Jessi's P.O.V.
I fall onto the mat from exhaustion. Gabe worked us so hard this afternoon I'm sure my body is now made of jelly. I just need to get enough energy to get into a shower, and then I can see Wyatt. "Do you need help getting to your room?" Trevor asks, standing over me. I don't like how his eyes run over my sweaty body when I'm wearing hardly any clothing. "Nope. I can manage just fine." I respond, jumping up and ignoring the hand he's holding out to me. I'm still not happy with how he talked to me in Wyatt's room. He wouldn't have done that if Wyatt was awake. "Can I at least walk you to your room?" He asks hopefully as I grab a water and head for the door. I need to nip this in the bud now because he's really starting to make me uncomfortable. He went from being a jackass who was treating me like shit to a jackass who keeps testing my patience. "No. We're going in different directions. Besides, I want to check on my mate, and IJessi's P.O.V."What? Are you sure it was Gabe?" I ask Wyatt in disbelief. How could it be him? He's been training me for years. He was always a little gruff, but I figured that was because he had been a warrior for so long. Wyatt takes another drink of water when Zoe brings him a fresh cup."I'm positive. I saw him clearly, and that's not all. He had the arrow pointed at you, Jessi. He would have shot you if I hadn't moved you out of the way." I can't believe it. Why would Gabe want to kill me?"I don't understand. Why would he try to kill me?" I ask. Selene was right. Those I thought had my back don't, and those I thought were against me aren't. I don't know who to trust anymore. How am I going to take these men into battle when I have to look over my shoulder to see if one of them is trying to kill me?"Look at me. I need you to stay strong. If he thinks you're on to him, he'll disappear. He came to see me today, and I'm worried that he may
Wyatt's P.O.V.We approach the door to the dining hall, and I can't wait to see the looks on the men's faces. I look up at Ryder and Zoe. "Can you go in first and watch Jock and Gabe to see their reactions when they see me?" I ask them. "Of course. Give us a few minutes before you come in." Ryder says. Once they disappear inside, I look up at Jessi."Are you okay?" I ask her. She smiles at me, but I can tell she's nervous."I'm still trying to come to terms with Gabe trying to kill me and almost killing you. I don't understand. We can't pretend nothing's going on for long, or he'll try again." Jessi says quietly. "I agree. Let's go inside and shake some things up." I have the others watching Gabe and Jock, but my eyes will be on Trevor. No matter what he said to Jessi, I still don't trust him. I lean forward to open the door, and Jessi pushes me inside. I hear gasps all around, but I'm focused on Trevor. He looks between me an
Jessi's P.O.V. When we hear the mindlink, Wyatt and I jump up and run to the door. I stop him before we go out. "You can't be seen. If they see you're back to normal or even close, it could put you at risk. Stay here. I'll mindlink you what's going on." I can see the frustration on his face, but he nods. "Okay. Be careful; I love you." He leans down to kiss me, and I curse the damn rogues for interrupting my alone time with Wyatt. "I love you too. Hopefully, I won't be long." I tell him before opening the door and running out. I see the other warriors and guards running toward the front door in various stages of dress. The next attack shouldn't have been until tomorrow. Why the change in pattern? I reach downstairs as the door flies open, and the three rogues rush inside. I pull out my long knife as I run toward them. When I'm almost there, I leap in the
Jessi's P.O.V. "What do you mean Trevor is Gabe's son? Are you sure?" I ask Jock in disbelief. How could no one have known this? "Yes. He's his illegitimate son. He got a human woman pregnant before he met his fated mate. Gabe left the woman and his unborn son for his mate. However, they were never able to have pups. Gabe wanted a son, so he forced his fated mate to allow the human woman and his son to move in with them. They lived in a small house outside of the palace. He kept this secret from everyone. From what Selene disclosed, Gabe wanted to become the lead warrior and make his son his second. They planned to take over the palace and become the new royals. Gabe and Trevor are responsible for the large group of rogues outside and how they know when to attack." Jock's wounds are almost healed, and from the look on his face, I believe what he's saying. It's all starting to make sense now. "Why are they
Jessi's P.O.V. I jump out of bed as soon I get the distraught mindlink from Ryder. Wyatt and I throw clothes on and race out of the room, no longer caring who sees him walking. Guards and warriors are frantically looking for the princess everywhere. When we reach the office, I hear Zoe's sobs, breaking my heart. Ryder runs to us as soon as we walk through the door. "What do you mean, Samira is gone?" I ask him in disbelief. Ryder falls to his knees with tears running down his face. "When we get up, we always peek into her room to check on her. When we went in this morning, her bed was empty. At first, we thought she had gotten up already, but we knew something was wrong when we couldn't find her or mindlink her. I found this note on my desk." Ryder hands me a crumpled-up piece of paper before standing up and going to Zoe. Both of them are sobbing. Lucas is there, too, with tears streaming down his cheeks. As I rea
Gabe's P.O.V."Do you think they'll come?" Trevor asks me for the hundredth time. Why was he given to me as a son? He's incompetent and thinks with his dick. I told him to stay away from Jessi, but he was determined to take her from Wyatt. "Of course they will. Jessi and Wyatt are bleeding hearts. They won't let the princess stay with us longer than necessary." I reply, patting Samira on the head. She moves her head and glares at me."Jessi is going to cut you into so many pieces when she gets here that the buzzards won't be able to find them all." She says, looking at me with fire in her eyes. I grab her hair and pull her head back hard. To her credit, she continues to glare and doesn't even wince."Let her try. She and Wyatt will be dead before you even see her." I tell her angrily. Jessi is young and headstrong; she's no competition for me. "You can kill Wyatt, but I want Jessi before we kill her. She owes me." Trevor says with a grin.
Jessi's P.O.V.When Gabe said the name of the witch I never wanted to hear again, my blood ran cold; we had to get out of there. I wasn't prepared for Cressida. She's supposed to be dead. "Jock, get to Samira and get her out of that shack." I mindlink him. The evil feels like it's all around us."I'm already here. The rogues have left. I assume they're on their way to you with the others. I'm going to grab her and come back your way." I sigh in relief."Samira, Jock is coming to get you. Stay with him. We're going to get you back to the palace." "He's here, and he's untying the ropes now." She replies. "Jock has Samira. Let's get the hell out of here. I don't like this." I mindlink Wyatt."Jock, tell us when you're close so we can all return to the palace. We need a plan before we take on Cressida. I'd like to know how she's even here. Ryder and Zoe killed her." Wyatt takes my hand as darkness surrounds us. "We're wait
Jessi's P.O.V."I know why she wants Samira," I say, looking at my princess. Everyone stops eating and looks at me with confusion."I thought it was to get to you and Wyatt," Zoe says, setting her fork down."If Cressida is currently in a form that's not human, she most likely wants to become human again. She can't just switch from body to body like she did in the past. To do that, she needs a sacrifice. I believe that's what she wants Samira for. If she sacrifices her and allows the blood to seep into whatever form she's in, then she'll be able to take the form of a human again." Samira looks at me with wide eyes, but she's nodding."That makes sense, because Gabe kept telling Trevor they needed me for something. Does that mean they're going to try to get me again?" She asks, getting up to sit next to me. I put my arm around her and shake my head."We're not going to let them get near you. How did Gabe get you in the first place?" I ask as we g