disobeyed me!¡± The King growls. ¡°And now you¡¯re injured!¡± he snaps at her. Ivy groans in pain and tries to defend herself, my hands raise to reach for her when Gannon pins my arms by my sides. ¡°But Abbie ¡­¡± ivy tried to say before he cut her off. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± he growls before his teeth sink into her neck. She grips his shoulders and chokes on a sob when his teeth sink into her neck and she struggles for a second before falling limp in his arms. I see red as she goes unresponsive, how could he! How could he hurt her when she was trying to help! And I push Gannon away before attacking the King for hurting her. My hands hit him as I try to stop him biting her. ¡°You fucking asshole! You prick! You didn¡¯t even let her exin! You just made her submit!¡± I screamed, punching into his side in a fit of rage. He looks at me as if I am merely a small child chucking a tantrum. Gannon grabs me around the waist, tugging me back but I thrash falling forward in his arms while iling as he restrains my arms. I snarled angrily, leaning forward and biting the King¡¯s arm like a damn savage before realizing what I just did as Gannon jerks me backward. The King blinked down at me, where I was breathing heavily in my anger. ¡°I will fucking kill you! You . You savage neanderthal!¡± I screamed, my face heating and I knew I was turning red-faced from my boiling anger. Gannon growls before snapping at me, his voice below my ear as his arms hold me stronger. ¡°He didn¡¯t make her submit. Stop! Look!¡± Gannon snarled at me, pointing to where the king lifted Azalea¡¯s shirt. Her wound was already healing, though the King¡¯s hand was filled with her blood. The King shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my King. I will calm her down,¡± Gannon tells him, but i escape his strong embrace, turning to dead weight and slipping out of his arms. I move to check on Ivy. The King looks at me, a nk expression on his face while he took me in. ¡°See? He isn¡¯t hurting her,¡± Gannon whispers,ing up behind me, and I worry my lip between my teeth before I let out a breath. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have warned her first? Instead of just going all caveman and biting into her!¡± I ask him. ¡°Warn her, like you did me when you bit me?¡± The King growled and my face heats with embarrassment. ¡°I thought ¡­ Never mind. Fucking neanderthal men! Anyone would think you were raised by cavemen!¡± I snap, rubbing my temples when my eyes fall on the dead body behind him. Kadeid in the dirt, and I blinked at what became of my mate. Tears prick my eyes at another person lost to me. Someone who was supposed to be mine was taken away from me. I hated him! I hated him for what he did, but he was mine, and yet I couldn¡¯t look past my hate to feel grief for him. ¡°Can we go home now?¡± I ask, my voice barely audible to my own ears, I sounded defeated and dead inside, and I was. I look at Gannon, and he nods his head. ¡°My King, we have three cars here. They are on the top road.¡± Damian says,ing over to us with Dustin tossed limply over his shoulder. Gannon leads me away to where Damian said cars were waiting. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Abbie Everything was chaotic when we arrived back at the castle. One moment, I was walking through the castle doors. The next, Damian was screaming for help with the King. Gannon had to follow Dustin to the King¡¯s quarter, where they took Azalea, who was still unconscious. It was weird calling her that. Ivy, she had been Ivy to me all our lives, yet I understood her desire to get rid of the name De or, should I say Marissa, had given her. Standing in the corridor, I didn¡¯t know what to do with myself as Damian, and another man carried the King to his quarters. The King mumbled, but his words made little sense. I wanted to go to Azalea but knew it was not the time, but now I found myself lost as I stood there watching the flurry of people rushing around crazily. Did I just go back to my old tasks when I was here? Should I look for Gannon or maybe rice? I wasn¡¯t sure what to do with myself, and I found myself walking around blindly until I was suddenly in my old room. I hesitantly knocked in case Beta Damian had got himself a new personal servant. However no one answers, and I push the door open and peer inside. It was gettingte, and I assumed I would see rice in the morning to ask where she wanted to put me. Stepping into the room, I find the bed bare, so I walk down the hall to the closet and retrieve some nkets and pillows. The task was made more difficult by my wounds. The stitches pulled so tight that some were cutting through my skin like cheese wire. Bloodstained nearly every inch of me. It was congealed in my hair and under my fingernails. I quickly made the bed and then decided I couldn¡¯t sleep in this state, so I made my way to theundry searching for clothes. Finding the uniform for servants, pajamas, and some socks, I grabbed them off the shelf before retrieving a towel and rummaging through the first aid kit for antibacterial soap. Limping to the servants¡¯ bathrooms, my bones ached. Every inch of me did. Stepping inside, I find it empty. One side of the bathroom held stalls for showering while a half wall divided up the middle to the toilets and basins, long mirrors ran the entire length of the center wall on both sides. As I passed it to head into one of the shower stalls, I nced at the state I was in. My normal auburn hair was matted, twigs and leaves tangled in the knots. The clothes I was wearing were torn, and I could still smell his scent all over me. Gannon¡¯s too, but Kade¡¯s was still there. My heart panged at the thought of him. The way hey dead in the dirt. My mate, though cruel, was mine, or supposed to be. Looking at what was left of me as I peeled off my clothes, I was disgusted. My skin marred from years in the orphanage was already horrifying to look at, though my scars were never as deep or jagged as Azaleas. I always felt terrible for how she hated her appearance and theshes that marred her. She had taken so many whippings reserved for me and I had done the same for her. Looking at them, I used to think it was a reminder of what we endured and survived. Though the marks that were left at the hands of Kade, I saw something so much worse. I never survived at all. Moved from one hell to another. Looking at my ravaged flesh, I wasn¡¯t sure anyone would look at me again and be anything but disgusted by the sight of me. The multiple marks on my neck from him had turned my flesh ck like it was rotting away my skin, the skin raised and jagged, same as the scars etched into my heart. The hollow void felt like it would never be filled again and remain bottomless. I pressed my lips together to stop from crying out when I peeled my shirt off, dumping it on the floor. i hiss as i force my pants down my legs. The blood saturating my pants stuck to my skin and made me feel like I was being skinned alive. Tears blurred my vision, and I bit back the sob as my stitches opened and blood cascaded down my leg in a stream. I tried to step out of my pants when hands fell on my hips, making me jump and hiss as the stitches along my arms and ribs tugged from the movement. ¡°I was looking for you.¡± Gannon murmurs. He kneels, peeling them off, and I grip his shoulder, stepping out of them. He kisses my hip bone, which protrudes beneath my skin. The blood rushed to my cheeks, knowing I was now standing naked in front of the man. ¡°Why are you in the servants¡¯ bathroom?¡± he asks, standing back up. Keeping my back to him, I covered my breast. Not that there was much point with giant mirrors. I knew he could see every vile inch of me if he nced at them. ¡°I didn¡¯t know where else to go. You disappeared, and I didn¡¯t want to bother rice to find out where I was stationed. So I went back to my old station,¡¯ I tell him. ¡°You should have just gone to our room,¡± Gannon whispers. ¡°I am Beta Damian¡¯s servant. I don¡¯t think he has another. No one was in the room when I went in there,¡± I tell him. I grab my soap, cing it on the niche before hissing as I start the shower. Gannon growls behind me while I examine my arm, which is ck and blue, where Kade mauled me, the stitches pinching my skin holding it together. The water sprays out, bursting from the showerhead in a wide spray, making my injuries burn and sting. ¡°Can you shut the door?¡± I ask him, not wanting to turn around. I hear the door close and sigh, stepping under the water, only to cringe away. My head throbs as I wet my hair before turning around. I rub my eyes to rid them of the water. When I opened them, Gannon was standing in 13-44 front of me The door closed behind him, but he was inside the stall. I quickly tried to cover my breasts, though I had no idea why. When I asked him to close the door, I didn¡¯t mean for him toe into the shower with me. Gannon¡¯s eyes run the length of me, then quickly dart away. My stomach sinks. This was why I didn¡¯t want to turn around. I knew what he would see, and my mutted skin was anything but pretty. I looked disgusting. My skin carved up, and the pieces forced back together like broken puzzle pieces. Turning to face the back wall, a lump forms in my throat. ¡°Can you get out? Pease.¡± I whisper, though I knew he would hear me with his heightened hearing. Embarrassment washed over every inch of me, and I suddenly wanted to scrub myself raw, as if I could clean away the vile marks thatced my skin. ¡°Am I scaring you? I won¡¯t hurt you, Abbie,¡± Gannon murmurs next to my ear before his chest presses against my back. He reaches past me, grabbing the soap out of the niche in the wall. ¡°I saw the way you looked at me, Gannon. Just go. I don¡¯t want your pity.¡± I tell him. He growls, the sound vibrating against my back. ¡°The way I looked at you?¡± he asks, sweeping my hair over my shoulder. He dips his face into my neck, his nose runs up the side of my jaw. I swallowed before answering, my voiceing out shakier than intended. ¡°Yes. I know I look disgusting, so please, leave,¡± Gannon growls before his hand holding the bar of soap wraps around my waist, tugging me flush against him. I became startlingly aware that he was indeed naked behind me. Felt every ridge of muscle and bump press against my back and ass. ¡°I only looked away because I could tell you were ufortable with me staring Abbie, not because I didn¡¯t like what I could see.¡± he purrs. ¡°But he ruined me. I¡¯m broken,¡± I tell him, my voice cracks at speaking those words aloud. Like suddenly saying them made the realization sit heavier on my shoulders. I was like a broken doll, the porcin all broken and cracked, held together with glue, marred and made ugly, never to be whole again. ¡°We are all a little broken Abbie. You¡¯re still beautiful. You always have been. And you always will be. Nothing he has done to you changes that.¡± Gannon says while reaching for my arm that was shielding my chest and the stitching. Gannon kisses my shoulder, and I shiver at his gentle touch. ¡°Don¡¯t hide from me. You never have to hide from me Abbie,¡± Gannon whispers before gripping my wrist, his thumb rubbing over the back of my hand. I sighed and dropped my arm while his hand holding the soap moved over my torn-up flesh. Gannon purrs, and I found his scent soothing as the steam heated the small space. My body rxes, and my shoulders drop as I lean back against him, letting Gannon help wash me. I nearly fall asleep against him when he washes my hair, my body putty in this man¡¯s huge hands. Despite the sheer size of him and the way he could break me in half, he was gentle. His fingers massaging my scalp and removing the congealed blood and gunk. Gannon chuckles, the sound making my eyes open to notice I was falling asleep. ¡°I wish I could heal you,¡± he murmured as he turned me around to rinse the soap from my hair. My eyes trail over him. I had never seen him without at least a tank top on. Of course, I had seen him with no shirt on when he shifted, but he was covered in fur and never in the light. His skin was as ravaged as mine. Littered with scars that went all the way to his hips. My eyes went to his honey-colored ones when I gasped at the sight of the thick scars branding his skin. My hand reaches to touch the enormous deep scar in the center of his chest. w marks raked across his flesh like someone had tried to rip his heart from him. The lines were brutal and ridged, and his chest rose and fell heavily as I traced my fingertips gently over them. Gannon¡¯s hand moves, his fingers move under my chin, and he tilts my face up, so I meet his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t hide yours, and I won¡¯t hide mine,¡± he whispers, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. ¡°Are these from the wars?¡± I asked, a little shocked. I thought Lycan could heal quickly ¡°No. They are self-inflicted.¡± Gannon says, looking down at his torso. ¡°You did that to yourself?¡± I ask, horrified. He tilts his head to the side, examining my face. ¡°Why?¡± I blurted. *The same reason you gave yourself that. To end it,¡± he says, his hand moving to the side of my face, his fingertips trail down the scar behind my ear. My hand moves over his, and I touch the scar and swallow. The memory of how I got it and Azalea hers will forever haunt me. That day, I wished I could remove it from my memory entirely. If only the rope held and didn¡¯t snap. ¡°More than my life,¡± Gannon murmurs. ¡°That is what you and Azalea say?¡± he whispers. I swallow and nod. ¡°More than my life Abbie. You are worth so much more than mine. You hold on, and I will for you. I have for you.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. 13:44 | 43205 ¡°Azalea told you?¡± I asked him, suddenly feeling dirty. ¡°No, the King did. Azalea wouldn¡¯t betray you. She exined how you both shared simr scars and the meaning behind the words you speak with each other. Not what the butcher did, but I got the picture. Doyle confessed when I found him.¡± ¡°You met him?¡± I ask, feeling bile rise in the back of my throat. ¡°Yes, and we killed him for what he did. Mrs. Daley too. He will nevere after you again. I will never let anyone touch you again.¡± ¡°You killed him?¡± I ask. I was surprised at how little I felt about that information. He had confessed to murdering someone, but I felt nothing. ¡°He hurt you, so I made him hurt too,¡± Gannon tells me, and I nod, biting my lip. What do you say to someone that confesses to killing for you? I should be worried he would, yet I felt nothing. Not sadness, not relief, just, nothing. ¡°I wish I could heal you,¡± he murmurs, and my eyes dart to him, his eyes roaming over my marred flesh before moving to the marks on my neck ¡°Kade never deserved you. I hate that his marksy on your beautiful neck.¡± I touch them, and they feel bruised, the movement making me wince. ¡°You will let me remove his mark from you one day. I can be patient, Abbie,¡± Gannon says, and my brows furrow at his words. ¡°Can you remove them?¡± Gannon chuckles darkly. ¡°Yes. When I mark you, when you agree to let me be yours,¡± he says, and I step back. I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted anyone to have that sort of control over me again. Not after what Kade did. ¡°Shh, not now. When you¡¯re ready. I will wait. For now, having you back is enough for me,¡± he says, stepping closer. His arm goes behind me, and the water cuts off. ¡°What if I am never ready?¡± I ask, wondering if he would walk away. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could be with anyone, though I used to want to be with Gannon. I still do. I just wasn¡¯t sure how that would be possible now. So much has changed. I have changed, and I knew it wasn¡¯t for the better. ¡°I¡¯m immortal, Abbie. I have all the time in the world to wait for you,¡± he says before turning and grabbing the towel hanging on the hook. He wraps it around me before pulling me closer. His lips press to my forehead. ¡°You¡¯re worth waiting for,¡± he murmurs, and I sighed, closing my eyes and just enjoying his closeness. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Gannon POV A few dayster This is what I was worried about the moment she left those castle gates. Worried about the state she would return to me in, and I cursed myself for not going against the King, for not stepping in sooner. This could have all been avoided if I had just killed him. Kyson had given me the week off to help her adjust yet she hardly spoke. She hardly left the room at all. Almost as if it was her little bubble of safety. I knew it wasn¡¯t healthy and her silence was deafening. disturbing almost as if she was no longer here. She even refused to shift and go for a run. Even though I would catch her constantly looking out the window at the forest. Deciding I needed to do something about it, I went to see Kyson, wanting to take Abbie away for a while and get her out of this castle. Her depressive state was only getting worse. I wasn¡¯t even sure if it was because of her lost bond or if she was just haunted by the memories. The King was leaving today. He had business to take care of, and I wanted to see him before he left in case he got held up and didn¡¯t return for a few days. Though I highly doubted he would be gone long, The Queen wouldn¡¯t handle his absence long, and I knew he hated leaving her. The fear in his voice when Liam and I got the call that she took off after Abbie floods me. Never had I felt so much fear. Fear for the Queen, fear for Abbie. Because I knew the only reason Azalea would defy the King was for Abbie. That night had haunted me since. ¡°Where are you?¡± the King had asked. We were on our way home with the boys after killing Mrs. Daley and the butcher. My spirits had lifted until that mind link had opened.. *10 minutes out. What¡¯s up?¡± I had asked. ¡°I am on my way back home, but further out, I need you to get Azalea and bring her home.¡± the King told me which I had thought was a little odd, because why would she leave the castle at night? ¡°Azalea?¡± I asked. ¡°She ran off with Dustin to go after Abbie. You need to get to her until I get there.¡± ¡°Fuck! That bloody idiot should know better than to take Azalea into hunter¡¯s territory at night!¡± I was furious when I found out that Dustin had helped her. Now that had shocked me, simply because such actions would have severe consequences. Though at the same time, I was d for Abbie¡¯s sake. Yet I also worried for Liam, since he and Dustin were close. I knew Liam loved Dustin; I just wasn¡¯t sure if it was reciprocated Yet the moment the King told me of Azalea, the pact, I had overridden everything, and there was no way I was heading back to the castle. No, the pact to protect our Queen would always override everything, which now kind of bothered me because that meant overriding protecting Abbie if it came between choosing between them. Pacts weren¡¯t taken lightly and required the King¡¯s blood and hours of orders forced on us so we couldn¡¯t break them. The only one who could break it was the King. He could force us to break it, but that would also be extremely difficult for him to do. We would still run back for her the moment themand would drop. We could also fight the orders if they were specifically putting the Queen in danger. Exactly why we all turned on the King when he banished her out of the castle. Most that signed up for it passed out and couldn¡¯t pass the royal guard. Only 11 of us made it through the process, two of whom were dead now. It worked simr to the council not being able to bemanded. ¡°Which road?¡± I asked, infuriated that Dustin could be so reckless. ¡°Highway,¡± the King answered. That is the worst road to travel on at night. ¡°Abbie?¡± I asked. ¡°Perfectly fine. We are seeing her on the weekend. You cane but bring my fucking mate home!¡± the King told me. ¡°I will bring the Queen back to you. What of Dustin?¡± I asked for Liam¡¯s sake. He wouldn¡¯t handle watching him, copshings or worse banishment. ¡°Leave him for me.¡± The King growled, cutting the link. I told Liam everything, and he was just as disappointed with Dustin. I had him take the boys to rice and made him pull over. On foot, I could cut through the trees. I had known if the Queen went after her. She sensed something from Abbie, and the worry ate at me the entire way there. Worried I would get there and find them both dead. Yet now, as I walked through the castle to the cars, I worried she was already dead inside. She was a shell of who she was before, and I just 15:18 hoped my ns to take her away from here, even if only for a little while, would bring her back to me. Walking outside, I find guards getting ready to leave I am standing beside the King¡¯s car when he walks out. ¡°I thought you had the week off?¡± Kyson asks me, and I quickly open his door. The King ducks his head, stepping inside. ¡°I do, but I wanted to speak to you before you left,¡± I tell him while peering in the car at him, when I notice Trey. Suspicions had been raised about him. Azalea snuck past him the night she went after Abbie, but not just that, so many other things like her being poisoned, his dislike for her that the king was blind to, though he had changed his tune since he learned she was a Landeena. Liam didn¡¯t trust him, and that was enough for me; I usually agreed once he sensed something was off about someone because he had a knack for reading people. Liam, I swear, had an inbuilt radar for bullshit and something did not add up with Trey. Trey clears his throat behind the King, and I step aside and nod to the King, wanting to speak with him privately. The King climbs back out of his car ¡°What do you need?¡± Kyson asked me as he stepped out of the car. ¡°I want to take Abbie away for a few days but wanted to clear it with you first,¡± I tell him. ¡°Of course. Where are you taking her?¡± *Dont know yet, somewhere, but I will be back before my week off is over,¡± I tell him. Take your time, Gannon. I can manage without you. Besides, when was thest time you had time off, anyway?¡± He asks. I think for a second, and not even I could remember thest time I took time off. ¡°Thank you.¡± I tell him. ¡°Just make sure Azalea sees Abbie before she goes,¡± he tells me, and I nod just as Damian climbs in the car as well. The King turns away from me, about to climb in the car, when he opens the mind-link as I go to shut the door. ¡°Have Doce to take blood from Azalea for me before you leave.¡± He tells me, and I nod. ¡°Still no luck with the tests?¡± I ask, and he shakes his head. ¡°Will do. Anything else?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes, enjoy your time off,¡± The King tells me, and I smirk, shutting the door before going to find Abbie, who I knew wouldn¡¯t have left the room. Previous Chapter Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Next Chapter Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Queen Azalea Walking out of my room, I was greeted by Liam, who came over and looped his arm through mine like we were best buddies. ¡°And what adventure are we going on today, my Queen?¡± he asks, and I chuckle, looking around for Dustin. ¡°Dustin went to get your breakfast,¡± Liam says as I nce around. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I just want to see Abbie,¡± I tell him with a frown as I walk down the steps toward Gannon¡¯s room. Abbie hadn¡¯t left the room since that first night back, and I know that is why Gannon wanted to take her somewhere, and I wanted to see Abbie before she left. Kyson told me she was leaving through the mindlink. It always freaked me out when he used it. Not used to having someone in my head, let alone being a part of something. Abbie was a rogue again, and I hated that, but she refused to let Gannon mark her. Every time I asked Kyson to make her part of the pack, he said she refused and he couldn¡¯t unless he changed her. I knew why. She didn¡¯t think she was worthy of having good things, but that wasn¡¯t all. If Gannon couldn¡¯t change her, then she wouldn¡¯t be a Lycan, and I don¡¯t know what I would do without Abbie. Gannon stopped by not long after the King left to let me know he was taking her somewhere and that they were leaving after lunch. Walking through the winding corridors and toward the back of the castle I finally arrived at their door. I knocked but got no answer. Looking up at Liam, he gripped the door handle and pushed the door open, and stuck his head in the door. ¡°I think she is showering.¡± Liam whispers, although he had a strange look on his face like he knew something I didn¡¯t, so I push the door open wider and step inside. ¡°I will wait here. Gannon isn¡¯t here,¡± Liam says, sniffing the air and looking away from me awkwardly. I give him a nod before stepping into the darkroom. The curtains were closed, and no light made it a little difficult to see as my eyes adjusted to the darkroom. I managed to kick my toe on a coffee table and felt like cursing the damn thing. Making my way to the bathroom, I knocked on the door. *Abbie? It¡¯s me.¡± I call out to her, but I get no answer. However, it sounded like she was crying behind the door, and I suddenly knew why Liam didn¡¯t want toe in. ncing around the room. I open the door and close it behind me. Turning to face the dark bathroom. I find the mirrors are covered over with large sheets of ck paper, the bathroom darker than the main room, the air thick with the salt of her tears and the billowing steam. I instantly broke out in a sweat. It was like a sauna in here. Muttering could be heard from the huge ss shower stall that was fogged up. ¡°Abbie? I whisper, opening the shower screen. I find her in the bottom of the shower, scrubbing herself viciously while pressed into the corner. Her skin is bright red from the heat of the scalding water. I knew she wasn¡¯t okay. Everyone knew that but seeing her like this broke my heart. She stops like she hadn¡¯t realized I was here. Her head lifted and she just stared vacantly ahead. A scourer clutched in her hand, something you would clean a heavily stained pot with, not skin. *1 can still feel his hands Az. Still taste his vileness in my mouth,¡± she whispers while staring off vacantly. A tear slips down her cheek before disappearing down the drain along with cascading water. Her lip quivered as I stepped into the shower, my clothes bing saturated, and the water was scalding hot. I move over to her near the far wall and sit beside her. Some parts of her skin were bleeding like she had scrubbed herself raw. The scars that littered her body are raw and angry but thankfully healed, now just raised from the scrubbing. ¡°Sometimes it is okay to remember the dark parts, Abbie. Just don¡¯t stay there too long. Don¡¯t let it trap you, don¡¯t give him the control he no longer has over you,¡± I tell her, and she turns her head to look at me. I grabbed her hand, clutching the scourer, andced my fingers through hers. ¡°I don¡¯t want control. I want to forget. I want to hate him and not still love him. How can you still love someone even after they do something like that? I should have listened to Gannon. I should have stayed,¡± Abbie whispers. ¡°It was the mate bond. That wasn¡¯t really love, just some twisted version of what you perceived as love,¡± I tell her. ¡°I was naive! And stupid!¡± she scolds herself. ¡°No, you wanted something more than what we have been given. And that¡¯s not your fault,¡± I tell her. I sat with her, letting the boiling water scald my legs. Thankfully she only had her legs under the water, the rest of her was pressed against the wall. Yet her skin was raw and raised. ¡°I can¡¯t live like this, Az. I don¡¯t want to anymore. I don¡¯t want to be the broken doll,¡± This wasn¡¯t my Abbie, this Abbie had given up. This was what was left. She looked as helpless now as she did when we first stepped into that orphanage. Only then we were younger, and children. Children only know what we are told, epting of whatever fate we are handed because we don¡¯t know better. Yet now that we are older we see the horrors of the world with a different light. We see the monsters, the lies and understand nothing about 0.00% 15:18 1 our childhood was normal. What we thought was normal no longer is, and this new normal we are still uncertain of. Comfortable with pain because it was normal,fortable in our own misery that was normal, so broken was normal. How do you fix normal? How do you break the cycle of a thought pattern? Pain is not normal yet it was all we know, or I did know until I met Kyson, Abbie hasn¡¯t met her new normal, she is still suffering in the version we grew up with. And I knew she was tired, tired of the old normal. She wears her resilience like armor, but now laid bare I knew for once she didn¡¯t want to keep carrying it. ¡°You¡¯re not broken.¡± I whisper despite the fact she looked it. ¡°I am. I don¡¯t know who I am anymore.¡± she whispers, staring off vacantly. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend. My sister. You are more than my life,¡¯ I tell her, squeezing her hand. ¡°No, we are you! We are rogue. We are whatever they let us be and nothing more,¡¯ she says. ¡°Only if you let yourself be. You are not what he did to you Abbie. You are not what the butcher did to you, and we are not what Mrs. Daley made us believe, ¡°You aren¡¯t. You are a princess and soon to be Queen you are Azalea Ivy Landeena. I am rogue. I am nothing, and now everyone knows what they did. Everyone knows the dirty things I wished I could forget! I am sick of them looking at me with pity! Sick them looking at me with disgust! Sick of being what he made me!¡± ¡°Then be Abbie,¡± I tell her putting my head on her shoulder. ¡°But I don¡¯t know who she is¡± Abbie murmurs, her voice emotionless. ¡°What they did to you is not you, but a reflection of them. That is who they were, Abbie. They are dead, and you are still breathing. They don¡¯t get another chance, but you do. So take it, don¡¯t let them chain you down in the memory of what they did. They don¡¯t deserve it. Live because you can and want to,¡¯ I tell her and she shakes her head and pulls her knees to her chest. Abbie puts her head in her hands, and cries. Her shoulders shook, and I couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what she was going through, but she would get through this. She had to because this world wasn¡¯t worth being in without her. ¡°You sound like Gannon, but even he looks at me the same as everyone else. Even you do. I know you can¡¯t help it, but ¡­¡± she choked out, her entire body shaking. ¡°I don¡¯t look at you with pity. Abbie. I know who you are, and that is all I see. I see you, and this is not you. You are better than them. I see the girl I am willing to die beside. The girl I jumped with. The girl that kept me going when she wanted to give up herself. And you are not giving up. More than my life Abbie. I am right here, and you are staying right here with me. You go, I go. So which is it? Are you jumping? Because if you are, I am jumping with you.¡± ¡°You have a mate and a are Queen, so don¡¯t say that. I am nothingpared to you,¡± she says and I hear in her voice how much she truly believed that ¡°You are everything to me. You always have been. My title doesn¡¯t change that. And you have Gannon and will be my Beta. So don¡¯t tell me you are nothing because the only reason I am still here for any of this, is because of you.¡± Abbie chuckles and shakes her head but lifts it cing it against the wall. ¡°I am a werewolf. You are a Lycan, I can¡¯t be your Beta, and I wouldn¡¯t know the first thing about being a Beta.¡± ¡°You think I know how to be Queen?¡± Iugh, sitting up to look at her. ¡°I can¡¯t even read. But we have people here that will help us. I have Kyson. You have Gannon, and me.¡± *Yeah, until he tosses me aside, when I can¡¯t give him what he wants,¡± ¡°He wants to change you and mark you. He isn¡¯t going anywhere. And even if he does, I am still right here,¡± I tell her. ¡°You would change me?¡± she asks. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t think twice about it! But we may have to ask how though, because I am not sure how to,¡± I chuckle, and so does she before her smile falls ¡°Who would have thought freedom would be worse than the chains that restricted us,¡± she whispers. ¡°Freedom isn¡¯t something given, Abbie. It¡¯s a mindset. Only we can free ourselves.¡± ¡°Do you feel free?¡± she asks, and I sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I know we aren¡¯t the orphan rogues anymore. I don¡¯t know who I am either, but I am determined to find out. And I prefer we find out together,¡± I tell her and she swallows ¡°More than my life, she whispers 20,75% ¡°More than my life,¡± I reply ¡°More than my life,¡± Gannon¡¯s deep voice says, making us both jump. Neither of us heard hime in, and I swiped my hand down the ss to find him leaning against the sink basin. ¡°Gannon?¡± Abbie sighs, shaking her head beside me. ¡°How long have you been there?¡± ¡°Long enough. Now hop out, we are leaving,¡± he tells her but she doesn¡¯t move. ¡°I told you I am not going.¡± Abbie says, staring vacantly ahead. ¡°You are. You can¡¯t stay in here, love. So please,¡± Gannon begs, crouching down in front of us when he opens the door. I look to Abbie, who makes herself smaller like she was trying to hide her body away from him. Gannon¡¯s eyes flitto me for a second before he scrubs a hand down his face, and I see the cked-out mirror behind him, ncing back at Abbie and looking at her scarred skin, we nearly looked the same. Hers were jagged, but my back looked like it had gone through a mincer, and so did my arms and the backs of my legs, yet the front of me wasn¡¯t so bad. Abbie however, was marred, but hers were less jagged, though I had no doubt hers caused her more pain because the scars would heal, but the marks on her heart, I wasn¡¯t so sure. Nheless, I could tell she was ashamed of her body, what had be of it, and if that was what was preventing her from leaving the room, she needed to know she had nothing to be ashamed of. Her scars couldn¡¯t be hidden by clothes like mine could, but that didn¡¯t mean she should feel ashamed of them. *Can you get out, please?¡± she whispers, her knees close to her chest. ¡°I have already seen you naked, Abbie,¡± Gannon tells her. Her face med red, and her lips quivered, and I knew I was right. And by the way she scrubbed her skin raw, I knew she felt dirty, felt on disy by the marks that marred her. ¡°I can¡¯t go out there,¡± she whispers, and I look at the scars that ran down her neck and mutted her shoulders and the cuts on her face that left white lines once healed. To me though, she was still beautiful. I remember the shame I felt when the King asked me to get changed in front of him, the way Abbie begged at his feet for me. Gannon sighs but gets to his feet and walks out, he looked angry but never once voiced that anger at her. ¡°It¡¯s just skin, Abbie,¡± I whisper. Yet to her, they were memories, and I understood that, and I hated mine too. Hated the way it looked against my skin. Hated the reminder. ¡°He mutted me. It is one thing that everyone here knows, another having the world see,¡± she croaks. Trying to feel for the mindlink, I push on it, hoping I could open it myself, yet when I struggle, Kyson opens it for me. It was so weird trying to feel for him in my head. The bond was one thing, but the mind was something else, and Kyson made it look easy, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Why do you feel embarrassed?¡± Kyson asks. *Abbie hates her body.¡± I tell him. * And that makes you embarrassed?¡± he asks, and my face heated as hot as my shame. ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t like this feeling. Where are you?¡± The King asks. ¡°In the shower with Abbie,¡± ¡± I see.¡± ¡®Not like that. I have clothes on. But..¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°I want to take them off¡± ¡°Your both girls, I don¡¯t see a problem with that,¡± my face heated even more. I was not afraid to be naked in front of Abbie. God knows how many times I had been naked in front of her and her me. ¡°Spit it out, Azalea. Your worry is making me queasy. What is it?¡± ¡°Say I want to walk around in the castle naked?¡± ¡°Definitely not.¡± Kyson growls. Which angers me and fuels my next answer. ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking permission.¡± I tell him, though I was kind of hoping he would give it because I didn¡¯t exactly want this to cause an argument. ¡°Then why are you telling me?¡± 38.12% 15:18D ¡°So you don¡¯t have to find out from the staff,¡± I tell him. ¡°Azalea!¡± he snaps. ¡°Will be naked walking the corridors!¡± I answer. ¡°Like hell you are!¡± I cut him off, only for the mindlink to open up again as he forced his way back in my head. ¡°Somebody shut off the damn cameras!¡± Kyson snarled through the mind-link, opening it for all the castle staff. Their voices flitted through my head making me dizzy. ¡°Do we have cameras?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes. They were installed two days ago. You are not doing this.¡± Kyson tells me. ¡°I am!¡± ¡°Why are we cutting off the cameras?¡± Gannon¡¯s voice says suddenly through the mindlink. So many voices were making my head hurt and I struggled trying to shut them off only for Kyson to force back in my head. ¡°Do not let Azalea leave the bathroom!¡± Kyson growls at him. ¡°Pardon, my King?¡± Gannon answers. Abbie touches my arm as she stands, making me jump and pulling me back to focus on the room. I watch her grab a towel and wrap it around herself, and I stand, stepping out of the shower. My face is already heating. I start shredding my clothes, dropping them in a wet heap as Abbie sticks her head out the door. Kyson was yelling at me through the mind-link and the guards and I tried my best to ignore him. ¡°I will get you some spare clothes,¡± Abbie says. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± I tell her, and she nces at me but quickly rushed into the room. Kyson was still talking through the mindlink, arguing with guards to leave Gannon¡¯s quarters. While Liam asked neverending questions, it was hard trying to keep tabs on how many people¡¯s voices were suddenly flitting through my head. I grab a towel and dry myself, and Abbie runs back into the room with a cami and shorts, trying to pass them to me while she starts pulling on a turtle neck and long pants. ¡°Here,¡± she whispers, but I shake my head. ¡°Az?¡± I went to step past her when she stops in front of me. ¡°Gannon is out there,¡± she says, gripping my arm when he suddenly opens the door standing completely naked. I had no idea where to look, so I stared up at the roof, and so did he. This is awkward. ¡°Hang on, we¡¯re doing this in style,¡± Liam says through the mind-link and I look at Gannon who sends me a wink. ¡°I swear, Azalea when I get home ¡­¡± Kyson starts. ¡°Well, that sounds like a challenge, my King.¡± I tell him. ¡°Put some clothes on! And Liam, stay away from my mate!¡± he snaps. ¡°What? Na, I am streaking with her. Got my best apron for this! If Gannon is strutting his stuff, so is me! Sometimes you gotta air out the skinsuit,¡± Liam says. ¡°I said clear the halls!¡± The Kingmanded. ¡°Everyone remains at their posts!¡± Imanded back a little shocked at how easily I did. The King growls ¡°Azalea!¡± ¡°My King?¡± rice says, through the mindlink. I could hear Abbie asking what was going on, but I grabbed her hand almost blindly as everyone¡¯s faces flitted through my head along with their voices ¡°I can¡¯t do this with you in my damn head!¡± I tell Kyson. ¡°Good because you aren¡¯t doing it!¡± he growls. ¡°What is going on?¡± rice asks ¡°Azalea is about to streak through the damn halls!¡± Kyson tells her. I focus on the mindlink, trying to get him out of my head. When I manage it, I am still standing in the bathroom though now I can see Gannon. I made sure to keep my eyes above the waist. I did not want to see more than I needed to. However, I was shocked to find his flesh 52.91% 15:180 torn apart more than ours. ¡°Are we doing this?¡± he asks, looking at me. ¡°Doing what?¡± Abbie squeaks looking between us. ¡°Oh good, I am notte,¡± Liam says, busting into the bathroom with only a floral apron on. ¡°Oh, my Queen! Lovely birthday suit,¡± he said, not even being subtle as he looked at me. I swallowed under his leering gaze. ¡°Eyes off my mate Liam!¡± ¡°Hitting above your belt there, my King,¡± Liam chuckles, earning a growl through the mindlink Kyson kept forcing open. Liam reaches past Gannon. grabbing my wrist jerking me to him, and loops his arm through mine while Abbie stands stunned. She grabs my arm as Liam tugs me toward the door. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°We are showing you. You aren¡¯t the only one a little broken,¡± Gannon says, offering his arm to her. ¡°Man, the King doesn¡¯t shut up. Bit bossy if you ask me. How do you put up with him?¡± Liam says. As Kyson kept trying to order his men out, when I realized something, hismands on Liam and Gannon were not working. That realization hit me at the same time it hit Kyson that I knew something was amiss. ¡°Azalea?¡± he asks. ¡°I love you, but I am doing this for Abbie,¡± I tell him, and he growls. ¡°Them cameras better be fucking off?¡± he calls through the open mindlink. ¡°Already off,¡± I hear Dustin call back. *Well, now this is definitely an adventure, so I guess we are off¡± Liam says, opening the door and bowing. Abbie giggles behind me, and I nce over my shoulder to see Gannon put his hands over her eyes when Liam Shakes his ass at her. I try not tough and close my eyes, willing myself to step out the doors and not run back for the bathroom. ¡°You are in so much trouble when I get home!¡± Kyson snaps at me. Anger courses through me, and Abbie gasps. I open my eyes at the sound and gasp myself. All the guards were still stationed where they were, their clothes at their feet in a heap, their eyes straight ahead and hands over their privates. I look at Abbie, who was fully clothed, gripping Gannon¡¯s arm tightly, looking like she wanted to run back into the room. ¡°Ready, my Queen?¡± Liamughs, looping his arm back through mine. I nod my breathing heavy and look straight ahead before I start walking. I headed for the King¡¯s quarters, and I could hear Abbie crying behind me as she followed Gannon. Every staff member lined the halls naked, eyes straight ahead, thankfully. My chest warmed knowing they did this for her. Kyson growled through the bond angrily, and I could almost sense the angry look on his face. As we walked the halls, I felt a strange weight lift from not only me but Abbie as her crying stopped. Each person we passed bowed or nodded and she looped her arm through mine. She rests her head on my shoulder as we climb thest set of stairs to find rice and Dustin standing up top naked. ¡°I knew you were a finedy, rice, but damn!¡± Liam says, giving a whistle. ¡°Liam, you are not too big for me to spank or wash your mouth out with soap!¡± she scolds. ¡°Lucky me! Which knee would you like me over?¡± heughs, and she folds her arms across her chest and her eyes narrow at the man. ¡°My Queen,¡± she says and nods. Dustin walks over and opens the door for me. ¡°Abbie?¡± I whisper. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do this,¡± she tells me, yet the tension in her body had left, she looked more rxed. ¡°Yes I did, you needed to see,¡± she looks out at all the naked guards and staff. ¡°Did you have to make them do it too?¡± ¡°No one made them do it, Love,¡± Gannon whispers, and everyone in the hall bows or tips their heads to her, and her cheeks flush pink. ¡°So, can I take you somewhere now and can I put some pants on, it is a little chilly?¡± Gannon asks, and I give her a nudge. ¡°Go, no one cares what you look like,¡± I tell her, and tears brim in her eyes as she hugs me. ¡°More than my life,¡± she whispers. 10.10 ¡°More than my life,¡± I tell her. ¡°More than my life,¡± all the guards and staff murmur in unison, making my heart skip a beat. I look at Dustin, who nods, keeping his eyes on mine. I wait for Abbie to disappear around the corner near the stairs before racing to the cupboard for clothes. ¡°You¡¯re a good friend,¡± rice says, wrapping a sheet around herself. ¡°I can¡¯t believe everyone did it for her,¡± I chuckle. rice chuckles. ¡°Yes, but also you. You are our Queen, where you go, we follow, even if it is doing something as silly as being naked,¡± she says when Kyson¡¯s voice booms through the link. ¡°For god¡¯s sake, please tell me she has clothes on now!¡± he growls. ¡°I have clothes on.¡± I tell him, and he growls and goes to say something, but I cut him off. ¡°I will deal with you when you get home,¡± I tell him. ¡°With me? You better bloody run when I get home!¡± he snarls. ¡°Good, I will do it naked,¡± I tell him, and he growls, but I shove him out of my head. ¡°He is a little angry.¡± I sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my Queen, you have an entire castle to back you,¡± she says, and my brows furrow, remembering how I was able to override themands of Kyson. ¡°How?¡± I ask her. ¡°How what?¡± rice asks. ¡°They all listened. Kysonmanded them, and they listened to me instead,¡± ¡°Ah, now that is something you need to ask your King about, my Queen,¡± she chuckles before walking out. I sigh and sit on the bed. Now to deal with my King when hees home. The day passed by quickly, I had a doctor stop by to take blood. I worked on my reading with Liam and Dustin. At first I was a little embarrassed by my earlier spectacle, but as I walked the halls it was like it never happened, everyone waspletely normal despite all of us being naked this morning. After dinner, I went to bed, yet I could feel Kyson¡¯s burning anger dissipate, he almost seemed giddy and excited to get home which thought odd and it made me wonder why his mood had switched, because his anger festered all day through the bond. It was still there yet not even a quarter of what it was earlier. Crawling into my nest, I was rearranging the edges, twisting them as I tried to getfortable looking for my mates scent that had only gotten weaker throughout the day, it was making me anxious. My eyes opened when I heard the door open and Kyson stepped in. I sat up waiting for his wrath, having decided I was too tired to argue with him, so I would just listen to his ranting if it meant I could sleep. Kyson was quiet as he moved toward me. He stopped next to the bed and shrugged off his jacket tossing it on the end of the bed. His silence was worse as he watched me, undoing his cufflinks, he set them on the bedside table before unbuttoning his shirt. His scent filled the room, making me purr involuntarily. He smirks when I do, watching me fight the urge to throw myself at him. ¡°You are in trouble,¡± he says and I gulp, waiting to hear it. ¡°But I think I can forgive you,¡± ¡°You think, or you have?¡± I ask, forcing myself to remain where I am. I wanted to bite him, taste his skin and inhale his scent, like a damn animal. It infuriated me yet my mouth watered all the same. Kyson raises an eyebrow at me before taking his shirt off and offering it to me, I reach out for it wondering what he is ying at. He lets me take it before walking off into the bathroom. I hear the shower turn on yet he still hasn¡¯t answered me and his silence was almost worse than his wrath. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Kyson?¡± I called ¡°My Queen,¡± he says in return, making me purse my lips at his weird behaviour. When he finishes showering hees out and tugs the duvet back I was huddled under. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat all your dinner,¡± he growls, reaching for me. My skin tingles from his touch and his warmth instantly bleeds into me as heys me on top of him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t hungry.¡± I tell him, nipping at his chest, he lets me, brushing his fingers through my hair, as the calling slips out of him. ¡°I thought you were angry?¡± I ask. ¡°I am,¡± he answers and I sit up, straddling his waist. ¡°You don¡¯t seem angry?¡± I tell him. ¡°rice said you didn¡¯t eat your lunch either?¡± Kyson growls, his fingers tangling in my hair, he tugs me back down and pulls my head back before brushing his lips against mine gently. ¡°Who cares if I ate, did you find out anything about the murdered rogues?¡± ¡°No, nothing, and I care if you aren¡¯t eating and so should you,¡± I roll my eyes pushing off his chest only for him to tug me back again. His lips brush gently across mine. ¡°Because you¡¯re eating for two,¡± he purrs before his tongue invades my mouth. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Azalea POV Two days had passed, and I never thought I would be so excited for Kyson not to be home. He was driving me up the wall, watching me constantly, stuffing vitamins down my throat. A week and he was already overbearing. Kyson had exined that one week in human pregnancy is equivalent to three or four weeks for Lycans, but if this was a week, I would hate to see what a fortnight would bring. However, I was excited to know that Abbie wasing back tomorrow, there was only so much to do around the castle, and Kyson forbade me from helping Peter, the stable boy. Also, from helping rice, I was bored out of my mind. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. So today, when I woke up to find he had gone somewhere, I was a little relieved not to have him breathing down my neck. However, he had allocated me a babysitter in the form of Liam. Liam was alright, a little crazy but definitely entertaining, and Dustin didn¡¯t seem to mind having him around either. *My Queen,¡± Liam says while walking into the room. I roll my eyes and scoot the edge of the bed when I see him walk into the room. In his hand was the dreaded vitamins and some smoothie Kyson had been making me drink three times a day that tasted dreadful. ¡°Bottoms up,¡± he says, holding out the green chunky-looking drink and the pills. ¡°I will pass on that,¡± I tell him. ¡°Your royal pain in the ass said I was to ensure you drink this lovely concoction that looks like snot, and baby shit, my Queen,¡± I shake my head. ¡°Can¡¯t be that bad,¡± he says, thrusting the cup toward me. ¡°Have you tasted it?¡± I ask him. ¡°No, but I watched him make it before he left, and he was very insistent that you drink this lovely ss of vileness,¡± ¡°What he doesn¡¯t know won¡¯t hurt him or my stomach,¡± I tell him, cringing. It was a taste you would never forget. ¡°Just a sip and I can say I watched you drink it,¡± Liam offers. I raise an eyebrow at him, he would have to pin me down to get me to drink that. ¡°If you can stomach it, I will try,¡± I challenge. Liam shrugs and sighs, holding the ss up. ¡°Not much I haven¡¯t had in my mouth, my Queen, but if it gets you drink it, I shall have a little sippy sip,¡± he says, while bringing the ss to his lips. He tips the ss up, drinking a mouthful. I watched him try to swallow, covering his mouth with his fist as he gagged and coughed. He forced it down like he was swallowing a golf ball looking very pained. At the same time Dustin walks in behind him with my breakfast. ¡°Good God, that tastes worse than that prostitute I went down on,¡± Liam gasps shaking his head and I pull a face, and he shrugs and Dustin gives him a look of disgust. ¡°What, the woman could have told me. How was I to know she was a hooker, and I was her fifteenth client for the day,¡± he mumbles the last part. I pull a disgusted face, and so does Dustin. I really could have gone without that information. ¡°Wait, if she was a prostitute, how did you not know?¡± ¡°To be fair, I was pretty drunk. I thought it was a hotel. Turns out, instead of a mint on my pillow, it had a woman,¡± Liam says, taking another sip of the drink as he rambled. He heaves, spitting it all over Dustin. Dustin tenses, his face covered in the green substance, and Liam drops the ss on the tray Dustin is holding. Liam frantically starts digging in his pocket before pulling out a small ss bottle that fits in the palm of his hand. I knew it was liquor by the potent scent. He chugs it down quickly. gulping it down until the small bottle is empty. ¡°Ah, nasty,¡± Liam says, wiping his mouth. I press my lips in a line trying not tough at the horrified look on Dustin¡¯s face as he stood frozen. Liam, finally turning his head, notices he spat the drink all over him and chokes on hisugh before turning serious again when an enraged Dustin res at him. ¡°Well, that shirt was damn ugly anyway, all good. I will get you cleaned up,¡± Liam says, taking out a handkerchief to scrub Dustin¡¯s face. Dustin growis. ¡°It¡¯s my uniform. You are wearing the same one,¡± Dustin says while Liam cleans his shirt and face. ¡°One sec,¡± Liam says, licking the handkerchief wrapped around his finger before scrubbing at Dustin¡¯s chin. ¡°They¡¯re good as new.¡± Liam exims. ¡°You did not just clean me with your spit¡± Dustin snarls. ¡°Ah,e on, Dustin, not the worst part of me you have had on your face,¡± Liam says, and Dustin¡¯s face turns bright red. He shoots Liam a look. ¡°Liam!¡± Dustin snaps. 0,00% 15-18 ¡°What, I was just saying. Liam shrugs ¡°Little sensitive this one.¡± Liam says, sending me a wink. ¡°Do you have no manners? She is the Queen. You can¡¯t speak like, ah,¡± he thrusts the tray at Liam before storming out. ¡°Wonder what crawled up his ass¡­ Besides me, of course,¡± Liam says, watching him leave. I didn¡¯t know what to say to that, so I just ignored Liam¡¯sments and wandered off to the bathroom, shaking my head. I showered quickly and got changed, wanting to go find something to do. The castle was pretty quiet today as Liam escorted me downstairs. Most of the guards went with Kyson because they were raiding a nearby pack, so only a handful was left here, and the ce was locked up like a fortress. ¡°We could go for a walk in the gardens, my Queen. The King doesn¡¯t,¡± Liam falls silent, his hand gripping my shoulder. Liam stepped down thest few steps before I suddenly found myself mmed against the wall, his hand going over my mouth. My heart beat erratically as he held a finger to his lips. Gone was the fun-loving man I was used to as his eyes flickered oddly, a sadistic gleam in his eyes as they darkened and his canines protruded past his top lip. I could hear rice frantically talking down the hall before the doors next to the staircase burst open. Liam shoved me behind him as men in armor flooded the halls from every direction. My hands shook as I clutched the back of Liam¡¯s shirt, where he shoved me behind him. Guns raised, four other men, who I could tell were Lycan, walked in wearing suits. rice rushed in after them bursting into the foyer. ¡°May I ask what this is about, MR Crux,¡± Liam asks, motioning for rice toe to him with his hand. She rushes to his side and whispers something to him, and I only catch thest part about how they took the guards out. She nces at me nervously behind him. Liam nods but doesn¡¯t move his eyes from the men surrounding us with their guns trained on him. The mind-link opens up as Liam calls for the guards, yet no one answers. However, Kyson does feel the open mind link and invades it. ¡°What is it?¡¯ *The council is here. Get home,¡± Liam tells him. ¡°Don¡¯t let them in. I am on my way.¡± ¡°Toote,¡± ¡°Azalea?¡± ¡°Get here, Kyson. I am all that is left,¡± Liam growls, mming the link shut. ¡°How may I help you, gentlemen,¡± Liam asks, walking down to greet them. ¡°We have had aint,¡± the tallest of them says. ¡°So you thought you would break into the Kingdom? The King isn¡¯t here, so I am sure we can reschedule,¡± Liam says. The tallest of them would even match Kyson in height, his obsidian eyes stared at me curiously, and he sniffed the air. ¡°rice take the new girl upstairs,¡± Liam says, but the man steps forward, and Liam¡¯s hand falls on his chest. The energy shifts and rice grabs my arm, pushing me up the stairs. ¡°She remains. We aren¡¯t to see the king but to find two women, an Abbie and Queen Azalea,¡± ¡°As I said, the King isn¡¯t here, and neither is Abbie or the Queen, Liam growls, looking at the man who still had his eyes on me. The men surrounding him moved in closer the moment Liam moved, guns pressing against him, and my heart thudded painfully. I felt sick. The man watching me tilts his head to the side. ¡°Now that would be a lie because she reeks of the King¡¯s scent,¡± he growls. ¡°And as I said, the King is not here, so I will escort you off the premises, gentleman. No need to frighten everyone here.¡± Liam replies. rice grabs my arm, and I follow her when another voice fills the room. Themand behind it makes me freeze. ¡°She goes up those stairs shoot him, and the woman.¡± I stop, and rice gasps, as her eyes meet mine, the fear behind them as she stared at me made me swallow while I tried to figure out what was going on. ¡°rice, take her upstairs,¡± Liam says, and I swallowed, turning my attention back to these men surrounding Liam. ¡°What is this about?¡± I demand, and the man smirks as mymand roles over him but has no effect. ¡°If you woulde with me, my Queen,¡± ¡°She is not going anywhere with you.¡± Liam snarls, turning his head to the man watching me intently. The men holding guns step aside to allow the other three men into my line of vision, all of them dressed impably in tailored suits. ¡°You must be Azalea. I see you have met Mr. Crux. I am a council elder. My name is Denali,¡± he says. He seemed to be the one with the 16.80% 15:181) most authority out of the lot of them. It oozed off him. He smirked, his cold blue eyes looking up at me as he swept thick blonde hair from his face. He had a thick ent I couldn¡¯t ce. ¡°And this is my brother, Larkin, he says, motioning toward the man beside him in a blue suit, his blonde hair tied at the nape of his neck, he was a little shorter, but he had the same cruel, sharp features as Denali. ¡°And this Kendrick,¡± he says, motioning to thest man that was missing an eye. A long jagged scar went from his hairline to his chin, his lips scarred and twisted into a snarl. hin, his lips scarred addich he says, motionin He took a step toward me, and Liam moved quickly, stepping into his path and grabbing the front of his suit jacket. ¡°Touch her, and I remove your other eye,¡± Liam snarled. Kendrick snarls back at him; however, Denali is the one who speaks. ¡°No need for that, Liam, you are outnumbered. We are here for the rogue girl and the Queen, no reason for things to turn messy.¡± ¡°Not without the King present;¡± Liam says, turning his attention to Denali. ¡°We are well within our rights to enter. As council members we have immunity into any pack even the King¡¯s Pack. We also have a warrant and an entire pack to back the ims. She will be given a chance to have her say, but for now she muste with us¡± ¡°What ims?¡± Liam demanded. ¡°There are only twows that are upheld to this degree, Liam. You know that, so if you would follow me, Queen Azalea, we can settle this and bring the other girl,¡± he said, motioning toward me. ¡°Abbie isn¡¯t here,¡± I tell him. ¡°Very well, this won¡¯t take long, we brought the truth serum, so it should be settled quickly,¡± he says, motioning for his men. They move toward me, and all hell breaks loose as Liam suddenly shifts. Denali is instantly ripped backward along with the other two men when the guns start going off. But I don¡¯t get a chance to see what happens as rice rips me up the stairs. I could hear gunfire and fighting, screams and footsteps chasing after us. ¡°Kyson,¡± I screamed through the link. ¡°An hour out, fucking pull over,¡± I hear him scream at someone through the link. ¡°Hide, I will find you,¡± he says, cutting off the link. I felt him shift through the bond just as rice stuffed me into a room. She looks around, and so do l as I hear footsteps. My entire body shook, and I found myself in the forbidden room across from Kyson¡¯s old quarters. ¡°Stay here. I will lead them away.¡± rice says. ¡°Lock the door,¡± she says, cracking the door open and peering out. I went to go after her when she slipped out and shut the door. I quickly locked the door and nced around toward the window. Hundreds of people stood out front the gates, and I stepped back so they wouldn¡¯t see me. ¡®Where are you?