CONTENTS

Aurelia Delianna Clementine

Wolf Reclaimed Blurb

Wolf Reclaimed Playlist

Prologue: Beat Darkness… With Darkness

1.  Survivor Of The Tainted Coven

2.  Kindled Bond And Agonizing Revelation

3.  Your Mate To Lean On

4.  Prepare For The Diabolical Plan: Part One

5.  Prepare For The Diabolical Plan: Part Two

6.  Temporary Truce And Do Not Fear

7.  Don’t Play With The Devil

8.  Fight Against The Past And Feral Aries

9.  Spiraling Into The Truth

10.  It’s Okay To Ask For Help

11.  Remember Your Worth And Did You Not Think Of Me?

12.  A King Should Bring Normalcy To His Queen

13.  Train Me Until I’m Drenched In Sin

14.  Just A Bunch Of Psychos

15.  For One Night, Dance With Me

16.  Reign Of An Outcasted Fae

STAY CONNECTED

WOLF AWAKENED

Prologue: Forbidden Fruit

ABOUT AVERY SONG

Also By Avery Song

This is work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright© Avery Song , 2022

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

The publisher is not responsible for website (or their content) that are not own by the publisher.

This eBook/Paperback is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook/Paperback may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

Cover Design by Sanja Gombar

Editing by

Rainlyt Editing

Proof Edits: Norma’s Nook Proofing LLC

Format: Avery S.

CONTENTS

Aurelia Delianna Clementine

Wolf Reclaimed Blurb

Wolf Reclaimed Playlist

Prologue: Beat Darkness… With Darkness

1.  Survivor Of The Tainted Coven

2.  Kindled Bond And Agonizing Revelation

3.  Your Mate To Lean On

4.  Prepare For The Diabolical Plan: Part One

5.  Prepare For The Diabolical Plan: Part Two

6.  Temporary Truce And Do Not Fear

7.  Don’t Play With The Devil

8.  Fight Against The Past And Feral Aries

9.  Spiraling Into The Truth

10.  It’s Okay To Ask For Help

11.  Remember Your Worth And Did You Not Think Of Me?

12.  A King Should Bring Normalcy To His Queen

13.  Train Me Until I’m Drenched In Sin

14.  Just A Bunch Of Psychos

15.  For One Night, Dance With Me

16.  Reign Of An Outcasted Fae

STAY CONNECTED

WOLF AWAKENED

Prologue: Forbidden Fruit

ABOUT AVERY SONG

Also By Avery Song

“ In the world of NORMALCY, is there truly a spot for a MISFIT like me?”

WOLF RECLAIMED BLURB

SOS—I’ve been forced into a Coven full of deceit, plagued with truths I never asked for, and now I’ve lost someone dear to me.

I, Aurelia Delianna Clementine, have always feared love. Not because of the emotional turmoil, broken promises, and threats of abandonment, but because every time I allow myself to care, someone perishes.

At least I’m not facing the drastic plague of misery alone this time. My boyfriend Zane and the Misfit Pack won’t let me succumb to heartbreak. They remind me that I’m strong. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to gather each of their designated cards, allowing me to take a step forward in uncovering the truth my family is so desperate to hide.

My life has been a web of betrayal, and with Ace, King, Quil, and Jack now on the playing field, I’m opening a closet full of skeletons and realizing I may be more important in this dangerous game between good and evil than I thought.

The problem is… I may be destined to play for the bad guys.

As a Wolf Reject, I showed Ace and those who belittled me that I was a survivor, but what will happen now that I’ve been reclaimed? Do I keep managing my sanity with happy pills?

Or do I need to lose myself to the void of insanity to see the truth hidden behind the curtains of normality?

WOLF RECLAIMED PLAYLIST

Do you like playlists?

Listen to this Spotify Playlist dedicated to this series. Trust me, it heightens the experience.

Wolf Reclaimed:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0fHX1zl6y5fqrnO23ze2DJ?si=f41c4fb2e9f14f40

Avery S.

PROLOGUE: BEAT DARKNESS… WITH DARKNESS

“William De Luca is dead.”

My heart came to a dramatic stop, as if those words were the pause button to the beating organ that kept me alive.

That source of life…

How could such words carry enough power to make my entire existence still in a hollow moment of disbelief? Only a few souls in this devasting world carried that power over me.

Willow was one of them.

No matter how much time had passed—our struggles and differences—nothing had successfully torn us apart. Not even death… until this moment.

My mind wouldn’t process it.

No, my consciousness would never dare accept such an atrocity.

It felt like a plague of death had been placed upon my heavy shoulders, and what frightened me the most were the consequences that would be invoked if such words were true.

The havoc I’d blindly cast upon the world out of pure agony.

Aries would tell me to think clearly, to wait for facts and confirmations, but my wise wolf wasn’t present to feel the burning destruction already forming in my chest—constricting and coiling around my heart as if it were now captured by this hidden villain called grief.

Grief and I weren’t strangers.

Alas, over the short span of my life, I’d had to endure the five stages of grief like they were traditions we were forced to experience every couple of years. They had broken me in various ways, shattering my heart and leaving me in a devasted world of anguish and misery.

This is different… dangerous… threatening on so many levels that I can’t predict what I’ll do.

That was the power Willow still had over me, because despite the years and the distance I forced upon us so she could prosper without me weighing her down, I still loved her dearly.

It wasn’t necessarily romantic anymore, for I knew that territory was locked forever, but our bond had survived so much through the years that I guessed within myself I thought it would be indestructible.

As if death had no power over either of us.

Was it because I knew just how powerful Willow was? Because I’d seen her go through the fucking worst and come out of it as a survivor? Or maybe it was because I knew that no matter what challenges came our way, I’d always be there for her.

To protect her. Shield her. Guide her away from anything that would attempt to endanger her existence… even if it included me.

If we lived in another universe where females could love one another just as easily as men and women did, she would have been mine forever because I would have never left her side.

But this is reality… and as of now… my best friend is dead.

I still couldn’t process it, and the longer I attempted to, the more I began to notice the black spots in my vision and the intense burning assaulting the lining of my lungs.

Someone was shaking me—is someone shaking me? I couldn’t even tell because voices around me seemed muffled, as if they were fading away and desperate to be heard.

Was I standing? Sitting? Lying down?

Nothing was processing as stars were next to invade my spot-filled vision. But the mere thought of passing out frightened me further, because how would I be of aid?

How would I even get to her? Was this another plot to strike me down by my own Coven? Maybe Onyx had reached her? He’d never let her perish unless Willow hadn’t wished to be seen… Certainly, she didn’t cause her own death… right?

“Aurelia! Breathe!” Ace’s command rushed through my frozen body, triggering the gasp of air my lungs had been begging for. The action made me pant for breath, but the world was spinning and I wasn’t sure I could handle this merry-go-round.

“Lay her down,” King urged.

“She’s having a panic attack,” Zane pressed.

“No shit, Sherlock,” Ace countered.

“You’re just dying to pick a fight with me,” Zane snapped.

“Not now,” Quil urged the both of them. “Jack? Can you help?”

“Anything for Sweetie,” Jack declared. “But Medusa’s in the way.”

“HISS!”

“Oh shit!” Ace cursed. “Why the fuck is she here?!”

“Aurelia’s sweating buckets,” Zane pointed out the obvious. “That’s what happens when you have a bloody panic attack. As if you’d know.”

“You’re so fucking lucky that snake is in the damn way or I’d—”

“HISS!”

“Fuck!” Ace cursed.

“You need to go in the other room,” King declared.

“What the fuc—Hey! King! I’m fucking Alpha of this pack!”

“And I’m the King in our damn deck and you’re not helping anyone with that big-ass mouth of yours!” he snapped right back, and then there was a loud thump followed by a slam of a door.

“He either gets kicked out, knocked out, or ignored whenever we’re in dilemmas like these,” Quil noted and I felt something press my temples.

Suddenly, a wave of calm rushed through me at the touch, and then there was a soothing blow of wind that made a gentle whistle sound.

“Relax, Aurelia.” The voice was so comforting, I would have sworn it belonged to a woman. I wanted to question who it was from, but the gentle blow of air happened again as he lightly caressed my face and invited a sheet of peacefulness that further eased away the tension that had locked up in my entire body.

“Listen to my voice, Sweetie.” The gentle voice sounded like Jack’s but it was a bit deeper than his usual pitch. It was more masculine and held a bit of a British accent to it.

I wanted to answer him, but I couldn’t feel anything really. It was as if I could not acknowledge that I was semiconscious. My mind was alert and waiting for instructions, but my body was in a sort of deep oasis that was similar to a coma.

“That’s it, Aurelia. You just need to follow my direction and you’ll be just fine.”

There was just something about his voice that begged to be obeyed in this realm of darkness. I waited intently for his instructions while it felt like my body was being wrapped in a warm blanket.

The sensation felt familiar, like a certain type of magic that reminded me of fields of flowers and sunlight that shone brilliantly against my skin.

“Focus on the happy memories, Sweetie. Follow the warmth and allow it to show you what your higher self seeks.”

I’d never been asked that before: to allow the warmth assaulting my senses to show me what my higher self wished for me to see.

It seemed like something that was worth a shot, so I centered my attention on the warmth that fluttered through me until it seemed to slowly seep into the dark oasis of my unconsciousness.

Like an invitation given to this foreign flow of magic, it welcomed a shift in my mind that went from hidden despair to waves of happiness.

Before I could ponder it, I was in a field of wonderful flowers. They were sunflowers—rows and rows of them that left me giggling in excitement while I spun around in a white dress.

One second, I was but a child as I giggled and swung my blonde locks like the world was mine for the taking, while the next second, I was an adult wearing a black dress with my teal-golden locks that levitated with dark magic.

Each shift changed the atmosphere—one being of sunlight and the warmth of the atmosphere around me, but the other was ignited with the moon and chill of the night.

I came to a stop and looked before me. I continued to watch my surroundings flicker from sunlight to moonlight, golden rays of orange to chilled rays of white, but my eyes were focused on a man.

He was tall and in robes of various colors, like gold, teal, purple, and green. He was so exquisite to look at, reminding me of a king about to begin some sort of ceremony. A crown donned his blond locks, and his eyes golden orbs reminded me of my own.

I know this man. This man of hierarchy in this wonderful field of sunflowers. The recognition pulled me forward, and step after step I felt the threads of my magic that very gently began to gather at my fingertips.

Only a few steps away, I caught onto the purple crystals that always came to my aid when I needed them. Their floating company only further empowered me to take those final steps to reach the man who patiently waited for me.

He had been such a deeply rooted part of my life, and yet it saddened me that I couldn’t recall why. If this scene was one of happiness, why couldn’t I recall this man who looked so proud of me?

When I reached where he stood, my outstretched hand remained in place. I further spread my fingers, as if an invisible wall were between us and I couldn’t possibly touch this man of interest, but he didn’t leave me hanging.

His large hand lifted, showing the various golden chains on his wrist but also revealing runes of purple and green against his creamy flesh when the sleeve of his robe further dipped back with the movement.

When his hand pressed against mine, it still felt like a thin wall was between us—as if we belonged in two different worlds and neither of us could pierce through the glass and reach the other. But that didn’t seem to faze him as he smiled in pure delight.

I was still changing from child to adult—the transitions slowing down as I further examined this familiar man. I had to say something.

Anything to get me answers.

The single word left me when I was in the child form.

“Papa?”

A breeze passed by us, lifting yellow petals that had fallen from their designated sunflower. They fluttered through the wind, lifting upward and slowly descending as the gust vanished like it had been summoned elsewhere.

Like a flick of a switch, I was now an adult, and the echoing word that hummed through the air only left me more confused as I looked at the man with uncertainty.

“Pa… pa?” This man surely wasn’t my father. He couldn’t have been. I recalled my parents, or maybe they were the memories of them that I’d forged for my own personal comfort, but that silhouette image was tall and slim.

He didn’t carry this radiant power of leadership and grace.

He certainly didn’t give the Alpha vibes that this man does.

Maybe my instinctive assumptions were off course, for I was but a child back then, but no matter what happened that fateful night with Ace, surely I would have a thread of recognition when it came to my parents who loved and cherished me.

I couldn’t recall a picture or memory in this vast space, but that also could have been the point: to allow me the freedom to use my senses instead of being manipulated by all those around me.

Besides, the more I allowed myself to accept the truth, the more I realized my entire life had been a lie.

His lips began to lift upward and those golden spheres that mimicked mine only accentuated his immense pride for me. I was a stranger to him, and yet he looked upon me as if I truly were his child who had not only lived up to his expectations but surpassed them.

“If you’re here, that means the time for your awakening is approaching, Aurelia.”

“You know me?” I questioned in shock before I blinked and was but a child once more. It didn’t stop the flow of confusion and questions as I pointed to myself. “How do you know me? I don’t… know you… I think?”

I blinked my innocent eyes and he chuckled. The deep rumble of merriment made the sunflowers sway from side to side and invited more gusts of winds to dance around us.

He reminded me of a ray of sunshine that helped the fields of flowers and wildlife further prosper in our magic-filled world.

“You do know me,” he reasoned as his eyes twinkled with wisdom. “From a very long time ago when you were but a baby. Way younger than you are now.”

There was another switch, and I didn’t miss a beat. “Then why has no one told me about you? Why didn’t the Coven or Elders express our connection to one another? You look… so similar to me, but you’re not my father… are you?”

“I can’t answer that quite yet,” he confessed. “But the wheel is beginning to turn. You’ve already shattered the illusion they’ve painted for your existence.”

“Who are they? The Coven? The Elders?”

“A being who sits upon a chair that’s tainted in darkness,” he stated with a hint of disgust. “A being who allowed power and greed to destroy everything they loved until all they could think about was domination. The only difference is, their vision is one that is not supported by the gods above and the Creator, Mother Moon.”

“I don’t understand.” I wasn’t sure if being blunt would help him realize how far behind I was in all of this. “Who is this being on a chair? Is it a High Court member? Do you know if my great-grandmother is still alive? I… I don’t know what’s right and what’s wrong.”

I placed my other hand on the invisible wall. Its size was far smaller now as I looked up pleadingly to the man who surely carried a chalice of answers to all my brewing questions.

“Can’t you help me? Pretty please? I’m lost and I don’t know how to be found. Mom and Dad are gone. So is Grandma… Now Auntie is gone too. Everyone who cares about me ends up dying, and I… I don’t know what to do anymore.”

My eyes were wide and filling with tears as I looked up at him.

“I have to wake up soon because my best friend is in trouble! The Coven, the Elders, everyone who’s supposed to be on my side don’t like her because she’s powerful. They don’t like me either. I’m a misfit to them. But how will I get help?” I looked right into his golden orbs. “You can’t help me?”

He looked down at me for a long moment, as if he were debating whether he could even interfere with my sad reality. I felt like a desperate child begging to find their home, but that was the problem.

Home was but a lie, so if the Coven, the Elders, and everyone else in the magic community is against me, where do I go? Where do I belong?

I was an adult again, but my tears spilled down my cheeks as I pressed my forehead against the invisible glass.

“I’m an outcast in my own community. An orphan with a powerful name attached to her self-worth: Aurelia Delianna Clementine. The one so many admire from afar, who they think is some sort of powerful witch who will dominate the world of magic and herbal medicine. And yet, it’s all a lie. A fable of hopeful assumptions and dreams from all those who see me from the outside,” I admitted as if it were such a shameful viewpoint for the world to see. “At the end of the day, I’ve been forced to join the Coven that has built my whole life around a lie, and my best friend… may… be dead… and I don’t know why. The magic community is frightened at the mere idea of me dating Zane Malark because of the power he wields, and yet my very mate who rejected me may not be the villain I was convinced he was because that cunt of a bitch was mind-controlling him and probably everyone in the Coven.”

I banged the glass in frustration and screamed before I could stop the agonizing sound from leaving my lips, but I was a child now, and the sound was so excruciating to hear with my very ears, for it expressed the true sound of agony.

“I’m supposed to be a pack leader, but I don’t even have a moment’s grace to enjoy my wolf side and let Aries roam freely in a community she hasn’t even dipped her paws into. And now with King, Quil, and Jack in the picture, how can I be of service in their lives?! They’re my friends! They helped me when no one else would. I don’t want to lose them!” I lifted my head to look at this man as if he were the only speck of hope I had left. “Don’t… let me lose my misfit pack. They’re… the only people that are like me. That are willing to help… and they accept me.”

I sobbed like a damn baby, and how I wished I could be held and loved like when I was but a child.

I couldn’t keep track of whether I’d switched to an adult once more, for all I could focus on was the immense sadness rooted in my heart. How long had I been piling up all this emotion?

Days, months, weeks, years?

The true underlying question was whether I could continue. Could I leave this place of warmth and uncertainty and return to the world that was so cruel to a misfit like me?

I… don’t think I’m even strong enough to win against all the challenges placed against me.

“Aurelia.” The man’s tender voice couldn’t encourage me to lift my head, for I felt utterly defeated. I’d gone through the mayhem, years of brutality, and all for what? To find out I had been used, abused, and all those I cared dearly for would land in caskets if they kept their association with me?

Wasn’t there supposed to be a period of grace? A moment in everyone’s life where everything was at its peak of perfection and you finally got to take a big inhale and enjoy the sweet smell of success? Had I even experienced such a wondrous phenomenon?

Or am I destined to keep on this path until I’m pushed to the brink of insanity?

The small tap to my head was unexpected—leaving me no choice but to look up and peer through my blurry vision to suddenly see the massive wolf of black with tinsel tips of purple and gold. It rendered me speechless, the sight of such a majestic creature, but that magnificent aura that danced around the wolf matched the man I’d just poured my emotions out to. However, there was a sole difference between this interaction and the previous one.

I could touch through the barrier.

My little hand reached out there and then, and the tender touch that invited the brushing sensation of this man’s fur pushed me to take those two steps that had me hugging him with every bit of strength I possessed.

“My dear child.” The man’s voice flowed into my subconscious as if it had once been his domain. “How cruel has the world of magic been to you.”

Those words carried such guilt that I was a sobbing mess once more. A stranger felt more sympathy than those who’d watched me go through each hurdle and heartbreak.

“They hate me,” I cried. “I’m a nobody. A misfit. A mistake. Do I have to go back? Can’t I stay here with you? Why couldn’t you be my dad? My real dad left me… It wasn’t his fault. The bomb… the blast killed him and Mother. Grandma did her best to bring happiness to my life, but why is there so much sadness? Why can’t I be happy? Is that not in the stars for me?”

Warmth wrapped around me as I hugged this wolf in hopes that he’d simply steal me away. The parental energy he gave off was what helped me confess all this trauma that had weighed me down for years, and this was surely what I needed to attempt to move forward to whatever was next for me.

But am I ready to move on? Can I go back and act strong?

“They are fools lost in a desperate web of power, my child,” he whispered within my mind as I continued to sob into his coat. “I’ve failed you, Aurelia. I’m sorry.”

“You shouldn’t even apologize,” I whimpered and sniffed. “It’s not your fault I’m suffering.”

“Alas, child. It is.” I wondered what expression he would carry on his face if he was in human form, but his words didn’t seem to make sense to me. “Think of me as you think of Mother Moon.”

“Are you… like a Creator? A god who made us?”

“We can describe it like that for now,” he suggested.

“Then are you my papa?”

“If such a representation brings you comfort and peace, that is the role I’ll play.”

“Okay.” I was a kid again. “Papa… I don’t know what to do.”

“Your dilemma is a difficult burden to carry on your shoulders, Aurelia. You’ve worked hard, climbed many hills, and sacrificed a lot to reach here, haven’t you?”

“I have.” I could agree to that. “But isn’t it all for nothing? No one sees my hard work.”

“It’s seen, Aurelia. It’s been witnessed by so many who would do anything to end you for what your future has in store.”

“Anything to end me? There’s nothing special about me.” I didn’t understand.

“That’s the thing, my child. You’re so special that many must degrade you to make themselves feel worthy. You carry so many qualities that many wish to have, but I’m sure it’s hard to see when many make your life miserable,” he reasoned. “But no matter what they’ve done to you thus far, have you not survived? Have you not persevered and walked through every path no matter if the path was harsh, painful, or damaging to body, mind, and soul?”

I needed to absorb his words to truly understand their wisdom and guidance, but when they seemed to register, I could paint an idea of what he meant.

“That’s… true.”

“No matter how many times they’ve tried to isolate you, they’ve never really been able to keep you alone for too long. Do you still have friends and people you care about around you?”

“Yes…” I earnestly answered. “But… they’re always at risk of being taken from me. Being hunted… and killed.”

“Do you wish to change that, Aurelia?”

“Yes.” My hands dug deeper into his furry flesh. “I want them to stop hurting the people I love. To stop making it seem like I’m cursed. I deserve friends… my boyfriend… a pack… a mate.”

“You do deserve that,” he assured me. “What if I told you that you can have that and more, but you have to play a game?”

“A game?” That intrigued me enough to lift my head from his furry body so I could peer into those illuminated eyes. “What kind of game?” I asked in sudden excitement as my eyes grew big with thrilled impatience.

The wolf poked my nose lightly with his, and I rose up as he got on all fours.

“Have you ever thought of playing pretend?”

“Pre… tend?” I repeated the word as I looked at my hands. “Like… be someone else?”

“Yes,” he responded and lifted one of his paws to point towards a spot three steps away. Following his gaze, my eyes landed on a sunflower, but it was no longer the same color as the rest. The ends of the petals were still vibrant yellow, but as they went inward, they shifted to a unique shade of teal. The combination reminded me of my hair color.

The base where all the seeds hid was no longer brown but rather a purple with an intriguing circle of magic symbols in green writing. I was so drawn by it that I couldn’t help but move towards its alluring radiance—each step changing the world around me from day to night.

When I reached there, I extended my adult hand to touch the stunning flower that was so unique compared to the rest surrounding us. As if my touch had triggered a change, I watched it shift into a normal flower when our surroundings switched to daylight, but return to its glowing masterpiece when that same switch was flicked and summoned the night.

“Why does it keep changing back and forth?” I questioned and looked back to see the wolf was now the crowned man from before. Maybe as a wolf, I was allowed to be close or even touch him, but in this human form—or whatever this perceived image was—I could only view him from afar.

“She’s playing pretend,” he answered with a hint of excitement, and I noticed how he smiled. “At the peak of night, she can show her true form because the moon’s rays give her strength while the shadows cast an illusion all around her so no one else can see what she hides.”

It reminded me of being in a spotlight, only everything outside of that ray of light was engulfed in shadows and unable to see what was within that protective shield of luminous beauty.

“Pretend,” I said the word again as a child, but then, the world turned to night again, and I returned my attention to the sunflower in question and admired its beauty. “You wish for me to be like this flower? To be bathed in luminous light that allows me to show my true self but hides me and my true intentions to the rest of the world?”

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be to the rest of the world,” he reasoned and decided to explain further. “You and I can see the sunflower’s true power—the magic and energy it hides from the rest of the world as it continues to play its game of pretending. Even though you and I know of its altered appearance, will we inform the other sunflowers?”

“No,” I earnestly replied.

“That’s because we understand that the sunflower is playing pretend for a reason, and we wish for it to be accepted by the rest of its peers until it’s ready to show its true self during the daylight,” he elaborated to help me understand what he was trying to imply. “So if you play pretend, only a group of people are allowed to know what your true form is—who you wish to hide from the rest of the world. It’s like a game of hide and seek. You’re hiding your true intentions while seeking the true villains that are haunting you and those you love. If you have to hide what you know, what would you have to do to walk alongside those who wish evil for you?”

“Play the villain?” I offered.

He bobbed his head slowly while the world remained in its night state. It allowed me to remain in adult form as I turned to give him my full attention.

“Keep your friends close but your enemies closer,” he suggested as his expression grew serious. “Like that sunflower that radiates with so much power and prosperity, you’re being pushed to walk a path of darkness, one where those who should play roles that support you going up in life wish to see you at the bottom with no one around to catch you when you fall. When someone is destined to rise, it sometimes means they must burn into ashes in the process. Your enemies surround you, but what if you play to their tune and pretend you’re on the same side as they are? That you’re still the naive child they perceive you as and are unaware of what they’re truly scheming?”

“What about those I care about? Would it be wise to tell them?” His wisdom seemed like a gift in this world, and I didn’t want to ruin it by falling into the same behaviors that got me here.

“Those within your pack will never betray you, Aurelia,” he assured me. “The enemy knows this, which is why they’re doing everything in their power to stop them from getting closer to you.”

“Is that why they don’t want me to be with Zane?”

Those golden orbs twinkled with a speck of mischief as he looked back at me.

“Malark is a dangerous being who shouldn’t be provoked,” he announced as if he knew just how powerful Zane was.

“How do you even know him?”

“He’s the son of a dear friend of mine,” he confessed.

“Dear friend… Does that mean… you know his parents?!” I said with wide eyes.

“I do.”

“Zane’s an orphan though,” I stressed and took the few steps forward that landed me in front of that dividing glass of transparency. “He never got to meet his parents.”

“Because if he did, he would have been treated the same way you’ve been all your life.”

“You… know the way I’ve been treated?” I asked hesitantly.

“I’ve had to sit and watch the misfortune your own Coven has instigated against you.” The sadness that formed in the crevasses of his face made my heart clench. “I’m sure all of this merely sounds like riddles and excuses, but you’ve reached the next step of your path and that revolves around being reclaimed.”

“Reclaimed?” I wasn’t following. “Are you referring to Ace? He… rejected me.”

“Was forced to,” he corrected. “Which needed to happen.”

“Needed to?” I gasped. “I needed to endure my heart being shattered and feeling like a broken possession for what exactly?”

“For you to see that you’re worthy of being fought for,” he replied and didn’t seem bothered with the slight bitterness in my voice. “Being rejected, shunned, belittled, and abused forces you to make a choice: to remain in the shadows or to strive forward into the spotlight no matter what lies ahead. Rejection and all the hardship you endured has carved the person who stands before me, has it not?”

I looked down at myself, as my purple crystals spun around me.

“It has…” I admitted.

“Do not interpret my words in the wrong way. All the negative that has been done to you is by no means right. It doesn’t mean you deserved to endure the hardships you have or the losses of those who yearned to remain by your side. However, instead of lingering on the fact that such negative instances occurred and left hidden scars upon your flesh, acknowledge that you’ve risen and continued to walk on the path you’re destined to be on. We wouldn’t be speaking if you hadn’t proven yourself.”

“You’ve yet to even tell me who you are,” I muttered. “I can’t touch you when you’re in human form but I was able to hug you in wolf form?”

“This body of mine is but a projection of my spirit,” he revealed. “My wolf is the current host allowing this interaction to happen as your Alpha and fellow packmates keep you in a rested state.”

“You mean Ace and the others?” I clarified.

“Yes,” he replied. “They wait for your awakening, but I’m sure you still want answers.”

I was going to ask one of the many questions revolving around my mind, but I realized this time was sacred and could no longer be wasted on my past.

I was a fool up until this point. If I have to play pretend and act like a villain, I need to know what will be awaiting me at the finish line.

“Before I can ask anything else… Willow… um—”

“Will survive the battles she is facing with herself.”

Facing with herself?

“Are you saying she’s alive?” My voice was barely there. “She’s… not dead, right?” Just the mere mention of death was making my eyes water.

“When the world is desperate to silence you, they’ll celebrate prematurely at the mere mention of your demise,” he disclosed. “The Phoenix Heir has a big role to play in the restart of a new era. Just like you do, Aurelia.”

“Me too?” I questioned. “As… a villain?”

“To many people’s eyes, yes,” he began. “But you’ll know what your true intentions are.”

“But what if I play my role too well?” I had to ask. “If I pretend and go with the flow of what the Coven is weaving for me, won’t I die in the crossfire? Won’t I still be putting those I love at risk for playing a dangerous game with a lot at stake?”

“If you play your role so well that no one suspects your true intentions, that will get you to your destination faster, Aurelia,” he answered. “The enemy isn’t on the surface level where anyone can clearly see. They are but bugs that are waiting to be squished. Decoys to take your attention away from the real picture, the true puppeteer who’s desperate to tie strings to anyone who could destroy their plot for domination, which includes you and the Phoenix Heir. It’ll be impossible for your friend, Willow, to reveal who this villain truly is without risks that can plague her life and the ones of her Endangered Seven.”

Endangered Seven?

“She is destined to take a seat that many have eyes on, which means she won’t be able to make the proper moves to reveal the mastermind of decades of manipulation. But guess who has the freedom to dine with the real enemy?”

“Me…” I whispered as it clicked. “You’re saying that the only way to find the boss behind all our suffering is by playing to the Coven’s tune? Even if I do that… all it’ll do is make me look weak. Pitiful, even. I’ve already unexpectedly made myself look like a weak bitch. If I pretend I know nothing of the Coven’s motives, what would that project to the rest of the world?”

“Your concern isn’t about the world’s perception of you. Rejection already tainted that image and showed you the true colors of your own community, did it not?”

“It did.” I couldn’t ignore that obvious point.

“Then why would you fear their perception when it means nothing? Your focus should be centered on being reclaimed. You should be concerned with uncovering the secrets that your very Coven has hidden from you about your childhood, your heritage, and why they seek to force you to reject your destined mate so he’ll end his life.”

“They wish for me to kill Ace,” I gasped in horror as I recalled what Aunt Beatrice had revealed before she was killed. The random memories filtering through my head of the conversations she had with Etna, Lucy, and the other Elders did carry some sort of objective that was revolving around Ace.

Why do they wish to kill Ace and want me to avoid Zane?

“We don’t have much time left, Aurelia,” he warned. “The power of the Pink Moon is fading.”

“I know I sound like a broken record, but could you perhaps give me a better blueprint as to what is needed for me to prevail?” I questioned. “Pretending to be a villain to find out their hidden secrets is one thing, but how will I further put that into action? If I explain my intentions to Ace, Zane, and the rest of the pack, what would happen when I have to explain to Willow and her men? How will I ensure my actions don’t lead me down a pit that I can’t escape from?”

Playing devil’s advocate could help me remain under the radar until I had enough information and resources to go against the Coven, but what if my actions burned bridges instead of building the alliances I needed?

“You may have to keep your intentions from the Phoenix Heir. Not because you can’t trust her, but because you’ll come to understand that her burdens are far deeper than what you currently face,” he revealed. “However, it doesn’t mean she or her men aren’t smart enough to see through the deception the Coven is plotting in hopes of making you the black sheep for their uprising. But for you to reach the final step of redemption, you must do something that will truly mark you as a villain so the Coven will become the ultimate enemy.”

“Wait… You want me to set them up?” It was beginning to make sense, but how would I possibly do that? Did I have the perseverance to accomplish something like that? And how would I avoid the consequences?

His grin answered my question, so I followed up with, “If I do so, wouldn’t that make me a criminal in their eyes as well as in my friend’s?”

“Those who truly know and trust you will see through the illusion you’ll be creating, but it depends on how far you’re willing to go to gain redemption.”

“Redemption.” The word definitely carried a greater purpose in my life. “Rejected. Reclaimed. Redemption. Those three words mean something greater than I’m understanding, don’t they?”

“Rejection opened the door that allowed you to gain the wisdom, knowledge, and magic you need to move forward. You need to be reclaimed by your allies and further heighten the bonds you have with those of your pack to secure your survival in this approaching conflict revolving around power. Finally, your redemption will not only give you the freedom you’ve yearned for but will finally allow those who were destined to be in your life to return.”

“Does that… include you?” Despite knowing who he was, I wondered if this would be the only time I’d ever see him again.

“Indeed, it does,” he whispered and lifted his hand to press it against the invisible glass. I looked at his palm, noticing the glowing mark that further caught my interest.

As the magic lines of the marking further materialized, I caught onto the intriguing image of a crown. The outlines of the royal symbol were in purple, but the tips of the crown shimmered in gold. Wrapped around it was a snake in neon blue, and next to the snake was a howling wolf whose top half was howling upward but the other half was fading into a set of bats.

The combination was sealed by a magic circle in the background, one that alternated between black and white like a holographic image. Witnessing it as a whole, it looked like something I’d seen before in a book long ago, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“I know this symbol,” I urged and looked up at him. “I’ve… seen it before.”

“It’s good you carry some recognition,” he whispered. “This symbol will not only protect you, but it will unravel the truth the Vile Queen is so desperate to hide from you.”

“You know about the Vile Queen,” I gasped. “Is she behind all of this?”

“Yes and no,” he confessed. “She’s another piece to all of this, but if you can rely on those who carry this mark and unlock what’s hidden within you, Aurelia, there’ll be nothing to fear.”

“Can I ask one more question?” I felt this nagging need to be elsewhere, which might have been a sign that my time was truly running out.

“Ask away.”

“Why me?” I had to ask. “Upon the surface… I pretend to be strong. To be fearless. To be a badass bitch who knows exactly what she needs to do to prevail in any aspect of my life… But to be honest… I fake it. I put up this front so the world will have no choice but to bow down to me because I have this name to uphold and this apparent legacy to fulfill. But with my life being nothing but a lie… how can I go back and continue this fabled tale? Why was I chosen to walk down this path when I carry so many imperfections?”

Instead of an answer, he chuckled and his eyes twinkled with merriment.

“If I truly answer that, I may get in trouble,” he confessed.

“You want to tell me though,” I noted because of the playfulness in those golden orbs.

“I do.”

“Then what can I do to earn the answer?”

“Promise me two things,” he offered.

“Okay.” I waited for him to continue.

“You’ll fake it till you make it,” he began. “No matter how defeated or uncertain you feel, you’ll keep projecting to the world that you’re strong and unbreakable. I won’t deny that there’ll be moments where you’ll have no choice but to act weak, vulnerable, and stupid to the audience who will be watching every move you make, but when the time comes when you’ll have to take a stance for those who deserve your protection, allow that badass bitch to rise to the surface and remind those who question your strength that you aren’t a coward.”

“Hearing you say badass bitch is weird,” I grumbled mostly to myself, but my eyes met his once more. “Alright. I can do that. What’s your second condition?”

“Learn to love the magic within you again.”

That actually left me in a state of confusion. He must have understood because he nodded his head while elaborating:

“You always compare your magic side to your wolf side. Always wonder why you’ve been so focused on the magic within you while neglecting your wolf shifter capabilities and needs. You may not have realized it, but that mentality has created a block. You see your magic as evil and burdensome, but there’s so much light in the flowing energy that runs through your veins, Aurelia. You may think of it as a curse, but your magic has deeper roots that are beyond the Coven, and this mark and those who are bonded to you will help you realize just how magnificent you are.”

He paused to admire me for a moment before he further grinned.

“After all, you’re destined to be a queen one day.”

“How am I supposed to be a queen when I’m not even a princess now?” I huffed with a hint of amusement as my eyes grew heavy. “Unless I kick the Vile Queen’s ass and take her place.”

He chuckled at my comment and I realized the world behind him was beginning to disappear—the sunflowers shifting to tiny bits of dust as the gentle wind passed and began to lift the dematerialized components.

“You could do that.” He didn’t have a problem with the scenario in the slightest. “It’s a good form of payback if you ask me.” We shared a look as his voice dipped further, “You were born to lead, Aurelia. Simply not in the way the Coven envisions you ruling. Your destiny lies in aiding those who seek refuge without judgment, hope without immense hopelessness, and safety without the sacrifice of losing their own personalities. I know this may not make sense now, but you will connect the dots, and that is centered around the artifact within your possession.”

“The artifact…” All I could think about was the five cards. “You mean the cards?”

“Protect them, for they’re your keys to unlocking your true destiny.” He was beginning to disappear, as was I. “You ask why you were chosen, and the answer is as simple as this: you were strong enough to endure years of heartache, so it’s about time for you to reap the reward of happiness. Your strength has been witnessed by Mother Moon, and those of higher power see what you’ve endured and agree that these final stages will lead you to a field of happiness that no one can steal from you. Believe that you’ve earned your period of grace, and it will manifest abundantly.”

“Aurelia?”

I recognized the voice that called to me from above, and I looked up as if I’d see Ace, but the wonderful sky of the night reflected back at me as various colored stars twinkled with intensity.

I lowered my gaze and there was the wolf again, only he stepped right through the barrier that previously kept us away from one another to press his forehead against mine.

It was unexpected, and yet the soft touch triggered something.

“You’re my papa!” I squealed and pointed at a tall man with a crown sitting upon his head. I turned back to the two adults standing behind me and giggled. “And you’re my papa too!”

The male chuckled, though I couldn’t see the details of either of their faces as black rectangle boxes covered their eyes. The only thing I could see were their lips that were lifted to express their loving smiles.

“Yes, Aurelia. You have two papas. But remember, you can’t tell anyone. Not until you’re six, understand?”

“Okay!” I cheered and giggled. “Papa!” I ran to the bulky man and he simply chuckled and allowed me to crash into his arms. He lifted me up with ease and threw me into the air. My giggles morphed into squeals of joy as I saw the vast field of sunflowers that glimmered in various colors of purple and green.

The sky of darkness twinkled so brilliantly, while the moon was a stunning gold that washed over us like a beacon of protection.

“Again!” I cheered when he caught me, and he proceeded to throw me up once more. “Wee! I love it here! This is my magical kingdom!”

Papa caught me once more and he chuckled and looked directly into my eyes. “Aurelia’s Magical Kingdom has a nice ring to it.”

“Yes!” I cheered. “Papa! I need a crown because I’m going to be queen!”

“Yes, yes,” he assured me. “Remember, you need your mark first,” he reminded me.

“Yes!” I cheered and showed him my hand that had nothing on it. “My mark is going to go right here! Like Papa! When that happens, can I tell Ace about my kingdom?”

“You can tell him and whomever you wish,” he vowed. “No one can harm you with that mark.”

“I’ll be invisible!”

“Invincible,” Papa corrected.

“Ya!” I giggled and leaned in to press my forehead against his. “Then I get to come back home?”

“Yes, Aurelia,” he assured me. “You can come back home to your kingdom that adores you.”

When I opened my eyes, I pulled back to look the wolf in his eyes while mine flooded with recognition.

“You are my papa…” The words barely hit the surface, but he heard them loud and clear as he began to back away.

“Until we meet again, Aurelia.” His voice held a hint of sadness as if he didn’t want to depart but had no choice. I couldn’t move my legs to chase after him as he continued to walk backward, while his eyes never left mine.

All I could do was reach out with my left hand as if it could stop his departure.

“Don’t… forget me!” I called out and hoped he heard my plea over the chilled wind that was stealing away this oasis from both of us.

“Never,” he vowed as he began to blend into the shadows. The glimmering light from the moon above began to narrow further and further until it was solely focused on me.

All I could see was his glowing eyes that glimmered with various shades of gold and purple.

“Your kingdom awaits your return, Aurelia. Until then…”

His words were breaking up as my consciousness was swept up with the gust of wind, but I caught onto the last words as I fell into the dark abyss.

Beat darkness… with darkness.

1

SURVIVOR OF THE TAINTED COVEN

“Aurelia?”

Something cold pressed against my forehead, while my body tingled with magic I didn’t recognize. It was slightly frightening at first because it was very obvious that this level of magic was far more powerful and less “magician-like” in nature, but it wasn’t strong enough to make me feel threatened.

Maybe it was more comforting?

The more I pondered on it, the easier it was to figure out who’s tendrils of magical force eased through my body. All I could associate it with was King’s fae magic that had brought me to that beautiful clearing from before.

“Is she pulling out of it?” The quiet question immediately gave me Quil vibes.

“Sweetie’s magic has dimmed to the point that she doesn’t feel threatened, that’s for sure.” There was Jack’s voice, though the moment he said “Sweetie,” I knew it was him.

“You were having a ball trying to ensure those crystals of hers wouldn’t break anything in here.” The deep vibration of that tone came from King.

He sounded like he was half asleep, which could have been the main contributor to his low baritone voice that was thick with exhaustion. “Didn’t think we’d be dealing with that merry-go-round.”

“And who’s magic triggered yet another reaction?” There was no doubt in my mind when it came to that voice that was filled with irritation.

“Stop being an ass just because I threw you in here earlier,” King huffed. “You’re lucky I threw you onto that cushion instead of the floor.”

“You shouldn’t be throwing your Alpha, period!”

“You kind of deserved it,” Quil quietly hummed.

“You were going to be useless anyway,” Jack concluded. “You were already turning pale all because Medusa was in eyesight.”

“Don’t go summonin—”

“Hiss!”

“Oh shit,” multiple voices declared, which made me realize it was a good time to wake up.

Otherwise my explorative snake would cause drama.

It took me a second to get my eyes to open, but when my heavy eyelids finally lifted, I could see Medusa inches from my face. Her adorable eyes reflected her excitement, and I was beginning to realize she probably came out because I was awake.

Based on the exhaustion I was feeling in my rigid muscles and the fact that I felt a tad sick, I had to be dealing with a fever. No wonder why Medusa was out here hissing away.

“Hiss!” The snake in question lightly popped my nose, and I swore she was smiling now that I was awake.

“Happy to see you too, Medusa,” I managed to croak before I groaned. “Fuck… My head hurts as if I got hit by a jackhammer.”

“That was Ace’s fault,” Jack declared as if he were proud to expose the culprit behind my problems. “Ace dropped you.”

“By accident, dammit!” The voice came from above me, and I looked up to see the scowling Alpha in question.

Which meant my head was resting on his lap?

“You’re intentionally making it seem as if I legit wished to drop her!”

“Right, right,” Jack dismissed, and I could tell from the tone of his voice that he really didn’t care. “A miscalculation of footwork because Sweet Medusa was being a good familiar and trying to protect her mistress from the likes of you, Aurelia’s ex-mate.”

“She’s not my ex-mate,” he countered.

“From the one who rejected her,” Quil stated as if Ace needed a reminder.

“I thought it wasn’t on purpose?” King chipped in.

“Sure, sure.” Once again, Jack brushed off the important facts like they were of minor importance. “The main fact is, he DID reject her, which led to both of them suffering miserable lives from childhood to teenagerhood, and here we are in adulthood with Mr. Broken attempting to comfort our Sweetie so that the lingering black magic doesn’t influence her wolf, Aries. By the way, that is such a unique name for a wolf. I bet she’s an aggressive, no-nonsense wolf with little patience for foolishness but totally courageous when push comes to shove!”

“Jack,” King groaned. “We didn’t ask for the horoscope traits of an Aries.”

“True, but don’t you think it fits Aurelia as her counterpart?!” He was completely going off-topic and I felt like no one could really stop him. “They’re determined, confident, honest, and passionate. If Ace hadn’t fucked shit up, she’d be the perfect counterpart to Ace’s wolf! She’d combat the aggressive fucker with violence! It would be so romantic!” he squealed. “In an enemies-to-lovers type of way.”

“And this connects to the lingering black magic that Ace is attempting to remove so it doesn’t negatively affect Aries in what way?” King questioned, obviously deciding to get Jack back on track.

“Oh right!” Jack laughed hysterically, but the sound was far softer than I expected which may have been his way of not adding to my pounding headache. “As I was saying…” He trailed off as if he’d truly forgotten where he was going with his point. “I forgot!”

“Great,” Quil and King replied before King added, “Now you’re going to remember at some random moment when we’ve all forgotten about this conversation.”

“Essentially,” he replied with pride. “Sweetie! How are you feeling?”

I wondered if he went on that tangent just to give me enough time to gather my bearings—which was honestly much appreciated because I could think a bit better without a cloud of panic about what the fuck happened to land me in Ace’s lap.

“Aside from confused as to why I’m lying in Ace’s lap?” I offered. “I’m good.”

“You could sound a little bit appreciative,” Ace muttered, and I simply looked up to glare at him.

“HISS!”

“Fucking shit!” The man went pale in three seconds flat as Medusa moved closer while preparing to do her hypnotic dance that wouldn’t end well at all.

“Time to switch places,” Quil announced.

Clearly Ace was fast because my head was against a pillow and he was literally at the door holding what I swore was a black cross with a red ruby in the middle.

“Stay back, you thing!” he declared.

“You realize crosses don’t do shit to snakes, right?” King sounded utterly embarrassed for the poor man. “You always mix up your supernatural creatures when you’re exhausted.”

Ace blinked before he was cursing and lowering the cross to glare at the hybrid fae. “Stop pointing shit out! You’re embarrassing me.”

“And you care about the reputation that you ruined yourself because?” Jack inquired, and I realized he’d picked up Medusa from what I could safely assume was around my neck to dance with her. “Ignore that scaredy-cat, Medusa. You’re so beautiful and protective of your mistress, aren’t you? Are we going to join forces and take on the Coven, Vatican, and anyone else who tries to shit on our parade? Yes, we are! Yes, we are!” He sang the last sentence as he spun around with her lifted in his grasp.

“Hiss!”

“He really likes her,” Quil noted, and I only now realized he’d taken Ace’s spot. He then looked down at me. Those serene orbs observed me in one glance before they further softened. “Now that you’re in better hands, how are you feeling, Aurelia?”

“Um…” I actually wanted to answer properly because of how kindly he’d asked. Or I was just taken back by his feminine looks up close, which was tickling my bisexual radar. “I feel really out of it. Tired? My head is pounding, and my body feels cold and clammy? If that even makes sense. I’m not sure.”

I was trying to figure out what had just happened in my dream, but then the idea of remembering what had knocked me out in the first place poked into my mind.

Then I remembered.

“Wait! Willow!” I sat up in a rush, but Quil had a hold on me before I could move another muscle—and thank goodness because I was about to tip over to one side.

“Shit!” Ace’s speed came in handy again because he helped Quil stop me from falling off the side of the bed. “Why do females always sit up quickly when they remember what knocked them out in the first place?”

“I swear you do the same thing when you wake up disorientated,” Jack acknowledged like it was an actual fact.

“I-I do not!” Ace argued.

“Remember that time when you got your ass kicked by that big, bulky mafia douchebag because you called him a fat ass rodent after he confronted you for killing half of his men at that downtown club you hated because the sign was yellow and turquoise and the mere sight of it reminded you of Aurelia which always puts you in a bad moo—”

“Alright! I got it! Stop fucking talking,” Ace snapped. “Shit. You just love airing out my dirty laundry.”

“Obviously,” Jack replied while I was being helped up and directed to rest against Quil. “Where’s the fun in intense situations like these if I’m not pushing your buttons in front of your ex-mate?”

“She’s not my ex!”

“Right, right.” Dismissed once again. “Sweetie? Are you feeling less lightheaded?”

“Ugh,” I simply groaned. I was thankful to have Quil to rest on.

“That means she could use something to help with that,” Jack translated.

“I can help,” King offered, but Quil interfered. “I think we should hold off with you using your fae magic, King. Clearly, she reacts to it in a way that makes her magic go haywire. She doesn’t have much magic left to use so triggering it again could really be damaging to Aurelia.”

“You may be right.” King sounded conflicted. “I don’t want her remaining in pain, though.”

“Can you get me a bottle of water?” Quil offered. “I can help.”

“Got it,” King declared, and I listened to his departing footsteps.

“Hiss?”

“Quil is going to use his divine blessings to aid your mistress,” Jack responded to Medusa’s inquiry as to whether I’d be okay. My poor baby normally didn’t see me sick like this.

It really had been a while.

“I can’t believe you’re talking to it like it’s truly a familiar.” I could imagine Ace cringing in whatever corner he was standing in since I was sure he had to move from the door to let King out of the room where we all were.

“Now, don’t go talking shit about Medusa.” Jack was acting like a protective father. “Or next thing you know, you’re going to wake up with her wrapped around your neck and boom. Dead. Sweetie wouldn’t be able to save you.”

“Why don’t you just call her Aurelia?” Ace groaned.

“You call her Aura in your sleep,” Jack brought up. “You also—”

“Ugh. Stop,” Ace groaned like he truly had enough of Jack’s combativeness. “Never-fucking-mind.”

“So I can continue to call her Sweetie,” Jack said in glee. “Hey, Quil. You need a nickname for Aurelia.”

Quil didn’t even have to think about it.

“Sunflower.”

“Huh?” they both said as footsteps entered the room once more.

“Sunflower? Why would you call her sunflower?”

“Aurelia means golden in Latin,” Quil calmly revealed. “Aurelia is strong but also fragile. Her power, strength, persistence, and determination aid many and further inspire others to grow. That reminds me of the seeds of sunflowers, for each seed of inspiration planted into a person motivates them to keep pushing in our world that discards misfits like us. However, she’s also fragile like the petals of a sunflower, for her surroundings can either aid in her growth or destroy her petals which steals away her radiance.”

The room was filled with silence, and even I was shocked and a bit impressed at the deep meaning to the chosen nickname he’d decided on a whim.

“Sunflowers give off a sense of energy that delivers nourishment and vibrancy. Plus, they make those who view them happier,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Aurelia makes me happy merely by the sight of her, so Sunflower fits.”

The quietness in the room left me wondering if I’d actually fallen unconscious once more until I caught onto Medusa’s happy hisses.

“Hiss. Hiss. Hiss.”

“Medusa is giving you extra brownie points, Quil,” Jack translated. “No wonder why you got first dibs when it comes to dating Sweetie.”

“It would be an honor to take her out,” Quil responded.

“Why are you looking at me?” King asked.

“You need a nickname for Sweetie!” Jack pressed.

“Oh.” He remained silent for a few seconds. “Queen.”

“That’s so basic,” Ace muttered.

“No, it’s not,” King countered. “There’s simply something about Aurelia that reminds me of a queen. There’s nothing wrong with me acknowledging that,” he defended. “Quil, here’s the water.”

“Magic time!” Jack cheered. “What nymph tricks are you going to conduct for us today?”

Nymph? Is Quil half nymph? Is that possible?

“Your giddy excitement worries me more.” Quil sounded a little apprehensive but he continued with, “Heightening the healing properties in the water while enhancing the energy particles will help Aurelia have enough of a boost to function. As of now, her magic is too low and her body isn’t used to such miniscule levels. It won’t completely eliminate the dark magic still lingering, but it’ll do enough that it’ll be easier to get Aries out of her trapped state.”

“Did Aurelia fall asleep?” King inquired with a bit of worry.

“She’s slightly awake,” Quil replied as if he were observing me like a science experiment. “She’s conserving energy.”

It would have been nice to jump into the conversation, but maybe Quil was right about the conserving energy part since my body really didn’t want to participate in anything else but resting and enjoying Quil’s soothing aroma of lavender.

“So how are you getting her to drink that?” Ace got to the point. “We need to figure out what happened during that Coven ceremony so we can make a game plan. Right now, the Coven is going to try to find her on the down-low, but that’s only going to give us a few hours.”

“Zane is working on the plan,” Jack noted and giggled like he was hiding something.

Surely I wasn’t the only one who caught onto the hint of mischief in that melodic laugh, for King commented, “You’re up to something, and from the sound of your laughter, it’s something that totally excites you.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” he sang happily. “Right, Medusa? You’ll keep my secret, won’t you?”

“Hiss!”

“He’s going to adopt that fucking thing, I swear,” Ace groaned. “Quil, can you do whatever you were planning so we can make sure Aurelia is good?”

“Working on it,” Quil responded. “You should get some water for yourself. You can barely stand.”

“I’m perfectly fine,” Ace huffed.

“You’re so stubborn,” King said with a sigh. “Do I have to force your ass to be cooperative?”

“Ugh! I’m going. Jeez. Everyone’s fucking manhandling me like I ain’t the leader and shit.”

“Just admit you’re being a grumpy ass because Aurelia got hurt and the Coven tried to seal her fate to their deceitful asses,” Jack summarized. “Anything that deals with Aurelia gives you anxiety, high blood pressure, migraines, and a bad fucking attitude.”

“Fuck you,” Ace snapped, but it sounded like he’d walked out of the room.

“We really do like pushing his buttons,” King quietly noted, and Jack let out a low chuckle.

“If we don’t, he gets lost in those dark thoughts of his and that’s never a good thing,” he declared, but his voice dipped further in seriousness. “We need to work fast when Zane returns. The Coven won’t remain quiet for long, even with the De Luca news.”

“You have an idea?” King asked.

“A little idea that requires your place,” Jack happily stated like he had a sinister plan brewing in the depths of his mind. “I’d do it in ours, but my pets would get in the way and that wouldn’t fit the aesthetic I’m looking for.”

“I didn’t clean up though,” King grumbled. “Didn’t know we’d be jumping into a rescue mission.”

“Clean-up is not necessary,” Jack offered. “It’s a perfect setup, honestly. All I need is a chair, blindfold, and Aurelia.”

“The black magic is going to get in our way, though,” Quil spoke up.

“What do you mean?” King asked before echoing footsteps grew louder until Ace muttered, “What about the black magic getting our way?”

Quil didn’t seem to mind Ace’s repetitive comment. “Her wolf is riled up. It make sense because she was locked up for the ceremony by those manipulative witches, but this could be a big problem if we don’t release Aries first.”

“Elaborate,” Jack encouraged without a hint of amusement in his voice.

“My hypothesis for the ceremony that was conducted is that it wasn’t simply to bring Aurelia into the Coven,” he revealed. “I believe the true purpose was to eliminate Aries.”

“Huh?” they all questioned and Ace followed with, “That’s illegal on multiple levels, especially in the supernatural hybrid laws. The Coven would have experienced immense consequences.”

“Would they though?” Quil offered which really drew my attention. “Why would they get in trouble when Aurelia voluntarily entered the cylinder and stood patiently as they drew the runes upon her flesh? If the High Court got involved, that’s the first thing they would bring to the table and that will be the perfect defense for the Coven to use against Aurelia’s plea of manipulation. They can turn the entire scenario around and say she agreed to join the Coven and doesn’t wish to be a wolf shifter anymore.”

“But that’s a fucking lie,” Ace snapped. “You can’t possibly tell me the Masters would believe such bullshit.”

“It’s not about believing, Ace,” King spoke up. “This isn’t the Fae Court where you not only swear under oath but are unable to lie before your king and queen. The Coven is already deceitful in nature. They can simply conjure up some bullshit to throw things in their favor, and besides, the purpose of this ritual was to control Aurelia, right? To have power over her and make her into some sort of puppet for their own benefit? She wouldn’t have had a choice in the matter if the ritual was successful, and by removing her wolf, that would mean her body would be solely magic, which forces her to be in complete allegiance to the Coven.”

“But that’s the problem,” Quil quietly spoke, but the sound of a door closing stalled the conversation.

“Hiss!” Medusa sounded extremely happy, and I caught onto the unique musky cologne that immediately reminded me of Zane.

“You back, Zane?” King called out.

Footsteps followed before there was an annoyed huffed. “Ya. I’m back,” he announced.

“Shit,” Jack stated with a whistle. “Who ground your gears? You look like you went through the valley of death to get back here.”

“That’s clearly becoming a common occurrence,” Zane answered, and I didn’t need to see his face to know how deeply angered he was. “Aurelia hasn’t woken up yet?” His tone of rage went down a few notches with the inquiry.

“She’s semi-awake,” Quil answered. “I’m done. This will help her feel a bit better before we’re gonna have to get Aries out of that black magic cage.”

“I understand why they blocked Aries, but the magic should have faded by now,” Zane offered.

“Quil was explaining that the Coven was trying to get rid of Aries’s existence entirely,” King summarized the previous discussion.

“Why the fuck would they do that?” Zane was really pissed now. “That’s illegal.”

“I said that,” Ace noted. “But apparently the Coven doesn’t give a flying shit about that part. They were going to throw the blame on Aurelia and say she voluntarily wished for Aries’s removal so she could be a full-fledged witch.”

“And be a puppet to their every whim and command until they’re done using her and throw her under the bus. Right,” Zane grumbled. “That clearly failed.”

“But there’s a problem,” Jack noted. “That’s what Quil was going to dive into.”

“What’s the problem?” Zane pressed.

“None of you have noticed?” Quil tossed back which was greeted with a moment of silence.

“Noticed what?” Ace decided to speak up.

“With Aries still locked up by the ligaments of black magic from the ritual and Aurelia’s low magic levels, don’t you think she should be completely out of magic fuel?”

None of them answered, but my head was suddenly tilted upward and I felt a pair of lips land upon my rough lips. The flow of water entering my mouth and flowing down my throat was rather a blessing because I hadn’t registered how parched I was.

Doesn’t that mean I’m kissing Quil?

“W-Wait, what?!” Ace gasped.

“That was pretty smooth,” King admitted. “Selfless act of compassion.”

“Selfless?! He’s kissing her!”

“While aiding her in taking down the water he enhanced,” Jack noted. “Quil is so smart. Are you jealous that he uses his brain on a regular basis in comparison to you?”

“Stop assaulting me,” Ace complained. He actually sounded tired of it.

“It’s too easy to do,” Jack countered. “Besides, you’re getting your emotions in a knot when her boyfriend is standing there patiently waiting for Quil to do his thing so Aurelia can wake up and join the conversation actively.”

“Don’t compare me to him,” Ace snapped.

“I simply remind him of what a fuck-up he is,” Zane dryly noted.

“What the fuck did you say?” Ace snarled. “Wanna go?”

“If we fought, you wouldn’t stand a flying chance,” Zane declared with 100% confidence. “I’m too pissed to fight with you and it wouldn’t help Aurelia in the slightest.”

The flow of water ended, and with a light press to my lips, Quil released me. I tried to wake up, but I needed a minute as I felt a wave of chilled tranquility rush through me. It started from my chest and seemed to spread outward through my body. From my mind to my very toes, the foreign energy truly worked its magic in healing my internal reserve where my magic normally flowed.

I still felt weak, but with each passing second, a little bit of strength returned to my limbs while my consciousness felt less clouded. I could think a lot clearer instead of simply observing the information being said. Now I’d really have to learn from Quil what he’d just pulled off because I went from feeling like garbage to vibrating with renewed energy.

“That should have done it,” Quil announced. “Sunflower? Can you open your eyes now?”

The way he said “Sunflower” reminded me of the very dream I’d had in the grand field of those happy flowers. Then came the memories of the man and his switch to his wolf to comfort me. It all flooded back to me, and it seemed to be the push I needed to regain consciousness.

I squeezed my eyes just slightly then opened them slowly to see Quil was looking down at me. I realized his hair was now loose and down, and it was like a curtain around me to ensure the light didn’t bother my eyes.

His relief was written all over his flawless face, and I felt a sense of joy as I looked into his mesmerizing eyes.

“Hello.” My voice was obviously weak but wasn’t as hoarse as before thanks to the replenishing kiss. “Thanks, Quil. I needed that.”

“My pleasure, Sunflower,” he replied and added, “Do you like that nickname?”

“Very much.” I was sure my half-opened eyes reflected my approval.

“Do you want some more water before we figure things out?” he offered.

“No!” Ace snapped.

“He didn’t imply he was kissing her again, you possessive ass,” King groaned.

“No, no. Let them fight,” Jack encouraged.

“Hiss!” Medusa agreed.

“If those two fought, we all know who would win,” Zane declared, but the light touch to my left cheek drew my attention over and I realized he was right there next to the bed. He didn’t even hesitate to lean down and kiss me while I remained in Quil’s arms, but goodness, the way my body went from calm to frantically alive was going to knock me back out.

“Hey, baby,” he whispered. “You good?”

“Been better,” I admitted against his lips. “Where did you go?”

“A few places,” he admitted and pressed one more kiss to my lips and forehead before he leaned right back to observe me, but his brows furrowed together. “What the…”

“What?” I asked with a pout. “My makeup is a mess, isn’t it?”

“That’s the least of your worries, Sweetie,” Jack answered. “Besides, streaming eyeliner looks rather hot on you.”

“Ugh,” I groaned, but Quil helped me sit further up before he offered me the remaining half of the bottled water. I didn’t hesitate to take it and begin to gulp down the replenishing liquid.

“Zane?” It was Ace that called out to the warlock, but it seemed as if he were focused solely on me for a hot minute. The sudden tension matched with the silence stopped me from finishing the water just so I could look over to him before lifting my gaze to meet his prism eyes that were swirling with so much power, whatever I’d thought of saying was caught in my throat.

Then something completely shocking happened.

It took me a second to pick up on the eternal flicker of warmth that oozed from a tiny black flame within the core of my magic, but the more I focused on the internal sensation, the stronger it grew as my gaze got completely lost in the swirling movements of Zane’s eyes.

The best way to describe it was like falling into the hands of hypnosis, only this wasn’t solely affecting me.

It was affecting Zane as well.

That black flame that blended so nicely with its pitch-black surroundings suddenly grew stronger as tiny hints of purple began to seep into its burning movement.

It sucked me in as it grew and grew. Strings of gold and teal began to wrap around its scorching frame as the energy further rose as if I’d asked for its growth. That was merely the beginning as strings of multicolor and white that came into view and began to surround the flame like it was making a sphere of protection.

Words were being said in the background, but nothing could steal my attention from the magnificent scenario unfolding within my own body. Black strings were next to join the white, iridescent threads, but they still vividly glimmered with various colors that signified the rainbow.

It was becoming crystal clear as the strings spun around my black flame that they were opposite elemental halves coming together as one—and they were owned by one person.

The overwhelming flow of emotions hit me first—disbelief, excitement, relief, happiness, and so much love. It was the most overwhelming emotion of them all.

My body had to be on fire, or at least it felt that way, but I wasn’t in the slightest bit of pain. I felt so alive, so connected to the being I thought I’d simply love for as long as I could until it was taken away from me.

But that would all be abolished because no one would be able to take this from me anymore.

When I was filled with foreign emotion, the thrumming waves of power were the next to take over. I could hear the electric sparks of magical energy coursing through the air while the lights seemed to flicker on and off in the corner of my eyes.

Heat burned against the palm of my hand, my flesh feeling as if I’d placed my hand upon a stove and had an extremely slow reaction to the second-degree burns, but I couldn’t dare move or pull my gaze away.

Our magic was sealing the deal and was ensuring nothing interfered in stopping its fruition.

Like a snap of one’s fingers, whatever internal combination was happening within us finally solidified, and I watched as the burning flame was lost in the barrier of black and white until the very magical walls began to crack.

From multiple cracks into shattering glass, the barrier exploded to reveal the burning black flame encased in a purple crystal barrier that sparked with gold and teal electric currents. I knew the zapping energy that continued to pulse out of the crystals was solely magic, but it was witch magic compared to the encased flame that was a different form of energy entirely.

What stole my attention was the revolution of two large orbs—one of pure black, while the other was prism in nature. They spun around the crystal as if it were their planet and their duty was to spin around it in different orbits to ensure the fragile piece was protected, and maybe that was what made me realize that this new, evolved “thing” was within me.

This is the center of my magical essence.

Yet it was nothing like before. It wasn’t pieces of magic or brewing energy that awakened when I called to it. This whole transformation had somehow gathered all the energy within my body, brought it together, and with the help of another who held such pure intentions for me, created a whole masterpiece that now balanced everything.

It somehow made me feel… whole?

Like the shattered reaction from before, I was pulled back into the present to see the falling papers and feathers that rained down upon us, but when I looked at Zane, I noticed something I hadn’t seen before.

A crown floating above his head—one that shifted from black to white.

It was clearly a symbol of something royal, but I didn’t have any answers to help me figure out why it was present when I hadn’t noticed it prior.

Another question of many to shelve in this prime moment.

I wasn’t sure if I could figure it out, for this moment overwhelmed me with a sudden spike of gratitude, but then a word rang in the back of my head, repeated again and again.

The sound grew louder like a chant begging to be spoken into the atmosphere to confirm its relevance, and it was only a matter of time before it left my very lips.

There was no way to stop it, and I felt as though I weren’t alone in my dilemma, for I experienced the sense of surprise flowing into me from what felt like another connection—a tunnel that now connected me to another.

My lips parted at the same time as his and the unthinkable word finally left our lips in unison:

“Mate.”

2

KINDLED BOND AND AGONIZING REVELATION

Did we just say… mate?

Neither of us said anything more as the realization of what we’d stated out into the air around us finally made sense in my scattered mind. The way my eyes doubled as my jaw further dropped only emphasized the shrill exclamation that followed.

“Mate?! Wait… how… Aries… isn’t here. This… this isn’t…” My confusion had me tripping over the words, as I was clueless about what had just happened. Zane knew exactly what this was, but I actually wasn’t sure he was going to admit it himself.

“I knew it,” Quil spoke up, and I looked to see his pleased smile.

“Knew what?” I urged him to continue.

“Knew why you kept reacting to King’s magic,” he answered and very gently ran his hands through my hair as if to calm me down. “Though I can’t tell you unless you breathe, Aurelia. You look like you’re going to pass right out.”

Right. Breathing. Fucking hell.

“This can’t be possible.” The pinch of hurt that leaked off of Ace’s voice tugged my attention straight to him. He tried to hide the lines of confliction—the signs of obvious betrayal—but out of everyone in the room, I could read him the best.

This new predicament hurt him far more than I would have ever guessed.

Those sunset spheres were dancing between golden and tangerine hues, and I knew he was fighting against his wolf’s control.

“Ace,” Jack said in clear warning, and I felt Quil’s arm tightened around me as if he were about to whisk me out of here if Ace lost complete control. But Zane was suddenly in between us—blocking the view of Quil and me while directly facing Ace at the end of the bed.

If that didn’t further escalate the tension in the room, it was the low vibrations of a growl that thrummed against Ace’s throat.

“Ace.” My voice accentuated my actual nervousness. I couldn’t deal with them fighting right now because too much shit was going on. We hadn’t even confronted the elephant in the room or come up with a game plan as to how I was going to face the Coven now that I knew what their real intentions were.

I need to woman the fuck up if we’re going to focus on anything that can be beneficial to all of us right now.

There was no denying that I felt extremely off, especially with my witch magic so low in caliber matched with the dark energy that still thrummed through me. Pushing through it all, I managed to gather the strength to leave Quil’s hold—or maybe he just allowed me because he didn’t stop me from slipping out of his grasp—and I was between the two possessive males before things escalated further.

I knew Zane wasn’t going to make the first move—he enjoyed the high of provoking others. I literally felt that within our new brewing connection that was extra sensitive right now. But I also understood Ace’s reaction.

Seeing his potential mate that he was forced to reject suddenly be bonded to another who may be a part of his pack had to hurt like hell.

Looking at Ace, I gave him my full attention as I shifted my stance so we were inches apart. His nostrils flared, and I knew Ace was struggling hard. But we couldn’t deal with this at the moment .

“I can’t do this right now.” My words were directed solely to him as our eyes were locked in an intense stare. “I get it. I understand… Even though I haven’t gotten the entire backstory, I get your reaction, but I can’t deal with any more of this until I know what’s going on with Willow and we implement whatever plan we need to that will stop the Coven from potentially fucking over my life by blasting my business to the rest of the world.”

I wasn’t sure if it was the tremble and obvious weakness in my voice or the pleading emotion in my eyes that bored into his, but my honest words were enough to give Ace the winning push of control over his wolf. His eyes returned back to those sunset jewels I’d once loved to admire up close.

Maybe I still enjoy their beauty up close but I can’t admit it.

I hadn’t realized the others had closed in on us. Quil was standing to my left while King was on my right. With Zane behind me, that left Jack to stand on Ace’s left side as a clear precaution in case Ace’s wolf took full control.

“Is Ezra going to behave?” Jack questioned with an emotionless voice. “Because we seriously need to get things rolling if we want Aurelia to have the freedom to move around.”

Ace didn’t reply immediately, his eyes still locked on mine, but he finally let out a slow exhale.

“He’ll cooperate,” Ace declared.

That seemed to satisfy Jack enough to take a step back. King followed suit, but Quil had an arm hooked around me not a second later—and thank goodness, for my knees buckled.

I mentally cursed at the unexpected drop, but Zane and Quil had me before Zane managed to sweep me off my feet and walk back to the bed. He laid me right against the headrest with the layers of pillows without a single word, but when our eyes met once more, I could see he was just as riled up as I was.

But compared to me, he got right into action by asking something I hadn’t expected.

“What would ease your anxiety right now?” he began and quietly added, “What should we focus on?”

The others had no choice but to look my way as if I’d truly taken the Alpha role in this pack of hybrid misfits and they were looking to me for guidance. There was no point in delaying—we didn’t have any time for that anymore—and I needed to get some of my questions answered this instant if we were going to get anything solved tonight.

“Willow. I need to know about Willow. Is… Is…” I didn’t want to say those words.

“She’s alive.” Zane got right to the point, and that alleviated the brewing fear that tried to scale upward within me. “I managed to get a hold of a Seer. She confirmed Willow is alive. I tried contacting the Forbidden Pack, but as you can probably guess, their attention is on ensuring their woman is well in all aspects rather than trying to answer my prying questions.”

He had a point, but the immense relief that flowed through me made me sigh and lean my head forward. Zane’s shoulder was there to give me support as I focused on breathing for ten solid seconds.

“Thank goodness,” I whispered and tried to fight off tears. “I… I know this makes me look so brittle and weak, but Willow is really important to me. We may not be a couple anymore or anything, but she has a special place in my heart and I’m not prepared for it to be a hollow void like all the other holes that once held those I dearly cared about.”

The confessed apology seemed to ease the tense atmosphere in the room, and Zane pulled me into a hug while he rubbed my back.

“We understand,” he assured me. “It’s okay to care deeply about Willow. She’s a dear friend in your life. That won’t change, so don’t apologize for caring about her wellbeing.”

He pulled back and wiped away the tears that had spilled down my cheeks before he cradled my face so I could look into his prism eyes.

“We don’t have a lot of time, but I think we need to figure out a way to get you more leeway so the Council doesn’t get in your way of helping Willow.”

Helping Willow?

“Is she really hurt?” I wished I had the strength to teleport and assist her the best way I knew how.

“That’s a tricky question to answer,” he admitted and further elaborated, “From what the Seer told me, her physical injuries will heal, but the problem is her mental state.”

“Mental?” It was King who spoke up, and we looked to see the others were crowded at the end of the bed as if waiting for us to finish our moment.

I looked back to see Zane nod before he muttered, “I think Willow tried to kill herself.”

There were no words that could describe how I felt, to the point that I may have simply shut them down entirely. I couldn’t allow myself to spiral into these wavelengths of emotions that were doing far more harm than good.

The last time Willow had considered suicide was when she was around ten. It was a sense of contemplation that came to fruition, but it wasn’t actually her fault. Someone else had decided to take it upon themselves to get rid of Willow’s existence because she was a female, and the results led to weeks of therapy and recovery.

That era in the past was heavy and depressing, but my sorrow and agony were nothing like what Willow and Onyx experienced. I thought Willow would never experience such again—I was convinced I was doing my duty as her ride-or-die bitch and had ensured that she knew that I was there for her when she needed it the most.

So what happened?

Had I completely missed the signs? There was no way she was cutting herself because I would have seen the scars whenever I came to give her assessments or deliver her meds. But then again, Willow carried abnormal levels of magic compared to the average shifter thanks to the tactics used by the Coven way back when we had to infuse her body with enough magic to heal the multiple broken bones from the push that changed her life.

Why would she have tried to kill herself? What could possibly have happened to trigger that state of dismay that she felt like there was no way out?

