Chapter 26: Chapter 26

ANNA

The world freezes. Everyone’s eyes are on me.

Damitry is staring straight at me. It’s a cold death stare.

Shivers run down my spine. Never, ever did he look at me in this way.

I have no clue how this could happen.

~What’s he doing here? Will he be my saving grace? Or will he be the death of me?~

“Annabeth?” He slides down from his mount, and shock starts to show on his face. “How is this even possible?”

~He sounds as confused as I am.~

I get off the horse and give Amethyst the reins.

“Damitry? How?” I start to run in his direction.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Damitry says as he holds up his hand, stopping the demons from attacking.

Roland sprints in my direction, trying to make it to my side. Unfortunately, Damitry strikes him down with dark magic, knocking him to the ground.

“Anna! Don’t!” Roland shouts.

But my gaze is fixed on Damitry, blocking out all the noise around me. He is pulling me to him.

“Brother, you have no business with her. Leave her out of this!” Roland shouts as he tries to get out of the bonds placed around him.

My feet are moving on their own. My heart has stopped beating. My whole body is ice-cold.

~I need to get it together. I’m losing it.~

He is in control of every move I make. It’s like I’m hypnotized by his stare.

“Anna, snap out of it!” I hear Amethyst’s voice. She’s out of breath trying to break this power he has over me.

“Anna, fight!” Lev comes to me, calling, just to be stopped in his tracks.

“Come to me, cupcake. We can talk in silence,” Damitry says with a smirk on his face.

“Brother! Leave her alone!” Roland shouts, and a bright light comes from his direction.

I move my gaze over to Roland, stopping in my tracks.

“Oh, I see what’s happening here. You have fallen for this human.” A devilish grin appears on Damitry’s face and he bursts out into laughter.

“Well, this just got more interesting. You see, ‘brother,’ I too have fallen for her and will not let her go without a fight.”

Roland rises to his feet.

“In that case, bring it.”

I’m trapped in the middle with Roland on one side and Damitry on the other, both ready to kill.

~This must be one of my nightmares. This can’t be real.~

“Answer me!” I shout at Damitry.

He looks at me and frowns.

“Not sure I understand your question?”

“How did you get here? And what are you doing here?” I can hear the confusion in my voice.

“Well, isn’t it obvious? Loverboy over there is my brother. I only came for the crown— that is, until I saw you. Now I only want you.”

Roland looks even more pissed. “You can’t have her!” he shouts.

I’m in shock.

~What the hell is going on? How did it come to this?~

“You’re his brother? So Mona is his sister…what the ~hell~?” I’m shaking all over, struggling to understand this information.

“Oh, hey, Anna.” Mona comes strolling to Damitry’s side. She smiles at me and glares at Roland.

“Brother, taking the crown wasn’t enough for you? You stole his mate as well?” She spits at Roland.

~Wait, what mate?~

Roland looks at me in shock, jaw clenched. “It can’t be. Anna?”

~I’m cornered. How will I escape this madness?~

I look down at my feet and shrug my shoulders.

“Let’s call it a day. We can discuss this tomorrow. You will need your strength, brother.” Damitry says. “Come, cupcake.”

He holds out his hand to me.

“No! Anna, please don’t go with him!” I can hear the heartache in Roland’s voice.

My eyes dart between the two of them.

~I have no clue what to do. Go with Roland, or with Damitry? I must approach this with caution. One wrong move and they will attack again.~

I gaze into Damitry’s eyes and smile at him brightly.

“I will come to you soon. I just need some answers from Roland first. I promise.”

I slowly go to Damitry. Dominique is watching my every move.

He smiles at me and pulls me to his chest. “I’ve missed you so much,” he whispers and plants a gentle kiss on my head.

“I’ve missed you too.” I look up into his bright blue eyes. “I will see you soon, okay?”

I smile and go back to Roland. His eyes are shut, and he is shaking.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper as I pass Roland and turn to face Damitry.

Roland nods at me. “See you tomorrow then, brother,” he says.

Damitry lets out a roar, and his men start to retreat back into the forest.

“I’ll see you soon, cupcake.” He winks at me and jumps back onto his manticore.

Roland stands frozen to the ground, not moving an inch. Lev comes to his side.

“What’s our orders?” He sounds angry.

“We will retreat as well. Tell the men to burn all the dead and send all the wounded soldiers to the infirmary.”

Lev nods and starts barking orders.

Roland turns to face me.

“Why?” He opens his eyes and stares at me.

I feel broken under his gaze. “I’m sorry, not sure what you mean?”

He narrows his eyes at me and grabs me by the wrist. We speed off in the direction of the castle.

When we reach it, Amethyst is waiting for us in the foyer. She looks tired.

“Anna, Roland, you made it.”

Roland gives her a death stare as we pass her and head upstairs. We head straight to his room, and he slams the door shut behind us. He lets go of my wrist.

