Amoura couldn't help an ounce of worry she felt as they walked passed the endless cages of manic rabids, she wondered if whether the king collected them as one does collectables. At the thought of collectables, she couldn't help but remember Marvin and his car collection, something he had begun when he was still young and he had received his first hot-wheels car. A smile graced her lips when the thought of Nana came to mind, she realised she missed those two, and made a promise to herself that, should all go to plan, she would see them soon.
When they finally reached the pit, they stopped by the doors, only to give her a frisk, and she couldn't help the roll of her eyes.
"Come on, you're saying I can't have weapons at all?" she questioned with a fake pout as she looked at the two hateful warriors, and one spat out
"It's an execution not a fight and you aren't the gladiator" at the gruffness of his angry words she couldn't help but giggle, confusing the two men before her
'Sheesh, he almost sounds like you, gruff. Were you guys best pals or something?' She questioned one particular voice in her head
{Hardy ha ha, very funny} he retorted before he added {I would have rather died than work for the king}
'Mhmm, I don't blame you' she said as the image of the king came to her mind. She could still feel the power he was doused in, it was too potent and stronger than anything she had ever felt, and the only reason she hadn't killed him when he had looked all smug at Maximus' anguish.
At the thought of her mate, she couldn't help but seethe at his stupid betrayal of something she had come to learn was sacred and special, after witnessing the bond between Mama Rivers and Papa, as well as how his pack fully shunned the idea of
mating anyone else that wasn't a true mate. she came out of her thoughts when she heard steel groan in protest and the doors to the pit were opened.
The stench of blood and death permeated the air so much so that she wouldn't be surprised if the pit was the reaper's hangout spot. She waked toward the centre of the vast pit, and looked up to see seats filled to the brim all around, then her gaze settled on the king as he sat lazily leaning against his concrete throne. She realised the queen was looking at her and she returned the gaze, only for the woman to raise her perfectly mowed eyebrow up in intrigue, the queen truly was fascinated by the human that stood so brazenly in the centre of the pit.
Amoura shifted her gaze to her children, the son stood seemingly bored of it all, same for the red headed woman, the brunette one next to him looked at her with pity she found she didn't appreciate, and next to her sat thee woman. The woman that was now her mate's mate, the thought made her want to hurl chunks and she returned the cold gaze with her fiery one. She was still oblivious to the fact that her eyes were as crimson as rabids' eyes and her hair just the same as it tumbled down behind her back. She saw Maximus then, next to the king on the other side, he looked like a lot of things and neither of them good, he looked worn out and she couldn't stand it, therefore, she averted her gaze back to the king.
"Well, I have grown quite tired of this night, so let's get this over with. Let them out" the king spoke with a bored sigh. At their king's words, the guards opened all ten doors around the pit up. She couldn't help but let out a cold chuckle, of course the king wouldn't play fair or be lenient just because she was human. However, it seemed like what he had done was out of the norm as everyone let out gasps of shock, never had the king released so many at once, not even when the victim was a werewolf, and there she was, a human yet she had the honour of having ten rabids set on her.
Some of them wondered if whether the king truly feared that she would win, and if that was the case, then who was she to have the king fear her so. Neither got the time to react as the rabids attacked. And she worried that without her weapons she might not make it, yet as she snapped at one's neck she was shocked to feel no pain, yet the urge was there, and more alive than ever, with that she gave in. She wore blood for armour and used her blood thirst for a weapon, it was all a blur of torn limbs and torn jaws, her claws sharp enough to slice their bellies open and she gave them all a show they had never seen before.
The King was most stunned, perhaps it was Maximus that found himself filled to the brim with pride, although she bled from bite wounds and violent slashes, she held her ground and returned her wounds back a tenfold. The image of her stealth and unforgiving wrath strangely had him excited as Aurelius salivated at his mate's brutality and strength, thinking that they would have the strongest pups ever lived.
