Ember
We phased back home, still nude. Damien phased us into the bathroom of his own room to take a shower as we spent many more hours entwined on that island. Once we finished, Carter came in, lifting me up, and giving me a huge hug.
“Carter”, I whispered, and he took my already swollen lips onto his. Not giving me a chance to speak. He had missed me, and that much was clear. I could feel it in our bond, just as I could feel the other’s wants for me. He pulled back, so both of us could catch our breath.
” I’ve fucking missed you”, he said, and I blushed.
“I have missed you too”. I told him. We walked arm in arm to the kitchen where Damien had already left to get something to eat from the fridge. As soon as I entered, I was surrounded by Seth and Jordan, who both pulled me in a hug before kissing me. I was finally surrounded by all four mates who looked at me with nothing but love. In my reflection from a mirror, I saw my eyes glowing. I wondered if this would happen each time I was in the presence of them all.
“I’m going to go visit Agatha”, I told them, after Carter and Jordan made breakfast.
“Knowing her, she is probably expecting you already”, Seth said, and I nodded. She did have a sense. Plus, I needed to speak to Iris.
” We need to figure out what we are going to do about War”, Jordan said. I looked at them questionably and realized Damien must have filled them in on what I told him when he rescued me.
“And Ruby”, Damien said.
“We should fucking kill her”, Carter said.
“That is no longer our call to make”, Seth said, looking at me. Was it mine?
” What she did was horrible, and it makes her a traitor to the pack and to us, but she does not deserve to die for it.”. I told them, thinking about Franklin. He could possibly lose his wolf. When one mate dies, if the other is not strong enough, they could lose their wolf.
” Dad will understand”, Damien said, reading my mind. I would still need to get used to that.
“Then let him make the call.” I told him. I hopped off Seth’s lap.
” I am going to Agatha’s now. I will be back later”, I told them before walking out the door. Carter followed me out.
“I don’t need a chaperone, Carter”, I told him. He smiled.
” I know you don’t.”, he said, walking beside me. He didn’t say much else, but I could feel it in our bond. After last night, it would be a while before I was let out of his sight again. I could have died if Damien had not come to save me, because I would not have given War what he wanted. I would have attempted to kill him, even without my powers. I didn’t fight Carter about it. I would feel the same had the tables turned.
“Damien and I shared blood”, I told him as we walked. He nodded.,
“We know. We felt it happen through the bond.”, Carter said.
“How does that work? Do you feel every emotion or what?” I asked. I was curious.
“We four are connected to you through a normal bond, so we feel everything you feel. When you feel sad, we feel it too. When you are angry, we feel it from your end of the bond. When you took Damien’s blood, we all felt your rush of power. I am sure it was intense for you”, he said, and I nodded.
“I never thought anything like that would have happened, but I lost a lot of blood when War cut me open.” I told him.
“You don’t have to explain. The rest of us would have done the same, Ember. I am sure in the future, we will have to at some point”, he said, smirking. We had reached Agatha’s house.
“What does that mean?” I asked him but he just kissed me. He had that knowing smirk that he does whenever he has some devious plan. Agatha opened her door, and ushered me in, nodding to Carter, before closing the door.
” Ember. How are you feeling?” she asked me, passing me to go to the kitchen.
” Fine, thank you, and yourself?” I asked her.
” I am fine. I see blood sharing has increased your energy. It is radiating from you”, she said, and I blushed. She fixed herself some water before joining me on the couch.
” Did you know what was going to happen?” I asked her.
“You mean, did I know War was Ryder?”, she asked, and I nodded. She shook her head. That was not revealed to me until you reached back here. I saw the weakened state you were in and told Damien to share blood with you.” she said.
“How do I kill him?” I asked her.
“As for that, I do not know. Only the Gods can answer your question”, she said.
“Can I ask to speak with Iris”, I asked her. She nodded.
” I will pray and ask”, she said before closing her eyes. It was silent for a moment before a white light started radiating from her and her eyes opened up. They were white.
“Ember”, Iris greeted me.
“Iris”, I greeted her back, nodding my head to her.
” You’ve found War.”, she said, and I nodded.
“He has taken possession of my ex, Ryder, and now uses his body. How do I kill him?” I asked her.
“You must strip him of the power Ares blessed him with by ripping out his heart and destroying his golden ring,” she said grimly. I remembered seeing a huge ring on his fingers when he turned.
