Elaine POV
“Nik, do you know what you’re doing? Are you being influenced by a blood promise too?”
He grimaced. “Why would I need to make a blood promise?”
I gave him the benefit of the doubt and he blew it. My brother shoved his hands in the grey hoodie he wore.
“I’m not a traitor, Elaine.”
I stepped forward. The fire I created in the pool was slowly winding down.
“You’ve always been Daddy’s little soldier.”
Nik chuckled. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m his heir. I get everything. It’s always been me. He kept you aren’t for a purpose nothing else.”
“Don’t you care that he plans to kill us? Your siblings!”
He shrugged. “Sacrifices must be made. What’s three obnoxious siblings anyway?”
“You’re just like your Father! You’re heartless and cold. Opal did so much better with Richie!”
I added the Richie part just to hurt his feelings because deep down in the bottomless pit he calls his heart he had emotions for Opal and her relationship with Richie hurt him.
He flashed his wolf at me and blasted his Alpha strength at me. My wolf stood strong as an Alpha female. I brushed off his little attempt to make me submit to him. Who was he kidding? Though, I was surprised at my own strength and I saw Quin and Nik were too.
Quin took a few steps backwards while my brother stepped forward.
“Don’t talk about her. Ever,” Nik warned.
“Would you like me to talk about your Mother then? Do you know mine was alive this entire time?”
“Don’t talk about her!” Nik roared.
I raised my hand and a dose of magic blasted him, sending him to the wall instantly.
My heart hammered in my chest. Quin gasped when Nik’s back hit the wall.
“Fuck!” Nik groaned.
“How did you get that strong?” Quin asked.
I lifted a shoulder. “Takes practice.”
“Enough! You made a blood promise now it’s time to deliver. Alpha Laiken wants you to fulfil his promise to him.”
Yeah right, I rolled my eyes. Despite my annoyance, my limbs froze and my arms stuck to my sides. The only thought in my mind was obeying the request before me. I had to fulfil the blood promise it was my time. I didn’t want to but my body was in control.
“That’s a good girl. Don’t worry, it’ll be nice and quick. While you’re at it tell us where your brothers are.”
“At the safe house,” I confessed.
No! I hated the blood promise. I quickly caught Azaire’s scent instead of relief panic washed over me because I knew Azaire and Nik were bound to fight.
“Elaine!” Azaire barked.
I couldn’t respond. Nik tucked me under his arm and chuckled.
“She’s coming with me.”
Azaire scanned the room from the burning pool, my former best friend and my brother protectively holding me.
“I’ll kill you, Nik,” Azaire threatened.
He took threatening steps forward but Nik shuffled us backwards. I felt the pain reflecting in Azaire’s eyes. It wasn’t just me he was worried about he felt the loss of his twin brother all over again. I’ll never understand what happened that night that resulted in Aiden’s death but the hurt that it caused raged on.
“Stop,” I whispered.
It was me and the curse talking. I didn’t want to hurt him.
“You heard her. She doesn’t want to go with you. Elaine is loyal to her Father to the very end.”
I didn’t want to be loyal to the end! I wanted to work in a hospital and give Azaire a thousand babies! My mate and I locked eyes. Azaire saw the desperation in my eyes and then moved to my brother. He stepped aside and lifted his chin.
“Take her,” he said.
My eyes turned to saucers. What?
Nik tightened his grip. “Move.”
Take her? Was he serious? This wasn’t like the last time my family came after me. Azaire knew about the blood promise he knew I wouldn’t leave him willingly! Ugh, is he that fragile?
“Nik watch out!” Quin shouted.
It happened so fast. Nik went limb and dropped in front of me. I shuffled out of his hold and stared in confusion. Azaire adjusted his baseball cap and dusted his clothes.
“Time to leave,” he said. “That’s if you want to come with me.”
I bit my tongue because I wanted to tell him my purpose was to fulfil my Father’s request. He took my hand and kissed my forehead.
“We’ll fix this, okay?”
I managed to nod.
“Hey, you can’t do this! There are betas from the Black Claw Pack everywhere. You’re surrounded,” Quin challenged.
Azaire knocked out Nik with a blow to the back of the head. My brother wouldn’t be knocked out for long. Azaire picked him up and tossed him over his shoulder. I bit my bottom lip. Damn, Azaire’s strong. Azaire was older and bigger than my brother but Nik was still a force to reckon with.
“Yeah, yeah whatever. Run along and tell Alpha Laiken that I have his son and if he wants him to come get him personally.”
Quin growled but she knew there was nothing she could do other than deliver the message. She marched out with a message to send. The message would have serious complications but it would buy us some time.
***
Azaire loaded Nik in the back of the SUV. The football game played out nicely. I noticed the extra betas patrolling in the parking lot but no sign of Richie.
“Ready to go?” Azaire asked.
I hoped destroying the magical swimming pool was enough to protect these people.
“I guess.”
Azaire took my face in his hands and slowly backed me into the car.
“Talk to me, Elaine.”
“I… well… just kiss me okay?”
I had so much on my mind I couldn’t pick one thing to say. I didn’t want him to go through the pain of losing another person he loved. Azaire wasted no time and accepted my invitation by closing his lips on mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my body against his.
Our tongues danced passionately as our hands explored each other. The background noise of the football game the innocent cheers faded into nothingness. I could stay like this forever. Our kiss grew as we tugged on our clothes and limbs. I think we forgot where we were for a moment. When a thud came from the car our kiss ended.
“Let me out,” Nik barked.
Azaire kissed my forehead. “Let’s get going.”
We climbed into the car and my phone rang. It was Lawrence.
“Hey! We’ve got news-”
“So do we and it’s not good news,” Lawrence said.
“Is everything okay? Don’t tell me Dad found you guys.”
“Uh… his witches definitely did. They took your Mother.”
“What?” I gasped. “H-how?”
“She was adamant Laiken wouldn’t kill her so she left with them. She was trying to protect you and Isaura.”
A realization hit me.
“Lawrence… Dad might not but Avena will!”