SWNOVELS Chapter 89: Accepting Our Place!
Adonis stood at the door to the hospital room. His mate was so tiny in that great big bed, the hospital gown swallowing her up, but she wouldn’t put on a child sized one. She did not want to be seen, she wanted to be invisible, nothing exposed. It was understandable, he didn’t know what she went through, and he hoped that when she woke up she wouldn’t remember it either. Elijah didn’t want to sedate her, he didn’t want her trapped with her memories, but was ultimately grateful when she fell unconscious. Adonis would clean her off, that son of bitch had his scent all over her and he didn’t want her smelling it. Elijah had just completed a more thorough examination of her and now he was tending her injuries. The bandages around her wrists reminded him of the cuffs she used to wear. He was so proud of her, when she came out of her bedroom not wearing any. He almost lost himself to the excitement he felt that day. He now wondered with these new scars if she would go back to wearing them. He wondered if she would hide herself from everyone. When he brought her back would she lock herself in her home? How strong was she going to be after this? Would she be able to come back like she did after Adam attacked her? How was he going to help his mate?
“She’s still unconscious” Elijah said as he passed him and stepped into the hall looking over the medical file she had. Adonis cringed when he saw it, she shouldn’t have one. She shouldn’t have a medical file in the pack hospital, but she did and it was his fault. No it’s not! We brought her here! This is not our fault, it’s that noxious bitches. Had she kept her stupid fucking mouth shut our beautiful mate would not be in that bed. Our beautiful mate would not have undergone what she did! We knew they would try something and we still brought her here. We put her in danger. Not the bitch running her fucking mouth, she would have done that regardless! Someone should smack it. Our mate wouldn’t have heard the vile things she said. Our mate wouldn’t have borne the brunt of it and knowing how she feels about that she wouldn’t have ran into the woods this morning. She would have been in the kitchen torturing everyone! They both had different ideas who was at fault for what happened to their mate and neither one was going to agree with the other. You still can’t eat her….or kill her….or anything else you’re thinking! Then I’ll just silently hate her and growl! That’s not being silent! Silent enough. What are we gonna do? Accept our place in The Kingdom! What about our mate? What if she doesn’t want to be a wolf? Then we will let her go, to keep her safe, we will let her go! MATE! Odin howled with agony in his head at the idea of releasing her, but looking at her in the bed right now, even he knew it was for the best.
“You weren’t listening were you?” Elijah asked, breaking his conversation with his wolf.
“What?” Adonis looked at him, then back to his mate.
“It’s not your fault” Elijah told him as he too looked upon his Luna in the bed built for wolves.
“We brought her here!” Adonis said,
“But we didn’t drive her from the house this morning into the woods and the waiting hands of the vile creatures that dare to call themselves wolves and did that to her. Had Lu….Alpha Kane’s mate kept her venomous mouth shut and her toxic opinions to herself, they would have had a lot harder of a time getting to her. He blames her as well, and it took everything to hold him back when she dared to ask about her well-being.” Elijah made his opinion known on the topic. He and Asmodeus both blamed Dax for what happened. See, told you….her fault! Odin gloated.
“She will be out for sometime, and with any luck she won’t remember what happened” Elijah told him,
“But she will have questions as to why she is in that state” Adonis replied,
“Hearing something is easier than reliving it,” Elijah reminded him. Adonis could only hope and wish his Gamma was right. He didn’t want her to remember her ordeal. She didn’t remember who put her in the closet, she didn’t remember the day she was found in the orphanage he hoped she wouldn’t remember this. One more wish!
“What are you going to do?” Elijah asked,
“I am going to accept our place in The Kingdom, then I am going to kill Ethan and Eric. Andros and Luther are on their way and should be here within the hour, have them stationed outside her door and put Cheerio in her room, then come find me.” Adonis replied and turned on his heel.
“Yes Alpha!” Elijah replied.
Jackson was sitting on the back deck, his hand moving across the page in front of him. Ko grumbling in his head about the lack of how graphic the picture was. Rip more guts out! More blood! Still identifiable! Dismantle the face! Hang the eye! Sever the fuckin tongue….no fork the tongue, her a heinous pit viper! Give her horns! No, more blood!
“I help you?” He asked, not looking up from his drawing.
“Kane told me you liked to draw,” Dax said, standing in front of him.
“Calm the beast in my head. An he need a lil calmin right now,” Jackson replied, dryly. He was in no mood to talk to the one person he blamed for why his sister was in a hospital bed.
“What are you drawing?” Dax asked,
“You don’t wanna know,” Jackson replied.
“I wouldn’t have asked,” Dax replied sharply. Jackson finally looked up from his drawing, his eyes swirling gold, Ko was at him to turn drawing into reality, he blamed her as well. Jackson threw his sketchbook across the table picture up. Dax’s eyes widened. That’s me! She was still getting the silent treatment from her wolf, but she felt her eyes roll.
“That’s um….that’s really graphic” Dax said nodding,
“Toll you, you din’t wanna know, maybe nex time you fuckin listen. He like it when I draw the thins he wants to kill. Go ahead take a look, they some good ones in there” Jackson remarked.
“I think I’m good,” Dax replied, nodding. She pushed the book back across the table, she could imagine what the other pictures looked like.
“I don’t think you came here to talk to me bout drawin” Jackson said putting his pencil down.
