HUGH’S (GENERAL MONTGOMERY) POVWhen I woke up and found her gone, I tried to convince myself that she was out for a run, except my daughter would never run outside.She was gone.She was gone, and I had to learn to deal with it because there was absolutely nothing I could do. She needed this, and I had to let her go. I don’t know if I’ll ever see her again, even though I pray to God that I do. She’s the only one I have left, besides Pixie that is, who is like a daughter I earned without asking for her.Pixie – there’s someone else I’ve had to avoid. I packed a bag and moved to base because I knew very well that Pixie and Cyrus would pick up that Shay is gone, and I couldn’t even begin to explain where she went, and why she left.Hell, not even I know where she went, even though I had a suspicion of where she might’ve gone.I missed her so much! I may not have been the best father to her, but not having her around made me realize just how sane she kept me. I avoided home because we’d
BENNETT’S POVBentley and I were at the restaurant our father owns, getting food. I could tell that she was distracted. I felt guilty for going off on her, but I was just so frustrated. Azalea wasn’t waking up and someone had taken advantage of her while Bentley and I argued over something stupid.I felt guilty for not protecting her.I realized this when it dawned on me that I was extremely angry about this. I was angry because Azalea is too innocent and clueless about the dangers of this world to have someone take advantage of her like that. Even though we told her about what marking is, and how it occurs, I don’t think she was even aware of what was going on.That’s what frustrates me the most – the fact that the asshole who decided to mark her doesn’t even know her. It absolutely bothers me that someone could be that selfish so as to mark someone they don’t even know, true mate or not. On top of everything, it’s been three days and the guy hasn’t even shown up to check up on her o
AZALEA’S POV*****“So, we’ve made it home then,” I told Shia, who was in my ‘twin form’ since she hasn’t shifted. We were sitting at a lake, just bonding.“It would seem so, though I’m not sure what has to happen from here,” she admitted.“Neither do I! Can you remember what happened at the club? I cannot remember a single thing after we kissed Bentley,” I sighed.“You kinky bitch by the way,” she giggled.“Hey! It was the alcohol!” I defended.“Yeah yeah! I actually don’t remember anything either,” she mentioned.“That’s strange,” I noted.She scoffed. “What hasn’t been strange since we arrived in this place?” “Ah, good point,” I giggled.“Do you think we’ll ever find our parents and shift?” she asked quietly.I nudged her. “I’m not sure about either, but I know we’re going to have an adventure getting there.” “True! I love you Azalea,” she hugged me.“I love you too Shia,” I hugged her back.“It’s time to wake up now! I don’t even know how long we’ve been asleep for,” she giggled
AZALEA'S POVWe moved off to the lounge and lay everything out on the table. I first made the twins tell me about Thane and how they knew him. Apparently, he was one of their best friends at the castle, though with the amount of times Bentley’s hit him, I’m going to say that he was more of Bennett’s best friend and more like Bentley’s tormentor.Apparently they were all good friends until six years ago when two of their other friends disappeared. Thane went after them while the twins stayed behind. They’ve now found him, but all three of them still don’t know where the other two disappeared to. It turns out that Thane is also in search of the underground group. They’re hoping the group will help them find their best friends.“Well, my story isn’t as entertaining,” I joked.Thane was amazed. “You’re kidding me right? You’re from the Nomad World? How did you even cross the barrier?”And that’s when I launched into my life story. Thane was undoubtedly my best audience yet. His facial exp
AZALEA’S POVOn cue, the door burst open before five guys stormed into the room. They held up what looked like tranquilizer guns. Bentley and Bennett had their backs to them, so they were shot first. They went down immediately. Thane and I had more time to react and we ducked them in time.I was suddenly grateful that I hadn’t unstrapped the weapons from me.Thane and I got up just as two of the guys were launching themselves at us. Thane knocked out the one guy, and I knocked out the other. We knocked out two others as well, until it was just one left. He looked terrified honestly, before some guy walked into the room. From his size, I could only tell that this was the leader. He had white hair and gray eyes.“What the fuck? This is why you should do things for yourself,” he mumbled as he took in the scene around him.“Boss, these two did that,” the guy who was still standing pointed to Thane and I. The two of us were ready to fight.The boss guy smirked. “Deal with him and I’ll deal
AZALEA'S POVThe rest of our ride went like that. We were just goofing off and we were caught in some unexpected traffic, prolonging our journey by thirty minutes. Finally, we drove through some woods before stopping in the middle of nowhere. I was about to ask what was going on, until the ground before us shook. It moved before a tunnel was revealed. Titus switched on the headlights before we drove in.The tunnel wasn’t all that long, and when we drove out, I gasped at the beauty before me. There were houses around us as we drove up the road. The houses were absolutely exquisite. When we reached the top of the hill, we were met by a massive mansion. The gates were opened when the guards recognized Titus’ car. He parked the car before the other three SUVs followed suit.“Are you ready to meet the Beta and Alpha?” he asked.I shrugged. “Even if I’m not, I’ll kick anyone’s ass if they come anywhere near me and I don’t feel comfortable with them doing so.”He just laughed and shook his h
CLAYTON'S POV“Do I even have to ask?” I sighed.“I told Titus to assign them rooms. What the hell is going on with you?” he questioned.“Beast marked someone that night at the club,” I told him.“You have a mate?” he asked wide-eyed.“That’s what Beast and I keep fighting about. I don’t think she’s my mate, but he’s sure she is,” I explained.“Well, our wolves are rarely wrong about these things,” he pointed out.“Now there’s someone with common sense!” Beast chipped in.“Why didn’t the whole thing with our eyes happen when I saw her?” I asked Brantley, choosing to ignore my stupid wolf.“Well, I’m not sure. What about the other signs? Were they there?” he asked.“Well, yes, but I still don’t trust it. For all I know, she could be using witchcraft. She could be Simoa’s agent!” I pointed out.“MY MATE IS NOT EVIL!” Beast growled so loudly, I had to clutch my head.Brantley raised an eyebrow, visibly unimpressed. “Just because you didn’t connect with her with your eyes, she’s suddenly
