Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Drip. Drop.
Drip. Drop.
Kali sneered in disgust as she heard the light footsteps approaching. “You’ve got to do something about that nasty floral scent you have going on there.” Her black orbs pinned on the woman walking up to her.
“I’ll change my scent if you change yours. Really, the smell of decaying flesh is revolting.” Selene folded her arms and curled her lips up.
“What are you smiling at?” Kali spat at the goddess.
“You do care.” Selene smiled widely as she watched the woman with dark hair turn away from her.
“What are you talking about?” Kali said poisonously. She stared into her bubbling pot, sticking her pale boney finger into it again.
“You know what I’m talking about. You and I both know you don’t need that black pearl.” Selene continued to grin at Kali.
“Your obsession with me is starting to get gross.” Kali rolled her black orbs, not that anyone would notice, though. There was no white in her eyes to be able to see the difference.
“You sent her on a quest knowing she would have no problem retrieving the pearl. You just wanted to help her.” Selene approached Kali.
Kali sighed, pinning her dark gaze on the goddess.
“Don’t you have something better to do with your time?
You know, like figure out how you’re going to get the Gemini twins to do what we need them to.
” She smiled smugly at Selene, whose body stiffened.
“You really think they’re going to do what you need them to just by asking?
” She tilted her head as she studied the goddess. “You already have a plan, don’t you?”
“They won’t refuse me. I don’t need another plan,” Selene said quietly.
“We shall see. If you can’t manage to get them to agree, I’m sure I can.” Kali’s eyes glinted with cruelty as a sinister smile spread over her face. The light from a candle flickered over her dark orbs as she stared at Selene.
“I’ll handle it when the time comes.” Selene glared back at Kali. “Reiya and Hunter are my children. And even though Xander isn’t my child, I was the one who saved his soul. They’re mine to handle. I won’t tolerate you messing with any of the children I consider mine, Kali.”
“So possessive, just like your werewolf children.” Kali clicked her tongue in annoyance. Maybe their possessive natures did come from Selene. After all, she was a very possessive goddess. “I wonder how the fairy queen will feel about you putting her children in danger …”
“It can’t be helped. I need the three of them.
They’re the only ones who can do what WE need.
” Selene’s shoulders dropped and she held her hands out.
“This is the future we’ve been working for.
We’ve been waiting for all the pieces to fall into place, and it’s almost time.
Their last obstacle is subduing the demons.
Then it will finally be time to get Endymion. ”
Kali looked down quietly. “We really screwed up before.”
“But we’ve learned, and we paid for our mistakes.” Selene smiled softly at Kali.
Kali stared into her pot. “The future we want still isn’t clear, though. Not yet.”
“Once the siblings are reunited, we’ll start to see the picture clearer. The time is coming soon.” Selene looked around at the dark cavern. “You won’t have to stay here much longer.”
Kali looked at the light at the end of the cave.
She had sacrificed a lot in order to stop the darkness.
In order to freeze the ordinances of the black hole, she had to seal herself away in this cave.
She gave up her beautiful eyes in exchange for the dark ones she had now.
She also lost a brother, while Selene lost her partner … her mate.
“I wonder how he’s been,” Kali said quietly.
Selene knew she was talking about Endymion.
He had sacrificed himself in order to stop the black hole from devouring the world.
A black hole that was only created because of Selene and Kali.
It was their fault. They had messed around too much with fate and destiny and tipped the balance, accidentally creating the black hole.
Endymion had sacrificed himself and sealed the hole from the inside.
The only way for the magical void to leave would be to restore balance, which was what Kali and Selene had been working for centuries to do.
After the balance was restored, they wouldn’t have to worry about the black hole anymore.
For all this to work, they would need the Gemini twins and Hunter.
They would have to put them in danger in order to get Endymion back.
“I wonder if he knows we’re trying to rescue him, or if he’s given up hope.” Selene frowned and looked back at Kali.
Kali sighed and nodded her head. “He knows we would never give up on him. It’s taken a long time to fix the mess we’ve made without intervening like we did before.”
“If only we could use our powers … we could fix all of this. We could erase the black hole …” Selene frowned.
If only they could just use their powers against the black hole, but it was impossible.
And using their powers to balance the earth was what got them in trouble in the first place.
No, they had learned their lesson. It was just a painfully slow process.
“Kali …” Selene said softly. She looked at the girl who had always been like a sister to her. Sure, they bickered and fought, but it was just because they were close. And with Endymion sealed, they only had each other for comfort. “When we get Endymion back …”
“IF,” Kali interrupted with a scowl.
“WHEN …” Selene said with confidence. “When we get him back and this seal on you is also broken … come back with us. Please.”
Kali looked up at her in shock. “I-I …” She didn’t know how to respond to that. She wasn’t expecting her to offer that. An offer that allowed her to hope.
“You don’t have to live here anymore. Neither does Endymion. That time is over. I want you both to come back with me and live where we can watch over the world, like we were always meant to.” Selene smiled at Kali.
Kali looked down at the ground. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, afraid she was going to be let down.
Afraid she would continue to be sealed away in the darkness forever, and so would Endymion.
She looked back at Selene. “If … if we get Endymion back. If that time ever comes …” She held her gaze and slowly nodded her head.
She wanted nothing more than to live in the light again with the ones she treasured the most.
“Don’t go soft on me, Selene. In order to achieve what we need, we must put the Chain family through hell. It’s through their hell and sacrifice that we have a chance of getting Endymion back.” Kali stared at Selene as the flame flickered in her eyes.
