Chapter 28

Aiden’s POV

I was sure I was dead. I had no energy to force myself up off the floor where I had landed, running from the Luna and her unsavoury friend. My body hurt, my legs felt like they were made of led, and I had been thrown into the sea and sinking fast. I was sure I’d never wake up again if I just gave in.

Shadows constantly sang to me, trying to drag me back under, calling me back to their dark embrace.

“No, I’m needed here; she needs me”, I mumbled in my sleepy haze. Then, finally, I had to force myself up. I don’t know how long I had lain here in the dark, my back pressed against the cold wooden door. But I didn’t care.

“Aiden, where are you” Ayla’s voice tickles my mind. But could it really be her, now that Alune had control of her body? Could she still reach me if she wanted to?

“Ayla, babe, is that you” I call out desperately to her, needing to know if she was there, if she was okay and how I could help.

“Aiden, she’s sleeping; it’s the only time I can reach you,” she told me, sadness etched into her voice.

“What can I do? Tell me, and I’ll do everything I can to fix this,” I promised her; she was the only thing I would bother fighting for right now. The shadows were making me promises that I was struggling to resist as if I had a choice, I had stepped too far, and I couldn’t pull myself back alone. The only thing tethering me here was my mate, my Ayla, and I would make anything happen for her.

“I don’t know, but I’m scared. My soul is melded to hers. I don’t know if there is a way to fix that,” she sobbed, and my heart broke. My girl had been through so much in such a short amount of time. No one should have to deal with that much.

“Hold on, beautiful, I am coming, I promise,” and I meant it; I would find a way to fix this, even if it were the last thing I would do.

“Brother, where the fuck are you” Axel growled through my mind.

“In here, asshole”, I grumbled back. I was still pissed at him for restraining me as he had.

“I can feel that you’re still pissed at me”, he sniggered back, only making me angrier.

“I’d rather focus on other things” I wasn’t happy, but I knew it was my connection to the shadows making me feel and act this way, I know I had a very serious side, but I didn’t normally have a pissed-off constant asshole side.

“We are coming to get you, we need to talk” I felt his fear and concern, but I knew it wasn’t about me, which was a relief but also a bit insulting. I was in this situation because they couldn’t control the shadows as I could. So if you thought about it, it was their fault I was in this mess.

A knock came on the other side of my door. They found me quickly once I sent them the image of how to find me. Twisting around, I pushed the door open with limited energy.

“Well, aren’t you a fucking mess,” Archer says as he reaches down to give me a hand up.

“You would be too if you had just done what I did”, I grumbled but refused to snap, restarting our fight again.

“That’s one of the things we need to discuss but not the only one. I want to go back to one of our rooms, and then we can talk there,” Axel said, he sounded worried, and it was making me on edge.

“Fine, give me a hand up. I’m spent; I could sleep for a month, no joke, I’m exhausted” I exhaled and braced myself to push myself up.

“What the hell happened” Axel looked shocked when I stood up fully; I didn’t even dare to look at myself; I could guess how awful I looked from how I felt.

“Just trust me when I say playing in the shadows is not as fun as you would think”, I sighed.

“Hmm, did you stop the spell, as Aleena wanted?” he asked me, more concern flooding his face.

“Yes, but I don’t know for how long; I’m not sure if they will try again or if it worked completely”, I admitted—hating that I wasn’t one hundred per cent sure.

“Right, come on, let’s get you out of here and in your room, then we can talk properly. Are you sure you can walk,” Archer asked as he grabbed my elbow to steady me? I was not ready to walk, but if they saw me, and I wasn’t my usual self, I would be fucked; they would know it was me, and Ayla would be in danger. I know they would target her. Ayla said Laura had never been overly loving to her, unlike Michael. And seeing as Michael was Laura’s target, I’m sure they would also use Ayla to hurt him.

“Just stay close, I need to look normal, but I need your help to make it there, okay,” I told them, swallowing my pride.

“Do my ears deceive me? Did the mighty Aiden ask for help” Axel mocked me, and I had to smile; he was right; I wasn’t one to ask for help often, if at all.

“Shut up and help me already”, I growled in warning.

“Ah, there he is, the Aiden we all know and love,” Archer muttered as he shunted me onto my feet with our brother’s help.

Walking back through the pack house, I hoped and prayed not to bump into anyone, especially not the Luna and her twisted little friend. However, it was still dark out, so not much time had passed, which should go in my favour.