CLAYTON’S POVBrantley and I sat in my office, none of us having said anything since leaving Azalea’s room. I was too shocked by the fact that Beast was right, and at what he had done, and I was worried about her passing out. I’ve tried to convince myself that she passed out from exhaustion, but even I can’t lie to myself like that.“Is that going to happen every time someone touches her mark?” I asked my wolf.“I honestly don’t know,” he replied.“Do you control it?” I asked.“No,” he said.“So, you just possess the poor child?” I asked in horror.“I don’t possess her because I want to. I possess her because her wolf makes me! She’s using me as protection!” he snapped.I scoffed. “Her wolf? She doesn’t have a wolf!”“You just feel the need to always be right about things you know nothing about. She has a wolf, and her wolf, my mate, goes by the name of Shia,” he replied.“And how come ‘Shia’ can’t be sensed?” I asked.“She hasn’t shifted yet and since I’m her mate, I’m the only one w
AZALEA’S POV“I can’t believe two years into your marriage and you’re still pulling these stunts!”“How else am I supposed to keep the romance alive?”“He’s going to kill you, you know that much, right?”“He wouldn’t kill me while my dad still lives.”“At this point, Hugh would welcome your death. You truly are a menace.”My mouth dropped as she giggled. “You don’t mean that!”“Oh, I believe it too. When they told me you’re a menace, I didn’t know just how right they are,” my aunt teased.“You all just hate me,” I argued.“No one hates you because you won’t even allow us to do that much,” my mother commented.I gasped, and the evil women just laughed at me. “I can’t believe you’re in on this too!”“You and I are connected, and while the reason why is still a myth to all of us, at no point in my life did I swear to stand by your foolishness, especially when it involves tormenting that poor sweet boy,” Simoa stated.“There’s nothing sweet about him. You guys just don’t get to see how he
CLAYTON'S POV“I underestimated Eligor’s memory spell. I was desperate to explain myself and my actions, and to ask for forgiveness. I wasn’t sure if going to Aragon would help, so I went to the only other two people who knew me better than he did. Avril and Val were my best friends, so I thought if I could get them to understand, then they’d help me make sense of everything and help me deal with my new reality. I was lost, and in pain, and I just needed someone to understand me, except it was in that moment that I realized it would never happen. If the people closest to me couldn’t remember me, then I had no one. I was officially all alone,” Alyx explained.“What happened? Where have you been all this time?” her brother asked her.“After what happened with Avril, I knew I had to find a way to control what I’d become. I got some of Eligor’s powers through our mating, and they helped me to an extent. I found out he was abusing the Xeglan, and they asked for my help in keeping them from
CLAYTON’S POVOnce King Brennus lifted the spell from them, it was decided that we should head back while their memories started to trickle in. With everything over, the packs had been instructed to stack the dead hybrids and burn them.We suffered a couple of casualties and injuries on our side, and it was decided that the bodies of the dead would be put aside and we’d have a funeral for them the following day. We needed to let everything settle down first.With Eligor out of the picture, King Brennus ordered the Xeglan to return to Advalur, and they happily complied, while the Xeglan hybrids were imprisoned. At the end of the day, they were traitors, and it would be decided later what we’d be doing with them.Azalea led her aunt to our room, refusing to leave her side, while Pixie was quickly at mine. “You’re coming with us.”I followed after her, and she led me to a room with our friends in it, including Brantley and Bentley. “When did you guys get here?”“That’s not important! Wha
AZALEA'S POVThe turned Lycan looked my way. “I’m the source of a lot of your problems. With me out of the way, you stand a better chance of taking over this kingdom, but you’re going to have to catch me first.”I closed my link to my family and friends as I turned and made a run for it. I could hear him following after me, as well as my family following after him. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, or what the plan was, but this distraction was giving me some time to think.And before I knew it, I was running past the border and into the Forgotten Lands.Being here, I knew that only Eligor, Clayton, King Brennus, Greier, and my aunt could follow after me. My father and Clayton’s father didn’t have the bracelets on them, so they’d be affected if they came through.I finally let my mate through our link as he ran in after me, shifted back and changed into shorts. “Now what?”“I have no idea, but I know this is where everything has to end,” I told him just as Eligor’s beast grow
AZALEA’S POVShe looked more badass than she had in the vision. Confusion surrounded us as we watched everyone wondering why the Xeglan hybrids weren’t fighting, and who the woman was. Much like in the vision, she was preceded by smoke, and when it cleared, I could see recognition from our inner circle.“It’s her. It’s the woman from the painting,” Pixie was the one to state.“It’s Alyx, isn’t it?” Cleo asked, but no one responded.Instead, we watched as Eligor took in his mate, surprised to see her in her true form. “You can control the faces?”“I can do a lot more than that, but I’m not here to tell you all about that,” she told him.“Well, it’s about time we joined hands and finally took over the kingdom as planned,” he smiled, walking over to her.She put her hand out. “You either didn’t hear me, or you’re choosing to ignore what I said. I’m here to stop you.”It was a slight opening in his emotions as the vulnerability showed on his face. “Tell me that these people aren’t right.