When Maximus looked at the king, he knew then that the man had truly had no idea what his mate was capable of, as he seethed angrily when his mate finally stood the victor, and Maximus couldn't help the satisfaction he felt. Yet he knew that the king wouldn't keep his word, and so he held his breath in anticipation as he looked back at his blood drenched mate.
"I believe I'm deserving of my freedom now" Amoura said looking at the king. It was then the queen leant over to say something to the king, whose face first turned enraged only to change into something she didn't like. She hadn't used her heightened hearing to listen and she cussed herself for that. It was when Maximus angrily exclaimed
"NO!" that she became concerned just what the two royals had planned.
"It seems that you do, therefore, I shall grant you your freedom by having you mate my son Eurich" to which the boy seemed to be finally brought to the present from is shocked state, only to exclaim
"What!?"
Amoura had truly intrigued the queen, she found her daring and as she witnessed her capabilities, she thought about just how much of an advantage they could have having her be part of them, no one would dare challenge them, and although she seemed wild, they had Maximus that they could use to reel her in, it was perfect, and she would without a doubt be better than whoever turned out to be her son's mate. It all made perfect sense to her, hence she made the proposal to the king. The king only agreed because he believed she held no threat for his throne, for she may be strong, however he was stronger.
Therefore, she not being a threat would be perfect as a daughter in law, better than the human his son would be mate to. After all, every son descendant from the Original's descendant would always have a human mate. Amoura let out a laugh then, so cold yet so boisterous it made silence reign over the crowd that had spoken amongst itself. As she contemplated it all, it all sounded terrific, she thought them stupid to have her near them so closely, for that would make it easier for her to find a way to defeat them. Another thought struck her, although she would be mated to another, this way she would get to see her Maxy, and that thought alone was enough to push her into her decision.
"Okay, have it your way" she said with a shrug of her shoulders. It was Maximus' turn to be angry as he looked at Amoura, and she whispered, knowing he would hear
"Don't be so hypocritical love, easy to forget are we?" to which felt like a slap on his face and Aurelius agreed with her, he had been the one to start it all, quite frankly his betrayal had lined the next one in place, and it was quite the domino effect. Amoura was still trying to figure out all she felt with regards to Maximus, she loved the man yes, however, she hated the fact that he was mated to another, that he would give his new mate all that rightfully belonged to her, including the mark the cursed woman bore. She could tell that Maximus felt love for her, but wondered just what it was he felt for his new mate, would his new bond with her make him forget her, forget all he felt for her? She knew that theirs wasn't entirely tethered, it was weak yes, however it still thumbed alive within her and she wondered if he felt it to.
{Which is a miracle in my books,} said gruff in her mind
'What is?' she questioned
{Your bond, it should have broken minute he formed a new one with the princess} he explained
Come on we all know by now that she is an anomaly when it comes to everything| said the young lad
{Can't deny that} gruff agreed
She was stuck on the fact that their bond was meant to be tethered, yet it still remained, she wondered just what she was, a question she was yet to figure out. She was bleeding from the multiple slowly healing wounds that now marred her body as the guards escorted her some place she knew not through the dungeon walls. She knew that some would scar even though she could heal just as fast as a werewolf could, yet she was barely bothered, for what was one more to the collection she already had.
When they reached the more vacant cells of the darkness drenched prison, she knew then just what they intended to do with her, they meant to lock her up, and her heart couldn't help but skip a beat. She contemplated on whether to kill the two guards that were escorting her or not. She settled for the latter for killing them would be asking for more trouble. She realised she had stopped breathing minute she entered that barred square cell, when she heard it be shut and locked. Heaving air back in she tried not to panic, she couldn't afford to panic over such a little thing, after all, it wasn't like she was going to be kept in it for another fifteen years. As she steadied her breath, her newfound peace was disturbed by an aged voice that came from the darkness
"So you have finally come" the man started out slowly, he sat against the wall in what seemed to be torn rags, he faced her way and she couldn't help her gasp, his eyes were vacant, they were nothing but white and his skin was nothing but wrinkles that hid his former handsome looks. As if sensing her confusion, he continued
"I have been waiting for you for decades, for the one that is moonkissed"
"I don't understand" Indeed, Amoura couldn't understand what the man spoke about, she wondered if whether he thought her to be someone else, however, she thought otherwise at his next words
"I am not mistaking you for anyone else dear one, you are the one with eyes of steel and hair the colour of the moon, are you not?' he questioned. She unconsciously nodded in response
"And there you have it" he said.
