As the other Alpha’s start piling in the entryway before sitting in the sitting room. Lilian sat on the stairs. Waiting for him. An hour passed. Then two. Never has he been late to the weekly meetings. Lilian cried and went into her room.
Maybe something happened to his pack that he couldn’t make it this week. When the meeting finally concluded. we walked out of the office, just in time to see Alpha Orion stumbled in.
I stopped dead in my tracks. “It was an ambush” He growled out before sitting on the sofa. I spoke to one of the maid “Get the first aid kid with a bucket of warm water and a wash towel” I said before walking towards him. Sitting on the ottoman in front of him.
Up close you could see the dried blood. The deep punctures. The cuts. The rips in his shirt allows you to see the number they did on him. The maid brought the stuff I requested and put the bucket at my feet.
“Do you mind?” I asked before he just nodded his head for me to continue. Slowly he lifted his shirt above his shoulders. That was when you could really tell the damage they did to him.
They used silver. The tell-tell signs were all over his chest and abdomen. “Oh My” I gasped loudly. How did he make it here? Those wounds would stop anybody. It's from silver for christ sakes. And from the look of some of the puncture wounds he was shot with a couple arrows.
“They ambushed me. Rogues. Hunters. They knew I ran every week back here. They were waiting. Just outside the southern border. All their bodies lay waiting for who they are working with to find.” he growled out.
I continued to clean his wounds before dressing them. “You need to see the doctor” I said once, placing the last bandage on his shoulder.
“No, I need to see Lilian” all the Alphas were gathered in the living room. Including Elijah which causes him to growl out.
“She is in her room” I said getting up and out of his way so he can get up. He then made it up the stairs very slowly. I think I knew why he wanted to see Lilian instead of our Doctor. As mates we heal quicker if by them.
Once he was out of hearing range I turned and looked at all the guys. “This means the war is coming quicker than we thought it would. They are getting more courageous with their moves.” I said loudly watching all the men nod at what I said.
“We need to take the war to them” Cassian growled out.
“We don’t know exactly where they are located, We have a general area but not an exact location” I replied. “They knew he was coming here. They knew it would send a message to us. Well a message was received and understood.”
“We are ready” All the Alphas including Elijah said. “We have trained and prepared for this”
I went to reply when I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. This better not be what I think it is, I growled to myself. “It is” My wolf said. “Are pup is coming”
Chapter 29
“ELIJAH” I yelled even though he was right near me. “Get the doctor, our pup is coming” I growled out as contraction hits.
Labor was quicker than I thought it was. Within the hour our pup was born. What shocked us the most was, we were expecting a boy. The moon goddess said our girl is hers. We weren’t prepared for a boy we never thought of boy names. We finally settled on a name. One that means Power and Strength.
“Phoenix Drake Arcturus Cain.” Elijah said, placing a kiss on his small forehead.
He wasn’t due for another couple weeks. But looking at him now, I am glad he came early. He is the most precious creature. I marvel at his beauty. I created that. This small creature was living in me. I fell asleep not long after we settled on the name. It took a lot of energy birthing him.
I was awoken when I heard the screechs of Lilian and Adira outside the bedroom door. I slowly sat up on the bed looking around the room. Elijah and Phoenix nowhere to be seen.
“He's so pretty” I heard Lilian coo outside the door. I slowly got up off the bed and ,ade my way to the bedroom door, pulling it open. Sure enough Elijah is standing in the hallway holding our pup while Lilian and Adira coo at him.
“Momma” Both said coming up to me and wrapping his arms around my waist. “Be careful with her girls. She just gave birth only hours ago.” Elijah said. But I only hugged them harder. My family just got one bigger.
“How is Malachai?” I asked Elijah when he handed me Phoenix. I put him in the bassinet next to the bed.
“He’s all healed up thanks to our little angel Lilian” He replied pulling Lilian into him.
“That’s good. Have all the Alpha’s gone back to their packs?” I asked truly clueless.
“No, warriors are being sent here. They will keep enough warriors to project their pack lands and the rest of their pack.” he said, pulling Adira into a hug as well “We will protect our family. Our kingdom. We will eradicate those against this throne” He growled out.
I nodded. Then everything went black. When I opened my eyes it was completely black. Seconds later a white light was coming towards me. Next thing I know the Moon Goddess stood in front of me.
“You have given birth to a strong male” She stated. I just nodded my head. I didn’t know what to say to her. “He will be the strongest King to ever live. No one will stand a chance against him.” She said placing her hand on my forehead and transferred a vision to me. One where Phoenix sits on the throne. The most powerful King ever known. I smiled proud of what we created.
“I thought I was supposed to have a girl?” I asked once the vision disappeared.
“Lady Adira” She whispered quietly.
“What about her. Elijah and I have decided to adopt her. She has no one but us” I said getting territorial. My wolf claims her as our pup as well.
“She is who I was talking about. She is mine. She will become the new goddess in time” She said pressing her cold hand against my forehead again.
The vision I see is Adira. The magic flowing through her fingers is amazing. The power coming off her was something I’ve never seen. She had this aura around her. One that is untouchable. She had the crest of the moon goddess around her neck.