¡± Kyson says through the link. ¡°The room across from your old Quarters,¡± I tell him, watching in horror as I see Dustin lying unconscious on the cobble driveway along with a heap of guards. Men were handcuffing their hands behind their back, all of them unconscious with darts sticking out of them. Yelling could be heard, and I could hear Liam fighting still as he was dragged out, yet he was hit with another dart, his body twisting and arching as he was forced to shift back. Multiple darts were in his back, legs, and neck when a guard wearing ck camo lifted his gun and shot him in the chest three times with more darts. His legs went out from under him and blood- drenched his entire body when I heard a shrill scream. I watch petrified as rice is dragged out kicking and screaming with the two boys she had taken in. Denali wipes his face with a handkerchief as he walks out toward the gates when I spot her. I was certain it was the same woman. The woman that watched from the servo after Kade was killed. Denali talks to her through the gate. I couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, but the three other men also stood off to the side, watching him before he turned around. The man with the missing eye wiped the blood off his face before snarling and kicking Liam in the stomach. My hands went to my mouth, so consumed with fear, I forgot Kyson, who was talking to me through the link. ¡°Azalea!¡± he snapped. Denali turned around before reaching for a microphone of one of his guards. He turns to face the castle bringing the microphone to his mouth. ¡°Queen Azalea, you have been summoned by the council, so you need to step outside,¡± He says, slowing. He looks up at the windows, and I remain back out of his line of vision. ¡°You have two minutes to step out, or we will use deadly force, beginning with,¡± he looks around before one of the guards grabs Oliver. rice loses it, shifting and attacking the guard when Mr. Crux punches her knocking her to the ground before grabbing the boy. ¡°Two minutes or the rogue boy dies,¡± ¡°Azalea!¡± Kyson snaps at me. 15-191 ¡®They¡¯re going to kill them if I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare.¡± ¡°They have Oliver, ¡°Azalea, I am not far out. Remain where you are.¡± Kyson says as I watch in horror as they push tiny Oliver to the ground on his knees. Mr. Crux pulls a pistol from inside his jacket and presses it to his head. ¡°Two minutes Queen Azalea, I can not kill any Lycan here but a rogue, even a child I have the authority too,¡± ¡°I have to go.¡¯ I tell Kyson. ¡°No, remain where you are,¡± he orders and I grit my teeth. ¡°How far out?¡± *20 minutes, ¡°It¡¯s too long.¡± I tell him, forcing hismand off. ¡°One minute,¡± Denali calls over the microphone, and Oliver cringes away from the gun held to his head. ¡°Azalea?¡± Kyson says, his panic smashes into me. Mr. Crux presses it to his temple, and I rush toward the window, throwing it open. ¡°Wait, I wille down,¡± I scream to them. Mr. Crux lifts his head to look at me while Mr. Denali smirks. ¡°We thought you would change mind.¡± He nods toward some of his men, who race toward the castle. ¡°They will meet you at the foyer doors,¡± Denali called through the microphone, and I nodded, moving back inside the window. I nce around at the baby¡¯s room. One that was made for me had Kyson found me when my parents were killed, however nothing here offered any sort of protection. Swallowing down the bile in my throat, I move toward the door and open it. The moment I stepped out of the safety of the castle doors, I was surrounded and grabbed. They dragged me to the front of the castle, and Kyson was in my head the entire time, telling me to stall them. His fear was potent, and I wondered what sort of history he had with the council that they would be daring enough to go against the Lycan King. ¡°Azalea, my Queen. So lovely for you to join us.¡± Denali purred, and my skin crawled as he approached me. He clicked his fingers at one of his men, who shoved me toward the iron gates and handcuffed my wrists to the solid bars. My heart skipped a beat as everyone took a few steps back as they watched beyond the gate. ¡®Fear not. You will have your say. We just have a few questions for you. This is merely a precaution,¡± Denali says, gripping the back of my neck to turn my face toward his.. Are you really that gutless that you had to wait for my mate to leave?¡± I ask him, and heughs sadistically. He stepped away, and I could see Oliver kneeling next to rice, crying, huddled in Logan¡¯s arms. Turning my attention back to Denali, he sneered at me. ¡°It is a mere coincidence that the King wasn¡¯t home. We were sent the report and investigated; this is just a questioning,¡± ¡°If that is all it is, why did you feel the need to take out my guards and handcuff me to a damn gate?¡± ¡°Because we are aware of the pact the guards hold, they will fight. We haven¡¯t hurt them, just made them morepliant,¡± he states. ¡°What Pact?¡± I asked, a little confused. ¡°The King never told you?¡± He asks, and I nce around at the crowd of onlookers watching me. ¡°Regardless, I am here to administer the serum, ask the questions, and choose punishment if necessary.¡± ¡°15 minutes, love Keep stalling. Leave the link open, so I can hear what is going on. Help ising.¡± Kyson says in my head. I swallow when Mr. Crux approaches with a vial. ¡°The Landeena Kingdom, head to the castle your Queen needs you,¡± Kyson calls through the link. I didn¡¯t have time to process his words, and I knew the town was a good 15 minutes from the hill on which the castle stood. ¡°What is this about?¡± I ask, knowing full well by the woman standing on the other side of the gates watching me. Denali follows my gaze and motions for one of the guards to let her in. The gate is opened beside me, and the smug bitch steps inside her heeled boots clinking on the stone driveway before they close it nearly jamming my fingers. She moves behind me and stops beside him, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°Cassandra,¡± I snarl. ¡°So you do know each other, wonderful. Cassandra here says youmanded Abbie to reject her husband, Alpha Kade and made him 51 R44 15:180 ept the rejection, she also ims that you also stole the pack¡¯s future Luna,¡± Denali says. ¡°That is not true. Abbie tried rejecting him. He was abusing her,¡± I told Denali before ring at Cassandra. ¡°With her help,¡± I growled. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I asked. I asked if you abused your power as the King¡¯s Mate and broke a sacredw regarding mate bonds?¡± ¡°As I said, he was abusing Abbie. He sexually assaulted her,¡± ¡°And where is Abbie to verify this?¡± Denali asks, tilting his head toward me. He nods to Mr. Crux, who moves toward me with the vial. I clench my teeth together. ¡°Kyson!¡± I rush through the mindlink. ¡°Any minute,¡± Kyson replies when Denali grabs my hair ripping my head back while Mr. Crux pinches my cheeks, stuffing the vial in my mouth. Denali checks his watch while I cough and gag at its taste, yet something about it reminded me of Kyson. ¡°You can fight the effects,¡± Kyson links to me. ¡°Focus, love, that serum is made from my blood. You can resist it,¡± he tells me. A minute or so goes past, and Mr.Crux nods to Denali. ¡°Did youmand Luna Abbie to reject her mate, Alpha Kade?¡± Denali asks. I grit my teeth. Fear so palpable it made goosebumps rise on my skin as the urge to answer rolled through me, making my body tense. ¡°Nearly there, fight it,¡± Kyson snarls when I hear amotion outside the gates. Denali nces out the gates to the cobble road where Kade¡¯s pack stood before waving some of his men to sort whatever is happening out. They rush out the gates, and Kade¡¯s pack members murmur amongst themselves looking down the road. ¡°Answer me,¡± Denali demands. I don¡¯t know what Kyson meant about fighting it. Fighting against it caused me to break out in a sweat, my stomach twisting painfully. ¡°Yes,¡± I gasped. Fighting breaks out outside the gates and down in the gully before the driveway in. Denali looks toward themotion outside the gates. ¡°Enough proof, bring the whip,¡± he says, wandering off to talk to someone behind me. I look over my shoulder, twisting my neck to see what is going on behind me. I gulp when I see the barbed whip in the man¡¯s hand, Denali was talking to the man with one eye, ncing nervously back at me. ¡°Tell them Imanded you too,¡± Kyson yelled through the bond. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I said. ¡°You can and fucking will, your pregnant Azalea, tell them Imanded you too,¡± I try to open my mouth to lie, yet whatever the truth serum contained wouldn¡¯t allow me to breathe a lie. ¡°Azalea!¡± Kyson booms in my head. I choke on the words, trying to spit them. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare fight me? I¡¯m sorry, love, I have no choice,¡± he murmurs when I feel hismand smash me through the bond and mind link. It rolled over me, causing crippling pain as he ordered me to me him. ¡°Kyson ordered me to do it,¡± I blurted. Mr. Crux gripped my face, and Denali came back over. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Denali asks. ¡°Say it again!¡± Kysonmanded through the bond, sweat glistened on my skin, and I felt like I would be sick. ¡°The King ordered me tomand them,¡± I choked out, gasping for air. Denali and Mr.Crux look at each other before turning to Cassandra. ¡°Is what she says true?¡± Denali asks her. She opens her mouth and closes it. ¡°Well?¡± Denali snaps. . ¡± I don¡¯t know. I only got there to see hermand them both. What does it matter? She still did it,¡± Cassandra says in her nasal voice. ¡°Good girl,¡± Kyson says, letting themand slide off me. Denali and Mr. Crux talk amongst themselves while Cassandra digs her smokes out of her leather jacket. ¡°How could you, after everything you did to her?¡± I ask Cassandra. She pops her hip, lighting a smoke before stepping closer. ¡°My husband is dead because of her. Your mate killed him. I now have to raise my kids without their father because of that bitch,¡± Cassandra spits at me. I growl, my canines slipping past my gums as anger courses through me. She turned to face the council members who were whispering amongst themselves behind me. ¡°She stillmanded them, but I have one more question before we proceed.¡± I turn my head, and he steps closer. 27 ¡°Did you know it was against thew to break a mate bond against their will?¡± Denali asks. My brows furrow, wondering why he was asking, yet the urge to answer hit me instantly. ¡°Yes.¡± I breathe ¡°And you still did it?¡± Denali asks. ¡°He was hurting her, so yes,¡± ¡°Well then, regardless of whether the Kingmanded you, you knew better. Being his mate, you are capable of fighting hismands, therefore will be held ountable,¡± Cassandra smirks at his words puffing on her cigarette. ¡°What are they going to do to me?¡± I asked Mr.Crux, who was still standing beside me. Though I already knew by the whip in Kendricks¡¯s hand. My heart raced a little faster when Mr. Crux started ripping the back of my dress open. ¡°You broke a sacredw, you may be the King¡¯s Mate, but you abused your authority, so you will be punished. 1000shes, or until Cassandra deems fit,¡± he chuckles. ¡°About time the King is held ountable for errors,¡± Mr.Crux sneered. I swallowed and chuckled. ¡°Silly girl, just because you¡¯re the King¡¯s mate, that doesn¡¯t give you the power to break thew,¡± ¡°He was abusing her,¡± I scream at him. ¡°And where is your proof?¡± Mr.Crux demands. ¡°Ask me, or is your truth serum, not 100 percent,¡± I spat back at him. He grips my chin, pinching it tightly. ¡°Truth or not, you broke thew. We uphold it. We were looking for a reason to take him down, but if we can¡¯t, you will do,¡± heughed. ¡°Coward,¡± Iughed. Mr. Crux grips my hair, yanking my head back painfully. ¡°Oh, Kendrick will. He won¡¯t hold back, not after the king took his sight,¡± I swallow, and my breathing bes a little harsher. ¡°Your people areing. Tell them who you are. It will buy you some time, I didn¡¯t want to risk but we have no choice¡± ¡°What? ¡°Your parents-¡± I didn¡¯t get a chance to listen to what he said when I felt the crack of the whip bite into my flesh, making me scream, hooks shed up my spine and dug into my shoulder, and my scream was deafening when he ripped them out. My knees buckle underneath me. My blood sprays across those on the other side of the fence when all hell breaks loose. Kade¡¯s pack starts running toward the fence, suddenly trying to get in. My knees dragged across the ground from the force of the gate being pushed inward. I couldn¡¯t see past them to see what was happening and didn¡¯t care when the whip tore into me again. Gunshots rang out, and I hung limply in handcuffs, my wrist bent backward painfully and on the verge of snapping under my weight. I feel the barbs tear out of my skin, ripping my flesh away. My head hung limply, and all I could think about was the pain radiating through my back when someone¡¯s head was shoved through the iron-barred gates beside me. I blink deliriously, finding it odd. How did it fit through the bars? Screams rang out loudly, but all I could do was blink at the man¡¯s head stuck between the bars. It took me a few moments to realize he only had a torso, from the waist down was missing. My head rolls to the side, and I see the men in armor backing up, guns trained down the driveway as they fire. I thought my eyes were deceiving me when I watched around 50 Lycans ripping into Kade¡¯s pack members and the council¡¯s men, ripping them limb from limb. People running everywhere to escape. I couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away from the horrors on the other side of the gate, my eyes wide, and I felt sick to my stomach. I could hear screaming, and I turned my head to find it was Cassandra. Her hands cupped her mouth as she watched her pack getting torn to shreds. Suddenly I dropped to the ground, and I didn¡¯t even realize someone was uncuffing me. My body was limp as I stared around at the ughter. Hands grab me ripping me against someone¡¯s chest. My back arches as I try to get the pressure away from my back. Secondster, the iron gates burst open, and I had a knife pressed to my throat by the person holding me as the Lycans stalked into the castle grounds. I was vaguely aware of Kyson talking to me, yet I could not understand what he was trying to tell me. ¡°Get the car ready?¡± Denali says. The Lycans circle us before dropping on their knees around us. The whole thing was surreal as I looked around, trying to figure out what was happening, when I noticed Dustin roll as he started to wake. ¡°Take so much as one step toward us, and I will kill her. You have all just interfered with the council. There are severe penalties for obstructing justice.¡± Denali says, walking past me to address the Lycan¡¯s kneeling. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 61 Chapter 61 They growl and snarl, watching him. But the council members were all Lycan, and I felt his aura demand them to submit, forcing them to remain where they were. ¡°Now, I am willing to let this slide, so back up.¡± Denali ordered. ¡°She may be King Kyson¡¯s Queen, but she will be held ountable for her actions,¡± Denali snarls and Dustinughs maniacally. Denali turns his head to look at him as Dustin sits up, his arms still cuffed behind his back. He starts ripping at his handcuffs, once twice, thrice, and I hear his wrists snap and shoulders dislocate before he rolls his shoulders, bringing his hands around to the front, Kendrick runs at him, but Dustin moves quickly, sweeping his legs out from under him and pivoting on his knee, so he was suddenly on Kendricks¡¯s back, his knee pressed to the back of the man¡¯s neck. ¡°And who are you? Let Kendrick up now,¡± Mr.Crux growls, dropping me at Denali¡¯s feet. Dustin rebreaks his wrist before gripping Kendricks hair and ripping his head back. ¡°No, wrong question Denali. The question you should be asking is, who is Azalea? Does her name ring any bells to you?¡± Dustin sneers. Denali looks down at me, and Cassandra cowers behind him, clutching the back of his suit jacket. Denali looks at her, shoving her off and making her stumble. She shrieks,nding on her ass. Kendrick moves underneath Dustin¡¯s knee, shifting, but Dustin growls before grabbing his head and twisting it so it faces him. T heave, throwing up as he broke Kendricks¡¯s neck. Dustin then gets to his feet and wipes his hands, pulling the darts from his legs and chest. ¡°Does the name Azalea Ivy Landeena ring any bells for you,¡± Dustin asks. Mr.Crux, Denali, and the other man, Larkin, looked at me where I had copsed on the ground, my blood was pooling around me, and I struggled to keep my eyes open, Kyson¡¯s presence growing closer the only thing keeping me awake. ¡°The Landeena¡¯s are dead,¡± Denali states, yet he looked unsure as he nced between Dustin and me. Though I had no idea why my heritage mattered to the council. ¡°Ask her who her mother is,¡¯es Kyson¡¯s voice, my head turns toward him, and he growls when his eyes meet mine. The Lycans standing around us moved out of his way as he marched through the gates. He stalked straight toward Denali, like he was prey before gripping his throat. Denali gasps as Kyson lifts the man bringing him nose to nose with him. ¡°You daree into my Kingdom unannounced and attack my Queen,¡± He roared in his face. Denali grips his hands. ¡°Thew states we can enter;¡± His words choke out entirely, and his face turns purple as Kyson¡¯s grip tightens. Kyson nods to Dustin, who rushes toward me, pulling me up against him, so I am sitting up. ¡°Yourws are bullshit, and you know it, she told you I ordered her tomand them, and you still put your filthy paws on my mate.¡± Kyson says. Mr. Crux grips Kyson¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Crux, I will give you two seconds to correct that mistake,¡± Kyson warns him, and Crux puts his hands up in the air, backing away in surrender, Kyson looks at him. ¡°You will mind your tongue around my mate, now as I was saying, Denali. You are now being sentenced for treason,¡± Kyson snarls, letting him go. He falls to the ground at Kyson¡¯s feet, gasping and choking for air, sucking in huge lungfuls while gripping his throat. ¡°Treason?¡± Larkin asks, rushing forward. Kyson growls at him, and he stops dead in his tracks. ¡°Now, I would like to introduce my mate,¡± Kyson says, motioning toward Dustin. Dustin scoops my bloody body up in his arms, and I rest my head on his shoulder. Dustin crouches beside Denali, who lifts his head to look at me, his face flush and red as he gasped. ¡°Recognize those eyes, Denali?¡± Kyson asks, and Denali gulps, looking up at him. ¡°You made the mistake of thinking my mate was just an ordinary Lycan. Now you will be punished for treason and attempted murder of her majesty Azalea Ivy Landeena, the rightful heir to the Landeena Kingdom. I may fall under councilws, but-¡± ¡°How is it possible,¡± Denali asks, looking to his brother Larkin before looking at Mr.Crux, ¡°That kingdom fell¡± Mr. Crux says, stepping forward. ¡°Yes, and now it rises,¡± Kyson says, motioning toward all the Lycans on their knees. They all growl, ring at the council elders. Yet my vision was bing blurrier as my wounds bled all over Dustin. ¡°Now, can anyone tell me why the Landeena bloodline is exempt from the council¡¯sws?¡± Kyson bellows, looking between the three men. ¡°My King, I swear had I known,¡± Denali stutters. ¡°No one knew. I knew the hunters woulde after her. Only those in my castle knew her true identity, and you have not only harmed my 15:19 pregnant mate but broke the veryws you are supposed to uphold.¡± Kyson boomed. ¡°We were only-¡± Mr. Crux says but one look from Kyson makes him shut up. ¡°Looking for a way to punish me, I am not stupid. I know the council has been looking for a reason to take me down for centuries. Had she mentioned who she was, I know you would have killed her before I got here, but now that I am. Who dares to answer the question I asked?¡± Denali swallows, getting to his hands and knees. ¡°Have leniency, I didn¡¯t know who you were,¡± Denali says, gripping my arm, but Kyson puts his foot on his shoulder and shoves him back while Dustin stands with me, clutching me closer. ¡°My King, my brother didn¡¯t know. Surely you can¡¯t punish him for such an innocent mistake,¡± Larkin says, rushing forward to defend his brother. Kyson turns to look at Denali¡¯s brother. ¡°He should have thought about that before he dares touch the Empress of Alpha¡¯s,¡± Kyson growls before his footes down on Denali¡¯s head as he stomps it. Larkin wailed as Denali¡¯s skull crushed beneath his foot, and Crux ran at Larkin and grabbed him as he rushed toward Kyson. I lurched forward in Dustin¡¯s arms, throwing up as brain matter sttered the ground. Kyson, ignoring a wailing Larkin, turns his attention to me before taking me from Dustin. ¡°Shh, I got you now,¡± Kyson whispers, his calling washes over me as he turns to face everyone. Original from N?velDrama.Org. *1 suggest you leave. Enough council members have died. Dustin, take that bitch to the dungeons,¡± Cassandra screams and tries to run, but Dustin grabs her quickly, and Kyson turns to the rest of the Lycan still on their knees. ¡°Kill the lot of them,¡± he says as my head rolls back, and I see what¡¯s left of Cassandra¡¯s pack start running, their screams ring out loudly when Kyson turns on his heel and walks toward the castle. Kyson lifts me higher, burying his face in my neck, the sparks from his skin soothe the pain coursing through me. ¡°Hang on, love, I will take care of you,¡± he purrs. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Abbie Gannon had told me Azalea had been hurt because of me and all the way home I worried. Well, he didn¡¯t say because of me, but that is sure what it felt like. She wouldn¡¯t have been put in that situation if it wasn¡¯t for me. She would never have endured what she did if I had listened and never gone with Kade. It ground my gears that even though he was dead, my past with him was haunting me from beyond the grave, that there were still repercussions from everything. Gannon¡¯s phone starts ringing, and I nce at where it sat. Damian¡¯s face popped up on the screen, and Gannon pulled the car over to answer it. I wondered what bad news we would get this time because if Damian was calling instead of mind linking meant it was important. When he was mind- linked about the council, he nearly ran us off the road, so maybe that is why Damian was calling this time instead? Gannon got out of the car and sat on the hood talking on the phone, he nced nervously back at me through the window before turning away from me, and I could hear his voice rising, but he walked off so I couldn¡¯t hear the conversation. We were pulled over on a highway. Cars zipped past, making the car shake. Gannon runs a hand through his hair before turning around to look back at the car. Leaning over the back seat, I grab his jacket. The temperature had dropped, and it was windy outside of the car. I pull it on and climb out. I wanted to stretch my legs anyway. We had been in the car for hours, and my ass was going numb from sitting so long. I stretched my arms above my head before walking around the front of the car while Gannon moved further away, talking angrily to Damian. I lean against the hood of his car and watch him, catching the end of his conversation. ¡°You should have just killed her. You could undo everything I have done, just get rid of her and be done with it,¡± Gannon snaps, hanging up the phone. He growls, turning to face me. I rummage in his jacket pocket, finding some red sugar clouds. He always had candy on him. Yeti don¡¯t ever see him eat it. I shrug more for myself. I giggled, opening the little bag and pulling one out while he lit up a smoke. ¡°Everything alright?¡± I ask him, and he nods. ¡°It will be,¡± he says, wandering over to me. ¡°You found my stash?¡± heughs, pointing to the red sugary clouds in my hand. I smile, popping another in my mouth. ¡°You always have them, yet you never eat them?¡± I chuckle. The tips of my fingers turned red from digging them out of the bag. Sugar coated my lips, and I quickly licked them, savoring the sweet taste. ¡°I don¡¯t like sweets,¡± heughs. ¡°Then why buy them?¡± I ask. ¡°I buy them for you. I know they¡¯re your favorite,¡± he says, and I let out a breath. ¡°What?¡± he asks. ¡°Nothing, you had me worried for a second, I thought,¡± I shake my head, not understanding why my mind went there. ¡°You thought what?¡± He asks ¡°Nothing, it was a stupid thought, just don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I tell him. His brows furrow, and he draws back on his smoke, watching me before blowing a smoke cloud in the air. ¡°How much further?¡± I asked him. ¡°About three hours. Why, anxious to get away from me?¡± he chuckles. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Come on then, let¡¯s go,¡± he says, holding out his hand. I slide off the hood, and he walks around, opening my door. I shook my head at him, and I wasn¡¯t sure if he just liked opening doors or thought I didn¡¯t know-how. I shake my head and climb into the car. We drove, listening to the radio for a while. He was suddenly very quiet, and his aura was all over the ce. I pull the candy from my pocket again, and he nces at me. ¡°What were you thinking before?¡± he asked, and I looked at him. He points to the bag in my hand. I didn¡¯t want to answer, suddenly feeling ashamed for even thinking about it, I know Gannon, and he isn¡¯t that sort of monster. ¡°What did Damian want earlier?¡± I asked instead. ¡°I¡¯ll answer when you do?¡± he retorts, and I sigh. I look out the window watching the scenery go by. ¡°So?¡± he asks. I shrug, turning back to look at him. 0.00% 15:19 Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°When Azalea and I were little, the butcher used to offer us candy to help him in the basement. We never did. He always gave us strange vibes. We always thought there was something off with him, so when he would ask, we used to tell him Mrs. Daley gave us chores, which she did anyway, so it wasn¡¯t technically a lie.¡± ¡°You thought I was a creep?¡± he asks appalled, as he should be, no one would like being thought of that way which made me feel guilty yet as soon as he said it for some reason that memory came to me. ¡°No, just when you said you didn¡¯t eat candy it came to mind, it¡¯s just where my mind went for some reason,¡± ¡°Well, I am definitely not a pedophile. That I can assure you, and do you mean Doyle, that same butcher?¡± I cringe hearing his name but nod, looking back out the window. All that seemed like a lifetime ago, yet at the same time I would always remember every detail, remember it like it was yesterday, it only needed the right thing to trigger it and bring to the forefront of my mind. ¡°He¡¯s dead now. You don¡¯t have to worry about him,¡± Gannon says, and I swallow. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, though. I went down into the basement with him. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have, but Mrs. Daley said she wouldn¡¯t feed us for a week if I didn¡¯t help him bring the meat down to the freezers. I shouldn¡¯t have gone down there. We always made sure we were never around and made sure we were busy when the butcher came to drop the meat off, we both knew something was off about him,¡± I tell him. ¡°Then why did you?¡± Gannon asks. ¡°Because if I didn¡¯t, she would have made Ivy, I mean Azalea. Mrs. Daley used to make us share whatever scraps were left over. We hadn¡¯t eaten in three days. There was nothing left over. Mrs. Daley said if I helped him stack the freezers, we could eat with the rest of the children, so I went down there. If she said I would have gotshings if I didn¡¯t, I would have taken those instead, but we were hungry, and Azalea¡¯s back was badly torn up already. She couldn¡¯t take moreshings, and some were down to the bone. I just didn¡¯t expect what I got when I went down there,¡± I murmured. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it your fault, Gannon says. ¡°Anyway, Azalea found me afterward. We cooked dinner, and she fed us. We had a bowl of rice to share. Both of us were starving, yet neither of us touched it. That was the payment, a bowl of rice, Mrs. Daley then called us ungrateful, and Azalea,¡± I close my eyes. Guilt flooded through me and shame. ¡°Azalea took 39shings for me that night. It was only supposed to be five. Then Mrs. Daley made it forty, but I wasn¡¯t going to tell her she was one short,¡± ¡°Was it supposed to be five?¡± Gannon asks. I nod, feeling terrible, knowing how much she endured for me. ¡°Yeah. Mrs. Daley threw the bowl at her when we refused to eat. It hit her in the face and split her eyebrow open. When she brought the cane down, she used to have this whip that went around the handle, which was usually reserved for Azalea.¡± I tell him, sucking in a shuddering breath. A whimper escapes me at the memory of what she endured that night, just so I didn¡¯t have to. ¡°What happened?¡± Gannon asked. ¡°Mrs. Daley gave her the fiveshings, but when it was my turn, Azalea¡­¡± My face burns with shame at my next words. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sit, it hurt too much, yet Azalea was already hurt and still she did it,¡± ¡°What did she do?¡± Gannon asked. I chewed my lip and nced out the window as that night burned through my vision like I was right there all over again. ¡°She attacked Mrs. Daley so she wouldn¡¯t hit me with the cane. Azalea pped her, and I was so shocked I just stood there. We were petrified of that woman, yet Azalea pped her. She got another fiveshings for it, but then when it was my turn again, she got back up and hit her again, knocking her over.¡± Tears burned my eyes, and I could still see the blood gushing from Azalea¡¯s face where the bowl hit her. Azalea had worn my stained clothes because I couldn¡¯t bear to put them back on afterward. Mrs. Daley already whacked her good for that before dinner for wasting clothes. Only to suffer more for me. ¡°Mrs. Daley smacked her head on the coffee table. She had a nasty bump, she then sent me to my room, but I stayed on the stairs. Mrs. Daley said Azalea was going to get 40shings for messing up her face before the Alpha visit.¡± ¡°Forty Lashings?¡± Gannon asked, shocked. He growls when I nod. ¡°Most of the scars Azalea has are because of me. She always took most of my punishments after that. Mrs. Daley was brutal with her. That night Azalea copsed on the ground, and I watched as she just kept whipping her over and over until she wasn¡¯t moving. I thought she was dead. I waited for Mrs. Daley to leave, and I helped her clean up as she did me,¡± I tell him. The car was silent for a few seconds until i couldn¡¯t handle his silence any longer or his burning aura. ¡°So, what did Damian want?¡± I asked him, changing the subject. ¡°They have Cassandra in the dungeons,¡± Gannon answers and I gulp, biting on my lip to stop it quivering. ¡°It¡¯s up to you what they do with her. That¡¯s what Damian called about¡± ¡°I get to choose her punishment?¡± I asked, horrified. Gannon grips the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white under pressure. 22.69% 15:19 0 ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything, you don¡¯t want to. You don¡¯t even have to see her if you don¡¯t want to. I can handle it when we get back it is up to you,¡± Gannon says. I swallow and nod. ¡°And the council? ¡°Kyson killed Denali and Kendrick. The other two he let go,¡± ¡°Why would he let them go?¡± I ask, confused. ¡°Because Mr. Crux has immunity. Despite Kyson hating him and Larkin he left alive, to serve as a reminder, that no one is untouchable. Denali and Larkin are from very prominent families,¡± ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Crux has immunity?¡± ¡°He has immunity because he is Azalea¡¯s cousin,¡± Gannon tells me. ¡°Then why isn¡¯t he ruling?¡± I ask confused. ¡°Because he was an illegitimate child to Garret¡¯s brother. Plus, Kyson always held out hope Azalea was alive and that one day he would find her. He refused to believe she was dead until he had proof,¡± Gannon tells me. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The Landeena¡¯s kept her a secret. Kyson knew he would be betrothed to any daughter they had, but for some reason, they never told anyone she was born. We never knew until we heard of their ughter and found the nursery.¡± ¡°So why did he think she would be alive?¡± ¡°Because Landeena, blood is special. When we learned, there was a child, and we couldn¡¯t find her, we at first thought the hunters took her ¡°But if hunters killed them, why would they want to keep the child?¡± ¡°Because Landeena¡¯s are venomous,¡± Gannon says, and my brows furrow. I look at him, and he sighs. ¡°Landeena blood is more potent than even the King¡¯s,¡± he adds. ¡°I am not sure what you are saying,¡± I confessed. ¡°They were the only ones that could make a human a Lycan. Lycan¡¯s like me, can turn a normal werewolf into a Lycan, but the Landeena¡¯s could change a human into a Lycan,¡± His words shocked me. ¡°Wait¡­ Does Azalea know this?¡± I ask and Gannon shakes his head. ¡°And you can¡¯t tell her, Abbie. Let Kyson do that,¡± ¡°I am not going to lie to her,¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to. I¡¯m just saying don¡¯t mention it unless she says something, just don¡¯t deliberately bring it up. Give Kyson a chance to tell her first,¡± ¡°Why are they different, though?¡± ¡°Because they were the first Lycans. They were created by gods, or so the story goes anyway.¡± ¡°So the Moon Goddess?¡± Gannon nods. ¡°But if hunters wanted to get rid of Lycans, why would they want to be one?¡± ¡°Same reason anyone would, to gain immortality. Landeena blood is the only blood that could make humans immortal. We believe that is why her parents kept her hidden from everyone except those in the castle,¡± ¡°They were worried someone would try to take her,¡± I state with a sigh. ¡°And they did,¡± Gannon says. ¡°So what, she just has to bite them?¡± ¡°Yes, there is a bit more to it, though. For me to change you, I only have to mark you ultimately, which is part of the reason why Kyson wouldn¡¯t do it. You could sire to him, basically be an extra mate. It¡¯s rare for that to happen when you already have a mate, but it has happened in the past,¡± Gannon exins. ¡°Can Azalea do it?¡± I asked thoughtfully. Gannon clenches his jaw but nods. ¡°Yes, but I would rather change you myself,¡± ¡°I know, but¡± 52.19% 15:19 ¡°You think you aren¡¯t worthy of me, but you are. I am the one not worthy of you, Abbie. I want to be with you. I don¡¯t care about your past or the shit that has happened. I told you I could wait for anything more as long as I can have you as mine. The rest we can figure out. Just let me love you. That is all I am asking for,¡± he says, cutting me off and bing angry. Gannon sighs heavily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just want to be the one to do it,¡± ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t ask Azalea.¡± I tell him and he lets out a breath. ¡°But-¡± ¡°But you still aren¡¯t sure you want to be a Lycan,¡± Gannon says. ¡°No. I was gonna ask if we could do it tomorrow and not when we got back home,¡± I tell him, rubbing my temples. ¡°Wait. You will do it?¡± Gannon asks. I look up at him to see his shocked face. I had been unsure, and he had asked multiple times, and the answer was always no. But thest day or so, I wondered if I should. I could be with Azalea, and I had Gannon. I loved Gannon, but I also worried he would get bored of me since I am not even sure I can have sex or be with anyone that way. At least not yet anyway, but would he still want me anyway. ¡°Yes, I will let you change me but do we have to¡± ¡°No. We don¡¯t have to have sex, Abbie, but you know it would eventually send you into heat with me marking you. Azalea changing you won¡¯t, neither would Kyson because he has a mate, but I don¡¯t have a mate. So I wouldn¡¯t just be changing you. I would be iming you. I just want to be clear on that. You will go into heat eventually,¡± Gannon says. I swallow and nod. ¡°I know, just, I want a little bit more time,¡± ¡°And you have all the time you want, and I don¡¯t have to do it tomorrow. I just ask if you are going to be a Lycan. When you choose that, I just hope you choose me to do it,¡± ¡°Okay. But we can tomorrow, I just want to check on Azalea first. Do you think she is awake? I wouldn¡¯t mind ringing her too since it will be toote to see her by the time we get home,¡± ¡°You can try her on my phone,¡± Gannon says, handing it to me. I take it from him, and he tells me the pin number to get in it. ¡°You know how to ring her?¡± I nod. I had plenty of practice, but when I noticed the time, I decided to send a voice text since I can¡¯t write, usually Gannon types for me. I open up the messages only when I do I see a picture message from a thread he was in. I gasp at the mutted body of a woman and Gannon looks at me. He nces down at the screen before trying to snatch the phone. ¡°I thought you were ringing her,¡± He growls, trying to reach for his phone. ¡°Why is ire on your phone?¡± I ask, staring down horrified at the screen. Why? I had no doubt it was her. I would recognize her face anywhere, it haunted my dreams, and I always wondered what happened to her. I hoped she got free of the pack but here she was dead on his phone screen. Yet as I scrolled through the photos, I began to feel sick. ¡°ire?¡± Gannon asks. ¡°Pullover. I am going to be sick,¡± I tell him, and he rips the car to the side of the road. I toss the door open, throwing up. I empty my stomach. Seeing her mutted body made me sick, and I dry heave when I had nothing left but bile. Gannon raced around the car, snatching the phone from my hand and pocketing it. He goes to grab me, but I take a step away and stand up. ¡°Did you kill her?¡± I ask, horrified, wondering why he would send that to Liam. ¡°What? No!¡± he says, stepping toward me, but I take another step back. ¡°Abbie?¡± ¡°Why is she on your phone?¡± I demand, and his brows pinch. Gannon pulls his phone out and looks at the screen. ¡°You know this girl?¡± ¡°Yes. Her name is ire. She was one of Kade¡¯s girls. Now answer me. Did you kill her?¡± I ask him. ¡°No. Of course not. She was one of the bodies we found, I sent it to Liam so he could forward them to the packs so we could try identify her. Wait * she is from Kade¡¯s pack?¡± He asks. ¡°Yes, I just said that. She was one of the rogues there. She worked in the brothel, I tell him. Gannon looks at his screen again and flicks through the pictures. He takes a deep breath and shakes his head. ¡°What?¡± I ask him. ¡°We found a nurse not far from ire but in the opposite direction.¡± ¡°You want me to look. You think they are linked?¡± I ask, taking a step forward. ¡°Just let me zoom in on her face. I don¡¯t want you seeing the rest,¡± Gannon tells me. I nod, already wishing I could unsee ire¡¯s body. He turns the screen to show me, and I stumble back, clutching my mouth, tears brim in my eyes. ¡°You know her?¡± he asks. ¡°She is the nurse who helped me escape. She undid my handcuffs,¡± I tell him and I choke on a whimper. Gannones over, wrapping his arms around me, and he kisses my hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, love,¡± he whispers, and I clutch the front of his shirt. He rubs my arms before pulling away from me ¡°We need to get back. I need to speak to the King and Damian about this,¡± he says, and I sniffle but climb back in the car, and he shuts my door. He gets back in the driver¡¯s seat before reaching over and grabbing a nket, a water bottle, and some mints. Gannon puts the nket over me, and I shakily open the water bottle, gulping it down. He turned the heater up, the night turning colder. Or maybe it was my shock because he was still in a shirt and didn¡¯t look cold. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you home,¡± Gannon whispers, pulling back onto the road. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Abbie A few dayster. I felt sick knowing Cassandra¡¯s life was in my hands. Gannon groans, sitting up on the couch he usually slept on. I tried to take the couch, but he always refused. He stretches, and his back cracks before he turns his head, cracking his neck and making my guilt worse. I set his clothes on the bed, having pulled on my uniform already when he noticed me. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Gannon growled, seeing the servant¡¯s uniform I was wearing. I look down at it, ttening the front. I had pulled a ck long sleeve skivvy on underneath it since the blouse opened a little along the neckline, revealing my mauled shoulder. ¡°I can¡¯t sit in this room all day, Gannon. I want to work.¡± I tell him as hees over to me. He starts tugging at the blouse, but I smack his hands away. ¡°You want to work? Fine, but not in this uniform. You aren¡¯t a servant,¡± he growls. ¡°What does it matter if I am a servant or not? rice is a servant! Do you think so little of her, too?¡± I ask him, and he seems taken aback by my words. ¡°What? Of course not, Abbie. A job is a job, no matter the status. I just don¡¯t want you in that damn uniform!¡± he snaps, tugging at the buttons and undoing them. ¡°Gannon, stop it! I am wearing it. Now leave me be!¡± I snapped at him. He presses his lips in a line but puts his hands up in surrender. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear that,¡± ¡°I know,¡± I tell him. ¡°Do you? You don¡¯t have to be a servant, you don¡¯t even have to work if you don¡¯t want to,¡± ¡°Why are you so against this then?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want you to think you are nothing more than a servant. I don¡¯t want you serving me like I am one of your chores,¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I tell him. He points to his bed where I set his clothes out, and bite my lip as he walks over to the bathroom and pushes the door open and growls seeing that I had cleaned the bathroom already and removed the dirtyundry. ¡°Really? Then why can I smell bleach?¡± he demands. ¡°I want a mate, not a house cleaner,¡± he says, pinning me with his intense gaze. ¡°And mates, do that sort of thing. They clean up after each other. Geez, Gannon, my dirty washing was in there too, and I sure as hell don¡¯t want one of the other servants cleaning up after me.¡± I tell him and he seems to think for a second. ¡°You could work in the library or the kitchens, or,¡± he pauses. ¡°The stables? Gannon, I want to work as a servant. I know what I am doing. Kitchens are full and the library? What use would I be when I can¡¯t read?¡± I ask him. ¡°Well, you cane with me.¡± ¡°I am not following you around like a lost puppy. I don¡¯t see what the big deal is,¡± I tell him, walking over and grabbing my ts and socks. I sit on the edge of the bed, bending down to pull my socks on when Gannon snatches them from my hand kneeling in front of me. He grabs my ankle cing it on his knee and I sighed, watching as he tugged my socks on. ¡°You know I don¡¯t want a servant either right?¡± I chuckle. ¡°Huh?¡± he says, looking up at me. I point to him putting my shoes on. ¡°And you are always opening damn doors and running my baths. I can¡¯t read that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t dress myself,¡± ¡°Is that why you think I do those things?¡± He chuckles, shaking his head and I shrug. ¡°Here I thought chivalry wasn¡¯t dead. Apparently it is just non-existent,¡± heughs, lifting my other foot to put the sock on. He kisses my foot. ¡°I do those things because I like doing them for you,¡± ¡°And same with me setting your clothes out and cleaning the room, and making our bed. It¡¯s our room, I should be able to clean it,¡± I tell him. 0.00% 15-191 ¡°Our bed and our room, huh?¡± Heughs looking up at me. My face heats at how casually imed his room as my own. He ces his hands on my thighs running them up to my hips before wrapping them around my waist. ¡°If this is our bed, I should be able to sleep in it then, right?¡± Heughs. I chew my lip. ¡°I¡¯m ying Abbie,¡± he says, leaning up and pecking my lips quickly. My face heats up impossibly more and he stands up. I look at the bed before looking back at him. ¡°Maybe you could sleep in the bed?¡± I tell him and he peers down at me. ¡°I was ying Abbie, I don¡¯t mind the couch,¡± he says, tugging his shirt off and recing it with the one I set out for him. When he was done he twirled his finger in the air, wanting me to turn around and I looked away while he removed his boxer shorts and pulled his jeans on. Gannon groans annoyed and I nce back at him as he does his zip up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The King wants to leave early. He and Azalea had an argument,¡± he says with a sigh. Hees over and presses his lips to my forehead before gripping my chin, forcing me to look up at him. ¡°There is no rush to do anything and if you want to clean the room, fine. I just don¡¯t want you thinking you have to, OK?¡± I nod and he smiles, dipping his face closer to see if I would pull away. When I don¡¯t he presses his lips to mine, softly and my lips part invitingly. Gannon groans pulling me closer, his hand going to the back of my head as he tipped my head back, running his tongue across my bottom lip first before his tongue delved between my lips, brushing mine gently. I kiss him back, wanting to let him have this small victory because right now that is all I could offer him. Gannon is gentle and sweet despite the hard exterior and sharp edges as well as the blistering hot energy he exuded. Safe is what I felt with him, and I trusted him inexplicably. Trusted him the way I trusted Azalea. His fingers massage the back of my neck as he deepens the kiss before pulling back slightly. He sucked on my bottom lip, nibbling on it. I chuckle and he smiles against my lips before pulling away and hugging me. I hug him back enjoying his masculine scent as his arms engulf my tiny frame. ¡°I will be back in a few hours and- A knock is heard at the door and I look up at Gannon whose eyes are zed over. He leans down, kissing my nose before stepping away. ¡°Azalea is at the door,¡± Gannon murmurs, and my eyes widen. I was excited to see her, but seeing her while she was asleep wasn¡¯t the same. I needed to hear her voice and hear her say she was indeed okay. Ripping the door open, I ran into her. Her arms enveloped me instantly ¡°More than my life,¡± she murmured. .¡± ¡°More than my life,¡± I whispered back. Hearing those words, to me, was the most soul-soothing thing. Most didn¡¯t understand ournguage, not like we did. Half the time we didn¡¯t need to speak, just the subtle facial movements, the way we moved, it spoke anguage only we understood. We read each other¡¯s bodynguage as if it was spokennguage. So the crack in her voice told me she needed the hug just as much as I did. Pulling back, I noticed the King leaning against the wall behind her, keeping watch and making me nervous. ¡°Ready?¡± The King asks Gannon, though his eyes never leave Azalea. And the way she sucks in her pursed lip as she tried to stop the action made me realize she was livid about something. ¡°Yeah, just need to grab my wallet,* Gannon says behind me, I turn toward the doors at the end of the corridor. Azalea leans her shoulder against me. Before she even got two meters past Kyson, the harsh intake of breath she let out told me she was trying to keep her emotions in check ¡°Azalea!¡± The King snarled. She ignores him and continues walking toward the stairs. ¡°Where are you going now?¡± the King asks. She doesn¡¯t bother answering and instead kept walking, and I press my lips in a line, a little worried. Azalea wasn¡¯t usually defiant, one thing we were very aware of growing up was orders were to be followed. Only the King was her mate and she looked like she was deliberately trying to push his buttons for some reason. ¡°Where are you working today? I wille work with you,¡± she says, ignoring her growling mate behind us. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet,¡± I tell her, walking down the steps with her toward the kitchens. ¡°Azalea, answer me!¡± The King bellows from the top of the stairs. Dustin, I noticed was waiting on the stairs for her along with Liam. He smiles softly at us while Dustin raises an eyebrow at Azalea who continued to ignore Kyson. I could hear him stomping down the steps behind us The King grips her shoulder, and she stops and growls at him. ¡°I asked you a question?¡± he said, looking annoyed. ¡°I asked you one too! I got my answer. Here¡¯s yours,¡± she said, turning back and stomping down the steps, she shoots him a look when she gets to the bottom. ¡°Trouble in paradise, my King.¡± Liam taunts. That crazy Lycan. Although, I actually think he may in fact be clinically crazy. ¡°Shut up, Liam.¡± Kyson snaps, and I was surprised at how angry he was bing just from Azalea ignoring him. Clearly, he liked being the center of attention with her. Yet Liam was the first to move in front of Kyson though, when he reached his hand out to stop her again. Kyson growled and it was so strange for me to see them put themselves in front of the King for her. Bound by a pack oath to choose her over him. However, I never realized it extended to his interactions with Azalea too. I would have to ask Gannon why next time I speak to him. Gannon¡¯s hand fell on Kyson¡¯s shoulder not even a secondter. My breath hitched in my throat when Kyson growled, turning his intimidating re on Gannon before he sighed. He looks down at Azalea who just raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°It was a simple question, Azalea. I just wanted to know where you are going, so I can ensure you have proper guards,¡± the king says while pinching the skin between his eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t know all my secrets now, can you?¡± she growls back before storming off. I hurry after her, wondering if she was talking about what Gannon told me the other day. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I ask her. ¡°Wherever you are going,¡± she chuckles when I catch up to her and loop my arm through hers. I giggle, but then again, she never goes anywhere, so I don¡¯t understand why he would ask. ¡°Liam you¡¯re with me, and Trey. Gannon is now watching the girls with Dustin,¡± I heard Kyson say as he reached the bottom of the steps. The King headed in the other direction. Liam huffs and growls, making both Azalea and I stop to look back at him. Gannon walks toward us with a silly smirk on his face. ¡°Great! See what your defiance gets me, my Queen. I have to hang out all day with his grumpy ass and ferret face fucker,¡± Liam taunts. Dustin snorts trying to maintain his expressionless expression. ¡°Liam! Now!¡± The King roars stalking off. ¡°I¡¯ming! Your royal pain in my fanny,¡± Liam calls while jogging after him. Azalea shakes her head at Liam, and Dustin moves to her side again while Gannon follows behind us. ¡°So what¡¯s up with you and the King?¡± I ask as we step into the Kitchens. ¡°Nothing. I just think he is hiding stuff. No. I know he is hiding stuff. I asked him about the council and what happened the other day and he never answered,¡± she says with a shrug. Oliver and Logan were sitting at the bench, chopping pancakes, and Azalea messed up Oliver¡¯s hair before eating a berry he holds up for her. ¡°rice is hanging washing,¡± Logan tells us. I smile down at them, while Gannon went over to help Oliver use a butter knife to cut the pancakes up that he was sawing at. Azalea looks in the fridge before pulling out some orange juice. She grabs some sses when Dustin clears his throat. She looks at him over the fridge door. ¡°Your smoothie,¡° Dustin says. ¡°I got juice,¡± she says, holding it up and Dustin points to the blender. Azalea rolls her eyes walking over to it. She grabs the jug before pouring the contents down the sink. ¡°My Queen, you know hemanded me to let him know what you are eating,¡± she pours her juice, uncaringly. ¡°What he doesn¡¯t know won¡¯t hurt him. Tell him I am happily eating the lies he feeds me¡± she says holding up the juice to him before drinking it. She ces some cups on the counter in front of the boys with juice and hands me one. She offers one to Gannon and Dustin but they both shake their heads when rice walks in from out the back. Gannon looks over at her from feeding Oliver some pancake on his little fork, before straightening up when she res at him. ¡°He needs to learn to hold the fork properly himself, Gannon, rice says, she clicks her tongue before leaning down and kissing Oliver¡¯s little head. *He was struggling ma, let me feed him,¡± Gannon says, sending him a wink. rice swats Gannon¡¯s ass with her tea towel before flicking the kettle on. ¡°Have you girls had breakfast?¡± rice asks. ¡°Yep. I had some home truths for breakfast,¡± Azalea says bitterly and rice gives her a look. ¡°And how did they taste?¡± she asks. ¡°Bitter, like the King,¡± Azalea mutters, sipping her juice. I snicker, she was indeed in a mood, making me wonder if it was the pregnancy hormones. You could just make out the slightest bump if you looked hard enough. Her belly no longer looked sucked in from malnourishment instead her belly was t with the slightest hint of a bump. It was trippy to see how fast Lycan baby¡¯s grew. ¡°I heard you and the King had an argument,¡± rice says. ¡°You did?¡± she asks skeptical, ¡°Pretty sure everyone heard you both fighting on the stairs before you went to get Abbie,¡± rice chuckles. Azalea cheeks turn slightly pink. ¡°Well, if everyone stopped keeping things that involve me from me, we wouldn¡¯t be arguing,¡± she says while looking around at everyone who averts their gaze as she says it. She bites the corner of her lip. ¡°You all know what he is hiding.¡± she states. rice busies herself with cleaning the sink. Dustin found a spot on the roof to stare at, and Gannon was shoveling food in Oliver¡¯s mouth so fast the kid looked like a cartoon character, as he chewed fast before swallowing and opening his mouth again. Azalea growls. ¡°Of course everyone knows but us!¡± she says, motioning toward me and Gannon looks at me and gives a soft shake of his head. That movement does not go unnoticed by her either when her eyes go to mine. I could never lie to her, and the knowing look on her face that I knew had me blurt it out like word vomit. ¡°Mr. Crux is your illegitimate cousin on your father¡¯s side. The council are suspected to be in with the hunters and your blood is special because you can change humans into Lycans,¡± i blurted. Gannon drops the fork he was holding and Dustin and rice gape at me while Azalea blinks at me, clearly shocked. Gannon growls before pressing his lips in a line. I had never intentionally lied to her, and I wasn¡¯t about to start now. ¡°How hard was that? Geez!¡± Azalea says, sipping her juice, and I let out a breath. ¡°Wait! Crux is my cousin?¡± she asks like that information she found the most shocking. ¡°Is that why he freaked out when he learned who I was?¡± she asks me, but I had no idea what she was talking about this time. I look at Gannon, who growis. *No. Because of your parents¡¯ gifts, they were probably worried you inherited them,¡± Gannon answers and rice hangs her head. ¨C ¡°What sort of gifts?¡± Azalea asks. ¡°I am sorry, I can¡¯t tell you that. And Abbie wasn¡¯t even supposed to tell you what she did,¡± he says, shooting me a look. Azalea looks at Dustin for an answer, not even he was willing to speak up about it. She puts her cup down and shakes her head. Tears burning her eyes. I wished I knew so I could tell her.¡± ¡°I am over this crap! They¡¯re supposed to be my family, and no one tells me anything about them. Yet all of you had no issues telling me what a shit mother Marissa was to me!¡± she says storming off out the back door. Gannon and Dustin go after her, but she spins around with a furious look on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me! And don¡¯te near me!¡± she snarled and I nearly staggered back at themand and Gannon rocked on his heels. She was gone before she even realized what she had done. None of us thought we could move an inch to go after her. ¡°Bloody hell!¡± Dustin says. *You bloody mindlink him! Because until she undoes it, neither of us can go bloody near her,¡± Gannon growls then rubs a hand down his face. ¡°Wait! Even me?¡± I ask, trying to go toward the door she walked out of. However, my feet wouldn¡¯t let me go in that direction. At that same moment, Trey walks inpletely oblivious to all us frozen. He was cupping his nose that was bleeding and walks over to the sink. ¡°I thought you were with the King?¡± Dustin asks. ¡°I was. Until Liam called me a ferret face fucker, so I hit him,¡± Trey mumbles. ¡°Idiot. You don¡¯t hit crazy.¡± Gannon says, and Trey res at him before looking around the room after cleaning his bloody face. ¡°Anyway, I was left behind,¡± he saysm shaking his head. ¡°Where is the Queen?¡± Trey asks ncing around for Azalea. Gannon and Dustin look at each other. ¡°Did you get hold of the King?¡± Gannon asks. Dustin shakes his head. ¡°He is blocking me out,¡± Dustin answers. ¡°Ah, hello? Where is the Queen?¡± Trey says, waving his hands. Gannon shakes his head. ¡°Shemanded us and none of us can follow her,¡± Dustin answers. ¡°She figured it out?¡± Trey asks, making me realize Azalea was right, everything about her was kept from us. ¡°Where did she go?¡± Trey said. Gannon growls and looks at the door. Trey snarls stalking off toward it when Gannon grips his arm. ¡°You aren¡¯t trusted to be around her,¡± Gannon says. ¡°I am thest person that would hurt her,¡± Trey spat back at him. ¡°Bullshit! You¡¯re not under the King¡¯s oath,¡± Gannon snaps. ¡°Yes, not under oath to the King. But to the Landeena¡¯s I am,¡± Trey snarls, shoving Gannon. ¡°Bullshit! You were a dick to her when Kyson chucked her to the stables! And always interfering with my shifts, Dustin exims. ¡°I thought she killed my charge that is why. I didn¡¯t know she wasn¡¯t Marissa¡¯s daughter. The King said she was. I believed him. If someone killed the King would you like them or their family?¡± Trey demands. Dustin looks at Gannon and Gannon tilts his head to the side watching him. ¡°Whose charge were you?¡± Gannon asks. ¨C ¡°Baby Azalea¡¯s. I was the one that reported Marissa. About her getting Azalea to call her mummy.¡± Trey says. ¡°Those reports didn¡¯t have your name on them,¡± Gannon uses. ¡°I had to fill out the same paperwork as everyone else did. You all know Ie from the Landeena Kingdom! Fuck! I helped search for her for years!¡± Trey snapped. ¡°I would never fucking hurt her,¡± he growled before stomping off out the door. ¡°Did you know that?¡± Gannon asked rice who shrugged. ¡°I knew he was from the Landeena Kingdom, and was in the castle. But I thought he was guard,¡± she answers. ¡°I¡¯m finding his documents. Mind link the King and get him back here,¡± Gannon growls. ¡°What? Why?¡± I asked. ¡°Because, if Trey is indeed pact oathed to the Landeena¡¯s, that means someone else in the castle was poisoning her. And we have been looking at the wrong person all this time,¡± Gannon says, storming out. Previous Chapter Next ChapterContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Abbie POV Gannon was off doing an errand for the King about something having to do with Trey. So he and Dustin were looking through archives. He had been nagging me about Cassandra and what I wanted to do about her, but I had no idea. I didn¡¯t like the idea of having someone¡¯s life in my hands. Yet when he went off with the King, I wandered around the castle. Going down to the wine cers, I was looking for the cobweb brush when I heard her calling out from the cells further down the corridor. The wine cer ran what appeared to be the entire length of the castle, with different underground corridors leading off in different directions, and the one to my left I knew went to the dungeons. Guards stood on either side of the arched tunnel leading to them, and I nced at them. They paid her no attention while she continued screaming out for them to set her free. Finding the cobweb brush, I head back toward the stairs leading into the kitchen¡¯s huge pantry. Only once I am halfway up do I stop. Cassandra had three children, which had been nagging at me. As much as I wanted the woman dead, I didn¡¯t want to punish her children for her crimes. Her husband and their father were dead, and her life is now resting in my hands. Leaning the cobweb brush against the stairs, I walk back down the steps, over to the corridor, and stop in front of the guards. ¡°Miss Abbie?