Taming Her Beastly Mate
Chapter 71

Meanwhile, back at the Thunder’s hideout…

“So that’s what happened.” Wendy sighed in her office looking across her desk at Ryker. “We can’t act on this yet. We need to replace out how deep this goes. We need to know how many traitors we have. And I don’t know who I can trust now.” She tapped her fingers on the table. “I’m going to need your help on this Ryker.”

“I’ll have to talk this over with Brian. And I need to see my mate. I need to talk with her and explain everything. I just left without an explanation.”

Wendy smiled. “What is it like?” Her voice was quiet as she looked at him. “As you know, I rejected my mate ages ago… but I often wonder what it would have been like..”

“I wish I could tell you that you aren’t missing out. And that it isn’t amazing. But it is and you are. And to think if I hadn’t lost my memories I wouldn’t have claimed her.” Ryker shook his head. “My life is her life. There is no point without her. I love her so much.” He let out an airy chuckle. “She is probably so mad at me.”

“I’m happy for you, Ryker. I’m disappointed you are leaving our group, but it is also reassuring to have you at our prince’s side.”

“Mates aren’t just a weakness. They are also a form of strength.” Ryker watched Wendy smile and nod her head.

“But they are an incredible weakness. If I took your mate and held her hostage, you would do anything for her safety. And that is why we don’t allow mates.” Wendy watched as Ryker shrugged.

“You don’t allow traitors either and yet here we are…”

“A grave error on our part. In the future, we will make dragons bind themselves to the Thunders. We never wanted to do this before but perhaps we should have all along.” Wendy looked down at the table. “I’ve been too trusting. I am sorry Ryker. I should have looked for you immediately after you disappeared.”

“Maybe it is a good thing I was mistaken for dead at first. If I was brought back here without my memories, I probably would have been poisoned by Mason. And he would have said I succumbed to my injuries.”

Wendy breathed out angrily through her teeth. “No wonder he was insisting we kept you drugged. I bet he was just waiting for his opportunity to poison you.” She shook her head and a low growl emitted from her throat. “I wish I could scorch him now.”

A knock was heard at the door and Wendy raised to her feet to answer it. Her office was soundproof, so telling them to enter wouldn’t do any good. She opened the door and arched her brow. “Yes?”

“The prince has come back again…”

“Bring him to me. I’d like to speak with him.” Wendy shut her door and turned to look at Ryker. “Let’s formulate a plan. Then you can go back to see your mate.”

__

Alexis panted as she tried to recover from the attack she sent out. When she felt Micah in pain, she sent out a powerful wave to his defense. It was a method she had used before against Erebus. She wasn’t trying to hold her punches either. It was a powerful attack that would leave someone severely wounded if not dead. But it took a lot out of her and unlike with Erebus she still kept her connection to Micah.

The darkness wrapped around her body and began to constrict her lungs like a snake its prey. There was a chill over the shadow that was biting her skin. It was filling her with thoughts of despair as it tried to seep into her. Then it violently burst around her and dug its invisible hooks into her skin.

She stood there frozen. She could see Aken and her father’s lips moving but there was no sound. Yet behind them, she could see a shadow figure moving towards her. A wave of repulsion hit her as she felt the malevolent nature of the shadow. It lunged towards her. Zigzagging with inhuman speed. It went to reach for Alexis but then an orange light slammed into it shattering the shadow. At the same time, the orange glow surrounded her as Aken’s arms encircled her.

A new power inside of Aken awoke a moment before the shadow attacked. It was the awakening of his fairy power that was gifted to him by Alexis. The power allowed him to connect with Alexis and pool into her body. He was suddenly able to see the shadow right as it lunged for Alexis.

Aken disintegrated the shadow and poured his energy into his mate. She was in a vulnerable moment after sending out an attack like that. She was temporarily drained and left in a state where she couldn’t fight.

“What is going on?” Levi growled unable to see anything.

“She sent out a mental attack to protect Micah. Whoever has him sent an attack of her own through that same connection.” Aken kept his energy up as a shield as Alexis squirmed in protest.

“Take it down. I can’t feel Micah as well.” Alexis’ voice was agitated as she tried to control her breathing and regain her composure.

“No. Not right now.” Aken said firmly. He didn’t care how much she insisted at this moment. Her safety was his number one priority.

Levi cursed under his breath. “You left yourself wide open for an attack.” He shook his head angrily. “How were you able to stop it?” He then looked at Aken.

