Chapter 23 - Blood
The hike up Rubrum mountains was long and treacherous. Even in our wolf form, we felt the exhaustion set in. What started as a wide, steep trail became ridged and narrow. The air thinned the higher we climbed, and the wind became harsher as it whistled past us. Our fur kept us warm and protected us from its stinging lashes, but it also threw off our already scares footing.
"Im not sure how much longer we can stay with way." Phoenix huffed, her breathing heavily as she tried to push forward. The rock under her back paw slipped we tried to jump to the next footing. Causing her to slip, all that we could see was thick mist beneath us as we looked down. We were above most of the heavy clouds but knew that jagged rocks sat below, waiting to pierce us if we fell. We somehow managed to gain enough strength
Chapter 24 - Deal "How do I know you will follow through on your end," I asked, my voice strong and steady—the exact opposite of how I was feeling. The dark energy they gave off made my skin feel sticky. The smell of the air was enough to make anyone toss. "Such a naive girl, isn't she." One hissed. I swore I could feel spit drip onto my skin. "We never fail to deliver." Another laughed. The laughter was full of darkness. It caused my skin to crawl and my heart to sink. It sounded as if the soul had gone completely mad. Whether I wanted to accept the deal or not, it wasn't about me anymore. It was about protecting everyone who trusted me, protecting the future of those to come. "I
Chapter 25 - Doorways Phillips POV After agreeing to help Victoria and her daughter capture my brother's mate, I finally felt at peace. For the first time in years, I had a sense of relief flood my body. I felt no guilt. The plan was simple. I would have Rachel take Athena out for a hike. I would follow behind, and once we got to the creak on the neutral ground, they would step forth and grab her. Rachel would claim rogues attacked them and that they wanted Athena as bait. Once she was gone, Erik would go mad trying to find her. I would challenge him in his weakened state. He would be stripped of his title, and I would finally get what I deserved. I lay awake, staring up at the ceiling fan as it turned. The room felt uneasy as I tried to focus on som
Chapter 26 - Guilt "Yes, she was my closest friend. Even though I am Dacian, she never treated me any different. She treated me as if I was her equal and not a being to be considered a goddess. I tried my best to protect her, but when she gave herself up to protect you and leave the human realm, I lost all ability to contact her." Melody explained she held such love when she spoke of my mother. A smile graced her plush lips as she described their relationship. Only to have sadness spread across her face as she spoke of her loss. "Her sister is a cruel woman, and since she has dark magic, she managed to block out anyone's ability to see into the Fae realm. There was no way of knowing whether she was alive or..." she paused "it's been a long time since I heard her voice." "Wait, the dark Queen is my mother's sister?" I a
Chapter 27 - Disappearance "Phillip, what are you doing out here," I asked. His presence made me feel uncomfortable. The way he looked at me like I was prey he was waiting to attack made my stomach turn. "Since you haven't been officially made our Luna yet. Erik had sent out some members to keep a close eye on you." Phillip said as he walked closer to me. He reached his hand out and pushed my hair behind my ear. The gesture made my stomach tighten as chill rushed down my spine. I took a step back from him, trying to increase the distance between us. He smiled and continued to step forward. "Why didn't he just link me to ask where I was or come find me himself," I stated. If he were going to send anyone to watch me, it would have been Lucas or Drake. H
Chapter 28 - Unexpected Allies Athena's POV My body felt like it was coated in lead. The weight of exhaustion plagued my body. I could feel my energy constantly leaving my body in waves as I struggled to open my eyes. My mind, body and soul felt empty. I felt utterly alone in the darkness—no familiar scents to bring me comfort. I could hear the faint conversation as I tried to wake up. "I think we've drained enough of her powers for one day. If we continue, we might kill her." A woman's voice whispered. "If she isn't weak enough, she will be able to break free. I don't want to risk her escaping." Another hissed back.
Chapter 29 - Slow and steady Erik's POV I felt Creed step back as he pushed his anger aside. I felt our body shift as I came forward, my bones snapping into place. Malcolm threw me a pair of sweat pants, so I wasn't' completely naked. "Go on," I said as I stayed back, stepping into the pants. The thought of Phillip and the need to end him ate away at me. It took everything in us not to turn around and kill him. "I was able to talk to some of my friends on the dark side. They know of a few spells that will, not only, mask us but also the portal into the Fae realm." Malcolm smiled as he looked at me. Excitement filled his eyes. He only became this excited when a great deal of dark magi
Chapter 30 - Games Numb was the only word that described how I felt. I hadn't even heard them approach as the guards ushered me out of the throne room. I didn'tremember the walk to my room as they left me standing there. I couldn't breathe; my heart thudded slowly as my mind wrapped itself around what had just happened. I killed a man, an innocent man. No matter how much I wanted to justify it for the greater good, I couldn't accept it. I knew I would have to kill, eventually, to gain Dela's trust but, I didn't expect it to be so soon and full of trickery. "We will avenge their death, Athena. We had no other choice, this world is cruel, and we need to fit in if we want to stop this war." Phoenix was always the voice of reason, always the one to defend our actions. She, like me, held pride for what we had become,
Chapter 31 - Strategy Athena's POV Malcolm's face held the same soft smile it did the first time I met him. I felt a sigh of relief when he went along with it. He gave me a wink as he held out his hand. I nodded, giving him my hand and smiled as he brought it to his lips and kissed it. A tingle of calm washed over me. I felt as though I had a layer of magic wrapped around me. "It's a pleasure. I have heard such marvellous things about you." I said with a smile. Dela watched our transaction cautiously. Studying each movement before turning to Alastair. "Let's get started, shall we." She said before stepping in front of her seat. The room fell silent, watching and waiting for her to s