Ignoring Kyra’s protests and openly defying Alexander’s instructions to remain safely inside, I quickly pushed my way through the servants and residents of the castle. I completely forgot there was a whole ballroom of guests and family members expecting a ceremony to take place until I heard the strains of violins gearing up to play the entrance music.
Feeling the guilt on Ivan’s behalf I quickly headed into the room. The whole room beamed at me, ready for a celebration of true love. The ballroom was decorated with wildflowers and ivy, so many different flowers I hadn’t seen since living in Five Lakes. Ivan and Azalea must have picked out together. They had shared a life for eight months, the same length as me and Alex. To walk away from that must be absolutely killing Ivan.
Fyre nudged me into action, I was a Luna, this was no occasion to be weak and sentimental. Steeling myself I headed to the top of the room where the crowd gave me benevolent smiles of expectation
It looked like a battle between good and evil from our standpoint between the pine trees, Alpha Francis clad entirely in black versus Alexander in his crisp white shirt. It seemed the assassin, or rather Lucien as it appeared he was called, had been observing, not getting involved. I couldn’t help but stare at his scars, though they appeared less raw than the last time I saw him. “What’s happening?” I hissed at him, noticing he had his arm wrapped around Bella protectively the instant we crouched down alongside him. Definitely an interesting road trip for those two Fyre mused, finding their shared connection sweet in a strange way. Like poppies from a battlefield. “There’s a lot of talk about you,” he said flatly, and irritatingly vague. My head spun back to the action at hand as voices raised again. “Just tell me, Francis, what are you expecting to get out of this? You know you are going to be hung on the east wall for this kind of treason. Are you planning
Following Alpha Francis down the path filled me with a sense of dread. What the hell was I doing, following the Alpha who had locked Bella up to protect him from the Alpha who had beaten her to a pulp in that van. Both could rot really for all I cared, but last night, in those small moments of clarity I managed to find in between the ecstasy I had sworn to do better. I needed to follow Bella’s lead and try to care about more than myself. If that meant being on hand to protect Alexander, if necessary, then I was there. But only if necessary. I wasn’t risking adding more scars to my collection for no reason. I shook my head as I heard Bella scampering down the road. She must think I am deaf. Her feet pounded down the gravel path, I knew she would though. There was no way she was going to stay hidden, she had this burning desire to try and right her wrongs. It made me worry though, as I stalked through the trees, what can you do to be forgiven for a murder? Vikt
The disgustingly warm coating that followed told me I had won this battle. I fought myself back up onto four paws, dropping the mangled carcass of Francis to the ground as he bled out. Looking up to the top of the ravine I searched for Bella, I shifted back into human form to give myself a better view. I grabbed Francis’ abandoned cloak and wrapped it around my waist as I returned to see the statue of Alexander. It wasn't great. Even from a distance the amount of blood and his pale skin made me winced. As I closed in on him, my bare feet crunching the leaves, Helena was knelt on the ground cradling his head weeping. As she saw me approach, standing over his bleeding, naked body she screamed and was quickly wrapped into the arms of a wide-eyed massive giant of a Beta guard as she fought against collapsing herself. I had forgotten I was covered from my pecs to my shins in Alpha Francis's blood. Bad move. "Hel…" the gargled croak of Alexander managed to
Walking back with Helena whilst Lucien and Beta Jackson hauled, well for want of a better word, the carcass of Alpha Alexander back to the castle I struggled to keep it together. I'd seen him get stabbed and the blood start to ooze, an uncomfortable enough reminder of my past as it was. By the time I'd nearly broken my legs half a dozen times on the way down the ravine the image was too grizzly to take in. Three men naked, covered in blood, two on the floor. My eyes shot to Lucien as he was absolutely drenched red in it, but standing upright. It took me a second to realise he was drenched in the blood of Alpha Francis who lay on the ground missing his throat. The relief at seeing him unharmed sent relief washing over me in waves. It had given me enough courage to haul Helena from the ground. The journey back to the castle was largely a blur as a disturbing numbness took hold. Thankfully Helena wasn't up to talking either, we both just clung on like boats in a
Alexander’s breathing was tormented and ragged as I steeled myself to touch him. I could feel the pressure from Helena’s stare bearing down on me like a dropped anchor, willing me to somehow make him magically bounce back. The fact most strongly in Alexander’s favour for survival was that the blade used by Alpha Francis had not been pure silver. Wolves cannot shifter heal from a blade made of silver. I thought of poor Lucien’s neck, forever burning, and crying out on his neck, his shifter healing constantly trying to make it better but failing. I tried to take confidence from the fact my efforts, or at least my emerging love for him had made a difference. It must have, for him to speak up to Helena as though I had the ability. With Lucien’s green eyes, how he looked at me that first time outside, when we lay together, and he realised I wanted to touch him. Those gorgeous green, gentle eyes softened the rest of his harsh face as I slowly placed my hand on the ridged s
That was the longest, quietest, most horrendous twenty-four hours of my life. Never have I been so completely helpless before. Having to watch my beautiful mate, my darling Alexander being stitched up and repaired like a broken toy by doctors hurt me to the core. His skin was a stomach-churning grey pallor by the time Bella arrived. Kyra had told me to be patient with her but honestly, I had no faith in her abilities. Especially when all she did was rub his stitches a bit. I was so close to telling her to take her filthy hands off him to avoid infection. But again, and I have lost count of how many times this has happened now Bella has proven me wrong. Every time I think I have her understood and her feelings covered another layer appears. The love she has for the assassin, the fact she could persuade Ivan to release her, the way she threw herself down a ravine to help. She took control of me, walking and calming me all the way back to the castle-like an army veteran
When I woke Alexander was sound asleep but my stomach was growling loudly with hunger. Slowly unwrapping myself from his arm I left him fast asleep, his chest rising and falling uneasily still. My sleep hadn't produced any visions. Fyre suggested I hadn't had a deep enough sleep or my mind was too focused on Alexander. Either way, the only image outstanding was the figure falling from the castle roof. Perhaps that was no longer in the running Fyre mused now Alpha Francis was defeated. It had only been a few hours but I wondered if I could persuade Bella to sit with him again and help him rest. Beta Jackson and Kyra were loyally waiting outside and my heart melted at seeing how tired they were. Once more Beta Jacksons dark brown hair, beard and eyes reminded me of a bear. A ferociously huge and dangerous bear, which could dance a delightful waltz. The afternoon was setting, casting a burnt orange glow around the room. Everything looked as though it was on fire
I adjusted the dining chair back to the sleeping Alexander whilst Lucien looked around the room. He was a fish out of water in the grand surroundings of gold, porcelain and mahogany but had the body of a king. As he walked around the room taking in the possessions I couldn't help watching him slyly. His muscles strained against the white shirt and I longed to just help it over his head and release him. I licked my lips without thinking and he muttered, "doesn't look like much healing is going on there," as his eyes caught me staring at him. I blushed, tucking stray hairs behind my ear and walked towards him. He stood against the fireplace, an elbow resting on the huge stone mantlepiece as the flame danced up the chimney. Approaching him he watched me like a tiger, trying to work out my intentions. I silently placed my hands on his huge chest, finally answering my mental questions of just how that tightly stretched cotton over muscle would feel. On my