Sabrina’s POV
“Your Serene Highness. You called for us?” One of the elders speak up as they all walk in to my office and stand before me.
Father and Anthony arrive at the same time, just in time to start with the questions I believe I am owed answers. Unlike the elders, they make themselves comfortable on my chairs.
“Yes. I have called all of you here today because I’m having a hard time believing that Aiden is my true mate.” I say, the elders not surprised by my words at all as they nod their heads.
I sit on my chair, waiting for someone to answer me, to give me something I can hold on to and believe.
“You summoned father and I like your subordinates because you have doubts? Respect us a little Sabrina!” Anthony says, just as he was about to storm out of my office, father pulls him back by his shirt and he falls back on the chair.
Anthony growls but he doesn’t fight Hunter.
He knows better.
“Why do you doubt him?” Hunter asks me.
“Is it not obvious? He is driven by vengeance, only to hurt me and to gain power. How can my only mate do that to me?” I say, feeling myself get overwhelmed again by the pain I’m constantly haunted by.
It’s beyond me that Aiden could agree to such a proposal.
Insulting actually…
The Aiden I know and love would never, I mean… he marked me to keep me away from Xander… to become his, all to himself.
“You killed his family and banished the last living ones to goddess knows where. He may want to see you suffer, his actions have proven successful but with hate comes love and that is why he could do all of that and still stick beside you.” Hunter answers me but I shake my head no.
“He agreed to share me with Xander! He despises earthlings and I can promise you that Xander makes top of the list of the things he hates the most. I am his mate, forever. There is nothing I or he can do to change that… we are joined to the hip for thousands of years to come.” I say, feeling frustrated with my family for not seeing what I see.
“She doesn’t know…” Anthony says looking at the elders and then at Hunter.
“Of all the things you taught her, this was supposed to be one of the first. You may not agree with it but come on dad! She’s the moon goddess.” Anthony says, walking up to me and gently taking my hand.
“Sabrina, you are stuck with Aiden. There’s not much you can do on that front without killing yourself but his immortality is a gift from you, a gift you most certainly can take back. Just like taking away the wolf from someone or taking away the human.” Anthony says to me.
“Okay…” I say, a little confused on where he was going with this. If I take away Aiden’s immortality, I’ll roam this life alone and I won’t do that.
“In our family, we have great power and great strength. How blessed we are! We also suffer the most emotionally. Especially the moon goddess because you take care of so many people, listen to their cries and so forth. Many moon goddesses before you chose to go at this life alone, choosing love for a handful of years and sparing themselves centuries of pain. For many years their mates took for granted the gift of no death, don’t forget your mate might love you but not the people around you. Take away that gift and they become fair play, life becomes more precious and one starts to appreciate more.” Anthony says to me, the elders nodding on as he goes.
“What Anthony is trying to say is, Aiden has become a little arrogant and Anthony thinks taking away Aiden’s immortality is the best punishment. I never gifted your mother as my mother was against it and I am too but I wanted you both to decide for yourselves. It is true, when one knows that they will never die, at least not anytime soon, they look at life differently and not in a good way. Your place in this realm might have gotten in to that boy’s head and he became ambitious… that happens from time to time.” Hunter says to me.
“I hear you.” I say.
“If I take away his immortality, something I have, he’s fair game to anyone. Xander or Maximus may want revenge and they could be sneaky about their revenge just like Aiden, once again having to play cat and mouse trying to find out what’s going on. He could be challenged to the death. I could lose him and he’s the only mate I’ll ever have.” I say.
“You were perfectly fine with that when you were with your earthling mates. The idea of them ever dying never deterred you from going ahead and falling in love. Why can’t you do the same now? Aiden is a strong boy, he can hold his own in a fight or attack. He has been well trained and not many will look to kill him, not without putting a target on their backs.” Anthony says to me.
“I’ll have to think about this.” I say and they all nod their heads, one by one making their way to the door.
One elder stops by the door and turns to look at me.
“It wouldn’t be the first time a moon goddess goes on to take a chosen mate. You have a very long life ahead of you, one cannot possibly go at it alone.” He says to me before walking out and closing the door.
His words give me the nod I needed. Standing up from my chair, I make my way to Aiden’s cell.
He was walking around, deep in thought because he didn’t even catch my scent.
I open the door and enter, breaking his train of thought as he looks at me.
“You are free to go.” I say, shocking him.
“Why? I certainly don’t deserve it.” He says to me.
“No mate of mine is going to rot in a cell. You may need some lessons on a few things but this is not the place for that.” I say.
I walk up to Aiden and pull him in for a hug.
“We both lost a child that day. Maybe my pain was more than yours because it was also physically painful but it doesn’t change the fact that you are at a loss, just like me and instead of keeping you in here, I need you close to me so we can deal with this together.” I say, feeling his arms hold on to me.
His tight embrace warms my heart.