Selene nodded with a frown. She hated to do it.
She hated making them suffer because of the mess they’d created.
But Endymion was suffering, too. Kali was suffering.
And she was suffering. The Chain family was unfortunately a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.
They were the champions she had chosen to fight the darkness.
And even though it wasn’t fair to them, she had directed the chess pieces accordingly and placed them in the demon’s path.
“Darkness is on the move. He came up to the surface the other day,” Selene said in a hushed tone.
Kali scoffed. “How dare that bastard turn against me. Opportunistic snake.”
“Opportunistic demon.” A crooked smile raised over Selene’s lips as Kali shook her head back and forth.
“Let’s hope they have the power to defeat him.
” Kali felt no remorse in the killing of Mephisto.
He had betrayed her and turned his back on balance.
In order to restore the world's balance, he would have to be destroyed, which was why a certain werewolf ended up having a deity for a mate.
They would need his strength to defeat Mephisto.
Selene was able to indirectly add a powerful soldier to the war this way.
“There is no turning back. For Endymion,” Selene said softly.
“For all of us,” Kali corrected her with a slight nod.
Selene looked toward the cave opening. She thought about the Chain family and the tribulations that were ahead of them. She had done her best to stack the odds in their favor without directly having her hands in it. The rest was now up to them.
Hunter and Freja walked with their arms linked down to the breakfast table.
Surprisingly, they were up for breakfast. They arrived to find a full table.
Susan and Adam were sitting side by side, and next to them was Winston.
Across from them were Sam, Renee, Jin and Chasen.
There were two seats open together for Hunter and Freja at the end.
But when Freja went to sit on one of the seats, Hunter reached around her waist, pulling her down onto his lap.
“Nuh uh. You’re sitting right here with me,” Hunter said, with a childish air.
Freja giggled and turned to look at him.
“What? Did you guys not get enough of each other last night?” Chasen smirked as he plunged a stack of bacon in his mouth. Yes, a stack.
“It’ll never be enough.” Hunter leaned his head into her neck and took in gentle whiffs of his mate. He would never be able to satisfy his cravings for her, which was exactly how it was supposed to be.
“Finally, we can have a normal day today,” Sam said as he grinned at Hunter.
“I’m afraid not yet,” Freja said, and everyone looked at her.
“Well, I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but I’m pissed.
We need to start getting a plan together and work on taking out that coven of witches.
As far as I’m concerned, I won’t be happy until I watch the life drain from their coven leader’s eyes. ”
Hunter chuckled and tugged her back into his side. “We’ll get to them. But let’s at least take today for ourselves. I just want to hold you today.”
“Only hold me?” Freja tilted her head to the side as she looked at him, a coy smile on her face.
Hunter smirked. Whether I’m holding you on my lap or holding your hips as I thrust into you … I just want to be holding you. He felt her breath catch in her chest and he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her cheek. “I just want to spend a normal day with you today.”
“What about your alpha duties?” Freja asked as she took a sip of her orange juice.
“Sam can be acting alpha today. Right Sam?” Hunter looked up at his beta, who had a knowing smile on his face.
“Sure can. I always said I would make a better alpha than you anyway.” Sam winked at Hunter, who rolled his eyes at him.
“Hunter.” Caden walked into the pack house with a small frown over his face.
“Oh no, you’re about to ruin my day, aren’t you?” Hunter frowned and squeezed Freja. He felt like a child, about to pout over getting bad news.
“I’m afraid so. We have two small bands of wolves that have come to meet the King of the Werewolves.” Caden gave Hunter a sympathetic smile.
“When you say they’ve come, do you mean they are coming, or—” Hunter sighed, already knowing what he was going to say.
“I mean that they’re already here. At our border, and asking for entrance.” Caden listened to the low growl that ripped through Hunter’s throat. His eyes were laced with annoyance.
“Who are these wolves? Have we not met before?” Hunter leaned his forehead into Freja’s back as he took in her scent to calm himself. Of course, there would be something that would keep him from devouring his mate all day.
“They didn’t make it to the last meeting. It’s the Alpha of the Zigma Pack and the Alpha of the Rosen Pack, with a small group of pack members. They’re asking for entry and accommodations.” Caden sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know if we can trust their intentions or not.”
“Doesn’t matter. We’ll soon find out what their intentions are.
Caden, you, Garrett, and Caspian keep a close eye on them while they’re here.
Adam and Winston, I want you to keep an eye on them, too.
Especially both of the alphas.” He then turned toward Sam.
“Put them in the two lower lodges. They should be able to accommodate both packs.” Hunter sighed with a low groan.
“I guess we’re meeting some alphas.” He watched as Freja smiled back at him.
“I guess we are.” Freja leaned her head into him. But later, maybe we can play with those blindfolds. She trailed the tips of her fingers over his forearm.
Hunter chuckled lowly as his silver eyes flickered dark.
Damn. He really wished he could play hooky from being the alpha today.
He just wanted to drown himself in his mate all day.
Lifting himself, he set Freja on her feet, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pecked the top of her head tenderly.
At least he had his luna by his side now.
Chasen growled lowly and stood up from his seat. “I don’t like having outsiders within the pack borders.” His brows furrowed, his lips curled up in distaste. Especially after everything that had happened, strangers made him uneasy.
“Let’s meet these packs and see what they want. I highly doubt it’s just to see me.” Hunter looked over at his group with a slight nod. Never a dull moment.