Don't hate Percy, it wasn't his fault. Poor Zerena.
"You're not going back." Kiran's nostrils flared. He was furious. "I don't care about that scientist, Zerena. You can't go back there. He had you raped!" I was letting the treacherous tears silently run down my face as Kiran spoke. He paced in front of the bed, and I just watched him march back and forth. He had been more understanding than I thought he'd be. He didn't blame me one bit. He held me for a while as I sobbed, but once I calmed down, he riled up. "I have to go back. I have to make sure he hasn't experimented on himself. I have to look at his research. I have to take him down, Kiran. If I truly want to be free of him, I have to take him down." I wiped my tears as I spoke, keeping my voice strong despite my emotions. "Zerena, please." He knelt in front of me beside the bed. "Don't go back, stay here with me." His molten gold eyes pleaded with mine. I wish so badly that I could say yes. I want nothing more than to stay here with him. I want to curl into a ball beside him
Kiran's P.O.V. "I have to go. I am sorry Kiran. I really am." Her kiss lingered on my lips as she left. How could I ever be mad at her for what happened? I wish she didn't have to go back. I wish I could fix this for her. She can't stay there much longer. I feel like I am losing my mind. "What happened?" Tate looked at me, very easily reading my emotions. "Alester." I seethed his name. I explained everything to him that Zerena had just told me. "Goddess." Tate was just as lost as I was. We were stuck. There is literally nothing we can do to help her right now and we know it. I went to punch the wall, my frustrations bubbling over. Tate grabbed my wrist before my fist made contact. "Don't break the walls. Come with me, I'm taking you to pack lands. You could probably use a good sparring lesson. I'll teach you to fight." Tate's eyes were very serious. Something is working up in that brain of his. I nodded, grabbing a shirt and pulling it on. Zerena at least has my shirt on her r
Zerena's P.O.V.Working on two hours of sleep again. That damn alarm woke me up before I was ready. I woke up a lot throughout the night with nightmares of Alester and Percy. I was drenched in sweat and I knew I had been screaming in my sleep. I was not ready to get up. Everett did say he would have the cops here this evening. Alester is going to have us help him hide everything incriminating as well as hide ourselves. We were all in the main room, and Kellan was staring daggers at me. I wonder what he's thinking, how he feels about trying to come into my room. "It seems someone has concerns about me. Cops will be here to search the place this evening. You all know what to do. I expect it to be done within the hour." He tapped his cane on the floor, dismissing us in a way. "Yes, sir." They all responded. I couldn't bring myself to say it and he caught it. "Zerena, was last night's punishment not enough for you. Do you need more?" He narrowed his eyes on me. He wasn't having this a
My anger was out of control and my gaze was fixed on Kellan. This isn't going to end well if I don't calm down soon."Zerena." Kellan whispered my name. It was almost a plea to give him some form of attention. "You need to stop, Kellan." Percy warned him. "You don't have room to talk, Percy. You literally slept with her last night because of some stupid potion Alester made. You can't judge me." Kellan defended himself. "At least, I know she enjoyed herself with me." Last night's events flashed before my eyes and I snapped. I went to punch Kellan, but Emerson held me back. I called on the shadows all around us, and I wrapped each one around Kellan, holding him in a cocoon of shadows. I began to squeeze him inside of it. "Zerena, stop!" Percy yelled at me. I couldn't though, this darkness in my heart was taking me over. I squeezed again, causing Kellan to turn red in the face. He struggled to get a breath of air in. "You're going to kill him." Emerson's large hands shook my should
Everett and I decided it would be best to have Kiran back home before Jason's pack arrives. We don't know how Jason's pack is and I don't need Kiran getting into a fight with a strange wolf. I'm already too on edge not to murder anyone that hurts him. Can't have this alliance falling apart during its first meeting. I was taking a stolen moment with Kiran before either of us had to leave. He and I were walking together around Everett's pack land as he handled business. Tate hung back with Ivan at the training grounds. "Teach me to fight." Kiran's voice cut our comfortable silence. His words surprised the hell out of me. "Are you sure about that? I'm pretty ruthless." I teased, but he just nodded his head. "You're the strongest person I know. Teach me, Zerena." His voice was seductive like he was asking me to sleep with him not pummel him."Only if you promise not to hate me after." I smirked at him. I was curious to see how strong he was. "I promise." The corners of his lips pulle