She was surrounded by so many people that loved her. Even the Forbidden Pack, who was new and had been around for a few weeks, were certainly getting comfortable around her to the point that she couldn’t have felt alone—right?

No matter how many times I tried to think it through, none of it was making sense to me. Onyx was still madly in love with her and stalked her on the regular. There was Viktor, her bodyguard. And that was before the Forbidden Pack, which consisted of Dimitris, Neo, Saint, and Jayce.

She’d resigned from her position at her father’s company and I was certain that would have invited plenty of opportunities for her to make her own foundation of businesses. She should have been on cloud fucking nine, and even though I’d been rather busy as of late, certainly it wasn’t enough for her not to realize I was still there for her when she desperately needed me.

So what fucking happened?

The gentle touch on my hand didn’t come from Zane but from my right side, where Jack was now sitting. He was cross-legged with Medusa chilling around his neck, but his hand wrapped around mine, which was clearly trembling, before he lightly squeezed it when my teary eyes met his.

“You can sit here and try to think of every possible reason as to why she may have tried to kill herself, but I promise you, there’ll be no proper answer that will give you a sense of satisfaction,” he said without a hint of humor in his voice. It was honestly the most serious I’d ever seen him—or any of them, for that matter.

“Right now, we at least know that she’s alive and surrounded by those who are considered her pack. If suicide was truly the cause for the death rumors spreading through the magic gossip channels, then I’m certain the men in her life will do everything in their power to ensure she’s surrounded with love and watched accordingly until she can receive the proper help she needs,” Jack continued to emphasize. “You’re going to want to be there, which means we have to get the Coven off your ass, and that means we can’t continue staying here for the rest of the night trying to think of scenarios to buy you time.”

“You have a plan,” Zane acknowledged.

“I do,” Jack replied as he briefly looked over to the warlock in question. “You’re not going to like it. Neither is Alpha over there.”

That had us looking at both of them before Quil commented, “You don’t care though.”

Jack was finally grinning again like a switch had suddenly been flicked. “I don’t, but I’m emphasizing the warning because those two possessive assholes will try to tell me to think of another idea, and we don’t have that luxury.”

“How soon do we have to do this?” I pressed.

The sooner we got this out of the way, the easier it would be for me to move around and make sure Willow was truly okay. Whatever she went through certainly would mean she’d need medication stat. Onyx would at least carry some spare injections, so those would help her for a few hours, but if her injuries were anything like when she was younger, she’d need an energy boost.

I have to be of aid when she needs it the most.

“We can initiate it now if you like, but I need a few things to be set in motion to ensure the Coven doesn’t realize it’s us,” he elaborated before his eyes further darkened. “I also want to see who else is pulling the strings, desperate to control Aurelia.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “We know the Coven is behind this.”

“That was before,” King chipped in and pointed to me and then Zane. “Now we understand why the Coven was suddenly so against you dating Malark.”

“I’m still not understanding what just happened.” I mean, I did get what just transpired but this bonded sensation didn’t make sense to me for I’d already been claimed by Ace.

Even if he’d rejected me, that didn’t mean my wolf bond was completely open for me to be bonded to another. Adding the fact that Aries was still trapped by the remnants of black magic thanks to the Coven’s malicious intentions, it couldn’t be a wolf mate bond.

Then what was it?

I looked to my left hand as if it held the answer to my very question, and that was when I stared at the vivid mark in the palm of my hand.

It was the exact same mark from the encounter I’d experienced earlier, only it was more outstanding to look at in the flesh. The vibrant colors held a hint of mystical glow to their thin lines, while the coursing magic flowing through my body seemed to tickle my flesh now that such a mark had stolen my interest.

This marking not only connected me to Zane, but it felt like a key that would lead us to a whole new world.

Down a path that could help us unravel the truth of our heritage.

“Royal mark.” The declaration came from Ace, and all eyes were on him as he decided to drop the bomb that Quil and King were catching onto.

“That’s the royal mate mark that officially represents the bond between two royals.”

“Royals?” I whispered, trying not to act like I was internally freaking out. “Royal… wolves, right?”

“No.” Ace looked dead in my eyes. “The official royal bond mark of the fae.”

Fae… Holy fucking shit. I’m a fae?!

3

YOUR MATE TO LEAN ON

~ZANE~

“THE OFFICIAL ROYAL bond mark of the fae.”

Why did I even believe I’d get a shot at telling Aurelia before anyone else?

“I told you the fucker would reveal the truth before we get to fuck our mate senseless, but no. Don’t mind me, the dark side of your subconscious that you never fucking liste—”

“Can you kindly shut up for two fucking seconds? Our mate just found out she’s fae! Like us!”

If I didn’t hush the voices in my head, I’d go fucking mad.

My body felt like it was on fucking fire—my insides brewing with my magic that was so ecstatic to be connected to another after years of acceptance that my hidden lineage would remain a mystery to everyone in my life.

Everyone except for Master L and Master Z.

A part of me was fucking grateful that this was coming to light, but this wasn’t the time for it because we had far too much stacked against us right now.

But the petty Ace in our deck was trying to get payback against me, the Joker.

A foolish move, but for Aurelia’s sake, I had to be the smarter one in this equation.

Aurelia was clearly in shock because she simply stared back at Ace as his words were clearly registering in her mind. It was such a heavy fucking bombshell to place on her, especially when she’d found out so many fucking truths in less than twenty-four hours.

Fuck. More like in a matter of two hours.

From the mayhem the Coven inflicted on her body, mind, and soul, to then finding out I was a wolf hybrid just like her, stack that with whatever state of meditation she’d been pulled into thanks to King, Quil, and Jack’s aid, only to wake up and discover her best friend of fifteen plus years unsuccessfully tried to kill herself, and this was the last thing we should throw at her.

Yet here we fucking are.

Aurelia’s silence was beginning to worry me, to the point where I couldn’t deal with having an audience right now.

“Can we have a minute,” I said in a way that wasn’t close to a question.

I was demanding a moment with my mate so she wouldn’t tip into a mental breakdown.

That was exactly what I was feeling creeping in, that brewing cyclone that was waiting to be unlocked as one thing after another came crashing into my Aura’s life when she was at her weakest.

Aurelia was stronger than this, there was no way of denying that, but she hadn’t even been given time to recover from the Coven’s infiltration and ultimate betrayal before she was slammed with everything else that carried a connection to her.

Anyone would lose their fucking mind by now.

“Good time to get things rolling,” Jack encouraged. “King, let me come over so we can get things prepared for our show.”

“Sure.” King sounded a bit apprehensive as his eyes lingered on Aurelia, but he moved his gaze to me before we shared a look he clearly understood.

She needs this.

He gave me a slight nod, as if he truly understood my hidden plea, while Jack looked to Quil. “Oh, Quil! I’m going to need your awesome skill in environmental manipulation.” He paused and then added, “And a stunning dress for Aurelia to wear for our plot.”

“Alright.” Quil didn’t bother asking questions. “I’ll get my patterns and meet you at King’s lair.”

“Excellent,” Jack declared and looked to Medusa. “Sorry, Medusa, but we gotta go. But keep Sweetie company, hmm?”

“Hiss!” Medusa replied and bopped his nose. That snake really liked Jack, though I wasn’t really surprised since most venomous creatures loved the Jack of all Trades.

“Ace,” Jack began and shrugged, “you can just wait in the living room.”

The look Ace gave the man could probably kill with the right intent, but I really didn’t want to deal with his attitude any longer.

He needs to grow some fucking balls and read the room while he’s at it.

I didn’t realize I was standing and facing Ace until his golden eyes made a debut—the spike in his aura attempting to start something he knew I wouldn’t enjoy finishing. But he was the least of my problems right then.

My priority is Aurelia, which means I have to think with my mind and not my manly pride.

“Ten minutes. That’s all I need.” My voice was neutral even though I was fuming on the inside. “You can do that, right?” I bet he couldn’t, so I purposely added, “For Aura’s sake.”

He despised when I called her Aura, as if to further rub in the fact that he’d lost her and I’d gained her love and affection, but I wasn’t in the mood to cater to his needs. I may have been unaware of the true circumstances that led to him rejecting Aurelia when they were kids, but that didn’t give him a pass to be a douche in a situation like this.

I knew he wanted to combat me—I could feel that desperate urge to be better and try to make himself look stronger before his ex-mate, but he really was fooling himself, for her attention was far from admiring his attempt to “look good.”

So far south from that.

“Ten minutes,” he finally emphasized, and he must have felt like shit all because he had to conform to my tune, but I didn’t give a fuck.

Aurelia needs a man to pull her out of the spiraling chaos. This is the moment she needs me, her mate.

I’d never experienced such an intense sense of duty as I did in that prime moment, and it was strong enough that I was willing to do whatever it took to ensure I got what I knew would help Aurelia.

After five more seconds of glaring, Ace exited the room. I could see the others’ relief as they quickly wished me good luck and followed their Alpha’s lead. I knew they wished to say goodbye to Aurelia, but they could read the room far better than their own Alpha.

I was thankful for that at least.

Deep down, I did understand how Ace may have felt in this moment, especially when it was his duty as Alpha to comfort those in his pack, but this area of expertise was in my domain, and in order to really help Aurelia understand this, I had to be the one to soothe her restless mind and magic.

The moment I closed the door, my magic rushed to cloak the walls while I was already at Aurelia’s side. I knew she was trying to figure out a way to seem unaffected by the news or put on a strong front so I wouldn’t worry about her true mental state, but things were completely different now.

Those walls she’d learned to put up were as transparent as glass, and I could see and feel everything that begged to be acknowledged.

My hands very lightly pressed against her cheeks while I placed my knee on the side of the bed to give me some leverage so I was completely in her line of view.

She had no choice but to look into my eyes, and those golden orbs of hers danced with an emotion I rarely saw in her mesmerizing spheres.

Fear. So much fear.

My strong beauty who took on the world that had done nothing but make her shed tears and face tragedy was on the brink of breaking down while fearing what she truly was.

A triple hybrid.

Whatever plans and words of encouragement I had simply fizzled away and were replaced by the only thing I could think of executing that would be a far better communicator in overwhelming scenarios like these.

I kissed her.

Long and hard. My lips pressed firmly against hers while my emotions begged to connect with the spiraling threads of her internal circuits.

Her body was rigid at first, as if she couldn’t even comprehend the sudden wave of affection I delivered with the affirming kiss, but the newly sparked bond between us wouldn’t dare let this opportunity of lust go to waste, for I’d been craving this woman’s intimate touch and it was finally in my grasp in this hypersensitive moment.

I was positive she could feel the tidal waves of want I’d been doing everything I could to hold back when our bond clicked in place. I knew any resistance I carried would have been completely broken if I’d allowed myself to swim in that intense desire.

Now that I’d let go of those reins, it was free to roam between us like a horse racing through green pastures, and even that sudden revelation couldn’t stop us from reacting, which was further encouraged by Aurelia’s lips that finally pressed right back against mine.

That simply started the cascade of passion that stormed through our minds, bodies, and souls. Neither of us could tame it, but I was positive that we didn’t want it to be subdued.

Our whole lives revolved around controlling our magic. From infancy to adulthood, we were in a world that desired those who truly carried uniqueness at the expense of their hybridity to bow down to those they categorized as “whole” and “beacons of perfection.”

In this gifted moment of immense affection, I didn’t wish for us to hold back in the slightest. I let my magic roam freely through my mate, and I knew it was working from the way she began to further react to my intimacy.

Our kisses grew more desperate, our hands tugging at our clothes until we were bare naked and both on the bed and I was gliding my fingers along her folds to further entice her wet pussy that was throbbing in impatience. Her pounding need to be filled pulsed through our bond.

That awakened connection was so fucking strong, I couldn’t think about anything else but satisfying my Aura. Her needs were my needs, and though I knew this slot of time should have been dedicated to giving her the information she needed to understand her current predicament, it was overridden by our sexual urge to appease one another.

“Zane,” she breathed into my mouth when we couldn’t bear another kiss without our lungs feeling like they were about to explode.

There were plenty of other places to kiss, and I suddenly craved to hear her majestic moans that were so harmonic in nature. My tongue trailed down her feverish flesh, my teeth lightly grazing wherever they could in between kisses and deep sucks.

She moaned and wiggled beneath me, while I continued to play with her clit so she’d grow wetter for me. Time was of the essence, but I had to make sure she was primed enough so my hard cock would glide into her without any resistance.

The moment my cock filled her up, we’d be lost in a sensual rollercoaster of emotions and body movements, so this was my final moment to think logically without being completely taken over by my instinctive desperation to fuck my woman senseless.

I slid my fingers into her pussy a few times, and she was dripping wet. That was my confirmation that she was most certainly ready for me.

She was breathless, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes wild with hunger as they locked onto mine. I was sure mine were a spinning vortex of various colors, while her golden ones were twinkling with specks of rainbows that only proved that my magic was coursing through her body from our intimate exchange.

This was doing more good than I realized, and whatever resilience I carried at the idea of fucking Aurelia here and now completely vanished from my mind.

I need to be in her.

The head of my bulging cock couldn’t even tease her, for I shoved myself in her in one unexpected movement. Her gasping moan was lost into the hollows of my mouth as I collided my lips against her swollen ones.

I felt her shock and the shot of immense pleasure at my surprise move of pure dominance, which encouraged me to begin the swift thrusting movements that would lead us to the climax we both deserved to plunge into.

She gripped me with every ounce of energy she had as I pounded ruthlessly into her. Something powerful—and almost foreign—was taking the reins of my body, and I didn’t dare stop it from having what it wanted.

My sweet Aurelia.

I filled her so perfectly, my cock gliding in and out of her at the perfect tempo as the two of us breathed and moaned in pure elation. Whatever tension that overtook our muscles and mind was completely gone which made this feel so worthwhile.

It was a moment of fucking peace in the form of immense pleasure. The endorphins only further encouraged us on this rollercoaster ride as we inched closer and closer to that peak of explosive release.

“Zane. Zane… Oh baby… faster.” Aurelia was moaning loudly while her heavy pants encouraged me to keep thrusting. Her pussy felt like its spasming walls were on fire while she gripped me every damn chance she got.

I always got the impression she enjoyed when I took complete control and she had no choice but to follow my lead, but I now really felt how turned on it made her just to have a moment where she didn’t have to be in the driver’s seat and think through every action and the results it would deliver.

She loved leaning on me, and this was surprisingly a different way of supporting her in troubled times.

Her slick, hot pussy fluttered around my cock, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before she climaxed. I could feel the growing build that coiled inside her, and it seemed to make me very aware of my approaching need to shoot my load in her.

“That’s it, baby,” I groaned. “We’re almost home. You and me. We’re going to cum together and you’re going to ride every fucking aftershock as I slam your pussy into oblivion.”

She loved the dirty talk. “Yes!” she exclaimed, but it wasn’t enough for me as I gripped her hips even harder.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, mate,” she emphasized that special word that only further empowered me to pound into her without a speck of mercy.

Her moans weren’t making sense anymore, and I guessed my groans and grunts were no different. We were loud, our bodies hot as beads of sweat already began to cloak our flesh, and we moved at a speed that was running on pure adrenaline as we inched closer to our climax.

I continued to be rough and brutal as we climbed higher and higher. I wanted her to realize that only I could bring her this much pleasure in such a crazy time of immense tension. That I, her mate, would rather fuck and forget the world for five fucking minutes so she could feel that I was going to be by her side no matter what.

In this heightened state of euphoria, she could read every bit of me. And that was what made sex such a beautiful thing between two beings: it was another form of communication that no one else could interfere with.

A love language that our bodies understood while our minds took a vacation in the realms of thinking.

“Fuck,” I cursed because I was so close.

“Zane… ah… I…” My Aura was going to cum any second, but I needed her to wait for a few thrusts more.

“Hold it, baby,” I urged. “Just… a little more. Just for me. Hold it just for your mate.”

I knew she would. Even though it was agonizing, she wanted to please me more, and that deserved to be rewarded.

Lifting her hips just slightly, I shifted my angle, drove my cock as deeply as it could go into her quivering, slick pussy, and fucked her fast and deep. My thrusts were now tiny but hit her G-spot dead on.

“Cum, Aura! Squeeze me into oblivion!”

And her pussy choked me like a fucking anaconda.

“ZANE!” She was whiplashed with pleasure that pulverized her entire body, leaving her in a state of aftershocks while she spasmed around my length.

She milked me hard while my eyes rolled back and the blinding sensation of pleasure consumed me in one go. I bit my lip, but my harsh grunt was followed with a drawled moan as I released my load and enjoyed how thick my cock felt in her tight pussy that was still clamping around me like it wouldn’t dare let me go.

I couldn’t even think, and it felt like a damn gift to enjoy this intense moment of pure tranquility, while my body felt utterly drained from the whirlwind of sensual jubilation we’d just experienced. But I didn’t fucking regret it in the slightest, for this was what we needed after such an intense night.

It took everything I had to stop me from completely collapsing onto Aurelia after my final shot of cum filled her up, my hands crashing into the pillows next to her head while I fought for breath.

She looked so fucking beautiful beneath me, her quivering elegance only further proving how fucking in love I was with her.

I loved Aurelia Delianna Clementine, and now she was my fucking mate. The other half that I’d been told again and again I’d never have the privilege of enjoying because I was a bastard child left to be fostered by anyone who was convinced I had a future upon the dark horizon.

The reminder made me feel this emotional swell of sadness, and it was enough for Aurelia to sense it, for her weak eyes opened enough to meet mine which were growing glassier by the second.

Shit…

This wasn’t the time to cry, and I felt so undeserving of being overwhelmed when my Aura was going through far worse, but the emotions were already enjoying the freedom I’d allowed and there was no way of stopping it.

I didn’t expect Aurelia’s arms to hook around my neck, or for her to bring me down until we were kissing and she was allowing me to sob into her mouth between every passionate kiss.

Surely, she got a glimpse of my emotions and thought it was her turn to comfort me in a way our bodies understood, and deep down, I was so fucking grateful for this because I didn’t have the words to explain this yet.

I honestly wasn’t ready to dive into any of it.

I’d kept this a secret for so long, buried it within myself in hopes of it never seeing a speck of light again, but I knew one day I’d be forced to face it, and here it was.

That fateful day.

We kissed until we couldn’t anymore, and after that, we hugged and took a minute just to breathe and come down from our emotional highs.

I was sure we’d spent a good seven minutes fucking, which meant we only had three minutes to have some sort of discussion.

“I only want to know one thing,” she quietly breathed into the nape of my neck.

I waited for her to continue, knowing this could potentially make or break us.

“Can you still love me now that I’m more than just a wolf witch hybrid?”

The question was so unexpected, I actually had to pull back enough that I could look down at her in my arms. She meant every word, and it was crystal clear in her eyes that her question was a deal-breaker.

So I took it seriously and answered earnestly. “Yes,” I replied and quietly added, “We’re the same when you think about it, Aura.”

She simply stared into my eyes for a long moment, but I didn’t back down from her intimidating gaze. If this was what she needed to confirm my immense love and dedication to her, I’d stare into her eyes for as long as she demanded it of me.

“So you’re not scared of me?” she finally whispered.

“Never,” I declared without a moment’s delay.

“Once I’ve ensured Willow’s okay and has the right medication and care she needs, will we… eventually confront this?”

“Yes,” I vowed. “I’ll answer anything you wish of me.”

That seemed to satisfy her before she looked away and muttered, “Can you promise… that no matter what happens from this moment onward, you’ll still remain by my side?” She forced her eyes to return to mine as she quietly added, “That… you won’t reject me?”

My poor Aura…

“I vow upon Mother Moon, my royal fae roots, and the power of my blessed magic, that I, Zane Malark, will never reject my mate, Aurelia Delianna Clementine, for as long as I live. My dedication and loyalty will be for only her and no one in this lifetime or the next can ever break such a commitment.”

My words completely surprised her, and I could see it from the way her eyes widened with pure shock while our bodies tingled from the vow that was now officially sealed by my magic.

“Zane…”

“I told you,” I began and smiled down at her before I leaned in and pressed my forehead against hers. “You can’t get rid of me.” It was far too amusing to not allow the deep chuckle to escape my lips. “You’re stuck with me till the end of time. Better get used to it, Aura.”

She laughed, the sound thick with immense gratitude.

“Stuck with my psychotic ass. You’re doomed.”

“Doomed to be happy,” I tossed back and kissed her. “Wouldn’t want it any other way, my royal mate.”

We shared a look that promised that from this moment onward, we’d be partners in whatever was ahead of us.

I felt like things were going to get complicated, and I anticipated that anything that involved the Coven would lead us down a risky path of uncertainty, but I was ready to do whatever I needed to ensure Aurelia came out of this a victor.

Nothing is going to stop us from prospering.

“I have one more question,” she suddenly admitted as if it had just popped into her mind.

“Yes, baby,” I whispered and moved a few strands of her hair that clung to her sweaty face.

“What if we have to play stupid… or um… pretend to reach the finish line of what’s being plotted against us?”

She was clearly talking in riddles, and I could only guess she knew something that I’d yet to figure out. It wasn’t like it influenced my answer very much, but I still took a moment to think about it seriously.

“Fake it until we make it?” I offered as an example, which seemed to hit the mark because she seemed surprised at first before she nodded swiftly as her reply.

“Then we do exactly that.” I didn’t care. As long as she was safe and those we cared about were on our side or safe from harm’s way, everything else was irrelevant.

“As long you’re mine, you’re safe, and we’ll figure out some sort of backup plan to ensure we have some sort of immunity against our public and hidden enemies. I don’t care what we have to do to reach the finish line,” I revealed. “As long as we make it there alive.”

That was enough to satisfy her, and she looked beyond relieved.

“Then I don’t care about anything else,” she declared with a loving smile as she fought to blink away her tears.

I couldn’t help but kiss her cheeks before I pulled her into my arms. “Do you think you can handle doing whatever Jack is plotting before going to check in on Willow?”

“I can.” She sounded far stronger in comparison to before. “I don’t feel as weak. I guess sex rejuvenated me just a bit in the magic department.” She sounded a bit shy as she admitted that. “I’m exhausted, but as long as I can ensure Willow’s safety and that the Coven won’t be tracking my every move, I think I’ll have enough endurance to pull through the night.”

“That’s my girl,” I whispered and kissed her. “Then we’ll sleep and have all day to talk.”

“I’d like that,” she confessed. “Think Ace will give us five extra minutes?” She looked really tired now, and though she was trying to fight it, her eyes were betraying her as they fought to remain open.

“Take a power nap,” I encouraged. “He’ll have to suck it up. Some things can’t be solved in ten minutes.”

“You mean we can’t just snap our fingers and get rid of the Coven and any other threat to our hybrid society?” she tossed back with a yawn. “Boo.”

I chuckled and kissed her forehead.

“Sleep, baby. I’ll wake you up shortly.”

“Promise?” She was already slipping away.

“Promise,” I vowed and meant it.

She didn’t respond because she was already gone, and it gave me such peace of mind to know her biggest worries were at least appeased for now.

“Does that mean you’ll introduce us soon?”

“It would be a shame if he excluded us.”

You two were quiet for once.

I took a deep inhale and let it out. Despite my own exhaustion, the obvious scent of our lovemaking mixed with my cologne and Aurelia’s addictive aroma was going to set Ace off, but maybe that was what I wanted.

I’ll introduce you two shortly. At least she knows what we are. That’s what matters.

My eyes lingered on her once more. How peaceful she looked as she quietly slept.

“What will the Alpha do now that you’re claimed by another?” I quietly asked myself. The words simply made me smile mischievously.

Only a matter of time before we find out.

4

PREPARE FOR THE DIABOLICAL PLAN: PART ONE

~AURELIA~

“KING,” I quietly called to the bulky fae wolf in question. “Can I torture your hanging test subject?”

That grabbed his, Jack’s, and Ace’s attention and the three of them looked at my naked frame.

I had no problem standing here naked while Quil finished the last touches of whatever masterpiece he was creating for me to wear for Jack’s Diabolical Plan of Mischief—yes, that’s what he called it—but the random hanging dude in the corner had been staring at me the entire time which was beginning to get on my nerves.

The attention was something I was used to because when did you see a woman with neon teal and gold hair waltzing down the streets of NYC? Anyone who attempted the hairstyle was usually unsuccessful because the two colors were so hard to keep from blending into an odd green right in the middle.

Mine was a reactive poison effect, and frankly, no one was going to go through the venomous turmoil I had just to achieve the same hair transition.

To be truthfully honest, it wasn’t the fact that this stranger was staring at me that was beginning to make my skin crawl with disgust, but the fact I knew he was fantasizing about me as if this were the last bit of sexual alleviation he was going to experience before King tortured his guts in whatever way he knew how.

With everything that had been going on in the realms of magic, it had literally skipped my mind that my pack of misfits was a part of the mafia. I was sure in comparison to Willow’s new pack of Forbidden men, they didn’t “look” the part as a group because of how different—and extremely good-looking—they were.

King looked like a competing bodybuilder who could probably land a modeling gig or two. Quil could easily pull off being a female model for shits and giggles before anyone would realize “she” was a “he” and connect him to the mafia.

Jack… Well, he’s just Jack. Anyone who was foolish enough to be in his radius long enough to try to figure out his career choice simply wanted an early death.

Ace seemed to be the only one who gave of “bad boy” vibes to the point that you steered clear for your own safety. Not like females avoided anyone who screamed “I’m a fuck boy with a dark past.”

Regardless of the first-impression assumptions of my pack of misfits—goodness, I can’t possibly keep thinking they’re “my” pack—this plan invited me to get a glimpse of their world and environment.

King had warned us that he hadn’t had any time to clean up since he and the others rushed to come to save me from the Coven madness. That was why the place was filled with the scent of blood when we walked into this underground “lab” to prepare for whatever game plan Jack was dying to execute.

I wasn’t sure what he’d do to combat the Coven, but it required me in a certain dress that Quil was finalizing outside—why he was working outside when it was surely negative ten degrees Celsius was beyond me—a chair, and whatever camera technology he was setting up.

As to why I was standing here naked, it was because I was waiting for these fake runes that Jack had drawn on me to dry. The ones that Aunt Beatrice had placed prior to the unexpected ritual were beginning to fade with the decline of the black magic coursing through my veins, but Jack explained that in order to convince the Coven Elders that their ritual had worked, he needed to ensure I “played” the part.

I’d asked if my low magic levels would be a problem, but he said that was normal for newly sworn Coven members and it would take weeks if not months to fully regain my magical powers.

If the ritual had been 100% successful.

Like Aunt Beatrice said, only 50% of the ritual had been completed, and from Ace’s brief analysis, it wasn’t close to being enough to have control over me. I wasn’t sure where he or Jack were getting their information from, but until I could get back to my lab and figure shit out with my own body, I was going to go along with what they were saying.

King and Ace walked over to me, and I could tell from the way Ace was looking at me that he was totally turned on by my nakedness. King very briefly admired me, as if he didn’t want to give off the impression he was interested, but I could tell from the way his aura of gold spiked and danced that my nudity did have some effect on him.

“Why does he keep looking at you?” Ace grumbled and glared at the man like he was going to do the honors of killing him.

I rolled my eyes and pointed to the hanging man in a yellow speedo whose hands were tied behind his back. At least the swim briefs were Versace so that had to mean he had some rich taste.

“I don’t think he has much of a choice, Ace,” I stated the obvious. “He’s hanging from the ceiling.”

“That doesn’t mean he gets a free ticket to admire your body,” Ace snarled, and the poor guy looked like he was going to pop a few blood vessels if he got any angrier. I bet Zane would have had a similar reaction, but he was playing his part in this “diabolical plan” by responding to the urgent call from the Coven that involved me.

I’d been worried about him going, especially after what they had done to me, but Zane assured me that they wouldn’t be able to do a single thing to him because Master L was the one to ask for his cooperation to aid with this “secret” problem that required his participation.

I was certain they wouldn’t be telling Master L or anyone of the High Court of their underlying motives, but they would probably inform Zane I had been kidnapped by some random organization and they needed his assistance to get me back.

They wish for us to be apart, and yet when push comes to shove, they want his cooperation. Fake bitches.

I couldn’t wait to get this out of the way and locate Willow, Onyx, and the others. There was no update thus far, but the Seer had mentioned to Zane that someone would contact him when Willow and the others were in a safe enough environment for us to teleport and confront them.

Zane would take me to wherever they were, and I’d intervene because at least they trusted me. The other Forbidden members didn’t really know Zane, aside from Neo that is, but after what happened to Willow, I doubted they would want a third party’s company.

Before I could think of the news of Willow’s attempt, I pushed it away because I couldn’t allow those emotions to consume me right now. These moments would be the only time I could be this “vulnerable.” After we secured whatever deal Jack was going to attempt to make to gain my freedom, it would be showtime and there would be no time for emotional bullshit.

I’d have to jump back into my crazy ways and fuck shit up. Maybe I’ll feel more empowered rather than like a complete failure.

That was generally how I felt. The fact Aries was still trapped in whatever black magic prison in the depths of my subconscious was only adding to the growing anxiety, but after this deal was over, Ace said he’d try to get her out.

Don’t know how he is going to do that when I couldn’t.

“But you’re getting a free pass,” I finally spoke up as my eyes met his. “And don’t go saying because we used to be lovers it justifies you checking me out.”

His scowl couldn’t get any deeper while King shook his head. “We get the privilege of seeing a work of perfection,” he began as he now stood in front of me which blocked this guy’s view. “Why didn’t you tell me he was awake? I thought he’d still be unconscious like the other dude.”

I glanced over to the “other dude” he was referring to. He not only was hanging upside down like Versace swim briefs, but he had so many bumps across his pale blue flesh that it looked like he’d been bitten by a swarm of mosquitos.

“You realize he’s dead, right?” I tossed back as I pointed at the hanging guy, who really was dead. “Did he get bitten by a bunch of bugs or something?”

King slowly followed my gaze and actually shrugged.

“Nah, I think it was an allergic reaction. The douche works for some vampire fucker who uses his gang to traffic females and children across NYC’s underground. He wouldn’t tell me where the guy’s base was located, so I simply retrieved his health info and found out he’s allergic to cum.”

“Hold up.” I didn’t possibly hear that correctly. “You did not just say he’s allergic to cum. As in female juices cum, right?”

“You heard correctly,” Ace chipped in. “If you need added details, it’s male loads that trigger a reaction. Not female.”

My jaw dropped because that was the wildest shit I’d ever heard. I looked back to King to see he was observing me closely with a small smirk on his lips.

“If you’re surprised about that, we should do a ‘Take Our Queen to Work’ day. I think you’d enjoy it.”

“That would be awesome,” I declared with immense satisfaction. “So wait. You never got your answers, then, if you left him during your experiment,” I acknowledged.

“I didn’t,” he replied but clearly wasn’t worried in the slightest. “I’ll revive him later and try again.”

“Okay, that’s so fucking hot,” I voiced before I could even stop myself. That had Jack laughing hysterically while he kept typing away on some device.

“I told you there was a woman out there who could find joy in watching you kill people and viola. She’s our Alpha. Brilliant!” Jack sang happily. “Mother Moon certainly blessed us.”

I felt the rush of warmth swarm my cheeks, but my vision temporarily went black as the soft, cotton material was lightly placed over my head.

“Huh?” I questioned as my head popped out of a hole. I realized Ace was now in front of me and guiding my hands into the arms of the black shirt that cloaked my once naked body.

All while he now stood there shirtless which gave me a glamorous view of his tatted torso.

“Holy shit.” I sucked in a breath and had to attempt to reel in my immediate arousal that slammed my senses like this was the time to seek revenge after feeling so cold toward my ex-mate. I wasn’t sure if the newly discovered knowledge that Lucy had played a big role in forcing Ace to reject me was what revived the emotions I knew had been dead within me, but regardless of what I now knew, it was becoming clear that the hollow spot within my heart was back and wishing to be whole once more.

For us to make amends and try this bond shit again.

I ignored it by shutting it down as swiftly as I could, but I knew from the way Ace paused to look at me that he’d caught onto my obvious reaction. My eyes drifted but my red cheeks surely gave me away. However, he didn’t act on it as he went back to helping me slip my other arm through the short sleeve of his shirt.

It was covered in his pine aroma, and it reminded me of that one night we shared.

And how one sick bitch had fucked us up so damn bad.

“Is the ink dry?” Jack called out, clearly observing the whole fiasco. “If it’s not, I’m beating the shit out of you, Ace.”

“You can’t go beating up your Alpha,” Ace growled back but proceeded to roll his eyes. “Obviously, it’s dry. She’s been standing here naked for at least an hour.”

“Forty-one minutes and twenty-eight seconds,” Jack corrected. “And we have fifteen minutes before it’s showtime,” he announced. “Zane gave them the envelope.”

“Envelope?” I asked as I looked to Ace and quietly whispered, “Thanks.”

He simply nodded before he turned around, which forced me to acknowledge the scars all along his back. The sight made my heart pause while Jack was answering my question.

“I told Zane that upon his arrival, he’ll attempt to track your energy which will reveal the lovely invitation that will give them a time to insert the USB I slipped into the red envelope, and that will be their moment to listen to our lovely demands! It’s going to be so much fun to corner the Coven like they try to do to everyone else in the magic community. And a bonus is that we’ll get to enjoy the desperation they’re going to try so hard to hide in their eyes. Ah! I’ll take a bunch of… hmm? Aurelia Sweetie, are you okay?”

My silence must have made him question me as I continued to stare at Ace’s back, but I couldn’t look away as I recalled that night when these people whom I dared to call family were ready to kill a little boy just because I’d gotten hurt in the crossfire.

And hadn’t I been the culprit behind that blast to begin with. Yet, Ace was punished for it.

The Alpha himself glanced over his shoulder to peer at me before he turned around and was standing in front of me once more.

“Stop worrying about it,” he muttered in annoyance, but he very tenderly moved a few strands of my hair from my face and tucked them behind my ear. “It’s in the past. No big deal.”

“A part of me feels stupid for staying with an organization that was willing to punish a child to the point of death over something they didn’t even take the time to properly investigate,” I quietly admitted while I avoided his eyes. “It may not be a big deal to you anymore, but all of this makes me realize how blind I’d been, allowing my whole life to be manipulated by those who got a kick out of using me.”

He didn’t say anything, but his hand trailed down the side of my neck until it moved right to my chest. I bet he knew exactly where his necklace lay upon my neck, even though I kept it hidden with the tiny bit of magic I had left.

I’d gotten so used to keeping the heirloom hidden from the rest of the world that it was a habit, even in company that I deemed safe. But somehow Ace knew exactly where it was, and his fingertip trailed along its surface even though it appeared as though he brushed against my flesh.

“The hardest thing to accept is knowing your own family doesn’t carry well-wishes for you,” Ace whispered. The way he said it made me feel as if he’d experienced his own set of heartache from his own family, but I knew that wasn’t true, for his parents were so loving and supportive of him. They had also been supportive of me… until they were murdered.

All because of me.

“No one is born into this world thinking their own family would be plotting against them, Aurelia,” King chipped in as his large hand gently rested on my shoulder. He squeezed very lightly as he added, “You can’t be hard on yourself for not seeing through their intentions. The Coven is a big organization, and even if you did pick up on their selfish antics, what would you have possibly done to stop them?”

He had a point. I may have known their intentions weren’t good for me, especially since I was a hybrid, but even if I knew the truth, there would have been nothing I could have done back then to stop them. Even now, I wasn’t sure how I’d get out of all of this.

“Time hasn’t made much of a difference,” I confessed and glanced over to look up at him as he peered down at me. “I may be stronger now, but look what I walked into. A routine checkup turned out to be the ritual needed to force me into the Council.”

I’d explained to them in the car what had happened that led to the events in the cylinder and how it felt. I was still reeling from the knowledge that had overwhelmed my brain before the memories Aunt Beatrice had clearly collected in her mind for all those years, but I wouldn’t be able to tap into that until I had a chance to meditate.

To really comb through everything and figure out what the real hidden motive is for the Coven’s sudden desire to pull me into the Council.

“Now look at me. I now realize that the Coven is clearly our enemy and yet I have no choice but to return to them or else they’ll ruin everything I care about. My businesses and other assets are all in their name and under their watchful eye. I have a few connections with Willow and Onyx, but tapping into them now would be far too suspicious. The Clementine name is basically the root of my livelihood. Without it… well… I’m truly a misfit with no place to call home.”

“That’s not true, Sweetie!” Jack was suddenly behind me and he rested his head on my right shoulder while hugging me from behind. “You have us now!”

“Uh…” I pouted my lips. “Remember I told you guys to rip the contract up? We’re obviously not packmates anymore.” It was rather disappointing that I’d lost my cool and fucked this up. Despite me losing my temper and the obvious distance after that confrontation with Ace, they all came to my aid when I needed it the most.

Something I really never expected.

“Oh. I didn’t destroy it,” Jack sang in delight. “I put it in a nice frame and got King to use some of his fae voodoo magic to make it burnproof, floodproof, bombproof, and even ripproof!”

Wait, what?

I looked to King first to see him slightly smile before I glanced to Ace as he slipped his hands in his pockets and avoided my shocked eyes.

“You didn’t rip it?”

“Why would we do that?” Ace muttered under his breath. “I’m the one who provoked you when I should have taken a different approach in helping you. I may be a hothead, but I’m not a complete jackass.”

“Meaning he would have cried himself to sleep every damn night if he dared try to take you out of the pack,” Jack translated as if Ace hadn’t spoken in English. “He went on a killing spree that night because he was angry with himself. It was so fun to watch.”

“Shut up, Jack!” Ace snapped.

Jack laughed hysterically, already back at his original spot in front of a table with plenty of wires and devices. “If anyone needs a bathroom break, you should go now,” he sang. “The clock for payback is ticking.”

From how pumped he was for this apparent plan, I felt like it was a good idea to pee as a safety measure.

“I’ll get Quil. He’s probably done with the dress but he tends to get so infatuated with the finished piece that he ends up staring at it for hours until you literally snap him out of it,” King revealed, but his hand lightly ran through my hair which drew my attention to him once more. “You never told me what you wanted to do to torture Mr. Versace over there.”

“Oh,” I began and looked at the man who clearly was observing our whole interaction. From the sudden panic in his eyes, I was sure he feared what I’d ask for him to experience—as he should—but my original idea was one I hadn’t yet determined if it could be done.

Guess I’ll ask.

“What if we gave him an erection?!” I began and watched the two of them look at me with blank stares, while Jack was hollering in the background.

“Sweetie! That is NOT a punishment.”

“You didn’t let me finish!” I groaned and put my hands up as if to urge them to follow me with this brewing idea. “I obviously don’t know how it feels, but Willow says sometimes when y’all wake up all horny or whatever, all the blood rushes to your cock at once which makes it fucking painful but sometimes feels good too? I don’t fucking know. Willow experiences it when she wakes up as William after a frisky night with Onyx. We tried to find the cure for it but were sadly unsuccessful.”

I swore Ace wanted to say something as his lips parted just slightly, but he closed them again which only left King chuckling and shaking his head.

“Good call,” he praised and looked back at me. “So aside from being unable to cure the struggles of male anatomy, what’s transpiring in your pretty head, Queen?”

I had to pause and grin back at him for the usage of his appointed nickname for me. Then I got right back to revealing my grand plan.

“So why don’t we make it so he experiences that sensation over and over again! William once explained it to me like your cock is a damn balloon and the blood rushes through it, making it expand, and you guys think you’re going to explode, but then it subsides and you guys enjoy that sense of immense relief and pleasure. But how torturous would it be if that never came?!” They looked horrified at the suggestion, and I was giddy with sudden excitement. “So it keeps going and going like a never-ending cycle of expanding pressure, and to make it more exciting, you can make his cock explode at random!”

I clapped my hands together while enjoying their colorless expressions. Poor Mr. Versace was so pale, I wondered if he’d die before we could even test out the theory, but now Jack was with us again and even he looked utterly disgusted by my plan.

“If his wiener explodes, then he’ll bleed out and die.”

“True,” I replied. “But then we’d cast a spell that would heal it.”

It suddenly clicked in Jack’s mind, and his eyes widened and his lips morphed into a big “O.”

“Then it starts all over again.” He could barely speak. That was how emotionally moved he was by the idea.

“Yes.” My grin couldn’t get any wider as my eyes darkened. “Again and again like a merry-go-round that never stops, and no matter how many times he begs for relief, he’ll never be given it until he tells us absolutely everything he knows and apologies for fantasizing about me,” I summed up and then shrugged. “Or I can just summon Medusa to bite his cock off. Whatever brings him immense agony.”

“Hold up,” King practically growled. “He was fantasizing about you?”

“Uh, ya?” I replied as if it weren’t obvious. “Why do you think he had a big ass erect—”

I didn’t know what killed the man first: the bullet that went through his chest, the summoned boa constrictor that was now wrapped around his body, or the fact that his head exploded.

And then he was on fire…

All I could do was gawk in shock while my eyes looked at Ace first as he pulled back his extended hand that held a matte red gun in his possession. I watched the very weapon suddenly dissolve into a thick liquid that I knew was blood, and the metallic substance was sucked back into the cut across his palm that healed in a matter of three seconds.

Holy fucking Mother Moon, what kind of blood voodoo shit was that?!

“Don’t ask,” he interrupted me before I could open my mouth wide enough to ask while his venomous-looking eyes moved over to glare at King. “Why did you make his head explode?”

“That wasn’t me,” King admitted. “Y’all know my reaction time sucks balls. I was the one who lit him on fire. It’s soul burning so he’ll probably feel it in the afterlife until I revive him back here.”

“Wasn’t me,” Jack sang. “Boa was summoned by my blind rage. Guess she’s hungry. Hey, King, if she eats him, can you still revive him?”

“As long as you ensure his bones are intact,” King casually responded.

“Excellent! You heard him, Boa. Make sure your stomach acids won’t destroy his lovely bones so you can feast on him again and again.”

“HISSS!”

“Hold up, did you just summon an actual boa constrictor?” I gasped because I was fucking impressed.

“That’s one of his many pets,” Ace groaned as he crossed his arms over his chest. “He has a whole room full of snakes.”

“Shut the fuck up.” I couldn’t even believe it. I felt Jack’s presence before he made it obvious that he was now standing to my right. He hooked an arm smoothly over my shoulders so he could pull me in close and whisper in my ear, “That’s what happens when you’re dealing with a cobra hybrid, Sweetie.”

“C-C-Cobra?!” Now my mind was fucking blown. “You’re not saying that one of your parents is a wolf and the other is a snake, are you?! How… What… Is that fucking possible?”

Jack was hysterically laughing like my malfunctioning thought process was the most joyous thing he’d seen all fucking year, so Ace took the liberty of answering me.

“His father was half-cobra, half-wolf,” he revealed.

“And his mother?” I had to fucking know now.

“A siren.”

“A what?!” Okay. Surely I was hallucinating now because no way was Ace Ezra Maximus telling me that one of his pack members was a hybrid mix of a cobra, wolf, and siren! “Sirens can only be female!”

“That’s technically a lie,” King noted like it was truly a fable humans wrote in books just to mislead people. “There used to be plenty of male sirens in this realm, but they ended up migrating to Faeire when the human realm grew in population and the oceans were becoming polluted with so much waste. They changed their species name from sirens to tritons after that childhood mermaid show got all popular because many shifters were under the impression that tritons were weak mermen when in reality, they’re vicious warriors in combat and can kill anyone with their singing voice.”

Mind… fucking… blown.

My attention was back on Jack as he grinned with triumph.

“So you’re telling me your papa was a wolf shifter cobra hybrid who fucked your siren mama and created you?!” Was there even a category for his hybrid species in the hybrid encyclopedia?

“If it intrigues you further, my father was actually an Alpha Captain of a great ship who sailed the seas of the Atlantic and Pacific to search for mafia pirates who were hunting mermaids, nymphs, and other shifters who lived peacefully in the sea, doing their side hustles of cleaning the oceans of various trash and broken parts like sunken ships or crashed planes. He rescued my mother, who tried to kill him because he flirted with her, before they all got ambushed, and then they had a one-night stand which revealed his cock was actually a cobra that could bite his enemies and kill them in battle if he didn’t do it with his clawed fists.”

Could my jaw drop any further?

“I have loads of stories about their apparent adventures. There’s a whole book series on it by… uh… What’s her name again. Song? Something Song. I’ll get the name for you later. But it was quickly taken down by humans because polyamorous relationships weren’t a thing back then. My mother was a wild beast in the bedroom so my father with his cobra cock couldn’t satisfy her enough so he shared her amongst the higher-ranked crew.”

“He loves sharing tidbits of his parents’ life when he’s waiting for Boa to finish digesting his latest victim,” King added.

“Why do I feel like you have a question?” Ace decided to ask me. He was right; I did have a question. Jack squealed and clapped his hands as he waited for me to speak.

“So… if his cock is a cobra and he ejaculates, does that mean his cum is venomous?”

“Out of the summarized explanation of his parents’ love story, that’s what boggles your mind?” Ace looked damn disappointed in me, but I ignored him with a flick of my hand while my eyes were all on Jack. From the way his smile grew into an eerie grin, I was right on point.

“That’s so fucking crazy!” I squeaked. “O.M.G! But wait! How would she get pregnant with you? Wouldn’t the venom like… burn her uterus? Or ovaries? Or her damn vaginal walls?! O.M.G!” Another thought popped into my mind as I leaned right into his face and whispered, “Does his cock shed skin?”

“Every three to six months depending on how sexually active he is,” Jack replied back.

“Sold,” I declared. “Show me your cock! I wanna see something.”

“Mother Moon help us,” Ace groaned while King absolutely lost it.

“Queen, I don’t think this is the right time to check out if Jack’s father’s genetics were passed down to him.”

“B-B-But?” I couldn’t remain focused if I didn’t solve this mystery. “I have to know!”

Jack laughed as he suddenly appeared between Ace and me before we knew it. Then he leaned right in until our lips were firmly pressed against each other’s. That had me frozen in place before he broke the kiss and gave me a devilish grin.

“Go to karaoke with me and I’ll gladly let you find out, Sweetie.”

“Deal!” There was not a hint of regret in my mind.

“No!” Ace groaned like I’d done something I’d surely regret. “We’re not going to karaoke.”

“I never said you had to come,” I voiced as I leaned over to give him a sassy look. “You’re not invited.”

“You’re not going alone with Jack,” Ace countered. “He’ll impregnate you for the hell of it.”

“Oh?” I looked back at the man in question as his pink eyes twinkled with far too much excitement.

“Triple hybrids like myself have knotting issues.”

“Knotting… issues?”

Am I entering new kink territory?

I caught onto the lavender scent that came from behind me, and I immediately looked up to see that Quil was standing right behind me. He calmly glanced down to meet my gaze.

“Cobra hybrids have knotting tendencies, which means when they fuck a woman of interest and climax, their cock locks into the woman and fills her womb up with cum so that she’ll purposely get pregnant and bear their children,” he revealed like it wasn’t a big deal. “Intriguing characteristic, actually. It’s dominance is a heredity thing, so no matter if he’s a triple hybrid, that characteristic comes with him having one-third cobra genes.”

“So if I got pregnant, what kind of baby would I have?” I was completely fascinated.

“We can find out, Sweetie.” Jack hummed, as he was literally sandwiching me against Quil. “I don’t even mind sharing the bedroom with Quil if it makes you comfortable!”

“S-Share?” Talk about sexual overload. I was still trying to process being pressed against the two of them.

“Yes!” Jack squealed and further leaned in to whisper against my lips, “Did you know my parents knew Quil’s parents because his mother was a nymph and his father was a deceitful Unseelie Alpha wolf? He tried to fuck over a pack deal with my father which lead to them fighting. But because my mother liked Quil’s mother’s natural fashion style, they were forced to become friends to please their women.”

ALASLAKSLA.

“I think her brain malfunctioned,” King observed before he acknowledged Quil’s presence. “Oh, Quil. So you’re the one who blew Mr. Versace’s head off.”

I was back to looking up at Quil, who didn’t seem bothered by the accusation.

“He’ll think twice about fantasizing about our woman when you revive him.”

Our woman!

I was going to have heart palpitations if these men wooed me further.

“Break it up!” Ace huffed and managed to literally pull me out of the hybrid sandwich before I was suddenly up and over his shoulder.

“Huh?! Wait! Where are we going?”

“Washroom break!” Ace snapped.

“And why is she going with you?” Quil pondered.

“She needs to pee,” Ace replied back.

“Wait. How’d you know? Actually, no! I can walk my damn self! Let me down.”

“No,” Ace replied. “Storytelling is about to make us late for Jack’s diabolical plan, so stop wiggling before you pee all over me.”

“I heard that’s one of his kinks, Sweetie,” Jack announced loud and clear.

“Really?” I asked and realized Ace’s face was so red, even his ears were burning crimson. “Does that mean you like it when women squirt and all that?”

“Enough!” he huffed and spun around to look at the others. “Get fucking ready! We’ll be back in five.” He turned around and then added, “And revive that son of an ass so I can fill him with holes as target practice.”

Poor Mr. Versace was going to feel Ace’s wrath, and the thought alone made me far too excited.

5

PREPARE FOR THE DIABOLICAL PLAN: PART TWO

“Ace!”

He’s so lucky Aries is asleep!

“Ace!”

“Stop wiggling, would you?” he huffed back as he continued to carry me on his shoulder. “These damn floors are slippery.”

“Why?” I asked while scanning the tiled floor that looked to be some expensive imported shit. To be blunt, King’s entire “Underground Paradise” must have surely been made for royalty because everything was either gold, brass, or some form of crystal.

I had no complaints because witches had a great fondness when it came to the luxury department. We loved to invest in quality pieces that would last for years versus sinking your money into multiples of the same product simply because you were saving some shiny coins.

Obviously, you’d have to ensure you stayed within your budget, but I loved saving money just to buy that specific item I’d been observing for weeks if not months.

Add our obsession with collecting various crystals for spiritual rituals and spellwork— those rocks were pricey in the magic market—and our places were either like walking into a different world of paradise or crazy spaces filled with books, odd nooks, and the sense of approaching disaster.

There’s never an in-between.

“I said the floors are slippery,” he huffed.

“I heard you the first time,” I countered. “That doesn’t explain why.”

Which was why I kept wiggling to piss him off.

“Ugh, Auri!” he hissed. Then he suddenly cursed as his foot actually slipped.

“OOP!” I went flying upward, which was unexpected because Ace clearly fell backward, which should have sent me in a nose dive straight into the floor. But like they say in those books… What goes up must come down.

I should have tried to stop myself by using my magic, but nothing sparked at the internal call for aid which had me preparing for the worst—body slamming Ace. My eyes closed shut as I prepared for impact.

“Wishla!” Ace’s magic-laced command pierced the surface and brought my falling body to a swift stop. I opened my eyes to see my face was literally an inch from his, which left me no choice but to stare into his orange-and-gold orbs.

I could still see the streams of magic that twinkled in those majestic spheres, but I saw far more than he may have realized: admiration, lust, hunger, sadness, and last but not least, regret.

From the way he was peering back at me, I wondered if he could see my emotions that were swirling within me as our obvious closeness stirred us in ways I was sure neither of us wanted to face right now. How different would our lives have been if we’d been allowed to love one another the way we were destined to?

What would it have been like if our families both approved of our bonding and we got to grow up together without any negative interferences? Our love had been so strong—so innocent and pure—and now here we were.

Rejector facing the Rejected. Two broken souls that wished to be whole again.

Whatever flow of magic that was still keeping me afloat ran out, but Ace obviously expected it for he held me as if I weighed nothing before he slowly laid me on top of him. The mere touch of our bodies sent sparks of need through me, and if either of us made a move, the other would get the first taste of one’s lips.

As if we were truly frozen in this moment that was growing tenser by the second.

I didn’t know all the facts, or what Ace had truly gone through, but deep down I did want to give him a second chance. Deep, deep down within my heart, where the scars, bruises, and wounds that never seemed to heal didn’t affect my decision, I wanted to forgive him.

Those wounds may not ever heal, but how could I penalize someone after I found out they were truly a victim?

I became more observant of his hands that gripped my waist, their cautious movement only adding to my hypersensitivity as they trailed down the sides of my body until they stopped at my hips. He observed me closely as if he didn’t want to make one wrong move that would set me off, but I wasn’t in the slightest bit frightened of his obvious intentions. I mean, was I supposed to be?

No matter our messy past, I was never truly afraid of him. I think the real problem was we sucked at communicating with one another. The world was always doing everything it could to tear us apart, so how were we supposed to exchange words when we were never together long enough to have a proper conversation?

We could use this moment as an opportunity to talk, but there was so much to say—so much agony and anger that had to be shed before we could possibly reach the root of our problems. In some areas, I was sure I was at fault, just like he was in others.

Heck, we could both be fucking wrong and had taken this the wrong way, but here we were in the present. It was here and now that mattered.

I tried to use that resolve to my advantage and say something, but my mind went blank at the movement of his hands that began to slide along my bare flesh. Those large hands of his moved so slowly, like I was fine glass and he didn’t even want to leave a single mark on my skin.

He paused at the hem of his shirt that cloaked my naked flesh, and I knew he was debating whether to keep going. To venture beneath the cotton and continue to enjoy the warmth of my flesh. I could feel the vibrations of energy oozing off his body—that buzz of excitement and lust building between us while the hunger in his eyes grew stronger as he stared into mine like a hawk.

He was just waiting for me to push him away, but there was that need to remain still. To give that void a taste of the love we’d been craving from the person we were destined to be with. But fuck, it was hard—like a double-edged sword—as I fought between the side that just wanted to say fuck it and be reclaimed by this man who destroyed my heart and the other that wanted to see him earn it.

To put all his effort into proving that he truly wished to be by my side the way a fated mate should.

“Hiss?”

The single sound broke the intense spell happening between us, and I watched the poor man grow rigid and pale in five solid seconds as Medusa poked her cute head from between my breasts to approach Ace until she was literally at eye level.

There was only one place the pesky, explorative snake could have come from.

“Medusa!” I hissed and tried to move, but Ace’s grip simply tightened on my hips which further freaked me out. “Ace?!”

Now he was just sickly pale, and I don’t know why in Mother Moon’s name he was stopping me from pulling back so Medusa wasn’t in his personal space, but the creature in question simply bobbed her nose in greeting and proceeded to slither off to the left side. A golden statue that represented the Medusa from Greek mythology with her multiple snakes was on display, which had surely caught my Medusa’s attention.

“Oh fuck, Ace?” I scrambled and quickly sat up on top of him just so I could lightly pat his cheeks. “Breathe!”

He seriously had forgotten that was a human necessity which was why he gasped at my command. He then began breathing heavily so he could fill his lungs with the oxygen they so desperately craved.

“Fuck,” he cursed. It was a bit slurred which worried the fuck out of me. “I thought I was going to die.”

“Medusa wouldn’t hurt you,” I tried to logically reason, but I knew that wasn’t how phobias worked.

It didn’t matter if the possibility of getting hurt was high or non-existent, the fear induced was crippling and anxiety-triggering.

Ace simply took a few more breaths before his locked limbs began to relax. “Fuck,” he cursed before he answered, “I know she won’t hurt me.”

He didn’t say anything more, but I disliked how pale he still was. “C’mon. Let’s get you up and you can wash your face with some cold water.” I didn’t know what else would help. Taking him back for one of the others to help him might be a bit offensive to his Alpha pride, so maybe helping him on my own and letting him breathe it out would help.

I got up first before helping him. His whole body was wobbly, which was enough to encourage me to hook his arm over my shoulders and support him as we headed forward toward the washroom.

Thank goodness it wasn’t very far because I wouldn’t be able to support Ace’s weight with simple physical strength.

Goodness, I need to get my ass back in the gym. Too much herbal creating is making me weak as fuck in the physical endurance department.

I knew Medusa would find her way to me after she was done “admiring” the work of art—though I secretly hoped she wouldn’t break anything because I knew just how expensive fae decor was these days. I was still trying to understand why Ace hadn’t pushed me away.

We entered the washroom with the push of some fancy button. The door with a lion head design in gold opened up slowly, presenting the antique-looking washroom that reminded me of one of those ancient powder rooms you saw in old movies or classic theme events like masquerades and such.

There was a mini pink-and-gold couch on one side of the room. The vintage sink had a miniature mirror above it. Then there was the toilet—a gold fucking toilet—in the middle of two pink pillars with golden sparkles, each topped with large lion statues.

The washroom had to be meant for women—unless King actually loved the pink-and-gold combination—as the entire bathroom was decorated in those colors, including the wallpaper, which was gold with pink metallic foil roses.

So beautiful.

I helped Ace sit down before I got a towel and soaked it with cold water.

“Here. Put this on your forehead. Your temperature spiked a lot,” I urged as he watched me with his half-opened eyes. He didn’t seem pleased to be a sudden patient of my aid, but he didn’t argue either as he leaned back so his head rested against the wall and the top part of the couch.

That made it far easier to lay the folded towel upon his forehead before I glanced around, thankful this washroom had a water machine in the corner.

It was like a pit stop for every necessity one could think of. It was rather peculiar since King used this place as an apparent torture center, but I wasn’t going to comment negatively about it because I really adored this aesthetic, even if I wasn’t a huge fan of pink.

After retrieving a paper cup, I filled it with cold water and slowly walked back to Ace, hoping I wouldn’t be a clumsy bitch and accidentally spill the chilled liquid onto him.

Zane always used to say I was uncoordinated when my magic levels were low, but I was going to prove him wrong today.

“Ace. Here. Try to drink something.”

“I’m fine,” he dismissed me as he kept his eyes closed.

“Ace, water will help—”

“I’m fine, Auri,” he said again but sounded more exhausted than annoyed by my persistence.

With a pout, I was going to admit defeat, but an idea popped into my head that made me smirk in defiance.

I wondered if he sensed the shift in my motive because he opened his eyes just slightly at my lingering silence, only for them to widen when my lips pressed firmly against his.

His shock was to my benefit because it was far easier for the flow of water to leave my mouth and enter his. I was prepared for him to push me away because, unlike my experience where Quil had to give me the special enhanced water so I could function, I was simply giving Ace the water he’d been stubbornly refusing.

Was this a form of assault? Hm… Maybe that doesn’t matter because I’m helping him medically? But then again, he’s not dead or dying which means I forgot to ask consent, which probably makes this assault. Oh fuck. Am I going to jail? Would he get me arrested? I mean, it would be a good plot twist if our story became a novel and this was one of those enemy-to-lover twists that totally heightened the tension between the lovers, but fuck. I can’t go to jail. How am I getting out of this shit in—

“God, woman, your thought process could give any other person a fucking migraine,” Ace’s voice declared in my mind, which made my eyes widen in shock while he peered up at me.

I tried to pull back, but his arm hooked swiftly around my waist and he tugged me forward, so I was forced to be right against him.

My shock was all over my face, but it didn’t stop Ace from kissing me back while his eyes came to a close as if he needed to enjoy this sensational moment.

I didn’t know how else to react as his lips slowly moved against mine, but the longer our lips remained pressed against one another’s, the calmer I felt since I could only assume he was gonna let me off the hook for my previous faux pas.

The kiss was by no means passionate or aggravated. I wasn’t sure how exactly to describe it—like gentle, slow kisses with hints of hesitation and uncertainty. It felt like two strangers who needed a sense of intimacy but weren’t used to expressing it with their lips, but it wasn’t like I hated it.

It was something I could warm up to.

I knew Ace could kiss a whole lot better, but he could have been just as apprehensive as I was.

Our lips parted on their own, and the two of us worked on catching our breaths while we stared into each other’s eyes.

I wasn’t sure either of us was going to say anything, but he eventually muttered, “Don’t you need to pee?”

“Oh.” I’d literally forgotten. Then I was reminded that he’d whisked me off when we had only five minutes before the meeting. “Shit! We’re late!”

Before I could scramble out of his hold, he was tugging me back with enough force that I fell right into his lap with a shriek.

He didn’t seem to care as I pressed my hands against his, which only sent tingles of lust through me that I didn’t even ask for.

“Chill,” he groaned as if he were simply exhausted with trying to keep me still. “We’ve still got fifteen minutes.”

“No, we don’t!” I argued in haste. “Jack said we had fifteen minutes a good fifteen minutes ago before we started talking about Mr. Versace fantasizing about—”

The rumble that vibrated against the inner walls of his throat simply made me roll my eyes at his obvious dominance.

“We wasted our time! We’re late for Jack’s diabolical plan and I don’t want to even know how he’s going to react when we return after fucking up all his planning, not to mention Quil’s hard work with the dress. And don’t get me started with King even allowing us to use his laboratory for these payback shenanigans, and—”

“Do I make you more nervous than that Joker?”

His question was so abrupt, I literally needed a few seconds to comprehend what he’d just asked.

“What?”

“Do I make you nervous in comparison to Zane,” he repeated but revealed who he was referring to.

I still was trying to figure out why he was even asking such a question. I mean, I didn’t feel nervous—I think—but now that I was being bluntly asked, I wasn’t so sure.

“Um…” I was really struggling to formulate responses today, and I was kind of hoping I could blame my recovering state for my odd behavior, but my silence simply made Ace nod before he let me go.

“You can go pee now.”

I simply stared at him before I spoke without thinking.

“Meaning you want me to pee on you?”

He was blushing in literally three seconds flat. Suddenly, he literally pushed me off to the other side of the pink couch as he proceeded to stand up.

“I’ll be outside.”

“Hey! Don’t go running away! You’re not even in the proper state to be acting foolish-EEP!” I shrieked when Ace waivered, and it took all my strength to maneuver us so when we went crashing down, we thankfully landed back on the couch. Only this time, I was pinned beneath Ace.

“Fuck,” he cursed. “I should have opted to take a power nap when Quil told me to take one.”

“Shit, Ace! Are you actually okay?” Now I was seriously worried, but he let out a grunt and managed to turn us over before he slumped onto the floor with me right between his legs. “A-Ace?”

I swear I couldn’t fucking think properly when I was in his personal space and vice versa, but he suddenly pulled me against him as if he wished to hug me like our lives depended on it.

“I fucking hate all of this.”

Huh?

His aggravated huff expressed his obvious frustration as if he’d truly had enough of this bullshit, but I couldn’t figure out what he was so upset about.

“Are you mad because of this whole Coven fiasco?”

It was the first thing I could blame for his obvious anger, and I guessed I couldn’t really blame him. It was thanks to him and the others that I managed to survive my Coven’s malicious plans, but the sacrifice of his and the rest of the pack’s time and resources on my behalf was probably pissing him off.

“I know helping me is unexpected, so it makes sense if you’re frustrated with me or feel like I’m a burden, but I don’t want it stressing you out to the point that you become unwell. So what can I do to—”

“You’re not a fucking burden, Auri,” he grunted into my shoulder before cursing under his breath. “Just… be quiet for two seconds so I can shut these voices up.”

Voices?

I held my tongue as I felt the slight tension creeping into Ace’s body as he kept muttering under his breath. Some words were obvious—curse words and other insults that I was beginning to realize weren’t directed at me.

It was like he was insulting himself or whatever these “voices” were that were nagging or trying to tell him how to react. It got to the point where his breathing was so uneven, I was frightened he’d go into a full-blown panic attack, but what could I do without my magic?

I didn’t have any herbs or medicine that I could plunge into his flesh and inject happy hormones that would calm him entirely, and with my magic levels so low that I couldn’t pull off simplistic spells, I didn’t have any other logical options available to me.

Zane’s boost may have empowered me, but I couldn’t use that funnel of magic to help because it would be like an insult to him.

What do I do? How can I help him?

I didn’t want to panic and worsen Ace’s state of mind, but I feared he’d hurt himself or do something that these “voices” were trying to convince him to do. Not once had I even considered asking about Ace’s mental health, even when I found out that Lucy had been manipulating him for all these years.

That should have been one of the top priorities that entered my mind, and yet it had literally gone over my head.

Now I was dealing with the consequences of my blind-sightedness.

“Aura?” I didn’t expect Zane’s voice to fill my mind, and the shock almost made me flinch, but I fought against my own nerves to keep myself calm for Ace’s sake. “What’s wrong, baby? Why are you frightened?”

Zane!

I wanted to ask how he managed to sense my discomfort when he wasn’t even around, but I couldn’t get distracted.

It’s Ace. He’s not feeling well. I’m not sure if it’s because of his fever or exhaustion, but he’s hearing voices and arguing with them, and I’m just worried he’s going to hurt himself, but I don’t know what to do to calm him down! I don’t want to use the magic I have left because… well… it has our energy and I feel it may be insulting to him, but I also have no herbs or medicine on hand. I don’t want to call the others because maybe this is a secret Ace hasn’t revealed to them because he’s their Alpha, but I don’t know what else to do!

I hadn’t experienced this sense of helplessness in a really long time.

“He doesn’t have any weapons on him, right?”

No.

“Are you two sitting?”

Yes. On the floor in front of a couch.

“He’s holding you?”

Ya. Hugging me.

Zane took a moment to think before he softly encouraged, “Kiss his neck.”

Huh?

“You need to calm him down and distract him as well. It never crossed my mind that Ace may deal with withdrawal effects from Lucy’s mind control. If what Jack mentioned was true, he’s been dealing with this since the day he rejected you, which was a good two decades ago. I’m not sure if it was a daily manipulation or happened on a weekly basis, but regardless, that shit was suddenly cut off so it’s going to have a negative effect on him,” Zane explained, clearly trying to break it down to help him understand it as well. “If he’s experiencing a fever, that could be another side effect of pushing himself without giving himself a break. Exhaustion, fever, stress, and further withdrawals from the manipulation spells could be why he’s hearing voices. If you calm him down and relax him, he’ll focus less on what they’re saying and more on you.”

Are you okay with me doing that?

Even if Ace and I had history, I was officially bonded to Zane now. I didn’t want to disrespect him by getting really intimate with Ace behind his back. He’d been perfectly fine with the others in the pack kissing and hugging me, but when it came to Ace, I knew things were different.

“I’m fine with it, Aura,” he urged and added, “He’s suffered enough. He doesn’t need to deal with this.”

I couldn’t ask him to elaborate, but having his permission gave me a bit more peace of mind because I really did appreciate Zane’s opinion in tricky times like these where I wasn’t in my comfort zone.

Having his support did a lot more good than he probably realized.

“The meeting is starting in ten minutes. If you need me to stall, just say so. The tension here is annoying, but if you’re frightened Ace will do something that will seriously hurt him, don’t leave his side.”

Okay. I’ll keep you posted. Thank you, Zane.

“Anytime, baby. Be safe for me.”

I focused on reality, all my attention on Ace. I slowly moved my hands until they were further spread across his back. He tensed up just a little bit as if he were trying to figure out what I was doing, but I worked on rubbing his back at a pace he could easily follow along with while I slowed my own breathing.

My inhales were deep while my exhales were drawn out, and I noticed that he’d stopped talking. He seemed to work on mimicking my breathing technique. I did it again and again while I rubbed his back to further comfort him.

When I sensed that he was beginning to relax, I turned my head just enough to very lightly graze his neck. The touch was just a smidge, but it seemed to be more powerful than my rubbing technique as his limbs began to further ease out of their locked state.

I took it a step further—my lips lightly brushing the side of his neck. It was longer this time, and the deliberate pace made him quietly moan at my delivery of affection.

“Auri.” His voice was barely there, as if he were too exhausted to even say anything, but he forced himself to say something that would encourage me to continue.

I kissed his neck again, sucking his flesh very tenderly with my lips before trailing my tongue around the sensitive spot. He didn’t stop himself from moaning as his hands further gripped me.

Whatever lingering tension was left in his body was finally gone, and I took advantage of that by really kissing the nape of his neck and teasing his flesh with a pinch of my teeth.

His moan was far too pleasing, my body reacting to it like he’d given me permission to satisfy his needs. I kept going, my lips further taunting that specific spot again and again.

If it wasn’t for Ace’s hand that lightly ran through my hair so he could very gently pull my head back, I would have kept going until I was sure things would have escalated into something far more passionate than leaving hickeys on his neck.

I thought he’d kiss me from the way our eyes locked and his slowly moved down to my swollen lips, but instead, he leaned in to press his forehead against mine.

“I’m okay, Auri,” he confessed so low, I almost missed it. “The voices stopped.”

“Ace…” Goodness, I didn’t know what to say right now. Sorry for not noticing he could have been struggling? Sorry for kissing him without permission? Sorry for being a burden and pushing him to the brink of exhaustion? Sorry that I didn’t clue about the amount of suffering he went through all because he was destined to love me?

There was so much to be sorry for and yet I didn’t even feel like it was my place to apologize right now. Anything I said could either make him feel like shit for letting his struggles come to the surface or ignite another layer of problems we had with one another.

“I… I…”

I don’t want to fuck this up. I don’t want to say something that leads to us arguing again. I want to be a supportive person in his life without us falling back into this cycle of what we used to be. I was tired of questioning why our destinies had been fucked up by all those who wished to tear us apart. How the hell do I tell him that? How do we… start over?

“You know I came to the realization that I sucked at communicating at ten years old.”

His sudden words were unexpected, but I didn’t move as our foreheads remained pressed against each other like pillars that needed one another for support.

“Anywhere I went, I got bullied. Shunned. Was called names and pushed to a corner. It didn’t matter what type of words or level of vocabulary I used to express my emotions, intentions, or what those hurtful words and actions were doing to me. It felt like I was talking to a wall and even that surface didn’t want to listen to what I was begging to express to the world,” he elaborated. “It got to a point where I was so frustrated that I stopped talking in general.”

I wasn’t expecting him to admit that, and it that reminded me of those first two weeks after the incident where I didn’t say a word.

Where I stared out the window of the hospital room and watched the days and nights go by.

“If no one was going to listen to me, certainly that meant my communication sucked, right? It was only logical.” He laughed a bit to himself before he let out a long sigh. “Back then, Ezra wasn’t in a very good state either. I mean, we’d just rejected our mate and didn’t fucking understand why. I didn’t know what possessed me… what encouraged me to dare say those words when I… I was the happiest boy in the fucking world. All of that was broken by one damn sentence, and it seemed those haunting words now silenced me from being heard from everyone else. My own wolf didn’t want to fucking talk to me, and I just didn’t know whom else to talk to.”

He paused, needing a moment to breathe.

“But there was always this female voice. Sometimes I thought it was you because I heard it in my dreams. It was telling me that I did the right thing, that my rejection was valid and I’d saved everyone I loved. It didn’t make any sense honestly. How did I save everyone I loved when my parents were slain before my eyes and I’d shattered the heart of my own destined mate? My life was a miserable cycle of pain, sadness, and anger, and to add to my misery, I’d be forced to be around you from afar. Forced to see the woman who was mine begin to grow and go through all those harsh challenges you faced on your own while I wasn’t allowed to be near you. To talk to you. To just hug you when I knew things were so fucking hard. It was as if I had to be forced to be the bad guy, and it wasn’t fair. None of it was fair.”

He let out a huff before he pulled back to look into my eyes. He looked so tired, his emotions all painted on the lines of his face. He was sad, angry, and completely drained. Like he’d gone to war and fought a battle he’d been desperate to win so he could return to the good days where life wasn’t so hard.