“Tyler growls at me when he sees me, Alpha Adonis avoids me, and it’s like I’m not even there when it comes to Elijah. He just looks right through me.” Dax said, taking a seat at the table.
“Boo fuckin hoo, poor you! They blame you! You be hard press to fine anyone that don’t. An don’t think me talkin to you means shit, you ain’t gonna fine sympathy from me. You the reason her in that bed. The reason her has more scars. More bad memories. That lil girl don’t need no more bad memories, the ones her has is enough. Right now we prayin her wake up an don’t member a fuckin thin. We prayin that her mine let her forget what her went through an we jus has to tell her what happen. That be easier on her then havin to live wit the nightmares of a monster runnin his hands over her. Touchin her, leavin his scent all over her, doin fuck knows what he did to her. That might be somein you should be prayin for too. You better pray her only memory is you callin the man her love a monster an that fuckin drawin that made her run out the house this mornin.” Jackson slammed his sketchbook closed, fighting every snarl and growl Ko wanted to release.
“Jackson….” Dax went to apologize, when his hand went up, he didn’t want to hear what she had to say.
“Save it! I don’t wanna hear it. No mount of apologizin gonna make this better. It ain’t gonna make my baby sister walk out that hospital room, any less injured. Ain’t gonna make the scars disappear an the memories vanish. It ain’t gonna stop the nightmares. You judge us an din’t know us, din’t take the time. That what mos people do, can’t say we really shock that you turn out like the res of em. This mornin make a lot more sense though. You show no interes in us before. You’s jus clearin yur guilty conscious. But do you even know Kenzi? Did you take the time to get to know her?” Jackson asked,
“Her past….”
“Is her pas, it not who her is. It din’t stop her, slow her down, like yurs did. Her don’t hide behine it like you do. Yur biggest mistake was thinkin her pas cripple her like yurs did you. If you took the time to get to know Kenzi, like you claim you was doin, you realize her stronger than that. You hide because of yur pas, now you stuck in it, but Kenzi not. Her took this world by storm in spite of her pas. No matter how many times her toll her be nuttin. Her somein, her somein real big. You view the world shrouded in a curtain of yur deluded views of normal. We ain’t like you then we ain’t normal, we monsters right? Kenzi view the world wit her heart an everthin is normal, cause everbodies different an has they own idea of normal an to her, that beautiful. The world needs more of her. An her don’t need some tiny judgemental mouthpiece, tellin her, her doin it wron.” Jackson got up from the table, he had enough. He grabbed his sketchbook, pencil and walked into the house, Adonis was calling him through the link to meet in Steve’s office. Dax sat there, fighting back the tears that were threatening to take her. She knew how Lacey felt, her every move was being watched and scrutinized and Jackson just handed her her ass, and she couldn’t even be mad about it. He was right….about everything.
Jackson walked into the office and found Tyler and Elijah already there.
“How her?” Jackson asked,
“Unconscious,” Elijah replied.
“Leavin her the bes idea?” Jackson said as he took a seat.
“Andros and Luther are guarding the door,” Elijah answered.
“Oh that be good times” Jackson said, nodding.
“For anyone that tries to get by them it’ll be a great time” Elijah replied. Is it wrong that I hope she tries? No, she should totally try, I’m all for it. The twins will have a great time with her! Asmodeus was already laughing in his head.
“Din’t block that one Eli” Tyler snickered, Jackson too held a grin on his face. It was clear none of them were fans of Dax at the moment.
“You drawin?” Tyler said motioning towards the book.
“Yeah!”
“Anythin good?” Tyler asked, Bal loved Jackson’s drawings. Knowing what his brother was getting at, he handed the book over.
“You owe me a fuckin song when we get back” He said, and Tyler nodded as he eagerly took the book and started flipping through it as Bal’s eyes greedily looked over all the pictures.
“Playing anything good Tyler?” Elijah asked,
“I learn a new piece….the solo from that movie, um….Shilon’s Lis” Tyler replied,
“Schindler’s List?” Tyler nodded. Elijah smiled. He often enjoyed listening to Tyler play the violin. The first time he heard it, he was shocked to find out it was him playing.
“What you carve this time Eli?” Jackson asked, holding out his hand, he liked the little wooden carvings. When Elijah first joined them he would find them all over and for the life of him had no idea where they came from and he might have kept a few.
Elijah would carve them and leave them for a child to find, he enjoyed overhearing their theories on where they came from. His favourite was the one a little girl came up with about wolf fairies. They left them to watch over the pack as guardians. Elijah could only smile as he reached into his pocket and pulled out an intricately hand carved little bear, including the marks on the face that Kenzi had the day of the welcome home party.
“Remine me of Lil Kenzi Cakes ....honorary lil bear” Jackson said as he looked it over.
“That’s why I carved it.” Elijah replied as he took back the carving, he had every intention of leaving it in her room for her when she woke up.
“I like this one, gonna put it on my wall at home” Tyler said, ripping it from the book and showing Elijah. Dax was strung and quartered vultures feeding on her limbs that were ripped off by hellhounds as maggots feasted on the guts that were spilling from her torso. Her head on a spike with one eye hanging down and a crow flying off with the other. A snake, entwining itself through both eye sockets with the head coming out of her mouth.
“That definitely depicts how I feel,” Elijah remarked, nodding.
