Selene POV
“As we enter the realm of the gods, as mortals, there are a few key things you must remember. One, assume that anything has the potential to kill you, even if it looks harmless. Two, trust no one other than me. And three, keep your wits about you, distraction could get you killed.”
“Right, everything will kill us. Got it.” Blake said teasingly, typical highlander.
“This is serious. Aiden is at risk from anyone who comes to learn what he is to me. But in particular, my mother and…. One other.”
My mother would be an obstacle, but she was faithful to the old ways and the decisions made by the all-father. In time, I felt she would come to accept Aiden as my fated mate. I had grave concerns about Gabriel though. The archangel was deadly and made no secret of the fact that he was in love with me. How I’d managed to evade him these last few days wa
Aiden POV“Selene! What’s happening to him?”I tried to rush toward my Beta and best friend, but my mate held me back. She was a strong little thing.“You must give him space, the transformation has begun.”“Transformation? What do you mean transformation?”“He is a Highlander…”“Love, I’m quite aware of his roots, I need to know what the devil is happening to him.”I was beginning to panic. After Blake took a sip of the stream water he immediately fell to his knees. He arched back as the light began pouring from him in streams. He was screaming in what appeared to be utter agony. Shifting rapidly from wolf to human over and over. As if in some kind of internal battle.“No, He is a Highlander…”
Selene POVI wanted to follow Aiden but Blake stopped me.“Leave him, Luna. He needs to be alone….”“Was it something I said?”“Perhaps, not intentionally. I don’t think he likes needing to be protected, especially by his mate. He is an Alpha, Selene. He is always the strongest wolf in the room, second only to his Father.”“I understand….”I looked in the direction Aiden had headed when I sensed it. We were not alone, and whoever was with us was powerful.When I apparated, I found myself standing firmly between Aiden and a tense-looking Gabriel.“Selene, I had received word of your return, although I wasn’t expecting you to bring home a dog.”Gabriel cocked his head to one side and looked Aiden up and down. The growl that rumb
Aiden POV“Wait… You want us to mate? Here? Now?”I was looking at Selene and feeling dumbfounded. Wasn’t it her idea to hold off on mating until we understood the consequences of this pairing? All of a sudden after a run in with her ex she wants to rush in and complete the bond. Ronan was in a frenzy.“What are you waiting for? Claim her, mark her!” He growled from inside my mind.I used all of my willpower to keep him at bay. I wanted her as badly as he did. But something about this felt… forced.“If we present ourselves with an incomplete bond, we are vulnerable. Once the bond is complete we will be stronger. You will come into your full strength as Alpha, we know that much…”“And how could it affect you?”I didn’t miss the glance sideways she made before
Selene POV“Evangeline… long time no see, sister. Although, I find that we are at present seeing far too much. Do cover yourself.”This was Gabriel’s doing. My younger sister was the result of one of my mother’s many affairs. This one with a Sea-Centaur, making Evangeline herself a nymph. Her curse (or some may see it as a blessing) is that males of all species found her irresistible. Judging by the glazed expression on Aiden and Blake’s faces, that was precisely why Gabriel had sent her.To seduce my mate.She lifted her lips in a devilish smirk before brushing her hair away from her face, deliberately exposing her breasts. Her look of triumph faltered when she realised that Blake was the only one of the two men fixated on her. Aiden was looking directly at me, guilt devouring his handsome features. I couldn’t help but return a smirk of my
Selene POV“This one, he is more than a wolf?” Evangeline questioned me as she inspected Blake curiously.“Yes. He is also of Highlander lineage. He came unto his power when he drank from the waters of the garden.”Evangeline’s lips twisted in a mischievous grin as she locked eyes with Blake, who still, had not taken his eyes off her.“My waters…” she purred seductively.Of course. How could I have missed it? It wasn’t simply the water that had triggered Blake’s transformation, it was the essence of his fated-mate. As a Nymph, Evangeline’s essence lived within the natural things in her habitat like the water or the trees. She could not draw power from the elements in the same way that I could, but she could make things grow. Her power infused with the water, along with their bond, had caused Blake to ‘grow&r
Aiden POVShe was incredible in wolf form. Her fur was the purest white I had ever seen, no hint of imperfection anywhere. Her sapphire blue eyes stood out even more so in contrast. Ronan was in his element as we ran through the maze after her. She was fast. Much faster than an average wolf. Though he’d never admit it, Ronan was struggling to keep pace with her.Running like this, in our wolf forms, completely wild and free, felt natural. Our wolves weren’t hindered in the way our human sides were, well, my human side… Selene’s non-wolf side. They were driven by basic instinct. Wolves mate for life. Ronan knew Liana was his mate; the only thing on his mind was making it permanent. He ached to mark her and claim her as his own, but he knew that wouldn’t be happening until after we had completed the bond in our other forms. It was driving him crazy.“Look at her. She’s perfect. I