¡± one asks, and I chew my lip, ncing toward the dark dungeons. ¡°Can I see her?¡± I asked, looking at the man. He had a mustache and light blue eyes that were almost white they were that light. He nces at the other guard, who had a full beard, dark eyes, and long hair that cascaded almost to the waist and was tied in two braids. ¡°One of us wille with you,¡± the other man says, and I nod. I start walking down the corridor when I hear her screaming out again, and I stop. Her voice grating in my head as memories of the same voice teased and taunted me while she would hold my head to stop me from trying to pull away from him. She was just as sick as him to do that to another woman. I hadn¡¯t realized I had stopped moving until the guard¡¯s hand fell on my shoulder. Only then did I realize I was shaking like a leaf. ¡°I¡¯m right here. She can¡¯t hurt you, Miss; I have mind-linked Gannon,¡± he says, and I swallow. ¡°Maybe this was a bad idea,¡± I murmured. ¡°It¡¯s up to you. No one will force you to go in there, Miss Abbie,¡± he whispers. I looked at the man, and his dark eyes looked ck under the dim lighting. I should feel embarrassed that he knew what she did to me, yet his gentle voice held no contempt, and I nodded my head but forced myself to keep going until I was stopped outside her barred cell. She sat in the cell¡¯s corner sobbing, her head in her hands and knees to her chest. Cassandra looks up, and I could tell she was about to scream out again, but her words die out when she sees me standing there. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re here to gloat?¡± she says, resting her head back on the brickwork. She turns her head away from me. She looked like crap, her nails all chipped, her hair a mess, her clothes wrinkled, and she had no shoes on. Turning to the guard, I hold my hands out for the keys, and he looks at me. ¡°Abbie,¡± he asks questionably. ¡°Keys, please.¡± I tell him, and he pulls them off the key chain and hands them to me. Cassandra looks at me and jumps to her feet as I put the key in, but I don¡¯t turn it. Instead, I noticed the bottled water just outside the cell door and pre-packaged sandwiches. I moved to the small table and grabbed two of the triangle packages and a water bottle before tucking them under my arm. My hands shook as I opened the cell, and my eyes went to her when I noticed the chain around her ankle that was attached to the wall. Cassandra watches me warily as I enter, closing the door behind me. This wasn¡¯t the same scornful, confident, and entitled woman I knew. This woman was helpless and looked petrified of me. She knew her life was in my hands. Gannon told her that much. I take a step toward her, and she takes one back, her back hitting the wall. I hold the water bottle out to her, and she looks at me funny, tilting her head to the side. She reaches forward and grabs it like she thought I would toss it at her. She opens the cap and starts gulping it down thirstily. When she was done, I handed her the sandwiches, which she took, and I watched her for a second before taking a few steps back and sitting next to the cell door. She watches me for a second before also sitting. ¡°Eat. You look hungry. I am not here to hurt you, Cassandra,¡± I tell her, and her lip quivers. She seemed shocked by my answer. ¡°Why not?¡± she asks, but peels the wrapper back on her sandwich and moans as she takes a bite. ¡°Because I am not you, I am not a monster,¡± I tell her, and she stops mid-bite and looks at me. She chews slowly and swallows, picking at her sandwich with her fingers. I observe her, and she can¡¯t be much older than me. Without all the makeup staining her face, she looked very youthful, making me curious about who she really was. ¡°How old are you?¡± I ask her. ¡°Twenty,¡± she answers with a sigh. ¡°Twenty!¡± I ask, knowing her oldest child was six years old. ¡°But Micheal is six,¡± I tell her, and she chews slowly and nods her head. ¡°I had him two days before my fourteenth birthday,¡± she answers, and I swallow. How different our lives have been, though that must have been tough to have a baby that young. ¡°I thought you and Kade were high school sweethearts?¡± Sheughed and shook her head. ¡°No, that¡¯s what he tells everyone. He is eight years older, although he doesn¡¯t look like it. I was one of his working girls,¡± she says with a shrug. ¡°But you just said you were fourteen when you had Michael?¡± ¡°Yeah, I was also a rogue. Kade took me in when he met me at another pack, I was ced when I was thirteen. He saved me.¡± my eyebrows raise at that. Saved her? Knocking a fourteen-year-old up is saving her? ¡°I know it sounds bad because of the age difference, but he saved me. I was to be sold off to another Alpha.¡± ¡°He brought you?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, and I worked at his brothel for a couple of weeks,¡± ¡°That is not saving you,¡± I tell her, and she looks down at her hands. ¡°I know, but it¡¯s better than who Alpha Dean would sell me to,¡± she says. ¡°Pardon, did you say Alpha Dean?¡± she nods. ¡°Yeah, my family was picked up outside his borders. He said I was old enough to be sold off, and he needed the money. He killed my parents right in front of me and handed me over to his son,¡± she says with a growl and shakes her. A lone tear slips down her cheek. ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°His son was done with me, and Kade was visiting. He offered me to Kade, but then Kade said he would buy me off him under the table, that no one had to know. They have been dealing in sales of the flesh ever since.¡± ¡°You mean trafficking?¡± I ask, and she swallows. ¡°I know what I did was fucked up, but,¡± she stops. ¡°When he brought me back, you figured I would rece you.¡± I tell her. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to go back to work, and I have children now. What would be of them?¡± she asked before stopping, hearing footstepsing down the corridor, she nces behind me and gets to her feet, and I hear a thunderous growl echo off the walls and I stand. Gannon steps up next to the guard. ¡°Why is she in there with her?¡± he demands, and the man steps away from him. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Gannon.¡± I tell him, and he looks at me, tearing his eyes from the guard. He sighs and twists the key in the lock, and opens it. Cassandra whimpers and presses into the corner further. I put my hand on his chest when he moves toward her. ¡°Back off,¡± I tell him, and he looks at me. ¡°You¡¯re not touching her,¡± I tell him. ¡°She helped him. How can you say that?¡± Gannon snapped at me. ¡°And she will have to live with what she did, she is a monster, but even monsters have a story, even monsters can feel, and I am not a monster, and I won¡¯t be responsible for her children being orphaned,¡± I tell him and I look at her. ¡°She is just as much a victim as I am,¡± I tell her, tears burning my eyes. Gannon growls. ¡°No!¡± he snarls. ¡°It¡¯s my choice. You said it¡¯s my choice.¡± I whisper, and he looks at me. ¡°She needs to be punished for what she did. She doesn¡¯t deserve to live after that.¡± He snarls, stepping toward her, and she whimpers, cowering away from him and I grip his shirt in my fist, making him stop. ¡°My choice, what she did was wrong, but-¡± I look at Cassandra. ¡°Fear makes people do foolish things. That is something I understand,¡± I tell him ¡°No, I am not letting her go.¡± Gannon snarled at me. ¡°You said I got to choose what happened to her, so mind-link the King.¡± ¡°Abbie!¡± ¡°No, Gannon, either you get the King, or go see Azalea. I won¡¯t allow you to kill her. She has kids, and I am not leaving them orphaned to suffer the same fate I did,¡± i tell him and he snarls. Gannon walks out of the cell, mming the door. Cassandra whimpers before she copses, her body shaking as she sobs. ¡°Thank you, thank you,¡± she cries. ¡°Go home to your children and forget about me Cassandra, I was never a threat to you, but if youe back, I will let him skin you alive like he wants to do, and I will hand him the tools while he does it,¡± I tell her. She nods, ncing at him and her face pales. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin your second chance. I won¡¯t give you a third,¡± I tell her before walking out of the cell. Gannon growls and looks away from me and I stop beside him and ce my hand on his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad,¡± I tell him. I¡¯m not mad at you,¡± ¡°Yes, you are, but that¡¯s ok. I don¡¯t expect you to understand my request,¡± I tell him and he sighs but cups my face in hand before pulling me closer. He kisses my forehead, hugging me tight, and I wrap my arms around his waist and look up at him. ¡°Kyson and Azalea are on their way down,¡± Gannon whispers. ¡°Thank you,¡± Azalea POV Kyson leads me downstairs, and we pass Trey with a notepad in his handter today we were going to visit mine and Abbie old pack after being poisoned I knew there was no way the King would leave me behind, to many attempts had been made on my life. Posioning, Cassandra and now having commanded the guard away and Abbie froming near me, there was no way he would risk leaving me on my own. ¡°Give it to Liam, and you¡¯re on guard with me today and Damian. Meet us in the dungeons,¡± Kyson tells him. Kyson led me to the back, where an enormous set of stairs led underground. Kyson kept a firm grip on my arm as we descended them because it was dark, and they were pretty steep. Once at the bottom, I look around and see this part is a vast wine cer. Kyson leads me around like he could walk this with his eyes closed and brings me to a dark tunnel, and I see Abbie, who goes running toward me before freezing like she hit a brick wall and became stunned. It was dark down here and cold, and I groaned, realizingmanded her too. ¡°You can go to her, but when we get home, we are going to have to work on you removing the command over them.¡± Kyson tells me. ¡°You will teach me?¡± I ask him. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± he grumbles, and I got the impression he didn¡¯t like me being able tomand anyone, making me wonder if I couldmand him, and that is why. Repeatedly I have heard Landeena¡¯s blood is special. They have gifts, but after the way he said it and the feeling through the bond, it made me wonder if mymand would be stronger than his. Reaching for Abbie, she stood frozen, and I rushed to her and hugged her. Abbie exined about Cassandra and everything that she and Gannon found out. I wished she coulde with us, but when I looked over at Kyson to ask, he was in the cells with Cassandra, his entire body tense, and I could feel he wanted to kill the woman but was respecting Abbie¡¯s wishes. Yet he was angered because she didn¡¯t just affect Abbie, but I was punished for it, and I knew she would not get off so easily. ¡°You will endure the same punishment.¡± I hear Kyson tell her. ¡°Kyson!¡± I called out to him. After hearing about Cassandra and Kysonmanding her to double- check what she said was true and confirming it, I felt the same as Abbie. It was clear Kade brainwashed her. To her, he was a hero, yet she was entirely aware of her wrongdoings and apologized countless times. She just wanted to go home to her boys, and I agreed with Abbie she was as much a victim as we were in all this. Kyson looks at me. ¡°Let her go; I am fine. Enough blood has been spilled. Leave it be,¡± I plead with him. Kyson growls and res at her, and she back away from him when he bends down, gripping the chain off the ground that wrapped around her ankle. He yanks it, ripping it clean off the wall. Cassandra shrieks, and my heart beats quicker, and I think he is about to whip her with the chain when he growls and drops it, but grabs her face. ¡°Youe anywhere near my mate or Abbie, or I hear even a whisper of their namesing from you, I will have my guard hunt you down and string you up, then I will make your boys watch as I kill you for it, understood?¡± she nods and whimpers. I feel his aura rush out, and she gasps like she is choking. ¡°You wille nowhere near Azalea or Abbie. You will never speak or utter their names again,¡± he says, his voice so calm it chilled me to the bone. She nods, and he shoves her away before turning to the guards, and his eyes fall on Dustin. ¡°Dustin, run her back to her pack and get back here and help Liam and Gannon,¡± Kyson orders, and Dustin steps into the cell and grabs her arm, dragging her out when Abbie runs over to a small card table and snatches some sandwiches off it and bottled water before chasing after them. 4299% 15-19 Dustin stops, and she hands them to Cassandra before shocking me and hugging her. Cassandra stood frozen and looked pained, probably because of Kyson¡¯smand not toe near either of us. ¡°Thank you,¡± I hear Cassandra murmur, and Abbie lets her go and wanders back over to me. ¡°That didn¡¯t feel right.¡± Gannon says, ring after the Cassandra. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been right either to punish her,¡± Abbie says to him before groaning when she tries to step closer to me. ¡°I wish you coulde with me. I don¡¯t want to go back there by myself,¡± I tell her, walking to Abbie since she couldn¡¯te to me. And y this tug of war. I can¡¯t move to you. Only you cane to me, that would be an issue, but it¡¯s ok. I don¡¯t think I could go back there, anyway. I never want to see that ce again,¡± Abbie says and smiles sadly. I felt the same way, but Kyson would not change his mind, and much as I was not too fond of going back there, it may also be a good way to put that ce behind me. ¡°Are the outside cameras installed yet?¡± Kyson asks while flicking through the notepad. ¡°Yes, but not hooked up on that side, but we have the far garden ones and front ones working. We should be able to see who went up that way.¡± Trey answers. ¡°Have Liam watch them while we are gone.¡± Trey nods, ¡°Also, rice wants to know if you want her to pack you food and drinks.¡± Trey says.. ¡°No, I will buy anything we need on the way. I don¡¯t trust anyone right now handling anything to do with Azalea,¡± ¡°Understood. I will let her know,¡± Trey says before rushing up the steps. We make our way to the dungeons. We had to go through the kitchens, and I could see rice busy going over sign-off sheet pages. ¡°My Queen, I am sorry. I will figure out who had ess, I promise. I will wash everything myself and sit by the dryer.¡± rice says. ¡°Thank you, rice,¡± I tell her, and she nods, hugging me. Kyson watches her warily. In fact, he watched everyone present in the kitchen warily, and his aura was deadly, making them cringe when we passed them, heading toward the colossal pantry that was nearly asrge as the kitchen. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Kyson led me to the back, where an enormous set of stairs led underground. Kyson kept a firm grip on my arm as we descended them because it was dark, and they were pretty steep. Once at the bottom, I look around and see this part is a vast wine cer. Kyson leads me around like he could walk this with his eyes closed and brings me to a dark tunnel, and I see Abbie, who goes running toward me before freezing like she hit a brick wall and became stunned. It was dark down here and cold, and I groaned, realizing!manded her too. ¡°You can go to her, but when we get home, we are going to have to work on you removing the command over them.¡± Kyson tells me. ¡°You will teach me?¡± I ask him. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± he grumbles, and I got the impression he didn¡¯t like me being able tomand anyone, making me wonder if I couldmand him, and that is why. Repeatedly I have heard Landeena¡¯s blood is special. They have gifts, but after the way he said it and the feeling through the bond, it made me wonder if mymand would be stronger than his. Reaching for Abbie, she stood frozen, and I rushed to her and hugged her. Abbie exined about Cassandra and everything that she and Gannon found out. I wished she coulde with us, but when I looked over at Kyson to ask, he was in the cells with Cassandra, his entire body tense, and I could feel he wanted to kill the woman but was respecting Abbie¡¯s wishes. Yet he was angered because she didn¡¯t just affect Abbie, but I was punished for it, and I knew she would not get off so easily. ¡°You will endure the same punishment,¡± I hear Kyson tell her. ¡°Kyson!¡± I called out to him. After hearing about Cassandra and Kysonmanding her to double- check what she said was true and confirming it, I felt the same as Abbie It was clear Kade brainwashed her. To her, he was a hero, yet she was entirely aware of her wrongdoings and apologized countless times. She just wanted to go home to her boys, and I agreed with Abbie she was as much a victim as we were in all this. Kyson looks at me. ¡°Let her go, I am fine. Enough blood has been spilled. Leave it be.¡± I plead with him. Kyson growls and res at her, and she back away from him when he bends down, gripping the chain off the ground that wrapped around her ankle. He yanks it, ripping it clean off the wall. Cassandra shrieks, and my heart beats quicker, and I think he is about to whip her with the chain when he growls and drops it, but grabs her face. ¡°Youe anywhere near my mate or Abbie, or I hear even a whisper of their namesing from you, I will have my guard hunt you down and string you up, then I will make your boys watch as I kill you for it, understood?¡± she nods and whimpers. I feel his aura rush out, and she gasps like she is choking. ¡°You wille nowhere near Azalea or Abbie. You will never speak or utter their names again,¡± he says, his voice so calm it chilled me to the bone. She nods, and he shoves her away before turning to the guards, and his eyes fall on Dustin. ¡°Dustin, run her back to her pack and get back here and help Liam and Gannon.¡± Kyson orders, and Dustin steps into the cell and grabs her arm, dragging her out when Abbie runs over to a small card table and snatches some sandwiches off it and bottled water before chasing after them Dustin stops, and she hands them to Cassandra before shocking me and hugging her. Cassandra stood frozen and looked pained, probably because of Kyson¡¯smand not toe near either of us. *Thank you.¡± I hear Cassandra murmur, and Abbie lets her go and wanders back over to me. ¡°That didn¡¯t feel right,¡± Gannon says, ring after Cassandra. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been right either to punish her,¡± Abbie says to him before groaning when she tries to step closer to me. ¡°I wish you coulde with me. I don¡¯t want to go back there by myself¡± I tell her, walking to Abbie since she couldn¡¯te to me. ¡°And y this tug of war. I can¡¯t move to you. Only you cane to me, that would be an issue, but it¡¯s ok. I don¡¯t think I could go back there, anyway. I never want to see that ce again,¡± Abbie says and smiles sadly. I felt the same way, but Kyson would not change his mind, and much as I was not too fond of going back there, it may also be a good way to put that ce behind me. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Kyson POV Azalea was in a strange mood. She was scared, not that she would admit it. I was kind of d to get out of the castle with her. At least she would be safe with me. Or so I hoped. I hope bringing her back to this ce doesn¡¯t dredge up unwanted memories for her or haunt her, especially after this morning. She knew I was keeping stuff from her, but I was only doing it to protect her, though some of it was for selfish reasons. Trey blurted that one out. ¡°Are you worried about returning here?¡± I ask her, but she shakes her head. Which only confirmed my original thoughts. She feared being at the castle. I was struggling to figure out who I could trust myself. Every lead we had was a dead-end, and I knew this one would be too. They always were, yet still, we investigated. ¡°What are you worried about, then?¡± ¡°Everything.¡± she murmurs. I could feel the weight and pressure on her. She had been thrust into a world she knew nothing about. Laws, kingdoms, and her own family history were a mystery to her. Then, on top of that, she was worried about Abbie. She was always worried about Abbie. Concerned about who was trying to kill her and why. But most of all, she was curious to know who she was, and as determined as I was to keep it from her, I knew she also needed to know. So I would start teaching her to use her Alpha voice even if it means hers would one-day overthrow mine. Yet feeling her through the bond, her nervousness and anxiety worsened the closer we got, and the overwhelming urge tofort her grew stronger. I wanted to touch her, put her mind at ease, and let her know she was safe with me. ¡°Come here.¡± I couldn¡¯t stop the edge of a growl escaping me, but she turned her head to look at me, pulling her attention away from the window. ¡°Seatbelt, Azalea. Sit up. Azalea. And now, you want me to remove my seatbelt toe to you?¡± she spits at me sarcastically while shaking her head. My little mate was growing more cunning. Her attitude I always found amusing until it was used against me. growl and unclip my seatbelt before moving toward her. Sliding onto the seat beside her and slipped my arm across her tiny waist and undid her seatbelt before looping my arm around her waist and dragging her onto myp. She growls, and I purr back at her. She would not escape me so easily. My hand snuck under her shirt to rest on her lower belly. The slightest bump fit in the palm of my hand. She sighs and rxes against me as I caressed it. I couldn¡¯t wait to watch her belly grow with our child, I couldn¡¯t wait to see what sort of mother she would be. I wanted a big family, and I wondered whether she shared the same thoughts. To me, her scent was like a balm, soothing yet also teasing, making my mouth water. She smelled sweet, cherry, and vani, and I couldn¡¯t exin the strange urges her scent enticed. I have never liked sweets, yet her scent was addictive and inviting. She smelled delicious. So I couldn¡¯t help the purr that slipped out and vibrated against her back. My calling works every time, and I love how she melts under it. At least, that is one thing I will always have that she can¡¯t resist. I bury my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. My cock grows hard beneath her, and I was d Abbie didn¡¯te. I felt like I hardly got time with her alone anymore, so having her so close and all mine, I couldn¡¯t resist the temptation her flesh was offering. My fingertips draw circles on her skin before teasing the waistband of her tights. My purr grew louder, and I could feel the effect I was having on her. Her arousal through the bond was intense and perfumed the small space in the limousine. Her scent became overwhelming. I was supposed to be distracting her and calming her, and all i managed was to work myself up. ¡°Kyson! Damian and Trey are in the front!¡± she hisses, gripping my wrist and trying to stop it from slipping lower. Ignoring her, I slip my hand beneath the waistband and cup her warm pussy with my hand. ¡°Kyson!¡± she squeaks, while squirming on myp. I groan as her ass brushes against my erection. Stroking the seam of her wet lower lips, she could deny me all she wanted, but she couldn¡¯t hide the feeling I was enticing out of her. Azalea squirms as my fingers tease her folds, drawing out moisture with each brush across her slit. ¡°Hmm,¡± i hum before shoving my finger inside her. Any words of protest she did have, die off as my thumb gently rubs against her swollen clit. Her legs open wider for me, and I chuckle, kissing her shoulder and withdrawing my finger that was slick with her arousal before sliding it back in and curling it deep within her. Her inner walls clench around my finger, and she moans softly, and her head rolls back against my shoulder as she gives in to the feeling I was building up with the friction. However, it was short-lived when I heard the screech of tires, and the limo slowed. I growl, peering out my window, and Azalea scrambles off myp. My hand slides out of her pants, and an angered growl leaves me as the cares to an abrupt stop. We were stopped by the side of the road, just outside the pack borders and men surrounded the vehicle. Snarling, I hear Damian get out of the car and listen to him talking to Alpha Dean¡¯s men, who were trying to refuse us entry. Reaching for the door handle, I toss it open and climb out. Six werewolves were arguing with him about there not being any announcement of our arrival. My aura slips out as I stare at the man with his qun pointed at Damian¡¯s chest. Damian snarls, unflinching, and daring the man to pull the trigger ¡°Issue?¡± I ask, shutting the door behind me. The other men were smart enough to back up, but one sniff of the air, and I could tell this man was the Beta. His scent was more substantial than the others, ¡°I would have thought after your Alpha¡¯s experience with stepping out of line and giving my men orders, that the rest of you would have more sense. Apparently not!¡± I tell the man whileing up behind Damian. His mud brown eyes flick to me over Damian¡¯s shoulder and he swallows. The other five had scampered off, leaving the Beta to fend for himself when they realized they were dealing with Lycan¡¯s and not random fleabag werewolves with no authority or rights. The man nces around, his curly brown hair blowing in his face when he realizes his pack members had abandoned him. ¡°No issue, my king. I didn¡¯t recognize you,¡± he stammers. Lie, the gs on the front of the limo showed our immunity. ¡°Did you have trouble recognizing my Beta too?¡± I ask. He pales, ncing at Damian, who held his signature smirk. * um ¡ª The Alpha, he¡­ the man babbles like an idiot. ¡°Your Alpha what? Told you to ignore hierarchy? To hold a gun to a Lycan¡¯s chest?¡± I ask the man. ¡°He said not to let anyone in without notifying him first,¡± the man stammers. Damian nces at me. ¡°Even the king¡¯s guard?¡± I asked. The man nods his head. ¡°Yes. Said that we must be prepared afterst time. Two of your men killed the butcher and Mrs. Daley and kidnapped two rogue children.¡± he says. ¡°You mean the pedophile I sent them here to kill? And the headmistress that mistreated your Queen?¡± I ask the man. The man shakes his head. *They were good people,¡± he ims, and my eyebrows rise into my hairline. ¡°Good people don¡¯t rape and sell little girls!¡± I sneered, and he opened his mouth and closed it quickly. His hand trembled and I snatched the gun from his grip before he identally set it off. I tuck it down the back of my pants before punching him, and Damian whistles and leans against the hood. Nothing angered me more than this twit thinking he could deny my men from entering packnds that were under my rule. He grunts, clutching his nose as blood sprayed out everywhere. ¡°Do not forget your ce, Mutt! And it will always be beneath a Lycan¡¯s feet! You dare tell my men they can¡¯t enter on the ground I own again and I will have you tossed out and made rogue. Then you will see how your Alpha treats rogues,¡± I tell him. He nods, his eyes darting to Damian before he mutters an apology, and I turn, shaking my head and climbing back in the car. Now, why are Alpha Dean and Alpha Brock so worried about my men and meing here? Maybe this trip wouldn¡¯t be so pointless after all. 1 slid across the seat, muttering to myself, and my temper rippled just like my aura. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Azalea asked me. Just border controls, forgetting who they are speaking with,¡± I answer. She nodded, and we started moving again, yet the further we got into the sleepy town that was in the middle of nowhere, the more anxious Azalea became. My earlier mood was gone and reced with anger for their Alpha, thinking he could tell me I couldn¡¯t enter without notification. Who does he think he is? ¡°Abbie told me Katrina took over the orphanage?¡± Azalea asks, snapping my attention to her and out of whatever mood I slipped into. *Yes, after Mrs. Daley left,¡± I tell her, not wanting to tell her Gannon skinned the woman alive and hung her in the basement. The pictures he took made my stomach turn; Gannon was one sick bastard. I shook the thought away and watched as she chewed her lip. ¡°What are you thinking right now?¡± I ask her, and she rubs her belly without realizing it. I tried not to smile at how she cradled the slight bump in her hand, ¡°I wondered if the children would still remember me,¡± she says. ¡°You want to go back there?¡± I asked, a little shocked. She shrugs, chewing on her fingernail, looking unsure. ¡°I think I do,¡± she finally answers. ¡°If we have time on the way home, we will stop in there,¡± I tell her. ¡°So we are just here to see the Alpha?¡± Azalea asks. ¡°Yes. And once we are done, I will take you to see the children if you like.¡± she nods, her eyes bing a little ssy. I wasn¡¯t sure if she missed the children who lived there or because she knew she wasing back to this ce and it scared her. 20.96% 15:20 I knew this ce haunted both her and Abbie. And after the tortures they endure at this ce, I was once again second-guessing bringing her here. It took another ten minutes before we pulled up out the front of the Pack house. Alpha Dean and Alpha Brock stood waiting out the front on the porch. However, when Azalea nced out her window and looked at them, her mood shifted through the bond. Her eyes burned brighter, flickering, and almost glowed, her jaw clenched as she red past me and out the window. Climbing out of the car, I was surprised when I heard her door open. We had discussed she would wait in the car with Trey, but she got out. The convoy of cars also pulled up, and my men jumped out to secure the perimeter. Trey jumps out of the front passenger seat with Liam and Liam shut her door while Trey moved behind her. Damian nces at me, but I shrug, wondering why she suddenly wanted toe inside. Her mood had changed so swiftly I struggled to decipher the weird mood she was in, but seeing the two Alphas had awakened something within her. The Alpha walked down the steps, holding his hand out to me, and I could hear Azalea walking around the other side of the car to me. ¡°What a pleasant surprise,¡± Alpha Brock says, his eyes glinting before moving to Azalea behind me. His lips part, and Alpha Dean also pauses to stare at her. It took me a second to realize why they had paused. Her aura was magnificent, so strong andmanding. She stops beside me, and Alpha Dean¡¯s hand shakes as he offers it to her, and I hear Damian huff when she doesn¡¯t take it and just stares at it like it was diseased. ¡°Lovely to see you again, Ivy,¡± he says warily, ncing at me. Azalea waves his hand away. I don¡¯t know where this sudden confidence came from, but I enjoyed seeing the power she was using. ¡°That¡¯s Queen Azalea, to you, Alpha. Now move,¡± she says, pushing past them and walking up the steps. They gaped at her, and Liam rushed ahead of her to open the front door. I had no idea what was going on with her, but I would run with it to see what else she did. The two Alphas all but fall over themselves, chasing after her and offering her coffee or tea, but she ignores them. Stepping into the foyer of the ce, she snarls at them. ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t trust you not to spit in it! And we aren¡¯t here to chat, we are here for ¡± she nces at me, and my eyes ze over, and I mind-link her. ¡°Looking for all the rogue reports. And to go through their archives,¡± I tell her. If she wanted to handle this, I would let her because I don¡¯t think she realized what she was doing, and I liked seeing the sudden fear on their faces that she invoked by using her aura. These two men who were responsible for nearly destroying her but were now falling over themselves, trying to appease her. She tells them what she is looking for, speaking clearly and confidently. ¡°We don¡¯t keep such files, lv¡­My Queen,¡± Alpha Dean corrects himself. Azalea raises an eyebrow at him. And I could see Trey smiling behind her. He leaned down to whisper to her, and she nced at him. They gape at her, and I can¡¯t believe they had the audacity to lie when they had no issue trying tobel her as a traitor. And I knew very well that the archives were kept in the basement. *Your archives are kept in your basement. And you should have reports of every rogue that steps over your borders. If not, that is an infringement on your behalf, and if it is simply you refusing to hand them over that is punishable by death. Beheading sounds good?¡± She says, looking at me. ¡°As you wish, my Queen,¡± I answer. ¡°So which is it, you don¡¯t have the archives I have requested or you don¡¯t want to hand them over? Either way Alpha, you seem to find yourself in a direct vition of Lycanw and your next answer determines the severity of your punishment,¡± she says staring at them both. I had no doubt Trey was feeding herws through the mind link. Both Alpha¡¯s stumble over themselves to answer. ¡°What we meant is that we haven¡¯t dug them out. We weren¡¯t aware of your arrival or the King¡¯s. If you come back in a few days, we could have them ready,¡± Alpha Dean answers her. ¡°If I wanted you to dig them out and remove any incriminating evidence, we would have called prior. But seeing as your pack is under investigation for the mistreatment of rogues, I don¡¯t want you handling any such evidence or give you a chance to get rid of itpletely.¡± she tells him. ¡°Mistreatment of rogues, my Queen. Whatever happened with Mrs. Daley. I assure you, your King has seen to her punishment,¡± Alpha Dean tries to say. She ignores his rambles. ¡°I would also like to see my files and Abbie¡¯s. So if you could point me in the direction of your basement, that would be very helpful,¡± she says. Alpha Brock nces at his father before motioning down the hall, looking very ticked off he was being ordered around by her. Azalea follows them to the stairs and up the corridor at the side before stopping at the door next to the steps. Alpha Brock opens the door and nces at his father ¡°May we ask what you are looking for exactly? Most of the files down here are outdated and have nothing of use to anybody.¡± he asks, and Damian answers. 2010 ¡°What we are here for is of no concern to you. She told you already. So if you would step aside,¡± Damian says. ¡°We can show you down. It will be easier if we help, and ¡­¡± Azalea growls, and her aura has him pressing against the wall. ¡°You heard my Beta. Now step aside, Alpha,¡± she sneered, thest word ring at him, daring him to speak against her. He swallows. The charged air around her was so thick and angry I fought to remain where I was. Now that¡¯s my Landeena Queen! The Alpha quickly stepping away from her and Liam goes down first to check the ce before signally it was clear. Azalea looks at me and opens the mind-link again and I knew she was waiting for permission. ¡°Go on. If you want to take over, I won¡¯t stop you,¡± I tell her and she quickly steps inside and starts descending down the steps. I stroll past the Alphas when Alpha Dean stops me. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are we in trouble, my King?¡± he asks. ¡°That¡¯s for her to decide,¡± I tell him before following after my mate. Azalea POV Stepping into the basement, the ce was stacked to the ceiling with boxes of files, no order, nothing, just boxed and stacked. I did not know what I was looking for, and I had no clue where to even start. Damianes up behind me, leading me to a table in the center and flicking a smallmp on. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I stuck my nose in. It made me mad when I saw them,¡± I admitted to him. I was unsure where my bravado came from, but seeing my old Alphas ticked me off, and I hated how they made me feel lower than dirt, and I wanted to return the favor. ¡°No, you did well,¡± Damian says when Kysones down the steps. I waited to see if he was mad that I kind of just took over when I was supposed to remain in the car with Trey. I wasn¡¯t supposed to step foot in here at all. Yet when he came down thest step, he had a silly smile on his face as he strolled over to me. *Ah, this will take forever,¡± Liam growls, rifling through boxes. Kysones over, ces his hands on my hips, and buries his face in my neck. But Liam was right. This would take days to go through. ¡°So, what do you want to do now?¡± Kyson asks, and I look up at him. ¡°Pardon?¡± I whisper. ¡°You¡¯re in charge, boss. So what now?¡± he asks, brushing his nose across my cheek. Igasp, looking around. Kyson purrs behind me before tapping my hip with his hand and wander about the huge basement before stopping having no clue, it would take days.. ¡°Can we take them?¡± I ask Kyson, and he nods. ¡°For real, my Queen? You want me to cart all these boxes up?¡± Liam whines, jutting out his bottom lip and pointing to Trey, ¡°He wants to do it,¡± Liam whispers, and I chuckle. ¡°No, I. ¡°I press my lips in a line. There were hundreds of boxes down here. I look up at Kyson, and he shrugs, not offering any help. ¡°You¡¯re in charge, and I¡¯m not helping. So what are you going to do, my Queen?¡± Kyson says, and I peer back around the room. They wouldn¡¯t fit in the cars. There were too many. I nce at the steps leading up before walking past Kyson and back up the steps to the main house. Alpha Dean and Alpha Brock stood by the doors, looking terrified of the two guards beside them. Seeing them ground my gears, the humiliation of being put on that podium in front of the entire town square while they threw stuff at us made my blood boil as I remembered thest time I saw them. ¡°Have you got a trailer?¡± I ask them. They both shake their heads. ¡°Find one.¡± I tell them. ¡°You want us to find a trailer?¡± Alpha Brock asks, looking at his father. ¡°Don¡¯t look at him. Find a trailer, I said.¡± I snapped, and he growls, the noise cutting off when I growl back at him. Only mine was a lot louder, and the power behind it almost made me gasp and jump before I contained those urges of shock. I felt the power ooze out of me, my auraing out like a shield and suffocating the Alphas. ¡°You will find a trailer and attach it to the car. Then you wille back here, and you and your father will cart every box and piece of paper from that basement and stack them in it.¡± I tell them. ¡°Every box?¡± Alpha Dean says. ¡°Are you hard of hearing, Alpha Dean? Do I need to repeat myself?¡± I asked him, and he shook his head. Turning to the guards beside them, dropped my aura and spoke to them. ¡°Make sure they bring every box up. And if they miss one, Kill Alpha Brock.¡± ¡°Yes, my Queen,¡± they nod, and one smiles like he would enjoy that job. I go to leave when I pause to see Kyson leaning against the wall. ¡°Oh, and once they have attached the trailer, they have 18 minutes to cart them up,¡± I tell the guards. ¡°18 MINUTES!¡± Alpha Brock exims. ¡°Yes. Because 18 years is a wonderful age to kill innocent rogues, so I give 18 minutes to cart those boxes up.¡± I tell him. ¡°And if we don¡¯tplete it in that timeframe?¡± Alpha Dean asks. ¡°I suggest you get it done, and you won¡¯t have to find out,¡± I tell him before turning on my heel and walking out. Stepping outside, I let out a breath. It was exhrating holding the control, yet also petrifying. Adrenaline made my heart rate quicken and flutter in my chest ¡°Now what?¡± Kyson asks me. I bite the inside of my lip and look around and I see Alpha Brock rush off to his neighbor¡¯s house. ¡°Will the guards make sure they retrieve everything?¡± I ask, and Kyson nods his head. ¡°Then can we go to the orphanage?¡± ¡°Are you asking?¡± Kyson says with a devious smile on lips. I swallowed, ncing at Trey, who raised an eyebrow at me and nodded toward Kyson. I shake my head and cringe, looking up at my mate. ¡°No. I want to go to the orphanage, so we are going,¡± I tell him. I was turning away from him when he grabs my arm. My heart lurches in my chest, thinking I pushed him too far, demanding him. Yet he only turns me to face him before his hand slips to the back of my neck, and he leans down while tilting my head back. His lips crash against mine, his tongue demanding as it invades my mouth, forcing my lips to part. He kisses me hungrily, his tongue tasting every inch of my mouth before he pulls away and smiles. ¡°I like it when you¡¯re bossy,¡± he purrs. ¡°You say that now,¡± I tell him. ¡°For now,¡± he smiles, grabbing my hand. He kisses the back of it before draping his arm across my shoulders. We walk to the orphanage since it wasn¡¯t that far from the packhouse. It was odd walking through the streets; this ce no longer gave me the same fear it used to. It looked different, run down. People stared as we headed toward the orphanage and I paid them no mind, ignoring their curious gazes. Once there, I stopped, staring up at the building I once called home. The ce should be condemned, yet the kids all stopped as I stepped over the little brick fence. Most recognized me and rushed over, trying to touch me and pull me to y with them. ¡°Ivy! Ivy!¡± they called, trying to get my attention. Katrina, hearing themotion, rushed out the front doors, looking somewhat frazzled. ¡°Katrina!¡± I gasped before moving my way through the kids. I smack into the front of her as her arms wrap around me. ¡°Oh, sweet girl¡± she gushes, hugging me tightly. Katrina was the only one that was nice to Abbie and me. She holds me at arm¡¯s length, checking me over. Her fingertips trailed over my shoulder, which was a little exposed. The ends of thesh marks on my back poke out the top. She smiles sadly, tears brimming in her eyes, and she sniffles. ¡°How¡¯s Abbie?¡± she asks. ¡°She is okay.¡± I tell her, and she nods and wipes her eyes. ¡°You look good, sweetie,¡± she says, hugging me again. One of the kid¡¯s tugs on my shirt, and I pick him up. ¡°Hey, Jack¡± i beamed at him. He yed with my hair, tugging on it gently. ¡°Where is Abbie? She didn¡¯te to visit us?¡± He pouts. He was seven years old and was missing his two front teeth. His blonde hair is tied in a bun on his head, ¡°No, she couldn¡¯te,¡± I tell him, and he nods sadly. Katrina leads us inside and turns the kettle on. ¡°Kyson said you¡¯re in charge now?¡± I tell her. She nods, and I look around the kitchen. It was the same. I started reaching for mugs and setting them out, and I could feel Kyson watching me. Katrina fussed, telling me not to help her, but I shoed her away, telling her to sit. She sighs and sits down heavily in a chair. ¡°Yep. But the Alpha cut back rations again. This ce is falling apart, and Dad is sick, so I am back and forth,¡± she says. ¡°No one to help?¡± | ask. ¡°Margretes over when I ask, but you know how she is. I swear I could run this pack better than that twat, he keeps saying he hasn¡¯t got the money to put in this ce, I checked his finances for him the other week again and he has gambled everything,¡± katrina tells me, and I nod, passing her and Kyson a cup of tea. Margret was one of Mrs. Daley¡¯s friends, and she hated children, even her own. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your father?¡± I ask her. ¡°Dementia. He needs a full-time carer now, but I can¡¯t with this ce, and mum is just as bad, so she is no help, and I haven¡¯t got the funds to pay for one.¡± Katrina tells me. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you girls kept up with all the chores here either,¡± she says, shaking her head. ¡°We didn¡¯t have a choice,¡± I tell her, and she nods. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ivy. ¡°Azalea,¡± Kyson corrects her, Katrina could call me what she likes, but she nods her head. She was the only person here that was actually nice and tried to help us, but she couldn¡¯t because Alpha Dean always had a soft spot for Mrs. Daley, despite Katrina actually having Beta blood. ¡°Don¡¯t be, and it¡¯s not your fault,¡± ¡°I could have done more.¡± I shake my head when one kides out and looks around. Tyson starts babbling. He had some disability that was never diagnosed because Mrs. Daley believed you could beat disobedience out of a child and saw speech impediment as disobedience He motions toward his mouth, trying to speak, but ites out in grunts and growling. ¡°I never know what he is trying to say.¡± Katrina says as he squeezes his fists, shaking as he bes frustrated, grumbling loudly. I reached into the fruit bowl, looking for an apple that wasn¡¯t squishy. I clean it on my shirt and pass it to him. ¡°Apple,¡± I tell her. Abbie and I learned distinct noises meant certain things to him. He babbles excitedly and takes it, rushing off. ¡°Apple,¡± she says with a sigh, and I sip my tea and nod. ¡°He likes the crunching noise they make, and he hates cornkes, so don¡¯t give him those. He has a meltdown, Tyson doesn¡¯t like the texture,¡± I tell her, and she quickly jumps up and grabs a notepad from the fridge. She jots it down, and I tell her a few more noises he makes and what they mean. ¡°Man, I wish you and Abbie could stay here a while to show me,¡± she says. Kyson shakes his head instantly and I don¡¯t think I could even if he lets me. Too many bad memories here and I knew this ce would give me nightmares when I went home. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¡°I have to take dad for brain scans next week I am hoping the Alpha wille over like he said. He said he would watch them for me,¡± she sighs ¡°Brock, what did you have to give to do that?¡± I ask, and she blushes, not looking happy about that. I click my tongue, already knowing the answer ¡°No one else?¡± I asked her, and I could only imagine what she had to do for her to get him over to watch all these kids. ¡°We can try to help find you some help?¡± Kyson offers, and she looks at him hopefully. ¡°Please. No one is willing to help, and I have my examsing back up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re back studying ounting?¡± I ask her. ¡°Trying when I get a chance,¡± she says. I smile sadly before I ce my cup in the sink and nod, knowing we will have to leave soon. ¡°You mind if I look around?¡± I ask her, and she shakes her head. ¡°Of course not, but upstairs is a little messy,¡± she says. Walking back to the main hall and into the living room, I see the kids huddled around the tiny box TV in the corner. ¡°How many kids are here now?¡± I ask her. *111, Katrina answers. I sigh, looking around. The ce is falling apart, and suddenly wish I could take them with me. Katrina couldn¡¯t look after them by herself, and this ce was falling apart. I swallow, taking the set of steps upstairs, while Katrina tries to settle the kids that were bing rowdy with afternoon tea approaching. I look in all the rooms to see they are dusty; the beds are not made, and clothes piled on the floors. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kyson asks me, following me around. ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow.¡± I tell him. I don¡¯t know why I came up here, yet I swallowed as I stopped at the stairs leading to the attic, dread filling me. That was mine and Abbie¡¯s room. How often were we forced to crawl those stairs after ourshings or our chores? It felt like a lifetime ago, yet also yesterday, everything is still so fresh. Kyson touches my arm, and I jump, stuck in my memories. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asks before turning to Liam and Trey. He nods toward the stairs and they go back down them. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I tell him, blinking back tears. He looked like he wanted to say something, but I grip the broken banister and force myself to climb the steps. The door handle jiggles in my hand as I push it open. ¡°Why did you want toe up here?¡± Kyson asks, looking around at the small space. It was the same, everything left untouched. One filthy mattress we shared, one tiny dirt-covered window, and a bedside dresser. That was it. I went to the bedside dresser and opened the top drawer. I found a spaghetti ne that one of the kids made for us and an old tunic. I hold it up and look at it. We hated these dresses and the stupid peasant skirts she would make us wear. ¡°Azalea?¡± Kyson whispers behind me. ¡°It¡¯s mine and Abbie¡¯s room¡± I tell him. My voice sounded distant to even my own ears. Anger boils in my veins as I peer around the small tight space she kept us in. The other side was used for storage and had a cupboard that Mrs Daley would lock us in. ¡°Azalea, are you alright?¡± Kyson asks, and I nce at him. He is turning the wooden chair that sat in the corner. Suppressed memoriese back about why that chair was up here. We had broken one simr, trying to get the Christmas stuff out of storage. Mrs. Daley made us hold the damn thing above our heads, saying we needed to know the weight of the burden she carried having to look after us. Most would think it¡¯s just a chair, but both of us holding two legs each above our heads for hours, we learned even the lightest things be heavy after hours. Each time we would drop it, she would hit the back of our legs with her cane. Seeing Kyson move it, the sound of it screeching along the floor made rage burn through me. I growl, snatching the chair from him, and Kyson jumps, startled, as I toss it at the shitty little window. ss rains down everywhere as I stalked toward the chair. Yet my focus was solely on destroying the damn thing, like if I destroyed it, it would erase the memory. Erase Abbie¡¯s cries as her knees buckled from the cane. I picked it back up and started smashing it into the floor. Breaking it to pieces, the wood splintering off with each crash on the floor that shook under my feet until Kyson grabs my arms. ¡°Hey, shh, shh¡± he says, ncing down at the chair leg in my hand. He grabs it. ¡°Give it to me, Love,¡± he says softly before he takes it from me. My hands shook as I caught my breath and Kyson cups my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. His eyes watching my face as tried to regather myself. Yet this ce, it was like I never left it. Some part of me would always be trapped in this ce. ¡°I hate this ce! Hate her! I hate what she did to us!¡± I cried, bursting into tears. I hated this ce, hated everything about it, hated that one ce could haunt and stain so much of my heart of and soul, like it was screaming out to me telling me it would always hold me here and I would never escape it. The floodgates opened like I had been holding everything in for too long. ¡°She ruined us.¡± I sobbed. a 90% 15:20 ¡°No, love. She ruined nothing. And you¡¯re safe now. She is dead, she can¡¯t hurt you no more, this ce is just a ce,¡± he says, hugging me. I bury my face in his chest, feeling like an idiot. It was just a chair. I broke a perfectly good chair. I inhale his scent, letting it calm me before ! chuckle, knowing how many whippings I would get if Mrs. Daley heard me crying. Kyson probably thinks I lost my damn mind, and even ! questioned that possibility. I sniffle, feeling stupid and childish. ¡°You okay?¡± he asks and I nod, wiping my face and ncing around the small space and the broken chair. I needed to leave. I couldn¡¯t stay in here any longer. It hurt too much, and I wanted out, suddenly feeling ustrophobic. I rushed down the steps needing air, feeling like the walls were closing in around me and that I was going to wake up at any moment and everything had been a dream, and I was really stuck here still. Kyson chases after me, and I rush through the kitchen and burst into the living room, headed for the front door. But the faces of the children had my feet halting. Trey and Liam looked over at us, rmed, and Kyson nearly ran into the back of me as I halted. Little eyes peered back at me, and Katrina stared also startled. ¡°Azalea, dear, are you okay?¡± she asks, but I shake my head. I was not okay, but as I nced around this dump, I was no longer trapped here. But all these children were. I look at Kyson in desperation. He seems to get what I wasn¡¯t asking out loud. ¡°No!¡± he exims, his eyes going wide. I tilt my head to the side, but he folds his arms across his chest and shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯m not asking!¡± I tell him, and his lips part and he nces around at the children. ¡°No! What am I going to do with all these kids?¡± he hisses at me, but I ignore him and turn to Katrina. ¡°Ring the bus depot and find a driver,¡± I tell her, and she seems confused. ¡°You want a bus?¡± she asks. ¡°Yes. Maybe two. I am taking them with me,¡± I tell her, and she gasps, rushing over to me. ¡°You want to take all the children?¡± she asked, ncing at Kyson behind me, who was fuming. ¡°Yes. So ring the bus depot. I want a bus here now,¡± I tell her, turning to face Kyson. He growls but nods to her, and she rushes off. ¡°Are you insane?¡± he asks, and I look at the children. ¡°Either I stay, or theye,¡± I tell him. ¡°What are we going to do with all of them?¡± he asks. ¡°Some of the Lycan families might take them in¡± Trey offers, and I nod. ¡°And where do you think I am going to put them?¡± ¡°The castle is big enough,¡± I tell him. ¡°Azalea!¡± he growls. ¡°No! You said I am running things here, and I say they areing. Now get on board my King, or get out of my way,¡± I tell him. He growls. ¡°Yes, I said that, but I didn¡¯t think you were going to bring an entire orphanage back with us!¡± ¡°Fine. You tell them then. Say no to them, Kyson,¡± I tell him, motioning toward the kids. He swallows and nces at their little faces and I smirk, knowing very well he wouldn¡¯t or could utter those words. He presses his lips in a tight line. ¡°Fine!¡± he growls, and Liam chuckles. ¡°Come on, kids. Uncle Liam is helping you bust out of this crap box! Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Liam says, waving to all the kids to follow him. They nce around at each other and look at Kyson, unsure. He sighs and shakes his head. ¡°Go on then. Follow Uncle Liam!¡± he says, motioning them to follow him. The kids don¡¯t need to be told twice and rush after an excitable Liam and Trey. Iughed, following them. ¡°Where to my Queen?¡± Liam calls. ¡°The town square. There is a bus stop.¡¯ I tell him. Katrina races out on the phone, telling the driver to come to the town square. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I love you.¡± Kyson growls, grabbing my hand. Iughed before racing after the kids and tugging Kyson along with me. When we arrived back at the town square, I could see the Alpha still loading the trailer. Alpha Brock nced over, noticing the children. He snarls and stomps over to them. ¡°What are you all doing here?¡± he snarls, and Liam growls at him, making him jump, having not seen him. Alpha Brock backs up with his hands up while the minute¡¯s all stand frozen in fear. It angered me that they feared him. ¡°Seeing as you are still stacking boxes, I am assuming you didn¡¯t make the 18 minutes time frame?¡± I ask him, walking through the crowd of children. we got dyed,¡± he mutters. ¡°See, thest box. Everything is there,¡± he says, pointing to his father, who was He backs up further, ¡°No. Um cing a tarp over the trailer ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I asked. I asked if you did it in 18 minutes?¡± his lips part, and he nces at his father when one of the guards steps forward. ¡°That is thest box, my Queen. But no, they didn¡¯t get it done in the timeframe,¡± he answers, and I nod, turning to look at Alpha Brock. ¡°Hmm¡­ On the stage, both of you!¡± I ordered, my voiceing out strong along with my aura, which I was finding more effortless and easier to use. They both rushed up the steps and stood at the top of them. ¡°My King. is this really necessary? We did what she asked.¡± Alpha Dean says. ¡°But you didn¡¯t. Your Queen gave you 18 minutes, and you didn¡¯tplete the task in that time frame.¡± Kyson answers him as I wander over to the fruit stall that was just closing its shutters. ¡°How much for all of it?¡± I ask the elderly woman. She jumps, not seeing mee up behind her. ¡°You!¡± she sneers, pointing her withered old finger at me. *Excuse me?¡± I ask her. ¡°You! The rogue girl!¡± ¡°My name is Azalea Landeena! You will address me as so unless you want to join your Alpha!¡± I snarled. She stutters out an apology. ¡°Now I asked you a question. How much for the lot of it?¡± ¡°You want the entire shop?¡± she asks. I shake my head. ¡°No, just the fruit and vegetables,¡± ¡°lum¡­ just take what you want.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to send you broke, ma¡¯am. Despite yourck of manners,¡± Kysones up behind me and touches my shoulder. ¡°We have fruit at home,¡± he whispers, and I nod, picking up a tomato. ¡°I know¡± I tell him, turning around, tossing it in the air, and catching it as I walk and stop in front of the stage. ¡°Kids,¡± I call out, and they all turn to face me. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Grab some fruit,¡± they rush off, taking fruit from the shelves. They all return as the buses pull up. ¡°Now, to show you the same dignity you showed me, Alpha,¡± I tell them. Some of the children are eating their fruit while I chuck my tomato at the Alphas. My tomato hit Alpha Brock square in the face, stting with an audible sound and covering him in tomato juices. Alpha Brock growls when Treyughs before screaming. ¡°Food fight!¡± Like a mini-army, the kids turn. Their eyes light up with mischief as they toss their fruit and vegetables at the Alphas. Who try to dodge their attacks but can¡¯t step off the small stage. When they are finished, I tell the children to grab more fruit to eat as a snack on the way before helping load them onto the buses. Once that is done, I wander back over to the Alphas covered in bits of fruits and vegetables and juices. ¡°You will both step down as Alpha until a new one is appointed. And ¡­¡± I looked at Kyson, needing his help: I wasn¡¯t sure how to strip someone of their title. Kyson¡¯s aura rushes out, bringing them both to their knees. ¡°I King Kyson of the Valkyrie Kingdom, hereby strip you Alpha Dean and Alpha Brock of your Alpha titles! I dere you both the very thing you despise so much. I dere rogue until you are epted into another pack or your new Alpha deres you pack!¡± Kyson says, stripping both of them of their titles, ¡°Wait! Wait! I will do better!¡± Brock begs, wanting to step off the stage, but he is stuck under my command. ¡°You may approach¡± I tell him, and he jumps down and falls to his knees in front of me. ¡°Please! Please! I will do as you ask! Anything!¡± he begs, and I look at Kyson, who shrugs and tells me it is up to me. I bite my lip. Yet he had a point. They needed an Alpha. ncing around, Katrina held up her hand behind Liam. She was technically Beta blood, and she was studying ounting. I smirk, knowing there was nothing more that Alpha Brock would hate more than having to answer to a woman. ¡°You answer to Katrina now. And until she deems you fit, you remain as rogues. You will also make sure she has time to finish her course and help her any way she asks.¡± I tell him. ¡°She is a woman!¡± Alpha Brock snaps at me. ¡°Yes! But she now so much more than that. She is your Alpha!¡± I tell him, and Katrina smirks and folds her arms, and I look at Kyson, knowing he was the only one right now that could make this happen. He would have to teach me to give someone their titles because I had a funny feeling it wasn¡¯t the same as stripping them of their mate bond. And I was right. Kyson waves Katrina forward and gets her to kneel, and he slices his palm, letting his ws slip out on his other hand. ¡°Open your mouth open,¡± Kyson tells her, and she obeys. He squeezes his fist, letting his blood drip into her mouth. Before he says a pledge, she repeats it before dering her as Alpha. She gasps, clutching her chest, and falls backward on her bottom, and I could feel her aura slip out stronger than before, showing she was now in charge. Alpha Brock roars, getting to his feet, and he charges at her, and she res at him, rising to her feet calmly. ¡°Sit!