[Xavier]Those two words stay in his mind like a heavyweight, an uncomfortable presence. Every meeting he attended, every conversation he had, those two words always stayed with him. It's been a week since his first visit to Tristan. His brother was steadily recovering, still in his half-changed form but he was now able to sit with the help of support and talk in minimal sentences. He never minded one of his family members being there with him. Ava had practically started staying at the hospital until Mathilda had to convince her to stay at their house for the time being. However, Tristan had not spoken another word about his time in captivity. According to Dr.Reese, it was the trauma. Once their father had tentatively broached the subject instantly Tristan had deflated and stopped talking. Since then, no one has dared to bring it up. Even though Xavier wanted to know more than anyone but he was also concerned about his brother's well-being. He has visited him every day since then,
[Xavier]He nodded reluctantly, his heartbeat rabbiting nonetheless. What information did Tristan have? His brother stared at him for a long moment before fixing his gaze on his paw-like hands, tubes and channels sticking out of them. His muzzle and ears had receded but the furs were yet to recede back completely. "Your...mate...a mage," were the first words that he uttered. If Xavier had any doubt about the first two words he spoke, then he was sure now. However, he inhaled sharply. Tristan's gaze gravitated back to Xavier again, "Like...him". Spitting out the pronoun as if it was some kind of poison, a taboo term. Tristan's jaw clenched, and Xavier could understand whom he meant. Aldred...Aldred, why did that name sound so familiar to him?He remained silent, neither denying nor agreeing to his statement. Tristan exhaled shakily before continuing, "He...tor-tortured...me, kept me...bound." His eyes grew distant as if he had gone back to those days again...relieving those days. Xav
[Erica]"Can I not use the soul summoning thing?" Erica pleaded for the fourth time. Grey snorted, and Elias shot her a pointed look. "No. It's dangerous. You might be the prophesied queen, but you are still a novice. A beginner". He vaguely gestured at her outstretched hand, "You can barely control this levitation power and you are already talking about soul summoning". Erica lowered her gaze and glared at the ground petulantly. She thought it would be easy but it wasn't. Elias had to know why she was asking this, right? If only she could talk to Xavier for once, see him even if it was through the dreamscape...even then she would be more than happy. "Don't bite off more than you can chew," she heard Grey sneer before she heard a loud smack. Erica glanced up to see Vrisha, a girl slightly younger than her, frowning at Grey, "That's rich coming from your mouth". She received a glare from the older boy in return. "Hush, you two," Elias intervened while Erica continued sulking. It was
[Erica]The three young mages stared at Elias, baffled. It was Grey who spoke first. "Aether?" Elias simply nodded. Erica cocked her head in confusion. Elias said, "Come with me". They followed him inside the mansion. Elias led them into a library which Erica did not know existed until then. It wasn't huge but it was fairly large and as her eyes scanned the shelves, she concluded that most of the books were ancient. The room smelled of mothballs and varnish. There was a small table with two chairs near the window. "So..." Vrisha prompted as she rocked back and forth on her feet. Erica glanced at her. The former looked more excited than her. Elias swished his hand and said something silently under his breath and soon two books from two different shelves floated and came to him. He plucked them and walked to the table. Grey sighed, "Old man, do some work at times". Vrisha snorted, "We ain't humans, Grey". Erica tried not to wince or feel offended. Even though she wasn't a human anymor
[Erica] She blinked, her brain flat-lining for a moment. Killed...what the fuck? He killed his mate? He gasped almost inaudibly. Lucien, it seemed was waiting for her response. But what was she to say? That ‘Oh granddad, it’s all fine and jazzy. I guess I am not surprised anymore?” or was she to just spew out venomous words at him, hurl him with stinging insults and ask him to leave and never speak to her again. “Killing?” she repeated monotonously before extending it to, “Why….you-you...why?” Her muddled-up query did not fail to convey what she wanted to know. Lucien answered, “Violet, Evangeline's mother, was my mate”. His voice quivered ever so slightly. Erica didn’t know whether it was because he was recounting the past or feeling an iota of guilt for confessing in such a way to his granddaughter.“It is...not unheard of, about two supernaturals from different clans to be mates. However, a mage and a werewolf are practically rare. After...uhm. The War? I hope you have been told
[Xavier]For a while, he was sure that he had heard wrong. Whatever remnant of drowsiness he was feeling had long before evaporated giving way to a quickened heartbeat and disbelief. He knew Jade well enough and that omitted the fact that she was merely playing a prank. She wouldn't do so. Not emotions. "Why?" the question punched out of his mouth. At the back of his brain, in the deep recesses of his heart, he knew the reason very well. Without a mate, a rejected Alpha will eventually wither away. An Alpha King without a Luna Queen is likely to go out of his mind eventually. They become feral. He heard his aunt sigh, "Xavier....you know the reason". She sounded tired. This did not sit well with him. He demanded, "Did you try to dissuade them?" If Jade knew the news it meant that one of the Council members had reached out to her first. "You think I didn't? I tried but they wouldn't fucking listen to me", she said, disgruntled. Xavier reached out or tried to reach out to Leikos who
