Chapter 2 - Defiance
I couldn't tell how long I had been running, but the pack had to know I was gone by now. I finally took a moment to stop and breathe. The sun was slowly setting, and the forest was growing dark. Then, for the first time since leaving, the feeling of regret started to creep in.
"We need to find a place to sleep." Phoenix said softly "somewhere high to protect us from rogues and any other animals or creatures out here." Her voice was full of concern. I nodded in agreement as I used what daylight we had left to find a suitable tree to climb.
I was so busy trying to find a tree I hadn't noticed the wolf staring at me a few trees back. I could feel my hair stand up on end as I felt eyes burning into my back. A loud growl pierced my ears as I slowly turned around. A horrible smell of rot filled my nose as I turned to face the dark grey eyes staring at me. This wolf was definitely rogue. It smelled of death and decay. Foaming at the mouth, his teeth showing as his snout was pulled back into a snarl.
"I'm a werewolf too." I managed to say surprisingly calmly. As if that would change their mind about killing me. My heart was racing as I slowly stepped back. His fur was black as night with a huge scar across his side. He was rough, and the fur never fully grew back from whatever attack he endured. His eyes flashed to my feet, and he stepped forward, his growl deepening. I knew I only had seconds left before my life was over.
"I'm sorry I was so stupid to leave." I cried to Phoenix.
"With you until the end. I'd rather die than be a pet." She snarled. I flashed her a nervous smile and then turned to run as fast as I could. I knew I wouldn't get away, but I needed to try.
As I ran, I could hear the wolf run after me. I felt a sharp pain shoot down my leg as I fell to the ground. I grabbed anything I could and turned around, hitting it in the face with a rock. Hearing it yelp and step back for a second before it lunged at me again. I squeezed my eyes shut and pictured my father as it was the last thing I wanted to see before I died. I let out a loud scream as I felt its teeth bite into my arm. Just as I was about to pass out from the pain, I heard a huge yelp and felt a sense of relief.
I opened my eyes in shock as I saw a giant wolf, the biggest I've ever seen,ripping the rogue to pieces. Its fur as white as snow, it stepped back and turned to me. Its eyes were the most beautiful emerald green I had ever seen. Too weak to speak or move, I layed there welcoming death as I closed my eyes and passed out.
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Unknown P.O.V
I heard the screams as I raced through the forest. The smell of blood and rotting flesh hit my nose as I got closer. I could see a rogue on top of her. Its teeth Ripped into her arm. I jump straight for the rogue smashing it to the ground and ripping out its throat. I could hear her heart rate slowing. I stepped back from the mangled wolf and turned to look at her.
She looked at me with her blue eyes, welcoming death as she closed them. Her scarlet hair was filled with leaves and twigs. Her skin was tanned from the kisses from the sun. I shifted into my human form as I got closer to her. My Beta arrived, looking at the mess behind me. He changed and threw me some shorts from behind a tree. Her arm was definitely broken, but our pack doctor would put it back in place. She was lucky, considering all the rogue's bites and clawing. It didn't manage to hit any major arteries.
"We need to get her back to her packhouse. Have her fixed up there, and then we will bring her back to our territory right after." I told my Beta, giving him a nod to move forward.
"Go ahead of me and tell the others we found her and get the room and doctor ready for her arrival," I ordered
"On it." My Beta said as he turned into his wolf and ran ahead. I picked up her limp body. She couldn't have weighed more than a hundred and five pounds, maybe a hundred and fifteen pounds. She smelt so intoxicating; even with the smell of blood, her scent pushed through. The scent of vanilla and citrus hit my nose as I leaned her head against my chest and carefully carried her out of the woods.
As I walked into the packhouse, the werewolves that were left searching for her stared in disbelief. They couldn't believe she was still alive. I brought her into a room with a bed. As I placed her on the bed, the old pack doctor walked in. His eyes were wide as he stared at me.
"Her arm is definitely broken, and she has some lacerations on her stomach and back of her thigh," I told the doctor as he quickly put on gloves and examined her. I couldn't stop myself from watching his every move. I wasn't sure what had come over me.
