Another Choice

(Noah)

“So you chose that moment to act like a mate. I thought you had rejected her.” My father says disapproving me.

“I did not!” I protest. How many I have to say that!

“You came to her 18 birthday ball with another woman! The day we announced when she will become crown Queen. Not only you weren’t by her side but you also were making out with another girl.” Anton says his eyes black as his Lycan is on the surface.

“I didn’t know it was her birthday. I would have never done that if I knew! For me, it was just another ball.” I defend myself.

“Anton, please. We need any help we can have.”

“So you’re willing to put in danger my pup life for your daughter!”

“I’m not a pup anymore, dad!”

“Really because you’re still acting like one!” He adds getting upset.

“My love, you need to call down. If Noah is old enough to make his own decisions.”

“Thanks, mom!” I say.

“But” She keeps going. “If he goes, I will come. I will not let him do it alone.”

“Maybe there is another way...” Anna-Lynn thinks out loud.

“But?” My mother says.

“But it will be difficult to convince her to help us.” Anna-Lynn says exchanging a look with my mother.

My Mother and Anna-Lynn are blood sisters, they had a ritual to link their souls together. This really annoying for everyone because when you have a conversation with them, they only give half of the information, so you can’t follow the discussion. This is driving crazy my father and Anton.

“You are losing us, my love.” Anton says.

“The Vampire Queen could help us. Nina was a werewolf before becoming a Vampire and I fought for their love.” Anna-Lynn says.

“Actually, without you, they wouldn’t be together now.” Mom adds.

“Let me try to call her, to see what we can do. But we will need you to open a portal.” Anna-Lynn says.

“And we will.” Mom confirms.

“Thank you!” Anton says.

The call didn’t go well apparently but in the end, Queen Nina accepted to let us see Selina, which is what matters. I don’t know what is the price Anna-Lynn had to pay but for sure it was not for free. Anna-Lynn, Mom, Dad and I, are now in the Vampire castle walking toward the dungeon. Anna-Lynn asked Anton to stay back because when it comes to his children he is losing his control easily. Anna-Lynn has more self-control but you should really be worried when she is too calm. For me, she is more dangerous than Anton. She could kill without showing any emotions. At least with Anton, you know what you’re expecting. Anyway, he is waiting for us in the forest close to our territory. Did I mention that my father is the Alpha of the Tenebris Pack? Anna-Lynn asked him to take over the position after she killed their Alpha.

As we are walking thought the castle toward the cells, I try to understand what’s the point on going to see her. If there is an escape plan, I’m not aware of it. As we enter the dungeon, the atmosphere changes. After the warmth and the luxury of the castle, we are now on the dark side of the castle. It’s cold and smells horrible. As Queen Nina stops in front of a cell, I hear Anna-Lynn growls. I don’t dare to look in the cell. It’s has been a long time since I saw Selina and I’m kind of stress? intimidated? I don’t know exactly.

“How dare you? She is your future Queen!” She says.

“She killed Oleg! My son’s right hand.” Queen Nina says.

“Would you have like we treat Macha that way when she drunk on a Luna?” Anna-Lynn replies.

“Do you have any proof that she killed him, at least?” My father asks.

“He died trying to mark her, she tricked him to do it.” Queen Nina says.

“So it’s a reason to bit her!“Anna-Lynn says before to pause a few seconds.

“Who took her blood?” She adds in a cold voice.

Oh oh... This is not good. Queen Nina looks at the cells, I can ready the surprise on her face.

“Stealing Lycan’s blood is forbidden but stealing the princess’s blood is an act of war. I advise you to free her before I kill everyone in your castle” Anna-Lynn says.

“Calm down, I don’t know who did that but Leopold and I never authorized that. She will have a fair trial, I swear.” Queen Nina replies.

“Do you want to test me, Nina?” Anna-Lynn says.

“No, of course not. But it’s not the first time she tricks someone to fall in love with her and then she kills him.”

"I want to see her." My wolf tells me. ”Now!" He adds when I don’t answer. So I do as he asks, I stop to listen to their discussion and walk toward the cell. Selina has retreated in the opposite wall, she has bruises on her face and on her arm. In fact, she has bruises on every visible part of her body. Why is she not healing? What did she not react to her mother’s voice? What’s wrong with her? Without realizing what I’m doing, I teleport myself in the cells. I hear my mother’s protest but I shield us.”

“Hey Selina, it’s over. We are here to help you.” I tell her.

She retreats even more when she hears my voice and when I try to touch her, she moves away. I look at her eyes and they are glossy. She was drugged. How is it even possible? She is a Lycan.

“Hey, it’s me, Noah.”

She doesn’t even look at me.

“What did you do to her?” My wolf asks surfaced.

“ Adonit Meladrona, seriously! You’re all going to die.” Anna-Lynn says, starting to turn in her Lycan.

“I, I, I didn’t know.” Queen Nina replies bowing her head.

“Maybe you didn’t but one of the royals has to know!”

“Lilly, please.” My mother says stopping Anna-Lynn who is walking toward Queen Nina. she adds:” I advise you to release the princess before it becomes a blood bath.”

