Wren POV
Night comes too quickly. I put the twins to bed hours ago, and I have stayed true to my word. I am lying in the middle of the bed, like a starfish, and Destin is on the couch downstairs. Everyone is following the rules, and I hate it. The bed is cold, and I am lonely. But I know if I seek him out, I won't be able to deny his lips or his touches.
I growl and pound my fists against the bed. Things were so much easier when we weren't under the same roof. Now the mate bond is begging me to seek him out. Against my better judgment, I get out of bed and venture downstairs. Destin is snoring on the couch, and for some reason, it irritates me.
I smack his foot, and he jolts away, wiping the drool from his chin. "Are you okay?"
"I can't sleep," I mutter.
"So we both have to suffer?" He jokes.
I stick my tongue out at him. "Yes."
"What do you need, Kitten?"
I suck in a ragged breath. "Sleep with me. Just sleep."
"Are you open for negotiations?"
"Damnit, Destin." I turn to leave the living room, but he beats me to the stairs.
"I will sleep with you," he yawns. "Just sleep, but I get to cuddle."
"Hands above clothes," I warn him. "Or I will let Jasmine bite them off."
He closes the bedroom door behind him, and I try not to think about how small it makes the room feel. I climb between the sheets and make room for Destin to lie beside me, but he doesn't give me space. His arms wrap around my body, and he tugs me close to his chest. I hate how much it soothes me.
"My dearest granddaughter." Selene's voice filters through my mind.
My eyes fly open, and my gaze is met with her castle. I make my way to the throne room, knowing that is exactly where I will find her. I hate being right. She is sitting on her throne, with Arabella's book on her lap. Lazily, she flips through the pages.
"Wren," someone whispers behind me.
"Don't speak to my family," Selene hisses at her captive.
Sadie is caged behind silver, but she doesn't look any worse for wear. Her clothes are clean, and there is a tray of food in her cell. Despite her being Selene's prisoner, I am finding it hard to feel sorry for her.
"You have what you want," I direct my attention to Selene. "Let her go."
She looks up from the tome and taps her finger on a page. "Is this how you plan to keep the realms tied together?"
I wish I had taken more lessons from Destin about how to keep her out of my mind. I will have to work with what I know. Holding her gaze, I build walls around my mind. "I don't know what you are talking about."
She is in my mind, removing the bricks from my walls one by one. "I have time, Granddaughter. You can't rebuild it faster than I can take it apart."
I struggle to rebuild the walls, but she is fast. "I can't read that language," I reply through gritted teeth. "I don't know what you are talking about."
Retreating from my mind, she leans back onto her throne. "Macy did the impossible. She kept the twins hidden from me. It was smart, but I am not one to kill children. You know me better than that."
My teeth are still clenched together. "No. You only take them before they are conceived."
Selene waves her hands. "It was your mate's choice. You can't be angry at me for his choices. I am surprised you aren't more curious about why I have your friend in a cage."
"Whatever she did, I am sure she doesn't deserve this."
She leans forward, and an evil smile creeps across her lips. "She wants what is yours."
My eyes dart to Sadie, and she refuses to look at me. "Which one?"
"Does it matter?" Selene eggs me on.
"No." I roll my shoulders back. "I trust my mates."
"Should we put them to the test?" Selene laughs. "I could break the bonds. Let them choose who they would rather be with. The werewolf princess or a rogue."
"That won't be necessary. Will it?" I look at Sadie.
She shakes her head, but still refuses to look in my direction. It occurs to me that I don't know her as well as I thought I did. Selene is laughing loudly from her throne. "You never let me have any fun."
"I think there has been enough fun," I groan. "Let her go."
Selene turns her attention away from Sadie and tosses the book at my feet. "I don't need this."
I don't dare to pick it up. It is safest to assume everything is a trap. "What do you need?"
"Nothing."
"Okay," I whisper the word, not believing her.
"If you ask nicely, I will close the portal between the realms, and there will be no need for these anchors on either side. The twins can finally go outside."
"What's the catch?"
"There is no catch," she smiles.
I grab the book from the floor and tuck it under my arm. "I will think about it."
"Fine," Selene sounds exasperated. "But I will keep this one until you make a decision."
I take one final look at Sadie. "She has made her decisions."
"Now you are sounding more like my granddaughter."
The sound of Sadie screaming my name jolts me awake. Fear washes over me. Arabella's tome is heavy on my chest. I throw it off me like it is poison.
"Destin." I shake him awake. "We have to find Charlie."
He sits upright, looking around the room. "What is wrong?"
"Selene. She knows about the twins. She has Sadie."
His brows wrinkle with confusion. "I don't understand."
"I don't either," I gasp. "But if Charlie finds Sadie. She will keep him, too."
Destin grabs the sides of my face. "What do you know?"
"She gave me the tome, said she would close the portal without making the twins be an anchor. I told her I would think about it. I don't trust her."
He pulls me close to his chest. "It's okay. You did the right thing."
"She is going to keep Charlie." I sob.
"Not unless we get to him first," Destin assures me. "Stay with the children."
"No," I cling to his shoulders. "Don't leave me."
"Kitten. I will come back."
His lips crash onto mine. Claiming me, promising me that he will return. When he breaks away from the kiss, he disappears from the room. Leaving me sobbing and heartbroken.