Selene POVDestiny had brought us here. Of that, I was certain. I had walked that maze hundreds of times and never once managed to find the door that led directly to the palace library. I didn’t need answers; there had been more than enough signs now for me to know that Aiden and I were made for each other. Running in our wolf form had only exaggerated the pull we felt to one another.The minute I had him in my chambers, I was overcome. My body ached with the need to mate with him, and I had never felt such unbridled desire before in my life.I felt bold and sensual as I explored my own body in front of him, giving him an unspoken invitation to join me.He didn’t hesitate.What happened next surprised us both. My magic responded to his touch as willingly as my body. I felt my power begin to surround him, holding us together as if insistent that we finally complete the
Selene POVMy breath hitched in my throat as I turned to face the figures that had just barged into my bed chamber.Relief flooded over me when I realised it was Blake and Evangeline. They shut the door hurriedly behind them as Blake stifled a laugh at the position he had caught Aiden and me in. Aiden sprawled out on the floor, me still straddling him, both naked as the day we were born.I immediately noticed the marks on their necks. It seems Aiden and I weren’t the only ones busy making things official, although it took Blake and Evangeline significantly less time to take the plunge.“You two better pull yourselves together… or er… apart. Mother and Gabriel will be here any minute” Evangeline whispered, a slight hint of panic in her voice.“They know we’re here? As in, in the palace?”“Yes, Gabriel must be tracking
Selene POV"This is crazy..." Liana, my wolf, scolded in my ear. "You felt it, Liana. The pain. Whatever is happening to Aiden, I'd be surprised if he can withstand it for much longer.""But should we not at least have told your mother? I see no good coming from sneaking away on our own.""The only one that might have come was Evangeline, but I couldn't risk it. We have enough power to face whatever lies ahead, Liana. You can feel it as well as I can.""Exactly, I can feel it. It's volatile, and you've barely scraped the surface of being able to control it. You're being reckless, Selene, and you know it.""I'm not being reckless. I saw the vision, I know what this could mean. But how much longer do you want Ronan to suffer?"There was a long pause in my mind, and I wished Liana was in her corporeal form so I could get a better read on her. As strange as it sounds, I enjoyed having her by my side instead of it having to be one of us or the other. Even though it had been that way for m
Aiden POV My mind was racing as the blurred stone walls that made up the cell I was now trapped in became clear. That voice... I'd heard it before, but where? Who was it? How did they overpower me? Was it a betrayal? Gabriel. He was the one that sent me here. That son of a bitch, I should've known better than to trust him. I could hear muffled voices in the distance, but the volume suggested they were drawing nearer. A quick scan of my surroundings confirmed my suspicions. I was strung upside down, ankles and wrists bound by a metal so strong I couldn't make it flex with all my strength. Below my arms, which were hanging above my head, was a chalice with a distinct red liquid sitting in it. Dried blood on my palms indicated it had likely come from my wrists. As the footsteps neared, I closed my eyes, and the creek of the door alerted me that I had company. Three sets of heavy footsteps entered, and I focussed on slowing my heart rate, for little good it did me. "Reall
Aiden POV As I sat staring out the window of my bedroom overlooking the field that led to the great forest for what felt like the hundredth night apart from Selene, I prayed. The silence was deafening. I suppose I thought she might hear me, answer... Come back to me. There had been no activity since the gathering, which I'm certain was intended to be our slaughter. Something stopped the attack or someone... A knock at my door broke me from my thoughts. "Aiden? Sorry to intrude, I saw the light..." "Come in, Blake." Blake had been apart from Evangeline as long as I had been apart from Selene, and I recognised the look in his eyes and the fatigue in his soul. It was weakening us both, though not as much as it should have been. Wherever our divine mates were, they were well and making sure we were as well. "I thought they'd at least have sent word by now..." he mumbled, half to himself as he poured us each a glass of whiskey. "There must be a good reason for it. Though I
Selene POV I stifled a smirk as my Mother rejected my Father's advances for what felt like the hundredth time since we returned to the palace. "What on earth is going on? Aren't you supposed to be training?" Evangeline whispered to me. "Yes. But not before issuing a little payback." Rather than attempt to recount the events, I placed my hand over my sister's and showed her a snippet of the conversation I'd had with my father. "Selene... you didn't!" she gasped, her whisper squeaking as the pitch of her voice rose in shock. I simply shrugged, feigned a look of innocence and turned my attention back to my parents. "Hey... Dad." The word still tasted strange on my tongue, "Need I remind you of the grave and mortal danger being faced in the human realm and the lives that are dependant on my training?" My Father turned to me, my Mother taking the opportunity to slide out of the corner he'd backed her into and make her away across the room. "Of course. Forgive me, daughter. I
