Chapter 8
TALIA
I was no longer on the forest floor but laying on a familiar couch.
I was in Jericho's office.
A quick glance around me showed that I was surrounded by four familiar faces and one new one.
Declan stood next to Jericho, Celeste and Lucas were sitting next to me, and there was a brooding male standing guard at the door with his back towards me.
I immediately reached for Sionn , “Girl are you with me?’ I softly said.
“I’m here.”
She quietly responded.
Relief immediately consumed me.
I could breathe easier, I felt complete again.
I took a moment to gather myself, resolve settling over me, my mask firmly back in place and chuckled, “Well…I guess I didn’t die then.”
Blankets covered my body from the shoulders down.
I pushed myself up, stiffness spread throughout my limbs.
I grimaced as I pushed through the pain still lingering behind my ribs.
Everyone turned to stare at me.
Lucas shuffled closer to me but was very careful not to touch me.
“Tals, you scared the shit out of us.
I’m so relieved that you are okay.”
Lucas said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes as his shoulders slumped.
“I’m sorry, Luc.
I didn’t mean to scare anyone...
how am I alive?”
I asked.
“You don’t remember what happened?”
The red couch cushions dipped as Lucas leaned in closer.
Celeste reaching out to touch my shoulders.
The tapping of Jericho’s fingers on his large oak desk drew my attention to him.
His lips were pressed thin as his brows furrowed.
Declan stood next to him.
Arms folded, his biceps pushing against the material of his white dress shirt.
I returned my gaze to Lucas and said, “I remember being on the cold forest floor and Declan holding me, but it’s all a bit of a blur after that.”
I closed my eyes, trying to think back to what happened.
Hot sweet blood, the taste of chocolate on my lips, that smirk.
My eyes flew open, zeroing in on Declan where he stood now smirking at me.
Holy shit.
I had consumed the blood of my fated mate… our bond would only be strengthened… “I’m glad to see you awake and breathing mate.”
He spoke.
The deepness in is tone caused a blush to spread across my chest as I tried to focus on anything else.
Clearing my throat, I turned my head and looked at Jericho, “Why are we in your office?”
I asked.
“Well, Natalia, we were just discussing Declan’s claim that you are his fated mate and his plans to take you home to his pack lands with him.”
He grumbled, his knuckles turning white from the grip he now had on the edge of his desk.
Only Jericho ever used my full name, the name that was left with me when I was found in the woods as a child.
I preferred to go by Talia but Jericho refused to call me anything but my full name.
At the mention of my full name, the man guarding the door turned around quickly, staring at me, eyes widened in shock.
The skin between his eyebrows wrinkled as he looked at me like I was a puzzle he was trying to decipher.
He strode towards me, his long strides eating up the distance rapidly.
He reached for me, his huge, ink covered calloused hands cupped the sides of my face.
Magic rippled over my body, a tingling sensation spread throughout my limbs, causing a gasp to leave my lips.
My vision sharpened, focusing on the man in front of me, his deep brown eyes widening as they searched mine.
The screeching of chairs, shouts, and yelling all faded around me as the man holding my face, whispered, “I knew you seemed familiar.”
“Trystan, you better get your fucking hands off of her.”
Declan growled from behind the man in front of me.
Trystan looked towards Declan and said, “When you told me you found your mate, her name sounded familiar.
And when I saw her, I had the same feeling but I couldn’t be sure.
But now that I know her full name, and I am touching her…”
His eyes grew impossibly wide, a haunted look taking over his face as he gently said, “There is a glamour on her.”
“Get your hands off her and start explaining.”
Declan snarled, moving closer to me.
Trystan dropped his hands, stepped back while keeping them where Declan could see them and apologized, “Right, sorry about that Dec I just needed to be sure." Sounds began to fade back in, my body left numb and tingling as he broke contact with my skin.
Who was this man and why did I feel magic when he touched me.
Shouts rang throughout the room as everyone started asking questions.
Celeste shouted, “Who placed a glamour on her? Why would she need a glamour?”
Lucas stood up, strode across the room, and got up in Trystan’s face, “Who the fuck are you, and what do you want with her.”
he growled as his breathes began coming out rapidly.
I closed my eyes trying to drowned out the chaos surrounding me.
A large hand softly gripped my hands.
The familiar scent surrounding me, I opened my eyes to see Declan bent down in front of me, he leaned in pressing his forehead to mine and whispered, “Are you okay?”
I took a deep breath and inhaled his scent letting it ground me.
It was refreshing, reminded me of being in the forest on a cold winter night.
“I’m feeling much better now, thanks to you.”
A blush covered my cheeks as he pulled himself backwards.
He placed his hands below my chin, tilted it upwards and whispered, “I am relieved to hear that.”
A throat cleared from behind us.
Declan stood up and placed himself in front of me, and said, “Trystan go ahead and explain yourself.”
Trystan looked at Declan, lowered his voice and spoke, “Well, when you found me on your pack lands all those years ago, I didn’t tell you my full backstory.
You know that I came from the shifter realm, and that the witches helped me escape, but what I never told you is that they also saved one more person that night and I have been searching for her ever since.”
