~Faye
I sit alone in the dining room, staring at the surface of my tea, which reflects back at me.
Right now, I look like a mess. I’m distraught, not knowing where Time is taking my mate, and what his body may be returned to me as. I’ve been sipping at tea that is too hot, trying to think of a way halt whatever he has planned. It’s foolish of me to attempt, considering Time is an immortal more powerful than any.
It’s early in the morning, and I haven’t slept at all. I can’t. Not when all this is going down. I won’t sleep until T is returned to me safely.
I take another sip of the tea, ignoring the burn on my tongue. As I set it down, I hear the door to the room creak open. I glance over my shoulder, expecting a guard. Instead, I see a very impassive looking blue-haired immortal.
“Fate?”
He saunters over, sliding a chair out on the other side of the table to me. Immediately I notice there is no cocky smile on his face, and no taunting quirk of his eyebrow. He isn’t here to make a deal with me. That much I am certain of. But it doesn’t soothe me. My blood chills at the possibilities.
“That’s what they call me,” he murmurs, sweeping his hair back with his fingers. I watch the movement. He’s agitated.
“What are you doing here? I’ve already found out who killed my parents. You have no reason to be here,” I tell him shakily. His deal has been accepted. So what more could this possibly be about?
He sighs deeply, seeming more troubled than I’ve seen before. “I needed to warn you.”
“About what?” I question. Now I have an overwhelming feeling that this is about T. T is Fate’s brother, and after Time taking over his body and completely controlling him, this must be what this is about. However, I don’t see where I come in. “Fate, what are you talking about?”
“Time is leaving T’s boyd tonight forever,” he tells me. “However, not in such a pleasant way.”
“What do you mean?”
Fate looks grim. “The way he is going to do it includes exacting revenge. And he’s doing it tonight.”
I was already aware Time’s intention were malicious, but I had no idea it was happening tonight. Of course, I had a feeling. However, I could do nothing to stop him. And now someone is going to get hurt. And T might do too.
“Can’t you deal with it? You have more power than me,” I insist. Fate can manipulate anyone. That is why he is so successful.
“I would much rather not involve myself in other immortals business. I just thought since it’s your mate, and all,” he says pointedly. I narrow my eyes on him, knowing he is using me to address the problem. I would have immediately ordered him out of my home had it not been T we were discussing.
“He’s your brother.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Not by blood.”
“You’re impossible,” I mutter. I have no other choice, though, as much as I would rather spite Fate. I need to ensure T is okay, and if Fate is even worried about that, something must be seriously wrong. “Where is he?”
“Devotion Pack. He’s making a special visit to a certain Time Traveller,” Fate alerts me. I stand, leaving my tea forgotten on the table.
By his words alone, I know instantly who he is talking about.
“Jasper?” I question, attempting to see if I am right in my assumption. Fate nods grimly, joining me on his feet. I sigh. I like Jasper; him and his mate have been my friends for quite some time. “Okay. Can you take me? I know you have abilities too.”
There is no way I could get to the Devotion Pack in time. It is close to the equator, and a few hours drive away. And from what I have heard from rumour, Fate has a certain transporting ability. And by the silent desperation across his expression, he is anxious about what will happen to the Alpha of the Devotion Pack.
“Take my hand,” he murmurs, extending his palm to me.
Before I do, I pause, a question on the tip of my tongue, that I can’t go without asking. “Why are you being so willing? Do you owe something to Jasper, or is this about your brother?”
“Jasper has a daughter, who is very important to me,” he tells me solemnly. Jasper has two young children. Zayla and Zaid. I have met them only once. “Please. Save her father.”
I nod, confirming I would do anything I could. And then I take his hand.
***
The moment my feet land on the ground, Fate disappears again.
Sighing deeply, I look around. I’m in the middle of the forest, seeing only trees native to this Pack. The Devotion Pack. And right in front of me, is a rather small looking cabin. I have visited here once before. This is where Jasper and Thea primarily live. I love how they don’t need a massive estate to live happily as Alpha and Luna.
I walk up the porch, knowing promptly on the front door. “Hello? Jasper? It’s me, Faye.”
“Faye,” Jasper says as he opens the door. “What are you doing here?”
