Chapter 17

Aiden’s POV

Hours had passed with nothing changing. The Alpha and the Elf had left early this morning, but we have yet to hear anything; Ayla has been hot and cold all day, and I don’t know how to help her. Things seemed to be getting better, and she started to relax and even had a little fun with us until the Luna charged in and ruined it all!

Since that incident, Ayla has just sat holding Archer’s hand, allowing silent tears to run down her cheeks.

“I swear if the Alpha doesn’t get back soon, I’ll leave and go get him myself,” I moan in my mind to my brother. “Surely it doesn’t take all day and most of the night to do what they went to do, whatever that bloody was?”

“I’m sure they won’t be much longer; Aleena did state it wasn’t going to be easy. Let’s hope they get what they need and get back soon. Ayla is struggling with this,” Axel reasoned with me. “I can’t believe her mother, okay stand-in mother, would say that kind of thing to her”

“Don’t talk to me about that bitch; I’m in two minds right now on how I’m going to handle that”, I growled out loud, causing Ayla to turn and look at me. she looked lost and hollowed. It damn near killed me.

“You okay,” she asked quietly.

“Yeah, sorry, Blaze is restless”, I reply quickly, sending her a small smile.

“Don’t you go blaming me for your anger”, Blaze growled inside my mind.

“Shh, she doesn’t need extra stress right now; take one for the team, buddy”, I say in my most positive way, the one I knew pisses him off the most. I shouldn’t laugh, and I love my wolf like a brother, but winding him up was just so much fun.

“Fine”, he growled back. I knew we would have to go for a decent run to make up for that; he has way too much pride, and me wounding it like that was not okay in his eyes.

“Ayla, maybe you should try and sleep for a while; we will wake you as soon as Michael and Aleena get back” Axel smiles, knowing she would refuse.

“I can’t. I have to stay awake and stay strong. I can’t let my guard down,” she mumbled.

Since Alune had forced her way in earlier, Ayla was adamant she wouldn’t let it happen again, and I didn’t blame her, but if she didn’t rest, she would burn herself out, and Alune would gain control again anyway.

“I know, but you can’t stay awake forever, and I’m sure Alune knows that a weak body is no good to her; she will do the wise thing”, I spoke firmly, knowing that fucking Exalted could hear me at least.

Pushing myself up out of the chair was harder than it needed to be; I was stiff. Walking to the wall with the light dimmer on, I dialled it down a bit, then made my way over to Ayla; without warning or permission, I scooped her up and lifted her onto the bed next to Archer. She squealed for a moment and tried to protest but soon allowed her body to sink into the covers surrounding my brother. Tucking her in next to him helped her to succumb to the desperately needed sleep.

“Only for a little while”, she murmured before soft snores were all the sounds she made.

“Good; let’s see what we can do about our other problems.” Axel chimed in

“Shoot, let me see what you got” I was ready to right a few wrongs.

“It’s not like we can march up to the Luna and outrightly demand an apology for Ayla, but I’m sure there is something else we can do; I just haven’t thought about it yet. She acted crazy and was totally over the top. We are mated, after all,” my brother reeled off all that was on his mind.

“No, I know, something was definitely up; we need more information before we charge in guns blazing”, I pondered. We needed to find out why she was acting so weird.

“You’re the best with the shadows; I have some skill but nothing like you, brother. Most of the time, even me and Archer don’t notice you when you hide, but you find us almost every time,” Axel pointed out, and I won’t lie, I did love being good at something more than them. I didn’t mean it in a spiteful way, but when you are part of a trio, always being the same became hard.

“You want me to spy!” I wasn’t shocked; I was thinking along the same lines.

Lately, whenever I stepped into the shadows, something lingered, touching a part of my soul and staining it for a while; my thoughts were never clear and never pure for a time after. The longer I use my gift and stay submerged in the shadows, the longer the taint lasts. I haven’t told anyone about it, not even my brothers. It hasn’t always been this way. When I was younger, nothing would happen, but it’s been happening and becoming stronger in the last year or so. I hated the taste it left in my mouth but loved the feeling that coursed through my veins.

“It wouldn’t hurt would it” Axel grinned at me.

“Yeah, I guess not, stay here, watch her closely. Any sign of Alune, then call, and I’ll come right back.”

Quickly I step out of the room and close the door with a soft click. Part of me dreaded stepping into the shadows, but the other couldn’t wait. I try not to use my gifts often anymore as I’m sure whatever is happening can’t be good.

With it being evening helped immensely as the whole house was cloaked in shadows; all I had to do was pick one and step into it. Edging my way across the landing that held Archer’s room, I made it to the stairs without seeing anyone, taking the steps two at a time; I reached the next landing in record time. I could hear some of the house staff talking to each other as they worked, but they held nothing of interest to me.

Silently I shifted my weight as I took to the next set of stairs. I was getting closer to the ground floor, and no doubt, more people would be mulling around. The more who saw me, the harder it would be to blend in and slink away unnoticed.

As expected, there were a few enforcers in the lobby and the annoying drone of Mason, the dickhead coming from the corridor on the left. Quickly I flattened myself against the wall and pulled the shadows around me—their embrace was comforting in a way. I hadn’t used them since the last time Ayla needed my help, resulting in Mason landing on his ass and running away like a little girl. The memory still brought a smile to my face.

