by Gift .
Sean nodded and went to work. I returned to the pack house, checked on Reya, and headed for the bar.
After the fucking day I had, I was going to need something strong.
Chapter 39
(Roman)
I had been racking my brain to try and figure this shit out for over a month now. I had been losing time, or so I thought. It wasn't like I was blacking out or anything, but just when I woke up it was like a week had passed rather than just a day.
I know it sounded crazy, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was different. It seemed like no one else even noticed, and I had asked a few of the other wolves at training and on patrol if they noticed anything weird, but they all thought I was just crazy.
I swear only a few days had passed and yet Raynes birthday was now in a couple of weeks? Wasn't she just 19? How is she almost 21 now? You can't tell me we lost an entire year?
I thought I had 2 years left of my obligation and it had hardly been a few months.. So how were we getting close to the end? Something wasn't right and I was determined to find out what it was.
Speaking of Rayne, I hadn't needed to be on Rayne duty for quite some time as she was spending most of her time with Raziel, to my dismay of course. So when I saw her this morning I was super excited, maybe a little more excited than I should have been but I couldn't help it.
She was wearing gold and black in her normal getup. A gold sports bra that I swear accentuated her upper body perfectly, black leggings hugging her every curve, and gold combat boots which she never zipped all the way up.
These seemed to be her chosen colors now and to be honest she was beautiful in anything she wore. I hated that stupid fucking mark on her face though, because it reminded me of her infatuation with Raphael. I know it's forced infatuation but I was still jealous.
I'll be damned if the mark didn't make her that much more appealing though. It was perfectly positioned, the perfect size adorning her gorgeous face. It glittered in the sun and caught my eyes everytime she moved. It was the perfect accent. I couldn't help but be infatuated, and as much as I tried to hide it I knew she noticed.
It was like she was magnetic, my eyes just taking in every bit of her beauty, every curve, every smile, and as much as I tried to look away, I couldn't. Luckily she was great at ignoring my stupid obsessive stares. At least I wasn't physically trying something, although I definitely wanted to.
So this morning when Alpha Drake took Rayne to the arena, away from training, I was a little worried. Given his feelings for her and his unwanted advances I had personally witnessed multiple times, I felt it was my duty to protect her.
There was a straggler who was late to training so I quickly paired him up with my partner and headed towards the arena. There had been talk that Alpha Drake made some sort of deal to bring his sister back from the dead.
No one fucks with the dead though, unless you go through a Necromancer but we haven't seen or heard of one of those in decades. I was sure they existed still, but few and far inbetween. The rumors were flying.
I knew something had happened though, because I had seen her, Reya, around the pack house. But what did he do to get her back? I have no fucking idea. The price had to be extremely high to raise the dead and I was worried about just what he gave up.
I had a feeling it had to do with Rayne but I couldn't be sure. I didn't want to alert Raziel if it was nothing, so I had to find out first. I walked up to the arena entrance and stood just inside the door off to the side, out of their sight.
I could see Alpha Drake, he had a hold of Raynes hand dragging her to the middle of the arena. Then they were talking but I couldn't really make out everything they were saying, and then Alpha Drake called out his sister and introduced her to Rayne.
Then he grabbed Raynes shoulders and it looked like he was sad or extremely upset? He then leaned in and kissed Rayne, which made my blood boil. I was happy to see her push him away, but it sounded like he was apologizing to her.
What would he have to apologize to her for? Unless it was for his behavior, but he wouldn't apologize for that, hell he wouldn't apologize for anything. He must have done something pretty bad if he was apologizing. In fact was that a tear he just shed? I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
This was the strangest situation I have ever been witness to. Alpha Drake was not a force to fuck with. He literally was the baddest and most ruthless Alpha in the world. He had no reason to fear anything, or even care. He would kill you for disobeying.
Hell he even tried to kill Rayne once, what could he have done that is worse than what he's already done so many times? Then it hit me as my heart absolutely sank when I saw Raphael materialize behind Rayne. I knew it had something to do with her!
I stood there paralyzed, I couldn't match up against a Reaver, there was literally nothing I could do. I watched as Alpha Drake grabbed Reya and left the arena, and as soon as Raphael told Rayne to come here, she walked straight into his arms. I knew it was the mark, and I knew she didn't want to be there. I mind linked Raziel right away and he appeared just as Raphael disappeared with Rayne.
"Where is she?!" He roared and I wondered if this was about to be the end of my life. "Raphael took her, I'm so sorry Raziel I didn't know what was happening until it was too late." I stammered.
His eyes were fuming, it looked as if they were molten gold. "Tell me everything you've witnessed" he shot back. So I told him how I've been losing time lately, and how something has felt off. I told him about Alpha Drake and his obsession with Rayne.
