Balin looks shocked at my actions, but my chest is hurting at his cruel words.“That was low,” I stare at him, my voice harsh. “That was below the belt for someone who I was beginning to admire as a person.”I see sharp regret in his eyes, and he steps forward, “Isa-”“I’m glad,” I murmur, my eyes hollow. “I’m glad you showed me this part of you, now. You are the most despicable person I’ve ever met. Knowing - Having gone through losing your own loved ones, you would throw my loss in my face? You think it’s easy for me to find myself attracted to someone? Even if it’s just my body’s reaction? Wolves are physical by nature. I have been holding myself back, repressing myself. If anybody is to judge me for my thoughts, it is only ever going to be me. Not you. Never you.”Balin’s face is pale, and I turn around, “I’m going to go for a walk. I’ll be fine since there are so many people here. You should rest.”It’s difficult to control myself as I walk away, to keep my tears at bay, to p
“Who was that?!” Balin demands as Aldon and Idril take off after Damion.“I – No one!” I feel alarmed. “He was just talking to me.”Balin grabs my upper arm in an excruciatingly tight hold, giving me a violent shake, “Tell me the truth!”“I am!” I wrench my arm back, feeling both angry and just a little terrified of him. “Why would I lie about something like that?!”The look in his eyes makes my blood go cold and my voice is steadier now, “I just met him. I gave him my food because he looked hungry. That is it.”Perhaps it’s my cool tone which makes him relax.He lets go of me and I let out a breath of relief. I don’t know what’s his problem, but I take a step back from him.His eyes narrow, “What was his name?”I open my mouth to tell him, but something stops me. Maybe it’s irritation at how he’s treated me this whole day. “I don’t know,” I lie. He looks suspicious but finally says, “You’re not to leave the room without one of us.”The way he phrases that, as if it’s a co
“What?” I stare at her before looking at my own palm and then glaring at her. “It doesn’t say anything like that here!”The witch studies me, “There is love written in your fate. Love and destruction. The choice you make will carve the path of the worlds.”I shiver, “You know you don’t have to sound so ominous. And there is no love written in my life. My mate is dead. You’re just full of shit.”I try to get up, but she yanks me back down by my hand, looking down at it and frowning, “I see no past mate in your life. I see love lines. You loved two individuals. A different for each. And they left you in blood.”My jaw tightens, “Let’s just stop.”But she doesn’t listen to me, her grip ironclad as she keeps staring at my palm, “You will have your heart broken still but there is only one who is truly yours. Your souls are aligned.”Her voice turns quiet, thoughtful, “They have been aligned for so long. Your soul-” She looks up at me baffled, “Your soul is so old.”I snatch my hand b
I slip out, making sure that Balin is fast asleep. In his recovery, he is a sound sleeper, so I’m not worried about him waking up.I just have to be careful that the other two in the next room don’t wake up as well. However, as soon as I close the door to the room I’m sharing with Balin, I brush against something large and furry and nearly scream out.However, when I turn around, I see there is a large black dog. It looks quite friendly, its tail wagging as it looks at me.“That’s a first,” I rub his head. “Dogs are usually terrified of wolf shifters.”It just laps at my face, making me wince and push it back.It across to me that if it makes any sound, the three elves will wake up. “Come on,” I nudge him. “You have to leave.”It lets me pull it outside without so much as a whimper and I groan at its weight, “How did you even get in here?”It just gives me a grin and laps at my hand again.“Sshh!” I press my finger to my lips. “Not a sound.”I begin walking down the empty
What is he doing here?However, I can’t speak.He has me pressed against him, his arm banded around mine to prevent me from moving while his other hand covers my mouth.“Not a sound,” He murmurs against my ear, his lips brushing against the shell of it, making me shiver. “They’re looking for you.”Who is?!The window starts rattling almost violently now and I barely get time to blink before Damion releases me, grabbing my hand and dragging me outside. He’s running at an incredible speed, and I have no choice but to keep up with him.We pass by the streets, and it is only minutes later that I realize that he is taking me to the entrance of the town which leads into the forest.“Wait!” I gasp, digging my heels in. “I can’t leave.”He stops, looking over his shoulder at me, his amber eyes glinting, “Why not?”“Because!” I hiss at him, trying to ignore the way his hand fee around my wrist, firm and solid. “I came here with my companions! I have to leave with them! I can’t just aba
Seeing the bite marks makes my blood go cold and I lean forward and examine them in the mirror, hoping that I’m just seeing things. However, when I press against them lightly, I wince. They hurt.The skin hasn’t been broken but the pressure was hard enough to damage the blood vessels underneath the skin. I purse my lips to keep in any sound.How is this possible?Who was that person?Black fog can’t be a good sign so that means whoever bit me didn’t have any good intentions eithers.“Scratched by a snake and bit by a dream demo-”My words cut off when something hits me.Demons.Balin said that it was the demons who were after me. What were the chances that they could invade dreams?I know it sounds ludicrous even in my head but who’s to say that they don’t have the ability to do that? I don’t even fully know the extent of the elves’ capabilities. They keep surprising me. Who’s to say that demons don’t have strange abilities as well?I glance towards the bathroom door an
