Waking Up

Addy

A loud buzzing fills my ears, but it gradually subsides. The voices around me become clearer. I keep my eyes closed, trying to make out what they’re saying. My hands are flat against a hard, metallic surface with raised edges. It’s uncomfortable.

“You can go back to him once this is over, Phebe. Their bond is still intact; it needs to be broken first,” my so-called father’s voice echoes in my ears.

“Can’t you make him fall in love with me after this? So I don’t have to hear him whine about losing her?” she snaps back.

He chuckles. “I have powers, Phebe, but not like that. Only Sadarnuna can choose mates. You’ll have to win his heart the old-fashioned way.”

She growls in response. “He won’t let me back into his life, knowing I was after her. He won’t give me the time of day.”

He scoffs. “That’s your problem, not mine. When the bond breaks, he’ll need someone. If you’re there, he might heal and choose you as his mate.”

She snorts. “I tried that before she came along. He wouldn’t do it with me.”

Their footsteps echo around the room.

“He won’t have a choice now. She won’t be around. It’s up to you to make him love you.”

A breath brushes against my face.

“Will he still be a King without her?”

Something scrapes across the floor.

“I don’t know what will happen when she dies. He’ll still be an Alpha, but I’m not sure about the rest.”

I can almost see her smile, but there’s a hint of disgust. “I wanted to be his Luna, but now that he’s been chosen for something else, that’s what I want. Being a Queen is much more powerful than a Luna.”

A thud sounds near my feet.

“I can’t do everything, Phebe. Sadarnuna can change the course of time if she wants. He might end up just an Alpha, not the chosen one.”

“What was it like living in her dad’s body all those years, making her life miserable? I know you made her mother nasty to her too,” she says, sounding smug.

He’s silent for a moment. “I didn’t know she was Mystic then. I saw this girl living an extraordinary life as a Beta’s daughter. I wanted to change that. But they always fought me. They said they wouldn’t stand for what I was doing to their child. But they were no match for my power. When Sherman lost his title and wealth, it broke him. I started to fade with his heartache, but the damage was done. Her mother was horrified at how little attention I let them give her. She was always crying about how much her precious daughter suffered. It was hilarious to watch their hearts break over and over.”

Before I can stop myself, a growl escapes my lips. “You son of a bitch. I knew something was wrong with how they raised me; no parent hates a child that much,” I say, opening my eyes.

He walks over, grinning. “It was so much fun knocking you down over and over. If I’d known who you were, we wouldn’t be here now. I would’ve drained your power long ago.”

Above me, there’s a strange shield-like object angled to the right. Following its direction, I see a chair off to the side, decorated with ancient drawings like the shield. Looking down, I realize I’m lying on a similar shield.

“You know this won’t happen. My mother will stop you one way or another,” I say, rolling my eyes.

His hands slam onto the table I’m strapped to. “She can’t cross into my realm. It’s protected by a magical barrier that keeps her out.”

I frown. “How did you get through the barrier Mystic put up around the castle?”

He laughs, the sound echoing in the stone room. “I had help from the inside. Someone took down the barrier long enough for me to get in.”

A roar escapes my lips. “Who the hell helped you?”

“Someone you’d never expect. He owed me a favor, and this is how he repaid me,” he says, gesturing towards the door as someone walks in.

My eyes widen. “Kevin? No, how could you betray us?”

He shrugs. “It wasn’t hard. Once I gained your trust, getting access to everything was easy.”

My eyes promise him death if I survive this. He rolls his eyes and turns towards the devil I want to kill.

“Am I free to go now? I did what you wanted,” he says, crossing his arms.

Ewart nods, and Kevin leaves. I try to move, but the magical restraints hold me down. I squint at the engravings on the shield above me. Mystic stirs, blinking before her eyes widen in fear.

‘Addy, we need to get out of this,’ she says, her eyes darting around nervously.

I growl back at her. ‘How do you expect me to do that? These magical bands won’t let me move, and I’m strapped to this weird shield table.’

She shivers. ‘Try to charm him or something. I’m freezing from whatever they injected us with.’

I rack my brain for a plan as I hear switches being flipped. I watch him move around the room. He approaches a large board that looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, filled with colorful buttons and switches.

“Ewart,” I say softly, “can’t we resolve this without my death? How can a father be so cruel to his own child?”

He pauses, looking over his shoulder. “It’s not hard. Your mother broke my heart when I tried everything to please her. I tried to see you many times, but she kept me away.”

I take a deep breath. “I’m here now, right? Can’t we try what you wanted all those years ago?”

His eyes glimmer for a moment before my hopes fade. “Nice try. But it won’t work on a heart that’s turned black with hate.”

I raise my voice. “You’re willing to sacrifice an innocent child because my mother hurt you? This isn’t the way to hurt my mother.”

He whirls around, his eyes turning black. “Yes, it is. Your death will break her heart just like mine was broken when she cast me aside. This is what I’ve been waiting for, to finish this and finally have my revenge on her.”

He walks over to the chair, pointing at Phebe. “When I tell you to, flip that green button. The sun should be out from behind the clouds soon. I’ll tell you when the time is right so the sun can power this machine and give me her power.”

I watch as he settles into the chair. Tears well up in my eyes. He won’t listen to anything I say to save my life. I close my eyes, reaching deep within with Mystic. We try one last time to break these bonds. The ground shakes violently as we channel power through the table, hoping to crack it.

His mocking laughter fills the room. “Go ahead, weaken yourself for me. That table is enchanted with magic. No matter how hard you try, it won’t break.”

The room rumbles, stones falling to the ground, but the table doesn’t budge. We push harder, trying to channel as much power as possible, but it’s no use. My body weakens, and the shaking slows until it stops.

Phebe clings to a pillar. “Damn, girl. You’re powerful. No wonder he wants your power so badly.”

His voice cuts through the room. “Remove your mark, Mystic. It’s the only way to spare your mate from the pain of your bond breaking.”

I open my eyes. Phebe is smirking down at me.

“Drake will be mine within the hour. You should do as he says to spare him the pain of your bond breaking.”

I glare at her weakly. “Go to hell.”

She cackles. “Where do you think we are? This isn’t the luxury you’re used to.”

I can hear him rise from his chair, his footsteps echoing as he approaches me. “Do it, or I will,” he threatens.

I glance up at the shield hanging above me. “No. I won’t erase my mark,” I declare.

His growl is so deep and menacing that it sends a shiver down my spine. His hands come together, rubbing briskly in anticipation.

~Don’t let him touch us. He’ll erase the mark,~ she murmurs in my mind.

I roll my eyes at her warning, but as his hands inch closer to my neck, a sudden, loud explosion outside causes him to whip his head towards the door. His hands retreat hastily.

“STOP THEM!” he bellows, his voice reverberating throughout the room.

The walls shake as another explosion hits, causing debris to crumble and fall. Through the settling dust, the silhouettes of five figures emerge, advancing towards us.