"Once she is bandaged up, she will be brought to our territory," I said to my Beta as he walked into the room. He nodded
"She is lucky you got to her in time, Alpha Erik." My Beta said in a low tone. I could feel his eyes on me as he spoke.
"No one touches what's mine," I said sharply.
Chapter 3 - Regret Athenas P.O.V "How are we not dead" Phoenix mumbled. Her words sounded muffled and exhausted. "Where ever we are, it smells weird." "Maybe we are dead," I laughed, wincing at the sharp pain it caused. "Nope, definitely not dead." I could hear a faint beeping, but it sounded so far away, becoming louder as I slowly woke up. The smells all hit me at once—a mix of bleach and other cleaning products. I slowly opened my eyes, wincing at the light shining through the curtains. The room was bright white with a large bay window. There was a sink with a small cupboard above it. I slowly turned my gaze to my right to see a small bathroom. I looked down to s
Chapter 4 - Resistance Eriks P.O.V Adding new members to a pack is always stressful. As I sat in my office, I couldn't help but think of Athena. Everything always leads back to her crossing my mind. I told the hospital to keep me updated on any changes. I wanted her to stay in the packhouse, but she was in rough shape and would do better there until she was healed enough to be here. I didn't understand why my pull to her was so instantaneous. There was a knock at the door that snapped me from my thoughts "Come in," My voice sharp, revealing a hint of annoyance My Beta entered my office with a smile on his face. "The new pack members have settle
Chapter 5 - Acceptance Athena P.O.V I slowly opened my eyes, letting the light hit my face. The sun was just rising as I woke up. Today was the day I got to leave and venture to my new home. Was it home, or would it be a prison. Would I be locked away for trying to escape, for showing the new Alpha such disrespect? I heard stories of the Bloodstones pack. How ruthless their Alpha was. He showed no mercy to anyone who defied him. My stomach turned at the thought of him only saving me so he could end my life himself. "Knock knock." A familiar voice spoke with excitement, snapping me from my train of thought. A smile spread across my face as I looked at Greta. "Greta, what are you doing here so early?" I asked happily. "
Chapter 6 - Transparent I walked into the washroom staring at my reflection in the mirrors lining the wall above the sinks. Dark circles sat under my eyes, my blue eyes dull with exhaustion, and my scarlet hair was weighed down and sweaty from cleaning. I turned on the shower and got undressed. My body was ready to collapse as the hot water soothed my aching muscles. The last three nights had been a blur. From the early mornings to the late nights I needed to sleep for a week, it seemed each time we would get finished one room, another would be left in worse condition. We finally ended the night by cleaning the gym for the morning training, which took the longestafter the bathrooms. Each mat had to be moved, washed down, and ensured all blood was gone before being placed back.
Chapter 7 - The Calling Athena POV After a short but quiet night of sleep and a fast-paced morning, I was finally able to sit down and breathe. I knew after lunch I would be training with Alpha Erik. Yet, my mind kept flashing back to last night. How much I wanted to touch him and test how far I could go. The thought of all of it caused my cheeks to flush the lightest shade of pink. I craved the sensation his touch gave me. I didn't know what I was going to do, but I had to have his touch. Something was pulling me to him. "Earth to Athena.. where'd you go?" Greta asked, snapping me from my thoughts. "Oh, sorry, just the lack of sleep is catching up to me." I lied. "I can't wait to be
Chapter 8 - Hunger As I walked into the dining room, two plates sat on the table, one at the head of the table and the second next to it. I was pleased to see I was the first to arrive. It gave me time to calm the knot in my stomach and reel in Phoenix's over baring thoughts. "You be careful tonight. We don't need to find out what Alpha Erik meant when he said we would have consequences," Phoenix smirked. "You are so unbelievable." I scoffed "I just say what we're both thinking." Phoenix huffed. "Just imagine what it would feel like to have him." She said dreamily, sending flashes of what she thought through my head. My fingers entang
Chapter 9 - Protection I slammed my fist on my desk. "Damnit, Paul, why wasn't I informed of this. When I asked you about past treaties and attacks, you never thought this was something that needed to be mentioned." I growled. "What is it that she wants," I demanded. "I was ordered not to mention it to anyone. Even after Alpha Hues passed, I honoured his command." His voice was low and full of regret. "The Fae told us a story of a wolf. One with unlimited power, its fur so dark it glowed blue in the light. She believes that one of our pack members has this wolf and is waiting for the wolf to come of age. She demanded that Alpha Hues inform her as soon as it happened. He refused to help her, so she infected him. We told her that the