"Tate she wasn't even serious with you. She didn't use her shadows once on you. I promise you she's stronger than what she just showed you." Everett laid it out plainly for Tate. Everett then turned to the crowd. "Tate is still the strongest, under me, in this pack. Do not make the mistake of thinking he isn't. It just so happens this woman here is on another level than most. She did beat 3 alphas within 10 minutes." If he didn't address the pack they would believe Tate to be weak. That's not a good thing as it could throw things off balance for them. The pack all looked at me in disbelief. "Alpha, there's no way." One of them retorted. He was tall and lanky, and lacked muscles of any sort."Zerena." He motioned for me to show them an example of my power and I smiled. I used my new strength and training to control all the shadows in the room at once. I contorted everyone's shadows to wrap around their bodies, snaking up and around their necks. No one could move as I began to squeez
Barlowe. I kept repeating the name until my body ran cold. 'His name is Zion Barlowe' Kiran's voice ran through my head. No, nope, Nuh uh. There's just no fucking way. No, I refuse to believe that of all the people on this planet I managed to somehow kidnap Kiran's father and bring him to this hell. There's no way. He can't be. I swallowed hard as the realization was hitting my gut with a fury of guilt. "Zion, do you have a son?" I asked him, wanting to be sure. "I do. Although I don't know where he is now. We don't talk. I haven't been in his life for the past few years." He hung his head in shame. Fuck me, man. I pinched the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes for this next part. Will it ease my guilt if I don't look at him when he answers my question?"Is his name Kiran, by chance?" I peeked at his face as he stayed silent a while longer. "You can't kidnap him too. He doesn't even know this world exists. He isn't a phoenix like me. Leave him alone." Zion now stared at me the
Kellan sat back down, looking at me all kinds of confused. He furrowed his brows meeting my eyes with his electric blue ones. He had very beautiful eyes, but I could never stare at them for long. Sirens hold most of their power in their eyes, and their songs. Stare in his eyes too long and he could snare me in his siren spell. "Do you remember the pearl mission? The one Emerson got in trouble for?" They all nodded, and I realized that the only person that knows about Kiran is Percy. I'm sharing my truth to them all right now. "Do you remember the gas station we went to after?" "Yeah, the one we got shot in." Tally added."Yeah that one." "Yeah I remember." Kellan said, uncertain where I was going with this. "Do you remember the guy behind the register?""Not really, didn't he run away?" Kellan's brows were so furrowed they were almost meeting in the center of his face. "He didn't run away, I hid him. He's my intertwined, my destined one, my mate. Whatever you want to call it he'
I traveled to the spot in the yard, not believing my eyes from that distance. I approached the figure in the moonlight cautiously. He turned when he heard me step on a twig. That long black hair and dark eyes met mine. He smiled widely at me, swooning my heart the way he use to. “Percy?” I cried. “Hey, Zae.” “You as.shole.” I went to punch him but my hand went right through him. He laughed at me. “I figured you’d try to hit me. Sorry I don’t have a body anymore to hit.” He shook his head at me. “I’m sorry, Zae.” “You should be. You have no idea how much this has hurt. Damit Perc, you should have told me. I would have stopped it!” I yelled at him, tears flowing out of me like a waterfall. “You couldn’t have. Trust me, I didn’t want to leave our Ares, but it was the only way.” He sighed. His transparent hand reached for my face. I could feel him the same way I feel the air across my cheek. “Our Ares could really use a visit from you.” I told him. “I only have one more of
8 years later“Happy birthday Ares!” We all yelled, trying to surprise him, but who were we kidding he already knew.“I knew you wouldn’t forget.” He smiled at us all. “Auggie said everyone had forgotten about my birthday and that’s why no one had said it to me yet.”“Augustus Daimen Barlowe! Did you really tell your brother that?” Kiran scolded him.“I thought if he believed it he would actually be surprised.” Augustus explained.“I’ll talk to him, keep the party going.” Kiran told me, kissing my temple, before pointing to the door to let Augusutus know to walk out.I hugged Ares, holding him tightly for a long moment before he complained.“Mom.”“Sorry
Topher had already finished here. He was wrapping the elders up. We don’t plan on killing them or imprisoning them. They just won’t be in power anymore. I know they won’t like it, but with only a few elders they won’t be able to go against a whole army. We’ll be changing a lot around here, starting with the parties and classist shi.t. Obviously the higher class will hate it, but since they are few, I’m not worried about it. “Everything go well in the North?” Topher asked me, wrapping his arm around my waist and kissing my temple. “Easy as pie.” I assured him. “Yeah, especially after she went all devil on us.” Isaiah smirked. “You did?” Topher asked, obviously not liking the fact. He didn’t like me using that side of myself much. “Yes, just for a little while. I’m fine, don’t worry.” I assured him. He looked at me for a while, assessing me, before nodding his head. He kissed my forehead now, letting his lips linger there. He let his arm wrap around me further, until his hand