"Who are you and how do you know me?" she questioned and padded her way toward the side of the barred cell, as if to get closer to the man that sat only a few cells away.
"I am that who sees what no normal eyesight can see, the keeper of the past and seer of the future, the best friend of time, I am an oracle, child" he answered
{Oh my!} Gasped the motherly voice in her mind
'What, what is it?'
{I think, I think that he might be my dear John} she said in utter shock for she had thought her mate to have been long gone
Uhh, he looks old, and you're not That old said the young lad and the motherly voice couldn't help but chuckle
{Yes, I know, when he found me, he had already lived many years, but boy if he wasn't the hunkiest hunk in our time} she said
Oh yeah, right, okay| the young lad said awkwardly
'Okay, I'm officially confused right now.'
{Its understandable dear, pardon me. see Jonathan was the last of his kind, oracles have always been rare, and it seemed with time, they just dwindled into nonexistence, he really wanted to know why. All I know is he left one day in search for his truth only to never be seen again, I had thought him dead for a long time now, and all this time} the woman's voice cracked in remorse, for she had thought he had never returned because he simply didn't love her anymore.
"Did you ever know a Layla, if you don't mind me asking?" Amoura couldn't help but ask, only to feel shocked for the name had simply come to her lips without thought.
"Uhh yes, the only Layla I ever knew, oh how she was beautiful, had hair that shone like the sun, and a smile that could blind a man's sight. She was my Layla, I miss her very much, but no matter now, I'll see her soon. First you have a lot to learn" he said, losing the wistful tone he had had when he had talked about his mate. disregarding the ache in her heart when she realised she was the reason his mate was dead, she asked
"What do you mean, learn what?"
"Of who you are child, where you come from and just where you're headed" he explained. She couldn't help the scrunch of her brows in confusion yet excited at the notion of knowing just what she was. Alas, before their conversation could continue,
she heard a door open from a distance and she knew someone was coming. At first she had thought it to be to be the king however, when the scent of sand after heavy rainfall hit her nostrils, she knew it was Maximus that hurried her way.
"Little red" he started, looking at Amoura through the iron bars, his face remorseful
"Don't, don't call me that" she said as she refused to look at him. She knew she would give in into those wondrous eyes of both storms and oceans full, and she didn't want to, not until she got her answers as to where he stands and why he had done it.
"Amoura, will you ever forgive me, I know I failed you, I do but I did what I thought was best at the time" he tried to explain, in attempt to have her look at him, yet when she refused, he got agitated and thought her to be behaving childish
"Do you know that the reason my Beta was there was so the king could have him kill you if I refused his order?" he raised his tone in question
"Well I could have taken care of myself Maximus, I'm not so helpless" she said as she finally faced the Alpha on the other side. She wasn't at all surprised at the Beta's intentions for the man did feel off to her from the minute she had met him.
