Wolf Redemption

AURELIA’S PACK OF MISFITS

AVERY SONG

Copyright

“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.

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Cover Design by Sanja Gombar

Editing by: Rainlyt Editing

Format: Avery S.

Contents

Copyright

Wolf Redemption Blurb

Wolf Redemption Playlist

Prologue: Taken

1.  Avalanche Of Change

2.  Peak Of Shadowed Rage

3.  Refuge In The Only Ones Who See Our Innocence

4.  Awaken A Hidden Power Of Shadows

5.  The Calm Before The Storm

6.  In Another World And Memory

7.  Poisoned And Deadly Vow

8.  The End Of Our Friendship And Shattered Heart

9.  Our Broken Mate Deserves Redemption

10.  King Amos And The Secrets Revealed With Death

11.  Unexpected Reveal And The Runway Of Death Part One

12.  Unexpected Reveal And The Runway Of Death Part Two

13.  Unexpected Reveal And The Runway Of Death Part Three

14.  Redemption And Rebirth Of A Dark Queen

15.  My Knights Of Resurrection

Epilogue: United At Last

A New Cycle Is Born…

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About Avery Song

Also By Avery Song

Wolf Redemption Blurb

S.O.S.

My fears are coming true, one by one.

My best friend has been kidnapped, my pack of misfits is missing, and the chair the Coven’s been obsessed with me filling…was taken by someone unexpected.

Where does that all leave me, Aurelia Delianna Clementine? I must put together the scattered pieces of my childhood and find out the ultimate truth: who I really am.

With NYC going crazy over the recent events, the pressure weighs heavy on my shoulders alone. Friendships are on the verge of shattering, the magic world is stomping all over me, and I’m forced to face a royal woman who holds the key to what the Coven is so desperate to hide from their own Coven Head.

With only Zane on my side, and the rest of my men still missing in action, there’s only one thing that can lead me to redemption:

To walk the path of a villainous Queen.

No more pills, no more rules, no more being pushed and shoved by the world around me.

As a Wolf Reject, I have a throne that’s ready to be claimed, and I won’t let my own psychotic mind stop me from fulfilling my destiny.

Wolf Redemption Playlist

Listen to the official playlist for

Wolf Redemption.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Brtn9IrHorfbCRW4UxWBO?si=932bb95f7aaf4088

- Avery S.

Prologue: Taken

“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 with 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.”

I needed a moment to zone everything out as his words sank deeper into my soul.

Faerie? Valentine Court of Dark Fae…why? Why would they take them? They’re…mine. Why is everyone important to me being taken?

“Breathe, baby,” Zane encouraged, and thank goodness he did because the world was beginning to spin.

I can’t leave, Zane. Someone took Willow and all of this is my fault. The meds… Fuck. If I leave, her pack will think it was intentional! I must stay and help them find Willow…but Ace, King, Quil, and Jack. Why would they be taken to Faerie? They did nothing wrong!

“Let me handle it,” Zane pressed, and he sounded determined. “Just focus on getting Willow. You’re right. You need to aid them in finding her, especially when she’s a member of the High Court.”

The reminder only made me realize what I’d lost.

My life was dedicated to filling a chair that inevitably wasn’t mine to claim to begin with. Years of sacrifice and fear of failure, only to lose the position everyone else wished for me to claim.

Fuck…

“Are you going to be okay?” Zane sounded so worried, and I didn’t blame him. My magic was probably spiraling as wildly as my emotions, and I was positive he could feel it all.

My fear. My disappointment. My sadness. The emotions could go on and on.

Taking a few deep breaths, I mentally nodded, knowing I needed to focus on what was happening before me.

I’ll be fine. Please start searching for them. If we have to go to Faerie, we’ll do exactly that. I’ll have to take a leave of absence or something.

I already could feel the tension that would be waiting for me back at the Coven. The moment the word spread about Willow being the new High Court member, I’d feel the burning scrutiny of their wrath.

“We’ll figure it out,” Zane assured me. “Stay safe, baby. I need you.”

He needed me.

To think he understood just how lost — and disappointed — I felt that I hadn’t even acknowledged just how useless it felt to be in my predicament.

I’d fucked up my best friend’s medication doses and now was finding out I’d lost a position everyone said would be mine to claim. Now my men were missing, members of my fucking pack, and here I was, the “Alpha” of my misfit pack, stuck in place trying to fix what I didn’t even contribute to.

All because of that bitch Lucy.

I’ll do my best…

More needed to be said.

Zane?

“Yes, Auri?”

Be safe for me, too…okay?

If I lost him in this chaos, I wasn’t sure what would happen to me.

“I’ll come back to you, my love,” he assured me as if I’d forgotten his vow.

That no matter what, he’d always come back to my side.

With a deep breath and a bob of my head, I knew it was time to return back to my current dilemma.

I love you.

“Love you more, Aurelia. Reach out to me when you’ve located Willow.”

He was gone from my mind, leaving me to sense the sudden danger surrounding us.

“This is bad,” I whispered, just realizing the magnitude of the situation and where Willow could possibly be. “Fuck. We…we need to get to Russia.”

That was my initial best guess as to where that masked kidnapper was taking Willow, but would they risk taking the nine-hour flight via helicopter?

I doubt it.

“Shut it, Aurelia,” Dimitris ordered, and I really wanted to snap back at him, but then again, they had every right to be furious with me.

It was either that or because we were surrounded.

“We don’t have time for this,” Onyx snarled.

Men in black suits filled the streets with guns in their grasps. I really didn’t want to find out if I could survive a thousand bullets, but I couldn’t figure out how we were going to get out of this mess.

“Get Viktor over here!” Milo ordered, and I watched Onyx practically drag Viktor over to where the rest of us were standing.

“Fuck. Those aren’t normal ARs,” Jayce hissed. “Milo, your barrier may not hold.”

“It’ll hold,” Milo declared, and goodness, the anger in his eyes could literally kill as they blazed orange with hints of red and gold. “But we don’t have fucking time to stand still. This is a diversion.”

Viktor was clearly on the verge of a panic attack which obviously had to do with Willow being kidnapped right before his eyes. He had been her bodyguard for as long as I’d known Willow, if not since her birth, so letting her slip from his grasp at such an intense moment was probably ruining him from the inside out.

Dimitris approached him before any of us could say a word, and his hands landed on Viktor’s shoulders.

“I know what just occurred and I’m well aware that I’m not your Alpha, but you need to snap out of it,” Dimitris stressed before he continued, “Can you sense the connection?”

“Yes. The magic. It’s traveling fast, but it’s not out of the country,” Viktor whispered.

“We need to follow it. I don’t know how, but after we deal with this, we need to be prompt in following that vivid trail,” Dimitris emphasized. “If we’re fast enough, we can track and catch them before they harm Willow, but we’re gonna have to rely on you, Viktor.”

With those words, he let Viktor go, but it didn’t seem he was convinced Viktor was going to do anything. Everyone must have been on the same page regarding that assumption because Onyx was the next to squeeze between the two before his hand went right across the bodyguard’s face.

I couldn’t even speak as I watched in silence. After all, I was an outsider in this moment while they were dealing with an emergency situation with a primary member of their pack.

Not to forget they all loved her to bits.

“You need to get your mind out of the gutter and fucking accept that you love Willow!” Onyx snarled. He was mad. His body was shaking, tiny sparks of black blistering to life around his muscled frame, and I was sure he wished to get out of this place and find his Sugar this instant, but we were stuck.

“I know…” Viktor began with a trembling voice. “But-”

“No fucking buts,” Onyx snarled. “You love her, she loves you. She’s currently kidnapped and now it’s our fucking turn to go save her! Deal with your emotions later!”

Viktor nodded. It took him a moment to lock down his emotions. In less than twenty seconds, he was back into the bodyguard I knew well who could kill without a single moment of hesitation, which meant we were good to go.

“Why are they just standing there?” Viktor questioned, and Jayce, who was typing on his phone like madness, paused to stare at the mass group.

“Intimidation. They can’t shoot unless we move in defiance,” Jayce revealed. “Only Russians follow those stupid laws.”

“They’re Russian wolves,” Viktor growled.

The Russians had been the only one who hadn’t attacked Willow yet, so I wasn’t even surprised at this point.

“We need to track Willow down,” Jayce emphasized. “I tried tracking her necklace like the way we did last time, but there’s some sort of interference. I’m getting two signals going in the same direction, but it could be a trap.”

“Is the signal out of the country?” Dimitris questioned.

“No,” Jayce admitted, “but it’s just too risky. It feels as if they’re on some sort of aircraft already.”

“You think they’re going to Russia?” Saint inquired.

“I’m not sure,” Jayce admitted. “Too many possibilities.”

“They’re not going out of the country,” Milo declared, and we all looked to see his calm expression.

“How can you be so sure of that?” Viktor stressed with a bit of annoyance.

“That masked man was the reason I got out of that torture cycle,” Milo revealed.

“What? You know that man?” Dimitris questioned, and we watched Milo nod as his expression showed glimmers of fear and pain as he delved into those memories.

“You can think of him as a slave to the Vile Queen. He’s not there of his own accord. At least, that’s not the vibe I got when I was there. The Vile Queen has control over most of us. You have to be deemed worthy enough to be controlled by her, or, in the worst-case scenario, be experimented on. Regardless of the circumstances, before I was sent back to serve Officer Ronald, I’d been tortured way past my limit and couldn’t heal. I would have died that night, but that guy saved me.”

As much as I wished to listen to what he was explaining, it was going in one ear and out the other because I was concentrating on getting Willow’s exact location. Tracking her shouldn’t be this hard, especially when I’d done it plenty of times to get to my bestie in a prompt manner, but there was something different buzzing in the air.

The interference was so intense, it was making it hard just to get into the state of concentration I needed to find Willow’s thread of energy out of the vast millions of people.

“Are you positive it’s him?” Onyx stressed.

“The scar on his left eye. That’s something you can’t forget,” Milo emphasized.

“How are we going to track him then?” Saint questioned.

“Aurelia.” I didn’t think Onyx would acknowledge me and what I was trying to do without their encouragement. “Any luck?”

Beads of sweat were already forming and dripping down the sides of my face as I tried even harder to find Willow’s location, but it just seemed impossible.

“There’s too much interference. It’s like they knew we’d be trying to locate them with basic magic, and from the feel of things, I doubt a mate bond will aid us either,” I finally admitted.

“Shit,” Dimitris cursed. “There has to be some way to track them. We’re wasting too much time already.”

“I know something,” Milo brought up and looked to Viktor.

“What?” Viktor insisted.

“You’re not going to like what I’m about to suggest,” Milo countered.

The sound of safeties being shifted off silenced us, just as our attention moved to realize Neo wasn’t near the group but standing in the middle of the boxing ring where Willow and the masked man had been standing prior to their disappearance.

Dimitris cursed under his breath.

“Neo! You can’t handle that many.”

Neo didn’t budge. His aura alone was frighteningly powerful as the lights that were generator-operated began to flicker on and off, which made some of the armed shifters flinch in fear.

Until one of the guns went off.

“Fuck! Neo!” Saint snapped, but a wall of gold appeared in front of us. “Milo?!”

“Sorry, but for your best interests, I’m running off my instincts,” Milo announced as we all focused on Neo. The single bullet didn’t hit its mark, but it was close enough to leave a slight cut on his cheek.

We watched in horror as blood began to gather at the tiny slice, but it was the low, dangerous chuckle of Neo’s that made goosebumps spread across my flesh.

“Now they’ve fucked up,” Dimitris whispered. “Milo! Surround us with the barrier. Everyone, huddle close.”

I wasn’t going to argue as I huddled with the rest of them, knowing I’d need the added protection because I didn’t know how crazy Neo was going to get. Willow wasn’t here to calm Neo from being triggered into Nico, and the royal hated my fucking guts so I’d probably be killed faster if I tried to participate in “helping” him.

I noticed the sudden surge in Milo’s barrier, the energy spiking enough to make me a little worried about what exactly was about to happen.

“Milo? Why are you increasing your magic?” I ended up questioning.

“The pressure around us is growing,” Milo admitted. “If I don’t, the increase in gravity is going to squish us.”

“Increase in gravity?” Viktor whispered.

“Neo’s mad,” Jayce announced, and we looked at him to see his blank expression that resembled Dimitris’s and Saint’s. “You’re about to witness a glimpse of what happens when Neo loses his shit.”

The sudden heaviness in power began to make rows of shifters freak out as they called to their leader for aid.

“Dammit! Kill him! Shoot! He’s the culprit behind this!” the leader finally ordered, and all hell broke loose. Bullets escaped the chambers of their rifles and guns, and I couldn’t dare look away as I anticipated the inevitable.

A gasp left my lips as Onyx froze just like I did. Bullets upon bullets were fired at Neo, who seemed to take it all. He took every fucking bullet until every single gun was out of ammo. I was shocked that Dimitris, Saint, and Jayce looked completely unfazed.

As if their fellow pack mate wasn’t riddled with bullets from head to toe.

We watched in silence, our attention transfixed on Neo as he remained standing in place, bullet holes literally from head to toe. I wondered if time had stopped or if I’d ended up in a horror movie because this man was still standing there like a statue.

“This is one of the reasons why no one messes with the Forbidden,” Dimitris whispered, and Neo’s soft chuckle began to drift on the chilled winds that passed.

“My turn,” Neo announced, and the deep voice didn’t sound anywhere close to Neo’s or even Nico’s voice from my last encounter with them.

He sounded like a true menace that had risen from the very pit of hell.

Screams pierced the air as the intense pressure of gravity took its toll on their bodies that weren’t even allowed to crumble to the ground. The top half of their bodies seemed so desperate to come together with their bottom half like magnets, but the force was keeping them hovering in place while the surrounding space tried to break them apart.

The front row had to have the strongest force of impact because they didn’t stand a flying chance — their vibrating bodies exploding the next second. Organs went flying into the air, guns dropping to the ground, and that kindled curses and screams as everything seemed to be crushed until beads and pools of blood remained floating in their places.

Row after row followed, and no one had a damn chance to escape the approaching wrath of pressurized death until the cycle of chaos ended and left nothing but floating blood.

The Russian threat was eliminated just like that…by one sole man.

I shivered and straightened my back as if I’d be next to be slain, but this man wasn’t even done.

The floating blood began to shoot forward, the beads of dark blood being recalled while odd black clumps were left behind.

The good blood began to shoot into Neo’s body, filling each bullet hole until he was completely healed. There was plenty of blood left so he opened his hands that glowed with power as red circles emerged against the palms of his hands.

Lifting his head up, his eyes grew wide before streams of blood crashed into those spheres, sucking them up like a black hole until nothing was left, and just like that, Neo was back to his calm self.

He turned to face us, the pressure now easing away to the point that Milo was able to let up the barrier, but I was sure all of us remained tensed and frozen in place as a man in a black suit and shades appeared from the side of the street.

He casually walked into the destroyed gym until he stood off to the side of Neo before he bowed.

“Prince, what should we do for the clean-up procedure?” he inquired, which revealed he worked for the royal.

“Donate the organs. I’ve already cleaned them of disease and other disgusting traits. I have personal business to attend to. Announce to the press there was an explosion and specifically, state a meeting with members of Forbidden Enterprise regarding charities to fund this year was brutally interrupted by the blast. That’s all the information we have. I’ll contact you with what should be fed to them when I’m done.”

“Understood, Prince.”

The man snapped his fingers, and men in black suits came from nowhere and began to do the clean-up, many already picking up the organs like they were toys while others were cleaning up the remaining ash and debris and getting to work on cleaning out the evidence.

Like they did this far too often…

Neo walked back to us until he was standing next to Onyx. He watched Neo for a hard minute before he muttered, “Does Willow know you can do that?”

“Not yet,” Neo muttered. “Maybe I’ll let her witness it when she isn’t getting kidnapped.”

Fuck. We need to find her.

“What were you going to say?” Viktor brought up to Milo, who was catching his breath.

“If we can’t track her through regular magic and through the pack bond, which includes her mate bond, then we’ve gotta use the freshly activated fated bond you two unlocked,” Milo announced, which left me wondering what that was.

“Then what’s the problem?” Viktor further inquired.

“I can’t do it unless it’s through a wolf bond.”

“There’s no other way?” Onyx questioned.

“No,” Milo admitted. “I’m not doing this to try to join your pack. It’s just the only option. I haven’t been to the fae realms in a year. My magic isn’t close to powerful enough to scout all of NYC in a matter of minutes.”

“Fae can do that?” I asked, wondering how powerful could Fae be.

How much power could a hybrid Fae carry versus a full-fledged Fae?

Milo nodded.

“Everything around us is energy. It’s why I need to be in a connective bond with Viktor involved. The new pull into the pack will temporarily heighten his magic even further. That will trigger the connection he carries with Willow. Distance isn’t a problem, but with the spiked connection between them since they’ve triggered the bond, and with the wolf pack further strengthening it, I should be able to specifically track Willow’s location, regardless if they’re flying somewhere else in the world. The moment I have the location, I can teleport us somewhere close. When we arrive, Viktor would be the fastest to locate her because the magic connection will be pulsing to be reunited. It only occurs with newly formed fated bonds. At least, that’s what I know from gossip in the torture centers.”

“Why were they talking about that in there?” Viktor questioned.

“The Vile Queen has been trying to force some sort of bond with that guy with the scar,” Milo announced. “There’s a significant reason, like he’s from some endangered pack that is super rare. That’s why I’m not sure he’ll kill Willow. He may follow orders when the Vile Queen is around, but behind the scenes, he does his own thing, and that can potentially benefit us.”

“So when we arrive and potentially confront him, do we kill him?” Viktor asked.

“No,” Milo admitted. “If we can avoid it, don’t. Many say he’s one of the closest to the Vile Queen. If he isn’t a lethal threat, he could be used against the Vile Queen or at least know enough for us to figure out her identity.”

“I guess that’s our game plan,” Saint whispered.

“We need to hurry,” Jayce replied. “The magic grid is going to be taken down in two hours. If they’re flying, it has to be around NYC, like in a jet or helicopter.”

“Why?” Milo questioned.

“No international flights can be run during a magic grid. They shut everything down. They can fly to the outskirts of NYC where the mountains and lakes are, but nothing further,” Jayce deciphered.

“Aurelia,” Onyx pressed. “Are you able to still come with us?”

That felt like a stupid question, which was why I let my anger flood my voice.

“If you think I can deal with Coven shit when my best friend is missing then you really forgot what a Ride-or-Die bitch is, Onyx,” I snapped.

“Right, right,” Onyx brushed off my rage to look at Viktor. “I know you’re not going to like joining a pack, Viktor, but in this case, you’re the only one who can find Willow.”

“Once we save Willow, I’m out,” Viktor voiced specifically to Dimitris.

We all ended up looking at Dimitris because joining and leaving a pack wasn’t so easy to do. It was a miracle Ace was able to do it by allowing Zane out of the pack in the past without going feral.

I’d admit, Dimitris seemed like a very strong Alpha, but could he survive such traumatizing agony?

If it was for Willow, I bet he’d do it without question.

“I can agree to that,” Dimitris sternly declared. “I won’t be able to do it immediately. That’s just suicide. I’ll need a day or two to recover, but if you want out, I’ll grant you that.”

Viktor simply nodded in agreement before he took a deep breath and let it out.

“Let’s get this over with so we can locate Willow.”

Dimitris nodded.

“Close your eyes. I’m doing it the faster way because we don’t have time for contracts and shit.”

This was my moment to zone out, which was fucking helpful because I was really trying not to have a panic attack.

How could my life turn upside down the moment it felt like I’d struck gold? It was like the universe herself didn’t want me to find out the truth behind those pictures without suffering to retrieve what I deserved to know.

Fuck. Master L is dead. The position was given to Willow, who’s been kidnapped. Four out of five of my men are missing. And I have to stick around because this potentially is all my fault.

“Aurelia.”

I blinked, realizing Onyx was not only in front of me but his hands were on my shoulders, squeezing them gently in hopes I’d come out of my cyclone of thoughts.

“I’m sorry.” My voice barely came out as I tried not to get emotional. This wasn’t the time to bawl my eyes out, especially in front of Willow’s pack who probably didn’t care about the mishap that happened.

At the end of the day, the woman they loved and who was going to be the Alpha of their pack one day was missing and had dealt with something catastrophic to leave this place in an explosive mess.

That all comes down to the medication I was approving and administering to her.

They trusted me — Willow trusted me — and I’d fucked up.

“All I want to know is whether it was an accident or…” He didn’t even want to finish his sentence, and it was a good thing he didn’t because I would have cut him off for even thinking such.

“One of the coven members has been manipulating the meds I’ve been making Willow. I didn’t figure out until now. The manipulation has been happening after I’m done with the creation process. Nothing I say now is going to change what’s happening, so I won’t waste your time, but it wasn’t intentional. I didn’t mean to harm Willow in any way.”

My eyes were pleading with his, knowing I needed Onyx on my side on this one because he was probably the only one who trusted me.

“She’s telling the truth.”

I glanced over to Milo, surprised he was speaking up on my behalf.

“She isn’t lying. A third party has to be involved. They could have sensed Willow was about to claim the High Court Chair.”

Glancing back at Onyx, I took in his black eyes with silver rings as he was clearly debating in his mind what to do — or say. It took him a full minute before he let out a breath and closed his eyes.

“Aurelia,” he whispered my name, and the sound made my heart want to sink because I could hear the immense disappointment.

That I’d let him down.

“This can’t happen again.” It felt like he didn’t want to say it, but had no choice in the matter. Like he made a resolution in his mind, and he was going to stick to it from this moment onward. “I care about you and I know you love Willow, but…” He trailed off as he took a moment to look away.

“Say what you wish to say to me, Onyx,” I encouraged with a hardened expression. I needed him to be honest with me.

Maybe I need the truth to slap me in the face so these things wouldn’t happen again.

Another sigh left his lips before he glanced back at me with a stern expression.

“I know the predicament you’re in. I understand that you can’t just drop your allegiance for the Coven because those are where your roots lie,” he began as his eyes narrowed and his voice dropped further. “But this can’t happen again, Aurelia. I can’t…stand by you if this happens a third time.”

There it was.

He had every right to say those words. Between Willow and me, his childhood crush and royal mate was always going to be put on a pedestal I’d never be able to reach.

I wasn’t angry at him for his loyalty to Willow.

Maybe I was upset that there was no one here who could represent me, who could stand by my side and press the reality that I was innocent and couldn’t control these circumstances that unfolded under my very nose.

Sadly, I can stand here all day and night wishing for support, but my misfit pack is in Faerie for reasons I have no clue of while my royal mate is doing everything he can to find them while dealing with the loss of a man who practically raised him.

Not to forget the loss of the High Court chair, which only confirmed Zane didn’t acquire it even though everyone was confident he would.

“I understand.” My voice sounded dead to me; the emotion had been stolen and replaced by a sense of numbness that took its place.

How stupid I felt for being wheeled in for so long.

I was literally losing everything around me because of loyalty, and for what? How much further was I going to walk down this path that clearly wasn’t benefitting me?

How much longer until I lose everything I cherish and am left with nothing?

“Good.” That was all he said as he took one final glance my way before turning away. “I need a minute of air.”

He didn’t wait for anyone to reply before he was gone.

“I’ll come with,” Jayce volunteered.

I watched them leave and glanced around. Neo and Dimitris were with Viktor and Milo, working on finalizing the new bonds needed to track Willow’s location, which left me standing awkwardly in my spot with nothing to do.

“I’m curious.”

I blinked and glanced over my shoulder to see Saint leaning against one of the black beams that managed to survive whatever chaos happened here.

“How much longer are you going to commit to a community that despises you?”

I needed a second to absorb his words because he said them so lowly that I was sure he didn’t want the others to hear his primary question.

Just like how the shift in his aura alerted me this wasn’t the regular Saint that my best friend stated was the playboy of the pack.

“I have things under control,” I muttered and decided to move closer to where he stood so I didn’t feel so awkward.

“I’d laugh but that would alert everyone else I’m struggling to not lose my shit on you,” he admitted, and I peered over to see how close his eyes were to being consumed by darkness.

Great. I even upset the Dark Lord.

“You have every right to be upset,” I whispered in hopes of taming his anger. “I’ll apologize as much as I need to.”

“Words won’t bring back what’s ours, misfit.” The power laced in his words froze me in place because I knew Saint wasn’t talking to me right now.

Another entity was.

“Unlike those you surround yourself with who know nothing of the rooted power they carry, I won’t stand around and let your lot of envious bitches continue to hurt what is precious to me,” he snarled.

What does he mean by “know nothing of the rooted power they carry?” Does he know something about my men?

I didn’t dare speak, and it was a good thing for he now faced me with a sinister smile while a single finger laid lightly on my lips.

It was cold, frigid in temperature, and absolutely black, while his eyes held so much desolation, I thought I’d be sucked into the void of darkness those spheres carried.

“The only thought stopping me from killing you this instant is because of the love Willow still carries for you. The idea of her shedding tears on your behalf nags at my sanity enough to not slice your throat and waltz into that room full of old hags with your head dangling in my grasp.”

I didn’t dare move or breathe as he leaned in close and smiled so sinisterly, I feared my life would actually end here and now.

“How much longer are you going to be a tool in the Coven’s game? You can’t possibly be so blind to not see that all you are is a pawn in this board game of chess. You’re used and abused as you advance forward, but the clock ticks on, waiting for the final move where you’ll be sacrificed like a lamb and discarded into a pit of ash. Is that what you seek?” he pondered as he whispered in my ear. “To be tied to a stake and burned for sins you did not commit?”

He leaned back just to look into my eyes, and I couldn’t hide how frightened I was, because I couldn’t decipher what this man was implying.

Was he seeing my future? Or what the Coven planned for me?

“You have so much power,” he dared to admit as he slowly shook his head and matched it with a tsk of his lips. “A true prodigy that everyone once sought to have dibs on. Yet, something happened. Something shattered the ambition rooted within you to become someone great. Was it rejection at the hands of your mate, or was it something far deeper that even you can’t recall?”

My eyes widened at his words as he sighed and looked like he carried a sense of pity for me.

“Do you fear discovering your true destiny so much that you’ll die with nothing but regret?” he wondered more to himself. “What a pity for a triple hybrid who idolizes a woman who’s the same as her.”

“Idolizes…” I repeated the word and watched him grin further.

“Don’t you idolize the woman you once loved? Admire the strength and perseverance she carries where you obviously lack? You seek redemption, a moment where you can not only shed the layers of disappointment that cling to every angle of your flesh, but your soul can be free. You yearn to discover your true calling that begs for acknowledgment but you’re too frightened to see with your own eyes.”

He was in my personal space again as he closed his eyes.

“Why don’t I be a good Dark Lord and give you a hint of what’s in store for you, hmm?” he dared to say as his eyes slowly opened to reveal glowing orbs of white. “Your calling isn’t in this realm, misfit witch. Neither is your destiny. It’s in a world where one’s imagination is as limitless as the bloodshed. Your roots lie where all your men are destined to return to, and unless you gather the courage to leave what’s behind here to explore what everyone is fighting to keep you away from, you’ll never get a taste of the redemption you seek.”

His finger finally moved from my lips, trailing down until it stopped exactly over Ace’s necklace that I kept hidden.

“Sometimes one has to rise from their very ashes to begin a new life that frees them from the shackles of power many are desperate for them to continue wearing. If you fear burning away, you’ll never be an Alpha worthy of leading men as sacred as those who dare to commit to your reign,” he declared and looked to my chest as if he could see exactly what was beneath his plagued finger. “The Coven wants nothing but your demise, misfit witch. Remember that, or else you’ll lose everything you cherish.”

He moved his hand away and chuckled.

“Including your life.”

“Saint.”

I glanced over Saint’s shoulder to see Dimitris’s stern expression. An eyebrow began to rise as he observed my expression that surely showed all the wild emotions running through me.

“Yes, Alpha?” Saint’s voice was back to cheery as he turned right around to face the man in question.

“What are you discussing with Miss Clementine?” he dared to ask, using my title as if we weren’t on a familiar basis.

Which means he may have noticed Saint’s switch.

“I was complimenting her on her knee highs,” Saint announced, which drew my attention to the very piece of clothing I’d gotten from King. “They’re from Faerie. Can’t you sense the Fae magic in them?”

That got Milo’s attention as he leaned over to observe me.

“Those look familiar,” he admitted. “I wonder if you bought them from my mother’s shop.”

Mother?

“Your mother has a shop?” Saint inquired, clearly happy to change the topic.

“Well, my mother is a queen, after all. She owns an entire kingdom but fashion is one of her hobbies that she still pursues. She has a few fashion lines that are specific to Faerie though she does collections and collaborations across the globe,” Milo explained. “I obviously don’t know how things are going due to my long absence, but those knee highs are extremely hard to get. There’s legit a five-year waitlist or something ridiculous.”

Five years?!

Saint whistled and looked back at me.

“Well, damn. Whoever got you those is clearly madly in love with you. Who was it? The wizard?”

“It wasn’t Zane,” I huffed, feeling a bit mad that he actually got away with what he’d done. “They’re from King. You wouldn’t know him.”

“King,” Milo repeated. He seemed deep in thought for a moment but then his eyes widened as his head jerked the opposite way like he sensed something.

“Milo?” Neo inquired just as I noticed that Jayce and Onyx were back.

“I got her!” Milo announced. “I know where Willow is!”

That got us all moving close. Milo was already pacing while his hands were moving and igniting various magic circles.

“How fast can we get to her?” Viktor questioned.

“That’s the thing. I can send Viktor the closest cause the connection is the strongest. The rest of us will have to race from wherever we land when we emerge at the location. I can’t focus on exactly where we’re going because the connection is unstable. You basically have to take my word for it because if we don’t leave now, I may lose it.”

“Let’s go!” Dimitris ordered as we all further crowded around Milo, who took a deep inhale and let it out as his body submerged with magic.

“Prepare for the battle ahead,” he warned all of us, and I knew this was my opportunity to be of aid.

Please, Willow. Survive until we get there.

CHAPTER 1

Avalanche Of Change

“Fuck! Avalanche!” Saint announced, but I was still trying to calm the fuck down from the news that Willow’s heart had stopped.

“You haven’t told me if Willow’s alive or not!” I emphasized as the snowy ground beneath us began to shake with tremors.

I took a mere glance behind us. The town we’d been teleported to on Mount Marcy was in clear view. If an Avalanche was coming, they wouldn’t stand a bloody chance to even evacuate, and it was clear many who resided in this tiny town were elderly.

Not to forget it was the middle of the night.

“She’s alive!” Jayce declared, just as my eyes caught sight of Willow, Viktor, and a massive wolf charging downhill towards us.

Just catching sight of her sent waves of relief through me, especially when the last ten minutes consisted of dread and uncertainty. I felt completely lost during the whole ordeal because I obviously wasn’t connected to their pack bond, which left me helplessly standing around while I endured the intense shift from uncertainty to complete shock at the news of Willow’s sudden death.

Seeing she was actually alive made me want to cry and hug her, but we had bigger approaching problems.

Or rather, we could end up dead under six feet of snow with this bloody avalanche.

“Let’s get closer,” Neo encouraged, already moving. I only followed because I was pretty certain we needed a shit ton of magic to stop this avalanche from wiping us all out.

The massive wolf Willow and Viktor were riding upon came to a stop, and Willow literally moved right off — as if the drop wasn’t a good eight feet.

“Oh fuck!” Willow cursed but Neo caught her effortlessly. His judgemental frown only rewarded him with a grin from Willow before she kissed him.

“You can be mad at me later.”

He didn’t say anything but lowered her to the ground, which led to her looking right my way.

“Aurelia!”

The fact that she wasn’t mad at me took away the initial fear I had about our approaching confrontation, but I knew from the glimmer in her eyes that she was already plotting something.

“Bitch, I know you have something up your sleeve, but no way can you stop that shit.”

“Why not?” Willow asked as she slipped out of Neo’s hold to grab me and pull me forward.

The massive wolf went on a howling spree. The sound was like a siren to alert the people of the approaching threat. We could easily escape its deadly wrath, but they wouldn’t. We didn’t even know if the town was full of humans, so it was only more necessary to stop this avalanche.

Glancing at the approaching layers of snow, I could easily pick up on the odd energy, which I realized was going to be a lot harder to counter.

“There’s some weird magic to it! It’s made to destroy and won’t stop unless it gets blood! Magic can maybe delay it, but even with us together, it won’t work!” I voiced.

“Blood,” Willow whispered the single word before she was grinning far too wide. “NEO!”

The man in question was actually behind Willow, and the look on his face told me he was down for whatever his mate was thinking of.

“How much blood?” he asked.

“A lot,” I stressed so he knew it wouldn’t be some easy task.

“Not a problem,” he replied. “Let’s begin.”

After witnessing a glimpse of his power earlier, I wasn’t going to question whether he could manage it or not, which was why I simply nodded.

I took a deep breath then forced myself into battle mode, summoning my wand and running forward to get closer to the approaching threat. Words of magic already began to leave my lips as I concentrated on setting the baseline of the spell at hand.

Glancing over my shoulder to see where Willow and Neo were, I realized Neo had Willow against him — his arm hooked around her so her back was pressed against his chest while his hand was around her neck.

She had no choice but to look up at him as she hissed, “Neo?”

The blood prince clearly didn’t care that we were getting closer to death because he kissed her right there and then, and the sight made my heart skip and my stomach flip at the reminder that my men were missing.

I should be looking for them…

“Frighten me again, Sweetness, and I’ll make sure you’re never out of my sight again,” Neo growled against Willow’s lips.

“Aww. If we weren’t about to be killed by an avalanche, I’d be so turned on right now.”

Viktor groaned, Dimitris sighed, Saint actually laughed, and Jayce was shaking his head.

“I can’t even be mad,” Onyx muttered.

With that, Neo let go of Willow but she grabbed his hand and tugged him forward to regroup with me.

I need to finish this quickly so I can find my men.

“Willow! Far right. Neo, in the middle. Conjure enough blood that the snow will look pink!” I ordered and looked specifically at Willow. “The spell is Le Re Bloodanda. It’s the shortened form of the spell and will work fast, but it’s draining as fuck, so be prepared to feel like shit!”

“Got it!” Willow announced and we all raised our hands in preparation for the spell.

“Do we have a plan B?” Jayce inquired.

“Nope,” I announced because I really didn’t have a backup plan. I could barely think straight right now, so a Plan B was out of the question. This has to work. “We fail, we’re all dying.”

“I feel like there should be a plan B,” Milo muttered.

“I agree, but I don’t think one plans for a magical avalanche to kill them,” Saint acknowledged.

“Brace for it,” Dimitris ordered, and the silence that followed gave us the chance to actually focus.

“Now!” I announced as a shield of protection burst before us before Willow and Neo screamed in unison, “LE RE BLOODANDA!”

The surge of magic that left us was outstanding — as well as overwhelming — but we all stood our ground as the strain of the spell was already attempting to take hold of us. Willow was gritting her teeth and I caught onto the fact that Neo’s eyes were closed.

He was taking calm breaths before he pushed his hands outward in a brushing gesture that summoned wolf silhouettes.

Blood silhouettes of wolves.

They burst out of the palms of his hands, two at a time, which multiplied into eight the moment they hit the ground. They raced forward as their howls continued to multiply, the sound so loud, it made the ground shake, just like the approaching wave of snow.

When it finally crashed into our protective shield, Willow and I gasped at the impact because it felt like it was colliding into our intestines. We both held our ground, standing and withholding the waves of snow with all our might.

Time was ticking and I was getting weaker, to the point that I was shaking, just like Willow and Neo. They were pushing themselves to the limit, but we couldn’t pull back yet. If we stopped, the wall would evaporate and the tower of blood snow would be tall and wide enough to submerge us.

I was actually beginning to lose hope until I sensed a spark of power that seemed to be noticeable enough for the massive wolf to howl in an odd way.

A wall of flames crashed into our wall from above.

We all gasped and looked up to see the rain of flames that came down upon the thirty-foot wave of snow, the intensity of the temperature enough to melt the snow upon impact. Within seconds, our threat was now boiling hot water, and that was when Milo rushed forward past us and lifted his hands.

“I call upon the realms of my people! The power of our great Divine! Absorb this offering of water and purify it to become chilled ice to rain upon these lands that are threatened by tainted loss! ESHNA VE ME RU!”

Fae energy oozed out of him like a running faucet which triggered the boiling water to bubble at a rate so quick, it began to shift into steam as it evaporated upward into the sky.

We watched in amazement as the water lessened, the smoke growing bigger and spreading outward into the sky until the ground was littered with debris and the sky was covered in a cloud of grey.

Then it began to snow.

“Pink…snowflakes?” Willow whispered in awe as she took struggling steps forward just to lift her hands up to catch a few of the pink flakes. I was just as mesmerized as she was, my eyes taking it all in while I realized we’d somehow managed to survive.

I caught onto Milo’s movement as he sat back into the snow and sighed.

“I haven’t used magic like that in ages,” he commented. “It’s exhilarating, but fuck. I’m out of shape.”

“Out of shape my ass,” Willow huffed, which only encouraged the Fae to smirk while his eyes softened.

“Glad to see you survived, Willow. Death really doesn’t suit you.”

He was right about that. To think we’d survived and my best friend was safe from the hands of death again left me with a sense of gratitude.

A growl then came from Willow’s left side, followed by one from the right, which meant there were two growling wolves with poor Willow in the middle of their obvious dramatics.

“Oh, c’mon,” Willow groaned as her shoulders sank. “Do we really have to deal with you two growling at one another right now?”

“WOOF!” Onyx replied, and he moved closer with his sharp teeth showing. The bigger wolf growled in return, inching closer. The two were clearly going to duke it out.

“So…who’s the bigger wolf?” I decided to ask since I couldn’t keep referring to him as the “massive” wolf. I was clearly still breathless because my question came out in increments while I caught my breath. “Cause sorry to say it, but he has a higher affinity than Onyx.”

“It’s Loki,” Willow announced and lifted her hands to push their snouts away from her face. “Onyx’s brother.”

Hold the fuck up!

“Bro what now?” I gasped in horror. “We’ve already got to deal with that bulky mass and now he has a brother?!”

“Intriguingly enough,” Willow replied, clearly getting pissed off when the two wolves tried to inch close to one another with their gritted teeth.

“Stop behaving like growling fools and sit!” Willow commanded with a force that screamed Alpha. Shivers ran through me as if I needed to obey the command.

They whimpered in response and immediately sat down.

“I’m a little thankful Willow isn’t an Alpha yet. She’d tame us pretty good,” Jayce noted.

“But can you imagine that aggression in bed though?” Saint offered.

“I don’t want to,” Dimitris dryly declared.

“Ya, but if it was William, you-AH!” Saint sang but flinched and ran to hug Neo, who was mid-yawn.

“Neo! Dimitris is planning my murder.”

“Good,” Neo casually replied. “Now move so I can hug my mate and take a nap.”

“That’s all you care about when you’re tired,” Saint muttered, but he let go of him to walk over to Milo. “Need a hand, Milo?”

“Hmm?” The fae wolf in question leaned his head back to look at Saint. “Sure.”

Neo reached Willow and didn’t delay in pulling her into a hug. She relaxed in his arms as he quietly whispered, “You just have to save everyone, hmm?”

“Well, not really,” Willow admitted. “But it felt very important to save Loki and now look. Onyx has a brother, even though he has his cock in a knot about it.”

“Woof!” Onyx huffed and nudged Willow’s side.

She moved out of Neo’s hold to stare at the two wolves.

“Who’s older?” Neo pondered.

“I think Loki?” Willow suggested and looked at him before Onyx. “You two can switch back.”

They both got up and shook out their coats before they shifted back.

“You don’t realize when you use your Alpha power on us, now do you?” Neo pointed out.

“Uh…I’m working on it,” Willow noted with an apprehensive look.

“Ya right,” Dimitris muttered. He was standing behind Neo with the others in their pack.

They were clearly having a moment where they were speaking mentally for it was quiet for a moment, leaving me to realize how short Willow’s hair was. I wasn’t the only one who was observing the change, as Dimitris was glancing at her short locks with a pout of disapproval on his lips.

“You don’t like it,” Willow concluded.

“No,” Dimitris admitted. “But I can get used to it. Makes you look like a tomboy.”

“Doesn’t that make you happ—”

She tried to finish but he kissed her quickly, which was actually surprising because I swore Willow mentioned Dimitris was gay.

Not bisexual.

“Don’t get kidnapped again,” Dimitris muttered with an annoyed scowl.

Willow gasped in exasperation.

“Oh, right. It’s my fault for minding my own business and getting kidnapped by…” she paused just to point to Loki, “him!”

The man in question didn’t carry a hint of shame as he stood there next to Onyx. They seriously looked like twins with all their similarities.

“Damn,” Saint commented. “You two sure you’re not twins or something?”

“No,” Loki announced with a smug grin. “I’m two years older.”

Poor Onyx looked like he was plotting his “new” brother’s murder, enough that Willow obviously noticed.

“Onyx,” Willow drawled out his name. “No murdering your requited sibling.”

“So, you want to explain to me what that is?” Onyx questioned directly to Loki — pointing at his left hand.

Loki’s smile only grew as he purposely lifted his hand up to display the very obvious bond mark, which left us gasping in shock at the sight.

Don’t tell me he’s now bonded to Willow.

“Well, little brother, from my detailed observation, I’d assume it’s a bond mark.”

“You did not bond with my Sugar,” Onyx snarled.

Loki only shrugged, his grin showing his marvelous white teeth.

“Well, she’s ours now,” Loki said in delight. “And I like the nickname Sweets better.”

Oh goodness, she’s doomed.

“They’re going to kill each other,” I concluded.

“If it makes them shut up, maybe it won’t be too bad,” Willow offered, which had them both staring at her before they seemed to peer past their mate.

I followed their gazes while Willow asked the prime question of, “What?”

The sound of clapping made me realize what we were witnessing wasn’t an illusion at all. There was a trail of people applauding. One by one, they clapped and cheered, and all we could do was move closer to Willow as we pondered what was happening.

What I could tell right away was that these individuals weren’t human.

They’re wolf shifters.

“The Vile Queen thought she was doing us harm, but little did she know we had the upper hand all this while.”

All eyes landed on a woman who boldly walked out of the crowd. Her blazing hair resembled the burning force of flames as she revealed herself. She wore a white combat outfit with bright red boots, but I’d yet to see such a woman in the field of power.

Until now.

“Ruby,” Willow whispered, and I realized this was the Ruby Phoenix we’d been talking about who sent special garments to Willow to wear. Her smile grew at Willow’s recognition before she bobbed her head in approval.

“Hey, sis! Didn’t think I’d get to see you until the fashion show but it looks like fate had other plans.”

Sister. Fuck. They’re actually sisters? Willow has a sister?!

“Other plans,” Willow whispered, which encouraged Ruby to bob her head with seriousness.

I felt like I was invading some grand reveal, but things only further escalated as Ruby looked back to the crowd.

“Bow for the grand entrance of the queen!”

Queen?

The crowd parted to the sides to create a path for a woman who rode upon a massive wolf. The people kneeled on one knee before bowing their heads in acknowledgment of the royal that gallantly sat like a true queen sitting upon a throne. The wave of power that hit us only grew until I had no choice but to go to my knees.

The only person who managed to remain standing was Willow. She was clearly in shock as she took in the woman who rode the red wolf with orange eyes.

Despite its size, the woman disembarked the creature with ease and landed on the ground with nothing but grace. She didn’t even hesitate to walk straight to Willow, her tall 6’7” frame practically towering over Willow, who was forced to look up in acknowledgment of the new arrival.

Her hair was shoulder-length and in the perfect set of curls, but it was the stunning crown that sat upon her head with pink jewels glittering with power that affirmed her royal roots. She had dazzling pink eyes and I had no choice but to stare in amazement as everyone else did, but I was shocked by the woman’s words that barely reached my ears.

“After Awakening your wolf, gathering the Endangered Seven, and unlocking the official position to the High Court, I’m finally allowed to see my Rebel Princess again,” she whispered with a melodic voice that had the power to move mountains.

Her hand reached out to press against Willow’s check, and I was left in a state of shock as the single word left Willow’s lips

“Mom.” The parental title wasn’t stated as a question. It was as though Willow knew within her soul that the woman before us was indeed her mother.

Which didn’t make sense to me at all from what I recalled, Willow’s Mother was Roberto’s pawn and chained in a dungeon somewhere.

“You’ve completed your task, Willow, but it’s time for the world to acknowledge that what was once outcasted is about to take on a new role. A position of power that no one will be able to steal from you. Not even my evil best friend, the Vile Queen.”

There was so much to unpack in that statement alone, but my attention was focused on the significant drop in Willow’s aura and the way her heart rate went on a galloping tangent.

“Shit! Someone catch Willow!” I spoke before I could grasp what was happening. Before we knew it, Willow was not only passed out, but she wasn’t fucking breathing.

“Fuck!” Dimitris cursed. “Saint!”

“Got it.” Saint was already crouched next to Willow and helping her get her heart pumping.

“Fuck, let me help,” Onyx declared, but Loki huffed.

“You can’t do shit to help her right now. Leave it to the light workers.”

“You don’t know shit,” Onyx countered, and I ended up getting between them while Milo groaned.

“You two, stop fighting,” Milo urged while I nodded.

“You two duking it out isn’t going to help Willow! Let me assist.”

“No,” they both said in unison, which freaked me out a bit because they sounded the damn same. Thank goodness for their slight differences because I was able to tell which was Onyx.

“I can help her!” I hissed but he shook his head.

“You pushed yourself to your limit. You can barely stand.”

“That’s just the adrenaline rush,” I argued, and Loki shook his head.

“Aren’t you one of the witches from the Coven?” he inquired as he looked me up and down in a clearly judgmental fashion. “We should be keeping you far away from Willow since you guys are so desperate to get her killed.”

“I’m in no way associated with the ideology of my best friend dying!”

“Yet you fucked up with the pills,” Neo commented, which had me glaring at him.

“That wasn’t my fault! Don’t go using that against me!”

“And why shouldn’t we?” Neo countered with narrowed eyes that began to spin as those black magic circles blazed to life. “Our Sweetness was fucking suicidal and on the verge of killing herself because you couldn’t keep your fucking eyes on the very meds you create for her to keep her intact!”

“T-That’s not fucking fair!” I snapped back.

Jayce ended up coming in between us. “Neo,” Jayce hissed. “You can’t go blaming her. We don’t know the facts.”

“He’s right, Neo,” Onyx pressed, but Neo wasn’t having any of it.

“Our mate died how many fucking times today after being sick, dealing with seizures, and going manic before getting kidnapped and somehow managing to survive this fucking avalanche, and you’re sticking up for a witch who can’t pick a fucking side?”

I bit my bottom lip hard as all of them looked back at me as if I was the true villain of this scenario, and I just froze in place because I couldn’t think of a way out of this. I’d never felt so cornered, and no matter if I vented out the chaos of emotions running through me or cried my eyes out in apology, it wouldn’t change their growing worry that I was no longer a trusted ally, safe to be around their woman.

Their mate.

“I-I…” I tried to speak, but someone now stood behind me just as Dimitris declared, “Everyone needs to go the fuck to sleep.”

Before I could see what he meant, another spoke after him.

“Since this isn’t going anywhere, I might as well do the honor of helping you out of this one.”

I glanced back at the sound of Ruby’s voice, hoping she’d maybe pick my side, but a sharp pain followed that made my eyes roll back and my body drop.

The last thing I felt was the surface of fluffy snow.

CHAPTER 2

Peak Of Shadowed Rage

“Aura?”

The deep vibration of that familiar voice had me fighting to open my heavy eyelids.

I’d forgotten what it was like to feel so utterly drained, but surely this was some sort of reminder of the reality that I also had limits.

Deciding not to spend my mental energy trying to comprehend the events that led to me feeling like utter shit, I migrated the effort into opening my eyes, which were really struggling to lift even halfway.

I didn’t need them to be opened fully to already sense my royal mate’s presence, but it was the blurry sight of his attractive face glancing down at me that made me work up a tiny grin.

“Hey…sexy.”

My voice was nowhere near cheery. In fact, it sounded utterly horrible. I croaked, which confirmed I was thirsty as fuck, and there were chords of sadness vibrating through the tone of my hoarse voice.

My vision cleared for a single moment — providing me the relieving sight of my Warlock mate — before it became blurred again.

I couldn’t register why at first, the confusion filtering on my face even as those salt beads of water took the initiative to stream down my cheeks.

Zane’s eyes softened while his burrows fought to not furrow in obvious frustration with seeing me upset.

It took the sight of his emotional conflict for me to realize I was actually crying, which only made me laugh slightly as I blinked my eyes multiple times as though it would stop the tears from continuing their cycle of formation.

“Aurelia…” Zane’s voice barely hit the air which only made me fight to smile before I forced myself to try to sit up.

Zane pressed his hands against my shoulders, attempting to stop me from getting up too fast, but I needed to sit up.

Or I’d probably vomit and suffocate on it.

I needed a distraction.

“Where are we?” I decided to ask. “I was on Mount Marcy. Um…we had to deal with an avalanche, and then Willow’s heart stopped. I wanted to help out…but…anyway. Are we in their medical center or something?”

I glanced around the dark room, and it didn’t give the aesthetic vibe of being on a mountain. The town had a lot of wooden homes so I expected to see wooden walls with a fireplace or something cozier in nature in comparison to this.

Black walls. Darker furniture. Vibes that match the Coven.

“We’re at the Coven,” Zane quietly announced, which made no sense to me.

“How…I mean…” I was confused. Did one of Willow’s men teleport me back here? But why? “I was arguing with Onyx and Loki… That’s…ugh. It’s not important. Why…why would they bring me back here?”

“The attendant returned you to the Coven due to a direct order from Ruby Phoenix,” Zane unexpectedly revealed. “Due to the news of Willow’s uprising to the chair and the obvious…differences within Willow’s pack, it was concluded that the best option for your recovery that would maintain good relations with the Phoenix Family was to return you to the organization you associated with.”

Essentially meaning they wouldn’t attend to someone on the Coven…even if it’s me.

“How did you… No. Why…”

Why are you even here?

“I sensed your energy,” he admitted like it was so easy for him. “I came to the Coven to see if I could get access to the library and potentially the archives to figure out how we can get to Faerie, but everything is locked down because of the obvious imposter, though that seems to be of little importance right now.”

“Because?” I pressed him to continue because I sensed he wanted to say more.

Without breaking me.

