BellaI could smell Christian. How was he even here? How had he found me?Aiden holds me steady as I try to move away. “What are you talking about?”“I can smell him.”“Go!” Aiden orders Leighton“I don’t even know who I’m looking for. Does he look like Cedric?”“Hazel eyes, shaved head. Tattoos on his neck.”He disappears out the door.“You’re sure it's him?” Aiden mutters as he tries to get me back into bed.“I know that smell anywhere.” I grit my teeth, trying to ignore the pain that radiates through me.“It can’t be a coincidence that Cedric turned up at our house and now Christian’s here.”Aiden stands guarding the door, he tells me to be quiet because if I can scent Christian, he would likely be able to scent me.“Just kill him.” I mutter. “Just kill him and then it will all be over.”He shakes his head at me and places a finger to his lips, signalling for me to be quiet.‘Too many humans.’ He links me. ‘It will be too risky here.’I try getting off the bed again. Ignoring the p
BellaWith my hand still resting on Aiden, I sense the change in his heartbeat. He was most likely awake and just keeping his eyes closed, listening to what was happening instead. I wondered if Cedric was aware.“What was rightfully yours?” I mutter as Cedric stares at me with his dark eyes. They hadn’t even moved to Aiden.“I was supposed to be King. And I am still owed that.”“You’re not an heir. You are just the King’s Beta.”“Halle was promised to me.”“Halle?” I pause, shaking my head in disbelief.“Halle?” I ask again. My eyes go to Aiden. “Did Aiden promise you Halle?”“You don’t need to sound so disgusted!” He snaps “But no Aiden didn’t promise Halle to me. The King did.”“The King?” I had to keep him talking. I had to know if he was telling the truth or just trying to trick me like Christian. For all I know, they could still be working together and this is part of their plan. A diversion. It would be something that I would do.“Not who you thought he was?” He mutters“I just…
AidenHer growl is deep, almost as if she was close to shifting. Bella glares at him with her golden eyes as he takes another step towards us. The Rogues close in behind him, creating a tight, shoulder to shoulder circle that we were unlikely to break through. And I had lost sight of Leighton.“Where’s the Queen?” Bella growls at him.“Are you ready?” Christian asks her.Bella’s eyes flicker to me. I feel the link open between us.‘You won’t get out of here alive if I don’t go.’ Her voice is barely a whisper.‘No.’‘It’s the only way, Aiden. Do you still have my watch?’‘Yes’.‘Then you can find me. But you need the Queen for your father’s sake.’“Stop chatting between yourselves!” Christian snarls“Where’s the Queen?” Bella asks again. “If you have her, I will come.”Bella lets go of my hand and takes a step forward.“Only in exchange for the Queen.”Christian clicks his fingers. He keeps his eyes on Bella.The Rogues separate and let another Rogue through. It’s carrying my unconscio
BellaThe Rogue carries me for hours. We had split from Christian shortly after leaving the hospital. Heading in completely different directions.He grunts as he carries me through the trees. His feet expertly navigated the forest like he had been here many times before.But why had he separated from Christian?After a while, I begin to notice that we are travelling in a figure of eight. Looping around and crossing back over the same path that we had already travelled.He does this a few more times before lowering me to the ground. He stares at me with his yellow eyes. I choose to keep my mouth closed. I needed to be aware of what was happening and I couldn't do that if I was talking.Christian steps between the trees. His lips curved up into a smile. He strides forwards with his hands behind his back. “Smart move.” He mutters when he is standing in front of me. “I didn’t think you would go through with it.”“She’s the Queen.” “I didn’t think you cared much about them.”I just glare
Aiden“Mum, you are not making any sense.” Halle mumbles. “How can Bella be the key?”“She’s important to him.”It had taken hours for her to be lucid. Her mutterings had made no sense. Yet Bella’s name always came up.“Why?” I ask, desperate for more information about my mate.She shakes her head. Her raven hair falls from the band in her hair and drops over her shoulders. “I don’t know. He talks about her alot.”“What does he say?”My mother stares at me blankly. She screws up her face as she thinks. “She’s important.”I frown. “You have already said that, but I need to know why she is important.”“He wants her.”I felt like we were going around in circles and not making any progress. I look over to my father who hadn’t said much since discovering my mother was pregnant. He glares back at me with his blue eyes.“Mum,” Halle whispers. “What do you remember?”My mothers eyes dance around the room. They settle on my father for just a moment before shifting to Halle.“I can’t shift.” s
BellaI lost count of how many times I was pulled from my room for questioning.Christian would ask the same question in multiple ways ‘What do you want, Bella?’ As if I was going to give him the answer he was looking for.He would threaten me with the dungeons or branding me with a hot poker. He tried to scare me in whatever way he could. The longer I held my silence, the more frustrated he became.I was paraded in front of the Rogues, like some kind of fancy dessert. Christian at my side, his arm looped with mine because my hands were bound together.“I can hand you over to them if you like.” He whispers into my ear. “Though there isn’t much meat on you.”It hits me hard. I hadn’t even thought about the ones who didn’t get pregnant. They were fed to the Rogues. What better way was there to get rid of women who knew their secret.As he continues to walk me between the row of Rogues, I keep my eyes ahead. There were more than before. Their numbers seemed to be growing.“I can give you
Aiden‘Aiden?’ She whispers back.‘Are you okay?’ I ask, it was a stupid question, of course she wasn’t okay. She was being held hostage. But just hearing her voice gave me hope.‘I will be when Christian is dead.’ she mutters back.‘We have the house surrounded.’‘Don’t! It’s not safe here. There are more Rogues than before. An army. He’s planning something big.’‘Bella, there is no one guarding the house. I used your watch to track you down.’‘Be careful.” she mumbles. I could feel her fear. Something was wrong. ‘Just….Once again, it’s like she has fallen off the Earth. The very presence of her is wiped out. Just seconds and I had lost contact with her again.I glance at Leighton. "She's been drugged."“Again?” He asks“They don’t want me to find her.” I mutter as I glance down at her watch. She was definitely here. The tracker was moving back and forth, just like how she paced when she was frustrated. “Christian obviously knows that whatever he is giving her, wears off. He will ke
BellaI had heard him. For a fleeting moment, I felt calm. That there would be a way out of this mess. That somehow, he was coming for me.In no time, his voice fades. And that calm feeling is stripped from my body. But it was more than that this time and I didn't know what.Becca had been watching me as I spoke to him, she had shifted to her human form and had a towel wrapped around her middle. She had been standing, with her hands behind her back, watching me as the wounds on my stomach fighted to knit together. She had only stayed because the doctor had asked her too. I thought she wanted the same things as I did. I thought she was on my side, until, out of nowhere, she stabbed me with that syringe.It was different from the one that had been jabbed in the neck. It stung and forced me back onto the bed. Pain creeps in through my body.“Go away.” I mutter through gritted teeth.She stands there, staring at me“Get out!” I growl as I clutch my stomach. Whatever was in that syringe,