Misty
“Do not speak to anyone,” Orion says as we walk through empty, entirely too quiet halls. “Do not look any of them in the eyes, and do not, under any circumstances, use your powers. Any of them.”
My grip on the crook of his arm tightens as soft, slightly off-key music starts to sound through the hall, mingling with our footsteps.
“Them, as in, Richard and the order?”
“No,” he replies, his voice like gravel. We turn a sharp corner, and the grand foyer erupts into view–undecorated and cold… and full of green eyed members of this court, this castle.
Maids and servants. Alphas, and their Lunas. High ranking warriors and commanders.
They funnel into the ballroom as if in a trance, their eyes glowing green and bodies covered in open, bleeding symbols.
My stomach pitches and turns. My dress feels too tight. I can barely breathe.
One man stops walking. He slowly turns his head, that green light flickering several times–like he’s fighting for control–before the single sliver of self he has left is yanked from him, taken over by the curse once again.
Orion flinches, grinding his teeth.
“Do you know him?”
“He was one of King Jaxon’s commanders.” He quickly motions at a trio of young women passing into the ballroom behind him. “His daughters–triplets.”
“They can’t be more–more than thirteen! Richard is cursing children?!” My voice is a low hiss, my eyes locked on Orion’s to stop myself from staring at the monsters passing us by.
“We got most of the kids out before it got bad. But… the curse spreads.” He starts guiding me along, edging into the ballroom. “We had a few biting incidents, only when the curse had spread to the point the afflicted were no longer aware of who they were. That’s how Richard got to the families, especially here, in the castle. Families didn’t want to be separated, and at first, refused to leave. Cole put an end to that, pushing everyone out. This is who's left.” He motions to the ballroom–to the green eyed zombies standing still as stone.
But a group of men in black cloaks zooms past us. I nearly jump out of my skin in alarm but notice Orion eyeing one of the young men in particular. This group doesn’t have green eyes. No scars mar their fingers, necks, or faces–the only parts of their bodies visible. The man holds Orion’s gaze, nods, and to my great surprise, winks.
Oh, shit. I was right. Something’s happening tonight. That’s why Cole isn’t here. I watch the order members weave through the crowd. I turn and spot more men in black cloaks, recognizing a few as order members who left the fortress and traveled with us to Oasia.
I was right about Cole being part of a different faction of the order. He has people on his side, people who are… going to fight. Tonight.
This is happening tonight.
My heart beats out of rhythm as the crowd parts, and Richard appears, cackling menacingly as he claps his hands. “Princess Mystica. What a vision you are.”
Orion grinds to a halt, tugging me close. I hold onto him for dear life.
Do not use your powers. Do not use your powers. Don’t, Misty. The words bounce through my skull as power prickles in my fingertips. I curl my nails into Orion’s suit jacket and glare at Richard as he walks toward us, inspecting me like I’m a prized mare.
“What a gods awful color,” he snorts, his eyes narrowing as he walks a tight circle around us. “I suppose not everyone can have good taste.”
“My skin-tone is far too warm for black,” I fire back as he rounds us, coming to a stop in front of me and way too close for comfort. “If I were more sallow and lifeless, like you, I might be able to pull it off.”
I smile as his lips thin. He checks his watch, smirking. “It’s nearly the end of the night. So, show us this wolf. I’ve been dying to see it all day.”
“You got my birthday wrong,” I grin, giving him a practiced, princessy giggle. “I’m not twenty-one until tomorrow, but thank you for the… party? It’s rather dull, isn’t it? No one’s even dancing.”
His eyes glow with faint power, and suddenly the music erupts, and several green-eyed couples swing onto the dance floor and dance like they’re being pulled by strings.
Richard is the puppeteer, after all.
My heart races. I steal a glance at Orion as Richard whirls and walks away. “So,” Richard snarls, “We wait.”
The dancers swirl around me and Orion, but my eyes are on Richard as he moves toward his posse–his loyal order members. Cole’s faction blends in with their black cloaks, hoods drawn over their heads.
Orion takes my hand and leads me into a dance. “Princess Mystica,” he whispers, his eyes tracking Richard as we spin, and spin, barely aware of our steps. “You’re going to come into your wolf in ten minutes.”
“I’m a late bloomer, apparently. I feel nothing.”
Orion heaves a breath, his eyes scanning the far side of the ballroom as we waltz, careful to put a good bit of distance between us and Richard’s monsters. “Still, Richard isn’t going to leave you alone once the clock strikes midnight. You need to be prepared.”
“Prepared for what, exactly?”
A hush falls through the room as the dancers come to an abrupt stop. Orion turns with me in his arms as heavy, steady footsteps sound, echoing through the room. Overhead, moonlight streams through the glass ceiling, highlighting the ghastly, scarred faces of Cole’s trapped court… and Cole, himself.
He’s dressed in all black–an insanely well-fitted tuxedo. His dark blond hair is swept back away from his face–longer than it used to be, when we first met. His eyes are stern and cold as his gaze sweeps the room.
But then his eyes meet mine and hold. His gaze softens to something edged with heartbreak.
My heart stops beating as he makes his way to us and extends a hand.
“I owe you a dance.”
I slide my hand into his. “Why?”
“Because I was very late to your birthday party.”
For some reason, the look in his eyes makes me wonder if he planned to show up at all, but before I can think too deeply, he sweeps me into a dance.
No one else is dancing, and there’s no music, but his heartbeat leads the way, timing our steps.