“With the announcement of Master L’s death and the news…of the High Chair position being taken, it was determined having a grid lockdown with the excuse of an imposter amidst in the Magic Institute of the Coven would prevent anyone from trying to protest or take harmful action against the Coven.”

“Aka, me,” I concluded and watched him frown but slowly nod.

“What about Lucy? She’s the one who made this mess. She has to be involved…with that damn assistant robotic bitch!” Even with my weak voice, I couldn’t stop myself from angrily expressing myself. “Zane, tell me something is…going to be done…”

Just staring into his eyes told me I was asking for something impossible for him to predict.

“We know they’re in on it,” Zane muttered lowly enough that his words could only reach my ears. “On the outside, they’re projecting immense sadness and frustration at the obvious loss of a powerful…Master, matched with losing a position that has been in the Coven for decades. On the inside, they’re celebrating this loss because it creates more friction between you and Willow and turns you from friends to foes.”

“They’re going to blame all of this on me in the end,” I muttered and groaned. “Fuck.”

“Hey,” Zane whispered, and he didn’t hesitate to slide into the bed until I was in his arms. “It’s okay. We’re…gonna figure it out, kay?”

I lifted my head to look at him, realizing he lacked a lot of confidence right now.

“What’s wrong?”

He tried to hide the lines of sadness and disappointment from his expression, but it was too easy to see the change in my confident mate.

“Zane…please talk to me.”

If there was more bad news, he might as well tell me.

“I’ve been put on administrative leave,” he announced, fighting against showing me just how much the news hurt him.

“What…do you mean?”

Administrative leave in the Coven meant you were essentially on the “last resort” bench in the organization and wouldn’t be allowed to attend the duties or benefits your workplace or school institution would deliver you.

In Zane’s case, that basically meant he was fired until they decided he was irreplaceable due to not finding someone who could meet his standards of professionalism, rank, power, and work ethic.

“It’s been determined that due to the loss of the Chair, which obviously revolves around Master L’s death…the new Master and Disciple will have to determine if my area of expertise is worth continuing,” he revealed and sighed. “Master L was the one to create and fund our foundation. His death matched with someone outside the Coven claiming the High Chair means we will no longer have the continuing funds to support mine and many other warlock’s wages. Even with a decrease in pay, it wouldn’t be worth it with how we risk our lives to do what we do. The Coven also hasn’t been on the best terms with its highest source of income, which helped fund them in the first place.”

He’s talking about the Phoenix Family.

“The lack of funds means the Coven won’t be able to finance our roles and will hire cheaper options, even if it means we have to outsource.”

“We’re going to outsource protection from other shifters?” I dared to ask. “If the news of that gets out, it’ll make us look as if we’re dropping on the power scale.”

I felt a bit more rejuvenated thanks to the spike of anger. Everything just wasn’t making sense, and it was all happening far too fast. Everything was collapsing, and I couldn’t accept that it literally could have been my fault.

The world of magic would put the blame on me.

“They already feel that way,” Zane confessed.

“So…you don’t have a job,” I concluded. “Because of me.”

“Not because of you,” he whispered. He didn’t hesitate to kiss me before he continued, “You know those old hags hated me.”

“But you worked hard to get your position in this world, Zane.” He couldn’t just lose it like that. His magic career was what wiped away all the comments revolving around Zane being an orphan. Without doing what he loved and was proud of achieving in our magic community, he’d feel like a nobody.

“It’s not my identity,” he commented, but I could see just how hurt he was by this shift in his life. “I just have to separate myself from that ‘Zane’ and focus on my shifter side.”

“Wait…but you can just get a new job, Zane,” I pressed. “A better one. People would beg to have you in their association and would pay you better to wipe out the competition.”

“Can’t,” he confessed. “Someone is clearly paying a lot of money to have me blacklisted.”

“Wait…” I didn’t need to ask who was responsible for such tactics. “They can’t do that.”

“They can do anything they want now that there’s no Coven association in the High Court,” he declared. “Without the High Court, which was basically like the magical government that overlooked our actions, the power is brought down to the Coven and the Head.”

“Meaning…me?”

“Yes,” he answered but looked away. “That’s apparently on hold.”

What?

“It was announced that due to the loss of the High Chair and Master L’s death, the Elders will be temporary leaders of the Coven, while the Head…aka you…will be put on…”

“Don’t say it.”

He stared at me long and hard, and I knew he was going to force me to acknowledge once again how far the Coven would go to get rid of me.

“Administrative leave,” he declared and watched my eyes as I lifted my hands to my face.

Fuck…

“You’ll only be Head of the Coven during special events or in case of any confrontations so the other groups of power are unaware of the ‘troubles’ in magic paradise,” Zane concluded. “Many are waiting to see what consequences you’ll face from losing the chair, so they’re determined to not be so candid with their opinions about you being the Head of the Coven now.”

“I didn’t even want this bloody position!” I hissed, fighting not to cry hysterically. “Wait. If I’m on administrative leave…and so are you…can we even be here?”

A click of a lock encouraged us to peer at the door, and of course, it had to be the very people I did not wish to see right now.

“It means, you should be grateful we’re offering such recovery services to a disappointment who shouldn’t be offered such luxuries when they’re absolutely useless.”

My weak eyes had the strength to glare at the woman in question, and my body tensed up when I saw Elder Etna and Lucy at the door.

The other Elders were in the hall, but they had no intention of entering. Their expressions were filled with anger and judgment when they peered my way.

“You!” I snarled, ready to fight her, but Zane was out of bed and blocking my view of the two individuals like he’d become my shield in battle.

“She is grateful for your kindness in letting us use the medical resources,” Zane pressed with less boldness in his tone, which made my skin feel like it was crawling. “I’ve been trying to explain the circumstances of our situation before I summoned you two to come and lay out the new rules and access to the Coven.”

“Well, you could simply do that outside of these walls where you both belong,” Lucy got to the point with a glimmering smile. She cleared her throat before she moved to her left side just so she could get a glimpse of me. “I’m sure the collective of the Coven needs a break from Aurelia’s energy being in our space. We can’t possibly provide security measures for those who are extremely upset over the news of the loss of the High Court Chair after decades of having a spot.”

Her eyes danced with mockery while her expression attempted to show some sympathy.

“Not to forget how you were delivered to us by the very family who’s celebrating our loss,” Elder Etna declared, not bothering to hide her boiling rage. “It’s disgraceful that they’ve gotten a position for the first time in centuries and decided our witch wasn’t worth being taken care of. You see how you’ve made us into laughingstocks.”

“I—”

“Don’t waste our time or oxygen,” Lucy interrupted with the urge to get to the point. “We’ve come to let you know that you are now on official leave of absence, also known as administrative leave. That means, with the exception of emergencies such as international confrontations or events that will involve other shifters and levels of hierarchy, you no longer have access to Coven properties, resources, services, medical assistance, and weapons,” she revealed, and her lips began to curl in a smug grin.

“The same applies to you, Zane Malark, until another organization decides to hire you due to Master L’s passing and the loss of immense funds which supported your career choice,” she explained, trying to sound sympathetic. “Any cheques that enter the system from this moment forward will be placed on hold and not processed. You’ll have no access to any of our resources, which includes the library and archives.”

No…. The file cabinet. I said I’d return to it. I have to get those photos.

“You can’t do this,” I pressed and fought to get out of bed. Zane tried to stop me, but I was too angered to just lay here like a weakling.

So much was being taken from us, as if we were some bad guys forced to remain in the Coven’s hold.

“Yes, we can, Aurelia,” Elder Etna declared with a sour expression. “You have failed us as a Clementine. This is the least you can do to repay us for the level of disgrace you’ve now inflicted on our reputation.”

“You’re making it seem like this was intentional!” I screamed. “This is fucking fate! Master L clearly chose who he deemed fit before he died. It’s not my fault that I didn’t fall in his favor! Neither is it Zane’s.”

“Zane is actually innocent in this matter,” Lucy admitted as she dared to take a step into my personal space as she faced me. “Master L had to decide who the disciple would be to take the High Chair. Meaning, the witch who’s most powerful has to be chosen before their connected Master is picked.”

“Willow…doesn’t have…” I trailed off as it clicked.

Viktor.

“Master L’s decision led to Willow De Luca, a wolf shifter with gifted abilities revolving around magic, being the chosen disciple, and the Master who will be training her until she’s reached Master level is, surprisingly, Viktor Huxley,” Elder Etna announced and added, “Who is one of the sons of Master L.”

I couldn’t say anything as Lucy shook her head while tsking at our obvious defeat.

“Can’t you see how bad this looks, Aurelia? Aside from the fact that you made Zane lose his position as Master, which was rather promising with him being raised by Master L, we now have a hybrid wolf whose magic is used to simply change her gender won against a Clementine with a heritage of powerful witches,” she summed up as if I didn’t grasp how bad all of this was. “You’re lucky we’re not taking immediate disciplinary action, but alas, this break will give you time to figure out how you’ll lift the Coven out of this disgraceful predicament. At least, we’d hope so, or else, we’d have to officially replace you.”

“Replace me?” I gasped in horror. “I didn’t even WANT to join the Coven. You forced me to join and now I’ve just been treated like a damn puppet!”

I pointed at her face as my eyes narrowed.

“You’ve been allowing that robotic assistant of a bitch to tamper with the medication I make for Willow! Are you trying to get me fucking arrested?!”

“As an herbalist, isn’t it your job to triple-check your medication and concoctions that you make to ensure there are no faults before administering them to your patients?” she tossed back while she reached out to grip my chin — her nails digging into my flesh. “You’re always making it seem like you’re better than me, Aurelia, but you’ve been on a downhill race to self-destruction as of late. Is your true purpose to ruin the Coven that your family aided in creating? Is this some sort of payback because you’re a misfit everyone despises?”

I held my tongue as I glared at her, watching the way her eyes danced with glee, like she’d won this hidden battle.

“As of today, within Coven walls, I’m the temporary Head of the Coven. Until you can prove your loyalty to our magic organization and not be so clingy with our new rivals because she’s your ‘best friend’, we will have to keep you away for the wellbeing of our magic community,” she disclosed and leaned in close. “Think of this as a nice vacation. I’m not sure you have savings, but for now, an income that flows into your Coven-associated bank account is on hold. No herbal supplies associated with the Coven will be delivered to your company either so I’d suggest going on a break in that department as well.”

“You’re literally taking all my assets,” I voiced.

“You can say it that way if you wish.” She shrugged. “It was never yours, to begin with. You’ve always been borrowing what was provided to you because of the family name you carried. However, seeing as you’ve brought nothing but shame to the Clementine name, I don’t see the need for you to keep trying to make a name for yourself.”

Her grin couldn’t get bigger as she let go of me.

“You two may leave in five minutes. We’ll remain in touch if we need Aurelia for any outside events or emergency circumstances,” she announced. “Since neither of your apartments are associated with the Coven, you’ll be free to remain in them, but once again, any funds or resources are cut off until further notice.”

She couldn’t look happier.

“This is a rather lenient punishment,” she decided to remind me. “The other option recommended was having you both in a dungeon for the meantime, but it would be rather noticeable seeing as many are probably excited to see you two in public to scrutinize in the magic press. We wouldn’t possibly wish to miss that.”

“I could just quit the Coven, you know,” I brought up. “None of you need me! I’m literally a black sheep to you lot!”

“That may be the truth, but why get rid of you now?” Lucy inquired as a sinister smile formed on her lips. “You had plenty of opportunities to get out of this predicament, Aurelia. A grandiose amount of chances to decline and walk away, but no. You believed in the Coven and what we could achieve, but sadly, you didn’t believe in yourself or take an effort to claim the Chair that has always been in our possession. Now that you’re in the pits of fire, do you wish to run away? You can’t do that, Aurelia. It’s rather cowardly, don’t you think?”

“You of all people dare to lecture me,” I hissed as I clenched my fist to tame the threads of magic that were desperate to revolt against her “temporary” reign.

This was what they sought all along, and this was the time to rub it in my face.

“I have every right,” Lucy retorted and laughed. “You’re in my domain now, Clementine, so unless you wish to face the true wrath of my leadership, I’d suggest you back down with the attitude,” she pressed. “Because as of now, no one is in your corner.”

Despite it all, she was fucking right, and I hated that.

Everything that’s happening isn’t fair.

I turned away before she’d get the privilege to witness the disappointment on my face, but taking my position and humiliating me wasn’t enough for her.

“I guess I’ll be the ones to inform you that those four misfits you enjoy hanging around were arrested and taken to Faerie while you were gone.”

She just had to add gasoline to the blazing flames.

My body froze  — my heart began to hammer against my chest while Zane decided to ask what I wasn’t able to attempt to say.

“Arrested and taken to Faerie. Why? They’ve done nothing to piss off the Fae,” he stressed.

“Actually, they were caught manipulating evidence in the Coven Library. Attempting to destroy evidence due to a snake being trapped in a file cabinet.”

Wait. Medusa? How did she get back there? Did Ace and the others see the photos?

“Needless to say, due to the recent events, your pack of misfits isn’t under our protection,” Lucy declared with pride. “There’s no access to Faerie you’ll be allowed to use, just to make that clear.”

“You set them up,” I whispered, daring to look over my shoulder to glare at the woman who simply shrugged while her voice dipped.

“The biggest mistake your rejected mate made was not forgetting about a weak, crazy bitch like yourself,” she dared to say with a hint of remorse. “I gave him all the opportunities to do so. Daily reminders in the depths of his head to give up loving a woman who would move on. In the end, I was right, wasn’t I?” she offered while darting her gaze between us. “You moved on to the man that everyone was gossiping about one day being the Master who would sit upon the High Court chair he deserved. Now everyone will see that Aurelia Clementine is nothing but a walking curse. A woman who led us all to endure failures at every corner. Maybe the reason why her apparent rejected mate and his comrades die in Fae prison is because no one is going to give you the privilege of using their portal to enter the Fae lands.”

“I have access,” Zane emphasized, but Elder Etna cleared her throat.

“You did previously,” she emphasized. “However, those resources are no longer offered to you, nor will anyone be willing to help you while you’re on leave.”

“Because you’ve made sure of it.” Zane didn’t dance around the bush with the obvious truth.

“A less harsh punishment than jail time, don’t you think?” she countered, which forced Zane to shut up, but I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

They’re the ones who got Ace and the others were taken to Faerie with fabricated charges.

“We can just clear their name,” I emphasized to Zane. “They’ll believe us. You can’t lie to Fae.”

“And who will listen to you, Aurelia?” Lucy inquired. “You’ve practically lost everything. Your position, your future on the High Chair, and your stupid friendship that you keep attempting to save with that De Luca woman. Your company and assets are on hold, you don’t have any money, and no one would want to mingle with you or even see you unless they can sell photos of those interactions to the paparazzi and gossip channels. You might as well be marked a criminal at this rate, but again, we’re not that cruel. We still need you to uphold the remaining levels of dignity we have left thanks to your fuck-ups, so I’m sure you’re going to be a good girl from this point onward and wait until you’re summoned by us, yes?”

I sensed Aries’s movement in my subconscious, catching onto the way she walked from the dark shadows to reveal the heartache in her eyes. We’d finally been pushed into a corner, making all my actions nothing but a waste of life.

How many times had Aries told me to focus on making wolf alliances? How many had she told me that the Coven would never be on my side? I’d acted like a blind fool, thinking it was going to be worth it in the end, yet here I was.

A true reflection of a disgrace that no one wishes to interact with because I was ‘cursed’.

I turned around in hopes of just punching off that mocking smile on her face, but she was a step ahead as she raised her finger and pointed in front of her.

“Ah. Don’t go trying to execute your self-hate in the form of physical violence,” she encouraged. “I have a barrier made by the strongest Elders and wizards in the Coven. It’s obviously clear I’m rather important seeing as I’ll most likely have to take your place as Coven Head. They’ve offered me loads of security for added measure. I know you never got that, but I guess because you’re rather conceited and think you can’t be harmed by anyone, the Elders assumed you’d be alright in protecting yourself.”

I was practically shaking in my post as my eyes couldn’t project the venomous rage I carried for this woman. She’d hated me from day one when I met her, and this was her act of revenge against me.

Destroying everything I cherished, one interaction at a time.

“You’ll pay for this,” I muttered and turned away, only for her to laugh.

“If you think you’re going to gain some sort of redemption arc, Aurelia, give up now,” she encouraged. “By the time this is over, I’m sure Zane will come to his senses and dump your ass, while your misfits in Fae prison…” She trailed off on purpose then laughed some more. “Well, by then, they’ll all probably be dead.”

The way I spun around and had my fists hammering against the protective wall between us was a ruthless execution of rage, but I didn’t give a flying fuck as the protective wall sparked and struggled to keep afloat while my magic screamed in fury in the form of pulsating bolts of green and teal.

Lucy’s eyes widened as the barrier continued to suffer from my magic’s wrath until they were as wide as they could become thanks to the shattering sight of her so-called barrier.

I took one single step to have me facing her, and for the first time in a long while, I got to enjoy the sight of true fear in her eyes.

My orbs were completely submerged in darkness.

“You think you’ve won,” I whispered. “Feel free to think that way.” I leaned in closer to whisper in her ear, “But if harm comes to any of my men in my pack, I swear to our Creator that I will annihilate you, you mind-fucking bitch, and I’ll ensure the rest of your existence is in the chambers of a dungeon you’ll never be able to escape from.”

“Enough of this, Aurelia!” Elder Etna snapped, but I was already pulling away from this bitch who thought she’d destroy my life for good.

I turned back to see Zane quietly observing, which was surprising because I expected him to interfere. Instead, he opened his arms up to me — an invitation to return to his side, even after my risky move.

Swallowing the lump forming in my throat, I walked into his opened arm and allowed myself to feel his love as he pulled me against his side.

“There’s clearly no need for either of us to be here any longer then,” Zane announced, his bold confidence back. “We’ll take our leave.”

He didn’t wait for a reply as intense gusts of wind began to wrap around our bodies.

All I could do was stare at Lucy with menacing eyes until the view was blinded by strings of white, blue, and green.

I had no clue where Zane was taking us, but I couldn’t care as I closed my eyes.

Why can’t this simply be a nightmare?

CHAPTER 3

Refuge In The Only Ones Who See Our Innocence

~ZANE~

The Coven lost the chair.

I can’t fucking believe it. We lost the last powerful position we could use to our advantage.

All thanks to that witch.

She doesn’t deserve to be called a witch. She’s a fucking misfit.

It’s her fault we lost the High Court chair.

Clementine my ass. She has to be a fraud with all the misfortunes she’s brought to us.

She’s best friends with the De Luca.

Literally handed her the High Court chair.

She’s nothing but a betrayer in my book.

Hope she fucking dies.

They should just humiliate her publicly for failing us so we never need to deal with her again.

Good fucking riddance.

They should get rid of the Clementine name and introduce someone new.

I heard they put Lucy as the temporary head of the Coven.

Thank goodness! She could bring change to the magic community for the better.

Half the organization already supports her.

Well, who’s going to back the Clementines now with everything that has happened?

I’m waiting for the news that Master Zane has dumped her.

You can’t even call him Master anymore. Thanks to Clementine, he can’t get shit!

If I was him, I’d dump that bitch and move across the country. Heck, I’d go to the third world where they get news six months late and try to score a career there.

They put him on leave, didn’t they?

Only because of Master L’s passing I bet.

That probably hit him hard. Imagine: your girlfriend fucked up your career, the man who raised you is dead, and now you’re being put on leave to mourn that AND losing the High Court Chair.

I’d be suicidal if I was in his shoes.

Right! Told ya that bitch Clementine was bad luck.

You said it!

We owe you a beer.

Laughter echoed from the alleyway as the gossip kept going and going.

My hand continued to remain tightly around my mate’s, even though it almost slipped from my grasp at least seven times.

If this wasn’t the only way to get to our temporary hideout, I wouldn’t dare to come here during such a crucial time of chaos and relentless gossip.

Taking a deep breath, I continued to navigate until we reached the final alleyway that led to a dead end.

Without hesitation, I led us to the very end — the scrutinizing words of judgment echoing away. This section of the city was avoided even by the dumbest lot of magic users.

For good reason.

Glancing to my right, I was rewarded with the sight of a stone door. With my free hand, I placed my spread fingers upon the chilled surface — igniting a magic circle of green that began to shift to various colors until it landed on a blazing white glow.

Without hesitation, I knocked in the center of the magic circle, three loud knocks before there was a minute of silence.

Neither of us said a word as we waited, but I wondered if the man we were seeking wasn’t home.

With a frown, I prepared to knock again. My attempted knock on the stone resulted in my fist going right through the wall, which only tugged me forward.

“Fuck,” I cursed, having no choice but to tumble inward. I brought my mate with me, and we cursed and fell into a swirling abyss until we landed on a red carpet in the middle of a cozy living room.

“You’re lucky I had extra cocoa beans from the heart of Uganda or else you’d be in a grumpy ass mood that I’d enjoyed this lavish, exquisite taste of coffee without you.”

All I had to do was sit back on my hands and knees to see the tall, familiar man standing before me in magic garments and carrying two cups of steaming hot coffee.

His eyes were identical to mine before they shimmered white and emerald.

“Long time, brother,” I announced and cringed at the sound of my voice that only made the man grin like a foolish brat.

“Never in my life did I ever think I’d witness the sight of a female Zane!” He beamed in delight before he laughed. “You gotta thank your lost parents for such amazing genes. You could be a model if you were a girl. How does it feel? Like having boobs and a puss—”

“Can we not?” I groaned.

My head was pounding and I really needed to get out of this female form for my own fucking sanity. I never understood how Aurelia dealt with all the emotional baggage one dealt with as a female. All because of these crazed hormones.

The man in question simply whistled as his eyes left mine to look over to my left.

“Now, I don’t bend that way, but I gotta admit you’re rather attractive as a male, Aurelia Delianna Clementine.”

Looking back rewarded me with the male version of my mate sitting on his ass while glaring daggers at the man who was going to be our saving grace in this situation.

“Zayhir.”

The man chuckled before he walked over to the fireplace where a golden table sat between three lounge chairs. Lowering the mugs onto two saucers that emerged out of thin air, he relieved his hands just to stretch his arms.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, dear brother. If you’re here with your ‘girlfriend’ in disguise, that means it’s rather shitty outdoors,” he summed up. “This is exactly why I enjoy staying indoors, but sadly, you can’t become a millionaire who can afford exotic coffee without taking a few missions from time to time.”

Spinning around to face us in our direction, he crossed his arms.

“So you going to stay in those forms or switch back so I can see what I’m dealing with here?”

I looked over at male Aurelia and took a moment to admire her male physique.

I couldn’t before because we’d covered ourselves in cloaks to blend in like any other Elder trying to walk through the busy streets of the city, but now that his hood was down, I could get a good view of those short tousled teal strands with gold and green highlights.

His complexion was paler than the normal porcelain shade and his eyes were striking gold with hints of lime green and teal.

We both wore all black, but his outfit specifically was black joggers and a black t-shirt that fit his rather broad frame that was packed with muscle.

The magical markings long his muscled arms mimicked tattoos as they began to glow with magic power before his entire image changed with a single blink.

“Fuck,” Aurelia cursed and cleared her throat that was hoarse. “I don’t know why it never crossed my mind to try to change genders, but now that I’ve done it, I’m not sure I like it.”

Zayhir laughed while I shook my head.

“I don’t like it either,” I concluded with my feminine voice that made me want to throw my damn self off a damn bridge because it was surely cringe-worthy to sound so high-pitched.

Like those girly girls everyone hated in magic school.

“How are you hot as a girl?” Aurelia questioned with a side glance as she inspected me from head to toe.

I gave her a ‘don’t ask’ look as I unintentionally flicked at my long brown locks before cursing to myself and forcing my magic to retreat just like Aurelia had done.

With a few blinks, I was back to my normal self and totally ready to get off the floor.

Which was fucking stupid because I didn’t anticipate being whiplashed with exhaustion that landed me back on my ass.

“See, I was going to warn you not to move so quickly, but I wanted to determine if that move is a feminine trait that carries over during the first five seconds of switching back,” Zayhir announced.

“What? That’s not a feminine trait,” Aurelia argued. “I didn’t get up right away when I switched back.”

“Because the first five seconds of your switch still had those masculine traits roaming through your veins so you didn’t see the need to get up abruptly,” Zayhir argued like this was his line of expertise.

“You sound like an expert,” Aurelia muttered before she glanced over to me. “He’s not your brother.”

“Not biologically,” I voiced. “We just deem each other as brothers because we grew up together when Master L took me in.”

“Bingo,” Zayhir declared and bowed. “Zayhir Huxley. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Wait…” Aurelia’s eyes went wide while Zayhir bobbed his head as if he already knew what she was thinking.

“Yes. Master L was actually my father, even though I pretended to be an orphan for the sake of image in this power-hungry society of magical fuckers,” he summed up. “Not sure if you’re going to hate my guts seeing as my older brother clearly just stole a position that’s normally been within the Coven’s domain, but know with all the bullshit roaming around, I don’t blame you in the slightest.”

“You don’t?” she inquired and couldn’t hide her sad smile. “Everyone else thinks I’m a bitch that deserves to jump off a cliff seeing as made the grand opportunity of another death slip from my grasp.”

I frowned and slowly worked my way up before walking over to her just so I could crouch down and move a few strands of her hair from her face to behind her ear.

“Don’t listen to that bullshit,” I urged and begged her with my eyes that bored into hers. “I’m sorry we had to take this route. It’s the only way to get to Zayhir’s. If we teleported, I was worried we’d be tracked. This was the best way to secure our path without the chances of Lucy, Elder Etna, or anyone else figuring out our intentions.”

“Zane’s right, sadly,” Zayhir admitted and gestured to the chairs near the fireplace.

That gave me the chance to help Aurelia up before we both made our way to sit down. I didn’t want to admit how physically, magically, and emotionally drained I really was, especially with Aurelia present.

After everything, she just needed me to be there for her, and that was exactly what I planned to do.

“My hidden oasis is located in the middle of our magic world that spends more time gossiping and putting all its eggs in one position as if it’ll always be in their possession rather than trying to be a worthy society ,” Zayhir mocked as he took the seat opposite from us. “Drink some coffee. It’ll help rejuvenate your magic a lot faster while helping your muscles relax. You two are far too tense.”

“After our confrontation with Miss Lucy Mind Control, of course we’re tense,” I voiced, but I took his offer, though I leaned over to get Aurelia’s cup and saucer first.

She showed her appreciation with her softened expression before accepting the drink and relaxing into the chair to sip the steamy goodness.

Just seeing the tension beginning to leave her shoulders as she took another sip was enough to encourage me to grab my own cup and sit back to take a sip of the warm beverage.

“I stand by you moving to Paris and making that coffee shop you always wanted to create,” I voiced to the man in question as he smiled at my comment while crossing one leg over the other.

“I’ll keep that in mind next time I’m burnt out and need a new hobby to get out of my funk,” he assured me before he stared between us.

“Guess you two will be staying here long term, huh?”

I glanced at Aurelia, noticing her troubled expression as she clearly was reviewing what we’d just endured.

“Can you manage keeping us both here?” I asked instead and looked to him with concern. “As of now, you’re the only one willing to chill on our side of the playing field, brother.”

He stared at me long and hard, as if trying to figure out what had occurred to make me act rather odd. I guessed that was how I felt because being stripped of my career matched with losing a man I considered a father figure was beginning to sink in and left me feeling rather…

Lost.

“It’s a shame such an organization of powerful magical beings are working overtime to destroy their own,” Zayhir muttered more to himself as he began to sip on his drink. “You know my house and anything under my name is available to you, Zane. You earned that privilege long ago, and despite what the Coven wishes for me to actually do, I tend to lean towards helping family first versus a bunch of hypocrites with their own agenda.”

“Meaning they tried to persuade you to not help us?” Aurelia spoke up, her voice trembling slightly.

“Elder Etna reached out to me in hopes of offering me a position that was clearly once Zane’s,” he revealed, which surprised me. “Something about him being on leave due to Master L’s passing and such.”

“Right…” Aurelia whispered and glanced over to me. “Are you okay?” I knew she was asking about how I was taking in that news.

I was sure she would have acknowledged that fact earlier, but she had enough on her plate to worry about how I was taking Master L’s death.

She didn’t need to bring it up now either, but I was sure she felt some sort of guilt and wanted to address it versus throwing it under the rug until we had some alone time.

And we couldn’t be sure when we’d get any.

“I’ll be fine, Aura,” I assured her and mustered a smile before peering back to Zayhir, who was observing us. “What did you say to Elder Etna?”

“That I had the ambitious desire to open a café in the heart of Paris and will be focusing on that, which makes it impossible to handle juggling my current responsibilities left behind by Master L and my passions to take on a third position that my dear brother from another mother does far too well,” he summarized and enjoyed a longer sip of his tea.

“Did you actually get a place in Paris?” I was genuinely curious — and impressed he’d actually listened to me for once.

“Opens in the new year,” he declared with a warm smile as he looked back at me. “You should come by for the grand opening. I can tell everyone how you nagged me for at least ten years about how I make coffee worthy for the French shifters of Paris.”

“Did…” I trailed off, deciding it may not be the right moment to ask, but of course, he picked up on it.

“I showed him everything and secretly served him the first cup of coffee a few days ago,” Zayhir revealed. He carried a nostalgic expression before he closed his eyes. “Master L knew we’d potentially be targeted the moment he passed, particularly you and the woman you’re mated to.”

He opened his eyes again and smiled.

“Which is why he asked me to ensure you two are protected and given the resources you need to get back on your feet,” he revealed. “So to give you peace of mind, I’m on your side and won’t bend to the whims of the Coven because they lost something completely out of their control.”

I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until I let it out. “Thank you, Zayhir,” I voiced with a slight bow of my head. “Seriously.”

“I’d never forsake you, Zane,” he assured me. “It’s crazy how we’re on the same side as the Phoenixes and yet the Coven is so desperate to make you into enemies. Always left me wondering what their end game is.”

“Their end game,” Aurelia whispered.

There had to be one. A hidden purpose as to why they were so desperate to make Aurelia and Willow enemies. But what could it possibly be?

What benefit do they get from putting them against each other?

“Well, whatever they’re yearning to happen is working,” Aurelia muttered, and I looked over to her as she stared at the cup in her grasp. Those golden spheres of hers were already pooling with tears, which left my heart aching as I wished to steal every strand of pain that dared plague her kind heart.

Aurelia never deserved the shit she continued to go through, and it was becoming crystal clear that she wouldn’t be able to take it much longer.

How far do they wish to go? Do they want to see Aurelia crumble before they show her mercy?

“Aurelia.” I spoke her name tenderly, the emotion in my voice and my empathetic expression reeling her in as her glassy eyes sought mine. “We’ll fix it, baby.”

That only made those tears fall as she slowly shook her head.

“What if it’s too late to fix it, Zane?” she dared to state with hopelessness.

“It can be fixed,” Zayhir jumped in. “There’s obviously a hidden agenda here. We just need to discover it.”

“No.”

We both stared at Aurelia as she shook her head again.

“I…don’t want to continue doing this.”

“Aura,” I whispered. “Willow is important to you. She cares about you, and so do the others.”

“The others don’t give a shit about me, Zane,” she argued, and I noticed the glimmer of anger that fought desperately to be seen.

To be acknowledged.

“You don’t know that,” Zayhir commented, and yet that simply made Aurelia laugh as more tears spilled down her flushed cheeks.

“You wouldn’t be saying that if you were surrounded by seven men who all weren’t in your fucking favor!” she snapped and forced herself to lean forward to place her mug and saucer back on the table before it broke from her abrupt movements.

“Seven?” I hadn’t been keeping track of Willow’s pack of men, which was clearly growing since the last time I’d aided in their affairs.

“Seven,” Aurelia repeated. “All of them staring at me with doubt and uncertainty after it became clear that my meds made their mate suicidal after she endured getting sick and having a seizure.”

“Did you explain to them that it wasn’t you?” Zayhir inquired.

“I tried but fuck. How could they care when Willow was kidnapped, died on the mountain, was revived somehow, and practically died again after she met her mother?” Aurelia summed up before she was up and running her hands through her hair. “Despite everything that happened, despite me helping them stop the avalanche and saving the townspeople and ourselves, I still felt like a fucking villain! When I wanted to help Willow when her heart stopped again, no one would let me near her. It was like I was a fucking disease and they wouldn’t dare let me get close to the woman they deem their queen.”

“Aurelia…” Zayhir looked as conflicted as I was as we continued to listen to what she’d experienced.

“I fucking rushed to be there. I raced over on my bike to fix shit and for what? It didn’t change anything! I spoke the truth and pleaded to be heard, and yet no one wanted to hear my say. No one was in my fucking corner…and I had to do this knowing the…one set of men that actually give a fucking damn about me are somewhere in Faerie! Fucking arrested by the same organization that’s doing everything it can to screw me over!” She fought to wipe away her tears but more simply fell as she fought a sob. “My mate just lost his father figure and I can’t be a good woman and give the support he needs. We just lost this fucking High Court Chair and I’m on everyone’s shit list. I’ve committed to being the best friend I can be and yet I’m knocked out by her royal sister and just dumped on the Coven’s doorstep like a piece of trash. Even after we teleported away from the Coven, I worked quickly to make Willow’s meds that would keep her stable and asked Zane to teleport them to Mount Marcy so Willow wouldn’t go through withdraw. Why do I keep doing everything for everyone else…yet in the end, I’m dying inside.”

I wanted to get up and hug her, to comfort my love and assure her that everything was going to be okay, but everything she said was fucking right, and what hurt the most was the fact that this wasn’t over.

When would it end?

“If I’m supposed to redeem myself, does that mean I have to be a fucking villain to do so? Because of my naive stupidity, do I have to keep going on this path until I stop fucking breathing?” She sobbed and huffed as she shook her head again. “No matter how many times I think about it, I end up with the same conclusion. This cycle will never end until I’m fucking dead. Like my mother. Like Grandma Valentine. I can’t escape this shit and I can’t fucking run away because that’s not fair to my men. My pack of misfits who have to deal with being fucking outcasts and being associated with me. Even minding their own business they’re being punished in another realm I can’t even have access to. What kind of fucking Alpha am I supposed to be then?”

“It’s becoming clear that the Coven doesn’t feel like home, does it?” Zayhir quietly muttered, and it made Aurelia laugh almost manically before she stared at the man in question with hurt eyes.

“I’ve never felt at home. Never in my fucking life. I’ve always been an outcast. A true misfit in that magic community that criticizes me for being a hybrid. Why was I so stupid? Why did I always neglect Aries thinking I’d eventually find my path as a witch and be given the opportunity to grow as a wolf shifter? From the beginning, I’ve been used for the sake of being replaced, and here we are. Aurelia Clementine. The disgrace of a Coven Head on administrative leave with all her assets and resources put on hold and blocked from her access while some mind-controlling piece of shit has everyone wrapped around her finger! My pack is missing, my mate lost his dream career as punishment for being committed to me, and everyone believes I just handed the chair position to Willow De Luca because we used to date,” she ranted. “If this is supposed to be some sinister plot to shun me because I was forced to be a part of this fuckin society that wants to push me into the grave, then congratulations to them because they’re fucking winning.”

I was already in front of her by the time she finished her statement — my arms wrapping around her in fear she’d simply slip away from my grasp if I didn’t move quickly enough.

“Breathe, Aura,” I encouraged, knowing damn well she was forgetting to do that like she always did before facing a full-blown panic attack. “All you have to do is focus on breathing, baby,” I urged her. “I’m still here, and we’re going to get through this, understand?”

Her response was a muffled sob as she hugged me back and sobbed into my shoulder until she was surely exhausted from all of this emotional trauma.

I pulled back to look into her eyes, searching for that spark that always shone when she had the intention of bouncing back from whatever was plaguing her in the current circumstances of life, but for the first time, there was nothing there.

Just a void of hopelessness.

“Why don’t you go take a nice hot shower, hmm?” I offered, knowing that could help. I leaned in close, my lips brushing hers without hesitation before I firmly kissed her. “I’ll come in a bit.”

I knew she needed me.

Not just physically, but in all aspects, and I wanted to have the privilege to spend all the time we needed together to get that spark back. To rejuvenate the determination to live and fight against our closest enemy.

The Coven.

“C’mon. I’ll show you where we’re staying,” I encouraged, then proceeded to tug her with me until we were in the guest room I knew Zayhir would offer us to stay in for the time being.

I’d enjoyed the massive guest bedroom a few times in the past, and it would be perfect to meet our needs while giving us a sense of privacy for who knew how long we’d need until we were able to go back to our apartments.

Until we could achieve a level of normalcy again.

“I need to talk to Zayhir real quick and then I’ll be back here, okay?” I assured her and kissed her long and hard. She simply nodded, and though it wasn’t something I was satisfied with, I had to give her a moment to be alone.

“I love you,” I whispered against her lips before pressing a kiss to her forehead. She slightly glanced up at me, staring into my eyes for a long minute before she whispered, “I love you, too.”

“That’s my Aura,” I encouraged and cradled her face so I could kiss her one more time. “I’ll be back, kay?”

“Kay.”

After I left and closed the door, I didn’t know how long I stood there with my hand on the knob. I’d known Aurelia long enough to know she needed time to be with her thoughts, even though I was certain they were negative. She’d feel as though I was invading or watching her as if I didn’t trust her, which wasn’t the case in the slightest.

I had to put myself in her shoes for a moment and acknowledge that she was just in a situation where no one was willing to support her. Even though she’d obviously proved she was on the right side of this chaotic situation, Willow’s pack was clearly falling into the trap the Coven was setting out for them.

I was sure it might not have been intentional — the spike of emotional trauma matched with seeing one of their own die multiple times was a big contributor to all of the tension and victim blaming — but this couldn’t continue if it would have such a negative effect on Aurelia.

It wasn’t until I heard the sound of the shower turning on that I felt confident enough to leave my place and return to the living room where Zayhir remained sitting and sipping on his cup of coffee.

“They want her to die.”

I stopped before the fireplace while I slid my hands into my pockets to hide their trembling. Zayhir probably sensed it, the deep-rooted anger inside me that was boiling for revenge.

To kill every fucker who dared contribute to her sadness.

“There are two paths she’s on, Zane.” Zayhir’s voice barely reached my ears. “She’ll either perish by her own hands or die at the hands of that Coven who can’t wait to spill her blood on the soil of our ancestors.”

I couldn’t say anything.

I simply watched the fire continue to burn, to the point where I had to be hallucinating because those flames of orange were now tainted black. Releasing a breath out of my nostrils, I tugged my eyes away just so I could look at Zayhir, who didn’t judge me in the slightest.

Instead, he leaned forward to lay his cup of tea on the table before he rose up and took two steps to face me.

We were the same height, and his eyes locked on mine before he took a slow glance from my head to my toes.

Then he smiled.

“My father always wondered when the day would arrive when he’d witness nothing but anger in those eyes of yours,” he whispered. “The boiling rage he saw the day he found you. He thought he’d never see it again, and yet the intense fury in your eyes tells me you’d kill for your woman.”

“I’d destroy the world for her.” My voice was emotionless and I felt the presence of my wolves that inched out of the shadows of my subconscious to further empower me with their slow prowling movement – every step bringing them closer to the invisible surface that kept them at bay.

“What if I told you the only way out of this is to watch your woman fall?” Zayhir offered and watched the way my nostrils flared as I took a single step forward – our faces mere inches apart.

“I’d want to kill you just like the rest of this fucking world.”

“Good,” he praised as his smile only widened. “Now what if I told you the only way for your queen to rise to her designated throne and for you to claim your birthright with your brother is to return to the rooted plane you’ve been forced to forget about?”

I frowned at his words as my brows furrowed in confusion.

“Birthright? Brother? Designated throne?” I didn’t understand.

“Do you think the Coven is so stupid to prey on someone as innocent as Aurelia? That they’ve done everything in their power to make her a puppet all these years and are now only taking every measure possible to push her to the edge so she’ll end her existence over some stupid position? They don’t want Aurelia to focus on her shifter traits. Her wolf is one thing, but what about the side that’s clearly bonded to you?”

He leaned in to whisper into my right ear.

“What about the tainted blood of royalty that runs through her veins and is now boiling with just as much rage as yours is right this instant?”

He side-glanced my way while allowing his eyes to begin to glow with hints of white.

“They fear what will be unleashed now that they’ve isolated her. Their methods are working but at what cost? They thought sending the lot of your pack to Faerie was a punishment that would lead to their ends, but you can feel their burning flames. They’re alive and surviving in the Court that’s been ruled by a temporary leader all this while. They try to act confident and like everything is under control, but if only you can see how they scramble in wait to hear the news. To hear that those misfit psychos are dead and not co-existing in a world that was meant for them to rise and walk in confidence in their embodied elements of rulership.”

The way he chuckled next sent shivers through me, and though I tried to not react to it, I felt this gleefulness brewing within me.

“What if I told you that everything happening is absolutely essential for you to find yourself? To find your roots. To be reunited with your royal family and discover the lands and world you were destined to rule one day,” he offered in hopes I could picture it unfolding in my mind.

Which I could.

“A world of darkness. Forests and seas of shadows. A world begging to be discovered. Not just by you, but by the woman at your side,” he emphasized. “Your queen wants redemption, but that is only at the surface of it all. She needs to break free from the shackles placed upon her in this realm. To break the cycle the very Coven seeks to let continue until she can no longer bear the consequences.” He paused and closed his eyes as if he wanted to see what he was about to say next. “Sometimes a phoenix needs to rise from its very ashes to witness firsthand the scorching destiny that is blazing through the limitless sky.”

“If they kill her, Zayhir…it’s over,” I whispered.

“Death is only an invitation, my brother,” he whispered and slowly moved around me until he stood at my back. “But what if I told you there’s a way to break the cycle? A golden opportunity approaching that will show the Coven’s true colors and reveal the alliances they’re desperate to keep hidden until Aurelia has fulfilled her purpose? I could not only do that but open the doors so you and the rest of your deck of cards can find out why you’re connected to a magical artifact from the realms of Faerie. Or better yet, why you’ve been brought together by a triple hybrid witch. If I can finally take you out of the shadows to see the light you’ve yearned to witness, would you be up for the challenge?”

He walked around me once more until we were facing each other – his eyes back to normal as he waited for my answer.

“You won’t dance around the truth?” I asked.

“Unnecessary,” he commented. “Though I can’t say everything. I’ll have to lead you and let destiny take its course.”

“Something Master L would do.”

“I sadly have my father’s genes,” he teased with a wink. “Vincenzo took more from mother.”

“That would make sense,” I muttered. “None of us will perish.”

“Perish as in everlasting death? No,” he declared. “But rebirth is a must for your queen, and I can see exactly how we can do it.”

“You won’t abandon us midway?”

“My loyalty will never waver when it comes to you, Zane.” His voice softened with those words. “You’ve paid your dues long ago for all the times you’ve had my back.”

I allowed myself to smile just slightly before I nodded my head and looked right into his eyes.

“How much time do you need?”

“You have until the clock strikes twelve on December 31st,” he vowed. “You will stay here, with the expectation of playing to the Coven’s tune when they summon Aurelia. I can hide your energies and place them in a decoy apartment so the Coven is aware of your ‘whereabouts.’ Whatever the Coven has planned for Aurelia needs to happen so Willow’s pack won’t question her absence. Once that happens, you have the perfect time to venture to Faerie to reunite with the others.”

“Won’t that mean they’ll be in Faerie for months?” I voiced with a bit of concern.

“Yes, but I doubt the Valentine Court will harm them. The current ruler is rather…hmmm.” He paused to think about it before continuing. “Picky with whom he kills. With your group of psychotic triple hybrids, he won’t bother getting rid of them. As for the king…well. He’s rather tame when the prince warns him not to play around with his pets.”

“Great,” I groaned and actually felt pity for them. “What did you mean about me having a brother?”

“I’ll explain that tomorrow,” he assured me. “It would be best to return to your woman’s side. She needs your warmth,” he encouraged. “Cold showers are just a pain when it’s winter season.”

Fuck. Aurelia.

I turned to leave but forced myself to stop for a moment.

“Will we be victorious, Zayhir?” I had to know. “Will we win at the end of this?”

“You will gain your redemption,” he assured me. “And with that, you’ll be invited to finally return to a place that will be deserving of being called home.”

That was enough for me.

“You have my loyalty, Zayhir,” I whispered.

His hands fell upon my shoulders and squeezed gently.

“As you’ll always have mine.”

I tried not to get emotional as I glanced over my shoulder to see his appreciative smile.

“Attend to your love, but remember,” he whispered and encouraged me to turn around so he could tap against my chest, right over my heart. “Tend to your heartache.”

I had to fight the urge to cry as I slowly nodded my head.

“We’ll talk in the morning.”

“I’ll make sure a nice breakfast awaits you both,” he assured me.

He pulled me into a hug, and I allowed myself to dwell in his warm hug for a few extra seconds, needing it more than I’d ever let on before he let me slip away.

My queen awaits.

CHAPTER 4

Awaken A Hidden Power Of Shadows

~AURELIA~

Streams of water ran down my naked flesh — frigid droplets that should have left me trembling with teeth clattering — but I was but a frozen statute under the running water.

My body was nothing but numb.

How long had I stood here?

It was a question that seemed rhetorical because that wasn’t what I cared about.

There were so many things circulating in my mind that I couldn’t concentrate on one thing anymore. They spun around, begging for my attention, but all I could do was stare at the tiled wall and allow my emotions and thoughts the privilege to assault my senses.

“I can fix this.” The words left my parted lips, and yet they held not an ounce of emotion in them. It was like I was a robot, running on the hopeful assumption that I’d overcome this.

I have no choice but to overcome this. There’s too much at stake now.

It should have been that easy to pull me out of this trance of stillness, and yet all it did was sink me deeper into this void of dread.

I felt like I was drowning, even though I stood in the midst of the glass shower with my head down.

Daring to close my eyes for a brief second only opened a door of images that took the opportunity to haunt my mind.

“We should be keeping you far away from Willow since you guys are so desperate to get her killed.”

“Yet you fucked up with the pills.”

“Our Sweetness was fucking suicidal and on the verge of killing herself because you couldn’t keep your fucking eyes on the very meds you create for her to keep her intact?”

I shook my head to stop the memories of the recent incident from sinking me further into this pool of dread, but opening my eyes felt like another task itself as my surroundings were but walls of darkness.

“This is why you’re useless!”

“Why couldn’t you be the prodigy I asked for?!”

“That useless father of yours ruined everything!”

“No matter. I can use you.”

The woman’s voice was familiar and yet I couldn’t plaster a face on the manic woman who was dissatisfied with everything I did.

“Always a failure! Never reaching her potential! Is it because she’s a triple hybrid? No. That woman’s child is the same. They’re no different. Then why are you so PATHETIC?!”

I flinched at the screeching sound as if I’d been hit — my heavy eyelids desperately trying to open so I could awaken from this nightmare, but it kept going on and on as this woman hidden in the shadows continued to degrade me.

“Useless! Weak! A failed prodigy! Dammit. Why did I not bring Augustus? Why did I fuck up by choosing this weak child?! If I used him, I could have switched his gender to a girl. I could mimic what the Phoenixes are doing. Yes. That’s it. I may not be able to use this weak child, but what if it’s my chance for an opportunity? I can plan it all. A life-or-death situation that lures Elphaba’s child to where I need her. A frigid ending. A chance that will force them to rely on us. Then, I can get what I need. Slowly. In secret.”

Her laughter echoed and taunted me — bouncing against the walls and making my ears ring. The world spun as it felt like my lungs couldn’t dare expand, yet all I craved was to see the woman who wished to use me like the rest of the world.

I mentally begged for a glimpse as I fought to survive the darkness that suffocated me in silence. I knew this woman held a clue to the cycle of suffering I’d endured for all these years, but why couldn’t I remember her?

What significance does she carry in my path of life?

Chilled hands pressed against my cheeks almost painfully, and the mocking laughter peaked at its highest note before the being that clung to me leaned in close to reveal her cynical expression.

“You’ll be my sacrificial lamb. That’s the least you can do for not living up to my expectations. That would hurt that useless man who promised me a golden child. Hitting two birds with one stone. Excellent. Marvelous!”

My eyes widened in pure fear at the sight of the woman who beamed at my frightened response, for the individual wasn’t what I expected.

The woman…was me?

“Aurelia. Breathe!”

My eyes snapped open suddenly, and I gasped for air like my lungs had been begging for the source of oxygen for eons.

I blinked multiple times, realizing my eyes were watering in seconds while my body shook so violently, one would think I came out from a blizzard without clothes.

All I could do was peer up until I realized Zane was literally drenched in his clothes as he held me against him with concerned eyes.

“Zane?” I croaked, trying to figure out what happened to land me naked in his arms on the shower floor.

I was standing just a second ago.

“Why were you showering in cold water?” he decided to question me. His voice was harsh, like he wanted to lecture me but he was holding back while his worry for me was as prominent as his fear of losing me that thrummed through our connection.

“I…” There wasn’t an excuse. “I couldn’t feel it.”

He simply stared at me before he sighed and scooped me up.

“Aurelia,” he finally stated and I prepared for him to scold me. I felt like he wanted to and yet he still hesitated.

“Sorry.”

The apology left my trembling lips before I could think because I didn’t want him to be mad at me.

No. I didn’t want him to abandon me like everyone else.

One look into my eyes made him cave as he groaned and cradled me against him.

“Dammit, baby,” he cursed. “You’re going to make me not want to leave you alone.”

“I…know…” I commented against him, not caring about his drenched clothes. Despite us being soaked, his body was far warmer than mine, so I was taking advantage of pressing against his body in hopes it would help me stop shivering so violently.

He let out another sigh and lowered my legs to the floor, but held my full weight while he reached for the shower knob and turned the stream on — only this time the water was warm.

He waited for our bodies to adjust to the new temporary before increasing it to the point that steam began to filter through the glass box space, but his attention was now on me as he continued to hold me against him.

“Are you okay?” he eventually asked.

“No,” I earnestly replied. “I’m…I was trying to find the spark.”

“The spark…” He trailed off while trying to figure out what I meant.

“The spark…to keep pushing,” I muttered. “I tried…but then I remember all these bad things…and then…everything was dark. A woman’s voice kept insulting me. It talked about a boy name Augustus. She had a plan and I was a part of it…but when I finally got to see her face…” I trailed off, but he didn’t speak to rush me.

He let me take a moment to breathe before revealing the haunting image that continued to taunt me in the back of my mind.

“The woman was me,” I revealed. “A sinister…evil version of me. It was so frightening…I couldn’t fathom it. Then you said my name and I woke up.”