“Every day I tried to reach you, Auri. Every day… I’d attempt to call you, text you, reach out to you mentally. The number of times I simply wanted to leave my post from protecting you from afar and just use my fucking words to tell you that I was sorry… that I wanted to start fucking over and just love you properly… Fuck… there was so much fucking shit stopping me.” He was literally fighting tears at the mere memories. “Every night those voices would nag me. That constant female voice was telling me I did the right thing, and yet when I saw you from afar each day, I always regretted it. How could it be right if it didn’t feel that way in the depths of my own wounded heart? My wolf simply wanted his mate back, and I… I…” He actually paused as a single set of tears left his eyes. “I wanted my best friend back.”

Shit…

Tears were running down my face before I could acknowledge their wet presence.

“My best friend understood me. You always fucking got me. I didn’t need to say a word and you knew when I was fighting my own damn demons when we were simply children ourselves, but no one else wanted to pay attention to me the way you always did. I vowed that when you turned sixteen, I’d gather the courage to finally tell you. To just let it all out and be free of the burden that had been weighing me down for so damn long. That night we made love, fuck. It was so magical. So freeing. A true glimpse of how amazing my life could be with you in it. I wanted so desperately to say everything… and then things went south yet again… and I had to make a choice.”

“A… choice?” My voice trembled with sadness.

“If I remained in NYC, they would kill you and put the blame on me. If I left and kept my distance, they wouldn’t bother you. You’d be free to excel like you were without me in your life… Those were my choices. I was given no time to try to come back and tell you about it. I just had to disappear.” He laughed at that sentence as he shook his head. “I’m good at that one.”

“Ace… I didn’t know.”

“You weren’t supposed to.” He made it sound as if it were such a simple answer to a tricky equation. “For you to even know the truth… to finally know that I didn’t want this life for us… I envisioned what it would be like to finally tell you. To reveal that I’d been but a puppet to the Coven because they’re so obsessed with having power at their fingertips that they wouldn’t dare share it with any other supernatural race. There were so many plots made to try to get rid of Aries and you didn’t even know. They put poison in your drinks and I’d have to magically do shit pull it out. Then they tried tampering with your pills and shit. I paid people on the inside to ensure whatever meds you were taking from them weren’t altered, at least until you started making your own medication and herbal remedies. Staying away from you was the hardest thing of all, but I knew if I didn’t find a pack that could stand up against the Coven, we’d be playing a losing game for the rest of our lives. I couldn’t let us be pawns forever, so that’s why I set off to find the holders of the other cards.”

He seemed so relieved to finally share the truth.

“I’m sure Lucy is going to try to do anything she can to get a chance to mind control me again, like she has with half of the Coven members. She’s probably the mastermind behind all this madness with Elder Etna as her supporter in every angle. If it were their choice, they would have had her on the Coven and not you.”

“Because I’m a hybrid, right?”

“No,” Ace actually denied and shook his head. “They kept saying something about a contract Valentine made when you were a baby that needs to be severed, but they never found a way to cut it, let alone find the magical documents to get rid of it. But I think I know what they’re referring to. It would make sense.”

“What do you think they’re hinting at?”

“Fae blood,” he acknowledged. “They know you’re a triple hybrid.”

“If they knew, why didn’t they tell me?”

“They don’t want you tapping into any of your shifter abilities, Aurelia. They want you to solely focus on your witch capabilities. The more you spread yourself out with your other shifter traits, the more powerful and wise you’d become. You’d also be given more access to resources outside the Coven. You’d make connections and alliances with other powerful packs and organizations, which would simply make you more independent. They don’t want you relying on yourself or inevitably tapping into your Alpha abilities. Your father was obviously an Alpha wolf, which means you’re destined to lead. They can’t make you into the perfect puppet if you’re resilient, Aurelia.” He paused as he slowly reached out to lift my hand, our gazes landing on the mark in the middle of my palm. “Now match that with royal fae traits. The Coven would be smothered. They wouldn’t be able to control you, let alone attempt to tell you what to do. I know… you’ve craved to be in a pack and build your own foundation. That’s what they’re desperate to stop. It’s an infatuation they have no intention of fixing, and that’s why they’re doing all of this.”

He needed a moment to simply breathe while he held my hand in his grasp.

“They hate Zane’s guts and fear his hidden heritage because none of them can figure out if he’s simply an OP warlock or a triple hybrid like the rest of the pack are, and yet they called him to meet with them to try to locate you so they could save you from your ‘kidnappers’. They don’t care about your safety. They’ve hired people in the past to try to kidnap you, just like they contributed to those fiends who ended up killing your grandma. They’re simply afraid the ritual unlocked a set of knowledge you’re not supposed to know.”

“Do you think the ritual was what triggered this bond mark?” I quietly asked.

“Maybe.” He didn’t sound too sure. “I think it may have something to do with King’s magic because he’s a fae.”

“You said our pack is all triple hybrids,” I began as if the idea had just clicked. “Doesn’t that mean you’re one too?”

“Yes.” He didn’t hide it, but it felt like he wasn’t going to elaborate on it either.

“Okay.” That was good enough for me. At least for now. “Is there a way for us to ensure Lucy can’t get access to your mind again?” I said, attempting to reel the conversation back to him.

“There’s a way,” he admitted. “I simply don’t agree with it.”

“What is it?” Why wouldn’t he agree to do something that will ensure that bitch doesn’t have access to his mind anymore.

“We have to reignite our bond,” he announced and slowly let go of my hand. He ran his hands through his hair as if to comb out those locks that were out of place before he returned his gaze to see my surprise. “Shocking, right?”

“No.” I shook my head for added emphasis. “I’m not shocked about that. I’m still not understanding why you’d disagree.”

He stared at me for a long moment before he offered his hand. I didn’t hesitate to place mine in his before he encouraged us to rise. He was still a bit off-balance, but he corrected himself and stayed still to ensure he didn’t feel lightheaded.

“You told me I had to earn it, remember?” he offered as if I’d forgotten completely. “Why would I pull you back into a bond that I broke?”

“But it wasn’t intentional.”

“It doesn’t make the hurt we endured all those years simply vanish either,” he countered. “You went through far more pain than I did: the ridicule, the mental, emotional, and physical agony involved. I can fight that bitch’s control with other means. I could even ask that dumb warlock if he has any spells or knows of an artifact that can temporarily block out her attempts. Either way, unless it’s last resort, I won’t force you to bond with me just so my life is easier.”

I was actually left speechless by his words.

“We have to go,” he announced and pinched his nose. “I told Jack we needed a bit more time and I wasn’t feeling well. I’m sure he reached out to the warlock to grant us some time, but we can’t push it. Quil also has to get you into that dress.” He looked over his shoulder and added, “Go pee.”

He glanced away before making his way to the door but stopped as my arms hooked around his waist, and I pulled him into a tight hug.

“Auri…”

“I need to know one thing,” I muffled against his flesh. “Can we… start over?”

The way his body stiffened confirmed he hadn’t expected that in the slightest, but I couldn’t wait for Aries or anyone else to advise me before making this decision.

I needed to do this for myself, and it had to be done here and now if I wanted to be able to tackle everything else we were dealing with.

“What?” he finally gasped.

“I know the Coven wishes for me to reject you completely. Saying that by doing so… it’ll be the end of you. No way would I ever spitefully reject you in return… because… well…” I struggled to admit it, but I closed my eyes and simply stated it. “I still care about your dearly. Whatever was unlocked by the ritual… makes me want to care again… even if it hurts, but now that I know the truth, how can I not wish to try again? To give our love the chance it actually deserves? We may not have time right now, and I know after this, our next priority is getting Aries unlocked so I can then go be of aid to Willow before the morning comes and she has to potentially deal with the madness of what is being spread around, but I at least wish for us… to not be so vile to one another. To be on equal terms. I’m not sure what I want, but I just know that no matter what the world has tried to tear us apart, we’re still here. We’re still connected, even if that connection has brought us a lot of heartaches.” I took a breath then squeezed him before I let go and took a step back. He turned around to face me. “So I want us to try—”

He didn’t let me finish as he cradled my face in one second and kissed me firmly the next. The kiss started and ended just as quickly, but it lit my insides on fire, while my whole face was surely red from the unexpected move.

“You have to promise me that you won’t make it easy for me,” he whispered as he stared into my eyes. “That you’re not going to just give yourself to me out of pity.” His thumb reached out to trail down my bottom lip. “You’ll make my dumb ass work for it, and no matter the challenges we have ahead to face, we won’t reignite the bond until we’re both ready to do so. Is that something you can agree with?”

I actually liked what he was offering. It made me feel far more valued than he surely realized.

“I can agree to that,” I whispered in compliance, and he slowly nodded before he seemed to force himself to let go of me.

“Then that’s set,” he began and didn’t bother to hide his exhausted smile. I hadn’t seen him show such emotion in a hot minute. “We’re starting over. You and me.”

We shared a look that was beyond comforting, and though I was sure we had many hurdles upon the horizon to face, this was a big change neither of us could have expected.

Now that I knew a little bit more about what the Coven had been doing behind the scenes, I realized why Ace was so uptight and angered at the fact I was neglecting Aries—or my “wolf side.” I was walking the very path the Coven yearned for me to continue on while my true destiny lay beyond my magic qualities.

After all of this is done, I have to focus on figuring things out.

I thought I had a true game plan within my mind, but this day simply had to come to an end so everything else could flow into motion.

With a grin, I offered my hand to Ace, who rewarded me with an eyebrow raise.

“What?”

“Aurelia,” I began and noticed the lines of realization as to what I was doing. “Aurelia Delianna Clementine.”

He reached out to grasp my hand, but then he lifted it up until his lips pressed firmly against the back—his eyes never leaving mine.

“Ace Ezra Maximus,” he began as his eyes further softened. “Ace Hunter is my real name.”

The way my eyes softened at his admission made my heart actually swell at this moment I thought would never occur in my entire existence. I’d had plenty of dreams where we’d one day make up or things would simply change with a snap of a finger, but this predicament and change was certainly something neither of us had expected.

And that was a good thing when going against an organization that was trying to figure out our every move.

“Are you going to tell me what your final shifter trait is?” I had to ask randomly because it was nagging my damn brain.

Ace simply smirked and let go of my hand.

“No.”

“C’mon,” I reasoned. “You’re an Alpha wolf, and obviously a wizard. So the third one is?”

“I don’t kiss and tell,” he declared and reached for the door.

Glancing back just to see my pouting lips, he allowed himself to further smile before he whispered, “I’m sure you’ll find out with our temporary truce.”

“Temporary truce,” I repeated the words and rolled my eyes. “You’re fucking that up real fast.”

“Nah,” he said, confidence in his voice as he looked away. “I know you’ll be the one to screw that one up, Auri. But when you do, I’ll be there.” He paused to pull open the door. “And know that with whatever battle we have awaiting our arrival, I’ll always be by your side. Even if you don’t always see it.”

He left me there in the silent room, and I mentally confirmed that this moment was going to change my entire life before I even realized it.

It’s time to start the diabolical plan of mayhem.

6

TEMPORARY TRUCE AND DO NOT FEAR

“Itold you they were fuck—”

“We weren’t fucking!” we snapped back before Jack could finish, which sent him on a whimsical round of laughter.

“You two get lost or something?” King inquired. He was leaning against the fence part of his mini enclosure where he threw his kidnapped prey in for questioning—or the basic aesthetic of a torture room.

He was spinning a golden blade in his grasp which led to me looking back to see Mr. Versace was back—alive and with his head attached — but his body had practically been skinned from his neck down to his toes. However, his swim briefs seemed to be intact.

The agony painted on the man’s face left me wondering if he regretted not telling King shit—even after his head fucking exploded. When our eyes locked, the man gathered enough energy to swing his body so he’d spin away, which made King take a peek at his effort.

“Aww. Guess he learned his lesson,” King dryly declared while the deep rumble in his voice told me he still wasn’t satisfied with the man’s current punishment. “If I leave him up there long enough, maybe he’ll get sepsis and die.”

“How did you skin him without getting blood on his briefs?” I had to ask.

“Cloaked it with a layer of magic that makes blood and fine fabric repellent to one another. Kind of like water and oil,” King disclosed. “Seeing as it really did work, his briefs are legit and not that fake shit.”

“Shouldn’t you be asking why he got skinned, Sweetie?” Jack suggested.

“Oh, I don’t care,” I voiced and shrugged. “I’m only going to assume he didn’t give King the information he wanted even though he experienced getting shot, soul burned, and having his head explode.”

“Ding ding ding!” Jack replied and clapped his hands. “You’re right! This is why I was telling King to just let him hang there for a few hours and if sepsis comes knocking on his door, let him enjoy feeling every organ in his body shut down but force his heart to still beat until we come back! It’s a brilliant plan if you ask me.”

“Because you made it,” King groaned and paused in spinning his knife. “You guys didn’t say why you took so long?”

Ace didn’t say anything, so I replied with, “My booty is so big and heavy that Ace slipped across your imported tiles and took out his back. I had to help him crack it in place before I was finally privileged to use the bathroom.”

“Your back is weak as fuck,” King tossed back to Ace, who cussed him out while his eyes were on Mr. Versace.

“Ace. What are you—” I didn’t finish because he legit summoned a gun of blood yet again and shot the man a few more times. I didn’t think he had any blood left in his body, but clearly, that was incorrect because it was flowing like water onto the floor while the man’s eyes rolled back like he was having a seizure.

“Now, now, now,” Jack began after a long whistle. “What was that for?”

“You mean it’s not because of his anger issues?” King feigned surprise. “Shocking.”

“Actually, why did you shoot him?” I pressed Ace before muttering, “You gotta show me how to make a gun out of my blood.”

The look he gave me was a clear “no,” but he answered the prime question.

“If he was able to go through all that shit and still not confess who he’s working for, then that means his purpose is to get information from us,” Ace said, getting to the point. “No one in their right mind would endure soul-scorching pain and still remain loyal to whomever they’re working for.”

Shit… he’s right.

“You know who he’s working for,” King said in all seriousness as he walked over to us. “Are you thinking he’s associated with the Coven?”

That got my interest before Jack tsked and drew our attention to him. He was now sitting cross-legged on a rolly chair, holding a red file in his grasp.

“The Coven is far too weak and poor to afford someone of this man’s capabilities,” Jack disclosed. “Which means he’s working for our ultimate enemy.”

“The Vile Queen,” Ace answered.

“How would you know for sure?” I asked before I looked around and realized Quil wasn’t even here. “Where did Quil go?”

“Ah…” Jack began as he summoned a wand in his grasp with a snap of his fingers. Then he tapped the tip to his lips as if he were trying to find the right answer, his pink eyes twinkling with intrigue before they sparked with excitement. “He’ll be back in five… four…”

He kept counting down, but he flicked his hand which pointed the wand to his right. A spark of pink surged out of the tip and ignited a portal of spiraling pink and silver.

All we could do was peer at it as the other side became crystal clear. A man was racing towards it—his eyes locking onto me which simply ignited more fear in his already terrified eyes.

He literally screeched to a stop as he stared back at me—his hands going up as if to plead with me before he dropped to his knees.

“P-P-Please! Don’t kill me yet! Give me another chance!”

“Um…” I didn’t understand. “Is he speaking to me?”

I didn’t realize Ace’s hand was protectively around my waist until he pulled me into his side while his aura spiked to a dangerous high. King was on my left side, and the three of us were looking at the man who was shaking uncontrollably and covered in multiple wounds.

“Please… Your Majesty, pleas-AH!” The man couldn’t finish because a black claw that was big enough to wrap around his body pulled him back into the shadows of the forest.

What followed were screams that led to breaking bones and choking gurgles. We couldn’t see what was destroying this man because of how dark the surroundings were, but maybe we didn’t want to know.

And then there was silence.

“Now, Quil. You’re late by twenty seconds,” Jack announced. “We have a show to put on. You can finish your food later.”

The gruesome, eerie sound that responded literally made goosebumps rise to the surface of my arms while a cold shiver ran down my spine. I now sensed the crippling power oozing out from the other side and the scent of blood and death.

The creature took a few steps out of the darkness it so perfectly blended in with, and I knew right away what we were looking at because I’d seen images of their king in books.

“Unseelie?” I still carried a hint of hesitation in guessing what we were looking at, but King took a step forward and bobbed his head. “Yup. Unseelie wolf form, to be fair. What the fuck triggered that side to come out before we wreck shit up?”

“Our lovely Coven pals that are impatiently waiting for us to start our meeting thought it would be smart to try to ambush us,” Jack hummed. “Too bad they’re stupid enough to follow the fake location we gave out, using a hint of Aurelia’s magic to give them the impression she was with us. Didn’t think they would take the bait, but having a strand of Aurelia’s hair helped.”

“When did you…” I trailed off as I recalled when I was sandwiched between Jack and Quil—specifically when Quil had moved a few of my strands out of the way. “Wow. That was actually smooth.”

“So they tried to locate us so they could jump us,” King began. “Why would they have needed Zane, then, if that was their intention?”

“They probably would have used him to get Aurelia out of the fake warehouse we set up for our illusion,” Jack disclosed like it was a no big deal. “Obviously they can’t do that now. Looks pretty damn shameful to send one hundred elite wizard assassins to come to a forest that they chose as the meeting spot to only fail when put up against one hybrid.”

Jack giggled and began twirling his wand between his fingers. “No wonder why they hate us triple hybrids. Always fucking up their plans and making them look stupid. Hey, Quil, you coming here or what?”

The Unseelie wolf growled menacingly, the action revealing a set of black teeth that were oozing with shadow energy. I bet his damn mouth could be a portal to the dark world—if there was such thing—but I wouldn’t deny that this hybrid wolf form of the dark fae was beyond frightening.

And a tad bit exciting.

“Alpha!” Jack whined and looked at Ace. “Unseelie Quil won’t listen to me.”

“No shit,” Ace huffed and pinched his nose. “I don’t have enough energy to deal with Quil right now.”

“Is it that bad?” I asked and looked to King for some sort of answer.

“Well… kinda,” he responded before adding, “Unseelies are lethal dark fae that can go on killing rampages. The fact that Quil’s one-third nymph means his skills affect water, which means he can not only poison the lakes of NYC but can change the levels of precipitation which, in weather terms, means he can spike the probability of rain to 100%. Combine that with the cold temperatures and we’re looking at ice, rain, or hail, and that’s going to fuck up NYC’s streets or ignite a deadly blizzard that destroys our electricity grids, which will leave all of us without heat, and probably put us in an emergency lockdown that fucks up everyone’s plans.”

We all looked at him in horror before he blinked innocently and returned our gazes with a nervous one. “I think we should encourage Quil to change back for the sake of humanity.”

“Right,” Ace drawled but he really didn’t look like he had the energy to do it.

“Can I try?”

“No.” All three of them shut me down super fast, which had me rolling my eyes and walking towards the portal before any of them could try to stop me.

“Fuck, Auri! Quil’s not going to recognize you!”

“Well, we’re about to find out,” I declared. I lifted my fingers to my lips and made a high-pitched whistle sound to grasp the Unseelie wolf’s attention. “Quil.”

That got his glowing eyes locked on me, and the mere connection summoned the purple crystals that began spinning around me protectively.

“We’ve got diabolical plans to initiate so you need to come over here and change back,” I declared while crossing my arms over my chest. With a mere blink, the wolf wasn’t only right before the portal, but it screaming at us with enough force that anything that was glass in the room shattered.

“Shit!” Ace cursed while King hissed, “He’s going to fuck up our eardrums.”

The pitch of the scream didn’t seem to bother me or Jack, but seeing King and Ace in an uncomfortable situation ticked me off to the point that I reacted without thinking.

And karate-chopping what I was going to assume was his nose.

Jack whistled as the flowing sound came to a dramatic stop at my exciting move. Poor Unseelie Quil yelped and took a step back while I simply kept my calm as my eyes darkened with the hint of magic I’d been reserving within me.

“You got to go on a killing spree. Now I need you so I can wear something other than Ace’s T-shirt,” I huffed but quickly added, “which I’m keeping, by the way.”

“Women and keeping men’s clothes,” Ace groaned. “Ow. My head kills.”

“Thank Mother Moon we don’t deal with that shit on the regular,” King complained.

“GRAWR!” Unseelie Quil screeched but flinched when I raised my hand again.

“Don’t make me do that again!” I huffed. “This doesn’t count as animal abuse.”

“I wish I were in Quil’s shoes,” Jack whined. “Imagine being hit by Sweetie. Ah. Makes me hard even thinking about the pain her touch could ignite!”

“Just admit you’re turned on by pain,” Ace complained. “C’mon, Quil. Zane can’t distract them forever here.”

“At this rate, we’re never going to get this meeting started,” King noted. “Should have anticipated this.”

“I did,” Jack proudly replied. “Why else would I set this all up and encourage Quil to join in the theatrics? This aligns everything perfectly for the second layer of our diabolical plan.”

“But the meeting hasn’t started,” I purposely reminded him while my eyes remained on Unseelie Quil. To be brutally honest, he was a little bit cute in an eerie “I can plague the world in eternal darkness” type of way.

“Yes, because the ball is now in our court thanks to their premature attempt to try to ambush us before the meeting began,” Jack disclosed. “I really didn’t think they would try it, but this makes my life far easier while giving me more power than I expected. It also proves that they still need Aurelia.”

“Grawr?” Unseelie Quil turned his head to one side and observed me at the new angle.

“I think Quil is asking why?” I decided to attempt to translate.

“Correct,” King approved with a sigh. “Which means he’s coming back to his senses. He’ll be less dangerous now that he’s on the verge of switching back. Give him a minute or two.”

“Gives me time to explain,” Jack hummed as he spun his chair around. “If they didn’t need Aurelia, they wouldn’t be going to this extent to quietly retrieve her after the ritual. Timing surely has to be in our favor for shit to go down with De Luca the same night of the Coven ritual. Whether they planned this or not, they’re desperate to retrieve Aurelia, which also gives us an advantage because we can request whatever we want.”

“There’s no way they’ll go with whatever you want,” I voiced and tried to ignore the nagging urge to pet Unseelie Quil. He was still observing me with glowing red eyes that stood out against his midnight blue fur that was mixed with the black shadows.

“You’re not understanding how valuable you are, Sweetie.” Jack sounded disappointed. “As of now, you’ve just joined their organization and awakened loads of information that can be at your disposal. Obviously, you’ll need to tap into it over time, but if they can’t get a hold of you, you’ll be able to tap into anything seen from generations of witches in the Clementine heritage. Now match that with their inability to control you and you’re a living, breathing thorn stuck in their side. Those men they sent after you were far too skilled, which means they’re from the same set of killers as Mr. Versace over there.”

I peered over to the hanging man to confirm that he was still unconscious—or dead.

“So you’re saying the Vile Queen is working with the Coven?” I offered. “And she sent those agents to retrieve me from the ‘kidnappers.’ Does that mean the Coven and the Vile Queen are allies?”

“No.” King actually spoke up, which surprised me. “We’ve been trying to connect the two together because it’s clear they seem focused on the same people of interest, but it looks like they’re not working together at all.”

“Who were they interested in prior to me?” I asked.

“William De Luca,” Ace responded. “Just like the Coven. I’m sure they’re both intrigued by him and the Forbidden Pack because of all the million- and billion-dollar deals they’re securing all over NYC, which makes them a huge power piece in whatever bullshit we’re playing.”

“If that’s the case, why is the Vile Queen getting involved, and how does the Coven know our delayed meeting is because of the Vile Queen’s minions?” I asked.

None of them seemed to have an answer.

“Someone’s on both sides.”

I blinked and looked forward to see Quil was standing right in front of me.

A very naked Quil.

I couldn’t stop myself from looking all the way down, then up, and debating whether to linger on his fine six-pack or the very long rod between his legs.

Okay, the rod fucking won because damn. I thought Ace and Zane were rocking some good lollipops, but this?

The whistle sound that drifted into the air was solely from me while I bobbed my head in approval.

“Y’all got some serious competition.” Suddenly, my eyes were covered and I was pulled back right into a firm chest that I knew was Ace. “Hey! Ace.”

“Stop checking him out!”

“You’re just mad I was comparing him to you!”

“Whatever,” he grumbled. He was surely going to say something to combat me but I interrupted with, “Don’t go saying you’re the Alpha so it doesn’t matter if his Willy Wonka is the golden ticket to Pleasure Havana!”

“Willy what?” King snickered.

“Golden ticket to Pleasure Havana,” Quil repeated. “That’s a good way of deciphering a female’s orgasm.”

“The more you hang out with Sweetie, the easier it’s gonna be to get her terms, King,” Jack acknowledged.

“You make it seem like you hang out with her all the time,” King combated.

“I don’t,” Jack began. “That’s Quil’s job: to be around while he reads and Sweetie makes herbs in her fancy lab at the Coven. I just stalk her whenever I feel like it.”

“Which is all the time,” Quil elaborated.

“Which is why I know Sweetie’s terms!” he cheered in return.

“Back on topic.” Ace sounded like he wished to give up on us apparently having this meeting. I tugged on his hands to move them from covering my eyes which gave me one more glimpse of the naked triple hybrid god, that should have been a goddess, before a rush of water materialized and spun around his body until he was clothed again in a white outfit.

“Boo,” I whined while Ace removed his hand from me. “At least I have masturbation material.”

That made Quil smirk before he replied, “If you want to fuck, Aurelia, just say the word.” He winked. “We can always get a rain check for our date.”

Now I was as red as a tomato.

“Let’s get moving.” Ace clapped his hands to emphasize his words, but I still had a question that wasn’t explained properly.

“You never answered why Mr. Versace over there is working with the Vile Queen instead of the Coven. I mean, I don’t know if he was trafficking females and children like the other allergic reaction douche was, but Ace shot him so he wouldn’t see what we’re doing next. Why?”

“His pain tolerance is too high,” Ace revealed. “No matter what shifter type you are, pain tolerance has to be earned. In order for shifters to gain such high levels of tolerance, they have to be tortured for an extensive amount of time without the ability to heal themselves. Such tactics don’t happen by doing these things once a week. It requires weeks if not months of daily torture. The guy looks Russian, and I do sense a wolf shifter in him, so that potentially means he could have come from one of those torture camps. Russia has loads of them and they’re so well hidden because of the mountains and extensive amount of snow. The talk in the underground is that the Vile Queen kidnaps shifters from across the world. Many of them have no idea until they’re in the middle of a mission and they suddenly get knocked out or chained by a magic collar that’s a pain in anyone’s ass to get off. The moment you’re in her hands, you’re in torture central, and only a few of those who survive the madness are able to remain by her side.”

He pointed to unconscious Mr. Versace. “He should have confessed after the head explosion. The soul-burning flames were just an added bonus. The fact that he didn’t and King had to skin him alive proves he’s used to this level of pain and won’t back down until he can escape.”

“He’s not going to escape from here,” I voiced with a frown. “Do you think he’s a good enough assassin to get out of here?”

“He probably believed he would have been saved by his goons who would have ‘infiltrated’ this place. But they think this is a warehouse in the middle of a thick forest,” King explained. “The first line of defense are barriers infused with fae magic. The moment they passed through them, they were teleported to the forest that we have control over with our mock-up warehouse. Sending Quil to deal with them meant they got to the second line of defense and failed. I’m sure their bodies have some sort of tracking devices or magic, so there may be another batch coming soon, but maybe it depends on how this meeting is about to go.”

“The main power players in the Coven as of now are Elder Etna and Lucy. Even if Lucy has the ability to mind control, I doubt she’d be a high enough rank to deal with the Vile Queen.” I was making an assumption.

“Lucy’s not capable of speaking with the Vile Queen,” Ace spoke up like it was a fact. “She’s too cocky. Brash. Very impatient. I can see Elder Etna playing both sides because this is all about power. She already has the upper position in the Coven since Grandma Valentine’s passing, and now with Aunt Beatrice out of the picture, everyone will be looking to her as the leader. If she’s secretly making connections with the Vile Queen and giving her information to appease whatever plans she’s initiating, that has to mean Elder Etna is after something the Vile Queen has.”

“But the real question is what?” King muttered. “Or more importantly, why does it involve Aurelia?”

“Why was the man frightened of Aurelia?” Jack asked randomly.

“I don’t even know,” I responded with a shrug. “Probably doesn’t like my hair? Most people know who I am thanks to the two-toned combination. They also know I’m associated with Willow. With how Willow and the Forbidden Pack have been sweeping up deals and killing anyone who tries to defy them, I’m sure they’re frightened of their wrath.”

“I’ll have to look into these Forbidden members and your best friend,” Jack noted but offered me the red folder. “Keep this with you when you visit your friend after the meeting. There’s loads of Coven information and it looks like the one any Coven leader magically receives after surviving the ritual.”

“Thanks.” I accepted the file and looked to Jack and Quil. “Shouldn’t I get ready for the meeting?”

“Mhmm. I have everything else set,” Jack noted as he maneuvered his wheely chair over to the table I was now noticing was decked out with various screens, a webcam at the top of the largest monitor, and various pink weapons spread along the remaining counter space.

“I hope those aren’t going near me,” I muttered.

“Sadly, they are,” Jack sang as he swung around a few times until his stool came to a stop so he was facing my direction.

“There’s nothing to fear though,” Quil answered from behind me as his hands lightly lay upon my shoulders. The touch triggered a prickling wave of cold energy that ran all the way to my toes.

My hair began to levitate with the flow of foreign magic that tugged at the lingering Coven magic I’d honestly been ignoring this entire time. Now that it was being brought closer to the surface, it was hard to stand still as I felt the need to distance myself.

I ignored the sensation for as long as I could until a low growl left my lips, which encouraged Quil to stop. Ace was in front of me before I could clock his movements, but he simply stared at me for a few seconds before he lightly patted my head.

“Close call,” he said to Quil, but I didn’t understand.

“What was close?”

“Removing the barrier around Aries,” Ace answered.

“I thought that’s what you want to do?” I hated that Aries was still trapped in that prison bullshit, but I knew why Ace was delaying it until we dealt with the Coven negotiations. If I shifted into Aries now, I may not have much control over my body and that would become troublesome if the Coven figured it out.

“Not yet. We need the black magic back to the surface so the Coven can see through the camera that their ritual indeed worked and has you all charged up,” Ace explained.

“Which is why Quil made you that dress,” Jack happily declared.

I glanced down to see I was no longer in Ace’s T-shirt but was wearing a silky black dress that mimicked the one I’d donned for the ritual hours earlier. The dip at the cleavage showed my breasts and my runes were on full display thanks to the dress having no sleeves. The bodice resembled a corset though everything was black in nature, and the bottom half was a very thin black fabric that was layered on the backside while the front side stopped just two inches above my knees.

This dress was a high-low style that Coven members who had earned their upgrades in rank wore almost like robes of honor. I knew some of the dresses were magically made to be in tune with the chosen Coven, which was why they showed up after the chosen individual arose from the ritual.

In my case, it was tricky because my ritual never really finished—since I was ‘kidnapped-aka-saved’—but since we were trying to give off the impression that, despite the interference, I’d successfully completed the ritual, this dress fit the vibe perfectly.

What really amazed me was the sudden energy boost it gave me. The threads of powerful magic rushed through my veins to the point that I felt like an overcharged witch who could take on the fucking world.

“What voodoo epicness did you juice this up with?!” I gasped in delight and spun around to face Quil, who seemed impressed by my reaction.

“A bit of dark fae magic to make you look extra OP in front of your lovely Elders matched with your own magic,” he revealed.

“But I never gave you any of my magic to empower the dress,” I voiced in confusion, to which he simply smirked.

“There are plenty of other ways to extract magic from a person, Sweetie,” Jack disclosed like it was a lovely secret he was dying to share. “Like in the fairy tales where the princess kisses the frog and viola. He’s a prince.”

“You took a bit of my magic from when you kissed me to replenish my magic in the first place,” I summed up. “Man. You should have been a secret assassin instead of what you do now.”

Jack hollered while King smiled at Ace. “Told you he should have been the killer in our pack instead of Jack. At least he cleans up after himself,” King commented.

“I clean up!” Jack argued as he began to spin around once more.

“After you leave a few explosions behind so someone else will clean up for you,” Ace argued. “Are you going to need me to do anything?”

“Nah. Conserve your energy for the after show,” Jack encouraged. “We may need your Alpha abilities for when shit really goes down. King, secure our location and make sure the cameras are all set at our decoy. If we have to go down that route, they’ll send an electric blast to short circuit them, but a bit of your fae juju will do the trick.”

“Got it.” King headed to the door.

“Quil, fix Aurelia’s hair just a bit. It’s too frizzy,” Jack noted. “Then I want you back in the forest. If we go down the ‘fuck shit up’ route, kill all the lower levels. Anyone with a strong aura, leave them alone.”

“Got it,” he replied and slipped his hand in mine. “Come over here, Sunflower. We gotta make you less static-reacting.”

“Static-reacting? Is that the term you use to acknowledge frizzy hair?”

“Mhmm,” he replied.

“Wait, Jack,” I began and squeezed Quil’s hand so he’d come to a stop with me. “What are you planning to do to me exactly?”

“To simply put it, you’re going to sit on a nice black chair like in the forest, only you’re going to be tied up. I’ll make my grand debut and threaten to kill you. The Coven will ask what I want and I’ll give them our demands to let you roam freely without a magic radar on you like they enjoy placing on their Coven members. If they don’t agree, I’ll be a little devilish and collapse their whole empire before the crack of dawn.”

He sounded so confident that I really didn’t think anything could go wrong.

“And if they decide to say fuck it and come find you?”

“Oh, don’t you worry, Sweetie. They’re definitely going to come find us,” Jack sweetly stated as he reached over to grab one of his pink knives. With a spin of the weapon, it multiplied until he was holding the hilts of four blades between his fingers.

“The only difference is that, unlike them, we have very little to sacrifice, which is why we’ll automatically win this contract and more.”

“I guess if you’re confident, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Quil was the one to chuckle very quietly, which encouraged me to peer over to him to see his purple eyes which twinkled with sinister intent.

“Never underestimate anything that involves Jack, Sunflower,” he warned me but further leaned down to whisper in my ear, “But do not fear. Your enemies’ pain will simply bring you great pleasure in return.”

All I could do was slightly nod while my body went on a tumbling rollercoaster of desire thanks to that very dangerous tone of Quil’s voice.

That man can talk and leave a girl’s panties soaked.

“Hmm. I think King put his curling wand in the other compartment. Give me a sec, Sunflower,” Quil announced before he lightly squeezed my hand and let go.

“Time for me to wear my costume,” Jack proudly stated. “You won’t see me until later, Sweetie, so use your imagination, okay?” He was already in front of me and kissing me without a hint of worry.

“The fact that you’re not in the slightest bit worried bothers me.”

There was his laughter, but it was quieter this time.

“The only time anyone needs to worry is when they’re about to lose,” Jack whispered while his eyes narrowed. “I don’t lose, Aurelia. Those manipulative bastards are about to find that out.”

With a defying smirk, he spun around and skipped away which left me standing there watching him turn the corner into what may have been a storage room.

Why can’t I be as confident in my execution?

That really was a question I had to ask myself.

“Where did all my confidence go?” I asked myself under my breath before looking around only to realize Ace wasn’t here. “Ace?”

I frowned and took a whiff of the air. His pine scent was still strong, and even with Aries not presently within me, I had enough hypersensitivity in my five senses to feel confident that he hadn’t left.

Following my instincts, I walked over to the opposite end of the room from where Mr. Versace was still dangling, only to notice a tiny corner.

There was Ace, sitting back against the wall, his head slowly drifting to one side. I knew he had to be tired, and I guessed with Jack’s approval that he wasn’t needed, this was his time to take his power nap.

Glancing back into the room, I found Ace’s shirt that I had been wearing was neatly folded onto the black chair I assumed was the one I’d be tied to in a few minutes. After quietly walking back to retrieve it, I returned to where Ace was and nestled it between the side wall and his head so he wouldn’t hurt his neck by sleeping in such an odd position.

The action made him stir just a little, but he further nestled against the side wall, which made his head press perfectly into the folded cloth.

With a grin of satisfaction, I lightly brushed his cheek with my finger.

“Get some rest, Alpha,” I whispered in admiration.

When all this chaos was over, I hoped to really give Aries the opportunity to enjoy the dynamics of being in a pack. No matter if we were destined to be an Alpha, we wouldn’t take such a position until we experienced and learned the value of such leadership.

Until then, the best man to tame a bunch of psychos is Ace.

Rising up and taking a deep breath, I glanced at the window to see the full moon was still high in the sky.

“Operation: Blackmail the Coven. Let’s pray this ends without bloodshed.”

I doubt it.

7

DON’T PLAY WITH THE DEVIL

“Welcome, welcome! It’s nice to finally get this meeting underway. To think I’d be honored with so many powerful beings in one room. Surely this confirms that your new Coven member is of importance, yes?”

Jack’s voice had clearly been altered and yet it seemed to suit this new persona of his perfectly. It reminded me of the Joker from the classic Suicide Squad. There was always something about his cynical nature that seemed to turn all the girls on, and frankly, that was exactly what Jack was doing as I sensed him behind me.

My hands were tied behind my chair with thick ropes, while my ankles were tied to their designated legs which had me spread just a little bit. I was a bit thankful that Quil’s summoned wardrobe change had granted me a matching bra and panty set to wear because it would have been even more embarrassing for my arousal to ooze into the air during a serious confrontation like this.

This was a pure example of how deals were made, only money was the last thing on the gambling table. I wasn’t sure what the Coven was after when they’d clearly succeeded in pulling me into their dangerous web, but if they were willing to gather and unexpectedly meet a stranger they knew nothing about via videocall, there had to be an underlying motive that was worth the risk.

The last time anyone requested Elder Etna to do a video call, she sniped them with a thunderbolt that left them paralyzed. Guess the stakes weren’t high back then.

“Get this over with.” There was Elder Etna’s voice, and I could only imagine the venomous scowl upon her face. It would have been a bonus to see it with my own eyes, but I was currently blindfolded which was probably adding to this mysterious vibe.

Jeez. I’m so easily aroused over the craziest shit. How Zane handles my sexual needs is beyond me.

The low chuckle that seemed to echo through the hollow room sent chills down my spine because it was truly frightening to hear with my own ears. That stimulation of fear only spiked a few notches at the frigid touch of what I was assuming was a blade. The sharp metal lightly taunted my flesh until the flat side pressed lightly against my skin.

The gasps of horror clearly confirmed that a blade was at my throat and I wasn’t hallucinating any of this shit.

“I love the fact that you believe you’re the one in the driver’s seat, Elder. It’s been a while since our organization has had to pull some strings to remind you lot of weaklings of our existence.”

“Elder Etna, what is he talking about?” one of the Elders asked, hope her voice. It was but a whisper, but whatever surround sound speakers they were using on their end made her attempt rather useless.

“It’s none of your concern,” Elder Etna snapped back.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a member of the Cobra Clan.” The deep male voice already had me growing wet just by the vibration. The husky seriousness confirmed that it belonged to my new mate, Zane.

Jeez, thanks to the Coven nonsense, we hadn’t even gotten to really embrace this. Surely it was something to celebrate and yet I felt robbed. It wasn’t like I’d envisioned myself being bonded in such a manner, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t wishing for a remote so I could press pause and enjoy a few days or even weeks just with my pack without anything else crumbling in my drama-filled life.

Guess I wouldn’t be a true Clementine if my life wasn’t falling apart every damn month.

“Zane Malark.”

“I know who you are,” Jack responded but I bet he was smiling from the uplift in his voice. “Jack the Reaper. You know, the one you hear in those lovely fairy tales and cartoons mocking me for walking around in a hooded black gown with a lousy scythe. Pathetic interpretation of how dangerous my clan is, but I guess it helps you guys sleep better at night so you don’t have to worry about all the sinister monsters that go bump in the dark.”

The blade left my flesh and was replaced by the slow, wet brush of something else. A kiss followed, and I knew it wasn’t Medusa who’d just licked me like that.

“Your little Coven member’s sweat tastes extra sweet this fine evening,” Jack slurred like he was damn high. “I wonder what her blood would taste like?”

Oh fucking hell… This is scary and hot at the same time

“Don’t hurt her.” Zane’s growl was filled with protectiveness, and I was sure the Elders wouldn’t have liked that if this scenario was in a different setting.

“That’s not how you ask nicely, warlock,” Jack noted with an added tsk. “Besides, there’s no way you agreed to have such a meeting with the impression that I wouldn’t hurt your precious little witch, did you?”

I didn’t expect the slash along my cheek the very next second, and even though I hissed in pain, my body grew hot with intense need.

What in the mindfuckery just happened?

“Reaper.” Zane’s voice was on the borderline of ruthless anger, but Jack clearly didn’t give a shit because he was chuckling again while his arms suddenly hooked around me like I was his precious doll.

“Wouldn’t it be swell to mark all these runes with lovely slashes? Or better yet, why don’t I use the dark magic acquired from that fleet of assassin puppets your little prodigy sent?”

Little prodigy?

“What is he talking about?” Zane demanded, and I could only guess he was demanding answers from Elder Etna.

“It’s none of your concern,” Elder Etna snarled back, but Zane wasn’t having any of that bullshit.

“It is my fucking concern when my woman is fucking tied up to a chair and magically disabled thanks to your Coven’s inability to provide the proper security measures during a ritual!” He was just going to tear them a new one by reminding them of their lousy protection measures.

“No one would have thought she would be snatched during the ritual!” There was Lucy’s irritating voice. Goodness, I had a few people on my hate list—and she was originally in the middle—but now she was at the top instead of Elder Etna and Westley.

“No, you most certainly expected this to potentially happen, but you deemed Aurelia as too unimportant to be protected by your normal protocols because she’s a hybrid,” Zane snapped. “Lucy! Who did you send over there?”

“Why are you pointing fingers my way? I’m under Elder Etna’s command so I can’t do shit. So why don’t you tame your jealous rage and blame your weak ass slu—”

“Insult her and I’ll give up this so-called truce and alert every fucking news outlet that Aurelia was kidnapped and held for ransom thanks to a little rat in the Coven.”

Lucy gasped. “What kind of bullshit lie is that?!”

“You of all people know whom the public will believe,” Zane tossed back. “If you think I’m loyal to your Coven simply because of my relationship with Master L then let this be another reminder that I’m not. If it wasn’t because of Aurelia, who’s the strongest out of all of you, this alliance would have been broken a long time ago.”

“Zane!” Elder Etna snapped.

“It’s Malark,” Zane snarled right back. “I’m not a child underneath your feet. Save such disrespect for the rest of the weaklings in this room.”

“How dare—” Lucy snapped, but I flinched and hissed at the next unexpected slash that went right along my arm. It left me trembling at the whiplash of pleasure that followed suit. Now I had to question if I was dealing with some sort of mental delusion because my hisses of obvious pain that reached my ears were a completely different reaction internally as my pussy fluttered in aching need.

It really was as if the pain Jack was igniting was sending pleasure signals to my brain. I wasn’t going to complain, but fuck, if this kept going, I wasn’t sure what would happen. I didn’t even know whether the others were around because it felt like just Jack and me.

“You can continue to turn against one another with your useless bickering while I begin carving a lovely incantation on my hybrid canvas,” Jack sang, his words followed with another slash that made me gasp.

“Ow!” That was just another act of agony while I pressed my legs together in hopes my arousal didn’t fill the air. I doubted it would do a damn thing because the pulsing needles of pleasure rushing through me were dangerous. If I began to pant or moan, I wondered what it would sound like. Would it be heavy breathing mixed with screams of pain?

Will I find out?

“Sorry, my Miss Clementine. It looks like I’ll have to punish you until your Coven leader smartens up a little bit. Must be hard to work with such selfish bitches. Is that why you guys are declining on so many levels?”

Another slash ignited a shriek and wave of aching need, and he licked the other slash on my cheek.

“Aww, are you crying, Miss Clementine?” I didn’t even realize tears were even leaving my shut eyes. I bet the beads of water were sweat. “This is a painful experience, isn’t it?” He chuckled, and I felt his lips brush mine as his hand tightened around my throat. “Maybe I should put on a show for your Coven to realize how serious I am about negotiations.”

And then bolts of electricity sparked through me without a single warning.

My scream was probably going to haunt Zane in his nightmares, but if only he knew how fucking amazing it felt to endure the unexpected wrath of the vibrating force rushing through my limbs. It surely went on for five agonizing seconds, and when it stopped, I was fighting for breath while my body shook uncontrollably.

“Aurelia.” Zane’s voice immediately rushed through my mind, and goodness, I was struggling to respond because I felt so sensitively riled from the shock that I had to take a second to remind my body how to function.

I hadn’t thought this kind of experience was possible, and I had no clue how Jack was doing it, but if this was some sort of magic ability or secret technique he had on hand at all times, I’d have to bribe him with weekly karaoke sessions if it meant we’d have another round of foreplay.

Except with the other pack members in a soundproof room.

“Oh? Do I have all of your attention now?” Jack expressed in curiosity before my head was tilted up as if he wished for them to see my sweaty face that was probably marked with the slashes he’d placed earlier. I could feel the droplets of blood seeping out of the wounds, and though I knew this was for show, I was secretly hoping those marks wouldn’t leave scars behind.

“Aurelia!” Zane sounded like he wanted to say fuck the plan and teleport over here, but something told me he wouldn’t be able to interfere. Gut instinct? Maybe? “You better not actually be in pain or I’m fucking this plan over.”

So overprotective.

I needed an added second to think because I was entering the “cloud nine” stage, where I felt like I was floating on a cloud of pleasure—and I haven’t even orgasmed yet. I wasn’t far off though. I could feel the coiling rise of pleasure within me, and maybe I was mentally hoping for another round of vibrational mayhem to send me into the land of sexual oblivion.

Trust me… I’m not in pain… but I don’t think I can handle all this pleasure either.

“Why did I agree to Jack’s plan instead of Ace’s?” He was clearly asking himself, but the rhetorical question seeped into my mind.

Who knows but I ain’t complaining.

I probably sounded delusional now with the giddy slur in my thought process, which in return ignited a trickling flow of concern from Zane.

“Baby, are you going to be okay?”

I’m not sure, but I guess the quicker you guys wrap things up, the higher chance I’ll be able to think properly without my body feeling like it’s on a buzzing vibrational cloud that’s tingling everywhere. Thanks.

I surely wasn’t making much sense, but Zane seemed to take my “plea” seriously because his voice came from the other side of the screen.

“What’s your request?”

“Request?” Jack began and dramatically sighed. “There are quite a few actually. I’d like to take advantage of such a rare opportunity. It’s not like our Clan will be able to snatch up a Clementine again from your grasps. She’s rather drained from your voodoo rituals so it’s understandable, but what can I extract from her pretty little mind?”

“Going into the minds of a Coven member is an illegal act,” Elder Etna snapped.

“Oh is it?” Jack couldn’t sound more amused. “Yet isn’t that what your member does all the time?”

None of them spoke and I was certain that room was spiking up in tension with every passing second. “Ah. So is that still a little secret? I have to admit, what a smart duo you two are,” Jack praised.

“What is he talking about?” one of the Elders questioned.

“Elder Etna,” Zane pressed, “what is he implying?”

She didn’t respond, and I bet Lucy was going to give the silent treatment as well, but of course, it didn’t bother Jack because he was pushing buttons to get what he wanted. The perfect game of blackmail started off by reminding the enemy of how much you know and what such valuable information can negatively do when brought to the spotlight.

“I just love when I know such dirty little secrets,” Jack disclosed before the screeching drag of a chair was followed with him sighing. It made me feel as though he now sat on my right side.

Despite my temporary blindness thanks to this ribbon across my face, I could still sense Jack’s aura, which was off the charts in power. The dominant color was pink, and it outlined his body so I could see he had the back of his chair facing my right side while he sat and rested his arms along the top part of the simplistic furniture.

Something told me he was bored, which was why he was sitting there, but then I felt his hand land on my knee and proceed to lightly run up my thigh. I knew from the final setup that the video screen only showed the upper half of my waist, or at least above my belly button, so I was sure they couldn’t see my lower half from that point of view—like it really mattered when it came to Jack.

This was a torture scenario after all, and Jack could do anything he wished because he was the “villain” in all of this.

“It’s a shame that after what I demonstrated, you still hesitate in the cooperation department. A real damn shame for you that you’re not in any position to be tempting me. Was eliminating those agents not enough? Ah, right. That’s something not all your puppets know about, yes, yes,” Jack brushed off. “How is the Queen doing?”

“Queen?” Zane questioned and I could hear the speculation in his voice, but I was more focused on the way Jack’s hand further slid up my thigh, the movement so slow and precious as he lightly gripped my flesh whenever he came to a pause.

Could he sense how arousing this all was, or hear my moans and whimpers from before instead of my screams and huffs? Surely he was playing this opposite effect game on purpose so this experience wasn’t as traumatizing as he was projecting it out to be, but no way could he simply leave me hanging after this.

He’d finish what he started… right? Am I just hoping?

“State your demands and release our Coven member!” Etna hissed.

“You have to ask a little nicer than that now,” Jack whispered, and his hot breath brushed along my neck before he slowly trailed his tongue from the base of my neck up along the side. My whimper would win me an award in a horror movie, but I mentally begged for it to encourage Jack to do that again and match it with the movement of his hand that further dipped between my legs.

“I heard the unique color of your hair was because you selflessly sucked out the venom from a boy who should have been your mate. Is that true?” he questioned me.

“Y-Yes,” I answered because I could comprehend the question and knew it could give me what I wanted if I was good. My actions could have been seen as weak or selfish, but I didn’t care. I wanted to feel Jack’s fingers inside my soaked pussy and enjoy the blissful taunts of his tongue and dangerous blades.

“What a nice thing to do. You’re rather sweet, aren’t you? You smell sweet. Your blood tastes sweet. I wonder how your lips taste?”

“Don’t you dare,” Zane warned, but Jack wasn’t going to follow his command, which was why I expected it when his lips latched onto mine.

In comparison to all our previous shared kisses, this was the most sensually brutal touch he’d ever delivered. Those surprisingly smooth lips ravished mine while he didn’t hesitate to press the gusset my panties in between my pussy folds just so he could enjoy the inviting flow of wetness that surely seeped through the lace fabric.

My moan projected a sound of struggle, but I’d accepted in my mind that Jack could surely hear the real sounds I was making, though the truly odd part of this was feeling the arousal flowing from that newly blossomed tunnel of connection I now shared with Zane.

It could be my imagination or my overstimulated mind playing tricks on me, but my mated warlock was definitely responding to my internal ride of pleasure. I could imagine him sitting at the end of that meeting table looking so angry and visibly frustrated while his erection was covered by those lovely traditional robes he wore when he had to show up for emergency situations.

The thought of him fucking me while Jack kissed me ruthlessly like he was now with those devouring lips had to be a damn sin to think about, and yet it was exactly what I was craving like a desperate need that was begging to be fulfilled.

“Patience, Sweetie,” Jack managed to whisper between kisses before he smothered me with one sloppy kiss that was far too loud to not make this into some sort of porn moment. “If your Coven cooperates, I’ll give you what you desire.”

I was gasping for breath, my body shaking as I was really on the edge of an orgasm. He kept his hand right there between my folds, and the lining of my panties was surely cloaked in my juices while I mentally begged for him to be triggered again so he could push me right into an orgasm.

“So, so sweet,” Jack praised. “I could get addicted to you and the power you possess. Should I just cut this meeting short and keep you?”

“N-No,” I panted.

Yes. Fucking yes.

“Please state your demands,” another Elder pleaded. They probably felt sorry for me. I had to look like a mess from the other side. “We’ll cooperate as long as Aurelia will be returned safely to us.”

“Alright,” Jack pleasantly declared, and I mentally cursed when he moved his hand between my legs. I guessed my mental dismay came out as a sob because Jack’s hand lightly brushed my upper cheek. “Don’t cry, my dear. See? Your Coven is deciding to take me seriously. That falls in your favor.”

I felt his hand beginning to trail down from my cheek to my neck, my shoulders, and then down the middle of my chest.

“My requests are rather simple,” Jack declared, which meant he was going to get right to the point. “One: you won’t track Miss Clementine’s movements with your magic radars that you enjoy implanting in Coven’s necks when they’ve joined your little clut.”

There were some gasps which meant a few of the Elders clearly didn’t know about that fine detail. Were they even told all that occurred to them after the ritual? The whole event felt like a blur of pain and fear so I couldn’t really remember the fine details, but certainly, if you properly earned your way on the Coven, you’d be informed of a chip implant, right?

“How… does he know that?” Lucy surprisingly asked.

“You guys inserted a tracking chip into my girlfriend?” Zane gasped.

“Such tactics are simply rumored,” Elder Etna tried to dismiss, but Jack tsked.

“I don’t bring things up unless they’re facts,” he elaborated. “Why don’t I put it this way so you’re not wasting my time? If you dare attempt to place a chip in Miss Clementine, it’ll trigger this marking right here.”

He paused and the screeching shuffles of his chair gliding across the floor confirmed he changed positions so he was now sitting right behind me. I felt the blade’s return as the sharp end now lay right above my sternum, but his other hand was encouraging my legs to further spread to their tied capacity.

The move made me wiggle a bit too much, which surely made it appear like I was trying to struggle against my restraints.

“Stay still, Sweet Clementine,” he eerily pleaded with me as his hot breath tickled my neck before he lightly tugged my ear lobe as punishment. Another whimper escaped my trembling lips and God, did my pussy throb with impatience while the smell of my arousal drifted into the air. “You don’t want me to accidentally stab you, now do you?”

“No,” I breathed.

“That’s a good girl,” he emphasized as he dripped the tip of the blade lightly against my flesh. It pierced the surface so easily, and I bit my bottom lip hard as if the pain would stop the cascade of prickling pleasure that was driving me fucking insane.

I was so close to cumming that it was all I could think about as the traitorous blade dragged along my flesh far too slowly. I swore this sinfully manic hybrid of mine was drawing an actual heart into my flesh, and it was taking everything I had to follow his request of staying still.

“Almost done, Sweetie,” he purred into my ear as if to further stimulate me, and it did that and more as I remained a victim of his powerplay. “That’s it. Just the tip.”

He made sure the moment the line met the tip of the heart he drew that his free hand cupped my pussy in a rough grab, and it was enough to send me right into a silent scream that masked the true orgasmic rush consuming me.

When the blade finally left my flesh, my head fell back as I shook with mini aftershocks, and I bet I looked like I was enduring a seizure rather than an actual climax.

“See the way she’s trembling? I wonder if triggering a wave of seizures is a smart move to induce with her lengthy medical history. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to lose your new puppet until your prodigy is all set and ready to take over, am I right?”

I was beginning to realize that Jack knew shit that I felt no one else could discover and he was fucking proud of it. He was a cunning hybrid thanks to that cobra aspect of him, and goodness was he proving how dangerous he could be when left on the receiving end.

“Fine,” Elder Etna declared. “We’ll follow your demands.”

“Two,” Jack declared, moving right along to the next one. “Whatever she claims as her space remains off-limits to anyone who isn’t approved by her. Break that, and well, there’ll be consequences. I’m sure you know it’s not hard for us cobras to get into hard-to-reach places.”

“Fine.”

“What else… hmm? A final request.” Jack acted as if he were thinking about it, and it was a good thing because I was still trying to catch my breath.

“You’re so-called alliance,” he began as his middle finger began to stroke my drenched pussy like it was a cat. “Break it.”

“Excuse me?” It was Lucy who questioned what Jack was implying. “We have no other alliances aside from the Vatican, and we’re not breaking that.”

“Oh, right. The Vatican. I forgot about those holy fuckers,” Jack squealed, and I felt the weight of his chin on my shoulder before his lips brushed the side of my neck, which made me shiver. “They’re nothing to worry about. Whatever alliance you guys have will crumble all on its own. I won’t even need to lift a finger there.”

He sounded so fucking confident, and it really baffled me that he was able to make such confident predictions.

“You know which alliance I’m referring to.”

“We have no other alliances,” Elder Etna noted.

“I really hate when I’m lied to,” Jack said with a bit of pity before his tongue trailed along the sensitive part of my neck that he’d previously kissed. “I guess you really don’t care if I push your puppet into insanity.”

And then he fucking bit me.

My whole body flinched and went suddenly rigid as I gasped at the actual pinch of pain that morphed into a magnitude of pleasure. My eyes rolled back while my back arched the best it could with me still tied to the chair.

All my senses went haywire, as if I’d smoked a bunch of herbs to the point that I was so fucking high, I couldn’t process a bloody thing. But I could still feel that invasive finger that managed to tug the fabric of my panties to the side just so it could glide right into me without a hint of struggle.

I surely sounded like I was choking, but all of this was too much. I’d pass right out at this rate, and yet it felt so fucking good, I had to hold on to see how this madness would end.

“Enough!” It was Zane’s booming voice combined with the sound of shattered glass that seemed to satisfy Jack, and his fangs retracted. I slumped right into the chair, and I bet they thought I was completely unconscious, but I was still mentally present while my body was on an intense ride with Jack’s pesky fingers gliding in and out of me at the perfect pace.

“Whatever this alliance you speak of is, let it be fucking voided!”

“Malark!” Elder Etna snapped. “You are not the decision-maker here.”

“And I’ll be damned if you think I’m going to sit here and watch him kill Aurelia because you and everyone else in this fucking room are cowards!” Zane yelled right back before he declared, “Your three demands are accepted and approved by the High Court Master himself!”

I caught onto the many gasps that followed, but Zane was so over all of this bullshit.

“This meeting is over. I want Aurelia back in my possession now!”

“Well, well. I’ll gladly do that, but you’ll have to meet me in a different location in exactly five minutes. Don’t worry about me being late. Unlike earlier, I try not to be tardy after I’ve gotten what I want.”

“Where?” Zane demanded.

“You decide.”

“Meet me at—”

“Raoul Wallenberg Forest,” Elder Etna interjected. “In five minutes. If you’re late, everything agreed upon will be voided.”

“Fine by me,” Jack sang. “A pleasure doing business with you all. Ciao.”

“Wai—” Zane tried to speak, but his voice was cut off like a podcast suddenly being switched off.

The ropes that restrained me vanished not a second later, and I was lifted with ease and placed onto what I could only assume was Jack’s lap while he still managed to fuck me with his fingers.

I moaned in hopes it would encourage him to keep going, while I turned my head and mentally praised whatever sex gods were allowing all of this to transpire. My lips found Jack’s and were brutally rewarded with his aggressive kisses that lit me up to my core.

The fabric of my dress seemed to disappear as if the very material knew it wasn’t needed in such a magnetizing moment of sexual euphoria, but it was just another added blessing because the chilled air that brushed my bare flesh was keeping me from overheating.

The sudden spark of energy pierced the air before I could react, but I knew from the way my body was reacting in a spiraling rush of pleasure that Zane was here

And he was just as horny as I was.

“You’re so fucking insane,” he cursed, which made Jack chuckle into my mouth before he released my lips.

“Says the man who’s sexually frustrated,” he taunted. “Your mate is nice and wet for you.” He pulled his fingers out of me as if to show him my juices that surely dripped from his fingers.

It looked that way with how the electrifying currents of energy were swirling so wildly—Jack’s pink aura moving from side to side like a burning flame versus Zane’s greenish teal aura that sparked like wild electricity.

“We’ve got two minutes so you better get that thick rod out of your boxers and fuck your mate or we’re going to be late and all that trouble will go to waste.”

“Hold onto her,” Zane growled with that tantalizingly husky voice.

“Your wish is my command.” I was hauled like I weighed nothing—Jack’s arms hooking under my knees while my back was pressed firmly against his. He was literally holding me and spreading my legs nice and wide so Zane got a whole view of my dripping pussy, which was quivering at the idea of now being filled with his massive cock.

I didn’t know when it would happen, and not being able to actually see him physically only heightened the anticipation.

Before I could ponder further, he slid right home, his cock not even teasing my entrance before it slammed into me. My gasp was silenced by Zane’s smothering lips, and I kissed him right back with a desperate need to taste him.

My tongue darted into his mouth and entwined around his before he started banging me fast and hard. As if things couldn’t any more pleasurable, Jack’s tingle-inducing lips latched onto the side of my neck. I felt the slithering movement of something wrapping around my body—from my thighs to around my waist and finally my breasts.

I knew right away it wasn’t Medusa, and the size couldn’t have been Boa, but whatever it was further gripped me and that only made my nipples grow hard at the combined stimulation.

Being fucked while suspended in the air, kissed by two possessively overpowered Alpha men, sucked, licked, and practically crushed by this foreign snake tangled around my naked frame was something I never thought I’d experience.

Yet it was the kinkiest, horniest, damn right dirtiest thing I’d done in my life, and I suddenly wanted more of this frisky madness.

“One… minute,” Jack panted against my flesh, and I realized he was grinding against my ass. I couldn’t even imagine taking his cock from the other end, but the idea had him groaning as if he could envision the very image spiraling in my head.

“Fuck,” Zane cursed, and I knew he was close because he upped his pace. His thrusts were fast and deep, and somehow Jack managed to do the same.

Zane broke the kiss just to hear me moan uncontrollably, and I knew my climax was seconds from assaulting every inch of me in one volcanic blow.

“Shit!” Jack cursed through gritted teeth just as Zane grunted, “Cum, Aurelia!”

He sank into me at that moment while Jack further sandwiched me against Zane. The combination sent me right over the edge as the three of us cried out in ecstasy.

I couldn’t possibly stay awake as my whole body was engulfed in overwhelming rapture, but I didn’t have an ounce of energy left to fear the worst.

I let myself fall into the abyss of darkness, hoping when I came out of it, I’d at least be able to stand and remember what I had to do next.

This is the true reward for playing with the devil…

8

FIGHT AGAINST THE PAST AND FERAL ARIES

~ACE~

“A PLEASURE DOING business with you all. Ciao.”

“Wai—” The screen went dead, and thank fucking goodness because I didn’t think I could take any more of this. I thought I could handle this unexpected turn of events—specifically, my momentary slumber shifting into a wet dream I had far too often.

That fateful night, immense lust rocked through my body, mind, and soul. The magnificent beauty writhed beneath me as we climaxed together again and again.

All I can ever dream about is my Auri…

My nap should have been a blank slate of darkness, but there I sat on that fucking chair in the forest, my eyes locked onto the woman I was destined to have—and fucking lost. She was so much older now, her beauty only blossoming further into irresistible exquisiteness.

Her flawless flesh, those plump lips, the slight blush that cloaked her cheeks, and those alluring golden spheres sucked me right in. Her hair was longer, the two-toned color reminding me of our entwined past—how she didn’t hesitate to try to save me, even if it could have stolen her life. Her sacrifice had led her down a spiraling path of medications and strangers in white robes telling her how crazy she’d be if she didn’t fall in line with their constant observation.

Her aura had always been divine-looking, and in that heightened moment of arousal, it was no different as it danced with threads of power and hunger—it demanded she be seen, respected, and adored like a fucking goddess. That was what Auri was to me—an unreachable goddess who shone so brightly from afar and was impossible to touch.

But that night I’d been privileged to make love to her.

To enjoy her melodic moans and cries for me to move faster as we held our sweaty bodies while our hips moved to fulfill the dying need to reach that peak of euphoria.

The dream always started with her lips teasing the head of my cock, the precum oozing freely and showing just how much power she had over me. Then she taunted me just a little bit, a few inches with her mouth around the head of my length.

When she finally dived in, it wasn’t slow in the slightest. It was smooth, and she took me all in until those sinfully plump lips were at the very base of my shaft. I could have come from that alone, but I fought with every string of resistance to remain in dreamland.

Just to watch her work me over with her lovely mouth.

Up and down, it was a true rollercoaster ride that paralyzed me with immense lust. It felt too good to be a dream, and yet it always was, again and again, until my very consciousness knew that it would come to an end.

Before, when I dreamed, it was always of our one night together. But ever since the forest, there had been a change in the cycle of repetitive sexual instances, and that had me enjoying every second of the intense blowjob.

I braced myself for the finale, my heart beating quicker against my chest while my groans grew more frequent. I didn’t try to stop myself from expressing how good it felt, as if making that rumbling noise motivated this illusion to further contribute to my approaching ecstasy.

Just a few more sucks and I’d reached that high of bliss. The moment it happened, I got but a taste of my shattering climax before I woke up to reality with a hard cock that was desperate for me to finish what our wishful dreams had started.

Yet this time was far different.

The whiplash of pleasure that woke me up wasn’t solely my own. It felt like it was coming from all angles, from various individuals, but of course, the woman I always dreamed of was the root of that pulsing pleasure.

I didn’t need to move my body to feel and mentally envision what was going on—a wonderful yet annoying trait to have as an Alpha of a pack filled with psychos. We all had our problems but there seemed to be one woman who could ignite a new set of desires that taunted all of us in this misfit pack, and she was currently kissing Jack senseless while he fucked her with those mischievous fingers of his.

Her arousal was through the roof, her muffled moans that got lost in those echoing wet walls of Jack’s mouth only further heightening this unexpected experience. I felt the static in the atmosphere before the very culprit of the energetic shift made his grand debut, and I could tell right away that the Joker I despised was sexually riled up.

“You’re so fucking insane,” Zane cursed in haste, but all that did was make Jack chuckle like he always did when he was experiencing the thrill of his chaotic hybrid life.

“Says the man who’s sexually frustrated,” Jack taunted right back. “Your mate is nice and wet for you.”

Fucking hell.

It was like I’d been thrown into a pornographic movie and the main female lead was my all-time crush that I’d masturbated to for years in the quiet serenity of my bedroom. But this was so much better—so damn real that I couldn’t take the tight press of my erect cock against my pants any longer.

I’d been ignoring my hardness since I managed to hook my arms around Aurelia simply with the instinctive need to protect her, but that led to my demise as every scenario that encouraged me to hold her—touch her flesh—further contributed to my desperate desire to jerk off.

I wouldn’t be able to think if I suppressed this any longer, so I worked overtime to get my cock out of my boxers and sighed in relief when the veiny, stiff rod shot out into the chilled air. I was already moving my hand along its surface while my precum oozed off the tip of my head as if I’d already come.

That didn’t deter my attention from what was happening as I watched Jack pull out his fingers just to show Zane the collection of juices that dripped off like it was a work of fucking art.

Goodness, it was. She was so damn wet.

I felt this possessive urge to do even better than that, as though I’d get the opportunity to glide my damn fingers into her throbbing pussy and make her even wetter just to outdo Jack’s performance. It was a mental vow I couldn’t wait to achieve, even if it was rather prosperous when we weren’t a couple.

We were apparently starting over… Did that mean I had a fucking chance to enjoy her luscious body, taunting mouth, and physical company?

That made my cock twitch, but if I further dived into those emotions, I’d lose out on what was happening in the present.

“We’ve got two minutes so you better get that thick rod out of your boxers and fuck your mate or we’re going to be late and all that trouble will go to waste,” Jack breathed with hidden glee. I could feel how turned on he was, as the sight of Zane’s lust was making him even harder.

I swear we all had a bit of bisexual tendencies in our crazy group, and this was a pure example that Jack wouldn’t hesitate to fuck a man as long as Aurelia went along for the ride.

So many fucking possibilities.

“Hold onto her,” Zane growled, and despite my intense hate for the fucker, his voice aroused me with his controlling energy that pulsed into the air.

“Your wish is my command,” Jack cooed like his words belonged to a lullaby, and he hauled Aurelia into his arms while the chair she’d been previously sitting upon disappeared like a gust of wind had stolen it away.

She was naked, and fuck, she looked so fucking good plastered against Jack, who was in his disguise and wearing a damn mask that mimicked the bunnies of Playboy. With the mysterious aesthetic, the oddly dimmed basement, and the scent of arousal mixed with blood and sweat, I was on cloud nine in this fantasy we all seemed to be riding.

I knew King and Quil were somewhere experiencing the same thing, as if we were all tapping into this voluptuous energy that was slowly synchronizing between all of us. I didn’t want to admit how amazing this felt because it proved that my role as Alpha would soon come to an end. The position would go to the very source that was pulling us all emotionally into this lustful ride, but I couldn’t think about it anymore as all I could see now was how wet Aurelia’s pussy folds were as her arousal dripped onto the floor.

Zane’s nostrils flared as if he couldn’t stand the scent any longer. I could feel the spike of need rushing through him, that explosive desire to fill her up with his massive manhood that was twitching impatiently.

He didn’t even try to further lube her up, for she was wet enough that his veiny thickness pounded into her in one go, which left her gasping at the unexpected move. That shocked sound got swallowed by Zane as he captured her lips.

She kissed him right back as if to give one final fight for dominance as her tongue slipped into his mouth and tangled with his, but it would only be a few seconds before every strand of power was stolen from her, and that was exactly what I wanted to feel—her submission as her body was consumed with blissfulness.

I was panting now as my hand glided up and down my length. My head felt so light, my body tingling with so much need, that I knew it wouldn’t long before I was overtaken by my own ecstasy. But I wanted to time it perfectly—for us to come all together like we all had our cocks inside our Queen and would fill her womb with our hot shots of cum.

Jack couldn’t resist tasting her sweaty flesh, his lips latching onto her neck and sucking her like he’d become a damn vampire. I knew his arousal would summon at least one of those explorative snakes of his, and my mere thought seemed to trigger the creature, which began to wrap around Auri’s body and lather her with a musky substance that was normally released to keep predators away.

Only this was making me want to leave my little hiding place and join in the frisky group activity.

This only excited Aurelia more, as if she weren’t aroused enough, and fuck, I knew none of us would last much longer. Just a reminder of the way she kissed me to silence those voices that wanted me to fuck this all up earlier was enough to bring me to the edge. She had managed to bring me back to reality.

Now I was enjoying this unexpected ride and I certainly had no regrets.

All I could imagine was Aurelia being fucked and held while King, Quil, and I were on the outer circle stroking our cocks and watching the three of them work up a sweat.

It was exhilarating, a festival of immense lust, and I knew we’d all crave to experience this again.

To actually have Aurelia in one room and worship her like the true divine goddess she was.

“One… minute,” Jack panted into the nape of her neck. He was grinding into her as if his cock were fucking her damn ass. Was she even into anal? It was becoming clear that Auri was down for anything as long as it came from us, her pack of misfits, and the potential thought had Jack groaning and breathing heavily.

“Fuck,” Zane cursed. Surely he was close, like the rest of us. His movements were jerky and quick as he thrust deeply into her while Jack managed to keep her suspended, continuing to pound against her ass with his lower half.

My hand moved in a blinding blur, my breaths were swift, and my body felt prickling hot. I could feel all of them now, our arousal coming together like a wavelength moving rapidly to the rhythm of our beating hearts.

Zane broke his heated kiss with Aurelia so we could hear her moan, the joyous sound so fucking perfect that I swore it would haunt me in my dreams again and again.

We were going to cum, all of us mere seconds away from the combined release, and my eyes fluttered closed just so I could resonate with the slamming force of our explosive climax.

