Chapter 8
Ayla’s POV
Waiting to hear from Aleena and Michael was killing me; I paced Archer’s room for what felt like hours. But nothing seemed to help the feeling of time standing still. I spoke to Bria a few times since my strange chat with Alune, but she was too busy to stay and chat with me for long. Weird, seeing as she was my wolf after all. This exalted better be worth all the hassle she’s causing me, as I’m not seeing any major benefits right now!
“Ayla, come and sit with me for a bit”, Aiden called out. He had found the comfiest chair on this floor and brought it in for the wait. He knew it was pointless trying to get me to leave, so he set up camp with me. Axel was busy finding food. Apparently, I was Hangry! I don’t get hangry!
“You do get Hangry, babe” Aiden laughed as he spoke. Hearing my thought loud and clear.
“I don’t! I’m just nervous, is all” I grumped back at him. Refusing to admit I was a bit hungry and grumpy. Slowing my pacing, I turn to stare the god-like man down in front of me, watching how his emerald eyes never left mine, the smouldering look he had set my pulse on fire. Resting my hands on my hips and jetting my hip out, I throw as much sass behind my stare as I could. He would not win this silent war. I was not one of those girls that turned into a bitch when hungry, and I was going to prove it.
Reaching up, I flick a stray lock of auburn hair back over my shoulder, which was ruining the ambience I was trying to set here. Making Aiden laugh at me more, sighing and throwing my hands up in the air, knowing I was defeated; I was never going to win against that gorgeous example of a man.
“You are so adorable when you sulk”, he laughed, sending a stream of angry fire racing through my body; I was not sulking! Scrunching my forehead up and frowning at him, I stalk forward, determined to show him. But Archer released a strangled breath, stopping me in my tracks and setting the guilt flying inside me again. I felt awful rushing over to him. I shouldn’t have been mucking around with Aiden when things were so bad for Archer.
“I’m here; please hold on! We are on our way” I kissed his forehead and urged him to hang on a little longer for me.
“How much longer do you think they are going to be?” I sounded so desperate, but I didn’t care.
“Ayla, it’s okay. They will be here soon; Archer would hate to think you so stressed out. We will get him back; I promise you, “Aiden had stood and come over to where I was leaning over her brother. He placed his warm hand on my back and kissed my neck. I liked the feeling I got when he touched me, and I almost sunk into it, but my mind whipped out of the comfort he provided to leave me feeling uneasy and guilty. This guilt would be my death if I didn’t get rid of it soon, yet I knew it wouldn’t go away if I didn’t bring Archer back soon.
“I know, I just can’t shift this feeling of something terrible happening”, I admitted; I reached down to hold Archer’s hand, more to comfort myself than him. Aiden tugged on my shoulders to get me to turn, to wrap his arms around me and try to ease my overly busy mind. I was going to let him too until the hand of Archer’s I had been holding grew tighter around mine.
“What’s going on, Aiden? His grip has gotten tighter”, I gasped as we both stared; I moved closer to look right at him. His face was screwed up in pain, slicing through my heart like a knife through butter.
“Help me” Archer screamed, sweat beading on his brow whilst his eyes stayed tightly closed, but tears still leaked from beneath them. His desperate cry rang in our ears. My heart raced, and my body trembled, scrambling up onto the bed with him, straddling him and shaking his shoulders. It was the first time he had spoken in weeks. I couldn’t let him slip away again!
“Archer, I’m here. Wake up, I’m here,” I screamed at him. Hearing him beg for help was the worst thing I have ever witnessed; I couldn’t wait any longer; I had to get to him now! How was I supposed to sit back and wait whilst one of the men I loved was clearly in agony, needed me more than anything, yet there was nothing I could do until the elf, and the Alpha got back? It was beyond cruel, and I couldn’t handle it.
“Ayla, calm down”, Aiden spoke, his voice holding a warning.
“Don’t tell me to calm down; he’s your brother; for goddess’ sake, why aren’t you frantic too” I screamed at him, anger rolling off me in waves.
I held on to Archer with all m might as I stared Aiden down, unable to believe he wasn’t fighting for him like I was.
“Ayla, you need to gain control of your power; your mood is affecting it” he spoke softer, his hands held up in front of him. I could see worry etched along her devilishly handsome features, and his emerald eyes held a hint of fear for himself, but I wasn’t sure; maybe it was for me? But I couldn’t do as he asked; I was angry, and I wasn’t going to calm down just because I had been told to.
My hair lifted around me, flowing back away from my face, and no doubt my eyes were taking on that violet sheen when mixed with my normal golden colour and burned within the sockets. I could feel Alune coming forward. She had felt my anger and was drawn to it; there was nothing I could do to stop her. she was going to take hold of my body and use me as the vessel she intended me to be. We were meant to merge and harmonize, but this felt more like a hostile takeover. I didn’t want to lose control; I wanted to be myself, completely in control of my actions, but she was already winning the internal battle. I felt her pressing in on my mental walls; I was being pushed out and back. I could see everything going on through my eyes, but it was more like watching someone else's movie. With one last shove, I was forced out of my being. It was the most surreal feeling. Turning around, I felt out my new surroundings, if you could call them that. My body was still there; I just couldn’t use it.