“You are high bred, aren’t you?” I tease.
His hand slides down my back, tugging me closer. “One of us needs to be able to dance. You’re lucky I know the steps, otherwise your party guests would be laughing at us.”
“If they could laugh,” I whisper, and make the impulsive decision to lay my cheek on his chest.
We couldn’t be closer if we tried. Several minutes tick by like this–us swaying in silence, dancing to the sound of our mingled heartbeats. It’s crushing. This… horrific sadness. This sudden, blinding knowledge that whatever we had is coming to an end… right now.
“I love you,” he says so softly it shatters my heart.
“I know. I love you, too.”
“I’m so sorry–”
“Don’t, please–just–just stay with me. Let me–let me help you, somehow. Let me fight by your side.”
He tilts my chin so I have to look at him. Our dance draws to a close in the deafening silence.
“I love you,” he repeats, firmer this time, like he wants me to know–needs me to hear him say it. He pulls me close, clasping my face between his hands as he lowers his head to mine, brushing a tender kiss over my forehead. I grip his jacket until my knuckles turn white. Something’s supposed to happen any second now, right? I turn into a fluffy, furry wolf? Richard attacks us? Whatever Cole’s plotting comes to fruition?
“Promise me something,” he whispers, dipping his head, his lips barely brushing my cheek.
“Anything.”
“Don’t tell the baby who I was.”
Shock runs wild through my body. I grip him harder, unsure if I heard him correctly. “Cole–”
“Promise me. Don’t tell him who his father was. The kind of man I had to be. Please.”
I look up at him as the clock strikes midnight. I feel the change. It’s an unfamiliar pull that skitters through my body, settling deep, deep in my bones.
Cole kisses me in a way that’s both familiar and shockingly new. My entire body thrums to life like I’ve just been struck by lightning. Cole's scent overwhelms my senses as his tongue slides over mine, deepening the kiss to something so intense I feel the sudden need to–to mark him.
My mate. My mate. My mate. My mate.
He stumbles away, panting. I stand, shell shocked and shattered.
“Cole,” I rasp. “This whole time? You knew, this whole time?”
Richard’s shocked, cackling laugh erupts all around us, echoed by his puppets who’s eyes cast us in an eerie green glow as they move closer, but I’m looking at Cole as he shakes his head.
I’m looking at my mate while the world topples, shattering like glass.
Richard’s muffled voice echoes all around us, “What an interesting development! Our fearless leader’s little pet is actually his mate. How devastating–”
“I couldn’t tell you. I thought I’d have you out of this by now. Misty, I am so, so sorry.”
“You knew we were mates since the attack, didn’t you?”
“Before,” he admits.
“Cole,” I squeak, stunned.
“The moment I saw you. That’s why this is so fucking complicated, Misty. I had to use my own mate as a breeder.” He paces back in my direction but his eyes are on Richard, his voice lifting in volume for the entire room to hear. “I had to watch my mate be beaten and dragged,” he snarls, then his eyes meet mine again, softening. “That night you got attacked by those order members, you nearly died in my arms. I promised I’d never tell you after that. I couldn’t put you through anything else–”
“You fucking asshole,” I weep, my voice breaking over the words. Part of me wants to rage, to slap him, but only because he wasted so much time. Precious time. Time we could have had together knowing we were mates. But my words are lost to a thundering jolt of energy that explodes through the room. The glass ceiling cracks as black mist funnels all around us, drifting between me and Cole.
My eyes go wide as two men come into view.
“Dad?” I choke, my heart leaping out of my chest.
Dad starts to run toward me, but Uncle Ryatt grabs his shoulder.
Cole looks at them, panting, looking both relieved and heartbroken. “You’re late,” he growls, baring his teeth.
I look wildly to Richard, on the far side of the room. His eyes are as big as teacup saucers as he fumbles with his cloak, drawing out his cane.
Ryatt’s silver eyes blaze with power as he arches a brow at Richard.
“Go,” Cole shouts. “Take her, now. And go!”
“Cole–” I grab his arm. “Cole, come with me. Please. Please come with me!”
“I can’t,” he says hurriedly as Richard starts screaming orders.
I sink my nails into his jacket, my other hand flat on his chest. “Please. Don’t do this. Just leave. Stay with me. Please!”
He holds my gaze, shaking his head.
“Misty,” Dad’s voice is hoarse, choked with emotion.
“You asked them to come, didn’t you? You invited them to this party knowing he’d be distracted.”
Cole just stares at me, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths as he shakes his head.
“I’m not leaving without you,” I push, gripping his arm. “I won’t. You’re my mate, Cole. I love you–”
He rips his arm out of my grasp and takes several wide steps away from me, moving closer to Richard.
“Cole?” My voice trembles. “Cole–” Dad runs up behind me, grabbing my arm. “COLE!”
“Princess Mystica of Crescent Falls,” Cole thunders, his eyes filling with furious tears, “With the Goddess as my witness, I reject you as my mate.”
Pain. Blinding, roaring pain burns through my body, my soul. Threads in my chest that bind me to Cole–threads I hadn’t known were there–pluck loose, fizzling to ash.
I scream his name as he turns his murderous gaze on Ryatt. “Ready your forces.”
Suddenly, the room bursts in chaos. Cole’s warriors attack, and then Richard’s monsters–
Dad snatches me around the waist.
Cole turning to Richard and shifting is the last thing I see before I’m pulled apart by my dad’s and uncle’s magic.