Elaine POV
The mansion before us was imposing the air was humid here, the sky was dark and despite the dozens of floodlights scattered across the massive lawn and surrounding the mansion it was still dark and gloomy.
Lawrence draped an army over my shoulder.
“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
“What did he mean by it would all start here, Lawrence?” I questioned.
His eyes darkened and thunder roared in the distance. “I don’t know Elaine.”
“Take them downstairs!” Verena ordered.
“What’s downstairs?”
“Shut up! Silly girl,” Verena swatted my shoulder.
Her bony hands stung.
“Touch her again and I’ll rip your hands off!” Lawrence barked, his eyes flashing neon yellow and his wolf coming through.
Verena stepped back. “We should have bound your wolf too!”
“Touch me and you die, simple,” Lawrence smiled.
I touched his arm. “Hey, calm down. We can’t afford you to lose your wolf right now.”
He grumbled. “I won’t let them touch me.”
He’s adjusting to his wolf taking up space in his mind without his vampire side. Verena’s witches ushered us inside. The mansion was biting cold, the walls were bare and the floor was made of clear white marble. We followed Verena through the hall and into the living room. She tapped on the fireplace and it opened.
I had a bad feeling about walking into a fireplace. Now how is Azaire going to get to us?
“Go,” she ordered.
“Come on, I’ve got you,” Lawrence said.
I followed my brother down the ominous stairs.
“Be careful, Avena it looks like you’re going to lose your cool,” My Mother said.
“Shut up! I can kill you where you stand,” Avena blasted.
She had a crazed edge in her voice and I believed her threat. However, Mom didn’t sound threatened it was like she was stoking the fire.
“Go ahead let’s see how that goes for you,” Mom said casually.
Was she insane? The stairs were surprisingly steep and they spiralled for what felt like hours.
“Laiken! I’m warning you, this time I will kill her!” Avena yelled.
“You’re not going to do that,” he replied calmly.
“You’ve always favoured her. She could never do any wrong in your eyes but you didn’t trust her because you bound her to a blood promise.”
“Move,” the witch behind us shoved me.
We finally came to the end of the stairs and found my parents standing on either side of Avena. My Father’s new wife looked like she was two minutes from a serious mental breakdown.
“Your Highness, we have successfully retrieved your children,” Verena said and bowed.
Mom’s eyes locked on me and fear filled her eyes. “Elaine no.”
Dad marched to a thick silver throne. He already believed he would be the moon god. His arrogance was overwhelming. It wasn’t just killing his children he thought it was also killing the moon goddess. That would unleash unspeakable chaos on the werewolf community. The Blood Moon Pack wouldn’t just disappear but so many others too.
My heart ached for my mate. I couldn’t even tell if he was there.
“That’s all lovely but I have four children. Where are the other two?” he demanded.
“Well, your Highness, the thing is-”
“You failed! Two children are not good enough! I need them all.”
“I’m sorry about that Dad, but Blazer didn’t feel like coming and Nik’s having trouble with his wolf.”
Dad and Lawrence locked eyes. I inched closer to my brother.
“You betrayed me, son,” he said. It was the first time I heard real emotions in my Dad’s voice.
“You betrayed me before I was born. It wasn’t enough I was destined to die you had to kill me!”
Dad stood suddenly. “Don’t you understand! As the moon deity, I’ll have all the power! Don’t you think I’ll bring you back to life? You would have had more power than before, son!”
“If your plan succeeds. The moon goddess’ been around for centuries and no one’s ever killed her,” Lawrence said.
“Just because you can doesn’t mean you will either. You’re not credible Dad,” I added.
Our eyes locked. I hated that we were cut from the same cloth.
“Elaine, the daughter I couldn’t love. Your birth hurt my wife and that was the last thing I ever wanted. Doesn’t mean I didn’t love in my own way,” he said, shrugging.
Was that supposed to make me feel good?
Mom laughed. “You don’t know what love is. I can’t deny you only had eyes for Bianca and you were excellent with Isaura and I can imagine Avena hated both of those things.” A teasing smile spread on her face.
The colour drained from Avena’s face. She stood at attention back to her stone-cold exterior.
“What does Isaura have to do with anything? You told me she wasn’t mine!”
“You chose to believe me and Avena chose to send her attack after attack. Like the magical sickness that forced me to come here. Does that sound like a loving man to anyway?” Mom asked, polishing her nails on her robe and blowing on them.
Why wasn’t she terrified of being murdered?
“You did what?” Dad blasted. “Who gave you the authority?”
“I was here with you. When would I have gotten close enough to perform the spell?” Avena responded.
“Your useless soldiers never march without your bark! She’s just a child!”
“Shut up,” Avena murmured.
“I consider myself lucky for not losing Isaura. I can’t say the same for Bianca.”
My jaw dropped.
“What?” Nik shouted.
Nik and Blazer stood at the entrance.
“What are you guys doing here?” I yelled.