¡± she orders, and he freezes, falling on his ass. Alpha Dean hung his head, looking ashamed of his son¡¯s behavior. I was shocked at how easy it was for Katrina tomand him. I hoped it got easy for me like that, and I would be able to haveplete control of my aura andmand as she did. He fell to his knees in front of her, doing as shemanded. Once Kyson was sure Katrina had both Alphas under control, he escorted me back to the Limo and I climbed in the back and slid across the seat. My hands shook with adrenaline and I felt a little giddy. The feeling wearing off as the car started. I nced out the window as the bus and the cars followed, however the bus headed down a different street, as the orphanage street was too narrow for the bus, with its low hanging trees to fit. We slow a little as the orphanagees into view out my window. That ce will never hurt anymore children. I unclip my seatbelt and tap on the window. Trey wound the ss window down and I told them to stop. The car does and one of the other cars follows after the bus, while the other three stop behind us. I open my door when Kyson grips the back of my pants. ¡°You don¡¯t need to go back in there. There is nothing there for you anymore,¡± he whispers, but I wanted no remnants of this ce. ¡°I know,¡± I tell him and he lets me go and sighs. I climb out as do the guards, taking positions around the cars. Treyes over to me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I shake my head, moving toward Liam as he steps out of the car. ¡°Have you got a lighter?¡± I ask knowing he smoked. He lifts an eyebrow at me. ¡°Terrible habit. Shouldn¡¯t smoke when up the duff,¡± he tells me and I roll my eyes and hold my hand out for the lighter. ¡°I¡¯m not smoking.¡± I tell him, and he pulls a packet out before lighting a smoke. ¡°Since we have stopped,¡± he says, handing me the lighter. I step over the gate, and Kyson grips my arm. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Making sure no more kids evere back here.¡± I tell him, shaking his arm off. Guards rush ahead of me as I walk around the outside of the building to the small garden shed out the back. Kyson follows but just watches me as I reach above the low hanging tin roof for the padlock key. I feel around before pulling it down and unlocking the padlock. Ducking my head, I step inside and see a red jerrycan. I grab it off the small shelf and shake it to find it had a bit of fuel left in it for the mower. I crack the lid and the fumes confirm it is indeed petrol. Stepping out of the garden shed. Kyson gasps,ing over and snatching it from me. ¡°You are not ying with petrol!¡± he growls. ¡°Give it to me.¡± I tell him, holding my hand out. But he refused. ¡°Give me the lighter. I will do it,¡± he says, holding his hand out. I didn¡¯t care who did it, as long as the ce was reduced to nothing but soot and ash. I hand him the lighter when Liam bounces on the balls of his feet like an excited kid in a candy store. ¡°Can I help? Liam likes ying with fire.¡± he says, his eyes sparkling mischievously. I nce inside the small shed when Liam clears his throat behind me. ¡°No fuel needed. I always have lighter fluid,¡± he says and I look at him over my shoulder to see him rummage inside his jacket. ¡°Here, hold this,¡± he says, passing me a knife. ¡°Ah, and this,¡± he says, dropping a pistol in my hand. Kyson growls, snatching it from me. ¡°Liam!¡± he scolds him. ¡°It¡¯s in here somewhere,¡± Liam mutters, pulling out an apron covered in blood. He sniffs it and pulls a face. ¡°I was wondering what that smell was!¡± Liam mutters, chucking the apron over his shoulder and rummaging around some more. ¡°Ah, found it!¡± he announces, holding up a bottle of lighter fluid. He then turns to Trey, who was watching him, like Liam was a madman. ¡°Here ferret face fuck, hold my shit!¡± Liam says, dumping his apron and taking the knife from me and his pistol from Kyson. He loads up Trey¡¯s arms, before removing his jacket. ¡°Genuine leather. Can¡¯t ruin that,¡± Liam says, dumping it in Trey¡¯s arms. Kyson growls as Liam skips like a kid to the back door. He gives a ninja cry, before kicking in the back door, and Kyson shakes his head. ¡°Can¡¯t take this idiot anywhere.¡± he curses, stalking after Liam with the jerrycan in hand. Trey nods for me to follow him. ¡°Think that man needs a psych evaluation,¡± Trey mutters to me and nudges me with his elbow. Iugh, following Trey back out the front with the guards surrounding us ¡°Call the fire brigade. Don¡¯t want it getting out of control,¡± Trey tells one of the guard¡¯s, who pulls his phone out. Leaning against the hood of the limo, I listen to Liam singing at the top of his lungs inside the house. I also hear ss shattering before hees to the front window on the top floor. He waves and Iugh before waving back. ¡°That man is unhinged,¡± I tell Trey as Kysones out, shaking his head. He reeked of petrol fumes. Kyson stops beside me. ¡°The fool is going to kill himself one day,¡± Kyson says, when Liam suddenly sets the curtains of the room on fire, with the lighter he stole from Kyson. He starts cat calling out the window and dancing. ¡°Liam, get out of there! The room is on fire, you twat!¡± Kyson calls out and Liam stops the weird ass fire dance he was doing. The entire room goes up and he yanks the curtain rod of the window. ¡°You smell smoke?¡± he asks, smiling, and showing all his teeth. Kyson shakes his head again, as Liam climbs out the window, dancing on the roof and chanting about fire gods, or some crap. The room beside him catches on fire and Liam rubs his hands together, getting ready to jump off the small porch roof, when he suddenly vanishes. I blink before hearing a crash, as he fell through the porch roof. He groans sitting up, while Trey erupted inughter. Liam holds his hand up. ¡°I¡¯m okay!¡± he announces before rolling on his side. A tile falls off and hits his shoulder before shattering on the ground. ¡°That hurt my fanny!¡± he says, rubbing his butt and skipping down the steps when the entire porch copsed. ¡°Wow! Talk about in the nick of time!¡± Liam says. ¡°I swear, you have nine lives!¡± Kyson tells him with a shake of his head. We watched the ce burn, the roof caving in and the air filled with ck smoke. Once we heard the sirens on the way we climbed in the limo, knowing they would contain what was left of the burning rubble. But as the wind carried the smoke away I felt myself rx, as if it was also carrying my past with it. Ivy was no more. Mrs. Daley was no more. I knew my past and what we endured would always remain, but the sense of relief that came with watching that ce burn gave me ¡°hope, that maybe the memories would one day fade. Maybe they wouldn¡¯t hurt as much. Kyson reaches over and squeezes my hand, and I look at him. ¡°Ready to go home?¡± he asks, and I nod. I was ready to go home, and for once the castle felt like home, as much as I was petrified of going back knowing there was someone there trying to sabotage everything, ruin me. It still didn¡¯t bring the fear this ce did. And for once I felt free. Free of everything and this ce. Free to try to move on. Because one thing I knew, if I could survive eight harrowing years here, I could survive anything. Nothing breaks a soul more than being suppressed. Nothing breaks someone more than being shackled and trapped in a repetitive loop of torture. Kyson and I had our differences, different beliefs that came with different upbringings, different views of how we should be. Kyson was raised with a silver spoon, while I was raised with whips and canes. Both of us had our own struggles to contend with, and I knew what Kyson struggled with most was insecurities. While what I struggled with most, what was beaten into me, engrained making me meek and fearful of everything, something I was trying to work on, yet you can¡¯t beat a dog every day and expect it not to flinch when you pat it. Everything takes time, but I knew Kyson could be patient. I just had to remember I had to be patient with him, too. I knew, I knew little about who I was, but I trusted Kyson would eventually teach me. As much as he angered me, I did trust him. And after today and him letting me have control, I trusted he would also one day let me find my voice. The one that was squashed and was suppressed living here. So with those thoughts in mind, yes, I was ready to go home. Home was something I never thought I would have, but now I realized home was anywhere Kyson was. We met up with the bus at the first service station on the way out of town, which was waiting parked on the side of the road for our convoy. The bus followed us back to the castle. I felt terrible for all the children being cooped up on the bus that long. Although we did stop twice to let them burn off some energy, and at thest stop, the children were bing too rowdy, so Liam climbed on the bus with them. When we finally reached the castle, it was early morning. We had arrived and were pulling into the castle when Kyson shook my arm to wake me. ¡°We are home, Love,¡± Kyson whispers, and I yawn. It was still dark outside, but the castle was lit up like a Christmas tree. ¡°rice and everyone set up the ballroom as a sleeping quarter for the children,¡± Kyson tells me, and I was d he thought ahead. I was too busy sleeping and forgot they would need somewhere to sleep. Kyson however, seems to think of everything. I climb out of the limo, and Kyson grips my arm to steady me since I was still half asleep. The bus door opens, and Liam stumbles out, nearly getting knocked over as the kids rush out behind him. He stumbles past us. ¡°I need a fucking drink!¡± he growls, looking worse for wear as he makes his way inside. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Abbie POV rice had told me Azalea had kidnapped the orphanage children. Hearing this, I finally left the room. I wanted to see the kids, and I wanted to help. All day I spent building bunk beds and setting up the ballroom, and we changed it into a makeshift orphanage, though it was far more morous than anything they were ustomed to. My mind kept wondering if Tyson would be among them. I refused to have hope. Kade had promised to get him for me, and I now realized it was only ever a way to get me toply. A false promise, another lie he fed me, and I foolishly believed. What if he wasn¡¯t amongst them? What if Mrs. Daley killed him with her cruel punishments? He was just a boy. My sweet boy. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ask Gannon. Some part of me didn¡¯t want Tyson to be used as a weapon against me, another false promise and another way to crush me. I knew Gannon was nothing like Kade, yet that fear lingered that I would be blinded by my heart¡¯s desires, which we all now knew overrode any logical or rational thought. I didn¡¯t trust my own decisions, didn¡¯t trust my instincts anymore because they were constantly wrong. Gannon followed me everywhere, helped wherever he could, and it felt good doing something. It upied my mind and removed the memories, even if only temporarily. ¡°You okay, Love?¡± Gannon asks, touching my shoulder. I flinch, not hearing him sneak up behind me. He was helping drag in toy boxes from the Lycanmunity. They had all sent any spare clothes and toys up to the castle until the King could order things in. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± I tell him while fitting the sheet to the bed. ¡°Abbie, you haven¡¯t stopped. You should have a break,¡± Gannon says. I shake my head, grabbing the pillowcases and pillows. ¡°Abbie!¡± Gannon says, gripping my wrists. ¡°Stop. You need to have a break¡± he says just as the guards yell out that the King has returned. They¡¯re here! Excitement and hope bubbled up within me. Gannon sighs loudly and lets me go when I try to pull my wrists from his grip. I race across the castle, hearing them piling out their excited voices growing louder. ¡°What the heck is going on out here?¡± rice yells out. The kids, not hearing her, continue to rush around, and the castle staff look overwhelmed when I walk out. I stick my fingers in my mouth and whistle loudly, calling for their attention. Something Azalea and I used to do when they got too rough or too loud back at the orphanage. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The kids froze and nced in my direction. The way their eyes lit up made emotion choke me before they rushed at me. I smile and am nearly knocked over when they spot me, all trying to hug and touch me, Reaching for them, I try to say hello to each one, grabbing them and hugging them when I hear a noise I had only dreamed of hearing again. Tyson weaves through the crowd, hands pping as he makes his grunting noise. He was alive! He was still alive. My hands reached for him, and I grabbed him from the ground, clutching him tightly. I bury my face in his neck and inhale his scent. His hand moves to my face, brushing my cheek. He was skinny, skinnier than when I left him. I could feel all his bones, yet he was here. ¡°I missed you, mister,¡± I murmur, and he makes his grunting noises, bouncing in my arms when I notice Azalea. I tried to move to her but couldn¡¯t, so I had to wait for her toe to me since I was still trapped under hermand. She wraps her arms around me, and I hug her, tugging her closer. ¡°You got them out.¡± I whisper, wiping my tears. Azalea nodded sadly. But now we had to find homes for them all. ¡°Katrina?¡± I ask. ¡°Now, Alpha,¡± she tells me, and I struggle to hide my shock, yet I am happy regardless. She would be an excellent Alpha. The Kinges up behind her, and I nce at him behind her. He ces his hand on her hip and pecks her cheek before he reaches over and messes with Tyson¡¯s hair. Tyson stares up at him before sucking on his thumb. ¡°They never have to go back?¡± I ask worriedly as I look at all the kids rushing around. ¡°Nothing to go back to,¡± Azalea tells me. I stare at her, wondering what she means. ¡°I made them burn it to the ground. It¡¯s gone, Abbie. All of it,¡± she tells me, and tears burn my eyes, flooding my vision. ¡°We are never going back?¡± I choke, tears slipping down my cheeks. ¡°Never! We are home now,¡± she told me, and I clutched her tighter, pulling her into a hug with one arm. ¡°More than my life,¡± I whisper. ¡°Forever more than my life. We have a home now, Abbie, and we have set them free,¡± ¡°We are free,¡± I say, sniffling. Though what was free? Because I knew I was, but somehow I was still trapped in the past. ¡°Free,¡± she repeats. I wipe my face before clearing my throat. ncing at the children who rice was trying to get their attention. Azalea and I both stick our fingers in our mouths simultaneously and whistle. They stop, all freezing. ¡°Line up and settle down. You will wake the entire town,¡± she yelled out at them. They all immediately line up into four rows. I shake my head and sigh, some things remain the same, yet the kids listen, and when rice ps her hands loudly, they straighten up. ¡°Now we have breakfast cooked and ready for you in your new room, but everyone has to be quiet and use your inside voices,¡¯ rice says. The kids all remain quiet before she turns on her heel. ¡°Now follow me. Quietly!¡± She calls out to the kids, and they file in after her. I follow behind them. When I spot Gannon, I blink down at Tyson. He won¡¯t win if he tries to make me; I won¡¯t choose. I was not letting him go now that I got him back. He would not take him from me. As go to pass him where he stood at the doors, he stopped me with a hand on my arm. ¡°Who is this?¡± he asks, shucking Tyson under the chin to look up at him. Tyson sniffs the air, and he must be able to smell my scent on him because he then waves and grins at him. *This is Tyson. And Tyson, this is Gannon,¡± I introduce them, smiling down at Tyson when he pats my cheek with his tiny hand. Tyson makes one of his noises, and Gannon smirks. ¡°Hello, Tyson,¡± Gannon tells him softly before cing his hand on my lower back. I follow rice, my heart thudding in my chest as I try to keep up, yet as I see rice taking the kids to the ballroom, I know I would be expected to leave him there. I wasn¡¯t losing him again. I would die before I allowed someone to take him from me again. He was mine, and Gannon either epted that, or we called it quits. Tyson wasn¡¯t up for discussion, rice walks through the double door past the kitchens, and I look at Gannon before looking back ahead. However, instead of heading toward the ballroom. I stopped at the stairs, heading toward our quarters. ¡°Abbie?¡± Gannon asks as I climb the stairs. I don¡¯t answer. Instead, I just keep climbing the stairs, and I know Azalea is following me. She knows I want Tyson. She knows I love this boy as if he were my own. Gannon races up the steps behind me, but I keep walking to our room. ¡°Abbie!¡± he calls out. ¡°Abbie, where are you going?¡± he yells. ¡°Tyson is mine. I want him,¡± is all I say. I wasn¡¯t asking permission. He either epts it or loses both of us. Gannon scoffs, but I ignore him and continue walking. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Gannon POV Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Is she being serious?¡± I whisper to Azalea behind me. ¡°Now she got him back. She won¡¯t let him go. And if you make her choose, you won¡¯t win,¡± she tells me, and my lips part. I nced down the corridor. She had already disappeared. Is this why she had been in a strange mood? ¡°What do you mean, now she has him back?¡± I ask, turning my attention to Azalea. ¡°Abbie was his primary carer. She raised him since he was newborn,¡± she tells me. Fuck! I never gave much thought to kids, but damn, this was abrupt. I sigh, and Kysones up the steps. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kyson asks, and I look at him. ¡°Looks like I have a son,¡± I say. I wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about this, but I won¡¯t refuse her if this is what Abbie wanted and needed. Without looking back, I turned on my heel and jogged after her. ¡°Abbie is pregnant?¡± I hear the King ask Azalea behind me, and I roll my eyes. That would require us mating, and that definitely hasn¡¯t happened yet. And I also didn¡¯t see it happening anytime in the near future. It is only a couple of times that she has let me sleep next to her, and each time I woke to find her on the couch, It upset me but I knew she struggled with touch, scents, and everything in general when it came to men. However, having her in my room, I was thankful for. It meant she somewhat trusted me, despite what she had been through. ¡°No, Tyson!¡± Azalea tells him. ¡°Ah, wait. You both know we can¡¯t keep them all, right? rice has the two boys already, and now Abbie has Tyson. You¡¯re pregnant. I am not running a boarding school here!¡± Kyson tells her, just as I turn the corner to our quarters. I rush to my room and open the door, but she isn¡¯t there. My brows furrow as I check the bathroom, wondering where she went when I hear a babbling noise from out in the hallway. Turning around, I follow the noise to her old room. Knocking on the door, the room falls quiet, and I grip the handle pushing the door open to find her sitting on the bed. Tyson was still attached to her hip and eating a candy cloud she had pinched between her fingers, his little lips sucking the sugar off while she held it, watching him. ¡°I am keeping him. And I understand if you don¡¯t want kids. And I know he is a special needs child, so if you aren¡¯tfortable with it, I understand. I will ask Azalea to move me elsewhere if it bothers you,¡± she says dismissively as if she thought I would toss her away over him ¡°It would have been nice to be asked,¡± I tell her. ¡°I¡¯m done asking. I¡¯m done begging. It gets me nothing, Gannon. I won¡¯t lose him, and I won¡¯t give him up.¡± she tells me, hugging him tighter. She sniffs his hair and kisses his cheek. ¡°What do you mean? I never denied you anything, Abbie, nor would l!¡± I tell her, and she looks up at me before looking down at him. ¡°Kade promised. He promised, so I stayed. I stayed quiet. I stayed on the promise I would get Tyson back. Everything was going to be okay when I got him back, only he never kept that promise,¡± she says. Tears slip down her face and her lips quiver. Tyson is why she never said anything, why she remained. It wasn¡¯t just the bond. ¡°Tyson is a deal breaker, just like Azzy, Gannon. Don¡¯t make me choose. You won¡¯t like the answer,¡± she whispers. ¡°Like Azzy?¡± I ask her, and she nods, her eyes softening as she stares at him through her tears. ¡°More than my life,¡± she says. Tyson babbles, leaning down to gnaw at the candy cloud between her fingers as I step into the room. I lean down, brushing his hair with my fingers. ¡°And you¡¯re more than mine,¡± I whisper, and she lifts her head. ¡°More than my life and if he is part of yours. Then he is now mine also,¡± I tell her, and she blinks at me before swallowing. Her lips part, and she stares at me as if wondering if she heard me right. ¡°Come on, he needs a bath and is clearly hungry.¡± I tell her, holding my hands out for him. She looks at my hands. ¡°No one will ever take him from you, and I will kill anyone who dares try to take our son,¡± I tell her. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving me,¡± she breathes out. ¡°Never!¡± I tell her, taking Tyson from her. I set him on my hip before offering my hand to her. She slips her on mine, and I pull her to her feet. Tugging her closer, press my lips to her temple before walking out of the room with her and Tyson. I spot Liam smirking as he stands near the door of his room as we pass. ¡°I hear I am an Uncle brother?¡± he says, and I smile down at Tyson. ¡°That would be correct.¡± ¡°I will go make him some food while you get him settled then,¡± Liam says, and I nod, watching as Abbie pushes our door open and walks to the bathroom to run him a bath. 15 Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Gannon POV A few weekster. Our room looked more like a ygroup, and it was driving me insane. Everywhere I stepped, I was stepping on toys or Legos. Abbie was always quick to clean up any mess, but Tyson was a tornado. I groan as I push the door open, step into the room, and find crap scattered everywhere. I kick off my shoes, leaving them by the door. Abbie looks up at me as I enter before fiddling with the toy in her hand. I had juste off the night shift. Abbie sat on the floor with Tyson in herp as they yed with Lego. Nervously, I move across the room, cing my phone on charge while I debate how to tell Abbie. Tyson wouldn¡¯t be sleeping in the room with us anymore. Yesterday the delivery arrived, and I didn¡¯t know how to tell Abbie that her old room had been converted into Tyson¡¯s bedroom. It would start an argument; I knew that much, but our room was too small for all these toys, and I was sick of sleeping on the couch because the kid was a helicopter and decided he could spin around in his sleep. I make it across half the room without my shoes, ying Russian roulette with the scattered Lego pieces, and I lose miserably. A growl escapes me as I bend down, picking the tiny Lego from my foot. Sighing, I look around at the chaos that was supposed to be my ce of peace. ¡°Hey,¡± Abbie says, chewing her lip and looking up from the Lego she was putting together. She stares at the Lego piece between my fingers, and I drop it back into the stic tub she stores them in. Tyson climbs out of herp, rushing over to me, his tiny arms wrapping around my legs as he garbles at me, wanting me to pick him up. Grabbing him, he smacks my face and chest as I ce him on my hip. ¡°I think it is time you get your own room,¡± I tell him while he pats my forehead with his palm before rubbing it on my cheek. I think he liked the feel of my stubble as he babbled excitedly, viciously rubbing his palm on my face. I grab his wrist, kissing his palm. ¡°Wanna see your room?¡± I ask him, and he bounces in my arms. ¡°I¡¯ll clean up.¡± Abbie says, mistaking my words that he made the room messy, which wasn¡¯t an issue. Kid¡¯s y and make a mess, but it was starting to bother me that I hadn¡¯t been alone with her in weeks. Liam set it up with Dustinst night for me while I worked. I didn¡¯t have the patience for t packs. Though Dustin looked like he was about to near wet his pants with excitement as he helped me carry up the boxes. He then volunteered himself and Liam, who looked horrified at having to do such a task. ¡°Want to see your new room,¡± I tell Tyson, ignoring Abbie as I turn for the door. ¡°What?¡± she says, but I was already walking out of the room to her old one. Her feet bashed the floor as she chased after me. She reaches for Tyson, trying to take him from my arms, but I hold him a little tighter. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she snaps as I grip the door handle. I push the door open to find his Thomas the Tank Engine bed and the walls covered in kids¡¯ colorful crap. Abbie stops looking around the room while Tyson babbles excitedly, kicking his legs and wanting to be set down on the ground. I ce him on his new bed, and he instantly reaches for the giant sensory block full of noisy crap, spinners, and textured patterns. He flicks the buttons and starts cackling. ¡°When did you do this?¡± Abbie asks, peering around the room. ¡°I didn¡¯t. I had Dustin and Liam set it up for me, the delivery came yesterday.¡± I tell her as she peers around the room, following Tyson as he examines everything. ¡°Now he has his own room.¡± I tell her, and her head whips to the side to look at me. ¡°But he sleeps with us. He needs to be close, so I can see him,¡± she says, and I knew this would cause an argument. But he can¡¯t share our bed forever! ¡°Our room is just there. This area is secure. Tyson can¡¯t get past the doors, guards are at every station, and Liam and Dustin are right across from him. There is also a monitor right there,¡± I told her, pointing to it on the matching bedside table. She stares at it while I wait for her toe up with another excuse. Yet I had already spoken with Kyson. This would do for now until we move upstairs to the apartment on the top floor. It was smaller than this quarter but was reserved for long-term guests, but this ce sometimes got a little loud of a night with mening in out at all hours for their shifts. Abbie shakes her head, scooping him up, much to his dislike. She walks back out of the room toward ours, and I sigh. ¡°Abbie!¡± I call after her. She doesn¡¯t stop to listen but marches into our room, clearly angry with me. ¡°No, he stays with us.¡± she snaps at me, and I grit my teeth, following after her. ¡°I¡¯ll clean the room and get him a bigger toy box,¡± she says, setting him down on our bed. ¡°Abbie, he needs his own room. He can¡¯t keep sleeping with us,¡± I tell her, and she pauses, looking at him. ¡°Fine, I get it. We¡¯ll be out of your way then,¡¯ she says, and my brows furrow as she scoops up his clothes and toys, dumping them in a box. Tyson watches her climbing off the bed where she ced him and reaching for the nket she was trying to put in the box. ¡°No, Bubba,¡± she tells him as he tries to pull it out. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I ask her, but she ignores me, cleaning the room up before taking the box and moving it to his room. I sigh, watching her ce it inside the door before returning just as I move to grab Tyson, who was about to rush out after her. Abbie plucks him off the ground before I have a chance to and turns on her heel, walking back to the room I had made for Tyson and shutting the door. ¡°Abbie?¡± I ask, twisting the handle to find she had locked the door. I grit my teeth and knock on it. ¡°Just go away, Gannon,¡± she says, leaving me in the hallway staring at the closed door. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wanted you to leave.¡± I yell at her through the door. ¡°No, just Tyson,¡± she retorts angrily. And I groan, scrubbing a hand down my face. I open my mouth to argue with her before closing it. Shaking my head angrily, I walk back to my room and m my door. She was being childish, and I was too tired to deal with her right now, so I climbed into bed. Yet as the night came and she still hadn¡¯t returned to the room, I sat up, hearing the door open as the servant brought dinner up. She sets it down on the table. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Abbie sent me up,¡± she tells me, and my brows furrow. ¡°And where is Abbie?¡± I ask her, rubbing my eyes. ¡°We just finished having dinner in the servant¡¯s quarters. She is helping rice in the kitchens now.¡± A growl escapes me, which sends the servant rushing out of the room as I toss the nket back and get to my feet. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 70 Chapter 70 ABBIE POV Tyson sat next to Oliver near the pantry, the boys ying with their mini dump trucks that they were running over cookies with while I helped do the dishes with one of the other servants. rice had bitched me out real good for being down here. Eventually gave in, and I had been down here for a few hours helping prepare food for the guards and royals while also preparing the servants¡¯ dinner. I also found something soothing about cleaning or cooking. It was a task that upied the mind, one that had an end result that could be seen. It was better than the thoughts that usually upied my mind or, more like haunted it. Ghost of fragmented and distorted memories, twisted and wicked as they forced me to relive the past repeatedly. I supposed to the other servants here I looked like a madwoman wanting to be a servant, but it was better than being me. Better than being Abbie. Nobody wanted to her, you, as Mrs. Daley would say. Yet here, being a servant was like being invisible. We were the ghosts that cleaned and moved about the castle, sneaking into rooms before quickly leaving. Servants are the shadows of our master. We lived with routine and repetition, no thinking, just working, my mind separated from my body as it handled the task it was told to do. Muscle memory takes over, and I no longer exist. I just float within myself as I move from task to task. Apparently, Gannon had told rice he doesn¡¯t want me working now that I have Tyson. Yet he made it perfectly clear that Tyson was no longer wee. Therefore, I was not. What he also didn¡¯t realize was working was the only peace I have known. I needed to work, wanted to work rice grabs the roster down from off the wall, looking for a spot to ce me on it. Drying my hands on a tea towel, I moved toward her and peered down to see where she was putting me and which floor I would be working on. I hoped for my usual floor since it was our quarters, and I could have Tyson with me. Or maybe with Azalea. ¡°I can go back to my old post. I live up there anyway.¡± Iugh, and rice sighs, chewing on the end of her pen. She sets it down and looks up at me ¡°Abbie, Gannon will lose his head if I put you on this roster,¡± she says, tapping it with her index finger. ¡°Which is why you won¡¯t be!¡± Gannon snarls, making me jump. Turning around, I spot him at the entryway. Gannon storms through the kitchen and passes me while looking for Tyson. Tyson instantly jumps to his feet across the room at the sound of his voice. Gannon res at me as he passes me, moves across the room, and scoops him up. The room falls quiet, and I nce around nervously as he turns to face me before stalking toward me. He was furious. Did the servant wake him? I told her to just set it on the table so she didn¡¯t wake him. I knew I should have taken it up. I know how to move around that floor silently. ¡°Why are you down here?¡± he snaps at me, and the tone of his voice was one I had never had directed at me before. And it shook me to the core. My eyes widen when he snarls and reaches for me. All I saw was his handing toward me, hyper- focused on it for mere seconds, and it was all I could see besides the fury on his face. I squeeze my eyes shut, and my body tenses, a noise I wasn¡¯t sure I made or someone else did sounds around me. My heart was pounding so hard in my chest that I could hear it in my ears. I recoil, waiting for his blow, my skin prickling and itching as I wait for the familiar feel of my hair being ripped out. Waiting for my head to bounce off the floor as he dragged me. Or the tearing of my flesh as Kade mauled me. Waiting for the pain. Instead, he curses, and the voice isn¡¯t Kade¡¯s but Gannon¡¯s, ¡°Fuck, Abbie?¡± he whispers, his hand falling heavily on my shoulder. I flinch at the contact, expecting ws, but instead. I got fingertips. My eyes flew open to find I was on the ground. I don¡¯t know when I dropped to the floor or when I lifted my hands to cover my head. I don¡¯t even remember doing it. I just remembered his hands, the furious look on his face, how my stomach sank, sending my body into a cold sweat, and the itchiness of anticipation as I waited for the pain to start. ¡°Abbie.¡± his voice whispers, sounding almost like a plea, and I find him kneeling next to me, guilt all over his face as I blink up at him. I could see Gannon, see him right in front of me, but my body expected was not registering that this man was not Kade. ncing past him when i see movement, I also find everyone staring at me. My face burns with humiliation as I sit cowering on the floor. ¡°Out everyone.¡± rice bellows at the servants, pping her hands at them to hurry, and they take off. Tyson was sucking his thumb. watching me with a strange look on his face. My hands reach for him, shaking like a leaf during a storm. Gannon doesn¡¯t stop me when I snatch Tyson from him, clutching him to me before I get to my feet and run for the door. My legs burned from running upstairs and through the corridors by the time I got back to Tyson¡¯s room. I set him on the bed, trying to will my beating heart that mmed against my ribcage painfully, each thud harder than thest before I started struggling to breathe. My vision tunneled, and I nced at Tyson, suddenly feeling faint as panic seized me. His lips were moving, and tears flooded his eyes and streaked down his cheeks, his little face turning red as his hands grasped air and reached out for me. Yet I was deaf to my surroundings. The onlyOriginal content from N?velDrama.Org. noise I could hear was the beating of my own heart. It felt like I was having a heart attack. I could feel my blood pumping harder through my veins, the erratic palpitations in my chest. I felt the moment my eyes rolled into the back of my head as I tried to suck in much-needed air. I was falling, yet I felt nothing as I hit the ground. There was no pain. I heard nothing despite knowing Tyson was screaming his head off, and as my vision darkened even more as my head hit the ground and jolted my eyes forward, thest thing I saw was the door opening and boots. Then everything went ck. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Gannon POV The look on her face would forever haunt me. She looked at me as if I was a monster. I only went to take her hand. Yet the way she reacted was if I punched her. Her entire body copsed in on itself as if to shield herself. The fear in her eyes when I spoke her name, the way her eyes darted frantically around, made my stomach sink. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. I did this to her, and she reacted to me like this. It angered me. I wasn¡¯t angry at her but at myself. I had forgotten where she came from and who she recently returned to me from. She raced from the room, nearly knocking me over as she snatched Tyson from my arms. She smashes her hip on the counter as she darts past rice, but I don¡¯t think she even felt it. Rising to my feet, rice steps aside, staring worriedly after her as she escapes. Walking out, the guards pointed me in the right direction, and I knew she was headed toward our quarters. It was the only ce she had to go, and I knew Abbie wouldn¡¯t be running to Azalea because Azalea had her own issues at the moment with the pregnancy and Kyson keeping her locked away, worried she would be poisoned again. We still hadn¡¯t caught the culprit even after he used hismand on all the staff. So there was no way she would give the Queen more to worry over. Climbing the stairs, I see our bedroom door closed but spot the light beneath Tyson¡¯s and hear his wailing screams. I run toward the door, wondering what is going on for him to be screaming like that. Shoving the door open, she hits the ground. I reached to catch her, but it was toote. ¡°Tyson, shh, shh,¡± I murmur, rolling her onto her back. She stared up at the ceiling, her eyes unfocused as Tyson climbed off the bed, his little hands clutching her shirt and shaking her. ¡°Shh, buddy. Mumma is okay. She just fainted,¡± I tell him, scooping my arms beneath her. I lift her up and stand. ¡°Grab your nket and Binky,¡± I tell him, and he blinks, trying to register what I am saying: Abbie sometimes signed to him, and I tried to remember, but after a few seconds, he seemed to catch on and snatched the corner of his nket and his Binky. He follows after me and runs ahead, pushing the door, his little feet getting tangled in the nket dragging behind him, and he slips, his chin hitting the floor, making him scream. Cursing, I use my hip to shove the door open and set her on the bed before rushing back to Tyson. I grab him under the arms. His chin was bleeding where he banged it, and I quickly moved him to the bathroom, sitting him on the bathtub¡¯s edge before grabbing a face washer and dabbing it. It wasn¡¯t deep, but he would have one hell of a bruise in the morning. He took only a few moments before it was forgotten, and he was transfixed on the scars thatced my chest, poking out from beneath my shirt. I sigh, taking it off and grabbing him. If it means keeping him quiet, he could poke and prod them like he usually does. Sitting on the bed, I ce him between us and lean over to check Abbie. Her face is scrunched up as if she is dreaming. But her heart rate is even, and so is her breathing. I was used to her panic attacks. They were frequent when she first returned. The slightest noise would set them off, but this was the first one she had had since Tyson got here. Tyson smacks my chest, his fingers fisting my chest hair, and I growl when he tugs the hair on my chest. He continues smacking me and making the noise I recognize he makes when wanting to draw. Sighing, I get up and grab the bucket of textas off the bedside table Abbie didn¡¯t remove from the room and hand them to him. There were only three colors but in every shade of those three colors. Blue, green, and red. He hated the other colors for some reason, and we had to hide them away. He rummages in the bucket finding the shade he wants, and I sigh,ying on my back and letting him have at it. His tongue pokes out as he traces my scars and kneels next to me while his elbows dig ufortably into my sides. He had some fascination with coloring them in: Abbie¡¯s too, though I usually distracted him with mine when he would spot hers. Abbie was self-conscious and always drew her back to dark ces when she would get sudden memories. She wasn¡¯t out for long, but Tyson had passed out by the time she woke. His feet pressed against her side as heid half across my chest. ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡± I whisper, reaching over and brushing her hair with my fingertips. She exhales, squeezing her eyes shut, and her face reddens as it always did when she had these panic attacks. She found them embarrassing, and I knew it would take her a while again before building up the courage to face rice and the servants after what happened. Guilt gnawed at me, knowing it was my fault this time. I rearrange Tyson, moving him between us and tucking the surrounding nket over him. Abbie rolls to her side, inhaling his scent while I watch her. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for you to leave the room, Abbie. You didn¡¯t need to run from me,¡± I tell her. 0.00% 12:38 D ¡°I need him in here with me,¡± she whispers. ¡°Abbie, he can¡¯t sleep in our bed forever. I get hardly any sleep, as it is with him kicking the crap out of me in his sleep.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll sleep on the couch with him,¡± she says like it is no big deal and as if I would allow that. ¡°That is. I groan, pinching my nose. ¡°That is not the only reason. I miss you. I miss being able to touch you and hold you. I can¡¯t do that with him between us.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep in here without him, Gannon,¡± she murmurs, brushing his hair with her fingers. ¡°Why!¡± I snap, bing annoyed. ¡°Because you will expect things. You don¡¯t expect things with him here!¡± She snaps at me, and I blink at her in shock. ¡°You think this is about sex? Abbie that is not what I meant. I have never asked you for anything more than you arefortable with!¡± ¡°And I am notfortable sleeping in here without him,¡± ¡°You were before he came along!¡± I tell her. ¡°Because you always sleep on the couch!¡± she yells, and Tyson jumps, stirring awake. I sit up, horrified at her words. ¡°Why are you here if you can¡¯t stand to be near me?¡± I ask her. ¡°Can you even answer that?¡± I ask her when she says nothing. Standing, I peer over my shoulder at her as I grab my shirt to find her sitting up. ¡°I feel safe with you,¡± she whispers. ¡°Not safe enough to stay in a room by yourself with me,¡± I retort, tugging my shirt over my head. Abbie says nothing, just looks down at her hands, picking the skin around her nails. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she murmurs so softly I almost miss it. ¡°I have never hurt you or done anything to make you fear me. I am not Kade, Abbie. And if you can¡¯t see that by now-¡® she looks up at me, and I pause. I don¡¯t finish what I was going to say as she looks at the door. Instead, I leave before I say something I will regret. Leaving her there by herself. Walking across to Liam¡¯s door, I knock once before opening the door. Liam sat on the floor, sharpening his knives. ¡°Go, I will keep an eye on them,¡± he says without looking up from his sharpening stone as he runs the de¡¯s edge across it. ¡°When I don¡¯t move, he looks up.¡± ¡°Go, Gannon. Leave the door open. They¡¯ll be fine,¡± he says, and I nod before walking off to find a guard to beat the crap out of. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Abbie POV The quilt that gnawed at me as he left brought tears to my eyes. He didn¡¯t deserve a broken mate. How he even wanted me after everything was beyond me, and still, I couldn¡¯t stand being touched. Even the briefest of hugs had memories crashing into me. I was useless to him. When I am sure he is out, I move off the bed and start cleaning up. He never said anything, but I knew the mess we made upset him. Maybe if I clean the ce, he will forgive me? Yet some part of me knew it was because I was inadequate, not enough for him. I wasn¡¯t even enough for myself. I wasn¡¯t anything, nothing. Never enough for anyone. My mere existence was to be used and tossed away. The only thing I was good for because taking it was the only way he would get anything from me. How long before he got sick of waiting? How long before he turned out like the rest of the men that had stumbled into my life? That thought scared me, and left me trembling as I scrubbed the tiles in the bathroom. I scoured the bathroom until there were nearly no bristles left on my scrubbing brush. The sun was beginning to rise, and I looked to the window when my shadow cast along the wall. My brows furrow in confusion. How long had I been here? It never ceased to amaze me how I could lose track of time. As if on autopilot, shaking my head, the bathroom was so clean It almost glistened, and the bleach I had spent most of the night and early morning inhaling burned my throat and nose. It was all I could smell. ¡ª Packing up my cleaning supplies, I wandered back out to find the bedroom open again. Gannon had opened it when he left, and I shut it while I cleaned only for it to open again, yet I thought I closed it? Walking over to it, I shut it only for it to push inward. ¡°Door stays open, Abbie. I can¡¯t hear you with it closed,¡±es Liam¡¯s voice. I open the door. Liam nods, then moves back to his room, leaving the door open to his room. ¡°Did Gannon ask you to babysit me?¡± I ask him. ¡°No, I offered,¡± he says, going back to the newspaper he is reading. I shake my head, moving back into the room and over to clean washing. I start folding it and hanging everything in the closet. When I am done, I move to Gannon¡¯s dresser and open the top drawer, rearranging it to squeeze his clothes in the drawer. My fingers brush at something that felt like leather. Lifting up the pile of shirts above it, I find what appeared to be a diary. I grab it out, wondering why it was in there and not on his bookshelf. I sat it on the dresser¡¯s edge and rearranged the drawer when I saw the corner of what appeared to be a picture sticking. After fixing the drawer, I felt something under the drawer¡¯s lining. I move the velvet liner and find a mani folder. I pull it out, set it with the diary, and close the drawer. Grabbing the diary, I pull on the corner of the picture hanging out and find it is a picture of my mother. I blink at the picture, wondering where he got it from before opening the diary to see a photo of me. I stare at the picture, wondering when it was taken, and I nce at the book, wishing I could read it. Grabbing the folder, the door pushes open, and Gannon¡¯s scent wafts to me, and I move toward the bed and open it, about to ask him where he found a picture of my mother, only to gasp at what I see inside the folder. ¡°Abbie, no!¡± Gannon blurts, rushing toward me, but it is toote. I have already seen what it contained. I wished I could unsee what I saw, but like everything else, it was now permanently burned into my brain. The papers and pictures scatter on the floor as I drop them. My hands tremble as I look down at the photographs in horror. My parents, all bloody and torn apart, deep w marks tore half my mother¡¯s face off and down her chest, blood everywhere while her eyes were wide open, staring back at me vacantly, and my father¡¯s heady beside his body, no longer attached to him. So much blood. Gannon grips my arms, kneeling on the pictures I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from. ¡°Abbie? Abbie, you know, to stay out of my drawers,¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I just wanted to clean for you,¡± I murmur. Liam rushes into the room behind him and stops when he sees the pictures and papers scattered everywhere. He frantically starts picking them up. ¡°Why do you have those? Why?¡± I ask. What could he want with such horrific pictures? Why is my mother in his diary? I had so many questions, and I pulled away from him. His head drops, and he curses under his breath. ¡°Liam, leave them, but take Tyson for me,¡± Gannon murmurs, and Liam sets the papers on the dresser before scooping up a sleeping Tyson from the center of the bed. I move to take him, wondering why he had to leave, but Liam rushes past me, and Gannon grips my wrist. ¡°He will watch him,¡± Gannon tells me, and I look back at him before seeing the picture from the diary of my mother smiling, looking happy. I pick it up, hoping to remove the image of her mutted, mauled body from my memory. ¡°Why do you have a picture of my mother?¡± Gannon sighs and wipes a hand down his face. *That is not your mother? ¡°Ah, yes, it is,¡± I tell him. ¡°No, her name is Sia. And she was my mate.¡± of all the things he could have said, that was not anywhere on the list of reasons sifting through my head. It was like he punched me in the stomach. I suck in a breath, feeling winded by his words. Sia, my aunty? I shake my head, trying to figure out what is going on Wait, then where is she then? ¡°You knew my mother¡¯s twin?¡± I asked. ¡°You know your mother is a twin?¡± Gannon asks in return, looking rather shocked. ¡°Yes, my mother had told me about her. They didn¡¯t get along,¡± I had never met her before, and mum didn¡¯t speak much about her, but she always grew sad when I asked about her family. ¡°Sia was my mate,¡± Gannon says softly, as if that would lessen the blow his words had. ¡°Was?¡± I ask. I didn¡¯t like how he used past tense when referring to her. Yet his following words squeezed the air from my lungspletely as my body forgot how to function and breathe. ¡°1 killed her, Abbie,¡± he murmurs, and the pained look on his face I could see bothered him as much as it did me. Previous Chapter Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Gamma by Jessica Hall Chapter 73 ¨C I tried to process his words. I tried to understand what he was telling me. Yet why would he do such a thing? ¡°You killed my Aunt?¡± I asked him, trying to process this information. I had never met her but had heard about her, I knew only as much as my mother had told me, ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone, Abbie,¡± Gannon says, and I nce at him over my shoulder. My brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°Not even Azalea,¡± he breathes, gripping my arms, but I tug away from him. I had so much running through my head. Is that the only reason he wanted me? I nce down at the picture. She was my mother¡¯s identical twin sister, and I was the spitting Image of my mother and of Sia! ¡°Say something, Please, Abbie,¡± he says, reaching for me again, but I take a step back from him and hold up my fingers. ¡°When?¡± I ask him. Gannon stretches, cing his hands behind his head as he stares up at the ceiling for a second. ¡°When Gannon, why? I have so many f**cking questions right now,¡± I tell him angrily. Gannon lets out a shaky breath. ¡°I met her at her old pack, Vermillion Pack. I was on a job, and that is how we met,¡± ¡°And what you didn¡¯t want her, so decided to kill her?¡± I ask him. Gannon shakes his head. Was I some rebound for her? Some sick amusement for the love he lost? I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around how f**cked up this was. ¡°No, there is more to it than that. I never rejected her, Abbie.¡± I swallow nervously, not sure if I wanted the information yet knowing I would never be able to live without knowing the curiosity behind it would eat me up. ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°She rejected me. She chose Liam over me!¡± he says, sitting on the end of the bed. ¡°Liam? She was with Liam?¡± Gannon nods. ¡°And Liam helped me cover up her death?¡± he tells me, so not only was Gannon hiding this from me, Liam was tog. Was I some big joke to them, some oddity they could reminisce on? ¡°When?¡± ¡°I met her twenty years ago and discovered she was my mate. I killed her two yearster after she tried to kill me. I couldn¡¯t keep living like that.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Feeling her with him? Two years I felt it, two f**cking years, she rejected me but bonds don¡¯t break for Lycans. I felt every time she was unfaithful to the bond, every damn time Abbie,¡± he tells me, and a lump forms in my throat. That was a pain I did know, all too well, and I couldn¡¯t imagine living with that for the rest of my life. *Is that why. you?¡± I point to his chest, and he looks down before nodding his head. He hangs his head, cing it in his hands. ¡°She was tearing my heart out. What did it matter if I did it myself,¡± he breathes. *And her body?¡± I ask him. ¡°Outside her old pack along with her mother¡¯s,¡± Gannon tells me. ¡°You killed my grandmother?¡± it just gets worse. I always wondered why she never came for us when we ended up in the orphanage. I believed she woulde for us, save us from Mrs. Daley. It wasn¡¯t until a few months in that hope died along with everything else. That was when it really set in. We were never getting out of that ce, no one was looking for us, and no one cared for two rogue girls. We were vile creatures, she called us, and that hope and longing that she would one daye to get us, telling me she never stopped looking for us for the first few months, gave me hope. Then hope died along with me in that ce. ¡°Is that all?¡± I ask him. ¡°Some things aren¡¯t worth the risk of you knowing Abbie; I wish I could, but it will only hurt you, and I won¡¯t risk that,¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask him. ¡°Your grandmother, Sia, they weren¡¯t good people. They were traitors to kingdoms,¡± I tried to remember anything that made his words make sense. Yet all I could remember was the cottage my grandmother lived in. My brows scrunch together as I try to sift through memories, yet they are so blurry and tainted. I was so young, but one memory that always stood out was the back room. It was the one and only time my grandmother scolded Azalea and me. We were ying hide and seek, and I walked into it, it had strange markings on the walls and a huge star on the floor. No, now I know it was a pentagram. It smelled funny, the air thicker, yet I remember that memory so clearly because my mother and grandmother had a huge fight over us going into the room. I was hiding under the big wooden table that held jars and jars of weird things, specimens, and herbs. I remember thinking it looked like aboratory, only one from the middle ages, spooky. I ended uping out of my hiding spot because the ce gave me the creeps, and that was how Azalea found me. She heard me knock over the huge nt, it spilled soil everywhere, and we tried to scoop the soil up and put the nt back, yet when Azalea grabbed the nt, it burned her hands, and she screamed. I panicked and called out to my mother. My grandmother kept saying it was no big deal, that we wouldn¡¯t remember, yet I do. I remember her trying to get us to drink the murky water. I refused; Azalea though didn¡¯t. She epted it, not wanting to upset my grandmother, but I spat it out. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to swallow it. Original from N?velDrama.Org. I also remember my grandmother crying, trying to stop my mother from leaving. I remember my mother screaming at her. ¡°They aren¡¯t our enemy, Mom. Sia, I expected this from her, but you, hasn¡¯t our family lost enough? I won¡¯t lose my daughter to them too. You promised you weren¡¯t mixed up this anymore. You lied to me.¡± she yelled. ¡°They took your father from us!¡± my grandmother screamed. ¡°No, mom. You pushed him away with this crap. Working for the very people who hunt them. He found his mate. You can¡¯tpare to a mate bond. You don¡¯t understand how hard it is to go without them, Sia couldn¡¯t understand, But I can. He left you; it s**ks, but it¡¯s been years, years, and you still me a woman who doesn¡¯t know you even exist! I am done,¡± My mother yelled at her. ¡°Abbie, say goodbye to your grandmother,¡± my mother said, nudging me towards her. ¡°Lina, I will do better. You don¡¯t have to do this. Let them stay, I already lost your sister; I can¡¯t lose you too,¡± ¡°You already did. You did the day you chose to help them. You despise the packs, Lycan¡¯s so much, yet you forget I am one. If you despise them, you despise me too,¡± my mother says before grabbing both mine and Azalea¡¯s arms and tugging us toward the forest. ¡°They worked for the hunter organization,¡± I tell Gannon, recalling thest memory I had of my grandmother: ¡°Your grandmother was supplying them with wolfsbane, and Sia worked alongside them, she was responsible for helping them scout out the packs. And when I met her she was too eager to get into the castle, she got mad and told me her mother was getting old and dying and that I had to change her, so she could change your grandmother. She was my mate, but for some reason, something told me she was up to something. She kept insisting I get her a job in the castle, even insisted on asking the king for his permission personally,¡± I nodded in understanding. ¡°And my grandmother?¡± ¡°They moved to Ravana Pack not far from here. I ran into her one day, and she threatened me. She then tried to follow through with that threat.¡± ¡°So you killed her?¡± I tell him, and he nods his head. ¡°And me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not like them,¡± I shake my head. I knew I wasn¡¯t like them, but I needed to know if my family was the only reason he wanted me in the first ce. ¡°The fact I look like my mother, Sia? Is that why you were interested in me?¡± I ask him. ¡°I told you at first, yes, you reminded me of her, but that wasn¡¯t why, Abbie. I wanted you because you are everything she could never be. You are everything she never was for me,¡± Gannon told me. ¡°And what is that, Gannon? Because I am really struggling right now to believe I am nothing but a mirror of the past for you and an extra chance for you.¡± I told him. Gannon reaches for me, and I go to step back,but he grips the front of my shirt, pulling me to stand between his legs. *You are not Sia. Sia was my mate, I was bonded to her, yet the love I had for her is nothingpared to how I feel about you. I love you, Abbie; everything about you. If she were standing right beside you, I would choose you; without hesitation, I would choose you over her. I thought I loved her. But I didn¡¯t even know the meaning of that word until I found you.¡± Gannon tells me, he wraps his arms around the back of my legs pulling me closer before pressing his head against my chest between my b**bs. I sigh, running my fingers through his hair before hugging him back. Some part of me still had some doubts, but I was here. She wasn¡¯t, and I wouldn¡¯t hurt him the way she did. But I also couldn¡¯t give him what he needed, yet I knew he spoke the truth as he said those words. Because what I felt for Kade was nothingpared to how much I loved the brutish man who had his arms wrapped around me. His hands on me didn¡¯t make my skin crawl the way Kades did; they didn¡¯t make me panic unless I wasn¡¯t expecting his touch, but as soon as I realized it was him, that panic always died down. Gannon calmed me, kept me here in the present. With Kade, I was always anxious, waiting, and fearful. He didn¡¯t care for me. He didn¡¯t even try to. No, he was just another monster like the butcher, another torture I was forced to endure. Whereas Gannon was like fresh air, I don¡¯t know what would have be of me if it wasn¡¯t for him when I returned. My dependence on Gannon was as strong as it was with Azalea. It wasn¡¯t that I just wanted him; I needed him, needed him in ways he could never possibly understand. He was my life jacket. He kept my head above water and stopped me from drowning in despair. He was the one person who made the darkest part of mee alive again and gave it light, gave me a reason to keep living because I wanted to for him. Just like Azalea, he was more than my life. Kade wasn¡¯t even a quarter of the man Gannon was. He would never hurt me as Kade did. The mate bond told me I loved Kade, but it wasn¡¯ t love, just some twisted version of what I believed was love. Love doesn¡¯t hurt. It doesn¡¯t make you want to tear your own soul apart just to stop it aching. Love doesn¡¯t break you. It rebuilds you, rebuilds the broken pieces that you thought would never be put back together. It makes you feel whole and valued. Even with Kade, my mind always went back to Gannon, despite the bond telling me it was wrong for wanting him; despite my beliefs, it always went back to him. Hearing a knock at the door I nce over my shoulder to see Liam pop his head in, Tyson squirmed in his arms, wanting to be set down on the ground, and the moment he did, he rushes toward us, climbing up into Gannon¡¯sp and forcing himself between us. ¡°Sorry, but I am supposed to be on guard duty. Dustin is covering for me,¡± Liam tells me, and I nod. ¡°Thank you, Liam,¡± I tell him, brushing my fingers through Tyson¡¯s hair as he rubbed his palms on Gannon¡¯s face. Tyson liked his stubble, and one thing I loved about Gannon was his patience he never seemed to run out with Tyson. Most found his screeching and crying, the hand pping annoying because they didn¡¯t understand it. I didn¡¯t understand him or what he was trying to say but Gannon and everyone here saw past all that. They saw him. They saw the little boy I raised from the time he was born; they saw our son. And nothing made my heart swell more than seeing him smile up at the man he now thought of as his father. ¡°Anytime, Abs,¡± Liam says, nodding and closing the door behind him. ¡°Some little boy needs a bath. What did uncle Lim feed you?