My body was shaking and my mind was racing. It wasn't possible to have two mates. The Moon Goddess wouldn't allow it.
The males would tear each other apart over the female. I wasn't willing to let that happen to either of them.
Valen and Von turned to each other and growled menacingly, their eyes flashing colors to show that their wolves were just below the surface.
I could hear Artemis and King Ruben running to get to us now. I had to do something, and fast.
"Stop it!" I cried out. Their heads whipped in my direction, teeth still bared. I could see them watching each other from the corner of their eyes.
"Don't I get a say in this?" I asked.
They stopped for a moment, but my heart was still beating fast. Before I could utter another word, they were both running at me.
My eyes widened and a scream was building in my throat. I could protect myself, sure, but I didn't want to hurt them. Especially when I knew one of them was my mate. I closed my eyes and braced myself.
I felt one body whizz past me, while another collided with me so hard that we fell to the ground.
The moment his touch met mine, tingles shot through my skin and my face reddened. I let out an audible gasp and opened my eyes.
Tears pooled and began to run as his icy blue eyes swirled with emotion. I took a moment to compose myself, as he lifted off of me and held out his hand to help me up.
I accepted his offer and felt the tingles once again. I smiled when I realized that he did, too. I took a step back and looked at the man before me.
Valen was my mate.
Sienna was howling with pure joy in my head, and by the looks of it, Orion was just as ecstatic. Valen took a step forward and took my hand in his.
"Not what you expected, huh?" he asked me in a husky voice.
I could tell this was a loaded question. He must have really thought it would be his brother. I looked back into his eyes.
"It's not," I began. His face fell slightly. "It's more."
He smiled at me, and cupped gently cupped my face. I wasn't used to this. The Valen I was used to was rough, never caring what another person thought.
But this Valen, my mate, he was handling me with so much care and emotion that you could feel it pouring out of every inch of him.
"Do I still get to give you your first kiss?" His voice sounded breathy and strained.
I knew I would sound the same if I tried to answer, so I simply nodded my head.
He leaned in slowly, looking into my eyes the whole time. Just before our lips touched, he paused.
"Are you sure?"
My heart exploded at the question. It was so pure, and I was so happy that he was double checking with me, because he knew how much this meant to me. I nodded again. He pressed his lips to mine.
The kiss was soft at first; tender, and full of longing. Quickly, though, it became heated.
His lips became harder on mine, his breathing more ragged. Passion was beginning to overwhelm me. He parted my lips with his, silently asking for entrance. I gave it willingly and felt his velvety tongue glide against mine.
Just as quickly as it had started though, it was over, as King Ruben cleared his throat.
"It seems we have two matches to celebrate tonight."
He was smiling. I pried my eyes away from my mate and directed my gaze to where King Ruben was looking.
There, caught in an embrace so sweet it made me want to cry, were Artemis and Von.
I fell to my knees in relief and this seemed to shake them out of their trance. They both rushed over to make sure I was okay.
"I'm fine," I managed to get out between sobs. "I'm just so happy! You two...I can't believe it!"
They looked to each other and smiled. Valen helped me back up again and I composed myself before turning back to King Ruben.
"Okay, now that we know what's going on here, what about Moonlight?"
"What do you mean?" Valen asked and I felt his hand curl tighter around mine. I quickly gave them the rundown.
"Can we initiate you two now? Quickly? Just in case..." Von trailed off while looking at Artemis with worry.
"I'm afraid we cannot. Not without the full council present. However, with the mate bond present between you two, it may be enough to-"
King Ruben was cut off suddenly by a huge explosion coming from the side of the palace.
We all turned to stare in horror. It was silent for a beat, before screams pierced the night air. Smoke began to billow up into the clouds, blocking out the light from the moon.
Artemis grabbed her head and dropped to her knees. Von knelt beside her.
"Artemis, what's happening? What's going on?" His voice was tight and panicked.
She threw her head back and screamed, and I saw her eyes shift color.
"Back up, Von," I warned him. "King Alistair may have sent out a royal command. She's still technically apart of the pack. She's trying to fight it, but she may shift and hurt you." He looked at me incredulously.
"I'm not leaving her," he replied firmly.
"She could kill you!"
"She won't."
I sighed in defeat. Valen put his hand on my shoulder.
"What should we do now, Indigo?"
I blanched at the question. They were asking me for direction? I glanced over to King Ruben, and he gave me a slight nod of the head. I pursed my lips, before reaching down and ripping off a large chunk of the bottom of my dress.
Sorry Maria, but if we're fighting tonight, I need to be able to move.
I unstrapped the dagger from my leg and handed it over to Von.
"Careful, it's pure silver and laced with wolfsbane. If the bond can't pull her out of this, cut her. This will break her out of it long enough for her to gain control of her own thoughts again."
"I can't just cut her."
I smirked.
"That's what I said, so I'm going to tell you what she told me. It's life or death, Von. For you or her. And if one of you goes, so will the other. You have to do it." He set his jaw, and nodded. I gave him a smile.
"I know you can do this. Take her toward the forest, away from the crowds of people. It'll be easier if she's farther away from the influence."
He nodded and scooped a thrashing Artemis up into his arms. She howled in pain. I turned to King Ruben.
"You need to mind-link everyone and warn them. Send out an alert that we are under attack. We don't know how many at this moment, but send civilians to safe houses, and get the warriors out here now. Make Queen Stella, Aislinn, and Aunt Maddie go with them. You stay, I have a feeling we'll need you in the fight."
He nodded his head, before shifting and taking off. He let out a fearsome howl that could be heard over the crackling inferno. Lastly, I turned to Valen.
