Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
After being shown her room, Bella and Mikah returned and looked over the tense situation in front of them. “Aaannnnnd we came out too soon. Hey, I like my squid deep-fried and battered, just so you know.” He chuckled lightly and then swallowed and looked over at Bella. “Tough crowd.”
“There’s plenty of room here. We can even have a separate living quarter prepared. I don’t see any reason why you would need to leave.” Xander knitted his brows and pursed his lips.
“Indeed. As much as you change your mind on things, maybe you should give things more than a day before you decide something like that.” There was a lethal threat in Levi’s voice that wasn’t missed by anyone in the room. But Ken held his stare confidently and gripped Alexa tighter.
“Everything I’ve done has been for her protection. I’m not ever changing my mind. She is mine.” He looked down at Alexa and smiled. “And I’m hers.”
“You don’t have to decide on anything right now.
And of course, that decision is for the two of you to make.
” Reiya quickly decided to speak up, knowing how possessive the males in her life were.
She felt Lee tense and she gently nudged him with her elbow.
She knew he didn’t like this news. It was bad enough Alexa belonged to someone else now, but it was even worse to know that she would be leaving them.
However, there was nothing strange about this.
She left her family at Alexa’s age. And Lucie and Destiny had already left their parents as well.
This was part of finding your mate in life.
Levi looked at Ken as his gaze gave a threatening promise.
Ken looked at Levi’s serious eyes and couldn’t help the small smirk that spread over his lips.
He wanted to laugh. Seriously? Did the wet mud puppy think he was going to live in the room next door?
He wasn’t sure if these walls would be soundproof enough for how he wanted to spend their time.
Plus, if they stayed locked away for days, how would he really feel about it?
Every time they slept in late, everyone would know why.
When he brought ice cream and chocolate syrup to their room, they would know he was having fairy a la mode.
There was also the selfish part of Ken that didn’t want to share her for a while.
He wanted it to be just them. Sure, Mikah and Terra would be there too, but they weren’t the type to pull Alexa away from him.
The dragon kingdom was too busy of a place.
There was always something going on, like the party right now.
But this was only what he was thinking. If Alexa wanted to stay, then he would oblige her. Her opinion was the only one that mattered. Ken looked down at his beautiful mate. She was looking at her parents as she leaned deeper into his side.
“Whatever we decide, it won’t be until after Erebus is taken care of. And at this rate …” Alexa looked up at Ken and smirked. “We won’t ever be leaving.”
Ken chuckled and shook his head. “Are you taking a jab at my skills?”
Mikah snorted. “If she isn’t, I will.” He shrugged his shoulders as Ken turned his head to look at him. “I’m not pointing fingers … okay, actually I am. You still haven’t caught him. Who knows if you will be able to catch him at this rate.”
“I’ll catch him. And when I do, I’m going to make him pay.” Ken frowned. “I’m sorry that his grudge against me ended up involving you and your family.”
Alexa looked up at Ken as her lips parted slightly. “Do you think we blame you? No one in my family blames you.”
“She’s right. Erebus isn’t your fault, Ken.
” Levi gave Ken a slight smile, showing him he didn’t bear him any ill will.
And he didn’t. Erebus had all but separated himself from the other deities.
It was now a massive headhunt for him. Erebus would either be imprisoned by the council or he would be killed.
It just depended on who caught him first.
Brian looked over at Bella and motioned for her to come to him. She walked cautiously past everyone until she reached his side. “Dad. Mom. This is Bella, my mate.” He smiled as he looked down at his mate’s gray eyes, which were focused on his parents.
“Nice to meet you. I don’t feel the mate pull yet. I just wanted to make sure you knew that.” Bella’s voice was timid as she glanced nervously at the king and queen.
Lila took Bella’s hand. “It’s okay, my dear. I met my mate so many times. We saw each other at least once a year. And it wasn’t until I was twenty that I recognized him as my mate. Just because you don’t feel the mate pull now doesn’t mean anything.”
“Really? You never felt the attraction to your mate?” Bella asked innocently, and Mikah snorted in laughter. She looked up to see the small wince on Brian’s face and her eyes widened in shock at the realization of what she’d just said.
“Oh gosh. I don’t mean that. I meant I don’t feel the pull.
I don’t mean … It’s not that I’m not attracted to you.
You’re very good looking—” Bella stopped as her face heated up.
She quickly looked down at the floor and bit her bottom lip.
She was completely embarrassed. A warm hand cupped her chin, and she looked up into hazel eyes.
Under his loving stare, she felt herself blushing even more, if that was possible.
“It’s okay, Bella. I know what you meant.
I haven’t told you yet, but I find you incredibly beautiful.
” Brian smiled down at her innocent face.
Her silver hair only made the crimson stains on her cheeks look darker.
Before he even felt the mate pull, he’d found her attractive.
But now with it, she was irresistible to him.
And her innocence made his beast stir in overprotectiveness.
“Goodness, Brian!” Lila reached out and pulled Bella to her side. “You’re embarrassing her. Yes, sweetheart. I used to fight with Xander or ignore him. All that changed once my dragon claimed him as my mate.”
“How about we have a small dinner together, the four of us, so we can all get to know each other better?” Xander looked over at Lila, who nodded in agreement.
Then he smirked. “Besides, it looks like the rest of the family has finally emerged, so they’ll need their own family bonding time.