A crooked smile rose on Aken’s face. “It was fairy magic. Her gift to me. It just… it is hard to explain but it called out to me in a sense of urgency. And then I could see this shadow lunging for her. It allowed me to connect with her in a way I can’t explain. I could see what she could see. I could put my aura inside of her to protect her.” He looked down at Alexis and tightened his arms around her making her squirming stop. “I’m not saying you aren’t strong enough. But you are not doing this by yourself. There is no need to. Your mate is a deity. Your father is a deity. Take advantage of those facts. We are doing this together.”

Aken felt as Alexis’ body tightened and then she began to writhe in pain. She dug her nails into his skin as a cry escaped from her mouth.

“What is hurting her?!” Levi growled stepping closer.

“It’s…” Aken shook his head and growled. “It’s not attacking her… Lex drop the connection.”

“No.” Alexis cried through clenched teeth.

“ALEXIS!” Levi yelled grabbing a hold of her shoulder. “Break the connection.”

“No… what if I can’t… get it back.” Alexis panted and then bit her l*p to silence her cries. Droplets of b***d rose to the surface as she g*****d from the pain. She wouldn’t break the connection. She needed to hold on so she could replace him.

“Alexis…” Aken tried to reason with her. He wanted her to stop. It was dangerous for her body to hold on like this. He leaned his head down and pressed his lips against hers. A sparkling sphere of light surrounded her as he poured himself into her. If she wouldn’t let go then he was going to do whatever he could to help her. He tried to follow her connection to Micah and place himself as a shield to take whatever pain her could from her.

__

Meryl cackled as she plunged the razor blades of darkness into Micah. She watched him squirm as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. The pain was being threaded through him and tugging on his darkness to awaken. The light of the fairy princess was like scissors cutting the dark threads away. Her light continued to race inside of him keeping the darkness a bay.

Meryl watched the shadowy gnats of her darkness burrow into Micah’s skin. She sought out his hidden darkness. The power inside of her allowed her to tear into his abyss slowly freeing what was captive. Little by little, she was trying to drown him in darkness. She pushed her aura into him allowing it to lash at him in the form of cutting blades. She then spread the blades inside of him until they were numerous. It was like taking a pitchfork to a body of flesh. Because torturing his body would be torturing the princess’ body. The fairy princess didn’t know it but she had given Meryl the leverage she needed to get to Micah.

The invisible razors of darkness found every spot it could. They dug into his skin and attacked every cell in his body. He g*****d from the excruciating pain. His body was shaking as he tried to hold in the screams that were struggling to come out. She was purposely torturing him.

Micah couldn’t cast the darkness out because they were embedded inside of him. The pain was excruciating. It was meant to drain him. It was meant to make him an empty shell. He could feel it making him c***k. It was breaking down his defenses to make him vulnerable. The darkness was trying to consume him. He would not allow it. He would not allow her to win. Micah took deep breathes as he tried to stop his body from shaking. He was determined to hold on.

“My my my my… it must be so painful, isn’t it?” Meryl’s spat out venomously. “Of course… your body is a defensive body. It is made to handle abuse. I wonder how your princess is holding up though.” She watched Micah’s eyes bulge open as she planted the deadly seed that would give her Micah.

Micah suddenly felt his heart squeeze in pain. He looked down at his hand as he felt Alexis’ light fighting inside of him. She had a firm grip on him and wasn’t letting go. It didn’t even occur to him that she was feeling this pain too. But of course she was. She was connecting to his light. No… his princess was taking this pain on her shoulders. She wasn’t going to let go. He already knew that no matter what she would never let go.

He closed his eyes and envisioned her face. Her beautiful smile, bright blue eyes, and hair that shined like the sun. Through his pain, he smiled. His princess. His sweet, brave, fearless Alexis. “Oh Lex… I can’t let you feel this…” Micah whispered out. He squeezed his fingers into a ball and pursed his lips together. This was killing him… what he had to do. But he had to. In order to protect Alexis… he had to let go of her. No matter what that meant for himself. He caressed her light inside of him and breathed in her comfort. One. Last. Time.

“I love you, Alexis… goodbye… my princess.”

_

Alexis’ body was trembling as b***d began to trickle from her nose. The pain was taking a toll on her and she was just waiting for it to stop. Micah was feeling this torture firsthand. Her poor sweet guardian. She was going to replace him and make whoever had him pay. If it was Meryl she would eradicate her soul so there was no coming back. Hell would pay for this.

She felt Micah’s light squeeze against her almost as if it was a hug and then…

With a jolt everything stopped. The pain stopped. She furrowed her brows as she searched for Micah’s light. It was… gone. His light was gone. She couldn’t feel it. Short fast breaths heaved from her chest as her lungs couldn’t take in the fresh air.

“M..M…M…MICAAAAAAHHH!”