I told him how Alpha Drake suddenly got his sister back from the dead and then went into the events from this morning leading up until now. I could see the fire changing in eyes and his hardened glare as I was talking, and I couldn't help but feel the fear building.
He was going to explode, and I definitely didn't want to be around when he did. He was the most terrifying man I had ever met, hands down, and I knew I was just pissing him off by the second.
Once I was done talking he looked me dead in the eye and put his hand on my shoulder causing me to flinch. "Thank you Roman, Reavers can manipulate time, we can speed it up or slow it down at will. No doubt this has been part of Raphael's plan.
I will get this shit sorted out but I'm going to need to get to Rayne first before he makes that mark permanent. If he does, I'm not sure we will ever be able to get her back." He said with an urgency in his voice, and then he disappeared.
I let out a breath I was holding and took a step back, trying to process what he had said. Reavers can manipulate time? Why the hell would Raphael want to speed up time? The only thing I could think was that maybe he was hopeful that Rayne would be mated to him and he was trying to push to find out?
That seemed ridiculous though, when you can choose your own mate. Who cares who they are mated to? Something else had to be up, I was sure Raziel would figure it out, but I was anxious to know.
Damnit, how did a simple job in return for a favor turn into all this? "We can't control who we fall for, sadly" Ace pouted. "I know buddy, I know." I said back as I headed home.
I wasn't about to stick around when Raziel got to Alpha Drake where I assumed he would go next.
I knew all hell was about to break loose and I didn't want any part of it.
Chapter 40
(Raziel)
I materialized in front of Alpha Drake at the bar in his pack house. To say I was upset, was an extreme understatement. Knowing how much he cared for Rayne, even possibly loved her, I couldn't believe he would be a part of this shit. Our deal was for him to protect her, not give her to the damn enemy.
He was alone at the bar, drinking brandy on the rocks. It seemed as if he expected me because despite knowing I was right behind him he didn't turn around or say a word. He just kept drinking his brandy.
"What the fuck did you do?!" I exclaimed as I slammed my hand down on the bar next to him making his drink ripple. Much to my surprise he didn't even flinch, he picked up his glass, took
another long drink of brandy and set it back down. He turned to me and we locked eyes. While his face was solem and void of emotion, I could see the emotions swimming in his darker than normal ocean blue eyes.
It was anger, sadness, animosity, loss, but mostly regret. "Raziel, I had no choice." He said sadly. I could tell he was struggling with an internal battle of some sort. "Explain" I spewed. He then went into the story of how Raphael had cornered him in his office and asked for his price to deliver Rayne to him.
He told me he didn't want to, and refused the offer multiple times before Raphael called the shadows and forced him into it. He said if he didn't make a deal, Raphael would and his outcome wouldn't be favorable.
"I had no other choice. The only thing I could have possibly wanted besides Rayne herself was my little sister Reya. I had no idea the shadows existed, let alone that they could bring back the dead." He stated. I took a breath in slowly, "What was their price? I know Raphael manipulated you into making a deal with them in trade for Rayne, but that alone wouldn't have been payment enough to bring someone back from the dead…" I scowled.
I am very familiar with the shadows, having used them often. I definitely know they have extremely steep prices. I’ve always been willing to pay, not everyone is as willing as me.
I could see the emotion in his eyes turn to grief, and then heartbreak. "What was the price, Alpha?" I asked again, enunciating every word. "They wanted a life for a life. They took my intended mate, Angel... She rejected me years ago, but I never accepted her rejection and so she moved away to be with the one who held her heart. They killed her in front of me." He stammered.
I understood fully what he experienced, the shadows have killed a multitude of people in front of me and it's always the same. Slicing their bodies open to drain their blood. It's a slow and painful death. I could tell he was about to break, the mate bond was no joke to a wolf.
While us Reavers never had a chosen mate we were free to choose our own, wolves were different they found their chosen mate upon turning 21, and the bond was extremely strong.
I had beard stories about the mate bond breaking and the grief and pain it caused but I had bever witnessed it personally. A wolf could be mated to any species, even humans if that was fate.
Given that possibility they were given the option to reject a mate, and if the mate were to accept the rejection it would cause the mate bond to shatter. That would then put them back into the mating pool, and the possibility of them becoming mated to another someday was there. Not every wolf found their mate on their 21st birthday, they just had the opportunity and some even spent years just looking for theirs. I couldn't imagine what he was going through, losing his mate just prior to this conversation.
As much as I loathed Alpha Drake, I understood the situation he was forced into. I put my hand on his shoulder "I am sorry" I said sincerely. His demeanor changed a little, and I thought I saw something change in his eyes but I wasn’t sure what.
