by G. Bailey
"And, many more will, that is just the way things are. But, if we fight–if you fight–we can make a future worth living in," he says.
"Together?" I ask him.
"Yes, because I love you, Winter. I will love you until I take my last breath and even after my life ends," Dabriel says, and my breath catches.
I don't say anything as I pull my shirt off. I slowly take all my clothes off as he watches me. Both of us are silent, and he swims close to the edge in front of me. When all my clothes are gone, I sit down on the edge, and his warm hands go to my hips. He lifts me into the warm water, our bodies pressed together and our lips seconds apart.
"Cor meum tibi, quod tuum est meum in sempiternum,” he whispers. Before I can ask what he means, he kisses me. My back is pushed carefully against the pool wall as I hook my legs around his waist. Dabriel takes his time, stroking my body with his hands until I can't think straight. When I stroke him and guide him inside me, he starts glowing brighter. White symbols cover every part of his body as he pushes himself fully inside me. He kisses my lips before grabbing hold of my hips and drawing out every thrust, making me scream out in pleasure with every movement. He glows so brightly, all I can see is white.
"Dabriel, I love you," I whisper again and again as we both find our finish. A slight burning fills the middle of the top of my back where my shoulder blades meet making me wince.
"My mark," Dabriel says and kisses my forehead. He pulls me lower in the pool until the cold water stops the burning.
"That feels great," I say, and he laughs.
"I hope so, my little wildfire."
"Why do you call me that?" I ask him.
"Because you have the power to destroy everything in your path. Even if it’s taking their hearts or making them bow to you. It's who you are, you stole every part of me from the first moment we met," he says. I don’t know how he does it, but his words make me fall in love with him a little bit more.
"When you took my seat in the restaurant," I mumble.
He laughs, "Yes."
"What were the words you said to me? I didn't recognise the language," I mumble. I also wonder what the new mark looks like.
"The ancient mating words in Latin," Dabriel says and kisses me before he tells me the sweetest and truest words he has ever said to me,
"My heart is yours forever."
Chapter 21
Jaxson
"Freddy, turn that music down!" I shout across the hall of the castle. Freddy’s room is at the very end of the corridor, which has the guys’ rooms and Winter’s in the middle. I want him close to us.
"He is acting like a teenager already," Wyatt says coming to stand next to me.
"I'm just glad Anna has taken Marie to visit her parents for the day, and they’re on other side of the castle," I tell him. I did offer Anna a room in this corridor, but she decided to stay in the block of rooms the wolves are taking over. She says it’s nice to have the help all the time. Marie looks so much like Fergus, it’s haunting. I wish I could have saved him.
"Winter is coming soon," Wyatt replies, and I nod, swallowing my grief at both my brother and sister being gone.
"She has mated to Dabriel," I tell Wyatt. I'm not surprised he felt the change too, yesterday. I felt when she mated to Wyatt as well. It’s like Winter is a link between us all. There has always been a link, a reason we all got along, but it’s stronger now. I would die for any of them, to protect them.
"So, you think I should tell him?" Wyatt asks me. I know what he’s referring to.
"Yes. We both had shit fathers. Freddy deserves to know he has a good fucking one," I say, and Wyatt pats me on the shoulder.
"Thank you. Come train with me. I’ve missed kicking your ass," he says, and I laugh.
"I could do with some sword training," I say and walk out the door. We go to the training room, which is outside the castle and actually just a huge room inside a stone building. The room is full of wolves and a few vampires. None of them are fighting together, and there’s a clear divide. Every one of them bows when they see us both. At least they do that together. The amount of fucking fights we’ve had is unreal. I know they hate each other, but all of them are hiding here. Many of the wolves look at Wyatt with distrust. I feel their worry in my bond, and I try to send calm to them.
"A fight between the vampire king and wolf king. Should be interesting to watch," I shout, and a few wolves cheer. The vampires stop what they are doing to watch. I grab two heavy swords and chuck one at Wyatt, who catches it perfectly. The wolves move away to make a large circle in the middle of the room. I stand a distance away from Wyatt and hold my sword up.
