Sabrina’s POV
The idea of forcefully punishing my mate over his actions was needed. Aiden has hurt me way too many times and his actions, in seeking revenge for his family and to gain power, has cost me a lot.
Being my true mate has definitely saved him from death. From almost having my son killed, my family and friends. Aiden has shown zero remorse even when I thought he did, he wasn’t being genuine. Yes, I completely agree with my ancestors on trying to get him to change but I can’t imagine a life without him.
I love him.
Even with Xander by my side, my family… I need him still and I think he knows it. His actions are proof of that.
“You wanted to talk to us?” Josey asks as my family walks in to the living room back in my house. Aiden in attendance and so was Xander…
I nod my head at her, waiting for her to take a seat before I say what was needed to be said, for my sanity. As a grown woman now, I don’t really need to explain my decision making to them or keep them in the loop of every activity in my life but I feel, with everything that has happened, it is best that they all know where my head is at.
As Josey takes her seat, I take the time to take the room all in. Looking at my family members one at a time. Despite recent events, I truly love my family and would still to this day, die for any of them.
“I brought you all here today because I have some news to share with all of you. Now, with that said, please try to remember that I am just sharing with you details of my life and in no way is that asking for advice or opinions. As my family, you will love and support me as I do with all of you.” I say, making Josey snort in response.
Maximus rushes in with a very moody Drastos…
“I know I have asked my parents and brother to move out, I still stand by that decision. I have my own family now and I think I will be focusing on that now. We have made up for lost time, knowing full well that neither one of my parents raised me, it is a little too late to have my father and mother dictate my life and tell me how to live it. Now for my mate…” I say, turning my attention to the very guilty, Aiden.
“I was approached by my ancestors through a dream. It was how I could reach out to my mother when I was heartbroken… anyway, they believe I should hand you over to them. They have plans for you seeing as they chose you for me and they really want to correct that wrong inside of you. Now, I told them that what they have planned is a little extreme, but you can’t really blame me for considering it.” I say, having piqued the interest of everyone present.
Aiden tries to feign disinterest but I could see it in his eyes.
“Before I jump in to that, I want the family to know that I have decided to take Xander as my mate. Aiden has been consistent in being my enemy and being vengeful no matter the cost. For that, he will have to endure the presence of another male for as long as I live and to answer your question, yes. I have gifted Xander the gift of immortality, the gift meant for Aiden.” I say.
The family erupts and everyone shouts out question after question, not giving me enough time to answer any of them before they throw in another question.
“You did not talk to me about this.” Mother says to me.
“I know but I also have to make my own decisions. Xander has been good to me, choosing to leave behind his pack because he cares more for me and Adrastos. That was a big decision to make and he made it, without my influence.. I had to match that and anyway, I don’t see a life without him in it.” I say.
“Where does that leave me?” Aiden asks. Finally breaking his silence.
“It leaves you in purgatory. A place where you learn to either change or stay there. Aiden, you have fucked up so bad… hurt one too many people and I can’t save you this time. You need to save yourself. You have a duty as my mate, a duty you said you would uphold but failed miserably as you tried to dethrone my family and gain power. Or was it to avenge your family? I will never really know.” I say.
My eyes getting glassy from all that I’ve been through recently because of Aiden.
“All that talk about you waiting on me, saving yourself for me… all that sacred talk and for you to act out this way? Look at me when I’m talking to you! Show some emotion to what I am saying..” I say getting annoyed by his nonchalant attitude.
Aiden chuckles… making the men around us growl at him.
I feel the tears escape at his changed behavior..
Gone is the man that worshipped me. That treated my like glass even when I was and still am stronger than him. Where was the Aiden that stood up to his family? That stood by me?
“You know what? Maybe you do deserve that little purgatory they have set up for you. I hope you rot in there, stuck there with no way out. This is the real you, the dick that resides within you.” I say, like true fashion, he looks at me, alarmed.
“Oh yes. You think the worst punishment you’ll get is staying in a dingy cell just beneath me? We tried that remember? and yet you still acted out. You’ve hurt me in ways I never thought you would and maybe you think I’ll easily forgive seeing as I can’t get rid of you but I’ve been given that chance, to get rid of you.. Even if it’s for a little bit, I will take it.” I say.
“And if I don’t want to?” He asks and I smile.
“Can you believe I asked the same question? In fear of losing you. The fear of never seeing you again crept up on me and I wanted to tell them to not meddle in my business but look at you! It’s as if I’m the only one that can feel the mate bond. You act as if I have no hold over you, no effect on you…. even after losing a child together.” I say.
