Filed to story: Owned by the Alphas Novel
But I had to.
Which is why I got in the carriage with Brax moments later and left the city.
Brax locked his shadows around the carriage, the dark gray smoke covering the entire thing, swirling in the windows as I looked out them.
“It’s amazing how you can use your shadows now,” I smiled at him.
“I’ve been practicing,” he shrugged, pulling me closer so I was seated as close as I could get.
I smiled and grabbed his hand in mine, curling up next to him.
I was wearing a dress, not a corset one, but one that was light and more like the ones from the village. It flowed over my stomach easily and kept me comfortable.
It was a rich blue that reminded me of Brax’s eyes.
“Your nose bled earlier, when you made your shadows solidify,” I whispered, worry in my heart as I waited for him to answer. His hesitance told me it wasn’t a good thing.
He sighed. “The shadows are not from this realm. They are essences, they are not meant to be a corporeal thing. But I have been working with Cain to learn how to make my grip on them so tight that it is forced to materialize.”
I sat up straight at that. “I thought we weren’t meant to force the shadows? Doesn’t that make them darker? Angrier?”
I asked, my stomach turning at that. My brother and Elias playing in my mind.
Brax shook his head. “I have already established my connection with them and they already know my intentions are to protect not harm. It means doing that isn’t going to change the way they affect me. But it is harder on my body. The shadows get weaker afterwards for a moment and it’s not me forcing them to act a will they don’t want. They want to protect but it is more of a physical force to push them into that state,” Brax explained but it still made me wary.
I didn’t know nearly enough about the world of the shadows though.
“Why has Cain been helping you?” I asked. Cain had been strange since Tabby. He was more jaded, grief turning that easy grin he used to wear into something else.
“I know you are worried, Spitfire, but don’t worry. I won’t let Cain do anything stupid to anger the witches. Although I have a feeling they are already pissed,” Brax sighed.
“You really don’t think this is the realm? It could be.”
“Maybe. Or it could be a relic. We don’t know, so while we are on the offense, let’s just take it a day at a time, okay?”
Brax said.
I wish it helped me not worry, but nothing was going to do that until we weren’t at war. Which seemed so far off.
“We’ll win, Lorelai. I know it doesn’t seem like it. But we will. The realm won’t allow evil to get its hooks too deep.
Every decision we make, every step we take will lead to the realm’s fate,” Brax shrugged.
I laughed at that and held him tighter. “You never used to be so spiritual. What happened and what have you done with Braxton Trux?” I teased.
Brax laughed, then kissed the top of my head. “He survived another war. Found a mate. Became a father. Now he’s trying to show the realm he deserves that fate after what he did,” Brax said, his voice going low and somber.
I frowned and sat up, turning to him. He tried to smile at me, but it wasn’t a real one, and it broke my heart.
I climbed on his lap, holding his face between my hands.
“Braxton. You deserve it all. You did not do anything but get born at the wrong time, same as me. Do you think I don’t deserve all we have been given too?” I demanded, using my Luna voice so he knew how serious I was.
I hated it when he talked about himself like that. No, I hated it when he believed that was the truth.
“You deserve it and more, Spitfire,” he smiled and kissed me.
“Then so do you,” I kissed him back.
“Someone died to give me what I am, Luna. I cannot ignore that or forget that what I have was stolen.”
I pulled back and looked him in the eye. “But not by him. By witches with a fucked up sense of balance. This was not on you,” I urged.
He didn’t believe that, I could see it in his eyes.
“Maybe not but I still have to live with it. And everything happening with the rogues reminds me of that because Heather is his brother. She is the rogue that started all this and if I had never survived what they did, it would not be happening to us,” Brax explained.
It hurt my heart to hear him so guilty for the actions of others. He was too kind, too good for it to be getting to him the way it was.
“And we would not have Zale and Enzi. We wouldn’t have each other. I would not be making this trip. I would have no one who understands my shadows. I would be alone without you, Brax. You matter and everything that is happening is not your fault. It is Heather’s. For starting a war over something you had no control over. She has been left to grieve for too long, we can be sad for that. But the blame is hers,” I said forcefully, my eyes welling.
He wiped a stray tear away and kissed me.
“You are the reason I have not given myself to them, Spitfire. Don’t worry, I won’t despair forever, just for now, while you and our children are at risk,” he said.
I laid on his chest, holding him.
I wasn’t sure what to say to that. The fact it was even in his head, hurt. I didn’t want him thinking like that, especially while using his shadows the way he was.
It was dangerous to give them so much negativity to feed on.
“I won’t let you give in to yourself, Brax,” I whispered against him letting him think it was because of what he just said but it wasn’t. It was because I knew what would happen if he kept mistreating his shadows.
I didn’t care what Cain said. If Brax kept thinking the way he was thinking, he would turn. I was not going to let him.
“I’m okay, Spitfire. You don’t need to worry,” he said, patting my braid down my back.
I wish I believed him.
We made it to the human villages in the grasslands, and Brax climbed out of the carriage first to check the surroundings.
I waited in the carriage for him to tell me it was okay to come out.
My stomach ached a little, and I rubbed it.
The soreness was low, alleviated only a little by my rubbing. I closed my eyes, leaning against the back of the carriage.
I was so tired. And hungry.
I needed to look after myself better, but it felt like there was never time to do everything in a day.
Brax opened the door to the carriage, and I sighed, climbing from it. He helped me, holding my hand down the first step and then lifted me to the ground.
He put my feet on the dirt path and then grabbed my hand.
Galen and my mom were there already, Ryleigh and Vaughn next to them.
I grinned at them.
Mom wore a beautiful gown of deep green, while Galen was in brown breeches and an off-white linen shirt.
Ryleigh was in brown leather with ties up her legs and arms. I raised my brows at the design.
She shrugged, coming over to hug me. “I’m still figuring out the shifting and control thing. It’s easier to have my clothes tied on so just the strings snap instead of the clothing.”
“Wow, that’s clever,” I grinned.
“I told Derik about it and he said the same thing. He has the pack seamstress making them for the younger wolves and some special warrior designs are being put together with Kai,” Ryleigh beamed.
I nodded. I had heard they were getting new clothes. But he wanted to do a show of it for me later, now I understood why.
I smiled and hugged Vaughn who held Althea. She looked so small in her knitted pink blanket. She had the widest blue eyes I had ever seen.
“She’s going to be a little heartbreaker,” I smiled.
Vaughn scowled. “She’s not going to be anything but in her room as soon as she hits puberty.”
I laughed with Ryleigh and Brax at that.
My mom came over then and smiled down at Althea. “It may be for the best Vaughn. Let them out and they come home with three troublesome Alphas.”
I rolled my eyes playfully as Mom smirked.
Then she hugged me and Brax greeted Galen.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?