“Shit!” Jack cursed through gritted teeth just as Zane grunted, “Cum, Aurelia!”

Just like that, the two of them stilled while they pressed Aurelia between their fit frames, and we all cried out in ecstasy as our orgasms slammed through our bodies, minds, and fucking souls.

Shot after shot, it felt like it wouldn’t end, but goodness, I’d do this all again, even if I had to get on my fucking knees and beg Aurelia like a chained dog.

“Fuck… we need to go,” Jack panted before he muttered, “Ace, get your horny fucking ass here cause I ain’t moving for nobody.”

I groaned with annoyance because I didn’t want to fucking end this sensation of relief that was like a drug easing into my system, but if we wanted to experience this again, we really would have to secure Aurelia’s freedom.

We have to ensure that she’s out of the clutches of these manipulative fuckers.

“This is all your damn fault,” I muttered under my breath but tucked my cock back into my boxers and quickly shuffled off the floor. I caught onto the light thump of whatever was cushioning my head—the sight of my wrinkled shirt that was previously folded the culprit of the sound.

I could have just left it there, but with a muttered curse, I grabbed it before rushing to join the others. Magic fizzled through the air, and with a blink, I was in a new set of clothes and the wrinkled top was folded neatly in a clear plastic bag that fit the folded shirt perfectly.

My eyes immediately went to Zane, who now held Aurelia in his grasp. She was back in the Coven dress Quil had created for her, her flesh still sporting those new wounds Jack had delivered with those magic-infused blades of his.

I knew it’d be able to heal them up no problem so they wouldn’t leave scars on Aurelia’s creamy flesh, but it still annoyed me that it had to go to that extent for this unexpected foreplay.

Talk about a wild twenty-four hours.

“Should I even ask if there’s a plan?” I muttered as I reached them.

“No point in even creating one,” Zane muttered. “No one would follow it anyway.”

I guess he had a point because when did shit ever go as planned? We’re not even supposed to be making deals and yet here we are.

“Ready to waltz into their trap?” Jack presented instead as he took Aurelia from Zane’s grasp. I could see how that internally ticked Zane off—his obvious possessiveness was on full show thanks to him actually thinking Jack was hurting her—but there was nothing he could do because he had a part to play, just like the rest of us.

And as of now, Aurelia was our wild card that everyone wanted to get their dirty hands on.

“They’re not going to do shit when I’m around,” Zane said with that earned confidence of his. I didn’t really blame him for thinking that way, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and surely they needed Aurelia for something.

“You’re not who I’m worried about,” Jack admitted and his eyes looked over my way. “Make sure that cunt doesn’t tap into your head.”

I didn’t say anything, but I heard the true warning in his words—don’t fucking let that bitch ruin the progress you’ve made or none of us can help you.

These circumstances had led to me potentially getting a second chance. No matter what happened now, I couldn’t fuck this up. I needed my own redemption arc.

And that starts with claiming my mate back.

I’d no longer be a pushover, no longer let the world walk over me like a piece of sticky gum on the floor that got stepped on again and again. I was tired of being a coward, or maybe I was tired of assuming Mother Moon and the rest of the universe sought this reality for me.

That was all a bunch of excuses—hopeful thinking that I was doing myself and Aurelia a favor by keeping my distance and not fighting the enemies lurking in the shadows. What a fucked-up mentality that was, and we’d both suffered for years because of it.

She wasn’t waiting for some knight in shining armor to come and whisk her away from her troubles. She simply wanted a man who was willing to go above and beyond to be there for her. A man who wouldn’t back down when shit hit the fan.

This was one of those moments, and it was time I stepped into the limelight I’d been preparing to walk into for years.

I’d gathered the men that would resonate with my true purpose, and now it was time to see what we were in fact dealing with.

“Let’s go.” My voice oozed with power as Ezra’s Alpha energy crept into me like a breath of fresh air. My fears vanished like I’d snapped my fingers to get rid of their negative bullshit, and now we were ready to start our act of revenge.

Time to test the Coven.

Energy cracked through the air and my body fizzled out of existence as we turned into particles moving at the speed of light to the destination Jack had correctly guessed would be chosen for this “exchange.”

He always knew when shit was going to go sour, and that was a pain in our asses because none of us had really prepared to deal with the Coven’s bullshit today.

The Pink Moon really was messing with us.

The moment we materialized, I was already using my energy to blend perfectly with my environment as I moved in a blur for the nearest bushes that would deliver the perfect set of shadows. I instinctively dropped to the ground before my eyes finally opened to quickly survey our surroundings.

Fucking hell.

I knew from the rise of the tiny little hairs on my arms that we were fucking surrounded, but what further frightened me—an instinctive reaction—was the scent of floral perfume that always pushed my human consciousness into a panic.

Lucy’s here.

“They have something up their sleeves. Be careful,” Ezra growled within my head. He wasn’t happy to be entering an obvious trap, but if it meant making the Coven’s hidden plans harder to deal with, so be it.

We have to break the cycle… for Auri’s sake.

“Lay her on the stone platform,” a voice demanded, and I looked over to see five individuals wearing black cloaks standing before a stone platform that reminded me of a tomb. It was fishy for it to be in the middle of the fucking forest, but we had to play to their tune if we wanted the contract to solidify.

I immediately caught onto Zane as he stood on the far-left side. He’d get to the platform the fastest the moment Jack placed Aurelia onto the stone surface, which was a good thing because I wasn’t sure what would happen when our safety net was out of our grasp.

“Only if you magically vow to not go against our contracted agreement,” Jack declared loud and clear without a hint of amusement.

In fact, he sounded fucking mad. And I didn’t blame him.

“You already made an agreement with Elder Etna. You do not need a magical vow to back up your claims!” the woman snapped back.

“Last time I checked, I’m the one holding your precious Coven member,” Jack declared, and I was surprised by the snake that suddenly began to wrap around his legs. The huge creature was the width of Jack’s legs pressed together.

The cloaked women gasped in horror before the middle one stuttered, “Don’t hurt Miss Clementine! You can’t threaten us or the deal is off.”

“Oh no.” Jack shook his head. “Your Elder stated our deal would stand as long as I came here on time, which I have. So unless you’re going to abide by my request of magically vowing your agreement to the terms discussed mere minutes ago, I’ll walk away with your precious Coven member.”

His eyes suddenly turned into slits that mimicked a snake’s eyes, only those pink orbs shifted to a sickly purple with hints of red.

“And trust me. If I have to play this stupid game again, the consequences will be far dearer than you can ever imagine.”

They swallowed in fear before Zane took a step forward.

“On behalf of the Coven, I acknowledge and magically vow that the three requests discussed with the Elders involving Aurelia Delianna Clementine will be honored and respected. Going against the terms will lead to heavy consequences. Let this be sealed with the Universe as our divine witness. ISLORAVUNADA!”

With an added clap of his hands, thunder boomed from above even though there wasn’t a cloud in the sky—the deal was officially sealed.

“Excellent,” Jack declared and walked right to the platform to lay Aurelia onto it. The action sent an odd feeling through me, as if she were suddenly internally restless even though I knew that wasn’t possible because she was unconscious.

Ezra… something’s off.

“I agree but I can’t decipher it.” I could feel his frustration begin to grow with mine—the tension in the air far too thick to acknowledge our victory.

Be on your guard. Something’s not right, I warned everyone, and I felt their unease that was spiking with each step Jack took.

Zane wasn’t waiting for anyone as he headed straight to the platform to take Auri out of here, but he crashed right into an invisible wall.

Oh fucking shit!

“KILL HIM and anyone else who defies the Coven!” the middle woman screamed as she tugged off her cape that had wrapped around her shoulders and revealed the black assassin attire that was loaded up with guns, magic bomb potions, and other magic weapons that would get in our damn way.

“Wait!” Zane snapped, but none of them were going to listen as they tugged off their capes of dark magic to swiftly pull out their weapons of choice and aim them directly at Jack.

“IN ALLEGIANCE TO THE COVEN!” they screamed in unison.

“We can never have a peaceful exchange,” Jack complained before the row of witches shot at him without a second’s delay. The bullets, however, slowed until they were simply hovering in the air. “Just the way I like it, right, Boa?”

“HISS!” The sound the massive snake made had the witches screeching in agony while the hidden observers all around us began cursing, which gave away their hiding spots.

“Cover your ears!” the leader screamed as she clapped her hands which glowed with incantations. Suddenly, a bubble of protection was ignited around her. The others began doing the same, but one of the witches ran straight towards Jack, her arms alight with various magical incantations and her hair of red switching into a dark plum shade as black magic oozed off of her in waves.

“DIE, YOU MONSTER!” she declared as she pushed off the ground and summoned a blade of black with flames of purple that would surely vanquish Jack like he was a sinful spirit. “NOMA REVA LASHA!”

“Boring,” Jack declared, not even moving as he shaped his lips into a circle and his snake eyes rolled back into orbs of black. “Forsaken witch of misery, wish to sing for me?”

Those words were laced with power as he sang them in a minor key. The sound literally froze the woman mid-attack—as she was mere inches from piercing her summoned sword into Jack’s chest. Her shock and the surprise of her comrades radiated through the space. It was then that I noticed the rattling sound that reminded me of a maraca came from the end of Boa’s tail and seemed to be the base of Jack’s tune as he began to sing.

“Sinful beauty, lost descendant. Why do you seek revenge? I am but an innocent wanderer, destined for pain and heartache, but happiness was your portion in life. Did you miss the signs?” The ballad tugged at my emotions, the same effect that was beginning to infiltrate the hearts of all those who were forced to listen.

I was immune to Jack’s Triton melodies, but that didn’t mean those emotions didn’t strike a few chords like he was performing to an audience that deserved to listen to his unique sound.

“A lost lamb in the field of hopelessness, blinded by the chains that shackle you into submission. You were blinded by your hopes and dreams of being worthy of one’s protection, but death was always your portion. Do you not see you’re all puppets in this dangerous game? Strings of fate tug and pull in hopes of guiding us through our miserable ways. The true enemy is the one begging for your cooperation in the depths of your minds, but it’s just too late to win. Just too late to win.”

The effects of his song were already reaching the surface—the frozen witch being the first to display the consequences of Jack’s dangerous hymn. It always started with a nosebleed, and the first droplets made their way down her nostrils for the world to see.

Then the progress was like watching a plane begin to descend to its climactic end.

Her magic began to seep out of her—the same method Aurelia had used back in the forest—the strings of energy collecting around her for her to witness with her own eyes as her energy was being sucked out of her with each humming note Jack made as he enjoyed the sight of her demise.

The next stage caused her body to age swiftly—the youthful beauty of her flesh crumbling into wrinkled skin that changed in complexion because of the dehydrating process that went along with the swift aging. More blood dripped from her nose, like a running faucet that couldn’t be shut off, and the next flow of blood came from her ears, and then her eyes.

Those pupils of brown shifted into snake-like slits as the shock of her approaching demise settled into the lines of her sunken face, while whatever magical instruments that she summoned to her aid began to break apart into beads of sand that fell down until they were like piles of ash upon the growing pool of blood beneath her hovering body.

Jack continued to hum as he watched it all, his calm expression mimicking Quil’s usual persona because he was now in his element. His singing voice was his weapon of choice, for his words always revealed the hidden truth to all his victims—forcing them to listen and acknowledge the reality they were desperate to ignore but inevitably found out at the brink of death.

The young woman, who was surely in her early twenties, was now a shriveled raisin as her organs began to shut down and explode. Her intestines, liver, spleen, and lungs all burst, the explosion strong enough to break her brittle flesh and leave holes of pouring blood and other fluids. By now her blood was tainted black. Her eyes were the next to explode, followed by her brain. Pieces went flying, but despite everything, her heart was the last to stop beating—which meant her soul still felt the agonizing reality of her unfolding death.

“A wasted life sacrificed for one who never valued you anyways. A shame, a shame, but you’re free now to walk the path to your next destination,” Jack sang the final notes to his melody, and that was what triggered the girl’s end as her heart exploded.

The final sound was emphasized as it echoed through the forest, for she wasn’t the only victim of Jack’s singing wrath. It was clear from the sounds of exploding hearts coming from the hidden hollows in the thick forest that there were plenty of more victims that were now dead in the crossfire.

This was a true example of the dangers we carried as triple hybrids—for the world assumed our wolves were malformed creatures who couldn’t function, but we were beings who could be dangerous enemies once we mastered our hybrid complexities.

Jack was a psycho to the outside world, but he was one of the most cunning and dangerous hybrids in NYC. He tried to play it down or pretend he wasn’t such a lethal threat, but this proved that he could do a whole lot of shit and deliver immense pain—or glorifying pleasure—depending on whether he wished to delve into his cobra side, his Triton side, or awaken the wolf within.

This was another reminder of why they worked so hard to label us misfits—to diminish our true value on that chart of hierarchy they were falling behind on.

The girl’s remains dropped to the floor, and for ten seconds, there was nothing but eerie silence. Jack lifted his arms up to his sides while Boa further wrapped around him until the massive white snake with a mix of white and pink skin slithered along until she was resting on his shoulders, the rest of her body coiled all around him.

“What a grand warm-up,” he said with a peaceful expression as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Letting it out, he opened his eyes to show orbs of white as his lips curled into a villainous grin. “Now for the main show!”

“AH!” the other witches screamed in defiance as they strengthened their bubbles of protection and charged forward. Many of those hiding in the shadows came rushing out of the woodwork. All of them aimed for Jack, but he remained right in place for there was something far more dangerous coming to his aid.

Just then, there was the chilling roar of a lion.

The massive black shadow that soared over Jack’s head and collided into the fleet of women before they could even complete their spells triggered the massacre of ripped limbs and death that cascaded around us.

I noticed the white flames of Zane’s magic as the scorching element of light attempted to “protect” the witches so he could maintain his role of staying by their side for Aurelia’s sake, but I knew the warlock was using just a pinch of power to aid his apparent comrades because they barely healed the scratches from flying bullets before our enemies were crushed, ripped, and smothered across the ground like wild ants being stomped by anything bigger than their tiny frames.

More reinforcements were teleporting into the forest, to the point that I was ready to interfere, but King landed right in front of Jack which gave us all a view of the royal beast with his golden fur that radiated with fae magic.

His eyes were possessed with dark voids while his golden mane had tinsel threads of black that glowed menacingly with intense dark fae energy. It was rare to see King use extra dark fae energy in combat, but I knew the flow of magic was from the hidden Unseelie in our midst that was about to unleash his wrath on the remaining survivors.

I caught onto the scent of water before the rumbling beneath our feet began, which left me jumping into the nearest tree and going as high as I could before the water spouts burst out of the ground.

One after another, pillars of water exploded out of the ground’s surface and contributed to the raining cascade that followed. I wasn’t expecting the swift blanket of shadow magic that wrapped around me with hints of black and white. The source was clearly Zane, who was now hovering in the air and shielding his own body with a white orb of magic.

I could tell from his mismatched eyes that he was multitasking the best he could. Protective bubbles of black wrapped around Jack and King’s lion form while bubbles of white shielded himself and Aurelia.

Multiple spells were being chanted and cast by the remaining survivors as they tried to figure out what the true purpose of the water spouts was. They kept on appearing across the vast forest, which was simply drenching everyone and everything in their paths with chilled beads of water.

No matter what spells charged into the air to combat the towers of water, nothing could penetrate or manipulate their flow, but within ten seconds, the spouts made their final sprays and dropped back into the earth where they came from.

It was like the battlefield had become a waterpark and someone had shut down the water flow which left everyone soaked in wait. But the longer the stillness went on, the easier it was to assume the water show was over.

But what was the purpose?

The continued silence proved that I wasn’t the only one who was thinking the same thing—everyone was speculating about what the true consequences were for those who were drenched.

The sound of footsteps made everyone grow rigid, but I knew who was emerging from the forest before anyone else.

“W-Wait!” one of the witches dared to exclaim as her hand pointed directly at the person who emerged from the forest from the north side, where I was facing. With Jack and King on the west and our enemies on the east, all eyes were on Quil as he calmly stood there in white robes that honestly made him look like a shrine maiden.

His feminine features were screaming to be acknowledged, and it finally clicked that Quil was pulling off one of his cross-dressing moments. The hybrid built his male empire, which forced everyone to acknowledge the strength he carried in the realms of magic, but then there was this side of him that he cloaked in fine silk while embracing his need to embrace his feminine features and use them to his advantage.

It used to be a way for him to be rebellious and try new things by dressing and acting like a woman when he was younger, and I guessed with Jack around, who was more of a cheerleader in anything mischievous, the Unseelie wolf made a whole damn person out of his gender-bending shenanigans.

Things were about to be in our favor, for his alter ego wasn’t just an average girl.

“She” was fucking powerful in the realms of authority, and even the Coven knew they were absolutely fucked with her grand appearance.

“M-Madam Quin!” The stuttering witch paled as our hidden ally walked toward the platform Aurelia was lying upon.

“Please don’t tell me we have to deal with her too,” Ezra whined.

You’re simply afraid because the last time Quil switched to Quin you flipped her off because she called you a conceited fucker who deserves to be mateless.

“My feelings are still hurt.”

You’re hurting my pride by being more afraid of Quil’s feminine alter ego than of Aurelia’s wrath.

“We can handle Aurelia,” Ezra whined. “She has a tiny speck of pity for our stupid ass. Quin has pity for no fucking person in existence.”

And that’s the frightening thing about the Unseelie.

We really just unlocked a living devil.

I was surprised at the sudden sight of Lucy as she emerged from the forest wearing a cloak of dark pink. A bubble of red surrounded her, and even as she swiftly walked to the front of the trembling witches, she didn’t dare undo the protective spell.

“Madam Quin.” Even her voice trembled as she bowed swiftly. “W-What could have summoned the Unseelie into our affairs? Your brother is thankfully not involved in our Coven problems, even though he was recently assisting one of our members with her herbal practices.”

I forgot about them thinking Quin was Quil’s older sister. Why older? I had no fucking clue. But it was rather empowering to witness with my own eyes the power the Unseelie—and fae in general—had on the battlefield.

King carried fae traits, obviously, but in the supernatural world of shifters and magic, fae were considered somewhat merciful in the human plane. If this was in Faerie, things would be drastically different.

However, Unseelie were as ruthless in shifter form as they were in human form, and everyone fucking knew it. You were taught from the moment you could differentiate a human and a shifter that the Unseelie race was the most frightening fae type, and even hybrids had a sinister craving for bloodshed and destruction.

Quin’s emotionless eyes held a lazy appearance to them, though her normally purple eyes were now a haunting cobalt with rings of red around her pupils.

She donned a white robe tied by thick red ropes, and her hair was completely white, which was a stark contrast to when she was Quil and had black hair with white tinsel strands.

“How am I supposed to ignore the destruction coursing through these lands when it’s my assigned duty to conduct the monthly full moon rituals of this vast city on behalf of the Phoenix family?”

Shit. The Phoenix family is involved?

I’d forgotten that Quin had vast connections with practically every royal family across the globe. Everyone enjoyed reaping the rewards of being acquaintances of the Unseelie—something the Coven clearly missed because they assumed they would remain on top in the hierarchy for generations thanks to their spot on the High Court—but clearly having Quin bring it up had to mean they predicted something like this was going to transpire.

When Quil was here earlier, killing off the assassins, did one of the Phoenix family members pay him a visit and alert him to what was going to happen?

“Ritual?” Lucy sounded clueless in a nervous way. “We were not informed of today’s ritual or that this particular piece of land would be a chosen candidate for your domain.”

She was walking on thin ice and everyone could feel it.

“Then explain why your cult of witches is using dark magic on sacred lands?”

The pulsing thickness of tension in the atmosphere could suck the life out of you, which confirmed lives were about to be slain without a hint of remorse.

“Um… I wasn’t aware of such practices!” Lucy declared and put her hands up before she rushed over to Zane, who was still hovering in the air. “Malark and I were ordered to retrieve our Coven member. Neither of us were aware of the battle occurring upon these lands or the possessive black magic being used!”

That garnered a few gasps from the remaining witches who were watching her in utter shock because she was literally throwing them under the bus.

Zane didn’t say anything. From his bored expression, he’d expected Lucy’s selfish behavior.

“That’s not—” one tried to speak up, but Lucy cut her off with an elaborate explanation. “This lot of witches plotted against our newly chosen Coven member, Aurelia Clementine. I’m sure you’ve heard from your brother how many of the witches are envious of her vast capabilities, birthright, exceptional performance in herbal medicine, and hybrid nature, which makes her a role model for the hybrid community. From Elder Etna’s perspective, it only made sense to invite her to join the Coven on this very special full moon, but it was reported right at the end of our ceremony that Aurelia was kidnapped!”

The girl could be an Oscar-winning actress for her dramatics, her eyes filling with tears as she placed her hands on her chest to emphasize her distress.

“We just arrived when they were making negotiations with those men who I believe are secret agents! They’re here to exploit the witches who’ve been plotting against the Coven for years! It’s such a good thing you arrived just in time or things would have escalated into something that would have ignited irreversible damage.”

“That’s a lie!” a witch screamed from the far left and pointed to Lucy. “She’s lying! You’re of fae descent. Can’t you sense the strings of deceit?!”

The woman had a point, but one thing I’d learned was that those who had the power to manipulate others were capable of weaving their words so they appeared to be truthful.

If you believe what you’re saying is the truth and nothing but the truth, even a lie detector can’t prove you’re a lying snake.

Quin shrugged. “She speaks of truth to me.”

That had the others gasping before a taller woman marched over them until she was mere inches from where Quin stood.

“How dare you side with that lying bitch! We pledged allegiance to the Coven and were ordered here to take out that masked man and any associates on these very lands! Elder Etna told us to come to this specific forest. We were following orders! How fucking dare you paint us as villains?!” She’d really lost it. “I don’t care who you are! I’m not fucking afraid of you! We’re not going to die because of that lying snake and this damn Coven that’s simply using us!”

“It’s a shame to say your path in fate has ended,” Quin concluded as if she’d already sealed their fates. “The consequence of disrupting the land of our ancestors now invites your souls to take refuge in their place so they may ascend.”

“What?!” the woman questioned and pointed at Quin. “Take refuge? We’re not going any… an… any… anywh…” The woman struggled to speak as she suddenly began to pat her chest as if she were choking. She kept hitting her chest as if she couldn’t get herself to inhale, but she started a pattern of struggled wheezes as the remaining witches, who were previously drenched, now fought for one last gasp of breath.

They grew pale and weak, many of them falling to their knees as they scratched at their throats to try to get their bodies to inhale. Nothing was working, and all Quin did was watch them without an ounce of pity, even as the witch who’d insulted her reached over for aid with her trembling arm.

None of us moved as they began to drop to the ground—one by one—but I knew that wasn’t even their end. It would have been a blessing if it were. The moment their bodies hit the ground, the surface began to decay.

It was like a chain reaction, the plague of death spreading across the grassy surface and impacting the trees, which began to turn black. The uninfected spots were surrounding anyone with some sort of barrier around them, which was becoming more and more obvious with each passing second.

By the time the plague was finished, the forest that had been thick with leafy branches with hints of snow was all stripped and bare of life.

Quin took a deep breath, and that was when we saw the devilish grin that morphed on her lips as her eyes opened up to reveal red spheres of glee. “Ascend, my ancestors. Your offerings are here to take your place.”

The ground began to quake, vines of black piercing out of the ground until they snaked around the bodies of the fallen, but it was becoming clearer that the vines weren’t simply going to pull their captured prey to the ground.

Instead, they lifted the bodies up as if they were offering them to the moon itself. The bodies of the witches faced upward while their hands and legs hung lifelessly. What happened next felt like a mind fuck as energy of white began to seep from the ground below until it revealed human figures.

Some were young children, others were elderly, but their joyous expressions matched with eerie sounds as they exclaimed in unison, “We’re free! We’re free!”

They began to rise upward, as if finally getting their chance to ascend to be judged by their makers, but as they vanished upward one by one, their spots were replaced by glowing orbs that seeped out of the hanging bodies and materialized into witches’ spirits.

You could see the confusion on their faces as they looked at their transparent bodies before glancing upward to confirm they were outside of their physical bodies.

“W-W-What’s the meaning of this?!” The witch who’d confronted Quin earlier was patting herself, which was rather pointless for her hands went right through her. She attempted to reach for the vines, but once again, they went right through. “No. No. NO! Are we dead? No, we can’t be dead! Explain! What’s happening here?!”

Quin simply ignored her, and I doubted anyone else could possibly give the souls a reason for what was happening because we’d never seen such magic before. At least not to this extent. I rarely got to battle with Quin involved—which was a true blessing in disguise. Jack’s sudden whistle drew our attention to him as he remained in the protective bubble with King, who I realized had already shifted back and now wore a golden lion’s mask on his face.

“You’re using them as fertilizer?” Jack asked and clapped his hands. “Oh, Quin, please tell me you’re using them as fertilizer! Did you learn about this method in that book you were reading whenever Aurelia was working?!”

His obvious joy simply caused more fright among the spirits, who were still attempting to get back into their hanging bodies. Quin glanced at Jack simply to acknowledge him but she seemed uninterested in explaining.

“What… What did you do?” It was Lucy’s tiny voice that made us return our gazes to her as she looked utterly horrified at what had occurred.

“Your shock is rather hypocritical,” Quin dryly declared. “Since your traitorous lot of witches have not only endangered someone of interest in my life and tainted sacred lands upon the full moon, I figured it would only be fair to use their remaining life essence to rejuvenate this forest once more.”

With a pause, a tiny smirk lifted at the corner of her pink lips.

“Or as the masked bunny stated, I’m making human fertilizer for the land.”

“What about us? Why are we like this?!” the witch demanded as she once again fought to get into her body by any means: punching, grabbing, jumping up and down as if her spirit would jolt back into her lifeless body.

“Ah.” Quin needed a second to think about it. “Your souls will be the new life force of these lands. You offered your souls to replace those who’ve been trapped here for a hundred years. Forests are perfect places for suicide, though I did sense a blood rose was somewhere in these parts. You witches enjoy using those, don’t you?”

“B-Blood rose?” Lucy nervously laughed. “I don’t know what that is.”

“You don’t know the extent of what it is,” Quin corrected as her eyes narrowed. “But you most certainly know the dangers of a blood rose.”

“Flowers that permeate the atmosphere of an area with a scent that attracts individuals who are depressed or considering suicide,” Zane revealed as he lowered to the ground. “The victims of the scent are drawn in and end up killing themselves, regardless of whether they truly wished to perish or had second thoughts. The blood is soaked up by these blood roses and used as energy sources. They can be converted into energy that supports ecosystems like a typical forest, but some witches manipulate the energy for their own cynical reasons.”

“But we didn’t kill ourselves!” one witch declared, and the other witches screamed and cried in agreement as if their say even mattered.

“You didn’t. You sacrificed yourselves for the crimes you committed. Feel free to put blame on whoever you wish. If it makes the next hundred years go faster, so be it.” Quin slipped her hands into the pockets of her gown. “May we begin?”

“No, no, no, wait!” Their pleas were useless as they watched their bodies begin to decompose and the vines began to suck up whatever nutrition their corpses had left. The floating balls of magic energy that were stolen out of their bodies from before dove into the vines and began to seep into the ground below.

“There has to be a way out of this!” the witch demanded as she rushed to face Quin. “Let us free! We’re just pawns. We were following the orders of the Coven. Lucy knows! She’s in on this! We were being loyal witches to our Coven!”

“And this is the payment for loyalty.” Quin shut her up with the heavy truth. “You blindly submitted your loyalty to an organization that sees you exactly as you’ve become: a pawn in the cycle of life and now a sacrifice to the greater good of this forest’s recovery. Feel free to complain to your Creator once you’re freed from this prison, but this is your fate when you allow those of power to use you like rag dolls.”

No one could deny that, and the witch slowly looked to Lucy with a level of rage that could surely kill if she had the means to strike the woman with all her wrath.

“You. You, you, YOU!” she screamed and ran towards Lucy. The woman flinched but managed to remind herself that the witch couldn’t hurt her as she fought to stand in her place. The woman tried her hardest to punch, slap, deliver any type of physical blow, but it was utterly useless as she screamed manically. “YOU did this! We followed you! We trusted you and Elder Etna! Why did you forsake us?! WHY!”

Their spiritual essences were beginning to be pulled into the vines, and their eerie screams could ignite nightmares because it was that agonizing to listen to.

“The truth will come out! I vow with the universe as our fucking witness that the witch community will find out what a bloody snake you are! A coward bitch with your black magic powers! MAY YOU BE CURSED! BE PLAGUED AND SUFFER ENDLESS NIGHTS OF RESTLESSNESS!” Her screams were loud and kept going up an octave higher as her spirit was being pulled back.

She fought with every strand of resilience a spirit could possibly carry, while her eyes projected the true pain and immense fear that rocked her soul.

“MAY THE COVEN FALL! MAY YOU BE THE LOWEST ON THE SCALE OF HIERARCHY. ANIMALS WILL BE HIGHER THAN YOU LOT OF SELFISH BEINGS, AND YOU… WILL… PAY FOR ALL OF OUR SACRIFICES! YOU… WILL… PAY! AHHH!”

She couldn’t fight the pull any longer as the remainder of her spirit was pulled back and sucked into the vines. They pulsed with blue energy and began to shift to red before the vines retracted into the ground like their duty had been fulfilled.

The real magic began as the bare forest sprouted with life, as if on fast forward as growth that would have taken years happened in mere seconds. With a few short blinks, the forest was completely rejuvenated, as if we hadn’t contributed to its tainted destruction, and the only one left was Lucy, who slowly looked around to confirm that what she’d witnessed was real.

“How…?”

“Frightening, is it not?” Quin chipped in and began to walk towards Lucy, who immediately tensed up and began to scurry backward while holding her hands up protectively. “No wonder why your kind of magic is so afraid of us. It’s rather amusing, to be frank. You guys go through great lengths to find any dark spell in the book to be on the top of the power scale, but the moment you witness my tainted kind’s abilities to use the energy of the universe to restore what was broken by your actions, you get all clammy with fear.”

Lucy tripped and fell back, and her face was completely pale. “W-What are you planning? You can’t hurt me. I’m… I work for Elder Etna and the Coven. I can’t be killed.”

“Why not?” Quin inquired with a sick smile. “Last I was told, Unseelie simply can’t kill Coven members because of that stupid contract about peace and tranquility. Rather bullshit when you guys taint the world with the blood of the innocent.”

She began to giggle, and it was far more manic than Jack’s, which told me we’d have to interfere.

Ezra.

“Got it.” He was already approaching the surface as his energy began to flow through me with ease. I didn’t want to protect Lucy, but Quin wasn’t responding logically anymore.

She was responding to the pulsing craving to shed more blood.

“Quin.” There was warning in Zane’s voice as he sensed exactly what the rest of us did, but she wasn’t planning on stopping on her path. She took her time approaching Lucy, who was struggling to even crawl backward.

“Get away from me!” Lucy commanded as she put her hand up in hopes of controlling Quin to do so, but Quin merely giggled and flicked her long locks, which began to levitate with oozing energy that began to further empower her aura.

“Your mind control won’t work on me,” she hummed as her eyes further darkened. “How I’ve craved to get rid of you for some time. You dare walk around those halls of your witch base with your head high when you’re simply a weak bitch acting in the Coven’s favor. You’re the prodigy they’re desperate to empower to replace the woman who could change the Coven from its approaching downfall? What a shame to foresee what’s destined for your cult of selfish magic users. The end of the Coven will be a blessing for everyone, really.”

“Y-You don’t know that! Y-You hybrids aren’t supposed to interfere!”

“Hybrid this, hybrid that,” Quin sang. “Ah. If I were a pure Unseelie, not only would you be dead, but I’d have every right to suck every droplet of your blood and make a lovely dress with it. A few threads here and there. I could make a matching outfit for my Sunflower and her mate. The mate you’ve been so infatuated with that you forced him to reject her and proceeded to manipulate his mind every fucking day because seeing him utterly miserable brings you so much joy, doesn’t it?”

“N-No. How do you even know that? Your brother is his friend, not you! It’s not even your business. AH!” she shrieked when vines wrapped around her wrist which stopped her from fleeing entirely, and we could see the horror that flashed in her eyes as Quin simply got closer and closer.

“You’ve made it my business for daring to disturb our Sunflower,” Quin sweetly stated, but there was nothing sweet about her expression and we all tensed up. I had to interfere now, and yet I didn’t want to move.

She’s the reason my life is shit. If she perishes… wouldn’t that be good riddance?

That was the logical side of my hesitation, but why did I feel Ezra was stalling for a far greater reason I’d yet to grasp?

“You’ve become a thorn in our side. Shall I show the others what you’re plotting?” Quin inquired. Her hand lifted up and vines shot upward and entwined with one another to create a thick braid that held a sharp tip at the end. “Show me what you really had in store for us, you cunt!”

Now I was moving in a blur as Ezra took complete control of my limbs, but I wasn’t moving to get Lucy out of the way.

I was now Quin’s shield.

It happened so fast that I couldn’t comprehend the sudden spike of pain that slashed across my face, but my hands were gripping into the furry creature that was desperately fighting to rip Quin’s head off while Lucy chanted words under her breath.

“Escapando Le Va Nosh!” The spell triggered her immediate escape as her body was engulfed in a beam of shadows and her presence was erased from this place as if she had never been here.

Fucking bitch!

“Shit! AURELIA!” Zane exclaimed, but his voice wouldn’t reach Aurelia.

She’s clearly not home right now.

“Fuck! Aurelia! Snap out of it!” King screamed. “Quin! Use your vines to hold her down.”

“Why would I do that?” Quin dared to ask.

Why hadn’t I predicted her uncooperative behavior earlier?

“Oh no. Quin’s in bloodlust mode.” Jack seemed a bit annoyed before he added, “Quin, our Alpha is sacrificing himself for you. Can you at least pretend to cooperate?”

“And be a hypocrite? Feel free to tell that to Quil, but I’m enjoying this wrestling match,” Quin argued. “Looks like Aurelia’s wolf is very angry.”

I gave a grunt. I had no choice but to push the massive wolf off me, which sent her flying with a yelp as she crashed into a few trees. I spun around to give Quin a glare with my right eye because my left one was fucked up right now.

“Bring Quil back now.”

“No,” she replied with a pout. “You guys never let me come out and play, so I’m here now and I want to see our Sunflower enjoy ripping you to shreds!”

“Is she seriously turning on us right now?” Zane snapped. “Fucking hell, Quin! Be a bad guy tomorrow or some shit!”

Quin vanished from in front of me and appeared next to Zane, which obviously freaked him out. He put up a shield right before Quin punched at it with enough force to shatter the protective glass of magic and send Zane flying back.

“Fuck!” King hissed, and he leaped through the air to catch onto the warlock. They both crashed into the ground, which left Jack to interfere. He sent a single blade into the ground at Quin’s feet, which made her laugh mockingly back at him.

“Oh, Jacky. You missed.” She giggled manically. “You’re supposed to support me. We’re best friends, remember?”

“Not when you’re being an overpowered bitch, Quin,” Jack complained with a pout. “I thought we agreed that if you come out for missions like these, you’d cooperate.”

“I did cooperate.” She acted as if she’d saved us all from a calamity. “And now I feel like the world should suffer for wasting my valuable time. Remember we agreed that this side of me gets to come to play whenever Quil cross-dresses, so I get to do all the shopping I want, but this isn’t shopping.”

She paused to gesture around us. “Wasting my dark fae energy to maintain the peace. How fucking boring.” She tilted her head and laughed. “Why not enjoy the chaos a little? Let the lingering black magic in the air fizzle out, hmm?”

Now it made sense.

“Shit. She’s influenced by the dark magic she absorbed from the witches,” I announced loud and clear while I wiped away the blood that was oozing down the left side of my face.

The sudden urge to turn around had me spinning in time to be tackled by Aries. My body went down for the count as the wolf in question roared in my face.

“Ace!” Jack called to me, but I wasn’t going to keep letting this continue.

I fucking hate all of this bullshit.

“Aries!” My Alpha command was loud and clear and the roaring wolf stalled her attempt to slash my other eye. “Back down, NOW!”

She growled defiantly back as she raised a paw. She obviously had no intention of lowering it until it accomplished what it was meant to achieve.

“Of course. Use your Alpha control on her when she’s been all trapped in that dark prison the witches put her in. Totally supportive, Alpha. Mhmm,” Quin guilt-tripped, which really wasn’t helping.

“You know you’re a big ass bitch when you forget what side you’re on!” Zane insulted. “We don’t have time for this! Lucy wants us to turn against one another. You know if Aurelia was in control, she wouldn’t approve of this!”

“Sunflower won’t even see me,” Quin stated it as fact, and I caught onto the pinch of hurt that resonated in her words. “So I don’t care.”

She was being rebellious because she wanted to be around Aurelia just like Quil was. Unlike wolves who sat in our subconscious and observed everything that was happening, Quil’s genetic makeup was fucked up.

Quil didn’t have a wolf chilling in his subconscious like us. He could shift just fine, which meant that the “spare” entity turned into an alternate personality, which made it seem as if Quil had dissociative identity disorder.

Medication was never the right route to helping either side of them, so I’d agreed that Quil should do what De Luca was pulling off so effortlessly—let Quin come to play whenever Quil decided to cross-dress and pretend to be the “sister” of Quil to give his alter time to get some air.

That was the only way to keep them balanced, which had been going fine and dandy aside from a few “I wanna be a villain” moments, which was exactly what was happening now.

This was a prime example of why many didn’t want to deal with hybrids or have them in a pack, for we were unstable shifters who would rather become Omegas during random outbursts than be controlled by an Alpha.

Like Zane did once upon a time.

“So you’re doing this out of spite.” King already sounded exhausted. “Quin, if you just want to come out and mingle with our queen, just fucking say so! You don’t need to fucking turn on us and become a destructive bitch!”

“Where’s the drama in that?” she questioned with an actual pout.

I groaned and looked up at Aries, who was still growling manically at me.

Aries, please. I can’t deal with you and psycho Quin right now.

“You reject us, make us feel unworthy and useless for years, and wish for me to back down?! I am not kind-hearted like Aurelia. I won’t forgive you!”

You don’t need to forgive us. You can hate us for the rest of your life if it makes you and Aurelia happy, Aries. Fuck… I know there’s no damn excuse. No matter what was done to me, I hurt you and Aurelia. I get it.

I wasn’t going to ignore the truth that was glaring back at me. Aries carried so much fucking anger; I hadn’t even seen it piled up there until I got a glimpse of Aurelia’s mind. Those meds she was taking weren’t simply to tame the negative psychological effects of being a rejected wolf, but also to defuse the inner rage that surprisingly hadn’t pushed Aurelia into insanity yet.

She was such a smart woman and gifted with the ability to tame her emotions and insecurities just so she could keep supporting those she cared dearly for, but that was the problem. She was hurting herself by hiding all the baggage our rejection had caused, and now with everything that was coming to light, she was realizing her sacrifices may not have been worth it.

For no matter what she did to try to look good in the Coven’s eyes, the organization of witches would never let a misfit prosper.

That was why we needed an organization of our own. One that would embrace us with our flaws and psychotic imperfections.

Ezra pulled back enough to give me control once more, and I lowered my hands as if I’d truly given up on fighting. If I didn’t heal this eye up soon, I’d lose sight in it.

Might as well just lose the other. Maybe that would be a worthy enough sacrifice for all the pain I inflicted on her heart.

“What are you doing?”

“Letting you have the chance to rip me to shreds,” I declared loud and clear. “If killing me for the sins I’ve committed will give me a pinch of redemption in your heart, so be it. I can’t change the past, Aries… Our Mother Moon knows if I could…”

I bit my lip and swallowed the lump that fought desperately to stop me from being so fucking vulnerable.

“I would have let the Coven kill me that night if it meant you got to be raised to love yourself. You would have been taught by a Master like Zane was… or maybe your grandmother would still be alive and able to raise you to the best of her ability. I’m not fucking sure, Aries. I can’t predict how life would have been with me not in it, but every damn night when I desperately tried to reach out to you and Aurelia before those fucking voices would taunt me for minutes if not hours on end, I wished to simply die. I wished the world would fucking forget about me so you could be free. That you’d be with Zane or maybe someone else who could love you properly and eventually help you embrace your shifter side so you’d understand why your own Coven wishes to be rid of you.”

Aries stared down at me as I let my head fall back, and I closed my eyes.

“I tried, Aries. I tried to end it… but if I did, Aurelia would die too.”

The atmosphere felt cold with my admission, and I was surprised to hear Quin mutter, “He’s… serious? Sunflower would die if asshole Alpha died? Jacky, you didn’t tell me this.”

“I told Quil.” Jack sighed, seeming unamused by the heavy topic. He hated shit revolving around self-destruction and death, and I guessed in a way all of us hated the topic because the reality was, we’d all experienced that moment where we felt like we should leave the world behind, for no one would miss the light of a misfit.

Before meeting my pack… I had no one else but Aurelia to live for.

“But you didn’t tell me now when I was going to let Aries rip him to shreds?” Quin seemed disappointed. “I’m hurt by your secrecy.”

“I’m hurt by the fact you were willing to turn on us to see Aries kill Ace when you could have just killed Lucy. I know you could have done so and yet you hesitated.”

“If I killed the bitch, Ace would have died anyway,” Quin revealed with a huff. “Leftovers of her magic are still in his mind. Until he fixes his bond with Aurelia, or cancels it entirely, if she dies, he dies… which… oh.” Quin paused as if she figured something out. “Then Sunflower dies.”

“A domino effect,” King groaned. “Which means we’d all die. We’re connected to Ace through the magic artifact. Aurelia may have found all our cards, but she’s not the official Alpha of our pack yet. Ace remains the leader, so if he dies, so do we. Zane may survive, but his wolves would go bye-bye.”

“I’m confused,” Quin genuinely declared.

“Aurelia and Ace are bonded. Ace rejected Aurelia which only destroyed the bond’s connection halfway. If Ace killed himself, it would impact Aurelia, but instead of fully killing her, because she’s also a hybrid, it would destroy only one part of her. And between witch and wolf, a witch is the weaker link,” Jack revealed. It was rather impressive that he’d figured this all out.

Maybe he knew all along. That would make sense as to why he always grinds my gears to distract me from my hopeless thought process.

“Aurelia would die with Ace, but in comparison to Ace where he and Ezra would endure the same fate, Aurelia and Aries wouldn’t. Aurelia would die from the burden of agony that would ignite from Ace’s death, which would trigger her shift into Aries. Without Aurelia to balance Aries and the absence of an Alpha, Aries would become a feral wolf who can’t be controlled.”

“Russia loves feral wolves,” Zane muttered. “They purposely send packs to hunt for them across the globe just to capture and bring them back to laboratories. They say the Vile Queen loves using them.”

That could have been another reason why someone was working for both the Coven and the Vile Queen.

“SO ACE DIDN’T KILL himself. He survived the mayhem the Coven put him through behind the scenes while they hoped he’d commit suicide, which would get rid of Aurelia so they could capture Aries, throw her to the Vile Queen, and ensure that Aurelia never had the chance to be on the Coven and they could put in the person they actually wished was on there: Lucy” she said all in one breath. “Wow. That’s kind of a cool diabolical plan,” Quin praised before she pouted her lips and looked back in our direction. “Guess you shouldn’t kill Alph… oh?”

I lifted my head so I was an inch away from Aurelia’s face, and my heart stopped at the pure sadness that filled those golden orbs of hers.

Oh shit.

She was back in her human form, naked with her hands pinned against the ground next to my face on both sides. Tears were already beginning to flood her eyes as she noticed the deep scratch along my left eye before looking solely at my right one.

I was sure she wanted to acknowledge what happened, but another set of words left those soft lips of hers.

“You were going to kill yourself?” Her voice was barely there, but the immense heartache could destroy any strand of conviction I ever carried to rid myself from this world. “First… Willow. Now you?”

“That was before,” I quietly muttered. “Before… we came to NYC. I won’t deny that I genuinely wished to end my life back then, but once I gathered the others, I knew couldn’t do it. Honestly, I always knew it wouldn’t be possible, for it’s exactly as they said. If I kill myself or die at any point in time, you’ll die, Aries would go feral, and they would replace you with Lucy.”

I hated admitting what I’d hypothesized and mentally accepted for years, but maybe this confession could make her and the others realize that I wanted the best for them, even if it made me a selfish prick who rejected his mate and didn’t have the balls to fix it.

“The voices… They tell me to end it all. Why else do you think the Coven was making my life a living hell? They killed my parents, ripped me away from you, but forced me to be at a distance. They tried to control my life in every aspect, but there were times when they couldn’t interfere thanks to Master L. The point of making my life miserable was so that I’d pull the plug which would inevitably hurt you… but maybe it’s more than that. They had a deeper meaning behind wanting to shift the blame of your death onto my shoulders. It’s clear that they didn’t have the intention of putting you on the Council until yesterday, but maybe they realized that despite how much you hate me, you’d never kill me… and I’d never kill you. They wished to find another means of getting rid of you, and that’s their new mission now. That’s why Aries was kept captive for so long. That’s why Lucy was around and put you on that platform that I knew would carry some sort of trap—to further push Aries in hopes she’d go feral while you were unconscious. Ezra knew we’d have to interfere sooner or later, but I’m sure they would have expected you to kill me by now.”

“If you know all of that, why didn’t you say anything?!” Aurelia exclaimed as tears fell onto my cheeks. “Y-Your eye. Oh fucking goddess, we scratched your eye! Ace! Answer me! Why didn’t you just stop all of this if you knew their intentions all along?!”

“What kind of Alpha would I be if I did that?” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else. “Any other route would have led to casualties, which is why I stayed in hiding the entire time. If anyone knows the way Lucy and the Coven think, it’s me. If I revealed myself, they would have targeted me on purpose so one of the others would come to my defense and end up dying, and if Zane ended up getting hit in the crossfire, you’d be absolutely heartbroken, and I can’t fucking stand seeing you sad and shit. Why should he get injured or die because of me? Out of the two of us, at least he’s able to make you smile. If these hidden circumstances didn’t tie us together, my death wouldn’t hold you back and you two would be together with no issues. You’re destined to be the Alpha of this pack anyways. I’m simply here to guide you to your destined role. Once that’s done, that’s it.”

It was kind of laughable the more I thought about it.

“Like the true Ace of Spades, I’m a death card. They used to consider the ace card bad luck, but I carry the highest rank in the deck. If I die, everyone else will suffer with me, which is why I still keep fighting and outsmarting the Coven’s foolish antics to get rid of us. They are absolutely frightened of the power we carry, and this was the example they needed to confirm we can’t be easily destroyed as a pack.”

I smiled then as I felt like we’d been victorious even if this diabolical plan went so fucking south that I was reminded to not rely on Jack to make plans ever again.

“I’ll do everything in my power to protect our misfit pack,” I vowed. “No matter if I look stupid, foolish, weak, or selfish. No matter if King pities me or Jack keeps track of all the times he can kill me and take the Alpha position. It doesn’t bother me if Quil sees all my selfish actions, and I can attempt to handle it when Quin makes a dramatic appearance and wishes for my end just to entertain herself out of boredom. It doesn’t matter if Zane utterly despises me for continuing to be a thorn in his mate’s side… and no matter your impressions of me, I have to do my part as an Alpha and protect you all. Even if it makes me look like a weak bad guy, I won’t stop until I can ensure all of you get the proper respect in society that you deserve. Our hybrid nature can no longer define our capabilities and make the world treat us like hindrances.”

I meant every word and I was sure they all knew it.

“Now that I’ve revealed my intentions, you should go check on your friend,” I casually voiced and added, “She may be surrounded by her pack, but having your best friend around when you’re reeling over your mistakes helps to decrease the immense guilt you carry in your heart.”

Aurelia didn’t know what to say, but I noticed the movement above my head and looked up to see Quin.

“Hmm. I underestimated you,” she disclosed. “Hmph. Boring.”

With a blink, Quil was back. One look down at me had him frowning.

“Should I attempt to save your eye before you explain what transpired here, or are you trying to be like one of those badass heroes that lose a limb or some shit?”

If only I could dramatically roll my eyes at that one.

“I personally like seeing Aurelia’s beauty from both eyes, but I think my eye is fucked,” I disclosed. “Welcome back, by the way. Quin decided to go all bad girl on us.”

Quil groaned. “Fucking hell, I apologize. I don’t know what happens when we switch. Zane? King? You think we can save his eye?”

The others seemed to take that as a safe signal to gather around us, and man, did I feel tired as fuck.

“Ace!” Aurelia snapped at me, and I actually grinned because she was shaking me like I’d suddenly died. “I’m sorry! I… I didn’t mean…” Now she was going to be a sobbing mess if I didn’t comfort her.

“Auri.” I tried to look up at her, but my eye was so damn tired that I’d closed it without realizing it. The other was throbbing in pain, but the physical agony wasn’t too bad compared to what I’d endured emotionally and mentally.

Maybe I have a high pain tolerance.

I moved my hand until I knew it pressed against her cheek.

“I’ll be fine. I know it wasn’t your fault. I expected it to happen, which is why I let it. It’s no big deal if I lose an eye.”

“It’s a very fucking big deal if you lose an eye, dammit!” Auri shrieked. “Why did you wait until now to let Aries be blinded by rage and attack you!”

“If I let her out any earlier, she would have attacked the others. Whether at Zane’s place or King’s. And that would also give our location away which would have revealed to the Coven our involvement, and well, I really don’t want to fucking deal with a supernatural war until we’ve got our alliances sorted,” I revealed. “Understand now?”

“No!” she cried but I knew she did get it, so it made me chuckle. “You’re such an ugly crier.”

“You can’t even fucking see me!” she sobbed. “I can’t even heal you.”

“Hmmm. It’s okay, Auri,” I muttered. “You’ve done enough for everyone, honestly. Just rest for a moment before Zane takes you to your friend.”

“I can’t go and leave you! This is my fault,” Aurelia pressed.

“You can’t do anything being here for me while I sleep, Auri. Like I said, your friend needs you.” I felt that in my gut. “Go help your friend. A few hours of sleep and I’ll be back to grinding your gears. Cool?”

“This really was unexpected,” Jack muttered. “Makes me actually want to have respect for you.”

“Jack, that sounds horrible,” King complained. “C’mon. If we bring him to a medical center, they could treat him while you guys magically attempt to save his eye. I don’t think the poison has destroyed the cataract yet.”

“Poison?!” Aurelia gasped.

“Sweetie, I think you forget that your venomous blood negatively affects Ace,” Jack reminded her. “I’m not sure the medical centers would take us on a full moon. They’re usually packed.”

“I have connections,” Quil declared in haste. “There’s a medical center in the mountains. Normally only royals are allowed to use it, but since this is my fault, they’ll be willing to bend the rules a little. Ruby loves Quin, so I’ll get her to beg later. We should go.”

“You really are something else.” Zane sighed. “The moment I bring Aurelia to Willow, I’ll find you guys and assist. He needs to be hooked up to a constant magic flow for us to attempt to repair his eye. He may not be able to use it for a couple of weeks, but that’s better than for all eternity.”

“Ace…” Poor Auri was sobbing as if I’d died.

I hate when she cries.

“C’mon, Auri. I need you to be your badass self. You have to let everyone else in the world know how much you hate me.”

“I don’t fucking hate you,” she huffed and punched my chest, which had me coughing.

“Ow.”

“Oh fuck! Ace!”

I could feel her instant regret, which simply made me chuckle.

“Such a firecracker,” I muttered. “As long as you don’t hate me, I’ll be good,” I vowed. I honestly meant it.

We can continue living with that thought in mind.

I didn’t think I’d be blessed with the press of lips against mine, but that was exactly what happened. It left me feeling even calmer as my mind was fighting to remain conscious just a little longer.

“I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll… get my life fucking together so we can have time tostart over like we agreed. All of us. Like an actual pack. Kay, Ace?”

“Mh… mmm,” I replied the best I could but I was simply on cloud nine at the tingling touch her lips left upon mine.

“He’s losing consciousness,” King warned. “We need to take him now. It’s going to be harder to help him if he’s completely out.”

“Ezra knows we’re helping him,” Quil acknowledged.

“It’s not Ezra he’s worried about,” Jack declared, and I knew who he was referring to. “Ace?”

I should reply.

I was still here, or at least it felt like it, but this peace was tempting to enjoy. There were no haunting voices or the depressive feeling of constant regret.

All that was here was blissful darkness, and I could dream about a world where I could be a proper Alpha and show my mate and my pack how much I truly appreciated them.

I could reveal that they were the reason why I still had a purpose in this world.

9

SPIRALING INTO THE TRUTH

~AURELIA~

“What if he loses his eye, Zane? Fuck. Aries didn’t mean to hurt him. She was just mad and frightened because I was unconscious, and the darkness kept growing and pushing her into a corner and she just felt utterly useless!” I was panicking, and probably hyperventilating, and the poor warlock was watching me pace around his bedroom like a lunatic.

Whenever I noticed something was floating into the sky, I quickly stopped it, but my magic was reacting to the emotional chaos happening inside me and I honestly couldn’t tell if it was my witch magic or the apparent fae magic.

Cause ya. I’m apparently one-third fae and mated to my boyfriend who is also one-third fae. Nothing odd to see here.

My whole life was spiraling, and it literally hadn’t been twenty-four fucking hours since I’d been called for that bloody check-up that had clearly ruined my controlled life.

“Aurelia.” Zane had probably called my name fifty times since he’d teleported my naked ass here so I wouldn’t try to follow the others to the medical center on Mount Marcy.

I couldn’t bother trying to figure out why a medical center that could apparently save eyeballs was in the middle of a mountain and was only available to royals or children of royalty, because it was the only potential place that could save Ace’s eye.

The moment we arrived, Zane got a call from these servants who worked for some prince who was requesting his aid, but he’d been ignoring picking up the phone because I was on the verge of a fucking breakdown.

Mental breakdown? Physical breakdown? Maybe this is an emotional one? I don’t even fucking know!

All of this was too much and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I had to be a badass bitch and figure this shit out so I could do my part as Willow’s best friend and be there for her during what may have felt like a life crisis for her, but how was I going to do that?

How am I going to be valuable to anyone when my life is falling the fuck apart?!

With the diversion and my “rescue” from my kidnappers, we may have avoided whatever the Coven had truly planned for me, but what did that leave me?

My Alpha ex-mate who didn’t even want to reject me but was forced to by the manipulative bitch who’s controlling half the fucking Coven may now lose his eye because Aries reacted out of protective anger. And now the rest of the pack probably hates me, and here I am, pacing my current boyfriend’s room because his place is the only one that can handle my unstable magic levels. And now I have to compose myself enough to see my friend who had an unsuccessful suicide attempt!

“Aurelia.”

Fifty-one times of calling my name. Oh goodness, I’m becoming fucking Jack. Is he going to count this as one of those opportunities where he could have killed Ace but decided against it? He has to be ashamed of me or something.

“Aurelia.”

King has to hate me. He doesn’t like violence, or at least not without a legitimate reason. What is he going to think of me? Is he going to hate me for hurting his Alpha and making a potential ripple through the pack?

“Aurelia.”

What about Quil? Fuck. Quil’s a girl. No. That’s Quin. I think that’s how Zane explained it, right? That Quil can do what Willow does and can be a girl but it’s different than that? Or is it the same? Fuck. Apparently, he owes Ace because he promoted Aries’s plan to kill him. I can’t believe we hurt him. We hurt our Alpha. Our ex-mate. He was trying to protect Quil or girl Quil… Quin. Ya, that’s her name. Fuck. Why didn’t he hurt me when I hurt one of his own pack members?

“Aurelia?”

Ace. All these fucking years he’s been suffering. His whole life has been full of misery. He lost his parents, me, his home, and his sense of identity. He was forced to do a job that antagonized him daily while being mentally reminded of what a fuck-up he was. He was depressed… suicidal, and yet he couldn’t fucking kill himself because that would’ve led to my death. He cared about my survival to the point that he found others who were triple hybrids so he could combat the very Coven that fucked his entire life, but he wasn’t even doing it for his damn self! He was doing it to help me get freedom from the sick, twisted family that doesn’t even fucking want me! He watched me, probably from afar, fall for another man… who’s in his pack, just so that I could experience the love he can’t even fucking deliver to me because he’s been doing all this shit to help me! He’s done everything he could for me to stop focusing on my witch life so I can see that I’m not just a wolf but am connected to the fae and my roots may go beyond the damn Coven.

“Aurelia, baby.”

Zane. How is he gonna date a fucked-up, psychotic bitch like me? I have the Coven turning on me to replace me with some cunt who isn’t even close to my damn league! How can he be in love with someone who can’t even defend her fucking self? I’m trapped in the Coven’s hold now, even if it’s just half the bond. But everything is connected to the Coven. My business, my flow of money. Fucking hell, my identity is attached to the Clementine name. If I threaten to leave, I lose fucking everything, and then where does that leave me? No one will hire me, and my herb business will go up in flames. They’ll deport Aoa back to Japan or Korea, and they’ll probably paint me as finally losing my marbles and them having to resort to kicking me out. Fuck. I can’t bring Willow, Onyx, or the others into this or they’ll get hurt. Everyone I get close to gets hurt… but if I run away, that won’t solve anything. The Coven will find me or hurt those I care about indirectly. How am I going to solve this? How am I going to break this cycle before it kills me like it did my parents and Grandma… And what’s going to happen to Aries? How am I going to even be Alpha when my own pack probably hates me? Fuck. I need to think. This is thinking, right? There has to be a way out of this. I can’t possibly be pushed into a dead end with nowhere to go, right? Yes? Maybe? Fuck, fuck, fuck—

My pacing came to a stop as I crashed right into Zane. His hands immediately landed upon my ears before his eyes locked onto mine, which made me realize how dizzy I suddenly was.

“Breathe, Aurelia.”

Oh fucking shit. I wasn’t breathing… and I’m dizzy… and everything is floating. Holy shit, are we floating? Since when can I float? I think I’m losing my fucking mind. I’m officially crazy. This is it. Now I’ll lose everyone I love and my sanit—

“You’re not losing everyone and your sanity,” Zane groaned.

“How did you even know what I’ve been thinking?!” My eyes were wide with fear, so Zane sighed and pulled me into a hug.

“Baby, you’ve been talking your entire thought process out loud.”

“I’ve lost it,” I muffled into his shirt, which had him rubbing my back.

“You haven’t lost it. It’s a side effect of Aries being temporarily absent. You’re not used to her being in the shadows of your mind, which is why you’re feeling panicked and reacting the way you are,” he explained like it was common sense.

“It’s my fault. If I’d just woken up sooner, or—”

“Aurelia, you’re not fucking Superwoman,” Zane groaned and leaned back just so I could see his glowing eyes that displayed his obvious anger regarding the situation. “No one, and I mean no one, would still be trying to function after what you’ve been through. It’s just past midnight, and you experienced at least five life-changing events in a matter of what? Three fucking hours? No one can deal with this without breaking!”

“So I am breaking,” I concluded. “I’m crazy now.”

“Aura, you’re not crazy.”

“I’m on the verge then.”

“No.”

“You’ll break up with me if I go crazy, won’t you?”

“No, Aurelia.”

“No? Are you crazy too? Maybe we can be crazy together. That doesn’t sound too bad. Psych wards and white jackets. But I don’t think they’ll let us fuck in a mental institution.”

The poor man didn’t even have a response to my words so he just hugged me again.

“Why don’t we have a time-out?”

“Time-out, yes.”

“What are we doing in this time-out?” I pondered more to myself than him, though I had a good feeling it would lead to sex. “Zane?”

“Hmm?”

“We’re still floating.”

“We’re having a lovely time-out where all you need to do is hug me.”

“Just hug you?” I pondered and couldn’t help but lean back just to look at him. He glanced down to look into my eyes, and those iridescent orbs softened at the sight of my tears as I tried to smile.

“Can we kiss too?” I quietly asked as if it were my only lifeline to keeping myself sane. “Just… so I know I won’t lose you too.”

“I keep telling you, Aura,” he began and leaned down to rub his nose against mine before our foreheads pressed together firmly, “I’ll never fucking leave you. You’re stuck with me. Crazy or not crazy. Hero or a fucking villain. I don’t bloody care anymore.”

He kissed me before he could even finish his sentence and proceeded for a solid minute before he broke it to whisper against my lips, “You’re mine. I’ll go to the ends of the earth with you if it means I stay by your side for as long as I live.”

Claiming my lips once more, he kissed me with every bit of affection he could. It was these tiny moments amongst all the chaos that I was grateful for—having one person who was like solid ground and would always be fighting to bring me back to reality.

Even if my world was spiraling out of control.

That was what these last few hours felt like: a day of calm that turned into chaos. And now I was supposed to wear a mask and pretend like my life wasn’t falling apart.

If my life was told in a damn story, I swore the poor readers would either feel pity for me or still be attempting to fathom how the fuck I was still functioning, but maybe Zane was right. Maybe I was pretending my world of chaos was something I should have been already used to and that was why my reaction and inability to simply move forward to the next step in my life was unrealistic.

I wasn’t a robot, after all. I was an individual with feelings who felt like she was undergoing a midlife-fucking-crisis, but it was worse than that, wasn’t it? Everything felt like it was falling apart. My attempts toward consistency after years of figuring out a routine that worked best for me was completely fucked now, and surely that meant something life-changing was about to hit me in the face.

I guess it did since I’m royally mated to my boyfriend.

Throw in everything else that had occurred and well, I really was drowning in this sea of change. Zane seemed to be the only thing keeping me afloat for my own sanity.

This was what the Coven was trying to succeed in. Pushing me so over the edge that I have no choice but to fall back and break into tiny pieces. To shatter my life by stealing everything in it and leaving me with nothing but bread crumbs of what I’d once had.

What was so painful about all of this was the reality that these individuals had known me for my entire life. The Elders, the individuals who foresaw the growth of us witches and wizards and were supposed to empower us to rise to our highest capabilities, were now encouraging my failure by any means.

It was pathetic, hurtful, and deeply agonizing because it truly confirmed that my life was not only a lie but I was raised to fail, encouraged to fantasize about claiming a position I was confident my hard work and perseverance would deliver to me, but instead had discovered that they had someone else they wished to see succeed.

And they hoped I’d simply disappear like the hindrance they thought I was.

It didn’t matter how many times I replayed everything in my mind. The truth was glaring right at me, and there was nothing I could do to change their impression of me. I was meant to be their black sheep—the sacrificial lamb that would be used and discarded when the time was right for everyone else to reap the grand rewards. But how was any of this fair?

If this was my destiny, did no one else see the wrong in it all? Or were my circumstances something I had to accept because I was a hybrid?

Zane broke the kiss that was growing heated in need, his hand moving down my bare back until he lightly gripped my ass just so he could press me further against him. We shared little kisses in between catching our breath before he lightly tugged at my lower lip and sucked gently while his half-opened eyes met mine.

I may not have had the time to really register this whole new bond with this man before me, but the one thing I was already grateful for was the ability to resonate with his internal emotions.

Here I was, floating in his arms, a naked mess with wet cheeks, a flushed face, and a spiraling mind, yet Zane was peering into my eyes like they were the only ones he ever wanted to see. His heart was beating rapidly at our closeness, and I could tell he was struggling to tame his obvious lust for me because of the intensity of the situation.

There were bits of anger that I felt revolved around the Coven and what they were doing to me matched with heightened frustration because he felt like he wasn’t doing enough. I mentally pleaded with my body to ensure he could feel the gratitude that grew with every passing second that I was in his arms. I wanted to know that he could resonate with how much I loved him and that having his company when I felt so out of control was doing so much more than he understood.

“Zane,” I whispered against his lips when he leaned in to kiss me.

“I know, baby,” he whispered right back and further gripped my ass as if he needed to enjoy the plump surface. “Fuck.” He sucked on my bottom lip and proceeded to kiss me long and hard. We were panting in seconds, and he seemed to force himself to break the kiss so he wouldn’t lose complete control of himself due to the pulsing urges rushing through his body and funneling into our bonded connection.

Just a look in his eyes showed me his internal struggle to be the supportive boyfriend he always was while fighting to tame his mating urge to fuck me. I knew we’d have to go shortly, and after everything we’d dealt with, this was not the time to enjoy a moment of fucking, but my level of logic was being taken over by my body’s compulsive desire to distract myself from everything tumbling down in my life.

And Zane was the only one who could give me that moment’s grace.

We shared a look, just a simple look, and I felt the floor beneath my feet a second later. The touch to reality seemed to snap whatever resistance we had because Zane cursed and had me slammed against the opposite wall in mere nanoseconds.

Our lips crushed together, pressing reverently in a desperate need that my brain couldn’t comprehend right now. I didn’t want to think, worry, or even shed tears anymore. I was so fucking tired of being an emotional mess and feeling so fucking weak.

I was Aurelia Clementine—no, fuck the Clementine, for I’m Aurelia, the badass misfit bitch everyone’s so desperate to get rid of—but here I was, making love to Zane Malark because the man loved me to the moon and back, flaws and all, and that was the energy I needed to thrive on in this heightened moment of burning ecstasy.

Things were floating again, but I didn’t care as Zane hooked his arms under my knees and lifted me up with ease. We went from the wall to me plastered against the chilled glass of the floor-to-ceiling window, and fucking hell did the frigid surface against my backside further heighten the wild ride as Zane slid his cock right into my hot pussy.

“Shit!” I cursed at the unexpected thrust, but I groaned at the immense wave of relief and pleasure that overwhelmed my senses. It felt so good—so fucking good—and what a way to get some relief from all the stress plaguing my mushy mind.

“This pussy was fucking made for me, Aura,” he groaned into my mouth before he smothered my moans as he began to ram right into me. My heart was racing, my body hot and tingling. This was the perfect way to blow off some tension that plagued both of us.

“Zane, baby. Faster. Please?” My head swarmed with nothing but pleasure. My body was now a temple being worshipped by Zane’s cock. He fucked me mercilessly, and it was what I desperately needed.

Hard, fast, a mix of pain and loads of fucking pleasure, and the heat of our bodies matched with the chill of the window he was pounding me against was the topping on this sweet cake of sexual paradise.

He nestled his head between my shoulder and neck, his lips kissing and sucking that sensitive spot that he enjoyed nipping at on the regular. My moans were loud, my heavy panting matching the rhythm of his thrusts, and the way my body pressed against him made me realize he’d magically removed all of his clothes.

“Fuck, baby, you’re tight. So damn tight and fluttering around me. You love this, don’t you? Love the way I fuck you. I can’t get enough of this pussy. I’m addicted, you know that?” he breathed then kissed and bite hard into my flesh, which left me moaning as my orgasm inched closer and closer.

His movements were out of control, and I thought he wouldn’t be able to move faster, but Zane surely hid an energy reserve of stamina in his body because he practically doubled his speed as his grunts grew louder, and I knew we’d cum in a few swift thrusts.

“Oh fuck. Ya baby. That’s my Aura. You’re going to cum with me. Cum until you can’t take any more of this cock,” he heavily breathed, and his husky, breathless words made my pussy quiver in desperation. “Shit! Squeeze me like that, Aura.”

He was gliding effortless in and out of me, our moans mingling together like a harmonic duet. I was so close, my body quivering as my legs he held up so effortlessly shook in anticipation.

“Harder, Zane. Harder! Harder! Harder!” I could get lost in this forever, enjoy this approaching peak of oblivion for hours if it meant I’d get to spend it with Zane and get lost in our flowing energies. It felt like he was truly my Yin and I was his Yang, and how divinely beautiful it was to love this man. To be in love with someone who just got me and didn’t let anything else influence his immense affection that was mine alone.

Property of his Aura alone.

This was something I’d never let someone steal from me, and this was the conviction I needed to claim everything else back in my life. It wouldn’t happen overnight, and I didn’t give a shit anymore if it meant I’d be the biggest bitch in all NYC. At the brink of climax, I knew I would be the villain in anyone’s eyes if it meant I’d be with Zane and the others, and that had to start now.

“ZANE!” I came undone at that moment, my body frozen in pure ecstasy.

Zane was still rapidly thrusting into me, but I knew he was at the tip of that climatic cliff.

“AURELIA!” he finally moaned loudly, and he sank as deeply as he could before his eyes rolled back and he groaned in utter relief. His hot load spilled right into me, and he was a panting mess as he shook in exhaustion.

He pulled out and had me in his arms in a second. When we collapsed onto the bed, it was simply to give us another surface to fuck upon. He paused to kiss me for a solid few seconds before he leaned over to whisper, “Two more times, baby. Just give me two more fucking times.” He tugged my ear lobe and sucked it. “I’ll think while I fuck you so you don’t have to, but I need to be inside you again.”

He didn’t wait for my reply as he already slid back in. The two of us were moaning before he began to move at a much slower pace. His arms were over my head, his lips alternating between kissing me on my lips and leaving hickeys on my neck. Those sinful hips of his moved at such a seductive pace that it felt like heaven as I was still fighting to catch my breath.

My panting shifted to moans and whimpers, my body so sensitive to every little touch. I couldn’t remember what I’d been thinking about before this, and it was just another contributor to this wonderful ride of bliss that Zane was pampering me with.

“Zane,” I moaned his name with need. “Move a bit faster, please? Pretty fucking please.” I needed to cum again and I bet he felt it too. He felt how his dominance in the bedroom electrified me on so many levels, and how I wished we could do this for fucking hours.

“Anything for you, Aura.” His thrusts grew faster, deeper, and harder, and all I could do was enjoy the euphoric ride. “Fuck, I need this, baby. Can you feel how much I need you? My sweet addiction.”

I felt his release before mine crashed through my core and exploded through my body. The two of us cried out in bliss before we became panting messes once more. Neither of us could move as we lay still and fought for breath.

“Okay… maybe five minutes before the last one,” Zane breathed in defeat, which was so damn funny, I was laughing like a lunatic.

“Overcalculated your fuck game?” I teased, which rewarded me with his twitching cock that was still deep inside me. “Fuck, Zane. Tell your willy to not twitch like that.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot how listening to you laugh and breathe turns me on too.”

“That’s utter bullshit,” I hollered, but we were laughing hysterically before he managed to have enough energy to pull out of me. I moaned at the movement as he cursed and kissed me.

“I should fuck you from behind,” he muttered against my lips.

“Turn me over then,” I purred. “But if you’re talking about anal, we haven’t explored that rabbit hole yet.”

“Do you want to?” The thrill in his voice encouraged me to lift my head up enough to see the true excitement in his eyes.

“You get turned on by everything that moves,” I groaned and let my head relax back on the bed.

“No, that’s not true,” Zane argued with a sexy grin as he hovered over me and leaned in close. “Only for you. My one and only Aura. Do I have to keep reminding you?”

“Yes,” I breathed as my eyes were already peering down at his lips while my tongue trailed my own lips, which were suddenly dry. “You have to keep reminding me so I don’t forget.”

“Again and again?”

“Mhmm.”

“You won’t get tired of me?”

“Never,” I vowed and meant it.