His arms hugged me a little tighter and I gathered the strength to hug him in return as I relaxed in his comforting hold.

“You’re in a dark mindset right now,” he acknowledged. “It makes it easy for your magic to be negatively affected and show you things that may not be true,” he reasoned.

Pulling back, he moved us away from the stream so he could wipe my face. I doubted he could tell the difference between the beads of water and my tears, but he knew I was struggling.

I was in my weakest state right now which left me feeling even more vulnerable.

“You don’t need to find the spark right now,” he revealed as he brushed his thumbs across my cheeks. “No one is rushing you, Aura.”

“But…” I struggled not to panic as the various thoughts came to my mind and begged for me to vomit them out. “Everyone hates me. Ace…Quinn…Jack…King. They’re being punished in Faerie because of me. Everything is caving in, Zane…and…and…everyone wants to make me the villain. I…I…I can’t win this. I can’t gain redemption when everyone hates me. They won’t listen…and it’ll only get worse. It’ll ruin my reputation until I have nothing left…and…and…”

I was panicking again.

“Breathe, Aurelia,” he coached, and I fought to do that as my shoulders moved up and down to help me breathe.

“I don’t want to be a failure, Zane.” I choked on tears. “I…I can’t afford to lose you and the others. You’re…all I have left now. You’re the only one who believes me. How…how do I fix this? I can’t…I can’t figure out how to fix it.”

“Shh, baby,” he urged, knowing I was literally tipping into a full-blown panic attack. “You don’t need to figure it out now.” He spoke nice and slow. “As of now, I know they’re alive. Despite the circumstances that brought them to Faerie, the Fae aren’t ruthless enough to kill them unless it’s in some sort of sport or gamble. Fae enjoy the thrill of witnessing survival in a competitive manner, and you have to remember, the other three are Fae and of royalty.”

“That leaves Ace,” I whispered and bit my bottom lip before I scrunched my face. “The pictures.”

“Pictures?” Of course, he wouldn’t understand because I’d yet to tell him about it.

“Before everything went to hell…I was at the Coven Library, in the archives trying to find more about myself and the history of the Coven we’re clearly not aware of. I was going to leave when I heard Medusa’s hisses which led me to a file cabinet that she was locked inside. How she got there is beyond me, but when I opened it up, I found a bunch of files and reports. Three pictures came out and well…”

“What did they reveal, Aura?” Zane gave me his full attention.

“The Royal Picnic,” I began as I recalled the very photograph. “We were there. All of us. Me. Willow. Ace, Jack, Quinn, and Quil were in separate bodies. You were there, too. We were all kids. Maybe we were between five and ten? Willow had to be the youngest, but either way, we were all together enjoying a picnic in Faerie.”

“In Faerie?” He looked intrigued now as he tried to recall anything revolving around what I just revealed. “I don’t remember going to Faerie. At least not as a kid. I only went when I was in my teens with Master L and a few times for missions as an adult, but I try to avoid going there.”

“Why?”

“It’s odd to admit, but it makes me feel homesick,” he confessed. “Whenever I went, I felt this nagging need to explore Faerie. To go through the valleys and mountains and discover the various kingdoms, towns, and villages. When I go there, I feel like an adventurer and endure a bubbly excitement that pushes me to get whatever task I’m ordered to take care of promptly finished so I can live those last hours or days looking around the kingdom I’m assigned to.”

He pulled us into the stream again, as though he wanted us to wrap up our shower so we wouldn’t get a cold.

We paused in our conversation so we could focus on washing off. Zane ended up stripping off his clothes before we proceeded to help each other scrub down. It felt like something so natural now, one of many showers we’d enjoyed, only this didn’t involve sex or stimulating one another.

It was comforting to have his help, and having him allow me to aid him in return really did give me a good distraction from the hollow hopelessness I’d been feeling since I woke up.

Instead of using magic to dry us off, we did it the mundane way by using a hair dryer for our drenched strands while wrapped in fuzzy towels.

I ended up sitting down and letting Zane blow dry my hair, the action helping me relax further as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sound of the blasting air.

Deep down, I felt this need to get back to the conversation at hand, but embracing this moment of normalcy felt like more of a priority.

I began to wonder what happened now. What do I do next?

Those questions revolving around the future then made me wonder if this was the Aurelia I was going to be.

A weak woman who’s shunned by the world until she disappeared forever.

The talk of the magic community would fade, and soon enough, my name would be forgotten, just like Grandma Valentine. Crazy how life worked.

Your relevance could be the most prominent in this vast world, and the warmth and legacy it produced began to fade when your flame was gone.

Until you’re but a memory in books, journals, articles, pieces of art, and the depths of the hearts of those left behind.

The click of a lamp being switched off followed by the creak of the bed made me realize I was no longer sitting on the velvet black stool in the washroom.

Arms wrapped around me from behind, embracing me before a thick blanket of warmth moved to lay upon us.

“Zane?” I croaked, my voice thick with sleep.

I really had fallen asleep. I didn’t even notice.

“Yes, Aura?”

“I fell asleep,” I whined.

“You did.” He didn’t seem like he minded as he further snuggled against me and kissed the left side of my neck. “How are you feeling?”

“Still tired,” I confessed. “I forgot what we were talking about.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked first, and I couldn’t help but turn my head enough to meet his observant gaze.

“You don’t want to know?”

“It’s not like I don’t want to listen to what else you discovered, Aurelia,” he reasoned. “I just want to make sure you’re sharing this information because you wish to versus feeling pressured into sharing it like we’re solving some big mystery.”

“What if it’s a bit of both?” I offered.

“Then I can get a coin and we can decide on what we’re going to do?” he offered, which actually made me smile.

“Or we can just fuck?” I teased back and watched the way his eyes dilated at my offer.

“If you tempt me like that you’re going to leave me starving, baby,” he whispered, then kissed me. “Grand reveal now or after?”

That actually made me laugh because he wasn’t going to throw sex off the table. He wasn’t even going to gamble the idea of not fucking now that I brought it up.

“Ace is your brother.”

The silence that followed left me waiting for some sort of reaction from him, but he stared back at me in return, which seemed odd because I thought he’d freak out or laugh at what I was saying.

“Zane?”

“Yes, Aurelia?”

“Did you malfunction?”

“No.”

“Then…why aren’t you surprised by the news?”

“I know Ace is my brother.”

I just stared at him in return as his words sunk into my mind — leaving me absolutely confused as I gawked at him.

“Wait. You know?”

“I know,” he calmly assured me.

“How long have you known?”

He needed a moment to think about it.

“When I broke the pack connection with Ace,” he revealed. “So a few years back. When we went our separate ways.”

“Does he know that you know?”

“No.” He shook his head. “Ace doesn’t know we’re related.”

“So you know your heritage,” I said like it was a fact.

“No.”

I frowned.

“I’m not understanding, Zane.”

He enjoyed my struggle to figure this out before he kissed my pouting lips and encouraged me to turn so we lay on our sides facing one another.

“When I pulled out of the pack bond we carried back then, I witnessed some of Ace’s memories. It was like going backward in time. His teen years led to the few years he spent watching you in the shadows. It then went back to the moments he spent with you. Before the rejection and the chaos that ensued. That seemed to be when he was the happiest. When the days were ones he looked forward to. You really were his sunshine, Aura,” he quietly confessed as he stared into my eyes.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. My heart ached to find the Alpha in question so I could give him a big hug.

“I didn’t really think anything else would be seen aside from that, but then the memories continued… as if I’d jumped into a completely different life. One of the royal garments and vast gardens. It was a mental shock because things went from night to day. How this world of magic didn’t even open up the true gates of happiness in Ace’s life,” he revealed. “In the world of colors and power, the darkness was but his friend. The shadows danced around his frame when he was joyous and bowed when he was angry and wanted change. He shared moments with other children, who at the time, I hadn’t acknowledged were the ones in our pack of this present day. All of them had roles and were destined for kingdoms we knew nothing about, and then, it came down to a moment where it was just me and him as we waved goodbye to you.”

He needed a moment to recall the memory that wasn’t his. Those knowledgeable eyes seemed far away as the imagery unfolded within his mind.

“You were walking away, waving goodbye to us while being led by a male adult. He looked to be a father figure, a crown sitting boldly upon his head as he walked forward while speaking to a couple on the left. I didn’t get much insight on the couple, but they both wore crowns as well, and the male carried a little girl who looked a lot like Willow. She was smaller than you, but I felt like it definitely was her. They were making their way to a portal that appeared out of nowhere, swirling to life and encouraging them to walk into it. I stood there waving, watching it all before glancing over at the other boy standing next to me.” He paused while a serene expression formed on his face. “There was Ace. One look and you could tell he had the biggest crush on you without even registering it. He was so happy and thrilled to have just enjoyed your company with friends as he stood there wearing royal clothes of black with embroidery of gold, green, and black. He wore a crown on his head that was black with dark purple jewels, which was completely opposite from what I wore. Compared to his black attire, I was all in white. I knew I wore a crown like he did, but I couldn’t tell what color it was. I just felt like we were the opposites of one another. One of light…and one of darkness.”

“Did you get to see your parents?” I dared to ask.

“I couldn’t see their faces. They stood behind us, smiling big and wide while they waved to our leaving company. Their crowns sat upon their heads, but their faces were shadowed. Like it was some sort of mystery. I only recall the details of everything because I kept replaying it in my head for months.”

“Why didn’t you tell Ace?”

“If such memories existed in his mind, why doesn’t he recall them?” Zane countered as he stared back at me. “I kept questioning that again and again when I first experienced the whirlwind of his past. What bothered me more was why I couldn’t recall the same experience. Why didn’t you remember such a prevalent moment? The memory was a happy one. A core encounter for all of us. Surely that meant it would be something we cherished. It meant enough that I’d witness it when Ace was at the peak of pain just as I was when I tugged away from the bond.”

He closed his eyes for a moment.

“If all of us can’t recall that we had parents of royalty and potentially visited and lived in Faerie in some parts of our childhood, that meant we were forced to forget. That there was a reason to bring us here onto this world and live our lives as if we had been discarded by those we loved. This was a choice that all of our parents had to agree to. A choice that led some of us to believe we were orphans while others experienced agony and hate from those who may have known our roots and despised our heritages.”

He opened his eyes again, and they were filled with confliction.

“If we’re truly all of royal backgrounds, doesn’t that finally answer why we were despised as children? Why you could never please the Coven no matter what you did? Why Ace was deemed an orphan just like me when his ‘parents’ were slain before his eyes? We had to deal with so much shit. So much chaos and despair while building ourselves up in a world that was desperate to see us crumble and fall again and again. If we carry Fae roots, then our lives were meant to be strenuous in hopes we’d never find our true calling,” he revealed and whispered, “Our true home.”

True home…

“So…this means we’re all of Fae royalty?” I whispered. “Ace included.”

“Fae royals are known to send their children to the mundane world to go through the trials and uncertainties of any human and shifter. I’m sure Milo from Willow’s pack experienced similar seeing as he was a police officer prior to meeting Willow. I’d heard from the news that he was an undercover officer and almost died, but was saved thanks to Willow’s team’s intervention. Obviously, we know that behind the scenes, things had to have been different for them to meet, but it’s clear he’s of royal background and from an extremely powerful Fae kingdom,” he explained. “Despite his roots, he was a captive of the Vile Queen, wasn’t he?”

“Ya,” I answered, recalling that Milo was once a prisoner of the Vile Queen’s wrath. “So everything we’ve endured is some sort of trial that was made so we don’t become cocky leaders?”

“Maybe?” Zane didn’t sound sure. “I never understood the reason for Fae royalty having to come down here and experience such a rough upbringing. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s a good thing because look at the many Fae who are born and raised in Faerie. Many are cocky underachievers who think their status will pave their way to a life of luxury. They treat people horribly, believe they’re deserving of the finest items and clothing, and surely wouldn’t wish to work if they can afford it. Living in this world is humbling, and since royals are normally destined to take over the thrones of their kingdoms, it can be why it’s so common in their culture to commit to these traditions. A part of me understands the logistics of everything, but…”

“But finding out you could have lived a different life around those who truly cherish us makes you wonder what kind of people we could have become,” I whispered.

He tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Ace has been through a lot. More than he’d ever lead on. Some things were unavoidable when as a puppet used to destroy everything good in your life, but other situations he’s fallen into were pure malice from those in the shadows that wish to ruin all of us. If I told him prematurely that his struggles and painful experiences were but a test because we’re royals…I don’t know. It’s insulting and disheartening because despite knowing we’re royalty, that’s all we know,” he acknowledged. “We don’t know our family roots. Our parents’ names. We can’t freely waltz into Faerie and discover the truth. Everything was up in the air in comparison to now where it seems evident that Faerie is our next stop for finding the truth revolving around our roles in this world. If I told him back then, it just wouldn’t make sense ‘cause nothing could be done.”

He did have a point.

“No reason for searching for something that doesn’t want to be found. It wasn’t our time to discover who we’re destined to be, but now that Ace and the others have been unexpectedly pulled into Faerie, that will unlock all the secrets we didn’t realize we craved.”

“All that’s left is us going there,” I voiced the obvious.

“That starts with us resting and playing the game of the Coven until you can cut ties with Willow,” Zane revealed, which made me frown at the thought.

“I have no choice, do I?”

“If you don’t do it, the Coven will simply force you to. We could wait for that to happen, which may aid in us going away to Faerie without everyone watching our every move, but I think it’s a must to cut ties. At least, Zayhir thinks so.”

“The Coven would rather see me become a loner and die than let me prosper in the slightest by having allies,” I muttered and noticed the way Zane’s eyes darkened. “Zane?”

“Zayhir said that may be something we have to achieve.”

“Me dying?” I gasped and cringed. “Honey, this ain’t a game where you can throw a revive at me and I come back to life.”

“Sometimes phoenixes have to rise from the ashes to experience a new world rebirth,” Zane whispered as his eyes never left mine. “He wants you to break the cycle and I think the only way of doing that is facing death.”

“How though?” I asked. “Death isn’t a gamble we can play around with.”

“You can,” he voiced. “When you have all the right cards.” He smirked at that before he pulled me against him and kissed the top of my head. “We’re going to plot out a game plan and figure this shit once and for all.”

“And if it makes us look bad?”

If no one wants to support us anymore…

“Then we become the villains they wish to see us portray,” he muttered into my hair as he held me even tighter. “We’re not living to please the world. We’re living to find our purposes and enjoy the lives we were destined to live.”

He was quiet for a moment before muttering, “I’m tired of hiding and acting like a different person to please the world. I’m tired of working over and above to carry ranks and achievements that can be stripped at the snap of one’s fingers. We’re painted with praise when we move to the tune and destroyed and ridiculed when we are no longer deemed useful. What’s the point of all the sacrifices and hardships we’ve gone through if it’s thrown under the rug by the community that begged us to achieve their standards of acceptance? That’s just bullshit to me.”

He was right. So damn right.

“Do you think we have a life in Faerie?”

“Well, we’re royal mates. I’m sure we have not only a life to live but a place to call home. Kingdoms to explore. I’m sure we won’t get the privilege to do everything with how everything is closing in towards the new year, but I think we could get a glimpse that will validate our desire for change and acceptance,” he encouraged. “I think we could finally find a place to call home there.”

“No matter what we decide…” I trailed off and tried not to get emotional as I hugged him back. “You’ll stick with me, yes?”

“Always,” he vowed. “You’re stuck with me, Aurelia.”

“Then…I guess the end game is Faerie.”

I’m done running away.

CHAPTER 5

The Calm Before The Storm

“Zane.” I glared at the wizard who continued to taunt me with his shirtless chest. “I can’t concentrate when you’re acting like the most popular underwear model in New York City.”

I flicked the two pieces of cream parchment paper that had various magic incantations and circles into the air, and their thin bodies floated towards the half-circle wall of hovering sheets.

That was the current stack of ancient knowledge I was delving into. Piles upon stacks of loose sheets and thick, encyclopedia-type books were gathered against the wall behind my back.

With my crossed legs, I moved my hand in an encouraging gesture which summoned another seven sheets of paper to come forward from the pile I’d been working on, blocking the view of my rather naughty wizard.

Sexy distraction.

“I heard that,” he voiced, but I ignored him as I was back to focusing on translating what these pages had to tell the reader. “Aurelia.”

His call went over my head as my eyes darted between the floating pages, my brows scrunching at the intriguing incantation that caught my attention because of its name.

Resurrection.

I ended up reaching for the specific sheet of paper, my eyes immediately scanning the contents from head to toe while I further straightened my back as if to stretch.

Sitting crossed-legged for hours was a pain in the joints.

Biting my bottom lip as I brushed away the remaining floating pages in my view to focus solely on this page, I used my free hand to try to create a mock of the spell, but each attempt was missing a specific symbol.

“What the hell?” I pondered to myself as I tilted my head. “I pictured it in my mind. Why doesn’t it work?”

It could have been due to a number of factors — most likely my exhaustion after being up and researching for three days straight this week. I guessed this week was better than the previous ones where I’d go four to five days without sleep.

If it wasn’t for Zane and Zahir, I’d probably forget to eat and drink water on the regular, though those were activities I could do while multitasking.

Bathroom privileges included, though I couldn’t recall when the last time was that I showered this week.

Wiggling my nose as if to catch a whiff of my own scent, I didn’t notice Zane’s movement or the fact that he was standing behind my seated frame until the page I was trying to mimic was out of my view.

“Huh?” I blinked and actually rubbed my eyes thinking the very piece of paper had suddenly disappeared. Then I looked up to see Zane’s deep frown as he peered down at me.

“Aww no,” I whined and let my shoulders sink in apprehension. “What did I do wrong?”

“When are you going to sleep?” he countered.

“I’m not sleepy,” I voiced with a sense of pride as I grinned in triumph before lifting my hand. “Gimmie.”

“No.”

“Zane.”

“I know you used a spell to help you stay awake without the need for sleep,” he accused, which had me gawking back at him like he’d genuinely insulted me. “Don’t deny it either, or I’ll be mad.”

“But it doesn’t hurt anyone!” I whined.

“It hurts a certain witch hybrid who tries to redo the spell until the negative effects hit her in the face and leave her passed out for two days trying to recover,” he argued and narrowed his eyes. “You’ve experienced it twice.”

“The first time was unexpected,” I voiced. “The second time…okay, ya. I fucked up there.”

“Can we please not have a third time,” he voiced in hopes I’d be less cynical in my mission to get us to Faerie.

“Zane,” I whispered. “I can’t rest when we’ve had no progress whatsoever.”

He sighed, knowing I’d bring up the obvious.

While we’d spent a few weeks researching every book, file cabinet, and photocopied document to find a way to go to Faerie without an experienced Fae’s involvement, months had passed by in Faerie and we knew nothing about the rest of our pack’s whereabouts.

Since their disappearance, Medusa had been MIA as well, which gave me some sort of hope that she was with one of the guys — most likely Jack.

With Zane’s ability to feel their energies and confirm they were alive, we were really playing a new gamble of how much time we had left before this Valentine Court of Dark Fae got bored as fuck and decided to wipe my men off the face of existences because we couldn’t figure out how to reach Faerie without anyone else’s help.

I was tempted to ask for the aid of Milo from Willow’s Pack, but I’d noticed the sudden changes in their behavior in recent weeks. Despite my dedication to focus on learning a way to open a portal to Faerie, I was still working even harder to make Willow’s meds.

I didn’t want to admit they were a lot harder to create when I was low on magic and sleep, but as the weeks went on, I was beginning to notice the growing apprehension from Willow’s pack. I’d tried visiting her penthouse but was always declined at the door. Attempts to pass by Forbidden Enterprise weren’t successful either because it was becoming clearer that Willow was growing busier and more powerful without my presence in her life.

It was becoming difficult to even keep track of everything because how could I? I was pushing myself well past my limit trying to juggle finding my men, doing extensive research with Zane, being assisted by Zaphir, who was helping me get better at meditating which was supposed to help me be physically in one place but mentally another, and creating medication for Willow that I had no clue if she was even taking.

The urge to confront her was growing; the need to just have a moment with my best friend so we could really talk this out was becoming a nagging need, but I wasn’t in the position to do so right now.

I doubt she was either seeing as she was juggling inheriting her father’s business, creating Forbidden Enterprise, and now rising to the High Chair position which had everyone talking.

Despite the weeks going by like a breeze, the talk of my failure was only growing in the magic community. It was one of the reasons why I was grateful for Zayhir’s hideout. I could still be informed of all the odd plots people were clearly aiming my way, but I was off the grid, so no one could truly target me.

Or those I cherish.

I’d had only one chance to see Aoa, and I’d sent her away to avoid being tugged into my drama. She didn’t deserve any bullshit from anyone, especially when she’d been so loyal to me and no one else.

It gave me some peace of mind knowing she’d be okay and shielded from the hatred so many witches and wizards carried for me, especially after Zane had admitted he’d put a very strong spell around my apartment because the address had apparently been leaked.

And the number of death and bomb threats caused the building to make a public statement that I’d supposedly moved out.

Basically, my life was falling into shambles, and yet I was fighting to keep pushing to find an entryway to Faerie. Despite having fae traits and magic somewhere within me, just like Zane, neither of us could tap into those energies enough to trigger a portal.

Zahir explained that there were generally three ways of getting to Faerie if you weren’t able to have a Fae guide in your midst. The first was triggering enough magic that the threads of power would seek a channel of fae magic from the other side and tug us into a portal. It was dangerous and took a shit load of magic, but the problem was needing to connect with a channel of fae magic on the other side.

Despite Ace, King, Jack, and Quinn being on the other side, I didn’t carry a strong enough bond to trigger the portal. Ace would be the closest bet, but then again, he didn’t know about his own Fae potential so that wouldn’t work.

The second would be summoning a Fae with magic, pulling them into the mundane realm, and requesting their aid, but that meant you could summon any Fae, and the probability of meeting one who actually wanted to help you and not con you in a way that benefitted them was extremely slim.

The final possibility was… intimate. Meaning I’d essentially have to try to magically reach all five of my pack members  — Zane included — and heighten the bonds between all five of us so it would tug me and Zane into Faerie by default because of the intense pull of our pack bond.

I was avoiding that at all costs because I didn’t want to override anyone’s rights. I may have been close to Ace, Jack, and Quinn, but King was extremely traditional, and forcing a bond just for the sake of finding them could backfire in the long run when he realized what I’d done without asking for his consent.

A tiny part of me wanted to go through with it, knowing King cared about me enough to support my actions, but it was a risky assumption and wasn’t a strong enough chance to take without severe consequences.

I can’t lose any more people on my side of the playing field.

“You can’t keep pushing yourself like this though,” Zane reasoned with seriousness. “We need you to be on your A game, Aurelia. The magic community is still restless and buzzing about losing the chair and the Coven would gladly do anything to fuck you over and throw you in a trap when you least expect it.”

He was right. I couldn’t even deny him or try to brush it off as if I had some sort of immunity.

I really didn’t, and with my connection with Willow going downhill, it wouldn’t be long before things reached public ears and more individuals in the shadows worked overtime to ruin me.

“I get it, Zane. I really do,” I pleaded with him. “B-But I can’t right now. I need to do this. To take at least one step forward in the right direction. We’ve been hitting dead ends since I lost the chair, and without the others, my anxiety just continues to grow by the hour. I don’t want you to think I enjoy hurting my body, mind, and spirit, but this is so important to me. I need to make sure the men I care about within this pack are alive and intact and figure out a solution revolving around my best friend after the fiasco that led Willow and her Forbidden pack from wanting to be near me. I know what I need to do to prove to the Coven that despite my failed efforts to please them, I still carry a few valuable assets to my name. I have to prove to them that I’m still valuable and can’t be easily replaced. That’s probably going to be the hardest task to do when so many wish for my demise for the sake of their own salvation. All the witches and wizards are plaguing me like an approaching tornado and begging me to turn in a different direction. I want to prove that this won’t ruin me. Despite everything, I’m still kicking. That’s why I have to complete this. To prove to those watching that I’m not a pushover. But that starts with me fixing what I can,” I explained, then needed a moment to breathe.

Taking a few deep inhales, I let them out in a timely manner before opening my eyes.

“Reuniting with Ace, Jack, Quinn, and King is the easiest thing to accomplish and will bring the most satisfaction to my troubled heart. It will also ensure Aries and I can dwell in the togetherness of having our pack. At least…” I trailed off as I looked away and blew out some air so I wouldn’t just break down and cry. “At least if I have you guys…if the rest of my life crumbles…I’ll survive.”

The rawness in my voice was enough to encourage him to move around me just so he could embrace me long and hard.

I was fighting so hard not to cry, and despite having Zane’s and Zayhir’s support in this, I wouldn’t deny that this was all hard. These weeks of pushing myself past my limits were as mentally draining as it was physically, which was beginning to make me realize I had to put an end to this before I seriously got hurt.

The dark thoughts rampaged in my mind, taunting me with ideas of eternal peace that was far away from this world that wished I was no longer a part of.

I didn’t want to tell Zane about it or else he’d think I was suicidal, which wasn’t the case — I think. There was no way I could give up yet, but how much more could I take?

How many more buttons are going to be pushed before I revolt and seek an escape route? Even if it means death.

Smooth lips pressed against mine, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts and back to the present where Zane continued to kiss me slowly. Even though we’d been together since this whole ordeal escalated, I felt like neither of us had time to really be with one another.

We were preoccupied with so many thoughts and tasks, that even when we were in the same room, it didn’t feel like we were enjoying each other’s company. I still missed him. I missed us and our lives right before I was forced into the Coven.

It was bittersweet, and I guessed my yearning revolved around missing the old me. The badass me. The woman who wasn’t so…broken. I knew I could get through this somehow, but the path just wasn’t formulating in my mind.

I wanted to figure this out here and now, but Zane had me in a lip lock as he leaned forward to deepen the kiss we shared.

Before I knew it, I was pinned beneath him, my hands roaming across his chest just to feel the lines of his chiseled physique. He took the moment to admire me, his eyes scanning my body before he placed his hands on my hips and hooked his fingers beneath the waistband of the black lace underwear.

“Zayhir may come back,” I breathlessly warned, even though my body was begging to be touched. I needed an escape, even if it was just for a few minutes.

“You and I know that Zayhir’s arrival or company wouldn’t stop me from fucking you here and now, Aurelia.” His voice dropped to a husky growl, and his eyes darkened with lust that made my stomach cartwheel in anticipation.

“Yes…but…” I trailed off as my focus moved to the way he slowly tugged on my underwear, lowering it enough so he’d have easy access. He didn’t delay in freeing his cock, which was hard and ready and left me biting my bottom lip while my eyes surely proved I was far more intrigued by what we were about to do than the consequences.

Zane smiled at my obvious submission as he began to stroke himself. The precum glimmering at the tip of his cock began to pool and drip down his readied shaft.

“I want you, baby,” he said, and that voice of his could make me cum alone. “Do you want me?”

How could I dare refuse him when he looked like a whole meal ready to be devoured?

“Yes,” I panted and licked my lips. “I want you, Zane.”

“Then, let me not delay,” he whispered, and he didn’t waste time taunting me. His cock glided into me in one smooth movement, leaving us groaning in relief before he began to move.

Leaning forward with his hands pressed on the sides of my hips, he kissed me brutally — his lips crushing mine as he kept his rhythmic movements.

“I’ve missed this fucking pussy,” he grunted into my mouth before tugging my bottom lip and sucking it nice and hard. “Hot, tight, and so fucking wet just at the idea of us fucking.” Another deep kiss left me breathless as he moaned against my lips and continued to thrust nice and deep. “Now you have me right where you want me, right, baby? This is what you’ve been craving for weeks, yes?”

“Yes,” I moaned and wrapped my arms around his neck in hopes he’d stay nice and close. He was hitting the perfect spot, so fucking deep, and those thrusts were still so rough. I’d missed Zane’s dominance and how he fluidly fell into his role of control when we fucked like this. “Deeper, baby. Please?”

“As you wish,” he assured me, and fuck, he went even deeper as he maintained the rapid rhythm of those thrusting hips of his.

I moaned loudly and frequently as he built up the well of pleasure that would certainly overflow. I could feel the tension leave his muscles, the emotional relief he was experiencing just as I was while we got lost in the blissful whirlwind this moment delivered.

“Zane,” I moaned pleadingly, feeling how close I was to cumming. He grunted and proceeded to move even faster, his mouth claiming mine once more before his tongue plunged into my mouth. He had me pressed firmly against the floor, his body clearly moving on autopilot as his energy flowed through me just as mine flowed into him.

Our energies danced, spiked, and tousled with one another, just like our tongues that entwined and fought for dominance. We were a mess of moans and heavy breaths, and the growing need to climax continued to approach with every thrust and second that passed.

“Fuck, baby. That’s it. Swallow me up. Let those walls spasm like that,” Zane grunted, inching closer to his release. “I want to hear you scream my name, Aura. Let it bounce off the fucking walls as I fuck you into oblivion. You can do that, right? You’re going to scream and enjoy the climax I’m going to deliver to my sweet mate.”

“Yes.” I just wanted to obey him. To please him and enjoy the peak of euphoria together. “Zane. Zane. Zane! There, there, oh fucking there.” I was so damn close, my body was tingling with desperation with pleasure. “ZANE!”

“Cum, Aura!” he ordered with a final thrust that sent us both over the edge of sexual oblivion.

We screamed in ecstasy, our bodies stilling mid-movement as our orgasms consumed us. This peak of pleasure made me feel so alive in this very moment. It was as though I’d forgotten how good it felt to be fucked mercilessly by a man who loved you from the depths of his very soul.

These weeks of darkness and uncertainty had forced me to forget about how much I was still loved by a few individuals, and maybe this was the reminder I needed to realize that I didn’t have to be loved by everyone.

Heck, no one in this world was loved by everyone.

As long as I surrounded myself with those who’d stick by me through thick and thin despite the ridicule and public torment, that was all I needed to succeed in life.

I never understood why many stated that the higher they moved up the ladder of power, the smaller their circle became. Now, I was beginning to understand and apply those observations to my own life.

The real question that still lingered in the back of my mind was whether I could walk down this path with just my misfit pack’s support.

“Fuck, that was good,” Zane panted heavily before he nestled his head between my shoulder and my neck and proceeded to kiss my nape. “Turn over, baby.”

My pussy spasmed around his thick length just at the thought of us going again, which had to be what he wanted because he chuckled deeply before tugging my ear lobe with his teeth. “Already excited to go again. My Aura has such amazing stamina.”

Being praised by him was doing dangerous things to me as he pulled out just so I could turn over onto my stomach like he’d asked. I noticed the papers I’d been reviewing were still floating in the air, the ink glowing with teal, black, and white shades.

My climactic high must have made me hallucinate, but I couldn’t ponder about it because a gasp escaped my lips at the pinch of pain that came from a slap of my ass.

“I’ve missed this damn ass of yours,” Zane muttered, the stinging pain only making my pussy quiver as it dripped with our combined cum. “Spending more time sitting on the floor than on my lap.”

My head went back from the tug of my hair — Zane’s fingers twirling around the lengthy strands before tugging at them so I had no choice but to lean back enough so my back now pressed against his chiseled body.

“You don’t realize how you’ve starved me, baby,” he growled into my ear as he inhaled deeply and let it out nice and slow. “How I dream of the scent of your arousal while my cock is so fucking hard with the need to fuck you deeply. You’re an addiction I don’t want a cure from, and yet you left me in a state of famine.”

He left hickeys along my neck while his massive cock rubbed between my ass cheeks, which made me want to wiggle my ass just to encourage him to fuck me again.

“I should punish you, shouldn’t I?” he pondered against my flesh before biting it enough to make me moan and arch further against him. “You like to be punished by me, Aura?”

“Yes,” I moaned. “Punish me, please?”

He let go of my hair, only for that possessive hand to cup my left breast and squeeze it almost painfully. I gasped and moaned, my body shivering while heat and magic soared through me. He was enjoying this as much as I was. My submissive nature behind closed doors was exactly what turned him on in all the right places.

I didn’t mind being submissive to him because he made me feel completely safe. Even when he tested my limits by trying various things that brought moments of pain, my mind, body, and soul knew he’d deliver an abundance of pleasure in return.

“You beg so nicely,” he praised and sucked the side of my neck. “How can I refuse?”

He tugged on the lace material of my bra enough to free my left breast, which bounced from the movement. His fingers were already beginning to pinch my hard nipples before he further taunted them by pressing a finger against their firm surface and moving in circular motions.

“Zane,” I moaned his name, enduring the way he teased my breast while his damn cock continued to rub against my ass.

“I know what you want, Aura,” he reminded me. “I know what your dripping hot pussy is craving. I wonder if you can handle what I have in mind. I know my baby ain’t a weak bitch, but fuck, I’m tempted to reconsider.”

“I want it,” I pleaded desperately. “I need you in me, Zane. Please. I need your cock so bad.” I moved my ass against his lengthy shaft, which made him groan loudly before he growled and slapped my ass again.

“Behave, Aura,” he warned. Fuck. Why the hell did that turn me on even more?

“Yes, Daddy,” I dared to say, and I could feel the empowerment that title sent through him before he had me pressed against the floor beneath us and his hands on my hips to ensure I couldn’t move.

“You’ve done it now, Aura,” he seethed like I’d awakened a beast. “You better not shed a tear by the time I’m done with you,” he warned and before I could reply, he was sliding his length into me with a deep thrust.

“Fuck,” I cursed at his roughness that was driving me wild, my hips forced to remain bucked at by the strength of his hands as he began to fuck me fast and deep. “Shit. Fuck…Zane! Deep…so deep!”

“You like that, baby?”

“Yes!”

“Good,” he groaned and kept the wild pace that was driving me crazy.

“Zane. Zane. Zane!” I couldn’t stop repeating his name as more of his magic oozed into me like an open faucet that didn’t want to shut. My fists clenched due to not having anything to grip on to, and my moans and cries grew louder as he drilled me with his length.

My breaths were heavy, the world spinning as beads of sweat formed along my forehead. My skin felt like it was burning, my magic practically singing hymns of delight in the form of energy that needed an outlet.

“Z-Zane.” I struggled to contain it, but Zane’s flowing energy only further built mine, which begged to burst outward and consume our surroundings with grace.

“Don’t hold back, Aura,” Zane urged, and I could only wonder if he knew what he was doing. “Let it out. Let it burn, and when you cum, you’re going to think of someone other than me, you hear?”

I wasn’t fully understanding what he meant, but there was no time to try to figure it out as my body was just a few thrusts away from being hit with a toe-curling orgasm that would send me to euphoria once again.

“Let me see what’s hidden, Aura,” Zane moaned and hammered into me. “Picture who would fuck you just as good as I do. Who would make love to you with enough passion to leave you writhing? Let me hear his name as you cum, Aurelia,” he ordered.

I gritted my teeth and tried not to obey, but threads of magic begged for my submission, to the point that my eyes rolled back as my body grew more rigid with every second that followed.

Teal eyes came to my vision, their surface glazed with lust as they clearly struggled not to close. The sound of heavy breathing reached my ears as swiftly as running water and low moans that called my name.

The image got clearer, the rumbles of desire deeper, and a connection buzzed through me that seemed to unite the two of us. Emotions whipped through us, his moans as loud as mine became, and I knew from the grunts and quick breaths that he was seconds from cumming, just like I was.

“Auri. Auri. Auri!” There was his husky voice that was thick with need as the pumping sounds of his hand gliding up and down his shaft only further aroused me. Neither of us could fight the inevitable any longer, and his name left my lips before I could stop it.

“ACE!”

My orgasm slammed home, leaving me frozen as I screamed in ecstasy. The magic begging for freedom shot outward while my flesh blazed like I was on fire. My head felt light as the weight of my hair seemed nonexistent, as though it was levitating along with the rest of my body, leaving me to be a host of this moment and allow everything to unfold without an ounce of control.

I craved to see what was happening, and I managed to open my eyes for a few seconds. My blurry vision managed to find that pair of teal eyes that widened at the sight of me.

Whether my vision was blurry or crystal clear, I knew who stood before me in this moment, naked, breathless, with water running down his muscled body that was glowing with various black incantations and tattoos. I recognized those familiar scars and gorgeous short strands.

My soul recognized who this was and craved his touch.

“A-A…” I could barely speak, my eyes already fighting the urge to roll back as my energy levels suddenly dropped, but a set of hands immediately pressed against my cheeks — shooting a chilled essence of power that rushed through me like a firecracker and invited a sense of warmth.

“Aurelia,” Ace breathed my name and the next thing I knew, my lips were smothered by his, which triggered sparks of energy to pulse out of our bodies. It was almost painful to endure, and yet neither of us pulled away as we kissed long and hard.

We broke the kiss when neither of us could stand it any longer, and his forehead immediately pressed against mine as his words left his mouth in rush.

“We’re okay. We’re alive. We’re waiting for you, Auri. You and Zane. We’re running out of time, but you can’t come yet until the Coven dismisses you. They can’t know your movements or everything will be in vain,” he stressed and groaned as if he was on the verge of passing out.

“Ace…” I managed to breathe his name before I panted, “We’re trying…to find a way…to you. To all of you…I’m…I’m sor—”

“No. No apologies, you hear? You’re doing great. So…fucking great.” Just hearing his praise made my lip tremble as tears spilled down my cheeks.

“Everyone…everyone but Zane and another… is against me. I…I…I miss you. I miss the others… I’m trying. Trying…so…hard.” It was beginning to slip away, as if being tugged backward, but Ace held on even tighter as he grunted in rebellion.

“I miss you more, Auri. I miss the…chaos…we ignite. You don’t need anyone else. If…they want to make you a villain…let them,” he urged, and I felt a sense of deja vu before I was wrapped in his arms, which felt so fucking real.

Like we were truly present in this world that was in a void of space between our realities.

“You…are…ours,” he snarled. “They’ll see your rise…with us by your side. Supporting…you…through it all.”

He was slipping, just like the rest of the world, as our energies were tugged in opposite directions, but he held on with every inch of power as I struggled to remain conscious.

“You just…come back to me, Auri. Back to us,” he urged with his Alpha power as his voice faded and echoed to be heard. “Come back home, my queen.”

The last thing I heard was the echo of a hiss, and all I could think about was Medusa slithering around Ace’s neck as though he wasn’t frightened to death by her existence.

Just like that, I snapped back to reality — my eyes snapping open for a moment to witness the burst of loose papers that began to rain down upon us. It only took a second before my eyes rolled back and my body literally dropped like a sack full of weights, but an arm caught me before I collapsed to the ground while a drawled groan left my parted lips.

“Fuck.” Zane’s voice reached my ears and it sounded so weak that I wondered if he’d stay conscious long enough to ensure he positioned him to the ground.

“What did you two do?” I heard Zayhir’s voice before he added, “Aside from fuck.”

“I’ll…explain…” Zane didn’t even finish as it felt like we were falling again, only we were caught yet again. Zane’s weak groan was followed by a whisper of thanks.

Zayhir sighed, but it didn’t sound like one that would give off a hindrance vibe. He seemed relieved that we were both okay, but each second only invited the hands of darkness that wished to tug me away into the shadows to rest.

“This is progress.” I heard Zayhir speak as my body felt like it was floating into the air. “The Coven better be ready, for soon enough, they’ll reveal their trump card and be forced to give up their throne to the rightful heir.”

And then I fell into the realms of slumber.

CHAPTER 6

In Another World And Memory

~ACE~

“Fuck,” I cursed and fought for breath, my body leaning against the tiled wall while the beads of cold water drenched me. It was taking everything I had to stand up, my body trembling not from the frigid waters but from the waves of pleasure still running through me.

I didn’t think my timing could be so perfect — the nagging need to masturbate growing so strongly that I couldn’t dare wait any longer to appease my urges. I’d read that the heightened euphoria could potentially help one connect with their mate, even if that bond was one-sided, but to actually experience it so quickly was something that left me completely baffled.

Aurelia.

She had to be fucking Zane, and though that pissed me off just a tad, I felt like I should also be thanking him because that was what gave me that privilege to connect with Auri.

One look told me she was at her limit in many areas.

After years of watching her from afar in the depths of the shadows, I knew when my Kitten was at her peak of helplessness. She was trying to fight this overwhelming battle and project a sense of strength, but I knew better.

My mate needs me.

I was relieved that I’d managed to speak enough words of encouragement to hopefully sink into her mind, to motivate her enough that she’d keep moving forward and getting closer to unlocking the connection she carried to this world.

She had to do this on her own or else it would all be in vain.

She has to cut ties with the Coven long enough for her to get a glimpse of her true purpose in this realm of the Fae.

“HISS!”

My whole body froze at the sound that was far too close to my ear, the slithering movement along my neck only further freezing me in my spot as the world spun.

Fuck. Fuck…fuc…

You’d think after months of being forced to be around this slithering creature I’d manage to gather enough resistance to the sight and touch of a snake, but the habit triggered by fear was yet to be vanquished, which was why I was seconds from passing the fuck out.

I didn’t expect the muscled arm that stopped me from dropping to the floor when my knees buckled. The realization that I wasn’t alone only made me wonder how long this person in question was here in these “prisoner” showers.

“Hiss?”

“Now, Medusa. You know Ace can’t handle you like Jack and Quil.” King’s voice made my tense muscles relax before I grunted, “How long have you been in here?”

“Long enough to fight off a hard-on so you wouldn’t pass out in the shower and get hypothermia,” King acknowledged. “From the pulsing shift of energy in the air, I’m going to assume you managed to reach our queen?”

“Just for a few moments,” I admitted and tried to open my eyes, but hell, I was drained.

The sound of running water came to a stop before my body was lifted like I weighed nothing.

“Bear with me for a moment,” King encouraged as he tossed me over his shoulder. I was going to argue because the idea of walking through these castle walls with my naked ass would leave me scarred for years to come, but the sudden spike of magic and wind made me realize he was using portal magic.

With a step, the atmosphere shifted until the scent of fire and coal tickled my nostrils, leaving me to sigh while I embraced the warmth in what I could assume were our “temporary” rooms. I’d decided to stop calling them dungeon cells because these apparent rooms for the captives were like you’d stepped into a five-star hotel by mistake.

Being in Faerie for what felt like a few months against our will should have been torture since we were in what would be called a jail in the mundane world, but after a brief talk with a man who claimed to be the temporary king of these lands, we were grateful to be alive, fed three meals a day, and given the privilege to walk around this section of the massive castle.

Heck, we were allowed to go outside into the garden and fields to let our wolves run so we wouldn’t risk going feral.

King didn’t speak until after he lowered me onto soft, silky sheets. A blanket covered my body while I tried not to fall asleep after that unexpected connection.

“At least Jack isn’t here,” King pointed out as his footsteps shuffled against the floor as he made his way to the bathroom. “He’d laugh at your inability to masturbate without being caught.”

“It wasn’t intentional,” I complained with a groan. “It just…happened.”

“Right,” King replied, laying a towel upon my forehead. “Before you get a fever.”

“Thanks,” I sighed in relief as the chilled towel really did make a difference in my spiked temperature. My sensual needs were certainly tamed but I was debating if the consequences were worth it in a place like this.

As an Alpha, I’d had my share of close calls here already, and I didn’t want to deal with a surprise attack.

“Jack and Quil are chilling at the entrance of our temporary safe haven,” King revealed in hopes of reassuring me. “They’ll take care of anyone who wishes to test our pack.”

“Those two are probably fucking,” I grunted, but not in a tone of judgment. Fae at their level of capabilities had high sex drives, and without Aurelia in their vicinity to tame their needs with her mere presence, I was a bit thankful they had each other to relieve those nagging itches of lust.

Because a horny fae is a dangerous one.

“Probably, but that wouldn’t stop them from kicking ass if provoked,” King acknowledged, which was followed by the creaking dip of the bed. “You good?”

“As in, can I now think straight after masturbating and managing to connect with Aurelia, or good in the head knowing our Kitten is facing the cold world of the magic society with just Zane by her side?”

King didn’t answer right away, and I felt like he disliked the idea of us not being around for Aurelia. This was a crucial time when she was probably at her lowest, and we needed to be there for her. She deserved to be surrounded by her pack, who actually understood the motives happening behind the scenes in comparison to the public, who didn’t give a shit about knowing the real truth.

“You being sexually content is good,” King began. “But the idea of Aurelia struggling isn’t one that sits well with me.”

“Likewise,” I muttered.

“Zane is a good pillar that she needs around her when she’s being toyed with by the Coven. With him present, she has some sort of defense that they can’t simply walk over.”

“You didn’t get the memo,” I muttered and opened my eyes enough to see him glance over his shoulder to look at me.

“Memo?”

“The old man who said he’s the temporary king as the real king is dealing with some Faerie drama in the south requested a private moment with me to discuss an update happening regarding mundane affairs,” I revealed.

It wasn’t like I wasn’t going to tell them, but I’d just found out and it pushed me into a state of frustration that left me needing to appease something before I lost my sanity.

“Apparently Aurelia is on temporary leave due to the magic chair going to Willow De Luca,” I began to reveal. “Additionally, Zane was put on hiatus because of Master L’s death, and with the lack of funding to maintain Zane’s career position, they’ve shoved it under the rug entirely.”

King’s eyes darkened as a deep frown formed on his lips.

“They want to outcast him from the world after he’s built a foundation and reputation that stems from his position that has protected the Coven from many hidden threats?” King sounded appalled as he fought a growl that began to vibrate against his chest. “Despite Zane’s dislike of the Council and its Elder members, he gave them everything in his career. For them to discard him like he’s nothing is an insult that will not be taken lightly. In fact, if this was Faerie, he’d be offered a new position so fast from another Court that the Coven would be begging for him to return.”

“Because they would be frightened of a breach of privacy,” I voiced the obvious but smirked. “Intriguingly enough, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

King arched an eyebrow at me

“They want to offer him a position here?”

“That’s one of the many reasons our prisoner status got upgraded to this vast space that allows us to sleep comfortably in beds, shower with tiled walls and warm water, have land to run through, and eat three meals a day,” I acknowledged. “That and they seek Aurelia’s arrival.”

“Do you believe the Fae have good intentions, Ace?” King inquired as he stared at me long and hard “She won’t be able to deal with another form of rejection after how harshly she was treated by the Coven.”

“You tell me,” I countered and let my eyes close. “You don’t think they’re lying.”

“That we all have royal roots here in this kingdom of Dark Fae?” he inquired but followed up with, “They’re tell the truth, but just because our heritages revolve around the Dark Fae doesn’t mean they’ll accept us with open arms.”

“You’re right,” I acknowledged. “But the Fae gain no benefit from keeping us alive, King.” I had to stress that. “Out of all of us, Jack and Quil have a better chance of survival here than you and I. As for Aurelia and Zane, Auri has a connection to the actual king that we need to find out, and Zane would be the perfect wizard to acquire to make the Coven quiver in worry. Revenge is rather sweet when you get to do it without any reigns of restraint.”

“Fae love the entertainment war brings,” King muttered. “Are you still having nightmares and hearing voices?”

I didn’t think he was going to ask that, but I guessed he had the right as I’d been sleeping in the same “cell space” as he. The cells were basically massive rooms that contained two king-sized beds, but King and I would share a bed because of the recent nightmares and voices that kept taunting my damn mind.

He didn’t seem to mind making sure I didn’t do something debilitating to myself, but I could tell he and the other two were concerned for their Alpha’s wellbeing. This was the moment where they needed to rely on me to remain their confident, psychotic selves, but it was hard when the memories here seemed so different from my childhood. Especially when I was beginning to question if it had been real.

“The nightmares haven’t been as bad this week,” I confessed. “As for the voices…”

He stared at me while I decided the ceiling was more interesting.

“When are they the quietest?” King decided to ask, knowing I wasn’t going to say much more.

“When Aurelia is around,” I confessed and sighed. “Fuck. I can’t wait for her to get here.”

“I think we’re all in the same boat,” King admitted.

“You’re taking it the easiest,” I complimented.

“I simply don’t show my frustration,” King countered. “If I did, this kingdom would crumble and I’d just trigger an unnecessary war. I don’t need to bother my mother and her elite soldiers. They’re already dealing with a lot trying to get our Princess back.”

“Princess?”

“The Princess of our kingdom is extremely young. She’s supposed to remain on the mundane lands until her time of age, but was discovered early and almost kidnapped. She’s currently in a facility that’s run by De Luca. I think Aurelia mentioned that she aided with the foundation of that organization that protects shifter children of various races and traits.”

“They’re doing anything they can to make De Luca an enemy,” I brought up as I remembered the conversation I had with the temporary king. He’d warned that the objective was becoming clearer. Aurelia’s loss in claiming the chair would lead to consequences the Fae may not be able to reverse.

Not to say there wasn’t a way, but none of us had the level of loyalty to the Fae for them to go over and beyond for us in return.

“The real question is, will De Luca fall for it?” King inquired.

“Oddly enough…I don’t question Willow’s loyalty to Aurelia,” I voiced. “However, she has a pack now and a lot of people are relying on her. The fact that she almost successfully committed suicide means she’s reached a breaking point, and we don’t know if she’s recovered. Finally, the king disclosed that gossip is spreading that Aurelia tried to kill Willow by fucking up her meds.”

“Aurelia would never play with a client’s medication,” King immediately defended. “Even with the loss of the chair, she wouldn’t do that.”

“I agree with you, and yet many don’t see our viewpoint,” I voiced and opened my eyes again. “I’m sure Willow doesn’t agree with such gossip either, but if Willow was our woman, do you think we’d take our chances to find out what’s the truth and what’s a lie?”

King sighed, knowing damn well what the answer was.

“No,” he finally answered. “We’d cut her off before it could even get there.”

“Making her the villain with the rest of the world watching,” I concluded. “That’s their end game. To make us hated to the point that they want to get rid of Aurelia.”

“They can’t kill her,” King stressed.

“Their intention is to replace her,” I voiced and tried to hold back the boiling anger inside me. “That’s their end game, and sadly…the only way to do that may be to kill her.”

“She’s a Clementine,” King stressed.

“The last Clementine,” I acknowledged. “With no heir. If she dies, they can give the Coven Head to their favorite.”

“Lucy?” King huffed. “She doesn’t deserve the position.”

“You’re right, but she has the mind control abilities to get what she wants and has been with the Coven just as long as Aurelia has been actively forced to participate in their antics,” I acknowledged. “The king stated she’s temporarily the head of the Coven until further notice. Aurelia will only be publicly acknowledged as the Coven’s head in public events and situations that bring in another party.”

“I bet they’re celebrating right now,” King huffed angrily. “We can’t even go back to help her.”