"Oh yeah, and how was I know that huh!? How was I to know that you've been turned into this thing that can kill in a blink of an eye?" His reference of her for some reason hurt, struck a chord so hard she couldn't help but spit out
"This thing," she scoffed with a cols chuckle, " well this thing is your true mate, was your mate until you decided to break that bond and choose another, this thing is the one you chose to rip the heart of out minute you marked that damned she wolf, this thinghad looked so forward to finally meeting you, seeing you, being with you, had bloody well escaped tooth and nail to get to you, and yet where am I huh? locked in a bloody cell again, and you expect me to what, say thank you for saving my life by killing me. Maximus, do you even love me still?" her rage disappeared as she looked solemnly at
her mate in question,
"Damn it Amoura I didn't mean it like that, and what kind of question is that, have my actions failed to show you just what I'm willing to give up for you?" he questioned, exasperated
"Well what am I supposed to think, when the day I finally see you again for the first time in a long time, is you up on a podium, marking another, that mark was meant to be mine, you were meant to be mine, all mine, mine" the thought of it had tears staining her cheeks as she drowned within his eyes
"Little red, come here please" padding toward Maximus, when she was near enough, he cradled her face in his hands and said
"She may bear my mark but she'll never have my heart as you do, you're my very soul Amoura" she could feel his truth jut as she could see it in his eyes, and despite the hurt, she found herself happy, for knowing he loved her would prove enough for now. As her eyes took at his handsome features wondering how such beauty was allowed to even exist at all, her eyes landed on his cheek
"Eww, what's that on your cheek?' she questioned, her nose scrunched up as she sneered at the red stain as if smelling something awful. Maximus remembered that that the third princess had been sure to place herself close enough to kiss his cheek when she had made it known just who he belonged to then, when he had made it obvious just where he was headed. He cussed under his breath and took his handkerchief out with intent to wipe it off, only for Amoura to snatch it from him
"Tell her next time she touches what's mine, I'll be sure to rip her to shreds next time I see her" she spat as she wet the cloth with her tongue before wiping at his cheek. He couldn't help but chuckle at her words
"You've grown quite vicious haven't you?" a smirk on his lips, she saw an emotion come alive in his eyes, one she couldn't comprehend. A part of her worried that he might think of her differently, despite his proclamation of his love for her, doubt
lingered like a bad odour within the depths of her mind. She found herself most glad that there were no voices to amplify their negative energy, for it was easier this way for she could ignore them easily at Maximus' response to her question
"Does it bother you?"
"Oh come on, any human mate possessive enough to be willing to fight a royal she wolf over me, is the one in my book" giving him a tight-lipped smile, she handed him the handkerchief back.
"I better be, but you're still not forgiven" looking down in his hands, he said
"I just might have to burn this" to which she chuckled
"Good idea"
"I'll make it up to you for the rest of my days love. Now can you tell me what your ominous words meant earlier, you seemed so terrified" gone was the humour as he questioned with a serious face full of concern, for the words had stuck with him all
night.
"I don't entirely understand, but what you've done has paved way to something terrifying" Maximus furrowed his brows in confusion and thought.
"So it has begun" a voice that sounded unfamiliar to Maximus stated, causing him to look the man's way and question
"Who are you" ignoring her mate's question, Amoura asked
"What has begun?"
"Chaos. Your mate was only ever meant to mark you and you alone, and by marking another, he has messed with the balance of the moon. She had grown weaker with time; all Maximus did was add fuel to the already blazing fire. And everyone best be prepared to burn" he explained to the pair before he continued.
"Let me tell you a story. Long ago, when gods could roam about the earth as any visitor could, Selene, goddess of the moon found herself falling in love with a human. Only, their love didn't last long and he died at the hands of another woman who had killed him out of rage and jealousy. And so Selene had been so heartbroken she had wept for years. Still don't know why that lake of yours is so special?" the aged man shot the question toward Maximus, who was confused for but a second until he remembered the Limni dakryon, and he found that he couldn't quite believe what the man was implying, for the lake was huge.
"Yes, the Limni dakryon, the lake of tears, tears Selene had wept for ten thousand years. Until she decided that she would create a new kind of specie, to fill the hole in her heart. And so began the existence of our species, first came the Originals, the first five Selene picked to lead the rest, she infused within them bits of her essence, an essence that gave them enough power to protect the rest against what might threaten their existence, a strength that would be extended to their descendants, of course certain that with their death, her essence would return back to her, and she could keep the balance the Alphas had been charged with keeping.