“Then I’ll have to do it every day,” he whispered before passionately kissing me. It didn’t take him long to turn me over so I lay on my stomach, and it felt as though he were admiring the arc of my back and a few of my incantation markings.

“I want to see you be fucked by another man again.”

I hadn’t prepared for his admission, and it was a bit shocking. I had to look over my shoulder and see if I’d been hallucinating this whole fucking time, because certainly my Zane wasn’t implying he wanted to enjoy the sight of another man’s hands all over me and his cock fucking me senseless, right?

We’d agreed to share me a while ago, and I knew that had to be sexually as well, but I never really drilled those sections into my mind. Sharing to me meant being able to hold hands with the others or kiss and give them hickeys, but I was beginning to realize there was no way that was possible.

Being saved by them had changed our dynamic entirely, which may have been why my body, mind, and soul were fine with what happened with Jack during the deal process.

Heck, if it were my way, I would have enjoyed being fucked in the ass by Jack with Zane thrusting deep into my pussy.

“Did you like it?” My curiosity got the best of me, and I looked away to rest my chin on my crossed arms that rested on the bed.

His cock pressed against my ass cheeks, and I could tell it was already hard. He didn’t tease me though. Instead, his hands began to move along my back until he reached my shoulders and began to squeeze the tense spots without a word.

“Fuck,” I moaned and further relaxed. “If you give me a massage just for being suspended in the air by another man, what would happen if we had an actual threesome?”

“I’d take you to Vegas and marry you so I had first dibs on you carrying my last name.”

I froze at his words then tried to lift my head back like I was attempting to do a damn yoga pose to see his upside-down figure. “Wha—”

He met me two-thirds of the way, his lips smothering mine before he purposely further pressed my body with his, which had me moaning into his mouth as my eyes fluttered closed.

“I said what I said, Aurelia.” His husky voice hummed through my mind, and the wavelength of lust and admiration was so overwhelmingly powerful that I knew he really did mean his words.

He released me when my lungs burned for air and then proceeded to kiss the back of my neck, which further encouraged me to relax.

“Why would you want to marry me?” I muttered. “I have nothing to my name if I’m suddenly ditched to the curb. I still have a business with my friends and side flows of income here and there, but nothing to sustain my herb business and companies. I’d need a huge influx in sales to keep going or a yearly advance to keep it afloat. I don’t know. I bet you the Coven would make sure no one wants to work with me. I guess I can open one of those tiny witch shops, or better yet, be one of those traveling psychics who attend various festivals. I heard the food is free if you… Oh shit, can you focus on that part right there?”

My open thought process was interrupted by the tense knot in my left shoulder that Zane was flawlessly getting rid of.

When it was released, I groaned in relief because it felt far too fucking good.

“Never mind. I’ll just let you become a masseur and I’ll just post it on social media so all the girls and their mothers will come to your spa clinic.”

“That would mean I’d have to actually give them massages, baby,” he reminded me, which clearly hadn’t clicked in my brain until he brought it up.

“No. You’d be the owner. You’re simply for advertising purposes. If anyone asks for you, we say you’re booked for a year. No… people are patient when it comes to a year. Five years if they’re human, ten years if they’re a shifter.”

“And if they’re a pureblood?”

“Those still exist?” I pondered. “I thought they were off the shifter block because they were doing discounts on coffin beds.”

“That’s how you determine if a shifter race is going extinct?” He was on the verge of laughing.

“Yes! It’s like when they start doing sales on wands. You know a bunch of people failed the examples when the sale is higher than 40%.”

Now he lost it.

“Baby, no one thinks that way.” He had to relax against me and use one of his arms to prop himself up as he laughed far too hard.

“It’s legit!” I argued and began to giggle because of how utterly amused he was. “Stop laughing! You’re making me laugh!”

“Should I dare ask about wolf shifters or are you going to go on a theoretical tangent about how there are too few necessities in the stores for wolf shifters so it’s impossible to determine if they’re declining or increasing?”

“I was going to explain to you that due to the—”

“Nope, nope.” He was laughing hysterically again. “We ain’t going down that pipeline until I’ve fucked you again.”

“You just want to wait until after sex so we fall asleep and I forget!”

“Accurate.” He had no fucking remorse. “To answer your previous question, yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, I did like what we did with Jack in that odd torture room.”

“I thought you were banned from coming in there because you’d give away our location,” I noted as if I’d just remembered.

“Nothing is going to stop me from coming to you when I need to,” he vowed. “Besides, I didn’t give my location because I shifted my wizard energy to my wolves so it didn’t fuck the system.”

“Wolves?” Did I hear him correctly?

“It’s complicated,” he answered but didn’t seem like he was against sharing more.

“Will we be able to talk about that soon?”

“We can talk about it now if you want. I already located where the Forbidden Pack is. They’re on their way to some hotel. It’s probably owned by one of them. I haven’t responded to any of the calls on my phone because I don’t want them tapping into my energy.”

“You’re worried they’ll trace you?”

“Not really.” He didn’t sound bothered. “They can’t really do shit against me. They won’t be able to track me, either, as long as I remain here. I do have shit to do because the Coven will most certainly try to throw me under the bus, but I warned Master L that I may be severing the alliance I have with them.”

“Yout told Master L?” I was surprised.

“Mhmm,” he replied and kissed the middle of my back. “He supports whatever decision I make. It won’t be long before he’s not in the picture anymore.”

“What do you mean?” I didn’t like the dip in his voice. “Why wouldn’t he be in the picture anymore?”

Zane simply didn’t answer, his arms snaking around my body before he pulled me into a hug.

“Don’t want to talk about it yet?” I concluded quietly.

“Not yet,” he confessed. “I feel like if I do… it’ll become a reality far faster than I’d like, and frankly, I’m not prepared for that just yet.”

We understood each other so well.

“I’m always here when you need me, Zane,” I whispered.

“I know.” He took a deep inhale and let it out, his lips lightly grazing the left side of my neck. “The others are really infatuated with you,” he randomly brought up.

“Even though I almost killed their Alpha?” I dryly muttered.

“Aries wouldn’t have killed Ace,” Zane acknowledged as if he were completely confident that such an occurrence never would have happened no matter the timeline. “Despite everything, you still love Ace.”

“You don’t know that,” I huffed defensively, which had him chuckling into my shoulder.

“Oh, Aura. I don’t need to be bonded to you to acknowledge that no matter how shattered your heart was thanks to Ace, you were still waiting for him to come and pick up every broken piece and put it back together again.”

“That’s…” I trailed off because I knew he’d sense that I was lying. “He didn’t even pick up all the pieces.”

“Maybe because he needed some help,” Zane offered. “I picked up some. I know there are still a bunch left to be reclaimed and put together like a new piece of art, but I think with a few added hands, we can fix that heart back up until it looks brand new.”

“Looks brand new, huh?” It seemed like something that was doable from the way Zane elaborated on it. “What about the cracks?”

“Nothing a little TLC can’t fix,” he reasoned and added, “Or loads of cum.”

“Eww!” I barked in laughter before I slapped his hand that was trying to get between my legs. “My cum ain’t going to piece together my own damn heart, Mr. Malark, so get your greedy hand away from my pussy.”

“I never said we were going to use your cum,” he reasoned as if he were making logical sense. “And the last time I checked, this pussy was mine, Aura.”

“You can’t own my pussy,” I huffed and tried to ignore his hand’s second attempt to slip between my legs. “Cum ain’t super glue, you know. Hearts deserve commitment and love for those cracks to heal.”

“And food?” he suggested.

“And food,” I repeated, only for me to groan and tap at his wrist lightly. “Pussy juices don’t count as food!”

“Maybe not for you,” he reasoned. “But eating out of yours is the perfect appetizer for me.”

Fucking hell, this flirt of a wizard.

“You’re so flirty!” I tried to wiggle out of his hold, but he simply tightened it and slipped his two fingers into pussy. I moaned as my back arched. “Zane,” I warned.

“You’re still wet for me, which communicates that I’m not appeasing you enough,” he defended and proceeded to span his fingers out within my pussy to further spread my walls that reacted to the intrusion by getting wetter.

Betrayed by my own pussy.

“So possessive,” I huffed, but having him work me with his finger was making me want to fuck again. “Are all triple hybrids possessive fuckers?”

“Probably,” he replied as he slowed his fingers’ movement just a little bit. “Are you okay with that?”

“I don’t think I have a choice,” I noted and further relaxed into his hold. “But frankly, the least possessive of our misfit bunch is King.”

“That’s not true,” Zane admitted. “He’s simply reserved. King’s possessiveness is always passive. In unique ways you won’t really notice. Like how he guards your workspace when you’re in it working on private orders for your clients.”

“What?” That was new. “Really?”

“Really,” he replied.

“But I never see King. I see Quil but that’s because he always reading somewhere in my space.”

“Quil is possessive by needing to be within a certain radius of you. I’m actually unsure if that’s a nymph or Unseelie trait, but he has no problem being seen around you. They like letting the rest of the world know that you’re under their protection so they should watch it.”

“No one could possibly be afraid of Quil though.”

“You’d be surprised, my love,” Zane emphasized. “Quil frightens the Masters on the High Court.”

“Shut up.” I was shocked. “Because he’s one-third fae?”

“Dark fae are probably the most frightening race in the hierarchy of supernaturals.”

“Why?”

“That would be a history lesson, my sweet,” he admitted and shifted us so he was spooning me—and somehow still managed to keep those sinful fingers in my pussy. “I haven’t yet determined if they’re more frightened of Quil or Quin.”

“How do I get to meet girl Quil?”

“Your hormones are going crazy now,” he acknowledged, which actually had me blushing.

“Shut up.”

“You’re already trying to plan your bisexual fantasy,” he teased and purposely moved his finger just to make my pussy quake.

“Zane,” I moaned.

“See? Turns you on.”

“That was totally your fingers, you prick,” I huffed before something clicked in my mind. “Wait. I know we’re all triple hybrids, or at least that’s what I’ve gathered, though I haven’t locked in on King’s and Ace’s third shifter traits, but doesn’t that mean we all have fae traits?”

“Everyone but Ace,” Zane disclosed.

“Seriously?” I didn’t feel like that made sense. “But the rest of us have fae in us.”

“True, but I believe it has to do with his Ace card. As he explained, the card used to be known as the ‘Death’ card before it was acknowledged as the most powerful card in the deck. How that plays in our destinies is beyond me, but Ace doesn’t have regular or dark fae energy.”

“I never asked, but if you’ve always been a part of the pack, aren’t you obligated to follow Ace’s commands and stuff?” I wasn’t really sure if I was asking the proper question. “I’m so out of the loop with wolf shifter pack life, so correct me if I’m wrong, but Ace is the Alpha, Jack is the Beta, and the rest of you are a part of the pack.”

“You got the breakdown correct,” Zane began. “But I’m not necessarily obligated to listen to Ace.”

“Huh? Why not? I know he can’t control your warlock side, and he’s not fae so he has no power over that part either, but your wolf is a part of the pack.”

“I’m a part of the pack on paper,” he confessed. “But I’m an Omega.”

Hold up… What?

I may not have seen Aries sitting in her usual spot in my subconscious, but I sensed her intrigue at the mention of Omega.

“You can’t be an Omega,” I voiced. “Willow’s bodyguard, Viktor, he’s an Omega. He’s been one, probably, since he was assigned to her. He’s not tied to Roberto other than the contract he carries. He was trained in Russia, so I’m not sure if it was a forced move or his choice, but isn’t the process of becoming an Omega pulling out of your current pack? Also, if you do become one, doesn’t that risk you going insane or feral?”

“Yes,” Zane admitted. “I was one of the first Ace recruited for his pack.”

“Seriously?” I was far too intrigued, and I felt like he knew I’d seek some type of explanation as to how he was an Omega then.

“I joined his pack when we were in our early teens. It simply made sense at the time. Master L was training us whenever he could, and to be fair, we got along in an odd way. As a child, I was more reserved. Quiet. But I’ve never been afraid of taking action. That’s what always surprised a lot of people. When they see that you’re shy and focused, a lot of wizards want to start something. Provoke you into shit that was never really your business. They did that to Ace all the time, pestering him about how useless and stupid he was. Some of it came from those who enjoyed rubbing in that he rejected you and what a missed opportunity his actions led to, while others picked on him for other things. His parents getting killed and other stupid stuff you wouldn’t think would be used against you. It always pissed me off because I was an orphan for as long as I could remember, but no one had time to mess with me. They did once or twice, and then they learned their lesson rather quickly, but Ace endured that shit daily, as if it were a bloody curse or he deserved to have his buttons pushed.”

His arm that was wrapped around my waist further tightened as if he could feel the thread of hurt that nagged at that void in my heart that should have harbored the connection I carried with Ace.

It was another reminder of all the shit Ace had endured on my behalf and how everyone simply made him look evil because it was encouraged by those in higher places who wished for his isolation.

So he could be an outcast in his community like I was, only his circumstances were far harder than mine.

“We had our obvious differences, and sometimes that led to disagreements, but I didn’t pull out of the pack bond until a little bit before he found King, Quil, and Jack.”

“Why did you pull out though? Did you get into an argument?

“Not necessarily.” He seemed a bit hesitant about answering.

“Does it have to do with me?” I elaborated, and he didn’t reply. “Don’t tell me you pulled out because of me, Zane.”

“You know, when I first saw you, I told Master L that one day you’d be mine,” he tossed back as if to change the subject, but his words did temporarily stir my mind away from the rooted question he didn’t want to answer just yet. “I knew within my soul that our paths would cross for the better. I didn’t know when or why, but it was one of the few things in my life that I knew would come to pass. Almost like I was fulfilling a prophecy of some sort.”

He paused to think about it, and I wondered if he was closing his eyes and letting his thoughts flow effortlessly without worry.

“Ace didn’t tell me he was leaving NYC until a week later. That was after I hadn’t heard from him at all for a few months. I could feel something was wrong, but I couldn’t understand what the problem was. I ended up going all the way to the studio apartment he’d gotten on a whim so he could hide and fight whatever demons he was dealing with. That’s when he told me his decision to not return to NYC. I didn’t know it was because of the Coven and Westley’s connections at the time. All I knew was that he was distancing himself for good and the only thing I could think about was how that would affect you. How it would break you. I don’t know. It made me so fucking angry, and I guess every part of me was mad because an Alpha is supposed to fight and defend whom he cherishes the most, but Ace was doing the opposite in my eyes. He was being a weak coward by running away, and it hurt to see how distraught he was. I was a bit foolish back then and reacted because of that anger. I didn’t question what the underlying motive was or think that he could have been protecting you from something I couldn’t see at the surface. I just didn’t want to associate myself with him. Not as an Alpha,” he explained. “So I pulled out of the pack bond.”

“Didn’t that…” I stopped myself because I didn’t want to condemn his actions, especially when he’d reacted on my behalf.

“It hurt him even more,” Zane whispered. “But you know… in the end, I was the stupid one because he wanted me to leave the pack.”

“He wanted you to?” I couldn’t understand that.

“The Joker card in a deck is what people like to simply refer to as the ‘replacement’ card. We help replace the lost and damaged cards when we enter the playing field, so I think Ace didn’t want to pin me to him. I’m not sure if he predicted that we’d one day be together… but sometimes I also feel like I was meant to be his replacement.”

“His replacement…” I trailed off as I repeated the words.

“I believe that Ace’s original plan was to gather those who resonated with the cards in the magic artifact he received from Master L and make us into one solid pack. I’d remain an Omega until the time was right, and I guess he was going to let the strings of Fate work her magic and have me, the Joker, replace him as Alpha of our deck. I’d be with you, our relationship would be official, and eventually, you’d be the Alpha of the pack.”

“But where would that leave him? He… can’t kill himself so it’s not like that was the intention, right?”

“It may not have been his intention, but…” He needed a second to really think about it. “I think he let me leave the pack way back then on purpose, to feel what it was like for a wolf to leave one’s pack.”

“He wanted you to leave on purpose…” The more I learned about Ace and his past, the more I was beginning to realize how selfless he was.

“When a wolf leaves a pack, its agonizing and can leave the wolf in a state of insanity or push them into a feral state they don’t recover from. However, it also hurts the Alpha just as badly. It’s painful and takes weeks, months, or even years to recover. I think he wanted to endure what it was like. To feel the agonizing pain and determine if it was something he could withstand again and again until all the members within his pack were out for the count. It would kind of make sense since he never thought you’d collect our cards. It wasn’t something you could predict so, maybe in his mind, he wanted to gather everyone and then push them away. Being an Omega is hard, but in a way, it made me a lot stronger. I never wanted to admit it to his face, but the way Ace thought it all out was something a very experienced Alpha would do to make his pack members stronger, even if it means he doesn’t reap the rewards,” he admitted. “Once everyone was freed from his reign… I guess he would have just disappeared. He wouldn’t die so he’d simply live a life of solitude wherever he left to.”

“That’s not fair,” I whispered, my voice barely there.

“Like life,” Zane replied and gently kissed my shoulder. “But Mother Moon had other plans, which is why we’re here now and not going down that path.”

“I wish I knew what’s next for us,” I confessed and closed my eyes. “I really want to know about my heritage. Who is the man I’d met in the meditated state was my father. Maybe it would give us some clues as to why this is truly happening? Why I’m being outcasted from the Coven and why they were hell-bent on us not dating.”

“Well, they failed at that second part,” Zane mumbled, but I felt like he wanted to tell me something. I didn’t want to press him about it, but then he let out a long breath. “I can’t tell you everything now because I know we have to leave and jump back into reality, but the man you felt was your father… could have been exactly that.”

There was a blanket of silence that fell upon us, but I was okay with that much information.

“He said he knew your parents,” I quietly confessed. Zane didn’t seem surprised in the slightest. He simply nodded into my shoulder.

“Mhmm.”

“When things calm down, we’ll talk about the mark on my palm, right?”

“Anything you wish to talk about, we’ll discuss, baby,” he assured me. “And whatever we don’t know, we’ll figure out with the others.”

That made me smile before he whispered, “Ace is awake.”

“Really?” Gosh, I want to see him… but I can’t.

“Ya. Looks like they don’t need my help, but I’ll go see him and make sure everything is good while you’re with the Forbidden Pack.”

“He’s not mad?”

“No, Aura.”

“You sure?”

“Positive,” he muttered before he moved his fingers, which I’d forgotten were still in my pussy.

“Shit. Those sinful things are still there?”

“I’m glad you’ve gotten accustomed to the size of my two fingers,” he teased. “Now we’ve got to get your ass warmed up.”

“Oh goddess, let’s not do that now.” My sexual high was gone.

“So, rain check?” he offered and pulled his fingers out without me even having to ask him to.

“Yes, please.” I felt immense relief with the option to hold off until another day.

“Maybe I can get Quil to join us next time.”

That had my eyes as wide as saucers as I turned my body enough to look over my shoulder and see his taunting smile.

“He wouldn’t… would he?”

“You’re getting turned on by the mere idea again,” he noted and shook his head. “Why do I feel like I would have swept you off your feet if I were a girl?”

“Maybe you could have,” I offered right back with a taunting smirk. “You did a pretty good job as a male.”

“I doubt I’d be able to share you as a female though,” he noted.

I had to turn in his hold so I now faced him before I lightly pushed him over so I could pin him beneath me.

“Why is that? I thought men were more possessive?”

“Nah.” He lifted his arms up before slipping his hands behind his head to admire my nakedness. “We’re possessive, yes, but when a pack agrees to share a woman, we back off. Women, on the other hand, are feisty and will make anyone else who’s even close to worthy enough to have a shot with their woman work for it like a damn competition.”

“That doesn’t sound bad.”

“If only you were in my shoes.” He made it sound like he really was going to fight to get alone time with me after tonight.

“Why do I feel like you’re predicting something?” I arched an eyebrow at him and watched his sly grin form on those irresistible lips of his.

“Guess, baby.”

I frowned and tried to think until it suddenly clicked and my lips turned into a big O.

“Shit,” I cursed.

“Bingo.”

“You’re really saying Quin’s that bad?” I pressed. I simply couldn’t fathom it, but then again, my ass was unconscious when she made her grand debut. “I wish there were footage of the fight.”

“There is,” Zane revealed.

“Fuck. Seriously?”

“I’ll have to try to snag it. We should have done it earlier, but all of us have been rather distracted,” he explained. “I think King may have actually gotten a copy. If not, I’ll need Jack to do some hacking shit.”

“If you do get it, will you let me see?”

“We can watch it together,” he assured me as his hand moved up my body and even reached out to begin trailing his finger along one of my breasts before moving to the other. It was as if he were going on a trail that made the infinity sign, which made me begin to blush the moment I clued in on it.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” he said, but I knew from his softened eyes and that proud grin that he knew exactly what he was doing. “I stand by my words, Aurelia.”

We shared a look and my face grew redder as I glanced away.

“Talk is cheap.”

“I’ll buy you a ring.”

“Oh, fuck no.” I looked back at him, my whole face red. “You do that and the whole magic community would probably perish of heartbreak. Zane fucking Malark off the market forever?! Jeez. That’s like telling the De Luca fan club that William is dating Dimitris or something.”

“They’re not dating?” Zane pouted at the news. “I swear they are.”

“They’re not,” I groaned. “I mean, not yet? I don’t know. I guess I’ll find out when I catch up with her. I hope her injuries weren’t too extensive.” I stared at him for an extra moment. “You fucked me so you could further boost my magic levels, didn’t you?”

“It worked, did it not?”

“You praise Ace for his Alpha thinking skills, yet you think outside the box all the time,” I muttered under my breath and tried to get off him, but he stopped me from escaping by putting his hands on my hips.

“And behind the scenes, you always bring yourself down like you’re not one of the strongest witch hybrids I know,” he grumbled back while staring into my eyes. “We should change that.”

My lips couldn’t pout any further.

“I’ll change if you change.”

“Deal,” he agreed and used his core strength to lift upward until his lips met mine. I tried to lean away but his hand pressed against my back and stilled me so we could kiss passionately.

“Remember we have a rain check,” I muttered against his lips but ended up kissing him for a full minute.

“Mhmm,” he moaned and gently kissed me. “Rain check. Got it.”

I smiled as my arms ended up hooking around his neck, and we kept kissing and kissing until he fell right back against the sheets and took me with him.

Maybe spiraling into the truth is going to bring us to our next destination.

10

IT’S OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP

Aries, are you sure you’re good?

She was out of her hiding place because I may need her for backup now that I was waiting for Willow, Onyx, and the others. Zane had brought me right to the very hotel that the Forbidden were going to be arriving at any minute now, and after a motivational kiss and tight hug, he was ready to see if the Coven had done anything shady while we’d been distracted.

For what? An hour or two? Jeez. Today feels like fucking forever.

He promised to check on Ace and ensure the others were okay as well. I guessed the battle they faced while I was unconscious was intense with a dose of stressfulness, so I was glad Zane was stepping up to make sure the others were dealing with the aftermath okay.

I wanted to step up and be there for them as well, but I was walking on a tightrope myself, and until I really got my shit together, I’d be rather useless. That was why I needed to do this confrontation on my own to get a bit of my groove back.

Even if it meant wearing a mask and acting like my world hadn’t turned upside down in less than a day.

“I’m okay,” she quietly responded, but I could still sense the worry in her voice.

Zane said once we’re done here, he’ll come to get us and we can check on Ace. I’m sure he didn’t take it personally, and neither did his wolf. You don’t deserve to beat yourself up for it. You were simply trying to protect me and the lingering runes made you think you were helping our side.

“It looked like I was protecting Quil, not that slut of a manipulative bitch,” Aries growled.

She’d told me that after Zane left or I would have informed him. Clearly, Lucy’s manipulation powers not only dealt with mind control but illusions as well. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered if she had something to do with the childhood illusions and hallucinations I used to deal with during my hospital stays.

I had to remind myself to make a batch of my meds later once I knew Willow was sorted, and I’d also have to check in to see if Aoa was okay as well. Then I’d have to speak with Whitney. There was just so much shit I had to do.

I kept telling myself I had to breathe and take one moment at a time, but fuck. All of this was overwhelming and I already was dreading the list of things I’d need to check off the lengthy to-do list.

We’ll let Zane or one of the others know about it when we regroup. I think we’re going to have to do some research to find a way to block her abilities from taking control of us, especially Ace. Her magic is still lingering in his head or whatever. We have to nullify it in some way.

“Do you think we can find a spell for that?”

Most likely. I know there are herbs that can help as well. If we really work at it, we could start the process. I’m thinking after this, we’ll have to stop by the private herb shop for a little bit.

“Do we have to?” I could hear her hesitation and I knew why. “Can we balance it out and switch our bank flow?”

I’ll have to talk to someone about that. I could mention it to Whitney as well. She isn’t the type to pry, based on the few instances I’ve had with her. She also signed an NDA so she wouldn’t tell the Coven members. I’m not sure if she’s been manipulated by Lucy though.

“I don’t think so,” Aries stated with confidence.

You sound confident with that statement.

“There’s something about the Whitney woman that screams hidden power. Kind of like when you look at someone and know they’re full of secrets.”

That makes sense.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out while I continued to lean against the wall.

I can’t believe Zane mentioned marriage earlier. I mean… I just had the guts to finally make us official and now he’s willing to marry me?

“He surprised us,” she admitted and grumbled, “Ace should take notes.”

I rolled my eyes but I knew she was still worried about our ex-mate.

When you were trapped in the spell… he had a panic attack. I’d never seen him endure something like that. I guess in my mind, I envision Ace as a stuck-up asshole, though I also remember the little boy I’d fallen in love with. It was scary… and when he told me what he’d gone through and shit… I decided we should start over.

Aries didn’t say anything, but her wise eyes were staring at me while I peered at her within my subconsciousness.

Zane told me to calm him down by kissing his neck. I felt like I was betraying him and he told me Ace had suffered enough. He was hearing voices and everything. An aftereffect of Lucy’s mind control. I want to be able to make something for that too. I don’t know. Maybe… it’s just hard for me to want payback against someone who you realize has been going above and beyond for everyone but himself. I want to remain angry, to make him work for me and prove just how much he loves me… but when you put all the pieces together, can’t we agree he’s going the extra mile to love us in a way we would have never discovered until it was too late?

“Do you wish to open your heart to him again?” she questioned. “Do you believe he wants this as much as you yearn to make amends?”

She had a point with asking that question. Was this going to be a one-sided reach where I yearned for his loving affection, only for him to not want the same thing?

I want to believe he wants this as well… but what if we inch into things and try to understand his love language while helping him understand ours?

It seemed like an offer that encouraged communication between the two of us.

Over the years, our values had changed, and it wouldn’t be as easy for him to understand me and my needs in comparison to Zane, who understood us rather flawlessly. If I communicated my needs and encouraged him to do the same, we could find even ground.

Aries continued to stare at me before she closed her eyes. I wondered if she was going to curl up and go back to sleep, but her voice softly hummed in my mind. “He’s shown traits of an Alpha and one who loves you despite the odds placed against him. The enemies watching for our demise clearly wish for us to not be together with Ace. They’re the same ones who were wishing to stop us from being with Zane. If the mark on your hand proves anything, it shows that the enemy always interferes with our destiny when it comes to happiness. If we play things safe and decide to not try again, wouldn’t we be giving them exactly what they wish?”

She had a point.

“If you want to try again… then I can only support it,” she whispered. “But if he dares hurt you, I’m biting his cock off.”

Fair game. That really did make me smile in happiness. I love you, Aries.

“As I’ll always love you,” she returned. “Shall we get into our grand role? Your friend and her pack have arrived.”

That had me taking a few deep breaths before I peered over to see a group of suited men in black with red ties rushing to lay a red carpet down as they worked towards whatever formation would be pleasing for their approaching guests.

When Zane teleported us here, I knew the place was in the rich part of NYC, the East Side that had grown exponentially since the ownership of the surrounding buildings had changed. I swore it was once owned by Roberto, but the De Luca businessman enjoyed investing in properties that guaranteed triple in return, and at the time, this building wasn’t cutting it.

Now it’d probably gotten quadruple the investment back.

I caught onto the leader of the group. Those familiar dark shades matched with the bright red hair told me this was the one and only Neo Rodrigez. I hadn’t expected the recognition of the blind award-winning artist to trigger a flow of information that riddled my senses for a few seconds, but the moment that knowledge settled in, I realized why everyone was bowing towards him like he was fucking royalty.

Shit. He’s actually royalty.

I had no fucking clue, and no way had Willow known that this man was royalty at all. He could have told her, but then again, had their relationship blossomed that quickly?

Fuck, how would I know? He wouldn’t reveal that information so easily to Willow but why does it piss me off that he hadn’t? Goodness, I’m such an overprotective friend. I don’t give a shit. That’s why I’m her ride-or-die! He’s just gotta take it as a package deal when it comes to dating my best friend. He’s gonna hear it from me. Roar!

“I don’t know whether I should be thankful that you’re coming back to your cynical self or be worried for the blind man and the rest of his Forbidden Pack.” Aries sighed, but I sensed a hint of curiosity in her tone of voice.

Admit it. You want to entice shit and see how powerful this gifted fucker is.

“From the archives within the magic of the Coven, it intrigues me that this prince has generations of knowledge. He has to have been a part of the cartel, but why would such knowledge be of immense importance to the Coven for them to keep track of it?”

You have a good point.

“Only one way to find out,” she encouraged. “I’m taking a nap so you can concentrate. Remember, you’ve just been sworn into the Coven so you have to act the part and not hold back on your magic levels.”

Ah fuck. Right. Gotta look overpowered and shit. Like when we were confronting that secretary lady.

“She’s still quaking in fear,” Aries mused before a yawn escaped her. “Have fun.”

I mentally nodded in return because I was already focusing on repeating my affirmations to boost my confidence.

What happened to you does not define you. You are strong, powerful, fearless, and brave. You have confidence in yourself and the value you bring to the world. You will face whatever threatens you and will be successful with whatever you put your mind on tonight and for however long you need to be here to ensure your best friend’s well-being.

With one last exhale, I opened my eyes and smiled delightedly.

Show-fucking-time.

“Requested the files, Prince.” My eyes immediately glanced over to see the woman we’d spoken to when we’d teleported here. We obviously had to alert them of our arrival, but it seemed as though Zane had connections here because they didn’t completely freak out about our abrupt arrival.

“Zane has been contacted. He’s in a tricky situation and can’t promptly arrive. However, he’s sent a woman.”

The mere mention of me had Neo frowning deeply, and I noticed he no longer wore his black shades. Honestly, I didn’t blame him. I was certain he wanted to get up to his penthouse with his pack and ensure Willow was safe instead of dealing with interferences. It was hard to see further from the angle I was standing at, but it wouldn’t be long before I made my grand debut.

Neo didn’t say anything, which had the woman scrambling to give more information.

“S-She states she’s acquaintances with the individual needing care.”

“Ms. Clementine,” Neo announced, and goodness, I couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or sensed my new allegiance with the Coven, which left him on the edge. Either way didn’t sound very good in my favor, but I couldn’t back down now.

I went through hell just to come and check on my best friend. I’m not getting pushed away by her overprotective, secret prince boyfriend.

“You pick up fast.” I heard Onyx mutter, and I felt a pinch of relief that he was there with them. “Aurelia, come out already. We’re wasting time.”

Finally. Jeez. Not like I enjoy hiding in the shadows. But of course, it adds to the mysterious aesthetic.

A giggle left me as my energy burst into action to reveal exactly where I was standing—in a super flashy, “I’m an overpowered witch” type of entrance.

“Should I even ask how you got here?” Onyx inquired as I walked over to them with the fitted black dress that Quil had made for the mission. Clearly, this was going to be my new ensemble for everything, like a superhero’s suit of armor, because Quil really did make it so that the fabric magically changed into whatever attire I needed to wear, which meant I legit needed just this dress for anything.

I wonder if he could do that for underwear? Would that be weird? Focus, Aurelia, focus!

“Nope.” My voice lost all its emotion because my eyes landed on Willow and fucking hell, that made me want to kill something—or someone.

She looked so brittle in Onyx’s arms that all I wanted was a single name so I could teleport to their prime location and fuck shit up.

Man. Witches are so damn violent. No wonder why we’re always getting into wars and shit.

“Shall we?” Neo questioned, and I knew we’d be heading up the elevator. As I followed their lead, I quickly glanced around the golden walls with mirrors on all four sides. The red foil design on the golden print had a nice shimmering glow to it.

The elevator guard pressed the top button, which confirmed the building was 70 floors. The ride was swift and completely silent until we reached our destination and walked straight into a penthouse suite. Classical music hummed through the surround sound speakers, and I caught onto the delicate, rich set of platters that held an array of fruit, snacks, and steaming hot food that had clearly been prepared on our behalf.

When we exited the elevator, Neo looked back at the elevator guard.

“No disturbances, except for Dimitris and his companion.”

“They’re downstairs, Prince,” the guard revealed, and I caught onto the way Neo smirked.

“Excellent. Bring them up.”

“Yes, Prince.”

Once the doors closed, Jayce—who I recalled was the pack’s hot, angry tech guy—decided to be the first to speak, and it was clearly directed to me.

“So what pissed you off?”

The mere question honestly pissed me off because everything in the last few hours had pushed my buttons, but I guessed they weren’t the targets of my anger.

I’d love to give the Coven Elders a taste of my anger rather than Willow’s pack.

Regardless of my inner intentions, my anger made the rest of my aura spike, which wasn’t really helping the situation. Their group dynamic already felt tense before my arrival, so all I was doing was making it worse.

I caught onto the way Onyx held Willow a little tighter, which actually made me feel a bit like an ass.

“Alright,” Saint—the pack member with the model looks, playboy personality, and who was apparently very generous to the Vatican—began while he put his hands up in defense. “If you’re going to kill us, just know we didn’t hurt Willow at all.”

“She knows that,” Neo casually tossed out and began walking over to the table to grab a glass of champagne. That felt a tad odd because my perception of him was that he was the reserved one in the group, and I wasn’t simply assuming that because he was blind.

He took a long sip before he turned his attention my way.

“Who fucked with you and why did you prevent Zane from coming here?” he demanded.

Okay. He better tone down that attitude of his.

“How do you know Zane?” I countered right back with the same level of bark. “He only works with royalty and Coven leaders.”

There was that eerie smile that I normally never witnessed on his face, and boy did it make a chill go down my spine—and not in a good way. He was giving me a combination of Quil and Jack vibes at the moment. Sophisticated calm with a touch of insanity.

I’d really underestimated this man at first glance. All because I wanted him to paint that picture for Willow. I should have done a background check on all of them, but would I have found anything? Knowing Viktor, he would have already conducted one long before I tried. He doesn’t play around with Willow.

He didn’t reply, and no one else decided to speak, which only encouraged the tension to grow between us. If he wasn’t going to give me my answers, I’d just turn to the one person here who would.

So I looked to Onyx.

“Start talking. I already know about Willow’s suicide attempt. A recap is only going to make me kill a few more people on the rather lengthy list,” I declared. I couldn’t personally wait to start working on that kill list because it was growing in length, which meant I was being far too merciless for my own sanity.

No one gave a shit about me and the struggles in my life, so why wasn’t I hunting these people down and cutting their lives short? Clearly, that was the only way to get shit done in this world.

“Who did you kill?” Onyx questioned with a grim voice. Of course he’d know that I killed someone. It may have been indirectly, seeing as my men—and Quin—helped kill a bunch of witches who were ordered to kill my misfit pack, but alas, I’d just play to the narrative for the sake of roleplay.

“Unimportant,” I answered in hopes he wouldn’t push it. And it truly wasn’t even important. “Now explain.”

“We were supposed to go on a run,” Saint spoke up instead. “Jayce and Willow went for a run, only to be ambushed. When we arrived, Dimitris was being controlled to blame Willow for Jayce getting hurt. It was a complete setup by Dubai’s pack. They had a fae with them, which makes sense with how easily Dimitris was controlled. Things got bloody, but Willow snapped and took care of them. But that triggered her to go on a killing spree at the safe house that we had no clue was being raided. By the time we figured things out, we found suicide notes, and Onyx and Neo were able to locate her.”

“Where?” I asked for the hell of it, but I already knew.

The place she’d died the first time.

“The cliff,” Neo responded. “Where she died that first time by that prick.”

I was trying my best not to show how angry it made me—to think my best friend decided that place that carried such a horrendous memory deserved to be her resting place.

“We saved her, Aurelia.” Onyx’s voice was surprisingly soft. “A third party assisted her, and she was brought to the Alpha Forest. Her wolf was awakened when we arrived.”

My eyes drifted to Onyx, then to Neo, and finally to Willow. There was something connecting the three of them, and I wasn’t sure if my instincts were accurately connecting the dots. They were standing close to each other, which should have shown three individualized auras, but all three of them blended almost in a single shade that reminded me of a galaxy lamp against a white wall.

“She’s mated to both of you?” That was my best guess.

“That obvious?” Onyx inquired.

“No,” I replied. “Your auras blend perfectly,” I huffed because the fact that she was mated to that prince was ticking me off in an odd way. Maybe I was being really overprotective, but it was like watching your friend date a bad boy that you knew would bring trouble their way.

“You don’t sound pleased at all,” Jayce acknowledged.

“I’m not,” I admitted and didn’t hesitate in staring at Neo once more. “You’re the one I’m worried about.”

“As you should be,” Neo replied right back. He was lucky the elevator had arrived or I would gladly talk his ear off. If only Zane were here. He’d easily tame this guy’s “I’m a ruler” vibe, but this Neo dude had to be acting like this because Willow wasn’t conscious.

Or he was really on edge, like everyone else.

A glance over to the elevator doors revealed Dimitris—the leader of the Forbidden Pack whose naked painted picture is hanging in Willow’s room—and Viktor.

“Aurelia?” Viktor questioned. “Why do you look like you’re going to murder someone?”

“We were mid-conversation,” I huffed, but I appreciated that he could read me as well as Onyx in this tense moment. “Aside from the fact I almost lost my best friend due to her killing herself.”

It could have been my imagination, but Dimitris’s energy dimmed quite a bit ato my words, which left me wondering if he had a role to play in pushing my bestie’s buttons until she felt utterly useless and decided to end her life.

“She already apologized for it, Aurelia,” Onyx whispered. I was so close to losing my shit because none of this should have occurred. No one should feel so helpless that they reach the point of wanting to kill themselves.

I didn’t want to admit it myself, but maybe all this anger was stemming from the fact that I knew how it felt to be helpless but was too much of a coward to try to complete the deed.

Willow, however, wasn’t. She was in so much fucking misery and pain that she decided it truly was enough and initiated what I’m too weak to accomplish.

“It shouldn’t have happened,” I snapped.

“If you’re going to continue arguing, can we at least attend to Willow?” Neo brought up, and Mother Moon help me, for my glare alone was on the verge of turning into lasers and executing him.

He met my gaze and I bet he sensed the way my aura was blazing through the room to prove I wasn’t someone he should mess with, but the fucker didn’t give a bloody shit about warnings, for he took three solid steps and was right in my personal space.

No one moved. The air was full of tension while everyone seemed to hold their breath at this unexpected confrontation.

“I’m not your enemy. Nor am I Willow’s enemy. I have her best interests at heart, and if you don’t believe me, feel free to ask Onyx, who can feel my intentions through this new bond.” His voice was so smooth and yet it made me feel as though I were speaking to a villain in the flesh.

The information revolving around him filtered through my mind, and I couldn’t stop myself from speaking what I knew.

“You’ve been keeping the fact that you’re fucking royalty in the most villainous pack in America, if not the damn world, secret, and I’m supposed to be perfectly fine with you being mated with my best friend?”

“What?” Viktor questioned before Onyx sighed.

“Aurelia, stop.”

“Who would have thought the prince of this grand legacy would be the billionaire blind artist who goes by the name Neo Rodriguez,” I began as I looked directly at him. His disability wasn’t going to get him any sympathy points from me, nor was he going to intimidate me into silence.

“Aurelia,” Dimitris spoke in clear warning, but I wasn’t going to stop.

I’d come too fucking far.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Prince Nicodemus Ramiro.”

And I pushed a button that can’t be undone without consequences.

The prince opened his eyes then, and my eyes couldn’t help but widen for those eyes that I expected would be white or faded were instead a set of white orbs with red magic circles that spun with intense magic. It wasn’t your typical magical force.

The energy demanded one’s acknowledgment, and maybe that was why everyone but Onyx and myself were on the floor on one knee. It was taking everything in me for me to remain standing, my body trembling from the immense power that felt ancient in nature.

I couldn’t tell if it was dark magic or something else, but it was surely decades old.

“Fuck, Aurelia,” Dimitris hissed. “Back down now. I can’t control Neo.”

Well, no shit. The man is fucking royalty. He clearly ain’t backing down for nobody. Zane’s royalty and he isn’t an overpowering douche… but does that count when we’re fae? Fuck, it doesn’t matter now.

“Oh no, let her do what she wishes,” Neo encouraged as the deepness of his voice confirmed there was a clear power switch going on. He looked me up and down as if to see what attire clung to my flesh. His gaze lingered on my legs, which was obviously to acknowledge the markings that were over them thanks to all the magical chaos that had been going on.

I didn’t back down from his stare, but I could tell something clicked in his mind for his smile was devilish in nature.

“Ah,” he hummed. “You’ve risen to your position on the Coven.”

Fuck… he’s able to clue in so easily.

All I could do was narrow my eyes back at him, and he chuckled in immense amusement while the temperature around us suddenly dropped like we’d walked into a standing freezer.

“I could kill you,” I warned in defense. I may not have been at my peak performance, but I could still do some damage.

“You’re not wrong,” he assured me as he took a step forward and lifted his head in a smug, belittling manner. “And yet you wouldn’t dare try to kill me.”

I had to swallow the lump forming in my throat because him invading my personal space was making all my senses rise in protectiveness, to the point that Zane’s voice flowed through my mind.

“Aurelia?”

I’m fine, Zane. Just having a friendly discussion with Neo.

My warlock boyfriend wasn’t letting me off the hook as easily.

“Neo or Nico,” he questioned, proving he knows both sides.

And I’m facing the scary side that makes you want to bow on one knee and submit, but again, I’m fine. I can handle this.

“Neo,” Onyx warned, as if to try and stall him from doing anything stupid.

“Nico,” he corrected as his lethal, illuminated orbs remained locked on mine. “The untamed, misanthropic side of Neo that carries a name and reputation that you hear in wolf folktales. Or horror myths.”

He shouldn’t be anywhere near Willow if he was such a dangerous shifter.

“You’ll kill Willow,” I snarled. “I can’t allow that.”

“If I wished to kill my Sweetness, I would have done so the night she stabbed me in the gut, witch misfit.” He spoke with authority that made it hard to think. I had to grit my teeth in hopes that it could distract me from acknowledging that my knees were so close to buckling from the intense energy oozing out of him. “Instead of attempting to put the blame on me for your missed insight on the matter regarding Willow’s intense desire to kill herself, I suggest you back down or I’ll blow your brains out and cook them for dinner.”

“Neo,” Dimitris interjected with his Alpha power but it clearly had no control over Nico.

“You wouldn’t go against the Clementines,” I tossed out.

“Again, you’re correct,” he replied and raised his hand just to show me the newly branded mark that proved he was bonded to my best friend.

A royal mate mark…

“But do I really need such an alliance if the newly sworn leader is already trying to destroy a connection that’s older than your great-great-grandmother?”

Destroy the connection? He knows about my great-great-grandmother. Does he know she’s still alive?

I had to mentally curse at my shift in thought because he’d clearly said those words on purpose. His energy spiked so suddenly that I involuntarily took a step back to protect myself.

Which inevitably sent me kneeling on the floor the next second.

I guessed the spike was too much for even Onyx because he cursed and was the next to be forced to the ground, though he managed to keep Willow in his grasp. Our confrontation was most certainly not waking her up, and frankly, I hoped it didn’t.

She doesn’t need to deal with this bullshit right now.

“Be very careful, child,” he warned. “I play to the rules of this world because I enjoy the peacefulness I gain with my profession and get enough out of my hobby to tame this part of me. When I’m balanced, so are my organizations and the wolves under my complete authority. You may carry generational magic, but I carry generational bloodshed—the blood of all those who have fallen beneath my paws—and the ultimate power I’ve inherited runs through me. I do not need the Clementines. You all need me. If you can’t agree to cooperate without spilling all our secrets, then I’ll happily finish you off here and now.”

My fists clenched to stop myself from letting my magic flow out of my fingertips defiantly. I hated this, being belittled by this man’s alter ego who clearly had the arrogance of a king who lived in the 1500s.

Despite everything, the problem was that he could get rid of me. He could destroy the Coven with the snap of his fingers if he really wanted. Those who carried blood magic were some of the most dangerous shifter beings that ever existed because, at the end of the day, every living creature carried blood inside them.

And if someone is able to manipulate your blood flow to do what they will it to do, you have a big fucking problem on your hands.

No words could leave my mouth because my view was suddenly blocked, which led to my hammering heart beat freezing in place.

Willow?

There she stood, her aura weaker than ever. I didn’t know if this was a form of protective sleepwalking or if she was just slightly awake, but it was clear that this wasn’t a hallucination. She was standing there in a T-shirt that I assumed was Onyx’s and black tights.

I further tensed up when Nico took a slight step forward, and I was this close to casting a spell when his hand was around her neck a second later. My breath was literally stuck in my throat, and the seconds that followed felt like eons as we waited for what would happen next.

Nico’s dominant action didn’t seem to bother Willow in the slightest as she remained in place, unfazed, while her head lifted just a smidge to probably acknowledge their obvious height difference. Nico just kept staring at her, though I did catch onto the slight loosening of his grip that was still around her neck.

The fact that Willow was about to go against one of her own pack members made me feel so unworthy of her friendship now because here I was, causing a problem when in reality, these men had been there for her after she survived that jump.

I wasn’t…

“Do you want me to stop?” Nico inquired, and even his voice was less harsh in comparison to when he’d been addressing me.

Willow didn’t answer immediately, and I was beginning to wonder if it was Willow or the psychotic side of her that came out when her energy levels were utterly out of whack. It would have made sense if it was, but I wasn’t sure if this confrontation needed a third psychotic person in the same radius.

Nico and I are surely enough.

Willow finally nodded and, a few seconds later, added, “Yes.”

“Do you know who I am?” he inquired. She stared back at him.

“No.”

“Do I frighten you?”

“No.” Her responses were clearly amusing him because he smiled and leaned in closer.

“Your friend doesn’t want me to be with you.”

Way to make me look like a bitch.

I mean, he was right. I didn’t want her being with a controlling, abusive douche with power-hunger issues who worked with the cartel and carried the power of generations of blood.

Then again, my pack of misfits all had dark pasts. The only problem was I hadn’t discovered them yet.

I wished I could see Willow’s expression in response, but she ended up answering. “You won’t hurt me.”

“How are you so sure, Sweetness?” he inquired as his hand around her neck tightened again while he further leaned in so his lips were mere inches from hers. “I could kill you.”

Willow’s aura began to grow as if she were becoming more alert.

“Neo wouldn’t hurt me,” she began, her voice clearly hoarse and lined with exhaustion. “Neither would you, though I expect a personal introduction. And the next time you have your hand around my throat, it better be in bed while you’re fucking me senseless and not for taunting pleasure.”

And my best friend is back.

“Nicodemus Ramiro,” Nico introduced. “That’s my real name. I’m the royal prince of a very endangered group of wolves that hide in the shadows and oversee the way things work in the realms of wolf shifters.”

Endangered Wolves. Does this have to do with the Endangered Seven?

“Willow De Luca,” Willow introduced herself. “You knew that though.”

“Indeed, I did,” he replied.

Willow seemed to lower her gaze as if she were trying to see something. Whatever she was looking for had Nico chuckling deeply before he closed the distance between them to claim her lips.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but the action didn’t frighten Willow in the slightest and she kissed him right back, even tugging on his bottom lip when he tried to move back.

“Let go,” she stated and encouraged a smirk on Nico’s lips when she added, “Please?”

“Seeing as we can’t fuck in these circumstances, I guess I’ll do as you ask,” Nico concluded like he really was doing her a favor by letting her go. He released her and she simply observed him.

“You know, for a murderous legend, you’re not that dangerous,” Willow concluded.

My jaw actually dropped with that comment, for my bestie couldn’t possibly be serious, but her statement triggered a wave of laughter that came from Nico himself, which had us gasping at the somewhat joyous sound.

The tension in the room disappeared just like that, and I wondered if Nico had retreated.

“Only you would think so, Sweetness,” Nico voiced, which confirmed he was still there, but his murderous intent had backed down by a lot. “I’m done. Any longer and I’d have to spill some blood on these floors. That would be a shame since they’re imported from Italy.”

Willow glanced down to the very floors he was speaking of.

“Classy. Definitely imported,” she agreed. “Are you giving me a goodbye kiss or is that not your thing?”

Nico moved swiftly to kiss her—the intimate kiss short but sweet—before he pulled back to smile at her. “Try not to awaken me again, Sweetness,” he warned cautiously. “I don’t like leaving without anything.”

“I never said you should leave without anything,” she muttered, and all that did was encourage the sinful prince to lean forward and bite her bottom lip enough that I caught onto the scent of blood before I could attempt to move at the right angle to see it on her lips.

I wanted to see her expression because her aura was dancing in a way that made me hesitant to assume that she actually liked what he’d done. I couldn’t tell what he was doing now. His closeness made it seem like he was kissing her again, but whatever it was, it ended up earning her his praise.

“Good girl.”

Suddenly, his aura shifted entirely to the point that I knew with confidence that Nico was gone.

“You’re absolutely insane,” Neo breathed, and he sounded a bit exhausted.

“Now, now,” Willow began, but I immediately caught onto the dip of energy in her voice. “You can’t compliment me one second and insult me the next. That’s not… nice.”

She wavered a second later, but before I could rise up from the floor, Neo was already catching her.

“Sleeping,” she muttered, and there was no doubt in my mind that she was losing consciousness. “Don’t… hurt my… bestie… or… whatever.”

With those words, she was out cold, and we were left in a room of silence before Saint quietly spoke, “So… I feel like we need a therapy session of some sort.”

Jayce groaned in response. “The last time we tried that, I punched the psychologist. Let’s not do that again.”

Neo picked Willow up and, without hesitation, headed straight to the master bedroom.

I wanted to immediately follow but my instincts were completely against it. I needed to be sure he wasn’t going to switch on me.

“You okay, Aurelia?”

I looked to Onyx, who’d asked the question, suddenly realizing he and Viktor were in front of me. It was nice of them to even check in on me when Willow was obviously the priority.

“Fine and dandy,” I muttered even though my head was pounding. This wasn’t the time for me to get out of character. Now that I knew Willow wasn’t in the best shape, it would be a long night ahead, which meant I’d most likely have to pull an all-nighter.

It was a sacrifice I was willing to make. At least once I had her meds sorted and enough supply for the weeks ahead, I could take the next few weeks to sort my own shit out.

Heck, maybe I’ll go on a date with my packmates.

“How did you even get here?” Viktor questioned.

“Zane brought me,” I answered truthfully. “I couldn’t possibly concentrate unless I knew Willow was okay. The news is spreading all over the gossip magic channels.”

“Not fucking surprised,” Onyx groaned. “Cleanup is going to be a pain.”

“We’ll deal with it,” Viktor dismissed it like it was the least of our worries. “We need to be focusing on Willow and how we can help her.”

The three of us shared a look before I muttered, “You two okay?”

I could see the guilt in their eyes with hints of distress, but they covered it quickly before they nodded.

“Yup,” Onyx replied.

“Fine,” Viktor answered.

It felt awkward to talk about anything else because what was more important than the current dilemma in our hands? No way did they want to know all the shit I’d dealt with, and with the apparent news that I’d ascended to the Coven—as the Coven Head? What the fuck was that about?—I really couldn’t bring that shit up.

Their minds were swirling with how they were going to help Willow get past this.

How are we going to convince her that this fucked-up life is still worth living?

The hardest part of this was, I doubted any of us had the real answer to that underlying question. This life sucked, but I always wondered, would death really give us salvation if we took it into our own hands and pulled the plug?

Or the real question that now haunted me: what would happen to those who are left behind?

I was gonna say something to try to make conversation, but Neo returned from the master bedroom with Dimitris following. Whatever discussions were dropped as everyone remained silent.

“You can continue,” Neo voiced. “Don’t mind me.”

I bet he enjoyed the high of being feared by others.

“Willow needs to be looked at,” Dimitris remarked as he drew us back to the main priority at hand. “I know you guys gave her a shot in the car, but her energies are off, based on Neo’s assessment.”

“I’ll look at her,” I announced and purposely walked in a way that my heels would be as loud as possible. With the slam of the door, I certainly made my mark on emphasizing my internal frustration. I didn’t care about what they would say behind my back.

My focus has to be on Willow.

The thought encouraged me to look down at her, and there she was, sleeping away. I walked to the bed to get a better look, and those exhausted lines across her face proved she’d really gone through it.

My hand reached out to lightly brush along her cheek, and I didn’t realize I was shedding tears until they were rolling off my cheeks.

“It’s okay to ask for help, silly,” I whispered as if she could hear me. “So why didn’t you?”

The rhetorical question resonated with me on a deeper level, and I wondered with the plans I had brewing in my head, whether I’d take my own advice.

Can I rely on them if a time comes when I have to look like a bad guy?

The thought made me smile because I already knew the answer. Understanding Ace’s true hidden motives that were all in mine and our pack’s benefit had opened a new perspective that showed the rest of the world that ignorance was bliss.

Sometimes you just have to carry the burden of the world so those you love have a chance at salvation.

11

REMEMBER YOUR WORTH AND DID YOU NOT THINK OF ME?

“Alright. I can safely assume there’s something deeper troubling you.”

The deadly glare I’d given the bulky fucker of a friend wasn’t enough to push Onyx out of my workspace. The kitchen that had once been filled with various platters and enough food to probably feed an event venue was now replaced with various jars, cylinders, test vials, and all the other stuff I needed to create Willow’s various meds.

I had so much extra stuff. I was attempting to multitask as I waited for the cooked remedies to cool, which left me making a few things for Ace.

I’d sensed Onyx long before he waltzed into my chaotic workspace, but he’d intentionally walked louder on purpose to ensure I knew he was coming. I’d anticipated this potential confrontation, but then again, everyone was really focused on Willow’s recovery and what had to be done on the “outside” in terms of cleanup.

It would only be a matter of time before the news of Willow’s “death” hit publication outlets. I wasn’t sure if that was the Forbidden’s plan or not, but the rest of them were out doing some sort of task.

Their absence gave me the perfect chance to speak with Onyx, which was why I lowered the bowl I’d been mixing to the island to give him my full attention.

When it came to Onyx and Willow, there was no need to hide my emotions. I could truly be honest and drop my psychotic persona in times of distress, but then again, I worried with Willow’s recent actions if being “real” and displaying my true feelings would be counterproductive.

At the end of the day, Onyx is committed to Willow, not me. My emotions and struggles aren’t his to carry. He’s not even obligated to be my friend or act like my therapist…

My thoughts felt stupid to me, and I lowered my head because I knew no matter what I thought, Onyx would see right through me. He always saw to the heart of each of us, which was why I feared that all of this would be too much for him.

He almost lost the love of his life. The meaning of his existence. He doesn’t need to focus on me.

My head was lifted by his hand that lightly held my chin. I wasn’t expecting it when my golden eyes met his. I was sure they were swirling with magic and shifting into their amber shade with all the healing and heat magic I’d been using to create the medications Willow needed.

“Rejected once because I wasn’t in your life. Rejected twice because I wasn’t strong enough to shield you from pain. I won’t allow a third time.” His words were firm and laced with his wolf’s authority, and there was no doubt he’d known something about the Coven’s intentions long before they prospered into reality.

Imagine. Rejected by my love because of the Coven’s desire to have me at their disposal and now I’m simply going to be rejected again the moment I’m deemed useless in their eyes and replaced by Lucy…

“He’s not the reason for my displeasure,” I answered because I didn’t want Onyx going after Ace. He wasn’t the villain in this anymore, and I had to emphasize that in a way that didn’t completely air out my dirty laundry. “Not the root of it.”

“Then?”

“I was forced to take a seat upon the Coven Council,” I revealed. The poor guy arched an eyebrow at me, which I guessed was to be expected. How did I tell someone that I, Aurelia Delianne Clementine, got forced upon the fucking council? That I was forced to join anything. He knew the rules, and generally speaking, no position would be available unless there was the death of a member.

Aunt Beatrice’s death.

Goodness, I hadn’t even processed that. It was like her existence had meant absolutely nothing and was shoved under the rug with no remorse. It was a bit insulting almost, and I guessed that annoyed me more because life should be precious, even for witches.

Yet we were nothing but pawns to the Coven, and the majority of us didn’t realize it until it was far too late.

“You’re not saying—”

“Someone wants me to be a part of the Council now,” I emphasized. “Someone that doesn’t want me helping Willow anymore.”

That was the truth. Someone definitely didn’t want me helping her anymore, and yet I couldn’t figure out the exact culprit and reason behind it. Sure, Lucy, Elder Etna, and the other Elders who supported their every move were obviously involved, but there had to be more to this.

“Helping as in anything to do with her physical, emotional, and mental health?” he asked for clarification.

“As in they don’t want me near her… or any of you,” I confirmed. That was also true because it was obvious by now that wherever Onyx was, Willow wasn’t too far away. The stalker lover was obsessed with her after all, though I still didn’t understand how she was able to successfully do what she did without Onyx stopping her.

“Ah.” He bobbed his head. “Regular old people shit, right?” He knew the council was run by a bunch of old veteran witches who felt far too superior to give a shit about the youth and our struggles, but I was sure Onyx wasn’t understanding what I was trying to say.

That I’d have to push them away for their own good.

“Onyx, I can’t—”

“Disobey?” he asked as he took a step forward, which had him towering over me. The look I gave him probably confirmed how much I hated when men did this whole towering”I’m an overpowering boss” move just because they were taller than me—and let’s be real. I’m tall for a woman. But it didn’t bother him in the slightest as he maliciously smirked back at me.

“When you were ten, they told you not to play with us, and what did you do? Played with us. When you were twelve, they said we were nothing but bad influences, but did it stop you from meeting up with us? Not even close. When things went south with your mate, they told you not to dare come to us because we’d mock you like any other pair of wolf shifters. Instead, you came and we comforted you, ready to kill the one who dared to make you shed a single tear. When you fell for Willow, they told you not to date her, and though you hate admitting it, you loved every fucking minute spent in Willow’s company and only let go because you wanted me to have the chance to have her.”

Fuck.

I hadn’t expected him to say all of that, which had me swallowing the lump in my throat.

“Every order you defied empowered you and worked in our favor. It didn’t matter if they would punish you senselessly or make you feel worthless. Your whole Coven could abandon you, but you know who would never?” He tapped on his chest three times and lightly tapped on my nose three times. “Your true pack. Your pack of fucked-up misfits that you vowed to expand from the three of us to a lot of powerful wolf shifters who didn’t fit right into the equation. You vowed that you’d use your witch gifts for good and for the development of medicines that your Coven would charge an arm and a leg for, just to save your own.”

He stepped back then as if he’d said the most important facts of his defense and was wrapping up his speech.

“I don’t know what information was passed down to you, Aurelia, nor do I give a fuck. I’m sure it’s ancient witch drama shit that they now want to bring you into because it’s convenient, not because they deem you worthy of it.” It was far more than that, and that was why all of this was so scary. I was such a lost sheep that I didn’t even know what dangers I was getting myself into.

The lights flickered on and off, a clear reflection of my disturbed magic that was running off of my emotions that wished to be seen.

“You can decide what you want, Aurelia, but if you think for a fucking second I’m going to let this shit of a Coven waltz into your life and fuck up what you cherish the most, then I think we have to join forces and remind them how powerful this alliance can be.”

I knew he was going to walk away, but I also knew if I let this man leave, he’d use every bit of his spare time to try to find out shit about the Coven, and I couldn’t let him do that. If he dived in too soon, he’d open a closet full of skeletons, and what frightened me further was the real fact that those skeletons weren’t mine.

The dark past of the Coven’s actions would come falling out and Onyx would simply be pulled into the crossfire.

If Onyx got involved, that would bring Willow into it, and I couldn’t risk her getting hurt. It was already as clear as day that the Coven needed Willow for something. She was a key component in all of this and I’d yet to truly figure out exactly why.

Which is why I need to stop Onyx before he does anything, but what can I say?

He tried to pass by me, but my hand caught onto his wrist which forced him to stall in his departure.

“I had to do something,” I whispered. “To… let go… in order to save them.” I wasn’t sure what the fuck I was trying to say, but surely he’d know this involved my men.

My misfit pack… A bunch of psychos who were more similar to me than I’d like to admit.

“Something may be broken, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fixed,” Onyx reasoned. Surely he was coming to some sort of conclusion even though my words didn’t really make sense to me.

His black eyes met mine, and I didn’t realize a tear had left one of my eyes. I hadn’t even realized how close I was to crying.

I had to blink more tears away, but he continued to look into my eyes before he whispered, “We’ll fix it, Aurelia. All you have to do is ask.”

Those were true, wise words that I wished Willow would have thought to use. I wished that she’d asked for help instead of sinking into despair all by her lonesome when there were so many people who loved her.

“I need help… please.” I meant that, for I didn’t want to be a hypocrite by not taking my own advice, but if I admitted that much, it meant he’d wait until I was ready to confront the matter at hand before stepping in.

He’d give me the time to fix things before taking it upon himself to interfere on my behalf.

He smiled in return as his tense posture softened up. He ended up turning to face me before he pulled me into a tight hug. Goodness, I couldn’t remember the last time we’d hugged, and despite all of the shit I’d gone through, I knew he was hurting so fucking bad.

He was holding on because he knew he had to be here for Willow, but deep down, he was fighting his own demons. Fighting those insecurities and the agonizing pain of letting down the woman he loved. I could relate to him so much, and maybe that was why this hug triggered my sobs, and I allowed myself to shed all those fucking tears.

Life was being a bitch right now, and I was tired.

Tired of all these hidden expectations. Tired of not knowing my left from my right. Tired of being used and abused by my own people. And so fucking tired of the mystery wrapping around my entire existence.

Who knew what would have happened if I were truly alone in all of this? If I didn’t have King, Quil, Jack, Ace, and Zane? Everyone else on the witch side was obligated to follow the Coven, which really just emphasized how truly stupid I’d been.

For years, before he was pulled out of my life, Ace would mention the need to focus on Aries and my “wolf side,” and maybe that was because when push came to shove, my wolf hybrids and friends were the ones still rooting for my survival.

My existence mattered to them, versus the Coven who was waiting for me to disappear.

Waiting for me to die…

When I stopped crying, Onyx gave me one last squeeze before giving me some distance so I could compose myself. I felt a little better, as though the strain of everything was beginning to fade away.

“Have they left the city yet?” he asked. I hadn’t really dived into what Ace and the other’s true intentions were, but with all the deals the Forbidden Pack were snatching, I could safely assume they were waiting to snatch a few of their own.

“No,” I finally answered. “They’re awaiting the deal.”

“Perfect. I want you back to your perky self by the morning,” he encouraged, and goodness, I wanted to roll my eyes at that comment.

“Perky.” I barked out the word like it was the worst insult ever. “I’m crazy. Not perky. Fuck being happy.”

“You never say that when you get a girl’s night with Willow,” he prompted, and damn, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone out with Willow. It wasn’t either of our faults with how busy things had gotten before this, but the reminder made me miss them.

“I miss those…” I whispered the confession.

“Give us a few days. I’ll get you an opportunity,” he offered. The mere chance made my heart swell with happiness. Just a night to be with Willow. Her whole pack could come for all I cared, but at least just a few drinks and good company would relieve so much stress.

“Now you’re just doing too much,” I huffed to try to play it down, but I bet he could see right through me.

“That’s what best friends do, right?” he offered. “Or whatever bullshit they say in the movies.”

“Stop wasting time and get to fucking.” I shooed him away because I knew he wouldn’t dare skip “punishing” Willow to relieve some of his own stress. That was how Onyx coped. He let his frustrations out by fucking the woman he adored as her punishment for forgetting he was there for her in all areas of life. “Willow’s gonna change to her male form soon and I already know you’re going to need some stupid number of rounds to finally appease that sex drive.”

“You know, she doesn’t complain,” he reminded me.

All I could do was smirk as I gave him a judgemental look.

“Not to your face. She also tells me how much you love to call me Crazy Bitch.”

“See, I can’t trust either of you,” he dramatically stated with a shake of his head. “One day you’re both going to say fuck it, kill me, and be together forever.”

In an alternate universe, though I doubt we’d kill him. He is far too precious to get rid of.

“It’s always good to have a backup,” I stated with a wink.

He smiled and began to walk away, but I was positive he caught onto what I was making.

“If that lotion is for Willow, I’ll pay you double to make a whole skin line.”

“Triple and you have a deal,” I tossed back.

“Fine.”

I laughed and watched him reach the bedroom door.

“Onyx,” I began but held my tongue.

He remained in place before he quietly muttered, “Friends always have each other’s backs. I vowed to be there when we were kids. That’s not going to change now that we’re adults.”

He looked slightly over his shoulder to meet my eyes.

“You’ll get your pack back. All we need is to make our grand statement.”

If only he knew what I was truly planning to create this ultimate declaration. All I needed was time for everything to fall in place.

He looked away and added, “He never stopped loving you.”

I knew he meant Ace. How funny it was that everyone else in my life knew of Ace’s hidden devotion to me and yet I was too blind to see it until he was pinned beneath me and bleeding from one eye.

“Your words will do nothing to stop him from claiming what he wholeheartedly waited for all this while. That’s a fact.” I guessed, despite him not knowing the true context of everything, he was on point with that one.

I can’t push Ace out of my life anymore. I don’t think I can get rid of any of them now.

That was all he had to say as he slid the door open and slipped through the crack. After he’d closed it lightly, I simply stared at the door for a long time before I caught onto the bubbling of my concoction.

“Oh fuck,” I cursed and quickly flicked my hand to trigger my magic to save the precious liquid that almost spilled off the stove and onto the floor. With a sigh of relief, I moved my hands so the liquid would follow through and go back into the bubbling pot. As I did so, my eyes caught onto something that didn’t belong.

“What the?” I began as I lowered the heat of the stove and walked over to the small platter of food. There was a note attached, the handwriting so beautiful I felt like it had to belong to either Quil or King.

It was a safe assumption since Jack’s handwriting was like a doctor’s scribble, Ace only liked to print, and Zane’s cursive was basically a bunch of swirls that were impossible to read.

“A queen deserves to eat when she’s concentrating on helping those in need. Finger food is good for multitasking,” I read and smiled. “Yup. This is King,” I whispered as I glanced away from the golden note to view the platter of food that was literally on a Versace plate.

“I bet he’s torturing that poor man,” I quietly muttered, which made me laugh as I shook my head. “Thank you, King.”

The way he delivered this food simply reminded me how Onyx always came and went even though he was so damn bulky it was hard to miss his movements. I guessed he and King had a way of moving without everyone seeing.

I took a deep inhale, then let it out and reached for a piece of cheese.

“Hiss.”

“Oh?” I hadn’t even realized Medusa was out until she was reaching for the very cheese I was about to devour. “Medusa, where’d you come from?”

“Hiss!” Her focus was solely on acquiring the marble cheese, and how could I possibly refuse her? I offered it to her, and she took it with ease and began to wrap around my neck. That encouraged me to wipe away the beads of sweat on my forehead.

“No wonder. It’s probably hot with all the cooking,” I muttered in hopes of convincing my drained body that I was going to be okay. A few more hours and I’d be done with everything I needed.

Then I’d examine Willow and ensure she was okay. After that, I’d get to rest all I want.

“Just push a little more, Aurelia,” I encouraged myself as my hands clenched into fists and I lifted them up to give me a boost of encouragement like in those Korean dramas I used to binge with Willow. “Fight.”

With my resolve crystal clear, I got back to work.

“YOU SHOULD BE SCARED OF ME.”

I caught onto Neo’s confession as I reached the door of his master bedroom. I knew he was in there with Willow after we’d been talking about the new painting he’d created being crooked, but I didn’t dare come earlier because he and Willow needed a moment.

To clearly fuck one another.

I wasn’t freaked out by it. They had just bonded, after all, and clearly Onyx had managed to have Willow the majority of the night to himself.

Which meant this was Neo’s time with William.

I’d have to ask Quil what it was like to be able to switch from boy to girl. If his emotions were far different from “Quin.” I knew his situation was a little different from Willow’s magical capabilities of switching from female to male, but I was intrigued by how it truly felt to juggle two genders.

I used a touch of magic to see what was happening on the other side, and there was Neo on top of William on his bed. With a blink, the position completely switched as William now had Neo beneath him—both his hands around the prince’s neck while he leaned right in to make a clear statement.

“Why?” I overheard William’s question, but his voice was almost unrecognizable. “Because you bite?”

I watched William lean up to kiss Neo firmly on the lips before he tugged on Neo’s bottom lip with enough force to actually make it bleed just slightly. He sucked it in one movement, the action clearly emphasizing that their roles had reversed in this steamy tense moment.

“I can always bite back,” William declared with a threatening tone that totally confirmed he was on the tipping edge of triggering his psychotic side.

“Aurelia.” I was impressed he even noticed I’d been at the door, but now I was inside and right next to the bed—my hand lightly tapping on William’s head with a speck of magic to try to slice through the haze of dominance taking over my bestie’s mind space.

“I leave to make sure your month’s worth of medicine didn’t become the new floor decor of Neo’s kitchen, and you’re acting like a fool and about to assault the poor man,” I complained, which only made William give me a side look while he pouted those lips of his.

“If I wasn’t happy to see you, I’d be appalled by your intrusion,” he truthfully stated, and it made me grin diabolically at his honesty.

“At least I know you love me enough to return to your sane senses,” I huffed and offered him four pills and a glass of water.

He arched an eyebrow my way and I didn’t blame him. He knew the four pills meant a double dose, and he simply hated taking more medication without a proper explanation.

“You’re going to need a double dose for today. It doesn’t have any side effects, I promise.”

Okay, I was lying about the side effects because I hadn’t tested how he’d react to it, but I’ll say a little prayer to Mother Moon and hope for the best.

“You’re lucky I trust you with my life or else I’d have several questions,” he complained and snatched the pills. He sat back and tossed the pills into his mouth before he grabbed the glass of water and downed it entirely in a few gulps.

Just like that, he was swaying, and I knew that he was clearly dizzy to the point that Neo had to sit up and quickly catch him from falling off the bed.

“Fuck. William?” Neo asked.

He just groaned in response. The poor guy was probably enduring a mental rollercoaster. “I thought you said there were no side effects?”

“Give it a minute,” I assured him. “There are no side effects,” I emphasized. “But it takes a minute to kick in, and by kick in, I mean he probably feels like he’s on a rollercoaster.”

Neo sighed and managed to maneuver himself off the bed so he could lift William with ease. He laid him back on the bed and looked my way.