¡± Gannon asks him, scooping him up and making his way to the bathroom, his entire face covered in sticky sweetness and chocte. I smile, following behind him, knowing once I got him cleaned up, I was supposed to meet rice and take him down to see the other kids for a ydate. Spread the love Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Gamma by Jessica Hall Chapter 74 ¨C Trigger warning!!! Read at Own Risk!!! Or skip the Next two Chapters!! Azalea injured!! Azalea POV The Next Day I woke up, and it was already the middle of the day. Light breaking through the open drapes and lighting up the back of my eyelids made me open them and squint around the room, peering at the windows; the sun looked pretty high in the sky and a cold draft caressed over me, making me shiver. The heavy drapes shifted with the breeze. I inhaled deeply; the scent was wrong and I couldn¡¯t pick out why I felt that way until I realized Kyson was no longer in the room and it was missing his intoxicating scent. My den was quiet, and the scents blew away with the breeze. It unnerved me and made me restless. Chucking the nket back, I forced myself out of bed, and I rushed toward the window, mming it shut with a growl. Why would he open it? I snarled, catching my reflection in the ss. My hair was a mess, and I was naked, yet I could still smell Kyson¡¯s faint scent on my skin, but my nest smelled nothing like him, just me. My skin itched, and I missed my mate already; with a sigh, I stared past my reflection before jumping back when I spotted the grassy patch on the hill. The kids were all ying and rolling down the hill, racing each other to the bottom. I chuckle when I see Abbie and rice watching over them. Abbie was sitting at the top with Tyson in herp. rice was ying with the kids and rolling down the hill with him. Laughter rang out loudly outside. They all seemed so happy and I wanted to join them while they had fun. Turning around, I moved to the closet and grabbed a dress from off the hanger. It was a loose-fitting long sleeve dress, and I tugged it on after finding some undergarments. I was just pulling the dress over my head as the mind link opened up, and Kyson¡¯s voice flitted through my head. ¡°You¡¯re awake, I wille back up,¡± Kyson tells me. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. I am going to y with the kids outside. What are you doing?¡± I asked him while tugging the dress down over my little bump. I caress it with my hand. My skin was feeling harder as the life within me grew each day. ¡°Going over the files with Gannon. Are you sure I wille back to be with you if you like?¡± Kyson says. ¡°No, unless I should Ie help?¡± I asked him. I suppose I should; the children could wait, and rice and Abbie had everything under control by the look of it. ¡°No, just take Trey with you. And you have an ultrasound appointment this afternoon. I wille to grab you just beforehand.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked, slipping some sandals on my feet. ¡°Positive. Have fun. I love you,¡± ¡°Love you too,¡± I tell him, cutting the mind link. I pull my hair into a messy bun on my head before walking out and finding Trey and Liam by my door. ¡°Afternoon, Azalea,¡± Trey says from where he stands. ¡°My Queen,¡± Liam says with a slight bow. ¡°Hey, Liam, Trey. I am going to see Abbie and the kids, and Kyson wants you toe with me,¡± I tell Trey, and he nods, offering me his arm, i looped my arm through his, and we headed for the stairs leading to the ground floor. Halfway down, I spot Peter kneeling on the steps and scrubbing the wooden beams of the guardrail with a toothbrush. ¡°What did you do now, Peter?¡± I asked. The boy seemed to be getting into an awful lot of troubletely. Peter looks up at me and grins, showing his pearly white teeth. ¡°I was mucking around with the gardener, and I threw a mud pie at him but missed and hit rice and her white sheets,¡± Peterughs. ¡°And why were you throwing mud pies?¡± I asked, trying not tough. ¡°He threw one first! So he should be helping me clean the damn stairs! I swear she punishes me, so she doesn¡¯t have to do it.¡± Peter pouts. I shake my head and continue down the steps when Liames up behind us. ¡°My Queen?¡± he calls from the top. I stop on the middlending, looking back up the steps toward him. ¡°I want to go shower and eat. I have been on duty sincest night. I have called Dustin to take over for an hour. Is that alright?¡± Liam asks. ¡°Just go. He won¡¯t be long anyway. Besides, Peter will tell him if anyonees up here,¡± I said, looking at Peter, who nodded his head. ¡°You¡¯re fine. I will keep watch,¡± Peter says, and Liam¡¯s eyes narrow at him on the stairs. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I will wait for Dustin. I was just letting you know, My Queen,¡± he says. ¡°Seriously. Liam. Just go. Dustin will be here soon. What could happen?¡± Liam, for some reason, looked very indecisive and was staring at Peter weirdly like it was the first time he was truly seeing him. ¡°Why does rice send you to clean these stairs?¡± Liam asks. ¡°Huh?¡± Peter said, looking up from his scrubbing. ¡°Why were you up here yesterday?¡± Liam asks him while tilting his head to the side. I have no idea what he was talking about, but Peter¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion as he peered back at Liam. ¡°Pardon? I don¡¯t understand. rice sent me to clean the stairs,¡± Peter says to him before ncing at me. He tosses his toothbrush into his tool bucket and his can of polish and rag while staring at Liam with fearful eyes. I walk back up the steps, wondering what got into Liam because I didn¡¯t like the way he was watching Peter. ¡°Yes. But why these stairs?¡± Liam growls, pointing at them. ¡°There are plenty of stairs in the castle,¡± Liam says to him while stepping down a step, and I look at Trey, who seems just as perplexed at Liam¡¯s strange behavior, making me wonder if Liam was drunk. ¡°I dirtied rice¡¯s sheets,¡± Peter stutters. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the question I asked,¡± Liam says; his ice-cold tone of voice sends a chill up my spine when I feel his aura slip out. It wasn¡¯t like Kyson¡¯s. It was weaker, but as one of his Gammas, it was a lot stronger than a normal Lycans, and Peter whimpers under the pressure of it. ¡°Liam!¡± i hissed, rushing to Peter. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and his hands clenched into fists on the steps. ¡°Did you remove the scents from the King and Queen¡¯s room?¡± Liam asks, and I gape at him. ¡°Liam! He is a child! Drop yourmand!¡± | snarled at him as Peter gripped my arm, looking at me pleadingly with tears in his eyes. ¡°Kyson!¡± I call through the link before Liam¡¯s voice pulls me back when he addresses me. ¡°My Queen, every day he cleans the same stairs. Why would rice send him to do the same ones every day?¡± Liam says before his eyes move to Peter again. ¡°No. No. I didn¡¯t.¡± Peter gasps. ¡°Didn¡¯t what? Why were you up here yesterday?¡± Liam asks, motioning for me toe to him, but Peter clutches me tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t let him hurt me. I did nothing.¡± Peter begged, clutching my dress and arm like I was his lifeline. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kyson asks through the link, sounding frantic. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know. Liam is using Peter,¡± ¡°Peter?! using him of what?¡± but Liam¡¯s booming voice made me jump before I could answer. Trey growls at him behind me. ¡°Answer me!¡± Liammands, taking another step down. Liam¡¯s eyes go to Peter¡¯s hands clutching onto me. ¡°Liam, calm down. He is just a boy,¡± Trey says. ¡°And the boy will answer,¡± Liam growls back. ¡°To bring lunch up and help rice with what you asked of her. I didn¡¯t touch the clothes or anything in the room. rice wouldn¡¯t let me. She made me stand at the door while she passed me baskets,¡± Peter blurts out under themand, unable to fight his aura any longer. ¡°Why the same stairs?¡± ¡°rice said to clean ones where she could see me,¡± Peter blurts. ¡°rice said to clean them?¡± Liam asks. ¡°Well, not specifically these stairs. Just where she could see me if she left the kitchen. These are the closest steps,¡± ¡°So, why did you choose these steps?¡± Liam asks, stepping down another step toward him. ¡°Liam! Enough!¡± I tell him. ¡°No. I was just thinking. And out of everyone that has been questioned, Peter never was,¡± Liam says, his eyes darting to Peter holding me again and then to the tool bucket on the step in front of him. The closer he got, the stronger the scent of liquor I could smell emanating off Liam. He was drunk. ¡°He is a boy!¡± i tell him, outraged that he would take his drunk ramblings out on Peter. Peter looked petrified, and his hands shook as he clutched me, tears trekking down his face. ¡°I was a boy once too, My Queen. And I had already killed someone long before I was his age,¡± Liam says, his steps calcting as he takes them one at a time. I nced down at Peter, who growled when I heard the mind link open up. And Trey¡¯s voice flitted through it. ¡°My King, was Peter ever questioned?¡± Trey asked, and I tried to focus on my surroundings as Liam stalked down the steps toward Peter, and the savage gleam in his eyes frightened me when Peter whimpered. Prying Peter¡¯s fingers off my dress, I stand and take a step up. I got halfway up the steps, blocking Liam from him. ¡°Ah, no. Why? Has something happened? And Azalea answer me? I am on my way.¡± Kyson growls, and Liam reaches for me to jerk me to his side when I feel a sharp pain in my side that steals the air from my lungs before I hear Trey¡¯s ear-piercing scream behind me. And it was like time slowed right down. I saw Liam¡¯s hands reach for me, and his eyes widened, but I staggered back, my hand going to my side when I felt the pain twist through my abdomen, my eyes going to my side to find a dagger in my nk and Peter¡¯s hand holding the hilt, my hands soaked in my blood. I gasp, choking on my breath that I couldn¡¯t seem to catch, when a snarl tore out from behind me. ¡°That¡¯s for my mum!¡± Peter says when I am mmed against the banister. I tried to grip it to stay upright, but the entire thing gave way as my weight touched it. My scream is stolen by the heart-stopping realization that I am falling. My stomach plummets somewhere deep within me. I felt the blood drain from my face, turning me cold at the sensation. Just as Liam nearly impales himself trying to catch me, Trey tackles Peter, who just stared vacantly at me as I grasped for something to hold and only grasped air. My body hit with a loud thud. Pain enveloped me, and I felt my head hit the stairs on the ground floor stairwell. The wooden railing crashed down on top of me, and I couldn¡¯t move. I just stared at the ceiling and the floor above, where Trey had knocked out Peter. Liam jumped off the second floor after me, his feet hitting the ground only secondster. But it was too late. I felt the warmness of my blood trickling down my neck, my head pounding, and my back throbbing. The coppery taste of blood filled my mouth, and I tried to breathe around it, but only choked. It was like when you knock your foot when it has pins and needles, that strange sensation, yet my entire body felt like that. My eyes felt like they were pulsating in my head to a rhythmic beat in my skull. My vision is also throbbing and so was my surroundings. I could see Liam was putting pressure on my side, and I could fuzzily see his lips moving fast as he screamed. Or I think he screamed because I heard no sound leave him. No sound other than my heart beating in my skull. I was fading, my vision bing tunneled and I couldn¡¯t move, yet the oddest sensation warmed between my legs as if I wet myself. I had no idea why I felt that above all the pain. But for some reason, it was all I could focus on. Like that was the most important sensation above all the pain. My mind was transfixed on the warmth leaving me when everything went ck. Kyson POV We had found a few things in the documents from the Alpha Dean¡¯s pack, such as Mr. Crux¡¯s name linking to multiple brothels in the state. It looked like he was helping traffic rogues because sizeable sums of money had been sent to Alpha Dean¡¯s ounts when they suddenly stopped abruptly a few years ago and enormous debts started umting. Debts from Crux¡¯s casino. As we sifted through the boxes, we found other strange things that didn¡¯t add up, which had me going down to the underground storage. Gannon and Dustin were pulling everything we had on Crux from the archives, and we set them on the huge wooden table in the storage room. ¡°While we are down here, pull all the staff records for me,¡± I tell them, and they move back to the storage boxes and start bringing them over, dropping them at my feet. I dig through the boxes looking for council records, anything really. ¡°You two start on the staff files. Go as far back as 14 years when the Landeenas were killed.¡± ¡°So before Azalea¡¯s fourth birthday?¡± Dustin asks and I nod. ¡°There has to be a reason someone is targeting her and it has to be someone on the castle grounds. Check all the guards, under oath or not. Also, all the cleaners, gardeners, everyone that has been on the payroll,¡± I tell them and they both start sifting through files. We had only been sorting through stuff for a few hours when Gannon pulled Trey¡¯s file again, and another file with his medical records confirming everything he had told us. We really needed toe up with some sort of electronic filing system. This was ridiculous. It was a couple of hourster that I felt Azalea wake up. She told me she was going to y with the children, and I told her to take Trey with her. ¡°Did you know Ester had spent time in the Landeena Kingdom?¡± Gannon asked me abruptly, making me look up as I closed the link. ¡°What?¡± I asked, and he held the file out to me. ¡°A year. Her parents reported her as a runaway, she was located in the Landeena Kingdom and granted the right to stay by Garret,¡± Gannon tells me. ¡°What year was this?¡± ¡°The year before Azalea was taken. Says she left a month before the attack after a fallout with Queen Tatiana,¡± Gannon says and I flick through the files. I read it thinking it was odd because why would she go there and return a yearter? Yet we found nothing else and she started working here two yearster, I knew her grandparents. They worked for my father, but I hadn¡¯t seen them in years. So when her grandfather called me asking for a job for her, I gave her one. Her parents were very strict people apparently, and she spent most of her childhood being raised by her grandparents. I am pretty sure that was where she was living again. I tried to pick my brain about why she had an odd rtionship with her parents, trying to remember what their falling out was for, but I didn¡¯t really involve myself with her. I felt the mind link open up momentster and Azalea called me through the link, only to cut it off like she had dropped it when Trey opened it up. ¡°My King, have you looked into Peter?¡± Trey asks and I open the link to her, too, trying to get a hold of her. ¡°No. Why? And Azalea, bloody answer me!¡± I snarl as my eyes roam over another of Ester¡¯s files, and I was only half-listening to what Azalea was saying when I remembered something and started flicking through the files. Trey mentioning Peter while going over Ester¡¯s files made me remember something about her having a brother. I knew she had an estranged rtionship with her parents since they had adopted Peter! Peter! My eyes widened in realization. ¡°It¡¯s Peter!¡± I growled when Azalea screamed through the link, and I raced to get to her. My heart is hammering in my chest. Dustin and Gannon were chasing after me, and I skidded across the floors as I smashed out of the cer, my shoulder smashing against the doors, and into the kitchen¡¯s pantry before I raced out of the kitchen. I lost my footing as I twisted to head for the stairs at the same time. I heard someone scream. My heart felt like it stopped when I saw a figure shoved off the staircase, and I registered that figure was Azalea. Her arms iled about just as the entire banister railing came down after her. My feet tried to get traction on the floor just as Gannon and Dustin burst out of the kitchen doors. I raced to catch her when Liam jumped after her. Her body hit the stairs with a thud before I could reach her. I froze and blinked in shock. I was toote. Trey tosses Peter into the wall, and his body falls limply on the steps. All I could do was stare in shock as Liam turned his head, screaming for help, his hands pressed down on the knife in her side. Azalea chokes, blood spurting out her mouth and dribbling down her chin, ripping me from my shock when I see Gannon and Dustin trying to move but are both unable; I race to Liam¡¯s side as her eyes roll in the back of her and I move to her. I grip her face. ¡°Azalea!¡± i choked as she passed out. ¡°Get a doctor!¡± I scream the order, and Gannon and Dustin rush off. ¡°Stay with me. Stay with me, Love,¡± I tell her when I feel my knees warm, making me nce down to see her dress turning red. Blood pooled and ran down the steps from between her legs. ¡°No. No, no, no. NO!¡± I panicked, sliding my arms under her before I took off running toward the doors. I clutch her to me, and Liam races ahead, shoving doors open and screaming for the guards to open the gates. Blood coated my arms from her head and from it gushing out between her legs, my clothes bing drenched as I ran down the bitumen road, shifting while running. My ears picked up the heart beating inside her starting to slow, but she was still much too early for any life to be born and viable. My legs falter when I hear it stop, and her pulse weakens. Seeing the doctor¡¯s surgery ahead, Lycans looked around, shocked, as the doctor burst out his surgery doors with his gear before spotting us, and his mouth fell open. The next second, he raced back toward the doors, forcing them open and screaming at his nurses to get a gurney. Moving through the old brick building, the nurses rush out, and I ce her down, Doc sets his bag on it before rushing off with her, and I go to follow when Liam¡¯s hand grips my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll just get in the way.¡± Liam says, but I could heal her. I was about to say that when Liam spoke, seeming to know what I was going to say. ¡°Some things can¡¯t be healed, my King. Let Doc work,¡± Liam says, and momentster, Damian bursts through the surgery doors. He looks at me, his eyes then moving to Liam¡¯s hand holding my shoulder. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s wait outside. There is nothing you can do right now,¡± Damian says, and I shake my head. ¡°Come on. Come have a smoke,¡± Liam says, pushing me toward the doors, and I am forced to take my eyes away from where Doc took her through the double doors to the day surgery area. Liam pushes me out the doors, nudging me, and I reluctantly step outside. And he shoves his smoke packet in my hand, yet I don¡¯t light one when he pulls two from the packet and lights them, keeping one for himself and passing me the other. ¡°Azalea will be okay.¡± Liam says, blowing smoke into the air. She is tougher than she looks,¡± he says. ¡°The baby?¡± I ask him. Neither of them says anything. Even though I knew that if she was alright, the baby wasn¡¯t going to be. Which made me wonder if Azalea would be alright after all. The doctor confirmed that when he stepped out the doors twenty minutester. He tugs his gloves off. ¡°Azalea?¡± I asked. ¡°Alive. She is still unconscious. I stitched her up. The bleeding stopped, but you could probably help that healing process,¡± Doc says, and I nod. ¡°Our baby?¡± I ask, grasping on to any form of hope. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My King. The fetus didn¡¯t make it,¡± he tells me. Fetus. I hated the way he said it, but she wasn¡¯t quite near her second trimester yet. My legs buckled under me, and I hit the ground hard at his words. My heart sank, and my stomach dropped at the information. Original from N?velDrama.Org. I failed her! I should have figured it out earlier. Peter was a child and thest person I would have suspected! I failed her, and it cost us our baby and nearly her life! How do I tell her that? ¡°Azalea needs you, Kyson. Get up,¡± Damian says. ¡°We lost the baby,¡± I murmured. Trying to wrap my head around everything. ¡°I know, but if you don¡¯t get up and get in there, you may lose her, too. Now up.¡± Damian says, gripping my arm, and Liam grabs the other; they haul me to my feet. ¡°One foot in front of the other. Come on, big fe. Your Queen needs you. Breakter, not in front of her,¡° Liam says, pushing me towards the doors. It took hours for her to wake up, and Damian went back to the castle to retrieve some clothes, so I wasn¡¯t walking around in just a hospital gown. I had just walked back into the room to find that she was sitting up. I felt nothing through the bond to tell me she had woken, and I only stepped out a minute to change quickly. As she pinched the front of her gown, I watched her look inside before rubbing her thighs. Her lips quivered, and she looked at her hands. Doc and I had cleaned her up so she wasn¡¯t soaked in blood, but the way she looked at her hands was like that was all she saw. Moving closer, her head lifted, and she looked at me. Her voice held no emotion, and I felt nothing through the bond at all, like the bond no longer existed. ¡°Did you feel it?¡± she asked, and my hand stopped beside her face as it reached toward her. I swallowed and stepped closer, cupping the back of her neck and messaging my fingers through her hair. Still, no reaction through the bond. ¡°I could feel it, feel it leave me,¡± she whispered, staring vacantly at my chest. ¡°I know, love,¡± I whispered, and she sat frozen, staring off. ¡°How about we get you home?¡± I asked her, and once again, she said nothing, didn¡¯t move, not even blink. She was an empty shell, and I fought the urge to growl. I would kill him, but first, I needed to take care of her, but he would die for doing this to her once I found out why. Azalea had no reaction when I picked her up, none at all. I took her home, sat her in her nest, andid down. Spread the love Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Gamma by Jessica Hall Chapter 75 ¨C Three dayster She hadn¡¯t gotten out of bed in three days, she hadn¡¯t slept, and she hadn¡¯t eaten. Doc came and checked her yesterday and said it was to be expected, and I was too frightened to leave her side since I still felt nothing through the bond. It was like she wasn¡¯t there at all, yet she was because I was staring at her. I brushed her hair back before trying to move her up the bed so she could rest on me, but she slid straight back down into her nest, burrowing back beneath the nkets as if they would somehow protect her from the world. Sighing, I ce the book down I was reading to her and wander off into the bathroom. I ran a bath. She needed to get moving, something. I would take anything at this point. Not even my calling roused any reaction from her. Even the mind link was blocked. I filled the bath with bubbles andvender, it made me crinkle my nose, but I knew she liked the smell. Walking back out, I retrieved one of my shirts from the closet. She was still in the hospital gown, but I was determined to get her into something else. Hopefully, get her to eat or speak. Once I had towels and a shirt for her, I checked the water and waited for it to fill before shutting the water off. Stepping into the room, she was still in the same spot, and I had to untangle her from the nkets. I grabbed her, and she remained still as I removed her gown while she sat on the edge of the bed. Goosebumps covered her skin, and I stripped my clothes off before grabbing her and climbing into the bath with her. I set her between my legs, and she remains motionless while I wash her hair and clean her. We stayed in the water until it went cold, and I pulled her back out, drying her off and tugging my shirt over her head. Yet it angered me when she just rolled back into her nest that had no order. rice had sent up soup for me to try and get her to eat, but she just rolled over. Reaching for my whiskey, I swig from the bottle. It was the only thing that kept me from losing my damn mind. The silence was killing me; not feeling anything through the bond was lonely. I just wanted a reaction. Any reaction would do, so I knew she was still with me. I eye the nest, pissed off with how it obscured her from me as she hid under the nkets when the bottle slipped from my hands and shattered on the floor. I snarl at the mess I made. My anger became too much and forced the shift. I stormed over to the bed, ripping at her nest, trying to fix the damn thing, yet I only managed to tear apart the mattress. With a growl, I dropped onto the bed. I was about to mind-link Damian to ring Doc again when I felt movement on the bed before feeling her hand run across my fur to my chest before sheid her head on my chest. Astonished, I stared at her. It was the first time she had moved toward me, and it had to be when I wasn¡¯t in human form. I was tempted to change back, but I didn¡¯t want her to slide away in case she didn¡¯t move back into ce. I turned my face and sniffed her hair. I let my calling wash over her. She snuggled closer, and I sighed. Well, it was something, I guess. When she woke a few hourster, I shifted back, and she immediately burrowed back under nkets. For the next few days, I noticed she only came to me if I was shifted and not in human form, so I had spent most of my time in this state. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Hearing a knock on the door. I moved off the bed. Azalea had helped me fix her nest today; we changed the sheets and fixed it up, but she didn¡¯t rebuild it like I hoped, which saddened me; I had gotten used to the thing, such a bizarre thing for she-wolves to do, but still, I hated not curling up in it with her. Liam enters with strips of raw meat, cubed cheese, and crackers rice had sent up. ¡°Still the same?¡± Liam asks, and I nod. It had been over a week, and still, she hadn¡¯t eaten. She was dropping weight like crazy. This time struggled as I was going to try to make her eat while in this form. The ws would make it a real pain, yet she seemed morefortable with me in my Lycan form. ¡°I was thinking,¡± he said as I went to turn away from him. I stop and turn to look at him. ¡°About what?¡± I didn¡¯t want to hear about Peter or his theories right now. I only cared about Azalea. Peter was locked in the cells, and I would deal with him when I could. ¡°About why she won¡¯t go near you when you¡¯re not shifted,¡± he says. My brows furrow when I feel him open up the mind link. ¡°You can¡¯t mate with her,¡± Liam says, and I growl, looking back at the bed before looking at Liam again. ¡°Something to think about,¡± Liam says, and I nod, making me wonder if he was right. Yet I couldn¡¯t live in this form. I missed wearing clothes and using my hands properly. ws and buttons don¡¯t mix. Liam walks out, and I move toward the bed and sit on it before propping her up on pillows so she is sitting up. My ws nick her arm by ident when I grab her, and I sigh, leaning down and licking the spot where I broke the skin. I watch it heal. 0.00% 12:22U ¡°Sorry.¡± I tell her, and she just stares at me, but she doesn¡¯t even flinch. I pinch a beef strip between my ws only to drop it. I growl, trying to pick the damn thing up again, only to drop it again when she moves to pick it up herself. Her movements were robotic-like. She was on autopilot. Though excitement bloomed in me, she managed to eat half of what was on the te, and despite me insisting she eats more, she wouldn¡¯t. I set the te aside andid down with her again, eventually falling asleep. It felt like all we did was sleep and read. It felt wrong. I wanted to hear her voice. Yet it was Trey talking to Abbie outside the doors that woke me. I jumped to my feet and saw that it waste in the afternoon, the sun slowly going down out the windows. I could see the kids ying on the hill as I stood; I moved toward the door. Maybe Abbie could get her up. Abbie POV Thest few days have been chaotic. The entire castle was tense, and I couldn¡¯t imagine what Azalea was going through as I peered down at Tyson ying with his blocks. For days I tried to wake her, or get any reaction out of her. Kyson would bring her to me since she still hadn¡¯t been able to remove the command, half the time when I would see her, I don¡¯t even think she was aware of me being near. Though themand over me to not follow her, we had found loopholes after rice and Gannon had been teaching me ways to approach that I found quite confusing but nevertheless seemed to work. I learned with Azalea¡¯smand as long as I didn¡¯t think of the intention to go to her, only the action, I could sometimes bypass it, but it was extremely difficult to do. Kyson had told me she was barely functioning and I was hisst resort to pull her out of it. He seemed so sure it would work and the disappointment on his face when I couldn¡¯t speak volumes of how much he wanted and needed her back. Yet I knew as soon as I saw her she was catatonic. As if she was trapped within the confines of her own mind. Yet I knew that feeling, and until she wanted toe back to us, I knew she wouldn¡¯t. One thing I learned over the years was that slipping away was all too easy. Switching it off and not feeling was sometimes the only way to survive and I knew that was what she was doing. Azalea wouldn¡¯te back to us until she was ready until her walls came down and let her feel again, but I worried for that moment, the moment reality crashed her back to her surroundings and forced her to live with the agony of her loss. It wasn¡¯t until thest visit that I managed, after hours of navigating the stairs and walking around the castle that I was able to get to her room without hermand forcing me back. Only all that time and effort was wasted when I suddenly had to help rice which forced me to leave Tyson in the hands of Trey only to return and find Tyson on the bed with Azalea and she was awake. I didn¡¯t realize the weight ! was carrying without her by my side until it lifted and I saw her sitting up. She was okay, or as okay as she could be given the circumstances. Maybe it was the familiarity of Tyson or longing for the child she lost that had her react to his presence. Kyson then asked me to leave Tyson with him a little longer because it was the most reaction we had had out of her in days. During the time Azalea was lost to us, we had learned so much, we learned who was behind poisoning her, and I was shocked to learn it was Peter. He was thest person we would have suspected. I still couldn¡¯t wrap my head around the fact he was capable of such a thing Gannon and all the royal guards wanted to kill him, yet it made me want to know the reasoning behind it. No one is born a monster, and I struggled to see him as one. I knew Peter as a funny, energetic boy, and I struggled to differentiate between his two sides. Peter¡¯s hate stemmed from Ester being kicked out of the castle, he had some twisted n that if he got Azalea out of the picture, his estranged mother would be allowed back. I found Peter¡¯s story quite sad, longing for a mother that never wanted him. So Azalea was not the only victim but so was Peter. He was just a boy, lost, craving for the affection his mother never granted him. I just hope Azalea would recognize that within him because I know the King wants to kill him. I wasn¡¯t sure what was more shocking; Peter being responsible for Azalea losing her baby or that Ester was his mother. It seemed, in some way, that everything and everyone were linked. And just to make things more confusing than learning that Peter was also Azalea¡¯s half brother and Ester was a half-sister of Trey. I knew that with the King¡¯s anger, it would be any day now that he delivered the punishments bestowed on Peter. It sickened me, knowing what he would have to endure, something Azalea and I were all too familiar with, and I wouldn¡¯t wish it on anybody. Gannon and I fought over different opinions on what should be of Peter. Gannon was loyal to the King and was oathed Azalea, which I believed clouded his judgment, nothing I said or did in defense of Peter got me anywhere with him. It saddened me because besides me, rice, and the gardener, he had no one on his side. Though it put me in a terrible spot, Azalea was my sister, and I know I will never be able to forgive Peter for the heartache he caused her and caused all of us when he did what he did. Yet, at the same time couldn¡¯t wish ill will on anyway, not after the childhood Azalea and I were forced to live, not after seeing firsthand what pain and suffering it causes. I look up as Gannon walks into the room. He leans against the door. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you ready? Azalea is down there, Abbie,¡± ¡°And she wouldn¡¯t expect me down there. What am I supposed to do, Gannon, take Tyson down with me just so I can watch you force Peter to whip his own mother from an inch of her life?¡± Gannon growls, not seeing reason. Only seeing his need to break the boy that broke his Queen. Yet I knew deep down that Azalea wouldn¡¯t want this and had only agreed to save her half-brother from imminent death had she not suggested a different punishment. After a while, Gannon realized I wasn¡¯t going anywhere and sighed, moved toward the bed, andid down. ncing, I watch as his mind links someone before looking at me. ¡°Liam said he would take my ce. Ester has been taken to the courtyard along with Peter already,¡± I swallow, knowing that while I sit here, someone else was suffering, and that didn¡¯t sit well with me. Spread the love Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Gamma by Jessica Hall Chapter 76 ¨C Azalea POV We stepped into a courtyard I had never been in before. My heart nearly stopped when I saw Ester tied with her hands chained above her head to the wall. Her clothes were torn at the back from where the whip had shed her flesh. However, the wounds were healed, and she panted. Kyson growls, and anger coursed through the bond. Peter stood with a whip in his hands that he swiftly dropped, shaking his head and looking at Kyson pleadingly. rice stood off to the side, nibbling her fingernails. The skin on her face had tears trekking down it and dripping off her chin. Though Trey¡¯s expressionless face as he sneered at Peter shocked me the most. This was his sister, and he showed no care for her at all. It was shocking. ¡°Again! You have twenty more, Peter.¡± he snarls, stalking over to him and snatching the whip from the ground. He thrusts it at Peter, who flinches away from him. Bile rose up my throat, and I looked at Kyson, squeezing his hand, and he turned his head, looking at me. ¡°It¡¯s only twenty,¡± I tell him, and Ester nces over her shoulder at me. Her face flushed red, and she panted before looking at Kyson. ¡°Hurry up, Peter. Finish it!¡± Kyson snaps. ¡°Prick.¡± I hiss under my breath, and Kyson growls, leaning down to whisper in my ear. ¡°Watch your tone,¡± he whispers next to my ear. ¡°Watch yours.¡± I retorted, ripping my arm from his grip. I make my way over to rice, who exins Ester was taking it rather well, and Kyson overhearing that, did not sound impressed. He walked over to Liam and talked to him before Liam walked off. Though I was quite shocked at how fast Ester was healing. The moment the whip pulled away, her skin closed. Being whipped was one thing. Seeing someone else made my skin prickle and itch. I couldn¡¯t stand the sound of the crack being made, the way it whipped through the air, the sound of tearing flesh. shbacks smashed me as I tried to block them out, and I wanted nothing more than to run. At this moment, I truly hated Kyson. Hated who he had be. Yet once Peter finished, her skin was red and angry but no longer bleeding. That seemed to bother Kyson. He wanted blood, and plenty stained the stone ground, yet he was not sated by it. For the most part, I stared at the rose bushes, blocking out what was going around me until I heard Ester shriek when Liam walked in with a bucket. The potent scent of Wolfsbane reached my nose, and rice whimpered beside me, and I sat up straighter. ¡°Kyson!¡± I hissed. He growls, I know they need to be punished, but this seemed excessive even for him. I watched in horror as he dipped the whip in the bucket, and my heart lodged in my throat, and tears sprung to my eyes as he pulled it out. The cracking sound sent spray everywhere, and her scream I felt to my core. One scream and it sent me back to a dark ce and had me twisting where I sat on the edge of the garden. The contents of my stomach spewed out into the garden. Kyson, though, was almost rabid, not caring he made me sick. Not caring for her screams or Peter¡¯s begging. He wasn¡¯t present, lost in his anger, and by the 100th one, Ester hung limply in the chains, yet still, he didn¡¯t stop. I was trapped in the darkest parts of my mind. The darkest ces I thought I would never be trapped in again. Only this time, my mate¡¯s actions trapped me there until rice shrieked beside me. Her hands that held me gripped me tighter and Peter¡¯s blood-curdling scream made goosebumps rise, and my ears rang loudly, ripping me out of my own head that was tormenting me. Petery on the ground, and Kyson stood over him with the whip in his hand. Ester was a bloody mess, and I could have sworn that some of the white meaty-looking bits of her back were exposed down to the bone. ¡°Leave him,¡± Ester breathed. Yet she couldn¡¯t move to lift her head. I gaped at the scene before me. Peter clutched his face. That was bleeding profusely. Kyson was enraged and, at some time, had shifted. | swallowed as he breathed heavily, and the nearby gardener was pale as a ghost as he looked at Peter and Ester. He reached forward, gripping Peter¡¯s arms. ¡°Please, no more! She can¡¯t take it anymore! Let me take her ce.¡± Peter pleaded. ¡°No!¡± rice shrieked. Kyson snarled, his upper lip pulling back over his teeth, and a sinister glint was in his ck obsidian eyes. He tilts his head to the side. ¡°I¡¯ll allow it,¡± ¡°He is a boy!¡± The gardener defended. I had no idea when he got here, but he obviously cared for Peter. ¡°He can¡¯t even heal!¡± Kyson shrugs, turning back to Ester. The whip cracked in the air, and her scream made my blood run cold when Peter escaped the gardener¡¯s clutches and tossed himself in front of his mother. Trey clenched his jaw and looked ahead, the only sign that he disagreed with Kyson¡¯s actions. He was controlled solely now by his rage and hate for the pair. I saw him raise the whip, and I never even registered the movement as I tossed myself in front of my brother. Peter couldn¡¯t heal, I couldn¡¯t, and I wouldn¡¯t allow Kyson to kill them. The sentence he gave Ester turned lethal when he had Liam bring out the Wolfsbane. Enough was enough. I felt the sharp tendrils of fiery pain split up my back and tear my dress and shoulder. I hissed, and my back arched, but I gripped Peter, managing to stay upright as my own scream reverberated around the area. Pain licked up my spine, and I clenched my teeth when I heard a roar. Gold flecks flitted brightly, tainting my vision, and a collective gasp was heard when suddenly Trey smashed into the wall beside Ester. I turned to see Liam trying to hold Kyson back, and I realized Trey had attacked my mate. Trey got to his feet, and mymand rolled over him momentster. ¡°Stand down!¡± I snapped at him, and he whimpered, yet just that simplemand made me s*ck in a harsh breath as I turned to face my mate, who was now staring in horror at me. He takes a step toward me with outstretched hands before shaking his head. ¡°Move!¡± ¡°She has suffered enough!¡± I seethed through clenched teeth. ¡°When I say she has,¡± Kyson growled, challenging me, but I refused to move. I nod toward the gardener, whoes over a grabs Peter, dragging him away when I start undoing the front of my dress. ¡°Fine then. I take her ce.¡± I tell him, popping the buttons on my dress. ¡°No!¡± Kyson snarls. ¡°You would have allowed Peter but I won¡¯t allow that. Therefore, he takes his mother¡¯s ce, and I take his. So which is Kyson?¡± I tell him, letting my dress fall to the ground, leaving me in just my undergarments. Everyone averts their gaze, as I knew they would. Ester groans, and I nce at her and swallow when I see her flesh sizzling. It must hurt. The oneshing down mine seared up my spine like wildfire, and I wanted to douse my back with water. ¡°Azalea, move!¡± and I do. I turn around, offering my back to him, and he gasps where he had struck me instead of Peter. I knew what he saw. Years and years of healedsh marks and one like Ester now had carved in her back. ¡°Azalea!¡± Kyson snarls, and I hear hime behind me, his long furry fingers wrapping around my arm as he grabs me and spins me to face him. ¡°What is Kyson? Can¡¯t bear to see your mark on my flesh yet revel in hers? No! I won¡¯t allow it!¡± ¡°Then I kill her.¡± he sneers, and Peter screams. ¡°You saidshes! You are already killing her. Look at her!¡± I screamed furiously in his face. He seemed taken aback but did look at her back, her flesh torn open and blood pooling at her feet. ¡°Enough or I take her ce,¡± I tell him, and he looks at me. His eyes narrowed, and I could see the fury behind them, the argument I knew that wasing, but here with witnesses, he refused to give a show to them. He wanted us a united front, but I would not stand by this a moment more. I never agreed in the first ce but understood it had to happen, but he said he wouldn¡¯t kill her and any moreshes would. We stood off, neither of us willing to bow to the other, and the air between us became tense. ¡°Know your ce, My King. Landeena¡¯s word is final.¡± ¡°Not over me it¡¯s not, My Queen. You may be Landeena, but I am your mate, and Alpha hierarchy still holds weight,¡± he snarls. ¡°Want to test that theory?¡± I asked him, though it was a test. I hade to notice he would back down when my title came into y, making me realize I was so much stronger than him. He seemed surprised, and his eyebrows rose, yet my assumption was correct. With hierarchy, the Alpha was always most assertive, the most dominant in a mate bond but not against a Landeena, and that realization was eye- opening when he took a step back from me. ¡°Just remember, you may have power. That doesn¡¯t mean you know how to use it.¡± ¡°Yet, Kyson. Not yet. But I think you and I both know you are dreading the day I do,¡± I tell him, and he growls. ¡°Release her!¡± he snaps before turning his gaze back to me. ¡°Cover up!¡± he snaps, turning on his heel and storming off. Gannon POV I shouldn¡¯t be here, I should be down there watching that bastard take his punishment, paying for his sins, yet at the same time, Abbie and I have done nothing but argue. I could see if I went down there and stood by my king¡¯s side she wouldn¡¯t forgive me. Yet sitting here I felt useless, and Tyson¡¯s crying was beginning to give me a headache. ¡°He wants his nket,¡± Abbie tells me and I ignore her. I loved her to death but she babied him far too much and he was spoiled rotten, ¡°Gannon, he won¡¯t sleep without it.¡± ¡°He can go one night without it Abbie, it won¡¯t hurt him.¡± i tell her. Hearing a knock at the door I nce over at it and so does Abbie. She looks back at me, and I sigh, forcing myself up from the bed and moving toward the door. I answered the door, and Abbie got to her feet to move toward the door before freezing mid-step when she spotted Azalea. Abbie groaned, unable to go to her, yet the longing on her face was evident.. ¡°Man, you need to find a way to remove themand,¡± Abbie says, flopping back on the floor next to Tyson, who was ying with some wooden blocks, Azalea walks into the room while I remain frozen, unable to myself, not expecting the visit. Azalea leans down, kissing his head and messing Tyson¡¯s hair before sitting beside him. I nced at the door, half expecting Kyson to be with her, but he was nowhere in sight. Turning back to face them, I move toward the bed, having to take a wide berth so as not to step toward my Queen. ¡°I heard the King made you watch?¡± Abbie asks as Azalea chews her lip and nods. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t watch that. I could kill him for making you!¡± Abbie growls, and I growl at her, annoyed because I should have been down there, not Liam, though he would havee just to watch regardless, nothing that man loves more than seeing the pain in another¡¯s eyes. ¡°Mind your tongue, Love,¡± I tell her, and Abbie rolls her eyes at me and Iy back on the bed trying to ignore them and offer them some form of privacy They talked for a little while, but I could tell it was straining on Abbie because she couldn¡¯t move toward her and had to consider her intentions when moving around our own room. ¡°Can you go into town for me?¡± Abbie asks me. I sigh and force myself to get back up. ¡°He needs to learn to sleep without it,¡± Abbie shoots me a look. ¡°Gannon!¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I growled, leaning down to take Tyson. I prop him on my hip. ¡°What¡¯s in town?¡± Azalea asks. ¡°That microfiber nket. It tore in the wash.¡± Abbie tells Azalea. Tyson has sensory issues, and certain things irritate him. To Tyson, it was afort thing. Yet he can¡¯t cart a nket around all the time and needs to learn other coping mechanisms. ¡°I think there is one in the room Kyson made up for a baby room for me, across from his old quarters¡± Azalea tells me. Yet I didn¡¯t want to ask her to retrieve it and was about to tell her I would go into town when we all looked toward the door as it was pushed open, and Kyson stepped inside. ¡°This is where you disappeared to,¡± he says, looking at Azalea; he stops behind her, and she looks up at him as he reaches down, offering her his hand, and he pulls her to her feet. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he whispers, burying his face in her neck. Azalea sighs, leaning back against him. ¡°Yes, now you¡¯re here,¡± she tells him, and he kisses the side of her neck. ¡°Where are you off to?¡± Kyson asks, looking up at me, ¡°He was heading into town to get Tyson a nket, but I think there is a microfiber one in the room across from your old quarters Azalea told him, turning her head to look at him. I shake my head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Gannon will buy one.¡± Abbie quickly says, and I hum in agreement. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I think Az is right,¡± Kyson says, pressing his lips to her cheek. ¡°I will ask Matt to bring it over.¡± Kyson says, and set Tyson on the bed. *Are you sure?¡± I ask him. ¡°Yeah, not like anything in there is getting used.¡± Kyson says, and guilt washes through me. Here I was worried about Tyson and his nket when they would do anything to have their son back. ¡°Come on, we should go. Besides, I am sure Abbie is sick of trying to move around the room without intentionally walking in my direction¡± Azaleaughs and I see Abbie watching her with concern. ¡°Or I could show you how to drop yourmand.¡± Kyson whispers behind her, and she looks up at him. ¡°You¡¯ll show me?¡± Azalea asked, and Kyson leaned down, bumping his nose against hers before brushing his lips on hers. I smirk, loving seeing Kyson be affectionate with her, he was almost an entirely different person with her, and I wondered if I was the same with Abbie ¡°Yeah, I think if I don¡¯t, my Beta may quit¡± Kysonughs, making me chuckle. ¡°About bloody time!¡± Abbie says excitedly. ¡°I can only use it when I¡¯m angry.¡± Azalea tells him, chewing on my lip, and he sits down, pulling Azalea into hisp on the floor. Abbie sits on her butt across from her where she stood. ¡°I can exin it to you but I know you will hate it, but I canmand you to drop it. Which will be easier, and you can feel the pressure behind it.¡± Kyson says. ¡°If it works, I will try anything. I would like a proper hug.¡± Azalea says with a chuckle, looking at Abbie excitedly, who I knew was desperate to get her hands on her too. ¡°And I would like to walk toward you without having to do the one, two-step,¡± Gannon I tell her. ¡°So it is simr to amand. Amand you add pressure, force you will on them,¡± Kyson says, letting his slip out slowly, though I found it wasn¡¯t as diforting or maybe because he didn¡¯t intend it to be. ¡°To rescind it, you pull it back into yourself. So reabsorb your aura andmand,¡± he tries to talk her through it and it was hard watching him manipte his aura with her. The oath liked it despite there being no ill intention behind his actions. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°So you can try, or if you want, I can try tomand you to drop themand, though I am not sure if I actually canmand you now.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked him and I knew he would have a lot of answering to do. Azalea was inquisitive. Kyson sighs and looks at me, and I smirk; raising an eyebrow at him. ¡°Landeenamand can kill. Your command is more potent than mine. I just know how to use mine. You don¡¯t,¡± Kyson tells her, and she appears rather shocked, ¡°Wait! I could have hurt all of them?¡± she stammered, ncing at us nervously. ¡°Yes, but not before you had awoken your gifts,¡± Kyson tells her. ¡°Cedric said something about awakening my gifts,¡± she admits. ¡°You spoke to Cedric?¡± Kyson asks her, and she nods her head. ¡°He was showing me how to use the mind link.¡± Kyson presses his lips in a line but adds nothing on the subject. . ¡°Here, feel for my aura, and I want you to push on it and force it back, okay? If you can do that, you un- command them,¡± he tells her while Abbie waits patiently. ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± she argues with him. ¡°You can control it, Azzy. How much force you put behind it is something you can feel. You will know when to stop or if I am resisting it,¡± Kyson says. They practice a few times before she finally figures it out and can lift themand. She removes Abbie¡¯s first and then mine. The relief felt upon the weight of it lifting off me was refreshing. Knowing I was pact oathed to her yet unable to go to her, my skin constantly crawled with unease. ¡°Practice enough, and you will be able to do it via a mind link without having to be in front of them,¡± Just as Kyson and Azalea were getting ready to leave, a knock was heard on the door, and Matt, one of the guards, handed Kyson the nket, but he shook his head, pointing to Tyson, who had his hands out for it. ¡°More than my life,¡± Azalea says, turning toward Abbie. ¡°Always, more than my life,¡± she says while clutching her face between her hands. Abbie kisses her cheek. ¡°Come see me tomorrow, or I cane to see you now,¡± Azaleaughs, and I avert my gaze to the King. ¡°I sent Liam, Damian, and Dustin to the brothels to investigate the rogue trafficking and the council¡¯s involvement.¡± i nod. Spread the love Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Gannon had told me that Damian was back, and we would have two new additions to the castle. Looking out of our window, I could see the cars. Beta Damian stepped out and was arguing with someone, yet the angle I was at was blocking my view of them. ¡°Bloody hell, woman! How many times do I gotta tell you I am the King¡¯s beta! I live here! What do you think? I would bring you here if I didn¡¯t?¡± Damian snaps when I hear a child start crying. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Great! Now you woke him,¡± Damian says, standing upright, and I notice the toddler in his arms. ¡°Give him here! Give me my son!¡± ¡°No! Do you want him? Then get out of the damn car!¡± ¡°Man, they have done nothing but bitch and fight the entire way back,¡± Liam groans. ¡°Fine! But if your King abuses me for trespassing, you can bet your damn ass I will whoop his!¡± the feisty woman snaps. ¡°Good! Whoop his ass! He is right behind you. Let¡¯s see what you got, short stuff!¡± Damian shouts. ¡°I would love to see it!¡± Damian snaps at her. The woman turned around so fast I heard Azalea gasp and rocked back on my heels. ¡°What is going on?¡± The King growls. Damian scrubs a hand down his face, looking exhausted, probably more defeated. I wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Kyson, this Tandi. Tandi, his royal highness King Kyson, you know the one you want to beat?¡± Damian mocks. Yet Azalea¡¯s eyes were pinned to the woman, and her eyes were also on Azalea, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. ¡°Taylor?¡± she choked. ¡°Ivy?¡± Taylor stammers, looking just as shocked to see her. I thought she was dead; I could never have imagined seeing her again. Though I had always hoped she was alright I just believed that was wishful thinking, AS ¡°Taylor?¡± Damian says, taken aback, but my feet were already moving as I raced to her. ¡°Taylor?¡± No, I couldn¡¯t have possibly heard that right. The Taylor we knew was dead, killed by Alpha Brock and Alpha Dean for being a rogue. We were forbidden from going with her and receivedshes that day. ¡°Oh, my gosh, it¡¯s really you!¡± Azalea shrieked, throwing her arms around her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Taylor cries, clutching Azzy. She started crying, and I couldn¡¯t contain my tears either. ¡°Wait! What about Abbie?¡± she says, holding her at arm¡¯s length, and I bounce on my heels, wanting to rush down to see if it truly was her. Maybe I was having one of my moments. I had them before, and I knew if I could just touch and feel her, I would be certain. I wondered if I was dreaming. I sometimes suffered from differentiating between fantasy and reality, though I truly hoped I wasn¡¯t having some psychotic break. ¡°She is here I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re alive!¡± I cried, clutching her face in my hands. ¡°Hang on, what is going on? Who is Taylor?¡± Damian says, and Azalea looks at Taylor. Before I even realized what I was doing. I was on autopilot, looking for my shoes. Gannon asked me what was wrong several times before I even registered his voice speaking to me. ¡°Abbie, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Taylor is alive!¡± I gush, needing to see for myself ¡°Whose Taylor?¡± Gannon asks me, Gannon stared at me in confusion as I stared at him. What did he mean? Who was Taylor? I had no time to exin; I just needed to get to her, touch her to make sure she was real and not a figment of my imagination. But I knew he wasn¡¯t going to let me run down until I gave even a brief exnation. ¡°Taylor was one of the rogue girls we were with at the orphanage. Ms. Daley hated how close we were and constantly tried to separate us. She said we were plotting against her anyway. Mrs. Daley¡¯s friend broke a vase and med us, rogues. Taylor stood up for us, and it got her beat and kicked out. One day Azalea and I woke up to her gone. We looked everywhere surrounding that hell hole before we had gotten up the courage to ask Ms. Daley. She whipped us good for even asking.¡± Gannon furrowed his brow, ¡°We never saw any other girls close to your age in the documents we had taken from the Silver Shadow pack. This is just more confirmation of what we already suspected.¡± I had no time for semantics; I needed to get down there; I took the stairs two at a time in my rush and rushed out the front doors. Just as I all but bolted through the door, I nearly knocked Trey over. ¡°Hello, can someone tell me what the fuck is going on? Did you give me your whore name?¡± I heard Damian demand, and I gasped at what he called her. Yet Taylor snarled, spinning on her heel to re at him. ¡°It¡¯s a long story and Abbie?¡± Azzy nced over her shoulder at me moments before my hurried footsteps caught everyone¡¯s attention. The moment Taylor turned to look at me, I stopped in my tracks before I stumbled out of the door and down the steps. In a state of shock, Trey gripped my arm to keep me steady as my mouth opened and closed in shock. As I look at Azalea with the same shock that she clearly felt upon seeing Taylor, I find myself looking at Azalea, needing that confirmation from her. Several steps behind me, Gannon and Tyson emerge from the castle. My bottom lip quivered when Azzy nodded to me, telling me what I was seeing was real before my feet were moving quickly, and I collided with Taylor. There was barely enough time for Taylor to catch me as my legs and arms wrapped around her. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. It couldn¡¯t be Taylor, but it was. She was alive! Ms. Daley had gotten tired of us asking for her. She spun on her heels, almost snarling at Azalea and me. Mrs. Daley screamed in our faces, telling us she was dead and that she couldn¡¯t wait until the day it was our turn so she didn¡¯t have to look at our faces ever again. ¡°I thought you were dead,¡± I gushed, squeezing her tight. Taylor, who apparently is now named Tandi, reaches over and grabs Azalea, squishing us together as she embraces us. ¡°How, how?¡± Abbie says, cing her feet down as tears stream down her face. Kyson, Gannon, and Damian all just stood there gawking at us while we fussed over each other when Tandi turned to Damian and pinned him with her re. ¡°My son, now. I did what you asked,¡± she said, and Damian looked at her, but it was Gannon who nudged Damian to hand her son back ¡°Give her son back. She looks like she bites, like an angry gremlin,¡± Gannon mumbles, and I press my lips together to stop fromughing. ¡°She fucking does. She bit me already, twice actually, while pitching a fit,¡± Damian growls in annoyance as he reluctantly hands her son to her. ¡°You have a child?¡± I asked, making sure I heard right, and I pulled back the nkets to take a closer look at the toddler in Tandi¡¯s arms. Turning back to Gannon, I hold out my arms for Tyson, who ils in Gannon¡¯s arms, wanting toe to me. ¡°Who is this little one?¡± Tandi asks while reaching out and gripping Tyson¡¯s little fingers as I hold him. I had so many questions, like where she had been all this time when she had a baby. I didn¡¯t have a chance to ask before Damian was asking us to take Tandi inside. ¡°Gannon, Abbie, take Tandi to my quarters and help her settle in, please. I need a word with the King and Queen,¡± Damian says, and Tandi¡¯s head whips to the side to stare at Azalea. I guess Azalea hadn¡¯t had a chance to tell her yet. Tandi¡¯s eyes widen when recognition hits her at Damian calling her Queen. ¡°Azalea, Queen Azalea Landeena, I knew I heard that name,¡± she eximed. ¡°Have you heard of the Landeena¡¯s?¡± Azzy asked her, shocked because I knew she couldn¡¯t read like us unless she had since learned, maybe she had. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Tandi says. When the King speaks, ¡°Everyone has. It is in every history book, love. You and Abbie were the only ones oblivious to who they were, who you are,¡± he purrs at Azzy when Tandi speaks up while shaking her head, answering one of the many questions I had for her. ¡°No, I can¡¯t read. No, I heard about it at the brothel when the hunterse in sometimes. Amazing the things you hear when you aren¡¯t supposed to be listening,¡± she says, blowing out a breath. ¡°Hunters?¡± Kyson asks her, lifting his head to look at her. ¡°Yeah, the ones that work for the council, Larkin, introduced me to a couple of them. They creeped me out,¡± ¡°You know Larkin?