CALLUM“Callum!” I heard someone shouting, but they sounded so far away. I couldn’t open my eyes, and my body felt numb, like I wasn’t connected to it.“Callum, wake up, please,” another voice begged.Oscar. That was Oscar and my dad.I jolted upright, nearly headbutting my dad in the face.He caught me before I could fall back when my head swum, my entire body still feeling weak.“Ava…” I growled. “Where’s Ava?”Dad and Oscar glanced at each other, faces nervous.“Callum… She... She hasn’t woken up yet.”“I need to see her,” I tried to scramble out of bed, but was tangled up in wires and cables.“Callum, let me get a doctor to check on you, okay?”I let my head fall back against my pillows. Didn’t really have a choice.Dad ran out of the room, calling after a doctor as he went.“How… how are you?” I asked Oscar.“I woke up a couple hours ago, so did Theo.”“Theo’s awake?”He nodded. “He’s going to be here for a few days for observations, but he’s awake.”“Noah?”“He… he went into v-f
AVAIt was another five days before I was discharged. Callum and Oscar were the same day they woke up, Noah two days later, and Theo was the day after.It was a good thing I was discharged when I was or I could not guarantee that I would have been able to keep my shit together.It was amazing to wake up in my own bed, surrounded by my four mates again. We hadn’t had that privilege since before Theo was kidnapped. Oscar behind me, Callum in front and Theo and Noah laying across my legs and stomach was my happy place.“Good morning, beautiful,” Callum pressed his lips against my forehead. “Hey, you,” I replied, my voice still sleepy.“How are you feeling?”“I’m good, I think, glad to be back,” I smiled. “I’m a little bit weak, but I’m okay.”“Ava… you were discharged from hospital yesterday evening after being forcibly marked multiple times, losing Artemis, losing a lot of blood and nearly dying multiple times. And after saving all of us. I think you’re allowed to feel weak.”“You’re d
OSCARWe could all feel how stressed and upset Ava was, and that’s before you even get to the pain where she felt three marked mate bonds snap. And, of course, she nearly had one forced upon her by someone that wasn’t her fated mate.She wanted to mark us all again so badly, but she was terrified. She was terrified that Elijah’s mark was still going to stick and that we’d have difficulty removing it, unless he marked someone else.From what we could tell, if we were interpreting all the legends correctly, is that he only managed to remove hers just because her bond wouldn’t be complete until she had all four. Until that point… the bond just hadn’t cemented yet.We’d have to try to talk to Alpha Michael to see if his scholars found anything, or, hopefully one of us could still reach Selene to find out how we could safely do this… but right now, we are in the dark with broken mate bonds and an Alpha Queen who wants to give up.“I wish we could get answers for her,” Theo’s voice was low,
AVAWe managed to relax by the lake for a few hours just as a group before we had to go back to reality. We’d even gotten Paula to bring us lunch so we didn’t have to go back inside to eat. She did make good cakes, that woman.Orgasmically good.Once we got back to the packhouse, we were ambushed by Jacob, Amelia and Alex. I hadn’t seen them since being discharged. The only people I’d seen were my Kings and my parents.“Ava!” Amelia squealed, wrapping her arms around me. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” she pressed a kiss to my forehead.“Thank you, Amy, I’m glad you and Jacob have recovered too,” I smiled back.Once I’d had a similar conversation and a hug from Jacob and Alex, they finally explained why the packhouse was so crazy. There were people running around like headless chickens, carrying boxes, furniture, and who knows what else.Apparently, we were having a party to celebrate everyone being back and conscious. Relaxing and feeling like a normal seventeen year old for an evening di
AVA10am the next morning and we were all gathered in my office with nice, fresh cups of coffee. Best £1000 I’ve ever spent, that coffee machine. I’d even successfully started to bringwe my Kings around to my way of thinking. My Kings were on either side of me, and we had Jacob, Amelia, Alex and Jeremiah opposite. Dream team.“Shall we start with Elijah?” I proposed.“Let’s do it,” Jacob replied.“So, we know that he’s the Lycan I was betrothed to before I was born, but in the end, not even with the consent of my own parents, it was forced by the council. After working out it was a bad idea, it was called off, my parents were murdered and I was smuggled out. At some point after that, he set himself up as the Rogue King.”Callum nodded. “We know he’s a psychopath working with a lot of witches.”“He’s also dead,” Oscar interjected.“Did we find the body?” I asked Jeremiah. He’d looked after everything when my Kings and I all lost consciousness. “No, my Queen. There was no sign of him.
