Gaia POV.“What’s wrong? Don’t you want to mark me?” I ask as I look down at Leo, his hands move from my hips to my face.“I want to make sure this is what you want. I don’t want you feeling pressured into doing this.” He tells me gently when I sigh and climb off of him and sit beside him.“Could you not second guess me. I want to do this. Look, I know we didn’t get off to the best start and I’m the reason for that. I’ve been a complete and utter bitch to you, and I want to make this right.” I tell him as I look straight at him so he can tell I’m not lying to him.I want to do this; I made a promise that I would try and that is what I am doing. The bond grows stronger every day, but with it, I grow weaker. I need to do this. If I don’t then the consequences will be devastating. I can’t allow innocent lives to be destroyed because of my pride and stupidity. Yes, it has taken me long enough to realise it, but I’m trying to make it right. Time isn’t on my side.“Gaia, I’m not second gues
Gaia POV.Walking into Lust with my mates, we need to let loose for a few hours. Things have been going great with us over the past two weeks. I have to admit I should have given into the bond sooner; they are all so doting and loving. They make me feel like I’m the most important thing in their existence.I plan on marking both Gabe and Jake in a few day’s time. Being marked twice on the same night took it out of me for a few days and I lost some strength, but I’m starting to feel better.Unfortunately, I am needed at the club tonight as we have an event; I tried to get out of it but couldn’t. So here we are. The gyrating bodies and the vibration of the music calls to me. This is what I needed just to forget about the shitstorm that is heading our way. We are still no closer to getting Morgana, and I have managed to block her magic, but it is taking a toll on me.Pushing past the sea of bodies with my mates behind me, I head towards the bar. I look at the bar woman and I have never s
TRIGGER WARNING, PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.Gaia POV.I don’t know how long I’ve been held captive. Hours, days, weeks. The one thing I know is the bitch didn’t waste anytime with my mates. The pains of betrayal happens often. Kodiak has shut herself off and I endure it on my own. It’s what I fucking deserve.I knew something was wrong with the bar bitch, but I didn’t know who Joanne has hired since I haven’t been at the club with everything that has been going on. I should have known, I should have listened to my gut, but I didn’t and here I am, chained in a fucking cage covered in bruises and blood. My heart being torn apart every time my mates fuck her. It’s not their fault. I can’t blame them. They are under her spell.“Kodiak, this is my fault. Please speak to me. Let me know you are there?” I sob when she doesn’t respond. When the pain starts again in my lower belly, I bite down on my bottom lip as I screw my eyes shut. I can’t even double over because of how they have
Gaia POV.Waking, I feel an arm around me. I smile to myself as I smell her scent. Turning my head, I blink to clear my eyes as I stare at the tear streaks that line her face. My baby sister Sofia.“Hey,” I say as I run my fingers through her long, dark hair. She stares and opens her eyes as a sob leaves her lips. I hug her to my chest as she clutches my shirt. Sofia is the light to my darkness and I love her so much.“How long have I been out?” I ask her when she wipes her eyes and looks at me.“Five days. Mom and Xena hooked you up to fluids and the potion. You will be fine. We will get them back.” I sigh as I kiss her forehead. As I remember what happened and my heart breaks more.I take a shuddering breath as I blink rapidly to stop the tears from falling.“I don’t think that will be possible, Sof. They are with her now.” I say as I turn to wipe my eyes when she sits up and places her hands on my face and turns me to look at her.“No, we will get them back and break the spell on t
Calista POV.“Remember how the bond feels? She is not your mate.” The words echo in my head as I sit looking towards my mates, specifically Gaia. She is all smiles as she flirts with Leo as she sat on his lap. It has been three weeks since we all marked her and at first it was great, but now something doesn’t feel right.“What’s wrong man?” Jake looks at me, and I see the uncertainty in his eyes. I smile at him, but it doesn’t reach my eyes.“I’m fine.” I pick up my glass as I move towards the bar in the club known as Greed. One of many clubs, Gaia and I, run together. I can’t shake that something isn’t right.“Remember how the bond feels? She isn’t your mate!” the same words keep playing in my mind from the dream I had last night. I’m lost in thought when Jake places his hand on my shoulder. I don’t know if I can trust him with this, but my gut is telling me something is wrong.“You sure? You have been different since you woke up. What’s going on?” I sigh as the bartender hands me my
Leo POV.Walking through the packhouse after what happened last night. I’m numb and I know my mates are, too. Same as her family and the pack. This is on us. I remember what Selene told us, but I was too wrapped up in Morgana. I forgot. I failed my mate, and she died. But what I don’t understand is how? Calista and I both marked her. She should have been fine.I find myself standing outside her bedroom. I open the door and there she is laying on her bed. She looks asleep, but I know different. They have dressed her in a white knee-length sundress. Her hair has been braided and is adorned with flowers. My eyes blur with tears as I look at her face. I reach out to touch her but stop myself. I don’t deserve her. I hear movement behind me but don’t respond to it.“She loved you, you know?” I turn and see her little sister, Sofia. She is so much like Gaia only difference is her hair is dark like Mia’s.“She didn’t deserve any of this.” I whisper as I look at Gaia. Sofia moves closer to the