¡± Kyson asks her. ¡°Yes, she does, and that is what I need to speak with you both about. Because I just stole his son,¡± Damian says, and I gasp at his words. JH kidnapped a council member¡¯s son? Surely that would have consequences. Kyson straightens, and I look at Tandi¡¯s son in her arms. I wondered what sort of trpcicussions this would have. But I also wondered why the hunters would be working with the council, aren¡¯t they supposed to care and preserve the Lycan and werewolf way of life? ¡°You said the hunters work with the council?¡± Kyson asks Tandi. She nods her head and shrugs as if this was something we should already know. ¡°Yeah, I have seen them a few times. Larkin and Crux seem, pretty buddy, buddy with them. They hold meetings at the brothel. They all wear patches and call themselves the rebels.¡± her brows furrow as if she is thinking hard, trying to remember some detail. ¡°Mr. Crux holds the meetings. He has worked with them for years, and they have meetings yearly for some blood ceremony or some crap. Bloody freaks always drinking each other¡¯s blood from a cup, and they call me diseased since I am rogue, those fuckers sitting around drinking blood as if they think they are bloodsuckers,¡± she says with a swift shake of her head. ¡°Did you say blood?¡± Azalea asks her, looking a little shocked by her words. Why would the hunters be drinking blood? Tandi nods. ¡°Yep, like clockwork. Every February, on the 1st day of the month, is the annual meeting. They talk shit and spout changes within the council. Dawning their stupid insignia¡¯s about how Crux will take over once the royals are dead.¡± she says with a shrug as if we should know this already Turning my head, I see the worry on Azalea¡¯s face. She had enough going on, and I didn¡¯t want this to be another added worry for her. ¡°Dustin has some documents you will want to see, too. We got Alpha Brock and Dean. They have been trafficking rogues for years,¡± Damian says before turning to look at Gannon and give him a subtle nod. Gannon walks over to escort Tandi and me inside the castle. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Gannon pov Weeks Later Ever once Tandi came back and we learned the horrors she endured after she was removed from the orphanage, Abbie seemed to have some form of survivor¡¯s guilt, she had been working herself to the bone daly Taking Tyson with her everywhere she went Helping Tandi with settling into the castle, she hadn¡¯t been sleeping and was always cleaning, Abbie and I were constantly fighting over Tyson and her working so much as I tried to understand what was going on with her. When one day, she snapped. She told me it was her fault Tandi got in trouble that day, that if she hadn¡¯t asked Tandi to defend Azalea, she never would have ended up in the brothel. She never would have been sent away. Despite her thoughts being unreasonable, she solely believed she was responsible for what happened to Tandi. Even after Tandi told her multiple times, it would have been that way anyway, that no matter what happened that day she would have ended up there Tandi had told her Alpha Brock had always intended to sell her off. Abbie, however, refused to believe her, and I knew her hearing the stories of Tandi¡¯s sufferings had brought back memories of her own. She hardly slept, and I was forced to drug her a couple of times just to make her sleep because she was bing increasingly unstable, her mind more fragile with each passing day. Her thought patterns were toxic and her erratic behavior was beginning to worry me. I wanted to tell Azalea and the King yet I also knew they had a lot going on themselves and no one else seemed to notice the change in her, except Liam andme. It was almost like she put on a show for everyone, pretending to be holding herself together. I had always known sooner orter she would break after she came back from Kade, I just didn¡¯t think it would be guilt for another she broke Over I thought she needed time to heal, but I was beginning to wonder if she needed professional help. Help I couldn¡¯t give her because as the days slipped by repetition she seemed to live by, almost as if she was on autopilot, ¡°Abbie, you promised he would sleep in his room tonight,¡± I tell her as she tucks Tyson into bed. Our bed. She promises the same thing every night. The few times she did put him in his bed, she paced the halls or waited for me to fall asleep before sneaking into his room so she could be near him. A few times I even awoke to herying by the firece with him or on the couch. Yet the more I pushed, the more distant she seemed to be, the more unstable. I was getting nowhere with her it seemed, and it was starting to piss me off because it was as if she wasn¡®t even trying, I had be a piece of the furniture in her existence, just someone that was always there. Kind of like Tyson¡¯sfort nket. He always had it, couldn¡¯t go without but at the same time didn¡¯t want it, especially when he would get tangled up in it. ¡°Tomorrow night, I promise,¡± she tells me. Yet tomorrow never seemed toe. ¡°You promised yesterday,¡± I tell her, but she shakes her head. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± she says, her brows furrowed in confusion. That was another thing I noticed. She seemed to be having memorypses and losing time. I often wondered where her mind took her, but at the same time, I also didn¡¯t want to know because I could tell wherever it was, it haunted her. ¡°Abbie, his own room, I want to sleep with my mate. I am sick of being kicked,¡± I tell her, reaching for him. She rips the nket back up that I pulled away. I tossed my arms up in the air bing fed up. ¡°No, he stays. What if someone takes him, or what if he wanders off?¡± she tried to tell me. I was so sick of the excuses. There wasn¡¯t an excuse she hadn¡¯t given me. ¡°No, Abbie. You know he can¡¯t get out, this ce is secured, and Liam and Dustin and every other guard know to watch him and keep an eye out for him. He is perfectly safe,¡± I remind her, and she watches me as I scoop him up. Yet the look on her face makes me growl before setting him back down when I see her lips start quivering and the fearful look on her face. ¡°I am over this shit, every goddamn night with you!¡± I tell her before storming off and out of the room. She won¡¯t sleep in the bed unless he is in it and it is driving me up the wall. I have never done anything to warrant her fear of me when ites to the damn bedroom. She knows I would never force her to do anything she isn¡¯tfortable with, yet still, she fears me sleeping beside her. ¡°Gannon? Wait! Where are you going?¡± she panics as I reach for the door, at the same time, she grabs my arm. I shake her hand off, pushing the door open. ¡°I need to go; I wille backter. Just leave me be, Abbie,¡± I tell her, knowing if I stayed, I would say something I would surely regret. Instead, I go find Liam, needing to vent my frustrations because right now, I was at my wit¡¯s end with her. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Abbie POV I watched as he left. He really left. He walked out, and I nced back at the bed nervously before looking back at the door. I hear him knock on Liam¡¯s door down the hall and I move toward ours when I hear Liam¡¯s voice. ¡°What¡¯s up, brother?¡± I just managed to hear him say. I crack the door open just a little to listen. I knew it wasing but I thought I had more time, that maybe it wouldn¡¯t hurt so much when it did. Yet hearing Gannon¡¯s following words crushed me. ¡°I can¡¯t do this with her anymore; I can¡¯t. She is impossible. She-¡± he doesn¡¯t finish, just sighs. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get a drink,¡± Liam says, wandering off with him. I shut the door, tears burning my eyes at what he said. Did he mean he didn¡¯t want me? Did he finally realize I wasn¡¯t enough for him, that couldn¡¯t be what he needed? My thoughts festered, racing through my head as I waited for him to return yet after an hour realized he wasn¡¯t going to. Panic started to grow and writhed through me as I tried to calm my. racing heart and thoughts. Not wanting to wake Tyson, I slipped into the bathroom and sat on the floor. He was leaving me. He was going to leave me because, just like Sia, I was hurting him. I was no good for him, he deserved better. They all did! Tyson deserved better. Tyson deserved a mother that wasn¡¯t afraid of her own shadow, afraid of his father¡¯s affections. Gannon needed a mate, something I could never truly be for him. I loved him, yet couldn¡¯t do what was expected of me. I didn¡¯t want to see the disappointment on his face when he realized I was tarnished, used, and ruined, and I didn¡¯t want to endure the shbacks that came with touch. I felt dirty, felt gross as I stared at the tub. Maybe if I bathed, I would feel better, not so dirty, maybe could wash away the filthy parts of me, and Gannon wouldn¡¯t notice them. So I ran a bath and hopped in | scrubbed my skin yet no amount of scrubbing would remove the scars, remove the sense of their touch, remove what they did to me and what I was too weak to stop them from doing. I was too weak to be the King¡¯s Gamma¡¯s mate, too vile and gross and now he saw that and nothing! did would fix it, he would leave me. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. My actions orck thereof were hurting him, breaking his heart as Sia did, just as my actions hurt Tandi that day and ruined her life. Just as I ruined Azalea¡¯s because she suffered so much for me, she took more than her fair share of my punishments trying to protect me. I was useless to all of them, always the burden and now I was seeing that with startling rity, and that guilt was killing me, rotting me from the inside out as the tears refused to stop flowing when I spotted Gannon¡¯s razor. It was at that moment I realized I could fix everything. Everything would be fixed if I weren¡¯t here Gannon would move on and find someone who could love him the way he deserved, and Tyson would have a new mother who would cherish and love him. But most of all I would be set free, and they would be free of the burden that is me. So with that, I ran the razor down both arms. I didn¡¯t feel it, I thought it would sting, but I felt nothing. Nothing at all yet the wounds closed too soon. growl, cursing my stupidity before shing and hacking at them again. Still, I healed, tears burned my eyes when I couldn¡¯t even do that right. Getting out of the tub, I hunted around for something sharper. I had to do this, had to set him free of me, and I know he would never give me up, even if that meant killing himself. I owed them all this, owed them for my failings. I was sifting through his stash of knives when I found a bottle with a mushed nt in it. I shook it, trying to figure out what it was before popping the cap and sniffing it. I recognize the scent instantly as a smell from my grandmother¡¯s house. That creepy room she had that was off-limits. Wolfsbane. Taking the bottle, I wondered how much it would burn as I stepped back into the tub. The water had gone cold and I turned the hot water back on, leaving it on to heat the water as I built up the courage to put not only myself out of my misery but everyone whose lives I was ruining. Sinking down into the water, I stared at the bottle in my hand before tipping it to my lips. I could fix it, I could make it go away and I could go away with it. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Gannon POV Liam and I went out the back. We made a detour for Liam to get his stash of vodka. As I sat out in the back gazebo out in the main courtyard, Liam cracked the bottle open, passing it to me after he took a swig. I didn¡¯t know where to begin, I knew it wasn¡¯t her fault, but there was only so much | could help with. Abbie wasn¡¯t seeing it or was refusing to see and acknowledge it. wa see I love Tyson, and I love Abbie, but what was the point of making him his own room if she never allowed him to sleep in it? She knows full well I would never force myself on her. All I want is to be able to sleep in my bed with her without being kickboxed by Tyson in his sleep. ¡°Just say it, brother. You don¡¯t have to feel guilty for whatever it is. Not with me,¡± Liam tells me. I let out a slow torturous breath, ¡°I don¡¯t know what else I can possibly do to help Abbie. We went and made her old room into Tyson¡¯s new room. He loves it, but she won¡¯t let him sleep in it. That can¡¯t be healthy for him, her, and especially me. She says she knows I¡¯m not Kade, and she knows I would never force myself on her, yet she continues to use Tyson as her own safety nket. I am barely getting any sleep because of it.¡± I groaned, it was driving me mad. I felt like I was constantly walking on eggshells around her, trying not to step on one of her many triggers. It was bing impossible. ¡°Maybe you should let her see a therapist, there is only so much you can do. Have you talked to Azalea? You know they are just as tight as we are with each other, if not more.¡± I shake my head. The King had enough going with Azalea after losing their baby, Abbie is to be my mate. I had to figure out a way and not burden them with her. I hand Liam back the bottle, he epts it taking a sip. ¡°Gannon, I am about to say something you might not wanna hear. Abbie was abused by not one but three spineless pieces of shit. It has been one drama leading into another. She has never been normal. Everything that has happened to her since the loss of her parents has proven trusting anyone leads to more of the same.¡± Liam tells me, I knew what he said was true I was just frustrated Fuck we all had issues, Liam was a prime example of that with his upbringing, mine with my own yet we still had good moments and my childhood wasn¡¯t nearly as traumatic as hers. ¡°She knows you would never treat her that way, but she can¡¯t turn it off. Look how long it took me to be better, well, better than I was. Shit, man, I¡¯m still all types of fucked up after what my father used to make me do, it doesn¡¯t go away you just learn to live with it. And half the time I still don¡¯t,¡± he says, holding up the bottle and shaking it before passing it back to me. Isip it thinking over his words. Yeah Liam was far from sane, yet he was also smart, smarter than most gave him credit for, the horrors he has lived with make me sick and only rice knows what he truly suffered with at the hands of his father. I know what he has told me and maybe Dustin knows a little but he was a very guarded man that lived with his own demons, demons I don¡¯t even want in my own consciousness. However, Liam was right. There was only so much I could do, ¡°I will tell her that in order for her to get better, she has to talk to someone other than Azalea and me. It isn¡¯t good for her or Tyson. I don¡¯t want to lose her or my son.¡± If I could kill them all over again, I would make it all much longer and more painful. I was about to walk off when Liam tugged me back, taking his bottle out of my hand. ¡°You do that, but this baby stays with me.¡± Gave me a wink before taking it to the head. ¡°I would offer, but we all know I would probably fuck her up as much as me, yet maybe get to speak with rice at least. You know she used to be a counselor before she worked as a nanny,¡± Liam tells me and I nod before walking back to my quarters. I walked up the stairs to our quarters when the smell of blood permeated the hall, ¡°Fuck! Abbie!¡± || bolted to our room hearing Tyson screaming. Going into the bathroom made my blood run old, Tyson was trying to shake Abbie. Blood was in the tub and running down its sides as water spilled over the sides and out the door. A bottle of wolfsbaney on the floor thankfully the lid was back on it or it would have burned him. ¡°Tyson, look at me. Let me help mommy. I need you to step back for me, bubba.¡± I tell him while also trying to keep a hand on Abbie so she doesn¡¯t slip beneath the water. Tyson was clutching his nket in a vice grip. I pulled a knife from my boot, fishing Abbie closer to me. Her head bobbing from side to side, cutting my wrist, I forced my blood past her lips. ¡°Tyson out!¡± I ordered him, feeling guilty but he didn¡¯t need to witness this, he already saw too much. He rushes out and I turn back to Abbie, my heart thumping frantically in my chest as panic swallows me ¡°Come on, Abbie! Don¡¯t do this to me.¡± My wrist tried to heal and I bit into it to keep it open before opening her mouth forcing more of my blood into her, when that still wasn¡¯t working I gripped her under the arms and sank my teeth into her neck flooding her system with my venom. I couldn¡¯t lose her. How stupid of me to leave her while she was upset. Abbie¡¯s eyes began to flutter, and the color began to return to her cheeks and lips and Tyson whimpered behind me just standing outside the bathroom door. ¡°See Tyson. Momma¡¯s okay, Go wait in the room and I¡¯ll bring her right out.¡± I tell him and she begins to sputter and choke on the water. Tyson reluctantly went into the bedroom, I turned my attention back to Abbie. Her eyes bulged from her head and she began to stutter, ¡°Wha¡­what did you do? Why did you try to stop me?¡± she says, ncing around frantically when I see her eyes go back to the razor she used resting on the side of the bathtub. Abbie gasped as she looked down at her wrists and saw her wounds healing quickly and pushing out of my arms, iling about. I couldn¡¯t let her try to kill herself again, I had no other choice. So I grabbed her, I sank my teeth into her shoulder this time trying to flood and overwhelm her system with my venom. She fights me and I bite my wrists jamming it over her mouth while she screams and iled about trying to stop me. I won¡¯t lose her! I pinned Abbie marking her repeatedly and forced her head under the bloody water. I pray I didn¡¯t fuck up and the Lycan genes kicked in. Her hand¡¯s ws raked my arms and she thrashed spilling water everywhere, kicking and screaming under the water when Tyson started screaming and rushed in hitting me, screaming for her, his nails scratching me down my arms and back as he yanked on my shirt ¡°Da, Da. Sto,¡± he wailed yanking on me and I fall back on my ass on the wet tiles and she jumped out of the water, sitting up and clutching the sides of the tub as Tyson reached for her but before he could she choked and sputter spewing up water and giving me a frightened look. ¡°Abbie? I.. I-¡± she stared at me for a second before climbing out of the tub and snatching her gown off the hook on the bathroom door. ¡°Abbie, wait!¡± I called out to her but she was already gone and I heard the bedroom door m just as Tyson went to chase after her. I scoop him up and he fights me. ¡°Wait, stop,¡± I tried to soothe him as he screamed for her. ¡°Daddy wasn¡¯t hurting her,¡± I tried to tell him yet I knew that was a lie. I grab Tyson, setting him on my hip and step out the doors to find Liam coming back to his room. The bottle in his hand drops and shatters on the floor. ¡°Gannon?¡± ¡°Find Abbie! Help me find Abbie,¡± I tell him and he takes off down one hall and I take the other. Yet after half an hour and no sign of her I went looking for Azalea hoping she was with her, yet when I reach her bedroom Trey tells me he hasn¡¯t seen her. Trey looks at me horrified and grits his teeth. ¡°What have you done?¡± he asks, I shake my head. I just needed Azalea. ¡°I need Azalea,¡± I tell him. ¡°Mind link the king!¡± | snap at him and he swallows ncing at her door before I feel him open up the mindlink, phasing me in so I can listen. ¡°Trey, which moron is at my door?¡± the King snarls at him. ¡°That moron would be me, my King,¡± Trey said, though I could hear the amusement in his voice and the King calling him a moron. ¡°What is it?¡± Kyson asks while I impatiently move from foot to foot, if he refused I would break the King¡¯s door down. ¡°Gannon wanted me to ask if the Queen would help him find Abbie,¡± Trey tells him. ¡°Tell him we are busy.¡± The King retorts. I growl and Trey nces at me and Tyson. ¡°Tell him it¡¯s important that she left Tyson!¡± I tell Trey. ¡°I did, my king. He said he wouldn¡¯t ask, but she left Tyson and took off, and he can¡¯t find her.¡± ¡°She left Tyson?¡± The Kings ask him. ¡°Yes, my King and Gannon said ¡°¡­ ¡°That she would never leave him behind,¡± the king finished for him, and I sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll be right there,¡± the King tells him and he cuts the mind link. I look at Trey who waves me off because I was bing antsy standing here doing nothing when I should be looking for her. ¡°Go., I will inform them that..¡± He nces down at me nervously. ¡°Something happened,¡± Trey tells me and I rush off with Tyson to check the servants quarters and the communal bathrooms, One word from Azalea had the entire castle searching for her yet no matter where we searched we couldn¡¯t find her. Hours pass and we all start backtracking when I spot water marks on the floor and find a bloody handprint by the stairs. I sniff the air picking up her scent and start climbing the stairs. We must have just missed her, I only just searched for her in this part a minute ago, Climbing the stairs I follow her scent to the King and Queens room. King Kyson POV I follow after Azalea. We end up with every guard looking for her when Gannon says he found her, but she won¡¯te out. We learn she is hiding in our quarters, and we head to our quarters to check if she was hiding up there, as he imed. Gannon was beside himself, Tyson crying in his arms, and Gannon¡¯s shirt was covered in blood. Azalea freezes in her tracks as her shock hits me through the bond. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to, but she tried to leave¡­¡± he didn¡¯t finish, and my heartbeat in my chest at seeing him in such a distressed state while Tyson wailed loudly. Azalea rushed over, ripping him out of Gannon¡¯s arms, who growled at her when she did, trying to reach for him, but the poor kid was petrified of whatever he had just witnessed and clung to Azalea, his arms around her neck. ¡°Stand down!¡± Azalea snarls at him, and he freezes just as Damianes rushing around the corner with rice and Liam. Everyone stops staring at Gannon while Azalea tries to calm Tyson down. ¡°Where is she?¡± she demands, fury zing in her eyes. Gannon¡¯s eyes darted to our bedroom door, and I looked behind me before turning back to look at Gannon. Azalea gasps, knowing he must have done something terrible for her to run and hide in our room. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. I would never hurt her. She tried to leave me,¡± Gannon says, clutching his hair. I watch the fall and rise of Azalea¡¯s chest, her eyes trained on the door before she moves toward it. She passes Tyson to me as she moves toward the door. She stops next to it and grips the door handle before looking at her hand, which is covered in blood. She looks at me horrified before her eyes go to Gannon before she growls, shoving the door open. She slips inside the room, and I turn my head to look at Gannon. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I tried to change her,¡± he says, dropping to the ground and fisting his hair. My lungspress in my chest. ¡°Gannon!¡± rice whispers, horrified, knowing precisely what that means. ¡°There was no way Abbie would have been ready for that after everything she had been through!¡± rice scolds me. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t stop fighting me,¡± I murmured. ¡°Because you tried to fucking kill her!¡± I yell at him. ¡°No, she was trying to kill herself!¡± I whisper. Previous Chapter Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 81 ¨C Abbie POV The only ce I thought to go to was Azzy¡¯s room with the king. How could he rob me of my peace, I just wanted to go home and let this end. I was no good to anyone, I wasn¡¯t good enough for anyone, much less myself. I don¡¯t know how long Iid there before I noticed Azaleaying next to me. I could see her but it was like she wasn¡¯t even there. ¡°Abbie?¡± she whispered. The look of pity on her face made the reason I wanted to end it more evident. I was tired of people looking at me like the weakling I was. Azalea suffered enough because of me. Here she was trying to save me again. She has suffered more than enough because of me, so has Tandi. Everyone has paid the price for me. The memories kept pulling me under, reying over and over again. I couldn¡¯t get them to stop! The b**cher, Daley, Kade on repeat. It was like a hever ending carousel of horrors I couldn¡¯t escape. They were sucking me under, drowning me in misery. I should have fought harder, but I didn¡¯t. I should have listened to Gannon, but I didn¡¯t. I should never have gone down to that basement. That one haunts me the most and I felt myself sucked into it, I fought trying to forget, trying to make it stop but nothing I did worked and I found myself back there. We were 15 and I just finished helping Azalea hang out the washing, I remember that day so clearly, remember everything. I could still feel the breeze as we walked back inside and I retrieved the mop buckets from the closet and saw how dirty they were. ¡°I will quickly wash these,¡± I tell her and she nods Moving toward the stairs, clutching the railing tightly as she went to move on to the next chore I watched her go, hershes tearing open and staining the back of her dress with each movement. She paused halfway up and I chewed my lip with worry. She had been having dizzy spells, we hadn¡¯t eaten in days and her hands shook as she clutched the banister trying not to pass out. ¡°Ivy?¡± she had whispered. She waves me off. ¡°It¡¯ll pass,¡± she tells me yet she was as pale as a sheet. She kept climbing thest of the steps disappearing and I clutch the mop bucket and move toward the kitchen to see the b**cher talking to Mrs. Daley. They both stopped and nced at me and I went to stop and turn back around. ¡°Be a love and help me carry the meat from the truck down,¡± the b**cher told me. He always creeped me out, something was off about him, he was always trying to touch me. I shake my head. ¡°No I can¡¯t, I am busy,¡± I tell him, holding up the bucket. I turn to leave. ¡°That can wait, you will help Doyle,¡± Mrs. Daley says and I freeze, turning back to look at her. ¡°Go start bringing it in, I will send Abbie to help in a minute,¡± she assures him. I swallowed looking at Mrs. Daley frantically. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I really can¡¯t,¡± I tell her grasping at any excuse I could when she holds up a hand making me stop. ¡°You will help him, it will take you only a few minutes,¡± she snaps but I shake my head and start backing up. ¡°You will help him Abbie, Or I will make Ivy help him,¡± she snapped at me and I should have known something was up because she said Ivy¡¯s name, she never referred to us by name, always you, or rogue or some other filthy vile thing she would call us. We hadn¡¯t eaten in three days. Mrs. Daley used to make us share whatever scraps were left over. We hadn¡¯t eaten in three days. There was nothing left over for thest three days and I knew Azalea wouldn¡¯t last much longer, she was fainting frequently and each time Mrs. Daley would catch her, would use her of cking and whip her more, she couldn¡¯t handle much more, she needed food and time to heal. ¡°You just need to help him stack the freezers, if you do, I will let you eat with the rest of the children tonight. A reward, I know you girls have been working hard today,¡± ¡°You¡¯ll let us eat?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she smiles. I swallowed ncing at the basement door where the freezers were kept. ¡°Will only take you a few minutes, he has already put half of it down there,¡± she tells me and I shiver runs up my spine, I ignore it, I shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°So chop, chop, then you can prepare dinner and eat with the rest of them,¡± Mrs. Daley says. So I helped, I rushed around, helping carry the meat down. Taking thest box down and setting in the freezer I turn toward the stairs just as Doyle sauntered down them, I step aside letting him pass with the chicken he had but he doesn¡¯t. ¡°Excuse me,¡± I murmured, keeping my gaze on the floor. He clears his throat and I look up to see Mrs. Daley closed the basement door. My heart beat like a drum in my chest before I heard the TV turn up. Too loud. Too loud I thought. The b**cher reaches for me and I shriek at the look on his face before he grabs my hair, shoving me toward the back of the basement where the freezers were. I want to leave, you¡¯re scaring me,¡± I tell him trying to pass him when he grabs my hair, bending me over the freezer as I struggle and kick. I almost froze in fear when I felt his breath on the back of my neck as he pinned me down. I feel his calloused fingers skimming my thighs as he gripped my tunic and yanked at it tearing the bottom open. Then the sting of my flesh as he ripped my underwear down and felt the warmth of my blood as it cascaded down my legs when he shoved his way inside me and made me scream. His hand closed over my mouth to m**ffle me. His scent was putrid, like rotting meat and steel as I choked on the breath stolen by the pain. ¡°I have waited so long for this!¡± he groaned, using his other hand to hold my head against the cold freezer top. The taste of his fingers as he m**ffled my screams of agony made me gag and retch The voices above using from the TV grew louder, and I knew Mrs. Daley turned it up so the kids wouldn¡¯t hear me. The tune that yed at the start of it I would never forget. It taunted me as I tried to focus on it instead of the agony tearing up my backside as he raped me. It felt like it stretched on hours before he was finally done. I remained frozen in ce staring off at the wall covered in cobwebs as I heard him zip his pants before he pressed his lips to my cheek. I squeeze my eyes shut. ¡°Good, girl, hopefully by next week you¡¯ll be ready for round two¡± he purred before I listened to his footsteps climb the stairs. I couldn¡¯t move. I was paralyzed with fear, paralyzed with the humiliation I felt as my blood streamed down my legs, I wanted it to stop, when I noticed the rope hanging on the wall. My hands shook as I reached for it and tossed it over the banister above before dragging a chair over to it as I made a noose. He woulde back for me, he woulde back. So I slipped it over my head. I wouldnt let him do that again, I thought as tears streamed down my face. The chair wobbles and I am about to take a step off when I hear the door open. Fear momentarily paralyzes me again wondering if he came back when I see her. Azalea had stepped into the basement and ehr eyes roamed over me and widened in horror as they take in my torn tunic, my thighs covered in blood. Then the rope around my neck. ¡°Abbie,¡± she had whispered, taking a step toward me but I shook my head, I couldn¡¯t. I wouldn¡¯t live like this. ¡°Go, Ivy,¡± I sobbed, my shoulders shaking with each breath I took and tears rolled down her cheeks. ¡°Not without you,¡± she chokes. I shake my head and she moves closer before looking around the room. She moves toward a chair and ces it next to mine. She climbed up on it and loosened the noose, slipping her head in beside mine. ¡°More than my life. Mine isn¡¯t worth living if you aren¡¯t in it, if you go, we go together because am not without you,¡± she tells me. We both jumped, but the rope didn¡¯t hold our weight. I felt the burn of the rope as it shed through my neck and our heads nged together before we hit the floor. Azalea POV I could feel every beat of my heart through every pulse point in my body. I could hear it in my ears as the scent of her blood wafted to my nose. I follow her scent, and the blood drops on the floor before finding Abbie soaking wet and lying on the bathroom floor. Her ear pressed to the tiles as she stared vacantly at the bottom of the sink ba?in. ¡°Abbie?¡± I whispered, my heart breaking at the sight of her. I hadn¡¯t seen her like this in ages. Not since she first returned home and before was after what the b**cher did to her. Abbie doesn¡¯t answer, and I watch a tear slip down her cheek. When I saw Gannon, I had first thought he hurt her, and I am sure he did, but not in the way I first thought. I thought he had murdered her, but the moment I stepped into the bathroom, I realized she had hurt herself. She had been through so much, and everyone broke, though I didn¡¯t think it would ever be Gannon that would cause her to snap. We were all waiting for it. I knew it would eventuallye because, at some point, everything weighing us down and suffocating us bes unbearable. We just dealt with it in different ways. Kyson, with his drinking, me with the way I shut down and turned everything inward. Liam with his sick games of torture and then Abbie. Abbie always fights hers because there is noeback from the sort of vice she fights, and that is death. I kneel on the tiles before lying down beside her, resting my head on the tiles beside her. She blinked at me, and by the hollow look in her eyes, I knew she was somewhere else, somewhere far away. A ce that lives inside us and haunts us, gues and destroys us, the past. Moving my hand, I swallow as I ce it on her cold cheek, brushing my thumb below her eye. Tears filled her eyes but didn¡¯t fall as she just stared back at me. ¡°I can still feel it,¡± she murmurs. ¡°Feel what Ab¡¯s?¡± I whisper. ¡°The noose. It¡¯s still there, so tightly wound I can¡¯t breathe,¡± she whispers. I touch the scar behind her ear, the one that matches mine, a death we almost shared. ¡°I can feel it growing tighter, digging into my skin and burning through my flesh. I can feel the way it slides over my skin, growing tighter and tighter. Feel my blood rushing in my ears. I don¡¯t want to feel it anymore.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± I whisper, needing to know. I couldn¡¯t help her if I didn¡¯t know what put her back in this dark ce. A ce I had only escaped from recently myself. ¡°I can¡¯t be what he needs me to be,¡± she says, sniffling. She wipes her nose on the back of her sleeve. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be punished because I am broken,¡± ¡°You¡¯re not broken, Abbie,¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not whole either. He deserves better than that. He deserves better than what I can give him. So does Tyson,¡± she says. ¡°And what does Gannon need, Abbie?¡± I asked, and her brows furrowed. ¡°A mate. Someone to love him that won¡¯t hurt him as she did,¡± Abbie whispers. ¡°Who hurt Gannon?¡± ¡°She did. She didn¡¯t want him, and I couldn¡¯t have him. It¡¯s the same.¡± her words confused me because I didn¡¯t know of this woman she spoke of. ¡°Gannon wants you, Abbie. Tyson wants you. And me? I want you, Abbie,¡± I tell her, but she slips back away to some dark ce again while I fight to bring her back. When I hear movement behind me, my eyes dart toward the door to find Gannon silently slipping into the room. He moves behind her and sits on the edge of the bathtub. Abbie, though, doesn¡¯t even notice him. She was not here in the present. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to help her,¡± he admits through the mind-link. But I was as baffled as he was. I was no doctor, no shrink, and I knew Abbie would never spill her secrets to strangers. So I knew we wouldn¡¯t get far with that suggestion. I turn my attention to Abbie. She shivers, and her teeth chatter. She was drenched, soaking wet, and laying beside her had drenched me. She was soaking my clothes with her blood, yet she had no open wounds. I lift her shirt slightly; she doesn¡¯t even respond to me touching her when Gannon¡¯s voice flits through my mind. ¡°She slit her wrists in the bathtub. I found a bottle of wolfsbane beside her. She drank it so she wouldn¡¯t heal; I had no choice,¡± ¡°Wolfsbane? Where would she get that?¡± I ask him, but I see him shrug. ¡°I never got a chance to ask her,¡± he replies, and my eyes flick back to her distant ones. I grab her wrists, seeing the long thick scar running up each one, now closed, but by the thickness, I knew they were deep. I swallow and lift her hand, kissing her fingers. ¡°Come back to me, Abbie,¡± I urged, but she just blinked. So instead, Iy beside her, holding her hand and reminding her of every good little memory we shared. Talking to her just so she knew | was here until she returned to us. Hours Iid on that floor, hours Gannon remained next to the bathtub, and I could feel Kyson nearby, yet couldn¡¯t hear Tyson, so I figured rice or Liam had him. ¡°Abbie?¡± I whisper, and she blinks. ¡°More than my life,¡± I whisper for the hundredth time today, only this time she reacts, and her eyes move to look at me. ¡°We made a pact. You need toe back to me Abbie, or I wille with you. No matter where I will come with you. Remember that.¡± she shakes her head. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go where I have been. The things I have seen, the things they did,¡± she whimpers. ¡°What they did, Abbie. They can¡¯t hurt you anymore. I won¡¯t let them. Gannon won¡¯t let them. They aren¡¯t coming back. They are gone. Everyone from the past is gone. They are dead. We are still breathing, so don¡¯t let them win,¡± I tell her. ¡°They already did. They don¡¯t have to live with what they did, but I do, and I will live with it for the rest of my life. I will live with it, not them, me. And me living with it makes them live with it. I can¡¯t do that to Gannon and Tyson, don¡¯t you get it? I can¡¯t, Azzy.¡± she says, sitting up. Her eyes burned with rage. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live with it. I don¡¯t want to force them to live with it!¡± she screams at me. ¡°I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t,¡± she breaks, and I suck in a breath when she suddenly loses it. She starts wing at herself, ripping herself to pleces and ripping out her hair. Abbie lost it. She broke and broke some more, and it broke me seeing her give up because that¡¯s what she was doing. Rage bubbled in me as hot as hers while Gannon grabbed her, but she screamed. Blood-curdling screams echoed off the tiled walls as her anger tose, and she started attacking Gannon as he tried to stop her from destroying herself. ¡°More than my life, Abbie! You promised!¡± I scream at her just as I feel hands grab me, trying to haul me away. Sparks rush across my arms, and I feel Kyson hold me. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°She will hurt you,¡± he says, but I pull out of his grip. ¡°Seeing her like this hurts me,¡± I tell him. Scrambling toward her, she thrashes, kicking me, and Gannon pins her arms by her sides while try to stop her kicking legs. Gannon grunts when she tosses her head back, but his grip doesn¡¯t waiver. Even when the back of her head connected with his nose. ¡°Stop. We are trying to help you.¡± I tell her, but she continues to thrash, this time kicking me in the chest and sending me flying back into Kyson. Anger and grief at seeing her like this licked through my veins. Burning hotter than the sun. It makes my skin prick with the intensity of its searing heat, and I lunge at her. My hands mp on the sides of her head. ¡°Stop!¡± I tell her, and she freezes instantly. Yet her following mymand didn¡¯t shock me. It was the glowing of my hands that did before I am plunged into memories that I know aren¡¯t mine. Memories I know are hers. I blink around, my surroundings evaporating as new ones take shape, nightmares, things I wish 1 could unsee, yet I couldn¡¯t bring myself to pull myself out of her head. Trapped, just like she was. Trapped in the past, that was darker than an abyss. Tortured and broken. I could hear their voices distorted as if they spoke underwater, yet I knew it was Kyson and Gannon. Tingles rush up my arms, and I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. Yet instead of looking down at myself, I looked down at Abbie in the tub, where she tried to kill herself. Her wrists shed open, and she truly believed she was hurting them by being here. Yet the devastation of Gannon finding her told a different story as he tried to save her. Yet all while I watched her bleeding out, the walls of her bathroom were no longer tiled but filled with every bleeding memory, every tainted word, every bad thing painted on the walls here, bearing her tortured soul to me. I wanted to escape these memories when they weren¡¯t even mine. I couldn¡¯t imagine them being mine and the horror she lived with. Yet the longer I stayed, the more I found I couldn¡¯t pull myself out of her head, out of her consciousness. I was trapped, and I was drowning in despair. I couldn¡¯t take it. I needed out; wanted out. It was too much, too much pain. Too much suffering for one soul, too much pain for one to endure. My heart broke for her, over and over again, until I was left as dead inside as she was. I screamed inside, writhed, trying to break free, yet I had no idea how I was even here, how I invaded her like this. ¡°Kyson!¡± I screamed, trying to break free. I wasn¡¯t sure if I screamed his name aloud or only in my head, but sparks rippled violently over my skin before his voice was in my head. ¡°Give me control of our bond,¡± he kept repeating, trying to manipte it as he did my aura, but this was different. My bond was breaking, untrusting from the feelings swirling inside Abbie bing mine. I had be her, trapped within her. Yet Kyson prompted and coaxed me. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing, you can control Azzy,¡± ¡°You used power to get in there. Use it to get out.¡± his words made no sense because I don¡¯t remember doing anything. I just remember being angry at her, angry she was giving up. She promised. She promised! ¡°More than my life¡± this was not my life yet. I was trapped in the past that was hers, not mine. We shared it, but not every trauma. I look around the room I am in, the walls of her destruction closing in. ¡°This is not me. This is not Abbie,¡± I breathe, closing my eyes. This isn¡¯t Abbie. ¡°Breathe, Azzy,¡± Kyson murmurs in the distance, only this time, when I open my eyes, the walls are no longer painted with her darkest fears. No, they were decorated with every memory I had of her, every good memory. The night of the festival when we danced in the attic together. ying in the sun when our parents were with us, painting with the children, the apple fight, her smiling face, and as my memories began to paint the walls, I felt her wake. Felt her adding her own, her and Gannon. Tyson. A small cottage with wildflowers and pebble footpaths and her mother. Tile by tile, we built the walls up that kept her going, kept her strong, the little things worth fighting for until the blood evaporated and the bathroom was clean, and it was just us. Just us and every good thing we remembered. ¡°More than my life,¡± I whispered to her as my heartbeat slowed and I could finally breathe. ¡°How are you doing this?¡± she asks and tears brim and spill in my eyes. ¡°I have no idea,¡± I choked, seeing her whole and smiling. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But it¡¯s time you let it go,¡± I tell her. ¡°How?¡± ¡°By letting me rece the feeling behind it,¡± ¡°You can do that?¡± she asks, ncing around at all her memories. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I feel like can,¡± I tell her, holding up my hand. It glowed subtly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asks as I step closer to the walls of her mind. ¡°Reinforcing these memories and overriding the others,¡± I whisper, pressing my hands to the tiles, and we are flooded with white light. I gasped, being thrown back into the real world, and I was shocked to find my hands in the same ce, one on each side of her head. ¡°More than my life,¡± Abbie whispers, her vibrant green eyes peering back at me. ¡°Always more,¡± I tell her when I feel something dribble down over my lip. ¡°Azzy?¡± Abbie frowns, her hand reaching toward my face just as I feel my eyes roll into the back of my head. Spread the love Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 82 ¨C Abbie POV I couldn¡¯t exin what she did; it made no sense as I watched her pass out. I could feel her in my head, feel her essence or presence tainting and touching the darkest parts of me, twisting and manipting. Lifting the weight of my past from me. I felt free. It was as if I no longer was trapped in the nightmares I survived and was now merely an observer, dissociated from them. I still remembered everything, but the feelings that hunted and trapped me were no longer there. As if she erased thosepletely. When she passed out, everyone went into panic, while all I could do was stare. I thought I killed her, but Trey Gannon was quick to whisk me out of there and away from everyone. Yet I wanted to check Azalea. Needed to know I didn¡¯t hurt her. ¡°She is awake, Abbie. Damian just mind-linked me.¡± Gannon tells me. I nod my head, staring at where Tysony on the bed, nestled between out pillows. ¡°You need to shower. You¡¯re covered in blood, and I don¡¯t want Tyson waking you up seeing you like that.¡± Gannon tells me. ¡°It was Tyson we fought over, then Sia. I recently learned my aunty was Gannon¡¯s true mate. He killed her. Yet I felt nothing for that woman. I hardly remembered her, my mother and she fought, and that was when we left my grandmother¡¯s house. Left the pack we lived in and went on the run. It was also when we met up with Marrissa; at that time, I knew her as De. We were attacked by bandit rogues, and De and Jason came to our aid. After that, we remained with them. I was beginning to realize how small the world truly was. How interconnected all pasts were. But it left questions remaining, one I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted the answers to. ¡°Why did you kill her? Was it just because she left you?¡± I ask Gannon. Gannon sighs, kneeling next to me where I sat on the couch by the small bookcase of children¡¯s books that Gannon got for Tyson. Most of them were pop-up books. ¡°Abbie, you don¡¯t want to know the answers to these questions. They will do more harm than good.¡± ¡°How can they? I didn¡¯t feel sorry for her; I barely knew her. I just need to know,¡± I tell him. ¡°Why?¡± he asks. ¡°To make sure that isn¡¯t the only reason you want me, because you couldn¡¯t have her. Because I look like her.¡± ¡°You are nothing like Sia. Not even close. You have the same hair and eyes, that is it.¡± ¡°Then tell me.¡± Gannon sighs, dropping his head onto my knees. ¡°When I met Sia, I was visiting her pack. I had to take a message to the council for the king. I stopped over at her pack and met her at the tavern.¡± he tells me. His brows furrowed together as if he was trying to remember some detail. Yet my eyes were trained on his chest, the deep crevices that marred his skin. Skin tore apart by his ws when he tried to rip his own heart out. ¡°Anyway, Sia and her mother were being kicked out of the pack for something your grandmother did. She told me the council had found them another ce in a pack closer to here. I helped her move on the weekends, yet she kept insisting I change her. I don¡¯t know why it bothered me, but for some reason, her insistence did. She also wanted to meet ire and work at the castle. Another thing I didn¡¯t like. ¡°Why did she want you to change her so badly?¡± ¡°Because your grandmother was dying, that is why.¡± Gannon says. So you never changed her. ¡°No, she kept mentioning it, and I lost my temper. At the time, I still hadn¡¯t told the King. Once mates are usually found, especially when you are part of the King¡¯s guard. The King does background checks, and most of the time, unless the King knows them, you need permission to change them. I never told the King about her or anyone. I knew something was off about her, and I was afraid of the King refusing me if I asked or finding something that I began to suspect about her. So I told her no, and we had a fight. She then rejected me.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What did you suspect her of?¡± ¡°Working with the hunters,¡± Gannon says. ¡°That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t want to tell the King, because he would have killed her?¡± ¡°Yes, and you mustn¡¯t tell the King, Abbie, not the real reason. You saw what he did to Azalea when he thought she was the daughter of a hunter,¡± ¡°So, how does Liam fit into all of this, then?¡± I ask, trying to work it out. He lets out a breath. ¡°Liam didn¡¯t know about Sia, but the town she moved to was one he frequented a fair bit. He met her there, and they started dating. What I didn¡¯t know was that Liam actually knew her first.¡± ¡°Liam knew your mate before you did?¡± Gannon nods his head. ¡°Yes, because your grandmother was human, her mate was a werewolf, and luckily passed the werewolf gene to his children. He then left her for his mate, but because she had children, she was allowed to remain within the pack. She was a witch, and also the same witch Liam used to visit her and get location spells done by her when we had trouble finding people the King would send us after,¡± Gannon tells me. ¡°So she was cheating on you with Liam?¡± I ask him, and he stands up. I move over, allowing him more space beside me, and he falls onto the couch next to me. ¡°Yes, we didn¡¯t know about each other. I never went with him when he would see your grandmother. And a long story short. After two years of feeling her infidelity, I had enough and contacted her. I knew to break the bond on my side, I had to kill her. But when I rang her, she told me she had changed her mind, that she wanted to be with me. Little did I know that she told Liam I was her abusive Ex and had been harassing her. He intended to kill me. I met up with her, and Liam got out of the car with her when I did.¡± ¡°And he did nothing, just let you kill her despite loving her too?¡± ¡°At first, he was shocked, but a year earlier, he figured I must have found my mate. Because I tried to kill myself.¡± He pats his chest, and I stare at the scars that litter his skin. ¡°Liam found me and stopped me from ripping my own heart out. I went mad with the grief of losing the bond. All night he sat with me, feeding me his blood so I would heal quicker. I never told him, but he knew had found my mate. He never asked, but he knew, and we never mentioned that night again. It¡¯s also why we are so close. Him feeding me so much of his blood kind of made a bond,¡± he tells me. I chew my lip. My aunty was a monster to do that. Cause someone so much grief. ¡°Anyway, when Liam got out of the car and saw me, he figured it out. He was disgusted with her, and she started screaming for him to kill me, but he stepped aside and he said to me. ¡®I start digging a hole to bury the b**tch in, and that is what he did. I killed her, and he helped me cover it up.¡± ¡°You are nothing like her, Abbie. Yes, you have simr traits. At first, that may have been why wanted you, but you are nothing like her. Nothing like her, Abbie, even with my bond to Sia. I never loved her the way I love you.¡± Gannon tells me. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 83 ¨C Gannon POV It was hard exining everything but she demanded to know and I was done keeping secrets from her. She knew about Sia, knew about her grandmother but not the full extent so i told her what she wanted to know. ¡°It¡®s fine, it will be okay.¡± ¡°No, it won¡®t,¡± she murmurs. I know she was worried about Azalea knowing her family¡®s part in it, worried about everything including me. ¡°You won¡®t do that again,¡± she murmurs. My brow furrows at her words as I watch her walk toward the bed. ¡°Do what? Try to change me, you stole my choice. Just like everyone else did,¡± ¡°I wasn¡®t going to watch you die,¡° ¡°I was ready to die!¡± she tells me. Her words made me sick to my stomach. ¡°No, you promised me and Azalea, you promised us, Abbie. More than my life, remember?¡± she rubs her eyes that were red raw from crying. ¡°I know I know but everyone decides for me, I don¡®t. I don¡®t want my choice taken Gannon and that is what you did You tried to force me to live, to live with everything,¡± she tells me. ¡°I won¡®t promise that, Abbie, You will or we are done, I won¡®t try it again. Whatever Azalea did helped, but I won¡®t live with you if you are just going to force me to change, I can¡®t sleep wondering if I am going to wake up to you trying to kill me,¡® she says I swallowed, remembering the look of fear on her face. 1 don¡®t want to fear you, so promise me,¡± she pleads and my eyes go to Tyson. ¡®Gani?¡® My heart beat in my chest hard as I nced at her. ¡°Please¡® i stare any head I can¡®t lose her, I need her, I love her. I don¡®t want to be here without her yel i found myself saying what she wanted to hear to risk not losing her I promise I won¡®t try to change you.¡± I tell her and she exhales ¡°But you have to promise toe to me when you¡®re upsel, don¡®t bottle that shit up,¡± I tell her and sew her lip *Abte Fre, promise¡® ste says, appug her han and i sit down on the couch watching her as she settles next to your She now knew everyoung everything was out in the open I had her back but I worried for how long I watched hery on the bed with Tyson I was too scared to leave her side Yet a knock on the door had me pulled from my thoughts. Getting up I quickly answer it to see it is Liam. He looks past me into the room at the bed. ¡°Is she okay?¡± he asks and I sigh ncing over my shoulder to peek at her. I nod before stepping out the door and shutting it slightly, leaving it open just a bit so I could see her where she slept. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Liam asks me. I shake my head. Her words haunt me. ¡°She made me promise not to change her,¡± I tell him not liking that part of the deal. Yet she felt betrayed by me, I could feel that much through the bond that was slowly forming after I marked her. ¡°You¡®re worried she will try it again,¡± he said, gripping my shoulder. I look up at him and nod before ncing back into the room. ¡°I will handle it, you won¡¯t lose her again,¡± he says and my head whips to the side. ¡°What do you mean, if you change her and she would never forgive me,¡± I tell him. ¡°Not what I said, but you don¡®t need to worry. She will be fine, I will ensure it,¡± Liam tells me. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Best you don¡®t know, she can¡®t catch you out on a lie, if you don¡¯t know what it is,¡± he tells me before walking off. ¡°Liam!¡± I hissed, worried he was going to find some witch to perform some ritual on her. ¡°It will be fine, Gannon. The less you know the better, I won¡®t let you lose her,¡± he says before walking off. I grit my teeth regretting saying anything to him when I hear arguing. Damian¡®s voice reaches my ears and I turn to give him some privacy while he dealt with his mate. F*ck me it was drama after drama around here and I was about to lose my head. Yet as I went to close the door I heard Tandi¡®s voice. ¡°Oi, what a face,¡± I freeze looking back into the hall to see Tandi pass hunter to Damian. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he demands reaching for her arm. ¡°Getting f**ck away from you, watch your step son!¡± she snaps at him. ¡°Tandi!¡± ¡°F**ck you, call me a whore and think I will y nice,¡± she snaps at him and I bristle. Yep I will stick with Abbie. Damian had his hands full with her. He can have her! I quickly go to duck inside not wanting to get involved. ¡°Gannon right?¡± Tandi says and I internally groan. She was Damian¡®s problem why she suddenly gotta be mine. ¡°Yes!¡± I growi turning around the face when she barges past me. ¡°Good, I am stealing your mate!¡± she says, pping my chest before moving toward the bed. I re at Damian out in the hall before rolling my eyes, ¡°Fine,¡± I mutter knowing he wants me to keep an eye on her. She rips the nket back and grabs Abbie¡®s arm making her wake up startled. ¡°Tandi?¡± Abbie murmurs. ¡°Yeop get up, I need a drink and away from all these f**cking men!¡± she snaps tugging on her arm. ¡°I have Tyson.¡± she says quickly and Tandi looks back at me. ¡°Nope, the man beast standing in the door can watch him, now get up. Let¡®s go find Azalea. Time to let loose,¡± Abbie¡®s eyes go to me and my shoulders drop but I see the ghost of smile grace her face. She loved Tandi, loved her confidence and no f**cks given attitutude. I just hoped it didn¡¯t rub off on her too much. ¡°Go!¡± I tell her and Tandi yanks her out of bed hurrying her to the door. They take off and Damian res at me. ¡°What the f**ck!¡± he says, ncing down at Hunter in his arms. The boy begins to wake and he rocks him. ¡°You¡®re letting them just leave?¡± ¡°It¡®s fine, I will make one of the guards watch them,¡± I tell him before mind linking Liam and tasking him with the job. Damian growls and I sigh. ¡°Coffee?¡± I ask him. His shoulders drop. ¡°Yeah fine,¡± he says moving toward my room and I believe half the reason was because he had no idea what the f**ck to do with the kid in his arms Azalea POV Opening the door, I find Abbie and Tandi. Tandi peers past me to look at Kyson asleep before reaching in, grabbing my wrist. ¡°Ah, you said you needed to speak to her, not kidnap her!¡± Trey hisses at her. ¡°Eithere with us and shut up or stay behind. No party pooper¡®s allowed¡± Trey looks at me, and I shrug. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I ask as I nearly stumble down the steps. ¡°To raid the liquor and find the deserts,¡± Tandi tells me. Abbie giggles and shakes her head. ¡°I heard her giving Damian hell in the halls and went to see what themotion was and was kidnapped too,¡± she shrugs. ¡°Tyson? And Hunter?¡± I ask the girls, though I was d to see a smile on Abbie¡®s face after yesterday. ¡°Hogging the bed. Gannon is with him,¡± Abbie tells me. ¡°And Damian is ying Daddy daycare,¡± Tandi says as we reach the bottom of the stairs. Tandi scouts the hall before jumping in fright when Liam comes around the corner. Liam nces around before ducking behind the corner of the staircase with us. He peers down, then peeks around the corner toward the kitchen. ¡°Who are we hiding from?¡± he whispers, and Tandi giggles. ¡°Idiot, we are raiding the kitchen!¡± she snaps, pushing past him. ¡°I could do with a midnight snacky poo,¡± ¡°This is a girl¡®s breakout only,¡± she tells him. ¡°Then why does ferret face f**ck get toe? And him?¡± Trey huffs at Liam, calling him names, and Tandi looks over her shoulder at Dustin and Trey dressed in the typical ck uniforms, looking every part of my guard. ¡°Dustin, don¡®t count. He is one of us.¡± He huffs as if to say he is not a part of this escape. ¡°And he is the fun police that decided to tag along,¡± she growls. ¡°Well then, count me in as the corruption! I know where the hard liquor is kept. Besides, I am her guard,¡± he says, pointing to Abbie. ¡°Since when?¡± Abbie demands. ¡°Since you did a jailbreak on my best friend in your rainbow pajamas and bunny slippers. You look like you¡®re up to mischief.¡± Liam tells her, sending her a wink. Tandi sighs loudly. ¡°So much for keeping this a small gathering,¡± Tandi says, stomping off toward the kitchen. We flick the light on to find no one down here, and I can¡®t help butugh as Liam makes himself at home, raiding the pantry anding out with a huge armful of sweets and chips that he dumps into Trey¡®s arms. Trey shakes his head but says nothing, epting his role in our escape. ¡°Do you girls drink?¡± she asks, and Abbie and I shake our heads. ¡°Oh, rice made Mudcake!¡± Liam states, spotting it on the top level of the fridge. ¡°Dustin, grab some sses while I steal this,¡± he says. ¡°rice will murder you,¡± Trey tells him while Liam kidnaps the cake. ¡°Shush you! You saw nothing, and don¡®t you snitch,¡± he tells Trey. ¡°So why are we doing this again?¡± I ask, and everyone stops looking at Tandi. ¡°Ah, because we can! You¡®re the Queen. You can do what you want!¡± she shrugs, and I giggle. She had a point, kinda. I doubted any of the guards would step in unless I was putting myself in danger. We sneak down to the ballroom where the orphanage was initially set up, but it is now clear since only a handful of children remained and were on the servant¡®s floor with rice and the other servants so they could be watched over. ¡°So, what did Damian do that you made you ditch him?¡® Abbie asks, epting a ss of wine from her. Liam sips his bottle of whiskey, not bothering with a ss. ¡°Nothing really just irritated me.