ARAGON’S POVIt had been a long night of celebrations, with my daughter having declared that we were to put all talks and problems on hold and instead celebrate her mate’s reunion with his father.And because she is who she is, we all listened to her.I stood aside, watching as she danced with her mate. The celebrations were limited to us and Hunter’s selected guests, resulting in a small party of ten. Simiyan and Hugh spent most of the evening enamoured by each other, and I couldn’t help the hollow feeling the sight left me with.“Aragon, join me in my office if you don’t mind,” Hunter requested.With everyone occupied, I followed after him. “It’s been twenty-four years and I’m still not used to it.”I had an idea of what he was referring to as I accepted the drink he offered. “How do you deal with it?”He shrugged as he sat down on one of the couches. “I’m a King. The only way to deal with it is behind closed doors. Even then, I wouldn’t say I’m dealing with it. That just happens to
ARAGON'S POV“I haven’t given myself a chance to think about that. I haven’t ruled Draxlar as long as Aragon has ruled the Lycan World, so I still have some years left in me,” Hunter responded.“Perhaps their child will be your heir,” I picked up.Hunter nodded. “I doubt Genevieve will want to have other children, whereas Clayton and Azalea should be able to. They’d be able to give both kingdoms heirs.”Noting the grim looks on our faces, Hunter’s face also changed. “What is it?”“Genevieve did have another child,” I was the one to inform him.He paled. “What?”“A girl named Dove,” I added.None of us expected the fire that left Hunter’s hands. “I’m going to kill him.”“No one deserves the honour more,” Hugh agreed with him.“While Dove obviously can’t rule here because she has no dragon blood, I thought it important that you at least know about her existence,” I stated.He nodded, still visibly angry. “When are we attacking?”“Simiyan has discovered that her and Simoa’s magic is unba
CLAYTON’S POVDinner had long ended, and Azalea was asleep beside me, but I couldn’t fall asleep. It was early in the morning and my mind was racing with many different thoughts. The fact that I was home, my real home, wasn’t quite helping.“Find me.”I heard my father’s voice in my head and figured going to him was better than overthinking. I gently moved from Azalea, making sure she was comfortable, before leaning down to kiss her forehead. She shuffled a little, before squeezing the life out of the pillow I’d put in her arms.She can be a weirdo.Chuckling to myself, I put on a t-shirt and the slippers I’d been given, before heading out to find my father. I was following his scent, walking down the quiet hallways, until I eventually made it outside. He was standing in the garden, looking up at the sky, something that I realized then that my mother used to do a lot of.“She’d stare up at the sky for hours on end. I once asked her why, and she said she couldn’t tell me. I guess it ha
AZALEA’S POVI woke up to find Clayton fast asleep beside me. He had a scowl on his face, and I was sure he was having a disturbing dream. I sighed to myself, thinking about where we were, and what that meant for him.After revealing my theory about Carlton and Simoa, I realized that our talks were taking away from celebrating the fact that Clayton had been reunited with his father, hence my suggesting we instead focus on that.We hadn’t experienced all that many wins in a while and this one deserved a celebration.As I sat there, watching him, my heart ached for him. He’s always taken on everyone’s burdens, and that wasn’t going to stop any time soon. Clayton is a hero by all means, and he will always fight for what is right.No matter the cost to him.I slowly got up from the bed, getting dressed in my gown, before I headed to the bathroom to do my business and brush my teeth. When I got back out, he was still fast asleep, the scowl still there. I headed over and sat on the bed.My
AZALEA'S POVI’d learnt the night before that while the castle has many rooms, as well as a grand dining hall, but that’s not where we were headed. Because the royal family isn’t exactly that many people, they use a much smaller dining room, which is where we were headed.We arrived to find Simi and my fathers already seated. “Good morning everyone.”“Good morning Your Highness,” they greeted.“Please, you needn’t be that formal when it’s just us,” King Hunter requested as he helped me sit down.“Where’s Clayton?” my father asked me.“Still asleep. He hadn’t gotten much sleep,” was my response.“He’s probably overwhelmed,” Simiyan noted.I nodded. “It’s going to take him a while to deal with everything that we’ve found out so far.”“He’ll have you with him, so he’ll be fine,” my father told me, to which I nodded.“Daddy, he asked me to marry him and I said yes. He didn’t ask you for your permission because you would’ve said no,” I came out with it.My father and Simiyan looked shocked
AZALEA'S POV“What is it?” Simiyan asked.King Hunter looked towards me and I nodded, before he spoke. “When you all first arrived, I found it strange that Aragon didn’t seem to recognize me, and th-”“Why would I recognize you? We’d never met before,” my father commented.“Dad, let him finish!” I scolded, making my father pout.King Hunter chuckled. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the spitfire Azalea is. Anyway, as I was saying, he didn’t recognize me. I was focused on seeing Clayton obviously, but the suspicion lingered in my mind. I had a chat with him later about the past eighteen years, and that’s when I realized what happened. Without Genevieve, I’ve been weakened. I visited the Lycan World five years ago, and Simoa and Carlton managed to use magic on me because before your arrival, I believed that I’d met with Aragon and Valencia, who had assured me that they’d received no word of Genevieve being present in their kingdom.”“We believe that means that Simoa and Carlton have
CLAYTON’S POVThe elderly woman bowed at the sight of my father. “Your Highness.”“Ellora,” my father acknowledged her.“I’m honoured to be here, though I am not sure why I have been summoned,” Ellora hinted.My father turned to us. “This is my son Clayton, and his mate Azalea. The two gentlemen are her fathers Aragon and Hugh, and you know Simiyan.”“It’s lovely to see you again Ellora,” Simiyan said.Ellora smiled. “Likewise, Simiyan.”“As you probably heard at the tournament, Clayton found his way back here after his mother was kidnapped by Carlton all those years ago. We happen to not be his only victims since he has taken over the Lycan World. We need your help to better understand him and his history, so that we can strategize on how to take him down,” my father explained.Ellora nodded. “Of course, I’ll gladly help if it means his reign of terror ends for good.”My father seemed to think of something at those words. “When you first arrived, you advised that I have him killed ra
CLAYTON'S POV“Not necessarily. He still has Simoa, and we can’t ignore that,” Simiyan commented.General Montgomery took her hand in his. “I don’t think that’s what Shay meant. It’s very clear that the only true reason that Carlton’s had the rule he’s had is because Aragon wasn’t there to take back the throne. In as much as Carlton has Simoa, Aragon has Simi. I know that you’ve mentioned that the power balance between the two of you feels off, but I still believe in your capabilities.”It was a sweet moment, no doubt, and it seemed to do the trick as Simiyan blushed. “I will try my best.”“You haven’t failed me yet Simi. I don’t believe you’re going to start now,” King Aragon added smilingly.“So, what exactly is our plan here? I mean after everything?” my mate asked, rubbing her belly.She looked a little uncomfortable, which had me a little concerned. “Scanning the castle of my devices should take the entire afternoon since I’m not just scanning for their presence, but also where
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