The Unknown

Rain's P.O.V.

Panic sets in as Zion tells me Max is here and not to open the door for anyone but him, and I rush to the door, bolting it from the inside. I explained what Zion had said to Jess and the others and tried to calm down before we heard banging from the other side of the door. Morgan, Mia, and I freeze as Jess and the guys Jump into warrior mode, ready to protect everyone in the shelter.

"If they've reached the shelter, does that mean they defeated Zion and the others?" Mia asks while on the verge of tears. I quickly wrap my arms around her shoulders.

"If they had defeated them, I would have felt my connection with Zion sever. They're okay. They have to be." I say.

"You're right." She says, trying to put on a smile, but I can feel how scared and worried she is.

"Maybe we should see if he's okay?" Dosha says, and I agree. I linked Zion and told him someone was trying to get into the shelter. I get nothing from him but silence. I can't reach Zion for some reason, but I can still feel him.

"Why can't I reach him?" I ask her.

"Maybe he's busy fighting," Dosha says to calm me down before the banging on the shelter door gets louder, and I start panicking again. "Trust our mate. He won't let anything happen to us."

I take a few deep breaths to steady myself and prepare for a fight if they find a way in, but suddenly, there's silence from the other side. Mathew and Orian look at each other in confusion before there's one more loud bang.

"I can hear people talking on the other side, but I can't make out what they're saying," I tell Jess as she walks to my side.

"Maybe it's the others. Should we open the door?" Morgan asks, and I shake my head.

"Zion said not to open the door for anyone but him," I say before I hear Zion's voice in my head saying that it's safe. I rush to the door, unlock it quickly, and jump into his arms. I feel something wet and sticky on my hands and pull back to see blood. "You're bleeding!"

"I'm okay. It's just a scratch." He says. I make him turn around and place my hands on his back to heal the cuts before looking at Christian and Eithan.

"Is there any more wounded?" I ask.

"There's a few, but Doctor Mikka is tending to them," Eithan says, and I instantly feel relieved.

"We need to go home," Dosha says, and I agree again. She told me she was always right, and I have the feeling she knows what she's talking about now.

"We want to go home," I tell Zion.

"We'll leave as soon as everyone gets settled. I also need to talk to the whole pack before we leave." He says, and I become confused and feel like I'm missing something.

"Why?" I ask him, and he takes a deep breath.

"Max was under the impression that you and the pups were dead. If he thought you were dead, that means Douglas thinks you're dead too. We need to let him believe it." He says. "It could give you the time and peace to give birth to the twins without the chaos."

"But what if you're wrong? What if they find out that I'm still alive?" I ask as I think everything over. I don't want to fake my own death, but maybe he's right. We desperately need peace right now to regroup and come up with a solid plan.

"I will be ordering everyone to react as if you were poisoned. Unfortunately, that means you won't be able to leave the castle until you give birth or maybe even until all of this is over." He tells me as he wraps his arms around my shoulders. "I know you won't like being locked up in the castle, but I think this is the best option to keep you and all three pups safe."

"I know. I'll do it as long as it keeps the pups safe." I say. "But if it doesn't, promise me you won't treat me like a prisoner in our home."

"I promise, my love." He says as he kisses my forehead.

"What do we need to do?" I ask, feeling defeated.

"After the rogue bodies are finished burning, we will take everyone to the packhouse. I'll give the order to keep your survival a secret from everyone outside this pack, and we will go home with the orphaned pups." He says, and I nod. "I also need to tell you that we have surviving rogues that have been chained up and will be going to our cells for interrogation. I'll have Aaron and some of our other warriors and witches leave ahead of us."

A nod is all I can manage at this moment as I replay the plan over and over in my head. Jess places her hand on my shoulder, and I turn to notice everyone standing around us. They heard everything, and judging by the look on their faces, they all agree with Zion. He takes my hand and leads me back to the packhouse as I stare at the ground, lost in my thoughts.

"My Queen. I have the results of your blood test." Doctor Mikka says as we walk into the front door of the packhouse. I nod and wait for him to lead the way. He looks at me as though he wants to ask me something but decides against it and leads us to the same room as before. "Your blood test came back completely normal. There's no sign that you ingested anything at all."

"That's a good thing. Why are you acting like something's wrong?" Zion asks.

"That's the problem. There should be at least a hint of the poison in the results, even if she took the smallest bite. But there's nothing at all." He says while looking at me.

"I know I ate some. The taste is what alerted me." I say.

"I believe you, my Queen. I'm just not sure how there are no traces of it in your blood." He tells us. "I'd like to take another sample to run the test again to be on the safe side."

"Okay, but we're leaving soon," I say, completely emotionless.

"I can send the results of both tests to Doctor Jameson." He says, and I feel the concern pouring out of him.

"I'd appreciate that," I say, giving him the go-ahead to do the second test and sit in the chair. He takes out the needle and tubes, wipes my arm with an alcohol pad to clean the area, and begins to take my blood.

"The pack is gathering in the dining hall. After Doctor Mikka takes a blood sample, we will address the pack and prepare to leave." Zion says, and I nod in agreement. "I'll get Jess and Orian to gather the pup's things and get them ready to go."

"Okay," I say, my voice void of any emotion. I feel numb and empty. I wish I were home curled up with Zion and Odett in our bed.

"My Queen, don't be mad at me, please. Everything will be okay and work out for the best." He says, taking my hand in his as Doctor Mikka removes the needle from my arm.

"You're not the one having to act as if you're dead and no longer exist," I tell him as I stand and walk out of the room. I don't know what's gotten into me, but the thought of no longer existing is really starting to bother me. I know it's to protect the pups, but I'm the Queen. It's my job to protect our people. I can't do that if I have to pretend that I'm dead.

When I got to the dining hall, Morgan sat at the table with Eligha and Chelsea in her lap as Eithan stood behind her, smiling down at them. I'm glad to see them together, and I wonder if they've told the kids they want to adopt them. I know they will be great parents and do anything for those kids. Zion steps beside me and wraps his arm around my waist as he places his other hand on my belly.

"I'm sorry, my Queen. I know what I'm asking of you isn't fair." He says.

"It's okay. What you say makes sense. I'm just not sure how to deal with not being the Queen anymore." I say, trying to hold back the tears that threaten to fall from my eyes. "It's my job and who I am. And now I'm going back to being a nobody. I just don't know how to handle it."

"You will still be the Queen." He says. "No one will ever take your place, and this is only temporary."

"No, I'll be dead," I say, and tears begin to roll down my cheeks.