Adonis walked in and saw the drawing, a smile lifting the corner of his mouth. That can be arranged! No Odin, it can not be! It’s because we like Kingy right? He helped us get her back! Fucker! You can’t be mad at him for that! Oh yes I can….if he didn’t then we could kill the bitch! Alright I’ll give you that one! Do we hate him now? No! FUCK!
“Your opinions are all noted, and yes he shares them.” Adonis said, without his men having to say anything.
“Do we has to hate the other ones?” Tyler asked, folding the drawing and slipping it into his back pocket. He didn’t want to hate Marco and Carter. It was nice to have friends outside of his older brother.
“No, they are not responsible for what happened, and they helped us get her back” Adonis replied, fighting to control the chatter he was hearing in his head as his men didn’t want to give up the new friends they made.
“The fuck we doin here?” Jackson asked, relieved that he didn’t have to stop talking to Johnny or Damon.
“I’m accepting our place in The Kingdom,” Adonis replied. “I will be talking to Kenzi when she is well enough. The choice will be left up to her and what she wants. But I have to think about the pack as well, you said it yourself Jackson, we’ve earned our place, we’ve earned our right to survive. I don’t accept it, we die off. I don’t accept it, I have no choice but to let her go. I can’t mark her without killing her.” Adonis explained. They all looked at their Alpha, eyes wide. They didn’t know what to say to that.
“What if….what if her don’t wanna be a wolf?” Tyler asked,
“I will not force her hand and I will do anything to keep her safe. If that means letting her go, then that is what I will do.” Adonis replied.
“This fuckin stupid, the fuck kinda reward is that” Tyler huffed, he liked being a big brother and he didn’t want to stop.
“This day fuckin suck” Jackson said. “They nuttin in that stupid book, no loop hole or somein?” Jackson liked having a baby sister and he didn’t want to give her up.
“No, this is the only way” Elijah replied, he bowed his head, all his education and he couldn’t find a way to help his Alpha out of this one.
“You didn’t fail Elijah, you’re not the smartest man in the room, just a well educated one. But even education can only go so far when dealing with something like fate that has been at it for thousands of years.” Adonis said.
“Doesn’t make me feel better,” Elijah replied.
Kane walked into the office after that to see the sullen faces of the demons.
“You wanted to see me?” He was a little surprised when his presence was requested in the office. He figured The Devil would be with his mate.
“I’m here to accept my place in The Kingdom” Kane looked at Adonis.
“Don’t get excited puppy, my hand is being forced. If I don’t accept it, my species dies and I can’t mark my mate. At least this way, my species will get the chance they deserve, the one they’ve earned,” Adonis spoke before Kane could.
“Have you spoken to Kenzi?” He asked,
“No, she is unconscious. But she will get to decide for herself what she wants” Adonis replied,
“What if she decides she doesn’t want this life?” Kane asked,
“Then I will let her go,” Kane’s eyes widened at his reply.
“There’s no loophole?” Kane asked, looking at him.
“No!” It was Elijah who replied to that.
“Ok then. What do we need to do?” Kane looked towards Elijah.
“Like all things wolf, the ritual requires blood, from both of you.” Elijah replied.
“Cut our hands and shake?” Adonis asked,
“Not that simple. Cut your palms yes, let the blood spill into a chalice or goblet, shake then….you….have to….drink it” Elijah replied then looked at Adonis.
“I have to drink it?” Adonis inquired, pointing at himself.
“Yes,” Elijah nodded.
“Why do I have to drink it?” Adonis asked. Eww….werewolves are gross! Odin shuddered in his head.
“It completes the ritual,” Elijah replied.
“How come he doesn’t have to drink it?” Adonis said pointing at Kane, he doesn’t want to drink a goblet of blood.
“Because he’s The King and it’s his kingdom” Elijah replied. He could no longer look at his Alpha, he was trying not to laugh. Listening to Jackson and Tyler fight it back was making the task difficult. Also the horror that ripped across his Alpha’s face at the thought of having to drink a goblet of blood, was priceless.
“That’s bullshit! Did you read it right?” Adonis asked.
“Yes, six times,” Elijah answered.
“Better hope Alpha Kane don’t has cooties” Tyler blurted, as he broke into a hard laugh.
“You better not have cooties,” Adonis grumbled.
“I don’t have cooties,” Kane replied.
“Get a cootie check?” Jackson asked, as he too broke out laughing.
“I don’t have cooties,” Kane said more forcefully.
“The fuck I gotta shake his hand for then?” Adonis asked,
“It establishes the link between the two packs. Drinking the blood accepts your place in the Kingdom” Elijah replied. Now we hate Kingy! No we don’t! Yes we do, you can eat Queeny! No we don’t, you’re just being a baby! Fuck….He better not have cooties! He has Queeny cooties! Not helping Odin! Not trying! It shows….what I drink, you drink! FUCK/FUCK!
“Give me an hour to get everything setup then everyone needs to be here” Elijah said.
“Everyone?” Adonis asked, looking at his men, Jackson and Tyler had the same look on their faces.
“Everyone!” Elijah replied tightly.
….grrrrrr…. Slipped past Tyler and Bal immediately started grumbling in his head.
“Not my fault” Tyler said, he didn’t want to be in the same room as her.
“I understand,” Kane said. He could have gone the other way and gotten pissed, but he felt they had every right to be mad at Dax. If he was honest with himself he was a little mad at her as well and he never got mad at her.
“She told you!” Adonis said.
“Her tattle on us?” Tyler asked.
