[Gia’s POV]“Are you expecting anyone,” Jace asked me while walking towards the door. “No, I am not,” I said while staring at the door.It was as if a strange energy was on the other side of it, pulling me to it. I followed Jace to the door and stood by his side while he opened it.“Hi, my name is Adam Bentlee, and I have a gift for the newlywed mates,” I heard the strange man before me say.He looks like he is in his eighties and was leaning on a cane, with a gift box tucked under his other arm. Time seemed to pause momentarily as he stared into Jace’s eyes.Jace said nothing but just stepped to the side. “Thank you, Mr. Bentlee,” I said as I stepped closer to him, his eyes are mesmerizing. One eye is white and the other is a deep almost inhuman green. “It is my pleasure, my Queen,” he said.Then he opened the box, and inside was a beautiful plant with a large flower bud. “That is gorgeous, I have never seen a plant like it before,” I said as I looked closer in the box at it.“It is
[Gia’s POV]After some more rest, I took a shower and then went down with Jace to the kitchen to have a snack with Dante and Jackson.My mates stayed in their offices working on security tape footage reviews and consulting with Trinity. My body and mind still feel off and I was not in the mood for a full dinner.I sat down with Dante at the smaller table in the kitchen and we enjoyed some cut fruits and pastries while talking about a new adventure that his stuffed animals were going to embark on.It is so nice to relax and listen to his stories. After we ate a bit, we made our way over to the movie room to watch a new animated action movie that he has been asking to see.He snuggled up next to me with our blankets wrapped around us and started the movie. Not knowing how much time passed, I woke up to Sam’s strong arms carrying me upstairs.“I am sorry, I must have dozed off,” I said softly. “You never need to apologize to me, my love. It has been a long and crazy day,” he replied. “Wh
[Max’s POV]“Mate…Mate,” my wolf Dom yelped in a warning tone. I mind-linked my Beta, Jason, Sam, and Damen, that Dom thinks something is wrong with Gia.“I am running to the greenhouse now, Alpha. Jackson has Dante safe,” Jason says through the link. Sam, Damen, and I ran out of the conference room and down towards the greenhouse with lightning speed.My wolf and I are both on edge, right now. “We should not have left mate alone,” Dom whines. “I know buddy,” I say to him in my mind.When we get to her greenhouse, we find Jace on the ground in a pool of blood. “He was attacked, there are claw marks just below his heart and stretching down his abdomen,” Jason says while examining her bodyguard Jace.I search and sniff the entirety of the greenhouse and garden, but Gia is nowhere in sight. Her lingering scent is strongest in the greenhouse, and I see her garden shears on the ground.“Lock everything down immediately! Our Luna is missing, and I want everyone searching for her now,” I com
[Max’s POV]Pure rage is coursing through my veins right now. I need to find her. That piece of shit, Kali, has attacks planned all over the cities and at our borders.I cannot let the clock keep ticking, her life is at stake, and the lives of our people. Think Max, think, I kept saying to myself in my head.“We must get the Council of Elders involved. We just don’t have the numbers to fight this war on so many fronts, and to rescue our mate,” I said.“I will place the call right now, Alpha,” Jason said. “Chris, go talk to the leaders of the villages outside of all our borders and offer for them to seek refuge in our borders. Explain the situation to them and let them know that they do not owe us allegiance, just that we need to vet them before they enter the civic center grounds,” I commanded.“Max, I will have my warriors get our people to the upper central lockdown facilities, in case they do breach our wards,” Damen said. “Alpha, I have the elders on the phone,” Jason said.“Alpha
[Kali’s POV]After spending most of the day making sure the new recruits were being trained properly, I ordered my lieutenants and majors to meet my general Thanatos and me in the war room. Walking in they stand and greet me before we take our seats to initiate the strikes, we have been planning over the past several weeks. “Thanatos, what are the reports of where we are at with our numbers,” I questioned. “We are now at thirty-thousand strong, with the majority being the human scum we gathered from the surrounding prisons. Of that number four thousand are comprised of the rogue wolves, and the vampires, witches, demons, and fae who defected from their lands,” Thanatos replied. “That should be more than enough to take over and hold the cities, along with killing anyone who gets in our way. Let’s go over the strategies one more time, and then I will order the strike tonight. But, before we do, has there been word from Adam about my prize.” A wicked grin appeared on Thanatos's face as h
[Sam’s POV]My inner demon is burning with rage inside of me, but I need to stay calm to find my love and protect my people.With our game plan now set, Max, Damen, Trinity, and I are preparing for war. So, few times in the hundreds of years I have been alive had I used the enchanted armor before me, and here I am now putting it on.I had hoped the days of war were far behind us. Few families were gifted enchanted armor, and mine was one of them. The elves of Mysteria crafted a dozen sets of armor, made of the finest supernatural steel. No human has ever had access to this material, or the magic bound to it.The metal itself contains high magical vibrations, with restorative properties as well as vibrations of high strength. After the armor was crafted, it was sent to the fae to enchant it with high magick.They placed enchantments of increased stamina, endurance, healing, quickness, and strength upon it. They were each given to members of supernatural royalty; vampires, werewolves, w