AVA“We need to drag my parents in for this bit,” I bit my lip as I spoke. “Alex, there might be some things you can answer too, since you’ve always been like a second adoptive father to me.”They all nodded. I opened a link with my mum; her and my dad would be here within ten minutes. She even promised to stop by the kitchen for a tray of Paula’s cookies… she’s just the best, and Paula’s cookies are just the best.They reached us in no time at all, complete with what was easily one of the biggest trays of cookies I’ve seen in my life. We suddenly had a room full of wolves with watering mouths.“Paula’s also made you one of those caramel shortbreads you like so much, Ava,” my mum smiled.I clapped excitedly… It was bloody good shortbread. Paula made this salted caramel that was just spot on. Never had anything quite so good.Once everyone was settled with cookies and another cup of coffee, we got straight down to it.“Mum, dad… we need to know whatever there is to know about what happ
CALLUMAfter that delightful meeting… I felt absolutely terrible, and I knew Oscar, Theo and Noah did too. I couldn’t have told you what started it, why we thought it was the right thing to do… but like they said, it had to have started somewhere. There must have been a catalyst. Whether or not Ava still wanted to go away to the cabin after that though… I couldn’t blame her if she didn’t want to. That was not a pleasant trip down memory lane for any of us, and definitely wouldn’t have been for her. The four of us were assholes as children. I know I felt untouchable because I’m one of the Beta’s heirs, and I’m sure the others did too. It was probably even more extreme in Theo and Noah’s case since they were the Alpha’s heirs. Her having such bad self esteem issues until she started coming into her power would not have been helped by us. The four people who are supposed to protect and care for her through everything… and we put her through so much pain.After that meeting, Ava stood
AVAYesterday sucked, and badly. But that just made this trip even more necessary. Yes, we had security with us now. But that I could deal with.I just wanted to put my feet up, spoil my mates, and be spoiled. Rolling around in bed with them all would be good too.We ended up taking one of the seven seater SUVs Michael had arranged for us whilst I was unconscious because it was just easier. Us five plus Jeremiah and another warrior drove with all the luggage, and the other two warriors shifted and ran ahead to make sure the cabin was safe.Jacob and Amelia's cabin was in the middle of nowhere surrounded by beautiful forest. It was still in Blood Moon territory, but only just. It was far enough away from civilization that we wouldn't be bugged by anyone. Calling it a ‘cabin’ was a little derogatory too. Yes, it looked like a wood cabin. But it was enormous, and it had a second little cottage just behind it. The plan was that the warriors could use the cottage when they weren't on acti
AVAThree days after the coronation, my Kings and I went to one of the Crown’s countryside properties to celebrate on our own. It was needed. With everything that happened in between us arresting Elijah and the coronation itself, we all needed to just unwind for a little while.We spent five perfect days enjoying each other’s company, swimming, relaxing by the lake, and just celebrating everything in our own way.We’d been through a lot in the last six months, and it was time we took the time to reflect, celebrate, and breathe a sigh of relief.The following weeks and months after we came back were chaotic.Of course, we had brief glimmers of normalcy when Theo and Oscar turned 18. We had to have a ball that the Kingdom could attend, but after, we hosted a party just for family and friends, and I spoiled the two of them rotten.My 18th birthday followed six weeks after theirs, and after the huge fuss that was my birthday for the Kingdo
Three weeks laterAVAThe three weeks following Elijah’s arrest were chaotic. The police had their work cut out for them, as did the courts. In the end, Elijah was sentenced to death for crimes against the Crown, as were some of Elijah and Matthew’s closest and most dedicated cronies.As for the rest of them, they were locked up, and most of them would stay in prison for a very long time. A few were genuinely forced to cooperate by Elijah, and so had to undergo a lengthy rehabilitation programme to make sure no traces of his influence remained.I even succeeded in charging Minister Byron for encouraging the breaking of laws that were fundamental to the safety of millions of women and girls. He’d spend the rest of his life locked up too.