Selene POV My Father's private chambers were not at all what I was expecting. The palace of the gods, the place I had always known to be home, was luxurious and indulgent. My father, it seemed, preferred more minimalistic surroundings. The thing about Eden, is that no being will ever be able to explore its vast reach fully. The garden is alive, and it changes constantly. As my father guided us through the unassuming little clearing he called home, I understood why. He lived hidden in plain sight, watching us. "Why here?" I questioned as I took a seat on a log by the babbling stream. "Where else? It is perfect, Selene. So perfect. I wanted them to have it. But, as I have learned, with all great gifts, they are easily taken for granted by those who don't have to work for them." A silent acknowledgement lingered between us as my mind wandered to the power I had inherited. Something I was sure would betray me the moment I took it for granted. "So, you really expect me to believe al
Aiden POV When I rose to my feet, I could sense that something had shifted. The surge of power was intense but fleeting. With its disappearance, so went the darkness. I could no longer sense the presence of the vampires. As my eyes darted around the creatures that had gathered for the ceremony, I also noted that a certain leprechaun had vanished as well. "What the hell just happened?" Blake's voice broke me from my thoughts. "You felt it too?" "Aye, I felt it. We all did. Whatever it was, I think it just saved us from an attack." I turned to Gabriel, who stood a few metres away with his wings fully unsheathed, staring toward the heavens. "Do you know what it was, Angel?" I questioned. He lowered his wings before slowly turning his head to glance at me over his shoulder. "That..." he began, "Was divine power." "So? I'd have thought you'd be used to that... being your kind." "You'd think." he scoffed, "But I've not felt anything like that in millennia... Look around, pu
Selene POVMy skin was humming. The power that was coursing through my body was intoxicating. I traced my brands with my own fingertips as I marvelled at the glow that seemed to be sitting just below the surface of my skin. I felt strong... So strong that if I attempted to hold on to something, I would suck the life from it without effort or warning. When I met the eyes of my mother and sister, I witnessed something in their expressions I had not seen before— Evangeline looked curious but wary. My mother looked terrified. "What is it, Mother?" When I spoke, my voice sounded distant and layered. "Selene... you have managed to tap into an obscene amount of power. If you are not mindful... it could consume you..." her words were cautious as they left her lips, and she seemed not to want to stand too close to me. Before I had a chance to respond to my mother, a sharp wind blew through the room, extinguishing the candlelight before dark clouds rolled in, shrouding us in darkness. The
Aiden POVI was sick with worry about Selene but had forged ahead with the plans for the ceremony. The creatures were beginning to arrive at the pack, and we had our work cut out to accommodate them and ease their fears for their safety. There was a reason many of them had remained hidden for centuries, and it was no easy task to coax them out. If it weren't for Fionn, Durragh and Maeve, we'd have had no chance at all. Some came willingly, trusting the word of the high fae. Others, like the fairies, were under their command. The most hostile were by far the ones that were here because they were paying a debt of some kind. One Leprechaun, in particular, caused my hackles to rise in his presence. Seamus radiated something more sinister than trickery and mischief. He owed Fionn a debt, which seemed out of balance, although I knew little about Leprechauns. Leprechauns are the ones in the habit of collecting debts and striking bargains, not the other way around. "You know, Fionn, you
Selene POV"Selene, stop!" My mother demanded as my feet hit the floor and my knees buckled beneath me, sending me crashing down. "You're still too weak, daughter. You must remain here until you are back at your full power. Going back now puts you both in danger.""But it could already be too late, Mother! Time moves differently there. You know it as well as I do. He needs our help!"I looked desperately at Blake and Evangeline, pleading with them to help me. "Mother is right, Selene..."Evangeline's tone was gentle and laced with sympathy. My heart sunk as I realised they were right. I was too weak to be of any help, and my presence would weaken Aiden as the bond would feed me his energy. He couldn't stop it if he tried, he was an Alpha, and I was his mate. My life and his were one. "He is alive, Selene. You'd be able to feel it if anything had happened to him, even here." Evangeline reassured me as I choked out a sob and cursed my traitorous body for not healing faster."Blake, y