Fated Ties: A Werewolf Paranormal Romance Novel (The Twisted Destiny Saga Book 3) (11 page)

CHAPTER 15

Ryan sat on the floor of his bedroom stroking Orion, who lay beside him. He purred as he tickled his ears.

“I know. The ear thing is the best, huh?” he said, laughing.

He turned him over and tickled his belly and Orion growled in mock protest. He flailed his tiny paws, trying to bat Ryan’s hands away.

And then he shifted back.

Ryan started in shock. He hurriedly picked him up and cradled him in his arms. He climbed to his feet and hurried to his chest of drawers and pulled out a tiny blanket. He laid Orion on his bed.

A sharp knock sounded at the door.

“Come in!”

“Ry, I—” Josh’s voice came.

“What?” Ryan asked when he heard him stop talking mid-sentence.

“Now that he’s shifted back to human form you can’t just wrap him in a blanket.”

He watched Josh cross to a cupboard in the corner. A cupboard Ryan knew well. “What the fuck are you doing? That’s my liquor cabinet, J. Keep that shit away from my son.”

“It’s not a liquor cabinet anymore,” Josh said, opening one of the doors.

Ryan was stunned. Inside the cabinet was the farthest thing from liquor. The cupboard was now stuffed full with baby supplies. He watched in wonder as Josh pulled out a diaper and some other supplies. “When—what—where did those come from?”

Josh approached the bed and grinned. “While you were away the pack took care of some things.”

Ryan smiled and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, come here and learn how to do this.”

“How do you know anything about babies?”

“Before I joined your pack, my old one had a bit of a problem with illegitimate pregnancies. Babies everywhere, Ry. Someone had to step up. I knew you’d be clueless as soon as Orion shifted back into human form. No one knows how to take care of a wolf better than you. It’s in your damn DNA. But a human form baby? Nope. All bets are off there. Now, watch me. Like this.”

Ryan watched closely as he demonstrated how to change his son properly. Then Josh crossed to the cabinet again and took out a tiny, pale blue onesie with a matching hat. He handed them to Ryan and gestured to Orion.

“Dress him. Gently. If you can, with your clumsy, oafish hands.”

“Fuck you, J,” Ryan said as he stepped up to the task.

A few moments later he’d completed it.

“Looks good,” Josh said. “Huh, seems like you’re a natural father after all.”

Ryan gathered Orion up in his arms and held him against his chest. “Your mistake was doubting me.”

“By the way, why didn’t you get Cora to show you? Where the hell is she?”

Ryan sighed. “I don’t fucking know. Probably still avoiding me, because I apparently disrespected her in front of you and Nathanial earlier.”

“That was hours ago.”

“Yeah, well. Cora doesn’t take kindly to being ordered around. She’s not wolf. She doesn’t get it. She thinks it’s misogynistic when, really, it’s just the way we do things to keep shit in line and to protect everyone. Even if she were a guy I would’ve been barking orders.”

“Maybe you should explain that to her then.”

Ryan chuckled. “Clearly I’m never gonna get laid again if I don’t.”

Josh rolled his eyes. “Really? You’re thinking about your dick right now?”

“It’s been a long-ass time, J. What do you expect?”

“Do you think she…heard us?”

“Heard us?”

“Talking in the mess hall?”

Ryan stopped short.
Shit. I hope not, or I’m in trouble.
“Nah, what are the chances?”

An aggressive knock on the door startled them both.

“Yeah?” Ryan called out.

A second later, Roy walked in. His huge, muscle-bound body could barely fit through the door.

“Hey, we…uh…there’s a problem, Ry,” he struggled to get out as he walked up to them.

Ryan watched him run his hand through his black, shaggy hair. He was nervous? Roy? Well that’s a first. “What is it?”

“I was cleaning up a couple of the bikes in the garage and I noticed Cora’s was gone.”

“What?” Ryan exclaimed. “She took her bike out?”

“Looks like.”

“It’s the middle of the fucking night.”

“Looks like she
is
more than just a little pissed at you,” Josh commented. “She must’ve heard us, Ry.”

Ryan growled. “Watch my son,” he said, handing him over gently to Josh. “I’m gonna track her and bring her back here. Drag her ass back here, if I have to. What the hell was she thinking, leaving the compound alone? And
this
late?”

