20

Caelan POV

I clip the knives into my belt tightly as I stand in front of my team, I refuse to look at anyone knowing that I have failed as a mate. I have failed to protect Acela, I do not deserve to be alive right now with the amount of guilt that haunts me. I pray every second on repeat to the moon goddess to watch over her until I can get her, watch her for me, and take mercy upon me for what I am going to do once I find the people responsible for taking her.

There won't be anyone to stop me from doing what I have planned for these cowards, they all are going to die. That is a promise.

In the short time, I was unconscious, they had taken Acela and had time to write me a sweet message in blood before my wolf fought against the venom they had injected me with. Luckily it wasn't Acela's blood.

I still feel her, she's alive. But I feel how scared she is, an hour ago it was almost overwhelming how much I felt her despair and fear, it almost drove me to the edge.

The doors bang open and my father stands there with his men, he also, like me is dressed in our combat-ready gear. "I found her." That is all he says before I storm out the room, my men following behind me as they lower their hoods, ready to follow me into whatever awaits.

"Caelan." My father calls as I stop and turn, unable to look him in the eye at how much I am running on murderous fumes. The only thing stopping me from destroying the town is the hope that I can find my mate before anything.. before anything happens to her.

My father throws something at me and I catch it with ease and I look to what it is. A vampire slayer dagger. The size is small but very dangerous in the right hands. How fortunate that they land in my hands.

"I want her alive for questioning, Oliva Aldine." That is all he says before I'm fuming at him, my eyes blazing and ready to attack. He must be fucking stupid to think I would allow her to live after this, no one touches my mate and gets away with it. Definitely not some Aldine vampire.

"What did you fucking say? ALIVE?" I laugh darkly as I lower my gaze and blink back the rage that is consuming me.

I look my father dead in the eye and he furrows his brows. "Come between me and the Aldine and I will personally kill you, old man." I say laced with promise as I walk my way out of the building and out of the palace.

I spot some of my men as they hold the two men I had asked for, this had been what I was worried about. Aldine's are greedy. They believe they have some entitlement to the throne, they were serving the throne as we all do, no one owns it and no one ever will, Olivia craves the power and wealth that is attached to the title. In the end, this kind of fantasy will drive you mad, just like Oliva is now.

I walk to my men and look down in disgust at the two Aldine's that is kneeling in front of my men with spears pointed into the back of their necks, ready to pierce at my order. How I wish I could just kill them and rid this world of their filth, I am done playing games with this sick family and their sick and twisted mindset.

Grabbing the first person I find responsible. Mason Aldine. He worked in the palace for years, he had access and knowledge of every room, escape routes, and how to avoid guards, shift changes, and times of access. No ordinary person would be able to avoid any of the palace security without an inside man getting them all of the information to operate this plan.

I grab hold of his hair roughly and make him look at me. My eyes are blazing red as I am fully transformed into my true self. I hide for no one, I stand in front of the terrified Aldine a monster, a thing of nightmares. My pitch black piercing wings are free at either side, my face has changed into something not human anymore.

This is Demonia's curse, I no longer feel human or regret or guilt, for they are useless to me now as my only goal is to get my mate back without such emotions clouding my judgement. My claws, demon and wolf combined, deadly and large and unafraid to use them on anyone who stands in my way.

"I warned you." I snarl deadly, my voice is twisted, darker, rougher and deeper, I am inches from his face as he pales in terror, afraid to look at me in the face or eye. "If Acela is harmed.. I will enjoy breaking you.. have no fear.. you will meet your bitch of a grandmother soon.. I promise.." I say deadly slow so he understood me perfectly clear.

I throw the Mason boy into the wall, causing the wall to break around him as I peer down at the old Aldine man, he hangs his head in shame and guilt. I kneel down in front of Ron as he looks at me in horror at my current appearance, afraid he shakes in fear as the scales and spikes of my form cover my body, I am a product of my history and I own it with no fear. "My prince, I swear, I swear! I did not know of her plot, Acela-"

I interrupt him as my large clawed demon hand is wrapped tightly around his frail neck. "DO NOT SPEAK HER NAME!" I snarl for all to hear. "I want names." I demand as my cold dark lifeless eyes stare into his.

He nods his head repeatably. "B-ben Braum t-took A-ac- your m-mate." He cries out as my claw pierces his neck. "Your m-men killed his family, h-he wanttts revenge!" He sobs out, looking at those behind me.

I feel my father come up behind me to stand at my side. "Ben Braum?" He says confused as he glares down at the old Aldine.

Ron looks up to Kane with sudden confidence. "This is all y-your fault, you c-caused this." Ron coughs out as I release my hold on his throat. I stand up and stare at my father who stands confused with a frown on his face.

I turn and look Kane dead in the eyes. "What did he mean your fault?"

Kane grips his hair roughly as his eyes change color, the same as mine. "I was told the family was safely escorted to the human realm, my men swore it." He says releasing a deadly low growl. "They lied." He whispers deadly as he clenches his fist, his veins shooting out of his arm and forehead.

Loud BANGS echo in the dead of night coming from the town, so loud I heard it from all the way up at the palace, our heads whip in the direction and the first thing I see is smoke, red smoke. Red smoke was used by Aldines in the days before Axel as a signal.

Olivia.

I waste no time in jumping into the air, my wings spread free, wide and large as I move them like I would any part of my body, hearing my father join me I do not wait for him as I flap my wings and head straight for the smoke, not caring if it's a trap, I could give a fucking shit if Olivia has thought about this moment for over 100 years.

I will be her reckoning.

A crowd is spotted in front of the smoke, flames are now seen coming from a building and I see two figures step from the building that is on fire. I glide down, dagger in hand, claws ready in the other as I land on both feet on the ground. The crowds are in the hundreds as they gasp and stare in wonder and horror at my appearance, looking around, my eyes dark as night and then i spot her.

Olivia Aldine has a blade pointed to my mate's throat as she stands behind her.

She cackles loudly for all to hear when my father lands next to me. Olivia has madness in her eyes and her face is twisted into desperation as she grips onto my mate harder by the hair, causing her to yelp out in pain.

It takes everything in me to not move at the sounds of my mate in pain. "Welcome welcome, oh my, I believe we have guests, guests, yes. Acela say hello dear." Olivie says sweetly with madness in her voice as she speaks to me and Kane.