CLAYTON’S POV“Avril and Valencia were my closest friends. Lost as I was, I thought if I went to explain myself to them, they’d understand, but I underestimated Eligor’s spell. They really had no idea who I was, and the changing faces and my changed form weren’t helpful. That’s when I realized that I needed to learn how to control the faces and my body.”Azalea was crying beside me, and I put my arm around her. “Where was Eligor during all this?”“I didn’t want anything to do with him, and he agreed to give me my space. However, in that time apart, I realized that my love for him was turning to hatred. Every time he checked in on me, he would let me know about his efforts to undo what he’d done, but I’d already lost too much. Being with him didn’t feel like something I wanted to do anymore, so I kept to myself. One thing I got through our mating is some of his powers, and I used them to travel the dimensions, learning as much as I could about what they knew about shapeshifters. I also
AZALEA’S POVThere she was.She was dressed in a dark emerald dress, and there was smoke around her, but I knew it was her. The same eyes I’d seen in the painting were looking straight at me. She was unmoving, showing no emotion on her face.“It’s her.”I didn’t know if I could even bring him with me, but I was relieved to look to my side and find Clayton there. “Do we go to her?”He shook his head. “We wait for her.”I agreed, and we waited. Before getting pulled in, we moved off the battlefield, hiding, and I could only hope that we’d stay hidden given the fact that we had no idea what was going on outside this vision.After a while, she finally moved towards us. I unintentionally squeezed Clayton’s hand a little harder, and he put his other hand on top of mine. I looked up at him, and I knew what he was telling me through his eyes.He was with me, and he had my back.She walked until she stood before us. Much like I’d felt back in the castle, it felt like I was looking at an older
CLAYTON’S POV“Report?” my father asked.“They’re coming from the direction of the castle, so we can confirm that it’s Eligor and his army. There hasn’t been any movement from the Forgotten Lands,” his man reported.My father nodded. “Take to the skies and stay there waiting for my command.”“And Isaiah?” the man asked.“Tell him to stay where he is,” my father replied.The man nodded before leaving. “What’s going on Hunter?”“Like Theo just said, Eligor is headed this way with his army. There’s no word from Alyx’s side,” my father replied.I was about to ask a question when my mind link was prodded. “CLAYTON!”“Simoa?” I asked.“Yes, it’s me. Where is your mate?” she asked.“She’s here with me. Why?” I countered.“Eligor is on his way. I have been trying to let her know, but I haven’t been able to reach her,” she huffed.I turned to my mate. “Love, is there anything going on with your link to Simoa?”I heard the murmuring, but I didn’t care for it as my mate scowled. “I can’t feel he
AZALEA'S POV“Are you sorted?” I asked him.He nodded. “Ariel and Cleo are directing everyone here. Greier and the Lyca will join us shortly. Your uncle linked to say there’s a bit of a delay with the archives, but that he’ll be here as soon as he has the information with him.”“Should we maybe not talk to our people before they get here?” Clayton suggested.“He’s got a point Aragon. While we may be understanding of how you reached the decisions that you did, your people may not be,” Clayton’s dad joined us.“I’ll address them once they’ve all assembled,” my father agreed.As expected, our pack members were the first to assemble, and I could see the pride on my mate’s face at seeing his people still as efficient as ever. The pack members of The Rebelution were officially the pack members of the royal pack.I had read up on the royal pack, with my father answering any more questions that I had. Apparently, the royal pack that he was Alpha of was either taken over by Eligor, or those wh