Jake POV.Seeing all the wolves here, I’ve never felt so out of place as I do right now. Walking away from everyone, I walk towards the lake and sit on the dock. Looking out over the glittering waters, I dangle my feet over the edge.I feel a presence behind me and I don’t bother turning around. I don’t care who it is or what they want. The day she died, a part of me died with her. I know my mates feel the same way and we are dealing with it in our own way.“Mind if I sit down?” I turn and see Asteria. I smile at her as she sits next to me, dangling her bare feet into the water.“Want to talk about it?” she nudges me with her shoulder. I look back out over the water.“Drowning is not the way out of it. Your mates need you, and so does her family.” I turn and look at her and she smiles at me.“They don’t need me. We did this Asteria. We deserve death for this.” I mumble when she sighs.“You can’t change what happened. She never blamed any of you. She knew it was Morgana’s doing. Don’t
Gabe POV.The time has come to lay Gaia to rest. I did this; I killed her. Morgana was in my head, telling me to stab her, to kill the imposter. I was under her spell and I didn’t know what I did until it was too late when I felt the bond break and her death. It shook me to my core, and it still does.The look on her face, wide eyes as I plunged that dagger into her heart. Before she fell, she smiled at me. Smiled at her mate, who killed her. I can’t do this. I can’t do this.Jake holds my hand as we watch as Fenrir carries Gaia through the packgrounds towards the crypt. He stops in front of us. He nods his head. Drums sound as the bonfire cracks behind us. Leo kisses her on her forehead, Calista kisses her lips, Jake kisses her nose and I look down at her. I bite my bottom lip as I stroke her cheek and kiss her hard on the lips as tears slip down my cheek. Placing my forehead on hers, I whisper.“I’m sorry, my love, I love you.” I move back, looking up at Fenrir, who has tears in his
Epilogue 1.Rosa POV.Today I leave for the settlement at Moonlight Cove. I don’t want to go. The reason being that Charlie has been awful to me the last few times I have been there; I don’t understand why he is being a total twat.“Rosa, baby. Come on.” My mom Gaia shouts at me from the living room and I groan as I walk like a lost puppy down the stairs. My parents know I don’t want to go, but this is what I have been trained for since I was five years old. It sucks ass being the next Oracle, especially a wolf one. I haven’t told them why I don’t want to go.“Stop grumbling. It will be fun.” My wolf Cece says in my head and I scoff at her. We shifted a few days ago, and she hasn’t shut up since.The shift was painful and I won’t be doing it again anytime soon, that’s for damn sure. We managed to hold off me going to settlement when I was 16, but now I’m 18 and I have to go. Maybe I can run away and they won’t find me?“Don’t even think about it, young lady.” I turn and see my dad Cal
Gaia POV.It has been a few weeks since the not funeral. Everything has settled down and there has been nothing bad happening so far. For that, I can only hold my breath because there will always be trouble waiting around the corner to cause damage and chaos.Rosa has been doing her lesson every Saturday and has been spending time with Charlie. They are so funny together, her with her mischievous ways and him with his nonchalance. He isn’t easily riled, which is a good thing, because we all know how Rosa can get under your skin and it takes a lot of patience with her.The first time she came back from her training. Dragus scooped her up and sniffed her and was asking who had been around her and I told him it was the people from the settlement it is safe to say the following week he tagged along and yes you guessed it, he found his second chance mate. it was no other than Odessa.He is happy and so is she, but at first she ran away because she was worried that he would reject her, espe
Gaia POV.The day has come that we lay Britany to rest. It has been a few days and things are calm for a change. But I know it’s because the pack is mourning the loss of their Luna and after today they will lose their Alpha.I am walking through the packhouse in a black dress and my hair is down, minimal makeup is on my face and I have my black sunglasses. I haven’t been sleeping much as I know things are going to change rapidly when Nic leaves us to go in search of himself. It’s the same thing dad done, but he was searching for his mates.I hope Nic returns to us better than before. All we can do is keep a close eye on him. He had locked himself away from everyone and refused to eat or see anyone, so all we can do is watch from afar.The pack is sombre and some look at Nic with disdain as we walk towards the family crypt. I hold his hand and give it a squeeze. But he keeps his head down and I want to take his pain away, but I can’t. He needs to do this.We stop in front of Selene, wh