“Why him?” he asks through clenched teeth, running his hand through his hair.

“How was I supposed to know he’s your brother?” I can hear the fury in my voice.

“Did you sleep with him?” He clenches his fists, awaiting my answer.

I am silent.

“Answer me!” He shouts and drives his fist into the wall next to me, making me jump.

“Yes,” I mumble.

“Fuck, Anna!” He turns and throws the desk across the room.

I’m scared. A tear runs down my cheek.

“Roland, please calm down. You’re scaring me,” I murmur.

He turns to face me. His eyes are blood red and his canines are showing. His Lycan must be pushing to come out.

“Get out!” he shouts.

I sprint out and run to my room, slamming the door shut behind me. I cuddle up on my bed as tears run down my cheeks.

Amethyst comes in and sits on the side of my bed.

“You know why he’s pissed, right?”

I shake my head and try to stop the sobbing.

“Because you’re his mate, Anna. You’re his everything. There is nothing stronger than a mate bond.”

She looks at me and brushes the hair out of my face.

“He just chased me away,” I manage to get out between sobs.

“Oh, Anna, because he was about to mark you, claim you for himself. Then Damitry wouldn’t be able to take you away from him.

“But Roland is a good guy and will not mark you out of spite. He wants you to choose, even if it means losing you. He is fighting with all his might not to come here. I can’t imagine how much pain he must be in now.

“Lev will be here soon. Maybe he can get through to Roland. Just stay here, okay? Don’t run.”

I nod and wipe away the tears. Amethyst gives me a quick hug and leaves.

I lie on my bed for a few more minutes.

~I know a lot is going on now. We are not out of the dark yet. And now I’m in the middle of everything, not just a bystander anymore.~

Damitry made it very clear: he wants me and will kill his own brother to get me. And by the looks of it, Roland feels exactly the same.

~I can’t take this. I love them both, and they’re both ready to lay down their lives for me. They are brothers. They shouldn’t be enemies. This is ridiculous; it must end.~

There is a knock on my door. When I open it, Lev is standing there, blood dripping from his hands.

“What the hell, Lev?” I grab him by the arm and pull him inside.

“Oh, this, it’s nothing, don’t worry.” He shows me the slash on his arm and grins.

“Let me just clean it, at least.”

I sit him down in a chair, grab my first aid kit, and start treating his wound.

“What happened?”

He shakes his head.

“Well, I tried to stop a Lycan…but I’m not here for this. I need your help, Anna.”

~Roland must be in trouble.~

“You need to go to Roland. He’s out of control. You are the only one that will be able to calm him down.

“I know this is a lot to ask and you are scared, but he is going after Mitya alone, and if he does that he will die, Anna.”

~That foolish man. I’m so tired of his temper.~

“Okay, I will go. Where is that idiot?”

“In the throne room…and Anna, maybe keep the sarcasm to yourself?”

I smile at Lev, tidy up and put away my kit, and stroll out of the room.

Heading downstairs, I can hear the commotion. I sprint into the throne room. The king’s gaze falls on me immediately as I enter.

A beast of a man standing in the center of the room spins to face me. It’s not Roland; somehow, I know it’s his Lycan, although it’s the first time that I have ever laid eyes on him.

“Anna?” The king shakes his head. There is a warning in his tone.

I shut my eyes and take in a deep breath.

~He will not harm me. I know that he loves me with his whole heart and soul.~

I open my eyes and slowly start to walk over to the beast. He growls at me, staring straight into my eyes.

“This is Unoxi, Roland’s Lycan,” the King says.

“Hey, Unoxi. Nice to finally meet you.” Keeping his gaze, I walk to his side. Unhesitatingly, I reach out and gently place my hand on his arm.

“Please, Roland, I need you,” I whisper, and a tear escapes my eye.

Unoxi leaps away from me and lands in the far corner of the room, howling.

I walk calmly again in his direction, but the growl he gives me makes me freeze in my tracks.

“Hey, you promised you would never harm me! Don’t break your promises now! I need you, Roland. I love you!”

Unoxi is fighting Roland for control. I can see he is in pain, and it breaks my heart.

“Why won’t he shift back?” I ask the king.

“Unoxi wants blood. He wants to kill Mitya for calling you his mate.” He shakes his head. “Anna, the state he is in now will kill him. He needs to get control.”

I nod and slowly start to walk forward again.

“Roland! For crying out loud, come back to me!”

He grabs his head and falls to his knees, shifting back and forth between human and Lycan form.

I fall down beside him and grab his face, planting a passionate kiss on his mouth. Sparks fly, and my whole body is filled with jolts of electricity.

I feel Roland’s body relax as he gains control of his Lycan. He grabs me around my waist and pulls me to him.

Keeping the kiss, he twists his fingers in my hair and gently pulls it, exposing my neck. He starts to rain kisses up and down my throat.

“~Mine~,” he mumbles against my skin, nibbling and kissing it.

I push him away.

