Nine

~Aphrodite~

My heart broke when I saw Valdus getting strapped.

I know I have to make him fall for me, but this is my mate. My soulmate. The one that the moon goddess set me up with.

So, I don't know if it was my mind that told me to help him or was it the bond. Either way, I ran in the cell and pushed his father away. Valdus's howls of pain carried through out the cellars and it killed me.

His father, 'Alcander' was looking at the other side of the wall while his back was towards me but I heard him snarling at me. I looked back to Valdus and see his eyes are closed while his paws try to pry off the collar but his paws would burn and he would whine.

You can tell he tried to shift but the collar wouldn't let him. I went to grab the collar but I was pushed back. I fell on the ground and see Alcander looking at me with bright hazel eyes. His fangs and claws were out while he stared down at me.

"Leave." He said. It was low but it held a threat to it and I barely caught it since Valdus howls of pain was louder.

I growled at him and got up. "I can't believe you're doing this to your own son!" I growled. He growled at me and took a step forward. I did the same, because you can see his weak spots already.

His legs are weak, since they would wobble slightly each step he took to me, and his mate is the top weak spot.

Slowly I felt my claws descend and I took another step closer. "You don't know anything about me or my son. Leave." He growled.

"A father would never put silver on his own blood! He was telling the truth! Your mate-" I took another step forward till we were toe to toe. I looked up, "your mate is dead and there's nothing you can do." I growled, I saw his arm move and I knew a punch was coming so I ducked but I didn't think his leg will come up after, so his leg slammed right in my rib age, knocking me down. Knocking out my air.

I clawed the ground while I tried to breath in but I held my breath and started to count to ten.

So many years of being by yourself as a rogue you'll know little tricks to keep you alive. I rolled because I know his next move, and just in time, his foot slammed hard on the ground I was just at.

I let go of my breath and took two breaths in and slowly let them out. I got my breathing back and I quickly stood up.

He was staring at me with heavy breathing and then a sharp howl caused me to rub my ears. I took a glance at Valdus and see blood marks from his paws.

"If your mate was here, would she like for you to do this?!?" I snapped my head towards him and see him stop waking and stared at me.

Got him there.

So, I went on. "Did you promise your mate to be a perfect father or did you say I'm going to hurt him since both of us made him?!?" I growled. He gave a warning growl but I continued.

"If your mate was here, Jenna, what do you think she would say if she saw this?!?"

He shut down. His shoulder dropped and his eyes turned dull. He claws retreated. His snarl went to a frown while his face turned darker. He stared at me and then to his son that was on the ground crying out to be released. He then looked at me and then his eyebrows furrowed.

"Jenna?"

I grew confused as he took another step towards me. His steps started to become faster and I started to walk backwards. "Jenna." He said and then he started to run towards me.

I grew wide eyes and I went to run away but right when I turned my back I was pulled by him and slammed against his chest. He spun me around and I watched how his eyes were fogged.

He wasn't seeing me.

He was seeing his mate.

His hands went around my face and made me look at him. My hands went to his chest to push him away but his eyes flooded with tears. "I missed you so much. I can't believe you're here." He rests his forehead on mine while he closes his eyes.

Valdus is still crying in pain and I know it's the mate bound that's making me feel these damn feelings. A feeling that I have to help him and not be in pain.

So, I start to push him away but he wraps his arms around me and holds me still against his chest while he tucks his head in my neck.

This is bad.

Not only is he thinking I'm his dead mate. He completely naked from his shift earlier and Valdus is starting at me with anger in his eyes while he roars for his father to get off of me while it mixes with his pain.

I start to push him as best as I can but I feel the tears fall down his face and land on my neck. "I missed you so much." He whispers in my ear.

It kills me because I've seen what a dead mate does to you before.

But, I never see what it does to an Alpha.

"I'm so sorry." He cries. His hold on me tightens while he cries on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry Jenna." He cries.

I lick my lips, "I'm not Jenna." I whisper. But he couldn't hear me from his cries and the howls of pain.

My heart begin to pump faster while I looked at Valdus who's neck is bleeding now. He tries to shift again but it doesn't let him. He starts to pull the chain, trying to break it off the wall, but it's welded good.

"I can't do this anymore. I need your help Jenna. Please. Please help me." He cries while his arms tighten and his tears start go down my neck.

My eyes start to weld with tears but I push them back and try to move my arms but his arms never loosen.

"I don't know what to do." He whispers.

Valdus is on the ground with his eyes close trying and trying to claw the collar off but his paws start to burn and bleed but he keeps going. He then gives up and lays there and whines.

I feel myself get picked up and my eyes grow wide. I start to move around to get out of his hold but he holds me so tight I can barely breathe. He starts to walk out of the cell and Valdus gets up and start to bark at us.

"I'm not Jenna." I say a little bit louder but he can't hear me. He's mumbling to himself while he walks out and I try to claw at him but my arms are pinned down while we walk out of the cell and start to walk down the hall.

Valdus starts to howl while I'm trying to get out of his hold but when he walks up the stairs and starts to walk to his estate, I know it's going to be hard to leave his sight.

What do I do?!?