Chapter 10 - Ceremony Athena POV After dinner, I was left feeling even more confused about Erik than before. It left me with a night full of staring up at the ceiling. As the sun started rising and a new day had started, I rolled out of bed unrested and unable to soothe the knot in my stomach. Before I could even get fully dressed, there was a knock at the door. "One second," I shouted. I slipped on my burgundy sports bra, a loose white Tee and burgundy leggings. I opened the door to see Alpha Erik standing there. My eyes widened as I stared at him, and my heart started racing beyond my control. His face was hard as he looked like he had a night without sleep as well. I roamed his face as I looked at his chiselled jaw and his eyes dark with emerald sp
Epilogue Three weeks later Damon The pressure of the crown was building as Alora and I settled into our new roles. My father was no longer here to keep the council at bay with their demands. But despite it all, I had found that I enjoyed this new life I had been given. The new responsibilities allowed me even more control over the Kingdom than the Captain of the guards ever could. All be it; I did miss the battle prep and daily training. But I still found holes in my busy schedule to take Alora out to the training fields at least once a week. I knew that eventually, our routine would become steady, and we would have more time to relax, but new rulers came with change and to have change, you needed to vote on old and new laws to pass. Alora and I had already made some big changes, like incorporating technology from the human realm into our daily lives to allow us easier communication with other realms. But there were still a lot of issues with the old ways of running our Kingdom
Chapter 49 - To Love and Cherish ErikPeace was something that was talked about constantly. During wars, it was what we fought for. While ruling a Kingdom, it was what we strived to maintain. But I had never truly known peace until now. The thought of finally being ridden of this pain inside of me, knowing that soon I would be with my love once again, was freeing. The final night with my family started out slow, but it eventually picked up and ran right into the night. There was laughter and tears exchanged around the table as we shared stories of my past and everyone got a chance to say goodbye, getting the closer they needed.And as everyone turned in for the night, I found myself alone again; unable to sleep, I found myself outside. I stayed up looking out at the stars waiting for the sun to rise. I closed my eyes, letting the warm breeze brush across my skin, engraving it into my mind. "So you really are going to spend your last moments alive, sitting in a field of flowers like
Chapter 48 - GoodbyesErikI watched as the sun set beyond the forest, the oranges and pinks of the sky blending together as the sun bid it farewell. It had been a long time since I had nothing to do, no responsibilities with the crown or of the guards. I thought it might help me move on from the hell that the last year had been without Athena, but now I realize that was a stupid notion. It was lonely, and the weight of losing my mate weighed heavier on my heart now than it did while I still ruled.I kept as busy as a retired King could, helping Damon when he needed to seek council or helping Apollo if he needed a hand with training recruits, but I knew that they both didn't really need my help. They just didn't want me to feel left out. Apollo was a natural at his role, and so was Damon. Despite what Damon said when he first discovered he would be the next in line to inherit the throne. He took to it as a bird took to the sky. He was a born leader and shined when he was in control o
Chapter 47 - Home Alora It had been a month since I had been crowned Queen of Gardenia, the days seeming to slip away as the kingdom welcomed the summer solstice and our ruling.I was busy learning my new role, Damon's father and Grandfather helping ease us both into the important roles we both now held. However, it was easier having Helga by my side. I was happy to have her as my royal advisor, and Rachel had said she was a natural already. I knew she would be, though; she always loved to take control and never gave up the opportunity to tell someone off. It was also working in my favour because Lord folic was so busy fighting with her that he always missed out on voting for new laws or changes to existing rulings. Damon loved it, and it made the council meetings less gruelling. It was absurd how many times we had to have a council meeting. At least once a day, and most of the things brought up were trivial problems. By the end of the day, I was just happy to get some alone time