“Time runs so differently here, by the time we attempted to, I doubt we’d be of much help,” I admitted even though I hated having to accept defeat like this.

Being sitting ducks really made things harder for everyone.

We might have had some mercy in this realm of Dark Fae, but it didn’t guarantee our survival either. The Coven organized all of this so we’d be killed and Aurelia would lose it entirely. Even Zane would have to deal with the consequences of losing his career, and I bet they were doing everything in their power to ensure he couldn’t easily get another job.

Word of mouth can be a double-edged sword.

“If Aurelia is on a leave of absence, what more can they do?” King questioned.

“Just because they’ve spread gossip about Aurelia potentially poisoning or fucking up Willow’s meds doesn’t mean they’ve had a falling out yet,” I voiced. “They need to do everything they can to paint Aurelia in the wrong. Not just to Willow either. They have to make her look incompetent in what she does best.”

“Fuck. They’re really going to do everything they can until Aurelia’s completely out of their way,” King muttered. “But what can we do? If their end game is to kill Aurelia, how do we prevent such from happening?”

That was a question neither of us could answer. The silence was simply deafening as we got lost in our thoughts.

“All we have to focus on for now is Aurelia getting here. When she’s here, we can see what this temporary king has to offer and may potentially meet with the real ruler of this kingdom,” I finally voiced and closed my eyes. “Until then, we just have to keep surviving.”

“Surviving these random ambushes from the Fae guards?” King offered. “This is the only Fae kingdom I know where the guards boldly challenge you when you haven’t done shit.”

“Apparently it helps put their egos back in place after they ascend to cloud nine,” I muttered with a bit of amusement, which actually made King chuckle.

“Man…wouldn’t it be nice to truly explore here?” King whispered.

“Have you missed Faerie?” I inquired while I further relaxed.

“Ya,” King admitted. “I don’t come back often enough. I know I have to sooner or later…but…” He trailed off and I understood why.

The throne of his family’s kingdom needed to be filled sooner or later.

Out of the four of us, King concealed his past the best. Even as Alpha, I didn’t know enough about him and the madness he’d been through prior to our fateful meeting. All I knew was King was good at what he did.

Torturing. Skinning. Getting people to talk. He is truly the King of Suffering no one wants to come face-to-face with.

I felt like coming to Faerie most definitely unlocked something from his past that he was fighting to keep hidden, but the real question was whether we’d find out about it or not.

Or would Aurelia be the one to discover the real truth of King’s past?

“Let fate take its course,” I finally answered him, hoping he’d understand that I didn’t wish to pry into his past. We may have been forced to be in Faerie for some underlying motive, but it didn’t revolve around his past.

Even if it did, I wouldn’t force him to confront it if he wasn’t ready to do so.

“That’s the best advice an Alpha could give,” he quietly praised and leaned back so he could relax along the bed.

We remained quiet for a while, to the point that I was beginning to drift off. I kept thinking of Aurelia. The sight of her coming to life as she peered at me with those glamorous eyes. My heart missed her, my body yearned for her, and my mind sought that connection I’d rejected.

Even though the truth was out and Aurelia knew that I was but a victim in all of this, I couldn’t act like my actions didn’t lay layers of pain on her heart, make her build walls of armor, and kindle tears of agony.

I could change that though, and I knew were on the right path before this fiasco pulled us apart. Despite this new change and the battle ahead, I wouldn’t let it prevent me from fixing what was broken.

This was my chance for redemption, and I wouldn’t allow anyone to fuck it up.

Not even me.

“Ace?”

I didn’t respond as my mind continued to drift away until I was in a wide field and looking at the horizon where a girl waved farewell to me. I waved my little arm, my lips curled in a beaming smile, knowing I’d see her again the next day as we always did in this grand field of sunflowers.

Glancing to my side, I realized I wasn’t alone as another boy waved at the smiling girl. For a second, I couldn’t understand who he was, but he turned his attention to me, his eyes as teal as mine.

We didn’t look super alike, but those eyes told me what I needed to know.

That I was related to this boy.

“Ready to go?” he questioned and offered his hand, waiting for me to accept it.

I stared at him for a long moment, unsure if it was the right decision to take his hand.

“Father and Mother said we have to eat dinner early today because we have a trip tomorrow to the human lands. We can’t be late or Father will be upset,” he emphasized.

“Right,” I replied and looked at his hand once more, which made the boy chuckle.

“What? Don’t want to hold your bro’s hand?” he offered. “I may be a light fae wolf wizard while you’re a dark fae wolf wizard, but we shared the same place in Mother’s belly so I don’t want to hear any arguments, or I’m telling Mom you ate the last slice of cake.”

“Don’t tell her,” I whined and placed my hand in his. The boy’s name left my lips before I could mentally process it. “I’m stronger than you, Zane!”

“Sure, sure.” He dismissed me as he squeezed my hand. “I don’t care if you’re stronger than me as long as you’re happy. That’s what matters.”

I stared at him for a long moment.

“What about Auri?” I asked the question that made me wonder about our future with the fae wolf princess.

“What about her?”

“If…well…” My cheeks grew redder by the second before I looked away. “Never mind.”

Zane simply chuckled.

“You’re weird, Ace,” he concluded as he tugged me forward. Our parents stood in the distance, waiting for us to rejoin them at the edge of the main castle garden. “If you like her, you can have her, Ace.”

“Huh?” I questioned as he slowed down our pace just so he could glance back at me with a loving smile.

“If you like Auri, then you can have her. That would make sense anyways.”

I couldn’t help but stop, which forced him to do the same as he stared back at me.

“Why? Because Auri is like me?” I asked. “A dark fae wolf.”

“You two are compatible. I’m not. At least, I don’t think so. After all, I’m of light.”

“But Dad said you have some traits of darkness,” I argued. “That means you can get along with Auri, too.”

“I thought you’d be happy I’m giving her to you,” Zane acknowledged, and I huffed and shook my head.

“I wanna fight!”

“If we’re going to fight for Auri’s love, you realize you’d lose, right?”

“N-N-No!” I whined. “I’m the older one.”

“Mother said I’m older than you,” Zane argued. “You decided to do cartwheels for a few minutes to prove you were acrobatic.”

“T-That’s a lie!”

“Sure, sure.” He laughed and squeezed my hand, which forced me to focus solely on him as his eyes softened and twinkled with joy.

“If my brother is happy, that’s all I care about,” he voiced without a hint of doubt. “To me, family is more important than anything. A woman won’t break us up, kay?”

“But…” I trailed off to think about it for a moment before I lifted my gaze to see his curiosity.

“What?”

“Can’t we share?”

He blinked and seemed to think about it before he shrugged.

“I don’t know. Do you want to share?”

“Would it make you happy?” I asked.

“I guess,” he confessed. “Auri makes me happy.”

“Aura makes me happy, too,” I voiced. “If she both makes us happy, we can share her!”

Zane laughed and used his free hand to pat my head.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to ask Father and Mother when we’re older.”

“Will they let us?” I pondered, whispering the prime question.

“I’m not sure, but if we’re super powerful fae wizard wolf shifters, they can’t deny us! We’re triple hybrids, remember? That’s what Count Valentine stated. That means we’re extra powerful and people will fear disobeying us.”

“Scary,” I commented before grinning widely. “They’ll have no choice but to own and accept that we want one queen!”

“Mhmm,” Zane agreed and laughed. “We’ll rule our kingdoms and share Auri, who connects us together! We’ll be one big, powerful group of kingdoms!”

“Yes!” I cheered. “We’ll love her together! Let’s bring King, Quil, Quinn, and Jack, too! It’ll be fun.”

“Okay,” Zane agreed and began to run forward. “Now you better keep up or Jack may take your place.”

“Ugh! No fair! You started first!” I screamed and began running quickly to catch up to my brother, who laughed at my attempt.

Everything began to fade as spots of darkness stole the image of pure happiness that trickled through my relaxed body. I couldn’t confirm if it was a dream or a memory I’d clearly forgotten, but one thing clung to my mind despite the claws of sleep that tugged on my conscious, which was losing the battle.

Zane…Zane’s my brother? Is…that possible?

I wouldn’t get to figure it out now for my mind was too far gone to debate all the possibilities.

What was clear as day was my love for Aurelia that never dwindled away.

CHAPTER 7

Poisoned And Deadly Vow

~AURELIA~

My paws crunched against the deep soil, the fresh air making me breathe deeply as though I couldn’t get enough of it. I sat, stretched out, in the patch of grass, my eyes lazily closing as my tailed wagged from side to side.

This makes me feel alive.

Letting Aries out for a bit of a run, especially before the full moon, felt delightful. After weeks of researching and being crammed in Zayhir’s place, this was liberating.

I was finally able to just let go of all the lingering problems and simply run through the wild like I was an animal who only needed to worry about survival.

Another few weeks had gone by, to the point that I couldn’t really grasp what day or week it was. All I knew was the end of the year was approaching and that meant Willow would be taking her position and participating in some sort of runway.

That I’d most likely be forced to attend.

I didn’t want to think about that. The public humiliation as I forced a smile upon my face. There was no way I’d make them see how hurt I was about losing a position that everyone proclaimed was mine to rise upon.

I felt almost stupid thinking about how my whole life had revolved around this idolization that the chair was meant for me. In the end, it was claimed by my best friend, and honestly, I was happy for her.

Willow had been an outcast just like me, shouldering the burden of walking in her father’s shadow until she was finally able to prove to the world who she really was.

To no longer hide behind her magic and be someone she wasn’t.

Instead of backlash, she was praised for her brave actions of committing to running her father’s empire and making a name for herself. I bet if there were any wrongs people tried to bring up or acknowledge, they were shut down because at this peak of success, Willow was a saint to the population’s eyes.

While I was an envious demon who’d be brought down by the same Coven I sacrificed so much for.

The Coven’s game plan was succeeding in making a villain. I couldn’t casually go out as I was. I had to disguise myself as a male because even a female disguise wasn’t enough for people to not see through the glamor of magic.

It was as though the Coven was telling people to keep an eye out for me, to make my life a living hell because I deserved all of it and more. I didn’t know if things were going to get worse, but I expected it as the new year approached.

The runway would probably be the icing on the cake, where everyone condemned me for being weak and praised Willow for being strong.

What I hated the most was that I knew how strong I was. I knew how much magic I carried in the depths of me that just wished for me to lose it and set it free to wreak havoc on all those who dared to ruin my life because of one stupid position.

Aries shook our heads, which made me realize she’d encouraged us to stand up and shake out our fur.

“Aries?” I asked, seeing as she was in control right now.

Something odd in the air.

I would have frowned if I was in human form, but I simply dwelled in Aries’s uncertainty before we ran deeper into the forest.

“Someone on our tail?”

Not necessarily. Someone’s watching us though.

Great. Couldn’t even run in peace.

I was sure a few witches and wizards wanted to know where I was hiding, but I’d purposely go to public places where there were too many people to easily track me.

Moving into the forest, which was growing darker by the second, would make my escape easier, which was why Aries continued to run through the darkened space, but a ringing in my head made me feel the need to stop.

“Aries, we need to switch back.”

Okay. Be careful.

I mentally nodded before the cracking of my bones pushed me back into my naked form. Crouching to the ground between a few bushes, I took a moment to shake my head before Zane’s voice came into my mind.

“Baby? You there?”

Zane? What’s wrong?

He sounded odd. Not drunk, but maybe disorientated

“I…don’t feel very good,” he admitted, his voice sounding extremely weak. Just the idea of him being sick or hurting had me on high alert.

Where are you? I’ll come to you.

“I had to pass by the Coven,” he confessed. Fuck. He didn’t need to finish.

Coming to yo—

A blast from my right sent me flying — my body crashing into an oak tree with enough force to actually break it. I crashed into the ground with a shriek, my body scrambling to roll swiftly to avoid the massive log of broken oak that would have crushed me if I hadn’t reacted quickly.

With a hiss of anger, I was up. I summoned a wand, knowing this would be a long-distance battle. My eyes darted from side to side, narrowing while they burned with magic, which made it easy to confirm I was surrounded by at least twenty witches and wizards.

“What a bunch of cowards,” I spoke, and honestly, I couldn’t recognize my own voice. It was filled with anger. There was so much fucking fury that further fueled my body, which practically shook with layers of magic that needed to be unleashed. “Can’t even fight me face to face, huh?”

Zane! I’m surrounded. I can’t get there right away. Where exactly are you? Why did you go to the Coven?

“You…I found out how…to get to Fae…rie. Listen. I’m…gonna…send you…where it is.”

How are you going to do that, Zane, when you’re not feeling well?

“I will. Don’t…worry. Just…be…careful…baby. I can’t…lose…”

His presence left my mind which left me in an anxious bubble, my eyes locking on the movement before me as a single individual in a black cloak walked out of the shadowed forest.

“Aurelia Clementine. You have been requested to come back to the Coven Headquarters for questioning.”

“Questioning?” I actually gawked at them as I snapped my fingers, which trigger a new set of clothes that took over my body while a black cloak appeared upon my shoulders. “Unless running through the forest is wrong, I’d suggest a better explanation than that as to why I’m surrounded by more than twenty witches and wizards like some sort of criminal.”

“Your mate, Master Zane, has been arrested for trespassing into Faerie territory.”

Say what?!

“Trespassing in Fae territory? He told me he was going to the Coven after being summoned,” I declared, though I was lying about the second part. I needed to know the truth, and I was going to let them involuntarily tell me.

“Y-You’re correct. However, he was requested to acquire an item from an area and went beyond the safety line.”

“Meaning you guys led him to an area he’s not supposed to be and yet are now here trying to put the blame on him like he’s some sort of criminal,” I summed up. “You have five fucking seconds to tell me the truth and that my mate is alive, or I’ll let your bodies experience pain you’ve NEVER dealt with in your lifetimes.”

“Y-You can’t threaten—AH!”

I didn’t even wait for two seconds to pass before my eyes rolled back and power pulsed out of me with enough force to tamper with gravity itself.

All of them were forced to their knees, andI took the opportunity to step forward until I stood right before the leader himself. He trembled with widened eyes of fear, while I simply smiled as if my sanity was suddenly on vacation.

“Where is my fated mate?” I snarled with so much malice, the poor man was shaking like a leaf in the midst of a storm.

“I-I-In Faerie! We…we no longer have access to him.”

“Is he alive?”

“Yes!” he answered, but there was uncertainty in his eyes that needed to be confronted. With a mere tilt of my head and a narrowing of my eyes, the man continued answering the prime question. “For now. I-I think he was poisoned or something. I’m not sure! We were sent to acquire you by force if necessary, as long as we kept you alive.”

Poisoned? Just like how Ace was poisoned when we were younger.

The mere thought made me realize that time was of the essence.

“Who sent you?” I needed to know the culprit.

He bit his bottom lip in hopes of remaining silent, but I wasn’t going to have any of that. My magic couldn’t fucking tolerate disobedience in this heightened state of fury, so I wasn’t shocked by the screams and explosions of guts, limbs, and organs that left the remaining ten wizards and witches screaming for mercy.

“Y-You killed them?” The man was flabbergasted, which was hilarious when he dared to lead this group to confront me as though they would all come out of it alive and well.

How dandy of them to dare assume there wouldn’t be casualties when they kidnap, poison, and wish death on my mate — the man I absolutely love.

“If you truly thought I wouldn’t kill my fellow witches and wizards when you attacked me unprovoked and led my mate into a trap, just like you did the rest of my pack, then you’ve really underestimated just how cynical I’ve become after the magic society’s rejection of Aurelia Delianna Clementine.”

I pointed to him specifically with the tip of my want, enjoying the way his eyes grew like saucers while his body began to levitate in the air like he was being hung by a rope.

He choked and immediately struggled to tug on the invisible source that was firmly wrapped around his neck, but it was obviously of no use.

“If I have to repeat this question a third time, the rest of you will be dead with a snap of my fingers,” I vowed. I could barely stay still thanks to how much magic was running through me.

The ground beneath me was already beginning to decay at a rapid pace, spreading and making the atmosphere extremely thick with looming death.

“Who sent you to retrieve me?”

I just needed to hear that bitch’s name.

“L-Lucy! Lucy, Miss Clementine!” he revealed. “Please! Don’t kill—” He didn’t finish. I wouldn’t dare let him complete his attempt to beg for mercy.

His body exploded, along with the rest of the remaining wizards and witches. Then gravity returned to normalcy while my surroundings were buzzing with silence and invisible energy.

The aroma of death whiplashed my senses, the intense scent of metal matched with the lingering scent of fear making me begin to laugh almost hysterically.

I forced myself to calm down as I felt the dark energy fighting to claim my mind so I could simply go on a rampage.

A rampage of revenge.

Pressing my hands against my temples, I took a few deep breaths while fighting to recall this energy that was swarming through me. It needed to be recognized, to be used for what my heart desired, but that wasn’t a true reflection of me.

I’m good. I’m better than this. You had your way. You had a chance to spill blood on those who deserved to be crucified. Now I must find out about Zane. I need to ensure he survives the poison. Tame yourself. Please. Please…I beg you.

Tears were spilling down my cheeks as waves of burning anxiety rushed through me, which triggered the retreat of the powerful dark force that sought to be free from whatever shackles I hadn’t realized were keeping it at bay all this while.

The withdrawal made me feel queasy as the world spun, but I shook it off to the best of my ability before conjuring a portal that sent me straight to Zayhir’s place.

I stepped out of the spiraling space not a second later, and my eyes landed on the wizard, who was deep in a familiar book that I recalled carried the spell of resurrection.

I may need that spell.

His head casually turned as he opened his mouth with the intention of greeting me, but one look had him dropping the book and standing before me in a blink.

“What happened?”

“Zane.” I fought for breath while trying to speak. “I was jumped. Witches and wizards. They admitted that Lucy requested my retrieval and that Zane was sent to Faerie, where he was falsely accused of trespassing,” I explained in a ramble of quick sentences. “They poisoned him. The same poison they used on Ace when he was but a child. I saved him that day. I sucked the poison out of him and managed to survive, but I’m not near Zane. I can’t reach him.”

The realization made me panic as my whole body trembled in fear. I grabbed onto Zayhir’s shirt and practically shook him as my eyes further widened to show him the reflection of fear in the golden depths.

“Zayhir. I. Can’t. Lose. Zane.” That was the truth. I’d fucking lose it and destroy this whole damn world if I lost that man who’d loved me from the get-go.

Despite my flaws, inconsistencies, and the world painting me black and blue, that man stayed by my side. He lost the man he considered a father, was robbed of his own career, and now shunned by the community he worked hard to serve and protect, and yet he still remained loyal to me.

He’d done everything fucking right in this relationship, and there was no way I could let him slip out of my hands and into the lifeless hands of death.

The man before me stared into my eyes for five seconds before he slowly nodded.

“I’ll get him help in Faerie,” he affirmed. “You need to go to the Coven before they do something else to try to ruin what you care dearly for.”

“You promise you can help Zane?” I dared to ask.

“Zane is like a brother to me. I’d never let him perish wrongfully thanks to a selfish bitch who wants nothing but to see you suffer silently.” It was amazing how he already knew the culprit behind this madness.

His hands landed on my shoulders and squeezed tightly as he stared into my eyes.

“Don’t give her the satisfaction of seeing you like this.” Seeing you at the brink of insanity as fear flickered in the depths of my eyes and hot tears streamed down my flushed cheeks. “Show them a glimpse of what they fear, Aurelia. You got a taste, so let them see it after you play along with whatever they have planned for you.”

I could only wonder where that last part stemmed from, but there was no time.

I nodded, and ended up hugging him tightly for five long seconds before I whispered, “Thank you, Zayhir.”

“Anything to see you prevail, Grasshopper.” His nickname was actually funny, and though it wasn’t a time to laugh, I was grateful that Zane had introduced me to him.

That he was willing to aid us all this while for the greater good of my innocence.

Pulling out of his hug, I shared one more look with him before we nodded in encouragement and separated a second later.

“Let’s see what this bitch is really planning.”

And hopefully, I won’t kill her in the process.

CHAPTER 8

The End Of Our Friendship And Shattered Heart

“You killed twenty-five of our best witches and wizards?!” Elder Etna snapped when I confidently waltzed into the room full of Elders.

I dismissed their presence — my eyes only on one person deemed worthy of my scrutinizing glare.

“My bad,” I dismissed without looking at the fuming woman. “I swore it was twenty, but if you’re referring to those snipers you had targeting my wolf closer to the borders of the forest, tough luck.”

I paused right before the woman who I was focused on, but she didn’t even seem frightened by my bold stance. My eyes locked on hers as they attempted to mock me for such a confrontation.

“Make me your villain, and then there’ll be consequences to face,” I voiced very slowly while maintaining my perky persona. “Isn’t that what we tell so many who dare to oppose us?”

“Actions speak louder than words,” Lucy declared as she gave me a sweet smile that clearly didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s an honor to see you again, Aurelia, after a few weeks off. It seems you having a break has done some good to your confidence, hasn’t it?”

“Seeing as I’m still enjoying my break, why don’t we cut to the chase, shall we?” I offered in return as my eyes dropped to show a glimpse of my boiling rage. “Where is my mate?”

It was Lucy’s turn to frown as we stared at each.

“You have no right to talk to the Head—” Elder Etna began as she stomped towards us, but I flicked my wrist to the right, sending every single Elder against the wall and paralyzing them in their place.

“W-What?”

“How dare she?”

“Let us go!”

“Aurelia Delianna Clementine! You best release us this instant!”

Their demands were but background music to my ears while our istare down only further intensified.

“What are you doing, Aurelia?” Lucy dared to whisper. “This could get you arrested.”

“I don’t care,” I dismissed it. “All of you are working overtime to make me a villain anyways. Should I actually become one?”

Her frown simply deepened as she glanced over to Elder Etna briefly before returning my gaze.

“What do you want?”

“Where’s Zane?”

“He was arrested and taken to Faerie on charges of trespassing.”

“Trespassing after the Coven gave him orders to walk upon those lands to investigate odd activity?” I lied but clearly hit the mark from the way her eyes flickered with distaste.

“It was a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?” Those words triggered something in me that encouraged me to turn and take a few steps back as if I needed to be out of her personal space. “My mate has been poisoned and is currently fighting his life in a realm I have no access to because you revoked it from me, like you did my position, because you’re a greedy, mind-controlling bitch. But now you want me to calmly return here and act like nothing is going on,” I summarized before I was in her face as my magic blasted through the room.

“OVER A MISUNDERSTANDING?!” I screamed to the top of my lungs, my eyes burning with so much intensity that my entire vision was covered in a veil of black that allowed me to see all the dancing auras of neon color in the room while shadow magic slithered along the walls.

“W-What…type of magic is this?” Lucy dared to ask, her lips trembling as hard as the rest of her body as she was forced to take a few steps back. “What have you been hiding?”

“Hiding?” I laughed and crossed my arms that shook so violently, I surely looked like an addict who’d stopped taking their meds. “Oh, Lucy Bitch. There’s nothing for me to hide. This magic. This intense power. You can feel the threads of magic, can you not? You’re powerful enough to do so. You can see with those fucking eyes that wish to act blind to every action you’ve done since I was six to belittle me. The psychotic witch. The misfit witch. The witch with no pack of her own. I carried this position like it was a crown that deserved to sit on my head, and yet here you are, taking a position you haven’t shed blood, sweat, and tears for!”

I was in her personal space again, my eyes narrowing while I grinned cynically.

“This is a glimpse of my power, Lucy. A spark of boiling rage I’m doing everything I can to control and not let out to destroy this so called society that’s supposed to be on my side.”

“Why would we support a failure like you when you lost the chair?”

“THAT CHAIR WAS NEVER MIND TO CLAIM AND YOU KNOW IT!” I screamed with a high enough pitch that any glass cups, vials, and mirrors nearby broke in that instant. “You all set me up for failure. Just like you did those before me. My mother. Grandma Valentine. Anyone who didn’t bow to your tune and didn’t sit upon the throne that was occupied by Master L Huxley, the father of Vincenzo Huxley, who was the next of kin that was destined to take the chair whether we liked it or not!”

I began to walk around her as I laughed and tried not to completely lose it.

“But let me guess, shall I? You all didn’t know that, did you? Master L was pretty secretive, and the three individuals you ever saw in the past in his company were Zane, Zayhir, and Ace. Everyone believed Zane would take the chair because of how close he was to Master L. The fact that he fell in love with me granted me the chance to ascend to the chair with him. You all thought this was your moment, and then it wasn’t.”

Going full circle, I stopped before her and let out a breath to calm myself down.

“You want to lead this Coven. You can have it,” I assured her, which surprised the fuck out of her because her eyes went wide.

“What?”

“I never wanted this position. I knew from the moment I was rejected by Ace that I didn’t belong here. Yet, I forced myself to remain. I encouraged myself by trying to believe that things would get better and I could simply work on myself to get stronger. I yearned to be the witch you all wished for me to become, but every year that passed something drastic would occur. Those close to me would die every few years and I’d have to start over, and those years in between death forced me to mourn and move forward, but it just kept happening. Again and again. And now here we are. I’m chairless, my pack was forcibly sent to Faerie, I’ve been temporarily dismissed from my position to enjoy a ‘break,’ and now the man I love has been poisoned and is in a world where those ruthless Fae would rather watch him rot than save him for entertainment purpose. What else is going to happen? Oh, right. Do I have to ruin my relationship with Willow De Luca as well? I might as well, right? I guess we’re destined to be enemies instead of lovers, or even just friends.”

Lucy swallowed the lump forming in her throat as she tried to compose herself like she wasn’t a frightened bitch standing before me.

“We summoned you because the Coven no longer wants any ties with the De Lucas,” she announced.

Fuck. I lost it with laughter.

“Are you guys actually dumb? You’re literally cutting ties with the most powerful shifter in NYC, who has alliances with multiple organizations globally, because you’re fucking butt-hurt. Y’all think I’m crazy but you guys are pulling such mad moves, I can’t even comprehend the logic behind them.”

“We don’t need their alliance.”

“Then you can certainly do what a temporary Head of the Coven should do and contact Willow De Luca yourself,” I urged. “I clearly can’t be of use when they’ve been slowly cutting me off. You and your little servant fucked up her meds and proceeded to spread rumors that I intentionally fucked with her meds because I’m envious that she claimed the High Chair position, and what has that resulted in? I have no access to her apartment, none of her pack mates are in communication with me, and obviously, the Phoenix Pack wants nothing to do with me. I could go ahead and call them but I doubt they’ll even answer at this rate, so you’re probably out of luck with that one.”

“We didn’t summon you here to take a no for an answer,” Lucy pressed. “You will call Willow De Luca right this instant and cut things off.”

“Or what?” I dared to ask with a huff. “My connection with them doesn’t affect any of you. Just admit you wish to seclude me so I have no one left in my corner.”

Lucy sighed and crossed her arms over her chest as she slowly began to smile.

“We’ve planted a bomb in Forbidden Enterprise Headquarters.”

My heart literally stopped as my eyes slowly returned to staring into Lucy’s as they twinkled with excitement at seeing my emotional response to their foul play.

“It’s laced with threads of your magic and if goes off, it would give a direct blow to De Luca’s office,” she revealed. “I’ve already confirmed that William De Luca is in his office taking a nap before another meeting. He’d have no ability to escape when the bomb goes off, and after a detailed investigation, it’ll be confirmed that your magic was involved in the creation of the bomb and you’ll be charged with the murder of Willow De Luca,” she summarized with a gleeful grin. “Unless you call and cut things off.”

“I could do exactly what you say, and you could still let that bomb go off,” I voiced.

“Probably,” she admitted with a shrug. “But your cooperation will encourage the likelihood of me being in a good mood and not letting it go off.”

“This is bad,” Aries’s voice hummed in my mind. “She’ll let it blow regardless of what we do.”

We need to warn them. No. None of them will reply if I try to reach out to them. We need someone to locate the bomb and bring it somewhere where it won’t hurt anyone if it goes off.

“Zayhir?” Aries offered.

I can try to reach him.

That was probably going to be our only shot in trying to secure Willow’s safety. Just the thought of her sleeping in William’s form at her desk and being consumed by flames made me sick to my stomach, but the idea of officially cutting things off with her broke my fucking heart.

I love Willow. She’s my best friend. I can’t just cut things off like this. How would that make me look to Onyx and the others? I’d hurt her, and they would only emphasize that they warned Willow that I’m just some puppet for the Coven, but they don’t know about the bomb. They don’t know I’m being blackmailed to do this. No one knows the truth. How can I prove my innocence? Am I really going to lose everyone who cares about me?

“Are you going to make your decision?” Lucy pushed, and I simply gritted my teeth as I tried to think of some sort of solution. In this case, it looked like Zayhir was going to be my best option.

Zayhir, can you hear me? It’s an emergency. I need your help ASAP.

I was taking a long shot because I didn’t have a bonded connection with him as I did with Zane and Ace, but maybe my magic combined with the mental strain of his assistance would help me reach him.

Zayhir, please! I need you! There’s a bomb!

“Aurelia?” Zayhir’s voice soothingly reached me as he clearly picked up on my mental panic. “What bomb?”

Lucy placed a bomb in Forbidden Enterprise near Willow’s office! I’m being blackmailed to cut ties or else the bomb will go off, but I know Lucy. She’ll let it go off anyways!

“The bomb can’t go off,” I stressed. “If you force me to do this, it cannot go off. You can’t command it to go off.”

Lucy seemed ticked off by that, but she huffed, “Fine. I’ll vow that with your cooperation in cutting ties with Willow De Luca, I, the Head of the Coven, will not encourage its detonation.”

“Temporary Head of the Coven,” I muttered on purpose just to watch her scowl at my need to point out details.

“Make some time for me. I’m on my way,” Zayhir declared and quickly added, “Help is on its way for Zane. Focus on delaying the bomb detonation as long as you can.”

What would I do without you, Zayhir?

This man had opened his place for us to take refuge in and supported me just like Zane had. I didn’t know how I was going to thank him, but I’d figure it out when this bomb issue was sorted. The relief that Zane was getting help in Faerie also gave me a bit more confidence.

“Temporary Head of the Coven,” she bitterly repeated as she glared at me.

“Then I’ll make the call,” I concluded. I was going to turn away, but Lucy cleared her throat before retrieving a phone from her pocket.

“I have my own phone,” I reminded them as if they had forgotten.

“That’s not able to record the conversation being said,” she countered. “We need proof that you’re going to do exactly what we’ve requested. Plus, we’d like to witness this conversation while you’re here.”

“You need me to be present as I talk to De Luca and want the entire conversation recorded as evidence I cut ties?” This was all ridiculous.

“If you want the bomb to not detonate, you won’t question our actions,” Lucy emphasized.

“Fine.” I needed to get this over with. For the sake of Willow and her pack.

She’d hate me, they all would, and our years of friendship would be over, but if it meant she lived and wouldn’t be in the line of danger in the future, that was a risk I was willing to take, even if it meant everyone hated me for it.

I guess I’m not destined for redemption.

I reached for the phone then stared at it for a long moment before tapping on the screen and opening the phone app. I could tap Willow’s number with my eyes closed, and yet I stood there to give Zayhir more time to find the bomb.

“We don’t have all day,” Lucy complained, which made me roll my eyes.

“Aside from you, everyone else is just chilling against the wall,” I grumbled. “You can join them if you wish?”

It was her turn to be silent. I returned my eyes to the phone just as Zayhir’s voice hummed through the walls of my mind.

“I’m here. I know where it is,” he revealed. “Why is it laced with your magic? You haven’t been to the Coven in weeks. You couldn’t have made a bomb.”

They laced it with my magic so they can put the blame on me. They want to frame me for the murder of Willow, but I’d never do such a thing.

“I’ll handle it,” he assured me but he didn’t seem confident about it.

What’s wrong?

“It’s a strong bomb, Aurelia,” Zayphir emphasized. “I can move it, but honestly, there are not many places I can put it without causing some sort of collateral damage. Despite it not killing anyone, it would cause enough impact to be noticed by officials, and your magic would linger and still cause you to get in trouble.”

So a lose-lose situation. Got it.

“Aurelia.”

Please, Zayhir. I can’t lose Willow. Not in that way. I rather die than be the reason she perishes.

“C’mon,” Lucy complained. “Dial the fucking number!”

“I’ll do as you wish,” he assured me. “I need a few minutes.”

I’ll stall as long as I can. Just do your thing. I’ll face the consequences.

His energy lingered in my mind before he quietly whispered, “If only every shifter was as selfless as you are, Lia.”

Lia… don’t tell me that’s some sort of nickname because I have enough.

“Focus on the end game,” he encouraged. “Leave the rest to me.”

Okay.

My fingers began to move the moment Lucy tried to open her mouth — my thumb keying in the ten digits that would lead me to talk to my best friend.

For potentially the last time…

With the press of the call button, the phone began to ring, and I listened to the repetitive sound — again and again until she finally picked up. It left me questioning how this would end.

Why is this happening?

How do we even fix this?

Will they abandon me forever because of this?

Can they figure out this is a setup to make us enemies?

Can’t we still be friends?

Are we even friends anymore?

The Coven is my enemy and yet I’m forced to remain on their side.

Can I move forward and defeat them…without you in my life anymore?

The silence lingered and I knew I’d have to be the one to initiate the conversation, but I struggled because I knew within the depths of my being that this conversation would definitely be our last.

Why does this have to be our last conversation?

“Hey,” I began with hesitation as my eyes were locked on Lucy’s. The glimmer of pure amusement made me clench my free hand into a fist. I hadn’t talked to Willow for a while, and this felt so fucking awkward.

“I’m assuming you can’t talk. I don’t blame you. You have a lot on your plate. Um…”

I took a long pause.

“I’ve been trying to get into your apartment to give you the new meds, but the code and lock were switched. I figured you changed the security measures, or maybe it was Dimitris since he’s really protective of you, but I tried again today and was told the resident had moved.”

It was the truth, though I hadn’t really allowed it to register in my mind. I’d gone to make another attempt to give her the meds — or just to talk — but the news of her moving out of her penthouse without telling me only confirmed our friendship was dwindling.

No…it was crumbling apart.

“I’ve been trying to reach Onyx, but either his phone is off or it got damaged. Getting in touch with your sis has been impossible, and security has been extremely tight at both work sites so…I guess the purpose of calling is to make sure you’re not dealing with any adverse effects, you know?”

“I got the bomb, Aurelia. Keep distracting them so they don’t notice. Make all their attention remain on you. Lie if you have to,” Zayhir encouraged with haste, which made me remain silent for far too long as I tried to figure out a believable enough story to draw the Coven’s attention to me.

“The Coven wants to kick me out.” I blurted the words out before I could process it, and it rewarded me with a surprised stare from Lucy before she actually arched an eyebrow my way.

And grinned maliciously.

“Since you were appointed to the chair…and all, I guess maybe they thought another one would be available. Honestly, I’m not sure.” I nervously laughed to cover up my anxiety while mentally praying my act was working so Zayhir would get out of there without anyone noticing.

You have to do this, Aurelia. Even if it makes you a villain. Even if they all hate you. It doesn’t matter if the world one day reads my side of the story and finally sees I never wanted this, that I was but a pawn in the Coven’s ploy and forced to obey when all those I loved had been taken from me.

This really was the breaking point, wasn’t it?

“I’m supposed to congratulate you. As a good friend…I should be so fucking happy for you.” My voice cracked because I couldn’t fight how sad I really was. I missed my men. I worried about Zane. I yearned to be around my assistant Aoa, who always seemed to brighten my day with her innocence. I wanted to go back to the moments when Zayhir would join me in researching with a cup of tea, or just rewind time to the beginning where I could decline being a part of the Coven.

If I’d decided to focus on my wolf side, would I have discovered the truth of my triple trait earlier? Would I have been able to delve into Faerie and discover the truth of who I really was without constraint? I had so many regrets that it was pretty disheartening, and I was about to deal with yet another.

“So…why the fuck am I sad? Disappointed? Mad? Fuck. How can I be fucking mad at my best friend for claiming a position…I thought would finally be mine.”

That last part was the truth.

I’d had years and years of something being drilled in my mind that was mine to claim, when the truth was hidden from me and only revealed when what I thought was mine was pulled from my grasp.

It wasn’t Willow’s fault. Or Viktor’s. Or Mother Moon’s. The one who set me up for failure was the Coven, and now I was so far into their web that I couldn’t be freed from it.

“I know all my life I’ve been a puppet to them. I thought that by being naive and continuing to be used and abused I’d at least get some form of acceptance. I was forced to join the Coven…and though a part of me regrets it…another part of me is glad I did because I’ve found a pack of misfits like me in the process.”

That was true, despite them now being out of my reach in a place I had no access to.

“I…have a choice to make.” I tried to firm up my voice, but it was hard. I needed to make this believable. Like I was truly on the verge of breaking down so Lucy and the others could have this moment of entertainment.

A distraction from our hidden motives of saving Willow, her pack, her organization, and all the innocent people who would perish with this bomb.

“If I drop…I’ll be stripped of everything: my rank, positions, resources…my family name. My companies will crumble. I won’t be able to get my own meds; my new assistant would be forcibly deported.” I laid it all out with a shaky breath. “I’ll lose fucking everything, Willow.”

Sad to say, that was what I currently felt. I was literally losing everything and no one could see through the lines.

“If I’m outcasted…my pack has to share the same fate,” I revealed.

I blinked my eyes, realizing tears were pooling and streaming down my face.

“I can’t…do that to them, Willow. I love them. Each one of them. I won’t let my world crumble again. I can’t stand…losing everything.”

But I don’t want to lose you…

“If I stay…I gotta be a puppet…again,” I quietly revealed. “I need to redeem myself. To prove my redemption. They need to witness how powerful I am without the fucking chair…and that means I have to obey what they ask of me.”

My attention returned to Lucy, who was smiling with anticipation, knowing the inevitable was approaching.

Zayhir?

“Almost there.”

The moment of truth was here as I took a deep breath to say those fated words.

“We…can’t be friends anymore, Willow.”

There it was.

The words I never thought would leave my lips in this lifetime.

“It’ll…keep you safe. I know none of this is fair. I know…I’m being a weak bitch…but…something needs to be sacrificed.”

Our friendship for the sake of saving her and everyone she loves from the bomb.

I doubted anyone would figure out the truth, discover that I was blackmailed into all of this and my intentions were the opposite of my actions.

That’s the sacrifice I need to make to protect those I love.

The echoes of booming thunder from outside could be heard from here, and it reflected how I truly felt.

“Willow…know I’m doing this for your own-” I tried to say but she interrupted me.

“Did you know one of your Coven members tortured me for a year and a half after I almost got killed?”

What?

That left me in a state of shock while confusion took over my expression. Staring at Lucy, I noticed her sudden frown, as if she knew exactly what Willow was talking about.

“I…didn’t—” I tried to speak again but the shift in voice from masculine to feminine confirmed William was now truly Willow.

“I promised…not to say a thing because I was told if I did everything precious to me would be stolen,” she said with a trembling voice. “That they’d turn you against me.”

I couldn’t say anything because what do you say with a bombshell like this?

“I figured you should at least know that. So you realize you’re not the only one who sacrificed a lot.”

No. Willow, you don’t understand. You don’t get that I’m saving you! That I’m sacrificing our friendship to save you from death!

“I have some business to attend to.”

No.

No…

“Willow, wait,” I quietly pleaded as tears streamed helplessly down my face.

I didn’t want things to end like this, for our friendship to end with such a discovery. I didn’t know she’d been tortured. I didn’t recall any of this. No one told me! I never found anything like that in the archives.

Where did that information go? What is truly hidden in this world of magic that I’ve been too blind to see?

“Goodbye, Aurelia.”

No. WAIT. WILLOW!

I opened my mouth to speak but the line went dead at that moment, leaving me to stare at the phone in my grasp as devastation rocked through me like a plague. My mouth was agape, my eyes wide and filled with more tears that emerged from the devastating truth, and I was left feeling…

Empty.

I stood there as seconds ticked away, my eyes unable to be tugged away from the phone screen.

Did I just choose the Coven…over Willow?

To think out of everything we’d been through, this was truly the end result. The finale arc of our friendship. She’d never find out the truth, never understand my side of the story. I’d truly failed and lost yet another person that was dear to me, and it would only take time before the news spread.

They’re not friends anymore.

Enviousness finally destroyed their once solid friendship.

To think the misfit bitch would actually let go of an alliance as grand as Forbidden Pack.

A disgrace to all of us witches and wizards.

The potential gossip continued to repeat in my mind like a symphony, while dread took over my senses. My palms grew sweaty and beads of sweat formed along my forehead as I fought to remain standing.

I couldn’t have a panic attack now. I couldn’t let show a group of individuals that never wished for me to prosper in any aspect of life that this had truly broken me.

“Aurelia, I secured the bomb.”

A distraction.

Zayhir’s declaration gave me something to lean on. Something that could steal my attention from the spiraling magnitude of the loss my friendship was causing in real-time.

Where did you bring it?

“My place.”

My heart skipped out of control as the realization of what he’d just said sunk in.

Repeat that.

“I’m at my place, Aurelia,” he announced without a hint of fear as he whispered, “It’s life-proof, remember? It can easily take an explosion of such a grand magnitude and keep your magic within these walls so you won’t get in trouble.”

Zayhir…I need you to leave.

A wave of dread fell through me, just as laughter pierced the air which forced me to look up and see Lucy laughing her head off.

“Wow. I knew you still had feelings for that bitch, but giving me such a wonderful performance makes me want to hold myself accountable,” she stated in pure bliss before she took a step forward so she was in my personal space. “I need a little more though.”

What?

“I like seeing you suffer, seeing all the good get stolen from you,” she declared while her eyes darkened. Glancing over to my right, her gaze landed on Elder Etna. “Elder. You can still detonate the bomb, yes?”

My eyes widened as I shook my head.

“You promised!” I snapped. “I held up my end of the bargain!”

“And I’m holding mine by not commanding for it to detonate,” she argued before grinning so wide it showed off her glimmering white teeth. “I never said someone else couldn’t do it.”

Zayhir! They’re going to detonate the bomb! You need to go!

“I’ll do something else!” I retorted. “Say your request and I’ll do it.”

“Okay,” Lucy began. “Release the Elders.”

I did what she said — and the group of women dropped to the ground from their wall prison.

“Next,” Lucy began as she crossed her arms under her breasts and began to tap her finger against her pouting lips, “strip.”

“What?”

“Stip, Aurelia,” she encouraged. “I won’t repeat myself a third time.”

I bit my lip hard, but I decided not to push it. I needed to obey for the sake of Zayhir.

Please, Zayhir. You need to leave. I’m begging you.

I began to strip out of my clothes, one piece at a time as I waited for Zayhir’s response. He was probably focused on leaving, which was why I couldn’t reach him, but I just needed the reassurance that he was safe.

Once my underwear was off, I zapped my clothes away, not wanting them to have access to them to use for something else. I felt so vulnerable as I stood there, completely naked, but I fought not to look so uncomfortable.

“Finally…” Lucy began as she seemed to think about what she wanted to do next — her eyes looking me up and down. She clearly liked what she was seeing.

Wait. Is Lucy…bisexual?

“Bow and apologize for being such a disgrace to the Coven.”

I bit my bottom lip, knowing damn well they were probably going to record me.

Heck. They’re probably already recording me.

With a shaky breath, I forced my knees to buckle as I knelt on the floor, my head dipping down until my hands and forehead were pressed against the cool surface.

“I…Aurelia Delianna Clementine…” I struggled to continue, but closed my eyes and forced myself to get the next words out, “apologize to the Coven for being a disgra—”

A scream left me as a whip of electric force hit my flesh.

I tried to look for the culprit, but another one followed, and another one.

Again and again, I was whipped by pulsating power that burned my flesh and ripped my skin apart. I screamed to the point that my voice gave out, the pain thrumming through my head until Zayhir’s voice suddenly pulsed in my mind.

“Aurelia? Why are you in pain.?

Please, Zayhir. Get…get out of there. I’m…being whipped…punished…so they won’t detonate the bomb.

“Aurelia…stop taking that bullshit!” Zayhir snarled in pure rage before he revealed the truth. “It’s a timed bomb, Lia. It’s going to go off whether we like it or not.”

My teary eyes snapped open as the pain seemed to numb away with the ultimate truth of his words.

How..much time…

I couldn’t even finish as I could imagine Zayhir standing before me.

Everything zoned out entirely as if for a moment, I’d lost consciousness and was pulled into a spiritual plane that was covered in white.

Zayhir smiled down at me, his eyes tearing up at seeing my naked body that was riddled with wounds. He went down on one knee and gripped my chin gently. His touch was so warm, even though he was so far away.

“P-Please,” I begged. “P-Please…run…away.”

“I can’t, Aurelia,” he confessed, not hiding his sadness. “The only way to secure this place from the blow is having me present. That’s when all the protective protocols are the strongest. If I leave, there’s a chance your energy will linger, and they’ll still deem you guilty of trying to kill someone. Attempting to kill me.”

“We…we can figure that out. Prove my innocence later. Fuck…Zayhir. I’ll serve the time! I’ll go to jail. Just don’t…don’t…”

Don’t die on my behalf…please.

“I…I…” I struggled to admit my true feelings, but I pushed myself to say those words so I wouldn’t regret not doing so. “I need you. In my life…to see…to see the end. To see my redemption. To witness my rise. Like a phoenix…I’ll show them all the truth. Show them that I have a place to call home and people who care…and that includes you. You have to be there at the end.”

The end of all this madness, where I rise from the ashes as someone reborn, who will not be walked over by the world.

I just needed to restart. To start over with a clean slate so I could do things right.

“Please, Zayhir. Don’t…don’t…”

Don’t abandon me.

Don’t leave me, too.

Don’t be another victim o death due to my existence in your life.

“Let me be the villain. Please. I beg you.”

“No can do,” he whispered as his arms wrapped around my neck and he embraced me long and hard. “A selfless woman like you deserves to reach the end. To see where all these sacrifices have led you. You’re close, Aurelia. Close to salvation. Close to redemption. Close to achieving your rebirth.”

Leaning back, he smiled brilliantly at me before he laid a soft kiss on my lips.

“Maybe in your next life…when you’ve been resurrected to embrace your rebirth will we enjoy a timeline where I can be more than just a wizard who helped a princess take those final steps towards her awaiting throne.”

“Zay…hir,” I whispered.

“It’s been fun, Aurelia. Tell Zane that despite our competitiveness, I enjoyed every minute of his company,” he whispered. “Avenge me, Lia.”

The connection broke there and then — heat whiplashing through my body that left me flinching out of the world of white and back to reality, where I was surrounded by echoes of laughter as the scent of blood hit my nostrils.

“Now this surely paid her dues.”

“Look at her. Pathetic.”

“We should have disowned her when Anastasia had her. It would have saved us so much time and disgrace.”

“We thought we’d get an advantage with the Fae. Instead, they left us with their garbage while they enjoy their other child who rules not one but two kingdoms.”

“We can kill her now?”

“No one would know.”

“What shall we do?” Lucy sang, and I felt her hands grip my chin and force me to lift my head up. Her eyes glowed pink as she bored into my eyes with pure merriment. “What a shame. Another lost life because of your existence.”

She knows what they did.

She knows that they killed Zayhir.

“Did you think we didn’t know that wizard was helping you?” she purred. “Silly Aurelia. You should know by now that we watch you like a hawk.” She leaned in close so she could whisper in my ear. “And I won’t stop until your very heart stops beating.”

She laughed in my ear and pulled away, leaving me to stare down at the pool of blood beneath my kneeling limbs.

“We’ll summon you again, Aurelia. We have a few plans to secure an alliance with the Fae, so until then, be a good girl and disappear for a bit. We’ll use you when we need to,” she concluded and brushed her hand away to dismiss me. “Make sure you’re free for the runway event. You’ll need to attend on behalf of the Coven, but don’t worry. After that, you’ll be dethroned and can enjoy your outcast life. Alone, in a world that will never embrace you.”

Their laughter echoed around me, and I knew this was my chance to depart.

I didn’t think of anywhere else but one place — and that was exactly where my body landed.

In the center of burning chaos.

My weak eyes looked around at the burning mess around me. Burning furniture, burning sheets of paper, and so many books up in flames. I sought the one person who I begged to still be alive.

Who would somehow survive the blast left this cozy place in a space of devastation.

Memories I’d forgotten flashed before my eyes — a shop full of flames, vials of herbs and medicine being burned to dust while wood fell from the ceilings that would collapse in moments.

My eyes landed in the corner, and for a moment, I saw a woman. I’d known her. She’d been important in my life — vital to my upbringing — and for a second, I remembered everything she’d done for me.

Natasha. The herbalist who taught me all I knew.

The surroundings changed, and there was the man I was looking for.

Eyes wide, mouth open, blood dripping down the corners of his lips. His body had suffered second and third-degree burns.

“No…”

I rushed to his side, not caring about how the intense heat made my fresh wounds bubble in agony or how I struggled to even walk properly. All that mattered was getting to Zayhir’s side.

The moment I reached him, I dropped to the floor and struggled to touch him. The sight of death stared back at me as those glimmering orbs that had once been filled with intrigue and wonder were simply dull.

Lifeless.

“Zayhir?” I croaked his name as my trembling hands pressed against his cheeks. “Zayhir, I’m here. You…you have to wake up. We…we need to go away from here.”

I leaned in close while my thumbs brushed against his cheeks, which were still wet with tears. All of this felt like deja vu, and the realization that I’d lost yet another person in my life made my heart shatter into million pieces.

“C’mon, Zayhir,” I quietly pleaded. “They know…that I’ve been hiding out here. We need to go somewhere else. Somewhere…somewhere…” I couldn’t finish because I had nowhere to go. Nowhere to stay and feel safe.

The truth was staring back at me.

I’m all alone…

“I…you…I can’t just lose you. You don’t…deserve to die.” It wasn’t registering in my mind correctly. It was like it couldn’t process and I kept getting an error message. Maybe I’d finally broken something up in my mind, and yet I couldn’t think of leaving this spot.

Of leaving him…

“C’mon,” I whispered. “Think, Aurelia. Just think. You know lots of spells. You’re a witch. You…are…a witch… A spell? A spell. Spell. Can help? Maybe. Yes. No. I’ve fucking lost it,” I said to myself as I dragged my hands that continued to tremble wildly down Zayhir’s neck and to his chest.

The movement parted his shirt which was unbuttoned halfway, revealing a necklace that reminded me of Zane’s and Ace’s, only it carried the symbol I was missing in that spell I’d tried.