” I assume he must be in his true form when it happens?” I asked her. She nodded
” It is a ritual that must be done on the coming blue moon. The blue moon will be when he is at his weakest, as Selene’s power will be supercharged. She will have taken the wolf away from his previous tenants form by that time, so it will be just him. You must beware though; this will not be an easy feat. You will need to get close enough. At the highest peak of the blue moon, his ring must be crushed. He will then be weak enough for his heart to be ripped from his chest and crushed. If you do not succeed in crushing his ring first, it will be too late. ” She warned, and I nodded.
“Okay. I think I can manage.” I told her.
“Do not do anything foolish until then. If his ring is not crushed during the highest peak of the supermoon, then Ares can bring him back to life. It will not matter if you can crush his heart or not. Keep your mates by your side. You must gather all of your pack fighters and prepare for war. Anyone with power in league with your pack as well. War will be fighting with the ability to raise dead warriors, so he must always remain your target in the coming battle. Do you understand this, Ember”, she said to me. She looked in my eyes, wanting me to understand the importance of this. Did she know something I didn’t?
“Yes. I understand. No matter what, he will remain my target.” I told her. She smiled.
“May the future be in your favor, earth goddess”, she said before the light burned from Agatha, returning Agatha back to normal. I explained what happened.
” I must make a few calls. The supermoon will be here one month from today. You need to reach your full strength, as this war will not be an easy one. You, Jordan, and Damien need to complete the mating bond, so your blood will charge them as it has charged Seth and Carter. ” She said.
“What has my blood done to Seth and Carter from the mating ritual?” I asked her. I sensed a change in them. More powerful than before.
“You have just made them stronger. It will come in handy with what is coming.” she said, opening the door. Carter was still there.
” Carter, you all need to train Ember in combat”, she said to him.
“It is on the agenda for today”, he said.
“The supermoon is when you will need to defeat War. Ember will explain more to you, ” she said before nodding to me. “You will be the most powerful piece on the battlefield, which also makes you their weakness. You know what you need to do” Agatha said, before closing the door.
“What does she mean?” Carter said, taking my arm as we walked back to the mansion. I explained on the way what Iris told me, and he nodded. His eyes glazed over, linking someone. I felt excitement coming through the mate bond from Damien and Jordan’s end.
” Come”, Carter said, leading me inside. We spent the day with Seth, cuddled up on the couch, watching movies. Damien and Jordan had gone away to the Black Crystal and wouldn’t be home until tonight. Nighttime approached and I wondered what they were doing. Seth and Carter had managed to keep me distracted all day, but I missed my other mates now. I considered phasing to the club.
“No need. We are home”, I heard Damein’s voice say in my head. Seth’s eyes glazed over.
“Jordan and Damien want you to meet them outside”, Seth said. I raised an eyebrow.
“Why?” I asked as we walked to the door.
” I’m not telling you. It will ruin it”, he said. I sighed. Opening the door, I saw a battery-operated candle-lit path that led into the forest. Damien and Jordan were nowhere to be seen.
” I am to follow the path, I suppose”, I said.
“Ding, Ding, Ding’, I heard Damien’s voice in my head while Carter nodded before kissing me. Seth kissed me as well.
“Have fun”, Seth said, before he and Carter walked back in the house and closed the door behind me. It was nighttime and the stars above twinkled. The moon was big and bright. I followed the path and ended up deep in the forest. I turned around and saw the lights had been removed. Someone had been taking them as I walked. What the hell? I found a note taped to a tree. It read.
Ember
Before tonight’s mating ritual
Damien and I have a game in mind.
Hide and Seek
Remove all of your clothes, other than your shoes
We’re going to hunt you, so you had better hide well.
Should we find you, let’s just say we’re taking our prize on the spot
Jordan
I laughed at the hilarious note. So that is what they were doing. I wanted to mate them tonight and they decided to make a game of it. I could feel myself getting wet from the thought. Being hunted in the forest by two very dominant alpha males. They wanted to play, hunh. Fine. I stripped down and folded my clothes, putting them by a tree. I don’t doubt I won’t need them.
“You better hide, little one. We can already smell you”, Damien said in my head.
“Catch me if you can”, I taunted him and ran further through the trees. I could hear two pairs of howls. I climbed up one of the thick trees, certain I had enough cover to where I could see them, but they could not see me. The forest had become silent from its night creatures, letting me know that Jordan and Damien were close.
” Found you!”, I heard Damien say behind me and I screamed, losing balance and falling out of the tree. I landed in Jordan’s arms, and he set me down. I took off running, knowing they would give chase.
” We will have our prize, Ember,” Damien growled from behind me. I heard Jordan’s voice as I kept running, and lust ran through me at his sentence.
“But we knew she would run, Damien. That’s the fun part. She’s our prey now”.