บททั้งหมดของ The War of the Royals: The Alpha's Rose Conclusion: บทที่ 221 - บทที่ 228

FERGAL POV I am thrilled to have Christina on my back as I walk to the camp my kin and I have been using for the last little while. When we arrived months ago to serve in Reid’s army, I saw Christina on the first day. Her bright red hair shone brilliantly in the sunshine, the curly ends reaching outward like the flames of a phoenix, making her a fiery beacon in the claustrophobic chaos of base camp. She is the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid my eyes upon. Her face, along with the rest of her skin is covered in the cutest freckles and her eyes are the most unique shade of amber I’ve ever seen, almost matching her hair color. Her body is like a Grecian Goddess, curvy and voluptuous in all the right places, showing she was built to birth large litters of piglets and be successful in nourishing them. I knew, the moment our eyes met, that she was mine. Mine to love. Mine to hold. Mine to cherish and protect. The connection was unmistakable, but I

CORTANA (a.k.a. Christina) POV I step out of the ice-cold lake, and my teeth begin chattering nearly uncontrollably. I take a moment to wring the extra water out of my hair and my clothes. I sit on a smooth boulder near the water making sure I’m in the bright stream of sunlight. I cross my legs into lotus position again to begin my meditation. No one is around; my senses picking up the distant patrols, but nothing else except the forest’s natural wildlife. I sit for a while and allow the sun, along with a little extra magic, burn off the water on my skin, hair and clothing as I think about what happened earlier today. Sleeping in Fergal’s sleeping bag with him, with his thick arms banded tightly around me as if I’m precious to him, was the most amazing experience. I don’t think I’ve ever slept that well in my life. It was only a few short hours, but I awoke feeling refreshed and in significantly less pain than earlier this morning. In fact, my whole face feels

MADDIE POV The guards’ eyes widen even bigger as the magical barrier begins coming down. You can see the edges of it as the dome descends; looking like embers burning paper. It isn’t a fast disintegration, but you can physically see it as it tapers downward to the Earth’s surface. “You can come quietly, or we can begin moving the perimeter fire inward and burn you all alive with it. Slowly. Your choice.” I tell them. They gulp and the one guard who is still standing, drops to his knees in surrender. “Good choice.” Once the barrier is fully down, we all step over the edge of where it had invisibly stood against us and through where the gates once held us back. The fire engulfing the fencing is still burning, but the smell has changed so I know the wolfsbane and silver have burned off of the metal, but it will blaze until Justine puts it out. The earth wall and the fire is keeping everything and everyone in this coup contained. The witches

JOSH POV Christina doesn’t speak; she just takes my hand and next thing I know we’re standing in a smallish, shabby-looking office with old faux-wood wall paneling, a water-spotted drop-down ceiling and peeling lime green linoleum with dusty orange drapes hanging at the window. I look around and see a big, ugly cowboy picture on the wall and I just shake my head. Really? A wall safe covered by a big ugly print. Cliched and predictable, Reid. I stumble over to it and move the frame aside. It’s on an internal hinge so it swings out widely. Inside is a burgundy, not so shiny, safe. It is definitely an old and well-used safe. I can feel the hum of the scepter’s power coming from inside the safe. It is calling to Eternity and I. I am thoroughly grateful it is here and not with Reid. “We need to hurry. This room is monitored every few minutes and there is always a loyal guard on the door.” She hisses out at me and I nod. I place my hand on the