Whispers filled my ears around me, I could never make out what they were saying, but they were becoming louder each time I used my gift. Pushing the thought aside, I slid along the wall, inching my way towards the corridor where Mason’s voice could be heard. Luckily for me, he was talking to his mother, exactly the person I wanted to find. She still seemed to be wound up and not as immaculate as she usually was. Picking a spot, I waited and hid,

“What do you mean he’s not back yet? It’s been all day”, Mason whined. If I didn’t know he was in his twenties, you would think he was a child from how he kept on all the time.

“Don’t start with me, Mason; I’m just as worried as you are; I want him home too,” Laura snapped back, never have I heard her speak to her son like that.

“Start on you! You have some gall; you know I’m going to be Alpha soon, don’t you? Show me some respect.” He hissed at her, followed by the sound of a hand hitting skin.

“Mason!” Laura’s voice was shocked and strained as she tried to hold back her tears. Seconds later, she came bursting out of the corridor with her hands pressed to her cheek. Sadness flooded from her in heavy waves.

I had to make a choice, follow the Luna and see if I could gauge anything from her, or follow that waste of space she calls a son. Oh, how I wanted to mess with him. I shouldn’t gain so much joy from fucking with his head, but honestly, he deserves nothing less.

“Ugh, I’ll come back to you later”, I mutter as I drag myself away to follow the Luna and see what she is up to. I didn’t hold much hope of gaining anything right now, not after being struck by her son. She will be sad and have nothing much for me. But she was the wiser choice right now. Mason pulled all the ugly parts of me out simultaneously, and I know I'll do something I’ll regret if I follow him tonight. I had to only deal with a dick like that when my mood was at its best.

Luna Laura was in the kitchen when I caught up with her; the door was a jar, and the shadows were thick here; stepping closer, I felt their embrace pull me deeper into their depths. Shaking my head, I focus on the older woman sitting, cradling her sore cheek and wounded pride. In her hand, she held a mobile phone.

Watching, I wait. She removed her hand from her cheek, revealing just how hard her son had hit her—boiling my blood that little bit more.

“Hello, I need to talk to Beth” she choked on a sob and ran her hand over her hair. Black strands fell carelessly from her usually perfect bun, tied to the nape of her neck.

“Hello, Beth; I need to see you. I think the magic is beginning to slip again,” she sighed, her shoulders knotted with stress, clearly visible from my hiding spot.

“Mason hit me tonight, and Michael is off with that elf; something is shifting” she paused, sadness surrounding her.

“Yes, please be as quick as you can; he’s not back yet. He’s been gone all day with her. Everything will be ruined if we lose our hold now,” she urged before hanging up.

“Well, shit, she is up to something after all”, I think to myself, deciding to leave and tell Axel what I overheard.

Stepping back to give myself some more room, I bump into the ornate vase standing on a tall pedestal at the side; cursing, I try to steady it before it crashes to the ground and gives me away. The only problem is that werewolves have fantastic hearing, and Laura heard me.

“Who’s there? Show yourself, and things might not go so badly for you”, she warned

Shifting my ass, I moved as quickly as possible; I had to return to the room before she came to check. I wasn’t meant to overhear that phone call; I knew she wouldn’t leave this.

Just as I thought, the scrape of her chair was soon followed by rushed footsteps.

“Shit!” I think and hurry up the next set of stairs. I wasn’t far, but I might be seen if I rushed. I had to do this right and not fuck it up.

Archer’s door came into view moments later; I pushed forward just as Laura started up the steps I had just ascended.

Quickly I slipped into the room and shut the door; Axel knew it was me but still looked on edge. Stepping out of the shadows and shaking myself clear of them, I throw myself into the chair I had occupied earlier. He went to ask what was going on, but I stopped him just in time with a shake of my head as the door flew open.

“Luna, how can we help you,” Axel asked sweetly, the fakest smile plastered on his face

“Where have you been?” she demanded

“We haven’t been anywhere; we have been here the whole time; Ayla is asleep, so please keep it down, “Axel replied sharply.

“And you!” she growled at me.

I was still feeling the effect of the shadows, so I kept my eyes hooded; my heart pounded, but I had to calm down, or she would notice; I pretended I had been sleeping too.

“I was sleeping until you woke me up barging in here like this”, I grumbled “is there something you need? Is something bothering you? How can we help” I threw a yawn in there for good measure; I’ll be damned if I’m not a good actor!

“Something isn’t right here; I will find out, mark my words”, she scowled at us as she shut the door behind her harder than she needed to.

“What the hell was that about” Axel asked as soon as we could hear her footsteps fading away.

“Something isn’t right with that woman; she’s hiding something, and it’s big,” I tell my brother, rubbing my eyes, still trying to shake the effects of the shadows from my body, knowing it was pointless; it would last ages yet.

“What did you see,” he asked, his interest peaked and leaning forward in his chair. Ayla shifted but carried on snoring gently.

“Laura got into a fight with Mason, leading to him hitting his mother; I know, disgusting” the look on Axel’s face was the same as how I felt. “She then proceeded to make a call to someone called Beth, and she said something about the magic wearing off. Or something like that,” I try to recall, but my mind is still foggy and thick with the use of the shadows.

“Magic, that doesn’t sound good.”

“I know, something is going on here; we need to get Archer back quickly and find out what the hell is going on in this place; I have a horrible feeling it’s bigger than we know.”