“You need backup, Ry?” Roy asked.

Ryan shook his head. “No. I’ve got this.”

“Ry, take the vamp with you. His speed might come in handy,” Roy suggested.

Ryan shook his head. “No. I don’t want to involve anyone else in this. This is between me and my wife.”
Fuck, I can’t believe she did this. Sneaking out behind my back. Dammit, Cora!

CHAPTER 16

Marella kept her gaze steady on Vazra, refusing to show him even a shred of fear. She was stronger than that, better than that. He stood before her, threatening her with the ball of magic floating above his palm. He was growing angrier by the second. He’d been at it for hours now, trying to torture her. But he’d failed. He’d been unable to harm her, because of Cora’s magic. Much to his frustration, he couldn’t breach the protection spell that she’d cast.

She watched him throw the ball of magic her way. It disintegrated before it hit her, a silver, shimmering glow enveloping her—Cora’s protective shield.

Despite her relief at not having to endure any more of Vazra’s sadistic torture, she was fading now. She hadn’t eaten, or had anything to drink, for a long while. She couldn’t even remember how long. Her stomach was aching—the baby was feeling her weakening state, too. She wanted to sleep. The feeling was overwhelming. But she knew she could not. It was too dangerous in her current state. She might not wake up. The only thing keeping her awake and forcing her to stare down Vazra was the image of Nathanial, her thoughts of him. The man she loved.

“Do you expect to keep me here forever?” she asked.

“You will die here, Marella,” he hissed. “You have committed treason. You are carrying the Vampire King’s child!”

“How is it treason? We are to unite with the Dark Realm, Vazra.”

Vazra scoffed. “I never intended such a thing.”

What?
“But Cora? Her son?”

“It is not her son who is slated to unite the realms. His destiny is to lead—to unify the people once that has already occurred. My daughter is the one, Marella. Power must be wielded and melded together from both sides. From the Dark Realm, that is Nathanial and Ryan. Nathanial holds the magical ability and Ryan will provide the additional strength that is needed. But on the White Realm side, only one sorceress is powerful enough to wield such magic. Cora. But she will not be doing that.”

“What does that mean? What have you done, Vazra?”

“Luca will drain her blood tonight.”

“He cannot. She heals too quickly.”

“She has the ability to allow it, if she so wishes.”

Marella felt a shiver run down her spine. She knew exactly what Vazra was saying. It was disgusting. “You will stand by and allow another man to lay hands on her? Your own daughter? After what you did to David, how can you let it happen to her again?”

“That was different. She wasn’t willing. With Luca she will be.”

“The betrothal bond,” Marella realized.

“Yes. She will desire him.”

“It will destroy her marriage to Ryan!”

Vazra looked away briefly, a flash of emotion in his eyes. “You are not in a position to tell me what is right and what is not, Marella. You lied to me for centuries. If I had known you were Oriana’s sister—”

“You would have killed me sooner.”

He took her words in and stepped back. He began pacing the dungeon. “Many years ago, I discovered something—a prophecy, if you like. It foretold that the destined mate of my enemy would be the blood kin of one of those closest to me, and that their union would ruin me. Oriana was always my closest advisor, my most trusted ally. But she claimed that she didn’t have a sister. She revealed the truth to me the other day. She’d kept her connection to you a secret because she’d wanted to wait until Nathanial had found you and fallen for you. She wanted him to feel as she had when he’d ripped
her
mate from her.”

“You ally yourself with someone who is driven solely by hate and revenge, Vazra. That does not make for a reliable ally. Whatever deal you have struck with her, she will not hold up her end of it. She will betray you.”
So that’s why Oriana warned me never to tell Vazra that she was my sister? She knew all this time that Nathanial was my destined mate! And she kept it from me all these years! How could she do this to me, her own sister? All just for vengeance; to get back at Nathanial?

Before Vazra could respond, a sudden flash of pure, white light exploded in between the two of them. It was completely blinding. Marella couldn’t see a thing. She heard Vazra cursing and trying to rip through it. And then she felt gentle hands on her, freeing her from her restraints. In a split second, her mysterious rescuer teleported them out of the dungeon.

#

Unfamiliar surroundings materialized around her. Marella blinked hard and struggled to overcome the effects of teleportation in such a weakened state.

She scanned her surroundings quickly. She appeared to be at the edge of a forest somewhere.