“Of course her tattle on us,” Jackson huffed.
“Cry baby, run an tell daddy,” Tyler grumbled. Kane’s eyes widened at that.
“I don’t think her call him daddy!” Jackson replied, trying not to laugh.
“Well I don’t think you know what her call him in private. Her might call him daddy, when he spank her” Tyler fired back.
“Tyler you might wanna shut up now,” Jackson said, covering his brother’s mouth. Elijah had to look away, Kane’s face was only getting redder the more Tyler spoke.
“Does she call you daddy?” Adonis asked, a grin crossing his face.
“Shut up!” Kane shook his head. Adonis raised his brows and his grin got bigger.
“I hate you!” Kane fired at him,
“No, you try to hate me, but with your beast fan girling in your head you find it really hard not to agree with him,” Adonis replied.
“I really hate you!” Kane repeated, scowling at Adonis.
“Sure you do! It’s ok honey, I don’t blame him, I’m a great guy and quite the catch. I’m not going to call you daddy though” Adonis shot back
“White whale!” Jackson blurted, before he roared with laughter.
“That’s right, I’ma white whale in the werewolf world” Adonis nodded.
“Former white whale” Elijah cut in,
“Yeah, Captain Kenzi harpoon that one” Tyler choked out between fits of laughter.
“You’re all assholes,” Kane grumbled, shaking his head. “Will you be nice?”
“We won’t eat her,” Adonis said, speaking for only himself and Odin.
“I already say my peace,” Jackson commented.
“Pretty hard to be mean if I refuse to talk to her, but I will at least acknowledge her presence in the room” Elijah added. ….grrrrrr…. They all turned to Tyler. ….grrrrrr…. He growled again and crossed his arms over his chest, slumping into his seat. ….grrrrrr…. He shook his head as his knee began to bounce ….grrrrrr…. He clenched his fists and shook his head some more. ….grrrrrr…. The conversation he was having with his demon wasn’t going well. ….grrrrrr…. He didn’t want to be nice to the bitch that put his baby sister in a hospital bed, neither one of them did. ….grrrrrr…. They watched as Tyler melted down from his chair and laid on the floor. ….grrrrrr…. He stomped his foot and smacked his fist off the floor a couple times, like a petulant child having a tantrum. ….grrrrrr…. Then everything stopped.
“I try an stop growlin at her….in the office, that the bes I can do” ….grrrrrr…. He grumbled with one last growl slipping past. Kane could only nod, that would have to do. He was hoping something could be salvaged between his mate and the demons, but after watching the deranged shoeless Delta melt down the furniture he didn’t know if that was going to be a possibility. Dax joined the party a little late, and she tried to get to know them at breakfast this morning. Better late than never! I’m not sure they see it that way. Let’s just hope this is fixable! Yeah they’re great! You need to stop laughing at the things he says! What? He’s funny! It encourages him! I know! They left the office with the agreement of meeting back there in an hour after Elijah gathered the items he needed.
There was only one place Adonis wanted to be while he waited for this ritual to begin. Andros had been informing him of the visitors as they came to see her. Only a small handful were permitted in the room.
“Some pushy little thing try to go in,” Luther said, his rich, deep, thick Romanian accent carried down the hall.
“Say she was Queen,” Andros added, his accent just as thick as the man standing next to him.
“Not sure what her queen of” Luther said.
“Tiny red faced people!” Andros replied, both men looked at each other then burst out laughing. If one didn’t know any better they would think they were twins. Both 6’9, broad chested, with well developed muscular biceps and trunk thick thighs. Both men had thick dark shaggy brown hair that came down past their ears. Both piercing green eyes, straight edge noses, high cheekbones and chiselled strong jaws. The only difference between the two, was Andros had a scar across his chin and Luther had one over his brow. They were a mirrored image of each other, but there was no relation between the two. They had a test taken. That being said, their wolves were twins. Andros had Alex and Luther had Andru combined the name would read Alexandru meaning mankind’s defender in Romanian.
“No seem to like when we say we don’t give no fuck who she was, no allow in” Luther replied,
“No, her no like at all, or it was Luther laughing at her,” Andros agreed.
“Who she?” Luther asked.
“The normals Luna Queen!” Adonis replied. A look of confusion crossed both their faces.
“Yes she is that small. No she has not figured out her status has no sway with us. Yes she carries some responsibility as to why your Luna is in that bed.” A low rumble cut him off there as he watched the vibration run through both the men at the door.
“She doesn’t know our kind, and has not bothered to get to know us and no, neither of you can play with her. She’ll tattle to her mate their King. Yes we like him, and the others.” Adonis finished answering any questions they were about to ask.
“No like her! Her call us rogue. Not some stink bug” Luther stated his face twisting with disgust, Andros just nodded his head in agreement.
“Like I said, she doesn’t know our kind. She doesn’t know demons have red eyes,” Adonis replied.
“Fată proastă (Stupid girl!)” Andros grumbled.
Adonis sent his men to get something to eat, they seemed to be getting grumpy and their next encounter with Queeny might not end well.