"Come on then, vampire," I grin, and he laughs before he charges with his own sword. I swerve to avoid him and swing around, but he is as quick as I am, and he meets my swing.
We fight for ages, neither one of us giving up and both of us dripping with sweat.
"Hey," Winter says, making me turn, and I feel the sword pressed against my neck a second later.
"Unfair distraction," I say.
"Never be distracted," Wyatt shrugs and drops his sword.
"Fucker," I mutter and walk over to Winter, who smiles.
"Did Atti bring you?" I ask as I kiss her.
"Yes, and Milo came too, but he went to hang out with Freddy," she says. She treats Milo like her own child and not a mini-demon. I'm thankful Milo is nothing like the rest of his alcoholic kind, but it’s still strange how well-trained she has him. They are way too alike; both of them eat my food and adore chocolate.
"Hey, sweetheart," Wyatt says as he comes over, and he leans down to kiss her. I always hated the idea of sharing her. Fucking hated it, but I don't anymore. It seems right.
"Hey, how’s everything going?" she asks us both.
"Good, the castle isn't far from being done, and the wolves are settling a little better with the vampires. Freddy and his friend Mich have made friends with a vampire child their age. It’s a start," I tell her. Wyatt seems to like this information as he smirks a little.
"That's great," she grins.
"I have a present for Freddy," she holds up a paper bag.
"Let’s go, then," I say and link my hand with hers. Wyatt walks behind us as we go to the castle. The few wolves we cross bow to us, the vampires do the same. The music is still loud outside Freddy’s room, and I knock loudly.
"A girl is about to come into that mess of a room you call a bedroom."
I hear the music being turned off before Freddy opens the door. His hair is all over the place, and his crinkled clothes are the same he slept in.
"Hey, Winter," his little face lights up.
"I got you something, can I come in?" she asks, and he opens the door. It's not too bad, but I still have to pick some clothes off the floor and bed. I chuck them in the basket by the door and close it. Wyatt leans on the wall by the dresser, and Freddy glares at him.
Winter sits on the end of his bed, and Milo flies over to her shoulder as Freddy sits next to her and opens the bag.
"Wow, it's a wand," Freddy holds it up.
"It's made from a witch stone. It's a spirit wand, I thought it looked Harry Potter-like," Winter says and he nods. The wand starts glowing and Winter tries to pull it out of his hand as Freddy’s eyes roll back, going fully white.
"Freddy!" Winter shouts as I move in front of him. I hold his head in my hands. He doesn’t respond. Wyatt pulls the wand with Winter, but it's stuck in his grip, and I shake his head a little.
"Freddy!" I shout, holding his chin up, and he finally snaps out of it. The wand stops glowing, and Freddy lets it fall to the ground. Standing, Freddy pulls away from me.
"You’re my father," Freddy says with a glare at Wyatt. Wyatt backs up a little, but doesn’t take his eyes off Freddy. Fucking hell, what did the light-up stick tell him? How the hell did it tell him that?
"Yes," Wyatt answers simply.
"You didn't tell me?" Freddy looks at me with anger and a slight bit of fear.
I can’t tell him being a half wolf and half vampire is safe. I have no idea what he will become when he gets older. When wolves are around sixteen, they go through a change. Their wolves change size, some are smaller, but most become bigger. This is also the time they get extra abilities. Freddy already has a few: fast healing, immunity to silver, and he is so fast for his age.
"I was sworn not to tell you by your mother, she didn’t want you to know until she could tell you, but that didn’t happen. After that, it was safer for you not to know. I wanted you to have the most normal upbringing I could give you,” I tell him. His blue eyes, so much like Demi’s watch me. The boy has already been through so much at such a young age. I really didn’t give him that much of a fucking normal upbringing like I wanted to.
“How did you know?" I ask him, and Freddy stands up.
"That wand showed me my mother. She was standing right next to me, and she told me who he is to me. She said she loved me and loved you," Freddy points at Wyatt. Winter looks down, and Wyatt’s jaw is ticking as he watches Freddy.
