Avenge

“Get dressed. My Beta will help you. We are leaving.” I say to Bryce.

“What? Why?” he asks nervously.

“My pack's safety comes first. No one knows where we are and I intend to keep it that way.” I said to him as Jackson entered the room.

I notice he is quiet. That is odd of Jackson. He will not look at me. He is only staring at the ground. Nervous. Scared, even.

“Jackson, what is wrong with you?” I ask him.

‘Please don’t hate me.’ He links.

‘Never, you are like my brother.’ I tell him. Secretly worried at this moment.

‘The Royal Beta there, he is my mate.’ Jackson states.

My jaw drops. I knew Jackson was gay but why would he?

‘Because of what happened when you found your mate. What if mine is the same?’ He asks.

‘Jackson, what happened with Ethan is not everyone’s fate with a mate. It is up to you but honestly. I know you want a mate Jackson. We will discuss this later. Right now can we please transport him back to the attack location? I would really not like the King to know where we are.’ I ask frantically.

‘Ciana, we could hurt him farther. I don’t want him hurt.’ Jackson says to me.

“Fine. Your King can come here to get you. If anyone is harmed in my pack I will not back down. If you hurt my brother I will skin you alive.” I tell Bryce as I walk out of the room straight to my den.

I needed time to process all this. The King himself is on his way to our pack. One word from him and we can all be killed. Then, there is Jackson. My Beta. My best friend. My brother. Mated to the Royal Beta. The law of our kind is the lower-ranked moves with the higher-ranked. That means I will lose him.

I lay in my bed thinking of what is to come.

All these years Jackson has kept me sane. Kept me grounded. He brought me out of my depression. I do not know how to be without him. I know he has always craved a mate.

He is a year older than me. When he didn’t find his mate at eighteen, it broke his heart. I cannot keep him from being with his mate. I just wish I didn’t have to lose him in the process.

Somehow I finally drift off to sleep.

I was in my parents’ house, standing in the doorway of their bedroom. I heard arguing, loudly. I peeked inside and saw my former mate standing in the middle of the room, a wild look in his eyes. He had a knife in his hand.

Before I could move, he lunged forward and thrust the knife into my father’s chest. I screamed in horror, unable to look away as my father gasped in pain. My mother tried to run away, but he seized her and dragged her back to the bed. I watched in horror as he repeatedly stabbed her with the same knife.

The room was filled with the smell of death and the sound of my mother’s screams. I wanted to run away, but I couldn’t move. I was frozen in place, unable to do anything but watch in terror. My former mate was a madman, reveling in the murder as if it gave him some sort of sick pleasure.

Finally, the nightmare ended and I awoke in my own bed, panting and sweating. My heart was pounding in my chest and I felt like I was going to be sick. That dream had been so real, so vivid, that I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread and fear that had gripped me in my sleep.

Different Nightmare same outcome. Every time I sleep I have a nightmare of watching my parents murdered. In different ways but always Ethan murders them.

Then I heard shouting causing me to jump out of my bed.

“Where is your Alpha? I am your King. I demand your Alpha.” I heard a dark velvety voice.

I rolled my eyes realizing who it was. He better watch himself King or no King I will slap him. As I approached the door to my den I smelt it. Pine trees and cinnamon. Oh, no. I know what that means. The goddess cannot be that cruel.

I swung my door open to see the back of a man who was over six feet tall. His muscles peered through the dark navy shirt that hugged him tightly. His black hair and loose curls on top faded into his neck. In the t-shirt, I could see he was covered in tattoos. I knew that man was the source of the scent. I was frozen in the spot as he sniffed through my pack.

“Zion, what are you doing?” Bryce shouted.

“My mate. I can smell my mate.” The man named Zion announces.

“Calm down, I am sure the Alpha will help you find your mate, as I have found mine,” Bryce said.

“Where is my mate? Where is the Alpha?” Zion then let out a warning growl.

ROAR. That came from Aella. Neither she nor I took too kindly to his warning amongst our pack. That caused everyone’s head to snap in my direction from my roar.

His face was absolutely gorgeous. Tan, prominent cheekbones, concrete jaw. His beard was trimmed along his jawbone. His moon-grey eyes piercing through me. That’s when it snapped into place. The one thing that had betrayed me before. The bond.

“MATE.” He roared.

Anger is what I felt. He began to approach me causing me to let out a warning growl which stopped him in his tracks.

“I am your mate.” He said as if it were a way to calm me.

“OH SHIT.” I hear Jackson in the background.

He runs to me hoping to snap me out of my threatening gaze.

“Ciana, calm down. Please. Now is not the time.” I hear him call.

“Back away from my mate boy.” I heard Zion shout to Jackson in a threatening tone.

“Watch your mouth,” I say lowly.

“Watch yours. I am your King.” Zion says.