There was finally peace in her heart, as they ruled fairly for years and years. Until of course, the third descendant's son grew too ambitious and greedy, too power hungry that he deceived the first into drinking poison so it would be easier for him to lose. Quite dishonourable of him, when the deed had been done, the rest had been easier to fall as he gained their power, however, it didn't matter how much hunger he had for said power, it was too great for him to bear, for sooner or later, it would have eaten away at him, and that is when he had a witch enchant a jewel that would be able to contain the essence he himself couldn't, yet still be able to use it as he pleases.
This of course, caused a major ripple in the order of things. The king began it all, and it was up to the two of you to end it, alas, the damage has been done" the old man yawned once and he was fast asleep before either of them could ask any questions.
He was worn out, has been for many years now, he spoke the truth that he was soon to join his mate on the other side, for the king had made sure to have him starved to death as punishment for his supposed transgressions.
Amoura sat stunned at the tale she had just heard, whereas, Maximus had already known that the king had been the one responsible for the deathof not only his grandfather but his parents and others too. What both of them wondered, was what the story had to do with their current situation. They were yet to comprehend the gravity of their actions.
"Do you plan to stay down here with me until I'm released?" Amoura questioned, a tad bit amused by the notion
"And would that be a problem?" his eyebrow raised in question gazing at the woman before him, one he still couldn't believe was before him.
"No, but I think your new mate might mind" she poked
"Please don't" Maximus pleaded, not wanting to even think about the princess that would soon nag him about his absence
"Besides, if you're to be damned to hours in here, I'll gladly condemn myself to thesame fate"
"So chivalrous" she smiled. Her eyes on the fantastical creation before her. He looked the same to her, as she did to him if not better. Same old jet black hair, one silver orb and another an oceanic blue, she marvelled at them as she always found herself doingso, for her it truly couldn't be helped for they were enchanting to her.
"Only the best for my little red" she gave a tight lipped smile before she spoke
"You know, I wondered if you'd be the same as the Maximus I dreamt, feared that you would turn out to be the opposite, I had never felt the amount of fear I did when I saw you marking another, thinking you really weren't my Maximus, that perhaps I had made it all up, until you came running to my aid." she confessed and sat herself on the cold concrete ground only to lean against the bars, prompting Maximus to do the same, her
hand still clutched in his through the bars.
"I'm sorry that I made you doubt me. But it would have been impossible for me to turn out the opposite of the man you dreamt, know why?" he asked, and she only hummed a no before he continued.
"Because Scileria is linked to a sense of realty, every time we met in Scileria that was my present self meeting your present self, just in the form of our souls that wore our exact image" this shocked the woman as she gasped out a
"Really?" which prompted a chuckle out of the Alpha and he nodded
"Yes"
"That's insane, but how is that even possible, I hadn't even seen you in years, hack I had forgotten all my years I had with everyone I had known before my kidnapping"
"Because we're mates, because I descend from my grandfather, who was the first of the Originals, and somehow that makes us special, making our bond special. Even I don't fully comprehend it yet. Somehow the distance must have become too hard on our bond that it threw us into Scileria just to push us into coming back together" he explained
"I guess that explains the tug I kept of feeling" she said with a sigh
"What tug?" the man questioned in confusion, for she couldn't possibly be speaking of their bond, after all, how could she have possibly felt it
"Quite an annoying pinch on my butt it was. Hurt like crazy one time, it just kept pulling you know, like it wanted me to head somewhere, and urgently so, I later found out it was leading to your pack, to you" Maximus found himself amazed because that meant she truly had felt their bond.
"We had been apart for too long, that's why it hurt" he explained
"Far too long" she said. The words came out sleepily, and the Alpha bid her that she sleeps as he closed his own eyes. The two slumbered like the dead, yet one ought to not be so fooled as to think they could attack, for although they slept, their bodies remained alert.