Betrayal 135

Posted by Adminh, Released on December 27, 2024

40 What Just Happened

+9 Points

40 What Just Happened

Drake POV

“Vincent, please have a few warriors you trust come to deal with the bodies while I take the

remaining council members to see David.” “My father and brother will help me, my king. They were loyal to your father, as was I as a small boy. My family are loyal to you now, my king” he

says. Vincent bows to me before he heads for the door. “I know I am no longer queen, but I

believe that Vincent would make a fine second in command,” Jasmine says. I take a step

toward her, taking her hands in mine.

“You are my mother and whether you are queen or not your opinion will always matter. I also

agree that Vincent would be the most fitting second in command.” She smiles warmly at me before she speaks again. “I would like for Liam and I to join you in the cells if you allow it. I

want David to see that I am happy with my true mate. That he didn’t break me no matter how

hard he tried. I want him to go to whatever hell the goddess has planned, seething that I will

never be his again,” she says.

“Of course, I have no intention of ending him until we find Samuel. You don’t need my

permission to have your say or to take your pound of flesh that is owed to you. David has a lot

to answer for, not only to you but to Samuel before he meets the goddess.”

She nods and returns to Liam’s side. I refuse to believe that Samuel is dead. He always

reminded me so much of my father when I was a child. He was strong and I have to believe

that he found a way to survive. I focus on my body, placing the illusion firmly back in place. I

smile as Lily slides her ring back in place.

She truly is amazing. I pull her into my arms, placing a soft kiss on her lips. I will thank the

goddess every day of my life for sending me this amazing creature. When I pull back she

smiles up at me. “Shall we, my king” she says. As I turn to follow her, I notice a look of

sadness and regret in Grant’s eyes. I hope he knows that he is welcome to stay with Lily. He

seems to care for her deeply.

I know Liam won’t be leaving Jasmine. I’m glad she found happiness after all David did to her.

I never knew about Michael until recently and I can’t imagine surviving losing the other half of

your soul. I always knew that Jasmine was strong, but to know she not only survived losing her beloved but managed to build a life for her children in spite of David is more than strength.

It’s a fortitude that most men, elves, or wolves don’t possess. I’m truly in awe of the woman I

consider my mother.

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As we move through the castle, Jasmine stands at my side to keep up appearances. Many of

the elves we pass look at the council members with worry and fear on their faces. If they only

knew how much the council has bent to David’s will. The guard stationed at the door that

leads to the cells bows when he sees us and immediately steps aside.

As soon as we step into the hallway, I hear the wretch start to scream. She must have heard

our shoes hitting the hard floor. “Please, you’re being fooled. That elf is not the true king. It’s

all an illusion. You are being tricked by the mute slave. Your true king is here,” she screams. I

fight the urge to laugh as she continues to scream like a mad woman.

When she sees me she quiets, but her eyes never leave me. “Do you really think that anyone

will believe that pathetic elf is the king? He isn’t good enough to be a slave. Look at him. He

can’t even heal his injuries because he is powerless. He was never meant to be king, say,

speaking words I’ve heard all my life. “You ba**ard. I should have told him to kill you along with your worthless parents, prophecy be damned,” she screams.

I can feel the power surge from me as the vines slide along the floor. She immediately scurries away from the bars until her back hits the wall. “Please, don’t do this” she pleads as the vines reach her. They wrap around her, working their way up her body and tighten. She fights against them, but she has no power to use against me. After a few seconds, I drop her on the floor. “Let that be the last time you speak about my parents or next time I won’t stop until the light

leaves your eyes.””

She makes no move to get to her feet and stays quiet. I turn to face David, who has his eyes solely focused on the council members behind me. “I bet your wondering where the other council members are, aren’t you David? The council members that were loyal to you even afte they knew that you killed your own brother, their king. I wanted to look into your eyes and tell you they are all dead. The council members you see before you are all that remain.”