The stairs were the hardest to navigate, I had to lean on Archer and Axel more than I wanted to, but there was no other way. When we reached the last step, I was sweating and breathing hard.

“Almost there, just keep going”, Axel encouraged me on. I hated how much I needed them; the feeling of being inadequate took over me, and I wanted to sag to the ground.

“Get your arse up and move”, Blaze barked in my mind, spurring me on; he knew I needed him even if I wasn’t aware. The shadows had pushed Blaze back from me, he was harder for me to reach, but I could always feel him.

“Arch, get the door,” Axel told him as he took my total weight.

“Ugh, I grunted as my weight shifted, and I almost fell. The door flew open, and Archer was right back on my other side, tugging me back up and helping Axel to drag me over the threshold.

The last few steps were the hardest I had ever taken, like running three consecutive marathons back-to-back.

“On the bed with you”, Archer spoke through gritted teeth as he heaved me up and onto the bed.

Bliss, the bed, was absolute heaven; my body gave in and sank into the softness of the bedding. If I could, I would sleep the hell out of it, but I knew my brothers needed to talk; they had something important they wanted to tell me. Although, with how things were going lately, I don’t think I really wanted to know.

“Go on then, tell me what is going on”, I sigh, refusing to open my eyes.

“Titan is missing”, Archer blurted out. No easing me in or anything, just bam, here’s the bad news.

“What” I sat up and stared at him, energy surging through my body too quickly; it made me dizzy. “How can you lose your wolf?” I couldn’t get my head around what he had just said.

“I don’t know; he’s not here anymore. Ever since Ayla brought me back through the planes, I can’t hear him or feel him; he won’t respond when I call,” he paused, “and I can’t hear you guys through our link either, but you can still hear me.”

I could feel Blaze pushing his will over me, but I knew right now wasn’t the time to let him take control; I barely had control, thanks to the shadows, I couldn’t allow my wolf to come through. I know he was angry and worried; I was too. But there was no way I would let one of the strongest wolfs around control my shadow-stained body right now.

“No, Blaze, not now; I will fix this”, I barked out loud, pushing my other half back. Knowing I would pay for it later. I could see Ace blazing in Axel’s eyes; he was pissed, but I knew he understood why I couldn’t allow this; he could feel the shadows on me too.

“I need your help to get him back; I don’t even know where to begin, but I need him” Archer looked worse than lost; he was dealing with the loss of his wolf and what was going on with Ayla. If things got any worse, I worried he might not get through it.

Titan’s POV

Running as fast as my legs let me, my muscles pumping, never stopping, I could see Ayla and Archer up ahead. They were mere feet in front of the fallen Exalted, heading straight for the portal that led back to the living plane. I had to dig deep and get in before that evil bitch beat me. No way was I letting her get her claws on my mate.

My lungs burned with my effort, but I had to beat her there; I couldn’t settle for anything less.

Archer was through, and he dragged Ayla through with him; I allowed a split second of relief to flood my body, but that was all; I still had to bead the fallen bitch through the portal.

I was inches away when her clawed fingers whipped out in front of me, digging into the back of my mate; I smelt her blood, and it hit me like a sledgehammer. Whirling around, I slammed full force into the wailing bitch right behind me. Dragging her arm back through the portal and pinning her in place. She screeched her goddess-awful high pitch scream right in my ear, leaving it ringing, yet still, I wouldn’t budge, not until I knew my girl was safe in the living world.

Panting, I force all my weight down on top of the hideous beast beneath me, trying her best to throw me off of her with everything she had. I had to laugh as naturally, nothing should be stronger than an Exalted. But a fallen Exalted was a different matter. They needed to steal others’ powers and bond with them to have even an ounce of the power they once possessed before they became disgraced. This one was lacking; she hadn’t fed in years, which gave me my advantage. I could overpower her for long enough to get my other half and my mate to safety.

“Get off of me, you mutt, I will devour you; mark my words, you will be nothing once I’m through with you”, She hissed at me. Then I heard the pop signalling the portal’s closing; they were safe, and that was all that mattered.

“You will never touch my mate again”, I growled at her.

“No” she screamed. I pushed will all my might, then sprang off her and ran like my life depended on it. I guess now it did. I was no use to the fallen, not without my human half. But she will gain joy from hunting me.

I knew Archer and Ayla wouldn’t leave me here, they would be back, and I had to be ready.