“Wait…the resurrection spell,” I whispered. “Yes. Yes, yes. It can work. Let it work,” I spoke to myself in haste. “Willow was able to save that Loki guy and Viktor revived her from the dead. I can do it, too. I can revive Zayhir. I’m just as powerful as them! If not stronger.”

My words pushed me to press my palms against his chest, and I begged for my magic to aid me in this task. I may have been physically, emotionally, and mentally drained, but I had to do this.

For Zayhir.

“Please,” I begged as the magic began to pool in my hands and I watched the magic circle begin to formulate. The symbols showed up, one after another until that final symbol blared to life.

“Yes! YES! Revive Zayhir Huxley! Resurrect the man who deserves to enjoy the first breath of our home as his heart beats again. Bring him back to me. Bring him back to the world. Unlock this spell of resurrection! Let him rise from the ashes like I will and return to the world where we belong! In the land of the living!”

I closed my eyes and pushed every thread of magic I had into him like I was a defibrillator bringing shockwaves of life through him.

“With my ashes, revive what’s been stolen from me. Return him from the land of the dead to the world of the living, and let my magic rejuvenate his flesh, restore his magic, and give him the immunity he’s earned. La Va Luke Ne La, Resurrection!”

The last bit of magic burst out of me and into him, and all I could do was let it run its course until my magic ran completely out.

I gasped at the sudden dizziness, and the pain from my wounds only escalated now that I didn’t have my magic numbing the burning scrutiny. Despite all the pain, I fought to lift my head, attempting to smile so it was the first thing Zayhir saw as he returned to life.

Only dull eyes stared back at me.

“Zay…hir?” I could barely get his name out, and tears pooled in my eyes and spilled down my flushed cheeks as I realized the inevitable.

It didn’t work.

“No.” I shook my head. “No. No. No! It should work. I’ve always been able to make the spells work. Why isn’t it working? Why has my magic forsaken me?”

I lifted my shaking hands, realizing there was nothing left for me to try again, and yet I couldn’t accept that. How could I when I gave it my all?

Zayhir deserved to live. To be saved. I had the power to do it. To bring him back just like how Willow, Viktor, and other individuals had done in the past to save those they loved.

“No. It has to work! I DID IT RIGHT!” My hand pressed against Zayhir’s chest, and the magic circle I’d created still lingered there like a tattoo that further mocked my attempt. I fought to kindle my magic, to try again, but everything was empty.

I was as useless as one would deem a human with no magic or shifter capabilities.

“Zayhir.” I didn’t know what to say. I’d literally failed him. I’d brought him into this mess only to die. If those I loved weren’t getting kidnapped, they were perishing at the hands of death or being forced to stay away from me because of my “allegiance” to the Coven.

It was a cycle that I realized would never end.

No matter what I did. No matter how kind I was. No matter how hard I tried. This would keep happening. Tragedy just kept following me, and it wouldn’t end until my heart stopped beating.

Things began to combust, and I realized it wouldn’t be long before this place was nothing but flames, smoke, and debris.

Staring at Zayhir’s body, I knew I had two options.

To leave…or to die with him.

Death seemed rather inviting now. To just give up and accept that I’d always be a pawn in the Coven’s game. I was never destined to be a queen on the chessboard. I was meant to be used and cast aside when my time was up.

Sitting next to Zayhir’s body, I watched as the flames continued to spread and approach us. The heat was scalding, the smoke thick and debilitating, but the longer I sat here, the more numb I became.

I looked down to reach for Zayhir’s hand, deciding if I was going to die, at least I wouldn’t be alone. I’d hold onto him, and maybe he’d greet me on the other side. He’d embrace me and commend me for trying my hardest, and though I couldn’t rise from the ashes in the way that proved my innocence in all of this, at least I’d be at peace.

I opened his palm, revealing a piece of paper. I couldn’t help but pick it up and unfold it before using my other hand to hold the sheet while I gripped Zayhir’s hand, which I knew wouldn’t grip me back.

Aurelia. Selfless Lia. Don’t give up. I know this is devastating, and my death was unexpected, but with death comes rebirth, and I’m sure I’ll be in good hands wherever I’m destined to be. I have one contact that can aid you. He’s the only one I know who can get you to Faerie to unveil your destiny. You must take this note as proof that I’ve fallen. When he knows I’ve perished, it’ll confirm what I’ve been telling him. That you’re innocent and the Coven just wishes to kill you in a way that makes them appear innocent. I gathered all the evidence. All I’m missing is proof that Lucy uses mind control to force people to do things they have no intention of committing. I’m sure you can use Ace as an example. At least when you reunite with them. I’ve ensured they’ve been given immunity. That includes Zane, who’s been rescued by Jack and Quinn. Your pack is safe. All you need to do is head to these coordinates.

I paused reading because my vision was blurred with tears, and all I could do was blink so they fell faster as sobs fought to escape my trembling lips.

The person you meet will be unexpected, but he can help you get redemption. He’ll support you from the shadows and act like a hero on the surface, but he’s on your side. The dark side will embrace you more than the light ever has.

I squeezed his hand tightly as if his warmth hadn’t left his body and left me with a surface of stone in return.

I’m sorry we never really got to learn about one another, but I believe I’ll meet you again one day. I’ll get to witness your rebirth and rise. They say those who struggle and endure so much in life are destined to do big things in this world. Maybe your time is finally here, and this is the last hurdle you need to endure. That may not be motivational when it feels like the world is burning all around you…but I wish for you to keep going, Aurelia.

I bit my bottom lip so hard, it bled as I read the last set of words.

For me, Aurelia. Keep going. Keeping fighting. Reach the end, and let them all be forced to witness your innocence. To acknowledge your redemption.  I love you… Zayhir Huxley.

“Why?” I sobbed the word out and cried so hard, my shoulders shook. “Why do you want me to keep suffering?”

I pressed the note to my chest and sobbed heavily, realizing I couldn’t fucking die. I couldn’t let these flames steal my life away. I hated it. I fated the fact that I had to live because Zayhir was counting on me.

He left me with a mission, knowing damn well I’d give up here and now, and I despised him for it. I despised him for leaving me behind without him.

I screamed and kicked my feet wildly before I forced myself up and stomped forward to leave with the note scrunched in my hand, but I stopped in my tracks and dared to look back. My eyes landed back on his lifeless body.

I can’t leave him…

With another scream of frustration, I walked back to him and fought hard to lift him up. With his arm over my shoulder, I managed to take a few steps with him in tow, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to do this.

I wouldn’t be able to get out of here without magic.

“I need…help,” I begged. “I need help. Please. Please! Mother Moon? Any entity! I need to get to these coordinates! I need…to get there!” I screamed to the burning ceiling. “He trusts in me to get there…so, please. Please…I beg you. Take me to where I’m destined to be. Take me to the land that will carry the pillars to Faerie.”

I stood there in wait, letting my plea go into the universe and praying for the best. If it was my destiny to die here…so be it, but if there was a new path for me to walk upon, I’d wait for its gates of fate to open for my arrival.

Closing my eyes, I waited for the results, until a droplet hit my nose.

Followed by another, and another, until my body was drenched.

I opened my eyes to the sight of lightning that raced through the grey skies before thunder boomed in greeting.

Without delay, I looked to my right to see Zayhir’s body still in my grasp, before I looked around to the wasteland of a place that was but soil and black trees.

I couldn’t believe it. I’d left that burning world that inched me toward death and arrived in this wet oasis.

My tears blended with the raindrops as I slowly laid Zayhir on the ground. I knelt before him, beginning to cross his arms along his chest, and brought his legs together. I tried my best to make his attire as nice-looking as I could, even covered with blood and burnt holes.

I buttoned up his shirt and reached for the necklace. I couldn’t help but glare at the symbol that had betrayed me. Despite all the efforts, all the magic, my drive to revive someone dear to me was all in vain.

I yearned to burn it, but I knew it had to hold some sort of value to him, just like Ace’s and Zane’s necklaces did. It was either a family heirloom or something passed down from someone important to have around his neck at all times.

Deciding to do what popped into my head, I slowly removed the necklace from his neck and grasped it with my hands as I laid them onto his chest.

“I’m…sorry,” I whispered. “Sorry…for being so weak. For not being able to save you. I wish…I want to wish that you never met me, but thanks to you, I was able to find refuge. Even if it was all in vain.”

I leaned down to rest my forehead against my joined hands like I was in deeper prayer, and the wails of sadness came out. I let everything go. My wails of bitter sadness. My cries of anger and frustration. I allowed my heart to shatter into so many pieces, I doubted they could ever be pieced back together again.

If this was what the Coven’s goal was, they succeeded once again.

They broke me, destroyed every ounce of hope I carried in the depths of my body, and I was left with absolutely nothing.

I was but a shell that didn’t wish to continue this cycle.

I shed my tears until they tried up, my wails turning to whimpers, while my body lay upon the man who’d perished on my behalf.

How pathetic of me to think I could move forward to the next chapter of my life without losing something.

Losing someone.

It always happened this way, and I knew in my soul it wouldn’t end.

The rain drenched me until I couldn’t feel a thing, my body but a numb catalyst while my mind couldn’t think anymore. I knew if I remained here, I’d die, but the drive to leave Zayhir here in this abandoned place was nonexistent.

I’d pushed myself well past my limits, and despite the need to stay alive on Zayhir’s behalf, I was losing this battle. It wasn’t intentional. I couldn’t move a limb.

As time passed, memories began to circulate through my mind.

Good times with laughter as children raced through fields of sunflowers and danced in glee.

Children like me who loved and accepted my born nature.

We were all different and yet we had something in common that brought us all together, and this was our oasis.

A place to forget the burdens of the world and just run and be free.

“Aurelia?”

I looked to my left to see the brilliant eyes that replicated mine as a little hand outstretched in hopes I’d place mine in theirs.

“We gotta go! Dad’s waiting for us. We need to return before Mom has to take us to the Mundane world!”

“Do we have to go?” I asked but reached out to put my hand in his.

“Yup. We have to do something important! As royals, we’re reaching the age of being tested. I don’t know what we need to do, but whatever awaits us, we can handle it together!”

“Together?” I asked. “You won’t leave me?”

“I’m your brother, silly,” he assured me with a wide smile that warmed my heart. “They’ll have to force me to leave your life, Aurelia. It’ll never happen! Your brother will protect you. I solemnly swear.”

I giggled as I squeezed his hand, the warmth making me teary-eyed, which made the boy jump in surprise.

“Don’t cry, Aurelia! Did what I say upset you?”

“No,” I admitted and smiled before hugging the boy, who immediately hugged me back.

“I love you, brother.”

“Just as I love you, Aurelia!”

He pulled back to look into my watery eyes. His confidence and determination glimmered in those golden spheres that shifted colors rapidly in excitement. He then leaned in to kiss my forehead, an action we always did to reassure each other.

“We’re going to be king and queen one day. We’ll rule our kingdoms together! Queen Aurelia and King Augustus! We’ll bring peace and harmony to our kind and no one will hurt us,” he vowed.

A hand gripped my chin, forcing my head up, which pushed me to try to open my eyes. They barely did as they started to droop in mere seconds, but I bet they were void of emotion — orbs of black that wished to hide within the shadows where I yearned to belong.

At least if they can’t see you, no one can hurt you.

“What have they done to you, my sister?” A soft male’s voice reached my ears while the cloaked being continued to peer down at me. “Zayhir was right. They really have dug their graves,” he growled, and I could only wonder what his face looked like.

His hands proceeded to move to cup my cheeks and he leaned forward until warm lips pressed against my clammy flesh.

“Rest, my sister. The world of witches and wizards has wronged you, rejected their destined savior because you’ve yet to rise into your destined role,” he whispered. “They’re fools greedy for power and control, despite the consequences of death and retribution. They underestimate who they’re dealing with, but this is perfect. This will set up your ascension. I only have a day to show you the world that accepts you, flaws and all.”

He stroked my wet cheeks and lowered me for a moment before a cloak of warmth laid upon my shoulders. In moments, I was lifted up, my body a dangling weight that was scarred, bruised, wounded, and burned.

The humiliation of what I’d endured from the Coven members only for Zayhir to die suddenly rocked through me.

Then I was crying all over again.

“Shh, Aurelia,” he soothed as he cradled me like I was someone of importance, even though I felt like a waste of space. “You’ll get your vengeance. You’ll enjoy taking down every member of that Coven that dares to use you as a puppet. They’ll see you rise, ascend to your position, and then we’ll take them down one by one while you finally get to live the life you deserved to experience fifteen years ago.”

I couldn’t grasp the significance of the years passed. My sadness was so overwhelming, it was all I could do.

I cried and cried, even as we began to walk away.

I heard the crackle of flames and inhaled the thick scent of burning flesh, and I knew the body of Zayhir would be nothing but ash, blown away by the wind until I got a chance to return to this very spot.

I prayed that those ashes would rise just like a phoenix and begged for him to be welcomed into Paradise for saving me.

Clinging to the necklace in my grasp, I sobbed until I lost consciousness as any lingering strands of hope were lost.

That night, I felt the last bit of me wither away, and all that was left…was darkness.

CHAPTER 9

Our Broken Mate Deserves Redemption

“Aurelia?!”

“What happened to her?”

“Those wounds. Who did this?”

“It was as if she was whipped and then burned.”

“Who do we kill? Just say who they are and I’ll go back to the mundane world myself and finish them all off!”

“Jack, you can’t.”

“Who hurt our Kitten?!”

“Enough! All will be explained by the king once your woman has wakened from her slumber,” an unfamiliar voice declared. “Until then, she will be treated and be given the best care as requested by the king himself, which I’ll remind is a rare occurrence.”

“Wait. There’s supposed to be one more person. A male wizard.”

“I’m sad to report there was a casualty on site when your woman was discovered by our king.”

“Casualty…”

“Zane?”

There was a long sigh before the softly spoken words drifted in the air.

“Zayhir. He told me he’d protect Aurelia with his life if a situation came where she’d be faced with death or exile.”

“Fuck…”

There was a long silence before the unfamiliar man cleared his throat.

“From detailed analysis and trusted sources, it was confirmed that a bomb was planted in Forbidden Enterprise without any of their knowledge. Your mate’s actions were performed to save those within that business complex at the expense of humiliation, torture, and broken promises. That resulted in the bomb being moved to a different location where it went off, killing the wizard you inquired about,” he explained. “Such information was retrieved from the individual’s memories before his body was cremated.”

The silence was even more deafening as the news settled into their minds.

“The other side doesn’t know.”

“No other sources sensed the bomb threat. They are unaware of your mate’s sacrifices. All I’ve discovered through phone records is that your mate and the woman, Willow De Luca, are no longer friends. Aurelia ended the friendship on the phone.”

“She was probably blackmailed to fucking do it!”

“They threatened to blow the place up if she didn’t comply. She did what they said and they still detonated the fucking thing.”

“That doesn’t explain the whip marks.”

“The king discovered video recordings of how your mate acquired such deep wounds from her own Coven members,” the man disclosed. “She was forced to kneel down naked, apologize for being a disgrace, and was then whipped until she temporarily lost consciousness.”

“And they fucking videotaped it all?”

“Ace…calm—”

“Don’t dare tell me to calm down, King! Our woman! Our mate was humiliated, blackmailed, whipped like a fucking dog, and then had to endure losing ANOTHER person in her life! After all of us were stolen from her so she’d be left all alone! This will break her!”

“Where’s the video?” The deadly snarl would send shivers through anyone.

“Tell us, and Quil and I will get rid of it quickly and destroy their entire database.”

“It has already been disposed of,” the man announced. “The original and copies. Both electronic and physical traces of the incident have been wiped. The king immediately made that his priority before bringing your mate here to receive first-class treatment.”

“Why would your king go through such for our mate?”

“Our king may be ruthless, but he’s not heartless,” the man revealed. “We share the same enemy. This is not the first time the Coven has made attempts to hurt one of our own.”

“You mean to confirm that Aurelia is a Dark Fae from this kingdom.”

“She’s more than that,” the man disclosed. “But such information will be shared by the king himself. He wishes for your mate’s presence and the opportunity for you all to take a day to view our kingdom. It seems time is of the essence for the runway that will crown the new heir of the Phoenix Empire is approaching and your mate is forced to attend.”

“Can’t she just leave the Coven?”

“They don’t deserve her.”

“As much as we agree with your commentary, her attendance is mandatory. If she misses such an event, many will conclude she holds a grudge against De Luca rising to her royal role and High Chair position. That weight of judgment will linger as we know shifters don’t forget such instances.”

“He’s right. They’ll think she’s being a coward.”

“When they’re the cowards wanting to destroy one woman for a hidden motive.”

“Let us make our way to the scanning center. This will find any wounds, scarring, and mental manipulation inflicted upon her. With a map of her injuries, we’ll be able to plan treatment and therapy.”

“How much should we pay? Our income is clearly back in the mundane world, but the moment we have access to it, we’ll wish to pay for such services.”

“No payment is required. Again, our king has taken this matter to a personal level which is of rare occurrence. What his connection is with your mate will be discussed upon her awakening, and my king will speak with you directly.”

“And who are you?”

“Dandulf, one of the king’s personal servants. I also serve Prince Theo from time to time when he’s visiting this kingdom. It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Though you’ve been brought into our world during odd circumstances, know that we have no intention of harming you. At least, now that the king has arrived and approved of your stay, you should experience less resistance from those who are rather disapproving of your presence in our lands.”

“What will be done in regard to Aurelia’s absence?”

“The Coven won’t be thrilled to know she’s actually in Faerie.”

“That has already been arranged and worked upon,” Dandulf revealed. “We’ve been in contact with her assistant, Aoa. She carries the ability to glamor herself to represent your mate if a situation comes where she’s summoned.”

“Doesn’t that put her at risk?”

“The Phoenix family’s current heir is aware of what is transpiring behind the scenes. Though she’s yet to know of this bomb threat, she seems to understand that your mate is being negatively targeted with a hidden purpose. She wishes to discover exactly how far the Coven wishes to take their plans and for what purpose. With that being said, she will be keeping an eye on Aoa if a situation comes along that involves your mate’s involvement while she’s here in Faerie.”

“We don’t get much time here in Faerie…”

“Sadly, you will not, seeing as the time difference is impactful on your return, but you can make the most of it. Our world is vast, but your invitation isn’t temporary. With the king’s approval, you’ll be given the ability to return here legally and without fear of punishment.”

“Do you all really wish to aid us?”

“We hold nothing against your mate or you, for that matter. At least, not those who acknowledge our king and the connections he makes,” Dandulf revealed. “Just be aware that to reach such compliance in our kingdom takes a long time. The Fae of Darkness aren’t as fond of change, nor do they like hybrids. It’s because of the king and the power he’s displayed to our world that many have altered their old habits and outlooks during this new rulership. You’ll understand more once you’ve met him personally, but until then, please accept our aid and enjoy our home, which is vastly beautiful. It could very well be a place of homage in the future.”

“Thank you, Dandulf.”

“My pleasure. Now please, follow us this way to take your mate to medical examination and treatment.”

I stayed conscious for a little longer before my mind drifted and I fell back into the arms of slumber.

The soft touch to my cheek stirred me awake, my heavy eyelids managing to open slightly to acknowledge the dark surroundings.

My body ached, the soreness palpable in every limb. My cheeks felt wet as if I’d been crying in my sleep, and my lids were so heavy that I was tempted just to close them and sleep for eternity. I didn’t want to allow myself to be awake for too long.

To deal with the emotional turmoil that would attack me if I allowed myself to remain conscious.

“Aurelia.”

It took me a moment to decipher the person’s voice, leaving me to wonder if I felt pleased or sad to be among company. I wanted to cocoon myself away from the world, to drift off like a ship at sea with no destination and no way for anyone to track me down.

I want to disappear. It would be the best for everyone.

“Auri, baby.” The pain in his voice alone triggered tears to blur my vision in seconds, and I couldn’t stop myself from whimpering as my body was embraced and held in Ace’s warmth. “Don’t cry. I’m right here. You’re safe now, with us. No one is going to hurt you, Aurelia.”

I cried because in his arms, I did feel safe. Safer than I’d felt in weeks. Having Zane and Zayphir had helped significantly when they were taken away, and it gave me a moment of safe haven, but there was always something about being held by Ace that brought me back to when we were but children.

When I felt truly safe in the world of innocence in a realm that made me feel invincible.

Being held by him reminded me of those childhood moments. Before the chaos, rejection, loss, and spiral of trauma, we’d both experienced. It really hadn’t stopped since the day Ace was forced to reject me, and I finally realized that Lucy had truly been the villain in all of this.

The Vile Queen might have been the enemy of many across the spectrums of shifters, but in my world and for those around me, it was clear that Lucy was the culprit behind our suffering with her mind-controlling ways and goal of ruining my life until I stopped breathing.

“Zayhir…” I sobbed the man’s name, knowing I’d never to get say thank you to him. “I tried…I tried to save him, Ace.”

“I know, Auri,” Ace soothed as he rubbed my back extra gently as if to ensure he didn’t use too much pressure on my wounds that felt like they were bandaged up. I couldn’t even tell if I was naked or wearing something, but it seemed unimportant.

“I did the spell…to try to resurrect him. It didn’t work. Even…even though I gave it my all. I told…I told him to run. To go…and let me face the consequences, but he wouldn’t. He stayed. Took…the bomb to his place,” I sobbed. “He…said he loved me. That I’m selfless and deserve to prove to the world my…innocence. He…had so much confidence in me, Ace. Now…look. He’s dead. Because of me. Everyone…dies…because…of me,” I wailed the words that broke me, and they echoed in the small space as I cried into Ace’s chest.

It sounded like the door to the room had opened, and footsteps followed, but I could barely catch it with how I cried, my body shaking from my sobs.

Another set of arms joined the embrace as the tender voice of the man I didn’t expect would still support me whispered, “That’s not true, Aura. You know it’s not.”

Zane.

“Zayhir…died…because of me. You…you…should hate me!” I pressed and dared to open my eyes enough to peer over to see the man in question in the dark. I was ready to face his anger, to witness how he despised someone like me, who only brought misery to him. But there was his calm expression as he held hope in those stunning orbs of his.

He still carried love for me, and that only made my heart ache more.

“Zayhir protected you because he believed your innocence deserves to be proven to the world, Aura. He would never allow himself to take on a task he didn’t believe would lead to a grand ending that he’d approve of. I can’t be angry at you for actions out of your control. You weren’t the culprit behind making that bomb. You were blackmailed, ridiculed, used, and set-up. He knew that. He understood the sacrifice he was making. He’d despise me if I dared put blame on you,” Zane stressed, and Ace ended up passing me over to him so I could hug him tightly.

The fact that he was alive even though he had been poisoned left me feeling relieved he’d survived and gotten help from Zayhir’s connections.

He comforted me for a moment before allowing me to pull back enough to notice his pure white hair.

“Wait. Your hair…”

“That poison stuff really likes to tamper with one’s hair color,” Zane complained. “And don’t ask about the short length. That was Jack’s fault.”

“Now hold on a fucking minute,” the man himself declared, and I realized he, Quil, and King were also in the room. “That wasn’t solely my fault.”

“You literally cut his hair saying the poison would reach his skull since it was spreading from the tips,” Quil pointed out with a judgmental expression in Jack’s direction.

“Not the poison in the veins!” Jack whined. “The poison ivy that he was casually laying on!”

“As if he just freely decided to lay in poison ivy,” King groaned and shook his head.

“Ugh! It doesn’t matter! We’re here to comfort our Kitten before I go back down to the mundane world and kill everyone.”

“You’re not killing everyone,” King muttered.

“And you think you’re going to be able to stop me?” Jack actually laughed menacingly before he literally skipped to the bed. “Harm what’s ours, and what happens?”

“Death,” Quil decided to answer like this was a casual answer they’d all agreed upon.

“You can stand there and listen to your queen cry like the world has ended, but I’m literally on my last strand of fucks given and unless this king of this grand kingdom decides to come and speak to us about what plans we’re supposed to follow to get Aurelia the redemption she deserves, I’m just going to go have fun destroying the Coven and spilling their blood until there’s enough to make a gallery full of the dead!”

He was then stealing me from Zack’s arms and literally carrying me bridal-style before he kissed my forehead.

“Hello, Kitten. You shouldn’t be crying like this. Your eyes are going to be so puffy.”

“Jack…”

“Don’t worry. I’m a good entertainer. I’m going to cheer you up so you’ll smile again, and then, we’ll destroy the world, come back here to Faerie with a karaoke machine, and enjoy a lovely night of drinks, moonshine wine, and a threesome with Quil.”

“Why am I invited into this?” Quil muttered more to himself but he seemed to walk over to me before he cupped my wet cheeks while I remained in Jack’s hold.

“You have every right to feel how you feel, to carry the burden of loss and heartache. I want to make sure you understand that your emotions are valid and no one should discard them, including yourself,” he voiced first before his eyes narrowed. “But none of what occurred is your fault. The Forbidden Empire knows nothing of what happened or the bomb threat, but I’m rather positive they’re picking up on the signs that this can’t be something you’d carry out. The Phoenix Empire will be informed of the incident, and though the message will arrive far later than any of us would like, it’ll still reach them and be another layer of evidence to prove your innocence.”

He leaned in and didn’t hesitate to kiss me. The sudden shift in the atmosphere encouraged me to open my eyes to now see Quinn.

Watching her eyes brighten at the sight of me made me shed tears because it felt like a while since a female had looked at me with happiness instead of pure envy, anger, or disgust.

“No more crying,” she purred and kissed each cheek. “This has been hard, hasn’t it?”

I slowly nodded in her grasp and gave her a sad smile before pressing her forehead against mine.

“Seeing you in pain makes me want to destroy anyone who dared to think badly of you, but us being brought to Faerie has to mean something. It has to help us understand why you’re the dartboard that everyone wishes to pierce until you’re filled with needles. I’m sorry we were forced to be away from you, but no more. If this path leads to the end of the road, we’re going to be with you every step of the way,” she vowed. “They hate to see us misfits succeed. Hate to watch us reach a level of success and power so they set things up to ensure we have no choice but to tumble and fall in the depths of failure, but our Sunflower always rises. No matter the pressure, the chaos, the destruction, and constant torment, you always get up again, and they’ll be forced to witness you do it once again.”

She kissed me at least three more times before she snuggled me in a hug that probably could suffocate someone.

“Hiss!”

“M-Medusa?” I croaked and watched the snake come into my line of view as she moved her head from side to side in happiness.

“HISS!”

Quinn pulled back just so my snake could wrap around my neck before proceeding to nose bump me with her head again and again as if that would steal away the pain.

“Hiss. Hiss. Hiss.”

“I…missed you…too,” I sniffed, realizing I was surrounded by those who actually cared about me. I wasn’t just a piece of trash like everyone else was stating again and again. The gentle stroke of my head encouraged me to look up to see King’s softened expression as he took me in.

Even though his expression was neutral, his eyes showed a side of anger I’d never seen emerge in those intense spheres.

“I despise injustice. I hate mistreatment from an organization that’s clearly two-faced. Their bias for one and absolute hatred towards another makes my blood boil because I know what it’s like to do all the right things and still be made out to be a villain,” he revealed as his voice dipped further. “That’s why I torture people, to tell the truth. I force their bodies to experience pain that’s inhumanely possible to hear all their confessions and the purpose they felt was justifiable to bring pain to an innocent person. They all love to laugh, mock, and celebrate destroying an innocent person’s reputation because there are still good individuals in this world, but they all scream bloody murder when I break their bones, drain their blood, and revive them after crushing their very hearts.”

He paused to ensure I heard every word of his before he leaned down and very softly laid his lips upon my lips.

“Do not think I’m not outraged by the agony you’ve experienced these last few weeks, our Queen. That I don’t wish to bring every member of that Coven into the depths of my torture oasis and let you sit there and listen to their screams for hours on end until you believe their suffering is enough in comparison to what they dared to put you through. Right now, it feels like we’re in a cage, trapped with no way out, but at the end of the day, every prison, dungeon, and room has an exit. All we have to do is unlock ours,” he revealed and then whispered against my lips, “And when that door opens and we’re free to unleash our act of vengeance, I vow to bring them to you, one by one, until their ring leader is in our possession and gets to enjoy a slow, agonizing life of torture until she’s stripped of absolutely everything.”

His words literally sent shivers down my spine because I knew in the depths of my soul that he’d keep his word.

With that, Jack carried me back to the bed and lowered me into its soft surface. As he tucked me in, there was a knock on the door.

“Please prepare for the presence of the king,” the man that I assumed was Dandulf declared, which left me attempting to look at myself.

“And I look like shit…” I croaked in defeat.

I was actually thankful I couldn’t see my reflection, or I’d probably burst into tears seeing my shambled self. Now I was going to meet the king of these dark lands and I probably stank, had deep black circles under my eyes, and looked malnourished.

“Nothing a bit of magic can’t fix!” Quinn beamed and was next to me on the bed, snapping her fingers. A tingling sensation of frost rushed through me, and with a twirl of Quinn’s wrist, a hand mirror appeared that she encouraged to face me.

I immediately looked away, fearing what I’d see before me, but my entire body was frozen by the tender lips that pressed firmly on the left side of my neck.

“I’d never lead you astray, Sunflower,” she seduced with a voice that drew me right in — my head turning so that I could get an up-close look at those alluring eyes once more. “Trust me,” she said with a wink.

Gulping the nervousness that formed a lump in my throat, I slowly returned my eyes to the path of the mirror. My eyes widened I took in my appearance that showed a reflection of me I hadn’t seen in weeks.

It wasn’t as if I was glammed up or anything, but her spell had done exactly what it needed to emulate the woman I missed portraying.

The badass bitch who embraced her looks and knew she could take down the world.

“Once all this madness is over, we’ll work on building your actual physique back to what it was before, but for now, this glamour will remain for as long as you wish. This will annoy the shit out of those old hags when they witness you all well and dandy,” she acknowledged. “A bandage is better than an open wound, so let’s go with this for now, okay?”

“Okay,” I whispered as I blinked away my tears. “T-Thank you guys. Seriously…I missed my pack.”

Each of them didn’t hesitate to give me one more set of kisses and hugs before we prepared for the inevitable — facing this king who was supposed to kill my men but seemed to have other plans since he’d delayed such and saved me at the brink of death.

I took an inhale and let it out just as the doors opened to reveal armored guards in gold and teal armor who bowed and created a path solely for the king himself.

He walked boldly down the remaining steps that led to my room, but none of us could see his face until he entered my room and the low beam of light from above shone down upon him to reveal his identity.

Leaving all of us absolutely speechless.

Our obvious silence only encouraged Dandulf to emerge from behind the king — the short servant of the King being 4”11” with long brown hair, blue eyes, and black antlers that appeared out of the temples of his head.

He wore golden attire with teal embroidery as he bowed at the side of the king before turning his attention to our gawking faces.

“Introducing the ruler of the Valentine Kingdom of Dark Fae, formally known as King Amos Delianna Clementine! Bow in acknowledgment of the royal Master who’s saved you from your planned executions and wishes to provide you immunity from those who wish for your demise.”

Holy fucking shit…I have a brother.

CHAPTER 10

King Amos And The Secrets Revealed With Death

“Impossible.” The word left my lips before I could stop it. “How…who…what?”

My men ended up bowing as if they suddenly remembered to do so, but I was frozen in shock as my eyes took in the man in question and I noticed how identical he looked to me when I’d temporarily made myself into a boy.

Only he was utterly enchanting to look at, from his royal robes of gold and teal with hints of black and purple to the way his hair draped along his shoulders without a strand out of place. The majestic crown that sat upon his head pulsed with magic that demanded to be acknowledged, and his aura was fascinating to watch as it danced like it was a performer on a stage.

Brilliant orbs of lime green that took over the hues of gold danced in his eyes, which projected a cunning appearance as he looked directly at me.

This man carried the confidence of a king, and it was like seeing a part of me and what I could look like if I had the same foundation of royal hierarchy.

“It’s good to be back home to confront this dilemma. It was becoming quite an annoyance to have an organization as bold as the Coven believe we Fae are their new dumpster lot to throw what they deem as trash,” he complained with a voice as chilled as frost.

He side glanced over to Dandulf, who bowed at his king’s attention.

“I’m ready to serve, Your Majesty.”

“Ensure the assistant is watched and protected. The Coven will aim to taint Aurelia’s name again, but I’ve already finished speaking with Ruby Phoenix and formulated a plan. She will act naive, which is what we wish for. With how quickly time runs in the mundane world, by the time I address things with Aurelia and her pack, we’ll have to promptly return for the reveal of Willow De Luca’s rise to her royal title as Alundra Phoenix. See to it that my carriage is ready for departure and that Theo is prepared to leave first. You know I dislike being tardy.”

“Yes, Your Majesty! I’ll work on everything you’ve requested promptly. Are we going to postpone the celebrations for the Solstice.”

“No. We’ll be back by then,” he assured him. “Begin to make a wardrobe for Aurelia and her men. The finest clothes with a set of royal garments for each. I do not care about the price. Get it done for the moment we’re done with the mundane world, I’d like to give a detailed tour of our world and introduce our people to Aurelia on the day of the Solstice celebrations.”

“I’ll inform the tailors and have that established as soon as possible, Your Majesty! Anything else?”

“Bring some proper food for them all. I was unaware of the conditions served in my absence, but now that I’ve witnessed this pack myself, it’s only royal etiquette to serve them like the kings and queens they are. Ensure there’s a plate of steak as well to be reserved for their wolves so they may eat if need be. Also, secure the forest for them if they wish to run as a pack before our departure. Let the various Moonlight Fae pack members be aware.”

“Moonlight Fae pack?” I whispered the words as if they were forbidden to say.

“They are the Fae wolves of our lands with magic capabilities,” he revealed. “They’re shifters like many of you with unique hybrid traits.”

“Wait. There are wolf shifters like us with triple hybrid assets in Faerie?” Ace requested elaboration because it honestly felt like some sort of dream. All our lives, we’d been made fun of or outcasted for carrying traits that pushed us too far away from our wolf roots or deemed us incapable of being worthy witches and wizards because of our shifter traits.

The realization that everyone in my pack carried a Fae trait as well as their wolf and magic capabilities confirmed we were all triple hybrids that were even more frowned upon for being uniquely different.

Yet we’re powerful if one is willing to acknowledge our potential.

It was hard to believe that this wasn’t something out of the ordinary, for there was a pack that existed in the heart of Faerie that validated our existence. This confirmed that we weren’t simply outcasts and misfits that deserved to be ridiculed and deemed psychotic for our ways of functioning.

“There’s an entire pack that has awaited their Omega’s return to their lands to be claimed by this pack,” King Amos announced, which immediately had everyone looking at me while I blinked in confusion

“Omega? I’m…I’m not an Omega.”

“Not yet,” he admitted but didn’t look as though he’d elaborate on it. “All you need to know is there is a wolf pack waiting to be claimed in Faerie and the privilege will invite you to bring the current members of your pack in as leaders. Know that this pack is big and male-dominant seeing as female wolves in Faerie are rather tricky to find.”

“Why is that?” Zane dared to ask. “If I’m allowed to ask.”

King Amos glanced over to Dandulf, who had briefly left and was already back to aid in the conversation.

“Female wolves in Faerie have outcast themselves throughout the kingdom. It’s extremely difficult to locate their hidden location or even communicate with them. As King Amos acknowledged, the Moonlight Fae Pack is filled with male wolf shifters. Many are Alphas with a few Betas in tow, but without an Omega female to lead and tame them, the pack has become rather difficult to be around if you’re a female wolf. A few have tried, and it’s ended in their demises for the pack seeks to find a strong female worthy of even entering their territory, let alone speaking with them in hopes that they’ll change their behavior to a more civil one that will allow them to potentially mingle with the female wolves.”

“But if they need an Omega, doesn’t that mean the female would have to be shared by the entire pack?” King inquired, which made Jack chuckle.

“If that’s the case, I’m calling dibs now because I’m rather picky about who gets to breathe the same air as our Kitten,” he boldly declared.

I realized Quil was back as he had his arms crossed over his chest and slowly nodded. “It would be a tedious task to deal with such circumstances.”

“Omegas in Faerie are slightly different,” Dandulf revealed. “The Omega, a female Alpha, will project various scents that are recognized by the Alphas and Betas of a male-dominant pack. The scent that’s exuded on the first encounter determines whether one will be a mate or romantically compatible with the Omega, or if they’re meant to lead in their pack. Not every pack member is worthy of loving the Omega, and the success of the pack when an Omega is introduced is based on whether the Omega is being taken care of, protected, and satisfied in all areas so that she can deliver a balance that eases the animalistic traits of the pack and invites a more civil grounding, which would make the pack more functional in communication and working together with other packs along the path of growth.”

“So you’re saying none of these female wolves had the Omega trait to aid this pack?” Ace inquired.

“If they did, we would have found that out many years ago,” King Amos voiced the obvious. “She gives off Omega vibes and her aroma has spiked since arriving in Faerie. It’s pretty easy to tell an Omega Fae on the first encounter, but it won’t affect me for obvious reasons. As for you men, you all carry a magical connection with her, which I’m going to assume is from a magic artifact, though it feels as though some of you carry deeper bonds than others.”

His eyes briefly paused on King, as if he was intrigued by him in particular before he looked back in my direction.

“Regardless, it’s something we’ll encounter once you return for the Solace Celebration,” King Amos announced, which confused me.

“We get to return?” I dared to ask, representing the rest of my pack.

“Of course, you’d return,” he pressed and looked back, which cued the guards at the door to close the doors. Once they were shut, walls of glimmering gold surrounded the walls before Dandulf shuffled in haste to conjure a chair of gold for King Amos to sit upon.

His movement was so graceful, like he was a dancer who moved enchantingly with every single execution.

“This is your rightful home. Why would you remain in a world that disdains your existence when you are marked royalty that simply awaits to take your throne?”

What….

None of us spoke as we stared blankly at the Fae King as he crossed one leg over the other.

“The Coven really has gone above and beyond to make you forget what’s embedded in your mind. That has to be the case seeing as you didn’t return to Faerie when you reached the age of twenty-five. With that mind-controlling witch, I’m not surprised, but with the sacrifices we made years ago, I thought you’d be immune to her tactics.”

“Sacrifices?” I scrunched my face and tried to remember what he was referring to, but nothing was popping up.

Dandulf walked over to the right side of King Amos’s chair to bow.

“I may have an answer to such, Your Majesty.”

“Please share,” he encouraged. “I hate wasting time.”

“Yes, King Amos,” he declared and got to it. “Though the analysis is not officially complete due to the extensive complexity of Miss Aurelia’s mind, the elves believe many memories were buried and unable to awaken due to the trauma Miss Aurelia has gone through over the years. It has mentally impacted her consciousness, along with whatever magic shackles were placed upon her when she joined the Coven.”

“She didn’t want to join the Coven,” Quil calmly reminded him. “She was forced to do so suddenly when she discovered us because they were hoping Aurelia wouldn’t focus on her wolf side.”

“Of course.” King Amos rolled his eyes as if he was already tired of the conversation. “Exploring her wolf potential would have strengthened her Fae traits and made it easier for her to tip into Faerie without much struggle. It would have allowed you all to come to our world and awakened all your memories that have been sealed for good reason.”

“Meaning we’re all forgetting things?” Zane inquired.

“Of course you are,” King Amos commented as he leaned back in his chair and casually moved his hand between Zane and Ace. “You two are twins.”

Neither of them spoke while King Amos’s hand was already moving to Quil.

“Your alter ego is actually your sibling but the instability in your magic matched with the dual sexual needs that drive you to psychosis if not tamed resulted in you being subdued to this stage of power.”

Quil’s eyes widened in pure shock, but once again the king’s hand moved until it landed on Jack.

“A keeper of snakes and other creatures that slither in wait for your return. You have an entire kingdom here to claim but your commitment to that Unseelie Nymph wolf over there and your new fascination with Aurelia holds you back from claiming your throne that many wish to destroy for a multitude of reasons.”

Jack opened his mouth but shut it a second later — which was a first.

With a twirl, King Amos’s hand landed on King.

“You despise your own kind due to the ruthless torture you experienced when you were left behind while your older brother was sent to the mundane lands to humble himself in preparation for the throne,” he revealed unexpectedly as he slowly tilted his head. “You’re a shifter whose name signifies rulership, and yet you’re second in everything you do. They mock you for your morals, for not pouncing on the opportunity as a lion would to claim a lioness. Instead, you seek to love someone who genuinely loves you in return, to court and experience the simple things in relationships rather than being forced into a marriage that will forever be one-sided. You hate injustice because you’ve been plagued with nothing but deceit and betrayal, and you’d never open up and share the severity of how your past has scarred you to the point that you struggle to be close to the woman you have actually come to fall in love with.”

King’s expression was emotionless, but I could tell from his eyes that King Amos’s declaration hit a nerve.

He clearly didn’t care because he was back looking at me and with a twirl of his wrist, he began to unravel the depths of my past.

“Our birth was celebrated and yet shunned. A blessing and a curse. A queen that prayed for a prodigy. A king yearned for an heir. They got their wish and yet it was all in vain. Past traumas and broken alliances. Hatred that’s been rooted in our family’s destiny for generations. We were meant to be rulers. To embrace our Fae roots. To explore our lands with the paws of our wolves. Our magic was woven to lift up others and create an oasis for shifters like us—outcasts from their packs, kingdoms, and islands who want to live in a place where they can be embraced. Our futures were supposed to be nothing like our current realities,” he explained. “Alas, enemies who seek a chair that glimmers in gold altered our destinies and plagued us with devastation. Your cycle revolves around pain, agony, loss, and destruction. You build your walls, establish your boundaries, and enjoy moments of elation before it all comes crashing down, again and again, for that’s the destiny they gave you. A cycle that can never be broken unless you perish by the very Coven that wants nothing but your destruction.”

“So Zayhir was right,” Zane whispered, and we looked at him to see his conflicted expression. “He said Aurelia wouldn’t be able to get out of this unless there’s some sort of redemption and rebirth.”

“Death leads to rebirth,” King Amos emphasized. “That is exactly what the Coven wishes for my sister. For her to succumb to the agony they’ve woven for her and to ensure her rebirth is impossible.”

“But Aurelia wouldn’t be able to just come back to life. Sure, reincarnation is there, but that would obviously mean…” Ace trailed off as though he didn’t want to state that into the universe.

“If Aurelia was plagued to remain in the mundane realms for the Coven to kill her, they would have succeeded,” King Amos declared as he slowly scanned the room and returned his gaze to me. “Do you understand why they humiliated you?”

I couldn’t answer. The mere mention of it made me want to shut down entirely at the glimpse of agony I’d experienced for what seemed like mere hours prior to arriving in these magical lands.

“They whipped you with poisonous leather that’s used upon the same slaved wolves in Russia to push the wolf of the shifter to become feral,” he revealed and arched an eyebrow at me. “When have you last spoken to your wolf?”

“I…” I couldn’t say another word because it dawned on me just how quiet my subconscious had been. I’d been in so much turmoil from what happened, I couldn’t even check in on Aries.

Aries? Aries?

I searched my subconscious but I couldn’t locate her in the shadows. Before I could ask, King Amos carried on.

“Their intention was to send your wolf into a feral state that forces the entity to hide within the shadows. They’ve clearly succeeded on that part.”

“Meaning…I…I can’t reach Aries anymore?” I dared to ask.

Dandulf stepped forward and bowed before answering my question.

“Since we detected such abnormalities upon your arrival, the elves and royal healers were able to halt the progression of the poisonous venom. It’s the reason why we had to give you a blood transfusion with human blood. Your magic levels were so depleted, you’re essentially a human at the moment.”

“They wanted Aries to go feral so Aurelia would go insane?” King grumbled.

“Worse actually,” King Amos said as he seemed suddenly intrigued with his nails, which were painted gold with a teal design. “If I hadn’t shown up, their intention was to track her like an escaped convict, beat the shit out of her, stake her up, and burn her to death based on the planted seeds of the bomb they detonated today, which was actually timed and laced with Aurelia’s magic. No one would go against their actions when the truth would be revealed to the public because they could simply blame the death of the wizard on Aurelia.”

I couldn’t help but lower my head in an attempt to hide the shame and sadness that took over my expression. Ace sat on the side of the bed and took my hand silently. He didn’t need to say anything. Just his touch helped just a little bit.

“So they want to kill her just to replace her. This is madness. Why can’t we prove this and get them disbanded?” Zane questioned in anger. “It’s not fair for Aurelia to live with such guilt and the loss of Zayhir. His death will be in vain if we can’t prove that the Coven was behind his death.”

“Zayhir Huxley isn’t a fool,” King Amos disclosed as he looked at Zane while he rested his chin on his hand. “His death won’t be in vain. He sacrificed himself with purpose, and that all lies in Aurelia’s redemption. She wouldn’t have been able to come to Faerie without his death.”

“Why not?” Zane demanded, clearly angry that he lost someone he deemed a brother.

“The Coven ensured Aurelia would never be able to enter Faerie unless she was human. Meaning, unless Aurelia rejected her wolf or allowed them to make her wolf feral so they could magically extract her from Aurelia’s subconscious to be pushed into another they’ve chosen to benefit from having a triple hybrid trait, Aurelia would never be granted the privilege to return to these lands, which are her where her heritage is,” King Amos revealed. “Your cunning wizard understood what was happening, which is why he brought the bomb to a place only Aurelia would still have access to. His place. Yes, it was bombproof, but in Aurelia’s weakened state, it would be easier to return to. He’d contacted me for aid and gave me the coordinates that he then wrote on a piece of paper and left in his palm with confidence Aurelia would return to him. He set up the only way Aurelia would get access to returning home, and he deserves praise for now Aurelia will have a shot of unlocking what they’re frightened she’ll acquire.”

“What is that?” Jack questioned but I felt like he had a hunch of the answer.

“Hiss!” Medusa joined the conversation which amused King Amos, who actually wore a slight smile upon his sinister lips.

“Yes,” he replied to Medusa first before translating to the rest of us. “Immunity.”

“Immunity?” King looked as confused as the rest of us. “How would she gain immunity.”

“Once a royal heir claims their birthright, they are given immunity. Depending on how high their position is, it can also grant them immortality. Aurelia returning to Faerie in our kingdom in particular forces her to acknowledge that she is of royal descent and means she’s deemed ready to reclaim the throne that was supposed to be hers. That’s why the Coven is doing everything in their power to get rid of Aurelia.”

“Wait…but if that’s so, isn’t there a problem with her being here?” Ace pointed out. “They don’t wish for her to be here.”

“Indeed,” King Amos replied. “Which is exactly why the assistant is pretending to be Aurelia.”

“Assistant?” I was confused and looked to my men for some type of answer before King replied, “Aoa.”

“Aoa?” I gasped. “B-But she’s just a kid! The…the torment they put me through. They’ll pass it along to Aoa. She doesn’t deserve to suffer on my behalf.”

I immediately tried to get out of bed, but Zane and Ace stopped me from even trying.

“Nope,” they said in unison before Quil added, “You ain’t getting out of bed unless cleared.”

“Ugh. I’m fine,” I huffed but that was a big fat lie. I knew I wasn’t in the shape to do anything right now. Not when I felt so weak. “I can’t let Aoa potentially get hurt because of me. I won’t forgive myself if she gets hurt.”

“She’s a lot stronger than you think,” King Amos disclosed, which made me stall in my attempt to get out Ace and Zane’s hold on me. “As I said earlier, she’s protected and being watched while playing as you. The time difference will force you to remain here until the right moment to return right before the runway show to ensure the Coven isn’t aware of your ‘absence’. That’s exactly what’s needed to let them execute their plan.”

“Their plan to kill me,” I voiced and watched the man slowly nod as he uncrossed his legs only to recross them the other way.

“We need them to set you up for death.”

“Maybe the poison fucked up my brain process but I’m not following what we’re about to do,” Zane voiced. “We’re going to allow the Coven to kill Aurelia.”

“Yes,” King Amos replied like it was no big deal, which left us staring blankly back at him before Dandulf bowed and cleared his throat.

“King Amos, they’re not really following what you mean since they’re unaware of why this needs to be done.”

King Amos didn’t seem to give a hoot that we weren’t following what was being said, which  seemed to be the green light for Dandulf to explain to us amateurs.

“As of now, Miss Aurelia is destined to continue this cycle of plague, devastation, death, and hardship. It’s woven into her destiny due to the manipulating forces of the Coven. It doesn’t matter what she does differently to try to change it. The cycle will continue until it’s forced to end. The only way to do that is with death,” he began and looked around to make sure we were following him. “The Coven knows this, which is also why they’re aiming to end Miss Aurelia while benefiting from her demise by stealing her wolf and attempting to implant it into another to give them a triple hybrid trait.”

“Would that ‘other’ be Lucy?” Quil inquired, and Dandulf nodded. “The mind trickster would be a good candidate if it’s the favorite of the Coven currently.”

“She’s the ‘temporary’ Head of the Coven behind closed doors at the moment,” I grumbled. I didn’t even want to envision that smirking face or the echoing of her laughter in my mind.

“That would make sense if that’s the person they wish to replace Miss Aurelia with,” Dandulf reasoned. “Miss Aurelia’s death without a wolf and with the assumption she’s been unable to arrive in Faerie means she’d die as a human with not enough magic to revive herself which means you’ll permanently be out of the way for whatever motive they have.”

“Okay, but why are we giving them that opportunity?” King asked.

“Well, for one, Miss Aurelia is in Faerie, which means her Fae magic and memories will begin to return to her. Allowing this process to start is one of the key factors for how this is going to turn in our favor with Miss Aurelia’s planned ‘death,’” Dandulf began to unravel. “Miss Aurelia being related to King Amos obviously means she’s royalty, a princess who is meant to be queen. Her arrival means she has a throne to claim and that throne gives her immunity.”

He paused to ensure we were still following before he really dived into context.

“There’s another reason why Aurelia’s life has been difficult. It’s actually the reason for all of your lives being strenuous in their own ways. You all may have a general understanding of how Fae traditions run. Fae children are normally sent to the mundane lands to grow up as humans or shifters in order to see a side of the world that gives their share of hardships and shapes them into unique individuals based on their experiences. Royal Fae adhere to this tradition to prevent them from becoming stuck-up kings and queens when they claim their designated thrones in our world. Due to how things have shifted in the supernatural world in recent years, this tradition has clearly gotten harder on royal heirs, especially when they are outcasts and drilled with negative words to make them feel minuscule in nature,” Dandulf explained. “All of you carry royal heritage and were sent down to the mundane world to build your lives and reunite with one another so you can return back together.”