“Ayla?” Bria’s voice caught my attention. I whipped round to find my wolf walking toward me. She was beautiful in every way. Tall but not as tall as my mates, glistening golden coat with touches of Auburn streaked through, just like my hair. I loved that a part of me showed in her too.
“Bria, Alune has taken hold of my body and forced me out; it isn’t meant to be like this,” I told her, panic spiking in my voice.
“I had a feeling this might happen”, she sighed.
“But why? I don’t understand” I felt so lost; why would she do this to me?
“Alune has been trapped in the other plane for so long now she was so desperate to transition quickly and see how well you both got on so that she could experience your world for herself, but now that you need to go to the spirit plane, she knew it would mean she would have to wait and well frankly she didn’t want to!” Bria sighed and sounded sad, fed up, and exhausted all in one breath.
“What! That’s absurd; that is the most selfish thing I have ever heard” I was beyond angry if I had the use of my body right now, I would show her exactly how angry I was.
“Your anger was the door she needed” Bria shrugged
“How does that even work.”
“Anger is one of the emotions that can run away with you so easily; I like to call them loose emotions, and if you don’t gain full control of your anger, things can easily happen; Alune took advantage of how you felt and used it as her way in,” Bria explained. I reached out to run my fingers through her fur as she did, calming myself and relaxing her simultaneously.
“Okay, so what can I do about it? I must be in full control by the time Aleena and Michael get back. I need to go get Archer before it’s too late.”
“You’re going to have to push your way back in; you have to overpower her to gain control again” Bria looked doubtful “she’s mighty though Ayla, but now might be your best chance as she won’t have the experience behind her when it comes to a mortal body.”
“Right, that doesn’t help me, Bria. I have no idea how I am meant to do this?” I all but whine at my wolf.
“You must feel your way in and then push with all you have. I’m sorry, I don’t have any other way to help you; it’s not like it’s something you can describe to someone” Bria tried to apologise, but I think she was relieved to be free of Alune for a while.
“She better not get comfortable.”
Aiden’s POV
Why do I get the feeling that it isn’t Ayla smirking back at me right now? One minute my Mate is raging at me, clinging to my brother’s hand, ripping me a new arsehole, making out I don’t care enough, then bam, she’s smirking at me with those other coloured eyes!
“Uh, Ayla, you okay, sweetheart,” I ask slowly. A horrible chill ran down my spine. Her hair was lifting around her head, and she felt to be more, but not in a good way. If I was honest with myself, I knew the moment she changed; I knew it wasn’t my girl anymore; I knew it was the Exalted, Alune. This time felt different; she wasn’t here on request and wasn’t helping Ayla as she did in the battle. This time it felt like she intended to do and say what the hell she liked without any input from Ayla.
“Which one are you again?” She asked; her eyes raked over my body like a hungry wolf eyeing up its next meal. “Well, you’re better looking this time, right? I’ll give you that” she released my brother’s hand and started climbing down from his bed, never taking her eyes off me. I felt like prey caught in a trap.
“Not Ayla then” I backed up
“Well, you can call me Ayla if you really want to, but trust me, I’m better in every way, and you’d do well to remember that,” she purred at me as she got closer. “There are always perks to being linked to a mortal, as an exalted, mortal body always needs its three fated mates. She wouldn’t survive me otherwise” she smirked again, still with those violet-tinted eyes trained right on me. “I won’t mind taking advantage of this mortal’s mates, that’s for sure.”
“Where is Ayla” I demanded; my heart was beating faster, out of fear or concern, I don’t know, but it was not something good.
“Now, now handsome, she will be back when I have had my fun; your precious little Mate is just fine; in fact, she can see us right now; give her a wave”, she laughed, and I hated seeing her use my mate’s body like this. She stalked closer to me, never lifting her eyes from mine. When Ayla does that, it’s sexy, but when Alune does it, It’s damn right scary!
“Yo, brother, can’t you keep your hands off her for two seconds? Every time I turn around, you two are wrapped up in each other” Axels laughed as he re-entered the room carrying every time of food; he knew Ayla loved.
I was pinned up against the wall when Axel closed the door.
“Not our Ayla Axel,” I said through gritted teeth. I was craning my head back as far as I could away from her searching hands.
“Ooh, so that means your Aiden, my delicious lump of sexiness” she stood on tip-toes and licked the side of my face. Enjoying herself way too much “mmm, you taste good too; I see why she likes you so much.”
“What the hell is going on right now” Axel demanded as he dumped the food on the table and made his way over to me, confusion apparent on his face.
“Axel, meet Alune”, I grunted as I tried to push her off me; she was stupidly strong; I didn’t want to push too hard, though she was inside my mate, and I refused to hurt her If I could help it.
“No need to worry, boys, there is plenty of me to go round”, she laughed as she took in my brother without releasing me.
Axel growled; Ace appeared behind his eyes. His eyes flicked to mine as she edged closer.
“You okay” he sent to my mind, but I didn’t have time to answer as Alune roared with laughter.
“You know I can hear your mind links. I am still in her body”, she chuckled at us as she playfully bit her finger.
“You need to leave now, Alune and let Ayla come back,” I told her, knowing she wouldn’t listen.
“you guys are a bore, all the other fated mates of my mortal counterpart have all been happy to accommodate me, but you guys don’t; oh well, I like a challenge”.