“Everyone that stood by and allowed you to take what was never meant to be yours no longer exists.” His fists ball at his sides and I know he wants to scream at me. He wants to hit me like he has done so many times. “How does it feel to be so angry that you can’t see straight? To know you can’t do a damn thing about it. You can’t even scream out your frustrations. That’s how I spent the last thirteen years. It is its own personal hell, isn’t it? The thing is, David, what you have to say no longer matters.”

“In fact, once I find Elder Samuel, you will cease to exist just like the council members that betrayed me and my parents.” A smile spreads across his face. He thinks I have no idea where Samuel is. I take a step closer to the bars of the cell, and he takes a step back. Seeing his fear makes me smile. “You had better pray to the goddess that Elder Samuel is still alive in the Re

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Death Tribe or what I have planned for you will last a hell of a lot longer than a few hours.”

Lily POV

It’s been two days since the council was dealt with. Finding the exact location of the Red

Death Tribe wasn’t easy. Its location isn’t on any map that we could find in the archives even

with the Elders helping. If not for our powers, I don’t know that we would have been able to try to rescue Samuel. I only pray that we aren’t too late.

The Elders will be remaining in the royal tribe with Vincent, Jasmine, and Myra. Needless to

say, Jasmine wasn’t happy about the thought of Liam going to the deadliest tribe in the

kingdom, but Liam insisted that, as my protector, he needed to be with me. We are all

standing just outside the castle walls. “Please come back to me safely” Jasmine says to

Liam. “All of you, I can’t lose my family. The children, Myra, and I need you to come back

safely” she says, looking between us as tears stream down her cheeks.

I hug her tightly before stepping back to allow Drake to say goodbye to her. Grant comes to

stand next to me as Drake hugs Jasmine. “When we finish this mission, I’ll be returning to the

pack.” Before I can answer, Drake does. “Grant, you are welcome to stay here with us. I can see

how deeply you care for Lily and after all you’ve done to help get her here, it is the least I can

do. Besides, having people from her pack here will make it easier when she is missing home,”

Drake says.

“I truly appreciate the offer, Drake, but I was never meant to stay. Getting Lily to you is the only

reason I came and now that you two are mated, it’s time for me to return and try to find my

second chance,” he says to Drake before he focuses back on me. Ariel growls at his words, but

before I can ask her why, he starts to speak again.

“Just remember to visit. Everyone in your family is going to miss you. Even the id*ot that hurt

you, he says mentioning Colton. The pack won’t be the same without you. Everyone expected

you to be the next Alpha of the Blue Crescent, but I guess the goddess had bigger plans. You will be an amazing queen, Lily,” he

says. “Thank you, Grant.”

“We should get going. I’m going to open the portal some distance from the tribe so we aren’t

surprised by any patrolling guards,” Drake says. A few seconds later a swirling portal of greens and blues appears a few feet away. Drake takes my hand in his, leading me toward the portal. I say a silent prayer to the goddess to protect the kingdom while we’re gone and for our

safe return.”

As soon as we step through the portal, I’m shocked by our surroundings. As much as the

castle looked like a storybook, this looks like a jungle. There are lush trees all around us and

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the sounds of many different animals in the distance. Huge flowers adorn the many plants that litter the ground in front of us. “Holy sh*t” Liam says from behind us and I chuckle. “My sentiments exactly.”

Once Grant steps through, the portal disappears. We make our way through the overgrown jungle toward what I hope is the Red Death Tribe. With every step, I feel what I can only describe as an invisible string pulling me to keep moving forward. “Ariel, what’s going on?” “Despite the tribe not conforming to the kingdom’s rule, the tribe knows its true queen and king are near” Ariel says. “What the hell does that mean? Are they going to be happy to see us?”

Before she can answer, we hear a strange scream in the distance. Just as I take a step toward Drake, my arm starts to burn. Whatever hit me grazed just the top layer of skin. The wound starts to bleed, but Ariel quickly heals me. As I look toward the trees in the distance, I can see a figure with what I imagine is some type of gun in the trees.