¡± ¡°Fascinating. Tell me more about your domestic squabbles,¡± Liam says, and she rolls her eyes at him. ¡°I wanted to go to the archives and find my daughter. He wants me to wait.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I ask, thinking it was a little odd of him. He knows Tandi wants her daughter back, as any mother would after learning they were alive all this time. ¡°He wants to be sure. He said he is worried Larkin is lying and she is dead. He wants to check it out himself first,¡± she sighs. ¡°Yeah, I would say he is just looking out for you,¡± Trey tells her,ing over with a nket. He drapes it over my shoulder, eyeing the wine ss in my hand that Tandi gave me. I sip it, finding the taste somewhat bitter. ¡°What about you and Gannon afterst night?¡± Tandi asks Abbie. The room fell quiet at her question, and I definitely didn¡®t want to think of the state we found her in. Abbie leans into me, resting her head on my shoulder. I¡®ll be fine. Though I learned a lot about Sia, who was Gannon¡®s real mate,¡± Abbie tells us, and I had questions of my own about this woman. Liam clears his throat awkwardly. ¡°Liam was with Sia when Gannon was,¡± Abbie says. ¡°Damn! And you think I am trouble? First, the Gamma¡®s mate and then the Beta¡®s mate. I¡¯m starting to see a pattern with you,¡± Tandiughs. ¡°So what about Sia?¡± I ask Abbie. ¡°She was my aunty,¡± she tells us, and my brows furrow and Tandi stares at her before downing her ss. ¡°I¡®ll get more wine than, shall l¡± she says, about to get up and retrieve the bottle off the small Lego table leaning against the wall. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Liam says, plucking the ss from her fingers and wandering off. ¡°So your aunty then?¡± Tandi asks. ¡°Dead. Gannon and Liam killed her,¡± Abbie answers. ¡°And you are still with him?¡± she asks. ¡°I don¡®t remember her. It was before I was born. All i know is what my mother told me about her.¡± ¡°And what was that?¡± Tandi asks curiously. ¡°That they had a fight. It was why my mother and father left the pack. So I have no memory of her. I only remember my grandmother when mum would sneak me to see her when I was little.¡± I had hardly any memories that I could recall of Abbie. In fact, I could scarcely remember a time without Abbie. ¡°I don¡®t remember you ever leaving?¡± I tell her, confused. ¡°What?¡± Abbie asks, looking at me, just as confused. ¡°You and Marrissa came with us a few times. My grandmother! She had curly red hair and always wore those bone things around her neck. You told me she looked like the wicked witch,¡± Abbieughs. My brows pinched together as I tried to recall this memory. ¡°She used to have the giant tire swing out the back under the banyan tree?¡± Abbie tells me. I shake my head. ¡°Well, turns out you were right about her. She was a witch and human,¡± Abbie tells me with augh, yet I was still wondering why I had no memories of this. Liames over to us and hands Abbie a ss, making me sniff the air. I looked at Liam, swearing I could smell blood, but he looked fine. I shake my head, believing | imagined it, and sip my ss of wine that I still hadn¡®t finished. Abbie sips her ss and pulls a face at its bitterness. ¡°Wait, your grandmother was a witch?¡± Trey asks, sounding curious. ¡°That¡®s what Gannon said. Why?¡± Abbie answers him. ¡°Nothing, just the name Sia sounds familiar to me for some reason¡± Trey tells her but offers nothing else. ¡°So where is your grandmother now, then? Maybe she can do a location spell on my daughter¡± Tandi says, mumbling thest part. ¡°Dead. We killed her seven yearster when she came after Gannon for killing her daughter,¡± Liam says matter¨Cof¨Cfactly as if Abbie wasn¡®t sitting across from him. ¡°Woah, hold up! You killed her grandmother too?¡± Tandi asks, shocked. ¡°Yep, and¡­¡± Liam¡®s words suddenly cut off when the door opened. The lights flicker on, and we turn toward the doors. ¡°Okay. I was woken up by a guard saying someone was messing around in my kitchen only to find my Mudcake gone, along with half the pantry!¡± Simultaneously, everyone points at Trey, who throws his hands up, and I giggle. ¡°And no one thought to invite me?¡± rice demands, wandering over. She plucks the whiskey bottle out of Liam¡®s hand and drinks from it before sighing. ¡°F**ck, I needed that! Those kids have been running rings around me all damn night,¡± she states before falling into our little circle on the floor. She hands the bottle back to Liam, who smirks and rolls onto his back on the floor. ¡°If you¡®re going to raid my kitchen next time, an invitation would be nice, girls. Now, where is that cake?¡± she says. ¡°I¡®ll get it,¡± Trey says, wandering off. I watch everyone get wasted while I remain nursing the same wine ss. They looked like they needed to let loose. It didn¡®t feel right, and I was still sober along with rice when the sun came up. Who, I think, was sticking around to supervise, so we didn¡¯t cause trouble. Meanwhile, Abbie could barely walk and was in fits of giggles, and her face was bright red from all the wine. She had also lost a slipper. Tandi is dancing on top of a table with Liam, while Dustin is on the verge of having a heart attack every time she gets too close to the edge. Liam was singing about some made¨Cup song and kept calling Dustin his sweetpea, which ended with him being snapped at by Dustin. ughed, watching them make fools of themselves while sitting with Trey and rice. ¡°Always fun watching. Reminds me of when I was young,¡± rice says, sipping her ss of wine. ¡°How old are you?¡± I ask. As far as rice was concerned, I didn¡®t know much about her. Only now had it urred to me. ¡°too old,¡± sheughs. ¡°Have you always lived at the castle?¡± I ask her while watching Abbie hunt beneath one of the bunk beds for her slipper. Shees out and jumps up victoriously, clutching it. ¡°Pretty much. When I had my mate, we lived in town, and I used to walk here, but after he died, I preferred being at the castle. It was lonely in the house by myself. This ce kept me sane.¡± she tells me. Just the thought of something happening to Kyson twisted my heart, so I couldn¡®t imagine losing him ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°He was a werewolf. I had been holding off on changing him, knowing how horrific it is to do so?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, remembering that Gannon had tried to change Abbie. rice shakes her head. ¡°That is something best exined by your mate.¡± ¡°So what happened to him, then?¡± This was just before your parents¡® deaths. The hunter attacks were quite frequent, but they usually hit the packs. It was as if they used the packs for training when they hit them. Anyway, when we learned of the attacks, he wanted to help protect them, that they were his people, and he had family there. I refused at first, but he snuck off. Kyson found him dead and brought him home for me. He is buried in the cemetery by the river,¡± ¡°And you never thought to find a new mate?¡± I ask her. ¡°No, I loved my mate. After that, I focused on helping here. Put all my time into this ce.¡± ¡°When I first came here. I was hired as a nanny. I raised Kyson, Liam, and Gannon all here. Damian, 100, I love all the staff as if they were my own. Then, once the King was older, he kept me on, and I stayed Then I found my mate, then lost him a short timeter, and all I had was this ce, so I moved back into the castle.¡® she tells me. So you never had a chance to have kids?¡± she shakes her head, ¡®No, but I am hoping one day I will get to help you raise yours. When you¡®re ready, of course, to try again she tells me isinile sadly and nod. A short timeter, nce nises to her feet and says she had to check the boys. Yet moments after she left the fun abruptly stopped when Damian burst through the doors furiously ke it back Trey is not the fun police My male is!¡¯ Tandi says, iling her hand at him. Yet I had to agree with her because the look on his face was furious, ¡°You! Darntan snarls, and i nce between the table Liam and Tandi were dancing on and Damian However, he was not looking atndi but at Liam. Liam looks over his shoulder before looking at Darruan ¡®Me? He says. Domling at himself when his eyes widen as Damian snarls and shifts. Tandi screams, flying off the table as it is upturned when Damian crashes on top of Liam. The air expelling from Liam¡®s lungs was audible as he hit the ground with the angry Lycan¡®s weight crushing the air from him. Tandi tries to separate the pair of them as they pummel each other, and Liam is far too drunk even to shift. ¡°Damian! What has gotten into you? Get off him! Tandi screeches, ripping on his back. Abbie giggles as she drunkenly stumbles over to me with her bunny slipper in her hand, clutching it as if it was some prized possession. ¡°Get ¡®em, Tandi!¡± she squeals loudly beside me. ¡°I don¡®t think Damian is ying, Abbie,¡± she looks at me before looking at them when Damian punches Liam so hard his nose breaks. ¡°Woah! Not the f**king face! Body shots only p*ick!¡± Liam spits at him. Just as Tandi hauls Damian off him, Trey strolls over to me, sitting next to me. ¡°You¡®re not going to stop them?¡± I ask Trey, and he shrugs. ¡°Not unless you ask. Or they get too close to you¡± Trey yawns. I look at Dustin, who also just shrugs. ¡°Liam can handle himself,¡± he says. ¡°Stay the f*ck away from my mate!¡± Damian spits at Liam. And good old Liam just doesn¡®t know when to shut his mouth, and I eye¨Crolled so hard I swear I could see a glimpse of my brain. ¡°Not my fault. She likes me more than you,¡± Liam taunts. That Lycan had a death wish, and death was coming for him. As Damian spun on his heel so quickly, Liam only jumped out of the way of his foot as he went to stomp him. Damian¡®s foot misses him by mere inches when Liam punches Damian¡®s inner thigh as he reaches down to try to grab him. Which makes Damian grunt, and he drops his head. Liam took that opportunity to uppercut him. I heard the sound of his teeth gnashing before all hell broke loose. Dustin sighs, stepping in front of us. My heart skips a beat, and I grab Abbie ripping her away as theye flying toward us. Trey quickly moves to block me as Liames flying toward us from a kick to the stomach. Trey grabs him, shoving him away and toward the doors, while Dustin shoves us behind him to the side. ¡°Out now!¡± Trey snarls, pointing toward the door while ring at Dustin, and I feel Kyson wake, and by God, they want to run before he gets here. Liam bows and looks at Dustin. ¡°Come on, Dustin, you can kiss my boo-boo¡®s better,¡± Liam purrs. Dustin growls and watches as he saunters out, and Trey blocks Damian as he follows after him. ¡°Go, Trey is with me,¡± I tell Dustin, and he sighs, rushing off after him. Tandi appears to be in shock, and she gasps when Damian turns his head to look at her. He looked menacing, ¡°Tandi now!¡± she shakes her head, eyes wide. I¡®m good here. You go ahead,¡± ¡°It wasn¡®t a question. Now!¡± yet his demand of her made her eyes narrow. She clearly wasn¡®t impressed by him making demands of her, and it wasn¡®t like she was doing anything wrong. They were only dancing, or was that not allowed? I wasn¡®t sure what appropriate male and female interactions were outside of my guards, so I wasn¡®t sure. Then again, Kyson, I knew, easily bes jealous, especially with Trey. Dustin, not so much, but he has even had his moments with him. Abbie snickers behind me, cupping her mouth with her hands. She had been in fits of giggles since the first ss of wine. She couldn¡®t even stand upright properly. Abbie was leaning against me, and I was sure she would topple over if I moved. Damian¡®s head twists at the noise she makes before recognition dawns on him. His eyes soften slightly as he peers at her. ¡°Abbie, Gannon is on his way to get you. I sent rice to watch Tyson,¡± he tells her. ¡°What! You speak to her nicely while I get yelled at for doing the exact same thing!¡± ¡°You¡®re older. You should know better! And she wasn¡®t dancing with the man whose initial is carved into her damn thigh!¡± Tandi rolls her eyes and folds her arms across her chest, popping her hip, which was a big mistake from where her pajama pants had ridden up, exposing the white scar marring her skin. Damian snarls at her as if she did it deliberately, and she realizes the mistake, quickly fixing her stance as his eyes lock on her. He growls, stalking toward her, and my feet move when he grabs her. I shove past Trey as she squeals. Her small body hit the floor as he pinned her. ¡°Damian!¡± I snap as Trey races past me just as she screams. Trey tries to pry him away, and I see blood spill on the floor just as Trey rips him back. The inside of her thigh is all bloody, and Trey growls at him just as Kyson rushes into the room and rips Trey off Damian. Yet my eyes were on Tandi¡®s thigh, torn to pieces by his ws. Tears bubble in her eyes as she looks at where he carved his name, or half of it, in her leg with his ws. ¡°I think I am going to be sick,¡± Abbie says behind me, and I turn to see her face as white as a sheet. She staggers and is about to hit the ground when Gannon is suddenly beside her. He scoops her legs out from under her, and she pukes all over his shirt the moment he does. ¡°Sorry,¡± she murmurs, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. ¡°But I feel better now,¡± she nods. Gannon blinks down at her before lifting his head to look past me at Kyson. ¡°My King?¡± ¡°Go, Trey and I have him,¡± ¡°Night,¡± he says, walking off with Abbie, who was officially passed out. I grabbed the napkins from when we had cake, pressing them against her leg, trying to clean it up. Trey taps me on the shoulder, and I move aside, letting him tend to her, and rise to my feet to see Kyson ring at his Beta while Damian was ring at Trey¡®s hands on her leg. ¡°Enough!¡± Kyson tells him in a warning. He was livid, and I hoped it wasn¡®t directed at me. What a disaster this night, or more morning as it was now, became. Tandi hisses, and his ws got her deep, the napkins barely doing anything to stem the bleeding. ¡°Damian needs to heal you,¡± Trey mumbles, looking over his shoulder at Damian. ¡°He mutted me! I don¡®t want him anywhere near me!¡± she snaps. ¡°Just help me up; I will walk it off,¡± she groans as she holds her hands out to me, and I grab them, hauling her to her feet. Yet the moment she stands, blood cascades down her leg like a waterfall, Trey clutching her thigh in both hands. ¡°Don¡®t be f**king stubborn!¡± Damian snaps, shaking off Kyson¡®s arm on his shoulder. ¡°No! You¡®re not touching me!¡± she snaps at him when he pauses, looking around on the floor where mushed-up cake and spilled drinks ruined the floor, and guilt smashed me at the mess we had made. Damian growls, s**tches the cake knife from the floor and stalks toward her. She stumbles back, her leg still clutched in Trey¡®s hand. ¡°Get off her!¡± Damian snarls, and he holds the knife out to her. Her hands tremble as she hesitantly takes it. ¡°Enjoy it. It will be the only time I let you carve me up!¡± he snaps at her before dropping to his knees in front of her. He growls and looks up at her, and shakes his head. ¡°What? You don¡®t get to act disgusted. You did it!¡± she snapped at him. ¡°I¡®m not disgusted! Look at it!¡± he snaps at her, and we all lean a little closer, and she narrows her eyes at him, pursing her lips. ¡°You best be bl**dy fixing it. I am not walking around with DAM on my leg!¡± she growls furiously. Damian looks over his shoulder at the King. Kyson shrugs, his eyebrows lifting almost into his hairline at her words. ¡°Well, you asked this time, so don¡®t b*tch when it hurts,¡± he tells her. ¡°Yeah, because you mutted me! Now fix it!¡± she says, tapping her foot impatiently. He lifts his hand to her leg, his sharp w slicing through her soft flesh, and she grits her teeth and bares it while I feel woozy just watching. Damian does it fast before running his tongue across it and quickly healing the damage he caused, leaving behind only faint scarring. Tandi examines it, scrutinizing it before a wicked smile graces her face as she runs her thumb over the knife in her hand, wiping the chocte off it before sucking on her thumb. ¡°My turn! And you better not squirm,¡± she says, and I look away, noticing that he had shifted back and was now naked, kneeling before her. ¡°Your name only. You write something stupid on me, and I wil¡­¡± ¡°Do nothing. You cut me first!¡± she says, waving the knife in his face. He sighs, and Trey gets to his feet, reaching me at the same time Kyson does. ¡°That is not normal!¡± Trey says, shaking his head at them as Tandi carved her name above his pec, while Damian watched her, making sure she embellished nothing. ¡°Wait, I forgot to dot the 1¡± she says, stabbing the point into him and making him hiss. ¡°There,¡± she says, dropping the knife and walking off. She passes us and moves through the double doors,ughing to herself. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 84 ¨C Gannon POV Abbie was still passed out when I reached the room. rice, however, stood in the hallway. My bedroom door was open as she stood by the door, watching Tyson while rocking Hunter in her arms and putting him back to sleep. She nces at me, covered in vomit, and chuckles. ¡°I am d you find it so funny,¡± I tell her. She smiles at Abbie, who was snoring in my arms, her mouth open. She was out cold but wouldn¡®t be once I put her in the shower. ¡°At least she had fun and got out of this room for once,¡± rice tells me, and I nod. The moment she took off with Tandi, I had Liam looking for her, and he promised to stay with her. She needed time with Azalea and Tandi. Even if I thought Tandi was a little wild, she was familiar, and I knew I hovered too much. ¡°Let me set him down in his crib,¡± rice says, walking off toward Damian¡®s room, only to stop when we hear voices. Or more like arguing. I roll my eyes, and rice pauses. ¡°On second thought, I mighty him down on your bed for a minute,¡± rice says when I recognize the voices to be Tandi and Damian. I wander into my room, finding Tyson where I left him, fast asleep on Abbie¡®s side of the bed. rice sets Hunter next to him, propping pillows around him before following me into the bathroom. She turns the shower on for me while I pull Abbie¡®s soiled clothes off. I ce her in the shower. Original from N?velDrama.Org. My chest pangs when I nce at her marred flesh. Long slits ran up both arms. My mark on her neck had covered Kade¡®s and removed his, yet the gu ilt I felt about marking her without consent still coiled inside me. ¡°She¡®ll forgive you,¡± rice says. The woman was too observant and could read me like a damn book. ¡°I know; it just doesn¡®t feel right,¡± I tell her, ncing at her. She nodded, grabbing soap and a loofah as Abbie stirred under the water. ¡°She will forgive you. You were trying to save her,¡± rice says as I tug my shirt off, tossing it in the hamper. ¡°I am not worried about her forgiving me for marking her, that she will forgive,¡± I tell her, sticking my head out the door. Spread the love Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 85 ¨C ¡°Get it off your chest, son. I am not a mind reader. I know you tried to change her.¡± ¡°She said I tried to force her to live,¡± ¡°Because you did,¡± she tells me. No judgment from this woman ever came. I could tell her my darkest secrets; I knew she would take them to the grave with her and not judge me for my mistakes. ¡°Yes, but I don¡®t think I can keep the promise I made to her if she tries to do it again,¡± I whisper ¡°I don¡®t think she will try again, Gannon. Whatever Azalea did, it made her want to live. Abbie spent so much time trapped in her past that she forgot she now has a future, and that future is with you and Tyson. You just may need to remind her of it asionally,¡± she tells me, passing me the soap and loofah. I take them, and she pats my cheek before walking out. ¡°I will take Tyson for the night. I am taking Hunter for the night, too. I will have Dustine and grab Tys on for me,¡± she tells me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell her, and she nods, closing the door and leaving me with Abbie. I strip my pants off and climb into the shower. Abbie sat at my feet, leaning against the shower wall while I quickly washed before kneeling to wash her. She jerks awake when I pull her head under the water, coughing, and spluttering. She wipes her eyes, peering around. ¡°You¡®re safe. It¡®s just me,¡± I tell her, and she sighs, leaning back against the shower wall. Leaning out of t he shower quickly, I grab her toothbrush and mouthwash. I put toothpaste on it, passing it to her, yet her eyes were already closing. ¡°Abbie, brush your teeth,¡± I tell her, cing the toothbrush in her hand and bringing it to her mouth. She c hews on it while attempting to brush her teeth. I quickly wash her hair before tilting her head back while laughing at her when I try to pull the toothbrush from her mouth. ¡°Open your mouth,¡± I chuckle, scrubbing her teeth the same way I watch her scrub Tyson¡®s every mornin g and night. ¡°Spit,¡± I tell her when I am done. She does, mostly spitting it on herself, and I quickly wash it off her. ¡°Come on,¡± I tell her. She sluggishly peers up at me, returning to her surroundings and looking around again. It was clear she had already forgotten where she was. She waspletely shitfaced, and she smiledzily, and I rolled my eyes, grabbing her under the arms and pulling her up. ¡°I think I drunkded too much,¡± she giggles, slurring each word and making meugh. ¡°That you did,¡± I tell her. ¡°Did you find my bunny?¡± I raise an eyebrow at her, not knowing what she is talking about. Thalf drag her while she stumbles out of the shower. It took me a solid twenty minutes to dress her beca use she kept demanding her bunny, which I finally figured out was her damn slippers. I ce her in bed, t ucking her in, her slipper tucked under one arm. Shaking my head, I put my boxers on before moving tow ard the door I realized was slightly ajar. As I close it, I catch movement and open it, wondering if it was rice and if she needed something. Yet when I open the door, I catch a glimpse of something I wished I could unsee. I blink at the scene before me. Damian had Tandi¡®s legs around his waist while he impaled his c***ck in her while pressing her again st the damn wall. I clear my throat. He is staring up at the ceiling instead of his white a***s. ¡°We have rooms for a reason!¡± I called out, and Tandi shrieked. ¡°Noted. We were getting there,¡± Damian growls, quickly rushing to his room down the hall. I shake my head, shut the door, and fall onto the couch. Abbie would freak out if she woke up with me on the bed next to her. She never slept next to me unless T yson was between us. Besides a few stolen kisses and brief hugs, that was it. It was also what caused th e incident the other day. Tyson has his own room now, and still, she refused to sleep in the bed without him. Or when I had put him in his room, I would wake up to her in there with him or her creeping over to the couch. Shutting the lamp off and closing my eyes, I drape my arm across my face. The sky was already starting to lighten, yet sleep took me. Although, I am abruptly awoken from oblivion by a loud crashing noise, which has me sitting up instantly. My eyes peer around the room, adjusting to the darkness as my night vision kicks in.. I sigh, finding Abbie getting to her feet from the floor. She giggles, and I sit up just as she stands ¡°Abbie, you should be asleep,¡± I groan, rubbing my eyes when I feel her body hit mine as she stumbles into me. I caught her to realize she had shredded her clothes in her sleep. ¡°Abbie,¡± I stammer. She only giggles, climbing into myp, her lips attacking me. I grip her arms, but she p her back. ¡°Abbie, you¡®re drunk,¡± I tell her. She slurs and mumbles while her hands keep tugging at my clothes. I remove my shirt, dragging it over my head. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°You don¡®t want me!¡± she puffs while sitting up. ¡°Not while you¡®re drunk, I don¡®t. Nowy down,¡± I tell her, patting my chest. She ignores me, instead trying kiss me, and I sigh. ¡°Abbie!¡± ¡°I want you!¡± she whines, licking my chest. ¡°And if you still want me in the morning, you can have me. But not while you¡®re like this,¡± I tell her, yet still, she insists, and I roll my eyes, tucking her beside me and locking my arms around her squirming body. Her a*s is rubbing against my c***tch, making me extremely ufortable as I trap her between the back of the couch and my chest. I sigh and purr before realizing my calling would work on her now. And I take full advantage of it, letting it calm her and essentially knocking her out. I wasn¡®t giving her another reason to hate me. And f***king her while she was like this would make me hate myself as much as she would hate me in the morning. ¡°Sleep, love. You¡®re safe with me,¡± I whispered before kissing her cheek, loving the feel of her body safe in my arms. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 86 ¨C Damian POV I was livid, and I knew Gannon said he would get one of the guards to watch over them; / just didn¡¯t expect it to be Liam. And why would she agree? And she was acting like it was no big deal, and I was the one overreacting? I stalk after her as she storms off toward our room, where I left rice to watch Hunter and Tyson. ¡°Tandi!¡± I called out to her, taking the steps two at a time as I tried to catch up with her. She ignored me, practically running from me, which only infuriated me more. This wasn¡¯t the end of this conversation, I wasn¡¯t done speaking to her yet, but she was ignoring me, which was really getting on myst damn nerve. I wasn¡¯t done with her yet. Tandi and I had more to hash out. I shouted behind her, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± She didn¡¯t even turn around to respond and once again just kept walking, ¡°Away from your dumb a**s, that¡¯s where!¡± I jogged to catch up with her. For someone with short legs, she could move fast when angry. I grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. Big mistake on my part. She looked like the devil himself as her furious eyes red at me. ¡°What the f***k do you want, Damian? You already carved over Liam¡¯s letter. You want me tattooed too with your face on my back!¡± she snaps at me. ¡°What are you expecting? Me to be okay that you f***ked Liam? How do you think it makes me feel? Everyone has had their hands on you but me.¡± I retort, just as angry with her that she would go get drunk with one of the guards whom she f***ked! Her eyes were zing and turning pitch ck as she jabbed me in the chest with her finger, ¡°You act like I had a choice; you think I wanted to be made a wh***re, that I enjoyed it? Maybe a few of them, but that¡¯s beside the point. You are so unbelievable. Since you are so anxious for your turn, here is your chance!¡± she snarled at me. I just stood there, not knowing what to do or say. Tandi never had a choice in any of it. Before I could clean up, sticking my foot in my mouth, she grabbed both my hands, cing them on her boobs. ¨C ¡°Is this what you want? You want to put your hands on me? Here you go. Well, what are you waiting for? You want me to be your wh***re don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Tandi, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± I tried to tell her she just gripped them tighter, holding them in ce as she walked me backward. ¡°Yes, the f**k it was, so have at it then!¡± I moved my hands from her breasts, making her even angrier. ¡°You don¡¯t get to throw that shit in my face and try to backpedal!¡± I snarled at her when she shoved me, ¡°I didn¡¯t make you a f***king wh***re, so don¡¯t put that shit on me!¡± I snap at her, and her eyes widen, and her lips part slightly in shock. Itsts all of two seconds before they narrow, and she growls as her canines slip out in her fury. Tandi began pushing me on my chest, hard at that. When that didn¡¯t work, she punched me. An involuntary growl escaped me, and I grabbed her. Tandi growls back and bites me below her name as she thrashes, trying to escape my grip. ¡°F**k you, Damian!¡± She then headbutted me, causing me to loosen my hold. My forehead was throbbing, and I was unsure how she didn¡¯t knock herself out because f**k that hurt and made me see ck for a few seconds. Regaining my senses only for her to jump me knocking me t on my a**s; I used my arms to block her. She was strong as hell for someone so small. I try to get up, only for her body to crash against mine, her legs lock around my waist, and I only just manage to remain standing as I catch her. I struggle with her as she attacks me, trying to restrain her. She lets out a sound of annoyance when she tries to gain advantage on me when I feel her canines pierce my neck, marking me inadvertently. She popped her head up in shock at the realization of what she had done. ¨C Before she could think of what she had done I grabbed the back of her head, kissing her forcefully. She bit my lip, drawing blood, kissing me back even harder. Her legs wrapped around my torso. She groans, mauling my mouth, and I press her against the stonework of the wall. My d***k was at attention as I ripped her bottoms off halfway down as best | could while her legs were wrapped around me when someone cleared their throat, and I nced in the direction the noise came from. Gannon was staring up at the ceiling instead of at me. ¡°We have rooms for a reason!¡± he snapped, and Tandi shrieked. ¡°Noted. We were getting there,¡± I growl just before he shuts his door, and I chuckle, shaking my head before feeling her hands tugging at my pants, freeing my c**k from the confines of my pants. The heat and slick from her p**sy teased my tip. I thrust in her hard, causing a throaty moan to escape her lips and her ws to dig into my back. ¡°Harder!¡± I did as I was told, pinning her to the wall as I rammed into her p**sy. Yet hearing voices down the hall, I hurried to our room and kicked the door shut behind me, mming her back on the bed, my lips moving to her neck while her hands wed at me. ¡°Hunter!¡± she hisses, gripping my hair and lifting my head as she turns her head toward the cot. ¡°rice has him,¡± I tell her, and she looks at me before nodding. I lean down, kissing her, only for her to pull away after a few seconds. ¡°That is not where I want your mouth,¡± she says, and I chuckle, all too happy to oblige. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for then,¡± I pulled out, unsure if I liked how demanding she was or not but f***k it made my c**k harder the more she ordered me around. I move down her body, dropping my head between her legs, sucking on her cl**t, making her hips buck off the mattress as I taste every part of her. | groan when I taste her slick coat my tongue as shees undone, her hips moving against my face as she rode out her org***m. Secondster, she grabbed my hair, pulled me up her body, then forced me on my back and straddled me. I watch as she tugs her top over her head. I kneaded her breasts as she mounted my c**k. A groan escapes me as I feel her walls grip me as she sinks down on me. She rode me like a bronco with the bed screeching across the floor, causing me to grunt. She was wet and tight, cing a vice grip on my c**k. I sat up against the headboard to stop my head from banging into it. This woman was going to be the death of me. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. If it was like this, I¡®m okay with it; it was good I didn¡®t have to worry about breaking her, yet I was slightly worried she might break me. She forced her breast into my mouth and ced her hands on the headboard. Tandi hopped off me quickly, and I wondered what she was doing and was about to reach for her when sh her mouth. ¡°F***k!¡± I curse as her tongue runs along the side of my shaft. Looping her tongue around the head had my eyes rolling in the back of my head. When I tried to ce my hands on her head, she pinned my hands with hers on the bed. Just before I could blow in her mouth, she stopped, and her lips left my c**k with an audible pop. She turns around in reverse cowgirl style, giving me a view of her magnificent bubble butt. I squeeze her a**s as she sinks down on me with a moan; I like this position watching her bouncing up and down. Before I knew what was happening, we crashed down with the bed frame in pieces. Tandi began tough hysterically with me as she tried to right herself. ¡°Come here,¡± I told her. Lifting her up and cing her on top of me. I kissed her deeply, forcing my tongue into her mouth. Before I rolled her with me, her legs wrapped around my waist as I pushed her onto her back and slowly re¨C entered her. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 87 ¨C Abbie POV I was never drinking again! My head felt like it had been crushed in a vice, and my mouth felt so dry. How do people drink every day? This was horrid. I don¡®t understand how Liam and the King managed to be alcoholics. I felt like death as my eyes fluttered open. Yet instead of being in bed with Tyson, I was staring at the empty bed. Lifting my head, fingers trail down my spine and make me shiver when I use my hands to push up so I can look around. Only I find I amying on top of Gannon. I peer down to find myselfpletely naked before dro pping back down on top of him to cover my nudity. ¡°I didn¡®t sleep with you. Well, I did sleep as in the closed eyes kind of sleep in the dream state,¡± he mumbles, rolling on his side. I shriek, bing trapped between his huge body and the back of the couch. ¡°Why am I naked?¡± ¡°You said you were hot and kept taking your clothes off,¡± he mumbles, yawning before pressing his lips a gainst my forehead. His lips pull up in the corners. ¡°I bet you have a wicked hangover,¡± he chuckles. ¡°My head hurts,¡± I tell him. He hums before sitting up slightly and looking over the arm of the couch. He reaches his hand over to the small coffee table, retrieving a bottle of water. Yes! Water! Liquid! I thought, snatching it from him and twisting the cap off. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Heughs, sitting up, moving toward the bathroom, and returning with Tylenol. Gannon pops two from the packet handing them to me, and I quickly swallow them before dropping back down on the couch. I nned on living here for the next few hours until this headache went away. Gannon moves to sit back down, and I wiggle over so he has room, my nipples going hard from theck of body heat. He lifts an eyebrow at me as I pat the couch. ¡°You are going to let mey with you?¡± he asks. Wasn¡®t that what we were just doing? | thought to myself, a bitte for modesty, I slept damn naked on top of him. ¡°Ah, yes, I am freezing, and you¡®re like a hot water bottle,¡± I tell him, and he chuckles before grabbing the nket andying back down. ¡°You could put clothes on,¡± he says,ying back down and tugging me closer. ¡°That feels like far too much effort,¡± I groan, snuggling into his side. ¡°Wait, where is¡± ¡°rice has Tyson,¡± Gannon mumbles, slipping his arm beneath my head and the pillow as he tucks me closer. I inhale his scent while his fingers draw circles on my lower back as he shuts his eyes, going back to sleep. Yet thanks to this headache, sleep didn¡®t want me, so I found myself watching him. His scent encases me as I watch his face rx as he tries to go back to sleep and I lean closer, pressing my lips against his. His eyes flew open at the action, and he jerked his head back. I giggle at the shock on his face, yet I feel different. Truthfully, I had since whatever Azalea had done to me. As if all fear and weight of my past no longer suffocated me. It was still there but no longer at the forefront of my mind, and watching Gannon sleep, I realized he truly wasn¡®t those monsters. I slept naked next to him, and he didn¡®t touch me or try anything. Just slept. ¡°Abbie?¡± Gannon murmurs as I sit up on one elbow. Gannon pushes my hair back behind my ear. His bro ws furrow and his lips part to say something, yet I cut whatever he was about to say off as I lean down, pressing my lips against his. He groans, and his lips part at the demand of my tongue as it slips inside his mouth. His arm around my waist pulls me closer while the other slips into my hair as I deepen the kiss, my tongue tangles with his, but he lets me have control when I feel him smile against my lips. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± he mumbles against my lips, attacking his. I nod my lips, not leaving his, as I lift my leg over his waist to straddle him when he grips my knee and pulls away. ¡°Abbie,¡± he whispers. ¡°What?¡± I ask, smiling as I peck his lips but he shakes his head. ¡°We should stop,¡± he groans, moving his lower half away and making my legs slip off his waist. ¡°Isn¡®t this what you want?¡± I asked him, confused. ¡°Is that what you want?¡± he asks in return, and I nod, moving closer when his hand grips my hip, and he clears his throat, stopping me from crawling on top of him. ¡°Abbie, stop. I don¡®t want to scare you,¡± he says, his voiceing out more of a growled warning. I swallowed at the noise he made as he moved onto his back. ¡°Gannon?¡± I asked, confused by his actions, he always says I refuse to touch him, so I do and now he doesn¡®t want my touch. I move to crawl on top of him only for him to move quicker and grip my leg before I ce it over him. ¡°Abbie,¡± he says in the same warning tone, his grip on my thigh tightening as he held it off him. ¡°Gannon, I am fine,¡± I tell him and he sighs but lets my leg go shutting his eyes, and I drape my leg over his waist to find he has an erection. I gasp at the feel of it touching my naked leg and swallowed. ¡°See, that¡®s why Abbie. You are making me aroused,¡± he says, and I chew my lip, looking down at him on ly to find him watching me, waiting for me to flip out at him. ¡°I won¡®t hurt you,¡± he whispers, cupping my cheek in his hand. I lean into his touch, loving the warmth of his skin and the scent of his wrist by my nose. Sucking in a breath of his heady scent I move on top of him and he adjusts himself, pulling me higher and away from his hard c**k. I wiggle lower only for him to grab my arse; his hand grips my a**s cheek before he suddenly freezes. ¡°Sh**t, Abbie, I didn¡®t mean,¡± ¡°Will you stop? Do I look freaked out? I just want to touch you,¡± I tell him before grabbing his hand and pl acing it back where it was on my a**s. ¡°You want to touch me?¡± he asks and I nod. Well, I was trying to but he was making that difficult ¡°You know you don¡®t have to?¡± he whispers. ¡°I want to, I want to be able to touch you, Gannon,¡± I tell him and he sighs and lets me explore his body. I had countless times, yet never did my hands wander the way they did right now as my fingers mapped out every part of his exposed chest and his abs as my hand moved lowe r toward the waistband of his pants when he wrapped his arm around my waist and sat up making me sh riek not expecting it. He sat there for a second as if gauging my reaction to his action as I straddled him. His erection pressing against my lower region makes me look down when he grabs my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his. ¡°I would never hurt you,¡± he whispers, brushing his thumb over my lips. ¡°We can stop. Do you want to stop?¡± I shake my head and my hands move over his chest to his shoulders. ¡°Then say it, I want to know you understand, Abbie; I want to know it is what you want?¡± he whispers as his fingers trail down the side of my neck to where his marky. I shiver as his fingers graze over it. ¡°You won¡®t hurt me,¡± I whisper. ¡°Never,¡± he says, tugging me closer before pressing his lips against mine softly. My arms wrap around his neck and I push closer so my chest is flush against his as I kiss him harder when he stands, gripping my leg and wrapping it around his waist while not breaking our kiss. His fingers tangle in my hair as he moves toward the bed before stopping beside it before he sits on the edge of it ¡°Is this alright?¡± he asks around my lips, sucking on his. I nod in answer, not caring where he puts us as l ong he doesn¡®t stop kissing me. Yet the longer he did, the less I thought of what I was doing, my mind solely consumed with him. I tug him closer when he suddenly rolls and makes me gasp when I find myself on my back with him pressed against me. He holds all his weight on his arms and peers down at me, his eyes move to my chest and back up. ¡°Am I allowed to touch you?¡± he asks, and I wiggle beneath him, feeling my face heat as I nod; I wanted him to touch me and feel his hands on my body. He smiles, leaning down and brushing his lips against mine. His tongue sweeps into my mouth as he kisses me deeply. His pelvis brushes against me and I find I don¡®t shy away, not even when I feel his hardness press against me. Gannon presses closer and a moan escapes my lips when he presses himself against me, touching some him. ¡°You like that?¡± Gannon asks, watching me as he rolls his hips against me again, making something tighten inside me as his c***k brushes the same spot. I nod my head, shutting my eyes. ¡°That¡®s what it should feel like Abbie, pleasure not pain,¡± he whispers, and I open my eyes to look at him. ¡°So can I touch you, you can tell me to stop,¡± he murmurs, leaning closer, a smile on his lips as they brush mine. I nod he kisses me, plunging his tongue into my mouth and tasting every inch of it before his lips moved to my neck and over my cor bone; tingles rush over my skin where he touches. I feel the mark on my neck warm, and tingle as his lips move lower and his tongue swipes over my peaked nipple, making it harden impossibly more as he teases it with his tongue. His lips move to the other when he moves lower, his lips and tongue running down my ribs to my hips, making me squirm when I feel his arms move under my bent legs, making me sit up. He kissed my knee, his eyes watching me as his lips trailed and sucked down my leg when I realized he was about to put his mouth down there. ¡°Gannon!¡± I hiss when I feel his warm breath sweep over me and I groan as he blows his hot breath over me. ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡± he murmurs,ying on his belly. I chew my lip, unsure about having his face do ¡°I won¡®t hurt you, Love. You can watch, say stop, and I will,¡± he ran his nose up the inside of my leg, making me shudder. ¡°And it won¡®t hurt?¡± I ask him. He shakes his head before trailing his tongue down the inside of my thigh. My legs close almost entirely on his head when I feel his tongue sweep across the apex of my legs. His hands grip my thighs before I can crush his head. ¡°No pain, just pleasure, Abbie,¡± he whispers, looking between my legs while I think when I open my legs for him. I watched him, and he watched me back as he lowered his head before his mouth was on me. His tongue sweeps between my lower lips to my cl*t. I moan at the feel of it, and I hear him chuckle before sucking it into his mouth, and my head rolls on my shoulders at the intense feeling of it before I fall back on the bed while he kisses my most private area. Yet I couldn¡®t stop the intense feeling building or the cries spilling from my lips as his tongue swirled and sucked my flesh. When the feeling grew and became too much, I gripped his hair. ¡°Stop!¡± I shrieked, feeling on the verge ofbusting, and I was worried I was going to wet myself or som ¡°You don¡®t like it?¡± he asks as I try to catch my breath. I shake my head. ¡°No, it was just getting too intense,¡± I breathed. Gannonughs, making me lift my head to look down at him. ¡°It¡®s supposed to feel like that, Love,¡± he says. Am I supposed to feel like wetting myself? I wondered if he was mad. ¡°Let me; I¡®ll show you,¡± I shake my head. He has gone mad. He wants me to pee on him? ¡°Abbie, I can assure you whatever you are feeling or are currently too embarrassed to say is normal. It should feel like that,¡± he tells me. ¡°And it gets better,¡± he tells me, making my eyebrows pinch. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± he asks, and I nod. I did trust him. I trusted him with my life. ¡°Then you know I wouldn¡®t do anything to upset you,¡± I nod, staring down at him as he lowers his face between my legs again, giving me the chance to pull away. Still, when I don¡®t, his mouth covers me again, and the feeling builds quickly, making me want to pull away as it climbs higher, making my muscles tense and quiver. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 88 ¨C I pull away, and his hands grip my thighs. ¡°Rx, Love,¡± he mumbles against me when he starts purring. Only this time, his purr sounded different. It wasn¡®t so much a sound but more of a feeling as it awoke some primal part of me I didn¡®t know existed. Forcing calm over me, and as soon as it did, my body turned to putty in his hands, making me realize it had to be the calling thing Azalea had told me about Yet Gannon¡®s mouth didn¡®t let up when I reached some peak before an intense crescendo. My entire body tensed at the feeling before I crashed and fell blindly into bliss. My entire body spasmed, my toes curled as it rocked through me in waves, and my inner walls fluttered and pulsated, making me cry out as he slowed, letting me ride out the intense pleasure that left my entire body exhausted and tingly.. When the feeling began dissipating, I found myself breathless as Gannon crawled up my body before kissing me, his tongue delved between my lips, and I could taste myself on his tongue, making me groan into his mouth. I wrapped my legs around his waist, yet they felt so heavy they crashed back onto the bed. Gannon chuckles, pecking my lips before looking down at me as I yawn, suddenly feeling sleepy. Gannon kisses my cheek and moves to hop off me when I grip his shoulders. ¡°Rest; we can do more later,¡± he tells me, but I shake my head. That didn¡®t seem fair, and I knew he was aroused. I could feel his c**k straining against his boxers as it pressed against me. ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°I¡®m fine, Abbie,¡± he whispers, moving away when I wrap my arms around his neck. ¡°But I want to,¡± I tell him before yawning again. ¡°Go to sleep,¡± heughs, but I refuse to let go, wanting to give him something. He sighs, settling his weig ht back against me. ¡°What do you want to do then,¡± he asks, though it was clear he wasn¡®t going to have sex with me when my eyes fell to his neck. Before I could even suggest it, my canines slipped free, protruding extremely fast as an overwhelming desire to mark him washed over me. The next second they were in his neck, and he grunted. My eyes widen in shock as I feel them slip into his neck and through the muscle. I didn¡®t even ask. I almost choked at the thought as his blood flooded my mouth and coated my tongue as panic coursed through me. His hand tangles in my hair. ¡°Shh, you can mark me,¡± he whispers and I seem to forget that he can feel me through his mark on my neck. I rxed when I swallowed his blood and it was like every nerve ending burst in my body when the bond was forged. My entire body tingled, and my skin buzzed when overwhelming happiness flooded me, bringing tears to my eyes when I realized it wasn¡®t mine but his. Gannon POV I was buzzing after Abbie marked me. Relief flooded me that she was officially mine and me hers. Making my way down to the King¡®s office, I grip the door handle. It felt like forever ago that we went over everything; we were no closer to knowing what was going on. ¡°How is Abbie?¡± Kyson asks me as I sit down beside Damian; I couldn¡®t help the smug smirk that slipped into ce. I didn¡®t have to say anything by the smile the King tried to hide when his eyes noticed my neck. He presses his lips in a line trying to hide his smile. I clear my throat awkwardly. ¡°Good, yep. Everything is good,¡± I chuckle. ¡°Azalea?¡± I ask, changing the subject. ¡°Damian and I were just discussing whether we should postpone the trip to Landeena,¡± the King answere d me. ¡°No word from Larkin?¡± I ask, and Damian and he both shake their heads. ¡°Nothing,¡± Kyson tells me, and I sigh, leaning back in my chair. Great, I was hoping we would have some news from Larkin. At least for Tandi¡¯s sake. ¡°Do you want me to send Liam and Dustin to the Cypress in search of him?¡± I ask, but he shakes his head and sc ratches his chin as he thinks. ¡°Not yet. We will give him today if no answer by tonight, and he is still unreachable. We storm through the council,¡± he tells me, and I nod, trying to figure out this mess. Damian gets up from his seat before pausing. ¡°What is it?¡± Kyson asked him. He had been quiet since I s tepped into the room. He almost looked nervous. ¡°Tandi wants¨C¡± Kyson cuts him off with a wave of his hand dismissively. ¡°All the children that were adopted had their pictures taken. All documentation is in the cers. She can h ave ess to them. I will let the guards know,¡± Kyson tells him, and Damian nods. ¡°Do you really think Paige is one of the children?¡± I ask. Larkin could be lying, but I highly doubted it. He genuinely appeared disgusted with Tandi¡®s ims and believed Brock didn¡®t kill his child. ¡°I hope so. If not¨C¡± Damian pauses, looking at me. ¡°If she isn¡¯t, permission granted. You don¡®t have to ask, not when ites to children,¡± Kyson tells him, and Damian nods when I open the mindlink to him. ¡°Just say the word,¡± I tell him, letting him know if he wants Brock handled, Liam and I will take care of it. ¡°I may take you up on that,¡± he says, and I nod once before turning my attention back to the King. If Tandi¡®s daughter wasn¡®t here in Valkyrie. The next ce we would be going is to drag the information out of Brock by any means possible. Damian leaves, and I go to follow him when Kyson calls out to me, making me stop. ¡°Ah, Gannon, a moment please,¡± he nods toward the door wanting me to shut it. ¡°Close the door; I need to speak with you,¡± he tells me, and I sigh, knowing already what this would be about; reluctantly, I shut the door and retake my seat. ¡°Sia?¡± he asks. ¡°Liam told you?¡± I ask, or maybe Abbie let it slip to Azalea, but Kyson shakes his head. ¡°No, Dustin did,¡± F**k, yet I nod my head, knowing Liam must have told Dustin, which I expect he would; they were together after all. I wasn¡®t mad, though. A little head s¨Cup would have been nice. ¡°Dustin told me about Liam¡®s involvement but said nothing about you. I want to hear it from you,¡± he tells me. ¡°Sia, Abbie¡®s aunty, was my mate.¡± I breathed out loudly, feeling as if I was repeating this story. For so many years, it was kept between Liam and me;tely, I seemed to be constantly repeating myself. Yet the more I spoke of it, the easier it became, and I found it hurt a little less. ¡°And Liam helped you cover up her death?¡± he asks, and I wondered if he was hurt that I didn¡¯t tell him, yet once Abbie came into the picture, my reasoning for hiding it became stronger, especially seeing how he treated Azalea at the start.. ¡°You did not need to keep that from Damian or me. I figured something went down,¡± he says, pointing to my chest where the edges peaked out above the cor of my shirt. It wasn¡®t a secret per se, just not something I brought up and not something anyone was game enough to ask about. It was very obvious to us Lycans what I tried to do, so I didn¡®t feel the need to speak about it. And there is only one pain that would force you to want to take your life. ¡°And her body?¡± Kyson asks me. ¡°Outside her old pack along with her mother¡®s,¡± I tell him. ¡°The mother?¡± ¡°Came after me yearster when she learned what happened to her daughter,¡± he nodded in understandi ng. ¡°How did Abbie take this news?¡± he asks, my brows furrow. That would have been a massive shock and blow to her, but she was okay. She understood and took it better than I could have ever imagined. ¡°Not well at first, but she understands why I did it,¡± I admit. ¡°Is that all?¡± he asked me. And I wondered how much Dustin did tell him. ¡°There is more, but I can¡®t tell you, my King. I won¡®t risk Abbie,¡± I tell him, and he nods slowly, pursing his lips, leaning back in his seat, and watching me. ¡°If I look into Sia¡®s background, what will I find, Gannon?¡± he asks, and my heart skips a beat at his question yet it wasn¡®t amand he was only asking so I could lie, but he was my King, but my friend first. ¡°Are you asking because you already know, my King?¡± I ask in return. ¡°I¡®m asking as a friend. I am asking for my Queen. Your Queen. If there is anything I need to know, this is your chance to tell me,¡± Kyson tells me and I knew right then that he had an inkling or some sense of what I was hiding. Unable to meet his gaze, I look away. ¡°Abbie¡¯s parents weren¡®t involved,¡± I murmur; I won¡®t let him hurt Abbie, he would have to kill before I let that happen, yet I was done with the secrets and the lies. ¡°Abbie won¡®t be punished for her family¡®s mistake, Gannon. You have my word, but the fact you never told me you found your mate in the first ce has me worried. The fact you didn¡®t tell me says either you knew I wouldn¡®t approve or suspected something was amiss,¡± he says, and I turn my gaze back to him, I tilt my head to the side. ¡°I want your word, my King. Abbie stays out of it,¡± I tell him, addressing his title, not my friend, knowing there are two separate sides of him. A king demands, Kyson asks, and I wanted to know which part of him I was dealing with. ¡°Your Queen would have my balls if I tried. Rest assured, Gannon. I have learned from my mistakes, I won¡®t punish her like I did Azalea. We may be products of our parents, but we aren¡®t them,¡± he tells me, and I knew Azalea would never let Kyson harm her, but I also didn¡®t trust his Lycan side when it came to the hunters and ire. ¡°Sia worked for the hunter organization, and so did her mother. Liam and I found out she was one of the hunter¡®s suppliers.¡± I tell him, and he presses his lips in a line, and I know! confirmed his assumption as he stares off above his head. A look on his face I had seen a million times when he was trying to control his temper. I just wasn¡®t sure if he was angry at me not telling him or mad at Abbie¡®s family¡®s involvement. ¡°Suppliers?¡± He asks me finally after a few tense seconds. ¡°Yes, her mother was selling Wolfsbane to the hunter organization,¡± ¡°She was growing it?¡± he asks, looking a little shocked, but that was one part Liam and I couldn¡®t figure out; she had plenty in her house, but no growing nts or anything to suggest she was growing more like she was the middle person in her dealings. ¡°We found no evidence she was growing, but she definitely obtaining it from somewhere,¡± ¡°You won¡®t keep anything like this from me again. I understand why you did. But we could have figured it out together.¡± he tells me. ¡°Sia was trying to weasel her way into the Kingdom. She was very insistent I change her. I wanted to wait. When I refused her, she went to Liam and tried to have him kill me,¡± ¡°She wanted ess to my kingdom?¡± ¡°It appeared so. All she talked about wasing here and me changing her. It set off rm bells, yet I never figured out her intention. She never told Liam anything that was suspicious, either. Then, when I thought we figured it out and she was willing to ept me, I walked into an ambush. Luckily, Liam knew me better than her. Brotherhood won over the mate bond,¡± I tell him the gist of it. ¡°You can go, maybe see if Abbie and Azalea want to help Tandi. It will keep them distracted while we try and figure out this Larkin issue,¡± Kyson says, and I nod, all too happy to get out of here and back to my mate. I make my back to my room only to see Liam stepping out of my room with a tray in his hands. ¡°Everything alright?¡± I ask him, ncing at the empty tray. ¡°Yep, fine, rice sent food up; I told her I would bring it up,¡± he tells me, mping a hand on my shoulder before walking off. Shaking my head, I wander into the room and find Abbie dressing Tyson. The toast was set on a te beside her and a drink. She picks up her ss, sipping the cordial and pulling a face. Tyson reaches over, stealing a piece of her toast and ignoring his cereal, and Abbieughs, drinking most of her drink and picking up the other piece of toast. ¡°Something is wrong with the water around here, and I swear I can taste iron or some type of metal,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°Does it taste funny to you?¡± she asks, holding up the ss. I move toward her, taking it from her. I take a sip of it before ncing at the red cordial. My brows furrow, trying to figure out the weird taste of it. It tasted familiar for some reason. ¡°It does, doesn¡®t it?¡± she says, watching me. ¡°Might be the old copper pipes,¡± I shrug, shaking my head. She shrugs while drinking the rest. I would have to let Kyson know so he can have someone test the water because it tastes a little funky. Abbie POV Later That Afternoon. Azalea and I were going over all the orphanage documents and photos looking for Tandi¡®s daughter when Tandi handed me another stack. She let out a breath, her shoulders dropping when that pile also didn¡®t contain her daughter. ¡°How old would Paige be now?¡± Azalea asks her. ¡°Seven in February,¡± she answers with a sigh. ¡°Well, that rules these kids out,¡± I tell her looking down at a bunch of kids that are no older than three, I h and them to Azzy to look at, and she takes them and nods her head. ¡°We might have to do a DNA test. She could be different from how you remember?¡± Azalea suggests to her ¡°I will recognize her,¡± Tandi says with confidence. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Azalea asks her. ¡°I¡®m her mother, and she has a scar. She had a scar on one side of her face. It required stitches; it went from her chin to her hairline. She fell off the stairs when she was three andnded on a ss table,¡± Tandi tells her as I rummaged through yet another box removing the boys and those too young to be her daughter.. ¡°Brock beat me good for that one, considering I wasn¡®t even watching her. The asshole had me entertaining one of his friends, and he was supposed to be watching her for me. He broke three of my ribs that night,¡± Tandi says. My stomach dropped hearing that as she sifted through the photos. ¡°Well, I will start with this pile,¡± Azalea tells her, epting the pile I pass her. Tandi spoke so easily of such tragic circumstances as if desensitized to her own trauma; it saddened me how much she had suffered since Ist saw her at the orphanage, back when she was Taylor. It made me wonder if it would be that easy for me one day. ¡°This ce gives me the creeps,¡± ncing around the huge basement. A shudder runs down my spine as the draft brushes over me. Rubbing my arms, I set the box back on the shelf. We spent hours down in the cersbing through every child¡®s information when Tandi tossed thest one in the box. None of them was Paige. She gets up just as Damian walks in to check on us. ¡°Hun?¡± Damian asks as she walks toward the stairs. She pulls her arm away before he can grab her and r ¡°None of them were Paige,¡± Azalea tells him. Tandi was so excited when we came down here, only to leav swallows, staring after her as she takes off. ¡°Go, Damian, take the afternoon off. I will speak to Kyson and let him know,¡± Azalea tells him, and he nods before thanking her and wandering off. I turn back to all the boxes we had pulled out and start restacking them. Once I am finished, I retrieve Tyson, head back to my room, and open the door to find Liam kneeling inside the walk-in closet by the mini fridge that Gannon had stored there. ¡°Liam?¡± I ask him. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, hey, Abs,¡± he says, leaning back and giving me a wave. ¡°Drink?¡± he asks, holding up a bottle of cordial. I nod, epting it and opening the cap. He watches as I take a sip, and Tyson wanders over to him, peering inside the fridge he was restocking. ¡°I would have done tha ¡°Don¡®t let him drink the red ones,¡± I tell Liam as he opens one of the bottles for him. Liam nces at me. ¡°It won¡®t hurt him,¡± he says, and I chuckle. I know cordial won¡®t hurt him. ¡°The red makes him hypo,¡± I tell him. ¡°Ah, right, sorry, I forgot he has sensory issues,¡± Liam tells him, retrieving the yellow bottles he was also stacked in the fridge. ¡°Shouldn¡®t you be working?