“My beautiful tiny dancer,” Adonis stood at her bedside, he brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I’m sorry sweetheart, I didn’t keep my promise. No one was supposed to touch you like this again.” He took in the battered bruising of her delicate features. The dark colours covered her high cheekbones that any blush she had would be swallowed up and only noticeable when it reached the tips of her pixie ears. Her sparkling silver eyes now hidden behind her swollen lids. Would they still sparkle when she could open them? Her beautiful mouth that was once made up of the most delectable crimson lips now pale, almost colourless and carried a long deep split. Please don’t let her remember! She had bruises, gashes, slashes and claw marks over her body. He remembered Elijah telling him some of the injuries were defensive wounds. His tiny dancer fought like hell to protect herself. Must have been why she was bound and hung from the wall, but she had damage to the burn on her leg. She did whatever she could to stop whatever she could. What would have hap….! Don’t even think that! Odin! Don’t, that is not the way it played out and we don’t need to torture ourselves with those what ifs! Sometimes you’re smarter than I give you credit for! Sometimes you’re stupider than I realize! That was an asshole thing to say! Cause what you said was nice! Got me on that one asshole! She still smells like his filth! Adonis moved from her bedside to fill a bowl with warm soapy water. Remember it’s no fun if she can’t participate! Shut up you asshole! Just saying! It didn’t need to be said!
Cheerio whimpered slightly from his spot on the floor as he watched his Alpha clean up his Luna.
“It’s ok Cheerio” Adonis assured him, as he gently moved her so he could clean her off again. Luna hurt!
“You didn’t fail” I was sleeping!
“So was I” It’s my job!
“It’s mine as well” Luna hurt! Cheerio whimpered again and moved closer to the bed. What do we do with Cheerio, if she doesn’t want to be a wolf? He belongs to Kenzi, he will stay with her! Are we going to be able to leave her? Adonis didn’t want to think about that, but it was a very real possibility that’s what could happen. I will never mark another! I will never take another! Man and beast made their vow. If they couldn’t have their true mate, their beautiful tiny dancing button, then neither wanted one. Water’s getting cold!
“Get out!….grrrRrrrr….” Adonis growled, he was in the back corner next to the sink, filling the wash bowl up again after the water got cold, when he heard the door open. ….grrrRrrrr…. Queeny! Odin growled in his head. ….grrRrRrRRRrRrRrrr…. Came from beside the bed. Cheerio stayed in crouched position, but his body was rigid and tense as his glowing green eyes glowered at the intruder.
“I-I-I….” Dax started to say she just wanted to check on her, but Adonis shot her a look, his eyes engulfed in flames and she closed her mouth.
“….grrrRrrrr…. GET OUT! ….grrrRrrrr….” Odin growled, he didn’t want her anywhere near his mate. ….grrRrRrRRRrRrRrrr…. As soon as his Alpha moved Cheerio was on the move. Adonis crossed the room and stood in front of her. Cheerio’s deep growls sounding behind him. Dax backed up and he advanced. This dance carried on till she was on the other side of the door. Then he slammed it in her face. Feel better! Slightly, kinda wished her head was there! Ok Odin! What? Like you didn’t! Actually I didn’t! Seriously? Kinda wished we threw her through the door! Are we bad people? No, we’re just angry right now. In time we’ll look at Queeny with indifference! Cause we’re good at learning that! We won’t actively want to kill her, or wish death upon her! Trying to convince me or yourself! I don’t think I’m doing either! Nope, but we like Kingy so we better learn it! Or at least hide it better! Works for me!
Adonis moved back to the bed, and started gently washing down Kenzi’s legs, being careful of the burns on her left leg and foot. Missed a spot! What? Missed a spot! Where? In the curl of her cute little piggies! Adonis wiped the cloth under her toes, cursing his beast who was laughing at him. You suck at this! What? Smudges are still there! Fuck you, beast! Adonis carefully picked up her leg and uncurled her toes so he could see what he was doing. That’s not a smudge! What is it? It’s a birthmark! A birthmark? Adonis looked more closely at it. On the bottom of one of her toes he saw a small star. There’s more! Adonis uncurled her other toes and sure enough three more identical small stars were there. How come this is the first we are seeing this? We had no reason to check the bottom of her feet before! Placing her foot back down he looked at the bottom of her other one. What’s that? A crescent moon. Special little mate! How special is she? Elijah hasn’t gotten that far in the book! Tell him, he needs to move his ass! Adonis couldn’t help but agree. After he was done cleaning her up he cuddled with her before he had to meet the others back in the office.
“The fuck up wit you?” Jackson asked when he entered the office and took a seat next to Elijah.
“Have you read anything in the book about Kenzi?” Adonis asked Elijah, ignoring Jackson’s question.
“Very little, the translations are rough at best, but I did read something about a mark….” Elijah began
“Four stars and a crescent moon?” Adonis asked, Elijah furrowed his brow wondering how his Alpha could know that.
“Kenzi has four tiny stars under her toes on her left foot and a crescent moon on her right,” Adonis replied, not waiting for the question.
“The four stars represent the four parts that makeup The Kingdom. The King, the demons, the soldier and the god. The crescent moon binds them all together. The mates of the other two will have it as well. But only Kenzi has the stars. I don’t know why” Elijah explained.
“Bout Queeny?” Jackson asked,
“She would bear the moon as well,” Elijah nodded his head. “Your matches aren’t from the Goddess, they’re from Fate. Stands to reason Fate would mark them.”
“Maybe her the power source?” Tyler suggested.
“What?” Adonis looked at his Delta.
“Eli say you power the kingdom, maybe Kenzi power you. Mates brin us strength. True mates make us unstoppable. Maybe her yur power source witout her you won’t be at yur full potential” Tyler shrugged.