Everyone in the room held their breath.
Tension rose within the walls of Jericho’s office.
My heartbeat began to race, my breathing was coming out in shallow gasps.
The fear and anticipation about to consume me.
Trystan’s gaze met mine as he spoke, “The witches also saved the heir to the throne of the Scarlet Vales that night.
She was the only one who survived the massacre, and I was her personal guard.”
Everyone in the room turned to look at me.
Celeste was frowning, concern in her gaze, Lucas met my stare and his eyes had widened, jaw slackened and his eyebrows were so high they almost hit his hairline.
Holy.
Fucking. Shit.
I turned to look at Jericho and he looked, calm, collected.
His lips were slightly parted as he took a deep breath.
While everyone else looked surprised, shocked even… but Jericho did not.
My breathing hitched as Declan moved into my line of sight.
The muscles in his back were tense, rigid and a slight growl slipped passed his lips.
He was pissed.
“Everyone out! Now!”
he roared, “No one besides Trystan and Jericho need to be in here.”
Shouting met my ears, but my vision was blurring.
Images of an ethereal woman and the sound of a soft voice played in my mind as everything rushed back to me.
My eyes widened, my heart pounding hard against my ribs as I remembered what Aurelia had shown me.
Did that mean she had shown me the shifter realm? The walls shook as the door to Jericho’s office slammed shut.
What had I missed? I planted my feet on the ground.
Pushed myself into a standing position.
A sigh of relief filled me when the pain under my ribs had decreased enough to breathe normally.
I moved taking a few steps forward until I was standing next to Declan.
Declan growled, and shouted, “You are claiming that Talia is the heir to the throne and not only were you separated from her years ago, but you have been trying to find her ever since?”
I looked around the room and Celeste and Lucas were no longer in the room.
My brows furrowed.
Trystan turned back towards me and spoke, “That’s exactly what I am saying.”
He strode towards me and in a blink of an eye he was down on one knee, bowing his head while he placed his hand over his heart and spoke, “Princess I am now in your service, my body will shield yours from harm, my knowledge will help keep you protected, and shall it be required from me my life will be forfeit in the place of yours.”
My eyes widened at his words.
Even if I am who he is talking about.
I have no desire to be royalty.
I placed my hand on his shoulder and spoke, “Please, stand.
You owe me nothing.”
I looked Trystan in the eye as he rose and asked, “How long have you been looking for me?”
His hands resting at his side as his gaze softened before speaking, “I have been looking for you since the night we were separated, but there was never a trace of you.
It was like you had just vanished.
I thought you had been killed, but I never gave up on finding you.
I hoped that you remained alive.”
“I’m sorry, this is all just so much to take in.”
I spoke so quietly that I doubted anyone would have been able to hear me if we weren’t all shifters.
I took in the people around me.
I wasn’t sure about anything anymore.
I pulled myself out of Declan’s embrace and sank backwards into the deep cushion on the couch.
I took a deep breath before sitting up straight, rested my hands on my legs, and asked, “Trystan, you mentioned that I have a glamour on me.
Do I look like I truly should? What is so different about me that my personal guard couldn’t recognize me? You were there when my glamour was placed, were you not?”
Trystan looked conflicted and was quiet for several moments before answering.
“If you truly want to know what you looked like as a child, I could project my memories for you and the others to see.”
Only the strongest of shifters possessed abilities.
They were coveted in the shifter world.
Sought after so much that people had killed shifters while trying to syphon their magic.
To risk himself like that… He must either by stupid or arrogant.With that ability though, he could project memories of me as a child...
Would I see my mother? My father? Excitement filled me at the thought of seeing them, but the fear that consumed me at the thought of seeing them battling their enemies and dying? I wasn’t sure I could handle that.
Wait a second.
Eyes wide with panic, I leapt to my feet, eyes darting around the room waiting for him to jump out of a corner.
Declan wrapped his arms tightly around me.
“Talia, look at me.”
His firm hold helped center me as I tried to calm my breathing.
He could be anywhere.
Did he get away after I passed out? I looked up, searching Declan’s face for answers.
There was rage behind his eyes, but not directed at me.
He was angry for me.
The sharp edges of his jaw were clenched tightly and his eyes had a slight glow to them, letting me know his wolf was close to the surface.
Unable to stop myself, I reached up and gently moved the dark pieces of hair that had fallen across his forehead out of his face, and trailed my fingers down his jaw...
His features began to soften as he spoke gently, “You don’t have to worry little wolf, that piece of shit shifter is getting what he deserved.
He won’t be bothering you again.”
I knew he was trying to make me feel better, but all I could think of is what that man had said about his friends avenging him if he didn’t return.
Shaking my head, I pulled out of his grasp.
“There are four of them, Declan.
He wasn’t alone.
His men were back at their hotel waiting for his return.
They will come here looking for him, and if they find me...
They will finish what was started all those years ago.”
Wrapping his arms back around my waist he pulled my body flush with his.
He tipped his head down and growled in my ear, “They can’t touch you if they can’t find you.”
“Declan is right.”
Jericho spoke.
“You can’t stay here anymore, Natalia.
You need to disappear.”