Filed to story: Owned by the Alphas Novel
When he pulled back, we were both breathing harder. “You went back there,” he accused, his eyes narrowed.
“I was safe. I had Brax and Lucien is not the enemy, Kai. So neither are his vampires,” I said.
Kai shook his head. “You may be ready to accept that, Little Luna, but I am not. If something had happened–“
“It didn’t. I’m safe,” I said softly.
He looked over my face, his eyes intense and wavering before he found my mouth again, kissing me like he was scared I would disappear.
I kissed him back in a promise that I wouldn’t.
I spent the whole afternoon with my Alphas and my twins, eating with them, laughing with them, enjoying being home with them.
It reminded me what I had to lose, why we had to make sure the rogues didn’t break us.
It reset me, like I had unintentionally let the doubts get in without even realizing it.
But they were gone now.
Because I had no choice, I had to beat them. If I didn’t, if we didn’t, then it was my family that would pay the price, and I wasn’t willing to let that option play out.
I leaned back on Kai as Brax played with the twins on the play mat in front of us.
We sat on the floor of the dining hall, food on platters around us as Derik strummed on the guitar. The twins loved the music that played, giggling and trying to catch the guitar strings.
It was perfect.
But perfect was just an illusion in my world. I had learned that the hard way, and I should’ve remembered that lesson.
Hank burst into the room, his shirt off as he eyed Kai.
“Report from the lake. The rogues are trying to take it,” he said.
We all tensed as Kai growled, “How many?”
“A lot. More than they can handle. The vamps told us. They’ve gone back to help until we can bring reinforcements.
They want control of the lake since it’s the only water source,” Hank explained.
We all stood up, preparing to leave.
If the rogues got control of the lake, they would tip the power balance in their direction. There would be no way to stop them then.
Which is why we had no choice. We had to stop them before they claimed the realm’s only water source for themselves. “Yes, I’m afraid letting you go without it is not going to go well for either of us.”
12. The Spell
Lorelai
Cain put candles around the lake in all sizes. They were all white and unlit.
Until he blew across his palm and all of them lit themselves.
“Impressive, Cain, you’ve been practicing,” Derik said, his brow raised.
Cain shrugged. “With all the healing I’ve had to do lately, I’ve had no choice but to improve,” he said non-committedly.
He was definitely up to something. But I would have to ask him later because there was no way he was letting me know in front of everyone.
“Can I help?” I asked.
He threw a small leather pouch at me. I caught it and grimaced as the smell of whatever was in it wafted out. It was smoky, almost stinging my throat like the leftover smoke of a burning fire.
“It’s spelled ash. Lay it around the entire lake, the candles on the inside of it,” he ordered.
I nodded and started tracing a line of ash around the lake.
Derik and Kai walked with me, Brax staying behind to keep an eye on Cain.
His shadows were wary of Cain and his shiftiness at the moment.
But it wasn’t a disloyal feeling inside me, it was a grief that was too potent to concentrate on for long.
So I left Cain to it but Brax was more careful than I was.
Kai was on the outer of the circle, walking it with me to protect me from anything the rogues might come at us with.
Derik walked on the inside with me, making sure I didn’t fall in the lake.
I appreciated it all and let the mating link warm with my thoughts.
My Alphas said nothing but I knew they felt it with me.
I walked the lake, spreading the ash, sucking in a breath when it connected back where Cain was, a blast of power whooshing over the grass.
It blew over all of us and Cain nodded once then knelt down, mixing different powders, whispering before reaching to grab a small handful of water.
He dripped it into the bowl he was working in.
“What are you doing?” I asked, intrigued to know more of the magic he used.
I had magic in me too and wanted to know more about how to use it.
Cain paused his mixing to look up at me as I knelt down to the bowl.
“I’m mixing some Rosemary, Sage, Aloe, and Peppermint in this bowl with the water before the spell. It helps strengthen it so the spell doesn’t wipe us out,” he murmured.
“Can I try?” I asked.
He nodded and handed the wooden spoon over to me.
“Stir clockwise,” he instructed then turned an old, tattered leather-bound notebook with scribbles of handwriting all over the pages.
I started stirring clockwise and he pointed to the words in the book. “Say these words,” he said, showing the ones he meant.
I went to say them, taking in a breath, but the ash barrier sparked behind me like an electrical current.
I spun to the noise as Kai’s growl ripped through the air.
A snapped black arrow lay on the grass outside the circle. I shivered; at least we knew the protective barrier worked.
“It won’t work for long. Quick, say the words, not too loud, an almost whisper,” Cain urged then started putting stuff in the lake.
Kai shifted into his wolf, barking orders at his warriors to get in formation, to protect the Luna at all costs.
I kept stirring clockwise, whispering, “He who tries and fails must only mean harm. Those who are pure in meaning shall disarm.”
“Again.” Cain kept going, the lake starting to turn. Its rich blue waters started going murky, thickening in consistency.
I whispered the words over and over, trying to stay calm as I did, but it was hard when I could hear the fight being fought behind me.
The wolves were roaring and gnashing on the other side of the protective barrier, ripping through rogues and defending the lake.
Derik stood close, watching my back while I couldn’t as Brax and Kai fought.
“Kai!” Cain called, and I paused, looking over my shoulder at what he was looking at.
Kai came running over, pushing his shoulder at Cain, who squeezed a bleeding wound from Kai.
The pain of it made me wince, and I glared at Cain.
“What are you doing?” I demanded.
Derik put his hand on my shoulder. “He needs the blood of a defender of the lake. Someone with pure intentions. Brax too since he is from the water pack, its original loyalty base,” he explained.
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?