“You failed on that. I’m more upset that you couldn’t even carry a child past the first trimester.. don’t go blaming me. Actually, when do I go on this excursion? We need the time apart so we can work on ourselves individually. I may have done some things that put us in a rocky position but you are not innocent either … What about your quick killing of my family? You had the power to remove your brother from that situation without killing anyone. Also, putting all of that aside, you call me power hungry but look at all of you!! You kill anyone that dares to disrespect any of you but if I retaliate, I’m the mad man around here.” Aiden says, growing confident and standing up to address all of us.
“Are you in any position to be killing anyone? Were your victims deserving?” Josey asks, which makes Aiden smile.
“Yes! Let us start off with Percival. He broke my mate’s heart and continued to hurt her, leaving her unconscious for 3 whole days because he was such a horn dog and don’t tell me it was not my place to end him. I had every right to eliminate any and every one that dares to hurt what is mine. Now, the baby daddy.. well, do I really need to explain this one? If I remember correctly, Max abandoned his duties as a father, as a mate.. chosen or not. He wanted nothing to do with my mate’s child and for that, I don’t believe he deserves to live another day. He was by far the worst of them all and I am not like Sabrina, I don’t forgive unless you are six feet under. With Xander, it was more of a threat than anything. I mean look now, she still wants to be with him even after being with me and completing the mate bond. We can’t both hold her heart, she had to pick but I have had a change of heart because of the mess I made and I honestly want Sabrina to be happy, in spite of what you all may think. She is the reason for all of this and I said already that I never wanted Adrastos harmed. That was never my plan and yes, I also blame myself for that but I won’t blame myself for you losing our child. That can’t entirely be on me…” Aiden says, Josey grabbing him by the neck before Anthony pulls her away.
“You have a point. It is a first for me to lose a child as you can all tell, I have a pretty healthy baby boy even after all the heartache I went through with Max. I blame myself, trust me… It will always be my fault that I lost my baby, that I could not even tell that I am with child will always haunt me and I am prepared to live with that. Also, I have never played innocent. I know I abuse my power sometimes but the day I killed your family, I had to avenge mine. Your brother and father killed my brother’s mate, my sister whom I loved. If I had abused my power then, I would have killed that entire room or killed everyone in your family, even the ones innocent of the very crime I killed your father and brother for. I banished your mother, giving her a chance at another life, it could have been worse for her. This is her chance to redeem herself and if she doesn’t, that’s on her. As a god I honestly believe I acted fairly, especially during my most important day as the moon goddess. As wolves we take leadership seriously and this is something you should know since your family was in power all of 2 minutes. ” I say.
I walk closer to Aiden, needing to be closer to him for what I was about to say next because I need him to feel my emotions as they come off in waves.
“You tell yourself that you went on a killing spree for me. You may have some fooled in this room but I am your mate, I am also the moon goddess and I know deep down you did all of that for your own benefit. If you were truly avenging me, poison would not have been your weapon of choice. None of these guys stand a chance against you in battle. In seconds, their heads would be flying off but no…. you had to create a resistance against me or did you forget about that? Sneaking around to get enough people on your side to take on my family. Killing Adrastos may have not been your plan but this is what happens when you are fueled by greed and hate.. innocent people die. Your family is not innocent at all. They drove my family away, where I grew up without my real mother and father, no idea that I have a twin out there in the world. I am grateful for the life I was afforded, I would not have Josey and CJ but while you grew up in a castle with both your parents, I grew up thinking my mother was dead. I had this power that confused me and that not many people had. Imagine two girls from a beta family with white wolves that nobody could explain? The fact that we were stronger than the alpha of our pack but were told that our mother was part human. My life was planned out for me, even when it had nothing to do with being a moon goddess, the woman your family put in power as one decided the life I would live, constantly meddling to keep me on earth but hurting me in the process. Your family is far from innocent and it is clear from your words that the apple does not fall very far from the tree.” I say.
Aiden remains quiet, my family nodding in agreement with my choice of words.
“I love you Aiden, even after everything that you have done to me and my family, I continue to love you so much… and I was skeptical at first about you going away, not knowing when you’ll be back but I see now that you need this more than I need you in my life. You are my mate, the one chosen for me but our time is not now. Like you said, we need some time apart, that I can agree with you. Just don’t go thinking that this will be some vacation time, no. You will be confronted by your demons and there is no place to hide from them there. Whatever it is that you are struggling with, you will have to face… I am happy this was brought to me and I know that when you come back, you will come back a better man, for me and for you.” I say..
I close my eyes to allow the force inside me to do it’s job. Losing Aiden will eventually take a toll on me but I know we will find a way to each other eventually and until then, I will hold on to hope. Hope that he will come back to me a better man. Ready to start a life with me, all of me and everything that I come with.
I raise both of my hands to cup both of his cheeks, giving him a kiss on the lips and releasing all my love in to him, no matter how overwhelming, I had to let him know just how much he means to me.