“Wait. Is that why we were given the magic artifact?” Ace questioned. “The deck that contained only five cards, one assigned to each of us, with our destined Alpha being the collector of these cards.”

“Yes,” King Amos answered. “I’d gladly explain that, but we’ll reserve that for after you’ve returned from this final challenge.”

“The best example to give you is Willow De Luca,” Dandulf brought up. “We’re aware of the hardships she’s been dealt. Awakening, gathering endangered species, being outcast, and now she’s at the final stage of her journey toward claiming immunity and her royal title as heir of the Phoenix Empire. Domination.”

His eyes specifically landed on me as he continued.

“Miss Aurelia’s path has been in the form of rejections, which led you on the path of being reclaimed by the men you were once close with in the realms of Faerie, and now you’re on the final stage of your journey,” he explained. “Redemption.”

“So I can only regain redemption by dying,” I concluded.

“Yes,” King Amos declared. “But instead of allowing your death to be a waste, you’re going to use this to your advantage”

Dandulf nodded, seeming excited to explain this part. “As we’ve stated, death equals rebirth. It’s obvious that the Coven has made you their black sheep, yes? Then you need strong enough evidence to prove you’ve been a victim of their belittling, petty actions. If they wish to replace you wrongly by killing you, we need proof from allowing it to happen in a controlled environment that is still public enough to have witnesses,” he elaborated. “Your death will mean they need someone to immediately rise into your position as Head Coven, and they’ll do that right away before the witnesses to emphasize you were a villain and they were already thinking of a replacement while hoping to prove you were deserving of death. This is the checkmate move that will show the world that the Coven’s wish was always to get rid of you and replace you.”

He took a breath and lifted his hands up.

“With this evidence collected, you can also determine whether the Vile Queen is in an alliance with the Coven or if she’s a third-party villain. Despite all of that, this is where we pull off the magic trick!”

He looked to King Amos, who was once again looking at his nails but sensed Dandulf’s hopeful stare.

Without missing a beat, he continued the conversation about the grand plan.

“With Aurelia’s Fae magic beginning to activate while she’s here, she’s currently half human, half Fae. Yes, her wolf is technically within her still but is temporarily hidden so such traits are inaccessible. This is exactly why we need her to return to the mundane realms and be at the runway while that’s still activated. It’ll make sure the Coven isn’t aware of what’s happening,” he deciphered. “Chances are, the Coven will try to get rid of Aurelia by the end of the year. How is a mystery, but from my hidden sources and spies, they have a very strong plan and wish to initiate it sooner rather than later. That could involve this Lucy woman, which would be a bonus seeing as it’s clear she’s been a pain in a few of your asses.”

“Hearing you swear like that sounds weird,” I couldn’t help but acknowledge before I added, “Sorry. Continue.”

He actually didn’t seem annoyed by it as he looked at me before continuing.

“Whatever action they take to kill Aurelia will probably weaken her enough that her human side will be depleted. They’ll also inhibit your witch magic to try to take you out. Either way, your human side and magic will be gone, just like your wolf.”

“Meaning she’s technically only Fae… Oh shit.” Jack actually gawked while his eyes grew wide as if he’d just experienced an epiphany. “You want her ‘human’ side to die temporarily so she’s reborn as a FAE! HOLY FUCKING SHIT. THAT’S GENIUS!”

He literally jumped in his spot before he was right before King Amos, which seemed to surprise everyone — including King Amos.

He may have not flinched, but it was the first time I’d seen a surprised expression on his face while Jack was practically star-eyed.

“Then when she’s reborn as a Fae, her wolf would come back, and then her witch trait will be the weakest force out of the three! That would allow her to focus on her Fae and wolf sides, giving them more balance like it always should have been, and since she’ll no longer need to be associated with the Coven, her magic can be used for her own empowerment!” Jack clapped his hands. “Then she’ll be free from the Coven’s reign over her for the old Aurelia tied to the Coven is ‘dead’ and the cycle of misery will be broken! Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!”

“Jack,” Quil groaned. “King Amos doesn’t need to smell your bad breath. Come back over here.”

“Oh.” Jack blinked and then pouted as he simply leaned closer to King Amos. “Does my breath actually smell?”

“No.”

“Thank goodness!” He beamed and began to skip back to Quil. “I brush five times a day and floss seven times a day. I most certainly can’t have bad breath.”

“So the only question is, how will Aurelia revive herself?” King asked.

“A simple spell,” King Amos announced. “It’s called a resurrection spell.”

“It doesn’t work,” I voiced coldly, which drew all eyes on me. “I tried it. On Zayhir. It did nothing. Even though I was able to ignite the symbol. Nothing happened.”

My shoulders sank and I swallowed the lump forming in my constricted throat.

“I can’t rely on a spell that doesn’t work.”

“The spell works just fine,” King Amos countered, and for a moment I actually thought there was a glimpse of hope for Zayhir. “The key to using it is Fae magic.”

And the hope dissipated.

“Meaning a Fae needs to initiate it?” Zane asked for clarification.

“Anyone with Fae magic can do it, but the stronger the connection to the person being resurrected, the better. In this case, the strongest individual to revive Aurelia is obviously herself.”

“So she has to activate this spell before she ‘dies?’” Quil questioned.

“I can do something to help with that,” King Amos assured us. “Once we prepare Aurelia for her attendance to the runway, we can apply a mark of the spell on her flesh or embed it into an item of choice.”

The reminder of an item had me looking to my chest to see Zayhir’s necklace around my neck. Ace’s and Zane’s necklaces were hidden thanks to whatever speck of magic I had left, but the sight of Zayhir’s treasured piece of jewelry made it feel suited for the task ahead.

“Can you put the spell in this necklace?” I asked for clarification, which got King Amos looking at my chest where the necklace lay.

“Yes.”

“Then place the spell in here,” I encouraged.

“Fine,” he agreed without resistance. “Then we have a plan?”

“I guess we do,” I admitted before I took a deep breath and let it out. “That…was a lot.”

“I’ll allow you all to have a moment of break,” King Amos declared and rose up. “Food will be here any minute now anyways.”

“Aren’t you two going to discuss the whole ‘hey, we’re siblings’ thing?” Jack inquired while looking between us. “Cause that’s a big deal.”

He was right but the mere idea of more talking made me feel exhausted.

“I don’t think our Sunflower can last another conversation,” Quil acknowledged. “It was pretty intense.”

“Ya,” I finally answered. “Finding out you have to die to break the cycle the Coven placed on you since you were a child sent down to do your mundane time really leaves you feeling overwhelmed.”

“Having some food and water will do some good while you have a moment to just relax,” King encouraged.

Zane and Ace nodded in agreement before Ace looked at King Amos.

“So no matter what happens with this runway that leads to the new year where the Coven may attempt to kill Aurelia, we have the invitation to return.”

“Our kingdom welcomes you,” King Amos assured us. “This world will be your rebirth back into your destined lives and will allow you to explore a world that’s meant for each of you. Once you’ve settled in these lands, you are free to explore the various kingdoms of Faerie with their leader’s permission, so if you wish to become adventurous or simply wish to settle here is up to you.”

“And the wolf pack and the whole Omega thing?”

“That can be confronted upon your return as well,” he assured me as he turned away. “Depending on the outcome of all of this, we’ll know whether Aurelia is an Omega Fae or just a Fae Wolf. Then we’ll assess how her interaction will go with the wolves of these lands.”

“It feels like I opened a door to a whole side of my life that makes me feel like the main character rather than a side one,” I muttered as I allowed my mind to consider it.

When I thought about it, it really made me feel a hint of excitement for what would happen when all of this was solved.

When the Coven was taken down, my redemption and innocence were shown to the world, and I was reborn into something new that would return Aries to me.

This world would be mine to explore with my pack without competition or anyone else being put on a pedestal to enjoy the spotlight while I was in the shadows.

It would really be my moment to live and focus on myself and my men. I could build my pack, empower Aries, learn all about my Fae heritage and traits, and live in a world that actually accepts my existence and doesn’t deem it as a mistake.

“Sometimes in life, we’re forced into a lifestyle where we do everything for everyone else in the world,” King Amos surprisingly stated while facing the door with Dandulf in tow. “Over and over, we go above and beyond for all those around us, but neglect ourselves because being selfish labels you as a horrible individual.”

He looked over his shoulder to stare into my eyes.

“It’s only when you’ve reached your wits end and realize how you’ve gone above and beyond for everyone but yourself that you begin to understand why you’re living such an unhappy life that doesn’t fulfill your soul, that leaves your cup half empty when it should be overflowing. Until you finally let yourself be the main focus of your own attention, you’ll always feel like a side character in this world helping everyone else reach their main character era but yourself,” he revealed. “It’s time for you to be what your heart has yearned to become.”

With that, he was walking down the hall full of bowed guards, and Dandulf was holding the door open by the golden knob.

“Food is on the way. Relax and prepare for the final challenge for you all.”

The warning made me realize this was going to be the final arc to end this cycle of madness, and deep within my heart, I was actually ready to confront my shadowed demons.

Aries…we’re gonna get you back. I promise.

CHAPTER 11

Unexpected Reveal And The Runway Of Death Part One

“Why are you helping me?”

I was sure King Amos didn’t believe those were going to be the first words that came out of my mouth when he arrived on the balcony. I was facing the vast world, taking in the paradise of shadows that blended so perfectly with the glowing nature of this world.

As much as I wished to delve into this mysterious paradise, I didn’t carry the mindset to appreciate its true beauty.

My mind was buzzing — spinning with so many thoughts that sought my sole attention, but it was impossible to simply focus on one thing.

Zayhir is dead. Aries is in a shadowed trap somewhere in my mind. Aoa is acting like me on the surface so the Coven doesn’t know I’m here. Lucy and the group of Elders are thriving on the sight of me being humiliated by them. And I have to die in some sort of way to clear my name from everything the Coven has said to villainize me as well as remove this cycle curse of misery.

It would be a few hours before I’d have to return to the mundane world and attend this runway event, but fuck.

Am I ready for another round of physical, emotional, and mental abuse?

The man didn’t answer me as he arrived to stand next to me on my left — the two of us watching the mesmerizing night and the kingdom he’d clearly run alone.

A kingdom that I should have been ruling.

“I shouldn’t help my sister?” he inquired.

“I barely remember you,” I voiced the obvious. “Your name wasn’t Amos.”

“Augustus,” he revealed and introduced. “I changed it to Amos once I reached eighteen.”

“Because it’s not a name worthy for a Dark Fae King who has to be a murderous fiend to rule such a deceptive world?” I offered.

I side glanced over to actually see his lips curl while he continued to stare forward.

“Something along those lines,” he voiced but didn’t seem like he would delve much further into it. “How are you feeling?”

“Lost. Confused. Sad. Angry. Depressed.” I began to list each emotion like it was a shopping list. “Heck, might as well throw suicidal in there seeing as I didn’t have much of a motive to live before you saved me from wherever those coordinates were, but then again, you can’t be suicidal when you have to die anyways to prove your innocence.”

“Those coordinates used to be the place where the Coven would experiment on various shifters but labeled it as some sort of medical facility that ‘helped’ deliver treatment, rehab, and therapy for life-threatening or near-death experiences,” he surprisingly revealed. “That’s also the place that had portal access to Faerie until the entire place was destroyed and burned to the ground.”

“Wait. Who burned that place to the ground?”

“A little birdy told me it was Roberto De Luca,” King Amos revealed to my surprise, and I slowly remembered what Willow said.

“Before…I was forced to break up my friendship with Willow, she said she’d sacrificed a lot and was blackmailed into keeping secrecy on my behalf and for those she cared about. She gave the impression that she was tortured when she was supposed to receive treatment after the incident when we were younger where she was pushed off a cliff into a frigid lagoon,” I explained so he’d understand, though it was clear he knew a lot of things that we didn’t expect him to know. “She was supposed to be getting treatment from the Coven because her magic levels were so depleted that they were the only ones who could help. Now that I know how sinister the Coven can be, I bet you they did torture Willow in some way…but I didn’t know. I wasn’t aware and she kept it from me until the last conversation we had.”

“Some secrets are meant to remain hidden until it’s their rightful time to be revealed,” King Amos declared. “You can’t keep track of everything when you’re living the past. You can stand here and think about all the things you would have changed if you could, but will that change your current reality or the future ahead? No.”

He laid his hands on the golden balcony rails, and his eyes seemed far as he took a moment to be silent.

“You can’t control the world. You can only control your actions and decisions. With that power, you’re able to fight against the shackles that wish to prevent you from moving forward while fighting for your own survival,” he admitted. “As for your previous comments about your emotions, I don’t blame you for feeling suicidal, but death by your own hands is simply meaningless.”

He turned his head so his eyes would meet mine, and I realized that we looked identical despite our opposite genders.

To think I really had another sibling out there, living a life in these magical lands while I was in the world that wished for my demise.

“Death by your own hands doesn’t deliver the righteous ending you seek. It doesn’t allow the world to feel guilty for their wrongs in comparison to cheering for your end only to find out you were innocent all along. I’m sure the Coven has done everything in their power in hopes you’ll come to that decision, slit your wrists, and slip away from this world on your own accord. That would give them everything they wanted. An opportunity to replace you, an excuse to put the blame for your actions on the ideology that you were guilty of failing to claim a position that wasn’t meant for you to claim. You may not see it, but you’ve been the biggest thorn in the Coven’s side for sticking through every hardship and trial they’ve forced you to endure. It’s no different from how they’ve made your life a living hell,” he explained and shrugged. “No matter which way you look at it, you’ve pushed them to the edge of failure just as they have pushed you to the edge of death. All that remains is for both sides to fall, only you’re the one with the parachute, not them.”

He made a lot of sense, which was a bit nice to experience without having to explain or justify myself and my past actions.

“What’s going to happen when we return?” I decided to ask in preparation for the inevitable. “Are you coming with me?”

“I have to go somewhere else before I go to the mundane world, but I’ll take a carriage to get to the location that has now been disclosed to the royals attending.”

“What about attire?”

“That’s nothing I need to worry about.”

“Why do I feel like we have polar opposite personalities when we’re apparently brother and sister?” I decided to ask. “Or well…twins.”

“I used to be like you,” he voiced as he peered into my eyes. “Before the trauma. The forced need to grow up and realize no one is going to come and save you. This world is a dark one that doesn’t show mercy to anyone no matter their circumstances, so why bother acting like something you’re not?” he offered and glanced to the starry sky and added, “You were a woman of excitement and joy, and despite the world’s countless blows to destroy you, didn’t you always smile?”

He peered over at me once more.

“That’s all gone, isn’t it?”

He had a point, and I couldn’t hide from the truth that slapped me right in the face.

“I doubt I’ll recover from this and become who I once was,” I muttered. I didn’t hide my emotions that surely showed in the lines of my face and depths of my eyes. He could see it all, which may have been why he stalled in answering while he observed me carefully.

“No one said you had to recover,” he finally muttered. “Anyone can adapt and grow, but no one can return to what they once were when that personality is but pieces of shattered glass. No matter what you do, the solid foundation that the world took advantage of once before can never look the same. All those cracks, chips, and uneven lines of trauma, torture, and agony will all remain. So all you can do is create a persona that doesn’t hide what has broken you and instead projects a level of strength that proves nothing can stop you from acquiring the life you deserve.”

“You’re really knowledgeable,” I commended.

“Experience matched with wisdom from various Fae books will do that to you,” he voiced.

“What do I do about Lucy?”

“What about her?”

“Despite everything that’s happening, even if the Coven is at fault and proven so, they’ll do anything to make Lucy appear innocent and be free of any possible charges. She’s their ultimate favorite, whether that’s because she controls them to think that way or not, so despite our game plan, they’ll ensure she’s scot-free from it all.”

“She’ll fall into her own web,” King Amos declared like it was predictable. “She’ll want to use her ability at some point, whether to manipulate someone at the runway to do her bidding or to try to paint you as the culprit of misery.”

“What do we do to ensure that, though?” I stressed. “She’s gotten away with everything, including tarnishing my name.”

“Well, the best way to take down anyone is evidence,” King Amos replied. “Whoever she controls mentally will have residue of her magic in their brain that can be traced for up to 72 hours. Keep an eye on those at the runway show who she may use to her advantage.”

“Why didn’t you ever find me?”

The question invited a blanket of silence between us while we stared forward.

“I was forced to return to Faerie while you were chosen by the Coven. I wasn’t allowed to come back for you or even allowed to be near the Coven. I was essentially a nobody, and without status, rank, money, or power by your side, you’ll be nothing but a laughingstock as adults mock you for your amateur attempt to get back to the ones you cherish,” he revealed, and I watched his eyes darken entirely. “So you have to fight to gain power, rise in your rank until you’re at the peak, gain the crown that will force the world to bow in your presence, and be so mighty, powerful, and wise in so many areas, that you can outsmart anyone who still thinks you’re that naive child from years prior.”

My eyes widened to take in the sinister smile that formed on his lips as he slowly looked my way to emphasize how deadly he looked in this very moment.

“Now when someone hears my name, they tremble in fear. When my magic begins to filter into the lands when I’m miles away, men, women, and children bow to their hands and knees in wait for my passing. Shifters outside these lands don’t dare to mess with someone like me, and when they suddenly have the balls to do so, there are consequences they’re not ready to bear. This is exactly why I was able to walk on deserted land with various witches and wizards waiting in the outskirts of the shadows to destroy you and take you in my grasp myself. They don’t need to see me with their eyes or hear my footsteps. All they need is to sense my power, and that’s enough to force them to retreat without saying my name.”

I stared at him with a new sense of awe because he’d literally worked to achieve this point of authority. No matter the hardships, sacrifices, and actions done against him during his lifetime, he’d managed to become someone everyone respected, whether they liked it or not, feared, and would obey just to avoid any chance of war against such a formidable opponent.

“Don’t think I didn’t regret not coming back for you,” he quietly muttered as he looked away. “However, if I didn’t fight to remain and claim the kingdoms that were destined to be ours, you’d return to these lands, and it would be no different from the place you were forced to remain in. We’d be outcasts in kingdoms ruled by others not worthy of carrying their glory and our legacies would be lost.”

I slowly nodded and glanced away before I muttered, “Do you have a mate?”

“No.”

“You haven’t even dated anyone?”

“Unnecessary.”

“You don’t want to talk about it, do you?”

He didn’t answer so I knew that was a clear ‘Yes.’

“You’re okay with me returning with my men when this is over, right?” I just wanted clarification — for what probably was one too many to the man who hated to repeat himself — but he surprisingly answered.

“Yes. Your mates can return with you.”

“Doesn’t it make you feel weird that your sister is dating more than one man?”

“You can date an army and it wouldn’t bother me,” he concluded. “Destiny matched with the entities of our shifter traits determine who we’re destined to be with. It’s not my right to banish them from your birth kingdom,” he declared and quietly muttered, “When it’s time for me to reunite with my mate, I will. Until then, I reserve my heart for her.”

He moved away from the railing before I could ask anything more.

“Get ready to go.”

“Wait. I have one more thing to ask,” I urged as he paused at the glass doorway. “Our parents. They’re still alive?”

“Yes,” he voiced.

“Is it true our father did something that pissed off our mother or made it difficult for the Coven to use me for what they originally desired?”

“I can’t answer that if you don’t grasp our family dynamic,” he voiced.

“How will I know if you don’t tell me?” I argued as he began to walk away. I followed until he reached the door and looked back at me.

“All you need to know is the man who practically saved you from the Coven’s true intentions is different from the man whose blood we’re born with.” He looked away. “And our mother is an absolute bitch.”

I was left speechless at the venomous declaration he let out like it accidentally slipped, but he didn’t let it bother him as he opened the door.

“You will be going with your men to the runway, so ensure they’re ready to attend. They will wear all black, just like you will. The only individuals from the Faerie kingdoms you should keep an eye on are Prince Alwyn Forest Dehandtre of the Eastern Lands and Lysander.”

“Lysander?” I inquired, and I noticed the way the corner of his lip twitched as if he was mentally cursing himself for the slip-up.

“King Lysander. He’ll either be a drama queen or he’ll find trouble to throw himself into. Either way could help you blend in without anyone questioning your presence and putting you in a spot where you’ll be able to see what’s truly happening before the show so you’re not left out of the loop or completely left behind.”

“How…” Should I even ask? “Are you close acquaintances with King Lysander?” I don’t know why it intrigued me so, but I couldn’t let it slip from the conversation for some odd reason.

King Amos glanced back at me, looking annoyed with my pestering, but he huffed, “King Lysander’s my ex.”

Now my jaw would really hit the floor.

“Wait a—”

“Get ready,” he emphasized, about to leave, but suddenly he looked like he’d remembered something important enough to stop him mid-stride. “One more thing. I’ll have to represent both kingdoms upon my arrival which means I’ll be doing a wardrobe change in between.”

“Okay?” I didn’t see what the issue was. “Why is that a concern?”

“It’s not.” He shrugged. “I’m letting you know so you’re not surprised.”

“I doubt I’m going to be surprised seeing a less deadly hollow grinch of a brother making his debut in probably a white suit with butterflies and falling white and gold petals raining down on him,” I casually exaggerated, surprised that he actually chuckled at my joke.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

With a sly grin plastered on his face, he left me at the door until he disappeared into the shadows.

It’s time to face the music.

CHAPTER 12

Unexpected Reveal And The Runway Of Death Part Two

“Ready?”

I took a steady breath, my hand was in Ace’s as we stood in the middle of the elevator.

“No,” I voiced and squeezed his hand even tighter than I had since we left Faerie. “But if this ends all the mayhem and I get to finally enjoy you and the rest of the pack, that’s all that matters.”

With a nervous breath, I peered over to look at him, realizing he was already staring at me with eyes of longing.

“What?”

“I want to kiss you,” he admitted as his eyes lowered to my lips. “Just…in case things get chaotic and I don’t get to later.”

“Then?” I offered. “Kiss me, Ace.”

The way he smiled softened his eyes and made me wonder if this really would be the last time I kissed him. If today would be the last time I’d get to be together with my men as we waltzed into an uncontrolled environment for the sake of combatting this Coven that had been the sole destroyer of so many good things.

I went to a land of Fae that so many don’t have access to, and I couldn’t even enjoy its beauty.

I couldn’t get the opportunity to grasp the reality that I was born in those lands.

Ace used his free hand to cup my cheek, and his lips took mine on a sensual rollercoaster as he kissed me hard and deep.

It was amazing how intimacy could make you realize how precious time was. How we’d been so lost in our struggles and emotions that we’d lost the time we could have used to love one another. It was crazy how everything felt rather meaningless when you know your future was running on a countdown clock, where the seconds tick by and you began to regret the arguments, the distance, and the excuses made.

Kissing him back, I got lost in his touch, taste, and the way his free hand moved to hook around my waist and press me against him.

“When this is over,” he breathed when he broke the kiss to let me breathe, “we start over.”

I peered into his eyes as he pressed another firm kiss to my lips before he hugged me tightly.

“No one will break us apart. Not even my damn self. We’ll return to Faerie and unravel everything and face anyone who opposes our happiness.”

“What if we have to stay here for some reason?” I inquired nervously because I didn’t know what would happen next.

“We’re not staying,” Ace emphasized, and the look in his eyes proved he was determined to ensure we returned back to Faerie. “I’m done putting the world before us. Before our pack. We know where we belong. Where fighting for respect and acceptance is far easier than in this place where we’ve fought our entire lives to find a sense of community and were lucky to find each other. There may be a lot of unanswered questions, and I’m sure we’re going to discover more crazy shit after this runway show, but despite all of it, Faerie is where our true roots are, and it’s about time we embraced it, together.”

He pressed his forehead against mine.

“Especially with you as our Alpha.”

My eyes widened immediately before I pulled back to look at him.

“Ace…I…I’m not ready to be an Alpha,” I voiced the obvious. “I’m not like Willow.”

“I never asked you to be like Willow,” he acknowledged. “I want Aurelia, our Auri, to lead our pack in her own way. The unique way that I’m sure will bring us all closer as we explore a new world together.”

His warm smile matched with eyes of pride made my stomach flutter with butterflies.

“Whatever happens, you need to be Alpha of this pack, Aurelia. It can’t be called Aurelia’s Pack of Misfits if you’re not the Alpha, now can it?”

“Ya…but…”

“Jack and I will be Betas and help you adapt to the role until you’re comfortable,” he assured me. “We’ll take pack life slow, get Aries adjusted to all of us, and explore the realms together. It’ll be a new life, a new start, and we’ll get to find out about all our families, our conjoined pasts, and eventually plan our future.”

“Our future,” I whispered and dared to think of it.

Just pack life, learning more about our Fae qualities while discovering our kingdoms. Settling down and maybe…starting a family?

“Is that what you want?” His voice barely hit the air as he leaned so close, our lips brushed.

“I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“Maybe.” He tugged my bottom lip with his teeth. “You want little pups driving us insane?”

“It wouldn’t be that bad,” I dared to even imagine. “Our lives are pretty insane already. Just throw a few kids into the mix.”

“What if we had twins?”

“Why does it sound like that’s something you want?” I countered.

“Apparently Zane’s my twin.”

“To be fair, you two are polar opposites who despise one another,” I voiced the obvious before muttering, “But deep down you two do care for each other.”

“We had a talk,” he admitted. “When you were speaking with King Amos. Nothing crazy…just me acknowledging that I simply didn’t like him because he got to have you.”

“Ace.”

“I’m realizing that I’m not in some sort of competition for your love. That you love us all uniquely and don’t rank us. I guess the time you were away made me realize a lot of things I never wanted to confront, and though I still have a long way to go, I know within my heart Faerie will allow me to become the man I’ve always wished to be and envied. I can grow into someone you’ll always be proud of saying is your mate.”

“I’m proud of you already, Ace,” I acknowledged and kissed him. “That won’t change.”

He smiled before we shared a single kiss.

“No matter what happens, we’ll be there with you till the end.”

“Till the end,” I vowed as we shared a tight hug. I needed to feel his warmth one more time.

“I love you, Aurelia.”

His confession made me close my eyes and hug him even tighter.

“I love you, too, Ace.”

The ding of the elevator made us realize we’d reached our floor, and our bodies involuntarily moved away so we could be prepared to walk out.

“That ride seemed rather long,” I voiced in acknowledgment.

“I agree, but maybe something malfunctioned or it’s done to confuse guests?” Ace offered.

We wouldn’t really find the explanation for it was the least of our problems.

Ace slipped his hand in mine.

“Time to waltz into madness,” Ace whispered.

“At least we get to do it together,” I whispered back as we shared a look that made us laugh.

“Misfit and psychos,” he hummed. “Wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Me too.

***

“There’s been a misunderstanding! Why can’t we speak about this?!”

Nothing prepares you for a potential fae war when all hell breaks loose.

Biting my lip, I tried to follow King Amos’s instructions to meet Prince Alywn and King Lysander, but that clearly put me in a situation that made me a target — again.

The ding of the elevator tugged me out of my attempt to fall into my spiraling thoughts just as Nico’s voice sent chills through everyone in his proximity

“We can’t speak about this, for my level of patience has completely run out.”

He was standing before his fellow packmates in a stunning red suit. Dimitris was on his right while Milo was on his left, and Onyx, Loki, Jayce, Saint, and another man I could barely recognize stood further right of them.

We stood on the left side, along with four Coven members that I’d ensured didn’t get a damn hello from me.

They were my enemies in my mind, for they were only here for show. They would betray me in a second if Lucy ordered them to do so. I wasn’t going to give them the opportunity to harm me or my men for that matter.

The sudden wave of intense energy tugged everyone’s eyes to the elevators to reveal Viktor and Willow. My eyes specifically landed on Willow, who looked the fiercest I’d ever seen her in public.

Her focus wasn’t on me, but I couldn’t help but say her name as it slipped out of my mouth in a soft whisper.

“Willow.”

I felt like she would have heard me, but her attention moved to Nico.

“Shouldn’t we be heading over to change into our attire for the evening?” Her voice was emotionless. “The recent attack is clearly going to make us late for the show.”

I didn’t know what she was talking about exactly, which may have been why I was so damn lost about what was going on in general with this wild confrontation, but I’d certainly find out.

“I personally requested the runway to be delayed by an hour,” Nico announced rather loudly as his lips curled upward. “Though not due to the attack. My contributions were purposely delayed by an accident on the freeway here. Something about falling fireballs attempting to crash into my specific truck. It’s intriguing how the fire seemed magic-based, which is giving me Coven vibes.”

Ugh. Not blaming me again! We just got here!

Honestly, those members in black could have actually set a fire for all I knew, but fucking hell. It was far too early to be pointing fingers our way.

“We had no involvement in such deceptive executions,” I emphasized with confidence. “We just arrived.”

“With the man who decided to attempt to put the future Phoenix queen in a coma,” Milo dryly noted.

It was clear Nico and Milo really didn’t like me compared to the rest of Willow’s pack.

“I’m saddened to state I’m unaware of such actions done to Miss De Luca,” the man defended. “My name is Prince Alywn Forest Dehandtre. I am one of the future kings of the eastern lands of Faerie and am clearly a representative of the peace treaty. I would never risk such harm to anyone outside of our lands. Despite our agreement being catered to fae and fae hybrids, I would still never use such deceptive tactics against a royal wolf shifter.”

“Are you trying to state in a public place that you have no involvement in the intentional attack against our mate, Willow Alundra Phoenix?” Dimitris spoke up. “If proven otherwise, I’ll ensure you’re executed in front of your own people.”

A few gasped at Dimitris’s threat and Milo chuckled as he took a step forward.

“I, Prince Milo of the North Kingdom, approve any disciplinary action needed to be taken in the Faerie or Earth lands if it’s proven that someone here dared to trap our queen in a hex for their own personal entertainment,” he declared with magic that made everyone shiver slightly.

Saint was next to step forward.

“As a representative of the Vatican and with the obvious attempts aimed at one of our own, I’ve been approved to vouch for the protection and immunity of Willow De Luca, who will soon be appointed and revealed as Willow Alundra Phoenix after the runway show,” he announced with a smile that made his eyes look lethal. “If anyone does know who decided to attack Willow with such a forbidden trick, please state it now. Otherwise, anyone found guilty of interfering with tonight’s runway schedule will be judged and punished accordingly.”

The silence was deafening, which made me feel an intense nervousness brew within me. I was sure the others felt the same because things were escalating rather quickly.

Prince Alywn raised his hand to speak. “I don’t understand why we’re bringing fae affairs into this. Such tactics are fae matters that need to be addressed by a king or queen of Faerie territory,” he emphasized. “I do not wish to dismiss any of our royal titles or positions of hierarchy. However, seeing as this is a case of fae magic being manipulated against a shifter who is clearly not fae, this confrontation seems rather reckless and immature.”

“Are you trying to diminish an act of treason?” Viktor surprisingly spoke up. His aura spiked to intense levels, making me realize he’d been holding back for a long time for I never knew the bodyguard assassin had such overwhelming levels of magic within him. “I believe you’re forgetting what the true meaning of this runway is.”

The man gulped and immediately bowed his head.

“My apologies, Master Huxley, is it? I did not mean to offend you, especially when you’ve only recently risen to your position,” he declared.

It felt like a comment made on purpose so everyone had no choice but to acknowledge the specific cloak that sat on Willow’s shoulders, which had to be Viktor’s, matched with the very powerful necklace that sat perfectly on her chest.

“My condolences for Master L’s ascension, but it’s but an honor to meet the new Master of the High Council on such an occasion. Please give my apologies to your Disciple as well for my rudeness and dismissive nature. This is indeed a serious matter, but I’m unaware of why it would be considered treason,” he reasoned.

“You can apologize to my Disciple right now,” Viktor harshly stated as he emphasized his and Willow’s joined hands. “Willow De Luca, who will be known as Willow Alundra Phoenix, is my appointed Disciple of the High Council.”

The number of people who gawked at his declaration proved how shocking it was, but I couldn’t fight the sinking disappointing feeling that swarmed through me as I was publicly reminded once again that I hadn’t gotten the position my own community had insisted would be mine.

I could only imagine what Willow was thinking. Maybe she was proud of embracing her new role and couldn’t wait to rub it in my face, but it felt like my emotions were just hoping for the negative.

I mentally shook it away.

Willow further lifted her head up as magic spiked around her that thickened the air. I expected her to demonstrate that she had the same amount of magic as Viktor, but it became clear that she was far stronger than the warlock because those intense levels of magic only continued to rise past his.

It continued to spike, and the hairs all along my arms rose in warning while it got hard to breathe normally.

People began to cough as the air was so thick of power, it could make one suffocate if they stayed here for much longer, but it didn’t look like Willow was going to back down as she specifically stared at me and Prince Alywn.

I felt like if I didn’t take the initiative, Prince Alywn would be a stupid fool and keep standing there until people dropped dead.

Wouldn’t that be amusing for the fae prince?

Deciding I had no choice, I bent forward to execute a half bow.

“It’s an honor to meet the new Master and Disciple of the High Council,” I declared, which forced the other Coven members to bow as well.

I was sure my men had done the same to support my move, which made it more apparent that Prince Alywn would have to do the inevitable.

He bowed his head in acknowledgment before he spoke. “My utmost apologies for my rudeness. I was completely unaware of this, but please accept my offer of regret.”

“Of course you’re unaware. You never pay attention to anything that happens on the mundane lands unless you’re getting laid.”

The new voice was unexpected, leaving me no choice but to look for the source until my eyes landed on a little boy who stood at the top of the stairs with his arms crossed.

From his royal attire of gold and teal to his striking turquoise hair that further stood out thanks to his pale skin, I immediately knew this boy was Fae.

His eyes were seafoam green and freckles ran along his nose and cheeks.

“You never pay attention to shit, and it’s rather embarrassing at such a grand celebration. Clearly, you lot of enemies enjoy using your face and magic to deceive the rest of the world about whatever wrongdoings have been conducted yet again, Prince Alywn. Don’t you feel ashamed of being so easily manipulated that a child like myself must come to your aid?” he continued, although he carried a sly grin as he snapped his fingers.

Two knights in golden armor that were designed with metallic teal rushed to kneel before the boy until he sat down upon their very shoulders.

They lifted him up with ease and walked down the flight of stairs as if they were gliding through the air. The movement was flawless and demanded everyone’s attention because it was simply magnetizing to witness.

“Prince Theo,” Prince Alywn greeted and bowed his head even further. “None of us were expecting your arrival.”

So this is Prince Theo.

“Why? Is it nap time?” he questioned with a huff as he crossed his arms and sat taller while being balanced by the knights, who’d reached the last step of the stairs. “Everyone throughout the realms of Faerie knows of our strong relations with the Phoenix family. It is only right for us to attend the appointing of Queen Elphaba’s first child. I know you probably have a line of women waiting for your return so you can enjoy your frisky lifestyle, and yet you’re here with Miss Aurelia Clementine over there.”

I wasn’t expecting him to know me nor call me out like this, but I couldn’t display my obvious surprise.

“What trouble has your Coven caused now? It seems they’ve been rather rebellious lately.”

What am I supposed to say?

The best thing to do in this case was to stay silent because I didn’t want to do something against the fae traditions and cause more trouble.

We already had enough negative attention on us. I didn’t need to invite more.

Bowing my head out of respect only made Prince Theo giggle.

“Reunions like these remind me of why you mundane shifter hybrids go above and beyond to gain power. The feeling of watching someone submit to you is an addictive sight to see again and again.” He clapped for himself as if he’d achieved such a grand accomplishment.

Okay. Not sure I like him…

He then looked at Willow from head to toe. “Wow,” he gasped and nodded in approval. “You’re like Queen Elphaba’s copy! Your aura is really pretty too. Why are you not a part of the Coven when your magic dramatically surpasses Miss Aurelia Clementine’s?”

Ouch.

I was hoping this was a part of a grand master plan because I really didn’t like how this conversation was going.

The room was silent while we awaited Willow’s answer.

“My focus growing up was on learning and evolving my energy around my father’s empire and pack. It was truly tricky to balance the three, and due to the circumstance revolving around my upbringing, it wasn’t a privilege offered to me,” she revealed — although she didn’t throw me under the bus like the way Prince Theo probably wanted.

That made me secretly hope Willow’s avoidance of speaking ill of me meant she didn’t absolutely hate my guts.

“That makes sense!” He beamed at her explanation. “My sister has missed you! She’ll be delighted to see you’re well and prospering.”

Huh? Sister? He doesn’t have a sister. He has a brother. Then again, we didn’t even go into details about how many siblings we actually have. I don’t even know if Prince Theo is really our brother or not.

“I apologize for my interruptions, but we’ve yet to determine how treason was committed with the false usage of my image to potentially trap Elphaba’s eldest daughter,” Prince Alywn brought up with haste.

“Hmm. Isn’t it quite obvious?” Prince Theo stated as if what was being asked was common sense. He pointed directly at Willow as the knights lowered onto one knee in unison.

“She has fae magic infused into her body. Are you all so blind that you can’t acknowledge why such an attempt toward Miss Willow breaks our own Faerie laws?”

No one said a word until someone spoke from behind Willow.

“Why would my sister have fae magic flowing within her?”

The words came from Ruby, who had arrived with another woman of a darker complexion. I couldn’t remember for sure who she was, but I had a hunch she was the assistant that also helped design outfits for grand events like these.

Was her name Whitney or something?

“Willow is not a half-fae hybrid like myself. Nor does Roberto, her father, carry fae blood,” Ruby elaborated.

“Ruby is right,” the assistant emphasized as she lowered her head to acknowledge the room of various royals. “To carry fae magic without being a born fae or fae hybrid means one needs to be infused with such magical properties, and that’s forbidden because it requires the exchange from another fae of equal or greater status. That means whoever’s magic was taken to infuse into her had to be of royal descent, and that’s literally a crime that’s punishable by death via public execution.”

“You are correct,” Milo spoke up. “However, we’ve witnessed firsthand that Willow indeed has fae magic running through her veins. That is exactly why we were pulled into Faerie earlier.”

Clearly, I would have to simply follow this conversation along, or else I’d be completely lost as to what happened before our arrival.

I hated how out of the loop I was in all of this compared to months prior when I was included in all incidents that involved Willow.

“Impossible,” Prince Alywn commented. “We all know it’s not an easy task to enter Faerie. You have to be accompanied by another fae or given a special invite.”

“Unless you’re of royal blood or mated to a king or queen of the lands of Faerie.”

Yet another new voice spoke boldly, and shivers ran down my spine at the authoritative feminine voice.

All heads turned to acknowledge the woman cloaked in gold from head to toe.

Those in the path of the woman immediately scurried to be out of her way as men with tribal tattoos of white and armor of gold engraved into their very flesh emerged at her sides with spears in hand.

“I wondered why it felt like my son had returned home, only for his energy to disappear quickly,” the woman declared as her eyes of black shifted to an alluring shade of gold with specks of red. “After being missing for ten months, I feared the worst, but it seems you had other responsibilities to attend to.”

“Mother.”

I glanced back to Milo to see the stunning show in his eyes as he immediately bowed. “I apologize. It was not my intention to return to my roots and then not inform you of my safe return. The trip was not only unexpected but led to our discovery of the manipulation of one of our own and the woman I’ve pledged to court.”

“Court?” Prince Alywn acknowledged. “And whom may this woman be?”

“The same woman who is going to accept her birthright,” Milo declared without a hint of shame.

“I dare ask how many are romantically connected to the Princess?” Prince Alywn commented in a way to belittle Willow.

“All nine of them,” Willow declared.

She didn’t buckle to the magnitude of judgemental eyes that landed on her as she stood there calmly.

“Every member in the Forbidden Pack has a romantic relationship with me, whether that have the intention to court me or we’re royally bonded,” she stated with pride as her eyes twinkled with happiness. “Unlike those who enjoy sexual gratification without commitment, my romantic affairs only commence after the agreement of loyalty among those within the pack. It’s exactly why our pack is very exclusive in nature.”

I was speechless as her words sunk in, making me realize how easy it was for her to acknowledge that she was in a polyamorous relationship with her men.

Her pack.

It reminded me of when King Amos spoke about the male-dominant pack in Faerie and how they need an Omega to reel them out of their insanity.

If I could boldly be like Willow standing here before strangers with different shifter traits and cultures and be proud of the group of men she’d fallen in love with, maybe it would force people to not mess with me anymore.

We’d be seen as a solid unit that can’t be abused and broken.

Willow moved her gaze from Prince Alywn to Milo’s mother as she bowed her head just slightly.

“As the primary suspect behind Milo’s unexpected visit to Faerie, I personally apologize that he was unable to visit and speak to you face-to-face in regard to our relationship status and his intention of courting me. My intention was not to offend the fae and your respectable laws and culture, but due to the impactful time difference between Faerie and Earth and the time-sensitive event that is indeed in my honor, we could not delay our movements any longer. If I was able to reach either of my parents at the time, I would have requested a special invitation before the event so we could discuss other matters that needed to be addressed, along with my romantic affairs, but it was simply not feasible.” She deepened her bow. “No excuse is worthy of your forgiveness and mercy from judgment, but please see the truth within my words and grant us another chance at reconciliation.”

My jaw dropped without me realizing it. I was simply taken away by Willow’s execution to tackle something as culturally sensitive and obviously important to Milo’s kingdom’s values. It was so flawless and powerful while ensuring an apology was present.

I wasn’t the only one stunned to silence. Many stood there, stunned, jaws opened, and blown away by Willow’s words.

“W-Well,” Milo’s mother began, clearly moved by Willow’s unexpected words. “Seeing as you so humbly apologized and my son has set his pride aside to also apologize, I can’t possibly be ruthless and not forgive such a mishap. However, a letter would indeed have been a smart decision. I’m sure if you’d tried harder to contact your parents, something could have been arranged.”

I felt like she was trying to not look so easily moved, but her high standards also made it seem like she was hard to impress, to begin with.

“Queen Elphaba has only now arrived back from Faerie with my father,” Ruby chipped in. “If my sister did manage to send an emergency letter to Mother to request communication with your kingdom, it would have not made it through the grapevine in time.”

“As for my father, Roberto De Luca, he’s—” Willow began but was cut off.

“Returning from dealing with my own pack affairs.”

Roberto De Luca came waltzing in wearing a black and pink suit with diamond studs. His hair was gelled over to one side, which made him look far younger in comparison to when we’d see him on television in the business spotlight.

“It would have been impossible for Willow to reach me. I’m sure it’s due to our shifter affairs, but we seem to all have forgotten that NYC dealt with a catastrophe that indeed impacted the business market. Due to Willow being a prime target to those who wished to further complicate the circumstances occurring upon the mundane lands, it was my decision to ensure her assets, as well as her pack’s companies, were safe from unexpected business deals that would attempt to wipe out their recently created enterprise, which would be targeted thanks to its promising potential.”

It was a big deal for Roberto to publicly defend Willow in the shifter setting.

Seeing it in the business aspect had shaken the nation when Willow was willing to resign from her father’s company, but him standing by her protectively in the shifter world would be heard in waves in the shifter community.

It would force some people and organizations to back off.

“Since Princess Ruby already explained the whereabouts of Queen Elphaba, there’s no reason for me to further vouch and explain why normal protocols of communication between our families and the fae kingdoms were not followed,” he stressed while his eyes darkened. “However, I’ve been informed of the recent discovery of fae magic running through the veins of my prodigy without my permission, which is far more important due to the consequences I’ll enjoy witnessing firsthand against the one who dared to involve my only child with such maddening experiments that jeopardized her life and future.”

Wow…

This was what I’d always yearned to experience. Having a parent stand up for you when they discovered someone had dared hurt their child without their permission.

“With such a revelation, I’d suggest our priority be focused on locating the individual whose energy was stolen and infused into Willow’s body, for many of us know that such illegal actions most certainly could have altered the destiny of this being of royalty, and I’m well aware of how vitally important fated mates are to the fae community,” he finished.

“Aren’t you ashamed?” Prince Alywn spoke up as he shook his head. “You’re perfectly fine supporting your daughter who’s boldly admitted she’s bonded to nine men? You’re willing to publicly state you support her being bonded to yet another? Especially a fae of even higher status? This type of behavior shouldn’t be supported!”

It was unexpected for him to be so judgemental. It didn’t make sense to me when someone like King Amos was perfectly fine with the idea of one woman being shared with multiple guys.

So as long as their loyalty was only for her and those within the harem space.

“Why is that?” Roberto countered as he tilted his head to one side. “You speak ill of my heir, whose mate bonds have formed on a natural basis with the blessings of our Goddess, Mother Moon, yet are known by many to use and abuse woman all through the fae and mundane realms to satisfy your hypersexuality. When you compare the two, it’s rather easy to approve of one and disdain the other, but seeing as my frankness isn’t enough, I wholeheartedly support my child, Willow De Luca, who will soon claim her birthright as Willow Alundra Phoenix, and the relationship she has formed with her wolf pack.”

His pride for Willow was so intense that it was honorable to witness it. Maybe that was the reason why King Amos wished for me to be here.

To witness how a supportive community should react in the public eye.

How the Coven should have treated me versus their continuous deceptive ways to bring me down and destroy my reputation in the magic community.

“Fae aren’t usually ones to be so judgemental when it comes to unusual circumstances and relationships that occur in the shifter world. Especially when it’s well known that many kings and queens in the fae lands are allowed multiple partners and commitments. My child’s passion is strong enough that her enemies are going to great lengths to kill her, risking igniting the wrath of her entire pack. I’m sure you can guess how doomed this world would be if any of them truly lost control, can’t you? We already had a perfect example happen yesterday, and now the Vatican is paying for such foolish actions.”

“Y-You know about that?” Willow asked.

“I was briefly informed by Viktor and Milo,” he revealed. “Milo aided me in an unexpected dilemma I was dealing with. After explaining what I’d missed during my pack business, he requested my permission to be allowed to court you. He wished to ensure he got our permission prior to contacting his kingdom, seeing as wolf shifters do things rather differently.”

“And did you approve of his courting intentions?” Milo’s mother inquired with an arched eyebrow.

“I did,” Roberto stated with confidence. “And my wife, who manages to rule one of the strongest shifter kingdoms while balancing two ruthless husbands, approves of Willow’s lifestyle. Therefore, I’m rather hopeful that the idea of judging my child, her lifestyle choices, and her romantic activities will end here.”

He specifically turned his attention to Prince Alywn.

“I don’t meddle in your fae affairs, but King Phoenix is not as merciful as I. Heed my warning, for the next time you try to belittle my daughter or think she is someone you can step on, I’ll personally enjoy summoning you to the fae lands, where your pleas of mercy that would escape your quivering lips after we generously utilize some easy torturous tactics to remind you which fae kingdom is superior will be heard for miles.”

Prince Alywn gulped while Prince Theo laughed in pure amusement.

“Serves him right. About time he’s reminded he’s not the only powerful fucker in our outcast world,” Prince Theo hummed in delight before he slid off the shoulders of his men and looked at Roberto. “Old man! You’re looking youthful! Did you have a long nap or something?”

I was surprised by Theo’s words but it didn’t seem to bother Roberto to the extent of being angry. He simply rolled his eyes.

“I did have a long nap,” Roberto noted like it wasn’t a big deal. “Which I deserved after running my empire for so long. Seeing as Willow is taking my place, I figured a nice restful vacation would be rejuvenating, but pack matters don’t wait for the wicked to enjoy a few weeks off.”

“That sucks! You can always come to nap at our place! Father wants to play another game of chess with you,” Prince Theo disclosed happily. “You’ve yet to meet his new wife.”

New wife? Roberto goes to Faerie to play chess with Theo’s father. Or our father…ugh. I hate not knowing all the facts.

“I’ll have to pay a visit then,” Roberto noted. “You know I haven’t visited since a certain heir randomly entered Faerie years ago.”

“Why do I feel like he’s talking about me?” Willow muttered, and that seemed to ignite a wave of harmonic giggles that echoed through the vast room.

“Roberto enjoys bringing up the strenuous effort he put in chasing after a little girl with pink hair who enjoys fields of fae flowers.”

All eyes went back to the stairs, and there stood Queen Elphaba herself with guards bowing at her sides.

“I was informed of the magnitude of chaos going on before the runway show so I decided to come and see what the hold-up is all about,” she announced as she looked directly at her daughter. “I’m sure most of you know I dislike tardiness as well as acts of deceit against my children. I believe she proved herself long ago, and yet so many are testing her while they still can. Immature, if you ask me.”

She strolled down the stairs without aid, her movement so graceful that you could easily assume she was floating through the air. Her white dress sparkled in various colors and her pink hair was in a crown braid.

Willow’s men were the first to bow, which only encouraged all of us to follow until only Roberto and Willow remained standing.

“Good evening, Willow, my daughter. I apologize that we’ve yet to have proper time alone. It seems the worlds are trembling at the idea of your uprising, so it’s been rather busy these last few days.”

“Trembling is an understatement,” Roberto muttered and actually pouted his lips like an annoyed puppy. “Everyone ignites misery in the shadows but can’t confront us face-to-face. It’s all bullshit.”

Queen Elphaba laughed.

“I’ve missed you, my dear.” Her voice was so tender as her smile could surely get rid of one’s depression with the mere sight. “Your presence was unexpected. I wasn’t informed you’d be attending.”

“You can thank Prince Milo, who had the additional aid of Viktor,” Roberto revealed. “You know I wouldn’t miss this event, even if many wished for me to. It’s not every day your child rises to her birthright throne, now is it? All these fuckers causing disturbances. I’ve been informed one tried to put our Willow under a hex. I’m sure Blair is going to enjoy such surprising news.”

She frowned at the news as she glanced in Willow’s direction.

“When did this happen?”

“Um…about fifteen minutes ago? Maybe earlier. My men had to pull me out of it, but it was a close call,” Willow confessed. “It also proves that I apparently have fae magic, which seems to be a bad thing.”

“It’s not a bad thing,” Queen Elphaba shut down. “It proves there’s been manipulation involved which is clearly not new with the past efforts to harm you. I’ve been aware of the fae magic within you since you waltzed into Faerie when you were eleven. However, there was no way of investigating because of the circumstances you needed to endure to awaken your wolf.”

“You do not worry about obvious treason, Elphaba,” Milo’s mother emphasized. “This is certainly a big deal.”

“I will not dismiss the matter that one within our circle of power decided to manipulate the future of my child and the chosen fae they stole magic from. However, the news will not deter our aim and prevent Willow from receiving her birthright this evening, Queen Moremi. I was already informed of your first son’s intentions to court my daughter in the traditional ways of the fae court. That’s why I was visiting your second kingdom: to give word to his father, seeing as I’m aware he would be unable to attend with the changing times.”