“A healer will train Adira till she becomes 21 where she will take over. She will be the new Moon Goddess. The Goddess who will change the world. She has greatest flowing through her body”
I stood shocked. Adira is going to be the next moon goddess. “Why Adira?” I was thoroughly confused. Why an orphaned child?
“Her mother was my sister. I thought when she died that her offspring did as well. Allison ran. She never wanted the power or magic. She just wanted to be a regular wolf. She got rid of her power. Burying it deep within.
It will only come out; only to be transferred to Lady Adira when she becomes of age. She has our family's power. Generations after generations of magic. Soon she will have mine as well.
You children will be the most powerful beings in the whole kingdom let alone world. Many will come after power like theirs. Some might succeed, others will fail miserably.
Teach them about their power. Don’t hide it away. Everyone needs to know they aren’t to be messed with. Or this war won’t be the only one your family will face” she said before disappearing again.
Chapter 30
I was shaken awake. Elijah was trying to wake me up. “Its Adira” I whispered before passing back out. I don’t know how long I was out for but when I woke up it was dark.
Elijah was gone, Phoenix was gone, so were the girls. Where is everybody? I slowly sit up. Careful so I don’t get dizzy. I look around, eyes settling on the clock on the nightstand. 8pm. Wow. The whole day has gone.
I got out of the bed before making my way out the door. I have to find Elijah. Everything the Moon Goddess showed me and told me. Are important in raising our children.
Children. Wow. Who would’ve known. Elijah would have 3 children. That we would get past everything he did in the beginning to be where we are now.
I made my way towards the office. I knew, if Elijah was anywhere it was probably there. I heard the girl's laughter from one
of the girls' rooms.
I didn’t bother knocking. “Elijah” I barged in. Only to realize that there were a couple Alphas in the room. Ones I recognized from the dinner. Then one man stood out among them. Blaze.
“Blaze!” I ran up to him wrapping my arms around his massive body. “You’re back” I sighed into his chest. I expected a growl from Elijah but he didn’t. In which I was very thankful. If anybody can help us win this war it's this man right here.
“I am” was his very short reply. But nonetheless he hugged me back. “We have news” He whispered in my ear before pulling away.
“What news?” I asked looking around the room. Only to realize that they all seem to know the news he was speaking about.
“The war can be any day now. We now know the Alphas that are backing them in the war. But that’s not it. Now they have those Alphas, groups of rogues, and hunters. They brought hunters into this Estelle” He said grabbing my hand from where I was clenching my fists.
“It’s a war we are going to lose. The army they have backing them, is greater than ours. Even with all the Alphas we have on our side. We need more people,” he said, catching my attention.
“Like who? We have the rest of the Alphas. Who else is out there that we can ask?” I said not understanding what he was getting at.
“We need to get the witches on our side. We even need the Covens involved” He said looking around to see the looks on everyone's face.
“Why would we ask for the Covens help? What could those blood suckers help us with” Alpha Jameson asked.
“They have the numbers. If we could have an alliance with them like they have been trying for centuries but with King Richard's reign as King then Queen Sydney’s family before that. Once upon a time we had a strong alliance with the Coven, we even had a treaty with the shapeshifters. This Kingdom had alliance with nearly every creature. It thrived” Blaze said moving around the room, waiting for their reactions.
“Why isn’t this known to everyone? Why don’t we remember it?” Alpha Leland and Alpha Jex both said at the same time. I saw many nods around the room. Which I can agree with. Why isn’t this public knowledge? A part of the Kingdom's history.
“With the help of a powerful coven of witches they were able to cast a spell to wipe the memory of peace from all. No one knows why they were summoned to do so.”
“Wow” I whispered. So we were once a kingdom of complete peace with all other creatures. If we can bring that back. Our kingdom will thrive once again.
“If that is true then why do you know of it?” Elijah asked with his hands crossed on the desk. I made my way to Elijah before sitting in his lap.
“My mother's family was a part of the coven that performed the spell,” Blaze said, turning and making eye contact with me.
If what he is saying is true then that means, dad had magic too right?
Chapter 31
“Estelle, you are a part of two legendary families. Both witch and wolf. Your power is none anybody has seen before. Queen Sydney's mother was killed not long after she was born. Replaced with a woman who looked like her.
She never knew because she was so young. Her mother was a great Queen. She wanted to bring back the alliances our kingdom once had. She fought for a better future for our kingdom. But her mate, Sydney’s father didn’t want anything to do with the witches, shapeshifters, or the vampires.
So he had given her to the hunters. Who tore her limb from limb. He had no remorse. The very day he found a woman who looked really similar to what she did. That's why no one ever noticed.
We need to right the wrongs. This war will help to right those wrongs. But we can’t win without the help of the witches and the covens. It probably wouldn’t hurt to even get the shapeshifters on our side” he said looking out the window deep in thought.