I don’t get the opportunity to react because my upper arm is seized by the shifter in question and I find myself face to face with rough looking man who is sniffing at me, almost curiously, “Who are you? You’re not one of ours.”There is something about him which makes me almost queasy, this lust in his eyes.I wrench my hand away from him, “I’m just passing through!”He sniffs at me again, getting a little too close for my liking, “You don’t have the scent of a mate on you.”I take a few steps back, “I was leaving right now. Get out of my way.”He sneers at me, covering the distance between us, “No can do, sweetheart. You’re on our territory. Any wolf passing through our territory has to announce themselves. You’re coming with me!”This time when he grabs my wrist it’s with an iron clad hold and I can tell he’s no ordinary shifter. He’s probably a high ranked one if his strength is anything to go by.“I’m not going anywhere with you!” I push at him, but he drags me to an empty
I hesitate, wanting to help. But the dog looks like he’s got this.However, I see the wolf’s eyes widen in unbridled rage and fear for the dog makes me rush forward and grab it’s fur, shouting, “He’ll kill you! Come on!”The dog seems reluctant to let go however but I keep yanking at it.It sinks its teeth into the wolf’s shank once and the shifter’s howl makes me wince, looking over my shoulder. I hiss, “More will come! Let’s go!”The dog reluctantly releases the wolf and I pull it along with me as I make my way to the entrance. It’s still snarling as the injured wolf glowers at us. But he has been sufficiently injured that he can’t follow us just yet.The dog seems to get the hint and we escape from the harrowing tunnel.The door to the outside is a heavy one which I can’t seem to push open. I throw myself against it multiple times, but it doesn’t so much as budge. The fifth time, I try to throw it open, I hear something crack in my shoulder and tears of pain fill my eyes.“Sh
DAMIENYears pass slowly when eternity is no longer in sight.Standing on the edge of the balcony of the bedroom I’ve shared with Isabel for five hundred years, I watch the lush lands in the distance. The demon realm has never prospered like this before. I’ve never been this content before.In the distance, I hear laughter and I look over to see two of my older sons carrying their sisters in their arms while my other daughter run after them, Cerebus trailing after them.I’ve had children before. I’ve watched them pass on. I still watch over their families. But this is different. This is more precious. Isabel has given me so many children and for once, I will not have to watch them die before me. Twenty strong children, half of whom are now leading their own lives, coming back to visit us. I have never once regretted sharing my life span. Now I get to enjoy my beautiful mate for centuries to come before we move on from this world. Speaking of my mate, I hear her voice.“Junip
I clutch on to Damien’s still body as I see Balin’s body dissolve into nothing within seconds. There is hush across the battlefield as everyone stares in shock at what has just taken place.‘Justice.’The words echoes in everyone’s ears and then I see the realization hit the elves about what is coming to them. The begin to flee.But only if it was that easy.One by one, they fall, their deaths painful and horrific sights.The battle which had come to a halt because of Damien’s sacrifice has now been ended by the interference of the Gods. There is no guilt within me.There is just dark and vicious satisfaction.Let them burn. Let them feel what it is like.The whole thing is over within a couple of minutes and the silence stretches across the field.Finally, the Gods face me, ‘What do you wish from us?’My eyes flicker towards Damien and when I look up, the field is gone. Both me and Damien are in this white space that has no end.“The elves are gone,” I say with great di
My heart is filled with a broken pain that I can’t breathe past.They showed up. But they showed up too late.I’ve lost everything.Damien isn’t breathing. I pull out the spears one by one, ignoring the presence of the beings, tears falling down my face, my chest so tight with pain that I think it will burst. I can’t feel our mating bond!Oh, God! I can’t feel him anymore!The wail that rips from my throat at the realization that he’s left me all alone is a terrifying sound. The earth begins to shake as my grief grows out of control. These powers, these abilities, they’re useless to me!My heart is tearing out of my chest in my madness, the ground shaking.Let it all burn!Let them all die!‘Child.’The voice echoes in my head again and this time I look at those beings, my face ravaged with the tears of a broken woman.‘You cannot destroy these realms.’“I cannot?” I snarl, “Just who do you think you are to tell me what I can or cannot do?!”The more upset I am, th