“Y-You already got approval from my husband?” Queen Moremi clarified and looked rather shocked by the news.

“I have, and he’s very happy with the news that his son has taken interest in my daughter. Obviously, I’m aware that traditionally your culture is not used to someone with multiple partners. However, your husband stated he’s been observing the movements of my daughter like many who keep an eye on the events that occur on the mundane lands, and he approves that Willow would be an excellent candidate to be Milo’s wife.”

“She’d have to take part in the trials if he intends to go the whole way,” Queen Moremi declared, bringing up the challenge I knew nothing about.

“I’m aware, as is your husband. And he stated that when Willow is ready to participate in such activities, he will happily be present to judge,” Queen Elphaba declared, which really seemed surprising to them from their expressions.

“My…father really approves of my decision?” Milo asked.

“He did,” Queen Elphaba declared and smiled sweetly at Milo. “It’s been a long time since I’ve spoken with him, so it was intriguing to be informed of his acceptance and honorable satisfaction with your decision to court one as highly ranked as Willow.”

“Well then,” Queen Moremi began as she cleared her throat and blushed a little. “If my husband approves of such and the recent news regarding the stolen Fae exchange is of secondary importance, we’re simply wasting valuable time that can be invested in this runway event.”

“I’m so glad we’re on the same page, Moremi.” Queen Elphaba beamed her way. “I’ve missed you as well. We shall talk privately later tonight during the after-party.”

“I-I’d be honored,” Queen Moremi declared as she bowed her head. “I appreciate you coming personally to resolve the initial issues presented to me.”

“Communication is key for me to continue ruling,” Queen Elphaba stressed. “Which is why I wanted to personally see what was happening so we could speak about it rather than allow unnecessary rumors and disagreements to occur before this very important event.”

“Queen Elphaba, I’d love to briefly bring up that the one who attempted to hex your child used my face for their ploy,” Prince Alywn brought up.

Ugh. Doesn’t this man know how to bring things up privately?

“Isn’t that a common occurrence these days?” Queen Elphaba didn’t even hide her dismissive tone. “Which father have you upset after enjoying another fling with their daughter with the promise of commitment, only to move on to the next target of your hypersexual activities?”

Gasps echoed through the room followed by hollering laughter that came from Ruby.

“Even Mother, the queen, knows what a damn player you are!” Ruby slapped her chest and crouched over to laugh. “May all the fae gods and goddesses help you because your reputation is going to reach the very galaxies at this rate!”

A few people snickered while Prince Alywn’s face burned crimson with embarrassment.

“In regard to the culprit behind the potential hex against my daughter, we will investigate immediately. We should have the information by the end of the show and an arrest will be made,” she stressed. “Let me announce this here and now, for it seems many in the shadows have enjoyed the idea of my daughter being but a punching bag for you all to abuse. Tonight, that will end, and she will gain immunity like all future queens and kings carry once officially appointed in the presence of their forefathers and foremothers. Any act against Willow with the intention of harm will be met with public execution so everyone is reminded of their place as we shift out of this cycle of trials. Remember and remind those who have forgotten: an act against my own is a direct attack on the Phoenix Empire.”

Her eyes clouded over with anger then, and many began to tremble involuntarily out of pure fear.

“I will no longer tolerate any bullshit done against my family. That includes my husband, Roberto. The majority of leaders are well aware of why we took these steps to raise our daughter into her birthright, and though some tactics will be deemed cruel in mundane and shifter protocols, to the Fae and those of royal hierarchy, the suffering of our child leads to their salvation in a world that’s not meant to work in their favor. That’s a decision we parents are obligated to make, but no one else has the right to contribute to such challenges. Let my words be but a reminder as we transition toward a new year,” she explained with utmost seriousness. “Over the next few days, the word will be spread through the kingdoms and across the mundane lands, which includes the shifter community. If anyone has bad blood with my daughter or husband, you may gladly attempt to fix it in the next few days, as the new year will ignite a new beginning and nothing will be tolerated in the new cycle.”

The room was silent as her words loomed in the atmosphere.

“Excellent. Can we return our focus to the event, please? We’re awaiting one more Fae kingdom representative and then we should be good to begin.”

“I’m here!”

I actually wasn’t surprised by yet another guest’s entrance, but it was the tone of voice that echoed around that made me scrunch my face in confusion.

Why the hell does that sound like me?

A glance to the stairs revealed rows of golden knights with metallic teal designs across their armor that totally reminded me of King Amos’s guards back in Faerie.

The guards turned to face parallel of one another before performing a melody on behalf of the woman’s approaching entrance.

When she walked out of the shadows, a whiplash of shock hit me as if I’d just been slapped in the face, leaving me completely stunned.

“It’s such a pleasure to finally make it here! I’m terribly sorry for my tardiness, Queen Elphaba. I got separated from my dear brother, Theo, and you know how directionally challenged I am. It’s a shame with how powerful I am that I can’t read a compass to save my life!”

I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing with my own eyes as the woman in question beamed with happiness as she squealed.

“My dear Willow!” She rushed down the stairs of red, her dress twinkling like it was made of magic itself as the fabric of teal and gold fluttered behind her.

She made a beeline straight for Willow until her arms were around her neck and she hugged her tightly like some lost lover.

“How many years has it been?!” she shrieked and pulled back to look into Willow’s wide eyes. “Ten? Fifteen? Oh, I suck at tracking things, but how I’ve missed you so! I’ve at least attempted to keep track of your activities in the mundane world, but ah. It felt like eons patiently waiting for your ascension!”

If her declaration wasn’t surprising enough, it was her next action that left everyone speechless.

Pulling Willow in for a firm kiss.

My heart stopped just like the flow to my lungs as I watched this new female arrival kiss Willow.

My Willow…

The kiss was brief and broken by the woman in question as she giggled and hugged her again.

“Ah, Willow! I’ve truly missed you! Are you finally going to keep your promise and date me? Hmm?”

“I-It’s been a while,” she oddly admitted and even began to smile which made no sense to me. Had she met this woman recently while I was in Faerie or something?

My gut didn’t think so.

“My memories from my childhood are a bit wonky since the cliff incident, so…” Willow admitted.

“Ah, of course!” Her expression was filled with empathy as she held her hands. “Don’t stress your pretty little head! I’ll gladly remind you now that you’ll have access to all the resources and archives! Our father is really good at unlocking submerged memories! He can assist, but I can also be of aid. I’ve been his apprentice for the last few years now. I’ve been training really hard in various areas so I could be of service when we met again!”

“Um…” It was the new addition to Willow’s pack who began to speak in the deafening room. “Does Sweet Domino know her, or are we being pranked? Cause if we’re being pranked, I just want to be the first one to say that I totally like her.”

Loki groaned.

“Arthur, you really have to keep your thoughts to yourself.”

“Why? I’m curious! Don’t tell me none of you are curious. C’mon! She looks just like mddjldslss.” He didn’t finish as Saint placed his hand over Arthur’s lips to silence him.

“We’d love a formal introduction if that isn’t too much to ask,” Saint humbly requested as he bowed his head. “Unlike Willow, who may have some memory discrepancies, most of us do not know about the current Fae kingdoms and the rulers. I’m sure you’re aware that the mundane books are rather outdated in context.”

“I completely understand!” She beamed and let go of Willow’s hands for a moment to take a step back so she could pick up the sides of her elegant down and make a formal curtsey.

My ears seemingly perked up to ensure I heard every damn word in this introduction.

“Let me formally apologize for my lack of manners! I was possessed with such joyous excitement at Willow’s return that I forgot to introduce myself!”

She rose and flicked a few locks of her teal hair with a generous amount of golden tinsel strands. A crown sat upon her head, one of gold that carried a similar energy as King Amos’s crown.

“Queen Auraleia Delianna Clementine! Ruler of the dark Fae lands of the south court and temporary ruler of the north. It’s such a pleasure to meet all the members of the Forbidden Pack! Please accept my apologies for reacting the way I did without formal introductions.”

What? What? WHAT?

My mind wanted to shut down while I tried to understand what was just said.

“I know you like calling me Aura, Willow, so feel free to call me that or anything you like! Have you met my little brother, Theo? He’s obviously not a twin like me, which I thank the Fae gods and goddesses for or he’d be such a pain in the ass when he’s hungry or tired, but he’s super nice and supportive! He’s a bit harsh, but he means well!”

Wait!

Twin…

The mention of twins immediately reminded me of King Amos’s warning.

“One more thing. I’ll have to represent both kingdoms upon my arrival, which means I’ll be doing a wardrobe change in between.”

“Okay? Why is that a concern?”

“It’s not. I’m letting you know so you’re not surprised.”

“I doubt I’m going to be surprised seeing a less deadly hollow grinch of a brother making his debut in probably a white suit with butterflies and falling white and gold petals raining down on you,” I casually exaggerated, surprised that he actually chuckled at my joke.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“I heard that!” Prince Theo snarled but seemed too shy to speak as boldly as he had before. “Hello,” he quietly muttered as he looked away.

“This reunion is such a blessing! We should enjoy a lovely feast after all this is over, but for now, don’t you need to get dressed, Willow?”

“Ah…yes,” she replied and blinked a few times. I was sure she was processing this shocking confrontation like the rest of us, but if this really was King Amos, did that mean he’d switch between genders to rule different kingdoms?

Queen Auraleia of the Dark Fae and King Amos of the regular Fae?

That didn’t seem right at all, but then again, what if the North Kingdom wasn’t referred to as the Valentine Kingdom of Dark Fae in the surface world?

“I can help you dress as we catch—” Queen Auraleia’s words cut off as a sight glimmer began to emerge from their joined hands.

My eyes widened to their maximum expansion as I watched the two of them begin to glow brightly as incantations bled to their flesh while their clothes and hair began to levitate.

I was surprised to see the various incantations on Queen Auraleia’s legs, their unique design somehow looking identical to Willow’s.

They stared at one another in disbelief, their eyes dancing in various colors like a reflective prism.

Their auras grew and danced, blending effortlessly with one another, but it was the specific heart shape symbol that began to form under Queen Auraleia’s eye that made me realize something was unfolding before our eyes.

Something that made my heart clench in utmost jealousy.

The heart began to fill with a glowing pink shade, igniting swirling lines that replicated green vines with tiny thorns and blooming flowers.

When the process was complete, it took the majority of her right cheek while the same marking resonated on Willow’s left cheek.

A heart surrounded by vines, roses, and a golden crown that floated above…

My whole body tensed up, waiting for the inevitable that would let everyone know what had just occurred.

All it took was a single word as the two of them were focused only on each other.

“Mate.”

There it was…

“Aura?” Willow mouthed her name as if she couldn’t believe this was happening. “You’re not invisible anymore.”

What does she mean by that? How do they know each other? Why can’t I remember her?

Queen Auraleia had the biggest smile as she giggled and hugged Willow tightly.

“You remember!” she cheered. “I didn’t warn anyone of my arrival, fearing some would try to interfere, which is why my little brother came in my stead. Only Queen Elphaba knew since she personally invited me.”

She pulled back and took Willow’s hand in hers.

“I’m sure all of this is a shock, but if you give me at least ten minutes, I can give you a rundown while you prepare for the runway!”

“That…would be much appreciated,” Willow confessed as her eyes twinkled with so much happiness.

As if she was finally complete.

“Hmmm,” the new addition, the ginger began, and I realized he was right behind Willow and resting his chin on her shoulder while admiring Queen Auraleia. “Sooooo…no one is going to bring up the fact that you look identical to the witch over there? Or is that for like, season two of Willow’s reign? Oh. That sounds exciting! We should make this into a dramatic series and end it off at this very moment.”

I was sure everyone wanted to know the answer to that as eyes darted between me and Queen Auraleia.

“Aurelia is actually my twin sister. We only met what feels like an hour ago in Faerie. She left first since she has an obligation to attend this grand event because of her commitment to the Coven. I’m sure you are all intrigued as to why my sister and I have been raised in different supernatural planes, but I believe the runway is of more importance.”

The revelation would make the Coven realize I’d actually made it to Faerie, that they’d failed in whatever plot they wished to use against me.

I didn’t think she’d reveal it so openly, but maybe it was on purpose? To make them anxious? Nervous? To make them realize I potentially had a strong ally on my side for once?

Queen Auraleia hooked her around Willow’s and looked at Queen Elphaba.

“Your Majesty, may we be excused with the rest of Willow’s pack? I’d love to explain things while they get ready for the show.”

“Certainly,” Queen Elphaba declared. She seemed so approving of this union that it radiated through her aura. “We will handle everything else. Please make your way to the newly assigned dressing rooms. Ruby? Whitney? Can you two please escort them?”

“Of course!” Ruby declared. “Follow me, everyone.”

I couldn’t help but stare at Queen Auraleia one more time, knowing in seconds, they would be gone and I’d be left here with my pack to wait for the runway to start.

I didn’t know what it was, seeing a vision of myself so happy with my ex-girlfriend while being easily accepted by her entire pack without a single question of doubt, or the fact that my twin “sister” was destined to be with Willow De Luca when I, the one who’d fallen in love with her and forced our relationship to end to protect her wasn’t destined to be her mate.

It made me feel…bitter.

Like there was a nasty taste in my mouth that ruined my whole mood. I tried not to show it on my face, my expression as neutral as I could make it, but I bet my eyes showed it all.

The emotion that hoped to cripple me.

Envy.

CHAPTER 13

Unexpected Reveal And The Runway Of Death Part Three

“Hey.”

I was stopped by Zane as he quickly tugged me to the side and stood in front of me so no one else could see me.

“Breathe.”

“You’re not supposed to be here,” I hissed but really did need five seconds to just breathe before I had a fucking breakdown.

Willow would walk down that runway any second now, and I was panicking.

Something didn’t feel right.

Or maybe it was this odd feeling within me that made me feel unwell. After sitting in the crowd in wait for the show, it became too overwhelming for me to bare.

The gossip. The looks. The continued reminder of how I had a twin sister who was officially bonded to my ex, who was about to claim her royal title and proudly emphasize her disciple position on the High Council.

“I can’t be standing on the sidelines when my mate is having a full-blown panic attack,” Zane voiced and tipped my head up by my chin. “Breathe, baby. You can do this.”

“I can do this…” I whispered. “King Amos and Queen Auraleia are the same person.”

“Seems so.” He didn’t hesitate to admit it as his expression became unreadable. “I want to say I can understand why he has to be two different people to run two different kingdoms, but I don’t know enough about the North and South to justify why.”

He allowed me to take a few more breaths before he continued.

“Either way, he’ll explain to us when we return to Faerie. We’re only here to play our part. To be supportive of this new era,” he pressed and leaned down to kiss me. “So block out all that noise. None of those fuckers out there know you the way we know you, love you the way we do. Their opinions of you don’t matter. Let them talk. This isn’t where we belong anyway.”

He was right. He always was right.

“Thanks, Zane,” I whispered as he pulled me into a quick but tight hug. “I love you.”

“Love you too, Aura.”

The nickname made me realize he’d maybe have to change it due to the new turn of events.

I pulled back to address it, but he immediately shook his head.

“I’m not changing it,” he pressed and kissed my forehead. “You’re my Aura, Ace’s Auri, Jack’s Kitten, Quil’s Sunflower, and King’s Queen. Those nicknames are staying.”

With one last kiss, he moved away and quickly fixed the strands of my hair that were out of place.

“Now let’s get this over with so we can go home.”

“Yes.” I don’t need to change. I’m accepted by my pack. That’s all that matters. “Let’s get back.”

He guided me to my seat before departing somewhere further back in the tight crowd.

Despite sensing many eyes on me, I looked forward as the lights dimmed in preparation for the final walk.

“Let the final set of the show commence. Introducing one of the designers of the night, Ruby Phoenix!”

Flashing rays of color spun through the room until they centered at the end of the runway.

Ruby stood there in a brilliant red dress with hints of orange and gold, her hair up in a ponytail. With red-cloaked lips, she smiled with pride as her eyes stared into the dark crowd that surrounded her.

“It’s an honor to be a part of this show’s creation. Being surrounded and supported by royals of our various supernatural races is a true gift to witness, especially when we’re in the presence of some of the most powerful shifters of the decade.”

The lights continued to spin until they all came together upon the front row — revealing the seated individuals who wore various masquerade masks as if to hide their true identities.

“The traditions that have been followed by the Phoenix family are quite strenuous. Not simply because of the tasks involved that lead our heirs on a dangerous journey through life, but also because they involve many others’ lives,” Ruby continued. “We’re all connected beings in this world. Our actions can change the lives of many. One word from one person could stop another from ending their world, the same way that someone’s actions could destroy another’s life like a snap of one’s fingers.”

Many looked to the front row seats, myself included. They were parallel to both sides of the runway. I began to recognize what was happening here, and those who sat in those designated chairs opposite Willow’s pack members.

“As royals, the hardest thing a parent can do is let their child or children suffer. You must watch in the shadows with your hands tied, so you don’t involve yourselves in the destiny they’re meant to walk upon. These destined individuals are forced to go through very saddening things: the death of their parents, the burning destruction of their empire, the loss of a sibling, or the separation from someone all because of the struggle that comes with obtaining power. In our world of supernaturals, there is always a higher purpose. This is why these shows are created. To finally bring all those missing pieces and assets in one’s life together again so the successors can see what their hardships have led them to. So that they can acknowledge what their perseverance has rewarded them with.”

Wait. Is that row…all their parents?

I slowly began to scan the row, only for my eyes to pause on someone I didn’t expect.

Zayhir?

I had to be imagining it. Maybe it was someone acting as him to hide the truth that he’d perished on my behalf, but there he was.

A replica of the man who’d perished weeks before.

I swallowed the lump in my throat while my body felt suddenly hot and uncomfortable, but I forced myself to remain, hoping this was just for show.

“What better way to introduce change in our society than with the beauty of fashion? The world of artistry in the way of various fabrics. Designs from various individuals across the world and the cultures they represent. When we see a new fashion trend, it usually indicates a new era is coming. Change is inevitable, but with change comes growth, and with growth comes experience that influences one’s knowledge and the chance of survival. That’s what we all aim to achieve: to survive the hardships our life brings to us. It helps awaken what’s hidden within, and sometimes it endangers us as we enter the unknown. New places can lead one to be outcast for their differences, but perseverance can reward one with the right to dominate their destiny.”

Ruby looked through the crowd, her eyes briefly locking on mine.

“A new era is here, and the next pack of changing leaders will rise all thanks to a woman who wished to claim her rightful destiny,” she declared, and it made me feel as though she was rubbing it in.

That her sister was able to outdo me in everything.

I mentally shook my head, knowing that I was just making everything negative. She was talking to everyone, not just me, but my mind didn’t want me to act like a naive fool.

After all, I’m the enemy here.

“The final piece of the night was designed by a new designer, Mr. Sephtis of Devil’s Clothing Boutique. Let us reveal the dress of carnage!”

With her words, the black curtain began to part, and many began to cheer with the grand reveal.

As Willow began her walk, all eyes were drawn to the magnificent dress that cloaked her slim curve frame.

Classical music hummed through the air, and the harmonic strings rose on a crescendo toward the peak of the symphony.

When she reached the halfway point was when the magic really began to unravel — magic circles igniting with every step she made.

An aroma of sweetness hit the air, while her dress itself began to actually blossom as though it was alive.

Many gasped as red petals began to flutter from the train of her dress as the dress continued to expand until every bit of her dress was covered in glistening red roses.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Blood roses?!”

“Impossible.

“How did she obtain so many?”

“Its suicidal effect isn’t working on us?”

“It’s like feeling death knocking on our door.”

“Being capable of flourishing such powerful flowers into a dress without triggering the negative effect is outstanding.”

“Phenomenal.”

“The only way to wear such rare flowers without being affected by its properties is with fae magic.”

“So the rumors are true. She has fae magic.”

“Meaning someone committed treason to try to kill her?”

“The desperation in hopes of obtaining power.”

“The Faerie kingdoms must be furious.”

“It’s a win-win situation for her and them. They now have a solid connection to the next queen in power.”

“The one who dared manipulate such magic is the one I feel sorry for.”

I listened to the gossip while my eyes were glued to the strapless gown that was in full bloom. Petals cloaked in rainbow glitter and vines of black and green intertwined and wrapped around her arms.

Her heels sparkled a brilliant red while the magic circles of iridescent white continued to form beneath her feet.

Her hair was now pure white while her eyes were prism spheres. She seriously looked like a princess ascending to her throne to become queen, and everyone could see it.

She reached the end of the lengthy path, and she had the room’s attention as she made her debut.

“Introducing Willow Alundra Phoenix, Princess and Heir of the Phoenix Empire, wearing a one-of-a-kind gown titled Dress of Carnage!”

Many began to clap and cheer, but her pack went absolutely wild.

“That’s my Blossoming Flower!” Saint cheered

“She’s our Rebel Flower, and stop being so fucking loud,” Jayce complained after elbowing the man.

“Hell nah! Everyone’s hearing my loud mouth today! Our baby earned this!” Saint exclaimed.

“You just like embarrassing everyone,” Mr. Sephtis gleefully declared. “Sweet Domino! You look divine!!!”

The rest of them continued to comment on their woman, their queen and Alpha who finally claimed her birthright.

It was a happy ending you’d never think to witness with your own eyes, and yet it made me feel…weird.

Angry?

Biting my lip, I stood up and placed my hands on the rail before me. My eyes continued to look down upon Willow and take in the glorious moment that only made me feel like a failure.

“It’s not fair, isn’t it?”

The soft voice in my head hummed as the world around me began to darken.

“To celebrate her and not you. A pity, really. You worked so hard your entire life to experience such an accepting role, and yet here you are, in the crowd like a nobody, and there she is, the star of the show.”

My eyes began to droop, even though I tried to keep them open, and the sound of cheers and applause faded away.

All I could hear was my beating heart, which beat louder and louder till my ears rang. My palms felt sweaty as a wave of light headedness hit me.

I bit my lip to bring some sensation through me, to remind myself that I could just walk away and leave before I passed out, but the pinch of pain was underwhelming in comparison to this heaviness that clouded my mind and stole my sense of control.

“A true friend would have let you have what you earned. Not steal it away from you. A real friend wouldn’t let the world make you their enemy. She would have defended you and stayed by your side. A real friend wouldn’t be willing to take your twin but push you aside. See that woman right there?” the voice declared. It felt like a shadow figure stood behind me. “She’s not your friend…but your enemy.”

She was right.

That wasn’t whom I called a friend.

She’d just used me.

Like everyone.

“Aren’t you tired of people stealing what’s yours? Stealing your light? Stealing everything you deserve? We can’t let this continue, Aurelia. It’s time to make a statement so no one will mess with you again.”

She was right. They needed to see my power. To understand I wasn’t someone you walked over anymore.

The shadow pressed behind me, placing something in my hand that felt cold to touch. I gripped it tightly as my arm rose up — my dazed eyes on the woman who glimmered in the spotlight that should have been mine.

“End her, Aurelia. Pull the trigger.”

I was ready to do exactly that — just as those iridescent eyes locked onto mine.

For a moment, I questioned what I was about to do as tears began to pool in my eyes and stream down my flushed cheeks, but I couldn’t control myself.

It wasn’t in my power anymore.

It was like I’d suddenly become a puppet, and all I could do was follow through with my intentions.

Even if it killed someone I still loved.

I watched as Willow’s lips moved, knowing damn well she was trying to say my name — to reach me from the depths of this state of darkness — but nothing could stop me as my finger began to pull on the trigger of the pistol in my grasp.

“GUN!” Whitney’s voice pierced through the air and everything moved in slow motion as I officially pulled the trigger.

The room was suddenly silent until there was a painful grunt that seemed far too loud when the single bullet hit someone completely unexpected.

Many gasped, and my own eyes began to widen and whatever shadowed control that consumed me began to fade away.

Leaving haunting laughter in my mind that only belonged to one person.

Lucy.

Shock rushed through me as I watched Willow’s arms immediately outstretch to catch the sole man that stepped in her path — the man that had just taken the bullet that left the chamber of the pistol in my grasp.

They dropped to the floor, and everything that was once in slow motion was suddenly back in motion as Willow’s voice was on the verge of hysterics.

“Roberto!” she hissed as tears rushed down her cheeks. “Why? Why the fuck… Why… Fuck, fuck, fuck. Listen to me. You can’t die. You’re not allowed to fucking die!”

What did I just do?

“You don’t get to die and get off scot-free, dammit,” she huffed. “You fucking promised… You…you…”

“I ain’t…losing this fight,” Roberto struggled to say, but he was fighting for breath.

“Why isn’t he healing?” Milo pressed.

“There’s something in the bullet,” Viktor stressed. “It’s a rare weapon from Russia. There are only a few in the fucking world.”

What did I just do?!

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Saint snarled. “I-I can’t manipulate his fate.”

“Me neither,” Mr. Sephtis stressed with immense concern.

“Deadly Hollow’s Bullet,” King Amos hissed, and I suddenly felt even more embarrassed to see he was right there helping Willow. “It nullifies any magic that comes from another human. We can’t do anything…and I won’t be able to get the right nectar from Faerie to save him in time!”

“Someone has to be able to do something!” Viktor exclaimed.

“Alpha Roberto, hang in there! We’ve called for special help,” a Beta screamed.

WHAT DID I JUST DO?!

My arms were suddenly restrained as men in black uniforms had me completely in their domain. The pistol was ripped from my grasp before it suddenly felt like every strand of my magic was suddenly stripped from my body, leaving me feeling like a human once again.

What?

“Dad!” My eyes were forced to return to Willow, who was realizing Roberto was slipping away as he looked up at Willow with an admiring expression.

“I…love…you…mini me…” he struggled to state, but anyone could see that life was slipping away from him.

That those words…were certainly…his last.

“Papa…Dearest?” Willow whispered in pure devastation, but it was clear that she wasn’t getting a response.

My ears strained through all the noise as if to hear the man’s heartbeat, but it was absent — completely still.

No…no…no…

I couldn’t grasp what I’d just done.

Did…I just kill… No. It wasn’t me. IT WASN’T ME!

“Aurelia Delianna Clementine!” one of the officers declared from behind me as my arms were forced behind me and handcuffs that nullified my magic were snapped in place — sealing any opportunity for me to use my magic again.

“You’re under arrest for the murder of Alpha Roberto De Luca! You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of Coven law.”

I couldn’t breathe as my shocked, tear-filled eyes were forced to look at Willow as she lifted her head and locked onto my gaze.

It was the first time I’d seen hatred in her eyes.

Hatred towards her father’s killer.

CHAPTER 14

Redemption And Rebirth Of A Dark Queen

“Aurelia Delianna Clementine, you are found guilty of treason, manipulation of a royal’s destiny, misusage of Fae and witch magic, and the attempted murder of a royal.”

Fear…

Never had I feared death as I did in this moment as my eyes looked down to the pile of stones that were mere inches from my tied feet.

Days of torture, starvation, and hopelessness in the depths of prison for a crime I didn’t intentionally mean to commit.

No one would believe me.

No one would listen to me.

My life was over…my fate sealed by my actions that killed a man that had done nothing wrong to me.

The days since my arrest had been but a blur of pain, agony, tears, and my stomach begging for food.

My swollen eyes could barely remain open, and thick black circles cradled them. My head still throbbed, my body thin and frail, and my heart was filled with defeat.

I knew my death would have to come to fruition as King Amos said, but this wasn’t what I pictured for myself.

For my men to have to witness my demise for crimes that weren’t mine.

I couldn’t conjure the courage to even look their way. To witness the piercing fear in the depths of their colored eyes.

Despite the madness, they visited my cell whenever they could, trying to give me some form of hope that I’d get out of this and they would prove to the world my innocence.

But you can’t prove what can’t be visibly seen.

I knew Lucy had used her mind control on me. The threads of her magic still lingered in my brain.

Mr. Sephtis was the only one who offered in my defense for them to do a mental analysis to see if I’d been mind controlled, but I was sure they wouldn’t get the results in time.

The Coven had changed the time of my execution, which was exactly why we were here.

Just them and my men who were granted the chance to witness my end. It was a blessing in the eyes of the Coven to grant them such an opportunity while in my eyes, it was but a curse.

I was sure by the time Willow and her pack arrived, I’d be nothing but a pile of ash.

Maybe it was for the better.

I couldn’t wipe those eyes of hatred from my mind, and it sucked that it would be the last sight I remembered of my best friend, but that was just life.

I just had to suck it up and accept that death was finally here to take me.

A part of me wanted to hope I’d meet Zayhir on the other side, but then again, I couldn’t convince myself that he was truly dead  after seeing someone who looked just like him sitting in the audience opposite of Viktor.

A double? A clone? An imposter?

If he was alive, why didn’t he come to find me? Find us?

Did he remember us?

Or maybe he didn’t want anything to do with me and my pack.

I wouldn’t blame him.

The disgrace of the Coven was finally going to get what she deserved.

That was what everyone was saying, which left me feeling like a fool to think I could prove myself.

At least with my death, I could let this depressive side of myself burn away. That way, wherever my soul went, she’d be the Aurelia Delainna Clementine that I was proud of.

I may never be able to project such a confident version of myself for this world to witness, but it was okay.

Maybe in another lifetime.

“Any royal who speaks against this, speak up now.”

No one would.

There were no royals here.

My men were royals in Faerie.

Not here, in the mundane realm, where the Coven deemed such status unworthy of stepping up in my defense at the moment of my execution.

It just validated the truth.

This world never saw me as one of its own.

If this happened in Faerie, maybe things would have been done differently.

The Coven was finally going to get what they wished for, and this was the lesson I needed to learn.

That I should have fought to find where I truly belonged instead of giving my all to a place that showed every sign that I’d never be one of their own.

“AWHOOOOOOO!”

My heart skipped a beat at the powerful howl that echoed down from above.

I fought with every bit of my strength to lift my head — enough to watch a wolf skid to a stop at the cliff top, which made me realize we were on some sort of mountain.

I hadn’t focused on my surroundings because I’d been blindfolded up until minutes prior, but I was grateful that the silk material had been removed for I could watch the wolf of white begin to shift and reveal someone I didn’t expect in a million years would arrive.

Arrive to save me from death.

There Willow Alundra Phoenix stood, breathless as she bore down to see my predicament: tied to a stake.

For a moment, her eyes met mine, and they flickered between disbelief, shock, sadness, and burning anger — only that rage wasn’t targeting me for my past actions.

It was directed at what would have happened if she didn’t arrive on time.

“I, Willow Alundra Phoenix of the Phoenix Empire, object to the execution of Aurelia Delianna Clementine! Aurelia has been proven innocent with multiple pieces of evidence validating the misconduct done against her to cover up the true culprit of blasphemy! Under Faerie lands with the witness of Queen Elphaba Phoenix, this trial and verdict have been deemed invalid!”

W-W-What?! No way… How? How did they figure it out?

I was speechless as I watched tears run down Willow’s cheeks, which made me realize she was saying the truth.

They had found out I’m truly innocent.

“Any action initiated against Aurelia from this point forward will be a direct attack against the supernatural law! The individual and associated organization will be charged by the highest institute of power, the High Council, and will endure harsh punishments, which include banishment and revocation of any magic and shifter entities!”

Her words boomed to us, making it impossible for anyone to say they didn’t hear them.

“Aurelia is innocent! This execution is now considered attempted murder! Those who do not cooperate will be captured, imprisoned, and judged by the High Council members!” she declared and tilted her head further up. “Which includes me.”

She believes in my innocence. She knows. She knows I didn’t do it! She’s here to save me! She doesn’t hate me!

“Will…ow,” I croaked and it took everything I had to smile as tears overflowed down my wounded cheeks. “Thank…you.”

I could see her relief and realized I’d been forgiven.

That meant everything to me.

“Stand down until further instructions are given!” I overheard Dimitris’s voice, which had to mean Willow’s pack was nearby, and that meant we were no longer alone.

It was perfect… I was finally deemed innocent by those who meant the most. Now my men would know I didn’t do all the malicious things the world tried to paint on me.

They could get that validation that their mate, their Misfit Queen, was worthy of their defense and continuous support.

I’m grateful.

Staring up into Willow’s eyes, I mouthed an apology.

“Sorry.”

The single word made Willow struggle not to break down and cry as she blinked back her tears.

“Silly. I’m sorry more,” she mouthed back to me.

She didn’t understand the hidden intent of my words.

“Besties?” she mouthed.

I gave her the best smile I could as my tired eyes struggled to remain open. I felt my mind slipping away in preparation.

“Besties,” I mouthed in return as I weakly bobbed my head.

“NO!”

The single word came from Ace, but I couldn’t waste the effort to look that way.

All I needed to do was lower my head to see who held the single match in their grasp.

The smiling woman whose duty was to ruin my entire life.

The match in her hand flickered with a flame of sickly green, which confirmed everything I’d thought of during the last few days of captivity.

Who was really pulling the strings?

The match flicked forward, and everything slowed down as nothing could be conjured fast enough to stop it from hitting its destination.

“AURELIA!”

My eyes moved away from the match to look up one last time, and I realized I should have never been hopeful of my survival.

The Coven had come this far. They didn’t care about the consequences now.

I never knew acceptance could bring so much bliss — so much peace that it took away everything else as my mind was slipping out of my body.

I used the last bit of strength to mouth a single word.

“Farewell.”

What happened next felt like an out-of-body experience. My vision focused on what was unfolding before my eyes, but I was unable to feel anything that followed.

I watched as my body went up in flames, my screams piercing the air as my body involuntarily fought the ropes that secured me to the stake.

“NO!” Willow’s heart-wrenching scream could break anyone’s heart as Dimitris quickly grabbed her before she could attempt to jump off the cliff to save me.

She was forced to stay there helplessly like everyone else, and it was such a weird experience to watch my own self burn.

To catch the scent of my body burning and to see the life ooze out of me as my body was clearly losing the fight.

By the time my body stilled and began to crumble, my screams had dwindled into the silent night while the fire continued to crackle and burn my remains until there was nothing left but ash.

No one said a word.

No one even moved.

It was as if they were all waiting for some sort of miracle to happen.

A magic trick? A surprise reveal that it was all some sort of sick joke? But as the silence drew on, it was becoming rather clear that nothing was going to happen.

That I’d actually died.

This could have been why I felt like a ghost just floating in this space, but my attention was tugged by the sudden sound of movement that came from the culprit of my demise.

Lucy.

“The Coven has chosen a new leader to replace the position of Aurelia Delianna Clementine’s post in our witch ranks. Due to her endless scandals and actions to disgrace the Coven and our long-time alliances with the Phoenix Family and High Council, the new Coven leader has determined the punishment for Aurelia’s actions was death.”

She smiled and gestured to the group of witches in black.

“Any complaints and disapproval of our decision can be confronted by our new Coven Leader,” she proudly declared.

Wait. She’s not going to be the new Coven Leader?

If it wasn’t going to be her, who was it?

“Introducing our new leader of the Coven who will ascend to the next High Chair position offered to the Coven at the strike of twelve: Anastasia Delianna Clementine!”

The ultimate reveal proved who’d been on the enemy’s side all this while.

The Vile Queen herself.

My mother.

A tall woman walked out of the crowd, and the sight of her invited the wave of magic that came with it. The temperature immediately dropped as every step she took ignited frost beneath her feet until she stood next to Lucy, who dropped to the floor and lowered her head in obedience.

The woman in question decided to lower her hood, and now everything made sense.

Why I was getting blamed for so many things that weren’t my doing.

My mother, Anastasia Delianna Clementine, looked like a spitting image of me.

The only significant difference was that the right side of her face was severely burned.

It was as if she’d fallen on one half of her body, which had to be the explanation for her burned arm that had clearly been mutated and altered to somehow still function. Her black cloak covered everything else from visibility, but despite the obvious mutations, she was grinning with pride as her eyes twinkled with triumph.

Her eyes locked onto Willow’s.

“Finally, after so many years, I can make my grand debut,” she declared and took a deep inhale with her one nostril.

She exhaled loudly and only smiled wider as she bobbed her head.

“The smell of death and fear. I love this aroma so much. It’s rather enlightening if you ask me.”

She laughed and crossed her arms.

“Willow. What a privilege to have you present for my uprising. Having my prodigy here is such an honor, especially now that I’ve gotten rid of that weak nuisance that was holding me back.”

“Weak nuisance!” Ace screamed and banged on the barrier that I realized was forced around them to keep them back.

He banged with so much anger it vibrated through the magical wall, igniting an actual crack.

“SHE’S YOUR DAUGHTER! You fucking killed her!”

“It had to be done.” She didn’t even carry an ounce of pity as she somehow seemed more interested in her nails. “I never asked to have twins. I’d requested a son so the cycle with all this pressure of getting on this stupid high chair would be over.”

So that’s why. She didn’t even want me.

She sighed and lowered her hand as her expression hardened.

“I did everything I could to ensure I’d have a son. Spellwork, elixirs. Everything was perfect until I gave birth. Hours of labor to bring my wonderful baby boy to life, only for me to be shocked at the urge to push again. More agony and pain, and to my shock, there came a crying baby girl. Do you know how utterly disappointing it is to do everything to prevent such circumstances from happening and yet they’re given to you on a silver platter?”

Maybe I was glad I was dead because hearing this was utterly devasting. My own mother was angered that I existed.

“My own Coven had drugged me with a potion that forced my destined son to be split into two individuals. Half of his power was stripped thanks to this interference. They literally didn’t want our legacy to end. The desperation to continue was enough for them to dare to manipulate my boy, who I ensured would be destined to be king and would never need to be associated with these bitches who couldn’t let go of my desire to simply live my life with my love.”

She clenched her fists as she shook her head.

“The birth of Aurelia left me in a spiraling form of depression, and I realized how much hate I carried for her. I hired my friends to raise her like their own while I ensured my son, Amos, would be raised in Faerie with a few instances where he’d attend classes here. It was clear he was already being mistreated for being a male, and it frustrated me to great lengths. No matter how many times I complained, the Coven didn’t give a shit. The focus was on having a female rise to the High Chair that my mother and then I had skipped. I decided I was going to stop this once and for all so no one else would deal with such obsession over a bloody position.”

She lifted her burned hand then, showing just how mutated the limb was.

“Then the incident happened. The explosion was meant to kill me because of my disobedience. I was a threat to the Coven for wanting the best for my Amos, so the Coven decided what better way to do it than with a bit of an accident.” She actually laughed and shook her head. “It’s funny how Elphaba was present. It was actually thanks to her attempt to save me that half of my body was preserved. But the other half? It was burnt to the bone with magic designed to ensure no one could heal my flesh. Rather cruel when we live in a time and age where preventative care should be quite easy with magic.”

She frowned as her eyes darkened.

“I suffered for years, alone and attempting to heal myself so I could check on my boy. When I finally managed to disguise the burnt scent of my flesh, I found out how they had mistreated my Amos. He was outcasted in this world and yet they dared to do everything they could to punish him for existing in the Fae world,” she revealed. “I disguised myself as a private maid, requesting the aid of the Phoenix Family to give him some sort of redemption, but it was a waste of time as they dismissed my concerns for I was a nobody.”

Anger fueled her eyes as they narrowed.

“How dare they make my son suffer? My rainbow baby who took everything out of me. I couldn’t let them overshadow my prince, and I despised how they were willing to protect their own heir from hardship. That was until I heard of the incident.”

Her eyes fell on Willow once more as she smirked.

“Pushed off a cliff so that she plunged to her demise, only to be retrieved and brought to the Coven for magical revival,” she broke it down and sighed in relief. “It was an opportunity to not only secure my son’s destiny but to ensure the Phoenix family got a bit of punishment for not aiding my son when he desperately needed it.”

She clapped her hands slowly as if the approaching revelation needed a moment of applause.

“What better way to deliver payback than by torturing another child? Make them feel loads of agony, but ensure they’d never tell a soul or there would be dear consequences. It worked like a charm, allowing me to test various torture methods with how fast her healing process was matched with her pain tolerance. What I really wanted to do was to create a force of power that would be awakened by death itself,” she revealed. “Those who attempt suicide have a higher probability of doing it again, so all I had to do was play a waiting game while collecting pawns who would bow to my reign and have no choice but to serve me.”

She snapped her fingers, prompting wolf shifters to emerge all around from the shadows and surround all of us with rows with auras of tainted energy.

They had red collars around their necks and looked like zombies.

“Sadly, your suicide attempt didn’t trigger the psychotic side I’d implanted in you, but I knew there was still one way of hurting you,” she declared, gesturing to the burning stake that barely had any flames left. “Since you were a child, you kept my daughter dear to your heart. It’s rather amusing, honestly, how fate works. To think your mother and I were dear friends, but then she obtained her birthright, and soon I was nothing but a shadow. Her men became her priority, and when you came along, her attention was on ensuring you’d be set to claim your birthright the same way she had. I was long forgotten, and I bet even at my death, she probably didn’t shed a tear.”

She outstretched her hand and stared at the palm of her hand as it ignited with flames.

“So I made it my mission to make your lives a living hell. Anything to put the Phoenix Empire in jeopardy. From preventing Loki from contributing to your protection to forcing the Phoenix Empire to put your little sister in her spot just so she could lose it. Any way to make those destined to be your allies into your foes was my newfound mission with your existence, just to make your life miserable,” she revealed. “Your suffering would indirectly hurt Elphaba, who would have to play devil’s advocate and be a void in your life until you acquired your birthright. Even then, I ensured she’d be so busy that you wouldn’t even have the time to speak to her, just to ensure my identity was never revealed.”

It was all coming together. The pieces we’d been missing.

“I really doubted my meddling would have triggered the bond between you and my Amos, but then I realized it was the perfect ploy for my final plan. You guys were getting too close to finding out the truth, and my useless slaves like Garfield and Felicia weren’t helping me in the slightest. Adding the fact that you stole my Loki back and proceeded to take my second-best pet, Arthur, I was becoming rather frustrated with my lack of resources, but then Aurelia came to Faerie in a territory I once maintained ownership of and it was simply the perfect way to implant a mind control spell that could only be triggered once.”

She began to laugh manically as the flame in her grasp grew.

“The runway brought the perfect opportunity to kill you and awaken my psychotic puppet, but then Roberto got in the bloody way. But that just pointed all the blame at my mistake of a child. It worked out marvellously because her magic energies matched what mine were fifteen years ago. Knowing the Coven leaders were desperate to get rid of Aurelia and empower someone stronger, we collaborated in taking her down once and for all,” she declared as she closed her hand swiftly, which extinguished the flame at once. “It was absolutely brilliant and well, here we are.”

Raising her hands to the sides, she emphasized the fact that we were surrounded while she stared up at Willow.

“So, with me as the new Coven leader, I’ve decided that it’s about time I took my revenge on you all, but it wouldn’t be nice of me to offer an ultimatum, especially when my own son and prodigy is involved,” she disclosed and looked to Lucy. “Lucy, my dear. Will you do the honors?”

“Certainly, Queen,” she declared and took a deep breath before she let out a low whistle.

The sound made multiple people flinch, but the noise had no effect on me for obvious reasons. They were all forced to kneel, and I realized then they were all struggling to move.

Oh no.

“Your submission means the world to me,” she declared as her eyes moved to the panicked Coven members. “Seeing you panic is the revenge I always desired for all these years. Especially you, Elder Etna.”

She walked over to the woman in question before she knelt down to grip Elder Etna’s jaw.

“So desperate for power that you made my life a living hell. You and Beatrice. But I’m well aware of your greedy desires and intention to rise into a seat that was never yours. I had years to think about what to do to you when I finally had you in my grasp, but you won’t get the easy way out. Death is far too generous for a vile bitch like you,” she snarled and gripped her to the point that those same long nails dug into her flesh. “You’re the one who gave me the elixir to have twins, right?”

So she’s the reason why I exist. The reason my mother was forced to have me and Augustus.

The fear oozing out of Elder Etna’s eyes was palpable, and we all wondered what her fate would be.

“You needed me to have a girl so you could manipulate her and ensure she was the scapegoat in the family. The perfect target to use and abuse until she was nothing but a misfit that you’d sacrifice when everyone least expect it and replace, isn’t that right? If I carried enough fucks to give, I would have pitied Aurelia, but only her father approved of her sudden existence. But he died in the explosion just like that sweet part of me. Maybe he would have convinced me to be a tad merciful, but then again, you caused that explosion with all the other bitches who despised my existence.”

The sound of sizzling reached our ears as we watched her flesh begin to literally bubble and drip.

She couldn’t even scream as more and more of her flesh oozed off, showing her bone structure as blood streamed effortlessly onto her lap.

“By the time I’m done with you, you’ll wish you never messed with Anastasia Delianna Clementine,” she snarled with a wicked smile.

And then she set the very woman on fire.

Her flesh burned, but in comparison to her face, it didn’t melt away.

“Let that keep you nice and toasty for five years and then we’ll see what else can be done to torture you for another ten,” she seethed with power before cackling like a mad woman.

Rising up, she walked back to Lucy’s side and smiled.

“Now, what should we do first? Shall I choose who I want to save and who will feel my wrath? Should I reclaim my right-hand man and the second-best pet? You two were valuable after all. It would be a shame to kill you off so soon. Not when there are so many people and organizations I need to put in place for their betrayal.”

She looked back at Willow, enjoying the fear forming on my best friend’s face.

“Now, my prodigy. You’ve come all this way. You might as well enter the new year by my side,” she emphasized but looked over to King Amos. “I’ll give you and my son a happy life. A simple memory wipe will do, and you won’t need to ponder about all these other individuals who carry no worth to either of you.”

No! I have to do something…but I can’t. I said I wouldn’t.

“Lucy, don’t you think that’s a wonderful idea?” she suggested to the woman, who bowed her head.

“I absolutely agree and will make it happen, my Queen. Only say the word. My allegiance has always been to you and you alone.”

“Delightful.” She beamed and clapped her hands. “What shall you do first?”

“Well, a simple spell with a pinch of torture sounds lovely, don’t you think? It could quickly remind all of these wolf shifters that it’s best to remain on your good side,” Lucy offered as she raised her hands up and began to slowly walk behind the Vile Queen. “Simply have a seat, my Queen. You shouldn’t even need to lift a finger now that you’re victorious.”

“You’re right.” She seemed even happier at the idea as she snapped her fingers and black vines emerged from the ground until they shaped the perfect throne for her to lower herself into. “Though, I believe a simple spell won’t do much.”

“My Queen, trust me,” Lucy hummed as she leaned over the throne of vines to present a dazzling crown of jewels.

It seemed to surprise the Vile Queen as she beamed at the offered royal piece and further sat back in wait to be crowned.

This was truly the moment she’d been waiting for.

“Sometimes the simplest things have the greatest effect,” she declared with pride as her eyes suddenly shifted a vivid orange with hints of red.

That shade.

I remembered that shade from Mr. Septis eyes when he unexpectedly visited me in my cell.

“What if I could give you the redemption you deserve?”

“Why would you want to bother? Everyone has given up on me.”

“Not Willow. She’s fighting to find the truth.”

“She won’t make it in time.”

“Maybe so…but what if I can make an opportunity that can deliver the time they need to see the true enemy in our midst and give you the rebirth you deserve?”

“I still have to die.”

“You do,” he admitted. “But it wouldn’t hurt. I’d ensure it doesn’t.”

“And how would you do that?” I weakly laughed. “What are you? The reaper of death?”

“Nah,” he chuckled. “But I am Lucifer’s son.”

That shut me up as I opened my weak eyes to see the burning red eyes that swirled with orange.

“And I believe you, Aurelia Delianne Clementine, deserve redemption.”

The flashback brought me back to reality just as Lucy placed the crown upon the Vile Queen’s head.

For a moment we were forced to watch as it twinkled with merriment like a magic artifact that had finally found the right owner.

Then it began to grow legs…

The tiny legs reminded me of a tarantula, their dark, inky presence only expanding without the Queen realizing it.

“I can feel the immense power of this crown,” she gleefully stated, just as Lucy walked further to the right of her throne and bowed her head.

“It looks absolutely stunning, my Queen. I managed to acquire it from the deepest depths of a castle in Faerie. It’s rather possessive in nature, and only sits upon the head of one most deserving of its diabolic power,” Lucy revealed. “I’m sure by the time it’s deemed missing, it’ll already have claimed hold of its prey.”

The Vile Queen giggled and reached up to run her hands along the bottom half of the gemstone crown, and the spider legs only extended upward to the sky as they grew thicker and hairier.

The tips were as sharp as daggers, and I could only wonder if they were venomous.

“Hold of its prey?” she questioned but laughed as if she’d misheard. “Prey as in all these peasants who are going to be bowing to my ruling,” she corrected as she looked to her left, only for her to catch onto something that was enough to steal her attention entirely.

I followed her stare, looking past where my men stood to reveal a woman in a position I’d never expected to witness when I was alive.

Let alone when I was dead.

A woman with dirty blonde hair, on her knees like everyone else, but with her mouth covered by a thick ribbon of black — the one used to blindfold me earlier — while her wrists were tied back by a live anaconda that slithered happily while still keeping its body tightly wrapped around his prey.

“Lucy?” The Vile Queen’s voice barely escaped her throat as realization dawned on her.

That the woman serving her was actually tied up like a captured prisoner.

Before she could fully rise from the throne she’d created, the black vines swiftly extended and wrapped around her, forcing her to sit back down — seconds before those hairy spider legs came darting down.

She gasped in pain as those sharp pincher ends pierced into her throat and further embedded themselves into her flesh.

She screamed and tried to pull at the legs that should have been fragile in nature, but they were quite the opposite, so firm and thick that they withstood the Vile Queen’s attempts to remove their hold.

The legs began to sink further into her flesh, leaving her screaming in agony as the crown started being tugged downward even though it was becoming more and more obvious that it wouldn’t fit over the Vile Queen’s head.

Unless by force.

That was exactly what happened as her screams and cries only escalated as the crown continued to be tugged down her head, digging and scraping her flesh as it was forced to extend without it breaking apart.

By the time the crown fell along her neck, her face had deep scratches from the rhinestone backing used to decorate the crown itself.

The legs were now so deeply embedded in her neck that I couldn’t even figure out a way they would retract without leaving some major damage, but maybe that was the point as the crown began to tighten itself around her neck until it was like a decorative choker.

Suddenly, the rhinestones themselves began to fall forward, as though the glue holding them in place had lost its effectiveness in this moment.

She fought to remove it, but it was a lost cause as the once-decorated piece of royal jewelry was now a metallic collar necklace around her neck.

Incantations of sickly green and purple blazed against the metallic silver surface, making the Vile Queen scream as her aura began to diminish.

She fought to tug the collar off, her aura declining more and more as the magic holding us began to seep away.