She nods eagerly before opening the door with shaking hands. Anna-Lynn goes inside. Her only focus now is Selina. “It’s over, baby. Let’s go home now.” She whispers caressing Selina’s head. She takes her in her arms ready to leave. My wolf and I want to protest as we need to make sure she is alright and feeling as she should be in our arms. Even in her shape, she is breathtaking. How did I forget her beauty? ”Maybe because you’re ignoring her for years." My wolf comments sarcastically. No time to reply, my main concern is to make sure she is safe.

My mother opens a portal here and in a few seconds, we are in the forest outside our pack territory. Anton is here with Duncan - Selina’s big brother - and Harper - Duncan’s mate.

“Can you help her, please? They drugged her with Adonit Meladrona." Anna-Lynn asks Duncan.

Ducan used to be a shifter with a healing gift. He was turned into a Lycan when he was nine. He's Anna-Lynn and Anton's first child but they adopted him after his parent's death. As they are not blood-related, he cannot be king. He lost his ability to heal people when he turned and he is not able to really heal people anymore but he can, by his touch, accelerate the healing process for minor injuries.

"I can try." He replies to his mother.

"I'm going to kill them all! How dare they?!" Anton growls.

"Calm down Anton, we don't want to aggravate the situation." My father tells him.

"He is right, my soul. Selina is our main focus now." Anna-Lynn adds.

Suddenly, Selina's eyes come alive again and she jumps out of her mother's arms.

"Calm down, my little princess, it's just us." Anton says catching and hugging her.

"Can you tell us what happened?" He asks her.

She pushes him and starts to retreat. "You will not believe me! You're all the same!" She says aggressively.

Maybe she is still on the effects of that drug. I catch her and when she sees me, her eyes turn dark.

"Don't touch me, asshole!" She orders me.

"Selina, we are here to help you but for that, we need to know what happened." Anna-Lynn says.

"Go to hell all of you!"

Why is she acting like a frightened animal? What I am missing.

"Sorry to disturb that family reunion, but I'm here for the princess." A man says.

Not any man! It's Tom, my cousin. Why is he here? "Why does he want to do with Selina?" My wolf asks. I put myself between him and her ready to protect her.

"You are not going anywhere with her!" I tell him.

"We will see about that." He says smirking.

Selina runs toward him and jumps in his open arms. What???

He kisses her forehead and says: “Let’s go princess.”

“I don’t think so.” Anton says.

“ You’re not going anywhere with her!” I say again, at the same time walking towards them.

As I try to punch him, he stops mid-air my fist easily. How? He is a werewolf, like me. Still, right now, he is stronger than me. He doesn't let me the choice and I do what I swear I will never do him. I'm used my telekinesis power to push him lightly. I don't want to hurt him. But he is also able to resist it but his eyes turned black. How? Again, I have not another choice than to use my power full force. I am the one who is flying a few meters away from them. "How is it even possible?" My wolf asks but before I can answer a girl, a witch, comes out off the wood. She sends everyone flying away except Selina and Tom. Why my mother did block her attack?

"We should go now!" She says and the three of them disappear.

The first to speak is Anna-Lynn.

"Did you see his eyes?" She asks Anton.

He nods and after few seconds, adds: "He is becoming a Lycan. Do you think she..."

He doesn't finish his sentence and they both look at me.

" I don't know. I mean it's possible. They became pretty close so maybe." She replies before to mutters to herself: "How does she know a witch?"

"Do you know her?" She asks my mother.

"No..."

"What's bothering you, love?" My father asks her.

" She is powerful. Very powerful, like "Warren" powerful. But that should be impossible... I think." My mother replies.

Warren is my mother's family name. She is the most powerful witch alive. She has a sister, powerful but not as powerful as my mother. They don't get along really well, so we don't see her very often. Moreover, she has two sons and no daughter, this is why it's impossible. Anyway, this is not why is worrying me now. How can Tom becoming a Lycan?

"Tom has a Lycan's mate?" I ask.

"Not necessarily." Anna-Lynn says.

"Than how?" I insist.

"He is bonded to Lycan, true mate or not." Anton says.

They are beating around the bush. But why? " There is something they don't want us to know." My wolf comments.

"I thought that Lycans were mating to their true soulmate." I say.

My father sighs and starts to explain: " They are free to mate who they want, their true mate or a chosen mate. When Lycans chose their mate, it's a life mating. There is no turning back."

"One a Lycan chose his or her mate, that person starts his transformation and starts to show Lycan abilities.” Anton adds.

"So you think Selina chose him as her mate?" I ask feeling my anger rising.

Nobody answer and they are not looking at me, except my mother. She is looking at me with sadness.

"I am her true mate, why will she be taking another mate?" I ask angrier.

" You rejected her, given her the right to move on. And apparently she did." Anna-Lynn says.

"I never did that!" I say.

" Yes, you did. You ignored her since you're 10 and realized what she really was for you. You never tried to know her. What were you expecting? For her to wait for you to change your mind." My mother says softly.

"I ignored her because I learned I have two mates. I never tried to know her because I knew I will fall when I was not ready! And I'm still not." I defend myself.

"Well, it's maybe too late." My father says.

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!" Both my wolf and I scream.

"I said maybe. Until they mark each other nothing is definitive." My father says.

"I need to know how this happened!" I say walking towards our pack land.

And I know the perfect spell for that! Time to spy in my cousin and my mate's memories!