"You and I are going to fight. We're going to find who ever started this," I said while gesturing to the fire that was rapidly spreading throughout the palace.
"And we're going to end them. Take out anyone who gets in your way, but I need you to always know where I'm at. You'll be my rock to keep me grounded, understand?"
He nodded his head, fear seeping into his eyes.
"Any survivors at the end of this, and we'll question them. I don't know who is all here, or what they want, but we're not backing down."
With that, we shifted and followed King Ruben into the smoke.
By the time we reached the battlefield, most of the civilian wolves had been cleared out, and the few that remained were being escorted away quickly.
Fights were happening all around us. It seemed that many of Moonlight pack's warriors were here, but not all. That couldn't be a good sign.
I looked to my left and spotted a chocolate brown wolf backed up against a tree. She had her teeth bared, and was snarling at the three much larger wolves that were approaching her.
Although she wasn't my favorite of the pack, I couldn't watch Celia die.
I made eye contact with her before reaching out to the moon's power; feeling the tendrils curl into the fur on my back.
I opened my eyes and dug my claws into the dirt, feeling for the roots of the tree. When I made contact, I willed them to lift, quickly and with precision, straight through the necks of the attacking wolves.
Celia looked at me with shock, then back at the impaled attackers. I didn't have time for her questions, so I turned away and continued on.
I easily fought off a few smaller wolves who got in my way, quickly clamping my jaws around their necks and biting down until I heard them snap.
As I rounded the corner back into the courtyard, I stopped short and let out a yelp of pain.
There, in the grasp on Marc's teeth, was Aunt Maddie's slender gray wolf.
She was trying to fight back with what little strength she had, but it was dwindling quickly. Blood trickled down her neck where his teeth were buried into her fur, and her breathing was becoming shallow.
Valen was soon standing behind me. He nudged my flank with his snout, trying to keep me in the here in now.
Aunt Maddie's eyes rolled in my direction and I could see the pleading in them.
She was telling me to look away.
I looked up to Marc, who was watching me with amusement in his eyes. I snarled at him and snapped my teeth, but didn't dare to come any closer.
Valen growled, low and threatening. We were at a stand still. Marc's eyes glazed over for a moment, and then he looked back to me and smirked before clamping down one last time on Aunt Maddie's neck.
A sickening crack echoed in the air, and Aunt Maddie's head drooped limply to the ground, her neck bent and an unnatural angle.
I howled in pain, shifting back from the overwhelming weight that was bearing down on my heat.
Tears ran down my face as sobs and screams escaped my body. I sounded inhuman.
I couldn't look away from her form. Marc tried to back away, but Valen, who had already sensed his motives, had him backed up against the wall.
I scrambled over to Aunt Maddie and cradled her head into my lap. Tears landed on her snout.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered to her over and over again.
"This is all my fault."
I heard growling around me and looked up. Valen and Marc were facing off with each other. Rage began to boil inside me.
I would not let him hurt another person I loved tonight.
I stood as the wind began thrashing around me. My hair whipped in all directions and thunder boomed in the skies above.
Lightning struck a few feet from Marc, and he stopped, frozen in fear. He turned back to me.
"You bastard!" I screamed at him. Rain began to pelt my bare skin, stinging it from the force, but I was too enraged to care.
"You killed her!"
Marc lowered his ears flat against his head and bared his teeth at me. I just smirked in return.
"You think you can hurt me now?"
I raised my hands out to my sides and the flames from the lit torches grew brighter and larger. I watched them form and pushed the pulsating anger from out of my veins and into the rising infernos.
"It's time for you to disappear."
I raised my hands above my head, the fires following and forming a singular ball just above me. The heat radiating from it was overwhelming, but it was almost like I couldn't feel any pain.
I clenched my fists as Marc took off running as fast as he could. I scoffed.
What a coward.
I took one large step forward, and threw it at him with incredible force.
I watched as the flames licked up the fur on his hind end, climbing higher over his torso. His screams of agony were cut short as it swallowed him whole, leaving behind nothing but black ash that floated away with the harsh wind.
Satisfied, I collapsed to the ground.
"Indigo!" I heard Valen shout my name. His arms wrapped around me, trying to pull my limp body along.
"Indigo, we have to go now." I shook my head.
"I have to get her," I whispered.
"There's no time!" His voice sounded panicked.
"I have to get her!" I shouted in his face, before spinning around and running back toward Aunt Maddie's body. I could never just leave her behind.
Before I could reach her, the side of the castle collapsed, covering her with debris and stone. I dropped to my knees again and sobbed.
She was gone.
Valen scooped me up and ran. I was vaguely aware of the trees passing us by as we entered the forest. The sounds of the falling castle grew farther and farther away. Finally Valen came to a stop.
"How is she?" I heard Von ask. I could feel Valen shake his head. Von leaned down to look me in the eye.
"Indigo, I know this is hard right now, but we have to get to the safe house. Mom and dad, Aislinn, and Artemis are already there. Do you think you can shift? You have to run the rest of the way." I blinked at him. Everyone was there.
Everyone except Aunt Maddie.
More tears spilled from my eyes, but I crawled down from Valen's arms anyway. Von respectfully looked away from my naked and charter body.
Valen shifted first, before looking back and waiting for me. I took a deep breath in and shifted, smelling the smoke still lingering on my white fur. Once Von was also ready, we took off and ran, again, into the unknown.
Author's Note:
Are you crying? I'm crying. Oh man, heavy chapter. Were you surprised by anything? What about her mate? What did you think of the attack? Is that the end of it? What's going to happen to Artemis? Let me know what you think in the comments!
And please vote!
Xoxo,
CrimsynIris