2 months later.“It’s gotta be simultaneous.” I told them all, through a mass shadow message. I stared down the elder’s building with group 1 at my side. I decided to take down the north elders, while Topher led the west rebellion group. We had a good amount of people with us in each colony.Our civil war begins. Only it won’t be a war, it’ll be one battle, and we will come out victorious.‘We’re ready in the south.’ Felix, the leader of the south, responded with his own shadow message.‘Say the word and we’ll attack.’ Helena from the East sounded ready to b
It’s been a month now since the battle with Alester. Percy’s funeral hit me hard, breaking me further. I almost couldn’t bring myself to go. Kiran and Topher dragged my as.s there, not giving me a choice in the matter. I saw Allie, her beautiful innocent eyes were puffy from all the crying. She admitted to me that she knew what was going to happen. She told me Percy had asked her not to tell anyone, and that he had set things up for Ares. Apparently Electra had been helping him see into the future. She admitted that she would be joining him soon too. It was almost poetic…almost. It’s so damn heart breaking. I am not sure there is a heart left in me. It feels so hollow in my chest, like it’s run away, unable to take the pain anymore. The only times I felt a remnant of it, were when I was with August or Ares, or when I’d look at Jesse’s ultrasound. She’s not shadow kissed like Augustus. She’s like Ares, in my normal womb. Topher and Kiran did their best at trying to cheer me up, or a
Zerena’s P.O.V.No! God No!Percy’s lifeless body laid at Alester’s feet, his eyes open, staring at Ares. I kept waiting to see him heal. Kept waiting to see him move, to get back up and pummel Alester before him. I watched him for a while, completely dumbfounded. This isn’t real, this isn’t happening. I haven’t lost Kiran and Percy just now. Kiran will come back with his Phoenix, and Percy will heal. They have to. They can’t leave me.A thick sadness was beginning to envelope me. I felt the cold seeping into my bones, as the darkness began to over take me, feeding on my depression. I felt it turning all the heartache in me into an unbridled rage. I looked at Alester now, who had Percy’s heart still in his hand, burning it to Ash befo
Percy's P.O.V. Zae had made her announcement to everyone. I thought it was sweet of her to go along with Topher's plan to have an announcement party. This is how it should have gone. A baby with only the person she chose and not because some crazy bastard gave her a sea witch's potion. I watched as everyone congratulated her. She actually accepted the hugs. God, I hope she continues to open up after I'm gone. I wrote her a letter too. I put it where I knew she'd find it after my funeral. I hope she takes the advice I wrote for her. Everyone was having fun. I watched as Zae's people all intermingled. It was like watching the many parts of Zea's life come together beautifully. Eventually, the party had started to whine down. The first to leave was group 1, followed by Zea's parents, and then Tate and Alara with her twin, Alexis, plus Maple left. Kellan had decided to stay a while longer to talk to Dex about water portalling. Rain and her mate, Nate, left as well. The only ones he
Zerena’s P.O.V.“How does this look?” Kiran asked, when he finished the icing on the cake.“Looks great!” I smiled at him, kissing his cheek. “Thank you, Kiran.”I was actually excited for today. I never thought I would be a big announcement kind of gal, but I think that I am. I really like the idea of surprising everyone today. Topher and I have been over the moon about our baby girl. I can’t wait to share the news with everyone. I am so very lucky to have Percy. I don’t think I would have noticed I was pregnant for at least another month. I am also so grateful that he has saved me time with naming all these children. Already knowing their names and their genders has been very convenient.
Percy’s P.O.V.Dearest Ares,I know you’re going through a hard time right now. It’s hard to be in love with someone who doesn’t feel the same way as you. I felt this way about your mother for the longest time. I know it is difficult, especially to watch them be happy with someone else. I promise you, it will get better. You will find your mate soon, and the pain you are feeling will be a distant memory.Stay by her side, fight through the pain, my son. She will need you when your brother inevitably breaks her heart. It will hurt, but you’ll have to help fix them in order to find your own happiness. I know you have a great heart. I can already see how morally grounded you are. You will make the right decision. I have faith in you.&nb