I survey him, looking for any injury or wound. He looks fine - untouched, in fcat. He doesn’t even look as if anything is bothering. Perhaps I reached him before Time did. That means I get warn him and get him and his family out of here.
“I’ve come to warn you. You need to be very careful. Time is coming for you, and I think he’s going to kill you,” I say quickly. The sooner this is sorted out, the better.
“He doesn’t have nearly enough power at this point,” Jasper tells me, leaning against the door. I know Jasper is a powerful immortal. Not one with a specific ability. He’s a Phantom wolf, without a beating heart. It wouldn’t be easy to kill him would full power. “Come inside. We can talk about this if you wish.”
I follow after him, trying to explain how imperative it is that he gets out of here. “Fate came to me. He warned me that something is going to happen to you. Only you know the past between you and Time. But I have a really bad feeling he has planned something terrible. And it’s going to end with you getting hurt, or killed.”
Jasper doesn’t seem all that affected. Until he suddenly pauses, turns on his heels and looks at me. Those violet eyes I know so well are troubled.
“My mate is a mortal. He could do something to her,” he breathes.
My heart skips a beat. Thea. She may be a Luna, with the mark of a Phantom wolf herself, but she isn’t powerful enough to fight an immortal like Time. He could simply whisper something in her ear, and she would die.
“Where is she?”
“She took our daughter out for an early walk,” he tells me, rushing toward the front door. I follow him, stumbling over my step. Zayla is with her. This isn't good. I know Time is horrible, but would he do something to a child?
“Which way does she walk?” I question. To my right there is a track, and to my left there is another. She could be anywhere.
“This way,” he says, pointing toward the river. “Toward the river. Follow me.”
He breaks into a quick jog. I follow. I can barely breathe from fright, so I can hardly guess what he is going through. This is his mate that could be in danger. And although it isn’t at the hands of my mate, I still feel deeply guilty.
“He wouldn’t hurt her, right? She’s only a mortal, and she has a young daughter. Everything is going to be okay,” I try to reassure him. I can’t see his expression, as he trails ahead.
I hear him scoff. “You clearly do not know Time very well. He only does what is necessary to benefit himself. He hates me. He wants me dead. He would do anything to ensure that would happen.”
“We will find her, do not worry.”
“The mate bond is strong, Faye,” he tells me. “I couldn’t live without her.”
I don’t say anything, but I understand. I’ve known T for months, but only weeks have I truly cared for him. And in that short time, I have been made aware of how special the mate bond is. I don’t know if I could live without him. And after knowing Jasper and Thea, and seeing their relationship, I have no idea how he would survive without her.
He leads me toward a small river. And standing at the foot of it is T. No, Time. His eyes are a glinting silver. I see only victory in his eyes, as he tightly holds onto Thea’s shoulders. She looks petrified, dark hair mussed all around her head, eyes cast to the ground.
“Ah, the guest has arrived,” Time said, gaze trained on Jasper, who has stopped short in his path. Then it drags to me, sending shivers across my skin. “Joined none other than this bodies mate. How convenient.”
“Time. We can talk about this,” Jasper says slowly.
“You had four hundred mortal years to give me my powers back, Jasper,” Time says sourly, tightening his grip on Thea. She cringes, and Jasper flinches. “This is a little overdue.”
“Please, you don’t have to involve my mate,” he says anxiously. “Take me instead. I’ll sacrifice myself if you let her go.”
“See, Jasper...I trusted you,” Time says. I can tell at this point he is taunting Jasper. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, as I realise that Thea may not be leaving his arms alive. “However, fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you.”
I decide to step in, catching a glance a stroller that I assume Zayla is in. “He’s telling the truth Time. Just let her go. Please. She has children.”
Time ignores me, looking down at Thea. He brings his face down to her neck, looking as if he is about to whisper something sinister in her ear. I’m not sure if I can continue to look, scared of what he might do.
“Thea, you are beautiful for a mortal. However, your fate has been cemented in obsidian,” he breathes, glancing back up at Jasper. His eyes are painfully sinister, his smile taunting.
“Don’t do this,” Thea and Jasper seemed to plead at the same time.
“Say hello to Death for me,” Time tells her, right in her ear. “She really is a lovely immortal. Unlike me.”
And with the swiftest move of his hands, Thea was gone.