Pulling away, we look in to each other’s eyes.. he looked at me so endearingly that brings tears to my eyes. No words can describe how much I have missed the look in his eyes right now, his quick change of feelings. Even though I have just set in to motion the way to his own hell, the love between us still lives and it ignites the hope within me for a better future where I can proudly call him mine and he would do the same with no ill intent.
Hunter and Anthony drag him out of the room, Aiden stealing one last look at me. His eyes glassy from the emotions between us, I mouth out the words ‘I love you’ before he turns back and walks out. I face everyone else left in the room, Josey giving me a side hug before Evan walks in to give me a nod that the assignment I put him on is complete.
I look at Josey, my heart beaming with so much love for her and the excitement of what was to come for her.
“Jose, for some time now you have roamed around without a mate. Even with your earthling mates asking for you again, you have refused and I think I know why. For some time now, I have asked Evan to gather the ashes of your lost love, the one your vampire calls to and because we could not trust his hold over you, I had to act accordingly but now I know that you can be trusted and create a world where vampires and wolves can coexist. I trust you, I may not trust the man you love just yet but I am betting you will work to change that and if anyone can bring harmony in to the family, it is you. I am sorry that we were all so focused on our problems, failing to see your potential.. I see it now. You are twice the woman I will ever be, two monsters within you but you stay strong and self composed. I can’t even begin to imagine how that must feel, the inner turmoil and having to tame two beasts but here you stand, making it all work. I have no doubt in my mind that you can make this work. Go on, bring your love back to life and find your happiness.” I say, a big smile on her face, Josey hugs me tight before running off with Evan to bring back the vampire king.
Was I worried? Yes but I trust my sister and I know that if he is ever a threat, she will deal with him.
Josey was a vampire and she has to be with her own, someone that understands what is happening inside of her but also knowing that this was her home and she was welcome any time.
“That was reckless.” Hunter tells me.
“Yes, to you. Also, I’m gonna need you to step down. You may have missed the time to run things but it is our time now and we need to do things without you to be able to grow. With a team of elders at our disposal, how wrong could we ever go? Besides, we were born for this. With Anthony in charge, he is responsible for his own life and the people around him. Leaving me to look out for my own and to do my job more efficiently. You will always be our dad, that’s a job for life without retirement packages.. see you around old timer.” I say, walking up to Xander and taking his hand before walking out of the room together.
We make it to my room, where I can privately talk to him and lay it all on the table.
“I have a few things to say to you..” I say.
“Can I start first?” Xander asks and I nod my head yes.
He gently grabs both my hands in to his, looking into my eyes..
“After all of that, the drama with Aiden and the family, I think you need time to yourself. Aiden was right when he said that you have a few things to work on, I may not know what those things are because we aren’t connected as he is to you. He may not know what your struggles are too because he was so engrossed with his plot to take over the world… you may not know that you are struggling but I see it. It would be unfair to me to continue to be with you even when your heart calls out for another. I want to be with you but being with me might actually deter you from dealing with your inner demons. I guess even gods have their problems and in your case you are never spared any of it.” He says to me, scaring me to the bone.
A life without Xander? I don’t want it. I can maybe try to see a life without Aiden, I have never had to go on without him or watch him be with someoen else. I have never had to leave him because I feared for his life…
“Xander, I can’t do that. I can’t let you walk away again. We tried that remember? Here we are again… only this time, choosing to go through life alone.. why would you want that? I know I don’t. Let me be selfish then, choosing to be with you still after everything because I will not let you get away this time… I have an important job that requires a lot from me but I want a chance at love with you. You came to me with Aiden, offering me a chance at love with the both of you and now I am saying yes. I want to be with you and spend my days with you. If I have demons, they are because I have had to live a life without you and I don’t want to anymore. The little bit of life you have had to endure without me, was longer for me in this realm. I chose to love you before only to find a true mate yet my heart refuses to let you go and this time, I stand with it. I need to deal with my feelings for you, with you. Give me a chance please. Allow me to be in your life the way we both intended and more. I know we are meant to be because even after everything, here we stand, just us two and this time, nothing against us. Take this as an opportunity to explore our love to the deepest parts, figure each other out after all that time lost. You are mine and once again, I am yours.” I say.
“Mine up until Aiden returns..” Xander says to me sadly.
“Yours still….” I say.
Evan barges in to my room, we look over to him… showing clear annoyance on my face for the intrusion, he pays me no mind and goes to speak…
“Your serene highness, the vampire king is back but we may have a problem on our hands..” He says before Aiden pushes him out of the way to stand before me.
” Hello Sabrina, it has been so long. Thank you for this body, I think I will enjoy it.” Cayden says to me. My mouth drops to the floor at the realization of what just happened…
Aiden was gone and in his place, right by my door, was the vampire king and he had taken over my mate’s body.
*****
Author’s message:
So far, Be My Mate has been completed, thank you for your love, please look forward to the continuation of the sequel.