“His trust in you is amazing.”

“I earned that trust,” I stated with pride. “Though I didn’t take into consideration that a double dose would mean double the rollercoaster effect. That was my bad.”

That was indeed the truth.

“Right,” Neo replied. “Can you watch him? Dimitris is bugging me and I can’t ignore him.”

“Like you have been for the last fifteen minutes?” I revealed.

I figured he should have been gone for a good while now, but throw Willow—or in this case, William—into the equation and that wasn’t happening. I would spare him the embarrassment of thinking I picked up on that.

There was a brief silence.

“Dimitris called me to ask what you were doing,” I elaborated which was a lie.

“And you said?”

“Fucking William,” I answered like it was no big deal.

“You’re not one to be truthful.”

“You’re not a girl who needs me to lie for her.” My sassy mood was back in action.

“If I were a girl, we wouldn’t get along,” he acknowledged.

Oh goodness, we’d be sworn enemies. True bitches who’d need Willow to stand between us to stop the utter chaos we’d ignite with our intense hate for one another.

“If you were a girl, trust me when I say I wouldn’t give two shits about your bond and would date Willow all over again just to piss you off,” I tossed back in spite.

“Still hate me, huh?” Neo began, but his attention wasn’t on me anymore. He was leaning down and pressing his lips onto William’s. It amazed me how easy it was for even him to show affection to Willow in her male form without thinking twice about me being around.

It made me miss the others, and though I tried to fight the thought, there was that agonizing reminder of all I’d missed thanks to the Coven.

From Jack’s words, I should have been with my pack eight years ago. I’d lost out on having a sense of community because of the Coven, Lucy, and even Westley.

After one final kiss, he seemed to linger over William as if they were mentally communicating with one another. Then he pulled away and simply walked out of the room without another word.

Well then…

That left me all alone with William.

I was sure he’d feel a bit better in a few, so I prepared for what would happen next.

Are we going to ignore what happened to him or…

“Damn. What voodoo did you put in that stuff?” he asked and sat right up. I gave him a beaming smile in return as I now stood next to the bed near the floor-to-ceiling windows.

“I know. I’m a witch genius. Shower me with praise,” I hummed in delight. “So are you going to fuck Neo now or can I give you a quick physical so I can ensure that the new skincare line your Stalker Lover bought will benefit you?”

“We weren’t going to fuck,” he huffed and ruffled his hair. He then swung his legs over the edge of the bed and began to stretch out to get out whatever knots were nestled in his muscles.

I arched an eyebrow back at him as I crossed my arms over my chest. My gaze lowered to his groin and he followed suit to see how hard he was against the black fabric of his pants.

“The male anatomy is fucked up,” he huffed, which had me hollering.

“Now you realize that?”

He got up, knowing I needed to get my physical assessment of him going to finalize the remaining medications I had ready to be shifted into pills. Those were really specific in their purpose of helping keep Willow’s magic levels balanced.

I wouldn’t tell her, but I made sure the components would also balance out any hormones that could shift her mood negatively, which would decrease the risk of her experiencing suicidal thoughts. Those pills had to be made by me and no one else, and even the slightest bit of tampering would fuck them up and have the opposite effect.

That was the reason why I couldn’t let Aoa or anyone else tamper with it.

“Wait. What did Bulky Mass of a Fucker do?” he asked.

“He’s paying for you to be the first to get my skincare line,” I replied and began to hum.

“When did you make a skincare line?”

“When you almost fell to your doom, but I hadn’t finished infusing it with magic,” I tossed back.

“What does it do?”

“Makes your skin marvelous while keeping your magic levels balanced. Apply it after showering every day and you’ll feel a lot better in the next couple of days. You’ll need it now that your wolf is awakened and all,” I explained.

“Right,” he replied. “She’s… beautiful.”

I paused in measuring his chest because I realized the obvious height difference.

“You got taller.”

“I noticed,” he replied back as he looked down to meet my observant gaze. We shared a look—the connection making my throat tighten up—and I could only think about how I’d almost lost him. We wouldn’t have been able to do these assessments anymore, nor would I have gotten the opportunity to make his medication.

Just like that, he would have been gone from the world, and I was certain it would leave another void in my heart that would never heal.

I smiled, though I knew the very gesture showed how sad I truly was. If I didn’t leave, I’d cry or express how utterly angry I was whenever I thought about the idea of being abandoned. It was selfish of me, but wasn’t I allowed to be angry about almost losing my friend?

What did I do wrong to not be informed of her struggles? Did she try to reach me but I didn’t answer? Had I popped up in her mind, or had I been truly forgotten in that moment of dismay because I was no longer a significant person in her life to help her reconsider killing herself?

“Let’s get that sample and try it—” I tried to say but he stopped me from even moving as his hand wrapped around my wrist. I had no choice but to look back over my shoulder to stare at him, questioning.

“What?”

Don’t…

“You can be mad, you know?”

Don’t go giving me permission to feel these stupid emotions.

I stared at him while I masked my true emotions with confusion. All that did was make his blue eyes of turquoise soften while he clearly noticed the slight tremble in my hand as he continued to keep my wrist in his grasp.

“Aurelia…” His voice was so soft and husky. “I see right through you.”

“See what?” I had to laugh it off or else I’d cave in. “There’s nothing to be mad about.”

“You know that no matter who I’m mated to now, there’s always a part of me that still loves you,” he confessed so quietly that I mentally wished I hadn’t picked up on every fucking word. “A part of me reads you like a book, just like Onyx does to me for shits and giggles.”

I didn’t say a word, even as he let go and gave me his full attention.

“I still know when you’re hurting, Aurelia. I specifically know when I’ve done something to break your heart. So… let it ou—”

Did he really know? Did he know how fucking traumatizing it was to hear those words? To hear that my best friend was dead?

He never got to finish, and it took me a second to realize why. My hand had moved far faster than my damn mind, which only comprehended what I’d just done because of the loud slapping noise that echoed in the silent room.

His head had been forced to move to my left side, and I watched the very cheek begin to flush red from the brutal hit that confirmed what had just transpired before my very eyes.

Watching the way his lips curled in return made me take a deep breath to stop myself from slapping him again and again. How dare he think this was some sort of joke? Did he think death was funny? Did he truly understand the mayhem I’d gone through? And yet here I was, doing everything in my ability to help because my best friend still meant the world to me.

She still had her own little spot in my heart, and no matter what happened between us, it would never fade.

“Did I even once come up in your mind?” I whispered, and by the time he tried to look back at me, my hand was already moving again and sending his head to the other side as the sound of my slap once again echoed through the room. “That… losing you would fuck me right up? That losing my best friend who’s been with me through thick and thin would trigger a bunch of madness that disabled me from being right there for you?!”

I tried to slap him a third time, but his hand caught my wrist, and there was no way of fighting the burning fury that begged to wreak havoc. Did I have to explode? Lose my fucking mind? Or slap him again and again?

Until he could finally see how losing him would hurt me. How so many people loved him and would be broken without him?

No matter if he was William during the day or Willow during the night, both sides had made enough an impact on this fucked-up world that the mere idea of him being taken out of it had gossip channels filled with uncertainty. That was all anyone was talking about: the fear and the uncertainty of whether the unexpected rumor of his end was truly reality.

His death wouldn’t shake just the business world, it would rock the shifter world, the magic community, and even make the human world tremble in agony at such a wasteful loss of life. William De Luca was changing the game in NYC in a way that no one else had, not even Roberto, his own father. Could he not see his value and worth?

Doesn’t he understand how worthy he is?

His eyes softened while his Adam’s apple moved up and down as if he were struggling to swallow the lump in his throat.

He moved my hand until my palm pressed against his lips, and he didn’t stop himself from closing his eyes, which triggered the first set of tears that ran down his red cheeks. My heart ached for him, seeing him shed tears as a male.

It was different seeing Willow cry. William never shed tears unless he was truly in pain. The agony was so overwhelming that he couldn’t dare hide it from the surface of reality.

“Forgive me, Aurelia.”

That was all he could say, and what hurt the most was how his energy showed just how ashamed he surely felt. How he didn’t think I could possibly forgive him for what he’d done. If my heart was a mirror, it would have tumbled and shattered in this moment, and I hated that.

Hated that we’d had no choice but to be friends because our destinies were entwined in a different way.

Would things be different if I hadn’t been a coward back then? If I’d been able to keep Willow by my side instead of pushing her away like I did everyone else?

I was beginning to realize that maybe the problem wasn’t the Coven’s interference. Sure, that contributed to it, but there was something greater now that they were confident I’d always do.

Push the people I love away.

That was what they were waiting for, wasn’t it? For me to push Willow away so they could start the next set of plans. They were waiting for me to destroy this connection with Ace, King, Quil, and Jack so they wouldn’t get in the way of their diabolical plans. They were excited for my relationship with Zane to fall apart now that I was a part of the Coven, knowing well that Zane wanted to pull out from the alliance he created with them—and by doing so, he’d most likely not want to be with me either.

I always pushed everyone away so they would end up safe, but where did that leave me? In utter misery? In constant agony? In a state of defeat that left me feeling lonely and frightened to make a single move?

How many times am I going to play to my enemies’ tune before I smarten the fuck up?

“Dummy,” I whispered and hit his chest with my clenched fist. “Dummy. Dummy. Dummy!”

I kept hitting him, but I knew it wasn’t doing anything to hurt him. My tears ran freely now, as I kept insulting him again and again, until finally I looked up just to glare at him.

“You know you’re stuck with me,” I seethed. “Damn asshole!”

There would be no way to get him out of my life. Even if fate wished to tear us apart, I’d do what I had to do to ensure our friendship won in the end. I knew there would be trials ahead, and the Coven wouldn’t stop until this connection was ruined, but I didn’t care anymore what they had in store.

I’d have the last laugh.

“So you forgive me?” he offered with a slight smile. I could read him so fucking well, and that smile was so fucking sad that I just wanted to cry all over again.

“Obviously, stupid,” I cried. “I forgive you.”

He pulled me into a hug and we simply cried. It hurt so much to hear his muffled sobs, but he needed to let it all out, just like I did. We’d pick ourselves up from this like we always did, but this was the unified moment we needed to let go so we could move forward.

When it felt like we’d calmed down, I turned around to compose myself.

“You need to eat. If you want to shower, best do it now. Your set of clothes is in the closet, but call me when you’re done because it’s going to be tricky.” I headed to the door. “And before you freak out, yes, I paid for that.”

I was sure he hadn’t noticed at all, but he’d get that moment to admire the new painting I’d commissioned Neo to do. I still hated his guts, but I knew that giving William something that projected his new bond with Onyx and Neo would cheer him up immensely.

Leaving him for a bit, I walked over to the island to give myself a few seconds to use it as support. I was so tired that it was taking everything I had to still function. I couldn’t leave just yet, but I’d probably sleep for a week the moment my head hit any solid surface.

If I stayed still for too long, I’d pass out, so I began to move once more—my focus shifting to finishing Willow’s meds before I worked on a batch of medication that would help Ace. Not only would it encourage the healing process of his eye, but I’d added mental healing properties that would get rid of the negative runes or incantations Lucy may have left in the inner walls that surrounded Ace’s brain.

I was pretty confident in its execution because I’d made something similar for a long-time client, but this one was individualized just for Ace, and with my added magic, it could probably accelerate the treatment since our mate bond was still half present.

I wrapped up the products before reaching for the remote to turn on the news.

“Breaking news! Multiple reports indicate that William De Luca, twenty-five, has died. Investigations are happening at multiple sites, but many sources indicate that he died by suicide.”

Well fuck. I didn’t think it would hit the news outlets so quickly.

I wanted to turn it off but the very television was the type that descended from a hidden spot in the ceiling. Even if I pressed the off button, the action wouldn’t finish until the television was fully out and in place, so I placed my hands on my hips to glare at it like it was the source of all my troubles.

My ears picked up on William’s and Neo’s approach, so I figured it would be okay to speak up.

“Guess you were right,” I announced. “At least they used a good photo of William. I hate when you die and they pick the ugliest photo so people have sympathy for you. As if death is entertainment.”

“Apparently the uglier the photo, the more views,” William dryly acknowledged. “And I hated that suit.”

“Green just doesn’t suit you,” Neo calmly voiced. I sighed and put the damn thing on mute.

I have an idea.

“Operation Kill Me Not is in full effect,” I declared, which left them staring back at me like I’d finally lost my marbles. I groaned and rolled my eyes.

“Do I have to explain? I assumed you guys would have at least asked what this mission may entail.”

“The way you said it made me assume you were going to elaborate,” William voiced, and Neo nodded.

“Tone means everything when you’re a male.”

“I’m ashamed of you,” I huffed in William’s direction specifically but got into it. “Viktor’s going to be here in thirty minutes, which means you better shower now!”

I pointed at William to emphasize my point. Otherwise, I knew that he’d simply stand there and do everything but shower. He sighed in response before responding, “Cool. Shower. Going.”

I was already looking at Neo as I shook the remote from side to side.

“Oh no, you don’t,” I began. “Neo stays here.”

“Why?” Neo asked as if the man didn’t know why he was banned from going with William. If he went along, they would fuck for hours and we didn’t have the time for any of that romantic bullshit.

“If you go, neither of you are coming out. I’m not getting in the way of you two and your new bond honeymoon lust fest, alright?” At least I could think straight thanks to my very steamy moments with Zane prior to getting here.

“Honeymoon Lust Fest?” William questioned with a wide grin. “That’s a smart title.”

“You should use that as an excuse to get you a week off after this,” Neo suggested.

“Not a bad idea. We could go safe house shopping so we have options.”

“Don’t like it here?” Neo inquired.

“Oh, I love it here,” William earnestly replied. “That’s the problem. If I get too comfortable, I’ll be hiding my secret weapons all over the place. Then you’ll never get rid of me.”

“As if I want to,” Neo replied.

They were clearly going to flirt for another ten minutes if the elevator doors hadn’t dinged and a familiar voice interfered.

“Not even noon and you two are flirting like lost lovers.”

Onyx walked over to us holding two sets of hangers with protective plastic that secured whatever lavish attire was enclosed.

“Onyx?” William questioned and gave him a glare. “Go away.”

“That’s not how you should greet me, Sugar,” Onyx countered with a beaming grin that showed just how proud he was to be here.

“Why are you here, Onyx?” I had to ask.

“Outfit change,” he replied.

“The outfits Dimitris chose were perfect,” Neo pointed out.

“You’re not wrong,” Onyx replied. “However, this is a special delivery.”

“From whom?” William asked.

“Ruby Phoenix.”

William’s eyes widened as Onyx pulled out a card. He walked over to him and tried to retrieve the card in question, but Onyx lifted it further up as if to taunt William.

Only that trick wasn’t really going to work anymore.

“Did you get taller?” he inquired, a clear frown on his face.

Instead of answering, William leaned forward and kissed the man firmly on his lips. He also managed to steal the card that was in Onyx’s captivity before spinning around to leave the poor, bulky man hanging.

“I’m off to shower,” William announced before Onyx could attempt to interject. “I’m still mad at you, Bulky Mass of a Fucker.”

He closed the door which left us in a moment of silence before I asked the primary question on my mind.

“Who’s Ruby Phoenix?”

“Fashion designer,” Neo spoke up. “Celebrity stylist, award-winning designer…I can go on and on with her achievements, but needless to say, she’s one of the most sought out globally.”

Huh. Why didn’t I know about that… or her?

“Why don’t I know about her?” I had to ask because it felt fishy to me.

“She works for mostly wolf shifters,” Neo replied with a shrug. “You know how our supernatural world works. Popularity is within our communities. Someone’s who’s popular in the wolf shifter world is probably a nobody in human society if that’s what they wish. Willow is one of the few shifters who are known throughout the different communities since she’s unique and holds power in various types of power.”

I understood what he was saying, but I guessed my mind was wondering what was written on the card he took to read in the privacy of Neo’s room.

“Why don’t we talk more about this later?” Onyx suggested and looked over to Neo. “Wanna regroup with the others? Viktor is gonna drive Sugar, and I have a strong suspicion Dimitris will be around until they depart. You know he likes to stalk around to make sure she’s good and safe.”

“Right,” Neo replied. “We gotta prepare for vengeance.”

“When you say it like that, you sound like an evil mastermind.”

“But I am one,” Neo declared with pride while his smile reminded me of Nico.

“Alright, alright. You two shoo. I have potions and medication to finish!” I huffed.

“Aww.” Onyx pouted his lips.

“This is my place,” Neo muttered, and I gave him an “I don’t give a fuck whose place this is” look.

“One slip up and your mate’s medicine is ruined. I can’t spend another X amount of hours working on another batch,” I stressed and crossed my arms over my chest. “So y’all gotta leave.”

“Fine,” Neo replied, but he spun around to walk toward his room.

“Where are you going?” I groaned.

“Gotta say goodbye to William,” he replied without even looking at me.

Onyx chuckled. He followed on his heels as he looked back at me and added, “Me too. Gotta give these to him and all that, you know.”

“Bullshit,” I groaned and put my hands in the air. “I don’t care anymore. I’ll wrap up here and you guys can enjoy a threesome. If Viktor comes and scolds you all for making William late, that’s all on y’all. Not me.”

They laughed and closed the door behind them, which left me shaking my head.

“I guess that’s what being madly in love looks like,” I muttered while pinching my nose to sigh.

After I finished everything and ensured William was set with his meds, I cleaned and sterilized the equipment before gathering the meds and herbs I’d made for Ace.

With a glance around the cleaned kitchen space, I let out a sigh of relief before I quietly made my way to the elevator and took the lengthy ride down.

I hadn’t been this exhausted in a really long time, and leaning against the elevator wall only further reminded me how weak I felt. When the elevator came to a stop mid descent, I didn’t care about who entered the golden cube.

My eyes simply remained closed as I fought to not completely doze off in the elevator.

Wouldn’t that be a way to try to get noticed? Aurelia Clementine found sleeping in an elevator. Jeez. They would think I’m jealous of all the attention Willow’s getting, and that I was doing anything for a speck of it.

“Sweetie? Who’re the herbs for?”

I don’t know why I heard Jack, but then again, I couldn’t remember the last time I took my meds. I’d made another batch a few days after Ace had destroyed the last batch, but then I’d been so drained afterward that I’d fallen asleep standing or something.

It had to be bad enough for me to go sleepwalking that night—something I only did when I was literally too exhausted to even dream—and that led to me putting those meds somewhere in that sleep state.

Did I find them? Nope. I guess it’s been a hot minute since I last took them. I should pass by my place and find them but ugh… the trouble sounds tiring. I’m so tired.

“Sweetie?”

Oh right. Jack the hallucination asked me a question.

“For Ace,” I muttered as my head leaned forward. I think I was trying to nod to emphasize my point, but lifting my head up alone felt like another mission in itself. It ended up landing against something, and thank goodness or I surely would have fallen to the floor or something.

I didn’t want to ruin all my hard work, but the exhaustion was so deeply rooted inside me that I couldn’t fight it anymore.

“Want me to hold it for you, Sweetie?” Jack’s voice sounded closer to my right ear, and it was far softer than his usual tone of voice that held a hint of eerie excitement to it.

“Yes… please…”

So tired.

It felt like a relief when the weight of the herbs was removed from my grasp, and maybe that was why I so easily rested against whatever was keeping me up.

“You should sleep, Sweetie. I’ll get these to Ace after I tuck you into bed.”

Bed. I can’t wait to lie in bed.

I should have answered, but my mind was already drifting away. It felt like I was slowly falling, but my body was lifted soon after. My head rested against a firm surface, the drumming beat of what reminded me of someone’s heart beating running against my ears.

It was slightly fast, like how your heart would gallop when you see your crush approaching you, but the sound only contributed to my comfort as I further relaxed and let the tension of the long day leave my limbs.

The ding of the elevator seemed far away, and the swaying that followed only further encouraged me to fade away. The odd part out of all of this was the sense of safety I felt even though I wasn’t sure where my floating body was headed, but my gut told me I’d be okay.

I’m in good hands.

“Shit. Is she okay?!” I may have imagined it, but it sounded like Ace had spoken. Maybe I was about to enter a dream of some sort.

“Exhaustion. She’s been working all night and morning making De Luca’s meds.” There was Jack’s voice. “She even had time to make you a whole regimen of herbs and medicine to take so your eye heals faster.”

“You’re not actually serious.”

“I am,” Jack emphasized. “Check the folded notes.”

There was a long silence before Ace muttered, “Where are you going?”

“Was going to take her to her place.”

“Her place won’t be safe. It’s not warded like Zane’s.”

“Then where do you suggest, Alpha?” Jack inquired. “You wanted me to start getting rid of those witches who are trying, as usual, to slander Aurelia’s name.”

“Bring her here,” Ace encouraged. I didn’t know what he meant, but his pine scent wrapped around me not a second later, and my body simply melted against the warm surface.

“I’ll get going, Alpha,” Jack hummed. “Be good to Sweetie.”

“Ugh, just go,” Ace huffed.

There was a brief silence, and something soft pressed against my forehead.

“You always go above and beyond for everyone, Auri,” he whispered. “Don’t worry… Soon you’ll know how it feels when others go above and beyond for you.”

His vow followed me into the land of dreams.

12

A KING SHOULD BRING NORMALCY TO HIS QUEEN

“Iswear I’m going to rid her of her existence!”

My stress was through the roof today, which was why half my herb supply was floating in the air like gravity had turned off.

I was pacing, casting spells, and packaging orders for the remainder of my private clients. I’d secretly made the announcement to them that I was going to be taking time off due to a warehouse shift that needed my full attention.

It wasn’t necessarily a lie because I really did need to switch storage warehouses to a place that wouldn’t be monitored by the Coven. Quil had actually been the one to suggest it and said he had a good contact that owned a bunch of warehouses and shipping containers that were “off the radar” and unable to be accessed by anyone unnecessary.

Aka anyone nosey like the Coven, who wants to know my fucking business.

I wondered if they were clueing in on my shift of movement because they decided to assign me some new assistant who acted more like a fucking robot than an actual human.

They didn’t even give me her name, simply said, “Here’s your new assistant,” as if I’d asked for one! They knew damn well that Aoa vibed with me perfectly, and that was honestly a requirement when choosing an assistant for a witch.

Aoa just worked because she was a hybrid like me and understood exactly what I needed. There was no stress or arguments about my schedule, and she most certainly respected me enough to ask before she touched my stuff.

This mini bitch of an assistant didn’t give a flying fuck about what she touched. It got to the point where I’d been trying to make Willow’s medication whenever she wasn’t around so she wouldn’t monitor why I made the same amount of pills weekly.

It was a little strenuous on my part, but at least I was protecting my bestie from this Coven slave who cared more about doing what the Elders wished for her than her own bloody boss. I was just so tired of the stress of the last few weeks. I’d been dying for a fucking break, and I got it this week thanks to Willow inviting me on a shopping spree.

Being able to go shopping like any other normal being had been such a blessing in disguise that I’d literally cried that night over dinner with the guys, which had Zane and Ace ready to go on a murder spree while Jack sharpened his blades and Quil formed a list of “hit now, ask questions later” targets that he’d gladly work on if it made me stop crying.

King always had a slow reaction time, but it was totally good in that moment because he was the only one who was able to stop the crazy group from getting us into real trouble for starting shit without merit.

The fae hybrid in question was the one sitting at the island listening to my lengthy complaints because he was honestly the best listener out of everyone. I didn’t know if it was because his card depicted a king—someone who not only makes decisions for his kingdom but listens to the troubles of his people and works towards solving them—but whenever my brain was so crowded with useless shit, he was who I came to, and I could let my thoughts right out.

Out of the group dynamic, it also seemed like King was the obvious observer. He’d stand out like a sore thumb on purpose, like he truly wanted everyone in this damn Coven to see him around me when I wasn’t in my lab space.

I certainly didn’t mind, but I could tell some of the witches didn’t like him being around for some odd reason. I guessed his protective energy made it seem like he was some stalking lion ready to pounce on his prey if they dared make the wrong move. That was honestly good for me because it made sure no one messed with me while I was working.

And from the way these last weeks had been going, it was obvious that people were trying to mess with me.

The tension at the Coven was dangerously high.

Rumors were going around saying a position was going to be available soon for the High Court chair, and it seemed like everyone’s eyes were on me in expectation. I didn’t quite understand it when in reality, no one wanted to see me excel onto a higher platform than I already was.

As of now, I was apparently the Coven Head, which was such a load of bullshit because I was never in on anything important. The meetings I’d been scheduled for had the typical “waste my existence instead of sending a damn email” energy wasted my time which could have been used to do something that would make a difference in my life.

I now understood why Zane got so annoyed when he attended such meetings—because every minute was something that could be dedicated to an action that would help us get ahead in our own goals and businesses.

With the rumors of the opening High Court chair, there was word that Zane would potentially become a Master with my so-called “ascension” into the chair. I didn’t really understand the dynamic of it all, but Zane had explained over dinner the other day that when someone rose onto the chair, chances were they had a warlock, who was in close relation to the individual, ascend to the position of Master while the individual became their Disciple.

Once the positions were solidified by a symbolic pendant, it was the Master’s role to train the Disciple into their role on the High Court for years, if not decades, until they were powerful enough to switch roles.

What was the coolest thing about the High Court was how universal it really was. I tried not to think about it, but the High Court expanded through to various universes. Similar to how there was Faerie and other realms, there were various universal planes that carried a “High Court” whose members could connect with ours to encourage universal balance.

There were various syndicates that used these models like we did, and they had unique shifters and hybrids in their worlds.

As fascinating as it was, the only problem that I felt stood in my way of ascending to the chair was the “pendant” part. Sure, I had a pendant from my mate, but that was from Ace, not Zane, and though Ace was powerful in his own element of strengths, Zane’s magic capabilities were on another level that definitely matched Master status.

With what I already knew of the Coven’s intentions, I wasn’t getting my hopes up about acquiring a chair that clearly wasn’t destined for me to claim. But as the days went by, the tenser things got here, and I felt like I was being monitored for a reason.

Every move I made, every conversation I had, and every action that seemed too independent was watched.

It was as if my own independence was being stolen from me, little by little, and I was beginning to see how dangerous this would become if I didn’t put my foot down sooner or later. To the Coven, I was being the perfect naive puppet, which was truly my intention.

Behind the curtain, I was getting my ducks in a row so that when the time came that I had to finally cut the strings that were guiding me around like a true puppet obeying its puppeteer, I wouldn’t drop to my demise.

None of them knew that I was getting closer to the others. I bet they didn’t even think I’d be able to have dinner around the same table with Ace and Zane. I knew the Coven had noticed Ace walking the halls of this place, and though he did carry a right because he was a wizard hybrid like me and a few others here, they clearly didn’t like his company.

Nor did they like King, Quil, and Jack, honestly.

Ace apparently took a temporary position as a substitute magic teacher —Ace teaching bratty witches and wizards? The world is seriously on the verge of destruction—so they could complain all they wanted, but he was doing them a favor by assisting.

King stayed around to “protect” me like a security guard, while Quil had been around to conduct training sessions with me like he had been prior to me getting onto the Coven. I’d have a training session with him on Thursday, where he was going to try to teach me to meditate better and maybe dive into manipulation magic.

It was something that could be super beneficial to learn about, and if Quil was willing to teach me in a controlled environment that couldn’t be tampered with by anyone outside the testing walls, I was down.

Jack was doing his own thing, apparently being an assassin and getting rid of people who were going above and beyond to slander my name and businesses. Whether it was due to the rumors of the vacant chair position or because I was the “Coven Head,” there was a very generous amount of people who were simply talking smack about me

The last time I’d tapped into the stream of gossip, I was apparently a slut because I was seen with Zane and Ace a few days ago. I remembered we’d been together because I needed a specific magical book from the library after I’d finished my general work, and Zane had stopped by to treat me to dinner so he’d come along with me. Ace was already at the library gathering books that would help enhance his mental barriers—and a book about blood manipulation that he was clearly trying to stop me from seeing.

That left the three of us in one lane, and Ace had taken it upon himself to annoy the shit out of me because that’d been his new duty in life when we were in the public eye. So the lovely picture that caused the stir of speculations had the tall asshole holding the book I needed, which had me practically pressed against him and giving him a scolding look.

What further made it all menage in nature was the picture that caught Zane coming from behind me and reaching for the book—which meant I was sandwiched between two powerfully hot magicians, one being my ex-mate and the other being my current one.

Marvelous.

No one knew Zane and I were royally mated yet, but the warlock made sure it was very clear that we were dating. I appreciated that being public about it was a non-negotiable to Zane and that he didn’t give a flying fuck if anyone had a problem with it.

Overall, the last few weeks had breezed by, but what I appreciated about the new pack dynamic was our agreement to try to share a meal with everyone, or the majority of us, every day. Ace was the one who suggested it, and though I’d been totally against it—because who had time to coordinate their schedules so we all ate at the same time—I’d begun to warm myself up to the idea after a few nights.

Not every day had all of us around the table at Zane’s place. We’d chosen his place since it was still magically protected so no one would know our whereabouts during that precious time of bonding. But it became something we’d gotten used to, and frankly, I really was beginning to cherish it.

We were getting closer slowly, and Ace assured me with the way things were going, we’d potentially go on our first pack run together soon.

His eye was beginning to heal, and my herbs and medical regimen that I’d created for him were doing wonders. He wouldn’t be blind in that eye—thank Mother Moon—but for certain spells, he’d have to send streams of magic to the cataracts of that eye to be able to see better.

It was a bit of a hassle in my viewpoint, but then again, at least he still had his eyesight. The new scar he carried was apparently “cool” to the students in his class and had instigated its share of talk as to what madness Ace had gotten himself into to acquire a scar like that.

Mostly everyone was going with the idea of Ace being a badass Alpha wolf who had to battle some Alpha from Cali who had a dark past. The two duked it out and ended up making amends on their deathbeds or some overexaggerated bullshit.

Where people come up with these damn stories is beyond me.

Needless to say, he’d make a recovery, which gave Aries and I a bit of peace of mind, though there were moments we felt bad. The incident didn’t make us fall apart which I was thankful for now that we were on neutral terms. We tried to be friendly the majority of the time, though it seemed like neither of us could help but fight with one another from time to time.

Regardless of everything that had happened thus far, I was a step closer to securing my assets behind the scenes, so when the Coven decided to “drop me,” I’d be more than ready for the collateral damage financially.

Zane hadn’t been joking about changing my name to Malark—or basically marrying me—if it meant I’d get my independence and be rid of the Clementine name attached to me, but I really wanted to make that a last resort because it made me feel as though it was pressuring us to be “together” legally which I felt wasn’t fair.

I definitely could see myself marrying Zane, but I wanted it to be on his terms when he was ready to pop the question. We were royally bonded, but there was so much more we had to discover about our heritages before we even decided to tie the knot.

He has to discover the truth about his parents, and me? I have to figure that shit out and how I have fae blood.

If only we could get a damn minute of peace without being watched from every angle.

With a long sigh, I gave up on my current tangent because I felt utterly exhausted. I knew complaining wasn’t going to change anything. I always emphasized that actions spoke louder than words, but how were you supposed to change your predicament when you had to pretend to be a naive fool?

I need to keep pretending so we can find out who is really pulling the strings of fate to fuck us up.

A set of hands landed on my shoulders—the touch so light that it didn’t frighten me. A mere glance up confirmed that King was standing behind me.

“I think you need a break,” he concluded, which I was pretty certain was referring to me magically preparing stuff.

“If I take a break now, I won’t finish before dinner,” I noted with a slight pout.

“Why don’t we simply take a lunch break?” he offered. “Then we can see if Ace or Zane are available and we can speed these orders up so we finish on time before dinner?”

“That would make life easier…” I began but thought about it. Shaking my head, I carried on with, “I don’t want to disrupt Zane or Ace though. They probably have things to do. They don’t need to help me with this stuff. It’s not their burden to bear.”

King stared at me for a long minute before he very gently squeezed my shoulders. Goodness, if a man needed to win a woman over, all they had to do was give her a shoulder massage.

Literally heaven-sent.

“Why do you hate relying on others?” he decided to ask.

“It’s not like I hate it,” I defended, which was the honest truth. “But when I rely on others, it pulls them into my shit and I feel that’s not fair to them. They didn’t ask to be pulled into my family witch Coven drama.”

“But not everything pulls people into your family witch Coven drama,” King elaborated like it was true fact. “You’re simply assuming that if you allow anyone to help you, it’ll lead to consequences that involve the Coven.”

“But that’s an assumption that has been proven time and time again,” I noted as I lowered my head and snapped my fingers. Whatever was floating in the air began to lower back to its designated counter space.

Once the strain of the floating objects was eliminated, I allowed myself to actually relax while King continued to massage my shoulders.

“No matter what’s been proven or not, you’re giving your family the power to dictate who you rely on for help,” King acknowledged before he paused in massaging my shoulders to turn me around to face him.

Without hesitation, he placed his hands on my hips and lifted me up in one smooth movement so he could place me on top of the marble counter of the island. He left me there, and I watched him walk over to the little snack bar I’d created more for Aoa than for me—my eyes lingering on the bulky beast as he whipped up a cup of tea so swiftly, my mind was baffled by whatever magical process he used to brew the cup of tea. It was steaming in the dark navy blue mug that read “Bitch Vibes Only” with different colored stars and a golden handle.

He returned to where I was sitting and offered me the mug.

“Chamomile tea with a dash of milk and honey,” he revealed and added, “It will help with your anxiety.”

“How did you know I was feeling anxious?” I inquired while I accepted the mug like it was an offering from the gods. One whiff and I was sighing with utter relief because it smelled so good.

“Your aura vibes with your energy and becomes rather murky in color when you’re anxious,” King revealed, which was intriguing to me.

“You really are observant.”

“It’s good to be, so no one can screw you over or step over your boundaries,” he revealed.

“Was that always a trait of yours?” I asked before taking a sip of the hot tea. “Goodness, this is so fucking good.”

He smiled sweetly in return before he leaned back against the opposite island that was filled with packed orders. “A habit stemmed from experience,” he genuinely answered while admiring me. “Do you want me to do something about that assistant?”

“Oh.” I forgot I hadn’t really updated him about what had happened when I went shopping with Willow. “She’s actually my second assistant now.”

“Really?” King seemed intrigued as he crossed his broad arms over his chest to listen to me intently. “Spill the deets.”

Why did hearing him say that have me snorting and laughing uncontrollably?

“Why are you laughing?” he questioned with a silly grin.

“I’m sorry but you’re too fucking serious to be saying something like ‘Spill the deets.’ I can see Jack saying that while spinning a blade between his fingers and waiting for some captive’s blood to finish draining into a damn cauldron. Don’t even ask why I’m using that as an example, but having you say that made my mind malfunction.”

“Guess your way of slang is rubbing off of me,” he said with a wink. “C’mon. Tell me what changed.”

“Well, I went shopping with Willow yesterday and was explaining how things have been rather dreadful with the Council,” I confessed and shrugged. “I didn’t really wanna say anything to make our girl date a Debbie Downer experience, but Willow is so perceptive. She can read me like an open book and knew something was off. I ended up explaining how stuck up my assistant is and the robotic vibes she gives off. I hate when people invade my space or try to take control away from me, so I expressed how suffocating it was, and frankly… maybe it took me talking to her about it to realize how miserable working here has been.”

I looked down to the steaming surface of my tea before I shrugged.

“I don’t feel at home here anymore. Even if this is my little lab of herbs and medicines, it’s not necessarily mine. It’s not a space that I can truly say ‘this is mine and no one else can take it from me’ you know? The Elders know I need this space. It’s a good place because the flow of magic runs so smoothly here, but let’s be realistic. I can most certainly find somewhere else that resonates better and can make my life easier, but NYC is a place of business deals and extremely expensive storefronts. I’ve been looking into finding a place to kind of make a shop out of, but the moment they hear Clementine, the price quadruples and that just destroys the vibes I’m having with purchasing the place. I don’t want to buy something I know I could have gotten for a cheaper price but because of my name, I’m now someone else’s profit center. It’s not their fault for trying to make an extra buck, or well… a damn fortune, but I have to be careful of where I invest which isn’t my strong suit. Sure, I can snag companies from criminals and make the instinctive decision to invest in them knowing there’ll be a return, but at the same time, it’s not a huge risk if I fuck up and have to shut it down. There’s no sentimental value there.”

I lifted my head to look at him as he continued to give me his full attention, which I really did appreciate.

“To everyone else, my work is just a typical witch herbal shop, but to me, it’s more than that. This business holds these emotions that are very dear to me. I inherited this business from someone extremely important, but sadly, the memory of them is gone. I don’t think it was my fault for forgetting them, but with my mental state, I’m not honestly sure. All I know is that herbs and magic were very dear to their life and my clients looked up to this person. I’ve tried to inquire if they knew their name, which I’m sure is weird when I inherited the place from them, but I’d reiterate it in a way that didn’t make it super obvious. None of them could give me their name. All they know is it was a woman they would call a spiritual healer, herb master, or amazing herbal witch. It’s frustrating at times because… well…” I paused as if I didn’t really want to admit my next words.

“Go on, Queen,” King encouraged. “This space is safe to express what troubles your soul.”

Such a supportive man.

“I don’t feel joy in doing this right now,” I confessed the ultimate truth. “Before, this was my outlet. My place to get lost in my magic and thoughts while knowing I’m helping other people in need with products that are natural and support them on a physical and emotional level as well as in a spiritual aspect. I really put all my effort and energy into creating these medicines and concoctions, but it’s also extremely draining for me. Some days I’m so exhausted, I don’t even realize I’m sleeping until I briefly wake up to Zane carrying me to bed from the kitchen island after hours of work. In the first couple of years, it was exciting. It didn’t matter if I worked ten to sixteen hours a day. Heck, I could do all-nighters if I truly needed to if it would make my clients happy. It brought me so much joy that I didn’t care about the money. As long as I got to ruminate on that rewarding sensation I always experienced when I finished all my batches and called it a night, I was satisfied.”

“But now?” he inquired.

“I don’t feel that rewarding sensation anymore.” I gave him a sad smile as I peered around the space I’d worked in for so long. “Maybe I’m burnt out or my viewpoints have changed… I’m not sure. It’s like I’m always working. Always striving for perfection in any area I dive into. The competition isn’t too bad, but it’s not like I can ignore that they’re present and copying my every move. Whenever I do one thing, they’re hopping on it like a trend that’s about to explode. Even if I hint at a new product, those same competitors are dying to get in on it, and sometimes it’s rather annoying because then they have the added money and financial backing to do it. These aren’t just individuals who are launching these products with love and care. These are huge companies and organizations with loads of help and financial backers that they can lean on.”

I hadn’t really talked about the business side of things, but this was the perfect time to get it off my chest to someone who could understand my way of thinking.

“Think about it like being an author. You put all your effort and focus into writing a book. This book means the world to you because you pour all your feelings into it. The good. The bad. Your life experiences are all intertwined in your words and the characters are a reflection of you. They’re not perfect. Heck, they’re FAR from perfect, but they’re real. They go through crazy shit and meltdowns and feel like they’re absolutely useless at times because they can’t be like those cool, loved characters that everyone goes gaga for. But to the author, it doesn’t matter because they simply create a character from their heart. You’d think being genuine in the world would lead to reaping those rewards when the book comes out,” I explained. “The book launches and your loyal readers pick it up and you’re so relieved that they love it. You make a profit, life is sweet, and you’re excited to move on to the next book, but then in a matter of a week, ten other individuals are now doing the same as you.”

He frowned at the scenario as I took a sip of my tea and placed it down so I could use my hands to emphasize my point. “Now, at first it’s not a big deal, you know. Other authors, cool! You’re happy for them because they’ll be able to feed the same readership that loves your work, but then, you see little bits of your work in theirs. Similar themes, similar interactions, and the more you look into it, the more you’re realizing how alike their book is to yours. But get this: they market theirs as better. Their readership is bigger. They’re backed up by huge companies who throw top dollars their way so their books are seen all over the place. On magazines, in advertisements, in bookstores. And everyone is recommending them on social media and in the gossip channels. They basically go viral, like BOOM!”

I lifted my hands and clapped them together before spreading them apart, which triggered teal and gold sparks to kindle into the air and rain down like this was some sort of celebration.

“Then you’re left with the book that was the catalyst for everyone else’s careers but you’re there. No one is going wild for your book anymore because you’re ‘old.’ You’re not the latest hype of the bunch. But you know what really begins to grind your gears? When those same people who have the fame, the fortune, the financial stability, and the support from so many people decide to trash you. They spread through the grapevine how useless you are. How your work is such a mockery in comparison to them and their effortless techniques. All your dedication is deemed as trash, and since you’re not the fan-favorite, you’re no longer successful. You’re basically a one-hit-wonder and they point and laugh while on the surface, they continue to project this persona of perfection.”

I sighed and closed my eyes.

“That’s exactly how I feel right now, King. I’m tired of giving this business my all and yet I’m being sabotaged behind the scenes. My private clients have been so loyal to me, and I absolutely appreciate their loyalty to me, but eventually, a business has to expand, doesn’t it?” I opened my eyes and didn’t hide the frustration this delivered. “On the surface, everyone is waiting for the next big move from me. Not because they’re excited but just so they can copy me. It’s not like I don’t try to follow trends that enter the herb and magic industry, but then I’m doing things for the sake of keeping my business afloat. Keeping with the trends that come and go versus doing something I truly enjoy. If you’re not hyped, no one wants to support you, and when I have the Coven and these random people shit-talking about me whenever they get a chance… it’s only a matter of time before even my private clients have had enough of hearing such shit and stop purchasing from me. New clients won’t even look my way, and it just slaps the joy out of this career.”

I lowered my hands as if it were a sign of utter defeat.

“A career should not only be satisfying, but it should make you feel like you’re moving up with your experience. But it feels like things are shifting in the world. Now that younger individuals are coming into the game and grabbing deals and reaching the top with the snap of their fingers, it gives off this impression that experience and hard work means nothing. That has nothing to do with Willow and the way she’s been snagging deals lately because we all know that she gets these deals to benefit as many people as possible. If she were an author, she’d be the type to not only rise up in her own published work but would make her own publishing house and extract various authors from around the world to give them stable jobs and opportunities to succeed.”

“Like when they say ‘Queens supporting other Queens,” King whispered.

“Yes! Like that. Women support other women, but that’s the problem for me. I’m willing to support these same companies that I know will take from me. They are on this witch hunt to ruin me, and yet they’ll never support me. They give me those fake smiles and encourage me to send samples of my work so they can share it with their clientele, and then the moment they get it, they’re rushing to the labs to not only replicate it but make it better,” I revealed and laughed. “I’m just so tired of this being like some sort of competition because that wasn’t why I entered this field to begin with. I loved this career when I started—no matter how hard it was or how it stole me away from making friends and mingling with people. I guess I thought after so many years of dedication, I’d finally hit my big break, you know? Everyone is supposed to have a big break where they finally strike gold and everyone and their damn grandpas and grandmas are supporting you, but instead… my whole life is an anxious rollercoaster of fighting and trying to survive. I’m always trying to fight and secure what’s mine, and that’s just not doable anymore. It’s not fair. I established this brand, this business that everyone always boasts and talks about, but a simple negative comment screws things up. Stops my sales flow. Ruins opportunities to collaborate and expand. And at the end of the day, this is just one business. It doesn’t include the side hustles I have, before helping Willow and other individuals when they need my assistance. All of this is simply becoming aggravating to deal with, and maybe I’m tired of giving it my all because why bother? No one cares anymore. Where does authenticity get you these days?”

“Aurelia.” King didn’t hide the compassion in his eyes that took in my hurt expression as I shrugged.

“It’s the truth, King.” All those negative thoughts and frustrations were finally coming to the surface and being revealed. “If I told this to anyone else, they would probably think I’m ungrateful. That I’m being selfish and should even be thankful that I have clients willing to support me and all. But at the end of the day, if I’m not happy… why does it matter? Am I supposed to be grateful because I’m worthy enough to be copied and shunned in my own community? My own Coven is doing everything it can to destroy me. All so that someone else can take my place. My upbringing was woven around this position that now everyone is talking about and either hoping or regretting the idea of me getting it. Imagine knowing you were going to rise upon a throne someday but all the people of your kingdom are either dreading it or are envious that you’re claiming your damn birthright. Its fucking madness, and yet if I say shit to anyone else aside from you and the others, I’m ungrateful. I’m a bitch. I should have everything taken from me. Like jeez. I can’t even have fucking feelings now.”

I ran my hands through my hair and sighed. “That’s why I’m anxious, King. That’s why… I’m not sure what I want anymore.”

It felt like such a damn shame. I invested all my years since I was a teenager into this business and here I was at twenty-eight, wishing it would just disappear.

Wishing to start over.

“How do you truly feel, Aurelia?” King inquired. There was no judgment in his voice or expression as he stared back at me. He wanted to help me figure out what my next step was, but did I know what that would be?

“I feel like I want to start over,” I answered and looked to the ceiling as if it were now the wondrous sky and could give me a moment of insight on what was next for me. “I don’t know why, King, but… ever since I got to see that wonderful clearing we randomly went to… I feel as though I don’t belong here anymore.”

It probably sounded preposterous, but it was the ultimate truth that took all that confessing to finally arrive at that conclusion.

“I almost feel like an alien in this community, honestly. I don’t feel welcome anymore. I’m always being judged for everything I do, to the point that I’m practically isolated. Aside from Willow… I don’t have any friends, King.” How pitiful. “Every step has led me to stages of my life where everything crumbles and I’m left alone. Whenever I try to make friends, something happens, and poof. Those friends are gone. If I met two groups of people and brought us all together to be one group of friends, a year can go by, and in the end, I’m the one sitting alone in a diner and watching that solid unit of friends decided I wasn’t worthy of being invited. Then comes the ‘you’re always so busy’ excuse because I’m trying to achieve my lengthy list of failed experiments, or because I’m an entrepreneur in my element, it’s like I don’t deserve to hang out or have days off. Obviously, my schedule can’t be flexible just because I’m my own boss. I haven’t reached a big enough break where I can just lounge and read a fucking book, let alone hang with anyone at any time. That in itself becomes a hindering factor in making friends and well, then I’m left out for the count. It’s kinda crazy to me because look how big the world is.”

I lifted my hands up and stretched them out to emphasize how truly big the world felt to me.

“So why do I feel so alone? Like I’m the biggest oddball in this universe and like I don’t really belong anywhere?”

He moved away from the island to approach me, and when he reached my side, he gently reached out to wipe away the tears I hadn’t even realized were running down my cheeks.

“You’re not alone, Queen,” King whispered and lightly pressed his hands against my cheeks as I lowered my hands so they rested on my lap. “There’s a place where you belong, and you have us.”

“But imagine if I didn’t have you guys?” My voice was but a whisper as I hoped such words would never become reality. “Imagine if the Coven got their way and I pushed you guys away like I have everyone else in my life. What would have happened, King? I’d literally have nobody. If anything happened to me… I feel like no one would notice. Look at Willow. Her potential death had the whole nation shaken by the mere idea of her existence being wiped off this universal plane. That’s how significant her existence is… and yet for me, if I disappeared from everyone’s lives… no one would care. I’d be lucky if anyone even noticed.”

“That’s not true, Aurelia,” King whispered and pulled me forward so my forehead would press firmly against his. “I’d notice. Our little pack would notice. Those individuals you help, whether it’s a private client that has been dedicated to your business for years or someone you’ve only made a single order for, would notice. You may not see it, but you’ve influenced a lot of people. You’re a beacon of hope to those who can’t speak up for themselves in the misfit community. They witness you, and maybe you don’t think they see it, but they watch you strive forward even when people copy you and wish to be like you. Even when people walk over you and your own community shuns you. And guess what? They see you keep going. They’re watching you take those steps even though you’re hurting inside.”

He pulled back just to stare into my eyes.

“I know sometimes it feels like you’re truly walking the path of a lone wolf, but what if this path is going to unexpectedly lead you to exactly where you’re truly meant to be? This path of isolation will take you on this journey that lands you right in the place you’ve been craving and wishing to manifest for years. What if your big break is right upon the horizon and all your enemies are doing everything to stop you from reaching it? Do you want to give up when the finish line is right there?”

“I don’t want to give up,” I admitted. “But I don’t think I can keep going. Not like this. Not when I’m so unhappy, anxious, and putting all this effort into this career yet feelings like I get nothing in return. I know comparing myself isn’t good. That everyone is unique and different and my time is coming where I’ll finally shine, but goodness, King. It’s so fucking hard.”

He pulled me into a hug, and I rested my head on his shoulder as he slowly rubbed my back.

“It’s okay for it to be hard, Aurelia. It’s alright to need a break to simply breathe and focus on yourself. It’s not selfish or a display of ungratefulness. A car can’t possibly run when there’s no fuel in it. You’ve been driving for a very long time, picking up everyone in need while not focusing on yourself. Your coat of paint begins to chip away, and your oil gets older and older without a change. The engine ends up needing work because you never got the chance to get maintenance, and your tires are worn out. That’s just the exterior side of your car. Inside is another side of exhaustion, and everything needs a change,from the leather of the seats to the lining of the steering wheel. You need a good clean and a change of the mats. You’re allowed to finally stop and work on yourself, and if anyone else has a problem with that, then they never supported you, to begin with.”

“I don’t know where to start though,” I admitted against his T-shirt. “I said I was taking a break, but then I worry about the loss of income flow and all that. I don’t want to rely on the Coven anymore, King. I need to remove myself completely so when I’m dropped like trash, it doesn’t hurt. So I’m not left to be a laughingstock. I… I want to find the proper community for me so when I’m finally pushed away, it’s more of a relief than a burden. It would be so fucking amazing to leave the witch community and be accepted elsewhere. To start anew, take some big break and reminisce on that ‘fresh’ sensation that I think will bring me the rejuvenation I need. I don’t know. It could be wishful thinking, but if that were possible, do you know how freeing it would be?”

I pulled back to give him a hopeful look.

“I could do what I want. Be with who I want. I’d have the time for us. Our pack. To be able to get to know each of you.” I paused to reach out and lightly stroke his cheek with my thumb. “You support me so much, protect me from those watchful eyes so they can’t take further advantage of me, but I don’t even know much about you. I don’t know about your past or how Ace found you. I don’t really know much about Quil or Jack either. I mostly know about Ace and Zane and that’s because their destinies have always been rather entwined with one another. As much as I love what we’ve done so far, I’m willing to admit that I want more. To be greedy and dive into each of your lives and figure out how I can support you guys in what you enjoy doing like you guys support me. I don’t want our relationship to just give, give, give from your end while I take, take, take. That’s not how relationships should be. It should have an exchange process where we have each other’s backs. I want that and more. To really get to know you guys.” I paused to move my hand down the side of his neck to the front side of his chest until I reached out for his right hand that had been resting on my knee.

Wrapping my fingers around his large hand, I squeezed it and closed my eyes.

“I want to deepen my relationship with each of you, but how do we do that when it feels like we can’t even get a chance to be together or date?”

“Is that what you want?”

I opened my eyes to look at his softened gaze as he admired me in return.

“You want time with each of us?”

“Yes.” There wasn’t a single hint of hesitation in my voice, and I further confirmed my intentions by lifting his hand in mine and gently pressing my lips to the back of it.

I kept my eyes open and on him as I watched him shiver at the touch. His eyes began to dance with magic—the fae energy oozing out of him as our surroundings seemed to shift like an illusion was being unraveled all around us.

Neither of us moved while we glanced around to see the field of sunflowers that surrounded us. It was such a brief moment of tranquility that I enjoyed every bit of it as I took a deep inhale to catch the true scent of the hundreds of sunflowers in our midst.

“This is the place where you belong,” King quietly whispered, My eyes looked to him and I caught onto the slight shift in his appearance.

It was only for a few seconds, but there was a crown that sat upon his head and he was donned in fabrics of obvious royalty that were embellished with various shades of red and orange against the golden satin.

Like a snap of one’s fingers, we were back in my lab, but it was clear now that the field of sunflowers held a deeper significance in my life than I realized.

“You think so?” I asked.

“I know, Aurelia,” King vowed. “And it’s taking everything in me to not whisk you away from here so we can go there.”

“Why can’t we go now?”

“Too many would notice you’re gone,” he revealed with a hint of a smile. “But if we play our cards right and let destiny take its course, we’ll be able to give you exactly what you want and more.”

“Really?”

“Really, Queen,” he assured me and further leaned in to press his lips against my forehead. The touch made me shiver in return as he remained close to whisper, “If love is what you seek between us, I’ll gladly court you, Aurelia. I just want you to know that my way of love is very different from the others. It’s slow… traditional in nature, but when I love, it’s absolute. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes.” My voice was barely there, as if he’d left me breathless just by his words.

“Then why don’t we go on that lunch break?” he offered. “I do have a tiny surprise for you, but you have to promise me to wear it now.”

“Oh?” That got my interest as he leaned back and waited for my answer. “Sure!” I thought about it for five more seconds before I added, “If I have to walk naked like I’m pulling an Adam and Eve walking through the Garden of Eden, then you gotta warn me.”

And he burst out in laughter.

“Now why would I possibly request that?” he asked. “I said I was traditional, Aurelia. Not that my ways of courting are from the biblical times when the humans were created.”

I was blushing so hard, I surely matched a set of roses.

“I… I don’t even know what to say to that,” I concluded as I further blushed. “Gah. My face is already red now!”

“Makes you super cute though,” he offered. He now held a gift bag, and he offered it to me.I couldn’t help but wonder what it was as I accepted it.

“What’s this?”

“Go try it on,” he encouraged.

I looked around as if he’d magically make a change room for me or something. I ended up looking back at him before I smirked and slid off the island to place the bag where I’d been previously sitting.,

Then I pulled my top right off.

“And what are you doing?” he questioned, and I could hear the embarrassment in his voice that was proving my bulky fae was shy as hell.

“You told me to try this on.”

“I said go try it on,” he repeated himself.

“And where do you think I’d do that?” I asked and purposely turned around so I could put my hands on my hips to emphasize my point. “There isn’t a change room here.”

“There’s a bathroom,” he whined even though his eyes dipped to my breasts that were cupped in a black lace bra with a purple ribbon that crisscrossed in the cleavage part before having a tiny purple bow with a micro black rhinestone.

“That bathroom isn’t even the size of a cubicle. I can’t even lift my arms in there. You complained last week that you can’t even fit in there and close the door behind you.”

His cheeks began to blush at my obvious defense that was justified.

He spun around and huffed. “Okay, change.”

“You’re cute when you’re shy,” I noted and proceeded to strip out of my shorts as he glanced over his shoulder to respond with, “I’m not sh…” He trailed off as he clearly caught sight of me, but I pretended that I couldn’t see the way he was admiring me as I spun around and unpacked the gift bag.

I was going to throw the stuff on, but something caught my attention.

“Holy fucking shit! Are these snake fishnets?!” My squeal couldn’t be more random, the spike of excitement enough to make King flinch in shock as we both spun around to face one another.

“W-What?” he questioned, clearly star-struck as he took in my body that was just in my bra and panties. But I didn’t care about that as I held the clear package in my hands to his face as if he hadn’t seen its glorious epicness.

“LOOK, KING! SNAKE FISHNETS! SNAKES! They actually have snakes!!” Why the hell this suddenly baffled me was beyond me, but I was so damn excited, I couldn’t wait to wear them. I had them out of the package and was hopping around like a lunatic trying to get them over my thick thighs before I slapped them in place and spun around to pose for the bewildered fae.

“LOOK!”

“I’m looking, Queen.” He looked so confused. “I guess that means you like them?”

“Like them? I LOVE them! Where do I buy more?! I want a whole collection! Maybe the package says where. Hold on. Where did I throw that thing?”

“They’re from Faerie,” he revealed, which was surprising.

“Eh? All the way from Faerie?!”

He nodded. “That day when Ace said I was out on an assignment last week. I was actually in Faerie. I was only there for an hour, but that’s like a whole day here. I know things have been a little harsh lately and Quil and I overheard there’s a party happening on Friday night. We figured you may want to go and Quil wanted to make you something to wear. Faerie has really nice fabric that benefits magic users in general, but seeing as you have some fae magic in you, it only made further sense to get you something that would empower you while you’re wearing it. I got the materials, but they had this section that fits your style of clothing and those fishnets caught my eye,” he explained. “They glow in the dark.”

Shut the fuck up.

I clapped my hands once, and the lights went off, and to my pure amazement, my fucking legs were glowing like a damn highlighter.

“They glow!” I was jumping up and down before I collided against the man with enough force to knock him down. “King! They glow!”

“I can see that,” he replied. “You like them that much?”

“Yes!” I urged.

“I’ll make sure to grab you more then.”

“Really?”

“Really,” he assured me. “I promise.”

“Thank you, King!” I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as I could. He was tense at first, but he relaxed and gently returned the hug.

“You’re welcome, Queen,” he whispered. “Your aura is divinely beautiful when you’re happy.”

The compliment made me further smile before he helped me up. I turned the lights back on and proceeded to put on the rest of the outfit. It was a really cute black dress with sheer lace for the arms and neck part while the rest was made of black velvet. There were black ribbons to tighten the front part of the bust area, and some on the back to emphasize the bow part.

It looked like a typical Lolita dress for goths, but I could feel the vibrating strings of magic in the material.

“Wow. It’s like wearing a battery!” I spun around to show him the final product. “Do I look okay?”

“More than okay,” he praised and offered his hand. I skipped over to him and placed mine in his. “Ready for a picnic, my Queen?”

He lifted my hand so he could press his lips firmly against the back of it.

“I made sure we have English cookies.”

“Sold,” I declared and giggled. “Yes. I’m ready, King.”

“Then let’s get going.”

With a squeeze of my hand, we cast spells to cover everything and keep it protected and locked up the place so we could enjoy a nice picnic with just the two of us.

It gave me a taste of normalcy.

13

TRAIN ME UNTIL I’M DRENCHED IN SIN

“C’mon, Quil! Let me meet Quin!”

“No.”

“Boo.” I pouted my lips as I watched the upside down version of him walk over to grab his water bottle from the training bench. “You’re so mean to me.”

“You’re only saying that because I’m not fulfilling your bisexual fantasy of seeing me in a sports bra and short-shorts.”

“Well…” I thought about it. “Ya.”

“Not even a hint of remorse.” Aries sighed in my head as she rolled onto her side. “Can’t we have a break now? I’m tired.”

“Aries wants a break,” I voiced, as if that would give me some leniency from his brutal training.

“She can have a break,” he encouraged as he spun around to calmly stare back at me. “I’m sure you can do the ten remaining sprint drills.”

“Ugh, no,” I groaned in defeat as I lay like a lifeless doll along the training bench. “I’ve died.”

“I can tell that you’re breathing perfectly fine from all the way over here,” he voiced.

“Your eyesight is perceiving something else,” I suggested and closed my eyes. “See? Dead.”

“Right.” He drew out the word. “Two minutes and we’re jumping back into it.”

“Ugh. You’re horrible! This is not how you’re supposed to treat your woman!”

I pouted my lips and gave up on trying to argue with him anymore because I knew he wasn’t going to budge. I was so damn tired that I honestly didn’t want to think right now while my body was going through an ache fest.

I hadn’t physically trained like this in years, but this was clearly proving how out of shape I was.

I’d officially closed up my private herb business yesterday, which seemed to be an unexpected blessing because the Elders had tried to visit my space without much of a warning. That robotic assistant managed to find the spare key to my little lab office to “introduce” me to a warlock who was apparently Master-worthy like Zane.

Why this was suddenly a priority was beyond me, but going on a picnic with King was the best break because we missed them by a few minutes—and I had such a fun time dressing up in a cute outfit and eating in the midst of a beautiful clearing surrounded by golden flowers.

It was a good thing we placed some spells on the items so they were covered and hidden from the naked eye.

No way could I handle redoing all those orders that took me fourteen hours to create. We honestly wouldn’t have even known about the apparent visit if it wasn’t for Aoa. She’d notified me of a breach in my lab and came to investigate it because she’d passed by upon our departure to see that I’d closed things up.

Checking the security cameras for confirmation, it was clear Elder Etna, Lucy, Robot Assistant, and a cloaked man in white had indeed visited my space and were unsatisfied with my obvious absence. They had waited a full thirty minutes before they gave up, and the frustrating part was the whole entire time, the cloaked man didn’t lower his hood so we could see who it was.

King had analyzed the video first before he brought it to everyone else’s attention, and Jack immediately commented that the guy’s energy was “dirty.” I wasn’t sure what that meant, but if Jack was disgusted by the person’s energetic aura, that certainly wasn’t a good sign.

I couldn’t really get a reading on him from the video, even though I’d tried to zoom in on his aura at different angles. That in itself was a little fishy, but that simply made the whole visit suspicious in nature.

Everyday, witches and wizards were discussing the High Court chair and the odds of me getting it as if it were truly set in stone for me. It was honestly getting ridiculous, but what could I do or say to stop it? Gossip was exactly that, and until this apparent chair was finally filled—or even revealed publicly to be vacant—I just had to let them continue talking shit.

I was thankful that I’d spoken the truth to King about my current dilemmas and how I was losing passion for the work I once loved. Not only did it force me to acknowledge that I needed a change for my own sanity, but it made me understand that my happiness was what mattered the most.

The game plan we came up with was shifting the ownership of my companies to a third party. From how King explained it, by connecting the companies I own to a third party, they could be able to give me a “lump sum” as if I’d made a deal to sell the company. The company would technically still be owned by me but it would be beneath the surface.

Jack was already working on the trademark and the paperwork that would make it look legit. It would be expedited and done by next week, but Jack assured me he’d simply threaten the legislation man with his browsing history to get it done by tomorrow.

Never thought that could be used as blackmail, but alas, it’s getting us what we want.

With my actual herb company going under the wraps like the others, the Coven wouldn’t even suspect things changing until they pulled the trigger on dumping me. I knew it would be approaching sooner or later.

It was becoming more of an approaching reality since the robotic assistant was apparently serving Lucy’s needs. Since Willow had pulled those magical strings to get Aoa as my official assistant, that left robotic girl as my secondary option in case Aoa was unavailable, which would be a rare occurrence.

I’d rather do things on my own than rely on that robotic child who thought it was appropriate to invite strangers into my workspace. Now that that place was emptied out, they could enter and do whatever they wanted for all I cared.

If they questioned where my stuff was, I’d tell them it was in Ace’s office. That was the excuse I was encouraged to use because no one could gain access to his place but Zane, apparently. The two of them were splitting offices because they wanted to be on-site—or basically be here in case I needed anything—so there was no way any of the Coven could attempt to enter their space.

The duo may hate one another, but they sure were working together on my behalf.

Now that we were focused on getting my ducks in a row and securing my finances, business, and other flows of income, I didn’t really know what else to do but play the waiting game. After this party on Friday, things would be rather calm for a few weeks—or so I hoped—which was why I wanted to focus on training as much as possible.

I may be strong magically, but clearly, I needed to excel in other areas for my own benefit. Quil stated that I’d have to focus on increasing my endurance both physically and magically before I’d be allowed to train with the others.

King would be assigned to help me tap into my apparent fae abilities. From what I gathered, he’d be able to help me figure out what special abilities I carried within my fae energy and could potentially teach me how to go to Faerie.

He was literally going to teach me to go to another damn universe. Mind blown.

With the schedule seemingly calming down, this could be something we could take advantage of. The time difference between the human world versus Faerie was huge, so a week in Faerie could be literally a month or even six weeks here, and we’d have to be careful to plan accordingly so no one caught onto our absence.

Seeing as Zane also carried some fae roots in him, I was sure it would be a good trip for him to attend as well. I hadn’t told him, but I was secretly hoping we’d find more information regarding our parents and whether they knew one another. By finding some sort of information revolving around our heritage, we could potentially figure out what the Coven’s end game really was.

Who are they really after and why am I involved? What is my role in all of this?

Jack would focus on teaching me torture techniques—that already sounds fun—but he also wanted me to brush up on my weapons skills. Obviously, I relied on my magic first and physical defense after to protect myself in a fight, but when you were diving into the world of drug lords and mafia family wars, it was always good to brush up on your gun and sword usage.

Ace said he’d help me train Aries on the next full moon. We hadn’t gotten the opportunity to do much in my wolf shifter form, and though I continued to feel rather bad for once again neglecting Aries’s needs, this was something Ace had recommended.

Since Lucy had used her mind control voodoo on Aries, it would need some time to filter out of my system, so delaying the shifting process for a few more weeks would not only ensure it faded but it would also let the full moon empower us immensely for whatever Ace had planned for us.

The idea of running with the guys made me giddy with anticipation, as if I’d finally get the chance to truly tap into my wolf side and dive into that side of the world that I’d basically been shunned from. I couldn’t really blame anyone for that even if circumstances hadn’t encouraged such an environment.

Deep down, I felt like there was a bigger reason for all of this. A true meaning for why I was now about to unravel my wolf side and see what it was truly like to be in a pack of wolf shifters. If I’d attempted to force being a part of a pack, no way would I have found one that held a bunch of hybrids like myself—let alone all of them being triple hybrids.

I was still on a secret mission to figure out what Ace was, but until I actually got some alone time with him, that would be another mystery on the list of discoveries.

Something chilly pressed on my forehead, and I opened my eyes to see Quil’s face hovering above mine while he seemed to analyze my sleeping expression. The closeness made me begin to blush as I blinked a few times as if to confirm he was actually real.

“Is offering an ice-cold bottle of water a sign of good treatment to the woman I’m interested in?” he inquired like it was some philosophical analysis he wished to solve.

“It is a good sign,” I began and purposely pouted. “Though, I would have died with how long it took you to get here.”

He probably saw right through me as a quirky smirk graced the corners of his lips while his eyes further softened and twinkled with amusement.

“I went to Ace’s office to grab it.”

“Wait, really?” I hadn’t even noticed he’d left.

“Mhmm,” he replied and corrected his posture so I could sit up and maneuver around the bench and face his offered hand. I accepted the chilled bottle with gratitude before I spun the top and downed the cold drink in less than thirty seconds.

“Fuck,” I groaned. “That hits the spot.”

“Feeling a tad better?” he inquired as he observed me carefully. It was like he truly wanted to ensure I was okay as his purple eyes scanned me up and down.

“Totally better,” I assured him with a sweet smile. “I’m simply out of shape. Not necessarily weak and brittle.”

“I know,” he stated with confidence. “If you were truly weak, you wouldn’t have survived the last two hours of training.”

“Shit. It’s been two hours?!” I gasped and tried to find the clock in this training room but failed miserably. “Where did the clock go?”

“Oh.” He glanced over to the top left corner. I followed suit but didn’t see anything on the wall. “It was there, but Zane and Ace broke it.”

“They broke it?” I needed an elaboration.

“They were training yesterday evening. During the time you passed by De Luca’s place to give her the set of meds that will last her the next couple of weeks,” he disclosed. “The two of them were fighting over stupid stuff and well, they decided to duke it out in the training room.”

“And the clock suffered the ultimate price,” I summed up.

“Essentially.” He slowly nodded his head. “And the walls… and doors… and they shattered the glass over there.”

All I could do was stare at him as he finally turned his attention back at me.

“What?”

“Didn’t they get in trouble for damage of property or something?”

“Probably, but then again, it’s Zane and Ace. The cost of repairs split between the two of them is probably chump change. They also only used magic, so technically speaking, they followed the regulations of the training center. I think Elder Etna tried to say Ace shifted, but Zane wasn’t having any of that shit and cussed her out.”

“He actually cussed her out?” Now I was sad I’d missed that. “Please tell me you have a recording of that?”

The way he grinned had me gawking and tapping the padded bench like it was a drum.

“Show the deets!”

“No.”

“Aww, Quil! Why are you being so mean to me?” I whined. “You can’t possibly tease me with the idea of Zane cussing out Elder Etna and not even show me the footage! That’s bullying.”

He chuckled before he walked over to the bench, lifted his leg over, and situated himself right in front of me. I literally froze at the sudden nearness while he took it a step farther by leaning close enough that our lips were literally two centimeters apart.

“Yet you get excited when one of us gets on your nerves,” he noted like it was a fact. I couldn’t even defend myself as he leaned over just to trail his lips along my cheek until his hot breath teased the side of my neck. “Your heart goes wild when we antagonize you. See? Can’t you hear your heartbeat, Sunflower? Pitter patter, pitter patter. Like a thrumming drum. Your breath hitches in your throat and you’re already getting sweaty just because of my closeness.”

His hand lightly landed on my upper thigh just at the divide between my flesh and the black shorts I wore. The touch sent a shiver through me, and I couldn’t dare move as his exhales continued to invite his hot breath to brush across my flesh.

“I wonder where else is getting hot and wet for me?”

This… nymph of a Unseelie!

“Hiss?” I blinked and only needed to turn my head slightly to see Medusa’s arrival as she moved along my neck and reached over to lightly bop Quil’s cheek in clear greeting.

“Hello, Medusa,” Quil greeted with a welcoming smile.

“Hiss!” she replied and moved side to side like she was ready to do a hypnotic dance for him.

“M-Medusa! He’s the enemy,” I whined. “You’re not supposed to greet him.”

“Why?” Quil dared to ask with a taunting grin while his eyes were flickering with amusement. “Because I can make your pussy flutter in three seconds?”

I gasped in horror before I slapped his hand away from my thigh.

“That’s a lie!”

“I was counting,” he stated with pride and purposely leaned in once more to tug my ear lobe, which had me arching my back at the sensation that rushed through me. “Jack isn’t the only one who likes to keep count of things.”

“Ugh!” My face was crimson as I literally pushed him away. He laughed as he managed to stop himself from falling off the bench entirely, and before I could try to kick him, he managed to lift his lower half so his feet landed on the bench before he pushed off like a frog doing a backflip.

He landed gracefully, holding my empty bottle in his grasp and spinning another one in his other hand.

“I’ll go recycle these and then we’re getting back to our drills.”

“You’re horrible!” I called out to him and watched as he began humming a joyful song while tossing the empty bottles up and down.

“Yet you enjoy my company,” he tossed right back. “A minute of resting time!” he reminded me.

“Ugh!” I huffed and glanced over to Medusa, who was now more intrigued by my ponytail. “One of these days I’ve got to put these men in place.”

“For turning you on and making your hormones dance to their tune?” Aries offered. “Sure. Totally put them in their place for falling in love with them.”

I’m not falling for them.

“You’re already dating their Joker, who not only is madly in love with you but totally would propose if the Coven wasn’t such a pain in our asses. The King wants to traditionally court you, which totally leads to marriage. Their Queen enjoys taunting you while making you random outfits to wear to work so you’ll be comfortable with temperature-alternating juju and magic empowerment fabric. And the Jack enjoys kissing you any chance he gets, which includes when you’re asleep, by the way.”

Wait, really?

“Yes,” she huffed. “If it were his way, I bet he’d carve a heart with your guys’ initials into your flesh so you’re always reminded of his brewing love for you.”

Why do I have a feeling that was a potential option?