"I need to get to Rayne. Raphael will pay for this, all of it." I sneered, my face hardening. "We… we need to get to her." Alpha Drake said with conviction in his words. He gulped the last bit of his brandy and slammed his glass down on the bar so hard, it shattered.
"This is fucking war" he yelled. We locked eyes and I knew I had an ally, for now at least. "Very well Alpha. I will call you when I need you." I stated. He nodded his head in understanding, then I materialized to the front gate of Raphael's house.
“Raphael” I roared. “Don’t you fucking touch her, or so help me, brother” I yelled as I blew his silver gate off the hinges once again and stalked towards his front door. It was unlocked, “Ha, he probably didn't want to fix it again” Nero spat.
“I wouldn’t mind destroying this whole place again and again, if it would get Rayne out of his grasp.” I retorted back. “Raphael, where are you!” I roared. My patience was thinning by the second.
“I don’t think he’s here,” Nero said as we got to his bedroom and the doors were also open. No sign of either of them. Panic started to set in as I paced back and forth in my brother's room.
“If it were me, and I were trying to keep Rayne away from myself I would have taken her to a place only accessible by magic. Somewhere that no one knew about, and would be extremely difficult to find.” I said to Nero. “My brother must have a place like my Grotto that only he knows how to access. Which means it would be on his property so he could keep close and be able to keep the magic flowing to it.” I said, mostly to myself that time.
I tried to mind link Rayne, but I was blocked from her. This made my blood boil, but confirmed my suspicion, he definitely had her in a place hidden by magic. If we could only find the gate.
Chapter 41
(Rayne)
I tried to run as Raphael walked back towards me but I wasn’t able to move. My legs didn't even budge. It was like I was frozen in place just waiting for his next command. He strolled up to me and took me in his arms, my mark exploding in approval sending chills down my spine.
It was like my body wasn’t my body. I tried to mind link Raziel, and wasn’t able to. It was blocked somehow. I felt like I had been here for weeks, but I know we just got here. Raphael laid his lips onto mine with a soft sort of hunger.
I reciprocated easily, as if it was what I wanted. But I didn’t, I didn't want this. I didn't want him. He pulled away none the wiser, “what would you like to do beautiful?” He purred.
I wanted to leave actually, my mind was perfectly intact right now, but my body was fuzzy, it was the opposite feeling from before. Like I was being controlled.
“Whatever you want to do, my king,” I said with a smile. Which in turn made him grin and spin me around in the middle of the floor. I acted as if I were happy to be here, I flashed him another smile and I could feel my mark sparkling in approval.
I tried to contact Wynter, but she was starstruck, she was willing to give Raphael anything and everything he wanted, right now. I was alone in not wanting this, and she was not able to help me. I had to figure out a way to get out of here. I needed to get away from him.
‘If you complete the mating process the mark will be permanent, forever’ Raziel’s words swam through my head making me dizzy. I was so frustrated because I couldn’t figure out what the fuck was going on, and how to stop it.
“Well I can think of a few things” He said with a smirk. “Why don’t we work on making this mark permanent? Would you like that, beautiful?” He purred while tracing my mark with his finger.
The mark sent lightning bolts through my entire body at his touch. No, no , no! I was shouting in my mind but what came out was, “Of course, my love” with a wink. What the fuck, no! Body, why the fuck are you doing this?!
I then noticed a slight burning on my wrist. It hadn’t been there before, or maybe the mark being so powerful was overpowering the feeling so I didn't notice, but I definitely could feel it now that I was focusing on it.
I looked down and could see a slight pink glow. Oh my god! Fucking magic, he’s using magic to trap me, to control me and force me into completing the mating process. I had to get this fucking bracelet off. But how?
My body wasn’t in my control when he was near, not at all. Raphael picked me up and took me over to the bed, he gently laid me down and positioned himself on top of me. I pulled him down into a feral kiss, which he very greedily reciprocated.
God damnit, what is fucking wrong with me? But I was so enthralled with pleasure thanks to my mark I wasn't able to think about anything else for that moment. Raphael pulled away, took his shirt off, and flicked his wrist, as my combat boots went flying off.
He for some reason left my top and bottoms on, thankfully, while he made his way down my body kissing every inch of me and exploring with his hands. My body was enjoying every single second. Every kiss sending lightning coursing through my veins. My mind however, was lost in thought trying to find a way to get free.
He started rubbing my inner thigh causing my body to r
eact and I took a sharp breath in. “You are so beautiful, you will make a perfect high priestess” He whispered into my ear, causing cold chills to rack through me.
I honestly couldn’t help but be attracted to him, as much as I didn’t want to be with him, I couldn't deny his sheer beauty. No! Oh my god, it was getting harder to resist in my mind now, it was like my mind was caving.