” Xander nodded toward Brody and Chelsie, who had just emerged from their bedroom.
He chuckled and motioned for his family to follow him down the stairs.
It was clear from Brody’s tussled hair that he was having a late snack.
“So … what did we miss?” Brody tried to walk in nonchalantly. His gaze landed on Ken and he raised his brow at him. “So … I see your mate has finally shown himself.”
“Uncle Brody … officially … this is my Ken.” Alexa smiled, biting her bottom lip. She felt Ken squeeze her lightly.
“Hmm. Ken, huh?” Brody studied the man and then looked over at Levi. “It’s kind of funny, isn’t it?”
“What’s funny?” Levi asked, knitting his brows.
“Well, Reiya has a water deity; I have a kelpie, and the Kraken is also associated with water.” Brody shrugged his shoulders. “Seems like more than a coincidence, don’t you think? All this water power in a dragon fire kingdom.”
Levi looked at Brody in shock and then glanced at Ken. Both men had their brows furrowed as they mulled over what Brody had said. Alexa had ice powers too.
“That seems like more than a coincidence,” Mikah snorted and walked over to plop on the couch. “Though it doesn’t make sense unless the whole world is going to burn or something …” He turned his head and studied Alexa. “Does it? Is that what you saw?”
“Saw what? Lex?” Reiya turned her gaze to her daughter. “Did you have a premonition?”
“Yeah …” Alexa whispered as the chilling images flashed through her mind. The man with the red eye now terrified her on a level she couldn’t understand. As his face flitted through her mind, she shuddered. Ken pulled her in tighter against him, holding her protectively.
“How far in the future have you seen?” Reiya asked as Alexa turned to look at her mother. “Far?” She hesitated for a moment. “Did the world look like it was in ruins?” Her daughter’s eyes widened as she slowly nodded her head. “So, you’ve seen him too?”
“You’ve also seen him? The man with the red eye?” Alexa watched her mother nod her head.
“We all have. I have, as well as Lucie and my mother and grandmother. There are different versions and variations from what we can tell. We don’t know yet if they’re different times or just different perspectives of the same time.
But we’ve all seen this.” Reiya looked at her daughter’s troubled blue eyes.
“But for something like that to happen …” Alexa whispered.
“A war the gods cannot fight in. And if this vision comes to pass, Elysia will have been sealed.” Reiya watched as Alexa shook her head.
“But not everyone went behind the seal in Elysia. I saw sword wielders like Raine. And I saw a lycan. Did we all just leave them to their fate? Because I would never—” Alexa started but her mother quickly interrupted her.
“You would. Because staying here would cause you pain. It would cause me pain. Our mates wouldn’t be able to stand by seeing us hurting like that.
In order to protect them, we would enter Elysia.
” Reiya smiled at her daughter. “We don’t know anything about this future other than our visions.
But this future isn’t going to be our fight. ”
Alexa leaned into Ken and turned her head into his chest. She felt his hand soothing her back as she inhaled his scent.
Her mother was right. As much as she would want to stay and fight, she would need to protect Ken.
If it was a problem for him to get involved, she would have to remove him from the situation.
And his next words proved that this was exactly what she had to do.
“Lex, don’t think about it,” Ken cooed to her. “I’ll do whatever you want me to. You know I don’t give a damn about the deity council.”
“No,” Alexa whispered into his chest. “I won’t risk losing you. You already made me wait so long for you. I’m not going without you now.” She tilted her head up and gave him a soft smile, followed by a yawn.
“You’re tired. You haven’t slept since you left.” Ken reached down and brushed his thumb over her cheek. He then looked back up at her family. “Family pow wow will have to wait. Alexa needs to rest.”
“Ken I’m—”
“Going to sleep.” Ken smirked and raised a brow.
“Alexa, go and get some rest. We can all talk afterward.” Reiya gestured for her daughter to go. “Your mate is right.”
Alexa smiled in appreciation and walked with Ken to her room.
Mikah didn’t have to accompany her since Ken was by her side.
He finally had some time off from babysitting duty.
The moment she shut her door, she wrapped her arms around Ken’s neck, bringing his lips down into hers.
She pushed her tongue into his mouth, and he moaned into her as his hands traveled down her sides.
She backed him up toward her bed. Suddenly he pulled back and chuckled, shaking his head.
“I don’t think so, my little siren. Not this time. Rest first.” Ken listened to her whine in protest, and he leaned his head down to her ear. “Sleep first and then I’ll pleasure every inch of your body until you squirm from the overstimulation … and then I’ll send you over the edge again.”
Alexa smiled at him and traced a finger up his chest. “Is that a promise?”
“I promise.” Ken leaned down and gently brushed his lips over hers. He lifted her bridal style and gently laid her down on the bed, scooting in beside her and curling her into his arms. “Sleep well, my love. I’m not going anywhere.”
Alexa turned her head so she was lying on his chest. She closed her eyes as she listened to the gentle rhythm of his heart that slowly lulled her to sleep.
Alexa knitted her brows together as her heart began to race.
Her breathing picked up and her beasts stirred in agitation.
Something was wrong. She opened her eyes to a dark room that was not her own.
She looked out in confusion and focused on a flash of light in the distance.
There, standing under a cruel, false moonlight, was a figure.
She clenched her fingers into fists, her knuckles turning white as a wave of dread washed over her.
“Hello, Alexa.”