Chapter 23

Ayla’s POV

The silence was my best friend right now; if I didn’t move or hardly breathed, then I may just get out of this alive. Sitting in the dark on my own at least gave me time to form a plan. I may not have Alune on my side right now or Bria to guide me. But I was still the girl from the prophecy. And I had some wicked powers of my own. Ones I never really got to showcase before, as hiding was the aim of the game.

Every time I sat and thought about that voice, the one claiming my mate as hers, rage kicked in, and my power stirred inside me. I knew I was a force to be reckoned with; I just never truly let myself show the world the things I could do. To be honest, I didn’t really know what I could do, but I sure as hell felt it bubbling away deep inside me.

Time was slipping by, and yet I sat hiding in a store room. Hoping the beast that screeched had disappeared. Regardless if she had or not, didn’t really matter. I had to find Archer and get the hell out of here as fast as I could. I was going to have to face whatever was behind that door sooner or later.

Slowly, I crept towards the door but stopped. There was a hidden door at the back of this room; I used to use it to get away from Mason when I was younger; if I was lucky, then it would be here in this odd copy house too. Backing up and tripping over a bucket, cursing it till the sun came out and wishing I was more graceful than I would ever be, I finally found the latch and pulled. But nothing happened; it didn’t even budge.

“Fucking hell, why! when I actually need something, it turns out to be a fake,” I moan, hating my luck; it was never going to change. “Fine, I’ll use the main door then.”

I was never going to be ready to face what was awaiting me outside this little safe haven of a store room, but my man needed me, and I needed my men, all three of them.

Rushing forward, I throw myself at the door, drawing all my unspent anger, fear and rage to the surface, ready to throw whatever I could muster up at whatever that thing was. Freezing cold rain pelted my skin as I rushed outside, but nothing was out there. Turning around, I look from left to right, yet still nothing. Just perfectly manicured lawns and gravel driveways in all their washed-out glory.

“Where are you” I mutter. “Show yourself.”

“You’re not wanted here”, a voice I had longed to hear for weeks greeted me.

“Archer!” I practically screamed and threw myself full pelt at him. My arms wrapped around his neck, and my chest smashed right into his, but he didn’t return my hug. He stood rigid beneath me.

“Get off of me”, he growled. “My lady Leah will kill you for touching what is hers.”

“Archer”, I was so shocked, unravelling my arms and legs from around his perfectly toned torso. Only anger and hatred adorned his perfect features. His slate-coloured hair was dull and swept back from his face, tied up in his signature bun. No light shone in his eyes, and he wouldn’t even look at me. The only movement he made was from his fists clenching and unclenching; it was like he was controlling his rage. His muscles rippled under his shirt each time he balled his fists.

“What the hell are you doing, Archer? It’s me, Ayla, your mate” I shook him by the shoulders, trying to shake some sense into him. Pain flickered across his face, but it didn’t last. His eyes shot to mine for a moment, but something pulled him back.

“My only love is for my lady Leah”, Archer spoke through clenched teeth. Never looking at me

“No, Archer, I’m your mate, not this Leah person, me, Ayla”, I pleaded with him, but he only growled, warning me to back off.

“He has already told you, whom he belongs to, little girl, now leave whilst you still have a chance; that wolf is mine; now leave before I make you”, a woman I assumed was Leah strutted out of the main door towards me. As she approached Archer, she draped herself all over him, making my skin crawl.

“Take your hands off of my mate”, I warned her; she leaned closer and laughed in my face.

“Last warning, little girl”, she purred at me. all perfect makeup, hair and nails. I got the feeling she could do a lot of damage if she wanted to, but so could I.

“Look at me, Archer,” I said as I stared the bitch down.

“Don’t you dare”, she spat at him, turning to grab his face in her hand. Her nails dug into his cheeks, making him bleed. He stared straight at her, but a war was happening within his agonised amethyst eyes.

“Archer, please look at me”, I whispered. Her other hand shot out and grabbed me around the throat, but I refused to struggle or fight back; I had been through a lot worse at the hands of my so-called brother. I needed my man to see who I was. To choose me over this fake mate.

“He is mine, you annoying little bitch; if you don’t leave willingly, then I’ll have to make you leave myself” her voice sounded less human and more ethereal. The angrier she got, the more her perfect illusion slipped. Her true colours were starting to show through.