“We are in the human realm. The other side of the White Realm gates,” a familiar voice spoke.

She followed the voice and found Shaye on her knees a few feet away. Sweat trickled down her forehead and her hands were shaking.

“Shaye?” Marella asked gently. “You rescued me?”

“Yes.”

“How did you overcome Vazra’s magic? It transcends yours tenfold.”

Shaye shakily climbed to her feet and drew in a couple of breaths. “I didn’t
overcome
it. I went around it.”

Marella was impressed. She was the Head of the Coven of White Witches and Shaye was a member of that. She knew the extent of all her members’ magical abilities. And Shaye was not in the same class as Cora—the only person who could breach Vazra’s magic. But it appeared that she made up for that with her intelligence and wits. “Well done, indeed. I thank you.”

Shaye just smiled. She stepped towards her and reached for the collar around her neck. Marella heard her grunt as she gripped it tightly and recited an incantation under her breath. Marella knew it well. Shaye was calling on her own coven and drawing their power to her.

Within a few moments, the collar snapped. Marella gasped as she felt her power being released and reabsorbing into her. It was a heady sensation and she stumbled back, fighting to maintain her footing. Immediately, she felt stronger, rejuvenated.

“Hmm…much better.”

“Good. Let’s get going,” Shaye said, gesturing for Marella to follow her into the forest up ahead. “The closer we remain to the White Realm gates, the greater the risk is that Vazra will pull us back in with his
burning fire of white light
. And that thing is painful. I don’t wish to experience it.”

“Where are we going?” Marella asked, finding herself suddenly ill at ease in a realm that she did not know well at all.

“To the cavalry,” Shaye responded simply.

“By rescuing me, you have committed treason, Shaye.”

“I know.”

“I am sorry.”

Shaye’s gaze snapped to hers. “Vazra is not the king I’d thought he was. His rule now jeopardizes the White Realm and our people. It needs new leadership.”

Marella took her words in.
New leadership? Who is she—of course!
“Cora.”

Shaye nodded. “Now, we must hurry. The quicker I get you to the wolf compound and back to Nathanial, the less likely he is to rip apart the very fabric of the realms and force war in his bid to get to you. I know how he is. A lot like Ryan. Once they lose their tempers, all bets are off. And nothing triggers their tempers more than the women they love being in harm’s way.”

“You were in the White Realm this entire time, out of contact with all of us. How did you know?”

Shaye smiled sheepishly. “I have a…connection to Ryan.”

Marella’s brow furrowed. “A connection?”

“He and I were
together
several times in the past. It enables me to connect with him. Sometimes…without him knowing it. He doesn’t know I was inside his head. It was necessary. Please don’t tell him…or Cora. I doubt very much that she will like the idea of another woman having the same ability to connect telepathically with her husband as she does.”

“I will not breathe a word. I am in your debt, Shaye. If I am ever able to reclaim my place in the White Realm, you will be rewarded for your bravery and loyalty.”

Shaye smiled. “There is no need. You are revered by all white witches. You are the Head of the Coven of White Witches. It was an honor, Marella.”

Marella nodded. And then she glanced around at their surroundings. Nothing but trees and fields stretching for miles. “How far is Ryan’s wolf compound?”

“Not far. Unfortunately, I cannot teleport us. The new barrier that Vazra has erected over the White Realm is…different. I felt
black
magic. As soon as we passed through, I had to use all of my strength just to cast the poisonous black out of me. And
you
can’t assist, because you can’t teleport to a place you don’t know.”

“Black magic,” Marella said with disgust. Black magic was a violation of the natural laws of magic. Offensive to any white witch. “That is Oriana’s doing.”

“It will be her undoing. No one comes back from wielding black magic.”

“I fear she has no intention of doing so.”

“What do you mean?” Shaye asked, perplexed.

“This is her last stand. She has come to exact her revenge and then she will let the black magic consume her in death. Her destined mate is dead. She will never feel complete without him. She welcomes death over an existence plagued by a grief that will never dissipate.”

“She will try to kill you,” Shaye said, the truth dawning on her.

“Yes. To exact her revenge on Nathanial, to have him suffer like she did.”

“Unfortunately for her, we have the most powerful sorceress in existence on our side.”

“Yes,” Marella breathed. “The White Realm Princess.”