“It was until Ace caught him trying to cut you with a blade while you were asleep and kicked his ass. Don’t bother asking why I was awake for all of that, but there you go,” she offered and then added, “Oh right. Your ex-mate likes watching you sleep.”

Um… but I normally sleep with Zane… naked.

“Did I stutter?”

No…

“Then do with that information what you will,” she concluded. “I’m sleepy. Have fun training and try not to fuck the seductive yet sneaky nymph of an Unseelie. He clearly wants his hands all over you.”

He does not! Quil is like King.

“Quil is nowhere close to being like King,” she argued. “King has patience, which is typical for royal fae. Quil certainly does not have patience.”

But he would have fucked me by now if he wasn’t patient.

“Don’t mistake patience for the right opportunity.” Aries’s voice dipped a little bit. “Just because he hasn’t made a move, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the intention to. Unseelie are dangerous because when they fixate on something, they’ll ensure it’s theirs. Remember that.”

She yawned and curled up into a ball of fur until it was almost impossible to see her against the shadows of my subconscious. “Good night.”

Good night.

Maybe she had a good point and I was being a little naive. I wouldn’t deny that I was actually liking all of them a lot more than I would have imagined, and despite how things had ended before I was suddenly sworn into the Coven, it was clear that these men really did have my back.

There was no way I would have had the confidence to do all I’d done in such a short period of time. Being able to secretly migrate my businesses just so I could change the bank flow to the secret bank accounts in Switzerland that Ace and Zane had helped me get opened and set up was something I literally wouldn’t be able to do without being found out.

Just using my surname in anything left a paper and gossip trail behind, and I was beginning to realize just how controlling the Coven really was. I was blind to it in the beginning because I took pride in being associated with such powerful people, but I wondered if my mother or grandmother reached a point in their lives where they realized how trapped they really were.

If they grasped the reality that the Coven controlled everything in their lives.

One wrong move and they could take everything from you. The money, the power, any ranks and accomplishments could surely be thrown under the rug. Without a proper support system, what would you have left? Even with that, they would most certainly take away access so you truly were a loner in the world.

That’s what frightens me…

They had to be plotting something, but what were they trying to pull by having Lucy lead? Sure, she could manipulate witches’ minds, but that had its cons as well. If the witch was strong enough, they could counter the manipulation, and that would give Lucy away. I bet they had precautions in place for situations like that, but no way could they do that on a larger scale.

They had to want to control somebody of power. An individual that made people bow in complete obedience and who had enough power in various industries to truly be a benefit on a grand scale. It wouldn’t be people like the president or politicians. They had power in the human realms of business and policy creations, but that was where they reached a cap.

Who in the supernatural world would be the perfect puppet to control? They have to have money, connections, a strong foundation, and leadership. Maybe they have a kingdom or maybe an organization of superior individuals that would never disobey that sole person? Someone the people already trust and would support because they’re known to do good for the community? They would need to carry a lot of assets. Enough that they could impact multiple supernatural races. Who… who would they send Lucy after with her mind control juju?

“De Luca.”

I blinked only to see Quil sitting in front of me once more on the bench. His eyes were full of seriousness, and I realized I surely had to have said that all out loud for him to answer so confidently.

“What?”

“Your best friend. William De Luca. Or Willow, right? She’s the current powerhouse right now, isn’t she?”

“Well…” He had a point. She was the current “businessman” who was sweeping away deals left and right. Now that Willow was working with the Forbidden and even planned to open her own enterprise with them, she really was making big power moves that would bring her a lot of favor on various platforms. “You may be right.”

“Didn’t they recently announce they’re opening their own company?” Quil inquired as he leaned back to give me a bit of space to actually think properly. “Forbidden Enterprise? It was during that live conference where he revealed that an evil witch had cast a spell on him which was why he could switch genders.”

He was right. Willow had revealed that William and Willow were the same person and that she’s been juggling the two worlds for the majority of her life. She then went on to share her true struggles in the realm of identity and how she put all these standards and expectations on herself, but no matter how many people surrounded her with love, it felt like she was hitting a wall and was falling further into the depths of devastation.

To the point that she thought ending it all would be beneficial to everyone.

Her honesty was completely uncalled for, and as I’d watched on the sidelines, I’d seen that sometimes authenticity did matter. That being truthful and revealing how hard life is when you’re constantly pressured to be a symbol of perfection could be relatable to many, no matter if they were rich, poor, human, or supernatural.

Her popularity shot through the roof, especially since the new enterprise she was creating would provide jobs to humans and supernaturals alike, as well as residences thanks to the huge expansion project they were working on.

“Yes. She revealed all of that and has been trending for days if not weeks now. Apparently, the Coven got some shade with the bad witch comment,” I added.

“Right,” Quil responded and nodded slightly. “Jack took care of that.”

“What do you mean?”

“They were saying you were the bad witch who cast the spell on Willow.”

“Huh?” I gasped and leaned further in while anger fumed through me at the utter bullshit. “Why the fuck would we be best friends if I was the one to plague her with an evil spell like we’d jumped into a damn fairy tale?”

“Think about it. You two have been close since childhood, and you used to date. Some were trying to say that Willow broke up with you because you were too high maintenance so you cast the spell as punishment but remained friends so you wouldn’t cause drama between the De Lucas and the Clementines. They’re always trying to find a way to get you guys on opposite sides,” he elaborated like he’d really done his research about this one.

“But isn’t anyone questioning how preposterous that sounds?” I questioned. “Like, Willow has been acting as William since she was a child! It only became a daily nine to six regime after she was basically murdered by that douche who pushed her off the cliff in hopes of getting away with it by using the suicide card when he killed her because she was a girl.”

“You realize this supernatural community never cares about facts,” Quil emphasized. “Whatever gets people talking is what is important. Fact-checking steals the high gossip gives people. As for that incident, you’re the one who helped her, right?”

“Well, ya. Me, Onyx, her father, Roberto, and the Coven had to intervene because her injuries were too severe.”

“What do you mean?” Quil seemed intrigued. “I understand that circumstances led to your best friend being pushed off the cliff during wintertime and sustaining wounds that essentially killed her, correct?”

“Yes, but we managed to revive her before she was taken in by the Coven, who dosed her up with loads of magic to keep her alive. Basically, when she crashed into the ice, her magic managed to cushion her brain, but in return, the damage was super severe. Worse than the rest of her broken bones and such. Willow had to go to therapy at a medical center for a good while to have something like blood transfusions, only it circulated the magic in her body so it flowed properly versus storing it into her body. Willow was obviously not born to be a witch, but because of that incident and the immense magic buffered into her system, she’s able to use magic just like me.”

“You’re saying she accidentally became a triple hybrid?” Quil clarified.

“Basically.” I didn’t understand why he looked so concerned. “What’s wrong?”

“She never had any negative effects from such therapy? Aside from PTSD and other side effects from the traumatizing experience.”

“If you want my honest opinion, I’m not sure,” I admitted. “During that time, Willow was going through a lot. Onyx disappeared for two years and well, Willow’s focus was on therapy and getting better. I don’t think I really intruded at that time. Sure, I was there to visit her on a regular basis since I had access to the De Luca Pack House, but other than that… I wasn’t really allowed to be around. I definitely didn’t get to see what happened during the therapies and such. I’m certain it happened at a medical center.”

“Do you know which one?”

“Um… no? I think it was in the east or something. It could have been at the Mount Marcy place?”

Quil shook his head. “That place is owned by the Alundra Phoenix Pack. Royal powerhouse of fae wolf shifters.

“Fae wolf shifters?” I inquired. “Why haven’t I heard of them? I mean, they’re hybrids.”

“Well, fae like to keep things under wraps, and wolf shifters mostly deal with things inside their pack, right? They’re not a pack that cares about having a name or flaunting that they have power. My parents are in good relations with them. They helped a lot back in the day. Fae are all about having connections in high places. That’s why I’d requested Ruby Phoenix’s aid in helping Ace when he got injured.”

“Wait, what?” I gasped as my eyes widened. “Hold on. Ruby Phoenix was the one you contacted?”

“Mhm,” he replied like it was no big deal. “Why are you surprised?”

“When I was at Neo’s penthouse making medicine for Willow, Onyx came in with two outfits and said they were from Ruby Phoenix. Willow hadn’t brought this person up to me yet, so I wasn’t sure who it was. I tried to ask about it, but none of the guys would really tell me aside from the basic ‘she’s a celebrity stylist’ and such.”

“She is that and more,” Quil revealed. “She’s literally royalty. Princess Ruby Phoenix of Pink Moon Pack. If you think De Luca’s pack is powerful in the human realms, the Phoenix Kingdom is on another level. They have connections everywhere and they’ve been around since the beginning of the supernatural race.”

He gave me a look like he didn’t understand why I didn’t know that.

“You should know that,” he pressed.

“I don’t know anything about that.”

“The Phoenix Pack is the reason why the Coven is even supported,” Quil pressed. “They literally founded you guys.”

Um, hold the fuck up.

“No fucking way.” I shook my head. “No one teaches us that in magic academy.”

“Well, ya because it’s normally a secret to just Coven members or those who are going to take higher positions in the future. If they all go boasting about you rising upon the High Court chair, how were they expecting you to claim such a position when you don’t even know who founded the creation of the Coven?”

I felt like a foolish idiot.

My stalled response seemed to encourage his next move and he reached out to gently press his hand to my cheek.

“Aurelia, breathe.”

I always forget to breathe in situations like these.

I took a deep inhale, then let it out at an even slower pace while my eyes never left his.

“Every day I’m reminded how stupid and blind I’ve been.”

He frowned as his hand slipped away from my cheek to reach for my fingers that I hadn’t realized were fidgeting like crazy.

“When the world around you does everything in its power to hide the truth from you, can you really blame your ignorance and blindness?” he inquired quietly. “Clearly you’ve discovered this information at this moment for a reason. Our entire existence and all the suffering we’ve endured in the past, present, and the upcoming future is planned to either make us or break us. I believe that the bigger the hardship, the bigger role you play in our existence, and to me, Sunflower, you hold a huge role that’s simply waiting to be discovered.”

“Even if that’s true, why do I feel like a weakling? Like I’ve never been prepared for any of this and now the truth is hitting me left and right. It’s almost as if we’re on a ticking clock that’s running out of time and there’s nothing I can do to stop it?”

“I don’t think you’re weak,” he emphasized. “You may feel that way because of the circumstances that must make you feel like you’re being bullied into a corner. I don’t think anyone can be prepared for what you’re discovering with each day that comes and goes, but do you know what truly defines your strength?”

“What?”

“You keep going,” he whispered and squeezed my hands that were wrapped around his. “As long as you don’t give up, you’re strong, Aurelia. You’re only going to get stronger from here on out because we’re going to work really hard and train even harder. All you have to do is tap into your potential and keep reminding yourself at every moment of doubt that you are meant to walk down this path of purpose.”

He paused to lift his hand and very light tapped just above my cleavage where I hid Ace’s necklace. I followed the path of his finger before I met his knowledgeable gaze once more.

“You have all the information within you, Aurelia. All you need is a moment to meditate so you can ask the universe herself what your destiny entails. Do that and I assure you, all the answers will be knocking on your door, and maybe then, you’ll realize how dangerously powerful you really are.”

With a smile, he let go of my hands and rose from the bench to stretch.

“Instead of sprints, want to do something that can potentially tap into your fae power?”

“Yes, please!” I exclaimed with lingering curiosity. “Is using fae magic different from witch or wizard magic?”

“Sort of, but it’s extremely powerful and a tad uncontrollable,” he admitted as he glanced over his shoulder. “I’m not sure if you’ll be able to tap into it the first time, but we can find out now if you’re up for it?”

“How hard is it?” I was certainly up for the challenge. “Does it require a lot of concentration and magical runes or something?”

“Nah,” he began and crossed his arms before I watched him pull off his tank top to reveal his creamy white flesh, the lines of muscles all across his back drawing me right in. “I’ve basically got to beat the shit out of you to trigger it.”

“Beat me all you want, Daddy,” I said without even thinking. My eyes were still scanning his back like I’d uncovered the god of divine sexiness.

“Hiss?” Medusa inquired as she slithered across my cheek as if to snap me out of my daze.

“Medusa, I’m admiring a god here. Give me like ten more seconds of glorifying hotness.”

“Hiss.”

Quil turned right around and I was left breathless at his immaculate six-pack that seemed to glimmer in the light like he was pulling off that stunt in that classic vampire movie where the main lead sparkles in the fucking sun.

Now I was just drooling…

“You didn’t hear what I said, did you?” he asked while he reached back to begin tying his hair into a ponytail. How could I possibly think when he was doing everything he could to purposely lead my attention span astray with his godly features.

“Nope, but does it really matter?” I was in heaven. “Don’t mind me.”

“You’re drooling.”

“Still don’t mind me,” I concluded and slowly worked on wiping my mouth. “Admiring perfection requires all my attention.”

Quil chuckled as he finished tying his hair with a white ribbon.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he concluded and turned away. “Get in position, Sunflower,” he encouraged. “I suggest putting Medusa away unless she’ll be able to hold onto you the entire time.”

“Hiss?” Medusa purposely moved in front of my eyes to block my view.

“Hey! Medusa!” I whined.

“Hiss. Hiss. Hiss.” She wasn’t going to give me any more admiring time which was such a pity. I could always take a picture to admire later. At least if I did it in the privacy of my own place, I could get away with being a little naughty when my fluttering kingdom down under needed a bit of TLC.

“Fine, Medusa. I’ll pay attention,” I summed up and whispered, “Try to get me a picture of him somehow.”

“Hiss. Hiss,” Medusa replied as if it would truly be possible for the mischievous snake to get a picture of Quil in his half-naked glory.

What if I get to see him fully naked? Goodness…

“Aurelia?” I blinked out of my daze in time to miss the whirling ball of black shadows that almost destroyed me.

“Fuck!” I cursed while mid-air because my instincts were far faster than my mind, which was why I’d managed to jump onto the bench and push myself off it the next second to avoid the blazing attack that flew by me. “Quil! You could have killed m-AH!”

I didn’t get to finish because he was already colliding into the summoned barrier I’d created in a nanosecond to protect myself from impact. The two of us landed on the floor but were already moving as he got right into attack mode, sending me power punch after power punch.

My body was in full-on defense mode as I kept avoiding his various attacks while needing to summon random elemental barriers to block his unpredictable kicks . At one point, he jumped and kicked at me with both legs, and my hands came up in unison as they created a teal magic barrier that was triple the usual diameter and strength.

The crashing force was enough to shatter the barrier like it was but a reflection of the growing power difference, and the aftershock sent me flying right back until I crashed into the padded wall. I was thankful Medusa had retreated just in time or she would have gotten injured from the crash.

Scrambling to my feet, I spun to my left in time to void Quil’s punch that crashed into the blue mat and annihilated it like it was now a victim of his wrath, but there was no time to even acknowledge the damage for he was coming right after me with no fucking remorse.

Which meant I had to run for the hills.

“Quil!” I screamed while conjuring my wand into my grasp. “Using physical force on me is a sin!”

“Okay then,” he replied, and I skidded to a stop because he teleported right in front of me. “Let’s see how strong your magic really is, Sunflower.”

His wand was pointed directly at my face and I had no choice but to duck to avoid the stream of purple and black flames that shot out of the tip like a summoned cyclone. Instead of casting a spell, I kicked my leg out to knock him down, which hit him right on and caused him to lose his balance.

I flipped over like I was about to do a push-up, only I immediately sprinted forward while I heard his shortened spellwork. “DelaWasno!”

All it took was a second for his magic to crack through the air and suddenly I was flung upward by the spike of wind that went from zero to one hundred in one damn second.

My shriek was muffled by the protective shield I placed around me the next second, my magic surging to my fingertips while I moved my hands in circular motions to conjure the spell. I crashed into the ceiling but knew the ruthless fighter would come right here to continue his next set of hits.

I need to break this stupid cycle.

“ELA RASHA!” I declared and sent five whirlpools of various elements right back at him before he could reach me. The spiraling force of fire, water, wind, electricity, and shadow magic came together into one massive tornado that hit the mark.

All that did was spare me a few seconds as I began to drop toward the floor. Spinning my body around so I faced upward, I pointed my wand to send a stream of shooting water back to the ceiling until it hit the plastered surface.

Not a second later, it shifted into frozen ice, which sent me swinging forward like a crystal pendulum hanging upon a chain. The swing was swift and did its purpose, sending me catapulting to the opposite side. I let go the moment I reached the highest peak—three seconds before the frozen swing shattered from a blast that hit it without a speck of mercy. But I was already landing onto the ground and spinning around in time to defend myself against Quil, who flashed a sword of black frost against my wall of defense.

“I thought… you said no physical attacks,” I snapped the moment he pushed back and kicked my shield, which once again shattered upon impact.

“Says the woman who kicked me down before scurrying away,” he huffed back as he was already dripping with sweat. With a flick of my wrist, I sent a whiplash of wind that pushed him back to give me some distance before I clapped my hands together and felt my magic surge into my eyes.

With a blink, my vision heightened immensely, to the point that it was literal child’s play to pick up what his next move was. My other senses heightened immediately and I dropped into a fighting stance while I moved my hands in patterns, creating various symbols that triggered different runes to form on my flesh.

By the time Quil was up and ready to charge at me, my hands were engulfed in purple flames of magic. My crystals of amethyst were spinning around me and oozing intense magic that glowed in a vivid green.

Quil paused in his movements to give me a sinister grin while his eyes bled to black. “Now my Sunflower is taking me seriously,” he purred in delight. “Peekaboo.”

I sensed him behind me before the illusion in front of me faded away. I dodged his attack by skidding to the side before I lifted my right hand to send a snake of charged magic at him. He easily avoided it while he kicked right at the side of my left ribs.

I gritted my teeth to avoid letting out a scream of pain, and I endured the whole attack as I managed to press my hands right at his chest—seconds before sending a stream of flames that sent him flying back straight into the wall.

The crash gave me enough time to slap my hand against the bruised part of my ribs and swiftly heal the broken parts before I was in defense once more. When Quil crashed into me this time, I was ready for the onset of punches and kicks.

I wasn’t sure how long I could endure his swift movements, but he wasn’t the only one delivering blows to important organs. I was making my way in getting my own attacks in between his defenses, my crystals sending various miniature attacks at his backside while I worked on getting a few blows in wherever I could on his front side.

His endurance was absolutely amazing, and I couldn’t deny how admirable it was to fight against someone who could really hold himself down. What I admired even more was the fact that he wasn’t being lenient on me in the slightest. He was treating me like any other opponent, which was something the majority of wizards or shifters in general wouldn’t do because they were up against a woman.

To Quil, gender meant nothing. His intentions were to help me become stronger while forcing me to acknowledge how far I could go by surpassing my limits. I could feel the physical and mental strain begin to funnel through me, which was causing my execution of moves to slow down with each passing second.

I knew I’d have to forfeit, something I simply didn’t want to do, but either I could be smart about this or face the consequences that would get me knocked out.

One more move.

Pushing off the ground before Quil could start yet another cycle of moves, I flipped myself to get higher in momentum and spun myself so my back now faced the ceiling and I could see Quil right below me. He lifted his head up, and even with his hollow eyes of darkness, I could tell he had every intention of following me, which confirmed that his preference was close-distance fighting.

“WebRu!” The extremely shortened move triggered the spell I’d been conjuring this entire time. The realization of my hidden tactics showed on Quil’s face as he figured out he couldn’t move at all. All he had to do was look down to see the strings of purple that were wrapped all around him and attached to the floating purple crystals that were in their proper positions.

A teal magic circle emerged beneath his teeth, the glowing effect of the spiking magic growing stronger with every second while I pointed my left hand at Quin like I held a gun in my possession. The runes along my arm began to burn to the surface in shimmering gold, while I summoned as much magical force I had left within me to execute my next move.

I got you.

“Boom.” The spell was a simple sound, and it triggered the ultimate explosion as I pretended to pull a trigger of a gun which ignited at least a hundred bullets and sent them downwards with a single blink.

They exploded upon impact, just like the strings holding Quil, which were laced with poisonous flames that kindled to life the moment those bullets crashed into their surface. To seal the deal, the teal magic circle created a wind barrier around him to force the domino effect of explosions and bursting flames to remain within the enclosed surface, leaving him no choice but to suffer.

My body was already dropping downward, but I landed on a summoned magic circle and proceeded to leap to different summoned circles until I landed on the opposite side of the room. I rose up from the squat position, my vision blurring as I fought to not completely drop to the floor.

“Why are you so pathetically weak?”

I froze at the scolding voice that I didn’t recognize, my eyes attempting to scan around the blurry surroundings that were becoming more unclear by the second.

Who?

“Conduct the spell again! I said again! Why are you so useless?! You won’t do! You won’t do at all!” the voice snarled, and it was almost as if I now stood in a pitch-black room where a single spotlight shone down upon me. “You’re supposed to be a prodigy. You’re supposed to be the one to take on the legacy of the Coven! This won’t do. This won’t do! I need someone better. Someone who can take on all my magic and more.”

It felt like the room was spinning, but I was desperately trying to locate the owner of the traitorous voice that scolded me with such degrading words.

“You’ll never be good enough. Not with that tainted magic in your system. That father of yours. He screwed everything up. How dare he go behind our back and ruin what could have been nothing but perfection! Curse him! Curse the fae! Curse them all who dare think they can go against me!”

A hand caught onto my wrist the moment I began to lean back, but the touch only triggered a frightening memory that tore through me like I was struck by electricity.

“I should punish you for being such a misfit! Show me what you can do, you mistake of a child!”

My next action felt like an instinctive trigger to defend myself at all costs. Suddenly I was on the ground with one hand gripping something that was hidden by the surrounding shadows while my other hand was about to jab a massive crystal of purple into the being’s flesh.

“I’M NOT A MISTAKE!” I snarled furiously. I hadn’t realized how much anger was brewing through me as hot tears pooled in my eyes and my body shook furiously. “I didn’t ask to be born! I didn’t want to be chosen! I WANNA GO HOME! TAKE ME HOME!” I screamed into the voided space in a threatening rage as the crystal in my grasp pulsed with so much energy, it could surely kill someone.

“Okay,” a feminine voice declared, and maybe that was why I paused in stabbing downward. “I’ll take you home, Aurelia. Only if you tell me where home is.”

“Home… Home is…” I trailed off as I realized the tone of voice was far different than the venomous woman who couldn’t help but degrade me with her words and constant insults that continued to break my heart.

This voice was a tad softer, fragile, and kinder. There wasn’t a sense of judgment in her request, and the longer I lingered on her question, the harder it was to figure out where this “home” was. The darkness began to seep away until I saw the person I pinned beneath me clearly wasn’t the perpetrator of my immense agony.

A few blinks confirmed that beneath me was a female who was so beautiful, my poor hammering heart didn’t stand a bloody chance in fighting the urge to beat even faster. Her white locks were splattered all over the floor beneath her, and the only imperfection on that creamy white face was the scratch on her left side that was beginning to bleed.

Her cheeks were pink in color, beads of sweat covered her forehead and began rolling down the sides of her face, and those lips of hers were a light pink that could be compared to the shade of a cherry blossom tree in full bloom.

What took my breath away were her miraculous eyes that danced with pride—an emotion I didn’t feel as though I’d earned. Those spheres of cobalt were further heightened by the rings of red that wrapped protectively around her irises.

She wore a white sports bra and white shorts, the combination stained by droplets of blood while her body was cut and bruised like she’d somehow managed to survive a damn tornado. My grip immediately loosened around her neck until I removed it entirely to reveal the bruise that appeared the moment I’d released her.

My heart sank at the sight, but then I noticed the shade of my hand.

Black like a starry onyx.

My nails were purple, long, and glowing with oozing energy that reminded me of the hypnotizing movement of flames swaying from side to side, and the various lines and incantations wrapped around my fingers and going up my arms were in the same venomous green that normally accompanied my magic.

Glancing to my other hand, I noticed the brilliant crystal in my grasp. It looked like my usual floating crystals but was massive to the point that it was even hard to keep a grip on it. Around it was a thick golden brace with hanging golden chains, and across the crystal’s surface were green incantations and lines that proved it carried immense energy.

I began to sit back onto my ankles while I lost the resolve to hurt the woman beneath me, my eyes trailing the movement of the crystal as I brought it close to my face to admire its intricate beauty. I opened my fingers and the crystal easily floated out of my grasp but hovered just above the palm of my hand where my royal mark emerged across my palm as if the crystal activated its presence.

The crystal simply remained right there, spinning at a slow pace, and yet it mimicked something in the depths of my mind.

“No matter how hard things become, Aurelia, I want you to always remember that you can always come home. You’ll always have a place right here, and no one, and I mean no one, can steal this seat of power from you. Understood? ”

“Yes, Mommy.”

My eyes grew heavy at the memory but the blossoming warmth of happiness made those pooling tears roll down my cheeks as I stared at the crystal.

“Home…” I choked. “That’s home.”

The woman slowly nodded as she moved her gaze to my hands, which were beginning to shift back to my peachy complexion. The moment they were back to normal, the hovering crystal began to fade until it was gone, just like the rest of my crystalized weapons.

My eyes suddenly closed and I moaned in exhaustion, but the woman quickly caught me.

“I’ve got you, Aurelia,” she declared and began to rub my back. “Just focus on breathing and the spinning will stop.”

Right. The world is spinning.

I felt absolutely horrible. Like I’d gone on for days with no water or food. The wave of nausea was the next to hit me, but I fought to keep whatever I’d eaten for lunch in my stomach because I really didn’t need to be a burden to anyone.

My sluggish mind finally clued in that the woman aiding me was actually Quin, but I’d have to fight off the urge to completely pass out before I could enjoy her unexpected arrival.

I heard a commotion from outside, which seemed to draw my attention to what was being said rather loudly behind the entrance doors.

“Mr. Malark, Mr. Maximus, please move aside.”

“And why would you possibly wish to enter when there’s training in session?” I heard Ace’s question. His voice was deep and authoritative, almost as if he were on the verge of using his Alpha command to shoo these people away.

“Our guest wishes to speak to Miss Clementine.” There was that robotic voice that would have had me groaning in dismay if I wasn’t so fucking tired. I still managed to slowly move off of Quin, but her hands moved to grip my shoulders so I wouldn’t fall right back.

“Easy, Sunflower,” she soothed, and I opened my eyes to look into hers. She’s smiling? “Looks like things are going to get a tad interesting.”

“Aurelia isn’t in there.” Zane got to the point. “She’s out on an errand.”

“Oh really?” There was Elder Etna’s voice. “If she was on an errand, she would have notified us.”

“Why is that?” Zane countered. “Last time I checked, Aurelia is the Coven Head. Aren’t you Elders supposed to be reporting your movements to her? Not the other way around.”

“Things are changing with how we run things at the Coven,” Elder Etna argued. “My apologies, Prince Westwood. I know we’ve been sending you on a goose chase.”

“It’s a shame that this is taking so many attempts to meet one individual.” The mere voice made my heart slam to a stop while my entire body tensed up. Quin immediately noticed and she gripped me a tad tighter and leaned in until her forehead pressed against mine as if to stop me from going into a panic.

“Who is he?” Her voice flooded my mind immediately.

Westley. That’s Westley. I mean… it has to be. His voice. I’d know that voice anywhere, Quin. He’s… he shouldn’t be here! He killed my grandma. He’s a wanted criminal.

She pulled back then and looked slightly over her shoulder to the door to overhear the continued conversation.

“Who are you?” Zane and Ace questioned in unison, and the mere threat in their voices could frighten anyone into silence.

Except for this douche of a criminal.

“Garfield Westwood. Prince Garfield Westwood. I’m one of the Master candidates for the next possible chair. I’m sure you haven’t heard of me much in these parts of America,” he declared with a cocky tone I knew all too well.

No matter how many years had passed, that sound of immense pride and control hadn’t faded in the slightest.

“I arrived in NYC a week ago to attend my twin brother’s funeral. It’s a shame. He got caught in a house fire that erupted due to a robbery. May his soul rest in peace.”

Garfield. The security guard. Didn’t Willow kill someone who looked like him at their safe house? She cut his cock off and set the place ablaze. That had to be Westley’s apparent twin Garfield then but he’s acting like he’s Garfield?

“Who’s your brother?” Ace dared to ask. “We didn’t hear about the news regarding this house fire. Did it happen in NYC?”

“It did, actually.” The man didn’t hesitate to respond. “At a huge mansion in the midst of a bunch of trees. You know rich people like myself enjoy our privacy. He got into a bit of trouble with the law when he was younger and got accused of some unnecessary business that involved a past Coven member. The case later got dismissed before it could reach court. It was settled with a deal of a few million dollars.”

What did he just say?

My eyes widened as I glared at the door. Surely my ears had to be deceiving me, or else this man was implying that the murder of my grandma was settled before he could even get charged because of a few million dollars?

“I’m sure you know of Westley, do you not?”

No one said a word on the other side, which led to this fiend’s low chuckles before he continued, “Yes. I’m sure you may have heard of him. He was originally wanted for the murder of Elder Valentine. May her soul rest in peace. It was later proven that his mind was manipulated or some sort of controlling magic was involved. A magical head scan was done and there were remnants of runes that confirmed my brother was heavily influenced by another, but since the case took forever to reach that point of requesting the scan, the medical team was unable to trace the trail of magic to a potential user. Apparently the granddaughter wasn’t available for the final court date, so the Coven settled the case and forgave my brother. Obviously, the damage was already done in these parts, so he ended up going to Russia for some time. We’re obviously royalty over there so we’re treated far differently than in these parts. I would think at least Mr. Malark would know of this? You are also a Master potential, aren’t you?”

“How would I know about such affairs when the very Coven didn’t inform me of it?” Zane snapped right back, and I could feel his brewing anger within my very heart. “In fact, I’m one thousand percent sure Miss Clementine wasn’t even informed of these court hearings or even told about the final verdict. No one informed her that the Coven agreed to accept settlement money for the obvious murder of a Coven Elder who most certainly had a huge impact on the magic community. It’s even crazier that nothing was done to find out the real culprit of this so-called manipulation magic.”

I didn’t know what to do, but my body was shaking in an anger that was going to shift into something far more dangerous if I didn’t remove myself soon.

“It was none of Miss Clementine’s concern back then,” Elder Etna dismissed. “She was but a child.”

“And yet that same child was the one you guys continually worked to the bone, pressured into being perfect in every single subject and course, and would push into all training and Coven meetings to prepare her for the chair,” Ace dared to bring up. “But she wasn’t worthy enough to be involved in her own grandmother’s murder case?”

“We can talk about this—”

“No,” Ace growled, and shivers went through my body at his dominant declaration. It was just one word, and yet it managed to make Quin and me still as if it were directed at us. “We aren’t talking about anything else until you answer one fucking thing. Who among the representatives agreed to the settlement?”

The question was completely unexpected, and yet I felt like Elder Etna had no choice but to answer.

“Myself, Aunt Beatrice, and Miss McClary.”

Lucy. It’s always fucking Lucy.

“So you’re telling me an actual family member wasn’t present when that decision was made?” Ace summed up and actually chuckled. “Excellent.”

“Excellent?” Elder Etna huffed like he’d insulted her. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Well, I studied a bit of supernatural law when I was younger. You know, before you rose into the Coven. I don’t need to bore you with the details, but when my parents were prematurely killed by the Coven over a mere misunderstanding, I became very passionate about the court of law when it comes to our supernatural world.”

You didn’t need to be outside those doors to feel the sudden shift in tension.

“I don’t want to bother the Prince of Westwood, but I guess such a case will have to be reopened. It’s a shame that your brother has passed, my condolences, but seeing as Miss Clementine was left out of the final decision, that confirms the judge was either bribed to close the case or someone else interfered with the final results reaching the public eye, which would definitely make sense because I’m positive that Elder Valentine was very loved and respected in the magic community. I’m sure they would have responded rather differently if it was perceived that the murderer was still out there, especially since they have manipulation capabilities. I mean, it would make it far easier to pinpoint exactly who could have done that. Maybe I could be the perfect aid to solving the crime by finding the exact culprit.”

Quin moved her hand to press a finger against her lips before gesturing that she was going to help me up. I quickly nodded before she easily slipped one of my arms over her shoulder and rose up in a slow movement.

“Mr. Maximus, was it?” Westley began and didn’t hide that edge in his voice. “How do you think you’ll be able to get this cold case reopened and help solve this grand mystery? Don’t you believe it’s rather insulting to even speak of such in front of me?”

“You know what’s insulting?” Ace’s voice shifted then, and I knew without a doubt that Ezra was speaking the next words. “Standing in front of me and disregarding my mate’s grandmother’s life like she didn’t have an impact on any of our lives. Better yet, how dare you even come here, to what should be my mate’s safe place, knowing your shit of a ‘brother’ tried to force himself on my woman when she was sixteen?”

“Mr. Maximums,” Elder Etna snarled. “Those accusations are false.”

“Oh. Were you there? Ah. You weren’t even sworn onto the fucking Coven to have the audacity to tell me shit,” Ezra snapped right back. “Want to argue about this? I’ll gladly summon a Master of the High Court and we can solve this right now. Surely that would give everyone peace of mind here and now before I dare get Miss Clementine involved, for I’m very confident when she hears the details of this, she’ll certainly have a few words.”

“The last time I heard, you rejected this ‘mate’ of yours,” Westley dared to say, and Ezra chuckled.

“You’re right.” He didn’t hide the truth. “But guess what? I’m going to win her right back just so you can never have a fucking chance to get close to her.”

“With the news of the upcoming chair position, you realize I have the strongest chance of getting it, do you not?” Westley tossed back like it was common sense.

“Then what about me?” Zane offered as if they had clearly forgotten he was standing right there. “Last time I checked, I’d already been appointed by Master L himself, though like traditions in the past, the High Court chair will go to the next of kin of the ascending Master first. Whether we like it or not, neither of us has family members currently on the council. At least, I’m pretty confident about that since your father has to still be on the throne because Russians don’t believe in female leaders. As for me, I’m an orphan who was taken under Master L’s wing. Maybe that will work in my favor.”

“As for what evidence I have to begin tracking this culprit? It’s actually all in my head. Not subconsciously, of course, but I recently had to have a head scan because I got into a little tussle with another fierce Alpha who was rather over my inconsistent behaviors in being a proper man and not growing some balls to confront those who’ve fucked our pack over in the past. Lo and behold, what could they have possibly discovered?” Ezra commented.

I looked over to Quin and watched a diabolic grin form on her lips before she gestured her head to one side. I followed the direction until my eyes landed on the female change room doors, and I immediately nodded so she knew I was down for whatever she was plotting.

Our walk to the doors didn’t hinder our hearing in the slightest as we continued to listen in.

“A bunch of lingering runes. Very powerful ones that proved I’d been manipulated for quite some time. How intriguing. Seeing as you’ve brought this to our attention, I’ll personally put in a request to the High Court to not only reopen this matter, but I’ll gladly give them permission to review my lab work, and maybe we can even pinpoint if this stream of magic is connected. It’s worth a shot, don’t you agree? It would take a few weeks, and there’s a risk that the manipulator in question will stop using such magic, which will make it even harder to locate them, but the news won’t come out until it reaches the public records, so I think it’s a good shot to take. It would not only be humbling to aid in finding the true culprit of Elder Valentine’s death, but it would prove to Miss Clementine that I’m willing to go above and beyond to give her closure.”

“If you think prying into her family’s business is a way to win your mate, who you rejected, you’re fucking insane,” Westley snarled, but I could hear the tiny tremble at the end of his threatening words.

“It’s a shame you don’t really know me, Mr. Westwood,” Ezra stated like he’d already won this argument. “I am insane. Insanely in love with Aurelia Delianna Clementine. And if you dare try to make a move on her from tonight onward, it will be against the supernatural court policy. It’ll only take me about thirty minutes to submit this very important discovery to the High Court. The moment they see it involves Elder Valentine’s case, they’ll expedite it. You’ll be notified, probably by phone, and until the case, if reviewed and reassessed, you won’t be allowed on Coven property or anywhere close to Miss Clementine.”

“You don’t have the power to make such moves,” Westley actually growled.

“Hmm. Maybe?” The sudden shift in tone proved that Ace was back but his Alpha energy was still oozing into his words. “But Mr. Malark and I are very good friends. In fact, you can consider us brothers. Two boys who bonded together because we were orphans under Master L’s wings. You probably don’t know how things work here in America, but family surpasses just blood, and Master L considers us like his own children. One call is all we have to r to get his attention,” he revealed and further whispered, “I’ll admit between you and me, Malark is actually the favorite.”

“Meaning you have ten minutes to do what you came here to do and then leave Coven property,” Zane stated, getting to the point. “I should also advise you, Elder Etna, that any communication with Mr. Westwood while the case is reassessed will be against the supernatural rules. The distance invoked on both parties will be applied to you and Miss McClary seeing as you two are the remaining living individuals who were present for the final verdict and signing of those documents.”

“W-What?!” Elder Etna shrieked.

“Is that a problem?” Zane inquired. “I thought you’d be grateful that we’re working so diligently to get this case reopened and find the true culprit of Elder Valentine’s murder. If Mr. Maximus recently suffered from manipulative magic, clearly this individual may very well be in our midst. It’s an emergency, if you ask me. We wouldn’t possibly want them targeting you, especially when you’re among the higher ranks of the Coven. In fact, I’d be more concerned about Miss Clementine. She is the Coven Head, after all. If we don’t urgently get things rolling, the Coven could be at risk of being negatively influenced and thrown into a position that could even cause a shifter war!”

He gasped as if to add emphasis to his words.

“We can’t possibly have that happening, now can we? So many innocent witches and wizards would be at risk. This is far more urgent than I realized. I should call him now,” he pressed. “Sorry, Ace, but we’ll have to cancel our training session today. You understand, yes?”

“Certainly.” Ace’s voice was back to normal and goodness, I could sense the oozing fearlessness that replaced his commanding authority. “It looks like this may become complicated so I guess I’ll leave my resignation on your desk, Elder Etna.”

“Resignation?”

“The news of this sudden shift in circumstances will most certainly hit the grapevine of the magic community before it reaches public record. I’d like to be supportive in any way I can for Miss Clementine, so it only makes sense that I should quit and be there for her. We obviously don’t see eye to eye the majority of the time, but at the end of the day, we were both the prime witnesses of Elder Valentine’s death. I want to make sure I’m there for her in any way I can be.”

“B-But you’re not together!” she stressed.

“Not yet,” Ace admitted. “But that can always change.”

“I thought it was made clear that Miss Clementine is dating Mr. Malark.”

“She is dating me,” Zane confidently stated. “And I’m sharing her with Ace.”

Elder Etna gasped, while the robotic assistant spoke up, “One cannot share mates.”

“Normally, you’re right,” Zane began. “However, you’re forgetting one thing, little one.”

“Little one?” she questioned with a spike of anger before she huffed. “What could I have forgotten?”

“Miss Clemetime is a hybrid,” Zane whispered like what he was saying was forbidden. “She can have two destined mates.” No one said anything to counter him before his voice changed. “Ah, Master Z. Oh, don’t scold me. I haven’t been ignoring you. I’ve just been busy living my best life while supporting my beautiful girlfriend. I knew you’d answer me quickly. I actually have an urgent request to discuss with you and Master L. I just finished talking to Elder Etna and something came up of great importance. Let me get out of the hallway into a more secure room so we can get things rolling. No, no, everyone is safe for now, but this situation could be rather threatening to the Coven and perhaps other shifters if we don’t find the culprit…” His voice began to fade away as if he were already walking down the hall.

“Mr. Maximus! Move out of the way!”

“Hmm? Why?” Ace dared to ask.

“We need to speak to Aurelia this instant before this rash decision-making is implemented and Mr.Westwood will be unable to formally speak to Miss Clementine.”

“I’ll gladly forward the message to her,” Ace suggested.

“No. This is information she’ll appreciate being told in person, from the source, rather than from a third party,” Westley stressed.

“Well, like we said before, she’s not in there,” Ace concluded.

“We’d like to see for ourselves,” Elder Etna stressed. “I sense feminine energy coming from the other side of these doors. It certainly has to belong to Miss Clementine.”

“Well, who am I to question your Coven senses?” Ace offered, which had me looking at Quin, who was clearly enjoying these turns of events.

“Alpha, there you are!” My eyes widened at King’s booming voice.

“Hmm. King? Jack? What are you two doing here?”Ace questioned in surprise.

“Have you seen Quin?” King inquired. “Quil’s looking for her.”

“Why is Quin here? I know Quil mentioned she’d had to deal with some witch conflict that involved Aurelia a while ago, but I thought that was solved?”

“We thought so too,” Jack admitted. “Not sure why she’s here, Alpha, but Quil’s substituting for another teacher in English Literature since there was a snake on the loose in their classroom and the professor fainted.”

“So, Medusa.” Ace got right to the point as if he could see my explorative snake committing such a deed.

“Ya.” Jack didn’t even hide his amusement. “You know Miss Clementine’s snake is an explorative one. Where did she go again? I know she said she’s on an errand.”

“Hmm? Oh. She didn’t tell you two? She visits that community center that helps hybrids and shifters. You know, the one that protects shifter children from trafficking and other harmful situations that occur on the streets of NYC. There’s recently been an influx of homeless children and with winter approaching and all, they’ve been working hard to get them situated and find families for them. It’s the one she founded with Mr. De Luca and uh… Mr. Charm, I believe. I had no clue about it, but I searched it up and it’s legit.”

“Wow,” Jack exaggerated the single word. “How selfless of her. So that’s where she went.”

“Mhmm. She brings the kids English cookies and stuff. It’s hard for deliveries and such to get in, let alone visitors since you need an access card that very few have. Obviously, Miss Clementine has one so it just makes logical sense for her to go since she can simply teleport there.”

These men were constructing the best alibi I’d ever heard in my damn life, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit how fucking proud I was to be hearing it all.

“Then you clearly won’t mind us checking the training room,” Elder Etna snarled.

“Why are we checking the training room?” Jack asked.

“We don’t have time for this!” Westley snapped. “You’re wasting my valuable time! Now move!”

“Excuse me? That’s not how you talk to our Alpha,” Jack stated, and his voice was nothing close to cute. It was frightening and clearly held a warning tone to it. “Now, back the fuck up and ask nicely.”

“That’s our cue.” Quin’s voice flowed into my mind. “Into the change room. Strip as quickly as you can.”

We swiftly pushed against the black door, and the moment it closed, I was stripping and naked in three seconds. Quin already had my hand in hers as we literally darted between the lockers all the way to the shower stalls.

By the time I got into the stall, the water was already bursting out of the showerhead and drenching both of us.

“I need you… right here,” Quin instructed as she grabbed onto me and put me directly under the stream of water.

“Quin!” I hissed and tried to keep my voice low. “What does getting me naked and soaked have to do with hiding?”

“You’ll see.” She wasn’t even panicking. “I need Medusa for a second.”

“Medusa? Why do you need Medusa?”

“For a prompt, duh.” She giggled. “Summon her.”

“I can’t summon her like that, Quin,” I whined in panic. “I need to be, like, sweating or wet.”

“That’s why I drenched you in water.” She looked completely clueless as she pouted those delicate lips of hers.

“Not that type of wet!” I pressed. “Like… aroused! Horny! Wet-wet!”

She stared at me for a solid five seconds before it clicked like a flick of a lightbulb.

“Oh. You mean you gotta be dripping down in Nirvana.”

I groaned.

“When you say it like that, it sounds horrib-eep!” My voice was muffled by her mouth as she pinned me against the tiled wall. I froze at the sudden sound of the door creaking open, and I knew without a doubt that someone was entering the change room.

“Anyone in here?!” The echoing voice of Elder Etna managed to reach us over the rushing stream of hot water that was already making our stall and the surrounding ones cloudy thanks to the steam. “This is a change room check! I repeat, a change room check. Is anyone here?”

I didn’t know what to fucking do. If I teleported now, my magic would immediately leave a trail too fresh to be brushed off as if I’d been here a few hours prior, and using a spell now would have the same effect.

Shit! Shit! Shit!

“Aurelia.”

All I could do was turn my gaze to the woman in front of me before my eyes locked onto Quin’s, which were completely opposite to their previous color scheme. Striking red bored back into my widened eyes while the rings that hugged her irises were now thin slits of blue thanks to how dilated her irises were.

I couldn’t tell if she was suddenly turned on by the idea of us getting caught, but she moved her hand and leaned in closer until her body was plastered against mine.

We were breast-to-breast while her other hand was suddenly between my legs and cupping my pussy.

“Just focus on me, Sunflower.” Her voice was full of seduction while her smile was so sinfully mesmerizing that I had no choice but to do exactly what she requested. “I’ll take good care of you.”

Her fingers curled right along my folds, and that had me shivering at her touch even though I was suddenly very aware of how hot my body temperature was.

“Do you feel safe with me, Sunflower?” she dared to ask while her lips were inches from mine. “Do you trust me?”

There wasn’t any doubt in my mind.

I trust you. I feel safe with you.

“That’s my girl.” The purring praise of her voice vibrating against the walls of my mind would send me on a dizzy rollercoaster, but there was no time for that because her lips claimed mine in the most intense yet satisfying kiss I’d experienced, which simply reminded me of the difference between kissing a man versus kissing a woman.

The way our lips just molded together so flawlessly, the smooth surfaces gliding together, was intoxicating. My body was on fire, my nipples hard and pressing against hers, which were hardened buds, and her finger rose up and down my folds a few times before she slid two fingers right into me.

It took everything I had to not moan into her mouth, and my ears caught onto what was being said at the door.

“Nobody’s here,” Ace huffed. “Let’s leave.”

“There’s a set of clothes right there,” Elder Etna huffed. “Which means someone is here.”

My attention was pulled away once more thanks to the darting tongue that slipped into my mouth and went on an exploring adventure. I couldn’t stop the whimper that left me as I greedily moved my hands to her hips and began to move them up her back.

“Then we shouldn’t be invading their privacy,” King spoke up with a harsh tone. “No one, especially males, should be entering the women’s change room when it’s occupied.”

“This is an emergency,” Westly hissed.

“Whatever you need to say can clearly wait. This isn’t the space to have any discussion when someone is undressing,” Ace argued.

“I won’t be allowed back on Coven property because of your meddling!”

“Well, that sucks.” Ace clearly couldn’t be bothered.

My eyes shut as my tongue fought against Quin’s. The two of us were locked together while her fingers began to pump faster and faster. I could feel the climb of pleasure beginning to coil in the depths of my core, the flipping and the anticipation of that orgasm that would rock through my body.

This entire situation was doing wild things to me—the thought of being caught red-handed by that fucker who dared to think he could force me into an arranged marriage was suddenly something I wished to happen.

For him to see me plastered against this tiled wall, dripping wet, and being finger fucked by a woman as hot as Quin.

“Keep thinking like that, Sunflower, and I’ll give up on trying to keep this frisky ride a secret.” That sultry voice would be the ultimate death of me, but her fingers began to move even faster, to the point that I knew my climax was inevitable.

Quin… I’m wet now… You… fuck… You can stop now!

It was hard to fucking think as that aching spike of desperation pulsed through me while the hot internal walls of my pussy fluttered around her pounding fingers.

“Did you think I’d start and not finish?” Clearly, the mere mention was worthy of her pure amusement. “I ain’t one to leave my woman hanging, Aurelia.”

She broke the kiss just to encourage me to open my eyes, and holy fucking hell, the immense hunger in her eyes could silence any motive I had to try and stop her.

“Now let me feel you cum all around these fingers.”

Her lips slammed against mine at the right time as she suddenly further pumped her fingers until there were literally squeaking noises from the rub of her fingers and my dripping juices.

Shit… QUIN!

I couldn’t stop myself from cumming even if I tried—my moans being consumed by Quin’s mouth while she kept on pumping into me like I wasn’t mid-climax.

“What’s that sound?” Westley snapped.

“Hmm? Probably a hissing sound. Oh, wait. Could that be Medusa?” Jack pondered.

“Why is Medusa in here?” King questioned.

“We’re about to fucking find out!” Westley snarled.

“Hey! You can’t enter here,” Ace snapped.

Quin pulled her fingers out at that moment before my hands were lifted above my head until they were pressed against the tiled wall. She broke the kiss only to trail her tongue right down the middle of my body until she was between my legs and licking my juices off like this was her first fucking meal of the day.

I bit my lip to stop myself from whimpering as approaching footsteps left my heart rate speeding so fast, I swear I’d be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation if this kept going.

Quin was suddenly up and spinning around to face the single curtain that separated the steamy stall from the hallway.

We’re so doomed.

“Hiss!”

My eyes widened just as the curtain was flung open, and there was Westley—a much older Westley—glaring ruthlessly until his eyes locked on Quin. Why did I have a strong feeling the nymph Unseelie was smiling like she’d won the fucking lottery.

“HISS!” Medusa snapped forward, and if it wasn’t for Westley’s fast reflexes, she would have bitten him.

But deep down I felt like she’d allowed him to move back on purpose.

“Now, now, Medusa,” Quin practically sang, her voice up an octave as she seemed to be a tad shocked with the sudden turn of events. “I was wondering why you were making so much noise when I was trying to shower. I didn’t know we had guests.”

“Oh shit, Quin!” Ace hissed and literally pushed Westley out of the damn way so he could close the curtain that separated us. “You fucking pervert! I’m gonna get you banned from the entire magical community!”

“Quin! We’re so sorry.” You could hear the dread in King’s voice. “We weren’t sure if someone was here.”

“You didn’t see my sports gear on the floor?” Quin asked and leaned back until her backside pressed against me. My body responded far too quickly to her touch as she maneuvered her hand behind me to press the button that would turn the shower off.

“Keep staying wet for me, Aurelia,” her voice hummed in my mind as she pulled her hand out from behind me only to station it between my legs yet again. “That’s what is helping you stay hidden.”

I involuntarily squeezed her hand, as if it would stop her from getting what she clearly desired, but those taunting fingers were gliding along my folds yet again. It was so exhilarating, especially knowing most certainly that the rest of the pack would pick up on my arousal.

“Could you actually get me those? I don’t really have anything else to grab with such an audience.”

“I’ll get them for you,” Jack sang happily.

“Those aren’t yours,” Elder Etna dared to say.

“Hmm? Why would you say that?” Quin innocently asked as if she could visibly see the woman behind the curtain.

“The scent of the fabric is clearly Aurelia’s and has strands of her magic,” she revealed like she’d become some sort of detective.

“Back,” Jack hummed. “Should I toss it?”

“No, you can give it to me, Jack,” Quin hummed. “I don’t mind.”

He peeked his head through the space of the curtain as he hummed, “Here you go, Quin. Good thing you brought a towel with you, huh?”

There was no damn towel.

The cobra wolf was taking us in like he was admiring works of art, while his tongue that was no longer close to human slithered along his lips like he was tempted to shift.

“Never know when your shower is going to be interrupted by a cynical pervert and an old hag know-it-all,” he commented while his eyes met my wild ones.

He mouthed his next words, “I’m definitely inviting Quin to karaoke.”

Oh fucking hell, I’m doomed.

“Old hag know-it-all? How dare you disrespect me?!” Elder Etna snarled, but Quin piped in with, “Can you blame him for insulting you? You’re an Elder who encouraged a grown-ass man to waltz into the women’s change room while someone was inside to look for one of your own Coven members.”

Quin sighed as she accepted the clothes from Jack with her free hand before she purposely spread her fingers that were inside me as if to remind my quivering pussy that her taunting fingers were still there.

“You should be grateful my brother isn’t here or—”

The sudden closure of the door echoed loud enough to silence everyone, and the way the temperature dropped had me shivering.

What’s going on?

“Uh oh.” Quin’s voice actually reflected her apprehension before she pulled her fingers out of me and moved them up along the front side of my body until they stopped right between my breasts.

She further pressed her two fingers until there was a burning spark against my flesh, but I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t make a noise while I suddenly realized what Quin was doing.

Wait, Quin?! Are you branding me?

“Thank me later and don’t say a word. At least that will protect you from Quil.”

Hold on. I’m not comprehending what you’re saying. How are you protecting me from Quil when you’re girl Quil.

“I’m protecting you from Unseelie Quil.”

What’s the difference?! You guys are the same!

“Yes, we are,” she agreed and nervously giggled in my head. “Until Quil thinks I’m in trouble and I won’t let him take control so he basically gets possessed by the Devil and comes here himself.”

P-P-P-what?! Did you just say possessed by the—

“Quil, we shouldn’t even be in here,” Zane hissed. “Why are you so damn angry? Aurelia’s not even here!”

Marching footsteps followed and I’d never seen Quin slip into clothes so damn fast.

Not like I’d gotten to see her strip and don clothes until today.

Jack whistled. “Ya, fuck no. I ain’t dealing with evil Quil. Ace!” Jack was gone but Quin quickly moved the curtain away, which revealed Westley, who was standing just against the wall that was parallel from the stall. Elder Etna had shifted her stance so she now faced the hall to our right that led to the lockers.

I only had a side glance of her, and I could literally see the lines of fear forming across her wrinkled face, but Westley was still looking our way. My eyes lifted to meet his, and how thankful I was that whatever branding spell Quin had done kept me completely invisible because, despite the years that had gone by, the sight of this man alone made me freeze up like I was trapped at a dead end with no way out.

“Ah. Sir Quil. What brings you here so sudde—” Elder Etna’s words were cut off as she suddenly began to claw at her throat. It was as if invisible hands had her in a death grip, and the next thing we knew, she was being lifted off the ground.

“Elder Etn—” Westley tried to move forward, but his body was slammed right back against the wall behind him. His eyes were wide as they tried to find the culprit, but he tried to look to his left before he cursed. “H-How dare you! Do you know who I a—”

“Stop, Westley,” Elder Etna pressed even as she choked and was beginning to turn blue. “P-Prince… N… Neptune, please.”

Prince what?

“See what you guys did?” Quin whined before she sighed. “Brother! You’re going to kill her.”

“Good.” There was no doubt in my mind; that voice belonged to an Unseelie nymph who was normally so kind and calm.

Now he was ready to cloak these floors with blood.

“No! Not good! We don’t need a fae war, brother. We have to ask permission, remember?” Quin sounded so nervous. “Mother won’t approve of this!”

“Yet Father would enjoy destroying these deceitful beings who believe their kingdom is so powerful because they can sprinkle some pixie dust,” Quil snarled, and I earnestly worried we wouldn’t get out of this alive. “You want a taste of real power, old hag? I can give you a taste.”

“Quil!” Quin’s voice was sterner now because Elder Etna was turning bluer by the second. “Put her down!”

“All I have to do is tell King Neptune that a Coven member dared let an imbecile see my sister’s naked, sacred body, and your entire magical race would be wiped out in one night,” Quil happily disclosed. If only I could see his actual face. “Wouldn’t that be fun to watch?”

I bet he’s wearing a smug smile.

“Quil.” Quin’s voice dipped to a sinister low, and I realized the water that pooled up on the floor began to lift upward as if gravity stopped working. “Let her go.”

I was holding my own breath as we all felt the spike of tension that went up a few notches at Quin’s demand, but it was Elder Etna’s stuttering struggle and twitching body that seemed to be the decision-maker to Quil’s next move—he let go of her.

She dropped to the ground and was shaking uncontrollably as she coughed and gasped for air, but not a single person helped her as three loud steps revealed the man they were up against.

Holy fucking shit…

There stood Quil. He wore a traditional set of clothes that reminded me of a male hanbok from one of those Korean dramas. It was entirely made out of the finest silks, and it really did make him look like royalty that descended upon our lands to pay an unexpected visit.

The base color was a transition of cobalt to royal blue, while the decorated flower design was all in various shades of red. The attire was tied by a red sash that held a water design with hints of shadowed clouds that reminded me of patches of smoke and red petals. It almost reminded me of the red strings they used to tie prayer requests to the trees at a shrine.

His hands were in the pockets of the robe, and his hair was just as white as Quin’s. He turned his head to acknowledge us, and his eyes immediately locked on mine.

Like he could see me plastered on this wall—naked—and marked by Quin.

The sight of him didn’t frighten me, but his eyes were blood red and glowing like a true demon that was ready to wipe out an entire village. Those orbs took their sweet time looking me up and down as if he had to ensure there wasn’t a single scratch on me—and maybe I was thankful I hadn’t sustained any during my duel with Quin. If I had, Mother Moon help us all.

His eyes paused at the mark between my breasts, and I held my breath and waited for his reaction, which surely would come with consequences. I was simply assuming it would, but I couldn’t even be confident about that because this was territory I’d never dived into before.

Quil’s eyes lifted from the mark to peer into mine, and there was a reaction I didn’t expect would grace his villainous face.

A smile befitting a man who was clearly ready to murder for me.

If that didn’t heighten my standards in men, nothing would stand a chance.

He lowered his head to peer at the woman who was struggling to get onto her hands and knees.

“You can think you’re above everyone here, but when you’re in the presence of me, Quil Neptune, Prince of the Unseelie Court, you best remember where you stand or next time I’ll kill you by accident and blame it on that favorite manipulator of yours.”

The pin-drop silence that followed only made the man chuckle at the power he now possessed. Glancing over to Quin, he smirked. “I know you enjoy playing with Jack’s snake collection, but you didn’t inform me you were getting your own.”

“Hiss!” Medusa clearly reminded everyone she was still here and wasn’t in the slightest bit afraid of Quil’s new appearance as she attempted to reach where he stood while using Quin as leverage. He surprisingly left his arm up, which encouraged the snake to begin wrapping around it until she was nestled around his bicep like it was her new home.

“Hiss!” Medusa was far too pleased.

I feel betrayed.

Quin snickered at the comment and quickly cleared her throat to answer her “brother.”

“It’s Miss Clementine’s,” she announced. “I picked her up in the hallways and tried to find Aurelia, who was previously in the training room, but I’d just missed her. She went on an errand to some organization that aids homeless and endangered children. Went to bring them treats and such. I figured since I’d arrived at the training center, I could get some rounds in. I asked Aurelia if I could borrow her training gear since I didn’t bring any, which is why I’m wearing her clothes. I didn’t want to leave the snake alone in the gym so I brought her with me to shower, seeing as the water wasn’t going to do anything to her. I was hoping to find Ace afterward and give her to him, seeing as he’d most likely see Aurelia before the end of the day.”

I’d never met a group of people who could improvise so quickly and have it make complete sense.

“Then why is this man here?” Quil demanded as his gaze darkened immensely.

Quin shrugged. “He was looking for Aurelia and continued to persist on the idea that she was in here. Elder Etna further encouraged him because she sensed Aurelia’s magic and caught the scent of her clothes. Obviously, I’m borrowing Aurelia’s training attire, so certainly it would smell like her. Plus, she was training earlier and washed and dried them with a spell, which is why threads of her magic are in the material. Ace, Jack, and King tried to stop them, but they insisted that the matter that needed discussing was urgent enough for them to intrude on my shower. To be honest, I’m glad it was me and not Aurelia.”

“Why is that?” Quil dared to ask, and it seemed like everyone knew what she was going to say and yet I didn’t think she’d actually say it.

“That guy’s the identical brother of Westley Westwood. You know, the one who Aurelia mentioned almost raped her when she was sixteen.”

I couldn’t fucking breathe. She actually said it.

“The douche is dead apparently, and the reason why he was rushing to speak to Aurelia is because there may be a restraining order put in place that won’t allow him to be anywhere near Aurelia or Coven territory because of some case that was closed without her approval. Don’t really know the details. Overheard the gist of it when I was finishing my yoga stretches. You know me. I’m nosey.”

She carried no remorse in her words, which left all of us speechless.

Quil nodded slowly before he glanced the other way to the very man in question, who was now quivering.

“No wonder why Zane was on the phone confirming a reopened investigation,” Quil hummed. “So you’re not even supposed to be here. Excellent.”

“Quil,” Quin whined. “You can’t kill him though.”

The Unseelie prince clearly didn’t care as he suddenly held Westley by his throat, and I watched in amazement. His hands were completely black like a demon while his nails pinched into the man’s flesh as he held him in a chokehold.

He tried to wiggle and fight against the grip, but it was no use as he began to hiss in pain while we all caught onto the scent of burning flesh.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t, little sister?”

“I’m five seconds older than you,” she corrected like it had to be said and emphasized before she answered, “If you kill him now, Aurelia would get in trouble because of the open case. Plus, he’s on Coven property so it really would look bad.”

She paused to stress her point before she clapped her hands.

“Plus! If we’re going to kill him, brother, we dare not make it slow! That’s cowardly and insulting to our kind. Wouldn’t it be nice to bring him to Faerie, lock him up in the prison, and cut his penis off again and again for what would feel like a year but is really centuries in the human plane? Then we can torture him or whatever. OH!” She leaned right in to hug her brother’s arm just below where Medusa was chilling to whisper, “What if we make him into a pet for Aurelia as a gift?! She’d love him. Make him bark and roll over like a puppy, only he’s one that deserves to be whipped and dragged. I can already hear his pleas for redemption. And guess what? We wouldn’t give him any. Doesn’t that sound so beautiful? I swear, I’m so tempted to reach out to our friend from the Den! You know her! Esmeralda. I think she owns a few male pets. We could get some pointers from her! If we get bored of him, we can just toss him over to her and she can add him to her collection! I actually love that idea. You know what? Let me just call—”

“Don’t.” Quil gave her a dread-filled look. “One crazy sister is enough. I can’t handle those three women who are certainly going to rule their world as villainous queens.”

“Aww,” Quin pouted. “Admit it. You just want to be like those Devils of Sin because they get to kill whomever they want as royals and even have a damn masquerade dedicated to the act. Hmph. That’s actually so unfair. Why don’t we have a masquerade? All we get is fancy runaways to welcome newly appointed High Court members. That’s no fun!”

“Um…” Zane interjected. “Are you guys done? I need to call Aurelia and let her know about the news, which means that douche has gotta go.”

“Oh right!” Quin cheered. “Brother, let him go already. Just give him ten seconds to teleport or whatever.” She paused and looked at Westley specifically. “Take your Elder with you. At least you can enjoy the final moments of your business connection before you’re not allowed to talk to one another until this court case is dealt with, which will be a few weeks.”

Quil retracted his hand and took one step back, which gave Westley the chance to cling to his burned neck before he dared to glare at Quil.

“You burned my neck!”

“Punishment for a peeping Tom rapist,” Quil replied like it was no big deal. “No worries though.” He smiled then, and it was the most frightening look I’d ever seen. “It won’t be seen when you’re wearing a magic collar around your neck.”

The mere mention of a magic collar encouraged the drain of color in Westley’s face before he swiftly picked up Elder Etna and looked all around them.

“You’ll pay for this,” he vowed, but that had Quil and Quin laughing hysterically, which made the lights begin to flicker on and off.

“If you say so, puppet,” Quil replied. “I’ll make sure our credit card is ready.”

“Visa, Mastercard, debit, or we’ll gladly do four installments with Afterpay,” Quin squealed before her own eyes darkened, which made her look no different from her brother. “The guilty always reap what they sow, but we’ll play to your tune, puppet. As they say: Unseelie love being entertained.”

“So please,” Quil began and grinned to the point his white teeth were on full display, “entertain us.”

All Westley could do was gulp down whatever lump formed in his throat, and just like that, he was sizzling out of existence with Elder Etna in tow.

Silence descended upon the room that I began to realize was spinning.

And I’m gonna pass out.

“Huh?” Quin spoke out loud before she cursed. “Oh shit!”

I was caught before I could face-plant on the shower floor, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before I completely passed out, because even with my eyes closed, it felt like I’d been on a merry-go-round ride for hours and it wouldn’t stop.

“Shit!” Ace and Zane cursed before I felt as though I were being surrounded.

“C’mon, guys. Not everyone can fit in this damn stall. Move!” Quin complained.

“I can’t believe you hid her against the damn wall!” Jack squealed in delight. “Go to karaoke with me, Quin! I’ll seduce Sweetie to come too!”

“Okay!” Quin squealed.

“No,” Quil countered.

“Aww!” Quin and Jack said in unison before Jack added, “Why not?”

“You three will have a threesome and no way is your anaconda of a cock finding its way up my Quin’s pussy.”

“You know, when you two split forms, I realize that Quin is the cooler one,” Jack summed up.

“You won’t be saying that when I begin skinning your flesh and—”

“Can you two argue later?” King suggested. “We should get Queen to Zane’s place so we can make sure she doesn’t catch a fever. She wants to attend the party tomorrow with her best friend, remember? She won’t be able to do that if we get her sick.”

“He has a point,” Zane pressed. “Aura? Aura?”

“Auri? Can you hear us?” Ace was shaking my left side while it felt like Zane was on my right. I thought Quin was the one holding me, but I wasn’t really sure as I began to slip away.

“I can’t believe we just went up against Westley.” Jack hummed, mostly to himself. “This is so perfect; I’m tempted to make a documentary!”

“Should we even ask why?” Quil grumbled. “Why is that puppet acting as his brother?”

“Like how we cross-dress as each other and fool the world?” Quin offered. “It’s like that. Besides, look at the information we managed to find out. The Coven covered up Elder Valentine’s murder and paid for it to be a foolish case. That’s totally documentary-worthy, and if we do it the right way, I can guarantee half the witches and wizards of the magic community will boycott the Coven.”

“That’s… actually a good plan,” King confessed. “And if the High Court ends up making the case in Aurelia’s favor, we could reveal everything they’ve been doing to try to make Aurelia a scapegoat.”

“Oh shit,” Jack whistled. “This could be the ultimate plan to take down the Coven! All we have to do is continue playing stupid until they try to get rid of Aurelia permanently! Then we’ll have everything we need!”

“Wouldn’t that force Aurelia to continue to act naive to her friends and other people outside of our pack?” King clarified.

“Yes, but it would only make the grand finale more believable,” Quil muttered.

I felt something soft wrap around me before I was lifted up. I knew it was Zane without having to think, and that helped me further relax while I fought not to fall unconscious.

“I confirmed with Master L that Aurelia will be on leave and only come to the Coven property to make De Luca’s medicine. It’s easier on Aurelia to do it here where the flow of magic is smoother. With the open court announcement, it will soon make sense why she’s taking time off to the rest of the magic community.”

“So that means we don’t have work tomorrow!” Jack cheered. “Can we all go party with Aurelia?”

“No,” multiple voices declared and Ace added, “You’d ruin it.”

“Why?! I’d simply dance.”

“That’s what you said last time,” Quil muttered. “And then you proceeded to sing to the point that people were dropping dead left and right.”

“Oh ya!” Jack laughed. “My bad.”

The others groaned before Ace spoke up. “Wait a minute. What’s that mark between her breasts?”

No one said anything, and all I could hear was a nervous giggle before Quin responded with, “Look at the time! It’s best I go back to sleep seeing as I had some fun with Sunflower like the good girl I am.” Another nervous laugh. “By—”

“Quin.” Ace’s voice was low. “Do not tell me that’s a brand mark.”

Complete silence…

“Run away!” Quin declared.

“Huh? Why are you tugging me along with your antics?” Quil demanded. “Hey! Where am I being taken to?!”

“Home! To never return.” Quin laughed. “Be right back, guys! Off to go tell our parents we accidentally bonded to the Coven Head, wee!”

“Wait! I still have Medusa!” Quil exclaimed.

“Medusa! You’re coming with us!”

“Hiss!” Medusa gleefully replied, and I couldn’t even stop them from stealing my snake.

There was a sparking sound followed by a clap that reminded me of water crashing into something, and then the room was silent.

“Who told me to be an Alpha of a pack of crazy hybrids?” Ace groaned.

Jack was laughing happily. “You’re so wrong, Ace,” Jack sang happily. “You may be Alpha, but always remember: this is Aurelia’s Pack of Misfits. You were simply the recruiter.”

“I hate you,” Ace groaned. “Fuck. Can we go home? I need to crash.”

“Zane! Can we crash at your place? I wanna cuddle with Sweetie.”

“Ugh, fine,” Zane huffed.

“Guess this is simply another day as a misfit,” King concluded.

“Just the way we like it,” Jack declared. “Let’s take Sweetie home.”

What a rollercoaster that left me drenched in sin. But damn, I’d do it again.

14

JUST A BUNCH OF PSYCHOS

“It’s not going away!” I pressed. “Quil!”

The Unseelie paused in reading the book about various symbols and markings to look over to me as I stood with my hands upon my hips in my black gown that clung to my body like a glove. It wasn’t necessarily club attire, but there were rumors of a deal going on tonight at the party and Jack had a growing suspicion it could benefit us.

Or at least get us some more information on what was going on all across the various supernatural races.

“If I’m supposed to feel guilty for Quin marking you, I don’t.” He got right to the point, though he was admiring my overall outfit. “Who are you planning to seduce tonight?”

“I’m not seducing anyone,” I groaned.

“Good,” he replied and lowered his calm gaze back to his book. “Wouldn’t want to kill anyone by accident.”

“I’m beginning to realize why everyone in the Coven is so afraid of him,” Aries noted as she observed our interaction.

Right…

Yesterday’s incident left me knocked out for the whole night and a good chunk of the morning. I was really glad all my high priority tasks were on hold since I was taking a break from running my businesses, or I would have been so far behind all because I dared to sleep in on a Friday.

Waking up to Zane eating me out was a delightful bonus—sneaky, horny wizard—and somehow the day zoomed by as we got down to the problems at hand.

After breakfast, of course.

The shocking truth of what Ace and Zane had managed to unexpectedly pry from Elder Etna and Westley was true. My grandma’s case all those years ago was settled without my consent or involvement with the excuse that I was mentally unstable.

All the time I was working my ass off to stay sane and here these bitches were, telling the court full of people that I’d lost a few marbles thanks to my grandmother’s murder and couldn’t participate in the final verdict.

Talk about utter bullshit.

To be honest, it hadn’t sunk in yet. Either that or deep down, I was trying to avoid accepting that my Coven really did interfere with Grandma Valentine getting the justice she deserved. I knew why. It was so fucking obvious now that Lucy was involved. How intriguing it was that Lucy was on a “much-needed vacation.”

I’d been worried when Ace hinted about using his brain scan and comparing it to the past evidence of Grandma’s and the other individuals who were being controlled. I doubted Lucy was able to control Grandma when she was alive, but maybe she’d let her magic influence her at the last moment? Maybe when Lucy arrived at the gravesite, she manipulated that day, but that would have left a trail.

I bet they were hoping the magic would have faded long ago and wouldn’t be used against them, but I knew better. Magic may dim or fade away from a specific surface, but it never truly disappeared.

Why else would ancient magic artifacts be so powerful?

This new information had really left me in an odd state of mind, and though I was trying to ignore the various emotions that would come and go, it was rather tricky. Surely this party would give me a bit of a distraction, but I was sure if it wasn’t because Willow was attending and wished for me to come, I would have canceled.

Too much going on in my head right now.

I did appreciate my men—I really am just calling them “mine” as if I own them. Zane and Ace were actually working really hard on my behalf and working together, which was surely surprising a whole lot of people in the industry.