Her grip tightened again, and I started to struggle to breathe; my heart slammed against my chest as I gasped for breath, yet still, Archer wouldn’t look at me.

“You see, he doesn’t want you; he loves me, and you mean nothing to him now.” she sneered at me; I kept my eyes locked onto my mate. Refusing to believe I had lost him. She could do what she liked to me as long as I got through to him. I promised I’d save him, and I didn’t break my promises. I knew physically fighting was not going to reach him, so I held out hope that this would

“I love you”, I croaked out between gasps. A tear rolled down my cheek, meeting with that disgusting beast’s hand. I heard her skin sizzle on contact, and she hissed in anger at me.

“Ayla?” Archer said. Confusion and recognition flashed over his face. “You came for me!” he breathed, and then his protectiveness hit in. “Get your fucking hands off, my mate”, he barked at her.

Leah released us both at the same time. Anger washed off her in waves; her body shimmered and changed before my eyes. Something I couldn’t even begin to ever imagine formed before me. Her body morphed into something grotesque and insect-like. I didn’t have time to take it in properly as Archer grabbed my arm and dragged me along behind him.

“Ayla, run, now”, he urged, his legs pumping in powerful strides, covering the ground beneath our feet faster than I could on my own. If my hand were to lose hold of his, I wouldn’t stand a chance; I was only moving as quickly and keeping pace with him because he was dragging me along and holding me up.

“Titan, where are you” Archer screamed into the wind. As we raced toward the trees. In the distance, howls met his call-in reply.

“There, Archer, head for that group of trees, I called to him. All the while, I could hear Leah making chase behind us, thousands of feet hitting the ground at an impossible speed. “Faster, Archer, she’s coming”, I scream as I allow fear to swallow me whole.

Titan came racing out of the tree line, trying to keep pace with us. Archer dug deeper and ran harder, never releasing his hold on me. The shimmering fine mist came into view just a few feet ahead of us, and I urged him on, screaming to run right through it.

Then nothing but blackness folded over us, unforgiving cold darkness and the scrape of sharp nails digging into the flesh on my back as excruciating pain tore through my skin and burned my very blood.

“I told you he was mine” her voice burned its way into my mind before oblivion ripped me from this world.

Archer’s POV

Everything came rushing back to me the moment my girl told me she loved me; every moment I have known her came crashing back to the forefront of my mind. Then anger over how this beast had made me forget her made me push her away.

Running as fast as my legs would let me, and then some was all I could do; I had to get us out of there; I had to get Ayla away from the pure evilness of that creature. I couldn’t believe she had found a way to reach me. and now, there was no way I was letting that chance slip away.

Titan slammed into my brain as we charged on; I couldn’t leave my other half behind. Well, shit, I had some making up to do if I ever wanted him to forgive me again. So I did the only thing I could do, and I screamed his name at the top of my lungs, knowing he would hear me. Then I saw it, the way out; Ayla must have left it open for us; she must have found a way to reach in, find me and slip right back out again.

We were feet away; we only had to run a little further. Then blissful blackness greeted us; never had I ever been so glad to see nothing but black before in my life. If I could, I’d allow myself the luxury of time to enjoy the carefree bliss of nothingness. But I was thrown full force into the living plane with no warning and no way to prepare myself.

“Archer!” my brother Axel raced over to me, his hand gripping my face so hard it bloody hurt; if I hadn’t missed him so much, I would have punched him back.

“Ayla” I shouted, pushing my brother off of me; blood was pooling on her back, and she lay motionless on the ground face down. No sound left her lips, unmoving. Aiden fell in through the door at the same time as I fell to my knees beside our mate.

“What happened” he scrambled over the floor, tripping over his own feet to get to us quicker.

“Aleena, we need Aleena”, Axel shouted, jumping up and over our brother as he raced toward the door.

“What happened? She was fine before, but now this” Aiden was not himself, he looked awful, and something marred his face. He looked darker somehow.

“I don’t know; she was fine when we ran through the portal; there was so much blood. What do we do, Aiden? What do we do” panic was setting in; my girl was dying; I could feel it. She risked everything to save me, and now it was her that needed saving.

“Nothing better happen to her”, he growled, and I knew he meant it. Luckily the door flew open then, and Aleena rushed in, followed by a very pale-faced Michael.

“Move, get out of my way; if you want any chance to save her, then do exactly as I say”, Aleena demanded, and we were all going to damn well listen.