[Erica]She scowled as Elias sat on the opposite chair and continued chuckle. They were currently sitting in the library after Erica had begrudgingly asked Elias to tell him more about her power. Unfortunately, Elias had taken one look at her deciphered that she hadn't slept. After a little coaxing, she had finally and sullenly muttered about her idiotic idea of trying to summon. "So...you really thought it was that easy?" Elias had asked humorously. It was a wonder that he hadn't laughed out loud. Erica felt every ounce of regret for letting this information slip out of her mouth. "Well, you wouldn't tell me", she groused. She huffed and looked away, staring out into the darkness. It was windy outside so they had decided to not practise today. She was getting used to this darkness, this everpresent night. She wondered how long will she stay here or whether she will ever be able to go and meet her family. A sigh pulled her out of her melancholic thoughts. Her gaze settled on Elias
[Erica]She stood there, numb. Xavier was taking another mate? She stared back at Grey's eyes. filled with sadness. "What are you talking about?" Elias thundered, making Grey startle and instantly look at him. Erica, however, stood there, her whole world seemed to have come to a standstill. The words 'choice mate' rang in her mind, rendering her dumbfounded. Grey gave a shaky nod, "Uh...Lucien seems mad as well. You know how he gets right?" Elias' lips thinned. He turned his gaze towards Erica, "Eri-""He is my soulmate, right?" Erica asked in a hollow voice. Xavier was supposed to love her, cherish her, didn't he say that? Did that love just evaporate when she vanished from his life? Did he hate so much now that he was willing to take another person as his mate? "Erica", Grey called tentatively. She ignored and settled her gaze on Elias' hesitant ones, "Say, Elias, isn't that what mates are for?" The numbness had given way to anger. She felt as if fury was engulfing her being, inc
Follow Xavier and Erica’s youngest daughter Valerie Ravenwood’s story in The Last Dragon’s MageSynopsis:[Book 3 in Mage's Mate series, can be read as a stand-alone or as a part of the series] Valerie Ravenwood, the youngest daughter of Erica and Xavier Ravenwood has led an inferior life for the past 18 years what with being a wolfless and a namesake mage. Desperate to prove her worth, she runs away from home after being denied to join the Medeis Challenge, an annual competition held exclusively for mages, and judged by dragons. She follows her elder sister, who has been chosen to take part in the aforementioned competition but manages to lose her way and stumbles, literally, into the territory of the last Dragon King, Clyde Basilisk.
[Erica]A few months later..."They have done an amazing job," Erica sighs as she admires the portrait of Queen Rosamond and King Merek, adorning the wall outside Rosamond Hall. She leans back into Xavier's chest. Her mate hums in approval, encircling his arms loosely around her waist. "You know, I always wondered why this spot was left empty. Now I know," he murmured against her neck. Erica felt a pang in her chest as she looked at the couple who didn't get their happy ending. She gazed at the smiling face in the portrait and hoped that wherever she was now, that she would continue to look after all of them. 'I hope you are finally happy now,' she thought ruefully. Erica turned around and facing him. Xavier looked at her lovingly, his grasp tightening slightly. Her lips quirked up. she wound her arms around his neck and went on her tip-ties to press her lips on his. The kiss started slow but wasn't devoid of the heat and passion that they shared. Xavier pulled her closer, nipping li
[Erica]She twiddled her thumbs nervously as she sat on the high-back chair, facing 20 other people excluding her mate and family. It had been two days since the incident. Xavier had taken her into his arms as soon as he had returned, kissing her and murmuring words of reassurance. Both of them had been left alone for some time before the whole family had had a discussion and Erica had disclosed almost everything to them. Them being Alpha Samuel. Alpha Tristan, Ava, and Mathilda. Arnold and Vladimir had also been there. To her relief and great surprise, none of them blamed her as she had expected. As Aldred had said. Instead, she saw a grim satisfaction in Tristan's eyes, she had received a tight hug from Ava, and Mathilda and Arnold had only been supportive and so had Vladimir. Alpha Samuel had grumbled, more shocked at knowing his mate's real identity than Erica's. He had been silent throughout which had heightened the tension. She broke down at the way her family had accepted her s