[Gia’s POV]From light to darkness, I fell, down a tunnel of blackness. The bottom approached and my body slammed against a floor made of some kind of liquid. Lying there I brought my knees to my chest and dared not to move while contemplating how this happened, where I am, if my son and mates are safe, and if the nightmare I had previously was coming to fruition. Darkness does not typically cause fear in me. I have spent so many years forced into facing my fears and oftentimes those fears haunted me more at night in my room or sleep. This was a different type of darkness though, not a speck of light could be found anywhere, the floor was covered in a liquid that I cannot see, and the only sound is my breathing and heartbeat. No fan running, no air conditioner or heater turning on to lull me to sleep, just nothingness. I fought to keep myself from moving, in fear that the darkness was going to consume me. As time passed, I worked to slow down my breathing to calm myself while continui
[Gia’s POV]As soon as the group of women left the chamber, four more women dressed in chiton gowns entered followed by another nun.When they approached my display case, they split with two on each side of me, and the nun unlocked the glass-domed door, which held me captive. She pulled down a lever, that loosened my binds. “Step forward Gianna, you are finally getting a man and home to serve. Follow me and we will prepare you,” the nun said to me.Prepare me, what the hell does that entail, I thought as I stepped down and out of the fancy glass cage and proceed to follow her.The other women stayed by my side as we reached the large and intricately detailed door. Shock hit my eyes when the door was opened, and the bright lights burned my retinas.When my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw that we were walking through a beautiful courtyard. The courtyard was surrounded on three of the four sides by a two-story building with white railings on the top floor that wrapped all the way arou
[Gia's POV]The moment of impact of their magic upon my head produced tidal waves of energy into my being. It felt like a thousand hurricanes had collided with my skull, each with its unique fury and force, and they were all converging in an opus of chaos within my body. It was an experience beyond words, beyond comprehension, and yet, somehow, it was also beautiful in its terrifying way.The air around me seemed to ripple and distort. The world's colors blur and warp as if viewed through a broken lens. A bright light flashed before my eyes, momentarily blinding me before fading into a pulsating aura of energy that engulfed my entire body.I was thrust through an invisible portal in the sky and found myself falling feet first as the perception in the portal inverted. It is as if the two realms mirror each other's gravity, one where on one side you fly upwards, and the other you fall downwards.As my human vessel fell through the portal, a burst of energy filled my ears, drowning out a
[Gia’s POV]Staring up at the four goddesses, I began feeling even smaller in these vast phenomena of life, death, the after, and in-between. “Once again, I see your wheels turning in your mind, my child,” Visha said. “How do I become what you want me to be? My soul has not even progressed to the next stage of the divine being. I know I was on the “soul” path to leveling up, but I failed in this life,” I said in a melancholy tone. “We brought your body here with you. We need that vessel specifically, as we coded it for your transformation. You did not fail! You are still on your soul path, but with an extra boost in leveling up,” Hecate declared.The word transformation pressed forward in my mind. “Yes, you will go through a transformation, one that will change you from mortal to immortal,” Visha replied to the thought in my head. Of course, she can read my mind, I said with an internal giggle. “Wait, immortal! But I will outlive Max and my son,” I questioned in panic. “The blessings
[Gia’s POV]Time slowed as the towering goddess walked from behind the triple moon goddesses' thrones to me. My soul buzzed with electricity the closer she got. Like an Amazon woman in some cheesy 70's movie, her height was unbelievable, standing at least ten feet tall. Her skin shimmered as if every cell was made of diamonds. In contrast, her dress is the boldest color of sapphire. The dress was knee-length with triangular-fringed ends. A shawl covered one of her shoulders, and both garments were bound at her waist by a diamond-studded belt. My eyes followed the trail of her exquisite beauty to her dark black hair that disappeared behind her shoulders. Upon her head, she wore a triple-banded gold crown with fourteen dangling Lemurian stones placed approximately two inches apart. When my eyes locked on her sapphire-colored eyes, I felt mine roll back into my head. A warm and gentle breeze flew through me, and I could feel her large hand take hold of me. A feeling of warm sand unde
