Axel's POV
I knew my father would have a problem with me being mated to a man yet a small part of myself hoped he could look past it and accept me. Accept me for who I am because Hector was right, as my father he should be happy because I am. And I am happy, though once the bond to Vanessa is gone perhaps, I'll start believing it myself. For now though I just had to get on with it. My father and I left Hector in the hospital, he wanted to be discharged but I managed to persuade him to stay just until the morning. My mother was being kept in the alpha suite and heavily guarded. She was his mate, so he didn't want to have her put in the dungeons, so being as this was a magic free area thanks to a witch my father knew it was the next best thing.
As we approached my parents bedroom I could feel my mother's rage, she was beyond pissed that everything she had done to this point had failed. I hadn't fallen for Vanessa like she'd hoped, I hadn't forgotten about my fated mates and now even my father had gone against her. Just by looking at him I knew he was suffering. He always wore the same hardened exterior, yet I somehow knew he was breaking on the inside. My mother going behind his back aligning herself with wolves from other packs as well as rogues was the final straw for him. Though no matter how hard he tried, he loved this woman even though she had planned to do atrocious things. That was how badly the mate bond affected our kind and for an Alpha that feeling was magnified significantly. My father's eyes glazed over just for a second, the guards outside his door nodding in response before walking down the hallway to the staircase leading away from the suite. He closed his eyes a heavy sigh leaving him as his trembling hand gripped the door handle. This had been the first time I had ever seen this man nervous; he had always been a master at hiding his feelings something I had been envious of. After quickly regaining his composure, he opened the door. Standing there her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face was my mother, the woman that had caused all of this.
"This is how you treat me, your mate? I want to know why I have been locked up against my will" just by the tone in her voice you could tell she was nearing crazy and when she lost it, she really lost it. I remember the first time she had ever caught me drunk; it wasn't the fact I was drunk that made her crazy, nope it was what I was drinking that done it. I had helped myself to her favourite flavour of gin something so stupid. With the click of her fingers and a chant, she had me stripped naked and tied to a tree in the centre of the town for a full thirty-six hours, no food, no toilet nothing. To say it was the most embarrassing few days of my life would be an understatement though that by far was one of the better punishments she could dish out.
"Drop it mother the jig is up. We know why you want Vanessa, but you are not getting your hands on that pup. I will not allow you to sacrifice mine or anyone else's pup" My mother's facade dropped for a split second before replacing it with a look of amusement which both my father and I found very odd. "Something funny mother?"
"Only the mere fact you think you know anything my dear boy. Those mates of yours as you call them have brain washed you. I'm your mother, that pup's grandmother. I only wanted to ensure Vanessa's safety until it was born, I know how keen everyone is to have her executed" the way she spun her words was something else entirely. My mother had been high priestess and a Luna for a long time, she always knew what to say to divert attention away from matters she didn't want to be acknowledged. This time however it wasn't going to happen, she wouldn't be talking her way out of this.
"Enough Sheila, I know everything. I have always known. Why do you think you lost our pup all of them years ago?" I watched as my father walked to the bar at the edge of the room only to pour himself a drink. "I couldn't let you sacrifice her; I just couldn't let you do it"
"What are you talking about Tobias?" Damn my mother was good, even though my father and I knew everything, and she knew it, she still played as if she hadn't a clue. As if she were the victim.
"The moon goddess came to me the night before it happened. She showed me the past of every female in your bloodline. Once they ascended to high priestess, they couldn't get enough power. They became crazed needing more, wanting more. She showed me your future Shelia. You had planned on doing the same fucking thing. You were going to sacrifice our daughter and cover it up with a rogue attack" my father looked tired as if carrying this secret all these years had slowly eaten away at him. "I poisoned you, I poisoned our pup. I would rather bury my daughter in the ground knowing she didn't feel pain and went unknowingly than be slaughtered in the brutal way you intended" my mother was quick across the room smacking my father as hard as she could. He didn't even look fazed, she either didn't hit hard or it happened regularly, and it no longer bothered him.
"You don't know what you have fucking done, but you will. When I get my hands on that woman, I will make her suffer knowing you will feel it all through that bond you share. Only when she is begging me to end her will I cut that pup out of her and while she bleeds out, I will sacrifice her pup right in front of her. Not only will you be unable to stop me, but you will feel everything through her." Black veins were showing under my mother's pale skin, she couldn't do magic from inside this room so I didn't know what they were.
"You will remove their bond Sheila and you will do it without it costing our son his pup" my father slammed his glass down so hard that it smashed, his whiskey leaking onto the cream carpet.
"Oh, I will do know such thing. You have no idea how long I have waited and now it's just within my reach" my mother glared at my father before turning her cold eyes to me. "I knew throwing a tantrum about Vanessa's pregnancy would bring you here, you have always been so predictable. Did it not even cross your mind that you're locking me in here was too easy Tobias? Well, that's a mistake you will now carry with you" my mother looked at the watch that sat on her wrist, her lips twitching up into a cruel smirk. "And with you and your mates now here who has been left to watch Vanessa?"
"Axel it was a diversion" Athena's voice came from the other side of the door. I looked to my mother who seemed extremely proud of herself. My father's eyes remained fixed on his mate as her shook his head in disbelief while opening the door allowing Athena inside. "My pack was attacked, both wolves and witches came and took Vanessa. She planned this whole thing" Athena looked worried her eyes brimming with tears making the blue of her irises much more prominent.
"Mother what did you do?" yet all she could do was shrug and I knew she wouldn't be divulging any information.
"You have left me no choice Sheila. Axel I'm sorry. I know I've been a shitty father and if I could go back in time, I promise you I would have been better, would have made more of an effort with you and that is something I will carry to my grave. I know you're going to feel this regardless of how you feel about me, but I can't let it happen. I can't see your mother succeed"
"Dad what are you... Noooo" my words became lodged in my throat as he plunged a silver knife deep into his chest. I ran to his side catching him just before his knees could hit the ground. He began to cough up blood his body temperature decreasing so I knew this was fatal.
"I...I'm sorry, I am pleased you found your mat..." he went limp before he could finish his sentence. I watched as the light left his eyes leaving his once bright green eyes that resembled my own now look dark and empty.
"Fool, willing to end his life to save your pup" I looked up shocked to see my mother standing there, no pain, no regret, no love, nothing. "Like I was going to allow my life force to be determined by that pesky mate bond. Now be a good boy and take care of your father for me I have someone that requires my attention" with a wave of her hand she disappeared leaving me speechless unable to form any words and my dead father in my arms, his life force was what held the magic barrier in place and now that he was gone, my mother was free. I couldn't hold it in anymore my skin was beginning to blister as flames emitted across my arms, so I let my grief and rage consume me allowing Thor to come free.