¡± I ask him. ¡°I am just helping rice,¡± he tells me before standing and closing the door on the fridge. ¡°You know rice used to be a counselor of sorts before she came to work here,¡± Liam tells me. r!! ¡°Okay!¡± I tell him, wondering what he is getting at. ¡°She used to deal with PTSD, Abbie, she helped me a lot, and I know she won¡®t turn you down if you want ¡°Gannon is worried,¡± I breathe, knowing that is the only reason Liam would bring such a thing up. ¡°Not just him; we all are. Sometimes talking helps,¡± he says. ¡°And it helped you?¡± he shrugs. ¡°Not sure, but it was less of a burden when I wasn¡®t carrying it on my own,¡± he tells me before passing my him his nket. ¡°Something to think about,¡± he says, and I nod before he leans down, pressing his lips to my forehead. ¡°And congrats on your mate,¡± he chuckles. ¡°Gannon was practically bouncing with excitement over you marking him,¡± Liam making me wonder if he heard us earlier. ¡°He is a good man Gannon,¡± Liam tells me, and I nod, yet I remember his words when he threatened me over Gannon. He said the same thing then, too, before telling me he wasn¡®t good. ¡°So are you, Liam,¡± I tell him. He shakes his head. ¡°A few people would say otherwise,¡± he tells me. ¡°That¡®s because they don¡®t know you. They don¡®t see past the crazy. But I see you,¡± I tell him, and he nods Liam and I were going over the timeline in the ballroom and adding in all the parts about Sia. Looking at how they ovepped, not only with the attacks and council but also with Ester. Abbie, however, had to leave. She said she felt unwell; I knew it was because she couldn¡®t see Peter be commanded over his mother. Yet we proved his intentions and innocence, which I knew relieved Kyson tremendously. As everyone else went to bed, it was just Liam and me here. I was staring at the board as a whole as we wrote thest parts when the mindlink opened up. ¡°Gannon, get to your quarters immediately!¡± Kyson says through the link. ¡°Are Abbie and Tyson alright?¡± I ask, noticing the distress in his tone, yet I was already walking out of the ballroom. ¡°Azalea and I will take Tyson for the night. Just get to your room!¡± Kyson snaps at me. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 89 ¨C ¡°Not sure, but it was less of a burden when I wasn¡¯t carrying it on my own,¡± he tells me before passing my Tyson. I set him on the bed, and Liam handed him his nket. ¡°Something to think about,¡± he says, and I nod before he leans down, pressing his lips to my forehead. ¡°And congrats on your mate,¡± he chuckles. ¡°Gannon was practically bouncing with excitement over you marking him,¡± Liam tells me. My face heats, making me wonder if he heard us earlier. ¡°He is a good man Gannon,¡± Liam tells me, and I nod, yet I remember his words when he threatened me over Gannon. He said the same thing then, too, before telling me he wasn¡¯t good. ¡°So are you, Liam,¡± I tell him. He shakes his head. ¡°A few people would say otherwise,¡± he tells me. ¡°That¡¯s because they don¡¯t know you. They don¡¯t see past the crazy. But I see you,¡± I tell him, and he nods. ¡°Just as I see you,¡± he says before walking out. Liam and I were going over the timeline in the ballroom and adding in all the parts about Sia. Looking at how they ovepped, not only with the attacks and council but also with Ester. Abbie, however, had to leave. She said she felt unwell; I knew it was because she couldn¡¯t see Peter be commanded over his mother. Yet we proved his intentions and innocence, which I knew relieved Kyson tremendously. As everyone else went to bed, it was just Liam and me here. I was staring at the board as a whole as we wrote thest parts when the mindlink opened up. ¡°Gannon, get to your quarters immediately!¡± Kyson says through the link. ¡°Are Abbie and Tyson alright?¡± I ask, noticing the distress in his tone, yet I was already walking out of the ballroom. ¡°Azalea and I will take Tyson for the night. Just get to your room!¡± Kyson snaps at me. ¡°I¡¯m on my way. What is going on?¡± I asked when I felt Abbie¡¯s distress which made me pick up my pace as I took the stairs two at a time. ¡°Can¡¯t you feel her, Gannon! Abbie is in heat!¡± Kyson says. I swallowed and stopped in panic, knowing once up there, it wouldn¡¯t just be her overwhelmed with instinct but myself, yet the bond tugged painfully with the need to go to her, and I started running up to the room. _ As I climb thest staircase, I see Tyson in Trey¡¯s arms, and the King slips out of my room, making me growl at him as her scent permeates off him. He holds his hands up and backs away from me while I shake the urge to attack him off for touching her. The entire reeked of her heat, and my cock strained painfully hard in my pants. Stepping into the room, I see Azalea leaning over Abbie. ¡°Gannon can make it go away,¡± she reassures my mate, reason told me nothing was wrong with Azalea being near her, but instinct far outweighed logic right now as I growl at her, making her jump up and move away from her. ¡°It¡¯s Azzy, Gannon,¡± Abbie whines, and my head whips toward her. I blink, trying to rid the haze before moving toward the bed, and Azalea rushes out. My instincts were taking over my sensibilities. Abbie had been through so much, and I had to force myself to remember that. I didn¡¯t want to hurt her. But by the moon goddess, her scent was trying me into a rut. I could feel my pupils dting. She was balled up in the middle of the bed panting. rougher as I answered, ¡°Abbie, do you understand what you are asking t know who was more frightened at what this meant, her or me. Yet her 35 skyrocketing, and she groaned, her face flushed as she writhed in pain r gan shredding her clothes and let out a breathy response, ¡°Yes, I do,¡± she said in rd voice She was ripping her own clothes off as I went towards her. Her skin kard with sweat as she was now lying on the tattered remains of her clothes. pred my hardest not to let her scent overtake me, but it was toote. A snarl escapes me making her jump. Thest thing I wanted was for her to fear me. I climbed on the bed Sony pulling her down directly under me. I need you to listen to me very carefully. Abbie. It is going to hurt at first. That is something I cannot prevent from happening. Her breathing wasing out in shaky mervals as she nodded, ¡°Are you sure you understand what I¡¯m saying, Love?¡± ¡°Yes, Gannon. Please make this pain stop!¡± she cried out Her skin was so hot, her heat making me sweat as her skin heated against mine and I pressed my weight down on her watching her reaction to me pushing her into the bed. ve she doesnt freak out, I let out a deep breath before i kiss her, my tongue delving pasi hesaps as i taste every part of her mouth. Abbie let out a moan and kissed me back amor lyther tongue tangling with mine as she rocked her hips against me. My hand trails down her side, pushing her leg apart before trailing my fingertips over her core. My heart skipped a beat, wondering how she would react when I slipped my fingers inside te because I needed to stretch her or I may hurt her. My lips travel down her cheek. Then Oherned, as i rub my fingers over her cl**t while sucking on her mark Abbie¡¯s hips lift, 201 my finger inside her at the same time, letting my calling wash over her. Her a canch around my finger, and I withdraw it slowly before adding another, stretching 1.21 Snem m tanirubbed herinner walls with my fingers, eurling them deep inside her Henna Duck and demand more So itwisted and pumped into her with my thumb Cooking heet Herr po rocked to the rhythm I set as she became lost to her heat and care teef over to her basentonctowhich made me rx a little My c**k was bing panfully hard the longer i tried to dy the inevitable Abbie sucked and licked my lops and neck Her wa dug into my back attempting to tug me closer to her. She pushed my hand away and grabbed my d**k. Her tiny hands stroked my length and I groaned at the warmth and softness of her hand wrapped around me. There would be no turning back from this. As she stroked me, she pulled me closer before letting me go. Her hands moved over my chest as she kissed and nipped my flesh. I pressed the head against her core before looking at her for confirmation, yet she was too far gone to her heat. But the way she lifted her hips was enough confirmation as my tip breached her entrance. I thrust slowly, breaching my head past her opening. A slight hiss escaped her followed with a groan making me still until she pushed back against me. It was taking all my willpower not to bury myself in her as I slowly advanced until I waspletely sheathed in her confines, allowing her to get used to the sensation and the fullness. I rocked back and forth until she told me she wanted more. Only then did I increase my pace, pumping deeper, grinding my hips against hers. ¡°More, I want more!¡± I don¡¯t think she knows what she is asking, I would die inside if I hurt her, yet her ws scratching down my back told me I was doing anything but hurt her. Yet that didn¡¯t lessen my worry. Thest thing she needed was for me to break her again. Abbie must have sensed my fear gripping my face as she looked into my eyes, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I trust you.¡± She kissed me passionately as I pumped harder and faster. Her body responded to my thrusts with sounds of pleasure. Her muscles contracted, putting a choke hold on my c**k. Abbie was a moaning mess as I felt her org**m wash over her, milking my d**k, her body spasming, and her walls clenching me tightly as she came undone and cried out. I kissed her, swallowing her screams as her org**m washed through her. And it didn¡¯t take long before I felt my knot swell. With a groan, I spill myself inside her tight confines, my knot locking us together, her walls flutter around me and squeezing me tight as I ride it out, and my lips go to hers. We bothy there breathless, I rolled her with me, cing her on top waiting for my knot to go down. I brushed the hair from her eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t move, Love. I knotted you and need you to stay still while it goes down.¡± Abbie¡¯s eyelids became heavy as she nodded in response. I held her against my chest, closing my own eyes as I felt her temperature start dropping as her heat abated. I wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed. My knot had gone down, allowing me to slide out of her. Abbie stirred, and her scent red up again. This was the difference between she-wolves and Lycans. Their heat couldst from hours to days, whereas Lycan females only need a knot to make their heat die down. Abbie groans, rocking her hips against me, her teeth grazing down my chest as her ws rake down my sides. She purrs, licking and nipping my skin, and I grip her hips, lifting her back onto my c**k, this time letting her do as she pleased while she followed her instincts while she was in the throes of her heat. Time passed, and I lost track of it as her heatsted longer than even I expected. Yet when it finally stopped, we were both exhausted, and my body felt heavy as we both fell asleep. However, the rest we weren¡¯t granted when I heard the mind link open. ¡°All guards look out for Tyson, Gannon, and Abbie¡¯s son,¡± Kyson yells across the link, which has me sitting upright. ¡°What about Tyson?¡± | boomed through the link. Yet Dustin was the one who answered, and Abbie was already out of bed with renewed energy, and so was I, as fear and panic coursed through us. My adrenaline was pumping as Dustin exined what was happening. ************* Azalea POV ¡°He isn¡¯t inside in the kitchens orundry. I checked the cer too,¡± Tandi calls out as we search for Tyson. ¡°I just don¡¯t get why he would run off,¡± I tell her as she reaches me. ¡°We¡¯ll find him. He couldn¡¯t have got far,¡± Tandi tells me, looking around. The storm had really picked up. The clouds closed in and took the light with it as thunder boomed loudly and lightning streaked the sky with shes of streaking light. ¡°He was right here, though. He was right here, tugging at my shirt, looking at them ..¡± ¡°The ducks!¡± | blurt, my eyes going to the stables. The ducks were no longer on the little hill above the stables, and my heart fluttered in my chest. ¡°Theke!¡± | shrieked in panic as I took off toward the stables. I rush to the narrow path and look down toward theke and small pier. I couldn¡¯t see him anywhere when Tandi nudged me. ¡°There!¡± she says, pointing toward the stables where the ducks were huddled outside the stable doors. My eyes widen, and I take off down the path toward the stables. The wind whips my hair around my face as I reach the bottom just as thunder rumbles across the sky. Followed by the loud crack of lightning. The duck¡¯s squawk and quack, pping their wings as I step through them. I rushed into the stables, almost slipping, catching myself on the stable door as I turned and peered inside. Relief floods me when I see Tyson chasing a baby duck between the stalls. He had it cornered and was trying to coax it out with a piece of straw. ¡°Tyson!¡± I breathe in relief, clutching my chest. My heart was racing so hard that I thought I would have a heart attack. At the sound of his name, he looks over his shoulder. ¡°Du, Du,¡± he cackles withughter. ¡°Yes, duck, duck,¡± I chuckle as Tandi walks in behind me. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°There you are, little man. Gave us a fright,¡± she says as I scoop him up off the filthy floor. The horses were spooked and carrying on. Hay was blowing around the stables from the open doors, making the wind whistle loudly. ¡°Come on, we should get back before this storm hits. I don¡¯t think it will be long before the rains pelt down,¡± Tandi says as the wind chimes and buckets ng noisily and the rafter creak, the tin roof groaning under the wind; the horse¡¯s hooves on the floor are loud as we make our way back out. ¡°Du, Du,¡± Tyson says, squirming in my arms, wanting to catch the petrified baby duck. ¡°No, we can yter. Don¡¯t you want to see mummy?¡± I ask him when we hear a bang. ¡°Help!¡± | stop looking back into the stables at the spooked horses. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± I ask Tandi. She looks around but shakes her head, and we head toward the doors. ¡°Help!¡± I hear the sound of choking coughs as we draw nearer to thest stall before the doors. I stop looking at the spooked horse inside. ¡°I heard that!¡± Tandi says before we hear the loud banging noise thump again. The horse jumps and goes up on its back legs, knocking some bales of hay down that were stacked on top of each other in there with the horse, which I thought was a little odd. ¡°Help!¡±es a croaked voice again before rapid, loud coughing. ¡°Tanner?¡± I call out as Tandi opens the gate of the stall. The horse rushes past, and we barely jump back in time as it barges out of the stables taking off into the storm. ¡°Damn it!¡± Tandi curses as she tries to stop it. ¡°One of the guards will grab her,¡± I tell her. ¡°Down here!¡±es a barking cough, and Tandi turns to look at the floor and the giant floor-to-ceiling stack of hay that covers the entire rear wall. ¡°Tanner? Is that you?¡± I yell out. ¡°Who is Tanner?¡± Tandi asks, kicking the hay around to see if he has fallen over in the ruined stall. ¡°The gardener and one of the stable hands,¡± I tell her when the coughing gets louder, and Tandi looks behind the bales of hay on the far wall of the stall when she steps on something hollow. She stomps her foot down, and I peer into the stall. She bends down and sweeps her hand across the floor. ¡°Down here,¡±es the barking noise again, and Tandi sweeps her hand furiously. ¡°Larkin?¡± she yells, and I ce Tyson down to help her. ¡°We can¡¯t find him! Where did you go, Azalea?¡± Trey calls through the mind link. ¡°We found him,¡± I quickly tell him, having forgotten with all the noise and bing distracted. I gasped when Tandi hit a handle and looked at me. ¡°Is that a trapdoor?¡± | whisper to her, forgetting about Trey in my head. Tandi pulls on it, but it doesn¡¯t budge. ¡°Here, help me,¡± she groans, and I grab the other handle, and together we rip it open. I fall on my a**s, tripping over one of the fallen hay bales. Tandi jumps back as it flings open. ¡°Ah, thank god!¡±es the croaky voice of Larkin. ¡°Larkin?¡± Tandi says, peering down into the trapdoor. I get to my hands and knees and peek into the trapdoor, finding blue and purple lights. Larkin was tied to a chair that had fallen over. All around him were rows and rows of potted nts beneath the lights on tables. I sniff the air. ¡°Wolfsbane!¡± I whisper. My eyes widen at what I see, and I open the mind-link to report to Trey, Liam, and Dustin. ¡°Trey, we found ..¡± when I see darkness. Pain rattled across my head, and it was like everything slowed down. One second I was peering into the trapdoor. The next, I was on the ground, my eyes zoned out as my head hit the floor, when a shovel nged loudly next to my head. My ears rang loudly, and I could feel the trickle of blood slowly sliver into my vision as it dripped from where I was hit. Tyson, I could vaguely hear, was screaming, yet despite being near me, his voice sounded distant. I tried to make sense of what happened before Tandi yelled, and I blinked, fighting to stay conscious, when she was shoved into the trapdoor and mmed the lid shut. ¡°Just like that bitch Marissa! Just gotta stick ya nose where it doesn¡¯t belong!¡± I hear an angry voice. The mind link opens, and thest thing I hear is Kyson¡¯s panicked voice when Tanner grabs the scruff of my shirt, fi****ng it below my chin as he lifts me before I see his fist fly toward my face, and darkness swallows me. I swallowed, my tongue feeling thick in my mouth, and my arms hung limply by my head. I turn my head, looking around to find myself upside down over Tanner¡¯s shoulder, and we are deep within the woods. The mind link was going crazy when I heard shouting in the distance and smelled the smoke from a fire somewhere. The stables are on fire, and I hear people shouting. Tanner curses and mutters, trudging through the woods, and I remain silent when I hear his phone ringing. ¡°Kyson!¡± I murmur through the mind-link, barely able to hold a conscious thought. My head was pounding like a drum, my skinced in goosebumps from the dropping temperature. ¡°Where are you, Azzy?¡± he rushes out. ¡°Woods. Tanner.¡± I murmured. My consciousness waned, and I felt queasy and so heavy as I swayed with each step he took. ¡°What else did you expect me to do? Just meet me at the tunnels! The n can still go ahead! The hunters are already on their way. This changes nothing!¡± I hear Tanner yell at someone on the phone before darkness sweeps over me once again. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 90 ¨C Abbie POV The storm outside was brutal, and I had been waiting for Azalea to wake up. I needed to see for myself that she was okay after we finally got Tyson back. Once she woke, I could finally rx, but I also needed to go help, rice. The castle was in utter chaos with everything going on. ¡°Though now I know you¡¯re awake and okay, I might go down and help rice and check on Tandi, if you don¡¯t mind?¡± I tell Azalea. ¡°No, of course! You didn¡¯t have to wait with me,¡± she tells me. I raised an eyebrow at her as if that was the silliest thing I had ever said. Azalea winced as she tried to roll her eyes at me, causing me tough softly. I leaned over, pressing my lips ever so lightly to her head. I didn¡¯t want to cause more pain than she was already experiencing. ¡°More than my life,¡± Azalea whispers. ¡°Always more,¡± I replied before cradling Tyson and wandering toward the door, I passed Liam as I left her knowing Gannon was going down the dungeons to swap ces with him while they tried to torture information out of Tanner the gardener. I headed straight for the ballroom to find everyone rolling out mattresses and nkets. We lost entire wings from the storm. A tree had even fallen through our wing. The destruction it was causing was terrible. Yet we were safe. That was all that mattered as I set Tyson down to help rice board up the windows. Tyson rushes off to y with Oliver, who was sitting with Peter. Gannon¡¯s POV I pull the funnel out of his throat slowly, and Tanner chokes, gurgles, and sputters on the wolfsbane. His tongue sizzled in his mouth, his blood-drenched the floor, his hand trapped in the vice was almost completely split down the middle, and Kyson twisted it, hearing thest crunch as the vice-grip completely closed, splitting his hand in half. His screams made me buzz with excitement, grabbing the old lead sprinkler. It was a Medi-evil torture device used to shower victims with molten lead. However, we improvised. Instead, I filled it with sulfuric acid. It was essentially a giantdle with an iron handle. The sphere at the bottom is filled with acid. I began shaking the lead sprinkler, showering Tanner with acid. His screams were h***rse yet still horrific as I sprinkled it over his legs. ¡°What have you got nned with the hunters? Where is Ester, Tanner?¡± The King asked him. I pull the lead sprinkler away, yet his flesh continues to be eaten away. Kyson then reaches for the baking soda to neutralize it. His screams turns to wailing as he runs out of breath from choking on wolfsbane and the harsh screams leaving him.. ¡°I hope they kill all of you!¡± Tanner rasps. Kyson clicks his tongue and moves to his feet. Grabbing the top of his foot and his ankle, he yanked and twisted, turning his foot, so it was the wrong way. The bones break, and Tanner screams. Kyson lets his foot go moving to the next. ¡°What are they nning, Tanner? This will end when you tell me what I need to know,¡± Kyson growled. Tannerughs, the sound sadistic as he cackles his head off like this is some sort of joke. ¡°Has the storm stopped?¡± he asks before he chokes his own blood. I p him, but he still chokes on his own blood, and Kyson quickly removes the silver strap holding his head in ce before turning his face so he doesn¡¯t choke before we get the information we need. He spits the blood out and smiles wickedly as he dazedly looks up at the ceiling. ¡°Pain, such a fickle thing. You won¡¯t break me, my King!¡± he sneers at thest part before heughs. Kyson growls menacingly, grabbing his other foot, about to break it. ¡°Oh, how she screamed, yet no sound came out. That is when you know you broke them,¡± he taunts, and I look at Kyson, my heart racing in my chest as the words spill from his lips. ¡°Plop,¡± he chuckles. ¡°Just plopped right out at her feet.¡± Tannerughs sadistically. The moment he said that, I knew exactly who he was talking about. ire, he wanted Kyson to kill him, to put him out of his misery. ¡°Although, it even made me sick when she stuffed your nephew back in her. Like I knew she was unhinged, but she lost the plot. Completely lost it. Even made me sick. You should have seen the look on ire¡¯s face. Killing her mate. Now that was priceless. F***ker didn¡¯t stand a chance. She woke up as I drove that dagger through his chest. But her baby? She was dead the moment he fell at her feet. Almost as if her soul left her as she stared down at him.¡± I washed the blood drain from Kyson¡¯s face as his breathing got heavier, and fur sprouted across his arms as he tried to remain in control. I wanted nothing more than to kill the b***t**rd, but we needed information. This piece of sh**t deserved more than we would give him, but I had to keep Kyson¡¯s head in the game. ¡°He¡¯s baiting you, Kyson! He wants you to kill him!¡± I snap, gripping his wrist as his fingers go to wrap around his throat. Kyson was on autopilot, not realizing his finger began to encircle Tanner¡¯s throat. Tannerughs and giggles. ¡°That b**ch just couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut! Had to run to your sister when she caught Ester and me packing our deliveries to send to the council. She ran, she did.¡± he laughs. ¡°Who ran?¡± I demand, and my grip on his wrist tightens when I feel his hand start shaking, hovering above his throat. ¡°Marrissa! She moved into the castle and found Ester, didn¡¯t she? I started plotting to out her, but then she had to go a step too far by following us. B**ch ran straight to ire. Just couldn¡¯t mind her own damn business! Had to get involved.¡± ¡°ire, always the goody two shoes. Did everything by the book. She should have taken it straight to you. Instead, she confided in the council and asked to have a meeting with us the next morning. She had rung the council, and Crux gave us a little heads up. So we took care of it!¡± Tannerughs. Kyson¡¯s other hand moves to grab him as a feral snarl leaves him, but I was expecting it, so I grip his hand before ites down on his head, and he growls at me. ¡°Keep your f***king head or get out!¡± | snapped at him. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The Hunters. What is their n?¡± I demand before I start turning the handle on the rack. Stretching his limbs. Tanner screams as his body stretches. ¡°Plop,¡± Tannerughs just as Liam wanders down the steps, whistling as hees down. ¡°Storm has blown over. Wow! Look at you growing like the weed you are!¡± Tannerughs at his words. ¡°I always did like you, Liam,¡± Tanner chuckles. Liam tilts his head to the side, and I twist the handle beside me. His body is forced to stretch, and his skin tears under pressure. His screams ring out loudly. But still, he refuses to answer, and Kyson shoves Liam and me to the side, plunging his hand through his diaphragm. He fished through his innards, and Tanner gasped through the pain. ¡°Wait!¡± he rasps with his lips turning gray, and Kyson does. ¡°Where are they?¡± Kyson roared in his face as his eyes widened in horror, mouth open in a silent scream. Tanner smiles, his eyes fluttering and his eyes rolling in his head, and I know he is about to pass out or bleed out, whicheveres first. Despiteying on his deathbed, he smiles, and my heart thumps erratically in my chest at his following words, ¡°They¡®re already here.¡± Tanner breathes. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 91 ¨C Abbie pov It was as if everything was nned, and I knew I was right; I knew this had to be the hunter¡¯s n. One minute rice and I had just managed to settle the kids and feed them. The next, an explosion goes off, making us freeze as we stare at the double door leading to the corridor. The ground shakes, and I look to rice frantically when more and more go off. I gasp, reaching for Tyson, when an entire wall inside the ballroom is blown out, and I am sent hurtling toward the wall opposite. The air was knocked out of my lungs as I twisted at thest second, taking the brunt of the impact, so I didn¡¯t crush Tyson. Screams ring out loudly as my head pounded from smashing against the stone walls; I force myself to my feet, looking around at the chaos when rice yells for everyone to get out just as another bomb goes off. Panicked se**nts make a dash for the doors as rice rips them open, and I st**gger, my head spinning as I clutch Tyson, blood dribbled down my head, and every part of me felt batted as I stumbled out the doors, wondering whether or not to try to find Azalea when I hear her voice. ¡°Get to the tunnels!¡± My head whips up and turns in her direction just as Tandi and I rush out the doors. We meet up and take off along with the ser**nts that survived the st toward the back doors. ¡°There are tunnels in the woods! There¡¯s a bunker not far from here!¡± rice yells through the mind- link. Our feet pounded on the stone floor to the double doors that led toward the gardens when an explosion went off directly behind us, making me duck and cover Tyson¡¯s head. Trey yells through the link just as someone outside opens the doors. Everyone screeches to a halt, and rice shifts, snarling savagely as she puts her body between ours and the door. Yet when the doors open, it is Trey. He waves us forward, and everyone piles out as he points toward the forest. Se**nts rush out, ducking their heads, and I race to catch up to Azalea, clutching Tyson. Yet I was bleeding and struggling to hold him. On the verge of dropping him, Trey took him from me before we all started racing toward the tree line and the cover of the trees. My mind raced as we stumbled out, and I could feel Gannon was alive. I could feel he was okay through the bond. Turning back, I see Azalea running toward me, and I step aside. Azalea just managed to rush out the doors before the roof caved inpletely. Bursting through the doors, smoke filled the sky and the smell of gunfire. Shouting and screaming rang out loudly, and the ce had turned into a war zone. It was hard to tell our guards from the hunters, except for the insignia emzoned on their chest armor. Azalea pushes me forward after Trey, and we race up the small incline when I see rice stop up ahead. Oliver, whom I could see beside her, was holding her hand until Peter grabbed him and took off with him; Tandi stood beside rice. as she paused and looked back at us, her eyes widened, and a blood-curdling scream left her as she looked past all of us toward the hill of the cemetery. My head turned, wondering what made her scream like that when I gasped. Logan wandered around the carnage like a little boy lost, dazed, and covered in dust and blood. Azalea just reacted and took off for the hill as Lycans fought men around us. She reaches out for him; Azalea gets him wrapping her arm around his waist, pivoting on her heel as she clutches him into her chest. Out of my peripheral vision, I can see Gannon by the t terrain before the hill down to the stables, fighting alongside his men, yet I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from Azalea. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Trey screams at Azalea and shoves Tyson in rice¡¯s arms while she runs to get back to the small amount of safety that the side of the building offers. I wave Azalea forward, and her feet slip on the grass; Logan rolls out of her arms, and she gets up, reaching for him just as I scream out to her as I watch the hunter lift his gun in her direction. My heart nearly stopped in my chest, but I reacted, and all I could think was not her. She looked up to see me running toward her before, guns pointed at her, and a bullet whizzed past me and clipped her shoulder as she grabbed Logan. Azalea hisses but continues to run towards me. The growls and snarls tear through the air around us as ! reach out for Logan in her arms when my eyes widen, looking behind her. The hunter was now directly behind her with his gun trained directly on her back. I wasn¡¯t going to let Azalea die, she had given up so much for me, and I was going to make sure she lived. She was more than my friend. She was more than my sister. My life was her life. I force my legs to move faster, my body collides with hers, my arms locking around her in a hug, and I spin her around. It was like I was punched in the center of my back, it stole my breath, and I jolted in her arms before seeing her eyes widen in horror, her lips part as she screamed when I leaned into her. gasped, trying to force air into my lungs, but nothing I did would make them work. Coldness began to spread from my back to my chest. I struggled to say myst words, mustering all the strength I had left. Tears streamed down Azalea¡¯s cheeks as she held me in her arms. With thest of my life, I spoke what I knew she would understand; it meant more than any other words spoken because it was ours. ¡°More than my life,¡± I rasped out, choking on the pain those few words caused me. I feel the life drain from me, hear myst breath leave my lungs as numbness encroaches on me, along with the coldest feeling. It was death washing over me. ¡°Abbie! No!¡± I hear her scream before I feel my eyes flutter shut when I feel Gannon¡¯s heartbreak as the bond pangs with immense pain and his howl. I felt more than I heard when I suddenly felt nothing at all Gannon pov I felt the moment the bond broke. It sliced through my chest and ripped out my soul. It broke every part of me, feeling her tether vanish, like losing a vital or**an, something you can¡¯t live without. As I stopped, my eyes went to the other side of the castle to see Azalea clutching her, and I screamed, the sounding out in a long howl as I watched her turn limp in Azalea¡¯s arms, and I started running toward them. I fall to my knees, clutching her body in my arms, forgetting the war going on around us when a de slices down my back, forcing my attention back to fight. I am forced to fight, his dagger embedded in my side, and I pull it free, my ws sinking into the side of his neck as I sh at him. A pain I had never experienced shot through my chest, and at the realization that she waspletely lost to me, thest remnants of the bond fading away as I fought to get back to her. This was my punishment for Sia, the moon goddess cursing me for all my misdeeds. My surroundingspletely faded away as I tried to bring her back, and when I couldn¡¯t help anymore, I clutched her, my heart breaking and splintering into a million pieces. I needed her, Tyson needed her, and I couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t live with this agony; I couldn¡¯t, not without her. I began pumping her heart, praying it would start again, blowing two breaths in her mouth. Her blood coated my lips with each breath I gave. I refused to believe she was gone; it can¡¯t end like this. Come on, Abbie. You can¡¯t leave us like this. I pumped and breathed until my arms began to burn. I was lost trying to keep going. My fist banged twice with hard thuds to her heart, and still nothing. I howled till I was dry heaving with despair. When hunters starteding from everywhere yet, I didn¡¯t care if they killed me. I was dead already without her. From up over the hills, out of the forest, and spewing out from the castle, they just kept coming. Even those who ran for safety in the bunkers were now racing back onto the battleground as hunters chased them back toward us. The Landeena guards form a circle around us and the Queen. rice flees with the kids, and Peter barely makes it past our circle of defense that offered little safety as all guards covered the Queen. When Crux¡¯s booming voice echoes through smoke and dust as they surround us. We were circled entirely as Crux stepped out of the shadows and smoke and onto the battlefield. His smug smile of triumph seared into me. He was a traitor to his own kind. A betrayer to all. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Read Mated To The King¡¯s Ga*ma by Jessica Hall Chapter 92 ¨C Azalea POV She was gone. And I watched in horror as Gannon stole her from me, clutching her to his chest, and I felt dead. Like I took myst breath when she did, all life left me. She died for me, and I feltpletely and utterly numb until I heard his voice slice through the air as it mocked me. His slow, methodical p made me see red as I lifted my head to see I was circled by the Landeena and Valkyrie Guards, shielding me instead of fighting. My eyes scanned the destruction to find Kyson getting to his feet not far from me. The sight of my mate made my heart beat when Crux¡¯s voice brought me back to my surroundings. He took Abbie from me. He wouldn¡¯t take my mate too. ¡°I have waited for this day since I learned of your birth,¡± Cruxughed. My blood boiled and sizzled, and my skin warmed with rage. ¡°The almighty Landeenas finally fall. The Landeena Kingdom should have been mine! He promised it to me! I took down my own mother¡¯s Kingdom for it!¡± he yelled as everyone halted under his voice. The hunter¡¯s guns trained on us. They knew we were cornered and thought there was no way out for us. That f**king name! That f**king name everyone was obsessed with! The Landeena name meant nothing to me anymore. I know the sins that name carried. The heartache bestowed upon the Kingdoms from it and the reign of terror it has caused. I could feel the blood of that name burn through me along with my mothers, feel it in my toes as they tingled along with my rage. Yet I wasn¡¯t just Landeena. My father¡¯s name brought shame to me. I no longer wanted it. Crux could have it. That name took more from me than anything else. Yet as I watched Gannon clutch my sister¡¯s dead body in his arms as Liam tried to pry Abbie free of him, it angered me more. Gannon fights him, trying to draw her nearer, when Liam punches him and knocks him back, his hands recing Gannon¡¯s as he brings his hand down on her chest, pumping her heart as if he could save her and bring her back to us. Turning my head and seeing my mate on his knees made pure white-hot rage sliver through me. The ground vibrated beneath me, and I could feel its energy, breathing life into me like it was part of me. ¡°Your father lied to me, then took Tatiana as his Queen! His enemy! He took her as his Queen and birthed her spawn! It was never yours, Azalea. Your father promised it to me. The Landeena name was to be mine!¡± Crux roared in anger. ¡°You can have the f**king name!¡± I screamed in anger as I rose to my feet. My guard tensed and took protective stances encircling me, but I wanted to see the face of the man who thought he would be our downfall. See the life drain from his eyes when I took it from him. ¡°Stand down!¡± I scream at my guard when I see them move to protect me. Mymand rings out loud, my people drop to their knees, and Cruxughs, pping his hands slowly as he strolls closer. Kyson¡¯s fear bleeds into me, and I could feel his eyes on me, his heart beating in his chest in sync with mine as I stared down Crux, who smiled sadistically. ¡°Landeena used to be Gods! The Landeena¡¯s were feared among the Lycania Kingdoms, and your father brought shame to the name! But not anymore. His reign ends here, today, with you, just like the Azures. You¡¯re all that¡¯s left,¡± Crux called out to me. He was right because I could feel their blood singing in my veins, feel the power that had awoken and now writhed through me, strong like a flexing muscle. He was right. I am Landeena and Azure by blood, but that is not all. ¡°You¡®re wrong. The Landeena¡¯s and Azures may be dead,¡± I tell him. ¡°Almost,¡± Crux said, pointing to me. Iugh, the sound wicked as the ground beneath my feet begins to shake, my aura pressing out, and I feel its strength as it wraps around my people like a shield. ¡°But I am not a Landeena or Azure. I am Valkyrie! And you shall not take my Kingdom!¡± Kyson POV I couldn¡¯t move as the power of hermand rolled over everyone forcing us to our knees as she stood off, ring daggers at Crux. Her eyes, emzoned with her anger, glowed like beacons in the night. ¡°But I am not a Landeena or Azure. I am Valkyrie! And you shall not take my Kingdom!¡± Azalea roared when I felt her anger erupt likeva spewing from a mountainous volcano. The hunter¡¯s fear burned the air with a thick stench. I wanted to gag at the scent as their guns started going off as they unleashed their bullets, whizzing through the sky yet stopping on a shield she created around us, bouncing off its walls as she lifted her hands. The ground split, creating a crater dividing us from them as vines shot from the ground, wrapping around the hunters like tentacles and ripping them into the earth as the violence from her rage fueled her guards¡¯ angry roars. Fire lit up the sky as her anger scorched the air around us and burned everything it touched, turning the grass ck as it seared the earth, yet locked under the safety of her aura¡¯s shield, it did not touch us. Crux¡¯s eyes widen as the sky darkens, and he realizes he didn¡¯t beat her. He awoke her. A Kingdom shall fall, but in its ce, the Empress of Lycania rises. Her power turned the ce dark as night. The clouds rolled across the sky angrily, furious as the skies screamed down just as hell reigned down on earth when her powers awakened,ing forth. Lightning streaked the sky and hit the ground, burning caverns into the earth as the volts plunged into our castle, obliterating everything in its path. Rocks and mortar exploded from my castle as it crumbled and broke, sending the debris hurtling toward us. Yet they couldn¡¯t break past the barrier which she created. I gasped at the power, feeling it writhing through the bond and healing every inch of me. As she raised her arms, her shield shuddered as the wind whipped and howled around us when her scream of anguish from everyone she had lost, the ghosts of everything that tainted and haunted her, exploded in a war cry ofmand. I now understood what the history books spoke of when they said the Landeena and Azure power. They were indeed Gods as I watched the air ripple with screams as her soul erupted from her like a shock wave, and it ttened everything in its path as it burst free of her. The forest was ttened to the earth, our home. Our Kingdom was reduced to rubble as if a hurricane of her anger wiped everything out. Only leaving us as the bodies of our enemies as they exploded with her anger and blood rained from the skies, their blood staining us and bleeding back into the earth. Just as fast as it erupted, it stopped, the silence so deafening I wasn¡¯t sure we survived it as her shield dropped, and I was able to move to her. Her sadness split her heart down the middle and tore her apart as I grabbed her. I clutch her tightly, hanging on to my lifeline, which is her. Liam POV Dustin and I tried to remove Abbie from Gannon, but he refused to let go. Gannon wails as I rip her out of his arms, and Dustin all but tackles him to stop him from trying to take her from me. I tried to reviveOriginal from N?velDrama.Org. her. Gannon wouldn¡¯t survive this, not this time. Sia was one thing, but Abbie was his everything which is exactly why I had been feeding her my blood for days now, filling all her drinks in her fridge with my blood. She made Ganno promise not to change her, yet I never made that same promise, and I refused to watch my best friend tear himself apart again if she tried tomit suicide. After everything she had endured and survived, I knew she could survive this. Abbie was a fighter; I could bring her back. Dustin tries to rip me off her seeing my attempts to revive her futile, yet they didn¡¯t know | had been feeding her blood; I growl, shoving him back. ¡°Come on, Abbie,¡± I growl furiously. Dustin and Trey grab me, hauling me off just as Gannon holds her again. Clutching her tighter. ¡°She¡¯s gone. She¡¯s gone. There is nothing you can do,¡± Dustin tells me, but I shake my head, punching him before reaching for her again. ¡°No! I have been feeding her my blood,¡± I snarled, tossing him off and cing my hands back in the center of her chest and performing CPR while praying we weren¡¯t toote. No sooner did the words leave my lips; however, did we hear her gasp. I blink, unable to believe my eyes while Gannon rocked back and forth, wailing loudly at his lost Love, her eyes open dazedly. Yet, they were obsidian as her hand rose and clutched Gannon¡¯s arms, making him jump as she sucked in a breath and her eyes returned to their emerald color, life returning to her deathly pale skin, and I fell back on my a**s. ¡°Abbie?¡± Azalea whispered, choking on her s**b as Abbie¡¯s hand moved to Gannon¡¯s hair. ¡°Abbie!¡± Azalea screamed, and Gannon jumped at the feel of Abbie¡¯s hand in his hair as he lifted his head. I sagged against Dustin, copsing between his legs as he breathed heavily. ¡°I told you, brother, I wouldn¡¯t let you lose her again,¡± I breathe out, catching my breath. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Liam POV They say luckes in threes, and I was beginning to believe that old superstition as I sifted through the rubble. Brick after brick, rock after rock, and dust, well, you get the picture. Anyway, I was knee- deep in shit! Not literal shit but you know, the kind of metaphorical ¡­ Aaah, nope! I am pretty sure that may have been actual shit and not a rock that time. I toss it over my shoulder, hearing a grunt and near squeal with joy when I find my trusty apron. I clutch it making sure it is in one piece. It has a small burn hole but never mind that; it adds character! ¡°Oh please, no. Of all the things to survive. That thing should have been the first to burn;¡± Dustin groans behind me. I narrow my eyes at him. What a vile thing to wish for! Does he not know how hard I worked to get it smelling like barbequed death and marinated Doyle steaks? ¡°That is noting with us!¡± Dustin deres. ¡°I think I might wear it when we get married one day,¡± I tell him, and he scrunches up his face. ¡°You will do no such thing!¡± he snarls, yet I was caught on the fact he didn¡¯t deny he was go ing to marry me. ¡°It¡¯s a piece of art! See this stain right here?¡± I ask, pointing to it. ¡°That is an impression of a face! I peeled it clean off. I think my butterfly impression is rather good. You can even see his bulbous nose,¡± I tell Dustin, and he shakes his head. ¡°There is something wrong with you. You know that right?¡± he says, sifting through the rub ble. ¡°You just don¡¯t know how to appreciate art,¡± I tell him, shaking my head as I toss my apron over my shoulder and move a piece of wall from one of the chimneys. I nearly wet my pants with excitement. Okay, maybe I did a little. What can I say? I am old, and I¡¯m allowed to pee a little. The old pipes aren¡¯t what they once were. Sometimes they leak. I knew luck came in threes! I never doubted it for a second as I stared down at Crux. His mangled body is all crooked, his arm twisted the wrong way, he coughs, and I quickly lift my head to look around. Dustin had his back to me, salvaging what he could. Everyone else was too dis tracted as they, too, searched for what they could salvage. Crux coughs, and I quickly p a hand over his mouth, not wanting to alert the others that somehow, by the grace of the Goddess, this fucker was gifted an extra life. And gifted to meeeeeee! I started digging him out when I opened the mindlink looking for Gannon, who was over the far side with Abbie and Tyson. He hadn¡¯t left her side since she returned to us, though that sire bond I would have to do something about. Like I knew the risk and all when I was secretly feed ing her my blood. =¨C She made Gannon promise not to try to change her again after his failed attempt. However, I made no such promises to her. And I knew Gannon was worried about her attempting suicide again. So I made sure that if she tried again this time, she would have my blood in my system so that she would change. I may not have made a promise to her, but I did make a promise to my brother. I think he scared her when his blood healed her, burned the wolfsbane right out of her system, and he panicked, so he tried to drown her to force the change. She made him promise never to attempt to change her again after that. It was just sheer luck that it worked. Because since she already had her wolf, it made it tricky to change her into a Lycan. Sometimes they would heal too quickly. And it was always the brink of death along with Lycan blood and venom in their system that forced the change. Completely dead, they are dead. But that dangerous edge between is what forces the gene to change. This is why, when changing someone, we usually need permission from the King. Sometimes it doesn¡¯t go as nned, and intervention is needed, or resuscitation can take a few goes for the gene to kick in. Regardless, by my first stroke of good luck, it damn well worked! Though the sire bond was kind of a bitch. Mainly because I didn¡¯t want the girl looking at me all goo goo eyed. No, those eyes were reserved for my brother and my brother only. And my eyes are reserved for my Dustypoo. And now the Goddess granted me the best prize and the third stroke of luck! ¡°Psst,¡± I hiss at Gannon, and I see his head turn to look for me. ¡°Why are you whispering? It¡¯s a mind link. No one can hear you but me,¡± he says, and I wave my arms in the air so he can find me. He nods and lifts his arms as if to say, ¡®what?¡¯ I wave for him toe to me, but he shakes his head. ¡°Get here now! I need you to help me haul the body off!¡± I hiss at him through the mind-link. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I want to make a kebab out of him. You know, up the bum,¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Gannon snaps at me, and I roll my eyes at his tone. ¡°Come here, and I will share him,¡± I tell him. ¡°Huh?¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You know, a head on a stick, a chicken stick or kebab. Quick before anyone notices, and they ruin my fun!¡± I tell him. Crux groans and I press my foot on his windpipe to shut him up while waving my arms for Gannon toe to help me. ¡°I swear if you are making me walk over there to show me something stupid or to toss an other rock at me, I will fuck you up!¡± he growls. I wait for him toe to me while chatting animatedly to Dustin, who still hasn¡¯t turned back to see my treasure. And oh, what precious treasure it is! I was picturing ways to torture him that had my cock straining in my pants with my excitement. I wonder if Dustin would be down to fuck over his dead carcass? I shake that thought away. He definitely wouldn¡¯t be! Maybe he will let me fuck him while I wear his skin as a suit? I ponder that before deciding against it and decide skew ering him shall be enough. ¡°What is it? For real? That smelly old thing survived, but my fireproof safe got destroyed? What the actual fuck!¡± Gannon curses. ¡°That is not all that survived,¡± I whisper and nod my head for him to look over the rubble at my feet. He peers over before looking around, a smirk on his face. ¡°What do you want to do with him?¡± he asks. See, this is why this man is my best friend and brother! He understands and gets me because he is just as fucked in the head as me. He gets it. He gets me and my need for sadistic, wicked torture. There is no better feeling than watching a grown man shit his pants because he knows he is looking death in the face. Or how their fear smells like burnt hair. The way the light fades from their eyes as they take theirst breath. It makes me all tingly and hard just thinking about it! ¡°Help me get him to the bunker,¡± I tell him. ¡°Hey Dustin, can you go sit with Abbie and Tyson for me?¡± Gannon calls out. Dustin lifts his head from sifting through all the crap holding a broken cup he found, and he thinks I am senti mental about my apron. What the fuck does he want with a broken cup? He can¡¯t drink out of it. Half the side was missing! Dustin nods before climbing over the crap to walk to the other side, where Abbie and Tyson are with the King and Queen, taking his broken cup with him. At least my apron is functional! If he¡¯s taking that thing with us, my apron is definitelying! Gannon and I start digging the bastard out, and he groans when Gannon identally steps on his busted leg. ¡°He¡¯s going to scream when we pull him off that roo bar,¡± Gannon says as we examine the bar prating through his gut. | nce around, trying to find something to muffle him before taking my shoe off and remov ing my sweaty sock. ¡°What pretty lips? Now open up wide!¡± I snarl, and he coughs. ¡°Kill me!¡± he rasps out. ¡°Not until we get you to the bunker,¡± I tell him, jamming the filthy sock in his mouth and slip ping my boot back on. With another nce around, we quickly drag him out. ¡°You grab the¡­¡± I looked down, trying to find a way to grab him so that we could get a good grip on him for a quick getaway, but one leg was bent awkwardly. ¡°You get the ass, and I will get the head,¡± I tell him. ¡°You get the ass! You¡¯re the ass man, not me!¡± Gannon says. ¡°Fine! I will get the ass, just hurry up before someone sees us!¡± I tell him, and we struggle for a few seconds. Crux mumbles incoherently in pain before we take off for the old trail behind the garden under the clotheslines. As we reach the forest edge, we see Peter, and we both stop dead in our tracks, caught red-handed with our new ything. Both of us eye him while I consider whether or not I will have to julienne his ass. ¡°I saw nothing,¡± he says, strolling away and scooping up an apple off the ground. Good boy. ¡°Quick!¡± I hiss, and we rush for the safety of the trees. Thank you, almighty Moon Goddess, for this blessing! I think to myself as Iugh. This shall be fun! Coming up, one Crux kebab! ¡°Hopefully, he tastes better than the Doyle steaks. He was a bit chewy.¡± I tell Gannon, and he chuckles. He thinks I am joking, but a chef must always taste is his masterpiece. It was just a little nibble, and he tasted like shit, I think lover marinated him. We got Crux down to the bunker, cing him in a section no longer in use due to safety rea sons. It was even older than Kyson¡¯s father. We strapped the bastard down on a stone b, re breaking his distorted limbs. His screams are muffled by his gag. I had pulled out a set of my new tools. I was excited to put them to use, giggling to myself finally. ¡°What the hell do you have over there, Liam? Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t hear you squeal like a school girl meeting her crush.¡± I spun around with my new toys in hand. Gannon knitted his brow. Not sure what to make of it, I clicked my tongue in annoyance at his ignorance of my new gems of torture. ¡°It¡¯s a pear of anguish, you ninny!¡± ¡°Since this fucker liked to make his profits trafficking and prostituting children, why not send him out with a bang-up his ass? I have one for his mouth too. It came as a set.¡± | pped my hands in anticipation of my fun. I stripped down, putting my apron on. Just our luck, I found some of the medieval torture de vices while securing the tunnels leading to the bunkers. Gannon helped put Crux¡¯s knee¡¯s in the splitter after we cut him free from his clothes while I hummed to myself. Crux tried in vain to loosen his restraints. Gannon popped some wolfsbane under his gag before recing it with the pear, twisting it to fit. ¡°Ah ah ah, Crux. Don¡¯t think for a second I have forgotten about your other hole. Promise I¡¯ll even spit on it for you,¡± I tell him, giving him a wink. I shoved it up his shitter, causing his muffled scream to vibrate around the pear upying his mouth. An hourter and this turd was still trying to hang on to his wretched life. ¡°Liam, we need to hurry up. Abbie is going toe looking for me soon.¡± ¡°Fine, let me get my skewers. His pecker is barely hanging on anyhow. Sausage kabobs it is then.¡± Rolling my eyes at his party-pooping mood. The shock of his dick now at the tip of my skewer was his breaking point. We listened as his heart sputtered to a halt and my lit up like a kid on christmas at my handy work. Though I was up set I couldn¡¯t y a little longer. Leaving him there we made our way back to the ruins of the castle. Abbie looks over at us and exhales. ¡°I have been looking for you,¡± she tells Gannon, quickly moving to his side. ¡°For real, that thing survived?¡± she asks ring at my apron. ¡°What does everyone have against my poor apron, it did nothing to you,¡± I tell her. She pulls a face at me. ¡°It¡¯s alright, i will get you one just like it, blood an all,¡± I tell her. ¡°I think I will pass,¡± she tells me before staring at me dazedly. Fuck she was definitely sired to me. Ganno waves a hand in front of her face and she shakes her head, snapping out of it. Gannon growls at her gawking tugging her closer. ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to take care of that,¡± Gannon mindlinks me and I nod. Though sires were hard to break, it required him feeding her copious amounts of his blood to rid hers of mine, or an other way which I say he would be trying for. Abbie didn¡¯t love me, she knew that, not in that sense anyway and it was the first thing we exined to her when Gannon first started to pick up on it a few days ago. ¡°Ready to go?¡± Dustin saysing over to us and I nod to him. Dustin knew about the strange sire, he nces at Abbie. Not with jealousy just worry for Gannon. Yet he need not worry, we would take care of it and she would be just fine, his other option was to knock her up. That al ways seemed to remove sire bonds for some reason. No one knows why and I could only guess but for some reason it worked. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Abbie POV Six Monthster So much had changed in thest six months. We moved to the Landeena Kingdom which is now the Valkyrie Kingdom. It took a lot of work to get the ce they way Azalea and the king wanted it. This was Azalea¡¯s fresh start, and mine. Being here it felt like home, and we had settled into our new normalfortably. I eventually took Liam¡¯s advice and I started counciling two weeks after moving here with rice. Azalea and I also started being tutored by the king three days a week, and Gannon and Cedric the other two days and it felt very freeing not having to ask what words meant or what this said. Our reading and math were caught up quickly. It helped that both of us had a huge de sire to learn. I needed to, for Tyson and both the King, Cedric and Gannon were patient teachers. Liam and Dustin also started training me in all things Lycan, though it was hard to focus on anything with Liam constantly goofing around but I was relieved when the sire bond broke. Tyson was also tested and we found out he has some gic werewolf disorder simr to what humans call autism, they said he may never shift, and developmentally he is dyed. Yet finally we had answers and he was making milestones, slower but still any pace is better than staying in one ce. He was now toilet trained, also attending speech sses, he could now say a range of words though putting them into sentences he struggled but I knew he would get there soon enough. So for the most part everything was going great well except watching Gannon bing frustrated as he realized he put the headboard on back to front and had to pull the entire thing apart again. We sat on the floor in the nursery and Gannon was trying to set up a cot bing frustrated with the thing. What is with men and never reading instructions. I shake my head, snatching the allen-key from him and setting it up myself. It took me all of ten minutes. ¡°Well, that is de-maning,¡± he tells me. Today we were going for the first ultrasound to find out what we are having. Gannon was over the moon when we learned we were expecting. So was I. I just hoped Tyson didn¡¯t get upset, he had a fascination with my belly, yet I don¡¯t think he truly un derstood what it meant despite us trying to exin it, so I knew it would be a surprise for him. Azalea was just as excited knowing her son would have a little friend to grow up beside just like me and her did. ¡°Come on, we need to head to your appointment, I want to know if my suspicions are cor rect,¡± he tells me. Gannon swears he can hear two heartbeats but I can¡¯t seem to pick it up. A few hourster. The jelly was cool as Doc spread it across my stomach with a device in his hand. I stared at the screen above when squinted at the screen. ¡°I knew it. I was right!¡± Gannon says and I gasp looking at the screen as Doc chuckles. I frown wondering why I didn¡¯t notice and Doc looks at me. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Their heart rates are almost in sync, you¡¯re still getting used to your senses Abbie,¡± he tells me and I nod. But now we need to buy another crib! ¡°So do you want to know the gender?¡± Doc asks, moving the device over my stomach and taking his pictures. Gannon tells him he does and it takes a few moments and I can¡¯t help but smile at his follow ing words. Our family was nowplete. ¡°Seems like you have a pigeon pair, one is a boy and the other is a girl,¡± Doc says and I smile when Gannon chokes up. ¡°Thanks doc,¡± he mumbles and I chuckle. It was suddenly so real now, now we had seen them on the screen and knew their genders. And I knew that was what was up setting Gannon. He wanted kids but I think it was only now that it truly set in that our family was growing and he was getting the family he wanted. One I wanted with a man I loved more than anything. The End. Previous Chapter The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!