"You saw Demi's ghost?" Wyatt asks, a hint of the love in his voice he had for my sister. I glance at Winter, but she doesn't seem to be upset about it. If anything, she just looks worried as she glances between Freddy and Wyatt.
Freddy starts shaking, his whole body getting close to shifting in anger.
"Freddy, listen to me." I say, adding a little alpha power, and I draw his gaze away from Wyatt.
"This, changes nothing. I'm still here for you, and so is Winter. Wyatt is your father and a good man; one of the best men I know, and I would trust him with my life. I grew up with Wyatt, he might be a stubborn, little git, but he is my brother. Give him a chance. I’m not telling as your alpha or commanding you. I’m asking as your uncle and your friend," I say. Freddy looks at Wyatt for a long time, the stubbornness in his jaw reminds me of his dad.
"Tell me about my mother and you," Freddy says, the shaking stops, and he looks calm. I see Wyatt nod from the corner of my eye. Winter gives me a relieved look, and I smile. Fucking hell that could have gone badly.
"Let’s go for a walk, Freddy," Wyatt says, and he opens the door. He doesn’t wait as he walks out, but he glances at Winter. I see her nod at him before he turns.
Freddy follows but stops in front of me, “Wyatt brought my mum to you, didn’t he?” he asks.
“Yes, and he stayed to protect her. Even after she died, he stayed around and protected the pack. Even you.”
“Okay,” Freddy says, and he hugs me. I wrap my arms around him, remembering the late nights where he would wake up crying from his fear of lightning as a baby, and the first time we played basketball together. I knew he was never mine, but I treated him like he was. He has always been more than my nephew to me; he is a son to me. Freddy lets go and walks out.
"Smart boy," Winter comments, watching the doorway. She sits on the end of Freddy’s bed. She picks the wand up.
“Atti put some magic into it. He said it would just shoot white sparks,” Winter admits.
“I'll have a word about giving real magic toys to a kid later,” I say with a groan. I should have known Atti would have something to do with this.
“Sorry Wolf-man, I should have–” she starts.
I wave a hand to cut her off. “I know. Don’t worry. No harm was really done, but Atti is a strong enough witch to know what magic he is fucking with,” I say and sit by her on the bed.
"Family good," Milo says making Winter jump. Even I forgot the little shit was here.
"Do you have family, Milo?" Winter asks him as he flies into her hand in her lap.
"Yes, but like drink," he says sadly. Winter and Alex have been working on his speech. It isn’t great, but I doubt he had much time to learn when he was with the others. Massive parties where they wreck shit aren’t good for learning. I didn’t know they could speak more than two words before I met Milo.
"Why don't you drink and party like them?" I ask him, and he turns to look at me. I don’t know how he managed to get the weird, pink, tutu dress thing he is wearing, but fuck he looks weird. I thought he was a guy?
"We used to be different," he says, and I nod.
"You know you’re family to me now, Milo," Winter says, and Milo flies to her cheek, he presses a little kiss to her.
"Same," he says and Winter’s whole face lights up. The little thing may be annoying, but if he can make Winter happy then, fuck it, we’re keeping him.
"If you stay away from my fucking chocolate brownies and don't make a bed out of them. I’ll keep you around," I say, and Winter snorts in laughter.
"They nice, and I eat bed," Milo shrugs.
That little fucker.
"Can't be as bad as the bowl he filled with Atti's chocolate milkshake and lay in it naked. Atti said he would never get the image out of his head," Winter tells me.
"Yummy," Milo says, and I laugh.
"I've changed my mind, I like him," I say, and Winter grins.
Chapter 22
Wyatt
“How long did you know my mother for?” Freddy asks me. My son is looking at me like he’s seeing me for the first time. In a way, he is. This is fucked up, and yet, I’m glad he knows. I felt like a weird stalker following him around the castle. I did learn that he is strong and good with a sword but fights like Jaxson. I can fix that. I know he’s smart, smarter than others seem to realise.