Shit, the King is my mate. My second mate. How could the gods be this cruel to me?

“Now back away and go get me your Alpha boy,” Zion said to Jackson and Aella was now getting pissed.

This time I let off a louder warning growl at how he spoke to Jackson.

“King or not you will respect my Beta. You are in my territory boy and I saved your Beta. Remember that.” I spat at him.

He was left speechless as Bryce was when I told him I was the Alpha.

“How about we split for a few for everyone to calm down.” Bryce tries to reason.

“With all due respect Bryce. She will not calm down. Not for anything.” Jackson says to Bryce.

“Okay, how about you, me, Zion, and Ciana all sit down for a meeting? I will speak on behalf of King Zion.” Bryce says.

‘Jackson, agree as long as the King keeps his arrogant and rude attitude out here.’ I link him.

“My Alpha Agrees. As long as King Zion can keep his arrogant and rude attitude out here. I am quoting.” Jackson says in an awkward moment.

I turn my heel and walk towards the house to the meeting room. I really did not care if the King followed or not. The faster I was rid of him the better. Even with the King present, I decided to take the head of the table. His arrogance pissed me off even more. He is on my property and I sit here.

Once they entered he noticed my seat and raised his brow. His mouth opened to speak and I shot him a glare. He kept his mouth shut but glared back in response.

“Now let's get this over with so we can go on our merry way. Shall we?” I say.

“Alpha Ciana. You mentioned to me earlier that you know the Blood Wolf. You stated you could get in touch with her. Can you still do that?” Bryce asked.

“Why? What do you need her for? You have your King and the Royal Pack army.” I say, still glaring at Zion.

The king went to speak but Bryce shot him a glare himself and Zion shut his mouth as he rolled his eyes.

“We may be the Royal Pack but we are at a stand-still. The Black Rose Pack has a witch in their midst. They are keeping undetected from our forces. Their Alpha Ethan also wants to speak with the Blood Wolf. We need her help.”

I heard the seriousness and urgency in Bryce’s words.

“I will get a message to her that you need to speak with her. That is the best I can do.” I tell them.

“How?” Zion asks.

“I have my ways, King.” I snap towards him.

“Also Alpha Ciana, we have a few more matters to address. First, your Beta is my mate.” Bryce states.

“And by the laws, he is lower of rank seeing you are Royal so that means if you two accept each other he is to go with you.” I finish his sentence.

“Yes, Alpha.” He says in a scared tone.

‘Jackson, do you accept him as your Mate?’ I ask him through the link.

‘Ciana, I can’t leave you.’ he replies.

‘Jackson, I will survive. I will no live through this life knowing I am the one who kept you from your destiny.’ I repeat to him.

He looked sad and conflicted. His eyes wandered between Zion, me, and Bryce.

“Can you both excuse me and Beta Bryce for one moment?” he asked us.

I only raised my brow as he grabbed Bryce’s hand rushing out the meeting room door. Then I realize I am left alone with King Zion, my second mate.

“Speaking of which, you are my mate. Even though you are Alpha, I am King. My rank outranks yours.” Zion said. Not rudely just as a matter-of-fact tone.

“If we accept each other, king,” I added attitude on calling him king. Sensing my rudeness he continued to glare at me in silence.

Felt like hours even though it had only been five minutes. Finally, the door opens and they both have returned.

“Alpha, King. Bryce and I have come up with a small solution.” Jackson states giving me a look.

‘Jackson, I know that look. What are you up to?’ I asked him through the link. He only uses that look to win me over with his idea.

‘The pack could use this little vacation. Do it for us.’ Jackson links me causing me more confusion.

“Yes, we accept each other. This pack though is his family. I do not want to uproot him from them. Also, Alpha Ciana is able to communicate through mind links with the Blood Wolf. So how about until we get our meeting with the Blood Wolf the whole pack comes and stays with the Royal Pack?” Bryce asks.

I am in shock. Mouth opened, speechless, kind of shocked.

“We have plenty of room. Even have an extra packhouse you can use for your pack. With the Royal Pack and your Pack, we will be heavily protected.” Bryce continued to make his plea.

He was only looking at me and I knew it was me they were trying to convince. Zion wore a smirk on his face as I huffed and rubbed my face with my hands. God, what I do for my best friend.

“Fine. But I have rules.” I state. They all listened carefully.

“Until I find a suitable replacement. Jackson will remain as my Beta.” I state.

“Deal,” Zion states.

“My pack is not to be treated wrong in any way. They are to be respected and if you have any issues they come through me.” I state another.

“Deal,” Zion states again.

“Lastly, you King. You keep your paws to yourself.” I stated to Zion glaring at him.

Zion held his hands in surrender, “I will do my best Alpha Ciana.”

“Jackson, tell the others to pack. We are going to the Royal Pack.” I ordered him.

God, I hope I do not regret this.