I got super emotional reading this one too... hope you all enjoyed it!
SKYLA.“Are you two coming with me?” I ask the moment I hear the sound of heels behind me.Delsanra is standing there, arms crossed, as she watches me.“Well, we have to. No one is to move around alone,” Azura says, and I glance over my shoulder at her.“Exactly,” Delsanra says with a grin as they both fall into step beside me.The main thing Leo and Dad made clear is that everyone tries to make sure that Aleric remains in the main hall.The last I saw of him as I snuck out was Dad walking over to him and Kenneth.If he tries something, we’ll be alerted, but I don’t know, I’m feeling uneasy, and I shouldn’t be… not with the fact that I’m going to go meet Royce. From here on out, we’ll be together.“The blood moon…” Azura whispers as she stares out of the window.I glance out of it, staring at the moon that now holds a red hue, one that no human eye can really see.It’s radiant, its energy simmering through me, and beside me, I can feel Azura’s aura rising.“I'm so damn uneasy,” I mutte
SKYLA. “My command is absolute. You need to stay with Delsanra.” I whisper, as a blinding light fills the air as something impacts with Delsanra’s shield and she’s thrown back. I rush towards her, catching her, but she’s still working on a spell. “Protect her,” I whisper to Azura as I place Delsanra down. At this rate, they won’t survive. Whatever that darkness is, it’s just consuming her power with ease. Azura sends a force of power at the darkness before she raises a shield, blocking me from them. “Then run, Sky, and if you fucking slow down I swear I’m going to create a thousand voodoo dolls of you to torture for the rest of your life!” Azura growls, as her blazing aura radiates around her. I told her to stay, but now… I’m scared of something happening to them. I can’t run and leave them behind. What if something happens to them? They- “GO!” Azura screams. Her voice snaps me from my thoughts, and I turn; suddenly, a large surge of darkness blankets me and I can no longer see
CATHERINE. I look up when the door opens and although I’m expecting Skyla, my son’s mate, it’s not her, but Kenneth. His face is pale as he stares at Royce in shock before that changes to relief in his eyes at the sight of our son. Oh, if only he knows that even our little baby girl is alive! “Royce… you’re alive… I got worried…” he says as he slowly enters the room. “I sensed your emotions, Catherine… I…” Winona instantly turns her face away and Marcel pulls her into his arms, turning slightly as if shielding her from Kenneth’s view. And even Royce steps forward, blocking her from view. I find it odd. Does she not want to meet him? But something is definitely wrong. Even Marcel’s demeanour has changed. “I am alive. Are you surprised, Father?” Royce asks quietly. “What is the meaning of this? Why are you meeting like this? Why did you lie about being dead?” Dad asks as he looks between Royce and me. His eyes glimmer with anger. “He’s alive, Ken! What more do we need? And, t
CATHERINE. Agony rips through me, but it’s nothing compared to the pain that he has caused me, and what he put our child through. My entire life was a façade, a game of lies… I don’t even know the man before me. “I will never accept it. You will not leave me,” he growls dangerously. “Then the council will force you to accept her rejection,” Charlotte says quietly. I look at her. She isn’t shocked… She’s composed, angry, yes, but calm… She knew… she knew everything… “You knew…” I whisper. She nods slowly. “Yeah, I did… Mom, not only did Dad order Victoria’s death, but he has been experimenting on Royce and possibly Aleric from a young age because Royce held a lot of power… he tried to keep a lot hidden from you, Mom.” Charlotte says quietly, as she looks away unable to hold my gaze. My entire world is shattering before me. The walls of my kingdom are gone, my castle has crumbled… I have nothing left. I am nothing but a horrible mother… a failure. I let my own mate abuse my
SKYLA. I’m living in a nightmare I want to wake up from. One where my body is no longer mine. Blinding lightning flashes outside and the bang of thunder follows as the entire place is plunged into darkness. I hope with all my heart that Royce felt my pain and knows something is wrong, not that I want him in pain, but I need him to know I need him. Yeah, this is me, the useless Lycan princess who can’t even protect anyone else, let alone herself. Aleric caresses my cheek, and I can’t even pull away. His touch disgusts me. Yes, the sparks of the dulled bond are there and I thank the heavens that Royce and I marked one another. Our bond has lessened the effects of my bond with Aleric, but even if we hadn’t marked one another, this man has nothing to draw me to him. A thousand fucking bonds wouldn’t be enough, but… whatever this shit is, it’s powerful, and it’s made me into his fucking puppet. I force myself to shift, to do anything! Just to get him away from me! Move, fuck, Skyla!
SKYLA. He smiles as he pulls back. “You were born to be darkness, to be by my side in this vision of the future. Do you understand?” he hums. No! I don’t care if there’s darkness in me. I am not evil. I will never kill them. I will never hurt them. I won’t. Royce… please… “Of course, I understand.” I scoff, surprising even myself at how normal I sound. Royce! Fuck! Dad! Mama! Bastet! Where are you? Dante… please… ‘Avoid him…’ Bastet’s words from earlier make my stomach flip. ‘You will destroy him.’ Dante’s chilling words also return with vengeance, and it suddenly feels hard to breathe. What have I done? Please help me, someone… anybody… “Sky!” My heart leaps as Royce’s voice reaches my ear and I turn far slower than my mind wants me to. He’s here! “Remember what you need to do,” Aleric whispers, caressing my cheek before he slides his arm around my waist and, to my horror, I place my hand on his chest. Don’t touch me! Fuck, I don’t want to touch you! I feel sick b
ROYCE. I don’t know what to think or make out of it. There’s no sign that she’s in distress… aside from the severe pain I had felt earlier for a few moments. Other than that, she’s herself… she’s calm… she’s… No. I don’t believe that. I don’t know how, but there’s something really damn wrong. The moment she rejected me, the pain that I felt in my heart was far more excruciating than the pain from the bond breaking. She can’t leave me. I don’t believe she would. Willingly. I won’t believe it. He’s fucking done something to make her say that. Maybe it’s blackmail, maybe it’s something else, but if he’s fucking dead, he won’t be able to do anything… or so I thought until she jumped in front of him… My head is now spinning as I stand there helplessly as he shields them with fire as she marks him. She fucking marked him. I touch my neck, wishing this is nothing more than a trick of my mind. This cannot be real. “Sky…” I call her again, but she doesn’t even bat an eyelid. No….
ROYCE. My heart thuds as I turn sharply to look at Skyla as gasps flitter through the room. ‘You raped me.’ Those words echo violently on repeat in my mind. There are tears in her eyes as she stares at me, “You forcefully marked me…” “How is that possible? Child, think, you were both happy. I was witness to that when you came to America!” Grandad says, but I know it’s futile. She shakes her head, clutching her neck. “No. Even now, do you guys not see the state of my dress?! The state I’m in… He did this to me! He tried to assault me again. Aleric protected me.” Her voice breaks and she's clearly distraught. Fuck. To be accused of that… It’s… “Skyla!” Charlotte shouts, shocked, but I raise my finger, shaking my head at her to remain silent. “What have you done to her?” I hiss, squeezing Aleric’s neck. My claws dig into him, the smell of his blood only fuelling my rage. It overpowers anything else and I have never felt the intent to kill someone so strongly as I do right now.