“I knew Demi my whole life. I remember her always being around. Her human foster mother was my maid, and she brought Demi with her to learn how to clean,” I tell Freddy. We stop talking when he sees a bench and sits down. I sit next to him and just look at him. He looks like me a little, but so much like Demi.
“So, she was your slave,” Freddy deduces.
“For a time, but, honestly, she was the worst one and just told me point-blank to get over myself. Demi was real when the rest of my people were not. Most people were scared of me or wanted to get close because I would be king. Demi just wanted a friend, and that’s what we were at the start,” I tell him. When he doesn’t respond, I keep talking.
“Then things changed one night. After that, we kept our relationship a secret. We didn’t have a choice, and I wanted to get her out.”
“Why didn’t you just run away with her?” Freddy asks me.
“Part of me–back then–loved my father, and I didn’t want to run away. I loved Demi, but she wouldn’t ask me to do that,” I say. It’s true, I used to look up to him. I’m not sure why I did, but when he had Demi killed that ended any feelings I had for him.
“Two months later, my father bragged about how he had the half-sister to the werewolf prince. I knew he meant Demi because she was the only wolf in the castle. I took her to Jaxson the next day. She wanted me to stay, but I knew we could never work. It was better for her to have Jaxson look after her and find a wolf to have a life with,” I say.
“So, you walked away?” Freddy growls out.
“No. I stayed in town. I stayed close because I couldn’t walk away,” I tell him, and he doesn’t look at me.
“Where were you when she died?” he asks and looks over at the castle.
“My father planned it all. He called me back to the castle; said it was urgent, and I was needed. I shouldn’t have gone,” I admit to him, it was a stupid move.
“Why did you fall in love with my mother, when you knew Winter would come into your life?” Freddy asks, seeming older than he is.
“Falling in love is never a choice. It’s something that takes over you and knocks you on your ass when you least expect it. It happened to me both with Demi and Winter. Just because I’m with Winter, I haven’t forgotten your mum,” I tell him and place my hand on his shoulder. It’s the first time he has let me touch him, and I know it’s a big step, when he doesn’t move.
“I wish I remembered her,” he says sadly.
“I always wish the same with my mother, too. I never had anyone around to tell what she was really like, only rumours. You have tha
t with me; I will tell you anything you want about Demi,” I say, and he looks over at me. One nod and then he stands up, and I move my hand away.
“Jaxson is a dad to me. Don’t expect me to start calling you dad, I don’t even call him that,” Freddy warns, making me smirk.
“No problem, son,” I lean back on the bench.
“You can’t call me that,” Freddy says, and he crosses his arms and looks at me like he wants to kill me. There’s my son.
“I’ll do whatever I want, and you are my son. If you don’t want to call me dad, that’s fine, but I am going to be a dad to you,” I tell him honestly. I’m not hiding him anymore; people are going to know that half-breeds exist, and that Freddy is my heir. That makes him a prince, whether he likes it or not.
“I don’t want that,” he says angrily, his whole body shaking with anger.
“I know,” I reply, and I watch as he storms off.
Drake and Alex walk over to me, coming out of the trees near the edge of the castle. Alex still has twigs in her hair, and Drake has a big grin as he kisses her. Both of them are dressed for training, the camp we have set up is on the other side of the castle. It’s good for the werewolves and vampires to train together. Not that they do, but it’s progress that they aren’t trying to kill each other.
“I figured out what’s in Paris,” Drake says as he stops in front of me, his voice going stern and losing whatever happiness he had with Alex mere seconds ago. She clings onto his arm, and I have a feeling it’s not going to be a good answer.
“Well?” I ask.
“Silver weapons. The biggest collection in the world is on display in a museum in Paris. He wants the people and the weapons,” Alex says, her voice high and panicked.
“That’s fucking perfect,” I grit out. I stand up and run my fingers through my hair as I pace. How can we tell our people and Winter about this?
“There’s another thing we need to tell you about,” Alex adds in, and I turn to meet her eyes, but it’s Drake that replies.