Mara’s anticlimactic death has me reeling. But now is not the time to worry about that. I shift into my wolf form, attacking the enemy with a ruthlessness. It’s true what the witch said. My mating bond has increased my strength. I feel lighter on my feet as I wade through the elves like they’re ants. My speed is faster, although not to the level of that of Damien’s.I can feel some of my abilities leaking through but I’ve still not been able to access my abilities. I’m a little disappointed. I thought weakening the seal would have more of an impact but aside from this soft leakage of warm sensation, there is nothing else.I feel frustrated but I can’t do anything.Damien, though.Damien is stronger than I have ever seen. He’s cutting down the elves with speed, his focus sharp. His laughter is vicious and despite that, my heart flutters in my chest at how glorious he looks. I look at him and that is my mistake.You never allow yourself to get distracted on the battlefield.A
The troops are already waiting in their battle positions when we arrive.Damien brings me with him to the battlefield. He’s wearing a suit of dark armor and I feel tense, “The Rubab Stone-”“I’ll have to be more careful,” his voice is calm. “Last time I wasn’t as aware. This time I know I am not invincible.”“Damien,” my heart is twisting in my chest. “I-”He cups my cheek, his voice gentle, “I’ll be fine, little wolf. Just don’t leave your guards.”I know he would have preferred to stash me somewhere but it’s clear that he wants me close by. After so many traitors popping up after the first battle, it only makes sense.“Don’t let anybody catch you off guard,” he thrusts a sword into my hand. “Trust your instinct when you fight. They’re going to try and separate us. Let’s make sure that, that doesn’t happen.”I give him a small smile, feeling a sliver of hope on seeing his confidence.“Okay.”I get on my toes and press a sweet kiss to his mouth.We don’t get more time togethe
“What is it?” “Something has happened in the demon realm,” he says, grimly, before looking down at my hand.I shake my head, “The pain is gone.”“Good, let’s go.”“Thank you,” I give the witch a weak smile, not knowing whether to actually be grateful or blame her for the wrong that has happened in my life. But it’s always a good idea to be graceful.She waves us off and I’m in Damien’s arms as he runs out of the cave, past the trees, towards the temple.“The portal-”“Caleb will open it when I give the signal,” he’s not even out of breath as he rushes down the temple where the shrine gates are.As we move towards the town, I grab his shoulder, “Wait! What is that?!”The sky is orange.“How long were we inside?” I mutter. “Is the sun rising?”“No,” Damien says after a long moment. “It’s fire. The town has been set on fire.”“We have to help-”But Damien holds me back, “Look.”For a moment, I don’t understand what he is saying. And then I see the arrows shooting within the
“There has to be something someone can do,” I ask, forcing my voice to stay calm, despite the roiling fear inside of me.The witch’s voice is kind now, “I’m afraid not. You’re not the first who has tried to seek a way to undo the curse.”It’s hard to keep my tears at bay. The tears are not of sadness but rather of the crippling fear of the unknown future that awaits me. At this point, I am already aware of the nature of the painful deaths a majority of the Righs faced. It was just physical pain they had to go through, that would have been fine. Horrifying as it may be, one can tolerate that to an extent. But seeing your loved ones be tortured? The mental anguish is not something I will be able to take any longer. My suffering may be different from that of the previous Righs. It may not even compare. But for me, it is enough. I am reaching my breaking point. There are so many people in my life that I now care about, so many people who can be used against me. It frightens me to th
The witch studies me, “There have been numerous prophecies recorded about the Righs over time but there was one that was recorded by a Righ who was born to a Seer and a witch. You can call it a curse or a prophecy.”I instantly remember what I saw. The memory of the battlefield. The woman who was held down, screaming.My blood turns to ice as I recall that memory. It still gives me nightmares. “The downfall of the elves. From the hands of the weakest of the Righs. And right now,” the witch looks at me, “no offence, but you are the weakest Righ there is.”I’m being hit by so many curveballs that getting my feelings hurt is at the bottom of the list right now.“It’s funny that you think I’m going to bring about the downfall of the elves when I can’t even protect myself or use my abilities.”My voice is tight with barely restrained anger.“The stars have aligned and the stars have never lied before,” the witch says, easily. “The time is drawing nearer for the final battle.”I don
I feel my knees turn weak, “What?”“But you created the seal!” Damien snaps. “You should be able to break it!”“Logically, yes,” the witch says, calmly. “But this seal is special. It draws its power through sacrifice of fate. Those spells are impossible to break.”A shutter falls over Damien’s face, “What have you done?”I look between the two feeling like I’m in the dark, “What does she mean? What do you mean by a sacrifice of fate?”The witch studies me and for the first time, I see a glimmer of sympathy in her eyes for me, “I don’t think you want to know the answer to that.”I push past Damien, “I do. What do you mean a sacrifice of fate?! Whose fate?!”She looks at Damien before meeting my gaze, “The Righ is a powerful entity. You think it was easy for even somebody like me to be able to contain your powers? No. If I had used a normal spell, as strong as I might have tried to make it, it would have broken against your powers. I needed something stronger. Something that woul