Serana POV.I stand rooted to the spot as I watch Joel, who I thought was my friend, looking at me with a panicked expression. Well, I’m so fucking glad I never told him who I am. The fucking traitor!“Rana, what are you doing here?” he looks behind him and I smile as I point to the cart behind me.“Was just about to start cleaning. Why? Are you hiding something? Oh my god, is it a unicorn? Let me see.” I say with a chuckle, and he gulps and looks nervous as fuck. Good, I will keep an eye on him.“A unicorn. No, it’s not. Anyway, I thought you cleaned here yesterday?” he asks as the dark fae walks in the opposite direction, and I watch them leave before I turn my gaze to him.“Oh, did I?” I roll my eyes and hit my forehead with the heel of my palm.“You’re right. I did. I’m losing my mind. All the hallways look the same.” I say with a chuckle as I turn and scowl with my back turned.“Rana, are you ok?” He steps loser to me and I stiffen.“Yeah, I’m ok. Are you?” I turn to face him and
Serana POV.Sitting in my bed. I look at the bundle wrapped in the sheet in front of me. Chewing my bottom lip, I contemplate what I may find. What if it isn’t relevant information? What if I find something I don’t want to see? I wring my hands nervously.“We won’t know until you open them. I’m right here with you. Come on Serana. We have nothing to lose.” I look up at the ceiling and take a breath.Fuck it!I pull the bundle towards me and begin to unwrap it. Where do I start?“How about we start with one of journals? Or maybe a scroll? Oh, I know we can ip dip for it.” I shake my head in disbelief at what she has just suggested. Ip dip. I chuckle as I reach for the journal on the top of the pile.Running my fingers over it gently, it opens on its own and I drop it from my hands up. What the hell? I watch as the pages turn rapidly, then stop.“Well, I guess it has a mind of its own.” Bedelia grumbles, and I roll my eyes. Reaching for my glass of water, I take a gulp as I pick up the
Vilkas POV.The time I was away, my mind kept going back to Serana. I can’t believe I nearly raped her. If Queen Marcia were here, she would have killed me for that. After all, she was the one who placed me as guardian to humanity and the protector of the Bastian royal bloodline. However, the Bastian blood line died out.“Or so we think.” I sigh as I look out of the window of the office. I know he is right, but still they are gone and I failed them.Queen Marcia tried to save me and so I will be forever grateful to her for doing what she did. What I don’t understand is how she died. A phoenix can’t be killed easily, they hold more power and magic than any other.I never met her mate, and that is my fault for not listening to her warnings about the bitch, Starci. If I did, then humanity wouldn’t have fallen and Queen Marcia and King Ronan would be alive and well, no doubt with plenty of children, and I would have loved and protected them like they were my own.My chest aches and I rub
Vilkas POV.I make my way to the West Wing and come to a door that is closed. I sniff the air and no-one has been here. I reach for the handle and stop. Do I really need to do this? This was Queen Marcia’s personal space.“We need answers, and they lie behind that door. I know it Vil. I can feel it.” With a silent breath, I push the handle down, but the door doesn’t budge. I groan as I add pressure to the handle and shove it with my shoulder. The door bursts open and the smell of dust hits me, making me sneeze.We walk in and a shiver runs through me as I move further along the hallway. I stop by a door and open it and stop in my tracks.“No, it can’t be.” I look at the little girl’s bedroom and move toward the bed. The floor creaks under my weight as I reach for the dragon plush toy on the bed and smile at it.“Queen Marcia had a daughter.” My heart aches even more as tears sting my eyes as I hug the little plush dragon to my chest at the thought that I failed them. I failed her chil
Serana POV.The pain in my chest makes it difficult to breathe. He has just claimed someone else in front of me. How? Who the fuck is she? She, she. Oh my God. That is her, the one that Joel was speaking to.The witch, Starci.“Serana, wait.” I run towards the bedroom and grab the bundle and place it in a trash bag and leave the room to head to god only knows where. I need to get away. She will kill me if she finds out who I am.“Rana, stop.” I stop in my tracks as Wesley grabs my arm and pushes me into a vacant room.“He has claimed her. She isn’t his mate. She is the witch, the storm that is coming. She is here, and she has just claimed him.” I sob as my chest hurts more as I drop to the floor in a heap. I hyperventilate as my vision tunnels when Wesley lifts me and takes the bag.“Breathe, Serana. Slow breaths. I need to get you out of here.” He runs from the room as I jiggle about in his hold. Tears leave my eyes. I didn’t fucking survive for sixteen years to be killed by some fuc
Vilkas POV.I never thought this would be possible. That I would find my fated mate, ok fine, she found us, but still I can’t believe it. But something is off.“She is not our mate, Vil.” I roll my eyes at him. He has been saying this since this morning.“She is. You just don’t want to admit it.” I huff back when he growls at me. Stacey, my beautiful Stacey, is getting settled in her bedroom.“She is no more our mate than I am a fucking fairy. I will not allow this to happen Vilkas. Did you learn nothing from the past? Serana is …”“Don’t you ever speak that whore’s name to me again, Jaka. She is lucky I kept her alive …”“Who the fuck even are you? Does it not seem fishy that this bitch turned up out of the blue looking like she has just stepped out of a goddamn palace? I thought she was supposed to be a victim of the Lycans seeking refuge. She is a liar and I don’t fucking trust her. You are making a huge mistake and I won’t be a part of it. Did you not feel it when you so merciless
Serana POV.“Ahhh, make it stop.” I scream as I clutch my stomach. My skin heats as I feel like I’m being stabbed in my stomach. My heart is burning too when it stops and I lay back down. Sweating trickling down my face.“It’s over, it’s ok. You are OK,” Pascha says as she wipes the sweat with a wet washcloth.“My … heart …” I gasp as she rips my top open, and she gasps, looking at me and back to my chest.“Lara,” I pant like I’ve run a marathon when Lara squats at my side.“It’s the heart scale. The betrayal will be stronger because of it.” I whimper as I feel it happen again. Why won’t he stop? It has been days, or maybe hours I can’t tell. I had to tell Lara and Pascha who I was when the shot hit the fan. They have promised like before to keep it secret.“Give her something.” Lara looks at me with worry in her eyes.“Do it.” I groan as my back arches off the makeshift bed as I pull at my hair. My nails scrape down my face to my neck as I claw at my heart to make it stop.“She will
TRIGGER WARNINGS, PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION!Vilkas POV.“What are you?” I hiss as I look at the bitch in front of me. Her eyes burn like fire and the bruises all over her body disappear.“You tell me.” I watch as she walks towards the dresser and opens the drawer to take out shorts and a vest top.She turns her gaze to me and Jaka looks at her intently; he rumbles in my chest.“Answer me, bitch!” I say with a low growl in my tone and she smirks at me before it becomes a full, evil smile.“You should know what I am. Better yet, you should know who I am. I warned you, that you will regret this, mate!” she is not my mate and I don’t have a fucking clue what she is or who she is. She is Starci, but Starci is a Lycan, not whatever this is. Could I be wrong?“I believe you know my parents. In fact, I believe you are my protector.” I watch as she folds her arms over her chest and she pops a hip out. The sass is unbelievable. I stalk to her and stop in front of her, but she stares b