“Make her soun like a battery” Jackson cut in.
“That actually makes sense. Her reciprocating love, changed your scent, eye colour and made you bigger. Makes you wonder what would happen if you mark her.” Elijah said.
“He get any bigger he ain’t gonna fit in the house” Jackson threw out there, causing snickers and laughter to fall through the group.
“Explain to me what is going to happen,” Adonis said.
“You and Alpha Kane will place your hand around the blade with the palm pressed flush to it. He will then accept you as the one that sits at his left. The blade will be pulled between the two of you and your blood will flow into the goblet. You will then shake hands, establishing the link between our pack and theirs. You will accept your place in the kingdom then drink all of it. We all bear witness, the mark will be etched on your body and you should feel a slight discomfort and that’s it” Elijah explained.
“You gonna behave yurself Tyler?” Jackson asked as he looked at his brother who was watching the door closely.
“Yup” Was all he replied,
“Tyler, you melted down the furniture, are you gonna behave yurself?” Jackson grabbed hold of his brother’s neck so he was facing him and not the door. His eyes flashed gold but he nodded his head.
Kane and the others entered the room, Dax stayed on the far side in the corner. Jackson and Elijah stiffened slightly, but ultimately said nothing and Adonis turned his back on her. Tyler bit his lip to stop the growl from escaping, it was right there. Instead he whimpered as he held back the blood that was beginning to pool in his mouth with how hard he had to bite down. Jackson handed his brother a cup so he could spit it out, but still said nothing.
“Let’s get on with this,” Adonis said. He wanted to get back to his mate. He wanted to be there when she woke up.
“Alpha King Kane, Alpha Adonis approach the desk” Elijah held an ornate dagger in his hand and placed a goblet on the surface.
“What happens?” Kane asked,
“Both of you need to place your hand around the blade. Alpha Adonis at the top with your left hand, Alpha Kane at the bottom with your left as well.” When the two men did as they were told, slight unease flowed through Kane knowing what the blood of Adonis could do.
“You need to accept him as your left hand. Repeat after me. I, Alpha King Kane McKenna of The Blood Howlers, hereby accept you, Alpha Adonis Bradshaw of Black Shadow Pack, to sit at my left hand in my kingdom.” Elijah spoke. Kane repeated it and before anyone could ask any questions, Elijah ripped the dagger across both their palms.
“Fucking ninja!” Kane blurted, startled by the action.
“Let your blood pour into the goblet and when it turns to drips you need to shake and hold on till the link is established. It will then establish between our pack and yours.” Elijah spoke, brushing off Kane’s comment. “The rest of you might want to sit down.” Kane and Adonis stood strong as the link established between them. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrr…. Low snarls and growls erupted around the room as the others grabbed their heads and felt it as well, however Dax was the only one to hit the floor. ….grrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. She didn’t heed what Elijah said about sitting down. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrr…. Tyler smirked slightly as he watched her gasp in pain. ….grrrr….
“Maybe you should have listened to the ninja when he said sit” Damon whispered as he helped his sister to her feet.
“Yeah!” Dax nodded.
“He’s not going to turn me into a dog is he?” Kane whispered to Elijah. Adonis could only smirk at the question.
“By accepting him you accepted his blood and it can never be used as a weapon against you or any of us,” Elijah replied, Kane nodded a sigh of relief escaping him.
“Might have been something you should have asked sooner” Adonis remarked.
“I didn’t expect him to just rip the blade between our hands,” Kane replied.
“Did you want him to tell us first?” Adonis asked,
“A three count would have been appreciated” Kane retorted,
“Stop being a baby!” Adonis fired at him,
“I’m not being a baby!” Kane said.
“You’re not being a big boy either!” Adonis came back,
“Are you too finished bickering like a married couple?” Both Kane and Adonis looked at Elijah.
“Well he wasn’t” Adonis said then grinned when Kane scowled at him.
“Time to drink” Elijah said and pushed the goblet towards Adonis, who curled his upper lip at it.
“Eu, Alpha Adonis Bradshaw de la Black Shadow Pack, accept prin prezenta locul meu în regat de la mâna stângă a Alpha King Kane McKenna din The Blood Howlers. (I, Alpha Adonis Bradshaw of Black Shadow Pack, hereby accept my place in the kingdom at the left hand of Alpha King Kane McKenna of The Blood Howlers.)” Adonis spoke, as Elijah fed him the words through the link. He picked up the goblet, swirled the contents.
“You’re going to want to drink that while it’s warm, you don’t want it to coagulate” Elijah cautioned him. Adonis whimpered slightly.
“Coagulate?” Carter asked.
“Clot,” Elijah replied.
“Like….get chunky?” Jackson’s face twisted in disgust and Damon clutched his stomach as he covered his mouth.
“Don’t you throw up on me” Johnny said moving away from him. He was fighting his own urge to do that.
“What’s a little blood? No big deal” Kane said, a small grin tugging the corners of his mouth.
“Says the guy that doesn’t have to drink it,” Adonis shot at him.
“Stop being a baby and down the hatch” Kane shot back.
“Bea până la fund! (Bottoms up!)” Adonis said, placing the goblet to his lips. The smell of copper filling his senses immediately. He cringed the second the liquid came in contact with him. Fuck me its still warm! He could feel Odin gagging in his head. Fuck off mutt! He closed his eyes so he didn’t have to see the faces of the others twisting as he drank it down. I would rather Elijah’s drink of death over this! For the rest of my life!