AVAWe had a time and we had a place. A time and a place that as far as we knew, Paula believed to be correct. Of course, we weren’t going to put all of our eggs in one basket, I didn’t trust her that much after everything she’s done, but… we had to try.We moved kids, the elderly and anyone else who couldn’t fight, including my parents straight to the safe room as soon as we finished talking through a plan. I couldn’t risk it any longer. I needed them safe.I needed my mum safe. Since it reduced the chances of me trading myself for her, everyone else was on board with that plan too. I assigned four members of my Queen’s guard to look after the safe room, and Jacob had assigned another six of his own warriors.
AVAThe whole thing with Paula… was a shock, and it wasn’t a shock I really knew what to do with. I'd known and loved this woman for a long time; she was key in helping me feel at home here, or, at least I believed she was.And now, to find out she betrayed me, my family and everything we stand for? No. That was a fact neither Artemis or I really knew what to do with. We needed closure, but how do you get closure when someone has maliciously tried to stop you ever having children of your own?I hardly slept that night. I just kept remembering my mum's face as she sobbed on the floor and the look of utter disgust that my dad gave Paula.The morning after, I got a frantic link from Alex. Far too early in the morning for problems to be coming up.
AVAMy stress levels were still through the roof the next morning. We had an appointment with the doctor to talk about the chemicals that he’d found in my bloodstream, to see if we could work out what the long term effects might be.My four Kings made a point of truly worshipping my body… but it didn’t help, not really. No amount of explosive orgasms was going to distract me for that long.When we reached the hospital, it was crystal clear from the doctor’s face that it wasn’t good news.Once we’d all sat down and exchanged pleasantries, he ran off a list of chemicals and compounds that were used to make this poison that was in my blood. It was a long list.“We have people running simulations, my Queen, a
AVAProblems are like buses.For a while, everything is all hunky dory and there are no problems for anyone to worry about (apart from Paula being MIA, which she now had been for a week). But they are like buses. So after a period of calm… three come at once.We were woken up in the middle of the night by an emergency alert across the pack. Rogues.“Ava, you need to get to the safe room,” Jacob insisted. “They’re here for you, you know that.”“I’m not hiding, Jacob,” I replied as I ran around pulling shorts and a t-shirt on, before sprinting out of the room with my Kings behind me, the six members of my Queen’s Guard who were on duty quickly catching up. The other six were out look
CALLUM“Paula. Paula let Matthew out,” I growled. “Ava trusts her.”“I know,” dad replied, his voice pained as he winced under the weight of my aura. Realising that… I forced Ares to tone it back, but he was not calm, and he really wanted me to know that.“We need to talk to Ava’s parents.” Noah sounded just as pissed as I felt.I nodded. “You’re right. They’re close to Paula too.” I linked Jeremiah and then Ava’s parents, bringing them all to Jacob’s office as quickly as possible.
AVAThe next morning, I made a point of distracting myself from as many problems as I could. I went for a run with Alex, swam in the lake with my Kings, and made cookies with Paula.I needed to clear my mind of nonsense to give myself a chance to solve some of the pressing questions that were floating around my mind. What better way to solve a problem than to not think about the problem?It was shortly after the cookies went in the oven that I realised something. Something… big.Why wasn’t I pregnant?I had been having a lot of sex, unprotected sex, with four men for months. I had my usual monthly cycles, and everything seemed normal. But sure
AVAWe all needed to unwind with the party, but of course, we were still caught up in the middle of an absolute shitfest, so the happiness and chill-vibes were never going to last forever.I sat at the desk in my office, staring at the map of the Kingdom I had pinned to my whiteboard. My Kings, Jacob, Alex and Jeremiah were all with me, and we had extra guards on both my office and the packhouse door. I refused to get caught short again.Jeremiah and Alex between them were marking all the locations where there had been known rogue attacks and where there had been encounters with either Matthew or Elijah over the last few months so we could try to work out where either of them would be hiding. Was it going well? No.