Also remember, no matter how dark my books get, I always promise a happily ever after. Now… Fasten your seatbelts ladies and gentlemen because we are about to crash land in the lowest pits of the burning fires of hell and there is no stop button or brakes. Welcome to Hell.
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.
ROYCE. “Fine by me,” I reply. Just then, Mom and Winona enter the hall. There’s no sign of Marcel or Dad but the blood on Mom’s clothes makes me scan her over. She looks ok. What happened? “Then what do the people say?” Aleric says scanning the crowd. “I don’t give a fuck what people say. I know my daughter and you are not the fucking one for her.” “But I am her mate! Fated mate! You have no right to stop me from being with my mate, Alpha King Alejandro.” Aleric says. “Because I-” Alejandro begins. “Dad, stop it!” Sky shouts. I don’t want her doing that to her father… they’ve only recently come to an understanding. “Fated mate or not, she’ll always be mine. She chose me, and as much as I belong to her, she belongs to the Solaris King.” I say confidently, not caring how arrogant I sound. “How dare you!” Aleric snarls. “I demand you accept her rejection and back the fuck off, or I won’t hold back from killing you either.” I smirk coldly. “If you will succeed.” “Try me!” “Bu
LEO. That was a fucking shitshow. We’ve all returned to Alejandro’s mansion, and Sky’s gone storming to her bedroom. But it’s being fucking watched and right now, Kataleya and Azura are with her. The door to the bedroom is open and I’ve also wired up some cameras, which the women will keep an eye on to see if she does any weird shit. I don’t trust her unattended, not at all… there was some fucking communication that the bastard had with her before he left. Delsanra’s busy casting spells around the place, although I don’t know how strong they will be. I mean, what went down at the venue made It fucking clear that there is bigger shit involved. Raihana and Chris are at the coven with the Arden twins, with four of my most trusted men. Alejandro also sent some of his own men, including Azura’s brother Atlas. Catherine and Charlotte are also here since Winona asked them to come and with everything going on, I think her mom needs the support. Ken’s in the fucking cells here at this p