A shudder ripped through his body as he finished the goblet and slammed it back on the desk, he moved away from the others fighting the need to empty his stomach. Like fuck are we doing that again! Odin shuddered in his head. Elijah handed him a cloth so he could wipe the blood from his mouth. He released a series of small whimpers, but no one was going to say anything to him. They couldn’t blame him for it. Damon was shuddering, and Johnny’s skin had paled.
“We’ll just give him a minute” Elijah said, Kane nodded in agreement as they watched shudder after shudder rip through Adonis. His stomach was lurching and he was fighting for control over it.
“You better keep that down, or you gotta do it again” Jackson warned. Another whimper escaped Adonis as he struggled to maintain control.
“Wash the taste out” Tyler handed him an open bottle of whisky and Adonis chugged half of it.
“Thirsty boy!” Jackson said, trying not to laugh.
“I don’t recommend that,” Adonis said, when he put the bottle down.
“We all have to bear witness now, starting with the highest rank” Elijah began to say
“The Queen,” Dax cut in
“The King, then the Queen, the Lieutenant, the Betas, the Gammas and lastly the Deltas.” Elijah continued, ignoring Dax’s intrusion.
“I, Alpha King Kane McKenna, bear witness to this occasion” Kane said. They all turned to Dax and waited for her. She stared back at them wide eyed. She’s never done this before. Pinching the bridge of his nose Elijah released a deep sigh.
“I, Luna Queen Dax McKenna, bear witness to this occasion” Elijah spoke to her. She stared at him. Does she not know how to use the link? Asmodeus asked.
“Say it!” Elijah told her
“I L….” Dax started to say
“Outloud!” Elijah tried not to snap at her, but he saw her cringe slightly, and knew she felt his displeasure at having to communicate with her.
“I, Luna Queen Dax McKenna, bear witness to this occasion” She finally spoke.
“I, Lieutenant Kenneth Rossi, bear witness to this occasion”
“Eu, Beta Jackson Monroe, mărturisesc această ocazie”
“I, Beta Johnny Masters, bear witness to this occasion”
“Io, Beta Marco Barone, sono testimone di questa occasione”
“Eu, Gamma Elijah Burns, mărturisesc această ocazie”
“I, Gamma Damon Benson, bear witness to this occasion”
“Eu, Delta Tyler Monroe, mărturisesc această ocazie”
“I, Delta Carter Williams, bear witness to this occasion”
With each witness Adonis could feel his skin heating up. He could feel something igniting inside him, coming to life and spreading. He shuddered again as something rippled through him. His body began to vibrate as the heat spread more and more growing hotter. He pulled at the collar of his shirt, it was getting hot, really, really hot, this was worse than Kenzi trying to cook them with the car seat warmers. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrRRRrrrr….Odin snarled and growled in his head. He shook it back and forth trying to shake the discomfort he was feeling. ….grrrRRRrrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. A searing pain shot up his back like he was burnt and he dropped to his hands and knees. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. More growls, more snarls ripped from him as his body felt like it was engulfed in flames. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr…. Searing pain shot through his chest, his arms, his back. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr…. It felt like millions of tiny fires were started on his skin swirling in every direction blazing and burning trails as it danced across him. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr…. The demons were on their feet watching their Alpha. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr…. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr…. Jackson ran to his side, but the second he laid a hand on Adonis’s shoulder he yanked it back and growled in pain as the blisters formed immediately.
“Did he burn you?” Dax asked. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr….
“He din’t fuckin tickle me ….grrRrrRrrRrrr….” Jackson growled as he clutched his burnt hand to his chest. ….grrRrRrRRRrRrRrrr….
“Let me see your hand Jackson” Elijah said, and inspected the wound as Jackson held his hand out to him. Though he never took his eyes off Adonis. ….grrRrRrRRRrRrRrrr…. ….grrrrrr….
Adonis’s eyes engulfed in flames as his canines appeared over his bottom lip, he snarled and growled, whimpering, shaking his head back and forth. He groaned and moaned as the pain seared through him. His claws lengthened leaving deep marks in the floor as he clawed at the ground. Odin howled in agony in his head. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. What the hell was happening to him? He ripped at his shirt trying to get it off, trying to do something, anything to ease the anguish he was feeling. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. The others had moved to the far side of the room and watched with wide eyes as the marks seared the flesh on one half of his back and down his arm. ….grrRrRrRRRrRrRrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr…. ….grrrr…. ….grrrrrr….
“Oh!” Was all Elijah said.
“Oh?” Jackson looked at him.
“I read the translation wrong,” Elijah replied.
“You read the translation wron?” Tyler asked, looking from Elijah back to his Alpha, writhing in agony on the floor in the office. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrRrRrRRRrRrRrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrRrrRrrRrrr….
“The mark will be burned into his body in searing agony, not etched on his body in slight discomfort.” Elijah said ….grrRrRrRRRrRrRrrr….
“That some fuck up in the translation, Eli” Jackson shot at him. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrr….
“It was in Mongolian. I don’t speak Mongolian” Elijah fired back.
“You speak twenty different languages,” Jackson said. ….grrrrrr….
“There are an estimated 6500 languages in the world today, not including the dead ones, I only speak twenty of them.” Elijah fired back. ….grrrr….
“Oh!” Jackson shut up right there. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrr…. ….grrrrrr….