Within a minute, it looked like whatever spell was holding everyone still was revoked. Willow rose up first, followed by Dimitris, who stood at her side.

It made an odd clicking noise as if it was sealing something in place, leaving the woman to lift her trembling hands that were already cloaked in blood from trying to claw at her flesh.

Those glaring orbs of green darted to the fake Lucy with so much anger that if it was in her ability to do so, she’d kill the imposter.

She must have tried but was rewarded with zero reaction, which left her flabbergasted as she moved her hands like they were on fire.

“What did you do?!” she shrieked. “Where’s my magic? Where’s my energy? My flames?!”

“They’re back in Faerie,” Fake Lucy declared. “Well, actually. That’s a lie. A quarter of your power is in Faerie.”

“A quarter?!” she screamed.

“Mhmm,” she replied like it was no big deal as she crossed her arms and grinned mockingly back at the woman, who now looked like a pitiful human with no elemental components. “Another quarter is in the Phoenix Family kingdom. A third one is in a nice pretty box in the underground of our place, and the last one… Well…”

She waited a few seconds as if debating whether to say it or not.

“Well, that last quarter is in the depths of hell. My pet Cerberus is playing with it like a tennis ball but he knows not to get all rough with it or anything. I don’t want to empower people in hell. They’re supposed to be helplessly suffering.”

“Impossible!” the Vile Queen snarled and tried to get out of the black vine seat but it was no use. “My magic can’t be gone! Do you see this throne?! It’s made of my magic! You may be manipulating it to use it against me but it’s proof that my magic is still here!”

“Actually, I’m not doing anything.” She shrugged.

The way I began to smile only encouraged my mind to be pulled elsewhere. It was like I was being sucked into a vacuum, and when I opened my eyes, I was standing before a tree.

“Besides, you didn’t summon that throne.”

“Excuse me? If I didn’t summon it, who did?!”

The sudden rush of my magic gleefully hummed through my new body, and I dared to lift my hand up to view the new me.

The reborn me.

I couldn’t believe it as it took everything I had to not peep a damn word. I’d had little hope that what Arthur Septis had stated was true, but this was proof that he was capable of doing something no one else could as the son of Lucifer.

Reincarnate my body the moment death hit and magically speed the years so I was exactly the same age I was in my ‘previous’ life.

I was no longer the old Aurelia. No longer the broken woman who was left with nothing.

Instead, the cycle the Coven placed in me was broken, while all the positive bonds I’d made before my death were saved.

My mate bonds, my commitments, my markings, and the three necklaces around my neck.

My magic had been extorted with Arthur’s help, and without the mundane side, I was left with the newly awakened magic that was pulsing vividly through me now that it had a place to call home within my body unlike before, when it could barely spread its wings and fly.

My Fae magic.

It was hard to not get emotional, but my grand debut was about to arrive, and I wanted to make sure my Mama Dearest saw the new me.

I just had to check on one more thing.

Aries?

“AURELIA! You’re back! You’re alive! I’m here!”

I dared a peak into my subconscious and there was my beautiful wolf in all her glory as she stood on all flours and beamed at my focus.

I’m whole again.

“Easy,” Lucy replied. “She did.”

“She…did?” the Vile Queen questioned, and I couldn’t help but lean just slightly to see the woman in question laugh from her throne.

“You’ve lost it, haven’t you? You fake cunt! WHO summoned my throne?”

Fake Lucy gestured to the pile of ash.

“She did,” she emphasized again and sighed. “Oh, right. You’re a mere pesky human now so you won’t be able to see without someone being dramatic.”

My lips curled in amusement at her declaration, before I blinked away my tears and took a deep breath.

Just inhaling the cool air felt like a blessing from above.

Thank you for giving me another chance!

With a single clap, Fake Lucy whispered, “You can come out now.”

That was my cue to play my role, as my magic surged outward to create the ultimate distraction for my grand reveal.

Twinkling sparks of flame began to ignite at the bottom part of the pile of ash, multiplying and growing stronger with every second that passed.

All eyes fell upon the flames of green and blue that kindled and began to swirl into a cyclone of ash and flame, dancing around the very stake I’d perished upon.

I imagined what I wished for them all to witness until I could see the flaming sight of a phoenix as it spread its flaming wings. It then changed into the second image — a howling wolf that represented Aries howling upward into the twinkling sky.

The sound was haunting as it ignited swirling bolts of lightning that crashed into the middle of the vortex, which was exactly what I used to teleport myself to the very spot it struck.

I summoned my purple crystals of amethyst, missing their company while proving my magic was alive and thriving without the shackles of being connected to the Coven.

With a blast of wind shooting outward, the cyclone was no more as all that remained were raining flakes of ember as I now stood there with pride where the stake once was.

Donned in a magnificent dress, I felt the weight of a crown upon my head, knowing well it glimmered with stones of green and purple that represented my mix of magic.

Green representing my Fae magic and purple representing my witch magic.

“The throne is mine,” I announced and slowly smiled as triumph soared through me at the feeling of victory. “I was the one who summoned it.”

“I-Impossible,” the Vile Queen whispered. “I BURNED YOU!”

Oh boy, was she right, but the sweet benefits of receiving mercy from Lucifer’s son fell in my favor.

“Kind of. Apparently, it’s really hard to kill a Clementine.” I dramatically sighed, realizing just how light and happy I felt.

I could still remember the trauma I’d endured, and yet the weight of it all felt like it had been burned away with my old body.

“It’s better to keep them imprisoned for all eternity than kill them. At least, that’s what they say in ancient books in Faerie. Maybe you previously contributed to those.”

I was totally lying out of my ass right now. I’d only tell my pack what I’d agreed upon with Arthur — with the assumption he’d explain to Willow what he’d done to literally save me and give me this new rebirth.

“You…you…” The Vile Queen couldn’t even make out her sentence.

“Isn’t this a nice family reunion? Sorry, I’m a tad late. Arthur told me I had to be tardy for the sake of dramatics, but I hate worrying those I care about.”

I couldn’t wait to look at my men, but I had to play my role so the world would realize I didn’t hate the one woman who came through to try to prevent my execution.

My eyes landed on Willow’s and they filled with relief that she was okay. She looked just as relieved as tears were flowing down her cheeks like an open faucet.

“Now, bitch. Why are you up there crying like I died or something? We may not be ‘friends’ anymore but no way are you wasting them salt drops when I’m clearly right here,” I sarcastically stated, making me remember how life was before our friendship went downhill.

I guessed we were friends again, seeing as we’d apologized and claimed to be besties once again.

“Aurelia,” she whispered and sniffed as more tears fell. “Bitch! Who the fuck said you could die?!”

“I didn’t die!” I countered and acted completely innocent, even though I knew the real truth of what occurred that gave me the opportunity of rebirth.

I pointed over to Fake Lucy.

“Arthur told me to just scream and make it look believable! I was in my cell the entire time!”

That wasn’t really true either, but heck, there was no point in explaining now.

We’d leave that for the afterparty.

“Arthur?” multiple people questioned as all eyes were on the Fake Lucy.

“You’d think by now y’all would remember I’m the devil’s son. Shapeshifting into anything I wish is kind of a mandatory requirement,” she explained before her body began to morph.

With a few blinks, there was Arthur now standing next to the black throne of vines, which had everyone glancing at the “Fake Arthur.”

“Then who the fuck is that?” Saint questioned, which had Arthur laughing.

“You can reveal yourself now,” Arthur encouraged his fake copy, and a spinning vortex of purple revealed an Alpha I didn’t know.

“Well, that was a pain in the ass. Such a tiny body can’t possibly fit my wings, Arthur,” he snarled and outstretched wings that clearly screamed incubus. “You’d better hold up your bargain.”

“Yes, yes,” Arthur hummed. “You can take Sweet Domino on a date.”

“Wait a minute,” Willow gasped. “Arthur! Stop setting me up with everyone!”

“I don’t set you up with everyone.” He gasped at her accusation as he put a hand on his chest. “I just hook you up with people deemed worthy of joining our growing harem!”

“It shouldn’t be growing,” Jayce pointed out.

“I think he doesn’t care,” Neo calmly noted.

“What if he’s trying to get an even number?” Milo offered.

“So what? We can have threesomes in a set of four.” Viktor huffed.

“That’s actually rather smart,” Loki acknowledged.

“I don’t approve of that shit,” Onyx complained.

“You’re the last person we’d ask about that,” the Beta noted.

“You’re not even in the fucking harem!” Loki and Onyx said in unison.

“Not important,” he said and shrugged back in return.

“SILENCE!” the Vile Queen demanded furiously.

I’d literally forgotten all about her.

“This is impossible! I’m destined to rule! My wolves! Attack them! Wipe them all out!” she screamed.

The wolf shifters simply remained in place, leaving her shocked and confused as she looked around.

“Why aren’t you moving?!”

“That’s probably Loki’s doing,” Arthur announced, and the woman looked at him threateningly.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re excused,” Arthur teased before he laughed at his own comment. “It’s hilarious to see you so frustrated. Did you think because Loki was saved by Sweet Domino that he wouldn’t keep up with his alliances in your pack of tortured souls?”

That obviously surprised her.

Loki began to walk forward until he stood next to Arthur. “My last straw was when you took some of my best men…my friends and burnt them before my eyes. I knew from then onward that if I ever got a chance at freedom, I’d find a way to save each and every one of them. Collaboration with a warlock who can stop time, an incubus who’s really good at controlling people, and a gambler who enjoys winning bets led me to your hideout when you were pleasuring yourself with a few new shifters and gave us the chance to race through all the torture centers to make a deal with everyone there. I’m sure you can guess which side they chose when I offered them the chance at freedom.”

“No. They obey me!” she shrieked.

“For show,” Loki pointed out. “The whole fighting on the mountain to get up here? That was all a façade really. We knew the focus would be on Willow so we encouraged her to go darting up here while we pretended to have a good killing spree. All wounds were healable which is why they’re good as new and currently guarding the mountain as the Council of Faerie, a few members of the High Council, and of course, your dearest ex-friend, Queen Elphaba, make their way here.”

“I don’t need to stay here! I’m the Vile Queen! I’ll destroy you all. I have powers in Faerie! My kingdom awaits.”

“Have you forgotten that I’ve claimed that already, Mother?” The feminine voice came from Queen Auraleia, making me realized she’d switched from King Amos. “It was a bit of a pain to run two kingdoms, but frankly, I was preserving it for my dearest twin sister that you despised.”

Hearing the truth from her own words made me realize she actually had good intentions for me. She’d preserved an entire kingdom for me and gone through the struggles of running two kingdoms in the mere hope I’d one day find out the truth and come home to rule with her.

For us to rule our designated kingdom in peace.

The Vile Queen, our mother, couldn’t help but glare between the two of us before her eyes fell upon Queen Auraleia once more.

“You wouldn’t! I did everything for you!”

“Did you really?” Aura questioned.

With a single blink, King Amos now stood there, and the pure ruthlessness in his gaze could truly murder someone.

“In the end, you abandoned me like everyone else until I was deemed valuable. You brought me back here for your experiments to further fuck with my life and those I cared about just for your diabolical plan. It didn’t matter if I was an outcast here or belittled in Faerie. I had to fix the reputation you left behind and prove to the people of our kingdoms that I wouldn’t be a photocopy of your villainy. You were so hurt by rejection from the best friend you dearly loved that you couldn’t move on. Even when you found a husband who loved you obsessively and had children with you, it couldn’t replace the love you carried for Elphaba and the agony her rejection brought you.”

It finally clicked.

My mother had loved Queen Elphaba…like how I’d loved Willow. The only difference was I’d managed to move forward, but she hadn’t.

She’d let that rejection settle within until it turned into ugly hatred.

“She rejected me! You don’t even know how that feels!”

“I may not,” King Amos admitted. “But Aurelia does. She had to endure being born by a mother who wished she didn’t exist and tossed to fake parents to raise. She was rejected by her Coven because of your influence, and rejected in multiple areas of her life because you made her life harder by deeming her invaluable to the world because she was the female child you never wanted. So tell me. Is your pain any different from the very child you despised enough to even kill?”

She bit the bottom of her lip as tears formed in her eyes.

“I won’t be lectured by you!” she hissed. “Take this collar off this instant!”

“Ah. That’s impossible,” Arthur announced almost sweetly as he shrugged. “I made sure it would be a pain in the ass to get rid of. Like you have to go and gather your magic orbs across the paranormal planes, which includes Hell, where you can find it in Daddy’s lovely jewel closet under a lava pit when Cerebrus isn’t playing with it. You’ll have to collect all those, put them back together, and have my Sweet Domino’s and Sweet Bloodrose’s permissions to unlock the collar.”

“Sweet Domino and Sweet Bloodrose?” the Beta questioned.

“Willow and Willa,” King Amos deciphered.

“Of course, you also need the other two split personalities as well,” Arthur disclosed. “Will and the Willow we’ve yet to give a name to. They have to command those tarantula legs to come out of your neck, so it’s a rather lengthy process. It took me a hot minute to think of before I asked Ruby and Whitney to help me design it!”

He clapped his hands and sighed before he leaned over. His eyes looked so cynically threatening, it made me fear what he planned next.

“Now how does it feel to be a trapped bird with no way out of its golden cage?” he hissed tauntingly. “The boy you always deemed second now did something that carries first-in-command energy, don’t you think? Acting like your right-hand woman for a few moments was intriguing, but I’ve realized it’s about time I let go of that obsession.”

He pulled away as he looked down at her with menace.

“Sweet Domino is a much better queen than you are.”

“You think this fight is over?! You can do whatever you wish! I won’t succumb to any of your plots for my suffering! I regret nothing!” the Vile Queen sneered.

“So you don’t regret the fact that you were the one to reject me?”

We all peered over to find the culprit of the soft-spoken question, only to realize it came from Queen Elphaba.

Not only was she present, she stood with Roberto and Ruby’s Father behind her.

“You’ve really disappointed me, Anastasia,” Queen Elphaba whispered.

Such simply words hit our mother like a plague. Her expression showed just how devasted she was.

“I-I-It’s your fault!”

“If that makes you feel better, feel free to put the blame on me, Sia,” Queen Elphaba whispered as she approached. “You really let the darkness of power spin the narrative, haven’t you?”

“What do you mean?!” My mother shook her head. “You rejected me!”

“I rejected your offer to join you in ruling your kingdom in Faerie,” Queen Elphaba corrected as her eyes softened. “I told you I loved you, that I’d be happy to be with you, but I also had other commitments. You knew I was bisexual and wished for a second partner, and you originally agreed that I could be with Roberto so when you were in Faerie and needed to marry a king to rule with, I’d be here with Roberto running the Phoenix Empire.”

She paused and sighed.

“When you returned with news that you’d been forced to marry in order to rule your kingdom and end up having children, years had already gone by here. You arrived when I was pregnant with Willow and were disappointed that I hadn’t disclosed it to you. I’d tried to reach out to you a multitude of times, but your husband cut off all means of communication and you already knew I had very little communication with the Coven outside work-related conversation. You got upset that I’d pushed you aside when in reality, your husband made it his mission to ensure you were his and his alone. I offered for you to stay here when you arrived three years later and explained how your husband treated you. How he abused and neglected you, and how his kingdom deemed women as sex slaves and nothing more. I wanted to help you change it all. I begged you to stay and encouraged you to bring your twins here. I knew you disliked the birth of Aurelia, so I offered to let her be raised with Willow, but you didn’t wish for that at all. You got upset that I wouldn’t divorce Roberto and love you alone because that’s what you were used to. Being solely loved…even if it wasn’t a devoted commitment that made you happy.”

What do you even say to a revelation as detailed and truthful as that?

Queen Elphaba dared to reach out and wipe the tears that streamed down our mother’s cheeks.

“I loved you dearly, Anastasia, and it killed me to see you suffering. Being abused and pushed into a corner. I wanted to help you so badly…knowing what the future had in store, but when I told you your husband wished to punish you for returning here without his permission, you wouldn’t listen. You said I was jealous, envious of your happiness, and decided we couldn’t be friends. We couldn’t love one another anymore. So…you rejected me and left for a mission soon after. That was the day of the mass explosion.”

Mother couldn’t speak while Queen Elphaba sighed.

“The culprit of the blast wasn’t me, Sia. The investigation proved that the explosion was a murder attempt by your husband who decided no one else would have you. Not me. Or the Coven. Not even your own children. I did everything I could to protect you from the blast from afar, but I guess it wasn’t enough. We tried searching for you…and your remains, but the place was plagued with dark magic and marked untouchable. I couldn’t do anything but mourn your disappearance in silence.”

Holy fucking shit! What? Is this the man King Amos said was kind? Or another?

From a quick side glance to Amos, he peered over to me as if sense my presence before he mouthed, “Not the man I call our father.”

That gave me immediate relief, before I nodded in understanding so we could focus on Queen Elphaba as she tried to smile, but her eyes grew glassy with tears.

“When mentions of a Vile Queen began to surface, I didn’t want to believe it was you. I wished to be naive…even if it made me a fool because I still cherished your memory. I cherished what we had many years ago. I didn’t care if we were different, that I’d delved into becoming a hybrid while you wished to remain a witch. Our powers, our ranks, none of that ever mattered to me, Anastasia. All I cared about was you being happy.”

“Happy? That’s it…?”

“That’s it,” Queen Elphaba repeated. “As long as you were happy, I’d love you forever. You deserved that, after all you’d been through with the Coven…but I guess I failed in projecting that. I got too caught up in claiming my birthright of the Phoenix Empire and building my own pack to see the signs. By the time I did, well…it was too late. So I stand here before many who serve me and apologize to you, Anastasia Delianna Clementine.”

“Apo…logize?” Mother seemed so shocked.

“I’m sorry, Sia,” Queen Elphaba whispered. “Forgive me for not being the best friend you needed.”

“Elphaba…” Our mother’s shoulders slumped as she truly realized the harm she’d caused not only to those she loved but to a multitude of innocent people.

“What will you do, Queen Elphaba?” a bold Coven member declared as she rose up on unsteady feet and pointed to the Vile Queen.

“She deserves to be crucified!”

“Ya! She killed so many! Elder Etna is on fire and suffering!”

“She deserves a lifetime of suffering!”

The Coven witches continued to speak up and I gritted my teeth in anger. They were so fucking disloyal and just wanted bloodshed. It didn’t matter what side they were on.

Was our mother in the wrong for all the sins she committed? Yes! However, two wrongs never make a right. Maybe there was a way she could earn her own redemption, even if it meant years of prison time, therapy, and medical attention.

“Enough!” Willow demanded with laced power. “The decision will be made between the Phoenix Family and the members of the High Council! Her fate is not any of your concern.”

“B-But—” one tried to argue, but now Dimitris stood closer to the cliff while his hand slipped into Willow’s.

“Many of you here have to be judged for your undisclosed actions against Aurelia Delianna Clementine,” he reminded them as his eyes darkened and commanding energy rushed through the atmosphere. “Unless every single one of you is innocent, you don’t have the right to throw a rock of judgment at another.”

The Coven members had no choice but to bow their heads immediately, realizing they were in trouble as well for their contributions.

If Willow found out about the humiliation incident, I doubt any of these Coven members would be alive by the end of their punishment, but maybe I would leave that to my men to get the pleasure of making them suffer.

“Guards, take Anastasia away,” Queen Elphaba announced. “We will meet very shortly to discuss her punishments for the crimes she’s committed.”

I took a moment to take one last look at her, and it reminded me of what I’d looked like before my burning death.

The defeat. The exhaustion. The realization and forced acceptance.

I wanted to keep telling myself that she didn’t deserve my pity, but with all these pieces of her life puzzle put together, we could see the big picture and what motivated her to be a villain.

“Hiss?”

I looked to Medusa, who was on my shoulder, and the oddest idea came to my mind.

“Hey, Medusa. Keep a close eye on her,” I mentally urged.

“HISS!”

With a bob of her head to my cheek like a kiss matched with a quick squeeze of her body around my neck, she slithered off me and onto the ground, before she blended with her surroundings to the point that even I couldn’t track her movements anymore.

Hearing my mother’s story may have softened my heart for her because I’d been in a similar predicament minus me being innocent versus her being very much guilty for her many sins, but it wouldn’t soften anyone who still carried grudges against her.

Medusa would make sure we could track Mother’s location and ensure she remained in her prison until she received judgment.

Forcing myself to look away, I noticed Willow and Dimitris had dropped down from the cliff they were previously on.

“Aurelia.”

I tugged my eyes away to Ace’s tender voice, and looked to see him and the rest of my misfit pack, which made me beam in pure happiness as I immediately took the few steps that landed me right in Ace’s arms.

“Fuck,” he cursed and hugged me as tightly as he could. “So you’re alive. You’re real. You’re not simply ash.”

“Sorry for worrying you,” I whispered into his shoulder as I inhaled his scent. “We made it.”

He let me go so I could begin to hug the others, each of them giving me tight hugs and quick kisses, knowing we’d soon have the time to enjoy our reunion.

To finally experience a day of normalcy.

King was the last one I hugged before looking back to see Willow and Dimitris in close range of us. Dimitris let go of Willow’s hand while the woman in question stared as if she was debating whether to approach me or not.

We’d been through a lot the last couple of weeks, but I carried no resentment against her. Those burdensome emotions had died with the old me.

The reborn me just wanted to be friends again.

“If you don’t come over here and hug me, bitch, I swear we ain’t friends anymor—OOMPH!” I began to try to lift up the mood, but I didn’t expect how fucking fast Willow was.

She literally crashed into me with enough strength to toss us to the ground.

“Fucking hell! When did you get so bloody fast? What? Did Dimi make you into a damn vampire?!” I accused while I dwelled in this feeling of happiness.

“Don’t call me Dimi,” Dimitris huffed, which had Willow snickering before she hugged me tightly.

“I’m sorry, Aurelia. So, so sorry!”

How I missed hugging her. Being friends with her. Fighting bad guys with her. I could finally have all of that back and more, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

“Jeez. I knew what was happening, silly. You were acting for most of the part. At least until I apparently shot your Papa Dearest.” I glanced over to find the man in question until my eyes landed on Roberto. “My bad. I mean, I still hate you for being an ass of a dad, but I guess there was a hidden purpose there.”

“That doesn’t sound like an apology,” Roberto grumbled, to which Ruby’s father began to laugh joyously.

“Admit it. You’re still butt hurt you almost died! If it wasn’t for that Fae part of you matched with your daughter’s smart thinking, you would have been a bloody goner! Were you gonna leave our Elphaba to me alone? That would have been a crime of weakness!”

“Fuck off!” Roberto snarled, looking like he’d pounce on the massive man.

“Try me, Rob! It’s been a while since I’ve kicked your fucking ass.”

“Call me ‘Rob’ one more time!” he growled.

“Would you two stop embarrassing me?” Queen Elphaba groaned as she pinched her nose. “Either argue when we’re home or go get a room and fix that tension of yours.”

“What?!” they gasped in horror, but the woman literally brushed them off as she approached us.

We managed to get up before she arrived, and she looked relieved to see us both okay.

“Let me be the first to apologize for how messy all of this has been. Sometimes we have very little control over how fate works, especially when we wish for our children to avoid the circumstances we faced. It’s interesting how things will shift but your paths can be very similar.”

She placed a hand on each of our shoulders and squeezed lightly.

“There is a lot to disclose to you both, but I’d like to congratulate both of you and your packs for apprehending the Vile Queen. We will have a special ceremony very shortly so the supernatural world knows who the real heroes are and to ensure any miscommunications and charges are dropped.”

She then looked to Willow and added, “I think it would be especially good if you and your pack come over so we can officially be introduced,” she suggested and smiled further. “It would be good to learn all the names of your mates.”

“Ah…” Willow began as her whole face went red. “Sure.”

“I’m Arthur!” The man himself was already behind Willow, his chin on her other shoulder as he hugged her from behind. “So you’re Queen Elphaba. Wow. You look just like Sweet Domino!”

“If you’re trying to get brownie points or something, that’s not going to work,” Loki declared with a sigh.

“I wasn’t!” Arthur whined.

“Sure,” Saint stated with a smile before he sighed. “Fuck. It’s really over.”

“Finally,” Jayce sighed in relief.

“Guess we can go home,” Neo noted.

“More like you want to go back to the studio and torture people,” Dimitris acknowledged.

“It would be good to get out some steam?” Onyx suggested.

“Before a nice long nap,” Viktor noted.

“Nap? I’m sleeping for a fucking week,” Malachite grumbled.

“Not until we get a victory drink,” the Beta cheered.

“No one invited you,” Amos pointed out.

“I invited myself, okay?!” Alpha Memphis snarled.

“That’s something an Alpha Incubus would do,” Milo noted.

Hearing them bickering made me smile as my men crowded around me and quietly watched.

I really couldn’t believe it was over.

We survived.

I was able to get my redemption.

I’ve been reborn and can finally explore Faerie with my men and live a new life.

“We can run through many kingdoms and experience pack life in Faerie!” Aries added, and her excitement made me mentally giggle in agreement.

It’s good to have you back, Aries. I’m sorry for everything.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” she assured me. “We’re finally free from the collar that held us back from being our true selves. Now, from this point onward, you can focus on yourself and your pack.”

She was right.

No more putting the world ahead of me.

This was my new start. The new beginning for Aurelia’s Pack of Misfits.

A small “poof” noise caught our attention, and my eyes widened while I gasped. “Wait. Aoa?!” I gasped when I saw Aoa was back — with Medusa in a party hat wrapped around Aoa’s neck.

What are the chances she got distracted? Though, I can’t really blame her.

“Happy New Year!” Aoa exclaimed as she put her hands up, which threw confetti all over herself.

Wait. It’s the new year…

I’d literally lost track of the days and time itself in the prison cell so I didn’t even realize it.

“Ruby said I should get you guys or else you’ll stand here talking rubbish all day long before someone starts a fight. She said it would be those two.” She pointed to Roberto and Ruby’s father. “She also said her father would lose, so let’s avoid that so the feast back home doesn’t get cold.”

“I LOSE?!” he exclaimed in horror. “How can my child have no faith in me?!”

“Because she’s not delusional,” Roberto grumbled.

“You’re lucky I’m in a good mood, Rob, or shit would go down right here and now!”

“I’m rather rejuvenated now that I’ve come back from the dead. I made a deal for a few extra years with Death himself so I can sacrifice some to fuck you up!”

“You can’t do shit!”

“Watch me beat your ass and stuff it with leftovers!”

“You little shit of an Alpha!”

“Takes one to know one!”

We watched them spit nonsense before they both gasped and were forced to bend low because Queen Elphaba now had one ear of each of the men in her pinched grasp.

“Speak one more time without my permission and I’ll ensure you two won’t see the sight of me and my kitty cat for ten fucking years,” she snarled and added, “Fae years. Not mundane!”

Oh shit…that’s ruthless.

The two didn’t dare speak as we all gawked in shock.

Witnessing Roberto argue so casually was a first, not to mention him being woman-handled by his wife.

Queen Elphaba looked back over her shoulder and sweetly grinned.

“Ruby has made a feast for all of us to eat after such an exhausting battle. You’re all invited. The guards will wait for you to gather and will teleport you all to the village on the opposite side of the mountain. You can also go through the portal but if you feel like you’ll get portal-sick, I’d suggest against it.”

She purposely tugged on the two men’s ears, making them whimper as a portal emerged before them.

“We’ll meet you there,” she assured us.

“See ya shortly, Mama Dearest,” Willow declared, which seemed to surprise Queen Elphaba. “Don’t deny Papa Dearest too long. He gets depressed when he doesn’t get what he wants.”

“That’s bullshit!” Roberto tossed back, and Queen Elphaba purposely tugged on his ear to shut him up.

“I’ll see you shortly, sweet daughter of mine.”

With that, she walked into the portal, tugging her husbands along while the guards followed, taking the captured Vile Queen with them.

“It’s finally over,” Willow whispered and looked over at me.

“I guess we really should celebrate, huh?” I offered.

“Well, it is the new year,” Willow reminded me. “New year, new me.”

“New year, new me, bitches!” I declared and ended up hugging her again. “Dammit. I missed you.”

“As I missed you,” she whispered back and hugged me for dear life. “Let’s never fight again.”

“Bitch, that’s a lie. You’re gonna start an argument when you see all the shit I’m gonna get Neo to commission for me to plaster all over your house!”

“Oh fuck, no.” She pulled back and glared at me. “No more naked art!”

“I told him if I died, he’d have to draw all of you naked with you in front of the fireplace flaunting your boobs,” I teased.

“Where do you get these ideas from?” Willow gasped in horror and added, “And what do you mean by ‘all’ because last time I checked, I had two more additions to the pack.”

It took me a second to answer as I magically figured out the names of the two new additions that were standing there. I knew one of them was the Beta for Roberto’s pack, but the other was a mystery.

“Four,” I teased with a wink and whispered, “I told him to throw Beta Malachite and Alpha Memphis in there.”

“When?! How?! Like what is going on with you knowing things?!” Willow gasped and stared at the artist himself as he smirked back at me.

“I can’t reveal how I get information to and from my clientele, Sweetness,” he stated with a wink.

I guessed now that my innocence was proven, he didn’t have a grudge against me.

Or maybe he still did but he knew any action against me now would upset his Sweetness.

“Oh! I better be in the painting! Oh! Can I color it in? I’m good with coloring in the lines!” Arthur offered. He was right next to Neo, who arched an eyebrow at him.

“You did pretty well with the memory ritual,” Neo praised. “I guess I do need some help in the studio.”

Memory ritual? Hmm…

“YES! I have a second job!” Arthur cheered and he tackled Willow, which threw her off. “Sweet Domino! Neo hired me!”

“I heard,” she said and laughed.

This man seriously acted like Jack.

“You have an addiction to Willow,” I pointed out.

“I’m not ashamed of that!” Arthur declared.

“HISS!”

They flinched at the sound of Medusa on my shoulder.

“OH! An anaconda! Come here, you,” Arthur cheered, and he had Medusa in his grasp in no time.

“Wow. Someone as hyper as Jack. What a surprise,” Ace declared before Jack huffed.

“Who is he?! We can have only one psychotic freak around!”

“Now, now. Don’t get your cock in a knot,” Quil soothed him.

“Fuck, I’m hungry,” Zane said and sighed.

“We should all go eat,” King reasoned.

“Oh, right. You’re related to Milo!” Jack brought up, which had us glancing over to them before looking over to Milo, who sighed.

Now that I could look between the two fae, I was beginning to see the resemblance.

“I literally have no energy for family reunion talk right now,” Milo confessed.

“Agreed,” King replied. “Maybe after a lagoon dip or something.”

“Oh. What are we doing with that bitch over there?” Arthur asked and we all looked at Lucy, who was still tied up. Medusa had been replaced with blackthorn cuffs.

“I have a lovely idea,” I cheered, and Amos actually shook his head.

“It’s a bad idea.”

What?

“How do you know?!” I gasped before I was right in the poor man’s face. “Wait. Switch back to Auraleia. I wanna see if we’re legit twins!”

“You realize I don’t need to be a female to link with you,” he noted.

“Show me! What did I just think of?”

I’m alive, friends with my bestie again, and united with my pack.

“That you’re happy to be alive, friends with Willow again, and back with your pack,” he summed up, which made me gasp.

“Well fuck. Ya no. You need to stay with Willow all the time cause you can’t know my dark secrets.”

“Like her new obsession with snake knee-highs,” Jack declared, to which I hissed and looked over at him.

“Jack!”

“Running away!” he exclaimed.

“I want the snake!” Arthur said.

“Goddess, it’s noisy,” Quil complained.

“Better than being forced into silence,” King reasoned.

“Can we go?” Ace questioned.

“I’m hungry as hell,” Zane said.

“Who’s sitting with Willow?” Jayce asked.

“Me, obviously,” Onyx voiced.

“Why you? You’re too big for those royal seats,” Loki argued.

“You’re fucking bigger than me!” Onyx fought back.

“Ya, but that’s because I’m stronger than your weak ass.”

“Oh, don’t fucking start. I’ll fuck you up good!”

“There they go.” Milo sighed. “At least I won’t be like that.”

“You say that now, but I have a feeling it’s gonna be similar,” Viktor noted with a smirk.

“Vikky smirking? The world is going to end!” Saint declared.

“Stop calling me that!” Viktor snapped.

“I’d love to see you two box,” Jayce noted.

“That would be something, wouldn’t it?” Neo offered in amusement.

I noticed Arthur and Jack were running with Medusa dangling for her life.

My poor baby.

“Hey! Stop running with Medusa like she’s a toy!” I screamed.

“She’s ours now!” Arthur and Jack declared.

“Man, being together is going to be chaotic,” Willow voiced and looked over to Dimitris, who was observing the chaos with me.

“At least we’re all together,” he whispered.

I felt like they were gonna have a moment, so I looked to my left to acknowledge Zane as he smiled back at me.

“Sorry…Zayhir couldn’t be here.” I spoke so softly, I knew only he’d hear my words. “I thought I saw him at the runway, but maybe I was hallucinating.”

“I thought so, too, but when I asked around, but no luck,” he admitted but reached out to squeeze my hand. “Don’t apologize though. He’d be happy to see we prevailed.”

We shared a look of reassurance before a portal emerged a few steps from all of us.

“WILLOW!” Ruby’s voice came from the portal before her head popped out of it. “Get your pack’s asses in here before the food gets cold! I ain’t warming shit!”

“She’s just screaming because she’s hungry,” we overheard someone state from the portal before Ruby pulled back and we heard an ‘Ow’ noise.

“Sit your ass down and EAT!”

“Yes, Princess.”

“We’ll have to make a toast,” Onyx declared. “Cheers to a new beginning.”

Willow laughed.

“You’re missing the wine, Bulky Stalker of a Fucker.”

“That can be arranged,” he assured her with a wink that only had Willow shaking her head as she smiled.

“Cheers.”

The two chuckled before they looked our way.

“Are you guys coming?” Willow asked, her eyes clearly hoping I’d say yes.

I smiled and glanced at the others before deciding I needed to do one more thing.

“Can we meet you there?” I offered.

I didn’t provide an explanation, but Willow clearly understood I needed a moment with my pack.

“I’m sure Amos can make a portal to bring you guys over,” Willow offered and looked at the king, who was admiring his nails.

“I’ll see to it my sister and her pack make it to the Phoenix Household just fine,” he assured us as he lifted his gaze to look between us. “Just request for me and I’ll hear your call.”

“Okay,” I replied with a warm smile before we began to say our goodbyes.

Willow was about to enter before she paused and quickly stated, “We need to exchange numbers!”

I laughed.

“It’ll probably be a while. I don’t have a phone anymore but we’ll figure another way to communicate in the meanwhile.”

“Sure!” She beamed and waved. “See you shortly, Bestie.”

“See ya, Bestie.”

I watched her leave, her men following suit, until only King Amos remained.

I walked up to him and gave him my best smile.

“Thank you for protecting me. For holding the weight of two kingdoms on my behalf.”

“That’s what a brother would do,” he voiced like it was a common thing, but analyzed me carefully. “Are you okay?”

“Ya,” I confessed. “There’s a lot to explain.”

“We’ll have plenty of time in Faerie,” he reminded me. “Do you actually want a phone?”

I thought about it.

“In all honestly, no. I don’t.”

He smirked and bobbed his head in understanding.

“You’re leaving this place behind, huh?”

“It never felt like home,” I voiced. “With a new opportunity at life, I don’t want to waste it trying to fix something that will always be broken.”

“Your investments and businesses?”

“Sell them all,” I said with confidence as my eyes never left his. “I’ve done my part in this world by helping others. It’s time for me to help myself and those who I inevitably abandoned in Faerie. It’ll take time, and I’m ready to prove myself, but aside from Willow and Aoa, there’s nothing really for me here.”

“I’m coming with you!” Aoa cheered, making me realize she was still here.

“You want to come to Faerie?” I asked, and I watched her bob her head quickly.

“I’ll go anywhere with you, Aurelia. I’m your assistant!”

Her loyalty was commendable.

“I appreciate it dearly,” I voiced. “Can you get the paperwork started after you party a little?”

“Of course!”

“You can come with Aoa. I’ll ensure you get special permission from Queen Elphaba to venture into Faerie.”

“Okay!”

“Hiss!” Medusa was back and slithering to Aoa, who didn’t hesitate to scoop the snake up.

I guess that was my anaconda’s cue to go do some dirty work.

“We’ll be heading out,” King Amos declared.

“Thank you once again, King Amos.”

“Amos,” he corrected and tried not to shyly look away. “Just call me Amos, or Auraleia in my female form. There’s no point for formalities when we’re family.”

“Okay, Amos.” It made me all giddy inside. “Make sure to have fun.”

He nodded and turned away to head into the portal.

“Don’t take too long.”

He offered his hand to Aoa, who took it without hesitation, and they walked into the portal.

“Now what does our Kitten wish to do first?” Jack asked as he was now on my left side.

“Well, I want a group hug first,” I admitted with a giggle as I turned to look at the five of them. “And after that, there’s one more place I wish to go.”

They nodded in agreement before they huddled inward to wrap me up in a group hug.

We really survived. This is truly a new beginning to a new life.

CHAPTER 15

My Knights Of Resurrection

“So we’re off to Faerie after we enjoy some celebratory food with Willow and her pack. Queen Elphaba wants to commemorate us as well, so we have to stay for that as well, but the Vile Queen is behind bars. My Mother. Who would have thought.”

Shaking my head, I laid the flowers on the surface of the ground before I rose up to stare at the little memorial we managed to create.

“Once things calm down, I’ll buy the best gravestone for you. I’m sure Zane will help, too,” I voiced. “A hero like you deserves it all.”

With a sigh, I closed my eyes and shivered.

“I did what you said. Rose up like a phoenix and showed them all my worth. Showed them that I’ll no longer be their puppet. All the strings are cut, and now I’m free to live my life. It was hard…very hard…but I’ve experienced a rebirth. Endured resurrection. I’ll explain it in detail when I visit again before we head to Faerie, but know I’m very excited for a new beginning. Excited to work towards becoming a fae queen and learning about my family tree.”

With that, I pressed my hands together and quietly prayed.

“Rest in peace, Zayhir Huxley,” I whispered. “I…love you. Thank you for everything.”

Opening my eyes, I smiled and turned away.

Looking for my men, I noticed they were far out in the forest — Jack clearly arguing with Ace and throwing snowballs his way while King shook his head. Quil was talking to Zane, the two of them chuckling soon after before pointing to Ace and Jack’s quarreling.

Watching them afar made me smile as my eyes softened.

Lifting my hand to my neck, I touched the cool surface of Zayhir’s necklace.

“I should give this back to you,” I whispered to myself as I ended up taking the necklace off to admire it one last time. “I hope to never need to use that resurrection spell again. Don’t need to fail twice.”

Shaking my head, I pressed my lips against the symbolized piece, hating that I needed to part with it, but it deserved to be with Zayhir.

Even if just his spirit was here, it would protect him whenever I couldn’t pass by.

Turning around, I took a shaky breath and let my tears fall before taking a step forward.

And walking into a fucking wall.

“Fucking hell,” I cursed and pressed my hand with the necklace to my forehead. “Ow. Did I just do something stupid and teleport somewhere?”

“No.”

My eyes snapped open and I looked up to see a fucking ghost.

“You just didn’t sense I was standing here.”

I gawked in horror before I outstretched my hand to wave the symbolic necklace in my grasp.

“Listen! I know you probably hate me which is why I just summoned your ghost by accident, but shit, Zayhir! I was trying to make this all memorial and shit! I don’t want to be haunted!”

I kept waving his necklace while my bugged-out eyes took in his cloaked appearance.

“Fuck. You actually made it to Paradise! Do they wear white and gold all the time? You look more like a priest than anything, but I ain’t insulting or anything, but seriously, if you’re here to haunt my ass, you gotta wait until I come back from Faerie because that’s going to distract and make me depressed, and you really don’t want to deal with a depressed Aureli—”

My spinning hand was stopped by his, the touch making every hair on my body rise while tingles of power thrummed through me.

My eyes locked on his before a warmth sizzled from my hand and triggered a glow that came from his chest.

“Wait…” I didn’t want to believe it, and yet I took the single step that landed me before the man I knew was dead.

Opening the top half of the man’s white shirt revealed the glowing mark I’d created for the spell, the glimmering masterpiece including the missing symbol.

“Can’t say you won’t use a spell anymore when you never failed,” he quietly voiced and watched me slowly look up at him with tear-filled eyes.

“No…that’s…not…I…I did it wrong.”

“You missed a final step,” he revealed as his lips began to curl in admiration. “Fire.”

“Fire…” I realized the meaning of Amos’ actions. He didn’t set Zayhir’s body on fire to cremate him. He did it to finalize the spell. “It worked?”

“It worked.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

“You were at the runway…”

“To make sure those Coven assholes panic, which is exactly why Lucy pushed you to do what you did, or else you’d know I was alive.”

“You hate me.”

“I love you,” he countered wrapping his hand around mine that held his necklace with my trembling grasp. “Thank you for taking care of this for me. It was my mother’s.”

The touch made me tingle all over again, and I couldn’t understand why.

“Why…”

He further grinned before he tugged me forward, my body crashing right into his which forced me to acknowledge he was actually real.

Not a ghost, or a hallucination. Zayhir…was real.

“Well, what happens when you revive someone from the dead with every bit of your magic?”

“I…I…don’t know?” I couldn’t even think right now.

“It makes a beautiful connection,” he whispered in my ear.

Then it clicked.

All I had to do was lean back to look up at him.

“We bonded?”

“Didn’t think I’d be tossed into a harem, but I have no complaints.”

“We’re bonded!” I gasped and then placed my hands on his cheeks to feel his warmth. “Holy fucking shit, you’re alive.”

“Finally clicked, huh?” he chuckled as his eyes went teary with gratefulness. “Thanks for coming back for me.”

“Zayhir…”

I went on my tiptoes to kiss him firmly, and he kissed me right back before there was a gasp.

“Our Kitten is kissing a ghost!” Jack declared. “Attack him!”

“Wait!” Zane snapped. “Shit. Zayhir?”

“Wait, so it’s not actually a ghost?” Quil pondered.

“If ghosts have auras to that caliber, we’d all be fucked,” Ace pointed out.

“He’s real,” King acknowledged. “He’s the one who was at the runway show.”

“Aurelia’s spell worked!” Jack cheered. “We have a new misfit member!”

“Please don’t become like that Arthur dude and start collecting men for our Auri,” Ace pleaded.

“Now that you mentioned it—”

“Let’s go welcome him back to life fuckers,” Zane groaned.

“Family members first,” Jack teased.

I broke the kiss with Zayhir to see the guys were heading towards us.

“Wait. What now?” I asked him. “Your place…well…”

“Is ruined, huh?” he offered. “That means I’m homeless and have nothing left here. Well, aside from you, of course.”

I laughed as tears streamed down my face.

“We’re going to Faerie though,” I confessed. “To…start anew.”

“Hmm,” he thought about it. “Been a while since I’ve been there. Would be a good vacation if you ask me.”

He cradled my cheeks before kissing me softly.

“Besides, starting anew sounds rather nice after resurrection.”

We smiled and shed tears before I nodded and showed him his necklace.

“I should give this back.”

“Nah.” He shook his head and proceeded to kiss my forehead. “The wielder of resurrection deserves to hold onto that. That’s proof of my loyalty to you as a knight.”

“You’re a knight now, huh?”

“Knight of Resurrection,” he proudly declared. “Could make it into a side hustle and slay anyone who pisses you off in Faerie?”

I laughed.

“Alright. As long as Amos allows it.”

“He’s the one who set me on fire. Think he’s cool with my knightly existence.”

I shook my head before hugging him tightly, just as the others arrived.

“You’re actually alive,” Jack cheered. “Will thank goodness! I can’t stand when Aurelia is crying. Makes me want to murder!”

“So good to see you’re well, Zayhir,” King declared.

“Thanks for protecting our Sunflower, Zayhir,” Quil expressed his gratitude.

“And ensuring we weren’t executed by speaking with King Amos,” Ace brought up.

“And saving my ass when I was poisoned,” Zane whispered. “I’m glad you’re alive.”

“Me too,” he confessed. “Good to experience victory.”

“Ready to join our psycho pack of misfits?” Jack offered with a wide grin. “We got British cookies, an assistant, a pet anaconda, and the best woman of all the lands leading the way!”

“Seems appealing,” Zayhir chuckled as stroked my head. “I’d gladly join. Been a while since I’ve been in a pack, but I think I can fit in.”

“Oh no. You don’t need to fit in,” Jack urged. “Just be yourself!”

Zayhir chuckled.

“I’ll do just that then.”

We enjoyed another group hug before a portal began to spiral into fruition.

“That’s our cue to go party,” I declared and looked at all of them as I quickly worked on wiping away my tears.

“Everyone ready?”

They all nodded with big smiles on their faces.

Slipping the necklace back on, I held it tightly with the other two heirlooms as I looked at the spinning vortex before us.

Mother Moon. I’m finally complete. Thank you for helping me find where I truly belong.

Epilogue: United At Last

~ANASTASIA~

“What do you think Queen Elphaba is going to do to her?”

“I don’t fucking know. She has such a kind heart. I bet she doesn’t want to torture another woman.”

“Some are saying they used to date.”

“Eh? No way.”

“That’s what they keep saying. They had a whole crew name involving some Skull gang. Elphasia or something. I overheard an elder speak about it.”

“Well, she’s fucked now. So many innocent wolves died because of that vile bitch. She deserves whatever she gets.”

“She’s probably going to pull the crazy card and say she didn’t know she was possessed or some shit.”

“Someone was saying the magic she’d used was tainted. Could it have fucked with her mind?”

“Excuses. Whether it was mental health bullshit or her magic feeding her lies, she’s fucked. If it wasn’t because a good chunk of High Council members are dealing with some craziness happening in a Syndicate somewhere, they would have been gathered by now.”

“Right. Talk about bad timing.”

“Are you two done talking shit?”

“Ah! General. Sorry!”

My eyes lowered to the palms of my hands, staring at their trembling state while my lids felt far too heavy to keep open.

Funny enough, they were right about Elphaba being far too kind. If it was any other ruler, I’d be dead before the entire supernatural community for pure amusement.

The thought made me smile, even as tears spilled down my cheeks that wouldn’t heal for a while. Unlike Elphaba, I wasn’t a hybrid. I’d relied on my magic for everything, never thinking a day would come when I wouldn’t have a droplet of its powerful nectar.

I tried to touch the collar around my neck and flinched at the immense pain it delivered to the raw flesh. It made me barely giggle, the sound unable to come out of my throat. My voice had given up on me since being thrown into this cell, just like my body, which weighed like a ton of bricks.

My conviction was simply lost, the drive that pushed me all these years suddenly dissolved as I truly began to realize the wrong I’d done to far too many people.

Common sense was trickling in, just like the memories I’d wished to forget.

What I’d thought was my life story was so far from it. I wondered why I’d fucked it all up.

Elphaba had been right. I’d loved her as dearly as she’d loved me, but then I was forced into marriage, and that was when things went downhill.

Forced to make a heir…a male heir who would rise to the throne, only to have twins, which angered him severely. He abused me for being a weak woman, for not wanting to delve into the dark fae magic bestowed upon me…but when I needed help from Elphaba, I saw that she’d moved forward. Had a child…a heir to her empire with Roberto De Luca. Rob…he used to care about me, too. Just like Aegis. The joyous Fae and ruler of flames.

We’d once been friends.

No. We were far more than that.

I had been surrounded by so much love. We were all expanding in our worlds, wishing to build empires and have children who would grow and have a place to be free and not judged the way we were.

The path had been so bright — so beautiful — and then…it was gone.

Because I walked away from it all.

To think I’d morphed into someone so sinister. So consumed by pain and hatred that I’d even forgotten my own roots.

It was embarrassing confronting it in the hollows of this cell, knowing my end would be imminent. I wouldn’t even be able to properly apologize for all the pain I’d caused. How do you say “sorry” for killing so many people?

Young and old, superiors and innocents.

There was no redemption for me.

What a pity.

“Hiss!”

I blinked my heavy eyelids as I glanced over to see the white Anaconda slithering towards my arm. I pouted my lips, unsure why this creature whom I was sure belonged to Aurelia was here.

Probably to spy on me.

Thinking of her and what a horrendous mother I’d become only reminded me of how lost I’d been in my agony.

I hated my own blood because my husband drilled into my mind that having a daughter was a sin itself.

I flinched at the sudden pain in my wrist, and my eyes darted to see the snake had not only wrapped itself along my arm but bit my wrist.

The owner of the snake probably wished for me to perish.

I stared at it for a hard minute, waiting for the poison to spread through me and leave me dead upon this grimy floor, but I watched the creature begin to blend into my skin until it was but a tattoo against my flesh.

What?

“So this is what you’ve become.”

I forced my eyes to lift up, only for them to widen as my body locked up entirely. Panic rushed through me, my body immediately trembling while I wished to scream but not a sound came out.

They would think I was crazy if they came to the guard in his armored attire, but those eyes.

Those eyes belong to the one person who pushed me into insanity.

“See what happens when I let you do what you wish? Add free and dumb and what do you get?” he pondered. “Freedom.”

He chuckled lowly as specks of lime green hair poked out of their hiding spot within the headgear he wore, while he slowly licked his bottom lip that was dry and cracked. He lifted his head as he took a single step towards the ironed bars, allowing the dim light to wash over his face.

Revealing orbs of blue with vibrant rings of red.

“It’s okay now. I’m finally here,” he reassured me. “I’ll whip you back in shape so you’re reminded why females should never have the chance to rule.”

I wanted to beg. To plead with him. To stay here where my chances of torture were nothing compared to what he’d have in store for me.

My eyes flooded with tears as I begged my body to move, but there was no use.

I’d made my bed…and now I’d be forced to lay in it…again.

“Don’t look so frightened. You’re safe now, my dear.” He tried to speak sweetly as if he was capable of being passionate. He’d lost that side a long time ago, and I was about to be reminded of why I’d raced for Elphaba’s aid that fateful day.

“Your husband is here now, Anastasia. Leave the rest to me.”

THE END.

A new adventure awaits…

A whole new world filled of darkness waits to be discovered and explored.

Demons. Ruthless Wolves. Carnage Islands.

Aurelia and her Pack of Misfits rebirth ignites a new adventure of royalty, power, and lust.

Are you ready?

Better be.

For the Kingdoms of Light and Darkness awaits.

Blood will be shed.

PREORDER NOW: WOLF RESURRECTION

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- Avery S.

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.

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