Chapter 46 - The CrownDamon It felt like an eternity had passed as I waited in the royal chambers with my father. It felt even longer when we exchanged goodbyes at the throne room, and I waited at the dais while he sat on his throne. Melody stood in front of my father, a smile stretched across her face, glowing brightly. The room was full of people, some from the council, others from royal families, friends, family, and people from our Kingdom. All watching and waiting for the ceremony to begin.I was in a black royal jacket that was made with silver threading, and our family crest stitched into my left breast pocket. The wolves were placed proudly amongst the roses and the sword that separated them as they howled at the moon. My silver crown was placed on my head, but that would be changed once mine and Alora's vows were complete and only after the mothers accepted us as the new King and Queen to signal the dawn of a new era. Drake stood to the right of me, his mate, my mother's
Chapter 45 - Long Live The Queen Damon "Again," I commanded as Alora worked to keep the wings she had summoned to remain on her back. She had learned quickly how to handle the phoenix flames since she had already worked with the fire element. But now came the hard part, only half shifting. I did it all the time, especially in battle, morphing my nails into claws and elongating my canines. But nothing about that was easy; it came with time and practice, but Alora wanted to have it mastered. With the coronation and our mate ceremony happening tomorrow, she wanted to be better at it. Not only to prove to the council and our people that she was a worthy Queen but also to herself. I didn't want to be the one to tell her to slow down, not after she had spent so much of her life ruled under someone else thumb. But I had warned her of the risks of exhaustion and told her that when I saw fit, we would end the training for the evening.Alora begrudgingly accepted my condition, and I kept tr
Chapter 44 - Worship AloraI flipped through the pages of the phoenix book the jinx family had kept for generations. There was so much to process, like what abilities I now possessed because of what I was. It made my head hurt; there was so much to learn, so much to figure out. I was now different than normal fae; I was now a shifter. But, unlike most shifting fae, my order didn't communicate with me. Instead, it was a part of me; we were one and the same. I would still live an immortal life, only having one enemy that could stop me from ever being reborn, permanently ending my life. A Basilisk. A venous snake shifter that, like me, was rare, most believed them to be extinct. But now that I existed, one would be born, if not already—the universe now having to find balance in all forms. It was mindblowing the things I had already read about. For example, I could enchant items with my flames, similar to everlasting fire. But unlike everlasting fire, I couldn't break wards or spells w
Chapter 43 - WarningDamonI sat at the dais, my legs hanging over the edge as I waited for Cedric to arrive with the artifacts Alora and I asked for. Balor was right when he said the Jinx family would bargain for their priceless information. The smug look on their faces was wiped away and replaced with wide gaping mouths as they stared at the amulet in shock.Diana had muttered a curse under her breath. One I was sure she wanted me to hear because she said it so close to me. But I bit my tongue as I handed over the amulet, not wanting to risk them being stingy with their end of the deal.Alora was waiting in the Library, looking over whatever other books Audra had found for her. Now that Alora had her dream magic again, she was more determined than ever to find out what else she was capable of doing. I couldn't help but admire her for her devotion and eagerness. I was still reeling in from the mind-blowing realization that not only was Alora a rare Pheonix shifter, but she was also
Chapter 42 - Full CircleAloraIt's funny how even after you have overcome your deepest fears that they can still creep up on you. That was how it felt right now, anyways, as we arrived at the Dream realm. It was a ghost town, everyone seeming to either vanish with my mother's magic or flee as soon as they were freed from their promise to her. The streets were quiet, the ports empty, and the palace looked haunted. The golden paint was already losing its shine and fading with the faded magic. The windows were dark and unwelcoming as we approached the not-so-gilded gate. It was now that I felt the fear of my mother creep up on me. The well of my fears bubbled in the pit of my stomach. For decades I walked through these gates and made my way to my mother's throne room to report my findings and give her the things she requested I steal. The motions all felt so familiar, but with Damon by my side, they also felt different. I knew he could sense my hesitation as we approached the giant w