Gaia POV.Walking on pack grounds. The place is in turmoil as the warriors are in battle formation and I sigh, rubbing my forehead.“What is going on?” I say to my dad and he shrugs his shoulders as we walk closer to them.“Ok, can someone explain what the fuck is going on?” I shout and they all turn to look at me as my mates and family come running towards us.“Oh, thank the Gods you are safe, what happened?” My mom throws her arms around me and I explain everything and she looks at me in shock before she looks at my dad and he has a pout on his lips. Yeah, I get that from him.“Please tell me you didn’t do that?” she asks him and he just shrugs his shoulders when mom groans and rubs her temples.“God dammit, Fen, you can tell where she gets it from.” I move away slowly, not wanting to be scolded by her. If you didn’t know this, but my mom is fucking scary when she is mad. So yeah, dad is on his own.“Traitor.” I hear him mumble through the link. My eyes widen. Wait, I can link.“Kod
Gaia POV.“No, that’s not possible. No power can unlock that gate without the Guardian.” I say to him when he shakes his head with a chuckle.“That’s where you are wrong. You are or sorry, were the Goddess of Hell your authority overrules that of the Guardian. You willingly gave your power to the monsters. They are growing stronger and it will only be a matter of time before they break the Gate of Purgatory. Releasing the damned back into the world. Do you see what you have done? Gaia, you have caused destruction. All because you couldn’t contain your power.” I look at him in shock. I shake my head. Gods, he is stupid.“No, it was Xena’s power and the damn curse she put on me that has caused this. I tried to fight it and I failed. I wanted to get rid of it. Xena’s soul is feeding the Gate, so is her power, it also feeds it. My darkness, as you know, had been taken over by her power. If I didn’t do what I did, I would have destroyed everything. You know this, with my power, Zeus, I am
Gaia POV.The feeling of something silky against my back and the sun beaming on my face wakes me from a dreamless sleep. Squinting as I open my eyes. I cover my eyes with my forearm as everything is bright. Too damn bright.The sound of birds, running water and soft music fills me. I remove my forearm and see I am laying on a shimmering silk cushion. I look down and see I’m wearing a long, flowing white gown. My wrists, ankles, and neck have gold cuffs and I take in the room.The room is spotless, all white with gold touches to it. The floor is marble white tiles with the same gold swirling through it. I look towards the window and it’s not a window. It’s completely open, with long sheer white voile curtains blowing delicately in the breeze.I pull myself up and walk towards them, and I gasp in surprise.I’m in a paradise. The grass is green and lush, palm trees, animals big and small roam around living peacefully. Predator and prey living side by side. The sky is a mix of blues and l
Jake POV.We all watch on in horror as these shadows fed on Gaia. The room is icy cold and we can see our breaths. With each bite or suck from these shadows, you can see the power being pulled from her. It’s dark misty stuff, then it starts changing colour and becomes red.No-one moves or speaks as we all stand there watching as she opens her mouth, her back arches up and a silent scream tears out of her, tears stream down her face.When her back hits the ground and the shadows slither away with a purr like hiss. Fen runs to her and we follow behind.Nothing is making sense with what has just happened. Then she revokes her power and title. That is when it hits us. It was her power, her darkness, that those things were feeding on. They were taking it away from her.“Will she be ok?” I whisper as I touch her cold, clammy skin with a shaking hand.“I don’t know. You saw what she did. She is no longer the Goddess and her power is gone.” Fen slumps on the floor, cradling Gaia to his chest.
Gaia POV.I watch on in horror as I try to fight back. This isn’t my magic, this is … the curse. Fuck!I try to fight back as I advance forward and grab my father and fling him away as I move to Nic.“STOP, STOP, STOP!” I scream, but I keep moving forward as I try to pull myself back.My hand moves and grabs Nic by his throat, and his eyes fly open as my claws extend. No, no, no, no!“You’re … not … my sister! Are … you?” I try to pull my claws back, but I can’t.“No. I’m not.” As I fight the power, my hand tightens when I’m knocked away from Nic, and I keep fighting. When I turn and see my dad in his beast form as he growls at me.Oh fuck! This is going to hurt. I try again to open the mind link, but I can’t. I can’t stop myself. All I can do is watch on in absolute horror.“Whatever you are, stop!” I scream again when a cold laugh sounds in my head.“No, you know you want this, Gaia. Give in, all your life you have been shunned by them when you should have been loved. They hate you,
TRIGGER WARNING, PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION!Leo POV.We all watch in horror at what Gaia has just said. What the fuck is going on?“The first time she felt your betrayal, she caught you in your bed with three whores, yes?” I watch as she balls her fists to her sides and I can feel the anger, sadness, and need for revenge build in her.“ANSWER ME!” she screams and I see a few jump at her tone. She is filled with hate and will hurt him.“Yes,” she growls at him, and so does Sofia. I look between them both and move closer to her when Calista stops me and shakes his head and I can’t read his expression. He is cold.“Do you remember when she collapsed? When she fucking passed out clutching her belly.” I take a breath at her words when the temperature in the room plummets and I know she is pissed.“She was pregnant with your pup. Your pain of betrayal caused her to miscarry in the fucking shower of your room. Then because of that, when you continued and then started beating her, th