[Erica]There was fire everywhere. Someone was screaming. And then she saw him. His face had melted with heat, skin hanging from places as he stared pleadingly at her. His mouth was slack, he wanted to say something. Erica, on the other hand, was rooted to her spot. She wanted to back away but couldn't. Suddenly he stretched out his hand as if trying to grab her and pull her into the fire with him. She screamed, cried for help but no one was around. Not even Queen Rosamond. Distantly she could hear someone calling her name, she whirled around but the forest was too dark despite the flames. Was it Blackmist forest...no, she somehow knew it wasn't. But who was calling her? The voice grew louder and she noticed her vision turning blurrier. What was happening?...~~~~Her eyes flew open and she gasped awake. She sat up and realised that she was on a bed, in her and Xavier's room. "Erica?" she heard her mother's voice and snapped her gaze towards her. It was now that she saw luna Freida,
[Erica]She stood rooted to her spot as she saw the terror-filled scene unfold. Mouth agape, she could only watch as Aldred writhed and screamed in pain as he fruitlessly tried to save himself. Her eyes were wide as saucers as she took in the sight, unaware of the vigorously burning flames around her. She was oblivious of the fact that another spectre was beside her, watching a mage burning alive, the flames engulfing his body little by little. Erica was not aware that somehow the flames or the disobedient wind did not dare to touch her, that she was standing in a safe array created by someone. Tears streamed down her cheeks, unbidden as she stared with fearful eyes. Her lips trembled, a choked noise escaping her mouth. 'Did I do this?' the thought made her stumble back. She took a step forward, her limbs felt wobbly. 'But I didn't...' her voice echoed pitifully. As she tried again to walk unsteadily towards him, something stopped her. "Don't." The voice was familiar and authoritati
[Erica]"Aldred!" she thundered as stalked into the mansion, dragging two barely unconscious werewolves in her wake. She had been unknown of her capability, of her strength and of her fury. Her hand never faltered as she had continuously thrown Xander from one part of the study to another until the man had relented and grunted out Aldred's whereabouts. Her grandfather's demise had spurred something in her, snapped a thread that had been holding her to be civil to those who had done wrong, but then she had seen her grandfather falling limply on the ground, life sapped out within a few moments and that made her vow to herself that no more lives will be lost because of her, because of someone's misdeeds She felt a phantom ache in her chest, how will her mother react? She dismissed it as soon as it surfaced in her mind, filing away the thought for later. 'I will deal with it when the time comes,' she thought. She deposited the men haplessly on the ground and went to search the dilapida
[Xavier]It was good to let Leikos out for the first time in a long time. 'Only if Erica could see,' he thought wistfully. Forcing to keep his mate at the back of his mind, he weaved through the trees, his aunt and mother following closely behind. Tristan was by his side, in his human form but running equally fast. He skidded to a halt in front of the tree. Had he been in his human form, he would have widened his eyes in shock but Leikos stood very still as he saw Elias standing in front of the tree waiting for them. His eyes clouded with confusion. "Ah, sorry for having to keep you waiting," his aunt chirped and walked past him. "We contacted him when you and Erica were outside talking to them," his mother explained, her voice tight with concern and worry. He trotted behind the bushes that would give him some privacy. His joints cracked and relocated and when he finally stood up, he felt a dull pain and ache that he hadn't for quite a while. When he walked back, Tristan, aunt Jade
[Xavier]Ice coursed through his veins. Leikos growled threateningly in his mind. "No!" Before he knew it, the word was out of his mouth. Leikos continued roaring in his mind, restless and bloodthirsty. He wanted to rip off their heads for blatantly disrespecting him and his mate. Sir Leon shifted his gaze towards him. Raising an eyebrow, he reiterated, "No?" Beside him, Erica had stiffened, her palm had become sweaty. He could feel how she was holding on to her indifferent facade with every ounce of her will that was teetering. "What he means is that what if this concoction, whatever this is, turns out to be poisonous?" Queen Jade comes to his aid. Luna Freida hums in agreement, "It appears as if you wish to force your assumptions upon her." Xavier turned to look at his mother who had defiant look on her face. "I agree," Ava said. Xavier felt an amalgamation of emotions. He had earlier thought of his friend as envious and prejudiced but despite not knowing Erica properly she was su
[Erica]Her insides churned when she heard this. She stood rooted to her spot while Xavier asked in a menacing tone, "What?" Her ears were ringing as she knew that the visit wasn't a casual or a coincidental one. They had come for her. Her palm tingled all of sudden and her vision turned sharper. She had to go to that nook. Something told her that the nook had every answer she was looking for. A sharp intake of breath drew her out of her racing thoughts. She noticed Alpha Samuel stepping back, his eyes widened with ill-concealed horror. "What? Who are you?" Alpha Samuel asks, his voice barely audible. She furrows her eyebrows before she hears another gasp. "Erica, your eyes..." Queen Jade whispers and that's enough for her to understand the older man's sudden change in reaction. She whirls around and looks up at Xavier who does not react in any way. He rests his hand on the small of her back, a calming touch, a silent reassurance. Erica closed her eyes and willed herself to calm down