He narrows his eyes at me. He is fully human now, more in control.

“Hi there.” I smile at him brightly and kiss his jaw.

“Thank you,” he whispers and pulls me into his chest, “I’m sorry, flower. Will you please forgive me?”

He plants a kiss on my forehead, “I’m, so, so sorry,” he whispers again.

I look into his icy blue eyes and smile at him.

“Hey, I’m just glad to have you back.” I snuggle into his chest and we got lost in each other’s scent.

One of Collen’s pack members comes strolling in with a piece of paper.

“Sorry, Prince Roland. I have a message for Anna. It’s from your brother.” He bows, puts the paper on the table, and leaves.

I stand and go pick up the note.

~My sweet cupcake~,

~Can we meet tonight? I will be waiting at the big oak tree just outside the castle. Please come. I need to see you~.

~Your Damitry XOX~

Roland looks at me with worried eyes.

I know this will turn into another fight, but I need to see Damitry as well. I need to know.

“Roland, you know I have to go.”

His head is hanging low, his jaw clenched. “I know,” he mumbles.

“I promise I will come back to you.”

He pulls me into him and we lock into yet another passionate, mind-blowing kiss.

“Please be careful,” he whispers as he cups my face. He kisses me one last time and almost crushes me in his embrace.

“I love you, my sweet flower,” he whispers into my hair.

I push out of his embrace. “See you soon.”

He shuts his eyes as I turn and stroll out of the room.

~I can’t believe Damitry is here.~

I have no idea what to expect, no clue what angle Damitry is working. Will he kill me, or will he mark me just to kill Roland? So many possibilities are running through my mind. My heart is racing.

I touch the chain of the dragon-heart necklace, making sure the gem is safe under my armor, against my skin.

~I will need all my strength.~

Collen is waiting in the foyer for me.

“Hey. I will be your escort,” he says, and turns to open the door for me.

“Please keep your distance. I don’t want you to get killed.” I go out the front door, walking straight to the tree line. Collen keeps a close eye on me but is out of harm’s way.

Damitry is leaning against the oak tree with his arms crossed over his chest. He looks calm and harmless, just like the Damitry I know.

He looks up and our eyes meet. He smiles at me brightly.

“Anna, you came.” He sounds surprised.

“Oh, see you have a pet,” he adds, looking behind me at Collen. “You have no reason to fear me, cupcake. I will never hurt you.”

He gives me his sexy smile and pulls me to his chest.

“You have no idea how much I have missed you. Everyone back home is going crazy looking for you. They will be so relieved when they see you.

“Ray and Jordan have put all the wedding plans on hold. Your mom is going crazy. Your dad keeps to himself.

“Everyone is staying in Dominique’s mansion, praying for your return. I can take you home now and you can see your family in seconds. Just say the words.”

I look up into his eyes.

“How? Can you open portals?”

He smiles at me and shakes his head. “No, my minions can.”

I can’t grasp the fact that he's not human, that he is the prince everyone despises.

~Why? He’s a great guy.~

“Anna, I will not let Roland take you from me.” He sounds serious. “I will fight for you.”

He cups my face and looks straight into my eyes.

“Now, did he harm you in any way?”

I shake my head.

“Good. I swear I would rip his head off if he harmed you.” He places a soft kiss on my forehead. “Now, come, let’s get you home.”

I shake my head. “No, I can’t go yet.”

“Why? Your life and your friends are waiting for you. Think about your mother.” He sounds frustrated.

~Something is wrong.~

“I will not go home now. Roland needs me.”

Damitry narrows his eyes at me. “You need to go, Anna,” he says through clenched teeth.

“No. I will not leave yet.” I push away from him.

He grabs my wrist. “You’re not going anywhere, cupcake.”

~This is not the Damitry I know. He looks dangerous.~

“Let me go!”

He smiles at me. “And spoil my plan? Never. You can’t go back to him.”

He tightens his grip.

“You know, Anna, this is not how I expected things to turn out.”

I frown at him.

“Oh, let me explain myself. You see, I was hoping Roland would freak out and come for my head after Mona declared you to be my mate—but to my surprise, he never came.

“I really hoped you would take my offer and run back home. That would weaken him as well. You were a pawn in my brilliant plan from the start. You fell for me so easily, telling me you love me.

“I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that you weren’t mine, but my brat of a brother’s, so I sent the gremlins to kidnap you.

“They are such stupid creatures; they just pushed you through the portal. But I knew that with your piece of dragon heart you would survive the journey.

“I truly thought Roland would have marked you by now. He is such a gentleman, not claiming you without your consent—it makes me sick.

“Now, if you don’t want to leave, I will just make use of you. Roland will decline the crown and my father will have to name me his successor.

“I wonder how far he will go to save your life? Do you think he will take out the old man for me? I wonder…”

“Now tell me something, Anna. Are you willing to give your life to save his?” he asks—and grabs me by the throat.