Everything he just said ran through my mind. Why is it that everytime we talk he has some huge secret to bare to me. First that my mother wasn’t really my mother. That my mother was Queen Sydney. How King Richard killed my father and my mother Gizelle. Now this… What more about my family history does he know that I don’t? I couldn’t help but think…
“So how do we go about bringing them here to even think about signing a treaty?” Elijah asked, rubbing my sides soothingly.
“I know the Ventrue Coven. Their great elders are willing to fight with us. Only if we have an alliance. Some of the Alphas have been killing the vampires whenever they see them. The witches have already agreed to fight with us. To rid the kingdoms of those bad souls. The hard part will be getting the shape shifters on our side. I have a friend who is a shapeshifter but it will be hard convincing them…”
“We will sign a treaty with them. If what you are saying is true then I want to bring this Kingdom to where it used to be” I said standing up from Elijah's lap. “Can you bring them here?” I asked Blaze.
“I can try” was all he said before disappearing right before my very eyes. Always disappearing. Never staying in one spot long.
The meeting didn’t last too long after that. The Alphas and their warriors stayed in the castle and the cabins surrounding the castle. We are prepared for war. Whenever it shall come. The Alphas that are staying are the ones that are too far from the Kingdom to get here.
Our plan is having waves of warriors coming to fight. We don’t want to bring our entire army for our enemies to see. We want them cocky thinking our small army is all we have.
Chapter 32
It has been 3 days since Blaze came back with the elders from the strong vampire coven, the witches, and 2 shapeshifters. We have come to an agreement on our new alliance. We are changing this kingdom one step at a time.
We’ve had small attacks on the Kingdom. We’ve slaughtered every wolf who dared to cross the border onto our land. Every last one who wouldn’t summit to our reign as Royals.
Alpha Orion disappeared and hasn’t been back since. Lilian has been a pain in the ass since he’s been gone. She’s upset he left in the middle of the night and didn’t say bye. I can understand that. If Elijah left and didn’t say bye, I would be so mad that I would make him regret it.
As I was climbing up the stairs to go to the girls room, a huge explosion went off in front of the castle. “WE’RE UNDER ATTACK” I screamed before running up the stairs as fast as I could to the girls room where they were crying.
Just as I reached the room so did Sydney. “Girls you need to follow Grandma to the safe rooms” I hugged both. The look on Sydney's face said she didn’t like what I was doing, but she knew that there was nothing she could do to stop me.
“Why aren’t you coming?” Adira and Lilian asked at the same time.
“Girls, I have to stand next to Daddy. I have to protect him. Now go we don’t have time” I said pushing them towards Sydney who is already holding Phoenix in her arms, nodding my head to go.
I heard Lillian's cry’s down the hall as Sydney took them to the safe rooms. I couldn’t find Elijah. I knew he was out by the training fields. With some of the other Alphas.
“ELIJAH” I yelled when I made it down the stairs only for someone to attack me. He took a chunk out of my thigh. I quickly shifted into my wolf.
I let my wolf have complete control. She will do whatever it takes to stay alive. Wolf after wolf attacked us one after another. Each one my wolf tore apart piece after piece. When there was no threat left in the castle, she let me have control once again.
I didn’t shift back, instead I took off in the direction I knew Elijah was last at. The training fields. Bodies of wolves littered the ground. Blood soaking into my paws. Some of ours, some of theirs.
“Estelle” I turned to where that was coming from. Alpha Orion stood tall, towering over the small wolf that kept snapping at him. Even in his human form, he held that wolf by the neck like it weighed nothing.
Wolf after Wolf kept emerging from the woods. As they attacked our warriors we had them distracted. They never expected more rounds of our warriors to show up.
Waves of more warriors stood behind us.
Chapter 33
Finally, I see Elijah’s midnight black wolf in the clearing, fighting a brown wolf almost the size of him. I felt my wolves worry lift a little when she saw him. But worry still swarms as we are away from our pups. But I knew Sydney would protect them at all cost plus the warriors we have in the safe rooms.
The fighting slowed as many bodies fell to the ground. I made my way towards Elijah who rubbed himself against my wolf. Quickly we transformed back. Quickly dressing after being handed clothes.
I looked around the battlefield, as bodies of our wounded, and many others body parts thrown all over. The field is covered in red. But still someone is missing. This wasn’t the last. “Get them back to the castle” Elijah said loudly. Speaking about our wounded. “The Doctors are waiting.”
We are prepared for anything. I know this isn’t the end. Jason wasn’t among the dead. “This isn’t it, there are more coming” Someone came out of the bushes voicing my concern. As multiple followed after her.
Witches. “They are just outside the border, There's 100 of them” I remember her from when we signed the peace treaty. Selene the covens regent. Stood in front of her coven.
“We can’t just wait here” I said looking around the battlefield at the men and woman bloodied from the fight.
“The only way you win is if you release the power within you. Release that power and everyone will bow before you. You have the strongest family of witches powers seeping through your bones. All you need to do is show them” Selene said, pointing to the direction of the border.
I looked around me. Elijah, Mason, Cassian, Orion, Lucias and many other Alphas looked like they wanted to protest. Even the shapeshifters looked a bit antsy about letting me go by myself. I am the Queen after all.
REIGN (Crown Book 2) Page 8