I pull away to look him in the eyes for what I was about to say to him.
“I still have to punish you and I have decided on what to do. Walk with me.” I say as I take his hand and we make our way out of this smelly place.
We make it outside to get some much needed fresh air and I’m sure he missed it.
To be honest, I was scared. Scared of his reaction when I tell him what I’ll do to him in a bit but Hunter always taught me to shoot straight when I get scared…..
“Aiden, I’ll be taking away your immortality. That will be your punishment.” I say, ripping the bandaid off.
Aiden looks at me, he chuckles before his serious face returns.
“It was made known to me that it is actually wrong of me to have allowed you to get the gift. I had no idea I had the controls to be honest, I just thought it was just the way things work but now I know that if it comes from me, I can always take it back.” I say.
“But that means, I won’t spend eternity with you.” He says and I nod my head yes.
“Why? Why would you do that? I know I fucked up but why?” Aiden asks, grabbing both my hands in some sort of plea.
“I’m doing this because you got a little too ambitious. You became arrogant and killed people because you knew you could never die! You went against me, forming an entire resistance to overthrow me and my family, putting you in a place of power. I’m sure, so sure you told them the tales of how you can’t die and I’m definitely sure they did not question your fighting abilities because you were taught well, I’ve seen you in action myself. Instead of seeing this gift of immortality as a way to just walk beside me, to comfort me when things get tough and to build a safer, loving world around me, you chose power! Power to fight against me, your mate…. instead of fighting side by side, you chose to be my enemy. How can the love of my long ass life choose to be against me? My son got hurt in your search for revenge. I almost lost my reason for existence because of your search for power and it is for that reason that I choose to take away my first gift to you. You failed to appreciate it, to honor me.” I say, my right hand cupping his cheek as the tears fall from my eyes.
“Sabrina, don’t!” Aiden pleads.
I feel a surge of energy enter my body, but as quickly as it enters, the quicker it dies down.
Aiden looks at me in horror as reality sinks in.
“I’m sorry my love. This is the only way.” I say but he pulls away from me.
“Hi, I’m sorry to disturb but I’m looking for Anthony?” A tall blonde guy asks and I turn around to face him.
“Simon.” Aiden says grimly but the poor boy smiles warmly at what appears to be a familiar face.
“Aiden? Heavens it has been too long! I heard word of your growing resistance and as much as my family swore loyalty to yours, I could not. I hope you can understand that I am my own being? I do apologize for not getting to you sooner though.” Simon tells an angry Aiden, who I don’t think should be throwing daggers at someone that doesn’t deserve it.
“Sabrina and Aiden, step away.” Anthony calls out from the door.
I look at Anthony, annoyed with his rudeness but I quickly compose myself.
The look in his eyes….
Was this? Could this be him?
I step away, to give them this moment. If he is indeed his mate, oh I could cry! The look in both their eyes was telling… I’ve had that look, the fear and joy. The excitement!
Anthony slowly walks towards Simon, his eyes taking him in with each step and Simon staying in place as he awaits his love…
Josey walks out to see and we share a knowing look.
I turn back to face Simon, only to see Aiden grabbing Simon by the neck.
“Aiden!” I scream out.
“I did not call on you to join the resistance. You were bait.” Aiden says before ripping his head off and throwing it past my head.
My screams were muffled by Anthony’s roar.
Anthony’s loud roar shook the ground, he runs to attack Aiden. A smiling Aiden waiting with his arms open, as if ready to die… or…
Ready for battle..
He said Simon was bait.. bait because now he was weaker. Anthony was weaker.
‘Josey quick! Grab Anthony and take him to father.’ I mind link my sister and thank the goddess for the vampire in her as she acted quickly and used all her strength to grab Anthony, disappearing off.
“You fucken idiot.” I say to Aiden.
Aiden turns his face to look at me, the burning gaze for ruining his moment. Had he fought Anthony, he would have won. He may not be able to kill him but there’s enough people around to get the word out that he defeated the next ruler and no brother of mine is getting tricked in to anything.
I turn to pick up Simon’s head and walk towards Aiden to pick up Simon’s body. Hunter arrives just in time to drag Aiden back to the cell he clearly belongs.
Rushing to the infirmary, I place the poor guy on the bed. Used for power, he had no part in this.
I run to where Anthony was kept, walking in Anthony screams for me to get out but I walk up to him.
“Brother, please.” I plead, wanting him to look at me.
“Son, you can’t be upset at your sister.” Hunter tells Anthony but he just growls.
I place my hand on his chin to forcefully make him look at me, his cold gaze sent a chill down my spine…
“I will bring him back brother.. trust me on this.” I say before letting go and walking out of his room, to my office.
It was time to revisit the pond.
There will be a price to pay for this but have I not paid the price already? I’ve lost a life already… but for my brother’s happiness, I’ll take a decade of pain… even if it means losing Aiden…