Chapter 52: Chapter 52

Atlas:

The blinding lights from the portal dissipated quickly, closing the door behind us.

“I guess Alistair lets us back out?” Axel said grumpily.

“Wait! No!!” A girl with flaming red hair came running out of the woods. Her eyes were misted over, and her face was flushed with anger.

“NO! f**k. Don’t let it close!” She dropped to her knees in defeat.

“What? WHAT?” Axel took a fighting stance, ready to take on whatever in the hell had her in such a way.

“I have been trying to get out of this f*****g realm for weeks. That’s the first hint of the portal I have seen since I crossed the damn doorway!” She flopped back on her butt in a huff.

“What do you mean get out? Why are you trying to leave your realm?” I asked curiously.

“This isn’t my realm, Wolf. I belong to the other, I’m a fae. This realm isn’t made for creatures like us. Only darkness and evil doings reside here.” She scoffed as if I should be able to tell she wasn’t from here.

“We’re here to get our mate. Her… other mate will open the portal and let us out of here… if you want to stick with us while we are here, then you can get back to the other realm when we go back.” Axel said, relaxing his shoulders and accepting that there was no threat.

“Really?” her l*p quivered with relief.

“Thank you.” She wiped her eyes, standing back up on her feet as we strapped our swords to our h**s.

“How did you end up here anyways?” I asked as we navigated our way out of the thick patch of forest.

“My family and I were doing a full moon ritual in the forest of life. I accidentally crossed into the territory gap when I wandered off in search of a scent that was calling to me… I ran through the portal when a group of rogues came after me, but when I stepped in, it closed off behind me. I haven’t seen another hint of it again since you stepped through it just now.”

“My name is Ferra, by the way.” She stuck her hands out for us to shake.

After the introductions were out of the way, we walked in silence…What seemed like hours had passed when we finally came out into a clearing. A mansion stood in the middle of the wide space, and I knew we were where we needed to be. My wolf scratched at my mind, howling for our mate with every breath, and Axel and I went off on a dead run with Ferra running behind us never questioning our actions, just following along in the chaos.

We ran to the back of the mansion at the command of our wolves. In the tree line, you could see troops stomping through the property making their way out into the clearing. Ferra’s scream rang loudly as she was thrown to the ground violently. Ten men of different species were surrounding us and two of those ten held a bewildered Ferra to the ground.

“Halt trespassers!” they screamed as they tried to get us on the ground.

We haven’t come this far for anything to stand in our way of getting her back in our arms. We drew our swords, charged the men, and as the clanking of the blades rang through the air. The two that had Ferra on the ground released her as we were getting the better of the other eight. She drew the small blade that was tucked neatly at her side, joining in on the fight.

“ENOUGH!” my heart hit my a*s as the familiarity of her voice wrapped tightly around me, warming me from the inside out.

The troops that had been fighting against us were all slung into the air, kicking and screaming as purple tendrils of energy left Harley’s hands holding them each in a bubble high above the ground.

“Harley!” Axel and I yelled in unison as she ran to us, leaping into my arms. Axel wrapped his arms around us and we hugged her tightly.

I kissed her feverishly, relishing the delicious taste of her warm vanilla cupcake lips as tears of joy and relief left both of our eyes. My sweet little mate was back in my arms and I didn’t want to ever let her go again. She wrapped her arms around Axel’s neck, pulling us both tightly against her.

“I’ve missed you both so f*****g much!” she whimpered, squeezing us tighter.

“Not nearly as much as we have missed you, little bird. I’m never letting you out of my sight again.” I snuggled into her neck as she kissed Axel with as much fever as she had me.

“Perfect! You have your mates back, now you can leave mine alone.” A dark-haired woman with a swollen jaw stood on a balcony overlooking us all.

I assume this one had some kind of relationship with Alistair, judging by the growl that erupted from his chest at the words of the woman.

“Not now, Adoria.” He snapped at her, making his way up to us.

Tensely, he stood taking us in. The moment his eyes met mine I had to force down the urge to rip his throat out. The image of us gathered around an exhausted Harley with that little boy in our arms replayed in my head.

“We know what you are to her,” I grumbled as Harley’s head shot up. Her eyes were full of fear at my words.

“We don’t like it, but we understood our goddess when she said we had to accept the bond between the two of you in order to have our bond with her restored in full. But that doesn’t mean we can all just be friends right away. You stole her from us for her powers and we need to know for her safety that you aren’t just after her for that anymore.” Axel said, standing upright and looking dark as hell.

Harley:

The three of them were locked in some kind of testosterone-fueled stare-down and as comfortable and content as I was in the arms of my twins. I needed to stop this… I wanted Alistair’s answer as much as they did.

“I want nothing as much as I want to be with her in any way that she will accept me. Her powers mean nothing to me,” he said confidently.

My heart leaped in my chest at his words, and the still small bud that had slowly formed for him began to bloom. But fear settled in my stomach as the twin’s arms tightened around me.

“Do you want him, Harley?” Axel asked, tucking my hair behind my ear.

I looked back at Alistair. His crimson eyes were full of fear as my answer didn’t come right away. I don’t want to have to choose between the three of them. I want them all. Sure, the bond between me and the twins is more developed, but that bloom in me for Alistair is as much there and thriving in my chest as it is for the twins.

“You don’t have to choose between us, little bird. You can have us all. But we need to know if you feel safe around him.” Atlas said, peppering my face with slow warm k****s.

“I do… I feel safe with him.” My voice cracked as tears threatened to spill over, at the maturity and understanding the twins were showing my f****d up situation.

Alistair exhaled a shaky breath from behind us when I made my confession and the twins placed me on my feet as I slowly made my way over to my captor-turned-mate. He dropped to one, baring his neck to me. My heart thudded wildly in my chest at his werewolf sign of respect.

“You are my queen Harley Ashwood. I will spend the rest of my life protecting you. I will love every version of you throughout time and I will bring you coffee in the mornings just the way you like it for the opportunity to love you with everything I have in me. I can and will do right by you. All I ask is that you give me the opportunity.” His eyes were closed, still baring his neck to me.

“Mark him, Harley.” My wolf growled as she shared control of my human form with me. I kneeled beside him, sinking my teeth in his neck as the taste of him exploded into my mouth, fogging my senses.

I m****d, unable to pull my teeth from him. His hand made its way to my hair, wading it into his fist while the other gripped my h*p digging his fingertips into my skin. As our bond snapped into place, I pulled my teeth from his neck, sealing it with my tongue. His boyish smile lit up his face, and his dimples popped, making my stomach flutter. I kissed his cheek and stood on my feet backing back up against the twins.

The troops behind Alistair took a knee behind their king.

“ALL HAIL THE QUEEN.” They called in unison as they bowed their heads before us.