[Someone’s POV]“She sure does not disappoint, does she,” an unknown woman’s voice said in the distance. The voice was like a silk thread being pulled through a needle's eye, weaving through the air with a hint of mischief and curiosity.Feeling weightless in my once physical self, as if my body had been stripped away and all that was left was my consciousness, my eyes struggled to open to see which side of the karma coin my soul landed in this time. A loud metal-on-stone sound reverberated in my mind, as light seeped in through my sight. The sound pulsed through my mind, it felt like sharp vibrations were shooting through my entire body, causing my muscles to tense and my bones to ache.With a sudden burst of force, my soul slid back into a physical body. The feeling was jarring, like being thrown into the world without warning. As I gasped for air, the pressure of the cold floor on my face brought me back to my senses.Unsure if anyone could hear me, I managed to get the words, “Wh
[Max's POV]Still in awe of the magnificence of my mate’s ability to open the portal in front of us all, stunned my whole being. The portal shimmers and glows with an otherworldly light, illuminated by my mate's power. I stand mesmerized, unable to take my eyes off the scene unfolding before me.It wasn’t until Sam snapped at Damen and me through the mind link that I was fully drawn back to the present. “Is the spell wearing off for you both,” Sam asked. “I don’t feel any more effects from it, and the wolfsbane is almost out of my system as well,” I replied. “Great, I have already loosened the binds on my wrists and am working on my ankles now. Max, I know the silver is the worst for you, but can you and Dom manage enough strength to get free,” Sam inquired.My mind felt a jolt as Sam's message reached me through the mind link, causing a tingling sensation in my head. My fingers continued to fumble and struggle against the chains, causing them to dig into my skin.The silver chains ar
[Gia's POV]Staring into Kali’s eyes, I knew our fates were sealed. Kali's eyes were a deep, soulless black, like dark pits of coal. In them, I saw swirls of fiery red, reflecting the flames of destruction and death that burned within him. His grin was wicked and sadistic, revealing his true malicious intent.I did not falter or look away, as he marched straight towards me, with a grin that was twisted and malevolent, a clear sign of his sadistic joy.Our destinies seemed to align at this moment as if guided by the spark that had opened the portal between worlds. A mere mortal against a beast of all beasts, not quite the devil himself, but built by the devil with the sole purpose of the extreme demise of the beings of this globe. Every move he made exuded power and pure evil.Stopping roughly two feet away from me, Kali’s smile grew wider with a profound sense of inflated ego. “You have done well, my Queen. Your work is not only exquisite but spot-on and accurate. Bringing me directly
[Gia's POV]Staring at Kali’s eyes, black as night, glaring back at me with a demonic intensity. They seemed to pulse with dark energy, and I could see the twisted smile on his lips as he spoke. My mind quickly processed his words, “Open the portal, or watch as your mates lose their heads.” Fear gripped me, but I refused to let it show. My mates were counting on me, and I couldn't let them down. With a racing mind, I tried to come up with a plan. I knew I had to open the portal, but at the same time, I couldn't let Kali have what he desired. The triple moon goddesses' instructions were clear - the portal must be opened.Stop it, Gia, I scolded myself within my mind. I couldn't let fear control me or cloud my judgment. Taking a deep breath, I looked at Kali with determination, I can do this. The instructions from the triple moon goddesses flash before me, like a hologram projected onto the air. I can see the glowing images of Hecate and Selene, their expressions solemn and determi
[Gia's POV]We walked through a different door out of the ritual chamber and entered a long hallway. The air was heavy with incense and the sound of our footsteps echoed against the stone walls. I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched, that the very walls were observing me and whispering secrets to each other.As we ventured down the hall, the torches lining the hallway seemed to ignite on their own as we walked by. It was both impressive and unsettling, the way they lit up without any physical touch. What type of craft is this-magical motion detectors, I thought with an internal giggle as I followed death with the others in tow. When we reached the end of our path there were doors made of rich, dark mahogany, their polished surfaces glinting in the light of the torches. As Death pushed them open, blinding white light flooded through, temporarily blurring my vision.[Max's POV]Waking up from Cyrstalla’s spell, I felt my wrists and ankles burning from the silver
[Gia's POV]The darkness seemed to stretch on forever as I flew back, the walls of the tunnel closing in on me until I hit something solid. It was pitch black, but I could faintly make out the outlines of the walls and ceiling. The darkness was so thick that it seemed to swallow every trace of light, the only source coming from a faint glimmer bouncing off the walls. I could see a liquid pooling around my hands, a viscous black substance that seemed to pulsate and writhe in the dim light. Again, in this darkness, I thought as I stood up and wiped my hands on my dress. "It will not be long now, my child," I recognized Hecate's voice as I stood in the darkness. Her words echoed around me, bouncing off the walls and filling the void with her presence. "Hecate?" I called out, my voice trembling slightly. I couldn't see her, but I could feel her energy surrounding me. "Yes, my dear," she responded, her voice coming from all directions. "What is this place?" I asked, looking around in