….owooooooooooooo….
SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! The howl echoed around the room shattering the window panes as it vibrated off of them. The Royals ducked their heads and covered their ears as best they could as the glass rained down on them. The demons covered their ears but couldn’t turn away from their Alpha as they watched his body convulse as pain radiated through him. Adonis stiffened and collapsed to the floor and didn’t make another move.
“Go touch him” Jackson pushed Tyler towards Adonis,
“No, he burn you, I ain’t touchin him. Eli go touch him” Tyler said, stepping back.
“Not without oven mitts” Elijah replied, shaking his head.
“Ow!” Adonis groaned from the floor. His movements were slow as he struggled to sit up on his knees. Elijah and Tyler moved to his side, both hesitant to touch him, a scorching heat was still emitting from his skin.
“I smell like a burnt dog” Adonis croaked out, his throat a little raw.
“Lil bit!” Jackson agreed.
“You ok?” Tyler asked,
“I feel like I’m on fire.” Adonis commented as he looked down at himself and the marks that appeared on his body.
“I think you are on fire” Elijah stated as he looked over his Alpha’s torso. His skin seemed to be moving.
“What?” Jackson moved closer as well, he wanted to see this. Tyler poked him, whatever it was danced around the motion it made. So he did it again and again.
“Stop poking me” Adonis smacked his hand,
“The fuck, Eli?” Tyler looked at him. He just stared wide eyed at his Alpha, shaking his head. He had nothing. Jackson laid his hand on Adonis’s back and the flame enveloped it, spreading up his arm and across his chest, incinerating his shirt.
“Jackass?” Tyler said as he watched on.
“It aight Tyler” Jackson said assuring his brother. Tyler too touched him, as did Elijah. The Royals stood back and watched as their upper body became engulfed in flames and markings began to appear on their chests.
“What happens if one of us touches him?” Carter asked,
“Nothing, this is not for us. It is for them. Demoni bind the kingdom together. Alpha Adonis has accepted his place, now they are accepting theirs,” Kenneth spoke as he watched on in fascination.
“What do the markings mean?” Carter asked as he watched the flames swirl and dance branding them into the skin.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like that” Kenneth replied. Moving with a life of its own, the fire continued around their bodies, then receded back to its point of origin and extinguished into the chest of Adonis.
“The fuck was that?” Jackson asked as he snatched his hand back. Elijah looked at Adonis’s chest then Jackson’s, then Tyler’s then his own. He’s seen these marks before, where has he seen these marks? Tracing his fingers over them, he needed to focus his mind. Instead of answering any questions he walked out of the room. Kenneth was right behind him, he’s seen that look on Elijah’s face before and knew exactly where he was going.
“Wish he stop doin that” Tyler huffed, looking down at his chest.
“Does it hurt?” Carter asked, helping Tyler to his feet, while Jackson helped Adonis up.
“Naw” Tyler shook his head,
“How come you don’t have it on your back like Alpha Adonis?” Carter asked another question
“I don’t know!” Tyler replied as he looked down at his chest, tracing the markings. Adonis covered Carter’s mouth when he went to ask another question.
“Shhhh, no more questions.” Carter nodded. “We won’t know anything until Elijah figures out where he’s seen these markings before” Carter nodded again. “If I take my hand away are you going to ask more questions?” Carter shook his head though he did slightly hesitate before he did it.
“Good boy!” Jackson released a deep rumbled laugh at the look on Carter’s face when Adonis removed his hand.
“There’s only half a symbol on your back” Carter blurted “It wasn’t a question” he added when he caught the arched brow from Adonis.
“He got you there, it wasn’t. Why it only half?” Jackson said as he looked at it.
“Maybe because the kingdom’s not complete. Maybe when the other two Alphas join the symbol will complete as well” Damon hazard a guess.
“That mean you gotta do it two more times? Drink the blood an go all human torch?” Jackson asked.
“I hate you!” Adonis threw at Kane. He didn’t want to go through that again, and the thought of having to feel that kind of agony twice more he felt the statement was justified.
“No you don’t. You and I both know you don’t” Kane replied,
“Oh yes I do. I really hate you. I want to set you on fire,” Adonis threatened.
“You want to set me on fire?” Kane asked, trying not to laugh, Ky was howling in his head.
“Yes. I want to light you up and turn you into a six foot seven human torch.” Jackson and Tyler broke out laughing.
“I’m six foot eleven!” Kane corrected.
“I don’t care! I want to drill you full of holes, fill you full of gasoline and use you to light the woods up at night.” Adonis clapped back. Johnny broke out laughing, followed by Damon.
“Maybe we take you to Kenzi now,” Jackson said, moving Adonis towards the door, before he actually did set Kane on fire.
“I want to set him on fire, Jackson,” Jackson continued to laugh.
“Yeah, bet you do, but we ain’t gonna do that right now. Maybe later we can try” Tyler too was laughing, at least he only melted down the furniture. His Alpha wants to set people on fire.
“You be a good boy, we stop by the kitchen an get you a snack firs,” Tyler offered, pushing from the other side.
“Is he really going to set you on fire?” Dax asked, concern coursing through her. The Devil was adamant that he was going to do that.
“No darling, he’s not going to set him on fire. Alpha Adonis was just talking, if he was going to do something then he doesn’t usually waste time talking about it” Johnny replied. Somehow that didn’t make her feel better.