People were already speculating what the “change” was between them when they decided to share an office, but to see them go above and beyond to get this case reopened on my behalf and proceed to get a restraining order against Westley—or Garfield—in less than twenty-four hours was absolutely amazing.

Even now, they were doing something that involved needing to check the library for some information about the case. I told them they most likely wouldn’t find much in the magical library. Grandma was an Elder, not a random civilian whose documents of life and any police cases would be cataloged in the proper section for the deceased, but they still wanted to give it a shot.

I bet you the Coven would now do anything to get Zane and Ace off the Coven property. Ace wouldn’t be allowed to check the Coven library or records now that he wasn’t a professor, and Zane wouldn’t be allowed either, seeing as he’d pulled away from the alliance and was only ever at our property because of me.

I was sure Elder Etna was dying to kick him out of his office, but Master L and Master Z were keeping a very close eye on any move the Coven made from this instant onward until something else happened to distract their attention.

For now, the plan involved me taking some time off to process everything, and then I’d return to “some” of my Coven duties just so I could get access to the records. Clearly, something was being hidden from us, and I needed to understand why.

Who was that woman who used to degrade me? I don’t remember her.

There were still so many questions, and sadly the clock was ticking. Something was clearly brewing in the grapevine and it had something to do with the Vatican. I couldn’t really worry myself about that because it wasn’t my business, but seeing as one of Willow’s lovers, Saint, was in direct connection with the Vatican, I felt like I’d be pulled into things eventually.

Or at least get some insight on what’s happening.

I really had to start keeping a better eye on Willow as well. Maybe it wasn’t my responsibility, especially now that she was going to remain a part of the Forbidden Pack, but it seemed like my bestie’s role in the supernatural world was about to get… bigger?

I couldn’t really describe the feeling I got when I thought about her, but it felt like everyone was waiting for her next big move. She was still snagging deals as William, though I did notice she hadn’t been kickboxing lately.

She was probably just focusing on enjoying being in a pack after being shunned for so many years.

I need to start doing that. I have to take a break from the Coven shit and really be with my pack.

There was no denying that, despite the craziness I’d gotten mixed into when I was around these psycho hybrids, I’d never felt so alive. So accepted and embraced, like this was exactly where I’d always belonged.

Whenever I got a taste, I’d be pulled back into reality, and I was beginning to hate that. I didn’t want to keep doing this juggling act anymore.

I want to find my place in this world. My home…

Arms suddenly wrapped around me, and my whole body shivered at the sudden touch of chilled lips that pressed against the side of my neck.

“Sunflower!” The familiar feminine voice surprised me before the trailing lick of her tongue had me arching further into her. “What’s bothering your pretty little head? You shouldn’t be worried when I’m here!”

“Q-Quin?” I merely had to turn my head just slightly to confirm she was the one hugging me —and kissing and licking my neck. I noticed that her aroma reminded me of the ocean, the mixture immediately giving me beach vibes.

When was the last time I went to the beach?

“Did you miss me?” Quin asked as she rested her head on my shoulder. I didn’t really need to think about it.

“Yes,” I replied, and that had her squealing before she somehow was next to Jack, who was sharpening one of his blades while doing some sort of hacking thing on his computer.

“Jack! Did you hear that? Sunflower missed me,” Quin squealed.

“More like she missed being finger fucked by you,” Jack tossed out, and I literally choked on my saliva while I caught onto Quil’s brow arching. “Right. We never talked about that, now did we?”

“Jack!” Quin slapped his head. “You stupid fool! Why did you bring that up?!”

“To get you in trouble, duh?” Jack admitted the obvious before he looked at my blushing face. “Sweetie! Aren’t you excited? You get to become an Unseelie princess!” Jack squealed.

“A what?” Now I was lost. “Why am I becoming a princess? Actually, hold that thought.”

I pointed to Quil, who seemed rather emotionless all of sudden, and then moved to Quin.

“How are you two separated when you’re one person?”

They simply stared back at me like I’d call them out or something. I looked to Jack, and he began to whistle. “Oh look. My report came back,” he declared and seemed far too focused on the laptop to care about me anymore.

“Quil and Quin can split as long as Quin takes the nymph aspect of their shifter trait, which leaves Quil with the Unseelie wolf trait,” Ace announced.

I turned around to see Zane and Ace at the entrance. The two of them were wearing suits. Zane was in white from head to toe, while Ace was in all black. They literally looked like one was supposed to be evil while the other was good.

“Why do you two look like the Angel of Life and the Angel of Death?” Quin pondered.

“That’s exactly what they look like,” Jack agreed. “Bet you Zane gives good advice and Ace would just encourage someone to die faster.”

“That’s true.” Quin bobbed her head in approval.

Quil simply rolled his eyes and returned to his book, which left me to get the answers I needed.

“Where did you two just come from?”

“High Court,” they said in unison, which was weird as fuck. Clearly, I wasn’t the only one who thought it was cringe-worthy because we were all staring at them like they each had grown a third head.

“Seeing you two get along is going to give me a migraine,” Quil concluded.

“Mhmm,” Quin replied.

“Ya. I liked it better when you two fought over Aurelia. More dramatic,” Jack concluded and waved his hand at them. “Whatever this is, stop it.”

I gave the cobra hybrid a side glance before I returned my attention to them.

“Hold on. You’re saying we’re able to separate our shifter traits and make another being of ourselves?”

“No.” Zane shook his head as he walked over to me. He didn’t continue until he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me against him just to deliver a greeting kiss. “Not everyone can do it. There are certain circumstances that come into play. In Quil’s case, if he and Quin aren’t in the same body for long, Quil gets a little…” He trailed off.

We both glanced over to the Unseelie wolf in question as he just continued staring back at us like he couldn’t care less about the conversation.

“To simply put it, my brother gets all diabolical and shit and then he wants to wipe out the human race, which includes the magical community,” Quin summed up. “He’s cool with the wolves, fae, and purebloods.”

“I’ve never met a pureblood before,” I admitted. “Are they scary like how they perceive Unseelie?”

“They’re not scary at all,” Quin chipped in as she walked over to sit on the armrest of the couch where Quil was scowling away. She reached out to wrap an arm around her counterpart brother. “Purebloods are kinda like born leaders. Like Alphas in wolf packs. Sometimes they’re born to be a pureblood, or they’re changed into one, which is a little more complicated. Many say that purebloods are like the Originals who first arrived on the supernatural surface and changed many humans into vampires to expand their kind or whatever, but I think it’s more complex than that. We can’t really know much since they were driven away. Some purebloods just don’t like how congested the city and life have become. Too much noise and such, which makes sense. They’re night owls and have to sleep during the day. I’d be a cranky bitch too if all I heard was NYC traffic whenever I tried to sleep.”

“I bet that’s not the reason why they left,” Jack noted with a smirk.

“Meh. I don’t care.” Quin shrugged. “Where’s King?”

“I thought he’d be with you guys?” Zane offered as he moved to stand on my left side but kept an arm hooked around me still.

“Haven’t seen him since this morning,” Quin offered and looked to Quil. “He normally tells you when he’s going somewhere.”

“He didn’t tell me today. We were sleeping like a log, remember?” Quil offered back.

“Right! We were kind of pooped from yesterday.”

“I didn’t see him,” Jack said with seriousness, which left only one other person who could know of the fae’s whereabouts.

I felt a gentle weight on my shoulder, and I looked to see Ace, who was resting his forehead against my shoulder.

“Ace?” I didn’t have a problem with him leaning on me, but I was more concerned that he wasn’t feeling well. “Are you okay?”

“Ya,” he muttered. “Just give me a minute or two.”

I glanced worriedly at the others before Zane squeezed my side lightly to grab my attention.

“We were at the High Court to attend a funeral,” he revealed unexpectedly through our connection in my mind. “The individual was like a mother to Ace. After he lost his parents, she was willing to help fill those shoes. Her death was really unexpected so he’s taking it a little harder than I expected. You know he’s not the type to share his emotions.”

I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?

Death was such a hard topic to confront, but I’d experienced it enough to know it was nice to at least have someone to lean on when the agony was so heavy on your heart. For Ace to lean on me when he simply needed support—even if he wasn’t ready to discuss his feelings—really meant a lot to me.

It made me feel like I could give him some sort of safety net in this vulnerable time.

“Alpha, were you staying up watching Aurelia sleep again?” Jack tossed out. “You know it’s not good for your sleep schedule.”

“Whatever,” Ace huffed, but I felt his lips very lightly press against my shoulder as his soft words trickled into my mind.

“Thank you, Auri.”

He moved to walk over to the fridge to get some water.

“King’s in Faerie right now,” Ace disclosed as he grabbed a water bottle and closed the fridge.

“Huh? Again?’ Quin questioned with a pout. “He ain’t going to be here for a good week or two, then.”

“Maybe,” Ace replied as he twisted the cap of the Fuji water and downed the chilled liquid in a few gulps. With a sigh, he twisted the cap and tossed the bottle into the recycling bin on the other side of where he stood.

“Does he have something going on in Faerie?” Zane inquired. “Like business?”

“No.” Ace shook his head. “His father isn’t well.”

The heavy silence that descended in the room made me a little uneasy.

“Is that bad?” I inquired.

“Yes and no,” Quil spoke up as he closed his book to give us his attention. “No, because all it could be is a simple cold which doesn’t mean much in Faerie. However, if it’s not just a cold and the problem is centered on illness, then it’s bad.”

“Why exactly?” I decided to ask.

“Illness means potential death,” Quin quietly admitted. “If the king dies, an heir needs to rise to the throne.”

“Does that mean King would have to take his place?” Now I could see why this was a problem.

“Maybe.” Jack was the one to reply as he leaned his chair further back and effortlessly spun the hilt of a blade between his fingers. “Fae hierarchy is a little complicated.”

Quil nodded his head and elaborated. “The fae train their royal children to come to the human world to live like normal individuals for some time of their life. Think of it as training or initiation. Some who are only of fae blood stay until they’re about five or six and get to return home where they’re trained to rise to the throne, depending on whether they’re the only child or one of multiple children. The thing is, some kingdoms have many different kingdoms within themselves, which may involve more than one heir, but like any other hierarchy, there’s one person at the very top.”

“The problem is that hybrid fae are more complicated. They don’t return to Faerie when they’re five or six. They remain in the human plane to focus on their other shifter traits. Some are allowed to know of their connection to the fae lands or about their parents because it doesn’t put them at risk. It’s why Quil and I are allowed to know of our parents’ survival and existence even though we’re living on the human universal plane. We only tell those we truly trust about our parents, but everyone else believes our parents died or something,” Quin explained.

“Most fae hybrids won’t remember about their parents until they’re much older or needed to return home. That means when their parents are ready for their children to return home or discover their true origin, that’s when they’re going to be called to return. Until then, for the majority of the time, they’re either raised by human parents or by the shifter community their other shifter half is connected with.”

“Wait…” I trailed off and looked at Zane, who slowly nodded.

“So to the world, I’m an orphan, but I know I have fae blood within me. I’m assuming they’re giving me this time to blossom into someone who’s confident in my magic and my wolf capabilities. Some fae families purposely watch from afar and see what their children will become without them knowing their fae roots.”

“It’s smart, when you think about it,” Quin noted as we glanced over to her. “Look at the supernatural world we live in. Power is one thing, but how you’re treated all revolves around rank and where you stand in the world. When people look at Quil, they assume he’s just a wizard who’s either shy or has an attitude problem. Some call him cocky, while others can sense his hybrid wolf side. Either way, they know he’s powerful so they keep their distance. However, Elder Etna knows of Quil’s prince status because she’s in the Coven, and when she pissed Quil off, she had no choice but to bow down. Even when we ruffled her up a bit, did Quil get in trouble?”

We shook our heads and watched her smirk in triumph.

“Why is that? Because Quil is an Unseelie prince and no way do they want to piss him or our father,who is truly frightening off, as they say. Quil could literally bully the Coven into submission and guess what? The Coven Elders wouldn’t be able to do shit. That’s when power talks, but if other shifters were in Quil’s shoes, guess what? They’d be cocky as fuck.”

That was so true.

“The fae believe that by letting their offspring create their own destinies and paths in this world, fate will give them more of a humbling experience,” Jack explained as he spun on his chair to look in our direction. “Some fae go through a shit ton of trauma here. Homelessness or living in ghettos is common, since your home isn’t really established. It’s all about survival and hardship, which makes the child’s life difficult as they grow into teenagers and then adults, but with every bad experience any of us have experienced, we’ve all grown from it. Whether it’s a negative or positive experience is up to our Creators, but imagine growing up in the hood where all you see is violence on every block and young children your age doing drugs and joining gangs to protect themselves and those they think are family. That’s what King dealt with.”

King…

“Not sure if King has siblings, but even if he does, he wouldn’t remember them because they would also be sent down to the human realm to grow independently before returning back home,” Zane explained.

“King does have a sibling,” Ace revealed. “Not sure if they’re full blood or half brothers, but the problem is, he’s been missing for some time.”

“Missing?” I questioned.

“Those in the hood who are believed to potentially be fae are normally kidnapped,” Jack muttered as his eyes darkened at the topic. “It’s no different to how feral wolves are captured and sent to Russia to be tortured by the Vile Queen.”

“But in this case, the kidnapped individual is a fae. A royal fae. Doesn’t that break some sort of rule?”

“You can’t break a rule when no one knows the individual is fae,” Quil noted. “If his brother is a hybrid just like him, he can feign being a wolf shifter with high magic levels like you, Zane, or Ace. He’d still be taken advantage of but he’d maintain keeping his fae blood a secret. If he reveals who he is and whom he’s connected to, that puts the kingdom at risk. That’s why if they’re kidnapped, they’d rather die than reveal where their roots are.”

“That means King wouldn’t be able to find him, even if he tried,” I concluded.

“He wouldn’t even know for sure if he has a brother or not,” Quin suggested as she shrugged. “They could be of similar age. If King is older, he would have been sent first, but the younger brother wouldn’t be at the age to remember King so it would still mean neither of them knows who they are. Ace probably knows because he can dip further into our consciousness if he needs to, but if he tells King directly, it could fuck things up.”

“Is it okay that you told us?” I asked him.

“It’s fine as long as we don’t say anything to King just yet. He could already know the truth and that he has a missing brother, but it would be safe for him to bring it up to us rather than the other way around. King is stressed enough, to begin with. His kingdom is rather… complicated in nature.”

“What do you mean by ‘complicated?’”

“King’s kingdom makes the whole mate thing a big deal,” Jack said. “King isn’t mated yet, but if his father becomes ill to the point that he may pass away, King will have no choice but to rise to the throne. Fae thrones require a king and a queen.”

“Meaning he needs a mate,” Quin said with a sigh.

“Is that why he wants to court me and take things slow?” I offered.

Ace stared at me for a long moment. “King likes you a lot,” he disclosed, and everyone looked at him. “He likes you enough that it frightens him a little. King distances himself when he cares about anyone too much. You notice how he’s always around to protect us but doesn’t like to mingle or get too close, even in private?”

I nodded as Ace walked over to the other side of the couch to sit on the armrest.

“King grew up in an environment that taught him if he cared too much about anything, it would be stolen from him. He cared too much about his grandma, and she was shot in the head. He made friends with the neighbors, and their places were robbed and those friends were injured. Sometimes he feels like he’s a magnet for negative instances, which is why he doesn’t ever want to get too close to anyone,” he explained.

His eyes softened as they took me in and he added, “He calls you Queen because he can see you being his queen one day. That in itself frightens him because he doesn’t believe he’s strong enough yet to protect you the way he should as a king. He knows you’re powerful and independent. He also understands that you need to discover your own heritage while dealing with the Coven. What worries King the most is that if he has to rise to the throne, if he takes you as his queen…” He trailed off.

“It’ll feel like he’s stealing you from us,” Jack admitted and actually looked sad as he glanced at his blade. “We’ve already gotten accustomed to you, Sweetie. If you have to go to Faerie to rule with him… well…”

“Where does that leave us?” Quin quietly muttered. She looked just as depressed about it while Quil sighed. “That’s the problem. King wouldn’t do that. Which is why we’d lose him from the pack, but that also means he’d have to mate with someone who doesn’t even love him, and that’s the most frightening part of fae lifestyles.”

“They’ll just let him marry someone who doesn’t even love him?” I questioned. “What if she’s a gold digger or something?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Zane noted. “All that matters to fae is that the king has a queen. He can even share a queen between two kingdoms. Some have done that in the past.”

Quil nodded. “There’s a legend where a woman, I believe a valkyrie, married seven husbands. Each of them was from a designated kingdom and they made it so the queen ruled with her main king in the center while the others could come by and be with their queen. She assisted with everything and it honestly brought peace to the kingdoms for a very long time. Sadly, it ended in tragedy when each husband was killed and the queen was captured, tortured, and eventually killed, but her magic was locked into a ring which became a magic artifact. I believe that ring is in a royal dragon’s collection of magic artifacts to preserve what had occurred with the legend, but I guess no one wants to take a risk again because it’s extremely difficult to find a woman who’s willing to be shared amongst regular shifters, so imagine hybrids like us.”

“So we end up losing King regardless,” I whispered.

“I’m sure there’s a way,” Quin offered, trying to be hopeful. “He could have his brother take the throne.”

“If the brother also has a mate here, the same problem applies if she’s with more than one mate,” Ace tossed out. “It’s like saying, what if De Luca was dating this brother? If that were the case, it’s either De Luca goes with the brother or King and Aurelia go with him. If De Luca remains, the brother would have to find a mate and deal with being in the same emotionless bond for the rest of his existence. It may not become our problem, but it doesn’t get rid of the rooted issue that whoever takes the throne may get power, but they will be utterly miserable.”

He rose up once more as he pulled out his phone, which was vibrating.

“Either way, what do you think is more dangerous? Being forced to rule a kingdom with the woman you love or abandoning her with your packmates who get to love her and live the rest of their lives with her while you’re in a heartless marriage simply to maintain your kingdom that you only knew about for a few months?” he offered as his phone continued to vibrate. His eyes found mine before he muttered, “I don’t know about you, but I’d become a villain if I had to sacrifice being with the woman I loved all because of a kingdom I barely knew about that watched me be pushed and shoved by every other supernatural race. Happiness is better than power. Even if happiness doesn’t last forever.”

He walked to the door but stopped next to Zane and me. “I’m gonna get the car ready. We need to go to this party. Looks like there may be trouble so they want at least Zane and me there. I know De Luca’s gonna be there, so might as well go now so we don’t get there too late.”

He picked up the phone. “Maximus speaking. Ya. We’re about to head out. Sure, sure.”

His voice faded away as he stepped out of the apartment and closed the door to speak in the hall.

“Why does it feel like hybrids can’t have good things?” Quin muttered as she sulked away.

“Because when we’re too happy, it makes all those single shifters miserable that we hybrids are able to smile and live life to the fullest in comparison to them,” Quil answered. “Can you come back now? I’ll be itching to kill otherwise.”

Quin cringed before she was up and skipping over to hug me. “Bye, Aurelia! Have fun with Willow and the others. Make sure you drink too! You deserve a break after this crazy week.”

“Right,” I replied and smiled back at her. “Thanks for coming out, Quin.

“You’re welcome,” she hummed and actually kissed me.

“Karaoke,” Jack whistled.

“No,” Quil argued.

“C’mon. We can just invite everyone and have a big orgy! Besides, who doesn’t want to see two women kiss like that? Zane! Back me up here.”

Quin broke the kiss just so we could look at Zane, who’d been watching us.

His face was completely red.

“I’ll be outside,” he huffed but leaned down to kiss me on the lips. “You look hot in that dress, Aura.”

His praise made me blush before his husky voice flooded my mind while he still maintained eye contact.

“Can’t wait to take it off.”

This flirty wizard!

“Go away,” I scolded as I pushed him out of the way. Quin laughed and deliberately whispered, “I heard that, Zane.”

I gawked at Quin before glancing at Zane, who’d paused before going to the door. All I had to do was lean over just slightly to see his ears were tomato red, but he huffed something under his breath and headed out the door.

“Now I have to know what he said,” Jack sang in delight. “Spill, Quin!”

“No!” Quil and I said in unison, which had Quin giggling hysterically.

“I’ll tell you at karaoke!” she proudly declared and gave Jack a wink. “See ya.”

With a poof, she was gone, and that left me sighing.

“Yup. I need a drink.”

“A few if you want to survive the night,” Quil concluded, back to his usual self. “Now come give me a hug before you go.”

That made me grin before I waltzed over to him. As I gave him a hug, he whispered, “Stay safe and try not to get too far away from Zane and Ace.”

“Scared they’ll kill each other while I’m gone?” I offered.

“Nah. You’ll probably get into some sort of trouble or confrontation.”

“Right,” I replied with a smug grin. “Last time I got into a confrontation was when I was minding my own business training with your counterpart and look how that turned out?”

“Plastered naked against those tile walls and dripping with arousal,” Jack actually sang the words and my body went from calm to horny as fuck in three seconds.

“Jack!”

“What?” He shrugged innocently, but that smirk on his devilish lips proved he was the culprit. “Your breasts look gorgeous in that dress Quil made you, Sweetie.”

“You’re just saying that because her nipples are poking through the fabric.”

“What?!” I looked down and there they were. The buds of my girls were making it extremely obvious that they wished to be played with.

Fucking Triton.

“Come hug me, Sweetie,” Jack encouraged. “I can fix all your needs.”

“More like make more of them,” I huffed but actually did get away from Quil so I could give Jack a hug. I purposely made it quick and slapped away his hand when it tried to cup my breast.

“Now you have to wait till karaoke,” I huffed and watched him pout like he’d lost some sort of bet.

“Sweetie, don’t bully me.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m leaving!”

“Have fun,” Quil called out. “I’ll make sure Jack doesn’t follow you.”

“That’s not nice, Quil!”

“Good.” The man didn’t care. “Go masturbate or something.”

“Wanna go into the city and cause chaos like two villains until the cops come and we’ll pretend we were chasing the bad guys and lead them on a goose chase that leaves the city in utter chaos?”

I actually paused at the door just to look at Jack while my mind still processed what the hell he was planning. Quil, on the other hand, managed to keep up with the story and grinned.

“Sure.”

“Excellent.” Jack chuckled. “It’s an alliance.”

I shook my head.

Yup. Just a bunch of psychos.

15

FOR ONE NIGHT, DANCE WITH ME

“Aurelia’s here!”

I heard my best friend before I could even lock eyes on her group.

We’d just arrived at the club after some crazy traffic. I wished I’d gotten my motorcycle out of the storage garage and taken that route instead of sitting in between Zane and Ace, who were “kinda” getting along.

When they weren’t arguing about who gets to sit next to me.

I could tell Ace was really down though, and it honestly bugged me. I wasn’t used to seeing him obviously hurting, and I wish I knew who exactly passed away so maybe I could get a picture or something significant that he could hold onto that would remind him of the good times he shared with this woman who helped raise him.

It reminded me of how different our lives ended up being all because of that fateful night. I was raised by the Coven while Ace was forced to be raised by those who held a bit of mercy to offer him a place and stability where he could at least have food and a roof over his head.

I bet it never felt like home though.

Ace was at the bar and was on watch, while Zane was at the VIP section upstairs. He said he needed to do some sort of exchange with someone else, and though he wanted to bring me along, that part was specifically for royalty.

And I guess he doesn’t want to reveal what we currently know.

The entire ride here, all I could think about was King and the whole explanation regarding fae and how they raised their younglings. Not only did I want to start doing research on it, but I was beginning to realize that could have been my exact predicament.

What if my real fae parents were in Faerie and my mother and father had simply raised me because I was a hybrid witch and wolf? It would kind of make sense, and who would even question them about whether I was their child or not?

No one.

If all of this were true, I wondered if Grandma Valentine knew about all of this and who I was meant to be.

I need to figure out more and who my great-great-grandmother is.

That was something I’d only find in the Coven records, and the only scheduled date I could possibly get was a few weeks from now. I made sure the signup didn’t have my name, just a unique signature that didn’t scream Aurelia Delianne Clementine.

Pull off squiggly lines and you’re good.

I felt like the clock was truly ticking, so I was going to spend tonight just relaxing and drinking. Maybe get a few dances in with Willow and maybe with Ace to cheer him up. Hopefully, by then, Zane would be done and we could simply go home and sleep.

Maybe I’d let Ace sleep with Zane and me… in the same bed.

As Jack said, he did watch us sleep, which may have been weird, but Jack simply said it was an Alpha thing to do. It’s not like it bothered me, honestly, so why not? Whatever made him feel like he was doing his role in our pack.

“Aurelia!” Willow hummed. The call was literally drowned out by the surrounding noise and booming music, but I caught it with my sensitive hearing.

I finally caught onto my bestie, and I knew right away she was wasted. She was sitting at a booth with Dimitris and Saint, and the three of them looked back at me as I approached them.

Willow ditched the booth and practically tackled me into a hug.

“BESTIE!” Willow cheered as she hugged me tightly. “Come drink with me!”

“I know from one look that you’ve already drunk far too much,” I acknowledged but smiled as I stroked her head. “Having fun?”

“Much fun-fun,” Willow sang happily. “I want to dance with you!”

I glanced over to her men to make sure it was okay to steal her away when I’d just arrived. My eyes landed on Dimitris in particular. He simply nodded, but I was sure they were also here on business just like we were.

“Looks like your Alpha is down with us partying a bit. Think you can last for thirty minutes of dancing?” I offered.

“Make it forty,” she hummed, delighted for a brewing challenge.

“Deal,” I laughed. “Let’s go dance, Willow!”

I hooked an arm around Willow’s waist to make sure she didn’t face-plant on the floor. She was that drunk, but as long as she was having a blast, I didn’t care. She deserved a break, and what a better way to do it than by hanging out with her best friend who’d make sure she was loved and safe.

Willow would do the same for me.

“Forty minutes,” I reminded her.

“You’re my best friend!” Willow sang.

“When she’s tired, bring her back to me,” Saint encouraged. “I’ll take her home.”

“Weeee! Holy Dancer of Devilish Banter is going to take me home!”

I gave my best friend a look and rolled my eyes. “He’s too evil for you.”

“Nah, nah,” Willow sang. “I love evil. Sexy evil. Onyx is sexy evil. He’s good to me.”

“That’s because he loves you far too much for his own mental sanity,” I argued.

“Stalker loves me. Bloody Prince loves me. Alpha Asshole loves me.”

“Is she referring to you?” Saint snickered as he pointed at Dimitris. I snickered at the blank expression on Dimitris’s face as he stared at the three of us. I had a feeling he’d change his mind if we stood here any longer.

“Run away!” Willow cheered and began skipping away.

I sighed. “You guys are going to unlock psycho Willow at this rate.”

“Uh, aren’t you worried she’s going to destroy something?” Saint asked.

“Or someone,” Dimitris muttered.

I already knew who she was running to because I sensed the shift in the atmosphere. There was only one person I knew whom I could sense from a mile away without even trying.

“She found Onyx,” I announced like it wasn’t a big secret.

The two of them frowned and tried to find Willow. It didn’t take long before we could see her hugging Onyx and staring into his eyes while they were clearly talking to one another. You could just see how madly in love she was with him, and it was no different with Onyx, who loved Willow immensely.

Their auras intertwined like they were molded fire and ice, and it was simply beautiful to witness. Seeing Willow happily in love reminded me that despite the pain involved, I made the right decision in letting her go. Now she was in her own pack, which included Onyx.

If I’d fought for our love, would we have made it this far?

I just had to keep dreaming that in an alternate universe we were together and living our best lives with our designated packs. Just us and a big pack that supported our love.

“What are you doing here, Aurelia?” Dimitris decided to ask.

“There are a number of reasons,” I replied and walked closer to their booth until I was standing right next to Saint. “Viktor called me to say Beta Malachite of the De Luca Pack sensed Russians in the territory.”

That was actually true, though I didn’t get the call until I was here. I hadn’t been following much of what the De Luca Pack was doing lately but I did know Beta Malachite. If he was on watch, it probably meant that Roberto wasn’t around because that was why you never saw him anywhere, but it was nice of Viktor to let us know Russians were nearby.

They were trying to target Willow like the other countries that now witnessed Willow’s potential and suddenly thought she was so valuable that they couldn’t help but wish to kidnap her.

Not even ask nicely to be in their packs. Shifter mentality is amusing sometimes.

Saint frowned while I slowly nodded to emphasize my point.

“He’s unsure what side they are on but suggested I should warn you guys. I was also going to question how you’re getting home,” I elaborated.

“Car,” Dimitris stated the obvious. “Our cars are in the valet private sector.”

“Leave them there,” I muttered quietly while I looked for Willow. “There hasn’t been an announcement, but the bomb squad was called to the bridge to investigate a potential attack.”

That was another thing I’d heard through the grapevine, but I truly wasn’t as worried about it. The designated people assigned to dealing with shit like that would stop it from getting out of hand. My only focus was on us in this club.

Saint reached for his drink and casually leaned back in his chair while his usually playful eyes were now voids of threatening black with hints of blue and gold.

There was something that immediately told me the wolf shifter was mad.

“So now they have to resort to bombing our city. I doubt the Vatican is going to be pleased,” Saint offered.

“What’s your suggestion?” Dimitris inquired.

“There’s a long park trail two minutes from this place. One of you take Willow home. The rest, find a way to get back to the safe house,” I offered.

“Why can’t we teleport?” Dimitris questioned.

Saint was the one to answer after sipping a bit of his white coconut vodka slush. “Magic trackers,” he announced. “I ignored them earlier on the way here. There are normally not many out and about at night. Today there seems to be more than plenty.”

“Because of the event,” Dimitris concluded with a bit of annoyance.

“Affirmative,” I agreed and looked over to them. “I need to deal with my own stuff and snag a few dances with Willow. As for what you seek, they’re already gone.”

Dimitris arched an eyebrow, but I shrugged and turned around. I didn’t want to get into why I spoke before I thought at times. When you intuitively said things, you just had to roll with it.

“Your masked wolf is dealing with them.”

I walked away before either of them could reply and was meeting Onyx and Willow in a few steps.

“Aurelia!” Willow ditched Onyx in literally a second, which had him laughing as Willow crashed into me.

“I’m leaving,” Onyx announced and managed to lean in and plop a kiss on Willow’s cheek as she was still hugging me like I’d die if she didn’t. “Be good, Willow. No kissing Aurelia.”

“Boo! Go away,” she huffed and he was laughing again. “Nice to see you, Aurelia.”

“Likewise, Onyx,” I replied and watched him walk away, which left me with Willow.

“It’s time to dance!” Willow cheered happily as the song changed to dance-pop that encouraged everyone to start jumping up and down on the dance floor.

I couldn’t help but laugh and ended up joining in as we jammed to the song and sang the lyrics loudly with the rest of the crowd. It allowed me to zone out for a bit and just be a woman in her twenties enjoying the time of her life.

There was no need to care about who I was. Whether I was in the Coven, a Clementine, a misfit hybrid, or some fae waiting to be acknowledged by her family.

In this moment, I was just Aurelia, and that allowed me to experience a spike of true happiness.

A slower song ended up coming on and Willow wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. “This is fun! I missed my Aurelia!”

“I missed you more, Willow,” I whispered as I followed her left and right swinging movements. “Feels like we haven’t gotten to hang out again after our shopping date.”

“Boo,” she whined and rested her head on my shoulder. “I’ve been stupid busy! I don’t like.”

Me neither, Willow.

I rubbed her stomach and tried to be positive. “Don’t worry. Distance won’t break us up. Even if it seems like a lot of people wish for us to not be friends anymore.”

Willow didn’t say anything as she hugged me a little tighter.

“What if we make them think we’re drifting apart?” Her words barely reached my very ears, and I strained further to hear her as she purposely muffled into my shoulder. “Let them all believe that we’re enemies? Step by step, little by little, until we have no choice but to walk two separate paths.”

She leaned back then, and when her eyes met mine, I knew I was talking to psycho Willow. Her eyes proved she was plotting something, and what was more frightening was the fact that I had a strong hunch the real Willow had no idea.

“The Coven wants you out, Aurelia. So why don’t you let them push you away?”

Her words made me shiver while she simply brought me closer until her lips were inches from mine. “What if being enemies shows us who the real enemies are? Leaves them to believe that we’re inching to our designated sides and leading everyone down the paths that will create one big war? How fun it would be to gather our connections and find out the truth of who we are, who we’re destined to be, and when they’re ready to watch us fight…” She moved over to whisper in my ear. “Viola. The true enemy is sitting before the world to see, and that’s when we move that veil and show the world who’s really been fighting to outcast us.” The way she giggled was as if she’d seen it all happen before her eyes. “Then you’ll earn your redemption while I gain domination, and guess what comes after that?”

I had to know. “What?”

“Vengeance and revenge,” she purred. “Wolf vengeance and wolf revenge. Wouldn’t that be a thrilling conclusion to it all? A war from our perspectives that brings us together as one unit. Then they’ll have no choice but to see us.” She pulled back and grinned. “To see us rise upon our chairs that were always destined for us.”

“I… I was never destined for a chair, Willow,” I dared to admit, and her eyes further darkened like she knew the ultimate truth.

“Maybe you’re not destined for a chair,” she offered but leaned in so her forehead suddenly pressed against mine. “But you’re destined to rule, Aurelia.”

Goosebumps trailed through me before Willow was giggling again. “Oh! Bulky Fucker is coming.”

I lifted my head in time to see Onyx wrap an arm around Willow and pull her against him to whisper in her ear. “Sugar, do you know where Neo is? We can’t find him.”

Willow giggled in reply before she was slipping out of his old and on a dancing hunt for her man. She was dancing with the music while moving flawlessly through the dance floor until she reached a set of stairs to the elite section.

All we could do was watch, noticing how she was trying to enter the elite floor which had an open balcony to see everything in the club as well as an outdoor sector.

The tall man in a black suit eyed her and clearly said something, but she giggled and seductively flipped her hair before crossing her arms over her chest. Her stance suddenly vibrated with pure Alpha energy as she tilted her head enough to make the man pale in nervousness.

It would have been smart of him to just save his soul and move out of the way, but he somehow managed to stand long enough for a man in a red suit to arrive.

A man in a red suit and black glasses.

There was Neo. He said something to the guard, who quickly bowed his head at least five times in apology and practically jumped out of the way.

Willow smirked in pure defiance before that Alpha energy turned right off. Like a switch, she was back to her seductive, drunk self as she practically tackled Neo. It took me only a second to see the sudden difference in his aura, and I had a strong feeling he’d switched.

That has to be Nico.

I glanced over to Onyx to see he was deep in thought, which meant he was communicating with the rest of their Forbidden Pack. I wasn’t sure if I should leave them, since I suddenly felt awkward—or maybe I just missed being around my pack—but I stuck around.

I noticed when Nico moved to kiss Willow’s forehead and she whispered something to him which made his lips quirk up. She pointed down to Onyx while saying something else that made the mysterious alter-ego smirk further.

Onyx arched an eyebrow while his lips pouted in response, but then he was heading to the stairs.

“Where’s he going?” I inquired.

Onyx reached where the guard was, and the man didn’t even dare stop Onyx from entering the elite space. Willow grinned so wide, she probably felt like she won a fucking Grammy award before her hand reached for Onyx’s. She was still in Nico’s hold, which really made her look like she was living the best polyamorous fantasy ever.

Only their relationship was legit and strong.

It reminded me of the tale about the queen who had seven husbands.

How empowering it would be to carry such power and immense love.

Willow pointed to something, and even from this distance, I could see the clear mischief forming in her eyes with a speck of seduction.

“They’re not going to be back for a while,” Dimitris concluded.

“So they’re fucking.” I got to the point. Saint and Dimtris looked at me as I shrugged. “What? Jealous?”

“Very,” Saint muttered.

They were back to clearly talking in their pack bond, but I did catch onto Nico letting go of Willow, who tugged Onyx along to somewhere. From the slight peek at a chocolate fountain, I was going to assume there were strawberries there and that was their first stop.

That left Nico standing there as he took his glasses off and glanced down at us. His eyes opened, showing a deadly surface of hollow white while red spinning magic circles glowed menacingly. I don’t know what the fuck just happened in their pack bond conversation, but I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

“He ain’t going to do shit with Willow around. Stop being mentally bullied into submission. Tell him if he doesn’t go occupy Willow like Onyx is, I’m coming up there to steal her myself.”

Nico simply chuckled, obviously hearing my reply before he slipped his glasses back on and left. I was sure he called me a crazy bitch or something, but clearly, he was so scared of the idea of me stealing Willow away that he was willing to leave.

“Does Nico always show up so often?” I asked, my eyes still lingering on the upper level.

“No,” Dimitris replied. “Once a year, probably.”

“Hmm.” I didn’t hide my concern while my hypothesis about the matter fluttered through my mind.

“What?” Saint questioned.

“Something stirred him to come out this time,” I whispered so quietly I was sure they barely caught it. “Someone or something is nearby.”

“Why do you think that?” Saint inquired. The words formed in my mind even though I couldn’t recall studying the information prior to this.

“When Nico came out the first time, he happily flaunted his power. Our environment here wouldn’t stop him from doing the same. He loves attention when he’s in control. At least, that’s the obvious vibe I got. However, he barely let it free, and the glimpse of energy he did leak off just wrapped around Willow as if branding her.”

“Branding her?” Dimitris quietly questioned.

“Magically branding her. It’s a warning to anyone close to his level to not touch what is his or they’re essentially fucked,” I explained, which suddenly made me realize that Quin may have done exactly that during the change room incident. She may have needed it to hide me, but what if she’d created that brand to ensure if Westley ended up seeing me, it would be crystal clear that I was theirs?

That only my misfit pack can dare touch me.

“So you’re not out of the woods yet,” I concluded.

“Guess I’ll order another drink,” Saint announced. “Aurelia, you staying?”

“Nah,” I replied as I sensed Ace’s closeness.

I looked for him before I could acknowledge what I was doing until my eyes met his. I could tell he wanted company, as if he couldn’t stand being alone any longer, and there was no way to ignore that need to comfort him.

“I’ve got a few things to take care of. Let me know when you all arrive home.”

With those words, I was gone until I reached Ace’s side. I didn’t even hesitate to grab for his hand before I wrapped my fingers around his and further pulled him through the dance floor. He didn’t hesitate to follow me along until we were in a darker part of the room with fewer flashing lights.

Along the way, I managed to grab a strong shot that I knew was made specifically for shifters. It would get me tipsy real fast, but I honestly didn’t care. I wanted to be like Willow. To be lost in the music and just not care.

Her psycho side’s words would haunt me for a while, but what if I went through with it? What if I allowed myself to pretend to be ignorant until the true culprit of our suffering came out from the woodwork to let us kill one another?

Only we’d join forces and show the world who’d been pulling the strings the entire time.

With a swig, the drink was gone and I placed the glass on a passing waiter’s tray. With some alcohol in my system, I could finally give Ace my attention.

I turned and immediately wrapped my arms around him like it was so simple. He didn’t grow rigid like he normally did. He simply eased into hugging me, his hands trailing down the sides of my ribs before he held my waist and proceeded to move down to my ass.

We swayed side to side, neither of us talking as the music hummed all around us. Eventually, I whispered, “Are you okay?”

He pressed me further into him. “Sometimes I wish I could turn back time.”

“Why?” I expected him to say he’d save this woman he considered a mother from perishing, but he responded with something else.

“I would have done everything in my power to never reject you.”

His words made my heart ache.

“No one would bother you. We would have been in this together from start to finish… and you’d know just how much I love you. You’d experience what De Luca is enjoying now. You’d be surrounded by all of us and loved properly.” His lips lightly brushed against my neck. “I’m sad I never got to show her the woman I’ve always loved. I told her I would… that I’d find the guts to finally claim what’s always been mine. I thought in a few more weeks, I’d get to prove myself and let you meet her. Funny… Fate has other plans in session… and I feel like it’s not even going to be here.”

With a sigh, he pulled back and smiled, even though it proved how sad he was.

“Where would it be?” I whispered.

“I’m not even sure,” he confessed. “All I can hope is I’m still allowed to stay by your side.”

He looked to my lips, and his smile dipped as if he didn’t have the confidence to claim a kiss.

So I did it for him.

I leaned in slowly to allow him enough time to acknowledge what I was going to do, and just like that, our lips pressed firmly together, and for the first time in years, that voided hole in my heart didn’t feel so big.

Maybe… it was even smaller.

We broke the kiss at the same time, and he leaned in to press his forehead against mine.

“Just for one night… can we just dance like you truly love me?”

Ace…

“You’re so dumb,” I muttered and leaned further in so my lips brushed his. “I never stopped loving you. But just for tonight, we can dance and pretend our love has never been broken.”

That felt like enough as our lips came together and we allowed our bodies to continue to sway.

For one night, dance with me, mate.

16

REIGN OF AN OUTCASTED FAE

“Fuck. Today feels so weird,” I groaned and pinched my nose to help me stay awake.

I finally managed to get access to the Coven records, and yet I hadn’t found anything. There was nothing really on me that I didn’t know, but I certainly was beginning to see how psychotic the Coven made me seem in the documentation.

The only positive commentary were from Grandma and a psychiatrist who initialed her notes with the letter N. Other than that, everything tried to emphasize that I shouldn’t be left alone or with children close to my age.

They even had the nerve to say I shouldn’t hang with Willow or Onyx.

I was surprised to see a report that emphasized that Roberto was perfectly fine with me not only being around Willow, Onyx, and anyone else within his pack, but I could be at the De Luca pack house whenever I needed to be.

I bet those Elder bitches didn’t like that.

“I think I need to call it a night,” I concluded as I flicked my wrists, which magically sent the piles of papers into their designated folders. Leaning back into my chair, I closed my eyes and took a few minutes just to breathe.

I wasn’t sure what the rest of the pack was doing today. All I knew was Zane needed to go to the Coven for some sort of meeting.

Over the last few weeks, I focused on clearing out the lab for good, and I was going to notify the Coven that I’d no longer be using that room for anything. Not even Willow’s meds. I simply couldn’t trust that robotic child to not show up uninvited and bring Westley with her.

Even if there was an official restraining order against him, I doubted a piece of paper was going to make him not show up and try to screw up my life.

Not like there aren’t other ways he could.

It would be harder for me to make Willow’s doses at home or even in Zane’s place, but I’d figure something out.

Better to be safe than sorry.

King wasn’t back yet, which was beginning to worry me and the others, but we were trying our best to have hope he was doing alright in Faerie. Ace said if we didn’t hear from him by next week, we’d go as a group to visit him.

That felt a little exciting, even though I didn’t want to admit it. I was hoping we could kill two birds with one stone.

That I could find something about my family or fae heritage.

Thinking about that field of sunflowers brought a smile to my face, and the memory left me to wonder what that man, my supposed father, could have been like. I bet he would have been fine with Ace if we’d come to him and said we were fated mates that disastrous day, but if what they said was true about fae traditions, did he watch everything transpire and not interfere?

Is he even allowed to?

“Hiss!”

I opened my eyes and expected to see Medusa wrapped around me, but she wasn’t.

“Hmm?” I lifted my head to look for my explorative snake. “Medusa?”

“Hiss!”

I pouted my lips when I still couldn’t find her. Leaning forward so the front legs of my chair were on the ground, I pulled back and rose up to look for where Medusa had gotten stuck. If she didn’t show up immediately, it normally meant she was stuck somewhere and needed my help.

I was a little glad that today the place was pretty empty and no one else had access to this specific floor. The only reason why I hated this place was where it was located. It was far as fuck, but I’d gotten here quickly thanks to my motorcycle that I finally got out of storage.

Teleporting here cost triple if not quadruple the magic, and I didn’t see the reasoning behind wasting such valuable magic just to look through some records.

With a flick of my wrist, all the records were back on their designated shelves, and I was off to look for my adorable snake.

“Medusa,” I called out to her. “Make a sound.”

“Hiss. Hiss!” She sounded super close now, and I came to a stop in front of a file cabinet that was literally squished between the wall and the end of the bookshelf. You honestly would have never noticed it because the file cabinet was black and the shadows of the tall bookshelf covered it perfectly in the corner.

“Medusa?”

“Hiss!” The sounds were coming from the file cabinet, which made no fucking sense.

“How in heaven’s name did you get in there?” I cursed and crouched down to try to figure out how the hell I was going to get her out of there. The only way I’d be able to retrieve her was if I sweated up a storm or fingered myself here, which would be rather indecent to do in a place like this.

I’d leave that as last resort, but for now there had to be an easier way of opening this thing.

My eyes landed on where the magical lock was, and I noticed the familiar engraving on it.

“Huh?” It took me a second, but I glanced further to my chest until the invisible cloaking magic I used to hide Ace’s heirloom came into view. “That’s… the same symbol.”

This was totally weird, but I didn’t hesitate to wrap my fingers around Ace’s pendant and lean in close enough so I could align it with the engraved spot at the top center of the file cabinet. Like a magnet being pulled to a fridge, the pendant connected to the metal surface and glowed vividly until there was a clicking noise.

The single drawer popped out, and there was Medusa, entangled in what literally looked like the same necklace.

“Hiss!” she happily exclaimed and began to move her body from side to side.

“Medusa! How… Why are you entangled in the same necklace as this one?” I couldn’t understand it, but my sweet snake didn’t give two shits about that because she slithered back to me until she was snuggled around my neck.

Then she was gone.

“Ya… She’s clearly catastrophic like me,” I muttered but lifted the necklace to admire it. They were literally identical, only this one seemed a bit newer seeing as it hadn’t been worn for who knew how long.

I decided to be quick as I slipped it into my jacket pocket before I picked up the file only for three pictures to fall out.

“Oh fuck,” I cursed and put the file back to quickly gather the pictures.

“The Coven records is closing in five minutes. I repeat. The Coven records is closing in five minutes. Please return all items to their designated slots and proceed to the exit. Inspectors will be reviewing the halls shortly.”

“Oh c’mon,” I whined. “The moment I find shit and now y’all are clos…” My words got caught in my throat as my jaw dropped. “What the fuck?”

There was me.

I was smiling brilliantly in the center of a row of children. The three photographs weren’t different pictures. They were supposed to be one picture altogether.

I quickly scanned the other children, and I recognized many of them. Laying the three images on the floor, I looked at them with wide eyes before I laid my trembling finger on me in the middle.And next was—

“Willow,” I breathlessly declared. Then I moved my finger and said the next person I recognized. “Onyx… Wait. Who’s that? He looks like Onyx too. Older maybe? Onyx doesn’t have a brother though. Wait. Zane! This is for sure Zane… and he’s next to… Ace? Zane and Ace? Wait, wait. Hold on. That’s for sure King. Who’s next to him? There’s Quil… I think it’s Quil. Wait… Quil and Quin… No. This can’t be legit, right?”

I turned the images over and read what was written on the back.

“Royal Picnic. Destination, Faerie?” I was speechless. “Willow… Alundra Phoenix? Aurelia Delianna… Valentine? Not Clementine? Shit. Shit, shit.” I looked for Zane’s and Ace’s names.

“Zane Malark Freyr? Ace… Malark… Freyr? Holy fucking shit. No. No way. Zane and Ace are fucking brothers!” I hissed before my ears caught onto footsteps.

Shit!

I quickly gathered the photos and slipped them back into place before I closed the file cabinet and pressed the pendant back in the slot.

Please. Do not reveal what I’ve discovered or taken. I’ll return. I promise.

The file cabinet clicked in place and I was up and pretending to close the door of one of the meeting rooms nearby. A guard came out from one of the rows.

“It’s closing time,” he announced.

“Yes,” I replied and bowed my head. “Have a good night!”

“You too, Miss Clementine!” He clearly realized it was me before he bowed his head. “Be careful. Something weird is happening outside so there are wards up.”

“Thanks for the warning!” I called back as I was already heading down the stairs.

I’d never moved so damn fast to my motorcycle in my life, but suddenly it was roaring to life and I was driving onto the side roads in a heartbeat.

Holy fucking shit! This can’t be legit. Willow was there. Onyx. A guy like Onyx, and King. Quil and Quin? Why were we having a picnic in Faerie?! I think I saw Roberto in that picture next to a woman. Alundra Phoenix? Wait! Ruby… Ruby Phoenix. Is this Ruby woman related to Willow? Fucking hell!

I fumbled with my phone in my pocket but Zane’s voice suddenly entered my mind.

“AURELIA!”

Holy shit! Zane! Zane I just—

“Willow’s in trouble!” he cut me off with what was way more important.

What do you mean she’s in trouble?! No one called me.

“Get in touch with her ASAP!” Zane stressed. “That robotic assistant has been messing with her meds! The ones you’ve been making in the office! I was just informed by Aoa! She took a sample in the lab because she felt like her energies were weird this morning.”

Her energies were weird? Zane, I triple-check those medications before I package them.

“That assistant tampers with them, Aura! You always wait five minutes for them to settle in and that’s when you go take a washroom break to wash your hands and clean up, right?”

Y-Yes.

“That’s when she tampers with them!”

Wait! If that’s so, what did the lab find?

“Those pills are having the opposite effect, Aurelia!” Zane stressed. “They’re tampered with to make her suicidal.”

I almost crashed into a tree. “AH!” I swerved just in time before I managed to get back on the dirt road.

Fuck! I’ll get to her! I can’t teleport. There’s a ward up.

“We’re trying to locate the girl. Just focus on getting to Willow. We’ll clear this up before it makes you look bad. Focus on your friend. I’ll get the others!”

He was gone from my mind, and I took every advantage to use my phone to call the only person I knew would be with Willow faster than Onyx.

He picked up on the first ring.

“Viktor! Is Willow—”

“Not fucking okay, Aurelia!” Viktor snapped back. “What the hell was in her doses? She’s mid-breakdown, having suicidal thoughts, and earlier passed out after a seizure. Her energy levels are all over the place, and the others are stuck in intense traffic because of a massive accident.”

“It wasn’t an accident!” I snapped. “We have an imposter in the Coven! I should have seen the fucking signs, but I was busy dealing with a bunch of shit! One of our members betrayed us and that little child of a bitch assistant was working with them! She switched the drugs I prepped for Willow! Onyx called me to say she fainted after having a seizure and I realized the set of pills I’d created this morning were still in their package on my counter!” The words were simply flowing out, but I hated the fact that I had to lie about this.

I’d have to talk to Onyx afterward and apologize, but this would be the only way I could get to them without them thinking it was all my fault.

“Shit,” Viktor cursed. “How fast can you get here?”

“I’m taking a quicker route to you!” I spoke over the whipping winds as I sped up. “Just stay inside! There’s a whole magic grid on the city right now.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? We’re on lockdown?” Viktor snapped.

“There’s nothing we can do, Viktor,” I snapped. “We’re trying to stop this member from running and that’s the best way! Avoid using magic if you can! Stay with Willow. I’ll be there in literally five minutes!”

I hung up and tried to call the others, but no one else was picking up.

“Dammit!” I screamed and fought not to cry as I drove as fast as I could.

Please, Mother Moon. Don’t let me be late. Let me fix this. Fuck, please!

I arrived at the place I sensed everyone was the strongest, only it was now in shambles as if an explosion had just gone through it.

There was no time to think as I ran into what was left of what had to have been a boxing gym before I found the others standing and clearly watching in horror as a masked man now stood behind my best friend.

Willow looked horrendous, her long hair now short, her body bruised, and her nose bleeding. I caught on to the sight of her as her eyes began to roll back while her knees buckled, but the person behind her was no ally.

He was a villain and he had our Willow.

“WILLOW!” I screamed, but I couldn’t take two steps before she was gone with the masked man. Their presence faded entirely, which left us behind in ringing streets and darkness surrounding us.

I was frozen in place and my frantic thoughts desperately reached for Zane.

Zane! They… Someone took Willow! They kidnapped Willow and—

“Aurelia…” Zane’s voice was thick with dread, and that locked me in place while I fought the sinking feeling in my belly. “There are three problems going on. One… Master L is dead.”

I held my breath.

“The chair of the High Court. It’s been filled.” He paused. “Willow’s the new High Court member.”

My eyes widened but that wasn’t what made my heart sink.

“Final issue… Ace and the others. They’re missing. All of them. They’re not here, Aura.”

Missing… If they’re not here… where…

He took a deep inhale and let it out slowly. The sound echoed in my head.

“Faerie, Aurelia. They’ve been taken to Faerie… to the Valentine Court of Dark Fae.”

This is truly the beginning of my redemption…

TO BE CONTINUED.

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(to release 31st October 2022).

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WOLF AWAKENED

~Willow’s Forbidden Pack~

https://smarturl.it/WolfAwakened

BLURB:

How do you thrive when you’re an unwanted, invaluable, human female?

Simple: alter your reality by switching teams.

During the day, I’m William De Luca, the only ‘son’ of Roberto De Luca, the king of the NYC mafia and Alpha of the deadliest wolf pack — one this city doesn’t mess with. At night, I’m Willow De Luca, cage fighter champion with a temper problem.

Regardless of which role I’m playing, I’m plagued by the inability to shift, a condition that has Papa Dearest deeming me a ‘fucking mistake.’ All the same, it’s worth enduring my double life if it means staying out of my father’s business and ignoring the growing legacy that’s waiting for me to claim.

Unfortunately, no matter how rich and powerful you are, the universe isn’t going to grant you everything you want. In Father’s case, it was having a son. In mine? Finding a mate. Without an inner wolf of my own, meeting a wolf shifter who’s connected to me is essentially impossible.

It’s a forbidden dream I’d all but given up on. Then my carefully balanced life is disrupted by the arrival of a new pack that intends to make me the target of a power play to take the De Luca territory. However, one glimpse of Dimitris, Neo, Saint, and Jayce is all it takes — I want to make them mine.

I’m willing to bet everything on a dangerous gamble, because maybe being a wealthy boy by day and lethal girl at night is the double-play I need to earn the grand prize.

Them.

PROLOGUE: FORBIDDEN FRUIT

The strike of a blade left me gasping for breath. Rushing pain flooded through me and spread, like a prick of a thorn that carried thick poison and aimed to leave its mark throughout my entire body.

My eyes were wide with shock, while I slowly took in the realization that I’d been struck with a weapon that was invisible to my sight until now.

As I took in the black hilt of the weapon, I absorbed the details of the hand gripping it for dear life - the thick lines of tatted marks that gave away one clue of who this perpetrator was. My lingering gaze was followed with my eyes shutting close as the blade exited my body and ignited the outward flow of the dark red liquid that kept me alive.

I should have submitted, but that was a quality I’d never been one to give in to. Yet again, my body revolted at the idea that this was the end for me as my fist moved swiftly until it punched my opponent in the nose. The crack gave me a sense of satisfaction as I lifted my leg to deliver another blow to his stomach.

The man went flying, a grunt escaping him as he crashed into the ground and skidded further back. As I lowered my leg and widened my stance, I was left a flinching mess as I immediately clenched the wound in my stomach, fighting for breath. It was as though my lungs were suddenly filling with liquid.

My body shook with adrenaline and the response of approaching death, but I ignored it as my fixed gaze settled on the man who fought to rise to his feet.

He looked at me in shock, as if he never expected that a woman as frail-looking as I could survive this long against him. He was a mass of muscle, and he reached a height of 6’0”. He was much larger than me, with my height of 5’5” and my slim frame. But that was always the first mistake of every opponent I’d faced.

The only difference here and now was that we weren’t in the fighting ring.

The man readied himself to strike again, but his nostrils flared as he suddenly took an extra second to sniff the air. His eyes widened like he’d seen a ghost, and he let out a mix of curse words as he looked around, trying to find a way out.

I watched his frantic change of behavior while fighting the urge to fall back in defeat. However, I would never allow myself to do that in front of a man who played dirty. Whoever this person was, he thought killing me would somehow leave a hollow wound in the heart of that fucker I called Father.

The mere thought threatened to make me laugh at the idea of that man even shedding a tear for me. If it wasn’t for my hidden talents and connections, I’d become just like my mom.

A useless waste of space that deserved to be chained and left in the dungeon for one thing only: to make babies.

She wasn’t even good at that, and I was the one miracle baby he got.

If only he could see me now: his frail human daughter fighting against the big, bad wolf who thought he was doing all of NYC a favor.

No matter my insignificance, I knew one thing was for sure. If I perished tonight, all bets would be off and all of NYC would feel the wrath of the De Lucas.

I expected the man to run, but what he did was completely unexpected and left me attempting to run while I mentally cursed myself for not paying attention thanks to my damn imagination.

The loud sound of a gunshot roared through the forest, and my scream left my throat before I could stop it. That high, shrilling sound preceded the shot of pain that forced my body to crumble as I began to fall backward.

I hit the ground with a thump, but my eyes were wide open as they stared up at the starry sky. How could such a sight be so calm and peaceful when it could see me begin to struggle against the fight towards living?

My gasps were quick and breathy, while my eyes fought to stay open as they looked from side to side, as if more enemies were ready to pounce on me at any minute. I heard the rushing footsteps coming towards me, and I braced myself before I gathered my strength to combat the next attack.

I may have been wounded by a blade and a bullet, but put me in a close-combat moment and I’d prevail without question.

As if the very ground had heard my silent declaration, my opponent arrived on the scene, ready to stab me one more time with the blade that still dripped with my blood. My lips somehow managed to curl up in a smile as I lifted my hands up to stop him from his swift attack.

That shocked him as he sucked in a heap of air, but this was my golden moment to show him what a true sport I was being in letting him damage me to this extent. My fists moved quickly - almost blindingly - as I disabled the hand that held the blade and managed to get it into my possession.

The next thing either of us knew, I was stabbing him in the eye. His scream of agony was followed with a grunt as I kicked him with enough force to send him back. I couldn’t roll over, but I quickly shot up and with a twirl of the very blade between my fingers, I sent it flying straight into his other eye.

It hit its mark marvellously, leaving my enemy hollering in pain as he clenched his face around the hilt of the blade. I bet he was debating on whether to pull it out or deal with the agony for the sake of saving time.

He rose up in a rush and quickly pulled out yet another gun. The safety flicked off before he readied himself to pull the trigger. All I could do was brace myself for the round of bullets that would get rid of me but at least I’d die with honor instead of as a woman who was filled with bullets and didn’t lay a bit of damage on her killer.

The last sight he’d see was the sin he committed, the lingering image of my dead body and the crime he’d face consequences for committing.

A shadow suddenly blurred above me, catching my attention for a nanosecond before its gigantic body crashed into the man a few feet away from me. The man’s mangled screams were only the beginning of the torture as the chorus of ripped limbs, crushed bones, and high-pitched echoes led to a gurgle. I was left in more shock than I had been when the blade and bullet injured me.

All it took was ten seconds for the deed to be done and my opponent’s remains to be scattered everywhere. The shadow turned to face me, and the full moon that took the opportunity to reveal itself from the passing cloud shone a ray of light upon the shadowy beast.

I took in the large wolf with white fur, the soft-looking coat cloaked with blood stains and dirt that must have splattered on him from the intense run through this crisp night.

Pink eyes met my blue ones. His eyes were the color of pastel pink that reminded me of balls of cotton candy that were served by those rare vendors during the busy evenings of rush hour.

The longer I stared into those mesmerizing orbs, the more familiar - and dangerous - they became. My brain was working hard against the sluggish pace, and it only took five extra seconds to realize those eyes were of my enemy.

One of my enemies.

I was ready to get up and pick a fight, proud to meet him in the form of my true self and ready to give him a piece of bitchery that he wholeheartedly deserved, but the mere movement suddenly sent me convulsing. My body fell back once more as all I could do was endure the waves of trembling shakes until they came to a pause.

Fuck! This hurts far worse than period cramps!

I fought to sit up once more, and I gasped for air that suddenly seemed to be stuck in my throat. I coughed, and boy did I regret that; it ignited a round of coughs which caused blood to spurt from my mouth and cloak my lips.

My single curse was muffled as I suddenly groaned and gave up on the idea of sitting up. Staring up at the sky was suddenly my way of revolting, but I began to realize that time was beginning to tick, and I’d need to get myself to a doctor as soon as possible.

I could imagine one of Father’s best medics racing over to come aid me with the simplest things, afraid of what would come if he didn’t give his all in every assessment he was forced to give to ensure I was a healthy little shit of a puppy.

Those benefits surely would have been handy now, but I was on the edge of some forest, and there was no way would I survive the journey back when I was bleeding from multiple wounds.

Crushing sounds caught my attention before heavy exhales that weren’t my own drifted to me. If only I could allow myself to be curious; I’d think of the perfect way to piss that jackass off before kicking his balls and showing him who the true ruler of this city was.

Papa Dearest may be the lead of the show, but I was the secret weapon that would fuck shit up for the sake of being the only one on Father’s shit list. Anyone else could either fuck off or be murdered - all so I could have the last laugh when I took everything from that sick bastard of a father and show him that females weren’t weak baby-maker bitches like he always remarked on a day-to-day basis.

Footsteps made my body grow tense, and lo and behold, there stood the man of my angered envy.

Even now, as those pink rings scanned the damage that was laid on my poor flesh, all I could do was glare at him in disgust. The idea of him even trying to help me made me gag and left me begging for any other scenario to deal with.

This fucker who thought he could control me. The one whose smirk taunted me when he had me pressed against the wall with his tight groin grinding against mine while my father continued his meeting in the other room.

There were so many instances where he showed up to fuck up my idea. He was no different from the others who showed up to aid with one of the many drug heists orchestrated by my father. They would do anything to gain his favor. I couldn’t wait to gain a little strength just so I could experience the satisfying moment of punching him in the face.

I’d love to ruin a hint of that handsome perfection, to see the blood rush to his face and leave a dark circle, giving him a raccoon eye that he wholeheartedly deserved. An eye for an eye could technically work, though I hoped I’d be dead by the time he tried to pull out mine.

I’d laugh at the idea if I could, but as I focused on my reality I realized my body struggled to function. I was losing sensation in my fingertips and feet while my body shuddered as a strange chill began to sweep through me.

The man standing there suddenly looked concerned, and it was such a foreign sight that I thought my mind was surely hallucinating all of it. He was on his knees the next second, his arms shaking me and his words fighting to cut through to me, but my hearing was struggling because of how loud my blood was pumping. A ringing sound assaulted my senses.

I finally was able to pick up his words as he suddenly grabbed my left bicep.

“Fuck…” he whispered before those shock-stricken circles peered into mine, which were beginning to grow weaker. “Will! You’re Will, aren’t you?!”

Could I even answer his question? Obviously not, as I suddenly felt like I was slipping through some cracks beneath the ground. It was a slow transition: bits of me were already drifting away while others fought hard to remain and see what this man was shocked about.

Wasn’t it obvious who I was? I was the girl who was always mistaken in the tabloids for being some sort of twin sister doppelganger of the richest heir in NYC.

Anyone - and I mean anyone - would want to be William De Luca. The rich heir of the De Luca Organization, which hid its secret mafia roots behind plenty of businesses. The organization made the idea of giving drug money to the poor appear pure.

I tried to speak, but that only made me cough up more blood. Suddenly I was gasping as dark spots began to claim my vision. The man before me was now wildly shaking me, and it almost pained me to see the fear that gripped those cotton candy spheres.

He knew I was dying. While it wasn’t caused by his own hands, it left him desperate to be the one to claim such ownership of my end rather than allow another to do so.

As I continued to drift, his eyes became wilder, leaving me almost confused as to why.

“You can’t die!” he declared as if it were my choice. I surely didn’t want to enter the pits of Hell when I’d yet to prove my worth, let alone find a mate that would be crazy enough to date the ‘human’ mistake of an Alpha mafia leader father, but sometimes beggars really couldn’t be choosers. When death came knocking on your door, all you had to do was suck it up and skip right into Judgement.

The idea of it all made me wonder if I’d be able to do just that - skip right into the toasty realms of Hell.

My attention returned to the man as he dropped to his knees. He clearly didn’t care about the blood that surely would have pooled all around me by now as his hands pressed against the very wounds that bled away the remaining fragments of my twenty-five years of life.

“Dammit!” he cursed and looked me dead in the eye. “Don’t you dare slip away from me! Did I fucking give you permission?!”

That made me smirk, though it had to be a tiny one that ignited his rage as he pressed even harder. I couldn’t feel the pain anymore, but I was sure that my blood merely slipped through the spaces between his spread fingers and quickened my approaching demise.

How wonderful to get a helping hand.

“You’re not leaving us,” he snarled when his efforts were finally deemed hopeless. However, his words made no sense as he couldn’t stop fate itself.

I was a goner, just like my mom had been as she lay chained in the dungeon of our mansion home for weeks until she finally died. My death was better off. Quick and painless now that my senses were practically gone.

“Awaken.” The man’s whisper left me in wonder before something seemed to beat hard enough for me to feel through the numbness.

What?

The man of my peak of hatred watched me in shock before tiny traces of hope flooded those pink rings that dilated further.

“I knew it,” he whispered as a cynical grin formed on his lips. “Our little wolf is right there at the brink of death.”

He hovered over me suddenly, and I watched as a tattoo that blared with vitality within the dark night formed on his left arm. His eyes began to glow, those pinks spheres suddenly shifting to a dangerous silver with rings of purple around his irises.

His black short strands began to flood with silver, leaving me to shiver internally as the pulsating force pushed harder for release.

He looked into my eyes with so much force that it seemed to unlock the sensations that had been muted by my approaching death. Sensation came surging back through me, making me gasp as my back arched like I’d been revived by a defibrillator.

“Awaken, our forbidden fruit! Let that dazzling beast out of you!” he commanded, and the next pulsing force left me screaming. The pain was back but far worse than before. I was frozen with spasms of crippling agony as my mind experienced multiple emotions.

They flickered through from four different directions, a compass of foreign feelings that begged for my utmost attention. Confusion, uncertainty, and intense lust were only a fraction of the emotions running through me. A burning anger swept in from all four directions.

Only, the combination of rage wasn’t directed at me but rather at the person who did this to me.

When another wave of pulsating force went through me, it triggered something unimaginable. My eyes rolled in the back of my head as my body convulsed once more. I suddenly was consumed by heightened agony as the splintering sound of snapping bones was followed with my vision suddenly shifting entirely.

I almost lost consciousness at the peak of it all, but a combined force held me up from losing the battle I seemed to be enduring with myself.

When my eyes suddenly opened, the vision before me was magnificently clear, even in the darkness that aimed to hide our surroundings. I was on all fours, but everything else was different, from the extraordinary vision to the elevated sense of smell that tickled my nostrils.

Warmth flooded me while the place that surely was my chest seemed to be bathed in extra warmth as the pain lessened with haste.

When the pain seemed to be gone, I looked at my legs to see the white hairs of fur with the tiniest hint of fine pink fibers in the soft coat that reflected against the moon’s rays.

A chuckle of pride and exhaustion drifted onto the passing wind and my attention was on the sole man before me. My height was at his shoulders, seemingly abnormal when he well surpassed 6′0″, but it didn’t matter as I narrowed my eyes at him with the intention of attacking him returning to me.

He lifted his hands up, but that taunting smirk was still present on those sexy lips of his, all while he stood there - naked and hard at the mere sight of me.

“Finally. Our sweet forbidden fruit is ripe and ready for us to pleasantly enjoy.”

A rumble left me that morphed into a low growl, but it only made him chuckle.

“I’m not your enemy, Will. Or should I say, Willow?” he inquired and used my true name, and I lowered in preparation for attacking him if he didn’t lower that sick pride of his.

“Willow, my sweet.” The way his seductive voice said those very words had me tingling from the inside out as my body burned to be beneath him and fucked.

I shook my head wildly at the thought, and that left him chuckling before he was standing before me in one swift movement. I should have bitten him, but his hand was suddenly stroking my cheek and soon I was lowering my head as he knelt down to one knee and pressed his forehead against mine.

“Forbidden Willow, don’t push me away. I may be your enemy during the day, but right here, right now, I’m the next best thing to salvation,” he growled soothingly. “Embrace this, Willow. Dwell in the blissful moment of being Wolf Awakened. Whatever held you back has lost its battle, and now?”

He leaned back just so I’d lift my head and look into his deadly eyes.

“Now we wage war on all who dare defy us.”

The joy of his dangerous motivation somehow sparked new life into me, and all I could do was lift my head and howl. I was now bonded to my pack of enemies. That knowledge left excitement in its wake instead of fright.

Wolf Awakened is what I’ve overcome and it’s time to seek my forbidden pack of lethal fuckers who will lead us to victory.

READ NOW:

https://smarturl.it/WolfAwakened

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ABOUT AVERY SONG

Avery Song is a reverse harem author who specializes in paranormal, fantasy, and urban romance.

She especially loves writing strong main characters and is excited for all the books that are approaching.

~Books by Avery Song~

WILLOW’S FORBIDDEN PACK

Wolf Awakened

Wolf Endangered

Wolf Outcasted

Wolf Domination (Sept.1.22)

AURELIA’S PACK OF MISFITS

Wolf Rejected

Wolf Reclaimed

Wolf Redemption (Oct.31.22)

CLAIMING MY PACK SERIES

Wolf Tamer (May.14.2021)

THE SUPERNATURAL SPY ACADEMY SERIES:

S.S.S YEAR ONE

S.S.S YEAR TWO

S.S.S YEAR THREE

S.S.S YEAR FOUR

S.S.S YEAR FIVE

S.S.S. YEAR SIX

S.S.S. YEAR SEVEN (Jun.11.21)

SPELL TRAVELER CHRONICLES (COMPLETE)

Witchling Academy- Semester One

Witchling Academy- Semester Two

Witchling Academy- Semester Three

Witchling Academy- Semester Four

Witchling Academy- Semester Five

Witchling Academy- Semester Six

Witchling Academy- Semester Seven

Witchling Academy- Semester Eight

JADE STORM TRACKER SERIES

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester One

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Two

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Three

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Four

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Five (May.7.2021)

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Six (Jul.30.2021)

ACADEMY FOR ALL THINGS SCORCHING

Blazing Academy - Semester One

Blazing Academy - Semester Two

Blazing Academy - Semester Three

Blazing Academy - Semester Four (Jul.30.21)

COWRITTEN WORKS:

SUPERNATURAL CAPTIVITY SERIES

Supernatural Inmate

Supernatural Outlaw

Supernatural Villain

Supernatural Savior (Jun.26.2021)

SUPERNATURAL MARKED MONARCHY

Psychic Prison - Book One

DESTINED IMRISONEN TRILOGY

Arrested By Magic

FOR THE FAEIRY ABSOLUTES

Celestial Prison

ROYAL CONFINEMENT FOR MALICIENT SUPERNATURALS

Shattered Princess

FOR THE PURELY DIVINE SERIES

Fae Rose Academy - Year One

Fae Rose Academy - Year Two

Fae Rose Academy - Year Three (June.30.2021)

WILLA SILVER ACADEMY INVESTIGATOR

Daggers and Smoke - Year One

THE SUPERNATURAL VAMPIRE FAE CHRONICLES

Bloody Rosary Academy - Year One

Bloody Rosary Academy - Year Two

Bloody Rosary Academy - Year Three (Sept.5.2021)