My breath caught in my throat. If the witches found out what I had done, if they realized that the bond between Zane and me wasn't real, it would be over. I would lose everything.
I grabbed Kiana by the shoulders, my nails digging into her skin. "You need to keep them quiet. Do whatever it takes, Kiana. I don't care how, but you need to make sure they don't figure out the truth."
Kiana nodded quickly, her eyes wide with fear. "I'll... I'll try. But Rhylie, we need to be careful. If they find out"
"They won't," I snapped, releasing her and stepping back. "Just make sure they don't."
I left Kiana to think of something. I had to strengthen the bond between me and Zane and look for a way to cause a rift between scarLet and Zane. I turned back to my room, my mind racing. If the witches were suspicious, it meant I was running out of time.
I had to act fast. The bond with Zane was slipping, but I wasn't going to lose him. Not to Scarlett. Not to anyone.
I needed more power. And if that meant tapping into darker magic, then so be it. My heart was pounding in my chest, a mix of fear and rage. Scarlett wasn't just a rival; she was a threat to everything I had worked for. Zane had been mine, bound to me by magic, and now the mate bond between him and Scarlett was breaking the spell apart. It wasn't just weakening; it was annoying
I had never felt so desperate, so out of control.
As I walked back to my chambers, I could feel the dark magic rushing under my skin, wanting to be released. But I had to be careful. If I drew too much attention, the witches would come after me, and I couldn't risk that, not now.
Scarlet's growing stronger, I thought. Every day she spent with Zane, the bond between them became harder to break. The natural mate bond was overpowering my spell, and if I didn't act soon, I would lose him.
I wasn't going to let that happen.
Entering my room, I slammed the door behind me, the sound echoing through the empty hallways. My mind was racing. What was I missing? What had gone wrong with the spell? Kiana's words echoed in my ears: "Scarlett has the true goddess mark." Of course, that mark gave Scarlett power, power I didn't have.
I walked over to the mirror and stared at my reflection, my eyes dark and wild. I had used every ounce of my magic to force the bond between Zane and me. But the bond between mates chosen by the moon goddess? That was a force I hadn't anticipated. It was stronger than anything I could have prepared for.
I need to get rid of her, I thought, the idea taking root in my mind like a dark seed. If I couldn't break the bond between them, I would have to remove Scarlett from the way entirely.
But how?
I paced back and forth in my room, my mind turning over possibilities. Scarlett was strong, stronger than I had expected, and getting rid of her wouldn't be easy. I couldn't take her on directly, not without exposing the truth. But there had to be a way to weaken her, to make Zane doubt her.
I stopped, a smile curling at the edges of my lips. Of course. Zane might be drawn to Scarlett, but he was also an alpha leader and I could use that against him.
What if Scarlet was hiding something? What if I made Zane think she was lying to him, manipulating him, just like her previous mate had done before? That would break the trust between them, and once the trust was gone, the mate bond would weaken. I didn't need to kill Scarlett, I just needed Zane to doubt her.
I moved to my desk and pulled out a piece of paper, my mind filling with ideas. I could plant the seed of doubt in One's mind, make him question everything he thought he knew about Scarlett. I just had to be smart about it.
A low chuckle escaped my lips as I began scribbling down a plan. Scarlett thought she was untouchable because of the bond, but I would remind her that power came in many forms. She might have the moon goddess's favor, but I had magic, and I was willing to use it.
Once Zane began to doubt her, it would only be a matter of time before she was out of the picture. And when that happened, I would be the only one left by his side.
As the day began to turn into evening, I left my chambers, the paper clutched in my hand. I had written a letter, forged in a way that would lead Zane to believe Scarlett was involved in something dangerous, something that threatened the safety of the pack. He trusted me, and I would use that trust to turn him against her.
I made my way toward Zane's office, my heart racing with anticipation. He would be suspicious at first, maybe even angry, but once the doubt took hold, it would take root and grow until there was nothing left of his trust in Scarlett.
But as I neared the office, I felt a presence behind me. I turned sharply, my hand instinctively moving to the small dagger hidden beneath my cloak.
"Kiana?" I asked, frowning as my sister stepped out of the shadows. "What are you doing here?"
Kiana looked nervous, her eyes darting around the hallway as if she was afraid someone might overhear. "Rhylie, I... I think we're making a mistake."
I stared at her, my patience wearing thin. "What are you talking about?"
She hesitated, wringing her hands as she always did when she was scared. "The witches are growing more suspicious by the day. If we keep pushing this, they're going to find out. And if they do, they'll come after us."
I let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I told you, Kiana, I'll handle the witches. You just need to focus on keeping them quiet."
Kiana shook her head, her face pale. "It's not that simple. Rhylie, this isn't just about the witches anymore. The magic you're using... It's dangerous. If you keep pushing it, it could backfire."
I glared at her, my patience gone. "I don't care about the risks, Kiana. I'm not going to lose Zane to that bitch."
Kiana flinched at the harshness of my words, but she didn't back down. "You don't understand, Rhylie. The magic you're using... it's starting to affect you. I can see it. You're not the same anymore."
I stared at her, the anger boiling inside me. "I'm doing what I have to do," I snapped. "If you're too scared to help me, then stay out of my way."
Kiana opened her mouth to protest, but I turned away from her, my mind already focused on my plan. I didn't have time for her doubts. Scarlett was the enemy, and I wasn't going to let her win.
Without another word, I walked away, leaving Kiana standing in the hallway, her eyes filled with fear and uncertainty.
Later that night, I found myself back in the witches' chambers, the blinking candlelight. I had concluded that the bond between Zane and Scarlett was too strong to break with conventional magic. If I wanted to get rid of her, I would need something more powerful.
I stood before the altar, my hands trembling slightly as I reached for the book of forbidden spells. The cover was worn, the pages yellowed with age, but the power contained within those pages was undeniable.
I hesitated for only a moment before flipping through the book, my fingers flipping over the ancient text. The spells in this book were dangerous, forbidden even among the witches, but I didn't care. I was willing to do whatever it took to keep Zane.
Finally, I found what I was looking for. A spell of binding, strong enough to forge an unbreakable bond, but with a cost. The caster would have to sacrifice a piece of their soul in exchange for the power.
My heart pounded in my chest as I read over the incantation. Was I willing to go this far? To sacrifice a part of myself for Zane?
Yes, I thought, my resolve hardened. I couldn't afford to hesitate now. Not when I was so close.
With trembling hands, I began to gather the ingredients for the spell. Blood, bone, ash, all the elements required for such dark magic. As I prepared the ritual, I could feel the power pulsing around me, growing stronger with each passing second.
And then, as I lit the final candle and began to chant the incantation, I felt the darkness closing in around me, wrapping itself around my heart like evil.
This was it. The final step.
As the power filled through me, I could feel the bond between Zane and me strengthening, tightening like a rope around his neck. Scarlett wouldn't stand a chance.
But as the spell reached its peak, something went wrong.
A low, silent whisper echoed through the chamber, sending a chill down my spine.
"You think you can control him, little witch?" it sneered. "You're playing with forces far beyond your understanding."
I froze, the power in the room suddenly turning cold and dark. The voice wasn't mine, it wasn't part of the spell.
Panic filled me as the candles flickered and the shadows in the room seemed to grow taller.
And then, just as quickly as it had begun, the voice was gone, leaving me alone in the darkened chamber, my heart racing with fear.
Something had gone wrong.